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TODAY'S TUESDAY, APRIL 18TH.[CALL TO ORDER]
TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR JAMES BARKER OF GREATER Z MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.EVERYONE, PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES.
PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR OUR PLEASURE IF YOU SO CHOOSE.
FATHER, IT IS ONCE AGAIN THAT WE PAUSE AND WE SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO APPROACH A THRONE OF GRACE.
AND GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY.
WE THANK YOU DEAR GOD FOR YOUR POWER.
AND EVEN IN TIMES LIKE THESE, DEAR GOD, WE THANK YOU THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER.
THEN GOD, WE PRAY FOR OUR NATION.
WE PRAY FOR OUR NATION'S LEADERS.
WE PRAY, DEAR GOD, FOR STATEWIDE LEADERS.
AND THEN GOD, WE PRAY FOR OUR LOCAL ASSEMBLIES.
WE PRAY FOR THESE COUNCIL PEOPLE.
AND DEAR GOD, OUR CITY, HELP US DEAR GOD, TO COMPLETELY LEAN AND DEPEND ON YOU AND ALL THAT WE DO ALL THAT WE SAY, KNOWING THAT YOU KNOW BEST, WE ASK IT ALL IN THE NAME OF OUR DEATH, CONQUEROR CHRIST, JESUS THE LORD.
PLEASE JOIN US IN OUR NEXT, WHERE'S THE FLAG? OKAY, THERE'S OUR 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, INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
YOU MAY BE SITTING, MAY I HAVE THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR MUAN.
PRESENT, MAYOR PRO, TIM DUO PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL SHAW PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUEL PRESENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL PRESENT.
[Proclamations, Presentations and Recognitions]
HAVE FOUR PROCLAMATIONS AND ONE RECOGNITION.THE FIRST, UH, PROCLAMATION, UH, THAT WILL BE READ, I WILL READ IT.
AND IT IS THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELATE THE LIFE AND IT READS AS FOLLOWS.
WHEREAS FOR A FIVE HOUR PERIOD, MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN WILL GATHER TO PARTAKE IN A FRIENDLY COMPETITION DESIGNED TO ACCOMPLISH ONE GOAL, TO SAY, GAME OVER TO CANCER AND CELEBRATE, REMEMBER, FIGHT BACK.
WHEREAS IN 1986, THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ADOPTED RELAY FOR LIFE AS THEIR NATIONAL SIGNATURE EVENT.
RELAY FOR LIFE IS A UNIQUE, CHALLENGING AND FUN CONCEPT DEVELOPED TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, WHILE RECOGNIZING CANCER SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS AND HEIGHTENED PUBLIC AWARENESS.
WHEREAS IN 2022, RELAY FOR LIFE RAISED MORE THAN $300,000 THIS YEAR, RELAY FOR LIFE WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, APRIL 28TH, 2023 FROM FIVE TO 10, AND INCLUDE TEENS OF RUNNERS AND WALKERS WHO WILL ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL THE MOST MILES AROUND THE TRACK.
AT THE LAMAR UNIVERSITY THAI TAROT TRACK COMPLEX WHILE TRAVELING, THE PARTICIPANTS ARE CERTAIN TO HAVE A FANTASTIC TIME SOCIALIZING AND LAUGHING WHILE VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS AND FIGHT BACK AGAINST CANCER.
WHEREAS THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY IS FORTUNATE, THERE'S SO MANY DEDICATED AND COMPASSIONATE SOUTHEAST TEXANS WHO ARE WILLING TO DEVOTE TIME AND RESOURCES TO THIS WORTHY CAUSE.
WHEN AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY PULLS TOGETHER TO WORK TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL, EVERYONE BENEFITS.
THEREFORE, I MAYOR ROBIN MUAN OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, AM PROUD TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THE MANY VOLUNTEERS AND PARTICIPANTS FROM AREA, FAMILY, CORPORATIONS, HOSPITALS, CHURCHES, AND CIVIC GROUPS, AND DO HEREBY PROCLAIM
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APRIL THE 28TH, 2023 AS GREATER GOLDEN TRIANGLE RELAY FOR LIFE CANCER AWARENESS DAY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO PARTICIPATE AND SUPPORT THIS WORTHY ENDEAVOR ACCORDINGLY.I MAYOR ROBIN MUAN HAS HEARING TO SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY TO BE AFFIXED AND SIGN THIS DAY, APRIL THE 18TH, 20 22, 23.
MAYOR ROBIN MUAN AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION ARE JOSH AND THOMAS DAVIS EVENT CHAIRS AND KATHY CHESTER, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MAN MANAGER, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE COME FORWARD, ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.
YOU I GET THAT HAPPY YOU'VE BEEN EYEING THAT BY SURPRISE.
TONIGHT, YOU'VE BEEN EYEING THAT BOX ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK WITH THE I WILL.
LOOK, AJ IS MARKING HIS CHAIR.
WHO HAS NUMBER TWO? ME? YOU HAVE NUMBER THREE? YOU HAVE NUMBER TWO.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? SO WE JUST WANNA INVITE EVERYBODY IN.
SO NEXT FRIDAY, APRIL 28TH, WE WILL HONOR OUR SURVIVORS.
WE'LL MEMBER THOSE THAT WE'VE LOST TO THIS DEADLY DISEASE AND THEN JOIN TOGETHER TO FIGHT BACK SO WE CAN ONE DAY HAVE A WORLD WITHOUT CANCER.
UM, THIS EVENT'S BEEN AROUND FOR 35 PLUS YEARS, AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE STRIDES IN WHAT WE DO WITH RESEARCH AND SERVICES AND JUST THE SUPPORT FROM OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THE ONE THING THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE SO MUCH IN COMMON, BUT THE ONE THING WE HAVE IN COMMON IS THE FACT THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TOUCHED BY THIS DISEASE.
UM, FOR ME, I'M A CANCER SURVIVOR, SO IT MEANS SO MUCH TO HAVE PEOPLE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THIS EVENT.
THIS EVENT SAVED MY LIFE 14 YEARS AGO.
SO BECAUSE OF THE MONEY RAISED, I AM A SURVIVOR AND I'M HERE TODAY.
UM, SO IT MEANS SO MUCH TO HAVE THE SUPPORT AND TO HAVE EVERYBODY COME OUT.
SO WE INVITE Y'ALL NEXT WEEK, UM, FIVE TO 10:00 PM HELP US PACK THE TRACK SO WE CAN RAISE AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE TO PUT IT INTO THIS DISEASE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I WILL BE ON THE TRACK, BUT I PROMISE YOU IT'LL ONLY BE WALKING THIS TIME.
OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION WILL BE READ BY MAYOR PRO, TIM DIO.
THIS PROCLAMATION IS FOR THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT, WHEREAS APRIL MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE PASSAGE OF THE FAIR HOUSING ACT OF 1968, WHICH SOUGHT TO ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION IN HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES AND TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER HOUSING CHOICES FOR ALL AMERICANS.
AND WHEREAS APRIL ALSO MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ASSASSINATION OF DR.
WHO WAS A CHAMPION OF FAIR HOUSING FOR ALL AND WHOSE HARD WORK AND LEADERSHIP RESULTED IN THE PASSAGE OF THE ACT.
AND WHEREAS THE ONGOING STRUGGLE FOR DIGNITY AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL IS NOT THE EXCLUSIVE PROVINCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND WHEREAS VIGOROUS LOCAL EFFORTS TO COMBAT DISCRIMINATION CAN BE AS EFFECTIVE IF NOT MORE SO THAN FEDERAL EFFORTS.
AND WHEREAS ILLEGAL BARRIERS TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN HOUSING, NO MATTER HOW SUBTLE, DIMINISH THE RIGHTS OF ALL.
NOW THEREFORE, ROBIN MUAN, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IN PURSUIT OF THE SHARED GOAL AND RESPONSIBILITY
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OF EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL MEN AND WOMEN, DO HEREBY JOIN IN A NATIONAL CELEBRATION BY PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2023 AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH IN BEAUMONT, IN BEAUMONT, AND ENCOURAGE ALL AGENCIES, INSTITUTIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE IN THE CITY TO ABIDE BY THE LETTER AND THE SPIRIT OF THE FAIR HOUSING LAW.ACCORDINGLY, THE MAYOR HAS HEREON TWO SET HER HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO BE AFFIXED.
SIGNED ROBIN MUAN, APRIL 18TH, 2023.
AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MS. JESS PRINCE, CITY OF BEAUMONT, MANAGER OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT HOUSING PROGRAM.
STAFF WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND OUR FURTHER ENDS OF EQUITY IN THE CITY AND CELEBRATING FAIR HOUSING MONTH.
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
NEXT, WE'LL HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS WEEK.
AND IT WILL BE READ BY COUNCIL MEMBER GETZ.
UH, THIS PROCLAMATION DOES RECOGNIZE NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS WEAK, AND WHEREAS THE TERM VICTIM IS MORE THAN JUST A LABEL AND HAS LEGAL STANDING AND PROTECTIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT.
AND WHEREAS CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS ACTS PASSED HERE IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS, AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL GUARANTEE VICTIMS THE RIGHT TO MEANINGFULLY PARTICIPATE AND USE THEIR VOICE IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS.
AND WHEREAS VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS, ADVOCATES, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, ATTORNEYS, AND OTHER ALLIED PROFESSIONALS CAN HELP SURVIVORS FIND THEIR JUSTICE BY ENFORCING THESE RIGHTS.
AND WHEREAS THE RIGHT TO PROVIDE AN IMPACT STATEMENT ENSURES THAT VICTIMS' VOICES ARE CONSIDERED IN COURT DURING THE SENTENCING AND WHEN APPLICABLE RESTITUTION PROCESSES.
AND WHEREAS INCLUDING AND ELEVATING THE VOICES OF SURVIVORS MAKE CERTAIN THEY'RE HEARD AND SEEN AND CREATES A PATH TO FORGING AND SUSTAINING COMMUNITY TRUST.
AND WHEREAS ENGAGING SURVIVORS CREATES RESPONSES AND SERVICES THAT ARE CREDIBLE, MEANINGFUL, AND CENTERED ON INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.
AND WHEREAS SURVIVORS LIVED EXPERIENCE CAN SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR IMPLEMENTING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS, SHIFTING EXISTING PROGRAMS IN NEW DIRECTIONS, AND CHANGING POLICIES OR PRACTICES THAT PREVENT SURVIVORS FROM ACCESSING SERVICES OR PURSUING JUSTICE.
AND WHEREAS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOMMIT TO LISTENING TO CRIME SURVIVORS IN EVERY SPACE WHERE, WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT COULD IMPACT THEM.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS HEREBY DEDICATED TO AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF SURVIVORS AND CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE SURVIVORS HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL BE HEARD, BELIEVED, AND SUPPORTED.
AND NOW THEREFORE, ROBIN MUAN AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 23RD AND THROUGH THE 29TH, 2023 AS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS.
WE REAFFIRMING THE COMMITMENT TO CREATING A VICTIM SERVICE AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESPONSE THAT ASSISTS ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME DURING NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEKS AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IN EXPRESSING OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION FOR THOSE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO IMPROVING OUR RESPONSE TO ALL VICTIMS OF CRIME SO THAT THEY MAY FIND RELEVANT ASSISTANCE, SUPPORT, JUSTICE AND PEACE.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE MAYOR HAS HERE UNTO SET HER HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO BE AFFIX.
SIGNED MAYOR ROBIN MUAN, APRIL 18TH, 2023.
AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE MISTY, MISTY CARVER, JEFFERSON COUNTY DIRECTOR, THIS VICTIM'S ASSISTANCE CENTER.
MISTY, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND RECEIVE YOUR PROCLAMATION AND BRING ANYONE THAT YOU HAVE WITH YOU.
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THANK YOU FOR THE WORK.WHAT'S UP? WHAT'S UP? HOW DOING CONGRATULATIONS.
I'M THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY VICTIMS ASSISTANCE CENTER.
AND, UH, I AM A PART OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY COALITION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME.
UM, AND WE ARE THE ONES THAT WILL PUT ON THE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL, THE TREE OF ANGELS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
I'M GONNA LET THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UP HERE WITH ME, I'M GONNA LET 'EM TAKE A SECOND AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
JUST REAL QUICK, SAY WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU'RE FROM.
I'M FROM THE GARTH HOUSE, MICKEY MAFF CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER HERE IN BEAUMONT.
I AM CORLY STEEL AS I'M WITH BUCKNER CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES.
I'M GEORGE HARTSFIELD WITH BUTNER CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES.
I'M A PARENT EDUCATOR AT BUCKNER.
I AM DIMITRI HOLLOWAY FROM SURVIVING PARENTS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND ALL OF US TOGETHER, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER AGENCIES HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY.
UM, NOT ONLY TRY TO OFFER A COORDINATED EFFORT OF SERVICES AVAILABLE TO CRIME VICTIMS, UH, AND ENSURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM, ADVOCATE FOR THEM, UH, WALK THEM THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UM, BUT WE ALSO PUT ON REMEMBRANCE EVENTS.
AND ONE OF THOSE IS NEXT WEEK FOR NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK ON TUESDAY, A WEEK FROM TODAY, UH, APRIL THE 25TH, WE'LL PUT ON OUR CANDLELIGHT VIGIL 6:00 PM UH, IN THE, UH, JURY AND PANELING AUDITORIUM AT THE COURTHOUSE.
VICTIMS OF CRIME, FAMILY MEMBERS, OFFICIALS, ANYBODY WHO, UM, WANTS TO LET VICTIMS KNOW THAT, UH, JEFFERSON COUNTY'S HERE FOR THEM, THAT WE RECOGNIZE THEM, THAT WE WANT TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER THEM.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AS ALWAYS, FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, WE COULDN'T DO THIS KIND OF STUFF WITHOUT YOUR HELP.
THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH, MS. C TO YOU AND EVERYONE THAT STAND BEHIND YOU.
I'VE BEEN IN THE COURTROOMS. I KNOW WHAT YOU DO, AND WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE A RECOGNITION OF CONNECT REALTY, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY CONNECT THE COMMUNITY EVENT.
AND THAT PROCLAMATION WILL BE READ BY COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL.
WHEREAS FOUNDED IN 2008, CONNECT REALTY.COM.
INCORPORATE IT IS A FULL SERVICE BROKERAGE WITH ITS HEADQUARTERS LOCATED IN THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS, AND PROVIDE SERVICES IN OVER 60 MARKETS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WHEREAS THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY HAS A VISION TO END CANCER, AS WE KNOW IT FOR EVERYONE, THEY'RE IMPROVING THE LIVES OF CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH ADVOCACY, RESEARCH, AND PATIENT SUPPORT TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PREVENT, DETECT, TREAT, AND SURVIVE CANCER.
AND WHEREAS ON APRIL 20TH, 2023, MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS COMMUNITY CONNECT REALTY AND THE AMERICAN CANCER WILL BE TEAMING UP TO HOST A FUNDRAISER IN THE FORM OF A GALA ENTITLED CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY, AN EVENING OF GLAMOR GLITZ, AND GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEREAS THIS YEAR'S EVENT WILL BE HELD IN THE LUXURIOUS GRAND SUITE SEA EVENT LOUNGE IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS, CONNECTING WITH SOUTHEAST TEXAS GALA IS GOING TO HAVE A SILENT AUCTION ENTERTAINMENT AND TICKET SALES TO RAISE MONEY FOR CANCER RESEARCH AND THE OVERALL SUPPORT OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.
AND WHEREAS WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS TAKING A STAND TO FIGHT A GROWING THREAT TO MANY IN THE COMMUNITIES, IF NOT THE WORLD.
AND WHEREAS TODAY WE RECOGNIZE CONNECT REALTY AND HEREBY CONSIDER APRIL 20TH, 2023, CONNECT THE COMMUNITY DAY AND CONGRATULATE CONNECT REALTY ON ALL THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.
ACCORDINGLY, THE MAYOR HAS HERE TO SET HER HAND AND CAUSE THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO BE AFFIXED.
SIGNED ROBIN MUAN, APRIL 18TH, 2023.
AN ACCEPTANCE WILL BE MIKE DEL LUNA, VICE PRESIDENT OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS CONNECT REALTY.
PLEASE COME FORWARD AND BRING YOUR TEAM.
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CONGRATULATIONS.THANK WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS THIS IS A HUGE HONOR FOR US.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE WANNA PIGGYBACK OFF OF THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.
UH, YOU HEARD KATHY AND JOSH SPEAK HIGHLY ABOUT THEIR EVENT, AND WE FELT IT IN OUR HEART TO NOT ONLY BE A PREVALENT BUSINESS IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT TO GIVE BACK TO THOSE THAT WE SERVE.
SO THIS LEADERSHIP TEAM BEHIND ME, UH, IS MAKING ALL THIS POSSIBLE AND, UH, JUST WANNA GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO SAY ONE OR TWO WORDS, BUT I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE SUPPORT.
AND, UH, IT'S AT SWEET SEA, SO COME OUT ON THURSDAY AND SUPPORT THE CAUSE.
NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZED IN THE LAST WEEKEND IN APRIL AS BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE HEROES WEEKEND.
AND READING THAT PROCLAMATION WILL BE COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUEL.
IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE AS A FELLOW BIKER TO PRESENT THIS PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS PLEASED TO JOIN BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE INCORPORATED IN CELEBRATING THE LAST WEEKEND OF APRIL AND 2023 AS BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE WEEKEND IN TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE IS AN INTERNATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO PROVIDING SUPPORT AND HEALING TO CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED, THESE YOUNG VICTIMS ARE KNOWN AMONG THE ORGANIZATION'S MEMBERS AS HEROES.
AND WHEREAS THIS EXEMPLARY ORGANIZATION HAS INSTITUTED A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES TO CHAMPION THE VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE, NOTABLY ADOPTION CEREMONIES AT WHICH AN ABUSED CHILD IS BROUGHT INTO THE BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE FAMILY.
AND WHEREAS IT IS TRULY FITTING THAT A WEEKEND BE SET ASIDE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE BRAVERY AND DETERMINATION SHOWN BY THE VICTIM'S CHILD, CHILD ABUSE IN FACING AND OVERCOMING THEIR TRAUMA.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DO HI, BRYAN COMMEND THE MEMBERS OF BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE INCORPORATED, UH, ON THEIR IMPORTANT WORK AND THEIR COMMITMENT IN SUPPORTING THE VICTIMS OF CHILD ABUSE AND EXTEND TO THEM THE BEST WISHES, WISHES FOR A VERY SUCCESSFUL BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE WEEKEND.
NOW THEREFORE, MAYOR ROBIN MUAN OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS DUE PROCLAIMED APRIL 28TH THROUGH 30TH, 2023, AS BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE HEROES WEEKEND, AND COMMEND ON YOU ALL ON A GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO, AND YOU'RE CONTINUING TO DO THAT, YOU, AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
ACCORDINGLY, THE MAYOR IS HEARING TO AND SET HER HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO BE AFFIXED ON THIS 18TH DAY OF APRIL IN THE YEAR OF 2023.
AND ACCEPTING THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE MS. FRENCH AND FAT CAT AND ALL OF THE OTHERS THAT ARE WITH YOU.
PLEASE COME FORWARD AND ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION.
EVERYBODY
YOU WANT, YOU STAND IN FRONT OF ME.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE IS AN INTERNATIONAL 5 0 1
IT EXISTS AS A BODY OF BIKERS TO EMPOWER ABUSED CHILDREN TO NOT FEEL AFRAID OF THE WORLD AND WISH THEY LIVE.
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BACCA HAS WORKED WITH ABUSED CHILDREN FOR OVER 25 YEARS.WE'VE REFERRED TO THESE CHILDREN AS HEROES.
OUR HEROES ARE BECAUSE THEY'VE FOUND THE COURAGE TO SPEAK OUT AND PUT A STOP TO THE ABUSE.
SINCE APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH, WE FEEL IT IS FITTING THAT WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THESE HEROES.
BACA WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR ISSUING THIS PROCLAMATION SO THAT OUR HEROES CAN BE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR STRENGTH AND COURAGE.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY? THANK YOU,
WE'LL GIVE YOU A FEW MINUTES TO EXIT, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AT THIS TIME, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MR. CHARLIE, ZACK, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD.
I, I FEEL LIKE, UM, I SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE BIKERS.
I'M THE MOST BIKER LOOKING GUY.
SO, UM, AM I, OR AM I, SO SHOULD I JUST START OR
WOULD YOU LIKE AN INTRODUCTION, CHARLIE? I'M HAPPY TO GIVE YOU NO, I, I CAN DO IT.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THE PROTOCOL, SO NO, NO.
YOU'VE BEEN SHY TODAY, CHARLIE.
I, I, OKAY, I'LL, I'LL BE MYSELF.
IS THAT ALL RIGHT? MY NAME IS CHARLIE ZACK, I'M WITH THE LAW FIRM, DENTON, OVER OUR ROAD, RENZA, AND I'VE BEEN ENGAGED BY THE CITY TO ASSIST IN, IN A REVIEW OF YOUR HOME WORLD CHARTER, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME SO THAT YOU'RE NOT TALKING TO A STRANGER.
UH, CUZ I DON'T LIKE PEOPLE TO HAVE TO TALK TO STRANGERS.
I DON'T LIKE TALKING TO STRANGERS, SO I LIKE TO GET 'EM, KNOW 'EM.
AND SO, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.
UM, BORN IN NEW BRO, BORN IN CHAMPAIGN.
MOVED TO NEW BROTHELS, TEXAS WHEN I WAS SIX.
LIVED THERE FOR THE MOST PART MY ENTIRE LIFE, EXCEPT FOR WHEN I SPENT SIX YEARS IN THE NAVY.
AND THAT'S WHERE I GOT MARRIED AND THAT'S WHERE I HAD A KID.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHY SHE LIVES IN LA ISN'T AN ACTRESS AND A MODEL NOW, BUT DON'T HOLD THAT AGAINST ME, THAT I HAVE A KID THAT LIVES IN LA.
UM, I WAS CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY OF NEW BROTHELS FOR SIX YEARS, ABOUT THREE YEARS AFTER I GOT OUTTA LAW SCHOOL.
AND THEN I JOINED THE FIRM IN 2006.
AND I'VE BEEN WITH THE FIRM SINCE 2006.
AND I'M A SHAREHOLDER, UM, WITH THE FIRM.
WHY WAS I ENGAGED TO ASSIST WITH HOME WORLD CHARTERS? UM, WHEN I GOT MY MASTER'S DEGREE, UM, FROM, UH, I, I GUESS IT WAS AT THAT TIME, TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY.
UM, I HAD TO DO AN APPLIED RESEARCH PROJECT AND I REVIEWED EVERY SINGLE HOMER CHARTER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, FOR THAT APPLIED RESEARCH PROJECT.
UH, AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, I DID IT FOR SELFISH PURPOSES CUZ I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE THAT MIGHT HELP ME IN MY WORK.
AND SURE ENOUGH, IT DID, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN REVIEWING ASSISTANCE CITIES WITH HOMER CHARTERS EVER SINCE THAT TIME.
UM, I ENGAGED, I GET ENGAGED REGULARLY TO REVIEW CHARTERS, TO ASSIST CITIES ON INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM ISSUES, ON LITIGATION ISSUES AND CHARTER INTERPRETATION, DRAFTING FIRST CHARTERS AND AMENDING CHARTERS.
UH, THIS YEAR ALONE, I'VE ASSISTING, I ASSISTED TWO CITIES AND, AND PUTTING, HOPEFULLY PUTTING TWO CHARTERS ON THE BALLOT.
AND I'VE DONE THREE CHARTER REVIEWS, UH, IN THE LAST SEVEN OR EIGHT MONTHS.
AND SO I KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOME RULE CHARTERS, AND SO THAT'S WHY, UM, I WAS ENGAGED.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS, AND THIS IS JUST MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT THIS BODY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A REVIEW OF THE CHARTER DONE.
IN ORDER TO GET ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT BY NOVEMBER, YOU SHOULD HAVE A VERY FOCUSED COMMISSION REVIEW.
AND THAT IS GIVE THEM A CHARGE.
AND BY MEAN, GIVE THEM A CHARGE, DETERMINE WHAT IT IS SPECIFICALLY YOU'D LIKE FOR THEM TO LOOK AT, ASK THEM TO, TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEN THEY CAN LOOK AT THAT AND COME BACK AND BRING YOU RECOMMENDATIONS.
REMEMBERING THIS, THAT WITH RESPECT TO THIS TYPE OF REVIEW, THE COMMISSION IS SIMPLY REVIEWING AND BRINGING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS.
ANY DECISIONS WITH RESPECT TO WHAT SHOULD GO ON THE BALLOT, WHAT SHOULD NOT GO
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ON THE BALLOT, THE LANGUAGE AND HOW IT IS WORDED FOR THE BALLOT IS PURELY WITHIN YOUR, WITHIN YOUR DISCRETION AND WITHIN YOUR DECISION MAKING.UM, THE OTHER THING THAT I, UM, WILL BE DOING, UH, I DID A BRIEF REVIEW, UM, AND NOW I'VE STARTED A MORE IN-DEPTH REVIEW.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW OF YOUR CHARTER WAS ADOPTED IN ABOUT 1947.
UM, IT HAS NOT, LOOKS LIKE IT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED TOO MUCH SINCE THAT TIME.
THAT'S, UM, THERE ARE SEVERAL PROVISIONS THAT ARE IN THAT ARE, THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO GET THAT ON THE BALLOT AND GET YOURSELF CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW.
UM, YOUR CHARTER IS 40 SOME PAGES LONG.
UM, WHEN I DO CHARTERS NOW, THEY'RE MORE LIKE 10 OR 15 PAGES LONG, WHICH, AND IN MY REVIEW IT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS IN THERE THAT ARE JUST NOT NECESSARY TO BE IN YOUR CHARTER.
AND SO I WILL BE BRINGING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS ON ITEMS TO CLEAN YOUR CHARTER UP, TO MAKE IT MORE READABLE, TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE TO YOUR PUBLIC, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR COMMUNITY TO READ AND UNDERSTAND.
MAKE SURE THAT, UH, AND AT LEAST FROM MY STANDPOINT, WE DON'T HAVE INTERPRETATION DISPUTES WITH RESPECT TO LANGUAGE IN THE CHARTER SO THAT IT'S EASY TO READ.
SO I'LL BE BRINGING THAT, UM, TO YOU, UM, SEPARATE AND APART FROM ANY INDEPENDENT REVIEW, UM, OF THE CHARTER COMMISSION, UM, IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I I THINK I'M FREE TO SAY THIS, THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE, FROM THIS, I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN SOME IDEAS FROM THIS BODY.
WE MAY WANNA TAKE A LOOK AT WHETHER OR NOT TERM LIMITS IS SOMETHING WE WANNA LOOK AT.
UH, THERE'S A VARIETY OF WAYS TO LOOK AT TERM LIMITS.
MOST PEOPLE THINK WHEN THEY THINK OF TERM LIMITS, THEY THINK THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TWO TERMS, AND YOU'RE OUT FOR LIFE.
MOST CITIES DON'T HAVE TERM LIMITS LIKE THAT BECAUSE MOST CITIES IN TEXAS ARE SMALLER COMMUNITIES.
UM, NOT HUGE MILLION POPULATION WHERE WE HAVE LOTS OF FOLKS TO CHOOSE FROM AND RUN.
AND SO MOST CITIES DO TERM LIMITS IN SOME FORM OR FASHION OF, HEY, YOU CAN DO TWO, THREE TERMS IN A ROW, THEN YOU GOTTA SIT OUT FOR A YEAR AND AFTER YOU SIT OUT FOR A YEAR, THEN YOU KNOW, YOU COME BACK OR YOU HAVE TO SIT OUT FOR A TERM AND THEN YOU COME BACK.
SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF, OF, OF LOOKING AT TERM LIMITS.
UM, I ALSO UNDERSTAND WE MAY WANNA LOOK AT CHANGING, UM, THE, UH, NUMBER, UH, OF YEARS THAT A TERM LASTS.
CURRENTLY, YOU SERVE TWO YEAR TERMS. IS THAT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT? AND MOVING THAT FROM THREE YEAR TERMS TO FOUR YEAR TERMS, UM, THERE'S SOME LOGISTICAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, I RECOMMEND STAGGERED TERMS WHEN WE DO THAT.
IF YOU DO THREE YEARS, YOU, IT'S, YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY DO STAGGERED TERMS, SO YOU HAVE MORE OF CONSISTENCY IN, IN ELECTED OFFICIALS OVER TIME FOR INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TO, UH, THEN FIGURE OUT HOW THOSE TERMS PLAY OUT.
AND THEN ALSO, IF YOU GO TO THREE YEAR TERMS, THERE'S SOME REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE COMPLY WITH, WITH RESPECT TO ELECTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, PLURALITY ELECTIONS IS NO LONGER AUTHORIZED.
IF YOU'RE THREE YEAR TERMS, YOU HAVE TO BE ELECTED BY A MAJORITY VOTE.
WITH THAT SAID, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REVIEW PROCESS ABOUT ME, ABOUT, UH, UH, NOT NECESSARILY YOUR CHARTER SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE I'VE STARTED DIGGING INTO IT, BUT I DON'T HAVE IT MEMORIZED BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION.
AND B, BEFORE YOU GET JUMPED TO AND FORM TO QUESTIONS, UM, THE PURPOSE OF HAVING A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE WOULD BE TO ALLOW FOR BUY-IN, UH, FOR, FOR COUNCIL PURPOSES.
AND CHARLIE, IF YOU CAN JUST SPEAK TO THAT PROCESS, IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING SURE SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT MAY NOT, UH, BE ABLE TO BE FULLY EXPLAINED BY COUNCIL AND STAFF, WHAT'S PLACED ON THE BALLOT WILL BE ABLE TO BE ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO SERVE ON THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AS, AS COUNCIL IS AWARE, UM, AT OUR LAST CHARTER REVIEW, THERE WERE SEVERAL ITEMS THAT WERE PLACED ON THE BALLOT THAT WERE MEANT TO KIND OF CLEAN UP THE LANGUAGE AND, AND TAKE THE PLACE OF, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THE CHARTER WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UH, STATE LAW.
THAT FAILED LARGELY IN PART BECAUSE, UH, I BELIEVE, UH, THE COMMUNITY FULLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, UM, WHAT THOSE ITEMS WERE.
AND ONCE AN ITEM IS PLACED ON THE BALLOT, AS COUNCIL IS AWARE, COUNCIL IS NO LONGER ABLE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, AND STAFF IS NO LONGER TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THAT ITEM.
SO HAVING COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS EARLY ON, UH, WILL INCREASE THE SUCCESS OF HAVING THOSE ITEMS PASSED.
AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
UM, WAS IT MY RECOMMENDATION THAT, THAT THE COMMITTEE SIZE, UM, YOU GET, YOU GET TOO BIG OF A COMMISSION COMMITTEE, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, AND IT BECOMES UNWORKABLE, BUT YOU WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING LARGE ENOUGH THAT YOU'VE GOT APPROPRIATE STAKEHOLDERS AND INPUT FOR PURPOSES OF HAVING A VALID, A VALID DISCUSSION, UH, REGARDING WHETHER OR NOT A PARTICULAR AMENDMENT SHOULD GO ON THE BALLOT.
AND REMEMBER, THAT'S WHAT THE DISCUSSION IS ABOUT.
IT'S NOT WHETHER OR NOT, AND THIS IS WHAT I TELL
[00:35:01]
ON MY CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEES, THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU PERSONALLY ARE IN FAVOR OR AGAINST A PARTICULAR, UM, ITEM THAT MAY GO ON THE BALLOT.THE, THE, THE DECISION MAKING IS AND DEBATE IS, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO THE COMMUNITY THAT IT BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE THE DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE ADOPTED OR REJECTED? BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THIS, THIS, THIS DOCUMENT, YOUR CHARTER IS A CONSTITUTION FOR YOUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND HOW YOUR GOVERNMENT OPERATES.
UM, AND THE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT GET TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
UH, WELL, UM, MADAME ATTORNEY BASICALLY SAID LOTS OF WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
I I'LL START OFF BY SAYING I'M A BIG FAN OF TERM LIMITS AND I HAVE BEEN EVER SINCE I FIRST GOT ELECTED.
UM, BUT, SO I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT THE COMMITTEE COMES BACK ON THAT.
THE OTHER THING I JUST KINDA WANT TO ECHO WHAT MADAME ATTORNEY SAID THAT IN 2019, UH, WE TRIED TO DO A PRETTY IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THE CHARTER AND WE PUT SEVERAL THINGS ON THE BALLOT TO BE VOTED ON, AND SEVERAL OF 'EM WERE, UH, SHOT DOWN BY THE COMMUNITY.
HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND US PUT THAT OUT THERE AND BE ABLE TO SELL IT TO THE COMMUNITY IN A LEGAL MANNER? GOOD, GOOD QUESTION.
UM, SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS ALWAYS TO DO A TOUR.
WHILE THE CITY OFFICIALS CANNOT, WELL, INDIVIDUALLY, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST INDIVIDUALLY AS A UNDER STATE LAW.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR LOCAL REGULATIONS, BUT UNDER STATE LAW, YOU JUST CAN'T SPEND PUBLIC DOLLARS ADVOCATING FOR OR AGAINST.
UM, SO I ALWAYS RECOMMEND A, UM, SORT OF A, A TOUR, SO TO SPEAK, OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
UM, CHURCH GROUPS, HOMEOWNERS, ASSO, INFLUENTIAL HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, ROTARY CLUBS, LION CLUBS, PUT TOGETHER A PRESENTATION THAT IS NOT AN ADVOCATION FOR OR AGAINST THE, THE MEASURES OR THE BALLOT PROPOSITIONS, BUT RATHER IN INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS, SOME TOWN HALL MEETINGS DONE WHERE PEOPLE, WHERE YOU, WHERE THE CHANGES CAN BE EXPLAINED, THE REASON BEHIND THE CHANGES, THE IMPACT OF THE CHANGES, ALL OF THOSE ARE VALID, UM, DISCUSSIONS TO HAVE WITH PUBLIC DOLLARS.
WHAT WE CAN'T DO IS PUT, PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS, OR YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR THIS WHY.
BUT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY EXPLAIN THE IMPACT OF THE, OF THE AMENDMENT, THE REASON WHY IT'S BEING PLACED ON THE BALLOT AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND SO I ALWAYS RECOMMEND IT TO HER, UH, DOING SOME TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THE WORD OUT, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE REASONS FOR THESE.
AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE WORD OUR BALLOT PROPOSITIONS IN A WAY THAT MAKES CLEAR, UM, THE SUBJECT MATTER AND PURPOSE FOR THE AMENDMENT.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY ON THAT, WE CAN PUBLICLY SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST IT IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL, IN YOUR, IN YOUR INDO NOW I'M GONNA DEFER TO YOUR CITY ATTORNEY SAY THAT, DON'T LISTEN TO MY LEGAL ADVICE, BUT THE LAW SAYS YOU CAN'T SPEND PUBLIC DOLLARS.
SO YOU CAN'T, UM, ADVOCATE FROM THE DIAS YOU CAN'T USE STAFF, UM, TO DO IT.
BUT IF YOU ATTEND A, A TOWN HALL MEETING SPEAK, YOU CAN, IN YOUR CAPACITY, YOU CAN SPEAK AS TO YOUR BELIEFS ON THAT IN A PRIVATE CAPACITY.
I PERSONALLY WOULD PREFER COUNSEL NOT SPEAK IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITY OR AGAINST AN ITEM THAT IS ON THE BALLOT.
UM, BUT TO JUST GIVE FACTUAL BACK BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
CAN WE USE PERSONAL PHONES? I'M GONNA HAVE YOU DEFER TO SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS ELECTION LAWS AND HOW WE SPEND DOLLARS.
I DON'T, THAT'S NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF MY KNOWLEDGE, BUT THANK YOU.
WE JUST, WHAT WE CANNOT DO IS SPEND PUBLIC DOLLARS ADVOCATING FOR AGAINST, AND THAT HAS BEEN, UH, THAT HAS BEEN INTERPRETED TO ME, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATING FROM THE DIAS, UM, ADVOCATING WHERE PUBLIC DOLLARS ARE SPENT.
UH, THAT THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE AUTHORIZED TO DO AS A MUNICIPALITY, AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, BUT A TOWN HALL IS ALLOWABLE.
CORRECT? WE CAN ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN, A TOWN HALL MEETING OR A, UM, THAT THE CITY PAYS FOR IS ABSOLUTELY ALLOWABLE SO LONG AS WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING FOR AGAINST, RIGHT.
SO YOU'RE ASKING A LOT OF OUR, UH, TOWN HALL MEETINGS AND EVEN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS ARE PROBABLY HELD IN, IN PUBLIC PLACES, BUILDINGS OWNED BY THE CITY.
SO IN, AT THAT POINT, AGAIN, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT COUNCIL NOT ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST, WHICH IS WHAT MR. Z SAID, IS HAVING AN INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION THAT'S NEUTRAL AND MORE EDUCATIONAL THAN, THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
SO THAT, AND THEN OF COURSE, I WOULD PREFER IT HAPPEN BEFORE IT'S PLACED ON AND ABOUT
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE, UM, SO IF THE ROTARY, IF, IF, IF THE ROTOR, IF THE ROTARY CLUB, UM, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, STAFF COME TO THE ROTARY CLUB AND DO A, WE WOULD, IF
[00:40:01]
WE'RE GONNA DO A TOUR, I WOULD RECOMMEND WE PUT A BETTER, WE PUT UP A, WE PUT A PRESENTATION TOGETHER, WE, WE IN ADVANCE, WE HAVE A PLAN WITH RESPECT TO THE EXPLANATIONS.AND SAY FOR EXAMPLE, THE ROTARY CLUB OR A CHURCH GROUP OR AN HOA ASSOCIATION WOULD LIKE, UM, WHOEVER YOU DEDICATE TO DO THAT PRESENTATION, TO COME GIVE THAT PRESENTATION.
IF A COUNCIL MEMBER HAPPENS TO BE AT THAT ROTARY CLUB MEETING, UM, IN, IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, UM, THEY COULD CERTAINLY, UH, ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST IT.
I, BUT STAFF CANNOT, NOT WITH STAFF.
NOT IF THEY'RE ON THEIR TIME AND NOT IF THEY'RE BEING PAID.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING SIMPLY, UH, INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITY CANNOT BE AN ADVOCATE IF WE'RE IN A FACILITY THAT IS BY, UH, UH, OWNED OR OPERATED BY THE CITY AND WE ARE REPRESENTING THE COUNCIL, WE CAN'T.
BUT AS AN INDIVIDUAL OUT IN PUBLIC, YOU CAN BE AN ADVOCATE ON YOUR OWN AS LONG AS IT'S NOT, UH, IN YOUR OFFICIAL, OFFICIAL CAPACITY.
ANYTIME THERE'S MORE THAN THREE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, YOU ARE IN YOUR OFFICIAL CAPACITY.
IF THE MEETING IS AS, IS THAT CORRECT? I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A VERY LEGAL ANSWER, SO DON'T BE MAD AT ME.
IF YOU ARE OUT IN PUBLIC AND YOU ARE APPROACHED AS COUNCILMAN SAMUEL AND THEY SAY, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, OR YOU'RE WEARING AWARD THREE SHIRT, EVEN IF YOU'RE AT THE PICNIC WITH YOUR KIDS AND THEY APPROACH YOU AND THEY ASK YOU A QUESTION ABOUT THE BALLOT, I'M GONNA SAY THAT YOUR RESPONSE IS AS COUNCILMAN SAMUEL.
NOW, IF SAMUEL IS ATTENDING CHURCH AND AUDO SAMUELS IS APPROACHED BY A, A FELLOW, UH, CONGREGANT, AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A QUESTION, IT IS ON YOU TO USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT.
IF THEY'RE ASKING YOU AS ATTORNEY OD AND SAMUEL OR AS COUNCILMAN OD AND SAMUEL
FACTUAL INFORMATION THAT THIS IS WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE YEAH, YOU CAN, YOU CAN GIVE FACTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT IT, BUT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT TAKING A PERSONAL STANCE.
AND SO AT THAT POINT, IT'S, IT'S INCUMBENT UPON EACH OF YOU TO USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT AND HOW YOU RESPOND IN THAT.
MAYOR PROTON, IS IT OKAY FOR US? TWO QUESTIONS.
WILL YOU BE ADVISING OUR COMMISSION? YES, SIR.
IS IT OKAY FOR US TO TALK TO OUR APPOINTEES TO THE COMMISSION AS TO WHAT OUR PREFERENCES ARE FOR THESE CHARTER CHANGES? I DEFINITELY THINK THAT YOU SHOULD APPOINT SOMEONE WHO YOU THINK WOULD REPRESENT YOUR INTERESTS AS WELL AS YOUR WARD'S INTERESTS.
EACH COUNCILPERSON, OR EACH MEMBER OF COUNCIL HAS A, UH, ONE APPOINTEE TO THE BOARD, AND THEN THERE WILL BE FOUR MEMBERS AT LARGE THAT WILL BE VOTED ON, UH, BY COUNCIL.
THAT WILL REPRESENT AT LARGE POSITIONS, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, FOR A TOTAL OF 11 MEMBERS TO THE COMMISSION, UH, THE CITY MANAGER AND I WILL SERVE AS EX VISIO, WHICH MEANS WE WILL HAVE NO VOTE ON THE COMMISSION OR ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND MR. ZECK WILL LEAD THE COMMITTEE IN, IN TERMS OF WRANGLING, MAKING SURE THAT THEY STAY FOCUSED ON THE CHARGES.
CITY, UM, CITY MANAGER AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER ATTORNEY, JUST LIKE THAT.
UH, AND, AND I'M SPEAKING BETWEEN TWO ATTORNEYS AND CITY ATTORNEY, BUT
SO INSTEAD OF THE COUNCIL BEING ABLE TO DO THAT, THERE WAS A THIRD PARTY THAT WAS CREATED BY CITIZENS THAT WENT OUT AND PROMOTED THE PASSAGE OF THE, OF THE CHARTER ITSELF.
SO THERE ARE OTHER VEHICLES TOO TO PROMO PROMOTE IT.
COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL, SHE, WELL, I'M GONNA TAKE HE, UH, SAYING WHAT I'M IN FAVOR OF, CUZ I KNOW WE IN THE CITY FACILITY, SO I'M NOT GONNA TOUCH THAT.
BUT, UH, ONE THING YOU STATED WAS THREE YEAR TERMS. IT HAS TO BE A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE AT LORD SEATS THAT ARE THE TOP TWO VOTE GETTERS.
HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT OUR CURRENT SETUP WITH CITY COUNCIL? WOULD IT STILL BE THE TOP TWO VOTE GETTERS OR WOULD IT BE, WOULD WE HAVE TO SEPARATE THE AT, LIKE, HOW DOES IT WORK? SO IT, IT'S NOT A SUPER MAJORITY, IT'S A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
UH, SO, UM, SO IF YOU GO FROM TWO YEAR TERMS TO THREE YEAR TERMS AND YOU HAVE AT-LARGE MEMBERS,
[00:45:01]
WHICH YOU HAVE, THOSE AT-LARGE MEMBERS WILL HAVE TO, WILL HAVE TO BE BY PLACE.SO IT'LL BE AT LARGE PLACE, ONE AT LARGE, PLACE TWO, THEN INDIVIDUALS WILL CHOOSE WHICH AT LARGE PLACE THEY WANT TO RUN FOR.
AND IF THERE ARE THREE PEOPLE RUNNING FOR THAT AT LARGE PLACE AND ONE PERSON GETS 45% OF THE VOTE AND THE OTHER TWO SPLIT IT, THE TWO TOP VOTE CUTTERS WOULD THEN HAVE A RUNOFF TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD WIN THIS SEAT.
SO BASICALLY THE AT LARGE SEATS, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, WOULD BE SET UP JUST LIKE THE WARD SEAT AND THE MAYOR SEAT.
UM, WITH ONE EXCEPTION, THE, MY AND I, TELL ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WARDS ARE, YOU HAVE TO BE FROM THE WARD IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE TO BE ELECTED TO THAT WARD SEAT.
THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE YOU WOULD, IT WOULD STILL BE THE AT LARGE COMMUNITY AND THE INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHICH AT LARGE SEAT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY THEY WOULD LIKE TO RUN FOR.
UM, BUT FOR PURPOSES OF PLACE.
BUT IT'S ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING, DO YOU, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T REMEMBER.
ARE YOU, DOES YOUR CHARTER REQUIRE A MAJORITY VOTE FOR YOUR WARDS AS WELL? OR IS IT PLURALITY? NO, IT'S MAJORITY VOTE.
SO EVERYBODY HAS RECEIVED THESE, SO THEN YES, FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE ALSO, THE AT LARGE SEATS, THE INDIVIDUAL, YOU COULDN'T HAVE, SO CURRENTLY YOU COULD HAVE EIGHT PEOPLE RUN AND SOMEBODY COULD GET 30% OF THE BOAT AND THEY WOULD BE RIGHT.
THEY WOULD BE THE AT LARGE SEAT THAT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OCCUR ANYMORE.
IF YOU HAD EIGHT PEOPLE RUN, WHOEVER THE TOP TWO VOTE GETTERS WOULD BE, WOULD THEN HAVE A RUNOFF.
AND THE PERSON BETWEEN THOSE TWO WHO WON THAT VOTE WOULD WOULD TAKE THE SEAT.
SO THAT WOULD ONLY TAKE PLACE IF THE CHARTER COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL VOTED TO ATTEMPT TO DO THREE YEARS VERSUS TWO YEARS.
IF IT STATED TWO YEARS, IT WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE.
BUT IF THAT HAPPENED WITH THREE YEARS, THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE.
I JUST WANTED TO BE TRANSPARENT WHEN I HEARD YOU SAY SUPER MAJORITY.
I KNOW OUR SITUATION IS A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE IN BEAUMONT, EVEN WHEN I ASK OTHER CITIES, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT.
AND, AND MO WELL, EVERY PLA EVERY COMMUNITY THAT HAS THREE YEAR TERMS IS GONNA HAVE A, IS GONNA HAVE PLACES REGARDLESS OF IT'S AN AT LARGE PLACE OR IF IT'S A DISTRICT PLACE, UM, BECAUSE OF THE MAJORITY REQUIREMENT TO BE ELECTED TO OFFICE.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S UNDER THE STATE CONSTITUTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL SHALL THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR, FOR HELPING US THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
UH, YOU'VE MENTIONED THE LENGTH OF OUR CHARTER, UH, I'M ASSUMING A LONGER CHARTER IS SOMEWHAT ANTIQUATED, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THE TREND IS FOR CITIES GOING TO SOMETHING CHARTER.
AND THEN IN YOUR EXPERIENCE IN MY, I I'M TRYING TO, THERE'S A NATURAL TENDENCY FOR PEOPLE TO BE SOMEWHAT SUSPICIOUS OF GOVERNMENT WHEN YOU GO TO TAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS ON, UH, THIS HAS TO BE A DAUNTING TASK TO GO FROM THAT.
YOU SAID SOME 40 SOMETHING PAGES.
YES, 40 SOME PAGES TO DOWN TO 15.
SO THERE'S A, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING OUT OVER HALF.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW YET HOW MUCH WOULD BE CUT OUT.
WELL, AND IT MAY NOT, BUT JUST WITH THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE'RE DISCUSS DISCUSSING IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, I MEAN, IS THIS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME CLEAR COMMUNICATION.
I'M ASSUMING WHILE WE TAKE THIS OFF.
LET ME HELP CHARLIE FOR ONE SECOND.
A LOT OF WHAT'S IN OUR CHARTER CURRENTLY, UM, AGAIN, DOESN'T NEED TO BE THERE JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW.
AND SO THAT ELIMINATES SEVERAL PAGES.
ALSO, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO BE IN HOMEROOM CHARTERS PREVIOUSLY THAT THE LEGISLATOR HAS NOW SAID IS UNNECESSARY.
ONE OF WHICH IS LIKE OUTLINING YOUR BOUNDARIES.
AND SO THAT AGAIN, IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS IN OUR CHART CHARTER, BUT UNNECESSARY.
AND SO WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SHORTENING THE CHARTER, WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY TALKING ABOUT TAKING OUT THINGS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE GOVERNANCE OF THE CITY.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS REMOVING ITEMS THAT ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED BY THE LEGISLATION.
AND I WOULD ASSUME THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE OUT ANYTHING THAT IS NECESSARY THAT THAT'S CORRECT, BUT IT'S JUST, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO AN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO, IT'S A, IT'S OBVIOUS WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A GREAT JOB AT JUST COMMUNICATING TO THE CITIZENS WHAT, UH, THE MADAM ATTORNEY JUST SAID THAT WE'RE CLEANING THIS UP AND BRINGING IT INTO ALIGNMENT WITH STATE LAW, BUT IT JUST, WOW.
THAT'S AB ABSOLUTELY ACCURATE.
SO THERE ARE, THERE ARE SOME ITEMS IN YOUR CHARTER THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW AND WE SHOULD GET THOSE OUT.
THERE ARE ALSO MULTIPLE PROVISIONS IN THERE THAT ARE JUST NOT NECESSARY TO BE IN YOUR CHARTER.
AND THERE'RE A LOT OF IT IS JUST GRANTS OF POWER.
SO IN 1947, THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOME RULE CHARTERS WAS STILL PRETTY YOUNG IN THE COURT SYSTEM IN THE STATE BECAUSE HOME RULE CHARTERS WERE NOT A THING UNTIL 1912.
[00:50:02]
SO WHAT IS THAT? I'M NOT A MATHEMATICIAN.WHAT IS THAT, 35 YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? 37 YEARS.
SO, NO, NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT NEEDED TO BE IN THE CHARTER.
WELL, NOWADAYS WE KNOW IT'S BEEN A MUCH LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
UM, CLEARLY OVER A HUNDRED YEARS SINCE HOME ROLL WAS ADOPTED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE CASES HAVE FLESHED OUT WHAT'S REQUIRED TO BE IN THE CHARTER, WHAT'S LEGALLY REQUIRED.
AND ALL OF THOSE, THOSE GRANTS OF P OF POWER THAT YOU SEE IN YOUR CHARTER, THE CITY SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO REGULATE STREETS.
THE CITY SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO DO THIS.
THE CITY SHALL HAVE THE POWER.
YOUR GRANT, YOUR GENERAL, YOU HAVE A GENERAL GRANT OF POWER THAT IS PROBABLY THIS LONG.
AND THEN YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF OTHER SPECIFIC GRANTS OF POWER THAT ARE PROBABLY E EACH INDIVIDUALLY THIS LONG.
NONE OF THAT IS NECESSARY TO BE IN YOUR CHARTER.
YOUR GRANT OF POWER CAN SIMPLY BE FOUR SENTENCES, MAYBE FIVE SENTENCES.
AND SO WHEN YOU ARE MAKING THOSE TYPES OF CHANGES, YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE TO YOUR CHARTER.
YOU ARE JUST MAKING IT MUCH MORE CONCISE AND CONSISTENT WITH THE CURRENT, WITH THE WAY WE NOW KNOW, HOME RULE CHARTERS OPERATE AND EXIST.
AND LET ME ADD TO THIS, EVERY SINGLE TIME, NO EXAGGERATION, I GET IN FRONT OF A CITY COUNCIL OR HOME RULE CHARTER COMMITTEE, AND THEY START SAYING, AND THEY START ADDING UP HOW MANY PROPOSITIONS ARE GONNA BE ON THE BALLOT.
YOU KNOW, ONCE YOU GET TO ABOUT 10 OR 12 PEOPLE START GOING, OH, NOBODY'S GONNA UNDERSTAND THIS.
THIS IS GONNA, THIS IS, PEOPLE ARE JUST GONNA START VOTING.
NO, THIS, NO ONE'S GONNA UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, HOWEVER LONG I'VE BEEN DOING THIS, 20 SOME YEARS, THAT IS NEVER THE CASE.
I'VE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE WE'VE HAD 25 PROPOSITIONS ON A BALLOT FOR A HOME RULE CHARTER CHANGE.
AND THE, WE'LL, THE, THE NUMBERS ON HOW THINGS GET ADOPTED, THE EASY THINGS, YOU KNOW, IT PASSES BY 85 OR 90%.
THERE'S ALWAYS THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE GONNA VOTE NO TO EVERYTHING.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE CONTROVERSIAL AND IT BARELY PASSES.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME THAT, THAT BARELY DON'T PASS.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME THAT ARE HUGELY DEFEATED.
YOUR RESIDENTS AND YOUR CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY IF, IF YOU HAVE AN OPEN, TRANSPARENT PROCESS LIKE WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE, THEY WILL BE EDUCATED AND THEY WILL READ THE BALLOT PROPOSITIONS AND THEY WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON.
AND I CAN ALSO TELL YOU, I HAVE, I HATE TO SAY IT BECAUSE I'M PROBABLY GONNA GET JINXED, BUT I'VE NEVER HAD A BALLOT PROP THAT I'VE ASSISTED WITH IN PLACING ON THE BALLOT A BALLOT PROPOSITION DEFEATED.
THAT WAS SIMPLY FOR THE PURPOSES OF CLEANING UP THE CHARTER OR GETTING THINGS OUT THAT WERE INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW.
NOW I SAY THAT, BUT OF COURSE NOW I'M YOU, I'M PROBABLY GONNA GET A JINX.
SO KNOCK ON SOME WOOD, I GUESS.
UH, UH, MAYOR PROTE, DK, UH, JUST TWO QUICK QUESTIONS.
UM, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF TIME CONSTRAINTS ARE WE ON AS FAR AS GETTING THIS ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT? WHAT'S THE DEADLINE ORDER OF THE ELECTION? AUGUST 12TH.
AND YOU'LL, YOU'LL HEAR DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
I HAVE NOT HOOKED TO SHERAY ABOUT THIS, SO I DON'T KNOW HER OPINION ON IT.
UM, BUT I AM OF THE OPINION THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY ORDER THE ELECTION ON AUGUST 17TH.
AND THEN WE CAN ADD THE BALLOT MEASURES A LITTLE BIT LATER IF NEED TO.
SO THE CLERK HASN'T GIVEN US ANY DEADLINES PASSED AUGUST 12TH.
BUT WE DO NEED TO COUNSEL, WE'LL NEED TO BE PUT PLACED OUT ON THE AGENDA PRIOR TO AUGUST 12TH TO CALL FOR THE ELECTION TO PLAN FOR IT.
AND IT HAS BEEN OUR CUSTOM IN THE PAST TO, UM, NOT WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE, BUT GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE CUSHION TO ALLOW FOR THAT LANGUAGE TO BE SUBMITTED.
TYPICALLY, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, ALMOST 30 DAYS LATER RIGHT.
SO THAT GIVES US SOME LITTLE TIME.
YOU HAVE TWO LAWYERS IN THE ROOM AND THEY AGREE
ALSO, UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT ONCE IT, UH, WENT ONTO THE BALLOT, WE COULDN'T ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST IT.
WHEN IS THAT OFFICIAL TIME WHEN IT'S ON THE BALLOT? IS THAT WHEN WE, WHEN IT'S ON THE AGENDA AND WE VOTE TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT OR CORRECT.
SO ONCE, SO ONCE WE VOTE TO PUT THAT LANGUAGE ON THAT BALLOT, THAT WOULD IN MY OPINION, START WHEN COUNSEL COULD NOT ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST AN ITEM.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU DON'T HAVE A BALLOT ITEM TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST.
YOU'RE JUST HAVING DISCUSSION WITH RESPECT TO WHAT AND HOW YOUR MOM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? BOTH CHARLIE, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AGAIN.
CHARLIE, UH, CHAIRS, UH, HE CHAIR AND OUR
[00:55:01]
CO-CHAIR, UM, A COMMITTEE.AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AGAIN, CHARLIE.
WE, UH, THE MAYOR IS A WONDERFUL CO-CHAIR FOR OUR, UH, WE WERE BOTH APPOINTED TO THE TML CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SO WE'RE ACTUALLY REVIEWING THE TML CONSTITUTION RIGHT NOW.
I WAS IN THE NAVY FOR SIX YEARS.
ANYBODY IN THE NAVY, YOU KNOW, WHAT, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT NAVY STANDS FOR? NEVER AGAIN.
SO SOMEHOW I GOT VOLUNTEERED FOR THAT AND YEAH, BUT IT'S A GREAT PROJECT AND IT'S OF COURSE WONDERFUL WORKING WITH YOU, MAYOR.
ACTUALLY, THEY IN THE NAVY, THEY CALLED IT VOLUNTOLD.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
AND AGAIN, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE, OH YES, SORRY.
THE NEXT STEP WILL BE FOR, UH, STAFF TO BRING BACK, UH, TWO ITEMS THAT WILL, UH, ALLOW YOU TO CREATE THIS COMMITTEE AND THEN, UH, ITEMS THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO APPOINT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE BOARD.
AND THEN AN ITEM THAT WILL REQUIRE YOU TO, UM, NOMINATE FROM A LIST THAT IS COMPILED, UH, BOTH FROM YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF STAFF, THOSE FOUR MEMBERS TO SERVE AT LARGE.
UM, AND THAT WILL BE, UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
[Public Comment (Part 1 of 2)]
THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO.UH, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY FILLED OUT THE GREEN SLIP, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED HERE.
THEY'RE LOCATED OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR.
UM, FILL OUT THE GREEN SLIP, HAND IT TO THE CLERK.
SHE'LL CALL YOUR NAME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, KENNETH EARLS 1265 CONDO, BEAUMONT, TEXAS SPEAKING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS B, D AND H.
I'LL JUST HAVE TO USE MY PHONE AS A TIME MIRROR.
UM, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE LAST ITEM THAT THE YOUNG MAN TALKED ABOUT.
I'M SORRY, BEFORE YOU START YOUR COMMENTS, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A POSTED ITEM FOR CON THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE RESERVED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT UNLESS SAMIR WANTS TO.
IF YOU'LL FILL OUT ANOTHER GREEN SLIP.
YOU COULD COME BACK AND SPEAK.
HE ACTUALLY HAS PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO HE WILL BE CALLED TO COME BACK AT THE END OF THE MEETING, SO YOU COULD SPEAK ON IT THEN, MR. EARLS.
UM, THE FIRST I MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THIS INDU INDUSTRIAL PLANT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED.
I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE LOCATED.
UM, I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES THAT'S GOING, THAT HAS BEEN TAKEN ON THIS PARTICULAR PLANT.
AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE IF THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACCIDENT, WILL THE CITY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON? WHAT HAPPENS? AND WILL THEY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER HALF? UM, UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD CANCER.
THIS CITY HAS CANCER CLUSTERS, AND BECAUSE WE LIVE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, WE HAVE CANCERS THAT HAPPEN, NO ELSE, BUT HERE IN BEAUMONT HOUSTON OR LAKE CHARLES.
WHAT IS THE CITY GONNA DO ABOUT, ABOUT THOSE? AND ARE WE GONNA ASK THE QUESTION, DO WE WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER PLANT HERE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY PUT US AT HOME? I I KNOW THAT THE COMPANY THAT, UH, THAT'S BRINGING THIS FORWARD IS FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
PENNSYLVANIA, AS YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, THEY DON'T ALLOW IT.
THEY WANT TO GET RID OF ALL THE CHEMICAL PLANTS THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND ARE THEY COMING HERE FOR THAT ONE REASON, THE DIRTY ENVIRONMENT THAT WE NOW HAVE HERE IN, IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY? AND ARE WE WILLING TO, UH, PLACE OUR PEOPLE IN HARM'S WAY? I, MYSELF, PERSONALLY, I LEFT BEAUMONT BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
I MOVED SOMEWHERE ELSE BECAUSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE SIZE OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT SHOULD BE THREE TIMES THE SIZE IT IS.
MOST OF MY CLASSMATES NEVER MOVES, NEVER MOVED
[01:00:01]
BACK TO BEAUMONT.THEY WENT TO LOS ANGELES, BOSTON, NEW YORK, NEW YORK CITY, WASHINGTON, AND OTHER PLACES TO, TO GET AWAY FROM THIS ENVIRONMENT.
SO IF IT'S ABOUT THE DOLLARS AND CENTS, YOU'LL PROBABLY MAKE MORE WITH US MOVING BACK HERE BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO CLEAN UP THIS AREA.
UM, BASICALLY THAT'S WHAT WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TODAY, BUT I AM GOING TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO ANYTHING THAT COME INTO THIS CITY THAT'S NOT CLEAN.
UM, YES, WE WANT TO MAKE MONEY, BUT NOT AT THE RISK OF THE, THE HEALTH OF OUR CITIZENS.
AND, AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TODAY.
ADDIE ALLEN, 96 95 GROSS BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
UH, UH, CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS, BD AND H.
UM, AND I'LL SPEAK ON CHARTER LATER, AS YOU'VE TOLD THE GENTLEMAN BEFORE ME.
UM, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, I'M TALKING ABOUT SIDEWALKS AND I SEE UNDER B UH, THE CAT MARSH SIDEWALK TRAIL PROJECT, AND I THINK THAT'S IN WETLANDS.
SO IS THAT MEANING YOU'RE GONNA PUT CEMENT IN WETLANDS? I DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT THE CITY TRADITIONALLY GOES WITH THE LOWEST BID.
SO ARE WE GONNA BE LOOKING AT CHANGE ORDERS WHEN ALL THAT STUFF IS, UH, MANIFESTED ITSELF? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
THE OTHER THING IS, UM, THE INDUSTRIAL AKIMA IS A THAT CORRECT ARIMA? UM, I'M, I'M WONDERING ABOUT SAFETY AS WELL.
UM, I SAT ON A BOARD, UM, UH, FENCE SIDE, UH, BOARD FOR EL ACHE.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY'RE, WE ARE IN A CANCER BELT.
THERE'S CANCERS THAT ARE UNKNOWN ANYWHERE ELSE BUT IN THIS AREA.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE INDUSTRIAL UNIT IS.
I'VE SEEN IT ON PRIOR AGENDAS, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED.
DO I LIVE IN THE INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT? WHERE IS IT? IT'S UNCLEAR IN THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION WHERE THIS INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT IS.
SO CAN THAT BE SHARED? I'D LIKE TO KNOW TODAY, UM, BECAUSE IT KEEPS COMING UP.
UM, AND AS WELL, THE LOBBYIST I KNOW SAW THAT THERE WAS A LETTER FROM MR. GIGO, I GUESS FOR A RENEWED CONTRACT.
SO WHEN WE SELECT LOBBYISTS OR WE CONTINUING SINCE 1981 TO GET LOBBYISTS OR ARE WE LOOKING AT, UM, SOMEBODY TRADITIONALLY FROM BEAUMONT AND A COUNCIL PERSON KNOWS THEM AND THAT'S HOW IT'S SECURED.
AS I KNOW THAT THE NATIONAL LEGAL CITIES, THE CONFERENCE OF MAYORS ARE ALL ENTITIES THAT, UM, ARE LOBBYISTS FOR CITIES.
SO WE'RE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY AND I'M NOT AGAINST LOBBYISTS, BUT WE NEVER GET REPORTS ON ANY OF IT.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR US? WE WERE HARPING ON OUR BOND RATING.
SO IF, IF WE HAVE A GOOD BOND RATING AND HOW DO I WANNA SAY THIS? AND WE HAVE COMPETENT CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE, SO WE'RE FEEDING A LOBBYIST TO SAY WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE SAID IN WASHINGTON OR AUSTIN.
BUT WHEN DO THE CITIZENS HAVE PRIVY TO HEARING SOME OF THIS INFORMATION? I KNOW THAT WE DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING OR WE NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING, BUT I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT SHARED.
I'VE NEVER HEARD FROM THE COMMITTEES THAT, AND THIS IS DOING A PARADIGM SHIFT THAT ARE PUT UP FOR COMMITTEES.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING FOR THE CITY? SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, MR. CITY MANAGER, YOU GET REPORTS, BUT WE ARE NOT PRIVY TO KNOWING ANYTHING UNTIL IT'S UP FOR
[01:05:01]
A VOTE.I WOULD LIKE TO READ AT THE CLOSE OF THE CITY, UH, COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE WILL HOLD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER RELATED TO CONTEMPLATE OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5 51 0 7, 1 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, THE CLAIM OF JOSEPH GUIDRY, THE CLAIM OF KEVIN AND PATRICIA JOSEPH, THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIVE FIGHTERS LOCAL 3 99 VERSUS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT KENNETH WILLIAMS IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS CI CITY MANAGER AND EARL WHITE IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS FAR CHIEF CAUSE NUMBER D DASH TWO HUNDRED TEN NINE HUNDRED FIFTY IN TOY FRAZIER VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT CAUSE NUMBER E DASH 2 0 6 9 1 9.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
TIME I WILL CALL FOR A MOTION FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA.MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THERE'S A MOTION FOR THE SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER NEAL.
UM, WE GOT TWO BIDS THAT ARE WITHIN 5% OF ONE ANOTHER.
WHAT'S THE THRESHOLD ON THAT FOR, UM, WARDEN TO A LOCAL VENDOR? I THINK IT'S, UH, HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UH, HAS TO BE UNDER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL, THEN MAYOR PROTE DIA? YES, I IVIE TAYLOR.
UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO COMPLIMENT STAFF ON ITEM NUMBER E.
I, I LIKE THE FACT THAT STAFF IS AGGRESSIVELY GOING OUT THE GRANT FUNDING.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY THAT'S OUT THERE.
I LIKE WHEN WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, UH, HOPEFULLY SOON WE CAN SEE, UH, MAYBE A FULL-TIME GRANT POSITION COMING FRUITION IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.
I THINK THAT'LL BE A GOOD IDEA, BUT I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT STAFF HOME, ALWAYS GOING AFTER THOSE GRANTS.
I THINK IT'S A LOT OF FREE MONEY AND OPPORTUNITY OUT THERE.
IT'S JUST SIMPLY US GOING AFTER THEM.
SO EVERY TIME I SEE IT, I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT Y'ALL.
WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY WOULD THAT GRANT MONEY BE USED FOR IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD? UH, MR. COLEMAN, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH DEPARTMENT ITEM E.
WHICH GRANT IS THAT ONE? THAT'S THE ONE FOR 150,000.
OH, THAT'S PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS GRANT.
AND WE TYPICALLY GET THAT GRANT EVERY YEAR.
THAT'S TO ASSIST THE CITY AS WELL AS THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, UH, WHEN WE HAVE, UH, EVACUATIONS, BUT ALSO, UH, TO ASSIST WHAT WE JUST, JUST WENT THROUGH WITH COVID.
SO ANY TYPE OF PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY THAT AFFECTS THE CITY, THOSE FUNDS ARE USED TO ASSIST THE CITY IN THAT.
AND ALSO, MAYOR, UH, ITEM G, THAT GRANT ALSO, UM, WHAT EXACTLY IS IT GONNA BE USED FOR? THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WITH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, CHIEF OGN CHECK IS COMING FORWARD.
THIS, UH, PARTICULAR GRANT WAS, UH, BROUGHT TO US BY THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OF THE EASTERN DISTRICT, ASKED US TO APPLY FOR, UH, FUNDING TO HELP CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS OUR GOAL OF GOING AGAINST A VIOLENT CRIME.
AND SO WE, THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE, WELL, TWO YEARS WE ACTUALLY GOT FUNDING, WE'RE APPLYING FOR A THIRD YEAR, AND WE USE THAT FOR OUR SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON, UH, VIOLENT CRIME INITIATIVE TO PAY FOR OVERTIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THAT'S ALL? ONE QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER? NOT SIGNATURE.
AND I ALSO LOOKED AT, UH, ITEM NUMBER B AS WELL.
AND I, I AM NOT OPPOSED WHEN IT'S THAT CLOSE AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S LOCAL, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THAT WHEN IT'S THAT CLOSE.
SO SIMILAR TO WHAT TAYLOR BROUGHT UP EARLIER, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S GOOD CUZ YOU LOOK AT THE RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
[01:10:01]
A COMPANY THAT ACTUALLY IN BEAUMONT THAT PAY TAXES OUT HERE, YOU KNOW, THEY EAT OUT HERE, GET GAS OUT HERE, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE A GOOD RETURN.SO THAT'S JUST MY OPINION ON IT.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE IS PROPOSED LEGISLATION IN THIS SESSION FOR THAT AMOUNT TO BE RAISED, AND I KNOW, UH, A TERM OF A MILLION DOLLARS WAS THROWN AROUND OUT THERE.
BUT THE REALITY RIGHT NOW UNDER STATE LAW IS THAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS SO LOW FOR CONSTRUCTION THAT IT VERY RARELY, UH, COMES INTO PLAY, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.
BUT IF, IF THAT LEGISLATION WOULD PASS, IF IT WAS IN EFFECT NOW SAY, UH, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO USE LOCAL BID EXCEPTION FOR A PROJECT OF THIS SIZE IF THE, IF THAT WAS RAISED FROM A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO A MILLION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVOR OF, OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY C N I.
ANY OPPOSE? THE MOTION CARRIES.
MAY I HAVE THE MEETING? MAYOR, MAYOR CAN, I'M SORRY.
THERE WAS AN, AN OVERSIGHT, UH, PRIOR TO US GOING INTO, UM, THE AGENDA AND THE AGENDA, CONSENT AGENDA COMMENTS.
[Public Comment (Part 2 of 2)]
OVERLOOKED SOMEONE? YES.AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, UH, JENNIFER, IS THAT TRIK? YES.
TRIMETH 2020, UH, CHEVY CHASE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
HI, THANK Y'ALL FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
UM, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO SUPPORT ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
IT'S THE APPLICATION FOR A STATE HISTORICAL MARKER TO BE PLACED AT THE SITE OF THE GEORGIA O'BRIEN MILLER STATUE, WHICH IS AT THE CORNER OF BUOY AND PEARL ON THE ART STUDIO, GROUND ART MUSEUM GROUNDS.
UM, I'M KIND OF IN A UNIQUE POSITION.
I'M THE COORDINATOR OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION.
I AM ALSO A MILLER FAMILY DESCENDANT.
UM, THE STATUE HAS EXISTED SINCE THE EARLY 19 HUNDREDS.
IT WAS, UM, ACTUALLY A KIND OF CROWDSOURCED, UM, COMMUNITY EFFORT.
UH, THREE YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH, HE SERVED THE CITY, UM, AS A BUSINESS OWNER, A REAL ESTATE BROKER, A CITY ALDERMAN, AND A DEVOTED MEMBER OF THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH.
BUT HIS LONGEST LASTING CONTRIBUTION REALLY WAS HIS WORK AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE, UH, CITY OF BEAUMONT SCHOOLS.
UM, IT WAS SAID THAT HE BESIEGED THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FUNDS TO CARRY ON THE WORK.
AND WHEREVER MONEY WAS FOUND, THERE WAS MR. MILLER PETITIONING FOR THE SCHOOLS.
RIGHT NOW, THE STATUE SITS ALONE.
UM, THERE'S A SMALL PLAQUE WITH HIS NAME, BUT THERE IS NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY WE HAVE THE STATUE, HOW IT GOT HERE, WHY HE IS, YOU KNOW, BEING HONORED.
UM, SO I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK BOTH AS A FAMILY DESCENDANT AND AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION THAT YOU ALL CONSIDER VOTING IN FAVOR OF OUR APPLICATION TO PUT A HISTORICAL MARKER ON THAT PROPERTY, UM, THAT WOULD EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHO HE WAS AND WHAT HE DID.
SO WE CAN MOVE INTO THE, WE CAN MOVE INTO THEIR REGULAR AGENDA NOW.
AND SO WE CAN MOVE INTO THE REGULAR AGENDA.
[1. Consider awarding multiple contracts forthe purchase of inventory materials to be used in the Water Utilities Department. ]
YOU GO AHEAD AND READ ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE.YES, MAYOR COUNCIL CONSIDERED RESOLUTION AWARDING MULTIPLE CONTRACTS FOR THE PURCHASE OF INVENTORY MATERIALS TO BE USED IN THE WATER UTILITIES DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS BASICALLY OUR ANNUAL CONTRACTOR BY OUR SUPPLIES FOR OUR WATER SYSTEM REPAIR, WHICH INCLUDES COUPLINGS FITTINGS, UH, FIRE HYDROGENS, ET CETERA, UM, THAT WERE USED FOR REPAIR.
THE, UH, RECOMMENDED BID IS FOR RURAL PIPE AND SUPPLY OF 2 MILLION 2 44 10, AND IT COMES ON THE WATER UTILITIES FUND.
AND STAFF HAS, UH, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.
YOU'VE HEARD THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? PLEASE MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL, THEN COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER.
UH, MR. MANAGER, CAN YOU CLARIFY? YOU SAID TO, UH, RULE, PIP AND SUPPLY, BUT THE MAIN PORTION OF THE CONTRACT SHOULD BE GOING TO CORE IN MAINE.
DID I GET THE WRONG ONE? OKAY.
UH, TO THE RESPONSIBLE LOW BIDDER OF COREY, MAINE.
[01:15:01]
SO ACTUALLY, UH, THERE'S SEVERAL, UH, BIDS BASED ON THE, THE NUMBER.SO IF YOU READ THE ACTUAL RESOLUTION, UH, COREY MAINE RECEIVED SECTIONS 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, AND 15.
CORBINS OF BEAUMONT RECEIVED SECTIONS 10 AND 14 RURAL PIPE AND SUPPLY OF JASPER FOR SECTIONS EIGHT.
UH, ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, IT HA IT SAYS MANHOLE COMPONENT AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.
UH, ONE BID WAS 130,727, THE OTHER ONE IS 667,000 8 87.
BUT SOMETHING THAT'S SIGNIFICANT CUZ SOMEBODY KIND OF SPEAK TO WHAT A MAN HOME COMPONENT IS AND WHAT WOULD IT ACTUALLY DO? YEAH, I THINK MIKE HARRIS IS, IS HERE.
ALL THESE MATERIALS ARE BEING USED IN HIS DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE MANUAL COMPONENTS THAT WE BUY ARE LIGHT, THE ACTUAL MANHOLES, FIBERGLASS MANHOLES, GREENS COVERS, RISERS, UM, THINGS OF THAT NATURE THAT GO INTO THE MANHOLES WHEN WE PUT 'EM IN.
UH, THE REASON WHY THE BID THIS YEAR IS SO HIGH, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA.
WE TURN THE, THE, UH, WE SEND THE, THE CONTRACT OUT TO THE VENDORS AND THE VENDORS BID ALL ON THE SAME THING.
UH, SOME OF THE EXPLANATIONS MAY BE THEY, THE VENDOR THEMSELVES CHANGE MANUFACTURERS, SO THE MANUFACTURER THEY'RE USING NOW CHARGE CHARGES THEM A HIGHER PRICE.
SO THEY HAVE TO MOVE THE PRICE ON TO US.
LIKE I SAID, UM, THEY'RE ALL THE VENDORS BID ON THE SAME ITEM, SO, SO THERE'S REALLY NOT A GOOD EXPLANATION TO WHY SUCH A DIFFERENCE.
SO ONE, YEAH, ONE WAS ROUGHLY 130,000.
SO WE SHOULD BE STILL COMFORTABLE WITHIN THAT 130,000 RANGE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL IN FAVOR OF A PROVEN ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSE? THE MOTION CARRIES.
MAY I HAVE THE READING OF ITEM
[2. Consider authorizing the City Manager to award a contract to Texas Drainage, Inc., of Waller, for the FY23 Citywide Ditching Program Phase 1B. ]
NUMBER TWO PLEASE? ITEM TWO, COUNSEL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED IN THE CITY MANAGER TO WATER CONTRACTOR TEXAS DRAINAGE INC.A WALLER FOR THE PHYSICAL YEAR 23 CITYWIDE DITCHING PROGRAM, PHASE ONE B.
AND I'M GOING TO REFER TO MR. BUCK KOYAK TO EXPLAIN IT.
YES, THIS, UH, THIS CONTINUES THE, UH, NEW PROGRAM TO MOP OUT ALL OF THE DITCHES CITYWIDE, RETURN THEM TO THEIR DESIGNED GRADE AND ALSO REPLACE AND RESET ANY CULVERTS THAT ARE THREE INCHES OR MORE OUT OF GRADE.
UM, THE PLAN WAS AND REMAINS RIGHT NOW TO DO 20% OF THE CITY, UH, A YEAR.
SO THAT'S 20% OF EACH OF THE WARDS EACH YEAR WITH THE GOLD TO BE FINISHED, UH, DITCHING ALL OF THE DITCHES IN THE CITY OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
THIS PARTICULAR AWARD IS TO COMPLETE, UH, THE 20% OF YEAR ONE.
SO WE, IN ORDER TO DO THIS WORK, WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND SURVEY ALL OF THE DITCHES AND THE CULVERTS BECAUSE THAT WORK TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME.
UH, WHEN WE FINISHED THE FIRST TWO WARDS, WE WENT AHEAD AND RELEASED THAT AND STARTED, UH, DITCHING THOSE TWO WARDS, WHICH HAS BEEN COMPLETED AS WE DID THE SURVEY FOR THESE TWO WARDS.
AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING ON THE, UH, NEXT 20% IN TERMS OF THE SURVEY WORK.
ANY OTHER COMMENT? SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER.
UH, I HAD A QUESTION WHEN WE TALKING ABOUT THE DITCHES, UH, WE GET A LOT OF COMMENTS AND CALLS ABOUT THE WATER THAT SITS AFTER HEAVY RAINS.
EVEN THE AREAS THAT WE ALREADY GRADED, LIKE I THINK THE MILL AREA WE GET SOME CALLS ABOUT.
I'M SORRY AND I HATE TO DO THIS, BUT WE REALLY DO NEED TO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR BEFORE WE GO TOO DEEP INTO DISCUSSION.
I HAVE A MOTION AND THE SECOND NUMBER FLOOR.
WELL, JUST TO CONTINUE MY QUESTION, UH, AND I APPRECIATE YOU MADAM ATTORNEY FOR THE CORRECTION, BUT HOW DO WE, UH, KIND OF ADDRESS CITIZEN'S CONCERNS? IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO WITH THE GRADING OR IS IT SOMETHING STANDARD? CAN WE KIND OF SPEAK TO THAT? UH, IN, IN TERMS OF DITCHING OUTSIDE OF THIS CONTRACT, THE DITCHING, ONCE THE, LIKE WITHIN THE CONTRACT, LIKE LET'S JUST SAY WE GRADED DITCHES AND THE MILL AREA, BUT WE STILL HAVE RESIDENTS THAT SAY, WELL, THE WATER IS STILL SITTING.
IS THAT STANDARD OR IS IT SUPPOSED TO FLOW? IT, IT WILL FLOW.
YOU WILL, WE'RE NOT RESETTING EVERY SINGLE CULVERT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
[01:20:01]
WE'RE ONLY RESETTING CULVERTS THAT ARE THREE INCHES OR MORE OUT OF GRADE.SO THE GOAL IS TO RESTORE FLOW THROUGH THESE DITCHES TO THEIR DESIGN CAPACITIES AND TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF WATER THAT REMAINS AFTER A STORM TO WHERE IT'LL DRY UP IN A, IN A MODERATE PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT THERE'S NO WAY WE REALLY HAVE TO ELIMINATE ANY PONDING OF ANY LEVEL WHATSOEVER BECAUSE WE'RE NOT RESETTING EVERY SINGLE CULVERT WITHIN THE CITY.
SO, UH, YOU MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, AT, IF YOU HAVE A CULVERT THAT'S SAY TWO INCHES OUT OF GRADE, YOU MAY HAVE A SMALL PUDDLE BY THAT CULVERT WITHIN THAT DITCH.
SO WE CAN'T ELIMINATE IT ENTIRELY.
I JUST THINK, I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THAT WAS STATED BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE UNDER, UNDER IMPRESSION WHEN WE'RE DOING THESE PROJECTS, IT ELIMINATED ENTIRELY.
SO I THINK, I'M GLAD THAT WAS CLARIFIED.
YES, THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM DURING, YES.
UH, YEAH, BART, I SAW ON THE NEWS THE OTHER NIGHT WHERE ORANGE RECEIVED A GRANT, I THINK FOR A COUPLE MILLION DOLLARS AND THEY'RE GONNA START ING THEIR GRASS DITCHES.
IS THAT SOMETHING WE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING HERE IN BEAUMONT OR IS WOULD THAT BE BETTER? ALSO SPOKE TO SOMEONE THAT SAID THE, THE GRASS DITCHES ARE REALLY BETTER BECAUSE NOT ONLY DOES THE WATER FLOW, BUT IT ALSO SOAKS DOWN INTO THE GROUND.
THE, THE LARGER DITCHES IN BEAUMONT ARE REALLY MAINTAINED BY DD SIX.
SO IF YOU HAVE A CONCRETE LINE DITCH WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF BEAUMONT, THOSE ARE DD SIX DITCHES, UH, THAT THEY MAINTAIN.
WE, ALL OF OUR DITCHES ARE MAINLY THE SMALLER RESIDENTIAL DITCHES.
UM, AND REALLY IT'S, THERE'S A BALANCE OF COST THERE.
I THINK TO CONCRETE IN ALL OF THOSE DITCHES WOULD BE COST-PROHIBITIVE, WHETHER IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE OR NOT, UH, JUST DUE TO THE LIE.
ANY HELP, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL.
DID UH, TEXAS DRAINAGE DO WARDS TWO AND THREE? THEY DID.
AND Y'ALL HAD GOOD LUCK WITH 'EM.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
[3. Consider authorizing the City Manager to award a contract to Viking Pain ting, LLC, of La Vista, NE, for the Southwest Elevated Storage Tank Rehabilitation Project.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO VIKING PAINTING L L C OF LA OF LA VISTA NEWS, NEBRASKA FOR THE SOUTHWEST ELEVATED STORAGE TANK REHABILITATION PROJECT.YOU'VE HEARD THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MAY I THINK WE HAD DISCUSSED THIS EARLIER, THIS JUST TO PAINT, DIDN'T WE DISCUSS MAYBE PUTTING BEAUMONT'S EMBLEM UP THERE OR ALL THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM BEAUMONT UP THERE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES, SIR.
WE HAD A CONVERSATION AND WE AGREED TO PUT THE CITY LOGO AND THE APPROPRIATE CITY COLORS, UH, ON THE TOWER ONCE IT'S FINISHED.
REHABILITATION SAYS THE, THE BLUE AND GREEN.
ANY OTHER COMMENT? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, UH, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES MAY HAVE THE READING OF
[4. Consider supporting an application for a State Historical Designation, for the George O'Brien Millard statue located at 500 Main Street.]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE COUNSEL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT AN APPLICATION FOR A STATE HISTORICAL DESIGNATION FOR THE GEORGE O'BRIEN MILLARD STATUE LOCATED AT 500 MAIN STREET.YOU'VE HEARD THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? PLEASE MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION.
SECOND, HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.
[COMMENTS]
UM, THE CITIZEN COMMENT, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE FILL OUT THE GREEN SLIP HANDED TO THE CLERK.YOU WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO SPEAK AND YOUR THREE MINUTES WILL BE TIME.
KENNETH EARLS, 1265 CONDO, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
[01:25:10]
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT LOBBYING AND HEART EFFECTS.ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CITIES IN AMERICA AND A COUNTY THAT HAS THREE PETROLEUM PLANTS.
WE SHOULD HAVE FIVE LOBBYISTS IN WASHINGTON, DC WE SHOULD ASK FOR WHAT WE WANT AND THEY SHOULD GIVE IT TO US.
40% OF ALL GAS PRODUCTS COME FROM THIS REGION.
YOU, THAT RIVER, THE NATUS RIVER AND SABINE RIVER.
SHOULD, WE SHOULD DEMAND THAT THEY WIDEN IT AND THEY SH AND THEY WILL DO IT FOR ONE REASON IN THE FUTURE.
WE NEED TO GET THOSE SHIPS SUPER TANKERS INTO THIS PORT TO MAKE SURE PETROLEUM AND GAS IS HEADED TOWARD THAT REGION.
OUR PRESIDENT HAS TOLD US THAT WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF TI UH, TAIWAN, HONG KONG, AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE SUPPORTING US.
OUR PRODUCT NEED TO BE THERE PRONTO.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TRANSPORT OUR MILITARY THERE BECAUSE THERE IS GOING TO BE THAT TIME WHEN OUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE GOING TO HAVE TO FIGHT THAT WAR.
AND WE NEED THIS RIVER AND THOSE THINGS DONE.
THE NEXT THING IS DEALING WITH TERM LIMITS.
I BELIEVE EACH OF YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD BE ELECTED FOR SIX YEARS, NOT TWO YEARS.
WE WASTE OUR MONEY, WE WASTE OUR TIME.
YOU SHOULD BE ON BOARD FOR A TWENTY FOUR SEVEN, THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DAYS A YEAR.
AND YOU SHOULD BE PAID COMMENSURATE WITH THE TIME THAT YOU ARE, YOU ARE WORKING THESE THINGS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING AS A NO-BRAINER.
THE CITIES THAT ARE MORE POPULAR MOVE THINGS ALY AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS RECEIVE WHAT THEY NEED OR THOSE TYPES OF CITIES.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, THAT CHARTER PROPOSAL REFLECT THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR, FOR, FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IF IT'S $200,000 OR $250,000, IT'S WORTH IT FOR THE MAYOR.
IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT IT'S WORTH IT.
I I CAN'T ALLOW THAT MS. EARLS, BUT I'LL LET YOU FINISH YOUR SENTENCE.
THE THINGS THAT YOU DO IS TOO IMPORTANT FROM THE THING THAT I SAID ABOUT WIDENING THIS, THIS RIVER, YOU NEED TO BE ON BOARD AND THE NEXT CONSULATE COME.
THEY NEED TO BE AWARE OF THINGS THAT NEED TO OCCUR IN THIS COUNTY AND THIS REGION OF TEXAS OF AMERICA.
BEAUMONT, TEXAS MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER.
ONE THING I'D LIKE BEFORE I EVEN TALK IS I KNOW THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL CAN ALLOW EXTENDED TIME.
CERTAIN PEOPLE GET IT, CERTAIN PEOPLE DON'T.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS IS GONNA STOP.
I'VE HEARD OTHER PEOPLE GET TIME EXTENDED, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
AND IT'S HAPPENING EVERY COUNCIL MEETING.
I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD TRACK RECORD OF BEING HERE.
SO, UH, THERE'S SOME DISPARITY IN WHO SPEAKS FOR THE FINISH OF THEIR SENTENCE OR THE FINISH OF THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS.
UM, THE CITY CHARTER, UM, APPOINTMENTS.
I KNOW THAT IT HAS TO BE PEOPLE THAT ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE,
[01:30:01]
BUT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN BEAUMONT A LONG TIME.OUR CITY FATHERS, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE ALL EDUCATED OR NOT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT WHEN THESE PEOPLE ARE APPOINTED, IF YOU CAN OPEN IT UP FOR VOLUNTEERS AND THEN YOU CAN PERUSE THROUGH AND SEE WHO CAN AND WON'T.
CUZ A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN WANT TO DEAL WITH IT.
BUT I KNOW THAT THAT COULD PROBABLY HAPPEN.
I WOULD PROBABLY VOLUNTEER THE VOTING PROBLEMS. AND I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE WORDING BECAUSE THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD, UM, A, UM, A LARGE BOAT FOR ORDINANCES AND ET CETERA, THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH TIME GIVEN FOR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE VOTING ON UNLESS THEY HAD CI UH, COUNCIL PEOPLE.
AND I HEARD ONE OF THE COUNCILMEN SAY, YOU KNOW, CAN I, CAN I SEND AN EMAIL OR WHATEVER? SO I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE CONCERNED, MAYBE ALL OF YOU ARE, BUT THEN TOWN HALL MEETINGS OR WHATEVER, IF YOU'RE GONNA PUT SOMETHING ON NOVEMBER BALLOT, NOT 30 DAYS BEFORE, THAT'S UNFAIR BECAUSE THE WORDING A LOT OF TIMES, I THINK IS ON PURPOSE TO CONFUSION.
AND MY VOTING RECORD IS PRETTY GOOD.
IN THE LAST LAST DITCHING PROJECT, UM, MY AREA WAS DITCHED.
I WANNA KNOW WHAT EMPLOYEE CHECKS ON CONTRACTORS.
I HAVE STANDING WATER ALL THE TIME IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
SO, UM, THE FOLLOW UP IS WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HAVE PHASE ONE, PHASE TWO, PHASE THREE.
WE HAVE, UH, DRIVEWAYS THAT'S 19, 20, 21, 22.
AND WHO IS PRIVY TO GETTING IT DONE CORRECTLY? BECAUSE THE WATER IS NOT FLOWING.
AND I DON'T CARE THAT YOU SAY OVER FIVE YEARS OR WHATEVER.
WE ALL PAY TAXES AND WE DON'T WANNA BE BITTEN BY MOSQUITOES.
YOU KNOW, SAND WATER IS NOT GOOD.
UM, SO, UM, I WOULD ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE POSED TO YOU TODAY, UM, PLEASE BE ANSWERED JUST LIKE WETLANDS.
AND I KNOW I SEE SOME OF YOU WRITING, SO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOU AND I HOPE THAT IF YOU DO WIN THAT WE'LL HAVE A HY UH, COUNTRY INTEREST COUNCIL.
IF YOU DON'T WIN, I HOPE THE NEXT PEOPLE WILL THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND I'M SINCERE ABOUT MY RES MY, UH, COMMENTS.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT ROAD PLANT ROAD, I'M SORRY.
UM, CAN I DO A SHOW AND TELL, I HAVE PICTURES TO PASS AROUND.
WHENEVER I'M IN THIS ROOM, I'M USUALLY DANCING IN ZUMBA, SO I FEEL LIKE JUMPING UP AND DANCING.
MY MOTHER TOOK ME TO ENGLAND WHEN I WAS 11, AND I WENT TO NURSING SCHOOL THERE.
THEN I WENT TO MIDWIFERY SCHOOL AND THEN I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON AND STUDIED EDUCATION.
GAVE THAT UP AND CAME HERE, WORKED AT ST.
AND THEN I RETIRED IN FROM U T M B IN 2015.
SO I'VE LIVED IN BEAUMONT FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, BEHIND MY HOUSE, UM, THERE WERE TREES DURING THE FALL, THE DEERS WOULD COME OUT.
AND THE REASON MY MOTHER TOOK US TO ENGLAND WAS BECAUSE SHE WAS AMBITIOUS AND SHE PASSED THE AMBITION ONTO ME.
SO I BELIEVE IN PROGRESS AND I BELIEVE PEOPLE NEED TO MOVE AHEAD, BUT MY PATIENTS PROBABLY WHEN I TOLD THEM TO STOP SCREAMING AND PUSH, THEY MIGHT THINK I WAS BEING MEAN TO THEM, BUT I DO IT FOR THE GOOD.
I DON'T THINK HAVING MY PROPERTY FLOODED, AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, FROM THE PICTURES.
AMBITION IS GOOD, BUT YOU DON'T DO IT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER PEOPLE.
SO AM I BEING FLOODED BECAUSE SOMEBODY WANTS TO BUY MY PROPERTY AND HAVE ME GONE? IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
UM, SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF FLOODING THE PROPERTY? UM, THE FIRST TIME IT WAS DONE, WE
[01:35:01]
WENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER.WE WAITED, ACTUALLY IT WAS DURING, UH, HOLY WEEK.
WE WAITED UNTIL THE MONDAY AND WE WENT TO HIS PROPERTY AND HE CAME AND VISIT US.
AND WE WERE REAL EXCITED WHEN HE TOLD US HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS BY THE FRIDAY, THE 14TH OR THE 15TH.
THE RAIN CAME LAST WEEKEND, AND YOU CAN SEE THE RESULT.
I WAS RUNNING TO THE BACK OF MY PROPERTY TO THE FRONT BECAUSE THE WATER I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO COME IN MY BEDROOM.
AND IT ALSO RAN TO THE FRONT TO WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE MUD.
UM, WE THOUGHT THE DITCHES WERE GOING TO STAY FLOOD AS IT FULL AS IT WAS MOVING UP INTO MY DRIVEWAY.
SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING, UM, WHAT AM I RIGHT? AM I BEING FLOODED BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BUY MY PROPERTY OR AM I BEING FLOODED? BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH PLANNING TO DESIGN A DRAINAGE SYSTEM BEFORE THEY STARTED PILING DIRT BACK THERE.
THE FIRST TIME THE TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN TWO YEARS AGO, WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH HOGS.
THEY WOULD COME AROUND TO THE FRONT OF OUR PROPERTY AND TEAR IT UP.
AFTER THE HOGS LEFT, WE COULDN'T SHOOT THEM.
I CALLED THE CITY AND ASKED, CAN I SHOOT THE HOGS? ONLY IF THEY CONFRONT ME, THEY SAY, USE THE BOW ARROW.
WELL, I'LL PROBABLY SHOOT MYSELF IN THE FOOT WITH THE BOW ARROW, BUT I CAN USE A GUN AND A SH A LONG GUN.
I'VE BEEN TO THE TRAINING, BUT AFTER THE, UM, HOGS AND THE TREES WERE DOWN, NOW WE HAVE A PILE OF DIRT BEHIND US AND WE'RE BEING FLOODED.
DON'T LET ME START DOING A ZUMBA WITH THAT MUSIC NOW.
CAN YOU STATE YOUR ADDRESS ONE MORE TIME, PLEASE? YOUR, YOUR ADDRESS AGAIN? 49 80 49 85 PLANT ROAD, BEAUMONT 49 85 PLANT ROAD.
YOUR PICTURES OKAY WILL BE ON THE END.
IF, IF YOU STAY AFTER THE MEETING, WE'LL TALK TO YOU.
MARY GUILLORY, 50 0 5 PLANT ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
MY NAME IS MARY GILLARY AND WE HAVE A PROBLEM AND WE NEED HELP.
I AM A REGISTERED VOTER AND I PAY TAXES ON THE EIGHTH OF THIS MONTH.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, MY PROPERTY WAS FLOODED.
I HAVE BEEN AT THIS RESIDENCE FOR OVER 30 PLUS YEARS.
I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE STORMS, THE WIND, THE RAIN, NATURAL DISASTERS, EVERYTHING, AND NEVER BEEN FLOODED.
ALL THE WATER THAT CAME THROUGH WAS CLEAR WATER AND IT DISAPPEARED.
I HAVE MUD AND WATER FLOWING THROUGH MY PROPERTY.
I HAVE A STORAGE BUILDING IN THE BACK SITTING UNDERWATER.
IT CAME UP TO MY SLAB ABOUT THIS MUCH.
HE CAME OUT AND DUG A DITCH BEHIND FOUR OF THE FOUR OF US THAT ARE FLOODED.
IT'S ENOUGH TO SIT SIX BODIES IN.
IT'S FULL OF WATER AS OF TODAY.
I MADE A CALL ON THE EIGHTH, CALLED ON THE 10TH TO FIND OUT WHO I NEED TO TALK TO.
THE BUILDERS THAT HAS THE SIGN OUT FRONT.
I'VE CALLED, UM, I CALL THEM ON THE 10TH.
THE INSPECTOR CAME OUT ON THE 12TH FROM ENGINEERING, SAID IT WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TODAY.
AN INSPECTOR CAME OUT, I SAW HIM OUT MY KITCHEN WINDOW AND I ASKED HIM COULD I SPEAK WITH HIM? HE SAID, SURE.
I SAID, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? HE SAYS, I'M TAKING PICTURES.
I SAID, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE SWELL? HE SAID, YES, I'VE BEEN HERE OVER 30 SOME YEARS.
HE SAID, IF YOU LOOK FAR BACK ON YOUR PROPERTY, ON THEIR PROPERTY, THERE'S A RETENTION.
HE SAID THE SWELL WOULD SEND THE WATER BACK TO THAT RETENTION AND NOT TO US.
IT'S UNFAIR FOR THEM TO DESTROY OUR PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE WORKED AND TAKEN CARE OF ALL THESE YEARS.
WE'RE NOT SENDING ANYTHING TO THEM.
ANYTIME YOU SEE MUD AND WATER FLOODING OUT YOUR PROPERTY AFTER 30 SOME YEARS, SOMETHING IS GOING ON.
[01:40:01]
THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING FOR.WE GOT A RAIN COMING THURSDAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN OR WHAT CAN BE DONE, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.
THE ENGINEER, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY SAID HE HAS HIS OWN ENGINEERS AND I SAID, ONLY ENGINEER I KNOW IS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.
SO THAT'S WHY I MADE A CALL TO THEM.
I CALLED THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT.
THEY CAME OUT IMMEDIATELY CHECKED IT OUT AND SAID, HEY, YOU'RE FINE.
CAN I HAVE A FEW FINISHES? FINISH THIS SENTENCE.
AND I CALL MY COUNCILMAN SAMUEL.
ONE WAS HERE EARLIER, SHE HAD TO LEAVE.
BUT WE ALL HAVE PHOTOS, WE'RE STRESSED OUT, AND THERE'S WATER THERE.
AND IF ANY ONE OF YOU TAKE THE TIME OUT TO JUST COME OUT AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT IS BEING DONE.
BART, CAN YOU SPEAK WITH HER AFTER RIGHT.
WE'LL BE HERE AFTER THE MEETING.
AFTER THE MEETING, THEY WILL SPEAK WITH YOU.
ALBERT HARRISON, 1240 ASHLEY, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
CITY COUNCIL, OTHER MEMBERS, STAFF MEMBERS AND PRESIDENT.
I AM HERE TO BASICALLY COMPLAIN ABOUT AN ISSUE IN 1100 BLOCK OF AVALON, E V A L O N.
I HAVE LIVED AT 1163 AVALON SINCE 1955.
THE HOUSE WAS TORN DOWN IN APPROXIMATELY 1982.
I STILL OWN THE PROPERTY, ALTHOUGH IT'S A VACANT LAND.
I DO PLAN TO BUILD ANOTHER HOUSE THERE AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE.
I KNOW I'M 75 YEARS OLD, BUT I STILL PLAN ON DOING THAT.
MY ISSUES TODAY BASICALLY INVOLVES THE CITY IN THE PROCESS OF MOPPING OUT AND CLEANING OUT THE DITCHES IN THE 1100 BLOCK OF ALON.
IN THE PROCESS OF THEM DOING THAT, I SAW THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS OP OPERATING THE CLEAN OUT MACHINE.
I ASKED HIM SPECIFICALLY THE CONCRETE AT THE END OF THE, OF THE WALKWAY ACROSS THE DITCH AS A SIDEWALK.
HAS MY BABY'S SISTER NAME ON IT, HAS THE YEAR, AND MY DADDY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY 1955.
THAT ALSO HAS A YEAR THAT THE SIDEWALK OR CONCRETE WAS PLACED THERE.
1970, ASKED HIM NOT TO REMOVE IT.
HE DID GO ON AHEAD IN THE PROCESS OF HOPPING OUT THE DITCH IN THAT AREA.
THAT WAS A PIPE UNDER THE CONCRETE.
HE PULLED A PIPE OUT SAYING IT WAS PLUGGED, WAS PLUGGED UP.
I HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT EXCEPT TO SAY THAT IT COST THE CITY MORE MONEY TO REPLACE ANOTHER PIPE THERE.
HE COULD HAVE JUST CALLED THE BLOWOUT AND IT JUST BLOW THE PIPE OUT AND WOULD, IT CLEARLY IS UP, BUT THEY HAD TO COME BACK AND PUT ANOTHER PIPE THERE AND PUT ADDITIONAL CONCRETE THERE TO MAKE IT COMPLETE WALKWAY AGAIN.
MY REAL COMPLAINT NOW IS THAT IN THE PROCESS OF THEM DOING THAT, IT IS NOW MADE WATER VERY STAGNANT, AND IT'S SELLING THERE.
ALSO, AS I STATED, I LIVED THERE SINCE 1955.
I WAS ALWAYS TOLD AND KNEW THAT THE WATER FLOW TO THE EAST, THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE DIGGING IT OUT, SAY NOW THE WATER FLOWS TO THE WEST.
ALL I'M SAYING TO Y'ALL IS THAT THE WATER IS NOT FLOWING ANYWHERE.
PLUS THEY NEED TO FINISH THE JOB ACROSS FROM 1118.
THEY DID NOT FINISH MOPPING OUT THE DITCH.
THEY JUST LEFT THE GRASS THERE COMPLETED.
AND WE'LL GET THIS FORWARDED ON.
I WOULD'VE BOUGHT PICTURES, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO GO AND SEE IT.
DYLAN RICHARDSON, 47 45 75 NORTH MAJOR DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
I INTEND ON FINISHING THE PIECE I BEGAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
[01:45:01]
TERM LIMITS.AS I UNDERSTAND IT, ONLY ONE OF YOU HAS SPOKEN IN SUPPORT OF TERM LIMITS, WHICH BEGS THE QUESTION OF WHY.
WHY DOES THE COUNCIL CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO BE ABOVE THE STANDARD THAT IS HELD AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF OUR GOVERNMENT IN AMERICA? LET ME INDULGE YOU ALL ON WHY THERE ARE TERM LIMITS IN THIS COUNTRY.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, OUR FIRST PRESIDENT, WHO MOST ASSUREDLY WOULD'VE BEEN ELECTED FOR HIS THIRD TERM, DECIDED THAT PRESIDENTS SHOULD ONLY BE SERVING A MAXIMUM OF TWO TERMS, SO AS TO NOT FALL INTO THE SAME TYRANNY THAT THEY FACED IN GREAT BRITAIN.
MANY OF YOU ARE IN YOUR OWN UNIQUE WAY, TYRANTS OF CHANGE.
IT WOULD APPEAR THAT MANY OF YOU CHERISH THE TITLE SPOTLIGHT AND BEING SURROUNDED BY THE CROWDS OF SICKENS THAT MANY OF YOU ARE SO MUCH SO THAT YOU'VE BEEN WILLING TO GRANDSTAND THROUGHOUT NUMEROUS TERMS, EVEN DECADES.
FOR SOME, SIMPLY FOR THE OPTICS, I WOULD LIKE TO PLANT A SEED, A SEED OF A VIEW DIFFERING FROM THIS PHILOSOPHY OF A CITY OFFICIAL.
IF THERE IS NOT DRASTIC CHANGE 100 YEARS FROM NOW, PEOPLE WILL LOOK BACK ON AND STUDY HOW MUCH OF THIS COUNCIL BEFORE ME LED THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO ITS KNEES AND TO THE EDGE OF IRRELEVANCE THROUGH YOUR INACTION.
I ALSO IMPLORE EACH OF YOU TO REACH OUT TO INDIVIDUAL FIREMEN AND TO THE UNION IN REGARDS TO SOLVING THE MATTERS AT HAND.
COUNSEL HAS BEEN MISLED IN THE PAST BY MANY ADVOCATES ON THE OTHER SIDE.
MANY OF YOU HAVE POSED AS EAGER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WHEN OUR CITY MANAGER CREATED AN UNSANCTIONED ORGANIZATION INTENDED TO UNDERMINE THE OUTCOMES OF PENDING LITIGATION.
TO THOSE OF YOU, I SAY SHAME ON YOU.
I WILL ATTEND ALL FUTURE MEETINGS AND SHARE MY OPINIONS ON RESPECTIVE TOPICS TO FINISH.
I DO FEEL AS THOUGH MY CONSISTENT ATTENDANCE WILL NOT BE SHARED BY AT LEAST ONE OF YOU WHO WILL BE REPLACED BY SOMEONE MORE QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION.
CLAUDE CULBERT, 39 0 2 CONGRESS, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
UM, MY NAME IS CLAUDIA COLBERT AND UM, I'M COMING BECAUSE I'M BEING STRESSED OUT, TERRORIZED, FALSELY ACCUSED OF THINGS THAT I HAVEN'T DONE.
THEY SAID THAT, THAT I HAVE BEEN IN JAIL, NEVER BEEN IN JAIL, AND I'M BEING ABUSED WITH CHEMICALS AND RADAR WITH, WITH BIG LIGHTS OVER MY HOME THAT'S BURNING MY HOME.
WATER'S IN MY HOME EVERY MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP.
I DON'T, I CAN'T PLANT ANY FLOWERS OR ANYTHING BECAUSE IT, IT ALL BE BURNED UP FROM THAT BIG LIGHT THAT BE FOLLOWING THAT BE OVER MY HOME.
I'VE HAD A STROKE TWICE FROM BEING TERRORIZED BY SAYING I'M ON.
UH, WELL, LET ME SEE WHAT THEY CALL THAT.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD DO PEOPLE, HUMAN BEINGS LIKE THEY ARE DOING IN CHILDREN, BEING IN THOSE PEOPLE HOMES THAT THEY ARE TERRORIZING IN SAYING THEY'RE UNDER SURVEILLANCE.
AND MOST OF THE TIME THOSE PEOPLE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.
I'VE NEVER BEEN IN JAIL, NEVER HURT ANYBODY.
I'M A CHRISTIAN AND I'VE BEEN A CHRISTIAN FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
AND TO SAY THAT THEY SAY I'M ON DRUGS CUZ IT'S DRUG ACTION IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEY GOT WOMEN FIGHTING ME, CUSSING ALL AROUND MY HOUSE TRYING TO ACT LIKE IT'S ME.
THEY GOT THE DRUGS, ACTS WALKING AROUND MY HOUSE ACTING LIKE I'M ON DRUGS BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING UN FROM, THEY, THEY, I I HEARD THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE UNDER, UNDER PROBATION.
SO THEY, THEY DON'T GET, SO IT TAKES AWAY FROM THEIR PROBATION IF THEY TERRORIZE THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY GOT UNDER SURVEILLANCE WHO HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING BUT TRY TO LIVE AND RAISE THEIR KIDS.
I'M COMING ON BEHALF OF MY CHILDREN.
I HAVE, I HAVE THREE KIDS, NEVER BEEN IN JAIL.
THEY ALL FINISH COLLEGE AND WORK AND THEY DON'T LIVE IN BEAUMONT, BUT THEY'LL BEEN HARASSED TOO.
THEY ALL IN COLLEGE, NEVER DONE NOTHING TO NOBODY BEING HARASSED TOO, BECAUSE THEY ARE MY CHILDREN AND MY GRANDCHILDREN.
AND I THINK ABOUT OTHER CHILDREN THAT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS LIVING TERRORIZED WITH, WITH CHEMICALS.
I GO FROM ONE ROOM TO THE NEXT AND WHATEVER THIS IS, IT FOLLOWS ME THAT, YOU KNOW, WHERE I'M JUST GOING THROUGH TERRORISM WATER, I'LL BE IN MY YARD.
THEY PUT A, A SEWAGE TANK IN MY BACKYARD WHERE ALL I DO IS SMELL SEWAGE.
AND I'VE BEEN THERE FOR 50 YEARS.
I'M A BEEN, I WAS BORN HERE IN BEAUMONT AND I HAVE A FAMILY, A BIG FAMILY IN BEAUMONT.
WE HAVE, WE ALWAYS TRY TO HELP PEOPLE.
WE NEVER TRY TO DO ANYTHING AGAINST CHILDREN OR ANYTHING.
[01:50:01]
AND HELP THE CHILDREN UNDER PROBATION AND STUFF, BEING, UH, UH, A MOTHER TO CHURCH AND ALSO BEING, UH, GOING AROUND HELPING PEOPLE.I GIVE, I DON'T TAKE NOTHING FROM NOBODY.
THEY'VE BEEN ACCUSED ME OF STEALING.
I'VE NEVER STOLE ANYTHING FROM ANYBODY.
I GIVE SOMETIME I DON'T HAVE, BUT I GIVE THEM BECAUSE I LIKE TO C I DON'T THINK LIFE IS WORTH NOTHING.
IF YOU HAVE EVERYTHING YOU CAN'T AND YOU CAN'T GIVE SOMEBODY ELSE TO HELP THEM.
THANK YOU MS. COLBERT, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT MY HOME IS BEING ABUSED BY THE CARS AND THE TRUCKS.
THAT'S TERRORIZING WHERE WATER COMES OUT IN MY HOUSE.
MY, AND I CAN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE MY, UH, ROOFTOP.
IF YOU, IF YOU'LL SPEAK TO MR. BAR KOYAK AFTER THE MEETING, HE'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
CHARLIE CRAB 9 28 EAST DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS, THAT NEW MAYOR MUON COUNSEL AND, UH, MR. CITY MANAGER AND, UH, STAFF.
I BROUGHT A NEW, UH, UH, VEHICLE WITH ME TODAY.
I DON'T REALLY NEED IT, BUT IT WAS GIVEN TO ME FOR CHRISTMAS.
AND, UH, I'D RATHER HAD A FISHING ROD, MAYBE A COUPLE OF THOSE NICE FISHING SHIRTS, BUT THEY, MY PEOPLE THOUGHT I NEEDED THIS
SO, UH, A HUNTER OR FISHERMEN, THAT'S FISH IS THE RIVERBANK OR SOUTHERN COME IN HANDY.
BUT TODAY I WAS, UH, REALLY GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, HOMELESS, UH, OF COURSE OUR PROBLEM HERE IN BEAUMONT.
AND, UH, WE'VE GOT, OF COURSE HOMELESS HAVE SEVERAL CATEGORIES.
THE, UH, MENTALLY ILL, THE ALCOHOLICS AND THE DRUG ADDICTS AND, AND CLASSIFY 'EM THE OTHER.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY TRY TO GET SOME TYPE OF, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SMALL, UH, SMALL HOUSING.
AND, UH, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S COMING UP THAT THE, UH, THOSE, UH, SHIPPING CONTAINERS, THOSE 60 FOOTERS MAKE NICE, UH, UH, BUILDINGS FOR A, AN INDIVIDUAL OR MAYBE TWO INDIVIDUALS.
AND, UH, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DESIGN ONE THE INSIDE.
AND IF MR. BARAK WOULD GIVE ME A DESIGNER, WE CAN, UH, DESIGN THE INSIDE AND I THINK THE CITY CAN, UH, BUILD THOSE OUT IN THEIR, IF THEY HAVE CRAFTSMEN THAT HAVE SPARE TIME.
SPARE TIME, UH, UH, CHARTER CHANGES THAT, UH, THAT'S A BIG ITEM.
AND, UH, AGAIN, I SAY IF IT, IF IT DOESN'T NEED, IF IT'S NOT BROKEN, JUST DON'T FIX IT.
JUST IGNORE THOSE, UH, CHARTER ITEMS THAT, THAT DON'T AFFECT ANYBODY.
NOW, DITCH CO DITCHING CULVERTS.
I'D LIKE TO SEE CULVERT, UH, DITCHES DITCH MAYBE, UH, THREE QUARTERS TO AN INCH BELOW THE CULVERT SO THAT THE, THEY, THERE'LL BE, UH, VERY LITTLE WATER LEFT IN THE DITCH BECAUSE THAT IS A PROBLEM AROUND THE CITY WHERE THE, THE, UH, THEY DITCH BELOW THE CULVERT.
SO YOU, YOU HAVE S YEARS OF, OF, UH, WATER STANDING.
I DON'T KNOW WHO, UH, UH, LET'S SEE.
MAINTAINS THE DITCH OUT ON THE HUMBLE ROAD AROUND TO MAJOR DRIVE, BUT WATER STANDS THERE MONTHS AFTER ANY KIND OF RAIN.
UH, THE GENTLEMAN HAD A VERY GOOD, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT THE, UH, UH, THE NATURES RIVER CHANNEL, ABOUT WIDENING IT AND, UH, EXCUSE ME, DEEPENING IT FOR THE, UH, INDUSTRIAL AREA WE HAVE.
AND I HATE TO SEE THE, THE LADIES ON PLANT ROAD IN THEIR, UH, FLOODING PROBLEM.
I'LL BE AROUND IF ANYBODY WANTS TO LOOK AT THIS.
THOMAS HUNTER, 66 52 LEXINGTON DRIVE, BAMA, TEXAS.
I'M HOPING EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME WELL.
MY NAME IS THOMAS HUNTER, BETTER KNOWN AS TOM THE BLUES MAN.
[01:55:02]
TOM.UH, I WAS A BLUES MAN UP UP UNTIL A FEW YEARS AGO, TRAVELING TOUR THE WORLD, RECORDED STUFF LIKE THAT.
RADIO DJ OUT OF PORT ARTHUR FOR ABOUT SIX YEARS.
BUT ANYWAY, WHAT I'M HERE FOR TODAY, AND BY THE WAY, I'M A NA NAVY VETERAN, SIX YEARS OF A SERVICE.
AND, UM, I TURNED 80 YEARS OLD IN MARCH, BUT, UM, I STILL DRIVE AROUND THE CITY.
IF I NEED TO GO ANYWHERE ELSE, I'LL GET MY DAUGHTER TO TAKE ME.
BUT, UM, I DRIVE AROUND THE CITY, MY WIFE AND I, AND WE GO MA MAINLY TO RESTAURANTS, PHARMACIES, DOCTOR'S OFFICES, AND PLACES OF BUSINESS LIKE THIS.
NOW, MY PROBLEM HERE IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, THE RAMPANT ABUSE OF THE HANDICAPPED PARKING SPOTS.
I MEAN, IT IS JUST, THEY'RE PARKING WITH THE IMPUNITY.
I DON'T SEE ANYBODY GETTING TICKETS, NOBODY DOING ANYTHING TODAY.
I DON'T, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN THIS BUILDING.
SO I PARKED WAY DOWN IN, INTO THE STREET OVER THERE.
I COULDN'T FIND A, UM, PLACE TO GET IN HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY WAS ABUSING US HANDICAPPED SPOTS OR NOT, BUT I DO SEE LITTLE SMALL SPORTS CARS, UH, BRAND NEW CARS, LITTLE SMALL CARS.
I KNOW THESE CARS ARE NOT DRIVEN BY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE.
AND EVEN IN THE HANDICAPPED SPACES, I LOOK FOR DRIVER FOR, UM, LICENSE TAGS THAT INDICATE THAT MAYBE THEY ARE HANDICAPPED IN SOME KIND OF WAY.
LOTS OF TIMES I SEE THAT THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT EVEN HANGING THE, THE, UH, GREEN TAGS, BLUE TAGS FROM THEIR MIRRORS.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING AWAY WITH IT.
AND PEOPLE LIKE ME SPEAKING ON FOR MYSELF, ACTUALLY, I NEED THOSE SPOTS.
I WALK WITH ASSISTANCE AND I DO HAVE, IT'S SAW MY DOCTOR TODAY AND I'M WANT TO GET, UM, A BETTER, UM, WALKING ASSISTANCE, UM, FOR MYSELF.
BUT, UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY BRIEFLY JUST, JUST TO COMPARE HOW IT CAN BE REMEDIED TO, UH, TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
MOST OF THEM, I'M SURE LOTS OF YOU HAVE BEEN TO, UH, CITY OF AUSTIN.
I LIVED THERE FOR ABOUT 10 OR 12 YEARS.
AND THEY HAVE, AND BY ME BEING A BLUES MAN, I PLAYED AROUND THE, UH, SIXTH STREET AREA, UH, FOR A LONG TIME IN AUSTIN.
EVERYBODY, I'M SURE EVERYBODY'S FAMILIAR WITH THAT AREA, BUT, UM, THERE WERE TOW TRUCKS.
THE TOW OF, OKAY, I'D LIKE TO FINISH THIS.
AND I, UH, RE TO SOMEONE ELSE.
THERE WERE TOW TRUCKS THAT WERE DESIGNATED TO JUST DRIVE AROUND AND LOOK FOR CARS, UH, UH, TRUCKS INTO, UH, IN PARKING SPOTS THAT WERE NOT, THAT WERE DESIGNATED FOR A HANDICAPPED PARKING.
AND THEY WERE TOWED, THEY WERE TOWED.
AND, UM, EVERYBODY'S AWARE THAT IF YOU DO PARK IN THE WRONG SPOT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS, YOUR CAR WILL BE.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN GET SOME CONSIDERATION ON THIS RIGHT AWAY.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY.
THE PHARAOH RICHARD 52 75 PARKVIEW DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
AND THE FIRST REASON IS WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD, OPRAH WINFREY CAME TO BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
SHE DIDN'T SHAKE HANDS WITH ANYONE, BUT FOR SOME REASON SHE BECKEN TO ME TO COME TO TOWARDS HER, TO THE STAGE.
SHE SHOOK MY HAND AND SHE SAID, YOUNG LADY, DO GREAT THINGS.
WHEN I LEFT MY MIND WITH $200 AND MY TUITION WAS 20,000 A SEMESTER AT HOWARD UNIVERSITY IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, I WORKED THREE JOBS BECAUSE I HEARD HER VOICE DO GREAT THINGS.
WHEN I WON THE MS. BLACK WORLD PAGEANT, AFTER GETTING MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY, CORETTA SCOTT KING BECAME MY MENTOR AND TOOK ME TO AFRICA BY PASSING THROUGH ENGLAND, I MET BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR.
HE TOLD ME TO DO GREAT THINGS.
I WENT TO PRESIDENT MANDELA'S HOME.
HE TOOK A PICTURE WITH NO ONE.
HE TOLD ME TO DO GREAT THINGS.
PRESIDENT ROBIN MUGGA WAS A DICTATOR.
HE TOOK A PICTURE WITH NO ONE.
HE TOLD ME TO DO GREAT THINGS.
SO MY QUESTION IS, ALEXIS MORRIS IS THE FIRST YOUNG LADY TO MAKE IT TO THE W N B A.
I TRIED OUT IN 98 UNDER JOHN THOMPSON, THE
[02:00:01]
LEGENDARY HISTORICAL COACH.MY QUESTION IS, I ONLY SAW FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS BAMA UNITED THREE TIMES STATE PRESENCE.
I ONLY SAW FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND I'M NOT BADGERING, I'M NOT BADGERING, BUT IF IT HAD BEEN A ROBBERY, IF IT HAD BEEN A DRIVE-BY, IF IT HAD BEEN A THEFT, IF IT HAD BEEN A, A BABY MAMA, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, OH YEAH, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.
SO I ASK AS REPRESENTATION OF US AS A COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, THERE ARE OBLIGATIONS.
I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE SICK RELATIVES.
BUT WHAT ARE WE SAYING TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE IF WE DON'T CELEBRATE THEM, IF WE DON'T AFFIRM? DO YOU KNOW HOW INCREDIBLE AFTER 41 YEARS FOR THEM TO DO A THREE-PEAT AT THE SAME CAMPUS? THAT BECAME A PART OF INTEGRATION.
DO YOU KNOW HOW WONDERFUL IT IS FOR A YOUNG LADY TO SAY, I'M GOING FOR THE W N B A AND SHE MADE IT.
SHE DESERVES A KEY TO THE CITY.
NO DISRESPECT TO MEGAN AND WHAT SHE'S DONE.
I DON'T AGREE WITH HER LIFESTYLE.
BUT HOUSTON CAN THINK ENOUGH TO GIVE HER A KEY TO THE CITY.
LET EVERY MAN SEARCH HIS OWN HEART.
YOU WANNA SIT HERE AT THE TABLE AND I APPLAUD YOU CUZ THIS IS NOT EASY.
AND THAT LEADS TO MY LAST COMMENT.
I PERSONALLY SAY IF THE HIGHEST LEADER GETS A TERM LIMIT, I FEEL LIKE THE COUNCIL SHOULD.
BUT THEN AS I CONTEMPLATED AND MEDITATED AND WENT BEFORE THE HOLY SPIRIT, I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M ONE SECOND.
I SAY YES, BUT IF A VOTER SAYS, I WANT YOU TO REPRESENT ME BECAUSE YOU ARE ADVOCATING FOR THE NEEDS OF MY WARD, THEN WHO AM I TO TAKE THE VOTE AWAY FROM THEM? YOUR EVERY SINGLE WARD HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS.
AND IF THEY FEEL LIKE YOU ARE PERFORMING THEIR NEEDS, WHO ARE WE TO TAKE THEIR VOICE AND SAY NO? BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL COME NEXT.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR EARS AND I JUST ASK EVERYONE TO SEARCH YOUR HEART.
THESE CHILDREN NEED AFFIRMATION.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE MAYOR AT THIS TIME.
UM, I WILL ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT AND I WILL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER.
FIRST THING I KIND OF WANT TO ADDRESS IS, UH, WE HAD A CITIZEN COME TO THE PODIUM TODAY AND SHE SPOKE ABOUT OUR LOBBYISTS.
I THINK IT'LL BE A GREAT IDEA THAT WE DO NEED TO GET OUR LOBBYISTS DOWN TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR AND DO A QUAR, UH, ANNUALLY REPORT TO LET THE CITIZEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY INVESTING IN AND WE'RE GETTING A PROPER RETURN ON IT.
UH, THE SECOND THING I WANT TO ADDRESS IS I REALLY DO, AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR STAFF OR SOMEONE GET OUT THERE TO THAT PLANT ROAD AREA AND ADDRESS THAT.
YOU KNOW, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, COMING OUTTA MY HOUSE AND SEEING THE WATER AND THE RAIN THAT WE JUST RECENTLY HAD COMING THAT FAR.
I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY AND GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE TO ADDRESS IT IN, MAKE THESE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A CONCERN AND OBLIGATION TO GET THERE.
AND COUNCILMAN STANLEY, APPRECIATE YOU FOR GOING OUT THERE.
UH, THE THIRD THING IS HANDICAP SPOTS.
I KNOW THAT'S A LAW ENFORCEMENT THING AND NORMALLY WHEN WE BRING THINGS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT'S ATTENTION, THEY NORMALLY ADDRESS IT.
SO I'M PRETTY SURE OFFICER CARROLL'S IN HERE, SHE'S GOING TO MAKE THE PROPER CONNECTIONS AND WE DEFINITELY NEED TO GET THAT ADDRESS.
UH, THE FOURTH THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS, ALTHOUGH WE G GRADING THE DITCHES, I STILL THINK IT'S A GREAT THING THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION, BUT I THINK BASED UPON A CITIZENS CONCERNS OR COMPLAINTS, WE NEED TO GO BACK AND ASSIST THAT SITTING WATER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WITH THE THREE INCHES AND THE CULVERTS AND THAT MAGNITUDE.
BUT IF WE'RE SPENDING THAT REVENUE, I TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WE GET IN THE BEST RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENT.
UH, THE FIFTH THING I WANNA TALK ABOUT IS THE ACTUAL ALEXIS MOORE CELEBRATION.
THE REALITY IS WE ALWAYS SAY, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT PRESIDENTS, WE'RE SITTING IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.
BUT YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK AND RESEARCHED AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, ABOUT SETTING PRESIDENTS, OUR CITY IS ROUGHLY 130 PLUS YEARS OLD.
AND I DIDN'T SEE A, A FEMALE FROM BEAUMONT WIN A NATIONAL BASKETBALL NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT HER WINNING, IT'S ABOUT THE PRIDE IN BEAUMONT.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT ALL SHE ENDURED, WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH, AND HER LEGACY THAT SHE LEFT.
SHE MIGHT NOT ALWAYS DID EVERYTHING PERFECT, SHE FELL.
[02:05:01]
THE REALITY IS, SHE'S EXAMPLE OF ALL YOUNG CHILDREN.YOU CAN MAKE MISTAKES, YOU CAN FALL, BUT YOU CAN ALSO RISE TO THE TOP AND BE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.
AND I WANNA SAY I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF ALEXIS.
I AM PROUD OF THE CITY TO STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING FOR HER.
YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO US AS LEADERS TO SET THE PRESIDENT.
IT'S UP TO LEADERS, US AS LEADERS TO SET THE STANDARDS.
AND I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS IN LEADERSHIP, WE NEED TO SET THE BAR ON HOW WE TAKE PRIDE AND HOW WE MOVE OUT THE COMMUNITY FORWARD.
SO I THINK, I DON'T MIND THAT IT AIN'T HAPPENING IN THE PATH, BUT I THINK NOW YOU'RE SEEING WE ARE DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO CAME OUT TO SUPPORT EVEN THE ONES WHO COULDN'T MAKE IT.
AND LASTLY, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED AND I THINK IS A HUGE WIN FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.
IT WAS IN OUR CONSIDERED AGENDA LIBRARY GRANT FUNDING, A SUMMER READING PROGRAM FOR OUR YOUTH.
I THINK WE DON'T CELEBRATE AND TALK ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS ENOUGH OF BEAUMONT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S EXTREMELY POSITIVE.
WE HAVE LITERACY ISSUES IN BEAUMONT AND THE CITY STEPPING UP AND DOING THIS PROGRAM.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR WITH THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO TALK TO OUR CHILDREN AND WORK WITH OUR CHILDREN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MAYOR.
I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE NOTES AND ADDRESS EVERYTHING THAT KIND OF WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE NUTSHELL.
COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER AND COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL.
I KNOW WE CAN'T TALK BACK AND FORTH MUCH THAN THIS PLANT ROAD, UH, SITUATION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP TODAY, BUT I CAN SPEAK FROM A CONTRACTOR'S STANDPOINT AND, UH, A DEVELOPER AND A CONTRACTOR HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT PUSHING WATER ON OTHER PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES, AS DOES THE CITY WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE PLAN REVIEWS AND GOING THROUGH THE ENGINEERING PROCESS.
UH, SO I HOPE THE CITY CAN GET, UH, TAKE A DEEP LOOK INTO THIS, UH, QUICKLY BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY SITTING UP HERE WOULD BE MAD AS ALL GET OUT OF THAT WAS TAKING PLACE ON OUR PROPERTIES TOO.
UM, ONE OF THE QUICK COMMENT, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO WACO, TEXAS THAT I HEAR THIS PAST WEEK AND, UH, SPEND A LITTLE TIME AROUND, UH, SOME OF THE RIVER DEVELOPMENT THAT WACO HAS JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED.
AND I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE, UH, WHOEVER HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP THERE AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME REAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR US HERE IN BEAUMONT, UH, NEK AND SOME OF THE STUFF THAT THEY'VE JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED.
UM, I THANK, UH, MS. GILLARY, MS. BELL, UH, FOR COMING OVER AND EXPRESSING THAT, UH, WE HAVE ADDRESSED IT.
WE'LL VISIT AGAIN AFTER THE MEETING IS OVER.
UH, I THINK, UH, MR. OVC AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER, THEY'RE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE AND THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO ADDRESS TO SEE HOW THERE CAN BE A QUICK RESOLUTION AND, UH, WORK ON WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE END.
UH, SO WITH THAT, UM, I'LL VISIT WITH YOU AFTER THE MEETING IS OVER.
UH, JUST REMEMBER THAT THE CITY ELECTION IS COMING UP EARLY VOTING APRIL 24TH TO MAY 2ND AND ELECTION DAY MAY THE SIXTH.
ALSO, THIS TIME IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE ON SUNDAY THE 30TH FROM 12, FROM NOON TO FIVE, THAT SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON THE 30TH, THE POLLS WILL BE OPEN.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A NEW THING FOR US, UH, AS A CITY.
SO PLEASE MAKE A NOTE TO VOTE.
REMEMBER THAT OUTTA 71,000 REGISTERED VOTERS AND THE LAST, UH, CITY ELECTION BETWEEN 15, 18% VOTED.
AND SO PLEASE COME OUT AND VOTE IS SO IMPORTANT THAT EACH CITIZEN CAST THEIR VOTE.
SO THANK YOU FOR VOTING AND UH, REMEMBER APRIL THE 24TH TO MAY 2ND AND THEN MAY 6TH.
REMEMBER GARRETT, THIS FRIDAY IS MY WIFE'S BIRTHDAY.
HER DOCTOR'S SAY THIS WILL BE THE LAST BIRTHDAY THAT SHE CELEBRATES.
I PRAY THAT THEY ARE WRONG, BUT I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENS IN ACCORDANCE WITH GOD'S FLYNN.
IT IS NOT SURPRISING TO ME THAT ALLISON HAS FACED THIS ILLNESS WITH INCREDIBLE STRENGTH AND BRAVENESS DIGNITY AND GRACE.
WHEN PEOPLE CALL OR VISIT HER, SHE ALWAYS ASKS ABOUT THEM AND HOW THEY ARE DOING, DEMONSTRATING A KINDNESS AND CONCERN FOR OTHERS THAT DIVINE WHO SHE IS.
ALMOST EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ALLISON GETZ IS THE ELECTED TAX ASSESSOR IN VOTER REGISTRAR FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY.
SHE HAS THREE OFFICES IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER 60 EMPLOYEES.
[02:10:02]
ALISON WAS FIRST ELECTED IN 2014 AND HIS TAX COLLECTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR COLLECTING PROPERTY TAXES FOR 28 JURISDICTIONS, COLLECTING HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES, CONDUCTING DELINQUENT TAX SALES, ISSUING BEER AND LICENSE WINE LICENSES, ISSUING TAX PERMITS FOR COIN OPERATOR MACHINES AND ISSUING TITLES AND REGISTRATION FOR MORE THAN 200,000 VEHICLES ANNUALLY.AS PHOTO REGISTRAR, SHE LEADS AN OFFICE THAT HAS REGISTERED OVER 150,000 PEOPLE TO VOTE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY MAINTAINS THE ACCURACY OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION ROLES, APPOINTS INDIVIDUALS TO BECOME VOLUNTEER DEPUTY REGISTRARS AND ASSISTS POLL WORKERS DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIOD IN ELECTION DAY, IF ALL THE ABOVE WAS NOT ENOUGH BY LAW, ALISON SITS ON THE BOARD OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT AND WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE JCAD BOARD IN 2019 AND 2020.
AND WHEN COUNTY JUDGE JEFF BRANICK DECIDED TO CREATE THE POSITION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY IN 2019, WHO DID HE ASK TO FULFILL THOSE DUTIES? ALISON NATHAN GETZ.
ALISON TOOK SEVEN DIFFERENT, SEVEN DIFFERENT CLASSES AND PASSED EACH EXAMINATION TO BECOME JEFFERSON COUNTY'S FIRST PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, ALLISON WAS THE COUNTY'S SPOKESPERSON FOR TROPICAL STORM AMELDA AND THE TPC EXPLOSION.
SUBSEQUENTLY, SHE WAS THE OFFICIAL SPOKESMAN FOR HURRICANES LAURA, MARCO AND DELTA IN 2020, THE WINTER STORM DISASTER IN 2021.
AND OF COURSE, COVID SOMEHOW WHILE PERFORMING ALL OF THE DUTIES THAT I JUST READ, SHE FOUND TIME TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE JEFFERSON COUNTY TAX OFFICE.
SHE IMPLEMENTED A QUEUING SYSTEM IN TWO OUT OF HER THREE OFFICES.
SHE INSTALLED A CAMERA SYSTEM WITH SECURITY MONITORS IN ALL OF HER OFFICES.
SHE CREATED THE FIRST WEBSITE FOR THE TAX OFFICE.
SHE REDESIGNED THE TAX STATEMENTS TO BE MORE LEGIBLE AND EASIER TO READ.
SHE MADE IT POSSIBLE TO GET YOUR CAR AUTO REGISTRATIONS RENEWED AT HEB AND KROGER SO YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO GO TO THE TAX OFFICE.
SHE MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS AND AUTO REGISTRATION DONE IN ONE LOCATION FOR PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES.
SHE CREATED AN INTERESTED BUYER PROGRAM TO GET COUNTY OWNED PROPERTIES BACK ON THE TAX ROLL.
SHE HAD ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING CONDUCTED IN ALL OF HER OFFICES, AND SHE OVERSAW THE EXPANSION AND THE ADDITION OF A DRIVE-THROUGH WINDOW AT THE MIDCOUNTY TAX OFFICE.
DURING HER TIME IN OFFICE, ALISON HAS CONTINUED HER PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND EARNED THE PROFESSIONAL COUNTY COLLECTOR CERTIFICATION, THE COUNTY TAX OFFICE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION, AND THE PROFESSIONAL COUNTY ASSESSOR COLLECTOR CERTIFICATION WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE.
IT IS NOT A SURPRISE THAT IN OCTOBER OF 2021, SHE WAS NAMED THE TAX ASSESSOR OF THE YEAR FOR THE WHOLE STATE OF TEXAS 254 COUNTIES.
SHE REACHED THE HIGHEST ECHELON THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED IN HER JOB.
TWO MONTHS LATER, SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BRAIN CANCER.
LIFE CAN BE FILLED WITH CRUEL TWISTS AND TURNS AND IT WOULD BE EASY TO BE BITTER ABOUT THE SUDDEN TURN OF EVENTS.
BUT ALISON WILL SIMPLY SAY IT IS WHAT IT IS.
SHE IS AT PEACE WITH HERSELF BECAUSE SHE KNOWS AND I KNOW, AND I WANT THE WORLD TO KNOW THAT SHE HAS LIVED A LIFE DEVOTED TO MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
HAL ALISON, NATHAN GUESSES SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF 15 LOCAL SIGA CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS IN HER LIFE.
THEY INCLUDE THE FIRE MUSEUM OF TEXAS, THE BEAUMONT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, THE BEAUMONT HERITAGE SOCIETY, THE BEAUMONT BALLET THEATER GUILD, THE DELLEN WEST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, THE GALLERY GUILD FOR THE ART MUSEUM, GARTH HOUSE, GOLDEN TRIANGLE, REPUBLICAN WOMEN, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY BAR AUXILIARY, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS TENNIS ASSOCIATION, THE SYMPHONY OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, THE SYMPHONY LEAGUE OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, TEMPLE EMMANUEL AND YOUNG AUDIENCES.
SHE HAS CHAIRED HUGE FUNDRAISERS SUCH AS LA GRANDE BALL, BENEFITING THE MUSIC AND ARTS DEPARTMENT AT LAMAR UNIVERSITY AND THE CATTLE BARONS BALL BENEFITING THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.
IF ALISON WAS NOT THE PRESIDENT OF A LOCAL CIVIC ORGANIZATION, SHE WAS PROBABLY ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THOSE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE ALL SAINT'S PARENTS ASSOCIATIONS ON YACHT HOUSE CRIME
[02:15:01]
STOPPERS OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS FAMILY SERVICES OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS GIFT OF LIFE, KELLY HIGH SCHOOL FRIENDS OF THE ARTS AT LAMAR UNIVERSITY, SOME OTHER PLACE, THE TEXAS SECTION OF THE US TENNIS ASSOCIATION AND THE UNITED WAY.ALISON IS A GRADUATE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS LEADERSHIP BEAUMONT IN THE CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY.
SHE WAS A THEN LEADER, A CUBMASTER, AND STILL SERVES ON THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE THREE RIVER COUNCIL, THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA.
BUT EVEN WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE, I STILL HAVE NOT MENTIONED ALLISON'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS, THOSE THAT SHE VALUES ABOVE ALL ELSE, SHE HAS BEEN A DEVOTED DAUGHTER TO HER PARENTS', CHERRY AND OURS, AN INCREDIBLE SISTER TO HER BROTHER EARL.
AN OUTSTANDING MOTHER TO HER CHILDREN, LI BUFFIN, AND A DOTTING GRANDMOTHER TO GRANDMOTHER SIDY.
AND ALICE, TO ME, ALICE HAS, HAS BEEN A LOVING WIFE, CONFIDANT, AND BEST FRIEND.
SO WHY HAVE I SPENT THIS SEVERAL LAST MINUTES, LAST SEVERAL MINUTES USING THE BULLY PULPIT TO TALK ABOUT MY WIFE, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE AND RIGHT TO HONOR PEOPLE WHILE THEY ARE LIVING AS MUCH OR MORE SO THAN WHEN THEY ARE GONE.
TELL THE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THEM TODAY, BECAUSE TOMORROW MIGHT BE TOO LATE TODAY.
I HONOR MY WIFE, ALISON, BABY, I LOVE YOU NOW AND FOREVER.
HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY, AND I PRAY FOR MANY MORE TO CELEBRATE WITH YOU.
UH, DK, UH, MAYOR, I, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, LIKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, ALWAYS STILL IN OUR PRAYERS AND ALWAYS WILL BE.
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOUR WIFE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCILMAN TURNER AND STAFF AND EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED WITH THE CELEBRATION FOR ALEXIS MORRIS AND BEAUMONT UNITED.
THANK YOU MAYOR, FOR GIVING HER THE KEY TO THE CITY AND THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME OUT.
AND AS FAR, UM, MAYOR CANCER SOCIETY, UH, I JUST MADE THREE YEARS AS A CANCER SURVIVOR MYSELF, SO I, I'LL BE ATTENDING THAT WALK ALSO, MAYOR, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
AND, AND MY REGARDS GOES OUT TO EVERYONE.
UH, A COUPLE OF NOTES WE MET, HAD A MEETING WITH THE BEAUMONT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH THE CITY MANAGING HER STAFF AS WHEN OUR JOINT MEETINGS ON, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WAS FOLLOWING UP ON THOSE GOALS, JOINT GOALS, UH, BUT ALSO THE CITY IN THE, IN THE SUPERINTENDENT MEETING.
SO WE HAD A MEETING AND TWO THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT, ALONG WITH, THAT WE'LL BE BRINGING FORTH THOSE GOALS IS, UH, B I S D.
AND THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS GONNA DO A JOINT JOB FOR ON MONDAY, LATER EIGHTH AT PAUL BROWN AUXILIARY GYM, B I S D CAMPUS.
AND THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING WILL BE B I S D SENIORS.
SO 65 B I S D SENIORS WILL BE COMING TO THAT MEETING.
AND WE WILL BE PRESENTING ELIGIBLE ELIGIBLE JOBS FROM THE SCHOOLS DISTRICT AND FROM THE CITY OF BEAUMONT JOB OPENINGS WHERE WE CAN GIVE THOSE SENIORS A JOB.
AND THAT WILL INCLUDE JOBS LIKE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMS. THEY'RE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE JOBS.
SO WE ARE GOING TO WORK TO GET THOSE 65 SENIORS.
ALSO ON MAY 13TH, THERE'S GONNA BE A COMMUNITYWIDE CITYWIDE CLEANUP, UH, BETWEEN B S D AND THE CITY, DIFFERENT CAMPUSES, ET, EXCEL, ET CETERA, AROUND TOWN.
SO WE'RE DOING THAT AS A JOINT PROJECT.
JUST A, UH, COUPLE OF NOTES ON FINANCES, OUR BUDGET FULL OF YEARS, IT'S, UH, WE'RE TRACKING WELL EXPENDITURES VERSUS, UH, REVENUES.
REVENUES AROUND AND AHEAD OF EXPENDITURES.
WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING BETTER ON INVESTMENTS BECAUSE, UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WITH INTEREST RATES GOING UP, WE'VE GOTTEN OVER ABOUT 1200 MORE DOLLARS IN INTEREST REVENUES VERSUS
[02:20:01]
LAST YEAR.SO, UH, THERE WAS A POSITIVE SIDE TO INTEREST RATES GOING UP FOR US AS A CITY.
UH, BASICALLY, AGAIN, ALL OF OUR FUNDS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE AND, UH, UM, WHEN WE'VE ACCRUED ABOUT 13.85% MORE, UH, IN REVENUES THAN ONCE BUDGETED FOR THIS YEAR.
UM, BRIEFLY, UH, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THE COUNCILMAN GETS, YOU FAILED TO MENTION THAT ALISON WAS AN AVID VOLUNTEER, UM, AND SHE SPOKE FOR MY LEADERSHIP BEAUMONT CLASS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VOLUNTEERING.
SO I WANNA THANK YOU AND THANK HER FOR BOTH SHARING HER TIME WITH OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND ALL SHE DID IN HER CAPACITY AS OUR ELECTED TAX ASSESSOR, BUT JUST ALSO WHAT SHE DID IN HER PERSONAL TIME TO BETTER THE COMMUNITY.
NO COMMENT, MAYOR AND MS. BURAU.
WE'LL JUST KEEP ALISON PRAYER.
COUNSEL MCGS, THANK AND YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
THANK, UH, THANK YOU, UM, MS. BELL AND MS. UH, GUILLORY.
UM, I'VE SPOKEN TO BOTH OF YOU, AND HOPEFULLY AFTER THE MEETING, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO MR. BARAC AND HOPEFULLY, UM, THAT CONVERSATION WILL LEAD TO A, A SOLUTION, A RESOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEM.
AND I DO APOLOGIZE FOR WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
AS I STATED TO YOU EARLIER, I PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND JUST THE FEAR OF EVEN THINKING OF YOUR HOUSE FLOODING.
SO HOPEFULLY WE COULD GET, UH, A RESOLUTION TO, TO YOUR PROBLEM.
ALSO, UH, MR. HUNTER, ON THE HANDICAP PARKING, UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE CITIZENS THAT DO NOT RESPECT PEOPLE AND DO NOT RESPECT HANDICAPPED PEOPLE ESPECIALLY.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, OUR POLICE OFFICERS DO WRITE TICKETS FOR THOSE.
UM, THEY'RE ALWAYS IN MUNICIPAL COURT FOR, UH, SUCH ACTS, BUT, UH, WE WILL ADDRESS TO MAKE SURE THAT MAYBE THEY CAN STEP UP AND BE A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE IN POLICING, UM, THE HANDICAP BECAUSE THOSE TICKETS ARE 250 TO $500.
AND SO ANYONE THAT WOULD RATHER, UH, NOT WALK AND PAY 250 OR $500 TO INCONVENIENCE SOMEONE THAT REALLY NEED THOSE PARKING SPOTS, WE WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD GET A TICKET.
SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, EVEN ADDRESSING THAT.
UM, ON THIS PAST WEEKEND, UM, THERE WERE A LOT OF CELEBRATIONS.
THERE WAS, UM, A 50TH, UH, CELEBRATION.
I DID A WELCOME FOR, UH, THE LAMAR UNIVERSITY, UM, KAPPA FRATERNITY, THEIR 50TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
AND OF COURSE, COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER IS A PART OF THAT FRATERNITY, AND THEY WERE AT COUNCIL ON LAST WEEK, AND SO THEY ARE CELEBRATING, UH, 50 YEARS OF BEING ON THE BEAUMONT LAMAR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.
ALSO, UM, OUR VERY OWN CITY MANAGER, MR. KENNETH WILLIAMS, WAS THE SPEAKER ON THIS FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE 100 BLACK MEN OF BEAUMONT, UH, ANNUAL, UH, BANQUET.
AND, UM, I DID SIT WITH HE AND HIS WIFE.
THANK YOU, MR. WILLIAMS, UH, FOR ADDRESSING THAT CROWD.
AND ON THIS WEEKEND, IT'S THE 75TH YEAR OF THE NATURES RIVER FESTIVAL.
SO THERE'S A PARADE THIS WEEKEND, AND THERE ARE SO MANY, UH, EVENTS GOING ON.
PLEASE GET OUT AND SUPPORT THE 75TH YEAR OF THE NATURES RIVER FESTIVAL.
ON LAST WEEK, I DID THE WELCOME AND READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR THE UNVEILING OF THE KING, KING 75TH.
UM, IT'S A LONG TIME, AND AS THEY STATED, WHEN THEY STARTED OUT, IT WAS JUST A CONVERSATION AND JUST A LITTLE SMALL GATHERING.
AND WHO WOULD'VE EVER THOUGHT 75 YEARS LATER, UH, IT WOULD EVOLVE INTO WHAT IT HAS.
BUT IT'S A BIG CI CITY CELEBRATION AND AN ANNUAL ONE, UH, THAT BRING OUT A LOT OF
[02:25:01]
PEOPLE.SO PLEASE GET OUT AND CELEBRATE THAT.
UH, WITH, UH, THE NATURES RIVER FESTIVAL.
ALSO OUR LOBBYIST, UH, WHO IS CHRIS GIGLIO, UH, HE DOES HAVE A NAME THAT'S, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, LOCAL PEOPLE HERE, BUT HE IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANYONE, UH, FROM THE LOCAL FAMILY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT WE DO GET A MONTHLY REPORT, AND HE IS SOMETIMES CHRIS KNOW MORE, MORE THAT'S GOING ON IN BEAUMONT THAN I DO.
SO HE'S VERY, VERY INVOLVED IN BEAUMONT, UM, AND HE IS A GREAT LOBBYIST.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WOULD LOVE TO HAVE HIM AND OFTEN TELL ME IF WE EVER LET HIM GO, THEY'LL GRAB HIM IN A MINUTE.
SO, UH, QUITE, QUITE PROUD TO HAVE, UH, CHRIS REPRESENT US.
BUT, UM, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY IT WOULD BE NICE THAT WE MAKE THAT REPORT PUBLIC.
AND SO HOPEFULLY WE COULD DO THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND, UM, SO THAT CITIZENS CAN SEE THAT THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT AND WHERE THEY'RE BEING SPENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THERE WAS A COMMENT THAT WAS STATED ABOUT, UM, DIFFERENT PEOPLE COMING UP TO THE MIC TO SPEAK.
UM, FOR THE MOST PART, I TRY TO BE AS CONSISTENT AS I POSSIBLY CAN IF YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE.
UM, I WOULD LIKE FOR PEOPLE, UH, THOUGHTS TO BE COMPLETED.
UH, SOMETIMES IF, UM, SOMETIMES IT, IT, IT CAN'T BE STATED IN JUST A FEW SECONDS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, I TRY TO BE CONSISTENT, BUT WITHOUT, UH, JUST CUTTING SOMEONE OFF AND NOT ALLOWING THEM TO COMPLETE THEIR THOUGHT.
UM, THERE IS SOME LENIENCY, SO WE SAY THREE MINUTES.
UM, I COULD ALWAYS JUST STOP IT AT THREE MINUTES, BUT WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A SENTENCE OR A THOUGHT, I JUST TRY TO ALLOW JUST THAT EXTRA TIME.
AND, UH, SOMETIMES IT MAY GO A LITTLE BIT OVER, BUT, UH, FOR THE MOST PART, UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZEN CAN COMPLETE THEIR THOUGHTS AND WHEN THEY CAN'T, WE'RE ALWAYS AVAILABLE AFTER THE MEETING TO MAKE COMMENT OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, SAY SOMETHING IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE SAID.
BUT ON A GREAT NOTE, UM, GENERAL LAND OFFICE, UH, HANDED OUT GRANTS AND BEAUMONT DID RECEIVE A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT THAT I ATTENDED ON FRIDAY MORNING.
AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS THAT CAN GO, UH, TO SEWER AND DRAINAGE.
AND OVERALL, UM, JEFFERSON COUNTY RECEIVED 11 MILLION IN, IN GRANT FUNDING FROM THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE ON FRIDAY.
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE ARTICLE, UH, ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE, BUT THAT WAS, UM, A GREAT GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED ON FRIDAY.
AND AGAIN, THIS, UM, NEXT MONDAY, EARLY VOTING DOES START.
IT IS YOUR GOD-GIVEN, RIGHT? SO PLEASE GET OUT AND VOTE.
IT'S A BIG ELECTION THAT WILL AFFECT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, SO PLEASE VOTE.
UM, I'VE CONTINUED TO ASK, UM, ABOUT HER.
AND WE'VE ALSO PRAYED FOR THE NATHAN FAMILY.
AND, UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND THE NATHAN FAMILY HAVE IN PRAYER THAT THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO YOUR WIFE.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
GONNA RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR COMING AND GO OUT AND SPREAD THE LOVE.