Aug 22, 2023 City Council

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:06]

AFTERNOON WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL. TODAY'S DATES TUESDAY, AUGUST 22ND 2023, TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR JAY MATTHEWS OF IMPACT MINISTRIES. EVERYONE PLEASE SILENCE YOUR PHONE. AND IF YOU'RE SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IT'S ABOUT OUR HEADS. FATHER. GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. WE THANK YOU FOR OUR LIFE, OUR HEALTH AND STRENGTH. WHAT WE JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS GATHERING TODAY WE THANK YOU FOR OUR MAYOR. AND I WAS CITY OFFICIALS. WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE DOING IN THIS GREAT CITY AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE GETTING READY TO DO. WE ACTUALLY USED TO BE WITH US BE WITH OUR MAYOR, BE WHAT OUR CITY OFFICIALS HELPED THEM TO OPERATE ON ONE ACCORD. AND HELP THEM TO WALK IN WISDOM. TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS THAT MANY DON'T WANT TO MAKE. BUT GIVE THEM THE WISDOM AND THE KNOW HOW AND THE KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. GIVE THEM THE WISDOM TO LISTEN WHEN IT'S TIME TO LISTEN. AND THE WISDOM TO SPEAK WHEN IT'S TIME TO SPEAK. IN THE CARRIAGE. TO SPEAK AND STAND UP WHEN IT'S TIME TO STAND UP. WHY DON'T WE JUST THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING, AND EVERYTHING IS GETTING READY TO DO. GOD WE ASK YOU TO JUST CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS GREAT CITY AND HELP US TO BE ON ONE ACCORD. HELP US TO WALK TOGETHER IN UNITY, NO MATTER WHAT WALKS OF LIFE WE COME FROM, NO MATTER OUR I'LL WORK. UH WHAT? WHAT? WHAT DIGNITY CITY WE ARE. GOD, WE JUST ACTUALLY YOU JUST HELP US TO WALK ON ONE ACCORD AND BEING UNITY. AND FATHER. WE JUST THANK YOU. AND WE PRAISE YOU FOR ALL THESE THINGS IN YOUR SON.

JESUS' NAME CAN WE ALL SAY AMEN. GLAD YOU ALLEGIANCE.

ARE YOU? MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE. ER WEST PRESIDENT, TIM TURNER COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO PRESENT MEMBER GETS PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL SHAW COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUEL COUNCIL MEMBER,

[PRESENTATIONS]

WHAT HAPPENED? WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND HOW WE COULD PROCEED. UM AS I MENTIONED AT THE OUTSET, ONE OF THE BLESSINGS OR CHALLENGES THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS GOING TO HAVE IS THAT ISN'T UNPRECEDENTED SURPLUS AND IT UM . IT WAS BENEFICIAL ON THE WHOLE . A LOT OF ITEMS WERE FUNDED. UH WE TALKED IN FEBRUARY. HOW PROBABLY ONE OF THE ISSUES WAS GOING TO BE? ADDRESSING OR DEALING WITH A SPENDING LIMIT. AND SO WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN NOVEMBER AND I'LL TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THE ITEMS, BUT WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN NOVEMBER OR PROPOSITIONS ON NOVEMBER 7TH FOR THE VOTERS IN TEXAS TO APPROVE FOR SOME FUNDING, AND THIS IS GOING TO INCLUDE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'LL INCLUDE GRID INFRASTRUCTURE. UM TEACHER COLA. UH COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT PARKS, SO THIS FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN SET ASIDE FOR THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS WILL HAVE TO BE APPROVED IN NOVEMBER. NOW THE BUDGET WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE $321 BILLION BUDGET INCLUDES THOSE COSTS BECAUSE THE CONTROLLER ASSUMES THAT THOSE PROPOSITIONS ARE GOING TO BE, UM PASSED. AND I THINK HISTORY SERVES THAT THAT PROPOSITIONS DO PRETTY WELL HISTORICALLY, BUT ALONG THAT ONE THAT I'M THAT I WILL TALK ABOUT LATER, A BIG ONE WAS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AS WELL. SO WHEN THE LEGISLATURE CAME IN, THEY WERE IDENTIFYING AND HAD IDENTIFIED SOME ISSUES THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING AMONGST THE GENERAL ISSUES THAT THEY ADDRESS EVERY EVERY SESSION, INCLUDING SCHOOL SAFETY, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, THE ELECTRIC GRID AFTER YURI THAT WAS CERTAINLY OF VALUABLE DISCUSSION, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND AS I

[00:05:01]

AND SO I SUSPECT, UM THAT A GOING INTO THE PROJECT. WE KNOW THAT AND BE, UM. THAT IT WON'T BE THAT ONEROUS THE VALUE OF HAVING THIS RIGHT TO WHAT THEY CALL ENTITLEMENT TO THIS HOT TAX AND SALES TAX IS VERY VALUABLE FOR A PROJECT, SO I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE JUST FINE AS OTHER PROJECTS AS YOU GO AS ANYONE GOES INTO THIS, KNOWING ISA WIDE OPEN. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE VALUABLE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE JUST FINE, AND I'VE GOT TO REITERATE. THE COMMUNITIES WE'VE WORKED WITH THAT HAVE STARTED A LOT OF VERY ADVANTAGEOUS PROJECTS WITH A QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECT KIND OF BEING THE ANCHOR HAS BEEN REALLY VALUABLE, VERY VALUABLE TO THE TO THE COMMUNITY. IT'S BEEN VERY VALUABLE TO, UH, RECRUITING, TOURISM AND VARIOUS, UM, EVENTS THAT THAT BRING PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO THE COMMUNITY. SO, UM SOMETHING COMES UP AND Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO DO IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT, BUT IT IS. IT HAS BEEN A VALUABLE COMPONENT AND TOOLS FOR VARIOUS COMMUNITIES. UM. THE OTHER. UM UM. BIG PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN I WAS HERE LAST IN MAY. WAS WHAT THE LEGISLATURE REFERRED TO AS FIELD PREEMPTION.

THERE WAS A PREEMPTION BILL. HOUSE BILL 21 27 THAT ESTABLISHES A SET OF CODES ABOUT FOUR CODES THAT STATES AND MAKES QUITE CLEAR THAT A CITIES ORDINANCES IN THOSE IN THE DIRECTION OF THOSE PARTICULAR CODES ARE PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW. NOW THIS IS THIS. THIS WAS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED BILL. THE BUSINESS SIDE REFERRED TO IT AS THE REGULATORY CONSISTENCY ACT. UM, ONE OF THE. DISCUSSIONS THAT THAT WENT ON WITH THIS BILL WAS THAT DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES HAD DIFFERENT, UM, ORDINANCES AND THERE WAS AN INCONSISTENCY. UM THAT WAS THEIR THEIR THEIR POSITION FROM MY RECOLLECTION. THE DIFFICULT PART, I THINK IS GOING TO BE IDENTIFYING WHERE WHERE THIS BILL TRIGGERS WHICH ORDINANCES AND I THINK THAT NO, I THINK THAT, UM, UM THAT THERE'S DISCUSSION TO CONTINUE. I WAS MENTIONING TO MISREAD. THERE IS LITIGATION. HOUSTON AND SAN ANTONIO HAVE PRESENTED. I BELIEVE IT IS A RULING ON SUMMARY JUDGMENT. THAT'S RIGHT.

UM. THAT HEARING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LAST WEEK IT WAS MOVED AND RESCHEDULED TO THE 30TH OF AUGUST. WHILE THAT WAS GOING ON, THERE WERE A HANDFUL OF CITIES THAT SUBMITTED AN AMICUS BRIEF

[00:10:09]

AND SO THOSE ARE VERY VALUABLE, ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT IMPACT UH , THE CITY BUDGET. THEY CERTAINLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON ON BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC RECRUITING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. SO HB FIVE THAT I'VE BEEN REFERRING TO, UM , IS THE NEW PROGRAM AND IT ESTABLISHES THE JOBS. THE TEXAS JOBS, ENERGY TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION ACT, AND I THINK IT'S UM BEING CONSIDERED OR REFERRED TO AS THE JEDI ACT. AND SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH A NEW PROGRAM . IT IS IT CHANGES A LOT OF THINGS. IT IS A VERY DEPARTURE FROM, UH THE QUOTE UNQUOTE 3 13 PROGRAM. UH, THIS PARTICULAR BILL STILL ALLOWS FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, UM IN FOUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY TAX. UH, VALUE. WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM. NOW IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT AND HAS A LITTLE FURTHER ADVANTAGE. WITH OPPORTUNITY ZONES, WHICH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE ARE TWO IDENTIFIED BY THE TREASURY HERE IN BEAUMONT. SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING NEW. THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THAT COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THOSE. UM UM, DESIGNATIONS

[00:15:01]

IT'S A THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AS AN ECONOMIC, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICE AT THE AT THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS OUR AMAZING AMBASSADORS FOR RECRUITING BUSINESS. UM THE OLD PROGRAM, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER SAMSUNG AND TAYLOR, TESLA AND DELL VALLEY. THOSE WERE TOOLS THAT WERE UTILIZED. THIS PROGRAM IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT IN SPIRIT IT ATTEMPTS TO DO, UH, A SIMILAR THING. WE PROBABLY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS. BUT WHAT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL WAS GAMING LEGISLATION. THERE WERE TWO PROPOSED TO VARY VERY PROPOSALS . ONE WAS CASINO GAMBLING AND THE OTHER WAS ONLINE GAMING, NEITHER OF WHICH WERE SUCCESSFUL. THERE WAS ON IN THE AREA OF CITY FINANCE. I THINK THERE WAS A CLARIFICATION EFFORT . UM AND AGAIN. THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THAT I STAYED CLOSE TO THE HOTEL AND LODGING FOLKS ON A REVAMPING IF YOU WILL OF THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. AND SO A PARTICULAR PIECE OF LEGISLATION TRIED TO STREAMLINE AND CLEAN UP. I DON'T THINK IT HAD ANYTHING, UM AGREE GIS OR HURTFUL, BUT IT DOES REQUIRE A LITTLE BIT MORE REPORTING AND A LITTLE MORE CLARIFICATION ON WHAT THOSE HOT TAXES ARE ARE USED FOR. I KNOW YOU ALL ARE HAVING, UH, DISCUSSION LIKE THAT THIS THIS EVENING. I DON'T I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THE PROJECT YOU ALL ARE TALKING TO WOULD APPLY TO THIS, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY FIGURE AND FIND THAT OUT. UM THERE WAS A CLARIFICATION. UM THE FINANCE FOLKS WOULD FIND THIS CERTAINLY INTERESTING AND IT I'M SURE ON CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, WHICH CLARIFIED WHAT THOSE PARTICULAR UH, VEHICLES COULD BE USED FOR? TO TRY TO ANY TAPERED IT OFF A LITTLE. THEY JUST BROUGHT A LITTLE MORE STRUCTURE TO CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. AND WHAT A WHAT A PUBLIC PROJECT, UM, IS DEFINED AS IN THE WAY, MR SALLY IS ONE QUESTION ON THE AM I CORRECT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY MADE WITH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION IS THAT THEY COULD NOT BE USED TO FINANCE HOTELS AND SPORTING STADIUMS WELL AND LET ME SAY, COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S UM WITH SOME QUALIFIERS. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE LEGISLATION, IT SAYS THAT IT LAYS OUT THAT THEY COULD BE IF THERE IS A PREDOMINANT USE BY THE PUBLIC ENTITY. AND THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE USES TO IDENTIFY THAT. IN, UM IN IN THE USE OF, UM A STRUCTURE OR FACILITY THAT IS GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE TYPES OF BENEFITS AS A PUBLIC ENTITY. SO WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BILL, IT ESTABLISHES THAT IF IT'S 50% UTILIZED BY THE PUBLIC , UH, JURISDICTION AND ESTABLISHES THAT IF IT IS TRULY A PUBLIC PROJECT OR A PUBLIC FACILITY THEY CAN BE USED, SO IT'S KIND OF A YES AND NO BUT YOU KNOW, THAT MEANS THAT IF SOMEBODY'S GONNA PUT TOGETHER SOME TYPE OF EVENT CENTER OR SOMETHING. THERE HAS TO BE A PREPONDERANCE OF ABUSE FOR THE PUBLIC ENTITY, SO LOOKING AT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IN BEAUMONT. WITH REGARD TO BRINGING IN THE DOWNTOWN HOTEL AND REBRANDING THE CIVIC CENTER AS A CONVENTION CENTER. OBVIOUSLY THAT WILL BE A PUBLIC ENTITY THERE. I WOULD THINK SO. YES SIR. THE QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECT WILL STAND ALONE AND WILL HAVE ITS OWN ABILITY FOR THAT REVENUE. UM, GOING FORWARD. UM THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THAT IS GOING TO BE HAVE TO BE CONTEMPLATED. THIS IS JUST FOR C O. BONDS DOESN'T MEAN OTHER TYPES OF VEHICLES CAN BE USED. SO THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION. UM IT WILL HOLD REST OF THE QUESTIONS TILL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION IF THAT'S OKAY. CERTAINLY, THANK YOU, UM UM PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH. UH VERY, VERY GENEROUS APPROPRIATION FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE. UM COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUELS WHEN WE FIRST SAMUEL, I'M SORRY. WHEN I FIRST WAS HERE IN FEBRUARY, YOU BROUGHT UP MENTAL HEALTH.

AND IT HAS STAYED IN MY MIND. UM THIS LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATED $3 BILLION FOR THAT BENEFIT, AND IT IS GOING TO VERY LIKELY GO FAR. GOOD WAYS FOR THOSE TYPES OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES. UM THERE IS A, UH, AN APPROPRIATION FOR RURAL HOSPITALS. SCHOOL SAFETY, OF COURSE, WAS A BIG WAS WAS A LARGE INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY. THERE WERE, UNFORTUNATELY SOME SOME TRAGIC INCIDENTS THAT

[00:20:04]

I THINK THOSE WILL BE VALUABLE SHOULD THEY NEED TO BE ACCESSED. UM WATER INFRASTRUCTURE WAS A WAS A BIG BIG ISSUE IN DISCUSSION. THIS TIME AROUND, UM YOU WILL SEE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO VOTE ON THAT WILL TAKE A BILLION DOLLARS TO WHAT IS BEING ESTABLISHED AS A TEXAS WATER FUND FOR VARIOUS WATER PROJECTS. UM THERE'S ONE THING THAT I KNOW WAS IN OUR IN OUR IN OUR, UM, LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. AND IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT MANY COMMUNITIES ARE DEALING WITH REGARDING WATER LOSS. UM THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY GO TOWARDS THAT DIRECTION. BUT I FEEL THAT THE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE IDENTIFYING THE VALUE INCREASING VALUE OF THIS RESOURCE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON WATER LOSS. UM FOR THE CITIZENS OF A COMMUNITY BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE.

BILLION DOLLARS. IS BEING SET ASIDE A BILLION AND A HALF FOR, UM AH FOR THAT EXPANDING THE BROADBAND IN THIS STATE THAT AGAIN WILL BE IN A PROPOSITION IN NOVEMBER WILL NEED TO BE APPROVED BY BY, UM. BY THE VOTERS OF TEXAS, UH, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF TOURISM, PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, UH, TOURISM RECEIVED. WHAT WHAT? THE HOTEL AND LODGING FOLKS WE'RE REFERRING TO. AS FULL FUNDING. THERE WAS OVER 125 MILLION FUNDED IN THAT DIRECTION TO RECRUIT AND TO BOLSTER UP TOURISM. UM ALSO A BILLION DOLLAR SET ASIDE. IN THE EVENT THAT THAT THE VOTERS APPROVE. AH THE CENTENNIAL PARK. PRESERVATION FUND, AND THIS WOULD SEND MONEY TO STATE PARKS IN OUR STATE. I MENTIONED 21 27 IN THE WAY OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF DISCUSSION GOING FORWARD. ON ANNEXATION ON VARIOUS TYPES OF DISTRICTS. SPECIAL DISTRICTS, UH, FOR THE DISCUSSION OF IDENTIFYING, UM HOW CERTAIN COMMUNITIES ARE HANDLING THESE SPECIAL DISTRICTS. I THINK THERE'S JUST A VERY KEEN FOCUS ON THE OPERATION OF SOME OF THESE AREAS. UM THE THEY ARE TAXING ENTITIES, SO THEY HAVE A DECENT AMOUNT OF RESPONSIBILITY , AND CERTAINLY THE LEGISLATURE WATCHES OVER THAT. UM A THE PLANET OF THE PERMITTING PROCESS AGAIN CONTINUES TO BE FINE TUNED BY THE LEGISLATURE NOW HAS CREATED A THIRD PARTY REVIEW IF A PERMITTING PROCESS TAKES OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME. UM I'M BRINGING IT TO A CLOSE AND LEAVE TIME FOR THE Q AND A MERE ANY QUNAR. Q AND A. THERE WILL BE

[00:25:06]

WITH REGARD TO THE 5 MILLION. UM THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE HAD PROPOSALS. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY STILL NEEDED TO WORK IT OUT AND HAD A COUPLE OF SPECIAL SESSIONS. THE HOUSE WAS PROPOSING A PROPERTY PROPERTY CAP. UM IT MORPHED INTO THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL. NOW IT IS A PROPERTY TAX CAP. KEEPING THE VALUE THE APPRAISAL FROM GOING OVER 20. AT THE AT THE $5 MILLION LEVEL FOR A NON HOMESTEAD. UM, PIECE OF PROPERTY. AND SO. I HAVE NEVER DONE WHAT YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE DOING. UH I'VE NEVER RUN A CITY. I'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING IN THAT DIRECTION . BUT I SO I CAN'T LEND MYSELF TO EXACTLY HOW FAR THAT WILL GO TO A CITY'S BUDGET. BUT IT'S CERTAINLY, UM A MEASURE THAT IS VALUABLE TO THE HOMEOWNER OR PROPERTY OWNER BUT CERTAINLY HAS TAXING ENTITIES THAT NEED TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT THAT WILL BRING. SO I KNOW THAT DIDN'T COMPLETELY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION . BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE QUESTIONS AND, UH AND THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW WILL THIS TURN OUT? AND WHAT WILL THAT MEAN WITH THE PROPERTY VALUE STUDY WHEN THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE NO, MY CONCERN WAS JUST TO LOOK AT IT FROM THE CITY'S ASPECT. WHAT HAPPENS AT THE STATE LEVEL DEFINITELY CAN AFFECT US DRASTICALLY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. WHAT MAY SEEM LIKE A DISCOUNT AT THE STATE LEVEL MAY CAUSE US TO HAVE SOME ISSUES DOWN THE LINE AS A CITY, SO I JUST WANTED TO BE MINDFUL THAT UP FRONT AND I ALSO HEARD YOU SAY 125 MILLION TO RECRUIT TOURISM. AND I HEARD YOU SAY A BILLION COULD POSSIBLY SET TO THE SIDE FOR THE CENTENNIAL STATE PARKS. I JUST WANTED TO SAY IF IT'S GOING TO BE SET TO THE SIDE, WE WANT SOME OF THIS, SO IT'LL BE A SIMILAR ENVIRONMENT OR COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT. OR UM, BUT, YES, SIR. TOURISM TYPICALLY IS FUNDED . IN THIS CASE, IT WAS IT WAS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THE NORMAL AGAIN GOING BACK TO ONE OF MY

[00:30:02]

SO YOU'RE RIGHT. THE CITY DIDN'T DO THAT. EVEN THE DISTRICT OF APPRAISAL DISTRICT DIDN'T DO THAT. THE STATE DID THAT. BUT THAT'S BECAUSE FOR 15 16 YEARS WE REFUSE TO RAISE OUR PROPERTY VALUES, AND IT'S A LESSON FOR US. AS A COMMUNITY. WE PROBABLY SHOULD BE RAISING OUR PROPERTY VALUES SLOWLY OVER TIME. SO THAT WE DON'T GET THIS HARD HIT EVERY 15 YEARS FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS . SO PART OF THAT FELL ON US THAT WE JUST DID NOT WANT TO RAISE OUR PROPERTY VALUES. AND TODD IF I'M IF I MISUNDERSTOOD THAT, PLEASE CORRECT ME. BUT THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING IN THE MEETING THAT I ATTENDED HERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THAT'S CORRECT. JUST TO CLARIFY ONE THING. COUNSELING FIELD SHOW THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE VALUE WASTING THAT THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT NO, NO, NO, I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S A COMMUNITY AS PEOPLE AS WE SHOULD DO THIS IN INCREMENTS, AS OPPOSED TO ONE BIG HIT. NOW THE CITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. MADE FROM MAJOR MANAGER. YES SIR. CLARIFYING THINGS, EDDIE. THANKS FOR COMING DOWN THE PREEMPTION. BILL COULD YOU EXPOUND A LITTLE BIT ON ON WHAT THAT COVERS ON THE KNOW IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT, BUT ON THAT ONE, AND THEN YOU MET IN A SHIP CHALLENGE GETTING TO MONEY.

DID YOU MEAN SHIP PORTS AND JUST THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL? THE SHIP CHANNEL PROGRAM PROGRAM.

TEXT DOT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WILL HAVE SOME APPROPRIATIONS. UM THERE ARE FOUR AND YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME, MR WILLIAMS. I CAN'T REMEMBER HIS PUBLIC HEALTH AND A AND A COUPLE OTHER. UM NO, NO, NO, NO, MY APOLOGIES. I SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT WITH ME THAT 21 27 THE BILL. THE PREEMPTION BILL WE'RE TALKING TO, UH THE SPEAKS OF SPECIFICALLY BUT AS THAT EVEN EXISTS, I THINK THE CURIOSITY IS WHAT ORDINANCES WHAT ORDINANCES EXIST TODAY. THAT WILL TRIP

[00:35:04]

WE'RE STILL TRYING TO NAVIGATE WHAT THAT MEANS, OR WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR LOCAL CODES, BUT THE GIST OF IT IS IF THERE'S A CONFLICT STATE WOULD PREEMPT THE LOCAL AND ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT MR SOLIS ALSO TOUCHED ON HB 31 67. WHICH THE IDEA IS TO TRY TO ACCELERATE PERMIT REVIEW SUBDIVISION REVIEW AND WE REALIZED THAT THAT CAN BE AN ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IN LARGER CITIES. LESS SO IN BEAUMONT. BUT ONE THING I SHOULD POINT OUT IS BECAUSE THEY BECAUSE THE BILL REQUIRES VERY SPECIFIC TIME LIMITS. IT IS GOING TO LIMIT OF THE CITY AND STAFF'S ABILITY TO WORK WITH THE APPLICANTS SO IT MAY END UP HAVING THE OPPOSITE OF EFFECTIVE WHAT IT WAS. EXCUSE ME ORIGINALLY INTENDED. SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE, IF SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR SOMETHING, AND WE SAY, WELL, WE NEED MORE INFORMATION OR WE NEED SOME CHANGES. CAN YOU PLEASE RESUBMIT INSTEAD OF WORKING WITH THAT APPLICANT, WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY HAVE TO DENY PERMITS, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THESE ISSUES. OKAY THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCILOR. FOR THOSE THAT WERE HERE FOR THE PRESENTATION AND WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE NOW IS THE

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]

THEY PULLED HIM OVER. BUT AT THE END, HE LIED AND SAID THAT HE HAD MANY WONDERS, BUT THEY PULLED HIM OVER THE COLLEGE CANINES. THEY CALL ALL THE ALL THE POLICE OFFICERS THAT WAS FLAT TEAM. THEY DIDN'T HAVE NO BODY CAMERAS ON. IT DIDN'T HAVE NO NAME TAGS. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE ANY NAMES OR TO ME AND GROUP STARTED ASKING, YOU KNOW WHAT HE'S SEEN. HE WAS BEING VIDEO RELEASED THE VIDEO ON SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE YOU WOULD SEE THAT YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN IT BECAUSE I'M A RADIO STATE. BUT THE GUY CONSTANTLY COME HARASSES HER. WELL YOU SEE ME ONE TIME I'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG. THEY DON'T MEAN YOU SEE ME AGAIN. YOU FALSIFIED TICKET TO PULL ME OVER THE SEARCH MY CAR. IF YOU SEE IN THE VIDEO, HE SEARCHED A CALL. THEN HE BROUGHT THE DOGS. THE

[00:40:02]

PICTURE, WOULD YOU, MAYOR? AT MAGNOLIA PARK. THE SAME TWO CHILDREN. ONE OF THE CHILDREN, IN MY OPINION IS VERY TRAUMATIZED BECAUSE OF THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. RIGHT NOW. HE EVEN SCARED OF DOGS. NOW HE WASN'T BUT NOW HE IS BECAUSE THE DOG CAME OUT AND STARTED BARKING. HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. SO HE'S REALLY TRAUMATIZED AND ONE TIME HE HAD INSPIRATION AND ASPIRATION TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. NOW HE HAS REJECTED THAT. HE DOESN'T WANT TO POINT OUT AND NOW THE POLICE ARE GOING TO ACT THE WAY THEY DID ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THAT'S WHERE THEY WERE GOING. AS YOU SAW YOURSELF, MAYOR. I HAD CHILDREN , AND I KNOW YOU'RE PART SOME OF THE SAME CHILDREN WITH THE SAME GUY GOING TO FOOTBALL PRACTICE, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS CALLED TO COMBAT PARTICULAR SCENE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. THAT'S ALL I HAVE HERE. EXCUSE ME, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NOW WE'RE GONNA PROCEED WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT

[CONSENT AGENDA]

[00:45:05]

[1. Council consider an ordinance providing for the reimbursement of capital expenditures incurred prior to the closing of financing.]

[2. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a new interlocal agreement (ILA) with Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) for the School Crossing Guard Program.]

UH THIS IS GUESS. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE EXISTING AGREEMENT THAT'S EXPIRING. SOON SO NICE ATTEMPT TO REVISIT REVISIT IT FOR RENEWAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ADAM NUMBER TWO PROOF BEEN MOVED BY COUNCILMAN NIL SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN SAMUEL. UH, ANY DISCUSSION. YES COUNCILOR TURNER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UH WITH THIS BEING A PARTNERSHIP THAT I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF I'VE ALSO ALSO BEING FULL, SUPPORTIVE, IF POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE, LOOKING TO EXPAND UPON THAT PARTNERSHIP, AND WHAT I MEAN BY EXPANDING IS WE'RE WE'RE SUPPORTING B. I S D WITH THE CROSSING GLASS, AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT SOME OF THE SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOLS, WHICH PLAY A ROLE WITH SAFETY AND THE KIDS. I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO AT LEAST LOOK AT FEVER IS AN APPETITE WOULD BE AS D TO SEE IF IT COULD BE A PARTNERSHIP WITH SIDEWALK SPECIFICALLY IN FRONT OF OUR BSD SCHOOLS OF PARTNERSHIP AS WELL NOT TO SEE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT. WHAT ELSE LOOKING AT SAFETY OF THE CHILDREN. I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT ALL OPTIONS AND JUST BE READY TO EXPAND ON WHAT'S ALREADY EXISTING. SO I JUST WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT IN THE POT AND THE POSSIBLE FUTURE ABOUT ACTUALLY EXTENDING THIS PARTNERSHIP AND MAKING IT EVEN BETTER THAN WHAT IT IS. I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF BRING IT UP SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RENEWING WHICH I DO SUPPORT RENEWING, BUT I ACTUALLY WANT TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND DO MORE WITH IT. THANK YOU. GO AHEAD. I JUST WANT TO SAY I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH CONSUMMATE TURNER. UH SAFETY OR THE KIDS IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY AND WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE SIDEWALK. WE HAD A PLAN FOR SIDEWALK. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE BUDGET AND IN FAVOR OF HAVING A HEALTHIER FUND, SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK AT. WORKING WITH BIAS DION AND LIKE , HE SAID, EXPANDING ON ON THE PROGRAM THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT KIDS SAFETY.

YES, COUNT COUNCILMAN GETS. I AGREE, OF COURSE, CROSSING CARDS OR INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, AND WE NEED TO HAVE THEM AND WE, UH, NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE THERE FOR YOU KNOW THEIR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO CROSS THE STREET SAFELY. WHEN IT COMES TO NEW PERMITS FOR BUILDING ARE CURRENTLY WE REQUIRE HUGH COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY. TO PUT A SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THAT. FACILITY NOW WITH B. I S D WENT ON ITS, UH, BUILDINGS.

[00:50:07]

BUT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE STUDENTS IF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD IN FACT HELP AND THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH WITH THEM. TO DO THEIR PART FOR THE SIDEWALKS AS WELL. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE ASKING US TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD FIND WHICH I HAVE LONG THOUGHT IS PRIMARILY A SCHOOL DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITY AND, OF COURSE, SIDEWALKS WOULD ORDINARILY BE CONSIDERED A CITY RESPONSIBILITY. IF WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER LET'S PARTNER COUNCILMAN SAMUEL. MR BROWN. UH AM I CORRECT THAT THIS CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM THAT WAS NOT INITIATED BY B. I S D TO GET US TO HELP THEM. THEY CUT OUT THE CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM AS I REMEMBER CORRECTLY SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THAT WAS NECESSARY. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT STEPPED IN AND ASKED IF WE PARTNER WITH YOU, WILL YOU CONTINUE TO PARTNERSHIP? DUDE AM I CORRECT WITH THAT? YES, SIR. I BELIEVE SO. OKAY. SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY CAME TO US ASKING TO HELP WITH. THIS IS SOMETHING WE SAW AS NECESSARY THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO PROVIDE AND WE CAME TO THEM. ASK THEM TO PARTNER WITH US. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GETS. I DON'T RECALL THAT AS BEING THE HISTORY. UH MAYBE I'M WRONG, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW WHAT HAD TO, UH, TO FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AS TO WHO WAS ACTUALLY MANAGING THE SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD PROGRAM IN IT ONE POINT IN TIME, THE CITY WAS MANAGING THE PROGRAM, WHICH WAS VERY INEFFICIENT BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT KNOW IS A CITY WHAT DAY SCHOOLS ARE NOT EVEN IN SESSION. AND UM, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO BE A S D TO SAY LOOK. YEAH YEAH, I KNOW. YOU ALL CONSIDER MANAGING AND HIRING THE CROSSING GUARDS AND YEAH, THERE WAS. THERE WAS A LOT OF INTERACTION BETWEEN THAT AND UM AS IT STANDS NOW, WHO'S WHO'S MANAGING THE PROGRAM? CHRIS BSD OR THE CITY. THE CITY USED TO MANAGE IT. WE NO LONGER DO BUT I'LL LET MR BARCO BIAK WE USED TO MANAGE IT THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS, SO WE HIRED THE CROSSING GUARDS. WE MANAGED A CROSSING GUARDS, TOO. TO YOUR POINT. IT WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES IF THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP. WE WERE UNAWARE OF IT BECAUSE WE WEREN'T AT THE CAMPUSES IN QUESTIONS, SO IT WAS DIFFICULT WITH THE FORMATION OF THE B. I S D POLICE FORCE. IT GOT BROUGHT UP TO MOVE THE PROGRAM OVER TO BE ASD TO MANAGE THE CROSSING GUARDS, BUT THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO FUND HALF THE PROGRAM BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE MANAGING IT, B I S D WAS FUNDING HALF OF THAT PROGRAM, SO WE JUST SWITCHED THE MANAGEMENT OF AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THE CROSSING GUARDS ARE THERE AND HIRING THEM AND THE REST OF THAT OVER TO B. I S D BUT CONTINUE TO SPLIT THE COST OF THE PROGRAM 50. AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEING ASKED. FOR TODAY. YES, OR THE CURRENT AGREEMENT IS 50% THEY BUILD US. WE PAY FOR THAT THROUGH PUBLIC WORKS, AND THIS IS CONTINUING AT 50% FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS. AND MR CITY MANAGER IF I COULD JUST ASK, PERHAPS, UH, THIS COMING YEAR WE CAN LOOK AT PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEM, BUT THEY BUDGET JUST LIKE WE DO. I KNOW THEY'RE IN THEIR BUDGET SEASON AND THE PROTECTION OF OUR CHILDREN ARE CERTAINLY ALL OF OURS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN WORK. UH HAND IN HAND AS WELL AS WE CAN WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHICH I BELIEVE WE COULD DO SUCCESSFULLY SO IF THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DISCUSSED SO THAT ON BOTH SIDES ON PARTNERING LOOKING AT THOSE FUTURE COST SIDEWALKS ARE EXPENSIVE AS WE KNOW, MAYOR COUNCILMAN SAYING SIMPLY BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S MUCH EASIER TO ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WHEN YOU, UH, WORK TOGETHER WITH RESPECT, AND, UH COURTESY AS OPPOSED TO MAKING DEMANDS, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND. UH, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. IT COULD ADD ONE MORE THING ON THE SCHOOL'S VIRTUALLY CERTAIN THE LAST ROUND OF NEW SCHOOLS THAT WERE BUILT DID INCLUDE SIDEWALKS WITH THEM SO THAT THAT LAST BOND ELECTION

[00:55:07]

[3. Council approve a resolution adopting the Strategic Plan 2023-2028-2038 for the City of Beaumont.]

OUR MISSION IS BEAUMONT CITY GOVERNMENT IS TO THE MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND TO PLAN FOR BEAUMONT. UH NO MARKS FUTURE AND FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE MANNER AND OPEN, TRANSPARENT AND ETHICAL MANNER THROUGH A HIGHER PERFORMING CITY TEAM THAT PROVIDES OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INVOLVES OUR BEAUMONT COMMUNITY. AND AGAIN FOR THE SAKE OF THE PUBLIC. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SIMPLY CAME UP WITH, UH, ACADEMICALLY.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS , THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WORKED THROUGH MANY HOURS TO DETERMINE WHAT THIS MISSION STATEMENT WOULD BE. GO AHEAD. CORE BELIEFS . THESE ARE VALUES THAT DEFINE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND EXPECTATION FOR EMPLOYEES AND OUR ORGANIZATION. SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE PRIDE STANDS FOR PROFESSIONAL RESULTS, INTEGRITY , DEDICATION TO SERVE AND EMPATHY AGAIN. THESE ARE THE CONCEPTS AND THOUGHTS THAT WERE DEVELOPED BY THE ORGANIZATION'S LEADERSHIP. VISION SO THIS REALLY GETS TO THE CORE OF

[01:00:04]

COUNCILMAN GETS. I'M LOOKING AT CIVIC CENTER UPGRADE. DIRECTION AND FUNDING AND BICENTENARY RESTORATION DRESSING ROOM, UPGRADE CONCESSION STAND AND AGAIN. WE'RE LOOKING AT.

POSSIBLY TURNING THAT WHOLE FACILITY INTO A CONVENTION CENTER. DOES THAT MEAN WE SHOULD CONSIDER HEADING PAUL'S ON THAT OR SO PART OF THE PROCESS IS CONSTANTLY MONITORING. SO TO THAT END, WE'RE DOING SOME MASONRY RESTORATION. WE ARE THE DOWNTOWN PLAN, WHICH YOU SEE HERE, REFLECTED IN MANY OF THESE ACTION ITEMS IS A FLUID, UH, PROCESSES GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE MEETING WITH GARFIELD ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE DOWNTOWN PLAN IS BEING FORMULATED SO AGAIN, SOME OF THE WELL ALL THESE THINGS ARE UNDERWAY FOR 2023 2024. AND WHILE THEY MAY NOT BE REALIZED, THEN WE'RE STILL WE'RE STILL DOING THE WORK OF PLANNING REVIEWING STUDYING SO UM. WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS AGAIN AND PROBABLY IN THE SPRING OF 2024 OR LATER OR A LITTLE BIT LATER, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. BUT THIS IS THESE ARE THE PROJECT. UH EXCUSE ME PRIORITIES THAT WERE SET OUT IN THE DOCUMENT. SO AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT WE WILL BE WORKING ON.

BUT AS MENTIONED, THEY MAY SHIFT AS WE MOVE FORWARD THROUGH THE YEARS. YOU GO AHEAD. AND IF YOU GOT COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, THEN COUNCILMAN TURNER. COUNCILMAN TURNER. CHRIS I SEE I 10 CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. MONITORING UH, GET MONEY BECAUSE WE GET A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS ON WHAT ARE WE MONITORING? AND WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR, AND ALSO ALL THE FEEDER ROADS INCLUDED IN THAT.

BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING ON I 10, BUT YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE FEET OF ROADS AND SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS WE'VE BEEN GETTING AND NOW BEING IN CARS ABOUT THAT. ELEGANT E AREA. MHM PRETTY BAD WITH THAT BEING WHEN OUR MAIN HOTELS WHEN YOU TURN INTO

[01:05:06]

WE PASS THOSE ALONG AS WE GET THEM, BUT WE ALSO COORDINATE A RECENT COORDINATION WAS THE RE STRIPING OF MLK THAT HAD FADED IN THAT WE WERE PUSHING THEM TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE THAT UP AND GET THAT RE STRIVED. I WOULD ENCOURAGE CITIZENS, THOUGH, TO DIRECTLY REPORT IMMEDIATE ISSUES LIKE PAVEMENT PROBLEMS ON A FEEDER ROAD DIRECTLY TO TEXT DOT UM IF THEY CAN REPORT THEM TO US , AND WE'LL PASS IT ALONG, BUT GETTING IT DIRECTLY TO THEM, YOU KNOW, GETS IT TO THEM IMMEDIATELY. THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT. YES BART. I UNDERSTAND. THE REASON I'M ASKING IS I'M ACTUALLY IN EMAIL THREAD WITH A FEW CITIZENS ABOUT THAT, AND WE'RE STILL WAITING RESPONSE. THAT'S WHY IT'S PRETTY. YEAH I'M FOLLOWING YOUR STEPS, AND WE'RE GOING TO TICKS DOT BUT YOU KNOW THE RESPONSE IS DELAYED, WHICH I UNDERSTAND, BUT I JUST LIKE TO THESE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT WHAT THEY'RE ASKING ME ABOUT. I'M BRINGING IT UP IN THIS ACTUALLY BEING ADDRESSED. I DON'T WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE IT'S ON DEAF EARS. YES. COUNCILMAN DURIO THEN COUNCILMAN SAMUEL. YEAH THEY ARE TEXTILE. IT IS REDOING THE SERVICE ROADS. I GUESS THAT WOULD BE ALONE. CARDINAL DRIVE GOING SOUTH TOWARDS PORT ARTHUR . UM YOU GOTTA BE REAL CAREFUL WHEN YOU'RE GOING DOWN THERE WERE GOING TOWARDS LAMAR AND ALSO THE CITY OF OVER THERE ABOUT AN ELEGANT E. ON EXECUTIVE BOULEVARD. THEY REPAVED THAT ALL THE WAY I GUESS FROM RIGHT THERE, WHERE THE FERGUSON LAW FIRM IS ALL THE WAY BACK TO, UM TO THE SERVICE ROAD BECAUSE IT WAS IN REAL BAD SHAPE, AND I CALLED IT IN AND THEY GOT ON AND THEY REPAID THAT, AND THAT'S THAT'S RIGHT THERE BY THE ELEGANT IN THAT HOTEL THAT'S JUST BEHIND IT. SO JUST SOME OF THE THINGS YOU CAN PASS ALONG OR YOU COULD HAVE A FOLKS TO CALL ME AND I'LL PASS ALONG TO HIM. I JUST WANT TO THANK UH CITY MANAGER AND STAFF. UH OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HAD COMPONENTS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT VARIOUS THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO SEE IN OUR CITY. UM BUT NOW WE HAVE. A DOCUMENTED STRATEGIC PLAN IN WHICH WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. THIS IS CAN BE USED AS A, UH, BAROMETER AS TO HOW FAR HOW MUCH WE'RE DOING TOWARD THOSE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE FUTURE, AS I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS NOT TO GO INTO OUR DEAL WITH THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS IN THIS PLAN.

IT IS TO PRESENT A PLAN SO THAT WE NOW HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. ADJUST AS WE SEE FIT THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET YEARS. UH IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT MY CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT? THIS IS ABOUT THIS? YEAH. THIS IS THE PRESENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO COUNSEL. YOU KNOW, YOU STARTED THIS PROCESS AND EARLY SPRING, MAYBE, AND WE'RE JUST NOW CONCLUDING THAT NEW HAVE A DOCUMENT. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE THESE ITEMS FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. NOW YOU HAVE A ROAD MAP, YOU KNOW TO IDENTIFY THE THINGS HERE AND YOU GO AHEAD BECAUSE I CAN ADD WHAT I HAVE LATER. COUNCIL MEMBER. I'M JUST, UH, COULD BE FORGETTING SOME STUFF. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

[01:10:03]

WHAT BRINGS STAFF IN TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF EACH ONE OF THESE PROJECTS ABOUT EVERY QUARTER OR MORE OFTEN, EVEN AND, UH, THEY'LL TASK OR SIGNED TO STOP PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR COMPLETION. AND WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU. SO IT'S NOT JUST A DOCUMENT TO SIT THERE.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT 23 AND 24, YOU'VE DONE QUITE WELL ALREADY. IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF PROJECTS UNDER THE MANAGEMENT AGENDA, THEIR STRATEGIC PLAN YOU'RE GETTING IT TODAY. 18 AND T DEMOLITION WHERE, UH, PREPARING TO BE IT ON THAT WE'VE DONE A CUSTOMER SERVICE TRAINING BOND RATE, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WITH THE BUDGETING. THE CRP . YOU'LL BE APPROVING THAT WITH THE BUDGET SIDEWALK MASTER PLAN WE'VE WE'VE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT THAT. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE AIR DOG PARK? WE'RE GETTING THE DESIGN AND BE ABLE TOGETHER ON IT. CITY EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION COMES COMPENSATION STUDY YOU'LL BE GETTING, UH REPORT. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, YOU'VE, UH WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON THIS TO THE CITY LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU THAT DOCUMENT. SO, UM IT PROVIDES A GOOD GROW MAP FOR YOU FOR REFERENCING AGAIN. AND WHEN OTHER PEOPLE SHOW UP IN THE FUTURE, AND I SAY, WELL, WHAT DID THAT IDEA COME FROM? YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DOCUMENT AND TELL YOU WHAT CITY COUNCIL AND SAY THIS STUFF. MHM. RIGHT? THANK YOU. INDIA JUST REAL QUICKLY. JUST KIND OF NECK. NO, NO, NO PROBLEM. IT'S GOOD. NEXT STEPS AGAIN. WE'RE GONNA, UH, SHARE THIS WITH THE PUBLIC AND PROMOTE IT BECAUSE WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE MOVING FORWARD. WE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH A LEADER GUIDE, WHICH WOULD BE THIS INFORMATION PLUS SOME SUPPLEMENTAL LEADERSHIP INFORMATION YOU MAKE YOU THINK YOU SAW THAT IN THE EARLIER WORKSHOPS, BUT WE'RE GOING TO COMPILE IT INTO A SINGLE GOD FOR EACH OF US TO WORK OFF OF AND AGAIN, UH, WE, AS THE MANAGER MENTIONED WE'RE ALREADY WORKING TO IMPLEMENT THE PLAN ON MANY OF THESE ITEMS AND WILL CONTINUE TO, UM AS MENTIONED, IF AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LEADER GOD, YOU'LL YOU'LL SEE DATES EXPECTED DATES FOR COMPLETION OF THESE POINTS AS WELL AS WHO'S RESPONSIBLE. FOR EACH OF THESE AND AGAIN MONITOR PROGRESS. UH, REVISIT PERIODICALLY AND MAKE ANY NEEDED ADJUSTMENTS BECAUSE THINGS DO HAPPEN AND CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE, BUT UM AS WE MOVE FORWARD, FINALLY CELEBRATE , CELEBRATE OUR SUCCESSES. WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL HIM. THANK YOU. OKAY AT THIS POINT, CAN I HAVE A MOTION FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION ADOPTING A STRATEGIC PLAN 2023 THROUGH 2028 THROUGH 2038 FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO PROOF. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE AYE, ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. AT THE CLOSE OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING TODAY, THE COUNCIL WILL HOLD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER MATTERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551. 0.087 DELIBERATIONS REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATION TO WERE TOURS CONSULTANT PRESENTATION OF PROPOSED DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO THE CONTEMPLATING OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.071 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. CALEB VENTER VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT AND CHRISTOPHER BOONE. INTERNATIONAL CALLS NUMBER B 210244 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 399 VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT, KENNETH OR

[01:15:05]

[ Council Conduct a Public Hearing to hear applicant requests for funding from the 2023 Hotel Occupancy Tax Grant Program. ]

THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SPEAK TODAY. UM I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BEAUMONT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. THE BEAUMONT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM STRIVES TO PROMOTE FAMILY FUN AND AN INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES THRIVE AND GET EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING TOGETHER. OUR MISSION IS TO IGNITE THE GROWTH IN RELATIONSHIPS OF CHILDREN'S FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. THEY'RE INTERACTIVE LEARNING AND PLAY. THE BEAUMONT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM HAS SHOWN MUCH SUCCESS WITH INCREASED INTENDANT OF OVER 62,000 GUEST IN 2022 AND 28% OF THOSE VISITORS TRAVELING FROM OUTSIDE OF THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION. AS WE CONTINUE TO ATTRACT MORE VISITORS, BCM FANS MANY WAYS ON OUR PROGRAM IN EVENT CALENDAR TO ENCOURAGE AN IMPACT POSITIVELY LOCAL TOURISM . NOT ONLY IS THE MUSEUM PROMOTING TOURISM, WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING FAMILY FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT TO SUPPORT OUR GREATER COMMUNITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE. DID YOU KNOW CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS ARE THE FASTEST GROWING SECTOR OF THE MUSEUM COMMUNITY? BECAUSE THAT ISN'T AN INCREASED RECOGNITION OF THE POWER OF THE HANDS ON INTERACTIVE AND PLAYFUL LEARNING EXHIBITS AND EXPERIENCES. THEY PROVIDE A CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AND OTHER TARGETED PROGRAMMING SERVES AS A EXTENSION OF THE HOME AND SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. THIS THIRD PLACE ALLOWS FOR STRONGER COMMUNITIES SAFE SPACES FOR GROWTH IN DISCOVERY AND IN A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY. WE KNOW TRAVELERS SELDOM CHOOSE THEIR DESTINATIONS BECAUSE OF ONE PARTICULAR REASON OR SPOT BUT BECAUSE OF MULTIPLE GREAT ACTIVITIES THAT ENTERTAIN FOR THEIR TRIP. OVER 60% 3% OF LEISURE TRAVELERS, OUR FAMILIES AND FAMILIES CHOOSE THEIR DESTINATION BASED ON A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES. BEAUMONT HAS THIS WITH SUCH A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OF GUESTS THIS PAST YEAR, THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM KNOWS THAT IS IMPORTANT. TO EVALUATE OUR NEXT STEPS. BCM CURRENTLY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS A NEW LOCATION FOR EXHIBIT EXPANSION WITH OUR CONTINUED NEW GROWTH AND NEW POSSIBLE LOCATION, BCM WOULD BECOME A MUCH MORE ANTICIPATED DESTINATION TO VISIT HERE IN BEAUMONT, ADDITIONALLY, ADDING MUSEUM BILLBOARDS ON HIGH VOLUME TRAVELED HIGHWAYS. AND BOOSTED MEDIA COVERAGE AND CAMPAIGNS ON RADIO PODCAST AND STATEWIDE PUBLICATIONS. THIS WOULD PUT A AND REMIND TRAVELERS OF THE BEAUMONT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM AS A PLACE TO STOP FOR A BREAK AND A PLACE TO RETURN AND ENJOY, MORE IMPORTANTLY, ENCOURAGING, STAYING OVERNIGHT TO EXPLORE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND ALL THESE GREAT PLACES IT HAS TO DISCOVER. WE HOPE YOU WILL CHOOSE TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM BY DESIGNATION OF SOME HOT TAX FUNDS TO HELP US ENCOURAGE GROWTH WITHIN OUR MUSEUM. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION COUNCILMAN GETS. IT'S PART OF THE FUNDING THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR. IT WOULD BE USED TO EVALUATE NEW LOCATION FOR THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. CORRECT WE ARE ASSESSING THE POSSIBILITY OF USE OF A NEW LOCATION. IT IS IN THE VERY BEGINNING STAGES, BUT IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE THE EXPANSION OF THAT SPACE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAYOR BEFORE I CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER. IF YOU HAVE ANY HANDOUTS, IF YOU WILL PROVIDE

[01:20:04]

SHE COULDN'T BE WITH US TODAY, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE SHE'S GOT SOME STAFF TRAINING, SO I'M GOING TO PRESENT FOR YOU. AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE SPINDLE TOP MUSEUM SIDE IS A SOUTHEAST TEXAS LANDMARK. AND THE APPLICATION FOCUSES ON THREE IMPORTANT PROJECTS AT THE MUSEUM. FIRST OUR EXHIBIT ENHANCEMENTS THAT WILL INCLUDE IMMERSIVE MUSEUM EXHIBITS USING AUDIO VIDEO AND VIRTUAL TOURS. AND NEXT ARE TWO EVENTS, HOLIDAYS AND BOOM TOWN. WILL FEATURE LIGHT SHOWS VISITS WITH SANTA MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT , A VENDOR FAIR AND ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITIES. THE SECOND EVENT. IS A HOPEFULLY. ANNUAL STEAMPUNK FESTIVAL FOR THOSE THAT ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM STEAMPUNK AND BASICALLY IS INDUSTRIAL ERA INNOVATION BASED TECH FANTASY AND FOR REFERENCE.

THINK OF THAT MOVIE WILD WILD WEST WITH WILL SMITH FROM 1999. IT'S VERY STEAMPUNK ESQUE. AS FAR AS THE MUSEUM STATISTICS, AS NOTED IN THE APPLICATION THEY RECORDED 269 HOTEL STAYS IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO. BASED ON 2.8% OF ALL MUSEUM VISITORS, NOTING THIS ON THE SIGNAGE SHEET, NOT EVERYBODY SIGNS IN, BUT THEY TRY TO DO THEIR BEST TO GET EVERYBODY TO SIGN IN. AND A NEW METHOD OF RECORDING. THIS DATA IS BEING PRESENTED TO THEIR STAFF DURING THIS TRAINING AS WE SPEAK TO GET FIRMER NUMBERS. TOTAL VISITORS FOR THE RECENT YEARS PERIOD IS 9371, PROMOTION EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON GALVESTON'S HOUSTON LAKE CHARLES FORT WORTH AND LOCALLY IN BEAUMONT, HOPING TO GET ATTENDANCE TO 12,000 ANNUALLY THE SPECIAL EVENTS SUCH AS THE STEAMPUNK FESTIVAL, HAVE WIDE APPEAL TO VISITORS AND MANUFACTURERS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE AND IS CLOSE TO THE STATE LINE AS WE ARE ALSO OUTLINING STATES. ENCOURAGING VISITORS TO STAY AT LOCAL HOTELS AND ENJOY WHAT BEAUMONT HAS TO OFFER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS? UH THERE YOU GO. COUNCILMAN TURNER. I'M SORRY. I WANTED TO ACCESS QUESTION TO SOME OF THE PRESENTERS. I KNOW WE COME UP WITH THE TOTAL VISITOR NUMBERS. I JUST WANT TO KNOW. HOW DO Y'ALL CALCULATE THOSE NUMBERS? I'M SORRY, AMANDA. I DIDN'T ASK YOU AS WELL. BUT JUST WHEN WE SAY THOSE NUMBERS I'M JUST INTERESTED IN HOW WE HOW DO WE CALCULATE THOSE NUMBERS AT SPINDLETOP? THEY HAVE A SIGN IN SHEET. SO WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN BUYS TICKETS, THEY SAY, WILL YOU PLEASE SIGN IN OUR SHEET AND SOMETIMES THEY GET THE VISITORS GET PREOCCUPIED WITH THE GIFT SHOP, AND THEY DON'T THINK TO SIGN IN THE SHI. BUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW IS THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A FORM ON AN IPAD SO AS SOON AS THEY BUY THE TICKETS, THEY SAY, WHICH IS A CODE. ARE YOU STAYING IN A HOTEL? VERY SIMPLE, SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TRAINING ON, ACTUALLY RIGHT NOW, SO THAT'S THAT'S HOW THEY DO IT AT SPINDLETOP MAXING THE ACTUALLY LEARN THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, SO. THANK YOU. MIGHT HAVE A POTENTIAL VOLUNTEER. WELL THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, PENNY, AND I THINK THAT'S LAY LOOKS BOOM TOWN FILM SOCIETY. I'M SORRY. I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH HANDOUTS FOR EVERYBODY. I HOPE YOU ALL WILL SHARE THE HANDOUT IS THE PROGRAM FROM THE RECENT FESTIVAL THAT WE JUST HAD , UM GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WEST AND COUNCIL. UM I AM THE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR FOR BOOM TOWN FILM FESTIVAL. THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THAT I WILL BE DOING IT. BOOM TOWN HAS HEAD A FESTIVAL IN BEAUMONT SINCE 2008 EXCEPT THAT THEY WERE SHUT DOWN TWO YEARS FOR THE, UH, PANDEMIC , AND SO WE'RE KIND OF IN A REBUILDING PHASE RIGHT NOW. UM AND SO WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH TOURISM IN BOMA? WELL WE UTILIZE THE TEXAS ENERGY MUSEUM , THE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND THE HISTORIC JEFFERSON THEATER AS VENUES FOR THE. FILM FESTIVAL, AND WE BRING IN FILMMAKERS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. USUALLY IT'S BEEN LIKE MORE OF A REGIONAL FESTIVAL, AND I'M BEING KIND OF SORT OF SPREADING MY FINGERS OUT. SO WE HAD FILMMAKERS FROM AS FAR AS RHODE ISLAND, FLORIDA AND CALIFORNIA THIS YEAR. IN FACT, THE RHODE ISLAND FILMMAKER STAYED IN ENTIRE WEEK BEYOND THE FESTIVAL. AND THIS ALSO IMPACTS YOUR NEWLY DESIGNATED FILM FRIENDLY STATUS. BECAUSE WE ARE

[01:25:07]

BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME IN LOCALLY. THIS PASTURE WE ACTUALLY KIND OF INTERFERED WITH LAMAR'S GRADUATION, YOU KNOW, SO WE DIDN'T GET AS MANY LAMAR STUDENTS AT THE TIME, BUT USUALLY, UM, A LOT OF THE LAMAR STUDENTS COMING TO ATTEND TO, SO WE'VE MOVED IT TO FEBRUARY FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, SO WE WON'T CARE WITH THAT THIS YEAR. UH APPRECIATE THAT AND I SUPPORT YOU KNOW, BEAUMONT BEING A FILM FRIENDLY, FRIENDLY TOWN AND THE BOOM TOWN FILM? FIRST OF ALL, BUT I'M TRYING TO RATIONALIZE IN MY MIND. HELP YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR MY CHILDREN'S MUSEUM WITH 62,000 VISITORS AND THEN YOUR 300. YOU KNOW SKILLS, BUT HALF OF THOSE ARE FILMMAKERS WHICH COULD FEASIBLY COME HERE TO FILM ONE DAY, WHICH IS WITH YOUR BEAUMONT FILM FRIENDLY AND WHEN THEY COME BACK, THEY ALSO USE HOTELS AND CATERING AND ALL THAT, SO IT'S TWOFOLD. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A BIG, HUGE FESTIVAL, BUT IT IS, UM GOOD FOR TOURISM, TOO, BECAUSE IF WE CAN GET BIGGER NAMES EVENTUALLY, EVENTUALLY WE MIGHT COULD GET TO THE 9000 WERE IN A GROWING PHASE LIKE THIS. LAST TIME WE HAD ASTHMA FROM THE VOICE THAT CAME IN AS A MUSICAL ONE. WELL SHE CAME ON AT THE LAST MINUTE, SO WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE BUT JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS TO TRY AND PROMOTE HER. YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME TO PROMOTE IT, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT WE HAD FILMMAKERS THAT CAME IN LIKE RIGHT NOW WE CAN'T AFFORD LIKE THE BIG STAR. YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T GET IN BRAD PITT OR, YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT ONE THING WE HAVE BEEN DOING IS WE'RE PULLING IN CREW MEMBERS THAT HAVE WORKED ON BIG FILMS LIKE WE HAD THE TWO PROP MASTERS THAT ONE OF THEM WORKED ON STRANGER THINGS. THE OTHER ONE WORKED ON WALKER, TEXAS RANGER AND JUST WALKER, AND THEY HAVE, LIKE 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THEM SO THAT BROUGHT IN QUITE A BIT. WE'RE TRYING TO GET IN THE PRODUCTION MANAGER FROM THE BLACK PANTHER MOVIES FOR THIS YEAR. WE TRIED LAST YEAR, BUT SHE WAS OUT OF THE COUNTRY AND WITH PRODUCTIONS BEING KIND OF SHUT DOWN AT THE MOMENT, BECAUSE THE STRIKES WERE HOPING THAT MAYBE WE CAN GET HER BECAUSE SHE'S ACTUALLY BASED IN YOUR LIENS. SO SHE'S LOCAL ENOUGH THAT WE COULD GET HER IN , AND I THINK THAT WOULD COULD POTENTIALLY BE A DRAW. YOU KNOW, SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT IT WHAT BLACK PANTHER LOOKED LIKE. AND SHE WANTED ACADEMY AWARD FOR IT, YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE WORKING ON IT. WE'RE GROWING. THANK YOU . THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHRISTI VEGAN TEXAS ENERGY MUSEUM. HELLO

[01:30:09]

IT'S IN THERE, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU. NOT PERSONAL. THANK YOU. OKAY? LAURA CHILDREN'S MARDI GRAS, SOUTHEAST TEXAS. IT'S A LITTLE SHORTER. HUH? I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR

[01:35:14]

OKAY THAT'S FOR YOUR POLICE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE ALONG THE PARADE ROUTES. OKAY SO WE ACTUALLY YOU GUYS ACTUALLY PAY FOR THAT? IT'S NOT FUNDED BY THE CORRECT I HIRED THE POLICEMAN AND OFF DUTY RATE AND WE HAVE WE BREAK IT INTO TWO CATEGORIES. ONE WHICH IS INSIDE THE FESTIVAL GROUNDS AND THEN WHAT'S OUTSIDE ON THE PARADE ROUTE. NOW WE DO HAVE A ONE SEPARATE ENTRY IN THERE. THAT IS THE CARNIVAL SECURITY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A STATE FAIR QUALITY CARNIVAL, AND WE DO PUT OFFICERS IN THAT AREA AS WELL. COUNCILMAN NEIL COUNCILMAN FELL SHAW COUNCILMAN GETS SO SEE WHERE YOU YOU'LL CLAIM 100,000 ATTENDANTS EVERY YEAR. CORRECT ROUGHLY. IT DOES VARY. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POLICE ON THE FIRST PAGE ON THAT, YES, THAT IS COUNTED FROM THE PARADE ROUTES, WHICH IS AN ESTIMATED NUMBER, BUT IT'S KIND OF GAUGED ALSO BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS HOW MUCH SECURITY THEY WILL NEED. WE KIND OF KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT. NOW, AFTER FOUR YEARS, AND THEN YOU ADD THAT TO THE FESTIVAL GROUNDS, WHICH WAS 14,000 LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW OUR EVENT IS WEATHER. UH FRIENDLY OR UNFRIENDLY. HOWEVER YOU WANT TO LOOK AT, BUT IT'S ALWAYS COLD AND IT'S GENERALLY WET, AND WE STILL BRING IN THAT THOSE NUMBERS. SO, UM PEOPLE DO LIKE THE EVENT. THEY DO HAVE FUN. THEY START THEIR KIDS YOUNG. THEIR FAMILIES COME BACK FOR,

[01:40:01]

OKAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU FELT INTRODUCE MR CARTER, SO I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET JAMES CARTER. HE'S OUR FIRST GUEST HERE. THANK YOU, MR CARTER LINK CASTLE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER MANAGEMENT AND CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT. WE ARE HERE REQUESTING HOT TAX FUNDING FOR THE SUPPORT FOR THE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. WE ARE VERY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE WERE RE ACCREDITED THROUGH THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS LAST MONTH WERE IN THE TOP 3% OF THE MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT UPHOLD THE BEST PRACTICES HIGHEST STANDARDS. IN THE MUSEUM FIELD OF HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. CURRENTLY WE ARE THE ONLY MUSEUM IN THE AREA THAT IS ACCREDITED ASIDE FROM THE MCFADDEN AWARD HOUSE ACCREDITATION LAST FOR 10 YEARS , THIS MUSEUM STARTED IN 1950. WE OFFER FREE ADMISSION AND WE ARE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. CAFE IS OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK FOR LUNCH. AND ASIDE FROM REGULAR PROGRAMMING, WE OFFER EVENTS, SPACES FOR MEETINGS, DINNERS, RECEPTIONS, AND ALSO WE HAD WHICH ALSO ATTRACT HOTEL GUESTS. WE ARE RECOGNIZED THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS AND LOUISIANA FOR OUR CHANGING EXHIBITIONS. THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR, ARTISTS COME TO INSTALL THEIR ARTWORK, OFTEN STAYING SEVERAL DAYS. GUEST SCHOLARS, GALLERIES, CURATORS AND COLLECTORS JOIN US FOR PROGRAMMING FOR LECTURES. GALLERY TALKS FOR FURTHER ACCOUNTING FOR HOTEL STAYS. THIS EXHIBITIONS CONTINUOUSLY DRAW VISITORS FROM ALL 50 STATES AS WELL AS INTERNATIONALLY. WE ARE PROVIDING ENRICHMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, STARTING WITH OUR 13 EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES, INCLUDING SPECIAL NEEDS. TO VISIT PROGRAMS ARE DIRECT PARTNERSHIPS WITH B I S D. WE ALSO PROVIDE OUTREACH PROGRAMMING FOR REMOTE AND RELY OUTLINE COMMUNITIES. WE USUALLY HAVE A LARGE PRESENCE IN COMMUNITY EVENTS. WE'RE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE ARE WE HAVE AN ETHNICALLY DIVERSE STAFF AND BOARD, WHICH HAS BEEN COMMENTED COMMENDED BY THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS. OUR ATTENDANCE IS MAKING A COMEBACK

[01:45:01]

QUARTERLY FREE FAMILY ARTS DAYS CONTINUE TO DRAW LARGE AUDIENCES WE ARE REACHING WERE SURPASSING LEVELS SINCE 2015. WE'VE HAD THE LARGEST ATTENDANCE, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE TEXAS ENERGY MUSEUM FOR THE PAST THREE DECADES DURING FAMILY ART STAYS THE FALL FAMILY ART STATES EAT A BUG AND DINOSAUR DAY. IN THE PAST FEW YEARS. THE OTHER MUSEUMS IN THE CITY HAVE JOINED US FOR WHAT NOW HAS BECOME MUSEUM MADNESS WEEKEND, BUT WE STARTED IT WE STARTED AT 30 YEARS AGO WERE THE FIRST ONES WE APPRECIATE THE FINANCIAL IN KIND SUPPORT THAT THE CITY HAS GIVEN US, ESPECIALLY THOMAS ASKED WORST, AND KEITH FOLSOM, WHO OVERSEE BUILDING MAINTENANCE. I'M ALMOST DONE. AND DAVID LAUREN. NET FOR HVAC SYSTEM AND KENNETH REGRET FOR A GROUNDS CARE AND, OF COURSE, OUR FRIENDS AT THIS, THE CVB WHO HAD BEEN SO CRUCIAL AND PROMOTING OUR EVENTS. FINALLY SET HAS A STELLAR RECORD OF COMPLETING PROGRAMMING EFFORT, PROJECTED PROGRAMMING EFFORTS AND FOR ITS ACCURATE AND HONEST REPORTING OF GRANT, AWARDED ON THE STATE, LOCAL AND FEDERAL LEVEL. I PROMISE YOU THAT YOU'RE HOT TAX FUNDS WILL BE WELL SPENT AT THE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR TURNER. UH SOMETHING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME WAS WHEN YOU SPOKE ABOUT ACCREDITATION. THAT'S REAL BIG TO ME. CAN YOU GIVE ME GET THIS COUNCIL MORE DETAILS ON? HOW DID THAT PROCESS WORKS? AND YOU KNOW, BEING ONE ONLY ONES IN THIS AREA TO BE ACCREDITED, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S HUGE. CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK MORE TO THAT? THANK YOU. IT'S A TWO YEAR PROCESS OF THE APPLICATION AND WHAT YOU DO IS SUBMIT ALL YOUR PAPERWORK, ITS STRATEGIC PLANNING, WHICH I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN, BY THE WAY, BECAUSE I'VE LEARNED A LOT MORE. ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING THROUGH OUR PROCESS AS WELL. THEY ALSO LOOK AT ALL OF OUR PAPERWORK. MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICIES IN ORDER. THEY LOOK AT OUR H VAC SYSTEM.

THEY LOOK AT, UM, THE WAY THAT WE HANDLE OUR EXHIBITIONS. THEY LOOK AT ALL OUR ACCOUNTING RECORDS, SO IT'S A VERY RIGOROUS PROCESS. IT STARTS OUT WITH WE SUBMIT ALL OUR PAPERWORK TO WASHINGTON, D. C AND THIS IN HOUSE STATE PAID STAFF LOOKS AT IT. THEN THERE TO SEND TO SITE VISITORS TO BEAUMONT. YOU SPEND A COUPLE OF DAYS WITH US, AND THEY INTERVIEW OUR BOARD OUR STAFF AND, UM VARIOUS CITY PEOPLE, AND THEN THEY GO BACK AND MAKE THEIR REPORT AND THEN IT GOES TO THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS LEADERS THROUGHOUT. MUSEUM LEADERS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, AND THEN THEY ELECTED TO EITHER. UM A CREDIT. YOU ARE NOT WOW. THANK YOU. VERY PROUD OF IT. TOP 3% SO THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT AT MAKING IT FOUR MINUTES IN THE FUTURE. YEAH CARLY STANSBERRY BEAUMONT HERITAGE SOCIETY. HMM.

OH, MY GOD. OKAY SORRY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CARLY STANSBURY. AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING BEAUMONT HERITAGE SOCIETY AND THE 18 45. JOHN J. FRENCH MUSEUM, THE OLDEST FULLY RESTORED HOME IN BEAUMONT. THE MUSEUM IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR TOURS AND SPECIAL EVENTS AND SERVES OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS TOURISTS ACROSS THE STATE NATION AND EVEN THE WORLD.

OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. WE'VE MADE SOME INCREDIBLE IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING REBUILDING THE BRICK WALKWAY, MAKING MAJOR REPAIRS TO OUR OFFICE BUILDING, LEVELING THE MUSEUM KITCHEN AND MAKING MANY OTHER NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS. WHILE DOING THIS, WE POSTED NEW EVENTS CREATED NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING AND EVEN MANAGED TO EXPAND STAFF. THIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX FUNDS, KEEPING THE DOORS AT THE MUSEUM OPEN AND FUNDING OUR TOUR PROGRAM PRINT. PROGRAMMING. PRESENTLY WE ARE WORKING ON A BRAND NEW VIRTUAL TOUR SOFTWARE THAT WILL MAKE OUR TOURS ACCESSIBLE FROM ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. THIS WILL ENTICE VISITORS TO TOUR THE MUSEUM IN PERSON, AND IT WILL ALSO MAKE THE MUSEUM MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE WHO MAY OTHERWISE HAVE DIFFICULTIES NAVIGATING THE MUSEUM AND THE TOUR AND WILL ALSO ATTRACT TEACHERS FROM OUTSIDE COMMUNITIES TO BRING THEIR STUDENTS TO OUR AREA. IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WE LOOK FORWARD TO COMPLETING A CHILDREN'S EXHIBIT TO BE HOUSED IN THE NEWLY REPAIRED DAVID FRENCH OFFICE BUILDING WERE ACTIVELY MAKING THESE EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR SITES FOR GUESTS AND TO BE A MORE ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN HERITAGE TOURISM, WHICH IS A $7.3 BILLION INDUSTRY IN TEXAS. THIS ACCOUNTS FOR 11% OF ALL TRAVEL IN THE STATE TRAVELED THE JOHN JAY FRENCH MUSEUM AIMS TO TARGET AND BRING RIGHT HERE TO BOMB ONE. THESE PLANS, GOALS AND

[01:50:03]

WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THE GUIDELINES OF THIS FUNDING ARE CHANGING. WE ARE SEEKING ONE MORE YEAR OF CONTINUED SUPPORT. PLEASE KEEP OUR DOORS OPEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF GENERATIONS, PROCEEDING AND THOSE TO COME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSELOR. THANK YOU.

SOUP SOUP. BART UH DB CAT AND SOUTHEAST TEXAS ARTS COUNCIL. THE MAYOR'S CALL. HELLO? THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME BEFORE YOU TODAY. I THINK I WANT TO START WITH C TECH FIRST BECAUSE IT CAME FIRST. IF YOU ALL DON'T MIND, THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS ARTIST COUNCIL WAS ESTABLISHED IN, UH 1975 AND REPRESENTS THREE COUNTIES JEFFERSON, ORANGE AND HARDEN. UM AND 2002. THEY DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD START PUBLISHING A TOURISM MAGAZINE AND TODAY CEATEC IS ONLY ASKING FOR FUNDING SUPPORT FOR THAT MAGAZINE, BUT IT DOES COVER THE THREE COUNTIES. WHEN WE DID THIS, WE OPENED UP AN ACCOUNT TO OUR BANKING SYSTEM. SPECIFICALLY TARGETING LAYLA FUNDS, SO IT NEVER GETS MIXED WITH GENERAL FUNDS. WHAT WE DO IS WE AND THE CHANGE CAME IN 2008 THAT WE WOULD DO IT ALL IN HOUSE NOW. NOT THE PRINTING AND NOT THE DISTRIBUTING. BUT THE DESIGN THE LAYOUT. THE STORIES THAT PHOTOGRAPHY AND ALL THE WRITING IS DONE BY A GENTLEMAN THAT WORKS FOR THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS ARTS COUNCIL. AND THAT IS THE ONLY REQUEST FOR ASKING FOR HIS SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE IT. IT'S A BIANNUAL MAGAZINE. IT'S HIGH QUALITY. WE PAY FOR THE PRINTING. IT GETS SET TO 11 DIFFERENT TEXAS TRAVEL CENTERS AND TWO LARGE AREA IN GALVESTON'S AND HOUSTON. UM. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S TWICE A YEAR. UM ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT GRANT APPLICATION? I MEAN, WE COVER AND FEATURE ALL THE ACTIVE EVENTS. BUT THERE'S A BIG BILLBOARD, AND THERE'S A SPECIAL PAGE THAT LISTS ALL OF THE HOTELS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE VARIOUS COUNTIES WITH CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THEM, SO IT PROMOTES TOURISM, AND IT PROMOTES THE HOTEL INDUSTRY. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR THAT. WHEN YOU WANT TO MOVE ON TO YOU. YEAH THAT'S CULTURAL ARTS. THANK YOU. AS AUTHORIZED BY HOUSE BILL 22 08 OF THE 79TH LEGISLATURE IN 2005, THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON THE ARTS CAN DESIGNATE CULTURAL DISTRICTS AND CITIES ACROSS TEXAS. CULTURAL DISTRICTS ARE SPECIAL. THIS IS, ACCORDING TO THE STATE. CULTURAL DISTRICTS ARE SPECIAL ZONES THAT HARNESSED THE POWER OF CULTURAL RESOURCES TO STIMULATE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. COMMUNITY VITALITY . UM AND THESE DISTRICTS CAN BECOME FOCAL POINTS FOR GENERATING BUSINESSES ATTRACTING TOURISTS, STIMULATING CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOSTERING CIVIC PRIDE. I'VE BEEN WORKING IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT FOR 15 YEARS, AND I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THE IMPROVEMENTS, THE BRICK SIDEWALKS, THE LIGHT POST LANDSCAPING THE ADDITION OF THE DOWNTOWN EVENTS CENTER, THE SKATEBOARD PARK. AND THE LAKESIDE CENTER TO NAME A FEW. BUT I'VE EVEN LEARNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S BEEN SPENT ON DOWNTOWN JUST ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE. UM YOU HAVE SIX MUSEUMS IN DOWNTOWN THE JEFFERSON THEATER IN THE JULIE ROBERT ROGERS PERFORMING ARTS THEATER. IT CERTAINLY SEEMED TO ME THAT BEAUMONT ALREADY HAD AN AMAZING CULTURAL DISTRICT. YOU JUST DIDN'T HAVE STATE DESIGNATION. THAT WAS SIX MINUTES. YOU CAN CONTINUE. OK GOOD. INITIALLY DESIGNATION ONLY MEANT SOME ADDED CREDIBILITY AND A LITTLE PROMOTION FROM THE STATE. I MENTIONED IT TO A FEW PEOPLE AT THE TIME IN AROUND 2 2015. PEOPLE WEREN'T TERRIBLY INTERESTED, BUT IN 2016 TC ANNOUNCED A NEW GRANT PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THE GROWTH OF DESIGNATED CULTURAL DISTRICTS. AT THAT LEGISLATIVE SESSION T. C A WAS AUTHORIZED TO GRANT $5 MILLION OVER THE BIENNIUM. TWO ORGANIZATIONS PRESENTING ACTIVITIES WITHIN THESE DESIGNATED DISTRICTS. NOW I DECIDED WAS THE TIME TO PURSUE IT. SO WE DID. WE ESTABLISHED DB CAT IN 2017 AND RECEIVED DESIGNATION IN 2019. UM. THE STATE HAS JUST INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE NEXT BIENNIUM NOW TO $15 MILLION. AND IN THE APPLICATION , YOU'LL SEE THE STATE HAS 1120

[01:55:04]

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DON'T BELIEVE SO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE MIRROR. BEN. DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A PRESENTATION? YES, HE IS. YOU JUST DIDN'T SIGN UP, BUT IT'S OKAY. IF YOU'LL JUST PROVIDE YOUR NAME AND YOUR ORGANIZATION YOU'RE SPEAKING ON COUNCIL MEMBER. IT WAS. MY NAME IS MINDY WITH AMANDA RESTAURANT GROUP. I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE TEXT, HEART ATTACKS FOR OBAMA MURAL FEST. UM JUST GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE. BRAHMA WITH MERYL FIRST WAS FOUNDED IN 2022. IT WAS A PRIVATE EVENT AND A FESTIVAL THAT CAME OUT OF A CRAZY IDEA. MY FRIEND AND I HAD ABOUT USING PUBLIC ART TO BEAUTIFY THE CITY. WE NEVER EXPECTED TO GET AS BIG AS HE DID. BUT LAST YEAR WITH THE HELP OF THE CITY AND MAKING IT AN ACTUAL FREE EVENT WE WEREN'T FROM YEAR ONE OF HAVING 2500 ATTENDANTS BETWEEN TWO DAYS TO DO AN OVER 5000 PEOPLE PER DAY ON THE TWO DAY FESTIVAL THIS PAST YEAR. AND JUST OFF OF THE POOR 09 IN THE BEAUMONT MURAL FEST AND ARTIST IMPRINTS WE DID ALMOST OVER 4 MILLION ON SOCIAL MEDIA. OKAY AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE C B. B. C B HAS HIS OWN NUMBERS SEPARATELY FROM THAT SO JUST OFF OF SOCIAL MEDIA IMAGING PRINTING OFF THE 4 MILLION 40% OF THAT WAS OUT OF STATE. NOT IN THE STATES AND NOT JUST OUR CITY, BUT IT WAS OUR

[02:00:06]

WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE LOCAL ARTISTS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PRE EXISTING ARTISTS COMING BACK THAT'S VISITING. WE HAVE ALREADY HAVE FULL REQUESTS. 100% OUT OF 100% RETURN A TENDENCY REQUESTS FOR ALL THE PREVIOUS ORDERS. YEAH WE'RE HOPING TO OPEN MORE DOORS FOR LOCAL ORDERS THIS YEAR WITH MORE REAL ESTATE. BIGGER WALLS. BIGGER BUILDINGS WERE HOPING TO KEEP POSSIBLY 50% OVER 50% OF IT DOWNTOWN, AND WE'RE TRYING TO HOPEFULLY PRESENT TO POTENTIALS FOR CITY BUILDINGS.

WITH THE BUDGET WE'RE ABLE TO BRING IN SPECIFIC HIGH END CLASS ARTISTS THAT CAN PROVIDE THESE MURALS. FORTIES BUILDINGS FOR THE CITY'S REQUEST TO DRAW ATTENTION TO LOCAL ORDERS. IF YOU CAN JUST VISITED WITH LOCAL ORDERS, COUPLE EXAMPLES MAKING CALL MARRIES A WOMAN. WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT'S BEEN STACKED WITH SCHEDULES THAT GAME AND KEEP THEM NOW THEY'RE HAVING A WAITING LIST TO GIVE MURALS DONE BY LOCAL ARTISTS NOW. THAT YOU SEE ALL THE NEW BUSINESS COMING UP THERE NO LONGER STICKING TO YOUR TRADITIONAL PAIN. YOU KNOW, GREETING THEY'RE USING ART. AS WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO DEVELOP THEIR NEW ENTERTAINMENT NEW RESTAURANT, AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS BASICALLY TREAT BRING A REVOLVING ANNUAL POTENTIAL TO OUTREACH TO NOT JUST NATIONWIDE BUT INTERNATIONALLY TO BRING ATTENTION TO BEAUMONT AND PROVIDE NEW ART EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THAT WAS SPOT ON GOOD MAN ON ANY QUESTIONS, COUNSELOR TURNER YOU KNOW, MURAL FEST IS PRETTY NEW TO BEAUMONT. AND THE RESPONSE IS PRETTY GOOD. BUT CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO LIKE THE DESTINATION SPOTS THESE MURALS CREATE, LIKE NOT ONLY DURING THE FESTIVAL, BUT WHAT TAKES PLACE WITH THESE MURALS AFTER THE FESTIVAL AS WELL, CORRECT, SO THOSE NUMBERS ARE JUST IMPRINTS OFF THE ENTIRE WEEK. THAT IS NOT . WE HAVE NO WAY OF TRACKING WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FIRST BUT I CAN TELL YOU OUT OF ONE OF THE PIECES LAST YEAR THAT PEACE IS CURRENTLY BEING VOTED AS TOP US MURAL FOR 2023, AND THERE'S ON THE INTERNATIONAL PANEL TO BE VOTED IN FOUR NATIONS INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR BEST MURAL 2023. AND THAT IS A PIECE DONE ON CEDAR PARK THAT IS THE THIRD LARGEST MURAL IN THE STATE OF TEXT. SO WITH THAT BEING PROVIDED, IF YOU GO TO SEE THE FEES FROM CBB THEY HAVE IMPRINTS OF PEOPLE COMING IN DRIVING AND JUST WHAT HIS MURALS AND WE NOW HAVE REQUEST IS NOT JUST FROM OUTSIDE. BEAUMONT BUT, FOR EXAMPLE, ORANGE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR BOTH HAVE REACHED OUT OF CBB AND MYSELF TRYING TO GET INVOLVED AS PART OF BEAUMONT MURAL FIRST. SO NOW NOT ONLY IS THE FESTIVAL BENEFITING JUST BY MY LOAN IS BENEFITING SOUTHEAST TEXAS AS A WHOLE, WITH BEAUMONT BEING THE CENTER OF IT, BECAUSE ORANGE WILL NEVER HAVE HIS OWN FESTIVAL, AS WAS POOR ARTHUR WILL KNOW IF THEY ASK ME. BUT GOING TO BEAUMONT. THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO CURE WHAT ANY ON A SMALLER SCALE JUST BECAUSE I THINK BOMBER HAS INFRASTRUCTURE FOR IT, AS OPPOSED TO OUTSIDE CITIES I WANT IT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT ON THAT SCALE, BUT THEY CAN KIND OF GROW THROUGH BOWMAN. ONE MORE QUESTION AS FOLLOWING UP, MAN, CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO THE VALUE OF ART WE'RE GETTING FOR WHAT WE'RE PAYING, COMPARED TO WHAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY PAID IF CORRECT, JUST PRIVATELY. CURRENT REQUESTS ARE REQUESTS FOR 50,000 IS BASICALLY 13% OF THE ACTUAL BUDGET FOR THE FESTIVAL OR ORDERS. BUDGET AVERAGES RIGHT AROUND 20. THE RACE OF THE BUDGET. THE ARTISTS ARE COMING IN, OR 20% OF WHAT THEY NORMALLY CHARGE. SO FOR THE CEDAR FOR THE CEDAR MURAL CHEATED THE ENTIRE MURAL FOR $10,000. THAT IS AN $9500 COMMISSION, NOT COUNTING MATERIAL. THE GENTLEMAN WAS HERE FOR THREE WEEKS. WE HAVE FOUR PHOTOGRAPHERS TO FROM NEW YORK ONE FAMILIAR ONE FOR CHICAGO AND THAT PEACE MAY EARLY TIMES MADE THE NEW YORK POST SO THESE ARE BIG, BIG NAMES THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN NOT JUST TO INTRODUCE TRAVEL, BUT YOU'RE BRINGING IN NOW YOU'RE HAVING PEOPLE FLYING AND NOT JUST FROM OTHER CITIES WITHIN TEXAS. BUT NOW YOU HAVE NATIONAL TRAVEL THAT'S WINDING. COUNCILMAN SAMUEL WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT SINGLE MIRROR THE WOULD YOU REPEAT, WHICH MURALS THAT, UH. ME MIXED THEM, UH, ROOM PETE, THE MIRROR THAT IS RECEIVED

[02:05:05]

THEY'RE EXPECTED LAST SUMMER FROM 10 20 TO 25 YEARS, SO THE IDEA IS NOT TO PAINT OVER THEM UNTIL IT'S NECESSARY RIGHT NOW IS TO GET AS MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES ON THIS BROCHURE AS POSSIBLE. NOT ONLY ARE THEY GOING TO VISIT THE ART GOING TO VISIT THE LOCAL BUSINESS ITSELF AND DR ECONOMICS INTO THE CITY, AND NOW THE CATALOG IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST I THINK THE ONLY CITY WOULD BOND IS AUSTIN. I KNOW FOR A FACT, BOWMAN HAS A BIGGER CATALOG DIDN'T HOUSTON AND DALLAS THAT'S AMAZING. ONE QUESTION. I DO HAVE THOUGH, IS, UH ARE YOU RUNNING OUT OF CANVASES? I MEAN, YOU HAVE YOU HAVE PLACES IN. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING PEOPLE REACH OUT TO US SINCE THE FIRST STARTED, WE DID HAVE, LIKE I SAID, GIGOLO PREFER, UM, THEY PROCURE THE CITY WAREHOUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE THE MAIN FESTIVAL SITE WITH PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY OF IN CENTER. WE HAVE SOME OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS DOWNTOWN TO HAVE PICKED UP BUILDINGS THAT'S WANTING US TO DO WORK ON IT, UM, BIG TICKET NATIONAL PARK REACHED OUT WANTING TO DO ONE FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY. UM LIKE I SAID, WE'RE NOT QUITE RUNNING ALL THE BUILDINGS YET, BUT MY GOALS IS WHAT KIND OF PLANNING TO THREE YEARS AHEAD OF TIME RIGHT NOW AND NOT JUST TO HAVE THE MIDDLE FIRST AT ONE LOCATION BUT TO ROTATE IT ALL THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT. SO WE'RE KIND OF MOVING THE ART AS WE GO, AND WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO A CERTAIN SPOT. I KNOW JAMES STILL HAS ROOM WE CAN EASILY MOVE IT BACK TO THE ART MUSEUM IN A FUTURE YEAR. WE NEEDED TO IF LINDSAY OKAY WITH IT, AND SO AND LIKE I SAID THE GOAL WAS TO HAVE IS REALLY A TRAVELING. HMM.

A TRAVELING BEAUTIFICATION THAT YOU CAN PAY FOR, BUT THERE'S NO WAY FOR YOU WANT TO BUY THIS? THIS HAS TO BE SOMETHING THAT NOW THAT WE HAVE NOW WE'RE ACTUALLY BEING KNOWN FOR KIND OF THE BEST HOSPITALITY DOWN TO THE CBB INSISTS EVERYONE ONE FOR PROVIDING ARTISTS WHAT THEY NEED AND WE ARE 100% OF INVITATIONAL . I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ANYBODY CAN APPLY FOR, LIKE MY BUDDY WHO'S THE ARTIST CURATOR, AND HE HAS A LIST OF NOT JUST NATIONAL, BUT INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS ON EARLESS WANTING TO COME TO BEAUMONT. WANTING TO EXPERIENCE WITH HOMEOWNERS, SO WE HAVE PLENTY OF ARTISTS. DECENT AMOUNT OF REAL ESTATE FOR NOW, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE. THANK YOU, MAN. THANK YOU ANYBODY ELSE? ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. FURTHER DISCUSSION. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK THAT HAS NOT SPOKEN CAN THEY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY REGISTERED WITH THE CHAOS. AND, UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY MIRROR. OKAY? NOW IT'S FOR COUNCIL

[COUNCIL COMMENTS]

[02:10:03]

FACEBOOK PAGE ABOUT CHANGING THE WAY WE'RE, UH, CHLORINATING OUR WATER AND I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHY WE'RE GOING TO FREE CORINNE. FROM CHLORINE MEANS AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO THE CITIZENS. YES SIR. WE'RE TEMPORARILY SWITCHING OVER FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS OVER TO FREE CHLORINE ZOR BASICALLY ELIMINATING AMMONIA FROM THE TREATMENT PROCESS. THIS IS A STANDARD TYPE OF ACTIVITY THAT'S DONE THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO ADDRESS NITRA FICATION WITHIN THE SYSTEM, SO IF YOU USE CHLORINE MEANS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. TIME AND IN PARTICULAR, IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER CONDITION, SUCH AS EXTREMELY HOT WEATHER, WHICH WE'VE HAD, YOU CAN GET A BACTERIA GROWTH WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT FEEDS ON THAT AMMONIA, AND IT EATS UP THAT CHLORINE RESIDUAL IN THE SYSTEM , SO WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE CHLORINE RESIDUAL TO KEEP THE SYSTEM SAFE AND PREVENT BACTERIA HARMFUL TO HUMANS FROM GROWING.

SO WHAT THE FREE CHLORINE DOES IS IT ELIMINATES THE FOOD SOURCE FOR THE BACTERIA AND THEN KILLS THAT, UH, GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM WHEN WE TURN IT BACK TO CHORA MEANS AND THREE WEEKS AND WILL HAVE AN EASIER TIME MAINTAINING THOSE CHLORINE RESIDUALS. SO AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND I STRUGGLED WITH ORGANIC CHEMISTRY IN COLLEGE. IN FACT, I CHANGED MY MAJOR AFTER TAKING IT MY LIMIT RIGHT THERE. SO BUT BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT THAT WE'RE PUMPING MORE WATER OUT OF THE GROUND WELLS AND HARDENED COUNTY THEN WE ORDINARILY DO AND WHICH MAY HAVE MORE ORGANIC MATERIAL IN THEM. AND SO WHEN WE LAND. THE WATER. UH AMONG YOUR ACT AS A FOOD SOURCE. PERSEPHONE YAKS AS A FOOD SOURCE. IT'S NOT THAT THE WELL. WATER HAS MORE ORGANIC MATERIAL IN IT. FOR SOME REASON , WE STRUGGLE MORE WITH THE WELL WATER IN THE CHLORINE RESIDUALS . SOMETHING ABOUT IT MAKES IT PARTICULARLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE NITRA FICATION OVER AND ABOVE THE SURFACE WATER. BUT IT'S NOT ORGANIC MATERIALS IN IT. IT'S SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FORMATION OF THOSE CORE MEANS THAT IT HAS MORE SUSCEPTIBILITY THE NITRO FICATION, BUT THAT FREE CHLORINE WILL WILL BURN THAT OUT. THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES FOR STAYING ON TOP OF THIS AND MONITORING OUR WATER AND NOTICING THAT YES, WE NEED TO. YEAH BUT FREE CHLORINE AND NOW BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE BAR ABILITY AND SAFETY OF WATER SUPPLY, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT THING I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT UH, YOU KNOW THE BEAUMONT UH, LABOR DAY TENNIS TOURNAMENT IT STARTS THIS WEEKEND. AND, UH, WE ARE UP TO ABOUT 300 REGISTRANTS, WHICH INVOLVED MANY PEOPLE COMING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN THAT WILL BE STAYING IN OUR HOTELS AND, UH, WE ARE. IT'S A PRIZE MONEY TOURNAMENT IS OPEN DIVISION. UH SO YOU HAVE GOT SOME TOP CALIBER DID US TO LOOK FORWARD. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO HOST IT ALL OF THE BOMB UP MUNICIPAL TENNIS CENTER. THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE TO GET IT DONE IN THREE DAYS, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE USING LAMAR AS A SECONDARY SITE. IT'S ALL FREE. ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO GO SEE? REALLY REALLY GOOD TENNIS, NOT NOT WHAT I PLANNED. BUT WHEN, UH, OPEN DIVISION IS

[02:15:07]

WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TOURISTS FOR A WHILE AND TO HAVE IT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY.

IT MEANS A LOT, MAN. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU. YOU SHOWED US MORE STRATEGIC WAYS TO FIND REVENUE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT OR PARKLAND FEES WITH THE BEAUTIFICATION FEES AND YOU AND TODD WORKING TOGETHER. I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW. I APPRECIATE YOU GETTING CREATIVE ON MORE WAYS TO BRING REVENUE TO BEAUMONT. SO THANK YOU ALL TIED IN JUNE. COUNCILMAN FELL. SHAW COMMENT. MAYOR THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TEAM COMMENT. COUNCILMAN MILL COMMENT THERE CITY ATTORNEYS. OH SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE WE DID GET THE, UM, RESULTS BACK FROM OUR MEETING. TIME. SURVEY RESULTS, UM AT THE LAST SPEEDING UP, BUT BUT IT WAS, BUT IT WAS BUDGET. SO MUCH GOING ON. SO I DO WANT TO THANK COURTNEY WITH THE BOWMAN ENTERPRISE FOR HER GENTLE REMINDER, AND WE DO HAVE THOSE ADULTS TO SHARE A COUNCIL . APPROXIMATELY 318 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY, AND THEY WERE ACTS HAVE THEY ATTENDED A COUNCIL MEDIA IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS WHERE THEY LIKE TO EAT IN A COUNCIL MEETING IN THE FUTURE, AND WHAT IS THEIR PREFERRED TIME AND 1 30? WAS THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSE WITH ABOUT 50.6% PEOPLE VOTING FOR THAT TIME IS ROUGHLY 161 RESPONSES ABOUT 50.6 SO LITTLE 51% 34 PEOPLE CHOSE AT THREE PM AND FIVE PM WAS A SECOND CHOICE AT 100 AND 23 RESPONSES. SO THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE. UM IF THERE IS SOME NEXT STEPS FROM COUNCIL HAPPY TO KNOW THAT THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, UM IF THEY I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THIS PART CAN BE EDITED OUT. WELL I WAS IT WAS, IT WAS CLOSE REAL CLOSE. LET'S TRY AGAIN. I HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE WATER SYSTEM. I BEFORE I GET INTO IT. I DIDN'T WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MATERIAL FOR HIS AND THE PUBLIC'S ASSISTANCE. IN OUR APPEAL. WE GOT A HUGE VOLUME OF INFORMATION , AND I THINK THAT MADE THE CASE A LOT EASIER TO THE JLO TO APPROVE THAT APPEAL. I WANTED TO PASS OUT THIS JUST RELEASED TODAY. IT IS FROM THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD. THEY RELEASE IT EACH WEEK. AND THEY GO THROUGH DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND AS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE WHEN YOU GET THE HANDOUT. UM THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR OUR PART OF TEXAS, BUT WE ARE IN EXTREME DROUGHT, WHICH IS THE NEXT TO HIGHEST LEVEL OF DROUGHT WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE

[02:20:04]

THAT'S NOT EASY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS NOWADAYS. ESPECIALLY NOT ONLY YOUR RECENT MOST RECENT TRIALS, SO THAT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL. AND AS I WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, WE HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT WILL TAKE US THROUGH TO THE NEXT SESSION. WE CAN WE HAVE OUR PRIORITIES ALREADY ESTABLISHED WHENEVER YOU TALKING WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, STATE OFFICIALS, UH, FEDERAL OFFICIALS , YOU HAVE A DOCUMENT TO TALK WITH THEM ABOUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO BEAUMONT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR AND WHAT THEIR STAFF WANTS TO HEAR. SO GREAT.

LIKEWISE THAT I'D LIKE TO COME IN CITIZENS, UH, COMMUNITY FOR CONSERVING WATER. WE WERE REALLY IN, YOU KNOW, A BIT OF A DIRE SITUATION, UH, AT ONE TIME, AND NOW WE'RE BACK INTO STAGE ONE SO THAT TOOK THE CORPORATION OF THIS COMMUNITY TO GET THERE. AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO DO BECAUSE CHANGING HABITS, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE USING WATER, IT'S NOT, UH EASY AND THEN DON'T ALWAYS IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN THAT QUICKLY. SO I COMMEND OUR CITIZENS HERE. YEAH WE HAVE OUR DEPARTMENTAL WORK STATUS BOOK. I JUST WANT TO KEEP THIS ON YOUR MIND BECAUSE THIS IS A GREAT BOOK. WHENEVER YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING, AND YOU CAN'T GET WAS LOOKING THIS BOOK THIS TON OF INFORMATION ABOUT EVERY APARTMENT HERE IN THIS UPDATED EVERY MONTH, SO IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE BOOK. AND I JUST, UH YOU DIDN'T MAKE SURE NOT FORGET ABOUT IT AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT WHEN YOU GET IT. IT COMES FROM SANDRA DAVIS TO YOU. MHM AND. SHE SHE SAID THAT TO YOU ELECTRONICALLY EVERY MONTH, SHE EMAILS EVERY MONTH. I READ IT, DON'T Y'ALL. AND IF YOU LIKE A HARD COPY WERE WE CAN SUPPLY HARD COPIES. YEAH IT'S EVERY DEPARTMENT WITH AN UPDATE EVERY MONTH. OH WHAT'S HAPPENING OCCURRED. BACK IN COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO FOR READING. AND UH, THAT'S I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT THAT'S THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAN. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SHARE. WELL I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THAT WAS IMPRESSIVE.

UH ALSO IN THE WATER. I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE A QUICK COMMENT BECAUSE I GET SEVERAL CALLS A DAY ABOUT WATER LEAKS THAT ARE CONTINUING THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME THEY REPAIR BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE PIPE, SO THE LARGER PIPES GET WATER LEAKS GET REPEL

[02:25:05]

AND THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THE SALVATION ARMY. YOU'LL SOMETIMES HEAR THAT THERE HADN'T BEEN ONE FOR SIX YEARS, SO THERE IS NO CHARGE. PEOPLE CAN STAY AS LONG AS NEEDED. AND I LIKE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT DR SHANNON ALLEN AND I WOULD BE I S D A OR VISITING CHURCHES ON SUNDAYS. TALKING ABOUT HOW GORDON VOLUNTEER IS, UM, IS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE STRIDES, AND, UH IN HELPING OUR STUDENTS AND HELPING OUR YOUTH WE NEED TO VOLUNTEER WE HAVE ABOUT 1700. WE NEED ABOUT 17,000 AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT'S A NUMBER THAT WE CAME UP WITH, BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT ONE FOR EACH STUDENT. SO AND ALSO ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAME AND MADE PRESENTATIONS FOR THE HOT TAX. APPRECIATE THAT NOW WE'RE GOING

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]