PUBLIC HEARING

[5. Council consider an ordinance amending Section 22.05.211 of the Code of Ordinances to increase garbage rates by $1.00 per month effective October 1, 2023.]

READING OF ADAM, NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE COUNT COUNCIL CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 22.

05.211 OF THE QUOTE OF ORDINANCE TO INCREASE GARBAGE RATES BY $1 PER MONTH, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1 2023. IS THERE A MOTION? FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE MOVED TO APPROVE SECOND. MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY DISCUSSION. ITEM NUMBER FIVE. YES, COUNCILMAN GUESTS. I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS

[01:15:02]

OPPORTUNITY TO AGAIN CONGRATULATE OUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO. AH NOT MANY CITIES IN THIS AREA HAVE HEAVY TRASH PICK UP EVERY WEEK. WE NEED TO BE THANKFUL FOR THAT. I KNOW I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE IT'S DROUGHT. IT'S KILLED THREE LARGE TREES ON MY PROPERTY THAT HAD TO PAY TO BE CUT DOWN AND MOVED TO THE CURB.

AND IT WAS A MOUNTAIN OF DEBRIS . UH I MEAN, I WAS. ARE THEY REALLY GOING TO PICK ALL THAT UP? THEY DID NOT ONLY DO THEY PICK IT UP, BUT THEY SWEPT UP ALL THE LEAVES AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS THERE SO THAT YOU COULDN'T EVEN TELL IT HAD BEEN THERE. THAT IS INCREDIBLE WORK.

I ABSOLUTELY THINK THAT WE HAVE A GREAT SANITATION DEPARTMENT. COUNCILMAN TURNER YES, I HAVE TO. SECOND WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GETS HAD. I'VE RAN INTO MULTIPLE CITIZENS THAT HAVE MOVED TO BEAUMONT. AND THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT WE DO PICK UP AS OFTEN AS WE DO, AND THERE'S ALSO HAS OFTEN BEEN TIMES WHEREAS SOMEBODY MAY HAVE FORGOT FOR THAT PARTICULAR DAY AND MR BENJIE YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE WENT OUT OF YOUR WAY AND CAME BACK AND GOT THAT UP. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR A GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND. I GET A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS FROM YOU GUYS DEPARTMENT. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT PUBLICLY. PUBLICLY LIKE TO THANK BENJIE ALSO AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF THIS DEPARTMENT. THEY DO A GREAT JOB.

DITTO. THANKS HMM. NOW I PERSONALLY I'VE CALLED WELL CALLED AND, UH. LIKE LIKE COME OUT ON TRAIL PARK ROAD TIRES ALL OVER THE PLACE. AND YOU FOUND OUT AND PROBABLY WITHIN AN HOUR.

ALL THAT STUFF WAS PICKED UP. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. NEED A RECORD VOTE. NO I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE AH! ANY OPPOSED. THE

[6. Council consider amending Section 22.02.001, Water Service Rates and Section 22.02.002, Wastewater Service Rates of the Code of Ordinances to increase water rates by four percent (4%) and sewer rates by ten percent (10%) effective October 1, 2023.]

MOTION IS CARRIED. CITY MANAGER. MAY WE HAVE THE READING ABOUT? UM, NUMBER SIX COUNCIL CONSIDER AMENDING SECTION 22.02 0.001 WATER SERVICE RATES AND SECTION 22.02 0.002 WASTEWATER SERVICE RATES OF THE CODE OF ARCHNESS IS TO INCREASE WATER RATES BY 4. AND STILL RATES BY 10% EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1 2023. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? DON'T MOVE FOR APPROVAL. THERE'S A MOTION IS THERE A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX AND HE DISCUSSION COUNCILMAN FELL. SHAW TIED FOR THE SAKE OF THE CITIZENS THAT ARE HERE AND THOSE WHO WERE LISTENING LATER. THIS IS AN ENTERPRISE ACCOUNT, WHICH MEANS IT'S SELF FUNDED, AND FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE BEEN LOSING MONEY WITH WATER AND SEWER. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. WE'VE BEEN DIPPING INTO FUN BALANCED LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. ALSO THIS CREATES A PROBLEM FOR US NOT ONLY TO MAINTAIN THOSE DEPARTMENTS BUT ALSO IT AFFECTS OUR BOND RATING WHEN WE GO OUT TO BORROW MONEY IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT . THE INCREASE IS NEEDED TO BALANCE THE BUDGET AND CONTINUE FIXING THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE WITH WATER AND SEWER, CORRECT. YEAH, AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL AUTHORIZED THE HIRING OF A CONSULTANT. WITH HDR TO DO A STUDY ON OUR WATER RATES OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD TO MATCH IT UP WITH OUR CAPITAL PLAN TO BASICALLY STUDY OUR RATE STRUCTURE AND PLANNED THOSE RATES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS TO SUPPORT OUR CAPITAL PLAN FOR WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS. AND SO THIS THESE RATE RECOMMENDATIONS OR A RESULT OF HIS STUDY. I HEARD THE GENTLEMAN EARLIER FROM COLDER CLEANER SPEAK AND THE TIMING ON THIS IS HORRIBLE. AND THE OPTIC IS HORRIBLE. I GUESS. MY QUESTION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO YOU AND TO THE COUNCIL WOULD BE. CAN WE POSTPONE THIS UNTIL WE GET OUT OF THIS CRISIS WE'RE IN. AND IF WE DID, WHAT KIND OF AN IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE ON THE CITY? SO UNLIKE A TAX RATE, YOU CAN POSTPONE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT MY COUNTER WOULD BE WE'RE ON THE GULF COAST. WHAT IF WE GET HIT WITH ANOTHER HURRICANE? THAT'S 11 CONCERN. YOU GOTTA WORRY ABOUT. SO YOU YOU NEED FUN BALANCE FOR A REASON. YOU NEEDED TO SATISFY THE RATING AGENCIES. YOU NEEDED TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN SUSTAIN YOUR OPERATIONS IN A TIME WHEN YOU'RE HIT WITH ANOTHER CATASTROPHE, SO I UNDERSTAND THIS IS BAD TIMING, BUT IT WOULD SIMPLY JUST BASICALLY KICKED THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. SO IF YOU DO, UM DELAY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A RATE INCREASE A THREE MONTHS THAT'S GONNA END THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THE AMOUNT OF RATE INCREASES THAT WE NEEDED. PLAN FOR THE NEXT YEAR, ALSO FROM THE STUDY MIGHT REMEMBER CORRECTLY THAT THE STUDY SHOWED THAT WE

[01:20:03]

WERE LOW ON THE LOWER END COMPARED TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE SIZE. DO I REMEMBER THAT CORRECTLY, SO WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A 15% OF FUN BALANCE. MINIMUM REQUIREMENT POLICY. BUT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD MORE THAN 15% IN THE PAST THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE COVID HIT AND ALL THE INFLATION NO. I'VE EXPLAINED THIS TO COUNSEL BEFORE. YOU KNOW, IN THE HEIGHT OF INFLATION, IT WAS 8.1% BUT THOSE ARE FOR HOUSEHOLD GOODS. WE DON'T BUY A HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND THE WATER FUND. WE BUY CHEMICALS, INDUSTRIAL PIPES, ETCETERA. WE WERE EXPERIENCING INFLATION OF 5200. SO, UM. SO OUR FUND BALANCE HAS BEEN DEPLETED TO SATISFY THE RATING AGENCIES. WE NEED TO WORK UP TO 25% FUND BALANCE, AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT HDR DID FOR US.

WHEN THEY DID THE WATER RATES STUDY. THEY DID RATE PLAN OVER FIVE YEARS TO SUPPORT ONE THE CAPITAL PLAN AND TO GROW THE FUN BALANCE FROM 15% TO 25% OVER THE NEXT THREE OR FIVE YEARS. AND IT'S TRUE THAT OUR CITIZENS THAT THEY QUALIFY EXCUSE ME. OUR SENIOR CITIZENS THAT THEY QUALIFIED, THEY CAN GET A DISCOUNT. CORRECT CANDY. UM SO FOR WATER, THEY GET BASICALLY AN EQUIVALENT OF 1000 GALLONS OF WATER AND 1000 GALLONS OF SEWER FOR FREE. WELL I DO WISH WE COULD POSTPONE THIS. I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE OPTIC. IT'S HORRIBLE TIMING, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO FUNCTION AS A CITY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCILMAN NEIL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. MR MANAGER. SO OUTSIDE THE OUTSIDE THE DROUGHT WE USE WHAT? SOMEWHERE AROUND 30 MILLION GALLONS A DAY AT THE WATER PLANT ABOUT THIS TIME OF YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 30,000,029 30 MILLION OR SO THIS TIME OF YEAR, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OUT OF THAT 30 MILLION ACTUALLY RUNS THROUGH MEDIA. THAT'S ACTUALLY SOLD. WE DO HAVE A HIGHER AMOUNT OF UNACCOUNTED FOR WATER WHICH WE'RE WORKING, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE SOME LEAKS IN OUR SYSTEM.

AH WE HAVE SOME INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEEDS PREPARING TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT WATER ACCOUNTED FOR OUT OF THAT. 30 MILLION. WHAT I MEAN, YOU SAID HIGH AMOUNT. WHAT'S A HIGH AMOUNT BEFORE THE DROUGHT. IT'S IN THE TWENTIES 27 OR 24% I'D HAVE TO GO CHECK TO GET THE EXACT FIGURE. BUT SOMEWHERE IN THERE WAS OUR LAST . UM WE REPORTED TO THE STATE EVERY YEAR AND HAVE TO CALCULATE THAT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE VALUE OF THAT 24% IS? I DO NOT. WHAT'S A WHAT'S A REASONABLE LOSS RATIO? I MEAN, THE LOWER THE BETTER, UM, TO SPEAK TO THE LOSS . THAT'S WHY WE'VE RECOMMENDED INCREASING WATERLINE REPLACEMENT IN THE C I P SO WE HAD INITIALLY ASKED FOR 8 MILLION A YEAR WE BACKED OFF ON THAT, UM, TO KIND OF POSTPONED WATER BOND GOING OUT, SO IT'S STILL 2 MILLION NEXT YEAR, BUT THAT'S WHY YOU SEE IN YEARS. TWO THROUGH FIVE IN THE C I P $8 MILLION WORTH OF WATERLINE REPLACEMENT UNTIL YOU REALLY MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET RID OF THOSE OLDER LINES. YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH LEAKS WOULD THANK COUNCILOR EVER LESS THAN 10% SOMEWHERE 10 BETWEEN 10 AND 5% IS AN ACCEPTABLE NUMBER. YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN AT A 24% LOSS.

WE'VE HAD, AS FAR AS I KNOW, SINCE I'VE BEEN AT THE CITY WE'VE WE'VE RUN. IN THE AT LEAST IN THE TWENTIES. BUT THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GUESTS AND COUNCILMAN TURNER RECENTLY LEARNED ABOUT SOME TECHNOLOGIES THAT ALLOW YOU TO HELP IN SOME INSTANCES, REHABILITATE REHABILITATE WATER LINES WITHOUT EXCAVATION AND REPLACING, UH WITH NEW LINES AND FORWARDED THAT TO YOU, MR WILLIAMS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT IT YET. BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE HOOPERS. TO LOOK AT ALL AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED. UH, AND REHABILITATING OUR WATER LINES BECAUSE THE OLD TRADITIONAL METHOD IS AS YOU KNOW, EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. SO IF THERE ARE THINGS OUT THERE THAT EXISTS THAT CAN BE USED. ENCOURAGED AFTER INVESTIGATE THOSE COUNCILMAN TURNER. HONESTLY MR WILLIAMS, MY CONCERN TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT. MOST OF THE CITIZENS I'VE SPOKE WITH THEIR CONCERN IS YOU KNOW, WE'RE PAYING FOR SOMETHING. AND WHAT'S THE R O I? WHAT'S THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT? AND IT'S NOT A SECRET THAT WE HAVE HAD OUR INEFFICIENCIES WHEN IT COMES TO WATER SITUATIONS PRIOR TO YOUR

[01:25:06]

TENURE BEING HERE AND SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL I THINK IT WOULD BEHOOVE ER IS NOT TO SPEAK TO THE CITIZENS ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT INEFFICIENCIES PRIOR TO TALKING ABOUT RACE.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO IMPROVE AS A CITY THAT ACCOUNTABILITY WE'RE GOING TO TAKE? BECAUSE I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT COMES TO TRANSPARENCY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RATE INCREASES AND CONSISTENTLY TODAY. ALL MORNING YESTERDAY THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I'VE BEEN GETTING PHONE CALLS SINCE THIS CAME OUT ABOUT WE'RE PAYING FOR IT, BUT WE'VE BEEN HAVING ISSUES CONSISTENTLY, AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT AND SEE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO, UH, ORDER SOME THINGS WE REALLY NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT THE REAL ISSUES IN THE WATER IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. OKAY? UH PORTER. THE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT. THIS PROPOSED INCREASES ONE WITH SEWER. AND WHICH SORE THAT STUDIED SHOWED THAT. YOU'RE NOT CHARGING ENOUGH AND YOUR RATES TO COVER THE COST OF OPERATING YOUR SEWER SYSTEM. AND YOU'VE BEEN SPENDING DOWN YOUR FUN BALANCE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MORE THAN SEVERAL YEARS TO SUPPLEMENT. WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT TO NOT HAVE ENOUGH. AND NOW YOU'RE AT THE POINT WHERE YOU SPENT DOWN YOUR FUND BALANCE SO MUCH THAT IT'S NOT AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OR TOWARDS. FAVORABLY LOOKED AT BY ABUNDANT AGENCIES. SO WHICH WILL HURT YOU SO ONE YOU NEED TO CONSIDER GETTING YOUR RIGHTS TO WHERE YOU LEAST YOU'RE BREAKING EVEN AND WHERE YOU GET GETTING ENOUGH MONEY TO RECOVER YOUR COST OF OPERATING SOURCE SYSTEM, AND IT'S NOT THERE. TWO PRO, YOU KNOW, TIMING IS NOT GREAT RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM A LOT OF VARIABLES INVOLVED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING TO US RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW SUCH A STRONG AND OTHER THINGS, BUT WE PUT THIS TOGETHER EVEN BEFORE THE DROUGHT THERE AND A LOT OF THESE DOLLARS TO OR WHAT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, YOUR INFRASTRUCTURES. IT'S OLD BEAUMONT AND OLD CITY. AND, UH, YOU NEED TO INVEST IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE. 12 YOU'RE GONNA HAVE FIVE YEARS OF PIPES. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LEAKS. YOU'RE GOING TO GET THIS COLORED WATER BECAUSE OF THAT. THAT SYSTEM YOU'RE HAVING TO REPAIR THE TIME YOU BREAK A LOT OF OUR LINE BREAKS AND YOU REPAIR YOU. YOU'RE GONNA GET THIS COLOR WATER IN YOUR SYSTEM. SO THIS LAYS OUT A FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN. TO READ TO MAINTAIN RESTORE YOUR SYSTEM TO A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS AS I MENTIONED THE OTHER DAY. AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE $311 MILLION OF THIS FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN IS FOR RESTORATION OF YOUR WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM. UM YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE OLD STILL CASTAN PIPE THAT THAT'S JUST IT'S HAD USED THIS SERVICE USED TO A LIFE. AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO YOUR GONNA HAVE SEWER BACKUPS GOING FORWARD. WHEN IT RAINS. YOU'RE GONNA HELP ISSUES WHEN IT GETS DRY. IF YOU DON'T LINK PROPERLY , MAINTAIN YOUR SYSTEM AND PUT THE DOLLARS INTO YOUR SYSTEM YOU NEED TO MY FATHER UP. QUESTION IS, DO YOU DO YOU THINK WE'RE AT A POINT TO WHERE WE GOT THE TIME TO GO OVER A FIVE YEAR SPAN? BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT. AND I THINK AS A CITY WERE VERY STRONG. I THINK THIS IS WHERE WERE THE WEEK IS AT SO DO YOU THINK WE HAVE THAT FIVE YEAR TIME PERIOD WHEN I SAY WEEKENDS, WE GOT EMPLOYEES WHO WORK EXTREMELY HARD, AND I KNOW THAT BECAUSE I SEE HIM DOING IT. BUT THE COMPLAINTS AND THE ISSUES WE FACE IS CONSISTENTLY COME FROM BROWN WATER WHEN I FIRST STARTED TO THE WATER LINES TO T C Q. REPORTS LIKE IT'S JUST BEING CONSISTENT, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE YOU LOSE THE CONFIDENCE AND CITIZENS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT RAISING THIS RATE. YOU'RE SAYING FIVE YEARS. DO YOU HAVE TIME? DO YOU THINK THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN WE IN A POSITION TO ACTUALLY WAIT AND PACE OUT OVER TIME, OR DO YOU THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK AT MAYBE MORE OF AN EXPEDITED TIMELINE. MAYBE LOOK AT BUN AUSTRIAN JUST BECAUSE I THINK CITIZENS WHEN IT COMES TO FIXING THIS, THE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE THE KNEES WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR CHILDREN, SENIOR CITIZENS JUST FAMILY BATHING DRINKING BUSINESSES TRYING TO OPERATE. I THINK, ARE WE IN A POSITION TO WHERE IT'S DEAD? SERIOUS TO WHAT WE NEED TO EXPEDITE THIS TIMELINE. I THINK THIS IS A VIABLE PLAN JUST LAID OUT OVER THE FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

THINK IT'S VIABLE BECAUSE IF YOU EXPEDITED OF YOUR SPEED IT UP, THAT'S GOING TO BE EVEN MORE OF A RATE INCREASE. YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE A LOT MORE THAN YOU'RE PROPOSING NOW, SO YOU KNOW, CITIES ONLY HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. WE DON'T HAVE UNLIMITED DOLLARS, AND WE CAN'T PUT TOO MUCH BURDEN ON TAXPAYERS. SO YOU'VE GOT TO FIND THAT THAT THAT HAPPY MEDIUM

[01:30:06]

THERE TO WHERE YOU KNOW PEOPLE WANT GOOD SERVICE AND WILLING TO PAY FOR IT. BUT ALSO PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU NEED. SO I THINK THIS OFFICE REALLY GOOD PACE. YOU KNOW, IT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT THINGS THINGS WILL BE HAPPENING. COUNCILMAN DURIO. QUESTIONS. UM. TODD THEN WE DO A RECENTLY, I GUESS, WAS IT ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT WE DID A RATE INCREASE? YEAH, I CAN GIVE YOU SOME HISTORICAL CONTEXT , SO AND I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ALSO, BUT FROM 2008 UNTIL 2015. THAT'S AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD. WE HAVE IT. WE HAD AN AVERAGE INCREASE IN THE WATER AND SEWER RATES OF 6.25% WE INCREASED RATES EVERY YEAR. THEN FROM 2016 TO 2023. WE ONLY INCREASED RATES FOUR TIMES FOR AN AVERAGE RATE INCREASE OF 2.6. SO WE'RE TRYING TO CATCH BACK UP NOW, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION . LAST YEAR, WE HAD AN 8% RATE INCREASE. AND ALSO, THERE'S SOME MISINFORMATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW. READ SOMEBODY SAID THERE'S A 4% INCREASE ON WATER 10% INCREASE ON ON SOLID WASTE. SO YOUR BILLS GOING UP 14. THAT'S MISINFORMATION. IT ADDS UP TO 14% BUT FOR MOST PEOPLE, HALF OF YOUR WATER BILLS, SOLID WASTE SEWER. NOT SOLID SEWER, AND THE OTHER HALF IS WATER AND ALSO, PEOPLE HAVE IRRIGATION METERS ON TOP, SO THE WATER BILLS A LITTLE SKEWED HEAVIER. THE AVERAGE INCREASES. 6.9% IS NOT 14. HOW MUCH IS THAT IN DOLLARS PER MONTH IN THE MEMO SAYS, MOST OF OUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS USE $5000. SO THAT INCREASES $4.80 A MONTH. YOU KNOW, BART, CAN WE GET A, UM, UPDATE OR WHERE WE ARE, AS FAR AS THE CHEMICALS IN THE WATER AND TREATING THE WATER RIGHT NOW. WHAT TIMELINE WHERE WE'RE WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY. WE STARTED ADDING AMMONIA BACK TO THE TREATMENT PROCESS TODAY, SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS TO SWITCH BACK TO CHLORAMINE ZONES SO OVER THE NEXT WEEK WILL BE FLUSH AND BACK TO QUOTE UNQUOTE NORMAL TREE, ONE TREATMENT OF WATER. SO I WAS. IS THAT ABOUT HOW LONG WILL BE BEFORE THE SMELL AND TASTE IS GONE ONCE WE'RE FULLY BACK ON CHLORAMINE Z AND YOU WON'T HAVE THE HEAVY CHLORINE SMELL ANYMORE. IT'LL BE BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS RIGHT. UH, COUNCILMAN GUESSING COUNCILMAN FELL. SHAW. BART HOW WE LOOKING ON GETTING OUR LEAGUES REPAIRED.

HOW MANY YEARS PENDING RIGHT NOW? I'LL LOVE PITCH THAT OVER TO MIKE HARRIS BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE RUNNING THE WATER REPAIR CREWS. SO THE LAKES PENDING WE'RE AT ABOUT 230 LEAK SPENDING. WE HAVE SEEN A REALLY BIG INCREASING THE NUMBER OF LEAKS WERE ABLE TO GET FIXED. SINCE WE PULLED IN A BUNCH OF CRUISE IN HOUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO OR THREE OF THE SEWER, CURRIES, DIRECTIONAL DRILLING CURRIES BY BURSTING CRUISE. UM LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE ALL FIXED AND LEAKS. WE USUALLY RUN ANYWHERE FROM 7 39 IN HOUSE CURRIES A DAY NOW. UH COMPARED TO THE FOUR WE WERE NORMALLY WOULD USE PLUS, WE HAVE TWO CONTRACTORS, CREWS WORKING SO WE'RE AVERAGING NOW, 22 TO 28 LEAKS A DAY REPAIRED. SO WE HAVE 230 OR SO LEAK SPENDING, HOW MANY LEAKS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED IN THE PAST MOTHER'S SELF? I CAN GET YOU. THE EXACT NUMBER OF COUNCILMAN GETS, UM I LOOKED AT THIS ABOUT TWO. DAYS AGO SINCE AUGUST, 1ST WE'VE HAD A LITTLE OVER 300. LEAKS REPAIRED. AND THAT'S MAJOR LEAGUES AND MINOR LEAGUES. OKAY WITH THIS, UH 3 23 30. I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT I CAN GET THAT TO YOU. DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE'RE MAKING HEADWAYS? WE'RE FINALLY GETTING TO SEE THE NUMBERS DROP AFTER LAST WEEK LIKE SAID THE NUMBERS STARTED GOING DOWN, SO WE ARE SEEING SOME HEADWAY. NOW, WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE DID REACH OUT THROUGH TEXAS RURAL WATER. WE HAVE THREE CREWS COMING FROM A WATER DEPARTMENT IN NORTH TEXAS TODAY THAT WILL BE HERE REPAIRING LEAKS THE REMAINDER OF THIS WEEK WE ALSO DID PUT OUT ANOTHER MERCY CONTRACT. OH LAST FRIDAY THAT CLOSED OUT YESTERDAY. THERE WERE

[01:35:07]

TWO MORE CONTRACTORS THAT EXPRESSED INTEREST. UH, PUBLIC WORKS IS HANDLING THAT THEN WE OPENED UP ANOTHER CONTRACT AFTER THAT, SO WE'RE STARTING TO GET A LOT MORE HELP IN, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE THE NUMBERS DROPPED A LOT FASTER. THANK YOU, MIKE, AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE CITY MANAGER FOR REACHING OUT OR I THINK IT WAS YOUR IDEA THAT ACTUALLY REACH OUT TO SEE IF THE STATE COULD HELP US WITH SOME RESOURCES WHICH WHICH THEY'VE DONE AND UH, THAT'S THAT'S REALLY WONDERFUL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD MAKE IT. A LOT EASIER FOR OUR CITIZENS TO SWALLOW WITH REGARD TO THIS RIGHT HYPE. THIS PROPOSED RIGHT HIGH IS IF THEY KNEW THAT OUR WATER WAS SAFE TO DRINK. THERE'S MISINFORMATION OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT SAYS THAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT OUR WATERS POOP WATER OR THAT OUR WATER IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IN SOME WAY GOING TO HURT YOU NOW. REALLY CONFESS SOME OF THE PICTURES I'VE SEEN OF SOME OF THE WATER. THAT'S COME OUT OF SOME OF THE TABS THAT SOME OF THE LOCATIONS OF THE CITY I WOULDN'T WANT TO DRINK THAT EVEN IF IT IS SAFE, BUT IT IS. IT NEEDS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT T C E Q AND YOU YOU HAVE OUT THERE ALSO LISTING OF INFRACTIONS THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT IS CHARGED WITH HAVING VIOLATED. UH MOST OF THEM ARE MINOR. THERE ARE SOME MODERN BUT IT'S DIFFICULT FOR CITIZENS TO HAVE FAITH WHEN THEY SEE A LIST OF INFRACTIONS LIKE THAT.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND THAT SAME T CE QUE RIGHT OUR WATER SYSTEM AS SUPERIOR, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DECIDE. YOU KNOW WHICH PART OF TC HERE? YOU'RE GONNA BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING TO BELIEVE THAT ALL THESE INFRACTIONS POINT TO AN EPIDEMIC OF, UH, NOT TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS PROPERLY AT THE CITY OR THE BELIEVE THE PORTION OF TCU Q SAYS OUR WATER SUPERIOR, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT IT SEEMS INCONSISTENT WHEN CITIZENS ARE TOLD THEY CANNOT WATER THEIR YARD OR WASH THEIR CAR ONLY DO IT ON CERTAIN DAYS. AND THEY SEE HYDRANTS THAT ARE OPEN AND FLOWING WATER FREELY RUNNING DOWN THE STREETS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY WE DO THAT? YES EXACTLY. JUST WHAT YOU YOU SPEAK OF. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN A STANDARD OF WATER. FOR THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT.

LIKE I SAID TC KEY PUTS OUT THE RULES OF WHAT OUR WATER NEEDS TO BE AT THAT IS ACHIEVED BY FLUSHING. WE HAVE TO FLUSH TO MAINTAIN CHLORINE RESIDUAL TO ELIMINATE WATER AGE. WELL, I SAID THAT'S PART OF A MAINTAINING THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. IT'S A NECESSARY EVIL.

UH WE GO OUT. WE FLUSH WITH THE DROUGHT. THAT CONTINGENCY WE'VE BEEN UNDER, UM WE BEEN REALLY CURVING. HOW MUCH FLUSHING WE DO. UM WE'VE BEEN MINIMUM IZING GOING OUT TURNING HYDRANTS ON FOR HOURS AT A TIME. UH SOMETIMES IN THE PAST, WE WOULD RUN THEM A DIET. UH LIKE I SAID, WE GO OUT. WE TURN THEM ON. WE STAY WITH THE HYDRANT. WE MONITOR IT. UH AND THEN WE CHECK IT ONCE IT GETS BACK UP TO THE DESIRED LEVEL. WE TURNED THE HYDRANT OFF AND MOVE ON. EVERY NOW AND AGAIN. THERE ARE CERTAIN CASES WHERE WE DO TURN A HYDRANT ON AND WE MAY GET A CALL SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND THE, UH, EMPLOYEE WILL LEAVE THE HYDRA KNOWN WHY DOES TAKES CARE OF SOMETHING ELSE AND THEN COMES BACK TO THE HYDROGEN. SO AND LASTLY, WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME CRITICISMS FOR NOT BEING TRANSPARENT. I'VE NEVER SEEN AN ADMINISTRATION BE MORE TRANSPARENT THAN THIS. WE HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK WHERE ALL THE WATER OFFICIALS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ADMINISTRATION WERE THERE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS AND WE HAD QUESTIONS AND THEY WERE ANSWERED . WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION THE DEPARTMENT THAT PUTS OUT REGULARLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WATER DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE ADOPTED A PHILOSOPHY OF MAKING SURE THAT ALL CITIZENS QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND RESPONDED TO. MAYBE THEY DON'T LIKE THE ANSWERS, BUT WE ARE TELLING. THE TRUTH. THERE'S NOT SOME BASQUE CONSPIRACY UP HERE TO TRY TO MISLEAD THE CITIZENS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE WATER DEPARTMENT THAT I'M AWARE OF, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL. HMM THAT'S CORRECT. LIKE, SO WE TRY TO BE AN OPEN BOOK WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. UM WHAT THE CONVERTING OVER FROM FREE

[01:40:01]

CHLORINE ARE FROM CHLOR MINSTER . FRUIT CHLORINE. WE WERE RUNNING TO A NOTIFICATION ISSUE THAT YOU KNOW IS DETRIMENT TO THE WATER QUALITY THAT WE PUT OUT THE WAY WE COMBAT THAT IS BY A FREE CHLORINE CONVERSION, SO YOU KNOW THAT'S WHAT WE DID NOW WOULD THE ISSUES THAT WE RUN INTO THE DISCOVERED WATER? THE WATER TASTE WATER, OLDER ISSUES. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS WITH THE WITH THE CONVERSIONS THAT WE DO. I MEAN, IT'S A STATED FACT THROUGH THE STATE, YOU KNOW OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN RUN INTO WITH DOING THIS CONVERSION, YOU KNOW, AND BUT WE DID IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO GET OUT THE BEST QUALITY OF WATER THAT WE CAN TO THE CITIZENS.

SAME COUNCILMAN, FILL SOLVING COUNCILMAN DURIO, THEN COUNCILMAN TURN, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF TIMES MENTIONED THAT THE BROWN WATER COULD WE AGAIN ADDRESSED THE CHLORINE DIOXIDE PROGRAM THAT'S COMING. I KNOW IT'S THE MANGANESE, THE NATURE'S RIVER BROWN WATER, BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REMIND OUR CITIZENS. WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM THAT'S COMING AND WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT COUNCIL AUTHORIZED US TO ADD CHLORINE DIOXIDE TO THE WATER TREATMENT PROCESS WITH THAT'S GOING TO DO IS CURRENTLY WE SUSPEND THE IRON AND MANGANESE THAT'S NATURALLY OCCURRING IN OUR SURFACE WATER AND AS IT AGES, YOU CAN DROP THOSE MINERALS OUT AS SEDIMENTS IN THE SYSTEM, WHICH ADDS TO THE DISCOLORED WATER. ANYTIME YOU GET TO A DISRUPTION, LIKE A WATER BREAK, WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF RIGHT NOW, SO WE'RE AT 90. ON THE ENGINEERING OF THOSE PLANS, AND WE'RE STILL ON TRACK TO HAVE THAT SYSTEM IN OPERATION IN EARLY 2025 IS ONE OF THE B IN PLACE NOW, AT THAT POINT WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED AND LIVE WATER TREATMENT, THEN WE'LL BE REMOVING THE IRON AND MAIN GUINEAS AND WE WON'T BE PUTTING THOSE MINERALS OUT INTO THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM ANYMORE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DORIA. YES GUESS MR MANAGER COULD ASK JUST SINCE THE MAYOR HAS EMERGENCY EMERGENCY DECLARATION. WHAT RESOURCES HAVE WE RECEIVED OR HAVE WE RECEIVED ANY RESOURCES FROM THE STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SINCE THEN? WELL NOT SO MUCH FROM THE STATE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. BUT WE FOUND THAT, UH, SPEAKER FEELINGS OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH THIS. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT IDENTIFIED THE TEXAS REAL WATER.

SOC ATION WHO'S SENDING US SOME CRUISE THREE CREWS DOWN THERE TO HELP US WITH THESE WATER LEAKS.

THEY'RE GONNA SEND THE CREWS WITH THEIR OWN EQUIPMENT. AND SUPPLIES AND NOT EVEN CHARGED THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR THE WORKS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO SO THEY HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

UH SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WERE OUT THERE, BUT WE HAVEN'T FOUND THEM SO MUCH. H O ACCOMMODATING FOR US TO USE BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO REACH OUT TO THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT THE MAYOR'S PARKLAND PROCLAMATION DECLARATION. ENABLES US TO DO THAT. WE WENT TO THE COUNTY FIRST AND ASK FOR ASSISTANCE THERE. THEN WE WENT TO T THEM TEXT DIVISION OF MERCY MANAGEMENT WITHSTAND PUTS US IN ORDER FOR OTHER THINGS. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO QUESTIONS THAT THE TEXAS RULE WATER ASSOCIATION ASK US BEFORE THEY SENT. L HELP. ONE OF YOU TALK WITH THE COUNTY TO HAVE YOU GONE TO THE TEXT DIVISION VERSUS MANAGEMENT. AND WE HAD SAID BOTH TO THE THOSE AND AFTER THAT, THEY LIKE WELL, HAVE YOU SOMEBODY THERE TUESDAY EVENING? IF THINGS WORK OUT SO UM, YEAH, WE'RE LOOKING AT RESOURCES AND ALL SORTS, THEY SAID. WE'RE LOOKING AT PUTTING OUT ANOTHER COUNTRY TRACKED FOR CONTRACTORS TO DO WORK. AND MIKE. I HAD PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME THIS QUESTION. I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW I WASN'T SURE SOMEONE ACTUALLY THE WATER THAT'S LEAKING THROUGH THE PIPES THAT WE SEE IN THE DITCHES. HOW MUCH OF THAT WATER GOES BACK INTO OUR SYSTEM, OR DOES IT ALL JUST GO DOWN THE RIVER DOWN TO THE RIVER STORM DRAINS OR THE DITCHING RIGHT? COUNCILMAN TURNER. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YES I UNDERSTAND. MR MANAGER MIKE BART . I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU GUYS SAYING. BUT I JUST LIKE I HAVE TO PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF MY CONCERNS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO CITIZENS , WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR CUTTING THE GRASS. THEY CAN GET A FINE THEY DON'T PAY THEIR WATER BILL. WE'LL GO OUT. WE'LL TURN THE WATER OFF. HAVE BUSINESSES DON'T ACQUIRE OR OPERATE TO THE LEVEL OF STANDARDS. WE GOT THE POWER TO SOMETIMES SHUT THOSE BUSINESSES . NOW I UNDERSTAND. WE HAD AN UNPRECEDENTED TIME WITH THE NATURAL DISASTER WE HAVE RIGHT NOW THE PIPES HAVE SHIFTED AND I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THE LEAKS. BUT WHAT I HAVE TO PUSH BACK ON AND I'M NOT OKAY WITH AND I

[01:45:02]

DON'T AGREE WITH THIS. THE T C Q. EVALUATION REPORT THAT WE GOT AND SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAD AN ISSUE WITH ONE WAS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN 0.5 MG OF CHLORINE RESIDUE. RESIDUAL FAILURE TO MONITOR NITRATE AND NITRATE IN THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. FAILURE TO PERFORM ROUTINE MAINTENANCE FAILURE TO DOCUMENT CHEMICALS USED AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL AND I THINK CITIZENS WILL HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE IF WE OWN AND SPEAK TO THAT. I UNDERSTAND THE PIPES BURSTING. BUT IN THE REPORT, THESE ARE THINGS THAT WHEN WE SPEAK ABOUT RATES, CITIZENS GET HIGH HEARTBURN AND WE DON'T SPEAK TO THE THINGS THAT WE FEEL THAT ON OUR END, SO I KINDA WANNA REALLY BE TRANSPARENT AND TALK ABOUT WHAT ALSO, WE'RE DOING, BUT WHAT WE DIDN'T DO WELL THERE, AND I THINK CITIZENS WILL FEEL A LOT BETTER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE RAISE RATES. TOTALLY AGREE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE LIKE ANYONE ELSE. COUNCIL MEMBER TURNING AND, UH, BUT IT'S YOU KNOW WHAT WERE THOSE NOTICES OF VIOLATIONS CAME FROM WAS WHAT SO TRY AND WHAT INSPECTION EVERY THREE YEARS, INSPECTOR COME IN AND INSPECT YOUR SYSTEM. AND THAT'S THE RESULT OF THAT, AND I'LL LET YOU ADDRESS THOSE MORE SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD. WE SHOULD MAKE SURE YOU KNOW A LOT OF THEM ARE SOME OF THE THINGS SHE'S HAD A LOT OF IT IS JUST YOU DON'T YOU DON'T WAIT EITHER AROUND YOUR FENCE. YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF MINOR VIOLATIONS, TOO. SO I'M GONNA LET BOARD AND TALK TO THE VIETNAM THEY'LL INSPECTION PROCESS BUT ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY WILL WORK AND WE'LL GET THOSE, UH, NOTICE OF VIOLATIONS DOWN IN THE FUTURE. ALRIGHT SO EVERY THREE YEARS TC Q COMES IN, AND THEY INSPECT THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AS A WHOLE. SO WHAT EVERYBODY'S BEEN REFERRING TO ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE T CQ. EXIT INTERVIEW FORM. SO WHAT THAT FORM DOES IS AFTER THE INVESTIGATION, THE THEY COME THROUGH, THEY LOOK AT EVERYTHING. WHAT THIS LIST ARE POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS OR RECORD REQUEST, SO THERE'S FOUR FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS ON THAT LIST.

THERE WERE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS, RECORDS REVIEWS IN ADDITIONAL ISSUES.

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE THAT THEY DIDN'T TYPE. SO I'M GOING TO READ OFF OF ITS IN THE FINE PRINT AND PEOPLE AREN'T PROBABLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS, BUT IT STATES IN THAT EXIT INTERVIEW FORM. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS FORM IS INTENDED TO PROVIDE CLARITY. TWO ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN DURING THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS BETWEEN THE T. C Q AND THE REGULATED IN A D NAMED ABOVE AND DOES NOT REPRESENT FINAL T CQ FINDINGS RELATED TO VIOLATIONS. ANY POTENTIAL OR ALLEGED VIOLATIONS DISCOVERED AFTER THE DATE ON THIS FORM WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO THE REGULATED AND THAT HE REPRESENTATIVE PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A NOTICE OF VIOLATION OR ENFORCEMENT CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM THIS INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING ADDITIONAL VIOLATIONS OR POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS DISCOVERED IF ANY DURING THE COURSE OF THIS INVESTIGATION WILL BE DOCUMENTED IN A FINAL INVESTIGATION REPORT , SO THERE ARE NO VIOLATIONS FROM THIS. THERE ARE THINGS THEY NOTICED DURING THIS THAT THEY WANTED ADDITIONAL RECORDS ON THERE'S PIECES. THEY WANTED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THERE'S INVESTIGATIVE THINGS WHERE THEY WANT US TO DIG UP AND LOOK AT PIPES IN AN AREA OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THERE'S ALSO NOTICE IN HERE. ONE OF THE ITEMS IS INDICATING THAT WE HAVE THE SOUTHWEST TANK DOWN FOR REHABILITATION CURRENTLY AND THAT WHEN WE BRING IT BACK UP AND NEEDS TO BE INSPECTED UM AND YES, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN. UM CORINNE RESIDUAL, WHICH WE KNEW OF AT THE TIME THAT WAS AT A SAMPLE STATION, AND THAT WAS WHY WE NOTICED THAT THE CHLORINE WAS DOWN. MIKE'S CREWS WENT OUT AND FLUSHED. WE GOT IT ABOVE A 0.5, AND THAT'S WHY WE DID THE FREE CHLORINE CONVERSIONS. SO WE WERE WELL AWARE OF THAT PIECE IN THE SYSTEM. SO TODAY IT THERE WERE 36 ALLEGED VIOLATIONS. WE'VE RESOLVED 16 OF THEM. THERE'S SIX POTENTIALS WE RESOLVED TO.

THERE'S 11 RECORDS REQUEST. TWO OF THOSE HAVE BEEN RESOLVED. NINE ADDITIONAL ISSUES, SEVEN WERE RESOLVED THREE THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW TO TYPE ON TWO OR RESOLVED, SO WE'RE ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN HALFWAY THROUGH RESPONDING TO ALL THIS. TO LEVEL SET AND GIVE YOU AN IDEA. IF YOU GO TO A DIFFERENT PAGE ON T C Q . AND YOU LOOK UP ACTUAL VIOLATIONS FOR THE SYSTEM OF

[01:50:05]

CITY OF BEAUMONT. YOU WILL FIND THREE VIOLATIONS SINCE 2005. TWO ON THE SAME DATE IN 2005, AND ONE AND 2016. SO IF YOU GO BACK THREE YEARS TO THE PREVIOUS AH! EXIT INTERVIEW FORM THAT WE HAD FOR THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. EVERYTHING ON THERE WAS RESOLVED. NO VIOLATION WAS ISSUED OFF OF THAT, AND WE FULLY EXPECT TO RESOLVE EVERYTHING IN THIS REPORT TO TC Q SATISFACTION AND THERE BE NO FINAL VIOLATION OFF OF THIS. COUNCILMAN GETS. BART IS IT ALSO TRUE THAT OUR WATER IS TESTED MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY THROUGH OUR LAB, AND THOSE RESULTS ARE SENT INTO THE CQ AND IF SO, OR THOSE RESULTS AVAILABLE FOR CITIZENS TO LOOK AT ON THE TCU Q WEBSITE, THEY'RE SENT TO T C. Q I KNOW I KNOW IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS OF LIKE, IF WE HAVE A POSITIVE BHAKTI SAMPLE OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE, I KNOW THAT IS ON THERE. UM THERE'S A DRINKING WATCH SITE ON. I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY LIST EVERY SINGLE KIND OF NO VALUE. UM FINDING THERE'S 70 SOME ODD, I THINK, 79 SAMPLE STATIONS. THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, AND WE HAVE TO SAMPLE THOSE EACH MONTH AND SO WE GO THROUGH EACH DAY AND IMPULSE SAMPLES ON THE REQUIRED SIDES. SO WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE, UM SOCIAL MEDIA BLASTING THESE TYPES OF, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEWS AND, UH, KIND OF PAINTING A PICTURE THAT THE SKY'S FALLING AND THEN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT JUST DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH REGARD TO OUR WATER DEPARTMENT. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT? THE THIS IS A NORMAL PROCESS. THIS IS THIS IS PART OF BEING TRANSPARENT IS YOU'RE BASICALLY SEEING THE SAUSAGE MADE IN TERMS OF THE WATER PRODUCTION SYSTEM, SO THEY COME IN. THEY INSPECT EVERYTHING. THEY THROW EVERYTHING ON THE TABLE THAT THEY HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT AND THEN WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO THOSE CONCERNS AND THEIR THEIR POINTS OF IMPROVEMENT ALONG THE WAY, THERE ALWAYS ARE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WE HAVE NO SERIOUS VIOLATIONS AT THIS TIME . WE HAVE SAFE WATER. WE HAVE NO BACTERIOLOGICAL POSITIVES IN THE SYSTEM. NO BOIL WATER NOTICES.

UM YOU KNOW IT. IT IS SAFE, POTABLE WATER. AND AS YOU NOTED IN US SUPERIOR RATED SYSTEM ONE LAST THING, UH, MR FEARS TOOK THE TIME TO COME HERE TODAY AND EXPRESS HIS VERY JUDGE JUSTIFIED CONCERN ABOUT HIS BUSINESS BEING SHUT DOWN OR WHERE AWARE OF ANYTHING THAT HAPPENED. NEAR HIS LOCATION THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED CHANGES IN PRESSURE THAT MIGHT HAVE CALLS THE DISCOLORATION ISSUE THERE. AND IF WE DON'T KNOW, COULD WE SEND SOMEBODY OUT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HIS PLACE? COUNCILOR GETS HERE. I SPOKE WITH MR FEARS, UH, RIGHT BEFORE LUNCHTIME. AND UH, THAT WAS KIND OF, UH, I GUESS, UH, LACK OF COMMUNICATION. WE WAS WE WERE NOT AWARE WHEN MR FIERCE CALLED IN THE DISCOVERED WATER THAT IT WAS A BUSINESS SO WE DIDN'T PUT IT AS CRAWL WORKING. AS FAR AS THE FOOLISH IN OF COURSE, ONCE HOSPITAL WITH MR FEARS PERSONALLY, HE EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT HAPPENED. I APOLOGIZE TO HIM FOR IT. WE SEND SOMEONE OUT IMMEDIATELY. THE BIG INFLATION SO DO WE KNOW IF HIS RECTIFIED THE PROBLEM YET OR NOT? AT LUNCHTIME, SO LOOKS THAT I HAVEN'T HAVEN'T HEARD YET, BUT I WILL CHECK ON WHEN I GET BACK TO THE OFFICE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MIKE. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MIKE? MR HARRIS. I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE UNACCOUNTED FOR WATER. UM YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT DOES COME THROUGH YOUR WATER MAIN BREAKS. BUT ALSO YOU HAVE FLUSHING THAT HAS A LOT OF UNACCOUNTED FOR. WATER UM, FIRES ANY TYPE. YOU HAVE ANY MAJOR FIRES AND ALSO DEF TO SERVICE AND, UH, ALSO INACCURATE WATER METERS, SO THAT'S IT. IT'S NOT. IT'S UNACCOUNTED FOR. WATER IS NOTERWATER BREAKS, SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT AFTER ONE OTHER THING TO MENTION, AND I KNOW, UM TODD'S WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE DIVISION IS RUNNING THIS ONE. BUT WE HAVE A FIRM THAT'S COME IN, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PROBLEMS WITH UH, BUILDING WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT'S ADDING TWO UNACCOUNTED FOR WATER OR WATER LOSS, OR THEY'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW METERS AND AREN'T ADJUSTED CORRECTLY EX CETERA

[01:55:02]

THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND THAT THAT PROJECTS UNDERWAY NOW I BELIEVE YEAH. COUNCILMAN ILL.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO THIS WAS MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO WHEN Y'ALL GOT THE JOHNSON CONTROL SYSTEM THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HELP MEET HER THE WATER WEREN'T THERE. ALSO LEAK DETECTIONS PUT THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM OF THE METERS. YES ANY OF THAT WORK AT ALL VERY LITTLE THAT WORKS TODAY. UM THROUGH THE YEARS OVER THE 20 YEARS, A LOT OF THE CENTERS HAVE FAILED. AND WAS IT REPLACED? DID IT EVER WORK? OKAY, NATURAL ON THAT ONE. TYLER. AS FAR AS, UH, WHENEVER WE FIRST GOT HERE WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE THAT WASN'T WORKING. I THINK ONLY TWO PEOPLE IN THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT KNEW HOW TO OPERATE IT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT WITH OUR BOND RATING LAST YEAR WAS TO GET THAT SYSTEM UP AND OPERATING AND WE'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CENTERS. SO WE CAN UTILIZE THIS LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM. HMM. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TURNER. WE HAD A CORONA CONSULTING COME IN AND GIVE US RECOMMENDATIONS. UH WE HAVEN'T YET HAD A FOLLOW UP WITH THE COUNCIL IN THE CITY TO KIND OF SEE WHERE WE ARE. AS FAR AS D RECOMMENDATIONS. WHAT'S OUR PROGRESS? UH WE PAID FOR THE STUDY. I JUST KIND OF WANT TO SEE WHAT WE ARE IT BASED UPON WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED. I THINK THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO DO SOMETHING IN FUTURE WITH THE COUNCIL TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND KIND OF WHERE WE AT BASED UPON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, OKAY, WE CAN GET THAT ON A SOON TO BE COUNCIL MEETING. I CAN'T STATE THAT THE FIRST STEP TO THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WAS TO IMPLEMENT THE CHLORINE DIOXIDE SO ALL THE SUBSEQUENT RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE STUDY WERE TO BE A IMPLEMENTED POST KOREAN DOGS, RIGHT? THANK YOU, MIKE. AND I JUST I WANT TO ADD THAT WE CERTAINLY HAVE HEARD THE CONCERNS OF, UH, THE PUBLIC AND I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN CONTACTED BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IS AS WELL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, AND CERTAINLY THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT FACTORS. ONE IS THE DROUGHT, BUT THE OTHER IS CATCHING UP ON OUR WATER DELIVERY SYSTEM, AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER HERE THAT THE RESPONSIBLE THING IS THAT WE'RE NOT A BUSINESS. WE'RE NOT OPERATING TO MAKE MONEY. SO WHEN WE'RE OPERATING AT A DEFICIT, THIS IS IT'S THIS STAIN NABLE, SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THIS APPROPRIATE ACTION. THE LONGER WE WAIT AND KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. THE BIGGER THE COST IS TO THE RESIDENTS, SO WE UNDERSTAND AND THERE I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANYBODY HERE THAT WANTS TO DO A RATE INCREASE, BUT IT IS. IS UH, THE RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO. AND EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T ALWAYS DO RESPONSIBLE THINGS, AND, UH. SO BUT SO I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT WE IGNORED YOUR CONCERNS. IT'S JUST THAT WE IT.

THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE, NOT INCREASING THE RATE SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE THE RATE AND IF WE WAITED TO INCREASE THE RATE, IT WOULD ONLY INCREASE THE RATE MORE AND WE MUST PROVIDE SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE TO YOU, WHICH WE CURRENTLY DO. BUT WE HAVE CHALLENGES AND WE'RE ATTEMPTING ALL WE CAN TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES AND TO CATCH UP. AH! FROM YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF PAST LEAK DETECTION AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, BRINGING THAT UP TO UP TO STANDARDS NOW, BUT. I JUST WANTED TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD, BUT IT DOESN'T GIVE US THE OPTION OR I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT GIVES ME THE OPTION TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND NOT VOTE FOR A RATE INCREASE. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ADAM NUMBER SIX. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING, AYE AH , ANY OPPOSED MOTION CARRIED. MAY WE HAVE THE READING ABOUT, UM, NUMBER SEVEN COUNCIL

[7. Council consider an ordinance amending Section 22.05.214 of the Code of Ordinances to increase landfill disposal fees by $1 per cubic yard effective October 1, 2023.]

CONSIDERING ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 22.05 0.214. OF CODE OF ORDINANCE SUPPORTING THIS IS TO INCREASE LANDFILL DISPOSAL FEES BY $1 PER CUBIC YARD, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1 2023, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAMP OF APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 70 TO APPROVE? IS THERE A SECOND FOR APPROVAL? SECOND IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ANY

[02:00:06]

DISCUSSION ON ADAM NUMBER SEVEN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, UH, ANY OPPOSED THE MOTION IS CARRIED MR CITY MANAGER. MAY WE HAVE THE

[8. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Change Order No. 5, accept maintenance, and authorize final payment to To-Mex Construction, LLC, of Houston, for the Street Rehab Sewer Line Pipe Bursting Project.]

READING ABOUT? UM, NUMBER EIGHT. YES MAYOR COUNCIL CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER FIVE EXCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZED FINAL PAYMENT TO MIX. CONSTRUCTION LLC OF HOUSTON FOR THE STREET REHAB SHORELINE PIPE BURSTING PROJECT, AND IT COMES WITH APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. YOU GOTTA TURN THIS THING, RIGHT OFFICER, CAN YOU COME AND ESCORT HIM OUT HERE? IS THERE IS THERE A MOTION FOR NUMBER EIGHT ITEM NUMBER EIGHT MOVED TO APPROVE OCEAN. IS THERE A SECOND? IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. ANY DISCUSSION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ADAM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE AH OPPOSED THE MOTION CARRIES. BUT WE HAVE THE READING OF ADAM NUMBER NINE. COUNCIL

[9. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to award a contract to King Solution Services, LLC, of Houston, for the Street Rehab Phase V Sewer Line Replacement Project.]

CONSIDERED RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO KING SOLUTION SERVICES LLC OF HOUSTON FOR THE STREET REHAB PHASE FIVE SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE. A MOTION FOR ADAM NUMBER NINE? I MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER NINE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ATOM NUMBER NINE. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AH, OPPOSED THE MOTION IS CARRIED MR CITY MANAGER. WE HAVE THE READING OF BOTTOM NUMBER 10

[10. Council to consider the adoption of the disaster declaration issued by the Mayor on September 8, 2023]

, PLEASE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. CONSIDER THE ADOPTION OF THE DISASTER DECLARATION IS IT SHOULD BOTHER MAYOR ON SEPTEMBER 8TH 2023. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 10 TO APPROVE? MOVED AND SECONDED ANY DISCUSSION ON ADAM NUMBER 10. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ADAM NUMBER 10, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE AH OPPOSED THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE

[ Council conduct a Work Session to review and discuss adopting amendments to gaming site regulations and licensing.]

US INTO THE WORK SESSION? THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNSEL TO CONDUCT THEIR WORK SESSION TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS AMENDMENTS TO GAME INSIGHT, REGULATIONS AND LICENSE AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER CHRIS BONUS COMING TO DISCUSS IT. MHM. ERIN COUNSELOR. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE PURPOSE OF TODAY'S WORK SESSION IS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE GAMING ORDINANCE. GO AHEAD. AND THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES . UM THAT WE'RE OUTLINING HERE TODAY, UM, IS AS YOU, MAYBE AWARE GAME ROOMS OFTEN RESULT IN GAMBLING ACTIVITIES AND INCREASED CALLS FOR SERVICE FROM POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, AS WELL AS BUILDING CODES, PLANNING AND ZONING AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS. IN FACT, SINCE THE ENACTMENT OF THE ORIGINAL ZONE GAMING ORDINANCE BACK IN 2014.

THOUSANDS OF CALLS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THESE SITES PRETTY HIGH COST TO THE CITY, AND SO AS SUCH THE INTENT OF THE PROPOSED THE INTENT OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS IS TO INCREASE CITY OVERSIGHT OF GAME ROOMS AND THEIR OPERATORS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY. AND THAT OVERSIGHT AGAIN. WE WANT TO HELP TRY TO INSULATE THE COMMUNITY FROM THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THESE USES. UH BY DECREASING CONCENTRATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS THROUGH DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS. UM AND AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE HAVE CALCULATED THE COST TO THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND ENFORCING THE CURRENT REGULATIONS AND THEY EXCEED $500,000 PER YEAR FOR ENFORCEMENT. THE PERMANENT REQUIREMENTS THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, UM. WHAT WE'RE ASKING IN THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE IS THAT ONLY GAME ROOM OWNERS MAY APPLY FOR APPLICATION FOR GAME ROOMS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, NOT A SECOND PARTY OR AN OPERATOR. EACH APPLICATION SHALL INCLUDE SUCH THINGS, OF COURSE, IS THE APPLICATION LOCATION SITE PLAN INVENTORY LIST OF MACHINE UM, BUT ALSO CERTIFIED BACKGROUND CHECKS ON ALL OWNERS. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE WANT TO

[02:05:04]