[00:00:01]
TUESDAY, JULY 2ND, 2024.[CALL TO ORDER]
IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY.TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR DONNIE LIPPO, UH, THE GOSPEL CENTER CHURCH.
IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES, AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, UH, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
SIR, YOU WANT ME TO DO THE PLEDGE OR THE PRAYER? WE PRAYER FIRST.
FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
YOU SAID, LORD, IF WE ASK, WE SHALL RECEIVE.
YOU SAY, IF WE SEEK, WE SHALL.
YOU SAID, WE KNOCK, THE DOOR WILL BE OPEN.
SO I PRAY TODAY FOR OUR COUNCIL AS THEY MAKE MAJOR DECISIONS FOR OUR CITY, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE 'EM WISDOM AND THE DIRECTION THAT THEY NEED TO GO TO BEST REPRESENT THIS COMMUNITY.
FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT NATION.
WE THANK YOU FOR THOSE THAT SERVE.
WHAT AN HONOR AND A PRIVILEGE FOR THEM TO DO.
I PRAY FOR THEIR WELLBEING, AND I PRAY FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CITY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE SIN ONE NATION UNDER NOT INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO, TIM TURNER.
PRESENT, COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUEL PRESENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL PRESENT.
[PROCLAMATIONS]
HAVE ONE PROCLAMATION AND THREE PRESENTATIONS.AND THE FIRST WE'RE GONNA START WITH A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, BILLY BOY SUGAR TOWN MELONS, THE BLUETS.
AND, UH, THEY, UH, I KNOW THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF JEALOUS PEOPLE HERE AND I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE, BUT KENTUCKY QUACK QUACK.
YEAH, BUT WE OUGHT GET A PICTURE WITH THEM THERE.
CAN WE GET A KEVIN HERE? CAN WE GET A PICTURE? YEAH.
ALRIGHT, HANG ON JUST A SECOND.
WE, I'M TRYING TO GET OUT THE, THEY GOT A LOT GOING ON.
ONE THE MAYOR, SO IT DON'T MATTER.
SO DO WE PICK ONE UP? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M NOT, I, UH, ME.
THANK Y'ALL FOR LETTING US COME BY TODAY AND JUST BE A BLESSING.
[00:05:01]
YOU KNOW, MYSELF, I'VE BEEN REAL BLESSED WITH THESE SONS OF MINE.BUT THEIR GRANDFATHER BILLY USED TO SELL THESE SUGAR TOWN WATERMELONS.
THERE WERE A FEW GUYS THAT WERE RESPONSIBLE TO BRING THEM TO THE BEAUMONT AREA IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, AND NOW THEY'RE POPPING UP EVERYWHERE.
BUT THEY CONTINUE TO SELL THESE MELONS LIKE PAWPAW USED TO DO IT.
WE, WE GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE ALWAYS TRY TO GO, WHETHER IT'S A TIRE SHOP OR A DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
AND SO TODAY IS YOUR DAY TO BE BLESSED BY BILLY'S BOY.
SO WE APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU DO, YOUR SERVICE, YOUR UNITY, YOUR EFFORTS, AND, UH, WE PRAY FOR YOU THAT GOD LEADS YOU INTO A GREAT FUTURE.
OKAY, NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF JULY AS WATCH YOUR CAR MONTH.
ACCEPTING WILL BE, UH, SERGEANT KENNETH CARR.
UH, DO WE HAVE THE PROCLAMATION? WE YOU CAN WAIT JUST A MINUTE.
WELL, WE DON'T NEED TO READ IT.
WE'LL LET THEM, WE'LL GO AHEAD.
AND SO ACCEPTING WILL BE SERGEANT KENNETH CARR AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S HERE.
WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE.
YOU GOT SOME WATERMELONS BY YOU THOUGH,
[PRESENTATIONS]
OKAY.NOW CAN YOU HEAR ME?
UM, SINCE THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CREATION OF THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE IN 1993 WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND THE MOTOR VEHICLE CRIMES PREVENTION AUTHORITY, THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE HAS BEEN DEDICATED TO ADDRESSING THE SERIOUS ISSUE OF AUTO THEFT, AUTO BURGLARY, AND OTHER MOTOR VEHICLE CRIMES, INCLUDING EQUIPMENT THEFT.
OUR MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL MULTI-AGENCY TASK FORCE LED BY THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT.
PARTICIPANTS ARE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND PORT ARTHUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE COVER A FOUR COUNTY AREA, UH, HARDEN, ORANGE AND JASPER COUNTIES.
UH, WE DO, WE AID AND ASSIST ON ANY, UH, IN ONGOING INVESTIGATIONS IN ANY OF THOSE AREAS.
UM, OUR OFFICERS RECEIVE THAT TEAM BACK THERE.
UH, THEY RECEIVE SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND IN IDENTIFYING STOLEN VEHICLES, EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER MOTOR VEHICLE PARKS.
UM, WE'RE, WE ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO HANDLE LARGE SCALE INVESTIGATIONS.
AND WE TARGET ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, A ACT, ACTUAL ORGANIZED CRIMINAL RINGS.
UM, IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS ALONE, OUR TASK FORCE HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT, HAD MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES RECOVERING, UH, 1,087 STOLEN VEHICLES VALUED AT OVER $14.7 MILLION AND OTHER STOLEN PROPERTY WORTH MORE THAN 3.1 MILLION.
WE'VE ALSO MADE OVER A THOUSAND ARRESTS, WHICH INCLUDES CASES FILED AND WARRANTS ISSUED RELATED TO MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT, AUTO BURGLARY, UH, EQUIPMENT THEFT, ENGAGING IN ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, AND COUNTLESS OTHER CHARGES
[00:10:01]
ALONG WITH ENFORCEMENT.THE TASK FORCE ALSO PROVIDES PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION REMINDING CITIZENS OF WAYS TO REDUCE THEIR CHANCES OF BECOMING A VICTIM.
THE SUMMER MONTHS TYPICALLY SEE A RISE IN AUTO BURGLARIES AND AUTO THEFTS REQUIRING THAT WE RAISE AWARENESS AMONG OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY PROCLAIMING JULY.
AS WATCH YOUR CAR MONTH, WE AIM TO REMIND EVERYONE OF SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE MEASURES TO SAFEGUARD THEIR VEHICLES.
NUMBER TWO, TAKE YOUR KEYS AND KEEP VALUABLES OUTTA SIGHT.
UH, THIS PROCLAMATION IS BEING DONE IN CONJUNCTION WITH A BILLBOARD CAMPAIGN, WHICH SHOULD START IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO, AND WILL RUN FOR 12 WEEKS, UM, ALONG WITH SOME MEDIA OUTREACH TO TRY TO GET THE WORD OUT TO TELL EVERYBODY, LOCK YOUR CAR, TAKE YOUR KEYS, AND PUT YOUR VALUABLES OUTTA SIGHT.
UM, BUT WE HOPE THAT THIS WILL SERVE AS A REMINDER TO ALL OF US TO STAY VIGILANT AND PROACTIVE IN REDUCING AUTO THEFT AND AUTO BURGLARY.
OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE CHANCES OF ANY OF OUR RESIDENTS BECOMING VICTIMS OF THESE CRIMES.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY GRATITUDE TO MAYOR ROY WEST CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION.
TOGETHER WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE BEAUMONT AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS SAFER FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON NEW, ON THE NEW USE FOR THE ARTIFICIAL TURF BY KENNETH ETT, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND GREEN SPACE MAYOR, I'M SORRY.
CAN WE DO COMMUNICATIONS FIRST? ABSOLUTELY.
WHY DOES IT KEEP TURNING OFF? THERE YOU GO.
WE HOPE EVERYONE'S STAYING COOL AS SUMMER HEATS UP.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY THIS JULY.
THE TAROT PARK NATURE CENTER IS HOSTING A SERIES OF FREE SUMMER SESSIONS ON TUESDAY MORNINGS ALL MONTH.
SIGN UP YOUR ELEMENTARY AGE STUDENTS FOR UNIQUE NATURE BASED EXPLORATIONS AND CRAFTS LED BY THE SABINE NACHAS CHAPTER OF THE TEXAS MASTER NATIONALISTS@BEAUMONTTEXAS.GOV SLASH T PNC JULY, 2024.
THE CITY'S ANNUAL INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION IS HAPPENING THIS THURSDAY, JULY 4TH FROM FIVE TO NINE AT THE EVENT CENTER.
WE'LL HAVE LIVE MUSIC, FOOD TRUCKS, AND THE LARGEST FIREWORKS FIREWORKS DISPLAY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
GATES OPEN AT FIVE AND THE FIREWORKS START AT NINE.
AND A FRIENDLY REMINDER THAT FIREWORKS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN BEAUMONT CITY LIMITS.
THEY SCARE PETS AND VETS CAUSE UNNECESSARY DAMAGE AND INJURIES AND COME WITH FINDING AND PENALTIES.
PLEASE BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR AND KEEP OUR CITY SAFE BY LEAVING THE PYROTECHNICS TO THE PROFESSIONALS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.
OTHER DATES TO HAVE ON YOUR CALENDAR INCLUDE A SUNDOWN CONCERT SERIES ON JULY 11TH AND JAZZ AT THE LAKE ON AUGUST 8TH.
BE SURE TO FOLLOW BEAUMONT EVENTS ON FACEBOOK FOR FUTURE DATES AND DETAILS.
THE PARKS MASTER PLAN IS UNDERWAY AND WE WANT YOUR INPUT ON WHAT YOU WANNA SEE FOR THE FUTURE OF BEAUMONT PARKS, REC, AND GREEN SPACES.
PLEASE TAKE THE SURVEY ONLINE AT SURVEYMONKEY.COM/R/BEAUMONT PARKS PLAN SURVEY, OR STOP BY THEIR BOOTH AT THE 4TH OF JULY TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN PERSON.
AFTER AN EXTENSIVE NATIONAL SEARCH, WE'VE NARROWED THE CANDIDATES FOR THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF POSITION DOWN TO THE TOP FIVE.
YOU'RE INVITED TO MEET THEM AT A COMMUNITY MEET AND GREET ON JULY 10TH FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM AT THE EVENT CENTER.
WE ALSO INVITE YOU TO ATTEND THE GRAND REOPENING OF IMAGINATION STATION AT CENTRAL PARK ON JULY 15TH AT 9:30 AM IT'S GOING TO BE THE LARGEST PLAYGROUND FROM HOUSTON TO LAKE CHARLES, AND THE VENDOR WILL BE PRESENTING THE CITY WITH AN ACCESSIBILITY AWARD.
WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE LIBRARY'S THIRD ANNUAL, THIRD ANNUAL STEAM CAMP IS HAPPENING MONDAY, AUGUST 5TH FROM SIX TO 9:00 PM AT THE EVENT CENTER.
IT'S A FREE END OF SUMMER EXTRAVAGANZA FOR THE STUDENTS WITH TWO NEW EXPERIENCES THIS YEAR.
FEATURES BIG TR BIG TRUCK TRUCKS TO TOUCH.
THAT'S TONGUE TWISTER AND ADMIRE, AND A SHOW FROM GATOR COUNTRY AT 7:00 PM AND A FRIENDLY REMINDER, THE CITY WILL BE CLOSED THIS THURSDAY FOR THE 4TH OF JULY.
WE HOPE YOU ALL JOIN US AT THE FIREWORKS AND HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY.
[00:15:04]
SO, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE, UH, OF THE NEW USE OF THE ARTIFICIAL TURF AND A LITTLE BACKGROUND.
THE ARTIFICIAL TURF IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A DONATION FROM ARTIFICIAL GRASS RECYCLERS.
PART OF THE COMPANY'S PLAYED FORWARD CAMPAIGN, WHICH WAS DESCRIBED BY TY SEABERT, THE COMPANY'S VICE PRESIDENT.
WHEN HE MADE THE PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF COUNCIL.
DURING HIS PRESENTATION, TY ADVISED THAT FOR LONGER USE OF THE ARTIFICIAL TURF PLAY SHOULD BE LIMITED TO 15 AND UNDER.
BUT ADULTS ALSO EXPRESSED THEIR DESIRE TO PLAY ON THE FIELD AS WELL.
SO STAFF BEGAN THE PREP OF THE FIELD BY REMOVING FIVE INCHES OF THE SOD AND, UH, UNDERGROUND, UH, SOIL.
AND WE CAME BACK WITH A EIGHT INCH BASE OF A ROCK MATERIAL.
UH, THAT ROCK MATERIAL IS NOT ONLY USED FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE ARTIFICIAL TURF, BUT IT ALSO AIDED INTO THE DRAINAGE.
UH, DRAINAGE IS ALWAYS A BIG ISSUE HERE IN THE CITY.
SO NOW WE HAVE A GOOD BASE FOR DRAINAGE.
NOT LONG AFTER THE DELIVERY BEGAN, UH, VANDALS DESTROYED 39 OF THE 80 ROWS THAT WERE DELIVERED.
SO NOW THIS HAS LEFT US IN A PREDICAMENT OF WHAT DO WE DO WITH ALL OF THIS ARTIFICIAL TURF WE HAVE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO BUILD A COMPLETE FIELD.
SO SPEAKING WITH COUNCILMAN DURIO, I SUGGESTED THAT WE GO BACK WITH A, UH, NATURAL TURF FIELD.
SINCE WE HAVE THAT ROCK BASE THAT'S THERE NOW, WE CAN COME BACK AT ANOTHER EIGHT INCHES OR SO OF SOIL.
A NICE, UH, HYBRID, UH, BERMUDA SEED CAN BE APPLIED BY A HYDRO SEATER THAT THE PARKS HAS IN ON STAFF NOW OR IN PART OF OUR DEPARTMENT.
UH, TEX ACE IS ACTUALLY THE, THE SEED THAT I WOULD LIKE TO USE, UH, IS USED EXTENSIVELY ON FOOTBALL FIELDS, UH, IN-HOUSE.
UH, MY DEPARTMENT, WE CAN MOW THAT AREA AS WELL AS WE HAVE THE ROBOT STRIPER.
WE CAN ACTUALLY STRIPE THE FIELD AS WELL TOO, SO WE CAN MAINTAIN EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE GOING FORWARD.
IF THIS IS WHAT COUNCIL WOULD LIKE, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE ALL THE CITIZENS, UH, COULD USE THAT FIELD.
NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE 15 AND UNDER, BUT ADULTS AS WELL.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THIS? UH, UH, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS, UH, WE COULD USE IT FOR IS MOVIES IN THE PARK.
UH, THAT SOD CAN BE PLACED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, BY PUTTING IN THE SOD.
IT'S AN AREA THAT CAN BE UTILIZED BASICALLY 365 DAYS A YEAR.
UH, YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, UH, AS YOU WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT, UH, RAIN.
IF IT RAINS, IT'LL STILL BE DRY.
INSECTS IS ALMOST NEVER, UH, ANYWHERE NEAR SIDE.
UH, SO CITIZENS CAN PLAY ON THAT AREA AND USE IT AND UTILIZE IT AT ALL TIMES.
MOVIES IN THE PARK IS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN THE SUMMER.
SO THIS IS JUST A SETUP OF BASICALLY MOVIES IN THE PARK.
UH, IT CAN BE APPLIED RIGHT ON YOUR GROUND LEVEL WITH A LITTLE, UH, PREPARATION OR IT CAN GO ON SEAMAN AS WELL.
UH, LIKE I SAY, IT'S JUST AN ACTIVITY THAT, OR SPACE THAT WE CAN USE AND UTILIZE WITH DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, EVERYONE LIKES TO GO PICNIC IN THE PARK, UH, BUT ANS IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM OR OTHER INSECTS.
BUT NOW WE HAVE THE SPACE, UH, THAT CITIZENS CAN GO OUT AND ENJOY, UH, LIKE I SAID, RELATIVELY DRY AND, UH, INSECT FREE AT ALL TIMES.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD OPTION FOR US.
ANY QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS? YES, SIR.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT A PERMANENT LOCATION FOR THIS SAW TO BE PUT DOWN OR MOVING IT FROM PLACE TO PLACE? PERMANENT LOCATION IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
AND WE COULD ALSO KEEP SOME, UH, COULD SAY LIKE ON STANDBY THAT WE COULD UTILIZE WHENEVER NEEDED.
'CAUSE IT COULD BE APPLIED ON TOP OF A CONCRETE PARKING LOT AND WE CAN ROLL IT BACK UP AND TAKE IT TO THE, TO THE YARD AND STORE IT.
HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED THESE MULTIPLE LOCATIONS, UH, OR POTENTIAL LOCATIONS? UH, JUST TAKE FOR INSTANCE, THE MOVIES IN A PARK WE HAD, WE CHOOSE ONE, UH, PARK IN EACH WARD, SO THAT WOULD BE ONE THAT WE COULD USE IN EACH WARD, BUT WE COULD, THE AMOUNT OF TURF THAT WE COULD, THAT WE HAVE ON HAND, WE COULD PROBABLY UTILIZE IT IN SEVERAL PARKS IN EACH WARD.
BUT WOULD YOU BE, YOU KNOW, DIGGING UP THE YES.
TURF THAT'S ALREADY THERE NOW AND CREATING A, A NEW SPACE? A SPACE? YES.
OH, THE, THE, UM, THE FOOTBALL FIELD, WHAT IS THAT A, A COST ASSOCIATED WITH DOING THAT? OR IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALREADY HAVE BUDGETED FOR OR? IT IS A COST, BUT I COULD USE THE BUDGET MONEY THAT I HAVE NOW.
WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? I MEAN, ONCE YOU PLANT THOSE SEEDS, WOULD IT BE READY FOR THIS COMING FOOTBALL SEASON?
[00:20:02]
WE'RE HOPING THAT SEPTEMBER IT SHOULD BE READY.YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING GOES WITH WEATHER.
WITH THIS HEAT, UH, SEED STARTS TO GERMINATE A LITTLE SLOWER THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, BUT AS SOON AS WE GET THE OKAY, WE ARE GONNA GO OUT AND START AND GET IT STARTED.
THIS, UM, TURF THAT YOU HAVE LEFT OVER LIGHT, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING WE COULD USE LIKE AT THE FOOD TRUCK PARK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? IT CAN BE USED ANYWHERE.
UH, MY CONCERN IS WHEN WE, WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT TO MAKE THE DECISION WHERE THE LEFTOVER TURF WOULD BE LOCATED, WELL COUNCIL BE INVOLVED AT ALL OR WILL IT BE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL? I'M JUST REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT JUST THE EQUITY OF IT.
WE MAKING SURE IT IS SPREAD BETWEEN EACH WARD.
UH, I CAN COME WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND TURN 'EM OVER TO, UH, MR. WILLIAMS, BUT OF SURE.
COUNSEL, WHATEVER YOU WANT IS WHAT WE WOULD DO IT.
CAN MR, WE HAVE QUITE A BIT YEAH.
MR. WILLIAMS TO SPREAD AROUND IF POSSIBLE.
I, I, I DO THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF WE AT LEAST KNEW WHERE THE STAFF PLAN TO DO IT.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE SPREAD IT ACROSS EACH WARD.
I DON'T WANNA MAKE, I DON'T REALLY WANT ANY WARDS LEFT BEHIND OR FEEL LIKE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, NOT BEING TREATED EQUITABLE.
ONCE MR. STEP ETTE COMES UP WITH A PLAN, I'LL SHARE THAT PLAN WITH COUNSEL BEFORE IT'S INSTALLED AND, AND IF ANY FEEDBACK YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THAT.
AND, AND MY, AND MY SECOND CONCERN IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS BEHIND IT, THIS PROJECT, IT WAS SO EXCITING.
WE LITERALLY HAVE YOUTH ALL OVER THE CITY OF BEAUMONT THAT, THAT ARE PRACTICING IN OPEN FIELDS AND PARKS THAT ARE UNMARKED AS WELL AS IN FRONT OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
AND THESE ARE THE LITTLE LEAGUE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY OF BEAUMONT, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO ANYTHING HAPPENING, IT USED TO BE KNOWN AS THE FOOTBALL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
AND WITH THAT TYPE OF RICH HISTORY, WE REALLY DON'T, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A FACILITY OR A PLACE FOR OUR YOUTH TO EVEN PRACTICE OR DO THAT IN A STRUCTURAL ENVIRONMENT.
I JUST DON'T WANNA LOSE SIGHT OF THE REASONING BEHIND, YOU KNOW, IT BEING DONATED.
WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE DONATION.
ANYTHING FREE OF COURSE IS APPRECIATED.
BUT I DON'T WANNA LOSE FOCUS OF THE SITE THAT OUR YOUTH DON'T REALLY HAVE A PLACE TO ACTUALLY PRACTICE OR PLAY FOOTBALL GAMES.
THE CITY OF 115,000 PEOPLE, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE FROM THE CITY STATE A PLACE THAT OUR YOUTH CAN ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE IN FOOTBALL.
UH, OF COURSE WE FULLY UNDERSTAND WE HAVE BISD FACILITIES, BUT THE COUNCIL, THE CITY, WE DON'T CONTROL THE FACILITIES THAT BISD AND I THINK THAT'S A UNDER LEVEL UNDERSTANDING OF SOME OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DON'T UNDERSTAND.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH US HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE REPLACE IT WITH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING OF GOOD QUALITY AND SOMETHING THAT CAN BE REPRESENTED THE CITY CAN BE PROUD OF.
I THINK YOU'LL BE PROUD OF IT ONCE WE GET IT ALL ESTABLISHED.
UH, WE HAVE THE SPECIFIC GROOMING MOWER RIGHT NOW IN HOUSE THAT WE CAN USE TO MOW IT.
AND LIKE I SAY, STAFF WOULD, UH, MAINTAIN IT.
IT WOULDN'T BE CONTRACTED OUT.
UH, AND WE HAVE THE ROBOT STRIPER, UH, WE'LL GO OUT AND STRIPE OUR FIELD AND, UH, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A GREAT FIELD TO BE PROUD OF.
COUNCILMAN DURIO, THEN COUNCILMAN GATZ, UH, MANAGER ALSO, UH, I GUESS WHENEVER HE MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION, ALSO THINK COUNCIL OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS OF THEIR OWN.
SO JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW WHATEVER COUNCIL PLEASES AND HOW THIS PROGRAM SHOULD GO.
THAT'S THE WAY WE'LL IMPLEMENT IT.
I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA THAT COUNCILMAN DURIO JUST A MINUTE AGO PROPOSED ABOUT USING SOME OF THIS FOR THE FOOD TRUCK PART BECAUSE THE PROPOSED LOCATION, AS YOU WELL KNOW, IS ALL ASPHALT RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE SAW AN INCREDIBLE RENDERING, UH, PREPARED BY JAY'S LANDSCAPING.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS MIGHT FIT IN EXTREMELY WELL RIGHT THERE.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO, UH, COUNCILMAN TURNER ABOUT, UH, LACK OF LOCATIONS TO PLAY BALL.
THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ALREADY HAS TO MAINTAIN A LOT OF VACANT LOTS.
AND I'M WONDERING, SINCE WE HAVE THAT ROBOT STRIPER, IF ANY OF THESE LOTS COULD BE UTILIZED, UH, TO BE STRIPED AS A, UH, FOOTBALL FIELD, UH, IN VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE HAVE THAT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT? WE CAN LOOK INTO IT, BUT OF COURSE RIGHT NOW THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WE'RE NOT MAINTAINING THOSE LOTS.
UH, SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO.
BUT AS FOR STRIPING, WE CAN STRIPE WHATEVER YOU NEED.
UH, AND I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO LOOK AT, UH, HAVE, JUST HAVE A REPORT ON HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL TURF WOULD BE NEEDED TO COMPLETE, UH, THE TURF FIELD SINCE THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL INTENT TO USE THAT AS A, AND ALSO IF WE COULD, UH, HAVE A WORK SESSION PERHAPS ON, WITH ALL THE LAND THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN THE CITY PARKS,
[00:25:01]
UH, FINDING LOCATIONS WITHIN OUR CURRENT CITY PARKS WHERE WE COULD PUT FILL AND STRIPE 'EM.AND THEN MAYBE OVER TIME BUDGET TO REPLACE, UH, THE SOD AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING AT SPROTT PARK, IF THAT'S DIRECTION WE WE'RE GONNA GO.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE THOSE OPTIONS AS WELL.
JUST TO, UH, HAVE A COMPLETE PICTURE.
COUNCILMAN DURIO ON THE, WHAT HE TALKING ABOUT DOING AT SPOT PARK RIGHT NOW.
YOU NEED TO KNOW SOMETHING RIGHT NOW SO THAT CAN GET STARTED SO THEY CAN, SO THEY CAN GET THOSE SEEDS IN THE GROUND AND THEY CAN GET STARTED IN ORDER TO HAVE IT FOR SEPTEMBER.
WE NEED, I GUESS WE NEED TO GIVE HIM A DIRECTION TO GO.
UH, AS FAR AS TODAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT, UH, WEEK.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA TO GET SOME INFORMATION TO, BUT I JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AN AGENDA ITEM, SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN VOTE ON TODAY.
AND I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE SOME MORE INFORMATION.
WELL, IT DEPENDS ON, WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION BY NEXT WEEK RIGHT? AND RIGHT.
IF WE'LL BE READY AND I CAN REACH OUT, SEE WHAT I CAN GET.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN, COUNCILMAN, IF, IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE IT ON THERE ON THAT MEETING TOO THEN.
UH, SO BY NEXT WEEK, SINCE YOU KNOW, STAFF IS LOOKING FOR CLEAR DIRECTION, ARE WE LOOKING TO SEE HOW MUCH WOULD THE QUOTE BE FOR ADDITIONAL TURF TO COVER THE WHOLE PROJECT? WELL, WE COULD LOOK AT ALL THE OPTIONS.
UH, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE LOOKING TO ACCOMMODATE ON NEXT WEEK? I THINK WE'RE LOOKING FOR, UH, ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS POSED, UH, TO, TO MR. REGET TODAY ABOUT THE PROJECT ON POSSIBLE PROJECT.
UH, ALSO GETTING INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE LOCATIONS AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED TODAY AND JUST COME BACK WITH A FULL REPORT.
IT, IT IS PROBABLY MORE REALISTIC THAT WE COME BACK WITH A BIT OF A REPORT BEFORE I, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE TO GET A, A ESTIMATE ON TURF.
THEY PROBABLY CAN GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE BASED UPON SQUARE FOOTAGE OR WHATEVER, BUT WE'LL SEE.
FUNNY YOU CAN GET IT DONE MR. RAGGE.
WELL, I I'LL ALSO MENTION, YOU KNOW, THE TURF THAT WE GOT IS USED TURF.
SO WE GOT A SPECIFIC FIELD WHEN THAT FIELD WAS TAKEN UP.
THAT'S THE TURF THAT IS SHIPPED OUT TO US.
SO IT'S NOT TO SAY WE'RE GONNA GET THE SAME THING IF WE WERE TO BUY IT BECAUSE IT'S ALL USED.
UH, SO IF, IF IT'S NOT CRACK, THAT'S PRICE, BUT IT, BUT IT WON'T MATCH.
CHANCES ARE WHAT WE HAVE, IT WOULDN'T WORK.
I, I MEAN, JUST KNOW THAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT TOO.
WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S YOUR, UH, THE LATEST THAT YOU NEED THAT YOU CAN GET STARTED AND WE CAN PLAN ON HAVING THIS FIELD? OR IS IT PAST THAT TIME OR WE'RE GETTING PAST THAT TIME, BUT ANOTHER WEEK WE CAN WORK IN IT.
UH, WE JUST GOTTA PRAY FOR MORE RAIN
IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE TO GERMINATE.
AND LIKE I SAY, THE LONGER WE WAIT, THOSE HOTTER DAYS, IT'S HARDER FOR SEED TO GERMINATE.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE GOING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FIRST DEALING WITH SPRY PARK AND COMPLETING THAT FIELD.
THEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO USE SOME OF THE OTHER TURF THAT WE RECEIVED IN ALL AREAS OF THE CITY.
ALRIGHT, FOR THOSE THAT WERE HERE FOR PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS AND YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE, NOW'S THE TIME TO DO SO.
AND, AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, NOW'S THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN
[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]
WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.UH, YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH 10 OR 12 AND 13 ARE ANY OTHER TOPIC.
ITEM 11 HAS ALREADY BEEN HEARD AND PUBLIC HEARING.
THEREFORE, CITIZENS CANNOT SPEAK ON THAT.
THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO SPEAK.
WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE SAY YOUR ADDRESS, CITY AND STATE.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
AND I LIKE TO REMIND FOLKS THAT MYSELF NOR THE COUNSEL CAN RESPOND WHENEVER YOU'RE MAKING COMMENTS, BUT SOMEBODY FROM THE OFFICE WILL, UH, CONTACT YOU.
OH, WILLIAM JOHNSON, 10 45 MADISON STREET.
[00:30:01]
MADISON STREET.THIS IS, UH, MY COMPLAINT OR DISPUTE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
I'M HERE BECAUSE, UH, I GOT, I GET DEBIT CARDS AND MY DEBIT CARD BE ISSUED OUT IN MY NAME.
BUT TWO OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE CARD.
I GET CHARGES ALL KIND OF DIFFERENT CHARGES.
THESE STORES THAT I GOT MARKED IN YELLOW, I DON'T EVEN USE THESE STORES.
AND I DEALT WITH, UH, WELL FARGO BANK HERE A YEAR OR SO AGO, A FEW YEARS BACK RATHER.
AND, UH, I FOUND OUT THAT THEY WAS TAKING MY MONEY RIGHT AND LEFT.
I MEAN, UH, EVEN WHEN IT'S FIRST TO BUY A BEDROOM SUIT OFF OF MY ACCOUNT.
UH, WHAT'S THIS, UH, AMERICA BANK.
THEY WENT IN MY ACCOUNT AND TOOK $5,000 OUTTA IT.
I GOES TO MANAGEMENT PRESIDENT, EVEN CONTACT THESE PEOPLE THAT BE SUPPOSED TO BE RUNNING THIS, THIS DEPARTMENT OR I DON'T GET NO HELP.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S ME OR WHAT I'M DOING OR HOW I'M DOING IT.
SO IT GOT TO THE PLACE WHERE I GOT THREE BANKS DEALING WITH THREE BANKS AND EACH BANK GOING IN MY ACCOUNT, TAKING MONIES.
I FILE, I GO TO THE, UH, PEOPLE THAT'S OVER.
SO I WENT TO THE, UM, THIS WAS IN 20 21, 22.
I WENT TO THE, UM, THE US DISTRICT COURT COURT OVER HERE ON, UH, WILLOW STREET STREET 1 0 4, THE BOX, TRYING TO GET SOME HELP.
THEY LET ME KNOW THAT, UH, I NEEDED MORE, MORE INFORMATION.
I GOT TO THE PLACE WHERE I CAN'T GIVE NO MORE INFORMATION BECAUSE I DONE GAVE IT ALL.
I GOTTA DEAL WITH THREE BANKS AND THREE BANKS RIPPING ME OFF.
UH, THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS LIKE, UH, THE SECOND AND THE SIXTH OF THIS YEAR, CHASE BANK.
I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THEM FIVE OR SIX YEARS OF BETTER.
I GOES TO THE BANK FIRST OF THE MONTH TO DO MY LITTLE BANKING.
ALL I FIND OUT IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK GIVING ME A WITHDRAWAL SLIP.
SOMEBODY DONE TOOK $900 OUTTA MY ACCOUNT.
NOT ONE BUT TWO, ONE FOR NINE, ONE FOR SEVEN.
I WENT, UH, UH, UH, SHE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK TOLD ME THE ONLY THING I COULD DO IS GO TO THE POLICE, GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIND OUT OR FILE COMPLAINTS WITH THEM.
I'M HERE AT THE BANK, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BANK THEN TOOK MONEY OUTTA MY ACCOUNT IN THE $1,600 AMOUNT.
AND SHE TELLS ME, AS SOON AS I WALK IN THE OFFICE, YOU HAVE TO GO.
I ASKED HER ABOUT THE SIGNATURES.
OKAY, I SEE YOU ON NEXT MONTH.
NEXT MONTH OR LATER THIS MORNING.
THANK YOU DEBORAH FEATHER LINE, DEBORAH FELAND, 2 6 9 3 HAZEL AVENUE.
I USED TO BE MR. MIKE'S CONSTITUENT.
NOW I'M POOR, MR. SAMUEL'S CONSTITUENT, GOD LOVE YOU.
UM, I'M ALMOST TEMPTED NOT TO SAY WHAT I NEED TO SAY WITH ALL THESE WONDERFUL OFFICERS BEHIND ME, BUT I FIND MYSELF IN A PREDICAMENT THAT I DON'T KNOW WHO TO ASK FOR HELP, BECAUSE IT WAS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT THAT DROPPED THE BALL FIRST.
YESTERDAY COMING BACK FROM HOUSTON, I WAS PULLED OVER BY THE TEXAS HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT FOR A BAD TAIL LIGHT, WHICH I LEARNED HOW TO CHANGE A TAIL LIGHT NOW.
BUT HE ALSO TOLD ME I HAD A WARRANT OUT FOR MY ARREST, FOR A FAILURE TO BE HERE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, AS WELL AS AN OUTSTANDING TICKET.
HE SAID, WELL, AND HE ASKED ME TO STEP OUT MY VEHICLE.
WHEN WE GOT TO THE END OF THE VEHICLE, I PULLED UP ON MY PHONE, MY RECEIPT FROM THE CITY OF BEAUMONT WHERE IT HAD BEEN PAID, AND MY BANK, WHERE IT COME OUT OF MY BANK ACCOUNT.
AND HE SAID, WELL, I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO GO TO BEAUMONT AND GET THIS FIXED BECAUSE EVERY OFFICER IS GONNA PULL YOU OVER FOR THE SAME REASON.
SO I GO TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND AFTER THE THIRD CLERK TELLS ME IT'S NOT IN THEIR SYSTEM, WELL, DPS PULLED IT UP OUTTA YOUR SYSTEM.
AND FINALLY I GOT TO A CLERK THAT TOLD ME I WAS IN A SYSTEM CALLED OMNI, WHICH WORKS BETWEEN THE HIGHWAY PATROL AND THE CITIES.
AND SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER, I'M CAUGHT IN THAT.
SO I WENT TO, DID, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T JUST WALK INTO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF SAFETY ANYMORE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT.
WHEN I GO ONLINE TO DO AN APPOINTMENT, A PAGE COMES UP, IT SAYS I CANNOT MAKE
[00:35:01]
AN APPOINTMENT BECAUSE I HAVE AN OUTSTANDING ISSUE WITH THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.AND THEN ANOTHER PAGE COMES UP INFORMING ME THAT DRIVING ON THESE STREETS OF TEXAS IS A PRIVILEGE THAT I NO LONGER HAVE BECAUSE MY LICENSE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED.
SO EVERY TIME I GET IN MY VEHICLE, I'M BREAKING THE LAW.
I HAVE APPEARED BEFORE COUNSEL SEVERAL TIMES AND SEVERAL TIMES.
Y'ALL HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH ME.
ALL I WANNA DO IS RUN MY LITTLE BUSINESS AND LIVE MY LIFE, WHICH IS A GUARANTEED RIGHT TO ME UNDER THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION THAT I AM SUPPOSED TO BE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, EVEN WHEN I HAVE THE PROOF IN MY HAND THAT I AM INNOCENT, I AM CAUGHT IN A SYSTEM THAT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET OUT OF.
AND WHILE IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT, I JUST WANTED SOMEONE TO HEAR ME.
JASON MARSHBURN, OR, UH, 10 70 MONTEREY DRIVE HERE IN BEAUMONT.
UH, YOU KNOW, AS, AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW, I WAS BORN HERE IN BEAUMONT.
AND YOU KNOW, I I PROBABLY LOOK AT BEAUMONT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN MOST PEOPLE DO.
'CAUSE I JUST LOOK AT IT AS LIKE AN OLD PAIR OF SHOES.
YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE PRETTIEST SHOES, BUT ONE, IT'S VERY COMFORTABLE THAT YOU LOVE WEARING BECAUSE THEY ARE COMFORTABLE, THEY FEEL GOOD ON YOUR FEET.
AND SO, I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE, THE STATE OF THE CITY, HOW IT LOOKS AND WAY DOWNTOWN LOOKS.
MAYBE WE COULD, IF WE COULD MAKE, KEEP THE BE THE THING ABOUT BEAUMONT IS THE BEST AT IS KEEPING THINGS LOWER COST COMPARED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
SO MAYBE IF WE WANNA DEVELOP, UH, CERTAIN AREAS OF THE TOWN, WE CAN MAYBE SUSPEND THE PERMITS, LIKE NO CHARGING MATTER FOR PERMITS FOR CERTAIN AREAS OF TOWN.
UM, MAYBE WE LIKE SOME OF THE RULES AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WITH LOWER INCOME AND LOWER MEANS TO REHABILITATE THEIR HOUSES OR BUILDINGS OR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
THERE'S A LOT OF VACANT COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, OBVIOUSLY IN CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN.
UH, RIGHT NOW THERE'S NO, THE INTEREST RATES ARE PRETTY HIGH, YOU KNOW, TO BORROW MONEY TO DO SO.
AND IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE MAKE IT EASY, NOT, NOT CHARGE 'EM FOR PERMANENT FEES AND MAY RELAX SOME OF THE RULES IN CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN.
REHABILITATE THESE BUILDINGS, UH, BECAUSE COMMERCIALLY A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE NOT GONNA BE VIABLE.
THE WHAT IT COSTS TO PUT INTO 'EM RIGHT NOW.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT LIVING IN A, A CITY LIKE PALO ALTO WITH LOTS OF MONEY SLOSHING AROUND AND WHERE EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD WHOLE FOODS AND ORGANIC FOOD.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE MORE OF A CLOVER VALLEY KIND OF BUDGET, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? SO, UH, MIGHT, MIGHT LOOK AT IDEAS, MAYBE CERTAIN PARTS OF TOWN YOU WANNA REHABILITATE.
JUST RELAX SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, PERMITTING RULES.
RELAX SOME OF THE BUILDING CODES AND MAKE IT, UM, MORE AFFORDABLE AND MORE, MAKE A BETTER RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR PEOPLE.
THE PRIVATE INVESTORS COME IN AND, UH, DEVELOP PART, ESPECIALLY AROUND LAMAR.
YOU ALWAYS WANNA SEE LA THIS AREA AROUND LAMAR, THE SOUTH PARK AREA.
I ALWAYS FELT LIKE THAT AND TOWN SHOULD BE MORE LIKE A COLLEGE, KIND OF A COLLEGE TOWN VIBE.
AND WE'VE, ONE THING I THINK BEAUMONT HAS FAILED TO DO IS MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, A COLLEGE TOWN VIBE IN THAT AREA OF TOWN.
UH, I FEEL LIKE IT'S, THAT'S ONE AREA COULD BE TARGETED.
UH, I DON'T SEE A WHOLE LOT OF FUTURE IN DOWNTOWN.
'CAUSE THE ALL DAY OFFICE SPACES ARE DWINDLING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UH, MAYBE WE CAN TEAR DOWN SOME OF THESE OLD BUILDINGS AND MAKE SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE MODERN AND MORE USEFUL TO THE CURRENT SITUATION WE LIVE IN TODAY.
BUT MAINLY JUST KEEP, KEEP EVERYTHING, UH, LOW COST AND KEEP EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, WHERE INVESTORS CAN ACTUALLY GET A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND THEN WE CAN GROW THE CITY THAT WAY.
THAT'S MY MESSAGE FOR THE DAY.
MAYOR WEST, UH, CITY MANAGER COUNCIL.
IT'S, UH, GOOD TO BE HERE IN BEAUMONT, UH, OUR TOWN.
I LIVE AT 9 28 EAST DRIVE, 7 7 7 0 6.
I HAVE WITH ME MY SISTER SHARON MCKENZIE
[00:40:01]
THIS AFTERNOON, WHO'S, UH,AND, UH, SHE DOES, SHE DOES A REALLY NEAT JOB.
ANYWAY, UH, LET'S SEE, UH, I GUESS THIS HOMELESS THING, UH, UH, OH, JIM ARD SPOKE TO COUNCIL AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS, OR MAYBE IT WAS LAST YEAR.
BUT ANYWAY, UH, ABOUT THE, UH, LAND THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR, FOR, UH, A, UH, A, UH, CAMP, CAMP TYPE GROUND.
AND THESE, THESE PEOPLE ARE SCATTERED ALL AROUND TOWN, LIVING IN THESE LITTLE THICKETS.
AND SO I DON'T SEE WHY WE CAN'T GET A PORTABLE, UH, SHOWER AND A PORTABLE, UH, UH, RESTROOM AREA PUT OUT THERE AND, UH, HAVE THEM START MOVING OUT THERE.
OF COURSE, IT, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE A LITTLE BUS, BUS, UH, BUSING FARM TO COME INTO TOWN AND, AND, AND DO IT.
I, I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A PRESENTATION THAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE IS, WOULD COST $15,000 PER INDIVIDUAL TO, UH, TO HOUSE THESE PEOPLE.
AND, AND THEY'RE JUST LIVING IN THEIR TENTS RIGHT NOW.
SO IF WE JUST GIVE 'EM A PLACE OUT THERE, I, WHERE THEY COULD ACCUMULATE, UH, ALL ACCUMULATE TOGETHER AND, AND, UH, AND HAVE THESE FACILITIES THERE FOR 'EM, AND, AND SEE, SEE IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT.
AND, UH, THESE, UH, PEOPLE THAT SPOKE BEFORE ME THAT THEY, THE LITTLE LADY, SHE SURE NEEDS SOME HELP ON THAT, UH, UH, TICKET DEAL.
AND IT WOULD BE, UH, VERY GOOD TO, UH, AND ON, ON THAT TURF DEAL.
UH, DOES IT REALLY NEED TO MATCH
ANYWAY, IT'S AN INTERESTING SUBJECT AND THANK Y'ALL FOR SERVING.
AND, UH, MAY THE GOOD LORD BE WITH YOU AND, UH, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, THANK YOU.
MM-HMM,
THEREFORE, THEY THINK, OKAY, I'LL DO THIS FOR FREE UP TO THE POINT WHERE WE WIN, THEN I'LL TAKE MY CUT OUTTA WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET AND I'LL TAKE MY COSTS OUTTA WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO GET AND LEAVE YOU.
YEAH, MA'AM, WE'RE NOT GONNA PLAY THE AUDIO.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY, IT'S FINE.
TO THEIR ATTORNEY, SEVERAL OTHER ATTORNEYS, THESE ATTORNEYS ON 11TH STREET, THEY'VE BEEN TRYING TO WITHHOLD MY MONEY IN THE COURT REGISTRY FOR YEARS.
AND 136 DISTRICT JUDGE HAS BEEN AIDING AND ABETTING AND ASSISTING THEM IN TRYING TO STEAL MY FUNDS OF $37,000 AND AN ADDITIONAL $42,000.
HE HAD JUST MADE THIS RULING OR PRIVATE LETTER RULING STATING THAT THEY CANNOT GET MY MONEY FROM THE REGISTER OF THE COURT BECAUSE NEITHER ATTORNEY IS IN CONFLICT OF THE FEES.
AND HE'S REFERRING TO MY PRIOR ATTORNEY AND THE ATTORNEY'S ON 11TH STREET WHO ONLY HAD MY CASE CASE FOR ONE MONTH AND DID MUCH OF NOTHING ON MY CASE.
AND THE ONLY REASON HE RULED IN MY FAVOR THEN, BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ATTORNEY THAT APPEARED FOR MY HEARING, WHO BASICALLY CALLED THEM OUT FOR TRYING TO STEAL MY MONEY AND HE WASN'T AFRAID OF THEM.
THE SAME DAY MEN, THE LEGAL AID PERSON THAT WAS ASSISTING, HE EXPOSED HIM TO HIS BOSS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE JUDGE.
HE DECIDED TO HAVE THE CLERK TO, UM, PAY ME THE $9,000 OF MY STOLEN FUNDS OUT OF THE 46,000 THEY'VE
[00:45:01]
BEEN WITHHOLDING IN THE COURT REGISTRY FOR YEARS.I TRIED TO GET MY FUNDS FROM, UM, THE ALTAR DEPARTMENT WHERE THE ATTORNEY WAS HOLDING SOME OF THE MONEY.
THE, THE 39,500 AND SOMETHING DOLLARS.
THEY'RE NOW TELLING ME I HAVE TO SUBPOENA THEM JUST TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT MY MONEY.
WHEREAS BEFORE THEY TOLD ME THE MONEY WAS NOT THERE AND IT WAS DOCUMENTED ALSO.
EVERY TIME I TRY TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY, THIS JUDGE WHO I JUST MENTIONED, HE WILL BLOCK THOSE ATTORNEYS FROM ATTENDING MY HEARING.
SO THAT VIOLATES MY DUE PROCESS.
RIGHTS FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
THESE ARE THE CONTRACTS WITH THESE LAWYERS.
SO HOW IS THIS A VALID CONTRACT? WHEN THEY, THEY DIDN'T EVEN SIGN IT.
AND THEN THEY FORGED MY INITIALS ON THESE, THESE CONTRACTS.
THEY FORGED MY, MY INITIALS HERE.
SO HOW IS THAT A VALID CONTRACT? THANK YOU.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? APPROVE.THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
[REGULAR AGENDA]
MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE? THANK YOU, MAYOR.APPROVE A RESOLUTION ALLOWING THE CITY TO TERMINATE AGREEMENTS WITH THE WATER CUSTOMERS THAT PROVIDE FOR SPECIAL RATES.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER ONE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN? UH, PHIL AL AND COUNCILMAN NEIL.
IT SAYS THAT THESE CONTRACTS WERE NOT RENEWED.
UH, SO I'M JUST WONDERING, UH, I'M ASSUMING THAT WE CONTACTED THEM, GAVE THEM THE OPTION TO RENEW, UH, SO THEY COULD, THEY COULD MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION, OR HAVE WE JUST ALLOWED THESE CONTRACTS TO, TO LAPSE WITHOUT, WITHOUT REACHING OUT? SO THESE CONTRACTS WERE OVER, UH, 20 YEARS OLD.
UM, AND THEY WERE JUST ON AN ANNUAL RENEWAL RATE.
WE DID SEND OUT LETTERS TO THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE WOULD BE PUTTING THEM ON THIS AGENDA FOR TERMINATION.
SOME OF THEM WERE BY RESOLUTION, SOME OF THEM WERE JUST BY AGREEMENT, BUT ALL OF THEM WERE KIND OF LUMPED INTO THIS, UH, TO KINDA HAVE THE SAME PROCESS.
UM, I THINK THE LETTERS CAME, UH, CAME FROM, UH, FINANCE, BUT AS FAR AS WE KNOW, NO ONE ELSE WAS IN OPPOSITION TO IT.
BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHERYL.
WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS, UM, PARTICULARLY THE FEDERAL PRISON.
UM, WE MAY HAVE TO REVISIT THAT BECAUSE I, I BELIEVE THEY, UM, MAY HAVE SOME ISSUES THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS.
BUT, UM, SO DO WE, UH, IF SOMEONE DID REACH OUT TO RENEW THE CONTRACT, THE AGREEMENT, UH, AM I TO ASSUME AGAIN THAT WE WOULD ACCEPT IT? OR IS THAT A DECISION FOR THE COUNCIL TO MAKE? SO AGAIN, UH, TO THAT EXTENT, UH, IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNSEL.
SO THIS, WITH THE RESOLUTION IS ASKING IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE ALLOWED TO EXECUTE DOCUMENTS? SO IF THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT WANTED TO RENEGOTIATE THEIR CONTRACT, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD BRING THAT BACK FOR COUNCIL TO APPROVE.
MY MY CONCERN IS THAT THESE ARE, UM, INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE PARTNERS WITH US.
AND, AND I MEAN, THEY'RE THE CORRECTION, YOU KNOW, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, SO FORTH, THE, THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH AND I, I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TAKING THIS ACTION WITHOUT THEM HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PERHAPS SPEAK TO THIS.
SO, UH, I HAVE GREAT CONCERNS.
MY PREFERENCE TODAY WOULD BE TO TABLE THIS AND, AND COME BACK AT A LATER DATE AFTER WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO REALLY LOOK AT THIS AND GIVE THESE INSTITUTIONS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REAPPLY.
YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WAS KIND OF MY QUESTION TOO.
DID WE REACH OUT TO THESE PEOPLE BEYOND SENDING THEM THEM A LETTER? UH, THIS IS A PRETTY BIG FEE.
AND I GUESS THE NEXT QUESTION IS, IS HOW QUICK DOES THIS CONTRACT TERMINATE? IS IT IMMEDIATE? UM, I MEAN, 'CAUSE THIS IS GONNA CREATE BUDGET CONCERNS FOR THESE OTHER ENTITIES TOO.
SO TYPICALLY MOST OF THE CONTRACTS REQUIRE NOTICE.
AND SO THEN THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE IF COUNSEL APPROVED TODAY WAS TO SEND THE NOTICE THAT THE CONTRACT WOULD TERMINATE WITHIN THE TERMINATION PERIOD.
MOST OF THEM WERE WITHIN 30 DAYS, UM, IF I CAN RECALL.
SO WE'D SEND THE NOTICE AND TELL 'EM WHEN THE NEW BILLING CYCLE WOULD BEGIN.
MOST OF THEM HAD MADE NO EFFORT TO COME BACK TO THE CITY.
THEY, THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE TO COME BACK TO THE CITY TO ASK FOR THOSE CONTRACTS TO BE, UM, RE-UPPED.
AND MOST OF THEM HAD NOT MADE THAT EFFORT.
AND I, I BELIEVE SOME OF THEM WERE EVEN EXECUTED AS FAR BACK AS LIKE THE
[00:50:01]
EIGHTIES BEFORE I WAS BORN.THEN, UH, AND THEN COUNCILMAN GOETZ.
SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IF THESE ENTITIES WILL BE ABLE TO STILL HAVE WATER PROVIDED TO THEM FROM THE CITY.
IT'LL JUST BE AT OUTSIDE CITY RATES RATHER THAN THE INSIDE.
THEY WERE PREFERENTIAL RATES THAT WE WERE GIVING THEM TO START WITH.
WE HAVE OTHER BUSINESSES AND ENTITIES OUTSIDE THE CITY THAT WE ARE CHARGING, UM, Y YOU KNOW, RATES AS OUTSIDE THE CITY RATES.
BUT THESE ARE PREFERENTIAL RATES, RIGHT? CORRECT.
THERE ARE ALSO SOME AGREEMENTS THAT ARE, SOME AGREEMENTS THAT ARE STILL, LIKE NOT EVERYONE'S LISTED.
THERE'S STILL SOME AGENCIES THAT WE IDENTIFIED, UM, THAT HAVE LONG-TERM AGREEMENTS THAT ARE STILL ACTIVE AND THEY'LL PROBABLY BE ACTIVE FOR ANOTHER FIVE OR 10 YEARS FROM NOW.
UM, WE IDENTIFIED THE ONES THAT HAD BEEN EXPIRED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
SO JUST TAGGING OFF OF COUNCILMAN GETZ.
WE STILL HAVE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS, ENTITIES THAT ARE OUTSIDE THAT ARE GETTING INSIDE RATE.
THERE'S, THERE'S STILL SOME VERY FEW.
AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, WHEN WE SAY WE REACHED OUT, I, I GET THAT WE SENT 'EM A LETTER, BUT I ALSO KNOW, AND AS LARGE AS THESE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS ARE, THOSE LETTERS CAN GET, WHO KNOWS WHERE THAT LETTER WENT? I, I'VE HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE.
YOU GET A LETTER LOST IN A STACK OF PAPERS.
SO, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY A, WHATEVER, HALF A DOZEN.
DID WE MAKE AN ATTEMPT TO CALL TO CONTACT THEM CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, THIS ISSUE AND TO ASK THE QUESTION, DO YOU WANNA RENEW? DO YOU WANT TO REAPPLY? NO, THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER.
IT, THEY, THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME BACK AND TALK TO EITHER COUNSELOR OR TO, YOU KNOW, STAFF TO SEE IF THOSE CONTRACTS NEED TO BE RENE, YOU KNOW, RENEGOTIATED.
AND 99% OF THE CASES, THE PEOPLE, THE PERSON OR THE, THE DEPART, THE INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER IT WAS JOB TITLE OR OR INDIVIDUAL PERSON THAT WAS IDENTIFIED FOR THE AGENCY THAT WAS A CONTACT PERSON LIKE RETIRED, HIRED MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
SO THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AND TIME AND EFFORT IT TOOK JUST TO FIND A PERSON TO CONTACT WHO WOULD EVEN BE THE RIGHT PERSON TO SEND A LETTER TO WAS A, TOOK A GOOD A BIT OF STAFF RESOURCES, UM, TO DO.
UM, OBVIOUSLY IN THAT TIMEFRAME IT WAS A REORGANIZATION OF SOME, SOME SORTS.
THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO MOVED AROUND.
SO JUST, WE TRIED TO MAKE THE BEST EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LETTER THAT WE WERE SENDING IT TO WAS THE RIGHT PERSON TO RECEIVE THE LETTER.
AND WE DID HAVE PEOPLE REACH OUT AND FOLLOW, FOLLOW UP, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY DID RECEIVE THE LETTER.
COUNCILMAN SHAW, COUNCILMAN SANDY.
UH, IF, IF WE MOVE ON THIS TODAY, THEN I, YOU KNOW, IN MY OPINION THEN I THINK THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO ADOPT A POLICY.
IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS TO THESE GUYS HERE, WE JUST NEED TO SAY NO MORE, UH, SPECIAL RATES FOR OUTSIDE CUSTOMERS.
UH, WE JUST, WE DON'T DO THIS ANYMORE.
BUT I DON'T WANNA BE PUT IN A POSITION AS A COUNCIL MEMBER TO START PICKING AND CHOOSING WHO GETS THE PREFERRED RATE AND WHO DOESN'T.
SO THE ONLY ONE, THE ONLY, THESE ARE ONLY FOR THE EXPIRED.
SO I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND DOING THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO GO AND ESSENTIALLY TERMINATE EXISTING AGREEMENTS THAT ARE STILL VALID, FAIR ENOUGH.
BUT THEY COULD BE GRANDFATHERED.
I JUST DON'T WANNA BE PUT IN A POSITION TO START PICKING AND CHOOSING AGAIN, MY PREFERENCE TODAY WOULD BE TO TABLE THIS COUNCILMAN SAMUEL.
AND IT SOUNDS TO ME THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO GET CLARITY.
UH, OVERALL, UH, THERE ARE SOME CONTRACTS THAT STILL EXIST AND WE'RE HONORING THOSE CONTRACTS, BUT WE HAVE MANY CONTRACTS THAT HAVE EXPIRED AND IT'S JUST BEEN SITTING THERE WITH NOTHING HAPPENING.
AND THERE'S A SIZABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S INVOLVED WITH THIS.
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE TAXPAYERS TO PROTECT THOSE FUNDS.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IF THEY'VE BEEN EXPIRED AND WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION, UH, AS AN ENTITY TO GIVE NOTICE WHAT WE ARE DOING THAT GIVING NOTICE GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TO US, TRY TO RENEGOTIATE OR NOT.
AND IF THEY DON'T, ALL WE CAN DO IS TAKE THE GREATER GOOD OF THE CITIZENS IN MIND AND MOVE FORWARD.
SO, AND, AND SO TO THAT EXTENT, IN TERMS OF NOTICE, JUST SO WE'RE CLEAR ON THE PROCESS, WE SENT THE NOTICE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THIS WAS COMING BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK, BUT IF COUNSEL VOTES TO APPROVE IT TODAY, THERE'LL BE A SECOND LETTER SENT OUT JUST TO
[00:55:01]
NOTIFY THEM THAT IT WAS APPROVED.AND THIS IS THE NEW, THE NEW RATE, THE NEW TIMELINE.
AND WHEN IT WOULD START, UM, MOST OF THESE AGENCIES OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES LIKE US, AND THEY HAVE THE SAME FISCAL YEAR, OCTOBER ONE.
SO THIS IS WITHIN THAT TIME FOR THEM TO ADJUST AND DO THAT, WHICH IS WHY WE WANTED TO DO IT EARLY ENOUGH TO ALLOW FOR THAT.
COUNCILMAN GOETZ THEN COUNCILMAN TURNER, THEN COUNCILMAN DURIO.
WHEN THE NOTICE LETTERS WERE SENT OUT, I HEARD THE CITY ATTORNEY TALK ABOUT USE OF STAFF TIME AND RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY THE PROPER PERSON TO SEND IT TO, BECAUSE CERTAINLY WHEN THESE AGREEMENTS WERE REACHED, THERE WAS A CONTACT PERSON LISTED.
AND THAT, AS YOU SAID, MAY HAVE BEEN BACK IN THE EIGHTIES AND THOSE PEOPLE MAY NO LONGER BE THERE, BUT IT'S NOT HARD TO IDENTIFY.
FOR INSTANCE, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
WE PRETTY MUCH KNOW THAT XENA SHERIFF STEVENS IS A SHERIFF.
WE CAN, UH, WE, WE KNOW WHO'S THE PRESIDENT OF LIT LAMAR DID COPIES, DID WERE, WERE THE HEADSS OF THESE INSTITUTIONS CC'D OR DID WE JUST, UH, GO WITH WHATEVER PERSON THAT WE HAD BEEN GIVEN AS THE CONTACT PERSON FROM MANY YEARS AGO? OH NO, WE DIDN'T USE, NO.
WE TRIED TO FIND WHO'S DOING ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, WHO'S ACTUALLY PAYING THOSE BILLS, AND THAT'S WHO WE SENT THOSE LETTERS TO.
BUT DID WE ALSO CONTACT THE HEAD? THE, THE, NO, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THREE OF THEM HAVE ALREADY CALLED US.
SO THEY'VE RECEIVED, MOST OF THEM AT LEAST HAVE RECEIVED THE LETTERS.
THE ONE, THE LARGER ONES HAVE RECEIVED THEIR LETTERS FOR SURE.
SO, YOU KNOW, MIKE CONNORS IS OVER AT THE BEAUMONT DREAM CENTER.
DID WE SEND A LETTER TO MIKE CONNORS? NO, SIR.
WELL, UM,
AND IT, I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS SAID THAT THE NOTICE GOT TO 'EM.
I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUEL.
WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO OUR CITIZENS.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW IS ONE OF THESE PREFERENTIAL RATE DEALS, UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TERMINATING THAT AND THEN IT'S GONNA BE UP TO THEM TO COME BACK TO US AND IT'S GONNA BE UP TO US AS A COUNCIL TO DECIDE IF WE WANNA STILL DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, I, I I DON'T UNDERSTAND REALLY WHY, UH, WE'RE GONNA GIVE PREFERENTIAL RATES TO ANYBODY UNLESS IT'S, UH, SORT OF A NEGOTIATED TYPE OF DEAL TO GET THEIR BUSINESS WITHIN JEFFERSON COUNTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND ABOUT TAX ABATEMENTS, I UNDERSTAND ABOUT PREFERENTIAL UH, RATES IN ORDER TO GET BUSINESSES HERE.
BUT AFTER SOME POINT IN TIME WHEN THOSE AGREEMENTS EXPIRE, WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO JUST CONTINUE THAT INDEFINITELY.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE GET NOTICE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
COUNCILMAN TURNER? UH, MY MY CONCERN IS, UH, PREVENTATIVE MEASURES, UH, I, I, I UNDERSTAND WE, WE CAUGHT IT.
WE RECOGNIZE IT, WE ARE ADDRESSING IT.
BUT ONE THING THAT I STRUGGLE WITH IS CATCHING SOMETHING THAT MAY HAVE TOOK PLACE MULTIPLE YEARS AGO, UH, WITH US KNOWING THAT WE HAVE AGREEMENTS COMING UP.
UH, ARE WE GOING TO CATCH IT IN A MORE TIMELY FASHION? WELL, WE DON'T HAVE DEALS THAT, THAT WE ACTUALLY, OR THE CITY NEGOTIATED THAT WERE LINGERING FROM YEARS AGO.
UH, I, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN SAMUEL WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, MAKING THESE TYPE OF DECISIONS AND NOT PUSHING IT DOWN THE ROAD.
BECAUSE EVEN WHEN WE GO UP ON RATES ON CITIZENS, YOU KNOW, WE SENDING OTHERS OUT, BUT WE ARE NOT MAKING THOSE ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES TO DO SO.
SO I JUST KIND OF WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING FAIR, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE BOARD AND WE'RE KIND OF DOING THE SAME THING CONSISTENTLY.
BUT I REALLY DO STRUGGLE WITH THESE DEALS BEING OFF THE BOOKS FOR THIS LONG AND NOW WE'RE MAKING THIS DECISION.
SO IN THE FUTURE, THE ONES THAT ARE FALLING OFF THE BOOKS, CAN WE MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS IT IN A, YOU KNOW, TIMELY FASHION? YES.
I TRIED TO FIND ALL AGREEMENTS THAT WERE OUT THERE AND I THINK THERE'S ONE OR TWO THAT STILL REMAIN, UM, WITH A CONTRACT THAT'S STILL IN PLACE.
YEAH, I, I PREFER, I SUPPORT CURRENT AND UPDATED, YOU KNOW, NOT OUTDATED.
WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO,
YOU DID SAY THAT IT WAS THE ACTUAL, THESE FOLKS, IT WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTACT THE CITY WHEN THEIR, WHEN THEIR CONTRACT EXPIRED.
AND AS A COURTESY WE SENT THEM LETTERS LETTING THEM KNOW YOUR CONTRACT HAS EXPIRED.
I WASN'T, I WASN'T HERE AT THAT TIME.
I MEAN, WITH THESE LETTERS THAT Y'ALL JUST SENT OUT THESE LETTERS, NO, THIS IS THE NOTICE THAT
[01:00:01]
WE'RE GIVING.SO JUST TO CLARIFY THE CON, MOST OF THE AGREEMENTS WE'RE CALLING 'EM A CONTRACT.
THEY'RE DISAGREEMENTS FOR, FOR REDUCED RATES.
BUT MOST OF THE AGREEMENTS WERE DRAFTED TO SAY SOMETHING TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WAS A, UM, MOST OF THEM HAD A, A SET NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, I THINK THE, THE LONGEST ONE WE SAW WAS LIKE 50 YEARS, RIGHT? IN ANYWHERE FROM LIKE, UH, DOWN TO FIVE OR 10 YEARS.
AND THEY ALLOWED FOR A, A RENEWAL EVERY YEAR UNTIL TERMINATED.
AND THEY SAID THAT THE AGREEMENT WOULD GO FORTH UNTIL TERMINATED.
SOME OF THEM WERE DISAGREEMENTS, SOME OF THEM WERE, UH, APPROVAL BY RESOLUTION FROM COUNCIL.
SOME OF 'EM, WE COULDN'T EVEN FIND OUR ATTACHED RESOLUTIONS 'CAUSE THEY WERE SO OLD BEFORE WE, EITHER IT WAS TERMINATED OR IT WASN'T PART OF THE RETENTION PLAN.
BUT, BUT MOST, MOST OF THE AGREEMENTS, UM, THAT WE IDENTIFIED HAD THAT SAME SIMILAR LIKE CONTINUING INTO IN PERPETUITY, WHICH IS NOT GOOD LANGUAGE, UM, FOR AN AGREEMENT.
SO TO THAT EXTENT, I WOULD NOT, IF I'M A CUSTOMER CALL AND SAY, HEY, MY AGREEMENT EXPIRED, YOU WANNA CHARGE ME MORE? CAN I CONTINUE TO PAY THIS RATE? THEY JUST CONTINUED TO PAY THE RATE AT WHICH THEY WERE BILLED.
AND SO WHEN ESSENTIALLY IT WAS THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO IDENTIFY THAT THOSE CONTRACTS WERE NO LONGER VIABLE CONTRACTS, NOTIFY THOSE VENDORS THAT THEIR, THAT THEIR AGREEMENT HAD EXPIRED AND THEY WOULD THAT POINT, IT WAS THE, THE, THE AGENCY'S THING TO EITHER SAY, WELL, WE WOULD LIKE TO RENEW OR WE WOULD LIKE TO RENEGOTIATE THESE THINGS.
UM, NEITHER THAT HAPPENED UNTIL NOW.
SO HERE WE ARE NOW ON THE CUS OF SEVERAL FIRE THE CITY, YOU GOT EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID THE CITY DID.
SO ONCE WE, UM, WE DID THE AUDIT AND UM, WE FOUND THAT WE HAD SEVERAL OF THESE AGRE, WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL AGREEMENTS.
NOW THE 12, THERE WERE PROBABLY MORE THAN HALF THAT WERE EXPIRED.
I THINK THERE'S PROBABLY TWO OR THREE, UM, THAT ARE STILL VALID.
UM, THEY WERE 50 PLUS YEAR AGREEMENTS, UM, THAT, THAT WERE KIND OF WRAPPED INTO.
AND THEY WERE BY, AGAIN, BY RESOLUTION, AND THEY'RE STILL CURRENT IN THAT TIMEFRAME.
I THINK THEY'RE COMING UP ON SOME EXPIRATIONS IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS.
BUT WE IDENTIFIED THE ONES THAT WERE EXPIRED AND THEN WE TRIED TO IDENTIFY HOW THEY WERE ADOPTED.
WERE THEY ADOPTED PURELY BY AGREEMENT? WERE THEY ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION? AND BECAUSE SOME OF THEM WE COULDN'T FIND RESOLUTIONS FOR, BUT LARGE OF THEM WERE, WE, WE DETERMINED THAT MOST LIKELY THAT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN BY RESOLUTION.
SOME OF THEM WERE JUST DONE BY THE, UH, ACTION OF THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME.
UM, WE TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
HE SAID HE WANTED TO BRING ALL OF THEM REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY WERE EXECUTED BACK TO COUNCIL, TO FOR COUNCIL TO REVIEW.
SO, SO WE DID ALL, WE DID ALL THE STEPS.
AN AGREEMENT THAT'S APPROVED BY RESOLUTION WITH THE COUNCIL CAN ONLY BE DISSOLVED BY RESOLUTION FROM THE COUNCIL.
AND SO, UM, WE GROUPED THEM ALL TOGETHER TO BRING 'EM FORTH TO YOU.
SO THE CITY, UM, NOTI IDENTIFY THE, THE FIRST STEP WAS TO IDENTIFY THE CONTRACTS, IDENTIFY HOW THEY WERE ADOPTED, IDENTIFY IF THEY WERE STILL VALID, AND THEN NOTIFY THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
THE NEXT STEP IN THE PROCESS IS, IF THE COUNCIL DOES APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION, WOULD BE TO NOTIFY THOSE AGENCIES, UM, FROM A LETTER FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND SAY, HEY, COUNCIL'S APPROVED FOR THIS CONTRACT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH TERMINATION.
I THINK ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE A 30 DAY NOTICE REQUIREMENT.
AND THEN ALLOW FOR THEM TO EITHER IN THAT TIMEFRAME REQUEST TO RENEGOTIATE THEIR AGREEMENT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY OUR WATER RATES HAVE INCREASED AND CHANGED OVER THE TIME.
SO EVEN THEIR SPECIAL RATE, EVEN IF WE COUNSEL SAID I WOULD STILL LIKE THIS AGENCY TO HAVE A SPECIAL RATE, THEIR SPECIAL RATE WOULD BE HIGHER.
SO, UM, BUT HOW LONG AGO WERE THEY CONTACTED CONCERNING THIS? WE SENT THE LETTERS OUT WEDNESDAY, I BELIEVE LAST WEDNESDAY.
LAST WEDNESDAY IN TIME FOR THEM TO HAVE IT FOR COUNSEL TODAY.
SO THEY'VE HAD A WEEK TO GET THE LETTER, READ IT AND RESPOND.
AND I'VE HAD, WELL I SAID MULTIPLE RESPONSES ALREADY, BUT, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WHAT I'M HEARING AND UH, FOR CLARITY IS IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T RENEGOTIATE WITH ANY OF THESE PEOPLE.
IT'S JUST BEGINNING THAT PROCESS.
CLEARLY THEY'RE WITHOUT CONTRACT RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS WILL STILL ALLOW THEM TO COME TO THE CITY TO NEGOTIATE.
AND IF THIS IS SOMETHING THE COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, WE CAN STILL, WE CAN STILL DO THAT.
AS I SAID WHEN I TALKED TO THE FEDERAL PRISON, UM, THEY MAY HAVE SOME, SOME DIFFERENCES IN THEIRS THAT WE MAY NEED TO RENEGOTIATE THEIR CONTRACT.
ALRIGHT, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL THEN.
YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T WANT THIS TO SOUND TOO CAVALIER AND SAYING IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER, BUT WHETHER IT BE, UH, THEY DID NOT RENEW BY OMISSION OR THEY KNEW THE CONTRACT OR THE AGREEMENT HAD EXPIRED AND THEY CHOSE TO REMAIN AT THE RATE PRESENTLY, THAT REALLY, IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
NOW, WHAT MATTERS IS OUR ADMINISTRATION HAS FOUND THAT THERE IS
[01:05:01]
AN AREA THAT WE NEEDED TO TIGHTEN UP ON.AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO.
IT'S BUSINESS TAKING CARE OF THE BUSINESS AT HAND.
WE ARE NOT, THIS IS, WE HAVE TO DO TODAY WHAT WE CAN DO.
WE CAN'T KICK THIS DOWN THE ROAD FOR ANOTHER ADMINISTRATION OR FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
SO AT THIS TIME, THIS IS ONE OF THE TIMES I KIND OF AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GOETZ THAT WE NEED TO TIGHTEN UP AND JUST MOVE FORWARD.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY TO WA RUN OUR WATER SYSTEM.
WE'VE HAD TO RAISE OUR WATER RATES IN ORDER TO HAVE REVENUE TO IMPROVE OUR WATER SYSTEM.
WE CONTRACTED WITH WATER COMPANY OF AMERICA TO FIND LOSS REVENUE IN OUR WATER SYSTEM.
SO WHY WOULD WE NOW SAY, EH, NEVERMIND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GONNA LOOK AT THAT ONE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS YOU'VE IDENTIFIED, UH, BECAUSE IT MIGHT CAUSE YOU KNOW, A BURDEN ON SOME OF THESE OTHER AGENCIES THAT, THAT'S CRAZY.
WE HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO OUR CITIZENS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OPERATING IN THEIR BEST INTERESTS.
AND IF WE HAVE IDENTIFIED LOST REVENUE, WHICH WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE, WE NEED TO BEGIN THE PROCESS.
LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER SAYS, SAMUEL SAYS, OF PUTTING THEM ON NOTICE, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS OVER.
UH, YOUR CONTRACT'S OVER, IT'S BEEN OVER FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW WE NEED TO EITHER RENEGOTIATE OR YOU'RE GONNA BE PAYING THIS AMOUNT.
COUNCILMAN DURIO ALSO, LIKE COUNCILMAN GUESS JUST SAID, WE WENT UP ON WATER RATES AT LEAST TWICE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS ON OUR CITIZENS HERE IN BEAUMONT.
THEY'RE DOING THEIR FAIR SHARE.
SO THESE AGENCIES GOING TO HAVE TO DO THEIRS ALSO.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE GOT A CHANCE TO RENEGOTIATE, UH, WHATEVER THE CONTRACT IS, BUT IT'S EXPIRED AND WE DON'T NEED TO PICK THIS DOWN THE BUCKET.
WE NEED TO, LIKE HE SAID, AND
STAFF, I THINK, HAVE DONE A GOOD JOB OF GROWING OUT AND FINDING THIS AND WATER COMPANY OF AMERICA ALSO, I MEAN, WENT OUT AND FOUND $1.5 MILLION AND LOST REVENUE.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL CAN'T KICK $1.5 MILLION DOWN THE ROAD.
IT IS NOT LIKE THE CITY DOESN'T NEED THAT MONEY.
I, AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID.
I WANT THE COUNCIL TO UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WE'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR LIT.
THESE PEOPLE SERVE THE SAME CITIZENS THAT WE SERVE AND WE'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO PARTNER TOGETHER AND, AND TRY TO GET ALONG AND WE EXPECT THEM TO RECIPROCATE AND BE KIND TO US.
UH, ALSO, BUT MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS THE PROCESS AND THEM GETTING THE LETTER A WEEK AGO, UH, TO ME THAT'S, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE PREMATURE HERE, BUT, UH, AS LONG AS THEY CAN REAPPLY AND THE COUNCIL CAN DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO GIVE THEM, UH, SPECIAL CONSIDERATION OR NOT, I'M GOOD.
UH, MY PRIMARY CONCERN, AS I SAID, IS WITH THE PROCESS, IT FELT LIKE IT WAS JUST KINDA RUSHED, BUT I YIELD TO THE COUNCIL.
ALRIGHT, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO? YES.
MAYOR COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO, TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO EAST TEXAS UTILITY CONSTRUCTION OF BEAUMONT FOR THE EUCLID STREET AND 11TH STREET STORM SEW REPAIR PROJECT.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO VORTEX COMPANIES FOR THE BEL DEER DRIVE AND CLINTON STREET STORM SEWER OUTFALL EMERGENCY REPAIR PROJECT.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? MOVE TO MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION IN THE SECOND I'LL YIELD
[01:10:01]
TOGE.THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER THREE.
ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN GOETZ BART? UH, WE HAVE FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW HAD COMPLAINTS OF FLOODING IN WHAT I BELIEVE THIS AREA IS.
UH, AND THIS PROJECT IS SUPPOSED TO IMPROVE.
AM I THINKING THAT THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
THIS IS AN OUTFALL IN THAT SAME AREA.
I THINK YOU'RE THINKING SUE AND HOW, UH, AREA, BUT THIS, THIS OUTFALL IS FAILING AND IT GOES FROM, UH, BELVEDERE AND CLINTON.
THE INTERSECTION THERE OVER TO HILDEBRANDT BAYOU AND IT GOES BETWEEN TWO HOUSES AND THERE'S A FAILURE OF THE PIPE.
UH, NOT HUGE FAILURE, BUT THERE'S SOME BREAKS IN BETWEEN THE SECTIONS OF THE PIPE AND IT'S CAUSING SOME SUBSIDENCE IN THE GROUND.
AND UNFORTUNATELY THERE'S TWO HOUSES EITHER SIDE AND BOTH OF THEM ARE, ARE ENCROACHING IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO REPAIR THIS BY CURED IN PLACE LINING, WHICH WILL PREVENT US FROM HAVING TO TRY TO DIG UP IN A VERY CONSTRAINED SPACE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO GROUND PENETRATING RADAR TO GO AHEAD AND IDENTIFY ANY CAVITIES THAT EXIST IN THE GROUND BECAUSE, UH, THE ONE NEIGHBOR IS, IS VIRTUALLY JUST A COUPLE OF FEET FROM THIS LINE.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NO GAP IN THE GROUND THERE THAT'S GONNA IMPACT HIM ADVERSELY AFTER WE REPAIR THE I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN OUT THERE.
THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED, THAT IS ENCROACHING ON THE NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.
I MEAN, WELL, HE'S IN THE RIGHT OF WAY.
I MEAN, THE ACTUAL FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE IS OVER INTO THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO, UH, DUE THE PROXIMITY OF THE LINE, YES.
THERE, THERE'S SOME SUBSIDENCE AND IT'S VERY CLOSE TO HIS AIR CONDITIONING USE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE CITY MANAGER AS AUTHORIZED SIGNATORIES FOR CONTRACTUAL AND FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS TO APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE FUNDING FROM THE TEXAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF TWO CHEVROLET SILVERADO PICKUP TRUCKS FOR THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS AUTO THEFT TASK FORCE.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE'S A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN NEAL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SIX, COUNCIL, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER, ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH DIAMOND HOMES LLC FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION AT 34 80 GOLIAD.
AND IT COMES TO RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I HAD A QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN TURNER, THEN COUNCILMAN GUESS.
UH, CITY MR. MANAGER, UH, STAFF.
THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS I, I HAVEN'T SEEN OFTEN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, BUT I AM HAPPY TO SEE IT COME ACROSS BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S REAL BENEFICIAL, ESPECIALLY FOR, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABLE HAL IN THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, INTEREST RATES WHERE OUR STANDING AND, YOU KNOW, THE COST OF LIVING AND SALARIES AREN'T REALLY GOING UP.
SO IF WE CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, INCENTIVIZE OR IF WE CAN GET MORE PROJECTS LIKE THIS, I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD LOOK THAT WE HAVE THESE PROGRAMS AND, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST HAPPY TO SEE IT IS COMING TO FRUITION AND SEEING SOME OF 'EM COME THROUGH.
AND IF IT'S BEEN IN THE, IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, I JUST APPRECIATE, I THINK IT'S VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT COUNCILMAN GUESS.
AND COUNCILMAN DORIA, UH, WHO IS DIAMOND HOMES AND WHAT IS IT THEY'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO DO? ARE THEY BUILDING A SINGLE RESIDENCE OR,
[01:15:01]
UH, WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? YES, SIR.THEY'RE LOOKING TO, UH, BUILD A SINGLE FAMILY HOME.
IF, IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR HIM TO SPEAK, UM, I BELIEVE THE NEXT FEW ITEMS AS WELL ARE YEAH, MAYBE HE COULD INTRODUCE HIMSELF TO COUNCIL AND, UH, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HIS VISION IS.
SO, AND LET'S ADD, THE MAYOR WANTS TO WAIVE OUR CURRENT PROTOCOL.
WE TYPICALLY DON'T ALLOW PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM UNLESS THEY'RE SPEAKING DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, SO THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH, BUT I'LL YIELD TO THE MAYOR IF HE WOULD DO THAT.
JUST KNOW THAT HE COULD CREATE YEAH, I'M NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA WAIVE OKAY.
THEN HE'S GONNA BE, UM, BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOMES.
UM, AND HE'S A LOCAL DEVELOPER HERE IN BEAUMONT.
OH, SO THESE ARE ALL VACANT LOTS WITH NOTHING ON IT.
SO NOW THEY'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE NEW HOMES, AFFORDABLE HOMES ON THESE LOTS.
AND, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD DEAL.
SO, UM, AND THESE LOCAL DEVELOPERS, IT'S A FEW OF THEM AND THEY'RE FROM, UH, FROM BEAUMONT AND, AND, UH, I RODE BY TODAY I SAW THEY HAD A, ANOTHER PLACE WHERE THEY BUILT A COUPLE OF HOMES OVER HOUSTON STREET, VERY NICE HOMES.
AND ALL OF THESE ARE, LIKE I SAID, VACANT, OVERGROWN LOTS THAT, UH, THEY'RE GONNA DO SOMETHING WITH.
THERE'S NO, UH, YOU SAYING THEY'RE HERE.
I, I MEAN, I, I'M JUST WANTED TO SEE, OH, OKAY.
THAT'S, I DO APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION.
IF THERE'S, UH, NO OTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, COUNCIL, CONSIDER AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER IN TO AN AGREEMENT WITH DIAMOND HOMES LLC FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION AT 34 78 GOLIA.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? APPROVAL? SECOND.
DO YOU HAVE THAT THERE IS A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN SAMUEL AND THEN SECONDED BY? YES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? I'M JUST HAPPY TO SEE THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME MORE DEVELOPMENT IN THAT PARTICULAR WAR.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? YES, MAYOR COUNCIL, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH DIAMOND HOMES LLC FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION AT 31 85 ELEANOR STREET.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? SO MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
SECOND THERE MOTION AND A SECOND FOR OUR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER NINE.
COUNCIL, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH DIAMOND HOMES LLC FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES, UH, UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PRIMARY ZONE PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION AT 34 85 PRETI STREET.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER NINE? IS I GET ONE.
IS THERE A SECOND? WE GOT THE FIRST, SECOND, SECOND.
22ND FOR OUR, WE'RE SO EXCITED TO SEE HOLMES COMING.
IS THERE A, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER NINE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING DISCUSSION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? WE'RE NOT GONNA APPROVE THIS ONE.
UH, DIAMOND HOLMES, LLC RAISE YOUR HAND AGAIN BROTHER.
I JUST, UH, HOPE, UH, THIS IS WHAT MR. MARSHBURN WAS TALKING ABOUT 'CAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE, UH, RESPONSIVE TO HIS COMMENTS THAT HE GAVE TO COUNCIL.
UH, WE ARE FINDING, UH, UH, AN ENTITY OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IS, UH, FINDING VACANT LOTS AND HE WANTS TO DO SOMETHING TO, UH, INVEST
[01:20:01]
IN THEM.AND HE'S ASKING THE CITY TO, UH, BAIT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SOME INVESTMENTS, UH, ABATE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, UH, THE TAX, TAX ABATEMENTS, UH, ALSO TO WAIVE SOME FEES.
AND, UH, I'M ALSO HAPPY TO SEE THIS.
WE GOT PLENTY MORE EMPTY LOTS, DON'T WE? COUNCILMAN GUEST, WE DO.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER NINE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER 10? WELL, MORE GOOD NEWS COUNCIL, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH DIAMOND HOLMES, LLC FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND PROVINCE ZONE PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESIDENTIAL NEW CONSTRUCTION AT 35 20 PARADISE STREET.
IS IT, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 10? MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR OUR APPROVAL.
IS THERE MORE DISCUSSION? YES.
OH, I JUST WANNA SAY THIS, BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS DONE.
STUFF LIKE THIS DONE SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL IN, IN WARD FOUR.
THERE'S A LOT OF VACANT LOTS AND I, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE HAVE SOME FOLKS STEP FORWARD AND DEVELOP THOSE LOTS AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE, YOU KNOW, IF Y'ALL WANNA DEVELOP THEM TOO.
UH, I I CAN TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE.
I KNOW, I KNOW WHERE THEY ALL AT.
YOU KNOW, I CAN SHOW YOU WHERE THEY ARE.
BUT THIS, THIS IS, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS.
GRATEFUL WARD FOR AND THEIR COUNCILMAN.
ALRIGHT, IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER 10, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
UH, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER 11? COUNCIL CONSIDER REQUESTS FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT AND A REZONE FROM RESIDENTIAL MULTIPLE FAMILY, MEDIUM DENSITY DISTRICT TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL, MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLING DISTRICT OR MORE RESTRICTIVE ZONING DISTRICT TO ALLOW AN AUTOMOTIVE PAINT AND BODY SHOP FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 34 80 BENCHMARK DRIVE.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
ALL LIGHTING INSTALL MUST BE DIRECTIONAL AND SHIELDED FROM ALL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES TO THE EAST AND SOUTH.
CONSTRUCTION PLANS MUST MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS OF WATER UTILITIES FOR ANY WATER AND SENATOR SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING ANY REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY'S BACKFLOW AND OUR PRETREATMENT PROGRAMS. THREE.
NO PERMANENT STRUCTURE OR A
CONSTRUCTION PLANS SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE FIRE AND BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENTS.
CONSTRUCTION PLANS SHALL BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 28.0 4.006.
LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.
A COMMITMENT LETTER BE RECEIVED FROM, FROM THE DEVELOPER OR PROPERTY OWNER PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF A BUILDING PERMIT STATING THERE WILL BE NO ACCESS TO THE PROPERTY FROM FRENCH ROAD AND THAT THE REZONE PORTION ALONG FRENCH ROAD IS TO REMAIN AS PARKING AND STORAGE WITH NO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT TO TAKE PLACE ON THE REZONE PORTION.
AND IT COMES TO RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 11? MOVE, MOVE TO APPROVE WITH RESTRICTIONS.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER 11, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
[PUBLIC HEARING]
A COUPLE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS.WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE US INTO THE FIRST ONE, COUNSEL TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER FINDING AND RATIFYING THE DETERMINATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR THAT A PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE EXISTS ON THE PROPERTY OWNED BY ROBERT S MODE AT 1495 WALL STREET.
RIGHT, CHRIS? GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL.
MAYOR, I STAND BEFORE YOU TO ASK YOU GUYS TO DECLARE THESE PROPERTIES AS A PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE.
WALL STREET PROPERTY OWNER IS ROBERT MODE.
AND THESE ARE THE VIOLATIONS, UH, THAT THE PROPERTY IS CURRENTLY, UH, VIOLATING.
DISCHARGE OF OFFENSIVE LIQUIDS, RAT PROOFING, STACKING AND ELEVATING MATERIALS, OFFENSIVE ODORS AND LITTER CONTROL.
[01:25:01]
IS JUST A HISTORY OF HOW LONG BETWEEN CODE ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY.AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PROPERTY ONLY JUST KEEP, UH, FAILING TO APPEAR IN COURT.
UH, FEBRUARY 22, PROPERTY OWNER WAS GIVEN 10 DAYS TO ABATE THE LITTLE VIOLATION AT THIS PROPERTY AND HE CAME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.
JULY OF 23, CODE ENFORCEMENT REPORTED THE PROPERTY IS OUT OF COMPLIANCE FOR LITTER.
AUGUST 23, THE PROPERTY WAS REPORTED TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SEPTEMBER OF 23, A FINAL LETTER WAS SENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNER TO ABATE THE GENERAL NUISANCE.
AND THEN IN OCTOBER, THE PROPERTY OWNER FAILED TO APPEAR IN MUNICIPAL COURT.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
SO THIS IS PICTURES, UH, OF THE CURRENT PROPERTY.
ANY QUESTIONS OVER THIS ONE? IT'S, IS THAT DEBRIS THAT'S BEEN PLACED TO THE STREET OR IS IT JUST OVERFLOWING FROM THE LOT ONTO THE STREET OVER OVERFLOWING FROM THE LOT ONTO THE STREET? COUNCILMAN UH, WYN.
I, I DROVE BY THERE YESTERDAY.
IT, I, TO ME IT LOOKS WORSE THAN THESE PICTURES ARE ACTUALLY SHOWING.
AS, AS YOU SEE HERE, IT HAS GONE BEYOND THE FENCE AND NOW THEY'RE STACKING IT UP BETWEEN THE FENCE AND THE ROAD.
IT, IT'S THESE, THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST I'VE SEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? MAY WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING AND THEN WE'LL JUST HEAR ITEMS 12 AND 13 AFTER ALSO TO, TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER FINDING AND RATIFYING THE DETERMINATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH EE THAT A PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE EXISTS ON THE PROPERTY OWNED BY RANDY AND VIRGINIA MOTT AT 90 80 WASHINGTON BOULEVARD.
AGAIN, HE, THESE ARE THE VIOLATIONS, UH, RAT PROOFING, STACKING, ELEVATING MATERIALS, AS WELL AS LITTER CONTROL.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE HISTORY AS HOW LONG CODE ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH HAS ACTUALLY BEEN DEALING WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
IN SEPTEMBER, WE STARTED IN SEPTEMBER OF 21.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY OF 23, AGAIN, THROUGHOUT ALL THESE YEARS, THE PROPERTY OWNERS JUST KEPT, UH, FAILING TO APPEAR IN MUNICIPAL COURT.
YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, TINA.
THEN MAY AND JUNE AGAIN, PROPERTY ONLY FAILED TO APPEAR IN MUNICIPAL COURT.
FEBRUARY OF 24, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT WAS ASKED TO ASSIST WITH THIS PROPERTY.
THE PROPERTY WAS DECLARED A GENERAL NUISANCE AND THE ONLY WAS GIVEN SEVEN DAYS TO ABATE THE NUISANCE.
IN MAY OF 24, THE PROPERTY ONLY FAILED TO APPEAR IN MUNICIPAL COURT AND THE CASE WAS ASKED TO BE DISMISSED FOR US TO FILE CHARGES.
AND IN JUNE OF 24, THE PROPERTY OWNER WAS NOTIFIED BY ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH THAT HE WOULD'VE TO APPEAR BEFORE A COUNCIL IF NUISANCES HAS NOT BEEN EVADED.
AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE PICTURES OF, UH, WHAT'S ON THE PROPERTY.
THIS MAY BE MORE FIDUCIARY, BUT THIS, THIS PROCESS, WHICH TAKES AGONIZINGLY AND FRUSTRATINGLY LONG, UH, ENDS UP WITH CHARGES BEING FILED.
UH, AND THEN WE'RE ASKED TO DISMISS THE, THE COMPLAINT.
UH, WALK, WALK US THROUGH WHAT WE CAN DO TO EXPEDITE THIS PROCESS BECAUSE IT IS YEARS LITERALLY.
SO MUNICIPAL COURT ALREADY HAS A CODE ENFORCEMENT DAY.
IT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR THURSDAY.
WE ONLY HEAR CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES ON THURSDAY.
UM, WE DO SEND OUT THE NOTICES, UM, AND TRY TO GET THEM TO ABATE IT.
WHEN WE FILE THE CHARGES IN THE MUNICIPAL COURT, WE GIVE THEM NOTICE.
IT TAKES ABOUT, UM, ANYWHERE FROM THREE WEEKS TO GET A TRIAL SETTING.
UM, SOMETIMES A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, AND THEN WHEN THEY COME IN, IT'S UP TO THE JUDGES.
THE JUDGE CAN EITHER GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY, HE CAN GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLEAD GUILTY, UM, TO DO THAT.
THEY CAN ALSO PLEAD NOT GUILTY AND, YOU KNOW, SET IT BIRTH OR THEY CANNOT APPEAR OR THEY CANNOT, THEY CANNOT APPEAR OR THEY CAN COMPLETE NOT GUILTY AND REQUEST A JURY TRIAL, WHICH EXTENDS THE PROCESS.
BUT LET'S JUST SAY SOMEONE DOESN'T APPEAR, THEN
[01:30:01]
WE HAVE TO MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NOTICE IS PROPER TO GET 'EM IN.WE ISSUE A WARRANT AND THEN IT'S JUST LIKE ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPAL COURT TRAFFIC TICKET.
AND WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT COUNSEL HAS NOT WANTED TO EXTEND THE PROCESS.
SO AFTER THEY GET AN EXTENSION FROM THE COURT AND THEY FAIL TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY, UM, WE'VE ASKED CODE ENFORCEMENT TO JUST GIVE THAT INFORMATION TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IF THEY CONSIDER IT TO BE SO SEVERE THAT, UM, DRAGGING IT OUT WOULDN'T BE GOOD FOR THE CITIZENS OR JUST A GOOD PROCESS IN GENERAL.
AND SO WE HAVE STOPPED ALLOWING THEM TO HAVE SEVERAL EXTENSIONS.
AND SO NOW CODE ENFORCEMENT HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED WHEN THEY GO TO THE COURT TO TELL THE JUDGE, HEY, THIS IS THEIR SECOND TIME, IT'S THEIR SECOND OFFENSE.
OR THEY WERE HERE LAST TIME, THEY JUST PAID THE FINE, THEY DIDN'T CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY.
AND WE'RE JUST TRANSFERRING THESE CASES QUICKER TO MUNICIPAL COURT WHEN WE'VE NOTICED THAT THEY FAILED TO APPEAR.
WE DON'T ALLOW FOR A SECOND TIME.
THE PROPERTY IS CONSIDERED A PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE.
SO WE JUST GO AHEAD AND FORWARD THOSE CASES TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND NO LONGER ESSENTIALLY DRAG IT OUT TO ALLOW THEM TO ABATE THE PROPERTY THEMSELVES.
PREVIOUSLY WE DID ALLOW FOR, I GUESS, MORE CONTINUATION FOR THEM TO DO THAT BECAUSE WHEN WE DO GO, UM, TO COURT, OBVIOUSLY OUR OFFICE HAS TO FILE THE CASE, BUT THEN ALSO THE CITY HAS TO SPEND RESOURCES TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY, WHICH IS MONEY.
WE DO PUT A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY, BUT IT'S MONEY WE CAN POSSIBLY NEVER GET BACK IF THEY DECIDE TO STAY ON THE PROPERTY OR DON'T SELL THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT WE'VE CLEANED UP PROPERTIES AND WITHIN WEEKS THE PROPERTY IS BACK, UM, TO ITS, UH, ORIGINAL STATE OR WORSE.
UM, SO ESSENTIALLY LIKE WHEN WE DO THIS, IT'S A VERY, IT'S A VERY, SOMETIMES NOT A QUICK PROCESS.
'CAUSE ONCE WE FILE IN DISTRICT COURT, UM, WE HAVE TO GET ON THEIR DOCKET.
UM, THIS ISN'T A SUPER EMERGENT CASE.
SO WE GET ON THEIR DOCKET, THEY WANT THOSE PEOPLE TO APPEAR IN COURT.
SOMETIMES THAT JUDGE WANTS THEM TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CHANCE, UH, ONCE THEY SEE HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST.
SOMETIMES A PROPERTY LIKE THIS, JUST ON ESTIMATE, WOULD PROBABLY COST ANYWHERE FROM SIX TO $8,000 TO CLEAN.
COUNCILMAN AL? UH, JUST CURIOUS.
UH, CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY AND STAFF PERHAPS COULD HELP ME.
YEAH, THE PROPERTY ON WALL STREET'S, CORNER WALL AND B THAT'S COMMERCIAL.
THAT'S, I GET THAT ON WASHINGTON.
IT STARTS IN THE DRIVEWAY, IT GOES INTO THE GARAGE, AND THEN IT GOES IN THE BACKYARD.
UH, MY QUESTION IS, IF, IF, IF WE AS A CITY, IF WE EMPOWER THIS CITY STAFF TO GO OUT AND CLEAN THIS UP, WHEN WE GO OUT, HOW DOES THAT WORK? DO WE TAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH US? NO, NO, NO, NO.
BECAUSE ONE MAN'S TREASURE IS ANOTHER MAN'S JUNK.
SO HOW DO WE PICK AND CHOOSE WHAT HE CAN KEEP AND WHAT HE CAN'T KEEP? HOW, HOW DID, HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK? WELL, WE, WE DID HAVE ONE SITUATION WHERE IT WAS A, A UNIQUE SITUATION.
IT WAS A, UH, BUSINESS AND THERE WAS SOME, YOU CAN IDENTIFY SOME PRETTY, UM, INTERESTING PIECES ON IT.
SO TYPICALLY WHEN WE GO TO COURT, WE ASK FOR THE JUDGE TO ALLOW US ENTRY ONTO THE PROPERTY.
AND IF THE, THE INDIVIDUAL SHOWS UP TO COURT AND SAYS, NOT ALL OF IT'S DRUNK.
I HAVE A BOAT, I HAVE THESE OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT CAN KEEP THE JUDGE IN HIS ORDER WILL TELL THE CITY WHAT THEY CAN TAKE.
AND SO, OR WHAT CAN BE REMOVED.
OR SOMETIMES JOSE, WELL, IF YOU WANNA KEEP IT, YOU NEED TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE AFTER 30 DAYS, THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO COME IN THE PROPERTY AND THEY'RE GONNA HAUL OFF ANY AND EVERYTHING.
SO MY, AGAIN, THE QUESTION BACK TO THE COMMERCIAL ON WALL STREET, I GET THAT THAT'S PROBABLY NOT, BUT THIS ON WASHINGTON'S A RESIDENT.
SO IF WE SHOW UP AND HE SAYS, YOU'RE NOT COMING ON MY PROPERTY.
SO WE HAVE, WE GO BY COURT ORDER.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE JUDGE HAS GIVING US AN ORDER TO GO.
AND SO WE'RE, WE USUALLY USE CONTRACTORS.
AND SO THERE'S A SITUATION WHERE THEY SAY THAT THEY DON'T WANT US TO GO BE THERE.
OBVIOUSLY LAW ENFORCEMENT'S CALLED, SO WE CAN ENFORCE A WARRANT, BUT TYPICALLY THAT'S NOT HAPPENED.
YOU'LL BE SURPRISED ABOUT HOW, OKAY.
WELL, AND I KNOW WE DON'T LIKE TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE THE PROCESS, BUT THIS IS GOVERNMENT.
AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS, WHEN WE SHOW UP AT, AT SOMEBODY'S RESIDENT AND SAID, WE'RE FIXING TO HAUL OFF ALL YOUR STUFF THAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING 20 YEARS TO COLLECT.
I JUST WAS CURIOUS, HOW DOES THAT WORK? I MEAN, SURPRISED MOST OF THEM, UM, MOST OF THE TIME THEY DON'T EVEN COME OUT THE HOUSE.
CAN YOU GET 'EM BOTH WAYS? YEAH.
WE, WE, WE'VE DONE THIS A COUPLE TIMES.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE REALLY AGGRESSIVE AND THEY SAY, YOU CAN TAKE EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THIS.
THEY WALK AROUND AND PUT STICKERS ON WHAT THEY WANNA KEEP AND THEY SAID, I'M A I'M GONNA PUT IT UP.
AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN COME OUTTA THE HOUSE.
AND SOMETIMES IN THE PROCESS OF US BEING THERE CLEANING UP PROPERTY, THEY PULL UP WITH A WHOLE NEW LOAD OF STUFF.
COUNCILMAN DURIO, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH.
SO WE UH, APPROVE THE CLEARANCE PLACE OF PUBLIC NUISANCE TODAY.
WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? SO THE NEXT STEP IS THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL SEND OUT A NOTICE THAT THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN DECLARED A PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE AND GIVE THEM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS TO ABATE THE PROPERTY.
IN THE LETTER WE'LL IDENTIFY THAT IF THE PROPERTY ISN'T ABATED BY THAT TIMEFRAME, TYPICALLY WE DO 10 DAYS.
UH, THE CITY WILL, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
[01:35:01]
OFFICE WILL FILE A LAWSUIT.UM, WE, UH, MY OFFICE FALLS A LAWSUIT TYPICALLY ON THE 12TH DAY.
UM, AND WE GET IT SET FOR A HEARING.
THE TIMEFRAME TO GET THEM SERVED AND GET THEM IN USUALLY TAKES, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER 10, 15 DAYS DEPENDING ON THE PROCESS SERVER.
UM, LIKE I SAID, MOST, MOST OF THE TIME THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY NON-CONFRONTATIONAL.
SO IT DOES TAKE US A WHILE SOMETIMES TO GET THEM SERVED.
UM, IF THEY, UH, ONCE THEY'VE BEEN SERVED, SOME OF THEM DON'T ANSWER, UM, AND THEY JUST NEVER FILE A ANSWER.
SO WE FILE A DEFAULT JUDGMENT.
UM, AND IF THEY DO RESPOND, WE SET IT FOR A HEARING, WE GO TO THE HEARING, IN WHICH CASE, UH, WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THE JUDGE, WE NEVER REQUEST PENALTIES.
THE CITY DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO REQUEST PENALTIES.
WHAT WE ASK FOR IS FOR THE COURT, ALLOW US TO GO IN AND CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY, UM, AND TO ASSESS, UM, A LIEN ON THE PROPERTY, NOT TO EXCEED THE CLEANUP AMOUNT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT TAKES PLACE.
DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, WE GO OUT FOR BID TO SEE HOW MUCH IS GONNA CLEAN UP THIS PROPERTY.
AND WE ASK OUR, UM, INDIVIDUALS TO GET VERY, UH, LIBERAL BID JUST IN CASE THAT THEY GET ON THE PROPERTY.
AND IT'S MORE 'CAUSE WE, THEY CAN'T ENTER TO INSPECT THE PROPERTY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO GO ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AT THIS TIME.
SO WE ASK THEM TO GIVE A VERY, UH, LIBERAL ESTIMATE, UM, BASICALLY THE MAX THAT THEY BELIEVE IT WOULD COST IN TERMS OF TIME AND RESOURCES TO HAUL OFF ALL OF THIS STUFF.
UM, AND WE DO THAT AND WE TELL THE COURT THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS GONNA BE, WE GOT THREE ESTIMATES.
WE, WE GO WITH THE HIGHEST ESTIMATE AND TELL THEM, UM, TO PRESENT TO THE COURT.
AND WE TELL THEM, BASED ON THIS, WE BELIEVE THAT IT WON'T EXCEED THIS AMOUNT OF COSTS, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE CITY'S PURPOSES WHEN WE DO GO WITH A BE DORIGO WITH THE LOWEST BID, UM, POSSIBLE.
UM, SO UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WON'T EXCEED THE CERTAIN, THE HIGHEST BID, YOU SAID IT'S A HEARING, SO IT'S POSSIBLE THEY CAN GO TO THE HEARING AND, AND GET THIS STOPPED.
SO THEY TYPICALLY, WHEN THEY GO TO THE HEARING AT THIS POINT, THE JUDGE IS, UM, INTERESTED IN KNOWING TWO THINGS.
UM, AND, AND IT OBVIOUSLY JUST DEPENDS ON THE JUDGE.
UH, SOME JUDGES ARE INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF THEY HAVE THE ABILITY, UM, AND EVEN THE DESIRE TO HAUL IT OFF.
AND WILL THEY, UM, SOME JUDGES ARE INTERESTED IN GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRACT WITH, UM, ORGANIZATIONS.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE SHOW UP AND THEY SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WILLING TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY FOR HELP THEM CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY, HELP THEM SORT THROUGH THE PROPERTY.
UM, IN MOST CASES IT'S, UM, SOME OF THEM ARE COLLECTING, UM, ITEMS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SIDE BUSINESS.
MAYBE THEY REPAIR ITEMS. I THINK WE HAD ONE GUY WHO WAS A BICYCLE ENTHUSIAST AND HE WOULD, UM, COLLECT ITEMS. SO HE WOULD PASS OUT BICYCLES.
AND SO THERE WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA HELP HIM.
AND SO THEY WENT ON THE PROPERTY AND ASKED, CAME TO COURT AND ASKED THE JUDGE FOR ADDITIONAL TIME FOR THEM TO DO THAT.
AND THAT WAS ONE THAT THE CITY DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO, UM, TO IMPACT ON.
SO IT ENDS MULTIPLE WAYS SOMETIMES.
UM, THE JUDGE SAYS, HEY, UM, I'M GONNA GIVE THEM 30 DAYS TO GET THE PROPERTY CLEANED UP.
BUT ON THE 31ST DAY, IF THE PROPERTY ISN'T CLEANED, THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE TO COME BACK.
THEY CAN GO ON THE PROPERTY, ENTER, UM, DURING THAT TIMEFRAME, WE MONITOR THE PROPERTY AND IF THERE'S SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT MADE WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME, WE DON'T WASTE THE CITY'S MONEY TO GO IN TO CLEAN UP THE PROPERTY.
WE WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GET IT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.
UM, IF AT THE END OF THE 30 DAYS THERE'S NO IMPROVEMENT MADE ON THE PROPERTY ON DAY 31, WE THERE WITH THE TRUCKS, IS IS THAT SOMETHING THE CITY DOES? THEY CONTRACT THAT OUT? THEY TYPICALLY CONTRACT IT OUT.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY MORE TO PRESENT? NO, SIR.
WITH THAT, UH, NO OTHER, UH, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC? YES, YES, SIR.
DID WE OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING? I DID OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
I DIDN'T HEAR ROB ROBERT MODE, UH, 1495 WALL STREET OPEN.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START THIS.
THIS, UH, THE PLACE ISN'T NORMALLY LIKE THAT IN JULY OF, UH, LAST YEAR.
WELL, I, I USED TO OWN THAT WHOLE SIDE OF THAT BLOCK, THE 1498 COLLEGE, 8 49 EBONY B AND 14 9 5 WALL, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE BLOCK.
AND THE LAST YEAR WE SOLD, UH, THE, UH, BUILDING UP IN THE FRONT FOR A TO A, A, I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THE COMPANY, BUT IT'S A, A, YOU KNOW, A REAL ESTATE GUY.
AND, UH, AND WE WENT AND WE RENTED THE BUILDING BACK FROM HIM AFTER WE SOLD IT TO HIM.
AND THEN ONE DAY HE CAME UP AND GAVE US A THREE DAY EVICTION NOTICE.
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OVER A MONTH, I HAD SIX WEEKS WORTH OF RENT PAID.
BUT HE GAVE US A THREE DAY EVICTION NOTICE.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BEING EVICTED, SO I THOUGHT I HAD THREE DAYS TO GET WHATEVER I HAD IN MY BUILDING OUT OF IT OR LOSE IT.
SO PEOPLE THAT WERE MY CUSTOMERS SHOWED UP AND SAID THEY'D HELP.
SO I HAD ALL KIND OF PEOPLE JUST, UH, GRABBING STUFF AND, AND MOVING IT OUT TO THE WAREHOUSE BECAUSE THE WAREHOUSE
[01:40:01]
WAS STILL GONNA BE MINE.AND, UH, THEY MOVED IT TO THEIR HOUSE.
THEY MOVED, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY MOVED, THEY MOVED A LOT OF IT SOMEWHERE ELSE BESIDES IN THE WAREHOUSE, BUT A LOT OF IT, THEY JUST DUMPED OUTSIDE AND, UH, DIDN'T, DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO PUT IT INTO WAREHOUSE.
THEY JUST, WELL THEY DID, THEY KIND OF THREW IT AND PILED IT IN THE WAREHOUSE AND CREATED A PRETTY BIG MESS.
BUT THEY WEREN'T REALLY THERE TO HELP ME SO MUCH THAT THEY WERE THERE TO GET WHATEVER THEY WANTED.
AND THEN ONCE THEY GOT WHAT THEY WANTED, THEY JUST LEFT THE TRASH THERE.
AND, UH, SO ANYWAY, WE GOT, GOT THROUGH THAT AND, BUT WE STILL HAD ALL THIS STUFF IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING, THE WAREHOUSE THAT THEY DUMPED OUT OF THE, UH, THE BUILDING IN THE FRONT, BUT LOST A BUNCH OF STUFF IN INSIDE THE BUILDING, THE FRONT BUILDING, I MEAN, OVER HALF OF IT, WHICH WAS, WHICH IS A LOT.
AND, UH, SO WE GO TO, UH, SET THE, THE WAREHOUSE UP AND CLEAN THAT UP AND FIX THE DAMAGE THEY DID TO IT.
UM, GOT ROBBED, THE WAREHOUSE GOT ROBBED, AND WHEN THEY ROBBED, THEY TOOK, UH, EVERYTHING I HAD AND PRETTY MUCH THREW IT ON THE GROUND AND, UH, IT STOMPED ON IT OR WHATEVER, BUT, UH, WHATEVER, WHATEVER WAS IN THERE THAT THEY WENT THROUGH, THEY JUST OPENED IT UP AND IF SOMETHING THEY WANTED, THEY KEPT, IF IT WASN'T SOMETHING THEY WANTED AND THREW IT ON THE GROUND.
SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT AND UH, AND WE WERE WORKING AT NIGHT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY ROBBED THE PLACERS AT NIGHT.
AND, AND WE HAD THE POLICE THERE A COUPLE TIMES, BUT THEY ACTUALLY, UM, THEY ACTUALLY HELPED THE PEOPLE WHO WERE ROBBING US, THAT, THAT OTHER GUY, THAT RANDY MOT GUY IS PART OF A GROUP OF ABOUT EIGHT PEOPLE THAT, THAT WERE PE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ROBBED OUR WAREHOUSE AT NIGHT.
AND I MEAN, THEY, THEY, UH, UH, THEY WENT NUTS.
YOU KNOW, THEY HAD TWO OR THREE TRUCKS AND TRAILERS AND THEY TOOK BIG, BIG THINGS OUT THERE.
BUT ANYWAY, UM, WE WEREN'T GETTING MUCH HELP FROM THERE, BUT AT NIGHT WE WERE, I, I AND TWO OTHER GUYS WERE GOING IN THERE AT NIGHT AND WE'RE SIFTING THROUGH ALL THE STUFF.
WE STARTED IT ONE, ONE SIDE OF IT AND JUST WADED INTO IT AND ALL THE GOOD STUFF PUT OVER HERE, ALL THE JUNK PUT OVER HERE.
AND, UH, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE AN ID SO I COULDN'T BORROW MONEY TO, UH, THANK YOU SIR.
I KNOW I HAD A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
UH, BUT ANYWAY, I'LL CLEAN IT UP.
UH, IF YOU GIMME A CHANCE TO, YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR STUFF SOLD.
ALRIGHT, NOW THE PUBLIC, UH, HEARING IS CLOSED.
[REGULAR AGENDA]
PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER 12, RE REQUEST THE PUBLIC HEARING AND FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER FINDING AND RATIFYING THE DETERMINATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR.THAT PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCES EXISTS ON THE PROPERTY OWNED BY ROBERT S MODE AT 1495 WALL STREET.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 12? MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 12.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER 12, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE PLEASE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER 13, REQUEST A PUBLIC HEARING AND FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER FINDING AND RATIFYING THE, THE DETERMINATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR THAT PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCES EXIST ON THE PROPERTY OWNED BY RANDY AND VIRGINIA MOT AT, AT 90 80 WASHINGTON BOULEVARD.
AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.
IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 13? MOVE TO APPROVE.
THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 13.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN TURNER, UH, NEAR PROTON THAT, THAT WASHINGTON BOULEVARD PROJECT COULD BAR MAYBE STAFF, JUST GIMME AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THE CITY SPENT ON IT AND HOW LONG AGO IT WAS? I IT GOES AROUND 33 MILLION, BUT THIS, THIS ADDRESS IS NOT WITHIN THAT PROJECT BOUNDARY.
UM, THAT WAS FROM MLK TO, UH, I 10.
SO IT WAS, IT WAS MORE ON THE SOUTH SIDE.
THIS PROPERTY IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF, UH, MAJOR, MAJOR DRIVE GOING OUT.
IT, IT'S ASPHALT ROAD OPPOSITE SIDE.
ALRIGHT, JUST, JUST MY, JUST A GENERAL STATEMENT, SINCE YOU ARE SAYING WASHINGTON BOULEVARD, I KNOW IT IS NOT THAT SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, BUT ON WASHINGTON BOULEVARD WHERE THE CITY DID SPEND AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT PRIOR TO ME TO BEAUTIFY THAT AREA, IT, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO BRING UP.
IF YOU RIDE DOWN THAT AREA, UH, THE NEWLY DEVELOPED WASHINGTON BOULEVARD, IT'S LITERALLY GRASS GROWING OVER THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED SIDEWALKS OF SOME PROPERTY OWNERS IS NOT MAINTAINING THEIR PROPERTY.
SO WE CAN KIND OF TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
LAST THING I HATE TO DO IS INVEST THAT KIND OF MONEY IN WE JUST MAKING SURE THE CITIZENS ARE NOT REALLY MAINTAINING IT.
AND YOU LOOK UP IN THE GRASS, IT'S LITERALLY OVERTAKING THE SIDEWALKS ON THAT NEWLY DEVELOPED,
[01:45:01]
BEEN PART OF WASHINGTON.SO WE CAN KIND OF PUT SOME EYES ON THAT.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER 13, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
[WORK SESSION]
YOU PLEASE TAKE US INTO THE WORK SESSION COUNSEL TO DISCUSS THE PUBLIC SAFETY FEE WAIVER AND VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY ORDINANCE.AND WE'RE HERE FOR MS DI DEMI ENG INMAN.
GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
SO I'M HERE TO WORKSHOP THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A PUBLIC SAFETY FEE WAIVER AND ALSO, UM, A VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY ORDINANCE.
THEY'RE SEPARATE ITEMS, BUT I FIGURED TO SAVE A TRIP TO THE CHAIR.
I WILL PRESENT BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.
UM, I WANNA DISCLOSE THAT WE CANVAS SEVERAL TEXAS CITIES AND TODAY WE'LL COVER, UM, WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING REGARDING THE REGISTRY OR WHAT WE FOUND.
AND, UM, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT DURING WORKSHOPPING THIS TOPIC THAT WE ARE RECEIVING GOOD FEEDBACK, UM, FROM Y'ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, THAT CITY IS MOVING IN SYNC WITH THE GOALS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
CAN WE GO BACK TO THE OTHER ONE FOR JUST A MOMENT? ALRIGHT, ONE MORE.
SO, AS BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT'S REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER PROJECT FINISHES UP, UM, I'VE BEEN THINKING ON WAYS THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE, UH, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION INTO, UH, THE PROGRAM FROM A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT.
SO THE PUBLIC SAFETY FEE FEE WAIVERS INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION OF OWNERS OR DEVELOPERS TO ENROLL IN THE RTCC PROGRAM IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PAR DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO WAIVE A PORTION OF A FEE OF A PERMIT FEE TO THE EXTENT OF THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PURCHASE OF A FUSS CORE DEVICE AND ENROLLMENT INTO THE REAL-TIME CRIME CENTER PROGRAM FOR ALL PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN ZONE ONE OF THET.
FOR WHAT, FOR THE EXAMPLE, A PERMIT ASSOCIATED WITH A DEVELOPER'S PROPERTY, LET'S SAY IT COSTS $2,000 IN TOTAL, AND THIS IS A VERY HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION, $2,000 IN TOTAL.
THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH, PER THE PURCHASE OF A FUSS SUPPORT DEVICE AND ENROLLMENT INTO THE RTCC PROGRAM, LET'S SAY THAT COMES OUT TO $1,500.
UM, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT IS AN INCENTIVE TO VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE INTO THE RTCC PROGRAM, UM, BY OFFSETTING THE COST OF THE BUILDING PERMIT BY THE, WHAT THE COST WAS TO PURCHASE THE FUSS CORE DEVICE AND THE ENROLLMENT FEE.
UM, SO THAT WOULD IN TURN END UP BEING ABOUT A $500 OWED TO THE CITY WITH PLUS A PSF WAIVER PUBLIC SAFETY FEE WAIVER.
UM, HOW THEY WOULD PROVE THAT IS BASICALLY THE DEVELOPER, UM, OR THE OWNER THAT IS INSTALLING IT, THEY WOULD SUBMIT, UH, THE INVOICES PAID OR THE PAID INVOICES OR A DETAILED RECEIPT, UM, BASICALLY OUTLINING ALL THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE CORE DEVICE AND THE ENROLLMENT.
AND THAT'S THE TOTAL COST OF THAT IS WHAT WOULD BE APPLIED TO THE BUILDING PERMIT FEE.
SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, LET'S, AGAIN, HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION, THE BUILDING PERMIT IN TOTAL IS $2,000.
LET'S SAY THAT THEY HAVE MULTIPLE CAMERAS AND IT REQUIRES A LARGER DEVICE.
UM, AND I ALSO HAVE, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF PLUNKET, IF THERE'S ANY DETAILS ON THOSE DEVICES THAT HE CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, SO LET'S SAY THAT THAT EXCEEDS THE COST OF THE BUILDING PERMIT.
AT NO POINT WOULD THE CITY REIMBURSE FUNDS BEYOND THE COST OF THE PERMIT.
IT WOULD SIMPLY BE A $0 BUILDING PERMIT.
UM, AND AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION INTO THE RTCC PROGRAM AS THAT FINISHES UP QUESTION.
SO IF I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU CORRECTLY, THIS WOULD NOT REALLY DO ANYTHING TO HELP EXPAND CAMERAS TO EXISTING BUILDINGS, SAY IN OUR DOWNTOWN DISTRICT UNLESS A PERMIT OF SOME SORT FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION OR REHABILITATION WAS INVOLVED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
IN MY MIND, I WAS THINKING THAT IT COULD APPLY TO BUILDING PERMITS SUCH AS NEW CONSTRUCTION, UM, ADDITIONS, ALTERATIONS OR REPAIRS.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THESE, IF WE'RE SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO DOWNTOWN, SOME OF THESE, UM, SOME OF THESE REPAIRS MAY BE GRAND, RIGHT? SO THAT MAY DRIVE UP THE COST OF A BUILDING PERMIT AND HOPEFULLY TO OFFSET IT, THEY WOULD IN TURN WANT TO VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE INTO THE RTCC PROGRAM.
AND THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO LESSEN THE, UH, THE BUILDING PERMIT COST, UM, OR OFFSET IT, BUT ALSO
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IT WOULD IMPROVE THE OVERALL, UM, SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY AS THEY WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN THAT PROGRAM.UH, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO INTEGRATE CAMERAS INTO THE SYSTEM? I THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE 568 OR SO CAMERAS INTEGRATED RIGHT NOW WOULD BE GREAT.
BUT IF YOU HAVE A BUILDING OWNER THAT REALLY ISN'T INTERESTED IN DOING ANYTHING WITH THEIR BUILDING, BUT LETTING IT SIT, NOT APPLYING FOR A PERMIT, JUST LETTING IT SIT, THIS DOESN'T REALLY DO ANYTHING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THAT, DOES IT? NOT THIS ONE.
THIS WOULD BE FOR THE ONES THAT ARE, UM, PARTI WANTING TO PARTICIPATE.
HOWEVER, IN THE NEXT, UH, PORTION OF THE WORK SESSION, A VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY MAY REQUIRE, AND AGAIN, THIS IS MORE SO A, WE'VE CANVASSED ALL THIS, UH, MANY CITIES IN TEXAS THAT HAVE EXISTING PROGRAMS. UM, THIS IS BASICALLY GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE DOING AND THINGS THAT BEAUMONT COULD CONSIDER, UM, AS LONG AS THAT IS THE INTEREST OF COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY FEE WAIVER? THANK YOU.
OKAY, SO MOVING INTO THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THE, OF THE REGISTRY TO, TO SUPPORT THE REVITALIZATION OF BOUND OF BEAUMONT'S NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DOWNTOWN HISTORIC COMMERCIAL DISTRICT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT HAS SUFFERED CONSIDERABLE DISINVESTMENT AND THE NUMBER OF VACANT OR UNDERUTILIZED BUILDINGS HAS STEADILY INCREASED.
UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF BEAUMONT'S HISTORIC BUILDINGS HAVE BECOME ABANDONED OR FALLEN IN DISREPAIR.
IN ORDER TO BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED STAFF TO RESEARCH THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD INCENTIVIZE, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS TO MAKE MUCH NEEDED REPAIRS TO THEIR BUILDINGS.
AND IN DOING SO, THE GOAL IS TO ENCOURAGE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW BUSINESSES AND CREATE VIBRANCY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
THIS IS BY ENCOURAGING PROPERTY OWNERS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR VACANT PROPERTIES.
THE INTENT IS THE PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS OWNERS WILL FIND SUITABLE LOCATIONS IN WHICH TO ESTABLISH OR EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS AND WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE INVESTING IN DOWNTOWN.
AS DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AND HISTORIC PRE PRESERVATION ARE DISCUSSED THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION, IT SHOULD BE CLEAR THAT THE CITY HOLDS PARAMOUNT PUBLIC, PUBLIC SAFETY, HEALTH AND WELFARE OF THIS COMMUNITY.
SO, ISSUES WITH, UH, VACANT BUILDINGS, UH, VACANT BUILDINGS, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY'RE RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL, BRING ABOUT ISSUES THAT CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE COMMUNITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN DRAIN CITY BUDGETS DUE TO BLIGHT MITIGATION, RESPONSE TO DISASTERS, RESPONSE TO CALLS FOR SERVICE, AND MORE THEY CAN DETRACT FROM THE QUALITY OF LIFE, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES OF THOSE LIVING OR CONDUCTING BUSINESSES NEARBY.
THEY CAN IMPEDE IN REDEVELOPMENT AND ULTIMATELY ACHIEVEMENT OF THE CITYWIDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
THEY CAN ALSO MAKE NEIGHBORHOODS OR COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS LOOK UNSIGHTLY AND UNSAFE, AND THEY MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS.
VACANT STRUCTURES COULD ALSO HARBOR BLIGHT.
TRESPASSING, CRIMINAL ACTIVITY SUCH AS DRUG USE OR THEFT STRUCTURES THAT ARE NOT MAINTAINED TO THE STANDARD OF CARE MANDATED BY OUR ADOPTED CODES COULD CAUSE DANGEROUS CON CONDITIONS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, CITIZENS, OR CAUSE EVENTS SUCH AS FIRE.
SO WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH WHAT VACANT MEANS AND WHAT, UM, WHAT AN OCCUPIED BUILDING MEANS.
UM, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, UM, OR WHAT'S ESTABLISHED.
SO A VACANT BUILDING UNDER THE REGISTRY COULD MEAN THAT ANY BUILDING THAT IS UNOCCUPIED OR IS OCCUPIED BY A PERSON WITHOUT LEGAL RIGHT OF OCCUPANCY, MULTI-TENANT BUILDINGS ARE CONSIDERED VACANT.
IF 50% OR MORE OF THE TOTAL FLOOR AREA OF A BUILDING, INCLUDING THE GROUND LEVEL OR FIRST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IS UNOCCUPIED UNDER THE REGISTRY, THERE'S A PRESUMPTION OF VACANCY IF ALL LAWFUL USES IN THE BUILDING OR STRUCTURES HAVE CEASED OR REASONABLY APPEAR TO HAVE CEASED FOR 30 DAYS.
SO GIVEN, HAVING SAID THAT, I'VE SEEN THAT, THAT THAT NUMBER OF DAYS HAS RANGED ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 90 DAYS, AND THAT VARIES, UM, FROM ORDINANCE TO ORDINANCE.
QUESTION TWO, UH, UNOCCUPIED, I, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN THAT DON'T HAVE ANY COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY OR, UH, RETAIL ACTIVITY OR RESIDENTIAL ACTIVITY IN 'EM, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE USED FOR STORAGE.
DOES THAT, UH, DOES THAT MEAN IT'S UNOCCUPIED, IT'S OCCUPIED BY STORAGE RECORDS, BUT HOW DOES THAT DEFINITION FIT IN WITH BUILDINGS THAT ARE USED FOR STORAGE? AS LONG AS IT'S RECEIVED A VALID CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, IT'S A VALID BUSINESS.
UM, SO IF IT'S A MULTI-TENANT STRUCTURE, THEN WE MAY NEED TO, TO LOOK
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AT THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.BUT IF IT'S A SINGLE, IF IT'S A STRUCTURE THAT'S MEANT FOR SINGLE OCCUPANCY, THEN IT, IT, IT MAY BE.
OKAY, WELL LET'S, LET'S DRILL DOWN FURTHER, LIKE DOWNTOWN, THERE'S SOME RATHER LARGE BUILDINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, FILLED WITH RECORDS.
UH, YOU KNOW, ARE, ARE THOSE CONSIDERED OCCUPIED OR UNOCCUPIED? UH, AGAIN, IT WOULD BE THE VALID CO.
SO IT WOULD COME BACK TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT KINDS OF BUSINESSES ARE IN THERE.
I'VE ALSO SEEN, TO THAT POINT, I'VE SEEN IN SOME OF THE, UM, REGISTRIES THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BUSINESS MEANS THAT IT IS, UH, NON-TRANSIENT, UM, THAT IT IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THERE ON A, UH, ON A SET BASIS OR SET HOURS DURING THE DAY.
SO THERE, IT'S, THAT DEFINITION CAN BE SCALED.
IT'S NOT SET TO EXACTLY WHAT I READ ALOUD, BUT IT CAN BE SCALED.
UM, SO YEAH, I THINK I WROTE IT DOWN HERE.
SO IT COULD BE A TENANT ON A PERMANENT NON-TRANSIENT BASIS, UH, PURSUANT TO THE SCOPE WITHIN A VALID CO.
I I'M JUST TRYING TO REALLY GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST THERE WAS, UH, A LOT OF LITIGATION WITH TOXIC TORT LITIGATION AND COURT ORDERS.
ISSU ISSUED SAYING YOU'VE GOTTA PRESERVE THESE RECORDS INDEFINITELY OR FOR SO HOW MANY YEARS? UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH, UH, CRIMINAL RECORDS, UH, THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY, WE RETAIN THEM FOREVER.
UM, IF YOU'VE JUST GOT A BUILDING THAT HAS A BUNCH OF RECORDS, THEY JUST SIT THERE.
NOBODY'S GOING IN AND OUT ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT THEY'RE JUST SITTING THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE THERE.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE MAINTAINED BUILDING MAY OR MAY NOT BE CLIMATE CONTROLLED, BUT THE RECORDS ARE THERE.
IS THAT AN OCCUPIED BUILDING? IF THEY HAVE A BALLOT CO IT WOULD BE OKAY.
YEAH, THAT WAS, UH, ONE OF MY CONCERNS AS WELL.
'CAUSE NOT ONLY RECORDS, BUT JUST FURNITURE AND STORAGE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT'S A BIG CONCERN OF MINE AND EVEN 50% WHEN YOU SAY WE'RE GONNA VALIDATE IT WITH THE COS, I JUST WANTED YOU TO KIND OF GET MORE, YOU KNOW, DETAIL AND IN DEPTH AND EXPLAINING TO THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY A CO.
SO TO, IN ORDER TO OPERATE ANY BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY, UH, LIMITS OF BEAUMONT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
SO A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY IS APPLIED AT THE PERMITTING OFFICE ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF CITY HALL OR ONLINE BECAUSE WE HAVE THAT SERVICE AVAILABLE NOW, WHICH IS AMAZING.
UM, BUT WHEN YOU APPLY FOR THIS CO YOU HAVE TO FIRST CHECK THAT THE ZONING OF THE DISTRICT, UM, IF THAT SPECIFIC USE IS PERMITTED WITHIN THAT ZONING DISTRICT, THEN IT CAN MOVE FORWARD.
UM, SECOND WOULD TRIGGER A ROUND OF INSPECTIONS, AND THOSE ARE LIFE SAFETY INSPECTIONS.
THAT'S ELECTRICAL, MECHANICAL BUILDING.
UM, AND I'M SURE I DO HAVE MY BUILDING OFFICIAL.
I MAY BE MISSING A INSPECTION, BUT IT'S A SERIES OF INSPECTIONS.
AND IF THEY PASS THOSE INSPECTIONS AND THE BUILDING IS TO THE STANDARD OF CARE THAT'S ADOPTED IN OUR COATS, THEN THEY CAN, IT'S NOW READY FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY AND IT'S READY FOR, UM, FOR BUSINESS TO BE OPEN.
NOW TO THE POINT OF STORAGE, IT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, ALL OF DOWNTOWN IS LOCATED WITHIN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT OR ZONING DISTRICT.
UM, EVERY USE IN EVERY BUILDING IS TIED TO OUR PERMITTED USE TABLE.
OUR PERMITTED USE TABLES IN CHAPTER 28 OF THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES.
IF STORAGE IS OF CONCERN, WE CAN ALWAYS REVISIT THE PERMITTED USE TABLE.
IF IT'S IN, YOU KNOW, IF IT IS THE WILL OF COUNCIL AND THAT'S THE WAY WE WANT TO GO, WE CAN ALWAYS REVISIT THE PERMITTED USE TABLE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT, AT USES THAT WE, WE FEEL WOULD PROMOTE ECONOMIC, YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ALSO ACTIVITY DOWNTOWN.
AND IF STORAGE DOESN'T ALIGN WITH THAT, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AMEND.
BUT OF COURSE THAT WOULD TAKE TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOTTA GO TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT'S GOTTA GO TO BEFORE Y'ALL, SO IT'S JUST A, A MATTER OF TIME TO AMEND SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IF STORAGE IS OF CONCERN.
SO MY SECOND FOLLOW UP WAS EVEN WITH SOME OF THE VACANT BUILDINGS, I, I'M JUST GONNA SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN.
YOU KNOW, WITH SOME OF THE BUILDINGS, YOU HAVE A BUILDING THAT MAY BE CONNECTED, BUT THEY DEFINE IT AS SUITE A, SUITE B, SUITE C, SUITE D, BUT THE MAJORITY, BUT IT'S ONE CONNECTED BUILDING.
HOW DO WE KIND OF DEAL WITH THOSE TYPE OF BUILDINGS? THOSE WOULD BE CONSIDERED MULTI-TENANT.
SO THAT'S WHERE THAT BUILDING IN WHOLE NEEDS TO BE OCCUPIED BY 50% OR MORE.
NOW I'VE NOTICED IN, UM, OTHER, YOU KNOW, REGISTRIES THAT, THAT LEVEL OF, OR SCALABILITY OF PERCENTAGE OF HOW MUCH NEEDS TO BE OCCUPIED, HA RANGES ALL THE WAY FROM THE LEAST I'VE SEEN IS 50%.
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AND THEN THE MOST I'VE SEEN IS 80%.UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE 50%, IT COULD BE LESS.
IT COULD, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED THAT AT ALL.
IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, ESTABLISHED IN EXISTING ORDINANCES THAT WHERE CITIES HAVE EXISTING REGISTRIES.
I JUST WANT IT TO BE TIGHT AS POSSIBLE FOR GRAY AREA.
WELL, WHEN YOU'RE SAYING OCCUPIED, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT OCCUPIED BY HUMAN PRESENCE? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT JUST RE RECORDS OR WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DO, WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY OCCUPIED? SO OCCUPIED AGAIN, IT ALL TIES BACK TO A VALID CO DOES THAT BUSINESS HAVE PERMISSION TO BE THERE? SO SOMETIMES, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF WE WANT HUMAN OCCUPANCY, WE CAN FLESH OUT IN DEFINITIONS OF THE REGISTRY.
IF THAT, IF THAT IS THE, UM, YOU KNOW, CONCERN.
UM, BUT OCCUPANCY ALWAYS TIES BACK TO THE CO.
SO IF IT'S, OKAY, SO GOING BACK TO THE CO, WE KNOW THAT IN ORDER TO GET IT, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BUILDING OFFICIALS AND PASS ALL THESE THINGS.
SO, OKAY, WE'VE DONE THAT, BUT NOW WE DON'T WANT ELECTRICITY IN OUR BUILDING 'CAUSE WE DON'T WANNA PAY AN ELECTRIC BILL.
HE'S GOT A CO BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE ELECTRICITY.
UH, HOW DOES THAT COME INTO, I'LL ASK MY BUILDING OFFICIAL.
UM, THERE ARE PROVISIONS WHERE THEY HAVE TO, UM, HAVE CERTAIN UTILITIES TO, UH, BUILDINGS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL.
UM, SO THE OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION FOR STORAGE, UH, WHERE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF, UH, FILE STORAGE AND JUST LET'S TALK ABOUT DOWNTOWN, UM, THAT INCREASES THE FIRE LOAD IN A BUILDING AND, UH, THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, WHICH WILL TRIGGER INSPECTIONS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUILDING CODES, ELECTRICAL, MAYBE, UH, MECHANICAL, PLUMBING, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
UH, IF WE WANT TO BREAK IT DOWN TO WHERE, WHAT'S THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT, UH, DURING THIS DISCUSSION, UH, THAT FIRE LOAD INSIDE THERE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT HUMANLY OCCUPIED, OR MAYBE SOMEBODY MIGHT GO IN THERE ONCE A WEEK, MAYBE ONCE A MONTH, TO PUT FILES IN THERE THAT, UH, TO MEET OTHER LAWS, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS FOR, FOR, UH, UH, UH, HOW LONG THEY'RE REQUIRED TO STORE DOCUMENTS.
OUR, OUR FIRE CODE AND BUILDING CODE REQUIRES THAT THERE POSSIBLY BE A FIRE ALARM SYSTEM IN THERE THAT THERE HAS TO BE ELECTRICITY ON AND POSSIBLY SPRINKLER SYSTEMS AND, AND BECAUSE OF THE INCREASED FIRE LOAD.
AND THAT WILL, THAT WILL BE A SECTION THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO LOOK AT WHEN THERE'S AN INCREASED FIRE LOAD TO MEET THE BUILDING CODE AND FIRE CODE, UH, REGARDLESS IF IT'S OCCUPIED OR NOT, JUST TO PROTECT THE BUILDING AND TO PROTECT THE CONTENTS IN THAT BUILDING, WHETHER IT'S A DRY PIPE SYSTEM, AND THEY DON'T WANT SPRINKLERS IN THERE BECAUSE OF THE WATER FROM SPRINKLERS.
THERE ARE, THERE ARE OTHER FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS THAT CAN BE INSTALLED DURING, UH, THINGS LIKE THAT AS FAR AS, DEPENDING ON WHAT, WHAT IS, UH, BEING STORED.
SO THOSE THINGS WILL HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT DEPENDING ON THE OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION MOVING FORWARD, DISCUSSING THIS, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, IT'S OCCUPIED IS, IS A STORAGE OCCUPANCY.
IT'S AN OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION IN THE TABLES OF THE BUILDING CODE AND FIRE CODE AND CODE.
DURING, WITH THAT STORAGE OCCUPANCY, THERE IS A, UH, YOUR SQUARE FOOTAGES ARE DIFFERENT AS FAR AS WHAT'S ALLOWED.
IT GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED, BUT IT DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED.
WELL, YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS ALL PRECIPITATED BY THE GILBERT BUILDING FIRE, UH, OR A LOT OF THIS IS, CONVERSATION HAS BEEN PRECIPITATED BY THAT.
AND, UH, THAT'S NOT THE FIRST FIRE WE'VE HAD DOWNTOWN IN SOME OF THESE LARGE BUILDINGS.
WE'VE HAD MORE THAN ONE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, AND IN THOSE BUILDINGS, UH, I DO NOT BELIEVE WE HAD A WORKING FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.
UH, YOU KNOW, SO I'M GUESSING THAT THOSE BUILDINGS DID NOT HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
COUNCILMAN SHAW AND COUNCILMAN SAMUEL? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, UH, YOU CAN'T GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY WITHOUT THERE BEING ELECTRICITY IN THE BUILDING, CAN YOU? THAT'S CORRECT.
I WANTED TO CLARIFY FROM THE FIRE CODE PART.
IF THEY HAVE A WORKING SPRINKLER SYSTEM, A FIRE ALARM SYSTEM, THE COMPANY THAT'S MONITORING THAT FIRE ALARM SYSTEM IS REQUIRED TO GIVE US 24 HOUR NOTICE BEFORE IT'S DISABLED OR THEY'RE NOT PAYING THE MONITORING SERVICE.
JUST GOING BACK TO THE STORAGE ISSUE WITHIN, YOU KNOW, TALKING WITHIN THE, OF DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT,
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LOOKING AT OTHER CITIES AND STORAGE, HAVE YOU FOUND CITIES THAT RESTRICT THE PERCENTAGE OF A BUILDING THAT CAN BE USED FOR STORAGE? LIKE ONLY 25% OF THIS BUILDING CAN BE USED FOR STORAGE.UH, 'CAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STORAGE AND WE DON'T WANT AN ENTIRE BUILDING, FIVE STORIES, HIGH STORAGE, I MEAN, BUT HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE RESTRICTIONS WHERE YOU CAN SPEC SPECIFY HOW MUCH OF A BUILDING CAN BE USED AND HOW MANY BUILDINGS PER SE CAN BE USED? ANY? I HAVE NOT, BUT I'VE NOT SPECIFICALLY RESEARCHED FOR THAT.
UM, BUT I'VE NOT SEEN THAT IN SOME OF THE ORDINANCES THAT I'VE LOOKED AT.
SO THERE CAN BE THEN A BUILDING THAT'S JUST NOTHING BUT STORAGE IN A DOWNTOWN AREA.
IF IT'S PERMITTED ON THE PERMITTED USE TABLE.
I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT CHAPTER 28.
BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO POSSIBLY LOOK AT, AMENDING IS THE PERMITTED USE TABLE.
NOW I'M NOW GETTING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AS TO WHAT, UH, OCCUPANCY MEANS AND WHAT STORAGE MEANS.
UH, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT STORAGE, WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT BEING ABLE TO COME IN AND JUST STORE EQUIPMENT, BECAUSE AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THERE'S A REQUIREMENT THAT THERE BE BASIC UTILITIES IN THAT FACILITY IN ORDER TO OPEN THE BUILDING YES, SIR.
AND HAVE TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF THE BUILDING.
UH, YOU CANNOT JUST STORE SOMETHING IN A VACANT BUILDING.
NOW, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M INCORRECT, BUT I'M BEGINNING TO NOW THINK, UH, I, I WASN'T CERTAIN ABOUT THE FIRE LOAD, UH, THAT DEFINITION OF FIRE LOAD.
UM, I, I CAN SEE NOW THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL BRINGS IN STORAGE MATERIALS WITHOUT THERE BEING A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY AND NOT HAVING UTILITIES THERE, THAT, UH, SO IS IT POSSIBLE THAT SOMEONE COULD JUST BRING IN AS MUCH MATERIALS AS THEY WANT TO AND STORE IT IN A PLACE WITHOUT UTILITIES? YOUR, YOUR DOWNTOWN DISTRICT IS CONSIDERED YOUR NUMBER ONE FIRE DISTRICT.
IT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR HAZARDOUS STORAGE, SUCH AS FLAMMABLES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT STORAGE WOULD BE LIMITED TO PROBABLY RECORDS, THINGS LIKE THAT IN YOUR NUMBER ONE FIRE DISTRICT BY, BY CODE.
SO THAT DOESN'T, SO THAT IS NOT CONTRARY TO MY THOUGHTS.
SO THAT'S NOT OUR BIG CONCERN DOWNTOWN IS JUST STORAGE.
THE CONCERN IS HAVING TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF A BUILDING WITHOUT A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY OR NOT HAVING THE UTILITIES THAT'S REQUIRED FOR A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO WORK ON NOW.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT, WHICH I'M NOT, WHICH IS WHY WITH THE REGISTRY, THE INDIVIDUALS WOULD ACTUALLY GO TO BUILDING CODES AND MAKE APPLICATION, AND ONCE THEY MEET ALL THEIR INSPECTION, THEY WOULD BE ISSUED THAT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
AND FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ASPECT, WHICH WILL REQUIRE YEARLY INSPECTION, AND WE WILL HAVE A REGISTRY OF EVERY BUILDING WITHIN THE DOWNTOWN AREA OR IN THIS AREA KNOWING EXACTLY WHAT IS IN THE BUILDING.
MM-HMM,
SO THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY WOULD BE A REGISTRY OF VACANT STRUCTURES DOWNTOWN.
UM, AS FAR AS KNOWING WHAT THE USES ARE, THAT'S, THAT'S THROUGH OUR COS UM, WHICH OR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCIES.
SO, SO BOTH AND CON, ESSENTIALLY BOTH.
WE WOULD HAVE A, A REGISTRY OF VACANT STRUCTURES AND ALSO THEIR, UM, THEIR COS.
SO WITH WINDOWS FALLING OUT OF A VACANT STRUCTURE, THAT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THE REGISTRY, UH, THAT'S A PART OF BEING REGISTERED.
AND IF IT'S NOTED THAT THEY HAVE WINDOWS THAT ARE FALLING OUT, THEN THAT THAT'S WHAT WOULD TRIGGER FINES OR PENALTIES FOR LACK OF ADHERENCE TO THE REGISTRY.
CHIEF, WHAT PERCENTAGE, CHIEF WHITE, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS DO YOU THINK HAS SPRINKLER SYSTEMS? UH, VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE.
UH, THE NEWER BUILDINGS DO HAVE THE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS ALSO.
COUN COUNCILMAN GETZ, THEN COUNCILMAN SAND? I'M, GO ON.
[02:10:01]
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A BUILDING THAT HAS NO ELECTRICITY IS BEING USED FOR STORAGE, POSSIBLY HAS HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IN THE BUILDING? UM, W WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS? SO IF I CAN MOVE ON TO SOME OF THE SLIDES, I DO HAVE THE LIST OF REQUIREMENTS THAT COULD COME WITH, UM, WITH THIS REGISTRY, UM, AND THAT WOULD PROMPT THOSE, THOSE, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD GIVE THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS AS WELL.UM, REAL QUICK, I DID WANT TO, BEFORE WE MOVE ON FROM THIS SLIDE, THERE IS THE PROVISION OF, UM, WHERE I, I, I FORGET WHICH ONE.
I THINK IT WAS EL PASO, WHERE THEY SAID THAT OCCUPANCY, INCLUDING THE FIRST FLOOR OR GROUND LEVEL, AND THIS MIGHT BE WHERE A PERMITTED USE TABLE NEEDS TO BE, UH, REVIEWED, UM, BUT INCLUDING THE FIRST GROUND, FIRST OR GROUND LEVEL OF A BUILDING, UM, TO BE OCCUPIED THAT WE HAVE A PERCEPTION DOWNTOWN OF HIGH CRIME.
AND THAT, THAT'S COMMUNITY-WIDE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL NEED TO OVERCOME IN ORDER TO BOLSTER AND IMPROVE OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH, RIGHT? AND OUR PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY.
SO THERE IS A PLANNING THEORY, IT'S EYES ON THE STREET, UM, AND IT'S ALSO, UH, CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH DESIGN.
SO IF WE REQUIRE THAT A, A BUSINESS HAS TO BE ON THE FIRST FLOOR FOR PEDESTRIANS WALKING BY THOSE BUILDINGS, UM, YOU FEEL LESS, UH, THREATENED OR IN DANGER IF YOU HAVE EYES ON YOU.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S ON THE FIRST LEVEL WHERE PEOPLE ARE WALKING ON THE, ON THE STREETS.
IF THEY KNOW THAT, THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THEM AND THEY, SOMEONE SEES THEM, RIGHT? THEY FEEL LESS IN DANGER THAN THEY WOULD WHERE THEY'RE WALKING ON A STREET THAT HAS A VACANCY ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE, UH, I BELIEVE THAT THAT PROVISION, IF WE WERE TO GO IN THAT ROUTE, COULD BE, UH, IMPORTANT AND CATALYTIC TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO THIS IS THE MAP OR THE AREAS OUTLINED IN RED ARE, UH, CONSIDERED, UH, FOR THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY ORDINANCE.
UM, THIS IS GONNA BE TOTALLY, UH, INVOLVING THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, UM, ALL BUILDINGS WITHIN IT.
SO ANY VACANT BUILDING WITHIN THE DISTRICT MAY BE SUBJECT TO THE REGISTRY IF IT WERE TO BE ADOPTED AT A FUTURE DATE.
AND I WOULD, BEFORE I GO ON, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT IS WITHIN THE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HISTORIC, UH, COMMERCIAL DISTRICT.
SO, WITH THAT BEING SAID, THAT IF BEAUMONT, OR IF THIS COMMUNITY TRULY, TRULY HAS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AS A PRIORITY, THAT TRUE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMES FROM THESE BUILDINGS BEING REPURPOSED AND OCCUPIED.
UM, AND THEN THAT, THAT PRESERVES THE BUILDING FAR BEYOND, UM, OUR, FAR BEYOND US, AND THAT THAT'S THE GOAL OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
SO, GOING ON TO, UH, THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY REQUIREMENTS.
SO ON THE SCREEN ARE LISTED, UH, REQUIREMENTS THAT STAFFS FOUND ASSOCIATED WITH VACANT BUILDING REGISTRIES ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, FIRST THEY MUST DESIGNATE A PROPERTY MANAGER AND HAVE THEIR CONTACT INFORMATION POSTED ON THE VACANT BUILDING.
THE SECOND WE'VE SEEN IS PROOF OF INSURANCE TO THE BUILDING.
THIRD IS THAT THEY SHALL PROVIDE A SIX MONTH PLAN TO SECURE, RESTORE, REPAIR, REPURPOSE, AND OCCUPY THE BUILDING.
THAT PLAN MUST BE UPDATED EVERY SIX MONTHS AND GIVEN TO STAFF, UM, FOURTH, THEY WOULD NEED TO SUBMIT A FLOOR PLAN FOR THE PROPERTY FOR USE BY FIRST RESPONDERS IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE OR OTHER EVENT, OR CALLS FOR SERVICE.
FIFTH, THEY MUST FILE A CRIMINAL TRESPASS AFFIDAVIT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND POST NO TRESPASS PLACARDS ON THE PREMISES.
UM, IT WAS NOTED IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO REGISTRY, UM, THAT THEY ADD, THEY PUT IN, UH, BUILT-IN ADDED SECURITY MEASURES.
BECAUSE THAT'S A LOT TO DIGEST.
I'M AN ATTORNEY, I'VE GOT RECORDS, I'VE GOTTA STORE THEM.
UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THAT IS TO BUY AN EMPTY BUILDING DOWNTOWN AND, UM, YOU KNOW, PUT MY RECORDS IN THERE.
AND SO HAVE I OCCUPIED THE BUILDING? BECAUSE ONE OF THESE THINGS, SAY SIX MONTHS PLAN TO SECURE, RESTORE, REPAIR, REPURPOSE, AND OCCUPY THE BUILDING.
HAVE I OCCUPIED THE BUILDING IF I BUY A BUILDING AND PUT MY RECORDS IN THERE? NO, SIR.
YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A VALID CO BEFORE YOU OCCUPY THE BUILDING.
SO I'VE GOT A VALID CO BECAUSE I'VE
[02:15:01]
GONE THROUGH BUILDING CODES AND, UH, I'VE GOT ELECTRICITY, EMPLOY ALL, ALL THAT'S UP TO CODE.UH, NOW I PUT MY RECORDS IN THERE.
IF I OCCUPIED THE BUILDING, IF IT IS CONSIDERED A, AN ALLOWED, UH, PERMITTED USE WITHIN THE C THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, AND IT RECEIVES THAT VALID C CO IT COULD BE OKAY.
AND THEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADDING SECURITY MEASURES, UM, THAT WOULDN'T APPLY TO ME ANY LONGER BECAUSE I'VE GOT AN OCCUPIED BUILDING, RIGHT? CORRECT.
UH, BUT ADDED SECURITY MEASURES COULD BE THINGS LIKE REQUIRING CAMERAS, PARKING ALARMS, UH, LIGHTING, THE, UH, IS, IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? SO WHAT I SAW AT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO WAS THAT THEY, IT WAS TO THE DIRECTOR'S DISCRETION, UM, THAT IF THERE WAS A, IF THERE WAS RECORDS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AT THAT PROPERTY, THAT THE DIRECTOR COULD REQUIRE, UM, EMPLOYMENT OF SECURITY SERVICES, UH, DURING SET HOURS OF, OF THE NIGHT OR THE DAY.
UM, TYPICALLY THAT'S AT, YOU KNOW, THE PEAK TIMES OF WHEN THIS CRIME IS HAPPENING.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO'S DOING.
IT'S NOT, UM, ONE SIZE FITS ALL, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.
BUT STRESSING, AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VACANT STRUCTURES, VACANT, UH, OCCUPIED STRUCTURES, AND A STRUCTURE COULD BE OCCUPIED IF YOU'VE GOT A CO EVEN IF YOU'RE JUST USING IT FOR STORAGE, YOU COULD, AS LONG AS, AS IT'S PERMITTED ON THE USE.
THE, I KNOW I KEEP SAYING THAT, BUT I DON'T HAVE THE PERMITTED USE TABLE IN FRONT OF ME, SO I DON'T WANNA SAY THAT IT'S PERMITTED OUTRIGHT.
UM, IT MAY REQUIRE A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT.
I JUST HAVE TO, TO LOOK AT IT.
WELL, IN THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT, I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT STORAGE IS A PERMITTED USE.
PROBABLY, WELL, I'M NOT NECESSARILY SURE WHEN YOU TERM IT STORAGE.
STORAGE DOESN'T MEAN JUST BEING ABLE TO, UH, STORE MATERIALS THERE OR PAPERS THERE, OR DOCUMENTS.
IT HAS TO HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
YEAH, YOU GOT, YOU GOT A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
ONCE I GET THAT NOW, THEN NOW I'M GOOD TO GO.
I CAN PUT MY STORAGE STUFF IN THERE.
YOU CAN STORE YOUR STUFF, BUT THERE ARE OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY HAVE TO MEET IN ORDER TO, UH, FOR THAT TO OPERATE THAT'S CORRECT.
AS A PART OF THE TYPE OF ZONE, WHETHER IT'S A PERMITTED USE.
AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE CODE, THE ADOPTED CODES, UH, ARE CITYWIDE.
UM, SO IT'S NOT JUST DOWNTOWN, IT'S NOT RIGHT.
UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, WEST END, NORTH END, UH, SOUTH END, IT'S CITYWIDE.
AND AS FAR AS THE, WHAT'S WHAT'S ADDED TO DOWNTOWN IS DESIGNATION OF A PROPERTY MANAGER, PROOF OF PROPERTY INSURANCE, A SIX MONTH PLAN.
AND YOU, WE, YOU KNOW, IT MAY HAVE BEEN BETTER TO SAY A SIX MONTH LETTER OF INTENT.
AND, AND THE MAIN THING IS LETTER OF INTENT TO OCCUPY THAT BUILDING.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE INTENT, UH, INCLUDING A FLOOR PLAN FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, INCLUDING THE TRESPASS OR POSSIBLE ADDED SECURITY MEASURES.
BUT AS FAR AS BRINGING THE PROPERTY UP TO CODE, OR AT LEAST UP TO THE EXISTING BUILDING CODE, THAT IS CITYWIDE COUNCILMAN NEIL.
ONE, THE PROOF OF PROPERTY INSURANCE.
HOW CAN YOU FORCE SOMEBODY TO BUY INSURANCE? SO, I'VE SEEN IT WHERE SOME OF THE ORDINANCES DON'T HAVE IT AT ALL, SOME DO.
UM, I HAD STAFF LOOK INTO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IT WOULD, WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR A VACANT STRUCTURE TO GET PROPERTY INSURANCE.
UH, IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT IT IS COSTLY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, SHOULD BE BE KNOWN.
UM, WELL, IS THAT EVEN ENFORCEABLE SRE? COULD YOU REQUIRE SOMEBODY TO HAVE INSURANCE? SO THAT'S A LIKE, REALLY LOADED QUESTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SOME, UM, CITIES THAT ARE KIND OF PUTTING THESE INTO PLACE, UM, AND WHETHER OR NOT IT'S BEEN CHALLENGED OR NOT THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL REALLY KIND OF BECOMES THE ANSWER.
THE LITMUS TEST IS, UM, IS THE ORDINANCE UNCONSTITUTIONAL? AND THAT REQUIREMENT, AND I CAN'T, AND I WOULD THINK REQUIRED PROPERTY INSURANCE WOULD BE MY NEXT, MY NEXT QUESTION IS, IS YOU WANNA SEE A PLAN TO OCCUPY THE BUILDING? THERE IS NOTHING ILLEGAL WITH GOING AND BUYING A BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT, FIXING IT AND NEVER OCCUPYING IT.
AND I DON'T SEE HOW YOU CAN FORCE SOMEBODY TO OCCUPY A BUILDING.
AND I DON'T SEE, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU WOULD WIN THAT FIGHT.
SO THERE IS, IN THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES, AND I'LL, I'LL TOUCH ON THIS, BUT THERE IS IN THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES, UH, POTENTIAL, UH, WAIVERS TO THE FEE, UM, IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT I WOULD LOVE TO GET TO THAT SLIDE, UM, JUST SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN SEE IT.
BUT, UM, I HAVE, UH, THOUGHT ABOUT THOSE INSTANCES, UM, AS FAR AS COMPELLING THEM TO OCCUPY THE STRUCTURE.
[02:20:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS.THERE'S, THERE'S CERTAIN, UH, STIPULATIONS THAT THEY WOULD STILL HAVE TO ABIDE BY, BY NO MEANS DO THEY HAVE TO OCCUPY IT, BUT IT IS STIPULATIONS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ABIDE BY, UM, SHOULD IT REMAIN VACANT.
WE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST CARE ABOUT THEM HAVING THIS GO AHEAD.
AND, AND I, I, I'M, I'M GONNA LET YOU MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, BUT IT'S NOT MY CONCERN AS WELL.
I, I'M GONNA SAY IT'S NOT MY CONCERN.
THAT'S NOT THE BIGGEST CONCERN FOR ME, WHETHER IT'S OCCUPIED OR NOT.
IT'S WHETHER IT IS BEING MAINTAINED.
THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.
WHETHER IT'S BEING, WHETHER IT'S OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE OR WHETHER THERE ARE, UH, DANGERS THAT EXIST IN THE BUILDING.
IF THEY LOCK IT DOWN LIKE A DRUM AND IT'S, YEAH, THAT'S FINE, BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE, THERE'S A DUTY THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT, THE DUTY TO MAINTAIN IT IN A SAFE CONDITION THAT WILL NOT IMPACT THE NEIGHBORS, UH, THE ABUTTING NEIGHBORS.
AND IF THEY CAN DO THAT, THEN, UH, OKAY.
IF COUNCILMAN TURNER, THEN COUNCILMAN SHAW.
UH, AND I, I'M JUST INTERESTED, I KNOW YOU KINDA GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF AN ADDED SECURITY MEASURE, BUT CAN YOU BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFIC ON WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE MEASURES THAT YOU CAN DO OUTSIDE OF THE ONE EXAMPLE YOU GAVE? THAT'S THE ONE THAT I'VE SEEN CODIFIED SO FAR.
UM, AS FAR AS SOME OTHER ONES, UM, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLE, UH, CAMERAS TO VACANT STRUCTURES, UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, UM, TRESPASSING, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS ADDED SECURITY MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN CODIFIED THAT I HAVE READ, IT'S BEEN EMPLOYING SECURITY SERVICES.
THE REASON I HAD ASKED, BECAUSE IT CAME UP FROM THIS COUNCIL TO AT LEAST CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, CAMERAS, MAYBE ELECTRICITY.
SO I WANT TO KNOW, UH, SOME OF THOSE THINGS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE.
COULD WE REALLY EVEN DO THAT? OR IS THAT NOT AN OPTION? SO THERE IS A, SO LET'S SAY THAT IT'S A VACANT STRUCTURE AND IT IS SUBSTANDARD, RIGHT? AND RIGHT NOW, UH, MY TEAM, THEY'RE DOING A FABULOUS JOB, AND THEY'RE GO MOVING AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS THEY CAN.
UH, THEY'RE DOING A LARGE SWEEP OF DOWNTOWN, UM, AND DOING INSPECTIONS.
UM, AND SO IF IT IS SUBSTANDARD, UM, AND IT IS NOT, YOU KNOW, MAINTAINED TO THE STANDARD OF CARE, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP SAYING THAT BECAUSE THAT'S THE, THE TERM STANDARD OF CARE.
UM, THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT CAN UTILITIES BE RELEASED TO THIS BUILDING? UM, AND SO I'LL ACTUALLY INVITE MY BUILDING OFFICIAL WHO'S NEVERMIND.
UM, UH, SO HIM AND I TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT TO GET THE SPECIFICS, I'LL BRING HIM BACK WHEN HE'S DONE.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE COULD LOOK INTO POSSIBLE, UM, ISOLATING METERS, UM, DOWN TO A VERY LOW, UH, AMP THAT IS, UH, ACCEPTABLE TO THE BUILDING OFFICIAL AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, TURNING ON POWER IS NOT OF A DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, OR WE CAN LOOK INTO POSSIBLE, UM, YOU KNOW, SECURITY POLES, WHICH ARE A LOT LIKE YOUR TEMPORARY POLES.
UM, NOW HAVING SAID THAT, I, I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT WANNA SEE A BUNCH OF POLES STACKED IN OUR RIGHT OF WAY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, RIGHT DOWNTOWN.
SO WE MAY, IF THAT WERE THE WILL OF COUNSEL, WE MAY WANNA LOOK INTO HOW THOSE WOULD BE FIXED TO THE BUILDING.
UM, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE, UM, IT JUST HAS TO, IT HAS TO BE BROUGHT TO A LEVEL OF, UM, SAFETY THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE BUILDING OFFICIAL.
AND ALSO, UM, AND ALSO THE FI THE FIRE CHIEF AS WELL.
COUNCILMAN DURIO? DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? MM-HMM.
HE'S BACK'S BACK IN CA DO YOU GUYS WANNA HEAR MORE ABOUT TPAS
UM, THE LAST THING FOR THIS SLIDE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THIS WOULD ALSO PROMPT TWO INSPECTIONS PER YEAR, UM, WITH THE ANNUAL REGISTRATION.
SO ONE, UH, WITHIN 60 DAYS OF, UH, REGISTERING, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE AT SOME OTHER POINT IN TIME WITHIN THE 12 MONTH PERIOD.
AND AGAIN, THAT IS TO INSPECT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE UPHOLDING THE STANDARD OF CARE AND PROPERLY MAINTAINING THEIR VACANT BUILDINGS.
WELL, ONE QUESTION I HAD ON THIS.
DO, CAN YOU COMPEL A PROPERTY OWNER TO OBTAIN A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY? SO THE PURPOSE OF THE REGISTRY IS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BRING THIS UP TO, TO THE STANDARD OF CARE, NUMBER ONE.
AND NUMBER TWO, THERE'S ALL, THERE'S A CERTAIN LIST OF REQUIREMENTS,
[02:25:01]
RIGHT? BECAUSE THESE VACANT STRUCTURES HARBOR CRIME, THEY HARBOR A BLIGHT, THEY COULD HARBOR TRESPASSING, THOSE KINDS OF ACTIVITIES.UM, THAT IS WHY THERE'S THESE ADDED STIPULATIONS TO VACANT BUILDINGS, OR THAT'S WHY OTHER CITIES ARE DOING THIS.
UM, SO NO, YOU DON'T HAVE, IT'S, IT WON'T COMPEL THEM TO, THEY DON'T HAVE TO OCCUPY IT IF THEY DON'T WANT TO, RIGHT? BUT THEY DO HAVE TO MEET THESE STANDARDS.
AND IF, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET TO THE NEXT, UM, TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SO REGISTRATION FEES AND INSPECTIONS, UM, EVERY YEAR THEY'LL HAVE TO PAY A REGISTRATION FEE AND THEY WILL HAVE TO COMPLETE SAID INSPECTIONS.
UM, I CANVASSED A FEW, YOU KNOW, MANY CITIES, UH, PULLED, UH, I KNOW I'M, I'M FROM FLORIDA, SO I'M NOT GONNA SAY THIS RIGHT.
KILLEEN, KILLEEN, UH, SAN ANTONIO, UH, DALLAS.
UM, SO KILLEEN IS DOING A $50, UH, ANNUAL REGISTRATION EACH YEAR THEREAFTER THAT IT REMAINS VACANT, IT INCREASES BY $50.
SAN ANTONIO DOES A FLAT FEE FOR COMMERCIAL STRUCTURES OF $750.
I'LL SAY, I BELIEVE DALLAS IS, UM, SAN ANTONIO IS CITYWIDE.
AND THEN DALLAS IS, I BELIEVE, AND DON'T QUOTE ME, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT IS, UH, TIED TO THEIR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
UM, WHAT I'M PROPOSING, UM, IS $600 AND TO INCREASE BY HALF THAT TOTAL FEE EACH YEAR THEREAFTER.
SO THAT MEANS THAT YEAR ONE WOULD BE 600, YEAR TWO WOULD BE 900, YEAR THREE WOULD BE $1,350, UM, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND THEN THE INSPECTION FEE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE PAID AT THE TIME OF, UH, REGISTRATION.
SO THE INSPECTION FEE IS PRETTY STANDARD ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, THEY HAVE AN ADMINISTRATION FEE AND THEN PLUS 1 CENT OR, OR LESS PER SQUARE FOOT OF THE BUILDING.
UM, SO WHAT I'M PROPOSING IS $50 PLUS ONE SQUARE FOOT, UH, PER BUILDING.
SO I RAN THIS, UH, BUILDING THE SIZE OF THE CIVIC CENTER THAT WOULD, THAT INSPECTION FEE, IT'S ABOUT 17,000 SQUARE FEET, 17 AND A HALF, SOMEWHERE IN THERE.
UM, THAT IS ABOUT $800 IN TOTAL.
SO THAT PLUS THE 600, UH, FEE IS $1,400.
SO THAT'S WHAT THAT FIRST ANNUAL REGISTRATION FEE WOULD BE.
AND THEN IT'D GO UP FROM THERE.
THE INSPECTION FEE WOULD REMAIN CONSTANT THROUGHOUT ALL OF IT.
UM, FEES COLLECTED ARE, UH, TO OFFSET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH VACANT STRUCTURES.
UM, AND THAT IS SUCH AS RESPONSE TO CATASTROPHIC EVENTS, CALLS FOR SERVICE, MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL INSPECTIONS, BLIGHT MITIGATION, AND ENFORCEMENT, UH, BLIGHT MITIGATION.
WELL, BLIGHT MEANS, UM, YOU KNOW, DETERIORATING BUILDINGS, UH, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, LITTER, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS TO MITIGATE.
OFTENTIMES, UH, YOU GUYS JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, HEARD, UH, A CASE OF, UH, BLIGHT MITIGATION, UM, WITH THE, UH, GENERAL NUISANCE, UM, BEFORE THIS.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS WITH THE FEES? NOT WITH THE FEES, NO.
I, WELL, MAYBE, WELL, I, MATH WASN'T ALWAYS MY STRONGEST SUIT, BUT $600 THE NEXT YEAR IS $300 INCREASE.
AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR IT'LL BE HALF OF NINE BEFORE 50.
SO, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR, SO AFTER 20 YEARS, THAT'S GONNA BE A PRETTY HEFTY FEE.
SO IS IT WISDOM TO LEAVE IT OPEN-ENDED LIKE THAT? HAVE YOU SEEN THAT'S WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE? I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CITIES SO FAR PUT A STIPULATION ON HOW LONG, UM, IT'S BEEN OPEN-ENDED, BUT I CAN LOOK INTO IT MORE.
WELL, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, IT'S AN INCENTIVE.
I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THEY CAN HAVE, THEY CAN HAVE THIS VACANT STRUCTURE IF THEY WANT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT JUST HAS TO, TO FOLLOW THESE, UH, THESE SET REQUIREMENTS, UM, FEES ASSOCIATED AND FEES ASSOCIATED, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL, I'LL TAKE FOR INSTANCE, UM, AS FAR AS CATASTROPHIC EVENTS RESPONSE TO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE GILBERT BUILDING, THAT'S PROB THAT'S EASILY A SIX FIGURE FIRE.
UM, AND THAT, THAT'S A, A COST THAT THE CITY HAS TO ABSORB.
UM, SO BEING ABLE TO, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING, AND THE REASON THE INSPECTION FEES ARE SO ARE, ARE HIGHER THAN NORMAL, IS THAT IT'S MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL, UM, INSPECTIONS.
AND TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON THIS FINITE, UM, AREA, UM, IT TAKES A LOT OF MANPOWER.
IT TAKES A LOT OF CITY RESOURCES AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATE COSTS
[02:30:01]
APPROPRIATELY.SO, GOING BACK TO THE $600 PER YEAR.
SO SAY AJ GOES AND BUYS A BUILDING DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT, AND IT'S A OLD BUILDING.
AND SO NOW AJ'S GONNA GO OUT AND HIRE AN ARCHITECT AND ENGINEERS AND START FIGURING OUT WHAT THIS THING'S GONNA COST HIM TO DO.
THAT PROCESS MIGHT TAKE AJ FOUR OR FIVE YEARS TO GET THE FUNDS TO GO DO THAT, BUT THE ENTIRE TIME HE IS GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS, HE'S BEING PUNISHED.
AND I, I GOT THE ANSWER FOR YOU.
SO, APPLICABILITY AND WAIVERS.
SO, UM, THIS ORDINANCE WILL NOT APPLY TO PROPERTY THAT IS ACTIVELY VACANT PROPERTY, RIGHT? UM, THAT IS ACTIVELY FOR SALE FOR LESS THAN SIX CONSECUTIVE MONTHS PROPERTY UNDER CONTRACT FOR SALE.
THAT IS, OR FOR LEASE THAT IS LESS THAN SIX CONSECUTIVE MONTHS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, I, I SEE THAT IS THE STANDARD IN A LOT OF THE, UM, ORDINANCES ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, FOR TEXAS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT I WAS THINKING ON.
YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE, A A PROPERTY COULD BE FOR SALE LONGER THAN SIX MONTHS, UH, FAR LONGER.
AND I WOULD LIKE IT WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S THE DIRECTOR OR WHOEVER YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER UP TO THREE, FOUR MONTH EXTENSIONS FOR GOOD CAUSE.
UM, AND A REQUEST BEYOND 18 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS WOULD HAVE TO COME BEFORE YOU GUYS, UM, FOR, FOR SUCH EXTENSION.
UM, THAT, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S IN OTHER ORDINANCES, BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO BE AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND I THINK THAT, THAT IN MY MIND, UM, AN EXTRA YEAR OF EXTENSION COULD, COULD HELP.
UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THOUGH, THAT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CODIFY, UM, WHERE THEY RECEIVE, UH, WAIVE FEES.
UM, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY THAT'S DEV DEVASTATED BY CATASTROPHE, WHICH IS LIKE YOUR FIRES, YOUR HURRICANES.
UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH, PEOPLE CAN'T BE IN THERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO FIX UP THE BUILDING.
UM, SO THEY HAVE TO REGISTER, OKAY? BUT THEIR FEES ARE WAIVED ENTIRELY FOR ONE YEAR.
UM, ANOTHER INSTANCE IS PROPERTY OWNER HAS OBTAINED A BUILDING PERMIT AND IS PROGRESSING IN AN EXPEDIENT MANNER, UM, AND AGAIN, WAIVED FOR ONE YEAR.
UH, THE, THE NEXT ONE IS PROPERTY OWNERS PROPERLY MAINTAINED THE PROPERTY TO THE STANDARD OF CARE REQUIRED BY THE ORDINANCE AND ADOPTED CODES.
SO THEY COULD HAVE THEIR FEES WAIVED FOR ONE YEAR, UM, AGAIN, ONE YEAR IF WE WOULD LIKE IT, YOU KNOW, IN, IN YOUR, UM, EXAMPLE OF LIKE FOUR YEARS OR, OR LONGER.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOME, A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE HISTORIC AND THEY COULD QUALIFY FOR HISTORIC TAX, UH, CREDITS THROUGH, UM, THROUGH THE STATE OR FEDERAL.
I HAVE A WONDERFUL LADY BEHIND ME, UM, THAT KNOWS PROBABLY ALL ABOUT THAT, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WE HAVE A LUNCH ON NEXT FRIDAY.
UM, BUT THEY, IT'S AT THE STATE OR THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR PROCESS IS ABOUT A YEAR TO RECEIVE GRANT FUNDING.
UM, SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING TO, TO LOOK INTO ON IF WE CAN EXTEND BEYOND ONE YEAR, OR IF IT NEEDS TO POSSIBLY COME BACK BEFORE YOU GUYS TO GO PAST THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THAT THRESHOLD MAY BE.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FEEDBACK ON, ON ANY OF THAT.
DID I ANSWER? ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? OKAY.
THIS IS THE SECOND TO THE LAST SLIDE.
SO, ENFORCEMENT, UH, FOR PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE, UM, EACH AND EVERY DAY IS A VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE THAT CONTINUES AND SHALL CONSTITUTE A SEPARATE OFFENSE.
THIS IS PRETTY STANDARD WITH A LOT OF OUR, UM, ORDINANCES ALREADY.
UH, FINES WILL BE, SHALL DOUBLE FOR A SECOND.
CONVIC CONVICTION WITHIN THE SAME OFFENSE WITHIN A 24 MONTH PERIOD, UH, FINES SHALL TRIPLE FOR A THIRD CONVICTION OF THE SAME OFFENSE WITHIN 24 MONTH PERIOD.
AND ALTHOUGH WE ARE DESIGNATING A PROPERTY MANAGER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER IS ULTIMATELY HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY VIOLATIONS OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR VACANT STRUCTURES WITHIN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
SO, AS WE'RE, UH, DISCUSSING OCCUPANCY AND REINVESTMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THE PUBLIC, UH, PROPERTY OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS WATCHING THAT WE HAVE MANY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES AVAILABLE FOR DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT, BUT ALSO MANY OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY.
IN, UM, IN OUR, UH, REGULAR AGENDA, I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE PROGRAM, WHICH IS HANDLED THROUGH OUR NEWLY APPOINTED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
[02:35:01]
MANAGER, CHRISTINA LOKEY.UM, THOSE INCENTIVES INCLUDE EXPEDITED PLAN REVIEWS, PERMIT FEE WAIVERS, LIEN WAIVERS, AND CITY TAX ABATEMENT, RANGING FROM ONE TO SEVEN YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE INVESTMENT SIZE.
THESE INCENTIVES ARE AVAILABLE TO OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS WHOSE PROPERTY ARE CURRENT ON TAXES.
THE, THIS POLICY IS DUE FOR ADOPTION IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND AS SUCH, CHRISTINA AND I ARE COLLABORATING ON WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR POLICY TO PROVIDE MORE INCENTIVES TO QUALIFY OR TO QUALIFYING DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROTECT PROPEL ECONOMIC GROWTH TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.
UM, ON THE SCREEN IS A QR CODE, UM, THAT IS TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES PAGE, OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PAGE, UM, THAT WAS CREATED ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
UM, PLEASE SHARE THAT, THAT LINK WITH ANY DEVELOPERS, UM, THAT YOU FEEL WOULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT OUR INCENTIVES HERE IN BEAUMONT.
UH, WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORKSHOP BOTH, UH, THE ITEMS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY FEE WAIVER AND ALSO THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY.
ANY QUESTIONS, I JUST, I WANNA APPLAUD YOU FOR THIS WORK SESSION.
THERE IS A LOT OF INFORMATION, AND FOR THE PUBLIC, THIS IS A WAY FOR COUNCIL AND THEM TO HEAR OF PROPOSALS, UH, FOR US TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION.
IT WOULD REQUIRE IT TO BE AN AGENDA ITEM AND DISCUSSION POINT FOR THAT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE IN, UH, AS WELL.
SO COUNCILMAN GUESS, THANK YOU.
HOWEVER, I HAVE TO ADD, I'M STRUGGLING TO SEE HOW ANY OF THIS WOULD ADD ANY MEANINGFUL CHANGES TO WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE GOING ON IN DOWNTOWN.
I MEAN, WE HAVE SOME BUILDING OWNERS THAT JUST BUY BUILDINGS, SIT ON 'EM.
I MEAN, WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T PAY? IF THEY'RE FINED AND DON'T PAY THE FEES, THEN, THEN WHAT? YOU, YOU, HOW, HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THAT? SO, VIOLATIONS, OBVIOUSLY, UM, FILES ARE, UH, OR CHARGES ARE FILED IN MUNICIPAL COURT, AND THEN IT GOES FROM THERE.
UM, ANY, YOU KNOW, AND I'LL, I'LL LET LEGAL, UM, ADDRESS ANYTHING BEYOND, UH, MUNICIPAL COURT, BUT THAT'S HOW THAT, THAT VIOL OR THAT PROCESS GOES.
YEAH, I, I HAVE PUBLICLY SAID THAT I BELIEVE WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS CONSIDER SOME SORT OF A MEASURE IN WHICH WE MANDATE, UH, BURGLAR ALARMS, CAMERAS, AND LIGHTING BE REQUIRED ON THESE VACANT BUILDINGS.
AND I SAW THE SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT ENHANCED SECURITY MEASURES.
UM, YOU, YOU KNOW, ARE WE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION OR, OR NOT? I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DEFINITELY WORK OUT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO, TO DISCUSS THAT FURTHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THE, WHAT I'VE FOUND THAT IS CODIFIED AND, AND WHEN, WHEN I SAY THAT IT'S, IT'S JUST, THAT'S THE LEGAL PRECEDENT THAT'S OUT THERE.
UM, AND I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO A BUNCH OF LEGAL TERMS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT THAT'S THE PRECEDENT THAT'S OUT THERE.
AND, AND IT'S, IT SEEMS SAFE TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.
NOW, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, ADDED SECURITY MEASURES ASIDE FROM THAT, SUCH AS BURGLAR ALARMS, CAMERAS, LIGHTING, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK AT.
UM, BUT IT HAS TO, IN, IN MY OPINION, IT HAS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH AREAS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
AND THAT COULD BE TIED TO, UH, YOU KNOW, VACANT STRUCTURES, UM, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, DOWNTOWN IN WHOLE.
UM, AND, AND I'LL ACTUALLY INVITE, UH, ASSISTANT CHIEF PLUNKETT UP TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO NOT OVERSTEP.
UM, BUT AS FAR AS CRIME DOWNTOWN, UM, IT'S RELATIVELY LOW, BUT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE, UM, THE CRIME THAT IS HAPPENING COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, VACANT BUILDINGS.
WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS, BECAUSE YES, I UNDERSTAND THAT OVERALL DOWNTOWN CRIME IS RELATIVELY LOW, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE VACANT BUILDINGS, THEY BECOME TARGETS OF VANDALISM, ARSON, UH, YOU KNOW, THEFT.
THOSE, THOSE ARE THE REAL PROBLEM AREAS, AS I SEE IT DOWNTOWN.
UM, SO HOW DO WE ADDRESS THOSE? WELL, WE'RE GOING OVER THIS POLICY.
WELL, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GO IN AND GET PEOPLE'S MONEY OUT OF THEIR BANK ACCOUNT.
SO THERE IS PROCESS HERE, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT ORDINANCES THAT WE CAN LOOK TO ENFORCE AND GO THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS WITH THAT.
[02:40:01]
SAY, I, I THINK WHAT YOU'VE PRESENTED WOULD MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN DOWNTOWN.UH, AGAIN, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE VACANT BUILDINGS THAT IS THE PROBLEM, BUT UNMANNED OR UNOCCUPIED, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE SIGNIFICANT.
BUT IF WE HAVE A REGISTRY, IF WE CAN IDENTIFY WHERE THE PROBLEMS ARE, THEN THAT MAKES IT EASIER TO DEAL WITH.
IF WE KNOW WHAT BUILDING HAS NO WINDOWS IN IT OR NO DOORS THAT ARE LOCKED, I THINK THAT'S HALF OF THE BATTLE BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO MINIMIZE THE VAGRANCY, UH, THE, UH, UH, JUST FOLKS GOING IN AND OUTTA THE BUILDINGS.
SO I BELIEVE THIS IS A BIG STEP.
AND WITH THAT IS THERE HAS TO BE SOME INCENTIVE TO DO SOMETHING.
THE FINES, THE REGISTRY FEE, THE PROGRESSIVE REGISTRY FEE, THAT INCREASES THE EXPENSE OF JUST HOLDING.
IF YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY THAT EXPENSE AND CONTINUE TO HAVE IT INCREASE, THEN OKAY, YOU CAN AFFORD TO DO THAT.
UH, SO I, I JUST TEND TO DIFFER WITH YOU IN THAT PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED AND WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY IF IT WERE IMPLEMENTED.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THIS COUNCILMAN SAMUEL.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF IT'S ENOUGH.
JUST GIVING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
COUNCILMAN SHAW, I, I, LET ME YIELD TO CHIEF ASSISTANT CHIEF PLUNKETT WHILE HE'S HERE.
UH, COULD YOU GIVE US THE SCANNING ON DOWNTOWN CRIME BECAUSE WE HEAR, UH, DIFFERENT THINGS? SURE.
SO OBVIOUSLY, AS WITH ANYTHING ELSE, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE, WHAT IS THE ACTUAL REPORTED CRIME IN DOWNTOWN? AND THEN YOU HAVE WHAT THE PERCEPTION IS.
SO, UH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT AS FAR AS, UH, THE PLAN THAT'S BEEN PRESENTED BY DEMI TODAY, UH, NOT BY DESIGN, BUT THIS IS VERY SIMILAR, AND I BELIEVE THAT Y'ALL WERE PROBABLY COPIED, UH, BACK IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE IT WAS.
I WAS ABLE TO, UM, DISCUSS AND, AND MAKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION WITH THE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TALKED ABOUT, A LOT OF THESE ARE THE SAME DEALS, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE, IT NEEDS TO BE A PHASED APPROACH.
NO ONE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY, YOUR OWN BUILDING DOWNTOWN, YOU HAVE TO PHASE THESE THINGS IN.
SO WHAT I TALKED ABOUT FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE IS NUMBER ONE, PHASE ONE, WE'VE GOT TO SECURE THE BUILDINGS.
AND WHEN I SAY SECURE THE BUILDINGS, I MEAN SECURE THE BUILDINGS, UM, IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHAT THE CITY SAYS IS, IS NECESSARY TO DO THAT.
NOT LEAN INTO POLICE OF, POLICE OF, UH, I'M SORRY, A PIECE OF PLY BOARD AGAINST A WINDOW THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK.
SECOND PHASE, GET THE BUILDING UP TO A MINIMUM CODE SO THAT YOU CAN PASS AND GET POWER RESTORED, IF NOTHING ELSE, TO THE GROUND FLOOR, SO THAT YOU CAN THEN INSTALL, UH, BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARMS. AND THEN THE NEXT PHASE WOULD BE WHEN YOU GET ALL THAT DONE, WE WOULD, WE WOULD HOPE THAT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO INSTALL CAMERAS SO THAT WE CAN THEN, UH, INCORPORATE THAT IN WITH REALTIME CRIME CENTER.
BOTTOM LINE IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DAMAGE DONE TO BUILDINGS.
VERY LITTLE OF IT HAS BEEN REPORTED.
IF WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CRIME, WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
SO WE ALLOCATE MANPOWER BASED ON REPORTED CRIME.
SO, UM, WE'VE GOT TO GET TO A LEVEL THAT ONE'S LESS LIKELY THAT BUILDINGS WILL BE VANDALIZED.
NUMBER TWO, SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS SO THAT WE CAN RESPOND TO IT.
WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE AN EYE ON IT IF THERE'S AN ALARM THAT GOES OFF.
AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE CRIME.
NOT TO MENTION IF ANOTHER BUILDING CATCHES ON FIRE, WE'LL HAVE AN ALARM AND HOPEFULLY SOME KIND OF SUPPRESSION SYSTEM IF THEY CAN, IF THEY CAN WORK THAT PHASED PROCESS UP AND GET UP TO CODE.
SO, IN OUR OPINION, THOSE ARE STEPS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN, HOW THE COUNCIL CHOOSE TO TAKE ACTION TO GET PEOPLE TO DO THAT, UH, WHERE YOU CAN, I MEAN, THAT'S UP TO, TO YOU GUYS, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE.
AND THEN BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL QUESTION, UM, THE REPORTED CRIME IN DOWNTOWN HAS REMAINED CONSISTENTLY FLAT.
AND I THINK, UH, Y'ALL HAVE BEEN SENT, UH, THE REPORT THAT
[02:45:01]
MIRRORS THAT, THAT WE, THAT WE PROVIDED TO THE CITY MANAGER.MAYOR, I CLAIM MY TIME, THOUGH.
UH, I, ASSISTANT CHIEF, YOU, YOU PRETTY MUCH SAID WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY IN THE SENSE THAT I HOPE THIS COUNCIL WILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER, UH, IN PHASES.
I, I AGREE WITH THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT AT GROUND FLOOR OF, OF, UH, THERE HAS TO BE POWER SECURE BUILDING, LIGHTING, CAMERAS, UH, AN ALARM SYSTEM.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT I, THE MINIMUM THAT WE SHOULD, SHOULD HAVE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA BECAUSE THESE BUILDINGS ARE CONNECTED.
HAD THE GILBERT BUILDING FIRE BEEN THE HOTEL BEAUMONT, AND WE LOST THE JEFFERSON THEATER BECAUSE OF THAT, THIS CONVERSATION PROBABLY WOULD BE GOING DIFFERENT.
WE'D ALL WOULD HAVE MORE OF A SENSE OF URGENCY TO LOSE A HISTORICAL LANDMARK LIKE THE JEFFERSON THEATER.
SO I HOPE THIS COUNCIL WILL TAKE ACTION ON REQUIRING DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS, BOTTOM FLOOR, SOME TYPE OF SECURITY MINIMUM, AS YOU'RE SAYING, SECURE THE BUILDING, LIGHTING, CAMERAS, ALARM SYSTEM, FIRE SYSTEM.
I MEAN, GUYS, THIS IS DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT.
THESE BUILDINGS ARE CONNECTED AND A HIGH DENSITY OF BUILDINGS.
THIS IS, FOR ME, THIS IS REASONABLE.
AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE, WITH THE COMMITTEE, I, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA SPEAK TO THEM, BUT IT, IT SEEMED TO BE THE PHASED, UH, APPROACH SEEMED TO BE FAIRLY WELL RECEIVED BY THE MEMBERS THAT WERE THERE, AND MR. BRUCE ARDI HERE.
AND, UM, HE WAS PRESENT FOR THAT MEETING.
SO IT, IT SEEMED TO BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, THE MAJORITY OF THE ROOM SEEMED TO BE OKAY WITH.
UH, BUT AGAIN, WE'VE, WE'VE GOTTA GET TO THAT POINT BECAUSE UNTIL THE BUILDINGS ARE SECURED, AND UNTIL WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF NOTICE WHAT'S GOING ON AS IT'S HAPPENING, AND NOT TWO OR THREE DAYS LATER, OR WHEN WE CATCH SOMEONE, PEOPLE REFUSING TO COME OUT TO PRESS CHARGES, ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAS HAPPENED.
SO WE'VE GOTTA GET TO A POINT THAT WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, TURN THE TIDE ON THE, THE DERELICT BUILDINGS.
YES, COUNCILMAN, GUESS AND COUNCILMAN TURNER, YOU KNOW, SOME METROPOLITAN CITIES, LONDON, NEW YORK HAVE IN THEIR DOWNTOWN DISTRICTS CAMERAS AND, AND ON PUBLIC POLES, YOU KNOW, WHERE ALMOST EVERY BLOCK IS COVERED FROM EVERY ANGLE WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT.
AND NOW WITH, UH, THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER AND PHYSIC AND THE INTEGRATED CAMERAS, WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO THE CITY, UH, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IF SOMETHING LIKE THAT EXISTED WHERE YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE EVERYWHERE DOWNTOWN YOU HAD A CAMERA THAT SCANNED EVERY BLOCK WHERE YOU, YOU, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO NOOK OR CRANNY WHERE YOU COULDN'T SEE WHAT, WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN? WELL, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CAMERA ON EVERY CORNER, OBVIOUSLY, THAT WE HAVE TO RELY ON THE PUBLIC TO DO THAT.
THE PUBLIC COST WOULD JUST BE, WOULD BE TOO MUCH.
BUT WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT GOES BACK TO WHAT WE'VE SAID ABOUT THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER FOR THE LAST, YOU KNOW, GOSH, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR TWO YEARS NOW WITH THE TEAM AT THE, UH, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN DESCRIBED AS A GAME CHANGER AND A FORCE MULTIPLIER.
WELL, YOU SAY THE PUBLIC COSTS MIGHT BE TOO MUCH, BUT WHAT IF, UH, PRIVATE CITIZENS WERE TO COME TO BEAR? WHAT, WHAT KIND OF COST? WELL, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.
THERE HAS TO BE, IT HAS TO BE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.
THE COST TO THE CITY, WE OBVIOUSLY COULDN'T DO THAT, BUT IF WE HAD PRIVATE BUSINESSES PUTTING CAMERAS ON THEIR BUILDINGS THAT, THAT THEY INTEGRATE WITH, WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA, UH, TO ACHIEVE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OR ANYTHING CLOSE TO IT.
WELL, I'M TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT PUT 'EM ON A BUILDING, BUT PUT 'EM ON A STREET LAMP OR, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, WHAT WOULD THE COST, I HONESTLY DON'T CARE WHERE THEY PUT THEM,
I MEAN, I, I AGREE, BUT WHAT WOULD THE COST BE GENERALLY THINK, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO, IT DEPENDS ON THE KIND OF CAMERA.
IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, JUST A STATIC OVERT, UH, REGULAR CAMERA, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PTZ CAMERA THAT COULD BE CONTROLLED.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET IS, UH, OUR, OUR FIRST PHASE, OUR FIRST STEP IS WE WANT AS MANY FLOCK AS WE CAN GET, BECAUSE YOU GET THE BENEFIT OF A CAMERA ALSO INTEGRATED WITH A LICENSE PLATE READER.
SO RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS MANY FLOCK AS WE CAN GET FLOCK IS FLOCK ARE THE AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS? MM-HMM.
BUT THE, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR US IS THAT THEN, THEN AFTER THAT IS MANY CAMERAS AS WE CAN POSSIBLY GET.
AND I COULDN'T SIT HERE AND TELL YOU, BECAUSE THE PRICES RANGE FROM VERY, VERY LITTLE TWO THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER UNIT.
WELL, THAT'S PART OF THAT DISCUSSION AWAY FROM, OKAY, YES, SIR.
IF COUNCILMAN GUESS WOULD LET ME TAG WITH HIM.
[02:50:01]
THE COUNCIL CONSIDER THAT WE COULD BUDGET IN EVERY YEAR'S BUDGET TO BUY SO MANY CAMERAS.AND SO IF YOU SAY YOU NEED A HUNDRED CAMERAS TO COVER DOWNTOWN, SO WE BUY, CAN, YOU'RE OKAY, WORK WITH ME.
WE CAN, WE CAN ASK, YES SIR, WE, WE DO 10 A YEAR FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
WE COULD EVENTUALLY GET THERE, BUT WE COULD DO, WE COULD MANAGE THIS BUDGET.
WE'RE ASKING FOR SO MANY CAMERAS, OKAY.
AND THEN EACH YEAR THAT GOES ON, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST LIKE WE DO WITH, WITH ALL OF OUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, OUR WEAPONS THAT THE CITY BUYS IS A PHASED APPROACH.
SO YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO BUY, SAY, A HUNDRED CAMERAS AT ONE TIME, YOU'RE BUYING, YOU KNOW, 20 CAMERAS OVER A FIVE YEAR ROTATION PERIOD.
DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD BE THE OPTIMUM NUMBER OF CAMERAS TO COVER DOWNTOWN AND TYPES OF CAMERAS? IS CAN, CAN WE ACCESS? SO WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT.
WE'VE ALREADY LOOKED AT THAT FOR FLOCK CITYWIDE, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED A PRIORITY LISTING OF LOCATIONS, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT FOCUSED JUST ON THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, IF THAT'S ABSOLUTELY POSSIBLE.
I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE, UH, HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO BE ABLE TO HAVE EYES EVERYWHERE DOWNTOWN.
UH, ONE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT I, I LISTEN TO IS, AND, AND FAIR FAIRNESS, YOU GUYS CAN ONLY REACT TO WHAT'S REPORTED.
AND ONE KEY THING YOU SAID WAS REPORTED CRIME, THE PERCEPTION OF OUR DOWNTOWN IS IT'S CRIME.
AND WITH THEIR PERCEPTION, I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL BUILDING OWNERS WHO THEY'LL CONTACT COUNCIL MEMBERS DIRECTLY, BUT STILL IT IS NOT REPORTED.
SO WHEN IT'S NOT REPORTED, IT CAN BE PERCEIVED AS THE CRIME ISN'T REALLY HEAVY DOWNTOWN.
ONE THING I CAN SPEAK TO IN FAIRNESS, IS WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS DEAL WITH CITIZENS ALL THE TIME WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, WHETHER IT BE A PLUMBING ISSUE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THE PROTOCOL IS TO CALL 3 1 1.
BUT THE REALITY, AND I'M PRETTY SURE E EACH OF US UP HERE CAN SAY, DO THEY CALL THREE ONE ONE? THEY CALL US DIRECTLY AND THEY WANNA SEE SOMETHING DONE NOW.
SO ONE THING THAT I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO CONSIDER IS, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT ONLY CAN REACT TO DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS.
AND IF THE BUILDING OWNERS AREN'T CALLING THE CRIMES AND REACTED TO THE CRIMES, AND THEY WANNA SEE REACTION IN REFERENCE TO CRIMES, IF YOU'RE NOT REPORTING IT, IT'S GONNA COME OFF AS IT IS NO CRIME DOWNTOWN.
SO IT KIND OF CAN DEFEAT THE PURPOSE OF WANTING A SECURITY PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN OR A COP ON A BEAT DOWNTOWN IF INCIDENTS ARE HAPPENING.
AND YOU GUYS AREN'T AWARE OF IT, AND THERE'S NOT NO DOCUMENTATION REPORTED.
AND THAT'S JUST THE POINT I KIND OF WANT TO MAKE, BECAUSE AGAIN, OUR PROTOCOLS TELL CITIZENS TO CONTACT 3 1 1, BUT ALL OF US UP HERE CAN SPEAK TO, THEY WON'T CONTACT 3 1 9, THEY, THEY WON'T CONTACT THREE ONE ONE.
WANNA SEE SOMETHING DONE RIGHT NOW.
SO I THINK AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION, UH, CAN IT, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THESE BUILDING OWNERS BECAUSE THE PERCEPTION IS IT IS HIGH CRIME DOWNTOWN, BUT IF IT'S NOT BEING REPORTED IN FAIRNESS TO THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, HOW CAN WE LOOK AT THAT REALITY? SO MAYBE MAKING SURE, SIMILAR TO HOW WE ALWAYS PUT OUR PROTOCOLS AND MESSAGES FOR US TO TELL CITIZENS TO CONTACT 3 1 1, BUT I DO KNOW IN A LOT OF INSTANCES, THEY'RE NOT TRYING TO FOLLOW THEIR PROTOCOL.
THEY WANT COUNCIL MEMBERS TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW.
SO I THINK THAT CAN BE A, A GOOD TOOL TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN COMMITTEE MEMBERS BECAUSE THE CRIME ISN'T BASICALLY SHOWING IT IS HEAVILY DOWNTOWN, BUT THEIR COMMENTS AND THE PERCEPTION DOESN'T MATCH WHAT'S ACTUALLY THE DOUBT OF BEING REPORTED.
AND COUNCILMAN, IF, IF I CAN JUST JUMP ON THAT REALLY QUICKLY.
SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STATS FOR DOWNTOWN, WE LOOK AT THE REPORTED CRIME AND THE COST OF SERVICE, THERE'S A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THAT THAT IS INITIATED BY THE OFFICERS.
SO WE ARE PATROLLING, AND YOU KNOW WHAT OUR ISSUE IS, MAN, WITH MANPOWER.
THAT'S NOT TOO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, I PULLED CALLS FOR SERVICE THE OTHER DAY FOR OUR SPECIFIC LOCATION IN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, AND A GOOD PORTION OF THE CALLS THAT WE HAD, THERE WERE SELF-INITIATED CALLS WHERE OFFICERS DROVE UP ON SOMETHING, CHECKED OUT ON IT, AND THEN THAT GOES IN AS A RE AS A CALL FOR SERVICE, WHICH IS THEN REPORTED IN THE STATS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST RELIANT, IT IS, BUT IT IS MOSTLY IN HEAVILY RELIANT ON CITIZENS CALLING AND LETTING, LETTING US KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
[02:55:03]
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? THANK YOU BOTH.[COUNCIL COMMENTS]
INTO COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS AND I WILL START WITH COUNCILMAN NEIL.COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, YOU TOLD ME, DON'T COMMENT.
JULY 4TH CELEBRATION ON THURSDAY.
LET ME JUST REMIND EVERYBODY, PLEASE BE CAREFUL.
I WAS AT AN EVENT ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON, WE HAD SOMEONE PASS OUT FROM HEAT STROKE.
IT'S HOT, A LOT OF HUMIDITY, UH, DON'T TAKE LONG.
SO DRINK A LOT OF WATER AND STAY COOL AND ENJOY THE, UH, CELEBRATION OF THE CITY DOWNTOWN.
IT WAS MY FIRST TIME SEEING YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME UP HERE AND PRESENT IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU DID A REALLY GOOD JOB.
SO I JUST WANTED TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON THAT.
UH, WE PRETTY, WE HIT YOU WITH A PRETTY HARD TASK AND CLEARLY WE WANT YOU TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY, YOU KNOW, YOUR FIRST TIME COMING IN FRONT OF YOU DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB.
AND ANOTHER THING IS, UH, WE ACTUALLY PAID FOR A STUDY TO SEE HOW WE WERE DEALING WITH REVENUE AND WHAT WE WOULD, WHAT WE WERE LOSING REVENUE AS FAR AS WATER.
UH, NONE OF US WANNA SEE THE WATER RATES GO UP.
SO AT MINIMUM WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE COLLECTING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO, TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT HAVING TO RAISE THE RATES ON CITIZENS BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DOING THE PROPER COLLECTING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO.
SO TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHEN IT CAME TO THAT, I WANNA SAY I APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, WE JUST DON'T WANNA LOSE ANY REVENUE, REVENUE OR MISS OUT ON REVENUE.
SO, UH, OVERALL BUILDING CODE STAFF, YOU KNOW, GREAT JOB ON PRESENTING TODAY.
I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING IN.
AND KEN, IT PROBABLY AT THE END IF YOU KIND OF CAN EXPLAIN TO EVERYBODY THE PROCESS WE'RE, WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS POLICE CHIEF.
YOU KNOW, WE BRINGING A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND I RATHER YOU EXPLAIN IT TO ME, TRYING TO ANSWER EVERYBODY CALLING ME INDIVIDUALLY.
REAL QUICK, UH, ALSO I WANTED TO THANK ALL THE STAFF, Y'ALL, GUYS, ALL OF YOU DID A GREAT JOB WITH YOUR PRESENTATIONS, THE PARKS AND HEALTH DIRECTOR, DEMI, CHERYL, EVERYBODY, UH, THE REPORT THAT DEMI GAVE, YOU KNOW, ALWAYS SAY YOU GOTTA START SOMEWHERE AND THIS IS A GOOD START.
AND, AND YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DO SOME TWEAKS TO IT, BUT IT'S, IT'S A GOOD START TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, UH, THAT WE COULD WORK WITH.
THEN SHE, DID I GET EVERYBODY? I THINK THAT WAS IT.
AND, UH, ALSO I, UH, GOT TO MEET THE NEW HR DIRECTOR IN THE PARKING LOT, UH, TODAY.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S IT, MAYOR.
ALRIGHT, MR. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, CHIEF, SHE NO COMMENT, CHERYL, NO COMMENT.
SO TO GIVE A BROAD OVERVIEW REAL QUICK OF THE DOWNTOWN, UH, ENFORCEMENT THAT WE'VE DONE, UM, 20 BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN TAGGED DOWNTOWN.
UM, OF THOSE 20, UH, 10 ARE OWNED BY, UH, I'M SORRY, THOSE 20 BUILDINGS ARE OWNED BY 10 DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS OR LLCS.
UH, TWO OF THE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN CORRECTED, SO THEY ARE BROUGHT UP TO THE, UH, PROPER STANDARD OF CARE, UM, BRINGING THE NUMBERS TO 18 BUILDINGS WITH ACTIVE TAGS.
UM, OF THOSE 18, 14 HAVE SIGNED UP FOR A WORK PROGRAM.
THREE WILL HAVE CHARGES FILED ON THIS WEEK.
UM, IF THEY DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THE WORK PROGRAM, UH, ONE, ONE IS UNACCOUNTED FOR, THEY'RE OUT OF TOWN, BUT THEY'LL BE GETTING WITH STAFF BY JULY 8TH.
SO WE'LL ACCOUNT FOR THEM SOON.
UH, AND WE WILL BE DOING A FORMAL PRESENTATION, UM, EITHER, UH, NOT THE NEXT, UH, END OF JULY OR AUGUST, BEGINNING OF AUGUST.
I JUST WANNA WELCOME CARMEN WILLIAMS, OUR NEW HR DIRECTOR.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA FORMALLY INTRODUCE CARMEN UNTIL THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING.
I WAS CHASTISED ONCE BEFORE BY STAFF THAT WE PUT SOME PEOPLE PITCH YOU UP AND MAKE A GRAND PRESENTATION OF THE NEW PEOPLE.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE GIVE CARMEN HER DUE INTRODUCTION WITH COMMUNICATIONS WHEN THEY DO THAT.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT FOR SURE, BUT WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE HER HERE.
UH, I GUESS, UH, JUST A BIT OF A CLARIFICATION ON, ON THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RECOUPING OF THE FUNDS FROM THE, FROM THE WATER CUSTOMERS.
YOU KNOW, THAT DISCUSSION STARTED LAST YEAR, THEN BUDGET PREPARATION, AND IT WAS A PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND BECOMING PHYSICALLY SOUND AND, AND PHYSICALLY BETTER.
AND DURING THAT BUDGET PREPARATION DISCUSSION, UH, STAFF IDENTIFIED SEVERAL AREAS THAT THEY WERE GONNA DO TO RECOUP FUNDS AND, AND, AND PUT
[03:00:01]
US TO PUT US MORE IN A SOUND FOOTING WITH OUR WATER FUND.YOU KNOW, OUR WATER FUND BALANCE REQUIREMENT IS 15% AND IT HAS BEEN PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT 15%, WHICH IS LOW.
AND WE RECOMMENDED IT GO UP TO 20%, QUITE, QUITE FRANKLY.
SO, UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY IDENTIFIED WAS THESE CUSTOMERS AND THAT, THAT WAS SAID THAT TO LOOK AT THESE CONTRACTS AND EVALUATE THESE CONTRACTS.
WE HIRED A FIRM TO LOOK AT, LOOK FOR AUDIT, THESE AGREEMENTS AND THESE CONTRACTS, AND THEY FOUND THESE THAT HAVE BEEN LONG EXISTING AND REALLY NOT IN FAVOR OF THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, LOSING $1.5 MILLION A YEAR IS QUITE A HIT TO THE WATER FUND.
THAT, THAT, THAT INCREASE YOUR FUND BALANCE QUITE A BIT IN A COUPLE OF YEARS FOR SURE.
SO, UH, AND NOT TO PICK ON ANYONE, BUT THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS ABOUT A $38 TRILLION FUND BALANCE, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T THINK ALL THE MONEY'S GONNA BOTHER FOR SURE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKED AT.
IT WAS PART OF STRATEGIC PLAN, IT WAS PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS, AND WE ARE JUST RECOUPING THOSE FUNDS THAT WE'RE LOSING, UH, UH, TO, TO CUSTOMERS.
UH, POLICE CHIEF, I TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT, COUNCIL MEMBER, WE'LL TALK SOME MORE.
UM, LAST NIGHT WE HAD THAT COMMITTEE MEETING WITH THE CITIZENS GROUP.
UH, I PLANNED FOR IT TO BE FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, AND I THINK IT WENT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF HOURS
SO THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD DISCUSSION THERE.
A LOT OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE.
THEY FORMULATED A, UM, UM, AGENDA OF QUESTIONS TO PUT TOGETHER QUESTIONS FOR, TO ASK EACH CANDIDATE THE SAME QUESTIONS AND, AND HOW THAT PROCESS WAS GOING TO RUN.
UH, THEY APPOINTED A PERSON, Q AND A PERSON, CHAIR, PERSON OF THE GROUP THEMSELVES.
I WANTED THEM TO DO THAT THEMSELVES, NOT ME GET INVOLVED IN THAT.
SO, UH, THEY'RE READY TO GO FOR JULY 10TH THAT THE CHAIR PERSON SENT THOSE QUESTIONS AND SHE GOT 'EM OUT LAST NIGHT.
I MEAN, IT WAS AMAZING HOW FAST
ON JULY 10TH IS WHEN THEY'LL DO THE ACTUAL, UM, UH, CURRENT AID WITH THE CANDIDATES.
IT'LL BE AT 10:00 AM JULY 10TH AT THE TEVIS MEETING ROOM.
WE'RE GONNA POST THAT SO THAT IF YOU AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WANT TO ATTEND, YOU CAN BE, YOU CAN SIT THERE AND HEAR THOSE QUESTIONS AND HEAR THOSE, HEAR EACH OF ONE OF THEM ANSWER AND HEAR THE ANSWERS, UH, FOR SURE.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE LIKE FROM 10:00 AM TO 5:00 PM WITH, WITH LUNCH THERE TOO.
AND THEN AT 6:00 PM THAT DAY, THERE'S GONNA BE A MEET AND GREET FOR THE ENTIRE PUBLIC.
I MEAN, BUT ANY PERSON THAT WANTS TO GO TO THE Q AND A, WELCOME TO GO TO.
BUT THERE'S GONNA BE A MEETING AND GREET AT THE EVENT CENTER AT 6:00 PM TO 8:00 PM WHERE THEY'LL BE THERE.
AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE ACCESS TO THEM INDIVIDUALLY.
LET EACH ONE OF 'EM MAKE A SHORT STATEMENT.
AND THEN, UH, WE'LL PUT 'EM OUT IN THE AUDIENCE IN A STATION AREA WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO TO THEM AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND TALK WITH THEM.
AND THE NEXT DAY WE'LL HAVE THE MEETING WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, UH, AND WE'LL DO THAT.
AND, AND THE GOAL IS TO DO THAT AND THEN HAVE A CALL MEETING BY THIS COUNCIL ON FRIDAY, JULY 12TH FOR CONSIDERATION, FOR CONFIRMATION.
I HAVE ONE OTHER ONE, UH,
WELL, AND I JUST WANNA BEGIN BY THINKING, UH, OUR STAFF AND THE HARD WORK AND, AND DEMI PARTICULARLY TODAY THAT YOU'VE BEEN, UH, PUTTING IN ON THIS.
AND CERTAINLY OUR COUNCIL WITH, UH, ALL OUR CONCERNS.
AND AS THE PUBLIC CAN HEAR THAT THERE'S A LOT TO BE FLUSHED OUT AND, UH, AND THAT'S JUST FROM OUR SIDE IN TERMS OF HOW THE BUILDING OWNERS RESPOND AND HOW THEY, UH, TAKE CARE OF THEIR BUSINESS IS SOMETHING BEYOND OUR CONTROL TO BEGIN WITH.
UH, THE, UH, I, THERE WAS A SUPREME COURT DECISION ON FRIDAY GRANTS PASSED THAT HAS, UH, A BIG IMPACT ON ALL CITIES WITH HOMELESSNESS AND WE'LL IN THE FUTURE BE, UH, ADDRESSING THAT IN A, IN A PUBLIC WORKSHOP.
AND IT'S GONNA BE, UH, THAT IS EXCITING FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING AT ONE CITY CHURCH FOR FAM DAY THIS PAST SUNDAY, AND PASTOR PHIL SHAW AND HIS CHURCH AT COUNCILMAN SHAW.
AND THE 4TH OF JULY EVENTS, EVERYBODY, IT STARTS WITH CALDER PLACE, WHICH ISN'T A CITY EVENT, BUT IT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD PARADE THAT IS, UH, A LOT OF FUN.
BRING YOUR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS OR JUST GO AND IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE SYMPHONY IS AT 8:00 PM AS WELL AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE, UH, CITIZEN, THE CITIZEN
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COMMITTEE THAT IS SERVING AS A PART OF THIS CHIEF PROCESS FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION.AND CERTAINLY PEOPLE HAVE A LOT OF OPINIONS ON THIS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY'RE, UH, PRESENT IN REPRESENTING THE COMMUNITY AND ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
AND I ALSO WANNA THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, KENNETH WILLIAMS FOR THE WORK HE'S DONE IN THIS.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IT'S, IT WOULD BE REALLY DIFFICULT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU COULD BE MORE TRANSPARENT IN THIS PROCESS AND LAYING IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING, HOW, HOW THIS PROCESS IS WORKING, AND, UH, CERTAINLY HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS I WANNA REMIND PEOPLE OF, AND WE HAVE THINGS ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THAT.
AND AS WELL AS, UH, FUTURE, UH, UH, WORKSHOP ON A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST.
AND WITH THAT, UH, WISH EVERYBODY A HAPPY 4TH OF JULY AND INDEPENDENCE DAY, AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.