[CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:39] MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL. TODAY'S DATE IS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH, 2024. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY REVEREND DWIGHT BENOIT OF THE MAGNOLIA MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH HERE OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES. AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COUNCIL TO EACH OF YOU. I DO DECLARE THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE. WE SHALL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT. LET US PRAY. WITH PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING DO WE APPROACH THEE, DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, OUR INIQUITIES HAVE PURGED, AND YOU'VE GRANTED US THIS PRIVILEGE. AND AS RECIPIENTS OF YOUR GRACIOUS JOY, YOU'VE CHOSEN TO BRING US NEAR. AND FOR THIS WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL. WE'RE MINDFUL EVEN NO, OF THE SO MANY OTHERS WHO ARE WITHOUT LIGHTS, WATER DAMAGED, HOMES DISPLACED FAMILIES, LOCAL BUSINESSES, SHUT DOWN BY YOUR MIGHTY WILL. HURRICANE WATERS AND WINDS. AND WE PRAY YOUR MERCY AND YOUR GRACE ON OUR BEHALF AND OUR HANDS BE ON OUR KNEES TO HELP, FOR IT IS THEM NOW, US TODAY OR TOMORROW. OUR CONVICTIONS REMAIN UNLESS YOU, THE LORD OUR GOD, HELP BILL WATCH. AND WE FOLLOW YOU ALL IS IN VAIN. OUR CITY OF BEAUMONT IS YOURS. OUR BOUNDARIES. YOU HAVE SET OUR TERRITORIES. YOU HAVE ALLOTTED OUR LEADERS. YOU'VE ELECTED, AND EVEN SOME. YOU'VE PRIVILEGED US TO SELECT. AND YET IT'S EVIDENT AND IS NO DOUBT YOU LIVE AMONG US. EMMANUEL IS YOUR NAME GOD WITH US? THANK YOU TO GOD FOR OUR MAYOR, MISTER ROY WEST, OUR COUNCIL LEADERS AND ATTORNEY WHO SET THEIRSELVES EVERY DAY CARRYING THESE ALLOTTED CARGOES ON THESE RESTLESS SEAS OF TIME. WE THANK YOU AFRESH FOR OUR CITY MANAGER, MR. KENNETH AURA WILLIAMS. THOSE APPOINTED COMMITTEES, CITIZENS, CANDIDATES AS APPLICANTS AND PRAYING SAINTS FOR THE MASSIVE WORK HE HAS DONE AND APPOINTED TO DO AS WE SEEK YOUR WILL FOR THE LEADERSHIP OF POLICE CHIEF HERE IN BEAUMONT, WE KNOW AS WE TRUST YOU WITH ALL OF OUR HEARTS AND LEAN NOT TO OUR OWN UNDERSTANDINGS, BUT ACKNOWLEDGE YOU. YOU SHALL DIRECT OUR PATHS. WE KNOW WE MAY CAST THE LIGHTS AND VOICE OUR LIKES, BUT YOU DETERMINE HOW THEY FALL. SO GUIDE US TODAY IN THIS ANOTHER COUNCIL SESSION DECISION MAKING SESSION. GOD US ALL, THY GREAT JEHOVAH. WE ARE WEAK, BUT THOU ART MIGHTY. HOLD US WITH THY POWERFUL HANDS IN THE NAME OF JESUS IN THE NAME OF JESUS IN THE NAME OF JESUS THE CHRIST. WE ASK AND WE PRAY. AMEN AMEN AND AMEN. ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. [00:05:15] MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER COUNCIL MEMBER D'ORIO PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. GOETZ. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. FALLSHAW PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUEL HERE AND COUNCIL MEMBER NEAL PRESENT. THANK YOU. AFTER PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER MATTERS TO DELIBERATE THE EMPLOYMENT EVALUATION DUTIES OF PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.074 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, TO WHICH SPECIFICALLY CANDIDATES FOR POLICE CHIEF KYRA JOY HOPE, JASON PLUNKETT, TROY PRICE AND [PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT] BRITA STEINBRENNER, NOW IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS. AS WE ENTER INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE, AS WE FOLLOW OUR RULES OF PUBLIC DECORUM, PEOPLE WILL REFER TO THE CANDIDATES AS CANDIDATES AND FOR CLARITY, JUST REFER TO THE CANDIDATE FROM WHAT CITY YOU REFER TO, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF SHOULD BE REFERRED TO BY THEIR TITLE. THERE WILL BE NO YIELDING OF TIME TO OTHERS. THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT IS YOUR TIME TO SPEAK. WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE SAY YOUR ADDRESS, CITY AND STATE. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE GREEN LIGHTS WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THE COUNCIL AND MYSELF CANNOT RESPOND WHEN YOU'RE MAKING COMMENTS, BUT SOMEONE FROM THE OFFICE WILL CONTACT YO. AND DANIEL OZANNE. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I WOULD BE THE FIRST. OKAY. THE NAME IS DANIEL. FIRST NAME DANIEL. LAST NAME OZANNE. 4805 STILTON STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. 77703. OKAY, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT I WAS MOVED TO SAY SOMETHING. YOU KNOW, ON THE WAY HERE. AND AS I WAS SITTING IN MY SEAT, I WAS I ASKED MYSELF THIS QUESTION, DOES WHAT I HAVE TO SAY MATTER TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAVE TO SAY MATTER? THAT'S MY QUESTION, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN IN BEAUMONT NOW SINCE 89 AND, BEEN IN A COUPLE OF MEETINGS, SCHOOL BOARD AND SO FORTH. BUT IT'S LIKE WHEN MOST DECISIONS ARE MADE, EVEN WHEN WE VOICE OUR OPINION, IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THEY SEEM TO MAKE THE CHOICE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE HOW THEY WANT TO MAKE IT, THE WAY THEY WANT TO MAKE IT. NOW, I'M NOT SURE HOW THE VETTING PROCESS WENT, BUT TO ME. WASN'T IN DEBT. I DON'T THINK SO, BECAUSE IF SO, AGAIN, FOR M, MR. PLUNKETT, IF I PRONOUNCE HIS NAME WRONG, PLUNKETT, PLEASE REFER TO HIM AS CANDIDATE. CANDIDATE PLUM. SORRY, MR. CANDIDATE PLUNKETT. NO CANDIDATE FROM THE CITY, WHICH THEY'RE FROM. JUST OKAY. NO NAME. OKAY. BEAUMONT I FEEL THAT THE PROCESS WENT AS AS AS AS WELL THAT THE CANDIDATE WOULDN'T BE AMONGST THE FOUR AGAIN. JUST THE WAY I FEEL. AND ALSO, I THINK THAT WHOMEVER IS CHOSEN SHOULD BE SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. NOT BEAUMONT, NOT PORT ARTHUR, NOT BRIDGE CITY. WHY? FOR ME, THEY HAVE NO TIES TO THE CITY, NO FAVORS TO DO FOR ANYONE. NONE OF THE ABOVE. BUT AGAIN, FOR ME, THAT'S MY STANCE. THAT'S WHERE I STAND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SIR. DOCTOR TOM NOYOLA. AGAIN, THERE IN THE BACK EIGHT MONTHS AGO. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE STRONG MORALS AND HONESTY DEMONSTRATED BY OUR NEXT BEAUMONT CHIEF, ALONG WITH THE INTEGRITY THAT HE MUST HAVE. THIS AGENCY, THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, WILL BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH ITS MISSION, HIS INTEGRITY, HIS LEADERSHIP. WITHOUT INTEGRITY, THERE IS LITTLE HOPE FOR TRUST AND LEGITIMACY AND LEGITIMACY TO BE PERCEIVED BY THE OFFICERS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY. SO, COUNCIL, I WILL ASK THAT IN MOVING FORWARD, YOU REFLECT ON FIVE AREAS OF CONCENTRATION IN MAKING YOUR DECISION. NUMBER [00:10:08] ONE, COMMUNICATION. YOUR CHIEF SHOULD BE ONE WHO IS ABLE TO SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND AND THEN SEEK SECOND, TO BE UNDERSTOOD. SECOND, YOUR CHIEF, OUR CHIEF NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE IN THE CITY, OUR COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS INTERNALL. THIRD, INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. THROUGH HIS LEADERSHIP, HE HAS TO HAVE THE ABILITY, THE POWER AND THE SKILL TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE IN A COMMUNITY SUCH AS DIVERSE AS OURS. AND THE LAST TWO, I WOULD ASK THAT THEY PROBABLY GO HAND IN HAND IN COUNCIL. I ASK YOU TO LOOK AND SELECT THE CHIEF FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT THAT WALKS WITH KINDNESS AND HAS A SENSE OF HUMILITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. TREVOR JOHNSON. I'M SORRY, IS IT TREVOR? TREVOR? TREVOR? I'M SORRY, TREVOR JOHNSON. HELLO. MY NAME IS TREVOR JOHNSON. I LIVE AT 1428 WALL STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. I'M A I WANT TO STAND HERE TODAY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN. I FIRST WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRAGIC THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION IN 2024, IN RELATION TO THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT, TEXAS, AND THE POSITION THAT IS BEING RUN FOR, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT WHAT LOOMS IN MY MIND IS THE CORE VALUES OF ETHICS THAT I WOULD HOPE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT ADHERES TO, AND WHAT THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT PRESENTS IN SUCH AN INFLUENTIAL POSITION. HOW WOULD THAT BENEFIT THE CITY IN ANY ASPECT? THE DEPLORABLE EVENTS WHICH THE CANDIDATE HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH IS ABSOLUTELY PETRIFYING, BEING THAT THERE'S ALREADY SUCH A HIGH TEMPERATURE WITH RACE RELATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, I DON'T FEEL THAT PUTTING A PERSON IN OFFICE WHO HAS AN UNAPOLOGETIC HISTORY OF RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION WOULD BE A HEALTHY OR WISE DECISION FOR BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE QUITE DIVERSE HERE. AS OF 2020, WE HAD OVER 115,000 PEOPLE. WHERE THE BLACK RACE DOMINATES THE POPULATION AT 45.3, THE WHITE RACE IS 28.8% AND WHITE HISPANIC AND NONWHITE, HISPANIC AND OTHER HISPANICS ARE ABOUT 20. SURELY YOU CAN SEE THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST HERE. IF THIS CANDIDATE TAKES A SEAT AS THE CHIEF OF POLICE IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS, I ASK YOU TO TAKE A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE RAMIFICATIONS OF PUTTING SUCH A PERSON IN THIS CALIBER OF OFFICE. THIS IS NOT THE WAY WE SHOULD GO. THIS IS NOT THE DIRECTION THE CITY SHOULD GO. I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD MAKE A STRONG STATEMENT IF THE CANDIDATE WERE TO BE DENIED THE ABILITY TO RUN FOR THIS OFFICE. I AM A WOMAN WHO BELIEVES IN SECOND CHANCES. HOWEVER I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THIS CANDIDATE HAS HAD A PLETHORA OF CHANCES AND HAS REPEATEDLY PROVEN THAT HE IS NOT ONLY RACIST, BUT A BIGOT AND SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT DESERVE TO HOLD THE TITLE OF A PERSON WHO HAS TAKEN AN OATH TO PROTECT AND SERVE ALL PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF RACE. HAVING HIM IN ANY POSITION OF AUTHORITY IS A HAPHAZARD AND COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. IN AN ERA WHERE WE ARE COLLECTIVELY SEEKING TO MOVE FORWARD FROM PAST GRIEVANCES, PUTTING THIS MAN IN OFFICE WILL FOSTER A CRITICAL SETBACK FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VIVIAN TODD. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT PEOPLE ONLY SPEAK WHEN THEY'RE AT THE PODIUM. THANK YO. VIVIAN TODD, 43, 25 THOMAS PARK, BEAUMONT. THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL, FOR HEARING US TODAY. THIS SPECIAL MEETING. MR. WILLIAMS, THANK YOU FOR ASKING ME TO SERVE ON THE POLICE SEARCH COMMITTEE. IT WAS AN HONOR TO SERVE. I AM HERE TO SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT. THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A CAREER. BEAUMONT POLICE OFFICER WHO'S GONE THROUGH THE RANKS IS IMPORTANT. HE ALREADY HAS THE CONTACTS. HE KNOWS MANY OF US THROUGHOUT THE CITY. HE'S READY TO START DAY ONE. HE DOESN'T NEED 100 DAYS TO GET GOING. IT'S LIKE THE HIRE, WITHIN THEORY, LIKE WITH THE SHERIFF, HIS DEDICATION TO HIS FAMILY, TO THE [00:15:03] POLICE UNION SUPPORT THE CHIEF OF POLICE, SUPPORT THE DA'S OFFICE AMONG OTHERS. HIS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. I'M A FOURTH YEAR GENERATION OF THIS COMMUNITY. I HAVE A REAL ESTATE BUSINESS HERE. I'VE RAISED A FAMILY HERE. I'M A PRODUCT OF BEAUMONT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BEAUMONT HIGH, AND I WANT THE BEST FOR THIS. I DO A LOT OF RELOCATION WITH OIL AND GAS POSITIONS AND OTHER INCOMING FAMILIES, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO BE CONFIDENT ON CRIME LEVEL. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. SO THESE FAMILIES WILL MOVE IN. AND I'M NOT REPRESENTING ALL OF THE REALTORS, BUT MANY OF US, MANY OF MY FAMILY, FRIENDS WANT THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, AARON LOU LEWALLEN. LLEWELLYN. MR. MANAGER, MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. MY NAME IS AARON LLEWELLYN. I'M THE SECRETARY OF THE BEAUMONT POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, AND I'M HERE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ITS 249 MEMBERS. I'M HERE TO REITERATE THE ASSOCIATION'S SUPPORT FOR THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT BEING THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THE NEXT CITY OF BEAUMONT. CHIEF OF POLICE. AS POLICE OFFICERS, WE INVESTIGATE AND REPORT FACTS IN LIGHT OF RECENT ALLEGATIONS CIRCULATING IN SOCIAL AND MAINSTREAM MEDIA ACCUSING THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. I CHALLENGE ALL INTERESTED PARTIES TO RESEARCH ALL THE FACTS, OBTAIN DOCUMENTS AND LEARN THE TRUTH OF WHAT TRANSPIRED 20 YEARS AGO. THE FACTS SHOW. THEN CANDIDATE, THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT, COUNSELED A FORMER OFFICER FOR A POLICY VIOLATION AND DID NOT FILL THE INCIDENT, WARRANTED ANYTHING MORE THAN THE COUNSELING THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT NEVER FILED AN ID COMPLAINT. THE ID COMPLAINT WAS INITIATED BY COMMAND STAFF WITHOUT THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT'S INVOLVEMENT. ANY ADVERSE ACTION TO THE FORMER OFFICER CAME FROM A LEVEL BEYOND THE AUTHORITY OF THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT, THE ARBITRATOR HIMSELF WROTE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE ANY RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HIM. IN ADDITION, THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT WAS FILED ON IN INTERNAL AFFAIRS FOR NOT FILING THE COMPLAINT AGAINST THAT OFFICER, AND THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THAT THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT DID NOT VIOLATE ANY DEPARTMENT POLICY. THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT WAS CLEARED BY INTERNAL AFFAIRS, EEOC, AND AN INDEPENDENT ARBITRATOR OF ANY WRONGDOING. AND WE FIND THESE 11TH HOUR SMEAR TACTICS TO HIS NAME APPALLING. I AM WHOLLY DISAPPOINTED IN COMMUNITY LEADERS AND LOCAL PERSONALITIES WHO ONLY PICK CERTAIN DOCUMENTS AND COMMIT POLITICAL EXTORTION TO FURTHER THEIR CAUSE AND NEGLECT THE FINDINGS OF THE ENTIRE DOCUMENTS. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THE CITY MANAGER, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE ENTIRETY OF THESE DOCUMENTS AND LOOK FORWARD TO THEM RELYING ON FACTS AND NOT SMEAR TACTICS WHEN CONFIRMING THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT AS THE NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO BOTCH THIS, BUT I'M GOING TO TRY SO HOP JABBAR. CAN YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR FIRST NAME? THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS SOHAIB JABBAR. SO YOU WERE PRETTY CLOSE. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. MAYOR, AND EVERYONE ELSE PRESENT, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, MY NAME IS SOHAIB JABBAR. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS, AS, MY BACKGROUND IS OF A PAKISTANI NATURE. MY FATHER WAS AN IMMIGRANT WHO CAME TO THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT EVEN HAVING THE ABILITY TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE. AND I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF GROWING UP HERE AND UNDERSTANDING THE BENEFITS THAT, THIS COUNTRY, THIS CITY, CAN PROVIDE TO A PERSON. I'VE DONE ALL OF MY SCHOOLING WITHIN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. I WENT TO, DISHMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, VINCENT MIDDLE SCHOOL, WESTBROOK, AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH LAMAR AS WELL AS UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON. THE REASON WHY I HAVE COME TODAY IS, MANY OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW ME, BUT WITHIN THIS, AREA, WITHIN MY COMMUNITY, I AM WELL KNOWN. I AM ALSO A REPRESENTATIVE, NOT A REPRESENTATIVE HERE TODAY, BUT I AM A BOARD MEMBER OF THE ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF TRIPLEX AS WELL AS I RUN, FAMILY BUSINESS THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 30 YEARS IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. WE'VE EMPLOYED OVER THIS TIME FRAME OVER 500 EMPLOYEES. AND I'VE PERSONALLY WORKED AS THE HR DIRECTOR AND GROWN A HEALTHCARE COMPANY FROM 70 EMPLOYEES TO FIVE, SORRY. 600 EMPLOYEES. MY REASON FOR BEING HERE IS I'VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMENTS IN THE LAST FEW DAYS ABOUT RACE STATISTICS, ABOUT THE CITY. AND I WANT TO MAKE ONE [00:20:01] THING VERY CLEAR. RACISM DOES NOT HAVE A FACE. IT DOES NOT HAVE A GENDER. IT DOES NOT HAVE A, ETHNIC BACKGROUND. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW, ANYTHING TO BE A RACIST. I CAN VOUCH FOR THAT BECAUSE I MYSELF HAVE FACED IT. I CAN RECOGNIZE WHEN SOMEBODY IS COMING TO ME WITH RACIST INTENT. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF, SERVING ON THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR BEAUMONT POLICE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH CHIEF, ASSISTANT, THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT, I'LL REFER TO HIM AS MR. BEAUMONT FROM HERE ON OUT, MR. BEAUMONT HAS NEVER ONCE APPROACHED ME WITH A HINT OF RACISM. HE HAS NEVER ONCE APPROACHED ME WITH ANYTHING BUT A GENERAL REGARD AND A WILLINGNESS TO COOPERATE. THAT, COMMITTEE WAS PROPOSED AND CREATED SO THAT THE COMMITTEE AND THE CITY COULD, SO THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COULD HAVE AN OUTLET TO THE COMMUNITY WITHIN BEAUMONT. AND IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, I HAVE NEVER ONCE HAD SOMEBODY COME THROUGH. IT'S A MONTHLY MEETING. NOT ONCE HAS RACISM BEEN BROUGHT UP, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO THAT INDIVIDUAL. HE HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR EVERY SINGLE MEETING. HE HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN EVERY SINGLE MEETING. I SAY THIS WITH RESPECT TO ALL OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES. YOU ARE NOT FROM BEAUMONT. YOU YOU DO NOT HAVE THE MEMORIES THAT COME WITH BEING HERE. THANK YOU SIR, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. RODNEY ROBICHAUX. GOOD AFTERNOON. RODNEY ROBICHAUX, 5255 BEAUMONT, TEXAS. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING AND INVITING US. AND IT'S A PRIVILEGE I TO SIT ON THE BOARD, THANKS TO MY COUNCILMAN TAYLOR. NEIL PUT ME ON SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO. NO NAMES. OKAY, MY COUNCILMAN, I ECHO WHAT MY BROTHER ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, I MEAN, THE POLICE BOARD SAID OUR POLICE OFFICERS SERVE BEAUMONT AND BEAUMONT AS WE KNOW, IS A MULTIPLE DIVERSE CITY. AND THESE GUYS ARE THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. AND YOU KNOW THAT. AND WHAT WE HAVE TODAY IS A CHIEF OPENING. WHAT BETTER THAN TO PUT A PERSON FROM BEAUMONT THAT'S WORKED UNDER THE BEST CHIEF IN BEAUMONT'S HISTORY, JAMES SINGLETARY. AND HE TAUGHT ALL OF HIS MEN. I'VE I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OVER THE YEARS TO SPEAK TO A LOT OF THEM. AND KNOW THEM PERSONALLY. THEY THEY LOVE HIM AND THE PEOPLE THAT THEY ARREST. THEY LOVE THE CHIEF IN THE BEAUMONT CANDIDATE HAS WORKED WITH HIM FOR 33 YEARS. WHAT DO YOU THINK? YOU CAN GET A COACH ON A BALL TEAM. HE'S GOT A PLAYER THAT PLAYS FOR HIS COACH. HE GIVES THEM THE BEST AND WHAT WE HAVE. WE'VE GONE OUTSIDE OF BEAUMONT, WHICH THE COMMITTEE MET WITH THE RECRUITER AND WE ASKED SPECIFICALLY, WE LOOK LOCALLY WHETHER IT'S THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE, LUMBERTON, ORANGE, JASPER. WE WANTED LOCAL. WE WANT SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE PEOPLE AND HOW WE LIVE. WE LIVE TOGETHER. WE WORK TOGETHER. WE GO TO CHURCH TOGETHER. OH MY GOODNESS, JIMMY SINGLETARY HAS BUILT NO NAMES. I'M SORRY. SORRY. I'VE CALLED HIM THAT FOR 53 YEARS. SERVED 53 YEARS FOR THIS CITY CARRYING A BADGE AND A GUN TO PROTECT EVERY ONE OF US. OUR PARENTS, OUR CHILDREN, OUR GRANDCHILDREN. SO IN THAT MIND, KEEP YOUR MIND OPEN. WE HAVE THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTRY. THEIR ARREST RATES ARE SECOND TO NONE. I CHALLENGE ANYONE HERE TO ARGUE THAT POINT. WE ARE SAFER BECAUSE OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR CHIEF LEADERSHIP AND THE MAN BEHIND HIM IS GOING TO DO THE SAME THING. SO LET'S SHOW RESPECT. YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD NOT COME TO THIS TABLE AND BRING GOSSIP. THAT'S NOT OF GOD. WHEN WE SPEAK OF GOD, WE SPEAK THE TRUTH. AND ANYONE THAT COMES UP HERE MUST SPEAK THE TRUTH. BUT GOD WILL SET YOU FREE. WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF ONE. WE ARE ONE, WE'RE BEAUMONT, AND WE'RE ALL FROM BEAUMONT. THOSE WHO AREN'T FROM BEAUMONT DON'T GET IT. BUT WE ALL WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER. WE GO TO CHURCH TOGETHER. WE PLAYED TOGETHER. WE COMPETED TOGETHER. AND NOW WE LIVE TOGETHER UNDER ONE ROOF. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. SO GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JOHN. RICHARD. JOHN RIO 6245. GRACE MOUNT BEAUMONT, TEXAS, MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. MR. WILLIAMS, THANK YOU [00:25:07] FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND SPEAK TODAY, FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, I HAVE BEEN THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT. CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION, APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR, HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO SERVE WITH THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT IN DEALING WITH PROBLEMS WITHIN OUR CITY, I HAVE DEALT WITH THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, GOTTEN TO KNOW HIM VERY WELL, I ALSO, BELIEVE THAT, WE NEED TO GO BY THE QUALIFICATIONS THAT MR. WILLIAMS AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS SET FORTH FOR THIS CANDIDATE. NOTHING PERSONAL, NOTHING ABOUT WHERE THEY COME FROM. BUT THE QUALIFICATIONS. AND IF WE LOOK AT THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ALL FOUR OF OUR CANDIDATES AND I, ALONG WITH MISS TODD, WAS A MEMBER OF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT WAS APPOINTED BY MR. WILLIAMS. THIS YEAR. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR THE SELECTION, I'M SORRY, BY THE CITY MANAGER. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR THE SELECTION COMMITTEE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO VOICE OUR OPINION UPON WHO OUR CANDIDATE OF CHOICE WOULD BE, OR TO RANK OR TO CATEGORIZE ANY OF THE FOUR CANDIDATES. SO BASICALLY, WE MET FOR FOUR HOURS THE FIRST NIGHT. THEN WE MET FOR EIGHT HOURS TO INTERVIEW THE FOUR CANDIDATES, AND THAT WAS THE END OF OUR CHARGE. WE WERE NOT ALLOWED AS A COMMITTEE TO TALK AMONG OURSELVES AND TO COME UP WITH THE CANDIDATE THAT WE FELT BEST QUALIFIED FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. I CAN TELL YOU NOW THAT THE FRIENDS OF MINE THAT I HAVE SHARED THAT POSITION WITH FEEL THAT THE CANDIDATE OF BEAUMONT IS BY FAR THE ONLY CANDIDATE THAT MEETS ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, HAVE SET FORTH, INCLUDING YOUR LAST PARAGRAPH THAT SAYS IDEAL CANDIDATE. THERE IS ONLY ONE CANDIDATE THAT MEETS THOSE QUALIFICATIONS AND THAT CANDIDATE IS THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO BRINGING UP 20 YEAR OLD CASES THAT THE INDIVIDUAL FROM BEAUMONT WAS NOT LISTED IN OUR IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM TIED TO RACISM. IN THE EIGHT YEARS THAT I HAVE RUN THE BOARD FOR THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THIS OFFICER HAS WORKED HIS WAY UP AFTER 33 YEARS FROM A YOUNG PATROL OFFICER THROUGH EVERY SINGLE RANK, THROUGH EVERY SINGLE DIVISION WITHIN THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO HAVE HIS SHOT AT ONE DAY BEING THE CHIEF. AND NOW THAT WE HAVE HIM AS THE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. CARLTON SHARP. 5150 PLANT ROAD. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. CITY MANAGER. MADAM ATTORNEY, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO SPEAK ON THIS MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO OUR CITY. THE SELECTION OF OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF. THIS DECISION WILL SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY'S LAW ENFORCEMENT AND BY EXTENSION, THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF EVERY CITIZEN IN BEAUMONT. OUR CITY FACES A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN SELECTING A NEW POLICE CHIEF. WE MUST ENSURE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL CHOSEN EMBODIES THE QUALITIES NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THESE EFFECTIVELY. EFFECTIVELY. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SEVERAL KEY ATTRIBUTES OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS AS ITS NEW POLICE CHIEF. FIRST OF ALL, INTEGRITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. FIRST AND FOREMOST, OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF MUST POSSESS UNWAVERING INTEGRITY AND A COMMITMENT TO ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS INDIVIDUAL MUST UPHOLD THE HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS AND BE TRANSPARENT IN THEIR ACTIONS AND DECISIONS. SECONDLY, WE NEED A POLICE CHIEF WHO IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THIS MEANS ACTIVELY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS, UNDERSTANDING THEIR CONCERNS, AND WORKING TOGETHER TO FIND SOLUTIONS WHICH WILL FOSTER TRUST AND COOPERATION. THIRDLY, WE NEED THE POLICE CHIEF THAT'S COMMITTED TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. OUR CITY IS A TAPESTRY OF DIFFERENT CULTURES, BACKGROUNDS AND PERSPECTIVES. THE NEW POLICE CHIEF MUST DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, ENSURING THAT THE POLICE FORCE REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY THAT IT SERVES. FINALLY, WE NEED A VISIONARY LEADER WHO CAN LOOK BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE CHALLENGES AND ENVISION A FUTURE WHERE OUR CITY IS SAFER, MORE JUST, AND MORE RESILIENT. THIS INCLUDES LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY, ADOPTING BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AND BEING OPEN TO [00:30:05] REFORM AND INNOVATION IN POLICING. THE SELECTION OF OUR NEW POLICE CHIEF IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET A POSITIVE AND PROGRESSIVE COURSE FOR OUR CITY'S FUTURE, AND WHO AND WHO WILL WORK TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY WITH HONOR AND DEDICATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND JAMES SINGLETARY. JAMES SINGLETARY I LIVE AT 28 AVENUE THE OAKS IN BEAUMONT. MR. WILLIAMS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'VE BEEN IN BEAUMONT MY ENTIRE LIFE. 76 YEARS. I LOVE THIS CITY. I HATE WHAT'S BEEN BEEN FROM TIME TO TIME TALKED ABOUT THIS CITY I LOVE THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'VE BEEN THERE 42 YEARS. I LOVE THOSE OFFICERS. THEY'RE DOING A HECK OF A JOB AND A TOUGH TIME. I WORKED WITH JASON PLUNKETT SIDE BY SIDE, SHOULDER TO SHOULDER. I'M SORRY. CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS. I ADMIRE HIS HIS RESPECT, HIS INTEGRITY AND HIS CHARACTER, AND IT SICKENS ME TO HEAR THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT THIS MAN. HE IS A CHRISTIAN. HE IS A GREAT FATHER, A GREAT HUSBAND. AND HERE JUST RECENTLY, A GREAT GRANDFATHER. THESE OFFICERS NEED THE RIGHT KIND OF LEADERSHIP IN THIS TOUGH TIME. I KNOW CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT IS THE Y PROUD OF WHAT HE'S BECOME INSIDE THE DEPARTMENT AND WHO HE IS AND OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT. I WANT YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, TO KNOW THAT I SUPPORT CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT 100. HE'S THE MAN THAT NEEDS TO LEAD BEAUMONT FROM NOW INTO THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SEAN GERVAIS. SEAN GERVAIS, 2305 AVALON, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. I WANTED TO THANK MR. WILLIAMS, YOU KNOW, CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGER TO PUT ME ON THE COMMITTEE IN A YOU KNOW, IN WHAT I SAID IN MY OPENING STATEMENT THAT WHAT WE I'M A BUSINESSMAN AND, WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IN OUR ORGANIZATIONS. AND I WANTED TO PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH. SO WE PROMOTE ONE OF OUR OWN, YOU KNOW, FROM OUR ORGANIZATION, WE WORK BETTER. NO, NO, ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION. NO, ABOUT OUR EMPLOYEES. NO ABOUT OUR CITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO I WOULD PROMOTE ONE OF OUR LOCAL CANDIDATE. NOT ONLY THAT, AND I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE, SHARE MY EXPERIENCE WITH OUR BEAUMONT PD. I AM A COMMUNITY LEADER FROM PAKISTANI, INDIAN AND BANGLADESHI COMMUNITY. THEY, YOU KNOW, MINORITY OWNS A LOT OF BUSINESSES IN THIS CITY, ESPECIALLY THE GAS STATIONS AND THE GROCERY STORES AND GIFT AND NOVELTY STORES. EVERY TIME ANY OF THESE ARE BUSINESS OWNER, HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, THEY CALL ME. THEY DON'T EVEN LOOK AT IF IT'S 2:00 IN THE MORNING, THEY STILL CALL ME WHAT I DO. I PICK UP A PHONE AND I CALL OUR BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT. NOT ONLY JUST THE NUMBER, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE THAT WORK WITH THE CHIEFS AND CHIEFS AND CAPTAINS AND OTHERS. THEY WERE ALWAYS THERE. THEY TREATED US VERY FAIR, AND I WANTED TO THANK THEM, AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU GUYS GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, REVEREND AARON REYNOLDS, JUNIOR. CITY MANAGER. MAYOR. COUNCIL. WE CANNOT SUPPORT THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT TO BE THE NEXT POLICE CHIEF. IN AN ARTICLE THAT'S DATED FROM 2010, WHERE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT SETTLED A LAWSUIT FOR A RACIST ACT TOWARD [00:35:01] A MINORITY POLICE OFFICER FOR $65,000. WE CANNOT SUPPORT A PROMOTION AFTER LEARNING THIS INFORMATION. WE NEED A CHIEF THAT WILL REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND MOVE US IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT CURRENTLY DOES NOT EVEN RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AFTER WORKING IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, THAT IN ITSELF SPEAKS VOLUMES. HE HAS CHOSEN TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN LUMBERTON VERSUS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. HE WANTS TO REPRESENT THE CULTURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGH THE CITY NEEDS TO BE EQUITABLE AND IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DEANDRE MOORE. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CITY MANAGER, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, I'M HERE TO DISCUSS THE CANDIDATE THAT EVERYONE IS SAYING FROM BEAUMONT OR MR. BEAUMONT, IF YOU WILL, YET. AND IT AMAZES ME THAT THIS PERSON IS ALSO NOT A RESIDENT OF BEAUMONT BUT OF LUMBERTON. SO PLEASE ACCEPT THE FACT THAT I WILL REFER TO HIM AS MR. LUMBERTON. THE FACT THAT THIS PERSON, MR. LUMBERTON, IS NOT A RESIDENT OF THE CITY YET HAS SERVED AS ASSISTANT CHIEF FOR YEARS, SPEAKS VOLUMES. IF YOU THINK SO HIGHLY OF THIS CITY AND WANTS TO REPRESENT IN SUCH A WAY, WHY NOT LIVE HERE? WHY NOT ENSURE THAT THOSE TAX DOLLARS GO BACK INTO THE CITY VERSUS LUMBERTON? EVERY PERSON THAT HAS BEEN UP HERE THAT IS IN SUPPORT OF PLUNKETT, MOST LIKELY OR HAS LOOKED TO I'M SORRY. YOU'RE RIGHT, MR. LUMBERTON. GOT YOU, LOOKS NOTHING LIKE ME YET. THE ACCUSATIONS OF THIS CANDIDATE HAVE BEEN DAMAGING FOR A REASON. THERE IS SOME TRUTH TO THIS, BUT FOR THE RECENT FINDINGS OR ALLEGATIONS AGAINST MR. LUMBERTON CAME OUT. I FELT THAT THERE WAS RACIAL BIAS FROM THIS PERSON. THIS ASSISTANT CHIEF BASED ON CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD, THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT MR. LUMBERTON IS A PERSON THAT HAS TOLD HIS OFFICERS TO CONTINUE WRITING TICKETS FOR MY BLACK OWNED BUSINESS RESTAURANT, BAR OR CLUB, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT. THE PARK ON CALDER IN THE MEETING WITH THE CITY MANAGER, COUNCILMAN TURNER, COUNCILMAN DARIO, MR. MAYOR, THE CITY ATTORNEY, I ASKED SPECIFICALLY ABOUT A RUMOR THAT HAD GOTTEN BACK TO ME FROM HIS OFFICERS ABOUT HIM WANTING TO ISSUE A NUISANCE ABATEMENT. THIS BEING LESS THAN ONE MONTH AFTER WE OPENED, WHERE YOU ALL SAT THERE WITH US, AND HE VERIFIED THE FACT THAT THAT WAS A PART OF HIS CONVERSATION. WHEN ASKED WHY, HE SAID THAT BECAUSE HE WANTED TO EXPLORE HIS OPTIONS OF WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR THE PARK ON CALDER, THIS SAME CONVERSATION HAD NEVER BEEN HAD FOR ANY OTHER RESTAURANT OR BAR THAT HAD BEEN OPENED HERE. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN FOR LUKE'S, BUT IT HAPPENED FOR THIS BLACK OWNED BUSINESS. EACH OF YOU HERE HAS A UTILITARIAN DUTY TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. RACIAL BIASES AND DISCRIMINATION IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT OF GOD, PASTOR. BUT THIS CANDIDATE HAS DISPLAYED IT MORE THAN ONE TIME. MR. MAYOR, THE BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE OF THIS COMMUNITY ARE THE REASON WHY YOU'RE SITTING WHERE YOU ARE, INCLUDING ME. I PUSHED FOR YOUR ELECTION AND I ASK THAT YOU NOT DIMINISH MY COMMUNITY TO JUST YOUR WEEKLY NEIGHBORHOOD PHOTO OPS. BUT PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU SHOW US THAT YOU CARE ABOUT US BY SELECTING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE. WE DON'T NEED SOMEONE FROM BEAUMONT TO REPRESENT US. THE PRIME EXAMPLE BEING OUR CITY MANAGER, WHO IN MY OPINION, HAS BEEN A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR THIS, FOR THIS CITY, ENSURING THAT THAT THE TRAJECTORY OF THIS CITY MOVES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND IS SOMETHING POSITIVE THAT WE CAN ALL LOOK FORWARD TO. REMEMBER AGAIN, RACIAL BIASES IS ALIVE AND WELL AND THAT IS NOT SOMETHING OF GOD. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, W W R SAM SENIOR. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL CITY MANAGER. MAYOR, I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE UP A LOT OF TIME. I'M GONNA JUST GET DIRECTLY TO THE POINT. I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK WITH THE POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I ALSO WAS CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE AT THE BEGINNING OF IT. THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT TOOK PLACE BACK IN THOSE DAYS THAT CREATED THE POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. AND THE THING WAS, HOW DO WE BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND MAKE IT WORK TO OUR ADVANTAGE? I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH A NUMBER OF OFFICERS, AND MOST OF YOU ON THE COUNCIL, AND I THINK THAT ME STANDING HERE TODAY, I THINK I WOULD BE WRONG IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT I HAVE SUPPORT FOR THE YOUNG MAN THAT'S FROM BEAUMONT. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT PEOPLE FROM BEAUMONT TO CONTINUE THE GROWTH OF BEAUMONT. WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN AND TAKING OVER [00:40:03] AND USING SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF US SIT HERE IS LOOKING TO GO UP AND BE THE TOP DOG. AND SO I STAND TO SUPPORT THE YOUNG MAN FROM BEAUMONT AND SAY, WE CONTINUE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE KNOW THE HISTORY OF EVERY PRETTY WELL EVERYBODY ON THIS AND WHENEVER THERE'S AN ISSUE, THERE IS A WAY TO RESOLVE IT. AND IF THINGS HAPPEN IN THE PAST AND NO ONE STEPPED UP TO ADDRESS IT AT THAT TIME, I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO BRING IT UP. OKAY. BECAUSE I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IF THERE'S A PROBLEM, WE REACH OUT AND WE RESOLVE IT AND DON'T WAIT. DON'T PUT IT ON THE BACK BURNER. WHEN WE STARTED THE POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE KNOW THE ISSUES THAT EXISTED AT THAT TIME. FOUR MAJOR ISSUES IN THIS CITY. AND I HAD TO WORK WITH THESE POLICEMEN AND EVERYBODY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY TO MAKE CHANGES. AND WE WAS ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THAT, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND I PRAY THAT YOU ALL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THIS CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO DONNA SHERWOOD. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER COUNCIL. I'M LADONNA SHERWOOD, HALEY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, A PROUD BEAUMONT NATIVE. AND I HAVE BEEN HERE MY ENTIRE LIFE. SO WHEN I COME BEFORE YOU, I REALLY COME BEFORE YOU WITH SOME QUESTIONS. FEW OPINIONS, BUT MOSTLY SOME QUESTIONS. LIKE, WHAT DO YOU REALLY THINK IS BEST FOR BEAUMONT? WHAT DO WE THINK ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT MAKE UP BEAUMONT? WHAT DO WE THINK IS THE CLIMATE OF OUR CURRENT POLICE RELATIONS IN BEAUMONT? HOW DO WE IMPROVE BEAUMONT PD? HOW DO WE BETTER SUPPORT BEAUMONT PD? WHAT CHARACTERISTICS SHOULD WE LOOK FOR IN A PERSON THAT'S GOING TO REPRESENT BEAUMONT PD? WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THAT AFTER YOU ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, YOU COULD COME UP WITH A LIST OF THINGS THAT YOU DEFINITELY DO NOT WANT TO REPRESENT. BEAUMONT. THERE ARE THINGS THAT STAND IN DIRECT OPPOSITION OF WHAT WE WANT FOR THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT. RIGHT. LIKE WE DON'T WANT A CHEATER OR A LIAR. WE DON'T WANT A RACIST OR A DISCRIMINATION. WE DON'T WANT A NEGATIVE CLOUD OR SCANDAL OR DEBACLE OR BAD HISTORY OR BAGGAGE. IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A CHOICE RIGHT, WE SHOULD BE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR BEAUMONT. WE SHOULD NOT ACCEPT MEDIOCRITY. IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A CHOICE, WE SHOULD NOT ACCEPT EXCUSES. WE SHOULD NOT BE LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO CHANGE THEIR CHARACTER OR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS. WE SHOULD BE SIMPLY GETTING THE BEST OF THE BEST OF WHAT IS OUT THERE. AS FAR AS CANDIDATES ARE CONSIDERED. RIGHT. LIKE WHETHER THAT'S INSIDE OF BEAUMONT OR OUTSIDE OF BEAUMONT OR WHEREVER THEY COME FROM. IF WE WANT WHAT'S BEST IN FACT, FOR BEAUMONT, AND WHEN YOU GUYS SIT UP HERE MOST DAYS, IT'S ABOUT IMPROVING BEAUMONT, THE BETTERMENT OF BEAUMONT BUILDING. BEAUMONT. WELL, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. BUILDING BEAUMONT IS NOT TAKING PICTURES AND SHOWING UP FOR EVENTS, BUILDING BEAUMONT IS NOT ABOUT TEARING DOWN BUILDINGS AND MAKING NEW BUILDINGS. BUILDING BEAUMONT IS NOT DRAINAGE AND SEWAGE AND ROADWAYS. BUILDING BEAUMONT COMES FROM BEING HONEST AND BEING DOING WHAT'S RIGHT. TODAY I CHARGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. I DON'T CARE IF THE CANDIDATE IS FROM BEAUMONT OR OUTSIDE OF BEAUMONT, OR ANYWHERE NEAR OR AROUND BEAUMONT. I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR BEAUMONT AND I WOULD ASK YOU GUYS TO BE FOUND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY, ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY, DOING WHAT IS RIGHT AND PROPER. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE BEST CANDIDATE IN THE GROUP THAT YOU HAVE, I SAY GET ANOTHER GROUP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TONY PRADOS. [00:45:02] GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL. CITY ATTORNEY, MR. WILLIAMS, I ALWAYS SAY WITH THAT LAST NAME. MY LAST NAME WAS WILLIAMS. SO WE GOT TO BE KIDDING. SOME KIND OF WAY DOWN THE LINE, WE HAVE A SERIOUS THING THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW, AND, MY HEALTH IS NOT ALL THAT GOOD, SO Y'ALL BEAR WITH ME FOR A FEW MINUTES. I NEVER KNEW THE BEAUMONT SERGEANT THAT'S UP FOR, PROMOTION OR WHATEVER IT IS. HE'S RUNNING FOR OFFICE, THAT HE LIVED IN NEDERLAND. OH LUMBERTON. SEE? SO YOU LEARN SOMETHING EVERY DAY. THIS IS A SCHOOL OF LEARNING. AND I WATCH YOU ALL, ALL THE TIME. Y'ALL MAKE RIGHT DECISIONS. SOMETIMES I FEEL Y'ALL MAKE WRONG DECISIONS. BUT IT'S YOUR DECISION TO MAKE IN OUR BEHALF. SO ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR, I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE A LONG. I ALREADY MADE MY INFORMATION TO MR. WILLIAMS. TONY PRADO, LOOK IT UP, A LETTER SAYING THAT. WHAT? THE INFORMATION I'M HEARING, IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD FOR BEAUMONT. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. IT DOES NOT LOOK GOOD FOR BEAUMONT. AND A LOT OF YOU ARE IN YOUR POSITION WHERE A LOT OF US COULDN'T VOTE FOR YOU OR A LOT OF US DID VOTE FOR YOU. SO WE'RE ASKING. SHE MADE A VERY GOOD STATEMENT. LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE BEAUMONT, NOT JUST KEEP HANDING IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER TO THE SAME SITUATIONS. LET'S IMPROVE. BEAUMONT AND I THINK I'VE EVEN MAY HAVE SENT YOU SOME STUFF, MR. FELSHER. I'M NOT SURE, BUT ANYWAY, LET'S STAY AWAY FROM NAMES, PLEASE. JUST POSITIONS. THANK YOU. THAT'S AWAY FROM WHAT? I'M GETTING READY TO SPEAK ON. I HEAR YOU, AS AN OLD LADY, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, WHAT CAN YOU ALL DO TO IMPROVE BEAUMONT? I DID NOT KNOW THIS PERSON DID NOT PAY TAXES HERE, BUT RECEIVED A CHECK FROM HERE. NEITHER DID THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT'S RUNNING FOR OFFIC. SO TAKE THAT OFF THE BOARD AND CONSIDER THE PAST. WHO DOES THE INVESTIGATION ON ALL OF THIS STUFF? WHO WORKS WITH A COUNCIL TO PICK THESE PEOPLE? ALL WE HEARD WAS ONE MAN. RIO. YOU KNOW WHAT? REALLY? THAT'S MY LAW FIR. SORRY ABOUT THAT, BABY. NO NAME, NO NAME, NO NAME. BUT RIO. BUT ANYWAY, JUST IMPROVING BEAUMONT. IMPROVING BEAUMONT. PLEASE CONSIDER OR DON'T CONSIDER. PLEASE BE QUIET IN THE AUDIENCE. OR DON'T CONSIDER WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU NOT TO PUT IN PLACE. I DON'T KNOW THIS PERSON. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF THEM KNOW THIS PERSON. BUT IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AROUND, EVEN IN THE HALLWAY. THANK YOU. MA'AM THANK YOU. VERNON DARDEN. TO THE CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE SELECTION COMMITTEE, TWO WAS ON THE COMMITTEE, AND I'M NOT HERE TO PROPOSE ANY INDIVIDUAL AS THE CANDIDATE. I FULLY EXPECT THE UNION TO COME AND SUPPORT A UNION MEMBER. I FULLY RESPECT THE POLICE TO SUPPORT A POLICEMAN. I FULLY RESPECT TO PREACHERS, TO SUPPORT A PREACHER. I'VE WORKED WITH EVERY POLICE CHIEF THAT'S ALIVE. I'M 76 YEARS OLD, LIKE MR. RIO. I WORK WITH EVERY POLICE CHIEF THAT'S ALIVE. SOME OF THEM ARE HERE TODAY. I'VE BEEN IN EVERY POLICE CHIEF'S OFFICE AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEMS IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS, THE CRIME AND THE RACISM WITHIN THE CITY AND WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. A MAN CAME UP HERE EARLIER AND TALKED ABOUT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AS SPAWNED FROM AN IDEA THAT I HAD FOR A POLICE REVIEW BOARD OUT OF A SYSTEM OF OPPRESSION IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GET AN IDEA THAT WE COULD LOOK AT SOME OF THIS STUFF AND GET IT FIXED. SO AN ADVISORY BOARD WAS CREATED. WHEN I WENT TO THE QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD, THERE WERE ABOUT 12 OR 14 OF US ON THAT BOARD. [00:50:08] ABOUT THREE OF US ASKED QUESTIONS AND FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS. I REALLY WENT TO THE BOARD WITH AN OPEN MIND TO LEARN FROM ALL THE CANDIDATES HAVE NOT SENT OUT ANY EMAILS TO ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY. I HAVE NOT DONE ANY PHONE CALLS TO ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY. I HAVE NOT TRIED TO SHAPE THE OUTCOME OF THIS SEARCH WITH ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE PROCESS. I'M HERE TO ASK THAT THIS COUNCIL SUPPORT THE CITY MANAGER AND THE DECISION IT MAKES. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE'RE ASKING FROM THE POLICE CHIEF. NO ONE PERSON CAN DO IT ALONE. ALL THE PEOPLE SITTING BEHIND ME BEING THE UNION PEOPLE IN TOWN, OUT OF TOWN, EVERY COMMITTEE, EVERY BOARD, EVERY FIVE, ONE, THREE. EVERY FRATERNITY SORORITY HAD TO SUPPORT THEIR DECISION. ONLY ASK THAT THIS CITY SUPPORT THE DECISION THAT THE CITY MANAGER AND THIS BOARD MAKES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. FRANK COFFIN JR. MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL CITY ATTORNEY, MANAGER. MY NAME IS FRANK COFFIN. 6455 ELLINGTON LANE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS, I WAS AT ONE TIME THE POLICE CHIEF, I'VE BEEN IN THE COMMAND STAFF OF THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR A LONG TIME. WHEN YOU HEARD THE COMMENTS BEFORE ABOUT, THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT'S GETTING ALL THIS, THIS PRESS OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT WENT ON WITH THAT. NOW, LET ME JUST SAY I'M REAL DISAPPOINTED IN THE PEOPLE THAT ARE USING THAT INCIDENT TO MAKE THIS ANGLE THAT THAT MR. BEAUMONT IS NOT THE RIGHT CANDIDATE. MR. BEAUMONT WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. OTHER PEOPLE MADE THOSE DECISIONS, I'VE, I'VE BEEN AROUND, MR. BEAUMONT, HE'S WORKED FOR ME FOR 25 YEARS, WHEN I WAS, IN THE DIFFERENT POSITIONS THAT I HELD, IT WOULD NOT BE UNUSUAL FOR MR. BEAUMONT TO COME INTO MY OFFICE AND SIT DOWN, AND WE WOULD TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, HOW TO HANDLE IT, AND STUFF LIKE THAT. NOW, I'VE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION PROCESS. ON THE OTHER CANDIDATES, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT AS QUALIFIED AS MR. BEAUMONT OR THAT THEY'RE LESS QUALIFIED, BECAUSE I JUST DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I'VE NOT HAD INTERACTION WITH THEM. BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE HAD PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS WITH MR. BEAUMONT OFF THE RECORD, AS WHICH I'M SURE EACH ONE OF YOU HAVE HAD WITH PEOPLE YOU'VE WORKED WITH WHEN YOU WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT SOMEBODY FELT ABOUT SOMETHING, OR HOW THEY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BEST TO HANDLE IT, AND THEY THEY MIGHT, CONFIDE IN YOU INFORMATION. THEY WOULD NOT WANT. PUT ON THE FRONT PAGE OF THE PAPER. WELL, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, MR. BEAUMONT IS NOT A RACIST INDIVIDUAL. NOW, I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED IF THIS IS THE BEST THAT YOU CAN COME UP WITH AS TO WHY YOU DON'T WANT MR. BEAUMONT, MR. BEAUMONT HAS WORKED WITH THE UNION FROM THE GET GO, AND I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT IS IN YOUR HEAD AS TO AS TO HOW YOU'RE GOING TO OR WHO YOU'RE GOING TO APPOINT. BUT I CAN STAND HERE AND TELL YOU FOR A FACT, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN THROUGH IT, THAT IF YOU THINK SOMEBODY CAN COME IN FROM SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, AND MAKE PERSONNEL DECISIONS AND FLY BY WITHOUT BEING SKINNED UP FROM THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT UNION, YOU'RE MISTAKEN BECAUSE I WAS A MEMBER OF THE ORIGINAL UNION. THANK YOU SIR. CHRISTOPHER JONES. GOOD AFTERNOON, MANAGER, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE SOME CONCERNED CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT AND THE NAACP BEAUMONT BRANCH, STRONGLY OPPOSE ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF FROM BEAUMONT. APPOINTMENT AS [00:55:05] CHIEF OF POLICE. THE SELECTION PROCESS HAS SHOWN BIAS IN HIS FAVOR, AND WE BELIEVE IT FAILS TO REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY'S BEST INTERESTS AND CONCERNS, THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT'S TENURE INCLUDES SIGNIFICANT ISSUES OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND MISCONDUCT. APPARENTLY HE CONDONES INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, WHICH UNDERSCORES ONGOING LEADERSHIP AND PROBLEMS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. HIS INACTION AGAINST OFFICER MISCONDUCT HAS FOSTERED COMMUNITY DISTRUST, HIS WILLINGNESS TO LEAD, AND SET A STANDARD IS A MISSED AND, DEMONSTRATES SEVERE ISSUES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT AS HE HAS SERVED FOR YEARS. CURRENT LEADERSHIP AND THE BEAUMONT POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION'S FAILURE TO REPRIMAND EXISTING OFFICERS AND OR RECRUIT AND HIRE MORE MINORITIES TO ITS FORCE IS UNACCEPTABLE. MOREOVER, COUNTY, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES CAN SUCCESSFULLY RECRUIT QUALIFIED MINORITY RESIDENTS FROM BEAUMONT. WE BELIEVE THAT THE TRUE THAT TRUE REFORM MANAGEMENT MUST LOOK OUTSIDE THE CURRENT RANKS. WE URGE YOU TO SELECT A CANDIDATE WITH INTEGRITY, COMMUNITY OVER UNION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, HIGHER STANDARDS AND A COMMITMENT TO REFORM. BOMA NEEDS A LEADER WHO WILL FOSTER TRUST AND JUSTICE, AND A COP IS NOT IT? I AM SUBMITTING WRITTEN LETTERS FROM SOME CONCERNED CITIZEN OF BEAUMONT AND THE NAACP TO THE CLERK FOR THE RECORD, CHRISTOPHER JONES. SOME CONCERNED CITIZENS. THANK YOU. ISAAC MOUTON. ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M JUST HERE. I DON'T HAVE ANY FANCY TITLES LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WHO SPOKE BEFORE ME. I'M JUST A TIRED FATHER. I'VE GOT FOUR KIDS. WE MOVED BACK TO BEAUMONT ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO. I'M TIRED OF BEING CONCERNED FOR THEM WHEN THEY GO OUT, WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO THE SKATING RINK, WHEN THEY GOING? GOING TO THE BOWLING ALLEY WHENEVER. I'M TIRED OF LOOKING AT MY VIDEO CAMERAS TO MAKE SURE NOBODY'S PULLING UP TO MY CAR AND BREAKING INTO MY CAR OR WHATEVER, I'M TIRED OF LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER. IF WE GO THE SAME DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING RIGHT NOW, AND NO CHANGE. I MEAN, WHAT WE, ALL OF Y'ALL SAID CAME UP HERE AND Y'ALL ALL SAID, VOTE FOR ME. WE WON'T CHANGE. WE WANT TO CREATE A BETTER BEAUMONT. BUT THE ONLY THING I'M SEEING RIGHT NOW AND I'M HEARING RIGHT NOW IS WE WANT MORE OF THE SAME. IT'S KIND OF FUNNY TO ME BECAUSE EVERYBODY SAYING PEOPLE ARE QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB AND THE ONLY THING I HEARD IS, IS A GOOD MAN. HE'S A GOOD FATHER. HE'S A CHRISTIAN. AIN'T ALL THE CANDIDATES THAT I HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING DIFFERENT TO CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT ANYTHING, I SIT IN THE THING. I TALKED TO THESE PEOPLE. THERE ARE BETTER CANDIDATES THAN THE ONE WE ARE DISCUSSING. WE'RE ONLY FOCUSED ON THIS ONE. AND THERE'S THREE OTHER PEOPLE ON HERE WHO ARE HIGHLY QUALIFIED, I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO GET INTO THE RACE THING, BECAUSE IF YOU PUT THE RACIST THING ASIDE, I THINK THERE'S STILL BETTER CANDIDATES OUT THERE. I DON'T KNOW, BUT THERE THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE. MAN, I'M SO SICK OF, BEAUMONT JUST LIVING IN THE SAM, LIKE THE KIDS SAY. WE JUST MID WE JUST MID. WE JUST LIVING IN THE SAME OLD THING, I BELIEVE. AND I KNOW PEOPLE DISAGREE. PEOPLE WITH RICH FRIENDS SAY THIS. ME AND MY POOR FRIENDS, WE THINK THIS OTHER THING IS THERE. IT NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE HERE IN BEAUMONT. YOU GUYS OUT HERE, YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, THE NEW WAVE OF BEAUMONT, THE NEW FUTURE OF BEAUMONT. YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU IN HERE. WE WANT YOU TO MAKE A DECISION NOT BASED ON YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, NOT BASED ON WHO'S YOUR FRIENDS WITH AND WHO YOU DRINK WITH. WE WANT YOU TO MAKE A DECISION BASED ON WHO IS THE BEST PERSON, WHO'S GOING TO CREATE CHANGE, WHO'S GOING TO CHANGE STUFF OUT IN THESE STREETS? PLEASE, EVERYONE, LET THE PERSON AT THE PODIUM SPEAK. SO I MEAN, I'M SIT DOWN, I AIN'T, I AIN'T, I AIN'T ALL THIS TALKING AND STUFF. I HATE COMING UP HERE BECAUSE I GOT TO LEAVE WORK, YOU KNOW, TO COME UP HERE AND TALK ABOUT THIS BS. WHEN PEOPLE WE, WE KNOW THERE'S CLEARLY PEOPLE WHO WHO ARE BETTER FOR, FOR BEAUMONT OUT HERE AND WE'RE SITTING HERE DEBATING JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A FRIEND OR THIS OR THAT, AND NOBODY'S EVEN MENTIONING WHAT THE GREAT THINGS SOME OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES ARE DOING OR WHATEVER. WE'RE SITTING IN. JUST MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION. I WANT I PUT YOU WE PUT Y'ALL UP HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRUST YOU AND WE WANT YOU TO BE COURAGEOUS IN TOUGH MOMENTS. RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE SITTING IN IS A TOUGH MOMENT. YOU HAVE TO BE COURAGEOUS. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SAY YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PICK WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU, WHETHER YOUR WARD LIKES IT OR NOT. THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO, WHETHER I LIKE IT OR NOT, WHETHER I PUT YOU IN THE SEAT OR [01:00:06] NOT. IF YOU FEEL THAT YOUR CHOICE IS THE BEST CHOICE, I GOT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST YOU AND YOU GOT TO BE COURAGEOUS TO PICK THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB, NOT BASED ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN THEY'RE THE BEST. THANK YOU. GIULIANA. GIULIANA RAISE BAILEY. GOOD AFTERNOON, GIULIANA. RAISE BAILEY, 2125 CALDER BEAUMONT, TEXAS, I WAS GOING TO SAY. WELL, I'LL INTRODUCE MYSELF. A LOT OF YOU DON'T KNOW ME. I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE 2018. I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. I APPRECIATE THOSE WHO SUPPORTED PUTTING ME ON THE COMMITTEE AND THE FELLOW COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO MADE ME THE CHAIR. THIS ENTIRE PAD IS NOTES ABOUT ALL THE CANDIDATES. I THINK I HAVE THE MOST NOTES OUT OF ANYBODY. AND I LISTENED AND I TOOK A LOT OF NOTES. BUT ONE THING THAT SURPRISED ME TODAY THAT IS KIND OF CHANGING, WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM EVERYBODY TODAY. WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT WANTING TO GROW BEAUMONT AND ATTRACT PEOPL. SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING THEM MOVE HERE SOUNDS LIKE THOSE OF US THAT ARE NOT FROM HERE ARE NOT VERY WELCOME. WE DON'T GET IT. WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO MOVE HERE IF THIS IS THE ATTITUDE THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP THINGS THE SAME AND THAT THOSE FROM OUTSIDE ARE NOT WELCOME. I MAY NOT BE FROM HERE, BUT I MARRIED A FIFTH GENERATION BEAUMONT MAN WHO IS A GREAT REPRESENTATION OF BEAUMON. I LOVE BEAUMONT, I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE, BUT THAT KIND OF ATTITUDE AND THAT KIND OF TALK FRANKLY, FROM EVERYBODY THAT'S NOT VERY WELCOMING. I WILL TELL YOU AS FAR AS THE CANDIDATES, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYONE TALK ABOUT MISS JOY'S IDEAS FOR RETENTION AND BONUSES, INCLUDING A PARTNERSHIP WITH LAMAR, HER IDEAS ABOUT OFFICER WELLNESS. I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY TALK ABOUT MISS STEINBRENNER'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IDEAS, HER IDEAS FOR INCENTIVES FOR RETENTION. PLEASE USE THEIR I'M SO SORRY THE FIRST CANDIDATE I SPOKE OF WAS THE CANDIDATE FROM DETROIT AND THE SECOND ONE WAS THE CANDIDATE FROM LOS ANGELES OR THE CANDIDATE FROM VANCOUVER. HIS INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR RECRUITMENT, THE NEIGHBORHOOD OFFICERS POLICE PROGRAM, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROSECUTION CENTER, THE USE OF TRANSLATION SOFTWARE FOR THE GROWING SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATION LIKE HERE IN BEAUMONT. LIKE MYSELF, I AM A FAMILY LAWYER IN BEAUMONT AND I PRACTICE ALSO IN THE CHILD WELFARE SPACE. SO I SPEAK FOR FAMILIES AND I SPEAK FOR CHILDREN. AND I WILL TELL YOU, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WITHIN A MILE OF YOU, THERE IS A CHILD BEING ABUSED RIGHT NOW, YOU MAY NOT THINK IT AND YOU MAY NOT THINK IT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR ZIP CODE, BUT IT IS. I SEE IT EVERY DAY. IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE COURT IS OPEN, THE TWO 79TH EVERY TUESDAY AT 830, AND THE THREE 17TH EVERY THURSDAY AT 130. THAT IS OPEN FOR EVERYBODY AND YOU WILL HEAR ATROCITIES. AND SO IF WE WANT TO ATTRACT CHANGE, IF WE WANT TO ATTRACT ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO COME HERE AND DO POSITIVE THINGS FOR THIS CITY, I'M NOT HERE TO SUPPORT ANY PARTICULAR CANDIDATE. I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE AND CHALLENGE EVERYONE. YOU ALL SITTING IN FRONT OF ME AND EVERYONE BEHIND ME. THINK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE. HOW CAN YOU ATTRACT NEW IDEAS? THAT'S ALL. EVERYONE WAS QUALIFIED. EVERYONE HAD GREAT THINGS TO SAY. I THINK WE WOULD BE LUCKY TO HAVE ANY OF THEM. AND THANK YOU. HELLO SHAWN PROCTOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY MANAGER. MAYOR. MADAM. ATTORNEY. CITY COUNCIL, AS AS EVERYONE ELSE SAID. AND I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ON THE BOARD. ONE THING THAT I SAY ABOUT THIS, AND I SAY TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM, WE TEND TO NOT WANT TO SEE AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. WE ARE WHAT WE ARE. THIS IS BEAUMONT. WE HAVE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO OVERCOME. WE HAVE ISSUES IN JUST DIVERSITY. IT IS WHAT IT IS. THAT'S NOT ONLY BEAUMONT, THAT'S THIS COUNTRY. THERE'S A LOT OF TENSION IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. RACE RELATIONS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN A BIG ISSUE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I THINK WHEN WE SAY I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT AND I'M SORT OF LIKE MISS REDMAN WHEN SHE SAID, I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN WE LOOK AT OUTSIDE, INSIDE, IF YOU ARE TRYING TO MOVE SOMEWHERE AND YOU ARE AN ATTORNEY, YOU'RE NEW. WE TELL OUR CHILDREN TO WHAT? GET AN EDUCATION, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, BE SOMEBODY, GO TO SCHOOL, FIND YOUR JOB, DO THOSE THINGS. IF WE TELL OUR CHILDREN NOT TO GO SOMEWHERE AND BE SOMEBODY ELSE OR DO SOMETHING ELSE, WHAT ARE WE? ARE WE TELL OUR CHILDREN TO COME BACK HOME. STAY HOME, HELP YOUR COMMUNITY GROW. COME BACK AND BE A PART. COME BACK AND BE A PART OF THE CHANGE. WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO DO BETTER. WE [01:05:04] WANT OUR CHILDREN TO BE BETTER. WE WANT THEM TO EXPERIENCE NEW THINGS AND TO JUST COME UP WITH NEW IDEAS AND BE THOSE PLACES. I THINK PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE. NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO, NO MATTER WHERE YOU GO, IF YOU'RE GOING SOMEWHERE YOU WANT TO BE ACCEPTED. IF YOU'RE AT HOME, YOU WANT TO BE ACCEPTED. YOU JUST WANT A FAIR SHOT. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES. WE ALL SAY THINGS, DO THINGS AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN THAT WE'RE NOT PROUD OF. THAT'S LIFE. IT'S LESSONS. IT'S LEARNED. I CAN SAY A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS ABOUT HOW I'VE BEEN TREATED HERE IN BEAUMONT, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I WANT TO GET PAST THAT. NOT TO SAY THAT IT HAPPENED, BUT IT'S LEARNING EXPERIENCE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I SAY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT EXPERIENCE AND BEING ALL THOSE THINGS. I RAN FOR OFFICE. A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE SAY YOU WASN'T QUALIFIED, YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE EXPERIENCE. HOW DO YOU GET IT UNLESS YOU TRY? YOU CAN'T START HERE. WHERE DO YOU START? YOU'RE GETTING HIRED FOR A JOB. YOU WANT TO GET A NEW JOB. YOU'RE A NEW ATTORNEY. YOU'RE A NEW PLACES. HOW DO YOU GET THERE? IF NOBODY GIVES YOU A CHANCE? SOMETIMES IN WITHIN IS GOOD, I'M SURE. LIKE WHAT MR. CHAVEZ SAID INSIDE, I'VE BEEN A PROMINENT OF THAT. BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT TO SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO HAVE NEW THINGS TO SHAKE IT UP. IT'S LIFE. YOU START A BUSINESS, YOU TAKE GOOD, YOU TAKE BAD, YOU TAKE ALL OF THE THINGS AND YOU, YOU CHANGE. IT IS HOW YOU LOOK. I THINK IT'S WHAT'S BEST. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU ARE CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER ARE POSED WITH THIS. IF WE VOTED FOR YOU, WE TRUST YOU. WE THINK THAT YOU GOT BEST FOR OUR CITY. THEN WHATEVER CHOICE YOU MAKE, THAT'S YOUR CHOICE. THAT'S WHAT IT IS. IF YOU'RE AN EXECUTIVE OF YOUR BUSINESS, YOU AIN'T GOT TO ASK NOBODY ELSE. HOW YOU GOING TO RUN YOUR COMPANY? YOU GOT BUSINESS OWNER HERE. THEY AIN'T ASKING THEIR EMPLOYEES WHAT THEY GOT TO DO. THANK YOU. MAKE THE DECISION. THAT'S BEST. THANK YOU. I'M STEPHANIE NORRIS. OKAY, SO I'M NERVOUS. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME, BUT MY NAME IS STEPHANIE NORRIS, NINE SEVEN, ONE SEMINOLE DRIVE, COMING HERE TODAY IS BEEN AN EXPERIENCE AND A LESSON THAT IS VERY SADDENING, TO SEE THAT IN THIS DAY AND TIM, WE ARE STILL REVERTING BACK TO SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON THROUGH THIS WORLD A VERY, VERY, VERY LONG TIME. AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING, STILL PAYING FOR THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST. TODAY I COME HERE AND I ASK THAT YOU CHOOSE SOMEBODY THAT IS FROM BEAUMONT, I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN HERE FOR YEARS AND I LOVE BEAUMONT, AND I PLAN TO CONTINUE TO STAY HERE IN BEAUMONT AND SEE IT THRIVE. HOWEVER, THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO REVERT TO IT BEING A BLACK, WHITE, HISPANIC DIVERSITY, IF WE LOOK AT OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR MEMBERS, IS IT REALLY DIVERSE? SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I AM SUPPORTING THE CANDIDATE FROM BEAUMONT. THERE'S NO DISRESPECT. I WENT TO THE MEET AND GREET AND SAW THE OTHER CANDIDATES, AND I FEEL THAT CANDIDATE BEAUMONT IS THE BEST CHOICE FOR BEAUMONT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. UNLESS THERE'S ANYONE ELSE TO SPEAK, MAYOR, THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE. ALL RIGHT. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL LAST, BUT WE WILL [EXECUTIVE SESSION] NOT BE CLOSING CITY HALL. SO YOU'RE ALL WELCOME TO STAY. AT THIS POINT, WE'RE RECESSED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.