[CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:08]
          WELCOME TO THE MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL TODAY. AND TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, JULY 16TH, 2024. THE TIME IS NOW 131 THREE, 1:31 P.M. AND TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR J.W. 
          RICHARDS. LIFEPOINT CHURCH OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. PASTOR, CAN YOU PLEASE COME UP? THANK YOU ALL FOR THE INVITATION TO PRAY. IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS WITH ME. FATHER GOD, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY. IT'S A DAY YOU HAVE MADE. YOU HAVE CREATED IT, YOU'VE DESIGNED IT AND YOU'VE CREATED AND DESIGNED US. AND YOU'VE ASKED US TO REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT. SO, FATHER, THAT IS OUR GOAL TODAY IS TO REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE. FATHER, WE WERE REMINDED THIS PAST WEEKEND OF JUST HOW SHORT LIFE CAN BE. AND FATHER, IN LIGHT OF THAT, I PRAY THAT IT WOULD BE A MOTIVATION TO US TO LIVE OUR LIVES IN HUMILITY, UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU GIVE US LIFE AND BREATH. I PRAY THAT IT WOULD BE A REMINDER THAT WE WOULD LIVE OUR LIVES IN GRATITUDE. THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE, ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING, AND ALL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO. AND FINALLY, FATHER, I PRAY THAT IT WOULD REMIND US TO REORIENT OUR PRIORITIES THAT THE PURSUIT OF OUR LIFE, OF OUR LEADERSHIP AND OF THIS COUNCIL WOULD BE WHAT IS WHAT WOULD HONOR YOU? WHAT WOULD WHAT WOULD WHAT WOULD BE BEST FOR THIS CITY? SO, GOD, I PRAY THAT WE WOULD LEAD AS YOU WOULD HAVE US LEAD IN HUMILITY AND GRATITUDE AND WITH PROPER PRIORITIES. AND WE ASK ALL THIS IN IN YOUR NAME, AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. 
          AT THIS TIME, TINA, MAY I PLEASE HAVE A ROLL CALL? MAYOR WEST, ABSENT MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER, PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. DAURIO PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. GOETZ. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHAW. 
          PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SAMUEL AND COUNCIL MEMBER. NEAL. ABSENT OKAY. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC 
          [PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]
COMMENTS FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, YOU MAY SPEAK IN PUBLIC COMMENTS ON REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS. NUMBER ONE, OR A MATTER REGARDING THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. 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 HAVE THREE MINUTES, THREE MINUTES. FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, PLEASE SILENCE YOUR PHONES WHILE YOU ARE IN THE CHAMBERS. THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON AND WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP, KNOW. PLEASE BE REMINDED THAT THE MAYOR OR THE CITY COUNCIL CANNOT RESPOND. WHENEVER YOU'RE MAKING YOUR COMMENTS. BUT SOMEONE FROM MY OFFICE WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU. TINA, DO WE HAVE ANYONE? YES, CHERYL. PAGE 1410 WEST FLORIDA, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. 
          I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE TREE TRIMMING PROJECT THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW GOING ON IN THE SOUTH PARK. I HAVE SOME PROPERTIES THERE. I OBSERVED THEM CUTTING THE TREE YESTERDAY. I HAVE SOME PHOTOS. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT THEY'RE DOING THE PREVENTATIVE WORK, BUT WHAT THEY'VE DONE WITH MY TREE IS THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE TREE NOW IS SHIFTED TOWARD THE HOUSE. I HAVE SOME PHOTOS HERE, AND I NOTICED THAT IN SOME WITH SOME OTHER TREES THERE. SO I THINK WHAT I WANT TO DO IS FIND OUT WHO THE CONTACT IS FOR THE CITY, BECAUSE I'VE TRIED TO FIND THAT OUT AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO, BUT I SPOKE TO THE PERSON WHO'S THE PROJECT LEADER FOR THE CONTRACTOR FOR ENTERGY, BUT HE HE HASN'T RETURNED MY CALLS AS OF YET. BUT I DID GET HIS NUMBER FROM THE GUYS ON HIS CREW, SO I'D LIKE SOME HELP WITH THAT. IF SOMEBODY CAN HELP ME WITH THAT AFTER THE MEETING AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, EXCEPT FOR ONE COMMENT. I DID SEE SOME OF THE MEETING WHERE YOU GUYS WERE DISCUSSING THE APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEW POLICE CHIEF, AND, IT WAS CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT I DON'T REMEMBER WHICH COUNCIL MEMBER IT WAS, WAS THAT, THEIR OBJECTION TO THE PERSON WHO WAS SELECTED WAS THAT HE WASN'T FROM THE AREA. AND I THINK IF THAT'S YOUR PRIMARY CONCERN OR YOUR ONLY CONCERN, THAT'S NOT REALLY A GREAT CONCERN, IN MY OPINION. IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVING AS POLICE OFFICERS, OFFICERS AND FIREMEN HERE, NOT ALL OF THEM LIVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, ARE EITHER FROM THIS AREA. SO I WOULD WISH YOU WOULD RECONSIDER. 
          EVEN IF YOU DON'T RECONSIDER, THE OTHER CANDIDATE IS THAT YOU DON'T USE THAT AS YOUR PRIMARY REASON FOR REJECTING THE CANDIDATE. THANK YOU. SANDRA WOMACK 11310 FAIRFIELD STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. I WROTE ALL MY STUFF DOWN, SO I'LL TRY TO GET THROUGH IT IN 
          [00:05:11]
THREE MINUTES. I WAS NOT AWARE THAT THE PUBLIC COULD SPEAK LAST FRIDAY, HENCE THE REASON I'M ATTENDING TODAY. I GREW UP IN VIDOR. WHEN THE KLAN WAS OPENLY PRESENT. ACTUALLY, THEY HAD MEETINGS ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM MY HOUSE. I ASKED MY DAD ONE DAY IF THEY REALLY BELIEVED IN WHAT THEY WERE SAYING. WHY HIDE THEIR FACE? MY DAD TOLD ME, IF YOU LEARN NOTHING FROM THEM, LEARN THIS. THAT EACH PERSON SHOULD BE JUDGED BY THEIR HEART AND NOT THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. IN 1978, I MOVED TO BEAUMONT. IN 1985, I MARRIED A BEAUMONT POLICE OFFICER WHO WORKED THE TRAFFIC DIVISION AND WROTE A LOT OF TICKETS, NOT BECAUSE HE HAD A QUOTA, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS HIS JOB. HIS JOB ALSO INCLUDED DEADLY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS. HE REALLY HE NEVER REALLY SHOWED HIS EMOTIONS, BUT HE DEFINITELY HAD THEM HAVING TO TELL PARENTS, CHILDREN AND OTHER RELATIVES THEIR FAMILY MEMBER WAS DECEASED IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. BEAUMONT HIRED A POLICE CHIEF FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA IN 1993, AND HE RESIGNED. WHAT A DISASTER FOR THIS CITY. MORALE WAS DOWN, CITIZENS WAS UNHAPPY. OFFICERS WERE UNHAPPY. THEN THE INTERIM CHIEF WAS APPOINTED. ALSO ANOTHER OUTSIDER, AND THE HAVOC CONTINUED. FROM THEN ON THE CHIEF WAS PROMOTED FROM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. EACH CHIEF HAD THEIR OWN STYLE AND THEIR OWN WAY OF DOING THINGS. BUT IT WORKED. WE WERE WORKING WITH THE SAME. WE WERE WORKING WITH THE SAME ALLOTTED OFFICERS FROM 40 YEARS AGO. SEVERAL YEARS BACK THERE WAS A DISCUSSION TO LOWER THE STANDARD OF TESTING TO ALLOW MINORITY, TO ALLOW MORE MINORITY OFFICERS. HOW DISRESPECTFUL TO THE MINORITY OFFICERS THAT WERE ALREADY ON THE JOB. WHAT IS ALL OF US NOT JUST THE MINORITY COMMUNITY, GOING TO DO TO RECRUIT GOOD OFFICERS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT? THE LOCAL CANDIDATE HAS WORKED HIS ENTIRE CAREER AT BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HAS LEARNED FROM SOME OF THE BEST CHIEFS. IN MY OPINION, HE SPENT TIME AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY, ADVANCING HIS EDUCATION TO BE AN EXCEPTIONAL OFFICER. HE HAS WORKED THROUGH THE RANKS. THE COLOR OF HIS SKIN SHOULD MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. HE IS THE BEST QUALIFIED FOR THIS JOB IN MY OPINION. COMMENTS HAVE MADE THAT HE DOESN'T LIVE INSIDE THE CITY. 
          HIS CHILDREN DESERVED A BETTER EDUCATION THAN OUR LOCAL DISTRICT COULD GIVE. THE ONLY PERSON THAT HAS TO LIVE INSIDE THE CITY AS THE POLICE CHIEF OFFICERS AT THIS TIME DO NOT HAVE TO LIVE INSIDE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, AND THAT'S A FAIR CHOICE. MANY OF US THAT LIVE IN BEAUMONT WORK OUTSIDE BEAUMONT EVERY DAY. THE HIRING PROCESS SHOULD ALWAYS PROMOTE WITHIN AS LONG AS YOU HAVE QUALIFIED CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB. WE HAVE LONG TIME EMPLOYEES THAT STAYED BECAUSE THE CITY IS A PLACE THEY CHOSE TO WORK AT. THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER WAS QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB, BUT THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME DID NOT FEEL THAT WAS THE CASE. IN CLOSING, ONE PERSON, NOR THE CHIEF OF POLICE CAN CHANGE THE CRIME RATE. ALBERT ALBERT HARRISON, 1240 ASHLEY BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR PRO TEM. CITY COUNCIL. OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES. OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS. MY COMMENTS ARE BASICALLY ESTABLISHED PERTAINING TO THE HIRING OF A CHIEF OF POLICE. I THINK THE FIRST COMMENT I NEED TO MAKE IS THAT JUST THAT THE LADY JUST STATED THE STANDARDS WAS LOWERED SO THAT MORE MINORITY OFFICERS COULD BE HIRED. ALSO, WHAT SHE DIDN'T MENTION WAS THAT ONE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE'S CAME BEFORE YOU ALL AND REQUESTED AND ASKED, COULD HE HIRE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT BECAUSE THERE WERE QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THAT LIVED OUTSIDE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT? CITY COUNCIL APPROVED FOR TO BE HIRED OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. NOW I AGREE THAT POSSIBLY YES, A CHIEF OF POLICE SHOULD BE HIRED FROM WITHIN, BUT I ALSO WILL STATE THAT THAT CHIEF SHOULD LIVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED THAT'S REVENUE. THAT'S MONEY BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. IT SHOULD BE COME INTO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. SO THAT'S WHY I AGREE THAT THE CHIEF OF POLICE SHOULD BE A CITIZEN OF BEAUMONT. MAYBE. BUT HERE AGAIN, COUNCIL DECIDED TO SPEND MONEY TAXPAYERS DOLLARS TO HIRE FIRM. AND NOW YOU WANT TO STILL TALK ABOUT HIRING FROM 
          [00:10:03]
WITHIN. SO, AS I'M CONCERNED, WHAT I SAW FRIDAY WAS A SHAM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE AT ONE TIME THIS CITY DID MORE WHEN ONLY 39% BLACK. NOW THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS 52% BLACK AND IS DOING LESS. 
          THANK YOU. MARVIN CASH, 1882 PARK STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MAYOR PRO TEM, I'M THE POST COMMANDER FOR POST 1806, VFW POST 1806 HERE IN BEAUMONT. I CAME TO THIS POST FROM VFW 4820, IN PORT NECHES, WHERE I SERVED AS THE SENIOR VICE COMMANDER. WHEN I TRANSFERRED POST 1806, WAS IN DANGER OF BEING SHUT DOWN. DURING THE PREVIOUS TERM, WHICH JUST ENDED FOR US. WE FINISHED 31ST OUT OF 285 POSTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THE TERM PREVIOUS TO THAT, WE FINISHED 279TH OUT OF 283 VFW POST IN THE STATE, AND ACTIVITY HAD DIMINISHED TO ONLY BARELY HAVING A MEETING ONCE A MONTH SINCE TAKING COMMAND, THE POST HAS REBOUNDED. IN MY FIRST TERM, WE BECOME AN ALL STATE, ALL AMERICAN POST. TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU, IT'S LIKE YOUR VARSITY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYERS MAKING ALL-AMERICAN OR MAKING ALL-STAT. IT'S A VERY ELITE GROUP OF POSTS. MEMBERSHIP HAS INCREASED FROM 44 MEMBERS TO OVER 90. IN ONE TERM. OUR MEMBERSHIP IS VERY DIVERSE IN AGE AND ETHNICITY. WE HAVE A YOUNG CORE GROUP, WHICH I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY GIVES US POST RENEWED LONGEVITY. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS POST. AGAIN. IT HAS REGAINED ITS PURPOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WITH A VETERAN POPULATION IN THE AREA OF OVER 30,000 VETERANS AND APPROXIMATELY 3700 COMBAT VETERANS, THERE IS GREAT DEMAND FOR US AND NEED FOR US TO STEP UP AND BE THERE FOR THEM TOGETHER. THIS PAST TERM, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GIVE BACK IN TIME, FUEL AND DONATIONS TOTALING MORE THAN $60,000 DURING THE 2023 2024 TERM. WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR VETERANS IN NEED. THAT IS THE MISSION. THAT IS OUR MISSION. EACH MONTH, WE MEET AND COORDINATE UPCOMING EVENTS. IN SHORT, OUR MEETINGS, OUR BUSINESS MEETING. THE VFW EXISTS OUT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY AMONG YOU. WE ALSO HAVE AN AUXILIARY WHICH SUPPORTS AND OFTEN CONDUCTS MANY OF THE EVENTS WE HAVE. THESE AMAZING FOLKS QUALIFY FOR THEIR AUXILIARY MEMBERSHIP BY HAVING SPECIFIC KINSHIP WITH A VETERAN WHO IS OR WHO WOULD QUALIFY AS A VFW MEMBER. OUR AUXILIARY IS ESSENTIAL, AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT TO OUR SUCCESS. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR THEIR TIME AND THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING ABLE TO SPEAK HERE. THANK YOU. 
          JEROME ALEXANDER, 1118 AVALON STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. DO NOT KNOW HOW EVERYBODY DOING, JEROME ALEXANDER, 1118 AVALON STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS, 77701. COUNCIL MEMBERS, I COME HERE TODAY, MR. WILLIAMS, MR. DORO, I COME TO ASK Y'ALL BROTHER HOW LONG WAS GOING TO TAKE FOR Y'ALL TO FIX THE FOOTBALL FIELD. CAN'T GET AN ANSWER. I MEAN, Y'ALL GOT THE MONEY. YOU KEEP TELLING ME YOU GOING TO FIX IT? YOU GOING TO FIX IT? YOU SAID BEFORE THE SEASON START, YOU GOING TO FIX THE FIELD NOW? SEE, THEY BE TELLING THAT NAH, BROTHER. BUT MISS MOUTON, MISS MOUTON, HELP US GET THEIR TURF. SHE GOT THAT TURF FOR THAT FIELD FOR THE KIDS TO PLAY ON. AND THEN IT WAS A WHOLE YEAR. IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS NOW. IT DIDN'T RAIN IN IN THE FIELD. STILL, THE SAME. SHE GOT THE SALVATION ARMY OVER THERE. WHEN Y'ALL LET THE CAPTAIN CAME BACK AND TAKE IT AWAY FROM HIM. 
          EVERYTHING THE LADY PUT IN THE CITY BROTHER FOR THE HELP THE BLACK KIDS COMMUNITY. IT SEEMED LIKE IT'S BEING DELETED, MAN. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY. I MEAN, NO, EVERYTHING I LOOK, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING THIS AND THIS. THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT HELPING THE KIDS IN THE COMMUNITY. THEY DON'T GOT NOWHERE TO GO. AND YOU WONDER WHY PEOPLE GETTING SHOT AT 13, 14, WHY THEY GOT GUN, WHY THEY DON'T GOT NOWHERE TO GO. BUT SEE IT AIN'T HIT NOBODY. HOUSE MAN. 
          [00:15:03]
NOW ONE OF Y'ALL HOMES, MAN, FOR Y'ALL TO BE AFFECTED BY IT, BROTHER. BUT I SEE IT EVERY DAY. 
          EVERY DAY I SEE IT, MAN. I JUST BURIED MY SON IN LAW TWO WEEKS AGO, MAN. BUT I'M JUST SAYING, MAN, WE NEED HELP, BRO. AND I'M TIRED OF THIS HEARING THE SAME STORIES OVER AND OVER AND OVER. 
          IT IS NOT IT'S NOT ADDING UP, MAN. SO I APPRECIATE MAN. Y'ALL JUST GETTING ON TOP OF IT, BRUH. 
          STOP LYING TO THE PEOPLE. IT'S NOT RIGHT. THANK YOU. Y'ALL NOT LIKE US JUST FOR THE CITIZENS, INCLUDING MR. ALEXANDER, I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, JUST UNDERSTAND, AT THIS TIME, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO RESPOND. BUT YOU CAN SPEAK WITH THEM DIRECTLY AFTER THE MEETING. 
          OKAY YES. MELISSA BRADFORD. 1085 WASHINGTON, TEXAS. MAKE SURE I'M SPEAKING INTO THE MIC. MALCOLM X ONCE SAID THAT BLACK WOMEN ARE THE MOST DISRESPECTED PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET. DECADES LATER, THIS STATEMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, IS STILL TRUE. IT IS 2024, 65 YEARS AFTER MALCOLM X'S ASSASSINATION. 
          AND REGARDLESS OF MY EXPERIENCE, BACKGROUND, AND EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, I AM STILL AT A DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN, A BLACK WOMAN. MAY I ADD? LAST TIME I WAS HERE, THE CITY MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER HAD PREVENTED ME FROM EXPOSING 136TH DISTRICT JUDGE IN THIS RECORDING THAT I WAS PLAYING, THAT THEY STOPPED. SO I'M GOING TO REITERATE ON WHAT THE ATTORNEY SAID IN THAT RECORDING REGARDING THE 136TH DISTRICT JUDGE AND THE ATTORNEY FEES THAT HE'S TRYING TO AWARD HIS TOP CAMPAIGN DONORS, LANCE AND LANCE PARSON'S ATTORNEYS, AND ERIC DICK, THE ATTORNEYS HAD MY CASE FOR 30 DAYS. THEY SAID, YOU TELL ME, HOW ARE THEY ENTITLED TO $37,000 OF MY MONEY FOR ONE MONTH OF DOING PRACTICALLY NOTHING ON MY CASE? MEANWHILE, ME AND MY FAMILY IS STILL SLEEPING ON A MATTRESS, WASHING DISHES OUT OF THE BATHROOM SINK. HE HAD ALREADY RULED IN DECEMBER THAT THEY CANNOT GET MY MONEY OUT OF THE REGISTER OF THE COURT. THESE LAWYERS, THEY SAID, BECAUSE NEITHER ATTORNEY IS IN CONFLICT OF THE FEES. SO THEREFORE IT WAS UNNECESSARY FOR THE COURT TO DISTRIBUTE MY FUNDS. AND HE ONLY SAID THAT BECAUSE I HAD A LAWYER THAT APPEARED TO THE HEARING. THEY WANTED TO HELP ME, THAT HE BLOCKED FROM HELPING ME BECAUSE HE WOULDN'T GRANT A CONTINUANCE. SO HE CAN GET FAMILIAR WITH MY CASE. SO IF THERE IS NO LIEN ON MY MONEY AND NEED THE ATTORNEYS IN CONFLICT, OKAY, WHY NOT RELEASE MY FUNDS? YOU RELEASE $9,700 OF MY FUNDS. I NEED THE REMAINDER OF 37,005 HUNDRED AND SOME DOLLARS. BECAUSE HE'S CAUSING MY DAMAGES TO MULTIPLY. THIS IS MONEY THAT WAS PAID OUT TO ME AND MY MORTGAGE COMPANY TO REPAIR MY DAMAGED HOME. AND EVER SINCE, HE'S BEEN ASSIGNED TO MY CASE, IN WHICH HE LACKS SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION, HE'S BEEN WITHHOLDING MY MONEY IN THE REGISTRY OF THE COURT SO HE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PAY TO HIS TOP CAMPAIGN DONORS. THEY KEEP TRYING TO SUE ME. DIFFERENT WAYS THEY TRY SANCTIONS. SANCTIONS DIDN'T WORK. NOW THEY TRYING TO SUE ME FOR DEFAMATION AND SLANDER, TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE I'M PROTESTING. OKAY. MY ALLEGATIONS ARE PROVEN TO BE TRUE. YOU CAN'T FALSIFY COURT DOCUMENTS. ALL OF MY STATEMENTS ARE IN BLACK AND WHITE. THEY'VE BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED. YOU CAN'T SUE SOMEONE FOR PROTESTING. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. SO I LIKE TO STAND HERE IN FRONT OF THE COMMUNITY, IN THIS CITY COUNCIL TO ASK THIS JUDGE, WHY CONTINUE TO WITHHOLD MY MONEY IN THE REGISTRY OF THE COURT? IT'S BEEN SEVEN MONTHS SINCE YOU MADE THIS RULING SAYING THEY CAN'T GET MY MONEY FROM THE REGISTER OF THE COURT. YOU RELEASE $9,000 OF THE MONEY AFTER ME AND THE LEGAL AID GUY EXPOSED HIM FOR FORGING IT. OTHER JUDGE NAME ON THAT DOCUMENT. THANK YOU. JUDE PEREZ 10620 GAGE ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXA. HELLO, YES. I CAME ALSO TO SPEAK ABOUT THE POLICE CHIEF AND THIS LADY WITH THE COURT ISSUES. YES. THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITHIN THE BEAUMONT COURT, SO, I'LL REFER HER TO MY ATTORNEY. SHE CAN HANG AROUND UNTIL AFTER THE MEETING, BUT, YEAH. I MEAN, YOU WE WENT THROUGH YOU WENT THROUGH A PROCESS TO SELECT THE POLICE CHIEF. YOU CALLED PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, AND THEY CAME IN A PROCESS, APPEARED. 
          GOOD. SO YOU FINALLY CAME TO THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE, AND HE'S GOT THE RECOMMENDATIONS. 
          [00:20:04]
HE'S BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS. AND THEN SOME OF THE COUNCIL VOTE. DON'T DON'T HIRE THE MAN. 
          AND YOU WONDER, WELL, WHAT WAS THIS? YOU WENT THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND IT APPEARS TO BE A REASONABLE PROCESS. YOU HAVE THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE. THEN YOU DON'T HIRE THE MAN. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT PEOPLE YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALWAYS SAYING, WELL, WHY DO EVERYBODY SAYS BEAUMONT IS SUCH A BACKWATER? AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT HERE IS THAT YOU DIDN'T HIRE HIM BECAUSE HE'S A BLACK MAN. HE'S A BLACK MAN. HE'S THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE. HE'S BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO HE'S HIRED. AND I DON'T GET WHY HE'S NOT HIRED. HE'S HE SHOULD BE HIRED. HE'S BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS. HE'S THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE. SO HE SHOULD BE HIRED. AND I WOULD RECOMMEND TO THIS MAN, TROY PRICE, THAT HE GO TO THE EEOC AND OBTAIN A RIGHT TO SUE LETTER BECAUSE THIS IS CLASSIC RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, WHERE YOU HAVE THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE, BUT YOU DON'T HIRE HIM BECAUSE HE'S BLACK. AND I DON'T. THAT'S JUST CRAZY. AND IN BEAUMONT, YOU HAVE CRAZINESS. YOU HAVE THINGS IN BEAUMONT THAT WOULD ANY OTHER PLACE, THEY'D HAVE A HUGE CROWD LIKE THIS IS WRONG. BUT IN BEAUMONT, IT'S LIKE, NO, IT'S OKAY, BUT IT'S NOT OKAY. WHEN YOU HAVE AN INSTITUTION AS CORRUPT AS THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU DO NOT WANT TO HIRE FROM WITHIN. YOU WANT TO HIRE FROM WITHOUT. AND WHEN YOU HAVE AN INSTITUTION AS DAMAGED AS THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU DO NOT WANT TO HIRE FROM WITHIN. YOU WANT TO HIRE FROM WITHOUT. AND WHEN YOU HAVE AN INSTITUTION WITH THE RACIST HISTORY OF THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, YOU DO NOT WANT TO HIRE FROM WITHIN. YOU WANT TO HIRE FROM WITHOUT. YOU HAVE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ON CITY COUNCIL ARE SAYING, WELL, WE WANT TO HIRE THIS CANDIDATE WITH THE HISTORY OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. IT'S LIKE, NO, WE'RE NOT HIRING THIS GUY, THIS, THIS MAN WITH THE HISTORY OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION CANNOT BE THE POLICE CHIEF OF BEAUMONT. HIRE THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. 
          EDDIE ALLEN, 9695. GROSS BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL MAYOR PRO TEM AND STAFF SPEAKING ON ONE. I READ THE CONSENT AGENDA AND THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE AFTER READING IT ON PAGE SIX. IT REFERS TO, THIS BEING PUBLISHED IN FORT BEND INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL SELECTION, CIRCULATION OF THE CITY. WHY NOT THE EXAMINER? WHY NOT THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE? THAT'S, THAT'S TROUBLING, NOW, ON PAGE 38, IT HAS A SIGNATURE PAGE WITH CRYSTAL RON CITY SECRETARY, AND THEN JOYCE IMANA AND ROBIN ECKHARDT. I CAN'T PRONOUNCE IT. 
          SORRY ABOUT THAT, MISTER. MAYOR OF MISSOURI CITY. WHY WAS THAT? OR WHY IS THAT? IS THAT BECAUSE WE DID OWED THEIR DOCUMENT PAYING AGENT REGISTRAR. IT'S DATED APRIL 30TH, 24 ON PAGE 46. 
          WHY I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHY IN PAGE 47, IT SAYS, THE BANK IS BANK OF DALLAS, TEXAS. WHEN ON A PAGE FURTHER BACK INTO THAT DOCUMENT, IT SAYS THAT THE BANK IS, BE OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, AND THEN AN ARTICLE FIVE, ARTICLE SEVEN. I'M SORRY, SIX MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS SECTION SIX THREE NOTICES. IT DOES TALK ABOUT, BANK. 555 SAM PHILIP. SO WHY IS DALLAS BEING REFERRED TO IN THIS DOCUMENT? AND THEN. I DON'T KNOW, BUT IN SECTION SIX FIVE IT TALKS ABOUT ANTI-BOYCOTT ANTI-BOYCOTT WITH ISRAEL, SUDAN. AND FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. I GUESS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE DO THINGS IN THE CITY AND WE DON'T BRING OUR CITIZENRY IN THE LOOP TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THEN IN SIX, SEVEN, IT TALKS ABOUT ANTI-BOYCOTT OF, CAN'T REWRITE AN ENERGY AND ANTI-BOYCOTT OF FIREARMS. SO WHAT IS THIS OR WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THIS DOCUMENT THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY VOTE ON TODAY? BUT IF THERE ARE ERRORS, THOSE STAND TO 
          [00:25:03]
BE CORRECTED BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THEM. SO I'M TALKING ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. YOU KNOW, WITH OUR AGENDA, I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING FURTHER OTHER THAN ONE VERSUS HAVING SOME PROBLEMS. SO MY RIGHTS TO SPEAK WHERE ARE THEY? THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MAYOR PRO TEM THANK YOU TINA. I APPRECIATE YO. 
          AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE CITIZENS WHO CAME TO SPEAK. AND WE MORE THAN WELCOME DIALOG ONCE WE FINISH THE MEETING WITH ANY PARTICULAR COUNCIL MEMBER, NEXT, MR. CITY MANAGER, CAN YOU READ THE ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEAS? YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR, PRO TEM COUNCIL, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE 
          [1. Council consider an ordinance authorizing the issuance and sale of City of Beaumont, Texas, Certificates of Obligation, Series 2024 in an estimated amount not to exceed $12 Million; levying taxes to provide for payment thereof; and containing other matters related thereto.]
AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION SERIES 2024. IN AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 12 MILLION. LEVYING TAXES TO PROVIDE FOR PAYMENT THEREOF AND CONTAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO. IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR THE ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE? I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE. SECOND, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AS AMENDED, THERE WERE SOME AMENDMENTS THAT WERE MADE. WE RECEIVED THE ORDINANCE LATE, AND I'M SAYING WE THURSDAY. AND IT WAS, PRIOR TO ME BEING ABLE TO REVIEW IT AND MAKE CHANGES, I DON'T THINK I GOT IT TO THE CLERK UNTIL AFTER 11 ON FRIDAY OR AFTER 8:00 ON FRIDAY, SO SHE DIDN'T HAVE CHANCES TO APPROVE IT. I DID HAVE TO MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS TO THAT DOCUMENT AS WELL. SO CAN I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AS AMENDED? AND WE WILL HAVE DISCUSSION WITH REGARD TO MISS ALLEN'S COMMENTS. SECOND, OKAY, THIS ANY TIME AT THIS TIME, THE MOTION HAS BEEN MADE, IF THERE'S ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER MIKE GETS, MISS READ, YOU HEARD THE COMMENTS FROM MISS ALLEN. I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO ADDRESS THOSE. AND THE INCONSISTENCIES THAT WE, HAD WITH THE FIRST, DRAFT OF THIS PROPOSED ORDINANC. SO. YEAH, AND THIS IS HERE AND CAN COMMENT ON THAT. THE ITEM WAS ACTUALLY POSTED IN, I BELIEVE, THE EXAMINER IN THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE OR JUST THE EXAMINER? JUST THE EXAMINER. SORRY, SO THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED AS WELL AS AND THAT WAS SOMETHING I CHANGED IN MY, DRAFT TO COUNCIL, LOOKING AT THE ONE THAT TINA PRINTED, FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT DIDN'T SHOW. AND SO THERE WERE SOME OTHER CHANGES THAT I MADE THAT DIDN'T JUST GRAMMATICAL, AND JUST OTHER AREAS THAT DIDN'T POP UP. SO IT DIDN'T POP UP IN THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE. BUT THE CORRECTED DOCUMENT, THE DOCUMENT WAS REVIEWED BY MY OFFICE AND CHANGES WERE MADE, INCLUDING THAT DOCUMENT AND, INCLUDING SOME ADDITIONAL DATES, THERE'S ONE WHERE IT REFERENCES JULY THE MATURITY DATE BEING JULY 15TH OF 2024, 2024. IT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE AUGUST 15TH. AND SO, IF YOU RECALL, I DID TELL YOU THAT WE HAD A VERY BUSY DAY ON FRIDAY, MOST OF MY MORNING WAS TIED UP, AFTER OUR COUNCIL MEETING, I STAYED UNTIL 8:00 TO MAKE SURE THE DOCUMENT WAS CORRECT. HOWEVER MOST OF THE STAFF WAS GOING HAD ALREADY WENT HOME, SO WE DIDN'T POST THE DOCUMENT. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO HAVE TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE DOCUMENT ON THE DAIS. AND SO THAT IS WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GOETZ SO JUST FOLLOWING UP, WE'RE WE'RE COMFORTABLE THAT THE DOCUMENT THAT WE HAVE HERE BEFORE US TODAY, HAS ALL THE I CAN GO THROUGH AND TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT WAS CHANGED, IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, I DID SEND MY INTERN BACK TO MAKE COPIES. HE HASN'T FULLY BACK YET, BUT I'M CONFIDENT THAT I CAN RUN THROUGH IT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARY. SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES OF THE DOCUMENT ARE CORRECT. OUR BANKING INFORMATION IS CORRECT, THE MATURITY DATES, NEEDED TO BE ALTERED AND CHANGED, BUT THE BULK OF WHAT'S PRESENTED IN THE MEMO BEFORE YOU IS TYPICALLY WHAT WE GO OFF OF. AND THAT INFORMATION IS CORRECT. SO THE MATURITY DATE I CAN TELL, THE ITEM WAS POSTED IN THE EXAMINER ON THE DATES THAT WE SPECIFIED IN THE ORDINANCE. THE MATURITY DATE OF THE DOCUMENTS WILL BE AUGUST 15TH OF 2024, DUSTY, CAN GET INTO THE OTHER FINANCIAL STUFF BECAUSE IT GETS WAY OVER MY HEAD, BUT WE DID MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES. THE AND I'LL LET DUSTY REVIEW THE DOCUMENT PRIOR TO SIGNING TO MAKE SURE I CAUGHT EVERYTHING. THANK THANK YOU. SHERRY, THE DOCUMENT IN REFERENCE, I THINK IS DEREK. 
          DEREK IS DEREK MITCHELL IS THE CITY'S BOND ATTORNEY. DEREK. DEREK PREPARED THAT DRAFT DOCUMENT AND SENT IT TO SHERRY. AND LIKE SHE SAID, THERE WERE SOME TYPOS. I GUESS OBVIOUSLY IN THE DOCUMENT. BUT THE ITEM BEFORE YOU, I MEAN, SHE'S CAUGHT THE NECESSARY CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE. I THINK THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT WAS BROUGHT UP ABOUT, BANK, BANK IS SIMPLY NOTHING MORE THAN THE PAYING AGENT REGISTRAR ON THE BONDS. THAT'S WHO THE CITY HAS HAS USED ON ITS PREVIOUS BOND ISSUES. THAT'S THE FIRM THAT JUST SIMPLY SENDS THE CITY THE SEMIANNUAL PAYMENT SCHEDULE ON THE BONDS. WHEN YOUR PAYMENTS ARE DUE. EACH ACTUALLY, THEY SHOULD BE DUE ON 
          [00:30:05]
MARCH 1ST. AND SEPTEMBER 1ST ARE THE PAYMENT DATES ON THOSE. ON THOSE OBLIGATIONS. BUT THAT'S THAT'S ALL THAT, IS AND I THINK HE JUST PROBABLY LEFT ANOTHER, ANOTHER BANKING INSTITUTION IN THE DOCUMENT, BUT IT IS, BANK COUNCIL MEMBER GOETZ. THE ATTORNEY THAT HAD PREPARED THE ORIGINAL DRAFT AS HE WORKED FOR YOU OR IN YOUR OFFICE OR. NO SIR. NO, SIR. HE HE IS THE CITY'S BOND COUNCIL SPECIFIC BOND COUNSEL. HE WORKED SEPARATELY FROM ME, HE IS SEPARATELY ENGAGED BY THE CITY. THAT NAME AGAIN, WAS DEREK MITCHELL. DEREK MITCHELL? YES, SIR. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCIL MEMBER? IF THERE'S ANY IF THERE'S NOT ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE, AYE. THE MOTION WAS AS AMENDED. SO AS AMENDED. THANK YOU. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE EYES HAVE IT. TINA. AT THIS TIME WE CAME TO THE END OF OUR MEETING. 
          [COUNCIL COMMENTS]
WE ARE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE ARE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO. NO COMMENT. COUNCIL MEMBER GETS NO COMMENT AT LARGE. COUNCIL MEMBER RANDY SHAW NO COMMENT. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUELS MR. MANAGER, NO COMMENT. MISS TINA. 
          SHERRY YES, ACTUALLY, SORRY TO BREAK IT UP. I KNOW Y'ALL ARE HOPING TO GET OUT OF HERE EARLY, BUT ABSOLUTELY NOT. I'M EXCITED. I HAVE WITH ME TODAY. MISS CHRISTINA PETRI. SHE IS, SHADOWING MY OFFICE'S INTERN. SHE IS A EIGHTH GRADER AT ODUM ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL WHO IS A BRIGHT, SHINING SOCCER STAR WHO HOPES TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR IN THE FUTURE AND IS JUST SHADOWING MY OFFICE TO FIND OUT WHAT SHE NEEDS TO KNOW LEGALLY BEFORE SHE STARTS HER ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY IN THE FUTURE. SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE MISS CHRISTINA WITH US. SHE HAS BEEN A PLEASURE. SHE'LL BE WITH ME ALL WEEK, AND SO IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE, YOU CAN STOP BY AND SAY HELLO, HOW YOU DOING? AND WELCOME MISS CITY ATTORNEY REID. I APOLOGIZE. IF ANY OTHER MEMBERS ON THE DAIS, ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY, I MEAN CITY MANAGER JUNE ELLIS. MR. BOYD, ANYONE FROM THIS SIDE? OKAY, SO, MR. MANAGER, IT'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE OF WHAT'S NEXT AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IN REFERENCE TO HIRING OUR NEXT POLICE CHIEF, I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I KNOW WE HAVE MEMOS OUT, BUT IF WE CAN KIND OF SPEAK TO IT FOR THE COMMUNITY, IT'D BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM. I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON YOU, YEAH. WE RELEASED A STATEMENT YESTERDAY. A PRESS RELEASE SAYING THAT THE PROCESS IS CONTINUING, WE CONTINUE TO EVALUATE. WE'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE COMMENTS FROM ALL THE COUNCIL AND FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY. AND SO WE'RE WORKING TOWARD A RESOLUTION THAT THAT WORKS FOR BEAUMONT, WHICH HAS BEEN THE GOAL THE ENTIRE TIME. SO WE HOPE TO HAVE, SOME TYPE OF ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT LATER IN THE WEEK. DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'LL WE'RE PROPOSING, FOR THAT STATEMENT LATER IN THE WEEK. AND AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO SPEAK WITH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE DIALOG, EVEN IF IT'S EVEN IF IT IS UNCOMFORTABLE DIALOG, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE IT. AND NOW AT THIS TIME, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.