Sep 17, 2024 City Council

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:06]

MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL TODAY. TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2024. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY FATHER MICHAEL OF SAINT MICHAEL, ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. FATHER MICHAEL. YES, SIR. THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. ONE GOD IN THE HOLY TRINITY. AMEN. OUR GOD, OUR GOD, YOU HAVE ADORNED US WITH YOUR IMAGE GIVEN US A FREE WILL. WHEN YOU ENTER THE TEMPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FEAST OF MOST COMPASSIONATE MASTER, YOU TAUGHT THE WISE COUNSEL WHO WERE AMAZED AT YOUR DOCTRINE. FOR DAVID SAYS, COME TO ME, CHILDREN, AND I WILL TEACH YOU THE FEAR OF THE LORD. YOU ALSO TAUGHT THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON. LOOK DOWN, EVEN NOW. MAKER AND CREATOR, UPON OUR AUTHORITIES. THE MAYOR OF THIS HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL, AND GRANT THEM WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY MAY LEARN YOUR HOLY WILL. WARM THEIR WITH HEART IN LOVE FOR YOU AND FOR THEIR CITIZEN FELLOW. GUIDE THEM ON THE WAY OF TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. KEEPING THEIR HEART FROM ALL EVIL. UNITE THEM IN ONE MIND, IN ONE HEART, AND LET THEIR MUTUAL BROTHERLY LOVE ABIDE IN THEIR MIDST. BLESS THEM FOR THEIR DOING GOOD AND USEFUL THINGS. WE PRAY THEE, O MOST MERCIFUL LORD, OUR GOD, THE GOD OF EVERY COMPASSION AND CONSOLATION, DO NOT TURN AWAY YOUR FACE FROM THEM, AND ALL OF US HERE PRESENT, NOR DENIES US OUR LONGING, FOR WE HAVE SET OUR HOPE IN THEE. GRANT YOU TO OUR GREAT CITY OF BOWMAN, OUR COUNTRY AND ALL OF US. PEACE AND SERENITY AND UNITY AND SPIRIT AND CONCORD AND FRUITFUL ACTION, AND ALL THOSE THINGS NEEDFUL FOR OUR TEMPORAL AND ETERNAL LIFE.

YOU KNOW OUR NEEDS, AND YOU GRANT AND FULFILL OUR REQUESTS EVEN BEFORE YOU MAKE THEM. FOR YOU ARE THE GOD OF MERCY AND GRACE AND STRENGTH. AND TO YOU ARE YOUR GLORY, HONOR AND WORSHIP TO THE FATHER AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. AMEN. GOD BLESS YOU. THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO TEM NEILL, PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. DARIO. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. GOETZ. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. TURNER PRESENT. COUNCIL

[PROCLAMATIONS]

LAURA JACOBY, AM I GETTING EVERYBODY? MARY GOODWIN, LISA JOHNSON, AND ANYBODY THAT I DIDN'T CALL, THAT'S WITH YOU? Y'ALL PLEASE COME UP AND RECEIVE AND. WE'LL GET A PHOTOGRAPH, AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE A CHANCE. THANK YOU, GUYS FOR WHAT YOU DO. HEY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. PLEASURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY.

YEAH. OKAY. WHAT ARE WE DOING? GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? HOLLY GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU. ALRIGHT YEP.

GREAT. ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR. YOU'LL STAY THERE FOR ME. OH. AND ONE TWO. THREE. GOOD JOB.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BEAUMONT CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF SEPSIS AWARENESS. SEPSIS OCCURS WHEN THE BODY RESPONSE TO INFECTION CAUSES WIDESPREAD

[00:05:02]

ECONOMICALLY, SEPSIS IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE CONDITION, CAUSING ESTIMATED 62 BILLION ANNUALLY TO THE HOSPITAL AND SKILLED NURSING CARE. ACCORDING TO THE CDC AT CHRISTIE'S SOUTHEAST TEXAS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE SEPSIS, HARM REDUCTION EFFORTS, IMPLEMENTING EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE FOR SEPSIS, FOCUS ON EARLY DETECTION, NURSE DRIVEN PROTOCOLS, AND COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN NURSING INFECTION PREVENTIONISTS SEPSIS COORDINATORS. AS A HELPFUL TO DRIVE THE CHANGES WE'VE MADE, AND I'D LIKE TO LEAVE YOU WITH THIS. REMEMBER, INFECTION PREVENTION IS SEPSIS PREVENTION. AND THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO PREVENT INFECTION IS TO WASH YOUR HANDS. THANK YOU. THANK YO. NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2024 AS SOUTHEAST TEXAS VETERANS STAND DOWN DAY FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.

ACCEPTING WILL BE BONNIE BROOKS, BRUCE HAMILTON, AND DAMIEN BENNETT AND THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS STAND DOWN COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MR. BONNIE. THANK YOU. SEE YOU.

APPRECIATE YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR. ARE YOU GOING TO COME SEE US? I AM, I GOT YOU ON THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. OH, SURE. EVERYBODY LOOK RIGHT HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. TWO. THREE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YO. CITY COUNCIL, WE THANK YOU TODA.

ALL OF YOU. ALL OF YOU MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, WE WANTED TO SEND YOU OUT A REMINDER TODAY TO SHOW UP AT THE BEAUMONT CIVIC CENTER AT 830 IN THE MORNING, WHEN WE WILL HAVE OUR PROGRAM. ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE STAND DOWN IS THAT, IT'S A THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR, OUR SPONSORS AND VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE REALLY RESPONSIBLE TO OUR VETERANS, OUR VETERANS WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COMMUNITIES IN VARIOUS WAYS, NOT ONLY IN COMBAT, BUT SOMETIMES WITH JUST SUPPORT FOR OTHER MILITARY INDIVIDUALS AND ADMINISTRATIVELY AND WITHOUT THE GENEROSITY AND THE SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN. WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE WE PROVIDE. SO WE THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT. WE DO WANT TO, SAY REAL QUICK A QUOTE FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES, WHICH IS NOT A CLASSIC, BUT IT HAS A SCENE IN THERE WHERE AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER IS TALKING TO HIS CLASS.

HE'S ENCOURAGING THEM TO BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY, TO GIVE BACK AND ONE OF THE KIDS RAISES HIS HANDS AND SAYS, SO WHAT DO YOU DO TO GIVE BACK? AND THE TEACHER LOOKS AT HIM AND SAYS, I SHOW UP. AND THAT'S REALLY THE TRUE THING OF EVERY EVERYBODY TO GIVE SOMETHING.

IT'S TO SHOW UP AND TO NO MATTER WHAT YOUR WHAT YOUR TALENT OR TIME WILL INVOLVE TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. OUR VETERANS CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT. LAST YEAR WE HAD 607 INDIVIDUALS COME THROUGH THE CIVIC CENTER. DURING THIS EVENT, WE'RE NEXT YEAR. WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE FIVE OF THESE AT VERY VARIOUS AROUND THE REGION. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE WE HAVE TWO MORE LEFT. WE HAVE THE BEAUMONT AND THE JASPER.

STAND DOWN. AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT. SO VERY, VERY MUCH. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE ON FRIDAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION

[00:10:05]

ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS REGINA ROGERS, THE FOUNDER OF GIFT OF LIFE AND MRS. NORMA SAMPSON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND ANY BOARD MEMBERS THAT YOU HAVE WITH YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HOW ARE YO? I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. OF COURSE, MAKING. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU. YES MA'AM. THANK YOU. Y'ALL MAKING THE ROUNDS TODAY? MAKING THE ROUNDS TODAY. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU GUYS.

APPRECIATE YOU. SEE YOU. HOW ARE YOU? APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. HEY, SISTER CHICK, YOU'RE DOING APPRECIATE IT. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU. HOW ARE YOU DOING? THANK YOU FOR WHAT Y'ALL DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR RECOGNIZING.

YEAH. YES, I KNOW. YOU WERE. ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? HOW ARE YOU DOING? HE DIDN'T GET IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT, SO. YES, MA'AM. I APPRECIATE YOU, THANK YOU. 100.

OKAY. IT'S ONE OF OUR HONOREES. YEAH YEAH. HEY. COME ON. OVER I KNOW, OKAY. I MET I NEED TO WORSHIP ME. I DON'T THE PLATFOR. OVER US MOMENT THERE FOR Y'ALL. OKAY THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE TWO CAMERAS. SO LET ME JUST A SECOND. OKAY? EVERYBODY LOOK RIGHT HERE IN ONE, TWO, THREE, 123. OH, WAIT. OKAY. OKAY, LET'S DO IT AGAIN. AND ONE, TWO THREE. OKAY. GOOD JOB. ONE MORE CAMERA.

STAY RIGHT THERE. 123. PERFECT. THANK YOU. OKAY. OH, MAUREEN, YOU SHOULD HAVE COME UP HERE AND BEEN WITH US. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, MAYOR. AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, FOR ONCE AGAIN COMING BEFORE EVERYONE TO SHARE OUR LIFE SAVING MESSAGE. THIS IS OUR 14TH YEAR THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING THE JULIE RICHARDSON PROCTOR RIBBON RUN. THE PROCEEDS. IT IS A FUNDRAISER AND A AWARENESS INITIATIVE, AND ALL THE FUNDS REMAIN LOCAL AND HELP WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THOSE THAT CAN'T AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE. THIS YEAR ALONE, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS, THE BENEVOLENT SEE OF SO MANY INDIVIDUALS, OUR PROGRAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE 18 WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER. AND THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT AND AGAIN, BUSINESSES AND LIKE MINDED INDIVIDUALS ARE LIFE SAVING SERVICES THAT PROVIDE FREE BREAST HEALTH SCREENINGS, DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAMS, ULTRASOUNDS AND BIOPSIES ARE PROVIDED TO WOMEN WHO SIMPLY HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO TURN. SO THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT. WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE. WE HANDED OUT OUR LITTLE BROCHURES AND WE EVEN TEMPTED YOU WITH A COOKIE SO THAT IF YOU WILL LACE UP TO SAVE LIVES WITH US, ANYONE WHO'S BREAST, OVARIAN, GYNECOLOGICAL, BATTLING CANCER OR A CANCER SURVIVOR, THEY'RE OUR GUESTS. THEY GET TO BRING SOMEONE WITH THEM AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND WALK. AND WE ENCOURAGE EACH ONE OF YOU TO JOIN US AS WELL. YOU CAN REGISTER, FORM A TEAM AND SUPPORT THIS LIFE SAVING INITIATIVE THAT WILL AFFECT WOMEN THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY TO THIS FUNDS. AS I SAID, STAY LOCAL AND THIS IS WHAT WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, PLEASE SHARE. THESE ARE OUR FREE SCREENINGS THAT IT IS SOME ELIGIBILITY BASED ON INCOME, BUT THOSE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE, THEY DO RECEIVE OUR FREE SERVICES. WE PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION, TRANSLATION SERVICES AND A MYRIAD OF OTHER ANCILLARY SUPPORT. SO THIS IS THE MESSAGE. THIS IS WHY WE'RE HERE. AND THIS IS OUR SUSTAINABILITY FOR 30 YEARS BECAUSE OF EVERYONE ELSE. IN YOUR GENEROSITY AND BELIEF IN OUR PROGRAM, ALONG WITH THESE

[00:15:02]

ALL RIGHT. STAY FOR ME. WAIT ONE MORE. OH, SHE'S GOING DOWN THERE. YOU CAN GET IN. OKAY. IN ONE, TWO, THREE. OKAY. THANK YO. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR HAVING US TODAY IN HONOR OF NICU NURSES WEEK, SO NEONATAL NURSES WEEK IS DESIGNATED TO HONOR THE HARD WORK AND DEDICATION OF NEONATAL NURSES AND NEONATAL NURSE PRACTITIONERS WHO PROVIDE LIFE SAVING AND LIFE CHANGING CARE EVERY DAY TO INFANTS WHO ARE BORN PREMATURELY OR WITH OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS REQUIRING CRITICAL CARE. CHRISTUS SOUTHEAST TEXAS. SAINT ELIZABETH NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT IS A 14 BED LEVEL THREE NICU DESIGNATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS. WE SERVE APPROXIMATELY 300 NEWBORNS EACH YEAR. WE ARE STAFFED WITH 30 DEDICATED AND TALENTED NEONATAL NURSES AND FOUR NEONATAL NURSE PRACTITIONERS. WE ARE PROUD TO HONOR THIS AMAZING TEAM AND THE 24 OVER SEVEN CARE THAT THEY PROVIDE FOR THE SMALLEST AND MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE A PRESENTATION. WE

[PRESENTATIONS]

ADMISSION TO THE EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND IT'S THE SEASON FOR GHOULS, GOBLINS AND GHOSTS. AND THE JEFFERSON THEATER IS GEARING UP FOR A SPOOKY OCTOBER WITH THE RETURN

[00:20:05]

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]

SINCE THE FORMATION OF THE BOTANICAL GARDENS, MORE THAN $500,000 HAS BEEN RAISED FROM DONATIONS AND GRANTS FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS. WE HAVE MADE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE GROUNDS FROM THESE GENEROUS DONATIONS AND GRANTS. BEAUMONT BOTANICAL GARDENS ALSO HAS ESTABLISHED A POPULAR GHOSTS, GOBLINS AND GARDENS FESTIVAL, HELD THE LAST SATURDAY. IN OCTOBER. THIS WILL BE OUR FOURTH YEAR, LAST YEAR WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 2000 FAMILIES AND CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ATTEND. THIS YEAR WE WILL HOST OUR SECOND CONCERT ON THE GROUNDS WITH THE SYMPHONY OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. ALL OF THESE EVENTS ARE FREE TO THE PUBLIC AND ARE SUPPORTED BY THE GENEROUS DONATIONS FROM LOCAL COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS. THE BOTANICAL GARDENS. WE HAVE THREE PAID EMPLOYEES, ONE DIRECTOR AND TWO GROUNDSKEEPERS. WE HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP IN THE OFFICE TO ANSWER THE PHONES AND GREET VISITORS. SOME OF OUR VOLUNTEERS WORK IN THE GARDENS, BUT THAT HELP IS LIMITED. THE REQUESTED FUNDS WILL BE USED TO OFFSET OPERATING COSTS AND TO HIRE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL. WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR

[00:25:01]

[00:30:04]

GIVEN THE LACK OF PROSECUTIONS, IT'S CLEAR THAT CRIMINAL PENALTIES ALONE AREN'T SOLVING THE PROBLEM. THAT'S WHY WE NEED A MORE PRACTICAL AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH, ONE THAT PRIORITIZES THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CHILDREN AND ENSURE STABILITY FOR FAMILIES. THE CIVIL PENALTIES OUTLINED IN HB 969 OFFER BEAUMONT THIS ALTERNATIVE. THIS NEW APPROACH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE EMOTIONAL TOLL ON CHILDREN AND PARENTS BY MAKING FAMILY EXCHANGES MORE PREDICTABLE AND STABLE, WHILE AVOIDING THE HARSHER CONSEQUENCES OF CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR PARENTS WHO VIOLATE A COURT ORDERED VISITATION AGREEMENT. I URGE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO ADOPT THIS ORDINANCE. BY DOING SO, WE HOLD VIOLATORS ACCOUNTABLE AND SHOW THAT OUR COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES THE PROBLEM AND WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE THESE VIOLATIONS AGAINST OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES. ADDITIONALLY IMPLEMENTING THIS ORDINANCE OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY BY STRENGTHENING THE BONDS BETWEEN FAMILIES AND FUTURE GENERATIONS, ENSURING LONG TERM WELL-BEING OF OUR CITY. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. LET'S NOT WAIT FOR MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES. CONSEQUENCES OF INACTION. I HOPE THAT BY RAISING AWARENESS OF THIS STATISTICS. THANK YOU. THANK YO. AND JEFF NEESAM 1307 WALL BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL JEFF NEESAM, PRESIDENT, BEAUMONT PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 399 I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBERS OF LOCAL 399 AND THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT. WE'RE FED UP WITH THE LACK OF LEADERSHIP OR VISION OF OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE FED UP WITH THE LACK OF MANPOWER TO FIX WITHOUT A PLAN TO FIX IT, OUR MEMBERS ARE READY TO MAKE SURE EVERY CITIZEN KNOWS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OR MOVE THINGS AROUND. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS SPENT AROUND $2 MILLION OR MORE ON OVERTIME THAN BUDGETED FOR IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS IS THE LACK OF STAFFING. IN OUR AUGUST MONTHLY REPORT, BEAUMONT THE BEAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED TO BE 17 CIVIL SERVICE FIREFIGHTERS, SHORT. THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE EMS PERSONNEL, WHICH WOULD PUT US CLOSER TO 30 FIREFIGHTERS SHORT. WE ARE ONE DEPARTMENT NOW AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS RIDE ON ALL OF THIS EQUIPMENT. SO THE SHORTAGE OF FIRE AND EMS PERSONNEL TOGETHER IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER, AS IT'S THE REASON THE OVERTIME HAS SKYROCKETED. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A PLAN TO REDUCE THAT OVERTIME. SO OUR QUESTION TO THE CHIEF AND TO ALL OF YOU IS WHAT IS THAT PLAN? WITHOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL? BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A WAY TO ADD THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL BY OCTOBER THE 1ST, WE'VE COMMUNICATED TO YOU THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS CONTINUED TO STRUGGLE. THIS UNION HAS MADE SUGGESTIONS FOR OVER THREE YEARS TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS. AND NOW, AFTER ALL OUR HIRING AND RETENTION PROBLEMS, YOU PUSH OFF OUR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS UNTIL AFTER OUR CONTRACT EXPIRES. NOBODY IN ANY ORGANIZATION CONDUCTS BUSINESS THAT WAY. THE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 399 ARE ASKING ALL OF YOU TO STOP PUTTING US LAST ON YOUR LIST OF PRIORITIES. WE'VE STARTED GETTING VOCAL IN THE COMMUNITY AND WILL CONTINUE FOR THE SAKE OF OUR CITIZENS. THIS HAS GONE ON TOO LONG TO CONTINUE DEALING WITH THE GAMES AND THE LACK OF PROFESSIONAL CONVERSATIONS. IT'S GONE ON SO LONG THAT IT'S AFFECTING THE BUDGET AND THE CITIZENS, WHICH IS UNFAIR TO THEM. PLEASE MAKE PUBLIC SAFETY A PRIORITY AND DO BETTER BY YOUR FIREFIGHTERS AND OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. ALBERT HARRISON 1240 ASHLEY BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

ALBERT HARRISON, 1240 ASHLEY MAYOR, WEST CITY COUNCIL, OTHER STAFF. CITY STAFF. OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS THAT ARE PRESSING MY COMPLAINTS TODAY ARE BASED AROUND ANIMAL CONTROL.

THERE'S A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF SAM THAT LIVES AT 1115 UNION STREET AND HAS FOUR DOGS INSIDE HIS HOUSE. ANIMAL CONTROL HAS BEEN CALLED BY ME ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BECAUSE HE LETS THE

[00:35:05]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT IT. THE OTHER THING I WANT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT IS THAT SINCE 2009, I HAD TWO TRASH CANS IN MY RESIDENCE WHEN I STAYED ON MCLEAN STREET, WHEN I STAYED ON CENTER STREET, WHEN I STAYED ON UNION STREET, WHEN I STAYED ON OAKLAND STREET, THOSE TRASH CANS TRAVEL WITH ME. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A NOISE OUT OF MY BACK DOOR. THIS GENTLEMAN WAS TAKING ONE OF THE TRASH CANS THAT I HAD IN MY YARD, SAYING I WAS ONLY PAYING FOR ONE TRASH CAN. MAYBE I WAS TOLD I WAS PAYING FOR A TRASH CAN, BUT COME TO FIND OUT, I WAS NOT. THEN I CALLED TO SAY GIVE ME ANOTHER TRASH CAN. YOU SAY THEY DON'T HAVE ANY? I GET A FRIEND OF MINE, AN ATTORNEY FRIEND OF MINE THAT LIVES ON THOMAS STREET, TO CALL HIS WIFE TO CALL THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.

GOT TRASH CANS. THEN ANOTHER FRIEND OF MINE ON MCLEAN STREET TO CALL. SO WHAT I'M SAYING, IS IT SOUNDS LIKE DISCRIMINATION TO ME. THANK YOU SIR. CHARLIE CRAB, 928 EAST DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL. MR. WILLIAMS AND STAFF, MY NAME IS CHARLIE CRAB. I, I LIVE AT 928 EAST DRIVE. IT'S ANOTHER NICE DAY IN BEAUMONT. OUR TOWN. SUMMER TEMPERATURE IS HIGH. FALL IS SLOW TO COME. I, I APPRAISE FALL COMING LAST, LAST MEETING AT. AND IT FAILED ME. THIS SUMMER CAME BACK. WE SURE NEED TO GET A HANDLE ON WATER ACCOUNTING. SURELY THERE IS A SPREADSHEET SHOWING NUMBERS TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION. DUE TO THE HIGH COST OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IT NEEDS TO BE EVALUATED TO DETERMINE IF WE ARE OVERSPENDING ON EQUIPMENT AND MANPOWER. I BELIEVE THE CITY HAS KEPT UP ON EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING. CAN THE EQUIPMENT AND MANPOWER BE REARRANGED AS TO BE AS EFFICIENT AND LESS EXPENSIVE? SINCE WE HAVE SO MANY FIREFIGHTERS? HERE TODAY, I'D LIKE TO MENTION A COUPLE OF RENT HOUSES. I'VE, IN THE LAST TEN YEARS HAVE HAD FIRES AND, AND THEY WERE SMALL FIRES, BUT THEN THEY REKINDLED AND IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. SO THE FIRE GOT STARTED AGAIN. AND THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE AND I JUST AND, LET'S SEE, ONE OF THEM, THERE WAS NO DEBRIS TAKEN OUT AND PUT IN THE YARD, LIKE I THINK IS A COMMON PRACTICE. BUT IT WAS IT WAS PUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE AND THE AND THE FIRE WENT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE, THROUGH THE CEILING. ANYWAY, I JUST WANT THEM TO, TO PAY

[00:40:01]

GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS LEXI WILLIAMS, 9645 MAPLE STREET, MAYOR COUNCIL. STAFF AND MY FELLOW CITIZENS, THE BEAUMONT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU INSIDER BLOG PAGE DISPLAYS AN ARTICLE TITLED WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE GUIDE TO BEAUMONT WHERE TO ROLL AROUND TOWN. IT FEATURES THE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS PHOTO OPS WITH MURALS IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT AND SPINDLE, SPINDLE, GLADYS SPINDLETOP-GLADYS CITY, AS WELL AS A FEW OTHER SITES. THESE FACILITIES ARE ACCESSED EASILY WITH PROPER PARKING, PARKING, ACCESS RAMPS, ETC. MY CONCERN IS FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS HAVING THE DESIRE TO ROLL DOWN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD OR ROAD TO THE NEAREST STORE. MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS LACK THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION. THEY MAY CALL FOR RIDES TO THE DOCTOR OR OTHER IMPORTANT APPOINTMENTS, BUT FOR A QUICK TRIP TO THE CLOSEST STORE, THEY MAY SIMPLY WANT TO ROLL. THERE ARE MANY AREAS IN OUR CITY WHERE 1ST MAY ACCESS A SIDEWALK OR GRASSY AREA VIA A SMALL RAMP, A SMALL RAMP, AND IT MAY GO 50 OR 100FT AND THEN RUN OUT OF SIDEWALK. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S NO CONTINUITY OF ACCESS. I WAS RIDING AROUND ON THIS MORNING, AND I JUST HAPPENED TO OBSERVE A MAN WHO WAS USING HIS MOTORIZED WHEELCHAIR TO ROLL DOWN LUCAS STREET, AND HE WAS TRAVELING DOWN LUCAS TO THE, TO THE SHOPPING CENTER NEAR LUCAS AND THE FREEWAY, I'M SORRY, NEAR LUCAS AND CONCORD. HE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH ACCESS. EVERYTHING WAS A CLEAR GO. BUT IF THAT SAME GENTLEMAN WANTED TO ROLL TOWARDS THE LIBRARY. WELL, LIBRARY, HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A FACE, A BARRIER AT THE RAILROAD TRACK. NOW IT'S INTERESTING THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR HIM TO GET TO THE LIBRARY WITHOUT ENTERING INTO TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO NEGOTIATE OVER. BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE CORNER OF FOURTH STREET AND COLLEGE, THE RAILROAD HAS, HAS, HAS, HAS BUILT A BRAND NEW RAMP DISABILITY ACCESS ACROSS THAT RAIL TRACK. I MEAN, IT REALLY IS BEAUTIFUL. I WOULD HOPE THAT THAT WOULD OCCUR IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY AS WELL AS AND THAT THE CITY WOULD ADDRESS THE NEED FOR SIDEWALKS. IT'S A TOUGH DEAL IF YOU MAKE IT UP TO THE SIDEWALK VIA RAMP AND YOU GO AND TRAVEL, AND THEN THERE'S NOTHING YOU FIND YOU'RE YOU'RE KIND OF STUCK. AND GOD FORBID IF THERE'S RAIN. THANK YOU. FRANCINE BOWMAN, 54, 15 CONCORD ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. COULD YOU PASS THIS DOWN TO.

[00:45:15]

[00:50:03]

AND I'M GLAD TO ADD CITIZENS I'VE BEEN IGNORING THAT BECAUSE CITIZENS ARE THE REASON THAT YOU'RE THERE. NUMBER ONE TALKED ABOUT AN EVACUATION PLAN ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, AND I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANYTHING ON IT. I WENT FURTHER THAN THAT TO GIVE YOU COMPANIES THAT COULD SOUND SIRENS ACROSS THE AREA, SO THAT NO CITIZEN COULD BE HARMED OR KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE WHY COULD WE EVEN FATHOM BARREL? IT WASN'T FLOOD. IT WASN'T FIRE, IT WASN'T TORNADO. BUT WE DID GET SHUT DOWN WITH ELECTRICITY. THEY DID. I THANK GOD I DIDN'T. SO I'M ASKING FOR AN UPDATE ON AN EVACUATION PLAN FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT THAT CAN BE HEARD ACROSS THE CITY, ALONG WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY. AND JEFFERSON COUNTY. SAYS IT'S THE CITY. SO I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS. THE OTHER THING IS SIDEWALKS, AND IT'S REALLY AMAZING THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT IT ON MCLEAN AND MAJOR. THERE'S A CORNER WHERE WHEN THE CHILDREN WALK, THEY'RE VERY CLOSE TO A CAR. SO I'VE ADDRESSED SIDEWALKS, ESPECIALLY AT BEAUMONT UNITED, THAT HAVE NEVER HAD SIDEWALKS IN THE FRONT, BUT NOW THEY HAVE GAS STEAKS OR GASOLINE STEAKS OR WHATEVER THAT'S ON THAT HIGHWAY NOW. SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON SIDEWALKS. THE CHILDREN IN AMELIA WALK IN THE STREET, WHICH IS A TRAVESTY. SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE READ THE ORDINANCE AND THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE. SO WHERE IS THE PARITY FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE CITY? THE OTHER THING IS HORNS.

THERE'S NO HORN SIGNS IN AMELIA LATELY. IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, THEY TRY TO SEE HOW LOUD THEY CAN GO. SO I WANT TO KNOW IF THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED, WE'VE DONE WHAT WE SHOULD DO AS A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, SO I'M BRINGING IT TO YOU. THE RAILROAD IS OUT OF CONTROL, YOU KNOW, BESIDES, NOT CUTTING THE GRASS, OTHER THAN WHEN THEY PUT UP NEW STATIONS. SO I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ADDIE ALLEN. YOU READ MY ADDRESS? 9695. GROSS. I'D LIKE TO KNOW SOON.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK. YOU HAD A LOT OF WORK TO DO. AND BOTTOM LINE WITH SIDEWALKS, GROSS AND MCLEAN HAD SIDEWALKS AT THE SAME TIME THAT CALDER DID THAT HAD LIGHTS UP AND DOWN THE SIDEWALK. THOSE SIDEWALKS ARE RAISED. IF THE KIDS GO DOWN THE SIDEWALK ON MCLEAN, THEY'RE

[00:55:03]

THANK YOU. DON DODD, 795 WILLOW BEAUMONT, TEXAS. COUNCIL. CITY MANAGER. MAYOR THIS IS A NEW ONE FOR ME. I WOULD NORMALLY JUST WRITE IT IN THE NEWSPAPER, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TIME ON YOUR AGENDA. YOU'LL BE VOTING ON A BUDGET THAT WE HAVE SOME CONCERN ABOUT, NOT ONLY AS A NEWSPAPER, BUT AS A CITIZEN, AS A TAXPAYER OF BEAUMONT, THE BUDGET THAT WAS FIRST, WE TRIED TO GET A COPY OF IT YESTERDAY, AND WE WERE TOLD BY YOUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE THAT IT WOULD BE AVAILABLE AFTER YOU VOTED ON IT. THIS IS NOT THE ORIGINAL BUDGET THAT WE REPORTED ON LAST WEEK, BUT THE SECOND OR WHAT WAS CALLED AN AMENDED BUDGET. I WANT TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU TWO THINGS ON THE COVER LETTER. THE VERY FIRST BUDGET, I THINK THAT WAS GIVEN TO COUNCIL, SUPPOSEDLY IN AUGUST. WE DIDN'T RECEIVE IT, I THINK IT WAS POSTED ON THE WEB TWO WEEKS AGO. BUT IN ANY EVENT, ON THE COVER LETTER DATED AUGUST 16TH, YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE'S NO PICTURE OF THE CITY MANAGER. IT SHOWS A PROPOSED EXPENDITURES OF $331.7 MILLION, A LOT OF MONEY. YESTERDAY OR LAST NIGHT, RATHER, THE SECOND BUDGET OR AMENDED BUDGET WAS PUT ONLINE AFTER WE WERE TOLD IT WOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER THIS VOTE. AND IT'S THE SAME LETTER WITH A FEW MINOR CHANGES. ONE, THERE'S A PICTURE OF KENNETH WILLIAMS ON IT. THE SECOND THING IS IT SHOWS THE EXPENDITURES OF $355 MILLION, A DIFFERENCE OF $23.7 MILLION. ALSO, AND THESE ARE JUST TWO MAJOR THINGS. IT SHOWS ON THE SECOND PAGE OF THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IN LETTER ONE. THIS, BY THE WAY, IS THE COVER LETTER FOR A 2 OR 300 PAGE BUDGET. IT SAYS THAT THERE ARE 1460 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. LETTER NUMBER TWO, WITH KENNETH WILLIAMS PICTURE, SAYS THERE ARE 1421 EMPLOYEES. AN INCREASE OF 61 FULL TIME JOB. THESE ARE JUST TWO MAJOR DIFFERENCES. WHAT IS EXACTLY THE SAME, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, IS THAT BUDGET. ONE COVER LETTER WAS DATED AUGUST 16TH. THE SECOND LETTER, WHICH WAS ONLY AVAILABLE YESTERDAY ON THE NEW BUDGET, IS ALSO DATED AUGUST 16TH. THESE ARE MAJOR DISCREPANCIES ON THE DOLLAR.

NOW, I BELIEVE A COMMUNICATION THAT WENT OUT 10:00 LAST NIGHT MADE SOME REFERENCE TO THE MEDIA MISREPORTING ON SOME NUMBERS. I'M JUST GOING TO FINISH THIS ONE THING I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ALL MEDIA, MR. DODD. WE LIMITED IT THREE MINUTES. YOUR BUDGET IS. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOKING FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT

[CONSENT AGENDA]

[PUBLIC HEARING]

[01:00:05]

[REGULAR AGENDA]

ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR OPERATING THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024. AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025. ADOPTING A MASTER FEE SCHEDULE, A APPROPRIATING MONEY FOR THE VARIOUS FUNDS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH BUDGET, INCLUDING APPROPRIATION OF THE MONEY TO PAY INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL SINKING FUND REQUIREMENTS ON ALL INDEBTEDNESS. REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES AND APPROPRIATIONS IN CONFLICT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE, AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? SO MOVED. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER ONE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. MAYOR? COUNCILMAN GOETZ. FIRST, I WANT TO THANK MR. DODD FOR YOUR COMMENTS, AND HE RAISES SOME CONCERNS, SOME CONCERNS THAT I SHARE. AND AS WE'RE GETTING READY TO VOTE TO APPROVE THIS BUDGET, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, FIRST ONE BEING ABOUT THESE TWO LETTERS. WHY IS THERE A $23.7 MILLION DIFFERENCE? AND THE STATED PLANNED EXPENDITURES FROM THE ORIGINAL LETTER OF OCTOBER, AUGUST THE 16TH TO THE ONE THAT WE RECEIVED LAST WEEK? WE'LL ADDRESS THAT. BUT AS YOU KNOW FROM THE FIRST DRAFT THAT WE HAD, WE MADE SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCES IN THOSE BUDGET DOCUMENTS. WE, EDITED WE ADDED SOME, PROJECTS. WE DELETED SOME PROJECTS. SO THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL, MOVING AROUND OF DOLLARS AND PROJECTS AND THINGS THERE. SO, IF SHE CAN ADD TO THAT, BUT I'M THINKING THAT THAT NUMBER HAD TO CHANGE WITH ALL THE CHANGES WE MADE. YES. THAT'S CORRECT, WE DID. WE EVEN ADDED SOME FUNDS THAT HAD NOT BEEN IN PREVIOUS BUDGETS, SUCH AS THE HEALTH GRANTS FUNDS AND THE TERS FUND, WHICH IS NEW. AND SO SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAD TO BE ADDED TO THE BUDGET TO MAKE IT MORE READABLE. WE ALSO ADDED CAPITAL PROJECTS FUNDS IN WHICH HAD NEVER BEEN IN THE BUDGET BEFORE. OKAY. SO YOU GAVE US KIND OF A CHEAT SHEET TO LET US KNOW THE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE. AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT, THIS DOCUMENT THAT IS IN THE COVER OF OUR BINDER THAT HAS THIS SHOWS $23.7 MILLION WORTH OF CHANGES AND EXPENDITURES? NO, SIR, NO, THIS THIS WALK FOR THE GENERAL FUND, THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND, AND THE WATER UTILITIES FUND. BUT WE SINCE FOR THE FIRST VERSION OF THE BUDGET, WE WERE WE HAVE PUT IN THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUNDS, WE HAVE PUT IN THE HEALTH GRANTS FUND, WE'VE PUT IN THE TERS FUND. THESE ARE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WERE PUT IN THE ENTIRE BUDGET, SO THAT'S THIS 355 MILLION HAS ALL FUNDS, NOT JUST GENERAL FUND OR CAPITAL RESERVE OR WATER UTILITIES. ALL RIGHT. WHAT ABOUT THE EMPLOYEES? THE FIRST LETTER SAID, WE HAVE 1360 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES.

CORRECT AND IT'S GONE TO 1421, AN INCREASE OF 61. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? BECAUSE I THINK WE HAD DISCUSSED THIS PREVIOUSLY, WE'RE USING SOFTWARE THIS YEAR. IN THE PAST, PART TIME EMPLOYEES WERE NOT BUDGETED. TWO PART TIME EMPLOYEES EQUAL ONE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT. SO WHEN THOSE FULL TIME EMPLOYEES GOT ADDED AS EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEES, IT UPPED THE AMOUNT, SHOWING A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN THE BUDGET. ALL RIGHT. SO EVERY EMPLOYEE IS ENTERED INTO THE SOFTWARE AT THIS TIME. IT'S MORE ACCURATE NOW THAN IT'S EVER BEEN IN ANY BUDGET PREVIOUSLY, BECAUSE EVERY EMPLOYEE, EVERY BENEFIT THAT THEY HAVE IS WITHIN THE SOFTWAR. OKAY. NEXT QUESTION. MAYOR.

COUNCILMAN NEILL, THANK YOU. I GOT SEVERAL QUESTIONS. FIRST, GOING BACK TO THE OVERTIME LINE ITEM FOR THE FIREMEN. SO WE'VE TAKEN LAST YEAR OR FOR THE 24 BUDGET, WE SPENT $4 MILLION IN OVERTIME. RIGHT. AND SO FOR THIS BUDGET WE HAVE RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF US, WE'VE REDUCED THAT

[01:05:06]

IT'S ALSO A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN $1 MILLION LESS THAN WE HAD FOR 2024. WELL, A LITTLE BIT WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN ACTUAL. WHAT WE BUDGETED LAST YEAR IS MORE DOLLARS FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM THE ORIGINAL BUDGET. AND ONCE WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH NEGOTIATIONS AND CONTRACTS AND IT'LL BE ABOUT SIMILAR NUMBER, BUT BASICALLY THAT REDUCING OVERTIME $2 MILLION WAS IS THE MAIN DIFFERENCE. BUT WE'RE STILL $800,000 PLUS OVER THE NEW YEAR END ESTIMATE VERSUS THE REVISED BUDGET. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REVISED BUDGETS, IF YOU GO TO THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR 2024, WE'RE SAYING $47,591,191 FOR THE STARTING FUND BALANCE YOUR PAGE ARE YOU ON PAGE 19 OF THE BUDGET RIGHT HERE. I'M GOING TO REFERENCE THE OLD BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S WRONG. SO I NEED A BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON WHERE THAT NUMBER COMES FROM. AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MISS CHERYL EARLIER, SO I THINK I'LL LET HER ANSWER THAT. IT COMES FROM THE AUDITED FUND BALANCE. OKAY. 23 ALL RIGHT. SO NOW YOU GOT TO TRANSFER OVER TO THE JULY 31ST FINANCIAL STATEMENT. DOES ANYBODY HAVE A COPY OF THAT? I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE OKAY. WHERE DOES THAT $42 MILLION IN THE BUDGET LINE ITEM COME FROM? BECAUSE WE STARTED WITH THE 47 MILLION. THERE IS A SALES TAX ADJUSTMENT THAT IS MADE EVERY YEAR. AND LAST YEAR, SALES TAX ADJUSTMENT WAS $4.6 MILLION. AND THAT BRINGS YOU TO THE $42,821,000. SO THEN HOW DO YOU GO FROM 42 TO THE 4747 MINUS THE 4.6 IS 42? OKAY. SO THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS GOING BACK TO THE 2018 BUDGET ALL THE WAY TO THE ONE FOR 24. IT'S NEVER THAT WAY. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR I FOUND THAT. IT'S THAT WAY.

WHERE'S THE FULL ACCRUED AUDITED NUMBER. WELL WE HAVE A DIFFERENT FINANCIAL OFFICER AND WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SYSTEM OF DOING ACCOUNTING. SO WHAT I'M SAYING THOUGH, I THINK WE HAVE ONE EXTRA MONTH OF SALES TAX IN THIS NUMBER THAN WHAT WE NEED. NO, WE DON'T. SO THEN HOW IS THIS FUND BALANCE THAT WE GET EVERY MONTH SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE HAVE? IS OUR FUND BALANCE RIGHT

[01:10:08]

[01:15:06]

FIRE FIGHTERS. AND WE CAN THEN ADDRESS WHETHER IT IS APPROPRIATE TO AT THAT TIME, STILL DO THE 2%. MAYBE WE CAN DO MORE, MAYBE WE CAN'T DO AS MUCH, AND FILLING THESE OTHER POSITIONS. I'D LOVE TO SEE ALL EMPLOYEES BE ABLE TO GET A 2% RAISE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO IT IN AN IRRESPONSIBLE FASHION. WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE MORE MONEY COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND AT SOME POINT. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH. SO I'M JUST SAYING LET'S LET'S DO THIS RESPONSIBLY AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THESE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS STARTED SOON, GET THEM FINISHED SOON. I KNOW THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO START OCTOBER 8TH, SO THAT'S RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND REVISIT THIS COUNCILMAN PHIL SHAW, THEN COUNCILMAN NEIL, CITY

[01:20:03]

[01:25:03]

HOWEVER, IT WOULD IMPACT THE FOR ADDITIONAL CRIME CENTER POSITION. SO I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND, I ACTUALLY LED A GROUP FROM OUR SYNAGOGUE TO TOUR THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER THIS PAST SUNDAY. IT'S A FANTASTIC FACILITY THAT I SUPPORT 100%. I THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT'S ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE, AND I AM DELIGHTED THAT WE HAVE IT.

WE DO NEED TO HAVE IT STAFFED MORE, BUT IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE CAPABILITIES OF MONITORING, THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ARE ON THE CARS, CAR CAMERAS OF ALL THE OFFICERS, SO THAT DISPATCH CAN PLUG IN TO THE, AUDIO AND VIDEO OF WHAT'S GOING ON. AND THE OFFICERS OUT IN THE FIELD CAN SEE THAT IN REAL TIME. EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY THERE AT THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, I DO THINK THAT THE FIRST FOUR PEOPLE WE HIRE NEED TO BE TO STAFF THAT MORE. BUT I'M GOING TO STAND BY MY MOTION, AND I DO WANT TO ALSO THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR POINTING OUT THAT THE MOTION I MADE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM A MOTION TO NOT PASS THE BUDGET, MEMBERS OF THE FIRE UNION HAVE PUBLICLY CALLED FOR US TO NOT PASS A BUDGET, NOT PASS A BUDGET IN DEFIANCE OF STATE LAW UNTIL THEY HAVE THEIR CONTRACT NEGOTIATED, MR. REED, WHAT WOULD BE THE EFFECT OF THE CITY NOT PASSING ANY BUDGET? SO THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR IS IN SEPTEMBER 30TH. SO IF THERE WAS NO BUDGET PASSED OR IN EFFECT BY OCTOBER 1ST, IT WOULD BE A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. SO, POLICE AND FIRE WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO, TO SHOW UP FOR WORK BECAUSE THEY HAVE A CLAUSE THAT SAYS THEY CAN'T STRIKE. BUT ALL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES WHO SHOWED UP ON OCTOBER 1ST WOULD BE SHOWING UP IN A VOLUNTEER CAPACITY BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BE GETTING PAID. SO LET ME UNDERSTAND THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY YOU KNOW, IN THIS IGNORANT COUNCILMAN COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS WOULDN'T GET PAID, THE POLICE OFFICERS WOULDN'T GET PAID. THE GARBAGE TRUCK DRIVERS WOULDN'T GET PAID.

NOBODY WOULD GET PAID. THE CITY WOULD BE PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM SPENDING ANY MONEY. SO YEAH, NOBODY WOULD GET PAID. THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT, COUNCILMAN, CITY MANAGER. I MUST HAVE BEEN MISINFORMED. I IF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T APPROVE THIS BUDGET, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD GO BACK TO THE OLD BUDGET AUTOMATICALLY. BUT THAT'S NOT SO. THERE WAS A AND SORRY, BUT THERE WAS A PROVISION IN OUR PREVIOUS CHARTER THAT ALLOWED FOR THAT, HOWEVER, COMMA, CHAPTER 102 DOESN'T GIVE THAT AUTHORITY TO ANY CITY. AND SO THERE WAS A LOT OF I GUESS, LIKE LEGISLATION DISCUSSION THAT CITY SHOULD NOT HAVE A GREATER AUTHORITY THAN THE STATE OF TEXAS IN THE UNITED STATES TO ROLL OVER A PREVIOUS BUDGET. AND SO CHAPTER 102 IS VERY SPECIFIC. IT SAYS A CITY SHALL A MUNICIPALITY SHALL ADOPT A BUDGET BEFORE THE END OF THEIR FISCAL YEAR, AND THAT YOU SHALL NOT SPEND FUNDS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN BUDGETED FOR. SO IT DOES NOT ALLOW FOR YOU TO HAVE A PROVISION IN YOUR CHARTER TO ADOPT OR TO REVERT BACK TO YOUR PREVIOUS BUDGET. WHAT IT HAS IS A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS FOR CITIES TO ADOPT A BUDGET, AS OUTLINED IN THEIR CHARTER, AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT DEVIATE FROM THE STANDARDS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY CHAPTER 102. CHAPTER 102 IS VERY DETAILED IN THAT YOU HAVE TO ADOPT A BUDGET. YOU HAVE TO ADOPT A BUDGET IN THESE

[01:30:03]

I UNDERSTAND THAT MY SECOND QUESTION IS A LITIGATION. HAVE WE BEEN IN A LOT OF LITIGATION AND SPEND A LOT OF MONEY IN REFERENCE TO LITIGATION, DEALING WITH THE FIRE UNION? THE CITY IS CURRENTLY INVOLVED IN A IN A LAWSUIT WITH THE FIRE UNION. YES OKAY. DO YOU HAVE A DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW MUCH WE'VE DEALT WITH SINCE 2022 ISH OR 2021 ISH OR. NO. ARE YOU ASKING FOR SPECIFICALLY THE LITIGATION OR ARE YOU ALSO ASKING FOR ARBITRATION, LITIGATION, LITIGATION, ARBITRATION, THE WHOLE NINE? BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WANT TO GET THIS DONE AND BEFORE WE GET INTO PUTTING EVERYTHING ON PAUSE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN A POSITION TO GET THIS DONE BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THESE 1200 OTHER EMPLOYEE. IT WOULD BE IN EXCESS OF 70,000.

OKAY. SO WE'VE DONE THAT IN LITIGATION. AND BACK IN 20. WHAT IS OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT THAT WE NEED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PENSION? WHAT IS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT 12%. 4%. WHAT ARE WE CURRENTLY AT AS A CITY? ROUGHLY 20%. SO ROUGHLY 20%. AND MOST OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT'S UP HERE HAVE PROMOTED HAVE SUPPORTED IT GETTING TO 20%. YES. SO THE CONTRACT, WHEN WE NEGOTIATED THEIR, THEIR PREVIOUS CONTRACT, IT WAS, I BELIEVE, AROUND 16%, AND THERE WAS SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE AGREEMENT THAT GOT US UP TO 20%. AND THOSE HAVE TO BE BY RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL.

SO YES, COUNCIL WAS AWARE AND DID SUPPORT THAT. YEAH. MY REASON FOR SAYING THAT IS SAYING IT TO THE UNION WHILE WE'RE FACE TO FACE AND WE'RE ALL IN ONE ROOM, WE'RE SAYING THAT WE DIDN'T SUPPORT. BUT I KNOW I DID SUPPORT GETTING IT TO THAT 20%. I HAVE NO REASON NOT TO, AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO GET INTO AN INSTANCE WHERE NEGOTIATION WE DON'T DO NEGOTIATION. YOU JUST HEARD WE WERE ADVISED NOT TO GET INTO THE NEGOTIATION. MY SECOND THING IS, WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, BUSINESS LEADERSHIP UNIONS, WE NEED TO BE TRANSPARENT. AND IT'S BEEN INSTANCES WHERE IT HASN'T BEEN THE BEST RELATIONSHIP WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS. AND UNION LEADERSHIP. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO NOT ONLY THE NAME CALLING OF A PARTICULAR COUNCIL MEMBER, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS. SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER ON THE CURRENT COUNCIL, AND A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER INFORMED THIS WHOLE BODY THAT THE UNION PRESIDENT SAID HE WOULDN'T ENDORSE ANY MINORITY COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE NONE OF THE MINORITIES WERE QUALIFIED. SO I READ IT. YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S THE TRUTH.

HE'S RIGHT HERE TO CONFIRM THE TRUTH THAT WAS SAID TO HIM. THAT'S THE TRUTH. AND YOU WERE IN THERE WHEN HE SAID IT, ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS SO THAT'S MY CONCERN WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING BUSINESS DONE. AND THESE OTHER 1200 EMPLOYEES BEING TIED UP INTO THIS, IF, IF YOU IF YOU SAID IT, JUST MAN, JUST MAN UP. LET'S JUST GO BACK TO RAISING HANDS. AND WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE OUTBURSTS FROM FROM THE CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. YES, MISS. IT'S NOT ACCUSATIONS. IT'S THE TRUTH. OKAY. I ASKED PRESIDENT NEESAM. SO I. OKAY, SO, MA'AM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO INTERRUPT THE

[01:35:12]

THAT MEANS YOU ONLY SPEAK WHEN YOU'RE AT THE PODIUM. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN IT'S 100% ABSOLUTELY TRUE. I ASKED PRESIDENT NEESAM WHY DIDN'T HE ENDORSE ANY AFRICAN-AMERICAN CANDIDATES? AND HE SAID NONE OF THEM WERE QUALIFIED. THAT WAS A CONVERSATION WE HAD ON THE TELEPHONE THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. OKAY YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU WAS IN THERE WITH HIM. YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU HEARD HIM SAY THAT. CHRIS. WELL HEY. WELL, ESCORT HIM OUT OF HERE. HE'S GOING TO KEEP INTERRUPTING. AND HE PICKED UP MAD DOGGING PEOPLE AND STUFF. ESCORT HIM OUT OF HERE. LET'S LET'S GET BACK TO THIS SUBJECT RIGHT HERE. OKAY AND I WANT ONE MORE THING FOR THE BUDGET. I'M I DON'T UNDERSTAND. AND MAYBE MIKE, YOU CAN EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING AS TO WHY WE WOULD PUT THOSE 1200 EMPLOYEES ON HOLD, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE MANAGER SAID THE DOLLARS ARE IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE DOLLARS ARE THERE, INCLUDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CONTRACT DOLLARS. THAT'S ALL. IT'S THERE. AND, COUNCILMAN GATZ, BEFORE YOU RESPOND, I'D LIKE TO RESPOND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS BUDGET SINCE, SINCE MAY, AND THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN THERE IS, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN NUMBERS NOT CARRIED OVER CORRECTLY. AND WE'RE GETTING THAT STRAIGHTENED OUT. BUT IN TERMS OF THE 2% RAISE, IN TERMS OF THE ADDITIONS OF THE STAFF, THOSE HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT AND THERE HADN'T BEEN ANY CONCERN PRIOR TO THIS MEETING.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO GO ON RECORD. I SUPPORT THOSE I DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE WHO HAS BEEN. I UNDERSTAND THE FUNDS WILL BE THERE TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT WITH THE FIRE UNION, BUT UPENDING THE BUDGET AT THIS LATE DATE, I, I DON'T AGREE WITH AND I JUST WANTED TO BE ON RECORD FOR THAT. SO COUNCILMAN GETS. A QUESTION THERE, MAYOR. COUNCILMAN, YOU'LL GO AFTER COUNCILMAN GOETZ. COUNCILMAN, ALDERMAN. HE HASN'T HAD A CHANCE. IN RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN DARIO, AGAIN, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE 1200 EMPLOYEES, ESPECIALLY IN THE INFLATIONARY TIMES THAT WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST YEAR, NEED A COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE ADJUSTMENT. AND I SUPPORT THAT FULLY. I DON'T WANT TO PENALIZE ANYBODY, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN ELEMENT OF CERTAINTY AS TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT, WHICH CAN ONLY HAPPEN ONCE THIS CONTRACT IS NEGOTIATED. AND THIS GIVES EVERYBODY A REAL BIG INCENTIVE TO GET THIS DONE REALLY QUICK. AND IT CAN BE DONE REALLY QUICK.

BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF HEARTBURN ABOUT THE 2% RAISE, YOU KNOW, I COULD BE PERSUADED TO AMEND MY MOTION TO ELIMINATE THAT ASPECT OF IT. AND JUST DEFER THE HIRING OF ANY NEW EMPLOYEES UNTIL THE CONTRACT IS NEGOTIATED. AS YOU HEARD EARLIE, A LOT OF THEM WOULDN'T BE HIRED UNTIL MARCH ANYWAY. THAT WOULD IMPACT STAFFING AT THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER. BUT I MAKE THE MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR, AND AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO VOTE ON THAT MOTION BEFORE WE GO FORWARD. UNDERSTOOD. COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DON'T LIKE INTENTIONAL, INTENT TO CREATE CONTROVERSY TO GET US AWAY FROM WHAT BUSINESS IS AT HAND, AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE OF ALL THAT'S GOING ON, I SUGGEST THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. I SUGGEST WE MOVE WITH THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS AND COME BACK AND TAKE CARE OF OUR BUSINESS. COUNCILMAN NEAL, THEN COUNCILMAN DARIO. SO I KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE COUNCILMAN DARIO IS COMING FROM AS WELL. THE ONE COMPROMISE I'D BE WILLING TO MAKE IS WE CAN GIVE ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT MAKE LESS THAN $100,000 A YEAR, 2% RAISE. BUT EVERYBODY ABOVE THAT BE TABLED UNTIL A LATER DATE. THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GIVING MR. KENNETH WILLIAMS A 2% RAISE VERSUS GIVING SOMEBODY THAT MAKES $15 AN HOUR OR 2%. SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE UNDER YOUR DIRECTION, WHICH INCLUDE MYSELF, MR. THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY CLERK AND THE MAGISTRATE DO NOT RECEIVE THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE IN THE BUDGET. WE RECEIVE IT IN A SEPARATE RESOLUTION. IF PRESENTED BY COUNCIL. SO, THIS ONLY APPLIES

[01:40:04]

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE. AND I SAY PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE FOR LESS THAN $80,000. WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO RETAIN PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE TO WORK. AND THEN WE'RE IN A POSITION TO FIND THE. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET IN A POSITION OF SEPARATING PEOPLE INTO CATEGORIES AND SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO PAY THESE AND NOT PAY THEM, AND HAVE A TREMENDOUS MORALE PROBLEM. HERE IS THE CITY WITH OUR EMPLOYEES, I'M FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES. I'M FOR ALL OF THEM TO BE COMPENSATED FAIRLY. AND I THINK WE HAVE A WE PRESENTED A FAIR PLAN TO YOU TO ADDRESS COMPENSATION FOR ALL LEVELS OF OUR EMPLOYEES. AND I'D ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THE PLAN WE SUBMITTED. YES AND COUNCILMAN GOETZ, COUNCILMAN DARIO, IF YOU WERE. OR MAYBE THIS IS MORE FOR COUNCILMAN NEELD, IF YOU'RE ASKING IF I WOULD CONSIDER, AMENDING MY MOTION TO ONLY INCLUDE THOSE EMPLOYEES MAKING OVER $100,000 A YEAR AND DEFER THAT UNTIL AFTER THE CONTRACT IS NEGOTIATED, I WOULD BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THAT AS WELL. MR. WILLIAMS, I UNDERSTAND. I CERTAINLY CONSIDER YOU IMPORTANT IN EVERY DEPARTMENT. DIRECTOR IS IMPORTANT, BUT TO COUNCIL MEMBER NEAL'S EARLIER POINT, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEONE THAT IS MAKING A SIX FIGURE SALARY AND SOMEONE THAT IS MAKING $15 AN HOUR. IT IMPACTS THOSE PEOPLE LESS THAT ARE MAKING, YOU KNOW, BIG MONEY RIGHT NOW. BUT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO AMEND THAT OR SUGGEST THAT AMENDMENT, I WOULD CONSIDER THA. WELL, SUPPORT THAT REQUEST BEFORE WE CALL THE VOTE ON THAT AMENDMENT. I'M GOING TO RESTATE THAT WE HAVE HAD, SINCE MAY THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS AND WE HADN'T EXPRESSED THIS IN THIS COUNCIL. AND THE 2% RAISE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE INVESTED IN OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER, THOSE ADDITIONAL HIRES AND PENALIZING ALL THE OTHER EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT AT THIS POINT, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A WHOLE LOT MORE APPROPRIATE AS A COUNCIL THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'D BE DOING THAT RATHER THAN TWO WEEKS BEFORE OUR

[01:45:02]

AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CONTRACT TODAY AS EVERYONE ELSE AND I'M NOT. AND CITY MANAGER AND YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND HE'S BEEN SO GRACIOUS TO MEET WITH ME ONE ON ONE, HIM AND HIS STAFF AND ANSWER MY QUESTIONS. BUT I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT WE'RE UNDER THE WATER BY 3.5 MILLION, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT CONTRACT IS GOING TO DO TO US. THAT MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE THE MONEY AND THE FUND BALANCE. BUT AGAIN, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE OPERATING OFF OF THAT MONEY. THAT'S THAT'S LIKE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT. WE SHOULD WORK WITHIN OUR BUDGET REVENUES AND EXPENSES, EXPENDITURES. BUT WITH THAT, WITH THAT SAID, I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THE BUDGET. I WANT THE CONTRACT. BUT JUST EVERYONE REMEMBER, YOU COULD BE A YEAR NEGOTIATING BEFORE WE VOTE TO WITHHOLD THE COST OF LIVING RAISE JUST KNOW YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT A YEAR. COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, CALL FOR THE QUESTION.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE STAND. CAN WE RESTATE THAT SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE KNOW WHERE TO VOTE? NO. YOU GOT IT. OKAY. THE MOTION IS TO AMEND THE BUDGET TO EXCLUDE THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ANYONE FOR ANY EMPLOYEE MAKING OVER $100,000 A YEAR. AND TO EXCLUDE POSITIONS, ADDITIONAL POSITIONS UNTIL AFTER THE FIRE UNION CONTRACT IS FINALIZED. THAT'S ACCURATE. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT AMENDMENT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. I MAY NEED A HAND COUNT. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. NAY, NAY NAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT MOTION FAILS. SO NOW WE GO BACK TO YES, I MOVE THAT WE ADOPT THE BUDGET FOR OPERATING MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER THE 30TH, 2025.

ADOPTING A MASTER FEE SCHEDULE, APPROPRIATING MONEY FOR THE VARIOUS FUNDS OF THE BUDGET. AND THAT IS MY MOTION THAT WE IS ON THE FLOOR AS IT APPEARS ON THE AGENDA AGENDA. YES. ALL RIGHT.

THERE ARE. WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THAT ALREADY. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND. ALL

[01:50:07]

ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN GAETZ. IT'S DISAPPOINTING TO HAVE TO VOTE ON A BUDGET THAT WE HAVE HAD REALLY LESS THAN A WEEK OR ABOUT A WEEK. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT A LONG TIME, BUT THE NUMBERS HAVE SHIFTED. SO DRAMATICALLY, IT'S HARD TO SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY GOING ON FAITH HERE, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED THAT HAS CAUSED MY FAITH TO BE SHAKEN. I I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE TO PASS A BUDGET AND I'LL SUPPORT IT, BUT WE NEED TO DO BETTER. AND I THINK WE HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTAND WE CAN AMEND THE BUDGET. EVERY COUNCIL MEETING WE HAVE, I MEAN, THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT A WISE DECISION, BUT TO IMPLY THAT WE CAN'T AMEND IT GOING FURTHER. I JUST THINK PENALIZING, EVERYONE ELSE AFTER GOING THROUGH THE DISCUSSIONS WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE. SO WITH THAT, I HAVE ONE QUESTION. WHY? WHY IS THERE NO WAY THAT WE CAN NEGOTIATE THIS START NEGOTIATIONS EARLIER? IS THAT OCTOBER DATE FIRM AND THE EARLIEST? YES OKAY. WHY CAN'T WE NEGOTIATE IT TODAY? I'M BUSY IN COUNCIL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR AT THIS POINT OR CALL THE QUESTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER ONE AS READ, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OPPOSED MOTION IS CARRIED. I'M SORRY. LET'S GET BACK TO OUR AGENDA HERE, MR. CITY MANAGER. YES MAYOR. MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 CAPITAL PROGRAM. IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? SO MOVED FOR APPROVAL. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO. ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN GOETZ, I'M LOOKING ON PAGE 291. CAPITAL PROJECTS, EXPENDITURES. THERE'S A LINE ITEM THAT SAYS MIX UP THE BUILDINGS. CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THAT IS? I MEAN, WHICH BUILDINGS AND WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? IT'S BEEN AN ACCOUNT NAME. THAT'S BEEN IN THERE FOR A LONG TIME. AND IT'S JUST ESSENTIALLY, FACILITIES MAINTENANCE. I DIDN'T NAME THAT ACCOUNT. IT'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. SO WE'RE HOW MUCH ARE WE PROPOSING TO ALLOCATE? $1,120,200. THIS CAPITAL PROJECTS. YEAH. WE'RE NOT. WE'RE THIS IS BUDGET ITEM AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, CAPITAL CAPITAL PROGRAM PAGE. WAS THAT RIGHT? THE CAPITAL PROJECT. WHAT PAGE NUMBER ARE YOU REFERRING TO? 291. SO. SO THESE HAVE TO DO WITH THE BOND FUNDED PROJECTS. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN IN THE BUDGET BEFORE. THIS IS PART OF WHAT WE ADDED TO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR. BUT IT DOES REFER BACK TO THE CIP. AND IT'S GOING TO BE THE, ATHLETIC COMPLEX. I BELIEVE. AND THE PICKLEBALL COURT. NO, MA'AM, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PARKS PORTION OF THIS. I'M GOING TO ASK ABOUT THAT IN A MINUTE. I'M ASKING ABOUT THE LINE ITEM THAT SIMPLY IS LABELED FIX UP THE BUILDINGS.

NO BUILDINGS ARE IDENTIFIED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. THAT'S WHAT I'M

[01:55:02]

OKAY, THAT THAT ONE'S THE PARKING LOTS. AND THEN I'LL PROBABLY MANGLE IT, BUT ENGELBREKT DRIVE, THAT'S ASPHALT FOR THOSE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE. GET BACK TO MY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO ALL RIGHT. THE MOTION IS CARRIE. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE? COUNCIL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING THE APPRAISED ROAD APPRAISED ROLE AND APPROVING THE PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR THE TAX YEAR 2024, WHICH IS FISCAL YEAR 2025. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. OKAY. SO THERE NEEDS TO BE. WE HAVE TO DO THIS IN TWO PHASES. YES. THIS IS WHERE WE KIND OF HAVE THE SCRIPT RIGHT. AND THEY NEED TO BE RECORD VOTES OKAY. SOMEBODY WANT TO MAKE THIS MOTION I MOVE THAT THE TAX RATE, PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF 6.5966 $0.03 PER 100 VALUATION, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 2.4% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. THE TAX RATE IS 2.1 $0.08 LESS THAN THE CURRENT TAX RATE. THAT IS 2.99% ABOVE THE 2024. NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE. SECOND. ALL RIGHT, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND, FOR THE FIRST STEP IN ITEM NUMBER THREE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE, SIR. WE'RE GOING TO DO A RECORD VOTE. SO RECORD CALL FOR THE RECORD VOTE. THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO DO. CALL FOR THE RECORD VOTE. MAYOR, MAYOR WEST. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM NEAL. YES.

[02:00:03]

COUNCIL MEMBER. SHAW. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. SAMUEL. YES. THANK YOU. SECOND PART. NOW WE HAVE THE NEXT VOTE. TICKET. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TAKE A RECORD VOTE ON MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS RATE OF 0.48764 $0.03 PER EVERY $100 OF VALUATION. SECOND, WE'VE GOT A SECOND. SO NOW WE NEED ANY DISCUSSION. NEED A RECORD VOTE FOR THAT MAYOR WEST. YES. MAYOR PRO TEM NEAL.

YES. COUNCILMEMBER. DARIO. YES COUNCILMEMBER. GOETZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. TURNER YES.

COUNCIL MEMBER. SHAW. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. SAMUEL YES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WE HAVE A FINAL VOTE FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE. SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THAT MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TAKE A RECORD VOTE ON THE DEBT SERVICE RATE OF 0.17202 $0.00 PER $100 VALUATION. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED. AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MAY WE HAVE A RECORD VOTE, PLEASE? MAYOR WEST? YES, MAYOR PRO TEM NEAL, NO. COUNCIL MEMBER DARIO.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. GOETZ. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER. TURNER. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PHIL. SHAW. YES COUNCIL MEMBER. SAMUEL. YES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU TAKE US INTO ITEM NUMBER FOUR? YES, MAYOR. COUNCIL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE RATIFYING THE BUDGETED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, 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. AYE. ANY OPPOSED THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE? COUNCIL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? SO MOVE FOR APPROVAL. IS THERE A SECOND FOR APPROVAL? SECOND THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN DARI, CAN I JUST FOR MYSELF AND FOR THE PUBLIC, CAN WE EXPLAIN WHY WE'RE DOING THIS AMENDMENT TO THE 2024 BUDGET? YES, SIR. WE GENERALLY DO. ONE. TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR TO AMEND ANYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR OF ANY CONSEQUENCE, AND THESE ARE BASICALLY SOME OF THE TRANSFERS THAT WE JUST HAD TO CHANGE THE AMOUNTS OF THE TRANSFERS FOR. SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY ALL THIS IS DOING. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE? COUNCIL CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE WRITE OFF OF UNCOLLECTIBLE DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. MAYOR, TO COUNCILMAN NEAL AND THEN COUNCILMAN TURNER. SO WHAT ELSE CAN THE CITY DO TO COLLECT THIS MONEY? BASICALLY NOTHING.

WE'VE ALREADY DONE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO. WE DO HAVE A COLLECTION AGENCY, BUT AT A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE JUST THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE WRITTEN OFF. BUT LIKE THE WEED ABATEMENT, WE CAN'T PUT LIENS ON PEOPLE'S PROPERTIES. WE DO. WE OWE THIS AMOUNT. WE HAVE A LIEN FOR, YES, WE WOULD HAVE LIENS ON THESE, BUT MOST OF THESE, EITHER YOU KNOW, THE PROPERTY IS ALREADY GONE, THE PEOPLE ARE DECEASED. DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. IT'S UNCOLLECTIBLE AT THIS POINT. THANK YOU. BECAUSE WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO COLLECT WHAT WE CAN.

COUNCILMAN DARIO, THEN COUNCILMAN GOETZ. SO WHAT IS THE BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF WRITING THESE OFF? THEY ARE TOTALLY UNCOLLECTIBLE. THERE'S NO NEED TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE THOSE ON

[02:05:08]

MAYOR. COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE RIGHT OFF. RIGHT OFF OF UNCOLLECTIBLE WATER ACCOUNTS. I'M SORRY. TOTALING $91,829.01, FOR WHICH EACH INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT EXCEEDS $1,000. AND IT COMES WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN MOVED TO APPROVE? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, ANY DISCUSSION COUNCILMAN SHAW, THEN COUNCILMAN NEIL, CITY MANAGER, AM I UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY THAT SOME OF THESE NUMBERS HERE, LIKE BEST WESTERN JEFFERSON IN HERE IN BEAUMONT, $4,700, BEAUMONT HOUSING BEAUMONT HOUSING, $8,500, AND THEN ISN'T THERE A PLYMOUTH VILLAGE? VILLAGE? ISN'T THERE APARTMENT COMPLEX. I THESE HOW CAN WE NOT COLLECT THE THESE MONIES? AND HOW CAN BEAUMONT HOUSING AUTHORITY NOT PAY THEIR BILL? I MEAN, THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS I GET, BUT I'M STRUGGLING WITH THESE. I MEAN, WE KNOW WHERE THE HOTEL IS. CAN WE DRIVE OVER THERE AND LOOK? YEAH. AND OR CAN WE CUT THEIR WATER OFF? I MEAN, THAT WAS HIGHLY UNSUCCESSFUL WHEN WE TRIED TO DO THAT IN THE PAST. I MEAN, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT $100 WATER BILL. NO, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS WHO LIVE WITHIN THOSE COMPLEXES. YOU CAN'T JUST SHUT THEIR WATER OFF. SO, THESE RANGE FROM, AGAIN, THE DATES OF APRIL 22ND THROUGH MARCH OF 2022 THROUGH MARCH OF 2023. SO THESE ARE SORRY, A BIT OLD, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO COLLECT. I AM GOING TO LOOK INTO SOME FURTHER WAYS THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO COLLECT THESE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, BUT, FOR NOW, THESE ARE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO NEED TO BE WRITTEN OFF AT THIS POINT. AND I DON'T MEAN TO LAY THIS AT YOUR DOORSTEP. I'M NOT HOLDING YOU, YOU KNOW, FOR ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS. I JUST I STRUGGLE WITH IT BEING WHO THEY ARE, NOT INDIVIDUALS. BUT THESE ARE BUSINESSES OPEN HERE IN BEAUMONT. RIGHT. AND WE'RE NOT. AND SO TO ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES THAT MAY BE WATCHING ONLINE, PLEASE PAY YOUR BILL BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO ACCUMULATE A BIG BILL AND SKIP IT. I MEAN, THESE ARE JUST SOME LARGE NUMBERS OF NOT INDIVIDUALS, BUT BUSINESSES THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I JUST HOPE ALL THE OTHER BUSINESSES DON'T CATCH ON. THANK YOU. MAYOR.

COUNCILMAN NEAL, THEN COUNCILMAN TURNER. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO KIND OF SAY THE SAME THING COUNCILMAN PHIL SHAW DID. A LOT OF THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT I THINK JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL KNOWS. I DON'T KNOW, IT'S KIND OF SURPRISING. AND I SHARE THE SAME CONCERN, COUNCIL

[02:10:04]

SO THERE'S SOME VERY SPECIFIC, UTILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR WHEN YOU COLLECT ON FOR NON-PAY UTILITIES, IN THE PAST, OUR, DEPARTMENT HAS NOT ALWAYS BUILT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT STATUTE.

SO IT MAY NOT BE FEASIBLE TO COLLECT ALL OF THEM BECAUSE WE HADN'T BILLED PROPERLY. BUT SURE, I LIKE A CHALLENGE. I'M 100% CONFIDENT WOULD PAY IF WE WOULD JUST LET THE RIGHT PERSON CONTACT THEM. COUNCILMAN AND COUNCILMAN. WELL, MY CONCERN IS SOME OF THESE BUSINESSES, SPECIFICALLY BUSINESSES, ARE STILL OPERATING, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY STILL HAVE RESIDENTS IN SOME OF THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES. THEY JUST STILL OPERATING. AND HOW THEY OPERATING WITH THIS TAB. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT HISTORICALLY. BUT YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S THE PUBLIC OUTCRY WHEN YOU TURN OFF AN APARTMENT AND IT'S FULL OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I APOLOGIZE, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS COME UP AND, YOU KNOW, NEXT THING WAS A NEWS STORY ON THE ON THE EVENING NEWS. WHEN WE DO THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WE NEED TO COLLECT THESE DOLLARS. SO FOR THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, ESPECIALLY IN A COMPLEX WHERE IT'S ALL BILL PAID, LET'S JUST SAY WE ALL LIVE IN A UNIT A, B, AND C, WE ALL PAID OUR WATER BILL UNITS D, E AND F DIDN'T PAY. SO WE'VE ALL PAID OUR WATER BILL AND Y'ALL DIDN'T PAY, BUT THEY SHOT OFF THE ENTIRE COMPLEX. WE HAVE A PROBLEM. IF EVERYBODY IN THE APARTMENT COMPLEX PAID THEIR WATER BILL, BUT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX DIDN'T PAY THE BILL, AND WE SHUT OFF THE WATER, THE RESIDENTS, THE CITIZENS THEY PAID. AND SO THEY'VE BEEN DONE A DISSERVICE.

SO IT'S REALLY HARD WHEN YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE IT'S APARTMENT COMPLEX AND THEY'RE PAYING THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, AND THE APARTMENT COMPLEX ISN'T PAYING THE BILL FOR YOU TO SHUT OFF. YOU CAN'T SHUT OFF THE WATER FOR A CUSTOMER WHO'S PAID. THE CITIZEN HAS PAID. THE BUSINESS HAS NOT UNDERSTOOD. I KIND OF SUPPORT YOU REACHING OUT AND SEE WHAT WE CAN COME UP WIT.

COUNCILMAN PHIL SHAW, THEN COUNCILMAN DARIO. WELL, TWO THINGS. NUMBER ONE, I YIELD TO THE POINT ON THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, BUT THE HOTEL, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, 8000 BUCKS. I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE HOTEL. I DON'T THAT ONE I'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH. AND I HEAR YOU, CITY ATTORNEY, THAT SOME OF THIS BILLING MAY BE BECAUSE. OR THIS SOME OF THESE MONIES HAVE ACCUMULATED BECAUSE OF THE CITY'S, FAILURE TO BILL CORRECTLY. IS THAT RIGHT? SO IN THE IT WOULD LIKE SOME UTILITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, LAMAR. THEY HAVE TO BE BILLED. THE LAW REQUIRES THAT THEY BE BILLED ON A 30 DAY CYCLE, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS HOW WE BILL. OKAY SO I JUST TO FOLLOW THAT WITH I'M ASSUMING WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM, WE'VE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. WE'RE GOING TO I'M NOT CONFIDENT IN SAYING YES TO THAT.

OKAY. THEN I'LL DEFER TO THE CITY MANAGER. DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE HERE WHO PROBABLY CAN ADDRESS IT? WE WOULD WE WOULD ADDRESS THE 30 DAY BILLING FOR THE STATE AGENCIES, WE OUR SYSTEM DOES NOT ALLOW TO BILL FOR LIKE 30 DAYS, 20 DAYS. SO WHAT WE'VE HAD TO DO IS CREATE A PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR STATE AGENCIES ON, THEY'RE RUNNING A SPREADSHEET. WE RUN THAT EVERY MORNING. AND ANYBODY, ANY STATE AGENCY THAT GETS A LATE CHARGE OR THAT'S GOING TO GET A LATE CHARGE, WE REMOVE THAT BEFORE THEY EVEN GET BILLED. THAT WAS THE ISSUE WITH THE STATE AGENCIES. THEY WERE GETTING BILLED LATE CHARGES AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE. LIKE YOU'RE ARE YOU REFERRING LIKE TO BEAUMONT HOUSING AUTHORITY, IT WAS LAMAR UNIVERSITY WAS THE BIG ONE. BUT IS BEAUMONT HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THERE? TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I CAN'T REMEMBER $8,500 IN ANOTHER LINE, 1500 BUCKS. SO THAT'S THAT'S $10,000 THEY OWE US. I'M JUST CURIOUS. YOU KNOW HOW THAT IS ALLOWED TO GO? BECAUSE THIS ISN'T MY MONEY.

THIS IS THE MONEY OF THE CITIZENS. AS WE ALL KNOW, IT BELONGS TO THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT. BUT THERE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S $10,000. I'M JUST CURIOUS IS HOW WE LET THAT. WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THAT, THIS WAS MY FIRST YEAR TO FULLY DO THE WRITE OFF PROCESS. LAST YEAR I KIND OF GRABBED IT AT THE, AT THE VERY TAIL END OF IT AND JUST KIND OF GOT IT TOGETHER. I DIDN'T GET TO

[02:15:03]

BUT IF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE EVER MAKE APPLICATION FOR SERVICE AGAIN, THAT MONEY GOES, GETS TRANSFERRED TO THEIR ACTIVE NEW ACCOUNT. BUT IF THERE'S SOME OUT THERE THAT HAVE, THEY STILL HAVE ACTIVE SERVICE, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT. AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TRANSFER THAT MONEY OVER TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT. BUT WE'RE GETTING READY TODAY TO WRITE THIS OFF. RIGHT. BUT EVEN IF IT'S I MEAN, SO A DEBT AGAINST THE CITY NEVER EXPIRES. SO EVEN THOUGH YOU GOT THE WRITE OFF PROCESS, IT'S REALLY, SANCTIMONIOUS A CEREMONIAL, BECAUSE AT ANY TIME WE CAN COLLECT THE DEBT. SO EVEN IF YOU WRITE IT OFF TO, IF YOU AGREE TO WRITE IT OFF TODAY AND THEN NEXT WEEK, YOU TELL ME TO GO SUE SOMEBODY, I CAN STILL DO IT. A DEBT AGAINST THE CITY, NEVER A HOUSEKEEPING ISSUE AS THE PRIOR ONE WAS. OKAY GO GET THE 10,000. OKAY, I'LL DO MY BEST. THANK YOU. MAYOR. YES, COUNCILMAN. DARIO. SO WE KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW, PUBLICIZED THE LIST AS THEY SAY. PUT THESE PEOPLE ON BLAST. YEAH. LET EVERYBODY KNOW. HEY, THESE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE LOCAL PEOPLE. JUST JUST LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY OWE IT. OR CAN WE DO SOMETHING LIKE, LIKE THE POLICE DO WITH TRAFFIC TICKETS? THEY HAVE AN AMNESTY DEAL WHERE IF YOU COME IN AND PAY, YOU KNOW, JUST COLLECT SOMETHING. MAYBE IF THEY THOUGHT ABOUT A PROGRAM LIKE THAT, WE HAVEN'T. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE KIND OF KICKING THINGS AROUND THIS YEAR TO TRY TO DETERMINE HOW WE CAN COME UP AND ACTUALLY RECOUP SOME OF THAT REVENUE. ALSO, I SEE ON HERE IT SAYS IF THEY HAVE A YOU SAID IF THEY EVER GOT ANOTHER ACCOUNT, THAT BALANCE WOULD TRANSFER OVER. BUT ON HERE IT SAYS THEY CAN'T GET ANOTHER ACCOUNT TILL THEY PAY THAT, THAT MONEY THAT THEY OWE IT SAYS A CUSTOMER WITH A WRITTEN OFF ACCOUNT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OBTAIN NEW WATER SERVICE. WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S CORRECT? THERE ARE SOME CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE IF THEY LIKE, IF IT'S A $5,000 BILL, WE'LL SAY IF THEY WANT TO PAY HALF OF THAT UP FRONT, WE'LL RECOUP THAT REVENUE AND THEN TRANSFER THAT REMAINDER TO THEIR ACCOUNT, LET THEM GET SERVICE, BECAUSE AT LEAST WE'RE RECOUPING SOME REVENUE AND LET THEM PAY IT OUT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL KEEP AN EYE ON ANYTIME A NEW Y'ALL HAVE RECORDS OF THAT. I GUESS ANYTIME SOMEBODY COMES FOR A NEW WATER. YES, SIR. ANYTIME SOMEONE APPLIES, WE SEARCH THE SYSTEM FOR THEIR NAME. AND IF THEY'VE GOT A WRITE OFF, IT POPS UP AND IT GETS TRANSFERRED OVER ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GOETZ. LIKE COUNCILMAN SHAW, I HAVE SOME HEARTBURN OVER, BEST WESTERN HAVING THEIR WATER BILL WRITTEN OFF, SAME FOR KNIFE. RIVER. LOSE SIGHT IN BEAUMONT HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE WRITE OFF EVERYBODY'S EXCEPT THOSE FOUR AND GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AFTER THOSE FOUR. BUT FOR CLARITY, WE CAN STILL GO AFTER ANY OF THOSE. I UNDERSTAND, BUT IT'S EVEN IF IT'S SYMBOLIC, I DON'T WANT TO WRITE THOSE FOUR OFF. AND I'M MAKING A MOTION THAT WE WRITE ALL THE REST OF THEM OFF AND HAVE THOSE FOUR THAT WE CAN LOOK AT, AND IF IT COMES BACK, WE HAVE TO WRITE THOSE OFF LATER.

THEN WE'LL DO THAT. IS THERE A SECOND ON THAT? WELL, COUNCILMAN KATZ, I STARTED TO BRING THAT UP, AND I'M GLAD YOU DID. BUT TO SIMPLIFY IT, BECAUSE WE CAN WE JUST SAY ANYTHING ABOVE $5,000, WE JUST WE ASK THEM TO GO AFTER OR DO YOU WANT TO KEEP IT TO THEM JUST. WELL THOSE THOSE FOUR ARE BUSINESS ENTITIES THAT I THINK THAT IF WE JUST MAKE A PHONE CALL, OKAY, SO IT'S BUSINESS IS NOT INDIVIDUALS. BUT YOU'RE TARGETING. RIGHT. THOSE ARE BEST WESTERN KNIFE RIVER LOSE SIGHT IN BEAUMONT HOUSE. OKAY I'LL SECOND THAT MOTION. SO CAN I ASK LEGAL QUESTIONS? THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WE CAN DO. YES. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM. YES BUT AS THE MAYOR WAS MENTIONING, AND I KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN GETS IT. IT'S JUST THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MATTER, THE APPROVAL OF THE OF THE RESOLUTION OR THE ORDINANCE AS WRITTEN, DOESN'T PROHIBIT THE CITY FROM GOING AFTER THOSE ACCOUNTS. I UNDERSTAND WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT. YEAH. AND IF I MAY, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO COME BACK WITH AN AGENDA ITEM TO WHERE WE CAN DISCUSS THIS AND GIVE COUNCIL AN UPDATE AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN COLLECT THESE ITEMS AND GET THEM GET THEM RESOLVED. YES, SIR. WELL, I GUESS THE REASON FOR MY VOTE IS, IS UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, CITY ATTORNEY. BUT FOR ME, I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SAY IS THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION OF THE STAFF, BUT THIS IS THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL. THERE'S SOME TEETH INTO THIS.

WE'RE SAYING WE WANT YOU TO DEFINITELY GO AFTER THESE FOUR TO RECOUP THE MONEY OF OUR CITIZENS. YES OKAY. SINCE, MISTER MANAGER WANT TO COME BACK WITH AN AGENDA ITEM ON THIS DEAL, WOULD IT BE SMART FOR US TO TABLE IT UNTIL HE DOES THAT? AND THEN WE COULD DECIDE. I GUESS BUDGET WISE, WE NEED TO TAKE AND. OKAY SO CAN WE CALL THE QUESTION ON MY MOTION. SO THERE'S AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR TO SPECIFICALLY WRITE OFF ALL ACCOUNTS EXCEPT FOR THE

[02:20:03]

COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR THE PRO HOUSING PATHWAYS TO REMOVE AN OBSTACLE. OBSTACLES. GRANT THROUGH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL.

ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TEN? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TEN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES, COUNCILMAN.

DARIO. YEAH, WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THESE FUNDS AND HOW WOULD THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THEM TO APPLY FOR THOSE GRANTS? YES, SIR. SO IF WE WERE AWARDED BY HUD, WE INTEND TO GO OUT FOR UP TO $7 MILLION. IF WE WERE AWARDED, IT WOULD GO THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS. SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO BID ON IT. SO THIS IS FOR LIKE DEVELOPERS. YEAH. SO WE'RE PUTTING IT IN FOR AND I CAN ACTUALLY INVITE JESS PRINCE COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER UP, SHE DID THE BULK OF PREPARING THE GRANT APPLICATION. CAN YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION PLEASE? I WAS I WAS WANTING TO KNOW WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THIS GRANT AND HOW WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE FUNDS? SO THE CITY IS AN ELIGIBLE ENTITY TO APPLY. WE WOULD PUT OUT TO RFP MOST OF THE APPLICATION ACTIVITIES. THOSE INCLUDE PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AS WELL AS HOMEOWNERSHIP. WE ALSO HAVE A LINE ITEM IN THERE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE LOCAL, AFFORDABLE BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS. SO ALL OF THOSE ITEMS WOULD GO OUT THROUGH OUR FORMAL PROCUREMENT PROCESS. OKAY. AND THEY WOULD ANSWER TO THE RFP THAT Y'ALL PUT OUT. YES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I DO WANT TO MENTION WE ARE NOT LISTED IN THE PRIORITIZED GEOGRAPHY FOR THIS. WE WERE STILL INVITED TO APPLY AND WE STILL KNOW THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR AREA. SO WE WILL BE IF YOU APPROVE SUBMITTING, BUT WE ARE NOT ON THE PRIORITY GEOGRAPHY LIST. SO WE WAS AWARDED THIS AND SOMEBODY WAS INTERESTED IN IT. THEY WOULD NEED TO CONTACT YOU. OKAY. WELL THEY'D CONTACT PROCUREMENT ACTUALLY. BUT I'LL BE WORKING WITH THEM ON THE RFP. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. JESS, HOW DID WE FIND OUT ABOUT THIS? THIS GRANT? WE RECEIVE GRANT INFORMATION FROM CAPITAL EDGE ON A REGULAR BASIS.

WE ALSO, HEARD FROM ONE OF OUR LOCAL CHODOS LEGACY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WAS INTERESTED IN

[02:25:08]

ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE US INTO THE

[PUBLIC HEARING]

[WORK SESSION]

ALL RIGHT. WELL, A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE OUR LAST PRESENTATION. AND IF I'M BEING HONEST WITH YOU, IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING TO ILLUSTRATE ALL THE PROGRESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DRIVE DOWNTOWN AND IT FEELS LIKE NOTHING'S GOING ON. SO MY HOPE TODAY IS TO SHARE THE KEY DETAILS REGARDING OUR PROGRESS AND THE PROACTIVE DOWNTOWN CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM, AND THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION HERE THAT I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU, BUT I'LL GUIDE US THROUGH AS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. AND AS ALWAYS, FEEL FREE TO STOP ME WITH ANY ADDRESS IF YOU WANT MORE DETAIL OR CLARITY ON NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WE'LL START WITH THE GILBERT BUILDING. AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS A COMPLETE SNAPSHOT OF THE LAST SIX MONTHS WITH THIS BUILDING, WHICH OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES THE AREA IN RED, WHICH ARE THOSE ITEMS THAT ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE FIRE, ON AUGUST 20TH, JUST TO REMIND EVERYONE, COUNCIL MET ABOUT THIS PROPERTY SPECIFICALLY, AND WE WALKED AWAY WITH REALLY FIVE THINGS TO BE WATCHING FOR, FIRST WOULD BE MOBILIZING TO THE SITE IN THE TIMELINE PROVIDED US. THIS WAS SET TO HAPPEN ON SEPTEMBER 2ND.

PERMITS WERE PULLED ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, BUT AS OF TODAY, THIS MORNING, WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY ACTIVITY THERE. NEXT, THERE WERE THREE CONDITIONS WHICH I'VE HIGHLIGHTED FOR YOU ON THIS SLIDE. IT WAS CONDITION THREE THAT HAD THE QUICKEST DEADLINE AND AS OF TODAY, THE BARRIERS HAVE NOT BEEN PAID FOR. CONDITION TWO IS THE PROGRESS REPORT SUBMITTED TO OUR OFFICE.

AND SO WE WILL BE WATCHING FOR THAT. AND CONTINUING TO UPDATE YOU THERE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY CONDITION ONE IS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF ENSURING THIS BUILDING IS STRUCTURALLY SECURE COME JANUARY 2025. AND THEN THE FIFTH ITEM WOULD BE NOVEMBER 18TH. IF YOU SEE THAT ON THAT TIMELINE, THERE, WHICH WILL FOLLOW THE CLEARING SCOPE WE WERE PROVIDED AND THE OWNER WILL NEED TO MAKE A DECISION IF HE'S GOING TO PROCEED WITH THE RESTORATION SCOPE. THIS IS SET TO HAPPEN AROUND MID-NOVEMBER, AND WE WILL CERTAINLY BE MONITORING THAT. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO POINT TO ONE MORE ITEM ON THIS SLIDE THAT STAFF WILL BE FOLLOWING UP ON AFTER THIS STRUCTURAL JOB IS COMPLETE, AND THAT IS ENSURING THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN UNSECURE, VACANT BUILDING WHICH FALLS UNDER THE DEFINITION OF AN UNSAFE STRUCTURE. WHEN THE RESTORATION FROM THE FIRE IS ALL SAID AND DONE. OBVIOUSLY I CAN'T GET YOU A DATE ON THAT AT THIS TIME, BUT OUR OFFICE WILL BE DILIGENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THE COMPLETION OF ONE GOAL TO THE COMPLETION OF OUR ORIGINAL GOAL. WAIT, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON TO ANYTHING ELSE, I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE OWNER OF THIS BUILDING HAS NOT YET PAID FOR THE BARRIERS THAT THE CITY HAD TO ERECT, AND HE WAS TOLD TO DO THAT BY AUGUST THE 30TH. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. HE WAS TOLD AND AGREED IN COUNCIL. IT WAS A CONDITION OF THE ORDINANCE. YEAH AND SO IF HE'S NOT DONE, THE VERY FIRST THING, THEN WHERE ARE WE WITH THE REST OF THE ORDINANCE? AND THIS ISN'T AN AGENDA ITEM, SO WE CAN'T ACT ON IT. BUT IT IS. I UNDERSTAND WE CAN'T ACT, BUT I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE. AGAIN, YOU

[02:30:06]

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT I? WE CAN BRING THAT UP AS AN AGENDA ITEM. YEAH AGAIN THIS IS A WORK SESSION. SO IF COUNCIL INDICATES THEY WANT TO REHEAR IT, I GUESS WE COULD LOOK INTO BRINGING IT BACK TO YOU ALL. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT TO BE PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD HERE. YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID ALL ALONG THAT I DON'T EXPECT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE ANYTHING MATERIALLY DONE WITH THIS BUILDING, IF YOU CAN'T EVEN GET PAST THE FRONT DOOR, TO PAY FOR THE BARRIERS WHICH HE AGREED TO DO. I'D LIKE TO SEE IT BACK ON THE AGENDA. YES, COUNCILMAN. NEAL. YEAH. I MEAN, IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE NEXT TUESDAY MEETING. AND IF HE HASN'T PAID BY THEN, THEN THE DEAL IS OFF THE TABLE. FAIR ENOUGH. SURE. YEAH ALL RIGHT. IF YOU CONTINUE ALL RIGHT, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST CLUTTERED SLIDE WE'RE GOING TO SEE TODAY JUST BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF ADDRESSES THAT WERE IN PHASE ONE. BUT IT'S FAIRLY EASY TO FOLLOW. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS PHASE ONE IN TOTAL. AND ALL THE ADDRESSES THAT WE, TAGGED IN THAT INITIAL SWEEP. SO 175 DAYS AGO, WE TAGGED THESE BUILDINGS AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE STATUS OF EACH BUILDING EVERY SINGLE DAY THEREAFTER, I OWE YOU AN EXPLANATION ON A COUPLE OF THESE ADDRESSES. SO BEAR WITH ME AS I GIVE YOU THAT, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS 515 FANNIN, 340 BOWIE AND 495 ORLEANS. SO THOSE ARE THE ONES WITH THE GREEN 150 DAYS THERE, AND I HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR DURING OUR LAST PRESENTATION. SO I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT AS SOON AS THAT 150 DAY WORK PROGRAM EXPIRES, WE'RE FILING IN COURT. I KNOW IT'S NOT THE REPAIRS THAT WE ALL HOPE TO SEE, BUT WE ARE TAKING EACH BUILDING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND FOLLOWING UP AS SOON AS WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO. SECOND, REGARDING THE OLD WORKFORCE BUILDING, DUE TO THE BUILDING'S OWNER NOT SECURING THE BUILDING, INCLUDING REPAIRING THE BROKEN WINDOWS FOLLOWING LAST YEAR'S FIRE, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS HAVING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PAYING TO BOARD UP THE BUILDING.

WE ARE SECURING FIRM BIDS NOW, BUT PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES WERE AT $50,000 OR MORE. WHILE WE WOULD PREFER THAT MR. FLANAGAN PAY FOR THIS SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE, THE CITY HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS WORK AND EXPENSE. AND WE DID INCLUDE THAT MONEY IN THE FY 25 BUDGET TO COVER THIS EXPENSE, TO BOARD UP MR. FLANAGAN'S BUILDIN. THIRD, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT HOTEL BEAUMONT HAS BEEN IN THE MONITORING STAGE, THAT GRAY BAR, FOR THE ENTIRE TIME, AND MR. PATEL HAS BEEN EXTREMELY TRANSPARENT WITH US THROUGH THIS PROCESS. HE MET WITH US ALMOST INSTANTLY ON SITE. WE'VE HAD PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS WITH REAL PLANS. THAT'S HUGE TO POINT OUT. REAL PLANS, AND HE QUICKLY TOOK ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO SECURE THE BUILDING. IT'S, IS IT WHERE WE WANT TO BE? NO. AND THAT'S WHERE OUR VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY COMES IN. SO NOVEMBER 3RD WILL BE 60 DAYS SINCE YOU APPROVED THAT ORDINANCE. SO COME NOVEMBER 4TH, WE'LL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH ANY VACANT BUILDING TO REGISTER AT THAT POINT. AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL POINT OUT 900 CALDER, WHICH IS THE OLD FIRST BAPTIST. IT CURRENTLY, I CURRENTLY COMMUNICATED WITH THE OR EXCUSE ME, THAT OWNER IS CURRENTLY COMMUNICATING WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, I SPOKE WITH HIM JUST THIS MORNING ON SOME OPENINGS, AND HE SEEMED EXTREMELY MOTIVATED TO WORK WITH HER AND SEE THAT BUILDING OCCUPIED. SO AGAIN, NOT WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE, BUT THE BUILDING OWNERS ARE BEING RESPONSIVE TO A LARGE DEGREE AND WORKING WITH OUR STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD.

COUNCILMAN GIBBS, VERY ENCOURAGING TO HEAR THAT MR. PATEL HAS GOT SOME ACTUAL PLANS WITH REGARD TO THE HOTEL BEAUMONT, BUT HE'S ON THAT BUILDING FOR A FEW YEARS NOW AND NOT MUCH HAS HAPPENED THERE. DO YOU FEEL THAT THESE PLANS ARE SOMETHING THAT HE'S SERIOUS

[02:35:05]

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO PHASE TWO WAS A LITTLE LESS CONGESTED AND FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD, WHAT YOU SEE IN 441 ORLEANS AND 448 ORLEANS, I THINK IS A PRETTY GOOD REPORT TO GIVE YOU, THEY WERE UNRESPONSIVE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. WE BEGAN THE FILING PROCESS, AND THEN PERMITS WERE PULLED. THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO SEE NOW, ACTUALLY MAKING THE REPAIRS IS ANOTHER THING, AND AS OF THIS MORNING, I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY REPAIRS MADE. BUT WHEN A CONTRACTOR PULLS PERMITS, WE CONSIDER THAT A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR ALL THESE ADDRESSES. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. PHASE THREE IS SIMILAR TO PHASE TWO IN TERMS OF NUMBERS, BUT ALSO HAS A FEW ADDRESSES THAT SHOULD BE POINTED OUT TO YOU FIRST. 336 ORLEANS WE WERE NOT ABLE TO FILE CHARGES BECAUSE WHEN WE WENT TO DO SO, WE LEARNED THAT THE CERTIFIED MAIL WAS NEVER DELIVERED NOR DELIVERED BACK TO US. IT WAS SIMPLY SITTING IN A LIMBO WITH THE USPS. SO WE'VE CAUGHT THAT NOW AND WE'RE WE'VE SENT NEW LETTERS TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE THEY ARE NOTIFIED APPROPRIATELY BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR PROCESS.

AND THEN NEXT, 846 LAUREL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE KEY PROVIDED AT THE TOP, YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING THAT WASN'T ON THE PREVIOUS TWO PHASES. WE'RE RUNNING INTO SOME COMPLICATIONS THERE WITH THIS ADDRESS, WHICH ALLOWED FOR A 90 DAY EXTENSION BEFORE WE FILED. HOWEVER, SINCE THEN, A CONTRACTOR HAS ALSO PULLED PERMITS TO GET STARTED ON REPAIRS, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

AS OF THIS MORNING, THOUGH, REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEGUN, BUT A PERMIT HAS BEEN PULLED FOR THAT ADDRESS. SO, GOOD REPORT. THERE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. NOW, I JUST RAN THROUGH A LOT. SO AT THIS TIME I'M HAPPY TO CIRCLE BACK TO ANY SPECIFIC ADDRESS OR ANY DETAILS THAT YOU ALL WANT TO COVER. COUNCILMAN TURNER, JUST CAN WE GET A COPY OF THE REPORT? OUTSIDE OF THAT, I THINK GOOD JOB ON THE UPDATE. YOU KNOW, YOU SAID IT WAS CLEARED, BUT I FOLLOWED YOU, AND I UNDERSTOOD.

WELL, SO GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. SIR THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU ALL. RIGHT.

[COUNCIL COMMENTS]

COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, NO COMMENT. COUNCILMAN PHIL SHAW, CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU. AND YOUR STAFF, THE CFO FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DID ON THE BUDGET. I KNOW IT'S CONVOLUTED WITH BOTH GENERAL AND ENTERPRISE. IT'S OVER 300 MILLION. WHEN I LOOK AT THE BUDGET, I GET A HEADACHE.

AND SO I CAN JUST IMAGINE WHAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE GONE THROUGH AND TRYING TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS. AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK, AGAIN, I'VE BEEN VERY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT WITH YOU ABOUT MY FEELINGS ABOUT THE BUDGET. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT APPROACH WHEN IT COMES TO IT. I'M MORE OF THAT SIMPLE APPROACH OF REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. CASH IN, CASH OUT AND TRYING TO BALANCE THAT. AND SO I JUST I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, I EXPRESSED THAT TO YOU BECAUSE I DID CAST A NO VOTE. BUT, YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE MY SUPPORT. YOU AND THE STAFF.

AND I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DO. IT'S JUST, THIS IS THAT ONE TIME WHERE WE AGREE TO DISAGREE AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE, AND PERHAPS THE DAY WHEN WE HAVE THAT WHAT I CALL A ZERO BUDGET, AND I KNOW YOU WANT THE SAME THING. I KNOW THAT YOU DESIRE THE SAME THING.

AND I'VE HEARD YOU, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, THOUGH, IN PRIVATE, OR WITH THE STAFF, MY CONCERN IS NOT SO MUCH. DO WE HAVE THE MONEY? MY CONCERN IS DEVELOPING A TREND. AND THAT TREND WORRIES ME. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. COUNCILMAN TURNER, MR. WILLIAMS AND STAFF, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU. WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE COUNCIL, I CONSISTENTLY ASKED FOR COMPENSATION AND SALARY STUDY. I WAS TOLD THAT WE HAD ONE, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE ONE TO THE MAGNITUDE THAT WE DO HAVE NOW. AND IN THAT STUDY, WE FOUND OUT WE HAD EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ON THE LOW END THAT WERE MAKING AROUND $7, $0.33, AND NOW WE'RE UP TO OUR MINIMUM WAGE BEING AROUND $15. SO THAT'S A HUGE JUMP. YOU KNOW, WITH THE ECONOMY AND WHAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW FOR THE PEOPLE AT THE TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, YOU KNOW, I WAS TOLD WE HAD TO HAVE A LOW MAN. BUT I

[02:40:01]

DEPARTMENT HEADS WERE FROM THE REPORT, BASICALLY ON THE HIGHER END OF SALARIES, SOME OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS ARE NO LONGER HERE. THEY WE ADJUST NEW SALARIES OR NEW DEPARTMENT HEADS COMING IN. OR DO WE KEEP IT AT THE NUMBER THAT WE WERE ORIGINALLY AT, OR WAS IT ADJUSTED A LITTLE BIT BASED UPON THE COMPENSATION AT THIS POINT? YOU KNOW, WE HAD SOME LONG TENURED PEOPLE. AND OF COURSE, SALARIES GET TO BE HIGHER WITH LONG TENURED PEOPLE. AND WE'VE HIRED SOME PEOPLE IN THOSE PLACES. AND NOT TO SAY THEY'RE DON'T HAVE THE VALUE OF THE PREVIOUS PEOPLE. WE HAVE A JUSTICE OF SALARY, SO WE DON'T HAVE ALL THOSE HIGH END SALARIES THAT WE HAD TWO YEARS AGO, THEY'VE BEEN ADJUSTED AND ADJUSTED TO MARKET, VALUATIONS AND NOT AS HIGH AS THOSE TOP ONES ARE NOT AS HIGH AS THEY USED TO BE. YEAH. AND I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT WE DID THE REPORT. WE'RE GOING FROM THE DATA ON THE REPORT. AND I JUST LIKE TO SEE THINGS AND CONTRACTS AND NEGOTIATIONS JUST GET GOING AND EVERYBODY TAKEN CARE OF. AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY. ANOTHER DAY, LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S LIKE MAKING SAUSAGE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU FIRST CAME AND YOU'VE BEEN IN SOME INTENSE SITUATIONS AND JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR, IN YOUR TENURE, AND YOU KNOW HOW YOU'RE DOING AND YOU JUST KIND OF MOVING THROUGH IT AND POLITICS, WE SIGNED UP TO BE IN SOME OF THESE TOUGH POSITIONS. AND I'VE LEARNED, YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY TOUGH. BUT YOU GOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THICK SKIN AND KEEP MOVING AND DO WHAT YOU WERE PUT HERE, WHICH IS THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN GAETZ. COUNCILMAN TURNER, THANK YOU. I WAS AT THE BEAUMONT MUNICIPAL TENNIS CENTER THIS PAST WEEKEND AND NOTICED A LOT OF ACTIVITY ON THE COVERED COURTS, AND IT'S BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING A BIG PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT, IT WAS A CHARITY EVENT. THEY BROUGHT IN PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN TO PARTICIPATE. THEY HAD FOOD TRUCK VENDORS THERE, LOTS OF MUSIC, LOTS OF FUN, LOTS OF ACTIVITY, IT CONVINCED ME THAT AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING THAT WE WERE HAVING THE NEXT MONDAY NIGHT, THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOMEBODY COME TALK TO THE GROUP ABOUT PICKLEBALL. SO WE HAD DOCTOR DAVID STOVALL, AN AVID PICKLEBALL PICKLEBALL ENTHUSIAST, COME AND ADDRESS THE GROUP, AND HE EXPLAINED TO US WHERE THE NAME PICKLEBALL COMES FROM. DOES ANYBODY HAPPEN TO KNOW? SO THE GUY THAT INVENTED PICKLEBALL FOR HIS CHILDREN UP NORTH, FOUND A WIFFLE BALL AND SOME PING PONG PADDLES AND WAS STARTING TO PLAY WITH IT. BUT, THEIR DOG NAMED PICKLE CAME AND TOOK THE BALL, AND IT BECAME PICKLEBALL. AND THAT'S WHERE THE NAME CAME FROM FOR PICKLEBALL. AT ANY RATE, WE ADJOURNED THE

[02:45:01]

ESPECIALLY FOR WHAT WE PAY FOR THE TICKETS. AND ALSO, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR MY EARLIER OUTBURST. SHOULD HAVE CONTROLLED IT BETTER THAN THAT, AS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE GO THROUGH SOMETIMES. BUT ONE THING, I'M NOT TAKING BACK ANYTHING THAT I SAID, BECAUSE EVERYTHING THAT I SAID HAPPENED. THAT'S THE TRUTH. I DON'T GET UP HERE AND LIE. I TELL THE TRUTH.

AND I JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE. I THINK THAT WAS KIND OF UNPROFESSIONAL. AND HOPEFULLY I'M NOT GOING TO PROMISE. BUT HOPEFULLY IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DARIO.

MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. YES, SIR. SO I DO WANT TO START BY FIRST CORRECTING SOME STATEMENTS.

THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE THAT THERE ARE 17 VACANCIES IN FIRE AT 12 OF THOSE VACANCIES ARE FROM THE 12 NEW POSITIONS THAT YOU GOT. COUNCIL VOTED TO ADD, IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR PLAN TO BY ATTRITION, ADD ADDITIONAL POSITIONS. SO 17 OF THOSE 12 ARE NEW POSITIONS THAT WERE NEWLY ADDED TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, WE ALSO HAVE A TEST COMING UP IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE 30 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO TAKE THAT TEST. SO, THERE IS BEEN SOME, SOME RECRUITMENT BEING DONE BY THE CITY AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FIRE ADMINISTRATION TO, TO GET ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS IN, ALSO, COUNCILMAN NEAL ASKED ME A QUESTION AS TO WHY WE COULDN'T DO NEGOTIATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, TODAY. WELL, THE FIRE NEGOTIATIONS ARE PUBLIC MEETINGS SIMILAR TO COUNCIL MEETINGS. SO THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A 72 HOUR POSTING. NOTICE, IN OCTOBER 8TH WAS THE FIRST AVAILABLE DATE FOR ALL THE PARTIES TO START, TO GET IT DONE, CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, IT DOESN'T. CONTRACTS AREN'T NEGOTIATED IN A DAY. THEY TAKE A WHILE. BOTH BECAUSE THEY.

EVEN THOUGH THE UNION IS THE, THE, THE PRIMARY BARGAINING UNIT FOR LOCAL 399, THEY ALSO HAVE TO BRING IT BACK TO THEIR MEMBERS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S GOING TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THEM. SO WHEN THEY MAKE A PROPOSAL, IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED AMONG THEIR MEMBERS. THEY PRESENT IT TO THE CITY, THE CITY TAKES THAT. WE WORK IT AMONGST OURSELVES AND STAFF. MAKE A COUNTER. THERE'S SEVERAL BACK AND FORTHS, ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC. ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS HAVE TO BE POSTED, STATE LAW GIVES US ABOUT 60 DAYS TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT, BEFORE WE REACH WHAT'S CALLED AN IMPASSE. SO HOPEFULLY THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, BUT THERE IS SOME CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO THAT THAT TYPICALLY JUST USING OUR LAST CONTRACT WITH POLICE, IT TOOK ABOUT 4 TO 5 MEETINGS BEFORE IT WAS IT WAS SETTLED AND THERE WAS SOME SOME GAPS IN BETWEEN THAT. SO THE AVERAGE NEGOTIATION TAKES AROUND A MONTH OR TWO, SO THAT BEING SAID, ALSO THERE WAS A CONVERSATION AS IT RELATES TO THE ORDINANCE PASSED ON THE GILBERT BUILDING. EVERY ONE OF THE ORDINANCES THAT THE CITY PASSES IS A LAW. AND IN SECTION FIVE OF THAT ORDINANCE, IT SAYS THAT ANY PERSON WHO VIOLATES ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE SHALL, UPON CONVICTION, BE PUNISHED AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 1.01.009 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCE OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. SO THE ORDINANCE DOES HAVE A PROVISION THAT'S AVAILABLE BOTH TO STAFF AND TO COUNSEL. SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO GO THAT ROUTE. AND THAT'S ALL THE BUSINESS I HAVE.

I DO WANT TO CONGRATULATE OUR EVENT FACILITY STAFF ON VIVA FEST. IT WAS AN AMAZING EVENT.

THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY. I LOVE THE LITTLE THE LITTLE GIRL DANCERS AND THEY EVEN HAD, MEXICAN WRESTLING. TACOS AND BEER AND MARGARITAS. SO IT WAS A VERY WELL PLANNED EVENT. IT WAS, REALLY FUN. SO HATS OFF TO, DIRECTOR EMILY AND HER STAFF ON A GREAT EVENT.

THANK YOU. PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGE. BOONE. YES. JUST LIKE TO ECHO THOSE COMMENTS. CONGRATULATIONS TO EMILY AND HER STAFF AT EVENTS FACILITIES. GREAT EVENT AND TO ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WHO MADE THAT POSSIBLE. CITY MANAGER ELLIS. YES, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT ON THE BEAUMONT BOTANICAL GARDENS TODAY. MISS BEADLE AND MISS CRUTCHFIELD GAVE

[02:50:05]

JUST WANTED TO THANK STAFF FOR PREPARATION OF THAT GRANT APPLICATION THAT YOU ALL PASSED TODAY. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. ALSO, THANKS TO BO AND THE BUILDING OFFICIAL AND ALSO SUPPORTIVE STAFF ON THE CODE SWEEP. THEY'RE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY ON THIS, AND YOU'LL EXPECT US TO COME BACK OCTOBER 29TH WITH THE NEXT UPDATE. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO THANK FINANCE FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK ON OUR BUDGET, YOU GUYS WORKED REALLY HARD AND YOU DO A GREAT JOB. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. MR. CITY MAYOR. THANK YOU, MAYOR, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE OF STOPPING BY THE TENNIS TOURNAMENT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S CALLED, MIKE. I FORGET THE NAME. YEAH, AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT. SPENT SOME TIME OUT THERE AND GOT TO WATCH THE PLAYERS PLAY AND GOT TO WATCH. COUNCIL MEMBER GOETZ PLAY. DOES PRETTY GOOD FOR AN OLD GUY. I PROBABLY I CAN'T BEAT HIM WITH MY KNEE RIGHT NOW, BUT HE DOES GOOD. BUT I REALLY ENJOYED IT AND IT WAS GOOD FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. WE HAD PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER OUT THERE, AND SO IT WAS A PLEASURE TO WATCH THAT AND ALSO THE VIVA FEST. I ENJOYED THAT THIS WEEKEND, TWO THINGS BUDGET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. I KNOW THIS WAS A ROUGH YEAR. ROUGH DOCUMENT, I WILL JUST GIVE YOU MY WORD AND STAFF'S WORD THAT WE WILL CLOSELY MONITOR THIS DOCUMENT THIS YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOOD AND THINGS ARE CORRECT, YOU KNOW, THINGS WERE ROUGH. SO WE WILL CLOSELY MONITOR IT. AND THEN NEXT YEAR, WE WON'T. WE WILL NOT HAVE THESE TYPE PROBLEMS, I ASSURE YOU. BUT I THANK STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK.

I KNOW IT WAS A CHALLENGE. TREMENDOUS CHALLENGE FOR CHERYL AND HER STAFF. BUT, WE'VE GOT TO DO BETTER AND WE WILL DO BETTER ON THAT BUDGET THIS NEXT YEAR. AND LASTLY, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADDRESS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE GETTING READY TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. OUR FIRE PEOPLE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US. ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO US.

THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB OF TAKING CARE OF THE NEEDS OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN BEAUMONT, AND THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE BUDGETS THAT ARE HERE. SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT WORK GOING TO MAKE SURE WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM TO GET THINGS DONE. AND ME AS A NEGOTIATOR AND US, WE WANT TO TAKE THE IDEALS AND THE GOALS OF CITY COUNCIL AND SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S A WIN WIN SITUATION FOR ALL OF US HERE IN BEAUMONT. WE'RE WE'RE EAGER TO SIT DOWN. WE'RE EAGER TO GET IT DONE. YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SO WE'RE JUST EXCITED.

AND I JUST WANT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO KNOW THAT THE CITY IS EAGER TO WORK WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PEOPLE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT TO GET A CONTRACT DONE WITH THEM. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. YES. AND I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF AND CERTAINLY EVERYBODY THAT STAYED HERE, WHICH IS MOST OUR CITY EMPLOYEES AT THIS POINT. BUT FOR THIS MEETING AND CERTAINLY THANK ALL OF OUR COUNCIL PEOPLE FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND THEIR REVIEW OF THIS BUDGET PROCESS, AND AS NOT TO GO OVER, BUT YOU KNOW, IT WAS A MESSY PROCESS, BUT IT WAS A NEW SYSTEM AND NEW PEOPLE. AND I THINK, I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS. AND WE DO GET FINANCIALS EVERY MONTH, AS WELL AS COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REVIEW EACH DEPARTMENT AND STAY ON TOP OF I, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I REALIZE THAT WHEN WE DO DIP INTO OUR GENERAL FUND AS OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT, THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT OF, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY LIKES DOING THAT. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY FROM MANAGEMENT LIKES TO DO THAT. BUT AS A CITY, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE AND I SAID IN THE PAST, CITIES DON'T RETIRE, THEY DIE OR GROW. AND SO WE HAVE TO MANAGE OUR RESOURCES AND WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR MANAGERS, WHICH I DO, WE TRUST THEM AND WE MOVE THROUGH ON THAT PROCESS AND WE CONTINUE TO ADAPT, BUDGETS AS WE NEED TO, TO, TO MEET THAT.

[02:55:03]

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]