Oct 15, 2024 City Council

[00:00:07]

DATES. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH, 2024. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY CHAPLAIN AT CHRISTUS SAINT ELIZABETH HOSPITAL. REVEREND DAN TATUM. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES. AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

GOOD AFTERNOON. I WILL BE PRAYING FOR MY OWN CHRISTIAN TRADITION, BUT I HOPE THAT YOUR HEART MAY JOIN ME WITHIN YOUR OWN FAITH IN THE HOPES OF OUR FOR THIS MEETING. SO AS OUR HEARTS ARE DRAWN TO THIS MEETIN, PLEASE PAUSE BRIEFLY AS WE OFFER OUR INVOCATION. LET US PRAY.

GREAT GOD OF HEAVEN, YOU HAVE GIVEN US EACH OTHER TO LIVE IN COMMUNION WITH ONE ANOTHER. THIS COMMUNION IS A GIFT, AND IT IS ALSO A CHALLENGE FOR US TO BE BETTER THAN OUR OWN ISOLATED PERSPECTIVES. FOR IN THIS GIFT WE ENCOUNTER PERSONS THAT THROUGH YOUR SPIRIT AND ONGOING CREATION, ENABLE US TO GROW INTO THE BEINGS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE US BECOME. AS A COMMUNITY, WE ARE ALSO MADE INCREASINGLY WHOLE WHEN WE MAY EMBRACE, LISTEN AND LEARN FROM ALL WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. AND IN SO DOING, WE CAN FORGE A GREATER COMMUNION ACROSS OUR CITY. INDEED, WE ARE AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITIES AND ALSO THE CHALLENGES FOR OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE AWARE OF THE STAKES OF TENDING OUR COMMUNITY HERE AS WELL. KNOWING THAT OUR COMMUNITY, LIKE OTHERS, EMBRACES A GREAT MANY PEOPLES PERSPECTIVES AND COMMITMENTS AS WE GATHER TO MAKE DECISIONS, WEIGH PERSPECTIVES AND CARE FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR HEART TO CARE FOR ALL AND RISE ABOVE WHAT MAY SOMETIMES BE TEMPTING PARTIZAN PERSPECTIVES. HELP US AS A COMMUNITY TO BE WHOLE, TO BE PEACEFUL, AND TO EMBRACE THE GIFT OF OUR DIVERSE PEOPLES. SO WITH THESE THINGS ON OUR HEARTS, WE ASK YOUR BLESSING ON THIS AFTERNOON'S DELIBERATIONS.

ENABLE US TO SPEAK WITH HONESTY, SINCERITY AND CHARITY AS WE WORK TOGETHER TO FORGE A BETTER COMMUNITY AND CITY HERE IN BEAUMONT IN PARTICULAR. GUIDE THESE LEADERS AND HONOR THEIR EFFORTS AND SACRIFICE THAT THEY MAY LEAD US WELL INTO A HEALTHY, SAFE AND WHOLE COMMUNITY LIFE IN YOUR HEAVENLY NAME. AMEN. AMEN. PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE. KINGSHIP. ONE NATION UNDER.

JUSTICE FOR ALL. HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR WEST, PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM NEILL, PRESENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER. DARIO. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. GOETZ. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. TURNER HERE.

COUNCIL MEMBER. SHAW. PRESENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER. SAMUEL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. TODAY WE

[PROCLAMATIONS]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OKAY. THANK YOU. TAYLOR, HOW YOU DOING? YOU READY? YEAH. THANK. YOU. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET A PICTURE. GENTLEMEN. OKAY. LET'S SMILE ON 3 IN 1, TWO, THREE. PERFECT. THANK YOU.

GOOD TO SAY A FEW WORDS HERE. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR HELPING US TO OBSERVE WHITE CANE

[00:05:04]

ALL RIGHT. LET ME SCOOCH THIS THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT. RIGHT THERE. OKAY. IN ONE, TWO, THREE.

PERFECT. THANKS. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS TINA SIMPSON, AND I'M THE UNIT DIRECTOR OF PEER SERVICES AT SPINDLETOP. AND ON BEHALF OF SPINDLETOP, WE WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING OUR GLOBAL PEER DAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING NEXT THURSDAY. PEER SUPPORT IS A IT'S A THING WHERE PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH EITHER MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE DIAGNOSES. WE ARE THE PEOPLE WITH THE LIVED EXPERIENCE, AND WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO DO IS WE'RE WANTING TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT HEALING IS POSSIBLE AND THAT DELIVERANCE IS POSSIBLE. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY OUT TO 2750 SOUTH EIGHTH STREET. THURSDAY FROM 11 TO 2:00. AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 13TH THROUGH THE 19TH, 2024 AS INTERNATIONAL INFECTION PREVENTION WEEK. ACCEPTING WILL BE I'LL START WITH HOLLY ENGLISH WITH PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THEN LISA JOHNSON, THE REGIONAL QUALITY DIRECTOR. MARY GOODWIN, THE QUALITY DIRECTOR. CRYSTAL GOOD, THE CHIEF NURSING OFFICER. LAUREN DOCTOR LAUREN JACOBY, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER RICHARD ROCHETTE, RACHEL HENLEY, INFECTION PREVENTIONIST AND CARRIE SINGLETON, INFECTION PREVENTION LEAD. AND MAYBE NOT EVERYBODY'S HERE, BUT YEAH, SAVING LIVES. THAT'S. RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU.

I'LL MAKE SURE. YOU. ALL RIGHT. OH GO AHEAD DEAR. FIVE. OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. STAY THERE FOR ME, PLEASE. OKAY. THREE. TWO. ONE. YOU WANT TO DO A HIGH FIVE? ALL RIGHT.

EVERYBODY PUT YOUR HANDS UP. PERFECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR WEST AND CITY COUNCIL FOR THIS HONOR. THE 2024 INFECTION PREVENTION WEEK IS FROM OCTOBER THROUGH THE 19TH. AS MENTIONED,

[00:10:05]

MORE THAN 1 MILLION HAIS OCCUR ACROSS THE US EVERY YEAR, ACCORDING TO THE CDC. ONE OUT OF 31 HOSPITAL PATIENTS IN THE US HAS AN HAI, MEANING THAT APPROXIMATELY 650,000 PATIENTS CONTRACT ONE OF THESE INFECTIONS ANNUALLY. THESE INFECTIONS COULD LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY, WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DEATHS PER YEAR. HIGHS ARE ESTIMATED TO COST BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY. SUCH INFECTIONS WERE LONG ACCEPTED BY CLINICIANS AS INEVITABLE HAZARDS OF HOSPITALIZATION AND PATIENT CAR. HOWEVER, IT IS NOW UNDERSTOOD THAT RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD APPROACHES CAN PREVENT MANY OF THESE HOSPITALS ARE PRIORITIZING EFFORTS TO REDUCE THE BURDENS OF THESE INFECTIONS. HAND HYGIENE REMAINS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRACTICE FOR PREVENTING HAIS. APPROPRIATE HAND HYGIENE PREVENTS UP TO 50% OF AVOIDABLE INFECTIONS ACQUIRED DURING HEALTH CARE DELIVERY, INCLUDING THOSE THAT BOTH AFFECT THE HEALTH CARE WORKER AND THE PATIENT'S AWARENESS OF HAND HYGIENE IS IMPORTANT AS A KEY STRATEGY IN PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL FOCUS IN REDUCING THESE. THIS IS THIS YEAR'S THEME MOVING THE NEEDLE ON INFECTION PREVENTION IS MEANT TO INSPIRE INFECTION PREVENTIONISTS TO SECURE INFECTION PREVENTION RESOURCES ARE DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY IN ALL HEALTH CARE SETTINGS. ESTABLISH PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS PLANS THAT ADDRESS UNIQUE NEEDS AND IMPLEMENT INFECTION PREVENTION PRACTICES CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE CARE CONTINUUM TO ENSURE HEALTH EQUITY FOR ALL PATIENTS.

I CLOSE WITH THIS GENTLE REMINDERS FROM US, FROM FROM THOSE AROUND US ARE IMPORTANT AND STATED IN LUKE 1137 THROUGH 41. EVEN JESUS HAD TO BE REMINDED OF TO PERFORM HAND HYGIENE. AFTER JESUS HAD SPOKEN, A PHARISEE INVITED HIM TO DINE AT HIS HOME. HE ENTERED AND RECLINED AT THE TABLE TO EAT. THE PHARISEE WAS AMAZED TO SEE THAT HE DID NOT OBSERVE THE PRESCRIBED WASHING BEFORE THE MEAL. THE LORD SAID TO HIM, OH, YOU PHARISEES, ALTHOUGH YOU CLEANSE THE OUTSIDE OF THE CUP, AND THE DISH INSIDE YOU ARE FILLED WITH PLUNDER AND EVIL.

YOU FOOLS! DID YOU NOT MAKE? DID NOT THE MAKER OF THE OUTSIDE ALSO MAKE THE INSIDE? BUT AS WITH BUT AS TO WHAT IS WITHIN. GIVE ALMS AND BEHOLD, EVERYTHING WILL BE CLEAN FOR YOU. THANKS TO YOU AGAIN AND ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE JOIN ME IN MY ASSOCIATES FROM CHRISTUS HEALTH, SOUTHEAST TEXAS AS WE PROCLAIM THIS WEEK AS INFECTION PREVENTION WEEK. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE A

[PRESENTATIONS]

THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CITIES THAT IMPLEMENT STRICT SCENIC STANDARDS AND CORRELATE THE VISUAL APPEARANCE OF PUBLIC SPACES WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. BEAUMONT'S RECENT ADDITION OF HUNDREDS OF TREES AND OTHER BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS HAVE MOVED THE CITY TO SILVER, WITH A GOAL OF ACHIEVING GOLD STATUS BY 2025. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PARKS AND GREEN SPACES DEPARTMENT. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT WANTS YOUR INPUT IN DETERMINING HOW WE USE THE FUNDS WE GET FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. THERE'S A QUICK SURVEY ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE ASSESSING COMMUNITY NEEDS AND FAIR HOUSING ISSUES IN BEAUMONT. YOUR INPUT WILL HELP US PRIORITIZE HOW WE SPEND APPROXIMATELY $1.4 MILLION IN ANNUAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS, AND 575,000 IN ANNUAL HOME FUNDING TO TAKE THE SURVEY, GO TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT WEBSITE AND SEARCH COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT. MUSEUM MADNESS STARTS THIS THURSDAY AND RUNS THROUGH THE WEEKEND. YOU'LL HAVE OVER 20 CHANCES TO VISIT OUR LOCAL MUSEUMS AND PARTICIPATE IN SPOOKY ACTIVITIES. MOST OF THE EVENTS ARE FREE TO ATTEND. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A CEMETERY TOUR, PUMPKIN SCAVENGER HUNT, SPOOKY THEMED CRAFTS, DINOSAUR DAY, LIVE MUSIC, AND OUTDOOR MOVIES. CHECK OUT THE BEAUMONT BEAUMONT, TEXAS.GOV/MUSEUM MADNESS FOR A FULL LIST OF EVENTS. YOU STILL HAVE SEVERAL CHANCES TO SEE THIS MONTH'S SPOOKY MOVIE LINEUP AT THE JEFFERSON THEATER, INCLUDING A DOUBLE FEATURE OF HALLOWEEN ON OCTOBER 31ST. HANG ON TO YOUR POPCORN DURING THIS UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE FILLED WITH BONE CHILLING FUN. CHECK

[00:15:03]

THE BEAUMONT RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS HOSTING ITS ANNUAL HAUNTED HOUSE ON HALLOWEEN DAY, OCTOBER 31ST, FROM 6 TO 9 P.M. AT THE STERLING PRUITT ACTIVITY CENTER. COME DRESSED UP AND PREPARED TO BE SPOOKED. AND FINALLY, MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR BEAUMONT'S ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY EVENT. IT'S COMING UP THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST FROM 11 A.M. TO 1 P.M. AT THE BEAUMONT CIVIC CENTER. IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG CITY WIDE PEP RALLY FILLED WITH MUSIC, FOOD, FUN, AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE THINGS WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER AS A CITY OVER THE PAST YEAR, AND THE BIG PLANS IN STORE FOR THE YEAR TO COME. CHECK OUT BEAUMONT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WEBSITE TO SNAG YOUR TICKETS. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS IT. AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY TXDOT ON THE STATUS OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF BEAUMON. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE IF I CAN GET MY SCREEN TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL. THERE YOU GO. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT, SO I'M RICHARD BRADLEY. I AM THE ASSISTANT AREA ENGINEER FROM THE BEAUMONT DISTRICTS BEAUMONT OFFICE. DAVE COLLINS, THE AREA ENGINEER. HE DOES SEND HIS REGARDS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, HE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE THIS MEETING. BUT I'LL BE COVERING ALL OF THE ACTIVE AND FUTURE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE IN THE BEAUMONT AREA. LET'S SEE IF I CAN ALSO GET THE MOUSE TO. AWESOME. YEP.

SO STARTING HERE AT THE TOP OF THE COUNTY WITH THE RED PROJECTS, THE RED PROJECTS, OR THE RED LINES ARE ALL OF OUR ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THIS ONE RIGHT HERE I'M ZOOMING IN ON. THIS IS THE PROJECT ON 69 RIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF PARKDALE MALL. WHAT WE DID HERE IS WE WIDENED THE HIGHWAY FROM FOUR LANES TO SIX LANES. THIS PROJECT IS NEARING COMPLETION RIGHT NOW.

THEY'VE FINISHED PRETTY MUCH ALL THE FINAL ASPHALT SURFACE, EXCEPT FOR A LITTLE BIT HEADING SOUTHBOUND ON THE SHOULDER, AS WELL AS A FEW OF THE RAMPS. RIGHT NOW THERE'S STRIPING. WHAT THEY HAVE, THEY PROJECT THAT THEY'LL BE FINISHED WITH THE STRIPING BY THE TIME THEY FINISH WITH THE ASPHALT, WHICH IS IN ABOUT 2 TO 3 WEEKS FROM NOW, WHICH IS PRETTY GOOD. ALL IN ALL, WE SHOULD HAVE THIS PROJECT WRAPPED UP AND AT LEAST IN FINAL CLOSEOUT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. OKAY, SO I'LL ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT MORE RIGHT HERE. WE HAVE THE EASTEX PROJECT. THIS PROJECT KICKED OFF BACK IN MAY. IT WENT TO LETTING BACK IN MAY. HOWEVER, THERE HASN'T BEEN TOO MUCH IN THE WAY OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON JUST YET. THERE WAS A DELAY BUILT INTO THE CONTRACT TO ALLOW THE CONTRACTOR TO ACQUIRE FABRICATED MATERIALS PRIOR TO THEM ACTUALLY BREAKING GROUND.

BUT WE WILL SEE THEM START TO BREAK GROUND BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. WHEN THOSE MATERIALS START TO COME IN AND WE'LL SEE THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION TAKE PLACE RIGHT HERE ALONG THIS SECTION OF FRONTAGE ROAD OUT BY THE ACURA DEALERSHIP. WHEN THEY START THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THAT SECTION OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD. THAT'S THE INITIAL PHASES OF THE PROJECT. ALL RIGHT. SO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SOUTH, THE CARDINAL DRIVE PROJECT, THIS SPAGHETTI OF RED LINES RIGHT HERE. THERE'S A GOOD BIT HAPPENING ON THIS PROJECT RIGHT NOW. THREE MAIN POINTS. FIRST OFF I'LL COVER WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT HERE. SO FROM 69 NORTH OVER TO I-10 WEST THAT'D BE THIS CONNECTOR RIGHT HERE. THE CONTRACTOR IS POURING FOOTINGS FOR NEW BENTS FOR THE NEW DIRECT CONNECTOR THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTING LATER IN THE PROJECT. ALSO RIGHT HERE, ACTUALLY ON 69 ON THE FRONTAGE ROAD, ACTUALLY, THE NORTHBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD OVER THE BNSF RAILROAD. THEY'RE ALSO ERECTING COLUMNS SO THAT WHEN THEY ACTUALLY CONSTRUCT THE BRIDGE FOR THE FRONTAGE ROAD RIGHT HERE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE THE COLUMNS IN ORDER TO NOT GET RID OF THESE U-TURNS, BUT PREVENT YOU FROM NEEDING TO GET ONTO THE FRONT, ONTO THE MAIN LANES IN ORDER TO CROSS THE RAILROAD. AND FINALLY, THE MAJOR IMPACT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON RIGHT HERE ON THIS PROJECT IS ON THE 25TH, WHICH I BELIEVE IS NEXT FRIDAY. WE'RE GOING TO BE SHUTTING DOWN THIS U-TURN RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF PODS. THIS IS PODS WAREHOUSE, RIGHT HERE. SORRY, I'M A LITTLE JUMPY TINSELTOWN, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS MAIN EVENT, SO WE'RE SHUTTING DOWN THIS U-TURN FOR ABOUT A YEAR, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE SHUTTING DOWN THIS U-TURN SO THAT WE CAN. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME DEMOLITION OF THE MAIN LANES IN ADVANCE OF THEM ACTUALLY RECONSTRUCTING THE MAIN

[00:20:03]

THEY'RE PROJECTING ON FINISHING THIS UP BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. SO ACTUALLY, AT THE RATE THAT THEY'RE MOVING, IT SHOULD BE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT SOONER THAN THAT. WHICH IS WHICH IS A GOOD THING. WE'LL GET THIS OPENED UP IN NO TIME, THANKFULLY. AND THE GOAL IS ONCE THEY FINISH UP WITH SMITH ROAD, THEY'LL MOVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WEST RIGHT HERE TO BOYD ROAD, THE BOIT ROAD OVERPASS. WE'RE GOING TO BE DROPPING THIS BRIDGE SHORTLY AND ESSENTIALLY DOING THE SAME THING THAT WE DID AT SMITH ROAD. WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING I-10 OVER BOYD IN THE AREA. ALL IN ALL, THIS PROJECT HAS ABOUT 18 TO 24 MONTHS LEFT. STILL IN THE CONTRACT IF I IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. SO IT'S STILL A LITTLE BIT WAYS OUT, BUT WE'RE WE'RE GETTING IT WRAPPED UP PRETTY QUICKLY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN I'LL MOVE OVER HERE. THIS RED LINE IS FM 365. THIS PROJECT WENT FROM 1406 ALL THE WAY TO I-10. WHAT WE DID HERE WAS WE ADDED FOUR FOOT OF A PAVED SHOULDERS, AND WE PUT ON A NEW RIDING SURFACE AS WELL. THIS PROJECT IS, I WANT TO SAY, 99, 98% COMPLETE ALREADY. THEY FINISHED UP. I BELIEVE THE LAST DRIVEWAY WAS THE MIDDLE OF LAST WEEK, AND RIGHT NOW THEY'RE JUST WORKING ON REFURBISHING SOME OF THE SIGNS WE HAVE OUT THERE, UPGRADING SOME OF THE SIGNS, ROAD SIGNS WE HAVE OUT THERE. BUT I BELIEVE ONCE THEY FINISH THAT UP, WE'LL START THE CLOSEOUT PROCESS ON THIS PROJECT AS WELL. SO IN THE NEXT UPDATE, THIS WILL BE ANOTHER LINE THAT'S THAT'S OFF THE CHART. THIS LITTLE RED LINE RIGHT HERE. THIS IS THE SH 124 BRIDGE OVER TAYLOR'S BAYOU. THEY SET THE TEMPORARY BRIDGE FOR THIS PROJECT IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST MONTH. AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY BEGUN THE DEMO OF THE MAIN LANE BRIDGE OVER 124. SO THERE'S STILL ABOUT THERE'S STILL A GOOD WAYS TO GO BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE TO RECONSTRUCT THE NEW BRIDGE AS WELL AS FINISH THE DEMO OF THIS BRIDGE. I BELIEVE THERE'S ABOUT A YEAR LEFT BEFORE WE BEFORE WE SEE THE NEW THE NEW BRIDGE FINALIZED HERE. AND JUST KEEPING IT LOCAL. I'LL SCOOT OVER HERE BACK INTO TOWN WITH OUR TWO FAVORITE PROJECTS. THE FRONTAGE ROADS OUT HERE BY LAMAR ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE, WE HAVE THIS PROJECT IS ACTUALLY THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN MOVING PRETTY GOOD ON THIS PROJECT. I WOULD ESTIMATE I HAVEN'T CHECKED THEIR SCHEDULE IN A LITTLE WHILE. I APOLOGIZE, BUT I WOULD ESTIMATE THEY HAVE ABOUT 4 TO 6 MONTHS UNTIL THEY FINISH UP WITH THE NORTHBOUND SIDE. SOMETHING TO NOTE HERE THOUGH, IS ON THIS ENTRANCE RAMP RIGHT HERE BETWEEN AVENUE A AND HIGHLAND. THIS RAMP IS GOING TO BE DOWN FOR ABOUT 30 DAYS WHILE THEY WHILE THEY RECONSTRUCT THE PAVEMENT IN THE RAMP RIGHT HERE AND ON THE SOUTHBOUND SIDE. THIS PROJECT STILL HAS A GOOD LITTLE BIT OF WAYS TO GO. I BELIEVE THEY'RE GOING TO BE FINISHING UP NEXT SUMMER, BUT IT'S STILL FAIRLY BUSINESS AS USUAL. TEARING OUT THE OLD CONCRETE AND THEN INPUTTING THAT NEW 13 INCH CRCP. I BELIEVE THEY'RE WORKING OUT NEAR SPUR 380 RIGHT JUST NOW. AS FAR AS FOR THE BEAUMONT AREA, THAT'S ALL OF OUR ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, RIGHT? JUST NOW. AS FAR AS WHAT'S UPCOMING, THIS FISCAL YEAR. WE ARE IN FISCAL YEAR 25, SO THAT IS COVERED UNDER THE BLUE LINES THAT I HAVE. THERE'S THREE BLUE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY. I'LL START AGAIN AT THE TOP. THE TOP OF THE COUNTY RIGHT HERE ON 69 BETWEEN TRAM ROAD TO THE LUMBERTON. WHY WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING EXACTLY WHAT WE DID DOWN HERE IN FRONT OF PARKDALE, WHERE WE'RE WIDENING IT FROM A FOUR LANE FACILITY TO A SIX LANE FACILITY, AS WELL AS REPLACING ALL OF THE OVERPASS BRIDGES, AS WELL AS THE BRIDGE OVER PINE ISLAND BAYOU. THIS PROJECT GOES TO LET NEXT

[00:25:06]

OKAY. AND THEN THE FINAL PROJECT WE HAVE COMING UP IN THIS FISCAL YEAR, JUST DOWN HERE, THE FRONTAGE ROADS OFF THE SIDE OF I-10, OUT NEAR HAMPSHIRE ROAD. IF YOU'VE EVER DRIVEN DOWN THIS WAY, THE FRONTAGE ROAD IS ACTUALLY IN FAIRLY BAD SHAPE. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME SOME PRETTY GOOD REHAB WORK TO HELP TO HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA. AND THEN JUST A QUICK STINT ON WHAT WE HAVE COMING UP A BIT LATER ON FISCAL YEAR 26 AND 27, RIGHT HERE ON US 90, ALL THE WAY FROM THE COUNTY LINE TO MAJOR, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS WE'RE PROPOSING ADDING NEW SIGNALS AT KEITH ROAD AND TODD ROAD. WE'RE GOING TO BE CLOSING SOME OF THE CROSSOVERS SINCE THE CROSSOVERS ARE TYPICALLY HOTSPOTS FOR ACCIDENT SITES, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE RESURFACING THE ROAD, ADDING PAVED SHOULDERS. AND I BELIEVE WE'RE ALSO ADDING SOME POSITIVE BARRIER. SO IT'S REALLY IT'S GOING TO BE A MAJOR PROJECT. AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SLATED FOR FISCAL YEAR 26. ALL RIGHT. SO DOWN HERE THIS IS A 124 PROJECT RUNS THROUGH CHEEK ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FANNETT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A RESURFACING PROJECT. BE EXTENDING THE LIFE OF THE ROAD AND JUST PROVIDING BETTER, BETTER RIDING COMFORT. AND RIGHT HERE I'LL ZOOM IN ONE MORE TIME. IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SEE BECAUSE IT'S COVERED UP BY MULTIPLE COLORS, BUT IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY ABOUT RIGHT HERE, WHERE THE TIP OF MY POINTER IS CONTINUING DOWN ALL THE WAY TO 347 DOWN HERE ON 69 MAIN LANES, WE'RE ONCE AGAIN GOING TO BE WIDENING THE HIGHWAY FROM FOUR LANES TO SIX LANES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. AND I BELIEVE WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE REPLACING ALL OF THESE BRIDGES OR ALL OF THE OVERPASSES. THIS PROJECT IS SLATED FOR FISCAL YEAR 27. IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, BUT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO GET THAT PUSHED UP PRETTY QUICKLY. I BELIEVE WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THE PLAN SET FOR THAT, AND I SEE I STILL HAVE LEFT ONE OFF OF MY MAP, SO ON COLLEGE STREET THROUGH TOWN BETWEEN PINCHBACK ALL THE WAY TO I-10, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DOING A PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS, CROSS STATIONS ALL ALONG COLLEGE STREET IN THE AREA TO HELP PREVENT ANY KIND OF OR TO HELP AID IN PEDESTRIAN, PEDESTRIAN MOVEMENTS. RIGHT. BUT THAT'S IN A NUTSHELL. THAT'S ALL THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE BEAUMONT AREA.

YES, THE PROJECT ON COLLEGE HE JUST MENTIONED PUTTING ON SIDEWALKS. IS THAT ON BOTH SIDES OF COLLEGE OR ONE SIDE OF COLLEGE THAT IS ON ONE SIDE OF COLLEGE, IT IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF COLLEGE. THE SIDE WITH THE. IT'LL RUN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX. OKAY.

THANK YOU. YES. FIRST AND FOREMOST, MR. MANAGER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, THESE PRESENTATIONS CONSISTENTLY THIS IS SOMETHING GOOD THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN SEE ON THE PROGRESS OF TEX-DOT. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT DOING THIS. BUT I DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.

ALL RIGHT. YES. SO MY FIRST QUESTION WAS LAST TIME WE RECEIVED A PRESENTATION, THIS COUNCIL WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE DRAINAGE OVER THERE IN FRONT OF THE CAR DEALERSHIP, CAR DEALERSHIPS. DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON WILL IT, WILL IT BE ADDRESSED, OR IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO? BECAUSE WHEN IT'S HEAVY RAIN, THAT WHOLE AREA PRETTY MUCH FLOODS AND YOU HAVE NO ACCESS, NOT EVEN A STORM. SO LAST TIME WE ASKED AND I WAS HOPING THAT WE WOULD CAN GET SOME FEEDBACK WITH, YOU KNOW, A RESPONSE ON THIS TIME. YES. I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING DEFINITIVE TO SAY ON THAT RIGHT NOW. RIGHT JUST NOW. OTHER THAN IT IS STILL UNDER CONSIDERATION. I BELIEVE THAT DAVE HAS INITIATED THE DRAINAGE STUDY FOR THE AREA, BUT HE WOULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, ON THAT LOCATION, THE NEXT PRESENTATION IF POSSIBLE. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF WE CAN KNOW, BECAUSE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN ASKING, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM A PROPER UPDATE.

YES. THE NEXT THING IS, DUE TO THE DELAYS IN FRONT OF THE ACURA DEALERSHIP AREA THAT YOU TOLD US

[00:30:02]

IS IT IS IT MAJOR? AM I CORRECT? WALDEN? WALDEN. THE WALDEN EXIT. I GET QUITE A FEW CALLS LIKE YOU GOING TOWARDS THAT MAIN EVENT. HOLIDAY INN PAPPADEAUX AREA. YOU KNOW, SOME PRETTY ROUGH SPOTS COMING OFF OF THAT EXIT. OKAY. I DON'T BELIEVE MY OFFICE HAS RECEIVED ANY PHONE CALLS TO THAT JUST YET, BUT I'LL DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT WHEN I GET BACK TO THE OFFICE TODAY. OKAY.

AND OUR LAST ONE IS RFP IN 105. I KNOW WE WERE WORKING ON A TRAFFIC STUDY A WHILE AGO WITH GUYS WITH CITIZENS COMING OUT OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. WOULD IT BE IN A STOPLIGHT? I JUST WANT YOU JUST TO LOOK INTO IT AND JUST LET US KNOW SOMETHING. YES, I'LL DISCUSS WITH MY TRAFFIC ENGINEER AND I'LL SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SURE.

COUNCILMAN DARIO. YES? COULD YOU ADDRESS FOR THE CITIZENS? I DIDN'T HEAR YOU MENTION THE NEW EXIT RAMP ON THE WASHINGTON BOULEVARD. INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO ALL THE WAY AROUND, YOU KNOW.

YES, YES. THE NEW FRONTAGE ROADS. YES. YEAH. THAT'S GOING TO GO OVER THE FRONTAGE ROAD WILL GO OVER THAT CANAL AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO EXIT ON WASHINGTON BOULEVARD INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO AROUND AND MAKE A U-TURN TO GET TO WASHINGTON. CORRECT. SO FOR THE ENTIRE, FOR THE ENTIRE INTERCHANGE THAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS AT ANY POINT WHERE YOU NEED TO GET ONTO THE MAIN LANES IN ORDER TO GET ACROSS A NATURAL OBSTACLE, WE WILL HAVE BRIDGES IN ORDER TO SPAN THAT STRUCTURE. SO BE IT. THE CANAL HERE OR BE IT THE RAILROAD RIGHT HERE. THE FRONTAGE ROADS WILL BE CONTINUOUS IN THIS AREA. YEAH. AWESOME. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUC.

APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. VERY THOROUGH. AND LASTLY WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY LOCKWOOD ANDREW ANDREWS AND NEWMAN, INC. PHASE THREE ASSESSMENT OF THE CITY SEWER COLLECTION SYSTEM. MAYOR COUNCIL. MR. CITY MANAGER. STAFF AND CITIZENS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WANTED TO START OFF BY INTRODUCING MYSELF AND CHARLES. I'M RUSS FORD WITH LOCKWOOD. ANDREWS NEWNAM SENIOR, SENIOR ASSOCIATE. CHARLES SHUMATE HAS BEEN OUR CHIEF MODELER ON THIS PROJECT. AND AS FAR AS TECHNICAL QUESTIONS AND THROUGH PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO, I COULD ANSWER A NUMBER OF THEM. I BROUGHT THIS REALLY SMART GUY WITH ME TODAY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MODEL MAYOR. WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY, THE REAL BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF THIS PROGRAM. WE STARTED IT OUT AS BEING A THREE YEAR PROGRAM. IT'S NOW TURNED INTO TO A SEVEN YEAR PROGRAM, BUT WE'RE COMPLETED. WHAT YOU'VE GOT IS A CALIBRATED WORKING MODEL OF YOUR WASTEWATER SYSTEM, WHICH IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO STAFF FROM THE STANDPOINT THAT ANY CIP PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP, ANY AREAS THAT THEY HAVE PROBLEMS I, THEY'VE GOT A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE SYSTEM. AND YOU DO HAVE AN AGING WASTEWATER SYSTEM HERE. I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'VE GOT A BRAND NEW SYSTEM THAT WE PUT IN LAST WEEK. I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLIMENT YOUR STAFF ON THEIR WORK ON THIS PROJECT. IT'S NOT UNUSUAL THAT WE'LL HAVE CLIENT CITIES THAT JUST WANT US TO COME IN AND TELL THEM WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SYSTEM WITH NOT NOT A LOT OF FEEDBACK. YOUR STAFF, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS PUSHED BACK ON US SEVERAL TIMES AND SAID, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SEEING. YOU KNOW, IN OTHER WORDS, GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT ONE MORE TIME, AND WE'VE DONE IT. AND ACTUALLY REALIZED THAT THEY WERE RIGHT IN A LOT OF THOSE SITUATIONS. SO YOU'VE GOT A GREAT STAFF HERE. I COMPLIMENT ALL OF YOU ON THAT. I'M GOING TO LOOK AT HOW TO YOU'RE GOING TO ADVANCE IT FOR ME. I'M READY OKAY. SO IF YOU'LL REMEMBER, BACK IN OCTOBER OF 17, WE STARTED THIS PROJECT WITH PHASE

[00:35:01]

[00:40:03]

OKAY. SO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, PARTICULARLY FOR THE SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW, WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO CLEAN, INSPECT AND REPAIR. WE'VE RECOMMENDED TO STAFF THAT THEY CONTINUE TO DO FLOW MONITORING THAT WE TRY TO GET TARGETED. STORM EVENT DATA. AND ALSO WE THINK THAT IT'LL CONTINUE TO HELP US. THIS MODEL IS NOT A FINITE THING THAT WE JUST HAND TO YOU AND SAY THIS IS IT. IT WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP WITH FUTURE INFORMATION. NOW, I WILL TELL YOU THIS. YOUR STAFF NEEDS TO BE TRAINED IN USING THE MODEL, AND YOU MAY EVEN WANT TO CONSIDER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS HAVING US OR SOME OTHER FIRM COME BACK IN AND RECALIBRATE IT AND PUT THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE GOT BACK INTO THE MODEL. SO GO AHEAD. WE DO RECOMMEND A SEWER ASSET MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY ACTUALLY GOT ON ONGOING. AND A MASTER PLAN FOR YOUR CIP. WE CONTINUE. WE THINK THIS MODEL WILL HELP YOU IMPROVE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS. WE NEED TO KNOW WHENEVER YOU'VE GOT DEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WE CAN PLAN FOR

[00:45:03]

AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING TODAY, CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO AND DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, TO WHICH SPECIFICALLY THE PROJECT RIVERFRONT CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.07, ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, CALEB FINCHER, VERSUS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND CHRIS S BOONE CALLS NUMBER B 210244 AND JAMES MATTHEWS VERSUS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, CALLS NUMBER A192887. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. ANY CITIZEN WHO

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]

[00:50:02]

I EVENTUALLY GOT A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE CHIEF OF POLICE. HE SENT ME A LETTER. I FEEL A LETTER OUT AND I WAS LIKE, IN MARCH, APRIL. I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING. I CANCEL ANOTHER DEBIT CARD. OKAY, THAT ADDED UP TO ABOUT 3 OR $4000 WITH A DEBIT CARD. CHARGES THAT I DIDN'T MAKE. NOW, SINCE ALL THAT WENT ON, I CANCELED DEBIT CARD. I GOT ANOTHER DEBIT CARD, BUT I DIDN'T USE IT FROM 23. I DIDN'T USE IT NONE. LAST YEAR, AND THIRD IN THE 24TH OF THIS YEAR. I GOT THIS. I GOT A BILL HERE, A $900 DEBIT FROM MY ACCOUNT. I MEAN, THIS WAS DEAD INSIDE THE BANK WHERE I USED TO DO MY BANKING INSIDE THE BANK. SOMEONE WENT THERE IN THE BANK AND DID $900 ACROSS THE BOARD MONEY ON THE FIRST AND THE 24TH, A $700 DEBIT. YOU GOT TO GO TO THE BANK TO DO THIS. FACE THE PEOPLE WHO'S IN CHARGE. I DIDN'T DO NONE OF THESE. I ASKED MY PRESIDENT OF THE BANK ABOUT IT. SHE SAYS THAT I, I, SHE TOLD ME SHE TOLD ME SOMETHING TO GO TO THE POLICE, GO TO THE POLICE STATION BECAUSE SHE'S SHOWING HER RECORD. I SAID HE SHOWED ME ON FILM. SHE CAN'T DO THAT EITHER. SO I WENT, I CAN'T DO NOTHING BUT COME HERE AND LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT SOMETHING GOING ON BAD WITH THE BANKING SYSTEM AROUND HERE OR MAYBE IT'S JUST ME. MAYBE NONE OF YOU ALL GET THIS, BUT I'M BEING DEBIT FOR X AMOUNT OF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS FROM MY BANK, FROM MY. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. HARRISON. JOHNSON. JOHNSON. I'M SORRY.

YES. MR. JOHNSON, IT'S A QUICK THREE MINUTES. SORRY, MARIO. AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE LAST NAME IS. WHAT'S THE LAST NAME? MR. MARIO. YOU CAN PRONOUNCE IT AT THE AT THE PODIUM. GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I AM HERE. SORRY FOR MY ENGLISH. I AM MEXICAN, BUT I LOVE THIS COUNTRY. SO SOUTHEAST TEXAS IS A GOOD PLACE FOR MY BAKERY. I HAVE SOME GOODS IN THE 2570 CALENDAR. THE BAKERY IS OPEN FOR YOU AND WE HAVE A FESTIVAL COMING. IT'S A FESTIVAL. DIA DE LOS MUERTOS. I WISH YOU CAN VISIT US. I WISH YOU CAN BE A SPONSOR. OR I WISH

[00:55:04]

[CONSENT AGENDA]

I APPRECIATE THAT. SO THE EMERGENCY CENTER REACHED OUT TO TXDOT WANTING TO DO THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT. TXDOT THEMSELVES ARE NOT ABLE TO ENTER INTO THIS TYPE OF AGREEMENT DIRECTLY. SO THE CITY IS WORKING AS AN AGENT BETWEEN THE TWO. AND THAT WAS PER RESOLUTION 20 4-209 AND OUTLINES ALL THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS. AND I'M UP. DOES. THAT EASY GOOD TRY MOLLY. THAT'S GOOD OKAY. NEXT TIME. SO THE CITY YOU KNOW HAS NO LIABILITY. THE EMERGENCY HOSPITAL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE WORK AND SO WE CAN DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO MR. COLLINS IF IT IS A BUSINESS THAT HAS FRONTAGE ON I-10 OR A TXDOT FREEWAY AND THEY WANT TO ENTER INTO THIS, THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN FACILITATE THAT CONVERSATION AND WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS. AGAIN. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE TXDOT IS DEFINITELY OPEN TO IT. BUT THEY HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF TXDOT WANTS TO COME BACK AND MAKE CHANGES, THEY MAY TEAR OUT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS. AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT IS THEIR RIGHT OF WAY. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN CERTAINLY ASSIST. YEAH.

TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. I HAD SOME INTEREST FROM LAMAR UNIVERSITY. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO KIND OF ASK AND SEE HOW DID IT WORK AND PROPERLY EXPLAIN IT. MAYBE I CAN SET UP A MEETING WITH YOU GUYS AND LAMAR. WE MET WITH LAMAR UNIVERSITY A FEW WEEKS AGO AND DISCUSSED SOME LANDSCAPING. AND SO RIGHT NOW TXDOT HAS MENTIONED THAT THEY WILL DO A LOT OF THE CLEARING THAT LAMAR UNIVERSITY HAS REQUESTED, AND THEY'VE ALSO LOOKED FOR SOME ADJACENT PROPERTY INFORMATION WHERE IT'S WOODED AND KIND OF CLUTTERED IN THAT AREA, IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR THE FEEDER ROADS FOR NEW LANDSCAPING WITHIN THE STRIPS OF THE TXDOT RIGHT OF WAY. YEAH, THEY STILL HAVE THE ONGOING FEEDER ROAD PROJECTS, BUT THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE WIDENING THE MAIN LANES, AND THE DATE ESCAPES ME WHEN THEY PLAN TO GET THAT STARTED. SO PUTTING IN NEW LANDSCAPING AT THE MOMENT WITHIN THAT AREA MAY BE A LITTLE BIT IFFY. BUT LAMAR IS DEFINITELY ON OUR RADAR AND WE'RE TRYING TO FACILITATE EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ASSIST THEM WITH THAT, NOT ONLY ON CARDINAL, BUT ALSO ON MLK. THANK YOU MOLLY, YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? OKAY.

THEN WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. EXCEPT FOR ITEM G THAT WILL VISIT AFTER THIS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. NOW. I'LL TAKE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF

[01:00:01]

[REGULAR AGENDA]

YEAH, LET ALONE HAVE IT. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN NEILL, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN TURNER? JUST A CONCERN. YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF SENIORS IN BEAUMONT THAT MAY NOT BE TOO FAMILIAR WITH,■ YOU KNOW, CHATTING WITH THE BOTS IS IT IS IT A CERTAIN FEATURE? IS IT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO ACCOMMODATE OUR SENIORS AND OUR COMMUNITY? WELL, NONE OF OUR CURRENT ACCOMMODATIONS WILL CHANGE, SO THEY WILL STILL BE ABLE TO CALL AND TALK TO 311 DIRECTLY. SO THAT WON'T CHANGE.

THIS IS JUST GOING TO BE AN ADDITIONAL AFTER HOURS OR FOR THOSE OF US THAT WOULD PREFER TO HOP ON AND CHAT WITH THE BOT INSTEAD OF TALKING TO SOMEONE ON THE PHONE, IT JUST PROVIDES SOME ADDITIONAL SERVICES. OKAY, SO THIS IS JUST BASICALLY AN ENHANCEMENT, NOT TAKING AWAY IT IS CORRECT. IT IS AN ENHANCEMENT AND NOT TAKING ANYTHING AWAY. OKAY, THAT'S TOTALLY FINE AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT. COUNCILMAN GAETZ I'M ONE OF THOSE SENIORS. SO TELL US WHY SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE SATISFIED WITH CHATTING WITH A BOT AS OPPOSED TO A HUMAN BEING. I MEAN, YOU COULD HAVE SOMEONE THAT IS NEEDS TO HOP ON AND ASK A QUICK QUESTION. THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED. THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET ON OUR WEBSITE, SEARCH FOR IT, MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT THING WITH THE CHAT BOT DOES IS IT INCORPORATES ALL OF OUR INFORMATION FROM THE DATA THAT WE GIVE IT, AND THEN IT CAN COMPILE JUST A SUMMARY OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. SO I COULD GO ONTO THE CHAT BOT AND I COULD SAY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN BEAUMONT THIS WEEKEND. AND IT WILL LOOK AT CVB'S WEBSITE. IT WILL LOOK AT THE RECREATION WEBSITE. IT WILL LOOK AT ALL OF OUR INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, AND IT WILL PROVIDE A LIST OF EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN BEAUMONT. THIS WEEKEND FROM THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. SO THIS IS NICE, BUT CAN'T YOU REALLY ALREADY FIND ALL THAT INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE LIKE THERE'S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN DO A SEARCH, YOU CAN PUT IN THE THINGS THAT QUESTION THAT YOU JUST ASKED, WHAT IS HAPPENING IN BEAUMONT EVENTS THIS WEEKEND AND THAT KIND OF INFORMATION WILL COME UP. CORRECT. HOWEVER, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO TO EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL WEBSITES TO SEE DETAILS ABOUT IT, WHEREAS I COULD THEN SAY, TELL ME ABOUT OKTOBERFEST AND THEN IT WILL PROVIDE ME THE INFORMATION FOR OKTOBERFEST WITHOUT ME EVER HAVING TO GO TO THE WEBSITE. AND YOU THINK THIS IS WORTH THE $75,000 COST OVER THE THREE YEARS? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME TIGHT BUDGET NUMBERS. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING WE REALLY KIND OF NEED TO DO. IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, COST EFFICIENT, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT IS JUSTIFIABLE. AT THIS POINT, I MEAN, THAT WAS JUST A QUICK THAT WAS JUST A QUICK OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD EXAMPLE. I MEAN, IT'S

[01:05:04]

[01:10:05]

AND WITH THE GROWING POPULATION OF OLDER INDIVIDUALS, A GROWING POPULATION OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE COGNITIVE PROBLEMS, THE AI WOULD ALLOW THEM TO INTERACT AND NOT HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE TO GET TO A PARTICULAR AREA IN WHICH THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. AND SO THAT IS BASICALLY WHAT AI IS DOING. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE ONLY CONCERN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE AI SYSTEM IS PROVIDING ACCURATE INFORMATION AND THAT'S A PART OF THE PROCESS IN WHICH YOU CAN DETERMINE, AS YOU LOOK AT THE RESULTS. AND IT DOES REALLY CREATE A BETTER TOOL OF EVALUATING WHAT OUR NEEDS ARE AND HOW THOSE NEEDS ARE BEING ADDRESSED AND HOW WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD FROM THAT POINT. SO BY GOING WITH THE SYSTEM INITIALLY, YOU SAY HOW LONG YOU SAY AFTER THE YEAR YOU SAY, SO WE ARE THE QUOTE IS FOR A THREE YEAR TERM, BUT IT IS NOT A CONTRACT. WE ARE NOT CONTRACTED FOR THREE YEARS.

SO IF AT THE END OF ONE YEAR WE DECIDE WE DIDN'T WANT IT, IT'S JUST THE $10,000 IMPLEMENTATION COST THAT WE WOULD BE AT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE GO WITH THIS SYSTEM AND WE FIND IT PROVES ITSELF BENEFICIAL, THEN THAT ELIMINATES THAT BACK TIME THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GO THROUGH THE INITIAL PROCESS IN DEVELOPING IT AND IMPLEMENTING IT WITH OUR SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE. SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO, CORRECT. AND IF THERE, WE WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK FROM CITIZENS AND FROM YOU ALL. IF YOU'RE HEARING FROM CITIZENS OF SOMETHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE PROVIDED AS PART OF THE CHATBOT, IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALREADY PROVIDING WITHIN IT, AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE DATA WE CAN, WE CAN PROVIDE IT WITHIN THE CHATBOT. SO THAT CHAT BOX WOULD ALLOW US TO DIRECT CITIZENS TO THE DEPARTMENTS THAT WOULD BETTER SERVE THEIR CONCERNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. OH YES. YES, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ALSO ONE THING THAT'S BENEFICIAL FOR THIS WITH CITIZENS IS IT WILL ALLOW A CITIZEN TO INPUT THEIR QUESTION IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE AND IT WILL THEN GIVE THEM BACK AN ANSWER IN OVER 50 DIFFERENT

[01:15:01]

YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH GETTING PEOPLE RESPONDED TO. AND THIS IS LIKE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY FAST AND GETTING THAT DONE. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STUDIES OF RESULTS OUT THERE AND THE STUDIES ARE REALLY SHOW THAT THESE ARE PRODUCTIVE METHODS OF DOING BUSINESS FOR CITIES. THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES DONE OVER BOSTON, NEW YORK, WASHINGTON, ARLINGTON, TEXAS, AND THEY'VE COME BACK WITH REALLY HIGH MARKS FOR RESPONSIVENESS AND BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, BASICALLY. SO, YOU KNOW, THIS HELPS US, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HERE TO REPLACE PEOPLE IN JOBS, BUT THIS DOES MAKE US MAKE MUCH MORE EFFICIENT. AND WE CAN DIRECT PEOPLE IN JOBS. YOU WON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PERSON DOING THAT SO MUCH ANYMORE. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT BECAUSE IT WILL HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR INFORMATION. IT JUST WON'T HAVE IT. IT'LL REACH THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM. WHATEVER SHE PUTS WHEN WE COMPILE THIS INFORMATION, ANYTHING IN THAT SYSTEM, IT WILL REACH AND GET IT AND ANSWERED IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. SO THIS IS A VERY SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR.

FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DARIA. YEAH. HOW WOULD THE CITIZENS ACCESS THIS SYSTEM? THERE WILL BE MANY WAYS. WE'LL HAVE IT ON OUR WEBSITE. PROBABLY ALL OF OUR WEBSITES WILL HAVE A LINK TO IT ANY TIME YOU TRY TO THAT YOU A CITIZEN MESSAGES IN, FOR EXAMPLE, FACEBOOK IT WILL PROVIDE A REPLY BACK AND DIRECT THEM TO THE CHAT BOT AND BASICALLY IT WILL JUST SHOW UP. LIKE IF YOU'VE BEEN ON OTHER WEBSITES AND YOU SEE THE LITTLE ICON AT THE BOTTOM THAT SAYS, CHAT WITH US, IT WILL JUST BE A LITTLE ICON THAT LIVES ON THE WEB PAGES. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL. THEN COUNCILMAN BELSHAW. WELL, LAST THING I, IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT THE CITY MANAGER WAS SAYING, AS WE'VE SEEN THIS WEEK WITH US GOING TO THE REAL TIME RESPONSE, THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TIMES THAT WE'RE SEEING. I KNOW I WAS EXPLAINING TO SOMEONE AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS LAST WEEK HOW USER FRIENDLY AND HOW THESE SYSTEMS ARE. I WILL COMPLEMENT EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL. LIKE WHEN YOU SAY, HEY SIR, WHOEVER HATE THAT SIRI, YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE THEY RESPOND TO

[01:20:08]

COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE. CHANGE ORDER NUMBER FIVE TO THE CONTRACT WITH OIL CO, LLC FOR THE STREET REHABILITATION CITYWIDE PHASE FIVE REBUILD PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL. FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN TURNER YEAH, CAN I WELL, MR. MANAGER, I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR QUITE SOME TIME ABOUT CHANGE ORDER. THAT'S KIND OF BEEN A CONCERN OF MINE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET UP TO ANYTHING OVER TO NUMBER THREE.

AND RECENTLY WE WERE AT TEN MILL AND I ASKED COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM OTHER CITIES, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY ADDRESS CHANGE ORDERS? AND THEY AND SOME CITIES DO ARE VERY STRICT ON CHANGE ORDERS. I KNOW I TALKED TO A COUNCIL MEMBER FROM SAN ANTONIO AS WELL AS FORT WORTH, WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE STIPULATIONS IN PLACE ON, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY CHANGE ORDERS YOU CAN ACTUALLY PUT IN. IS IT ANYTHING WE CAN EXPLORE AS THE CITY OR ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK CAN BE BENEFICIAL? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'VE SEEN SOME CHANGE ORDERS GET UP TO AS HIGH AS EIGHT AND NINE. YEAH, WELL YOU'RE ALWAYS CONCERNED WITH CHANGE ORDERS AND WE'RE CONCERNED WITH CHANGE ORDERS FOR SURE. AND WE'VE HAD THAT DISCUSSION INTERNALLY WITH, WITH MYSELF AND STAFF AND I THINK A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION AND TALKED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY. I HAD SOME CITIES, AND ONE OF THEM, YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO AND MAKE SURE OUR PROCESS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT. SO WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING AND HAVING THAT DISCUSSION INTERNALLY ON WHAT WE CAN DO WITH CHANGE ORDERS AND, AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO REDUCE THEM. WELL, I THINK IT'S BENEFICIAL. I'M GLAD YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING INTO IT. I JUST, YOU KNOW, I WANT US TO BE ONE OF THOSE MODEL CITIES, JUST LIKE SOME OF THESE OTHERS, WHERE CITIES ACTUALLY LOOK TO US TO DO THINGS. AND I'M GLAD WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING IN THAT DIRECTION AND MAKING SURE WE LOOKING AT ALL THE DOLLARS. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BUDGETARY THINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, OUR GENERAL FUND IS, YOU KNOW, LARGER THAN WHAT IT'S BEEN IN THE PAST SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. I DO KNOW THAT. BUT ANY KIND OF WAY WE CAN PROTECT THE REVENUE, I WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO DO SO. OKAY. WE'RE LOOKING INTO IT. BUT ONE THING I'D LIKE TO ADD, TOO, AS WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CHANGE ORDERS, WE MAY INCREASE

[01:25:03]

THERE'S NO DISCUSSION. ALL 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? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE FINAL CHANGE ORDER NUMBER SIX, EXCEPT MAINTENANCE, AND AUTHORIZE FARM PAYMENTS TO GULF COAST CRANE COMPANY FOR THE FOURTH STREET ROADWAY REHABILITATION PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX MOVED TO APPROVE? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL. I HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS ONE. YES. COUNCILMAN. GOING BACK ON THE TOPIC THAT COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER WAS TALKING ABOUT CHANGE ORDERS EARLIER, I THINK THIS ONE'S A PRETTY GOOD EXAMPLE OF SOMETIMES YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE CHANGE ORDERS, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK OVERALL ON THIS ONE, THE PRICE THIS IS CHANGE ORDER NUMBER SIX. BUT THE PRICE IS STILL COME DOWN FROM THE ORIGINAL BASE BID. APPRECIATE YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. COUNCILMAN NEIL I AGREE 100%. MY CONCERN WAS JUST THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY ARE AT THE ORIGINAL BID. IT COMES IN AND IT'S LOWER THAN OTHER CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE MAY HAVE BID BID AS WELL. AND WHEN YOU ADD IT ALL UP AT THE END, IT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HIGHER THAN THOSE ORIGINAL CONTRACTORS. SO I DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH A CHANGE ORDER FOR REDUCTION. BUT MY ISSUE IS WHEN YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THESE ORIGINAL BIDS, THAT'S MY CONCERN. SO TO THAT EXTENT, I WANT TO EXPLAIN, LIKE OUR ORIGINAL BIDS. SO EVEN THE CONTRACTOR, IF YOU JUST GO BACK TO THE PREVIOUS CHANGE ORDER WHERE THE HIGHEST BID WAS IN EXCESS OF $2 MILLION AND THE BID WE WENT WITH WAS ALMOST 101, $1.5 MILLION DIFFERENCE. HAD WE SAID, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO WITH THE HIGHEST BID BECAUSE THEY BID THE CHANGE ORDERS THAT WERE NECESSARY AND NEEDED WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN IN EXCESS OF

[01:30:03]

AND WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO BACK IN THERE AND DIG IT BACK UP AGAIN. THE FOLLOWING THREE CHANGE ORDERS WERE EITHER $0 CHANGE ORDERS BECAUSE THEY WERE TIME EXTENSIONS DUE TO WEATHER DELAYS, OR WE HAD TO MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL WORK TO REPAIR DEFECTS IN THE STORM SEWER, AND WE FOUND ITEMS WE COULD OFFSET WITH. SO THAT WAS LIKE A $39 DEDUCT ON CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO, CHANGE ORDER NUMBER FIVE. THEN WAS THE ADDITIONAL DEDUCT TRYING TO CLOSE OUT ALL THE WORK EXCEPT FOR THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING WORK AT BNSF RAILROAD. AND SO NOW HERE WE ARE TO CHANGE ORDER SIX WHICH IS ADDING BACK IN 39,000 TO FINALIZE THE FINAL QUANTITIES FOR THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSING, WHICH WAS THE REMAINING WORK. BUT TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN TURNER, YOU KNOW, WE DO SEE BIDS THAT WILL COME IN. WE HAD A PROJECT AND NOT VERY RECENT MEMORY WHERE THE APPARENT LOW BIDDER WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE REST OF THE BIDS THAT CAME IN.

AND WE WANT TO AWARD IT TO IT IF A LOCAL BIDDER. BUT THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS CALL HIM IN AND SAY, ARE YOU SURE? YOU KNOW, ARE YOU ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HOLD TO THIS DOLLAR VALUE? AND THE LAST THING THEY WANT TO DO IS SIT IN FRONT OF ME AND ASK ME FOR MONEY, BECAUSE Y'ALL DON'T SEE THE CHANGE ORDERS, THAT WE DON'T BRING YOU, THE ONES THAT WE REJECT. AND WE MADE THEM GO BACK AND RE REWORK THEIR MATH AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD IT RIGHT. AND THEY, THEY ASSURED US, GAVE US A LETTER IN WRITING SAYING, OH YES, WE CAN HOLD THIS. SURE ENOUGH, WE COME TO THE END OF THE PROJECT. HEY, YOU KNOW, HERE'S SOME WE NEED TO GET PAID FOR THESE THINGS. NO, SIR.

YOU KNOW, WE DID NOT. WE'VE NOT WORKED THROUGH ANY OF THOSE. WE'VE NOT HAD REASONABLE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT FOR WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING FOR THAT INCREASE.

AND I REMINDED THEM BACK, I SAID, DO YOU RECALL THIS MEETING WHERE WE SAT DOWN AND DISCUSSED THIS? I SAID, AND I ASKED YOU, DID YOU LEAVE MONEY ON THE TABLE? AND YOU WERE VERY CONFIDENT THAT YOU DID NOT. SO THERE'S, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LAUNDRY LIST OF REQUESTS FROM CONTRACTORS WHERE THEY DO ASK FOR, FOR MONEY FOR, FOR WHATEVER IF IT'S VALID, IF IT'S JUSTIFIED. WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO SUPPORT IT. IT WAS COMMUNICATED TO US WITHIN A TIMELY MANNER, WITHIN THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT. IF IT'S THERE, WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT AND BRING THAT TO YOU. AND WE WHAT YOU SEE IS JUST THE TOP LAYER OF THE DOCUMENTATION. WE HAVE A TON OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION UNDERNEATH THAT TO SUPPORT WHY WE ARE CHANGING THE CONTRACT FOR

[01:35:06]

WE HAVE A GOOD BASIS FOR HOLDING CONTRACTORS TO OUR THEIR CONTRACTED PRICE. WE'VE HAD VERY LITTLE LAWSUITS AS IT RELATES TO THEM NOT GETTING PAID BASED ON THE FACT THAT OUR, OUR CONTRACTS ARE PRETTY WELL DRAFTED AND ALLOW THEM TO HOLD FAST TO THAT. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES WE'VE HAD TO SIT DOWN AND SAY, IS THE WORK NECESSARY? DO WE NEED TO EXPAND THE CONTRACT THERE? THE I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF CHANGE ORDERS THAT YOU SEE ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT THERE ARE TONS THAT WE DISCUSS THAT ARE JUST NOT A NECESSITY. AND THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE HAVE CONTRACTORS SAY THAT WE DID MORE WORK AND WE'RE LIKE, WELL THEN THANK YOU FOR THAT. BUT OUTSIDE THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT. YEAH. AND WE, WE DO NOT WANT TO RISK THE FACT THAT WE THAT WE WOULD SAY, YEAH, GO DO THE WORK AND SPEAK ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL. AND SO THE CONTRACTORS ARE AWARE AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE VERY DILIGENT ON THE SCHEDULING AND MAINTAINING THE PROJECT. PROGRESS IS YOU NEED TO COMMUNICATE TO US EARLY, AS SOON AS YOU SEE THAT SOMETHING MIGHT BE HAPPENING ON THE HORIZON, THAT THIS COULD POTENTIALLY TRIGGER A CHANGE ORDER. BECAUSE WE'VE MILLED OFF THE ASPHALT, WE THOUGHT WE HAD THIS MANY BASE REPAIRS. WELL, NOW THAT IT'S OPEN TO THE ELEMENTS, WE'VE GOT A WHOLE LOT MORE BASE REPAIRS. WE'RE ABLE TO MEASURE AND QUANTIFY THAT AND THAT'S ANOTHER THING TOO, IS THAT OUR CONTRACTS ARE UNIT PRICED. SO YOU'RE GOING TO PAY BY THE FOOT, BY THE SQUARE YARD, BY THE CUBIC YARD. WE ARE CERTAINLY NOT IN FAVOR OF ANY TYPE OF A LUMP SUM TYPE CONTRACT, BECAUSE ONCE YOU BREAK INTO THAT LUMP SUM ITEM, YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT. WHETHER THEY DO A LITTLE BIT OF IT OR THEY DO ALL OF IT AND SO WE'RE DRILLING THEM DOWN TO PAYING FOR THE WORK THAT IS ACTUALLY DONE. AND SO WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT PATH OF COMMUNICATION WE IMPLEMENTED ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO. NOW, A PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE, SO THAT ANY REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION, ALL OUR DAILY RECORDS OR REPORTS ARE MANAGED ON THE WEB. AND SO THE CONTRACTOR HAS THE FULL VISIBILITY, WE HAVE THE FULL VISIBILITY. THEY PUT THEIR DAILY REPORTS IN THERE. WE PUT OUR DAILY INSPECTION REPORTS IN THERE AS WELL. AND SO IF AN ISSUE COMES UP LIKE SOMEBODY FORGOT TO TIE IN AN IRRIGATION LINE AND THEY'VE ALREADY PAVED THE CONCRETE. OKAY. WELL LET'S GO BACK TO THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU WERE WORKING IN THAT AREA AND SEE DOES ANY OF THIS SHOW UP ON THE CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS? BECAUSE THERE'S DAILY PHOTOS AS PART OF THOSE DAILY REPORTS AND WE FIND, YEP, THERE'S THE PIPE RIGHT THERE. AND THEN, WELL, WHERE WAS THE RFI? AND DID THE CONTRACTOR SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION? BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION? NO. WAS THIS DISCUSSED ANYWHERE? SO YOU GO BACK EVEN TO YOUR JUST YOUR PERSONAL NOTES. YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO TRACK DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL THAT DOCUMENTATION. YOU KNOW, IT. IT WAS A LEARNING CURVE WITH THE CONTRACTORS. ONCE WE STARTED IMPLEMENTING THIS PROJECT, MATES SOFTWARE, BUT IT REALLY HAS HELPED THE TRANSPARENCY ON BOTH SIDES. ANY QUESTIONS, ANY PHOTOS? LIKE I SAID, ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE, QUESTIONS WE TRACK THROUGH THERE. AND I KIND OF WANTED TO BACK UP TO WE'RE ON FOURTH STREET NOW. IT'S A VERY REGIMENTED PROCESS FOR MANAGING OUR CONTRACTS. SO ONCE YOU'RE KIND OF IN OUR SYSTEM AND YOU UNDERSTAND OUR METHOD, WE BUILT PROJECT MATES AROUND OUR CONTRACTS, AND OUR CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN VETTED BY THAT BOARD CERTIFIED ATTORNEY. HE REVIEWED EVERYTHING. AND SO WE'RE MAKING SURE WE'RE COMPLIANT WITH THE LOCAL AND STATE AND FEDERAL PROCUREMENT LAWS. IT CAN BE ADJUSTED TO MEET ANY FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS LIKE OUR GRANT FUNDING MAY HAVE CERTAIN LABOR STANDARDS, PAYROLL REQUIREMENTS. BUT ALL OF THAT, BECAUSE, YOU

[01:40:04]

SO YOU, YOU, YOU TRYING TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS, AS WE CAN BE. BUT EVEN A CHANGE IN A TERM AND CONDITION WILL TRIGGER A CHANGE ORDER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. YEAH, MAYOR, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THINGS AND VARIABLES THAT IMPACT CHANGE ORDERS FOR OR AGAINST. SO, YOU KNOW, WE COULD SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT A MILLION THINGS THAT IMPACT CHANGE ORDERS. BUT THE FACT IS THAT THEY HAPPEN. MOLLY'S CORRECT ON A LOT OF THINGS. SHE'S SEEING THAT THAT THINGS HAPPEN AND THAT IMPACT THAT. BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE TO BE DILIGENT AS A CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST CONTRACTORS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. A LOT OF TIMES IT'S A CITY. I WAS A PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, SO I KNOW ABOUT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. WE REQUEST CHANGE ORDERS. IT'S NOT JUST CONTRACTORS REQUESTING CHANGE ORDERS. WE PUT THE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER FOR THE CHANGE ORDER. IT'S INCUMBENT THAT WE PUT THE BEST DOCUMENT TOGETHER FOR PEOPLE TO BID ON AS POSSIBLE. TO GET THE BEST PRICE.

AND UP FRONT, IF WE PUT TRASH IN UP FRONT IN A DOCUMENT OR BID DOCUMENT, A BID IS GOING TO BE ALL OVER THE PLACE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WHEN WE'RE BIDDING OUT PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, IT'S I'M ALWAYS PROTECTING STAFF AND THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB. THEY DO FOR SURE. AND THEY PROBABLY THEY PROBABLY GET TEN TIMES AS MANY CHANGE ORDERS AS THEY BRING IN TO YOU. BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS AN ORGANIZATION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING BEST TO PROTECT OUR DOLLARS AND OUR MONEY, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO, HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THESE OTHER VARIABLES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THAT. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WHEN I TAKE MY CAR IN FOR REPAIR, I BUY A NEW CAR. WHEN I

[01:45:02]

ALL OF THOSE ARE MAJOR VARIABLES. WE STARTED THE PROJECT AT 6.079 MILLION, AND WE'RE FINISHING THIS CONTRACT AT 6.019 MILLION. SO SHOUT OUT TO OUR ENGINEERING TEAM FOR REALLY RUNNING A TIGHT SHIP ON THIS PROJECT. SO THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? THANK YOU. MAYOR.

COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT TO EAST TEXAS UTILITY CONSTRUCTION OF BEAUMONT FOR THE EUCLID STREET AND 11TH STREET STORM SEWER REPAIR PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL OF THE ANNUAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT FOR THE FINANCIAL SOFTWARE PACKAGE USED ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THERE IS A THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER NINE? COUNCIL, TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION. RESOLUTION. ADOPTING A COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIRE UNION. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER NINE MOVED TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER NINE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN NEILL? THANK YOU. MAYOR. SO A COUPLE ITEMS THAT KIND OF STOOD OUT TO ME, SPECIFICALLY NUMBER FIVE AND NUMBER SIX. I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT BEHIND THIS, AND I WOULD SUPPORT IT IF THE WORDING WAS CHANGED TO SAY THAT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATION, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR OR REASONABLE TO THINK THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TALK TO THESE GUYS. SO IT'S A PART OF THE COMMUNICATION PLAN IS AN ADDENDUM TO THE GROUND RULES. SO IT'S SPECIFIC TO THAT. IT'S ACTUALLY ENTITLED COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR BARGAINING UNIT. SO IT'S IT DOESN'T EXTEND OUTSIDE OF THAT OKAY. SO THIS IS NOT THE GROUND RULES FOR THE POLICE UNION THOUGH. SO THE POLICE UNION WOULD HAVE TO WHEN WE ADOPTED THEIR CONTRACT WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS. SO WHEN WE NEGOTIATED RENEGOTIATE THEIR NEW CONTRACT THEY WILL ALSO BE ADOPTING GROUND RULES SIMILAR TO THOSE BUT THIS IS THIS IS AN ADDENDUM TO THE GROUND RULES FOR THE FIRE UNION CONTRACT SPECIFICALLY. BUT OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD PRESENT THE SAME RULES TO THE UNION WHEN IT WAS TIME TO RENEGOTIATE THEIR CONTRACT. AS WELL. WHERE DO YOU SEE THE TIES BACK? IT'S IT LITERALLY SAYS THAT IT'S COMMUNICATION PLAN DURING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING. THAT'S THE TITLE OF THE DOCUMENT HERE.

BUT IT'S LIMITED TO THAT. THE ADDENDUM IT'S TITLED AN ADDENDUM IS AN ADDENDUM TO THEIR GROUND RULES DOCUMENT. THAT'S SPECIFICALLY LIMITED TO THE NEGOTIATIONS OF THEIR CONTRACT.

SO YOU FINISHED COUNCILMAN NEIL? I'M GOOD. WHAT WOULD THERE BE A PROBLEM IN ADDING COUNCIL MEMBER NEIL'S PROPOSED LANGUAGE TO THAT? I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE DUPLICITOUS, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCILMAN NEIL IS SAYING. JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY WITH THAT. SO WOULD REQUIRE US TO GO BACK. AND THEY'VE ALREADY ADOPTED. SO THE UNIONS SAW THE GROUND RULES THERE. THEIR CHIEF NEGOTIATIONS SAW THE GROUND RULES, AND THEY SAW NO PROBLEM WITH IT. THERE WAS NO ISSUES IN RATES. IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT IT'S LIMITED TO NEGOTIATIONS

[01:50:03]

AND SO, SO YOU CAN'T CALL THEM ALL. AND I'M READING NUMBER SIX TO COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGES AND SAYS THEY SHOULD NOT CONTACT OR ATTEMPT TO CONTACT MEMBERS OF THE FIRE. UNION POLICE UNION OR THEIR REPRESENTATIVES DIRECTLY OR DIRECTLY DURING THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS.

SO ARE YOU SAYING IT SHOULD BE NO CONTACT AT ALL? SO IT'S IRRELEVANT TO THEIR OBVIOUSLY, AGAIN, IT WAS A SITUATION WHERE THEY WERE REACHING OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAYING THEY, AT THE TIME TO SAY THAT THEY WANTED TO PUT THIS ON, PUT AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT THEY NEEDED TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA, THAT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE THROUGH THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS, THROUGH STAFF. THE DOCUMENT IS A PART OF THEIR GROUND RULES, WHICH GOES IN DEPTH ABOUT THAT, AND IT'S ADOPTED AS A PART OF THAT, AS A PART OF THAT DOCUMENT TO EXPLAIN HOW THE COMMUNICATION SHOULD FLOW. BUT THE OVERALL GROUND RULES DOCUMENT DOES SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT IT'S THE COMMUNICATION IS LIMITED. SO OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE WAS ANOTHER ISSUE UNRELATED TO THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS THAT ANY MEMBER OF THE LOCAL OR ANY OTHER, WHEN WE NEGOTIATE THE POLICE CONTRACT, IF THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES OUTSIDE OF THAT, OBVIOUSLY, IF THEY WANTED TO REACH OUT TO THAT COUNCIL PERSON, THEY COULD. AND ANY CITIZEN, REGARDLESS OF THEIR AFFILIATION, CAN REACH OUT TO A COUNCIL PERSON. OKAY. SO IT'S JUST CLEAR IF, YOU KNOW, I SEEN A FIREFIGHTER, WE CAN'T HAVE A CONVERSATION JUST SAY, HEY, MR. TURNER, HOW ARE YOU DOING? YOU SAID SPECIFICALLY TO THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS. YES. SO THAT INDIVIDUAL OR YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REACH OUT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL EVEN IF THEY WERE IN YOUR WARD AND SAY, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CITY'S PROPOSAL OR THEY COULDN'T CONTACT YOU AND COMPLAIN THAT THEY FELT LIKE THE CITY MANAGER WASN'T BEING RECEPTIVE? IF HE HAS TO BE A LITTLE TOUGHER DURING NEGOTIATIONS THAT HE, THE CITY MANAGER. YOU'RE THE CHIEF. THE CITY MANAGER IS OUR CHIEF NEGOTIATOR. THAT THAT HE WAS BEING A LITTLE TOUGH IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. IT'S INTENDED FOR THE NEGOTIATIONS TO STAY WITHIN THE NEGOTIATION ROOM AND IT NOT TO BECOME IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FREE OF POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT. SO IT SHOULD BE IN THE ROOM AND IT SHOULD BE BETWEEN THOSE BARGAINING BARGAINING TEAMS AND NOT NOT AN INVOLVEMENT OF COUNCIL. SO AGAIN, LIKE WE DID OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THE FIRE UNIONS, OCTOBER 8TH, WE HAD THIS DISCUSSION. THERE WERE SOME SOME MINOR TWEAKS MADE TO THE GROUND RULES, BUT NO ONE TOOK ISSUE WITH THE COMMUNICATION PLAN.

HAVE YOU HAD AN INSTANCE IF OR HAS IT EVER BEEN AN INSTANCE WHERE THIS WAS AGREED UPON AND PEOPLE DIDN'T DO IT? HOW DID WHAT WAS THE ACCOUNTABILITY? HOW SO? IN PAST, IN IN PAST YEARS, OUR CITY HAS NOT OPERATED ON THE GROUND RULES. THERE ARE SOME OTHER CITIES THAT OBVIOUSLY DO GROUND RULES AND THAT WE REFERENCE IN MAKING OUR GROUND RULES AND COMMUNICATION PLAN.

AND ESSENTIALLY IT'S A LEARNING CURVE AND A LEARNING PROCESS. RIGHT. SO INDIVIDUALS WHO GO AGAINST THE NEGOTIATION GROUND RULES THAT ARE ADOPTED, THERE ARE MYRIAD WAYS YOU CAN SUSPEND NEGOTIATIONS. YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HAVE GOOD GROUNDS FOR THAT. BUT ALSO IT'S INTENDED IT'S NOT INTENDED FOR AGAIN, FOR IT TO BE A HINDRANCE. IT'S INTENDED SO EVERYBODY WALKS IN KNOWING WHAT THE OTHER WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE OF THE PARTY. UNDERSTOOD, UNDERSTOOD.

COUNCILMAN, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT. THE FIRE UNION HAS ALREADY SEEN THIS COMMUNICATION PLAN, AND WE ALL TALKED ABOUT IT, AND EVERYBODY AGREED TO IT. YES, SIR. IT WAS ADOPTED AT THE OCTOBER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER NINE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OPPOSED. MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TEN? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION CREATING AND APPOINTING MEMBERS TO AN AUDIT COMMITTEE. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TEN? SECOND, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, COUNCILMAN NEIL, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TEN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SO DO SORRY. SO

[01:55:08]

OBVIOUSLY THE MAYOR CAN SERVE, BUT IT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE MAYOR. TRADITIONALLY, THE MAYOR DOES SERVE, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE OKAY. I'D BE HAPPY TO SERVE LOVE THAT. AND MY LAST QUESTION IS, MR. WILLIAMS, CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO YOUR YOUR REASONING? WHY IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE STAND THAT THE CITY HAS DONE? LIKE, IS IT THE REASON WE'RE GOING IN THIS DIRECTION? WELL, AND I SEE THEM. ELLIS CAN JUMP IN TOO. THIS IS KIND OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR CITIES TO IMPLEMENT AN AUDIT COMMITTEE. YOU KNOW, TO DO THINGS TO PROVIDE ANOTHER LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN JUST STAFF WORKING IN THESE SITUATIONS. SO IT PUTS SOME THINGS WHERE COUNCIL CAN MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. THEY CAN TALK WITH THE AUDITORS, ACCEPT THOSE AUDIT FINDINGS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ACTED UPON. ET CETERA. ET CETERA. SO IT'S JUST GOOD GOOD PRACTICE. GOOD LOCAL GOVERNMENT PRACTICE TO HAVE AN AUDIT COMMITTEE. MOST CITIES HAVE THEM. AND THIS HELPS US, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE COME UP LATELY AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE BUDGET, THIS PUTS IN A SAFEGUARD, A SAFEGUARD WHICH WILL BE OF MANY TO HELP ALLEVIATE THOSE SITUATIONS. YEAH. I APPRECIATE YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THE WHY AND OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IT. AND THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE BENEFICIAL. SO THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING THAT. YEAH. AND ONE ADDITIONAL COMMENT, IF I MAY, MAYOR, IN TERMS OF PUTTING THIS AUDIT COMMITTEE TOGETHER AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, MANY CITIES, ESPECIALLY CITIES OUR SIZE, HAVE AUDIT COMMITTEES THAT ARE MORE FORMAL, THAT ARE MORE INVOLVED IN THE AUDIT PROCESS HERE. THE AUDIT COMMITTEE IN THE PAST WAS MORE INVOLVED AT THE VERY TAIL END OF THE AUDIT. YOU GOT AN UPDATE WHEN THE AUDIT WAS COMPLETE AND YOU HAD NO INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROCESS. FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. THE AUDIT PROCESS IS JUST AS LONG AS THE BUDGET PROCESS. IT'S IN PROCESS RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, THE BUDGET PROCESS IS SIX MONTHS. THE AUDIT IS BEING CONDUCTED NOW. SO THIS ALLOWS THE THREE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE TO HAVE A BIGGER ROLE IN THE CITY'S AUDIT, BUT JUST NOT FOR THE SIX MONTHS, FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR TO ENSURE WE HAVE PROPER FINANCIAL CONTROLS IN PLACE, INTERNAL CONTROLS THAT WE PRODUCED, PROPER FINANCIAL REPORTS THAT REALLY ENSURE THAT WE'RE TRANSPARENT AND THAT WE'RE SPENDING THE DOLLARS THAT ARE BUDGETED ACCORDING TO WHAT WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL, CITY COUNCIL, JUST DOESN'T SERVE THE ROLE TO APPROVE A BUDGET. YOU DO ADOPT OR APPROVE THE CITY'S BUDGET, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE FINANCIAL REPORTING. SO THIS GIVES THE AUDIT COMMITTEE A GREATER ROLE IN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL REPORTING PROCESSES.

[02:00:01]

I'LL SECOND THAT. TWO MORE. COUNCILMAN DARIO, I'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER TO BE ON THIS COMMITTEE. OKAY. SECOND, THAT I'LL RECOMMEND COUNCILMAN GOETZ. SECOND, IT CAN WE. SO THIS IS FUN. CAN WE JUST HAVE ONE MOTION WITH ALL THOSE NAMES? IS THAT ALL RIGHT? THIS FIRST, SINCE WE'RE JUST CREATING IT, WE HAVE STAGGERED TERMS. SO I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE OF THE THREE WOULD LIKE TO. I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE OFF. FIRST ONE OFF IS OKAY. SO WE HAVE 2025 2026 AND 2027. SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE MOTION, COULD WE HAVE SOMEONE RECOMMEND TO SAY I RECOMMEND COUNCILMAN TAYLOR NEILL FOR A TERM EXPIRING ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2025? AND I RECOMMEND COUNCILMAN GOETZ FOR A TERM EXPIRING ON ENTER DATE AND COUNCILMAN TURNER FOR A TERM EXPIRING ON ENTER DATE. AND IT PREFERABLY WOULD BE ONE OF THE GENTLEMAN WHO WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. YES, MA'AM. BUT THEY'LL BE. YOUR MIC. COUNCILMAN NEILL THANK CONSISTS OF COUNCIL MEMBER TAYLOR WITH HIS TERM TO END IN 2025. COUNCIL MEMBER GOETZ TO END IN 2026. AND COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER TO END IN 2027. SECOND. 20 COUNCILMAN GOETZ YES. OKAY, SO IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED FOR THE THREE COUNCIL PEOPLE AND THE DATES TO SERVE ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY A QUESTION REAL FAST. YES. WHAT HAPPENED IF REPLACE THEM? YEAH. IF THEY'RE NOT. IF THEY'RE. NO LONGER ON COUNCIL, WE'LL REPLACE THEM. SO IF YOU'RE NOT ON, WE'LL REVISIT THAT AFTER THE ELECTION. AND EITHER WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE ELSE MAKING A MOTION TO REPLACE THEM. YEAH.

WE'LL PUT IT ON THE AGENDA TO REPLACE THEM. HE'S GOING TO LOSE. WILL LOSE. STUFF HAPPENS.

I DIDN'T I'M NOT SAYING ANYBODY WILL LOSE. YES YOU CAN. YOU CAN HAVE OTHER REASONS FOR NO LONGER BEING ON COUNCIL THAN LOSING. I'M JUST CURIOUS. I JUST OKAY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE VOTE THEN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE THREE COUNCILMEN AND THE ASSOCIATED DATES AS READ SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER 11? COUNCIL CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF TEXAS GAS SERVICE COMPANY, 2024 RATE INCREASE, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 11 TO APPROVE? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 11. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN DARIO, JUST I KNOW WE'VE HAD THIS IN THE PAST WHERE WE DIDN'T APPROVE IT. RATE INCREASE. I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT CHANGED OTHER THAN THIS. IS THIS JUST A SETTLEMENT? SO WHAT WE WHAT WE TYPICALLY WE BRING THEM THE FIRST TIME, WHICH YOU USUALLY DENY IS THE RATE INCREASE. RIGHT. SO THIS ONE IS FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF THE NEGOTIATED NEW RATE INCREASE. SO AS YOU REMEMBER, LIKE I GUESS TWO COUNCILS AGO WE BRUNG ONE. WE WERE ASKING YOU TO DENY IT BECAUSE IT NEEDED TO BE AN EXTENSION. NEED TO BE IN PLACE.

WE WERE RUNNING UP ON THE DEADLINE TO WHEN WE HAD TO APPROVE A NEW ORDINANCE, AND A SETTLEMENT HADN'T BEEN REACHED YET, BUT PREVIOUSLY USUALLY DENY IT. AND WE TRY TO NEGOTIATE A SETTLEMENT WITHIN THAT. THE TIME FRAME WHEN YOU DENY, YOU GET ABOUT A 90 DAY EXTENSION. SO LAST COUNCIL, WE NEEDED TO DENY IT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FULLY REACHED THE SETTLEMENT YET. AND HAD WE NOT DENIED IT, THEN THE RATE WOULD HAVE TAKEN EFFECT AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ELIGIBLE FOR THE SETTLEMENT. SO THIS IS THE REDUCED THIS IS THE THIS IS AN APPROVAL TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT. THE NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT RATE IN THE COMPONENTS OF THE SETTLEMENT ARE LISTED ABOVE, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY A LOWER COST FOR MOST CUSTOMERS. IT'S NOT REALLY A HUGE IMPACT IN OUR AREA OVERALL. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER 11, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY

[02:05:06]

[02:10:07]

WHETHER THEY WANT TO MOTION TO APPROVE OR MOTION TO DENY, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE REZONING. SECOND, ALL RIGHT. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE REZONING? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE REZONING SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. AND NOW A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR DENIAL OF THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. SECOND, SO JUST FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES, THE REZONE APPROVAL OF THE REZONE STILL REQUIRES A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. BUT THE REZONE WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT, THE REZONE WOULD BE USELESS. SO THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL.

MAYOR, JUST TO CLARIFY, THEY'RE KIND OF TWO QUESTIONS HERE. ONE IS THE REZONING, WHICH YOU ALL JUST APPROVED. THE OTHER IS THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. THE APPLICANT HAD APPLIED FOR A VARIETY OF USES. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED TO APPROVE MOST OF THOSE EXCEPT FOR THE EVENT CENTER. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT IS TO APPROVE THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT, EXCEPT FOR DENIAL OF THE EVENTS VENUE. SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE RECOMMENDATION IS APPROVAL OF SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR RETAIL SHOP, ADMINISTRATIVE, OFFICE, ART STUDIO. BUT DENIAL OF THE EVENT CENTER. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR THE RETAIL SHOP, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND ART STUDIO, BUT NOT FOR THE EVENTS VENUE. OKAY, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL? DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. OKAY. I NOTICED WE HAD DENIAL OF THE EVENT CENTER. CAN WE KIND OF SPEAK TO WHY WHAT WAS SOME OF THE STAFF'S CONCERNS? YEAH. SO THE CONCERN WAS PARKING MOSTLY. SO IT IS WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH IS A MIXTURE OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL LIKE COMMERCIAL USES. THE EVENTS VENUE, THAT SITE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ENOUGH ON STREET PARKING AND ALSO OFF STREET PARKING FOR AN EVENTS VENUE. HOWEVER, ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT ARE LIGHTER, YOU KNOW, A RETAIL SHOP, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND ART STUDIO THOSE COULD BE ACCOMMODATED FOR. I THINK THAT THERE WAS A CONDITION IN THERE. SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO LOOK AT THOSE CONDITIONS. THERE WAS A CONDITION IN THERE FOR A PARKING AGREEMENT WITH THE PROPERTY TO THE WEST. THAT'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET. YEAH, THAT WAS MY CONCERN. I WAS LOOKING AT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE. YOU DIDN'T SEEM THAT BIG. I WAS TRYING TO SEE WHY WOULD THE DENIAL? WAS IT EVEN AN OPTION TO WORK WITH NEIGHBORING PARKING LOTS TO SEE IF SOMETHING COULD BE ACCOMMODATED? THAT'S WHY I WAS JUST KIND OF CONCERNED.

YEAH, THAT SPECIFIC SITE. IT'S TOUGH BECAUSE THE PARKING LOT IS NOT LARGE. THAT IS TO THE WEST, BUT IT IS LARGE ENOUGH FOR THOSE THOSE THREE RETAIL SHOP, ADMIN OFFICE AND ART STUDIO. IT WOULD BE LARGE ENOUGH FOR THOSE, BUT FOR AN EVENT WHICH THAT SPACE IS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOUR BRIDAL SHOWERS, BABY SHOWERS, THE AREA WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT. THAT LARGE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC. SO IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR LIKE SMALL EVENT. IT'S OKAY. WELL, I'M JUST NOT.

YEAH. I WAS JUST ASKING. I WAS LOOKING AT THE SQUARE FOOTAGE AND I WAS JUST WONDERING IF IT WAS A SMALL EVENT CENTER. COULD IT WORK? BUT CLEARLY IF YOU GUYS DID THE RESEARCH. SO. YEAH. AND I THINK THAT THERE WERE SOME CONDITIONS ON THERE. SO I KNOW THAT Y'ALL MADE A MOTION, BUT YOU MAY JUST WANT TO LOOK AT THOSE CONDITIONS AS WELL. COUNCILMEMBER TURNER, IT'S

[02:15:02]

SO THERE'S NOT YEAH, I JUST I KNEW IT WASN'T BIG. THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING. WHY NOT. YEAH.

SO THE MOTION INCLUDES THE CONDITIONS. OH, I JUST WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER THING. AT PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING THE APPLICANT DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH NOT USING IT FOR AN EVENT VENUE. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WORK WITH OUR BUSINESS OWNERS. SO I APPRECIATE STAFF FOR DOING THAT. THAT'S A GOOD LOOK. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. SO IN OUR MOTION DOES DOES INCLUDE THE CONDITIONS. IS THAT CORRECT COUNCILMAN DARIO. YES. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN GETS. YES. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE SPECIFIC USE PERMIT. BUT DENYING THE EVENT VENUE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT.

[COUNCIL COMMENTS]

NO COMMENT. MAYOR, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, NO COMMENT. COUNCILMAN TELSHOR, THANK YOU. MAYOR. NO COMMENT. COUNCILMAN TURNER. YES. BEAUMONT. UNITED. BEAUMONT UNITED HIGH SCHOOL, IF YOU GUYS ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO PLEASE GO TO INSTAGRAM. OUT OF 1700 SCHOOLS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, THEY APPLIED FOR A PROGRAM WITH T-MOBILE AND THEY MADE THE TOP 16. SO ABOUT 1700 SCHOOLS TO GET THEIR FIELD REDONE AT THEIR FOOTBALL STADIUM. THEY MADE THE TOP 16 SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES TO ACTUALLY GET THE $2 MILLION GRANT, TO GET THEIR FIELD REDONE, ALL YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO DO IS GO TO THEIR INSTAGRAM PAGE. BEAUMONT UNITED HIGH SCHOOL, AND LIKE THE VIDEO THAT THEY PRODUCED TO SHOW THE NEED FOR THE PROJECT BEING DONE, IT'S REVENUE THAT T-MOBILE IS WILLING TO DONATE TO THE SCHOOL AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN LIKE THIRD PLACE. AND WE HAVE TO ABOUT TWO MORE WEEKS TO LIKE AND SHARE THAT VIDEO. SO IF OUR COMMUNITY CAN GET BEHIND BEAUMONT UNITED, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A FIELD THAT OUR YOUTH USE FOR LITTLE LEAGUE FOOTBALL. THAT'S A FIELD THAT THEY USE FOR ALL TYPES OF THINGS. IF WE CAN GET BEHIND THEM AND HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, TRY TO GET THAT REVENUE, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. SO IF ANYBODY CAN PLEASE GO TO INSTAGRAM. BEAUMONT UNITED HIGH SCHOOL'S PAGE IS PINNED TO THE TOP. AND JUST SIMPLY LIKE THE VIDEO AND SHARE IT, I TOLD THE STUDENTS THAT I WOULD SPEAK ABOUT IT TODAY AT COUNCIL. I JUST WANT TO HONOR MY COMMITMENT AND I'M GOING TO MAKE A VIDEO AND LIKE AND SHARE IT AS WELL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. COUNCILMAN GAETZ, HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS? HEY, THAT'S TERRIBLE. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S VERY UGLY. COUNCILMAN DARIO NO COMMENT. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY I'M NOT HEARTBROKEN. SO I ALSO HAVE NO COMMENT. BUT SHAME ON YOU, COUNCILMAN GUDES. SHAME? NOTHING. MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. AFTER COUNCILMAN OR.

NO COMMENT. AND ALSO, JUST TO ADD ON TO WHAT COUNCILMAN TURNER SAID, I GOT TO BE A PART OF THE CHECK PRESENTATION. THOSE 16 FINALISTS EACH RECEIVED 25,000. SO BEAUMONT UNITED DID RECEIVE 25,000 THAT THEY'RE GOING TO USE FOR THEIR WEIGHT ROOM. AND MORE. HAD A GREAT HOMECOMING THIS PAST WEEKEND, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY EXCITED ABOUT THE SEWER AND WASTEWATER PRESENTATION AND THE PROCESS AND THE PROGRESS BEING MADE. AND WITH THAT, WE'LL RECESS TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.