Mar 25, 2025 City Council

[00:00:05]

PLEASE. HELLO. 130 AND WE'RE GOING TO START THE MEETING. THIS IS WHEN I NEED 130 AND WE'RE

[CALL TO ORDER]

SO GOOD. THEY'RE JOINED BY FIVE OF THEIR TEACHERS. AND MR. ROGER CARROLL OF THE 100 BLACK MEN OF THE GREATER BEAUMONT THAT HELPED BRING ALL THIS TOGETHER. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES, AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PASTOR. JOIN ME IN PRAYER. ALMIGHTY AND LOVING GOD, WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSING ON THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED TO LEAD THE CITY IN WHICH WE LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY. GRANT THEM AND US THE WISDOM AND THE COURAGE TO KNOW AND TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD AND TRUE. MAY THEY AND WE SPEAK OUT WHEN IT IS TIME TO SPEAK OUT AND LISTEN. WHEN IT IS TIME TO LISTEN. IN TIMES OF CONFLICT AND DISAGREEMENT, MAY THE SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION PREVAIL. MAY THEY AND WE ALWAYS BE GUIDED BY THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY, BY THE SPIRIT OF JUSTICE, AND BY THE SPIRIT OF LOVE, SO THAT AS THEY LEAD, THEY WILL SERVE AND SEEK THE WELL-BEING OF ALL. IN OUR CITY WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. AND. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING. PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND OVER YOUR HEART AND JOIN ME FOR THE UNITED STATES PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL THE BLANCHETT STUDENTS UP FOR A PICTURE WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. I KNOW I GOT ONE WITH THEM EARLIER, BUT I'D LIKE FOR THE ENTIRE COUNCIL FOR THEM TO GET ONE WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.

OKAY, IS EVERYBODY READY? ON THREE, ONE, TWO. THREE. AND ONE, TWO, THREE. GOOD LOOKING GROUP.

GOOD JOB.

FOR YOU. IN THE FACE. I SEE THE LADY IN GREEN STANDING UP TO THE RIGHT. SHE JUST SAID ALEXIS.

YEAH. SO CAN YOU. MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO TEM NEAL PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. DARIO. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. GOETZ. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. TURNER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHAW AND COUNCIL MEMBER. SAMUEL HERE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. TODAY WE

[00:05:02]

AND I'M GOING TO IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP MOVING THROUGH, I'LL PAUSE FOR A SECOND HERE.

[PROCLAMATIONS]

THANK YOU FOR COMING. HEY HEY THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THERE'S A YOUNG. GO AHEAD AND GET THE PICTURE NOW. EVERYBODY GET IN FRONT. WE'LL GET A PICTURE REAL QUICK. YEAH YEAH.

PICTURE. SEE ME. OKAY. OH THERE YOU GO. PERFECT. 123. OKAY. WE GOT ONE MORE. MOMMY.

OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR. COUNCILMEN AND GUESTS, I AM TIANA SMITH, PRESIDENT OF THEATER TROOP 6346 FROM BEAUMONT UNITED HIGH SCHOOL. OUR SPONSOR IS MRS. ROCIO ALEXANDER, AND OUR PRINCIPAL IS MRS. TAMARA LONG. THEATER IN OUR SCHOOLS MONTH IS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION IN MARCH AIMED AT PROMOTING AND ADVOCATING FOR THEATER EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. IT ENCOURAGES AWARENESS OF THE IMPACT OF THEATER PROGRAMS ON STUDENTS DEVELOPMENT, CREATIVITY AND OVERALL EDUCATION. THE TEXAS THESPIANS ORGANIZATION EMPHASIZES THAT THE BENEFITS OF ART AND CULTURE EXTEND BEYOND INDIVIDUALS, HELPING TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNICATION. THIS QUOTE FROM NEILAN SAYS, DRAMA IS NOT SIMPLY A SUBJECT, BUT ALSO A METHOD, A LEARNING TOOL, AND A KEY WAY IN WHICH CHILDREN GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. ENGAGING IN THEATER

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AND IN CLOSING, WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND TO YOU A BUTTON THAT SAYS I SUPPORT THEATER EDUCATION AND WE ASK THAT YOU WEAR IT DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH TO SUPPORT THEATER IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ABSOLUTELY. AND BEFORE YOU WALK OFF. COUNCIL THESPIAN COUNCILMAN AUDWIN SAMUELS WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW HOW PROUD WE ARE OF YOU, NOT ONLY AS AN ACTRESS, BUT I HAPPEN TO BE IN A CHURCH. I DON'T KNOW WHICH CHURCH IT WAS RECENTLY, AND I HEARD YOU SING, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE A STAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL MLK. ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CITY OF COMMUNICATION UPDATE BY MISS

[PRESENTATIONS]

[00:15:11]

YES, SIR. ABSOLUTELY APOLOGIZE FOR MY INFORMAL ATTIRE. I WALKED OUT OF THE OFFICE WITHOUT MY JACKET TODAY, SO I HOPE YOU'LL FORGIVE ME FOR THAT. BUT I'M BAXTER SPANN WITH FINGER DYE SPAN GOLF COURSE ARCHITECTS. AND WITH ME IS MIKE MCCLUNG WITH TETRA TECH ENGINEERS. OUR TASK HERE WAS TWOFOLD. ACTUALLY, THE NEXT SLIDE, WE FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN TAKING OLDER, RUNDOWN GOLF COURSES, PARTICULARLY PUBLIC GOLF COURSES, DAILY FEE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES, AND TURNING THEM INTO ASSETS FOR THE COMMUNITY. A RECENT RESTORATION AT GUS WORTHAM GOLF COURSE. WE HEADED UP THAT AND TURNED A COURSE FROM 1908 INTO A JEWEL FOR THE EAST SIDE OF HOUSTON. NOW IT'S WAS DOING LIKE 15,000 ROUNDS A YEAR BEFORE THE RENOVATION AND POST RENOVATION IS DOING ABOUT 55,000 ROUNDS A YEAR. SO IT'S EXTREMELY POPULAR AND WELL RECEIVED. NEXT SLIDE. ANOTHER SIMILAR PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS, LANDA PARK GOLF COURSE, ANOTHER COURSE BUILT IN THE 1930S THAT HAD KIND OF ALL ITS SYSTEMS WERE SHUTTING DOWN. WE TOOK THAT AND RENOVATED THAT INTO ANOTHER COURSE, WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY POPULAR ANCHOR POINT FOR LANDA PARK, ONE OF THEIR PRIMARY PARKS IN NEW BRAUNFELS. CURRENTLY, WE'RE INVOLVED WITH TETRA TECH, ALSO IN A MAJOR RENOVATION AT EAGLE POINT IN MONT BELVIEU. IT'S A STAGED RENOVATION OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS. WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE VERY EARLY PHASES, BUT THAT WILL ENCOMPASS A COMPLETE RENOVATION OF THEIR EXISTING GOLF COURSE, ADDING 27 HOLES, NINE MORE HOLES TO MAKE IT A 27 HOLE FACILITY, AND A SEVEN HOLE PAR THREE COURSE AS WELL. SO OUR MAIN TASKS AT HENRY HOMBERG GOLF COURSE HERE FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT WERE TO PROVIDE A DRAINAGE STUDY OF THE PROPERTY. THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES ON THE GOLF COURSE NOW IS GETTING WATER OFF, OFF THE FAIRWAYS SO IT CAN BE PLAYABLE. NEXT SLIDE. THE GOLF COURSE IS AN EXTREMELY EXPANSIVE PIECE OF PROPERTY. IT'S VERY REMINDFUL TO ME OF MEMORIAL PARK IN HOUSTON. YOU KNOW, MEMORIAL PARK HAS BEEN ONE OF THE KIND OF HOUSTON'S CENTRAL PARK OVER THE YEARS, SINCE THE 1920S. AND THERE'S A BEAUTIFUL BIG GOLF COURSE THERE THAT HOSTS THE HOUSTON OPEN NOW. BUT THE PROPERTY AT TYRRELL PARK, WHERE HENRY HOMBERG SITS IS VERY BRINGS TO MIND THE ESTHETICS AND THE LAY OF THE LAND AT MEMORIAL. SO THE PLANNING TASKS WERE TWOFOLD, REALLY. ONE WAS TO STUDY THE EXISTING GOLF COURSE DRAINAGE AND DETERMINE WHAT SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE TO THE PROPERTY. ALSO, TO REVIEW THE EXISTING GOLF COURSE INFRASTRUCTURE, ALL THE DRAINAGE CART PATHS, IRRIGATION, THE BUNKER CONSTRUCTION, TEE CONSTRUCTION GREENS, THE TURF QUALITY, WATER FEATURES, ETC. AND MAINLY TO DETERMINE THE BEST GOLF COURSE THAT COULD FIT ON THE AVAILABLE PROPERTY. ENVISIONING MAYBE SOME SOME RE RECREATION OF DIFFERENT HOLES THAT MIGHT SIT DIFFERENTLY ON THE PROPERTY AND ALLOW FOR

[00:20:02]

SO WE DID AN INITIAL BOUT OF JUST SITE RECONNAISSANCE, MAPPING THE PROPERTY, GETTING A TOPOGRAPHIC MAP WHICH SHOWS THE. THIS MAP IN PARTICULAR SHOWS THE ELEVATIONS OF THE GOLF COURSE, WITH THE RED ELEVATIONS BEING LOWER AND THE GREEN ELEVATIONS BEING HIGHER. BASICALLY, IN THE CENTRAL PART OF THE GOLF COURSE WITH IN THIS VIEW, NORTH IS TO THE LEFT. THE CENTRAL PART OF THE GOLF COURSE AROUND THE CLUBHOUSE IS A LITTLE HIGHER, AND THEN THE NORTH AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS ARE IN LOWER LYING, DIFFICULT TO DRAIN PROPERTY. THIS WAS A STUDY WHICH ACTUALLY BREAKS DOWN THE SLOPES OF THE SURFACE ON THE PROPERTY, WITH THE RED INDICATING VERY, VERY FLAT, LESS THAN 1% SLOPE, WHICH IS NOT ADEQUATE TO GET WATER OFF OF THE SURFACE. SO THAT'S WHY THE FAIRWAYS STAY WET FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THERE JUST ISN'T ENOUGH SLOPE TO GET THE WATER TO A DRAINAGE POINT. AND THIS IS THE RESULTING. WHAT YOU SEE ON THE GROUND IS SWALES THAT HAVE SILTED IN OVER THE YEARS THAT WATER JUST STANDS IN. THERE'S REALLY NOWHERE FOR IT TO GO. AND EVEN ON THE GOLF COURSE ITSELF, THE SMALLER TRIBUTARY SWALES ARE ALL SILTED IN AND WATER JUST STANDS THERE AND SATURATES THE SOIL AND THE SURROUNDINGS. SO YOU GET ANYTHING FROM DROUGHTS WHERE THE SOIL CRACKS AND GOLF BALLS CAN DISAPPEAR IN THESE CRACKS.

THEY'RE BIG ENOUGH TO SWALLOW A GOLF BALL TO IN PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. THE FAIRWAYS ARE JUST FILLED WITH HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF SMALL PUDDLES, WHICH, WITH THIS TIGHT SOIL, JUST TAKE FOREVER TO DRAIN AND DRY OUT. SO THE FIRST PART OF THE STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE DRAINAGE CONDITIONS. SO I'LL LET MIKE MCCLUNG WITH TETRA TECH ENGINEERS HANDLE THESE SLIDES.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS THIS MAP RIGHT HERE IS SHOWS THE MOST OF THE SITE TO BE WITHIN THE FLOODPLAIN. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGER CHALLENGES. WE HAVE A VERY FLAT SITE AND WE'RE ALL WITHIN THE 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN. THE ARROWS SHOWN HERE ARE SHEET FLOW PATTERNS. SO SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANY ON SITE DRAINAGE SYSTEM, THE WATER HAS TO TRAVEL A LONG WAY TO GET TO ITS INTENDED OUTFALL. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, FLOWING FROM BASICALLY THE MIDDLE OF THE SITE IS KIND OF OUR HIGH POINT. EVERYTHING FLOWS TO THE SOUTH AND TO THE NORTH. NEXT SLIDE. THIS SLIDE IS JUST A WE HIGHLIGHTED SOME AREAS WHERE WE NOTICED SOME SOME SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANT PONDING EVEN EVEN DURING A FIVE YEAR STORM EVENT, WE'RE SEEING SOME AREAS WITH SIX INCHES PONDING.

AND THEN DURING THE MAJOR STORM EVENTS, YOU KNOW, OVER TWO FEET IN SOME AREAS. SO THAT'S SIGNIFICANT. AND WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE. NEXT SLIDE. AND WE CAN SKIP THIS ONE.

IT'S A SIMILAR SIMILAR SLIDE. HERE ARE TWO TWO AREAS OF BABE ZAHARIAS DRIVE. THE LEFT SIDE IS THE NORTHERN SECTION OF ROADWAY. YOU CAN TELL THAT IT'S COMPLETELY OVERTOPPED DURING A MAJOR STORM EVENT, AND THAT'S MAINLY DUE TO THERE ARE TWO CULVERTS ON THE NORTH SIDE THERE, TWO 36 INCH CULVERTS THAT ARE SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERSIZED. RIGHT NOW THEY'RE CARRYING ONLY ABOUT A FIVE YEAR STORM EVENT. SO IN THE NEAR TERM WE WOULD RECOMMEND UPSIZING THOSE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THAT RED LINE IS ANOTHER SECTION OF BABE ZAHARIAS THAT IS COMPLETELY OVERTOPPED DURING A MAJOR STORM EVENT. SO WE WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS TO CROSS CULVERTS AND GRADING OF THOSE ROADSIDE DITCHES. NEXT SLIDE. SO HERE HERE'S THE LOCATION OF THE NORTHERN END OF THE OF THE SITE WHERE WE HAVE THE TWO 36 INCH CULVERTS. WE'RE CALLING IT SWALE ONE. IT'S A MAJOR OUTFALL LOCATION FOR THAT NORTHERN SECTION. SO UPSIZING THOSE CULVERTS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY BENEFIT THAT CROSSING AND OPEN UP BABE ZAHARIAS DRIVE TO MORE TRAFFIC DURING MAJOR STORM EVENTS. AND THEN THE SOUTH SIDE. WE HAVE 54 INCH CULVERTS WHICH ARE ARE CAN CARRY UPWARDS OF A 50 YEAR STORM EVENT, WHICH IS WHICH WE WOULD CONSIDER

[00:25:02]

THEY'RE JUST PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF THESE OVER THE ENTIRE GOLF COURSE, WHICH EVEN IF WE PUT IN LARGE DRAINAGE PIPE TO CARRY MORE WATER, YOU COULDN'T GET THAT WATER TO THE DRAINAGE PIPES BECAUSE THE FAIRWAYS ARE SO FLAT AND SO FILLED WITH POTHOLES THAT THEY REALLY NEED TO BE REGRADED INTO A NEW SURFACE THAT SLOPES TO INDIVIDUAL BASINS TO PICK UP THE DRAINAGE. WE ALSO DID AN EXTENSIVE IRRIGATION SYSTEM REVIEW. THE CURRENT IRRIGATION SYSTEM COMPONENTS ARE 20 TO 40 YEARS OLD. THERE'S NO CENTRAL COMPUTER TO MANAGE THE SYSTEM AND NO AUTOMATION OF THE FAIRWAY SYSTEM. SO ALL THE TEE AND FAIRWAY HEADS HAVE TO BE TURNED ON BY HAND, WHICH IS EXTREMELY MAINTENANCE INTENSIVE AND LABOR INTENSIVE. AND THERE REALLY ISN'T THE PERSONNEL TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. SO THE FAIRWAYS GO UNWATERED FREQUENTLY. GREEN SPRINKLERS ARE TOO SMALL AND ARE CONTROLLED BY BASICALLY RESIDENTIAL TYPE CONTROLLERS, AND THERE'S NO INDIVIDUAL HEAD CONTROL. ALL THE SPRINKLERS RUN IN GROUPS, SO YOU REALLY CAN'T DIAL IN THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF WATER FOR EACH LOCATION ON THE GOLF COURSE. WATER IS SUPPLIED FROM HILDEBRAND BAYOU, PUMPED FROM BAYOU BY PUMP STATION INTO A PIPE THAT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE GOLF COURSE, TO THE IRRIGATION POND NEAR THE CLUBHOUSE. AND THE CONDITION OF THAT IS NOT KNOWN, BUT IT'S BEEN IN THE GROUND FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THE PUMP STATION, WHICH PRESSURIZES THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM. THAT PHOTOGRAPH AT THE UPPER RIGHT IS A VIEW OF THE PUMP STATION, WHICH IS OUT IN THE OPEN. THERE'S NO CLIMATE CONTROL BUILDING FOR IT TO SIT IN, SO ITS COMPONENTS DETERIORATE AND RUST PRETTY BADLY. THE MAINLINE PIPE SIZES ARE SEVERELY UNDERSIZED FOR AN 18 HOLE GOLF COURSE, SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET THE COURSE WATERED IN ANY REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. SO THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE IRRIGATION CONSULTANT WAS FOR A COMPLETE, COMPLETE NEW AUTOMATED SYSTEM WITH CENTRAL COMPUTER CONTROL, PROPER PIPE SIZING, PROPER SPRINKLER HEAD

[00:30:06]

SO WE REUSE A LOT OF STORMWATER THAT FALLS ON THE PROPERTY. AND THEN IF THAT BECOMES TOO MUCH FOR THE IRRIGATION LAKES TO HOLD, WE WOULD HAVE A PIPE SYSTEM THAT WOULD ALLOW THE WATER TO OVERFLOW BACK INTO THE DRAINAGE FACILITY TO THE EAST OF THE PROPERTY. THIS IS A SPRINKLER HEAD LAYOUT THAT WOULD COVER UNIFORMLY THE ENTIRE AREA THAT WE WOULD DISTURB AND

[00:35:06]

ALSO, RIGHT NOW THE PATHS ARE EXTREMELY NARROW, WHICH GOLF CARTS CAN BARELY FIT ON IN SOME PLACES, SO THE IMPROVED DRAINAGE WILL ALLOW GOLFERS TO GET BACK ON THE FAIRWAYS MUCH SOONER AFTER A RAIN. SO YOU KNOW THE PLAY IS SPED UP AND YOU CAN GET MORE ROUNDS THROUGH THE GOLF COURSE. SO FOR THE FULL MASTER PLAN, INCLUDING SITE PREPARATION, EARTHWORK, STORM DRAINAGE, IRRIGATION, GREEN CONSTRUCTION, SAND BUNKERS, TEES, WATER FEATURES, CART PATHS AND BRIDGES, GRASSING AND LANDSCAPE AND GENERAL CONDITIONS FOR THE CONTRACTOR. THE CONSTRUCTION SUBTOTAL FOR THE MAXIMUM PLAN WOULD BE $16.7 MILLION BASICALLY, AND THEN ESTIMATED PROFESSIONAL FEES AND A 10% CONTINGENCY WOULD BRING THE TOTAL PROJECT COST TO ABOUT 19.7 MILLION, WHICH IS A BIG NUMBER. BUT WHEN YOU IF THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS WHAT THE COST WOULD BE IF YOU ONLY RENOVATED THE EXISTING GOLF COURSE IN PLACE AND DIDN'T REALLY IMPROVE THE GOLF HOLES OTHER THAN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE GOLF HOLES, IT WOULD STILL TOTAL 14.5 MILLION. SO FOR AN EXTRA 5 MILLION, BASICALLY, YOU GET A COMPLETE NEW GOLF COURSE. THAT WOULD REALLY BE A REGIONALLY RECOGNIZED FACILITY. SO IN CONCLUSION, THE GOLF COURSE HAS SERVED THE COMMUNITY VERY WELL AS A DAILY FEE GOLF COURSE FOR NEARLY 90 YEARS. BUT MOST OF THE COURSES INFRASTRUCTURE IS NEAR OR IN THE PAST, THE END OF ITS LIFE CYCLE. SO IT'S REALLY NECESSARY TO BEGIN PLANNING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE ELEMENTS, ALONG WITH THE PLANNING, IT'S ADVISABLE TO REIMAGINE SOME OF THE ARCHITECTURAL QUALITIES OF THE GOLF COURSE TO FRESHEN THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE AND GIVE A NEW LEVEL OF INTEREST AND EXCITEMENT TO THE PROPERTY. PROJECT COST COULD RANGE FROM 14.5 MILLION FOR A BASIC RENOVATION OF EXISTING FEATURES TO 19.7 MILLION FOR A COMPREHENSIVE NEW COURSE ROUTING, AND, IF FULLY IMPLEMENTED, THE NEW MASTER PLAN, WE FEEL, COULD CREATE A REGIONALLY RECOGNIZED GOLF FACILITY THAT COULD DRAW GOLFERS FROM AN HOUR OR MORE AWAY, HOST

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THANK YOU. THIS WAS SOMETHING FOR US TO REVIEW AFTERWARDS, BUT THIS WAS A CHANCE FOR THE PRESENTATION. SO CERTAINLY. THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. AND FOR THOSE

[RECOGNITIONS]

AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING TODAY, CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5.51.071 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. SAMUEL BEN ARDOIN VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT.

CAUSE NUMBER TWO FIVE D, C CV0043. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK. YOU

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]

I'M CATHERINE CAMPBELL. 1067. WISE, WISE. THANK YOU. BEAUMONT, TEXAS, 77703 AND I STAND BEFORE YOU ON BEHALF OF THE NORTH END NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER, I STAND BEFORE YOU TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FIRE UNION. AND THEY VOTED TO DISMISS CHIEF WHITE, HIGHLIGHTING SERIOUS ISSUES WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS EXCEEDED ITS OVERTIME BUDGET BY $2 MILLION, TOTALING NEARLY $9 MILLION IN OVERTIME SPENDING. THIS IS A WASTEFUL USE OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET MONEY THAT COULD BE DIRECTED TOWARDS THE URGENT STREET AND DRAINAGE NEEDS IN THE NORTH END. THE EXCESSIVE SPENDING STEMS FROM FREQUENT CALL INS AND ABSENTEEISM BY THE FIRE PERSONNEL. WE'RE PAYING THEM FAR TOO MUCH FOR THIS LEVEL OF UNRELIABILITY. ADDITIONALLY, ONLY 37 OUT OF 229 FIREMEN CONTRIBUTE TO OUR PROPERTY TAX BASE IN BEAUMONT, WHICH FUNDS PART OF THE CITY'S BUDGET. THIS IMBALANCE IS VERY CONCERNING. COUNCIL, WE URGE YOU NOT TO MISS THE MARK. IF YOU YOU WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT, THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND INVEST IN THIS COMMUNITY. THEIR NEEDS MUST COME FIRST ABOVE THOSE WHO DO NOT RESIDE HERE. FINALLY, TO OUR CITY MANAGER, WE ASK THAT YOU FOLLOW UP ON THE NORTH END CONCERNS SUBMITTED BY OUR COMMUNITY LIAISON. MR. ROY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND COMMITMENT TO THE RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, CHRISTOPHER JONES, 1045 DOUCETTE AVENUE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD

[00:45:01]

AND NOW, BECAUSE THE UNION REPS HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO ACCEPT SEVERAL FAVORABLE CONTRACTS.

OFFERED FROM THE CITY MANAGER AND LEGAL TEAM, THIS SAME UNION REPRESENTATIVE WHO ONCE CALLED CHIEF WHITE AN ASSET TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, NOW CLAIMS TO HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN HIM. THAT'S NOT LEADERSHIP, THAT'S MANIPULATION. AND THE PEOPLE OF BEAUMONT RECOGNIZE GAME. THE TRUTH IS, BEAUMONT FIREFIGHTERS ARE PAID ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE AND ENJOY SOME OF THE BEST BENEFITS OFFERED BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. WE RESPECT THEIR SERVICE, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE FACTS. MANY OF THESE EMPLOYEES DO NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. SOME OF THEM THE VERY ONES CRYING FOUL, OR THE SAME SENIOR FIREFIGHTERS WHO REGULARLY MISUSED THEIR TOES, LEAVING FRESHMAN AND JUNIOR FIREFIGHTERS TO PICK UP THE SLACK AND RACK UP COSTS IN OVERTIME. AND YET THEY WANT MORE. THE BEAUMONT FIRE AND EMS BUDGET IS THE SINGLE LARGEST ITEM IN OUR CITY'S FISCAL PLAN, AND WHILE WE ARE COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE. WE CANNOT ALLOW THAT BUDGET AND OUR LEADERSHIP DECISIONS TO BE HELD HOSTAGE BY A FEW WITH MISPLACED PRIORITIES. WE WILL NOT ALLOW THE NEEDS OF MANY TO BE SACRIFICED FOR THE GREED OF A FEW. WE DEMAND THAT CITY COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT STAY THE COURSE WITH OUR FIRE CHIEF, EARL WHITE. WE DEMAND RESPONSIBLE, COMMITTED, COMMUNITY CENTERED LEADERSHIP, AND WE REJECT BACKROOM TACTICS THAT INSULT THE INTELLIGENCE AND THE INTEGRITY OF OUR CITY. THE PEOPLE OF BEAUMONT ARE WATCHING, AND COME MAY 3RD, WE WILL REMEMBER WHO STOOD FIRMLY AND WHO WAVERED. LET THIS MOMENT BE. LET THIS BE A MOMENT. YOU STAND WITH CITIZENS, NOT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. JONES. I THINK THIS IS FRED JACKSON, 1149 PEARL STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MAYOR COUNCIL, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF JUDGE BRANICK REGARDING THE TWO ITEMS YOU WILL CONSIDER REGARDING HOUSING TAX CREDITS. BECAUSE HE COULD NOT BE HERE, HE ASKED ME TO APPEAR ON HIS BEHALF TO SUPPORT THOSE TWO PROJECTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. AND JESSICA STONEHAM, 260 EAST ELM STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN. MY NAME IS JESSICA STONEHAM. I RESIGN ON 260 EAST ELMA BEAUMONT, TEXAS, 77705. AROUND FEBRUARY THE 20TH. I KNOW IT BECAUSE THAT WAS MY BIRTHDAY.

THEY STARTED WORKING ON MY STREET ONCE AGAIN. I JUST GOT THIS IN THE MAIL. THIS IS DUE TO MY WATER BILL FOR $997.30. BECAUSE THEY BUST THE WATER LINE ON MY STREET, THERE'S ONLY THREE PEOPLE IN MY HOUSEHOLD ME AND MY HUSBAND, MY 18 YEAR OLD SON. THERE'S NO WAY WE USE $1,000 WORTH OF WATER IN ONE MONTH. WHEN I DID CALL THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, THEY SAID, OH, WE'LL SET YOU UP ON A PAYMENT PLAN UNTIL WE GET IT FIGURED OUT. I DON'T HAVE THAT MONEY TO SPEND ON THAT, NOT $1,000. AND BECAUSE THEY BUST THE LINE ON MY STREET. SO NOW I'M WAY UP HERE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THIS GETTING THIS WAIVED OR SOMETHING. BECAUSE IT'S NOT MY

[00:50:05]

NATASHA MARTIN, 2205 LAUREL AVENUE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. SHOULD I GET THIS? THANK YOU, THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY OF BEAUMONT. IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE ON TODAY. I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE NAACP, BEAUMONT BRANCH, THE BEAUMONT FIRE UNION.

THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE, THE VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW, MEANS THE UNION FEELS THAT FIRE CHIEF EARL WHITE IS NOT CAPABLE OF DOING HIS JOB, A JOB THAT HE HAS HELD FOR OVER 40 YEARS. CHIEF EARL WHITE IS ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED MEN IN THIS COMMUNITY. HE IS A MAN OF INTEGRITY AND SUBSTANCE. WE, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE, BEAUMONT BRANCH, ARE HERE TO SPEAK UP FOR THE FIRST BLACK FIRE CHIEF THAT NOT ONLY WORKS IN BEAUMONT, BUT ALSO LIVES IN BEAUMONT. HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU WILL RISK YOUR LIFE FOR A COMMUNITY? YOU WON'T EVEN LIVE IN, A COMMUNITY YOU WON'T ALLOW YOUR CHILDREN TO GROW UP IN. 37

[00:55:05]

MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. OTHER CITY EMPLOYEES. OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS. I HAD PLANNED TO SPEAK ON SOMETHING ELSE, BUT I RECEIVED A TEXT THIS MORNING AND I COULDN'T WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THE TEXT UNTIL I FINALLY DECIDED THAT I NEED TO LOOK AT SOME HISTORY. SO I'M GOING TO RELATE SOME HISTORY TO Y'ALL TO TRY AND HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. YEARS AGO. THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT CAME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL AND SAID IT COULD NOT HIRE QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT CITY COUNCIL APPROVED. BEAUMONT PD TO HIRE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, RIGHT BEHIND THAT, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FOLLOWED RIGHT BEHIND HIM AND STARTED HIRING OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. SO THEN THE TEXT I RECEIVED INDICATED THAT THE. FIRE UNION DECIDED TO ENDORSE CERTAIN CANDIDATES AND DECIDED TO PUT OUT PLACARDS OR SIGNS FOR CANDIDATES, BUT LEFT ONE OUT. HERE AGAIN, IT SOUNDS LIKE RACISM TO ME. THEY PUT OUT SIGNS FOR ALL THE WHITE CANDIDATES, BUT LEFT ONE BLACK CANDIDATE OUT. SO HERE AGAIN I SEE A PROBLEM. IT WASN'T STARTED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, BUT BY CITY COUNCIL. SO YOU ARE THE PROBLEM TO PUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. I'M NOT TRYING TO SUGARCOAT ANYTHING. I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOU FACTS THAT ARE CONCRETE AND STAND THE FACTS AS TO WHAT YOU DID. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. JEROME ALEXANDER, 1118 AVALON STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. HOW EVERYBODY DOING? JEROME ALEXANDER, 1118 AVALON STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS, 77701I JUST WANT TO BRING Y'ALL BACK A MINUTE AGAINST EVERYTHING'S GOING DOWN BUT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I REMEMBER WHEN MR. NELSON WAS MR. RUDD ASKED MR. NELSON 2023 WHY WASN'T CITY THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CITY COUNCILMAN? WASN'T NONE OF THEM ENDORSED BY THE UNION? AND HE MADE A STATEMENT SAYING BASICALLY, THEY WEREN'T QUALIFIED. AND YOU CAN GO BACK

[01:00:01]

GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF KENNY BALL, REPRESENTING THE INTEREST GROUP OUT OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. I'M JUST HERE SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER TWO. WE ARE. ITEM NUMBER TWO IS ON TIMBERS EDGE APARTMENTS. TIMBERS EDGE IS A 150 UNIT, 100% SECTION EIGHT APARTMENT COMPLEX AT 1075 PINCHBACK ROAD. WE, AS IN OUR OWNERSHIP GROUP, PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY BACK IN JUNE OF 23.

WHEN WE PURCHASED IT, OUR INTENTION WAS TO ASSEMBLE THE CAPITAL IN ORDER TO DO A SUBSTANTIAL REHAB ON THIS PROPERTY. THIS PROPERTY WAS BUILT IN 1976, HAS NOT HAD ANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE MAJOR SINCE THEN. AND SO WE, YOU KNOW, REALLY WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, EXTEND THE USEFUL LIFE OF THE PROPERTY, PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THOSE RESIDENTS OF QUALITY THERE AT THAT PROPERTY. SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR A RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION SO THAT WE CAN PURSUE A 4%. LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT. AND THEN WE'LL COUPLE THAT WITH PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS. ISSUE OF BEING JEFFERSON COUNTY HOUSING FINANCE CORP. AND OTHER SOURCES AS WELL. SO WE ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THAT RESOLUTION OF NO OBJECTION.

SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. ONCE THAT ITEM COMES UP ON THE REGULAR AGENDA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. GUY GOODSON 1550 INFINITY BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.

GOODSON 1550 INFINITY LANE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. FOLLOWING THE LAST SPEAKER, I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION. AND AGAIN, JUDGE BRANICK SENDS HIS APOLOGIES FOR HIS INABILITY TO BE HERE. BOTH THE PROJECT THAT YOU'VE HEARD, TIMBERS EDGE AND THE ONE THAT IS ITEM NUMBER THREE ON YOUR AGENDA. CIVIL ARE TWO EXISTING PROJECTS THAT THE HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATION, AGAIN WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CITY, CONSTRUCTED MANY YEARS AGO. AND BOTH OF THESE PROPERTIES, AS THE LAST SPEAKER JUST INDICATED, ARE PROPOSED FOR UPGRADING AND REHABILITATION. CIVIL AS SOME I KNOW FROM THE LOCATION MAP IS ON CROWE ROAD OUT NEAR PARKDALE MALL AND IS, AS THE LAST SPEAKER MENTIONED, ALSO AN AFFORDABLE PROJECT THAT IS ENTIRELY NOW ELDERLY AND DISABLED, AND THE INTENTION IS TO CONTINUE. THERE IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF CIVIL HERE AS WELL. IF WE GET TO THE POINT OF THE AGENDA AND THERE IS MORE INFORMATION NEEDED BY COUNCIL. BUT AGAIN, AS SOME HAVE KNOWN FROM OTHER RECENT COUNCIL MEETINGS, AS THESE PROJECTS, WHETHER THEY'RE THE 4% TAX CREDIT PROJECT LIKE IS BEING PROPOSED FOR BOTH OF THESE, OR THE COMPETITIVE 9% THAT I THINK YOU RECEIVED A PRESENTATION FROM A REPRESENTATIVE OF THAT ENTITY A FEW WEEKS AGO. THEY ALL REQUIRE OUR REQUEST FOR YOUR SUPPORT, ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED FOR THAT LEVEL OF HOUSING. AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT NEW CONSTRUCTION. THIS IS REHABILITATION OF EXISTING UNITS. AND I PARTICULARLY WANT TO THANK YOUR PLANNING DIRECTOR AND JUST PRESS FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS AND BRING IT BEFORE COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. SO AGAIN, FOR ITEMS 2 OR 3, IF YOU NEED FURTHER INFORMATION AT THE TIME, CONSIDERATION OF THOSE RESOLUTIONS WILL BE HERE TO

[01:05:05]

GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL STAFF AND ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED IN MAKING DECISIONS FOR OUR CITY. I AM ALEX FELIX RAMSEY. I RESIDE AT 3440 GOLIAD STREET, IN A HOUSE THAT WAS BUILT IN 1938 BY MY FATHER. I PRIDE I HAVE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THAT OLD HOUSE, WHICH LETS YOU KNOW THAT FIRE TO IT WOULD BE DESTRUCTION OF IT. IT WOULD BE TOTALLY DESTROYED, PROBABLY. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF OUR FIRE CHIEF, BECAUSE I FEEL THAT HE'S DONE A VERY GOOD JOB, AND THERE IS NO PROOF THAT HE'S DONE ANYTHING THAT'S NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE STANDARDS SET BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. YOU, THE COUNCIL HIRE WHO WORKS FOR YOU. AND I'M ASKING THAT YOU NOT LET A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO DOES NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DECIDE WHO'S GOING TO PROTECT ME ON THE FIRE, NOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THIS CITY. YES, I'M A I'M AN ELDERLY LADY AND I DEPEND ON OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. I DON'T MIND SUPPORTING THEM IN ANY WAY. THAT'S THAT'S NEEDED.

HOWEVER, I DO NOT APPRECIATE SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT LIVE HERE NOR PAY TAXES AS I DO DICTATE AS TO WHO YOU HIRE AND WHO YOU LET GO. SO I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO JUST DO YOUR JOB THAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO. GOD BLESS YOU AND LET GOD BE YOUR GUIDE AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISIONS. THANK YOU.

CARLTON SHARP, 5150 PLANT ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MAYOR, COUNCIL STAFF I'M HERE TODAY TO ADDRESS A SIGNIFICANT AND GROWING CONCERN REGARDING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S EXCESSIVE OVERTIME.

ACCORDING TO INFORMATION SHARED BY COUNCILMAN MIKE GOETZ, OVERTIME HOURS HAS INCREASED FROM 54,139 HOURS TO 134,851 HOURS IN JUST THREE YEARS. THIS REPRESENTS A STAGGERING INCREASE OF NEARLY 150%, WHICH IS NOT SUSTAINABLE FROM A BUDGETARY OR OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT. THIS SHARP RISE RAISES SERIOUS CONCERNS BECAUSE IT DIRECTLY AFFECTS THE CITY'S OVERALL BUDGET AND THE ABILITY TO DELIVER ESSENTIAL SERVICES ACROSS OTHER DEPARTMENTS. WHEN ONE DEPARTMENT SIGNIFICANTLY EXCEEDS ITS BUDGET, FUNDS HAVE TO BE PULLED FROM OTHER AREAS.

SO MY QUESTION IS TO COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT IS WHY HAS THIS BEEN SUCH A DRAMATIC RISE IN OVERTIME HOURS? IS THIS DUE TO STAFFING SHORTAGES OR INCREASED CALL VOLUME, OR ARE THERE PATTERNS OR SCHEDULING PRACTICES THAT COULD SUGGEST THAT OVERTIME IS BEING INTENTIONALLY DRIVEN UP? IS THIS A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO PUSH BACK AGAINST SCHEDULING ASSIGNMENTS OR POLICY CHANGES? IF SO, WHAT MEASURES ARE BEING CONSIDERED TO ADDRESS THIS AND ENSURE THAT OVERTIME USE IS JUSTIFIED AND CONTROLLED? WE NEED TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. UNDERSTANDING THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE INCREASE IS CRITICAL. THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY DESERVE ANSWERS AND A CLEAR PLAN OF ACTION. THE SOLUTION CANNOT SIMPLY BE TO KEEP ABSORBING THESE COSTS OR SHIFTING RESOURCES FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, DEPARTMENTS AND SERVICES. A STRATEGIC, LONG TERM PLAN TO MANAGE STAFFING, SCHEDULING AND BUDGETING BUDGET ALLOCATIONS MUST BE PUT IN PLACE TO PREVENT THIS FORM THIS FROM SPIRALING FURTHER OUT OF CONTROL. I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGEMENT TO TREAT THIS AS A PRIORITY, NOT JUST A BUDGET ISSUE, BUT AN ISSUE OF EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE AND RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. THANK YOU SIR. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND

[01:10:01]

[CONSENT AGENDA]

[WORK SESSION]

GOOD EVENING. THIS WILL BE A PRESENTATION OR WORK SESSION OVER OVERTIME WAGES. SO OVERVIEW OF THE PRESENTATION. THE PRESENTATION ON THE CITY'S OVERTIME WAGES FROM FY 2020 TO FY 2025. IN THIS PRESENTATION, WE WILL BE DEFINING OVERTIME AND TYPES OF OVERTIME. WE WILL BE GIVEN A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF OVERTIME BETWEEN FY 2020 AND 2025. WE WILL LOOK AT THE OVERTIME TRENDS BY DEPARTMENT, FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASES IN OVERTIME BEAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES TO REDUCE OVERTIME. AND THEN WE WILL TAKE SOME QUESTIONS. SO HERE ARE SOME OVERTIME RELATED DEFINITIONS A WORKWEEK IS A FIXED, REGULARLY REOCCURRING PERIOD OF 168 HOURS DURING SEVEN CONSECUTIVE 24 HOUR PERIODS. A WORK SCHEDULE FOR MOST FULL TIME CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES, THE USUALLY ASSIGNED EIGHT HOUR DUTIES PER DAY AND 40 DUTY HOURS IN EACH WORKWEEK AND EXEMPT EMPLOYEE IS AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS PAID ON A SALARY BASIS AND IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME COMPENSATION WHEN WORKING MORE THAN THE NORMAL 40 HOURS. A NONEXEMPT EMPLOYEE AN EMPLOYEE WHO IS PAID AT AN HOURLY RATE AND IS ELIGIBLE FOR OVERTIME COMPENSATION WHEN WORKING MORE THAN THE 40 HOUR WORKWEEK. 56 HOURS FOR CIVILIAN, EMT AND PARAMEDIC EMPLOYEES IN OVERTIME, WORK IS DEFINED AS ALL WORK, ALL TIME WORK BY CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE MORE THAN THE NORMAL 40 HOURS IN A WORKWEEK, AND THEN 56 HOURS FOR A CIVILIAN EMT AND PARAMEDIC EMPLOYEES. A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF OVERTIME WAGES FROM 2020 THROUGH 2025. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT OVERTIME WAGES HAVE AN ANNUALIZED GROWTH RATE OF 18.31%. THIS IS AN INCREASE OF $5,724,005. THE ANNUALIZED GROWTH RATE FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE OVERTIME IS 5.31%.

ANNUALIZED GROWTH RATE FOR SWORN OVERTIME IS 24.69%. AND HERE WE'LL HAVE THE REVIEW OF OVERTIME WAGES BY DEPARTMENT. YOU'LL SEE FIRE HAS AN GRAND TOTAL OF $17,910,498. OTHER IS A COMBINATION OF SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF OVERTIME, TOTALING $855,129.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A GRAND TOTAL OF $15,149,947. PARKS AND RECREATION, WHO HAS SINCE BEEN SPLIT, HAS A TOTAL OF $621,619. PUBLIC HEALTH HAS A TOTAL OF $491,548. MOST OF THAT CAME WHEN THEY HAD EMS WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENT. PUBLIC WORKS HAS A TOTAL OF $3,267,411, FOR A

[01:15:03]

PARKS AND RECREATION, WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN SPLIT, TOTALED 1.46, AND THEN PUBLIC HEALTH DECREASED BY 60.12%. AND THAT'S BECAUSE EMS IS NO LONGER A PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. HERE WE WILL BE DISCUSSING FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASES IN OVERTIME, SPECIFICALLY TO THE BEAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO THE FIRST FACTOR WE HAVE WILL BE THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT ALLOWS FOR A VACATION, LEAVE, SICK LEAVE, PERSONAL LEAVE AND FUNERAL LEAVE FOR FIREFIGHTERS.

THEY'VE HAD A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN USE OF SICK LEAVE SINCE 2021. WE HAVE POST COVID CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH HIRING AND RETENTION OF BFD PERSONNEL. ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, THERE IS AN INCREASED DEMAND FOR FIRST RESPONDER JOBS NATIONWIDE.

IN 2022, THEY EXPECTED A 6% INCREASE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE 4% NATIONAL AVERAGE GROWTH RATE FOR OCCUPATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE FOURTH FACTOR WOULD BE DUE TO LITIGATION, HIRING OF CIVILIAN EMT PARAMEDIC PERSONNEL WAS SUSPENDED, CAUSING INCREASED OVERTIME TO STAFF MED UNITS. FACTOR NUMBER FIVE WILL BE. SINCE 2ND APRIL 2024, THERE HAVE BEEN 29 EMT FIREFIGHTER SEPARATIONS. AND THEN THERE WAS A REALLOCATION OF 12 EMTS TO FIREFIGHTER POSITIONS. THE SEPARATIONS WILL BE 14 RETIREMENTS AND 15 RESIGNATIONS.

IN THE LAST FACTOR WOULD BE STATE DEPLOYMENTS FOR EVENTS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE TEXAS PANHANDLE WILDFIRES. THE BEAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT INITIATIVES TO REDUCE OVERTIME. WE'LL LIST THOSE. SO THE FIRST ONE WILL BE TO INCREASE THE APPLICANT POOL WITH A COMBINATION OF DUAL CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS FIREFIGHTER AND EMT CERTIFICATION, SINGLE CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS EMT ONLY, AND A FIRE CADET PROGRAM.

BFD WILL SPONSOR THE SINGLE CERT EMT CERTIFICATION TO LAMAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY FIRE ACADEMY AS A CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE AT AN ADJUSTED SALARY. THE SECOND INITIATIVE WOULD BE ADJUSTED MINIMUM MANPOWER BY REVERTING TO PRE-COVID ASSIGNMENT OF TRUCK 11 AND UNIT 11. THIS REDUCED MINIMUM MANPOWER BY TWO PERSONNEL. NO RESOURCES WERE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR THIS INITIATIVE, AND THEN, DUE TO THE INCREASED USE OF FIREFIGHTER SICK LEAVE SINCE 2021, BEAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT IS CONDUCTING INDIVIDUAL CHECKS TO VERIFY COMPLIANCE WITH SICK LEAVE POLICY AND USE THE FOURTH INITIATIVE REMOVAL OF EVERYONE OUT OF SERVICE TO COVER VACANCIES FOR TRAINING DURING THE DAY. THIS IS A SUPPORT UNIT AND WILL RESULT IN OT SAVINGS.

THE FIFTH INITIATIVE WILL BE REEVALUATION OF TRAINING NEEDS TO CONTAIN OVERALL COSTS, AND THE SIXTH INITIATIVE IS THE BEAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO MONITOR OPERATING COSTS DAILY. AT THIS TIME. WE WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL. OKAY.

CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT HAD THE BREAKDOWN ON ALL OF IT RIGHT THERE? I GOT A QUESTION, MAYOR. YES, COUNCIL. ALL RIGHT. SO OBVIOUSLY JUST LOOKING AT FIRE, THE BIG JUMP IS BETWEEN 22 AND 23. RIGHT. IS THAT THE YEAR THAT THE EMS MERGER WITH FIRE TOOK PLACE? EMS CAME IN IN 2022. SO IT WILL BE THE YEAR. THAT WOULD BE THE START OF IT THEN. YES, SIR.

OKAY. SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN BASE SALARY BETWEEN AN EMT AND A FIREMAN? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION OFFHAND. CHIEF, CAN YOU ANSWER ANY OF THESE, PLEASE? STARTING EMT IS APPROXIMATELY $18 AN HOUR. PARAMEDIC ABOUT $22 AN HOUR. AND STARTING SALARY FOR A FIREFIGHTER. EMT CERTIFIED IS ABOUT $3,031 AN HOUR. SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN. SO JUST BETWEEN 18 AND 31 END OF YEAR BACKFILLING. WE WERE ALREADY SHORT EMT CORRECT. AND SO YOU'RE BACKFILLING THOSE POSITIONS WITH FIREMEN THAT ARE MAKING BASICALLY DOUBLE THE SALARY INCREASE. YOU ARE GOING TO I MEAN, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY AROUND IT OTHER THAN DOUBLING THE COST. THAT IS EXACTLY YES.

[01:20:01]

CORRECT. THAT IS A FACTOR. THAT IS CORRECT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THE INCREASE OF SICK LEAVE DEFINITELY IS A DRIVING FORCE. ONE OF THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE OVERTIME. YES.

COUNCILMAN GETS AND COUNCILMAN PHIL SHAW, FOLLOWING ON THE MAYOR'S COMMENT, THE INCREASE IN SICK LEAVE. AND I THINK SHARPE WAS TALKING ABOUT SICK LEAVE WHEN HE WAS MAKING HIS COMMENTS, NOT OVERTIME AND THE NUMBER OF HOURS, BUT WHAT I'VE SEEN AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, FROM THE TIME THAT EMS WAS BROUGHT INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, IS IT TRUE THAT THE AMOUNT OF SICK LEAVE HAS EXPONENTIALLY INCREASED IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ON THE WHEN EMS WAS BROUGHT BACK INTO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. YES, SIR. SO THAT'S FROM 20. I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AVAILABLE? I THINK I'VE SEEN THEM BEFORE. BUT FOR THE PUBLIC, DO YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS IN HOURS INCREASED IN SICK LEAVE FROM 22 TO LAST YEAR.

DIDN'T THEY SHOW THEM NOT NOT HERE WITH ME. BUT I DO HAVE THOSE NUMBERS. YES, SIR. OKAY.

WE'VE BEEN RUNNING. WE'VE BEEN CONSTANTLY MONITORING THE NUMBERS. AND THERE'S OTHER FACTORS LIKE MR. DUNCAN TALKED ABOUT IS THAT THEY THEY ARE ALLOTTED BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING, VACATION, SICK LEAVE, FAMILY LEAVE, PERSONAL LEAVE AND OTHER LEAVE THAT ARE GRANTED BY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. COUNCILMAN PHIL SHAW THANK YOU. MAYOR. CHIEF, IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THIS INCREASE IN OVERTIME IS STARTED WITH THE EMS MOVING OVER TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND WE'RE UNDERSTAFFED, REQUIRING OVERTIME ON THE SICK LEAVE. WELL, LET ME BACK UP. WHAT'S THE AVERAGE? DO YOU HAVE AN AVERAGE OF THE OVERTIME THAT THESE FIREFIGHTERS ARE WORKING? WHAT ARE THEY AVERAGING IN OVERTIME? DO YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD ABOUT 24 HOURS A WEEK PER PERSON, ON TOP OF THEIR REGULAR SALARY. SO HOW MANY HOURS ARE WE PUTTING IN A WEEK? I MEAN, THEN YOU'RE I MEAN, THEY WORK AT 24 AND THEN SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT 48. SO THEY'RE KNOCKING DOWN SOME A LOT OF HOURS. YES. SO I GUESS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT SAYS IN YOUR SICK LEAVE, IS THERE A

[01:25:06]

OKAY. AND AS THE CHIEF, I AM NOT GOING TO LOWER THE STANDARD TO TRY TO FILL POSITIONS. AND THEY ARE SOME OF THE RESIGNATIONS WERE GOING TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T RUN MEDICAL EMS UNITS. THAT'S THAT'S A FACTOR. SO I GUESS IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR NUMBERS RIGHT, SOME OF THESE GUYS ARE PUTTING IN OVER 70 HOURS A WEEK. YES, SIR. WOW. THAT'S THAT'S UNSUSTAINABLE.

ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S JUST I MEAN, THAT'S JUST UNSUSTAINABLE, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE GOING TO HIRE. AND I UNDERSTAND, MR. BROWN CORRECTLY, YOU'RE LOOKING INTO SOME OF THESE TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE SICK LEAVES ARE LEGITIMATE. ABSOLUTELY. AND HAVE YOU FOUND, I MEAN, WERE GUY IS SUPPOSED TO BE RESTING, BUT HE'S AT SAM RAYBURN BASS FISHING. I MEAN, HAVE WE FOUND THAT I THERE WAS ONE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, YEAR AND A HALF AGO, THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WAS NOT WHERE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, AND HE WAS DEALT WITH DISCIPLINE WISE. AND WE'VE ENCOUNTERED A NUMBER OF PERSONNEL THAT DON'T LIVE WHERE THEY SAY THEY LIVE, WHICH POLICY INDICATES THAT THEY HAVE TO CHANGE OF ADDRESS. SO IT'S SHOWING SOME BENEFITS OF MAKING OF HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO ADHERE TO THE SICK LEAVE POLICY AND USE. YES, SIR. BUT OVERALL, YOU'RE FINDING THAT YOUR YOUR FIREFIGHTERS ARE IF THEY'RE HOME, IF THEY'RE SICK ON SICK LEAVE THEIR THEIR HOME. THAT'S THE WELL THE ONLY ONES THAT WERE ADHERING TO THE POLICY. REMEMBER THEY CAN USE THEIR SICK LEAVE FOR SICK FAMILY MEMBERS ALSO OKAY. YES SIR. OKAY. AND DO WE FACTOR IN JUST EXHAUSTION? I MEAN, IF YOU HAD TO WORK 2 OR 3 WEEKS AT 70 HOURS, I'M ASSUMING AT SOME POINT YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK. WE DO FACTOR THAT IN, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE AN OVERTIME LIST. AND WE TRACK THEIR HOURS.

YES, SIR. OKAY. THE DEPUTY CHIEFS ARE TRACKING THEIR HOURS AND MAKING SURE ONLY EXTREME.

EXTREME EMERGENCIES. HENCE DOWNTOWN FIRE. JUNE 6TH. WE HAVE TO CALL IN TO COVER THOSE EMERGENCIES AND OTHER EMERGENCIES THAT MIGHT POP UP DURING THOSE LARGE EVENTS.

FORTUNATELY, THE LARGE EVENTS DON'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. YEAH. THANK YOU. MAYOR. YES, SIR.

COUNCILMAN TURNER. AND THEN I'LL COME BACK TO YOU, COUNCILMAN NEILL. CHIEF, AND SOME OF YOUR RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, 15 AND 14, THAT'S 29. AND I KNOW WE HAVE SOME VACANCIES AND THAT WAS RECENT. SO. AND SOME OF YOUR RETIREMENT AND RESIGNATIONS, WHAT WERE SOME OF THE THINGS STATED IN LIKE THE EXIT INTERVIEW OR SOMETHING OF THAT MAGNITUDE? WHAT WERE SOME OF THE REASONING? THEY LIVED OUT OF TOWN AND THEY GOT JOBS CLOSER TO WHERE THEY LIVED, AND THEN THEY FACTORED IN THAT THE WRITING THE MED UNIT IS NOT A DESIRABLE ASSIGNMENT. SO THERE'S STILL A FEW DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T RUN MED UNITS, FIRE BASED EMS. THEY'RE BECOMING SMALLER AND SMALLER THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS. IN FACT, I GOT A CALL YESTERDAY FROM LOUISIANA, ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA. THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING WITH A FIRE BASED EMS. AND, OF COURSE, THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT WAS GOING TO COST A LOT OF MONEY INITIALLY GETTING MED UNITS IN AND HIRING QUALIFIED PERSONNEL, BUT THEY'VE PLANNED TWO YEARS OUT FOLLOW UP.

OKAY. YOU'RE SAYING MID UNITS FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, LET'S BREAK IT DOWN TO A SMALLER LEVEL, LIKE THE CALL VOLUME THAT YOU GUYS RECEIVED.

LIKE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CALL VOLUME OPTIONS. IS IT MORE FIRES OR MORE MID CALLS. KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN. SO THEY KNOW FIRES MAKE UP PROBABLY LESS THAN 5% OF OUR ACTUAL CALL VOLUME. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT LAST WEEK, IF YOU REMEMBER RECALL WHAT I PRESENTED LAST WEEK ON THE RIGHT SIDE THAT MADE UP ABOUT 30, 35% OF OUR CALLS, THOSE LOW ACUITY CALLS. NOW, REMEMBER THAT TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE RUNNING ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 5 MED UNITS, AS COUNCILMAN NEAL INDICATED, THAT WERE BEING MANNED BY CIVILIAN PERSONNEL, AND THEY WERE MAKING ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 20 CALLS PER SHIFT. SO WE INSTITUTED A BLS, ALS, MED UNITS BACKFILLING WITH FIREFIGHTERS, WHICH INCREASE YOUR COST. BUT THE CALL VOLUME PER UNIT WENT DOWN TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 8 TO 10 CALLS PER UNIT. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE INSTITUTING HOPEFULLY OTHER FACTORS, THE GOODSAM APP

[01:30:07]

COULD YOU STILL COME ON THE BACK END AND WORK OVERTIME? THE POLICY DOES DOES SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO. BUT IN THIS CASE, WE'VE BEEN WAIVING SOME OF IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FULLY STAFFED AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR CALLS. WE DO HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE, BUT WE HAVE TO PERIODICALLY ADJUST THOSE POLICIES. I KNOW, AND THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR MR. BROWN, BUT ARE YOU, CHIEF IN THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN SICK TIME? CALL IN, I THINK 150% INCREASE. IS THAT WAS THAT CORRECT? AM I REMEMBERING THAT WRONG? I KNOW I'D SEEN SOME NUMBERS OUTSIDE OF THIS IN TERMS OF HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY HOURS OF SICK TIME THAT WAS STATED FROM THE PODIUM BY A CITIZEN. OKAY. AND I'VE SEEN SOME NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT ABLE TO BE TRACKED? I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE FIREFIGHTERS SHOW UP TO WORK THEIR SHIFT. I KNOW THEY WORK A, B, C SHIFT THREE SHIFTS, 24 HOURS SHIFTS, AND SO THAT THEY'RE ALSO WORKING THE AMBULANCES OR BOX TRUCK TRUCKS AND WORKING AND FIRE ENGINES ALSO DO THEY DON'T TAKE ANYTHING ANY ENGINES OUT OF SERVICE AT ALL, AS YOU'VE BEEN TOLD BY SOME THAT YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A DESIRABLE JOB. DO THEY KNOW BEFOREHAND SINCE WE'VE HAD THAT INCREASE, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING IN A BOX TRUCK VERSUS ON THE FIRE TRUCK? AND I WAS WONDERING, SOMETIMES THEY DO AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. AND I'LL HAVE TO SAY THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS, ONCE THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO A UNIT, IT MAY BE AN UNDESIRABLE ASSIGNMENT. I'M SICK. THAT'S WHAT I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE INCREASE.

THEY I'M JUST BEING COMPLETELY HONEST. WELL, I WOULD THINK IF, IF WE IF THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE WORKING, WE COULD TRACK THE SICK DAYS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. YEAH. COUNCILMAN DARIO.

CHIEF. CHIEF WHITE, DO YOU KNOW IF ANY OF THE SICK LEAVE USE IS RELATED TO THEM BEING OVERSTRESSED FROM RIDING ON THE AMBULANCE? DO THEY EVER CALL IN AND SAY THEY NEED A BREAK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WE DO HAVE PEER SUPPORT GROUP, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF. THERE'S EAP THAT THE CITY PAYS FOR ALSO. SO IF THEY'RE UNDERGOING SOME TYPE OF FATIGUE AND EVERYTHING, WE WANT THEM, THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT THE LEAVE IS FOR, OKAY? IF YOU'RE NOT FIT FOR DUTY, BY ALL MEANS, WE WANT YOU TO USE AND REHAB AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE READY FOR DUTY AND EVERYTHING. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE A SIGNIFICANT. DISTANCE FROM FROM THE CITY. I KNOW. COUNCILMAN. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN TURNER, COUNCILMAN. SAMUEL. COUNCILMAN NEAL, THEN COUNCILMAN SHAW. SO WE'LL JUST RUN THE TABLE. SO, CHIEF, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE TESTED 12 NINE, BASICALLY MADE IT THROUGH EVERYTHING, BUT CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO THE TESTING, LIKE, NORMALLY WHAT PERCENTAGE PASSES TEST. AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT OUR DEPARTMENT BUT JUST SOME OF THE AVERAGES. WELL, A FEW YEARS AGO WE WERE HAVING LOW PASSING RATE. SO WE WORKED WITH H.R AND LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL EXAM AND IT WASN'T A JOB SPECIFIC EXAM. SO WE MADE THE SPECIFIC ADJUSTMENTS AND OUR PASS RATE HAS INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY. WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE OUT THERE RECRUITING AND INSTITUTING THINGS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE PARTNERING WITH BISD, NOT ON THE FIREFIGHTER PART OF IT, BUT THE EMT PART OF IT, AND HELPING WITH THEIR PASS RATE FROM THEIR TECHNICAL CENTER BECAUSE THEY LOOKED AT SOME NUMBERS AND THEY WERE HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THEIR EMT AND THE EMT EXAM NATIONALLY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A 48% FAILURE RATE ON NATIONAL REGISTRY, AND THAT'S AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS. WOW. OKAY. IF YOU DON'T PASS WITHIN THOSE THREE ATTEMPTS, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR REMEDIAL COURSE TO GO THROUGH. AND THAT GIVES YOU THREE MORE ATTEMPTS TO PASS THAT EXAM. OKAY. SO ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS, WELL, WHY DON'T WE HIRE PEOPLE

[01:35:07]

LEGAL. YEAH. SO. THERE WAS A LAWSUIT FILED TO PREVENT CITY FROM HIRING CIVILIAN EMTS UNDER THE BELIEF FROM. A PARTICULAR EMPLOYEE WHO'S NO LONGER WITH THE CITY, THAT HE SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS A FIREMAN. SINCE THAT TIME, THE FIRE UNION HAS ALSO JOINED THE LAWSUIT AND SAID THAT THOSE POSITIONS SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS SWORN. SO DURING THAT TIME THAT THE INJUNCTION WAS PENDING, THE CITY DID NOT HIRE ANY CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES. FOR THE EMS SIDE. THERE WERE SEVERAL EMPLOYEE, I GUESS, APPLICANTS WHO WERE WAITING TO BE HIRED. WE COULDN'T HIRE THEM. THEY TOOK EMPLOYMENT ELSEWHERE. SINCE THAT TIME, THE CITY HAS, YOU KNOW, AGREED TO OR THE PARTIES HAVE AGREED THAT IT WOULD ALLOW NORMAL PRACTICES, OR AT LEAST THE INJUNCTION PART HAD BEEN LIFTED TO THE CITY, DID RESUME HIRING, OR AT LEAST PROMOTING OPENINGS FOR POSITIONS IN EMS. BUT IT'S KIND OF HARD TO HIRE SOMEBODY TO WORK IN A DEPARTMENT IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR JOB STATUS IS GOING TO BE. SO YEAH, AND WITH THESE LAWSUITS LIKE, LIKE ROUNDABOUT NUMBERS, SOME OF THE EXPENSES THE CITY HAS INCURRED DEALING WITH THESE LAWSUITS. ARE YOU ASKING FOR AN EXEMPTION OR AN APPROXIMATE NUMBER? APPROXIMATE ROUGH ESTIMATE. WE'RE PROBABLY CLOSE.

APPROACHING 100,000. OKAY. COUNCILMAN NEIL. THANK YOU. MAYOR. CHIEF, WE HAD SEVERAL CITIZENS TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS TODAY. ONE BEING THE FACT THAT VERY FEW OF OUR FIREMEN LIVE IN BEAUMONT. VERY FEW OF OUR FIREMEN LIVE IN BEAUMONT. CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK TO THAT FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW AND WHY COUNCIL, NOR YOU HAVE ANY ABILITY OR CONTROL OVER THAT. I DO NOT HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THAT. MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A RESIDENCY CLAUSE THAT WAS DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY STATE LEGISLATURE. SO I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER NOW. WHAT I HAVE DONE IS AWARDED MORE POINTS FOR RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT TO THE CIVIL SERVICE ENTRANCE TEST, AND WE'VE EVEN CHANGED UP SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS ON THE PHYSICAL AGILITY TEST, TRYING TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE AND LESS OF A CHALLENGE FOR THEM AND MONITOR THEM AFTER HIRING. AND SIMPLE FACT IS, WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE A VERY HEALTHY SOCIETY RIGHT NOW. CAN YOU ALSO SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT CIVIL SERVICE LAW ALSO HAS ITS OWN SICK CLAUSE THAT SUPERSEDES ANYTHING THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS IN PLACE FOR OTHER EMPLOYEES? IT IS THERE. THEY DO HAVE CIVIL SERVICE, SICK LEAVE BY CIVIL SERVICE THAT WAS AWARDED TO THEM. OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS NOTHING TO DO OR NO CONTROL OVER THE FACT OF WHERE A FIREMAN LIVES, NOR DO WE GET TO WRITE THE SICK POLICY. AND THE THIRD THING THAT I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY SEVERAL CITIZENS TODAY, WAS APPEALING TO THE COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF YOU, WHICH I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THAT YOU EXCLUSIVELY WORK FOR THE CITY MANAGER, NOT THE COUNCIL, I DO, YES. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL. ONE OF MY QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, BUT THE SECOND IS, DID YOU SAY PRIOR TO A FIREFIGHTER TAKING AN OVERTIME, THEY CAN FIND OUT WHAT THAT JOB IS, ENTAIL AND THEY CAN DENY THE OVERTIME? THE DEPUTY

[01:40:05]

MAYOR. CHIEF, I HAD THE SAME ONE, THE SAME CLARIFICATION WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL IN 19.

ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID IS I WENT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND SAID, WHY CAN'T WE REQUIRE BEAUMONT PD AND FIRE DEPARTMENT TO LIVE IN BEAUMONT? YES. IF YOU WORK HERE, YOU SHOULD LIVE HERE. STATE LAW WON'T LET US. YES. AND NUMBER TWO, WE CAN'T HIRE OR FIRE YOU.

YOU WORK FOR THE CITY MANAGER, YOU DON'T WORK FOR THE COUNCIL. AND THE OTHER THING IS, JUST FOR CLARITY, I IT ALL THIS OVERTIME. AGAIN, IT STARTED WITH THE EMS ISSUE AND RIDING THE BOXES WHERE IT REALLY TICKED UP BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO FILL THOSE BOXES. TWO YEARS AGO, I REMEMBER THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH AMBULANCES ON THE ROAD, OKAY. AT SOME POINT I THINK WE WENT TO ZERO STATUS. THERE WAS SOME TALK THEN ABOUT ABOUT THAT SITUATION. OKAY. AND YOU CAN CLARIFY OR CLEAN UP ANYTHING I MESS UP. BUT YEAH, JUST I JUST SPOKE TO IT IN THAT TWO YEARS AGO WE WERE RUNNING 4 TO 5 MED UNITS. OKAY. AND THEN WE INSTITUTED THE BLS, WHICH IS BASIC LIFE SUPPORT UNIT VERSUS THE ALS. YEAH. AND WE WENT ORIGINALLY WENT TO NINE UNITS, BUT BECAUSE OF LOGISTICS IN GETTING MED UNITS WE DROPPED DOWN TO EIGHT WHICH GAVE US 1 TO 2 RESERVES PER DAY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. BUT WE DO HAVE MECHANICAL BREAKDOWNS. SO WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER THOSE MECHANICAL BREAKDOWNS. WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN. THURSDAY, WE'LL BE INTRODUCING A NEW MED UNIT, THE BLESSING OF THE MED UNIT WE WERE LOOKING FOR TO BE UP APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 MED UNITS IN RESERVE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, DECEMBER WE HAD A MED UNIT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A DWI AT THE INTERSECTION OF M.L. KING AND COLLEGE, AND THAT THAT UNIT HAS SINCE BEEN TOTALED. NOW WE'VE WORKED ON ANOTHER UNIT THAT WAS TOTALED, BUT OUR FLEET MANAGER WAS ABLE TO GET THAT UNIT BACK IN SERVICE. AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY THAT IT'S BACK IN THE ROAD, ON THE ROAD. SO WE DO HAVE FOUR NEW UNITS SLATED TO BE DRIVEN OVER TO HOUSTON TO GET THE BOX MOUNTED ON IT APRIL 11TH, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM A SIX MONTH TO 12 MONTH PERIOD. AGAIN, NOT TO EXACERBATE THEIR DEAL, BUT THESE PRE AND PRE-COVID DEALS DID A NUMBER ON A LOT OF SUPPLY ISSUES PERSONNEL WISE AND EVERYTHING. WELL, WHAT I WAS GOING WITH THAT IS IN DEFENSE OF YOUR MEN AND WOMEN THAT YOU FIGHT FOR EVERY DAY. YES, SIR. THIS OVERTIME IS YOUR MEN AND WOMEN STEPPING UP TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE BOXES ARE ON OUR STREETS, THAT WE'RE SERVICING OUR CITIZENS. YES, SIR. YOUR MEN AND WOMEN ARE WORKING OVER 70 HOURS A WEEK TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE CARED FOR. THESE THESE ARE YOUR GUYS THAT I KNOW YOU FIGHT FOR EVERY DAY. YES, SIR. THIS IS NOT ABOUT GUYS JUST TRYING TO LOG IN TIME BECAUSE THEY'RE GREEDY AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET EXTRA MONEY. THEY'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE THERE'S A NEED. CORRECT. AND THEY'RE FILLING THAT NEED. YES, SIR. THEY ARE FILLING THAT NEED. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE NUMBERS ALSO AND MAKE SURE. AND THAT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY THAT. YES, SIR. I JUST FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO CLARIFY THAT THERE'S OVERTIME BECAUSE THESE GUYS ARE STEPPING UP TRYING TO SERVICE OUR CITIZENS. AND I'M ASSUMING THEY WOULD LOVE TO FALL BACK FROM 70 HOURS A WEEK BACK DOWN TO A MORE MANAGEABLE NUMBER. I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY SURELY NOBODY LIKES TO WORK 70 HOURS A WEEK AND WE DON'T HAVE MANDATORY OVERTIME AT THIS POINT, RIGHT? LET ME LET ME BE CLEAR ON THAT. BUT WHEN THERE'S AN EXTREME, EXTREME, EXTREME. BUT THEY ARE STEPPING UP TO THAT. AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE GONE ON AN AGGRESSIVE CAMPAIGN TO RECRUIT AND HIRE PEOPLE. BUT LET ME EMPHASIZE AGAIN THAT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING THE BEST PEOPLE THAT REFLECT THE CORE VALUES OF THIS CITY AND OF THIS DEPARTMENT, AND HIRING PEOPLE. IT'S LIKE GOING TO VEGAS AND PUTTING EVERYTHING ON RED, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GAMBLE. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE VETTING THEM PROPERLY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE BACKGROUNDS AND THE POLYGRAPHS ARE DONE

[01:45:05]

ABSOLUTELY. AND I JUST THINK THE CITIZENS NEED TO KNOW THAT, THAT THERE IS OVERTIME. BUT IT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO FILL THE BOXES. AND THERE, THERE THERE IS SOME SICK LEAVE. BUT I THINK IF I HAD TO WORK 2 OR 3 WEEKS AT 70 HOURS, I'D PROBABLY CALL IN SICK, TOO. I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S HARD ON YOU EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY. IT'S GOT TO BE TOUGH. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING CARE OF BOTH THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL NEEDS. AND IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE JUST SHOVING AROUND PAPERCLIPS AT A TABLE. THEY'RE DEALING WITH LIFE AND DEATH ISSUES. CORRECT. WE'RE DEALING WITH THESE ARE HIGH. THIS IS A HIGH STRESS JOB. CORRECT. THESE ARE HIGH STRESS FIELDS. YES, SIR. SO AGAIN, CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR THE SERVICE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND ONE THING THAT I MIGHT ADD IS THAT WE'RE ALSO COMPETING WITH OTHER CITIES FOR EMPLOYEES JUST RECENTLY, 90 MILES DOWN THE LINE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, THEY WERE ABLE TO FINALLY SETTLE A LABOR AGREEMENT. THEY HAVE OVER 300 OPENINGS. I'VE HAD 2 OR 3 THAT HAVE GONE TO HOUSTON, IN FACT, THREE THAT HAVE GONE TO HOUSTON AND OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

ALSO, BECAUSE A PLETHORA OF JOB. ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. COUNCILMAN DARIO, THEN COUNCILMAN GAETZ, COUNCILMAN TURNER, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE CADET PROGRAM AND WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED? YES, WE JUST GAVE OUR LAST DUAL CERT TEST. I WILL BE MEETING WITH THE FIRE UNION TOMORROW BECAUSE IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM A NOTICE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CHANGING UP THE HIRING DEAL. THE NEXT TEST WILL BE A DUAL CERT THAT YOU'RE LOOKING UP. THEY'RE A DUAL CERT, WHICH IS WHAT WE GIVE RIGHT NOW A DUAL CIRCUIT FIREFIGHTER, FIREFIGHTER AND EMT TO TAKE THE TEST, TO TAKE THE TEST, TO EVEN SIT FOR THE TEST.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS INSTITUTE A SINGLE CERT EMT TEST, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET ON A ELIGIBILITY LIST, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO DOWN AND WE'RE GOING TO FILL OUR SLOTS EITHER DUAL CERT READY TO GO TO WORK OR SINGLE CERT BE AN EMT PARTNER, WHICH WE ALREADY PARTNERED WITH LIT. SEND THEM THERE TO THE FIRE ACADEMY AND SWEAR THEM IN ONCE THEY GRADUATE AND ARE ABLE TO PASS TEXAS COMMISSION ON FIRE PROTECTION AND MAKE SURE THEY PASS NATIONAL REGISTRY, BUT ON A DUAL CERT, THOUGH, THEY ALREADY WILL BE AN EMT. YES, SIR. AS A SINGLE.

RATHER THEY'LL BE, AND THOSE WILL BE THE CADETS THAT GO TO THE FIRE ACADEMY. THEY'RE ALREADY EMT. YOU'RE GOING TO CERTIFY THEM AS A FIREFIGHTER BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO PASS THE TEST THAN THE EMT. IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER. THE FIRE ACADEMY IS THE EMT ACADEMY IS TOUGH. AND ALSO THE EMT EMT ACADEMY ENTAILS WHAT THEY CALL CLINICAL RIDEOUTS, BOTH ON THE MED UNIT AND AT THE HOSPITAL. YES, SIR. WHEN YOU SAID YOU MADE YOUR TEST MORE JOB SPECIFIC, WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT? WE. WENT FROM A TEST THAT WASN'T VERY USER FRIENDLY AND APPLICABLE TO A FIREFIGHTER EMT JOB. OKAY, WE ORDERED THE TEST FROM A TEST MAKER, AND WE LOOKED AT IT AND WE WERE SAYING, MAN, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TEST? BECAUSE WE WERE HAVING SIGNIFICANT HIGHER FAILURE RATE. SO WE REEVALUATED THAT AND WORKED WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE DIRECTOR AND SHIFTED OUR TEST TO MORE APPLICABLE TO THE JOB AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR PASS RATE WAS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER. ALSO, I WANTED TO ASK YOUR DEPUTY CHIEF. THAT'S THE ONES THAT'S OVER A SHIFT. YES, SIR. SO THEY KNOW THE SHIFT AHEAD OF TIME ALREADY. IF THEY'RE GOING TO NEED OVERTIME, THE NEXT SHIFT. YES, SIR. BY THEY, THEY KNOW USUALLY BY 6 OR 7:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

OKAY. BECAUSE REMEMBER WE STILL HAVE CIVILIANS THAT ARE WORKING THE DEAL AND WE'RE ACTIVELY TRYING TO FILL THOSE CIVILIAN POSITIONS. ALSO, WE CANNOT RUN THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW WITHOUT CIVILIANS. SO THAT PAUSE IN HIRING CIVILIANS SEVERELY IMPACTED OUR ABILITY TO MAN MADE UNITS. SO THEY I GUESS THEY KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IF THEY'RE GOING

[01:50:09]

COULD ALL OF THOSE EMS CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES BE CLASSIFIED AS FIREFIGHTERS SO THAT THEY COULD BE ALLOWED TO GO INTO BUILDINGS WITH BREATHING APPARATUS AND HOSES AND SUPPRESS FIRES? YEAH.

SO AND I GUESS THIS IS AN INTERPRETATION OF THE LAW, BUT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE THAT DEALS AND DEFINES WHAT A FIREFIGHTER IS, IS IT SAYS THAT THEY NEED A HELP ME OUT. CHIEF TEXAS COMMISSIONER OF FIRE PROTECTION CERTIFICATION PLUS EMT OR PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATION

[01:55:04]

I KNOW STATE LAW SAYS THAT WE CAN'T REFER OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS TO LIVE WITHIN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, BUT WE HAVE TO BE HONEST, 80% IS QUITE ALARMING.

SO WE RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT THIS IN THE MOST RECENT BUDGET. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE INCENTIVES THAT WE ARE TRYING TO PUT IN PLACE, WHICH WOULD BE MORE FINANCES TO ACTUALLY INCENTIVIZE SOME OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS TO ACTUALLY LIVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT? WHY? I WENT TO A CLASS AT TML ONE TIME, AND THE STATEMENT WAS, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY. WE ALL AGREE THAT OUR SUPERHEROES AND THE GENTLEMAN STARTED THE PRESENTATION BY STATING, IMAGINE IN GOTHAM CITY IF THEY TURN ON THE BAT LIGHT AND BATMAN SAID, HOLD ON, I GOT TO COME FROM OUT OF TOWN. HE SAID, THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO INCENTIVIZE OUR PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS TO LIVE HERE, LIKE DOWN HOME PAYMENT ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS MOVING ASSISTANCE. AND THAT'S WHY I KIND OF LEARNED ABOUT SOME OF THESE INCENTIVES. I NOTICED OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IT. SO CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO THAT? YEAH. COUNCIL MEMBER WE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF THINGS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR FIREMEN AND EMS PEOPLE TO LIVE IN BEAUMONT, AND WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE FOR THE EMS WORKERS. YES. AND THAT'S FOR THE SIGN ON BONUS. YES. IF YOU ALLOW ME, WE HAVE A $3,000 SIGN ON BONUS FOR CIVILIAN EMTS AND A $5,000 SIGN ON BONUS FOR PARAMEDICS, INCENTIVIZING THEM TO COME TO WORK IN THE CITY. IT'S BROKEN UP INTO TWO PAYMENTS. ONE IS WHAT WE CALL A NET P NEW EMPLOYEE. AND ONCE THEY PASS THAT FOR THE EMT, THEY GET $1,500 A HALF OF IT. THE PARAMEDIC, ONCE THEY PASS, THEY GET 2500. AND UPON COMPLETING FIELD TRAINING AND BEING RELEASED TO PROVIDE SERVICE ON THEIR OWN, THEY GET THE REST OF IT. THE PARAMEDIC GETS THE OTHER 2500, AND THE EMT GETS THE OTHER 1500. AND THAT WAS INSTITUTED, ALONG WITH MR. WILLIAMS, TO TRY TO INCENTIVIZE HIRING OF CIVILIAN EMTS AND PARAMEDICS. AND I APPRECIATE HIM DOING THAT. BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION MORE DIRECTLY, YOU YOU TALKED ABOUT INCENTIVES TO GET PEOPLE TO LIVE IN BEAUMONT. WE PROPOSED A RENTAL ASSISTANT

[02:00:05]

THEY DIDN'T PASS. SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU SAY THEY DIDN'T PASS, LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE VOTE ON THESE THINGS IF WE WANT TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THESE THINGS. AND YOU'RE SAYING IT WAS VOTED DOWN, RIGHT.

IT DIDN'T SURVIVE THE BUDGET PROCESS. I SUBMITTED THEM WE SUBMITTED THEM AS A AS A PART OF THE BUDGET. AND IT WAS CUT OUT OF THE BUDGET DUE TO BUDGET CUTS. SO AGAIN, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME FORM OF A SOLUTION. AND WE DIDN'T PASS IT. MY SECOND THING IS WE ALSO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE WAY GOVERNMENT WORKS. YOU KNOW, THE CITY COUNCIL MANAGES THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY MAGISTRATE, THE CITY CLERK AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY. MR. WILLIAMS, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN PRESSURE FROM COUNCIL TO DISMISS, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES THAT THEY AREN'T HAPPY WITH? I FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GLAD TO KNOW THE CITY MANAGER IS BACK IN CHARGE TODAY, BUT. YEAH, THE WAY THAT IT'S SET UP, THE CITY MANAGER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, EXCEPT THREE OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT THE CITY SECRETARY, JUDGE, MAGISTRATE AND THE CITY CLERK. OTHER THAN THAT, THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIRING AND FIRING THOSE EMPLOYEES. AND TRUE, THE FIRE CHIEF IS HIRED BY THE CITY MANAGER, BUT IT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

YEAH. I CAN'T JUST HIRE A FIRE CHIEF JUST LIKE WE DID THE POLICE CHIEF. YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY YOU. THIS GROUP UP HERE FOR SURE. AS FAR AS DISMISSAL, I COULD DISMISS THEM.

BUT AS YOU JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, FIRE THE CITY MANAGER ANSWERS TO THIS COUNCIL. AND NO MATTER WHAT I DO AND BEING ABLE TO DO, I STILL HAVE TO WORK WITH THESE SEVEN PEOPLE SITTING ON THIS DAIS AND BE ABLE TO WHATEVER CITY MANAGER IS SITTING UP HERE AND BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PUT ON THAT CITY MANAGER TO DO CERTAIN THINGS. SO IT'S NOT JUST A CITY MANAGER MAKING DECISIONS. HE'S DOING THINGS THAT ARE THAT ARE CORRECT FOR THAT COMMUNITY.

AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORKED FOR IN THAT COMMUNITY. ONE THIN, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU REAL QUICK ON SOMETHING THAT CHIEF SAID ON THE ON THE $2,000 AND THE $3,000 TO THE EMTS OR PARAMEDICS, OR 2005 THOUSAND, I THINK THREE 3000 FOR AN EMT INCENTIVE HIRING INCENTIVE AND 5000 FOR A PARAMEDIC. BECAUSE PARAMEDICS ARE DIFFICULT, THEIR RESIDENCY INSIDE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM GETTING THAT. NO, NOT NOT NOT AT ALL. IT'S STRICTLY AS A HIRING INCENTIVE. IT'S NOT AN INCENTIVE TO MOVE HERE. IT'S A HIGHER INCENTIVE. STRICTLY A HIRING INCENTIVE. ALL RIGHT. THAT WAS DONE WHEN WE WERE SHORT OF EMS LAST YEAR WHEN IT WAS AN ISSUE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, AND WE PUT THAT IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT MORE EMTS. YEAH, WE WERE STRUGGLING TO RETAIN AND HIRE PARAMEDICS. SO I BROUGHT FORTH, ALONG WITH THE EMS MANAGER, ASSISTANT CHIEF TO MR. WILLIAMS, AND HE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WAS IN SUPPORT OF IT. AND IT'S PAID DIVIDENDS. IT HAS THE NEW THE PROGRAM THEY SPOKE TO US ABOUT LAST WEEK AND THE OTHER ONE THAT THEY USED IN SAN ANTONIO, THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME OF THE ACTUAL CALLS OFF OF THE EMTS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S NO, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO BE MAKING THOSE CALLS. IT GIVES THE CITIZEN ANOTHER OPTION ON TELEHEALTH IF THEY CHOOSE. LIKE WE EXPLAINED LAST WEEK, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR CALLS ARE WHAT WE CALL OUR LOW ACUITY OR NON-EMERGENT CALLS, WHERE THEY MAY NOT NEED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. THEY MAY NOT EVEN WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. BUT WITH THIS NEW PROGRAM, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING TELEHEALTH TO THEM, A DOCTOR RIGHT IN THEIR OWN HOME AND TRANSFER PATIENT CARE TO THEM AND GET THAT UNIT BACK IN SERVICE. SO THEY'RE STILL GOING TO GET A GREAT SERVICE RIGHT IN THE DEAL AND NOT HAVE TO DO WHAT AT WHAT EMERGENCY ROOM. WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT, WAIT. YES, SIR. BUT IT'S BUT IT IS DESIGNED IT SEEMED LIKE IT MIGHT TAKE SOME OF THE ACTUAL CALL VOLUME DOWN AS FAR AS ACTUALLY HAVING TO GO OUT THERE ON THE AMBULANCE. NO, WE'RE STILL GOING TO DISPATCH RESOURCES TO MAKE SURE. THE ONE

[02:05:06]

GENERAL PAIN. OKAY. WE CAN EITHER DISPATCH A UNIT THERE, THEY CAN DO THEIR PATIENT EVALUATION. THE PATIENT MAY DECIDE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I JUST WANT TO BE CHECKED OUT. I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. WELL, THEN WE CAN SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE FOR US TO GET A DOCTOR TO EVALUATE YOU FURTHER? AND THAT DOCTOR FOLLOW UP WITH YOU FROM A 7 TO 14 DAY PERIOD. AND IF YOU NEED YOUR MEDICATION, THIS AGREEMENT WILL ENTAIL THEM GETTING YOUR MEDICATION FOR YOU OR HAVING IT DELIVERED FOR YOU. A LOT OF OUR CALLS, SOME OF THEM ARE THAT THEY JUST ARE OUT OF THEIR MEDICATION OR THEY CAN'T AFFORD THEIR MEDICATION. SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM SOME ADDITIONAL OPTIONS WITH THEIR HEALTH CARE AND HOPEFULLY KEEP THEM IN THEIR HOME. THANK YOU.

CHIEF. COUNCILMAN FELSHER. THIS IS A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CHIEF. Y'ALL CAN HELP ME. TALKING ABOUT THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. I KNOW, CITY MANAGER. I'M ASSUMING THAT YOU MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNION. THEY PRESENTED THAT TO YOU. THAT WAS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION. I'M ASSUMING. I KNOW THE COUNCIL IS NOT IN THAT MEETING BECAUSE THAT'S AN EMPLOYEE ISSUE. AND SO MEETINGS LIKE THIS ARE ARE HELPFUL FOR US TO GET CLARITY AND UNDERSTANDING. I KNOW THAT THE COMMENT WAS MADE THAT THIS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE WAS GIVEN, AND THAT IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE UNION IS FRUSTRATED. AND I THINK IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THERE'S BEEN TENSION. WE KNOW THAT. BUT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY, THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE CAME FROM NOT CAME FROM THE RANK AND FILE. I'M ASSUMING I'D NEVER SEEN IT AND I CAN'T VERIFY IT. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN, BUT IS THIS FROM OUR FIREFIGHTERS THE RANK AND FILE, OR IS IT JUST FROM THE UNION? I'M JUST SEEKING CLARITY. THAT WOULD BE A QUESTION THAT YOU WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO ADDRESS TOWARDS THE UNION LEADERSHIP. OKAY. SO I WAS JUST I DIDN'T IS IT COMING FROM THE UNION OR IS IT COMING FROM THE DID IT, DID THE FIREFIGHTERS INITIATE IT OR DID THE UNION INITIATE IT. AND I'VE ALWAYS ASSUMED THAT THAT'S NOT THEY CAN'T ALWAYS BE BE ONE AND THE SAME. IS THAT TRUE OR IS IT ONE AND THE SAME. THAT'S A QUESTION. I'LL SAY SOME THINGS, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE CITY ATTORNEY BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE GETTING A LITTLE OFF TOPIC HERE. OKAY. I WAS JUST ASKING, IS IT IS IT WAS THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE FROM THE RANK AND FILE OR WAS IT FROM THE UNION? AND IF IT'S ONE AND THE SAME, THEN I YIELD TO THAT. I'M ASKING THE QUESTION. WELL, I'LL JUST SAY THIS COUNCIL MEMBER, I MET WITH THEM, LIKE YOU SAID, AND I MET WITH THE CHIEF, AND WE'RE WORKING ON SOME THINGS TO BETTER THAT RELATIONSHIP. I PROVIDED YOU WITH A WRITTEN REPORT FROM THAT, THAT THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT, THOSE MEETINGS. I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THIS CITY. I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THIS DEPARTMENT. I WANT, BUT I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THIS MAN TO UP HERE. SO WE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AND I WANT THE CITY TO KNOW THAT WE'VE COME UP WITH A PLAN. WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS OVER TIME. BUT I'VE SAT DOWN WITH CHIEF AND WE HAVE A WORK PLAN TO LESSEN THIS OVERTIME, AND THAT THE GOAL IS TO LESSEN IT AND GET IT INTO A BETTER PLACE. ONE OF THEM IS TO HIRING PRACTICES, GETTING MORE PEOPLE HIRED, GETTING WITH THE CADET PROGRAM, ETC. YOU KNOW, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT THINGS TO RECTIFY THAT. BUT JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT CHIEF AND I HAVE SAT DOWN AND CHIEFS ARE IN A GOOD PLACE. OKAY. SINCE I'M HIS BOSS, HE'S IN A GOOD PLACE. SO. BUT BUT I WANT THE UNION TO KNOW TOO. I'M STILL SITTING DOWN WITH THEM AND WORKING WITH THEM TOO, BECAUSE THEY'RE IMPORTANT WHAT THEY DELIVER TO THIS CITY.

SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS. WE WANT TO GET TO A GOOD PLACE WITH EVERYBODY AGAIN, GET TO CITY IN A GOOD PLACE AGAIN. SO I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AND YOU'VE HELPED ME WITH SOME CLARITY. AND I THINK TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFICULTY OF THE EMT TESTING IN TERMS OF THE HIGH FAILURE RATE

[02:10:02]

RIGHT? IS FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY. AND MY FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY HAS NOT CHANGED FROM THE DAY THAT I TOOK THIS POSITION IN 2018. I'M COMMITTED TO DELIVERING A GOOD SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT. AT. AND MAINTAINING THE BUDGET, NOT BUSTING THE BUDGET AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DELIVERING THAT SERVICE WITHIN THE BUDGET. AND THERE'S CERTAIN CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE. AND REMEMBER, THERE'S CERTAIN. THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET AS AN ORGANIZATION, BOTH STATEWIDE AT TCRP AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. AND WE DO HAVE A MEDICAL DIRECTOR THAT DOES GUIDE SOME OF THE SERVICE THAT WE GIVE TO THE CITIZENS, AS HE WAS HERE LAST WEEK. COUNCILMAN GAETZ. CHIEF WHITE, I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR INITIATIVE TO INCREASE THE APPLICANT POOL BY COMBINATION DUAL CERT, SINGLE CERT AND THE PRIOR CADET PROGRAM. BUT IT SEEMS LIKE I'VE HEARD THIS FIRE CADET PROGRAM HAVING BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE PAST. DID YOU AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST, MENTIONED THE DESIRE TO TRY TO DO IT FOR OUR CADET PROGRAM? YES, SIR, I DID, AND WHEN THAT PROPOSAL WAS MADE BY YOU AGAIN WITH THE IDEA TO INCREASE OUR HIRING, HOW DID THE FIRE UNION REACT TO YOUR PROPOSAL? I'LL DEFER TO COUNCIL, OUR LEGAL, NOT FAVORABLY. NOT FAVORABLY. SOMETHING THAT YOU HIRED IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAME UP WITH TO TRY TO INCREASE THE HIRING. BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE UNDERSTAFFED. THEY REACTED UNFAVORABLY. AND THE REASON THAT THEY WERE UNFAVORABLE TO IT IS BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE IN THE FIRE CADET PROGRAM, WOULD THEY BE PAYING INTO THE PENSION? THAT WAS A POINT OF CONTENTION. THERE WERE SOME OTHER SOME OTHER ISSUES AS WELL. ESSENTIALLY, THE UNION'S POSITION IS WE SHOULD GO TO A NO CERT HIRING PROCESS AND WE SHOULD DO A CADET PROGRAM IN-HOUSE. SO THOSE ARE SOME BIGGER I REMEMBER THOSE CONVERSATIONS. THERE'S SOME BIGGER CONTINGENCIES. THE CITY HAS A PRETTY GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH LIT. MOST OF OUR MOST OF THE INSTRUCTORS ARE FIREMEN WHO IT PAYS TO INSTRUCT TO DO IT. A CADET PROGRAM IN-HOUSE WITH KIND OF REQUIRE SOME REARRANGEMENT OF THE TRAINING PROCESS IN THE DEPARTMENT WHERE WE'RE ALREADY TRYING TO GET INDIVIDUALS CREDENTIALED UNDER OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR'S INSTRUCTIONS TO RIDE THE MED UNIT. SO IT WOULD BE A, A ESSENTIALLY A STRAIN, BUT ALSO THERE'D BE SOME OVERTIME COSTS IN THAT AS WELL. SO ESSENTIALLY, I GUESS MY POINT IS IT'S INCREDIBLE TO ME, JUST INCREDIBLE TO ME THAT A FEW YEARS AGO YOU CAME UP WITH, HEY, LET'S TRY THIS FIRE CADET PROGRAM. AND THE UNION BALKED AT IT, AND THAT WOULD HAVE, IN FACT, HELPED WITH THE STAFFING ISSUES. AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO THE FUTURE WITH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE

[02:15:01]

[REGULAR AGENDA]

[02:20:08]

OKAY. BUT IS THERE? ALREADY A MOTION ON THE FLOOR? I'M TRYING TO SEE IF WE NEED TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT SO THAT THEY CAN. I WOULD MOVE THAT. WE AMEND THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO INCLUDE A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT WITHIN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. IT ALSO NEEDS TO SAY THAT IT BE AN ORDINANCE

[02:25:03]

BACK TO COUNCILMAN DARIO'S QUESTION. THERE'S ONE IN HERE. ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARDS, COMMITTEE AND COMMISSION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO REMOVAL AT THE WILL AND THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL. SO OBVIOUSLY, IF SOMEBODY THAT'S ON THE COMMITTEE GETS ELECTED, THEY GET REMOVED AND REPLACED. THAT'S ALREADY A GIVEN. YOU DON'T HAVE TO INCLUDE THAT. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE JUST ADOPT THIS. IN THE BODY OF THE, IN THE BODY OF THE ORDINANCE FOR THE CREATION OF IT. YES, MA'AM. OKAY. SO WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IS IN THAT PARAGRAPH FOR CREATION OF THE ORDINANCE, WE WOULD JUST INCORPORATE SECTION 2.0, 2.001, WHICH DOES WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF TERMS. IT'LL JUST SAY ALL MEMBERS SHALL BE APPOINTED, APPOINTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.0, 2.014. SO THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, AND THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE WHAT YOU JUST SAID, THAT WE WOULD. MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT IS TO INCORPORATE THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORDINANCE THAT IS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE. SO YOUR THE AMENDMENT WOULD BE TO YOU WOULD AMEND YOUR MOTION, A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR AS A ORDINANCE AS OPPOSED TO A RESOLUTION AND INTO THAT ORDINANCE TO INCORPORATE LANGUAGE THAT SPECIFIES THAT MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE SHALL BE APPOINTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GUIDELINES AS ESTABLISHED IN SECTION 2.02.001 OF THE CITY'S EXISTING CODE OF ORDINANCE. THAT IS MY PROPOSED AMENDMENT FOR CONSIDERATION AT THIS TIME. I ACCEPT THAT. OH, GO AHEAD, I ACCEPT THAT AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO I'LL ASK ABOUT DISCUSSION ON THAT. AND THEN I'VE GOT COUNCILMAN DARIO AND THEN CITY MANAGER HAS A STATEMENT. YES, I WAS JUST AND I THANK STAFF FOR WRITING THAT AND GIVING THE CITY MANAGER APPOINTMENT. IT WASN'T MY IDEA, BUT BUT I STILL HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT IT. DOES THAT ELIMINATE THE CITY MANAGER HAVING AN APPOINTMENT? THAT WAS MY QUESTION. SO AGAIN, THE APPOINTMENT AT THAT PARTICULAR ORDINANCE SAYS THAT THE NUMBER OF APPOINTEES IN THE APPOINTMENTS CAN BE APPROVED BY COUNCIL. SO IF COUNCIL IS FINE WITH HAVING THAT APPOINTEES, IT DOESN'T CHANGE. IT DOESN'T CHANGE THAT CREATION LANGUAGE. WHAT IT WOULD ADD, THOUGH, IS THAT ALL RESIDENTS HAVE TO BE.

ALL APPOINTEES HAVE TO BE RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT, AND THAT THEY CAN'T SERVE ON MORE THAN TWO ADVISORY BOARDS. SO IF THEY'RE CURRENTLY SERVING ON ANOTHER ADVISORY BOARD OR TWO OTHER ADVISORY BOARDS, THEY WOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM SERVING ON THIS BOARD. BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE NUMBER OR TYPE OF APPOINTEES. OKAY. AGAIN, WHAT STAFF SUGGESTED THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT STAFF IS REALLY FOR STAFF APPOINTMENTS TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A BOARD THAT'S COMPETENT AND HAVE THE EXPERTISE YOU NEED TO WORK THROUGH THESE TYPE OF ISSUES, YOU'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH A BOND COMMITTEE. IT'S NOT JUST THE ONES THAT YOU DO, BUT YOU MIGHT NEED AN ENGINEER WHO MIGHT HAVE AN ENGINEER. WE MIGHT NEED A CONTRACTOR, THOSE TYPE PEOPLE TO PLUG IN THOSE HOLES TO PROVIDE THAT EXPERTISE. SO THE 17 MEMBERS WOULD STAY THE SAME BY THIS AMENDMENT WITH THE ORDINANCE. CORRECT? OKAY. COUNCILMAN TURNER, WELL, I DON'T I HAVEN'T SEEN APPOINTMENTS. I'M CONFUSED. WHY JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU SAY IT'S A CONFLICT. IF YOU DID APPOINT SOMEBODY RUNNING FOR OFFICE. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, IT'S AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. AND SO IF THEY SERVE ON COUNCIL, THEY'RE ADVISING THEMSELVES. SO IT DOESN'T REALLY SERVE THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE. FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S CURRENTLY SITTING COUNCIL MEMBER TO BE ALSO ADVISING. SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SOMEONE WINS? AND THEN OF COURSE YOU GOT TO REAPPOINT BUT ALL THIS HAS TOOK PLACE AND NOW YOU GOT SOMEBODY ON THE ON THE BACK END COMING IN WHEN PRETTY MUCH THE MAJORITY OF THE WORK HAS BEEN DONE. BUT REALISTICALLY, WHAT HOW MUCH IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS? I MEAN, THEY PRESENTED A SCHEDULE. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING STAFF BECAUSE THEY PRESENTED THE

[02:30:04]

COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER SO THE GOAL WAS TO APPOINT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS NEXT WEEK. THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, HONESTLY WERE BEHIND SCHEDULE. I MEAN, OUR CONSULTANT HAS SAID THAT THEY WANTED TO START HOLDING MEETINGS WITH THE COMMITTEE EARLY LAST MONTH. SO WE ARE BEHIND. SO. SO WE NEED TO GET THE COMMITTEE APPOINTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN THE PROCESS NOW OF CONTACTING THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SET A OR THE PROPOSED COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO SET THE FIRST MEETING. SO YES, WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, THERE PROBABLY WON'T BE THAT MANY MEETINGS. AND I MEAN, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THERE MAY BE ONLY 2 OR 3 MEETINGS WITHIN THE NEXT 30 DAYS, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT FIRST MEETING AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE FIRST COUPLE OF MEETINGS, THE CONSULTANT DID SAY THAT HE WOULD TRY TO ADJUST THOSE MEETINGS SO THAT THE MEAT OF THE DISCUSSIONS OF THE OF THE BOND ITEMS ARE NOT. YOU KNOW, HELD UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. SO AFTER THE ELECTION, IF THERE ARE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, THEY APPOINT THEIR MEMBERS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN THE CONSULTANT WILL BRING THEM UP TO SPEED AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, ALONG WITH THE CURRENT OR EXISTING MEMBERS. YEAH, YEAH. FOR ME, I DIDN'T HAVE ISSUE, BUT WHEN STAFF SAYS IT'S A CONFLICT, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE OPENLY DISCUSS IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT ON THE BACK END. WHILE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT IT UP FRONT, WE JUST NEED TO PUT JUST TO JUST TO RESPOND TO THAT.

COUNCILMAN TURNER, I MEAN, NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH, EVERYBODY UP HERE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DURYEA, COULD GET REPLACED. I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKELY, BUT THAT'S JUST A FACT. AND SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN LET'S DELAY THE WHOLE THING UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. WELL, I DEFINITELY DIDN'T SUGGEST THAT WHEN STAFF SAYS THEY HAVE AN ISSUE, IT'S JUST MY JOB TO ASK THEM WHY. AND THAT'S ALL I WAS SIMPLY PROPOSING. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ARE WE READY TO VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, AS AMENDED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MAYOR, CAN I HAVE CLARIFICATION AS TO WHO? SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER NEAL'S AMENDED MOTION. SO COUNCIL MEMBER SAMUEL NO COUNCILMAN GETS AMENDED HIS MOTION AND COUNCILMAN SAMUEL ACCEPTED THE ACCEPTED THE AMENDMENT AS WELL. SO IT DIDN'T CHANGE. SAMUEL AND DARIO. THAT MADE THE MOTION FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. SO, COUNCILMAN GETZ DID IT. THOUGH. COUNCILMAN GETS IT WAS CHANGED. AMENDED. IT WAS IT WAS AMENDED. COUNCILMAN GETZ MADE THE AMENDMENT. AND WHO SECONDED? COUNCILMAN SAMUEL. I MADE THE MOTION. HE DID. AND YOU SECONDED. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER? OKAY, NOW LET'S GO INTO ITEM NUMBER FIVE. WE ALREADY APPROVED IT. READY? MAYOR.

COUNCIL, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN GETZ? AGAIN, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO SHOEHORN TOO MUCH IN TOO FAST. IT'S BEEN 42 YEARS SINCE WE HAD A BOND. WE'VE JUST BEEN TOLD WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE, WHERE WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THIS BOND IS GOING TO CONTAIN. SO I DON'T SEE REALISTICALLY, THAT IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO TRY TO COMPRESS AND FORCE ALL OF THIS IN FOR A NOVEMBER ELECTION. AND THAT'S WHY I VOTED AGAINST HIRING GAP STRATEGIES BEFORE. AND I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT A BUDGET AMENDMENT TO PAY THEM.

[02:35:03]

THAT INVOLVES PLANE TICKETS AND ACCOMMODATIONS. AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT THIS VOTE WAS GOING TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL THAT DAY. AND SO I WASN'T HERE TO VOTE ON IT. HAD I BEEN HERE, I WOULD THEN ASK THIS QUESTION, CAN WE WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION, AND HOW WOULD THAT BE SO DETRIMENTAL TO US AS A CITY? AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION, WHICH YOU AND I HAVE TALKED BEFORE, IS WHY COULDN'T WE DO THIS IN-HOUSE AND SAVE THE 153,000? SO TWO QUESTIONS TABLE UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION AND DO IT IN-HOUSE. WELL COUNCIL CAN DO AS YOU PLEASE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO. YOU CAN DO IT. AND I DON'T MEAN THAT SARCASTICALLY. NO, I UNDERSTAND AND WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO, YOU KNOW WE CAN LIVE WITH THAT AND GO WITH THAT. WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO IT IN-HOUSE. YOU KNOW, THESE THINGS CAN BE QUITE COMPREHENSIVE AND YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. HAVING GONE THROUGH THEM BEFORE IS QUITE A BIT OF WORK, QUITE A BIT OF HAND-HOLDING, QUITE A BIT OF PUTTING PRICES TOGETHER. ESTIMATES. TOGETHER. SO WE'RE TIED UP. WE'RE TOO BUSY TO DEAL WITH IT. AND I'VE NEVER BEEN THROUGH ONE. SO I THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING WHY CAN'T WE DO IT IN-HOUSE? BUT I KNOW YOU AND I, I MEAN I'M ANYWAY BUT AND THEN AS FAR AS TABLING IT THAT YOU FEEL LIKE THAT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE OVERALL PROGRAM. I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THIS, YOU'RE ON A TIME SCHEDULE TO DO IT. YOU COULD EITHER DO IT IN NOVEMBER, YOU CAN STILL DO THIS AND DO IT IN NOVEMBER OR MAY OF NEXT YEAR. I DON'T THINK THERE'S A TIME LINE, BUT IF YOU IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET A GOOD COMPREHENSIVE BOND INITIATIVE, YOU'VE GOT TO GET STARTED. COUNCILMAN. GETS COUNCILMAN TURNER, THEN, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF A BOND, I UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES OF THAT AND WHY IT MIGHT BE DESIRABLE TO HAVE A FIRM THAT HAS EXPERTISE IN THAT. BUT TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A BOND. I THINK WE CAN DO THAT IN-HOUSE, AND I THINK WE CAN. WE ALREADY HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT EVERY ONE OF US IS APPOINTED MEMBERS TO. THAT, I THINK IS, FRANKLY, WOEFULLY UNDERUTILIZED. AND THAT'S OUR CITIZENS DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. ALL WE USE THEM FOR RIGHT NOW IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO HERE IN A MINUTE, WHICH IS FOR THEM TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO WHICH NONPROFIT GROUPS ARE GOING TO GET COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS SO THEY MEET 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR, AND THEY'RE THEY'RE DONE. AND I'VE HAD IT REMARKED TO ME BY SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE, IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SERVE. I WANT TO DO MORE. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THAT COMMITTEE IS ACTUALLY GIVEN AUTHORITY TO DO, IT IS A LOT MORE. AND I THINK WE DON'T UTILIZE THEM ENOUGH. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T UTILIZE THAT COMMITTEE TO HELP AT LEAST START FORMULATING SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT COULD TAKE PLACE AND BE PUT IN A BOND. COULD THAT BE DONE? YEAH, AS I SAID, IT COULD BE DONE. YOU COULD DO IT. AND TO BE CLEAR, THE CITY MANAGER IS NOT ADVOCATING FOR A BOND ELECTION THAT I'VE HEARD THAT AROUND TOWN. I AM NOT ADVOCATING FOR A BOND ELECTION. OKAY? I'M JUST HERE TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE A DECISION. AND I JUST THREW THAT IN. MIKE, THAT WASN'T AIMED AT

[02:40:01]

WHO OVERSEES THIS? WELL. AND. GO. WE WILL BRING THIS BACK. SO WE'VE GOT A AND I DO THINK JUST FOR CLARITY, THAT WE WANT TO USE THIS PROPERLY AS COUNCILMAN GOETZ SAID, BUT GETTING THIS PROCESS STARTED, IF THERE WAS A NEED TO MOVE THE ELECTION TO MAY, WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO EXECUTE THINGS. BUT I KNOW SINCE I CAME ON COUNCIL WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THAT'S NOW A COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL THINGS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS BOND PROJECTS, AND THAT IS, I BELIEVE, THE FRAMEWORK FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO BE WORKING OFF OF, TO LOOK AT THINGS THAT, AS COUNCIL, WE'VE HEARD FROM, WE'VE PUT IN LONG TERM PLANS TO LIKE TO SEE EXECUTED OR THAT THE VOTERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE EXECUTED OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND SO IT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE VOTERS TO MAKE THAT DECISION. SO BUT I DO BELIEVE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT SINCE AND WE ALREADY HAVE PASSED THAT, THAT NOW IT'S JUST ABOUT APPROVING THE BUDGET AMENDMENT, WHICH IS AN AMOUNT THAT WE UNDERSTOOD BEFORE WHEN WE APPROVED. YES, SIR. MR. WILLIAMS, CAN I SAY SOMETHING? SO IF WE DON'T MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS BOND ELECTION IN NOVEMBER, THERE ARE ITEMS SLATED IN FY 26 WITH GEO BONDS. WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO FUND THOSE PROJECTS. WE COULDN'T STOP THEM.

THERE'S 300 AND PARKS PROJECTS, 3 MILLION IN RECREATION PROJECTS, 1.3 MILLION IN FACILITY PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FIND OTHER WAYS TO FUND. SO IF WE DELAY THIS, THOSE PROJECTS WOULD ALSO BE DELAYED. WELL, CERTAINLY. BUT THEY HAVE TO PASS IN ORDER TO BE FUNDED.

SO I MEAN, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY A REASON FOR US TO BEGIN SO THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY REACH THAT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE WE NEED NEED TO HAVE A BALLOT BY AUGUST AND PERHAPS WE CAN BE THERE. AND ULTIMATELY THE COUNCIL THAT IS SITTING IN AUGUST WILL GET TO DECIDE THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE COUNCIL, AND THE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO VOTE TO PUT THOSE ITEMS ON THE BALLOT. SO THERE IS A CHECK AND BALANCE TO THE TO THE PROCESS. COUNCILMAN TURNER YEAH, JUST I JUST HAVE TO SAY THIS AND IT NEEDS TO BE ON THE RECORD. MR. WILLIAMS, THE BOND ELECTION HAS BEEN NO COUNCILMAN. ANYBODY HAS IDENTIFIED ANY PROJECTS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THERE. CORRECT? NO, WE DON'T HAVE A LIST OF PROJECTS AT ALL. OKAY. I'M GLAD. I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE I HAD A MEETING AND SOMEONE SAID THAT THAT TOOK PLACE, AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD THAT THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE. ANOTHER THING IS EACH INDIVIDUAL

[02:45:04]

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS? IS IT INDIVIDUAL PROJECT PER PROJECT LINE ITEM? YES, WE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, BUT I BELIEVE IN REITERATING AND REFRESHING PEOPLE. SO IF THEY VOTE NO TO ONE PROJECT, THEY STILL CAN VOTE YES TO ANOTHER. JUST HOW DOES THAT WORK? BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN LETTING THE VOTERS MAKE A DECISION ON WHERE THEY PUT THEIR MONEY. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THEY WOULD COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDED LIST OF PROJECTS, AND AT SOME POINT COUNCIL WILL SAY, WE WANT TO SPEND X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS. 100 MILLION IS A ROUND NUMBER. WE WANT TO SPEND $100 MILLION. AND THEN THEY'LL LOOK AT THAT LIST OF PROJECTS AND THEY'LL PRIORITIZE THEM AND SEE HOW FAR THAT $100 MILLION WILL GO. AND THAT MORE THAN LIKELY, THEY'LL DO THAT AND THEN MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THIS COUNCIL AND SAY, HEY, WE RECOMMEND THIS SLATE OF PROJECTS AT $100 MILLION TO GO ON A BOND ELECTION. ACCORDING TO STATE LAW, WHEN YOU LIST PROJECTS ON A BOND ELECTION, NOW YOU HAVE TO LIST THEM INDIVIDUALLY. YOU CAN'T LIST THEM AS A GROUP AND SAY IT PASSES AS A PACKAGE. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO GOLF COURSE HAMBURG, IT'S GOT TO BE LISTED BY ITSELF AND VOTED ON SEPARATELY BY ITSELF. IF YOU'RE GOING TO RECONSTRUCT SIXTH STREET, IT'S GOT TO BE LISTED ON THE LIST AND INDIVIDUALLY LISTED BY ITSELF. IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO EXTEND DOWLING STREET ALL THE WAY OVER TO MEIJER DRIVE, IT'S GOT TO BE LISTED ON THE VOTED ON SEPARATELY AS A PROJECT BY ITSELF. AND SO AFTER COUNCIL APPROVES THAT LIST AND SENDS IT, THEN A THEN THE BALLOTS PUT TOGETHER FOR THAT AND THAT'S LISTED SEPARATELY FOR THAT. THANK YOU. SO INFRASTRUCTURE CAN BE INCLUDED. PUBLIC SAFETY PRETTY MUCH WHATEVER AREA THAT BOND COUNCIL SUBMITS TO US. AND WE CAN EITHER VOTE YES OR NO TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT. YES. TYPICALLY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, IT'S NOT FOR OPERATIONS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO SOME THINGS JUST TO DO A BIT OF A SHORT TERM, SAY THIS EXPERIENCE, IT COULD BE REIMBURSED THROUGH THE THROUGH THE BOND ELECTION WHERE THE CITY DOESN'T SPEND ANY MONEY, YOU GET REIMBURSED. BUT OR, OR THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT YEAH. DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? I'M SORRY. OKAY. MAYOR, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE ON FEBRUARY THE 18TH TO VOTE TO APPROVE THIS, THEN TODAY I WILL ABSTAIN FROM VOTING TO FINANCE IT BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE WHEN IT WAS. THE VOTE WAS TAKEN. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? NO. NO. ONE ABSTENTION. MOTION PASSES. ITEM NUMBER SIX. MR. CITY MANAGER. COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO BRIGHTSTAR CONTRACTORS CONTRACTING, INC. OF BEAUMONT FOR THE E VIRGINIA PUMP STATION TRASH COLLECTOR RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? WELL IS THERE THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER SIX? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. THE MOTION CARRIES AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE OF THE TIME OF DAY, I'M GOING TO TAKE A TEN MINUTE RECESS. THAT'S GOOD TO ME BECAUSE I'M NOT ABLE TO GET UP.

STUCK IN THE RAIN. IF WE COULD HAVE. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO TEM NEILL, PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER. DORIO COUNCIL MEMBER. GOETZ. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. TURNER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHAW. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. SAMUEL. HERE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE. CHANGE ORDER NUMBER EIGHT TO THE CONTRACT WITH CALLON MARINE LIMITED FOR THE RIVERFRONT PARK RESTORATION PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN MOVED TO APPROVE? THERE'S BEEN THERE'S BEEN A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM

[02:50:02]

DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THUS FAR? I KNOW WE'VE JUST HIT ON A FEW SLIDES. ARE THERE ANY

[02:55:01]

SO IN 2018 THIS COUNCIL. ALLOWED THE POLICY TO BE CHANGED SO THAT IT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE FOR TOTAL EXPENDITURES TO EXCEED REVENUES IN A GIVEN YEAR. HOW OFTEN? ONCE THAT HAPPENED, DID WE EXPERIENCE THAT? WERE TOTAL EXPENDITURES EXCEEDED REVENUES IN A GIVEN YEAR? AND SO SINCE 2015, THIS COUNCIL HAS APPROVED AND ADOPTED BUDGET WHERE THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES EXCEEDED REVENUES.

WE ACTUALLY WENT BACK IN 2010 AS WELL, 2012 2011. SO AT LEAST SINCE 2010, THE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED A BUDGET WHERE EXPENDITURES EXCEEDED ANTICIPATED REVENUES WITHIN THE GIVEN ACCOUNTING PERIOD. EVERY YEAR. SAY THAT. THAT CERTAINLY WASN'T MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WERE DOING. I THOUGHT WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE WE HAD A TRUE BALANCED BUDGET. FOR THE FIRST MANY YEARS THAT I SERVED ON THIS COUNCIL, THAT WE COULD NOT APPROPRIATE EXPENDITURES THAT EXCEEDED OUR REVENUE. I MEAN, YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT'S NOT TRUE? NO, SIR. ACCORDING TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET BOOKS, THE EXPENSES EXCEEDED REVENUES EVERY YEAR. YEAH. FROM MY RECOLLECTION, EACH EACH YEAR WE DID HAVE EXPENSES EXCEEDING THE REVENUES, BUT IT ALWAYS CAME FROM THE FUND BALANCE TO BRING THAT. SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, HOW WE'RE EXPLAINING, HOW ARE WE GROWING OUR FUND BALANCE UP TO $53 MILLION. AND NOW IT'S GOING DOWN. JUST BECAUSE YOU BUDGET EXPENSE IS HIGHER THAN REVENUE DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT'S HOW THE YEAR ENDS. OKAY. CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES, COUNCILMAN. IS IT STILL EXCEEDING THAT IF YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF IT, YOUR OPERATIONAL EXPENSES VERSUS YOUR REVENUES ON THAT? YES, SIR. OKAY. I HAVE THE BUDGET PAGES IF YOU WANT ME TO PASS THEM ALONG, I CAN KEEP GOING. I CAN PASS THEM. THAT'D BE GOOD. I DON'T WANT TO JUMP TOO FAR AHEAD. BUT IS IT NUMBERS SHOWING THAT IT'S HAPPENED LIKE THIS LATER IN THE SLIDES? THAT IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS ALMOST EVERY YEAR. BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE GO DIFFERENT PLACES AND THE RHETORIC AND WHAT'S BEING SAID, IT JUST STARTED HAPPENING. AND I YOU KNOW, I KIND OF WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF IT IS A COMPARISON OF A FINANCIAL ANALYSIS THAT HAS HAPPENED EVERY YEAR, BECAUSE I LIKE TO KIND OF NOT JUST TELL PEOPLE, I LIKE TO SHOW THEM WITH THE NUMBERS WHERE I CAN HAND IT TO THEM. YES, SIR. WE HAVE A SLIDE GOING BACK TO 2019 SHOWING THAT SINCE 2019, THE CITY HAS APPROPRIATED A BUDGET WHERE EXPENSES EXCEED TOTAL ANTICIPATED REVENUES. IT'S IN THE SLIDESHOW. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT. THANK YOU. SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO YESTERDAY EVENING OUR OUR FUND BALANCE POLICY IS 20% OF EXPENDITURES AND RESERVES. THAT'S BEEN OUR POLICY. AS MR. BROWN STATED SINCE 20 FISCAL YEAR 2018, THAT WE HAVE TO SET ASIDE 20% OF OUR EXPENDITURES IN RESERVE FOR UNEXPECTED EVENTS THAT OCCUR. AND THE CITY DID THAT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, IT COMES TO $33.5 MILLION. THAT'S IN RESERVE. SO WE'VE MET OUR POLICY AT 20%. WE'RE ACTUALLY AT A LITTLE OVER 25%. SO WE EXCEED OUR POLICY. AND ACTUALLY ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE EXCEED THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE BUDGET ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL. WE EXCEEDED OUR POLICY BY $9.9 MILLION OVER THAT, 33.5 MILLION THAT WE'RE REQUIRED BY POLICY TO SET ASIDE. SO YESTERDAY EVENING AND THIS MORNING, I CONTACTED THESE FEW OTHER CITIES, LOOKED AT THEIR BUDGETS ONLINE, TALKED TO THEM THIS MORNING, CITY OF PEARLAND IN THEIR ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. THEIR POLICY IS 90 DAYS OF EXPENDITURE IN RESERVE. THEY MEET THEIR POLICY PER THEIR ADOPTED BUDGET, BUT THEY'VE EXCEEDED THEIR POLICY BY $93,405. LOOK AT OURS.

AT RIGHT ABOVE THAT 9.8 MILLION OVER OUR POLICY. BUT THE CITY OF PEARLAND IS $93,405 OVER THEIR POLICY. CITY OF SUGARLAND. THEIR POLICY IS 25% OF EXPENDITURES. THEY EXCEED THEIR POLICY BY 1.5 MILLION. AGAIN, WE'RE AT 9.9 MILLION, EXCEEDING OUR POLICY. TAKE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY.

[03:00:06]

WE, WE, WE HAD SUFFICIENT FUNDS IN OUR FUND BALANCE TO DO THAT TRANSFER AND REMAIN ABOVE THAT THRESHOLD THAT WE YES, SIR, WE REMAIN AT $9.9 MILLION OVER, EVEN THOUGH WE OUR BUDGET IS EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING REVENUE BY 3.5 MILLION. WE MEET OUR POLICY 33 MILLION SET ASIDE.

PLUS WE HAVE 9.9 MILLION OVER OUR POLICY. RIGHT? YES, SIR. GOING BACK TO THE SLIDE, I SEE THAT WAS IT 2018 THAT WE WENT TO THE 20%? YES, SIR. YES, SIR. JUST FOR CLARITY. AND WE'RE AT 20% NOW, WHICH IS GOING TO CHANGE EVERY YEAR BASED ON WHAT THE BUDGETED EXPENDITURES ARE. I MEAN, IT IT IS 20%, BUT THE AMOUNT OF THAT INCREASES AS THE BUDGET GOES UP. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE PRIOR YEAR, THIS YEAR IT'S 33 MILLION. SO IN THOSE NOW APPROACHING SEVEN YEARS, SIX YEARS, HOW MANY TIMES DID THE CITY GET INTO THE RESERVE FUND? THE CITY HAS NOT DIPPED INTO THE RESERVE FUND BALANCE. IN THE LAST PRESENTATION IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE WE WENT BACK ALMOST 20 YEARS. AT NO POINT HAVE THEY BEEN BELOW 20% WHEN THE 20% WAS THE REQUIREMENT, OR WHEN 10% WAS THE REQUIREMENT, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN BELOW 10% EITHER, AND WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT WE HAVE A SURPLUS, AND THE SURPLUS IS TAXPAYER MONEY THAT HAS BEEN PAID TO THE CITY. SO THIS IS ABOVE OUR RESERVE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. ADDRESSING.

AND JUST FOR OTHER CLARITY, WHEN YOU SET A RESERVE, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE RESERVE? I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. BUT YEAH, TO HEDGE AGAINST ANY, ANY RISK THAT THAT MAY OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THAT'S UNEXPECTED. YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, A MAJOR HURRICANE. BUT AS MR. BROWN SAID, OVER THE LAST TEN, 20 YEARS, WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD TO HAD A NEED TO DIP IN INTO OUR OR TAKE US BELOW THAT RESERVE POLICY REQUIREMENT AMOUNT. SO WE'VE HAD SUFFICIENT FUNDING FOR THAT. SO WITH THE NEEDS IN THE CITY THAT WE THAT ARE NON-RECURRING NEEDS THAT WE

[03:05:04]

NUMBER TWO IS BACK TO THE 20% RULE. YEAH THAT WAS SET BY COUNCIL. BUT THAT WAS ALSO AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, THAT WAS ALSO AT ADVISEMENT FROM THE BONDING COMPANY. CORRECT. SO THERE'S A THERE IS A THERE'S A BENEFIT TO HAVING MORE MONEY IN THE BANK, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO WHAT THE COUNCIL IS ABOUT TO TRY TO DO AND GO OUT AND GET BONDS. IT WILL GREATLY REDUCE THAT, THAT RATE THAT YOU COULD GET FOR THE LONG TERM. AND I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH YOU IF THERE IS A BENEFIT, BUT I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY BENEFIT PRESENTED BY BOND COUNCIL OR ANYTHING ELSE TO INCREASE THE RESERVE. AND EVERY YEAR WE DECIDE AS A COUNCIL, I'VE BEEN ON FOR TWO BUDGETS AND WE DECIDE WHAT THE RESERVE IS. SO THIS YEAR, AS WE DID THE PRIOR YEAR, I MEAN, WE COULD HAVE RAISED THAT AT ANY POINT. AND MY QUESTION IS I'M NOT. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN IT'S BEEN SO WELL PUT ALREADY THAT WE HAVE A NEW COUNCIL COMING ON THAT'S GOING TO BE ADDRESSING THE 26 BUDGET, AND WE'RE TRYING TO ADOPT SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY IN PLAY FOR 25. WE'RE NOT CHANGING THAT. AND THAT BUDGET'S BEEN APPROVED. AND I'M NOT FOLLOWING WHY WE'RE DOING THIS. BUT AND I DON'T SEE ANY NEED. I UNDERSTAND WE SPENT MORE MONEY AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RESERVE. AND AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT GOING INTO THE RESERVE, I THINK WE'RE WE'RE MANAGING OUR MONEY WELL. BUT IT WOULD BE UP FOR THIS COUNCIL TO DETERMINE WHAT THE RESERVE IS. SO, COUNCILMAN PHIL SHAW, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, COUNCILMAN DARIA, MR. BROWN JUST I YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ONE THAT HAS SPOKEN UP AND HAS ASKED QUESTIONS BECAUSE THAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNCIL.

AND I'VE HEARD THIS COUNCIL SAY MORE THAN ONCE WE WANT TRANSPARENCY. SO LET'S BE TRANSPARENT AND HAVE THESE KIND OF DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S GOOD AND RIGHT. AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITIZENS. AND SO I WENT I WENT ON OUR WEBSITE AND I WENT TO ALL OUR BUDGETS AND OUR AUDITED REPORTS, AND I'M PULLING THE NUMBERS STRAIGHT OFF. SO I JUST HELP ME. IN 19, WE ADDED 4 MILLION TO OUR FUND BALANCE, GIVING US 50,000,020. WE DROPPED 250,000, BUT WE STILL MAINTAIN 50,000,021. WE ADDED 2 MILLION AND WE WENT UP TO 52,000,022. WE ADDED 744,000 AND WE WENT UP TO 53,000,000 IN 23. WE STARTED OUT WITH 53. AND THIS IS AN AUDITED REPORT, NOT A BUDGET, BECAUSE A BUDGET NUMBER IS A FICTITIOUS

[03:10:05]

YES, SIR. DID WE LOSE 636 OR IS THAT DID I MISREAD THAT? I BELIEVE THE NUMBER IS 688. IN THE PROJECTION IN THE BUDGET BOOK. IN THE RED. YES, SIR. OKAY. AND THEN 2025 BUDGET, WE'RE PROJECTING TO START OUT WITH 47 MILLION, CORRECT? YES, SIR. AND WE WERE PROJECTING 3.5 MILLION EXPENDITURES, OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES EXCEEDING REVENUE. REVENUE EXPENDITURES. YES, SIR. NOW, THAT NUMBER DOESN'T INCLUDE THE FIREFIGHTERS CONTRACT. NO, SIR.

DOES THAT MONEY INCLUDE $4 MILLION OF COVID MONEY THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN REIMBURSED YET FOR? THAT WOULDN'T IMPACT IT. IF WE GET REIMBURSED. WE'VE ALREADY SPENT THE 6 MILLION, HAVEN'T WE? AND THAT'S A QUESTION I'M NOT I'M NOT MAKING A STATEMENT, SIR. BUT THAT IS NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND. IT'S IN THE COVID FUND. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT FUND. SO THAT DOESN'T THAT WON'T IMPACT OUR FUND BALANCE ANY. SO IF WE TAKE THE 1.3 MILLION PER YEAR FOR THREE YEARS FOR THE FIREFIGHTERS, THEN OUR, OUR, WE COULD END UP WITH A WITH A 4.8 UNDERWATER. HERE'S HERE'S MY POINT. I JUST MY CONCERN IS I'M NOT AN ALARMIST SAYING THE CITY IS BROKE. I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE IN TROUBLE. I'M JUST SAYING OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, I'VE SEEN A TREND THAT I JUST I THINK EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER UP HERE SHOULD STOP AND SAY, HEY, CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER. I GET IT THAT WE HAVE AN ACCRUAL SYSTEM AND WE HAVE TO TAKE MONEY FROM THE FUND BALANCE SOMETIMES. BUT WHEN I SEE THREE YEARS OF RED INK, I JUST THINK IT'S I THINK EVERYBODY UP HERE WOULD WANT ME TO RAISE MY HAND AND SAY, HEY, CAN WE AT LEAST TALK ABOUT THIS? BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER BECAUSE AGAIN, IF WE ARE, IF WE'RE PROJECTING TO CLOSE OUT 44 MILLION AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, WE STARTED OUT AT 50 WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL. SO I'M JUST I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTIONS BECAUSE FOR ME THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 33. IF WE DROP BELOW 33, OUR BOND RATING DROPS.

SO WE'VE GOT SEVEN. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT MONEY TO PLAY WITH. BUT I JUST I'D HATE TO SEE 23 HAPPEN AGAIN WHERE WE WERE 6 MILLION UNDERWATER. SO THE NUMBERS I GAVE YOU, DOES THAT SOUND AM I, AM I READING THE BUDGETS CORRECTLY. WELL YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE AUDITED NUMBER. SO THAT'S NOT A BUDGET. IT'S IN THE AQUIFER. BUT THE 23 WAS AUDITED NUMBER. YES 24 AND 25 WERE BUDGETS. YES SIR. SO OUTSIDE OF THE 37 NUMBER YOU MENTIONED, THE NUMBERS WERE CORRECT. WE'RE PLANNING TO END THE YEAR THIS YEAR 46. ALL RIGHT. SO I SO I AM CORRECT WHEN I SAY THAT IN 23 WE WERE IN THE RED. IN 24 WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE RED.

AND IN 25 WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THE RED. WE'RE HOPING THAT THE TAXES WILL OUTPERFORM IS WHAT WE'RE HOPING FOR. YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND ONE THING, AND I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS, BUT WHEN YOU SAY IN THE RED AGAIN, WE STILL HAVE THE FUND BALANCE RESERVE ABOVE POLICY. SO TECHNICALLY WE'RE NOT IN THE RED BECAUSE WE CAN PULL FROM FUND BALANCE. YES. BUT WE SPENT MORE THAN WE TOOK IN REQUIRING US TO GO TO THE FUND BALANCE TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

TO ME, AGAIN, THAT'S THE KEY WORD TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. YES, THE BUDGET, BUT THAT'S COMPARABLE TO MY PERSONAL FINANCES. IF I SPEND MORE IN THE YEAR THAN WHAT I TOOK IN, AND I HAVE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF MY SAVINGS AS A ONE TIME DEAL IN A BAD YEAR IS OKAY, LIKE A COVID YEAR. BUT IF I DO THAT EVERY YEAR FOR TEN YEARS, I'M I'M GOING TO BREAK MYSELF FINANCIALLY. AND THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I'M USING THAT WORD TREND. I'M JUST SAYING, CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S A TREND, AND I DON'T WANT US TO GO TO THE FUND BALANCE EVERY YEAR. WELL, AND WE HAVE MR. BROWN IS GOING TO SHOW YOU THAT SINCE 20. YOU MENTIONED 2010, BUT I KNOW SINCE 2017 AT LEAST EVERY BUDGET THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS APPROVED WAS MORE EXPENDITURES THAN REVENUE. SO COUNCIL HAS BEEN APPROVING BUDGETS. FAIR ENOUGH. IN THE RED

[03:15:04]

[03:20:04]

AND MAYOR, I'VE NEVER SAID THAT WE SHOULD MAINTAIN 50 MILLION. I JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT IT WAS AT 50 MILLION WHEN I GOT ON ON COUNCIL. BUT I THOUGHT THIS COUNCIL WANTED TO BE TRANSPARENT. I THOUGHT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT THE FINANCES, BUT WITH THE WAY YOU'RE TALKING, I'M ASSUMING WE DON'T WANT TRANSPARENCY. WE DON'T WANT TO BRING IT TO THE TABLE WHEN WE HAVE A QUESTION. AND IF I WERE YOU CITIZENS, I'D BE ALARMED THAT NOW I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO ASK A QUESTION. I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET. IF I HAVE CONCERNS, AND ALSO WHY NOW, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, I DIDN'T CALL FOR THIS REPORT. I'M NOT THE ONE WHO ASKED FOR IT. YOU HAVE BEEN THE ONE THAT HAS CONTINUED TO TALK ABOUT A BUDGET DEFICIT WITHOUT EXPLAINING WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. WELL, I'VE GONE OVER THESE NUMBERS TIME AND TIME AGAIN. BUT, MAYOR, I YIELD I BUT I BUT I WASN'T ASKING OR SAYING THAT WE NEED 50 MILLION. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN.

GOETZ. COUNCILMAN. TURNER. COUNCILMAN. SHAW. NOBODY'S UP HERE SAYING THEY DON'T WANT TRANSPARENCY. THAT'S WHAT. THAT'S WHAT ALL THIS IS ABOUT. MY QUESTION IS, WE JUST. HOW MANY BUDGET WORKSHOPS DID WE HAVE BEFORE WE APPROVED THIS BUDGET? WHY WASN'T THIS BROUGHT UP THEN BY COUNCILMAN SAMUELS SAID, WHY IS IT BEING BROUGHT UP NOW? YOU KNOW, AND HE'S RIGHT.

WHEN YOU TELLING PEOPLE YOU'RE YOU'RE ALARMING PEOPLE UNNECESSARILY. IF WE THINK WE'RE IN PHYSICALLY, FISCALLY GOOD SHAPE AND YOU SAY DEFICIT BUDGET, THEN WE'RE UNNECESSARILY ALARMING PEOPLE. AND FOR A POINT OF CLARITY, MY UNDERSTANDING, THE YEAR I BECAME MAYOR IN 23, THAT WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT THERE WERE BUDGET WORKSHOPS AND THAT COUNCIL WAS INVOLVED IN IT.

AND THAT HAPPENED FOR FIVE MONTHS. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, I'M SAYING YOU'RE GOING FOR FIVE MONTHS OF WORKSHOPS, BUDGET WORKSHOPS. AND BEFORE THAT YOU HAD NONE. NO THAT'S NOT THAT IS INCORRECT. WE'VE ALWAYS HAD BUDGET WORKSHOPS, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OR THE FINANCIAL OFFICER OR BY THE THEY WERE PRESENTED FIVE MONTHS OUT? YES. EVERY TIME. WE'VE ALWAYS HAD OKAY. WHAT I'M SAYING, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE HAD THOSE BUDGET WORKSHOPS. THIS IS IF THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU BRING UP IN THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. AND IT WAS NEVER IT WAS NEVER BROUGHT UP UNTIL RIGHT NOW. AND I MEAN, THIS STUFF IS GOING IF YOU GO BACK ON THAT SLIDE, IT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE 2018 AND IT WASN'T BROUGHT UP BEFORE. THIS IS 20, 25, SEVEN YEARS. AND NOW AND NOW YOU WANT TO NOW BRING IT UP. I'M NOT I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING. YEAH I UNDERSTAND BUT WE DON'T YES I DO BUT YOU DON'T. YOU DON'T NEEDLESSLY NEED TO GET PEOPLE SCARED. NOBODY'S TRYING TO NOT BE TRANSPARENT. THIS IS THIS IS TRANSPARENCY RIGHT HERE I WAS TALKING ABOUT IT. AND WE YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU WANTED, RIGHT? COUNCILMAN PHIL SHAW. YES. MR. KAUFMAN. YES. OKAY. OKAY. WELL, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT. BUT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING NEW. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENED.

BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO BRING UP RIGHT NOW. COUNCILMAN GOETZ, IF YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON. SO THE REASON WHY IT'S BEING TALKED ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS NOT BECAUSE THERE'S AN ELECTION. IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING READY TO START A NEW BUDGET YEAR. AND

[03:25:04]

BUT I APPRECIATE THAT. BUT AT LEAST YOU'RE SHOWING YOUR YOU. YOU SAY WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND AND DON'T PLAY GAMES. INTERESTING, COUNCILMAN TURNER THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL. YEAH, IN MY TEN YEARS ON COUNCIL, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GOETZ BUDGET WORKSHOPS. MY FIRST TWO YEARS. NO, IT WAS NOT NEARLY AS THOROUGH AS WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. SO I HAVE TO DISAGREE. WHEN YOU GUYS SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED PRIOR TO ME, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN THOROUGH BUDGET WORKSHOPS. WHAT WE HAVE DONE RECENTLY THAT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. ANOTHER THING I STRUGGLE WITH IS, YOU KNOW, I ENCOURAGE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS DURING THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS TO

[03:30:06]

AND THAT'S NOT A LIE. THAT'S A FACT. SO ALL I'M SAYING, AND I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR COUNCIL MEMBER GETS TOO ON THIS WHY HE AGREED TO PUT THIS ON THERE IS LET'S BE CAUTIOUS. THIS PAST YEAR WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET, I FORGET WHAT WE WERE, WHAT WE HAD TO BORROW OUT OF THE FUND BALANCE ON. THAT WAS AT 5 OR $6 MILLION. WHAT WAS THE NUMBER FOR THIS YEAR? YES, SIR. 3.5 OKAY.

3.5. SO IF YOU CONTINUE TO TAKE THAT 3.5 OUT EVERY YEAR, YOU'RE GOING TO GET LOWER AND LOWER TO THAT 20% MARK. THAT'S BY PASSING THIS TODAY I THINK IT ONE, IT SHOWS FULL TRANSPARENCY TO THE CITIZENS. TWO, IT HELPS HOLD THE ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE EVEN THOUGH THEY THEY DO WANT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE. MR. DUNCAN'S EVEN RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS. AND I THINK THAT IT GIVES EVERYBODY A PEACE OF MIND THAT WE'RE ALL SINGING FROM THE SAME SHEET MUSIC. THIS IS NOT THIS IS NOT TO BE USED AS A BAD THING. THIS IS I THINK THIS IS A HEALTHY DECISION. IT PASSES ALL THE STANDARDS FROM GAAP STANDARDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THESE GUYS ABIDE BY, NOT TO MENTION LOTS OF OTHER CITIES AROUND THE STATE USE IT. YEAH, BUT STILL, IT DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION. MY QUESTION WAS WHEN WE HAD BUDGET SEASON, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BACK IN OCTOBER. THANK YOU. THAT'S MY POINT. THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR BECAUSE I'M SORRY I MISSED THIS ONE. MAYOR, WE HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES. COULD WE. YEAH. LET'S WE WE'LL FINISH THE SLIDES RIGHT NOW OR CONTINUE WITH THEM. I'LL JUST FINISH THIS AGAIN. YEAH, YEAH, WE'LL MOVE ON. BUT BUT AGAIN IT SHOWS, YOU KNOW, PEARLAND, SUGAR LAND, EVEN BAYTOWN ACTUALLY CALL AND TALK TO THE ASSISTANT CFO AT BAYTOWN THIS MORNING. THEIR POLICY IS 60 TO 90 DAYS OF EXPENDITURES. AND RIGHT NOW IN THEIR BUDGET THAT CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED LAST SEPTEMBER, THEY'RE RIGHT AT 61 DAYS. AND THE ASSISTANT CFO THIS MORNING WHEN I SPOKE TO HER, SHE SAID, JUNE, WE BARELY MADE IT.

SO THEY ARE 300, $373,000 OVER THEIR POLICY REQUIREMENT. BUT BUT IT AGAIN SHOWS THAT WE ARE AGAIN WAY OVER OUR POLICY REQUIREMENT COMPARED TO THESE CITIES THAT I JUST QUICKLY CONTACTED YESTERDAY EVENING AND THIS MORNING. NEXT SLIDE. OKAY. ON THIS SIDE WE WILL REVIEW THE BUDGETING OF TRANSFERS BETWEEN 2019 AND 2025. SO IN THIS SLIDE WHAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU IS A CHANGE IN THE WAY THAT TRANSFERS WERE BUDGETED FROM PREVIOUS YEARS TO CURRENT YEARS. AND SO YOU'LL SEE 2019 THROUGH 2023, YOU HAD A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TRANSFERS BUDGETED. AND

[03:35:01]

IT'S ALMOST LIKE IN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS MONOPOLY MONEY. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU DO THE BUDGET BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO FIX IT AT THE END WITH A BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT'S AS MUCH AS $18 MILLION. I APPLAUD WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IS HAVE A MORE ACCURATE, SUSTAINABLE, REAL NUMBER. AND THAT'S REFLECTED BY WHAT THE ACTUAL BUDGET AMENDMENT IS. YOU KNOW, IT'S LESS THAN $1 MILLION. SO I GET IT. SO. SO HERE WE REVIEW FY 2021 AMENDED BUDGET. AND SO THIS WAS AN AMENDMENT IN 2021 RIGHT BEFORE THEY APPROVED THE 2022 BUDGET. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT OF $10,340,000. AND SO THIS WAS FOR A $4 MILLION TRANSFER TO CAPITAL RESERVE. IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO STRENGTHEN THE FUND BALANCE FOR THE FY 22 BUDGET. IT WAS A TRANSFER OF 6 MILLION TO GENERAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS, 1 MILLION FOR FLEET PARKING, 5 MILLION FOR THE PURCHASE OF 5.5 MILLION, AND THEN YOU HAD A TRANSFER OF $340,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO GENERAL LIABILITY. AND SO THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS WHY IS IT GOING DOWN? YOU PAID $5 MILLION IN CASH OUT OF YOUR FUND BALANCE FOR FIVE, FIVE, FIVE MAIN STREET. YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT WILL MAKE YOUR FUND BALANCE GO DOWN. THAT'S WHY IT'S GOING DOWN. OVER THE YEARS. WE'RE NOT DOING THOSE KIND OF EXPENDITURE. NOW WE GO AHEAD. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE. AND IF YOU LOOK, WHEN THIS 2021 BUDGET WAS PRESENTED BY MR. HAYES, IT WAS PROPOSED HE PROPOSED IT. 22 BUDGET HAS PROJECTED $1.4 MILLION FUND BALANCE. THIS THIS COMES DIRECTLY OUT OF YOUR MINUTES FROM AUGUST 2021. AND MR. HAYES STATED THIS WILL BE FINE BECAUSE THE CITY HAS A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. YOU'VE HAD A PRACTICE OF BALANCING YOUR BUDGET WITH THAT FUND BALANCE. SO HERE'S A REVIEW OF PRIOR ADOPTED BUDGETS FROM 2019 THROUGH 2025. YOU WILL SEE THAT EACH YEAR, THE REVENUES WERE LESS THAN EXPENDITURES FOR THAT YEAR. ALL OF THAT. YES, SIR. IT GOES BACK TO 2015. SO IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, EVERY YEAR

[03:40:06]

HOWEVER, THE YEAR END FIGURED OUT DIDN'T NECESSARILY GO OVER BECAUSE OF INCREASED REVENUES AND LOWER EXPENDITURES. THAT IS CORRECT. YES, SIR. YES, SIR. SO BUDGET IS A PROJECTION DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO FINISH THE YEAR WITH THAT. I JUST WANT TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DEFINITIONS. WHATEVER DEFINITION THIS COUNCIL MAKES ME AS A MANAGER WILL MAKE THAT BUDGET WORK. I'VE HAD A HISTORY OF DOING THAT FOR 20 YEARS. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE DEFINITION IS, BUT WE JUST NEED TO BE MAKE SURE WE'RE PLAYING. WE WERE PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES AS THE PREVIOUS GROUP, AND WE WANT TO BE LOOKED AT AS THE SAME BY PLAYING WITH THE SAME RULES. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE SHOWING WHAT RULES WE CAME IN UNDER AND WE WERE PLAYING WITH THOSE RULES, AND THAT'S THE WAY WE'RE DOING. YOU KNOW, MY MOM ONCE TOLD ME I PROBABLY HAD THE FIRST DOLLAR I EVER MADE. I SAID, NO, MOM, I DON'T, BUT I MIGHT HAVE A SECOND ONE. OKAY, SO I CARE FOR THIS CITY'S DOLLARS AS WELL AS I CARE FOR MY DOLLARS, AND I DON'T. AND I'M VERY FRUGAL. I'M VERY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE. SO THIS CITY FINANCIAL SITUATION WOULD ONLY IMPROVE UNDER ME WHEN I GOT THE BEAUTY. I THINK WE HAD A 20, 20, 25% FUND BALANCE. WHEN I LEFT. YOU HAD 100% FUND BALANCE. OKAY. SO WE ALL HERE. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT HERE. YEAH. WELL, I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW I DON'T PLAY WHEN IT COMES TO MONEY. AND IF ANYBODY SAYS I'M BEING FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE, IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE OF THEM TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I HAVE A HISTORY OF BEING TOTALLY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND PUTTING THOSE DOLLARS TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, TAX RATE HAS DROPPED SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE. FUND BALANCE, GOING TO THE BOND RATING HAS IMPROVED, AND IT'S GOING TO ONLY IMPROVE MORE. NOW IF COUNCIL WANTS TO CHANGE THIS, I DON'T CARE TO WHAT THE GFOA SAYS. BUT TYPICALLY YOU DO THESE TYPE OF THINGS IN DISCUSSIONS DURING BUDGET WORKSHOPS, NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF A SEASON WHERE YOU DO A KNEE JERK REACTION. COUNCILMAN TURNER, THEN COUNCILMAN GOETZ AND SEE THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU KNOW ME PERSONALLY. THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU GUYS. THAT'S WHAT I HAD AN ISSUE WITH, BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WENT THROUGH BUDGET SEASON AND WE COULD HAVE DISCUSSED THAT. AND IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE'RE DOING IT NOW AND IT'S KIND OF MORE REACTIVE THAN KIND OF GETTING AHEAD OF IT. WHEN WE ACTUALLY PRESENT. WE SIT IN THESE BUDGET WORKSHOPS FOR A LONG TIME DAYS, AND I THINK THAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. TO BE HONEST. I JUST LIKE AGAIN, I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT'S BECAUSE OF POLITICAL SEASON.

WE'RE SAYING THIS NOW. WHEN WE SAT THROUGH A BUDGET WORKSHOP AND NOTHING WAS SAID THEN.

FURTHERMORE, TO SHOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A STANDARD PRACTICE FOR ALL THIS TIME, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SEEM LIKE AN ATTACK AGAINST CURRENT ADMINISTRATION. IF IT WASN'T A WORD SAID IN THE PAST. SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF CLEAR THAT UP. I'M OPEN TO DIALOG AND WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR EVERYBODY. BUT JUST AS MY COLLEAGUES, I PREFER TO TALK ABOUT IT WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE THESE WORKSHOPS THAT WE'RE IN ALL DAY. NOT, YOU KNOW, THIS CLOSE TO MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET YEAR. COUNCILMAN GOETZ. WELL, TO ME, THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF OUR BUDGET YEAR. AND AT THE BEGINNING, THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE DEFINITIONS ARE. OKAY? AND SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, GETTING THE DEFINITIONS STRAIGHT ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT THE GOVERNMENT GFOA DEFINITION IS, IS IMPORTANT. AND SO WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING, MR. BROWN, IS THAT THE DEFINITION BE FOR A BALANCED BUDGET. WELL, CLEAR. HE'S NOT RECOMMENDING HE'S TELLING YOU WHAT IT IS. OKAY. WELL, WELL, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING I'VE HEARD THAT A COUPLE WE'RE NOT. THIS IS THE GFOA DEFINITION. UNDERSTOOD. BUT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO ADOPT THAT AS POLICY BY THIS COUNCIL. AND SO THAT WOULD BE RECURRING. REVENUES ARE GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO RECURRING EXPENDITURES IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, WHICH I THINK IS FINE. SO WITH THAT, MAYBE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. YEAH. I'M SORRY, I MAY HAVE MISSED SOMETHING YOU JUST SAID, COUNCILMAN GITTES, I APOLOGIZE, BUT CITY MANAGER, IT IS IT BEING RECOMMENDED TO US TO IT SAYS AT THE BOTTOM RECOMMENDATION, APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THAT WHAT'S BEEN RECOMMENDED TO US? YEAH. OKAY. I DIDN'T GET ALL OF THAT. I'M SORRY. YEAH. THIS IS THIS IS

[03:45:08]

I DIDN'T REALLY LOOK AT COMPARABLES. I'VE WORKED FOR SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES, MISSOURI CITY AND I, YOU KNOW, SUGARLAND AND PEARLAND AND BUDA. I MEAN, I'VE WORKED FOR A NUMBER OF CITIES AND SOME HAVE THIS DEFINITION, WHICH IS AGAIN, GFOA ADOPTED OR RECOMMENDED DEFINITION FOR A BALANCED BUDGET. THIS THIS DEFINITION WOULDN'T TO ME, AND THIS IS ME SPEAKING WOULDN'T HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE WAY WE CURRENTLY OPERATE AND PRESENT A BUDGET TO CITY COUNCIL. WE WILL ENSURE THAT RECURRING REVENUES. THOSE ARE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES, SALES TAXES, PERMITS THAT WE GET EVERY YEAR. THEY'RE RECURRING. EQUAL. YOUR RECURRING EXPENDITURES. THOSE ARE SALARIES AND BENEFITS, WHICH IS ALREADY 70 PLUS PERCENT OF THE BUDGET ANYWAY. SO THAT'S GFOA DEFINITION OF A BALANCED BUDGET. I MEAN, OTHER RECURRING EXPENDITURES ARE LIKE MATERIAL AND SUPPLIES AND. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO, ESSENTIALLY. AND ANYTHING USED FROM THE FUND BALANCE, ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF ANY NON-RECURRING EXPENDITURES WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM FROM THE FUND BALANCE OR FROM ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT'S, THAT'S GENERATED. SO THEREFORE, IF WE NEEDED TO BUY A NEW FIRE TRUCK, IT'S A ONE TIME EXPENDITURE OR WE NEEDED MONEY FOR A GRANT MATCH, THAT'S A ONE TIME EXPENDITURE. THAT'S WHAT YOU SHOULD USE THE FUND BALANCE FOR OR JUST ONE TIME EXPENDITURES AND NOT RECURRING EXPENDITURES. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS DEFINITION WOULD DO FOR THE CITY. CODE. AND CERTAINLY NO INDICATION THAT'S NOT EXACTLY HOW WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OUR SURPLUS I MEAN, OUR WE'RE JUST WE'RE SPENDING MONEY ON SURPLUS ITEMS, ON ITEMS THAT ARE ONE TIME EXPENSES. AND BUT IF THIS LANGUAGE HELPS US WITH THE I STILL THINK IT WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE TO DO WHEN THE NEW COUNCIL SEATED, SINCE THEY'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY BE WORKING ON THE BUDGET. BUT BECAUSE THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THIS

[03:50:05]

I'LL SECOND. SO NOW WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. AND SO WE GOT INTO DISCUSSIONS WITHOUT MOTIONS AND SECONDS. I APOLOGIZE RIGHT NOW. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER NINE.

PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD

[PUBLIC HEARING]

LYNN CASTLE, 500 MAIN STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AND MANAGEMENT, AND FELLOW CITIZENS.

THIS YEAR, THE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS IS CELEBRATING ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY. WOOHOO! DUE TO OUR RICH AND ENDURING HISTORY, WE ARE WIDELY RECOGNIZED FOR OUR EXHIBITIONS.

ARTISTS TRAVELED TO INSTALL THEIR ARTWORK, OFTEN STAYING SEVERAL DAYS OUT OF TOWN.

SCHOLARS, GALLERIES, AND COLLECTORS JOIN US FOR PROGRAMING SUCH AS GALLERY TALKS AND PERFORMANCES. EXHIBITIONS DRAW VISITORS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. CURRENTLY WE HAVE ARTISTS VISITING FROM LONDON. WE JUST WENT TO PICK THEM UP AT THE AIRPORT AND WEST

[03:55:03]

WE REACH OVER 300,000 VIEWERS DIGITALLY THROUGH ELECTRONIC MEDIA, AND WE MAIL OUT 4000 INVITATIONS ANNUALLY NATIONALLY PROMOTING EXHIBITS. WE'RE ACCREDITED THROUGH THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS, SHARED BY ONLY THREE OF THE TOP 3% OF THE TOP MUSEUMS IN THE UNITED STATES. WE ALSO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE AND EXECUTE PROGRAMING.

WE HAVE AN IMPECCABLE RECORD OF COMPLETING PROGRAMS AND REPORTING GRANTS AWARDED BY VARIOUS GOVERNMENT ENTITIES. WE APPRECIATE THE FINANCIAL AND IN-KIND SUPPORT THE CITY HAS GIVEN US. SPECIAL THANKS TO THE CVB, WHO HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PROMOTING OUR EVENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING FOR ME? OKAY, GOOD. THAT'S MY. COLLEEN HARTZELL, 6088 BABE ZAHARIAS DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS BEAUMONT BOTANICAL GARDENS. THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WEST AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS COLLEEN HARTLAND. I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BEAUMONT BOTANICAL GARDENS. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY ABOUT AN IMPORTANT INVESTMENT IN ONE OF OUR CITY'S MOST TREASURED GREEN SPACES. THE BEAUMONT BOTANICAL GARDENS HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY SINCE THE LATE 1960S.

ORIGINALLY FOUNDED BY THE COUNCIL OF GARDEN CLUBS WITH A VISION OF CREATING A SPACE WHERE NATURE, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY COULD COME TOGETHER. IN 2022, WE TRANSITIONED INTO AN INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, ALLOWING US TO EXPAND OUR IMPACT AND IMPROVE LONG TERM SUSTAINABILITY. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SPACES WITHIN THE GARDENS IS THE BINKS HORTICULTURAL CENTER, WHICH SERVES AS THE ENTRANCE CHECKPOINT FOR VISITORS AND A HUB FOR EVENTS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY GATHERINGS. HOWEVER, DESPITE ITS POTENTIAL, THE SPACE FACES TWO MAJOR CHALLENGES THAT LIMIT ITS USABILITY THE LARGE FOUNTAIN IN THE CENTER. WHILE ONCE A FOCAL POINT, NOW RESTRICTS LAYOUT FLEXIBILITY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCOMMODATE LARGER EVENTS AND FULLY UTILIZE THE SPACE. ADDITIONALLY, THE ORIGINAL 25 YEAR OLD FLOORING IS CRACKING THROUGHOUT THE FACILITY, REMOVING THE FOUNTAIN AND REPLACING THE AGING FLOORING WILL ALLOW WILL ALLOW US TO INCREASE RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR GARDEN CENTER VENUE THAT HOLDS UP TO 250 PEOPLE, MAKING BEAUMONT BOTANICAL GARDENS MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR WEDDINGS, CORPORATE EVENTS, CONFERENCES, LOOKING FOR MULTIPLE BREAKOUT ROOMS AND OTHER COMMUNITY GATHERINGS. A REVITALIZED EVENT SPACE WILL ATTRACT MORE OUT OF TOWN VISITORS, SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE CITY'S ECONOMIC GROWTH. BEAUMONT BOTANICAL GARDENS PLANS ON WORKING ALONGSIDE THE CVB TO COLLECT HOTEL DATA THROUGH THROUGH THE RENTERS OF OUR FACILITIES, AND SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. YES, THIS IS THE LOBBY AREA. AS YOU GO INTO THE WARREN LOOSE. CONSERVATORY AREA. THAT'S CORRECT. I LIKE THAT FOUNTAIN.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL. SO HERE'S WE DO HAVE A LONG TERM PLAN FOR THE BECAUSE THE STAINED GLASS IS BEAUTIFUL. WE DON'T WANT TO GET RID OF IT. I GOT A QUOTE TO REFRAME IT AND PLACE IT IN THE CONSERVATORY, IN THE GREENHOUSE, WHERE YOU WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SEE SOME LIGHT SHINING THROUGH IT, JUST TO REMOVE IT AND REFRAME. AND THAT WAS ABOUT $55,000. SO WE'RE PROBABLY THROUGH THIS PROCESS, JUST GOING TO STORE THE STAINED GLASS UNTIL WE CAN GET THE FUNDING TO REPURPOSE THE STAINED GLASS. NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT, BUT HOW IS THIS REALLY GOING TO HELP WITH TOURISM MORE THAN WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY SEEING? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SEEING THAT

[04:00:04]

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CRACKING IN THE FLOORING. UNFORTUNATELY, SOUTHEAST TEXAS, MY OWN HOUSE, HAS HAD CRACKING IN THE FLOORING BECAUSE THE SOIL MOVES. DOES IT REPRESENT ANY STRUCTURAL ISSUES AT THIS TIME THAT YOU KNOW OF FROM AN ENGINEERING STANDPOINT? I DON'T KNOW THAT INFORMATION. I JUST KNOW THAT THERE ARE CRACKS THROUGHOUT THE BUILDING. WE HAVE NOT ASKED ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY, BUT JUST TO THE FOUNTAIN SITUATION IT IS. I DON'T KNOW WHY SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE PUT IT RIGHT WHEN YOU WALK IN ANYWAY. IT'S LIKE IT'S LIKE YOU MENTIONED IT'S A VISUAL FOCAL POINT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S AND I MEAN, WE COULD EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF VISITORS WITHIN THAT SPACE FOR EXHIBITS, EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I HEAR YOUR POINT. DON'T YOU ALSO HAVE THAT WHOLE OTHER FACILITY THAT YOU CAN RENT OUT? THAT IS WE DO AND THAT'S THAT CAN HOLD UP TO 250 PEOPLE. BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT REACH OUT TO US THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SMALLER, MORE INTIMATE EVENTS THAT DON'T WANT TO RENT OUT THE ENTIRE GARDEN CENTER. SO WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU'RE HAVING AN EVENT IN THE LOBBY AND PEOPLE WANT TO WALK RIGHT THROUGH THAT TO GET INTO THE CONSERVATORY? WHAT IF YOU'RE HAVING AN EVENT HERE IN THE LOBBY AND PEOPLE WANT TO GO INTO THE CONSERVATORY TO LOOK AT THE PLANTS AND EVERYTHING, WON'T THEY BE INTERRUPTING? WE DON'T RENT THE FACILITY DURING BUSINESS HOURS. I SEE. OKAY, SO IT WOULD BE AN AFTER HOURS? YES.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS. AMANDA YARBOROUGH, 701 MAIN STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS BEAUMONT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. THANK YOU. SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON GENTLEMEN.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, LADIES ADMINISTRATION. WE'RE VERY THANKFUL TO BE HERE. I WILL HAVE TO SAY THAT I WAS VERY MUCH EDUCATED A LOT TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR LETTING US LISTEN IN ON THAT. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HERE A WHILE. THE BEAUMONT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM STRIVES TO PROMOTE FAMILY FUN AND INTERACTIVE, AN INTERACTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE CHILDREN THRIVE AND GET EXCITED ABOUT LEARNING. THE GREAT THING ABOUT THAT IS TOURISM IS A HUGE TARGET TO FAMILIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS, BUT FAMILIES ACROSS THE NATION. SO WHEN YOU BRING TOGETHER THOSE

[04:05:05]

AS WE CONTINUE TO ATTRACT THESE VISITORS, BCM FINDS MANY WAYS THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TO ATTRACT AND WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE EVENTS THAT ARE ALREADY HAPPENING. THE GREAT THING ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING DOWNTOWN, SUCH AS A LOT OF THE CITY EVENTS WE HAVE NOW ALIGNED TO OPEN UP FOR FREE DAYS FOR THE COORDINATION SUCH AS MURAL FEST AND A LOT OF THE OTHER DOWNTOWN EVENTS. THE GREAT THING IS, THESE ARE NOW BRINGING IN HUGE CHUNKS OF PEOPLE INTO THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TO OUR EXHIBITS, AND WE'RE GETTING LOTS OF FEEDBACK FROM THE LOCALS, BUT ALSO TRAVELERS WHO HAVE COME IN FOR THESE EVENTS TO STAY OVERNIGHT, OVERNIGHT, AND WHO NOW KNOW ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM WHEN THEY MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN BEFORE. NOT ONLY ARE WE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT LOCAL EVENTS, WE ARE HELPING BY PARTNERING WITH THEM TO PROMOTE TOURISM IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS. THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS IT ALL COMES DOWN TO OUR MISSION OF FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT, CREATING MISSION MOMENTS AND MEMORIES BY INCORPORATING STEAM EDUCATION. THE KIDS ARE PLAYING, THE PARENTS ARE HAPPY AND THESE ARE ALL OUT OF TOWN VISITORS BUT ALSO LOCAL GUESTS. WE KNOW TRAVELERS SELDOM CHOOSE THESE DESTINATIONS BECAUSE OF ONE REASON. SO REMEMBER, IT'S MULTIPLE DESTINATIONS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE FOR OUR SOUTHEAST TEXAS COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD, WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN WITH THE BILLBOARDS ON I-10, ALONG WITH PROMOTING OUR FISH AROMA FISHING TOURNAMENT THAT BRINGS IN MANY HOUSTON AND LAKE CHARLES GUEST GUESTS. WE ARE GREAT TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY PUBLICIZE IN THE TEXAS FISHING AND HUNTING MAGAZINE THIS LAST YEAR, WHICH INCREASED OUR ATTENDANCE. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. HOPE YOU'LL COME BY AND PLAY WITH US. DID HANG ON A MINUTE IN CASE ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS. IF YOU HAVE MORE TO FINISH, WE'LL. WE HAVE QUESTIONS. I DON'T FOLLOWING THE TIME LIMITS. YEAH. GO AHEAD. PLEASE ASK A QUESTION. WELL ME MISS AMANDA I JUST WANT TO KIND OF COMPLIMENT AND LET YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE STEM WITH INDUSTRY BEING REAL HUGE IN THIS AREA TO HAVE THESE STEM PROGRAMS. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO SEE OUR YOUTH BE ABLE TO GO IN THAT DIRECTION TO GET SOME OF THESE JOB OPPORTUNITIES. SO THAT IS VERY TRUE. SO NOT ONLY DOES IT HELP WITH TOURISM, IT ALSO HELPS OUR LOCAL ENTITY OF YOUTH GROWTH. SO WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS LIKE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART AND MATH, WE TARGET OUR YOUTH FROM INFANT ALL THE WAY TO AGE 12. BUT IGNITING THOSE SPARK AND THOSE SUBJECT MATTERS ARE WHAT HELP THEN CONTINUE THE LEARNING AND GROWTH OF THOSE FUTURE PROFESSIONALS. SO WHEN WE'RE SITTING THERE TEACHING THEM HOW TO PUT A LEGO TOGETHER, PROBLEM SOLVING AND SOLVING A PROBLEM WHEN IT COMES TO CHEMISTRY, PUTTING TOGETHER AND BUILDING THE BLUE BLOCKS THAT SEEM TO BE MORE OF A DAD'S PLAY TOY THAN SOME OF THE KIDS, THE IDEA IS THAT THEY'RE WORKING IN COORDINATION WITH OTHER KIDS RIGHT NEXT TO THEM. SO THAT RIGHT THERE IS PEER LEARNING, BUT ALSO LEARNING TEAM BUILDING AND INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THEIR STANDARD HOUSEHOLD. BUT THESE STEAM PROFESSIONS THAT THEY'RE INCORPORATING TO THEIR PLAY HELP THEM IGNITE A SPARK FOR SOMETHING THAT MIGHT TRULY BECOME OUR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, THAT WILL WORK WITH THE CITY, SOMEONE WHO WILL BE A FIREFIGHTER BECAUSE THEY MET THEM AT TOUCH-A-TRUCK. SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BECOME THE POLICE OFFICER BECAUSE THEY WERE AT ONE OF OUR HOMESCHOOL SERVICE EVENTS. SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL TYPES OF KIDS TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT AND LEARN A LOVE OF SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD IMPACT OUR LITTLE, OUR FUTURE. I COULD CONTINUE, BUT PLEASE, MR. GETZ, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A YOU QUESTION. THIS IS A MAYBE FOR MR. BOONE. I'M LOOKING AT THIS WHERE IT SAYS THE AMOUNT REQUESTED IS $61,500, AND THEN PERCENT OF TOTAL EVENT 6%. DOES THAT MEAN THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING $61,500 AND WE'RE ONLY ALLOCATING 6% OF THAT, OR I THINK IS $61,500? WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING, AND IT'S ONLY 6% OF

[04:10:11]

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WELL WITH MR. CHRIS BOONE AND MR. KENNY SMITH, AND WE ARE AT THE END PHASES OF PUTTING IT TOGETHER. AN RFP THAT WILL GO OUT, I'M GUESSING ONCE APPROVED, FINAL APPROVED. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE ARE ON THAT. BUT YES, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CITY ON THAT. DOES IT LOOK POSSIBLE? I'LL TELL YOU THAT IN A FEW MONTHS ONCE THE RFP GOES OUT.

BUT IN MY MIND, AND WITH THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY, WE CAN MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY. NOT TODAY. OH, NO. HOLD ON, HOLD ON. AMANDA, I THINK THE RFP IS. YOU SAID IT.

NO, YOU JUST SAID IT IN THURSDAY. BAGS OF IT. YOU JUST SAID THE RFP IS GOING TO BE RUNNING IN THE PAPER THURSDAY THIS WEEKEND, NEXT WEEK. SO I JUST LEARNED THAT THE RFP WILL BE RUNNING IN THE PAPER AND WILL BE PUBLIC THURSDAY. AND COMING UP VERY QUICKLY. SO THAT'S THE UPDATE. SO YOU DON'T NEED TWO MONTHS THEN? NO, I WILL ALSO BE PUBLICLY SHARING IT WITH SEVERAL CONSULTANTS THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH ACROSS THE ASSOCIATION OF CHILDREN'S MUSEUMS. SOUNDS GOOD.

HAVE YOU SPOKE TO DORA NESBY ABOUT THAT? NOT PARTICULARLY. DO I NEED TO TALK TO DORA? I WOULDN'T TALK TO ME. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR OPEN FEEDBACK. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT NOW, BUT PART OF THE CONVERSATION WILL INCLUDE THE LIBRARY BOARD. SO WE'LL INCLUDE ALL THE VOICES. OH, MISS DORA. YES, I KNOW HER VERY WELL. SHE'S VERY HONEST. IN A GOOD WAY. IN A GOOD WAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND TIME, SHELLEY BRANNON, 3025 FRENCH ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. SPEAKING ON THE BEAUMONT HERITAGE SOCIETY. THANK YOU. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS SHELBY BRANNON AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF BEAUMONT HERITAGE SOCIETY'S JOHN J. FRENCH MUSEUM, THE JOHN J.

FRENCH MUSEUM HAS STOOD AS A TESTAMENT TO OUR COLLECTIVE HERITAGE FOR 180 YEARS. THIS YEAR, DESPITE NATURAL DISASTERS, FUNDING CHALLENGES AND A CHANGING VOLUNTEER LANDSCAPE, THE MUSEUM AND THE TEAM THAT SUPPORTS IT HAS PROVED RESILIENT. A LESSON WE HAVE ALL TAKEN FROM THE FRENCH FAMILY STORY. THE BEAUMONT HERITAGE TEAM HAS DOUBLED ATTENDANCE YEAR TO YEAR. WE'VE ADDED GROUNDBREAKING PROGRAMING IN ADDITION TO AN ALREADY STACKED EVENT SCHEDULE. WE OFFER HOME SCHOOL DAYS, VIRTUAL TOURS, MUSEUM IN A BOX AND THIS YEAR WE'VE ADDED A CHILDREN'S EXHIBIT AT THE MUSEUM, COMPLETE WITH A TOUR GEARED SPECIFICALLY TO OUR LITTLEST VISITORS TO LEARN THROUGH PLAY. ALL OF THIS PROGRAMING IS OFFERED AT LOW COST OR NO COST THROUGH OUR MUSEUMS FOR ALL INITIATIVE. OPENING THIS FALL WILL PREMIERE DOWNTOWN WALKING TOURS DESIGNED TO ATTRACT TOURISTS, HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF OUR MORE INTERESTING HISTORY AND PROVIDING A PRESENCE FOR BEAUMONT HERITAGE SOCIETY IN THE HISTORIC DOWNTOWN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THIS PROGRAMING, WE'VE ALSO UNDERTAKEN NECESSARY RESTORATION PROJECTS. OUR WINDOWS AT THE FRENCH MUSEUM WERE REBUILT, ALL WITH FIRST CUT CYPRESS OR CEDAR HISTORIC GLAZING AND HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE PAINT.

THE WINDOWS, SOME OF WHICH HAD NOT BEEN OPERABLE FOR SOME TIME, ARE ALL OPENING ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR. WE ARE SEEKING YOUR SUPPORT TO KEEP THE JOHN J. FRENCH MUSEUM STANDING FOR ANOTHER 180 YEARS. THE TEXAS TAX CODE DIRECTLY LISTS PRESERVATION PROGRAMS AS AN ACCEPTABLE MEANS OF HOTEL OCCUPANCY. TAX SPEND FOR THE 1845 FRENCH MUSEUM. THIS LOOKS LIKE PEST CONTROL, SECURITY, AC MAINTENANCE AND GROUNDS CLEAN OUT SUPPORT. THESE ARE THE EFFORTS THAT PRESERVE OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS. PREVENTATIVE PRESERVATION IS WHAT KEEPS THE OLDEST FULLY RESTORED HOME IN BEAUMONT OPEN AS A MUSEUM FOR TOURISTS WHO TRAVEL FAR AND WIDE TO LEARN THE LESSONS THAT HISTORY HAS TO TEACH US. IN ADDITION TO THIS PRESERVATION SUPPORT, WE'RE ALSO SEEKING FUNDING FOR GENERAL ADVERTISING FOR OUR TOURS, EVENTS AND PROGRAMING. WE LOOK FORWARD TO REPORTING THAT WE'VE ONCE AGAIN DOUBLED ATTENDANCE IN 2026, AND I'D LOVE YOUR

[04:15:04]

SUE BAR, DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME BY

[04:20:02]

TO DATE, THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE NUMBER OF CITIES APPLYING FOR CULTURAL DISTRICT DESIGNATION TODAY, WITH TODAY OR IN THE STATE WITH 1221 CITIES, THERE ARE ONLY 54 DESIGNATED CULTURAL DISTRICTS SPREAD ACROSS 41 CITIES. SO THERE'S I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY HARM IN HAVING BEAUMONT BE PART OF THESE, THIS 54 OR ANY CONCERN THAT TOO MANY CITIES WILL START TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THIS. AND WHEN WE FIRST DID THIS IN 2019, THERE WERE ONLY 41.

TODAY THERE'S 54. SO IT'S A PRETTY SLOW MOVING PROCESS AND ONE CAN LOSE THEIR DESIGNATION.

THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SAY IS THAT OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN APPLYING FOR THESE FUNDS THROUGH THESE ORGANIZATIONS, WE BROUGHT IN MORE THAN $300,000. THOSE FUNDS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT DCAD. PART OF DBX'S MISSION IS TO ENCOURAGE ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS IN BEAUMONT TO PLAN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE THE ARTS AND TOURISM WITHIN THE DISTRICT, AND TO APPLY FOR THESE FUNDS FROM THE STATE. WE HEAD OUT. THE DEADLINE FOR THESE APPLICATIONS IS IN MAY. WE START BUGGING OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS RIGHT AROUND NOW, MAKING SURE THEY HAVE ALL THEIR DUCKS IN A ROW, THEIR PAPERWORK FILED, THEIR 990 FILED SO THAT THEY ARE ELIGIBLE AND GOOD TO GO WITH THESE GRANTS. OH, I CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT FAST. WELL, SORRY, I DID WANT TO SAY WE'RE QUICKLY GOING TO HAVE AN EVENT. WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CITY AND NINE ON THE NEXT CRAWFISH ART AND MUSIC FESTIVAL APRIL 27TH. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE. HANG ON JUST A SECOND. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. WENDY ALBERT, 59, 30 WINDSWEPT STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. ONYX. CYBER. HEY, Y'ALL, ARE Y'ALL DOING? HI, MY NAME IS WENDY ALBERT. I AM A CYBER SECURITY PROFESSIONAL. I'VE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY FOR OVER FIVE PLUS YEARS, AND I CURRENTLY WORK WITH A LOT OF INVESTORS. SO I'M CURRENTLY WORKING FOR ONE OF THE TOP FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES. AND I DO HAVE MY OWN NONPROFIT INDUSTRY. IT'S NAMED ONYX CYBER.

I'M PROPOSING TO BRING A TECH CONFERENCE TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT THAT WILL RAISE REVENUE, TOURISM AND MONEY FOR THE CITY. MY DAD IS A RETIRED UNITED STATES ARMY OFFICER FROM THE PENTAGON, AND I DO HAVE THEIR SUPPORT AS WELL, AND VARIOUS SPONSORS AND THOSE AROUND THE GLOBE. I ALSO HOLD A CHEER WITH THE WOMEN OF CYBER SECURITY INITIATIVE, WHICH IS A GLOBAL INDUSTRY THAT WORKS ON HELPING WOMEN GET INTO THE TECH INDUSTRY. AND I'M THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON CHAPTER. SO I'M PROMISING I'M BRINGING MONEY TO BEAUMONT, AND THAT'S MY WHOLE GOAL. THAT'S MY ENTIRE PLAN. MY INITIATIVE IS TO REALLY FOCUS ON OUR YOUTH AND OUR PEOPLE IN THE CITY, TO HELP BRING THEM INTO THE NEW INNOVATION OF TECHNOLOGY. AI IS A REALLY BIG THING HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S BEST THAT YOU GUYS GET ON BOARD SO YOU GUYS DON'T GET LEFT BEHIND. AND SO I'M PROPOSING TO BRING ON VARIOUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE THEIR OWN COMPANIES TO TEACH OUR PEOPLE AND HELP THEM RAISE THEIR SKILL SET TO BE ABLE TO HAVE JOBS IN THE FUTURE. IN 2026, APPLE IS GOING TO HAVE AN AI MARKETPLACE OUTSIDE OF HOUSTON, AND WITH BEAUMONT BEING AN OUTSIDE CITY ACROSS FROM HOUSTON, WE CAN HAVE OUR PEOPLE PREPARED HERE TO BE ABLE TO GO GET THOSE JOBS. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO HERE. I WANT TO HELP MY PEOPLE. SO I CURRENTLY DO NOT LIVE IN BEAUMONT, BUT I'M FROM HERE. I WAS RAISED HERE AND I'M

[04:25:03]

CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO WHY TECH IS MORE ATTRACTIVE? AND THAT'S A CAREER THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING INTO AS OF LATELY? YES. SO DEFINITELY, I WOULD SAY FOR MYSELF, IT WAS MY OWN DESIRE AND PASSION. SO GROWING UP IN BEAUMONT, I WASN'T TAUGHT ABOUT CYBERSECURITY. IT WAS VERY UNIQUE FOR ME TO BE INTERESTED IN CRYPTOGRAPHY AND CODING AND PUTTING MYSELF IN THAT WAY, AND IT WAS NOT TAUGHT TO ME AT WESTBROOK. SO I FEEL LIKE WITH ME COMING BACK AND DOING THAT AND BEING ABLE TO TEACH IT AND GIVE YOU GUYS THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE WILL RAISE THAT AWARENESS FOR KIDS. ALSO, JUST HAVING THE FINANCIAL FREEDOM COMING FROM BEAUMONT, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE OVERLOOKED. WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKED AT FOR BEING KNOWN FOR OIL AND GAS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, AND I WANTED TO HAVE A DIFFERENT KNOWLEDGE ON WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE KNOWN FOR IN THE FUTURE. AND THAT'S REALLY BIG FOR OUR KIDS TO KNOW COMING UP IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, I HAVE MY OWN WAY OF GOING INTO IT, BUT I FEEL LIKE FOR OTHER PEOPLE BEHIND ME, IT'S BEST TO RAISE THE AWARENESS NOW TO GET THEM READY TO BE ON BOARD. TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO CHANGE A LOT OVER THE YEARS, AND IT'S BEEN CHANGING SINCE THE LAST TEN YEARS. WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BE LEFT BEHIND? GET AHEAD. THE JOB SECURITY. IS THERE SO MANY JOBS WITHIN TECH RIGHT NOW? SOFTWARE ENGINEERS, SYSTEM ENGINEERS, CYBERSECURITY ENGINEERS, TECHNICAL ARCHITECTS, I MEAN, THE LIST GOES ON. AND I KNOW ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITHIN INDUSTRY. I HAVE A LOT OF CONNECTIONS. I'M WELL CONNECTED. I USED TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT ON VARIOUS CONTRACTS WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES. SO MY BEST THING IS TO COME AND GET YOU GUYS READY. YEAH, I THINK IT'S COOL. MY LITTLE BROTHER IS IN TECH IN AUSTIN. THAT'S WHY I KIND OF WAS INTERESTING TO ME.

YEAH, IT'S VERY BIG IN AUSTIN, ESPECIALLY WITH TESLA BEING THERE. WE HAVE APPLE, MICROSOFT, YOU NAME IT IT'S THERE. YEAH. HE'S WITH APPLE. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CHRISTY FAGAN, 600 MAIN STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS, WITH THE TEXAS ENERGY MUSEUM. THANK YOU. HI HI HI HI HI. OH, WAIT, DON'T COUNT ME DOWN YET. THESE ARE BETTER.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING. NOW, I CAN'T SEE YOU OUT THERE, BUT I CAN SEE THIS, SO. OKAY, SO MY NAME IS CRYSTAL FAGAN. I'M WITH THE TEXAS ENERGY MUSEUM, AND WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR 35TH YEAR. AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BABY COMPARED TO SOME OF OUR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. BUT WE'RE STILL REALLY PROUD. THE TEXAS ENERGY MUSEUM, LIKE SO MANY OTHER BEAUMONT MUSEUMS, IS NOT JUST A MUSEUM. BY THAT I MEAN WE ARE ALL SO MUCH MORE THAN A PLACE TO GO AND SIMPLY LOOK AT THINGS.

MUSEUMS ARE COMMUNITY CENTERS, PLACES WHERE FAMILIES SPEND TIME AND LEARN TOGETHER. WE ARE PLACES OF CHILDREN'S PROGRAMING WITH HANDS ON LEARNING, DISCOVERY AND FUN. WE ARE DEFINITELY TOURIST DESTINATIONS. WE ALSO ADD TO THE CULTURAL CHOICES OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN BEAUMONT FOR OTHER REASONS. YEAR ROUND MUSEUM MAKES MAKES BEAUMONT A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND VISIT. MUSEUMS DRAW TRAVELERS OFF OF I-10. HOW COULD WE NOT? IF YOU'VE EVER GOOGLED THINGS TO DO IN BEAUMONT, MUSEUMS AND THEIR ACTIVITIES FILL THE RESPONSES. WE ARE ACTIVE AND WE ARE ALWAYS PRESENT. THE TEXAS ENERGY MUSEUM IS ONE OF THESE UNIQUE MUSEUMS. WE ARE A PLACE THAT SPECIFICALLY CELEBRATES THE LEGENDARY DISCOVERY OF SPINDLETOP, A MOMENT THAT FOREVER ALTERED THE COURSE OF OUR CITY, OUR STATE, AND OUR COUNTRY. WE SHOWCASE THE BEDROCK OF SKILL, THE SPARK OF INGENUITY, AND THE RELENTLESS DRIVE FOR ADVANCEMENT THAT COMES FROM THIS AREA. INNOVATION, SUCCESS, AND A THRIVING COMMUNITY DIDN'T STOP AFTER EITHER OF BEAUMONT'S OIL BOOMS. SOUTHEAST TEXAS CONTINUES TO LEAD THE INDUSTRY WITH CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY THAT KEEPS OUR ENTIRE COUNTRY ON THE MOVE, LITERALLY. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE HIGHLIGHT. SO SINCE JOINING THE MUSEUM IN FEBRUARY OF 2023, I AM PROUD TO REPORT TO YOU GUYS, BECAUSE EVER SINCE I'VE BEEN I'VE DONE THIS PRESENTATION, WE'VE TAKEN OUR VISITORSHIP FROM 8500, IN 2022 TO NOW, 13,270 AND 2024. OUR GUEST BOOK REPORTING SUGGESTS THAT 15 TO 20% OF OUR REGULAR VISITORS STAY IN BEAUMONT. HOTELS ARE OUT OF STATE AND OUT OF COUNTRY. VISITORSHIP IS ABOUT 35% OF OVERALL ATTENDANCE. THIS YEAR'S BLOWOUT FUNDRAISER HAD APPROXIMATELY 700 ATTENDEES AND SELF-REPORTING AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION AND SURVEYS LEFT ON THE TABLE DURING THE EVENT INDICATED THAT 14% OF THESE ATTENDEES STAYED IN A HOTEL.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAD EVER SURVEYED TABLES, SO WE ALSO LEARNED THAT PEOPLE REALLY WANT AN OPEN BAR TAB. I, YOU KNOW, SO WE TOOK ALL FEEDBACK. I GAVE YOU SOME EDUCATION PROGRAMING

[04:30:01]

WE ARE CURRENTLY PREPARING TO REVIVE A 28 YEAR OLD PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN DORMANT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS. IT'S BUBBLE DAY. IT'S SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, MAY 3RD, AND IT'S A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH THE ART MUSEUM OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, FREE FAMILY ARTS DAY. THE ENERGY MUSEUM PROVIDES 100% FREE EDUCATION PROGRAMING, SCHOOLS PAY NOTHING TO ATTEND, AND STUDENTS AND PARENTS PAY NOTHING FOR NON-SCHOOL PROGRAMING. GOOD ENOUGH. IT'S JUST A ANYBODY ANY QUESTIONS? I'M GOING TO DO THIS SO I CAN SEE YOU NOW. ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. BUT NOTHING ELSE ON THE PUBLIC HEARING. ALL RIGHT. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW

[COUNCIL COMMENTS]

SIX. OKAY. AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE SCHOOL. SO WE WANT TO HAVE THAT KNOWN FOR THE PUBLIC TO TRY TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT OUR GUYS. WINNING STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BASKETBALL TEAM IS NOT ALWAYS EASY. AND NOW WE'VE GOT BOTH OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS THAT'S DONE THAT. SO THAT'S THAT'S AMAZING. WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO LAMAR UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS FOR PUTTING ON ANOTHER GREAT FUNDRAISER? LE GRAND BALL WAS A WONDERFUL AND I HAVE A WHOLE NEW SENSE OF SENSE OF APPRECIATION FOR WOMEN THAT WEAR HIGH HEELED SHOES. AFTER GETTING ON SOME PLATFORM SHOES FOR THEIR THEME OF DISCO, THAT WAS, WE'RE GOING TO PUT THOSE BACK IN THE CLOSET. AND WITH THAT, LET'S HAVE ANOTHER GREAT DAY IN BEAUMONT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN GETS COUNCILMAN TURNER. HEY. YEAH, GUYS, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE MY GUESTS AND THEM DISCO SHOES, AND IT WAS QUITE A SIGHT TO SEE. I DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD A LITTLE RHYTHM. PLATFORM, BUT TO ALL OUR MUSEUMS AND EVERYBODY THAT PRESENTED TODAY, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU GUYS FOR SITTING THROUGH THE WHOLE THING. IT MEANS A LOT, YOU KNOW, I'M SAID CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, HERITAGE SOCIETY AND OTHERS. MAN, Y'ALL, Y'ALL DO A LOT. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR Y'ALL. WHEN PEOPLE COME TO BEAUMONT, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO AND YOU GUYS PROVIDE THAT. SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE TIME OUT TO SAY THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVEN TEXAS. Y'ALL SAT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING AND YOU'RE STILL HERE. THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST AS COUNCIL, I LIKE THE FACT THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS, HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINIONS, BE ADULTS, MOVE ON AND DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. I JUST ENCOURAGE US TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF DIALOG AND BE ABLE TO EXPRESS OURSELVES WITH ONE ANOTHER AND FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING IT, YOU KNOW, AND BE OURSELVES. SO I APPRECIATE THE DIALOG, THE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, AND I WELCOME IT.

LET'S JUST CONTINUE TO TRY TO MOVE OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD. COUNCILMAN SHAW, THANK YOU, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, YOU AND YOUR STAFF, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON THE BUDGET AND THE PROCESS THAT YOU YOU GO THROUGH. I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT BEFORE YOU CAME, THE BUDGET WAS DROPPED ON THE DAIS ON THE DAY THAT WE WERE ASKED TO VOTE ON IT. I MEAN, I REALLY NEVER WAS A PART OF THE PROCESS, BUT SINCE YOU'VE BEEN HERE, YOU HAVE FOLDED THE COUNCIL INTO THE PROCESS AND YOU'VE ALLOWED US TO, YOU KNOW, TO LOOK INTO IT AND SPEAK INTO IT. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND IT'S TODAY WAS IT WAS HELPFUL. I WAS I WILL PROCESS THE INFORMATION AND CONTINUE TO DIG INTO IT AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND BETTER AS WE GO. BUT I KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD WANT ME TO DO IS AS A COUNCIL, TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET PROCESS AND TO TRY TO MAKE US ALL BETTER AS WE MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN SAMUEL, IT'S ANOTHER GREAT DAY IN BEAUMONT. COUNCILMAN SAMUEL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN NEILL. NO GREAT DAY. OKAY. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, JUST BECAUSE AMANDA'S STILL HERE. MY NIECE HAD A

[04:35:05]

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]