May 20, 2025 City Council

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TO TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING. TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, MAY 20TH, 2025. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY BISHOP DAVID. TOUPS, THE DIOCESE OF BEAUMONT. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES. AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. LOVING FATHER, WE COME BEFORE YOU AND WE ASK YOUR ABUNDANT BLESSINGS UPON OUR CITY COUNCIL, UPON ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND AS THIS NEW COUNCIL GATHERS WITH NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS, WE PRAY, LORD, IN THIS EASTER SEASON FOR YOUR HOLY SPIRIT TO COME UPON THEM. GIVE THEM THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT ARE PROMISED TO US, A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, SPIRIT OF COUNSEL AND FORTITUDE, THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND PIETY. FILL THEM WITH THE SPIRIT OF THE FEAR OF THE LORD, AND MAY THEY HELP EACH OF US TO BUILD UP THIS GREAT COMMUNITY. BLESS AND PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. KEEP THEM SAFE FROM ANY HARM, ANY EVIL. PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL THOSE WHO SERVE. WE ASK THIS THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN. AND MAY ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS YOU, THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN. THE UNITED STATES OF AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE. HE JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR WEST. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. HUME. COUNCIL MEMBER. TURNER. COUNCIL MEMBER. WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER.

SHERWOOD AND COUNCIL MEMBER. CRENSHAW. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. TODAY WE HAVE THREE PROCLAMATIONS. ONE RECOGNITION AND FOUR PRESENTATIONS. FIRST, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A

[PROCLAMATIONS]

AND WE'LL GET A PICTURE SO YOU CAN SEE. THANK YOU. THERE YOU GO. HOPEFULLY, I NEVER SEE Y'ALL IN ANY CAPACITY. THANKS FOR HAVING US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO GRAB A QUICK PICTURE. ALRIGHT. THAT'S ALL WE CAN LEAN IN FOR. PICTURE HERE. NOW. MY WIFE, Y'ALL CAN ALL COME GET IN THE PICTURE. OKAY. YOU READY? AND ONE, TWO THREE. ONE. TWO THREE. GOT IT. WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER ONE. DON'T MOVE TOO QUICK. 123. 123. GOOD START.

IT'S A STIFF, RIGHT? YEAH. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND TAKING TIME OUT TO RECOGNIZE THIS. I'M GOING TO BE FAST WITH THIS PUN INTENDED. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, BE FAST IS OUR ACRONYM FOR RECOGNIZING STROKE SYMPTOMS. SO BALANCE EYES FACE, ARMS, SPEECH AND TIME TO CALL 911 ABOUT EVERY 30S IN THE UNITED STATES, SOMEONE HAS A STROKE, AND ABOUT EVERY THREE MINUTES SOMEONE PASSES BECAUSE OF A STROKE. SO THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS, SERIOUS ILLNESS. AND I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE, IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE OR ANYBODY EXPERIENCING ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, TO CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF MAY AS NATIONAL PRESERVATION MONTH, AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MISSUS JENNIFER TRENBERTH, JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORIC COMMISSION COORDINATOR. SO PLEASE COME UP. AND IF ANY OF YOUR MEMBERS ARE

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REALLY READY TO DO THIS, BUT WILL. OKAY. OKAY, WE'LL STAY THERE. 1123.

WHICH I CAN SEE EVERYBODY. ONE. TWO THREE. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO AS. AS YOU SEE, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF OUR APPOINTEES HERE WITH ME. WE ARE APPOINTED BY THE JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. THIS IS ABOUT HALF OF OUR APPOINTEES, AND WE EQUAL ABOUT 3500 VOLUNTEER HOURS A YEAR IN JEFFERSON COUNTY WORKING ON DIFFERENT PRESERVATION PROJECTS. SO I'M JUST REALLY PROUD TO BE PART OF THIS GROUP, AND EVERYBODY DESERVES A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR THIS HONOR. THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF MAY AS MOTOR MOTORCYCLE AWARENESS MONTH, AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MISSUS ROBIN TROY WITH NIL TROY ADVERTISING. AND ANYONE THAT IS WITH YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO GIVE Y'ALL, BUT I'M GOING TO COME. HOW ARE YOU? HOW ARE YOU? YEAH. THANK YOU. HEY, BUD. HOW ARE YOU? HI. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. OH, LORD. HOW Y'ALL GOING TO DO? YOU WANT THE PICTURE? YOU GOT TO GET UP HERE TO. THANK YOU. OKAY. STAND THERE.

ONE. TWO. THREE. GOT IT. MAYOR, YOU DON'T HAVE TO READ THESE ANYMORE, DO YOU? NO, MA'AM. OH.

THANK GOODNESS. OKAY. WELL, I'M GOING TO LET THIS GENTLEMAN SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN I HAVE JUST A MINUTE OR TWO. NOT EVEN A MINUTE. I'M SCOTT JOHNSON. I GO BY THE ROAD NAME PIE MAN. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING THIS PROCLAMATION. ANYTIME YOU SEE BIKERS OUT THERE AND THEY'RE IN A GROUP, ODDS ARE THEY'RE GOING TO A CHARITY EVENT. THE MOTORCYCLE MINISTRIES AROUND HERE ALL REACH OUT AND DO AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT FOR THE LOCAL CHARITIES. AND THEY'RE ALWAYS WELCOME TO BECAUSE YOU'LL SEE THAT WHEN THERE'S A STRANDED MOTORIST, THERE'S A LOT OF TIMES THAT THE PERSON THAT STOPS TO HELP THEM IS A MOTORCYCLIST. BUT WE'RE VULNERABLE BECAUSE WE'RE ON TWO WHEELS. IT'S HARD TO SEE US. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERY EFFORT THAT YOU TAKE TO

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THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE A RECOGNITION AND HONOR OF MISTER JAMES SMITTY SMITH WITH

[RECOGNITIONS]

OVER HERE. TO. THANK YOU. ARE YOU. WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE? WE'RE ALL ABLE TO BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT. MAYBE SCOOCH THIS WAY. JUST A LITTLE BIT. GET EVERYBODY IN. YEAH. LOOKS GOOD. AND ONE. TWO, THREE. THIS WAY. ANYWHERE.

PERFECT. YOU WANT ME TO SPEAK? OKAY. OH, WE JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK YOU ALL FOR HONORING SMITTY. I'VE ONLY BEEN WITH HHS, WHICH IS THE EBS CONTRACTOR FOR SAINT ELIZABETH, FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. AND THIS MAN IS FAMILY. I'M SORRY ABOUT THE CRY OF. HE WAS CRYING EARLIER, BUT YOU ASKED HIM TO DO SOMETHING. HE DOES IT. HE GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND, AND EVERYBODY AT CHRISTUS KNOWS HIM BY NAME. IF YOU'RE IN THE COMMUNITY AND THEY'VE BEEN AT SAINT ELIZABETH, THEY'VE SEEN HIM. THEY'RE LIKE, SMITTY, I'VE BEEN THERE. BUT WHICH IS A GOOD THING. BUT HE JUST DEDICATES HIS TIME. AND, I MEAN, THIS MAN HASN'T TAKEN A VACATION. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOMETHING FOR HIM SOON TO TAKE HIM SOMEWHERE. OUR CORPORATE OFFICE WILL BE HONORING HIM ON JUNE 6TH, INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, THE STATE SENATE AND THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO DEDICATE FOR HIS 20, 48 YEARS AND 28 YEARS WITH US. OKAY. I'M GOING TO LET SOMEBODY FROM CHRISTUS TALK, IF THAT'S OKAY TO DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING, SMITTY? OH, OKAY.

I KNOW. COME HERE BUDDY. ALL RIGHT. SO AS AS THEY JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, SMITTY IS THE FACE OF CHRISTUS. WHEN YOU WALK IN FROM THE TIME HE WALKS IN, IN THE MORNING TO THE TIME HE LEAVES IN THE EVENING, HE'S SMILING. HE. HE CAN BE CLEANING THE WORST MESS OR CAN BE DEALING WITH THE, THE DIRTIEST PATIENT. AND HE IS GOING TO BE SMILING. AND THAT'S WHAT WE ALL LIKE ABOUT SMITTY.

WE LOVE ABOUT SMITTY. SO 48 YEARS AND MORE TO COME AND WE ARE SO PROUD OF HIM. AND IF Y'ALL COME IN THERE AND Y'ALL WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH HIM AND HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION, HE'S PRETTY FUNNY TOO. SO BUT THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO THE PRESENTATIONS AT THIS

[PRESENTATIONS]

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YOU WOULD PROBABLY KNOW THAT AS A CLEAN OPINION. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT BASED ON OUR AUDIT AND ALL THE AUDIT EVIDENCE WE GATHERED, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE CITY ARE MATERIALLY CORRECT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES. I'M NOT GOING TO GO

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THERE'S COMPLIANCE AUDITS THAT ARE TRIGGERED BY THE AMOUNT OF FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT FUNDING THAT THE CITY EXPENDS. AND UNDER THAT SINGLE AUDIT, WE DO A LITTLE BIT OF A DEEP DIVE ON CERTAIN GRANT PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY IS EXPENDING FUNDS UNDER. AND AS PART OF THAT DEEP DIVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT CERTAIN BIG COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTING AGENCIES HAVE ATTACHED TO IT. AND ULTIMATELY, WE RENDER AN AUDIT OPINION THERE. AGAIN, REASONABLE ASSURANCE FOR MATERIAL COMPLIANCE. AND I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE AN UNMODIFIED OPINION ON THE FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT COMPLIANCE AS WELL. SO TWO AUDIT OPINIONS. AND THEY WERE BOTH CLEAN, UNMODIFIED OPINIONS, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ASSURANCE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE AS YOUR AUDITOR, I'M NOT GOING TO GO INTO DETAIL ALSO ON THE SEPARATE COMMUNICATION LETTER. THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS UNDER OUR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AS YOUR AUDITOR THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO COMMUNICATE. WE'VE CHOSEN TO DO SO IN WRITING. AND A LOT OF THE VERBIAGE THAT'S IN THERE REALLY IS VERY BOILERPLATE AND IDENTICAL TO PRIOR YEARS. IN ESSENCE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WERE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE. IF WE HAD UNCOVERED MATERIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE FINANCIAL RECORDS, IF WE HAD HAD SIGNIFICANT DISAGREEMENTS WITH MANAGEMENT OVER ACCOUNTING PRACTICES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE, WE'D BE REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE THEM TO YOU. FORTUNATELY, I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE WERE. WE DID NOT HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT ISSUES OR AUDIT FINDINGS TO REPORT TO YOU. AND SO THAT LETTER AND THOSE REPORTS ARE VERY STANDARD AND READ SIMILAR TO PRIOR YEARS. SO TALKING ABOUT THE CITY'S ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT, I WOULD LOVE AS A CPA TO WALK YOU THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PAGE OF THIS 150 PAGE DOCUMENT. BUT I DON'T WANT A ROOM FULL OF SLEEPING PEOPLE BY THE END OF THIS, SO I'M NOT GOING TO HIT INTO THE DETAIL. HOWEVER, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO INTO ANYTHING YOU MIGHT HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT, OR IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AUDIT PROCESS AS WELL. WE DID MEET WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE THIS MORNING EARLIER TODAY, AND DID GO THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT IN MUCH MORE DETAIL AND SPENT SOME TIME TALKING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS. THAT BEING SAID, THERE IS I THINK IF THERE'S ONE THING THAT REALLY YOU WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM LOOKING AT THIS DOCUMENT, IT CAN BE LOOKED AT BOTH AS THE ENDING POINT OF THE AUDIT, BUT ALSO AS A STARTING POINT AND SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN REFER BACK TO. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS FINANCIAL REPORTING AND THE AUDIT PROCESS IS THAT IT'S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT JUST GETTING THIS DOCUMENT TOGETHER AND PRODUCING A CLEAN AUDIT. BUT TO ME, WHAT'S VERY IMPORTANT IS THE PROCESSES THAT THE CITY HAS TO GET US TO THIS POINT. THIS DOCUMENT IS IN OUR AUDITOR'S REPORT. IT GOES INTO DETAIL THAT MANAGEMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DOCUMENT AND EVERYTHING THAT'S IN IT. AND OUR SOLE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO AUDIT IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS. AND I WOULD SAY THAT JUST OVERALL, THERE'S NOT THINGS IN THERE THAT I WOULD CONSIDER TO BE SURPRISING. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT THE CITY'S INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION, THE RECORDS THAT THE CITY IS KEEPING, THIS IS WHERE WE DERIVE THAT FROM. AND REALLY THE THINGS MAINLY THAT ARE THAT MIGHT STICK OUT ARE THINGS THAT EITHER, AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE, ONLY GET ADJUSTED ONCE A YEAR FOR THIS DOCUMENT, OR IT'S SOMETHING WHERE THINGS ARE BUDGETED FOR A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN HOW THEY'RE ACTUALLY ACCOUNTED FOR ON THE BOOKS, JUST AS A BASIS OF HOW THINGS ARE TRACKED VERSUS HOW THEY'RE REPORTED. BUT THAT BY US HAVING A CLEAN AUDIT WITH NO WRITTEN FINDINGS, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME ALSO TO THANK BRIDGET AND EVERYONE WITH THE CITY'S FINANCE STAFF. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT GOVERNMENT FINANCE HASN'T GOTTEN ANY EASIER IN THE LAST YEAR, AND HAVING MULTIPLE SETBACKS AND THEN STAFF TURNOVER, THERE WERE A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT THEY HAD TO OVERCOME, BUT THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB BEING VERY FORTHCOMING WITH US, COMMUNICATING AND GETTING US EVERYTHING WE NEED, NOT JUST HAVING THE INFORMATION, BUT HAVING IT ORGANIZED AND HAVING EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE AUDIT AS SMOOTHLY AS POSSIBLE. SO ULTIMATELY, WHILE THERE IS A LOT OF DETAIL IN HERE THAT WE COULD GO INTO AND THEN I'D BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT, ULTIMATELY I WOULD SAY THAT TO ME, THE BIGGEST

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THIS THIS COMMON PLAN AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT. IT SETS THE GOALS AND IDENTIFIES THE NEEDS TO PRIORITIZE FUNDS FOR YOUR HOME AND CDBG FUNDING OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS. AS I MENTIONED THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT ENGAGED GROW AMERICA TO CONDUCT A NEEDS ASSESSMENT. SO WE DO THAT THROUGH A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES, WHICH I'LL DISCUSS IN THE NEXT SLIDE. AFTER ASSESSING THOSE NEEDS PRIMARILY THROUGH DATA, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, LOOKING AT CENSUS DATA AND HOUSING DATA, WE SET SOME PRIORITIES BASED ON THE DATA ANALYSIS OF THAT DATA THAT WE SEE. AND THEN WE DEVELOP A STRATEGY ABOUT HOW THE CITY WILL GO FORWARD TO PRIORITIZING AND ASSESSING THOSE NEEDS, AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT NOT ONLY YOUR HUD RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THESE NEEDS, BUT ALSO OTHER LOCAL, STATE AND REGIONAL RESOURCES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED.

PRIORITIES ARE THEN IDENTIFIED AND PROPOSED, AND THEN GOALS ARE SET ACCORDING TO THOSE PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS ABOUT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO USE AND IMPLEMENT YOUR CDBG AND HOME FUNDS, AND THAT INCORPORATED IN THIS CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS IS GOING TO BE YOUR ONE YEAR ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. SO YOU ALL HAVE THIS IS THE START OF YOUR NEW FIVE YEARS. AND INCLUDED WITH THIS CONSOLIDATED PLAN WILL ALSO BE YOUR FY 2025 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN AND BUDGET. THAT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON THE NEEDS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THIS PROCESS

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THIS SURVEY YIELDED 132 RESPONSES WITH OVER 300 INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS. THE PRIORITIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY WERE HOUSING AND TYPE OF PROGRAMS TO PRIORITIZE TO BE ADDRESSED WITH HOME REPAIR, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HOMELESS PROGRAMS, AND SECTION EIGHT PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS. OBVIOUSLY THE SECOND HIGHEST PRIORITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES AND THEN PUBLIC SERVICES. AND THEN FINALLY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS THE FOURTH PRIORITY. NEXT SLIDE. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER ALL OF THE COMMENTS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT HOW REALLY AND THIS IS WITH THE GUIDANCE. THE SURVEY WAS DEVELOPED WITH THE GUIDANCE OF JESS PRINCE HERE AT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AND SHE LEFT. WE LEFT A LOT OF AREAS FOR OPEN ENDED QUESTIONS, SO A LOT OF THE COMMENTS DID SURROUND HOUSING, BUT ALSO INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER NEEDS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

SO BASED ON THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN PROCESS THAT I JUST DISCUSSED. THE CITY IS RECOMMENDING THREE OVERARCHING PRIORITIES TO GUIDE THE USE OF CDBG AND HOME FUNDS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THE FIRST ONE IS TO PROVIDE DECENT, SAFE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SECOND PRIORITY IS TO CREATE A SUITABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENTS. AND THEN THE THIRD PRIORITY IS TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. ALL OF THESE WOULD BE IDENTIFIED AS HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS IN THE FIVE YEAR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO DO

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I ALSO WANT TO MENTION FOR THIS ONE, WE DON'T. WE? ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS THE FOURTH PRIORITY. IT WILL BE INCLUDED IN YOUR CONSOLIDATED PLAN, AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING AS A LOWER PRIORITY. BUT IF IN THE FUTURE YOU ALL WANTED TO FUND AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY, INCLUDING THAT AS A PRIORITY, EVEN A LOWER PRIORITY WILL ALLOW YOU THE FLEXIBILITY TO DO SO.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO THIS IS YOUR ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. SO IN AS REQUIRED BY HUD THE CITY IS AFTER IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS THROUGH THE CONSOLIDATED PLANNING PROCESS. THEY ARE TO PUT OUT A PROPOSED BUDGET FOR A MINIMUM PERIOD OF 30 DAYS. AT THE TIME THIS PROPOSED BUDGET WAS PUT OUT, WHICH WAS APRIL 17TH, HUD HAD NOT ANNOUNCED THE FY 2025 ALLOCATIONS YET. THOSE WERE JUST ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK ON MAY 13TH. SO THESE THIS ANNUAL ACTION PLAN BUDGET IS BASED ON THE PRIORITIES IDENTIFIED IN THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN. BUT BUT IT WAS BASED ON THE 2024 ALLOCATIONS WITH THE HUD ALLOCATIONS THAT WERE JUST ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT'S CDBG AND HOME FUNDS PRETTY MUCH STAYED AT LEVEL FUNDING. THERE WAS A SLIGHT 2.7% DECREASE IN THE BUDGET FROM 2024 TO 2025 YEAR OVER YEAR. SO VERY SLIGHT. AND SO IN YOUR IN THE FINAL ACTION PLAN BUDGET, THESE ACTIVITIES MAY BE THE BUDGETS MAY BE MODIFIED JUST A LITTLE BIT. AND I WANTED TO NOTE THAT IN CDBG THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE PROJECTED $2,000 OF PROGRAM INCOME. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE HUD ALLOCATION IS AND WHAT THIS BUDGET WILL BE IN THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE. SO THIS IS JUST THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN AND PROCESS FOR 2025. IT'S REQUIRED BY HUD. THE CITY'S REQUIRED TO HAVE TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS. ONE BEFORE YOU ANNOUNCE WHAT YOUR PROPOSED ALLOCATIONS, HOW YOU'RE GOING TO AWARD THE FUNDS, AND ONE AFTER. SO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING, FORMAL PUBLIC HEARING WAS APRIL 8TH. BUT AS I MENTIONED, WE DID A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT BEFORE THAT TO GET BEFORE WE GOT TO THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. BUT OFFICIALLY THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING WAS APRIL 8TH, AS REQUIRED BY HUD. WE PUT OUT THE BUDGET AND PROPOSED ACTIVITIES TO BE ALLOCATED FOR 30 DAYS BEGINNING APRIL 17TH. THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING WILL TAKE PLACE LATER TODAY. THIS AFTERNOON, AS PART OF THIS AGENDA, AND THEN ON AND ON OR AFTER THAT PUBLIC HEARING, CITY COUNCIL CAN CONSIDER THE FY 2025 TO 2029 CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND THE FY 2025 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. ALL PLANS ARE STATUTORILY DUE TO HUD NO LATER THAN AUGUST 16TH. IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR PLAN IN BY THAT DAY, THEY YOU DON'T GET FUNDING FOR THAT YEAR. THE CITY. NORMALLY THE NORMAL PROCESS IS THAT THEY SUBMIT THEIR PLAN BY MAY 15TH. SINCE YOU ALL HAVE A JULY 1ST START DATE. BUT HUD ANNOUNCED THEIR ALLOCATIONS A LITTLE LATE THIS YEAR, JUST JUST LAST WEEK. SO YOU HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME TO GET IN TO GET YOUR FINAL CON PLAN AND ACTION PLAN AND YOUR FEDERAL FUNDING APPLICATION TO HUD, WHICH I BELIEVE AT YOUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, YOU WILL AT THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, YOU WILL BE LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR ADOPTION. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. WELL THANK YOU. DO. DOES ANYBODY HAVE QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. SO DOES THE MONEY THAT YOU'RE AWARDED.

IS IT I MEAN DO THEY LOOK AT HOW YOU ALLOCATE IT AND SAY WE WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THIS MUCH DEDICATED TO DIFFERENT THINGS. HOW DOES THAT WORK. YEAH. SO A LITTLE BIT ON ON THE BUDGET SIDE, UNDER CDBG, YOU GET TWO FEDERAL FUNDS WITH THESE HUD FUNDS, YOU COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT. WE CALL THOSE THE MOST FLEXIBLE FUNDS. RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU CAN DO A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, CODE ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC SERVICES, HOUSING, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, ACTIVITIES. THERE ARE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE. SO 15% OF YOUR BUDGET IS LIMITED TO PUBLIC SERVICE ACTIVITIES. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ACTIVITIES WHERE YOU'RE FUNDING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, GIVING THEM FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY. AND THEN 20% OF YOUR FUNDS ARE ALSO LIMITED TO FOR ADMINISTRATION. SO YOU HAVE TO STAY WITHIN THOSE CAPS. IN ADDITION, AT LEAST 70% OF THE FUNDS THAT YOU'RE USING IN TOTALITY FOR ALL THE OTHER

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HOME IS JUST HOUSING ACTIVITIES. THE HOME FUNDS THAT YOU GET ABOUT $536,000 A YEAR, IT'S ONLY SURROUNDING FOR HOME. SO CDBG IS MORE OF THE FLEXIBLE ONE THAT THE HUD SAYS YOU YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WITH THEM BASED ON WHAT THE NEEDS ARE. AND YOU SAID LOW INCOME, BUT WHAT ABOUT NO INCOME? I MEAN, IS IT SOMETHING THAT COULD. YEAH, A LOT OF THESE ACTIVITIES SITUATION WITH IT CAN. SO UNDER THE HOMELESS CATEGORY YOU COULD USE CDBG FUNDS TO SUPPORT HOMELESS SHELTER. RIGHT. OR TO REHAB OR CONSTRUCT A HOMELESS SHELTER.

PUBLIC SERVICES IS ALSO A GOOD AVENUE FOR HOMELESS FUNDS. SO PROVIDE MONEY TO SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE THAT ARE SERVING THE HOMELESS AND TO SUPPORT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, I HAVE A QUESTION YOU BROUGHT UP THAT WE'RE BEHIND ON HOUSING. THAT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM. HOW FAR WITH I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF APARTMENT COMPLEXES THAT ARE BEING BUILT. HOW HOW FAR BEHIND ARE WE ON HOUSING? IT'S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. YOU ALSO FACE THE, YOU KNOW, NATURAL DISASTERS IN THIS AREA THAT NOT ONLY SO DISPLACE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOW INCOME AND NON LOW INCOME. SO I DON'T HAVE A TOTAL NUMBER THAT YOU'RE BEHIND. BUT IT'S JUST LIKE ALMOST ANY OTHER COMMUNITY. IT'S SIGNIFICANT. THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS OVER 3000 PEOPLE ON THEIR WAITING LIST FOR EITHER VOUCHERS OR PUBLIC HOUSING. SO THAT GIVES YOU SOME IDEA OF THE NEED. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TURNER, I NOTICED YOU SAID A 2.7% DECREASE, SO WE'RE GOING TO GET A 5% INCREASE THIS YEAR. NO. SO I DID THEY WERE NOW IT WAS ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK. AND I CAN GIVE YOU THE FINAL NUMBERS. BUT IT JUST WENT DOWN SLIGHTLY. IT WENT DOWN BY LIKE $13,000 FROM YOUR FY 24 FOR CDBG AND VIOLATE $4,000 IN HOME. SO IT WASN'T SIGNIFICANT. I CALL THAT LEVEL FUNDING. BUT YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING WHEN IT COMES TO FEDERAL FUNDS TOWARDS THE 2026 BUDGET BATTLE. THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN WASHINGTON, DC. SO GOOD FOR THE NEXT YEAR. THESE FUNDS WILL BE FOR JULY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2026. OKAY. COUNCILMAN DARIO SAID THERE WERE 3000 PEOPLE ON THE WAITING LIST. THAT'S JUST FOR BEAUMONT. THAT'S JUST FOR BEAUMONT. IT'S BEAUMONT HOUSING AUTHORITY. OKAY. WOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THE LAST PRESENTATION WE HAVE TODAY WILL BE BY THE PARKS MASTER PLAN PRESENTATION BY HALF CONSULTING. AND ALSO OUR DIRECTOR, KENNETH RAGUET. ALL RIGHT. EXCUSE ME. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. WE ARE EXCITED TO EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR CHERISHED CITY PARKS AND RECREATIONAL SPACES. OUR PARKS ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR COMMUNITY, SERVING AS GATHERING PLACES AND VIBRANT HUBS FOR RECREATION FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ALIKE. LOOKING AHEAD, WE RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT OUR PARKS CONTINUE TO THRIVE, EVOLVE AND MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR DYNAMIC POPULATION. IN FEBRUARY 2024, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 048 TO COLLABORATE WITH HALF CONSULTANTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PARKS, RECREATION AND GREEN SPACE MASTER PLAN FOR BEAUMONT. FOLLOWING THIS, ON JULY 30TH, 2024, THE COUNCIL ADOPTED RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 179, APPOINTING MEMBERS TO THE PARKS RECREATION GREEN SPACE STEERING COMMITTEE. THE STEERING COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED TO

[00:45:02]

THANK YOU, KENNETH, FOR THAT INTRODUCTION. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JULIAN SALESFORCE. I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR PARKS FOR ALL BEAUMONT'S PLAYBOOK FOR PARKS, GREEN SPACE AND RECREATION. AND I COULD NOT BE MORE EXCITED TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TODAY.

AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU, THIS IS YOUR FIRST DAY. SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PLAN TO START YOUR YOUR TENURE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL. LIKE KENNETH SAID, I WANT TO THANK A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HELPED GET THIS PLAN TO FRUITION. WE HAD KENNETH FORGET, DEMI INGMAN, JUNE ELLIS, CHRIS BOONE. WE ALSO HAD TRACY KINNICK HELPING US A LOT WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE FOR THE PLAN AND FOR THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND AS WELL AS JIMMY NEAL ON THE RECREATION SIDE. I'M GOING TO START A QUICK PRESENTATION ABOUT MAYBE ABOUT 8 TO 10 MINUTES. WE HAVE A Q&A AFTERWARDS AND DISCUSS IF WE NEED TO. SO WHY PLAN NOW? SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN IS TO REALLY PROMOTE A VISION FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF A VIBRANT, HEALTHY AND SAFE PARK SYSTEM. THE PARK PLAN IS GOING TO HELP IDENTIFY PARK AND RECREATION NEEDS GUIDES FOR FUTURE EXPENDITURES LIKE PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES, PROGRAMS, OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE DEPARTMENTS, AND ADMINISTRATION OF BOTH DEPARTMENTS AS WELL. THE PLAN IS ALSO GOING TO ASSIST IN HELPING PRESERVE GREEN SPACE IN THE CITY, WHICH IS VERY VITAL TO THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU GUYS LIVE IN, THE BEAUTIFUL ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU ALL LIVE IN. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS PLAN IS GOING TO HELP GUIDE BOTH PARKS DEPARTMENTS FOR THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS. SO THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO PLAN RIGHT NOW. I WAS ABLE TO EVEN TAKE THIS PHOTO THAT IS ON THE SCREEN. THE VERY FIRST DAY I WAS IN A BEAUMONT PARK, WE HAD OUR KICKOFF MEETING AND I WENT AND PLAYED DISC GOLF AT TERRELL PARK AT SUNRISE, AND EVEN MET KENNETH OUT THERE THAT MORNING BEFORE WE'D ACTUALLY FORMALLY MET. THIS WAS MY INTRODUCTION TO Y'ALL'S PARK SYSTEM, AND IT'S NOTHING SHORT OF BEAUTIFUL. AND SO IT WAS REALLY A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS AND THE RESIDENTS TO, TO GET THIS PLAN ACROSS THE LINE. OUR MASTER PLAN PROCESS WAS ABOUT 12 MONTHS. WE STARTED WITH AN EXISTING CONDITIONS AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT, MOVED INTO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR NEEDS, AND THEN MOVED INTO RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION IN FALL OF 2024 AND HAD REPORT PRODUCTION GOING ON THIS SPRING. WITH THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT. I'M ALSO HERE TODAY WITH EMILY BARKER, A COLLEAGUE OF MINE THAT WORKED ON THE PLAN AS WELL. SHE WAS INTEGRAL IN NOT ONLY THE EXISTING CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT, BUT THE DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE TODAY TO SEE THE PLAN.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO WALK ALL FACILITIES. AND WHEN I SAY WALK, I MEAN WE WALKED EVERY CORNER OF EVERY SINGLE PARKING FACILITY IN YOUR CITY TO ASSESS THE CURRENT STATE OF THINGS. AFTER WE WERE DONE WITH THAT MOVING INTO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH OVER 600 RESIDENTS OVER THE COURSE OF THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT FOR THE PLAN THROUGH TWO COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THREE FOCUS GROUPS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE KICKOFF. AND THEN, LIKE KENNETH MENTIONED, WE HAD OUR 14 MEMBER COMMITTEE THAT HELPED US THROUGHOUT THE PLAN AS WELL.

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE KEEP PRESSING BUTTONS HERE. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE

[00:50:03]

OUR FIRST KICKOFF ENVISIONING MEETING WAS IN AUGUST OF 2024. WE THEN MET IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 WITH OUR INITIAL FINDINGS FROM ALL THOSE ASSESSMENTS, AND DRAFTED THE GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. AND I, I THINK WE HAD OUR MEETING SCHEDULED FOR THREE HOURS THAT DAY, AND WE WENT OVER BECAUSE WE WERE IN SUCH A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THESE GOALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH IN A MOMENT. BUT IT REALLY STARTED WITH THE STEERING COMMITTEE POINTING US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE JUST MET WITH THEM LAST APRIL FOR THE LAST MEETING WITH THEM, AND WE PRESENTED THE DRAFT PLAN, WHICH THEY ALL GAVE THEIR RECOMMENDATION FOR, AND WE EVEN GOT TO MEET AT TWICE AT THE NATURE PARK CENTER, THE NATURE CENTER IN TERRELL PARK, WHICH WAS REALLY SPECIAL. THAT BUILDING IS A REALLY BEAUTIFUL. ALL RIGHT. SO SOME OF THE ASSESSMENTS, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL ACREAGE, PARKLAND, ACREAGE FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION SETS OUT GUIDELINES AND AVERAGES FOR ALL COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY. SO AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE RIGHT THERE, THE TOTAL PARK SYSTEM AVERAGE FOR ALL COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY IS 10.6 ACRES OF PARKLAND PER 1000 RESIDENTS. TOTAL PARK SYSTEM AVERAGES FOR COMMUNITIES 100,000 TO 250,000.

ONLY 7.7 ACRES PER 1000 RESIDENTS. WHERE DOES BEAUMONT STAND? BEAUMONT IS AT 10.6 ACRES PER 1000 RESIDENTS. SO YOU GUYS ARE JUST ABOVE THE MEDIAN, CREEPING INTO THE UPPER QUARTILE. WHAT THIS TABLE KIND OF DEPICTS FOR US IS, YES, WE HAVE A LOT OF PARK ACREAGE IN THE CITY, BUT YOU'LL SEE SOME SURPLUS AND DEFICITS IN THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARK CLASSIFICATIONS. SO THE TWO BEING IN THE DEFICIT AT THE TOP, NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY PARKS. WE NOW HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE CLASSIFICATIONS TO KIND OF DECREASE THAT DEFICIT A LITTLE BIT. AND IT'S GREAT THAT YOU GUYS ALREADY HAVE TWO COMMUNITY PARKS ON YOUR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PLAN ALREADY SLATED TO GO BEFORE BUILT BEFORE 2030.

SO THAT'S GOING TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURE THERE. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AS WELL. SO IN ALL IN ALL, YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF PARKLAND ACREAGE FOR A CITY OF YOUR SIZE. SOME OTHER KEY FINDINGS FROM THE ASSESSMENTS. THE CURRENT THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS A NINE MILE TRAIL DEFICIT. MANY PARKS LACK RESTROOMS, SHADE TRAILS, AND ADA COMPLIANT FEATURES. THERE'S A HIGH NEED FOR MORE PROGRAMING AND EVENT SPACES. WE ACTUALLY HAD A REALLY COOL IDEA DURING THE STEERING COMMITTEE. WE WERE THINKING OF AN EVENT SPACE, OR A AMPHITHEATER, OR A PERFORMANCE STAGE OF SOME KIND IN EVERY SINGLE WARD IN BEAUMONT, SO THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO USE THOSE TYPES OF SPACES. AND WE HEARD A LOT THROUGH FOCUS GROUPS AND SURVEYS THAT PEOPLE WERE WANTING THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE PARKS AS TOOLS FOR IMPROVING THE HEALTH OUTCOMES. IN OUR PLAN, WE HAD A HEALTH ANALYSIS ASSESSMENT DONE AS WELL. THAT DETAILS KIND OF SOME AREAS THAT ARE IN NEED OF SOME PARK INVESTMENT. ALL RIGHT. SO THROUGH ALL THAT ENGAGEMENT, ALL OF THE TALKING, ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD WITH EVERYONE IN THE TOWN, WE CAME UP WITH THE FOUR GOALS. THESE WERE REALLY STEERING COMMITTEE DRIVEN, SURVEY DRIVEN, COMMUNITY DRIVEN GOALS FROM THE RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT, STARTING WITH GOAL ONE PARK SYSTEM, INVESTMENTS, PARK SYSTEM ACCESS, RECREATIONAL PROGRAMING AND OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THESE GOALS AND EVEN HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT ARE TIED TO SOME OF THESE OBJECTIVES. SO THE HIERARCHY OF THE PLAN WILL HAVE FOUR GOALS. IT'LL HAVE A NUMBER OF OBJECTIVES TIED TO EACH GOAL, AND THEN A NUMBER OF ACTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TIED TO EACH

[00:55:01]

IT WAS SO LUSH AND GREEN, AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL'S PARK SYSTEM IS NOT ONLY ESTHETICALLY PLEASING, BUT TAKEN TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH FACILITIES AND AMENITIES. SO THESE OBJECTIVES ARE DEVELOPING CHARACTER ELEMENTS THAT BEAUTIFY AND DISTINGUISH BEAUMONT'S PARKS, REINVESTING IN EXISTING PARKS AND FACILITIES, EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND THE PARK SYSTEM. AND NUMBER FOUR, TRANSFORM TERRELL PARK INTO A REGIONAL DESTINATION. I THINK IT ALREADY IS SOMEWHAT OF A REGIONAL DESTINATION, HAS REALLY BIG EVENTS THERE, A LOT OF PROGRAMING, BUT WE WERE LOOKING TO TAKE THAT TO ANOTHER LEVEL AND I'LL KIND OF HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THOSE UPGRADES THAT WE CAME UP WITH IN THE PARK IN A MOMENT. GOAL NUMBER TWO. BEAUMONT'S PARKS WILL BE SAFE, COMFORTABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL. THIS ONE REALLY CAME OUT AS ONE OF THE FIRST LEADING IDEAS THAT FOLKS HAD FOR THE PARK SYSTEM. IT WAS, YES, I WANT TO UPGRADE MY EXISTING PARK IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT I REALLY NEED IT TO BE SAFE AND COMFORTABLE AND ACCESSIBLE FOR MY KIDS AND MY FAMILY. SO THIS GOAL IS REALLY TIED AROUND DEVELOPING PARK SAFETY STANDARDS, PROMOTING EQUITABLE INVESTMENT AND DISTRIBUTION OF PARK AMENITIES, AND DESIGN AND MAINTAIN PARK AMENITIES THAT CATER TO ALL TYPES OF ABILITIES AND DIVERSE NEEDS. SOME OF THE ACTIONS IN THIS GOAL TWO ARE PARK SAFETY STRATEGIES. COVERED SPACES LIKE PAVILIONS, ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUNDS, AND ACCESSIBLE AMENITIES. GOAL NUMBER THREE ENCOURAGE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PROGRAMING.

THIS ONE IS REALLY ABOUT BRINGING BRINGING. WE HAD A LOT OF FOCUS ON YOUTH. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BRINGING THE YOUTH TOGETHER. IT'S BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER THROUGH SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS AND PROGRAMING AND SO PROVIDING A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AND EVENTS FOR ALL AGES, PROVIDING PROGRAMING THAT CONNECTS WITH NATURE. NATURE CAME UP A LOT, ESPECIALLY WHILE WE WERE DOWN THERE IN IN TYRRELL PARK AND CATTAIL MARSH AND THE BIRDING AND ALL SORTS OF STUFF. AND NATURE PLAY IS A PICTURE THAT YOU SEE WITH THAT KID.

JUMPING ON THE LOGS IS BECOMING A VERY POPULAR ALTERNATIVE TO PLAYGROUNDS NOWADAYS. AND NUMBER THREE, THE OBJECTIVE COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO DELIVER MEANINGFUL PARK EXPERIENCES LIKE DEMONSTRATION GARDENS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. GOAL NUMBER FOUR. THIS ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE OTHER GOALS CAN CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED. WE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTING OUR EFFICIENT OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION OF BOTH PARKS DEPARTMENTS, THE RECREATION AND PARKS AND GREEN PARKS AND GREEN SPACE DEPARTMENT. SO EXPANDING EXPANDING PUBLIC AWARENESS OF BEAUMONT'S PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES IS AN OBJECTIVE HERE, ENHANCING ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES AND DEVELOPING PARK GUIDELINES. ALL RIGHT. SO ONCE WE GOT THROUGH THE GOALS, OUR TEAM AND I WERE REALLY IMPRESSED BY YOUR CURRENT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PLAN PROJECTS THAT YOU GUYS ALREADY HAVE SLATED FOR PARKS, RECREATION AND FACILITIES ON THERE. WHAT WE DID WAS TOOK THE LIBERTY TO CREATE A NEW LIST OF WHAT WE'RE CALLING A PLAN IDENTIFIED CIP LIST. AND SO WE HAVE ABOUT 20 PROPOSED PROJECTS GROUPED BY PRIORITY ON THERE.

AND YOU'LL NOTICE IN THE PLAN, THOSE ARE ALSO CATEGORIZED BY IF THEY AFFILIATE WITH THE BEAUMONT STRATEGIC PLAN, IF THEY CAME OUT OF THE PUBLIC SURVEY IN THE PARKS MASTER PLAN. AND THERE ARE SOME OTHER COMPONENTS TO SEE HOW THEY ALIGN WITH YOU GUYS ALREADY HAVING QUITE A STRATEGIC PLAN GOING FOR THE CITY. AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THINGS LIKE THIS IN THIS CIP LIST, LIKE ADDING SECURITY SYSTEMS TO ALL PARK PROPERTIES. YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY STARTED THAT WITH THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER AND SOME OF THE PARKS. AND I THINK ADDING THAT EXTRA SECURITY PRESENCE AND SOME OF THE OTHERS IS GOING TO KIND OF ALLEVIATE SOME OF THOSE PRESSURES THAT WE HEARD ABOUT ACCESS AND SAFETY. THE BIG ONE ON THERE IS SIGNATURE UPGRADES TO PARK, CREATING A MASTER SIGNAGE AND BRANDING PLAN TO REALLY CREATE A NEW LOOK FOR THE PARK SYSTEM AND THE LIST GOES, SO ON AND SO FORTH. ANOTHER ONE ON THERE THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FROM OUR CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT.

AFTER SEEING ALL THE PARKS IN THE PARK SYSTEM WAS REPLACING SOME OF THE PLAYGROUNDS. AND WE DO UNFORTUNATELY HAVE A LIST OF ABOUT 12 OF THEM THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. SO THOSE ARE THE CIP PLAN PROJECTS THAT WE IDENTIFIED. AND THEN WE'RE FINALLY GETTING TO PLAN IMPLEMENTATION. AND WHAT HALF IS NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF IS JUST HANDING YOU GUYS A PARKS PLAN AND SAYING, GOOD LUCK. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HERE FOR YOU GUYS AFTER THIS. AND WHAT WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO DO IS WORK WITH HALF HAS OUR OWN GRANTS AND FUNDING RESOURCES TEAM THAT WE REACHED OUT TO ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO TO START LOOKING AT SOME INITIAL FINDINGS FOR YOU GUYS TO REALLY GET THIS PLAN KICKED OFF AND RUNNING. AND WHEN I LOOK AT IT, WE'VE GOT A

[01:00:05]

I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF SPEND A FEW SECONDS ON THESE. MOVE ON. I HAVE A FEW OF THEM, BUT WHAT'S REALLY COOL IS WE'RE CREATING TWO KIND OF A NEW ENTRANCE FOR THE, THE, THE PARK ON THE SOUTH END AND THIS KIND OF TEARDROP. IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS, THE GOLF COURSES TO YOUR LEFT, THE CATTAIL MARSHES TO YOUR, TO YOUR NORTH, THOSE STABLES ARE ON THE SOUTH THERE. SO THAT GRAND ENTRANCE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPONENTS OF THIS CONCEPT PLAN IS A LOOKOUT TOWER IN THE CENTER OF THE PARK ITSELF. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE NATURE CENTER OFF OVER THERE TO THE LEFT. THAT'S AN EXISTING BUILDING. BUT WE WANTED TO CREATE A FOCAL POINT FOR THIS PARK, SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO WOW PEOPLE AND KEEP THEM COMING BACK. AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD GO ON TO THE TOP OF, OVERLOOKING THE ENTIRE PARK. WE HEARD A LOT OF BIRDERS GOING CRAZY ABOUT THIS IDEA, BUT WE WANTED TO REALLY ELEVATE THE EXPERIENCE OF PARK. AND SO WE CAME UP WITH SOME OF THESE PERSPECTIVES FOR YOU GUYS. SPLASH PADS, NEW PLAYGROUNDS, LABYRINTH WALK, PICKLEBALL COURTS. THAT'S THE EXISTING BASKETBALL PAVILION THERE. AND ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS I CAN KIND OF DEPICT IN THIS PICTURE THAT WE CREATED WAS I'LL EVEN START HERE IS ANYWHERE YOU PARK AND PARK IN THIS CONCEPT PLAN, WE'LL GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE BASED ON WHERE YOU'RE ENTERING. AND SO THERE'LL BE EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE THAT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IN THAT YELLOW CROPPING TO THE LEFT UNDERNEATH THE YELLOW SHADE, YELLOW SAILS. THERE'S KIND OF LIKE A MONUMENT SIGNAGE THERE. AND IF YOU PARKED IN ONE SPOT, YOU MIGHT GET THE HISTORY OF BEAUMONT. IF YOU PARKED IN THE NEXT PARKING SPOT, YOU MIGHT GET THE ECOLOGICAL HISTORY OF TAROT PARK, YOU MIGHT GET BIRDING EDUCATION. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE FOR FOLKS.

AND ANOTHER FOCAL POINT IS THE AMPHITHEATER THERE IN THE PARK AS WELL. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. AND I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS AS WELL. ANY QUESTIONS? ONE I HAVE IS JUST DID YOU WERE Y'ALL ABLE TO EVALUATE USAGE OF THE PARKS AND DO ANY. AS IN LIKE HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE USING SAID PARKS? SOMETIMES WE DID NOT IN THIS PLAN. SOMETIMES OUR PROJECT TEAMS HAVE USED TRAIL COUNTERS TO SEE IF PEOPLE ARE USING PARKS. BUT WHEN I DID MY CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT, I COULD KIND OF TELL WHAT PARKS WEREN'T, WERE AND WERE NOT BEING USED.

THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS THE STEERING COMMITTEE HAD ABOUT LEFFLER PARK UP IN THE NORTH.

HEY, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY GOES THERE. DO WE NEED TO CLOSE IT DOWN? OUR PROJECT TEAM CAME BACK WITH KIND OF A RECOMMENDATION ABOUT PARK CONVERSIONS, HOW TO LOWER INVESTMENT IN PARKS, MAYBE NOT GETTING RID OF THEM, BUT WE CAME UP WITH SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.

NOT BASED ON WE DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT PARKS AREN'T BEING USED, BUT JUST IN GENERAL. SO.

YES, SIR. COUNCILMAN TURNER, THIS QUESTION MAY BE FOR STAFF AND NOT PARTICULARLY THE CONSULTANT. HAVE WE KIND OF LOOKED AT PRICE WISE WHAT YOU KNOW, MAYBE A NATIONAL AVERAGE IS OR MAYBE WHAT LIKE SIZE CITIES ARE BUDGETS COMPARED TO PARKS COMPARED TO OUR CITY BUDGET, LIKE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT OR SOMEWHAT WHAT THE ESTIMATE IS. WE IF CITY STAFF WANTS TO JUMP IN, WE SOMETIMES DO IN THESE SCOPES FOR PARK MASTER PLANS AND O&M ASSESSMENT. WE DID NOT HAVE AN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ASSESSMENT TIED TO THIS EXACT PROJECT, BUT THAT'S

[01:05:05]

OKAY. ANY STAFF MEMBER MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT. ACTUALLY, THE NATIONAL PARK AVERAGE IS ABOUT $95 PER CITIZEN. SO WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BEHIND THAT. THAT BALL I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT THAT INFORMATION. 95 CITIZEN AT 112 I KNOW WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, WE WERE AT ROUGHLY 100,000 $130,000 A YEAR FOR PARKS. SO I JUST WANT THAT STATISTIC OUT THERE. THANK YOU.

YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR PLANS IS TO, YOU KNOW, YOU GET DOWN THROUGH GOAL ONE THROUGH THREE AND YOU GO DOLLAR SIGN, DOLLAR SIGN, DOLLAR SIGN. AND THAT'S WHY THAT OPERATIONS AND ADMINISTRATION GOAL IS SO IMPORTANT. BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO SET UP FOR STAFFING, FOR TRAININGS, FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF GETTING THE PARKS DEPARTMENTS, BOTH RECREATION AND PARKS AND GREEN SPACE BOLSTERED UP TO HANDLE THESE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO COME IN THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU. AND I WILL ADD OUR FUNDING RESOURCES TEAM, WHAT THEY ARE BUILDING FOR YOU GUYS THAT WE WILL DELIVER WITH THIS PROJECT. CLOSEOUT IS A MAGNITUDE OF COST FOR TERRELL PARK. WHAT YOU GUYS SAW. SO OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE TEAM THAT BUILT THAT CONCEPT PLAN HAS ALREADY GONE THROUGH THE STEPS TO SEE WHAT THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BALLPARK TO BE. AND THEN THE OTHER DOCUMENT THAT YOU GUYS WILL RECEIVE IS KIND OF A REPORT ON A FEW DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE CITY TO INVESTIGATE, FOR GRANT AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF PROJECTS. SO WHEN I WAS ALLUDING TO, WE DON'T WANT TO JUST KIND OF HAND OFF THE PLAN AND THAT'S IT. THESE ARE KIND OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN CREATING ON THE BACK END SO THAT YOU GUYS ARE SET UP WELL, COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION AS MUCH AS A COMMENT. I WAS ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE, AND I JUST FOUND THAT IT WAS VERY INTERESTING AND IT WAS VERY THOROUGH. AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DID. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO POSTING UP BEAUMONT PARKS. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS SHERWOOD. ANYONE ELSE? WELL, I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT TO TAKE A PICTURE. SO JUMP ON UP HERE AND WE'LL GET THE PICTURE TAKEN. THANK YOU GUYS.

FOR THE LITTLE GUY IN THE FLOWER SHIRT OF THE CITY. NO, HE'S JUST LIKE THE UNOFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER. OKAY? BECAUSE HE'S. EVERY WEEK. HE'S EVERYWHERE. YEAH. OKAY. RIGHT HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. YEAH. TWO. THREE. GO! ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE FOR THE PROCLAMATIONS, PRESENTATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SO. AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU COMING. AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING TODAY, CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO OR CONTEMPLATE TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.071 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. THE STATE OF SHIRLEY HARRISON VERSUS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT CALLS NUMBER TWO FOR D CC V221. CALEB, CENTER, AND THE BEAUMONT PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 399 INTERVENERS VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT. CHRISTOPHER S BOONE, KENNETH WILLIAMS, ROY WEST, EARL WHITE, TAYLOR NEAL, MIKE GOETZ, AUDWIN SAMUEL, CHARLES DARIO, ALBERT TURNER, AND RANDY SHAW. CALLS NUMBER BE 210244. DIANA ARTEAGA AT TALL VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT. CIVIL ACTION NUMBER. ONE TWO FIVE CV 00006 CHRISTOPHER SHAW VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT CIVIL ACTION NUMBER 122 CV. ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY IS TO THE

[01:10:04]

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]

REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE OR ANY OTHER TOPIC. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM SIX, WHICH HAS BEEN PULLED. HOWEVER, YOU WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON ITEM SI.

DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO SPEAK.

WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE SAY YOUR ADDRESS, YOUR CITY AND STATE. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. AND PLEASE BE REMINDED THAT MYSELF NOR COUNCIL CAN RESPOND WHENEVER YOU'RE MAKING THESE COMMENTS, BUT SOMEONE FROM THE OFFICE WILL CONTACT YOU. I'M SORRY. KATE HAMBRIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KATE HAMBRIGHT, SEVEN CESCA HOLLOW, BEAUMONT, TEXAS I'M A BEAUMONT LIBRARY COMMISSION APPOINTEE, AS WELL AS PRESIDENT OF THE TERRELL HISTORICAL LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM'S REQUEST TO MOVE INTO THE CITY'S DOWNTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY. DOWNTOWN MAIN OCCUPIES A 30,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING. THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM DESIRES TO LEASE 20 TO 25,000FTS OF THE SPACE, WHICH WOULD LEAVE THE LIBRARY WITH THE USE OF ONLY 5 TO 10,000FT■!S OF ITS OWN BUILDING. LIBRARY ADMINISTRATOR PAUL EDIS OFFICES AND TECHNICAL SERVICES OCCUPY 9500FT■!S. IF THESE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES WERE TO BE RELOCATED, IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THE CITY WOULD HAVE THE FUNDS IN ITS BUDGET TO BUILD A NEW 10 TO 12,000 SQUARE FOOT STRUCTURE. TO HOUSE THEM, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN LIABILITY INSURANCE IN A SUFFICIENT AMOUNT TO PROTECT IT.

IN THE EVENT ITS ADDITIONAL LESSEES, YOUNG PATRONS, RECEIVED ENTRY WHILE ON THE CITY OWNED PREMISES. HOWEVER, OUR CURRENT CHARTER APPEARS TO SHOW NO DUTY TO SUPPORT A CHILDREN'S MUSEUM.

ARTICLE 1406 SPEAKS TO OUR LIBRARY SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY. ONLY MEETING ROOMS MAY BE RENTED OUT PER SUBSECTION 14 0605. FURTHER, ALTHOUGH THE NONPROFIT CHILDREN'S MUSEUM CERTAINLY CONTEMPLATES A LONG TERM LEASE OF THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY RATHER THAN ITS SINGLE EVENT USE, THE CITY PROPERTY'S EVENT FACILITIES NAMED IN ARTICLE 1405 OF OUR CHARTER, DO NOT INCLUDE OUR BEAUMONT PUBLIC LIBRARY AS A CITY FACILITY AVAILABLE FOR RENTAL. A CHARTER AMENDMENT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE A MUSEUM IN OUR LIBRARY. DOWNTOWN MAIN PARTNERS WITH REGION FIVE TO OFFER ESL CLASSES IN ADDITION TO HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY, CITIZENSHIP, COMPUTER SKILLS, AND OTHER CLASSES OFFERED BY THE LIBRARY ITSELF. ALTOGETHER, ALMOST 6500 PATRONS ANNUALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE PROGRAMS, ALL CONDUCTED AT DOWNTOWN. MAIN CITY LIBRARIES ARE ONE OF THE FEW FREE RESOURCES OFFERED TO CITIZENS, AND CLASSES ARE PROVIDED AT NO COST. OUR LITERACY PROGRAMS HELP INDIVIDUALS BECOME MORE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.

THE MEETING ROOMS AND OUR OTHER CITY LIBRARIES ARE CONTINUALLY RESERVED, WHICH LEADS ONE TO WONDER WHERE THESE CITY SERVICES COULD EFFECTIVELY BE OFFERED, IF AT ALL, IF DOWNTOWN MAIN WERE SO REDUCED. MOREOVER, THE PARTNERSHIP WITH REGION FIVE COULD COME INTO QUESTION DUE TO LACK OF CLASS SPACE. PHYSICAL CIRCULATION LIBRARIES IS DOWN NATIONWIDE. HOWEVER, OUR BEAUMONT PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB IN ADAPTING TO THE NEEDS OF OUR LOCAL TAXPAYERS WHO SUPPORT THIS PUBLIC INSTITUTION BY PROVIDING LITERACY CLASSES, EBOOKS, COMPUTER SERVICES, AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS. IN 2024, OUR LIBRARY REACHED OVER 50,000 PEOPLE THROUGH ITS OUTREACH PROGRAMS, I WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THE CITY COUNCIL ENCOURAGE THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TO WORK WITH BEAUMONT MAIN STREET TO CONSIDER ALTERNATE LOCATIONS AMONG PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS DOWNTOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M BRUCE WALKER. OKAY. CAPTAIN BRUCE WALKER, PRESIDENT, BIG THICKET ASSOCIATION, 795 19TH STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR COLLIER'S FERRY PARK BECAUSE OF A RECENT SURVEY THAT RATED THE PARK AS IN FAILING CONDITION AND THE CITY'S WORST PARK. THIS HISTORIC PARK

[01:15:04]

WE REPRESENT ALL THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT, AND THAT YOU ARE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TAXPAYERS FUNDS, AND THE TAXPAYERS HAVE PROVIDED ADEQUATE FUNDS TO GIVE ADEQUATE SERVICES FOR ALL SEGMENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR, AND WE ARE DEPENDENT ON OUR CITY COUNCIL TO ACT IN FAVOR AND ON BEHALF OF ALL THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT, THAT YOU WILL RETAIN THE DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT LIBRARY FOR USE FOR LIBRARY SERVICES, AND IS NOT EVALUATED BY HOW MANY BOOKS

[01:20:04]

GOOD AFTERNOON. MIKE GETS 7950. PHELAN I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE MASTER PARK PLAN PRESENTATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO YOU FOR A FEW MINUTES AGO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT DISCUSSION WAS THE FACT THAT PER THOUSAND CITIZENS, WE HAVE AN ABUNDANCE, AN OVERABUNDANCE OF ACREAGE. AND THAT'S TRUE PARTLY BECAUSE OF HOW VAST TYRRELL PARK IS. BUT IF YOU DELVE INTO THAT ACTUAL DOCUMENT, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S ALSO NOTED A SHORTAGE OF PARKS, ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST END OF BEAUMONT AND NORTHWEST BEAUMONT. SO I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THAT PROBLEM THAT REALLY WON'T COST VERY MUCH MONEY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE MASTER PARKS CONSULTANT DID NOT TALK ABOUT WAS THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS THAT ARE ALREADY THERE. THESE ARE PROPERTIES OWNED BY DRAINAGE DISTRICT SIX. THEY'RE PRIMARILY FOR FLOOD DETENTION PURPOSES, BUT WE HAVE COLLABORATED AS A CITY WITH DRAINAGE DISTRICT SIX TO BE ABLE TO USE THOSE FACILITIES FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES. THE CITY PAID TO HAVE SIDEWALKS AND RIDING TRAILS ALL THROUGHOUT THE FOLSOM HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, AND THE GULF TERRACE HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL, AND THEY ARE HEAVILY USED. IT WOULD SEEM TO MAKE SENSE FINANCIALLY AND FEASIBILITY WISE TO ADD AMENITIES TO THESE TWO FACILITIES, WHICH ARE ALREADY HEAVILY UTILIZED. THE CITY DOES IN FACT MAINTAIN THE MOWING OF THE 12IN ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SIDEWALKS RIGHT NOW. SO I'M ASKING YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS A POSSIBILITY TO INCREASE OUR PARK FOOTPRINT IN THE WEST AND NORTHWEST PARTS OF BEAUMONT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHARLIE CRAB.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. WEST COUNCIL, MR. WILLIAMS AND STAFF. MY NAME IS CHARLIE CRAB. I LIVE AT 928 EAST DRIVE. 77706. IT'S ANOTHER NICE DAY IN BEAUMONT. OUR TOWN. I JUST WANTED TO.

RECOMMEND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR DOING A GREAT JOB. I'D LIKE TO FEATURE THE WATER DEPARTMENT. AS YOU KNOW, THE THAT'S THE MOST VIABLE PART. VITAL PORTION THAT A CITY, CITY CITY NEEDS. IT MAY HAVE BEEN CALLED THE CITY WELL FIRST, BUT THEY WERE FIRST ON THE ON THE JOB FOR THE COMMUNITY TO ESTABLISH. AND I WAS I WAS KIND OF DISAPPOINTED IN, IN BRINGING SOMEONE INTO EVALUATE OUR PARKS AND TELL US HOW WELL THE, THE GRASS, HOW GREEN THE GRASS IS AND HOW WELL IT'S MOWED. THE, OUR, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, THEY'RE TRYING TO I'VE BEEN TELLING YOU FOR YEARS, WE JUST NEED MORE MONEY. AND THE CITIZEN CAN TELL YOU THAT TERRELL PARKS.

UNDERUSED, UNDERUSED. AND IT NEEDS MORE PARKING, MORE FACILITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND SHADE FOR PICNIC AREAS. IT'S JUST A BIG OLD. NICE MOWING AREA OUT THERE. NOW, I DON'T GET OUT THERE ON THE WEEKENDS TO SEE IT, BUT I VISITED CATTAIL MARSH DURING THE WEEK AND WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, TERRELL PARK IS JUST. IS BEING. IS NOT BEING USED DURING THE WEEK AND I FAIL TO.

[01:25:12]

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WE ALL NEED TO LEARN THE TRUTH OF WHAT I'M SAYING ABOUT THE HARMFUL FRAUD BEING PERPETRATED ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. KNOWING MY CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, I DECLARED AT A CITY COUNCIL MEETING WELL OVER 20 YEARS AGO THAT I HAD THE LEGAL RIGHT TO HAVE ACCESS AND USE AND USE OF THIS SPECIAL OF THESE SPECIAL, AMAZING HEALING MEDICINES. ALSO SENT A CERTIFIED LETTER TO SEVERAL LAWMAKERS, INCLUDING PRESIDENT BUSH, ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT, THE DEA, AND AS WELL AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS AND STATE COUNTY CITY LAWMAKERS ANNOUNCING MY INTENTION UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO START GROWING MARIJUANA IN BEAUMONT BY A CERTAIN DATE. AND I KEPT MY WORD TO THE LAWMAKERS AND TO PRESIDENT BUSH AND ENDED UP GROWING ABOUT 1 POUND OF CANNABIS IN MY BACKYARD IN BEAUMONT. IT WAS A WONDERFUL AND DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE, AND TO PRACTICE MY LEGAL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. TUCKER. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. OKAY. I'M CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENTS. DID ANYBODY INTEND TO SIGN UP? THAT HAS NOT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WE'RE

[CONSENT AGENDA]

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, I'VE GOT A COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. YEAH, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON B. I MEAN, ARE WE GOING? YES. ANY OF THEM. BUT BUT L WILL WILL SEPARATE L SO YES. NO, I JUST

[01:30:01]

THAT'S ABOUT $15,000 A MONTH. MULTIPLY THAT BY A YEAR, WHATEVER. 15 TIMES 12 IS 150,000 FOR A YEAR. SO THESE HEAVY MACHINERY COST A LOT OF MONEY TO RENT. THEY COST A LOT OF MONEY TO UPKEEP. AND THE WAY YOU LESSEN YOUR COST IS TO PURCHASE THAT NEW EQUIPMENT. THAT'S ALWAYS A STRUGGLE IN ITSELF, JUST BECAUSE THE COST OF THEM. WE'VE PUT SOME IN FOR THIS FY 26 BUDGET, SO MAYBE WE CAN GET A DOLLAR OR TWO THIS YEAR. WE'LL SEE. BUT YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN IF YOU'RE GOING TO DITCH OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO RUN A CITY, A LANDFILL OR WHATEVER, YOU'VE GOT TO MAINTAIN THE EQUIPMENT TO DO IT WITH. UNDERSTOOD. I'M JUST BEING TOLD THAT THAT PIECE OF EQUIPMENT NEW IS ABOUT 300,000 AND ABOUT 360 OR ABOUT 360. OKAY. WELL, IT'S CLOSE. AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST I'M, I'M CONCERNED THAT 60,000 A YEAR, YOU KNOW, TO, TO KEEP IT UP SEEMS HIGH.

WELL, I DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE 60,000 A YEAR, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE 60,000 NOW TO GET IT UP TO AN OPERATIONAL STANDARD SO THAT THEY CAN USE IT. OKAY. AND SO WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT WE DID ANY REPAIR TO THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT? THERE ARE THEY ARE ALL CONSTANTLY IN OUR MAINTENANCE FACILITY FOR REPAIR. NOT THIS GREAT OF A OF A OF AN EXPENSE. BEING THAT THEY'RE OLD, THE CITY HAS FOUR GREAT O'S. THERE ARE THREE REALLY OLD ONES, SUCH AS THIS MODEL AND TWO OTHERS. AND THEN THERE'S A NEWER ONE. ONE OF THE GREAT OILS WE CAN'T EVEN REPAIR BECAUSE WE CAN'T GET PARTS FOR IT. SO WE'VE TURNED IT INTO A, A PARTS USED PARTS PLATFORM SO WE CAN HELP REPAIR THE OTHERS, OF WHICH WE'VE USED SEVERAL PIECES FROM.

THE OTHER TWO HAVE BEEN IN FOR REPAIRS. THE NEWER ONE, WE JUST PUT AN ENGINE IN IT. SO THESE THINGS GET USED REGULARLY. I CAN'T ANSWER TO THIS POINT RIGHT NOW OF HOW MANY HOURS ANNUALLY EACH MACHINE GETS USED, BUT THEY ARE HIGHLY USED ACROSS THE CITY AND THEY'RE NEEDED. AND IF I REALLY THOUGHT THAT WE COULD GO WITHOUT ANOTHER GREAT OIL, I WOULDN'T. OR I REALLY THOUGHT THAT I WOULD GET ONE FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, I WOULDN'T PUT IN THE MONEY TO DO IT. BUT EVEN IF I WAS TO GET APPROVED FOR A GRADE ALL IN OCTOBER, IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE TILL MAY OR JUNE NEXT YEAR BEFORE WE WOULD GET IT. SO WE'D AT LEAST BE A YEAR OUT BEFORE WE'D RECEIVE ANYTHING. JEFF, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH A WORK ORDER HISTORY FOR THE GRADE OILS AND THEIR AVERAGE RUN HOURS? THAT'D BE A REPORT THAT WE COULD GENERATE FOR THE COUNCIL. WOULD THAT BE HELPFUL? COUNCILMAN HILLIARD AND THEN COUNCILMAN, YOU KIND OF TO EXPAND ON WHAT COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW SAID. I KNOW A LOT OF COMPANIES WILL ENTER INTO LEASE PROGRAMS WHERE THEY'LL GET CERTAIN TYPES OF EQUIPMENT THAT THEY'LL USE, KIND OF LIKE TRUCKS OR OR THINGS LIKE THAT. IS THAT SOMETHING WE'VE EVER LOOKED INTO WITH THE GRADE OILS THE CITY DOES CURRENTLY LEASE? WE LEASE ABOUT 130 F-150 TYPE AND SMALLER EQUIPMENT SEDANS. WE DO HAVE A LEASING PROGRAM RIGHT NOW. I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT TO GET MORE INFO ON ON GRADES, BUT I'M SURE AS

[01:35:04]

COUNCILMAN DARIO. YEAH. SO THIS GRADE ALL WE'RE USING THIS IN OUR CURRENT CITYWIDE PROGRAM THROUGH THE STREETS AND DRAINAGE CREWS. THIS IS FOR CITY STAFF TO USE, OKAY? NOT THE CONTRACTOR CREWS. OKAY. BUT WITHOUT IT THEN WHAT KIND OF EFFECT WOULD THAT HAVE ON OUR CITY CREWS? SO THE CONTRACT CREWS ARE WORKING ON AN ESTABLISHED CONTRACT WITH IDENTIFIED STREETS THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON. SO IF A CITIZEN CALLS AND THEY SAY, HEY, I'VE GOT THIS ISSUE, I NEED YOU TO COME TAKE CARE OF IT. THE CITY CREWS ARE THE ONES WHO CAN RESPOND QUICKLY TO ADDRESS THAT SITUATION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE CONTRACTOR. THEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE CONCERNED BECAUSE I'M COMING TO YOU WITH A CHANGE ORDER. SO THAT'S WHAT THE CITY CREWS ARE FOR. AND SO THE CONTRACTS ARE TO SUPPLEMENT THE WORK THAT THE CREWS DO. OKAY. THANK YOU MOLLY.

THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. MY QUESTION IS MAYBE STAFF CAN HELP. SO THIS DIDN'T MAKE THE BUDGET FOR 2025, BUT IT IS SCHEDULED FOR 2026 BUDGET TO REPLACE THIS EQUIPMENT. WILL THAT BUDGET HADN'T BEEN APPROVED YET? RIGHT? RIGHT. IT WILL BE SUBMITTED. AND THEN IF APPROVED, THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A NEW ONE. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY ELSE? THANK YOU SIR. THANKS. ANY OTHER ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA PEOPLE HAVE BESIDES ITEM L THAT A QUESTION ABOUT E. ALL RIGHT. ME? YOU KNOW, 300 SOME ODD NOTICES OR REQUESTS SENT OUT FOR BID. AND ONLY ONE RESPONSE. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT'S. IS THE SINGLE RESPONSE A NORMAL OCCURRENCE THROUGHOUT OUR PURCHASING? OKAY. OR PLUMBING? IT SEEMS TO BE THE TREND. WE SEND OUT LOTS OF RESPONSES TO THE LOCAL NUMBERS THAT ARE SET UP AS VENDORS WITHIN THE CITY. WE'VE DONE THAT FOR YEARS. THIS CURRENT CONTRACTOR HAS HAD TO CONTRACT FOR QUITE A WHILE. THEY TEND TO

[01:40:02]

COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, THEN, COUNCILMAN TURNER, TYPICALLY, WHEN THIS GOES OUT FOR BID, DO WE PLACE THIS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, OR DO WE ACTUALLY GO OUT AND CAUGHT PEOPLE TO DO A BID? SO IF THEY'RE SET UP AS A VENDOR WITHIN THE CITY, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON OUR BID LIST THERE, BUT ALSO WHAT THE CITY HAS IS A PLATFORM THAT WE UTILIZE CALLED IOA. AND THOSE VENDORS ARE TRANSFERRED OVER TO THAT PLATFORM, AND THEN THEY SEND OUT NOTIFICATIONS. SO IF THIS VENDOR IS IN OUR SYSTEM, WE SEND IT TO WHATEVER EMAIL ADDRESS HAS BEEN. AND THEY WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IF THEY SO DESIRED OR SAW IT OR KEPT UP WITH THE EMAIL, THEN THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THIS JOB IS OUT FOR BID. AND WE DO HAVE INSTANCES WHERE THAT EMAIL IS NO LONGER ANY GOOD. THEY HAVEN'T UPDATED THAT IRON WAVE IS OUR PLATFORM, AND WE'VE GOT INFORMATION URGING EVERYONE TO SET UP ON THAT PLATFORM. AND THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE 300, 400 BECAUSE THAT'S A LARGE PLATFORM. IT'S STATEWIDE. WE ABSORB SOME OTHER CITY'S VENDORS AS WELL. SO IT'S REACHING A LOT OF FOLKS. AND SINCE WE'VE BEEN ON IT, WE YOU KNOW, MOST OF OUR VENDORS HAVE GOTTEN ON THAT PLATFORM, BUT IT IS UP TO THEM TO GIVE THEM THE CORRECT INFORMATION WHEN THEY SIGN UP. SO BUT THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SO MANY VENDORS.

SOME OF THEM ARE NOT ACTUAL PLUMBERS, SOME SELL PLUMBING SUPPLIES, BUT WHEN THEY SET UP UNDERNEATH THAT CATEGORY, THAT'S WHERE THEY GET NOTIFICATION. SO REALLY ALL THOSE ARE NOT GOING TO BE PLUMBERS. AND THAT'S EVEN WITHIN OUR SYSTEM. COUNCILMAN TURNER, FOR STAFF, THIS IS SOMETHING WE KIND OF DISCUSSED FOR QUITE SOME TIME WAY PRIOR TO THIS. AND CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO THE STEPS IT TAKES TO GET ON THE VENDOR LIST? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE WATCHING SINCE WE'RE HAVING THIS TOPIC BECAUSE WE DID IT BEFORE, BUT IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR A REFRESHER.

SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO SOME OF THE STEPS OF HOW YOU GET ON THE VENDOR LIST FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT ACTUALLY APPLY FOR THESE BIDS? THERE'S ALWAYS THEY CAN COME UP TO OUR OFFICE ON THE THIRD FLOOR AND CAN APPLY IN PERSON. THE INFORMATION IS ON OUR CITY WEB PAGE UNDER DEPARTMENTS AND PURCHASING. IT'LL THEY CAN SET UP AS A VENDOR IN OUR SYSTEM. AND IT ALSO GUIDES THEM TO SET UP AS A VENDOR IN IOWA. THOSE INSTRUCTIONS ARE THERE. OR THEY CAN CALL OR COME TO OUR OFFICE ON THE THIRD FLOOR IN SUITE 315. YEAH. AND THE CITY HAS ACTUALLY DONE WORKSHOPS IN THE PAST TO KIND OF MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND NOTIFY THE COMMUNITY THAT WE DO HAVE THESE BIDS. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S UNDERSTOOD THE EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE, BUT WE CONTINUE TO DO MORE. BUT THAT'S THE PROCESS IN ORDER TO GET ON THE BID LIST.

RIGHT. AND HONESTLY, NOT ALL VENDORS ARE IN OUR SYSTEM. THEY DON'T CHOOSE TO BE IN THERE, SO THEY'RE NOT GETTING NOTIFIED. BUT ONE THING THAT WE DO DO IS WE ADVERTISE THAT IN THE ENTERPRISE. I MEAN, SOMETIMES THE ENTERPRISE, THE EXAMINERS ARE CONTRACTED VENDOR ALL EVERY BID THAT PUBLIC WORKS DOES THAT WE DO IT'S PUT INTO THAT PAPER. SO WE DO ADVERTISE THERE AS WELL. SO IF THEY JUST WATCH THAT EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT A VENDOR THEY CAN SEE IT. OR IF THEY GO TO OUR PLATFORM THEY CAN SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S OUT FOR BID. SO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SPECIFY BY SAYING I. AND THIS EXCLUDES ITEM L. I, I, I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. MR. CITY

[L. Council consider a resolution authorizing the publication of a notice of intention to issue Certificates of Obligation in a principal amount not to exceed $20,500,000.]

[01:45:02]

I'M JUST NOT SURE IT'S A GOOD IDEA FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SPENDING OR BORROWING $20 MILLION WITHOUT FOR NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS AT LEAST ATTENDING A BUDGET WORKSHOP WHERE WE MIGHT TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET. SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THIS BE TABLED FOR THE NEXT AGENDA. AND AFTER THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS PREPARED? SURE. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL. IT'S A VERY SHORT PRESENTATION, THREE SLIDES, BUT IT GIVES YOU INFORMATION ON THIS REQUEST COMING FROM THE CITY. SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING? WELL, LET ME GO BACK TO THE INITIAL START OF THIS ENTIRE PROCESS. SO THE CITY, THROUGH ITS ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS AND THROUGH ITS CREATION OF THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PLAN, WHICH WE CALL THE CIP. EACH YEAR WE BUDGET PROJECTS IN THE CIP THAT REQUIRE FUNDING THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT. AND WHY DO WE DO THAT? WE DO THAT BECAUSE THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE 20 MILLION OR $30 MILLION ON HAND TO PAY FOR THESE PROJECTS. SO IT'S SIMILAR TO PURCHASING A HOME. MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE 4 OR $500,000. SO YOU GO OUT AND GET A LOAN FOR THE HOME. SO THIS IS VERY SIMILAR, THIS PROCESS THAT THE CITY HAS GONE THROUGH BEFORE IS SOMETHING MOST CITIES GO THROUGH IN TERMS OF ISSUING DEBT. SO DURING OUR DURING THE CREATION OF THE BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL, THAT CITY COUNCIL APPROVED IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR TO BE PART OF THE BUDGET. SO THESE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR THE FUNDING TO COVER ARE PART OF THE CITY'S EXISTING BUDGET THAT WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS LAST FISCAL YEAR. SO THIS REQUESTED ACTION TODAY IS JUST FOR THE PUBLICATION. THIS IS THE INITIAL STEP. THERE ARE A FEW STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF ISSUING CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. SO TODAY'S ACTION DOES NOT ACTUALLY AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE OF THE CO CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. TODAY'S ACTION THAT WE'RE REQUESTING FROM CITY COUNCIL IS JUST THE PUBLICATION PART OF THE ISSUANCE OF FUNDING FOR THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. TEXAS LAW REQUIRES A 45 DAY NOTICE. SO THIS APPROVAL TODAY WOULD KICK OFF THAT 45 DAY NOTICE PERIOD FOR THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO BE APPROVED. SO WE WOULD COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AT A LATER DATE AND TIME. AND WE HAVE THAT DATE ON OUR CALENDAR NOW. SO IN ON JULY THE 15TH, WE WOULD THEN COME BACK TO CITY COUNCIL AND ASK YOU FOR APPROVAL OF THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. BUT TODAY WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR YOU TO APPROVE THE $20.5 MILLION WE'RE ASKING. WE'RE STARTING THE PROCESS, AND WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF THE PUBLICATION, WHICH WE AS A CITY HAVE TO PUBLISH IN A LOCAL NEWSPAPER.

AND FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE WEEKS. AND WE ALSO HAVE TO PUBLISH IT ON OUR CITY'S WEBSITE. NEXT SLIDE. SO THE PROJECTS THAT THIS $20.5 MILLION WILL COVER, THE PROJECTS ARE LISTED ON YOUR SCREEN. THEY'RE GOING AND I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, BUT MOST ARE STREETS AND DRAINAGE RELATED PROJECTS. WE HAVE THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX THAT'S A PARKS PROJECT, THE PARKING LO, REHABILITATION, PICKLEBALL COURTS. THAT'S ABOUT $40 MILLION TO START THE DESIGN PHASE OF THE

[01:50:01]

THAT'S MY LAST SLIDE AND I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS. WELL, FOR CLARITY ALSO CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS. THEY ARE FUNDED THROUGH OUR CURRENT BUDGET AND AREN'T NEEDING A TAX INCREASE TO BE ABLE TO FUND. AS WITH THE REVENUE BONDS, THEY'RE REVENUE COMING IN. SO IT'S THROUGH GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS THAT GO TO THE PUBLIC FOR VOTING, BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, THEY WOULD BE VOTING FOR A TAX INCREASE FOR THE AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PROJECT.

BUT THE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION AND REVENUE BONDS, THEY'RE THEY COME FROM OUR INTEREST IN SINKING ACCOUNT. IS THAT CORRECT. TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION DO AND THAT'S CORRECT. YES. OKAY. LEAST. YES. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, I WANT TO FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU JUST SAID. AND MAYBE WE WANT TO BE CLEAR. THIS IS NOT A TAX INCREASE ON ANY COMMUNITY, ARE WE? IS THAT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING? THAT IS. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. WE INCLUDED THIS $20.5 MILLION IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET. SO THE CURRENT TAX RATE INCORPORATES AND ASSUME THIS $20.5 MILLION. SO NO CITIZEN IS GOING TO RECEIVE AN INCREASE IN THEIR TAX RATE AS A RESULT OF THE NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL.

[01:55:01]

SO WE DO PAY OFF SOME DEBT AS WE MOVE ALONG THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND THEN WE ADD DEBT. BUT THIS IS NOT AS A RESULT OF US REFUNDING OR SOME OF THE DEBT BEING ROLLED. WHAT WOULD THE TERM ON THESE ON THIS BE ON THESE CERTIFICATES 20, 20 OR 25 YEARS? WE HAVE OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR HERE. MR. TRAYLOR. AND THEN I KNOW TO YOU, I MEAN, YOU SAID THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR US, BUT A LOT OF CITIES DON'T WAIT 42 YEARS FOR A BOND ELECTION EITHER. SO, I MEAN, COULD THAT BE OR WE'VE BEEN OPERATING LIKE THIS. I MEAN, MAYBE THIS UPCOMING BOND ELECTION WOULD COULD THAT BE A NEW WAY OF FUNDING THINGS AND PROJECTS? AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE PROPOSING THE BOND ELECTION AGAIN. THOSE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED TO BE PAID FOR AS GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS TAKEN TO THE VOTERS, HEARING FROM THE VOTERS IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT THOSE PROJECTS TO WANT TO BE TAXED AS A RESULT OF ADDING THOSE NEW PROJECTS. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IN THE PAST HAS MAINLY FUNDED PROJECTS THROUGH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, BUT AGAIN, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS ARE FOR LARGER PROJECTS. AND I KNOW YOU SAID IT WOULDN'T RAISE TAXES, BUT SURELY NOT TAKING ON $20.5 MILLION IN DEBT? WOULD WOULD IT LOWER TAXES IF YOU DIDN'T TAKE THAT ON OR. NO, NO, NO, NO EFFECT WHATSOEVER. WELL, AS I MENTIONED IN OUR OUR CURRENT TAX RATE IS ALREADY SET. SO THE TAX RATE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS ABOUT $0.65 PER $100 OF VALUE, THIS IS ALREADY INCLUDED IN THAT TAX RATE. AND THAT TAX RATE ACTUALLY. AND THANKS FOR BRINGING IT UP, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, THAT OUR TAX RATE FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, ALTHOUGH WE ADDED $20.5 MILLION IN THE BUDGET, IT'S IN THE BUDGET. IT'S PART OF THE EXISTING TAX RATE. OUR TAX RATE DECREASED ABOUT $0.03 FROM 68 TO $0.65 IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. THANKS FOR MENTIONING THAT. OKAY. WHEREAS IF WE'RE DOING A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND, JUST FOR CLARITY, YOU INCREASE TAXES FOR THAT COST. THERE IS NO INCREASED TAXES WITH CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATIONS. AND THESE ARE TYPICALLY WHICH WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET OVER THE NEXT 45 DAYS. THESE ARE NECESSARY REPAIRS.

THESE AREN'T NEW EXPENDITURES BUILDING NEW ROADS. THIS IS REPAIRING AND REPLACING WHAT EXISTS. AND LIKE THE PARKING LOT AT THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX THAT WAS REPORTED TO US, IT'S PRETTY SIZABLE. THAT'S IN BAD DISREPAIR THAT WE'D BEEN POSTPONING. I GOT A QUESTION TO COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW AND COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. AND I HEAR YOU, MR. MAYOR. BUT WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, PICKLEBALL COURTS ARE NOT NECESSARY REPAIRS. RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. I THINK THAT IT WAS FUNDED IN THERE FOR THE ENGINEERING OF THEM. THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. I MEAN, NEXT, NEXT YEAR, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR FIVE YEAR CIP AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PRESENTATION, WE MEET THIS THURSDAY ON AND WE'LL COVER THE FIVE YEAR CIP. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE $40,000 IS JUST FOR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING. NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO ISSUE THE COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE. SO THIS IS JUST PHASE ONE WITH REGARD TO THE PICKLEBALL COURTS. SO IT'S ONLY OF THIS 20.5 MILLION, ONLY $40,000 IS ENGINEERING AND NEW DESIGN. EVERYTHING ELSE IS REPAIR OF EXISTING PROJECTS. OH NO SIR, WE'RE I'M REFERRING TO THE PICKLEBALL COURT. ONLY THE 40,000 IS JUST FOR THE DESIGN PHASE OF THE PICKLEBALL COURT. OKAY. AND OUT OF THE 20.5 MILLION, HOW MUCH OF THAT MONEY IS FOR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING OF NEW PROJECTS AND NOT REPAIRING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED? AND I DON'T NEED AN EXACT NUMBER, BUT JUST A BALLPARK. ARE WE TALKING

[02:00:07]

THANK YOU. THE REST. THE CITYWIDE DITCHING THE STORMWATER PIPE INSPECTIONS WAS LUCAS DRIVE, THE PUMP STATION REPAIRS. THOSE ARE ALL BEING ENGINEERED IN-HOUSE WITH CITY STAFF. FOURTH STREET, WHICH WAS ENGINEERED BY CITY STAFF, IS COMPLETE. WE'RE JUST FINISHING OUT THE PORTION OF FY 25 THAT HIT THE FY 25 ACCOUNT BRIDGE REPAIRS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS. ALSO IS AN ENGINEERING COST, AND THAT IS A PROJECT THAT IS ONGOING. SO THE ENGINEERING IS HAS BEEN FOR THE MOST PART COMPLETED. NOW WE'RE IN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE AND THEN THE REMAINING PROJECTS ARE ALSO IN HOUSE STAFF FOR ENGINEERING, AND MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN ENGINEERED AT LEAST TO ABOUT 80% COMPLETE OF ENGINEERING. MY QUESTION IS THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN ALLOCATED MONIES FROM A PREVIOUS COUNCIL THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. AM I UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY? YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. WE ARE MAKING A NOTIFICATION THAT WE ARE CONTINUING WITH THE PROJECT AS IT HAS ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON AND APPROVED PREVIOUSLY. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. THESE ARE ALL GOOD QUESTIONS THOUGH, BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO TAKE IN. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCILMAN? DARIO. SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE THESE TYPE OF INSTRUMENTS AS FAR AS ALL THE DIFFERENT BONDS AND THINGS, HOW WOULD WE GET ALL THIS WORK DONE? WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO TAX THE CITY, I MEAN, THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE MONEY, MOST LIKELY BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WE WOULD HAVE TO DELAY A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS AND INFRASTRUCTURE WILL GET BEHIND, AND THEN WE'LL BE PLAYING CATCH UP FOREVER. SO YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT ESSENTIALLY OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND. IF WE CAN'T FIND ANY GRANTS TO FUND THEM. OKAY. SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY SO WE CAN GET PROJECTS DONE IN A TIMELY MANNER. GET SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE THE PICKLEBALL COURTS. THAT'S SOME OF THE STUFF THAT THE CITIZENS WANTED. YOU KNOW, THAT'S QUALITY OF LIFE. THAT'S IMPORTANT AS WELL. BUT SO IS SIDEWALK REPAIR, BRIDGE REPAIR, ALL OF THE PUMP STATION, ALL THAT'S NEEDED, STUFF THAT WE NEED TO FIX AND CAN'T WAIT. ABSOLUTELY. STAFFS. EACH YEAR WE UPDATE THE FIVE YEAR COMMUNITY INVESTMENT PLAN, PUBLIC PUBLIC WORKS STAFF, ENGINEERING STAFF, CITY ALL. ALL OF US WORK HARD ON DETERMINING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WHEN. AND WE WORK WITH FINANCE TO HELP DETERMINE WHAT INSTRUMENT WE'RE GOING TO USE TO PAY FOR THESE PROJECTS. BEING PROACTIVE. BEING PROACTIVE. YES, SIR. THANK YOU SIR. COUNCILMAN TURNER, THEN COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. SO IN OUR CIP, IS OUR CIP CURRENTLY ONLINE? YES SIR. YES, SIR. SO THAT'S THE DOCUMENT WE KIND OF WENT OVER PRIOR TO BEING ON COUNCIL. IN OUR CIP, WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT WERE ACTUALLY ALREADY BEING FUNDED.

WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO NOT FUND PROJECTS LIKE THE MAJOR DRIVE IN NORTHWEST PARKWAY TRAFFIC LIGHT, OR MAYBE CLOSE OUT ON THE FOURTH STREET PAYMENTS? LIKE WHAT HAPPENS TO THE CONTRACTORS THAT'S DONE THE WORK OR THE WORK ALREADY STARTED COMING? WE WOULD PRIORITIZE, YOU KNOW, LOOK FOR THE SAVINGS WHERE WE CAN FUND IT AND BRING THOSE PROJECTS TO COMPLETION. WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO GO TO BID. HOWEVER, ONCE WE HAVE CONFIRMATION THAT THE FUNDING IS

[02:05:05]

GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. THE FED HAS HAS INDICATED THAT I SAY THE FED HAS INDICATED THE MARKET BELIEVES THAT THE FED MAY CUT RATES 1 TO 3 TIMES BEFORE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT LONG TERM RATES COULD COME DOWN, BUT I WOULD I WOULD POINT BACK TO WHAT THE FED DID BACK. IF WE LOOK IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER OF THIS PAST YEAR OF 2024, THE FED CUT INTEREST RATES THREE TIMES AT THE END OF 2024. WHAT HAPPENED TO LONG TERM RATES WHEN THE FED CUT RATES? LONG TERM RATES ACTUALLY WENT UP. SO JUST BECAUSE THE FED MAY CUT RATES WHEN THEY CUT RATES, THEY ARE LOOKING AT, THEY ARE CUTTING RATES ON THE SHORTEST END OF THE YIELD CURVE, THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. WE ANTICIPATE HAVING A 20 YEAR FINAL MATURITY. SO WHEN AVERAGE LIFE ON THESE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION WOULD BE ABOUT 11 YEARS, THE FED THE FED RATE CUTS REALLY DOES NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT DIRECTLY ON THOSE INTEREST RATES. WHEN WE RAN THE PROFORMA SCHEDULE ON THIS $20.5 MILLION, WE ASSUMED A 5% INTEREST RATE.

IF WE WERE TO BE IN THE MARKET TODAY TO ISSUE THOSE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, WE BELIEVE THE INTEREST RATE WOULD PROBABLY BE IN THE 4.5% RANGE. SURE WOULD LOVE TO SEE RATES COME DOWN TO FOUR OR EVEN BELOW FOUR. BUT EVEN IF THE FED DOES MOVE FORWARD WITH RATE CUTTING, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S GOING TO HELP US ON LONG TERM BORROWING COSTS. AND I WOULD JUST I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT TO THAT END, AS IT RELATES TO CITY OF BEAUMONT AND BORROWING, WHEN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS GONE OUT AND DONE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION IN THE PAST, AND YOU'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD HISTORY OF DOING THIS OVER THE COURSE, IF NOT EVERY YEAR, EVERY OTHER EVERY THIRD YEAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN THE THING THAT THAT HAPPENS IS WHENEVER YOU SELL MUNICIPAL BONDS, THOSE BONDS GET SOLD WITH A TEN YEAR CALL FEATURE IN THEM WHERE YOU CAN'T REFINANCE THEM, USUALLY SOONER THAN 9 OR 10 YEARS AFTER THEIR ISSUANCE. THE CITY HAS BEEN PRETTY AGGRESSIVE. EVERY TIME AN OPPORTUNITY COMES UP WHERE THERE'S BEEN A PREVIOUSLY ISSUED CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION, WHEN IT COMES UP AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO REFINANCE, AND IF INTEREST RATES COOPERATE, THE CITY THEN COMES RIGHT BACK IN AND REFINANCES THAT HOPEFULLY TO A LOWER INTEREST RATE. THESE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION WERE ALSO GOING TO SET THOSE UP WITH A CALL FEATURE SUCH THAT DOWN THE ROAD RATES COOPERATE. WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THE CITY COMING BACK AND REFINANCING THOSE TO AN EVEN LOWER RATE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, SINCE YOU HAD MENTIONED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF TABLING THIS, DID THE EXPLANATION THE FACT THAT IT'S JUST ABOUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE. AUTHORIZATION

[02:10:08]

[REGULAR AGENDA]

SECOND, THERE IS A FIRST AND A SECOND FOR NOMINATING FOR COUNCILMAN TURNER TO BE THE MAYOR PRO TEM. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING COUNCILMAN TURNER, IS MAYOR PRO TEM. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I HE OPPOSED. THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING A CONTRACT TO PREFERRED FACILITIES GROUP USA FOR THE NECHES STREET QUIET ZONE. MEDIAN RECONSTRUCTION RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN DARIA? WHERE EXACTLY WOULD THIS QUIET ZONE BE LOCATED? THIS IS THE NECHES STREET, JUST ONE BLOCK SOUTH OF COLLEGE BY. I BELIEVE IT'S EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH.

THAT IS A THERE IS A DOWNTOWN QUIET ZONE, AND THAT IS THE ONE REMAINING CROSSING. AND IT IS IT WAS CONSTRUCTED, CONSTRUCTED THE SAME WAY AS THE ONES ON THE WEST END. BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT RAILROAD. SO WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD QUICKLY WITH THE PERMITTING PROCESS. SO WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS ONE RESOLVED. AND WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT. AND THE REASON I ASK IS THAT MOST QUIET ZONES ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE. YOU KNOW, NOBODY LIVES OVER THERE. THERE'S WELL, YOU HAVE CITY HALL IS AFFECTED BY THAT. THE COURTHOUSE, THE POLICE STATION, THERE'S SOME OFFICES. AND ALSO THE TRAIN HORNS WERE VERY DISRUPTIVE TO CHURCH SERVICES. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY PLANS IN THE FUTURE? BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF PLACES THAT COULD USE QUIET ZONES IN MY WARD. YOU KNOW THAT CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION CONVERSATION. OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, NOW, ARE WE GOING TO FOLLOW THE NEW FEDERAL GUIDELINES? BECAUSE MY WARD PEOPLE ARE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME AND WE'VE WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS, BUT ARE WE GOING TO FOLLOW THESE SAME GUIDELINES SO WE DON'T GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH? IN MY WARD WITH THE TRAIN HORNS, WE'RE DESIGNING IT TO THE CURRENT FEDERAL STANDARDS THAT WERE APPROVED AT THE CROSSING OF COBURN STREET, WHICH I BELIEVE IS ALSO PART OF THAT WEST END QUIET ZONE. BUT UNTIL ALL OF THE CROSSINGS ARE BROUGHT UP TO THAT STANDARD, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STOP HONKING THE HORNS. SO I HAVE A QUESTION REALLY, AND YOU CAN I KNOW YOU CAN ANSWER IT IS WHY NOT GO A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THAT? BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING TO CHANGE THE REGULATION AGAIN, AND WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO THE SAME. SO INSTEAD OF IT BEING THREE FEET, WHY NOT MAKE IT FOUR FEET? AT TODAY'S COST? WE WOULD BE TAKING THE RISK THAT THEY GO FOUR FEET THE OTHER DIRECTION. SO WE HAVE TO MEET WHAT THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS ARE AT THE TIME THAT THEY'RE IN PLACE. COUNCILMAN TURNER AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK THE RAILROAD. I WISH IN THE PERFECT WORLD WE HAD JURISDICTION OF, BUT WE DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION OVER THEM. WE SURE DON'T KNOW. SOME RAILROADS DO WANT TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE CITY, AND WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE. AND FORTUNATELY, THIS RAILROAD FOR THE WEST END QUIET ZONE HAS THEIR REGULATIONS. IT'S THEIR WORLD. WE'RE JUST BREATHING IN IT. AND JUST TO BE COMPLETELY FAIR, MISS MOLLY, BECAUSE I KNOW I SEE A COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE CROWD. HE WAS VERY VOCAL AS WELL, LIKE YOU JOY, ABOUT THESE RAILROADS. BUT THE CITY, THEY

[02:15:04]

CORRECT? CORRECT. SO WE MADE APPLICATION TO THE RAILROAD, WHICH WE CAN'T EVEN MAKE IT DIRECTLY TO THE RAILROAD. WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH A THIRD PARTY ENGINEERING FIRM AND THEY REVIEW IT ON THEIR SCHEDULE. THEN THEY SCHEDULE, THEY MAKE INITIAL COMMENTS, WHICH WE HAVE RECEIVED, INITIAL COMMENTS. WE'VE ADDRESSED THOSE. WE'RE WAITING TO HOLD THE ON SITE MEETINGS WITH THE RAILROAD WITH TXDOT, WITH ALL INTERESTED, THE FEDERAL RAILROAD, FRA, AND THEN EVERYBODY POINTS AND LOOKS AT IT AND AGREES. THIS IS THE PATH FORWARD. WE MAKE FINAL CHANGES TO THE PLANS AND WE GET FINAL APPROVAL, AND THEN WE GO TO WORK. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. I'M GOOD. I HAD A CHANCE TO TALK. AND WE'VE GOT STATE AND FEDERAL TO MAKE DISSOLVED, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. WE'RE. THE CURRENT SCHEDULE IS FOR JUNE THE 18TH FOR THOSE SITE MEETINGS.

PLEASE DO. YES. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, WHY IS THERE THE DISCREPANCY IN THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE AND THE CONTRACT? I MEAN, IT'S 20%. THERE'S ALWAYS DIFFERENT INCIDENTALS. THERE'S PRICING THAT CHANGES, THAT FLUCTUATES. IF THERE'S DIFFERENT COSTS DUE TO THE FLAGGING, WE DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO GET THE ESTIMATES BASED OFF OF MOST CURRENT CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS.

WE USED THE PRICING FOR THE COBURN PROJECT. THAT WAS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. WE DO THE BEST WE CAN GIVEN THE DATA THAT WE HAVE. BUT WITH THIS ALSO GOING THROUGH A BY BOARD PURCHASING CO-OP, THEIR PRICES ARE SET. SO IF WE HAD GONE THROUGH A THE FORMAL PROCUREMENT PROCESS, WHICH IS ROUGHLY A 60 DAY PROCESS WHICH WOULD DELAY THIS PROJECT AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF TIME, WE MAY HAVE GOTTEN A BETTER PRICE, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TRYING TO ADDRESS THESE QUIET ZONES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, WE OPTED TO GO THROUGH THE PURCHASING CO-OP. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY ADD, SO FAR AS THIS ITEM THAT WE'RE VOTING ON, AS SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED IN THE COURTHOUSE, BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE AND THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE, THESE DOWNTOWN TRAINS ARE SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLE SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THE COUNTY COURTHOUSE. AND AS SOMEONE WITH A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT HEARING IMPAIRMENT, I'M GRATEFUL TO CITY STAFF FOR GETTING THIS DONE AND GETTING THOSE QUIET ZONES AUTHORIZED. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DEL RIO.

THIS PARTICULAR QUIET ZONE, JUST RAISING THE MEDIAN. WE'RE NOT DON'T HAVE TO PUT ANY CROSSING GUARDS IN IT. THEY ALREADY HAVE THOSE THERE. WE WILL HAVE TO. YEAH. THIS IS JUST EVERYTHING ON THE PAVEMENT. THERE'S SOME SIGNAGE THAT WILL NEED TO BE HANDLED, BUT REALLY IT'S THAT BARRIER IN THE MIDDLE AND THE ASSOCIATED STRIPING. BUT MOSTLY MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU DO QUIET ZONE, THAT AND IT WASN'T ONE THERE PREVIOUSLY, IT WOULD COST MORE THAN WHAT THIS IS COSTING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PUT THE ARMS AND THE LIGHTS AND ALL THAT, OR CLOSE THE CLOSE THE CROSSING ALL TOGETHER, LIKE WE DID WITH MAIN STREET AND PEARL STREET. YEAH. OKAY. NOW I, I DIDN'T REALLY ASK THIS QUESTION. I WAS COMMENTING ON IT. OR IS THERE ANY PLANS IN THE FUTURE TO PUT IN MORE QUIET ZONES? THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK. WE ARE UPDATING THE LAST COST ESTIMATES THAT WERE PREPARED. THEY'RE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. IF YOU GO TO THE DEPARTMENT'S AND GO TO PUBLIC WORKS, THERE'S A RAILROAD QUIET ZONE PAGE, AND THERE WERE COST ESTIMATES PUBLISHED IN 2017, AND THEY WERE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT THEN FOR I BELIEVE THERE'S A QUIET ZONE IN YOUR WARD. AND I THINK THERE WAS A QUIET ZONE ON THE NORTH END, AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF BUDGETING AND GETTING THE MONEY FOR IT. THAT BUDGET PROCESS, I NEED ONE, I NEED ONE ON THE SP TRACKS ON WASHINGTON BOULEVARD. YES, ALL THE WAY TO CARDINAL DRIVE. ALL RIGHT. EVERY EVERY CROSSING. IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS TODAY, BUT THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IF

[02:20:01]

NONE OF THIS WAS TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. I'M SURE THAT YOU GUYS WALK THROUGH THE BID PROCESS.

EVERYBODY THAT USUALLY BIDS ON A PROJECT WILL. YOU'LL WALK THE SITE, YOU'LL LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS, THE LAST QUESTIONS. YOU'LL ALSO DO THIS WITH ENGINEERS. SO MY QUESTION WHY ARE THERE 12 CHANGE ORDERS AND WHAT WAS THE HIGHEST BID THAT WE RECEIVED THAT WE REJECTED, AND WHERE WERE THEY ON THE BID LIST. WERE THEY THE LAST? WERE THEY THE CHEAPEST BIDDER OR WERE THEY THE HIGHEST BIDDER BECAUSE IT WITH THE CHANGE ORDERS, DOES THIS NOW PUT THEM AT THE TOP. SO WOULDN'T IT HAVE BEEN EASIER JUST TO GO WITH THE FIRST THE PERSON THAT WAS THE HIGHEST BECAUSE THEY EVIDENTLY DID THEY SEE THESE THINGS AND THE OTHER ONES DIDN'T. SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGE ORDERS HERE. AND WHERE DOES THIS PUT THEM NOW ON THE SCALE, IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE BIDS THAT WERE TURNED IN, WHERE DOES THIS WHERE DO WHERE DO THEY STAND NOW WITH THE COST OVERRUNS WITH THE, WITH THE NUMBER ONE OR THE HIGHEST BIDDER. SO WE CAN ACTUALLY START AND BACK UP A LITTLE BIT FURTHER TO THAT. AND THE ACTUAL ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS. SO THE ENGINEERING DESIGN TOOK ABOUT 14 MONTHS TO WORK THROUGH, WHICH WAS VERY DETAILED SURVEYS WALKING THROUGH THE SITE, GOING AND GETTING CLEARANCE FROM EVERY COMMISSION THAT THE STATE HAS THAT CAN WEIGH IN BECAUSE THIS IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECT, RIGHT? SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO IDENTIFY ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT CAN HAPPEN IN A PROJECT. THEN SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, WE DO ADVERTISE FOR BID. THE BID PROCESS NORMALLY IS ABOUT A FOUR WEEK PROCESS. FOR

[02:25:01]

THEY TURNED OUT TO BE IN CONFLICT BECAUSE WE ALSO HAD THE TWO TWO PROJECTS THAT WERE GOING ON THE PUMP STATION AND THE RAW WATER DELIVERY LINE ON DOWN PINE STREET THAT, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID, WE'VE TRASHED IT. WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT BACK BETTER THAN IT WAS. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, IT'S IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE. THEN YOU EVALUATE TO SEE THIS WORK STILL HAS TO BE DONE. SO AS THESE CHANGE ORDERS COME IN FOR AND WE DON'T WE DON'T JUST ACCEPT A CHANGE ORDER BECAUSE THE CONTRACTOR SAID, HEY, I GOT A CHANGE ORDER. IT HAS TO BE EVALUATED ON ITS MERIT. AND WHETHER OR NOT THE WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR IS REASONABLE, IF IT'S ACCEPTABLE WITHIN THE REALMS OF THE CONTRACT, ARE THEY ASKING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS PERIPHERAL TO THE CONTRACT THAT'S NOT RELEVANT? SO EVERYTHING HAS TO BE EVALUATED. THERE IS A LOT OF PUSHBACK FROM CITY STAFF, FROM THE ENGINEERING FIRM TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COSTS THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED ARE VALID, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO PRESENT THIS TO FEMA, THE FUNDING AGENCY, AND THEY HAVE TO CONCUR THAT WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED TO BE PAID FOR IS ACCEPTABLE. SO THERE ARE EXTENSIVE LISTS OF CHECKS AND BALANCES. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE TREES, WE HAD HOPED THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE IN THE WAY THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, A FRUSTRATING ONE THAT IS COMING TO YOU. IS THIS THE CONCRETE LINING BETWEEN PINE STREET AND THIS ACCESS ROAD? SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE LATELY, BUT THE ACCESS ROAD IS A VERY STEEP ROAD, AND THE ENGINEERING WAS JUST TO DO SOME STABILIZED SAND. IT'S GOING TO BE A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. SO WE'RE EITHER GOING TO RIP PUT CONCRETE RIPRAP DOWN NOW TO PREVENT THE EROSION OR WE'RE GOING TO DO IT LATER. SO IF WE DO IT NOW, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FEMA TO REIMBURSE US FOR THIS PROJECT.

IF WE DO IT LATER, THEN WE WILL BE COMING OUT OF OUR OPERATING FUNDS TO DO THAT WORK IN THE FUTURE. SO WE'RE KIND OF BALANCING THOSE THINGS OUT AS WELL. SO SORRY, THAT WAS THE LONG ANSWER, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I WANTED THE LONG ANSWER. OKAY. IS YEAH. AND THE OTHER IS ANOTHER EROSION CONTROL MAP THAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE SITE TO GET STABILIZED ENOUGH THAT WE CAN EVEN MOVE FORWARD WITH IT, BECAUSE AS THE ACCESS ROAD IS CLIMBING UP, PINE STREET ITSELF IS DIVING DOWN TO COLLIERS FERRY AND THERE ARE ONGOING EROSION ISSUES. AND SO BOTH THIS CHANGE ORDER IS TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE THINGS. AND THOSE WERE NOT FORESEEN IN THE ORIGINAL BID.

THESE WERE THINGS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP AND DISCUSSED DURING THE CONTRACT. BUT YOU DON'T IDEALLY IN A PROJECT. AGAIN, THIS IS THE WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE TO ESTABLISH IT. SO WE SAW IT COULD HAVE BEEN ROLLED. IT SHOULD PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ROLLED INTO THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT. AND I THINK THAT THE ENGINEER WAS MAYBE FOCUSED MORE ON MAKING SURE THAT THE PUMPS AND THE CONTROLS OF DELIVERING THE RAW WATER, AND THAT'S THE MOST CRITICAL THING, IS THAT'S THE TRUE PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT THAN WORRYING ABOUT A ROADSIDE DITCH AND A CULVERT WASHING OUT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IDENTIFYING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE

[02:30:06]

ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD

[PUBLIC HEARING]

OKAY. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ANY OTHER PRESENTATION BEFORE I CLOSE IT? BECAUSE WE HAVE NO ACTION ITEM ON THIS. NO, NO. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL BRING WE'LL BRING

[WORK SESSION]

[02:35:08]

[02:40:03]

THANK YOU. MR. THANK YOU BOTH. SO FOR PREDEVELOPMENT MEETINGS, IT'S A RESOURCE THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT PROVIDES OR OFFERS TO SUPPORT DEVELOPERS TO STREAMLINE THEIR PROJECT PLANNING. THESE MEETINGS ARE HELD EVERY THURSDAY AT NINE, TEN AND 11 A.M. AT NO COST TO THE DEVELOPER. THEY PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS PROJECT REQUIREMENTS EARLY ON, HELP TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL CHALLENGES AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH CITY REGULATIONS. DURING THESE MEETINGS, A MULTI-TEAM REVIEW REPRESENTING BUILDING CODES, HEALTH, WATER PLANNING, ENGINEERING, PUBLIC HEALTH, OR I'M SORRY, PUBLIC WORKS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DRAINAGE DISTRICT NUMBER SIX AND TEX-DOT COLLABORATES WITH DEVELOPERS. THIS COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH HELPS REDUCE DELAYS AND FOSTERS EFFICIENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT WHILE MAINTAINING SAFETY AND REGULATORY STANDARDS. ADDITIONALLY, THESE MEETINGS ARE RECORDED, ARCHIVED, AND AVAILABLE TO DEVELOPERS UPON REQUEST SO THEY MAY REFERENCE IT THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT. SO BEAUMONT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS BENEFIT FROM SAVINGS ON INSURANCE PREMIUMS. DUE TO THE CITY'S PROACTIVE APPROACH TO SAFETY AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS ACHIEVED COMMENDABLE ISO RATINGS, INCLUDING A FIRE RATING OF TWO, A RESIDENTIAL RATING OF FOUR AND A COMMERCIAL RATING OF THREE. THESE RATINGS REFLECT THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO ENHANCE SAFETY AND RESILIENCY OF OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT. OFTEN, DEVELOPERS WILL GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS TO ENSURE THEY RECEIVE FAVORABLE INSURANCE PREMIUMS MOVING FORWARD. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, A FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM MAY NOT BE A REQUIREMENT FOR THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT. HOWEVER, WHEN THEY PLAN FOR FUTURE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS OF THE STRUCTURE, THE DEVELOPER THE DEVELOPER FINDS THAT THE INSTALLATION OF THE SAID SYSTEM IS WORTH THEIR WHILE TO SAVE MONEY. IN THE LONG RUN, A RATING OF ONE IS BEST IN THESE RATINGS, AND THE STATE AVERAGES SIX, SO BEAUMONT IS PERFORMING VERY WELL. ADDITIONALLY, BEAUMONT PARTICIPATES IN THE COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM AND CURRENTLY HOLDS A CLASS SEVEN RATING ISSUED BY FEMA. THIS CLASS CLASSIFICATION RESULTS IN A 15% DISCOUNT ON FLOOD INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR PROPERTIES LOCATED WITHIN THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREAS, AND A 5% DISCOUNT FOR PROPERTIES LOCATED OUTSIDE THOSE AREAS. THESE ACHIEVEMENTS DEMONSTRATE BEAUMONT'S DEDICATION TO REDUCING RISKS AND SUPPORTING AFFORDABLE INSURANCE OPTIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY SEVERAL FACTORS THAT DETERMINE YOUR INSURANCE PREMIUMS. BUT A CITY'S ISO SCORE IS A KEY FACTOR. WE RESEARCHED AND CONFIRMED JUST HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS AND FOUND THAT FOR THE SAME INDIVIDUAL FOR TWO SIMILAR HOMES, ONE IN BEAUMONT AND THE OTHER IN ONE OF OUR SURROUNDING CITIES WITH A MUCH HIGHER ISO RATING, SHOWED A $1,500 DIFFERENCE FOR INSURANCE PREMIUMS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. SO I WANTED TO TOUCH ON WHY ZONING CODES MATTER. THE OVERALL PURPOSE FOR ZONING IS TO IS TO REGULATE LAND USE, DENSITY AND BUILDING STANDARDS TO ENSURE ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT, PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND PRESERVE THE CHARACTER OF NEIGHBORHOODS. I PLACED A COUPLE EXAMPLES ON THE SCREEN. THE PICTURE TO THE LEFT IS A HOUSTON, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THE MULTI DEVELOPMENT FAMILY WAS BASICALLY BUILT ON TOP OF THE SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE. AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY SETBACKS, FLOOR AREA RATIO AND LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS MATTER TO GIVE THEM A BUFFER TO THE HIGH DENSITY LAND USES THAT SURROUND THEM. THE PICTURE TO THE RIGHT IS KEMAH, AND THAT IS A BEACH HOUSE WITH A ROLLER COASTER PRETTY MUCH PLACED IN THEIR BACKYARD. AND THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHY SPECIFIC USE PERMITS MATTER TO ENSURE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE A VOICE TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY VALUE AND OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE. ARTICLES DESCRIBED THAT THIS ROLLER COASTER PRODUCED VIBRATIONS TO THE PROPERTY, WHICH COULD ALSO COMPROMISE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OVER TIME, DEPENDING ON THE INTENSITY OF THE VIBRATIONS. SO I WANTED TO GIVE A COUPLE OF REAL EXAMPLES OF WHY DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS MATTER. THE COLLAPSE OF THE CHAMPLAIN TOWERS IN SURFSIDE, FLORIDA OCCURRED IN 2021, WHEN A 12 STORY RESIDENTIAL CONDOMINIUM PARTIALLY COLLAPSED. THIS TRAGICALLY KILLED 98 PEOPLE. THE DISASTER WAS ONE OF THE DEADLIEST BUILDING FAILURES IN US HISTORY. IT RAISED CRITICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT BUILDING SAFETY, STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND THE OVERSIGHT OF CONDOMINIUM MAINTENANCE. INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED LONG STANDING ISSUES WITH CONCRETE DETERIORATION AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR INSPECTIONS AND PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE FOR AGING BUILDINGS.

IT WAS ALSO REVEALED THAT THE POOL WAS NOT BUILT TO CODE, AND THE WATER FROM THE POOL PENETRATED THE WALLS AND CORRODED THE REINFORCING STEEL. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY BUILDING CODES MATTER, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE POOL AND SPA CODES MATTER. THE COLLAPSE OF THIS BUILDING PROMPTED NATIONWIDE SCRUTINY OF BUILDING CODES AND REGULATIONS, WHICH LED TO LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AIMED AT ENHANCING SAFETY AND PREVENTING SIMILAR TRAGEDIES. NEXT SLIDE.

[02:45:05]

I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE CAN GO. SO THERE YOU CAN SEE IT. TAKE FLAME.

THIS IS ABOUT 45 SECONDS. YOU CAN SEE THE BLACK SMOKE ROLLING. THERE. YOU CAN SEE THE SMOKE ALREADY REACHING TO THE EXIT. RIGHT.

THE FIRE CLAIMED 100 LIVES AND INJURED OVER 200 OTHERS, MAKING IT ONE OF THE DEADLIEST NIGHTCLUB FIRES IN US HISTORY. AGAIN, THIS INCIDENT LED TO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS. SO THESE ARE CODES THAT ARE UNIQUE TO BEAUMONT. FOR EXAMPLE, OUR ZONING ORDINANCE. WHILE MANY SURROUNDING CITIES HAVE THEM, THEY VARY FROM COMMUNITY TO COMMUNITY. EARLIER THIS YEAR, PLANNING SECURED A GRANT FUND OR GRANT FUNDING FROM THE GLO FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE, WHICH WILL GUIDE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND ULTIMATELY IMPACT THE ZONING ORDINANCE OR OUR CURRENT ONE. WE HAVE A WE HAVE RFP OUT, AND THAT'S EXPECTED TO CLOSE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH. OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE IS A HEAVY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, AND IT NORMALLY TAKES ABOUT 18 MONTHS. ONCE WE PROCURE A VENDOR. AND IT'S TO THE PROCESS IS TO ENSURE ALL VOICES ARE HEARD, ALL OPINIONS ARE CONSIDERED, AND THAT THE CITY IMPLEMENTS A PLAN THAT THE CITIZENS DESIRE TO HAVE. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE OVERLAY DISTRICTS SUCH AS OUR OAKS HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHICH PERTAINS TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION. WE HAVE TWO SIGN OVERLAY DISTRICTS AND THAT COVERS THE MLK PARKWAY AREA.

DOWLEN GLADYS FOLSOM MAJOR AND HIGHWAY 105 AREA. BEAUMONT ALSO HAS LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL NEW DEVELOPMENTS. LANDSCAPING AND REQUIREMENTS ARE IMPORTANT TO ENHANCE THE ESTHETICS OF BEAUMONT AND COMMONLY PRACTICED AMONGST MUNICIPALITIES. BUT AGAIN, LANDSCAPING ORDINANCES ARE UNIQUE TO EACH CITY. SO IF THE CITY WERE TO LESSEN LANDSCAPING REQUIREMENTS, I JUST WANT TO PAINT A MENTAL PICTURE. YOU WILL SEE THE ESTHETICS OF DEVELOPMENT SIMILAR TO COLLEGE STREET WEST OF I-10 HEADED OUT TOWARDS MAJOR. OR IF YOU CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS CITYWIDE, THEN YOU WILL START TO SEE DEVELOPMENTS SIMILAR TO DOWLEN AND WALDEN CITYWIDE. THE NEW O'REILLY STORE ON COLLEGE STREET IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHY WE CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING REQUIREMENTS. IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T SEEN IT, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY CHECK IT OUT. LASTLY, OUR CITY IS BLESSED WITH THE RESOURCES TO ENSURE CODE COMPLIANCE THAT IS UNIQUE TO BEAUMONT. SO WHILE WE CAN ALWAYS USE MORE STAFF, BEAUMONT HAS INSPECTORS THAT CAN GO OUT INTO THE FIELD AND PERFORM INSPECTIONS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT TO ITS COMPLETION. AND THANK YOU TO THE SUPPORT OF OUR CITY MANAGER. AND ALSO COUNCIL BUILDING CODES IS GIVEN THE RESOURCES TO SEEK CONTINUOUS EDUCATION FOR OUR BUILDING CODES TEAM AND THEIR INSPECTORS AND ENSURE CODE COMPLIANCE CITYWIDE. SO THESE ARE OUR RESOURCES THAT ARE KEY FACTORS TO OUR OUTSTANDING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ISO RATINGS. MANY OF OUR SURROUNDING CITIES DO NOT HAVE THE SAID RESOURCES. MANY OF THEM HAVE ONE BUILDING OFFICIAL AND MAYBE ONE

[02:50:04]

SO WHILE I'VE HIGHLIGHTED CODE REQUIREMENTS AND DEVELOPMENTS, I ALWAYS WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO SHARE SOME DEVELOPMENT TIPS AS WELL. FIRST IS THAT WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE HERE TO SERVE Y'ALL. IF THERE'S EVER SOMETHING YOU FEEL SHOULD BE REPORTED, NEEDED, OR NEEDED, DISCUSS A PROJECT, AN IDEA, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL US. I PUT THE CONTACT UP IN THE CORNER. I WISH I BLEW IT UP A LITTLE BIT BIGGER. IT'LL BE ON THE VERY LAST SLIDE. SO MY STAFF IS HERE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 8 TO 5 P.M. WE DON'T CLOSE DOWN FOR LUNCH OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT STAFF IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE. I KNOW I HIGHLIGHTED THIS EARLIER, BUT I CAN'T STRESS IT ENOUGH. PLEASE CHECK YOUR ZONING DISTRICT PRIOR TO BUYING OR SIGNING A LEASE. IT'S ALWAYS HEARTBREAKING TO MY PLANNING STAFF WHEN THEY HAVE TO BREAK THE NEWS THAT THEIR PROPOSED USE IS NOT ALLOWED IN CERTAIN ZONING DISTRICTS. THIRD TIP IS THAT OUR ONLINE PERMIT PORTAL PROVIDES TRACKING OF YOUR PERMIT AND INSPECTIONS. IF YOU ARE LISTED ON THE PERMIT, YOU WILL SEE UPDATES IN REAL TIME. THE APPLICANT, GENERAL CONTRACTOR, OWNER AND OR TENANT SHOULD ALWAYS BE LISTED ON EVERY PERMIT. THIS PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY AMONGST THE PUBLIC AND ALSO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. FOURTH TIP AS DISCUSSED EARLIER, A CODE ANALYSIS PRODUCED BY YOUR DESIGN PROFESSIONAL WILL MAKE YOUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS SO MUCH SMOOTHER BY GIVING THE CONTRACTOR THE ANSWER KEY PRIOR TO THE DEVELOPMENT. AND LASTLY, THE CITY HAS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION AND WE HAVE INCENTIVES AVAILABLE FOR QUALIFYING PROJECTS. SO BEFORE YOU KICK OFF YOUR PROJECT, DEFINITELY GIVE CHRISTINA LOKEY A CALL TO DISCUSS. NEXT SLIDE. AND I WANTED TO WRAP THIS WORK SESSION UP WITH IDENTIFYING SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE WILL WORK TO IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, SUCH AS DEVELOPING GUIDING DOCUMENTS AND INCREASE OUR CODE, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS AT A STAFFING LEVEL. FOR EXAMPLE, I RECENTLY PRESENTED AT THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS CONNECTION MEETING TO DISCUSS ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND DEVELOPMENT TIPS. I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE THESE EFFORTS THROUGHOUT OUR DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND REALTOR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHERE EVERYTHING STARTS IS WITH OUR REALTORS. I MENTIONED ANNUAL CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION REGISTRATION LAST YEAR, AND I'D LIKE TO CIRCLE BACK TO IT. I'LL FIRST START WITH AN EXAMPLE OF WHY I'D EVEN CONSIDER THIS FOR BEAUMONT. I HAVE THE UNFORTUNATE PRIVILEGE TO FIELD PHONE CALLS FROM INDIVIDUALS, AND MANY TIMES IT'S FROM OUR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT A CONTRACTOR RAN OFF WITH THEIR MONEY AND NEVER, NEVER FINISHED THEIR REMODEL. I'D LOVE TO SEE OR I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT A CONTRACTOR HAS HAS THEIR BOND ON FILE WITH US, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT. AND UNFORTUNATELY SHE CHOSE A CONTRACTOR THAT WAS NOT LICENSED NOR BONDED WITH THE CITY AND NOR PULLED A PERMIT. SO I HAVE TO GIVE THE BAD NEWS THAT SHE MAY NOT GET HER MONEY BACK. AND THEN SHE ASKED ME IF SHE HAD, OR IF THERE'S A CONTRACTOR THAT I COULD RECOMMEND TO HER. AND UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T DO THAT EITHER BECAUSE THEN THAT WOULD BE SHOWING BIAS TO CONTRACTORS. SO FOR ALL, WATCHING A CONTRACTOR'S BOND GUARANTEES THAT A CONTRACTOR WILL COMPLETE A PROJECT ACCORDING TO CONTRACTUAL TERMS AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, PROVIDING FINANCIAL PROTECTION TO CLIENTS IF THE CONTRACTOR FAILS TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATIONS. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHOOSE BONDED CONTRACTORS. I'D LIKE TO EXPLORE THE IDEA OF IMPLEMENTING AN ANNUAL CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION TO ENSURE ANNUAL OUTREACH OF CODE EDUCATION WITH OUR GENERAL CONTRACTORS. ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD WORK WITH IT OUR IT STAFF TO CREATE A WEBSITE WHERE THE CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION WILL AUTOMATICALLY POPULATE TO THE WEBSITE DISPLAYING THE CONTRACTOR'S NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATION SO CITIZENS MAY NAVIGATE TO THAT WEBSITE TO SELECT A LICENSED AND BONDED CONTRACTOR OF THEIR CHOICE. AND THAT'S TO GIVE EASE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND BUILD CONFIDENCE IN KNOWING THAT THEY THEY ARE CHOOSING A BONDED CONTRACTOR WITH THE CITY. THIS IS TO SERVE AS A WIN WIN TO THE COMMUNITY, TO ENSURE QUALITY CONSTRUCTION, AND TO ALSO ELEVATE OUR REGISTERED CONTRACTORS WITHIN THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS REGION IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. WE ARE HIT HARD WITH HARD BY NATURAL DISASTERS. AND I WANT TO ENSURE THAT OUR CITIZENS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO SHADY CONTRACTORS. WE HAVE SO MANY VERY GOOD CONTRACTORS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS, AND I WANT TO PARTNER WITH THEM TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THEIR CREDIBILITY.

STAFF HAS PRESENTED THIS IDEA TO BOTH THE AGC AND THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, AND BOTH PARTIES RECEIVED THE IDEA OF A CONTRACTORS REGISTRATION POSITIVELY. LASTLY, AS I PREPARED THIS WORKSHOP FOR YOU ALL, IT WAS NOTICED THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY DO A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF OUR CHAPTER 24 BUILDING REGULATIONS TO IDENTIFY AMENDMENTS THAT

[02:55:03]

NEXT SLIDE. IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK

[COUNCIL COMMENTS]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. PUBLIC WORKS, CITY MANAGER BOONE. YES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THE COUNCIL AND YOU, MAYOR, AN UPDATE. JUST A WEEK AGO, THE CITY WAS RATED BY ONE OF THE BIG THREE RATING AGENCIES, STANDARD AND POOR'S. THEY RATED OUR WATER WORKS AND SEWER UTILITY SYSTEM. THESE BIG RATING AGENCIES DO THIS EVERY 2 OR 3 YEARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN A CITY ISSUES DEBT. AND JUST LAST WEEK, A WEEK AGO TODAY, THE CITY RECEIVED ITS RATING FROM STANDARD AND POOR'S. THAT RATING WAS THE RATING OF A WAS AFFIRMED, BUT THE OUTLOOK MOVED FROM NEGATIVE TO STABLE. SO THAT'S A PLUS. AND THAT'S A POSITIVE FOR THE CITY. SO THAT WILL HELP THE CITY IMPROVE ITS CREDIT RATINGS OR CREDIT WORTHINESS. AND IT WILL ALSO

[03:00:03]

THERE WERE SOME OF HER TEAM MEMBERS HERE EARLIER, BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK ON THE AUDIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020 FOR THE ENTIRE FINANCE DEPARTMENT IS A VERY HARD WORKING DEPARTMENT AND BEING SHORT STAFFED AS WELL. SO THANK YOU ALL IN FINANCE FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO THANK THE FINANCE TEAM, THE ACCOUNTING TEAM SPECIFICALLY WITHIN FINANCE, FOR THEIR HARD WORK ON THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT. THANK YOU SIR. MR. CITY MANAGER, I'D LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON THE AUDIT, FINDING. THAT WAS GREAT WORK AND UNMODIFIED CLEAN AUDIT WITH NO FINDINGS IS RARE FOR CITIES TO ACHIEVE. AND YOU ACHIEVED ALL OF THEM. SO THAT'S REALLY A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. THIS COUNCIL IS A CITY AND BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT IN JUNE.

MENTIONED THIS RATING WITH PERMANENT NEGATIVE TO STABLE. WE ASKED FOR THAT RATING FROM STANDARD AND POOR'S. WE WENT TO STANDARD AND POOR'S AND PETITIONED TO THEM TO LOOK AT OUR RATING FOR UTILITIES. AND WE DID THAT AND WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL RATING CALLS AS A TEAM.

WE DID DO AS A TEAM. AND THEY CAME BACK WITH THAT WITH THAT IMPROVED RATING. SO THAT'S A GOOD DEAL TOO. SO WE'RE STEADILY WORKING TO MAKE THIS AS FISCALLY FEASIBLE, RESPONSIBLE CITY CONSTANTLY IN WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. THAT'S OUR GOAL. IT'S BEEN A GOAL SINCE I'VE GOTTEN HERE, AND EVERY YEAR IT'S BEEN IN OUR BUDGETARY GOALS. IT'S BEEN A GOAL. ALSO, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MENTION OUR THIS WEEK WE HAVE A WORKSHOP. WE HAVE THIS IS THE KICKOFF OF OUR BUDGET SEASON.

AND THIS INCLUDES CITY COUNCIL. YOU START YOUR YOUR ROLE IN THE BUDGET. STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING.

DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN WORKING PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER. BUT WE START THAT OUT THURSDAY WITH A CIP DISCUSSION WHERE WE GO OVER EVERY PROPOSED PROJECT THAT THE CITY WILL HAVE, WHETHER IT'S WATER, SEWER, PARKS, STREETS, DRAINAGE, ETC. TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS. AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT. AND THEN AT SOME POINT YOU'LL COME UP WITH THE FINAL PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THAT YOU WILL APPROVE TO SAY, THIS IS THE THESE ARE THE PROJECTS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THE CITY IS GOING TO FOCUS ON. IT'S A CHANGE IN. IT'S A CHANGEABLE THING.

IT'S A MOVING TARGET. SO THINGS CHANGE ON IT. BUT YOU'LL START WORKING ON THAT. ALSO IN THAT MEETING, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO COME WITH YOUR WITH YOUR THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE AS FAR AS YOUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE BUDGET YEAR. WE NEED THAT. WE NEED THAT IN HELPING TO PREPARE THIS BUDGET. THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU, THE THINGS YOU WANT TO SEE IN THIS BUDGET. SO COME WITH A LIST OF GOALS. I DON'T HAVE TO TELL AJ THAT HE'LL HAVE TWO PAGES WHEN HE SHOWS UP, BUT THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU WITH YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THE BUDGET GOING FORWARD. AND THAT'LL BE A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION WHERE WE'LL HAVE A BIT OF A ROUND TABLE AND IF SOMEONE CAN'T BE HERE, YOU CAN GET IT TO ME, GIVE ME THOSE THINGS AND WE CAN HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS. WE'LL CONTINUE TO CONTACT YOU. MY OFFICE WILL TO SET UP MEETINGS WITH DIFFERENT DIRECTORS TO WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ONE ON ONE, FACE TO FACE MEETING WITH DIRECTORS AND BE ABLE TO ASK THOSE ANY QUESTIONS YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE, AND HAVE ANY DISCUSSIONS YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE WITH THEM. WE WOULD SET THOSE MEETINGS UP. IT GIVES YOU THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET MORE INFORMATION AND GET INFORMATION

[03:05:04]

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]