Jun 03, 2025 City Council

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:07]

GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. WELCOME TO TODAY'S MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL. TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, JUNE 3RD, 2025. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN TO US BY REVEREND JASON CARR OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONE. AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON, SO THANKFUL FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS AND YOUR GOODNESS, O LORD, THIS DAY.

THANKFUL THAT YOUR WORD SAYS GOD. IF ANYONE LACKS WISDOM, LET HIM ASK AND YOU WOULD GIVE LIBERALLY. GOD, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR WISDOM FOR THIS MAYOR, FOR THIS COUNCIL, LORD, FOR THE CITIZENS HERE OF BEAUMONT. LORD, YOU KNOW THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW THE PLANS. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE WISDOM, DIRECTION AND GUIDANCE. GOD, THAT YOUR KINGDOM COME AND YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.

FOR WHICH. UNDER GOD. MAY I HAVE. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER, COUNCIL MEMBER PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. HILLIARD. COUNCIL MEMBER.

WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHERWOOD AND COUNCIL MEMBER. CRENSHAW. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

[PROCLAMATIONS]

HAVE TO SAY, SOME PEOPLE USUALLY TAKE A PICTURE FIRST. OKAY. I WILL MOVE IN FURTHER. COREY GRIFFIN YEAH. OKAY. RIGHT HERE. AND ONE, TWO, 3123. GOT IT. HI, YOU GUYS, ON BEHALF OF LULA FOUNDATION AND DSPS, WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS MONTH AS FAMILY REUNIFICATION MONTH. WE BELIEVE IN OUR CITY, AND WE BELIEVE THAT FAMILIES BELONG TOGETHER. AND WE'RE STRONGER WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING JUNE AS FAMILY REUNIFICATION MONTH, AS ALICIA SAID. AND MY NAME IS ALICIA. ALICIA JENKERSON WITH DSPS. THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO COME TODAY. WE WORK TOGETHER. WE WANT OUR FAMILIES TO BE STRENGTHENED AND BE TOGETHER BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY IS WHOLE WHEN OUR FAMILIES ARE WHOLE. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. HI, I'M STACIA MORRIS. I AM A MENTAL HEALTH PEER SUPPORT AND RECOVERY COACH WITH THE LILA FOUNDATION. AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS AS FAMILY REUNIFICATION MONTH. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS PARTICIPATED IN SUCH SERVICES AND WHO HAS LOST THEIR KIDS AND REGAINED THEM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY DEAR TO MY HEART AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL.

THANK YOU ALL. NEXT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE 12TH, 2025 AS THE NATIONAL PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY. ACCEPTING WILL BE MR. VINCENT JASPER QUINLAN. I GOT IT WRONG.

I'M SORRY. AND PRESIDENT OF THE FILIPINO ASSOCIATION AND ALSO VICE PRESIDENT ABBY BEHA OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S PRESENT. PLEASE COME FORWARD.

[00:05:20]

OKAY. RIGHT HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. GOT IT. THANKS. MAYOR. HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND FELLOW MEMBERS OF OUR BELOVED BEAUMONT COMMUNITY. GOOD AFTERNOON. TODAY IS MORE THAN JUST A CEREMONIAL MOMENT FOR US IN THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY. THIS IS HISTORY IN THE MAKING. ON BEHALF OF THE PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, AND THE THOUSANDS OF FILIPINO AMERICANS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS. I STAND BEFORE YOU FILLED WITH PRIDE, HUMILITY, AND DEEP GRATITUDE BY RECOGNIZING JUNE 12TH AS PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS NOT ONLY HONORING OUR HERITAGE, BUT ALSO EMBRACING THE VALUES OF FREEDOM, UNITY, AND RESILIENCE THAT WE SHARE AS AMERICANS AND FILIPINOS. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS THAT SUCH A PROCLAMATION HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED, AND ONLY THE THIRD IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THAT IS NO SMALL MILESTONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS A POWERFUL SYMBOL. WE ARE SEEN. WE ARE VALUED, AND WE BELONG. LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO SHARE WHY JUNE 12TH IS SO MEANINGFUL TO FILIPINOS AROUND THE WORLD. ON JUNE 12TH, 1898, IN THE TOWN OF KAWIT, CAVITE, GENERAL EMILIO AGUINALDO DECLARED THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE PHILIPPINES AFTER MORE THAN 300 YEARS OF SPANISH COLONIAL RULE. THAT DAY, THE PHILIPPINE FLAG WAS RAISED AND OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM WAS PLAYED FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT MARKED THE BIRTH OF FILIPINO NATION AND A PEOPLE DETERMINED TO SHAPE THEIR OWN DESTINY. AND WHILE OUR PATH TO TRUE SOVEREIGNTY WAS LONG AND COMPLICATED, SURVIVING FOREIGN OCCUPATIONS, WARS AND DICTATORSHIPS, FILIPINOS HAVE ALWAYS HELD FAST TO THE SPIRIT OF KALAYAAN, OR FREEDOM. IT IS A WORD THAT DOESN'T JUST MEAN POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE. IT MEANS DIGNITY, IDENTITY, AND THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD. THIS IS WHY TODAY'S RECOGNITIONS MAY MEAN SO MUCH TO US. FOR EVERY FILIPINO WHO LEFT HOME TO START NEW LIFE IN THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS, FOR THE NURSES, THE TEACHERS, THE ENGINEERS, THE STUDENTS, THE DREAMERS. THIS PROCLAMATION IS MORE THAN A CIVIC GESTURE. IT IS A BRIDGE BETWEEN OUR PAST AND OUR FUTURE. IT IS A MESSAGE TO OUR CHILDREN THAT THEIR CULTURE MATTERS, AND THAT THEIR STORY IS PART OF THE LARGER AMERICAN STORY. I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK MAYOR ROY WEST AND THE CITY COUNCIL FOR EMBRACING DIVERSITY, AND FOR STANDING WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND CELEBRATING THIS IMPORTANT DAY. WE ARE HONORED AND WE ARE INSPIRED. TO MY FELLOW KABABAYAN, LET THE LET THIS BE A REMINDER THAT EVEN FAR FROM HOME, WE CAN CARRY OUR FLAG WITH PRIDE. WE CAN SHARE OUR FOOD, OUR DANCES, OUR VALUES, AND OUR VOICES. WE CAN BUILD COMMUNITY NOT JUST WITHIN OUR CIRCLES, BUT BY CONTRIBUTING TO THE VERY FABRIC OF THIS GREAT CITY WE NOW CALL HOME. LET THIS PROCLAMATION BE A BEGINNING, NOT JUST A CELEBRATION OF WHAT WAS, BUT A CALL TO CONTINUE BUILDING WHAT CAN BE. MAY THIS INSPIRE US TO EDUCATE, TO CONNECT AND TO UPLIFT ONE ANOTHER. AS FILIPINOS, AS SOUTHEAST TEXANS, AND AS A PROUD CITIZEN OF A SHARED WORLD? MABUHAY NG PILIPINAS! MABUHAY ANG BOWMAN AT MABUHAY ANG PAG KAIBIGAN NATIN.

LONG LIVE THE PHILIPPINES! LONG LIVE BEAUMONT AND LONG LIVE OUR FRIENDSHIP! THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE 7TH, 2025 AS WORLD FOOD SAFETY

[00:10:03]

OKAY.

OKAY. YEAH, THIS SIDE'S BETTER. RIGHT HERE ON THIS SIDE. THAT'S BETTER. OKAY. AND ONE. TWO, THREE. LET ME DO ONE. THIS WAY. GOT IT.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION OF WORLD FOOD SAFETY DAY. AND THIS REALLY IS THE FIRST TIME THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED THIS PROCLAMATION. BUT WORLD FOOD SAFETY DAY IS OBSERVED GLOBALLY EVERY JUNE 7TH, AND IT'S TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SAFETY AND THE CRITICAL ROLE IT PLAYS IN PREVENTING FOOD BORNE ILLNESSES, WHICH AFFECTS ROUGHLY ABOUT 600 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, CAUSES 420,000 DEATHS FROM FOOD BORNE ILLNESSES. BUT WHEN WE BRING IT CLOSER TO HOME TO THE UNITED STATES, WE LOOK IN AT ROUGHLY ABOUT 48 MILLION PEOPLE GET SICK FROM FOOD BORNE ILLNESSES, 128,000 END UP IN THE HOSPITAL, AND 3000 PEOPLE DIE EVERY YEAR. SO THIS PROCLAMATION REALLY SERVES AS AN EYE OPENER TO THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT THIS CREW DOES. AND A FEW OF THEM ARE MISSING IS THAT THEY WORK TIRELESSLY. WE HAVE WE ISSUE IN EXCESS OF 1000 PERMITS PER YEAR IN THIS CITY, AND EACH PERMIT, ON AN AVERAGE, TAKES AROUND TWO INSPECTIONS PER YEAR. THAT'S AVERAGE. AND SO THEY PLAY A VERY, VERY CRITICAL ROLE IN ENSURING THAT WHAT WE CONSUME IS SAFE TO CONSUME. THEY WORK TIRELESSLY TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE FOOD. SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM PUBLICLY, AS I DO ALWAYS OF THEIR HARD WORK, THEIR DEDICATION TO ENSURING THAT WHEN WE GO OUT TO EAT, AS WE ALL DO, AND WHEN WE GO TO THE GROCERY STORES AS WE BUY OUR FOOD. THIS IS THE CREW THAT ENSURES THAT WHAT YOU'RE PURCHASING IS SAFE TO EAT. SO AGAIN, THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL FOR THIS RECOGNITION. NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JUNE 14TH AS THE OFFICIAL CELEBRATION OF THE JUNETEENTH HOLIDAY HERE IN BEAUMONT. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION RETURNS TO MAIN STREET IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT, OFFERING LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, CULTURAL PERFORMANCES, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS WE HONOR THE HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF JUNETEENTH. THIS YEAR'S ENTERTAINMENT LINEUP IS LED BY THE LEGENDARY R&B FUNK GROUP MIDNIGHT STAR, FAMOUS FOR THE TIMELESS HITS LIKE MIDAS TOUCH AND NO PARKING ON THE DANCE FLOOR. THE EVENT WILL BE HOSTED BY ERIC T WITH MAGIC 102.5 AND DJ CHOPPA SPINNING DYNAMIC BEATS TO KEEP THE ENERGY HIGH AND SPECIAL GUESTS WITH THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS LINE STEPPERS, THE BUBBLE BLITZER FOAM PARTY IS MAKING A COMEBACK TO THIS YEAR'S CELEBRATION, ESPECIALLY TAILORED FOR THE KIDS. IN ADDITION TO THE FOAM PARTY, THERE WILL BE FREE YOUTH ACTIVITIES ALONG WITH FACE PAINTING IN THE MAIN LIBRARY PARKING LOT, WITH LOTS OF OTHER ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY. A VARIETY OF FOOD TRUCKS WILL BE AT MAIN STREET. GUESTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING CHAIRS AND PICNIC BLANKETS TO RELAX. BETWEEN THE JULIE ROGERS THEATER AND THE MAIN LIBRARY. IN ADDITION TO LOUNGING IN THE SHADE, A COOLING TENT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PATRONS TO ESCAPE THE HEAT. ADMISSION IS FREE AND IT'S OPEN TO THE

[00:15:01]

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TIMES OF THE YEAR. WHEN WE COME UP AND WE GET TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR EMPLOYEES, IN PARTICULAR OUR LONG TERM EMPLOYEES, BEAUMONT IS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE THIS TENURED. ALL CITIES ARE NOT ABLE TO KEEP PEOPLE THIS LONG. SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE. YOU KNOW, THEY ARE THE GLUE THAT MAKES THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION TOGETHER AND WE APPRECIATE THEM. SO WE GO TO ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW OF THEM TODAY ALONG WITH THE MAYOR. AND JACKIE IS GOING TO HELP US DO THAT. READY? OKAY. FIRST, WITH 25 YEARS OF SERVICE, MISS MARILYN ROACH OF LANDFILL OPERATIONS. LANDFILL TECH.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS COREY PINKNEY, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS POLICE OFFICER, 25 YEARS.

NOLAN KELLY, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HELP DESK ANALYST 225 YEARS.

THANKS ONCE AGAIN. LANCE TYNER, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS POLICE LIEUTENANT 30 YEARS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. JESUS. TOBIO. POLICE ADMINISTRATION.

POLICE SERGEANT. 30 YEARS.

AND CERTAINLY. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, RODNEY HUDGINS, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT MANAGER 30 YEARS.

THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU. A RECEPTION IS NOW BEING HELD ON THE FIRST FLOOR AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM FOR THE SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THAT ARE HERE FOR THE PROCLAMATIONS AND SERVICE AWARD PRESENTATIONS. AND YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE. NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SO. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.

[PRESENTATIONS]

[00:20:08]

I'M THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND HR, AND I'M CARLA GILBERT, OPERATIONS MANAGER. SO THE PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, EVERYBODY. I DON'T KNOW IF I SAY THAT, BUT ANYWAY, SO WE HAVE A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, I WANT TO SAY FOR THE LAST 4 TO 6 MONTHS, AND HOPEFULLY YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO HEAR REAL QUICK FROM THE LAMAR ADMINISTRATOR THAT ARE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROGRAM. SO THIS PROGRAM CAME AS A RESULT OF INQUIRIES, QUESTIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS COMING FROM EITHER STUDENTS, GENERAL COMMUNITY AND SOME OF OUR DRIVERS TO PROVIDE WITH AN ADDITIONAL FARE STRUCTURE THAT WILL PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF THOSE THAT NEED TO ATTEND SCHOOL. THEY'RE TRYING TO ATTEND SCHOOL, BUT THEY HAVE LIMITED MOBILITY WITHIN THEIR HOUSES. SO MEANING THERE'S ONLY ONE CAR OR JUST TWO PARENTS NEEDS TO GO TO WORK. SO BASICALLY BECOMES A CHALLENGE JUST TO BE REACHING THEIR DESTINATION. IN THIS CASE, HIGH EDUCATION SCHOOL. WHETHER THE COLLEGE, THE UNIVERSITY AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF TRADE SCHOOLS. SO ANYBODY ATTENDING TO THOSE PROGRAMS WILL BE BENEFITING, BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS PROGRAM. SO BASICALLY WHAT WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS AND WE SAY WE SAFELY CONNECT THE COMMUNITY WITH, YOU KNOW, THEIR DESTINATION, AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE. JUST GET TO PRETTY MUCH THE BONES OF IT. SO BASICALLY HOPEFULLY ONCE WE DO APPROVAL, THIS STUDENT PASS WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO PAY ONE TIME FOR THE WHOLE SEMESTER. EACH SESSION OR EACH SUMMER SESSION. THE REGULAR, WHETHER SPRING OR FALL, IS 115 DAYS. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THOSE RECEIVING THIS PASS OR BUYING THIS PASS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RIDE THE BUS UNLIMITED TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, AS

[00:25:02]

SOMETHING THAT WE WORK AFTER MEETING WITH SOME OF THE STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION FROM LAMAR, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO CONNECT STUDENTS NOT JUST TO THE UNIVERSITY BUT OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY, AND WE IDENTIFIED THE POINTS OF INTEREST. AGAIN, THIS THIS INFORMATION IS COMING BACK FROM THE COUNSELORS, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK, YOU KNOW, ON A DAILY BASIS WITH STUDENTS. THEY WANT TO CONNECT, YOU KNOW, WITH WITH SHOPPING OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, GROCERIES, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT NEED. ALSO, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES. THEY PROVIDE MEDICAL SERVICES AT THE UNIVERSITY. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY NEED TO FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC. ALSO, SOME LEISURE THINGS, YOU KNOW, TINSELTOWN MAIN EVENT, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. THERE ARE SOME VERY SPECIFIC STORES, GROCERY STORES THAT ARE TRYING TO REACH.

AND RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY HAVE LIMITED VEHICLES AT THE UNIVERSITY. AGAIN, THIS IS GOING TO MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO REACH OUT TO THOSE SPECIFIC GROCERY STORES. AND IT SO HAPPENED THAT OUR BUSSES GO PRETTY MUCH BY A COUPLE OF THEM. SO AGAIN, IF THEY NEED TO GO OUT AND BUY CERTAIN GROCERIES, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO SO THROUGHOUT THE DAY OR ON SATURDAYS WHEN SCHOOL IS NOT IN SESSION. THE LAST ROUTE AGAIN, CONNECTING TO PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING OF DOWLING STREET, YOU KNOW, HARDWARE STORE SHOPPING AGAIN, MEDICAL SERVICES. SO IF YOU CAN SEE THERE'S GOING TO HAVE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT TO ALL THOSE DESTINATIONS, WHETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GO OUT AND, YOU KNOW, BE A LITTLE BIT OF DOING PURCHASES, BUT ALSO TO GO BACK AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, SEEK THAT EXTRA INCOME, WHETHER A PART TIME JOB, A FULL TIME JOB, WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE.

ELIGIBILITY IS VERY SIMPLE. YOU JUST HAVE TO SHOW PROOF OF ENROLLMENT. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, THE REGISTRATION. ANY ACCREDITED COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OR TRADE SCHOOL STUDENT WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS ONCE AND HOPEFULLY WITH YOUR APPROVAL, WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH EACH INSTITUTION TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT PROOF OF REGISTRATION IS GOING TO BE, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ISSUE THEM ONLY FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE STUDENTS. WE HAVE A FEW ISSUES, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE DO NOT EXPECT ANY PROBLEM. BUT YOU KNOW, TO BE ELIGIBLE, YOU NEED TO HAVE A CLEAN RECORD WITH THE TRANSIT SYSTEM. APPLICATION. ONE PAGE NAME, BASIC INFORMATION. THE BOTTOM PART IS WHERE THE

[00:30:08]

THAT'S WHAT I HAVE. YES. COUNCILMAN TURNER, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING PROACTIVE AND DOING SOMETHING FOR OUR STUDENTS. THIS MIGHT ENHANCE THEM TO ACTUALLY RESIDE IN OUR CITY AFTER COLLEGE. AND I NOTICED ON THERE YOU ALSO HAD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT IT IS A CERTAIN AGE LIMIT. YOU HAVE TO BE OR HAVE TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY ADULT. THE RECOMMENDATION IS GOING TO BE 17 AND UP JUST TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW EVERYBODY SAFE SCHOOL TRANSPORTATION. TYPICALLY THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE ASSISTANTS ON THE BUSSES OR BUSSES AS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. SO REALLY WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY MONITORING THE ANYBODY UNDER AGE. SO THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO LIMIT IT AT 17 YEARS OR OLDER. AND JUST MY SECOND QUESTION, JUST FOLLOWING UP WITH THE CITY MANAGER, I DON'T KNOW HOW OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS FEEL, BUT WE ONCE DID SOMETHING IN THE PAST FOR OUR VETERANS. IF I CAN SEE A PRO, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THIS FOR OUR VETERANS TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THEIR APPOINTMENTS AND OTHER PLACES THEY MIGHT NEED TO GET TO. IF THAT IS POSSIBLE, I WOULD REALLY BE. YEAH, I THINK ONE WAY TO DO IT. YEAH. WE HAVE A PROGRAM IN CLAUDIA. I CAN TALK ABOUT IT REALLY QUICKLY AND EXPLAIN HOW IT GOES. SO. YES, SIR. SO WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM A FEW MONTHS BACK AND IT'S UP AND RUNNING. VETERANS IS ALSO ONE PAGE. AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE RIGHT HERE AT THE COUNTY. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ALSO ONE PAGE. EVERYTHING WE DO WE TRY TO MAKE IT QUICK. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SIT, YOU KNOW, AND THROUGH 200 LAYERS OF SCREENING. SO BASICALLY THEY THEY ARE GOING TO BE APPROVING THE APPLICATION. LIKE I SAY ONE PAGE, THEY COME TO OUR OFFICE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, A BLOCK AWAY, WE ISSUE THEM WITH AN ID AND THIS IS NO CHARGE. ANY VETERAN, ANY ACTIVE SERVICE MEMBER, THEY GET FREE TRANSPORTATION. YEAH. I REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S ACTIVE AND GOOD AND GOING. SO I HIGHLY APPRECIATE THAT. IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING WE CAN SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA I WOULD LOVE TO ASSIST WITH THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO I KNOW CLAUDIA HAD TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT IN HER PRESENTATION. PASS OR BUS FARES ARE TYPICALLY A FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBLE, SO WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH, YOU KNOW, LAMAR OR LIT OR ANY HIGHER EDUCATION, THEIR FINANCIAL AID OFFICE, TO SEE IF THEY QUALIFY AS WELL. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YEAH.

[00:35:02]

AND WE ALSO TEND TO THE STAND OUT EVENTS AND OFFER INFORMATION AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO PUT IT OUT THERE AS MUCH AS WE CAN. AND I WANT TO APPLAUD THE WORK. I KNOW DOCTOR TAYLOR HAD ASKED ABOUT THIS AND Y'ALL WORKED WITH LAMAR UNIVERSITY. THERE'S A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT NEED THE TRANSPORTATION. AND THIS ALLOWS TO CAPTURE SOME OF THAT SALES TAX HERE IN BEAUMONT AS WELL FOR SURE. SO IT'S BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES THEM WITH THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. ALL RIGHT.

COUNCILMAN. YES. YOU MENTIONED IS THIS AVAILABLE TO BISD STUDENTS. THIS WILL BE AVAILABLE. ANYBODY HIGHER EDUCATION. IT CAN BE EXTENDED TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. AND LIKE I SAID, MY RECOMMENDATION WILL BE TO HAVE IT 17 YEARS AND OLDER. OKAY. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. YOU DO HAVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ATTEND TAKE CLASSES AT LAMAR. SO THOSE STUDENTS WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION. SO MOST OF THE STUDENTS ARE JUNIORS AND SENIORS. SO IF THEY'RE 17 YEARS OR OLDER, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING TODAY, CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO OR CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.071 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. CALEB, CENTER, AND 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. AT THIS

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]

YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR OR ANY OTHER TOPIC. ITEM FIVE IS ALREADY BEEN HEARD IN PUBLIC HEARING. THEREFORE, CITIZENS CANNOT SPEAK ON THAT ITEM. CITIZENS TO WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM 6 OR 7 WILL BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. 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, CITY AND STATE.

YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR COMMENTS. THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. PLEASE BE REMINDED THAT MYSELF AND NOR COUNCIL CAN RESPOND WHENEVER YOU'RE MAKING COMMENTS, BUT SOMEONE FROM OUR OFFICE WILL CONTACT YOU. CHARLIE CRABBE, 928 EAST DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. DID I GET PROMOTED TO FIRST MISS BROUSSARD? ANYWAY? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND ALL STAFF. MR. WILLIAMS, IT IS ANOTHER NICE DAY IN BEAUMONT. OUR TOWN. WE STILL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE SHOOTINGS OF. I GUESS IT'S GANG MEMBERS THAT ARE SHOOTING ONE ANOTHER, BUT IT'S GIVING OUR TOWN A BAD NAME. WE'VE GOT TO. DELVE INTO THAT A LOT, LOT MORE. BUT ALSO, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT CITIZEN.

ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY TERRELL PARK. I WAS DRIVEN THROUGH THE PARK LAST SATURDAY AND WE WENT AROUND THE PARK AND THERE'S ACTUALLY THERE'S ONLY TWO COVERED PICNIC AREAS OUT THERE.

[00:40:06]

AND WE NEED MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ACTIVITIES OUT THERE THAT THAT PLAYSTATION OVER BY THE WILDLIFE CENTER. I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL IT ANYWAY. IT'S NICE. IT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE MOVED OVER NEAR THE MOURN TO THE CENTRAL CENTER OF THE PARK. ANYWAY. THERE'S JUST A LOT TO BE DONE IN THE PARKS, AND I EVEN WENT BY PERLMAN PARK IN THE WEST END. IT IT'S OFF OF MCLEAN STREET AND IT'S PRETTY NICE. THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF ACTIVITY THERE, BUT IT COULD USE SOME MORE YOUTH YOUTH ACTIVITY AREAS, I DON'T KNOW, TETHERBALL. BACK IN MY DAY, THAT WAS A POPULAR THING IN THE PARK TO KNOCK A TETHER BALL AROUND A POLE AND STUFF LIKE THAT. WOULD SMALL GAMES WOULD BE HELPFUL.

ALL RIGHT. OH, RIVERSIDE PARK BOY, THAT'S LOOKING GREAT. THAT'S GOING TO BE NICE TO GO DOWN THE RIVER AND BE ABLE TO SIT AND ENJOY THAT. THAT VIEW. I ENJOYED THE PRESENTATION OF THE ZIP. BUS SYSTEM THAT'S GOING TO. GIVE LAMAR A LOT OF ACTIVITY, I MEAN, RIDES AND WHAT HAVE YOU NOW VETERANS. I KNOW THEY GAVE VETERANS A FREE RIDE, BUT THEY MADE THEM SIGN UP. THANK YOU, MR. CRABB. YES, SIR. MY GETS MY GETS 7950 PHELAN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MR. GETS YOU CHECK DISCUSSION ITEM ON YOUR GREEN SLIP. ARE YOU WANTING TO MAKE JUST PUBLIC COMMENTS OR. YES SIR. MAYOR CITY COUNCIL MIKE GETS 7950. PHELAN I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED TO READ THE HEADLINES AT THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE ON JUNE 1ST AND IT SAID RESIDENTS BACK MASTER PARK PLAN. ONLY 583 OUT OF APPROXIMATELY 115,000 RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT RESPONDED TO THE FOUR MONTH LONG SURVEY, WHICH IS ONE HALF OF 1%. I THINK IT'S A LITTLE RIDICULOUS TO TRY AND DRAW ANY DEFINITIVE CONCLUSIONS FROM SUCH A SMALL SAMPLING, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THOSE CITIZENS THAT TOOK THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE. HOWEVER, I AM WONDERING IF ALL THE CITIZENS THAT ATTEMPTED TO RESPOND TO THE SURVEY HAD THEIR INPUT RECORDED. I ASKED BECAUSE I RESPONDED WITH SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, BUT I SAW NO MENTION OF IT IN THE MASTER PARK PLAN. BEFORE I TELL YOU WHAT MY PROPOSAL IS, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION AND I KNOW YOU CAN'T RESPOND AND DISCUSS ANYTHING NOT LISTED AS AN AGENDA ITEM, BUT LET ME ASK YOU TO RAISE YOUR HAND IF ANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF RACKET THIS IS. ANYBODY OKAY, GOOD. THIS RACKET IS USED TO PLAY RACQUETBALL. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS NO PUBLIC FACILITY TO PLAY RACQUETBALL IN. BEAUMONT GROVES HAS ONE, NEDERLAND HAS ONE, BUT BEAUMONT HAS NO PUBLIC RACQUETBALL COURTS. WHY IS THAT? WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING HEALTHY AND WE WANT TO BE EFFICIENT WITH OUR TIME. ONE OUR RACQUETBALL BURNS BETWEEN 600 AND 800 CALORIES, ONE HOUR OF SINGLES, TENNIS BURNS BETWEEN 575 AND 775 CALORIES. ONE HOUR OF PICKLEBALL BURNS BETWEEN 400 AND 600 CALORIES. ONE HOUR OF GOLF WITH A CART BURNS BETWEEN 150 AND 300 CALORIES. CLEARLY, RACQUETBALL IS AN INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT EXERCISE AND IT IS A LOT OF FUN. THERE'S JUST NO PLACE TO PLAY, BUT THERE COULD BE. RACQUETBALL COURTS COULD BE CONSTRUCTED ON LAND THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT ALREADY OWNS AT THE BEAUMONT MUNICIPAL ATHLETIC COMPLEX, PEOPLE COULD ENTER THROUGH THE ALREADY EXISTING PRO SHOP, WHICH ALSO HAS BATHROOMS THAT PEOPLE COULD USE. PEOPLE COULD PAY WHATEVER FEE IS DETERMINED TO BE APPROPRIATE TO THE SAME CITY EMPLOYEE THAT COLLECTS FEES TO PLAY ON THE TENNIS COURTS. THIS IS REALLY A NO BRAINER. HOW CAN WE, THE LARGEST CITY IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE, NOT PROVIDE OUR CITIZENS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SPORT? CAN

[00:45:04]

JUST PLEASE MAKE IT CLEAR TO ME. AND MY LIFE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY AS I FOLLOWED THAT VOICE THAT I WAS ABLE TO HEAR MORE CLEARLY. IN JANUARY 2001, I AWOKE WITH AN AMAZING REVELATION. AND HERE IT IS IN THE CATEGORY. AND MANY, MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. AND HERE, IN THE CATEGORY WIDELY KNOWN AS SCHEDULE ONE OF THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ACT IS A LIST OF MANY HARMFUL AND HIGHLY ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES, BUT ALSO SECRETLY AND DECEPTIVELY HIDDEN WITHIN THIS CATEGORY ARE WHAT CAN CLEARLY BE CALLED ONE OF THE MOST SEVERAL OF THE MOST REVERED, SAFE AND PROFOUNDLY HEALING MEDICINES ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. WITHOUT CLEARLY, NONE OF THESE ITEMS LEGALLY BELONG IN THIS CATEGORY. THEY WERE PUT THERE TO THE USE OF PROPAGANDA, FEAR, AND DECEPTION. NOW I'M ATTEMPTING TO MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT I ANNOUNCED AT CITY COUNCIL 24 YEARS AGO IN A MEETING. AND THAT IS THIS AS OF RIGHT NOW IS AMAZING AS IT RIGHT NOW, AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, WITHOUT THE CHANGE OF ANY LAW, I DECLARE I HAVE THE LEGAL ACCESS TO ALL OF THESE SACRED, PROFOUNDLY HEALING AGENTS THAT ARE ILLEGALLY AND FRAUDULENTLY LISTED IN SCHEDULE ONE OF THE SATANIC LAW, COMMONLY KNOWN AS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ACT OF 1970. AS ATTORNEY GILBERT ADAMS TOLD ME YEARS AGO THAT WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO KNOW THE LAW, WHICH INCLUDES ALL JUDGES, LAWYERS, LAWMAKERS AND LAW ENFORCERS, ENFORCERS, AS WELL AS ALL CITIZENS. IT ASKS IN THE BIBLE, WHO'S GREATER, THE SERVANT OF THE MASTER? THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS OUR SERVANT, NOT OUR MASTER, AND THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE HARMFUL FRAUD AND DECEPTION THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO PROPAGATE ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SO LET US BE GUIDED BY A LAW WRITTEN BY. LET US NOT BE GUIDED BY LAW, WRITTEN BY THE HEART OF SATAN, AND LET US BE GUIDED BY TRUTH, LOVE, AND COMPASSION FOR OTHERS. AND TOGETHER, LET'S LET THE LIGHT OF GOD SHINE ON ALL OF US IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. ROSE FRAZIER, 1635 AVENUE G, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M ROSE FRAZIER. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M ROSE FRAZIER, AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF. THE. WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY ON BEHALF OF PLAYING IN THE STORES AND THINGS OF THE MACHINES. AND IT'S JUST THING THAT I CAN'T GET TO THE BOAT BECAUSE I HAVE NO WAY OF GETTING THERE. I LOVE TO PULL ON THE MACHINES, AND I GO SIT IN THE STORE AND I PLAY MY LITTLE 5 OR $10, WHATEVER I'M GOING TO PLAY, AND I GO BACK HOME. THAT IS MY RECREATION. AND I DON'T THINK ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THAT. BUT Y'ALL, I MEAN, Y'ALL WANT TO CLOSE IT DOWN AND ALL OF THIS HERE, AND WHAT OLD PEOPLE

[00:50:12]

SO THIS IS THE ESTABLISHMENT THAT I FREQUENT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT WHERE I'M ABLE TO CONTINUE TO GO THERE, YOU KNOW, AND UNWIND AND LET MYSELF. I WHEN I WAS EVENT. IF YOU SAY IF YOU WANT TO PUT IT THAT WAY. BUT I THANK YOU FOR THE COMMITTEE FOR YOUR TIME AND HOPEFULLY Y'ALL VOTE IN OUR FAVOR. THANK YOU SIR. THANK YOU. DANIEL CAMPISI, 2095 DOWLEN ROAD BY MY TEXAS. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. TO START, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL THE NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SAY THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE FRESH, PROGRESSIVE LEADERSHIP YOU'LL BRING TO OUR CITY IN THE YEARS AHEAD. AS WE LOOK, LOOK TOWARD PROGRESS AND POSITIVE CHANGE, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AN ISSUE I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR SOME TIME NOW. TODAY MARKS THE FIFTH TIME I'VE COME HERE TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT SERIOUS ISSUES AFFECTING OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES, ISSUES THAT CREATE CHALLENGES, NO ISSUES THAT CHALLENGE THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE FAMILY UNIT.

THE ISSUE IS INTERFERENCE WITH CHILD CUSTODY. SINCE JANUARY 2021, POLICE HAVE RESPONDED TO MORE THAN 1377 REPORTS OF CHILD CUSTODY INTERFERENCE. BUT EVEN WHEN OFFICERS DO THEIR JOB, THE CHOICE TO PRESS CHARGES ISN'T THEIRS. IT LIES WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. SO FAR, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY HASN'T TAKEN ACTION ON ANY OF THESE CASES. BECAUSE OF THIS LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY, THOSE WHO INTERFERE WITH CHILD CUSTODY FEEL EMBOLDENED TO BREAK THE LAW WITHOUT FACING CONSEQUENCES. UNTIL THIS CHANGES, FAMILIES WHO LIVE HERE OR WISH TO MOVE HERE WILL CONTINUE FACE TO FACE, ONGOING STRUGGLES WITHIN THEIR FAMILIES,

[00:55:03]

REVIEW THE SOLUTIONS I'VE DRAFTED, AND ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ALLOWING THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. BY DOING SO, THE CITY CAN FINALLY HOLD VIOLATORS ACCOUNTABLE AND SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE VIOLATIONS AGAINST OUR YOUTH AND FAMILIES. ADDITIONALLY, ADOPTING A NEW CITY ORDINANCE GIVES THE CITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO REINVEST IN PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT AND SECURE THE WELL-BEING OF FUTURE GENERATIONS. THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW. WE CANNOT WAIT FOR MORE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF INACTION. I HOPE THAT BY SHARING CITY STATISTICS AND GUIDELINES OF HB 969, THIS ORDINANCE WILL SOON BE ADDED TO A FUTURE COUNCIL AGENDA. IF ANYONE ON THIS BOARD WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A POWERPOINT THAT I'VE PUT TOGETHER, PLEASE GET WITH ME AFTER THIS AND I WILL EMAIL THEM TO YOU. AGAIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU SIR. THE PHARAOH RICHARD, 5275 PARKVIEW DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS. RICHARD. I GO BY TAFFY RICHARD. I STAND HERE TODAY FOR ONE REASON AND ONE REASON ALONE. IT'S BECAUSE OF A DISTURBING INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON FACEBOOK WHEN I WAS A FORMER SOCIAL WORKER WORKING WITH SUICIDAL, HOMICIDAL CHILDREN IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. I SOUGHT THE HOLY SPIRIT EVERY DAY TO GIVE ME THE WORDS TO BE A LIGHT TO CHILDREN THAT WERE BROKEN. IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND CITY COUNCIL, BEAUMONT IS BROKEN. WE'RE FACING MANY CHALLENGES. SINCE WE ARE REFERRING TO SCRIPTURES IN OUR FACEBOOK POSTS. BEING BORN ON CHRISTMAS DAY, I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT I WAS A GIFT. SO LET ME QUOTE WHAT B.H. CLENDENEN AND WHAT REVEREND J.C. FRANKLIN GAVE ME FROM PLEASANT GREEN BAPTIST CHURCH FROM MATTHEW 1225. A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND. WITHOUT UNITY AND AGREEMENT, HOW CAN YOU FACE ALL THESE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING? YOU SHOULD NOT BE ATTACKING THE EDUCATION, THE DEGREES. OF ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER. AS YOU WEAR A MASK. YOU SAID YOU WOULD REPRESENT THE PEOPLE. YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD ADVOCATE FOR THE SUFFERING, FOR THE UNLEARNED, THE UNHEARD, THE VOICES IN THE NIGHT THAT CRY OUT BECAUSE NO ONE CAN SPEAK FOR THEM. TAKE OFF YOUR MASK. THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU. YOU GET IN YOUR BMW, YOUR MERCEDES, AND YOU GO HOME TO YOUR HOUSES WITH LIGHTS, GAS AND WATER. THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOUR SELFISH AGENDA.

THIS IS ABOUT THE PEOPLE AND THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS THAT GAVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF. STOP IT. IT'S DISTURBING. IT'S DISTURBING. HOW CAN YOU STAND AND REPRESENT US IF YOU CAN'T EVEN GET ALONG? I'M NOT PREACHING. I'M NOT SCOLDING.

IT'S DISTURBING. AS A SOCIAL WORKER, A CRISIS INTERVENTIONIST, WE WERE A TEAM.

WE WERE INSTRUCTED. YOU DO NOT SPEAK ILL WILL AGAINST ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THE CHILDREN ARE WATCHING. YOUR GOAL IS TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND TO KEEP THEM ALIVE. THEY CAN NEVER KNOW THAT YOU DON'T GET ALONG. I'M PRETTY SURE 99.99999% OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS CANNOT STAND ME. BUT YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW. BUT I LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND I ENCOURAGE YOU PLEASE STOP IT AND DON'T EVER QUOTE SCRIPTURES. I KNOW ALL 66 BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. THANK YOU. ADIE ALLEN 9695 BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

[01:00:03]

AND I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WOULD BE LOOKED INTO. I ALSO PRESENTED TWO COMPANIES THAT DO EVACUATION PLANS. AND YOU YOU'RE HERE THE FIRST TIME. THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S AN AUDIBLE NOISE THROUGHOUT JEFFERSON COUNTY TO LET US KNOW IF THE TV'S NOT WORKING, IF THE RADIO IS NOT ON, IF THE PHONES ARE ACTING FUNNY, THIS SOUND WILL LET US KNOW SOMETHING IS UP. SO I'M ASKING MR. CITY MANAGER AND COUNCIL TO LOOK INTO THIS. WE'VE HAD SOME DIFFERENT WEATHER SNOW IN FEBRUARY. WE'VE BEEN HERE IN COUNCIL MEETING TWO TIMES WHEN THERE HAS BEEN WARNINGS OUT THERE AND WHO KNEW? SO SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE SO THAT PEOPLE WILL KNOW THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DESERVES THIS. THE OTHER THING IS THANK YOU FOR THE SIDEWALKS. THEY'RE LOOKING GOOD ON THE ROAD AND I HOPE THEY'RE HIGH ENOUGH WHERE WATER WON'T STAND. THE OTHER THING THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT, SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT ORDINANCES. SO THE ORDINANCES FOR CHANGE, CHANGE ORDERS. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHERE THAT IS, BECAUSE EVEN OUR NEW COUNCILMAN, MR. HILLIARD, MENTIONED BEFORE, DO WE LET BIDS? AND YOU HAVE SO MANY CHANGE ORDERS THAT THE LOWEST BIDDER BECOMES THE HIGHEST BIDDER? JUST A QUESTION. MAYBE NOT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN CLEARED UP BEFORE THE DIFFERENT KIND OF CHANGE ORDERS THAT OCCUR HERE IN BEAUMONT THROUGH THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'D JUST LIKE TO PUT ON THE TABLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO THE CONSENT

[CONSENT AGENDA]

[REGULAR AGENDA]

[01:05:01]

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN EMERGENCY PURCHASE FOR THE AUTOCLAVE STERILIZER USED IN THE LABORATORY AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? SO MOVED TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND SECOND THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, WHAT DICTATED THE EMERGENCY? WILLIAMS WHAT HAPPENED IS THE CURRENT ONE. WE HAVE COMPLETELY QUIT WHAT THIS IS USED FOR. WE ARE UNDER OUR PERMIT WITH TC REQUIRED TO STERILIZE THE DISPOSABLE TRAYS BEFORE WE THROW THEM IN THE TRASH. THEREFORE, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED. I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO DISPOSE OR STERILIZE THESE TRAYS. SO ACTUALLY WE JUST BEEN BAGGING THEM, HOLDING ON TO THEM UNTIL WE GET A NEW AUTOCLAVE PURCHASED. SO THE OLD ONES ARE LIKE 29 YEARS OLD. AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A HAND-ME-DOWN. OKAY. SO THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE. CHANGE ORDER NUMBER EIGHT EXCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZED FINAL PAYMENT TO ALL COCOA, LLC OF BEAUMONT FOR THE PINE STREET POLYMER SYSTEM AND CHEMICAL STORAGE TANK IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH IS A REBID PROJECT, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? IS THERE A SECOND FOR APPROVAL? SECOND. ALL RIGHT. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER THREE, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. HOW DID HOW DID WE SPILL 5000 GALLONS OF CHEMICAL.

5400 AND 446 GALLONS. THERE WERE IT WAS A SERIES OF SPILLS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION. THERE WAS. YOU KNOW, THESE WERE QUITE LARGE TANKS AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH CONSTRUCTION. YOU KNOW, GUYS, THE CONTRACTOR MAYBE NOT DOING THE BEST JOB OF CAREFULLY MOVING AROUND THE PIPE AND EQUIPMENT BEFORE EVERYTHING WAS PIPED IN. ALL OF THE SPILLS HAPPENED WITHIN THE CONTAINMENT AREA. ALL OF THE SPILLS WERE CLEANED UP ACCORDINGLY, PER ALL THE ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS DISPOSED OF PROPERLY. AND THAT IS WHY WE'RE PART OF THAT DEDUCTION, IS BECAUSE OF THOSE COSTS. SO DID THE DID THE CITY CAUSE THE SPILLS OR DID THE CONTRACTOR? OUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT WAS MAJORITY EITHER THE CONTRACTOR OR HIS SUBS. SO WE'RE ON THE HOOK FOR WHAT THEY DID WRONG. NO THE PARENTHESES MEANS DEDUCTION. DEDUCTION SORRY.

PARENTHESES INDICATE DEDUCTION OKAY OKAY. WHENEVER IT'S IN PARENTHESES IT'S A DEDUCTION.

WHENEVER IT'S NOT IN PARENTHESES ADDING. SO THIS IS THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BEING REMOVED. SO WE'RE RECOVERING THOSE FUNDS. GOOD. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER THREE PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY

[01:10:05]

[PUBLIC HEARING]

[01:15:06]

I'VE WORKED AT MULTIPLE UNIVERSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE SEEN THIS TYPE OF COLLABORATION. AND SO I REALLY COMMEND THAT. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, AS MISS GRAY MENTIONED, WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO NEED TO GET OUT FOR MEDICAL SERVICES, FOR COUNSELING SERVICES, FOR THOSE TYPES OF NECESSITIES. BUT THERE'S ALSO THE GREATER GOOD OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, RIGHT? WE'RE RECRUITING STUDENTS INTO OUR LITTLE TOWN, AND IT IS A LITTLE TOWN. I CAME FROM HOUSTON. OKAY. SO WE'RE RECRUITING THESE STUDENTS IN, AND HOW WONDERFUL WOULD IT BE IF THEY HAVE EASY ACCESS TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY? WE TAKE FOR GRANTED SO MUCH THAT TEENAGERS THESE DAYS HAVE THEIR OWN VEHICLES.

MANY OF OUR STUDENTS DO NOT. THESE ARE FAMILIES WHO ARE SENDING THEIR STUDENTS OUT, AND THEN THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET AROUND THE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT POPULATION THAT DOESN'T LIVE ON CAMPUS WITH US. THEY'RE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, SO THEY MAY NEED TO ACTUALLY GET TO CAMPUS. SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT COME INTO PLAY. THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A DISCOUNTED RATE, AND EVEN MORE SO TO BE ABLE TO INTRODUCE THAT INTO THEIR FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE SO THEY CAN GET THAT PAID OFF ON THE FRONT END AND THEN NOT HAVE TO WORRY DAY BY DAY, WEEK BY WEEK. HOW AM I GOING TO GET TO THE STORE? HOW AM I GOING TO GET TO MY DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT? IS PROFOUND. IT'S PROFOUND. IF YOU HAVE YOUNG ADULTS AROUND YOU, YOU KNOW THEY HAVE A HARD TIME SAVING A DOLLAR, MUCH LESS, YOU KNOW, REPEATEDLY. THEY DON'T CARRY CASH, THEY DON'T DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS. AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE'D HAVE TO TEACH THEM AND RETRAIN THEM ON HOW TO UTILIZE THESE SERVICES, IT IS A HUGE BENEFIT AND WILL BRING A HUGE IMPACT NOT ONLY TO OUR STUDENTS, BUT TO OUR BEAUMONT COMMUNITY.

[01:20:01]

[REGULAR AGENDA]

IT WOULD BE IN COLLABORATION WITH LAMAR. SO IT'S BEFORE YOU GUYS FOR THE NEW FARE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED, AND THEN WE WOULD FURTHER COLLABORATE WITH LAMAR AND ANY HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION TO TRY TO GET THEM THAT PASS UNDER STATE LAW DOES QUALIFY, THOUGH. IT IS.

IT IS A QUALIFYING THING, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP TO GETTING IT THERE. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. JUST JUST INTERESTED IN THE DATA ON THE COST SAVING THAT ACTUALLY THE STUDENTS WOULD SAVE BY DOING THIS PROGRAM. YES. SO 115 DAYS IS ABOUT 3.7 MONTHS. SO AT THAT RATE, IT COMES OUT TO 148 WHERE IF YOU WANTED TO DO AND WHEN YOU GET A MONTH PASS, YOU GET UNLIMITED RIDES FOR 31 DAYS. SO IF YOU WERE TO BUY FOUR MONTHS THEN YOU'RE PAYING AN EXTRA, I THINK IT WAS $25 ONTO THAT. SO IT'S A COST SAVINGS OF $25, BUT ALSO WITH A STUDENT SCHEDULE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HAVING TO BUY A PASS DAILY OR EVEN WEEKLY. THIS WILL BE SEMESTER LONG. YEAH. APPRECIATE YOU. SO KIND OF ALSO CONVENIENCE THEM AND GIVE THEM ADDITIONAL DISCOUNT. YES, SIR. I JUST BE INTERESTED IN SEEING THE SURVEY ON, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THE STUDENTS DO AND COULD THEY AFFORD IT. JUST, JUST I'M JUST INTERESTED IN SEEING THE FEEDBACK. ONCE WE KIND OF START THE PROGRAM. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, KIND OF ON THAT SAME NOTE, WILL THIS FINANCIAL AID APPLY TO THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE THAT ARE TRAVELING? DO THEY HOW WILL THIS WILL THEY HAVE FINANCIAL HELP WITH THIS ALSO? OR SO THIS APPLIES TO STUDENTS WHO ARE IN HIGHER EDUCATION. SO I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THERE ARE SOME STUDENTS AT THAT TAKE CLASSES WITH LAMAR. JUST THOSE THOSE I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE PROGRAM IS CALLED, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BISD AND LAMAR. SO THIS ACTUALLY PAYS FOR IT. SO IT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THOSE THOSE FEES IF IT BECAME AVAILABLE FINANCIAL AID WISE.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. SO IF A STUDENT APPLIES IN THE FALL, DO THEY HAVE TO GO BACK AND REAPPLY AND HAND IN THEIR PAPERWORK AGAIN IF THEY WANT TO USE IT AGAIN IN THE SPRING? YEAH. I'LL INVITE CLAUDIA UP. I KNOW THAT SHE'S DONE THIS PROGRAM IN OTHER CITIES, SO I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF IT. BUT SHE'LL SHE'LL KNOW BEST BECAUSE SHE RUNS IT. SO BASICALLY YOU ENROLL FOR THAT SEMESTER. SO IT'LL BE LIKE ENROLLING FOR SCHOOL. YOU WILL ENROLL BACK INTO THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE. SO STUDENT GETS ENROLLED FOR THE FALL SEMESTER. THEY WILL SUBMIT THAT ONE PAGE TO US, STAND BY THEIR DESIGNATED OFFICIAL TO SCHOOL, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE ISSUING AN ID FOR THEM. OKAY. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD MAKE TO HAVE AN OPTION OF, YOU KNOW, A FULL FALL IN SPRING TO PREVENT THEM FROM HAVING TO GO BACK DOWN AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AGAIN. AND, AND NOT ALL STUDENTS THAT GO TRADITIONALLY

[01:25:02]

YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD

[PUBLIC HEARING]

DEMI ENGMAN, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THIS ITEM WAS PUSHED FORWARD BY A PREVIOUS COUNCIL. AND SO IT'S HERE BEFORE YOU GUYS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DEFINITELY ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED. I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOME THAT ARE HERE TO SPEAK AS WELL ON THE ITEM. SO ANY QUESTIONS I'M HERE TO ANSWER. THANK YOU. LAWRENCE.

MANUAL 4365 SOUTH FOURTH STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. LAWRENCE MANUAL. MR. WHEN HE LEFT SHAHZEB NIZAM. NIZAM I CAN'T PRONOUNCE THAT. HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE THE LAST NAME? NIZAMANI. OKAY. I'M SORRY. MY WHOLE LIFE GROWING UP IN AMERICA, YOU'RE NOT THE FIRST ONE TO BUTCHER IT. OKAY? THE ADDRESS IS 870 SOUTH MAJOR DRIVE. YES, MA'AM. YES, MA'AM. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU GUYS TODAY. I'M HERE REPRESENTING MYSELF, ALONG WITH 65 BUSINESSES HERE IN BEAUMONT. THEY'RE ALL HERE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS, PLEASE STAND.

RAISE YOUR HAND. WE ARE HERE COLLECTIVELY TO SPEAK AGAINST THE BANNING OF ACCESSORY GAMING MACHINES. THESE ACCESSORY GAMING MACHINES BRING IN SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME THAT HELP US SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS PAY FOR RISING COSTS OF PROPERTY TAXES, PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, INSURANCE, EMPLOYMENT. IF WE WERE TO BAN THESE ACCESSORY GAMING MACHINES, WE ARE AT RISK OF LOSING MANY SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN LEGALLY COMPLIANT. THEY HAVE FOLLOWED ALL STATE AND LOCAL RULES AND REGULATIONS. WE COLLECTIVELY PAY AROUND 520,000 IN APPLICATION FEES, CITY DECALS PER ACCESSORY, GAMING MACHINE ALONG WITH EMPLOYEE BADGES. THOSE FUNDS GO DIRECTLY TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. INSTEAD OF WORKING TO BAN THEM, LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO AMEND ARTICLE SIX AND WORK WITH EACH OTHER TO KEEP INVESTING IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. WE ARE ALL SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE LEFT LARGER CITIES TO COME TO BEAUMONT TO INVEST, TO START OUR BUSINESSES. A LOT OF US LIVE HERE LOCALLY. THEIR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL HERE, THEY PAY PROPERTY TAXES HERE. THEY HAVE INVESTED THEIR TIME AND VALUABLE RESOURCES IN THIS CITY. I HOPE.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE CAN WORK AS A TEAM TO KEEP INVESTING IN THE GREAT CITY OF BEAUMONT.

THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU MAYOR. APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. DANIEL NIZAMANI, 870 SOUTH MAJOR DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DANIEL NIZAMANI. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS TODAY. THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE, WE'RE AGAINST THE BANNING OF ACCESSORY GAMING MACHINES. WE ARE A MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS OWNERS. I'M HERE WITH EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE GUYS THAT'S WITH US THAT STOOD UP A SECOND AGO. CAN EVERYONE STAND UP AGAIN, PLEASE? WE ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. WE ARE NOT GAME ROOMS. OUR BUSINESSES PROVIDE LOCAL JOBS AND REVENUES. THE BAN WILL ONLY HURT WORKING FAMILIES IN 65 SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. A LOT OF THESE STORE OWNERS, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE SPENT 20 TO $40,000 BRINGING THESE BUSINESSES TO COMPLIANCE TO RECEIVE THESE PERMITS IN 2023 TO 2024. WITH THE NEW STOREFRON, WINDOWS, LIGHTING CAMERAS, PARKING LOT STRIPING POLES AND OTHER ITEMS FOR COMPLIANCE NOW, BANNING THEM WILL ONLY PUT US AT A LOSS BY NOT BEING ABLE TO RECOUP THESE EXPENSES. NEXT, THIS IS ABOUT FREEDOM AND FAIRNESS. ADULTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE LEGAL ENTERTAINMENT. DON'T PUNISH LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES OVER THE ACTIONS OF A FEW BAD ACTORS. FINALLY, A BAN MAY OPEN THE CITY UP TO LEGAL CHALLENGES AND COSTLY LAWSUITS THAT WILL ONLY LAST FOR YEARS. MONEY CAN BE SPENT BETTER ON SCHOOLS, ROADS AND PUBLIC SAFETY'S. LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP BUILDING THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. THANK YOU,

[01:30:07]

[REGULAR AGENDA]

OR ARE WE LOOKING AT LITIGATION? I MEAN, POSSIBLY ONGOING LITIGATION IF WE DO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THIS. SO FORT WORTH'S LITIGATION WASN'T ABOUT BEING IN GAME ROOMS. FORT WORTH LITIGATION WAS ABOUT CREATING, ESSENTIALLY, THE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE NOW FOR FORT WORTH WANTED TO REGULATE WHERE GAMERS COULD BE PLACED, AND THEY WANTED TO PUT RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR GAME ROOMS AND THE LOCAL GAME ROOM. OWNERS IN THE FORT WORTH AREA CHALLENGED IT, THAT BASICALLY THEIR ARGUMENTS WERE YOU CAN'T PUT MORE RESTRICTIONS ON US THAN ANY OTHER BUSINESS.

AND SO THEY DID GO THROUGH A SERIES OF TEN YEARS, BASICALLY NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF BANNING, BUT SAYING THAT THEY HAD THE RIGHT THE CITY HAD THE RIGHT TO OFFER MORE RESTRICTIVE. ZONING AND REGULATIONS FOR THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES. THERE ARE TWO TYPES OR SEVERAL TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE MORE RESTRICTIVE. WE CALL THEM SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES, STRIP CLUBS ALLOW FOR MORE RESTRICTIVE COMPLIANCE. AND SO OUR THE CITY'S EXISTING GAME ROOM ORDINANCE MORE CLOSELY ALIGNS WITH OUR OTHER SEXUAL ORIENTED BUSINESS ORDINANCES.

THAT'S WHAT FORT WORTH WANTED AT THE END OF THE TEN YEARS. ESSENTIALLY, THE RULING THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM THE COURT WAS THAT TECHNICALLY, THESE GAME ROOM OR EIGHT LIGHTNING MACHINES DON'T REALLY MEET ANY EXCEPTION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE FUZZY ANIMAL EXCEPTIONS. AND THEY DESCRIBED THEM AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE COURT DID NOT MAKE A RULING ON WHETHER OR NOT THESE MACHINES WERE ILLEGAL. THEY DESCRIBED THEM AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN FORT WORTH, TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO SAY THAT THEY'RE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM IN OUR CITY. AND THAT WAS A CHOICE THAT THEY MADE. THE TEXAS CONTROLLER IS STILL ISSUING PERMITS FOR EIGHT LINERS AND GAME ROOMS, AND THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS NOT TAKEN A STANCE ON WHETHER OR NOT. AND I'M SAYING THE STATE OF TEXAS, IN TERMS OF THE OPERATING CAPACITY, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, THE AG'S OFFICE, THE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, THEY'RE STILL PERMITTING AND ACCEPTING AND ISSUING PERMITS FOR THESE MACHINES. SO THEN WITH THE STATE, IT'S BUSINESS AS USUAL. THERE'S NO NEW RESTRICTIONS OR ANYTHING COMING DOWN. SO THIS IS RELATIVELY NEW THOUGH. SO AND WHEN I SAY RELATIVELY NEW, LIKE IT'S FRESH OFF THE PRESS, IT HAPPENED LIKE LAST DECEMBER. AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE TAKEN LIKE I SAID, FORT WORTH HAS TAKEN SOME STEPS TO DO IT SINCE THEN. IT WAS THERE. IT'S KIND OF BEEN THEIR THEIR FIGHT. SO THEY'VE BEEN THE FIRST TO KIND OF TAKE STEP OUT ON IT. AND BECAUSE IT HAPPENED, IN MY OPINION, DURING A LEGISLATIVE YEAR, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH TIME FOR THE POWERS THAT BE TO REALLY ASSESS WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, IF YOU TURN YOUR MIC ON NOW, WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF THEM FILING AN INJUNCTION IF WE PASS THIS ORDINANCE? I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL. I DON'T KNOW, BUT. WELL, WHAT WILL THE CITY HAVE TO. I MEAN, IF THAT DOES HAPPEN, WILL THAT SO ESSENTIALLY, THE CITY HAS POLICE POWERS. SO WHEN SOMEONE FILES AN INJUNCTION AGAINST THE CITY,

[01:35:01]

IS THAT CORRECT? AS FAR AS IT DEPENDS AND VARIES GAME TO GAME ROOM, GAMING SITE TO GAMING SITE. SO THERE'S AN INITIAL APPLICATION FEE AND THEN THERE'S SO THERE'S PER MACHINE HOW MANY THEY HAVE. IT'LL VARY. SO TO SAY YOU KNOW ONE PAYS 20,000 VERSUS ONE THAT PAYS MAYBE 4000 LESS.

IT REALLY VARIES. SO WHEN THE CITY ADOPTED THEIR ORIGINAL ORDINANCE AGAIN, IT WAS WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE HAD THAT WE HAD GAME ROOMS THAT WERE OPERATING IN OUR CITY. THE CONTROLLER AT THAT POINT HAD SAID THAT CITIES HAD THE ABILITY TO REGULATE GAME ROOMS OPERATING IN THEIR CITIES, AND THEY KIND OF OUTLINED A PROCESS. THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME KIND OF JUST THOUGHT IT WAS LIKE A VERY SMALL LIKE ACCESSORY USE. WE HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE GOING TO ACTUALLY HAVE FULL ON GAME ROOMS WHERE ALL THEY HAVE ARE GAME ROOMS. I THINK I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE HERE TODAY ACTUALLY HAVE GAS STATIONS AND CONVENIENCE STORES, AND THEY HAVE THEM IN, IN THEIR ACCESSORY USE WISE. BUT THE CONTROLLER SAID, LIKE, YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO REGULATE IT. AT THE TIME, THE CITY DIDN'T HAVE AN ORDINANCE. AS YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO REGULATE SOMETHING, COUNCIL HAS TO KIND OF PUT FORTH RULES. SO WE LOOKED AT SOME OTHER CITIES WHO WHO KIND OF HAD HAD IT AT THE TIME. I BELIEVE OUR OUR PERMITTING FEES WERE REALLY LOW, BUT WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANY DATA TO SUPPORT IT. SO WE OPERATED UNDER THAT EXISTING GAME ORDINANCE UNTIL ABOUT 2014. AND IN 2014 WE DID AN ASSESSMENT AND SAID, IN ORDER FOR THIS TO NOT BE A DEFICIT TO THE CITY, IN ORDER FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ACTIVELY ENFORCE OUR ORDINANCE AND ACCURATELY MAINTAIN IT, WE HAD TO INCREASE OUR FEES. SO WE WENT BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAID, WE'VE COLLECTED THE DATA. THIS IS HOW MANY POLICE HOURS WE USE. THIS IS HOW MANY FIRE INSPECTION HOURS WE USE. THIS IS HOW MANY CODE ENFORCEMENT HOURS WE USE. THIS IS HOW MUCH IN-HOUSE RESOURCES WE USE TO ISSUE PERMITS. THIS IS HOW MUCH TIME IT TAKES US TO DO THIS. AND THIS IS HOW IT WOULD. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN A EFFECTIVE AND SOLID ORDINANCE. AGAIN, IT WAS THE SAME ORDINANCE THAT FORT WORTH ATTEMPTED TO PASS AND JUST COULDN'T. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE PUT FORTH TO THE COUNCIL. SO THE FEES THAT WE COLLECT FROM THE PERMITTING ARE ACTUALLY THE COST THAT IT TAKES THE CITY. THE FEES PAY FOR THE DECALS, THE FEES PAY FOR OVERTIME FOR OFFICERS THAT HAVE TO GO OUT, THE FEE, THE FEES PAY FOR A PERMIT TECHNICIAN TO GO OUT AND INSPECT TO MAKE SURE THE DECALS ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

THE FEES PAY FOR THE PERMITS THAT WE ISSUE, AND IT DOES TAKE QUITE A FEW HOURS FOR US TO GO OUT AND INSPECT. AND I BELIEVE OUR INSPECTOR GOES OUT WITH SOMEONE FROM FIRE. SO AN INSPECTOR FROM FIRE. SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO HAVE A POLICE ESCORT, BUT EITHER WAY, IT'S MANPOWER AND HOURS THAT WE'RE USING, AND IT TAKES A WHILE TO GO THROUGH THE BOOKS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE DETAILS ARE RIGHT, TO MAKE SURE ALL THE EMPLOYEES HAVE ON THE ID BADGE SO WE CAN QUICKLY ID THEM. SO THAT'S WHAT THE FEES GO GO FOR. IT'S TO EFFECTIVELY MAINTAIN THE ORDINANCE AND ENFORCE IT. SO WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY, WE'RE BREAKING EVEN AND WE'RE ONLY PAYING REGULAR FEES AND PERMITTING AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. OR ARE WE GETTING ACTUAL REVENUE FROM THIS? SO I DON'T WANT TO USE THE TERM REVENUE BECAUSE WE DON'T COUNT THAT AS MONEY. LIKE THE CONTROL IS VERY STRICT THAT WE CAN ONLY USE THE MONEY FOR ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.

SO A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO THE COUNTER AND THEY THEY WANT TO PAY FOR THEIR PERMIT FEES AND CASH. MISS BINGMAN MENTIONED THAT SOMETIMES THOSE FEES CAN BE IN EXCESS OF $20,000. IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO COUNT $20,000. SO WE PURCHASED A MONEY COUNTING MACHINE. THAT MONEY WAS PURCHASED WITH THE FEES THAT WE USE FROM THE PERMITTING. WE HAVE TO WE ISSUE THE ID BADGES. THE MONEY WAS USED TO PURCHASE AN ID BADGE FOR THAT. THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES BACKGROUND CHECKS, THE MONEY PAYS FOR THE MANPOWER AND THE TIME IT TAKES. SO ALL THE CITY IS REALLY DOING IS NOT EXPENDING ADDITIONAL MONIES THAT WE WOULD NORMALLY PAY FOR TO DO THESE THINGS, WHERE WE'RE USING THE FUNDS THAT WE GET TO FUND THOSE ACTIVITIES FOR ENFORCEMENT. SO IT'S A IT'S A BREAK, EVEN IF YOU WILL. IT PAYS FOR ITSELF. GOTCHA. COUNCILMAN TURNER, CITY MANAGER, CITY

[01:40:10]

I THINK THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF AT LIKE WHO WAS THE FIRST AND SECOND AND HOW DID THIS COME ABOUT? SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY A REQUEST FROM A FORMER COUNCIL PERSON WHEN THEY NOTICED THAT A CITY IN OUR AREA WAS ALSO DOING THE BAN. THEY THEY REQUESTED THIS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE AGAIN, WHEN WE PUT FORTH OUR ORDINANCE, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT FORT WORTH WAS GOING THROUGH LITIGATION. AND THEN OUR WE PASSED OUR ORDINANCE AND WE KIND OF WAITED AND WE DIDN'T GET ANY PUSHBACK. SO WE WERE KIND OF LIKE, OKAY. BUT WE DID INITIALLY WAIT FOR THAT INITIAL WAVE TO SEE WHAT THE COURT WAS GOING TO SAY. AND I THINK FOR ONE, AT ONE POINT WE DID LIKE PAUSE ON ISSUING ADDITIONAL PERMITS. BUT WHEN THE COURT DIDN'T COME BACK AND SAY THAT THESE WERE BAD AND THE COMPTROLLER DIDN'T STOP ISSUING PERMITS, WE JUST ALIGNED OUR ACTIONS TO KIND OF DO WHAT THE STATE DID. SO COUNCIL, THE DECISION WAS MADE INTERNALLY TO JUST KIND OF WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE LAWSUIT, HOW THE LAWSUIT WAS RESOLVED. BUT WE WENT BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL, AND I BELIEVE WE PAUSED OUR PERMITTING PROCESS FOR APPROXIMATELY A YEAR TO JUST KIND OF SEE. AND AFTER THERE WAS REALLY NO, NO CHANGE IN THE STATE ACTION, WE RESUMED BUSINESS AS NORMAL. AND IT WAS TEN YEARS. SO WE WAITED TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF THE LAWSUIT AND AT THE CONCLUSION OF WHICH THE COUNCIL PERSON, AFTER THEY LIKE FORT WORTH AND I BELIEVE IT WAS THE CITY OF ORANGE, STARTED TO ISSUE THEIR BAND AS WELL. A FORMER COUNCIL PERSON ASKED THAT THIS BE WORKSHOPPED, AT WHICH POINT WE WORKSHOPPED IT WITH COUNCIL. AT THAT TIME, COUNCIL SAID, LET'S SEE WHAT PLANNING AND ZONING WILL BE NEXT STEPS. AND WE GAVE COUNCIL THE OPTION TO EITHER DO NOTHING, MAKE, YOU KNOW, SEND IT TO PLANNING AND ZONING. COUNCIL OPTED TO SEND IT TO PLANNING AND ZONING. PLANNING AND ZONING REVIEWED IT. WE ALSO DID A PRESENTATION WITH PLANNING AND ZONING. THEY HAD THE OPTION TO MAKE THE GAME ROOM LOCATIONS STRICTER, LIMITING THEM TO ONLY INDUSTRIAL AREAS. YES, MA'AM. THANKS. LIMITING THEM ONLY TO INDUSTRIAL AREAS OR TO SO CHANGING WHERE THEY COULD BE LOCATED IN THE CITY OR DO NOTHING, OR FLAT OUT BAN THE PLANNING AND ZONING, MADE A RECOMMENDATION AT THAT TIME TO DO A FLAT OUT BAN. AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION THAT'S BEFORE COUNCIL TODAY IS THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS FROM PLANNING AND THAT PLANNING AND ZONING MADE, WHICH IS TO BAN. HOWEVER, COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO AGAIN HAVE THE SAME AND SIMILAR OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO PLANNING AND ZONING. COUNCIL COULD DECIDE NOT TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION TO DO A FULL ON BAN AND JUST REDUCE THE LOCATIONS FOR WHICH GAME ROOMS CAN BE LOCATED. WITH THAT WOULD DO IS THAT WOULD ONLY APPLY TO EXISTING NEW APPLICANTS. SO ANYONE THAT IS ALREADY EXISTING IN A LOCATION INSIDE THE CITY WOULD REMAIN AND BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE UP AND UNTIL THEIR PERMIT WAS EITHER REVOKED OR LAPSED, YOU CAN HAVE, IF THEY FAIL TO TIMELY RENEW, IT WOULD LAPSE, IN WHICH CASE UNDER THE NEW ORDINANCE THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE AT THAT LOCATION AGAIN. IF IT WAS REVOKED AGAIN, IT COULD BE REVOKED FOR A MYRIAD OF REASONS IN THE ORDINANCE FOR VIOLATING ANY OF ANY OF THE OUTSTANDING REQUIREMENTS. AND IF THAT HAPPENED, THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE ISSUED A PERMIT AT THAT LOCATION, BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE WOULD PROHIBIT IT IF THEY WERE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE INDUSTRIAL ZONE, OF COURSE. AND THEN ALSO THE COUNCIL HAS OPTION TO DO NOTHING, WHICH IS JUST TO LEAVE THE ORDINANCE AS IT IS. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHY I ASKED FOR IT TO BE EXPLAINED. ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO GET CLEARLY MORE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH TODAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. COUNCILMAN DARIO. YEAH. WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN. NOT CONSTITUTIONAL AND ILLEGAL? SO THOSE ARE JUST LIKE REALLY TERMS OF ART. AND I THINK WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING IS ILLEGAL, THERE IS A LAW THAT HAS HAS SAID YOU CANNOT DO THAT. SO. AND I'M GOING TO TRY TO EXPLAIN IT WITHOUT GETTING TOO DEEP INTO THE LEGALESE. WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THERE'S NO PROTECTION FROM IT. AND THEY USE THIS EXCEPTION IN THEIR, IN THEIR OPINION, BASICALLY SAYING THAT THEY HAD GIVEN EXEMPTIONS TO PLACES LIKE CHUCK E CHEESE AND MAIN EVENTS FOR THE FUZZY ANIMAL THINGS, SAYING THAT THESE THINGS DID NOT CONSTITUTE THOSE THINGS. AND WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THAT THAT REALLY DOESN'T APPLY TO THEM. AND SO THEY'RE NOT ILLEGAL BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN NO LAW TO SAY THAT THEY'RE ILLEGAL. COURTS CAN'T MAKE LAWS. THE LEGISLATURE DOES SO IN THOSE THREE BRANCHES. RIGHT. SO THE COURT IS SAYING WE DON'T REALLY ROCK WITH IT, BUT OUR LEGISLATIVE HAS SAID BUT THERE'S NO LAW AGAINST IT. SO THEY CAN'T SAY THAT IT'S ILLEGAL BECAUSE

[01:45:06]

[01:50:05]

AND SO INSTEAD OF THE 90 DAYS THAT IN HERE, COULD WE JUST SAY THAT THE PERMITS AS ISSUED HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR AND ALREADY BEEN COMPLIED WITH, CONTINUE TO BE GOOD UNTIL THAT THAT ENDING DATE? YES. I'D LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING, COUNCILMAN. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD AND I MEAN, JUST IN THE INTEREST OF FAIRNESS OR OR WE MAYBE COULD AMEND THAT. THE PERMITS THAT HAVE BEEN ISSUED NOT ONLY GO THROUGH THE END OF THEIR ONE YEAR TERM, BUT MAYBE ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE INDEFINITELY WITHOUT ISSUING ANY NEW PERMITS. NO MORE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN OR THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE THAT I THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE. YOU'RE KIND OF LIKE A MORATORIUM, RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO. YEAH. AND YOU'RE SAYING PASS THIS, BUT IT DOESN'T AFFECT CURRENT OWNERS. JUST NO NEW NO NEW PERMITS WOULD BE ISSUED.

RIGHT? THAT IS JUST A THOUGHT. SO IF WE WERE TO DO A MORATORIUM, ESSENTIALLY EVERYONE WHO HAS A PERMIT RIGHT NOW THAT REMAINS VALID IN THAT THAT WITH THEIR THEIR PERMIT STATUS, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR OPERATIONS. BUT ESSENTIALLY A MORATORIUM WOULD BE LIKE NO MORE NEW GAME ROOMS, NO MORE NEW PERMITS ISSUED FOR ANYTHING RELATED TO GAMING. CORRECT? WOULD IT HAVE A TIME LIMIT ON THAT? I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE STATE LAW. YEAH, WE'D HAVE TO. WE'D NEED SOME TIME TO KIND OF REALLY ADDRESS THAT ONE. BUT THERE'S A MOTION TO TABLE ANYWAY. SO I GUESS WE HAVE TIME. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, THEN I'LL GET TO YOU. COUNCILMAN TURNER, WHENEVER SOMEONE VIOLATES WHATEVER RULES ARE PUT IN PLACE FOR THESE PERMIT HOLDERS, WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM? ARE THEY DONE FINED, OR ARE THEY. SO THERE'S A PROCESS. AND SO IT DEPENDS. SO LIKE IF THE ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY STATES IF YOU VIOLATE PART OF THE ORDINANCE YOU CAN BE FINED. YOU GO TO MUNICIPAL COURT, YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT THERE'S ALSO IF THERE'S GAMBLING AT THE SITE AND THERE'S CHARGES FILED AGAINST THAT, THEN THERE'S A PROCESS TO REVOKE SOMEONE'S PERMIT. AND I CAN SAY THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE REVOKED AS MANY PERMITS SINCE WE'VE HAD OUR NEW EXISTING ORDINANCE. IT'S THE NEW ORDINANCE IS A LOT STRONGER, SO IT ALLOWS FOR A BETTER PROCESS. SO WE HAVEN'T HAD TO REVOKE ANY PERMITS PROBABLY WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE SINCE WE'VE HAD IT. BUT THEY WOULD REVOKE THEIR PERMIT.

AND SO IF YOU HAVE YOUR PERMIT REVOKED, THEN THE ORDINANCE SAYS THAT NO ONE ASSOCIATED AT THAT LOCATION OR ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PERMIT CAN APPLY. TYPICALLY, WE GIVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DAYS TO COME INTO COMPLIANCE. LIKE LET'S SAY THAT YOU GO OUT THERE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE LIKE FIRE EXITS. YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE AN ALARM SYSTEM, CAMERA SYSTEM. IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S LACKING IN THERE. NORMALLY THEY HAVE X AMOUNT OF DAYS TO FIX THAT. AND SO FAR EVERYONE'S BEEN PRETTY COOPERATIVE TO DO SO. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN TURNER WELL, THAT THAT WAS ONE OF MY THINGS WITH WITH TABLING. IF WE DID DECIDE TO TABLE JUST TO GIVE STAFF CLEAR DIRECTION ON WHAT TO BRING BACK TO US. THAT'S WHY I KIND OF APPRECIATE THE DIALOG, BECAUSE I THINK WE BOUNCED OFF ENOUGH THINGS THAT IF WE DID DECIDE TO GO THAT DIRECTION, I JUST WANT STAFF TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE LOOKING FOR, BECAUSE I JUST THROUGH EXPERIENCE, THAT'S ONE OF THE STRUGGLES, IF WE'RE NOT CLEAR AND THEY BRING IT BACK AND WE WT THEM TO BRING THE INFORMATION BACK, IT'S KIND OF IN LIMBO. SO, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT AND I UNDERSTAND GETTING DETAILED INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR WITH STAFF SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO ACTUALLY BRING BACK AND A TIMELINE WHEN TO BRING IT BACK. FAIR ENOUGH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILMAN? I MEAN, I PROBABLY EVERYBODY IN HERE NOTICED THEY JUST DID A RAIDS OVER IN ORANGE COUNTY AND CLOSED EVERY, EVERY GAMING ESTABLISHMENT. HAVE THEY EVER DONE THAT HERE IN BEAUMONT? RAIDS, RAIDS AND JUST SHUT DOWN ALL OF THEM. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE DID RAISE THE SHUT DOWN, BUT I KNOW THAT WHEN WE DID OUR INITIAL ORDINANCE WE GAVE, WE KNEW THAT THERE WERE GAME ROOMS EXISTING IN OUR CITY. SO WE SENT OUT NOTIFICATIONS AND WE DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF I BELIEVE CHRIS WAS KIND OF OVER AT THE TIME, BUT WE TRIED TO NOTIFY THEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THAT THAT THIS

[01:55:04]

BECAUSE IF YOU YOU HAVE TO TELL IT, YOU HAVE TO REGISTER YOUR MACHINES WITH US AND WITH THE COMPTROLLER. SO IF WE GO OUT AND YOU HAVE LET'S JUST SAY YOU YOU SAID YOU HAVE SIX MACHINES AT YOUR LOCATION OR THREE MACHINES AT YOUR LOCATION. WE SHOW UP AND THERE'S SIX MACHINES. WELL, THESE ARE THE THREE AREN'T REGISTERED AND THAT'S A VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE. SO WE ACTUALLY GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT WHAT THEY APPLIED ON THE APPLICATION IS EXACTLY IT.

PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF THE PERMIT. BUT BUT ACTUALLY THERE'S JUST RANDOM INSPECTIONS AND WHAT YOU WOULD CALL AUDITS THAT THEY GO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT AS WELL. SO WE ALL KNOW LIKE OUT OF ALL THE RANDOM INSPECTIONS YOU'VE DONE, SAY, THIS YEAR WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS, DID THEY PASS THEM IN COMPLIANCE. SO WE TYPICALLY WE TYPICALLY DON'T ISSUE AS MANY CITATIONS. AND THE ORDINANCE, FOR THE MOST PART, WE HAVE SOME SOLID COMPLIANCE. LIKE I SAID, THE ORDINANCE ITSELF IS A LOT STRONGER. CITATIONS IN THE ORDINANCE COULD RESULT IN THE REVOCATION OF YOUR PERMIT, NOT JUST NOT JUST A CITATION OR A FINE. SO LIKE I SAID, A REVOCATION OF YOUR PERMIT. IF YOU LOSE YOUR PERMIT AT THAT LOCATION, ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PERMIT, THAT WOULD BE THE OWNER OF THE ESTABLISHMENT. SOME OF THEM HAVE MANAGERS, THE MANAGERS AND ALL THE OTHER ASSOCIATED INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU HAVE TO LIST ON YOUR PERMIT WOULD BE PROHIBITED FOR APPLYING FOR A PERMIT. SO IT'S A VERY STRICT ORDINANCE. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE IN COMPLIANCE. I BELIEVE MOST OF THE CALLS FOR SERVICE ARE FOR LIKE LOITERING, BUT THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY CONNECTED TO THE ACTUAL ACTIVITY INSIDE. IT COULD BE EXTERNAL, LIKE PEOPLE GATHERING PEOPLE JUST KIND OF BEING THERE. SO A LOT OF THOSE THINGS ARE UNASSOCIATED TO THE TO INSIDE MOST OF OUR CITATIONS AT THE LOCATION. LIKE LIKE I SAID, WE JUST KIND OF PULLED UP IN, IN OUR RANDOM AUDIT AND SOMEONE WAS SMOKING INSIDE THE BUILDING. THAT'S ILLEGAL. THAT'S A CITATION THAT COULD CAUSE YOU TO LOSE YOUR PERMIT. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. YEAH, I HAVE A SO THESE MACHINES CAN'T PAY MORE THAN, WHAT, $5? $10 TO THE PEOPLE PLAYING THEM? THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO ISSUE MONEY AT ALL. SO HOW DO WE TRACK HOW MUCH GOES IN AND HOW MUCH COMES OUT? DO WE DO THAT AT ALL? WE DON'T. SO WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING PUT IN THESE MACHINES. WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH MONEY THEY'RE ACTUALLY PAYING OUT. SO AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE PAYING OUT ANY MONEY BECAUSE AS COUNCILMAN CHRISTIAN MENTIONED, THAT WOULD BE A FORM OF GAMBLING. AND GAMBLING IS ILLEGAL IN TEXAS. THERE'S A LAW THAT SAYS THAT. SO ESSENTIALLY THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE RECREATIONAL

[02:00:05]

ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AND THEN COUNCILMAN TURNER AND I DO I AGREE THAT WE NEED IF THERE IS THE MOTION TO TABLE, WE NEED TO GIVE DIRECTION ON COUNCIL BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION UP HERE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE WANTING FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN TERMS OF THE ORDINANCE, IF WE'RE LOOKING FOR IT, IF WE'RE LOOKING TO PROCEED ON THIS. SO, COUNCILMAN TURNER, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO IF WE'RE GOING TO TABLE, WHAT I LIKE TO SEE IS BPD ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME SPEAK TO SOME INSTANCES. I LIKE TO KNOW IF A ROOM IS CAUGHT DOING THINGS THAT THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO. IS IT AUTOMATICALLY SUSPENDED THE PERMIT? IS IT GONE OR DO THEY HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO GET IT RIGHT? I JUST LIKE CLARITY ON EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON. AND I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO COME BACK. AND WE SAY, WELL, I THINK ORANGE IS DOING THIS OR I THINK LUMBERTON IS DOING THIS. I WANT TO KNOW IF IT'S ACTUALLY DONE AND EXECUTED. SO NO, ORANGE HAS POSTED IT ON THE AGENDA. IT REQUIRES MULTIPLE READINGS AND MULTIPLE ACTIONS BECAUSE YOU ARE TAKING AWAY YOU'RE REPEALING A LAW. SO THERE'S A PROCESS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THAT BY. SO THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW WHETHER IT PASSES IS YET TO BE KNOWN. BUT IT IS IT IS SOMETHING THAT'S COME TO FRUITION IN FORT WORTH AND IN WHITE OAK. SO AND FOR CLARITY, IF WE WERE TO ACT ON THIS TODAY, IT WOULD COME UP AGAIN IN TWO WEEKS. WE WOULD HAVE TO ACT ON IT AGAIN. AND THEN IF WE BOTH TIMES CHOSE TO APPROVE THAT ORDINANCE, THEN IT WOULD GO INTO EFFECT IN 90 DAYS. THAT'S CORRECT. SO JUST FOR ADDITIONAL CLARITY, MAYOR, COUNCIL ALSO, IF YOU WOULD, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM SOME INSPECTORS TOO, BUT ALSO WHEN THEY MENTION A MORATORIUM, THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE COULD SET A TIME LIMIT ON THAT. IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AT THE NEXT MEETING. SO NO, I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN OR COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD ASKED, IS THAT INSTEAD OF STRAIGHT BANNING IS THAT WE JUST DO NOT ISSUE NEW PERMITS AND PUT THAT IN THE ORDINANCE THAT NO, NO NEW NO NEW PERMITS WILL BE ISSUED AFTER THAT. AND I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW'S SUGGESTION WAS TO BAN THEM, BUT NOT TO MAKE IT GO INTO EFFECT, TO REVOKE THEIR PERMITS, BUT JUST ALLOW THEIR PERMITS TO EXPIRE NATURALLY. SO THAT WOULD ALLOW ANYONE WHO HAD ALREADY PAID THE MONEY FOR THE PERMIT TO GET THE FULL VALUE OF THE PERMIT. AT LEAST THAT WAS MY INTERPRETATION OF WHAT WAS. THAT'S CORRECT. VERY ACCURATE. SO A QUESTION. YES. IF THERE IS A PERMANENT MORATORIUM, WE CONTINUE TO DO THE INSPECTIONS AND PERMITTING OF THOSE THAT ARE GRANDFATHERED IN. WE WOULD NEED TO. YES. SO IF. IF WE WENT WITH THE MORATORIUM OPTION, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'LL HAVE TO RESEARCH, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS, IS THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO REEVALUATE THE COST OF THE PERMITTING AND THE COST OF INSPECTION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR FEES ALIGNED WITH OUR ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. BUT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO OPTED TO STILL PARTICIPATE WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY A PERMITTING COST, BECAUSE THEY WOULD WE WOULD HAVE AN EXISTING ORDINANCE THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO COMPLY WITH. WE JUST WOULDN'T BE ALLOWING NEW INDIVIDUALS TO COME IN. AND I BELIEVE OUR FEES ACCOUNT FOR ENFORCEMENT AS WHAT WE HAVE NOW.

SO. ALL RIGHT. SO IS THERE. THE MOTION IS ON THIS OR THE TABLE BECAUSE THE TABLE CAME I NEED CLARITY ON THAT. ARE WE VOTING TO TABLE IT. YES. THAT'S THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TABLING THE MOTION, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I ANY OPPOSED? ME ME ME AS WELL. SO IS THAT FOR THREE? FOR THREE. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT IT IS NOW

[COUNCIL COMMENTS]

[02:05:03]

CAN I GET THE THREE NAMES MYSELF? MYSELF? COUNCIL MEMBER. AND COUNCILMAN? WE'RE GOING TO GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW I TRY TO ALTERNATE FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. SOMETIMES YOU MAY NEED TO HELP ME, BUT I KNOW I STARTED WITH COUNCILMAN DARIO LAST TIME BECAUSE HE GIVES ME THE STINK EYE EVERY TIME I START WITH HIM. I KNOW YOU START IN THE MIDDLE SOMETIME. NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, FIRST I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE CITY STAFF AND EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKING REALLY HARD. I APPRECIATE YOU. I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO. IT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED. I'M GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE MEETINGS AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE MOBILITY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THAT'S GREAT. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT MISTAKES ARE MADE, HOWEVER KNOWINGLY, INTENTIONALLY AND RECKLESSLY PULLING STUNTS IS UNACCEPTABLE. IN ORDER FOR CITY GOVERNMENT TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL MUST FIRST ADHERE TO ESTABLISHED PROTOCOLS AND DEMONSTRATE RESPECT IN ALL COMMUNICATION, BOTH WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITH CITY STAFF. THESE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT ARE NOT JUST PROCEDURAL CHECK BOXES. THEY EXIST TO MAINTAIN ORDER, ENSURE TRANSPARENCY, AND FOSTER A PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE CITY STAFF CAN CARRY OUT THEIR DUTIES WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION, CONFUSION OR POLITICAL INTERFERENCE. WHEN THESE NORMS ARE IGNORED OR DISREGARDED, IT CREATES UNNECESSARY TENSION. IT DISRUPTS OPERATIONS AND UNDERMINES THE PUBLIC TRUST. WE ALL SWORE TO UPHOLD. THAT IS WHY I'D LIKE TO FORMALLY REQUEST THAT COUNCIL RECEIVE TRAINING OR SOME STRUCTURED PRESENTATION ON INSTITUTIONAL NORMS AND APPROPRIATE CONDUCT, BECAUSE, JOY, I CANNOT BE CALLED COUNCIL COUNCILMAN JOY. I CAN'T BE CALLED TO BE A FOURTH VOTE. I BELIEVE THAT IS A VIOLATION, AND WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO NEGOTIATE IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. AND FURTHER, WE AS COUNCIL SHOULD NOT BE SOWING DISCORD.

THIS IS ABOUT REINFORCING THE STANDARDS THAT ALLOW US TO WORK TOGETHER EFFECTIVELY AND UPHOLD THE DIGNITY OF OUR OFFICES, RESPECT, PROFESSIONALISM AND ACCOUNTABILITY MUST BE THE BASELINE, NOT THE EXCEPTION. SO LET US RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO THE STANDARDS OUR CONSTITUENTS EXPECT AND DESERVE. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, NO COMMENT. COUNCILMAN TURNER. MR. MAYOR, I KNOW A CITIZEN CAME UP SPEAKING ABOUT RACQUETBALL. CAN WE KIND OF LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE IF IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE FUTURE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT? MADAM ATTORNEY, I KNOW WE'VE MET ABOUT HOUSE BILL 969 WITH THE CHILD SAFETY. IF I CAN GET SOME SUPPORT TO AT LEAST GET WITH THE BPD AND SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE FEASIBLE FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND KIND OF COME BACK TO IT. I ACTUALLY APPLAUD THIS GENTLEMAN. YOU CAME SEVERAL TIMES AND I WAS ELECTED. I HEAR YOU, SO I WANT TO SEE AND GET SOME FEEDBACK WITH BPD TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAY BE FEASIBLE OR SOMETHING WE NEED TO LOOK INTO. IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. MR. MANAGER, MISS EDDIE ALLEN, I KNOW SHE'S CAME ABOUT THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

I THINK WITH IT BEING HURRICANE SEASON, HOPEFULLY WE CAN KNOCK ON SOME WOOD THAT WE DON'T EXPERIENCE IT, BUT IF WE CAN KIND OF GET THE TRANSPARENCY OF OUR PLAN OUT TO THE COMMUNITY PRIOR TO THAT WOULD BE GOOD. AND I HAVE TO SAY, OPEN MEETINGS ACT. WHAT I HEARD ABOUT A FULL VOTE, I CAN'T SPEAK TO IT, BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE, IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED AND IT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED BECAUSE WE CAN'T OPERATE THAT WAY. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON HOW WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO OPERATE WITHIN STRUCTURE. WE HAVE TO. ONLY YOU TWO KNOW WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT. BUT IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE NEED TO ADDRESS IF IT HAPPENED. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, NO COMMENT.

COUNCILMAN. DARIO. YES, MAYOR. I SPOKE ON IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, AND I JUST WANTED TO

[02:10:05]

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS THIS STUFF ON THE DIAS, NOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THIS IS WHERE WE DO OUR WORK. SO IF WE CAN'T GET A MOTION AND A SECOND, THEN WE'RE BEING PREVENTED FROM DOING WHAT WE WERE ELECTED TO DO. SO I JUST WANT TO REINFORCE THAT ALSO. PIGGYBACK ON WHAT COUNCILMAN TURNER WAS SAYING. I KNOW, I THINK HAVE WE SPOKEN ABOUT GETTING AN ETHICS POLICY CREATED FOR COUNCIL? YES, SIR. IT'S DRAFTED. IT'S DRAFTED. OKAY. THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA ALSO. AND ALSO HAD A CITIZEN APPROACHED ME AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD IDEA ABOUT MAYBE APPROACHING DRAINAGE DISTRICT SIX, ABOUT PUTTING PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT THE HIKE AND BIKE TRAILS. SO LIKE WHEN YOU GO OUT WALKING OR WHATEVER AND YOU HAVE YOUR KIDS, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD BE PLAYING WHILE YOU WALKING AROUND THE HIKING BIKE TRAIL. AND THAT CAME FROM I'M GIVING HIS CREDIT CAME FROM COUNCILMAN GOETZ, BUT OUR FORMER COUNCILMAN GETS. BUT I THINK THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD IDEA AS WELL. SOMETHING WE COULD LOOK INTO. PARKS COULD PROBABLY LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT THE COST IS. AND. OH, WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY Y'ALL LEFT ME OUT OF THE PRESENTATION OVER THERE FOR YEARS OF SERVICE BECAUSE WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CITY COUNCIL, I GOT 35 YEARS OF SERVICE. BUT THAT'S OKAY. I'M NOT COMPLAINING. SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE COMPLAINING A LITTLE BIT.

PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR. CITY MANAGER, REAL QUICK I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ITEM G ON THE CONSENT WAS TO REUNITE THE PEDESTAL OF THE GEORGE O'BRIEN STATUE, WHICH WAS HAS BEEN IN PITKIN PARK, AND WE'RE MOVING IT OVER TO THE ART MUSEUM WHERE THE STATUE IS CURRENTLY. I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE JENNIFER TRENBERTH, WHO'S BEEN HERE, AND SHE AND HER FAMILY ARE HELPING TO MAKE THAT A POSSIBILITY, SO I JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO THANK CLAUDIA AND THE BEAUMONT ZIP STAFF FOR THE STUDENT MOBILITY PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT THEY'VE WORKED REALLY HARD ON THAT TO BRING IT TO YOU GUYS. AND THEN ALSO JUST PRINCE, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES MANAGER. SHE WORKED REALLY HARD TO GET THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN TOGETHER AND THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE HUD FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVE, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK THEM. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. LET'S SEE. COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THINGS. MISS ALLEN, SHE KNOWS I REALLY CARE FOR HER. SO WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT SHE SAYS. WE DID BRING A REPORT TO COUNCIL ONCE BEFORE ABOUT THE COMMUNICATIONS NOTIFICATION PROCESS, AS THE CITY HAS. AND SO WE'VE COMMUNICATED THAT. BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE AND GET THAT COMMUNICATED WELL DURING THIS HURRICANE SEASON, LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, COUNCIL MEMBER. SO WE YOU CAN'T DO THAT ENOUGH. SO I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THOSE DOING THAT. LET'S SEE. NOTIFICATION COUNCIL WE'LL BE SENDING OUT SOME. THE POLICY ON PUTTING ON GUIDELINES FOR GETTING THINGS ON THE AGENDA. GET THINGS ON THE AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PROCESS IS CLEAR, CLEAR FOR EVERYBODY AND GETTING THAT STUFF ON. SO WE'LL BE GETTING THAT OUT THIS WEEK, HOPEFULLY NOW THAT THINGS HAVE SETTLED DOWN A LITTLE BIT. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. WELL, AND I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY SCHOOL IS OUT. IT IS SUMMERTIME. SO CERTAINLY BE MINDFUL WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING DURING THE DAYS. THERE'S A LOT MORE KIDS ON THE ROAD AND KIDS COMING OUT OF DRIVEWAYS. ALSO, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR NEIGHBORS AND ANY ELDERLY NEIGHBORS THAT IF THEIR POWERS. OH, I FORGOT YOU, DIDN'T I? YOU ALWAYS DO, BUT IT'S OKAY. OH, I'M SO SORRY.

SHE'S TALKING TODAY. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, YOU CAN FINISH JUST BEFORE I'M GONNA LET YOU FINISH.

BUT BEFORE YOU ADJOURN. OKAY? I'LL GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY BEFORE YOU ADJOURN. AND I DO WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT IN THE EVENT, CERTAINLY IN PARTICULARLY WITH OLDER PEOPLE, THAT YOU BE MINDFUL OF POWER'S OUT OR IF THEY, YOU KNOW, KEEP AN EYE ON THEM BECAUSE IT CAN CERTAINLY IT IS HEATING UP. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE BEAUMONT ZIP WITH THE STUDENTS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW. JAIME TAYLOR, PRESIDENT LAMAR REACHED OUT TO ME AT SOME TIME. AND BEING ABLE TO ORGANIZE ROUTES SO THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO. TO BETTER SERVE THE STUDENTS AND

[02:15:09]

CORPORATE AMERICA AND CITY GOVERNANCE IS DIFFERENT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CURVE IS ALWAYS IN MY GOAL IS ALWAYS TO OPERATE WITHIN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY. AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S THAT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO COMPREHEND BECAUSE INDIVIDUALLY THERE'S SOME INTERESTS THAT ALIGN. BUT I ONLY OPERATE IN ANSWER TO THE COLLECTIVE. AND SO IF THERE'S IF THERE'S EVER A TIME WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER IS NOT ALIGNING WITH WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY, MY JOB AND MY ONLY JOB IS TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE CITY. ALL I CAN DO IS ADVISE. AND SO IF THE COLLECTIVE BODY DECIDES THAT THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S AGAINST THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY AND GO AGAINST THE ADVICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT. BUT WHEN IT'S NOT THE MAJORITY AND IT'S NOT A QUORUM IN THE CITY, CHARTER SAYS THAT A QUORUM OF COUNCIL IS FOR THEN I CANNOT ACT. AND I WANTED THAT TO BE CLEAR FOR THE RECORD, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THAT, AND I HOPE THAT CLEARS UP SOME UNDERSTANDING. I KNOW THAT THIS IS NEW, AND I'M I'M ALLOWING GRACE BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TAUGHT TO DO AS CHRISTIANS. BUT IT DOES. I APPRECIATE THOSE THAT HAVE ASKED THE QUESTIONS AND TRIED TO REACH OUT AND TRIED TO OFFER UNDERSTANDING. I'M HERE AS A RESOURCE AND I'M AVAILABLE TO HELP, BUT I WANTED THAT TO BE CLEAR. FOR THE RECORD, THANK YOU, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. AND ALSO, FOR THE RECORD, IT'S NOT AIR CONDITIONED TENT. IT'S A MISTING AND COOLING STATION, SO IT IS NOT AIR CONDITIONED. SO I DON'T WANT ANYBODY SAYING TO ME ON THE 14TH BECAUSE I DID SAY AIR CONDITIONED, I APOLOGIZE. SO

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]