[00:00:04] WELCOME TO TODAY'S MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL. TODAY'S DATES JULY 1ST, 2025. [CALL TO ORDER] TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR VERNON TUBBS, FIRST FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PASTOR. HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE COME BEFORE YOU THIS AFTERNOON, WE THANK YOU. OH, GOD, AS IT STATED IN YOUR WORD FOR A LACK OF GUIDANCE, A NATION FALLS, BUT FOR VICTORIES ONE THROUGH MANY ADVISORS. AS WE BOW OUR HEADS TODAY, WE COME IN THE NAME OF OUR ONLY SON. YOUR ONLY SON, JESUS, THE ONE WHO HUNG, BLED AND DIED FOR US ALL. AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER IN SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF BEAUMONT, A CITY BUILT ON HARD WORK, COMMUNITY VALUES, SPIRIT AND ENDURING FAITH. AS THIS CITY COUNCIL COMES TOGETHER TODAY, WE SEEK YOUR WISDOM AND DIRECTION. WE LIFT UP OUR MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY OFFICIALS, AND EVERY PUBLIC SERVANT. GRANT THEM CLARITY OF THOUGHT, DISCERNMENT OF DECISIONS, AND UNITY AND PURPOSE. LET NO VOICE GO UNHEARD AND LET NO DECISION BE MADE WITHOUT FIRST CONSIDERING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THE MOST VULNERABLE. WE PRAY FOR EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN BEAUMONT, FROM AMELIA TO THE PEAR ORCHARD, FROM DOWNTOWN TO OLD TOWN, NORTH INTO SOUTH END, SOUTH PARK TO PARK WEST INTO VOTES. MAY EVERY CITIZEN FEEL REPRESENTED, PROTECTED AND VALUED. STRENGTHEN THOSE WHO SERVE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, EDUCATORS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS GIVE ENDURANCE TO THOSE WHO LABOR QUIETLY BEHIND THE SCENES AND GIVE HOPE TO THOSE STRUGGLING WITH DAILY NEEDS. MAY THIS MEETING BE LED WITH HUMILITY, GRACE, AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE AND EQUITY. REMIND US, O LORD, THAT PUBLIC SERVICE IS NOT A PLATFORM FOR POWER, BUT A SACRED TRUST FOR STEWARDSHIP. IN CLOSING, TODAY, O GOD, WE SAY THANK YOU. AS YOU STATED IN THE WORD IN THE BOOK OF MICHAEL. HE HAS TOLD YOU, O MORTAL, WHAT IS GOOD, AND WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU BUT TO DO JUSTICE, AND TO LIVE TO LOVE KINDNESS, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD? IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY TODAY IN THE ONLY WISE NAME, THE NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND THE STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC. ONE NATION UNDER GOD. CAN WE START OFF WITH ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR WEST. PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM. TURNER. COUNCIL MEMBER. DARIO. COUNCIL MEMBER. HILLIARD. COUNCIL MEMBER. WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHERWOOD. AND COUNCIL MEMBER. CRENSHAW. THANK YOU. WE'VE GOT A FULL HOUSE. EVERYBODY LOOKS HAPPY. AND IT'S NOT TOO WARM IN HERE YET, SO IT FEELS GOOD. AND WE HAVE LOTS OF CELEBRATIONS, SO LET'S BEGIN THEM. OUR FIRST PROCLAMATION IS RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF JULY AS THE NATIONAL BUFFALO SOLDIER MONTH. [PROCLAMATIONS] ACCEPTING WILL BE MR. ROSCOE COMPTON, MRS. JESSIE DAVIS, MR.. ERIC BALDWIN AND MR. JEREMY MCCOLLUM ARE ANY AND ALL PRESENT, AND THOSE THAT ARE WITH YOU MAY ALSO COME FORWARD AND RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION. AND THEN WE'D LIKE GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS US AS WELL. ADDRESS EVERYBODY ACTUALLY. GOOD SEEING YOU ANY MORE. THANK YOU FOR ANYBODY THAT HURTS. YOU KNOW. WE'LL GET YOU. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING WELL. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU. HOW ARE YOU? HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? GOD BLESS YOU. YEAH. ARE YOU. [00:05:03] IN HERE? YEAH. YOU DESERVE IT. YEAH. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THOSE ARE A LITTLE HARDER. YEAH. YES. YEAH. YEAH. HOW ARE YOU, SIR? NICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SIR. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GET A PICTURE HERE. A LOT OF HISTORY IN THERE. YES. AND FEEL FREE RIGHT UP THERE TO THE PODIUM. GOOD AFTERNOON. I GOT VOLUNTEERED TO DO THIS. THEY'RE ALWAYS DOING ME THAT. BUT ANYHOW, YOU KNOW, THE THE REASON IT'S SUCH A PORTRAIT MONTH OR SUCH IMPORTANT IN THE DAYS BECAUSE THE CONSTITUTION, I MEAN, THE THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS TO THE UNITED STATES, TO THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES. IF YOU HAVEN'T ANY READ OR READ ABOUT THE HISTORY, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GO ONLINE. THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS. OKAY. BUFFALO SOLDIERS HELPED GET A UNITED STATES MOVE WEST. THEY WERE THE BACKBONE OF THE UNITED STATES MOVING WEST. OKAY WHEN THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE TO GO AHEAD AND ASSIST THE CITIZENS, PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES FROM MOVING WEST. THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS WERE THE MEN THAT WERE CALLED UPON TO DO THAT. SO IT WAS IMPORTANT THE UNITED STATES. I MEAN, I'M SORRY. THE STATE OF TEXAS INITIALLY RECOGNIZED THIS AS BUFFALO SOLDIER HERITAGE MONTH, THEN FOLLOWED UP BY A PROCLAMATION, NOT A PROCLAMATION. A REQUEST BY KAMALA HARRIS. GET THE NAME RIGHT. KAMALA HARRIS TO HAVE A NATIONAL BUFFALO SOLDIER DATE, WHICH IS JULY THE 28TH. ALL RIGHT. SO IN THAT WE HAVE FOUND BUFFALO SOLDIER GRAVES HERE IN BEAUMONT. ONE IS AT THE EVERGREEN CEMETERY. MR. TURNER IDENTIFIED THAT ONE. AND THOSE ARE LOCATED AT THE EVERGREEN, NOT EVERGREEN. I'M SORRY. PATRIOTIC CEMETERY. BLANKET CEMETERY. I KEEP GETTING THE NAMES LOST. HERITAGE CEMETERY. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THESE PEOPLE AND RECOGNIZE THE HISTORY THAT THEY AND THE BACKBONE THAT THEY PROVIDED TO THE UNITED STATES, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THAT THOSE OTHER DAYS EXIST. WE IN BEAUMONT NEED TO RECOGNIZE THEM. AND I THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THE PROCLAMATION. THANK YOU ALL. WELL, BEAUMONT THIS YEAR GOT THE NATIONAL ARENA LEAGUE TEAM, THE BEAUMONT RENEGADES, HERE. [RECOGNITIONS] AND THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR IN WHO WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TO OCCUR. BUT IT HAPPENED RIGHT HERE IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THE TEAM THEY BEAT, I THINK HADN'T LOST THE GAME IN THREE YEARS UNTIL THEY MET THE BEAUMONT RENEGADES AND THEY LOST THEM TWICE. SO AND NOW THEY ARE THEIR FIRST YEAR. THEY'RE NATIONAL CHAMPS, AND WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM. WE HAVE WITH US. AND I DON'T SEE HIM, BUT I'M SURE HE'S HERE. MR. RODNEY ROBICHAUX, MANAGING PARTNER. SEE YOU IN THE HOUSE. THERE HE IS BACK THERE. ALL RIGHT. AND YOU AND THE REST OF THE TEAM. AND ALSO, I'VE GOT SOME OTHER NAMES DOWN HERE. MR. RICHARD SINCLAIR, ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, IS THAT RIGHT? Y'ALL COME FORWARD. WE'VE GOT HEAD COACH COREY MAYFIELD, AND THEN HOPEFULLY LOTS OF PLAYERS AND THEIR FAMILY AS WELL, AND ANY OF THE OTHER PARTNERS OF THE BUSINESS PLEASE COME FORWARD AS WELL AS ANY FAMILY MEMBERS. HOW'S IT GOING? TO YOU? IT'S [00:10:01] GREAT. YEAH, I KNOW. THAT WAS A FUN NIGHT, SO I GOT TO HOLD THE JOKE. YEAH. ME TOO. CONGRATULATIONS. WAY TO GO. OH, I DIDN'T LIKE THAT. YEAH. DID YOU GET TO GET UP? IN THERE. I LIKE IT. SO THERE YOU GO. I KNOW. CONGRATS. CONGRATS. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HEY, HEY. WE'LL DO THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. YES. YES. CONGRATULATIONS. IS THAT. OKAY. OKAY. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW WE'RE GOING TO FIT EVERYONE, BUT IF THE TALLER PLAYERS COULD GET MAYBE TO THE BACK, WE'LL PUT THE SHORTER ONES IN THE FRONT. BACK? RIGHT. LOOK OUT. OKAY. MAKE SURE Y'ALL CAN SEE ME. COUNCIL HILL, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. MAYBE A LITTLE BIT. THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO. OKAY. THAT'S BETTER. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. I THINK. [00:16:06] SO I'M EASY MAN. THANK YOU MAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I LOVE YOU. I NEED ONE. ANYWAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OH, ARE YOU GOOD? THANK YOU. GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? YEAH. LET ME DO IT. ARE YOU. ABOUT TO GIVE ME A LEVER FOR THE. YOU. LITTLE FREESTYLE. YOU GOTTA DO YOUR BOOMERANG. YOU GOTTA HIT A. WHAT? INSTAGRAM. INSTAGRAM. YEAH. HAVE YOU SEEN HIM? YEAH. HE SAID. HE SAID TO ME. I USED TO PLAY WITH A BOOMERANG WHEN I WAS A KID. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU. MAYOR. WE NEED TO TURN. YEAH. THANK YOU. MAYOR. AND THE CITY COUNCIL. CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY. THANK YOU FOR INVITING US TODAY. THIS WAS A BIG DEAL FOR BEAUMONT. IT WAS BIG FOR BEAUMONT RENEGADES TO COME TO BEAUMONT. AND THE FANS ARE SECOND TO NONE. YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT. AND SAM IS ONE OF THE PARTNERS AND IN DISTRICT WISE IS ANOTHER PARTNER. HE'S AN NFL FOOTBALL PLAYER TODAY, SO HE KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT THE GAME AND WE'LL LET THESE GUYS SPEAK. WELL, WHAT CAN I SAY? IT'S I'M A MAN FROM A YOUNG A YOUNG MAN FROM MASSACHUSETTS HAS NEVER FELT SO WELCOME IN THIS CITY. IT WAS IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO BRING FOOTBALL TO A TOWN THAT EXPECTS A LOT OUT OF EXPECTS A LOT OUT OF ANY PROFESSION, ANYTHING PROFESSIONAL, ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AT YOUR BEST. AND WE DIDN'T BRING THE BEST PLAYERS IN. WE BROUGHT IN THE RIGHT ONES AND AND WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER OF THOSE PLAYERS. BUT ALSO WITH THOSE GREAT PLAYERS COMES A GREAT MESSAGE. AND WITH THESE THREE COACHES, WITHOUT THESE THREE COACHES AND THEM HANGING IN THERE, AND THE MESSAGE OF FAMILY AND EVERYBODY DOING THEIR JOB, HOLDING EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE. COACH MAYFIELD, COACH. PEACE. COACH SOLOMON. YEAH. AS OWNERS, AS OWNERS, I THINK DIETRICH RODNEY WOULD AGREE WITH ME THAT THEY DEFINITELY THEY DEFINITELY MADE US ALL LOOK GOOD. THEY MADE US ALL LOOK GOOD. THESE GREAT PLAYERS AND THESE GREAT COACHES AND I. AND I COULDN'T BE PROUDER. THIS IS THIS IS FOR YOU GUYS. THIS IS FOR YOU GUYS. [00:20:05] IT ALL STARTED WITH A DREAM. WE HAD THREE GUYS UP HERE WHO WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED TO DO AND HOW WE WANTED TO BRING SUCCESS TO BEAUMONT. AND WITH THE GREAT COACHING STAFF AND ALL THESE GUYS, WE CAME TOGETHER DAY IN AND DAY OUT, MADE EVERYTHING HAPPEN AND BROUGHT OUR CHAMPIONSHIP TO BEAUMONT. THAT'S IT. AND THANK YOU AGAIN. YOU KNOW, THE CITY WAS SUPER SUPPORTIVE OF US. THE FANS. THE FIRST GAME WAS SCREAMING AND HOLLERING. I'M LIKE, WHAT ARE THEY SCREAMING AT? THEY CAN'T POSSIBLY KNOW THEM. I DON'T KNOW THEM. HOW DO THEY KNOW THEM? BUT THAT'S JUST THE CROWD WE HAD. AND IT GOT BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERY WEEK. YOU KNOW, WE STARTED IN FEBRUARY. WE ENDED UP GOING TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST TEAM EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THE NHL TO COME INTO THE LEAGUE. NO ONE KNEW OUR NAMES. THESE GUYS DIDN'T KNOW ONE ANOTHER. WE BEAT THE NUMBER ONE TEAM THE SECOND WEEK OF OUR OUR LEAGUE AND ENDED UP BEATING THEM AGAIN IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. SO THEY REALLY DON'T LIKE US. THEY LOST TWO GAMES IN THREE YEARS TO BEAUMONT RENEGADES WHICH THEY DID NOT KNOW. THEY KNOW US NOW. THEY HATE US. AND THAT'S OKAY. BUT BUT I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE THE MAN IN CHARGE, COACH MAYFIELD. HE'S PUT THIS TEAM TOGETHER, PUT THE PRACTICE TOGETHER, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF HIM. WE'RE. GIVING HONOR TO GOD FIRST AND FOREMOST. AND SECOND THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING US. IT'S AN HONOR TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, AND WE TAKE THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY. THESE GUYS ARE NOT ONLY A GREAT MAN ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD. THEY'RE EVEN BETTER MEN IN THE COMMUNITY. AND BEAUMONT IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE OF THESE YOUNG MEN. I'LL ALSO SAY THIS BEING RECOGNIZED IS A HUGE DEAL, AND THIS IS AN HONOR. AND WE STAND ON THAT. AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO SERVICE OUR COMMUNITY. BUT ONE THING WE MADE ABOUT FOOTBALL, ABOUT THIS TEAM, WE DIDN'T MAKE IT ABOUT FOOTBALL. WE MADE IT ABOUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. AND ONCE WE DID THAT, WINNING WAS EASY. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR HAVING US. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR. JUST ABOUT 45 MORE MINUTES AND WE'LL BE DONE. BUT WE WANT TO BRING IN IN THE BEGINNING THESE GUYS. AND ONE OF THE MEETINGS I WAS IN, HE PLAYED HERE AT CENTRAL AND HE PLAYED HIS BY DISTRICT HERE AND HE LOST. AND HE BROUGHT THAT UP TO THE TEAM. AND LET ME TELL YOU THAT DAY, THIS TEAM BECAME BROTHERS. AND THEY SAID WE'RE GOING TO WIN IT FOR YOU. AND HE WANTED TO WIN FOR HIS BEAUMONT, FOR HIS FAMILY, FOR HIS COMMUNITY, FOR HIS HIGH SCHOOL. I WANT TO BRING HIM UP. CAN YOU COME UP, PLEASE? YEAH. THANK YOU. THERE'S NOTHING REALLY MUCH I CAN SAY, MAN. I'M A BEAUMONT NATIVE. I'VE BEEN HERE ALL MY LIFE. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR A LONG TIME. AFTER EVERY OTHER SEASON, I COME BACK HOME. I ALWAYS COME BACK TO MY ROOTS. AND IT'S A BIG THING FOR ME, YOU KNOW, TO BRING A CHAMPIONSHIP HOME LIKE I LIKE, HE SAID MY LAST TIME PLAYING IN BOTH MY I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND WE LOST AT THE AT OUR HOME FIELD AND PLAY OUR SECOND ROUND, AND THAT STUCK WITH ME FOR A LONG TIME. AND I FINALLY GOT A CHANCE TO REDEEM MYSELF WITH THESE GREAT GUYS, THESE GREAT COACHES AND GREAT PLAYERS. AND I COULDN'T BE MORE HAPPIER THAN I COULDN'T BE MORE, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO BE TO REPRESENT BEAUMONT AND DOING THE BEST OF MY ABILITY WITH THESE GREAT GUYS. SO I THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. AND I WANT TO BRING YOU BY OUR ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, RICHARD. HE KIND OF PUT THE GLUE TO THE PACKAGE AND GOT US IN TROUBLE AND GOT US OUT OF TROUBLE. SO COME ON UP. RICHARD. YEAH. WELL, FIRST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. MY FIANCEE AND OUR FAMILY MOVED DOWN HERE FROM WYOMING IN AUGUST. I'M TRYING TO STILL GET USED TO THE HUMIDITY. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT. BUT BEAUMONT'S BEEN A GREAT COMMUNITY. IT IS DEFINITELY A FOOTBALL COMMUNITY, AND WE LOVE IT. WE PLAN ON BEING HERE FOR YEARS TO COME. SO WE THANK YOU GUYS. THANK THE ENTIRE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AND THANK ALL OF OUR SPONSORS AND ALL THE WONDERFUL FANS THAT CAME OUT TO OUR GAMES, THANKS TO THE COACHING STAFF, THE TEAM. OBVIOUSLY, WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU GUYS AND WE CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK TO BACK, RIGHT? OH YEAH. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR. IT'S BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND WE JUST LOOK FORWARD TO BEING BIGGER AND BETTER NEXT YEAR. YES, SIR. ONE MORE TIME. WHEN THIS GROUP CAME TOGETHER AND I MET THEM AS A SPONSOR. JUST LIKE ONE OF YOU GUYS JUST SUPPORTING BEAUMONT, SUPPORTING THE NEW BUSINESS IN BEAUMONT. [00:25:03] AND THESE OWNERS, THEY'VE INVESTED OVER $1 MILLION IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THIS IS HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, CONVENIENCE STORES, MARKET BASKET. YOU KNOW, WE LIVED NEXT DOOR TO THEM AND THEY DID A LOT OF BUSINESS THERE DAILY. SO WE SPENT THE MONEY BACK IN BEAUMONT. WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS STEPPING UP AND SUPPORTING US. WE DO NEED THE COMMUNITY TO GO FORWARD. IT IS A EXPENSIVE BALL GAME. PAY THESE GUYS, FEED THESE GUYS. THAT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND THEN PUT THEM TO BED. SO IT'S A BIG EXPENSE. AND LASTLY, I WANT TO BRING UP OUR OUR REVEREND FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. HE WAS SELFLESSLY AND GAVE HIS TIME UP AND SUPPORTED US IN EACH AND EVERY GAME. HE BECAME ONE OF THE ONE OF THE ONE OF THE GUYS IN THE LOCKER ROOM, EVERY EVERY BALL GAME IN PRACTICE AND SO FORTH. SO, REVEREND J.D. ROBERTS, SIR. YOU KNOW, HE SAID HE THOUGHT I WAS AN ASSISTANT COACH. HE MADE ME ASSISTANT COACH FOR ONE GAME AND NEVER TOLD ME THAT AGAIN. BUT NO. YES. GIVING ALL HONOR TO GOD. I THINK IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR THESE YOUNG MEN. I KNOW THEM AS BROTHERS. BUT THE BEAUMONT BOY, I'VE BEEN KNOWING HIM BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF MY SOC STUDENTS CONTINUALLY. I TOLD HIM HE WAS ONE OF MY STOCK KIDS. SO I'M I'M EXCITED FOR THEM. I'M MOST EXCITED FOR BEAUMONT. WE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO. BUT THE WAY THINGS ARE CHANGING AND GROWING IN BEAUMONT, IT CAN'T HELP BUT GET BETTER. AND WE KNOW WE CAN DEPEND ON THE COUNCIL. AND BY DEPENDING ON THE COUNCIL, WE CAN DEPEND ON THE, THE, THE DIFFERENT COMMODITIES AND EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO FEED THEM. SO IF YOU GOT A HAMBURGER, FRENCH FRIES, CHICKEN IN YOUR ICEBOX YOU WANT TO GET RID OF. GIVE US A CALL. BUT ON A SERIOUS NOTE, THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING US. YES. THANK YOU. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK EACH OF YOU FOR SUPPORTING US. SUPPORTING THE CITY. SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. ONE OF THE THINGS WE BROUGHT TO THE PLAYERS WHEN I FIRST MET THEM WAS ALL THE GOOD GUYS. I'M GOING TO GET YOU A JOB HERE. ARE YOU GOING TO STAY? ALL THE OTHER ONES GO HOME. AND A LOT OF THEM ARE COMING. JD IS MOVING. HIM AND HIS FIANCEE ARE MOVING HERE. HE'S ONE OF THE CAPTAINS OF THE TEAM. HE'S BEEN AROUND FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND THE LEAGUE IS PROBABLY RANKED NUMBER ONE AS THE DEFENSIVE PLAYER. OUR QUARTERBACK WAS A VP. OUR COACH WAS THE VP. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR ROOKIE QUARTERBACK MAKES THE ALL PRO FOOTBALL TEAM AND THE VIP QUARTERBACK. HE BEAT OUT GUYS THAT HAVE A HEISMAN TROPHY. SO IN OUR LEAGUE. SO THE BEST OF THE BEST. OUR GUY ROSE TO THE TOP. AND THEY'LL ALL TELL YOU IT'S ALL GOD. SO THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. HE HE WAS ASKING ABOUT THE TROPHY. BUT Y'ALL DIDN'T BRING THAT, DID YOU? WE DID. WE WERE RUNNING LATE, SO IT'S IN THE CAR, BUT I COULDN'T GET IT RIGHT. YOU CAN LOOK ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE. I GOT A PICTURE WITH IT, BUT WE'LL BRING IT UP HERE AND PUT IT UP THERE FOR YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU I. APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY FOR COMING. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT. IF THEY COME RIGHT WE COULDN'T THEY MIGHT GO. YEAH. LET'S JUST. YEAH. I LIKE THE WAY YOU THINK. OKAY. YEAH, I KNOW. DID PASTOR ROBERTS WALK OUTSIDE? ALL RIGHT. SO BECAUSE WE HAVE A RECOGNITION FOR SAVE OUR CHILDREN AND [00:30:07] IT'S JULY 9TH IS KNOW YOUR COUNTY COURTHOUSE. COME ON UP, PASTOR. AND THIS IS I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY YEARS YOU'VE BEEN DOING THAT NOW. 14 YEARS. SO GIVING BACK, HAVING HUNDREDS OF KIDS COME TO THE COURTHOUSE, GET ACQUAINTED WITH A LOT OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND THE SYSTEM AND ALL THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF COUNTY AND CITY GOVERNMENT. SO WE THANK HIM FOR THAT. I CAN SEE YOU MUCH EASIER. OKAY. READY? ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. WHY ARE WE UP HERE AGAIN? YEAH. WELL, AGAIN, I CAN'T THANK GOD ENOUGH FOR BLESSING ME AND MY BOY. MATTER OF FACT, THIS IS DANNY SIMMS IS MY VICE PRESIDENT. AND THIS IS MY BABY THAT DOESN'T GREW UP FROM BEING A LITTLE BITTY KID TO NOW BEING ON OUR BOARD AT 15 YEARS OLD, BECAUSE I WANT HER TO UNDERSTAND THAT GIVING IS THE KEY TO RECEIVING. WHEN WE GIVE, WE DON'T GIVE FOR SHOW. WE GIVE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY NEED SOME KIND OF GUIDANCE. NONE OF US ARE PERFECT. NONE OF US KNOW EVERYTHING. BUT IF YOU CAN JUST SPEND FIVE SECONDS TELLING SOMEBODY YOU LOVE THEM. BECAUSE THAT'S ALL IT TAKES. FIVE SECONDS. I PRACTICE IN THE MIRROR. ALL RIGHT. SO FIVE SECONDS. IF YOU START LETTING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT THEM AND YOU LOVE THEM, THEN ALL THE THINGS THAT WE SEE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WOULDN'T BE HAPPENING AS MUCH. WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO BLAME THE PARENTS BECAUSE YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, 30 YEARS AGO, 35 YEARS AGO, TO BE EXACT, THOSE SAME PARENTS WAS ON RITALIN AND THAT RITALIN HAVE TOOK EFFECT. AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY WITH OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IS FROM THEIR PAST. BUT AGAIN, ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. SO ON BEHALF OF FIRST OF ALL, LET ME DO THIS. THERE'S SOME NEW COUNCIL PEOPLE THAT HAVE VOLUNTEERED TO COME AND SPEAK AT THIS YEAR'S COUNTY COURTHOUSE. AND WE DID NOT WANT Y'ALL TO BE OUT OF UNIFORM. SO WE GOT Y'ALL UNIFORMS. FIRST OF ALL, NO. NO EXCESSIVE SHORTS. YOU DON'T WEAR SHORTS. AND. NO, YOUR COUNTY COURTHOUSE IS HERE. YOU GOT. THE MAYOR TO GO GET IT. MAYOR, PLEASE. I'LL MAKE SURE I REMEMBER NONE OF THEM SHOWING YOU HAT ON THAT TO BEAT Y'ALL TODAY. AND THEN WE HAVE JOEY. JOEY, DON'T TRY TO FLEX. JUST. AND THEN WE HAVE. LADONNA. I AIN'T GOING TO SAY THAT TO YOU. AND THEN WE HAVE. MIKE WILLIAMS. AND I KNOW YOUR WIFE WON'T LET YOU IN ON YOUR PANTS. LET. GO AHEAD ON. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE KENNETH. TEDDY. MANAGER. I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR VOLUNTEERING TO COME AND SPEAK TO OUR YOUTH, LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT'S HARD OUT THERE FOR HIM, BUT WE DIDN'T FORGET THE OTHER THREE. SO I JUST WANT TO LET Y'ALL KNOW. [00:35:05] OKAY, THAT RJ TURNER. NOW, MY DAUGHTER TOOK CARE OF ALL THIS. I DIDN'T DO THAT. THEN YOU GO GIVE THAT TO THAT MAN RIGHT THERE, BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO COME AND SPEAK. AND YOURS IS IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE WE MADE SURE WE WEREN'T GOING TO FORGET NOBODY. BUT AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, THE ASSOCIATION, DANNY AND MY DAUGHTER, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION AND FOR Y'ALL BRINGING YOUR KIDS TO THE COURTHOUSE. I'M TIRED OF THE ONLY REASON WHY THEY KNOW THE COURTHOUSE IS BECAUSE OF THE JAILHOUSE. THEY GOT EMPLOYED JOBS AT JEFFERSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE. SO LET'S ENCOURAGE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE WE'VE GOT A RECOGNITION. AND I WAS AT AT A RECENT LUNCHEON. EXXONMOBIL THROUGH THEIR EXXON 409 SCHOLARS. AND WE SEE THEM HERE. AND I THINK ALL OF THEM ARE IN SHIRTS, BUT WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE ALL OF THEM. WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE EXXONMOBIL BEAUMONT AREA PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM THAT'S HERE IN THE HOUSE. SO IF Y'ALL ALL COME UP AND WE THANK YOU. AND I WANT Y'ALL TO TELL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE 409 PROGRAM. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THE CIVIC CENTER NEXT YEAR. THANK YOU. TYLER, GO AHEAD AND TELL PEOPLE WHO YOU ARE AND INTRODUCE THE REST OF THE TEAM AS WELL. THANK YOU ALL. I'M THE TYLER GUSTAFSON. I'M THE BEAUMONT AREA PUBLIC AFFAIRS ADVISOR. THIS YEAR I GOT TO LEAD THIS PROGRAM AND LAST YEAR I GOT TO SEE IT HAPPEN AND STARTED IN 2022 WITH JUST SIX STUDENTS. AND WE'VE SEEN IT NOW GROW INTO 30 STUDENTS, WHERE WE HIGHLIGHT ALL THE DIFFERENT CAREERS AVAILABLE TO THEM AT EXXONMOBIL AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT HERE IN BEAUMONT. WE EQUIP THEM WITH THE TOOLS NEEDED TO GET JOBS AT EXXONMOBIL ONE DAY OR IN THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY. [00:40:02] AND I KNOW, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HIGHLIGHTED ALL OF THEM AND ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE. THEY SHOWCASE ALL THE DIFFERENT CAREERS THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN, AND ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ARE INTERESTED IN PURSUING A CAREER IN ENGINEERING OR PROCESS OPERATING. AND OUR HOPE IS THAT THEY STAY RIGHT HERE AND PURSUE A CAREER IN BEAUMONT. AND SO WE COULD NOT DO THIS WITHOUT LAMAR UNIVERSITY LIT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND BEAUMONT ISD. AND SO I WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOU ALL FOR HAVING US. AND I WANT TO THANK ALL THE STUDENTS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. SO THANK YOU ALL. THANKS EXXONMOBIL FOR Y'ALL MAKING THIS COMMITMENT AND B ISD FOR GETTING ON BOARD. AND I THINK THOSE STUDENTS ARE FROM THE ALL. ALL THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS. YEAH. SO THAT'S AWESOME. THE GOOD NEWS CONTINUES, FOLKS. SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE SIGNED UP TO MAKE COMMENTS, REMEMBER THAT WE'VE GOT SOME MOMENTUM HERE GOING AND SO. I GUESS. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION RECOGNIZING TWO OUTSTANDING ZIP TRANSIT BUS OPERATORS WHO'VE SHOWN EXCEPTIONAL SAFE DRIVING SKILLS. BOTH HAVE REACHED OVER 500 DAYS IN OVER 100,000 MILES WITH ZERO SAFETY VIOLATIONS. THAT'S INCREDIBLE. AND I'M GOING TO HAVE THEM AS WELL AS THE ZIP TRANSIT TEAM COME FORWARD. IT'S MR. TOMMY STRANGE AND MR. TORREY NEWMAN, I BELIEVE. AND IF I DIDN'T GET THE NAME CORRECT, PLEASE CORRECT ME, BUT I'VE GOT CERTIFICATES FOR BOTH OF THEM IF THEY'RE ABLE TO BE HERE. YEAH. YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. READY? RIGHT HERE. AND ONE. TWO. THREE. GOT IT. GOOD JOB. YEAH. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, WHO GIVEN ME THAT ABILITY TO DRIVE AND TO BE SAVED. WITHOUT HIM, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT. AMEN. AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR TO. AND THE COUNCILORS AND MY GENERAL MANAGER, MISS CLARK, AND THE EMPLOYEES. I JUST THANK GOD FOR ALL OF THEM. I'VE BEEN WITH JYP FOR 20 YEARS. IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE SERVING THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. EVERY DAY I FIND THE PLEASURE. AND OUT OF THEM, 20 YEARS. 13 YEARS. BEING WITH THE SPECIAL NEEDS. AND I FIND A JOY SERVING ON THE PAN TRANSIT. [00:45:05] AS ME, I GET A CHANCE TO MEET PEOPLE THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE, DISABLED, AND I JUST FIND A JOY AND A PLEASURE IN GIVING MY SERVICE TO THEM. BECAUSE EVERY DAY I SEE SOME IN WHEELCHAIRS, SOME THAT DON'T HAVE LIMBS, SOME CAN'T EVEN DO FOR THEMSELVES. AND I FIND A JOY AND A PLEASURE THAT I CAN HELP THEM TO GET TO ONE PLACE, TO ANOTHER PLACE. AND I GIVE GOD THE PRAISE FOR THAT, BECAUSE HE'S THE ONE THAT HAS GIVEN ME THE ABILITY TO HELP THEM. AND THANK YOU TO MISS CLAUDE. I'M JUST HAPPY TO SERVE HUMANITY. AND THANK YOU FOR THE AWARD. I'M GOING TO TRY TO BE BRIEF SINCE IT'S BEEN A WHILE ON RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THAT'S THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR ME. EVERYBODY THAT KNOWS ME, I START TALKING, AND IT'S VERY HARD FOR ME TO STOP. BUT I'M GOING TO TRY TO QUOTE SOMETHING. ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN FROM THE FOOTBALL TEAM MENTIONED THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DOES NOT SETTLE FOR NOTHING BUT THE BEST. AND I'M VERY HONORED AND VERY PROUD TO BE STANDING RIGHT HERE TO SOME OF OUR BEST. THEY GIVE THEIR BEST EVERY DAY. MR. NEWMAN, HE'S HE'S GOING TO TALK. ABOUT. HE IS A VERY KIND PERSON, VERY CARING, JUST LIKE MR. STRANGE EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY. AND TO PUT THINGS INTO PERSPECTIVE AGAIN, I TRIED NOT TO TALK, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS SAFETY SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IS GOING TO BE MONITORING THOSE OPERATORS FROM THE MINUTE THEY TURN ON THAT VEHICLE TO THE MINUTE THEY TURN IT OFF, IT'S GOING TO PICK UP ANY TYPE OF DISTRACTION. IT'S GOING TO PICK UP MOBILE DEVICES. IT'S GOING TO PICK UP CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE GOING OVER. IT'S GOING TO PICK UP HEARTBREAKING. IT'S GOING TO PICK UP SOMEBODY CUT IN IN FRONT OF YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE FOLLOWING TOO CLOSE. YOU WERE NOT KEEPING THOSE FIVE, THREE, SIX SECONDS. IT'S A LOT. SO I CAN TELL YOU IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR PRETTY MUCH ANY OF US TO TRY TO SIT BEHIND THAT WHEEL WITH THE TRAFFIC, WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON AROUND, AND FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH 100,000 MILES AND MORE AND COUNTING. GOD WILLING. IT'S IT'S ON HER, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THEM. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO RECOGNIZE THEM. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. COMMUNICATION UPDATE BY TRACY KINNICK. [PRESENTATIONS] THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. IN THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE'RE EXCITED TO INVITE EVERYONE TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT'S ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION COMING UP THIS FRIDAY, JULY 4TH, FROM 5 TO 9 P.M. AT THE DOWNTOWN EVENT CENTER IN LAKE. IT'S ONE OF OUR BIGGEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR, COMPLETE WITH LIVE MUSIC, LOCAL FOOD TRUCKS, FAMILY FUN, AND OF COURSE, A HUGE FIREWORKS DISPLAY TO WRAP UP THE NIGHT. GATES OPEN AT FIVE. FIREWORKS SHOOT OFF AT NINE OVER THE RIVER WITH THE BIGGEST DISPLAY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. AND WE ALSO HAVE A SPECIAL PATRIOTIC PERFORMANCE BY THE SYMPHONY OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THAT'S INSIDE THE JULIE ROGERS AT 8 P.M.. FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO CATCH SOME AC AND ENJOY SOME GREAT MUSIC AND THE ENTIRE EVENT IS FREE, PARKING DOWNTOWN IS FREE. JUST BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS AND BLANKETS FOR A FUN NIGHT CELEBRATING OUR NATION'S FREEDOMS. THAT BEING SAID, IF YOU'RE CELEBRATING AT HOME, BE MINDFUL OF OUR VETS AND PETS WHO MAY BE SENSITIVE TO LOUD SOUNDS. AND WE ALSO HAVE A FEW REMINDERS ON WHAT IS LEGAL AND WHAT IS SAFE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS. AS WITH EVERY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION WHERE FIREWORKS ARE INVOLVED INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF BEAUMONT, IT IS ILLEGAL TO POP FIREWORKS. THAT IS A CITY ORDINANCE. FINE CAN BE UP TO $500, SO WE REALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LEAVE IT TO THE PROFESSIONALS. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT PUTS ON A GREAT 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION, SO WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME DOWNTOWN AND ENJOY THAT. BUT THE FIREWORKS THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE, THEY CAN USE THEM OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. BUT WE WANT TO REMIND THEM, IF THEY DO USE THEM TO SPACE AND MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN ARE PROPERLY SUPERVISED AND NEVER CONSUME ALCOHOL BY USING FIREWORKS. LIGHTING MULTIPLE FIREWORKS AT ONE TIME RESULTS IN THESE TYPE INJURIES. THE MOST COMMON ONE IS THE EYE INJURIES, BUNDLING TOO MANY FIREWORKS TOGETHER, TRYING TO THE BIGGER EFFECT WHICH LEADS TO INJURIES. AND A FEW YEARS AGO WE EVEN HAD AN UP AND COMING YOUNG MAN LOSE HIS HAND IN A FIREWORKS ACCIDENT. AS WITH CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE, IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ABSOLUTELY ENFORCED THIS. IN YEARS PAST, WE HAVE FOUND PEOPLE POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SHOOTING FIREARMS IN THE AIR, [00:50:04] AND IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN. AND EVERY YEAR ACROSS THE NATION, PEOPLE ARE INJURED AND SOMETIMES KILLED BY CELEBRATORY GUNFIRE THAT'S BEEN SHOT INTO THE AIR. THERE'S ALSO PROPERTY DAMAGE. SO EVERY MORNING AFTER A FIREWORKS HOLIDAY, WE RECEIVE A LOT OF CALLS IN REFERENCE TO VEHICLES THAT HAVE SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM GUNFIRE AS WELL AS HOMES, AND WE ABSOLUTELY WILL PURSUE CHARGES AGAINST ANYONE WHO DOES THAT. AS ALWAYS, CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT FROM 5 TO 9 P.M. AT THE BEAUMONT EVENT CENTER, CULMINATING WITH A FIREWORKS SHOW AT 9 P.M.. STAY SAFE. BEAUMONT BOND COMMITTEE MEETING. EXCUSE ME. MEMBERS HAVE BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY ON WHAT THEY THINK ARE THE CRITICAL NEEDS FOR OUR AREA AND WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR THE CITY'S FIRST BOND ELECTION IN 43 YEARS. AND THEY WANT YOUR INPUT. JOIN US FOR A VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE JULY 4TH THROUGH THE 13TH ONLINE@BEAUMONT.COM AND IN PERSON AT OUR OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY, JULY 12TH FROM TEN TO NOON. THAT'S AT THE LAKESIDE CENTER AUDITORIUM. YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE OR AT BEAUMONT BONDS. COM. HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE, AND WE WANT YOU TO STAY INFORMED AND READY TO BY MAKING SURE THAT YOU'RE REGISTERED. WITHSTAND AND STEER. STAND IS THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS ALERTING NETWORK. IT GIVES YOU REAL TIME ALERTS ABOUT EMERGENCIES AFFECTING YOUR AREA. YOU CAN SIGN UP AT THE STAND STEER OR STATE OF TEXAS EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE REGISTRY. MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WITH MEDICAL OR MOBILITY NEEDS AREN'T FORGOTTEN DURING A DISASTER. JUST CALL 211 TO SIGN UP THERE. JOIN US FOR OUR SUMMER MOVIES IN THE PARK SERIES. THESE ARE FREE, FAMILY FRIENDLY MOVIE NIGHTS HAPPENING AT DIFFERENT PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. BRING YOUR BLANKET OR EXCUSE ME, LONG CHAIR AND ENJOY A MOVIE UNDER THE STARS. JULY 11TH CATCH SONIC THREE AT SPROUT PARK JULY 25TH. IT'S MUFASA AT CHARLTON POLLARD PARK AND ON AUGUST 8TH. CATCH IF AT CENTRAL PARK. ALL MOVIES START AT DUSK AND THEY ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. AND IT'S NOT JUST THE BEAUMONT RENEGADES WHO ARE REPRESENTING OUR CITY AND DOING GREAT THINGS ATHLETICALLY. A BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO BEAUMONT'S OWN QUENTIN THOMAS JR, WHO ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING NEVER DONE BEFORE IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE. HE COMPETED IN 2025 USA BOXING NATIONAL JUNIOR OLYMPICS. FACING FIVE DIFFERENT OPPONENTS TO BRING HOME GOLD. SO A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO QUINTON AND HIS FAMILY FOR MAKING HISTORY AND PROUDLY REPRESENTING BEAUMONT ON THE NATIONAL STAGE AS WELL. FINALLY, A SWEET MOMENT CAPTURED ON CAMERA IS EARNING BEAUMONT SOME WELCOME RECOGNITION. THIS PICTURE, TAKEN AT A COPS AND KIDS EVENT AT MAGNOLIA PARK, IS GOING VIRAL FOR ALL THE RIGHT REASONS. IT CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT. POLICE CHIEF TIM WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A HEATED MATCH OF TUG OF WAR WHEN HE STOPPED TO OFFER A NEEDED HUG TO A LITTLE GIRL ON THE OPPOSITE TEAM. THIS SWEET MOMENT WAS POSTED ONLINE AND ULTIMATELY CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF CBS NATIONAL NEWS LEAD CORRESPONDENT DAVID BECKHAM, WHO SHARED HIS TAKE ON WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY. THIS PHOTO WENT VIRAL AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE BACKSTORY. IT'S NOT A STORY ABOUT RACE. IT'S NOT EVEN A STORY ABOUT POLICING. IT'S A STORY ABOUT HUMANITY AND TRUST. IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS, THIS PRECIOUS THREE YEAR OLD GIRL NAMED ARI WAS AT A COPS AND KIDS EVENT AT A LOCAL PARK, AND SHE GOT UPSET BECAUSE HER SISTER WAS WINNING A TUG OF WAR COMPETITION AND SHE WAS LOSING. SO SHE RAN IN TEARS TO THE NEAREST ADULT AND JUMPED IN HIS ARMS. THAT ADULT JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE THE POLICE CHIEF. SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT. SHE JUST FELT SAFE. HE HUGGED HER, WHISPERED SOMETHING KIND. AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, SHE WAS BACK IN THE GAME. THIS TIME ON HIS TEAM. AND THEY WON. OF COURSE, THIS IS HOW TRUST BEGINS. NOT IN CRISIS. NOT IN FEAR, BUT IN JOY. IN PLAY. IN THE ORDINARY MOMENTS THAT BECOME SOMETHING MORE. THIS DOESN'T FIX EVERYTHING, BUT THEY MATTER. BECAUSE WHEN TRUST IS BUILT EARLY, IT LASTS A LONG TIME. THESE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER. THANKS TO YOU FOR SHOWING THE NATION THE MOMENTS THAT MATTER MOST TO ALL OF US HERE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AND THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND OUR LAST PRESENTATION IS OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, SHEKINAH NOBLES. AND I DIDN'T SEE YOU OVER THERE. SHEKINAH. AND SHE IS IT'S ON THE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM AND THE EMERGENCY ALERT OVERVIEW. SO THE FLOOR IS YOURS. GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL. WHAT A GREAT DAY TO BE A PART OF BEAUMONT. RIGHT? IT'S SO MUCH POSITIVITY TODAY AND MY HEART IS SUPER FULL. GOOD. AGAIN, GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL OF YOU. I'M SITTING AT THE DICE. MY NAME IS SHEKINAH. NOBLES HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED FOR SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS I HAVEN'T HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YET. AND I AM GOING TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO GIVE YOU GUYS A PRESENTATION ON EVACUATION NOTIFICATIONS AND WARNING AND [00:55:07] THE OUTDOOR SIREN SYSTEMS. THANK YOU. TINA. BASED OFF OF PREVIOUS COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORTH. I'M NOT JUST HERE AT THE PODIUM, BUT ALSO TO OUR OFFICE. THESE WERE THE THREE HOT TOPICS THAT KIND OF CAME OUT AND STUCK OUT FROM THEIR PRESENTATION SPECIFICALLY LAST WEEK. AND SO I'M GOING TO COVER EACH ONE OF THOSE FOR YOU GUYS AS BEST AS I COULD, AND HOPEFULLY GIVE YOU SOME GOOD SOUND INFORMATION FOR THAT NEXT SLIDE. OKAY, SO THE EVACUATION PLAN AND ANNEX IS ACTUALLY ANNEX FOR THE CITY'S EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN. CONSEQUENTLY THAT PLAN IS ACTUALLY UNDER REVIEW AS WE SPEAK RIGHT NOW EVERY FIVE YEARS. THOSE PLANS HAVE TO BE WHERE THEY'RE REVIEWED ANNUALLY. AND THEN EVERY FIVE YEARS THEY'RE SUBMITTED TO THE STATE. AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THIS IS THE TIME FOR IT TO BE EVALUATED. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN ACTIVELY DOING, BOTH FOR THE TIME AND IN PREPARATION OF THE UPCOMING 20. WELL, THE MIDDLE OF 2025 HURRICANE SEASON THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. THE JUST A QUICK REMINDER FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE HEARD IT BEFORE. OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN, OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN IS ALL HAZARD FOCUSED. AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT ANY HAZARD THAT WE CAN POTENTIALLY HAVE TO ACTIVATE A PLAN FOR THAT PLAN SHOULD COVER IT REGARDLESS AS TO WHAT CAUSED IT. SO PARTICULARLY WITH EVACUATION, SO TO SPEAK. YOU CAN EVACUATE FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. AND THAT PLAN COVERS ALL OF THAT, FROM EVACUATING FROM AN AREA THAT MAY BE UNDER SOME TYPE OF INDUSTRIAL INCIDENT TO EVEN A MASS CITYWIDE EVACUATION. SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE IN THERE. THAT PLAN IS LISTED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. AND SO I TAKE THE POINT. I MAKE THE POINT TO MAKE THAT POINT SO THAT AS CITIZENS ARE READING THAT PLAN, THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ALL HAZARD, ALL INCLUSIVE PLAN THAT INCLUDES ALL OF THOSE. BUT JUST FOR TODAY, I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON MASS CITYWIDE EVACUATION, SINCE THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE EVACUATION TOPIC THAT'S BROUGHT UP MOST OFTEN DURING HURRICANE SEASON. SO NO, NOT YET, BUT THAT'S FINE. YOU CAN LEAVE IT THERE. IT DOESN'T MATTER. IN THE EVENT THAT THE REGION IS UNDER AN IMPENDING THREAT OF A HURRICANE OR AN EVACUATION, THERE ARE SEVERAL THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AT THAT TIME IN PREPARATION OF THAT STORM THAT'S ACTUALLY OUT IN THE GULF. ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS COORDINATING WITH THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER, THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, WHICH IS IN LAKE CHARLES FOR BEAUMONT, THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND OUR LOCAL JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE ALSO BEING IMPACTED BY THIS PARTICULAR STORM. THIS COORDINATION EFFORT THAT WE HAVE GOES AS FAR WEST AS HOUSTON, AND IT GOES AS FAR EAST AS ORANGE TO THE END OF TEXAS, BECAUSE ANY EVACUATION ROUTES ARE AT THAT TIME COULD ACTUALLY FLOW THROUGH BEAUMONT FROM ANY OF THOSE JURISDICTIONS. SO WE'RE TALKING TO ALL OF THOSE PARTNERS IN PREPARATION FOR THAT. A KEY THING TO REMEMBER, THOUGH, IS SHOULD A MASS CITYWIDE EVACUATION BE CALLED? TYPICALLY IT BEGINS WITH A VOLUNTARY EVACUATION, WHICH IS WHY ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE RECOMMEND TO OUR CITIZENS WHEN WE GO OUT AND GIVE THESE PRESENTATIONS IS TO DON'T WAIT FOR THE MANDATORY EVACUATION. GO DURING THE VOLUNTARY EVACUATION. SO THIS REASON WE CALL OR IT SHOULD WE HAVE THE NEED TO CALL FOR A MANDATORY EVACUATION. WE TAKE A CONSENSUS APPROACH WITH OUR REGIONAL CITIES, AND THAT MEANS THE CITIES FURTHEST TO THE COAST START THAT EVACUATION PROCESS FIRST, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE OFFER OR WE CALL FOR A MANDATORY EVACUATION. BUT THE KEY TAKEAWAY FOR THE CITIZENS IS TO ONE. HAVE A FAMILY PLAN. KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING? NO. BRING WHAT YOU NEED THAT BEST SUITS YOUR FAMILY. AND THEN AGAIN, DON'T WAIT FOR THAT VOLUNTARY EVACUATION. SEVERAL CITIZENS RELY HEAVILY ON THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR WEATHER FORECASTS, AND THEY HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF TRUST WITH THOSE WEATHER FORECASTS. AND I ALWAYS TELL THEM, LISTEN TO THEM. I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT MANDATORY EVACUATION TO BE GIVEN. YOU CAN FOLLOW THE VOLUNTARY EVACUATION. ONE OF THE BIG DIFFERENCES IN THAT IS THAT ONCE A MANDATORY EVACUATION IS GIVEN, THEN ALL ROADS LEAD NORTH AND SO YOU NO LONGER HAVE THE DISCRETION. OR YOU CAN GO THE ROUTE THAT YOU WANT TO GO. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO ALONG THOSE EVACUATION ROUTES. NEXT SLIDE. AND SO THIS MAP THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT TODAY IS THE ACTUAL 2025 STATE OF TEXAS EVACUATION ROUTES, TEXT THAT RELEASED THIS ABOUT A MONTH AGO. THERE. [01:00:01] AND IF YOU CAN, GUYS CAN SEE, ALL OF THESE EVACUATION ROUTES ACTUALLY START CLOSEST TO THE COAST AND THEY LEAD NORTH. AND THAT INCLUDES HIGHWAY 82 AND 69, WHICH RUN DIRECTLY THROUGH BEAUMONT. THAT TRAFFIC IS ACTUALLY FLOWING THROUGH THERE. OKAY. AND SO THE EXPECTATION THAT WE HAVE AND THINGS THAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR IS GOING TO BE THAT HEAVY TRAFFIC AND INCREASED TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY 69, WHERE HIGHWAY 69 AND IT EMERGES IN BEAUMONT, IT FLOWS RIGHT THROUGH THE HEART OF THE CITY. BUT ALSO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT MAP, HIGHWAY 90 LEADS YOU TO ONE OF THE EVACUATION ROLES. THAT'S THAT GALVESTON COUNTY USE AND SO FORTH ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO THIS PARTICULAR MAP HERE AND ADDITIONAL TEXT THAT EVACUATION ROUTES CAN ACTUALLY BE FOUND ON THEIR WEBSITE. YOU CAN ALSO SCAN THAT QR CODE THERE. FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE OR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING ONLINE, AND IT WILL TAKE YOU DIRECTLY TO THAT SITE SO THAT YOU CAN HAVE A LOOK AT THOSE YOURSELF. SO I'LL PAUSE HERE IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME. I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION ON EVACUATION. OKAY. NEXT SLIDE TINA. OKAY, SO NOTIFICATIONS AND WARNINGS, THERE ARE TWO PRIMARY TYPES OF COMMUNICATIONS THAT THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DOES WITH OUR CITIZENS. AND THAT IS WE CAN SEND OUT NOTIFICATIONS AND THEN WE SEND OUT WARNINGS. AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO. NOTIFICATIONS ARE TYPICALLY INFORMATIONAL. THEY REQUIRE NO ACTION FROM THE CITY. WHILE THEY ARE VERY VERY IMPORTANT. AND WE DON'T WANT YOU TO IGNORE THEM, THEY'RE JUST SOMETHING TO NOTIFY YOU THAT WE'RE DOING THAT. AND THOSE ARE NORMALLY SENT EITHER VIA TEXT OR EMAIL OR BY PHONE CALL. AND THERE'S ACTUALLY SEVERAL WAYS THAT YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ALERTS FROM THE CITY. YOU CAN DO IT THROUGH NOTIFY ME THAT LITTLE ICON AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN THERE. IF YOU GO TO THE CITY'S MAIN WEBSITE, YOU CAN SIGN UP THERE, AND THEN YOU CAN GET ALL THE INFORMATIONAL ALERTS FROM THE CITY THAT THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT PULLS AND THAT THEY POST OUT, AND WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THOSE FOR SOME OF THOSE NOTIFICATIONS. AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER THROUGH THE REGIONAL SOUTHEAST TEXAS ALERTING NETWORK, WHICH IS WHAT OUR OFFICE SENDS OUT NOTIFICATIONS AND PARTICULARLY WARNINGS, PRIMARILY WARNINGS THAT COME FROM THE BEAUMONT OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. THEY COME THROUGH THE STAND AND THAT PLATFORM IS USED SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE WARNINGS. NOW, THOUGH, THAT PLATFORM IS USED NOT JUST BY US, BUT IT'S USED BY OTHER LOCAL JURISDICTIONS. IT'S USED BY THE INDUSTRY PERSONNEL. AND SO WHATEVER THE CITIZENS SIGN UP FOR, THEY'LL RECEIVE THOSE TYPE OF ALERTS OR NOTIFICATIONS THROUGH THE STAND. BUT SPECIFICALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BEAUMONT WE LEAN TOWARDS USING THE STAND SPECIFICALLY TO WARN THE PUBLIC OF WHAT'S GOING ON. THE STAND USES A VERY ROBUST NOTIFICATION SYSTEM, AND IT REACHES ALL VARIOUS TYPES OF MEDIA AND THAT INCLUDES PHONE, EMAIL, TEXTS WEBSITES. WE CAN POST THE WEBSITES FROM STAND THERE AS WELL. AND SO I'LL GO A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO DETAIL ABOUT THAT NOTIFICATION. IN THE NEXT SLIDE. THAT'S FINE. SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PRIMARY WARNING SYSTEMS. NOW I TOLD YOU GUYS ABOUT A LOT ABOUT NOTIFICATIONS AND WARNINGS. BUT THE WARNING SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE BEGIN ONE BEGINS WITH THE EMERGENCY ALERTING SYSTEM. AND THIS IS KIND OF NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER, BUT I WANTED TO BREAK THAT DOWN SO YOU GUYS CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS. SO THAT PRIMARY WARNING SYSTEM INCLUDES EMERGENCY ALERTING SYSTEM, WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTING. IN THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS ALERT NETWORK, AND ALL THREE OF THESE PLATFORMS WORK IN CONJUNCTION TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THEIR WARNINGS GO OUT TIMELY AND EFFICIENTLY THROUGH ALL METHODS OF COMMUNICATION. SO WHEN THE EMERGENCY ALERT ACTIVATION IS ACTIVATED, IT SETS OFF A CHAIN REACTION, SO TO SPEAK. DESIGNATED TO GET CRITICAL INFORMATION OUT. AND I'M SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT WEATHER IN THIS EXAMPLE. AND I'LL GO BACK AND CLARIFY IF I NEED TO. SO FOR INSTANCE, LET'S SAY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ACTIVATES EAS TO SEND OUT A WARNING OR TORNADO WARNING, A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING THEY'LL PUT ON THERE. AND THEY'LL THEY'LL INITIATE THAT EMERGENCY ACTIVATION ALERT. THIS MESSAGE INCLUDES DIFFERENT TYPES OF DIGITAL CODES AND AUDIO IN THE EMERGENCY ALERTING SYSTEM PICKS UP THAT MESSAGE THROUGH THE NATIONAL WEATHER RADIO NETWORK. IT PICKS UP THAT ALERT AND ANY OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THE EMERGENCY ALERTING SYSTEM, WHICH WE ARE RECEIVING THE ALERT AND THEN ARE REQUIRED TO INTERRUPT PROGRAMING TO REPLAY IT. [01:05:04] SO THAT IS HOW IT BREAKS THROUGH YOUR TV. IT BREAKS THROUGH THE RADIO THAT YOU'RE LISTENING TO. YOU GET THAT LOUD TONE ON THE TV, FOLLOWED BY A BANNER AND SOMETIMES SOME COMMUNICATION THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON WITH THAT. AND THAT'S THAT'S THE EMERGENCY ALERTING SYSTEM. WORKING NOW IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EMERGENCY ALERTING SYSTEM, YOU ALSO HAVE THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS, AND THAT IS HOW WE TAG YOUR CELL PHONE. OKAY. THOSE ARE THE MESSAGES THAT YOU GET WITH THAT VERY DISTINCTIVE TONE AND THE VIBRATION THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT. IT IS GOING THROUGH THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTING NETWORK IN THE VEHICLE THAT IT USES IS CALLED IPOS OR THE INTEGRATED PUBLIC ALERT AND WARNING SYSTEM. AND SO YOU GET YOUR HAZARDOUS WEATHER ALERTS THROUGH THERE. YOU GET YOUR AMBER ALERTS THROUGH THERE, YOU GET YOUR PRESIDENTIAL ALERTS, ALL THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALERTS. THEY COME THROUGH THE APP HAUSE ALERTING NETWORK THERE. OKAY. SO ULTIMATELY IF YOU ARE WATCHING TV, IF YOU ARE LISTENING TO THE RADIO, IF YOU HAVE A PHONE NEARBY, THAT EMERGENCY ALERTING SYSTEM IN CONJUNCTION WITH THESE OTHER PRIMARY WARNING SYSTEMS ENSURES THAT YOU GET THAT MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR. OKAY. IT IS. IT'S VERY CLEAR. NOW, IF YOU DON'T GET THE MESSAGE, THERE IS AN OPTION MOST CELL PHONE CARRIERS ALLOW FOR YOU TO OPT OUT OF IT. AND IF YOU DO THAT, THEN YOU YOU YOU MIGHT NOT GET THE VIBRATING OR THE TONE. SOME PHONES LEAVE JUST A LITTLE MESSAGE BANNER. YOU DON'T GET IT. BUT YOU HAVE THAT OPTION TO OPT OUT, JUST LIKE YOU HAVE THAT OPTION TO OPT OUT OF THE STAND, WHICH IS BEAUMONT'S PUT PART OF. WE'RE PART OF THAT REGIONAL ALERTING NOTIFICATION SYSTEM, AND WE CAN MANAGE THAT SYSTEM RIGHT THERE IN OUR OFFICE. OKAY. SO EVEN IF YOU DON'T GET THOSE WEATHER ALERTS THERE, OR IF THEY DON'T MEET THE PARAMETERS TO TRIGGER IPODS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, IF YOU ARE REGISTERED WITH STAND, YOU WOULD STILL GET THE ALERTS FROM US AS WE ISSUE OUT THAT WARNING. THAT IS WHY IT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE CITIZENS REGISTER WITH THE SAN AS WELL SO THAT THEY CAN GET THOSE EMERGENCY ALERTS FOR US, AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO KIND OF GO IN. IF A CITIZEN SAYING, HEY, I'M NOT GETTING THESE ALERTS, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND LOOK TO SEE IF THEY'RE GETTING THE ALERTS OR IF THEY'RE REGISTERED FOR THE SYSTEM OR NOT, AND WE DO THAT OFTEN. SO I STRONGLY, STRONGLY ENCOURAGE AND I PROBABLY CAN'T ENCOURAGE THAT ENOUGH FOR OUR CITIZENS TO GO AND REGISTER TO RECEIVE THOSE. THOSE. STAND. STAND ALERT. I THINK I COVERED ANYTHING THERE. ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE. ALL RIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ON ALONG. SO WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUTDOOR STORM SIRENS NOW. SO FOR REFERENCE IN 2023, CHIEF FORMER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR CAME BEFORE COUNCIL AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE USE OF OUTDOOR STORM SIRENS AS A MEANS TO ISSUE WEATHER WARNINGS. DURING THAT PRESENTATION, HE WENT OVER A PROPOSAL THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO HIM. AND MISS ALLEN, WHO'S, WHO'S COME UP HERE AND SPEAK A COUPLE OF TIMES. AND SO I WENT BACK AND I REVIEWED THAT PRESENTATION THAT HE GAVE. I REVIEWED THE PROPOSALS THAT WAS GIVEN. I REACHED BACK OUT TO THIS COMPANY. AND SO I WANTED TO PROVIDE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT WAS SAID AT THAT TIME AND WHAT THE VIABILITY OF THAT THAT PROPOSAL IS TODAY. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, THOUGH, IS THAT IN THE LETTER THAT STORM SIREN SENT TO MISS ADELINE? THEY POINTED OUT THAT OUTDOOR SIRENS ARE MEANT SOLELY FOR OUTDOOR WARNINGS. YOU YOU'RE NOT. OR YOU CAN'T ALWAYS HEAR THEM INDOORS DUE TO THE VARYING TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL THAT MAY BLOCK OUT A SOUND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND WE HAVE, LIKE EXXONMOBIL, WHO HAS OUTDOOR SIRENS, THE PORT OF BEAUMONT. AND SOMETIMES WHEN THOSE GO OFF, IF YOU'RE INSIDE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAR THEM. AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUTDOOR SIRENS ARE MEANT FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE OUTDOORS. SO THAT'S A VERY TRUE STATEMENT. AND I PROBABLY CAN'T STRESS THAT ENOUGH THAT IT'S, IT'S IT'S FOR OUTDOORS. YOU HAVE TO BE OUTDOORS. OKAY. AND THERE'S A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT HAPPEN WHEN THOSE WARNINGS START TO GO OUT. AND THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING TO DO IS YOU'RE GOING TO GET IN ON ALL THOSE PRIMARY WARNING SYSTEMS THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT BRIEFLY. YOU'RE GOING TO GET THEM GET THEM THERE FIRST. AND THEN THAT WOULD BE THE LAST STEP IN THOSE NOTIFICATIONS. WARNINGS. OKAY. STORM SIRENS WOULD BASICALLY JUST ADD ADDITIONAL REDUNDANCY IN AN ALREADY REDUNDANT NOTIFICATION SYSTEM THAT GOES OUT. SOME OF YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN US FEEDBACK AT THE OFFICE DURING THE RECENT TIMES THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN ALERTS MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE SAME EXACT [01:10:10] WARNING THAT GOES OUT. BUT THAT'S JUST A TESTAMENT OF THE STORM OF THE SYSTEM WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD. IN FACT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MISS ALLEN SAID WHEN SHE STOOD THERE WAS SHE WAS GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE THAT THAT NATIONAL ALERT THAT CAME OUT. WELL, THAT ALL OF THAT WAS PART OF THE WARNING SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. SO THAT'S TELLING YOU THAT THOSE WARNINGS ARE WORKING AND THAT THEY'RE GOING OUT. AND SO I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT AS WELL. SO THE OUTDOOR SIRENS. NOT ONLY ARE THEY BEST USED USE IN TONE ONLY, BUT THEY ARE LIMITED TO PICKING UP THREADS OR HIGH WIND EVENTS THAT ARE IN EXCESS OF 70MPH. AND SO EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD SOME WINDY THUNDERSTORMS THAT HAVE COME IN HERE AND HAS KIND OF SHAKEN SOME THINGS UP, WE HAVE NOT REACHED THAT THRESHOLD OF A 70 MILE PER HOUR STORM YET THAT COMES THROUGH THERE. THAT WOULD EVEN TRIGGER THE OUTDOOR SIRENS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GO OFF. SO BUT IS THE INDUSTRY STANDARD THERE THAT IS TO, TO, TO USE IT JUST FOR TONE AND IT MEANS SHELTER IN PLACE. OKAY. SIRENS ARE MOST COMMONLY USED IN JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED TORNADOES AS A PRIMARY HAZARD DURING THEIR HAZARD ANALYSIS OR THEIR HAZARD ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO WHEN WE GO IN AND WE SURVEY THE JURISDICTION TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE MOST PRONE OR WHAT WE'RE MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S OFTEN BROUGHT UP THAT THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH AREA HAS THIS OUTDOOR SCIENCE, WHERE THEY ALSO ARE IN PART OF THAT TORNADO ALLEY THAT EXTENDS ALL THE WAY UP TO ARKANSAS. SO THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE THAT UNDER THEIR HAZARD ANALYSIS. THAT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY THINGS THERE. YOU CAN GO AHEAD, TINA. HOWEVER, UNDER BEAUMONT'S HAZARD ANALYSIS, OUR PRIMARY HAZARD ANALYSIS ARE SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING HURRICANES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WHICH ARE HAZARDS THAT WE WOULDN'T THAT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY TRIGGER AN OUTDOOR SIREN, SO TO SPEAK. OKAY. SO JUST TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME HISTORY OF THAT OVER 20 YEARS AGO, WAY LONG BEFORE MY TIME HERE THE OUTDOOR SIRENS IN BEAUMONT WERE REMOVED DUE TO INFREQUENCY OF USE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF WARNING THE PUBLIC. AND THEY WERE EXPENSIVE AND COSTLY TO MAINTAIN AND REPAIR THOSE SIRENS WHENEVER THEY GO DOWN. AND I'LL TALK TO YOU GUYS A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT HERE SHORTLY. ALSO, AS WE HAVE MOVED INTO MORE MODERN DAY TECHNOLOGY, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE WARNINGS ARE BETTER OFF. AND SOME EXCUSE ME, IN SOME OF THE WAYS THAT I MENTIONED TO YOU GUYS EARLIER TODAY. OKAY, SO WHILE WE ARE NOT IMMUNE TO HIGH WIND EMISSIONS, AND I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THAT IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE IMMUNE TO THEM, QUITE FRANKLY, THEY JUST DON'T HAPPEN OFTEN HERE. AND THE WAY OUR TERRAIN IS SET UP, SOMETIMES, BY THE TIME WE WOULD EVEN PICK IT UP ON RADAR, SOMETIMES THEY WON'T EVEN PICK UP ON RADAR. BUT BY THE TIME IT WOULD PICK UP ON RADAR, WE'VE EXTENDED. WE'VE EXTENDED WELL BEYOND THAT. OKAY. SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHAT KIND OF SOMETHING THAT I HAD WANTED TO BRING FORTH TO Y'ALL IN PREPARATION FOR WELL, I'M SORRY. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. TINA. AS I REVIEW THE VIABILITY OF THE LAST SIREN PROPOSAL THAT WAS GIVEN TO YOU GUYS IN THE LAST PRESENTATION THAT WAS GIVEN BY TIM AND MISS ALLEN, I REACHED OUT TO SEVERAL OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE SIMILAR HAZARD ANALYSIS OR ASSESSMENT AS BEAUMONT, SUCH AS DEER PARK, BAYTOWN, THAT HAS THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SIRENS. I REACHED OUT AND THEY THEY ALL PROVIDED THE SAME, SAME EXACT FEEDBACK. THEY USED THEM VERY INFREQUENTLY. IN THEIR PROTOCOLS, ONLY CALL FOR THEM TO USE THEM FOR OUTDOOR USE ONLY. AND IT'S IN CONJUNCTION WITH THEIR PRIMARY WARNING SYSTEMS, WHICH IS THE SAME AS OURS. SO IT GOES THROUGH ALL OF THOSE, THOSE PARTICULAR METHODS. FIRST. AND SO THAT'S A VERY ROBUST WARNING SYSTEM THAT'S ALREADY BEEN IN PLACE IN THE 2023 PROPOSAL THAT WAS GIVEN AND PRESENTED ON AND AFTER QUITE A BIT OF BACK AND FORTH. THAT COMPANY, WHICH WAS STORM SIRENS, FINALLY SETTLED ON A COST OF A LITTLE OVER $1 MILLION. IT WAS 1.3 MILLION, TO BE EXACT, FOR 29 SIRENS IN BEAUMONT, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE SOME GAPS IN COVERAGE FOR THE LESS POPULATED AREA. ADDITIONALLY, THOSE SIRENS IN THAT PARTICULAR PROPOSAL WAS JUST SHORT, SHY OF A MILE RADIUS THAT YOU COULD HEAR THEM. SOME OF THE OTHER WARNING COMPANIES THAT I REACHED TO TO KIND OF SEE WHERE THEY WERE, WHAT THE INDUSTRY STANDARD WAS. [01:15:07] THEY THEY MAKE IT A MILE, BUT NOT MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN A MILE. SO EITHER WAY IT GOES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANYWHERE BETWEEN 29 PLUS SIRENS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT IN BEAUMONT IN EACH ONE OF THEM. THE COST RISE IS DEPENDENT ON ON THAT. HOWEVER THE 1.3 MILLION QUOTE THAT WAS GIVEN DURING THE LAST PRESENTATION REMAINS FAIRLY CONSISTENT TODAY. AND IT HASN'T BEEN MUCH CHANGE IN IT. AND ONE THING THAT THAT QUOTE DID NOT HAVE THAT IT SHOULD HAVE. AND SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING FOR IF THERE WAS THE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL IS THAT THEY HAVE A MAINTENANCE COST BECAUSE THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE TESTED, THEY HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED AND THEY HAVE TO BE REPLACED WHENEVER THEY GO DOWN. AND SO ON AVERAGE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN ADDITIONAL 30 TO $40,000 A YEAR IN AN ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCIENCE. SO THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, GOES TO THE EXPECTANCY OF THAT. STORM SIRENS AND MOST OTHER SIRENS HAVE A LIFESPAN OF ABOUT 25 TO 35 YEARS. AND GIVEN BEAUMONT'S HISTORY OF STORMS OR HIGH WIND STORMS, THAT WILL TRIGGER THAT WE HAVE LESS STORMS THAT WILL TRIGGER THE SIREN THAN IT HAS LIFESPAN. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WE JUST HAVEN'T HAD WE HAVEN'T HAD THEM FREQUENTLY LIKE THAT. SO YOU MIGHT GET 1 OR 2 USES OUT OF THEM. OVER A 20 TO 35 YEAR LIFESPAN. AND I, WE LOOKED AT STORM DATA DATING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 1956. AND IN 1956, WE HAD A LITTLE MORE THAN 35 HIGH WIND STORMS. AND OF THOSE STORMS THEY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH MAYBE A HURRICANE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE THE OUTDOOR SIRENS OR THE CITIZENS WOULD ALREADY BE GONE. OKAY. AND SO THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE ONE THAT I FOUND WAS THE CITY OF PASADENA WHICH IS REALLY CLOSE TO BEAUMONT AS FAR AS HAZARD CAPABILITIES. AND WHAT WE WOULD BE FACED WITH. AND THEY GOT A WARNING SYSTEM RECENTLY, AND IT WAS $1.5 MILLION FOR THE TURNKEY, AND THEY HAVE AN ANNUAL $35,000 A YEAR ANNUAL COST ASSOCIATED WITH THEM. SO THE THE BIGGEST THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING FOR YOU. YOU CAN GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. I'M SORRY. THE BIGGEST THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING FORTH TO YOU GUYS WAS THAT THE WARNING SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE, IF YOU HAVE THEM, IF YOU HAVE A WEATHER RADIO, IF YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE, IF YOU HAVE A TV, IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THOSE THINGS, YOU HAVE THEM, YOU WILL GET THOSE WARNINGS THAT COME, COME WITH US. IN ADDITION TO WHAT IS TRIGGERED AND ACTIVATED BY THE EAS WHICH WE ALSO HAVE THE CAPABILITY IN OUR OFFICE TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM. IF IT DOESN'T MEET THOSE PARAMETERS, YOU'LL STILL SEND OUT AN ALERT. JUST LAST TIME, A LOT OF Y'ALL GOT TWO, THREE, FOUR ALERTS BECAUSE THEY CHANGED THE TIME THAT IT EXPIRED. SO I SENT IT OUT AGAIN. AND SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, REGARDLESS AS TO IF YOU'RE REGISTERED OR NOT, AND WE START TAGGING WE, WHICH IS THE WIRELESS EMERGENCY ALERTS, OR WE START TAGGING ANY OF THOSE OTHER ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS, YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT. YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE ALARMS. ALARM. SO THIS RIGHT HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A OF A WEATHER RADIO. Y'ALL CAN'T HAVE IT. IT'S FOR SOMEBODY ELSE. AND I HOPE SHE'S HERE SO THAT I CAN GIVE IT TO HER. AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL THAT I HAVE. IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS, BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. COUNCILMAN. SO THE PRICE TAG OF 1.3 MILLION IS THAT FOR THE WHOLE 29 OR IS THAT PER TOWER? NO, THAT WAS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM ITSELF AND THE MAINTENANCE, THE 30,000. SAME THING FOR THE RATE THAT'S TO MAINTAIN IT ANNUALLY. OKAY. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MRS. NOBLES. ALL RIGHT. FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE FOR PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PRESENTATIONS, WE SET A RECORD. NO I DON'T KNOW THAT WE DID. AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE. NOW'S THE TIME TO DO SO. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. AFTER THE REGULAR MEETING, WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS OUR AND OUR DELIBERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE TWO, WHICH SPECIFICALLY PROJECT RIVERFRONT AND DOWNTOWN HOTEL PROJECT, ALSO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.07, ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. CALEB AND BEAUMONT PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 399 INTERVENOR [01:20:05] VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT CHRISTOPHER S BOONE, KENNETH. WILLIAMS, ROY WEST, EARLE WHITE, TAYLOR NEILD, MIKE GOETZ, EDWIN SAMUEL, CHARLES DARIO, ALBERT TURNER, AND RANDY SHORE CALLS NUMBER B210244. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS. [PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT] NOW IS THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK. YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND OUR REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH EIGHT, TEN AND 11, OR ANY OTHER TOPIC. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER NINE WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT IS SCHEDULED LATER IN THIS MEETING. 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. IF IT WASN'T READ. 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. PLEASE BE REMINDED THAT MYSELF NOR COUNCIL CAN RESPOND WHENEVER YOU'RE MAKING COMMENTS, BUT SOMEONE FROM OUR OFFICE WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU. THERESA. GOODNESS. NINE 8985 19TH STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. ITEM D ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF. MY COMMENTS ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND GRANT THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, WHICH REQUIRES NO LOCAL MATCH. WE LOVE THOSE. RIGHT? TWO CITY OWNED HISTORIC BUILDINGS QUALIFY FOR THIS GRANT BECAUSE THEY SUSTAINED DAMAGES DURING HURRICANE BERYL IN 2024. THE JEFFERSON THEATER AND THE TEMPLE TO THE BRAVE. IN PARTICULAR, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE JEFFERSON THEATER. THE THEATER IS AN IRREPLACEABLE CULTURAL TREASURE IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS, A SYMBOL OF BEAUMONT'S ARTISTIC SPIRIT, ARCHITECTURAL LEGACY, AND CIVIC PRIDE. BUILT IN 1927, THIS BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED OLD SPANISH STYLE THEATER IS LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. RECOGNIZED AS A RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK, AND REMAINS ONE OF THE ONLY HISTORIC THEATERS STILL IN OPERATION BETWEEN HOUSTON AND LAFAYETTE. FOR NEARLY A CENTURY, IT HAS SERVED AS A STAGE FOR LEGENDARY PERFORMANCES, CLASSIC FILMS, COMMUNITY EVENTS AND EDUCATIONAL TOURS, CONTINUING TO ENRICH LIVES ACROSS GENERATIONS. BUT TODAY, THIS ICONIC STRUCTURE FACES A SERIOUS THREAT. DURING HURRICANE BERYL, THE JEFFERSONS SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT WATER INTRUSION DUE TO AGING AND DETERIORATED MASONRY. TUCK POINTING RAIN PENETRATED WEAKENED MORTAR JOINTS, LEADING TO DAMAGE ACROSS THE INTERIOR. PLASTER WALLS, WOOD FRAMING, INSULATION, AND DECORATIVE FINISHES WERE ALL COMPROMISED. WITHOUT IMMEDIATE RESTORATION, THIS DAMAGE RISKED ENDANGERING BOTH THE HISTORIC FABRIC OF THE BUILDING AND THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR RESTORATION INVESTMENT THAT WAS MADE BY THE COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST 30 YEARS. THIS GRANT REPRESENTS MORE THAN EMERGENCY REPAIR. IT IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP IN PRESERVING A CRITICAL LANDMARK. RESTORING THE JEFFERSON'S MASONRY ENVELOPE WILL ENSURE THE BUILDING'S LONG TERM RESILIENCE, PROTECT ITS ORNATE INTERIORS AND HISTORIC FINISHES, AND SAFEGUARD THE CITY'S INVESTMENT IN A RESTORED, FULLY OPERATIONAL THEATER. FURTHERMORE, THE JEFFERSON JEFFERSON IS NOT JUST A BUILDING, IT'S AN ENGINE OF ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT. IT DRAWS VISITORS TO DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT, SUPPORTS LOCAL ARTISTS AND BUSINESSES, AND HELPS FOSTER A VIBRANT ARTS DISTRICT. SUPPORTING THIS GRANT WILL PRESERVE NOT ONLY OUR PAST, BUT ALSO ENSURE FUTURE GENERATIONS CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE WONDER, BEAUTY AND LEGACY OF THE JEFFERSON THEATER. THIS IS ABOUT PROTECTING OUR HISTORY AND KEEPING IT ALIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KATE HAMBRICK, SEVEN, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. ITEM D ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS KATE HAMM. BRYANT MARKER, CHAIR OF THE JEFFERSON COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION. MY COMMENTS ARE IN SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND GRANT THROUGH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, WHICH REQUIRES NO LOCAL MATCH. TWO CITY OWNED HISTORIC PROPERTIES QUALIFY FOR THIS GRANT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE TEMPLE TO THE BRAVE. THIS WAR MEMORIAL WAS BUILT BY THE DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION IN 1931 1932, AND DONATED TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT UPON ITS COMPLETION. ORIGINALLY DEDICATED TO TEXAS SERVICEMEN OF ALL WARS AND CONSECRATED TO WORLD PEACE, THE TEMPLE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REDEDICATED TO AMERICAN SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN OF ALL WARS IN 2007. IT IS AN ARCHITECTURAL TREASURE REFLECTING A HIGH INTEGRITY OF DESIGN, WORKMANSHIP, AND MATERIALS, PARTICULARLY DISPLAYED IN THE BUILDING'S SPECTACULAR LEADED ART GLASS WINDOWS THAT TODAY HAVE A REPLACEMENT VALUE OF ALMOST [01:25:07] $100,000. THE WINDOWS DEPICT IMAGES RELATING TO BOTH WORLD WAR ONE AND SCENES FROM TEXAS HISTORY. THIS BEAUTIFUL LATE GOTHIC REVIVAL STRUCTURE HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS A RECORDED TEXAS HISTORICAL LANDMARK, AND ITS NOMINATION TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISSION FOR ALMOST 100 YEARS. IT HAS SERVED AS A FUNCTIONAL MEMORIAL TO OUR MILITARY, BOTH LIVING AND DECEASED, PROVIDING SPACE FOR REFLECTION AS WELL AS DISPLAYS OF MEMORABILIA. THE DA CONTINUES TO PROVIDE DOCENT LED TOURS OF THE BUILDING AND ITS EXHIBITS. THE TEMPLE'S REPOSITORY OF RECORDS EDUCATES VISITORS TO THE COSTS OF WAR AND THE VALUES OF PEACE. DURING HURRICANE BARREL, THE TEMPLE OF THE BRAVE SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT WATER INTRUSION DUE TO ITS AGING ENVELOPE AND STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS. THE STORM EXPLOITED EXISTING VULNERABILITIES AND EXACERBATED LONG STANDING ISSUES, INCLUDING ROOF FAILURE AND FAILED MASONRY JOINTS AND STONE WALLS, ROTTING WINDOWS, STOOLS AND SILLS, AND DOORS. SUBSURFACE WATER INTRUSION AND MOISTURE WEAKEN FLOOR STABILITY, AIDED AND INVENTED PLEXIGLAS WINDOW COVERINGS, COMPROMISED STAINED GLASS LETTING, INTERIOR PLASTER CRACKING AND VOIDS AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. REPAIRS UNDER THIS GRANT WOULD PROTECT THE TEMPLE'S INTEGRITY AND VALUE AS A HISTORIC AND SIGNIFICANT LANDMARK, AND ENSURE ITS LONG TERM RESILIENCE WHILE HONORING AND PRESERVING MILITARY HERITAGE. THE SITE SERVES AS A MEMORIAL TO SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN, AND MAINTAINING IT RESPECTS THEIR SACRIFICE AND SAFEGUARDS THE SPACE FOR REFLECTION ON THEIR SERVICE. PRESERVING THE STRUCTURE ENSURES CONTINUED ACCESS FOR STUDENTS, VETERANS, HISTORIANS, AND THE PUBLIC WHO SEEK TO UNDERSTAND THE LEGACY OF AMERICAN MILITARY AND THE VOLUNTEERS WHO ENDEAVOR TO HONOR THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SCOTT ANDRUS, 1965 LANDIS ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THANK YOU, MAYOR WEST AND CITY COUNCIL. I APOLOGIZE FOR STUTTERING. CALL ME FRAN TARKENTON. I'M GOING TO TAKE LESS THAN THREE MINUTES. I'M GOING FOR TWO MINUTES. I IN 1978, I TOOK A TOUR OF THE VICKSBURG NATIONAL CEMETERY FOR THE CIVIL WAR. MORE MEN AND WOMEN DIED IN THAT WAR THAN EVERY OTHER WAR PUT TOGETHER. AND AT THE GI SURPLUS STORE, I HAD MY ORIGINAL SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER BROUGHT UP MY ASS. 47480. AND JESUS IS MY HERO. WHO WINS THE WAR? NO ONE. I'M NOT TOM CRUISE, BUT I WAS IN A COMA. FRAZIER. I SPENT TEN YEARS IN THAILAND. I WAS DEAD FOR FOUR DAYS. I HEARD ONE VOICE WHEN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE THOUGHT I WAS BRAIN DEAD. THEY TURNED OFF THE RESPIRATOR. I HEARD YOUR WORK IS NOT YET DONE. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I BOTTOMED OUT. THAT RESPIRATOR WALKED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL THAT DAY. AND I'M TALKING ABOUT THAILAND. EVERY DAY WE HAVE COBRA GOLD. THAILAND IS RED, WHITE AND BLUE LIKE WE ARE. THEY STILL LOVE AMERICA. WE HAVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. I WANT TO THANK YOU. THOSE BUS DRIVERS ARE WARRIORS. ONE MAN FROM DETROIT. WHEN I LIVED ON SOUTH 11TH STREET, ONE DAY MY WALLET FELL OUT WITH MONEY IN IT. NEXT DAY, FROM ACROSS THE STREET, SAID BOSS. I SAID I'M NOBODY'S BOSS. JESUS. AND MY BOSS SAID, HERE'S YOUR WALLET. THAT'S HONOR. THAT'S BALLER. IF I HAD TO WALK EVERYWHERE I'VE BEEN IN THE CITY, I'D BE DEAD RIGHT NOW. THOSE BUS DRIVERS HAVE A PRAYER CHAIN, NOT A PYRAMID SCHEME. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. BECAUSE EACH ONE OF YOU, WHEN YOU TELL SOMEONE, HAVE A BLESSED DAY. LAST WEDNESDAY, A YOUNG MAN WHO THEY CALLED RED HAD A GRAND MAL SEIZURE. I WENT INSIDE SOME OTHER PLACE CALLED (409) 832-1234. GOT EMS A PARAMEDIC ON LINE. THEY SAVED THAT MAN'S LIFE. ALL LIVES MATTER. BEING AN EXPO, I WAS A PRISONER OF WAR. ANYONE WHO LOVED WAR IS PSYCHOTIC. SO THANK YOU. ALL OF YOU. RJ, THANK YOU FOR THAT NAVY BLUE BROTHER. I'M NOT GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, MARY WEST. WE STILL GOT HER BROTHER. THEY CALL IT WIDOW'S PEAK. MY MOTHER AND DAD ARE ACTUALLY BURIED. AND DREW BREES JERSEYS AND THEIR JERSEYS. IN LOUISIANA, HURRICANE LAURA, DELTA. WE HAD FIVE TORNADOES AND THROUGH THE ENTIRE STATE. EVEN CADDO LAKE AND GOD MADE LAKE IN SHREVEPORT. SO THANK YOU. THE COURAGE THESE MEN AND WOMEN SHOW MAKES A DIFFERENCE. SO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND YOU'RE BUSY. PEOPLE APPRECIATE YOU. MR. TURNER, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU AFTER MEETING, IF YOU HAVE TIME. GOD BLESS YOU ALL. AND I STILL MEAN SOMETHING. WE CALL IT THE ANSWER. THAT RED IS OUR BLOOD INSIDE YOUR BLOOD. YOUR BLOOD IS ACTUALLY PURPLE. THAT'S CALLED ROYALTY, BUT IT HAS OXYGEN. IT TURNS RED. THANK YOU. WHAT YOU DO, YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE STRUGGLING EVERY DAY TO KEEP THEM DEHYDRATED. OFFICER, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, DETECTIVE HANCOCK. ONE OF MY FRIENDS WAS MURDERED WHEN HE GOT TO MY APARTMENT. I'M LIKE, I CAN'T LEAVE, HANCOCK SAID. HOW LONG YOU BEEN HERE? TWO HOURS. THE SUPERVISOR HASN'T BEEN YET. THE MAN IS ABSOLUTELY INCORRUPTIBLE. KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. ONLY TWO MINUTES AND 45 SECONDS. [01:30:01] THANK YOU. FOR REAL. THANK YOU. STEPHANIE ROMERO, 2911, WEST BOSTON NEDERLAND, TEXAS. ITEM NUMBER TEN ON THE AGENDA. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS. CITY LEADERSHIP. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE ROMERO AND I AM CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE QUALITY ASSURANCE AND IMPROVEMENT SUPERVISOR FOR THE EMS CIVILIAN DIVISION OF THE BEAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT. TODAY, I STAND BEFORE YOU INSTEAD OF ATTENDING THE FUNERAL FOR THE FATHER OF ONE OF OUR PARAMEDICS, A COLLEAGUE, AND A VERY GOOD FRIEND I'VE WORKED BESIDE FOR 20 YEARS. THAT IS THE POSITION AGENDA ITEM TEN PLACED ME IN TODAY TO BE OFF AND PRESENT FOR MY FRIEND, OR TO STAND BEFORE YOU SO OUR CONCERNS COULD BE HEARD. I'VE SERVED THE CITY FOR OVER 23 YEARS. LIKE EVERY CIVILIAN EMS EMPLOYEE IN OUR DIVISION, I NOW FACE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT NOT ONLY MY CLASSIFICATION, RETIREMENT PAY AND BENEFITS, BUT ALSO MY VERY FUTURE. WHILE YOU MAY SEE ITEM TEN AS SIMPLY RESOLVING A LEGAL MATTER INVOLVING A FORMER EMPLOYEE. I SEE A DIRECT CORRELATION TO FUTURE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED. TODAY'S DECISION WILL ACTIVELY SHAPE THE TERMS OF MS INCLUSION IN A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, A PROCESS THAT HAS YET TO INCLUDE THE VERY PROFESSIONALS IT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THE MEDICS. TO DATE, CIVILIAN EMS PERSONNEL HAVE NOT BEEN FORMALLY INCLUDED IN NEGOTIATION PROCEEDINGS. WE HAVE NOT VOTED FOR UNION REPRESENTATION, AND WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED A PROPOSAL THAT CLEARLY SPECIFIES OUR ROLES, STRUCTURE OR BENEFITS. THE MOST RECENT DOCUMENTS SHARED DURING NEGOTIATIONS EXCLUDED MULTIPLE EMS ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, INCLUDING MINE, A ROLE MANDATED BY THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY'S EMS PROVIDER AGREEMENT. PROVIDER LICENSE. EXCUSE ME? WHILE EMS WAS REFERENCED IN PORTIONS OF THE DRAFT, KEY PROVISIONS SUCH AS PAY ASSIGNMENT BENEFITS AND EDUCATIONAL STIPENDS LACKED CONSISTENCY AND EQUITY COMPARED TO THOSE OUTLINED FOR OTHER PERSONNEL. IF THE GOAL OF ITEM TEN IS TO RESOLVE A LEGAL MATTER, A LEGAL FORMALITY THAT WOULD ALLOW FUTURE NEGOTIATIONS TO MOVE FORWARD IN GOOD FAITH. I RESPECT THAT. I SINCERELY RESPECT THAT, JUST AS I SUPPORT ANY EFFORT TO REACH AN AGREEMENT GROUNDED IN EQUITY AND PARITY WITH FACTUAL REPRESENTATION. BUT FOR THE RECORD, EMS INCLUSION CAN'T BE ASSUMED AND OUR CONSENT CAN'T BE RETROSPECTIVELY APPLIED. I TAKE THIS ISSUE VERY SERIOUSLY, AND NOT JUST FOR MYSELF, BUT FOR EVERY MEDIC IN OUR DIVISION. HERE WITH US TODAY ARE JUST A FEW. WE DESERVE A VOICE AND DECISIONS THAT WILL SHAPE OUR FUTURE. AND I HOPE TODAY MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A PROCESS GUIDED BY FAIRNESS, TRANSPARENCY AND RESPECT, NOT ASSUMPTIONS OR SILENCE. RIGHT NOW, MS IS STANDING ON THE OUTSIDE, LOOKING IN, BEGGING FOR A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND FOR OUR VOICES TO BE HEARD. I HOPE THIS COUNCIL CHOOSES TO OPEN THE DOOR FOR US RATHER THAN SHUT IT QUIETLY BEHIND US. I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. KEVIN CHANTS. 932 WEST LUCAS BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER FOR BEING HERE TODAY. AND ALOUD. WELL, I REALIZE THAT SOME OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE A VOTE IN DECISIONS REGARDING TAX ABATEMENTS. I'M HERE TODAY TO REMIND YOU OF THE POWER OF YOUR VOICE. YOU HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO REPRESENT A COMMUNITY, AND WE ASK THAT YOU HEAR OUR CONCERNS? DECIDE YOUR POSITION AND REPRESENT THE CONCERNS IN YOUR AREAS OF AREAS OF INFLUENCE. BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE IN EVERY PLACE WHERE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE. WITH THAT IN MIND, I WANT TO ADDRESS TAX ABATEMENTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITIES. TEXAS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR TEXANS? MORE BUSINESS SHOULD MEAN MORE JOBS, MORE TAX REVENUE, AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES. YET WHILE TEXAS OFFERS GENEROUS TAX ABATEMENTS TO ATTRACT CORPORATIONS, THESE BENEFITS OFTEN GO TO COMPANIES AND OUT-OF-STATE WORKERS, NOT TO TEXAS RESIDENTS. MORE BUSINESSES SHOULD MEAN MORE JOBS, MORE TAX REVENUE, AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES. YET WHILE TEXAS OFFERS GENEROUS TAX ABATEMENTS TO ATTRACT CORPORATIONS. YES, SOUTHEAST TEXAS, HOME TO MAJOR INDUSTRY, SEES FEW LASTING GAINS. CORPORATIONS ARE REQUIRED ONLY TO PREFER LOCAL HIRES, AS THEY ONLY TO PREFER LOCAL HIRES WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY. AS A RESULT, MANY JOBS GO TO TEMPORARY OUT-OF-STATE PER DIEM WORKERS. [01:35:02] TEXANS ARE FOOTING THE BILL WHILE RECEIVING LITTLE IN RETURN. THESE COMPANIES THRIVE HERE, BUT OFFER NO PERMANENT GROWTH OR LIVABLE WAGES. MEANWHILE, THEY DRAIN LOCAL RESOURCES AND STRAIN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IF THEY'RE BENEFITTING FROM OUR TAX DOLLARS. THE LEAST THEY CAN DO IS PROVIDE PERMANENT, WELL-PAYING JOBS WITH BENEFITS, PROTECT THE RESOURCES THEY USE, AND REINVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES. LET'S TALK ABOUT TEXAS A LITTLE BIT. EDUCATION IN TEXAS RANKS NEAR THE BOTTOM NATIONALLY, AND A RECENT SURVEY PLACED TEXAS 49TH IN HEALTH CARE. YOU CAN THANK ARKANSAS FOR HOLDING THAT 50TH PLACE. MOST TEXANS LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK OVER 14%. 14% ARE IN POVERTY WAGES. THAT'S LESS THAN $15 AN HOUR IN A STATE WHERE SURVIVING REQUIRES AT LEAST $55,000 ANNUALLY. AND AS CORPORATIONS DODGE TAXES. PROPERTY OWNERS MUST MAKE UP THE BIG DIFFERENCE. OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS MUST SECURE A BETTER DEAL FOR TEXANS. BIG BUSINESS MUST INVEST IN TEXAS AND YOU MUST INVEST IN US, THE PEOPLE WHO PUT YOU IN OFFICE. OUR VOICES ARE BEING DROWNED OUT BY CORPORATE MONEY THAT BUYS TAX EXEMPTIONS AND REGULATORY ESCAPE AT OUR EXPENSE. TRADING OUR CLEAN AIR, PUBLIC LANDS AND FAIR WAGES FOR CORPORATE FAVORITISM IS IS JUST WRONG. SO WHY IS THIS ALL IMPORTANT? BUSINESS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR STATE'S GROWTH, BUT RESPONSIBLE, REGULATED AND TAX BUSINESS IS NECESSARY FOR OUR STATE'S SURVIVAL. SO WE THE PEOPLE. WE DEMAND THE FOLLOWING. THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES CHAMPION THE PEOPLE, NOT CORPORATIONS. THAT COMPANIES MOVING TO TEXAS HIRE AT LEAST 60% LOCAL WORKERS IN PERMANENT BENEFIT POSITIONS, THAT A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION ASSESS AND ENFORCE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND THAT ANY COMPANY RECEIVED ABATEMENTS. CONTRIBUTOR. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL. TUCKER. DEAN TUCKER, 2550 LONG AVENUE. BEAUMONT, TEXAS. HELLO. DEAN TUCKER, 2550 LONG AVENUE. SUPER HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY TO SPEAK WITH YOU. AND THANK MAYOR WEST AND CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO. I HAVE A VERY SIMPLE MESSAGE THAT I THINK CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT. THE WORLD IS IN SUCH A DARK PLACE NOW, AND I THINK WHAT I HAVE TO SHARE CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT ON THE WORLD. VERY SIMPLE IDEA. THE WORLD NEEDS NOW LIGHT, TRUTH AND HEALING MORE THAN EVER. I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT DO NOT BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, AND THAT'S REALLY OKAY. BUT NO ONE CAN DENY THAT THERE ARE NOT TEACHINGS ATTRIBUTED TO JESUS CHRIST, WHICH I WISH TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO. AND BY SIMPLY FOLLOWING THESE TEACHINGS, WE COULD CHANGE THE WORLD. JESUS. JESUS ENCOURAGED, ENCOURAGED US ALL TO TELL THE TRUTH FOR OUR FREEDOMS. LEARN TO FORGIVE OTHERS. MAKE FRIENDS WITH YOUR ENEMIES. LOVE ONE ANOTHER OR AT LEAST BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER. HELP THE POOR AND THE HOMELESS AND OF COURSE, HEAL THE SICK AMONG YOU. MY WIFE AND I JOINED A CHRISTIAN CHURCH OUT OF IN 1999 THAT ORIGINATED IN BRAZIL IN THE 1940S. THAT USED A HIGHLY ESTEEMED HEALING HERBAL TEA, COMMONLY CALLED AYAHUASCA. ONE OF THE OTHER HEALING AGENTS THAT WE ALSO USE DURING SOME OF THE SERVICES WAS ALSO A HIGHLY ESTEEMED HERB COMMONLY KNOWN AS CANNABIS OR MARIJUANA. THE CHURCH CONSIDERS IT A SACRED PLANT AND REFERS TO IT AS SANTA MARIA, BECAUSE THEY FEEL IT IS A GIFT FROM MOTHER MARY. WHAT MAKES SENSE, WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE IT IS WIDELY KNOWN, ACKNOWLEDGED TO HAVE MORE HEALING PROPERTIES THAN ANY HERB ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH, AS WELL AS BEING PROFOUNDLY SAFE TO USE. WHAT I ALSO LEARNED MANY YEARS AGO WAS THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER PROFOUNDLY SAFE AND HEALING MEDICINES THAT OUR GOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TO KEEP HIDDEN FROM US THROUGH THE USE OF FRAUD, FEAR AND DECEPTION AND LIES. I'M SIMPLY CLAIMING RIGHT NOW I HAVE THE LEGAL RIGHT AND THE FREEDOM FOR THE USE OF AND THE PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ALL THESE SAFE AND HEALING MEDICINES UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. AND IF ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL OR LAWMAKER IN THIS COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT MY LEGAL RIGHT TO PRACTICE CHRISTIANITY, [01:40:02] PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I HAVE NO DESIRE AT ALL TO BREAK ANY LAW OR GO TO JAIL. THANK YOU. AMEN. THANK YOU JESUS. THANK YOU. CHARLIE CRABB, 928 EAST DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. HELLO, MAYOR. WEST COUNCIL, MR. WILLIAMS AND STAFF. ANOTHER NICE DAY IN BEAUMONT, OUR TOWN. WE'VE REALLY HAD SOME GOOD INFORMATION THIS AFTERNOON, AND THAT'S GREAT. AND THE RENEGADES. I GUESS THEY DESERVE A PARADE. AND WE WANT TO SAVE THE JEFFERSON AND THE MEMORIAL TO THE BRAVE. AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK THE FIRE POLICE AND THE WATER DEPARTMENT. THE SEWER AND DRAINAGE GARBAGE TRASH PICKUP. I HOPE I HAVEN'T LEFT OUT ANYBODY. OH, YES, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, MISS REED. COUNCIL. SHE WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED. I LOVE WHEN MISS REED SPEAKS UP. DOESN'T DOES IT? COMMUNICATIONS DO A GREAT JOB. THAT WAS GREAT. AND THE EMERGENCY SYSTEM. GOOD PRESENTATION. OH. YEAH. WHAT ABOUT THE ENGINEERING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT? AND, OF COURSE, MISS BROUSSARD AND THE WHAT'S MISS BROUSSARD DO? JUST SIT HERE. I JUST SIT. COME ON. GIVE ME A GIVE ME SOME HELP. OKAY. LET'S JUMP OVER TO PRESIDENT TRUMP. BOY, DIDN'T HE DO A PULL A GOOD ONE WHEN HE HE HE GOT THE WORLD'S ATTENTION WHEN HE USED OUR MILITARY TO TO BOMB THE IRAN NUCLEAR FACILITY. WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT BRINGS. ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? BY GOLLY. I'VE GOT 47 SECONDS HERE. ANYWAYS. OH, YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY FOR LISTENING AND HAVE A GOOD WEEK. THANK YOU, MR. KRABS. YOLANDA REYNOLDS 4455 EL PASO, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. I'M RATHER SHY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR WEST AND COUNCIL, MY FELLOW BEAUMONT CITIZENS. I'M ACTUALLY HERE TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING. THAT'S BEEN GOING TODAY. I FIRST HAVE TO THANK MY LORD AND SAVIOR BECAUSE. IS. MY FAMILY HAD A VERY BIG EMERGENCY ON LAST WEEK AND EYE CONTACT. BEAUMONT CITY AND IN SPEAKING WITH SOMEONE IN SUPERVISORY POSITION, THEY MOVED VERY QUICKLY ON THE EMERGENCY SITUATION. SO WITH I'VE COME TO SAY THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SLACK IN BEAUMONT ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN SUPERVISORY POSITIONS. BUT I COME TO SAY TODAY, YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE PUT IN PLACE IN THESE SUPERVISORY POSITIONS, AS WELL AS BEAUMONT CITY EMPLOYEES, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION FOR MY FAMILY, IS OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE SEEN BEING DONE AROUND THE CITY, BECAUSE I DO MOVE AROUND IN THE CITY A WHOLE LOT. SOME PEOPLE KNOW ME AS MISS MAE, BUT I SEE A LOT, AND I SEE A LOT WHERE THINGS ARE BEING DONE IN A POSITIVE WAY. SO I COME TO GIVE FLOWERS AND RECOGNITION TO THE BEAUMONT CITY SUPERVISORS [01:45:09] AND CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GIVEN 100% IN DOING WHATEVER THEY CAN DO TO ATTEMPT TO HELP THE RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT. AND THANK YOU GUYS, CONTINUE DOING A GOOD JOB. THANK YOU. MIGHT GET 7950 IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. ITEM NUMBER TEN ON THE AGENDA. MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE CALEB FENNER CASE. THE UNION AND SOME OF THE CURRENT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SAYING PUBLICLY THAT THIS LAWSUIT IS SIMPLY OVER MAKING SURE THAT OUR EMS EMPLOYEES ARE GIVEN CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTION. BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO IT THAN THAT. BACK ON FEBRUARY 5TH, I SENT A TEXT MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FIRE UNION, WHICH I SAID, I'VE BEEN ASKED AS TO WHY THE CITY COULD NOT PROVIDE OUR CIVIL EMTS CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTION. I BELIEVE I CAN SUPPORT THAT MAKING THAT HAPPEN, BUT I DO NOT SEE WHY. I'VE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM YOU REGARDING THE FENDER CASE AND YOUR PROPOSAL TO MAKE OUR EMTS CIVIL SERVICE, YET KEEP THEIR WAGES AT CURRENT LEVELS. DID YOU SEND THAT? THE NEXT DAY I RECEIVED FROM JEFF NISSAN THEIR PROPOSAL DATED NOVEMBER 4TH, 2024, IN WHICH HE CONFIRMED THAT THE RATE OF PAY FOR THE NEWLY CLASSIFIED EMTS WOULD HAVE TO BE NEGOTIATED. HE ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE UNION'S ATTORNEY FEES BE PAID, AND AT THE PRESENT TIME, IT'S MY BELIEF THAT THOSE ATTORNEY'S FEES ARE AROUND $80,000. IT IS TRUE THAT A LOCAL JUDGE GRANTED A SUMMARY JUDGMENT DIRECTING THAT CALEB VENTER BE SWORN IN AS A FIREFIGHTER. NOTHING ABOUT WAGES WAS DISCUSSED AS PART OF THAT COURT ORDER, OTHER THAN MR. FENDER AND OTHER CIVILIAN EMS EMPLOYEES WOULD NEED TO RECEIVE ALL THE BENEFITS OF BEING A FIREFIGHTER, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE NOT LEGALLY ABLE TO DO FIRE SUPPRESSION ACTIVITIES. THIS PRESUMPTIVELY INCLUDES RECEIVING THE SAME WAGES AS FIREFIGHTERS. I WAS PART OF THE CITY COUNCIL THAT UNANIMOUSLY DIRECTED THE CITY ATTORNEY TO APPEAL THIS DECISION TO THE COURT OF APPEALS. NOW, HERE'S WHAT KEEPS GETTING GLOSSED OVER. THE COURT OF APPEALS ISSUED A WRITTEN OPINION REVERSING THE LOWER COURT'S GRANTING OF THE SUMMARY JUDGMENT. THE COURT OF APPEALS ALSO SAID THAT MR. FINCHER AND HIS ATTORNEY HAD NOT PROPERLY PLED THE CASE TO BE ABLE TO GRANT THE RELIEF THAT FINDER WAS SEEKING, AND THEY SENT THE CASE BACK TO JUDGE SANDERSON WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO MR. FENTON TO REPEAT HIS CASE. MR. FINCHER DID NOT MAKE ANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES IN HIS PLEADINGS. INSTEAD, HE AGAIN ASKED THE LOWER COURT TO GRANT HIM A SUMMARY JUDGMENT, WHICH JUDGE SANDERSON AGAIN GRANTED. AND ACCORDINGLY, THE CITY ONCE AGAIN DIRECTED THE CITY ATTORNEY TO FILE AN APPEAL, AND THAT IS WHAT IS PENDING BEFORE THE COURT OF APPEALS. AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE CITY HAS FILED ITS BRIEF IN THE COURT OF APPEALS. THE FIRE UNION HAS NOT. THEY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THIS CITY COUNCIL VOTE TO WITHDRAW THE APPEAL AND PAY THE FIRE UNION ATTORNEY $80,000 IN A CASE THEY DID NOT PREVAIL IN? IS THAT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY? ABILITY. WHY NOT LET THE COURT OF APPEALS DECIDE THE CASE AND PROVIDE A REASONED, WELL WRITTEN OPINION ON THE MATTER? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ROSLINDALE, 6550 LEXINGTON DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. HERE IS A NEIGHBOR AND IS SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVES IN LIBERTY AND HUMAN DIGNITY VALUES. I HOPE YOU ALSO HOLD DEAR. FRIDAY NIGHT AROUND 8 P.M., I WAS INFORMED BY SOME FRIENDS THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAD WITNESSED A MASKED MAN IN PLAIN CLOTHES ABDUCT A WOMAN FROM BEAUMONT IN A HEAVY PARKING LOT. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. IT IS MERELY BEAUMONT'S FIRST CLEAR EXAMPLE. WELL, WE CAN PRESUME, GUESS THAT THIS MAN OPERATED ON BEHALF OF BORDER ENFORCEMENT. WE HAVE NO REAL WAY OF KNOWING. AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, BORDER AGENTS HAVE BEEN DECLARED ABOVE. SCRUTINY, OVERSIGHT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THEY DO NOT WORK WITH CITIES AND COUNTIES. THEY COME INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND TERRORIZE OUR NEIGHBORS WITHOUT EVEN INFORMING THE CITY OF THEIR ACTIONS. OUR CITY CANNOT BE ANOTHER PLACE THAT PERMITS ACTIONS SUCH AS THAT THAT ERODE THE CONSTITUTION AND LOCAL AUTHORITY. ACCOUNTABILITY MUST BE THE NORM FOR ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT, LOCAL OR FEDERAL. AT THE VERY LEAST, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND VIOLENT ARMED THUGS ENGAGED IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING. [01:50:04] AND RIGHT NOW, I CAN'T I CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE. AS CITY COUNCIL, YOU HAVE THE POWER TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND IN ORDER TO PROTECT BEAUMONT AND PREVENT OUR CITY AND BEING SILENTLY COMPLICIT IN DISGUSTING ABUSES OF POWER. JUST THIS YEAR, HAYS COUNTY, TEXAS, PASSED A RESOLUTION LIMITING COOPERATION WITH BORDER ENFORCEMENT UNLESS CERTAIN STANDARDS OF ACCOUNTABILITY WERE MET. THE RESOLUTION DEMANDS THAT BORDER ENFORCEMENT AGENTS ADHERE TO BASIC CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES. COOPERATE WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS BY NOTIFYING THEM OF WHO WAS TAKEN UNDER WHAT AUTHORITY. WHERE THEY WERE TRANSPORTED AND WHY. DEMANDS THAT THEY WEAR BODY CAMERAS. NAME BADGES CLEARLY DISPLAY ORGANIZATIONAL INSIGNIA AND CANNOT WEAR FACE COVERINGS EXCEPT AS MEDICALLY NECESSARY. HAYS COUNTY IS ENCOURAGING EVERY CITY AND COUNTY IN TEXAS, AND INDEED THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES, TO ADOPT A SIMILAR MODEL IN THE TEXT OF THEIR RESOLUTION. THEY CALL THEIR RESOLUTION A PATRIOTIC ACT OF FIDELITY. I AGREE. VERNON DARTON, 16436 WESTBURY ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. HELLO CITY COUNCIL MAYOR AND FIRST TIME ADDRESSING YOU ALL. AND I WANT TO WELCOME THE NEW MEMBERS YOU ADOPTED AND INHERITED A CITY THAT IS GOING BACKWARDS. THERE'S A BOND ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO BE VOTED ON SOON. A HISTORIC SITE. TARA PARK. I PLAY GOLF. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY I'M NOT THAT GOOD, BUT I PLAY GOLF. WE'VE ALLOWED DECISIONS IN THE PAST TO ERODE OUR CITY TO A POINT WHERE PEOPLE ARE MOVING OUT. IF I WANT TO PLAY A GOOD GAME OF GOLF, I GO TO MY COUNTRY CLUB. IT'S ABOUT $300 A MONTH. THERE ARE SEVERAL MEMBERS THAT I PLAY WITH, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD $300 A MONTH. BUT IF WE ALLOW THIS BOND ISSUE TO FAIL, IT'D BE JUST ANOTHER CHAPTER IN THE BOOK OF BEAUMONT THAT WE'VE ALLOWED POOR DECISIONS BY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS TO DO TO ERODE OUR CITY. WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY SOME YEARS BACK TO DO SOMETHING DOWNTOWN, AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS CAME IN AND GOT YOUR ATTENTION THERE. ATTENTION. AND DOWNTOWN IS STRUGGLING. NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A HOTEL AND A RIVERWALK AT A MUCH HIGHER PRICE. I'VE ALWAYS HELD THAT IT'S BETTER TO BUILD STRONG BOYS THAN TO REPAIR BROKEN MEN. WE'RE TRYING TO REPAIR A BROKEN CITY BECAUSE DECISIONS IN THE PAST HAVE ALLOWED. THE EROSION OF SPECIAL PLACES IN OUR CITY. ONE BEING THE GOLF COURSE. THE OTHER ONE BEING DOWNTOWN. SO HOPEFULLY, AS YOU HAVE ADOPTED AND INHERITED THESE PROBLEMS, YOU WOULD DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY AND NOT SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS. I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD AGREE WITH MIKE GETS VERY MUCH, BUT WHAT HE JUST SAID WAS TRUE BUT MIKE GET SAID WAS TRUE. I HAVE 40S LEFT, AND ONE THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION WAS INSIDE. GREAT DECISION, BUT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE IT INSIDE. THREE MINUTES IS TOO SHORT. EVERYBODY OUT THERE WILL TELL YOU. MISTER CRAB COMES UP HERE. YOU KNOW WE ALL ENJOY HIM. HE BLESS HIS HEART. BUT THREE MINUTES IS TOO SHORT. YOU'VE REDUCED THE TIMES OF MONTH THAT YOU MEET, BUT YOU HAVEN'T EXTENDED THE TIME THAT PEOPLE COME UP HERE TO TALK. EXTEND THE TIME. STOP BEING THE DICTATOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ADIE ALLEN, 9695. GROSS. BEAUMONT, TEXAS. NOON. CITY MANAGER, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. ADDIE ALLEN. AND MY NAME IS CALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND I'M JUST FLOATING ON AIR. BUT THE ONE THING THAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IS THE REASON MY NAME IS FLOATING. BECAUSE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT. I TALK VERY SLOW, AND I AGREE WITH MR. DURDEN. THREE MINUTES IS NOT ENOUGH. HOWEVER, THERE WAS A SOUND JUST THIS PAST WEEK, A BOOM, AND I WAS CALLED. [01:55:05] SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE FLEETWOOD AREA SAID, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT? NOW YOU CAN HAVE STAND AND YOU CAN HAVE ALL OF THE OTHER METHODS AND MODES OF OPERATION. BUT THERE IS A HUMAN FACTOR AND I CAN TELL YOU. MY MOTHER HAD EYE SURGERY FOR RITA. SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO GET HER CHECKUP. THIS IS KIND OF FUNNY, BUT SAD. THE DOCTOR WAS GONE. LEFT TOWN. SHE HAD THE APPOINTMENT. WE WENT FOR THE APPOINTMENT BEFORE TOWN, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE EVACUATED. SO YOU GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES FIRST. I'M GOING TO PLAY, IF YOU WILL. THERE'S A SOUND HERE. AND I KNOW THIS IS MY TIME SMILING. MOM, I'M SORRY, BUT THERE IS A SOUND OF A SIREN IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. YEARS AGO. THIS USED TO HAPPEN IN BEAUMONT YEARS AGO, JUST LIKE THE PRESENTATION, THE PRESENTER SAID. THERE'S PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO THAT ARE 80 YEARS OLD. THEY SAID IT HAPPENED ON A MONDAY AND THAT WAS A TEST. SO LIKE BERYL, ELECTRICITY WAS GONE FOR SOME DAYS. SO WE CAN HAVE COMPUTERS. WE CAN HAVE WE CAN HAVE PHONES, WE CAN HAVE IPADS, WE CAN HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT IF THEY GO DOWN, IF THE SATELLITE GOES DOWN AND T-MOBILE THAT I HAVE, I BUFFER ALL THE TIME. I'M REGISTERED FOR 311. BUT THE LAST TWO EVENTS I WAS NOT CALLED. THAT'S THE HUMAN FACTOR. BUT BOTTOM LINE, THERE'S TWO TYPES OF SIRENS. THERE'S INDOOR AND OUTDOOR. THAT WAS HER PRESENTATION. AN INDOOR AN OUTDOOR. THERE'S ROTATING. AND THERE'S ALSO A DUAL THERE ARE STAINLESS STEEL, THERE IS BACKUP BATTERIES. SO THE FAILURE, UNLIKE HUMAN, IS NULL AND VOID. MOST OF THE TIME 29 IS NOT NEEDED IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. MOSTLY IF YOU START WITH THE NORTH END, IT WILL FLOOD AND CREST EVERY TIME IT RAINS. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU FOR SERVING. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, IF THERE'S NO ONE ELSE THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS AS IT APPEARS NOT, WE WILL MOVE INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND ALTHOUGH WE DID HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SPEAK ON ITEM D, [CONSENT AGENDA] WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THAT FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AND WITH THAT MAY WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM NUMBER D. SECOND, WE NEED TO TURN OUR MICS ON. SO THAT WOULD BE COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD AND COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS WITH THE SECOND. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. ITEM D, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN TURNER? ITEM G. I HAD A CITIZEN THAT CALLED ME AND ASKED ME, CAN I EXPLAIN WHAT A LIFT STATION IS AND DOES? AND I TOLD HIM I MAYBE I WOULD ASK HIM IN THE COUNCIL MEETING. MISS MOLLY, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN KIND OF EDUCATE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IT ACTUALLY DOES. SO THE ARE MOST 90, 95% OF OUR COLLECTION SYSTEM FOR SANITARY SEWER IS CONSIDERED GRAVITY. THAT MEANS IT'S NOT PUMPED WHEN IT GOES DOWN THE DRAIN. THE PIPES ARE SLOPED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE WATER CAN CONTINUE DOWNHILL WITHOUT ANY OTHER ASSISTANCE BESIDES GRAVITY, AND ONCE IT REACHES A SIGNIFICANT DEPTH AND IT CANNOT CONTINUE BECAUSE IT'S TRYING TO GET TO THE SEWER PLANT OVER ON LAUGHING ROAD, THEN IT'S COLLECTED IN A BASIN AND WHICH WOULD CALL A WET WELL, AND THEN THERE'S PUMPS TO PUMP IT TO A HIGHER ELEVATION OR TO A HIGHER PRESSURE, AND THEN IT CAN CONTINUE ON ON ITS JOURNEY TO THE SEWER PLANT. AND SO THE HARRIET STREET LIFT STATION IS EASILY ONE OF OUR OLDEST LIFT STATIONS. IT'S LOCATED ON THE SAME SITE WHERE THE SOUTH PARK ELEVATED WATER STORAGE TANK IS IS SITUATED. BUT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY IT'S A PUMP STATION TO HELP KEEP THE FLOW GOING TO ITS FINAL DESTINATION. [02:00:03] AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE SOME OF THESE PUMP STATIONS. YOU YOU WOULD HAVE TO BECAUSE YOU CANNOT CONTINUE TO DIG DEEPER AND DEEPER ECONOMICALLY YOU WOULD HAVE TO FIND SOME SORT OF A WAY TO THEN, LIKE I SAID, EITHER LIFT IT OR PUMP IT TO TO GET TO THE FINAL TREATMENT DESTINATION. I JUST WANTED TO. I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET THAT EXPLAINED. I COULDN'T EXPLAIN IT AS DETAILED AS YOU, SO. YES, SIR. IT'S THEY THEY ARE VERY NECESSARY. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OUR TERRAIN IS SO FLAT. THE SLOPES OF THE PIPES AND THE GRAVITY SYSTEM. CAN ONLY YOUR START OVER? THE TSK DICTATES HOW FLAT WE CAN SET THOSE PIPES, AND IT'S DEPENDENT ON THE SIZE OF THE PIPE. SO YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEPTH. IT GETS VERY EXPENSIVE. IT CAN GET VERY DANGEROUS THE DEEPER YOU GO IN THESE SOULS THAT ARE JUST VERY UNSUITABLE FOR EXCAVATION. OKAY. COUNCILMAN DARIO. YES. ON ITEM EIGHT OF THE PURCHASE OF THE AMBULANCE AND SAID THAT IT WAS IN A HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS IN A WRECK, I GUESS. WAS THERE AN INSURANCE SETTLEMENT ON THAT? WAS IT OUR FAULT OR WAS SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT? SO IT'S ONGOING. IT THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE RECENT ACCIDENT. SO AS YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A WHILE FOR US TO TO SETTLE WITH INSURANCE, BUT IT ALSO TAKES A WHILE FOR THEM TO CUSTOM BUILD AN AMBULANCE. SO THIS IS JUST TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THEM IN A NUMBER OF AMBULANCES AND SERVICE. SO WE HAVE I GUESS FILED A CLAIM. IT'S IN LITIGATION. YES, SIR. WE'RE PREPARING WE'VE DONE ALL TAKING ALL THE NECESSARY LEGAL STEPS, BUT MOST THE AVERAGE PERSON DOESN'T CARRY THE AMOUNT OF INSURANCE. PROPERTY INSURANCE TO COVER SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO OUR SO WE SO WE IN THIS PERSONNEL WERE NOT AT FAULT IN THE ACCIDENT. SO AS FAR AS THE ACCIDENT REPORT GOES FOR THE OFFICER, THERE WAS NO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ATTRIBUTED TO OUR OUR DRIVER AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. BUT THAT'S ALSO UNDER REVIEW. OKAY. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TURNER MISTER MANAGER, I KNOW YOU'RE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE BOND PROCESSES, AND I'M JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT WAYS WE COULD ASSIST WITH PUBLIC SAFETY AS FAR AS AMBULANCES AND POLICE VEHICLES AND FIRE TRUCKS. IT KIND OF CAN BE RELATABLE. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN VEHICLES BEING INSERTED IN BONDS? COUNCILMAN TURNER, I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS THE TIME WE CAN COVER THAT, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU TRYING TO GET THAT IN. LOOK, LOOK AT IT. THE CITY ATTORNEY, SHE USED TO GET AN UGLY LOOK. BY THE TIME YOU GET HALFWAY THROUGH. YOU SEE, I DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT. RIGHT? YEAH. HE KNOWS. ALL RIGHT. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? I DON'T KNOW ANY CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS ITEM NUMBER D, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER. MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER D, PLEASE? [D. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit a grant application for the FY2025 Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF) Preservation Grant and execute a contract with the National Park Service to receive funds for damage repairs to the Temple to the Brave and the Jefferson Theatre.] YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR. COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND PRESERVATION GRANT, AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO RECEIVE FUNDS FOR DAMAGE REPAIRS TO THE TEMPLE, TO THE BRAVE AND THE JEFFERSON THEATER. AND THIS COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL, AND THERE IS NO REQUIRED MATCH. SO MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ONE MOMENT. I DID WANT TO CLARIFY IN THE MEMO. I HAD PUT THAT THAT IT WAS APPROVED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER. I NEED TO CORRECT THAT. IT WAS APPROVED FOR NOMINATION BY THE TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISSION'S BOARD OF REVIEW IN 2024. IT'S IN THE REVIEW PROCESS, AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE STRUCTURE WILL BE LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER WITHIN THE NEXT 90 DAYS. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT THAT DIFFERENCE, THAT IT IS APPROVED FOR NOMINATION. OKAY. IS OUR MOTION SUFFICIENT AS IT IS? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM D FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE? [REGULAR AGENDA] ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO KING SOLUTIONS SERVICES, [02:05:03] LLC OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, FOR THE STREET REHAB PHASE SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OR RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. I WILL NOTE THIS IS THE SECOND LOWEST BIDDER ON THE PROJECT, BUT IT COMES RECOMMENDED BY STAFF. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER ONE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN DARIO. SO I NOTICED THAT IT WAS IT WAS THE SECOND. THE SECOND HIGHEST OR LOWEST BID THAT GOT IT. THE ONE OUT OF HOUSTON, IT WAS HIGHER THAN THE FIRST ONE. YES. OUT OF SPRING. YES, SIR. AND I GUESS YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT. CAN YOU EXPLAIN FOR THE. SO WHY WE DID IT THIS WAY THIS TIME? THERE WAS. SO WE REQUIRE OUR CONTRACTORS TO HAVE A CERTAIN LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION. AND ALSO WE DO REFERENCE CHECKS OF ALL OF OUR VENDORS. AND WE COULD NOT GET GOOD REFERENCES OR WE COULD NOT GET RESPONSES TO OUR REQUESTS FOR REFERENCES. AND SO WE WENT BACK ASKED FOR ADDITIONAL REFERENCES. AND SO BETWEEN THAT AND THE LIMITED EXPERIENCE THAT WAS SUBMITTED IN THEIR DOCUMENTATION, WE RECOMMEND GOING WITH THE SECOND LOWEST BID. OKAY. THERE WASN'T ANY OF ANY LOCAL COMPANIES THAT BID. UNFORTUNATELY WHAT WE'VE NOTICED OVER TIME SINCE WE STARTED THE PIPE VERSION PROGRAM IN 2000, IS THAT THESE CONTRACTORS OUT OF THE HOUSTON AREA HAVE BASICALLY PUSHED MOST OF OUR LOCAL COMPANIES OUT OF THE PIPE BURST IN BUSINESS. THE LOCALS JUST CAN'T COMPETE. ON ON IN THIS IN THIS TYPE OF WORK. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. SO I WOULD BE REMISS TO ASK, WHEN WE DO THIS, THESE HOUSTON COMPANIES, HOW MANY CHANGE ORDERS END UP BEING SENT DOWN THE PIPE AFTER THE SERVICE HAS BEGUN? IT ENDS UP BEING SPECIFIC TO THE THE CONDITIONS THAT THEY ENCOUNTER. AND IF MIKE HARRIS IS HERE, HE CAN DEFINITELY SPEAK TO THAT AS WELL. BUT WE IT DEPENDS ON THE ADVERSE SOIL CONDITIONS. LIKE WHAT? WE BROUGHT A CHANGE ORDER BEFORE Y'ALL RECENTLY AT THE INTERSECTION ON GRAND STREET, WHERE WE HIT A HIGH WATER TABLE AND WATER BEARING SANDS. OR WE FIND THAT SOMETIMES WE FIND A SECTION OF PIPE THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR PIPE BURSTING OR YOU KNOW, THE MANHOLES NEED TO BE UPSIZED OR UPGRADED. SO WE DO WE DO ENCOUNTER SITUATIONS WHERE WE DO HAVE CHANGE ORDERS, BUT OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS FULLY VET EVERY REQUEST FOR ANY CHANGE ORDER AND REALLY PUSH BACK TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS WARRANTED, IS CONNECTED TO THIS PROJECT AND IS WORK THAT IS NECESSARY TO BE DONE. SO THEY DON'T DO ANY BORING. THEY DON'T COME OUT AND WALK THE SITE OF WHERE IT MAY TAKE PLACE OR SO WHAT IS WHAT IS ENTAILED IN THIS? THIS CAUSE IT'S JUST WHAT IT WILL COST FOR THEM TO COME OUT IN THE EVENT WE HAVE A BURST PIPE OR. OH, NO, THIS IS SO PIPE BURSTING IS A IS A TRENCH METHOD TO REPLACE SANITARY SEWER PIPE. SO MOST OF THE PIPES THAT WE ARE REPLACING ARE EITHER GOING TO BE CONCRETE OR CLAY. AND IN THESE SOILS, THERE'S SO MUCH SHIFTING THE JOINTS WILL SEPARATE OR BREAK. ALSO, CONCRETE PIPE IS NOT A SUITABLE MATERIAL FOR SANITARY SEWER BECAUSE THE SEWER GASES REACT WITH THE CONCRETE. SO WHAT THE CONTRACTOR WILL DO IS INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DIG UP THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF PIPE TO REPLACE IT, THEY ONLY HAVE TO DIG AT THE MANHOLES AND AT THE SERVICES. AND WE FUZE A SOLID WALL PLASTIC PIPE, HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE. IF YOU USE IT TOGETHER FOR FOR THE LENGTH OF THE BLOCK, SAY, AND IT IS PULLED IN WITH BASICALLY USING A WINCH. AND THEN ONCE THE PIPE IS IN, WE WILL CUT IN THE SERVICES AND SET THEM IN. SO YOU GREATLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF EXCAVATION THAT YOU HAVE TO DO, WHICH REDUCES THE RISK IN THE WORK. AND YOU GET A BRAND NEW SEWER LINE THAT HAS NO JOINTS TO LATER SEPARATE AND CAUSE FUTURE SEWER ISSUES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, WHERE IS THE SECTION OF THE SEWER LINE REPLACEMENT HAPPENING NOW? [02:10:06] IT'S GOING TO BE IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THIS IS GOING. THIS WORK IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING AHEAD OF A OUR STREET REHAB PHASE SIX PROJECT. AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE LOCATIONS SUCH AS ALONG GARNER ROAD. THERE IS GOING TO ALSO BE SOME WORK ON BOTH SIDES OF SB ROAD NEAR FRANKLIN. THERE'S SOME WORK ON PRAIRIE AND THERE'S SOME WORK IN THE SOUTH END. NEXT, NEXT TO HOLLAND, FROM HARRIET TO PIPKIN STREET. WE GOT A SHORT SECTION ON EAST FLORIDA. AND HOW OLD ARE THE CURRENT LINES? MOST OF THESE LINES THAT WE ARE REPLACING WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AS EARLY AS THE 40S, PROBABLY UNTIL THE EARLY 70S. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TOWARD A CONTRACT TO BDS CONSTRUCTORS, LLC, DOING BUSINESS AS MK CONSTRUCTORS OF VIDA, TEXAS, FOR THE CITYWIDE DITCHING PROGRAM PHASE THREE. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? MOVED TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND FOR APPROVAL? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN TURNER, THEN? COUNCILMAN CURIO. JUST WHEN WE WE DO THE VETTING OF SOME OF THESE CONTRACTORS WITH THE CITYWIDE ADDITIONS, I KNOW JUST FROM BEING IN SOME OF THE MILLION NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, I KNOW WE RECENTLY DID THAT, BUT A LOT OF THOSE CITIZENS HAD SOME CONCERNS WITH, YOU KNOW, HOW IT HAPPENED WITH THEM. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE SAME CONTRACTOR, BUT JUST IF WE CAN KIND OF, I GUESS, MONITOR IT A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER THIS TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. LEARNING A LOT OF LESSONS IN THIS PROGRAM. DEFINITELY. THE CONTRACTOR THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING AWARD FOR IN THIS CONTRACT IS A DIFFERENT CONTRACTOR. THANK YOU. SO WE ARE THERE ARE A LOT MORE CULVERTS THAT ARE SCHEDULED IN THIS CONTRACT THAN IN PREVIOUS CONTRACTS. SO I THINK IT WORKED OUT. BUT THIS IS A NEW CONTRACTOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. COUNCILMAN DARIO. SO WHEN WE RECEIVED THESE BIDS, I THINK WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE. IF IT'S A LOCAL CONTRACTOR AND IT'S WITHIN A CERTAIN PRICE OF THE OF THE BEST BID, WE'RE ABLE TO USE IT. IS THAT THE CASE IN THIS ONE? BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A DIFFERENCE OF 85,000 OR SOMETHING. THERE'S A THE STATE LAW PUTS A CAP ON THE VALUE OF THE CONTRACT, WHERE THE LOCAL BIDDER PREFERENCE POLICY GOES INTO EFFECT. SO THEY HAVE TO BE OFFICE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF BEAUMONT. A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEIR EMPLOYEES MUST ALSO LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF BEAUMONT. AND THE VALUE OF THE CONTRACT, I THINK, IS CAPPED AT LIKE $150,000. OKAY, SO THIS DIDN'T MEET THOSE QUALIFICATIONS? NO, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MOLLY. YOU'RE WELCOME. IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION REJECTING THE BIDS RECEIVED FOR THE WALL AND AVENUE C LIFT STATION REHABILITATION PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE. SO MOVED TO APPROVE REJECTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. SO THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER THREE. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER THREE AS READ, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE. CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO, ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT TO TEXAS DRAINAGE, INC. FOR THE CITYWIDE DITCHING PROGRAM. FACE TO BE. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR. [02:15:03] IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE? EXCUSE ME. FIVE. LET ME MAKE SURE I'M ON THE RIGHT ONE. YES. COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER MANAGER TOWARD A CONTRACT TO RED ZONE ROBOTICS, INC. OF WARREN DALE, PENNSYLVANIA, FOR THE SANITARY SEWER TRUCK MAIN WATER SENSOR CERTAIN INSPECTION PROJECT, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? MOVED TO APPROVE SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE? PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SIX? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TOWARD A CONTRACT. CONTRACT TO TRP CONSTRUCTION GROUP, LLC OF HALTON CITY, TEXAS, FOR THE CITYWIDE PAVEMENT MARKINGS. PHASE FOUR. IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TOWARD A CONTRACT TO ALCO, LLC OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, FOR THE STREET REHABILITATION CITYWIDE PHASE SIX. THAT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? SO MOVED TO APPROVE SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN TURNER? MISS MOLLY, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, WITH SOME OF THE PIPE BURSTS, AND THAT WAS GOING INTO LIKE THAT HOLLAND AREA. IS THIS SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT'S GOING INTO FIXING THE STREETS FOR THAT HIGHLAND AREA. I JUST WANT TO SHOW HOW I KIND OF BALANCING OUT THAT IT IS MAKING SENSE. YES, SIR. WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ONE OF THE IMPORTANT LESSONS IS WHEN YOU PAY FOR ROAD, YOU DON'T WANT TO COME RIGHT BACK IN AND DO A UTILITY REPAIR. SO WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE LOCATIONS WHERE THEY'RE SANITARY SEWER THAT'S GOING TO BE IN FUTURE NEED OF REPLACEMENT. AND THAT'S WHAT THAT CONTRACT THAT YOU APPROVED DOES. THEN WE WILL COME BACK. AND ONCE THAT WORK IS COMPLETED, WE'LL COME BACK IN AND PAVE THE ROADS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THIS STREET REHAB CONTRACT. AND I KNOW THAT I WANT TO ALSO POINT OUT IN THE WINE GLASS EDITION THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF WORK THAT THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT DID. AND THESE STREETS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT'S WORK ARE INCLUDED IN THIS CONTRACT. I KNOW THAT THAT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS BEEN ANXIOUS FOR THIS WORK TO GET UNDERWAY. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THAT WORK WILL BE HANDLED IN THIS CONTRACT. COUNCILMAN DARIO. SO COUNCILMAN TURNER MENTIONED THE HIGHLAND STREET PROJECT. AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO REPAVE HOW WE'RE GOING TO REPAVE HIGHLAND STREET. BUT PART OF THAT PROJECT IS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING UNDER HIGHLAND IS GOOD AND FIX IT BEFORE WE START REPAVING IT. CORRECT? YES. THERE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A SEPARATE WORK TO ADD HIGHLANDS SEWER TO GET THAT REPLACED. WE'VE ALREADY INVESTIGATED THE STORM SEWER. WE HAVE CLEANED ALL THE LINES THAT ARE ON THE STORM SEWER SIDE, WHICH REALLY DID SEE A BENEFIT FROM THAT IN THESE RECENT RAINS. WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SEWER NEXT. AND THEN WHEN WE DO THE ACTUAL REPAVING OF HIGHLANDS, WE'LL HAVE THAT COMPLETE PACKAGE. SO FOR THE FOR THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA. IT'S NOT A DELAY. IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE AND MAKING SURE EVERYTHING IS RIGHT. WE DON'T WANT TO PAVE THE STREET AND THEN FIND OUT THE STUFF UNDER THE STREET IS MESSED UP, AND THEN WE HAVE TO BREAK UP THE STUFF THAT WE JUST PUT DOWN. CORRECT? YES, PLEASE. NO, WE DON'T WANT THAT. OKAY. SEE HIS NAME? CAN YOU SAY HIS NAME? WHO YOU TALK ABOUT? ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU READ ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? [02:20:05] NOW, COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ALTER CONTRACT TO LEGACY COMMERCIAL CONTRACTORS, LLC OF DALLAS, TEXAS, FOR THE ORANGE AVENUE 20 INCH WATERLINE REPLACEMENT. AND THAT'S FROM FANNIN STREET TO FOURTH STREET FORESIGHT STREET PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO NOTE THAT SIX OF THE EIGHT ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA WERE EITHER TO REPAIR SEWER LINES, SEWER PROJECTS, OR WATER PROJECTS, AND THE OTHER TWO WERE FOR ROAD PROJECTS JUST SO CITIZENS CAN SEE THE JOB THAT COUNCIL IS DOING ON SEWER LINES. WITH ALL OF THESE ITEMS OR ITEMS THAT GO DIRECTLY TO IMPROVING OUR SEWER SYSTEM OR DRAINAGE SYSTEM. THANK YOU SIR. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? SO MOVED TO APPROVE. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE US INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING? [PUBLIC HEARING] COUNSEL. TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENTS REGARDING A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE FTA FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025. BUS FACILITIES COMPETITIVE PROGRAM TO RECEIVE FUNDS FOR THE ALL RIGHT. I DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING OPEN. IS THE CITY CLERK. OKAY. I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SPEAK, BUT DEMI WANTS TO HAVE A FEW WORDS. GOOD AFTERNOON. THE FDA ANNOUNCED THE NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY IN THE CITY AND THE US. AND BEAUMONT ZIP WISH TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION FOR IT. IT WILL BE FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS. THE FIRST ONE IS TO INSTALL 60 BUS SHELTERS AND BENCHES CITYWIDE. THE SECOND IS TO PROCURE REAL TIME TRACKING SOFTWARE TO IMPROVE OUR RIDER EXPERIENCE. THAT'S WHERE IT'LL TRACK THE BUSSES AND WHERE IT'S AT. AND NUMBER THREE TO REPLACE THE GENERATOR. ALTHOUGH THE PROJECT'S NOT FLASHY, IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLACE THAT BECAUSE TRANSIT HEADQUARTERS IS A CRITICAL FACILITY. DURING DISASTER EVENTS, AS THEY DO EVACUATIONS. ALL THREE PROJECTS COST A TOTAL OF 2.9. I'M SORRY. $2,940,000. 80% OF THE TOTAL COST IS COVERED BY THE FTA. IF WE WERE AWARDED THIS GRANT AND THEN THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMAINING 20%, WHICH IS $588,000. KNOWING THAT, WE REACHED OUT TO TEX DOT TO SEE IF THEY CAN PARTNER WITH US IN TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT CREDITS. I DID RECEIVE A WORD THAT THEY WOULD. THERE'S A COMMITMENT LETTER THERE. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IF WE WERE AWARDED THIS GRANT, THE CITY THEY TEXT OUT HAS AGREED TO SUBSIDIZE THE LOCAL SHARE. SO IT COMES AT NO COST TO THE CITY FOR ALL THREE PROJECTS. SO IF YOU GUYS APPROVE THE NEXT ITEM THEN WE'LL SUBMIT BY JULY 14TH. AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE CLAUDIA SAN MIGUEL THE GENERAL OR GENERAL MANAGER OF BEAUMONT, TO COME SPEAK ON IT AS WELL. THANK YOU. WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON. REAL QUICK. THE PROJECTS ARE FOR SURE THE BUS STOPS, THE SHELTERS, THE CANOPIES, THE BENCHES THAT WILL HELP US PROVIDE A BETTER EXPERIENCE. BUT NOT ONLY THAT, PROMOTE, FURTHER PROMOTE THE SERVICE. A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE BUS, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE WAITING ON THE SUN ON THE WAY. SO I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT IF WE WERE AWARDED THIS MONEY, WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE ON RIDERSHIP. THE GENERATOR, LIKE MR. EGGMAN SHARE WITH US IS NECESSARY. AND THIS IS NOT JUST LIKE ANY GENERATOR. THIS IS GOING TO POWER OUR CNG PLAN. I REALLY DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT THIS IS A VERY POWERFUL GENERATOR. IT WILL RUN A COUPLE OF BLOCKS. SO YOU'RE JUST GOING TO BE RUNNING THAT ALONE? IT'S A BIG DRAW OF ENERGY THAT IS REQUIRED. IT RUNS ON CNG, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO BE POURING FUEL ON IT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE MINUTE THE POWER GOES OFF, THE MINUTE THAT GENERATOR KICKS IN. AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO ENSURE THAT OUR BUSSES BOSSES IN THE NEED OF AN EVACUATION THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED A LOT THIS AFTERNOON AT THE BOSS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RUN FOR THE PUBLIC. QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? IT'S GREAT NEWS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOBODY SIGNED UP. ALL RIGHT. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER? I MAKE A MOTION. WE APPROVE. SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER NINE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY. CAN I GET THE MOTION? AND SECOND AGAIN, DO YOU WANT TO READ? YEAH. WE NEED YOU TO READ IT TO THE RECORD. WE'LL DO IT AGAIN. OKAY. COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION FTA TO RECEIVE FUNDS FOR [REGULAR AGENDA] [02:25:05] THE ZIP. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. NOW, MAY WE HAVE A MOTION? I MAY MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. WE APPROVE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER NINE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER NINE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION IS CARRIED. AT THIS TIME WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE WILL RETURN TO TAKE ACTION ON ITEM [EXECUTIVE SESSION] NUMBER TEN. THANK YOU. I CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER. MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER. COUNCIL MEMBER. DARIO. COUNCILMEMBER. HILLIARD. COUNCIL MEMBER. WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHERWOOD. COUNCIL MEMBER. CRENSHAW. PRESENT. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TEN? [REGULAR AGENDA] PLEASE COUNCIL, TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LAWSUIT STYLE OF CALEB AND BEAUMONT PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 399 INTRAVENOUS VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT. CHRISTOPHER S BOONE, KENNETH. WILLIAMS, ROY. WEST, EARLE. WHITE, TAYLOR NEILD, MIKE GOETZ, EDWIN SAMUEL, CHARLES, DARIO, ABBOTT TURNER, AND RANDY SHAW, AND IT COMES WITH NO RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TEN? YES. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLED THIS ITEM. IS THERE A SECOND? THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TABLE THIS ITEM. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TABLING THE ITEM, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OPPOSED. ALL RIGHT. THE MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH. [COUNCIL COMMENTS] COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. COUNCILMAN, IT DIDN'T MATTER. COUNCILMAN. DARIO. I THINK I'VE DONE IT FIRST THE LAST THREE TIMES, BUT THAT'S OKAY. MY LIST IS NOT THAT LONG. THEY'RE NOT HERE. BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RENEGADE AGAIN. THAT'S A POSITIVE THING FOR BEAUMONT. I GOT AN EMAIL EARLIER THIS WEEK, AND I THINK THE MAYOR GOT A TWO ABOUT A MR. JEFFREY GREEN THAT WORKS IN SOLID WASTE. AND HE WAS OUT THERE WORKING, AND HE FOUND AN ELDERLY GENTLEMAN WAS LAID OUT ON THE GROUND, AND HE STOPPED, STOPPED AND ASSISTED WITH THAT GENTLEMAN. AND UNTIL THE FIRST RESPONDERS GOT THERE. SO THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A TYPE OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AND I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE MISTER GREEN FOR THAT. ALSO CHIEF ARCHITECT, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF CITY EMPLOYEES. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT EMPLOYEES. THAT WAS AWESOME. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WENT NATIONWIDE. YOU KNOW, ZIP DRIVERS. WHAT DID THEY DRIVE? 100 AND SOME THOUSAND MILES WITHOUT GETTING IN AN ACCIDENT? LET'S GET SOME MORE AWESOME EMPLOYEES. SHEKINAH DID A GREAT JOB AS WELL. I THINK THAT'S IT. I HAVE ONE OTHER THING I LIKE TO LOOK INTO GETTING THAT THE TIME EXTENDED WHEN FOLKS SPEAK, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING TO LOOK AT. YOU KNOW ONE OTHER THING. A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE I WENT THROUGH THE FIRE ACADEMY WITH HIM IN 1986. AND HIS NAME IS FRANK NEAL. AND HE PASSED THIS PAST SUNDAY. AND HE'S A GOOD GUY. IF YOU GUYS LOOK HIM UP ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ON FACEBOOK, THERE'S A LOT OF TRIBUTES TO FRANK. I THINK SOME OF Y'ALL HAVE MET FRANK BEFORE. HE'S BEEN IN SOME MEETINGS BEFORE, BUT HE WAS A REAL GOOD GUY. AND HE'S. HE'S A VERY CLOSE FRIEND OF MINE. LIKE I SAID, WE WENT THROUGH THE FIRE ACADEMY TOGETHER AND WE BOTH RETIRED FROM THE BEAUMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND SO HE'S GOING TO BE MISSED. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. WELL THANK YOU. AND I'LL REITERATE, THE OUR EMPLOYEES ARE DOING AMAZING THINGS, AND I THINK THAT'S AWESOME. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED BECAUSE WE SEE ENOUGH NEGATIVITY THAT I THINK IT'S COOL THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON SOME REALLY NEAT STUFF THAT OUR CITY IS DOING. I WOULD LIKE TO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US FORM A CHARTER AMENDMENT COMMITTEE TO FOCUS ON TERM LIMITS. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I RAN ON, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER TO IMPOSE TERM LIMITS OR LOOK AT IMPOSING TERM LIMITS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE A COMMITTEE FORMED FOR TO STREAMLINE THE CODE AND YOU KNOW, BRING [02:30:04] TOGETHER ARCHITECTS BUILDERS, HOME BUILDERS AND SEE HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE AND MAKE OUR RED TAG PROCESS BETTER. TO MAKE BEAUMONT MORE OPEN. FIND OUT WHAT THEY FEEL IS WRONG WITH THE CITY, AND WORK WITH THEM TO COME UP WITH A BETTER WAY FOR OUR CODE AND ENFORCEMENT. AND OTHER THAN THAT, I I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH ALL THE MOST OF THE THE HEADS OF THE DEPARTMENT, AND I JUST HAVE TO GIVE KENNETH THE GREEN LIGHT AND SAY, HEY, YOU DID GOOD. YOU'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE WORKING FOR YOU. AND SO I REALLY ENJOYED MEETING THEM. THESE SOME REALLY GOOD PEOPLE. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN TURNER. I AGREE WITH TERM LIMITS AS WELL. I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE LANGUAGE READY FOR IT. SO. YES, SIR. YEAH, BUT WE'RE PROHIBITED FROM BRINGING IT BACK TO THE VOTERS FOR TWO YEARS. I BELIEVE THE CHARTER WAS APPROVED IN NOVEMBER OF 20. SO WE CAN DO IT IN THREE. SO IF YOU WANTED TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER OF 2025. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE TWO YEARS. EXACTLY. SO YOU COULDN'T DO IT THIS NOVEMBER. YOU'D ACTUALLY HAVE TO WAIT AND EITHER DO IT IN MAY OR FOLLOWING BECAUSE IT'S TWO YEARS. EXACTLY. IT WAS IT WAS IT WAS NOT. IT WAS IT WAS NOT THE CHARTER COMMITTEE'S DECISION. THE LANGUAGE WAS ACTUALLY CHANGED BY COUNCIL, NOT BY THE CHARTER COMMITTEE. THE CHARTER COMMITTEE. BUT YOU'RE WELCOME. THE CHARTER COMMITTEE PUT FORTH SOME VERY FAVORABLE LANGUAGE FOR BOTH TERM LIMITS AND TERM LENGTHS IN THAT LANGUAGE WAS CHANGED BY COUNCIL. SO WE WE CAN'T BRING IT BACK THIS NOVEMBER. IT HASN'T BEEN THE LAST CHARTER AMENDMENT WE DID WAS NOVEMBER 7TH OF 2023. SO YOU HAVE TO WAIT EXACTLY TWO YEARS SO YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO BRING IT BACK UNTIL TWO YEARS POST THAT DATE. OKAY. I MEAN, IS THAT POSSIBLE? CAN WE DO THAT. DO IT. SO NOT IN MAY. SO YOU CAN DO IT THIS NOVEMBER. YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO DO IT IN MAY OKAY OKAY. THAT'S FINE. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IT WASN'T COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW LIKE THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE. RIGHT. WAS IN. HE DID. HE DID A VERY GOOD JOB. BUT BUT IF WE POINTING FINGERS, IT WAS A MOTION. IT WAS A MOTION BROUGHT BY FORMER A FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER THAT YOU SECONDED. I'VE NEVER FORGIVEN THAT. THAT THAT CHANGED IT. BUT TO THAT END, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE HAVEN'T WE DIDN'T BUDGET FOR A MAY ELECTION FOR THIS YEAR. SO THAT WOULD BE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, NOW'S THE TIME TO BRING IT UP. SO WE CAN INCLUDE THAT IN THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT'S NOT BUDGETED FOR. WE TYPICALLY TRY TO BRING IT TO IN BUDGET YEARS. OKAY. IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO WHAT'S ON THERE FOR YOU GUYS TO RUN, WE CAN ADD THOSE REFERENDUMS IN THE MAY ELECTION FOR 2020 AND SEVEN FOR 2026 IS WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT I THINK. BUT IT'S TOO SOON, ISN'T IT? NO, NO. WELL, YOU COULD DO IT IN NOVEMBER. SPECIAL ELECTION. YOU'D HAVE TO CALL. YEAH. SPECIAL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. IF YOU DID IT. IF YOU DID IT IN MAY OF NEXT YEAR, YOU'D HAVE TO CALL IT, RIGHT. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE HAVE. IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO DO, WE NEED TO KNOW NOW. SO WE NEED TO BUDGET FOR IT AND MAKE THE PROPER PREPARATIONS FOR IT BECAUSE THERE IS A TIMELINE FOR THOSE THINGS. SO IF THAT'S OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BY OUR COUNCIL MEMBER. SO IF THERE WAS, IF THERE'S AN INTEREST, WE WOULD NEED SOMEONE TO SECOND IT. WE COULD PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION. MY MIC STILL ON, I SECOND IT. CHRIS CONDOLENCES. SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS. YOUR COMPLIMENTS ABOUT OUR CITY EMPLOYEES. I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB. AND I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY THE ENERGY TODAY JUST IT WAS CONTAGIOUS. AND I THINK IT KIND OF SPREAD THROUGH US BEING ABLE TO TALK TO AND WORK THROUGH SOME TOUGH THINGS. AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. YEAH. JOEY, I COULD GET BEHIND THAT AS WELL. I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP. JUST 4TH OF JULY IS THIS WEEKEND. AND AND I JUST WANT TO SAY YOU KNOW, I'M I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT COUNTRY, THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. AND FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S COME BEFORE US AND HAS GOTTEN US TO WHERE WE ARE AND AND THE WAY THIS COUNTRY IS, IS PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE ALL SITTING HERE. AND SO WE ALL PLAY A PART IN THAT. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE, THE EVENT DOWNTOWN AND WHAT EMILY PUTS TOGETHER. AND HAPPY 4TH OF JULY, AND I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BEAUMONT RENEGADES. CONGRATULATIONS TO QUINTON THOMAS JUNIOR AGAIN. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE EXXONMOBIL ENERGY SCHOLARS. CONGRATULATIONS TO ZIPP TRANSIT SAFETY FIRST. THE RECIPIENTS. I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. [02:35:01] I WORK IN TRANSPORTATION, SO I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS. CONGRATULATIONS, CHIEF ARCHITECT. FOR DOING GOOD, FOR GOODNESS SAKE. THANK YOU, MISS MAE, FOR COMING UP WITH POSITIVE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. I DO WANT TO LOOK INTO HOW WE IDENTIFY ICE AND THEIR BEHAVIOR LOCALLY AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T MISCONSTRUING THEM FOR BEING SOMEBODY THAT THEY'RE NOT, I DON'T KNOW. KUDOS TO SEWER AND DRAINAGE ON THE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY, BECAUSE I KNOW WARD THREE THINKS HEAVILY ABOUT THAT. AND I DO WANT YOU ALL, LESLIE, TO REMEMBER THAT IT IS HURRICANE SEASON. HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS MATTERS. AND THE INSURANCE AGENT IN ME SAYS INSURANCE IS MONEY WHEN IT MATTERS MOST. MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CHECKING UP ON YOUR POLICIES. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. COUNCILMAN, COULD YOU PROVIDE CLARITY WHERE YOU SAID YOU WANT US TO CHECK UP ON ISIS? LIKE WHAT? LIKE, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE OUT. YOU KNOW, LIKE THE LADY SUGGESTED, MAYBE ID BADGES, MAYBE WAYS TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEY'RE WORKING IN AND WHAT CAPACITY, AND WHO THEY RECOMMENDED WAS A RESOLUTION THAT WAS PASSED BY ANOTHER CITY SLASH COUNTY. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL IS ASKING? I WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT THAT'S A RESOLUTION THAT COUNCIL CAN PASS, BUT THERE'S NOT REALLY A LOT OF ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY BEHIND IT. IT'S IT'S DEFINITELY A, A RESOLUTION TO, TO PROVIDE COMFORT TO YOUR CITIZENS, BUT THERE'S NO ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY. ON BEHALF OF OUR, OUR POLICE OFFICERS THAT WILL BE ABLE TO, TO ACTIVELY ENFORCE THOSE THOSE PROVISIONS. OKAY. WELL, IT IS IT IS AN ISSUE IN PARTICULAR IN WARD THREE. AND I HATE TO SEE A CITIZEN GET INVOLVED IN SOMETHING THAT'S ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT'S LEGAL. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND, BUT I WANT TO MAKE COUNCIL IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WANTED TO PURSUE. OBVIOUSLY IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR THAT AND YOU HAVE A SECOND, WE CAN DEFINITELY BRING THAT FORWARD. BUT I WANT COUNCIL TO BE CLEAR THAT THE THE ORDINANCE IS GOOD IN THEORY, BUT NOT ENFORCEABLE. THANK YOU. PEOPLE JUST JUMPING OUT OF CARS AND GRABBING PEOPLE AND PEOPLE GO, WELL, THAT MUST BE ICE. AND IT'S NOT REALLY ICE, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, WHEN DOES THAT START HAPPENING? WHEN DO WE HAVE COPYCATS? OKAY. SO YEAH, I GET I MEAN, I'M OKAY. SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR CLARITY. I CAN'T REALLY GET TO ONE. IT'S NOT A POSTED ITEM, BUT I CAN IF WHATEVER COUNCIL DIRECTS WE CAN LOOK INTO IT. IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING I APPRECIATE YOU. AND THAT MIGHT BE A REPORT ON ICE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO, BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME A LOT OF THINGS THAT'S TIED TO FEDERAL GRANTS, ETC. IF YOU DON'T COOPERATE WITH ICE AND, AND THEN THE STATE LEGISLATURE JUST PASSED SOME LEGISLATION TO ABOUT CITIES THAT DON'T. SO WE MIGHT JUST NEED AN UPDATE ON THAT LEGISLATION AND THEN GO FROM THERE. AND WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN'T DO. I APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. OH, YEAH. SO JUST HAPPY 4TH OF JULY TO EVERYONE. MY MY BABY IS HOME AT THE COUNCILWOMAN WILLIAMS POINT. DEFINITELY APPRECIATE ALL OF THOSE WHO MAKE THE SACRIFICE TO SERVE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE FREEDOMS THAT WE DO. I WILL BE CELEBRATING WITH MY LITTLE SOLDIER WHO'S WHO'S HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. DO NOT CALL ME. ALL RIGHT. KIDDING. SERIOUSLY? ALL RIGHT. MR.. ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? SO WE'LL WE'LL BE MONITORING A SPECIAL SESSION THAT THE GOVERNOR CALLED OFF. STARTS JULY 21ST, AND IT'S GOING TO GO FOR 30 DAYS. SO WE'LL PROBABLY BRING YOU GUYS UPDATE ON DIFFERENT LEGISLATION THAT IMPACT THE CITY'S DEPARTMENTS. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ALREADY START SEPTEMBER 1ST, BUT WE'LL JUST MONITOR THE SESSION AND THEY WILL IDENTIFY A FOLLOW UP TO YOU GUYS. SO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SOME LEGISLATION WITH A DIFFERENT THING. SO THAT'S OUR NEXT STEP ON THAT END. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. YOU KNOW I DO WANT TO GIVE CONDOLENCES TO FRANK NEAL WHO WAS NOT JUST OUR OUR RETIRED FIREFIGHTER, BUT HE WAS ALSO MY CLASSMATE, SOMEONE WHOM I LOVE DEARLY, KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY. THANK YOU. YEAH. I'D LIKE TO MENTION MR. NEAL TO A RETIRED FIREFIGHTER. HE'S ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT BEFRIENDED ME WHEN I MOVED TO BEAUMONT. I DIDN'T KNOW HIM FROM ANYBODY ELSE. AND HE REALLY MADE ME FEEL WELCOME IN BEAUMONT. SO IT'S SAD TO SEE THAT HE'S NOT WITH US ANYMORE. AND JUST A REMINDER THAT THE CITY HALL WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY FOR THE 4TH OF JULY. AND, COUNCILMAN DARIO, I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE MILES ON HIS MOVE UP TO THE BIG TABLE. ALL RIGHT. AND WITH THAT, THE MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.