[CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:09]
          AND WELCOME TO TODAY'S MEETING OF BEAUMONT CITY COUNCIL. TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, JULY 15TH, 2025. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY PASTOR ALEX ZAMORA WITH CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN BEAUMONT. AND IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES. AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. WE'RE GOING TO DO THE PRAYER FIRST. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. I THANK YOU FOR LIFE, LORD. 
          THANK YOU FOR EVERY LIFE THAT IS HERE. LORD, THANK YOU FOR EVERY SERVANT THAT IS HERE. AND LORD, WE JUST WANT TO PLACE THESE PROCEDURES, THESE PROCEEDINGS IN YOUR HANDS. LORD YOUR GOD, WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, FOR YOUR WISDOM, LORD. AND WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MADE CLEAR TO US WHAT IS GOOD, LORD, AND WHAT WHAT IT IS THAT YOU REQUIRE, LORD, YOU REQUIRE US TO PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE. LORD, YOU YOU REQUIRE US TO LOVE MERCY AND KINDNESS. AND YOU ASK US. 
          YOU INVITE US TO WALK HUMBLY BESIDE YOU. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR THESE QUALITIES BECAUSE THEY ARE YOUR QUALITIES. THEY ARE PART OF YOUR HOLINESS. LORD, WE THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU DISPLAYED THEM ON THE CROSS WHERE MERCY AND JUSTICE MET TOGETHER. SO WE JUST ASK, HELP US TO PUT IN PRACTICE THOSE THINGS. HELP US TO LOVE WHAT YOU LOVE, AND HELP US TO BE A REFLECTION OF WHO YOU ARE. AND WE PRAY ALL THESE THINGS IN JESUS NAME. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? MAYOR WEST, PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER, PRESIDENT. COUNCIL MEMBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. HILLIARD. COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHERWOOD AND COUNCIL MEMBER. CRENSHAW. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. 
          TODAY WE HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS, ONE RECOGNITION AND ONE PRESENTATION. AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE FOR THE PROCLAMATIONS, PRESENTATIONS OR RECOGNITIONS, IF YOU WOULD LET THE CITY TAKE THE PICTURES FIRST, BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THAT. SO BUT EVERYBODY CAN 
          [PROCLAMATIONS]
THAT NEEDS A PICTURE, CAN TAKE A PICTURE. WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FIRST FOR RECOGNIZING PIONEERING WOMEN. 2025 HONOREES. ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS GEORGANN GUILLORY, FOUNDER OF PIONEERING WOMEN, AND MISS PAULINE GUILLORY, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT. AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE HONOREES HERE. SO AT THIS POINT, IF WE COULD HAVE EVERYBODY COME FORWARD AND YOU INTRODUCE EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE AND THOSE THAT MAY HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PAST THAT ARE HERE TO JOIN YOU. ALL COME UP. YEAH. NOW. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS. APPRECIATE IT. YEAH. 
          WELL, YOU KNOW. I. I. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? HEY, LADIES. I'LL GET TOGETHER. WE'LL GET A PICTURE. AND SCOOT IN A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. 
          [00:05:02]
ALL RIGHT. RIGHT HERE. AND ONE, TWO, THREE. GET ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. OKAY. GOT IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M MARLENE MILLER. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF PIONEERING WOMEN. I DON'T KNOW WHERE SISTER IS. SHE'S PROBABLY TRYING TO PARK, BUT HERE WE ARE AGAIN THIS YEAR. AND YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SO KIND TO US EVERY YEAR BY SUBMITTING TO US A PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY. AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US. BUT WE'RE HERE AGAIN TO SHOW OUR GRATITUDE FOR THE WONDERFUL WOMEN WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE DOING GREAT THINGS TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY BETTER. THOSE WONDERFUL WOMEN. WE HAVE A DIFFERENT THEME EVERY YEAR, AND THE THEME THIS YEAR IS WOMEN WHO RAZZLE DAZZLE. AND THESE ARE DAZZLING AND DAZZLING WOMEN. I WILL CALL UP, OKAY, NAOMI. JUDGE NAOMI DAHL IS NOT HERE, BUT OUTSIDE OF WHAT SHE HAS TO DO IN THE COURT, SHE HAS CREATED A JUDICIAL ACADEMY FOR HIGH SCHOOLERS, WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON REALLY GREAT. AND THESE ARE ONLY A FEW OF THE THINGS THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN. I DON'T WANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY HERE ALL DAY BY NAMING ALL OF THE ACCOLADES, BUT CHERIE PIERCE, SHE VOLUNTEERS FOR ARC, ROTARY AND SO MUCH MORE. COME ON SHARON. SHARE SERVES ON NUMEROUS STATE BOARDS, INCLUDING ONES THAT PERFORM EMERGENCY AND DISASTER RECOVERY. YVETTE BORRERO GOES BEYOND HER DUTY AS A DETECTIVE, TEACHING SAFETY AND FAMILY SERVICES. DOCTOR. ALICIA DOSS IS DEDICATED TO HER PASSION OF SOCIAL SERVICES WORK AND VOLUNTEERS FOR MANY NONPROFITS. 
          AND DOCTOR GWENDOLYN LAVALLE. SHE MENTORS JUVENILE OFFENDERS AND SHE ALSO WORKS WITH GIFT OF LIFE WITH CANCER SCREENING. AT THE LUNCHEON FOR OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKER, WE WILL HAVE A CYNTHIA, A CYNTHIA VILLAR. SHE BROKE BARRIERS IN THE WORLD OF RODEO IN THE BILL PICKETT RODEO CIRCUIT. AS THE FIRST WOMAN TO EVER BECOME A PROFESSIONAL ANNOUNCER. WOW. SO WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US AT THE. AUGUST 7TH LUNCHEON, WHERE WE HONOR OUR HONOREES. AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE HOLIDAY END AT 1130. SO PLEASE JOIN US AND THANK YOU AGAIN. 
          [RECOGNITIONS]
ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE THE PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING JULY 21ST THROUGH JULY 25TH, 2025 AS NATIONAL HEALTH CARE HOSPITALITY WEEK, AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MRS. TRESSA CLARK, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HONORED HOUSE. IF YOU'D COME FORWARD AND ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE HONORED HOUSE IS WELCOME TO COME FORWARD ONE OF THEM WITH ME. GOOD TO SEE YOU. 
          OKAY, EVERYBODY RIGHT HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. FOUR. GOT IT. ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS TRESSA CLARK, AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HONORED HOUSE. I'VE BEEN WITH ANJO HOUSE NOW FOR ALMOST 13 YEARS. AND ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHOM I HAVE OUR BOARD PRESIDENT WITH ME TONIGHT IS HIS FIRST BOARD MEETING TO LEAD US FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. BUT IT IS MY HONOR TO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL HEALTHCARE HOSPITALITY WEEK WITH THIS MEANINGFUL PROCLAMATION. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, HEALTH CARE, HOSPITALITY HOUSES LIKE ARNOT HOUSE PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SUPPORT 
          [00:10:03]
TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FACING SOME LIFE'S MOST DIFFICULT MOMENTS. WE OFFER MORE THAN JUST A PLACE TO STAY. WE PROVIDE A HOME AWAY FROM HOME WHERE COMFORT, COMPASSION AND COMMUNITY ARE PART OF THE HEALING PROCESS. FOR OVER 30 YEARS, ARNOT HOUSE HAS WELCOMED THOUSANDS OF GUESTS WHO HAVE TRAVELED TO BEAUMONT FOR MEDICAL CARE, ENSURING THAT NO ONE IS ALONE OR WITHOUT SUPPORT DURING THEIR HEALTH JOURNEY. OUR WORK IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE LOVE OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND THE RECOGNITION WE RECEIVE TODAY STRENGTHENS THAT SPIRIT TO SERVE. THANK YOU MAYOR CITY COUNCIL, FOR SHINING A LIGHT ON THE VITAL ROLE THAT HEALTH CARE HOSPITALITY HOUSES LIKE UNO HOUSE PLAY IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. 
          NEXT WE HAVE A RECOGNITION FOR THE BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE EMPTY STOCKING FUND RECOGNIZING JULY 26TH, 2025, AS CHRISTMAS IN JULY AND ACCEPTING WILL BE BOARD PRESIDENT. MISS CAITLYN BAYNE. 
          AND I SEE WE'VE GOT MICHELLE ROSA WITH HER AND SHERRY PIERCE. SO IF Y'ALL WOULD PLEASE COME FORWARD. I KNOW I WAS LIKE, DO WE DO IT AGAIN? YEAH. FIRST. IT WAS NICE TO. I DIDN'T HOLD THAT FOR YOU. AND THEN. 
          OKAY. LET'S SEE. GOOD. I CAN SEE EVERYBODY. PERFECT. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. AND ONE, TWO, THREE. 
          GOT IT. I THINK TESSA WANTS TO. OH. I WANT TO MOVE OVER A LITTLE BIT. YOUR EARS ARE COVERING MY FACE. THAT'S GOOD. 
          I'VE NEVER BEEN ON THIS SIDE OF THE SPEAKING. MY NAME IS CAITLIN BAYNE. I'M CURRENTLY THE BOARD PRESIDENT OF THE ENTERPRISE EMPTY STOCKING FUND. I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THIS RECOGNITION. IT IS A NONPROFIT THAT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. IT IS ONE OF, IF NOT THE LONGEST, LOCAL NONPROFIT SPECIFICALLY SUPPORTING LOCAL PEOPLE. IN RECENT YEARS, WE'VE TRIED TO KIND OF EXPAND WHAT WE'RE DOING BY DOING MORE WORK IN FOOD INSECURITY, WHICH IS WHERE OUR ROOTS ARE, WHILE ALSO KEEPING ON THE EMPTY STOCKING FUND PRESENT DONATION. SO WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME MORE WORK TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS NONPROFIT RELEVANT TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND SUSTAINABLE, AND WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR RECOGNITION AND HOPE THAT EVERYBODY WILL COME OUT PARTY WITH US AT OUR REINDEER GAMES JULY 26TH AT MADISON'S 6 TO 10, THEY WILL BE DONATING A PORTION OF PROCEEDS FROM A COUPLE DRINKS AND A FOOD ITEM BACK TO THE NONPROFIT, SO WE CAN USE THAT MONEY TO CONTINUE TARGETING FOOD INSECURITY AND GIVING OUT TOYS. SO COME PARTY FOR A GOOD CAUSE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. AND 
          [PRESENTATIONS]
LASTLY, WE HAVE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT COMMUNICATION UPDATE. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. IN THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. THIS MONTH'S BLOCKBUSTER LINEUP AT THE JEFFERSON THEATER IS BRINGING THE HEAT, AND THERE ARE TWO MORE GREAT MOVIES TO ENJOY. SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THIS FRIDAY. IT'S RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. FRIDAY, JULY 25TH IT'S MOANA AND DOORS OPEN AT 6:00. 
          MOVIES START AT SEVEN AND AS ALWAYS WITH TICKETS JUST $6, IT'S THE BEST MOVIE DEAL IN TOWN. DON'T MISS THE LAST MEETING OF THE BEAUMONT BOND COMMITTEE. THEY'VE BEEN WORKING 
          [00:15:03]
HARD, TALKING WITH CITIZENS AND POURING OVER COMMUNITY SURVEYS TO SEE WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU WHEN IT COMES TO PROJECTS TO BE INCLUDED IN A BOND, TO GO BEFORE THE VOTERS. THE LAST BOND MEETING WILL BE TUESDAY, JULY 22ND FROM 5 TO 7 AT THE LAKESIDE CENTER MEETING ROOM ON MAGNOLIA. 
          YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION AND SEE PAST MEETING PRESENTATIONS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE OR AT BEAUMONT BONDS.COM. JOIN US FOR THE OFFICIAL PINNING AND PROMOTION CEREMONY FOR THE BEAUMONT FIREFIGHTERS AND EMS PERSONNEL. IT WILL BE HELD THURSDAY, JULY 24TH AT 10 A.M. AT THE DOWNTOWN EVENT CENTER ON CROCKETT STREET. JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE THESE IMPORTANT PROMOTIONS. YOU HAVE TWO MORE CHANCES TO CATCH ONE OF OUR UPCOMING SUMMER MOVIES IN THE PARK. THESE ARE FREE, FAMILY FRIENDLY MOVIE NIGHTS HAPPENING AT DIFFERENT PARKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. BRING YOUR BLANKET OR LAWN CHAIR AND ENJOY A MOVIE UNDER THE STARS. 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. BEAT THE HEAT WITH LIVE JAZZ MUSIC AND TASTY CONCESSIONS AND DRINKS AT THE EVENT CENTER AND LAKE WITH HEADLINER SAXOPHONIST DEAN JAME. 
          THAT'S COMING UP IN THE LAST DAY OF THE MONTH. THURSDAY, JULY 31ST, 530 TO 7:30 P.M. AT THE DOWNTOWN EVENT CENTER. IT'S A FREE EVENT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO COME OUT AND ENJOY SOME GREAT JAZZ MUSIC AT THE LAKE. YOU CAN CATCH A GAME OF ADULT SOFTBALL AT THE BEAUMONT ATHLETICS COMPLEX. GAMES ARE HELD MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHTS FROM 7 TO 9, SO GO BY AND CHEER ON YOUR FAVORITE TEAM. AND FINALLY, HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET PREPARED BEFORE A STORM ENTERS THE GULF. START BY PLANNING YOUR EVACUATION ROUTE. 
          NOW. BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR CAR IN GOOD CONDITION AND YOUR GAS TANKS FILLED. MAKE A COMMUNICATION PLAN. PLAN WITH YOUR FAMILY OR LOVED ONES IN CASE OF SEPARATION, AND BE SURE TO ALSO INCLUDE A PLAN FOR YOUR PETS. FOR FURTHER TIPS, GO TO BEAUMONT, TEXAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. AND THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU TRACY, AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE FOR THE PROCLAMATION OR RECOGNITION AND PRESENTATION AND YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SO. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING TODAY, CITY COUNCIL WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 55 1.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, TO WHICH SPECIFICALLY PROJECT RIVERFRONT DOWNTOWN HOTEL PROJECT AND PROJECT CEMENT. CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.071 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. CALEB, CENTER AND BEAUMONT PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 399 AS INTERVENORS VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT CHRISTOPHER S BOONE, KENNETH WILLIAMS, ROY WEST, EARL WHITE, TAYLOR, NEAL, MIKE GETS, AUDWIN. SAMUEL. CHARLES, ALBERT TURNER AND RANDY SHAW CALLS NUMBER BE 210244. NOW WE'RE ENTERING PUBLIC COMMENTS. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO 
          [PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]
WISHES TO SPEAK. YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH SEVEN OR ANY OTHER TOPIC. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER EIGHT WILL BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO. DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO SPEAK. WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE SAY YOUR ADDRESS, CITY AND STATE. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR 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 OR COUNCIL CANNOT RESPOND WHENEVER YOU'RE MAKING COMMENTS, BUT SOMEONE FROM OUR OFFICE WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU. ALBERT HARRISON, 1240 ASHLEY BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES OR OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS. ALBERT HARRISON MY NAME. 1240 ASHLEY STREET. I REGRET THAT I MISSED THE OPEN HOUSE FOR THE BOND COMMITTEE. SO MY COMMENT TODAY IS NOT REALLY A COMMENT, BUT A REQUEST. REQUEST. SINCE I MISSED THAT MEETING, I FEEL NO CHOICE BUT TO BRING BEFORE COUNCIL. MY REQUEST IS THAT AT MAGNOLIA PARK, THE CITY DECIDED TO TAKE THE TENNIS COURTS AND CONVERT IT INTO BASKETBALL COURTS. OKAY, MY REQUEST IS TO REPLACE OR PUT ANOTHER TENNIS COURT AT THAT SAME PARK. ALSO, MY REQUEST IS THAT BY PUTTING ANOTHER TENNIS COURT AT THAT PARTICULAR PARK, I WISH THAT IF YOU DO SO, THAT 
          [00:20:07]
THAT COURT WOULD BE NAMED THE MR. GREENWOOD COURTS. AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE MR. GREENWOOD WAS A TRUANT OFFICER FOR THE BEAUMONT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WHAT HE DID WAS THAT INDIVIDUALS, STUDENTS THAT WERE TRUANT OR ABSENT FROM SCHOOL, HE TOOK THEM TO MAGNOLIA PARK AND INTRODUCED HIM TO THE GAME OF TENNIS, TRIED TO TEACH THEM DISCIPLINE, GENTLEMAN CHARACTER WAYS. AND THIS IS WHY I'M MAKING THAT PARTICULAR REQUEST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. JIMMY. PETE, 2398 GOLIAD. BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. AND FIRST, I'D LIKE TO APPRECIATE YOUR SARTORIAL SPLENDOR. THE GREEN THEME IS VERY NICE. YOU'RE LOOKING VERY SHARP. I SPOKE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO ON THE ISSUE OF GAMING SITES AND GAMING MACHINES, AND I JUST WANT TO APPLAUD YOU ON SOBER CONSIDERATION ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THOSE SITES AND HOW THEY IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOODS. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HUMBLE INCOME, NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LOW MEDIAN INCOME, WHERE THE EFFORT IS NOT A SPORTING EFFORT. IT'S AN EFFORT TO PAY THEIR BILLS. AND IT'S HARMFUL FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LOW INCOME. AND SO TO REMEMBER THAT, JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, TOO MANY LIQUOR STORES IN POOR NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE'D RATHER NOT HAVE THOSE GAMING SITES IN COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OLDER FOLK, ARE GOING AGAINST THEIR OWN INTERESTS TO GO SPEND THOSE, SPEND THOSE MEAGER DOLLARS IN THOSE PLACES. 
          SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR THE SOBER CONSIDERATION, NOT JUST IN INDUSTRIAL ZONES, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHERE THEY DON'T SHOW UP. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CONSIDERATION. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SIR, I'M JAN I THINK IT'S 6145 SHERIDAN OAKS DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. 6145 SHERMAN OAKS DRIVE. I WANT TO ADDRESS YOU GUYS ABOUT TAX ABATEMENT TODAY AND THE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY. YOU ARE THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE OF BEAUMONT, AND I AM HERE TODAY TO REMIND YOU OF THE POWER OF YOUR VOICE. YOU HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE BEAUMONT COMMUNITY AND REPRESENT THESE CONCERNS IN YOUR AREAS OF INFLUENCE. YOU'RE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE IN EVERY PLACE WHERE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, WHEN THE GOVERNOR SAYS TEXAS IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS, SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR BEAUMONT? SO WHILE BUSINESS IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR STATE'S GROWTH, RESPONSIBLE, REGULATED AND TAX BUSINESS IS NECESSARY FOR OUR STATE'S COUNTIES AND CITIES SURVIVAL, MORE BUSINESS SHOULD MEAN MORE JOBS, MORE TAX REVENUE, AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. 
          YET WHILE TEXAS OFFERS GENEROUS TAX ABATEMENTS TO ATTRACT MORE CORPORATIONS, THESE BENEFITS OFTEN GO TO THE COMPANIES AND OUT OF STATE WORKERS, NOT TO THE LOCAL RESIDENTS, AS CORPORATIONS ARE REQUIRED ONLY TO PREFER LOCAL HIRES WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY TO HIRE THEM. OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS MUST SECURE A BETTER DEAL FOR OUR RESIDENTS. WE, THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS, WANT TO SEE THAT OUR REPRESENTATIVES CHAMPIONED THE PEOPLE, NOT THE CORPORATIONS. SECOND, THAT COMPANIES MOVING TO TEXAS HIRE AT LEAST 60% LOCAL WORKERS IN PERMANENT BENEFITED POSITIONS WITH COMPETITIVE WAGES AND GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES AND SIGNIFICANT MEASURES FOR WORKERS. THIRD, THAT A BIPARTISAN COMMISSION ASSESS AND ENFORCE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND REMEDIATION REQUIREMENTS. FOURTH, THAT ANY COMPANY RECEIVING ABATEMENTS CONTRIBUTE A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE NET PROFITS ANNUALLY TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, OR PARKS. REMEMBER, BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE THAT YOU SERVE IN EVERY PLACE WHERE DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE IN THE 
          [00:25:06]
STATE OF TEXAS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. REVEREND VERNON TUBBS, 32, 90 PINE STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNCIL. I'M REVEREND VERNON FOR THE FIRST FULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH AT 32 PINE STREET HERE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AND I AM HERE THIS AFTERNOON REPRESENTING SOME OF THE CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ON PINE STREET, WITH AN URGENT REQUEST TO COMPLETE THE PINE STREET PAVING PROJECT THIS AFTERNOON. I'M HERE BECAUSE OF THE UNPAVED PORTION OF PINE STREET FROM FLETCHER TO PINE STREET PARK, AND WE RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT IT'S BEEN INCREASINGLY DISRUPTIVE AND UNACCEPTABLE. DUST CLOUDS ARE ENTERING OUR HOMES AND PLACES OF WORSHIP, COMPROMISING INDOOR AIR QUALITY AND CLEANLINESS. VEHICLES ARE SUFFERING ALIGNMENT ISSUES DUE TO THE UNEVEN SURFACE, CREATING UNEXPECTED REPAIR COSTS FOR DRIVERS. MOREOVER, WHEN IT RAINS, MUD AND DEBRIS FLOW DIRECTLY INTO OUR CHURCH PARKING LOT, MAKING IT UNSAFE AND UNSIGHTLY FOR MEMBERS AND GUESTS. THIS SITUATION IS NOT ONLY A MATTER OF INCONVENIENCE, BUT ONE OF HEALTH, SAFETY, AND RESPECT FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. WE WERE HOPEFUL WHEN THE PROJECT BEGAN, BUT HIS INCOMPLETION HAS LEFT US IN WORSE CONDITION THAN BEFORE. URGED THE CITY TO PRIORITIZE THE COMPLETION OF THE PINE STREET PAVING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A WRITTEN RESPONSE OUTLINING THE PROJECTED TIMELINE FOR COMPLETION AND THE STEPS BEING TAKEN TO MITIGATE THE CURRENT HAZARDS. THE COMMUNITY DESERVES BETTER AND IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER WOULD DEMONSTRATE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, SAFETY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A SWIFT RESOLUTION. THANK YOU SIR. OUR CALLER, CARLOS STEWART, 4355 COOLIDGE BEAUMONT, TEXAS. TO MAYOR WEST AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY ATTORNEY. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYONE. AND I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR SERVICE. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. YOU ARE APPRECIATED. AND, MAYOR WEST, YOU CONTINUE GOING ALL THROUGH BEAUMONT AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING BECAUSE WE SEE YOU IN ALL THE COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY AT MY CHURCH. SO THANK YOU. I WANT TO ALSO ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU GIVE US. THOSE ARE DANGEROUS JOBS. A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO MY SON, WHO IS A U.S. MARSHAL. CASEY. NANETTE. Y'ALL TELL HIM HIS MOM WAS HERE. NOW, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WUTHERING HEIGHTS, A PLACE THAT I GO ALMOST EVERY DAY. THANK YOU TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL. IT'S SO SERENE, AND IT'S SO WELL MANAGED. SO THANK YOU. THERE WERE KIDS OUT THERE ON ON THEIR BICYCLES. THERE WAS A LADY OUT THERE ON SKATES. WE'RE WALKING, WE'RE JOGGING. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS WHEN PEOPLE COME WITH VICIOUS DOGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO HOLD. AND MY ONLY QUESTION TO YOU IS, AND I THINK IT'S MR. CRENSHAW WHO'S OVER WUTHERING HEIGHTS. I THINK WARD ONE. THAT'S WHERE I LIVE. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF THAT AND BE SURE THERE ARE SIGNS THAT SAY, KEEP YOUR DOGS ON A LEASH, BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THEY'RE NOT. AND THE VICIOUS DOGS WILL LUNGE AT YOU. AND YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE SAY, OH, THEY DON'T BITE, BUT BUT LET THEM GET LOOSE. SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE YOU WITH THAT QUESTION. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT? PLEASE DO IT. THERE IS A DOGGY PARK. 
          THAT LAWYER GETS WORKED FOR A LONG TIME, AND I DON'T SEE ANYBODY DOING USING IT. MAYBE THEY'RE USING IT. I DON'T SEE THAT. SO IF YOU WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT, I WOULD BE SO APPRECIATIVE. SO WE CAN BE SAFE, HEALTHY CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. CARLTON SHARP, 51, 50 PLANT ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, COUNCIL. 
          [00:30:04]
CITY MANAGER. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO PUBLICLY COMMEND THE OUTSTANDING SUPPORT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE BEAUMONT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU AS WE PREPARE FOR OUR UPCOMING WESTBROOK CLASS OF 1985 40TH REUNION THIS COMING WEEKEND. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FRED WILLARD AND HER TEAM, ESPECIALLY NANCY AVILA, HAVE PROVIDED EXCEPTIONAL ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT OUR PLANNING PROCESS. THEIR RESPONSIVENESS, ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND GENUINE HOSPITALITY HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE EXPECTED. NANCY, IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNER, MAKING HERSELF AVAILABLE, ANSWERING EVERY QUESTION AND HELPING US NAVIGATE LOGISTICS TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT. MANY OF OUR CLASSMATES ARE TRAVELING IN FROM OUT OF TOWN, AND THANKS TO THE EFFORT OF THE CVB, THEY'LL BE WELCOMED TO A CITY THAT'S PREPARED AND PROUD TO HOST THEM. YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS HEAR PUBLIC PRAISE FOR CITY STAFF, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE EFFORTS WERE RECOGNIZED. THEIR PROFESSIONALISM REFLECTS WELL ON THE LEADERSHIP AND THE SPIRIT OF OUR CITY. I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK FREDDIE AND NANCY FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING ASSISTANCE, GENUINE HOSPITALITY AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE MADE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON OUR CLASS AND HELP SHOWCASE THE VERY BEST OF BEAUMONT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. CHARLIE CRABB, 928 EAST DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. 
          HELLO, COUNCIL MAYOR WEST, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, MR. WILLIAMS, YOUR STAFF AND ALL THE BEAUMONT EMPLOYEES. THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE. IT'S ANOTHER NICE DAY IN BEAUMONT, OUR TOWN. 
          WE'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF RAIN ON EAST DRIVE. THAT'S WHERE I LIVE. 928 EAST DRIVE. EXCUSE ME. 
          ANYWAY, I'M OFF TO A SLOW START HERE. OKAY, I WANT TO SPEAK, I GUESS MAINLY TO THE BONDS TODAY. 
          I LOVE IMPROVING OUR OUR TOWN, BUT I THINK WE'VE WE'VE OVERDONE OUR BOND PROJECT. I KNOW THAT ANYTIME YOU SET UP A PROJECT, YOU JUST PUT IN EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE DONE. AND IN SOME PRETTY NICE. IMPROVEMENTS. AND LET'S SEE. I HATE TO SAY ELIMINATE THE FIRE STATION AND THE POLICE STATION AT THIS TIME. ALSO, THE TERRELL PARK MASTER PLAN AND YOU KNOW, UPDATE THAT THAT PARK YEARLY BECAUSE IT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE OUT THERE AND PLENTY OF ROOM ELIMINATE THE ANIMAL CONTROL UPDATE. WE DON'T NEED TO BE A CITY TO COLLECT ANIMALS. I KNOW WE CAN HOLD ANIMALS A FEW DAYS FOR THE OWNERS TO PICK THEM UP. OTHERWISE THEY'RE HISTORY. I LOVE EVERYBODY'S DOGS. I DON'T HAVE A ANIMAL MYSELF, BUT WHEN I GO VISITING I. I DO LOVE PEOPLE THAT TAKE CARE OF ANIMALS. OKAY. LET'S SEE. WE NEED INFRASTRUCTURE, SEWER AND DRAINAGE AND OF COURSE, STREETS. AND THEN GIVE OUR, OUR PARKS ATTENTION EVERY YEAR. NOW THIS THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, YOU STARTED OUT $20 A MONTH, BUT THAT'S STILL WHEN YOU IN A YEARLY BASIS WHEN THE WHEN A PROPERTY OWNER HAS TO PAY $240 MORE AND THEY'RE ON A FIXED 
          [00:35:02]
INCOME, AND THEN THE LOW INCOME PEOPLE THAT STILL OWN PROPERTY. AND SO WE ACTUALLY NEED BONDS WITH NO TAX INCREASE TO ELIMINATE THESE PROJECTS. THAT I'VE. IS THAT ALL? THANK YOU SIR. YES, SIR. YEAH. SORRY. ANYBODY WANT TO GIVE ME THEIR THREE MINUTES? YEAH. EXCUSE ME. 
          I'M A LITTLE SLOW TODAY. I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M. GLENDA MCRAE, 890 NORWOOD DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. 
          HI. I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR WEST AND ALL OF YOU NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIALS. I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE ALL SUMMER, BUT I WANTED TO COME TODAY. JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, TO SAY THANK YOU. AND I'M STILL. LAST TIME I CAME, I THINK I WAS DISAPPOINTED IN THE POLICING OF THE CITY. SO WHAT I'VE NOTICED, I DRIVE AROUND WITH THIS 94 YEAR OLD. SHE SAY, OH, THAT'S A COP, THAT'S A COP. I SAY, THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOB. THEY'RE POLICING THE NEIGHBORHOODS. I'M PROUD. BUT ALL I SEE, EVERY POLICE OFFICER WAS EITHER PARKED WITH THE WINDOWS UP OR DRIVING WITH THE WINDOWS UP. BUT IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE THESE CRIMES ARE TAKING PLACE, I THINK THOSE WINDOWS SHOULD BE DOWN. I DON'T CARE IF IT IS WARM OUTSIDE, SO YOU CAN LISTEN AND HEAR AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW TO DO YOUR JOB, BUT I KNOW THAT WE GOT SOMEBODY FROM THE INSIDE AND I HAVE. I SAW HIM ON MY STREET, SO HE MUST LIVE IN WARD TWO. SO? SO I'M COMING HERE JUST TO SAY THANK YOU, BUT I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY AM STILL UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED IN OUR CRIME RATE. I DON'T WANT TO BE THE TOP TEN, THE TOP FIVE IN THE NATION, IN THE STATE FOR CRIME. SO I KNOW Y'ALL ARE WORKING ON IT BECAUSE I SEE THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE VIGILANT. THEY'RE THEY'RE OUT THERE. BUT WE JUST GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB GETTING OUR YOUTH INVOLVED BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S WHAT Y'ALL STOOD ON. BROTHER JOEY AND LADONNA, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU, BUT WE HAVE TO PULL OFFICERS. I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO MESS UP HIS NAME, BUT THE POLICE CHIEF, WE HAVE TO RIDE WITH THOSE WINDOWS DOWN. WE HAVE TO LOOK OUR EYES. I THANK YOU FOR THE TRUE CRIME SCENE. THOSE VIDEOS CATCHING THE CRIMINALS AND INVOLVING THE PUBLIC. BUT I LOVE BEAUMONT. I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE. I DON'T PLAN TO MOVE. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL. AND I'M SO HAPPY FOR THE VISION Y'ALL HAVE. I HAVE NOT STUDIED THE BOND. I DON'T MIND PAYING NOT 240, BUT I DON'T MIND PAYING $224 PER 100. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT'S GOING TO ADD UP FOR, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE UP. SO I'M GOING TO STUDY. I'M GOING TO GO ON THE 24TH TO THAT MEETING, AND I PRAY THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE BEAUMONT BETTER. AND I DON'T MIND PAYING A LITTLE MORE TO MAKE IT BETTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE'RE CLOSING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL 
          [CONSENT AGENDA]
OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? TO APPROVE? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY 
          [REGULAR AGENDA]
MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE US INTO THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE? THANK YOU. 
          MAYOR. COUNCIL, TO CONSIDER IT, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE INTERIM SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND STONEHENGE HOLDINGS, LLC TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF WORK AND. THAT'S IT. 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 CRENSHAW? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THIS IS 
          [00:40:02]
INCREASING THE AMOUNT THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED FROM 270 275,000 TO AN ADDITIONAL 450,000, CORRECT? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. I WOULD I WOULD ASK THAT WE ONLY AUTHORIZE THIS ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE IF VOTERS ARE GOING TO HAVE A SAY SO IN THIS CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL. I THINK THAT IT IS VERY PROBLEMATIC FOR US TO SPEND ANOTHER HALF $1 MILLION IF VOTERS ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE INPUT ON US BORROWING NEARLY $200 MILLION FOR A CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL. SO I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE RESOLUTION THAT AS LONG AS THERE WILL BE VOTER INPUT ON WHETHER WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT, I WILL BE IN AGREEMENT TO SPEND THE ADDITIONAL 450,000. BUT IF THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE ADDED TO THIS RESOLUTION, THEN I WILL HAVE TO BE AGAINST IT. YEAH. OKAY. COUNCILMAN TURNER, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. ONE THING I LEARNED SINCE BEING ON COUNCIL, JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THINGS, DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S ALWAYS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW IS SAYING, AND THIS PROJECT IS ONE THAT, YOU KNOW IS BEING STATED. IT CAN BE DONE WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL. BUT THE REALITY IS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AS A COUNCIL, IF WE WANT TO GET THINGS DONE, WE'RE TRANSPARENT AND GIVE VOTERS INPUT AND OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SAY SO WHEN THEY DO THINGS TO THIS MAGNITUDE. SO IF ALL WE'RE DOING IS LOOKING FOR VOTER APPROVAL, I DO SUPPORT THAT. AND SECOND, THAT MOTION, DUE TO THE FACT THAT I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT OUR CITIZENS DO HAVE SAY SO WHEN WE DO MAJOR PROJECTS AND MAJOR DECISIONS DUE TO THE HISTORY OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN BEAUMONT, I JUST THINK THIS IS THE BEST WAY GOING FORWARD. JUST HAVING VOTERS HAVE SOME SAY SO. SO I WILL SECOND THAT MOTION. 
          ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TURNER, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT I NEED SOME CLARITY ON THE THING BECAUSE THIS WILL BE AMENDING THE CONTRACT. THE CONTRACT ITSELF ISN'T FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT. DOESN'T EVEN ALLOW YOU TO EVEN BUILD IT. THE CONTRACT IS FOR SERVICES TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND STUDIES FOR THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE IT. SO HOW EXACTLY ARE YOU ASKING TO AMEND JUST THE RESOLUTION OR TO ADD WORDING TO THE ACTUAL AMENDMENT OF THE AGREEMENT? NO, JUST THE RESOLUTION THAT THIS IS BEING AUTHORIZED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT VOTERS WILL HAVE A SAY SO IN THIS PROJECT. SO THE 450,000 GETS PAID EITHER WAY, BECAUSE THIS ADDITIONAL AMOUNT WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. BUT YEAH, IT'S JUST THE ORDINANCE THAT I'M ASKING THAT WE AMEND THAT EVERYONE'S VOTING YES TODAY TO AUTHORIZE THIS. $450,000 IS DOING SO WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT VOTERS WILL HAVE A SAY SO IN THIS PROJECT. SO ARE YOU JUST ASKING FOR A SECOND OR I'M SORRY, AN ADDITIONAL. WHEREAS BEFORE WE GET TO THE NOW THEREFORES. YES. OKAY. AND WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE IT TO SAY. AND WHEREAS COUNCIL AGREES THAT YES, COUNCIL AGREES THAT THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE VOTER VOTERS WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE INPUT ON THE APPROVAL OF THIS PROJECT AND THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER, JUST SPECIFICALLY THE PROJECT, THE CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL PROJECT, WHAT THEY'RE CONSULTING US ON, RIGHT. SO THE, THE CONSULTING WAS FOR A, A DOWNTOWN HOTEL. AND THEN WE EXPANDED THE SCOPE TO INCLUDE THE POTENTIAL FOR CONVENTION CENTER. SO THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT IS FOR A HOTEL. OKAY. THEN WE COULD JUST LEAVE IT AT HOTEL. SO AND THEN IT EXPANDED IT TO INCLUDE A CONVENTION CENTER, AND THEN IT EXPANDED TO INCLUDE SOME DOWNTOWN PROJECTS. SO I JUST NEED TO KNOW, LIKE HOW YOU SPECIFICALLY WANTED WORDED. I THINK THAT WE NEED VOTER APPROVAL ON THE CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL. YEAH. DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YES. 
          COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, SO PULL YOUR. I'M SORRY. SO THIS ROUTE, WE'RE AGREEING TO PAY THIS NO MATTER WHAT, THOUGH. I MEAN. RIGHT. SO. YEAH. SO ESSENTIALLY THIS IS JUST EXPANDING THIS ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY. AND IF YOU RECALL, THERE WAS A MEETING TO PRESENT SOME OF THOSE FINDINGS. AND AT THAT TIME, COUNCIL ASKED THAT THE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT WAS OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT. AND SO IN ORDER FOR THAT WORK TO BE PERFORMED AND BE COVERED BY THE AGREEMENT, STONEHENGE PROVIDED THE COSTS FOR THAT 
          [00:45:02]
ADDITIONAL WORK, AND THEN IT NEEDS TO BE MEMORIALIZED IN THE CONTRACT. YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? I'M JUST I'M TRYING TO. SO I MEAN, IS THIS SOMETHING I MEAN, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT STONEHENGE WOULD AGREE TO? I MEAN, I MEAN, CAN WE GO THIS ROUTE AND THEY WILL BE I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR HIM. NO, I KNOW THEY'RE PRESENT. IF YOU IF YOU WANT TO ASK THAT QUESTION. I MEAN, WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS THEY THEY NEED TO DO THIS SCOPE OF WORK IN ORDER FOR US TO CONTINUE TO CONSIDER THE PROJECT. I DON'T I SEE THIS AS BEING WHAT THE COUNCIL IS DOING IS SAYING WE'LL HAVE A REFERENDUM ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT, GETTING CITIZENS INPUT ON THAT, BUT THE TWO ARE INDEPENDENT OF ONE ANOTHER, BECAUSE ALL WE'RE DOING IS AUTHORIZING AN ADDITIONAL EXPENSE FOR THEM TO CONTINUE THE WORK. IF WE PROCEED, AND THE CITIZENS INPUT WOULD THEN DICTATE WHETHER WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT OR NOT. I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE REFERENDUM WAS WORDED. WE WOULD HAVE TO. IT WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY ASKING JUST FOR PUBLIC OPINION. IT WOULDN'T BE A BINDING DEAL OR I'M I GUESS THAT'S FOR COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. 
          I WOULD THINK IT COULD BE ONE OF TWO WAYS. IT COULD BE A REFERENDUM FOR THE VOTERS TO APPROVE. THE CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL IS BORROWING THE MONEY TO DO THAT. IT COULD ALSO BE IN THE FORM OF ASKING VOTERS TO APPROVE A 2% VENUE TAX FOR ALL HOTELS IN BEAUMONT, AND THAT THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE USED TO FUND A CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL. AND THAT IS A THAT'S A SEPARATE ITEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING TODAY. CORRECT? I THINK HE'S JUST I THINK HE'S JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE THAT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, IT WOULD BE A WAY FOR US TO GET VOTERS TO APPROVE US BORROWING $200 MILLION. SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, THEN IT WOULD DEPEND. SO IF WE WENT WITH ANY ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS FOR COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW HAS LAID OUT, THEN THE ONE WHERE YOU ACTUALLY PUT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR A VOTE, UP OR DOWN, WOULD DETERMINE THE PROJECT. IF YOU PUT IT ON FOR A REFERENDUM TO GET FEEDBACK ON A VENUE TAX, THAT WOULD NECESSARILY AFFECT THE ABILITY FOR THE PROJECT TO GO FORWARD. IF YOU JUST DID A GENERAL SURVEY, AGAIN, THAT WOULD IMPACT HAVE AN IMPACT. BUT WHENEVER YOU PUT SOMETHING ON ON THE BALLOT FOR A VOTE AND IT FAILS, IT'S THERE'S SOME LAWS THAT CAN POTENTIALLY PROHIBIT, DEPENDING ON HOW IT'S PUT ON THE BALLOT, PROHIBIT THAT FROM BEING SOMETHING THAT'S ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS VOTE'S GOING TO BE ON THAT WITH THE AMENDMENT. SO YOU WOULD BE AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE WITH THE AMENDMENT ON THERE. SO IT'S NOT AN AMENDMENT TO THE ACTUAL ADDENDUM TO THE AMENDMENT TO THE RESOLUTION, TO THE RESOLUTION TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THIS MOTION WITH THE AMENDED AMENDMENT, AS DISCUSSED, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE US INTO THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE. CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO TO THE CONTRACT WITH KING SOLUTIONS SERVICES, LLC OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, FOR THE GRAND AVENUE AND MAGNOLIA AVENUE PIPE BURSTING CONTRACT PHASE ONE. AND IT COMES WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? SO MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN TURNER? YES, SIR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. WITH THIS PIPE BURSTING PROGRAM, CAN STAFF KIND OF EXPLAIN TO CITIZENS? BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS IN THE FUTURE WITH POTENTIAL BOND PROJECTS, AND SEWER AND DRAINAGE COMES UP OFTEN. CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN HOW THIS PROGRAM CAME ABOUT, HOW IT'S FUNDED AND, YOU KNOW, HOW IS IT BENEFICIAL TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT THE CITIZENS ARE CURRENTLY BRINGING UP AND HOW WE'RE ALREADY DOING SOME OF THESE THINGS? YES, SIR. THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. SO THE PIPE SYSTEM PROGRAM BEGAN AT THE CITY IN THE EARLY 2000, AND THE EPA HAD COME DOWN WITH THE SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOW INITIATIVE PROGRAM, AND THE ENTIRE TARGET FOR THAT IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SEWER OVERFLOWS THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE NATION. AND THE CITY ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE T-C-E-Q TO COMMIT FUNDING EVERY YEAR TO REPLACE SANITARY SEWER LINES IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE 
          [00:50:03]
SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS. SO WE'VE EFFECTIVELY BEEN IN THIS PROGRAM SINCE BEFORE 2010, AND WE'VE MAINTAINED THAT COMMITMENT EVERY YEAR, AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO EVERY YEAR, INCREASE A LITTLE BIT OF OUR COMMITMENT FINANCIALLY THAT THE CITY HAS MADE THROUGH OUR REVENUE BONDS TO CONTINUE TO REHABILITATE THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM. WE'VE WE'VE PASSED THE 50% MARK OF ALL THE CONCRETE AND CLAY SEWER LINES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED, BUT WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO. 
          AND SO IN FY 25, THE CITY DEDICATED $6 MILLION TOWARDS JUST REPAIRING AND REPLACING SANITARY SEWER LINES. AND THIS CONTRACT ON GRAND AT MAGNOLIA IS PART OF THAT ONGOING PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE WITH THE STATE TO CONTINUE TO REPLACE THESE SEWER LINES. AND BECAUSE THE SEWER LINES, THE BROKEN ONES ARE SOURCES OF RAINWATER THAT OVERWHELM THE SYSTEM AND CAUSE THESE SEWER BACKUPS AND OVERFLOWS, DO WE HAVE. I'M SORRY, COUNCIL MEMBER SHERWOOD, I HAD A FOLLOW UP. AND JUST FOR CLARITY, JUST MAYBE STAFF CAN KIND OF EXPLAIN THE FUNDING MECHANISM TO IT. YOU KNOW, LIKE THE CO BONDS, THE DEBT THAT'S TAKEN ON OR, YOU KNOW, VERSUS THE GEO BOND, LIKE SOME OF THE BOND PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED RIGHT NOW. CAN SOMEBODY KIND OF EXPLAIN THE FUNDING MECHANISM? YES. AS MISS VILLARREAL SAID, IN THE PAST AND THROUGHOUT THE TERM THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, THE CITY HAS ISSUED REVENUE BONDS FOR THIS PROJECT. THOSE ARE BONDS THAT DO NOT NEED THE VOTE OF THE CITIZENS, WHEREAS GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS DO NEED THE VOTE OF THE CITIZENS. SO IT'S ESSENTIALLY THE SAME TYPE OF MONEY, BUT THEY'RE SOLD IN DIFFERENT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. REVENUE BONDS VERSUS GENERAL OBLIGATION. AND THESE REVENUE BONDS, DO THEY ARE THEY ASSOCIATED TO THE WATER ENTERPRISE FUND? I JUST WANT CLARITY, BECAUSE A LOT OF CONFUSION OUT THERE ABOUT HOW SOME OF THESE FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY FUNDED. YES. TYPICALLY HERE AT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, REVENUE BONDS ARE ISSUED FOR WATER AND SEWER RELATED PROJECTS ONLY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. 
          MAYOR. YES. AND THESE ARE THE DOLLARS ARE PAID BACK TO WATER AND SEWER RATES. SO IT'S NOT PAID THROUGH TAX DOLLARS OR ANYTHING. IT'S THESE COSTS ARE BUILT INTO THE EXISTING TAX RATE. AND THIS IS AN ONGOING PROJECT. THE CITY HAS APPROXIMATELY $69 MILLION IN WATER AND SEWER SEWER PROJECTS ON THE BOOKS FOR REPLACEMENT OF SEWER LINES AROUND THE CITY. SO THOSE PROJECTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DESIGNATED FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT'S ONGOING FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME. AND SO THAT'S HOW WE ACCOUNT FOR SEWER REPLACEMENT. WATER LINE REPLACEMENT IS THROUGH THIS, THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY. BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IT'S DONE ON A BOND. IT'S DONE THROUGH PAYMENT OF WATER AND SEWER RATES, WHICH PEOPLE ARE ALREADY PAYING. AND WHAT'S HERE WOULD NOT ACCOUNT FOR ANY TYPE OF INCREASE OF ANYTHING. THESE DOLLARS ARE ALREADY THERE AND ACCOUNTED FOR. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. THEN I'M COMING TO YOU, COUNCILMAN DURYEA, I JUST WOULD LIKE FOR FURTHER CLARITY, BECAUSE, AS COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER HAS SAID, THIS PROJECTS ARE SEWER AND WATER PROJECTS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE A TAX INCREASE TO COMPLETE AND DO NOT COMPETE WITH BOND RELATED PROJECTS. JUST FOR CLARITY, BECAUSE THE FUNDING IS THROUGH WATER RATES. FOR CLARITY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A CRYSTAL. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. YES. THIS IS THROUGH OUR WATER AND SEWER RATES, NOT THROUGH THE TAXES. OKAY. PERFECT. YES. FURTHER, DO WE HAVE THESE PROJECTS SLATED FOR A CERTAIN AREA? I HEARD YOU MENTION PINE. AND WHAT WHAT WOULD MAGNOLIA, PINE AND MAGNOLIA. AND IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE AREAS THAT THIS PIPE BURSTING PROJECT ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO, OR A GENERAL AREA THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON, IF WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION AS FAR AS LOCATIONS. YES, MA'AM. SO THE CURRENT CONTRACT IS AT JUST JUST AT $3 MILLION. AND LET ME FLIP BACK TO THOSE NOTES. AND SO THIS IS IN THE. SO WE'RE WORKING ALONG MAGNOLIA AND GRAND 
          [00:55:04]
AVENUE. AND WE ARE STARTING. RICE STREET AND WORKING OUR WAY SOUTH TO JUST SOUTH OF TO YOU. 
          AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. SO WE'RE WORKING SOUTH OF RICE STREET AND THEN WE'RE GOING SOME STREETS FURTHER SOUTH AS WELL. THIS IS THERE'S SOME LARGE DOWN GRAND AVENUE. IT'S A LARGE COLLECTION LINE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF CLAY AND OLD CONCRETE PIPES. THIS PROJECT HAS NEEDED THIS ATTENTION FOR QUITE SOME TIME. AND IT'S IT BECAME OUR PRIORITY TO GET THESE LINES REPLACED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. OKAY. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FOLLOW UP. MAGNOLIA GRANDE, ROME STREET SOUTH TO WISE. WHAT DOES A PROJECT LIKE THIS LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU'RE PIPE BURSTING AND REPLACING LINES JUST FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION PLEASE. SO IDEALLY IN THIS TYPE OF PROJECT, YOU WOULD ONLY SEE EXCAVATION THAT HAPPENS AT THE MANHOLES THAT ARE ALREADY OUT LAID OUT THERE. AND YOU WOULD SEE EXCAVATION WHERE THE SERVICE LINE FROM THE HOUSE CONNECTS TO THE CITY'S MAIN IN IDEAL CONDITIONS. WHAT HAPPENED TO US ON GRAND AVENUE AND WHY WE'RE PRESENTING THIS CHANGE ORDER FOR THIS PROJECT? IS THAT THE WE HAD SOME LINES THAT WE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED WOULD BE IN THE ALLEY IN THE BACKYARD THAT WERE ACTUALLY CONNECTED ON GRAND, AND SO WE HAD TO HAVE SEVERAL MORE EXCAVATION PITS IN GRAND AVENUE, WHICH OF COURSE REMOVED THE ASPHALT PAVING. AND ALSO TOO, IT'S VERY ADVERSE SOIL CONDITIONS. IT'S A VERY LOOSE SAND. SO AS YOU DIG DEEPER, THE HOLE GETS BIGGER, JUST LIKE WHEN YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, PLAYING AT THE BEACH. IT JUST KEEPS GROWING. 
          AND SO TODAY'S CHANGE ORDER IS TO REPLACE ALL OF THAT PAVEMENT ON GRAND AVENUE SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A SERIES OF PATCHES DOWN THE ROAD, AND YOU'LL ESSENTIALLY HAVE A NEW ROAD FOR THE LIMITS OF THE WORK THAT WE DID. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. 
          COUNCILMAN DARIA. YEAH, ONE QUESTION YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD REPLACED 50%. YOU WERE HALFWAY THROUGH. IS THIS WHOLE PIPE BURSTING PLAN? IS THIS WITH THE INTENTION OR ARE WE JUST REPLACING BROKEN PIPES, OR ARE WE PLANNING ON REPLACING ALL THE PIPES IN BEAUMONT AS AS WE WORK THROUGH WITH WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST 15 YEARS OR SO, IS REALLY WORK ON THE PIPES THAT ARE BROKEN, COLLAPSING, DAMAGED BY THE SEWER GAS, OR DAMAGED BY OUR SOILS THAT SHRINK, SWELL AND BREAK THE PIPES. WE ARE CONTINUING. WE'RE NOT SLOWING DOWN IN THAT REGARD. OUR PLAN IS TO REPLACE ALL OF THE CLAY, ALL OF THE CONCRETE PIPES, AND THEN START LOOKING AT THESE PLASTIC PIPES, THE OLDER PLASTIC PIPES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. AND AS WE FIND THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, WE'RE GETTING THE WORK DONE. SO WE DON'T WANT TO RULE OUT ANYTHING JUST BECAUSE THE MAP SAYS THAT IT'S PLASTIC. IF WE'RE HAVING ISSUES IN THAT AREA, THAT'S WHERE WE TELEVISE IT. WE'RE INCREASING OUR CAMERA WORK, WE'RE INCREASING OUR SMOKE TESTING TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. AND SOMETIMES IT'S ROOTS IN THE LINE AND ADDRESS IT AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. WITH THAT, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE? THANK YOU. MAYOR. COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO VOLTOR, LLC OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, POWER DISTRIBUTION, SWITCHGEAR BUILDING PRE-PURCHASE PROJECT, AND IT COMES WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER THREE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER THREE? PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I ANY OPPOSED. THE MOTION IS CARRIED. 
          MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE? COUNCIL ITEM FOR COUNCIL. CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE. CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO 
          [01:00:02]
TO THE CONTRACT WITH NORMAN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTORS, INC. FOR THE BRIDGE REPAIR PROJECT, WHICH IS VARIOUS LOCATIONS CITYWIDE REBID. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION. YES. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, SO IS THIS BASICALLY THE SAME AS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE? ONCE YOU PULL THE ASPHALT OFF, IT HAS LOOSE SOIL UNDERNEATH. AND SO THE MORE YOU DIG, IS THAT BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE WITH THIS NEW CHANGE ORDER. SO FOR THE FOR THE BRIDGE REPAIR ON NORTH CIRCUIT, ONCE WE GOT AND WE REMOVED THE ASPHALT THROUGH THERE AND WE'RE MAKING OUR REPAIRS, WE REALIZED THAT THE THERE WAS MORE PAVING WORK THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION FROM THE ROADS ACROSS THE BRIDGE DECK. AND SO YOU DON'T WANT TO GET THAT NASTY BUMP THAT YOU GET SOMETIMES ON THE ENDS OF THE BRIDGE. AND SO THIS ADDITIONAL ASPHALT OVERLAY WILL ASSIST WITH MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS SMOOTH AND IT'S SAFE. SO THIS WAS THIS WAS NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL BID. WHEN THEY WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY BID TO REPAIR THESE BRIDGES, THEY DIDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE NASTY BUMP WHEN THEY DID IT OR THEY JUST THAT WAS THEIR THINKING. THEY ENDED UP HAVING TO REMOVE MORE OF THE PAVEMENT THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THEY HAD TO COME BACK. WE HAVE TO COME BACK WITH MORE AND FEATHER BACK THOSE TRANSITIONS FURTHER TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING STAYS SMOOTH. 
          BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A ROUGH TRANSITION, THAT'S JUST ADDITIONAL FORCES ON THERE THAT COULD CAUSE UNINTENTIONAL DAMAGE LATER DOWN THE ROAD. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE? NOW, COUNCIL, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. 
          CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION SERIES 2025, IN AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 20.5 MILLION. LEVYING TAXES TO PROVIDE FOR PAYMENT THEREOF AND CONTAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TOO. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? YES. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, CAN WE GET A RUNDOWN AGAIN OF THE PROJECTS THAT THIS IS GOING TOWARDS? YES. DID WE PUT JUST HAVE A SLIDE? I THINK WE HAVE A SLIDE WITH THEM LISTED BECAUSE I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THEM WITH WITH COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC. OKAY. 
          IT'S A MIXTURE OF PROJECTS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THIS PARKING LOT AT THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX AND SOME COURTS, SOME PARKS, DOLLARS, ALONG WITH THE COLLEGE FAIR, PARK RAMP. BUT THERE'S ALSO DRAINAGE PROJECTS IN HERE, QUITE A FEW DRAINAGE PROJECT, WHICH IS A CITYWIDE PROGRAM WHICH IS CITYWIDE, AS IT SAYS, WHERE WE GO AND CORRECT ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. AND THEN STORMWATER PIPE INSPECTION, PLANT REPAIRS AND DATA ASSET MANAGEMENT, THAT'S FOR STORMWATER SYSTEM, WHICH BASICALLY OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM, THERE, THE WEST LUCAS DRIVE THAT SAYS STORM DRAINAGE REHABILITATION SYSTEM IS NOT SO MUCH SEWER. IT'S DRAINAGE. WE HAVE SOME MAJOR DRAINAGE. APPURTENANCES ALONG WEST LUCAS DRIVE, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO REHABILITATE THOSE ON THE PAST. PUMP STATION REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS AS TO PUMP OUT WATER AND UNDERPASSES, ETC. DURING HEAVY RAIN STORMS. AND THEN WE HAVE SOME OTHER PROJECTS STREET PROJECTS, FOURTH STREET ROADWAY REHABILITATION, AND ONE COUNCIL MEMBER. DARIO, BE PROUD OF HIGHLAND AVENUE ROADWAY REHABILITATION. THAT'S THE RECONSTRUCTION OF HIGHLAND 
          [01:05:03]
AVENUE ROADWAY ANNUAL SIDEWALK REPAIR. WE PUT DOLLARS EVERY YEAR INTO SIDEWALK REPAIR, AND THIS IS APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION FOR SIDEWALK REPAIR THROUGHOUT THE CITY. NORTHWEST PARK TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND ANNUAL STREET REHABILITATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS BASICALLY REHABILITATION RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM OF STREETS CITYWIDE THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. AND IT'S I THINK IT'S BASED UPON AWARD SYSTEM. IS IT STILL BASED UPON AWARD SYSTEM? THOSE DOLLAR SPREAD SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THROUGH THE WARDS AND BALANCING THE ASPHALT WITH THE CONCRETE REPAIR? YEAH, WITH THE CONCRETE REPAIR. THESE ARE PROJECTS AND DOLLARS THAT WERE PUT INTO THE BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR 2025, 2024, 25 BUDGET. AND IT JUST YOU'RE GETTING TO THE POINT TO BE ABLE TO EXERCISE THESE PROJECTS TO GET THEM DONE. THIS IS ONE PHASE. THE NEXT PHASE WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE I THINK YOU WERE. OPEN BIDS IS THE BID IN THE NEXT PROCESS PART OF THE PROCESS. BUT HERE YOU'RE JUST DOING SOME AUTHORIZATION. SO THIS IS BUDGETED FOR WITHIN THE CURRENT TAX RATE. YES. AND IT'S AN EXISTING TAX RATE. GOOD POINT COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. WILLIAMS, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO MOVE THE DRAINAGE PROJECTS LISTED HERE TO THE BOND ISSUE IN NOVEMBER? I DO BELIEVE THERE IS SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SUPPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE BONDS FOR DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, AND I'M WONDERING IF IT WOULDN'T BE BETTER TO ALLOW THAT TO BE PART OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BONDS IN NOVEMBER AND AVOID THE SPENDING OUT OF THIS $20.5 MILLION COE THAT COULD BE USED FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CITY, I GUESS THE ANSWER IS IT COULD BE FACING TWO BIG THINGS. ONE IS YOU ALREADY HAVE DOLLARS FOR THESE PROJECTS, AND IT WOULD BASICALLY BE THE SAME THING AS PUTTING THEM ON A BOND, AND YOU STILL WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A TAX INCREASE IF YOU MOVE THEM TO A BOND. THE MAIN ISSUE WITH PUTTING THEM ON THE BOND, IF THAT BOND DID NOT PASS, YOU COULD NOT DO THESE PROJECTS FOR THREE YEARS. SO NOW YOU HAVE FUNDING FOR THESE PROJECTS AND YOU CAN COMPLETE THEM. IF YOU PUT THEM ON A BOND AND THEY DON'T PASS, THEY WON'T GET DONE AND THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET DONE FOR THREE YEARS. I DON'T NEED AN EXACT FIGURE, BUT CAN YOU GIVE ME A BALLPARK ABOUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THIS $20.5 MILLION IS DRAINAGE? 8.1 MILLION. SO ALMOST HALF. CLOSE TO HALF. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TURNER. I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SAYING. I SEE WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST. I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO JUST IF STAFF HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF LOOK AT SOME PROJECTS, TO SEE IF SOME CAN ACTUALLY BE IDENTIFIED, TO ADDRESS DRAINAGE AND GIVE YOU ALL ENOUGH TIME TO ACTUALLY KIND OF MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL AND KIND OF TELL US WHAT YOU MAY SEE MAY BE BEST GOING FORWARD. AND WE ARE WE WILL LOOK AT DRAINAGE PROJECTS TO FOR POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION TO THE TO THE FUND. AND WE HAVE SOME THAT HAVE THAT CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE FUNDING. SO THEY'RE BETTER CANDIDATES QUITE FRANKLY, TO BE ABLE TO DO IT OUT THERE. AND SOME OF THOSE ARE MORE LONG TERM INTO THE FUTURE. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE IF WHAT'S IN THAT CIP, OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR POSSIBLE INCLUSION ON THE BOND INITIATIVE. SO THE ONES THAT DON'T HAVE FUNDING IS POSSIBLE. DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING ON TOP OF THAT WOULD GIVE US ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO OUR DRAINAGE. CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. CORRECT. 
          COUNCILMAN DARIO, SOME OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE ALREADY STARTED. YEAH. YES. OKAY. WELL, NOT FOURTH STREET WAS FINISHED ALREADY. YES, SIR. FOURTH STREET IS COMPLETE. THERE'S ONLY 50,000 THAT HIT THE FY 25 CIP. BUT JUST TO FINISH PAYING THAT OUT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WELCOME. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION. ARE ANY OF THESE PROJECTS DO THEY INCLUDE UPDATING OUR SIGNS THAT THEY WANT TO SPEND $50,000 A YEAR ON ON SIGNS? OKAY. NOT AT THIS TIME. ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SIX, 
          [01:10:05]
PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND SALE OF CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS WATERWORKS AND SEWERAGE SYSTEM REVENUE REFUNDING BONDS SERIES 2025 AND AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 19.455 MILLION AND CONTAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERE TOO, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. I'LL SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN HILLIER, THEN? COUNCILMAN TURNER. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I HAVE A QUESTION. HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE HAVE NOW IN OUR SURPLUS WATER AND SEWAGE? IS IT ABOUT, WHAT, 18 MILLION? WELL. YEAH, WE IT'S PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT BY NOW. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIER. SO. SO IT'S MORE THAN THAT. WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING THOSE NUMBERS TOGETHER FOR THE BUDGET PRESENTATION COMING UP. SO MY QUESTION IS WHY DON'T WE USE SOME OF THAT MONEY INSTEAD OF WHAT THIS IS. THIS IS A REFUNDING OF EXISTING DEBT TO WHERE WE CAN ACHIEVE A LOWER INTEREST RATE. AND WE'LL SAVE DOLLARS BY REFUNDING BY REFINANCING THOSE DOLLARS. SO WE WILL ACHIEVE A SAVINGS BY REFUNDING. OUR FINANCIAL ADVISORS HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME OF OUR EXISTING DEBT THAT WE CAN REFINANCE TO ACHIEVE A SAVINGS. 
          SO WE'RE ACHIEVING SAVINGS THROUGH THE REFINANCING OF THESE. OKAY. AND WE DO HAVE DUSTY HERE TO MAYBE ADDRESS SOME OF THIS SPECIFICALLY. WASN'T SPEAKING FOR YOU DUSTY, BUT THAT WAS MY QUESTION. CAN CAN WE EXPLAIN HOW THIS SAVINGS AND THIS REFUNDING CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY? YES, SIR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION AGAIN. DUSTY TRAILER, MANAGING DIRECTOR WITH RBC CAPITAL MARKETS. WE HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF SERVING THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AS FINANCIAL ADVISOR. AND TO YOUR POINT, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS NOT FOR THE ISSUANCE OF SO-CALLED NEW MONEY FOR BONDS. THIS IS TO ISSUE A REFUNDING BOND. THE PROCEEDS OF THE NEW REFUNDING BOND WILL JUST BE USED TO PAY OFF AN OLDER, HIGHER INTEREST RATE BOND WITH A NEWER, LOWER INTEREST RATE BOND. JUST LIKE IF ANY OF US WERE GOING TO REFINANCE OUR HOUSE. WE HAVE A HOME LOAN MORTGAGE, A HOME LOAN AT A HIGHER INTEREST RATE. WE GO TAKE OUT A NEW MORTGAGE AT A LOWER INTEREST RATE THAT RESULTS IN DEBT SERVICE SAVINGS AND IN THIS CASE, DEBT SERVICE SAVINGS ON THE CITY'S WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM SIDE. AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE ANTICIPATE THIS TRANSACTION TO RESULT IN AVERAGE ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE OF A LITTLE OVER $130,000 PER YEAR, OR A TOTAL OF A LITTLE OVER $1.3 MILLION, IS WHAT THAT'S ANTICIPATED TO RESULT IN SAVINGS. BUT IT'S NOT WE'RE NOT GOING OUT AND BORROWING NEW MONEY TO SET IT INTO THE CITY'S PROJECT ACCOUNT AND BORROW MORE MONEY. IT WILL BE NET NET PAYING OFF AN OLD AND GETTING A NEW LOWER INTEREST RATE LOAN. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER. THANK YOU, SIR. I'LL VOTE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SIX. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? COUNCIL, CONSIDER TO AMEND SECTION 28 .03. 023E OF THE CITY'S CODE OF ORDINANCES TO LIMIT THE PERMITTED USE OF GAMING SITES AND GAMING MACHINES TO INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA ITEM TO WHAT WE PREVIOUSLY WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PREVIOUS MEETING WERE TO VOTE WHETHER TO OUTRIGHT BAN TO REPEAL THE ORDINANCE ON. SO YOU'RE ASKING INSTEAD OF IT BEING JUST INDUSTRIAL ZONING, ZONING DISTRICTS, THAT WE, FOR PRACTICAL PURPOSES, JUST OUTLAWING THEM IN GENERAL. RIGHT. OKAY. I'LL SECOND THAT. 
          ALL RIGHT. IS THERE WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN TURNER, I KNOW WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, THE LAST MEETING, WE HAD SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS BRING UP WHETHER WE WOULD LET IT FULFILL THE EXISTING YEAR OR ARE WE SAYING WE WANT TO BAN IT IMMEDIATELY, OR WE'RE GOING TO LET IT FILL OUT THE EXISTING YEAR? JUST FOR CLARITY, THE LAST TIME THERE WAS AN ORDINANCE THAT SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO BAN IT, I BELIEVE IT SAID THAT THERE 
          [01:15:02]
WOULD BE A 90 DAY PERIOD. YES. SO THE BAN. I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT THE BAN PERIOD, HOW IT HAS TO DO IS THAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE NOTICE. SO THERE'S A NOTICE PROVISIONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW. SO OBVIOUSLY THE BAN WOULDN'T GO INTO EFFECT FOR ALMOST ANYWHERE FROM 90 TO 120 DAYS, DEPENDING ON WHEN WE PUT OUT THE CALENDAR NOTICES. SO THERE'S THE PROCESS TO UPDATE THE ORDINANCE TO GET THE ORDINANCE AMENDED TO ALL AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNERS. AND THERE'S SOME READINGS THAT HAVE TO TAKE PLACE. AND I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO JIMMY. THIS IS MORE HER AREA. YEAH, THERE WOULD NEED TO BE TWO READINGS AT THIS POINT. ONE HAS ALREADY BEEN HEARD AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION. ALSO. WE WOULD HAVE TO. SO IF WE WANTED TO DO AN OUTRIGHT BAN, WE WOULD NEED TO AMEND THE ZONING TABLE, WHICH IS THIS. BUT IT WOULDN'T BE TO INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. IT WOULD BE FOR ALL ZONING DISTRICTS WITHIN THE CITY. BUT ALSO WE WOULD HAVE TO REPEAL ARTICLE SIX, WHICH IS NOT ON THE AGENDA TODAY. SO IF THAT'S IF A BAN, IF AN OUTRIGHT BAN IS WHAT THE COUNCIL WISHES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, THEN OKAY. SO WE GET BACK TO ME. SO IF THAT'S WHAT COUNCIL WANTS TO DO TODAY, THEN IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, THE MOTION WOULD BE TO DENY THIS AND THEN YOU WOULD NEED TO MAKE A SEPARATE MOTION TO OR A CONTINGENT MOTION TO SAY THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BACK AS AN OUTRIGHT BAN, AND THE STEPS WOULD BE TAKEN TO DO THAT. SO THE MOTION WOULD BE AMENDED TO OUR RECOMMENDATION TO DENY ITEM SEVEN AND ASK THAT STAFF BRING BACK A ORDINANCE TO REPEAL ARTICLE SIX. OKAY, SO I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO. ALL RIGHT, A QUESTION, COUNCILMAN. DURING A PREVIOUS MEETING, WE HAD SPOKE ABOUT LETTING WHOEVER HAD A LICENSE TO CONTINUE UNTIL THEIR LICENSE EXPIRED, WHOEVER THAT HAD PAID FOR IT ALREADY TO. I HAD ORIGINALLY ASKED THAT AND THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BUT MOST OF THESE LICENSES EXPIRE SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. I THINK WE SAID LAST TIME, THE LATEST ONE GOES IT'S YEAR TO DATE, SO IF SOMEONE RECEIVED IT IN FEBRUARY, THEN IT WOULD BE THE NEXT FEBRUARY, RIGHT. AND SO I THINK THAT IF, IF WITH THE NOTICE PROVISIONS AND THIS NOT GOING INTO EFFECT FOR 90 TO 120 DAYS, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE MOST OF THOSE LICENSES THROUGH THE END OF THEIR LIFE. AM I CORRECT? WHEN WAS THE LAST LICENSE ISSUED? I THINK IT WAS. 
          I WILL ASK MY GAMING ADMINISTRATOR TO COME UP, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS IN APRIL OF EARLY APRIL OF THIS YEAR. SO TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, IT MAY OR MAY NOT LIKE SOME SOME INDIVIDUALS, OBVIOUSLY WE WOULD IN LIEU OF THE ANTICIPATION TO BAN THEY WOULD STOP RENEWING LICENSES. SO OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULDN'T CONTINUE. BUT THEN THE NEXT STEP IS THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO RECENTLY RENEWED BEFORE THIS WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE AN ECONOMIC LOSS. SO COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO DECIDE THAT. WE STOPPED RENEWING LICENSES EARLIER THIS YEAR AND DID A SELF-IMPOSED MORATORIUM. WE'VE WE'VE ENCOURAGED THAT WE THAT WE NOT PROCESS ANY, BUT THERE WAS NO FORMAL MORATORIUM PLACED ON IT. SO IF ANYONE WANTED TO PRESS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PERMIT DURING THAT TIME, THEY COULD A LOT OF THEM CHOSE TO JUST WAIT ON A COUNCIL DECISION, THOUGH. OKAY, GOOD. YES, MA'AM. THE MOST RECENT. WAS IT APRIL? YES, SIR. THE END OF APRIL. & BEGINNING OF MAY. OKAY. END OF APRIL. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? SO AT THIS SO WE CAN'T AMEND IT TO REPEAL ARTICLE SIX. SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SECOND READING. AND SO THAT THAT DIDN'T IN A PUBLIC HEARING THAT DIDN'T TAKE PLACE TODAY. SO NO. OKAY. IN ORDER FOR IT TO COMPLY. 
          SO WE HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DENY. YES, SIR. SO THE MOTION WOULD BE THAT WE CAN BRING IT BACK. THEN WE BRING IT BACK TO BAN IT ALTOGETHER. YES, SIR. SO THE MOTION TODAY WOULD BE TO DENY THE ORDINANCE THAT'S BEFORE YOU AND TO BRING BACK A ORDINANCE TO REPEAL, IF I MIGHT ASK JUST A LOGISTICAL QUESTION, HOW DID WE GO FROM THE LAST MEETING WHERE WE WERE CONSIDERING A COMPLETE BAN AND IT BEING TABLED TO TODAY, WHERE WE ONLY GET THE OPTION TO LIMIT IT TO INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS ONLY WHAT? WHERE IN THE PROCESS, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT OBVIOUSLY ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS FROM ONE MEETING TO ANOTHER, WHERE WE'RE WHERE WAS THAT DECISION MADE THAT WE WERE GOING TO COME IN HERE WITH JUST THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS? BECAUSE I DON'T RECALL THAT EVER BEING URGED REALLY, BY ANYONE ON COUNCIL. I CAN SPEAK TO THAT. SO LAST COUNCIL, WE BROUGHT THE OUTRIGHT BAN. IT SEEMED LIKE YOU GUYS WANTED TO MAYBE DO A CAP OR A MORATORIUM ON THEM, OR A WAY TO LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF GAMES THAT ARE IN THERE. SO GOING BACK AFTER HEARING ALL OF THOSE COMMENTS ON THAT, THE WAY TO DO THAT WOULD BE REDUCING THIS TO 
          [01:20:03]
THE INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS IN OUR CURRENT ZONING CODE AND ALSO THE GAMING ORDINANCE. WE HAVE A GRANDFATHER CLAUSE. SO THERE'S EXISTING GAMING THAT HAPPENS IN COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS RIGHT NOW. SO AS THEY EXIST TODAY, THEY ARE GRANDFATHERED UNDER THAT PROVISION. SO IT WOULD EFFECTIVELY CAP THE AMOUNT OF GAMES AND ALSO SITES THAT ARE WITHIN COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS OR ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE CITY, DOWN TO INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. ONLY NEW ONES COULD BE CONSIDERED IN INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. AND I DID, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO LOOK AT IT, I DID PRINT OFF A MAP BASICALLY SHOWING WHERE WHERE GAMES CAN BE LOCATED LESS WITH HOW FAR THEY ARE FROM DIFFERENT OR FROM CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS. BUT BUT REALLY, JUST TO SHOW WHERE THE ZONING IS AT FOR GAMING CURRENTLY. AND THEN ON THAT SECOND PAGE IS WHAT'S PROPOSED FOR GAMING, JUST SO YOU GUYS CAN SEE WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE SHOULD YOU APPROVE THIS. BUT THAT'S REALLY WHERE THIS CAME FROM, IS TRYING TO MEET THE MIDDLE GROUND OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. SO THAT'S WHERE I CAME TO INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICTS WOULD MORE OR LESS SATISFY THE CAP OR THE INTENT OF MAYBE LETTING THEIR PERMIT RUN. 
          BUT THAT'S THAT'S THE MIDDLE GROUND HERE. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE WAS A MEETING. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WAS THE JULY 1ST MEETING. I BELIEVE IT WAS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING PRIOR TO THAT. AND I INDICATED THAT I WOULD LIKE THE GAMING ORDINANCE BAN THAT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY TABLED TO BE PLACED BACK ON THE AGENDA. AND I WAS TOLD BY THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT THAT WOULD BE ON JULY 15TH, WHICH TO ME SEEMED LIKE THAT WAS QUITE A WAIT. BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. AND THEN HERE WE ARE NOW, JULY 15TH. AND IT'S NOT THE BAN, IT'S THIS, YOU KNOW, COMPROMISE OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK WAS EVER TRULY EXPRESSED BY ANYONE ON THE COUNCIL. I DON'T RECALL ANYONE EVER SAYING THEY WERE JUST PROPOSING TO MOVE THESE TO INDUSTRIAL SITES. I DO RECALL THE COMMENTS I MADE ABOUT MAYBE ALLOWING THE EXISTING PERMITS TO RUN THEIR COURSE SO THAT THE CITY WASN'T POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, LEFT IN A DIFFICULT POSITION WITH WITH THAT. BUT IT'S JUST TO ME FRUSTRATING THAT SINCE THIS ISSUE GOT TABLED AND I REALIZE I WAS ONE OF THREE VOTES THAT WANTED TO TABLE THIS, THAT I ASSUMED WHEN IT GOT TABLED, IT WOULD BE UP FOR DEBATE AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. AND HERE WE ARE A MONTH LATER, AND WE GET THIS WATERED DOWN VERSION. AND NOW WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT TO WHAT, ANOTHER MONTH, WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT MEETING. NEXT MEETING IS 29TH, I BELIEVE THE 29TH. SO ON THE 29TH, WE'RE SAYING THAT THE BAN WILL BE ON THE AGENDA AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO VOTE ON IT IF THAT'S THE WILL OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. 
          SURE. OKAY. YES. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, YOU MENTIONED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DENY THIS. WHY COULDN'T WE APPROVE THIS TO INDUSTRIAL? AND THEN, I MEAN, YOU SAID TO REPEAL ARTICLE SIX, WE WOULD NEED TO DENY THIS. WELL, YOU HAVE TO. SO YOU JUST DENIED THE MOTION. SO IF YOU IF YOU CAN, IF YOU IF YOU DO THIS AND THEN YOU COME BACK AND THEN YOU BAN IT, IT'S KIND OF LIKE PROLONGING. DOESN'T THIS START THE PROCESS OF RIDDING THE MACHINES FROM THE CITY? NOT REALLY. IT REALLY DOES. THIS WOULD HAVE NO IMPACT. IT WOULD ONLY IMPACT THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMING IN TO RENEW. RIGHT. SO INDIVIDUALS WHOSE PERMITS HAVE LAPSED AND THEY WANT TO COME IN TO RENEW IT DOESN'T REALLY SERVE THE PURPOSE. SO IF YOU IF THE TRUE DESIRE IS TO BAN AND IT'S NOT TO FIND LIKE A COMPROMISE OR MIDDLE GROUND, THEN THE THEN IT NEEDS TO BE JUST AN OUTRIGHT DENIAL AND THEN BRING IT BACK NEXT, NEXT MEETING FOR A BAN. WE JUST NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THIS. AND IT'S CLEAR THAT DENY AND THEN BRING IT BACK SPECIFICALLY SAY DENY IT AND BRING IT BACK AS A BAN. YES. THAT WHAT YOUR MOTION IS. YEAH. NO, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THIS AND THEN BRING BACK IN THE NEXT MEETING TO VOTE ON COUNCILMAN DARIO. AT THE LAST MEETING, COUNCILMAN KRENSHAW WAS TALKING TO THIS INDUSTRIAL DEAL. WASN'T IT ONE OF LIKE, THREE OPTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL COULD HAVE TAKEN? YEAH, IT WAS IT WAS PRESENTED THAT WAY AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION. RIGHT. I RECALL THAT, YES. SO I'LL SECOND MIKE'S. OKAY. COUNCILMAN TURNER. 
          SO JUST SO STAFF HAS CLEAR DIRECTION, ARE WE SAYING SINCE WE FOUND OUT TODAY THAT APRIL WAS THE LAST TIME IT WAS ISSUED, OR ARE WE STILL SAYING THE 90 TO 120 DAYS? ARE WE SAYING ONCE IT EXPIRES, IT'S DONE. SO TO BE CLEAR, THAT'S HOW LONG STAFF NEED. SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEND OUT THE NOTICES. AND THAT'S HOW LONG IT JUST TAKES FOR DUE PROCESS TO HAPPEN. IF COUNCIL IS SAYING 
          [01:25:06]
LIKE HEY, WE WANT TO WE WANT TO JUST SEND OUT THIS NOTICE, THEN THE NOTICE LETTER ESSENTIALLY CHANGES. THE NOTICE LETTER WOULDN'T BE THAT YOU HAVE SO MANY DAYS TO WRAP UP YOUR BUSINESS. THE NOTICE LETTER WILL CHANGE TO YOU HAVE UNTIL YOUR PERMIT EXPIRES. YOU SEE I'M SAYING SO YOU WOULD HAVE A RUNNING CLOCK. SO THE INSPECTION DATES AND THE ENFORCEMENT DATES WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY ROLLING FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL, WHICH IS FINE. BUT THE ORIGINAL PROCESS IS WE SEND OUT A LETTER SAYING YOU HAVE UNTIL INSERT DATE TO WRAP UP YOUR BUSINESS AND ENFORCEMENT WILL BEGIN, YOU KNOW, ON THIS DATE LEAVING YOU KNOW, A GRACE PERIOD FOR IF THERE'S RAIN DELAYS OR FOR ISSUES. FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY COULDN'T MAKE THE ORIGINAL DATE. IT'S A BUILT IN GRACE PERIOD BEFORE ENFORCEMENT BEGINS, AND THEN ONCE ENFORCEMENT BEGINS, THEN YOU HAVE TO PROCEED WITH WHATEVER THAT LOOKS. SO IT'S DIFFERENT. BUT THE LETTER WOULD CHANGE. THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGES WITH THAT IS THAT THE LETTER CHANGES WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL, INSTEAD OF IT BEING SPECIFIED. DATES YOU HAVE UNTIL YOU HAVE 45 DAYS TO FROM THE, YOU KNOW, THE EXPIRATION OF YOUR YOUR PERMIT TO RESOLVE YOUR BUSINESS. ENFORCEMENT FOR YOUR BUSINESS WILL BEGIN ON THIS DATE. OKAY. DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? NO. I JUST WANT TO KNOW, IS THE STATE COMPTROLLER STILL ISSUING LICENSES? THEY ARE. YES, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, I JUST THINK STAGGERING THEM LIKE THAT WOULD WOULD COMPLICATE THINGS FOR STAFF AND IT WOULD MUDDY THE WATERS IN THEIR POLICING. THIS ONE AND THIS ONE AND THIS ONE. I MEAN, MY MOTION WOULD BE TO BAN NOT NOT WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH, YOU KNOW, A OR AFTER THE DUE PROCESS. AFTER THE DUE PROCESS, I COULD OBVIOUSLY BRING IT LIKE BRING IT BACK WHEN WE HAVE WHEN IT COMES BACK, YOU'LL HAVE THE COUPLE OF DAYS TO KIND OF DECIDE TO THINK ABOUT IT. BUT I, I MEAN IT'S TO THE COUNCIL'S WILL. YOU COULD OFFER TO REBATE THE PERMIT IF YOU WANT IT. OKAY. SO THAT IS AN OPTION TO OKAY IF YOU WANT TO COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. YEAH I'LL JUST SECOND WHAT WHAT COUNCILMAN KRENSHAW SAID I, I, WE TABLED IT BECAUSE THE COUNCIL BEFORE US HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A WORKSHOP TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. AND WE ALSO WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT. AND WE WERE VERY SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THIS WATERED DOWN VERSION CAME UP. SO I'M WITH MIKE. I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD MAKE A MOTION AND BAN IT AND SAVE EVERYBODY. THE WE HAVE THAT MOTION. SO NOW WE'RE JUST GOING THROUGH THE DISCUSSION AND WE'LL HAVE THAT VOTE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS DISCUSSIONS. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF DENYING WE DENY DENYING THIS HERE. DENYING THIS HERE. WHEN WE BRING IT BACK, BRING IT BACK. TO CLARIFY, THE MOTION IS TO DENY THIS ITEM AND TO BRING THE ITEM BACK ON JULY 29TH FOR AN OUTRIGHT BAN. NOT THE ITEM, BUT THE MATTER. 
          OKAY. SO WE UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE VOTING FOR. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF DENYING, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE 
          [PUBLIC HEARING]
US INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING COUNCIL TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENTS, TO TEMPORARILY WAIVE TRANSIT FARES FOR STUDENTS. ALL RIGHT. ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN. IS ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. WE WERE RECENTLY APPROACHED TO CONSIDER WAIVING FARES TO STUDENTS DURING SUMMER MONTHS. THAT'S THAT WAY TO CONNECT THEM TO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS AND TO COVER THE REMAINING WEEKS LEFT OF SUMMER. I AM REQUESTING THAT COUNCIL CONSIDER A TEMPORARY WAIVE OF FARES TO STUDENTS THAT HAVE A VALID STUDENT ID BEGINNING TODAY THROUGH AUGUST 12TH. AUGUST 12TH IS THE POSTED DATE FOR SCHOOL TO START BACK UP AT BISD. WE DO INTEND TO WORK TOGETHER BEAUMONT ZIP IN THE CITY TO REACH OUT AND FORMALLY CREATE A PROGRAM THAT PUTS THIS INTO PLACE EACH AND EVERY YEAR HEREAFTER, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO CONSIDER TEMPORARY OR CONSIDER IT TEMPORARILY AND MORE PERMANENTLY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES, SIR. I'M JACKIE SIMEON, 3395 HARRISON BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF AND CITIZENS. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. TODAY. I AM REPRESENTING BEAUMONT ISD AS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND MEDIA RELATIONS. ON BEHALF OF BISD, I WANT TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED INITIATIVE TO WAIVE BUS FARES FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 
          [01:30:04]
SIX THROUGH 12 FROM JULY 15TH THROUGH AUGUST 12TH. THIS EFFORT REFLECTS A SHARED COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF BEAUMONT'S YOUTH. SUMMER SHOULD BE A TIME OF GROWTH, WHETHER THROUGH EDUCATIONAL ENRICHMENT, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, WELLNESS ACTIVITIES OR ENGAGEMENT, IN COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS. UNFORTUNATELY, FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, TRANSPORTATION REMAINS A BARRIER TO THOSE VITAL EXPERIENCES. BY REMOVING THAT OBSTACLE, EVEN TEMPORARILY, WE OPEN DOORS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE REMAIN CLOSED. 
          THIS INITIATIVE IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT TRANSPORTATION. IT'S ABOUT CONNECTION. CONNECTION TO LEARNING, TO MENTORSHIP, TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY THAT SURROUNDS AND SUPPORTS OUR STUDENTS. ON BEHALF OF BISD, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND URGE YOUR FULL SUPPORT OF THIS IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD. TOGETHER, WE CAN HELP OUR STUDENTS MOVE BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY TOWARD BRIGHTER FUTURES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I 
          [REGULAR AGENDA]
HAVE, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT WITH THAT, MR. CITY MANAGER, THE HEARING IS CLOSED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING 0 TO 2. TEMPORARY WAIVE TRANSIT FARES FOR STUDENTS FROM JULY 15TH, 2025 TO AUGUST 12TH, 2025. 
          AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT SO MOVED TO APPROVE? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN DARIA, THIS GOES JUST TO AUGUST 25TH, THIS AUGUST 12TH 12TH WHEN SCHOOL STARTS BACK. OKAY. AND THEN AFTER THAT THEY THEY'LL HAVE THE BUS SYSTEM WORKING. SO THIS THIS DOESN'T ADDRESS AFTER THAT DOES IT. THIS WOULD BE THROUGH THE SUMMER. AND THEN THAT WAY THE, THE IDEA OF IT IS, YOU KNOW DURING SUMMER NO BUS TRANSPORTATION HAPPENS AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. RIGHT. SO THEN ONCE THE SCHOOL SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, THEIR BUS SYSTEM STARTS BACK UP TO TRANSPORT THEM TO AND FROM SCHOOL. SO THE IDEA IS TO COVER THE TIME WHERE THEIR BUS SYSTEM IS NOT ACTIVE. SO THIS IS NOT THE ONE THAT COVERS THE LAMAR STUDENTS AS WELL. THAT WAS A SEPARATE ONE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY APPROVED, RIGHT? COUNCILMAN TURNER, I TRULY APPRECIATE THIS BECAUSE A FEW COACHES REACHED OUT FROM BEAUMONT UNITED AND WESTBROOK ABOUT THE STUDENTS NOT HAVING A TRANSPORTATION TO MAKE IT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUMMER PROGRAMS, AND FOR STAFF TO KIND OF LOOK INTO IT AND BE WILLING TO WORK THIS QUICKLY TO COME WITH SOME FORM OF SOLUTION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. AND FOR YOU GUYS WILLING TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS AGAIN, IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. 
          ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL RIGHT. MR. CITY MANAGER, 
          [WORK SESSION]
WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE US IN TO THE FIRST WORK SESSION WE HAVE? YES, MAYOR. COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE DOWNTOWN PROACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT UPDATE. AND WE'LL BE HAVING A REPORT. IS THAT OUT OF ORDER? I'M SORRY. I THINK THIS I THINK THEY WANT TO DO A DIFFERENT ONE. 
          SO COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS VENUE TAX AND THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT TO. YES MA'AM. LET'S TALK ABOUT MORE MONEY BEFORE WE GET TO BUILDINGS. I AM SO EXCITED TO INTRODUCE TO YOU ALL SCOTT JOSLOFF. HE SERVES AS THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION, BRINGING OVER TWO DECADES OF LEADERSHIP TO THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR. SINCE ASSUMING HIS ROLE IN 2000, HE IS ELEVATED FROM THE FOURTH LARGEST TO THE LARGEST STATE LODGING ASSOCIATION IN THE UNITED STATES, REPRESENTING MORE THAN 3500 LODGING RELATED BUSINESSES. AND UNDER HIS GUIDANCE, THE ASSOCIATION HAS SUCCESSFULLY ADVANCED EVERY LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE IT'S PROPOSED AND EFFECTIVELY DEFENDING THE INDUSTRY. WHILE FROM UNFAVORABLE ISSUES. TODAY, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MY GOOD FRIEND SCOTT JOSLOFF. WELCOME. 
          THANK YOU. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF. I'M SCOTT JIRSA, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION. I'VE BEEN IN THAT CAPACITY FOR 25 YEARS. I'M A LAWYER AND I HAVE A MASTER'S IN CITY MANAGEMENT. IN FACT, I WORKED FOR TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE AND I WAS CHIEF OF MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS FOR TWO ATTORNEY GENERALS. SO WHAT YOU ARE DOING TODAY IS KIND OF MY PASSION. SO IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE. I'VE BEEN ASKED TO COME 
          [01:35:02]
OUT TO BEAUMONT TO TALK ABOUT TWO REVENUE OPTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, NONE OF WHICH WILL COST YOU ANYTHING FROM YOUR GENERAL PROPERTY TAX OR YOUR GENERAL FUND. THESE TWO OPTIONS ARE ONE IS FOR A VENUE PROJECT, WHICH IS A LOCAL OPTION HOTEL TAX FUNDED PROJECT THAT THE VOTERS APPROVE. 
          THE SECOND OPTION IS A NEW VEHICLE THAT THE LODGING INDUSTRY CREATED CALLED TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS. AND SO I'D BE GLAD TO. I'LL GO OVER FIRST THE VENUE PROJECT ITEM, AND THEN I'LL GO OVER THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LONG DAY ALREADY, SO I WILL TRY TO BE SUCCINCT. BASICALLY, VENUE TAXES ARE A SERIES OF REVENUE OPTIONS FOR THE CITY THAT WERE CREATED BY THE LEGISLATURE. THEY INCLUDE A SALES TAX, WHICH ARE ALREADY CAPPED, I THINK IN THE AMOUNT OF THE SALES TAX, THEY INCLUDE AN OPTIONAL HOTEL TAX. 
          YOU HAVE A 13% RATE. YOU COULD DO UP TO A 2% ADDITIONAL HOTEL TAX. IT ALSO INCLUDES THE OPTION TO DOING A TICKET TAX OF UP TO 10%, A MOTOR VEHICLE SHORT RENTAL, A SHORT TERM RENTAL MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL TAX OF UP TO 5%, OR AN EVENT COST OF UP TO 5000 PER GAME. ALMOST EVERY CITY THAT HAS DONE A VENUE PROJECT, THEY'RE ALMOST ALWAYS OUT OF THE HOTEL TAX. AND SO BASICALLY, FOR A HOTEL TAX FUNDED VENUE PROJECT, YOU COME UP WITH WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, WHICH WOULD BE EITHER A STADIUM OR A SPORTS FACILITY, OR IT COULD BE A CONVENTION CENTER, OR IT COULD BE RELATED PROJECTS TO THAT, WHICH MIGHT BE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THAT FACILITY THAT'S WITHIN THE VICINITY OF THE FUNDED BUILDING OR STRUCTURE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO FUND. AND THAT WHETHER IT'S A CONVENTION CENTER OR IT'S A SPORTS FACILITY, WHICH I UNDERSTAND BOTH MAY POTENTIALLY BE ON YOUR AGENDA, YOU COULD USE THAT 2% VENUE TAX TO FUND IT. YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS, AND THE PROPOSITION HAS TO HAVE SEPARATE BALLOT PROPOSITIONS FOR EACH TYPE OF PROJECT. SO IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO A CONVENTION CENTER, YOU'D HAVE ONE PROPOSITION FOR THAT TO BE FUNDED BY UP TO 2% IN HOTEL TAX. THEN YOU COULD HAVE A SEPARATE PROPOSITION IF YOU ALSO WANTED TO DO A MULTI-USE SPORTING FACILITY. SO THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER OPTION OUT OF THE HOTEL TAX. YOU ALSO HAVE THE OPTION OF HAVING OTHER REVENUE SOURCES WITHIN EACH OF THOSE PROPOSITIONS THAT YOU COULD PROPOSE. LIKE YOU COULD SAY THE HOTEL TAX PLUS A MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL TAX, PLUS MAYBE A PARKING FEE OF UP TO $3 PER CAR, PER CAR AT THAT FACILITY. SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF OPTIONS UNDER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT VENUE PROJECT AUTHORITY ON HOW YOU PUT THOSE BEFORE THE VOTERS. SO WHEN YOU DO A VENUE TAX, BASICALLY IT'S A TWO UP TO A 2% TAX THAT WILL COVER BUILDING THE FACILITY. IT'LL COVER MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, THE FACILITY, YOU CAN ISSUE DEBT BASED ON THAT VENUE TAX, AND IT JUST NEEDS TO PASS IT BY THE VOTERS AT AN ELECTION BY A MAJORITY OF VOTERS. AND IT WOULD HAVE TO, OF COURSE, BE CALLED BY THE CITY COUNCIL BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO HOLD THE ELECTION. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VENUE TAX AUTHORITY BEFORE I GO ON TO THE TOURISM AUTHORITY, GO AHEAD AND PROCEED. OKAY. TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS ARE IS A CONCEPT THAT STARTED BACK IN 2011. AT THE LEGISLATURE, WE PASSED THE FIRST TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS. WHEN THEY CREATED THAT DISTRICT, IT CREATED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MARKETING HOTEL ACTIVITY AS WELL AS BUSINESS SALES PROMOTION MONEY SO YOU COULD BOTH ADDITIONALLY MARKET DO AND TO BRING MORE EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS AND TOURISM TO THE CITY AS WELL AS YOU COULD PROVIDE SALES INCENTIVES WITHIN ONE YEAR OF CREATING THE DALLAS TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THEY DOUBLED THEIR CONVERSION RATE FOR SECURING CONVENTIONS. HISTORICALLY, THEY WERE GETTING ABOUT 23% OF THE BIDS THEY PUT OUT TO GET CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS THEY WOULD WIN AFTER THEY GOT THE FUNDING FOR THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THEY DOUBLED THAT TO WINNING 46% OF THE BIDS THAT THEY PUT OUT. THEY DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF CITYWIDE HOTEL OCCUPANCY, WENT UP 16% OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD. AND FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT THEY SPEND IN INCENTIVES TO BRING HOTEL, HOTEL ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS AND CONVENTIONS, THEY GOT $16 IN ROOM NIGHTS. IT WAS AN UNHEARD OF RETURN. IT BECAME SO POPULAR AND SO EFFECTIVE. FORT WORTH, ARLINGTON, SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN GOT AUTHORITY THE NEXT SESSION TO DO THEIR OWN, THEIR OWN TOURISM DISTRICTS. THEN IN 2019, THE TEXAS HOTEL ASSOCIATION ASKED THE LEGISLATURE, AND THE LEGISLATURE AGREED TO APPROVE EVERY TEXAS CITY WITH THE POWER TO DO A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. NOW, A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT IS SOLELY COMPOSED OF HOTELS AND HOTELS. CAN BE LIKE LITTLE DOTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER OR CONTIGUOUS. IT CAN BE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. YOU JUST SET A THRESHOLD OF HOW MANY ROOMS YOU WANT TO BRING IN. 
          [01:40:02]
MAYBE 40 OR MORE ROOM HOTELS WOULD ALL BE PART OF THIS DISTRICT, AND ONCE WE GET APPROVAL FROM OVER 60% OF THE HOTELS TO PROPOSE IT TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THEN YOU HOLD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS, ONE ON CREATION OF THE DISTRICT AND ONE TO SET THE ASSESSMENT RATE. AND IF YOU DO THAT, THEN AND APPROVE THE DISTRICT, NOT ONLY THE HOTELS THAT SIGN THE PETITION, BUT ALL THE HOTELS THAT MEET THAT ROOM THRESHOLD OF, LET'S SAY, 40 OR MORE ROOMS OR 75 OR MORE ROOMS, THEY'RE ALL WITHIN THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. AND THESE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS ARE CREATED BY A PETITION OF OVER 60% OF HOTELS, BUT THEY CAN BE REPEALED AT ANY TIME BY THE SAME SORT OF PROCESS. SO THE HOTELS DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S WORKING, OR IF THE CITY DOESN'T FEEL LIKE IT'S WORKING, THEY CAN ALWAYS TERMINATE THE DISTRICT. USUALLY THE DISTRICTS HAVE A TEN YEAR SPAN, BUT THEY COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM FIVE YEARS TO OVER TEN YEARS. IF TEN TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS NOW IN TEXAS, THEY'VE ALL BEEN FORMED ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY, WITH UNANIMOUS SUPPORT, BOTH BY THE CITY COUNCILS AND BY THE HOTELIERS WITHIN DALLAS, FORT WORTH, ARLINGTON, SAN ANTONIO, CORPUS CHRISTI, FRISCO, ADDISON, WACO AND DENTON. AND I THINK THERE'S ONE OTHER I MAY HAVE MISSED, BUT YOU GET THE PICTURE. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING BECAUSE THERE'S NO CITY FUNDS THAT ARE REQUIRED OTHER THAN THE ASSESSMENT THAT THE CITY MAKES TO FUND THE DISTRICT. SO THE CITY ASSESSES THE HOTELS, THE HOTELS, PASS IT THROUGH TO THEIR GUESTS BY A 2% TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FEE, AND THEN THAT MONEY GOES TO, IN PARTNERSHIP TO YOUR TOURISM DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY, WITH A BOARD OF HOTELIERS FROM THE DISTRICT THAT JOINTLY LOOK AT HOW TO BEST SPEND IT ON MARKETING AND ON SALES. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT TOURISM, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS THAT I CAN HELP WITH? COUNCILMAN TURNER, THE LAST QUESTION YOU JUST SAID, WHO WOULD BE OVER THAT? IT'S THERE'S USUALLY WELL, THERE IS ALWAYS A THREE WAY CONTRACT OR IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CITY DEPARTMENT, IT'D BE A TWO WAY CONTRACT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT CORPORATION OF HOTELIERS THAT THE CITY WOULD SAY THE CONTRACT BASICALLY SAYS WE'VE USED THE SAME TYPE OF CONTRACT IN ALL TEN CITIES. THE CITY WILL COLLECT THE ASSESSMENT FROM THE HOTELS. THE CITY WILL WORK WITH ITS TOURISM DEPARTMENT OR WHATEVER DEPARTMENT OVERSEES TOURISM IN THE CITY, TO PROPOSE IDEAS OF THIS HOTELIER LED, NONPROFIT CORPORATION BOARD. AND THAT BOARD WILL OVERSEE THE EFFORTS OF WHAT WE CALL THE CVB, THE CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU IN YOUR CITY, TO DO ADDITIONAL MARKETING AND ADDITIONAL SALES. WE HAVE FOUND IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE PARTNERSHIP IN ALL TEN OF OUR CITIES. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE HOTEL LED BOARD AND THE CITY, YOU KNOW, TOURISM DEPARTMENT, AND IT ALLOWS ITS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDS. 
          SO WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING NOW WITH YOUR HOTEL TAX TO MARKET, WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING WITH YOUR HOTEL TAX TO DO SALES, THAT WOULD CONTINUE, THIS WOULD TAKE IT UP TO ANOTHER LEVEL. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCOVERED IN TEXAS IS THAT EVERY CITY HAS A LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR TRYING TO BUY DOWN THE COST OF BUSINESS TO COME TO THEIR COMMUNITY, AND BY BUYING DOWN THE BUSINESS, THEY'RE COMPETITIVE WITH LOUISIANA OR WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH OKLAHOMA OR OTHER STATES THAT WE COMPETE WITH FOR BUSINESS OR OTHER CITIES WITHIN TEXAS. AND BY BEING ABLE TO BUY THAT DOWN, WE CAN WIN A LOT MORE BUSINESS AND WE CAN BID ON A LOT MORE BUSINESS THAT WE'RE ELIGIBLE FOR, BUT WE'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO BID ON. SO RECENTLY, THIS CITY COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY APPROVED OR GOT WHAT GOT APPROVED BY THE STATE HOUSE BILL 5012. WITH THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO RECAPTURE THE STATE TAX FOR UP TO TEN YEARS WITH A HOTE, CONVENTION CENTER PROJECT, QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECT. YES, SIR. SO THIS EVENT, THIS INITIAL 2% WOULD BE WE'RE AT 13% WITH THAT HOTEL CONVENTION CENTER. SO IT CAN GO UP TO AS HIGH AS 15% WITH THAT HOUSE BILL 5012 IN PLAY. WELL, I BELIEVE THAT THE HOUSE BILL THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALLOWED YOU TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR REBATES OF THE STATE HOTEL TAX AND THE STATE SALES TAX. SO THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE ANY INCREASE IN THE RATE THAT SIMPLY ALLOWS THE STATE TAX TO BE REBATED. SO YOU WOULD GET THE STATE 6% STATE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, AND THE STATE 6.25% STATE SALES TAX BACK FROM THAT HAUTE QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECT. THAT'S WITHIN 1000FT OF YOUR CONVENTION CENTER. SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, THAT'S NOT A TAX. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, ALTHOUGH IT FEELS LIKE IT, IT IS AN ASSESSMENT. JUST LIKE IF YOU DO A NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT OR A DOWNTOWN DISTRICT, IT'S AN ASSESSMENT AGAINST THE PROPERTY OWNERS. BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TOURISM DISTRICT AND A DOWNTOWN OR NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT IS USUALLY IN A DOWNTOWN OR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM IS INVOLVED, AND THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS TO PAY THAT ALL OUT OF THEIR POCKET, AND THERE'S NO PASS THROUGH TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. IN TERMS OF THE TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, IT'S A 
          [01:45:02]
PASS THROUGH FEE THAT WHEN WE DO A 2% ASSESSMENT BY THE CITY, THEN THE HOTEL PASSES IT THROUGH ON EACH ROOM NIGHT. AND WE THOUGHT WHEN WE FIRST DID THESE IN DALLAS, WOULD WE GET COMPLAINTS FROM CUSTOMERS? WOULD WE GET COMPLAINTS FROM MEETING AND EVENT PLANNERS? WE HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE COMPLAINT IN ALL TEN CITIES BECAUSE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IT'S THESE MONIES THAT ARE USED TO HELP BRING THAT EVENT AND TO HELP FUND THE COSTS OF THAT EVENT AND TO MARKET THAT EVENT. SO IT'S POSSIBLE TO BRING IT TO TEXAS. TWO THINGS YOU SAID, CAN YOU KIND OF SPEAK TO THE 60% THAT YOU SPOKE OF EARLIER? PLEASE, IN MORE DETAIL? I WOULD THANK YOU FOR ASKING. 
          IT'S A THREE PART CRITERIA. BASICALLY YOU HAVE TO IT IS ONE MANDATORY CRITERIA. THE OVER 60% OF THE APPRAISED VALUE OF ALL THE HOTELS IN BEAUMONT THAT FIT INTO THE DISTRICT. SO LET'S SAY THAT YOU HAVE A DISTRICT THAT'S FOR ALL HOTELS, OVER 40 ROOMS THAT HAVE OVER 40 SLEEPING ROOMS. AND THEIR VALUE CUMULATIVELY IS $100 MILLION. YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE A PETITION SIGNED BY THOSE HOTELS THAT REPRESENT OVER 60 MILLION, SO MAYBE $60,000,001 IN VALUE. 
          THOSE OWNERS HAVE TO SIGN THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO HAVE THEIR THEIR HOTELS BE PART OF THAT DISTRICT. THAT'S THE MANDATORY CRITERIA. THEN YOU HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL CRITERIA THAT YOU GOT TO GET ONE OUT OF TWO. NOW, IN ALL THE TEN DISTRICTS WE'VE DONE, WE'VE GOTTEN ALL THREE CRITERIA. THE OTHER TWO CRITERIA IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE OVER 60% OF THE NUMBER OF HOTELS. SO IF YOU HAD 100 HOTELS, YOU'D HAVE TO GET 61 HOTELS. AND THEN THE THIRD CRITERIA IS OVER 60% OF THE SURFACE AREA. SO IF YOU HAD. THAT'S THE BASICALLY THE LOT SIZE. IF YOU HAD 100,000FT■!S OF LOTS, YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE OVER 60,000FT■!S OF THE LOTS. SO YOU WE, WE SHOW THAT WE HAVE THOSE PETITIONS. WE WORK THE CITY CLERK AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO VALIDATE THOSE PETITIONS. AND THEN THEY PRESENT THAT TO THE CITY COUNCIL. WHEN WE'VE SHOWN THAT WE HAVE OVER 60% ON AT LEAST TWO OUT OF THOSE THREE CRITERIA, HOPEFULLY ALL THREE. AND FOR CLARITY, I KNOW FOR ME, WHEN I WAS READING OVER IT, THE FACT THAT THE REASON THE HOTELS ARE ON BOARD IS THIS ATTRACTS MORE PEOPLE FOR CONVENTIONS BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM MONEY THAT WE CAN THEY CAN GIVE REFUNDS OR INCENTIVES TO BRING THE CONVENTIONS HERE. AND THAT MONEY IS CAPTURED BY THAT 2% ASSESSMENT THAT IS BEING CHARGED TO THEIR CLIENTS THAT THE CONVENTION, THE ORGANIZATION HOSTING, THAT IT REDUCES THEIR EXPENDITURE, IT CAN OFTEN REDUCE THEIR EXPENDITURES AND REBATES. 
          THEY HAVE TO GIVE BACK. IT CREATES ADDITIONAL EVENTS. I WAS SURPRISED I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 25 YEARS BEFORE THIS. LIKE I SAID, I WORKED FOR THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE AND FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND I DID NOT KNOW THAT CITIES STOPPED BIDDING ON THEIR EVENTS THAT THEY WERE ELIGIBLE FOR JUST BECAUSE THEY HAD NO MORE MONEY OUT OF THE HOTEL TAX TO TRY TO PUT UP INCENTIVES OR SPONSORSHIPS. SO THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF EVENTS THAT DALLAS AND, YOU KNOW, CITIES LIKE WACO AND FRISCO AND CITIES THROUGHOUT TEXAS THAT THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO BID ON. THEY'RE VERY COMPETITIVE, BUT FINANCIALLY, THEY JUST RAN OUT OF FUNDS TO BID ON. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE SECRET SAUCE HERE. THE OTHER THING IS BECAUSE THE HOTELIERS SERVE ON THAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THEIR ROI IS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHEN THEIR SHOULDER SEASON IS, THEY KNOW WHEN THEIR SLOW SEASON IS. THEY KNOW WHAT MARKETING HAS WORKED AND HASN'T WORKED. THEY KNOW WHAT EVENTS DIDN'T PRODUCE MUCH BUSINESS AND WHICH ONES REALLY HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL. SO IT CREATED THIS PERFECT PARTNERSHIP WHERE YOU HAD A HOTEL LED BOARD AND A CITY SET OF PROFESSIONAL STAFF, AND THEY GO TO TOWN. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. 
          WHO HANDLES THE LOGISTICS OF BRINGING THESE HOTEL OWNERS TOGETHER OR PETITIONING THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BOARD? IT'S A PARTNERSHIP. BASICALLY. WHEN I GET A CALL LIKE I DID FROM BEAUMONT SAYING, COULD YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT A TOURISM PIT WHERE THE STATE HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION IS A NONPROFIT, AND WE EXIST TO HELP AND PARTNER WITH YOU ALL TO CREATE VEHICLES THAT WILL HELP PROMOTE BUSINESS. SO THEN WE GET ACTIVATED, WE TALK TO THE HOTELIERS IN THE AREA AND SAY, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THIS? AND SO WE CALL THE OWNERSHIP GROUP. 
          SO WE SERVE AS A PARTNER, AS A LIAISON. YOU KNOW, IF A COMMUNITY WANTS TO DO IT, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO DO IT THEN OR THE HOTELIERS DON'T WANT TO DO IT, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY FINE. WE MOVE ON TO OTHER OTHER WORK. I MEAN, DO YOU TYPICALLY GET ANY PUSH? I WOULD ASSUME THEY WOULD ALWAYS WANT TO PARTICIPATE. I MEAN, OR DO YOU EVER GET PUSHBACK? WE GET PUSHBACK USUALLY AT THE START BECAUSE A THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST ME WHEN WE EXPLAIN IT TO PASS THROUGH. AND WHAT I ALWAYS SAY TO THEM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR INTEREST IS, IS NOT TO CREATE A DISTRICT, IT'S TO DO WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT THEY THINK IS A GOOD THING FOR THEIR BUSINESS MODEL. AND I ALWAYS SAY, HOW DO YOU LOSE BY HAVING MORE MONEY FOR SALES AND MORE MONEY FOR MARKETING, AND IT DOESN'T COST YOU ANYTHING OUT OF YOUR POCKET. 
          HOW DO YOU LOSE ON THAT? AND IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, IF THEY AREN'T, YOU KNOW, IF THEY AREN'T 
          [01:50:01]
STAFFED WELL OR THEY DON'T OPERATE WELL, YOU CAN REPEAL IT IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU CREATED IT. SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF A WIN WIN SCENARIO. COUNCILMAN GRIMSHAW, HYPOTHETICALLY, IF A CITY GOT VOTER APPROVAL TO SPEND AROUND $200 MILLION ON A CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL, HOW MUCH OF THIS 2% CAN BE USED TO PAY THE BONDS ISSUED TO BUILD THAT $200 MILLION CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL? OKAY, SO THIS IS A WHOLE SEPARATE AREA. IN FAIRNESS, IF YOU IF YOU BUY AND I'M NOT A BOND LAWYER AND I DON'T PLAY ONE ON TV, UNDERSTOOD. BUT I AM A LAWYER AND I DO WORK IN THESE AREAS. IF YOU ISSUE A AND YOUR FUNDING MECHANISM, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU SAY BONDS, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT VENUE PROJECT BONDS OR REVENUE BONDS FROM THAT? BECAUSE THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS TO FINANCE IT. YEAH. CEOS AND VENUE REVENUE BONDS. 
          OKAY. IF YOU DID A VENUE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX, WHICH IS BASICALLY UP TO A 2% HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX THROUGH CHAPTER 334, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, ALL OF THE MONEY THAT IS RAISED COULD GO TOWARDS PAYING THE DEBT ON THAT CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL. SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THAT OR THAT CONVENTION CENTER? I'M SORRY, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR THE 2% VENUE TAX AND THE 2% T PIT FEES? OKAY. THAT'S A WONDERFUL QUESTION. THANK YOU. THE VENUE TAXES TO FUND A PHYSICAL FACILITY OKAY. THE T PIT IS NOT YOU CANNOT USE IT FOR ANY PHYSICAL FACILITY COSTS NOT USED AT ALL. THEY SAY IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME. THAT'S NOT TRUE. YOU BUILD IT. 
          YOU HAVE A STRUCTURE, YOU GOT TO MARKET IT AND YOU GOT TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO SELL IT. AND SO THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE FUNDING MECHANISMS IN TWO SEPARATE PURPOSES OKAY. SO YOUR PROPOSAL WELL THE GROUP YOU REPRESENT, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL 2% CHARGE TO PEOPLE STAYING IN THE HOTELS FOR THE ENTIRE CITY THAT'S USED FOR MARKETING. AND THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH PAYING FOR THE BONDS. THE BONDS. THAT'S CORRECT. IT. YES, THEORETICALLY. NOW, I WILL TELL YOU, WE'RE NOT HERE TO ADVOCATE THAT YOU DO THE DISTRICT OR NOT DO THE DISTRICT OR TO DO THE VENUE PROJECT. WE'RE HERE AS A RESOURCE. AND JUST IF YOU DECIDE TO DO THAT, WE'D LOVE TO BE YOUR PARTNER TO HELP YOU. BUT WE TO US, A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL PROVIDES US THE DIRECTION. WELL AND FOR CLARITY TOO, THIS IS THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS THIS INCREASES YOUR OCCUPANCY RATE FOR THE HOTELS AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT, WHICH IN TURN GENERATES MORE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAXES FOR US. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CITIES THAT HAVE THE. AND IF YOU KNOW THIS AND IF YOU DON'T, I APOLOGIZE FOR ASKING WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CITIES THAT HAVE THE 2% VENUE TAX ALSO HAVE THE 2% IN TICKET FEES? THAT'S INTERESTING. WELL, I CAN GO THROUGH IT FOR YOU. DALLAS HAS A 2% VENUE TAX FOR THEIR CONVENTION CENTER. SAN ANTONIO HAS A 2% VENUE FOR ALMOST ALL OF THEM, I THINK PROBABLY SO THEY KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND OFTEN. OFTEN. I MEAN, USUALLY A CITY WILL ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE DONE THEIR VENUE PROJECT, YOU KNOW, BEFORE OR PRETTY SOON AFTER THEY'VE DONE A TOURISM BID. SO THERE'S DIFFERENT STRATEGIES. AND YOU SOMETIMES YOU WANT TO DO THE TOURISM PIT FIRST AND GET THAT APPROVED BY THE VOTERS. SO IT'S NOT STICKER SHOCK AND THEN DO THE VENUE PROJECT BECAUSE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S DIFFERENT AUDIENCES THAT ARE DECIDING WHEN YOU DO A TOURISM PIT. IT'S NOT A VOTE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, IT'S JUST A PETITION OF THE HOTELIERS THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISTRICT. WHEN YOU DO A VENUE PROJECT, YOU DON'T ASK THE HOTELIERS, THEY DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL VOTE. IT'S JUST YOUR OVERALL ELECTORATE OF THE CITY. CORRECT. COUNCILMAN TURNER, WHEN YOU SAID PRETTY SOON AFTERWARDS, LET'S JUST SAY IT'S DONE. WHAT IS CONSIDERED PRETTY SOON BALLPARK, WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE. OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED CLARITY. ABSOLUTELY. ALL RIGHT. CAL? YES? CITY MANAGER. 
          YEAH. I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK SCOTT FOR COMING OUT. MR. JOSH LOVE IS THE PREEMINENT GURU IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ON HOTELS AND HOTELIERS AND ALL THINGS TAXABLE, ETC. I CAN REMEMBER BACK WHEN HE WAS AT HTML AND STUFF. SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TO BEAUMONT TODAY. TAKE YOUR TIME. IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN. IT'S BEEN FUN TO SEE YOUR CIVIC CENTER AND YOUR AND THIS WHOLE STRUCTURE HERE. AND, AND I MET WITH CITY STAFF TODAY, AND THEY ARE SO EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL. SO I TOLD CITY STAFF, YOU TELL US WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE, AND WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU EVERY LEGAL WAY TO GET THERE, ALONG WITH YOUR CITY ATTORNEY, OF COURSE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? AND MISS LOKEY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO PUT ON RECORD THAT WHILE IT IS CALLED A VENUE TAX, IT WOULD BE 
          [01:55:03]
AN ACTUAL TAX ONTO HOTELS THAT ARE PURCHASED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE WORDING THAT IS USED IN A PROPOSITION FOR A QUOTE UNQUOTE, VENUE TAX IS NOT PRESUMED TO BE A TAXABLE IDENTITY. IT'S GOING TO COME FROM THE TAXPAYERS SPECIFICALLY. RIGHT? JUST FOR THE PEOPLE, UNLESS THE TAXPAYERS ARE STAYING IN A HOTEL. THERE YOU GO. STATUTE PROVIDES SPECIAL WORDING ALREADY SET OUT FOR HOW YOU PUT THE PROPOSITIONS TO THE VOTERS. OUTSTANDING. I HAVE A QUESTION. OKAY. COUNCILMAN HILLIER, HOW DOES THIS ONLY APPLY TO HOTELS? WHAT ABOUT WHERE DO WE WHERE'S THE LINE WITH AIRBNBS? AIRBNBS ARE CONSIDERED HOTELS FOR PURPOSES OF TAXATION. SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A VENUE TAX, THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO A VENUE TAX REGARDLESS IF THEY'RE A ONE ROOM BED AND BREAKFAST OR THEY'RE A FIVE ROOM HOUSE THAT'S SET OUT ON AIRBNB, THEY ARE HOTELS. OKAY, NOW, GETTING ENFORCEMENT ISN'T ALWAYS AS EASY, BUT BUT THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO IT NOW FOR A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOUR CITY SETS THE THRESHOLD. USUALLY WE SET IT AT 40 ROOMS OR 75 ROOMS OR MORE. SO AN AIRBNB IS USUALLY UNDER THOSE THRESHOLDS FOR A TOURISM DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE ADDITIONAL 2%, BUT ARE UP TO 2%, IT COULD BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, RIGHT? SO WE'RE REFERRING TO 2% FOR A VENUE TAX AND 2% FOR A TOURISM PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, RIGHT. WHICH IS JUST AN ASSESSMENT. CORRECT? CORRECT. AND IT'S TYPICALLY ASSESSMENT NOT ON YOUR THE CITIZENS OF YOUR TOWN. IT'S FROM PEOPLE WHO COME TO VISIT YOUR TOWN. SO IT MAKES IT THE OCCUPANTS. IT'S ALL THOSE LITTLE TAXES YOU SEE WHEN YOU STAY IN HOUSTON RIGHT ON YOUR HOTEL. IS THAT IT? THE TOURISM DOES NOT AFFECT YOUR TAXING AUTHORITY UNDER THE HOTEL TAX LAWS. SO THERE'S A CAP OF 17%. YOU'RE AT 13%. NOW. YOU CAN DO UP TO A 2% FOR A VENUE TAX BY THE CITY. YOU CAN GO UP TO THE MAXIMUM OF 17% BETWEEN THE STATE, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. 
          THE TOURISM DOES NOT COUNT AGAINST THAT CAP. SO WE CAN'T GO UP FOR YOU COULDN'T BY THE CITY ITSELF, RIGHT? YEAH. YOU'D HAVE TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY OR SOME OTHER TO BE ON BOARD. YEAH, JUST FIGURED I'D ASK. ALL RIGHT. MAYOR, ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR SCOTT. SCOTT, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE STATUTE LAYS OUT LANGUAGE FOR A VOTE ON THE VENUE TAX. DOES IT SPECIFICALLY REQUIRE THE WORD TAX, OR CAN IT SAY REVENUE? VENUE TAX IS A TAX. AND YES, IF YOU DO A TAX BECAUSE IT COULD BE. ALTERNATIVELY, IF YOU HAD A PARK, A FEE OF SO MUCH PARKING, LIKE $3 PER NIGHT OR PER PER PER EVENT FOR PARKING, THEN YOU WOULD WORD IT. BUT THEY HAVE THE STATUTORY WORDING AND IT SETS OUT A TAX OF X AMOUNT HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX UP TO BLANK AMOUNT. OR IT COULD BE A SALES TAX. BUT YOU'RE CAPPED AND THE SALES TAX OR IT COULD BE A AN ADMISSIONS FEE OF UP TO I THINK $3 PER OR UP TO 10% ON TICKETS. SO THERE'S A SERIES OF REVENUES, MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL TAX OF UP TO 5%. SO BUT THE ONE THAT'S ALMOST ALWAYS USED IS THE HOTEL TAX OF UP TO 2%. AND YOU'D USUALLY SET OUT EXACTLY WHAT RATE YOU WANT TO DO. AND ONE FINAL QUESTION. HAVE ANY OF THESE, WHEN THEY'VE GOTTEN THE VENUE TAXES GONE TO VOTERS. HAVE THEY FAILED? ARE YOU AWARE OF MANY CITIES WHERE THEY FAILED? VERY FEW. GENERALLY, VOTERS WILL APPROVE IT BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE FEW TAXES THAT THEY ARE ASKED ABOUT THAT THEY APPROVE AND GET THE FACILITY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS FOR THE MOST PART. SO THEY HAVE BEEN THE ONLY ONE THAT I KNOW THAT HASN'T PASSED. THERE WAS A ONE IN LUBBOCK WHERE THE FACILITY WASN'T GOING TO BE BUILT, AND ACTUALLY IT PASSED, BUT THEN THEY REPEALED IT BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T THEY DIDN'T END UP BUILDING THE NEW CONVENTION CENTER, SO THEY REPEALED THE TAX. BUT OTHERWISE ALMOST INVARIABLY THEY PASS. I DON'T KNOW OF REALLY MANY OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY FAILED. ONE MORE QUESTION. WHEN YOU SAID THE TAX ON TICKETS, IS IT FOR THE PARTICULAR VENUES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? WOULD THAT BE EVERY VENUE? NO, IT WOULD BE JUST FOR THE FACILITY THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE VENUE TAX. OKAY. SO IF YOU HAD A NEW STADIUM OR YOU HAD A NEW CONVENTION CENTER AND THEY HAD TICKETED EVENTS, YOU COULD INCLUDE AS A REVENUE OPTION UP TO A 10% TICKET. SO IF IT WAS A I DON'T KNOW OF ANY CITY THAT'S DONE ONE YET IN TEXAS UNDER A TICKET TAX, BUT IT'S AVAILABLE THERE UNDER LAW. SO IF IT WAS A NEW SPORTS COMPLEX AND YOU HAD SOMEBODY RENTING AND TEAMS COMING IN FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, YOU CAN IT CAN ASSIST IT. OKAY. YEAH. AND FOR A 
          [02:00:01]
SPORTS COMPLEX, IN ORDER FOR IT TO QUALIFY, IT COULD BE PROFESSIONAL OR AMATEUR SPORTS, BUT THEY HAVE TO CHARGE AN ADMISSION TO THE EVENTS. SO IF THERE'S NO ADMISSION OR TICKET FEE FOR THE EVENTS, IT'S NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THIS TYPE OF FUNDING. SO MOST SANCTIONED EVENTS LIKE AAU TOURNAMENTS, THERE ARE AMATEUR EVENTS, KIND OF LIKE UNDER ARMOR, NIKE, YOU NAME IT, YOU GOT TO GO IN IT, PAY THEIR FEE. I EVEN THE BAND FEE. I REMEMBER WHEN I USED TO COACH KIDS AND TRAVEL ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. WE PAID THAT FEE ALL THE TIME. ON TOP OF THE ORIGINAL FEE, YOU START LOOKING AT YOUR RECEIPT, YOU'RE LIKE, WHOA, I UNDERSTAND, BUT NOW YOU CAN SAY, WHOA IN A GOOD WAY. LIKE, WHOA, WE GOT SOME MORE FUNDING. HELLO? YES, SIR. OKAY. 
          ALL RIGHT. I WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THE SLIDE HERE. HE'D GONE THROUGH A LOT, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF VENUE TAXES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, INCLUDING THE ADMISSION TAX BUT ALSO MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL TAXES SO THAT PEOPLE WHO COME INTO BEAUMONT WHEN THEY RENT A VEHICLE, THEY WOULD HAVE AN ADDITIONAL UP TO 5% THAT COULD BE ADDED ON TO THAT RENTAL FEE. AND YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER THE FACT THAT THESE VISITORS WOULD POTENTIALLY BE COMING HERE FOR WHAT THE HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTER SITE. RIGHT. AND TO ALLOW FOR THAT LANDING FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THIS TEN ACRES TO BE A DESTINATION. AND DOES ONE DO YOU HAVE TO BREAK UP THE BALLOT TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES? YOU HAD THE BREAK OF THE BALLOT FOR EACH TYPE OF VENUE PROJECT, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CHOICE OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU BREAK OUT THE REVENUE SOURCES. SO YOU MIGHT LET'S SAY YOU DID A STADIUM, YOU COULD DO A STADIUM OR A SPORTS COMPLEX. AND THE NOTE IT'LL INCLUDE A HOTEL TAX AND A MOTOR VEHICLE RENTAL TAX. OR YOU COULD DO THE STADIUM AND HAVE SEPARATE PROPOSITIONS FOR THE MOTOR VEHICLE SALES TAX AND THE HOTEL TAX. SO THE REVENUE OPTIONS CAN BE COMBINED OR SEPARATED. BUT THE PROPOSITIONS FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROJECTS HAVE TO BE SEPARATE. ALL RIGHT. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE. YES. NOW WE HAVE THE NEXT WORK SESSION. YES. AT LEAST I'LL BE CHASTISED FOR GETTING THE WRONG COUNSEL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE DOWNTOWN PROACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT UPDATE. WE HAVE MR. BO HANSEN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M GOING TO RAISE THIS IF THAT'S OKAY. SO MY NAME IS BO HANSEN, AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS YOUR DEPUTY BUILDING OFFICIAL HERE AT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IN MARCH OF 2024, OUR TEAM WAS AUTHORIZED TO TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH TO OUR DOWNTOWN CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS. AND FOR CLARITY, THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE WERE NO PREVIOUSLY EXISTING TAGGING OF BUILDINGS. BUT WHAT IT DOES MEAN IS, FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE STARTED ON ONE END OF A PARTICULAR AREA AND WALKED THROUGH CANVASING EVERY BUILDING THERE IN THAT AREA IN ORDER TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE UNSAFE VIOLATIONS AT ONCE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. I RATHER INTENTIONALLY USE THE WORD UNSAFE THERE, BECAUSE THAT'S A KEY DEFINITION THAT I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW IN OUR EXISTING BUILDING CODE. ESSENTIALLY, THE CODE GIVES GAVE US KEY ITEMS TO LOOK FOR WHEN IT COMES TO EXISTING BUILDINGS. AND OUR INTENT WAS TO CONSISTENTLY AND OBJECTIVELY ASSESS EACH ONE OF THESE BUILDINGS. THERE ARE SEVERAL RELEVANT THINGS TO CONSIDER HERE, BUT SEVERAL OF THE BUILDINGS WE LOOKED AT CAN BE SUMMARIZED BY THE LAST STATEMENT ON THIS SLIDE A VACANT STRUCTURE THAT IS NOT SECURED AGAINST ENTRY SHALL BE DEEMED UNSAFE. ONE QUICK NOTE BEFORE I MOVE ON, OFTENTIMES YOU WILL HEAR THE DIFFICULTIES TO BRING EXISTING BUILDINGS UP TO CODE, AND THAT PHRASE UP TO CODE IS OFTEN USED WITHOUT A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EXACTLY IS NECESSARY, PARTICULARLY IF YOU CONSIDER OUR DOWNTOWN AREA WHERE WE HAVE MULTI-STORY BUILDINGS WITH MANY HOLDING A HISTORIC DESIGNATION. THE COMMON BELIEF IS THAT IN ORDER TO OCCUPY THE ENTIRE SPACE AUTOMATICALLY NEEDS TO BE GUTTED AND ENTIRELY REDONE. HOWEVER, THAT IS OFTEN NOT THE CASE. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS ADOPTED THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL EXISTING BUILDING CODE TO APPROACH EACH UNIQUE BUILDING AND CIRCUMSTANCE WITH FLEXIBILITY. SAFETY IS STILL THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN, BUT IT DOES A MUCH BETTER JOB OF ASSESSING EXISTING CIRCUMSTANCES. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. I HAVE A FEW QUICK EXAMPLES TO SHOW YOU OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THIS PROCESS. THIS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF AN UNSAFE AND UNSECURED BUILDING. OFTEN WHEN ONE BUILDING BECOMES ACCESSIBLE, CREATIVE PATHS LEAD TO ADJACENT BUILDINGS AND ULTIMATELY ENTRY IN THOSE ADJACENT BUILDINGS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE'S A PICTURE OF CHUNKS OF A BUILDING'S FACADE THAT HAVE FALLEN ONTO THE SIDEWALK. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. CAN WE CAN WE CLARIFY IS THAT THE HOTEL BEAUMONT BUILDING NEXT IS JEFFERSON THEATER? YES. I SAW THAT WHEN I ATTENDED THE 
          [02:05:01]
CITYWIDE PRAYER SERVICE, THERE WAS CHUNKS OF BUILDING ALL OVER THE GROUND. AND I'M THINKING, THIS CAN'T BE GOOD. YES, SIR. THAT'S CORRECT. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU KNOW, EVEN EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS ROOFS AND WATER, IT MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE A HUGE DEAL, BUT THE LOAD THAT IS CREATED BY INADEQUATE ROOF DRAINS IS CAUSING MANY OF THESE BUILDINGS TO INCUR MORE AND MORE DAMAGE AS THEY SIT THERE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY FLOODED BASEMENTS THAT EXIST DOWNTOWN. FAILURE TO PROVIDE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION IN THESE KEY AREAS OF BUILDINGS IS NOT ONLY A SANITATION CONCERN, BUT INCREASINGLY MORE AND MORE OF A STRUCTURAL ONE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. WHILE MANY OWNERS DO NOT HAVE PLANS TO FULLY OCCUPY THESE BUILDINGS, THEY TURN TO BOARDING AND SECURING AS A METHOD FOR TEMPORARY COMPLIANCE. THE CODE STATES THAT BOARDING UP FOR FUTURE REPAIRS IS AN OPTION. HOWEVER, PLEASE NOTE THE LAST SENTENCE OF THIS SLIDE, WHICH CLARIFIES THAT THIS TEMPORARY TEMPORARY SOLUTION IS ONLY ALLOWED FOR ONE YEAR UNLESS APPROVED BY THE BUILDING OFFICIAL. THE NATURAL QUESTION THERE IS WHY? WHY IS THIS ONLY SEEN AS TEMPORARY COMPLIANCE? NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. VACANT BUILDINGS AND TEMPORARY BOARDING OF THESE BUILDINGS INVITES TRESPASSING THEIR ENTIRE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS DEDICATED TO THE EXPLORATION OF OLD ABANDONED BUILDINGS. AND WHILE MANY ARE FASCINATED BY THIS, IT CAN OFTEN LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY TO THE INDIVIDUALS IN OR EVEN AROUND THESE BUILDINGS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ADDITIONALLY, FIRE PROTECTION IS OFTEN ABANDONED IN THESE VACANT BUILDINGS, DESPITE THE CODE CLEARLY REQUIRING IT TO REMAIN ACTIVE WHETHER IT'S OCCUPIED OR VACANT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. ON JUNE 6TH, 2024 328, BOWIE, KNOWN AS THE GILBERT BUILDING, CAUGHT FIRE. AND THANKS TO OUR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL AND BRAVE FIREFIGHTERS FIREFIGHTERS, THIS FIRE DID NOT SPREAD TO THE OCCUPIED BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET OR THE NEARLY CONNECTED BUILDING TO THE WEST. WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL THAT THIS REMAINED ISOLATED TO ONLY ONE BUILDING. THE JOB OF THE BUILDING OFFICIAL IS TO PREVENT TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS FROM EVER OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE. FIRST PLACE EVERY UNSECURED BUILDING, EVERY DETERIORATING STRUCTURE, EVERY PORTION OF COMPROMISED FACADE ABOVE THE SIDEWALKS IS NOT JUST A BLIGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRAGEDY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS SLIDE PROVIDES A QUICK GLIMPSE AT SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST 15 MONTHS OF OUR PROACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT. ALL THREE OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE GREAT EXAMPLES OF A JOB WELL DONE FOR. FOR ONE, ORLEANS HAS ENTERED INTO TEMPORARY COMPLIANCE. YOU CAN SEE THE ORIGINAL BOARDING JOB AT THE BOTTOM THERE AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW ON TOP. THEN 680 PARK AND 444 MAIN HAVE BOTH REPAIRED THEIR EXTERIOR ISSUES ENTIRELY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 
          HERE'S A LOOK AT ALL OF THE ADDRESSES THAT WE HAVE TAGGED IN THIS SPECIFIC AREA OVER THE LAST 15 MONTHS AND WHERE THEY ARE TODAY. AND I EMPHASIZE IN THIS SPECIFIC AREA, BECAUSE OUR DEMOLITION DEPARTMENT IS STILL ACROSS THE TOWN, TAGGING STRUCTURES AND KEEPING UP WITH ALL THOSE DIFFERENT ADDRESSES. BUT IN THIS SPECIFIC AREA. HERE'S A LOOK OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DEALING WITH. A QUICK REMINDER, THOUGH, OF WHAT UNSAFE MEANS. IN SOME CASES, IT MAY MEAN THE ENTIRE BUILDING, BUT IN MOST CASES IT'S AN ISOLATED. IT'S ISOLATED TO SPECIFIC AREAS. WITH THAT IN MIND, 18 BUILDINGS REMAIN UNSAFE, FIVE HAVE GOTTEN WORSE, FIVE HAVE GOTTEN BETTER, BUT STILL AREN'T ENTIRELY COMPLIANT WITH OUR CODE. AT THIS POINT, MOST OF THEM EXCEEDED THEIR ALLOWED TIME IN THEIR WORK PROGRAM THAT MOST OF THEM SIGNED UP FOR, AND NOW HAVE CHARGES FILED IN MUNICIPAL COURT INDICATED HERE BY THE ASTERISK ON THIS SLIDE. TEN OF THEM HAVE ENTERED INTO COMPLIANCE AND ARE NOW SAFE. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE GREEN NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS AN OVERVIEW OF ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE 28 TAGGED BUILDINGS. AND THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE'VE WORKED WITH 14 DIFFERENT TEAMS IN ADDRESSING THESE UNSAFE CONCERNS. AND OVER HALF OF THEM HAVE NOW MADE SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS TO THEIR BUILDINGS. TODAY, WE ONLY HAVE SIX OWNERS WHO WE'RE WORKING WITH TO ENSURE THESE BUILDINGS BECOME SAFE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE NUMBER SIX TODAY. BUT WHEN WE STARTED THIS, WHEN WE STARTED THIS YEAR, 2025, WE HAD EIGHT OWNERS WITH VACANT AND UNSAFE BUILDINGS. AND WE WANTED TO MAKE A PUSH AND REVISIT SOME OF THESE AGING VIOLATIONS THAT WE WERE SEEING. SO ON JANUARY 30TH OF 2025, WE INVITED THESE, THESE OWNERS INTO A ROUNDTABLE TO SOLUTION, TO THINK THROUGH SOLUTIONS AND CLARIFY WHAT EXACTLY WE WERE ASKING OF THEM. QUICKLY AFTER THAT MEETING, TWO 
          [02:10:06]
OWNERS BROUGHT THREE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS INTO COMPLIANCE. ONE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO SELL. TWO OWNERS HAVE MADE NO PROGRESS. AND THEN WE GOT NO RESPONSE FROM THREE PROPERTY OWNERS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO HERE'S THE BOTTOM LINE. WHEN WE BEGAN THIS IN MARCH OF 2024, 36% OF THE BUILDINGS WERE UNSAFE. WE WERE OVER A QUARTER AND CREEPING TOWARDS A HALF. TODAY, NEARLY 80% OF THE BUILDINGS ARE SAFE. AND WHILE I KNOW IT'S HARD TO SEE PROGRESS IS HAPPENING, THE AMOUNT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH PROPERTY OWNERS WHO LOVE AND ARE INVESTING THEIR ENTIRE LIFE INTO DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST ENCOURAGING THINGS THAT I CAN PASS ON TO YOU TODAY. I KNOW THAT YOU KNOW THESE PEOPLE, AND IT'S BEEN OUR JOY TO WALK ALONGSIDE THEM AND HELP ENSURE THAT THIS AREA REMAINS AS BEAUTIFUL AND AS HISTORIC AS IT ONCE WAS. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT, WE'RE BEGINNING TO SEE THE TREND REVERSE, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO MAKE NOTE OF. NEXT SLIDE. SO TO CONCLUDE, WE WANTED TO DO OUR BEST TO FURTHER ILLUSTRATE WHAT I JUST CLAIMED THERE. HAVE THERE HAS BEEN A MOVEMENT TOWARDS OCCUPANCY. AND OUR GOAL IS NOT JUST SAFE BUILDINGS BUT OCCUPIED BUILDINGS. AND OCCUPIED BUILDINGS WILL DEMAND SAFE BUILDINGS. MEASURING MOVEMENT. MEASURING MOVEMENT IN A COMMUNITY IS ALWAYS A TOUGH THING TO DO, BUT WE BELIEVE THESE TO BE FOUR SIMPLE METRICS TO HELP PLACE DATA BEHIND ALL OF THIS. THE FIRST IS PROPERTY CHANGING HANDS. THIS OBVIOUSLY ISN'T A NEW CONCEPT SUDDENLY BEING INTRODUCED INTO DOWNTOWN, BUT THERE IS MOVEMENT. WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO COMMUNICATE TO OWNERS THAT IF THEY ARE GOING TO OWN A BUILDING, IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO LET IT JUST SIT VACANT AND UNSECURED. AND BECAUSE OF THAT, SOME HAVE DECIDED TO SELL OR LIST. WE'VE COUNTED FIVE JUST IN THE LAST YEAR. SECOND WOULD BE PREDEVELOPMENT MEETINGS. WE HAVE HAD NINE MEETINGS IN THE LAST 15 MONTHS WITH PERSPECTIVE BUILDING OR BUSINESS OWNERS WHO WANT TO DO SOMETHING HERE IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT. THIRD, THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE PLANNING APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED. SO JUST TO ADD SOME CONTEXT TO WHAT THAT MEANS, I MENTIONED WE HAD NINE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS. WELL, FIVE OF THOSE MEETINGS PROGRESSED INTO EITHER AN SUPP OR MORE TANGIBLE DEVELOPMENTS, DEVELOPMENT STEPS. AND THEN LASTLY, THE MOST TANGIBLE DEVELOPMENT STEP, WHICH IS RECEIVING A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY. THERE ARE NINE MORE BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT THAN THERE WERE JUST 15 MONTHS AGO. I KNOW I'VE THROWN A LOT AT YOU IN THIS PRESENTATION PRESENTATION, BUT I HOPE I'VE LEFT LEFT YOU WITH A POSITIVE NOTE. WE KNOW WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND OUR OFFICE IS COMMITTED TO SEEING THAT WORK THROUGH. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HERE TODAY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO FIELD ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM YOU GUYS. BUT BEFORE I DO, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU. IN THE FIRST YEAR, WE HAD FAIRLY REGULAR UPDATES TO REPORT ON, SO WE'D COME COME BACK TO YOU GUYS EVERY SIX WEEKS TO DO SO. AND IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, THE REMAINING VIOLATIONS ARE NOW IN DUE PROCESS AND PROGRESS IS GOING TO BE MOVING A LITTLE BIT SLOWER. SO IS IT THE WILL OF COUNCIL TO CONTINUE EVERY SIX WEEKS, OR WOULD YOU PREFER A LITTLE MORE TIME FOR SUBSTANTIAL UPDATES TO OCCUR? I THINK WE'LL GET INPUT. MY THOUGHT IS I THINK YOU COULD PROBABLY GO TO QUARTERLY SINCE IT'S EXPECTED TO BE SLOWED DOWN, BUT IF YOU SEE SOMETHING OF SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, WE CAN ADD THAT IN. COUNCILMAN TURNER, I THINK SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL TO BE UPDATED ON, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF OUR NEW COLLEAGUES, JUST THE TIMELINE OF HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS. AND OF COURSE, WE'RE SAYING SOME OF THEM ARE PENDING IN COURT, BUT CAN SOMEBODY KIND OF SPEAK TO THE PROCESS HOW LONG SOME OF THIS NORMALLY TAKES. AND YOU KNOW, WHY CAN BE CONSIDERED SO LONG. START. SO OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE FILE IN CIVIL COURT IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU ARE THE WILL OF THE JUDGE AND TRYING TO GET SOME OF THOSE THINGS RESOLVED. BUT IN MUNICIPAL COURT, THE PROCESS IS ALWAYS TO ABATE THE ISSUE AND NOT NECESSARILY THE ISSUE, THE FINE, BECAUSE ISSUING THE FINE DOESN'T NECESSARILY CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SO IN BOTH CASES, BOTH IN CRIMINAL AND CIVIL COURT, THEY WANT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND GIVE THE PROPERTY OWNER A CHANCE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AT THAT POINT, IT'S REALLY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY'S HANDS BECAUSE YOU'RE AT THE MERCY OF THE COURT. WHATEVER TIMELINE THEY FEEL IS NECESSARY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL. GETTING TO THAT POINT, I WOULD SAY THAT WE TRY NOT TO GO STRAIGHT TO FILING CASES JUST BECAUSE IT KIND OF DETERIORATES THE RELATIONSHIP, BECAUSE EVEN IF THEY FIX THAT ONE ITEM, WE STILL HAVE A LONG LIST OF ITEMS TO GO. AND ONCE YOU START FIGHTING ON SMALL ITEMS, YOU'LL HAVE TO FIGHT THEM THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH. SO IT'S AT LEAST BEEN THE, THE DIRECTION FROM CODE ENFORCEMENT OR IN BUILDING OFFICIALS IS TO TRY TO FIND THE MIDDLE GROUND, TO TRY 
          [02:15:03]
TO WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, TO TRY TO GET IT DONE WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF COURT. BUT THE PROCESS WITH THE COURT IS YOU HAVE TO FOR MUNICIPAL COURT, YOU HAVE TO SERVE THEM AND GIVE THEM THE SUMMONS. THEIR COURT DATE IS LITERALLY ANYWHERE FROM, IN MOST CASES, 30 TO 90 DAYS, JUST DEPENDING. THE DOCKET FOR THAT IS GENERALLY ON A THURSDAY. SO JUST DEPENDS ON WHERE IT FALLS AND HOW IT HITS. THEY'RE ENTITLED TO RESET IF THAT DATE IS NOT AVAILABLE, THAT THAT CAN DRAW OUT THE PROCESS AS WELL. IN A CIVIL CASE, YOU HAVE TO FILE THE CASE, SERVE THEM. THEY GET SO MANY DAYS TO ANSWER. SO JUST THE COURT PROCESS IN AND OF ITSELF IS JUST AN EXTENUATED PROCESS. SOME OF THE ONES THAT'S PENDING IN COURT, HAVE WE YET TO EXERCISE? MAYBE THE TRIAL ACTUALLY HAPPENING OR WE HAVEN'T GOT THERE YET. WE'VE HAD A WE'VE HAD A COUPLE THAT HAVE PROGRESSED TO THAT. BUT DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON THAT. NOT NOT VERY MANY PROPERTIES HAVE GONE TO THE TRIAL PART YET. BUT AGAIN, A LOT OF THIS IS WITH THE JUDGE MUNICIPAL COURT AT THIS POINT. BUT WE ARE YOU KNOW, DESPITE IT BEING IN COURT, WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO ACHIEVE COMPLIANCE WITH REALLY ANY YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NUMBER OF VIOLATIONS, BUT REALLY ANY OF THE VIOLATIONS TO LESSEN THE, THE TO INCREASE THE SAFETY TO THE PUBLIC, NOT TRYING TO BE TOO AGGRESSIVE, BUT WE KEEP WE SEND THE JUDGE AT MUNICIPAL COURT. OKAY. SO I'M ASKING LIKE. IS IT SOMETHING WE NEED TO BRING THE JUDGE IN TO SPEAK ABOUT OR MAKING PROGRESS? NO, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT THE JUDGE SAYING FAILING TO GO OR WHATEVER. IF YOU SET IT ON THE DOCKET AND THEY PROGRESS TO THE TRIAL PROCESS, IT'S NOT IT'S NOT BECAUSE HE SAYS, NO, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE A TRIAL. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SAYING, IS THAT IT GOES, JUST LET ME JUST WALK YOU THROUGH IT. YOU GET A SUMMONS IN THE MAIL AND YOU APPEAR FOR COURT. YOUR COURT, IF YOU GOT IT TODAY, YOUR COURT MAY NOT BE UNTIL SEPTEMBER. BUT IN BETWEEN THAT TIME, STAFF AS WELL AS THE PROSECUTORS TRYING TO WORK WITH YOU TO GET IT RESOLVED SO THAT IT DOESN'T GO TO TRIAL, BECAUSE, AGAIN, IN MUNICIPAL COURT, THE ONLY THING YOU'RE GOING TO GET IS A FINE. IF THE BUILDING'S DROPPING GLASS ON THE ON THE SIDEWALK, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE DROPPING GLASS ON THE SIDEWALK AFTER YOU PAY THE FINE. THAT DOESN'T BENEFIT THE CITIZENS. IT DOESN'T BENEFIT THE CITY. SO DURING THAT TIME, IF YOU RESOLVE THE ISSUE BEFORE YOUR SET TRIAL DATE, IT PUSHES IT BACK. AND THAT'S IF YOU WANT A JURY TRIAL. 
          IF YOU I'M SORRY. IF YOU WANT A BENCH TRIAL, IF YOU WANT A JURY TRIAL, IT COULD GO ON. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ADD ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO THAT JUST BECAUSE THAT'S THE CASE BACKLOG. SO IN IN THAT CAS, AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE STILL TRYING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF A FINE BEING IMPOSED BECAUSE IT'S INTENDED FOR THEM TO FIX THE PROPERTY, NOT NECESSARILY TO PAY THE FINE. 
          AND THEN MY LAST COMMENT IS JUST FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY. YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THE COUNCIL IS, CAN WE APPRECIATE THE BUILDING OWNERS WHO ACTUALLY DONE WHAT THEY HAD TO DO TO GET IN COMPLIANCE AS OF NOW? BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONCERNS IS WHEN I SPEAK WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND YOU HAVE THE ONES THAT HAVE GOTTEN COMPLIANT AND YOU STILL HAVE THE ONES THAT ARE KIND OF PENDING IN COURT, AND IT'S KIND OF WE'RE KIND OF WAITING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY. LIKE WHAT WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY OR WHAT CAN STAFF KIND OF RELAY THAT? WE'RE NOT TARGETING ONE GROUP AND LETTING ANOTHER GROUP LOOK AWAY, BECAUSE THAT CAN BE THE PERCEPTION SOMETIMES. I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S BEEN THE EFFORT AT ALL. ALL PROPERTY OWNERS WERE WERE INVITED TO SPEAK. I THINK THEY SENT THE NOTICES OUT. AND BUT YOU CAN JUMP IN. BUT WE SENT THE NOTICE OUT TO EVERYBODY WHO HAD A WHO HAD EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BUILDING INFRACTION. SO FROM THE ONES THAT WERE JUST MINOR, THAT JUST REQUIRED LIKE A SMALL, A SMALL FIX TO THE ONES THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, HAD MORE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, ALL PROPERTY OWNERS. AND UNFORTUNATELY, YOU DO HAVE A COLLECTIVE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO OWN QUITE A BIT OF PROPERTY IN AN ISOLATED AREA. SO IT MAY SEEM THAT WAY, BUT ANYONE WHO OWNED PROPERTY IN THE IN THE ENFORCEMENT DISTRICT WAS NOTIFIED IF THEY HAD A VIOLATION. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, HOW MANY OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'VE DEEMED UNSAFE ARE VACANT? I CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER. I'M NOT SURE I HAVE THAT OFFHAND. ANY IDEA? BALLPARK. WELL, OF THE WAS IT 18 THAT ARE STILL UNSAFE? I'D VENTURE TO GUESS HALF OF THOSE. OKAY. I MEAN, DO YOU THINK THAT'S A LARGE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR INTO I MEAN, JUST HAVE THEY SAT VACANT FOR A WHILE, DETERIORATED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME? WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ISSUES THERE, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, YES. A VACANT AGAIN, THAT'S WHY OUR GOAL IS OCCUPANCY BECAUSE WE WANT EYES ON THE STREET. WE WANT FOLKS IN THESE BUILDINGS BECAUSE THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SAFE FOR THE, FOR THE LONG HAUL. SO COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, BOW IS SOMEONE WHO WAS OFTEN A CRITIC 
          [02:20:02]
OF THE SITUATION DOWNTOWN AND THE PROBLEMS WE'VE GOT DOWNTOWN. I MUST SAY, Y'ALL HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LOOK OF DOWNTOWN. DOWNTOWN, TO ME, LOOKS BETTER IN THE LAST YEAR THAN IT'S LOOKED AS FAR BACK AS I CAN REMEMBER, AT LEAST UNTIL PROBABLY 2015. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT. I REALLY DO COMMEND YOU ALL ON YOUR EFFORTS, AND I BELIEVE THAT THE INCREASED ENFORCEMENT IS WORKING. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. 
          WHEN I WALK OUT OF RIVERSIDE GRILL AND I LOOK TO MY LEFT, THERE'S THAT BIG BUILDING. THAT HALF OF IT IS LIKE THE HAUNTED HOTEL. AND THEN THE OTHER HALF IS MUST BE A DIFFERENT OWNER. 
          CLEARLY, WE MUST HAVE SENT A LETTER TO WHOEVER OWNS THE BUILDING THAT HAD THE HAUNTED HOTEL BECAUSE THEY REPAINTED IT, THEY REDID THE WINDOWS. IT MADE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT IN THE ESTHETICS OF THAT BUILDING. BUT THEN THE OTHER HALF OF THE BUILDING CONTINUES TO LOOK LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY. SO WHERE IN THIS, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PROBABLY HAPPENED MAYBE A YEAR AGO. SO WHERE ARE WE AT WITH HOW ONE BUILDING OWNER GOES OUT AND DOES WHAT WE ASK THEM TO DO, AND ONE JUST DOESN'T? AND IS THERE ANY EFFORT? AND MAYBE THIS IS MORE OF A QUESTION FOR CITY LEGAL. IS THERE ANY EFFORT TO TRY TO FIND A BUILDING AND MAKE A, A, AN EXAMPLE OUT OF SOMEONE WHO IS NOT DOING WHAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO, WHO'S IN VIOLATION OF THE LAW AND WHERE? THERE'S SUCH A STARK DIFFERENCE. I THINK THAT WE ALMOST HAVE TO DO THAT TO GIVE INCENTIVE TO OTHER BUILDING OWNERS THAT ARE OUT OF COMPLIANCE, TO SHOW THEM THAT IF YOU YOU DON'T DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, THERE'S CONSEQUENCES. I'LL START. I'M SURE I PICK UP WHERE EVER YOU SEE FIT, THE BUILDING YOU'RE REFERRING TO FOR ONE ORLEANS. AGAIN, THAT'S ONE OF THE SHINING EXAMPLES OF SOMEONE WHO HAS ENTERED INTO TEMPORARY COMPLIANCE AND DONE A VERY GREAT JOB OF TEMPORARILY BOARDING AND SECURING THAT BUILDING. THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB. THAT IS A DIFFERENT OWNER THAN THE NEIGHBOR, THE NEIGHBORING BUILDING. AND SO ONE OF THE NEIGHBORING BUILDING OWNED BY SOMEONE THAT YOU CAN SAY. IT'S A DIFFERENT OWNER THAN FOR ONE, ORLEANS, RIGHT? IS IT THE SAME OWNER AS THE GILBERT BUILDING? IT IS SHOCKING. SO EACH ONE OF THOSE I THINK THE WORD THAT I WOULD FOCUS ON AND HAS BEEN THE THEME THROUGHOUT THIS, WHETHER WHEN WE ORIGINALLY STARTED OR WHEN WE HAD OUR ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION, IS PROACTIVE. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO INVITE THESE OWNERS TO THE TABLE AND CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS FOR CREATIVE SOLUTIONS SO THAT WE CAN THINK THROUGH WITHIN OUR EXISTING BUILDING CODE WITH A TON OF FLEXIBILITY, FLEXIBILITY CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF A OLD HISTORIC BUILDING, WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, EVEN IF IT'S TEMPORARY. MEASURE. HOW CAN WE ENTER INTO COMPLIANCE? AND WE ARE EXHAUSTING EVERY EFFORT THERE. AND THAT'S THAT'S ALL WE CAN DO FROM A BUILDING CODE DEPARTMENT. IS THERE ANOTHER? IS THERE A NEXT LEVEL WE CAN DO THAT YOU WOULD NEED? YOU NEED THE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL TO DO. CAN WE ESCALATE THIS TO. SO AGAIN, IF THE BUILDING ITSELF IS DEEMED A UNSAFE OR IMMINENT DANGER, THERE IS SOME, SOME, SOME MECHANISMS THAT COUNCIL CAN DO TO ESCALATE IT OBVIOUSLY, WHICH I SAW WITH THE GILBERT BUILDING BEING STRUCTURALLY SOUND THERE. IT DOES TAKE SOME SOME CAPITAL, SOME FUNDING, SOME TIME, SOME INVESTMENT IN ORDER FOR YOU TO BECAUSE IT IS AT SOME POINT A TAKING FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER TO GET IT TO THAT POINT. IN OTHER EXAMPLES THE CITY HAS WHEN THE BUILDING DOES CREATE, IN SOME CASES, WE'VE TAKEN THE INITIATIVE TO JUST DO IT OURSELVES AGAIN, BUT THAT DOES TAKE MONEY. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN SEEK REPAYMENT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNER AGAIN, JUST TIME AND EFFORT. SO THERE IS SOME SOME AVENUES OF THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL CAN DO TO IMMEDIATELY EFFECT SOME CHANGE. AND THEN ON THE BACK END, OF COURSE, TO GET THAT THOSE MONIES AND THOSE, THOSE EFFORTS THAT WE PUT IN BACK, THE COUNCIL WOULD, YOU KNOW, NEED TO SEEK SOME LEGAL ACTION TO DO THAT, BUT ANYTHING COULD BE DONE IN THE NAME OF PUBLIC SAFETY. WITHIN REASON. 
          THANK YOU, MR. HANSON. THANK YOU GUYS. CAN WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT WORK SESSION? YES. COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE RULES OF CONDUCT FOR CITY OFFICIALS, ETHICS POLICY. AND CITY ATTORNEY 
          [02:25:06]
IS GOING TO GO OVER THAT. WE WERE WORKING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SOME TIME. AND IN A FEW MEETINGS BACK, A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS ASKED FOR DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING, ASK FOR THIS ITEM TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT INTRODUCTION. MR. WILLIAMS, IN KEEPING WITH OUR GREEN THEME, GOING TO GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THE ETHICS POLICY DRAFT. AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, THE COUNCIL IS SELF-GOVERNING THE CHARTER AND SOME OTHER STATE STATUTES KIND OF OUTLINE THAT FOR COUNCIL. BUT IN THE COUNCIL IS ITS OWN AUTHORITY. IN SOME CITIES THEY DO HAVE AN ETHICS COMMISSION, WHICH IS APPOINTED TO KIND OF OVERSEE THAT. MOST OF THOSE ARE THE LARGER CITIES AND METROPOLITAN CITIES. I THINK THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESN'T HAVE THAT IS FORT WORTH. I THINK THAT WAS DISBANDED IN 2022. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'VE SINCE REVIVED IT, BUT MOST IN MOST CASES, MOST OF THOSE COMMISSIONS AND MOST OF THE PURPOSE OF AN ETHICS POLICY WOULD BE TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HAVE MORE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THERE TO BE SOME CLEAR EXPECTATION FOR COUNCIL, AGAIN, AS A SELF-GOVERNING BODY, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT YOU CAN AND CANNOT DO, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. THE POLICY THAT WE'VE DRAFTED IS APPLICABLE TO THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, MEMBERS OF THE. 
          YOU CAN GO TO NEXT SLIDE. MEMBERS OF ANY BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS, ADVISORY COMMITTEES THAT YOU GUYS APPOINT SO THAT YOUR PLANNING, YOUR BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, ANY OF THOSE BOARDS APPOINTED CITY OFFICIALS AND OFFICERS, AND OF COURSE ALL CITY EMPLOYEES. SO IT REALLY IS ENCOMPASSING OF THE ENTIRE BODY. IN CREATING THE POLICY WE DID REFERENCE SOME THE APPLICABLE STATUTES, SUCH AS THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT, THE GOVERNMENT CODE THAT REGULATES CONFLICTS OF INTEREST AND MUNICIPAL CONFLICTS AND COUNTIES, AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR CITY CHARTER. WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE CURRENT COUNCIL DECORUM POLICY THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL AS CONSIDERATION. THE NEXT COUPLE SLIDES ARE JUST GOING TO BE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE POLICY. YOU GUYS CAN ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU LIKE, BUT MOST OF THIS IS STUFF THAT WE KIND OF ALREADY WENT OVER IN, IN YOUR ONE ON ONES AND COUNCIL TRAININGS, BUT CONFLICT OF INTEREST WOULD BE DISCLOSING INFORMATION, BOTH FINANCIAL OR PERSONAL INTEREST BEFORE VOTING. 
          OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A CURRENT PRACTICE THAT IF YOU HAVE A FINANCIAL INTEREST IN IN A ORGANIZATION OR COMPANY THAT WE'RE VOTING ON YOUR EX OR RECUSE YOURSELF, TURN YOUR MIC OFF AND PUSH BACK. THERE'S A FORM THAT YOU FILL OUT WITH TINA AS WELL. THERE'S ALSO SOME SUSTAINING FROM DISCUSSION. SOMETHING THAT'S NEW IS THAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE YOU HAVE A CONFLICT, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING AGAIN. THAT PARTICULAR PROVISION WAS TAKEN FROM SOME ETHICS COMMISSION, SOME OTHER ETHICS POLICIES AND SOME OTHER CITIES THAT WE LOOKED AT CURRENTLY. THAT'S NOT A PRACTICE OF COUNCIL. YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO LEAVE, BUT YOU'RE NOT ASKED TO LEAVE. AND THERE'S NO MANDATE FOR YOU TO LEAVE A MEETING WHERE THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY IS ANOTHER ONE THAT'S KIND OF ALREADY REGULATED BY STATUTE. SO WE KIND OF JUST MODELED THAT PROVISION DIRECTLY FROM WHAT'S ALREADY BEING DONE. AND THEN AGAIN, SOME OTHER ETHICS PROVISIONS. BUT OFFICIALS CAN'T DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY IN TERMS OF CONTRACTS. SO IF YOU OWNED A BUSINESS AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD GO OUT FOR BID, YOU WOULD BE PROHIBITED FROM BIDDING ON THAT, FROM DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY. THERE ARE SOME LIMITED EXCEPTIONS. WITH THAT. IF YOU HAD A VERY LOW PERCENTAGE OF YOU ARE JUST AN INVESTOR IN THE BUSINESS OR VERY LOW PERCENTAGE IN THE BUSINESS, THAT WOULDN'T PROHIBIT YOU FROM DOING THAT. THE EXEMPTION LESS THAN 5% PUBLIC STOCK, FOR EXAMPLE. SO IF YOU WERE A PART OF A PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY AND THAT COMPANY WANTED TO BID ON OUR DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY, YOU WOULD NOT BE PROHIBITED FROM THAT COMPANY, WOULD NOT BE PROHIBITED FROM GAINING THE CONTRACT WITH THE CITY. THE POLICY ALSO DEALS WITH GIFT DISCLOSURE. AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING STRAIGHT FROM THE FROM THE STATUTE, BUT REPORTING GIFTS OF $50 OR GREATER THAN $50, SUCH AS LODGING, SINGLE GIFTS, OR AGGREGATE GIFT GIVERS, YOU'D HAVE TO FILE THE DISCLOSURE WITHIN 30 DAYS. RECUSE FROM ANY RELATED VOTING. THE EXCEPTION, OF COURSE, WOULD BE FAMILY GIFTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THE NEXT THING IS POLITICAL ACTIVITY AND RESTRICTIONS. SO REPRESENTING YOU COULDN'T REPRESENT ANY PARTIES BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL BOARDS. EXCEPTION WOULD BE IF YOU APPEARED TO REPRESENT YOUR OWN INTEREST OR FAMILY MEMBERS INTEREST. SO IF THERE WAS A NECESSITY FOR YOU TO ATTEND THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD IN YOUR OWN CAPACITY BECAUSE YOU WERE LOOKING TO GET A VARIANCE FOR YOUR PROPERTY, OF COURSE YOU 
          [02:30:01]
COULD DO THAT, BUT NOT REPRESENT YOUR NEIGHBOR. OBVIOUSLY, YOU'D BE PROHIBITED FROM TAKING ANY LEGAL ACTIONS AGAINST THE CITY OR CITY OFFICIALS THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING THE CITY. YOU COULDN'T SUE THE CITY. AGAIN, THERE'S SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THAT RULE AS WELL. EMPLOYEES WHO ARE FILING DISCRIMINATION CLAIMS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. THE POLICY WOULD NOT VOID ANY STATE OR OR LEGAL RIGHTS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE, BUT ESSENTIALLY SUING BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T GET YOUR WAY WOULD BE PROHIBITED. YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE TO AVOID ACTIONS CONTRARY TO CITY INTERESTS. AND THOSE THOSE CAN VARY. IT'S VERY VAGUE, BUT ESSENTIALLY SPEAKING OUT, SPEAKING OUT NEGATIVELY OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL PROJECTS, TALKING ABOUT THINGS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, SOME OTHER ETHICAL CONDUCT WOULD INCLUDE MISUSE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OR USING MISUSING YOUR POSITION. FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU GOT PULLED OVER BY A POLICE OFFICER, YOU SAID, CAN'T WRITE ME A TICKET BECAUSE I'M THE CITY ATTORNEY, THAT WOULD BE A MISUSE OF YOUR POSITION USING I'M SORRY, CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE USING OUR GRANTING SPECIAL PRIVILEGES TO INDIVIDUALS, ESSENTIALLY ASKING A CITY EMPLOYEE TO WAIVE FEES FOR YOUR FRIEND, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. SO AND OF COURSE, ANY ACTIVITY THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED DISHONEST OR CRIMINAL, ACCEPTING FAVORS FOR VOTES, THAT TYPE OF THING. THE NEXT ONE IS VIOLATIONS AND ENFORCEMENT. AGAIN, COUNCIL IS SELF-GOVERNING. SO ALL OF THIS KIND OF FALLS ON YOU TO KIND OF DO THAT. BUT THERE IS A PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN THE POLICY THAT KIND OF ALLOWS FOR HOW COMPLAINTS ARE HEARD. THE MAYOR GENERALLY PRESIDE OVER THOSE COMPLAINTS UNLESS HE IS THE SUBJECT OF THOSE COMPLAINTS, IN WHICH CASE ANOTHER MEMBER, POTENTIALLY THE MAYOR PRO TEM, MELISSA MAYOR PRO TEM, IS ALSO THE SUBJECT OF THE COMPLAINT. AND THEY WOULD JUST GO DOWN THE HIERARCHY OF THE COUNCIL UNTIL WE GOT NOBODY WHO WAS OFFENDED. THAT COULD PRESIDE. THE BIG THING IS THAT YOU CAN'T REMOVE A FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER. SO NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME IS, YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T KICK ANYBODY OFF COUNCIL. SORRY, COREY, YOU GOT TO STAY. YOU GOT TO STAY. COREY. SO OUTSIDE OF THAT, YOU COULD OBVIOUSLY PROVIDE A PUBLIC CENSURE. COUNCIL DID THAT IN THE PAST A PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. 
          WITH PREVIOUS COUNCIL YOU CAN PROVIDE A PUBLIC CENSURE. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LIKE CONVERSATION LIKE WHAT EXACTLY IS A PUBLIC CENSURE. IT IS A PUBLIC SHAMING. AND SO MY FAVORITE SCENE FROM GAME OF THRONES IS A WALK OF SHAME, WHERE THEY JUST GO, SHAME, SHAME. THAT'S IT. IT'S JUST IT'S JUST A PUBLIC SHAMING. THERE'S REALLY THERE'S REALLY NOTHING WE DON'T EVEN I DON'T THINK WE KEEP A FILE TO PUT A LETTER IN THE FILE. IT'S JUST IT'S JUST A CENSURE. SO YOU CAN'T YOU CAN'T EXCLUDE THEM FROM MEETINGS. YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEM SIT OUT OF A COUNCIL MEMBER. THE OBVIOUSLY COUNCIL IS ELECTED TO SERVE. SO YOU CAN'T LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO SERVE IN ANY CAPACITY. BUT THE COMPLAINTS ARE OBVIOUSLY THE HEARING FOR THE COMPLAINTS WOULD BE PUBLIC IN ORDER FOR THOSE PARTICIPATION SO FORTH. AND THEN NEXT SLIDE THAT BASICALLY THE CONCLUSION I GET, I DO HAVE A DRAFT OF THE POLICY FOR YOU GUYS TO TAKE IN. HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT? WE CAN DISCUSS A LATER TIME. THANK YOU. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, DID ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. AND I'M 
          [COUNCIL COMMENTS]
GOING TO START WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. OH, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. JUST A FEW THINGS I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OFFICER. OR IS IT NOW SERGEANT HALEY MORROW, ALL OF THE OFFICERS WITH THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, CONSTABLE JAVON POLLARD, OUR BEAUMONT FIREFIGHTERS AND ALL FIRST RESPONDERS WHO HELPED ESCORT ALEC HILL AND AIDEN HARTFIELD HOME THIS WEEK, AND TO ALL OF BEAUMONT THAT CAME OUT AND SUPPORTED THAT. MY OTHER TWO COMMENTS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET AN EMAIL BEFORE COUNCIL MEETINGS TRACKING TABLED ITEMS IN THE FUTURE. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETIMES ITEMS GET TABLED AND THEN THEY JUST SORT OF. UNLESS THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER TRIES TO KEEP TRACK OF IT, WE DON'T REALLY GET A LOT OF INFORMATION. IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE WOULD GET AN EMAIL FROM STAFF TRACKING TABLED ITEMS SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THEIR STATUS IS AND WHEN WE MIGHT SEE THEM AGAIN. ALSO, IF POSSIBLE. TINA, YOU DO SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB. COULD WE GET A PROPOSED AGENDA? MAYBE LIKE THE DAY BEFORE THE AGENDA DEADLINE? SO IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA, SUCH 
          [02:35:05]
AS THE GAMING ORDINANCE, BAN HAS BEEN CHANGED AND IS NOT WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE. I THEN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO FIND A SECOND COUNCIL MEMBER TO PROPOSE ADDING SOMETHING TO THE AGENDA THAT I DIDN'T KNOW, BECAUSE BY THE TIME WE GET THE AGENDA, YOU NOTHING CAN BE ADDED TO IT. AND SO I THINK IT MIGHT BE NICE IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET A PROPOSED AGENDA THE DAY BEFORE THE DEADLINE. WOULD IT BE FEASIBLE TO GET THAT AFTER THE LIKE, RIGHT AFTER THE CUT OFF DATE? WELL, THE ONLY THING ABOUT THAT IS SOMETIMES YOU PULL ITEM. IS IT BETTER TO JUST INSTEAD OF LIKE THE TRACKING EMAIL AND THE PROPOSE IF YOU. I THINK THIS ONE WAS A UNIQUE SITUATION, BUT WHEN TYPICALLY WHEN WE TABLE ITEM IT'S TABLED FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL OR IT SAYS BRING BACK ON THIS MEETING. SO IF WE COULD IF COUNCIL WOULD JUST BECOME IN THE PRACTICE THAT SAID I WANT THIS BACK ON THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, OR YOU KNOW, IF STAFF SAYS WE NEED TWO WEEKS, OKAY, THE NEXT COUNCIL POST THE TWO WEEKS, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE I GUESS, THE CHANGE, NOT TRYING TO PUT WORDS IN HIS MOUTH, BUT I THINK HER THOUGHT PROCESS WAS TO MAKE A COMPROMISE, WHICH IS WHY I HAD COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS MAKE HIS MOTION SPECIFICALLY TO BRING IT BACK THE WAY HE WANTED IT BROUGHT BACK. BUT WE TYPICALLY HAVE A CUT OFF DATE FOR THEM. 
          BUT THEN THERE'S STILL LIKE CHANGES IN THINGS MADE. AND THEN BY THE TIME WE FINALIZE IT, IT'S LIKE, YEAH, AND I UNDERSTAND THINGS GET ADDED ON AT THE LAST MINUTE AND I GET THAT, BUT I CAN ALWAYS PROVIDE REVISIONS. YEAH, IT'LL BE IT'LL BE THE PROPOSED ONE IF FEASIBLE. IT WOULD BE GREAT. I THINK, IF WE COULD GET THE PROPOSED AGENDA THE DAY BEFORE THE, THE DEADLINE SO THAT THINGS COULD BE ADDED JUST, JUST TO IT'D BE GREAT IF THAT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE JOB THAT YOU DO. AND THOSE ARE ALL MY COUNCIL, MY COMMENTS. MR. MAYOR, CAN I MAKE A COMMENT ON THE ON TABLE ITEMS? IDEALLY, IT WORKS BEST WHEN YOU TABLE ITEM, YOU TABLE YOU DESIGNATE WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK. AT THAT TIME, WHEN YOU MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE AND SAY, BRING IT BACK IN TWO WEEKS OR WHATEVER, IF THERE IS SOME OUTLIER THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO TIME TO RESEARCH INFORMATION, IT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER THAN THAT, I'LL TELL YOU, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS BRING EVERYTHING BACK THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ITEM IS READY. SO AND WE CAN AND I CAN ALWAYS SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU. SO TABLING IF MAKE A MOTION AND YOU WANT TO TABLE, IT HELPS TO GET A TIME TO BRING IT BACK AT THAT TIME. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE FLOOD VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES. AS WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME. AND THEN I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE PIONEERING WOMEN AND THEIR RAZZLE DAZZLE. CANDIDATES OR RECIPIENTS. NOMINEES CONGRATULATE MY CLASSMATE ON HIS NEW POSITION WITH ANY HOUSE. PASTOR TUBBS, I THINK WE ARE LOOKING INTO THE ISSUES AT PINE STREET. I THINK THEY'VE REACHED OUT TO THAT CONTRACTOR TO KIND OF RESOLVE SOME ISSUES THAT HAVE ARISEN FROM PINE STREET. I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN IN CONTACT ABOUT THE PINE STREET PROJECT. KUDOS AND SHOUT OUT TO THE CVB ON THEIR GOOD WORK FOR THE CLASS REUNION. 
          CONGRATULATIONS TO DOWNTOWN BUILDING CODE ENFORCEMENT AND THE INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY IN BEAUTIFYING DOWNTOWN. I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT. LET'S GO! WARD THREE. THANK YOU TO ZIP TRANSIT FOR HELPING OUT WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND MOVING THEM AROUND THIS SUMMER. WE APPRECIATE YOU AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND LOOK OUT. WARD THREE. THERE ARE A LOT OF PROJECTS COMING DOWN THE PIPE FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE AND PIPE BURSTING AND ROADWAYS AND ALL OF THE THINGS. SO I AM EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN WARD THREE, AND I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU THAT WHEN WE TAKE ON THESE PROJECTS TO BE PATIENT AS WE'RE WORKING, BECAUSE WHEN WORK IS BEING DONE, OFTENTIMES THERE WILL BE SOME SORT OF DISRUPTION. BUT WE'RE WORKING AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN WARD THREE. THANK YOU ALL CITY STAFF AND EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING SO DILIGENTLY TO GET WARD THREE IN TIP TOP SHAPE. I APPRECIATE YOU ALL. THANKS. THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, YEAH, I APPRECIATE CITY ATTORNEY WALKING ME THROUGH THE ACCESSORY GAMING STEPS TODAY. AND, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, WHEN I VOTED TO TABLE IT, IT WAS BECAUSE I WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND. AND, YOU KNOW, I 
          [02:40:05]
FELT APPARENT THAT THAT COUNCIL IS LEANING A CERTAIN DIRECTION ON IT. AND SO RATHER THAN WAIT TWO WEEKS, I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT WEEK TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD WITH THE VOTING ON THIS ASAP. SECOND, YOU WANT A SECOND? WE DON'T NEED WE. I JUST GOT QUIET, SO I WAS JUST LIKE, HEY, I AGREE IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT WHETHER THAT'S CAN THE WORK GET DONE SO THAT BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO POST IT AND GET THREE DAYS. JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND. 
          WE HAVE BEEN SENDING LETTERS TO THE GAMEROOM OWNERS. SOMETIMES THE POSTS, YOU KNOW, THINK ABOUT THE POST OFFICE. SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET YOUR LETTER AS QUICKLY AS YOU'D LIKE. SO I JUST CAUTION WITH THE TIMING ON IT. BUT IF YOU WANT TO DO A SPECIAL MEETING AND THAT'S THE CONSENSUS, I CAN TRY TO GET LETTERS OUT TOMORROW. JUST TRY TO BE MINDFUL OF TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THEIR LETTER. OKAY. SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S DOABLE, YOU WOULD NEED TO SAY SPECIAL MEETING DATE. GIVE SOME SOME FURTHER GIVE SOME FURTHER DIRECTION. SO YOU WANT A SPECIAL MEETING DATE. SECOND A WEEK FROM TODAY A WEEK FROM TODAY. SO YOU ALSO MEET YOU'RE ALREADY TOGETHER ON THE 21ST, BUT YOU WANTED JULY 22ND. WELL WE CAN DO IT. I MEAN I'M I'M NOT TRYING TO I'M NOT TRYING TO PUSH IT. BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A BOND MEETING. SO THERE'S THAT, THAT THE 22ND AS WELL. SO. THAT AFTERNOON. SO YOU'D HAVE TO GIVE DIRECTION THAT YOU WANTED IT THIS WAY. AND THEN YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST FOUR OTHER COUNCIL PEOPLE SUPPORT THAT. FOR THE CHART. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON JULY 21ST, A MOTION JUST GET SOMEONE TO SAY YES, YES, YES, THE 21ST. IT'D BE THE 22ND. THE 20. THE 21ST IS A PLANNING COMMISSION. SO THAT'S WHEN Y'ALL ALREADY ALL ALREADY TOGETHER. 
          AND THAT'S ON A MONDAY. I MEAN, I'M NOT A GOOD. OKAY, THEN THE 20S FINE. THIRD. I WON'T BE AVAILABLE AT ALL NEXT WEEK. ONE OF THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, THE 29TH EVENING MEETING. I JUST NOT READY TO CONFIRM I CAN BE HERE ON THE 22ND. I'M OKAY WITH I WOULD HAVE I WOULD HAVE TO ADJUST SOMETHING IN MY SCHEDULE, AND I CAN'T DETERMINE THAT AT THIS POINT UP HERE. SO I DON'T WANT TO BE THE FOURTH AND NOT BE ABLE TO BE AT THE MEETING, SINCE IF WE AVAILABLE, CAN WE EMAIL. 
          SO THE CHARTER STATES THAT THE CITY MANAGER OR THE CITY, THE MAYOR CAN DIRECT THE CLERK TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING. ABSENT THAT, A COUNCIL MEMBER WITH THREE OTHER VOTING. SO FOUR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL CAN ALSO DO IT. THE ONLY TIME THREE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL ARE TOGETHER AND NOT VIOLATING THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS IN A PUBLIC MEETING. SO IT WOULD NEED TO BE TODAY. SO SOMEONE MAKES THE FIRST AND THE SECOND AND THE QUORUM CAN'T HAPPEN. WELL, NOT THE FIRST AND THE SECOND, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE COUNCIL MEMBERS GIVE DIRECTION IN THE QUORUM CAN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF US WORK OUTSIDE OF THIS, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN BE AVAILABLE. IT'S KIND OF TOUGH TO BE ON THE SPOT, SAY YES OR NO, SO AT LEAST GIVE US TIME TO BE ABLE TO CONFIRM IF WE CAN BE AVAILABLE. SO IT'S NOT ME. I DIDN'T MAKE THE RULE. I KNOW I'M ASKING YOU. IS THAT IS THAT OKAY? I DIDN'T MAKE THE RULE. THAT'S I SAID AGAIN, AND I WILL SAY I WILL BE THE FOURTH IF I SEE THAT I CAN GET MY, YOU KNOW, CALENDAR ADJUSTED FOR NEXT TUESDAY. WHAT TIME. SO IT WOULD BE A SPECIAL MEETING WOULD BE WHATEVER TIME WORKS FOR COUNCIL. 
          NOW THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN POLL COUNCIL ABOUT IS THE TIME I WOULD THINK, FOR THE MEETING WE HAVE, I WON'T BE AVAILABLE AT ALL THAT AFTERNOON. SO MAYBE DO A MORNING AFTERNOON. I'M OPEN. 
          WELL YOU GOT FOUR THAT SAID THEY WOULD BE IT WOULD JUST SO NOW THAT SO THAT SO NOW THAT YOU HAVE FOUR THEN. WELL ASSUMING I JUST SAID POLL. YEAH. NO. SO THE RULE IS IF THERE'S FOUR THEN THERE'S A SPECIAL MEETING FOR JULY THE 22ND. WELL OR I CAN CALL IT AND I WILL CHECK MY SCHEDULE AND LOOK AT FOR THE MIRROR AGAIN COULD CALL IT RIGHT. OKAY. SO WE'LL SEE ABOUT PROCEEDING ON THE 22ND. JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE. THANK YOU AND I. I'M GOING TO TRY TO FIGURE THAT OUT THIS EVENING SO I CAN GIVE STAFF DIRECTION. PERFECT. THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. 
          [02:45:05]
NO. THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S IT. I'M DONE. COUNCILMAN TURNER. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. NO, JUST JUST LIKE I SAID, I KNOW IT'S NEW TO A LOT OF US. I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST WENT TABLE SOMETHING. AND THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS TRY TO SAY. CAN WE BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE WITH DIRECTION? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T GIVE STAFF DIRECT DIRECTION, THEY KIND OF IN LIMBO WHAT WE WANT. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE ARE GETTING CLARITY BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST STARTED, I DIDN'T HAVE A I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND AS WELL. SO NOW I KNOW, LIKE IF I ASK FOR A TABLE, I'M GOING TWO WEEKS. THIS IS WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. BAM! BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THAT. 
          I'M OPEN TO IT. I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM IF I CAN BE OFF NEXT TUESDAY. AND I KNOW THAT BY THIS EVENING. TO US, THIS IS A ROUGH WEEK FOR BEAUMONT. I SEEN A LOT OF TRAGEDIES HAPPEN IN THE NATION, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KIND OF HIT HOME IS TO ACTUALLY HAVE PEOPLE THAT RESIDE IN YOUR HOMETOWN BE AFFECTED BY IT. AND I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR EFFORTS IN COORDINATION AND MAKING SURE THE COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER AND HONOR THOSE FAMILIES AND SHOW THAT ONE THING I CAN SAY ABOUT BEAUMONT, WE WILL SHOW UP FOR EACH OTHER, AND I'VE SEEN THAT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WHETHER IT BE A STORM IN BEAUMONT OR A TRAGEDY LIKE WHAT WE JUST SEEN. BUT IT JUST HIT DIFFERENT WITH IT BEING RESIDENTS WHO ACTUALLY RESIDE ARE FROM BEAUMONT. IT DEFINITELY HIT DIFFERENT. MR. WILLIAMS, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH ONE OF MY REQUESTS DURING A BUDGET WORKSHOP. I KNOW WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO IT, BUT I KIND OF WANT TO KNOW ABOUT TAX RELIEF FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS OVER 65 YEARS OF AGE. I KIND OF WANT TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, A FORM OF ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD OR ABATEMENT FOR THOSE SENIORS, AND HOW WOULD IT FINANCIALLY IMPACT THE BUDGET SO COUNCIL CAN DECIDE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S FEASIBLE FOR US? I SEEN IT DONE IN NUMEROUS CITIES IN TEXAS. I JUST WANT TO SEE IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING FOR OUR SENIORS, ESPECIALLY THE ONES THAT ARE ON FIXED INCOME AND THAT HAVE RESIDED AT THEIR RESIDENCE FOR, LIKE I SAID, AROUND 20 YEARS OR MORE. THE NEXT THING IS, WE HAD A CITIZEN COME TO THE PODIUM ABOUT LEASHES ON DOGS SPECIFICALLY, AND WEATHERING HEIGHTS AND SOME OF OUR WALKING TRAILS. IF WE DON'T HAVE SIGNAGE UP, CAN WE LOOK INTO MAYBE SIGNAGE AND KIND OF SEE OR GIVE CITIZENS A UPDATE ON HOW CAN YOU REPORT IT? TERS PETS. THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I'VE KIND OF BEEN IN SUPPORT OF SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, AND TO SEE SOME OF THESE THINGS ACTUALLY COME TO FRUITION, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A KUDOS TO STAFF TO KIND OF BEING PROACTIVE IN LOOKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. WHAT THE ZIP TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM DID FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, I THINK IS HONORABLE. AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE IT AGAIN ON THE RECORD. AND LASTLY, I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL FOR FOUR YEARS, GOING ON FIVE TO HEAR CITIZENS ACTUALLY COME TO THE PODIUM AND COMPLIMENT OUR STAFF. YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE THAT WASN'T THE CASE, HONESTLY, ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO. EVERY WEEK MORE AND MORE CITIZENS ARE COMING TO THIS PODIUM AND THIS DAIS TO SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO EVERYONE BUYING IN AND THE HARD WORK THAT STAFF IS DOING IN THE LEADERSHIP ON DOWN. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. IT JUST FEELS GOOD TO KIND OF SEE SOMEWHAT OF A CHANGE. OF COURSE, CULTURE AND SHIFT IN CULTURE WITHIN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, I ECHO I MEAN, COREY, IT WAS WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER, WHAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS DID. IT JUST IT JUST, I MEAN, MELTED MY HEART TO SEE OUR CITY COME TOGETHER. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALWAYS SAID IS THAT THIS CITY IS FULL OF AMAZING PEOPLE. AND IT SHOWED IN THIS GREAT TRAGEDY. SO AND THE MAYOR FOR CALLING OUR OUR PRAYER AND PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER TO WORSHIP AND, AND LIFT THESE FAMILIES UP BECAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN LOSING A CHILD. AND SO. WOW. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO ASK ABOUT THE TENNIS COURTS AT ROGERS PARK. 
          HOW MUCH LONGER TILL WE GET THE FENCES FINISHED? AND WE GET THOSE BACK UP TO WHERE PEOPLE CAN BEGIN USING THEM AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW IF WE. OH, OKAY. KEN. GO AHEAD. WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT TWO WEEKS. SO CURRENTLY WORKING ON IT OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. ALSO THE COMMITTEES THAT I SPOKE ABOUT, A COMMITTEE TO OF BUILDERS, CONTRACTORS, REAL ESTATE AGENTS, HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR OUR CODE PROCESS MORE STREAMLINED FOR NEW BUSINESSES 
          [02:50:03]
COMING IN WANTING TO BUILD AND BE A PART OF THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY. SO THAT'S I'D LIKE TO REEMPHASIZE THAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE A COMMITTEE THAT COULD HELP ME FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, HELP, MAYBE STREAMLINE OUR PROCESS. ALSO, I'D LIKE TO SEE A COMMITTEE FOR THE TO A CHARTER AMENDMENT TO WORK ON TERM LIMITS. AND A QUESTION I HAVE TO DEMI IS WHERE ARE WE AT ON THE AIRBNB THING? I KNOW FREDDIE AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER. OUR DIRECTOR OF CVB HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER ON NOT ONLY THE TAX PART OF IT, BUT ALSO THE ENFORCEMENT SIDE OF IT. SO WE SHOULD BE HAVING A WE. I KNOW MR. WILLIAMS DISCUSSED IT EARLIER THIS WEEK. WE'LL HAVE AN INTERNAL MEETING BEFORE IT'S PRESENTED TO Y'ALL OKAY. OKAY. 
          PERFECT. AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION IS WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE GILBERT BUILDING ON THE SALE AND ALL THE THINGS WITH THAT BECAUSE IT'S A IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO IMPROVE OUR CITY. AND I WANT TO COMMEND CODE ENFORCEMENT. Y'ALL HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND I'LL I'LL SECOND WHAT COREY SAID. THE DOWNTOWN AREA IS NEVER LOOKED BETTER. AND SO EXCEPT FOR THE GILBERT BUILDING. SO YOU KNOW I WOULD LIKE TO GET THAT FIXED. WE'VE GOT TWO BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANTS AND YOU HAVE TO DRIVE BY THAT THING TO SEE ON YOUR WAY TO, TO THEM. SO I JUST BE CURIOUS WHERE WE ARE WITH THE I BELIEVE THERE WAS A PROPOSED SALE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN PLACE. AND WHERE ARE WE ON THAT? AND OTHER THAN THAT, I JUST COMMEND STAFF. I MEAN, I SAID AT THE LAST MEETING, OF COURSE IT WAS JUST US HERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE MET WITH MOST OF THE DIRECTORS AND, AND THEY'RE JUST DOING A FANTASTIC JOB. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN, OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. COUNCILMAN DARIO. MAYOR, SINCE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET TO WHEN YOU GO LAST, EVERYTHING'S ALREADY BEEN SAID BY THE TIME YOU GET TO ME. 
          PLEASE. YES. THAT'S OKAY. NO, I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD SAID ABOUT. LET'S KEEP PRAYING FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE FLOODS. AND ALSO, LET'S KEEP AN EYE ON THE GULF RIGHT NOW. THEY GOT SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE KIND OF HEADED THIS WAY, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE STAFF WILL KEEP US UPDATED ON THAT. AND THE SPECIAL MEETING? IS THAT THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO BE DISCUSSED? BECAUSE AS I SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO BE HERE NEXT WEEK. IT WOULD BE THE ONLY MEETING. I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WANT TO GET SPECIAL MEETING, BUT WITH THE WAY OUR MEETINGS ARE SCHEDULED AHEAD OF TIME, YOU CAN MAKE PLANS TO DO OTHER THINGS ON THE WEEK WHEN YOU'RE NOT HAVING A MEETING. AND THAT'S THAT'S ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT THAT. 
          SO WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE NOTICE SOME FOLKS HAVE ALREADY MADE PLANS AND CAN'T CHANGE THEM, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY HAVE IT, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED. AND DO Y'ALL HAVE A PROJECTED COMPLETION DATE FOR PINE STREET? WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT THE END OF THE YEAR BEFORE OR EARLY PART OF 26, BEFORE THAT PROJECT IS COMPLETE. BUT SPEAKING TO THE PASTOR'S COMMENTS, I WAS I'VE BEEN MESSAGING BACK AND FORTH WITH MY TEAM BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY ON A CALL THIS AFTERNOON, AND WE HAVE ANOTHER CALL SCHEDULED IN THE MORNING WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO ESTABLISH WHERE WE NEED TO BE. EXCUSE ME. 
          SO THERE'S PAVING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FROM NORTH OF PRINCE STREET TO FLETCHER STREET. AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO ORGANIZE WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN ORDER TO PAVE THAT SECTION. IT IS A SHORTER SECTION THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. SO THERE MAY BE SOME MOBILIZATION COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. BUT THIS AREA HAS BEEN TORN UP FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME. 
          THERE'S A PUMP STATION WORK OVER THERE. THIS IS A THE RAW WATER LINE THAT CONNECTS THAT NEW PUMP STATION AT COLLIER'S FERRY PARK TO THE PINE STREET WATER TREATMENT PLANT. THERE IS STORM WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT THE CORNER OF PRINCE AND PINE STREET, WHICH IS RIGHT NEAR THE CHURCH. AND THERE'S ALSO ABOUT 300FT OF WATER LINE THAT NEEDS TO BE INSTALLED. AND SO WE'RE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE CAN PAVE IT. AND SO THAT'S WE'RE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO WHETHER WE UTILIZE CITY FORCES BECAUSE THE CONTRACTOR IS GOING TO TAKE TOO LONG, YOU KNOW, WORKING THROUGH ALL THOSE THINGS. DO WE WANT ANOTHER CHANGE ORDER FOR THE CONTRACTOR TO PUT THIS WATER LINE THAT WE FOUND THAT IS IN CONFLICT, OR DO WE HAVE THE CITY CREWS DO THAT? HOW HOW DOES THAT WORK IN THE CITY CREWS SCHEDULE? SO THERE'S A LOT OF A LOT OF VARIABLES IN 
          [02:55:04]
THERE. BUT THE TEAM IS FOCUSED ON TRYING TO GET AT LEAST THIS SECTION DONE SO THAT WE CAN RESTORE THAT AREA BACK TO ITS CONDITION. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY WITH THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO DO THE WORK CORRECTLY. WE HAVE UNCOVERED SO MANY CHALLENGES IN THIS AREA, A LOT OF WHERE THE WORKERS, YOU KNOW, WHERE WORK HAS JUST GONE IN QUICKLY, JUST GET IT DONE, GET OUT. WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT. AND WITH THAT AND DOING IT CORRECTLY, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE. AND SO WE REALLY ARE THANKFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY'S PATIENCE. BUT WE ARE TRYING TO FIND EVERY WAY TO EXPEDITE THIS WORK AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. THE WEATHER HAS NOT HELPED US EITHER. THIS LITTLE RAIN HERE THAT'S GOING TO SET US BACK ALSO BECAUSE YOU'RE HAVING TO PUMP OUT THE SITE. SO WE NEED MOTHER NATURE TO COOPERATE WITH US AND NOT SEND US WHATEVER'S IN THE GULF. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. COUNCILMAN TURNER, AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY MAYOR. I APPRECIATE THE PRAYER THAT YOU PUT TOGETHER ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND JUST COUNCIL ALL SHOWING UP TO SUPPORT. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT LOOK. AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY, I APPRECIATE IT ON THE RECORD. AND WE TALKED ABOUT DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS IN THE PAST. AND AT ONE POINT, I KNOW COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW SAID, WHAT CAN WE DO TO STRENGTHEN IT UP? CAN WE KIND OF LOOK INTO THAT OPTION WHERE THE CITY WOULD GO IN AND BOARDED UP AND LIENS COULD BE PUT ON THE PROPERTY AND NOT KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE COUNCIL? AND WHAT CAN WE DO ONCE THOSE LIENS ARE PUT ON THE PROPERTY, AT LEAST SO WE CAN KNOW OUR OPTIONS, THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO, THAT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT STRONGER. TO SPEED UP SOME OF THOSE PROCESS. I JUST WE JUST LIKE AS A COUNCIL, IF I CAN GET A SECOND TO GET SOME INPUT ON HOW WOULD THAT LOOK IF WE WENT THAT ROUTE AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO RECOUP THAT FUNDING IF WE WENT IN AND DID IT A SECOND? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. COUNCILMAN DARIO. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, NO COMMENT. 
          ANYTHING TO ADD? ALL RIGHT. NO COMMENT. NO COMMENT. IT'S GETTING TO BE FAST. COUPLE OF THINGS. AGAIN CONDOLENCES TO THOSE WHO SUFFERED THE LOSSES IN GUADALUPE RIVER AND CENTRAL TEXAS FLOODS. HAVING LIVED IN CENTRAL TEXAS A LONG TIME, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS OUT THERE AND HOW THINGS HAPPEN. SO WE'RE PRAYING FOR EVERYONE. TWO WE HAD TWO TRAININGS LAST WEEK THAT WANT TO SPEAK OF. IT WAS A GREAT TRAINING THAT'S PUT ON BY THE STAFF OUT THERE. ONE WAS ACTIVE SHOOTER SIMULATION TRAINING. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF HONOCHEK AND HIS PEOPLE AND JASON AND ALL OF THEM FOR PUTTING THAT ON FOR HERE IN CITY HALL. IT WAS AN AWESOME TRAINING WHERE EVERY FLOOR AND EVERY PERSON PARTICIPATED IN IT AND WENT THROUGH AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SIMULATION. AND I THINK WE'RE MUCH SAFER PLACE TO OPERATE IN WITH PEOPLE KNOWING WHAT TO DO AND WHERE TO GO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS. SO THANK THEM FOR THEIR THOROUGH SIMULATION TRAINING. ALSO, WE HAD AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRAINING WHERE SHAY NOBLE'S, OUR EMERGENCY COORDINATOR, PUT THAT ON ALONG WITH, OF COURSE, WITH THE BLESSINGS OF CHIEF ARCHITECT. AND THAT TOO IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CITY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS IN MY BLOOD. I WAS ONE AT ONE TIME. SO IT CAN NEVER YOU CAN NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE TRAINING THAT GOES INTO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND PREPARING FOR EMERGENCIES IN YOUR CITY. AND I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO STAY VIGILANT AND WEATHER SITUATIONS AND OTHERS. TAX ABATEMENT ON ON SENIOR CITIZENS, THAT WAS COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER. IF IT'S OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER, CAN WE ADDRESS THAT DURING OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP ON ON JULY THE 30TH? YES. OKAY. WE CAN HAVE A FULL REPORT NOW TO GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AND GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL ON WHAT THE INTEREST IS AND WHAT WE COME UP WITH. CHARTER COMMITTEE TERM LIMITS. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY CAN EXPLAIN TO THAT. SO COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIER, WE CAN GET A REPORT ON CHARTER COMMITTEE BRINGING THAT BACK AND PROCESS FOR DOING THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO I THINK AS SOON AS WE COULD HAVE AN ELECTION THIS NEXT MAY ON THE CHARTER. SO THERE'S A PROCESS TO GO THROUGH. AND LIKEWISE ON THE COMMITTEE FOR THE SPECIAL WITH THE DIFFERENT SHEET FOR THE COMMITTEE OF BUILDING CONTRACTORS. SO THAT WOULD BE A DISCUSSION ON HOW OR WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE ON THAT. AND WHEN WE MEET, WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION TOO. AND AGAIN 
          [03:00:05]
ON TABLE ITEMS ETC. IT HELPS TREMENDOUSLY IF WE CAN. WHEN YOU TABLE AN ITEM, IF YOU SAY, WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO BRING IT BACK? THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU JUST CAN'T GET SOMETHING BACK THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE THAT TAKES RESEARCH. IT TAKES TIME. IT TAKES WORK PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER. AND WHEN I KNOW THAT, I WILL LET YOU TELL YOU THAT AND NOT TO IT. EVEN IN THE COUNCIL RULES AND DECORUM, IT SAYS IF YOU ASK FOR THAT ITEM, THE CITY MANAGER WILL GIVE YOU FEEDBACK ON WHEN THE POSSIBLE TIME IT WILL TAKE TO GET IT BACK TO YOU. SO PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH ME. 
          IF YOU HAVE AN ITEM, COMMUNICATE WITH ME AND I CAN GIVE YOU REASONABLE EXPECTATIONS ON HAVING THAT ITEM BACK BECAUSE WE WANTED WE WANTED ON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO DELAY IT BECAUSE WE HAVE A STAFF HAS A THOUSAND OTHER THINGS TO DO. SO WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT FEEDBACK AND GIVE YOU A REASONABLE EXPECTATION. AND. JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO AND THE SACRIFICES YOU DO AS A COUNCIL AND MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER, AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK THE STAFF AND EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE TODAY, THE AUDIENCE THAT PARTICIPANTS THAT CAME AND THOSE THAT SPOKE. AND I AND I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT COME DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND CERTAINLY OUR COMMUNITY IS HAS BEEN GRIEVING AS WELL AS OUR STATE. AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR. OUR COMMUNITY'S SHOW OF LOVE AND SUPPORT TO THOSE THAT LOST LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AND APPRECIATE ALL OUR COUNCIL, THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE AND THE NEW ONES IN TERMS OF WORKING TOGETHER AND BEING AGGRESSIVE ON LOTS OF NEW THINGS THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS LOOKING AT DOING THAT I THINK WILL ENHANCE OUR CITY AND BENEFIT ALL OUR RESIDENTS. AND SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT AND GRATEFUL THAT EVERYBODY WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE PRAYER SERVICE LAST WEEK. AND WITH THAT, WE ARE NOW RECESSED 
          [EXECUTIVE SESSION]
INTO
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.