[CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:10]
          AFTERNOON. 
          [PROCLAMATIONS]
ANYONE. AND OFTEN STRIKES WITHOUT WARNING. BUT AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND QUICK ACTIONS LIVES CAN BE SAVED. THIS MISSION IS PERSONAL, NOT JUST BECAUSE IT'S MY ROLE, BECAUSE MY FAMILY LIVES HERE IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. I'VE SEEN THE PAIN OF SEPSIS CAN CAUSE, AND I HAVE SEEN THE HOPE THAT COMES FROM WHEN PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND TO ACT FAST. 
          HYPOCRISIES DESCRIBE SEPSIS AS A DANGEROUS DECAY OVER 2000 YEARS AGO. TODAY, IT REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX, DEADLY CONDITIONS WE FACE DESPITE MEDICAL ADVANCEMENTS, SEPSIS IS STILL THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN US HOSPITALS. MANY PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT 
          [00:05:01]
IS. SO RECOGNIZING THE SYMPTOMS LIKE ON THIS MAGNETS, I GAVE Y'ALL CONFUSION, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, EXTREMITY PAINS, FEVER. YOU GOT TO REMEMBER, TIME WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE. BY SUPPORTING THIS PROCLAMATION, YOU ARE HELPING US SPREAD THE MESSAGE THAT COULD SAVE A NEIGHBOR, A FRIEND, OR A LOVED ONE. YOU ARE HELPING US PROTECT THE PEOPLE WE CARE MOST ABOUT. THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US. THANK YOU FOR HELPING US BRING HOPE, HEALING, AND AWARENESS TO SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 8TH THROUGH THE 12TH, 2025 AS NATIONAL DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK. ACCEPTING WILL BE MR. SETH WELLS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR RISE CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. HERE YOU GO. THANK YOU SIR. GOOD TIME. 
          HERE IN ONE, TWO, THREE. ONE MORE. ONE, TWO. GOT IT. THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL AND STAFF. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. MYSELF AND MY COWORKER STACY ARE AT THE CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, A NON RESIDENTIAL CENTER FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. AND I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 8TH THROUGH THE 12TH AS DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK, A NATIONAL NONPARTIZAN INITIATIVE LED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND THE REV UP CAMPAIGN. DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK IS ABOUT ADVOCACY. IT'S ABOUT ACCESS AND CIVIC INCLUSION. IT SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON THE BARRIERS THAT TOO MANY VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES STILL FACE, FROM INACCESSIBLE POLLING LOCATIONS TO LACK OF ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION. AND IT WORKS TO REMOVE THOSE BARRIERS, BARRIERS SO THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY CAN FULLY PARTICIPATE IN OUR DEMOCRACY. PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MAKE UP OVER 25% OF THE US POPULATION, AND THEY ARE A PART OF EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, AGE GROUP AND BACKGROUND. YET DESPITE BEING ONE OF THE LARGEST VOTING BLOCS IN THE COUNTRY, DISABLED VOTERS CONTINUE TO FACE OBSTACLES THAT SILENCE THEIR VOICES. BY ISSUING THIS PROCLAMATION, THIS BODY AFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY, EQUITY, AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION FOR ALL RESIDENTS. YOU WOULD BE JOINING OTHER CITIES ACROSS TEXAS AND THE COUNTRY IN SAYING, CLEARLY, WE SEE YOU AND WE HEAR YOUR VOICE AND YOUR VOTE MATTERS HERE. THIS IS MORE THAN SYMBOLIC. IT HELPS. IT HELPS RAISE AWARENESS, ENCOURAGES CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND DEMONSTRATES THAT OUR CITY STANDS WITH THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY IN THE FIGHT FOR FULL VOTING RIGHTS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 8TH THROUGH 12TH AS DISABILITY VOTING RIGHTS WEEK AND HELPING MAKE OUR CITY A LEADER IN INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AS NATIONAL SICKLE CELL AWARENESS MONTH. ACCEPTING WILL BE MRS. LETTY BUCKSEY, FOUNDER OF LOVE SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT IS WITH HER. FEEL FREE TO COME UP. 
          SO GOOD. HOW ARE YOU DOING? THERE YOU GO. YOUR HANDS FULL. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? HELLO, MA'AM. HOW ARE YOU? HOW ARE YOU DOING? HELLO. GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU. HEY, HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE. HERE. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD. TO. IF Y'ALL WANT TO SCOOT THIS WAY A 
          [00:10:17]
LITTLE BIT SO YOU'LL BE IN THE MIDDLE. THERE WE GO. COME ON. THANK YOU. OH, YOU. EVERYBODY CAN BE SEEN ALREADY IN ONE, TWO, THREE. OKAY, LET ME DO THIS ONE REAL QUICK. OKAY. GOT IT. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. ON BEHALF OF DENIERS, LOVE SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION. WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, FOR THE PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING OUR FOUNDATION. WE ALSO WISH TO EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE TOP LADIES OF DISTINCTION, BEAUMONT CHAPTER AND THE PORT ARTHUR CHAPTER FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND DEDICATION TO OUR MISSION. A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE AMBASSADORS OF LOVE WHO GENEROUSLY DONATE THEIR TIME AND EFFORTS TO SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION'S WORK. SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL SICKLE CELL AWARENESS MONTH. WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR AND SUPPORT SICKLE CELL PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND ADVOCATES. PLEASE SUPPORT SICKLE CELL AWARENESS. SICKLE CELL IS AN INHERITED GROUP OF RED BLOOD CELLS THAT BLOCK THAT SICKLE SHAPE. THEY BLOCK THE PASSAGE OF OXYGEN AND FLOW TO THE BODY, CAUSING PAIN, CRISIS, AND SEVERE HOSPITALIZATION, AND SOMETIMES DEATH. ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2025, AT DOWNTOWN CROCKETT STREET, WE ARE HAVING A WALK FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE. 
          EVERYONE IS INVITED TO ATTEND. YOU CAN SIGN UP ON OUR WEBSITE AT DENIERS LOVE OR SIGN UP IS AT 730. START IN IT. IT STARTS AT 8 A.M. SIGN UP AT 7:30 A.M. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW WE 
          [ Communication Update]
HAVE A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS I'M GOING TO HAVE. CITY OF BEAUMONT COMMUNICATION UPDATE. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. WE'LL SEE IF OUR NEW SCREEN WORKS. HERE WE GO. AND THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION MONTH. AND THE BEAUMONT PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS JOINING THE ANNUAL OBSERVANCE TO RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT PREVENTING FOOD BORNE ILLNESSES, COMMONLY KNOWN AS FOOD POISONING. A GOOD PLACE TO START IS BY CHECKING OUT THE CITY'S INTERACTIVE MAP THAT SHOWS INSPECTION GRADES OF RESTAURANTS AND PLACES THAT SELL FOOD IN THE CITY. TO CHECK OUT THE RATINGS OF YOUR FAVORITE SPOTS TO EAT. GO TO BEAUMONT, TEXAS. INSPECTION REPORT MAPS. KIND OF A COOL TOOL THERE, SO CHECK IT OUT. THIS NOVEMBER, BEAUMONT VOTERS WILL DECIDE ON THE UPCOMING BOND ELECTION, AND WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. CITY LEADERS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE TRAVELING TO EACH WARD TO MEET WITH YOU DIRECTLY. THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE YOUR CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS, SHARE YOUR IDEAS, AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT. CITY LEADERS WILL BE VISITING EACH WARD DURING THE LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER, STARTING OPPORTUNITIO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT'S ON THE BOND. THE EASIEST WAY TO GET YOUR ISSUES REPORTED, AND IT'S THE TOOL THE CITY USES TO TRACK THESE ISSUES TO MAKE SURE THAT THE JOB GETS DONE. SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO USE IT. THIS IS HOW IT WORKS. WE THINK OF IT 
          [00:15:02]
AS A ONE STOP SHOP. IT'S DESIGNED TO HANDLE ALL NON-EMERGENCY TYPE CALLS FOR CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, AND WE HANDLE ANYTHING FROM REPORTING OF A POTHOLE, STREET LIGHTS, TRAFFIC LIGHTS OUT, WEEDS, WATER, AND VARIOUS THINGS LIKE THAT. ALL NON-EMERGENCY. SOME OF THE THINGS WE WILL TAKE THE INFORMATION DOWN OURSELVES. 
          WE'LL PUT IT IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND ONCE WE DO, IT IS INSTANTLY SENT TO THE DEPARTMENT THAT HANDLES IT. AND THEY DO THE DISPATCHING FROM THERE. WHETHER IT'S A TRUCK, WORKERS, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, THEY HANDLE IT ON THEIR END. YOU COULD GET IN TOUCH WITH 311 24 SEVEN. OUR HOURS ARE 7 TO 6. SO THAT'S LIVE PERSONNEL TO ANSWER THE PHONE AFTER HOURS. 
          YOU COULD GET ASSISTANCE VIA THIS CALL TREE BASED ON YOUR NEEDS. WE TRY TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE BASED ON THE NATURE OF THE CALL, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY DISPATCH. WE NEED TO PROVIDE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE TO THOSE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS. THE MORE WE KNOW, THE SOONER WE CAN GET IT RESOLVED. IF IT'S A HEALTH OR PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, WHETHER IT'S FIRE, POLICE, 911 IS THE PLACE TO CALL, BUT 911 IS NOT THE PLACE TO CALL. LOOK, THERE'S A DOG RUNNING AT LARGE AND SO FORTH THAT'S NEEDS TO BE CALLED TO US BASED ON THE TYPE OF CALL IT IS. YOU CAN TRACK TO SEE IF IT'S BEEN HANDLED BY APP. 
          NOW AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST FOR NON-EMERGENCY CITY ISSUES. BUT IF YOU HAVE A NON-EMERGENCY ISSUE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THAT NUMBER IS STILL (400) 983-2123 FOUR. AND THE CITY WILL SOON BE LAUNCHING ANOTHER TOOL TO HELP YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW CHAT BOT THAT WILL LIVE ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. IT WILL BE THERE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS DAY OR NIGHT. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MAKE A PHONE CALL. IT WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IN 70 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, AND THE MORE YOU USE IT, THE MORE IT LEARNS. SO WATCH FOR THAT TO BE LAUNCHING SOON ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE ITS FOURTH ANNUAL VIVA BEAUMONT HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL COMING UP SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 14TH FROM 3 P.M. TO 8 P.M. AT THE MAIN STREET PLAZA IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT. THIS VIBRANT FESTIVAL WILL FEATURE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, AN ARRAY OF FOOD TRUCKS, AND A VARIETY OF FAMILY FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING LUCHA LIBRE WRESTLING. ADMISSION TO THE EVENT IS FREE. IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. GUESTS 
          [ Request for the Collection and Preservation of Memorial Ribbons Honoring the Local Victims of the Hill Country Flooding]
ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING LAWN CHAIRS AND BLANKETS FOR COMFORT. IF YOU WANT TO JOIN US FOR A DAY OF CULTURAL CELEBRATION AND COMMUNITY FUN. AND FINALLY, THE CITY IS HONORED TO BE A PART OF A PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL ALLOW US TO CREATE A MEANINGFUL AND LASTING TRIBUTE TO THE VICTIMS FROM OUR COMMUNITY WHO WERE KILLED IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY FLOODS. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME NOW, MR. JEFF WHEELER, TO COME UP AND TELL US MORE ABOUT THIS SPECIAL JOINT PROJECT. THANK YOU. TRACY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. MAYOR. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER AND STAFF. I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO SHARE AN INITIATIVE CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HONOR BEAUMONT'S FOUR YOUNG LIVES TRAGICALLY LOST IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY FLOODS. IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING THE TRAGEDY, BEAUMONT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES TIED RIBBONS IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES AND STOREFRONTS AND A VISIBLE SIGN OF LOVE, SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY. 
          THOSE RIBBONS BECAME A SYMBOL OF HOW DEEPLY THIS COMMUNITY FELT, THE LOSS, AND HOW STRONGLY WE STAND TOGETHER IN TIMES OF GRIEF. AFTER RECEIVING ALL FOUR FAMILIES BLESSINGS. TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT, I COME BEFORE YOU TO SHARE THE PLANS UNDERWAY. WE ARE PROPOSING TO COLLECT THESE RIBBONS FROM ACROSS THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THEY CAN BE PRESERVED AND ULTIMATELY TRANSFORMED INTO A MEANINGFUL MEMORIAL PROJECT LOCATED AT MILLER LIBRARY OR ROGERS PARK, OR WHERE ALL FOUR WHERE ALL FOUR MEMBERS OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE SPENT MANY DAYS MAKING MEMORIES. THE COLLECTION PROCESS WILL INCLUDE LOCAL INDUSTRY COMPANY COLGAN INDUSTRIES HAS PROCURED WEATHERPROOF COLLECTION BINS THAT WILL BE PLACED AT ROGERS PARK IN THE DOWLEN LOT FOR RESIDENTS TO DROP OFF THEIR RIBBONS. THE COLLECTION WILL TAKE PLACE OVER TWO WEEKS FROM SEPTEMBER 2ND TO SEPTEMBER 16TH, ENSURING EVERYONE HAS THE FLEXIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE. COMMUNITY OUTREACH WILL INCLUDE PARTICIPATION, ALLOWING THESE SYMBOLS OF UNITY TO BE GATHERED RESPECTFULLY AND INCLUSIVELY. 
          AT THIS STAGE, THE DETAILS OF THE MEMORIAL PROJECT, INCLUDING EXACT LOCATION, DESIGN AND ARTISTIC ELEMENTS, ARE FLUID. I'M WORKING CLOSELY WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AS REDRESS FOR TO FORMULATE AN ARTISTIC VISION. THOSE DECISIONS WILL NOT BE MADE UNTIL WE HAVE THE FULL SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE OF THE FAMILIES DIRECTLY IMPACTED. THE ULTIMATE VISION OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN THE FOUR FAMILIES, WHO WILL LEAD IN SHAPING HOW THEIR LOVED ONES ARE REMEMBERED, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND THE STAKEHOLDERS ACROSS THE 
          [00:20:01]
COMMUNITY WHO HAVE AGREED TO CONTRIBUTE FUNDING AND RESOURCES TO CREATE SOMETHING TRULY INSPIRATIONAL. OUR COMMITMENT IS TO ENSURE THAT THE FINAL PRODUCT HONORS AND RESPECTS THE LIVES LOST, REFLECTS THE WISHES OF THE FAMILIES AND PROVIDES A PLACE OF HOPE, REMEMBRANCE AND HEALING FOR THE COMMUNITY. THIS AFTERNOON, COLLECTION BINS WILL BE PLACED AT THE DOWLEN ROAD PARKING LOT AT ROGERS PARK. WE WILL UTILIZE THE DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL MEDIA TO PROMOTE THE INITIATIVE, ENSURING PARTICIPATION FROM THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. WE ARE SO EXCITED TO BEGIN GATHERING THOSE POWERFUL COMMUNITY SYMBOLS AND PREPARE FOR THE NEXT STAGE OF COLLABORATION. LET HAND IN HAND WITH THE FAMILIES. I'D LIKE TO SINCERELY THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT IN THIS EFFORT, AND WE WOULD LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU JEFF. ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU FOR FOR THIS. AND I THINK THIS IS A APPROPRIATE MEASURE AND SOMETHING FOR OUR CITY TO REMEMBER. THESE FOUR YOUNG PEOPLE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE FOR PROCLAMATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND OUR PRESENTATIONS AND WOULD 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. WE WILL DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.087 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, TO WHICH SPECIFICALLY PROJECT RIVERFRONT AND THE DOWNTOWN HOTEL CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.07, ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE CALLS NUMBER 25D CC V1445 ROBERT CLAYTON BENNETT VERSUS THE CITY OF 
          [PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]
BEAUMONT. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO ENTER PUBLIC COMMENTS. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK. YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX OR ANY OTHER TOPIC. ITEM SEVEN HAS ALREADY BEEN HEARD IN PUBLIC HEARING. THEREFORE, CITIZENS CANNOT SPEAK ON THAT ITEM. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM EIGHT WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING. THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO SPEAK. WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE SAY YOUR ADDRESS, CITY AND STATE. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. 
          THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. AND PLEASE NOTE WHILE YOU'RE AT THE PODIUM MEMBERS, THE COUNCIL CANNOT RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS REGARDING POSTED AGENDA ITEMS. HOWEVER, THEY MAY ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS DURING THE DISCUSSION OF THE ITEM. JESSICA LAMBERT 232 WEST CALDWELL, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. I'M JESSICA LAMBERT, I LIVE AT 232 WEST CALDWELL DRIVE IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. I JUST HAVE SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO TELL Y'ALL. I RECENTLY VISITED A SMALL CITIES IN FRISCO, TEXAS. THE LITTLE ELM AUBREY AREA. THEY HAD A LOT OF THINGS THAT WERE REALLY ATTRACTIVE TO THE AREA, SUCH AS AN INDOOR WATER PARK. THEY HAD PERFECT STREETS, PERFECT HIGHLY RATED SCHOOLS, AND SOME OF THE LOWEST CRIME RATES IN TEXAS. THIS IS ALSO ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX PLACES IN TEXAS. I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT. THEREFORE, CONSIDERING THE DEVELOPMENT ON THE BOND, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT WERE BEHIND ON PROPERTY TAXES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS? THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER ANNUAL SALARY, THE PERCENTAGE OF PROJECTS IN THE PAST THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ON TIME AND ON BUDGET, THE PERCENTAGE OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED SUCCESSFUL THAT BEAUMONT HAS ACHIEVED. TWO YEARS AGO, I REQUESTED MAINTENANCE HELP FOR THE PARKS. TWO YEARS AGO, THERE'S BEEN NOTHING DONE. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD GET TO IT. THEY WOULD GET TO IT. I KNOW YOU CAN'T ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT WILL THEY BE DONE BEFORE MY CHILDREN GROW UP? THE IDEA OF THE BOND IS SUPPOSED TO BRING PEOPLE TO BEAUMONT. I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER A TAX ABATEMENT PLAN SUCH AS VIDA HAS, AS WE ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST TAXED CITIES IN BEAUMONT WITH $100,000 THAT WE WERE GOING TO SEND TO SOMEBODY TO BRING AWARENESS OF THE BOND. WHAT COULD THAT BE USED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THESE OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE GREAT THINGS BRING THAT TO OUR CITY INSTEAD WITHIN THE BUDGET? THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU MA'AM. MIGHT GET 7950 PHELAN, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD 
          [00:25:14]
AFTERNOON COUNCIL, I'VE GOT FOUR THINGS I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT. FIRST, I'M HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT THE TAX ABATEMENT REQUESTED BY THE NEW OWNERS OF THE GILBERT BUILDING. THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE DOWNTOWN. WE WANT TO SEE PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN DOWNTOWN, THE TAX INCENTIVES THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, THE ABATEMENT SEEMS PERFECTLY REASONABLE. I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE THAT TO THEM. SECONDLY, THE BANDIT SIGNS STATE LAW ORDINANCE THAT WENT INTO EFFECT. I WAS DRIVING DOWN HERE. I SAW BANDIT SIGNS BEING PLACED AS AS WE KNOW, THE LAW WENT INTO EFFECT YESTERDAY. THIS IS ONLY GOING TO WORK IF WE ENFORCE IT. IT'S GOING TO COST MONEY TO ENFORCE IT. IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME OUT OF PEOPLE'S SCHEDULES TO ENFORCE IT. BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THE JOB DONE, IT'S GOT TO BE ENFORCED. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME UP WITH A STAFF PERSON, EITHER IN LEGAL OR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT OR THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT, TO BE THE POINT PERSON TO DO THE ENFORCEMENT ON THIS, WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THIS CLUTTER. IT'S UNSIGHTLY AND IT'S AGAINST THE LAW. THIRD, HOMELESSNESS. THERE IS A COALITION OF PEOPLE THAT LIVE AROUND THE SOME OTHER PLACE AND SALVATION ARMY SHELTERS, BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAVE BEEN REGULARLY WRITING TO ALL OF YOU ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE ENDURING FROM THIS CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS THAT WE SEEM TO SUFFER HERE. THE I ATTEND COLLEGE CORRIDOR. NOW IT'S BECOMING ONCE MORE OCCUPIED BY PEOPLE WANDERING AROUND LOOKING LIKE IT'S THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE OR SOMETHING. THESE PEOPLE ARE EITHER HUSTLING MONEY OUT OF THE STREET CORNERS, WHICH IS ILLEGAL. THEY'RE LAYING OUT ON THE EMBANKMENTS OF THE OVERPASS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE COMPLETELY ZONED OUT. WE HAVE NO PLACE TO SEND THEM. WE CAN SEND OUR POLICE OFFICERS OVER THERE TO TELL THEM TO MOVE ALONG, BUT THERE'S NO PLACE TO GO. AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BEAUMONT HOMELESS COALITION FOR FOUR YEARS, WE DEVELOPED A LONG LIST OF THINGS THAT COULD BE DONE THAT WOULD BE EFFECTIVE IN HELPING TO ERADICATE HOMELESSNESS IN BEAUMONT, ONE OF THOSE WHICH WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED WAS FINDING A PLACE OUTSIDE OF BUSINESS CORRIDORS, OUTSIDE OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE THEY COULD, IN PRACTICE, PRIMITIVE CAMPING, BOY SCOUT CAMPING. WE NEED TO REVISIT THAT IDEA, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE POLICE HAVE NO PLACE TO SEND THEM. THEY JUST WANDER AROUND. IT'S LIKE PLAYING WHACK-A-MOLE. FOURTH, I WAS IN COLLEGE STATION THIS PAST WEEKEND AND IT WAS AMAZING THAT I COULD DRIVE DOWN ONE STREET, AND AS MY CAR APPROACHED, EVERY LIGHT TURNED GREEN. IT WAS GREAT. WE SEEMED TO HAVE THE OPPOSITE GOING ON HERE IN BEAUMONT. MOLLY I KNOW Y'ALL TRY, BUT GOOD GOD, IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I APPROACH A RED LIGHT IT TURNS RED. WHAT CAN WE DO TO SYNCHRONIZE THESE LIGHTS, PLEASE? LOOK AT THAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. EDDIE ALLEN, 1696 95 BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, COUNCILMAN AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. I HAVE NOT EVER TALKED ABOUT GILBERT BUILDING, BUT I READ LAST NIGHT ON THE AGENDA, TO MY SURPRISE, THAT THE CITY MAY VOTE TODAY TO GIVE A SEVEN YEAR ABATEMENT. HOW APPALLING TO ME WHEN THERE WAS A BUILDING THAT HAD BEEN ACTUALLY TAGGED, SHIFTED TO ANOTHER OWNER WHO WAS ALLOWED TO BUY THE BUILDING, AND NOW WE'RE GIVING HELP TO THEM. OH MY GOD. AND THEN I FURTHER LOOKED AND SAW THAT THE MAYOR AND ONE OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERS WAS SAYING, LET'S RE REVIVE THE ASHES, BECAUSE THIS BUILDING HAS GONE DOWN TWICE. WE HAD CITY FIREMEN THAT WENT IN TO ACTUALLY TRY TO KEEP THE BUILDING FROM BEING JUST A TOTAL HAZARD TO THE CITY, WHICH IN THE FUTURE WE MAY HAVE FIREFIGHTERS THAT ARE SICK BECAUSE THEY WENT INTO THAT BUILDING. SO WHAT DO WE DO? EACH ONE OF YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU'RE GOING TO LET A BUILDING BE REBOUGHT WHEN WE HAVE CITIZENS THAT COME UP HERE AND BEG TO KEEP THEIR PROPERTY, AND THEN IT'S DEMOLISHED. SO YOU'RE GOING TO LET THIS HAPPEN? SIRENS. AND I LOVE THAT BOW PROGRAM. IT'S PROACTIVE. WELL, 
          [00:30:01]
IT'S AFTER THE FACT, BUT CYRENE'S IS PROACTIVE. THAT'S POST ACTIVE THE BOWLS. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILIES THAT ARE STILL MOURNING. BUT CYRENE'S WILL HELP US EVEN IN 103.7, HOUSTON HAD AN AUDITABLE ALERT ON THEIR RADIO STATION. I DID GET OUR FLOOD WARNING THIS WEEKEND, BUT IF MY PHONE HAD BEEN ON CHARGE, I NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN OTHER THAN TRAVELING IN THE WHITEOUT DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT. SO PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER THAT A SEVEN YEAR ABATEMENT FOR MILLIONAIRES THAT CAN BUY A BUILDING, BUT THEY CAN'T REBUILD IT. COME ON, I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP, BUT ARE WE GOING BACKWARDS OR FORWARD? WE HAD PEOPLE TO COME IN, CONSULTANTS TO MAKE BEAUMONT BEAUTIFUL, AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO BRING UP AN OLD BUILDING. 
          AND YEAH, I LIKE ESTHETICS. I LIKE OLD STUFF. MOST OF THE STUFF IN MY HOUSE IS OLD, BUT COME, COME. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TAXES FOR 17 PROPOSITIONS. AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO PROPOSE IN OUR CITY TO GIVE SOMEBODY A SEVEN YEAR ABATEMENT. MY GOODNESS. THANK YOU. HAVE A GOOD DAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW 
          [CONSENT AGENDA]
CLOSED. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY, MAYOR, I TOTALLY MISSED THE MOTION. AND SECOND, MY APOLOGIES. IT WAS COUNCILMAN HILLIARD AND THEN COUNCILMAN DARIO. THANK YOU. IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS 
          [1. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to award a contract to Tanksco, Inc., of Fort Worth, TX for the South Elevated Storage Tank Rehabilitation Project.]
CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE? THANK YOU. 
          MAYOR. COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO TANKS CO, INC. OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, FOR THE SOUTH ELEVATED STORAGE TANK REHABILITATION PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER ONE. DISCUSSION. 
          COUNCILMAN TURNER CAN STAFF CAN EXPLAIN WHY THE LOWEST BIDDER DIDN'T GET THE BID ON THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT. THE APPARENT LOW BIDDER RESCINDED THEIR BID. THEY COULD NOT MEET THE TERMS WITH THE BID THAT THEY SUBMITTED, SO THEY WITHDREW IT. OKAY, BUT THEY WERE QUALIFIED. BUT THEY JUST WITHDREW IT. YES, SIR. WE'VE USED THEM BEFORE WITH SUCCESS. 
          AND THEY ADMITTED THAT THERE WAS A CLERICAL, CLERICAL ERROR ON THEIR PART AND THEY ASKED TO WITHDRAW THE BID. OKAY. THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU, THANK THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. YES, STAFF, JUST EXPLAIN WHAT ALL IS GOING TO BE DONE DURING THIS REHABILITATION TO THE TANK. SO THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDES A THEY'RE GOING TO DRAIN THE TANK, THEY'RE GOING TO BLAST AND PAINT THE INTERIOR AND THE EXTERIOR OF THE PAINT, MAKE ANY STRUCTURAL REPAIRS THAT MAY COME UP. THEN WE'RE IT'S GOING TO INCLUDE A LOGO. I VOTED FOR TWO LOGOS. SO BE AT COUNCIL'S DISCRETION IF WE ADD A SECOND LOGO TO THAT TANK IN THE FUTURE. BUT THIS IS SHOULD. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE DONE BY THE END OF MARCH OF 2026. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO CYCLE THROUGH AND REHABILITATE THE REST OF OUR TANKS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS TILL WE GET THEM ALL DONE. 
          THANK YOU. WELCOME. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY 
          [2. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept maintenance and authorize final payment to ALLCO, LLC, for the Street Rehabilitation Citywide – Phase V (REBID) Project.]
WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZED FINAL PAYMENT TO ALL CO, LLC FOR THE STREET REHABILITATION. CITYWIDE PHASE FIVE REBUILD PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS 
          [00:35:03]
THERE A SECOND? SECOND THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM 
          [3. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept maintenance, and authorize final payment to Brystar Contracting Inc., of Beaumont, for the E. Virginia Pump Station Trash Collector Reconstruction Project.]
NUMBER THREE, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZED FINAL PAYMENT TO BRIGHTSTAR CONTRACTING, INC. OF BEAUMONT FOR THE EAST VIRGINIA PUMP STATION TRASH COLLECTOR RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? 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. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE 
          [4. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Change Order No. 2 to the contract with Pro-Pipe Inc., of Irvine, CA for the Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Work Order Contract – Phase V.]
THE READING FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE. CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO TO THE CONTRACT WITH PRO PIPE, INC. OF IRVINE, CALIFORNIA, FOR THE SANITARY SEWER EVACUATION WORK ORDER CONTRACT. PHASE FIVE. IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? MOTION TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES. COUNCILMAN HILLIER, MOLLY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHY WE'RE DOING ANOTHER CHANGE ORDER? SO ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CHANGE ORDER IS ANY MODIFICATION TO THE CONTRACT. THE CURRENT CONTRACT IS A WORK ORDER CONTRACT FOR THE SEWER EVALUATION. AND DURING THE COURSE OF THE WORK THAT WE WERE WORKING AROUND THE AREA OF CALDER, GOING TOWARDS THE 23RD STREET LIFT STATION, WHICH IS A VERY LARGE LIFT STATION, WE FOUND SEVERAL LINE SEGMENTS THAT THE LINES WERE STAYING SURCHARGED, AND SO THIS CHANGE ORDER IS CREATING ANOTHER WORK ORDER TO THIS WORK ORDER CONTRACT TO ADD ABOUT 15,000FT OF CLEANING AND TELEVISING, AND ANOTHER 17,000FT OF 10 INCH TO 12 INCH CLEANING AND WEAVING, AND THEN ALSO ADDING AN HOURLY RATE FOR HEAVY CLEANING OF THE SEWER LINES IN THIS AREA THAT SERVES 23RD STREET LIFT STATION. AND SO THIS AMOUNT WILL COVER WHAT YOU JUST TOLD ME. YES, SIR. THAT'S WHAT WE THEY SHOULDN'T BE COMING TO US FOR ANY MORE CHANGE ORDERS UNLESS WE UNLESS WE FIND AN ISSUE IN THE CONTRACT. I MEAN, IF WE FIND AN ISSUE OUT IN THE FIELD AND WE NEED TO ASK THE CONTRACTOR TO DO MORE WORK. OKAY. BUT WE'RE WE SAW A PROBLEM AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. ANY 
          [5. Council consider authorizing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Gilbert Building Partnership, LTD. for economic development incentives under the Neighborhood Empowerment Zone Program for the development of a commercial and retail space at 330 Bowie Street.]
OPPOSED? MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH GILBERT BUILDING PARTNERSHIP LIMITED FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES UNDER THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMERCIAL AND RETAIL SPACE. AT 330 BOWIE STREET. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION, APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? SO MOVED. IS THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE. AND YES, COUNCILMAN TURNER FOR DISCUSSION, JUST FOR CITIZENS WATCHING AND SOME CONCERNS THAT CAME TO THE MIC. CAN STAFF OR SOMEBODY EXPLAIN HOW LONG HAVE THESE EMPOWERMENT ZONES BEEN IN PLACE? WE HAVE HAD THESE EMPOWERMENT ZONES IN PLACE FOR APPROXIMATELY 12 YEARS, WITH SOME SUCCESSES. WE HAVE SIX EMPOWERMENT ZONES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, OF COURSE, DOWNTOWN, THE MAJORITY OF DOWNTOWN IS ONE OF THEM. AND SO THIS IN OUR OPINION, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF BEING ABLE TO OFFER SOME ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES FOR WHAT IS A LARGE, PRETTY EXTENSIVE PROJECT. OF COURSE, THE CITY WE WERE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AGO, POTENTIALLY HAVING TO DEMOLISH THE STRUCTURE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN QUITE A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE. SO THE PROSPECT OF IT POSSIBLY NOT ONLY BEING REDEVELOPED, BUT PUT BACK ON THE TAX ROLL AND PERHAPS HAVING 
          [00:40:07]
SOME ADDITIONAL RETAIL AND OFFICE SPACE IN DOWNTOWN, IS IS THE KIND OF PROJECT THAT WE ENVISION WHEN WE SET UP THESE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES SEVERAL YEARS AGO. SO MY MY FOLLOW UP IS WITH THIS BEING IN PLACE FOR 12 YEARS, A LOT OF PEOPLE, WE SAY EMPOWERMENT ZONES, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO OUR VOTERS AND OUR CITIZENS, I DON'T WANT THEM NOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EMPOWERMENT ZONE IS. CAN YOU ACTUALLY BREAK DOWN WHAT THAT IS? YES, SIR. SO THE STATE OF TEXAS ALLOWS A VARIETY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES. WE CAN'T JUST DO WHAT WE WANT THERE. THEY'RE THEY'RE REGULATED BY CERTAIN LAWS SET OUT BY THE STATE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THE STATE DOES ALLOW US TO DO IS SET UP WHAT IS REALLY MORE OF A LOCAL EMPOWERMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE PACKAGE. AND SO, AGAIN, WHEN WE REALIZE THAT WAS AN OPTION SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE SET ABOUT TO ESTABLISH THAT PROGRAM. AND SO, AS MENTIONED, DEPENDING UPON THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT MADE, AGAIN, IT HAS TO BE WITHIN ONE OF THE SIX ZONES. COUNCIL WILL LOOK AT THESE PROJECTS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY MEET THE CRITERIA TO BE AWARDED. THESE INCENTIVES, THE TYPE OF INCENTIVES THAT ARE OFFERED ARE INCLUDE PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT AND THIS WOULD BE CITY ONLY, BUT CITY ONLY PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT FOR THE INCREMENTAL VALUE. IT ALSO CAN INCLUDE, AS PROPOSED HERE, A WAIVER OF BUILDING PERMIT FEES. SO WHETHER PLANNING AND ZONING PLAN REVIEW, BUILDING PERMIT THAT'S ALL POTENTIALLY INCLUDED EXPEDITED PERMIT REVIEW. AND THEN FINALLY, IF THERE IS A LIEN ATTACHED TO A PROPERTY, A CITY LIEN, THE CITY HAS THE ABILITY TO WAIVE THAT LIEN. AGAIN, JUST OTHER KIND OF TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX IN ORDER TO TRY TO TRY TO MAKE THE PROJECT MORE ATTRACTIVE. AGAIN, WITH THE IDEA THAT THERE'S ULTIMATELY SOME REDEVELOPMENT. SO AGAIN, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE. MY LAST QUESTION IS STAFF RECOMMENDED TO US. AT ONE POINT THIS BUILDING WAS IN IMMINENT DANGER. CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN HOW IT WENT FROM THE RECOMMENDATION TO WHERE WE ARE AT NOW? BECAUSE I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF SHIFTED GRIDS AND HOW WE ENDED UP BEING IN A POSITION WHERE IT WAS PAUSED OR SHIFTED. SURE. SO WE RECEIVED A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT, I BELIEVE IT WAS FITZ AND SHIPMAN AND THAT WAS PROCURED BY THE NEW OWNERS. AND HE WENT IN TO ASSESS THE THE ISSUES THAT THE BUILDING ONCE HAD, WHICH WAS LOOSE COPING POTENTIAL OF THE SECOND FLOOR COLLAPSING AND THE OTHER THE THIRD, ESCAPES MY MIND RIGHT NOW. BUT WITHIN THAT REPORT, HE DISCLOSED THAT THAT ALL OF THAT AREA HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED ON THE INTERIOR. AND SO A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES NO LONGER ARE PRESENT. THEY ALSO RESECURED THE FENCING ALL THE WAY AROUND. AND THEY DID REMOVE THAT LOOSE COPING, WHICH THOSE WERE VERY LARGE BRICKS. THEY WERE ABOUT LIKE 30 POUNDS APIECE. SO THAT'S A GOOD THING THAT THEY REMOVED THOSE. BUT WITH THAT STRUCTURAL ENGINEER REPORT AND WITH THE SECURED FENCING AROUND IT, WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THEIR PROJECT. WE'VE SEEN THEIR PLAN AND IT LOOKS GOOD. BUT YEAH, THE BUILDING STILL IS UNDER A RAZE ORDER AND THERE STILL IS AN ACTIVE TRO TO THAT EFFECT, PENDING SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED TO BRING THE BUILDING UP TO FULL OR SOME. BUT I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD COMPLIANT. SO TO ME, WHATEVER THE PROPER TERM WOULD BE, BUT TO GET IT TO WHERE STAFF FEELS COMFORTABLE REDUCING SOME OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL TO POTENTIALLY CONSIDER LIFTING THE RAZE ORDER. OKAY. AND THE LAST THING CITIZENS CAME UP HERE ASKING ABOUT ABATEMENTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ABATEMENTS WE GIVE TO SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS. CAN SOMEONE KIND OF SPEAK TO THE DIFFERENCE OR DO WE HAVE THAT AND THE WHY? SO THE EMPOWERMENT ZONE, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED IT IS IT'S TARGETED ABATEMENTS, ECONOMIC INCENTIVES IN SIX AREAS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IDENTIFIED AS AREAS THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS REDEVELOPMENT IN. WE DO HAVE THAT MAP POSTED ON THE WEBSITE. ANYONE WHO'S INTERESTED, OF COURSE, WE CAN DEFINITELY GET THEM A COPY OF THAT MAP AGAIN. SO IF YOU'RE IF A DEVELOPER WERE INTERESTED IN AND I SAY DEVELOPER, REALLY THE EMPOWERMENT ZONE CAN INCLUDE SOMETHING AS, AS AS I DON'T WANT TO SAY SMALL BECAUSE IT'S SIGNIFICANT FOR FAMILIES, BUT A SINGLE FAMILY HOME IN THAT ZONE IS ELIGIBLE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, 
          [00:45:02]
THAT WAS STATED. ABSOLUTELY. SO WE ENCOURAGE IF SOMEONE IS CONSIDERING BUILDING A NEW HOME IN ONE OF THESE ZONES, TO PLEASE REACH OUT TO US BECAUSE WE CAN WE CAN GET THOSE CONSIDERED, PRESENT THEM TO COUNCIL AND HOPEFULLY GET SOME OF THESE SIMILAR ABATEMENTS. I WILL SAY THAT DEPENDING ON THE INVESTMENT THAT THAT AFFECTS. SO YOU'LL SEE THIS ONE IS PROPOSED TO BE SEVEN YEARS OR MORE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT. IT'S ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN 4 AND 6 MILLION. AND SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING A MUCH MORE LONGER. SO A SEVEN YEAR ABATEMENT WHEREAS A SINGLE FAMILY MIGHT BE WOULD BE CONSIDERABLY LESS THAN THAT, MAYBE THREE YEARS. SO AND I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY REVIEWING THIS POLICY BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN WE'VE TWEAKED IT A COUPLE TIMES OVER THE YEARS, BUT WE'RE TAKING KIND OF A FRESH LOOK AT IT. SO WE MAY WE MAY MAKE SOME SUGGESTED CHANGES. WE'LL BRING THAT BACK TO COUNCIL HERE IN THE COMING WEEKS. BUT TO YOUR POINT, YES, I MEAN, IT'S IN THOSE AREAS. WE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO TO REACH OUT TO US FOR, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE INCENTIVES. 
          ALL RIGHT. NOW WE HAVE COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, COUNCILMAN, COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, IS THE ABATEMENT ATTACHED TO THE $75,000 INVESTMENT, OR IS IT ATTACHED TO THAT 4.5 TO 6? AND, I MEAN, THE 4.5 GUARDRAILS ARE IN PLACE. IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, COULD YOU EXPLAIN. 
          RIGHT. SO IF THE ABATEMENT. YES. IF THE ABATEMENT IF THE PROJECT DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD, THEN THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY ALLOW US TO CANCEL THE AGREEMENT. BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT IF THEY DON'T MAKE THE INVESTMENT, THEN THE VALUE IS NOT GOING TO GO UP. SO THE ISSUE IS KIND OF MOOT. 
          AND IF YOU KNOW, IF, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAME BACK AND THEY DIDN'T MAKE QUITE THAT EXTENSIVE, WE COULD ALWAYS REVISIT IT AND PERHAPS ADJUST IT ACCORDINGLY. AND IS THERE LIKE A ROADMAP IN PLACE WITH TIMELINE OF WHEN YOU DO WE DO WE CHECK IN WITH THEM PERIODICALLY OR IS THAT SET IN STONE. YEAH. YES. SO IT WILL STAY IN COMMUNICATION AGAIN. OF COURSE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRIOR OWNER AND THE CURRENT OWNER JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS FOR SAFETY. BUT TO YOUR QUESTION, YES, I MEAN, THERE'S THEIR TIMELINE, I BELIEVE IS TO TO BEGIN THIRD OR FOURTH QUARTER OF 25 AND THEN PERHAPS BE WELL, WELL UNDERWAY OR CLOSE TO BY MID 26. SO, SO BUT WE DO MONITOR THAT. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. FOR A POINT OF CLARIFICATION. A CONSTITUENT REACHED OUT TO ME AND WAS UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT SOMEHOW THIS WAS TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT WERE GOING TO GO TOWARDS ASSISTING OR AIDING THE RECONSTRUCTION. THIS IS NOT CONSISTENT OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. THIS IS NOT ANY USE OF TAXPAYER MONEY. THIS IS AN ABATEMENT WHICH ULTIMATELY MEANS THERE'S NO TAX BEING TAKEN OR MONEY BEING PAID, IF I CAN. I MEAN, I WANT TO CLARIFY THIS UP BECAUSE THE CITY IS NOT TAKING ANY TAX DOLLARS TO AID. RIGHT. I THINK WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE'RE NOT WRITING A CHECK. AND SO WHEN I WHEN I STARTED MY COMMENTS EARLIER, I SAID THE STATE BASICALLY LISTS OUT DIFFERENT INCENTIVES AT DIFFERENT CITIES CAN OFFER. YOU WILL HEAR IN OTHER CITIES WHERE THEY MAY HAVE A CDC, OR THEY MAY HAVE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WHERE THEY ACTUALLY DO, RIGHT, QUOTE UNQUOTE, WRITE A CHECK FOR A PROJECT. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS SIMPLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO WRITE A CHECK. THE CITY WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS FOR THE POTENTIAL INCREASE IN TAX VALUE THAT IS THE RESULT OF THIS INVESTMENT. SO IN OTHER WORDS, MAYBE NOT THIS EXAMPLE, BUT LET'S USE ANOTHER EXAMPLE. LET'S SAY A BUILDING IS VALUED AT $100,000 AND SOMEONE COMES IN AND SAYS, LOOK, I'M GOING TO INVEST $5 MILLION IN THIS PROJECT. WE WOULD BRING THAT TO THE COUNCIL LIKE THIS. AND COUNCIL COULD SAY, OKAY, WELL, WE LIKE THE PROJECT. WE'RE GOING TO ABATE THE CITY TAXES ON THIS PROJECT FOR UP TO SEVEN YEARS. AND SO LET'S SAY THE VALUE GOES FROM 100,000 TO VALUE TO 2 MILLION. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, IS SIMPLY ABATING THAT INCREMENTAL VALUE. SO WE ARE ESSENTIALLY QUOTE UNQUOTE, GIVING UP POTENTIAL FUTURE TAX REVENUE. BUT WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT PAYING OUT ANY MONEY. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. SO JUST TO BUILD ON THAT, I THINK THE SOME OF THE CONFUSION HAS COME FROM WHAT MAYBE THEY'RE DOING OVER IN ORANGE. ORANGE IS ALL OVER THE NEWS BECAUSE THEY'VE JUST AWARDED A BUNCH OF MONEY TO REDO A SHOPPING CENTER TO ADD AN HEB. AND I THINK THAT MONEY CAME FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND THEY GAVE $1 MILLION TO REDO THAT, THAT CENTER. SO WE'RE NOT GIVING ANY CITY TAX DOLLARS 
          [00:50:05]
HERE, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. ALSO, DO WE KNOW AND I DON'T NEED THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT A BALLPARK WHAT THE CURRENT GILBERT BUILDING IS ON THE TAX ROLLS FOR 8000 68,000. THAT SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT. YES. SO THAT'S NOT THE TAX WE'RE COLLECTING. THAT'S THE VALUE THAT IT'S ON THE TAX ROLLS FOR THE VALUE. YES OKAY. AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO COLLECT THE PROPERTY TAXES FOR THAT 68,000. YES SIR. SO ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS ABATING OR BASICALLY NOT CHARGING THEM THE CITY PORTION OF PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE VALUE FROM 68,000 UP TO POSSIBLY 6 MILLION. YES, SIR. AND IF IT GOES BELOW 4 MILLION, THEY STILL GET THE ABATEMENT. THEY WOULD STILL GET THE ABATEMENT. BUT WE MAY NEED TO REVISIT THE HOW LONG IT WOULD BE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YES, SIR. AND THEN IF IT'S GREATER THAN 6 MILLION, COULD WE COME BACK AND EXTEND IT LONGER. IT'S MAXED OUT CURRENTLY AT SEVEN. 
          BUT AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WE ARE LOOKING AT MAYBE OPENING THAT BACK UP THE POLICY AND LET'S SAY THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. THEY COULD POTENTIALLY BRING IT BACK. 
          OKAY. SO WE'RE BASICALLY GIVING THEM THE LONGEST POSSIBLE ABATEMENT WE CAN UNDER THIS PLAN UNDER THE CURRENT POLICY. YES, SIR. OKAY. GREAT. AND LASTLY I'VE JUST MAKE THE COMMENT THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF INVESTMENT THAT WE NEED FOR DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT, IN MY OPINION, INSTEAD OF, YOU KNOW, BORROWING MONEY ON TAXPAYER DIME AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO THE CITY TO REDO A BUILDING OR TO BUILD A NEW BUILDING, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. WE WANT PRIVATE INDUSTRY TO COME IN, TAKE THESE OLDER BUILDINGS, REDO THEM AND BRING BACK DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT AND MAKE DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT REVITALIZED AND PROSPEROUS ONCE AGAIN. MORE SO THAN WE'VE ALREADY SEEN SOME GREAT IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR DOWNTOWN OF RECENT YEARS. SO I THINK THIS IS A WIN WIN. AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM ANY MONEY. WE'RE JUST GIVING THEM THE CITY'S PORTION OF OUR PROPERTY TAX BREAK FOR SEVEN YEARS. ON THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY MAKE TO THE LAND. AND I THINK IT'S A IT'S A GREAT THING. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DARIO THEN COUNCILMAN TURNER. SO, MR. BOONE, HAVE WE DONE THIS IN THE PAST AS FAR AS HOW MUCH THIS AMOUNT AND FOR THIS, THIS LONG OF A TIME? SEVEN YEARS, 100%. I WOULD HAVE IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE WE HAVEN'T DONE MANY OF THEM. IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE DONE MAYBE ONE OTHER OF THESE LARGER ONES, BUT I'D HAVE TO I'D HAVE TO GET BACK WITH YOU ON EXACTLY. 
          EMPOWERMENT ZONES. YES, SIR. IN EMPOWERMENT ZONES. OKAY. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE NORMALLY DO? YES. AGAIN, IF IF WE HAVE THAT LEVEL OF INVESTMENT AND THEY COME TO US, THEN WE USUALLY RECOMMEND THEM. OKAY. HOW MUCH IN TAX DOLLARS WILL WE NOT COLLECT OVER THESE SEVEN YEARS. NOTHING. NOTHING NOTHING I'M LOOKING AT I'M LOOKING AT DUNCAN. LET ME, LET ME. OKAY. 
          SO CURRENTLY IT'S APPRAISED AT $55,385, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN ANYWHERE FROM 685 TO $700 IN TERMS OF WHAT THE CITY HAS PAID. REMEMBER, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS 0.659, AND WHILE YOU'RE PAYING PROPERTY TAXES ON THE PORT OF BEAUMONT AND BISD AND OTHER FIGURES THAT GO IN IT, WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT ABATING THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, WHICH IS 0.659. SO IF IT WAS TO POTENTIALLY BE 4.5 MILLION, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM 36.5 MILLION TIMES. SEVEN TIMES SEVEN. EXACTLY. THREE. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T CLEAR YOUR CALCULATOR WHEN YOU WALK UP HERE. DIVIDE BY 100 TIMES 0.659. YAY, FUN. SO $30,000 IN A GIVEN YEAR. BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO INCLUDE WHAT JOBS. RIGHT. BECAUSE CURRENTLY THIS BUILDING HAS BEEN A VACANT BUILDING. SO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONE IS NOT ONLY IS IT IN AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN AREA THAT THE CITY SHOULD INVEST OR WANTS TO HAVE THAT GROWTH, BUT IT'S ALSO A BUILDING THAT CURRENTLY HOLDS ZERO JOBS AND HAS BEEN ON THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY THAT'S COMING OFF OF THAT VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY. ONCE IT'S UPDATED AND OPERATIONAL. THANK YOU. MAYOR, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, APPROXIMATELY 240,000 IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER THE SEVEN YEAR PERIOD. AND I WILL SAY THAT WE'VE ESTIMATED, ALTHOUGH IT'S AN ESTIMATE OF THE PERMIT FEE WAIVER, APPROXIMATELY 32,000. OKAY. COUNCILMAN DARIO. YOU SAID THAT 
          [00:55:05]
YOU'VE SEEN THE PLANS. ARE THEY DOES THAT INCLUDE RETAIL OR IS THAT RESIDENTIAL OR WHAT ALL IS IN THOSE PLANS SO FAR IT'S OFFICE SPACE AND RETAIL. I'VE NOT SEEN ANYTHING FOR RESIDENTIAL. OKAY. AND HAVE OUR ENGINEERS BEEN IN IT TO LOOK AT IT. AS FAR AS NOT, I MEAN, AS PEOPLE LIKE BOWEN. YEAH. NOT FITZ AND SHIPMAN. YEAH. BOYD MEYER BUILDING OFFICIAL HAS BEEN INVOLVED, BUT MOSTLY IT'S JUST TO TALK TO CODES AND WHATNOT AND GO OVER THAT WITH THEM SO THAT THEY'RE PREPARED ONCE THEY ARE READY TO. WELL, ONCE THEY'VE PROCURED THE PROPERTY, WHICH THEY'VE DONE, THEY SEEK THESE INCENTIVES THAT THEY'RE READY TO GO. SO THIS THE PROPERTY OWNERS DID SEEK A NEW TRO AFTER THE BUILDING SOLD. AND THAT HEARING WAS LAST WEEK. 
          AND DURING THAT TIME THEY DID PRESENT THEIR THEIR ENGINEERING REPORT TO STAFF AND STAFF, DID WALK THE PROPERTY WITH THEM PRIOR AND AFTER THE HEARING TO ADDRESS SOME CONCERNS. AND THE COURT DID GRANT TO EXTEND THE TRO ON BEHALF OF THE NEW OWNERS. AND THE REASON I'M ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS, BECAUSE WITH THE HISTORY OF THIS BUILDING AND EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN THROUGH AS FAR AS THE PAST OWNER AND THINGS, I'M GETTING PHONE CALLS AND, AND FOLKS BASICALLY SAY IT DOESN'T PASS THE SMELL TEST. THEY SAY IT JUST DOESN'T. IT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK. THAT'S WHAT. AND THAT'S JUST WHAT SOME OF THE CITIZENS THAT I'VE TALKED TO HAVE SAID JUST BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY OF THIS BUILDING. SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED CLARITY, GET EVERYTHING OUT IN THE OPEN. GLAD THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT PAYING ANY TAX MONEY. WE ARE LOSING SOME. BUT I GUESS IF THEY GO THROUGH WITH THEIR PLAN, WE'LL GET A LOT MORE BACK. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. 
          COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN TURNER. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, JUST A POINT OF CLARITY. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, WE DON'T HAVE A EDC LIKE PORT ARTHUR, ORANGE AND OTHER CITIES. THEY HAVE A TYPE A, TYPE B, SO FOR ME, IT'S ALREADY UNDERSTOOD AND ESTABLISHED. WE DON'T HAVE THESE INCENTIVES LIKE FOR STAFF. HOW HOW HOW I DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT WE CAN OFFER. SO HOW IS IT OUT THERE THAT WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T OFFER OR WE DON'T HAVE? SO I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION, AN IMPORTANT POINT, BECAUSE WE WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT YOU HAVE SOME OTHER SURROUNDING CITIES THAT ARE OR THEIR CDKS ARE ACTIVELY PUTTING EQUITY MONEY INTO A PROJECT. AND SO THE NEXT QUESTION FROM THE CITIZENS POINT OF VIEW IS, WELL, WHY DOESN'T THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DO THE SAME THING? BUT AS I MENTIONED, THE STATE REGULATES A LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IN FACT, ALL OF IT FOR CITIES IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO, IN ORDER TO HAVE A CDC TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE WE MIGHT SEE IN ORANGE OR PORT ARTHUR, SOME OF THESE OTHER CITIES, YOU HAVE TO BE WHAT'S CALLED A FOR A, A FOR B CORPORATION. AND IN ORDER TO TO BECOME ONE OF THOSE OR CREATE ONE OF THOSE AND ASSESS FUNDS FOR IT IS IS DONE THROUGH A SALES TAX BUT SALES TAX. BUT THAT HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE VOTERS. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS BACK IN THE 1980S, THE QUESTION WAS PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS AND THE VOTERS DECLINED IT. AND SO AS A RESULT, BEAUMONT DOES DOES NOT HAVE A FOUR A AND FOUR B CORPORATION. AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT, BECAUSE AS WE SEE SOME OF THESE THESE PROJECTS IN SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, THAT MIGHT BE THAT'S A LEGITIMATE QUESTION TO SAY, WELL, WHY DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, BEAUMONT DO THAT? AND THAT'S, AGAIN, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE DID THIS EMPOWERMENT ZONE IS BECAUSE IT'S IT'S NOT AS EXTENSIVE AS, SAY, A FOR FOR A, FOR B CORPORATION, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LAW. YEAH. MY STRUGGLE. I JUST DON'T WANT TO CLOUD THE TRUST OF HOW WE CAN GOVERN WITHIN THE RULES THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, BECAUSE I GOT PHONE CALLS TODAY, TOO, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, US GIVING MONEY. AND I SAY IT'S NO WAY POSSIBLE WE CAN DO THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A EDC IN BEAUMONT. RIGHT? WE'RE DEFERRING POTENTIAL REVENUE. BUT FOR A BUT FOR A REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, IT WOULDN'T BE THERE ANYWAY. IN FACT, WE EXPECT NOT ONLY WOULD THE VALUE CONTINUE TO DECLINE, BUT VERY REALISTICALLY, THE CITY MIGHT HAVE TO INVEST IN DEMOLITION. SO AGAIN, BUT FOR THE PROJECT, WE'RE REALLY JUST DEFERRING POTENTIAL REVENUE. UNDERSTOOD. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S NOT BEEN MENTIONED IS THE AMOUNT OF SALES TAX REVENUE THAT THE CITY WILL, WILL GET FROM THIS POTENTIAL. NOT TO MENTION, THIS COULD BE A STEPPING STONE BECAUSE YOU BRING MORE PEOPLE IN INTO A LARGER OFFICE SPACE. 
          MORE, MORE CHANCES OF OF RESTAURANTS OR OTHER RETAIL ITEMS COMING TO DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THE FOOT TRAFFIC THAT WILL BE THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, I REALIZE THAT IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT, BUT I MEAN, DO WE HAVE A NUMBER ON HOW MUCH POTENTIAL SALES TAX COULD BE ALSO BE COLLECTED? WELL, SO THEY'RE ESTIMATING POTENTIALLY THEY COULD HAVE UP TO 80 
          [01:00:05]
INDIVIDUALS WORKING IN THAT BUILDING. AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE A CERTAIN PORTION OF THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE SHOPPING DOWNTOWN VISITING LOCAL RESTAURANTS. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. THOSE DOLLARS WILL TURN AGAIN AND AGAIN. RIGHT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, THEN COUNCILMAN DARIO. ONE OTHER POINT I WANTED TO MAKE. NOW IT'S SLIPPING MY MIND. THE. OH, YOU MENTIONED. CAN THE PORT AND THE COUNTY BE PART OF THE EMPOWERMENT ZONE? BETTER QUESTION. ARE THEY PART OF THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO. THE PORT AND THE COUNTY, YOU KNOW, THEY TYPICALLY ARE. THEY'RE THEY'RE INVOLVED ALONG WITH THE CITY WHEN IT FALLS WITHIN OUR CITY OR ETJ MORE INVOLVED IN A REINVESTMENT ZONE TYPE TAX ABATEMENT FOR AN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY. BUT I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK TO SEE IF THEY'RE THEY'RE ABLE TO MY MY INITIAL THOUGHT IS THEY'RE NOT BUT I BUT I MENTION IT BECAUSE THE PORT IS ASKING US TO ABATE CITY TAXES ON A PORT PROJECT. AND IF THE PORT HAS THE ABILITY TO ABATE THEIR TAXES ON THIS BUILDING PROJECT, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A NICE THING FOR THEM TO DO. AND SO IF IT IS POSSIBLE AND IF THE THE BUILDING INVESTOR COULD, COULD PLEASE REACH OUT TO THE PORT AND THE COUNTY, I THINK THAT IT MIGHT ALSO MAKE THE PROJECT MORE SUCCESSFUL IN THOSE TWO ENTITIES. SHOULD 100% BE WILLING TO DO THAT AND HELP US REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE PROXIMITY THAT THE PORT HAS TO THIS BUILDING. AND ANYWAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DARIO. YEAH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. DO YOU KNOW IF THEY HAVE ANY APPLICANTS FOR RENTAL SPACE YET, OR IS IT TOO EARLY IN THE PROCESS TO BE GETTING THAT? I'M SORRY. COULD YOU REPEAT YOU HAVE ANY PEOPLE INTERESTED IN RENTING SPACE IN THE BUILDING YET? OR IS IT TOO EARLY TO TO KNOW THAT I'M. I'M NOT AWARE AT THIS TIME. MISS LOKEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? FIRST OFF, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE APPLICANT'S WIFE IS HERE. LEANNE IS HERE. AND YOU KNOW SOMETHING IMPORTANT ABOUT WHO THE TWO APPLICANTS ARE. IS THEIR CURRENT BUSINESS OWNERS IN BEAUMONT. AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING BECAUSE THIS IS JUST ALSO A BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION. IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THESE TWO BUSINESSES TRY TO SALVAGE THIS BUILDING. AND TINA, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO LOOK AT YOUR EMAIL, I ACTUALLY SENT A PICTURE JUST BECAUSE I WANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND IT'S COMPLETELY CLEARED OUT. THERE IS NOTHING INSIDE THIS BUILDING. THERE'S NO FLOORS. IF YOU'RE STANDING AT THE VERY BOTTOM AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TOP, YOU SEE THE CEILING BECAUSE IT'S BEEN COMPLETELY GUTTED. AND SO WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS VIBRANT, YOU KNOW, FOUR STORY BUILDING THAT HAS IS READY FOR SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A BUILDING BARELY, YOU KNOW, STANDING. AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE PUTTING AN INVESTMENT INTO DOWNTOWN. AND SO CURRENTLY THE FIRST FLOOR IS GOING TO BE A POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP FOR RETAIL SPACE. I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE TOO MUCH INFORMATION BECAUSE SHE'S HERE. AND THIS IS WHY PEOPLE DON'T TELL YOU THINGS. BUT THAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP WE'VE BUILT. SO THE FIRST TWO FLOORS ARE GOING TO BE COMMERCIAL WITH A LOT OF OFFICE SPACE AS WELL AS CONFERENCE SPACE. AND THEN THE FIRST FLOOR, SHE HAS SOME REALLY COOL IDEAS ON WAYS IN WHICH TO ALLOW FOR NOT JUST VENDORS, BUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR POSSIBLY LIKE FLOWER SHOPS AND FOOD AND MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE WINE BAR. SO REALLY, SHE IS NOT JUST ADAMANT ABOUT SALVAGING THE BUILDING AND THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO DRAW MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, TO SPEND MONEY DOWNTOWN AND TO SAVE DOWNTOWN. AND THAT IS HONESTLY WHAT THE GOAL OF HER, HER HUSBAND, AS WELL AS ROBIN, CHRIS, BECAUSE THEIR GOAL IS TO HELP BE A PART OF THE DOWNTOWN. THANK YOU. SO THAT YOU SAID NEXT 2026. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M SORRY FOR SHOWING THEM THIS, BUT I THINK FOR EVERYONE WHO'S THINKING THAT THEY'RE GETTING AHEAD ON THIS, I JUST REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEE THE INTERIOR OF THIS BUILDING. THIS IS EXACTLY THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN MAYBE FIVE DAYS AGO. AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT, WHY DON'T YOU GO TO CAN YOU SHOW THEM THE NEXT PICTURE, TOO? LET'S JUST HIGHLIGHT THIS. SHE'S GONNA GET MAD AT ME. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S THE THREE BEAUMONT CITIZENS WHO NOT ONLY PAY SALES TAX IN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES, BUT THEY ALSO PAY PROPERTY TAXES AND WHERE THEY LIVE. AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, GETTING THEIR HANDS AND FEET WET IN A, IN A BUILDING THAT HAS NOTHING. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS A HUGE ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE STEPS WE'RE TAKING TOWARDS THE DOWNTOWN VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY, AS WELL AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT ZONES. AND SO IF YOU LOOK IN THE COUNCIL PACKET, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE FULL POLICY THAT'S IN THERE THAT OUTLINES EVERY SINGLE AMOUNT AND WHAT THE ABATEMENT IS. AND IT ALSO INCLUDES ALL SIX OF THE ZONES THAT ARE DISCUSSED. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? YEAH I 
          [01:05:06]
DIDN'T FINISH ASKING MY QUESTION. THANK YOU. CHRISTINA. DEMI THAT YOU SAID OF SPRING OF 26. WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT THE START DATE? NO. SO IN THEIR APPLICATION IT SAYS 12 MONTHS, 12 TO 18 MONTHS. SO I BELIEVE TO FINISH. YEAH, I BELIEVE THAT MR. BOONE HAD SAID IN COURT QUARTER FOUR OF THIS YEAR THEY'RE GOING TO START THE DRY IN. AND THEN BY NEXT YEAR HOPEFULLY THEY'LL BE COMPLETED. OR IT WOULD BE PROBABLY BEGINNING OF 2027, MAYBE SPRING OF 2027. REALISTICALLY CONSIDERING SOME DELAYS, IF THERE'S ANY WEATHER. AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS FOR MR. BOONE THIS THE SEVEN YEAR 100% NUMBER, WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE THE OWNERS OF THE BUILDING REQUESTED, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE JUST OFFERED. SO THE GUIDELINES THAT GO ALONG WITH THE PROGRAM THAT'S THE MAXIMUM IS SEVEN. AS MENTIONED. WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT. WE MAY ASK FOR Y'ALL TO CONSIDER ADJUSTING IT. BUT BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT IS WHAT THEY'RE SEEKING BECAUSE IT'S THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TERM UNDER THE UNDER THE GUIDELINES. DO WE THINK ABOUT OFFERING SOMETHING LOWER LESS YEARS AND A LOWER PERCENTAGE? WELL, IT'S 100% AT SEVEN YEARS. NO. BUT WE THINK ABOUT OFFERING A LESS YEARS AND 75%. SO THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED AND AGAIN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT HERE SOON. 
          SO WE MIGHT HAVE SOME SIMILAR THING. BUT THE WAY THE WAY THE POLICY IS WRITTEN NOW IS BASICALLY THE TERM 100% ACROSS THE BOARD. BUT THE TERM IS BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF INVESTMENT. SO YES, WE COULD LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS $1 MILLION INVESTMENT MIGHT GET YOU FIVE YEARS INSTEAD OF SEVEN. BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO PLAN TO BRING YOU ALL SOMETHING HERE PRETTY SOON. SO IT'S JUST NOT IT'S NOT A RANDOM NUMBER. Y'ALL HAVE A FORMULA FOR FIGURING THIS OUT? YES, SIR. IN THE GUIDELINES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND IT IS ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL. AND THERE IS A REMINDER JUST THAT IF THE CITY WAS TO TEAR DOWN THIS BUILDING, 400,000, $400,000. SO IT WOULD BE A NEGATIVE COST TO THE CITY. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY 
          [6. Council consider a resolution allowing the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Gap Strategies for Bond Election Services]
OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SIX? THANK YOU. MAYOR. COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ALLOWING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH GAP STRATEGIES FOR BOND ELECTION SERVICES, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN HILLIARD? I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ON THIS. 
          PAYING THEM $100,000 IS THIS I BELIEVE I BELIEVE WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN TRACY AND HER DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO AND ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL, TO BE ABLE TO WORK THIS A LOT WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND $100,000. WE HAVE ALL THE MATERIAL, WE HAVE THE QUALITY PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR US. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE, WE, WE FEEL WE NEED TO SPEND $100,000 TO GET THEM TO GO WITH US. I THINK THAT WE'LL ALL BE TOGETHER, AND I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. THEY ALWAYS DO A WONDERFUL JOB. AND SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DON'T. WE DON'T LET THEM SHOW ALL OF US. AND COMMUNICATION SHOULDER THE BURDEN AND NOT SPEND THE $100,000. MAYOR, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. WE WANTED THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR WORK ON THE BOND PROPOSITIONS. THEY WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN THE BEAUMONT BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE HELPING TO GET THE PACKAGE BEFORE COUNCIL LAST MONTH, GETTING IT APPROVED FOR AN ELECTION IN NOVEMBER. THEY'RE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HAVE THE EXPERTISE WITH BOND PROPOSITIONS AS WELL AS WITH BEAUMONT'S PROPOSITION. SO. SO WE FELT IT WOULD BE USEFUL FOR THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR SERVICES TO THE CITY, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HADN'T HAD A BOND ELECTION IN OVER 42 YEARS. WE THOUGHT THEIR 
          [01:10:03]
SERVICES COULD ASSIST AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. COUNCILMAN TURNER, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. ONE OF MY REASONS FOR A SECOND, AND THIS IS TO ACTUALLY WHAT WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION. I FEEL CONFIDENT JUST AS MUCH AS COUNCILMAN HILLIARD DOES. BUT ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR STAFF. I NEED Y'ALL TO SPEAK TO US AND LET US KNOW THE WHY. SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, IS ON HERE AS A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL FOR ME, I NEED TO GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WHY. I KNOW I DON'T WANT TO PUT IT ON COMMUNICATIONS AND SAY WE FEEL THEY CAN HANDLE IT. OUR OTHER COMMUNICATIONS OPEN UP AND BE HONEST WITH US ON WHERE THEY'RE AT. IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, MR. WILLIAMS ON THE WHY. SO WE HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING ON WHY, AND WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. SHE'S ALREADY UP THERE, SO I GUESS THAT'S OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. AND AND COULD WE DO IT WITHOUT THEM? YES. WILL THEY MAKE US BETTER? PROBABLY SO THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE THAT I'VE NEVER DONE. I'VE NEVER HELPED TO MARKET A BOND OBVIOUSLY A GEO BOND. WE HAVEN'T HAD 1 IN 43 YEARS. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT IT'S OUTSIDE OF MY WHEELHOUSE, SO TO SPEAK. CAN I GET A MESSAGE ACROSS? RIGHT, I CAN, I BELIEVE, BUT THE EXPERTISE SO THEY THEY'RE SPECIALIZED IN SOME THINGS. THERE ARE CERTAIN GUARDRAILS. THERE'S LEGAL GUARDRAILS WITH A GEO BOND, BEST PRACTICES FOR PRESENTING INFORMATION, ADVOCACY, THAT TYPES OF THING THAT COULD GET US INTO SOME LEGAL TROUBLE. SO I HAVE USED THEM AS CONSULTANTS WITH EVERYTHING THAT I'VE MARKETED, EVERYTHING THAT I PUT OUT WITH THE GRAPHICS, WITH THE VIDEOS, EVEN THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK WHEN I'VE BEEN DOING VIDEOS WITH EACH OF OUR OUR DIRECTORS THAT HAVE SOMETHING ON THE BOND, THERE'S EVEN A WAY TO ASK THE QUESTIONS OR CERTAIN THINGS THEY CAN SAY AND THEY CAN'T SAY THAT CAN GET US INTO LEGAL TROUBLE. SO I'VE USED THEM GREATLY ON THAT BANDWIDTH. AGAIN, WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. 
          AND THIS THIS REALLY COULD BE A FULL TIME THING FOR SOMEBODY TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT. JUST THIS LAST TIME PERIOD, I WORKED 13 HOURS OVER DOING BOND ELECTION MATERIALS, GETTING INFORMATION TO OUR DIRECTORS ON HOW TO ANSWER CERTAIN QUESTIONS, GETTING THEM INFORMATION BECAUSE GAP HAS BEEN THERE THE ENTIRE TIME. AND OUR DIRECTORS DO A GREAT JOB, AND THEY KNOW A LOT ABOUT WHAT'S ON THERE. DO THEY KNOW EVERYTHING? THEY KNOW HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE? NO. 
          AND DO THEY KNOW THE CERTAIN RAMIFICATIONS IF THEY ANSWER A CERTAIN WAY, IF THEY EVEN SAY GO VOTE, THAT COULD GET US INTO TROUBLE. SO THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THEM THAT INFORMATION AS WELL AS GRAPHICS. AND THEN WE'RE DOING VIDEOS FOR EACH PROPOSITION. IT'S TIME CONSUMING, SUPER TIME CONSUMING. SO FOR THE BANDWIDTH PART, WE COULD USE THEM. WE'RE PLANNING TO DO SEVERAL POP UP EVENTS WHERE WE GIVE OUT INFORMATION TO PEOPLE GOING TO FESTIVALS SUCH AS VIVA FEST OKTOBERFEST TO GIVE OUT INFORMATION. WE WANT TO MAKE IT TO ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, AND I'VE ASKED THE DIRECTORS TO SIGN UP FOR SOME OF THOSE. BUT. AND THEN THE FOUR DIFFERENT WARDS, WE'RE GOING TO EACH WARD. OF COURSE, WE WANT ALL OF OUR STAFF TO BE THERE, BUT IT'S JUST DIFFICULT. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE A TOWN HALL AND THEN A VIRTUAL TOWN HALL SO THEY CAN BE VERY BENEFICIAL THERE. THEY HAVE BIG BOARDS THAT THEY PRINT OUT THAT EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. THEY WANT TO HELP US WITH SOCIAL ANSWERING QUESTIONS RIGHT AWAY. THAT'S A FULL TIME JOB JUST ON SOCIAL, JUST TO ANSWER PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS AS THEY HAVE THOSE AND COME IN. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO. DO WE NEED THE WHOLE SCOPE? MAYBE IT COULD BE PARED DOWN IN CERTAIN AREAS. THAT'S FOR Y'ALL TO DECIDE. COULD I USE IT? YES. COULD I DO IT WITHOUT? YES. IT JUST MAY BE A LOT SMALLER SCALE. SO SO LIKE AGAIN, WE HAVE OUR FULL TIME JOBS THAT WE'RE DOING AS DEPARTMENT HEADS ALREADY. SO IT'S A LOT TO TAKE ON. IT REALLY COULD BE A FULL TIME JOB. 
          AND THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE. THEY'VE BEEN SUPER SUCCESSFUL. IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR TRACK RECORD THEY'VE DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES IN OTHER CITIES AND BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. IT'S A $264 MILLION BOND THAT I DON'T WANT TO BE ON MY SHOULDERS FOR DROPPING THE BALL SOMEWHERE. AND AGAIN, THIS CAN THE REVENUE OR WHAT WE PAY THEM CAN BE ROLLED INTO THE BOND. 
          AND I WANT TO SAY IT'S LIKE 1/30 OF 1% OF WHAT IT WOULD BE FOR THE OVER ALL COST OF THE BOND COMPARED TO WHAT WE WOULD PAY THEM. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS. THANK YOU. SO YEAH, I'M STILL GOING. YOU GOT ONE MORE. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. THEN WE GOT COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS AND COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. THIS JUST TOO IMPORTANT. I'M NOT REALLY TRYING TO RUSH THROUGH THIS. I REALLY WANT TO GET INTO IT SO WE CAN BE OPEN AND HONEST ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT. AND WHY. BECAUSE MY ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS NO, WHEN I SEEN IT. AND THEN I HAD TO THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN WITH EXPERIENCE. I CAN'T SPEAK FOR STAFF. I GOT TO LET THEM 
          [01:15:03]
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. SO THAT'S WHY I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THE MIC AND EXPRESS. WHY? BECAUSE ORIGINALLY THAT'S WHERE I WAS AT, NOT BECAUSE I DISCREDITED GAP. IT'S BECAUSE I AM THAT CONFIDENT IN OUR STAFF AS WELL AS US AS A COUNCIL. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THIS. IF WE'RE SENDING YOU EMAILS ABOUT A POTHOLE, WE'RE SENDING EMAILS ABOUT SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE CITY, AND WE ASK YOU TO MANAGE THE BOND. AT THE SAME TIME, I DO UNDERSTAND AFTER YOU SAY WHAT YOU STATED EARLIER, WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY OUGHT TO ACCOMPLISH AND DO. SO I WANT TO KNOW IF Y'ALL WERE CONFIDENT BEFORE I SPOKE FOR YOU AND FORCED IT ON YOU. THAT'S WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION I ASKED. GOT IT. 
          COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS YEAH, I'VE GOT, I GUESS, TWO QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THE FORMER COUNCIL ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH GAP STRATEGIES, WAS THERE NO TALK OF EXTENDING THEIR SERVICES UNTIL ELECTION DAY? I MEAN, DID WE KNOW THAT THEIR SERVICES ENDED AND WHEN DID THEY END? WHEN DID THE MONEY WE ALREADY PAID THEM KIND OF LAPSE AND PICK UP? AND I GUESS PART TWO IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST. IT'S ILLEGAL IS MY UNDERSTANDING. AND SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY $100,000 SEVEN WEEK EDUCATIONAL PROCESS. AND THAT JUST IN MARKETING TERMS SEEMS EXPENSIVE TO ME. I MEAN, I'VE DONE SOME ADVERTISING. I MEAN, NOT WITH GAP WITH LOCAL MARKETING FOLKS, AND THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. YES. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS THROUGH THE END OF THROUGH THROUGH AUGUST. ACTUALLY, THEIR THEIR SCOPE WAS TO PRESENT A PACKAGE TO COUNCIL AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BOND OF THE BEAUMONT ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH IS WHAT THEY DID. THEY HELD VARIOUS MEETINGS WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THEY BROUGHT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, AND THEY SAW EVERYTHING THROUGH COUNCIL'S VOTE TO EITHER CALL AN ELECTION OR NOT CALL AN ELECTION. SO THAT'S THAT WAS THE EXTENT OF THEIR ORIGINAL CONTRACT. AND BUT SURELY THEY WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT AN ELECTION WAS GOING TO BE CALLED. I MEAN, SURELY THEY WEREN'T THINKING, WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHARGE MORE MONEY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I MEAN, THEY WERE HIRED, A COMMITTEE WAS FORMED. THEY WERE EDUCATED THROUGH INFORMATION THAT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE TO TO US NOW TO TO CITIZENS. AND SO THAT'S WHERE I, I STRUGGLE AS SOMEONE SITTING HERE AND A CITIZEN, I JUST I'M CURIOUS, WHAT DOES THAT $100,000 DO? IS IT GRAPHICS? IS IT SPONSORED FACEBOOK POSTS? WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO GO TO TOWN HALLS, AND I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT. I'M WILLING TO DO THAT. THAT'S WHY I RAN. I'M WILLING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE. SO, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT $100,000, $100,000 GETS ME BECAUSE I STRUGGLE WITH WITH THESE CONSULTANT FEES, I DO. I DID IT ONCE ALREADY, AND I'M I'M STRUGGLING WITH THIS ONE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT GETS US. IF I COULD ASK MISS WHITE OVER THERE TO SCROLL UP OR DOWN. TO THE SCOPE AND FEE WORKSHEET, WELL, MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE IT. SO THERE ARE VARIOUS TASKS THAT ARE PART OF THE 98,000. ONE IS MESSAGING PROJECT, KICKOFF AND COORDINATION. TASK TWO IS DIRECT MAIL PRODUCTION OF TWO DIRECT MAIL PIECES AND OTHER MAILING SERVICES. TASK THREE WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS. TASK FOUR OPEN HOUSE SPEAKER'S BUREAU POP UP EVENTS. TASK FIVE RAPID RESPONSE AND MEDIA RELATIONS. AND THEN THERE ARE ASSOCIATED PROJECT EXPENSES WHICH INCLUDE PRINTING AND MAILING OF DIRECT MAIL, WEBSITE HOSTING AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT FEES, PRINTING AND VIDEO EXPENSES FOR OTHER OPEN HOUSE EVENTS, TRAVEL AND LODGING. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE THIS PAGE IN YOUR PACKET OR NOT, BUT IT WAS. IT'S PART OF THE CONTRACT OR THE PROPOSED CONTRACT, OKAY, I DON'T. OKAY. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. I THINK TRACY KIND OF ALLUDED TO WHAT MY QUESTION IS, MORE OR LESS, WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY NEED? WHAT CAN YOU NOT TASK INSIDE, AND 
          [01:20:09]
CAN WE PARE THAT DOWN TO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE PALATABLE FOR THE COUNCIL? I THINK WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH THE 98,000. I IMAGINE WE COULD MAYBE COME UP WITH A NUMBER THAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH, AND THEN WE CAN WORK BACKWARDS FROM THAT. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR US INSIDE OF THIS AMOUNT? MAYBE AS A COUNCIL, I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE CAN COME UP WITH A NUMBER, MAYBE PRESENT IT BACK AND SAY, HEY, NO, THAT'S NOT A POSTED ITEM FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION. WELL, NEVERTHELESS, WE NEED TO GET DOWN TO A WHAT WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH SPENDING. AND I GUESS CAN WE MOVE TO A PROVE A DIFFERENT AMOUNT HERE TODAY? YEP. PUBLICLY OKAY. PERFECT. THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. YEAH. AND ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO NOTE, THEIR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL WAS HIGHER THAN THIS AMOUNT. WE STAFF DID ASK THEM TO COME DOWN TO A LOWER AMOUNT, WHICH IS HOW THEY GOT TO THE 98,000. BUT INITIALLY IT WAS THERE WERE MORE TASK ITEMS THAT THEY CUT OUT OF THEIR PROPOSAL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. I HAD SOME RESERVATIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM BEFORE I CAME IN HERE. AND NOW, AFTER HAVING HEARD SOME OF THE EXPLANATIONS BY CITY STAFF, I'M EVEN MORE CONCERNED. BEFORE I GET INTO WHAT EXACTLY IS A RAPID RESPONSE FOR BOND EDUCATION INITIATIVE? WHY ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH WOULD WE PAY A GROUP FROM AUSTIN TO COME IN FOR TRAVEL AND LODGING WHEN WE COULD FIND A LOCAL MARKETING PR FIRM ADVERTISING FIRM TO HELP US AND SAVE US THAT COST? SO I JUST, I THINK THIS IS JUST A SHOCKING EXAMPLE OF WASTEFUL SPENDING. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE PUT THIS OUT FOR A BID FOR A LOCAL GROUP, AND WE COULD HAVE SAVED MONEY THERE. I JUST, I THINK $100,000 TO EDUCATE EARLIER. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO TRACY, SHE CALLED IT, WE'RE TRYING TO MARKET A BOND. 
          I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S PROPER TO MARKET A BOND. WE'RE TRYING TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON A BOND. 
          AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THIS IS ALL SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL. WHEN WE HIRED THIS GROUP, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONTEMPLATED THAT IT WAS GOING TO COME UP. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS ELECTION, I MEAN, IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T GO OVER TO TRIANGLE BLUEPRINT AND PRINT SOME EDUCATIONAL CARDS AND STUFF THEM IN OUR WATER BILLS AND MAIL THEM TO PEOPLE AND SAVE A LOT OF MONEY BY EDUCATING THEM, BY JUST PUTTING A FLIER IN THE WATER. BILLS GOING OUT FOR SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER. AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS MONTHS AGO, SO THAT WE COULD HAVE BEEN PUTTING THESE EDUCATIONAL FLIERS OUT ON WATER BILLS WELL BEFORE NOW, BECAUSE WE'RE PROBABLY GETTING DOWN TO WHERE THERE'S ONLY GOING TO BE ONE WATER BILL GOING OUT BETWEEN NOW AND THE ELECTION. SO I DON'T KNOW. IT'S JUST THIS SEEMS VERY POORLY DONE. AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO STAFF, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE MORE WORK FOR YOU ALL, BUT WE HAVE A LARGE CITY STAFF. I THINK THE OTHER DAY WE HAVE 1300 EMPLOYEES FOR THE CITY, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE BETWEEN COMMUNICATIONS CONVENTION, CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, WHICH IS PUSHED SO MANY OF THESE ASPECTS OF THIS BOND SO HARD, I FEEL LIKE THIS SHOULD BE A TEAM EFFORT WITH STAFF, AND WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO EDUCATE VOTERS APPROPRIATELY WITH CITY STAFF AND NOT SPEND ANOTHER $100,000, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION. TO CLARIFY, NOT NOT ADVOCATING FOR THE BOND MARKETING, MEANING JUST GETTING MATERIALS OUT AND GETTING INFORMATION OUT. I'M JUST USING YOUR EXACT WORD YOU SAID MARKET A BOND, RIGHT? AND MARKETING MEANING GETTING MATERIALS OUT AND GETTING INFORMATION OUT. OKAY, YEAH, BUT ONE THING I WOULD JUST SAY TO THAT, AND WE DO HAVE A LOT OF EMPLOYEES, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THE BOND? NOT THAT MANY THAT CAN REALLY SPEAK TO IT. THE BENEFIT OF USING THEM IS THEY'VE BEEN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. THEY CAN TELL US HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE, AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE INS AND OUTS OF EVERY PART OF THE BOND. AND I MEAN, IT'S FOR YOU ALL TO DECIDE. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT MOST OF OUR STAFF, IF YOU WERE TO ASK THEM, TELL ME WHY THIS WAS PUT ON THE BOND. TELL ME. TELL ME WHAT'S NEEDED AT THE POLICE STATION. THEY PROBABLY COULDN'T EVEN TELL YOU THAT. SO TO HAVE JUST. I MEAN, THEY COULD TELL YOU SOME THINGS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE SEEN IT IN THE MEDIA, BUT WOULD THEY GET IT ALL CORRECT? MAYBE. MAYBE NOT. AND I FEEL LIKE WE 
          [01:25:04]
NEED SOMEBODY WHO HAS THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT EXPERTISE. EVEN WHEN THEY ASK ME QUESTIONS LIKE THERE'S SOMETIMES I HAVE TO TEXT AND SAY, IS THIS CORRECT? WAS THIS THE EXACT AMOUNT THAT WAS? AND THERE'S A LOT IN THERE. IT'S IT'S A BIG BOND AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT HAS TO BE CLEAR AND IT HAS TO BE TRANSPARENT AND IT HAS TO BE CORRECT INFORMATION. SO NOT EVERY STAFF MEMBER COULD SPEAK TO WHAT'S ON THE BOND AND WHY THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S NECESSARY. BUT YOU MAKE SOME GOOD POINTS. THANK YOU. 
          YES, COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, I'M NOT GOING TO GO AS FAR AS COREY. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW WENT, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THERE'S ENOUGH MISINFORMATION TO NEED SOME HELP. I CAN AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT. AND THERE'S ENOUGH. COMMUNICATION OUT THERE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT THE BOND ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. SO WE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING IT RIGHT. SO I AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT. AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT NOBODY ON THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE THIS BEFORE. RIGHT. AND NOBODY PROBABLY IN THIS ROOM HAS DONE THIS BEFORE BECAUSE IT'S 43 YEARS. SO I CAN SEE THE NEED TO HAVE SOME CORRECT GUIDED INFORMATION COMING OUT, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE THINK WE CAN. MOST OF US ARE NEW ON COUNCIL, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE HONEST. 
          I'M JUST I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE ACTUAL REAL NEED IS. AND IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT I MEAN, WE ARE GETTING DOWN TO THE WIRE. SO WE NEED THE BRASS TACKS. WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE DOWN TO THE WIRE, BUT WE DEFINITELY NEED SOME HELP. HOW HOW DO WE GET THERE? IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM. WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT CREATING SOLUTIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE KNOWLEDGEABLE, AND WE'RE ARTICULATE AND WE'RE THOUGHTFUL IN OUR PROCESSES WITH STAFF AND EVERYBODY. SO I MEAN, I JUST KIND OF WANT TO KNOW, HOW CAN WE HELP REALISTICALLY IN IN CRUNCH TIME. YEAH. AND CONTROL THE NARRATIVE IN A WAY THAT'S BENEFICIAL TO THE ENTIRE CITY OF BEAUMONT. CORRECT. AND INITIALLY, AS WE WERE, AS MR. ELLIS POINTED OUT, WAS I THINK THE THE FIRST PROPOSAL WAS AROUND $150,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND THEY PARED IT DOWN TO 98. THEY SAID THAT IT'S NOT JUST A FEE. THERE'S EXPENSES FOR LIKE PRINTING, MAILING THE BOARDS, THE EXPENSES FOR TRAVEL AND ALL THAT. BUT THERE ARE I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE IT THERE. THOSE ARE THE DIFFERENT FEES FOR THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF IT. 
          I WOULD SEE AS CONSULTANTS. THAT WOULD BE MY NUMBER ONE ASK IS TO BE ABLE TO USE THEM FOR, TO RUN EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THEM. FOR THE LEGALITY PART, AND IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THEM AT OUR OPEN HOUSES AND FOR OUR VIRTUAL MEETING. THERE'S JUST A LOT I DON'T KNOW, WHATEVER YOU GUYS DECIDE, BUT AND AND I DO WANT TO ADDRESS, IT'S BEEN ASKED IF WE EXPECTED THEM TO CONTINUE AND WE DIDN'T. IT WAS A PRESENTATION AND WE WANTED TO SEE HOW THAT WOULD GO. NONE OF US HAD EXPERIENCE WITH DOING BONDS AND CERTAINLY GETTING FAMILIAR WITH GAAP, AND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE HOW THAT WENT. AND AND I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WITH THEIR KNOWLEDGE, THEY'RE BRINGING THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE NEED BECAUSE OF OUR STAFF IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE ADD NEW PROJECTS, WE'RE NOT ADDING PEOPLE. AND YET WE'RE NEEDING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE EFFECTIVE IN GETTING THE WORD OUT AND GETTING IT OUT CORRECTLY, BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING IT OUT INCORRECTLY. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, I JUST I MEAN, I LOOK AT THIS AND AND THE LARGEST EXPENSE IS, IS TO OPEN HOUSE. AND I HEAR TRACY SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'D BE BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THEM THERE, BUT I JUST WHENEVER PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS, THEY'RE NOT CALLING THE GUY FROM GAAP STRATEGIES. THEY'RE CALLING US. I MEAN, WHO DO THEY THEY TRUST? I MEAN, AND I JUST LOOK AT IT AND GO, THERE'S SEVEN PEOPLE UP HERE WHO ARE ELECTED. I MEAN, WHO BETTER TO EDUCATE SOMEBODY FOR FREE? SO THAT'S. AND IT'S NOT THAT I'M SAYING I DISTRUST THEM. I'M JUST PEOPLE THAT WANT EDUCATION AREN'T PICKING UP THE PHONE AND SAYING, LET ME CALL GAP STRATEGIES. THEY'RE PICKING UP THE PHONE AND SAYING, I'M GOING TO CALL COUNCILMAN TURNER. AND, YOU KNOW, I WENT TO ONE OF THESE EDUCATIONAL DEALS THAT STERLING PRUITT A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF US DID. AND AND, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY WE WERE ELECTED. AND SO IF IF MY TIME CAN SAVE $100,000, THEN I'M WILLING TO STEP UP AND DO THAT. AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME PEOPLE AGREE THAT, THAT THEY CAN DO A BETTER JOB. BUT I DISAGREE. I THINK PEOPLE TRUST US, NOT AFFIRM FROM FROM ANYWHERE, EVEN IF THEY WERE LOCAL. I JUST THEY'RE NOT 
          [01:30:09]
CALLING THE MARKETING COMPANY. THEY'RE CALLING THEIR ELECTED OFFICIAL. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. NOW, TRACY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. YOU SAID THIS MONEY WILL BE ROLLED INTO THE BOND. NO, THE FUNDS CAN BE REIMBURSED FROM THE BOND PROCEEDS. OKAY, ONCE THE BONDS ARE SOLD. OKAY. AND AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL ECHO IT. I FEEL THE SAME WAY. I MEAN, WE'RE I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S A HUGE WASTE OF MONEY TO, TO DO IT. WE ALREADY HAVE ALL THE MATERIALS. 
          I WENT TO SOME OF THOSE PROPOSALS AND I MEAN ALL THE MATERIALS ALREADY BEEN PRINTED. 
          ALL THE SLIDESHOWS HAVE BEEN DONE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXTRA STUFF THEY WOULD NEED TO BRING THAT HASN'T ALREADY BEEN PRINTED OR, OR MADE. DOES THAT BELONG TO US NOW SINCE WE PAID THEM, OR DO THEY TAKE THAT WITH THEM? SO WHAT HAS BEEN DECIDED BY COUNCIL? WE HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION WE WOULD NEED TO CHANGE SOME THINGS LIKE BRANDING AND STUFF. PROBABLY THEIR WEBSITE MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE ANY LONGER. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT. THE BEAUMONT BOND COMM. SO EVERYTHING ENDS IN AUGUST. ALL THE MONEY WE'VE PAID THEM IN AUGUST, THE JOB'S DONE. YEAH, WE'VE PAID THEM UP THROUGH THE END OF THEIR CONTRACT. AND SO THAT'S IT. WE LOSE. SO EVEN ALL THE MONEY WE'VE PAID, WE LOSE. WE'LL LOSE ACCESS TO THE WEBSITE AND. NO, NO. OKAY. OUR WEBSITE I BELIEVE IS OURS. OKAY. I BELIEVE AT THIS POINT IT MIGHT BE TIME TO. 
          MR. CITY MANAGER HADN'T SPOKEN. THEN WE CAN CALL THE QUESTION. JUST A COUPLE OF NOTES. MAYOR. 
          YOU KNOW COUNCIL CAN DO AS YOU WISH. THAT'S WHAT I'M ALWAYS SAYING. YOU CAN DO THAT. BUT A FEW THINGS. WELL, LET'S SAVE MONEY. YES, IT WILL SAVE YOU MONEY. WELL, YOU, IF WE DO IT IN-HOUSE, WILL IT PROVIDE FAMILIARITY WITH PEOPLE HERE? YES, IT WILL PROVIDE FAMILIARITY. BUT I THINK YOU'VE HEARD SOME THINGS ON WHY IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR STAFF. STAFF IS TELLING YOU NOW IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR STAFF. OKAY. SO LATER ON WHEN SOMETHING DOESN'T GO RIGHT, THEY'LL SAY, WELL, STAFF, WHAT HAPPENED? BECAUSE THEY'RE TELLING YOU THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW. THEY'VE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE LEGAL RESTRICTIONS. 
          THEY DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING OUT THERE REPRESENTING US LEGALLY WITH THESE THINGS, WITH THESE PARAMETERS ON ON THIS TYPE OF ELECTION, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE LIMITATIONS IN 43 YEARS, AND NOBODY HERE HAS DONE THIS BEFORE. NOBODY'S DONE IT IN 43 YEARS. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S REIMBURSABLE. SO THIS IS NOT MONEY OUT OF OUR TAX DOLLARS WE'RE SPENDING NOW. 
          THIS IS REIMBURSABLE. IF ANY PART OF THAT BOND PASSES THIS IS PAID FOR OUT OF THAT. SO THIS IS NOT PAID FOR OUT OF YOUR DOLLARS AS YOU SPEAK. DO YOU WANT IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL? THAT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH EFFORT YOU PUT INTO IT. SO IF YOU WANT IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, YOU PUT MORE EFFORT INTO IT. IF YOU DON'T, WE WON'T. WE'LL DO WHAT YOU WANT. BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST REASON WE SHOULD CONSIDER THIS IS IT PROVIDES AN UNBIASED PERSPECTIVE ON THIS BOND. MY STAFF IS ALREADY GETTING ACCUSED OF BEING BIASED IN THIS BOND ELECTION, AND THIS BRINGS IN A THIRD PARTY TO GIVE AN UNBIASED VIEW OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO THIS CITY. AND IF WE CONTINUE WITH STAFF GETTING PUT BEFORE YOU AND GETTING ACCUSED OF BEING BIASED, ACCUSED OF DOING THINGS WITH PROJECTS THAT'S NO GOOD FOR THIS CITY, THAT'S NO GOOD FOR ANYBODY. WE DON'T NEED THAT ARGUMENT OUT THERE. IT'S A SMALL PRICE TO PAY. PAY FOR UNITY OF THIS COMMUNITY AND CITY PEOPLE BEING ACCUSED OF BEING BIASED ON THIS ELECTION. 
          IT'S TOTALLY NOW, THIS GROUP OFFERS A 30,000 FOOT PERSPECTIVE. THEY CAN'T OFFER THAT 30,000. THEY'VE SEEN IT BEFORE. WE THINK WE'VE DONE IT. AND THE COUNCIL CAN DO IT. 
          PLEASE. BUT DON'T COME AT MY STAFF LATER BY BEING BIASED IN THIS ELECTION, WHEN WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LET SOMEBODY ELSE DO IT, THAT'S THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. AND WITH THAT, I THINK WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE WE CAN CALL THE QUESTION. SO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I, I THOSE OPPOSED. NO, NO, NO. ALL RIGHT. MOTION 
          [7. Council consider a request for a Specific Use Permit to allow a retail liquor store within a GC-MD-2 (General Commercial-Multiple Family Dwelling-2) District for property located at 4515 N. Major Drive, Suite A.]
PASSES. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL COULD CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT TO ALLOW RETAIL LIQUOR STORE WITHIN A GC MD2 GENERAL COMMERCIAL MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLING TWO DISTRICT FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 4515 NORTH MAJOR DRIVE, SUITE A, AND IT WAS APPROVED AT A JOINT PUBLIC 
          [01:35:05]
HEARING. NO, IT WASN'T. IT WAS IT WAS A TIE VOTE. SO FOR THIS TO AND I'VE BEEN TOLD THIS FOR THIS TO PASS IT WOULD TAKE A SUPERMAJORITY THEN. OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? I WANT TO RECUSE MYSELF FROM FROM THIS. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S NO SECOND. IT'LL DIE FOR LACK OF A SECOND. ALL RIGHT. MOTION DIES FOR LACK OF THE SECOND MAYOR. QUESTION. SINCE IT WAS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL AS BEING A TIE, AND IT DIES FOR LACK OF A SECOND. WHAT HAPPENS NOW? THERE. THERE'S. UNLESS THERE WAS A REASON TO BRING IT BACK. IT'S. SO THIS WENT TO PLANNING COMMISSION AT THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAD AND IT REACHED A TIE VOTE. REALLY? THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A RECOMMENDATION TO THIS BOARD. SO THE ULTIMATELY APPROVAL OR DENIAL WOULD COME FROM THE COUNCIL. SO PLANNING COMMISSION IS A RECOMMENDATION. SO THE DYING FOR LACK OF A SECOND IS A DENIAL. I'LL HAVE TO DEFER EFFECTIVELY. YES. AND SO THEY HAVE SOME OTHER DUE PROCESS ISSUES THAT THEY CAN PURSUE IN THE MATTER OF LEGAL. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MR. CITY MANAGER, 
          [PUBLIC HEARING]
WOULD YOU TAKE US INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING? THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCIL, TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TO RECEIVE COMMENTS REGARDING A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AND TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO RECEIVE OPERATING ASSISTANCE FUNDS FOR THE BEAUMONT ZIP. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS OPEN. WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP. NO, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU. WOULD WE? WITH PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED. 
          [8. Council consider a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit a grant application and execute a contract with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) to receive Operating Assistance funds for the BMT Zip.]
AND, MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO RECEIVE OPERATING ASSISTANCE FUNDS FOR THE BEAUMONT ZIP. AND IT COMES WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? MOTION WE APPROVE. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I THOSE OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE GOING TO 
          [COUNCIL COMMENTS]
MOVE INTO COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. JUST A QUICK OBSERVATION. THE CONTRACTOR, MOLLY, ON THE CROW ROAD PROJECT. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I THINK THEY'RE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB. THAT IS ON MY ROUTE TO ROUSE IN THE MORNING, AND THEY HAVE GREAT SIGNAGE TO LET MOTORISTS KNOW THAT LANES ARE CLOSED OR LANES HAVE CHANGED DIRECTION. THEY HAVE GREAT BARRICADES AND THEIR CREW IS ALWAYS VERY BUSY AND EVERYONE LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE WORKING WHEN I DRIVE BY, SO I'M NOT SURE WHO THE CONTRACTOR IS AND WHAT CITY THEY'RE FROM, BUT THEY THEY DO A GREAT JOB AND WHEN YOU TALK TO THEM, PLEASE GIVE THEM MY BEST AND LET THEM KNOW THAT I'M THE THE WEIRD GUY DRIVING BY, TAKING PICTURES OF THEM EVERY DAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, NO COMMENT. MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. NOTHING TODAY. OKAY. COUNCILMAN TURNER. YES, MAYOR. THANK YOU. 
          I JUST WANT TO ANNOUNCE MISS BOBBY PATTERSON WITH THE 100 BLACK WOMEN. THEY HAVE THEIR FIRST PHASE ONE FORM OF VOTER REGISTRATION COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER. SO IF WE CAN KIND OF FOLLOW THE 100 BLACK WOMEN AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE GOING ON, BECAUSE THEY DO A LOT OF AWESOME THINGS IN THIS COMMUNITY. SECONDLY, JUST WANT TO KIND OF MAKE A STATEMENT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS, SOMETIMES OUR DECISIONS WE MAKE WON'T MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. BUT ONE THING I DO AGREE WITH IS WE CAN'T TASK STAFF WITH DOING SOMETHING WHEN WE AS A COUNCIL OR ATTACKING SOME OF THE SAME THINGS WE'RE ASKING STAFF TO DO. 
          I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT AND I DON'T SUPPORT THAT. THAT'S WHY I FELT IT WAS VERY 
          [01:40:04]
IMPORTANT TO ASK STAFF, COULD THEY HANDLE IT PRIOR TO MAKING THE DECISION ON WHERE I FELT PERSONALLY? SO THAT'S I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF PUT THAT OUT THERE AND LET IT BE KNOWN. AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT ACCURATE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED, AND WE GOT TO MAKE SURE WE PUT OUR ACCURATE, FACTUAL, TRUTHFUL INFORMATION. 
          THAT'S NOT OKAY THAT WE PUT OUT THAT KIND OF INFORMATION BECAUSE YOU CONFUSE THE COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON. SO THAT'S MY STANCE AND THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE ACCURATE AND FACTUAL AS WE CAN BE, BECAUSE I THINK THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DESERVES THAT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. WELL, THIS WILL PROBABLY BE THE FIRST TIME I GO ON RECORD AGREEING WITH MY GETS, BUT I BELIEVE THE THE THE BANDIT SIGNS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS BECAUSE IT DOES GET OUT OF HAND AND IT CAUSES A LOT OF CONFUSION, ESPECIALLY WHERE THEY'RE PLACED. SO I WOULD LIKE US TO VISIT, YOU KNOW, ISSUING CITATIONS OR FINES. I MEAN, IT'S IT'S OBVIOUS A WAY OF REVENUE FOR US. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO MAKE MONEY. THE HOMELESSNESS, WE WE WE'VE REALLY GOT TO COME TOGETHER AND WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO ADDRESS THE HOMELESSNESS. YOU KNOW, I GET CALLS, I KNOW COREY GETS CALLS, MIKE GETS CALLS. AJ, LADONNA, CHRIS, WE ALL ARE GETTING CALLS ABOUT HOW THEY'RE IMPEDING BUSINESSES. ACTUAL TAXPAYING. PROPERTY PAYING CITIZENS OF OUR CITY. AND SO IT'S SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS. AND THERE AGAIN, HERE I GO WITH MIKE AGAIN. BUT THE LIGHTS WE REALLY CAN WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT TRYING TO GET OUR LIGHTS SYNCHRONIZED, ESPECIALLY OVER THERE ON CALDER WHERE THEY TOOK OUT THE BRIDGE AND NOW WE'VE GOT THE LIGHTS THERE. AND I SAW THAT TXDOT HAD COME BACK AND SAID, THOSE ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE IN TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH EACH OTHER BECAUSE IT'S IT'S QUITE A FEAT AT 5:00. AND DEMI, I WANTED TO ASK, WHERE ARE WE ON OUR COMMITTEE FOR FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING? I'VE BEEN REACHING OUT TO SOME CITIZENS THAT I BELIEVE WOULD BE QUALIFIED MEMBERS TO BE A PART OF THAT. AND THEN I WAS GOING TO LOOP BACK WITH ADMINISTRATION TO GET WITH YOU GUYS ON WHO YOU'D LIKE TO BE APPOINTED. SO HOPEFULLY TOWARDS THE END OF SEPTEMBER, BEGINNING OF OCTOBER, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU GUYS. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN. YES. JUST A FOLLOW UP ON COUNCILMAN TURNER'S STATEMENT. 
          THE OPERATION ONE VOTE WILL HAVE THE NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY. IT'S THEIR 30TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. IT'LL BE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 16TH. IT'LL BE AT THE JURY AND POLLING ROOM AT JEFFERSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE FROM 11 TO 1230, I BELIEVE. MAYOR, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION FORM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD. AND THEY SAID YOU WERE GOING TO BE THERE TO READ IT. SAME. ALSO. MOLLY, I NEED I GET QUITE A FEW CALLS ABOUT THE SIDEWALK ON THAT ROAD, SOME OF THEM BLOCKING BUSINESSES, BLOCKING DRIVEWAYS WHEN THEY'RE TEARING UP THE STREET. THEY HAVE THIS ONE GENTLEMAN GOT AN EMAIL TODAY. HE'S RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM BEAUMONT UNITED HIGH SCHOOL, SAID HE'S UNABLE TO ACCESS HIS BUSINESS. SO IF WE COULD LOOK AT THAT ALSO BECAUSE I THOUGHT I THOUGHT THAT SIDEWALK WAS GOING TO BE FINISHED BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED, WAS I WRONG? THE PART OF THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL WAS GOING TO BE FINISHED IN TIME FOR SCHOOL. THE WORK? WELL, THERE THERE IS A THERE IS A SEWER REPAIR THAT REVEALED ITSELF THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. THERE WAS ALSO A STORM SEWER ISSUE. SO WE WILL BE PRESENTING A CHANGE ORDER TO COUNCIL AT THE NEXT MEETING TO PERFORM THOSE REPAIRS TO THE STORM AND SANITARY SYSTEM. THEN ONCE THAT IS COMPLETE, WE CAN FINISH THAT LAST PORTION OF THE SIDEWALK. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THE DELAY IS DUE TO. THAT'S WHERE THAT WHERE THAT GAP IS. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. SO AND WHEN DID WAS WAS DOING BOTH SIDES PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST THE SIDE ON THE ROAD THAT PASSES IN FRONT OF. THAT'S DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL. WE'RE DOING THAT ENTIRE SIDE OF THAT ROAD FROM FOURTH STREET TO THE LIBRARY, AND THEN WE'RE DOING THE CROSSWALKS AT THE STREETS TO HELP THE PEDESTRIANS GET ACROSS THE ROAD. SO THAT'S THAT WAS THE REST OF IT. BUT WE'RE NOT GOING AND WE'RE DOING REPAIRS AND CONNECTIONS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT ROAD AS WELL. YEAH. SO THERE'S WORK ON BOTH SIDES. DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION FOR ABOUT THE BUSINESS OWNER OR YOU WANT ME OR. YES. WE'VE BEEN IN 
          [01:45:01]
COORDINATION WITH HIM. YES, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. MADAM. 
          CITY ATTORNEY. YES, SIR. PUBLIC WORKS. ACTUALLY, WE WE HEAR YOU ABOUT THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AND WE ARE ENGAGING WITH A CONSULTANT TO PERFORM A FULL INVENTORY OF OUR TRAFFIC SIGNALS. AND THAT IS NOT JUST GOING BY AND COUNTING HOW MANY TRAFFIC LIGHTS, BUT ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE CABINETS AND INVENTORYING ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S INSIDE. WE'VE BEEN USING TEX-DOT FUNDING TEX DOT PROJECTS TO BRING THE ADAPTIVE SIGNALING TO MAJOR ROADS IN BEAUMONT. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS AN AGONIZINGLY SLOW PROCESS, AND BECAUSE IT TAKES SO LONG, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THEN BECOMES OBSOLETE. SO THIS INVENTORY IS GOING TO BE A FIRST STEP TO BE ABLE TO HAVE OUR SIGNALS TALK TO EACH OTHER AND SYNCHRONIZE THEM AS MUCH, AS MUCH AS WE CAN THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SO THAT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS. SO THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER BOONE. NOTHING. MAYOR, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. ELLIS. NOTHING. MAYOR. NO COMMENT. NOTHING. ALL RIGHT. TWO THINGS, TWO THINGS. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WHO HAVE GIVEN ME FEEDBACK ON THE BUDGET, ON THE DRAFT BUDGET. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK. WE STILL HAVE TWO WEEKS TO GO, SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT DOCUMENT. SO IT'S NOT A COMPLETED DOCUMENT. I'VE HEARD WHAT SOME OF YOUR CONCERNS ARE. WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ADDRESSING THOSE CONCERNS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT FEEDBACK. AND AGAIN WE HAVE TWO WEEKS TO GO AND WE AND EXPECT THE DOCUMENT TO BE EDITED A BIT. BUT WHEN IT COMES BACK TO YOU FOR APPROVAL FOR SOME CONSIDERATIONS THERE ON HOMELESSNESS, I THINK WE HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW. CHRIS. THE HOMELESS TASK FORCE IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS, BUT NOT JUST BEAUMONT, TEXAS. IN OUR COUNTRY, HOMELESSNESS IS. SO WE'RE TAKING IT VERY SERIOUSLY. WE'RE AGAIN, WE TALKED WE'RE GOING TO SET UP A WORKSHOP WITH COUNCIL TO DISCUSS THAT HOMELESSNESS. AND, YOU KNOW, NOT I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT AND YOU'LL HEAR SOME MORE BEFORE THE DAY'S OUT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. 
          [EXECUTIVE SESSION]
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.