[CALL TO ORDER]
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TODAY'S TUESDAY, JANUARY 20TH, 2026. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY REVEREND JEREMY WEBSTER OF. HE'S THE LEAD PASTOR AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONE. AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. LET US PRAY. GOD OF PEACE AND GOD OF JUSTICE, GRANT US YOUR SPIRIT TODAY AS WE ARE REMINDED IN THE GOSPEL. ALL IT TOOK WAS FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD AND TWO FISH FOR YOU TO FEED A CROWD OF THOUSANDS. WE'RE TOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN THAT YOU ARE A GOD OF MORE THAN ENOUGH. AND YET STILL WE OFTEN STRUGGLE. STILL WE SEE EACH OTHER AND CHILDREN OF GOD AS COMPETITION. AND WE FAIL TO SEE THE GIFTS THAT YOU'VE CREATED IN ALL OF US. SO, GOD, LET YOUR SPIRIT OF ABUNDANCE GUIDE OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR DECISIONS IN THIS MEETING TODAY, AND IN ALL THE WAYS THAT WE SEEK TO BE YOUR PEOPLE IN THIS CITY. HELP US IN THIS MOMENT TO CREATE THE WORLD THAT YOU ENVISION. A WORLD IN WHICH PEACE AND JUSTICE ARE NOT USED AS WEAPONS AGAINST THE OTHER, BUT THROUGH PEACE AND JUSTICE WE FIND THE COURAGE TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER THE WAY YOU FIRST LOVED US. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE. NATION. FOR. MAY HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
MAYOR WEST, MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER, COUNCIL MEMBER. DORIA. ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER.
HILLIARD. HERE. COUNCILMEMBER. WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHERWOOD. ABSENT AND COUNCIL
[ Communication Update ]
MEMBER. CRENSHAW. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. TODAY WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS. AND THE FIRST ONE WILL BE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. IN TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. ATTENTION, ALL NONPROFITS, DON'T MISS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING.THE APPLICATION PORTAL CLOSES JANUARY 31ST AT 5 P.M. AND LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. CDBG GRANTS ARE FEDERALLY FUNDED THROUGH HUD AND SUPPORT ELIGIBLE NONPROFITS SERVING LOW TO MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS. FUNDING MAY BE USED FOR PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMS OR PUBLIC FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS. FULL DETAILS AND APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT. BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOV. GET READY BEAUMONT. THE FUTURE IS CALLING. THE CITY IS LAUNCHING THE BEAUMONT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, A LONG RANGE ROADMAP GUIDING GROWTH AND INVESTMENT OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS. TO KICK THINGS OFF, WE'RE HOSTING A COMMUNITY CHARRETTE FROM FEBRUARY 9TH THROUGH THE 13TH. IT'S AN INTERACTIVE PLANNING WEEK THAT BRINGS RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND STUDENTS TOGETHER TO SHARE IDEAS AND HELP SHAPE WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. FOR MORE DETAILS, THEY'LL BE COMING SOON AND YOU CAN VISIT PLAN BEAUMONT.COM, OR SCAN THE QR CODE TO STAY CONNECTED AND TAKE THE COMMUNITY SURVEY TO LET US KNOW WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU. A REMINDER FOR ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING OUR VETERANS. THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IS OFFERING $855 MILLION NATIONWIDE TO ASSIST VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, ELIGIBLE NONPROFITS AND CONSUMER COOPERATIVES MAY APPLY.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 19TH BY 3 P.M. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT VA.GOV. ALSO ON FEBRUARY 19TH, YOU WANT TO JOIN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AS WE CELEBRATE THE LUNAR NEW YEAR AT 5 P.M. AT RIVERFRONT PARK IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT, CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE HORSE WITH AN ENERGETIC LION DANCE AND AN EVENING OF CULTURE AND COMMUNITY. THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO BRING YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND JOIN US FOR SOME FUN ALONG THE RIVERFRONT. TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. ON MARCH 2ND, WE COMMEMORATE THE DAY TEXAS DECLARED ITS INDEPENDENCE BACK IN 1836, AND YOU'RE INVITED TO CELEBRATE ALONG WITH THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. JOIN US AT 10:30 A.M. IN THE FIRST FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM HERE AT BEAUMONT CITY HALL FOR A FORMAL PROCLAMATION, TEXAS HISTORY AND A LITTLE LONE STAR PRIDE. ATTENDEES WILL RECEIVE A TEXAS FLAG, A COMMEMORATIVE PIN, AND A SWEET TREAT. AS WE CELEBRATE 190 YEARS OF TEXAS INDEPENDENCE AND FINALLY COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU ON TUESDAY, MARCH 24TH AT 11 A.M. THE CURTAIN RISES INSIDE THE HISTORIC JEFFERSON THEATER FOR THE BEAUMONT AWARDS, OUR ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.
WE'RE ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET TO HONOR THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT KEEP BEAUMONT
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RUNNING IN AN ACADEMY AWARD STYLE PROGRAM FEATURING REAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS, A FEW LAUGHS, AND A LIVE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION, MAKING THIS A TRUE WHO'S WHO EVENT. BIG MOMENTS, REAL RESULTS AND FREE CONCESSIONS PLUS FOOD TRUCKS ON SITE FOR PURCHASE. THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND EVERYONE IS INVITED TO BE A PART OF THE CELEBRATION AS WE SHARE THE STATE OF THE CITY BEAUMONT STYLE. YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT, SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR TUESDAY, MARCH 24TH AT 11 A.M. AT THE HISTORIC JEFFERSON THEATER. AND THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU. AND NEXT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A[ Mural Fest Promoters to present artists and content for city buildings for Mural Fest 2026]
PRESENTATION BY MINH DE AND JAY. I'LL LET YOU SAY YOUR NAME SO THAT I DON'T BUTCHER IT WHEN YOU COME UP ON THE MURAL FEST 2026 MUSIC. OKAY. GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL. COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AGAIN. THERE'S A FOLLOW UP TO OUR LAST PRESENTATION FOR MURAL FEST. LAST TIME WE DISPLAYED THE LOCATIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR TO PRESENT FOR THE CIVIC CENTER. JAY'S BACK THIS YEAR. THIS TIME HE'S ACTUALLY GOT FOUR ARTISTS ASSIGNED ASSIGNMENTS, ALONG WITH THE MOCK UPS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GO, EXPLANATION ON WHAT IS BEHIND THE ART PIECE AND WHY THEY'RE DOING THE PAINTING THEY'RE DOING. AND IF YOU HAVEN'T MET, THIS IS JAY MUSIC, MY BROTHER, VERY, VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, CHILDHOOD FRIENDS. HE'S KIND OF THE ONE WHO KIND OF CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN WE DROVE THROUGH DOWNTOWN. HE IS CURRENTLY A MAJOR, VERY POPULAR MOSAIC ARTIST, AND HE STARTED THE COMMUNITY MOSAIC PROGRAM AT THE LAST YEAR'S FESTIVAL. AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK TO CONTINUE THIS YEAR AND USE MOSAIC INTO BEAUTIFY THE NEW RIVERFRONT PARK. AND I'LL LET JAY TAKE OVER, KIND OF INTRODUCE THE ARTISTS AND THE TALENT BEHIND THE FESTIVAL THIS YEAR. THANK YOU MAN, EVERYBODY. GOOD TO SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES AND SOME NEW ONES. CAN YOU ALL BELIEVE IT'S BEEN A YEAR ALREADY? THE DAYS ARE FLYING BY, PARDON THE PUN. THERE'S GOING TO BE A COUPLE OF THOSE MURALS IN HERE TODAY. BUT SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE FLOOR AGAIN AND TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING THIS ENDEAVOR, THERE'S GOING TO BE NEW DESIGNS FOR THE CIVIC CENTER AS WELL AS THE ANIMAL CENTER. FRESH, FUNKY NEW LOGO YOU CAN SEE THERE BY HOUSTON BASED NIKKI DAVIS. AND WE HAVE AN AMAZING LINEUP, WHICH I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT FROM US AND INTERNATIONALLY. IF WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS YEAR FESTIVAL PRIMARILY TO PAINT SIX NEW LANDMARK MURALS ON THE CIVIC CENTER AND ANIMAL CENTER, FURTHER GROWING THE CITY'S PUBLIC ART COLLECTION, INVITING MORE TOURISM AND VISITORS TO THE AREA. THE CONTENTS OF THIS PRESENTATION INCLUDE ARTIST RENDERINGS, CONCEPTS SHOWING THE MURAL DESIGNS ON THE WALLS AND WHERE THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED TO PAINT ALREADY. SOME SLIGHT COLOR INTERPRETATION OF IMAGERY MAY VARY. I'LL MENTION WHAT I KNOW. KEEP IN MIND, THESE ARE QUICK SKETCHES ON IPADS AS OPPOSED TO A WEEK LONG PAINTED MURALS. OKAY, SO THE DEPTH AND DETAIL THAT WILL INCLUDE OBVIOUSLY IS YOU CAN SEE FROM YEARS PAST, IT ALWAYS BRINGS IT TO LIFE SO MUCH BETTER THAN WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN AS A COMPUTER RENDERING. AND THEN FINALLY THE COMMUNITY MOSAIC, WHICH MIN MENTIONED. I'M EXCITED TO BRING THAT BACK.LAST YEAR, AS WE COMPLETED THE LOGO IN 64FT■!S, WE'VE GOT SOME EXCITING NEW IDEAS FOR THE RIVERFRONT PARK ENTRANCE, AND WE'LL TELL YOU ABOUT THAT AS WE GET INTO IT. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THIS YEAR'S FEATURED ARTIST LINEUP. YOU'RE HEARING IT HERE FIRST.
IT'S NOT PUBLIC, BUT ALL THESE ARTISTS HAVE CONFIRMED PARTICIPATION. AND AS OF TODAY, HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO START SHARING THAT OUT PUBLICLY. HAILING FROM GALVESTON, TEXAS, IS GABRIEL PRZEMEK ISLANDS BEST KNOWN HOMETOWN HERO, SURFER MURALIST GABRIEL PRZEMEK, AND HE PREDOMINANTLY SPRAY PAINTS, DESIGNED THIS SUPER VIBRANT MURAL FOR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CIVIC CENTER. VERY INTER-DIMENSIONAL, THE NORTHERN FLICKER BIRD SIGNIFIES IN HIS MIND PERSISTENCE, GROWTH, COMMUNICATION, PLAYFULNESS, AND INTUITION. IT URGES BALANCE, EXPRESSION AND EMBRACING JOY AND DISCOVERING YOUR OWN DEEPER MEANINGS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
YOU CAN SEE SOME RECENT PAST MURALS OF GABRIEL'S WORK. THE QUALITY. IF YOU'VE BEEN TO GALVESTON, YOU'VE SEEN HIS ENTRY PIECE THERE. STYLISTICALLY IS VERY STRONG, WITH BOLD AND BRIGHT COLORS AND AMAZING REALISM AND DETAIL. THE BIRDS IN HIS DESIGN ARE GOING TO FLY RIGHT OFF THE WALL, AND HE'S JUST AN ALL AROUND NICE GUY, SO IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL PLEASURE TO HOST HIM HERE. AND I ENCOURAGE ALL THE BEAUMONT RESIDENTS TO MEET HIM WHILE HE'S PAINTING. OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE NICO CATHCART. SHE'S ACTUALLY A DEAF, HARD OF HEARING CONTEMPORARY MURALIST AND MULTIPLE MULTIPLE DISCIPLINARY ARTISTS. HER WORK EXPLORES THEMES OF RESILIENCE, ENVIRONMENTALISM, AND THE INTRICATE BALANCE BETWEEN NATURAL AND URBAN WORLDS. BORN IN TORONTO, CANADA, SHE CURRENTLY LIVES IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, AND SHE'S BEEN EXHIBITED WIDELY IN GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PAINTING IN LOTS OF MURAL FESTS. SO WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HER COME AND PAINT IN BEAUMONT.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. YEAH. OKAY, SO HER DESIGN HERE, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, PULLS FROM THE FESTIVAL THEME OF THE JEFFERSONS 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY, CREATIVITY IN THE ARTS AND NATURE AND WILDLIFE. THIS DESIGN USES THE BUILDING TO CREATE A MIRROR IMAGE. IT'S ACTUALLY IN THIS KIND OF CORNER NOOK THERE, RIGHT NEXT TO THE SIGN, USING TRADITIONAL COMEDY
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TRAGEDY MASKS, WHICH HAVE BEEN A SYMBOL OF DRAMATIC ARTS SINCE ANCIENT ROMAN TIMES. YOU CAN SEE THERE THE JEFFERSON THEATER SIGN THE FILM REEL. THE BOTTOM WILL HAVE MORE TEXAS FLORALS FLESHED OUT, A MIX OF REALISM AND PAINTERLY IMPRESSION, HINTING AT THE CREATIVITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN BEAUMONT. AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, SO YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW A QUICK DIGITAL CONCEPT ON THE LEFT CAN BE TRANSLATED THROUGH ACTUAL PHOTOGRAPHIC REFERENCE TO THE FINAL MURAL, WHICH IS FIVE STORIES TALL ON THE RIGHT. SO 5 TO 6 DAYS PAINTING AND WE'LL HAVE A PIECE, YOU KNOW, EQUIVALENT TO THAT QUALITY HERE IN BEAUMONT. SO SHE PAINTS FIGURES ON A VERY LARGE SCALE, AND IT'LL BE THE PERFECT WAY TO MEMORIALIZE THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE JEFFERSON THEATER. OKAY. AND YOU CAN SEE A COUPLE OF MORE OF HER MONUMENT MURALS THERE. OKAY. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. MR. TOLEDO, HE'S FROM LA. HE JUST FINISHED A SELENA MURAL FOR THE GRAMMY MUSEUM. SO VERY NOTABLY, HE'S BEEN ALL OVER THE NEWS LATELY. AN INCREDIBLE PAINTER, VERY NICE, HUMBLE GUY. THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. HE'LL BE PAINTING ONE OF THE BIGGEST WALLS THIS YEAR. HE'S GOT A SCENE SORT OF INSPIRED BY THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE NECHES RIVER. THE RECREATIONAL RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES YOU HAVE, SUCH AS KAYAKING, BIRD WATCHING. AND HE HAD A PLACEHOLDER FIGURE THERE WHO ACTUALLY CONNECTED HIM WITH KEN GUIDRY, WHO SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE FRIENDS WITH. HE WORKS OUT AT LAUREL PARK, A LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER, AND HE'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE OUR REPRESENTATIVE MODEL IN THE PIECE. SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GET THE PHOTOS IN THERE SINCE WE JUST GOT THOSE. BUT I THINK IT'S A COOL WAY TO FURTHER INTEGRATE LOCAL NARRATIVES AND LIFT UP LOCAL BEAUMONT CREATIVES AND CITIZENS, REALLY TELLING A REAL STORY OF THE CITY AND SOME MORE PAST MR. TOLEDO MURALS. THEY HAVE LOTS OF MOVEMENT, LOTS OF NATURE AND PEOPLE IN HARMONY, AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT USE OF COLOR AND COMPOSITION. ALL RIGHT. AND NEXT UP WE HAVE TONY ARDIZZONE. SHE'S GOING TO BE AN EXPRESSIONIST PAINTER. SHE USES THICK, LAYERED COLORS AND BRUSHSTROKES TO ACHIEVE A GALLERY LIKE QUALITY, EVEN ON LARGE MURALS. AND NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO HER COMPOSITION HERE OF TWO FISH, THE BLUEGILLS SIMPLY REFERENCING THE FISH IN THE RIVER, SWIMMING UP FANTASTICALLY IN THE CLOUDS, MIXING WITH THE BIG TEXAS SKY. IT'LL REALLY OPEN UP AND BRIGHTEN UP THIS BACK CORNER OF THE CIVIC CENTER AND THE SIDE MAIN ENTRANCE. OKAY. AND NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SOME OF HER PAST WORK SO YOU CAN SEE VERY VIBRANT. SHE JUST FINISHED A FOUR STORY MURAL ALL ABOUT THE BLACK COWBOYS AND COWGIRLS CULTURE OF CENTRAL TEXAS AND THE APARTMENTS SHE PAINTED.LOVED IT. THE LANDSCAPE SCENES VERY VIBRANT, SO I KNOW SHE'LL DO A BOLD, COLORFUL PIECE FOR BEAUMONT. OKAY, SPECKER. HE'S ONE OF OUR INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS. HE ACTUALLY CAME TO THE FEST LAST YEAR AND WAS ASSISTING JAMES BULO, SO WE GOT TO KNOW HIM. HE'S A RISING STAR, SUPER NICE GUY, AND HIS DESIGN FOR THE CIVIC CENTER IS GOING TO BE REALLY MORE MOODY AND MUSEUM QUALITY ARTWORK, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE NEXT SLIDE. OKAY. SO IT'S IT'S SORT OF LIKE INSPIRED BY OLD MASTER PAINTINGS, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REALLY COOL BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF CATTY CORNER TO THE ART MUSEUM THERE, AND HIS IS GOING TO BE MORE OF A UNIVERSAL THEME.
YOU KNOW, MINH WAS ASKING LIKE, HOW DOES IT TIE INTO BEAUMONT? YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS REALLY MORE OF ONE OF THOSE UNIVERSAL IMAGES WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A YOUNG LADY JUST KIND OF DEEP IN THOUGHT. IT'S A SOFT AND EPHEMERAL QUALITY. THE LITTLE BIRD THERE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, TIES IN WITH NATURE, BUT IT'S MEANT TO JUST BE A VERY TIMELESS COMPOSITION, ONE THAT CAN BE SORT OF INTERPRETED IN YOUR OWN WAY. AND IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU CAN SEE MORE OF SPEAKER'S WORK. YOU CAN SEE WORKS ON A MASSIVE SCALE. HE ALWAYS DOES FIGURES VERY WELL. AND HE USES THESE RIBBONS AND SOFT SORT OF NATURAL MOTIFS TO KIND OF BLEND, BRING IT ALL TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. AND FINALLY WE HAVE NIKKI DAVIS. HE'S A HOUSTON FAVORITE. YOU PROBABLY SEEN HIS ARTWORK ON LIKE, NEW SAINT ARNOLD BEER CANS OR ANY NUMBER OF POPULAR MURALS AROUND HOUSTON. AND HE ACTUALLY DID OUR LOGO THIS YEAR. OKAY. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO HIS FUN AND COLORFUL STYLE IS GOING TO BE PERFECT FOR THE ANIMAL CENTER. PEOPLE OFTEN GO TO THE CENTER IN TIMES OF TRAUMA. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE LIKE A CHEERFUL, PLAYFUL BLENDING OF ANIMALS, BOTH WILD AND DOMESTIC THINGS FOUND IN BEAUMONT AND ELSEWHERE, ALONG WITH THIS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, HIS IMAGINARY CREATURES AND CHARACTERS, IF YOU WILL. IT'S LIKE KIND OF CLAIM TO FAME. SO THIS LITTLE ALIEN GIRL CHARACTER WAS LOVED BY MANY, VERY RECOGNIZABLE. AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL JUST BE, YOU KNOW, JOYFUL TO SEE THAT THAT PIECE. OKAY. AND SOME OF HIS PAST WORK. OKAY. AND FINALLY, WE HAVE A COMMUNITY MOSAIC PROJECT, WHICH WE'VE BEEN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, KNOCKING OUR HEADS AROUND. WHAT'S THE BEST SPOT FOR THIS? AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S BEEN TO SAN FRANCISCO, BUT THEY HAVE THIS TWO REALLY TALL STAIRCASES THAT ARE COVERED IN CERAMIC MOSAICS. AND THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE A TOURIST DRAW.
PEOPLE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE GOING THERE EVERY DAY. AND WE'VE GOT A MODEST VERSION OF THOSE STAIRCASES KIND OF GOING DOWN TO THE RIVERFRONT. SO I THOUGHT, THAT'S KIND OF AN OFTEN OVERLOOKED VENUE FOR ARTWORK, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD CREATE SOME COLOR AND SOME VIBRANCY ON AND ALLOW PEOPLE COMING TO THE FESTIVAL TO ACTUALLY HELP CREATE THE MOSAIC ALONG WITH US. SO YOU CAN SEE HERE SOME IDEAS OF THE RENDERING, WHEREAS, YOU
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KNOW, THREE RISERS, TWO RISERS HERE AND THEN ONE GOING OUT TO THE PARK. OKAY. AND THEN THE ARTISTS THAT WE WANT TO COLLABORATE WITH IS VIZZY. IT'S ACTUALLY FROM HOUSTON, LIVES IN CONNECTICUT NOW. HE DOES A LOT OF ABSTRACT WORK, BUT HE'S DONE WORK ALL OVER THE WORLD. HE'S QUITE RENOWNED. AND SO I THINK HE AND I TOGETHER, BETWEEN HIS DESIGN, COLOR, SENSIBILITY AND MY ABILITY TO KIND OF MAKE IT IN A GLASS TILE WOULD BE A GREAT MEETING OF WORLDS FOR BEAUMONT. AND AS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IN A TIME WHEN OUR COUNTRY NEEDS IT MOST, WE HAVE A UNIQUE, UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH EACH OTHER WITH A SHARED VISION, ONE THAT'S ARTISTIC AND UNIVERSAL. ART TRULY HAS THE POWER TO BRIDGE BOUNDARIES, AND IT REALLY IS BIGGER THAN ANY POLITICS OR DIVISION THAT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND THE NEWS MAY WANT US TO BE FEELING RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S WHY I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THIS LEGACY OF MURAL FEST GOING INTO YEAR FIVE, BRINGING THE JOY, BRINGING THE FUN, AS WELL AS HISTORIC REPRESENTATION IT BRINGS TO LIGHT FREE FOR ALL THE RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT AND I ARE ALWAYS VERY HONORED. IT'S A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO DO THIS WORK FOR THE CITY, AND WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL. SO THAT'S OUR TIME. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, LET ME KNOW. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.COUNCILMAN TURNER. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT TO WORK ON BEAUTIFYING BEAUMONT AND BRINGING IMAGES AND BRINGING SOME LIFE INTO AREAS THAT ARE KIND OF WORN DOWN. ONE OF MY QUESTIONS WAS, I NOTICED YOU TALKED ABOUT THE ENTRANCE GOING INTO RIVERFRONT. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AND MAYBE STAFF CAN HELP WITH THIS? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT UNDERNEATH THOSE STAIRS AS WELL WHERE THE PLANTS ARE? YES. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. YEAH.
BECAUSE THAT WAS AN AREA. YEAH. OKAY. I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT ALONE. SO. SO THE ORIGINAL IDEA WAS TO WORK TOWARDS BRIDGING SOME KIND OF GAP FROM THE ENTRY STAIRCASE, OKAY. INTO THE PARK ITSELF, BUT TRYING TO TAKE THAT ALL ON IN ONE YEAR TO GO FOR, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, FOR THIS LONGEVITY OF THE FESTIVAL. RIGHT. CITY CENTER HAS A LOT OF REAL ESTATE WITH THE CITY IS DOING FOR THE RIVERFRONT PARK. YOU CAN USE ART TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF THE PARK BY HAVING THE COMMUNITY PUT A HAND IN IT, AND JAY'S ABLE TO BRIDGE THAT GAP BETWEEN HOW DO YOU DO THAT AND ACTUALLY MAKE IT LOOK RIGHT IN THE SPACE ITSELF? SO HIS PLAN IS TO START WITH THE STAIRCASE.
WE HAVE A CORNER PIECE. SEE HOW THAT MEASURES OUT. AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AS THE PARK DEVELOPS ITSELF TOO. BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THE PARK REALLY HAS NOT HAD ANY KIND OF RUNTIME. THIS HAS NOT REALLY BEEN A FULL BLOWN MULTI-DAY WHERE YOU POTENTIALLY CAN HOST 7 TO 10,000 PEOPLE OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF THE CITY ALREADY HAS ONE THAT LARGE, BUT HAVING THAT GOING ON WHERE IT'S PLEASING TO THE CIVIC CENTER, WHERE ALL PIECES ARE GOING TO GO TO IT KIND OF CITY, KIND OF SEE WHERE YOU WANT THE DEVELOPMENT TO GO, TO WHICH DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO. SO THERE'S MANY THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO. JUST YOU GOT TO PLAN FOR IT. RIGHT. SO THE GOAL IS MULTI YEAR AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE THIS PARTNERSHIP NOW.
HOPEFULLY WE DON'T MESS IT UP TOO BAD THIS YEAR. YEAH. NO THAT'S GREAT. THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS JUST CAPITALIZING ON THOSE IMPROVEMENTS TIMING TOGETHER WITH ART AND YOU KNOW ACTIVITY AND EXCITEMENT. SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THEY MADE A GOOD POINT TOO, BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAW THE BRICK, HE SAID, ACTUALLY, THE BRICK HAS REALLY GOOD CHARACTER, RIGHT? THE BRICK ACTUALLY JUST NEEDS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, TENDER AND CARE, A LITTLE TOUCH UP UPDATE THAT CAN GO REALLY WELL IF YOU HAVE SPOT ART PIECES SURROUNDING THAT ALREADY LAID OUT STRUCTURE THAT YOU HAVE. YEAH, I ALWAYS THINK ABOUT ESPECIALLY MOSAICS AS BEING FOR THE LONG TERM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO LAST FOREVER. SO THE LIFE OF THE BUILDING. SO REALLY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE ESTHETICS DOWN THERE THAT THE BRICK IS BEAUTIFUL, THE RED BRICK, I WOULDN'T WANT TO PUT COLORFUL TILE OVER THAT. SO LIKE WE LOOKED AT THE NEGLECTED SPACES, THE UNFINISHED CONCRETE, THE STAIR RISERS. AND HOW CAN THAT WITH THE BRICK KIND OF BECOME AN EVEN BETTER POTENTIAL UNDER THE BRIDGE ITSELF? MAYBE A COAT OF PAINT? BUT I ALSO DON'T THINK MOSAIC TILE IS BEST THERE FOR VARIOUS LIKE, SAFETY REASONS. BUT WE CAN GET INTO THAT. YEAH. LATER ON. YEAH. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, I WAS REACHED OUT TO BY ONE OF MY CONSTITUENTS ABOUT POSSIBLY DOING SOMETHING AT THE MLK COLLEGIATE ACADEMY THAT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT HAPPENS THERE. AND THEY SAID DURING MURAL FEST, CAN SOMEBODY COME AND AND I KNOW THAT YOU MAY HAVE A SCHEDULE ALREADY, BUT IF WE CAN INCORPORATE SOMETHING THAT GIVES THEM A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, PERHAPS WORKING WITH OR PARTNERING WITH BUSD, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT'S THEIRS THAT SAYS THAT THIS EARLY COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON HAS SOMETHING THAT SYMBOLIZES WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY STAND FOR AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING. AND THEY SAID, LADONNA, CAN YOU ASK THE PEOPLE FROM MURAL FEST TO MAYBE COME AND DO SOMETHING ON OUR BUILDING AND MAKE SURE THAT THESE KIDS GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL ARTWORK AND THE CULTURE THAT'S BEING CREATED
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AROUND THE BUILDING. AND I SAID, WELL, YOU KNOW ME, IF IT'S ABOUT MAKING A CHALLENGE, I'M HERE FOR IT. SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CAN HAPPEN IN THIS MURAL FOR US. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME WORK BEING DONE AT THE MLK COLLEGIATE ACADEMY, BUT IF THAT CAN HAPPEN, TO PUT THAT ON YOUR RADAR BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING IN, ON AND AROUND THEIR BUILDING THAT GIVES THEM SOME OWNERSHIP, THEY CAN PARTICIPATE WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE. THAT SYMBOLIZES WHAT THEY DO THERE, WHICH IS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, BECAUSE SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST AND BEST STUDENTS PARTICIPATE THERE. I THINK YOU HAVE GREAT IDEA. YOU HAVE REALLY GOOD TIMING BECAUSE.SO JUST TO GIVE EVERYONE AN UPDATE, AS WE SAID IT WAS, IT CAME FROM THIS ENTIRE FESTIVAL, CAME FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR. RIGHT? WHEN WE WENT KNOCKING DOOR TO DOOR, WE HAD TO GET PRIVATE BUILDING OWNERS, GIVE US THEIR WALLS IN ORDER FOR US TO DO A PROOF OF CONCEPT THAT IT ACTUALLY WORKS, AND BEING ABLE TO PLAY WITH THE CITY. NOW WE'RE ABLE TO HAVE A SET AREA, SET SCHEDULE WHERE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ARTWORK DONE. THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS STILL INVOLVED. SO LIKE THIS YEAR WE HAVE ANOTHER LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER WHO HAS A BUILDING DOWNTOWN THAT'S A VERY POPULAR LARGE BUILDING THAT'S GETTING A WALL DONE AS PART OF THE FEST.
AND WE'LL ANNOUNCE THAT AS WE COME IN, WE HAVE A BUSINESS IN WEST END THAT'S GETTING A FULL FACE UPLIFT, THAT'S BEEN IN THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 15 YEARS. EVEN WE JUST FINISHED OUT OUR RETURNING ARTISTS EVERY YEAR. WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WE OFFER INVITE TO PREVIOUS YEAR ARTISTS AND THEY GET TO COME BACK ON THEIR OWN. THEY LITERALLY COME BACK FOR HOSPITALITY, PAY, VACATION AND THEY DO NOT PAY FOR THEY COME IN, DO ANY KIND OF ARTWORK. SOME VOLUNTEER AT NO CHARGE DURING ART. SMITH IS FROM BEAUMONT. HE COMES BACK EVERY SINGLE YEAR. HE TRIED TO GET A PROJECT DONE WITH BISD LAST YEAR, BUT HE JUST CAME IN TOO LATE. SO I THINK IF THIS HAS TO DO WITH PTSD, I THINK I COULD PUT HENRY SMITH ON IT. I'M PRETTY SURE I CAN GET YOU AN ANSWER WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO IF YOU CAN MAKE IT DOWN. AND IF HE DOES, THE FESTIVAL WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO BRING HIM IN AND COVER EVERYTHING LIKE HE COMES EVERY YEAR. WE ALWAYS HE KNOWS HE'S ALWAYS WELCOME HOME. AND THAT IS MY CLASSMATE, SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THAT'S EVEN BETTER. SO TEAMWORK WILL DEFINITELY REACH OUT AND SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR BRINGING THAT AND TO LISTENING TO YOUR PEOPLE IN YOUR CONSTITUENCY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT US GIVING YOU OUR IDEAS. THIS IS ABOUT US REFLECTING THE COMMUNITY AND JUST BRINGING THE TALENT IN.
AND IT'S A COLLABORATION. SO WITHOUT THE INPUTS, THERE'S NOTHING TO BE HAD. SO THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND LET ME SAY THIS. THE YOUNG PEOPLE SAY, WELL, MISS LADONNA, WE WANT TO BE A PART OF IT. AND FOR US, WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN, THESE ARE KIDS THAT HAVE FOCUSED ON SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENTS, BUT THEY DO HAVE CULTURAL THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN. RIGHT? AND THE ARTS SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN BECAUSE THEY DON'T PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS AND MUSIC AND AND THEATER AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THEY FOCUS STRICTLY ON SCHOLASTIC DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO CULTURALLY BE INVOLVED. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS. AND HENRY IS MY CLASSMATE. SO GOOD JOB.
TEAMWORK. YEAH. COOL. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING I DID? AND JUST TO KIND OF BUILD OFF OF THAT, AND YOU HAD MENTIONED THE FUNDING EARLIER FOR THIS. SO JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, THE PAINTING THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE BEAUMONT ANIMAL SHELTER, THAT IS NOT TAXPAYER DOLLARS FOR THE PAINT. OKAY. SO THE FUNDING FOR THIS IS ALL THROUGH PRIVATE DONATIONS. CORRECT. THERE'S NO PAIN OR GOING UP THAT'S BEING FUNDED BY ANYBODY.
THAT'S WHAT THE CITY TAX DOLLARS. OKAY. GREAT. THE CITY BASICALLY OFFERS HELP IN THE CITY STAFF TO ALLOW US TO HAVE THE FESTIVAL. THEY PREP THE BUILDING LIKE ANY BUILDING OWNER WOULD. AND THEN AS FAR AS THE TALENT AND THE MATERIALS THAT WE BRING IN, FESTIVAL RAISES MONEY FOR ALL OF THAT. OKAY, GREAT. AND IF SOMEONE WANTED TO SPONSOR OR ASSIST WITH THE PAINTING AT THE AT THE MLK BISD PROJECT, THAT THAT WOULD BE MONEY THAT WOULD BE DONATED BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND THEY COULD DONATE THAT DIRECTLY FOR THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT. YES, SIR. SO BASICALLY, THE FESTIVAL WILL FIND A WAY TO RAISE THE MONEY FOR THE ARTISTS, ALL PREMIUMS AND THE EXPENSE OF THE PAINT. ALL THE BUILDING OWNER NEEDS TO TAKE CARE OF IT, JUST THE EQUIPMENT, BECAUSE LIABILITY WISE, THE CAUSE HAS TO COME FROM THE BUILDING OWNER.
AND THE PREP OF THE WALL IS. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE SURE THE ARTWORKS LONGEVITY TO LAST. YEAH. OTHER THAN THAT, EVERYTHING ELSE FESTIVAL RAISES. AND LIKE I SAID, WE WE ON THE PRIVATE SECTORS SUCH AS THE TWO PRIVATE BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING UP THESE INDIVIDUALS, THEY COVER EVERYTHING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BESIDES THE ARTISTS. SO THE FESTIVAL HAS NO PROFIT MARGIN, ZERO ON IT. IN FACT, THE PRIVATE SECTOR ENDS UP WE CONTRIBUTE WHAT WE NEED TO TO MAKE SURE THE FESTIVAL HAPPENS. OKAY. SO I ASSURE YOU THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY, VERY GREAT THING FOR THE CITY. SO GREAT. LASTLY, YOU AND YOUR
[00:25:04]
TEAM DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO MAKE THIS A BETTER COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD.YEAH, I JUST WANT TO I GET TO START MY DAY COMING INTO DOWNTOWN, SEEING THE ARTWORK AND DRIVING THROUGH. AND I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED WHY WE DON'T BRING GREEN SPACES IN CHAMPION WITH BUSINESS AND MAKE IT A WALKING TOUR, BECAUSE IT REALLY IS BEAUTIFUL. AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE TIME TO ENJOY EACH ONE. AND THEN ON LADONNA IT, I KNOW A COMPANY THAT WILL DONATE THE PREP. IF IF THEY PUT THE PAINT ON, WE'LL CLEAN THE WALL. SO AND WE'RE WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU. YOU KNOW I THINK WHAT Y'ALL YOU KNOW, IT DOES IT MAKES OUR CITY BEAUTIFUL. AND SO ART ALWAYS HAS. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND YOU KNOW, IF I CAN HELP IN ANY WAY LET ME KNOW. WE'RE DEFINITELY INTO DONATING AND HELPING AND MAKING IT PRETTIER. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, YOUR OFFICE IS ALSO ONE OF THE RECIPIENTS OF OUR HOT TAX. SO THEY DO RECEIVE MONEY FROM THE CVB BECAUSE THEY QUALIFY THEIR MURALS BRING IN SEVERAL OUT OF TOWN FOLKS, AND SO THEY DO QUALIFY FOR THAT. SO THE MONIES THAT THEY DO RECEIVE FROM THE CITY ARE THROUGH OUR HOT TAX RECIPIENT OF THE CVB, WHICH IS AN APPLICATION PROCESS. THEY RATE IT AND THEY'VE ALWAYS SCORED REALLY WELL. I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD CITY MANAGER ABOUT THE MARTIN LUTHER KING CENTER STAFF GOT THAT EMAIL FROM THE REQUESTER AND THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THAT. AS OF 12, 12, AROUND 12 THEY GOT THAT EMAIL AND THEY REPLIED BACK THAT THEY WOULD BE TALKING WITH MAN AND HIS GROUP ABOUT GETTING A MURAL ON THEIR. DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YES, SIR. YEAH. JUST GLAD TO SEE THE SUPPORT IS THERE, YOU KNOW, JUST TO CONTINUE EVERYTHING. AND I DID GET THAT EMAIL AS WELL. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY IF NECESSARY, I HAD SUPPORT AS WELL TO COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD REQUEST. I'M PRETTY SURE WE GOT A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH BSD. WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET IT DONE AND JUST THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT TO SUCH A GREAT EVENT IN BEAUMONT. IT JUST FEELS GOOD THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD AND JUST CONTINUE IT GOING WELL. AND J MAN, THANK Y'ALL FOR THE VISION AND FOR BEGINNING THIS. AND YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR IT'S A GREAT EVENT. AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING THE PUBLIC DOES GET TO SHOW UP BE INVOLVED. TALK TO THE ARTIST. AND IT'S TURNED INTO QUITE A WEEKEND. FOOD TRUCKS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. SO IT'S IT'S A FUN TIME. SO COME AND BRING KIDS BRING GRANDKIDS.
THANK YOU GUYS. AGAIN. LIKE I SAID IN YEARS PAST, THIS IS NOT YOUR CONVENTIONAL WAY OF GIVING BACK, RIGHT? THIS IS US GIVING BACK IN OUR OWN WAY. AND THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALLOWING US TO DO IT. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. MARCH 21ST AND 22ND. SEE EVERYBODY THERE. THERE YOU GO.
THANK YOU. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE HERE FOR THESE 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 TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.071 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. CIVIL ACTION NUMBER ONE. TWO FOUR CV 00085 MJ IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, BEAUMONT DIVISION LAND BASE AND JOSHUA VERSUS JOSHUA JACKSON. AND AT
[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]
THIS POINT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS. AND NOW IS THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH FOUR OR ANY OTHER TOPIC. ITEM FIVE HAS ALREADY BEEN HEARD IN PUBLIC HEARING.THEREFORE, CITIZENS CANNOT SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. 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. UNLESS YOUR ADDRESS HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. AND BE REMINDED THAT THOSE OF US UP HERE ON THE DAIS CANNOT RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENTS AT THAT TIME, BUT WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU, AND WE'LL HAVE SOMEBODY FROM CITY STAFF REACH OUT TO YOU AS WELL. JAMES CALLIS, 53, 75 ROSEMARY DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND GREETINGS TO ALL. I AM JAMES CALLIS. I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF BEAUMONT, AND I WAS AT THE JEFFERSON THEATER SATURDAY AT 2 P.M. FOR THE MELODY MAIDS. IT WAS QUITE AN OVERWHELMING EVENT. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY I KNOW THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAD SPONSORED THAT, BUT MAYBE THAT COULD BE DONE ONCE A YEAR
[00:30:04]
ON MY BIRTHDAY. BUT I'M A BEAUMONT HIGH GRADUATE. AND THERE WAS THERE WAS MELODY MAIDS THERE FOR SURE. TODAY I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON RED TAG HOUSES IN PARTICULAR. I'VE BEEN HERE ASKING FOR SOME LENIENCY ON AMEMIYA'S HOUSE I GOT NONE. I WENT TO THE COURTHOUSE AND I FILED A TRO MY OWN DOING $360. I CONSIDER THAT WASTED MONEY, BUT THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT. NOW, THIS IS NOT A CUT AGAINST SILAS CLUTTER, OUR CURRENT DEMOLITION COORDINATOR. NOR DELANCEY WOULD THEY HAVE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB DEMOLISHING HOUSES. THE PROBLEM IS, I DON'T BELIEVE THEY NEED TO BE DEMOLISHED. I KNOW THEY CAN BE REBUILT. I'VE DONE SEVERAL SO FAR. I MENTIONED LAST TIME I BOUGHT ONE AT 37,000. REBUILT IT. I'VE SOLD IT. IT'S WORTH 137,000. THE LIST THAT I SHOWED YOU LAST MONTH OR LAST TIME I WAS HERE WAS DECEMBER. IT WAS TWO 300 AND 359 HOUSES. THIS MONTH IT'S 379 HOUSES, 20 HOUSES AT $50,000 EACH IS $1 MILLION. NOW, THAT IS GOING OFF OF THE TAX ROLLS. AND IT IS IT IS TAKING AWAY POSSIBLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AFFORDABLE HOUSING MEANS PEOPLE LIVE IN IT.THEY'RE LIVING IN IT. THEY'RE SHOWING PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP. AND HOUSING IS NOT CHEAP. BEAUMONT IS ONE OF THE BEST AREAS FOR BUYING HOUSES. I'LL SAY THAT AS A LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER, I FIND THAT TO BE AN OPPORTUNITY. BUT I THINK THE CITY HAS MISSED AN OPPORTUNITY HERE AND I'M NOT GOING TO MENTION IT ANYMORE. IF Y'ALL IF Y'ALL LOOK AT IT, IT'S A REVENUE STREAM. WITHOUT A DOUBT. IT IS A REVENUE STREAM. NOW ENEMY IS HOUSE. I DID THE TRO $360 TRO RUN 700 TO 1500. I BASICALLY LEARNED HOW TO DO THAT. AND THAT'S THE FILING FEE.
THAT'S THE BASE THAT YOU COULD DO IT. THE CITY COULD BE COLLECTING A FEE. NOW. I PAID $65 TO RENEW MY BUILDING PERMIT. AND I LET YOU KNOW I WAS AT THE HOUSE YESTERDAY. I CLEANED IT UP A LITTLE AND THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE UNDERWAY. I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RED TAG PROGRAM OPEN UP. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE RED TAG PROGRAM TO NOT BE SO STRICT. THE HURDLES ARE LIKE HERE FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE BUILDING EXPERIENCE. THEY COULD BE A WHOLE LOT LOWER AND I THINK THE WHOLE TOWN WOULD BENEFIT FROM IT. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN. TAKE CARE. THANK YOU SIR. KEISHA DEVAULT THREE 3455 REDWOOD DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. I NEVER DID THIS BEFORE, SO JUST BEAR WITH ME. HI, I'M KEISHA DUVALL, AND I AM A BEAUMONT, TEXAS CITIZEN, AND I LIVED IN BEAUMONT FOR 49 YEARS IN THE NORTH END. BEAUMONT. AND THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS THAT I SEEN DONNA SHERWOOD ON THE NEWS, AND I KNOW HER PERSONALLY FROM CHURCH, AND I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN FORCES WITH HER IN TAKING BACK THE COMMUNITIES ON THE VIOLENCE. AND LIKE THEY HAVE SEVERAL ISSUES. I LIVE IN THAT COMMUNITY AND THEY HAVE SEVERAL CONVENIENCE STORES, BUT I CAN'T GO TO THE CONVENIENCE STORES DUE TO THE PARKING LOT BEING LIKE CROWDED, CROWDED UP, LOUD MUSIC, AND IT'S SCARY AND IT'S DANGEROUS. SO THAT MEANS I HAVE TO GO FURTHER OUT OF MY WAY, THEN AROUND THE CORNER TO TO GET TO THE STORE TO GET GAS. THERE IS NOTHING FOR THE JUVENILES TO DO. AND WHEN MY SON WAS 14, THEY HAD A THING CALLED ACES. JUVENILES WERE ABLE TO WORK AT THE AGE OF 14. NOW THEY DOES NOT HAVE THAT THEY TOOK OUT OF SCHOOL.
MCGRUFF THE CRIME DOG. WE DON'T HAVE THAT. CLUBS ARE OPENING. TOO MANY KILLINGS IS GOING ON.
TOO MANY MOTHERS ARE CRYING. JUST BECAUSE MY SON AND DAUGHTER IS NOT IN THE CLUB, DOESN'T MEAN I ONLY WORRY ABOUT THEM. I HAVE A HEART AND A PASSION FOR THAT OTHER MOTHER AND FATHER THAT HAVE TO GET THAT PHONE CALL, OR YOUR SON JUST GOT MURDERED, OR YOUR DAUGHTER JUST GOT MURDERED. SOMETHING NEED TO HAPPEN. HOW MANY MORE MURDERS HAVE TO GO ON AT END ZONE? WE KNOW IT. AND Y'ALL KNOW END ZONE IS CALLED END ZONE FOR A REASON. LIVES
[00:35:03]
ARE GETTING TAKEN EVERY DAY. THEN THE NORTH END DOESN'T HAVE TOO MANY SIDEWALKS. IF THEY'RE NOT WALKING ON THE SIDEWALK, THEN THEY'RE GETTING STOPPED BY THE POLICE. YOU'RE NOT ON THE SIDEWALK WAITING. WHERE'S CAN THE CITIZENS WALK? THE HOMELESS PEOPLE? I FEED THE HOMELESS PEOPLE TWO AND THREE TIMES A WEEK. I HAVE PICTURES OF THAT IN MY PHONE. I GO TALK TO THE PEOPLE AT THE STORE. THEY TELL ME AS LONG AS I'M PROVIDING TRASH BAGS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY PUT THEIR FOOD IN, THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO FEED THEM. AND ANOTHER PROBLEM MENTAL HEALTH IS REAL. THOSE PEOPLE THAT SERVED UP IN THE ARMY VETERANS, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO JAIL. JAIL DOESN'T ALWAYS HELP EVERYTHING. THEY NEED TO HAVE A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION AND HELP GET ON THEIR MEDS. SO I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS WITH THIS. I HAD. THANK YOU MA'AM. YES, SIR. YOU DID WELL. THANK THE PHARAOH RICHARD. NO ADDRESS GIVEN. BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR. I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU RECOVER FROM YOUR ILLNESS. WE REALLY MISSED YOU AT THE MLK CELEBRATION. HELLO. CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS RICHARD. MY ADDRESS IS 5275 PARKVIEW DRIVE IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. I AM A CONNOISSEUR OF THE ARTS, AND I'M SO HAPPY TO NOTE THAT YOU ARE AS WELL. HOWEVER, I DO NOT THINK THAT THE HOMELESS PEOPLE CAN USE CRAYONS MARKERS TO DRAW THEM, A BLANKET TO PUT ON THEIR BODIES. I'M ASKING FOR OVERNIGHT WARMING SHELTER. IT'S ANTICIPATED TO BE 23 DEGREES. WE GAVE OUT ME AND MY SIGNIFICANT OTHER THREE NIGHTS AGO FOR THE LAST THREE NIGHTS IN MY HOMELESS CRISIS MENTIONED I'M WAKING UP BECAUSE I CAN'T REST. TEN COATS, BLANKETS, SOCKS, GLOVES, SHOES. ONE WAS A LITTLE BIT AGGRESSIVE, BUT IF I WAS FREEZING I WOULD UNDERSTAND. IT BROKE MY HEART TO SEE THE ELDERLY GENTLEMAN. THE VETERAN WAS FREEZING, SO I TOOK OFF THE COAT OFF MY BACK AND GAVE IT TO HIM. THE LADY I GAVE HER, MY BOOTS, MY GLOVES, EVERYTHING. IT JUST BROKE MY HEART. LAURA GUTIERREZ, 2023 JANICE SUMMER ROSS, 2022. SUNNY NELSON MYESHIA JOHNSON, JUDY TORONTO ADELINE EVANS STILL NO UPDATES. WE FOUND THEM IN DUMPSTERS AND I UNDERSTAND THEY ARE CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT, LADIES OF THE NIGHT. THEY DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO EAT. I WON'T JUDGE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN. THE LORD DIDN'T BLESS ME WITH ANY. ASIDE FROM BEING A SURROGATE TO A THOUSAND HOMELESS, SUICIDAL, HOMICIDAL CHILDREN IN LOS ANGELES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT CITY COUNCIL IS FOR. I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE FOR IN LOS ANGELES. I KNOW WHAT THEY ARE FOR IN WASHINGTON, D.C. I KNOW WHAT THE CHURCHES ARE FOR BECAUSE THE CHURCHES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE A SPIRITUAL HOSPITAL. HOWEVER, LEADERS, HOW DO YOU SLEEP WHEN YOU HAVE THE MEANS? YOU HAVE THE EDUCATION. YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE LET ME HAVE THE ARMORY? CAN I HAVE THE CIVIC CENTER? CAN I HAVE SOMETHING? I NEED 100 COTS. I NEED A GENERATOR. I NEED SOME BLANKETS. I NEED SOME NURSES. I NEED THE LOVE OF GOD. I'M NOT HOMELESS, AND I NEVER WILL BE. BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS HE PROTECTS THOSE THAT HE LOVES. I BELIEVE GOD LOVES ALL OF US BECAUSE THE SUN SHINES DOWN THE SAME ON ALL OF US EVERY DAY. BUT WHY ARE YOU SNORING AND YOU DIDN'T FLIP OVER FOR DREAM NUMBER THREE? THERE ARE SOME WOMEN OVER THERE THAT'S DOING WHAT THEY GOT TO DO TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT. NOW, YOU KNOW, I FOLLOW A LITTLE CENTER. SOMEBODY GOT IN TROUBLE FOR A FIRE IN A TRASH CAN. BUT WHEN IT'S 20 DEGREES IN BEAUMONT, IT'S NORMALLY 100 DEGREES. WHAT DID YOU DO? SO WE'RE GOING TO JUDGE Y'ALL. I'M SORRY, I LOVE Y'ALL. I WORE MY BLOND WIG TODAY. I COULDN'T FIND ME MY BLUE CONTACTS, AS I PROMISED YOU. YOU KEEP ON TAGGING ME. COREY CRENSHAW. OOPS. OH, MY GOSH, I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. SORRY. Y'ALL OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES. THANK YOU. EDDIE ALLEN, 9695 CROSS BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL PEOPLE, ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. HERE AGAIN, SEVERAL ISSUES. I DON'T KNOW HOW SIGNIFICANT YOU MIGHT FIND THEM, BUT HERE THEY ARE. WE DO HAVE ANOTHER CHANGE ORDER, AND I HAVE ASKED IF THERE IS[00:40:06]
GOING TO BE AN ORDINANCE. OR DO YOU HAVE AN ORDINANCE FOR CHANGE ORDERS, NO MATTER WHETHER IT'S NO MONEY, SOME MONEY OR WHATEVER? FINAL MONEY, IS THERE A GUIDELINE OR BEST PRACTICES? I'VE ASKED FOR THAT. THE OTHER THING IS, SINCE 22, I'VE TALKED ABOUT AN ALARM OR SIRENS ACROSS THE CITY, AND NOW IT'S 2026. WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR NOT TO HAVE SIGNIFICANT WEATHER EXPLOSION BECAUSE WE HAVE CHEMICAL PLANTS. ANYTHING ON THE FREEWAY THAT'S REALLY, REALLY HORRIFIC BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRUCTION, WE HAD A PLANE TO GO DOWN IN SEA RIM, AND I ASKED THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE IF IT WAS A SECRET ABOUT THE MILITARY HELICOPTERS COMING IN. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A LETTER TO SAY IT'S NOT A SECRET. AND I WAS TOLD THAT WE WERE TRANSPARENT, THAT WHEN WE ASKED QUESTIONS WE WOULD GET ANSWERS. I HAVE NOT GOTTEN AN ANSWER, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT ON YOUR PLATE. BUT I THINK THAT WE DESERVE IF WE ARE NOT TOO SCARED TO STAND UP HERE TO GET AN ANSWER, IF WE HAVE A QUESTION. THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ASK IS, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY POSITIVE FOR TERRELL PARK.THERE'S BEEN SIX CARTS. THERE'S GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, SOME TRAIL BIKE RIDES AND TERRELL PARK. BUT IF ONE LIFE IS SAVED BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME KIND OF ALARM SYSTEM FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, IT, IT PERMEATES THE AIR. IF YOU DON'T GET STAND, YOU'LL GET A NOISE. AND WE'RE NOSY BECAUSE WE'RE TEXANS. WE'LL KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS UP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. I CALL CARLTON SHARPE, 5150 PLANT ROAD BY MY TEXAS.
GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCIL MAYOR, CITY MANAGER STAFF. I'M HERE TODAY TO FOLLOW UP ON THE CORRESPONDENCE THAT I SENT TO YOU GUYS BACK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR CONCERNING THE TENNIS COMPLEX AND THE RESURFACING, OF COURSE, FIVE THROUGH EIGHT AND 13 THROUGH 16. AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TENNIS TOURNAMENT THAT'S COMING UP ON APRIL THE 19TH THROUGH THE 21ST. SO I WANTED TO GET AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT. THOSE THE UPDATE ON THE RESURFACING OF THOSE COURTS. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE COURTS. THIS IS ABOUT OUR CITY AND HOW PEOPLE SEE OUR CITY. WE HAVE OTHER SCHOOLS, OTHER UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR TENNIS TEAMS COMING TO BEAUMONT, AND IT'S REFLECTION ON US AS A CITY AND HOW WE WANT TO PRESENT OUR CITY WITH ALL THE VIOLENCE THAT'S GOING ON. WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING, WE NEED TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE ON HOW PEOPLE SEE US, AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOW BEAUMONT IN A BETTER LIGHT. AND SO I'M ASKING, HAVE WE STARTED ON RESURFACING THE COURTS? ARE WE GOING TO SURFACE THE COURTS? WHAT'S OUR PLAN? AND IF NOT, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT US AS A CITY THAT WE COULD FIND FUNDS TO DO EVERYTHING ELSE WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO OUR CITY? YOU KNOW, MY MOTHER USED TO SAY WHEN WE HAD GUESTS COMING OVER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD EVERYTHING CLEANED UP, AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET THINGS CLEANED UP BEFORE GUESTS COME IN. THREE MONTHS NOW, IT'S BEEN THREE MONTHS SINCE OCTOBER THAT WE BROUGHT THIS CONCERN TO YOU, AND NOW WE HAVE THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE ACTUAL EVENT HAPPENS. SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING LET'S CHANGE THE NARRATIVE OF HOW PEOPLE SEE OUR CITY WITH THE GUESTS THAT'S COMING TO THIS TOURNAMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SIR. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL MOVE TO
[CONSENT AGENDA]
THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? MOVE TO APPROVE. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN HILLYER. ALL RIGHT. IF THERE'S NO DISCUSSION, ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. ANY OPPOSED. THE
[1. Consider authorizing the Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau to apply and accept funding from the Jefferson County Tourism Commission (JCTC) in the amount of $20,000 for two new pollinator gardens to be added to the Tyrrell Park Nature Trail and one new pollinator garden at Cattail Marsh.]
[00:45:05]
MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE? THANK YOU. MAYOR. COUNSELOR. I'M SORRY. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE BEAUMONT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU TO APPLY AND ACCEPT FUNDING FROM THE JEFFERSON COUNTY TOURISM COMMISSION IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 FOR TWO NEW POLLINATOR GARDENS TO BE ADDED TO THE PARK NATURE TRAIL AND ONE NEW POLLINATOR GARDEN AT CATTAIL MARSH. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. 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, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I ANY OPPOSED. THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE
[2. Council to consider an ordinance amending the FY 2026 Budget.]
READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO? AND THEN AFTER THE READING, COULD WE GET A LITTLE STAFF EXPLANATION ON SO, SO THAT WE CAN LET THE VIEWERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ATTENDING KNOW COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 20 2026 BUDGET, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. WE'LL START WITH A MOTION FOR APPROVAL. IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL? MOVE TO. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND THERE? THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO. AND COULD WE GET AN EXPLANATION.AND I THINK MADAM CITY ATTORNEY IS GOING TO GO ON THIS. WELL IT'S A FINANCIAL CHANGE. SO IF THE CFO WANTS TO GO FIRST, I CAN JUST TELL YOU THAT THIS IS TO INCREASE THE CITY'S INSURANCE COVERAGE. I THINK IT WAS TWO MEETINGS AGO. MOLLY HAD A TUB GRINDER THAT WENT OUT THAT WASN'T COVERED. SO WE HAD TO PAY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY OUT OF POCKET TO REPLACE THAT. WITH THIS COVERAGE THAT WOULD NOW BE COVERED IN THE CITY WOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY THE MINIMAL DEDUCTION. THIS ALSO NOW COVERS OUR COST FOR FLEET VEHICLES THAT ARE LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD. I CAN TELL YOU, JUST THIS WEEKEND WE HAD TWO VEHICLES THAT WERE TOTALED. OUR OFFICERS WERE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS THAT WERE NO WELL, SEEMINGLY NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN.
I GUESS THAT'S STILL UNDER REVIEW. BUT THOSE OFFICERS WERE INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS AND THOSE VEHICLES ARE TOTALED. THIS WOULD ALSO COVER THAT AS WELL. SO IT JUST WITH THOSE TWO THINGS ALONE, THE POLICY PAYS FOR ITSELF. AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. IT'S JUST TO AMEND OUR INSURANCE POLICY TO COVER ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT HAVEN'T WEREN'T PREVIOUSLY COVERED. AND FOR THE PRIOR COUNT, I MEAN, FOR THE NEW COUNCIL, WE WERE SELF-INSURED ON A LOT OF THIS IN THE PAST, AND WE WENT TO TML INSURANCE, WHICH OFFERS PROTECTION, AND LAST YEAR WE GOT INVOLVED IN THAT, BUT WE CHOSE TO KIND OF ROLL IT OUT SLOWLY BECAUSE THERE IS AN EXPENSE TO GETTING INSURED. THERE'S SURELY AN EXPENSE WHEN YOU HAVE A CLAIM AS WELL WHEN YOU'RE SELF-INSURED, BUT I THINK THIS IS AS A RESULT OF THAT AS WELL. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? YES. COUNCILWOMAN, BEING AN INSURANCE AGENT MYSELF, THE AMOUNT OF COVERAGE MATTERS AND HOW YOU COVER YOURSELF MATTERS.
AND INSURANCE IS MONEY WHEN IT MATTERS MOST. SO FOR ME, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COVERING OURSELVES ACCORDINGLY. SO I THINK WE ORIGINALLY APPROACHED THE CONCEPT OR THE CONVERSATION ABOUT INSURANCE. WE TARGETED THE AREAS WHERE WE WERE SPENDING THE MOST MONEY, EQUIPMENT AND CAR REPLACEMENTS JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A PRETTY WELL-ORGANIZED FLEET ROTATION WASN'T REALLY HIGH UP ON THE PRIORITY, I CAN TELL YOU THAT NOW. SINCE THEN, IN TERMS OF HAVING TO REPLACE, WE'VE HAD JUST IN 2025 ALONE, WE HAD TO REPLACE A NEW AMBULANCE THAT WAS BRAND NEW, A NEW FIRE TRUCK, AND SUBMITTED THINGS. SO THE CITY WILL STILL RETAIN THE ABILITY TO LIKE, FIX, DO MINOR REPAIRS AND FIX MINOR REPAIRS.
WE WON'T BE FILING THOSE ON INSURANCE, BUT SOME OF THOSE MAJOR EXPENSES. THE FIRE TRUCK IS PRETTY A PRETTY HEALTHY TICKET, A TUB GRINDER WHICH I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THOSE THINGS WERE UNTIL I SAW HOW MUCH THEY COST A PRETTY IT'S A PRETTY HEFTY PRICE TAG TO REPLACE AS WELL THOSE THINGS WE COVERED. SO IT WILL ESSENTIALLY FREE UP SOME OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND CAPITAL TO NOT HAVE TO REPLACE SOME OF THOSE HIGH TICKET ITEMS. ALL RIGHT.
ANY OTHER 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, WOULD YOU TAKE US INTO
[3. Council to consider a resolution authorizing a payment for insurance coverage for various City-owned fleet.]
ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE? COUNCIL TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PAYMENT FOR[00:50:06]
INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR VARIOUS CITY OWNED FLEET. AND IT COMES WITH APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY[4. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Change Order No. 2, accept maintenance, and authorize final payment to TRP Construction Group, LLC, for the Citywide Pavement Markings - Phase IV Project.]
OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE. CHANGE ORDER NUMBER TWO, EXCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZED FINAL PAYMENT TO TRP CONSTRUCTION GROUP, LLC FOR THE CITYWIDE PAVEMENT MARKINGS PHASE FOUR PROJECT. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? MOVE TO APPROVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES? ALL RIGHT.NOW WE DO HAVE A FIRST AND SECOND. ALL THOSE NOW DISCUSSIONS. AND I ASSUME COUNCILMAN TURNER. YES. JUST FOR STAFF. CAN SOMEONE KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON. AND JUST TO FURTHERMORE MISS ADDIE ALLEN'S CONCERN EARLIER, CAN WE SPEAK TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF A CHANGE OF THE ORDINANCE, OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT ISN'T BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY IF WE CAN KIND OF TOUCH BASES ON IT? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT A CITIZEN REQUESTED. SO THE CITY FOLLOWS A CHANGE ORDER REQUIREMENTS AS REQUIRED BY LAW. SO I THINK WHAT THE CITIZEN IS REQUESTING IS TO KNOW, LIKE WHY THESE THINGS HAPPEN OR SOME TYPE OF PROTOCOL, BUT WE FOLLOW STATE LAW AS IT RELATES TO CHANGE ORDERS FOR THAT. AND AS MOLLY SAID, OR AS WE SAID MULTIPLE TIMES, CHANGE ORDERS ARE FOR VARIOUS REASONS. SOMETIMES THE SCOPE OF WORK CHANGES AND THERE'S A CHANGE ORDER TO ADD WORK. SOMETIMES WE BID IT IN MULTIPLE PARTS, AND WE'VE DECIDED TO ADD THOSE PARTS IN. AND SO THERE'S A CHANGE ORDER REQUIREMENT FOR THAT. WHEN WE COUNCIL APPROVES THE CONTRACT, MAYBE ONLY PARTS ONE THROUGH FIVE ARE INCLUDED. AND NOW WE HAVE THE SITUATION, AND NOW WE HAVE THE STAFF AND THE FUNDING TO ALLOW FOR AN ADDITIONAL 6 TO 7 OUR BID. BUT IT'S A CHANGE ORDER BECAUSE IT'S A CHANGE TO THE ACTUAL CONTRACT. I THINK THE TERM CHANGE ORDER SOMETIMES IS A OBTRUSIVE TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT THERE COULD BE A CHANGE ORDER FOR A MULTITUDE OF REASONS. YOU CAN CHANGE ORDER BECAUSE THEY NEED TO GIVE US MONEY BACK. YOU CAN CHANGE ORDER BECAUSE THEY'RE USING LESS QUANTITIES AND AGAIN THEY BID FOR MORE QUANTITIES AND WE BUDGETED FOR MORE QUANTITIES AND WE NEED TO GIVE THE MONEY BACK. YOU CAN ALSO DO CHANGE ORDER BECAUSE WE NEED TO DO DIFFERENT WORK BECAUSE MOST OF THEIR WORK INVOLVES EXCAVATION AND YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT'S IN IT. AGAIN, SERVE THE PLEASURE OF COUNCIL. SO IF YOU WANT A CHANGE ORDER ORDINANCE, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THOSE PARAMETERS ARE. BUT WE WOULD NEED TO CLOSELY ALIGN WITH WHAT WE ALREADY DO AS IT RELATES TO STATE LAW. AND IT'D BE SOMEWHAT OF A REDUNDANCY UNLESS COUNCIL WANT TO PUT IN SOME ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS. JUST TO KIND OF FOLLOW UP, I KNOW WE'RE DOING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THAT FALLS UNDERNEATH IT, BUT JUST I DON'T KNOW HOW COUNCIL FEELS A LITTLE DIFFERENT. I'M JUST YEAH, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING. YOU KNOW BECAUSE I, I GET IT. IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. BUT AND WE HAVE CITIZENS WHO ARE KIND OF CONCERNED WITH CHANGE ORDERS. I KNOW THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS BAD, BUT JUST THE PLAIN WAY OF MAYBE EXPLAINING IT AND MAKE SURE IT'S GRASPED ON ONE THING I LEARNED WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS, A THIRD GRADE LEVEL, THE WAY EVERYBODY CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON. I CAN SPEAK TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. IT'S MORE OF A HIGH LEVEL DOCUMENT, AND IT REALLY GOVERNS MOSTLY THE CITY'S FUTURE, BUT ALSO THE ZONING CODE AND THE ZONING MAP. SO IT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF LIKE A CHANGE ORDER ORDINANCE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT REALLY WOULDN'T BE COVERED IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. THAT'S MORE AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL. THANK YOU. I THINK COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, THEN COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. SO LIKE YOU MENTIONED, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT EXCAVATION. DO WE HAVE A RULE THAT WHEN YOU BID THIS JOB, YOU HAVE TO DO CORE SAMPLES? I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD SAVE US MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND CHANGE ORDERS IF THEY WOULD JUST DO CORE SAMPLES, AND THEN THEY KNOW WHAT KIND OF STABILITY, WHAT KIND OF SAND. I MEAN, IT MAKES SENSE. EVERYONE ELSE KIND OF DOES IT. DO WE NOT REQUIRE THAT WHEN GIVEN A BID THAT THEY CORE SAMPLE BEFORE THEY DIG INTO SOMETHING AND THEN THEY HAVE TO COME BACK AND GO, OH, WELL, WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE DIRT WAS BAD. SO NOW WE NEED ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS TO PUT THE RIGHT KIND OF DIRT IN BECAUSE IT WASN'T THERE. SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, MAYBE TWEAKING
[00:55:01]
OUR, OUR, OUR BID PROJECT WHERE WE REQUIRE THESE THINGS THAT WILL SAVE THE CITY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THE BACK SIDE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW CALL YOUR CALL YOUR FAIRIES HIT US PRETTY HARD.AND A LOT OF STUFF WE DIDN'T REALIZE WAS UNDERGROUND AND AND WE THERE WAS A ONE ON HARRISON.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY STARTED DIGGING AND LOOSE FILL AND WE WE DID I THINK 2 OR 3 CHANGE ORDERS ON THAT ONE. SO SO THE CORE SAMPLES ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS THE LOCATION WHERE THE CORE SAMPLE WAS TAKEN. SO YOU DURING THE ENGINEERING PROCESS, WE DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN TO HAVE SUBSURFACE INVESTIGATION PERFORMED. BUT WE THE CORE SAMPLE I MEAN THE CORE IS ONLY FOUR INCHES IN DIAMETER, SO IT'S ONLY AS GOOD AS WHERE THAT CORE SAMPLE IS TAKEN. AND SO WHEN WE ARE EXCAVATING FOR LIKE THE PINE STREET PROJECT FOR TWO AND A HALF MILES, IT WE CAN DO IT'S THE BEST THAT WE CAN AND WE CAN HAVE IT AT REGULAR INTERVALS. BUT AND WE DID ON THE PINE STREET PROJECT, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT NOWHERE WHERE WE TOOK THE CORE SAMPLES DID WE FIND A BRIDGE, AND WE ENDED UP DIGGING UP TWO OF THEM. SO THAT IS PART OF WHAT WE TRY TO WORK THROUGH IN THE ENGINEERING PROCESS, IS TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THE UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS AND THE KNOWN UNKNOWNS. AND SO TO WE DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE. THERE HAVE BEEN PROJECTS WHERE IF WE ARE WORKING IN A SENSITIVE LOCATION, SUCH AS INSIDE A ONE OF OUR PLANTS, WE WILL USE GROUND PENETRATING RADAR TO TRY TO IDENTIFY IF THERE IS SUBSURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE RISK DAMAGING. WE CAN INVESTIGATE IT TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE SPENT MORE MONEY IN INVESTIGATION THAN WE HAVE SPENT IN THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION, AND SO THEN YOU HAVE TO FIND THAT BALANCE. AT WHAT POINT IS THE STUDY ENOUGH AND THEN JUST GO TO WORK AND THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE DOING THE BEST EDUCATED DECISIONS THAT YOU CAN TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION. AND THEN AS YOU WORK THROUGH IT AGAIN, YOU CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH. THE BEST WAY TO KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE UNDERGROUND IS TO DIG IT UP.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S WHAT ENDS UP HAPPENING. AND SO THE CONTRACTS THAT WE USE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SECURED A LEGAL COUNSEL TO DO A REVIEW OF OUR CONTRACT DOCUMENTS, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE IN THERE. BUT IN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THAT CONTRACT ARE THE VARIOUS REASONS WHY A CHANGE ORDER WOULD BE ALLOWED. AND THERE'S TYPICALLY THERE'S ABOUT TEN DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT WOULD REQUIRE CHANGE ORDER, ANY AMENDMENT TO THAT CONTRACT THAT WE EXECUTE WITH THAT CONTRACTOR, ANY CHANGE AT ALL IS NOT A CHANGE UNTIL THE CONTRACT, UNTIL THE CHANGE ORDER IS EXECUTED. I MEAN, WE HAVE $0 CHANGE ORDERS THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S UNDER UNDER $10,000, THE CITY MANAGER HAS THE AUTHORITY PER CHARTER TO APPROVE THOSE. AND SO WE YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHY WE DO UNIT PRICE BIDS. THIS IS WHY WE DON'T DO LUMP SUM BIDS, BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING FOR THE ACTUAL WORK THAT WAS DONE. AGAIN, WE MAKE THE BEST EDUCATED DECISIONS WE CAN WHEN WE PUT THE ENGINEERING PLANS TOGETHER. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF WE FIND A SITUATION WHERE THE WORK NEEDS TO BE CHANGED IN ORDER TO IMPROVE WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OUT THERE IN, THE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE. TO DO THAT BY, YOU KNOW, THE ETHICAL THING TO DO IS TO DO THE WORK. AND SO THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THE INSPECTORS THAT ARE GOING OUT THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT IS BEING PUT ON THE CHANGE ORDER IS WHAT WAS ACTUALLY DONE. SO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE STRUCK US ON THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT, WHICH IS A CLOSEOUT, IS THAT WE HAD SOME ISSUES IN THE QUANTITIES THE WORK WAS DONE, WE HAVE VERIFIED THAT THE WORK WAS DONE. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS CHANGE ORDER IS TO CAPTURE THE WORK THAT WAS ACTUALLY DONE AND PAY THE CONTRACTOR. IF WE START TO CAP THE ABILITY TO HAVE A CHANGE ORDER, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT'S GOING TO RAISE THE RISK FOR THE CONTRACTORS. THE MORE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ABSORB THAT RISK, THE CITY WILL ABSORB THAT RISK, AND YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT RISK BY PAYING HIGHER PRICES, BECAUSE THE CONTRACTOR IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE PROTECTED, BECAUSE IF OTHER ADDITIONAL WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE, THEY DO IT. THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THEY GET PAID FOR IT. YEAH. SO MOLLY'S POINT BEFORE YOU RESPOND, COUNCILMAN, WE DID HEAR COUNSEL, AND WE'VE DONE AN EXTENSIVE REVIEW OF OUR CONTRACTS ABOVE. COMPARED TO WHAT WE'VE HAD IN PAST
[01:00:01]
LITIGATION, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE AS MUCH LITIGATION AND CONTRACT DISPUTES OR CONTRACTOR DISPUTES BECAUSE OUR CONTRACTS ARE SOLID. BUT WHENEVER WE DO HAVE AN ISSUE THAT COMES UP THAT DOES RESULT IN LITIGATION OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION, WE TRY TO LEARN FROM THAT AND ADAPT OUR CONTRACTS TO THAT. AND IN THAT SAME VEIN, WE'VE WORKED WITH SOME SOME CONSTRUCTION ATTORNEYS WHO ACTUALLY WORK ON THE OTHER SIDE TO KIND OF SAY, LOOK, THIS IS THIS IS WHERE THE GAP IS. THIS IS HOW YOU CAN SHOW UP YOUR LANGUAGE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE PROCESS NOW IS KIND OF LIKE CROSSING OVER TO THE DARK SIDE TO SEE, LIKE WHERE OUR GAPS COULD BE, LIKE WHERE WE CAN SHORE UP. YOU LAUGH. IT WORKS.WHERE WE WHERE WE CAN SHORE UP OUR CONTRACTS TO MAKE THEM STRONGER, TO TO NOT HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. AND SO IN TALKING TO THEM, WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS AND IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE CITIES IS, IS THAT MOVING AWAY FROM UNIT BASED PRICING, WHICH IS WHAT THE CITY OPTIMALLY USES, WHICH IS OPTIMAL AND CONSIDERED BEST PRACTICES? THERE ARE SOME CITIES THAT DON'T DO IT THE OTHER WAY. WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BE EXACTLY ESTIMATE EXACTLY WHAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO USE. BUT AGAIN, IF THEY'RE GETTING TO A SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE TO DO MORE WORK, WHICH MEANS THAT THOSE QUANTITIES RUN LOW AND THEY NEED TO USE MORE, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO SUBMIT A CHANGE ORDER. IF THEY DON'T KNOW THAT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY DON'T EXACTLY KNOW WHAT QUANTITIES ARE IN ANY SITUATION, RIGHT? WHEN YOU'RE PLANNING AN EVENT, YOU SAY, I'M EXPECTING 20 PEOPLE, SO I'M GOING TO FEED 20 PEOPLE. YOUR CATERER IS GOING TO MAKE FOOD FOR 30, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT OF FOOD. NOBODY EVER WANTS TO RUN OUT OF FOOD IN AN EVENT.
SO IF YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO USE QUANTITIES, WE ESTIMATE THE QUANTITIES ARE GOING TO BE FOR 20. YOUR CONTRACTOR IS GOING TO BID FOR ABOUT 45. RIGHT. AND SO THE CITY DOESN'T GET THE BENEFIT OF THAT 45. WE DON'T GET TO SAY, HEY, YOU ONLY USE 30 QUANTITIES. WE WANT THE REST OF THOSE MATERIALS, RIGHT? THE CONTRACTORS. THIS IS WHAT WE BID THIS WHAT YOU'RE PAYING.
AND SO UNIT BASE QUANTITIES DOES ALLOW US TO PROTECT OURSELVES. AND SOME THINGS LIKE AND TO MOLLY'S CREDIT, WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR CONTRACTS. LIKE I SAID, WE WE'VE KIND OF WORKED WITH SOME EXPERTS IN THAT FIELD THAT ACTUALLY REPRESENT ON THAT SIDE TO SAY THESE ARE SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO. CONSTRUCTION LAW IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS RIGHT NOW THAT'S REALLY CHANGING THE COURTS. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION LITIGATION. SO THERE'S SOME EVER CHANGING SITUATIONS IN TERMS OF NOTICE AND HOW YOU BID AND, AND, AND WHAT THINGS CAN BE COVERED ON A BID, BONDS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT TO KIND OF PROTECT OURSELVES, BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO BALANCE THE ABILITY TO WHERE THE CITY ISN'T PAYING MORE UPFRONT. YOU KNOW, IF NOTHING ELSE, A GREAT EXPLANATION IS TO LET THE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE CITY REALLY IS MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK AND THAT WE'RE NOT BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. AND THAT'S THE KEY, IS THAT WE'RE NOT BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. I THINK WHAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, AND I DON'T WANT TO LIKE KIND OF INTERPRET WHAT THE CITY IS. BUT I THINK WHAT DRAWS CONCERN IS PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW AND WHY CHANGE ORDER DECISIONS ARE MADE. AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S KIND OF LIKE A NOT NECESSARILY A BACKROOM PROBLEM, BUT IT'S BASED ON LIKE ENGINEERING AND CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH THOSE CONTRACTORS ONE ON ONE, LIKE, HEY, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A CHANGE ORDER FOR THIS. WHAT'S INTERESTING IS LIKE, I KNOW THAT COUNCIL FEELS LIKE THERE'S A SO MANY CHANGE ORDERS, BUT I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY CHANGE ORDERS MOLLY GETS THAT WE'RE LIKE, YEAH, THAT AIN'T HAPPENING. LIKE WE'RE NOT LIKE IT'S JUST THAT THEY THAT THAT STAFF SHOOTS DOWN OR THAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS AND SAY LIKE, YOU KNOW, HOW COULD THIS WORK? OR GO BACK TO THE CONTRACT LANGUAGE AND SAY, NO, THIS IS COVERED UNDER THE CONTRACT. IT'S NOT A THAT'S A YOUR BAD NOT A NOT A CITY PAY. SO THERE'S, THERE'S SO MUCH FOR EVERY AND I'M GOING TO JUST KIND OF ESTIMATE. BUT FOR EVERY THREE CHANGE ORDERS WE BRING THERE'S PROBABLY 30 THAT NEVER MAKE THE CUT THAT THAT THEY'VE ATTEMPTED THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MITIGATE JUST WITH STRONGER CONTRACT LANGUAGE, WITH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, OF IMPROVEMENTS OF OUR CONTRACTS. AND SO AND I THINK I CAN TELL YOU, THAT NUMBER IS INCREASINGLY GOING DOWN AS WE'RE FINDING WAYS TO BETTER, STRONGER LANGUAGE IN OUR CONTRACTS. YOU'RE DOING GOOD. I JUST IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE KNOW BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T SEE WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING WHEN WE PRESENT THESE TO COUNCIL, YOU'RE SEEING THE FINISHED PRODUCT. YOU'RE NOT SEEING THE BACK AND FORTH. YOU'RE NOT SEEING WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS REJECTED. YOU KNOW WHERE THE CONTRACTOR MAY HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION OR WHERE THEY FAILED TO SUBMIT THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION. YOU KNOW, ALL THESE STEPS IN THE PROCESS. YOU KNOW THAT. THEN IF I CAN'T, IF I IF THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION ISN'T THERE, IT'S ENOUGH TO CONVINCE ME, HOW AM I GOING TO CONVINCE Y'ALL? AND SO BUT YOU KNOW, FOR BRINGING A UNIT PRICE CONTRACT, WE CAN POINT AT 452 STRIPES IN THE ROAD OR TO THE TO THAT DEGREE.
AND SO TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE IT IS A UNIT PRICE CONTRACT THAT THE QUANTITIES AS THEY'RE ADJUSTED ALL OF THE BIDS WHEN WE COLLECT THE BIDS FROM MULTIPLE CONTRACTORS, ALL OF THOSE BIDS WOULD HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY. YOUR LOW BIDDER IS STILL YOUR LOW BIDDER.
AND SO THAT IS IMPORTANT AS WELL. WE ALSO LOOK INTO MOLLY'S POINT. IT'S IT'S ALWAYS THE LOWEST BIDDER GIVING THE BEST QUALITY. AND THERE'S BEEN CONVERSATION WITH THIS COUNCIL BEFORE. SO WHILE WE REJECTED SOMEONE WE WERE LIKE WE JUST DON'T THINK THEY CAN DO THE
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WORK FOR THAT. LIKE IT'S THEIR THEIR BID IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER WHAT WE ENGINEERED THE PRODUCT TO BE. AND SO WE'VE REJECTED COUNCIL'S BEEN ADVISED TO REJECT SOME PEOPLE'S BIDS FOR THAT REASON BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT YOU TO BE LIKE, WELL, THEY THEY WERE THE LOWEST BIDDER, BUT NOW THERE'S LIKE 80 CHANGE ORDERS BECAUSE THEY UNDER BID AND NOW THEY DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO COMPLETE THE WORK FOR THE PROJECT. A LOT OF PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT, YES, THEY LOWBALL AND THEN THEY CHANGE ORDER THEMSELVES UP TO WHERE THEY'RE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE HIGHEST BID THAT CAME IN. AND IT'S NOT UNUSUAL IF WE DO GET A BID TO THAT, THAT, TO THAT. AND THAT'S HAPPENED NOW IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. IT'S HAPPENED ABOUT THREE TIMES WHERE I'VE CALLED THE CONTRACTOR IN. LET'S SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DO IT FOR THAT PRICE. SO YOU HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BEFORE WE EVER BRING THE AWARD AND THEY MAY SAY, YEAH, YEAH. OR THEY MAY SAY, NOPE. WE DOUBLE, TRIPLE CHECKED IT, WE STAND BY IT. AND THEN AT THE CLOSE OF THE PROJECT, SURPRISE, THERE'S A CHANGE ORDER REQUEST COINCIDENTALLY IN THAT AMOUNT THAT I CALLED THEM OUT ON IT.AND THAT CHANGE ORDER ALSO GOT REJECTED. SO I MEAN, THERE THERE IS SO MANY LAYERS TO THAT, TO THIS CONVERSATION AS WE GO THROUGH THESE PROJECTS. AND SO TYPICALLY THE RULE IS IT'S IT'S THE LOWEST BID PROVIDING THE BEST VALUE. SO WHEN WE'RE CHECKING FOR THOSE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT KIND OF STUFF. IT'S IT'S NEVER A SITUATION WHERE WE'VE COUNCIL'S APPROVED A CHANGE ORDER AND ON CONTRACTS. AND IT'S COME BACK THAT IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE SECOND BIDDER OR THE HIGHEST BID THAT CAME IN. THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING. YES, SIR.
COUNCILWOMAN, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT I DO REMEMBER THE THING ABOUT THE BRIDGE. BUT GOING BACK TO MISS ALLEN THAT ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT CITIZEN NOTIFICATION, ABOUT CHANGE ORDERS, WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU, WHAT I'M QUESTIONING IS, IS THERE A PLACE OUTSIDE OF ON THE DAIS WHERE PEOPLE CAN VIEW THE CHANGE ORDERS THAT WE'RE CREATING? SO THEN THAT WAY SHE'S SAYING SOMETHING ABOUT NOTIFICATION, IF I'M CORRECT, CAN THEY SEE THESE CHANGE ORDERS, OR IS THERE A WEBSITE OR SOMEWHERE WHERE THIS INFORMATION IS POSTED SO THAT SO THIS IS THE NOTICE OKAY. THIS IS THE NOTICE. SO LIKE OUR AND MOLLY'S OFFICE AND THE WAY WE WORK, THERE'S TONS OF THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON A REGULAR ON A DAY TO DAY THAT THAT NEVER HAPPENS. RIGHT. SO IF WE WERE TO SEND OUT A NOTIFICATION EVERY TIME A CONTRACTOR SENDS US A CHANGE ORDER, Y'ALL WOULD TURN OFF THE GROUP CHAT, RIGHT? RIGHT? RIGHT. YEAH. LIKE, IT'S JUST IT'S SO MANY. SO MY THING IS LIKE, THE ONES THAT WE THE ONES THAT ACTUALLY GO THROUGH, THE ONES THAT ARE ACTUALLY APPROVED ARE POSTED HERE IN THE NOTICES HERE. SO THE THE EXPLANATION AND THE NOTICE TO CITIZENS IS THIS MEETING. THIS IS THIS IS THE TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS. THIS IS THE PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THE PUBLIC THING. SO THERE'S THERE'S REALLY NOT A WAY TO KNOW BEFOREHAND LIKE THE MEETING I BELIEVE IS POSTED AT LEAST FOUR DAYS PRIOR TO IT GOES TO THE NOTICE IS AVAILABLE AND IT'S ONLINE. SO THEY CAN READ THAT. AND MOLLY ALWAYS PROVIDES MORE THAN ENOUGH SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. THAT MAKES IT HARD TO COMPILE TO POST. BUT ALL THE INFORMATION, ALL, ALL 102 DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW BY THE CITIZENS TO SEE WHAT THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENT.
WHY IS IT NECESSARY? THE CONTRACT IN THE PACKET? YES, IN THE NOT THE AGENDA, BUT IN THE IN THE COUNCIL PACKET. ALL OF THAT SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS THERE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. SO THAT PUBLIC PACKET IS AVAILABLE ONLINE IN THE CITY CLERK'S WEBSITE. SO THEY CAN JUST GO TO COUNCIL AGENDA, HIT THE PACKET AND THEY CAN SEE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT. OKAY. I JUST WANTED FOR CLARIFICATION. WHEN PEOPLE COME UP AND THEY ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THINGS THAT ULTIMATELY ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM ONLINE, THAT YOU PROBABLY NEED TO GO AND VERIFY THAT BEFORE YOU STAND HERE AND SAY THAT WE'RE NOT PROVIDING CHANGE OR INFORMATION WHEN THAT INFORMATION HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IN THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PACKET BEFORE WE GOT HERE.
NEVERTHELESS, WE'VE ALREADY ANTICIPATED AS BEST WE CAN WITH THE CHANGE ORDERS. COULD BE WE'VE DOCUMENTED THOSE THINGS. AND NOW WHEN WE PRESENT THIS SO THERE'S NOTHING NEFARIOUS HAPPENING AND SO DID WE CLARIFY CHANGE ORDERS OR OFTENTIMES NECESSARY. AND WE WOULDN'T BE AT THIS POINT IF THEY WERE NOT. BUT JUST TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A PLACE WHERE THIS PACKET IS PRODUCED AND YOU CAN VERIFY THE DOCUMENTATION SUPPORTING THE CHANGE ORDER BY LAW, IT'S REQUIRED. AND I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT PROBABLY PROVIDES. AND I'VE LOOKED AT SOME OTHER CITIES WAY MORE INFORMATION IN TERMS OF INFORMATION, IN TERMS OF OUR PACKET AND INFORMATION IN TERMS OF LIKE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND ATTACHMENTS THAN MOST CITIES DO. SO OUR PACKETS ARE, I'M SURE YOU ALL CAN SEE LIKE ARE PRETTY, PRETTY LONG. WE ALL ARE SCROLLING THROUGH ITEMS. THERE'S SEVERAL SEVERAL PAGES OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND ATTACHMENTS IN THE ONLINE PACKET. TO THAT EXTENT, IF COUNCIL DID WANT TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF DOCUMENT, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND AN ORDINANCE. I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND SOME TYPE OF POLICY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE STAFF TO BE GUIDED BY. AND AND TO DO THAT, THE ONLY REASON FOR THAT IS THAT, AGAIN, WE OPERATE AS IT RELATES TO STATE LAW AS IT RELATES TO THAT. AND SO AN ORDINANCE WOULD BE AT SOME POINT REDUNDANT AT THAT POINT. BUT OBVIOUSLY COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO ASK FOR SOME TYPE OF POLICY AS IT RELATES TO THAT. AND THEN WE CAN COORDINATE WITH
[01:10:01]
THE CITY MANAGER ON WHAT HE FELT LIKE WAS BEST. FOR THAT, WE DON'T NEED TO BE DOUBLE, TRIPLE AND QUADRUPLE WORKING. SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE JOB THAT YOU'RE DOING. AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. AND I ALSO DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE ARE DOING AN WITHIN THE LAST SIX YEARS, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY RAMPED UP THE VOLUME OF THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW THROUGH THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, THROUGH OUR OPERATING BUDGET. SO THERE IS SO MANY MORE PROJECTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY GOING ON RIGHT NOW.AND SO YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THESE CHANGE ORDERS FILTER THROUGH HERE, BUT THAT ALSO REFLECTS JUST THE VOLUME OF THE WORK THAT IS HAPPENING AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. YEAH, JUST A FEW COMMENTS ON THIS AS YOU REMEMBER. AND COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER CERTAINLY REMEMBERS WHEN I GOT HERE. THIS WAS ONE OF MY PRIORITIES, CHANGE ORDERS.
HAVING BEEN A PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND WORKED ON PROJECTS AS AN ADMINISTRATOR, NOTHING ANNOYED ME MORE THAN CHANGE ORDERS. SO COMING IN HERE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO WORK ON. AND IT'S BEEN SOMETHING WE'VE CERTAINLY FOCUSED ON. AND MOLLY GETS TIRED OF ME AND DIRECTORS MEETING TALKING ABOUT CHANGE ORDERS, BECAUSE EVERY TIME I SEE ONE, IT CREATES A, A BIT OF A MY TEMPERATURE RISES JUST A LITTLE BIT. BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TO WORK TO TRY TO PUT OUT A BETTER PRODUCT. A LOT OF CHANGE ORDERS CAN BE BETTER HANDLED IF THE PRODUCT YOU THE QUALITY OF PRODUCT YOU PUT OUT IN YOUR BID IS AS ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE, WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACCURATELY BE AT THESE PROJECTS AND PUT THINGS IN PLACE WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH CHANGE ORDERS. SO WE MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO CLEAN UP OUR BID PROCESS AND GET THOSE BETTER QUALITY OUT THERE. SO WHEN SOMEBODY BIDS, THEY KNOW WHAT'S IN THE GROUND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THEY KNOW WHERE THE PIPES ARE OUT THERE. SO WE'VE THAT'S BEEN A HUGE THING THAT WE WANT TO WORK WITH. WANTED TO DO MORE WITH OUR GIS SYSTEM. GIS SYSTEMS HELP YOU DETERMINE WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR CITY AS FAR AS INFRASTRUCTURE, AS FAR AS WHERE YOUR WHERE YOUR SEWER LINES, WHERE ARE YOUR WATER LINES, WHERE WHERE YOUR YOUR STREETS, WHAT'S UNDER THERE? SO ONE OF MY GOALS WAS BEEFING UP THE GIS DEPARTMENT. THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE A GIS DEPARTMENT. MOST CITIES HAVE THEIR OWN GIS DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY GO OUT AND PHYSICALLY LOCATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IN THE GROUND. SO WHEN YOU PUT OUT A BID, YOU KNOW PRETTY ACCURATELY WHAT'S IN THE GROUND TO WITHIN 25FT OF WHAT'S OUT THERE. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE TALKED WITH STAFF ABOUT US SHORING UP OUR GIS SYSTEM TO HELP BETTER LOCATE WHERE WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A BETTER BID OUT THERE. NOBODY LIKES CHANGE ORDERS.
THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE PAIN. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ORDINANCE A POLICY. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO CITY MANAGER SHERYL SCULLEY CAME IN AND SHE SAID TOLD HER STAFF NO CHANGE ORDERS.
IT WASN'T ORDERED BY COUNCIL. IT WAS ORDERED BY THE CITY MANAGER, TOLD STAFF NOT NOT TO BRING A CHANGE ORDER TO ME. AND IT WORKED FOR A WHILE, BUT IT SOON THAT PROCEDURE STARTED NOT TO WORK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TWO, THEY STOPPED GETTING ACCURATE BIDS. TWO, THEY START LOSING CONTRACTORS WHO LIKE, I'M NOT GOING TO RISK ME BIDDING ON THAT PROJECT IF I CAN'T, YOU KNOW, IF I IF I MISS IT, I GOT TO EAT THAT MONEY, THAT WHOLE ENTIRE DEAL. SO AT SOME POINT, CHERYL HAD TO BACK OFF HER POLICY OF NO CHANGE ORDERS AND WHAT SHE WAS DOING THERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME CITIES LOOK AT IT DIFFERENTLY. YOU KNOW, I THINK BEAUMONT'S CHANGE ORDER POLICY IS A LOWER AMOUNT. THAT'S WHY YOU SEEM LIKE YOU'RE GETTING SO MANY. MOST CITIES HAVE A HIGHER THRESHOLD AND CHANGE ORDERS FOR STAFF OR CITY MANAGER TO MAKE A DECISION. AND THESE PEOPLE ARE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE AWAY MONEY, BUT THAT'S ONE REASON IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE GETTING SO MANY BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOW THRESHOLD ON ON WHAT IF YOU GOT A $4.5 MILLION PROJECT AND YOU'RE GETTING $20,000 CHANGE ORDERS? THAT'S, THAT'S THAT'S A WASTE OF TIME BECAUSE ONE, EVERY TIME YOU DO A CHANGE OF THAT PROJECT STOPS. THAT PROJECT IS DELAYED. WHILE WE'RE WAITING TWO YEARS, TWO WEEKS TO BRING YOUR PROJECT, THAT PROJECT'S NOT WORKING. SO YOU $20,000 OF PROJECTS GETTING FINISHED AND THEN FIND MORE. SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT SIDES TO THIS STORY WITH CHANGE ORDERS.
AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING TO IMPROVE THE CHANGE ORDER PROCESS BY BEING MORE PROACTIVE UPFRONT. YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH CONTRACTORS FOR ACCURACY TOO, BUT ALSO JUST MAKING SURE STAFF IS DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. WHAT IS
[01:15:06]
OUR THRESHOLD? SO BY CHARTER BY CHARTER, IT'S 10,000. THE STATE SAYS 50. SO YOUR THRESHOLD BY CHARTER IS 10,000. BUT TECHNICALLY IF YOU CHANGE YOUR CHARTER, IT CAN GO UP TO 50,000 TO A LINE. THIS ISSUE DID COME UP WHEN WE DID A CHARTER REVIEW SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT WAS COMPRISED OF CITIZENS. IT WASN'T REALLY A TOUCHY SUBJECT. IT WASN'T REALLY A BIG ISSUE WITH STAFF AT THE TIME. WE KIND OF CAME UP AND THEY WERE LIKE, THEY AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT TYPE OF THING. THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT MAKING IT A LINE WITH STATE LAW. THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS CHANGE ORDER 42,000 IS ONE THAT WOULD IN ANOTHER CITY WOULD NEVER GO.Y'ALL WOULD NEVER SEE IT BECAUSE IT'S UNDER THE 50,000 THRESHOLD CAP. SO THERE WASN'T A REAL BIG ISSUE. IT JUST KIND OF LIKE I SAID, COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW WAS ON THAT KIND OF CAME UP. THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT JUST KIND OF CHANGING CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CHARTER TO ALIGN WITH STATE LAW. IF WE WOULD DO THE ENTIRE VERSION, THIS HAS BEEN ONE THAT WOULD HAVE CAME OUT. BUT IT WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE SOME SLIGHT DISCUSSION OF JUST LEAVING IT.
AND THIS MIGHT BE HARD TO ANSWER, BUT CITY MANAGER MENTIONED IT. DO YOU SEE THAT IT IT SLOWS PROJECTS DOWN SOMETIMES WHENEVER YOU DO HAVE TO WAIT TO. YES, YES. IT'S CLOSE. YOU CAN'T. YOU GET TO A POINT WHERE YOU CAN'T DO THE WORK UNTIL YOU GET COUNCIL, APPROVAL FROM THE WHERE SOMEBODY AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL CAN MAKE A VERY EDUCATED GUESS, OR MAKE SURE WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND MAKE A DECISION. I THINK THE CONCEPT IS THAT THAT ON LARGE SCALE CONSTRUCTION WORK, THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE $50,000. LIKE YOU CAN SEE THE VALUE OF THIS CONTRACT, RIGHT? IT'S A IT'S A HALF $1 MILLION CONTRACT. SO THAT WOULD BE 10% OF THE VALUE OF THE CONTRACT. THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD BE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. BUT ANYTHING OVER THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. RIGHT. SO OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULD WANT TO SAY YOU HAVE $100,000 CHANGE ORDER. YOU PROBABLY WANT TO SEE IT. YOU HAVE A $10,000 CHANGE ORDER. NOT SO MUCH. LET'S SEE IT. YEAH. RIGHT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MAE, WOULD YOU TAKE US INTO ITEM NUMBER
[5. Council consider a request for a Rezoning from R-S (Residential-Single Family Dwelling) District to GC-MD-2 (General Commercial-Multiple Family Dwelling-2) District for property located at 7085 Highway 105 and two lots to the East and the lot immediately West.]
FIVE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR A REZONING FROM R. S, WHICH IS RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING DISTRICT TO GC MD TWO GENERAL COMMERCIAL MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLING TWO DISTRICT FOR PROPERTY LOCATED AT 7085 HIGHWAY 105 AND TWO LOTS TO THE EAST AND THE LOT IMMEDIATELY WEST. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. WE'LL NOTE THAT THIS WAS A PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED SIX THREE TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR REZONING. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE? MOVE TO APPROVE.IS THERE A SECOND? IS THERE A SECOND ON THE MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? ALL RIGHT. IT'S
[WORK SESSION]
GOING TO DIE FOR LACK OF A SECOND. MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU TAKE US INTO THE WORK SESSION? NO. COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS DOWNTOWN PROACTIVE CODE ENFORCEMENT UPDATE. AND WE'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM DEMI ENGEL. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AS PART OF THE CITY'S STRATEGIC PLAN TO PRIORITIZE DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND BEAUTIFICATION OF BEAUMONT, THE COUNCIL AUTHORIZED A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH TO DOWNTOWN CODE ENFORCEMENT IN MARCH OF 2020. FOR MY. THE LAST TIME MY TEAM PRESENTED ON THIS WAS IN JULY OF 2025. THIS PRESENTATION WILL ENCOMPASS THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THEN. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. 22 MONTHS HAS PASSED SINCE THE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED. THE ORIGINAL SWEEP INCLUDED THE AREAS BOUNDED BY MAIN STREET, CALDER, NECHES STREET, AND COLLEGE STREET. OF THE 76 STRUCTURES, 27 OF THEM WERE ORIGINALLY TAGGED FOR UNSAFE CONDITIONS. PRESENTLY, 17 OF THE 76 STRUCTURES REMAIN UNSAFE, WHICH MEANS APPROXIMATELY 78% OF THE BUILDINGS WITHIN THE AREA DESCRIBED ARE CONSIDERED SAFE. AS IT RELATES TO THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS SLIDE SHOWS A BREAKDOWN OF TAGGED PROPERTIES[01:20:06]
BY ADDRESS. AT THE TOP, PROPERTIES ARE CATEGORIZED AS EITHER SAFE OR UNSAFE. A PROPERTY IS CONSIDERED SAFE IF IT COMPLIES WITH THE 2021 INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE. UNSAFE PROPERTIES ARE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO THREE GROUPS. THOSE THAT ARE REGRESSING, THOSE WITH NO PROGRESS, AND THOSE THAT ARE UNSAFE BUT HAVE PERMITS AND ARE ACTIVELY MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS COMPLIANCE. ANY ADDRESS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK INDICATES A PROPERTY WITH CHARGES CURRENTLY PENDING IN COURT. IN OUR JULY 2025 REPORT, SIX OF THE STRUCTURES WERE CLASSIFIED AS REGRESSING. SINCE THEN, THE BEAUMONT CLUB HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED BY THE OWNER AND IS NOW IN TURN CLASSIFIED AS SAFE. THE GILBERT BUILDING HAS MOVED FROM REGRESSING TO THE PROGRESS CATEGORY. THE NEW OWNERS OF THE GILBERT HAVE SUBMITTED A PRELIMINARY RESTORATION TIMELINE TO THE BUILDING OFFICIAL, AND HAVE A DEVELOPMENT MEETING SCHEDULED WITH THE CITY LATER THIS MONTH. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEADMAN BUILDING HAS MOVED FROM UNSAFE WITH NO PROGRESS TO SAFE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THE PROPERTY OWNERS OF THE SAN JACINTO BUILDING AND THE HOTEL BEAUMONT WERE ISSUED NOTICE ON ON DECEMBER 4TH, 2025, REQUIRING SUBMISSION OF ENGINEERING REPORTS TO THE BUILDING OFFICIAL BY 5 P.M. ON JANUARY 20TH, WHICH IS TODAY. THE REQUEST WAS BASED ON CONCERNS RELATED TO STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE BUILDINGS. AS OF 1 P.M. TODAY, THE CITY HAS NOT RECEIVED THE REQUIRED REPORTS. IF THE REPORTS ARE NOT SUBMITTED, THE CITY WILL OBTAIN THE REPORTS INDEPENDENTLY AND ALL COSTS WILL BE BILLED TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS FOR REIMBURSEMENT. IN ADDITION, THE CITY INSTALLED A FENCE TO CLOSE THE SIDEWALKS ADJACENT TO THE HOTEL BEAUMONT. DUE TO BUILDING FACADE MATERIAL FALLING INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, THE COST OF THE INSTALLATION WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,400. THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL BE INVOICED FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT AND A LIEN WILL BE FILED ON THE PROPERTY IF PAYMENTS NOT RECEIVED. THERE ARE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT CURRENTLY SHOW NO SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT OR ARE CONTINUING TO DETERIORATE. IF THEIR CONDITIONS WORSEN, AN ENGINEERING REPORT MAY BE REQUIRED MAY BE REQUIRED OF THE BUILDINGS IN FUTURE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS SLIDE SHOWS A FEW EXAMPLES OF POSITIVE PROGRESS DOWNTOWN. THE BOTTOM ROW REFLECTS HOW THESE PROPERTIES APPEARED IN 2025. THE TOP ROW SHOWS THEIR CURRENT CONDITION IN 2026. WHILE THESE ARE NOT THE ONLY IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE DOWNTOWN, THEY HIGHLIGHT MEANINGFUL AND VISIBLE PROGRESS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY DOWNTOWN SINCE JULY OF 2025. THE THREE PROPERTIES ARE CURRENTLY LISTED FOR SALE. THE CITY CONDUCTED ONE PRE-DEVELOPMENT MEETING AND SIX CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY WERE ISSUED. A CEO, WHICH IS A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, IS REQUIRED FOR BEFORE A BUSINESS MAY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND REFLECTS COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE CODES. AT 444 MAIN STREET, LOCATED WITHIN THE CROCKETT STREET PARKING LOT, A CO WAS ISSUED ISSUED FOR STORAGE. USE THE PROPERTY AT 285 LIBERTY, KNOWN AS THE EDISON HOTEL, REMAINS ON THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRY AND IS BEING MARKETED FOR SALE. THERE ARE NO KNOWN CODE VIOLATIONS AT THIS TIME. THE PROPERTY AT 601 PARK RECEIVED A CO FOR THE REDEMPTION CHURCH. THE PROPERTY AT 461. BOWIE RECEIVED A CO FOR HEARSAY LOUNGE AT 215 ORLEANS SUITES, 304 HUNDRED, IN THE KILE BUILDING, RECEIVED CODE FOR IRON GATE AND THE COME ALIVE COFFEE SHOP. RENOVATIONS. AT 427 FORSYTH. THE BEAUMONT LOFTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THE PROPERTY AT 490 PARK, THE STEADMAN BUILDING COMPLETED REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS TO A PREVIOUSLY VACANT PART OF THEIR STRUCTURE TO SUPPORT NEW BUSINESS. ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY IS ONGOING AND MAY BE PRESENTED AT A FUTURE UPDATE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AS DISCUSSED, THE CITY BEGAN A PROACTIVE PROPERTY SWEEP IN MARCH OF 2024. STAFF INTENDS TO CONDUCT A FOLLOW UP SWEEP WITHIN THE AREA OUTLINED IN RED AND THEN, BEGINNING IN MARCH OF 2026, STAFF INTENDS TO EXPAND THE SWEEP TO AREAS OUTLINED IN PURPLE, WHICH EXTEND TO NATCHEZ STREET TO CALDER TO SOUTH, MLK AND FORSYTH TO IDENTIFY ANY UNSAFE CONDITIONS IN THAT AREA. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR STAFF AND FOR THE POLICIES THAT HAVE ENABLED THIS PROGRAM TO MOVE FORWARD. I WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND TENANTS WHO HAVE INVESTED IN IMPROVING THESE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, AND IN DOING SO, ARE STRENGTHENING THE SAFETY AND VITALITY OF OUR DOWNTOWN. ADDRESSING CIVIC APPEARANCE IS THE FIRST STEP IN BUILDING CIVIC PRIDE, AND THESE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ARE HELPING SET THE FOUNDATION FOR A MORE ACTIVE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITY. THANK YOU GUYS AND HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. I DO HAVE THE BUILDING OFFICIALS WITH ME. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. DEMI. THAT WAS VERY GOOD.COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND? YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I WOULD
[01:25:03]
LIKE TO SAY THAT I BELIEVE DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT LOOKS BETTER THAN IT HAS LOOKED IN YEARS.AND SO TO THAT POINT, CONGRATS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM. I THINK THAT WE ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I KNOW WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT THERE IS NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENT. AND WHILE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COMPLAIN ABOUT DOWNTOWN, I'VE HEARD IT FROM NUMEROUS PEOPLE. HOW GRATEFUL THEY ARE THAT DOWNTOWN IS IS IMPROVING. WHEN YOU DID YOUR SWEEP IN MARCH OF 2024, THERE'S ONE PARTICULAR BUILDING WHEN YOU'RE STANDING AT RIVERSIDE GRILL AND YOU'RE LOOKING OUT ONE SIDE OF THE BUILDING HAS LIKE THE HAUNTED HOTEL, AND THEN THE OTHER BUILDING GOES TOWARDS THE SAME BUILDING, THEN GOES TOWARDS THE GILBERT BUILDING.
ONE SIDE OF THAT BUILDING HAS BEEN PAINTED AND LOOKS GREAT AND HAS NEW WINDOWS ON IT. IT'S AN EXTREMELY LARGE BUILDING. AND THEN THE OTHER HALF OF THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A WAR TORN COUNTRY. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, I KNOW THAT THAT WAS PART OF YOUR 2024 SWEEP, AND ONE PERSON OWNS PART OF THE BUILDING, GOT YOUR LETTER AND MADE THE IMPROVEMENTS AND DID IT RIGHT. BUT THE OTHER PART OF THE BUILDING THAT'S OWNED BY A DIFFERENT OWNER, THEY HAVEN'T MADE ANY IMPROVEMENTS. AND SO MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE TAKING AN ENFORCEMENT ACTION AGAINST THAT BUILDING OWNER TO TRY TO IMPROVE THAT, OR IS THERE STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS? I MEAN, IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY IMPROVEMENT. SO.
CAN YOU. YEAH, YEAH. SO WE DID THE INITIAL SWEEP, ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES. AND OF COURSE PLEASE JUMP UP IF YOU ALL WANT TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THIS. BUT OUR PRIORITY WAS LARGE OCCUPIED BUILDINGS. WE NEEDED TO GET THOSE RIGHT BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THERE, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE ADJACENT TO. THEY MAY BE VACANT, BUT THEY ARE ADJACENT TO BUILDINGS THAT ARE OCCUPIED LARGELY. SO THAT WAS OUR MAIN FOCUS. AND THAT'S WHY I WAS SAYING THAT WE NEED TO DO ANOTHER SWEEP TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING EVERYONE. THERE MAY BE A CASE. IF I COULD GET THAT ADDRESS, WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK IT UP. SILAS IS HERE. HE'S OUR DEMOLITION COORDINATOR. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME BUILDING. NO, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY PROGRESS. AND WE DO HAVE ONGOING COURT WITH THE OWNER OF THAT STRUCTURE. BY THE NEXT TIME WE DO ONE OF THESE DOWNTOWN UPDATES, WE'LL PROBABLY BE ABLE TO. EXCUSE ME, HAVE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESULTS OF OF THAT COURT. OKAY. RIGHT.
AND I GUESS WHERE I'M GOING WITH ALL THIS, IF WE'RE ABOUT TO DO ANOTHER SWEEP, I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL. IF SOME OWNERS ARE BEING SENT THE LETTERS AND BEING TOLD YOU NEED TO MAKE AN IMPROVEMENTS AND THEY'RE JUST NOT DOING IT, AND THERE'S NO CONSEQUENCES TO THAT.
IT DOESN'T PROVIDE INCENTIVE FOR THE OWNERS THAT HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS AND ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE SWEEP SUCCESSFUL AND IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTY. SO AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WHEN YOU DON'T WHEN YOU GET THE LETTER AND YOU SAY THAT WE WANT THIS PROPERTY TO BE IMPROVED AND YOU DON'T DO IT, HERE ARE THE CONSEQUENCES. AND I THINK I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY WE NEED TO SET AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO SHOW THAT THERE ARE SOME CONSEQUENCES. AND, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO SHARE THOSE DETAILS. THAT WAY WHEN WE DO THESE SWEEPS IN THE FUTURE, PROPERTY OWNERS PERK UP AND AND GET THE IMPROVEMENTS DONE THAT WE WANT. SURE. AND I KNOW ON SLIDE THREE THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN OF ADDRESS AND OF COURSE, THOSE ADDRESSES THAT HAVE ASTERISKS NEXT TO THOSE. DO YOU HAVE CHARGES CURRENTLY PENDING IN COURT? OKAY. BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY WE'RE OUR INTENTION IS TO SWEEP DOWNTOWN OR SWEEP THAT AREA THAT WAS INITIALLY DONE IN 2024. MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS TAGGED THAT NEEDS TO BE TAGGED. IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT IS FURTHER DILAPIDATED OR WORSENED, CONDITIONS THAT ARE CONSIDERED UNSAFE THAN THOSE WILL BE TAGGED AND THEY'LL FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS. SO THEY TYPICALLY HAVE X AMOUNT OF DAYS. I BELIEVE THAT'S 30. IF THEY ENTER INTO A WORK PROGRAM, THEN THEY HAVE 150 DAYS TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS. IF THEY DON'T, THEN WE MAY HAVE TO MOVE TO FILING CHARGES, BUT THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENT IN COURT RIGHT NOW. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU MA'AM I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT.
[COUNCIL COMMENTS]
IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS THE WORK SESSION IS CLOSED AND NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. AND I'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. I GOT A FEW THINGS, SO I'LL TRY TO SPEED IT UP. I WANT TO START BY THANKING VIRTUE AND THE WORK THAT SHE DID TO MAKE OUR VETERANS COALITION, WHICH WAS OUTSTANDING. SHE DID A FANTASTIC JOB, AND I DON'T SEE HER IN HERE. OKAY. WELL, SHE DID A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO GIVE HER A SHOUT OUT. SO SHE DID[01:30:03]
GREAT. THE LIGHT STUDY, THE TRAFFIC LIGHT STUDY ON 105. HAVE WE COMPLETED THAT YET? DO WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT? IT IS ONGOING. WE HAVE OUR REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THEM.THEY ARE ON SCHEDULE TO COMPLETE THE STUDY IN THE LATER PART OF MAY. OKAY. OKAY. GREAT.
WHAT ABOUT THE. WELL, I GOT YOU ON SPEAKER. I GOT YOU GOING. WHAT ABOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LIGHTING? WE I KNOW WE ALSO DID A LIGHT STUDY ABOUT ILLUMINATION AND WHETHER WE SWITCH TO LEDS VERSUS THE MERCURY VAPOR, I BELIEVE IS WHAT WE USE NOW. OR HALOGEN.
WE'RE WE'RE TRANSITIONING TO LEDS WHERE WE CAN. AND THEN THE STUDY, WE'RE REVIEWING IT TO LOOK AT THE AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO COORDINATE WITH ENTERGY TO IMPROVE THE LIGHTING OR INCREASE THE LIGHTING. AND THAT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS. I WOULD I WOULD GO OUT ON A LIMB AND AND SPEAK FOR ALL OF US. BUT A LOT OF THE OLDER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE THAT OLDER LIGHTING. AND, YOU KNOW, LIGHT DOES DETER A LOT OF THINGS. AND SO IT'S HARD TO SHOOT OUT A LED LIGHT THAN IT IS A, A MERCURY VAPOR. WE THAT IS THE GOAL. IT'S GOING TO I MEAN, WITH OVER 600 MILES OF ROADS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE TO WORK THROUGH THAT. BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS CONTINUING TO BE WORKED ON. OKAY. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS YOUR QUESTION, BUT SOMEONE SOMEONE'S ASKED ME ABOUT THIS. I BET YOU CAN'T GUESS WHO. BUT ROGUE SIGNS ARE WE ARE WE ENFORCING THE SIGNS THAT ARE BEING PUT OUT? I GUESS. ARE WE ARE WE OUT THERE CHARGING PEOPLE FOR PUTTING THESE SIGNS WHERE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE? LAST TIME I CHECKED, WE HAVE 19 CASES OPEN FOR ILLEGAL SIGN PLACEMENT. I DON'T I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW MANY HAVE BEEN FILED ON IT AT THIS POINT. I KNOW IT'S IN AN EMAIL THAT I HAVE BUT 19 TOTAL CASES SO FAR. OKAY, PERFECT. AWESOME. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, IF WE IF WE CAN'T FIND SOMEONE LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE WE BUY HOUSES ONES, THEY USE GOOGLE NUMBERS. OFTENTIMES IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY THE PERSON. YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT PERSON IDENTIFIED SO THAT YOU CAN THEN PURSUE COMPLIANCE. OKAY. COOL. AND NOISE ORDINANCE DO WE DO WE HAVE A CURRENT NOISE ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS. SO WE HAVE A NOISE ORDINANCE. BUT IT FOLLOWS THE STATE LAW REQUIREMENT. AND I CAN TALK TO YOU OFFLINE IF YOU'D LIKE AND EXPLAIN THE THE CONCEPT. THAT WAS PRETTY PRETTY NIFTY LAWSUIT FOR THAT. SO OKAY I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU OKAY. AND TRAIN HORNS.
THEY'RE OUT THERE TODAY. SO SO WE'RE ON TRACK MARCH. IT HADN'T MOVED TO APRIL OR JUNE OR. SO YET. THE CONTRACTOR IS ADJUSTING THEIR SCHEDULE BASED ON THE COORDINATION FOR THE FLAGGING FOR THE RAILROAD. WE WERE GIVEN ONE DIRECTION AT ONE POINT AND THEY CHANGED SOME OF THAT. SO THE CONTRACTOR IS WORKING WITH THE RAILROAD CONSULTANT AND THE FLAGGING COMPANIES TO TO SEE WHAT THOSE IMPACTS TO THE SCHEDULE COULD BE, BUT THEY ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO GETTING THROUGH THIS PROJECT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. OKAY. AND I KNOW THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THE UPDATING THE THE WATER PROGRAM. ARE WE STILL GOING TO DO THAT? THE THE PROGRAM THAT'S USED THAT WAS OUTDATED THAT WE SAID, LET'S GO AHEAD AND LOOK AT FIXING IT, SPEAK ABOUT THE UTILITIES. YEAH, YEAH, WE ARE GETTING READY TO GO FOR RFPS AND THERE'S SOMEBODY WHO CAN SPEAK TO THAT. NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WHERE WE HAD THE DISCUSSION WHERE WE WANT TO. OH, THERE IS ANGIE, I DON'T CARE. BECAUSE THE WATER UTILITY SOFTWARE IS ACTUALLY A MODULE WITHIN THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE FINANCIAL SOFTWARE. WE ARE HAVING TO GO OUT TO BID FOR THE FULL ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE. SO WE HAVE COLLECTED RFPS FROM OTHER CITIES. WE ARE WORKING WITH A VENDOR TO REVIEW OUR RFP. WE'VE COLLECTED THE REQUESTS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGED IN IN THAT SOFTWARE. AND THEN I HAVE THE FIRST DRAFT. JAMIE HAS PROVIDED ME THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE RFP. I'VE MADE SOME CHANGES. IT'S GONE BACK TO HER, AND THEN WE SHOULD BE SENDING IT OUT TO THE DEPARTMENTS FOR REVIEW WITHIN THE END OF THE WEEK. AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT WE DID, BUT THAT WAS WHEN WE ATTACKED IT. COUNCIL DID MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THEY WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE IT PIECEMEAL, THAT IT WOULD BE AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF THAT
[01:35:03]
WOULD BE MORE COHESIVE IF WE HAD ONE COMPLETE PROGRAM. SO THAT'S WHY WE DID THAT ROUTE, AS OPPOSED TO JUST NARROWING IT DOWN AND GETTING A SEPARATE PROGRAM SO THAT WE'RE NOT USING SEPARATE SOFTWARE. THAT WAS THAT WAS RECOMMENDATION AT THE TIME FROM STAFF COUNCIL. AGREED.SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING IT THIS WAY. WE DO HAVE A NOTE LIKE A NOTATION IN THE RFP THAT SAYS SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF. WE WOULD WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT WILL BE A PHASED PROJECT AND WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET WATER BILLING PHASED IN FIRST, IT IS A STATEMENT IN THE RFP.
SO WE'VE ASKED THAT A SCHEDULE BE BUILT BASED ON WHATEVER IT TAKES TO DO WATER BILLING.
BRIDGET. PROBABLY. YEAH, BRIDGET WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER TO SAY THAT, BUT I'M GOING TO GUESS IT'S SOME KIND OF RECEIVABLES AND CASH RECEIPTS OR SOMETHING WOULD HAVE TO ALSO BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE SAME TIME. OKAY. YEAH. I MEAN, I THINK IF YOU'RE IF WE'RE GOING TO UPDATE THE WATER SYSTEM, IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE SINCE IT'S ALREADY INTEGRATED WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, EVEN IF IT'S ANTIQUATED, IT IS INTEGRATED SO THAT YOU KNOW YOU AREN'T. IT HELPS WITH AUDIT TRAILS AND EVERYTHING. SO WE WE TRIED TO AIM IT WITH THE APPROACH OF ONE NOT MAKING IT, MAKING NOT IMPROVING ONE SYSTEM AND MAKING THAT ONE MORE EFFICIENT WITHOUT IMPEDING THE OTHER SYSTEMS AS WELL. SO IT'S JUST THAT SO IT'LL IT JUST WHEN WE DID THE PRESENTATION, WE EVEN SAID IF COUNCIL WANTED TO GO THAT ROUTE, THAT IT WOULD BE A PHASED PROJECT BECAUSE AND IT'S THE TIMING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE INTEGRATING NEW SOFTWARE WHEN WE'RE INTRODUCING A NEW BUDGET. SO WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE THINGS ESTABLISHED SO THAT IT WILL BE PHASED IN. SO IT COULD BE A 2 TO 3 YEAR PROCESS. IT WILL BE A 2 TO 3 YEAR PROCESS, BUT WITH THE GOAL OF HAVING THE UTILITY BILLING TOWARD THE FIRST PHASE. AND I MEAN, WE SHOULD I MEAN, WE'RE A MODERN CITY. WE OUGHT TO HAVE OUR SOFTWARE SHOULD BE MODERN. SO, YOU KNOW, BEFORE THEY DON'T MAKE UPDATES OR THEY CHANGE THE WINDOWS SOFTWARE AND WE CAN'T USE IT ANYMORE. SO I GET IT, I GET IT. AND SO LASTLY, BUT I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO CITY MANAGER, I, I LIKE THE GIS IDEA. I THINK KNOWING WHERE OUR STUFF IS, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD BEFORE, THEY GO DIG IN THE PIPES NOT THERE, BUT THE PLANS SAY IT IS.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. AND ON THAT, THANK YOU CITY STAFF, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. AND IT'S A GREAT DAY IN BEAUMONT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. YES, JUST A BACKDOOR COUNCIL MEMBER HERE WITH RFD IN 105. I HAVEN'T SEEN COUNCIL MEMBER CRENSHAW MAKE A POST RECENTLY, BUT IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN GET THAT EXPEDITED? BECAUSE NOW LOOKING AT A PROJECT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN GROWTH. BUT THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS PUT MORE STRESS ON THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY TRYING TO ADD MORE TRAFFIC TO IT. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GO AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THE STUDY. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR, MAN, HONESTLY, A FEW YEARS. I'M HAPPY MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SPEAKING UP ON IT NOW, BUT IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL ASKING FOR A STUDY AND UPDATES FOR THIS RFD IN 105. SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN APPLY A LITTLE PRESSURE TO EXPEDITE THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE CITIZENS KEEP ASKING.
AND THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO IS KEEP SAYING WE WAITING. SO I UNDERSTAND TRAIN HORNS. I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HERE. I WAS OUT TO DINNER THE OTHER DAY WITH MY WIFE AND A CITIZEN, LITERALLY A 15 MINUTE CONVERSATION, AND JUST KEPT GOING. SO I SAID THIS UPCOMING MARCH, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING WORKED ON, BUT MAYBE WE CAN MAKE A POST OR PUT SOME TYPE OF POSTING OUT FROM THE CITY SIDE TO HAVE A GENERAL UPDATE SO EVERYONE CAN KIND OF KNOW VERSUS THESE ONE ON ONE CONVERSATIONS. WE HAD A FOOD TRUCK PARK RFP GO OUT IF WE CAN GET AN UPDATE. NOW THAT WE HAVE A NEW COUNCIL, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL TO KIND OF SEE WHAT WAS PROPOSED LOCATIONS. MAYBE WE HAVE PEOPLE UP HERE WHO MAY HAVE A BETTER IDEA, A BETTER PERSPECTIVE. I THINK THEIR INPUT IS NEEDED SO WE CAN GET AN UPDATE ON KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT, WHAT TOOK PLACE WITH THAT, IF WE GOT SOME BIDS BACK AND MAYBE JUST DID WE MARKET IT AND WE PUSH IT LIKE, WHERE ARE WE AT ON THAT? SHOUT OUT TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WITH THE MELODY MAZE. I KNOW SOME KIDS THAT WENT TO SUPPORT THAT AND THEY HAD A GOOD TIME.
ANOTHER THING WAS A GARDEN HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT CHARLTON PARK WITH EXXONMOBIL FOR QUITE SOME TIME. I JUST WANT TO KNOW, LIKE, WHERE ARE WE AT ON THAT? DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE? DO WE HAVE A EXPECTED START DATE? BECAUSE I WENT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION RECENTLY AND THEY SAID, OKAY, IT KEEPS BEING THE SAME THING. WE'RE SEEING IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN NOTHING TAKE PLACE WITH THE WARMING STATIONS. A CITIZEN ASKED ABOUT THAT. DO WE
[01:40:02]
HAVE A CERTAIN DEGREE THAT THE CITY NORMALLY SENDS, SENDS OUT, OR SETS UP? A NORMAL STATION IS LIKE MAYBE 20 DEGREES OR 30 DEGREES OR MAYBE NO FREEZING? I KNOW THE CITY DOES DO A GOOD JOB WITH PROVIDING THOSE, BUT FOR CITIZENS, IF IT REACHES A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE, DO WE JUST AUTOMATICALLY KNOW OR CAN WE EXPECT IT? THERE WAS A QUESTION, AND THE TENNIS UPDATE. PASTOR SHARPE HAS CAME UP HERE. I KNOW WE DISCUSSED IT WITH STAFF, BUT IF WE CAN GET WITH HIM AND GIVE HIM AN UPDATE. AND LASTLY, WE WERE IN THE MEETING WITH SOME PASTORS RECENTLY AND THE PINE STREET PROJECT CAME UP. AND THIS MAKES SENSE BECAUSE NOW EVERY TIME IT'S A CHANGE ORDER, WORK STOPS. SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT WAS KIND OF DISCUSSED TODAY. AND MAYBE AS A COUNCIL WE CAN LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE, IF IT MAKES SENSE TO ADJUST THAT CHANGE ORDER PRICING NUMBERS SO WE CAN KIND OF KEEP WORK GOING VERSUS WAITING TWO AND THREE WEEKS. IF WE DON'T HAVE COUNCIL, LIKE THE HOLIDAYS JUST CAME, WE HAD A NICE BREAK FOR COUNCIL MEETING. SO ANYTHING TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND MAKE THINGS GO, I THINK IT'S WORTH TALKING ABOUT. BUT IF WE CAN KIND OF, EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER EVERYTHING, MR. MANAGER, MAYBE SEND COUNCIL AN EMAIL ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS I ASKED ABOUT SO WE CAN ALL BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON. OKAY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. YEAH, I FEEL LIKE COUNCILMAN TURNER WITH MY LIST OVER HERE. SO I'M GOING TO SHOOT FROM THE HIP. THE MLK PARADE SATURDAY. THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME PARTICIPATING. AND IT WAS IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. I BROUGHT MY WIFE AND AND KIDS, AND WE RODE IN THE HIGH WATER RESCUE VEHICLE. AND THE ONLY PROBLEM WE HAD WAS WE RAN OUT OF CANDY WAY TOO SOON. IT WAS COOL. I MEAN, IT WAS A LONG ROUTE AND AND THE PEOPLE JUST KEPT COMING AND COMING AND, AND SO IT WAS KIND OF FUN TO SEE SOMETHING I'D NEVER, NEVER SEEN BEFORE. THE LAST MEETING, I INVITED EVERYBODY OUT TO SOUTHEAST TEXAS WHISKEY FEST, AND THAT HAS COME AND WENT. AND IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS. WE HAD CLOSE TO 1500 PEOPLE BETWEEN VENDORS AND TICKET HOLDERS, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WERE THERE. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE. IT WAS IT WAS COOL. I MEAN, I TALKED TO PEOPLE FROM ARKANSAS, MISSISSIPPI, LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA. WE EVEN HAD SOMEBODY GET MARRIED AT THE FESTIVAL, ACTUALLY ACTUALLY GET MARRIED. WE USE THE FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE. SO IT WAS GOOD. THANK THANKS. THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT CAME. AND AND I HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME. I KNOW THE CITY RECENTLY PUT OUT SOME LITERATURE ON WALKING TRAILS, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS GAUGING INTEREST OR WHAT, AND AND I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE BRING TO MY ATTENTION THAT, THAT THAT WAS GREAT. BUT HE WAS CONCERNED WITH WITH THE PARKS AND THE EXISTING PARKS AND, AND I GOT SENT OVER SOME LOCAL PARK GRANTS THROUGH TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE. AND I JUST WANTED TO NOT NOT MAYBE YOU ALREADY ARE AWARE OF THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S USED FOR UPGRADES AND ENHANCEMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WORTH LOOKING AT. I KNOW SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, IT GETS USED QUITE A BIT. SO THERE'S WEAR AND TEAR THERE. THE MURAL AT BEAUMONT ANIMAL CARE, I THINK THAT'S GREAT. I REALLY LOVE IT. AND KIND OF WEIRD TIMING THAT IT CAME UP TODAY. YOU KNOW, THE ANIMAL LOVERS IN THIS TOWN ARE VERY PASSIONATE AND AND I'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF HITS OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO IN REGARDS TO BEAUMONT ANIMAL CARE AND AND COMPLAINTS WITH FOSTER PROCESS, WHO'S ALLOWED, WHO'S NOT ALLOWED WHERE THESE ANIMALS GO. AND AND I'M NOT A EXPERT IN THAT FIELD BY ANY MEANS. I'M AN ANIMAL LOVER. BUT SO YOU KNOW WHETHER I CAN HAVE SOME SORT OF MEETING WITH, WITH CITY MANAGER AND THE DIRECTOR OVER THE FACILITY ABOUT KIND OF THE PROCESSES THERE, OR IF THEY CAN COME SPEAK TO US AT COUNCIL TO GIVE MYSELF A BETTER UNDERSTANDING TO TO SPEAK TO THESE PEOPLE. THAT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I KNOW THAT COUNCILMAN TURNER MENTIONED IT. PASTOR SHARPE AND THE TENNIS COURTS. AND AFTER HE SPOKE, I JUST THOUGHT WHENEVER WE WERE VOTING ON THE POLLINATORS AND SAW THAT IT WAS FUNDED BY THE JEFFERSON COUNTY TOURISM COMMISSION, I DIDN'T KNOW IF MAYBE THE TENNIS COURTS OR UPGRADES OF AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE OF THAT COULD BE USED AS A FUNDING MECHANISM FOR, FOR ANY OF THE NEEDED OR NECESSARY UPGRADES OVER THERE. I KNOW IT'S UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN[01:45:02]
IN THREE MONTHS, BUT MAYBE IT'S AN OUTLET TO LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN. WELL, I AM EXCITED TODAY AND CONGRATULATIONS, WARD THREE, BECAUSE DOWNTOWN IS LOOKING BETTER THAN IT HAS IN YEARS. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW.I CONCUR WITH COUNCILMAN TURNER ABOUT PERHAPS RAISING THE LIMIT ON CHANGE ORDERS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A CHARTER CHANGE, BUT I DO AGREE THAT PERHAPS WE CAN STOP SOME OF THE SLOWDOWN BY CHANGING THE AMOUNT THAT WE MAKE THESE, THESE DATES FOR AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. AND I DO CONCUR WITH COUNCILMAN TURNER AND COUNCILMAN HILLIARD ABOUT QUIET ZONES AND PERHAPS GETTING A SCHEDULE OUT, BECAUSE I HAVE A, A CONSTITUENT THAT IS CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING A PROPERTY IN OLD TOWN AND WANTING TO KNOW HOW THIS IS GOING TO AFFECT HER. RENTERS THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT QUIET ZONES. SO FOR THE RECORD, I BROUGHT IT UP. IF YOU'RE WATCHING, THANKS, COUNCILMAN TURNER, FOR BRINGING UP MY GARDEN IN CHARLTON-POLLARD, BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN A BIG DEAL FOR ME. AND SINCE I GOT ELECTED, I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT I WANTED A GARDEN IN CHARLTON-POLLARD. AND I JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT I'VE GOT FRIENDS THAT STARTED GARDENS SINCE I'VE BEEN ELECTED. AND THEY HAVE VEGETABLES THAT HAVE ALREADY COME OUT OF THEIR GARDEN. SO I'M KIND OF DISAPPOINTED THAT MY GARDEN HADN'T HAPPENED. I'M WATCHING YOU GUYS. CONGRATULATIONS TO MELODY MAIDS. THE TURNOUT I HEARD WAS VERY GOOD. I THINK SOMEONE SAID THEY WANT TO TURN THIS INTO AN ANNUAL EVENT ON THE BIRTHDAY OF SMILEY. OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO DO THAT, BUT I. I AGREE WITH THAT ABOUT THE DEMOLITION HOUSE LIST. SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP THE ABILITY FOR PROPERTIES TO EITHER BE NOTIFIED TO PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE PERHAPS STILL USABLE, OR MAYBE THEY'RE SELLABLE, OR IF THERE'S A DEMOLITION LIST THAT I HAVE A CONSTITUENT THAT CONTACTED ME AND SAID, HOUSES THAT ARE SLATED FOR DEMOLITION, CAN THEY PURCHASE THEM? IS THERE A LIST WHERE THEY CAN GO AND FIND THESE PROPERTIES AND BUY THEM? SO FOR THE RECORD, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS, BUT I'D LIKE TO OKAY. GO AHEAD, CITY CLERK, YOU CAN GO TO THE CITY COURT CLERK'S WEB PAGE. AND THE THE THE LIST IS KEPT REAL TIME SO YOU CAN CLICK ON IT AND DOWNLOAD IT. OKAY. SO THERE'S A LIST IF YOU'RE WATCHING. AND YOU CAN PICK IT UP IN THE CLERK'S OFFICE, DEMOLITION HOUSE LIST. KEISHA DUVAL, THAT IS MY GOOD FRIEND AND FORMER CHURCH MEMBER. WE'VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THE BOND ON A CITY WIDE SIDEWALK INITIATIVE. I HEARD YOU SAY PEOPLE ARE GETTING HARASSED ABOUT WALKING IN THE STREETS. WE ARE WORKING ON A CITYWIDE SIDEWALK INITIATIVE, AND I HEARD YOU THAT EVERYTHING CAN'T BE PUNITIVE, AND WE CAN'T POLICE OUR WAY OUT OF SOME THINGS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN CITYWIDE TO CURB THE VIOLENCE AND HELP OUR YOUTH. I AM LISTENING, I HEAR YOU. THERE'S A PRAYER INITIATIVE. THERE'S A MAYOR'S COALITION FOR NONVIOLENCE. AND I HEARD YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT KIDS BEING ABLE TO BE IN HIRED EARLY ON, AS EARLY AS 14 YEARS OLD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN ABOUT THAT, BUT I'LL BE LOOKING INTO THAT SINCE I'VE GOT YOUR BACK. I WAS RECENTLY CONTACTED BY A CONSTITUENT THAT LIVES IN PLYMOUTH VILLAGE THAT HAS BULLET HOLES IN AND AROUND HER APARTMENT AND HER NEIGHBORS APARTMENTS. I UNDERSTAND THIS COMMUNITY AND I AM CONCERNED AS WELL, AND WE'RE DOING OUR LEVEL BEST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DEPLOYING ALL OF OUR RESOURCES, WHETHER THAT IS COMMUNITY WIDE, WHETHER THAT IS PRAYER. WHY WOULD CHURCHES, ORGANIZATIONS, LABOR UNIONS, BUSD? I ANTICIPATE US BEING FOUND DOING ALL SORTS OF THINGS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO YOU. I AM PRAYING FOR WARD THREE. I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT WARMING SHELTERS. I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IN LIEU OF THE FREEZE, THAT WE WILL HAVE A CITYWIDE INITIATIVE THAT WILL COME OUT TO KEEP OUR HOMELESS POPULATION POPULATION WARMED. EDDIE ALLEN MADE A COMMENT ABOUT MILITARY HELICOPTERS FLYING OVERHEAD. I THOUGHT WE DID ADDRESS THAT, THAT THEY WERE DOING SOME STAGING OF MILITARY OF OF.
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EXERCISES, AND THIS WAS THE SITE OF THAT. I THOUGHT WE ADDRESSED THAT AT OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING. YOU MAY WANT TO GO BACK AND REWATCH THAT JUST TO BE MADE ABREAST OF IT.I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT, BUT I IMAGINE THAT OUR TENNIS COURTS WILL BE READY FOR THE EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP. AND TO FOLLOW UP ON MY PRAYER INITIATIVE, PASTOR KENNEDY ANDREWS HAS OFFERED TO DO EVERY FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT 39 3395 HIGHLAND. THE TIME WILL BE ANNOUNCED, BUT THAT IS THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH. IF YOU PLAN TO BE A PART OF THAT PRAYER INITIATIVE, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE. I WILL KEEP YOU ABREAST OF WHAT TIME THAT WILL BE HAPPENING, AND IT IS A GREAT DAY IN BEAUMONT, AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP OUR COMMUNICATION AND OUR SPIRITS HIGH, OUR VIBRATIONS UP, AND WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK LIFE TO OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. YES. SO IN THIS ISN'T BEING CRITICAL. THIS IS JUST, I GUESS MORE FOR CLARIFICATION, MOLLY, ON OCTOBER 17TH, I MADE A FACEBOOK POST BASED UPON, I BELIEVE, CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU WERE PUBLIC WORKS, THAT THE ANALYSIS PORTION OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT RFD AND 105 WOULD BE COMPLETED. AND I SAID IN A FEW WEEKS. AND SO TODAY, WHEN WE SAY MAY, IT MAKES ME THINK WAS THE ANALYSIS PORTION ALREADY DONE? AND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN MAY IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR. THEY DID DO THE SIGNAL. I THINK WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR WAS THE SIGNAL STUDY. AND WHAT IT FOUND IS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE WITH THE REST OF THE STUDY IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY WHAT THE POSSIBILITIES ARE TO IMPROVE THAT INTERSECTION, THAT THE WARRANT FOR THE SIGNAL WAS NOT FOUND TO BE ANY MORE WARRANTED THAN IT WAS WHEN THE PREVIOUS SIGNAL STUDY WAS DONE. AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER STRONGLY RECOMMENDS.
LET US FINISH THE REST OF THE STUDY. LET US COLLECT THE REST OF THE DATA, BECAUSE WHAT THEY ARE, WHAT THEY'VE DISCUSSED WITH US, IS THAT PUTTING THE SIGNAL THERE WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE UNINTENDED NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ON HIGHWAY 105. YEAH. AND YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE, AND I'M I'M FAR FROM BEING A TRAFFIC ENGINEER. BUT SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE.
OKAY. SO WE CAN'T JUST, YOU KNOW, THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL'S APPROVED AND ALLOWED ALL THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES TO BE BUILT RIGHT THERE. AND IT IS A CONSTANT SOURCE OF COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS FROM THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ON RFD ROAD. THEIR LACK OF ABILITY TO PULL OFF OF THAT ROAD ONTO 105 BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC IS SO SIGNIFICANT. SO I JUST I WANT STAFF TO UNDERSTAND THAT. I WOULD HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL'S CONSENSUS WOULD BE WE CAN'T JUST SAY THERE'S GOING TO BE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES TO A SIGNAL, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ONE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER THAN THAT, WHETHER IT'S ADDING A TURN LANE OR, YOU KNOW, BRINGING TEX-DOT IN TO EXPAND 105, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF SOLUTION BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST KEEP. SAYING THAT. THE TRAFFIC ENGINEER, THE TRAFFIC STUDY, SAYS THIS. THIS ISN'T A GOOD IDEA TO ADD THE TRAFFIC LIGHT OR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT ISN'T NEEDED, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU SOMEONE THAT TRAVELS THAT ROAD QUITE OFTEN, THAT THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL IS IN FACT NEEDED. AND YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO EXPERTS, WE CAN ALWAYS FIND AN EXPERT TO GIVE AN OPPOSITE OPINION OF WHATEVER THE CITY'S TRAFFIC EXPERT OR THAT PERSON SAID. ALSO ON PUBLIC WORKS, JUST BECAUSE I EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT MY WARD, I'M CONSTANTLY ASKED WHEN WE'RE GOING TO REOPEN 23RD STREET. I'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH YOU, MOLLY, WAS SOMETIME IN FEBRUARY. IS THAT STILL A GOOD ESTIMATE? YES, SIR. GREAT. AND LASTLY, JUST ON THE POINT OF YES, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A WINTER STORM THIS WEEKEND. IS STAFF MAKING ANY ARRANGEMENTS TO OPEN UP THE CIVIC CENTER OR ANY OTHER BUILDINGS AS A WARMING STATION, OR I CAN ADDRESS THAT. WE HENRY'S PLACE, AS WELL AS SALVATION ARMY IS OPENING AND THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN AT CAPACITY. BUT WE DO HAVE OVERFLOW THROUGH A COUPLE OF CHURCHES AS WELL THAT ARE WORKING HAND IN HAND, WHICH SO THERE HADN'T BEEN ANYBODY TURNED OUT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN BEHAVIOR
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THAT AREN'T ALLOWED IN. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST TOLD, HEY, WE'RE FULL. IT'S BECAUSE I WAS OUT THERE FOR ONE OF THE LAST FREEZES AND PD HAD TO COME OUT BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT ARE NOT BEING AGREEABLE AND, AND THEN ARE BOTHERING OTHER PEOPLE AROUND THEM. SO IT IS A REAL PROBLEM.BUT YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO APPLAUD SALVATION ARMY AND HENRY'S PLACE BECAUSE SALVATION ARMY CAN WILL PUT OUT MORE COTS AND THEY HAVEN'T NEEDED TO. BUT HENRY'S PLACE IS ALSO JUST OPENING UP EVERY TIME, WHICH AGAIN, WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS WITH, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN THROUGH THEIR GRANTS THAT THEY GET FOR THE CITY. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THEY HAVE A HEART TO DO. AND AGAIN, THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER CHURCH THAT THAT VOLUNTEERS TO OPEN UP AS WELL.
OKAY. SO THE CITY WILL NOT HAVE ANY FACILITIES OPEN, BUT WE WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WITH NEEDS TO CONTACT THOSE IN THE POLICE. DO LET THE I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT, BUT AFTER THE LAST TIME, THE POLICE DO A GOOD JOB OF LETTING THE HOMELESS KNOW WHERE THEY CAN GO BECAUSE THEY'RE AWARE OF WHERE THEY ARE AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR WELL-BEING AS WELL. TO THAT POINT, THOUGH, WE DO, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM DOES MONITOR THE WEATHER. AND SO IF IT NEEDS TO BE ACTIVATED A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO KIND OF PUT TOGETHER TEMPORARY SHELTERS. BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN OUR PRACTICE TO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS FIRST, TO NOT DUPLICATE OR OVEREXTEND THE RESOURCES, BUT TO WORK WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THEM BEFORE BEFORE STEPPING IN. SO IT IS BEING MONITORED. AND WHO IS THAT WITH THE CITY THAT IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS. SO I KNOW IT'S OUR EOC OPERATIONS MANAGER. SO OBVIOUSLY OUR EOC IS MADE UP AND COMPROMISED OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS, BUT THEY ARE RUN AND OPERATED ON A DAILY BASIS. SO SHE WOULD BE THE CONTACT FOR THAT IN HER STAFF IN HER OFFICE. GREAT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. AND I GUESS WHILE WE'RE THERE, I'LL JUST PIGGYBACK OFF COUNCILMAN TURNER'S PREVIOUS COMMENTS. AND I'M SURE THE MANAGER WILL SEND OUT A MORE COMPREHENSIVE EMAIL. BUT THERE ISN'T A A CERTAIN AMOUNT OR CERTAIN COLD LEVEL THAT IT DROPS DOWN TO THAT THEY MONITOR THE EOC STAFF, MONITORS IT ALL LEVEL, AND WHEN THEY NEED TO ACTIVATE THE ACTIVATE AT A MINOR LEVEL TO GET THE BARE NECESSITIES, STAFF IN TO DO WHATEVER WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE. AND THEN COUNCIL HAS AT TIMES AUTHORIZED WARMING STATIONS BE USED BY OUR BUS TO DO THOSE THINGS. AND AGAIN, WE JUST WORK WITH LOCAL PARTNERS.
SO THERE ISN'T A A NATIONAL THRESHOLD IS BASED ON WHAT THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE FOR OUR AREA AND FOLLOWING THE WEATHER TRENDS ACROSS THE STATE. SO I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THAT'LL BE UPDATED WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S EMAIL. BUT I DID WANT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING, WERE CONCERNED TO KNOW THAT THE CITY IS MONITORING THOSE THINGS. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. PUBLIC WORKS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. MAYOR, REAL QUICKLY, I JUST WANTED TO THINK BACK OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, APPLAUD SEVERAL LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. I'M THINKING ABOUT WHISKEY FEST, THE THE EVENTS RELATED TO THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPINDLETOP. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF THOSE OVER THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS RECOGNIZING THAT EVENT, THE SEVERAL MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR EVENTS AS WELL AS THE MELODY MADE MOVIE. SO JUST A LOT OF LOT OF GREAT WORK AND A LOT OF GREAT ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN THE CITY. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. REAL QUICK, I DID WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE WHILE THE DEMOLITION LIST IS POSTED ON THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WEBSITE, THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE A HAND IN THE SALE OF THOSE PROPERTIES. THAT IS WITH THE OWNER. SO ANYONE WISHING TO PURCHASE PROPERTIES LISTED ON THAT THAT LIST DO NEED TO REACH OUT TO THE OWNER. SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. MR. CITY MANAGER MAYOR A LOT FROM COUNCIL. SO WE'LL BE GETTING BACK WITH YOU WITH SOME WRITTEN RESPONSES THERE. I WOULDN'T EVEN TRY TO TALK ABOUT IT. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS. I CONCUR ON THE EVENTS OF THE WEEKEND. I WENT AND VIEWED MELANIE, MADE MYSELF, AND I'M A BIT OF A MOVIE BUFF DOCUMENTARY. IT'S ONE OF THE BEST I'VE SEEN. IT WAS VERY WELL DONE AND BY THE REACTION OF THE PEOPLE THERE, THEY WERE VERY WELL RECEIVED. I MEAN, IT WAS LIGHTHEARTED BUT FACTUAL, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BETTER DOCUMENTARIES THAT I'VE SEEN.
AND I RECOMMEND EVERYBODY GO AND SEE IT BECAUSE IT DOES BEAUMONT VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY WELL. ALSO, I, I WENT BY THE MARTIN LUTHER KING EVENT. THE PARADE WAS GREAT. I GOT TO PUT MY GRANDSON IN IT. IT WAS HIS FIRST TIME. HE LOVED IT THROWING CANDY AND HE WAS PRETTY GOOD AT IT. HE HIT ME IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD A FEW TIMES, BUT THAT WAS OKAY. YEAH, SO IT WAS GREAT. IT WAS GREAT. AND ALSO THE BREAKFAST WAS A GREAT EVENT. IT WAS GREAT. AND
[02:00:04]
IF YOU WANT TO SEE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THERE'S GOOD THINGS AHEAD FOR BEAUMONT, THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT PERFORMED AT THAT EVENT WERE AWESOME. YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE SINGING THE YOUNG KIDS FROM WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE SCHOOL? I CAN'T PRONOUNCE IT PETE'S PETE'S MACARTHUR. SO IT DID MY HEART GOOD TO SEE THEM PARTICIPATING. SO IT'S NOT ALL BAD FOR BEAUMONT. THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS OUT THERE AND SOME PEOPLE WORKING HARD, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.THAT'S ALL SUNSHINE GIRLS, THE SUNSHINE GIRLS FROM MACARTHUR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
MAYOR. YES. THANK YOU. AND AGAIN, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE HOMELESS. AND GOOD POINT. I WILL SAY THE SALVATION ARMY AND HENRY'S PLACE, AS WELL AS SHEKINAH NOBLES, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR, DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. AND IT'S BEEN OPEN WHEN IT HASN'T FROZE, WHICH JUST IN IN ANTICIPATION BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T REALLY TEND TO MAKE RESERVATIONS. BUT IT'S BEEN REALLY IMPRESSIVE IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE LOTS OF BLANKETS, LOTS OF COATS, ADDITIONAL FOOD, WHENEVER, AND THERE'S ALWAYS THAT OPPORTUNITY. SO WATCH SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT THE CHURCHES AND INDIVIDUAL GROUPS CERTAINLY SHOW UP AND ARE VERY HELPFUL WITH THAT. AND THE MAYOR'S COALITION AGAINST VIOLENCE, WE'RE HAVING A STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING HERE TOMORROW, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING A DATE IN FEBRUARY TO BE ROLLING THAT OUT. AND THERE WILL BE AMPLE ROOM FOR A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT BY ORGANIZATIONS. AND WE'RE TRYING TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A WAY WE CAN TRACK SOME METRICS SO THAT WE CAN SEE IF WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING, IF IF WE'RE HAVING ANY SUCCESS AT ALL. AND THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY INCREDIBLE EVENTS THIS PAST WEEKEND, YOU REALLY COULDN'T STAY UP WITH THEM RUNNING FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE GIRLS HAVEN. THEY OPENED THEIR NEW RESIDENTIAL CENTER AND COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS WIFE IS ON THAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND I THINK THEY GOT THAT BUILT IN ABOUT FIVE MONTHS.
IT WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE. AND THE GIRLS DID GET TO MOVE IN RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS. AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLE FACILITY. AND IT IS THE FIRST FOSTER. FACILITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT THAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN QUITE SOME TIME. AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT BUCKNER'S USED TO EXIST HERE. NOW BUCKNER'S ALL THAT'S FARMED OUT. SO THIS IS SOMEWHERE WHERE GIRLS THAT ARE IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM CAN BE. AND SOMETIMES THEY THEY SPEND MANY YEARS THERE. SO THAT'S. THEY'RE MAKING GREAT WORK OVER THERE. THE YOUTH YOUTH BASKETBALL LEAGUE IS OPERATING AT STERLING PRUITT. THEY HAVE GAMES THIS SATURDAY AS WELL. AND IT HAS BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS. AND BIGGEST PROBLEM IS WE'RE JUST RUNNING OUT OF SPACE. DON'T AREN'T ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE TEAMS THAT WOULD LIKE TO PLAY. BUT THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.
I DO WANT TO ADDRESS HAVING BEEN A LONGTIME TENNIS PLAYER, AND OUR TENNIS COMPLEX IS INCREDIBLE. AND WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS THE STATE, I'M NOT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY MUNICIPAL COMPLEX IN HOUSTON OR DALLAS. THAT'S AS NICE. I MEAN, WE DO NEED TO MAINTAIN IT, BUT THAT'S ONE REASON WE GET CHOSE FOR THOSE TOURNAMENTS. IT IS IT IS QUITE THE FACILITY. SO AND I KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO STAY ON TOP OF IT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MURAL FEST. AND
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
WITH THAT, WE WILL NOW