[CALL TO ORDER]
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OF THE CITY COUNCIL. TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, MARCH 3RD, 2026. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY FATHER SHANE BAXTER. SAINT ANTHONY'S CATHEDRAL BASILICA. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONE. AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE FIRST.
I'M SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR ALL THE BLESSINGS YOU'VE GIVEN OUR CITY AND GRANT OUR LEADERS WISDOM THAT SEEKS TRUTH. COURAGE THAT SERVES THE COMMON GOOD, AND HUMILITY THAT LISTENS BEFORE IT SPEAKS. HELP THEM TO WEIGH DECISIONS NOT BY PERSONAL GAIN. BY WHAT, BUT BY WHAT STRENGTHENS FAMILIES, PROTECTS THE VULNERABLE, AND BUILDS A FUTURE OF JUSTICE AND PEACE. BLESS THIS CITY AND MAY DIFFERENCES OF OPINION LEAD NOT TO DIVISION, BUT TO DEEPER UNDERSTANDING. AND LET THIS MEETING BE MARKED BY RESPECT, CLARITY AND A SHARED COMMITMENT TO SERVE. WE ASK THIS THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN. AMEN. TO THE FLAG. STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD. JUSTICE FOR ALL. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MAYOR WEST.
PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. DORIO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. HILLIARD HERE. COUNCILMEMBER. WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER. SHERWOOD. ABSENT AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
[ Communication Update]
CRENSHAW. THANK YOU. TODAY WE HAVE TWO PRESENTATIONS. AND THE FIRST ONE WILL BE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT COMMUNICATIONS. GOOD AFTERNOON AND HAPPY ELECTION DAY. IN THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE AN UPCOMING SURPLUS PROPERTY AUCTION. YOU CAN FIND DEALS ON VEHICLES, GENERATORS, HEAVY EQUIPMENT AND MORE. THE ONLINE AUCTION WILL RUN FROM 10 A.M. ON MARCH 11TH THROUGH 10 A.M. ON MARCH 25TH, AND ANYONE IS WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT BEAUMONT, TEXAS GOV. CHECK OUT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FACEBOOK PAGE OR SCAN THE QR CODE TO GET STARTED. DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO FIND SOME GREAT DEALS WHILE ALSO SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT. BEAUMONT'S COMMITMENT TO A CLEANER COMMUNITY CONTINUES. OUR ONGOING LITTER AWARENESS CAMPAIGN IS STILL IN FULL SWING, WITH SIGNAGE PLACED THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP IN KEEPING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, ROADWAYS, AND PUBLIC SPACES TRASH FREE.THE REALITY IS THAT LITTER CLEANUP COST THE CITY MORE THAN $2 MILLION EACH YEAR IN STAFFING, CONTRACTORS, ENFORCEMENT AND ABATEMENT EFFORTS. FUNDING THAT COULD SUPPORT OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES. YOU CAN HELP BY ADOPTING A STREET THROUGH THE CITY'S WEBSITE. PROPERLY DISPOSING OF YOUR TRASH AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. LET'S SHOW BEAUMONT PRIDE AND PROVE WE DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS. ARTISTS ARE GOING TO PAINT THE TOWN AS PART OF MURAL FEST 2026. JOIN US MARCH 21ST AND 22ND FROM 11 A.M. TO 5 P.M.
AT RIVERFRONT PARK. WATCH TALENTED ARTISTS TRANSFORM WALLS INTO VIBRANT WORKS OF ART IN REAL TIME WHILE ENJOYING LIVE MUSIC, FOOD AND FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN. COME CELEBRATE CREATIVITY, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY IN THE HEART OF BEAUMONT. GET READY TO WALK THE RED CARPET IN JUST THREE WEEKS FROM TODAY AT OUR ANNUAL STATE OF THE CITY, THE BEAUMONT AWARDS. COMING SOON TO A THEATER NEAR YOU. THE LIGHTS DIM, THE RED CARPET ROLLS OUT, AND THE STORY OF THE CITY TAKES CENTER STAGE. JOIN US FOR THE BEAUMONT AWARDS, AN ACADEMY AWARDS STYLE STATE OF THE CITY CELEBRATION HONORING THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT KEEP BEAUMONT RUNNING EVERY DAY, EXPERIENCE REAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM THE PAST YEAR. A FEW LAUGHS AND A LIVE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WITH CITY LEADERS, ALL IN ONE UNFORGETTABLE EVENT.
IT'S A PROGRAM YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS. BIG MOMENTS, REAL RESULTS, FREE CONCESSIONS AND FOOD BITES FROM LOCAL VENDORS. THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, AND EVERYONE IS INVITED TO BE A PART OF THE CELEBRATION. AS WE CELEBRATE THE STATE OF THE CITY, BEAUMONT STYLE. TUESDAY, MARCH 24TH AT 11 A.M. INSIDE THE HISTORIC JEFFERSON THEATER. IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT EVENT, SO SAVE THE DATE AND WE'LL SEE YOU TUESDAY, MARCH 24TH AT THE
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JEFFERSON. AND FINALLY, WE'RE EXCITED TO WELCOME ANOTHER NEW BUSINESS TO BEAUMONT. MASON MUSE IS NOW OPEN AT 2415 CALDER AVENUE. IT'S A CURATED LIFESTYLE BOUTIQUE AND SOCIAL CLUB OFFERING HOME DECOR AND CLOTHING ALONG WITH INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICES. WE STOPPED BY TO MEET THE TWO AWESOME SISTERS WHO OWN IT. I'M DANIELLE LINDSAY AND MY NAME IS MELISSA LINDSAY AND THIS IS MASON MUSE. AND IT IS A CURATED SHOP, A DESIGN STUDIO, AND A SOCIAL CLUB. AND WE'RE JUST HERE TO BRING UNIQUE AND SUSTAINABLE HOME DECOR AND HELP YOU FIND YOUR OWN STYLE FOR YOUR HOME, BUT ALSO FOR YOURSELF, AND TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO CREATE SOME COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S COMING TO BEAUMONT, ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE HISTORICAL DISTRICT OF BEAUMONT. I THINK A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN PUT INTO REVITALIZING THE AREA IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN SLOWER TO OPEN MAYBE THAN THE ORIGINAL IDEA WAS. BUT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE GOT AN AMAZING ORIGINAL COFFEE SHOP NEXT DOOR. WE'RE HAVING A BOOK SHOP OPEN ACROSS THE STREET. WE'VE GOT BAKERIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES OPENING ALL UP AND DOWN CALDER AND DOWNTOWN AGAIN, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT HAVING A DOWNTOWN, WALKABLE EXPERIENCE HERE IN BEAUMONT WHERE PEOPLE CAN GATHER AND SHOP AND JUST GENERALLY HAVE SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S HAD TO OFFER BEFORE, OR AT LEAST HASN'T HAD TO OFFER IN A LONG TIME. WE LOVE WHEN WE GET TO SPOTLIGHT NEW BUSINESS OWNERS BECAUSE WE WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW BEAUMONT IS INDEED OPEN FOR BUSINESS. AND THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK'S[ TxDOT Presentation on the Status of Construction Projects within Beaumont]
ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM ANA HARRIS, DISTRICT ENGINEER WITH TXDOT, AND ALSO REVEALED THIS MORNING THE PIONEERING WOMEN. THE LATEST RECIPIENT. ALL RIGHT.IF YOU'LL GIVE ME JUST ONE MOMENT TO PLUG IN. ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU ONCE AGAIN TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR AREA. I AM NOT ON MERS, UNFORTUNATELY. I'M RICHARD BRADLEY. I'M THE ASSISTANT ENGINEER AT THE BEAUMONT OFFICE. BUT WHAT I HAVE PREPARED FOR US TODAY IS JUST A QUICK PRESENTATION AT THE PROJECTS WE HAVE GOING ON IN THE CITY LIMITS. SO FIRST, I'LL DISCUSS THE TWO INTERCHANGE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE. YOU KNOW, THESE CORRIDORS, THEY'RE MORE THAN JUST CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, REALLY. YOU KNOW, I-10 IS BEAUMONT'S PRIMARY EAST WEST FREIGHT CORRIDOR. A KEY HURRICANE EVACUATION ROUTE. US 69 PROVIDES CRITICAL ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN AND WASHINGTON BOULEVARD. SO IMPROVING THESE INTERCHANGES SUPPORTS FREIGHT RELIABILITY, REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY, AND LONG TERM CONGESTION RELIEF. ADDITIONALLY, THIS IS INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS DESIGNED TO SERVE BEAUMONT TODAY AND ALSO POSITIONS IT FOR GROWTH TOMORROW. AND THEN, JUST AT A GLANCE FOR BOTH OF THE PROJECTS, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE INTERCHANGE, THE CONSTRUCTION COST CAME JUST A LITTLE OVER $300 MILLION FOR THE INTERCHANGE. THE NORTHERN INTERCHANGE, THAT ONE CAME IN A LITTLE CLOSER TO $550 MILLION, AND THEY'RE BOTH SLATED FOR AN ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF 2031 AT THIS TIME. AND OF COURSE, JUST PROJECT GOALS. IN A NUTSHELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT WIDENING I-10 AND 69, ADDING BRIDGE CAPACITY, IMPROVING FRONTAGE ROAD CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT BOTH PROJECTS, MODERNIZING THE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE, SIGNIFICANT DRAINAGE UPGRADES, AS WELL AS NEW SOUND WALLS AND KEY AREAS FOR ADJOINING NEIGHBORHOODS.
OKAY, AND THEN SPECIFYING ON THE CARDINAL INTERCHANGE. JUST A LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE'VE MANAGED TO COMPLETE OVER THE LAST 90 DAYS. SO WE'VE COMPLETED A NEW FRONTAGE ROAD BRIDGE OVER THE BNSF RAILROAD. LET ME SEE IF MY MOUSE WILL SHOW THROUGH. MY MOUSE DOES NOT SHOW THROUGH. I APOLOGIZE. WELL, OVER THE BNSF RAILROAD ON 69 NORTHBOUND, WE'VE MANAGED TO WE COMPLETED THAT FRONTAGE ROAD BRIDGE AND WE'VE ALSO DETOURED MAINLINE TRAFFIC ONTO THAT FRONTAGE ROAD BRIDGE. AS WE MOVE INTO THE NEXT STEP OF CONSTRUCTION. WE'VE ALSO COMPLETED MAJOR SANITARY SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGHOUT VARIOUS SECTIONS OF THE PROJECT.
WE'VE ALSO INSTALLED FOUNDATIONS AT A SEVERAL KEY CONNECTOR RAMPS, AND ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTRACTOR HAS CONTINUED WORKING ON THE WESTBOUND I-10 BRIDGE NEAR WASHINGTON AVENUE. OKAY. AND THEN THESE PICTURES REALLY HELP ENCAPSULATE THE WORK THAT WAS
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RECENTLY COMPLETED AND IS ALSO ONGOING AT THIS TIME. SO THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THE NEW BRIDGE ELEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED. THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS OF THE CONTRACTOR ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTING ONE OF THOSE NEW BRIDGE ELEMENTS. OKAY.AND AGAIN ON THE LEFT YOU CAN REALLY START TO SEE SOME OF THE, THE ENVISIONING OF THE PROJECT COME TOGETHER THROUGH THE SCALE OF THOSE NEW BRIDGE ELEMENTS RIGHT THERE. SAME WITH THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT. THAT IS GOING TO BE THE NEW 69 NORTH TO I-10 WEST CONNECTOR. OKAY. AND THEN THESE TWO PICTURES, THEY SHOW THE CONTRACTOR PROGRESSING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THAT NEW FRONTAGE ROAD BRIDGE OVER THE BNSF. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN A QUICK LOOK AHEAD. SO WHAT WE CAN ANTICIPATE OVER THE NEXT 90 DAYS ON THE CARDINAL INTERCHANGE. SO THE 69 SOUTHBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD OVER THE BNSF THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE CONSTRUCTED, WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT TO BE COMPLETED IN THE COMING MONTHS. THE NEW I-10 EASTBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD AND WESTBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD BRIDGES OVER HILDEBRAND BAYOU. THOSE ARE CONTINUING TO BE CONSTRUCTED AS WELL. THEY'LL HAVE MORE CONCRETE POURS AND PAVEMENT TIE INS SCHEDULED IN THE COMING WEEKS AS WE NEAR THEIR COMPLETION. ALSO, AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, THERE WILL BE RAMP FOUNDATIONS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ADDITIONAL WORK BEING DONE ON VARIOUS OTHER BRIDGE ELEMENTS AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN MOVING ON TO THE EASTEX INTERCHANGE. SO AGAIN, A LOOK BACK AT WHAT WE'VE COMPLETED IN THE LAST 90 DAYS.
SEVERAL RUNS OF DRAINAGE UPGRADES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ALONG THE EASTBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD BETWEEN LIBERTY AND 11TH STREET. WITH THAT NEW CONCRETE PAVEMENT IS THEN BUILT ON TOP OF THE NEW DRAINAGE SYSTEM AS THEY WORK THEIR WAY DOWN THE FRONTAGE ROAD, BRIDGE FOUNDATIONS AND STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS WERE INSTALLED FOR SEVERAL KEY NEW BRIDGES, AND ADDITIONALLY THE FIRST RUN OF DRAINAGE UPGRADES ALONG THE WESTBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD FROM CALDER TO NORTH HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AS WELL. OKAY, AND THEN SEVERAL MORE PICTURES AS TO THE ONGOING AND RECENTLY COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION. YOU CAN SEE THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT.
THEY ARE WORKING ON THE MAIN LANES OF I-10. THAT SECTION BETWEEN THE TWO BARRIERS WE HAVE IN THE MEDIAN, THAT IS THE CONTRACTOR PREPARING THE PAVEMENT FOR THE NEXT STEP IN CONSTRUCTION. THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT IS THEM INSTALLING SOME OF THOSE NEW DRAINAGE ELEMENTS. ON THE LEFT, WE CAN SEE THEM CONSTRUCTING ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE BRIDGE COLUMNS, ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE BRIDGE ELEMENTS. SIMILARLY, ON THE RIGHT, WE CAN SEE A MORE MASSIVE BRIDGE COLUMN BEING CONSTRUCTED. OKAY. AND THEN ON THE LEFT YOU CAN SEE THEM POURING ONE OF THOSE FOUNDATIONS FOR A FUTURE BRIDGE ELEMENT. AND SIMILARLY ON THE RIGHT YOU CAN SEE THEM SETTING REBAR INTO ONE OF THOSE FOUNDATIONS THAT THEY'VE RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED. OKAY. AND THEN A QUICK LOOK AHEAD AS TO WHAT WE CAN EXPECT OVER THE NEXT 90 DAYS OR SO. THE EASTBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD AND WESTBOUND FRONTAGE ROAD, THOSE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE REPAVED AND RECONSTRUCTED. THE CONTRACTOR, THEY'RE CURRENTLY PLACING NEW CONCRETE IN THE AREA. NOW AS THEY WORK THEIR WAY DOWN THE FRONTAGE ROAD.
INSTALLATION OF ADDITIONAL DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS ARE SET TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, AND ADDITIONAL WORK WILL PROGRESS ON SEVERAL KEY BRIDGE ELEMENTS AGAIN AS THEY PROGRESS TOWARDS THEIR COMPLETION. ALL RIGHT, SO IN ADDITION TO PROGRESSING THE THE DAY TO DAY CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT, WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING AT MAKING MEANINGFUL QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC, SEVERAL KEY FOCUS AREAS BEING IMPROVEMENTS TO SIGNALS, FIXING DAMAGED SECTIONS OF PAVEMENT, NIGHTTIME LIGHTING IMPROVEMENTS AND REPAIRS FOR A SMOOTHER RIDE EXPERIENCE. OKAY, SO STARTING WITH THE SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS TOWARDS THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY'S TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT TO MAKE REPAIRS TO THE WASHINGTON INTERSECTION AT I-10. THAT SIGNAL HAD BEEN IN A STOP FLASH CONDITION FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND THROUGH COORDINATION WITH THE CITY, THE SIGNAL WAS RESTORED TO ITS CURRENT WORKING CONDITION. WE'VE ALSO WORKED WITH THE CITY AND MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SIGNAL TIMING AT CALDER TO HELP TRAFFIC FLOW MORE SMOOTHLY, THE DETECTION CAMERAS WERE INSTALLED. YOU CAN SEE THEM ATOP THE SIGNAL MAST IN THE PICTURE THERE. THOSE CAMERAS CAN GREATLY REDUCE WAIT TIMES AT SIGNALS. SO WE WORKED EXPEDITIOUSLY TO TO GET THOSE INSTALLED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, NOT ONLY AT CALDER BUT AT VARIOUS OTHER INTERSECTIONS IN THE AREA AS WELL. ALL RIGHT. PAVEMENT
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REPAIRS. WE ASKED THE CONTRACTOR TO REPAIR SEVERAL LARGE POTHOLES AND POOR PAVEMENT SECTIONS IN THE MAIN LANES. YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PICTURE. THIS IS ONE OF THE BAD LOCATIONS. THIS IS I-10 OVER CALDER. AND HERE'S A PICTURE OF THE REPAIR THAT WE MADE. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY CUT OUT THAT BAD PAVEMENT AREA, REPAIRED THE JOINT AND POURED BACK A MUCH MORE, BETTER, LONGER LASTING REPAIR HERE. AND IN ADDITION TO THIS LOCATION, THERE'S ALSO SEVERAL OTHER LOCATIONS WHERE WE'VE MOVED INTO MAKING MUCH STRONGER, LONGER LASTING REPAIRS, SUCH AS THIS ONE ALL THROUGHOUT THE WORK ZONE TO TO HELP IMPROVE DRIVER COMFORT.AND THEN BETTER LIGHTING. DRIVING THROUGH THE CARDINAL DRIVE INTERCHANGE AT NIGHT. I'M SURE YOU'VE NOTICED IT CAN GET PRETTY DARK IN SOME AREAS ALONG THE HIGHWAY. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE LIGHTING IN THE INTERCHANGE. CREWS BEGAN WORK ON FEBRUARY 23RD ON NOT ONLY RESTORING SERVICE TO SEVERAL OF THE EXISTING ILLUMINATION POLES, BUT ALSO WE ASKED THEM TO GO AHEAD AND INSTALL SEVERAL ADDITIONAL LUMINAIRES THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN INSTALLED UNTIL NEAR THE END OF THE PROJECT. RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE WORKING ON INSTALLING NEW WIRING FOR THOSE POLES, SO WE'LL HAVE A MUCH BETTER NIGHTTIME EXPERIENCE IN VERY SHORT ORDER. OKAY. AND THEN A SMOOTHER RIDE. SO TO SUPPLEMENT THE PAVEMENT, LONG TERM PAVEMENT REPAIRS, WE'VE RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED AN ACTION PLAN WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO MORE QUICKLY IDENTIFY, TRACK, AND ADDRESS POTHOLES AND OTHER PAVEMENT ISSUES GOING FORWARD. THIS WILL ALLOW US TO BETTER DEVISE STRATEGIES ON HOW TO MAKE BETTER REPAIRS TO FUTURE ISSUES, AND WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO UTILIZE A SUBCONTRACTOR CALLED SKID VIBRATOR. THEY WERE THE TEAM THAT REMOVED THE STRIPING ON I-10 THROUGH TOWN LAST YEAR, EFFECTIVELY CLEANING THE PAVEMENT TO TO HELP THE PAVEMENT MARKINGS BE MORE VISIBLE AND DISTINCTIVE TO DRIVERS. THEIR OPERATION REALLY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO THE PUBLIC, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO UTILIZE THEM TO HELP MITIGATE SIMILAR ISSUES GOING FORWARD. ALL RIGHT, SO WHEN THESE TWO PROJECTS ARE COMPLETE, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT WE CAN EXPECT INCREASED CORRIDOR CAPACITY, A SAFER, MORE EFFECTIVE EVACUATION ROUTE IN THE EVENT OF A NATURAL DISASTER, IMPROVED FREIGHT MOBILITY, REDUCED TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT KEY ACCESS POINTS THROUGH TOWN. AND AGAIN, THIS INFRASTRUCTURE IS BEING BUILT TO SERVE BEAUMONT FOR DECADES, NOT JUST FOR TODAY'S TRAFFIC VOLUMES.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON THROUGH THE CITY. SO WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL PROJECTS. THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT SHOWING THE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT WE HAVE GOING ON. THAT IS GOING TO BE FOR THE INSTALLATION OF A ARRAY OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS, INCLUDING THE SIDEWALKS THAT YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE. THE PROJECT STRETCHES FROM PINCHBECK ALL THE WAY TOWARDS I-10, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT SIDEWALKS, CROSSWALKS, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PEDESTRIAN POLES. YOU KNOW, THE THE POLES AT THE INTERSECTIONS. YOU PUSH THE BUTTON AND IT LETS YOU KNOW WHEN IT'S SAFE TO CROSS PEDESTRIAN CURB RAMPS AND OTHER PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS PART OF A PROJECT THAT'S GEARED TOWARDS IMPROVING SAFETY FOR PEDESTRIANS. AND THEN THE PROJECT ON THE RIGHT.
THIS PROJECT HASN'T QUITE STARTED RIGHT JUST YET, BUT WE CAN EXPECT THEM TO GET STARTED IN THE COMING MONTHS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A BRIDGE REHABILITATION PROJECT. SO THE TWO BRIDGES ON COLLEGE STREET, HILDEBRANDT BAYOU, CLOSE TO I-10 IN THE PICTURE RIGHT THERE, AND THEN AT CALDERWOOD CUTOFF BETWEEN LINDBERGH AND LANGHAM ROAD. THOSE TWO BRIDGES ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED. WILL BE DOING REPAIRS TO BOTH OF THOSE BRIDGES, AS WELL AS WE'LL BE RESURFACING THOSE BRIDGES ALSO WITH NEW ASPHALT TO HELP IMPROVE THE RIDE QUALITY. ALSO, I'M SURE IF YOU'VE DRIVEN OVER THOSE BRIDGES, THEY CAN BE A LITTLE JARRING AT TIMES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DO AWAY WITH THAT. ALL RIGHT. NOW, THAT'S ALL THE SUBSTANTIAL PROJECTS WE HAVE IN THE AREA. WE DEFINITELY WE VALUE COORDINATION WITH THE CITY AND THROUGH THAT, OUR GOAL IS PARTNERSHIP, NOT JUST ON PROJECT DELIVERY. WE ARE RAMPING UP EFFORTS ON HOW WE CAN BETTER ENHANCE DRIVER EXPERIENCE THROUGH WORK ZONES AND THE INTERCHANGE PROJECTS, IMPROVED LIGHTING, MORE PERMANENT PAVEMENT REPAIRS, PROJECT CLEANUP. AND WE'RE ALSO COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING OPEN COMMUNICATION AS WORK PROGRESSES. AND SO WITH THAT SAID, IF THERE ARE ANY COMMENTS ON HOW WE CAN FURTHER IMPROVE OUR EFFORTS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
COUNCILMAN TURNER WELL, NOT NOT NECESSARILY A COMMENT. I JUST WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY AND CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION. THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP THAT WASN'T LIKE THIS WHEN I FIRST GOT ON THE COUNCIL. AND FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSISTENTLY COME AND GIVE
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UPDATES, IT'S WELL RECEIVED AND RESPECTED THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. JUST TO FOLLOW UP WITH A COMMENT, I JUST HAD A FEW RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY OUR SENIOR CITIZENS, THEY CONTACTED ME ABOUT. I KNOW I REACHED OUT, BUT COMING TOWARDS 69 FROM PORT ARTHUR, WHEN YOU'RE COMING INTO BEAUMONT, GOING TOWARDS COLLEGE STREET, YOU NOTICE THE LANE NOW SPLITS OFF TO THE RIGHT. YES.AND FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ACCUSTOMED TO GOING ONE WAY WITH THE NEW CHANGE, MAYBE WE CAN SEE IF IT'S SOME SOME TYPE OF SIGNAGE WE CAN GET TO KIND OF LET PEOPLE KNOW IT'S COMING, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE OF A PROBLEM AT NIGHT TIME. AND ONE OF THE SENIORS CALLED ME, YOU KNOW, COMPLAINING, SAYING, WELL, Y'ALL CHANGED THE ROADS AND NOT LETTING ANYBODY KNOW.
BUT CONSTRUCTION IS PAINFUL, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT ANY TYPE OF SIGNAGE WE CAN GET TO KIND OF PREP PEOPLE FOR SOME OF THESE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, I THINK THAT WILL BE APPRECIATED. ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILMAN, THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT AND WORK TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING. THANK YOU. YES, COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. YES. TO BUILD ON WHAT MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER SAID, NOT ONLY IS THE THE PERIODIC UPDATES THAT TEX-DOT PROVIDES A HUGE IMPROVEMENT, BUT, ANNA, SINCE YOU TOOK OVER AS DISTRICT ENGINEER, I'VE SEEN AND IT'S NOT JUST ME, IT'S THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HERE ACROSS THE CITY HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN TECH STOCKS, RESPONSE TIME TO ISSUES THAT WE BRING TO THEIR ATTENTION. AND AND SO WE DO GREATLY APPRECIATE THE IMPROVEMENT AND SERVICE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN TXDOT IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS, GIVE OR TAKE. THAT SAID, STILL, I WANT TO BRING UP A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU ALL ARE HAVE DONE SOME GREAT IMPROVEMENTS WITH. I DID NOT REALIZE IT, BUT FOR ABOUT TWO YEARS WE DID NOT HAVE LIGHTS ON THE INTERSTATE. BY THE ELEGANT. WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE LIGHTS ANYMORE, BUT AT SOME POINT THEY THEY SORT OF WENT OFF AND WE DIDN'T HAVE LIGHTS AND NOW WE HAVE LIGHTS THERE. SO THAT'S GREAT. AND THAT IS NEAR THE AREA THAT COUNCILMAN TURNER IS TALKING ABOUT. AND I ACTUALLY WAS COMING BACK ONE NIGHT LAST WEEK AND HAD TO TAKE THAT NEW. IT'S THE WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE FEEDER ROAD. OVERPASS THAT YOU'VE DIRECTED TRAFFIC ONTO. AND SOMEONE THAT TRAVELS THAT FREQUENTLY. EVEN I WAS UNSURE THAT YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT EXIT. SO YEAH, I THINK WE NEED NOT ONLY SOME STREET LIGHTS OR HIGHWAY LIGHTS THERE TO HELP ILLUMINATE THAT EXIT, BUT I THINK WE NEED A SIGN THAT, YOU KNOW, FLASHES OR SOMETHING AT LEAST TEMPORARY UNTIL PEOPLE ARE MORE USED TO IT. SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE IMPROVED ON AND ARE DOING WELL. YOU USE THE THE THE WORDS EARLIER DRIVER COMFORT. AND I WILL WARN YOU, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYONE RIGHT NOW IN BEAUMONT THAT'S EXPERIENCING DRIVER COMFORT FROM ONE END OF YOUR HIGHWAY PROJECTS TO THE OTHER. I'M ALSO SUPER NERVOUS THAT YOU'RE TELLING ME Y'ALL ARE ABOUT TO START A BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION OR BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE COLLEGE STREET OVERPASS? BECAUSE I'M THINKING, WHY DON'T WE FINISH ONE OF THESE OTHER PROJECTS BEFORE WE START ON COLLEGE STREET OVERPASS? BUT I KNOW Y'ALL HAVE TO DO THESE PROJECTS IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, AND THERE'S A REASON WHY YOU DO THAT. ANOTHER THING THAT YOU GUYS DID THAT WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE BEFORE, I GUESS YOU ALL HAD COMPLETED THE THE NORTHBOUND FEEDER ROAD WITH THE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AND SHUTTING DOWN. AND THEN BEFORE YOU STARTED THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, Y'ALL DID DELAY THAT FOR A FEW MONTHS, WHICH I REALLY APPRECIATED. AND AND THEN YOU BROUGHT ME AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND EXPLAINED WHY YOU NEEDED TO START THAT, EVEN THOUGH THE OTHER SIDE HADN'T BEEN FINISHED. AND IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT THE CREW THAT SPECIALIZES IN PUTTING IN THAT DRAINAGE IS HERE. AND IF WE DIDN'T USE THEM RIGHT NOW, AND WE WAITED ANOTHER SIX MONTHS OR EIGHT MONTHS TO START THAT PROJECT, THAT CREW MAY BE REASSIGNED TO ANOTHER PROJECT IN ANOTHER CITY, AND IT WOULD DELAY THE THING.
SO WE HAD TO DO IT RIGHT THEN. AND I GET THAT. BUT AND TINA, DO YOU HAVE MY VIDEO? I DO WANT US TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON IMPROVING THINGS, THOUGH, LIKE WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE HERE IN MY VIDEO. I FILMED THIS FOR US TWO DAYS AGO, AND USUALLY THE TRAFFIC ALONG THIS STRETCH IS INSANE. BUT OF COURSE, THE DAY THAT I DECIDED TO GO OUT THERE AND FILM THIS, THERE WAS LIKE LITERALLY NO TRAFFIC. BUT THIS IS, OF COURSE, INTERSTATE TEN COMING INTO BEAUMONT RIGHT BEFORE I THINK, THE MLK EXIT. AND THIS STRETCH RIGHT HERE, I BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND EIGHT MONTHS AGO, RIGHT AROUND THE TIME WE, THE NEW COUNCIL CAME INTO OFFICE AROUND MAY. YOU
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BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION HERE WITH THE LIGHT FLASHING IN THE ARROW, WHERE WE GO FROM THREE LANES TO TWO LANES. THAT'S BEEN EIGHT MONTHS AGO. AND IT IS TRAFFIC EVERY DAY FOR PEOPLE COMING INTO BEAUMONT FROM AROUND THE AREA EVERY DAY. THAT THING IS NOTHING BUT CONGESTION FROM SUNUP TO SUNDOWN. AND WHERE I'M GOING WITH ALL THIS IS YOU'VE SHUT IT DOWN TO TWO LANES AT ONE POINT, AND THEN IT GOES BACK TO THREE, AND THEN RIGHT UP HERE, WE'RE GOING TO GO RIGHT BACK TO TWO LANES, AND YOU CAN START TO SEE EVERYBODY SLOW DOWN THERE. FOR EIGHT MONTHS WE'VE BEEN AT TWO LANES IN THAT STRETCH, BUT NOT ONCE HAVE I EVER SEEN CONSTRUCTION GOING ON ANYWHERE ALONG THAT STRETCH OF THE HIGHWAY. THAT WOULD JUSTIFY WHY WE HAD TO TAKE IT FROM THREE LANES TO TWO LANES. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLAINTS THAT I GET IS PEOPLE SAY, WHY DO THEY CLOSE DOWN PARTS OF THE FREEWAY AND THEN DON'T DO ANY WORK ON IT FOR A YEAR? AND THEN WE HAVE TO EVERY DAY GO THROUGH THESE TYPES OF DELAYS. SO YOU SEE WHERE THAT MIDDLE LANE HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT. AND THERE'S ALSO BEEN ONE I THINK TAKEN OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL. BUT JUST SO THAT WE CAN AND I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT OR ANYTHING, AND IT MAY NOT BE A QUESTION YOU CAN ANSWER, BUT DO WE KNOW WHY WE HAD TO GO TO TWO LANES FROM THREE LANES AND THAT ENTIRE STRETCH FOR EIGHT MONTHS WITHOUT HAVING ANY ACTIVE WORKING PROJECTS ON THAT EXACT STRIP? YES, COUNCILMAN. SO IT'S IT'S ACTUALLY A SIGNIFICANTLY COMPLEX ISSUE. I FIGURED, YEAH, FURTHER DOWN ON I-10, OUT NEAR CALDER, HARRISON AND NORTH STREET, WE HAVE A SIMILAR SETUP WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE SPACE IN THE MEDIAN BETWEEN THE TWO BARRIERS. IN ADDITION TO THAT LOCATION, THIS LOCATION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WORKED ON ESSENTIALLY AT THE SAME TIME, AND THEN OPENED UP AT THE SAME TIME. HOWEVER, AT THE LOCATION NEAR CALDER, HARRISON AND NORTH, WE RAN INTO A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE WITH SOME OF THE PAVEMENT AROUND THE OVERPASSES IN THAT AREA. AND SO OVERCOMING THAT ISSUE HAS BEEN ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE WHAT THE DELAY HAS BEEN IN GETTING A REDESIGN DONE AND THEN GETTING EVERYTHING OVER TO THE CONTRACTOR TO HAVE THEM PERFORM ADDITIONAL WORK. I GOT YOU. SO THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AT THAT PART, AS WELL AS THE CALDER AND HARRISON PART, BUT DUE TO SOME UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES AT CALDER AND HARRISON PART, YOU HAD TO DELAY THE ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE SEEN WHEN THAT LANE WAS REDUCED ON I-10. YES, COUNCILMAN. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I GET THAT, I GUESS, WHERE MY CONSTITUENTS AND WHERE I THINK THE MAJORITY OF OUR CITY FEELS IS ONCE Y'ALL THEN RAN INTO THAT ISSUE, WHY DIDN'T YOU OPEN THAT THIRD LANE BACK UP? BECAUSE WHY HAVE WE HAD TO DEAL WITH 8 TO 6 MONTHS OF SITTING IN THIS UNBEARABLE TRAFFIC, DELAYING PEOPLE 20 TO 30 MINUTES EVERY DAY TO GET HOME TO THEIR LOVED ONES AFTER A LONG DAY OF WORK. YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE THE CALDER HARRISON PART OF THE PROJECT GOT DELAYED. AND SO, AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL INTENTIONALLY DID, LIKE, OH, HEY, LET'S JUST SHUT DOWN THIS THIRD LANE AND MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE'S LIFE MORE DIFFICULT. I KNOW Y'ALL WOULD NOT EVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT PEOPLE START TO WONDER AND THEY START TO THINK, IS THERE, YOU KNOW, SOME SINISTER PLOT HERE? AND OF COURSE, I KNOW THERE ISN'T. BUT WHEN I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE, LOOK, JUST BE PATIENT. THERE'S THIS GOING ON, THERE'S THAT GOING ON, IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT ARE JUST HARD TO EXPLAIN, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE INSANITY THAT WE HAD LAST FRIDAY IN THIS CITY WHERE YOU HAD TO SHUT DOWN THE PURPLE HEART MEMORIAL BRIDGE FOR WHAT WAS THAT, EIGHT HOURS. AND THERE WAS JUST COMPLETE GRIDLOCK ACROSS THE ENTIRE SOUTHEAST TEXAS AREA. AND SO ALL THESE OLD ISSUES CAME UP ABOUT, WELL, WHY WAS THAT? LANE CLOSED FOR THE THIRD DAY? AND I SAID, WELL, THEY'RE COMING THIS TUESDAY. AND SO I'LL ASK THEM. AND SO ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE YOU EXPLAINING THAT, BUT I WOULD ADD THAT I THINK THAT IN THE FUTURE, TEXDOT WOULD DO A SERVICE TO NOT ONLY THEMSELVES, BUT TO ALL OF US. IF ONCE THEY SEE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THE DELAYS ON THE THE CALDER HARRISON SIDE, THAT THEY THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHILE WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE NEXT 6 TO 8 MONTHS TO DO THAT, WHY DON'T WE GO ON AND OPEN THAT THIRD LANE BACK UP SO THAT PEOPLE WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS GRIDLOCK EVERY DAY, IF I MAY, COUNCILMAN, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON GOING FORWARD. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS WILL BE A LESSONS LEARNED TYPE OF SITUATION, AND WE'LL DEFINITELY DO OUR BEST TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS GOING FORWARD.GREAT. THANK YOU. AND MY LAST COMMENT IS POOR DAVE COLLINS. IS HE IN THE AUDIENCE I SEE BACK THERE? YES, Y'ALL ARE WEARING YOUR ORANGE SO I CAN'T SEE ALL THIS TIME, BUT I POOR GUY. I HAVE TO TALK TO HIM ALMOST EVERY DAY AND PEOPLE MESSAGE ME ISSUES. AND SO YEAH, I MEAN WE'RE TALKING EVERY DAY. I TALK TO HIM FIRST THING THIS MORNING ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT WAS
[00:30:03]
ACTUALLY OUTSIDE OF BEAUMONT AT A TRAM ROAD IN 105 OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. BUT ANYWAY, Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB. THE COMMUNICATION. NOT SO FAR AS THE PRESS RELEASES. Y'ALL STILL DO. A Y'ALL HAVE ALWAYS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THAT, BUT I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE THE ONE ON ONE COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN GREATLY IMPROVED IN RECENT MONTHS AND IT IS APPRECIATED AND HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED. AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY TELL ME EVERY DAY THEY SAY, LOOK, WE'VE STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO TO IMPROVE THINGS, BUT WE DO SEE IMPROVEMENTS AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT. SO THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MAYOR. THANK YOU. YES. CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU MAYOR. I TOO WOULD JUST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TEXDOT AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE MISS HARRIS HAS TAKEN OVER. THE COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERACTIONS WITH THE CITY HAS GREATLY IMPROVED. WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THEY CALL US TO SIT DOWN, TO TALK THROUGH ISSUES BEFORE THEY DO THEM. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AND IT'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS HELP. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. YOU MENTIONED CARDINAL AND EAST TEXAS. THE ESTIMATE NOT ESTIMATES THE COST.WELL, THAT'S 307,000,005 33. YES. WELL, WHAT WERE THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES FOR THAT? DO YOU KNOW, WAS THAT THE BID THOSE WERE THE THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES. YES. THOSE WERE THE ESTIMATES. OKAY. THOSE WERE THE YES. THE ESTIMATES FROM THE CONTRACTOR. OKAY. NOT THE BID TO BID. WHAT WAS THE WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATES. DO WE KNOW. OR EITHER YOU COULD GET THAT TO ME LATER. I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION WITH ME, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT OVER TO YOU. THANK YOU. YES, THAT'S ALL I HAD. THANKS, MAYOR. WELL, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH AND APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S PROVIDING THIS INFORMATION ON SUCH A REGULAR BASIS. AND THE RESPONSIVENESS REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO TO FURTHER OUR COORDINATION AND COOPERATION WITH TXDOT, WE WILL BE PRESENTING BEFORE COUNCIL FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS THE ADOPTION OF THE 2026 MUNICIPAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT. AND IT WILL THIS TRANSLATES INTO CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE, THE IMPACTS FOR THE CITY SO THAT WE'RE FULLY INFORMED BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THE ITEM. SO THE BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT, WHAT IS MUNICIPAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT. AND IT SUPERSEDES PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH TXDOT THAT FIXES WHO DOES THE MAINTENANCE, THE CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OF HIGHWAYS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. BECAUSE BEAUMONT IS HAS A POPULATION OF OVER 50,000, WE AUTOMATICALLY FALL INTO A SPECIFIC TIER OF RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER TEX DOT'S RULES, AND THIS AGREEMENT ALLOWS THE STATE TO LEGALLY ASSIST THE CITY, AND IT OUTLINES A PRECISE, PRECISE BOUNDARIES SO THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS OR PAYING FOR THINGS THAT THE STATE SHOULD COVER. SO OF COURSE, THE TWO PARTIES INVOLVED IS THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AND, YOU KNOW, ALSO DEFINES ITEMS SUCH AS OUR TRAFFIC CONTROL MANAGEMENT. SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE. IT'S KIND OF THE VENN DIAGRAM. LEAVE IT TO THE ENGINEER. SO THE STATE'S AUTHORITY IS DEFINED IN THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE CHAPTER 221 UNDER THE STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM. AND THEN THE CITY'S JURISDICTION IS IDENTIFIED IN THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE UNDER CHAPTER 311, THE EXCLUSIVE DOMINION OF STREETS. AND SO WE'RE GOING THESE THESE ARE GENERAL RULES. BEFORE WE GET OFF INTO THE ACTUAL DEFINED HIGHWAYS. SO IN THESE GENERAL CONDITIONS TXDOT INSTALLS A MAIN HIGHWAY SIGNS AND BARRIERS. EXCUSE ME. AND THE CITY WILL INSTALL THE OFF SYSTEM APPROACH SIGNS AND STREET NAMES TXDOT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR STRUCTURAL REPAIRS ON BRIDGES, CULVERTS AND THE RETAINING WALLS, AND THE CITY IS TASKED WITH PREVENTING UNAUTHORIZED RIGHT OF WAY ENCROACHMENTS AND THEN OTHER TRAFFIC REGULATIONS, INCLUDING SPEED LIMITS, ARE ESTABLISHED ONLY AFTER A TRAFFIC AND ENGINEERING STUDY HAS BEEN PERFORMED TO CERTAIN STANDARDS AND CRITERIA, AND THEN REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE STATE. SO ON OUR NEXT SLIDE, WE BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE TYPES OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THE CATEGORIES THAT HIGHWAYS IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FALL UNDER. SO THE FIRST ONE IS A NON
[00:35:02]
CONTROLLED ACCESS HIGHWAY. SO THESE ARE THE ONES THAT WE USE QUITE REGULARLY. SO HIGHWAY 90 HIGHWAY 105 VANETTE ROAD, MLK PARKWAY MAJOR DRIVE AND WEST PORT ARTHUR ROAD. THESE ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE FACT THAT THERE ARE DRIVEWAYS DIRECTLY OPENING ONTO THOSE ROADWAYS.THEY HAVE INTERSECTIONS, ā THEY HAVE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AND THOSE TYPES OF INFRASTRUCTURE. SO TEXAS RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAINTAIN THE TRAVEL LANES SURFACE AND FOUNDATION, STRUCTURAL DRAINAGE, REPAIRS AND ASSISTING WITH ICE SNOW MOWING IF THE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE. MEANWHILE, THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE TO INSTALL, OPERATE AND MAINTAIN ALL TRAFFIC SIGNS. EXCUSE ME. MAINTAIN SCHOOL SAFETY DEVICES, SWEEPING THE SNOW AND ICE CONTROL, MOWING AND PARKING RESTRICTION ENFORCEMENT. THE COUNTERPART ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS CONTROLLED ACCESS HIGHWAYS. THESE ARE IDENTIFIED BY THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS ROADS, ON RAMPS AND OFF RAMPS, AND IN THESE, TXDOT HANDLES THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THE MAIN LANES AND THE RAMPS, AND THE CITY'S PRIMARY FOCUS SHIFTS TO THE OUTER EDGES, ENFORCING FRONTAGE ROAD PARKING ORDINANCES, SWEEPING UNDER THE OVERPASSES AND MOWING THE OUTERMOST RIGHT OF WAY. AND SO IN BEAUMONT, WE HAVE, OF COURSE, INTERSTATE TEN AND THEN US HIGHWAY 69, KNOWN AS CARDINAL DRIVE AND EASTEX FREEWAY. SO IN OUR NEXT PAGE, THEN WE GET INTO THE SPECIAL AMENDMENTS FOR AS THEY RELATE TO OUR LOCAL INFRASTRUCTURE, THE FIRST AMENDMENT IS THAT THE CITY WILL CONTINUES TO AGREE TO MOW AND MAINTAIN THE PARK, WHICH IS THE DELIA HARRINGTON PARK. IT WAS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING BECAUSE IT MENTIONS BUSINESS. US 90 IS LIKE, WHAT? WHERE IS THAT? BUT THIS IS THE PARK THAT IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND THE BEAUMONT EXAMINER. IT'S BOUNDED BY NORTH STREET AND HARRISON STREET ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH, AND ON THE EAST AND WEST BOUNDARIES IS PEARL STREET AND WILLOW STREET. AMENDMENT TWO IS LEGALLY TRANSFERS THE OPERATION AND ELECTRICAL COSTS OF THE MLK PARKWAY STORMWATER LIFT STATIONS TO THE CITY, AND THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY CLEARLY DEFINED. AND SO NOW WE ARE MORE CLEARLY DEFINING THEM. SO THESE LIFT STATIONS ARE THOSE ALONG MLK. BLESS YOU. PARK STREET, ROYAL, EAST LAVACA AND EAST VIRGINIA.
OUR NEXT AMENDMENT, AMENDMENT THREE, IS THE CRITICAL LIABILITY ASSUMPTION FOR THE RAILROAD QUIET ZONES. AND THIS IS REQUIRES THE CITY TO MAINTAIN THE QUIET ZONES AT THESE FIVE UNION PACIFIC CROSSINGS. AND OF COURSE, THE CITY MUST ASSUME THE FULL LEGAL AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SAFETY MEASURES. AND BY ACCEPTING THIS AMENDMENT, THE CITY LEGALLY INDEMNIFIES TEXDOT AGAINST DAMAGE OR LOSS AT THESE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS. AND I ALSO REMIND COUNCIL THAT OUR CURRENT QUIET ZONE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT THESE LOCATIONS, AND GOD WILLING, AND THE CREEK DON'T RISE. THESE CROSSINGS AT KEITH AND TODD SHOULD BE FULLY OPEN LATER TODAY. OUR NEXT AMENDMENT IS AMENDMENT FOUR, AND THAT IS THE MOWING AND LITTER ASSISTANCE. DESPITE THE OPERATIONAL DUTIES THAT THE CITY ASSUMES, THIS AMENDMENT IS IMPORTANT. TEXDOT IS FORMALLY COMMITTING TO A STRICT SCHEDULE OF MOWING AND LITTER REMOVAL ACROSS SIX MAJOR ROUTES TO SUPPLEMENT OUR CITY'S RESOURCES.
SO WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. COUNCILMAN TURNER, CAN YOU PLEASE GO TO THE LAST SLIDE? MISS TINA, I KNOW WE SAID SIX MOWING CYCLES AND 12 LITTLE REMOVAL CYCLES, BUT CAN WE BE A LITTLE MORE SPECIFIC? BECAUSE, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT CURRENTLY MAINTAINS THE SIZE OF THE FREEWAYS. AND I KIND OF LEARNED THAT WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL. AND WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET, I SEEN HOW MUCH MONEY IT WAS COSTING THE CITY TO MAINTAIN. THAT AND WHAT THE AGREEMENT WAS, WAS TXDOT SUPPLEMENTED THE FUNDING THAT THEY WERE UTILIZING TO DO IT PRIOR TO THE CITY TAKING OVER. BUT ONE OF THE REASONS THE CITY TOOK OVER WAS BECAUSE THE UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE WASN'T KIND OF TO THE STANDARDS THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT WANTED, THE RECEPTION OF THE COMMUNITY. LOOK, THEY DIDN'T WANT THE GRASS TO BE HIGH. THEY WANT IT TO BE DONE REGULARLY. SO CAN WE KIND OF SPEAK TO SPECIFICS OF WHAT WE MEAN BY SIX MONTH CYCLES? ARE THEY GOING TO INCREASE THE FUNDING OR ARE THEY TAKING OVER THE MOWING THEMSELVES OR OR LIKE HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? SO
[00:40:02]
EVERYONE UP HERE CAN UNDERSTAND. SPEAK TO THAT. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. SO TXDOT IS TAKING WE HAVE A CONTRACT TO DO SIX MOWS AND WE'RE DOING THOSE OURSELVES. AND THEN EACH MONTH WE ARE PICKING UP LITTER WITH THOSE SAME CONTRACTS. SO IS THE CITY STILL GOING TO BE MAINTAINING THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING? BECAUSE TO MY UNDERSTANDING, THE MODES ARE SUPPLEMENTED IN THE CITY WAS DOING IT. AND I KNOW WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET, MR. BOONE CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO IT, MISS MOLLY, BUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. WE WERE SPENDING AN ADDITIONAL TO THE UPKEEP AND IMAGE OF OUR COMMUNITY. RIGHT. SO, YES. SO, YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE THE RMA, TEXDOT CAN ASSIST. AND SO OUR ASSISTANCE IS THROUGH THE SIX MODES AND THE 12 LITTER PICKUPS. SO IF THE CITY WANTS TO CONTINUE TO MOW, I MEAN THAT'S, THAT'S STRICTLY UP TO THE CITY. BUT AT THE TIME I THINK THAT YOU CAME IN AND SAW IT ALL THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS TEXDOT WAS REIMBURSING, BUT WE FOUND OUT WE COULDN'T DO THAT. SO THEN WE STARTED THE SIX MOWS.SO THAT'S WHY IT'S DIFFERENT. I JUST THINK MAYBE STAFF CAN PROBABLY LOOK INTO THAT AND GIVE GOOD COUNSEL. AND I'LL START START IT. AND CAN I GET MY CAN HELP. THEY DO THE THEY COMMIT TO THE SIX CYCLES BUT WE MOW IN ADDITION TO THAT TO KEEP THE CITY TO OUR STANDARDS AS YOU MENTIONED. SO LAST TIME I CHECKED, WE WERE CONTINUING TO MOW OUTSIDE OF THE SIX AS MUCH AS NEEDED AS OUR CREWS WOULD DO. THEIR USE. AND IS THIS THE SAME NUMBER? IS THIS A STANDARD ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS IN TERMS OF WHAT'S DONE? ACTUALLY, THIS IS THREE ADDITIONAL MODES.
WE NORMALLY JUST DO THREE MOWING CYCLES, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY INCREASED IT TO SIX.
SO WE'RE DOUBLING THROUGH BEAUMONT. WELL THANK YOU. SO AS YOU KNOW IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS WE PROBABLY HAVE 910 MONTHS OF WARM WEATHER. SO WE HAVE A HIGHWAY DIVISION INSIDE OF PARKS. AND THEY CONTINUE TO WORK ON INTERSTATE 1069 THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, PICKING UP LITTER AS WELL AS MOWING. WE ALSO USE HERBICIDES TO SPRAY ALONG THE HIGHWAYS AS WELL TOO.
AS YOU KNOW, LITTER IS A BIG ISSUE IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, SO IT'S A CONTINUOUS BATTLE PICKING UP LITTER AS WELL AS MOWING. DURING THE WINTER MONTHS, WE PROBABLY HIT THE HIGHWAYS TWICE A MONTH FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER. BOTH HIGHWAYS DURING YOUR REGULAR NORMAL CUTTING SEASON IS JUST CONSTANTLY THEM TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S OUT THERE. SO IN ADDITION TO THOSE SIX MOWING, WE CONTINUE TO DO IT EVERY DAY. SOMEONE'S OUT THERE EVERY DAY. OKAY. AND LASTLY, I KNOW THE PRIOR ENGINEER THAT WAS OVER, EVERYTHING AGREED TO CLEARING OFF ALL THE DEAD TREES AND PLANTS ON OUR INTERSECTIONS. I KNOW HE'S NO LONGER HERE, BUT WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AGREEMENTS, IS THAT STILL GOING TO TAKE PLACE? WE ACTUALLY MAINTAIN WHAT'S THERE. NOW, SINCE TXDOT HAS REALLY TAKEN OUT QUITE A BIT, IT'S NOT QUITE AS MUCH THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN, BUT MORE SO ON THE CARDINAL EXTENSION. THERE'S PLANTINGS THAT WENT IN PROBABLY LESS THAN 5 OR 6 YEARS AGO, SO WE MAINTAIN THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS. MOST OF INTERSTATE TEN EASTEX FREEWAY IS NOT MUCH PLANTINGS THAT ARE THERE. HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE, TXDOT PUTS MORE THINGS IN TO BEAUTIFY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. AND EVEN WITH THOSE 12 TIMES A YEAR, THEY COME OUT TO REMOVE LITTER AND WHAT HAVE YOU. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT DOESN'T HELP, BUT AGAIN, AS A CITY, WE HAVE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO COMBAT LITTER THAT'S IN OUR CITY, NOT JUST ALONG OUR HIGHWAYS, BUT ALSO IN OUR RESIDENTIAL AREAS AS WELL THROUGHOUT THE CITY. BUT JUST IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE COMMITMENT WAS MADE YEARS AGO. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE STILL IN LINE TO WHAT WAS COMMITTED TO. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, IF WE'RE NOT PREPARED TO ANSWER IT TODAY, THE NEXT MEETING, THAT THEY COME IN FRONT OF THE CITY, MAYBE WE CAN GET A UNDERSTANDING IF THAT'S STILL GOING TO TAKE PLACE BECAUSE LIKE, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE DEAD PLANTS AND TREES, THAT'S THE IMAGE OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP IT CLEAN AND LOOKING HEALTHY. THAT WASN'T THAT WASN'T A RECALL. THE CONVERSATION THAT WAS AN EXPRESSED DESIRE BY THE PREVIOUS DISTRICT ENGINEER. AND IT WAS IN A MEETING WITH THE LAMAR UNIVERSITY BECAUSE THOSE PLANNING SET KENNETH MENTIONED IN THAT HAPPENED A FEW YEARS AGO. THERE WERE PLANTED BUT
[00:45:02]
THEY THEY HAD NO REAL MEANS OF SURVIVAL. THERE'S NOTHING TO IRRIGATE THEM BUT ALSO TO THE SUBSEQUENT TO THAT WAS ALSO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS COMING IN ALONG THE MAIN LANES, THE WIDENING OF THE MAIN LANES OF CARDINAL DRIVE. AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT SOMETHING GOT LOST THERE IN THE TRANSLATION THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY CLARIFY WITH TXDOT THAT TO WAIT UNTIL THAT WORK WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. BUT THIS WAS WITHIN THE MAIN LANES.KENNETH. THE CITY IS OBLIGATED ALONG THE FEEDER ROADS AND OUTSIDE THE FEEDER ROADS, AND ALONG THE NON CONTROLLED ACCESS HIGHWAYS, BUT ANYTHING WITHIN THE MAIN LANES WOULD BE FOR TXDOT. WE CERTAINLY RAISE THAT QUESTION AGAIN AND SEE WHAT WHAT GUIDANCE WE CAN WE CAN GET FROM THAT AND BRING THAT TO YOU. I UNDERSTAND IT WAS JUST A STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HERE ARE AWARE OF IT, AND WE CAN MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW UP AND SEE IT THROUGH. YES, SIR. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, AND THIS MAY BE MORE OF A QUESTION FROM THE GENTLEMAN FROM TXDOT, BUT WHEN WE DO THE LITTER PICKUP, DO WE DO THAT BEFORE WE MOW? AND THE REASON WHY I ASK THAT IS IT SEEMS LIKE, I GUESS MAYBE WITH THE WEATHER GETTING WARMER.
I'VE HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS LATELY. ONE WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND THEN ONE WAS OFF OF RFD THAT WE ARE. MOWERS ARE MOWING OVER TRASH, AND IT CHOPS IT UP INTO SMALLER PIECES OF TRASH. AND IT IT LOOKED WORSE AFTER THEY HAD MOWED. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 12 LITTER REMOVALS AND SIX MOWING CYCLES, I'M JUST OPTIMISTIC THAT THERE'S COORDINATION THERE THAT WE'RE DOING THE LITTER PICKUP PRIOR TO THE MOWING, I DON'T RECALL CORRECTLY. THE DISCUSSION IS DO YOU WANT TO DO TWO LITTER PICKUPS PER MOW, OR DO YOU WANT TO DO ONE? BECAUSE WITH THE WHEN THE GRASS GETS HIGH, YOU DO THE PICKUP. YOU DO. YOU'RE PICKING UP WHAT YOU CAN SEE, RIGHT. AND THEN ONCE IT'S MOWED, THEN YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF THE TRASH, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO COME BACK OUT AND PICK IT UP AGAIN. THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN EXCELLENT IDEA.
DO ONE BEFORE AND ONE AFTER. OH, OKAY. GREAT IDEA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? COUNCILMAN HILLIARD I JUST HAVE I HAVE A I HAVE AND SINCE WE HAVE TEX-DOT HERE, WHAT ARE WE ARE WE STILL LOOKING AT SOMETHING AT 105 AND AND RFD ROAD, SOME KIND OF SOMETHING THAT WE COULD PUT IN THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE LOSS OF LIVES. SO OUR, OUR CURRENT TRAFFIC STUDY SHOWED THAT, THAT, THAT THE CONSULTANT ENGINEER IS CURRENTLY EVALUATING THE, THE ONE FATALITY AT THAT INTERSECTION WAS DUE TO AN IMPAIRED DRIVER CROSSING INTO OPPOSING TRAFFIC THAT DID NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO BECAUSE IT HAPPENED LATE AT NIGHT. IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH TRAFFIC CONGESTION AT THAT INTERSECTION UNLESS ANYONE ELSE HAS DIFFERENT RECORDS. BUT THAT IS THE ONLY RECORD OF A FATALITY AT THAT LOCATION. SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT. THE STUDY IS AN ONGOING WORK IN PROGRESS. WE HAD A PROGRESS MEETING WITH WOOLPERT, WHO WAS THE CONSULTANT, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, AND THEY ARE STILL REVIEWING THE VARIOUS OPTIONS. IN AN EARLIER CONVERSATION WITH TXDOT, DID DESCRIBE TO THEM THE VARIOUS OPTIONS THAT WERE BEING CONSIDERED. AND ONCE WE HAVE A REPORT THAT WE CAN SUBMIT TO TXDOT FOR THEIR REVIEW, THEN WE WILL SHARE THAT WE ARE STILL ON SCHEDULE TO GET IT BY LATE SPRING, BUT WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN, IF I COULD COMMENT ON THAT. SO IF WE COULD. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH TEXAS OUT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHERE WE DISCUSSED POSSIBLY SOME SHORT TERM FIXES FOR THE RFD AND 105 AREA. APPARENTLY AT NIGHT IT'S EXTREMELY POORLY LIT AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PULL OFF OF RFD ONTO 105 AT NIGHT IN PARTICULAR, AND THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT POSSIBLY TECH STOCK COULD MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT WOULD NOT BE COST THE CITY ANYTHING, SUCH AS ADDITIONAL LIGHTING. ALSO, THERE MAY BE A CHANCE THEY COULD DO A DEDICATED LEFT HAND TURN THERE. SO WHERE I'M GOING WITH ALL THIS, DO YOU THINK MAYBE ANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, AND YOU AND SOME REPRESENTATIVES OF TEXDOT MAYBE COULD HAVE A MEETING WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WHERE WE COULD ALL TALK ABOUT SOME SHORT TERM GOALS THAT WE COULD DO. I GET THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, MAYBE STILL A QUESTION AND FURTHER OUT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO AND I'LL JUST SAY IT BECAUSE I HAD A PHONE CALL WITH A VERY UPSET NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT THIS MORNING. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AT RFD AND 105, I THINK, FOR FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS. SO THE CITIZENS OVER THERE WANT TO SEE SOMETHING. SO EVEN IF I CAN SAY, LOOK, THERE'S NO TRAFFIC LIGHT COMING IN THE SHORT TERM, BUT WE ARE GOING TO GET YOU SOME ADDITIONAL STREET LIGHTS
[00:50:05]
AND WE'RE MAYBE GOING TO GET YOU SOME, SOME IMPROVEMENTS THERE IN THAT CENTER TURN LANE, THAT THERE'S ALL THE CONGESTION, ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNINGS AND THE AFTERNOONS AROUND 5:00.THAT MIGHT HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE. SO ANYWAY, I WOULD JUST ASK THAT WE HAVE A MEETING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. WE CAN HAVE THAT MEETING. GREAT, GREAT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION JUST FOR CLARITY, BECAUSE I KNOW HOW HOW WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER AJ SPEAKS TO CLARITY. YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT WAS IN THE MOU AND WHAT WE'RE DOING ABOUT TREE REMOVAL, WHATEVER THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING APPROVAL OF THAT AGREEMENT TODAY. SO WHATEVER'S NOT IN THERE TODAY PROBABLY WON'T BE IN THERE. SO IF YOU HAVE SOME FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER SOMETHING'S IN IT OR NOT AND WE NEED TO DISCUSS IT, NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME. WELL, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE BEFORE I VOTE ON IT TO HAVE CLARITY ON IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WHAT WAS DISCUSSED OR IF SOMETHING IS CHANGING OKAY, SUCH AS THE THE, THE COMMITMENT TO REMOVING ALL OF THE DEAD PLANTS AND THINGS OF THAT MAGNITUDE ON THE SIDES OF THE FREEWAY AFTER CONSTRUCTION. I JUST DON'T WANT TO MAKE AN AGREEMENT RIGHT NOW. AND YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FREEWAY AND YOU HAVE SOME OF THESE DEAD SHRUBS AND THINGS OF THAT MAGNITUDE THAT THAT'S OUR IMAGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. GOOD AFTERNOON. YES. SO THAT ISN'T REALLY PART OF OUR MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, BUT I KNOW THAT WE WE DID PLANT THOSE TREES THROUGH. WHAT I RECALL IS OUR GREEN GREEN RIBBON PROJECT, YOU KNOW, AND THOSE ARE GREAT. YOU KNOW, IT BRINGS BEAUTIFICATION TO INTERSECTIONS. BUT THERE WASN'T A THOUGHT OF MAINTENANCE TO THOSE INTERSECTIONS. SO AS A DEE, I AM COMMITTED AS THE PREVIOUS DEE WAS TO CLEAN THOSE UP. WE CAN USE THOSE GREEN RIBBON FUNDS TO DO CLEANUP. SO WE WE CAN WE CAN CONTINUE TO USE THOSE FUNDS. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE DID IN THE PAST ON SOME OF THESE INTERSECTIONS. LIKE MOLLY SAID, NOW WE DO HAVE A A PROJECT ON 69 THROUGH LAMAR THROUGH LAMAR AREA THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CLEAN THAT UP WITH, WITH THOSE FUNDS, YOU KNOW, BUT ANY ANY AREA WHERE WE DID WHERE TXDOT PLANTED, WE DID WE DID THE THE BEAUTIFICATION, WE ARE STILL COMMITTED TO GETTING THOSE CLEANED UP. OKAY.
THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
NOW AT THIS POINT, THOSE THAT CAME FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO LEAVE, NOW IS
[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]
THE TIME TO DO SO. AND I APPRECIATE YOU COMING. NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS. IF ANY CITIZEN WISHES TO SPEAK, YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH FIVE OR ANY OTHER TOPIC. THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO SPEAK. WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE SAY YOUR ADDRESS, CITY AND STATE. IF YOU. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR COMMENTS. THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WHILE YOU'RE AT THE PODIUM COUNCIL ON THE DAIS. WE CANNOT RESPOND TO YOU AT THIS TIME, BUT WE'LL HAVE WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU OR HAVE STAFF FOLLOW UP WITH YOU AFTERWARDS. MONTE MCCORMICK, 7780 BROUSSARD ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. MARIE MCCORMICK, 7780 BROUSSARD ROAD AND BEAUMONT. THE CITY HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO COME OUT AND DIG THE DITCHES IN THE NORTH END OF BEAUMONT AND WHICH I LIVE ON THE NORTH WEST END ON TRAM ROAD, AND THE CONTRACTOR COME OUT WITH TWO PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, ONE LARGE EXCAVATOR AND A SMALL ONE THAT DIG THE DITCHES, AND THE BIG ACTIVATOR WAS HITTING LIMBS THAT OVERHUNG THE DITCH AND BREAKING THEM OFF AND LEAVE THEM HANGING THERE. THEN A WEEK OR A COUPLE HOURS LATER, THEY'D END UP FALLING IN THE DITCH. AND SO I DID ASK THE CITY EMPLOYEE THAT WAS FOLLOWING THAT CONTRACTOR, IF THE CONTRACTOR WERE GOING TO COME BACK AND PICK UP THESE LIMBS THAT THEY BROKE AND FELL IN THE DITCH, HE SAID, PROBABLY NOT. AND THEN SOME OF THE DITCHES.
[00:55:09]
WERE NOT SLOPED. WHEN THEY DUG THEM, THEY DUG THEM, WENT DOWN AND HIT THAT LEVER WHERE THE SCOOP AND COME BACK OUT. THERE WAS NOT SLOPED. YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS YOU COULD HAVE BEEN DONE MORE PROFESSIONALLY. WHAT THAT WAS. AND IT WAS LIKE THEY HIRED A TRAINEE TO DO IT. AND THE CONTRACTORS INITIALED ON THE TRUCK WERE M.K. AND THEY'RE STANDING WATER IN THE DITCH ON BROUSSARD ROAD. THAT DOES NOT DRAIN. IT'S CAUSED A BIG OAK TREE TO FALL ACROSS THE ROAD BECAUSE IT'S SO SATURATED WITH WATER. AND WE DON'T EVEN HAVE RAIN AT THIS TIME. AND AND ALSO THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. AND IT APPEARS THE CONTRACTOR AT THE TIME WAS SELLING THE DIRT. THEY WERE DIGGING OUT OF THE DITCHES, WHICH I MADE AN OFFER $25 FOR LOAD, AND IT'S ONLY A SIX YARD TRUCK LOAD. AND THAT WASN'T HIGH ENOUGH. AND SO CONTACT HIM LATER. IT WAS LIKE $35 A LOAD. SO ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS CONTRACTOR OBTAINED A CONTRACT BY NOT PUTTING IN THE PROPER SLOPES ON THE DITCHES.TAKING THESE LIMBS OUT THAT THEY BROKE, AND SELLING THIS DIRT. IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE DOUBLE DIPPING. OR SOMEBODY HAD GAVE THEM THIS CONTRACT AND SPLITTING THE PROFIT. MAYBE.
MAYBE NOT. BUT ANYWAY, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG BECAUSE THIS CONTRACTOR DID NOT APPEAR TO BE QUALIFIED TO DO THIS WORK. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. RAYMOND FORD, JUNIOR 4890 I THINK THAT'S BRACE STREET, BUT BEAUMONT, TEXAS, BRACE STREET. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, WEST CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER WILLIAMS, CITY ATTORNEY REED AND THE REST OF THE CITY STAFF PRESENT HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS RAYMOND FORD JUNIOR AND I SERVE AS PRESIDENT AND HEAD COACH OF 409 SWIM ON BEHALF OF 409 SWIM. I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ANTICIPATED APPROVAL TO ALLOW OUR PROGRAM TO REMAIN IN ALICE KEITH'S SWIMMING POOL FOR NINE. SWIM IS A COMPETITIVE YOUTH SUMMER SWIM TEAM AND 500 1C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HOME BASED RIGHT HERE IN BEAUMONT, SERVING ATHLETES THROUGHOUT THE 409 AREA CODE. FOUNDED IN 2024, OUR PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO GIVE DEVELOPING SWIMMERS A PLACE TO TRAIN WITH PURPOSE, COMPETE WITH CONFIDENCE, AND REPRESENT THEIR COMMUNITY WITH PRIDE. WE ARE NOT A SWIM. WE ARE NOT A SWIM LESSON PROGRAM. WE ARE BUILT FOR SWIMMERS WHO WANT TO COMPETE. SERVING AGES 5 TO 18, WE DEVELOP SPEED, ENDURANCE AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS WITHIN A STRUCTURED, HIGH EXPECTATION ENVIRONMENT. OUR GROWTH, OUR GROWTH REFLECTS THE STRENGTH OF THIS PARTNERSHIP FROM 34 SWIMMERS IN 2024 TO 50 7 IN 2025, WITH CONTINUED EXPANSION EXPECTED AHEAD. THIS PROGRAM HAS ALSO TOUCHED FAMILIES REPRESENTED IN THIS VERY ROOM.
COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD'S SON HAS PARTICIPATED WITH THE SWIM SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION AND COUNSEL. WILLIAM'S SON IS CURRENTLY ON THE PROSPECTIVE MEMBER TRYOUT LIST FOR 2026.
THAT SPEAKS NOT ONLY TO THE QUALITY OF WHAT WE ARE BUILDING, BUT TO THE TRUST FAMILIES PLACE IN THIS PROGRAM. AS A NONPROFIT, OUR MISSION IS CENTERED ON ACCESS, OPPORTUNITY, ACCESS OPPORTUNITY AND LONG TERM ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT. MORE THAN A RECREATIONAL TEAM, WE ARE STRENGTHENING THE COMPETITIVE SWIMMING PIPELINE IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND PREPARING YOUNG ATHLETES TO REPRESENT BEAUMONT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AND POSSIBLY BEYOND. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTING. THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH, FOR SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM, AND FOR HELPING US CONTINUE TO SERVE THE CHILDREN OF OUR COMMUNITY AT OUR SWIMMING POOL.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE FAMILIES OF BEAUMONT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU COACH. CHARLIE CRABBE, 928 EAST DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.
[01:00:06]
GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I'M HOPING I'M NOT GETTING SLOWER AND SLOWER, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR. YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, OUR TOWN. MR. WILLIAMS AND STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. THANK YOU TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THANKS TO THEIR CHIEFS AND FOR THEIR SERVICE. THANKS TO ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT KEEP OUR CITY FUNCTIONING. MR. WILLIAMS, I MAY BE A LITTLE EARLY. I WANT TO SAY, LET'S SEE WHAT I WANT TO SAY. I WANT TO HAVE A COMMENT AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TO BEAUMONT AND AND YOUR SERVICE. I REMEMBER AT THE START I MADE A COMMENT ON THE START AND ON YOUR SALARY WAS A LITTLE EXCESSIVE, BUT THAT SORT OF WENT AWAY. AND YOU. IN THE CITY. YOU GAVE THE CITY SOME GOOD MANAGEMENT YEARS. I HAVE OVER A HUNDRED WORLD TRAVEL GUIDES. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ANY OF THOSE. I PREFER THE WESTERN US, WITH ALL ITS NATIONAL PARKS. AND THEN OF COURSE THE THE WEST COAST IS NICE TO TRAVEL AT. NO. OKAY, LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MY LITTLE COLLECTION AND IT'LL BE AVAILABLE. ANYWAY. HAVE A A GREAT RETIREMENT AND ALL. A GOOD REPORT BY THE TEXDOT AND MR. CRENSHAW. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, THAT WAS A GREAT VIDEO ON THE. PRESENTATION ON THE HIGHWAY. I APPRECIATE YOU TEACHING ME HOW TO FUNCTION ON THAT ONE. AND I. I WISH THE VOTING FOR OUR COUNCILMAN TODAY, AND I WISH HIM GOOD LUCK. MOVING ON TO GREATER THINGS.AND LET'S SEE. THANKS EVERYONE FOR LISTENING AND HAVE A GOOD WEEK UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN. BYE BYE. THANK YOU, MR. CRABB. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
CAN I HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES SINCE THERE'S NO ONE ELSE? THAT WAS SOME GOOD REPORTS THAT COMMENTS WE HAD. THAT WAS GREAT. I'M GONNA MOVE ON. THERE'S NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE'LL
[CONSENT AGENDA]
MOVE INTO THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? THE SECOND THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES. COUNCILMAN DORIA, I GUESS THAT'S ITEM C FOR THE OWNER OCCUPIED MINOR REPAIR PROGRAM. I GUESS AFTER READING IT, ALL THOSE THE BUILDINGS ARE ALREADY CHOSEN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO THE WORK. CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN HOW THEY CAN GET ON THE LIST IN THE FUTURE? GOOD AFTERNOON. OUR PROGRAM CURRENTLY DOES NOT HAVE AN OPEN APPLICATION. WE ARE ASSIGNING 32 ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS WITH THIS FUNDING. WE HAVE A WAIT LIST FOR RESIDENTS THAT WANT TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE APPLICATION IS REOPEN, BUT BECAUSE THE QUANTITY OF PEOPLE ON THAT WAITLIST EXCEEDS TWO YEARS OF PROGRAM FUNDING, WE CAN'T. WE OUR WAITLIST CANNOT BE REOPENED. SO WHEN WE GET 2026 FUNDING, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH[01:05:01]
THE EXISTING WAITLIST. IF THERE ARE NAMES ON THE LIST THAT NO LONGER QUALIFY FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY WILL BE REMOVED AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THAT LIST AS FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE. AND WHEN THAT LIST IS WITHIN A MANAGEABLE NUMBER, WE WILL REOPEN THE APPLICATION. HOW DO THEY GET QUALIFIED? IF YOU HAD ROOM ON THE LIST, IT'S THERE ARE SEVERAL CRITERIA. FIRST, YOU HAVE TO QUALIFY AS INCOME ELIGIBLE, MEANING YOUR HOUSEHOLD MEETS A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF ANNUAL MEDIAN INCOME THAT IS CONSIDERED LOW INCOME FOR YOUR FAMILY SIZE. NEXT, YOU WOULD NEED TO OWN THE HOME AND HAVE RESIDED THERE AT LEAST ONE YEAR. YOU ALSO NEED TO HAVE CURRENT INSURANCE ON THE PROPERTY, AND PROPERTY TAXES NEED TO BE CURRENT AS WELL. WE PRIORITIZE SENIOR CITIZENS FOR THIS PROGRAM. OKAY.THANK YOU. YOU WOULD QUALIFY IF YOU WEREN'T ON COUNCIL. I DON'T KNOW IN TERMS OF THE AGE, THAT'S ALL I WAS TALKING ABOUT. I HAD ONE OTHER THING AS WELL. YES, SIR. SO I GUESS LIKE THE LAST THREE ITEMS ABOUT GRANTS, HAVE WE AS THE CITY ALREADY BEEN APPROVED FOR THOSE GRANTS, OR ARE WE JUST NOW APPLYING OR. OR WHAT? I THINK CHIEFS IS ON ITS WAY. BUT THIS IS BASICALLY TO APPLY. WE'RE GETTING WE'RE APPLYING. WE'RE ON A DEADLINE. BUT GO AHEAD CHIEF. APPLY AND RECEIVE IS THE REQUEST OKAY. I WOULD JUST THE DEADLINE IS BEFORE YOUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. SO WE HAVE TO KNOW TODAY I THINK THE DEADLINE IS THE 16TH. AND I THINK YOU MAY CANCEL THE NEXT MEETING TOO. SO WE'D HAVE TO KNOW. WE HAVE TO SUBMIT THE RESOLUTION IF YOU ALL APPROVE IT TODAY FOR US TO GO FORWARD. OKAY. I WAS JUST WONDERING IF WE WERE JUST VOTING FOR Y'ALL TO GO GET THE MONEY ALREADY. WHATEVER. YEAH, BUT OPTIMISTICALLY, WE ARE OKAY PUTTING IT OUT THERE. THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU CHIEF. ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCILMAN? DARIA? NOT AT ALL. ALL RIGHT, NOT NOW. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS
[1. Council consider a resolution authorizing a payment to Lower Neches Valley Authority (LNVA) for the 2026 Annual Reservation Fee.]
CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE? THANK YOU. MAYOR.COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PAYMENT TO LOWER NECHES VALLEY AUTHORITY, WHICH IS NVA, FOR THE 2026 ANNUAL RESERVATION FEE. AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION, RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? 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
[2. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an Advance Funding Agreement (AFA) with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the 2025 HSIP (College Street) Interconnect Signals Project.]
MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN ADVANCE FUNDING AGREEMENT. AFE WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TEXDOT FOR THE 2025 CIP COLLEGE STREET INTERCONNECT SIGNALS PROJECT, AND IT COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? MOVE TO APPROVE? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER TWO? COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW THANK YOU. MAYOR. SO ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT MANY PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY SEEM TO HAVE IS THAT OUR LIGHTS ARE NOT VERY WELL SYNCED. AND JUST SO I'M CLEAR, THIS ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS GOING TO ALLOW FOR MORE IN SYNC TRAFFIC SIGNALS. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO INTERCONNECT THEM ALL TO EACH OTHER TO RELIEVE CONGESTION AND IMPROVE SAFETY. GREAT. AND IS ALSO WHAT'S PART OF THIS AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE COLLEGE STREET TRAFFIC CAMERAS. THAT'S PART OF THAT PROCESS. OKAY, GREAT. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO UP TO THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER WITHIN THE LAST MONTH, AND VERY IMPRESSIVE. IT'S LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A CSI SHOW. SO GREAT JOB WITH THE CITY STAFF AND GETTING THAT UP AND RUNNING. AND I WAS TOLD, I SAID, IF YOU HAD ONE THING THAT I COULD HELP YOU WITH, WHAT WOULD IT BE? AND THEY SAID THAT THE CAMERAS ON COLLEGE STREET ARE OUTDATED AND PARTICULARLY AT NIGHT, AND IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO TO GET ACCURATE[01:10:02]
READINGS AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THEIR CAMERAS AT NIGHT.AND SO THE IDEA THAT THIS FUNDING IS GOING TO HELP IMPROVE THAT IS WELL RECEIVED.
THANK YOU. WELCOME. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I ANY OPPOSED. THE MOTION IS
[3. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an Advance Funding Agreement (AFA) with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for the 2025 HSIP (MLK Parkway) Interconnect Signals Project.]
CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN ADVANCE FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, TXDOT, FOR THE 2025 CIP MARTIN LUTHER KING PARKWAY INTERCONNECT SIGNALS PROJECT AND COMES WITH THE RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? SO MOVED TO APPROVE.THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER THREE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I ANY OPPOSED.
[4. Council consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter a Municipal Maintenance Agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).]
THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR? COUNCIL, CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A MUNICIPAL MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. TEX-DOT AND RECOMMENDATION OF RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? MOVE TO APPROVE.IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? THERE IS A MOTION IN A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES. COUNCILMAN DORIA. YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO ASK. MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE COUNCILMAN TURNER'S QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED. YES, SIR. MR. DORIO, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS WAS JUST GETTING IT ON THE RECORD. SO WE HAVE A DOCUMENT OR SOMETHING WE CAN GO BACK TO. IF THERE'S EVER ANY CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT DIRECTION WE WERE GOING IN IN THE FUTURE. SO IT WAS ON THE RECORD TODAY. THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR. OKAY. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN DORIO. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.
[5. Council to consider an ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the City Code of Ordinances.]
MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE? PLEASE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER TWO OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES. AND THERE'S NO RECOMMENDATION.ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? SO MOVED. SECOND THERE IS A MOTION. AND A SECOND, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON ITEM NUMBER FIVE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. ALL
[COUNCIL COMMENTS]
RIGHT. WITH THAT WE ARE MOVING TO. COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. AND WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH COUNCILMAN DARIO. OH THANK YOU MAYOR. JUST A FEW THINGS. FOR ONE, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE TOMORROW IS THE COMMUNITY WIDE DAY OF PRAYER. 6:00 AT AT PASTOR KENNEDY ANDREW'S CHURCH ON HIGHLAND. YES. OKAY. YEAH. AND ALSO HOPE SOMEONE WILL GET WITH LOOKING INTO MR. MCCORMICK'S COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CONTRACTOR AND AND SELLING DIRT AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF AND GET THAT STRAIGHTENED UP. I WANT TO THANK MR. FORD FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY.THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO A LOT OF FOLKS, KIDS BEFORE, YOU KNOW, BUT NOW THAT'S ONE OTHER THING THAT THEY CAN BE INVOLVED IN. AND IT'S IT'S VERY POSITIVE.
JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR FOR HEADING THAT UP. AND LET'S SEE TEX DOT REPORT WAS VERY GOOD.
THANK YOU. AND ALSO I GOT A CALL I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FRIDAY AND I CALLED HIM BACK ON SATURDAY ABOUT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT SARAH AND FOURTH STREET. AND THEY ACTUALLY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ELLIS ACTUALLY CONTACTED HIM ON SATURDAY. THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TRY TO GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE TO WORK ON IT ON SATURDAY. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY DID OR NOT, BUT DID Y'ALL GET A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT EARLIER THIS OR YESTERDAY? THE TECHNICIAN WENT OUT THERE SATURDAY AND INVESTIGATED IT. AND I HAVE NOT HAD A FINAL REPORT ON ANYTHING THAT WAS FOUND IN OUR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT MANAGER. IS IS NOT IN THE OFFICE TO SAFE ME RIGHT NOW. OKAY. MR. THE PERSON THAT CALLED WAS VERY IMPRESSED THAT HE GOT A CALL ON SATURDAY MORNING ADDRESSING THAT PROBLEM. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK Y'ALL
[01:15:06]
BECAUSE Y'ALL MADE ME LOOK GREAT I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. YES.COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, YOU. MIKE. HONESTLY, JUST TO ECHO WHAT HE I AT MY AT ACORNS LAST NIGHT JUNE WAS THERE THEY THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE WAY THEY'RE GRADING THESE DITCHES AND HOW THEY'RE DIGGING THEM AND TREES AND STUFF. THEY'RE NOT REALLY PAYING ATTENTION.
AND LIKE I SAID, IF THEY'RE SELLING DIRT, WAS THAT IN THE CONTRACT? SO THE SCOPE OF WORK FOR THIS ROADSIDE DITCHING CONTRACT IS TO MOP OUT THE DITCHES. IT IS NOT TO NEW DITCHES. THAT IS GOING TO BE IN A LATER PHASE. ONCE WE INITIALLY ADDRESS ALL OF THE ROADSIDE DITCHES AND ALL OF THE DRIVEWAY CULVERTS THAT ARE MORE THAN THREE INCHES OUT OF GRADE, WE'RE JUST MOPPING THE BOTTOMS. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE DO SEE THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT FROM THE CITIZENS THAT ALL THEY DID WAS SCRAPE THE BOTTOM. THAT'S WHAT A MOP OUT IS, IS TO REESTABLISH THAT BOTTOM GRADE. THEY DO APPEAR TO HOLD WATER BECAUSE THERE'S NO GRASS IN THERE CAMOUFLAGING THE PRESENCE OF WATER THAT IS STANDING. I DO HAVE AN INSPECTOR IN ROUTE TO GO LOOK FOR THE STANDING WATER ON BROUSSARD ROAD. I HOPE TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM LATER TODAY.
THE EXCUSE ME. SO ONCE THEY PULL THAT MATERIAL OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE DITCHES, IT'S THEIRS. PER THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, THEY CAN TRUCK IT BACK TO WHEREVER THEY NEED TO TRUCK IT TO. IT IS THEIR PROPERTY TO DISPOSE OF. THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DISPOSAL.
THEY'VE BEEN PAID TO REMOVE IT OUT OF THE DITCHES. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES, IF IT'S IN A LOCATION THAT IS CONVENIENT, SOMETIMES WE ARE ABLE TO USE IT AT THE LANDFILL. BUT BECAUSE OF THE HIGH ORGANIC CONTENT, IT'S NOT A VERY SUITABLE LANDFILL COVER MATERIAL. SO THEN THEY'RE STUCK WITH WHAT TO DO WITH THIS MATERIAL. AND SO IF THEY'RE DISPOSING OF IT THROUGH THE SALE, THE CONTRACT IS MUTE ON THAT POINT. IT'S THEIR PROPERTY. ONCE THEY REMOVE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. COUNCILMAN TURNER. YES. THANK YOU. MAYOR.
ONE THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS MAYBE IN THE SCOPE OF WORK. YOU KNOW, IF WE DO ALLOW CONTRACTORS TO DO WORK, IF THEY KNOCK DOWN DISPLAY SOMETHING THAT MAY BE IN EXISTENCE, MAYBE WE CAN ADD THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING IT UP. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
NO. AND THAT'S THAT'S ANOTHER CONVERSATION THAT I'M HAVING WITH MY PROJECT MANAGER RIGHT NOW. AND I'LL BE TALKING TO THE CONTRACTOR SUPERINTENDENT AFTER THIS AS WELL, IS THEY NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB ABOUT THAT. YEAH. SO IN MOST OF OUR CONTRACTS, IT DOES SAY THAT WE'RE NOT LIABLE FOR DAMAGES THAT THEY CREATE. BUT IF IT'S DAMAGES ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, OBVIOUSLY THAT CITIZEN WOULD HAVE TO NOTIFY US BECAUSE OUR PROJECT MANAGERS ARE OUT THERE MAKING SURE THAT THE WORK THAT WE HAVE THEM PERFORMING IS DONE. SO IT'S IT'S KIND OF LIKE A PARTNERSHIP, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S CLOSE TO SOMEONE'S HOME. THEY WOULD NEED TO NOTIFY THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE DONE. AND THEN ESSENTIALLY SOMETIMES THEY FILE A CLAIM WITH THE CITY AND WE NOTIFY THE THE CONTRACTOR AND IF IT'S BEING MANAGED IN HOUSE, NOTIFY THAT DEPARTMENT THAT, HEY, YOUR CONTRACTOR CAUSED THIS DAMAGE AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED. SO THAT LANGUAGE IS KIND OF ALREADY IN THERE. IT DOESN'T IDENTIFY THE CITY, BUT IT'S ALSO INCUMBENT ON THEM TO LIKE FIX THAT, FIX THAT WORK. SO THE CLAIM ESSENTIALLY WOULD BE JUST TRANSFERRED TO THAT PERSON. BUT BASED ON THE LANGUAGE THAT'S EMBEDDED IN THE CONTRACT. AND ALSO, MR. WILLIAMS, I KNOW I CAN'T BE IN DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS, BUT CAN WE JUST FOLLOW UP TO GET BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY WITH THE EMPLOYEE WHO SAID THE CONTRACTOR PROBABLY CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT? I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHATEVER INFORMATION WE'RE GIVING RESIDENTS IS ACCURATE, AND IF THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE BY CONTRACT, WE MAKE SURE WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO WHAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING. IF SOMETHING WASN'T IN THOSE CONDITIONS, I THINK IT NEEDS TO GO BACK INTO THE CONDITIONS THAT WERE PRIOR TO. MY SECOND THING IS, MR. FORD, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO WITH THE KIDS. THIS AREA FLOODS THOUGH YOUR COMPETITIVE SWIM TEAM. I KNOW YOU'RE SEEING KIDS THAT YOU TEACH OUTSIDE OF WHAT YOU DO ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS FOR OUR YOUTH, BECAUSE AN IDLE MIND CAN BE A DEVIL'S WORKSHOP, AND WE APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DO WITH OUR KIDS. AND MR. CRABB, THANK YOU. YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY EVERY COUNCIL MEETING YOU COME TO, AND I APPRECIATE YOU, I REALLY DO, AND I JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GET OUT AND VOTE TODAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS YEAH, JUST WANT TO SHARE. THIS WEEKEND, MY FAMILY AND I ATTENDED THE SAW EVENT AT THE MCFADDEN WARD HOUSE. IT WAS ACTUALLY MY FIRST TIME TO BE ON THE PROPERTY. AND IT'S REALLY A
[01:20:07]
COOL PLACE, A BEAUTIFUL HOME. AND BUT IT WAS A GREAT EVENT. THEY JUST HAD BUTTERFLY ART EXHIBITS AND ARTS AND CRAFTS FOR THE KIDS AND FOOD, AND IT WAS WELL ATTENDED. AND THEN SEEING THE THE NEW BUSINESS THAT OPENED TODAY ON ON CALDER, IT'S REALLY KIND OF GOOD TO SEE WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER THERE. I KNOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF BUILDINGS THAT HAVE REALLY GOTTEN GOTTEN SOME UPGRADES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, SO THAT THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR THE AREA. SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO STAY OUT OF THEIR WAY AND KEEP THAT GOING IS IS GOOD. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, I TOO AM CONCERNED WITH WHATEVER LIMBS WERE BROKEN OR ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING. SO AS LONG AS WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT, GOOD JOB. KUDOS TO 409 SWIM. MY SON IS A PART OF THAT AND IT IS SUPER EXCITING TO WATCH KIDS EXCEL, GROW AND LEARN A NEW SKILL. PRINCE IS STRONGER AND HE'S HE'S FASTER AND HE'S EXPERIENCED A LOT OF ENDURANCE AND BUILT SOME CHARACTER. AND SO I LOVE THAT ANYTHING DEALING WITH YOUTH AND MAKING THEM BETTER, I'M HERE FOR IT. I HOPE TO, YOU KNOW, SEE THE CITY, PARTNER WITH YOU AND DO WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROGRAM CONTINUES. MY SON IS BETTER FOR IT. HAPPY WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH BECAUSE WE KNOW WHO RUN THE WORLD. GIRLS, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE PIONEERING WOMEN HONOREES THAT WERE ANNOUNCED TODAY. I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR THEM. TODAY IS ELECTION DAY AND POLLS ARE OPEN TO 7 P.M. AND I ALWAYS SAY VOTE EVERY ELECTION, EVERY TIME. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO CITY STAFF BECAUSE I WANT TO ECHO WHAT CHRIS SAID, COUNCILMAN DARIO SAID, I'VE BEEN GETTING A LOT OF COMPLIMENTS AND PEOPLE LOVE COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, SO Y'ALL MAKE ME LOOK GOOD. CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK. IT'S ANOTHER GREAT DAY IN BEAUMONT. GET OUT AND VOTE. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. YES. I WANT TO ECHO, I VOTED TODAY. PLEASE. EVERYONE LISTENING, GO VOTE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY. IT'S OUR PRIMARY ELECTION. AND CONGRATS TO ALL THE CANDIDATES, COMMISSIONER TURNER. I MEAN, I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN TURNER AND AND ALL ALL THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS A VERY, VERY, VERY CHALLENGING AND DIFFICULT PROCESS, ESPECIALLY THIS DAY AND AGE, WITH THE INSANITY THAT POLITICS HAS BECOME. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR EXERCISING YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE. AND PLEASE GO VOTE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY. AND THANK YOU, MISS BEAL, FOR BEING HERE. THE I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW BEAUMONT ANIMAL SHELTER COMMITTEE. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME GREAT THINGS AND SOME NEW ENERGY ON THAT COMMITTEE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIX THE ISSUES AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE OVERNIGHT. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE GOING TO TO MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS AND WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AND THANK YOU TO THIS COUNCIL FOR JOINING ME AND MAKING THOSE CHANGES AND TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION FOR THE ANIMALS IN OUR CITY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MAYOR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. I DON'T HAVE A MADAM CITY. I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR COUNCILMAN TURNER. YOUR REQUEST WAS TO FOLLOW. IS THAT SPECIFICALLY TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT CITY EMPLOYEE, OR WERE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACTS MOVING FORWARD? WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING, THE LANGUAGE IS THERE. I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE LANGUAGE JUST FOLLOWING UP TO MAKE SURE WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. AND MISS MOLLY, IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE, TROUBLE WITH ANYBODY NOT FOLLOWING, I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF MOVING ON FROM ANYBODY WHO'S NOT PROPERLY FOLLOWING THE LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT. I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO REITERATE THAT IN CASES WHERE IT'S DAMAGE DONE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY, JUST FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO'S LISTENING, IF A CONTRACTOR DOES DAMAGE TO YOUR PROPERTY, OR IF YOU BELIEVE THAT IT'S A CITY, IT'S OKAY TO CONTACT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND INITIATE THAT CLAIM, BECAUSE WE CAN DO THE LEGWORK TO DETERMINE WHO THAT CONTRACTOR WAS, AND EITHER GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROPER CLAIM. OR LIKE I SAID, IF IT'S MANAGED IN-HOUSE, WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS ONE OF OUR CONTRACTORS AND THEY NEED TO GO GET WITH THAT PROJECT MANAGER TO GET THEM TO FIX THE WORK. BUT WE HAVE TO KIND OF KNOW, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN, THAT WE KIND OF HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THAT DAMAGE IS.AND THERE'S A THERE'S A PROCESS FOR THAT. THANK YOU. AND IN FAIRNESS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CONTRACT IS AWARE OR NOT. SO JUST COMMUNICATION TO GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO FIX WHATEVER ISSUE WE WERE DEALING WITH. SO JUST IN FAIRNESS, YEAH. AND IN FAIRNESS TO THE CONTRACTOR, WE NEED TO BE NOTIFIED RIGHT AWAY. IT'S THE CONTRACTORS KIND OF WRAPPED UP IN THAT AREA. SO THE SOONER WE KNOW, THE SOONER WE CAN GO OUT THERE AND INVESTIGATE, DOCUMENT THE ISSUES SO THAT IF THEY FILE A CLAIM OR THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO TO
[01:25:04]
WORK WITH THAT CONTRACTOR, BAD NEWS DOESN'T AGE WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO CAPTURE THAT EVIDENCE AND DOCUMENTATION SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE LONG LENGTH OF A PROJECT AS WELL, BECAUSE THE GUYS WHO ARE THAT WE WORK WITH AREN'T, AREN'T ON SITE. OUR CONTACT PERSON ISN'T ON SITE THE WHOLE TIME, RIGHT. THEY'RE THERE WHEN OUR PROJECT MANAGER IS THERE TO UPDATE THEM ON THE WORK. SO THE CREWS ON SITE OBVIOUSLY ARE JUST THERE TO DO THE WORK. AND NO OFFENSE TO THEM, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TELL ON THEMSELVES. SO THAT INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE REPORTED TO THE CITY IMMEDIATELY SO THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE WORK WITH TO GET IT FIXED. AND JUST PROLONGING IT CAN SOMETIMES MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE IF IT'S IF IT'S IMMEDIATE, SOMETHING WE CAN FIX THAT WAY. SO JUST FOR ANYONE WATCHING, IF THAT'S A PROBLEM, AGAIN, THEY CAN ALWAYS CONTACT THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DIRECTLY, AND WE CAN WORK AS A CONDUIT TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S THE APPROPRIATE PARTY. YEAH. AND IN THE CONTRACT THERE IS AN ESCALATION LADDER. SO IF IF THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE ANSWER THAT THEY RECEIVE FROM THE GUY THAT'S FOLLOWING THE CONTRACTOR, THEY'RE ON SITE, I MEAN, ALWAYS CALL. YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL 311 AND REPORT THAT CONCERN TO THE OPERATOR. THEY'LL ROUTE THE CALLER TO PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING AND CAN SPEAK TO THE PROJECT MANAGER, THE PROJECT ENGINEER.TALK TO ME AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE RELIEF. SO THERE'S ALWAYS THERE'S ALWAYS OTHER LAYERS THAT WE CAN DO, BUT WE NEED TO KNOW IF ONCE WE FIND OUT, THEN WE CAN TAKE ACTION. ANYTHING ELSE? I'VE HEARD ENOUGH FROM ME TODAY. THANK YOU. NOTHING. CITY MANAGER. BOONE. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. ELLIS. YES, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. JUST ONE UPDATE HERE.
THE BEAUMONT MUNICIPAL COURT WILL BE RUNNING AN AMNESTY PROGRAM BETWEEN MARCH 23RD AND APRIL 10TH. DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, DEFENDANTS WITH ACTIVE WARRANTS WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTARILY APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGE WITHOUT BEING ARRESTED, AND THE ASSOCIATED WARRANT FEES WOULD BE WAIVED. WE'LL BE GETTING MORE INFORMATION OUT THROUGH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OVER THE COMING DAYS. AND ALSO, I WANT TO LET COUNCIL KNOW THAT CITY STAFF HAS. FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY WORKING QUITE A BIT BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 2025 AUDIT. SO WE'RE NEAR THE VERY TAIL END OF COMPLETING OUR ANNUAL AUDIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THIS MONTH, AND WE WILL SET UP A MEETING WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE. THERE ARE THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SIT ON THAT AUDIT COMMITTEE SO THAT YOU CAN SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE CITY'S AUDIT AUDITOR ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 AUDIT. AND IN ADDITION, THE CITY HAS STARTED THE FISCAL YEAR 26 OR 27 THROUGH 31 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. WE STARTED THAT LAST MONDAY. WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON STARTING THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET. I KNOW IT FEELS LIKE WE JUST FINISHED APPROVING OR ADOPTING A BUDGET, BUT WE ARE BEHIND THE SCENES RIGHT NOW WORKING ON THE UPCOMING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027, AND WE WILL GET TO COUNCIL KEY DATES SO THAT YOU HAVE THOSE WELL IN ADVANCE, SUCH AS THE DATES FOR THE WORK SESSIONS THAT COUNCIL WILL BE ASKED TO ATTEND. THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU CFO. THANKS, MAYOR. I TOO WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE GROUPS THAT WERE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS MORNING WITH PROCLAMATIONS WE DID THE CRIME STOPPERS GROUP, THE PARTNERING WOMEN, WHICH YOU ACKNOWLEDGED TO. AND I'M SURE YOU'RE CLOSE YOUR EARS. ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY. THE DELTAS WEREN'T HERE. SO? SO I ACKNOWLEDGE. WELL, IT WAS FUNNY TO ME. SO. ALL RIGHT, NEVER MIND. MOVING ON, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. CRABB. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BEAUMONT INSTITUTION. YOU'RE VERY DEAR. CREDIT TO THIS CITY. SO KEEP ON DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO. FOR SURE. ELECTION DAY, GO VOTE. WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO VOTE. AND WE WILL PLEASE CALL ANY CONTRACTOR THAT'S NOT DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT I WILL SAY, AND THIS IS NOT MEANT TO ANYBODY SAY, HEY, I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU. BUT SOMETIMES THE DIRT IN THOSE DITCHES, YOU DON'T WANT THAT DIRT. IT'S SOME OF THE WORST STUFF IN TOWN. IT'S GOT MUD.
IT'S GOT IT'S GOT CANS, IT'S GOT GLASS AND ALL THAT TYPE OF THINGS. AND TYPICALLY THAT'S WHY IT'S GIVEN TO CONTRACTS AS A WHOLE OFF. BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE JUST HAVE TO FIND A PLACE TO HAUL IT OFF TO. SO IT'S TYPICALLY NOT HAS NO VALUE. AND THEY JUST HAUL IT OFF. BUT
[01:30:06]
WE'LL LOOK INTO ANY COMPLAINTS. THANK YOU MAYOR. YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER. I JUST WANT TO ALSO THANK TEXDOT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING AND CERTAINLY ENJOYED THE PROCLAMATIONS THAT WERE GIVEN OUT THIS MORNING. COACH FORD, FOR ALL YOUR WORK AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, IT'S CERTAINLY APPRECIATED. AND I KNOW IT'S TOUCHING A LOT OF KIDS LIVES, AND I THINK THAT PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. AND, MR. CRABB, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY. HE HE COACHED ME IN THE GOLD TOPS AT WEST END LITTLE LEAGUE. AND I THINK THAT WAS 1968. SO THAT'S A LONG TIME AGO. BUT IT JUST FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY. AND YOU WERE PRETTY GOOD COACH I JUST DIDN'T IT DIDN'T TAKE WITH ME. YEAH WELL I TRIED AND TOMORROW I WILL BE SPEAKING AT ROTARY FOR YEAR IN REVIEW. SO IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THE ELEGANT FOR LUNCH, YOU CAN HEAR ABOUT THAT. BUT WE STILL HAVE MARCH 24TH, THE STATE OF THE CITY. SO AND ALSO CERTAINLY TODAY IS THE DAY TO VOTE. AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET OUT AND VOTE.AND I KNOW PEOPLE TALK ABOUT IT A LOT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT THE NUMBERS DON'T ALWAYS REFLECT IT.
SO PLEASE VOTE AND BEST OF LUCK TO COUNCILMAN TURNER. AND WITH THAT, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 3:01 P.M. AND IF WE CAN HAVE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.