[00:00:06]
MORNING EVERYONE. IT'S A PLEASURE. MAN AM I ECHOING. TO HEAR MYSELF TWICE. ALL RIGHT.
[CALL TO ORDER]
WE'RE GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. IT IS 1030 AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN IN.IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND FOR THE INVOCATION AND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. GRACIOUS AND LOVING GOD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE TODAY TO RECEIVE THESE PROCLAMATIONS. WE THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO, ENHANCING PEOPLE'S LIVES HERE IN BEAUMONT AND IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND THEM SHOWING UP TO A COMMUNITY THAT VERY MUCH APPRECIATES IT. AND ALSO, WE ASK YOUR BLESSINGS UPON ALL THE BUSINESS THAT WE DO TODAY IN THESE CHAMBERS. AND WE ASK ALL THIS IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. AMEN. AND GO OUT AND DO THE. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR WEST, MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER, ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DORIO HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER WILLIAMS, COUNCIL MEMBER. SHERWOOD AND COUNCIL MEMBER. CRENSHAW. ABSENT. ALL
[PROCLAMATIONS]
RIGHT. DO WE HAVE WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR PROCLAMATIONS THIS MORNING, AND WE HAVE A FEW OF THEM. AND I WANT TO. WE ALSO, AT THE CLOSE OF THIS MEETING OR IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS MEETING, CITY COUNCIL WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DELIBERATE THE APPOINTMENT AND EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES OF CITY MANAGER POSITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.074 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE. PERSONNEL MATTERS CLOSED MEETING CHRISTOPHER S BOONE AND THEN CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 551.07, ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, RANDY SPRINGER ET AL. VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT AND CH2M HILL ENGINEERING ENGINEERS, INC. CLAUSE NUMBER B198469. AND SO, AFTER THE PROCLAMATIONS, WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE WILL RECONVENE DOWN HERE AT 130.SO TODAY WE HAVE EIGHT PROCLAMATIONS. WHEN YOUR NAME OF YOUR GROUP IS CALLED, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE YOUR PROCLAMATION AND TAKE YOUR PICTURE WITH WITH THE COUNCIL.
SOMEONE FROM YOUR GROUP CAN ALSO SPEAK AT THE PODIUM. AND IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE OF YOU, CERTAINLY ALL OF YOU ARE WELCOME. AND I INVITE EVERYBODY THAT IS WITH THE ORGANIZATION TO COME FORWARD FOR THE PRESENTATION OF THE PROCLAMATION, AS WELL AS THE PHOTOGRAPH. AND FIRST, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE WEEK OF APRIL 6TH THROUGH THE 10TH, 2026, AS NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK. ACCEPTING WILL BE MR. KENNETH COLEMAN, CITY OF BEAUMONT PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR, AND YOU CAN CERTAINLY BRING ANY OF THE STAFF AS WELL.
YOU WANT US TO SCOOT DOWN HERE? ALL RIGHT. WELL, GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL. MADAM ATTORNEY, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK FOR MORE THAN 150 YEARS, PUBLIC HEALTH HAS HELPED SHAPE THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE LONGER LIVES, HEALTHIER, HEALTHIER FAMILIES, SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS, WE'RE REMINDED THAT THESE ACHIEVEMENTS DIDN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT. THEY CAME FROM PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER, COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, FIRST
[00:05:04]
RESPONDERS, CLINICIANS, SCIENTISTS, AND NEIGHBORS WHO CARE ABOUT ANOTHER'S WELL-BEING.HERE IN BEAUMONT, THAT SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY IS AT THE HEART OF OUR WORK. OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE BEAUMONT HEALTH DEPARTMENT COMPLETED MORE THAN 2000 HEALTH INSPECTIONS, ENSURING THAT THE PLACES WHERE WE EAT, GATHER AND RAISE OUR FAMILIES REMAIN SAFE. WE ADMINISTERED OVER 4000 VACCINES, HELPING PROTECT RESIDENTS FROM PREVENTABLE DISEASES AND KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY HEALTHIER. AND THROUGH OUR WORK PROGRAM, WE PROVIDE OVER 47,000 ESSENTIAL BENEFITS TO FAMILIES, OFFERING NUTRITION, GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT TO PARENTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN WHO COUNT ON US. THESE NUMBERS REPRESENT REAL FAMILIES, REAL LIVES, AND REAL IMPACT ACROSS OUR CITY. NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK OF 2026 GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAUSE AND RECOGNIZE THE EVERYDAY WORK THAT KEEPS OUR COMMUNITY STRONG. IT REMINDS US THAT PUBLIC HEALTH IS NOT JUST ABOUT PROGRAMS AND POLICIES. IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE, RELATIONSHIPS, AND THE SHARED BELIEF THAT EVERYONE DESERVES THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE. THIS YEAR'S THEME, READY SET ACTION, IS A CALL TO KEEP THAT MOMENTUM GOING. IT ASKS US TO CELEBRATE WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER AND STAY COMMITTED TO THE WORK AHEAD.
BUILDING HEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS, STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS, AND MAKING SURE EVERY RESIDENT FEELS SUPPORTED AND SAFE. BECAUSE ONE TRUTH GUIDES EVERYTHING WE DO. GOOD HEALTH DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN. WE CREATE IT TOGETHER AS PARTNERS AND AS A COMMUNITY. AND ONCE AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR FOR RECOGNIZING NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH WEEK.
THIS IS JUST SOME OF MY STAFF. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT REALLY KEEPS THE COMMUNITY SAFE. AS I TELL THEM ALL THE TIME, THEY MAKE ME LOOK GOOD BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT'S DOING ALL THE WORK. SO AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF PUBLIC HEALTH, WE WANT TO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF APRIL AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH, AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS WHITNEY WALTERS, CITY OF BEAUMONT HOUSING PROGRAM SPECIALIST. AND ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
GOOD MORNING. ON THE HOUSING DIVISION'S BEHALF. WE'D JUST LIKE TO THANK THE CITY FOR RECOGNIZING FAIR HOUSING MONTH. WE DO THIS EACH APRIL, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING INITIATIVES. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF APRIL AS NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH, AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS ASHLEY HASSAN AND EDUCATION SPECIALIST WITH THE RAPE AND SUICIDE CRISIS CENTER OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS.
[00:10:06]
FIRST OF ALL, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR ACCEPTING OUR PROCLAMATION AND HAVING US HERE TODAY. I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU GUYS SOME STATISTICS IN THIS AREA FOR HOW MANY SURVIVORS WERE SERVED BY US THIS PAST YEAR? OVER A THOUSAND SURVIVORS WERE SERVED BY US AT THE RAPE AND SUICIDE CRISIS CENTER, AND OVER 4000 PEOPLE WERE EDUCATED ON THE TOPIC. AND I THINK THAT SHOWS THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE IMPACT WE'RE MAKING. IT ALSO SHOWS THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND IT'S NOT JUST OUR COMMUNITY, IT'S EVERYWHERE. SO IT MATTERS, AND WE HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THIS NARRATIVE. CHANGE HAPPENS WHEN AWARENESS TURNS INTO ACTION, AND WHEN A COMMUNITY CHOOSES NOT TO LOOK AWAY, SO HAVE THOSE HARD CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE, LISTEN TO SURVIVORS AND TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT SAFETY. TOGETHER WE ACT AND UNITED WE CHANGE. AND THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN. THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING APRIL 22ND AS 20 AND 2026 AS THE NATIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS DAY. ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS JACQUELINE GUNTER, CITY OF BEAUMONT HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER AND ANYBODY ELSE FROM HR THAT IS HERE, PLEASE COME FORWARD.A LITTLE BIT MORE THIS WAY RIGHT THERE. OKAY.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR, COUNCIL EXECUTIVE, CITY STAFF. IT IS OUR HONOR AND PLEASURE TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY ADMINISTRATORS.
CURRENTLY, THE CITY EMPLOYS OVER 90 OF THE MOST TALENTED ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS IN ALL OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. THESE EMPLOYEES SUPPORT CITY OPERATIONS ACROSS THE CITY FROM THE PUBLIC SERVICE ASPECT TO PUBLIC HEALTH, TO JUST ALL THE OPERATIONS IN BETWEEN. THE CITY WILL RECOGNIZE ALL OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22ND, WHERE THEY WILL BE PRESENTED WITH THIS PROCLAMATION, AS WELL AS THE APPRECIATION OF THE CITY DURING THEIR ANNUAL LUNCHEON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE WEEK OF APRIL 13TH THROUGH THE 18TH AS THE 78TH NECHES RIVER FESTIVAL WEEK IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MISTER ZACH STYLES, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NECHES RIVER FESTIVAL. MY SON IN LAW. THE. THE WHEELER SCHOOL CHAIR, MOLLY MOORE, AND EVERY MILE Y'ALL ALL COME UP. YES.
LET'S GET A LITTLE BIT THIS WAY. GET THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT. YEAH. MILES, MAYBE IF YOU COME UP.
HERE WE GO. OKAY. HERE WE GO. SORRY. ACTUALLY, STEP THIS WAY A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE COUNCILMAN DARIO. STEP THIS WAY A LITTLE RIGHT THERE. OKAY? OKAY. PERFECT. SORRY. OKAY.
[00:15:10]
RIGHT HERE. OKAY. SEE? MR. JUST A LITTLE BIT, YEAH. YEAH, YEAH. I CAN'T SEE IT. STILL CAN'T SEE YOU. ZACH. MOVE THAT WAY JUST A LITTLE BIT. THERE WE GO. OKAY. I WANT ONE OF THOSE. THAT'S BETTER. GOT IT. THANK YOU. YEAH. YOU GOT IT DONE. ALL RIGHT. COOL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE ARE VERY EXCITED FOR THE 78TH NECHES RIVER FESTIVAL. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE CITY'S PARTNERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVAL SEASON. IT'S ALWAYS A WONDERFUL TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY CELEBRATING OUR YOUTH. WE ACTUALLY HAVE 74 PRINCESSES THIS YEAR AND 28 DUCHESSES FROM OUR SURROUNDING SCHOOLS AND ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES. THE DUCHESS HAS COME FROM ALL OVER.WE'RE VERY EXCITED THIS YEAR. WE'VE INCREASED OUR SCHOLARSHIP DOLLAR AMOUNT. WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE OUT. EMILY HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AS SOCIAL CHAIR, AND MOLLY MOORE IS EXCELLENT AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. AND WE ALSO HAD CARA HAWKINS AND MILES HAYNES UP HERE AS WELL. AND AGAIN, JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYONE OUT AT THE FESTIVAL. WE'VE GOT THE PARADE COMING UP AND STREET PARTY, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY WELCOMING TO THE PUBLIC. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT. AND NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE WEEK OF APRIL 19TH THROUGH THE 25TH AS 2026, AS NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK, AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS MISTY CRAVER, JEFFERSON COUNTY VICTIMS ASSISTANCE CENTER PROGRAM DIRECTOR. AND EVERYONE ELSE.
SOME, MAYBE A COUPLE OF Y'ALL OVER ON THIS SIDE IN THE FRONT. YEAH. THANK YOU. SO. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. OH. AND HAVE. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, I'M MISTY CRAVER.
I'M WITH THE JEFFERSON COUNTY VICTIMS ASSISTANCE CENTER, ONE OF THE AGENCIES THAT HELPS WITH THE COALITION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME. WE'VE GOT REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM THE GARTH HOUSE, FROM THE CRISIS CENTER, FROM FAMILY SERVICES, SOUTHEAST TEXAS. AM I MISSING ANYBODY ELSE? AND ALSO THIS ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE HERE. IT'S WHEN I SEE FACES THAT I RECOGNIZE, IT MAKES ME REALIZE THE CAPACITY WITH WHICH VICTIMIZATION TOUCHES PEOPLE.
WE ARE LOOKING AT NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK, APRIL 19TH THROUGH THE 25TH.
OUR THEME THIS YEAR IS LISTEN, ACT, ADVOCATE, PROTECT VICTIMS, SERVE COMMUNITIES. AND IN THAT EFFORT, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THAT VICTIMS OF VIOLENT CRIME IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE GETTING CONNECTED WITH THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE A VERY COORDINATED EFFORT OF SERVICES HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS RECOGNIZED. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH
[00:20:01]
THAT. WE ARE DOING OUR ANNUAL CANDLELIGHT VIGIL. IT IS GOING TO BE APRIL 23RD, THURSDAY, APRIL 23RD AT 6 P.M. OF COURSE, WE INVITE ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM, ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND PARTICIPATE. WE APPRECIATE YOU RECOGNIZING THIS WEEK AND ALWAYS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND HELP IS ALWAYS GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.ALL RIGHT. AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF MAY AS OLDER AMERICANS MONTH AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS NANCY KIMBALL, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF NUTRITION AND SERVICES FOR SENIORS. AND I DON'T SEE. MISS KIMBALL, IS ANYBODY HERE TO REPRESENT? NOT. WE'LL GET IT TO THEM. ALL RIGHT. AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR LAST PROCLAMATION, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS AND FORENSICS MONTH. MRS. BRENDA JHARRISON, EXECUTIVE EXECUTIVE, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE OVER THE CHILD ABUSE AND FORENSIC SERVICES. SHE'LL BE ACCEPTING, ALONG WITH ANYBODY FROM YOUR COMMITTEE AND THAT VOLUNTEERS, PLEASE.
YES, MA'AM. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING AWARENESS TO AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS FAR TOO MANY OF OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY.
FOR NEARLY THREE DECADES, CHILD ABUSE AND FORENSIC SERVICES HAS PROVIDED FORENSIC MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS FOR ADULT AND CHILDREN OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. IN 1996, CAFS WAS CREATED BY THREE DETERMINED NURSES WHO RECOGNIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS AND OPENED THE FIRST PRIVATE FACILITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND REMAINS ONE OF ONLY A FEW. THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HELP AND SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY. MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, BUT APPROXIMATELY 75% OF THE PATIENTS THAT WE SEE ARE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 12. THAT MAKES COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND SUPPORT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. CHILD ABUSE AND FORENSIC SERVICES HAS EXAMINED OVER 5000 VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT SINCE OUR INCEPTION. OUR WORK WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT PARTNERSHIPS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, HOSPITALS, ADVOCATES, ALL WHO WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT VICTIMS. THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THE ISSUE AND FOR RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROTECTING THE MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND BEFORE WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, I'M GOING TO GET MR. KENNETH
[00:25:07]
COLEMAN TO COME BACK UP. WE'RE GOING TO GET ANOTHER PICTURE. OKAY. YEAH, YEAH YEAH YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO WAIT. WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER ONE FOR. OKAY. Y'ALL READY? I'M GREAT.GOT IT. YEAH. THEY JUST IF Y'ALL CAN COME BACK UP AS WELL.
JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE. THERE WE GO. YEAH. IF YOU WILL TAKE ONE STEP. EMILY. THIS WAY. YOU STAY THERE. SORRY, SORRY. AND THEN JUST GET A LITTLE BIT THIS WAY. YOU TOO. I SURE WILL. JUST TRYING TO GET YOU THIS WAY RIGHT THERE. AND ONE MORE STEP THIS WAY. OKAY. OH, YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR RIGHT THERE. WAIT A LITTLE BIT MORE. OKAY. NOW WE HAVE EQUAL DISTANCE, I THINK. OH, YEAH. I LIKE THE HANDLE HERE. OKAY, HERE WE GO. 123. THANK YOU. THAT'S GOOD.
WERE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ANY OF THAT? I DID OKAY AND COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, COME ON UP HERE. WE GOT WE GOT THIS LAST BIT OF BUSINESS. IF IF ANYBODY SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. NO SIR. NO ONE.
OKAY. I'LL SAVE YOU A FEW STEPS, THEN. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS POINT, THE NEXT PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITION PRESENTATION WILL BE TUESDAY, MAY 5TH, 2026 AT 1030. WE WILL NOW RECESS INTO
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
EXECUTIVE SESSION, AND WE WILL RECONVENE DOWN HERE* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.