[PROCLAMATIONS]
[00:05:53]
MIDDLE, PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. AND ONE. TWO. THREE. MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I, ON BEHALF OF
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THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PROCLAMATION AND FOR RECOGNIZING POLICE MEMORIAL WEEK AND POLICE OFFICERS.MEMORIAL DAY. OUR ANNUAL MEMORIAL OF RECOGNITION EVENT IS ACTUALLY WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK AT 9 A.M. SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S ON YOUR CALENDARS AND IT'S IN THE FRONT OF THE STATION. AS ALWAYS, THIS WEEK HOLDS DEEP MEANING FOR US IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. REMEMBER THAT IT ISN'T JUST SWORN STAFF, BUT THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT WE HAVE DAY IN AND DAY OUT WHO ARE DEDICATED TO SERVING THIS COMMUNITY. THIS WEEK IS NOT JUST ABOUT RECOGNITION, THOUGH.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT REMEMBRANCE. IT'S A TIME TO HONOR BOTH THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIFE IN SERVICE, INTO THE FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE FRIENDS THEY LEFT BEHIND. EVERY TIME AN OFFICER WALKS OUT THE DOOR, THE FAMILY UNDERSTANDS THE RISK THAT COMES WITH THE PROFESSION, AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS STRONGEST. WIND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COMMUNITY STAND TOGETHER, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT WE'RE BLESSED IN BEAUMONT TO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF BOTH THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY WILL NEVER FORGET THOSE WE'VE LOST AND WILL CONTINUE TO HONOR THEM THROUGH SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR STANDING WITH US. NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY 3RD THROUGH THE NINTH, 2026 AS NATIONAL HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK AND ACCEPTING WILL BE OUR VERY OWN MRS. SHEKINAH NOBLE, CITY OF BEAUMONT. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR.
PICTURE. MA'AM. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET OFF THAT EASY. IT FEELS GOOD. A LITTLE BIT THIS WAY AND GET YOU CENTERED A LITTLE BIT MORE RIGHT THERE. PERFECT. OKAY. ONE.
TWO. THREE. SORRY. PERFECT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. COUNCIL. TRY AS I MIGHT, I WAS NOT AS PREPARED TO RUN AWAY FROM THE CAMERA AS I AM. PUSHING PREPAREDNESS FOR HURRICANE SEASON. AS YOU KNOW, HURRICANES IS NO STRANGER TO THIS REGION AND TO THIS AREA, BEING A COASTAL COMMUNITY. AND SO WE'D LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO KICK OFF WHAT IS COMING HURRICANE SEASON, TO REMIND OUR CITIZENS TO GET PREPARED. AND NOW IS THE TIME TO BE ABLE TO DO SO. AND THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT PREPAREDNESS TIPS THAT THE CITIZENS AND OURSELVES CAN DO. FIRST AND FOREMOST IS HAVING THAT FAMILY PLAN, KNOWING WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AND WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GO IN THE EVENT THAT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE SOME TYPE OF RESPONSE TO A STORM THAT'S THREATENING THE AREA. SO THAT IS PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE STAND THERE. IN MY OFFICE, WE HAVE JILLIAN CASSIDY AND TAYLOR MARTIN, WHO WORKS FULL TIME IN THE OFFICE, AND WE DILIGENTLY WORK THROUGHOUT THE SEASON JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONSISTENTLY PUSHING THAT MESSAGE OF BEING PREPARED AND STAYING PREPARED FOR HURRICANE
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SEASON. OKAY. AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. I KNOW OUR OFFICE COULD NOT DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THE BLESSING AND THE SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVE FROM YOU GUYS EVERY YEAR, EVERY DAY. AND SO WE JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME ALSO TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF MAY AS ROTARY CLUB OF BEAUMONT MONTH. ACCEPTING WILL NOT BE MRS. CHRISTI YOUNG CHRISTI YOUNG CONSULTANTS. IT IS. OH, SORRY ABOUT THAT. DID I GET YOU? NOTHING SPILLED. YOU GO. NO. I'M GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. HOW ARE YOU? HOW YOU DOING? GOOD. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU COMING UP LATER TO JACKIE? I KNOW YOU DID. I THOUGHT YOU WERE PLAYING WITH ME. I'M NOT GOING TO THINK THAT ANYMORE.MAYBE IF A COUPLE MORE WHEN I GO ON THIS SIDE, MAYBE. FREDDY. YEAH, IF YOU WOULD BALANCE IT A LITTLE BIT. ALL RIGHT. CAN EVERYBODY SEE ME READY? AND ONE, TWO. THREE. OKAY. THANK YOU.
MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THIS PROCLAMATION. WE HAVE SEVERAL ROTARIANS HERE, BOTH FROM THE ROTARY CLUB OF BEAUMONT AND THE SPINDLETOP ROTARY CLUB. AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE QUITE A BIT OF REPRESENTATION FROM CITY EMPLOYEES AND THE MAYOR, AS WELL AS IN OUR THE ROTARY CLUB OF BEAUMONT. SO WE APPRECIATE THE CITY'S SUPPORT. ROTARY FIRST CAME TO BEAUMONT IN 1913 AND HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN MAKING THIS COMMUNITY A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK. THE ROTARY CLUB OF BEAUMONT AND SPINDLETOP ROTARY CLUB PARTNERED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO CREATE THE POLLINATOR GARDENS OUT AT TERRELL PARK. SO YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUT THERE TO SEE THAT. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE GO TAKE A LOOK. AND I THINK VERY SOON WE'VE RAISED MONEY FOR SIGNAGE FOR EDUCATION ABOUT POLLINATORS THAT WILL BE COMING UP, GOING, BEING PUT OUT THERE SOON AS WELL. NOT THIS WEEK, BUT NEXT WEEK. IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND THE ROTARY CLUB MEETING ON WEDNESDAY AT NOON, WE'LL BE HONORING LAW ENFORCEMENT, INCLUDING A BUNCH OF RECOGNITION FOR THE BEAUMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND AS A GUEST, PLEASE LET ANY OF US KNOW AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HOST YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY 3RD THROUGH THE NINTH, 2026 AS NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS FREDDY WILLARD, DIRECTOR OF BEAUMONT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, AS WELL AS OTHER WONDERFUL STAFF. AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. GOOD TO SEE YOU, JOE. THERE WE GO. ALL RIGHT. MAYBE IF YOU WANT TO COME ON THIS SIDE, THAT WILL BOUNCE IT OUT A LITTLE BIT. OKAY, PERFECT. OH, MAKE SURE I CAN SEE COUNCILMAN DARIO ACTUALLY STEP THIS WAY A TINY BIT. RIGHT THERE. YEP. THERE WE GO. OKAY, I HAVE SEEN IN THE BACKGROUND, BUT I GUESS THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. READY? ONE. TWO THREE. THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU A FEW. I WASN'T GOING TO SAY ANYTHING. NO, BUT YOU WILL. GOOD MORNING. I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT. MAYOR. WEST CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, EXECUTIVE STAFF. TODAY WE HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF MARKETING HERE, AND SHE'S GOING TO SAY A FEW WORDS ON BEHALF OF THE BEAUMONT CVB. GOOD MORNING. I FIRST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR MAYOR,
[00:15:03]
OUR ESTEEMED CITY COUNCIL, AND ALL THE EXECUTIVE STAFF MEMBERS WHO PLAY A PART IN MAKING THESE SPECIAL CEREMONIES POSSIBLE. MY NAME IS DESIREE PEET. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING FOR THE BEAUMONT CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CVB. OUR CVB IS STAFFED BY 16 HARD WORKING, DEDICATED EMPLOYEES WHOSE SOLE MISSION IS TO PROMOTE BEAUMONT AS A MEETING AND TOURISM DESTINATION. FROM KEN AND JASON OUT AT CATTAIL MARSH, GIVING TOURS TO REBECCA TO REBECCA AT TERRELL PARK NATURE CENTER, PROVIDING PROGRAMING AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR OUR VISITORS AND OUR LITTLEST NATURISTS. TO THE MAIN OFFICE STAFF WHO ANSWER CALLS, TAKE MEETINGS, ATTEND TRAININGS AND CREATE THE VISION OF BEAUMONT THAT WE WANT THE WORLD TO SEE, BECOME FAMILIAR WITH AND LOVE AS MUCH AS WE DO. WE WORK HARD, Y'ALL, BUT ALL THAT HARD WORK IS FOR A REASON. ACCORDING TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S TRAVEL TEXAS RESEARCH DASHBOARD, IN 2025, TEXAS SAW NINE POINT, I'M SORRY, $98.7 BILLION IN DIRECT SPENDING, 98.7 BILLION WITH A B. THAT'S UP 1.2% OVER 2024. SO TRAVEL AND TOURISM IS GROWING IN TEXAS. THAT SPENDING ACCOUNTS FOR EVERYTHING FROM ACCOMMODATIONS, FOOD, GAS, RETAIL AND ENTERTAINMENT. AND BEAUMONT IS RIGHT THERE IN THAT GROWTH. IN 2025, BEAUMONT SAW 409.3 MILLION IN DIRECT SPENDING, WHICH IS UP 4.4% OVER 2024. TAX REVENUE OF $35.5 MILLION, WHICH IS UP 6.3% OVER 2024 AND 11.3 MILLION OF THAT, OR 31.8% OF THAT TAX REVENUE, CAME FROM LOCAL TAX RECEIPTS.THE DATA ALSO SHOWS THAT TRAVEL AND TOURISM SUPPORTED MORE THAN 3100 LOCAL JOBS AND $88 MILLION IN JOB EARNINGS. SO BEAUMONT IS GROWING, AND THE CVB STAFF IS HERE TO SUPPORT AND PUSH THAT.
WE WANT NEW MEETING AND EVENT BUSINESS TO COME TO BEAUMONT, BECAUSE BEAUMONT HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY. ONE OF OUR MARKETING CAMPAIGNS IS WE'RE ALL THAT AND SOME LAGNIAPPE.
LAGNIAPPE IS A CAJUN FRENCH WORD THAT MEANS A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA, JUST A. THE CHERRY ON TOP RIGHT. THAT EXTRA CAN BE FOUND IN EVERYTHING FROM OUR AMAZING HOSPITALITY PROVIDED AT HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS, TO THE SCENIC VIEWS YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO GET AT OUR PARKS AND GREEN SPACES, AND THE FOOD THAT WILL MAKE YOU GO TO A LOCAL BOUTIQUE AND BUY STRETCHY PANTS BECAUSE YOU OVERATE ON YOUR VISIT, YOU ALWAYS GET A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA IN BEAUMONT, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING SO HARD TO GROW. BEAUMONT ONE MEETING AT A TIME. ONE EVENT, ONE TOURNAMENT, ONE CONFERENCE. THANK YOU FOR THE HONOR OF THIS PROCLAMATION, AND WE HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US AT OUR NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK EVENT. THE SOUND OF BEAUMONT THIS FRIDAY, MAY 8TH AT FOR THE RECORD, 999 CALDER AVENUE AT 6 P.M. WE'RE SHOWCASING LIVE MUSIC AND ALL THE SOUNDS THAT ARE HAPPENING AROUND US THAT HELP TO MAKE BEAUMONT A PREMIER TRAVEL AND TOURISM DESTINATION. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE, AND AS A TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION FROM THE CVB AND FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR MISSION, ALL OF THE EXECUTIVE STAFF AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE A LITTLE LAGNIAPPE AFTER THE MEETING. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY 22ND AS THE 2026 NATIONAL MARITIME DAY ACCEPTING WILL BE MISTER IVAN MOBLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SEAFARERS CENTER OF BEAUMONT OR. AND DO WE HAVE SOMEBODY ACCEPTING ON HIS BEHALF? I DON'T SEE HIM.
ALL RIGHT. WE'LL JUST MOVE ALONG. SHARE THAT WITH THEM LATER. AND LASTLY, WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY 3RD THROUGH THE NINTH, 2026 AS PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK.
ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS JACKIE GUNTER, CITY OF BEAUMONT, HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER.
OH, HERE YOU GO. WHAT'S UP MAN? HELLO HELLO. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING.
HELLO. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. OKAY WE GOT SOME. IT'S THE FIRST ONE I EVER HAD. I GOT
[00:20:08]
SOME TAKE A BIG STEP THIS WAY. A LITTLE BIT MORE. OKAY. I'VE BEEN MISSING ME. OKAY. READY? AND ONE. TWO. THREE. OKAY. I GUESS SOMEBODY ASKED ME, ARE YOU GOING TO BE ON THE PROCLAMATION? GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, ON BEHALF OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE WEEK, PUBLIC SERVICE RECOGNITION WEEK HONORS FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. THIS YEAR, OUR COMMITTEE, WHICH CONSISTS OF REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE MULTIPLE CITY FUNCTIONS. WE HAVE CRYSTAL GARZA FROM ENGINEERING, ROSANNA MOJICA FROM I.T, FRANCIS THOMPSON COMMUNICATIONS, LINDSAY GILBREATH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING, JENNIFER PEYTON EVENTS, TARYN ROCHEFORT FROM LEGAL, SARAH HULL FROM THE LIBRARY, LATASHA SAMS FROM THE CVB, AND LARISSA ALI FROM A FROM RECREATION.THIS YEAR OUR TEAM IS GIRL POWER, SO. BUT WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO HONOR OUR EMPLOYEES IN THE FIELD, IN THE FIELD, IN THE OFFICES. AS THE CITY OF BEAUMONT DOES EMPLOY THE BEST OF THE BEST IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS. SO THIS YEAR WE HAVE TONS OF EVENTS PLANNED. IT KICKED OFF YESTERDAY WITH THANKS A WHOLE LOT, WHERE WE STARTED OFF DELIVERING DONUTS AT 7 A.M. TO ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS. SO THAT WAS A FUN DAY. AND WE'LL CULMINATE THE WEEK WITH SNOW CONES AND A FUN DAY OVER AT THE.
AT THE CIVIC CENTER. AND SO WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS. WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR OUR MANAGEMENT TO ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO DO THIS. BECAUSE ONE OF MY BRAGGING POINTS WHEN I'M AROUND OTHER MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES FROM OTHER CITIES IS THAT THE GREAT THINGS THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT ALLOWS US TO DO, AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE DON'T DO THAT. I'M SORRY. COME TO BEAUMONT. SO WE'RE SO EVER GRATEFUL FOR THE CONSTANT SUPPORT AND ALLOWING US TO DO THIS, AS WELL AS YOUR SUPPORT COMING TO SUPPORT THE EMPLOYEES AS WELL. THANK YOU. SO I DON'T
[PUBLIC COMMENT ON EXECUTIVE SESSION]
HAVE ANY MORE PROCLAMATIONS. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK. YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM OR ANY OTHER ITEM. YOUR CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO SPEAK. WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, SAY YOUR ADDRESS, CITY AND STATE. IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY BEEN STATED, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP? NO SIR, WE DO NOT. ALL RIGHT. THE NEXT PROCLAMATION AND RECOGNITION PRESENTATION WILL BE. WELL, THEN. COME ON, COME ON DOWN. COME ON DOWN. SORRY. THE NEXT.THE GAME SHOW. GOOD MORNING. MY APOLOGIES FOR NOT BEING HERE EARLY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO SIGN UP. OKAY. MY NAME IS MONTE MORGAN. I AM A RESIDENT OF BEAUMONT LIVE AT 960 GOODHUE ROAD. I HAVE LIVED IN BEAUMONT MYSELF SINCE 1975, BUT I HAVE A LONG HISTORY WITH BEAUMONT BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS BORN HERE. MY GRANDPARENTS MATERNAL GRANDPARENTS LIVED HERE INTO THE EARLY 1900S, SO I HAVE A CONNECTION TO BEAUMONT, AND I DO SO BECAUSE I'VE MADE A CHOICE TO LIVE HERE. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I BE ABLE TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE AS I KNOW FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING NOT TO LIVE HERE. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO GET MY 40 YEAR OLD SON, DAUGHTER IN LAW AND GRANDCHILDREN BACK IN BEAUMONT. BUT I CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE WE DON'T OFFER ENOUGH FOR THEM. SO I'M HERE THIS MORNING TO TO ADVOCATE ON MY OWN BEHALF. I'M ALSO HERE IN AS A PART OF A CAMPAIGN THAT YOU MAY BE AWARE OF CONCERNING TAX ABATEMENTS, AND THAT IS TO BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE COMMUNITY, THE IMPACT THAT TAX ABATEMENTS ARE HAVING ON OUR COMMUNITY. AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, IF I CAN READ ALL THE LEGALESE, THAT
[00:25:04]
THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.TAX ABATEMENTS ARE A PART OF THAT. I, I AM MAKING THE PRESUMPTION THAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT TAX ABATEMENTS. SO YOU PROBABLY KNOW THE TALKING POINTS, WHICH IS TAX ABATEMENTS MEANS LESS MONEY FOR SCHOOLS AND SERVICES, ROADS AND DRAINAGE, EMERGENCY SERVICES, LIBRARIES AND COMMUNITY SERVICES. AND THAT IT IT INCREASES THE COMMUNITY COST FOR CLASS SIZES AND EDUCATION, UNDERFUNDED HOSPITALS, SMALLER EMERGENCY RESPONSE, FEWER PUBLIC RESOURCES, SAFETY AND HEALTH NEEDS, POLLUTION, INFRASTRUCTURE STRAIN. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY, REALLY AFFECTS US AND IN OUR EVERYDAY LIFE IS THAT WE DO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. I MEAN, WE DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN ORDER TO PROVIDE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS AN INVESTMENT IN THAT. BUT OUR TAX ABATEMENTS DON'T SEEM TO PROVIDE THOSE BENEFITS. IT SEEMS TO PROVIDE THE BENEFITS TO THE RECIPIENTS OF THE TAX ABATEMENTS. AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONSIDER THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAVING ON OUR COMMUNITY. YOU CAN'T MAKE A A GOOD STATEMENT IN NOWADAYS UNLESS YOU DRAW IT TO YOUR YOUR RELIGIOUS FAITH. IS THAT THE END? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. BUT ANYWAY, WE HOPE YOU'LL YOU'LL CONSIDER OUR CONCERN WITH WITH WHAT'S GOING ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE SIGN UP.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
ALL RIGHT. AT THIS POINT WE WILL NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.