* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. TODAY'S MEETING OF [00:00:01] CITY COUNCIL. TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY FATHER ANDREW MOORE OF ST. ANNE'S CATHOLIC CHURCH. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONE, AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. AND FATHER, YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM. I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME IN PRAYER. HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF THIS DAY AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER IN SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF BEAUMONT, OUR HOME AND THE CITY THAT WE LOVE. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE FREEDOMS WE ENJOY, THE PEOPLE WE SERVE, AND THE TRUST PLACED IN THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ELECTED AND APPOINTED TO LEAD. GRANT WISDOM, LORD, TO THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL, AS THEY DELIBERATE AND MAKE DECISIONS, GIVE THEM DISCERNMENT TO SEEK WHAT IS RIGHT, COURAGE TO UPHOLD WHAT IS JUST, AND HUMILITY, TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO THE CITIZENS THEY REPRESENT. HELP US REMEMBER THAT WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL, THE GREATER GOOD OF OUR CITY, EVEN IF OPINIONS DIFFER AS TO HOW BEST TO REALIZE THAT GOAL. BLESS OUR CITY, ITS RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, FIRST RESPONDERS, CHURCHES, EDUCATORS, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, AND ALL WHO CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU ESPECIALLY FOR ALL WHO HAVE RESPONDED AND ARE RESPONDING TO TROPICAL STORM. EDWARD, PROTECT THOSE WHO SERVE AND PROVIDE COMFORT TO THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING, GRIEVING, OR IN NEED. MAY THE DISCUSSIONS AND ACTIONS OF THIS MEETING BE GUIDED BY INTEGRITY, RESPECT, AND A SINCERE DESIRE TO PROMOTE THE COMMON GOOD. HELP OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITIZENS WORK TOGETHER IN A SPIRIT OF MUTUAL RESPECT, SEEKING SOLUTIONS THAT STRENGTHEN OUR CITY AND BENEFIT BOTH PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS. I ASK THESE BLESSINGS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE REPUBLIC. MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO. TIM CRENSHAW. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DORIO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS HERE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER SHERWOOD HERE. THANK YOU. THIS MORNING WE HAD OUR PRE, UH, PROCLAMATIONS AND RECOGNITIONS, AND WE HAD A COUNCIL ROOM FULL. SO, UH, I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE FIRST MEETING OF NEXT MONTH, ON THAT TUESDAY, IT'LL BE AT 10 30 AS WELL. SO AT THIS [ Communication Update] TIME, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A COMMUNICATION UPDATE FROM THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. HERE ARE YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THIS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH. VEEVA BEAUMONT IS BACK. JOIN US SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH FROM THREE TO 8:00 PM ON MAIN STREET IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT FOR A FREE CELEBRATION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE AND CULTURE. ENJOY LIVE MUSIC. LUCHA, LIBRA WRESTLING, BALLET, FOLK, LOCO, FOOD, TRUCKS, BEER AND MICHELADA, AND PLENTY OF FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY. THE CITY OF BEAUMONT'S PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM IS TURNING 100 YEARS OLD. JOIN US WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH FROM TWO TO 4:00 PM AT THE TERRELL HISTORICAL LIBRARY ON PEARL STREET IN DOWNTOWN BEAUMONT. AS WE CELEBRATE A CENTURY OF SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, COME HELP US MARK THIS SPECIAL MILESTONE AND CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF BEAUMONT LIBRARY HISTORY. LOOKING FOR A NEW BEST FRIEND. BEAUMONT ANIMAL CARE IS JOINING THE AS PCA'S RESCUE EFFECT CAMPAIGN AND WAIVING ALL ADOPTION FEES FROM TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH. AND IT GETS EVEN BETTER. THE FREE ADOPTIONS ALSO INCLUDE SPAY OR NEUTER, A MICROCHIP FIRST SET OF VACCINES, FLEA PREVENTION AND DEWORMER. SO STOP BY BEAUMONT ANIMAL CARE AT 1884 PINE STREET AND HELP GIVE A SHELTER PET A NEW HOME. TWO NEW HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOMES IN BEAUMONT ARE GETTING CLOSER TO COMPLETION. THE HOMES ARE BEING BUILT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY, USING FEDERAL HOME FUNDS, SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. CITY EMPLOYEES HELPED WITH CONSTRUCTION EARLIER THIS YEAR ALONG WITH THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND BOTH HOMES ARE ON SCHEDULE TO BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER. JUST IN TIME FOR TWO BEAUMONT FAMILIES TO CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS INSIDE A BRAND NEW HOME. LAST NOVEMBER, BEAUMONT VOTERS APPROVED PROPOSITION A A $58.2 MILLION BOND TO IMPROVE OUR STREETS DRAINAGE [00:05:01] AND SIDEWALKS THANKS TO THE VOTERS WHO SUPPORTED THAT INVESTMENT. THE FIRST MAJOR PROJECT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY. WE CAUGHT UP WITH SOME CREWS CLEANING OUR STORM SEWER SYSTEM TO SHOW HOW THOSE BOND DOLLARS ARE ALREADY MAKING A DIFFERENCE. TAKE A LOOK IF YOU'VE SEEN THESE TRUCKS WORKING AROUND BEAUMONT LATELY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRST MAJOR PROJECT FUNDED BY PROPOSITION A PASSED BY VOTERS LAST NOVEMBER. IT'S NOT THE MOST NOTICEABLE PROJECT BECAUSE ALMOST ALL OF THE WORK IS HAPPENING UNDERGROUND, BUT CITY LEADERS SAY IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING STORM WATER MOVE THROUGH THE DRAINAGE SYSTEM. THIS IS THE FIRST PROJECT TO REALLY GET STARTED. THIS WAS ONE THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER SHOVEL READY BEFORE ANY WORK BEGAN. THE CITY SPENT MONTHS INSPECTING HUNDREDS OF MILES OF STORM SEWER PIPE USING SPECIALIZED CAMERAS TO FIND EXACTLY WHERE DEBRIS WAS RESTRICTING THE FLOW OF WATER. WE HAD THE SYSTEM MAPPED OUT. WE KNEW WHAT OUR, THE WORK THAT WE NEEDED TO DO ONCE WE HAD THE GO AHEAD TO GET STARTED ON THIS CLEANING PROCESS. SO WE KNEW WHICH AREAS WE NEEDED TO ATTACK FIRST. WE WANT TO GO CLEAN, DIRTY PIPES. WE DON'T WANNA WASTE MONEY, TIME ASSETS, CLEANING CLEAN PIPES TO IDENTIFY THOSE DIRTY PIPES. IN 2024, COMPLIANCE AND VIRAL SYSTEMS BEGAN RUNNING SMALL CAMERAS UNDERGROUND TO FIND ANY ISSUES THAT WOULD PREVENT WATER FROM FLOWING SMOOTHLY WITH THOSE AREAS IDENTIFIED AND BOND MONEY SECURED. CES IS GETTING TO WORK, CLEANING ONE STORM DRAIN AT A TIME, TARGETING THE AREAS MOST PRONE TO FLOODING FIRST. AND OVER TIME AS THOSE PIPES FILL UP WITH DEBRIS, UH, DEBRIS FROM STREETS, LEAVES, UM, DIRT OFF THE STREET AND, AND SOMETIMES, UH, UM, SOME OTHER THINGS THAT JUST GET THROWN OUTTA CARS OR, OR, UH, YARD WASTE OR, UH, OR CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS END UP IN STORM DRAINS AND, AND THAT, THAT DIMINISHES THE CAPACITY OF WHAT THOSE STORM DRAINS CAN ACTUALLY FLOW. THE JOB THEN BECOMES HOW TO GET ALL OF THAT DEBRIS OUT OF THE PIPES AND INTO THE LANDFILL. THEY'RE GONNA FILL THEIR TRUCK UP WITH HYDRANT WATER AND THEY'RE GONNA SCOUR THE INSIDE OF THE PIPE WITH A COMBINATION JET VAC TRUCK. IT'S GOT THE JETTING ASSET AND THEN IT'S GOT VACUUM. SO IT'S BASICALLY PRESSURE WASHING THE CATCH BASIN, THE PIPES, CONNECTING THE CATCH BASINS, AND BRINGING ALL THE DEBRIS BACK TO THE CATCH BASIN WHERE IT CAN BE VACUUMED UP AND THEN HAULED OFF TO A LANDFILL, AN APPROVED LANDFILL WHERE THEY CAN DISPOSE OF IT PROPERLY. OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, CES EXPECTS TO CLEAN ABOUT 32 MILES OF PIPE, PULLING OUT OVER 4,000 TONS OF DEBRIS FROM OUR STORM DRAINS. AND ONCE THE DEBRIS IS REMOVED, A ZOOM CAMERA WILL THEN GO BACK INSIDE THE PIPE TO VERIFY IT'S CLEAN AND TO DOCUMENT FOR THE CITY ANY FURTHER REPAIRS THAT NEED TO BE MADE. SO THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS GONNA BE FROM THE HOMEOWNERS, THE GUYS THAT COME OUT AND SAY, MAN, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK IT RAINED AND IT PONDED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE FOR TWO HOURS THIS WEEK IT RAINED AND IT WAS IMMEDIATELY GONE. WHILE STORM SEWER CLEANING WON'T ELIMINATE FLOODING DURING EVERY MAJOR STORM, IT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARD IMPROVING BEAUMONT DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND HELPING IT PERFORM THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED. CITY LEADERS SAY IT'S ALSO THE FIRST VISIBLE EXAMPLE OF PROPOSITION A DOLLARS AT WORK. IN THE MONTHS AHEAD, RESIDENTS CAN EXPECT TO SEE MORE PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE BOND, INCLUDING STREET REHABILITATION, OTHER DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, AND NEW SIDEWALKS ACROSS BEAUMONT. LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL OF THE PROPOSITION A PROJECTS PASSED BY VOTERS BY GOING TO BEAUMONT TEXAS.GOV/BOND. AND FINALLY, AS WE CONTINUE RECOVERING FROM TROPICAL STORM ED EDWARD, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE CITY CREWS WHO HAVE WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD OVER THIS PAST WEEK. FOR THE LAST SIX DAYS, OUR PARKS CREWS HAVE WORKED 10 HOUR DAYS OR LONGER, REMOVING MORE THAN 80 DOWN TREES AND HELPING REOPEN OUR ROADWAYS. THESE ARE NOT TRAINED ARBORISTS. THEY'RE EMPLOYEES WHO NORMALLY WORK, UH, COVERING OUR PARKS, MAINTAINING OUR BALL FIELDS, AND KEEPING OUR PUBLIC SPACES CLEAN BY PICKING UP LITTER. BUT WHEN THE STORM HIT, THEY STEPPED UP WITHOUT HESITATION. STREET CREWS HAVE CLEARED ANOTHER 53 TREES WHILE CONTINUING TO COORDINATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND UTILITY COMPANIES. SOLID WASTE HAS HAULED 146 LOADS TO THE LANDFILL, TOTALING NEARLY 900 TONS OF STORM DEBRIS, AND THEY'RE STILL AT IT TODAY, STARTING AT SEVEN O'CLOCK THIS MORNING. CONTINUING, UM, TO CLEAN UP ACROSS BEAUMONT. WANNA THANK ALL OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE WORKED THESE LONG HOURS, STEPPED UP OUTSIDE THEIR NORMAL DUTIES TO GET BEAUMONT BACK UP AND RUNNING. AND WE'RE ALSO GRATEFUL FOR OUR LINEMEN, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, CONTRACTORS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE WORKED ALONGSIDE OF US. IT'S BEEN A TRUE COMMUNITY EFFORT. WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO HAS PLAYED A PART IN HELPING BEAUMONT'S RECOVERY. AND THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA [PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT] MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENTS. NOW'S THE TIME FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK. YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AND REGULAR AGENDA ITEMS ONE THROUGH EIGHT OR ANY OTHER TOPIC. ITEMS NINE THROUGH 11 HAVE ALREADY BEEN HEARD AND PUBLIC HEARING. THEREFORE, CITIZENS CANNOT SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS WILL BE ALSO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING. [00:10:01] THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO SPEAK. WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM. UH, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOUR ADDRESS AND CITY AND STATE. IF IT WASN'T IDENTIFIED BEFORE, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON, UH, WHEN YOU APPROACH, AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP. UM, DANIEL JEANS 25 0 9 CABLE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. CITY COUNCIL DAN JEANS WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HOW CENTER STANDS FOR HONESTY OPEN-MINDED AND WILLINGNESS. THREE ESSENTIALS FOR RECOVERY. UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU GOT THE HANDOUT. WE'RE HAVING A BIG GOLF TOURNAMENT WITH A A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OPPORTUNITY HOLE IN ONE. UH, INVITE YOU TO COME OUT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH US. WE ALSO HAVE SOME VETERAN AND FIRST RESPONDER TEAMS ALREADY PAID FOR. SO IF YOU KNOW ANY VETERANS OR FIRST RESPONDERS, JUST HAVE 'EM GET IN TOUCH WITH ME. IT'S REALLY EASY. JUST SEARCH THE HOUSE CENTER. BEAUMONT PULLS OUR WEBSITE RIGHT UP AT THE PHONE NUMBER. OUR PHONE NUMBER IS ANSWERED 24 HOURS A DAY. UH, CAME HERE TODAY JUST TO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THANK THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR BEING A GREAT PARTNER WITH US. WE'RE FIXING TO CELEBRATE IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS, 35 YEARS, A SERVER IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. UH, LAST YEAR WE HAD A GRAND OPENING OF A NEW FACILITY THAT Y'ALL BLESS US AND LET US BUILD. UH, WE HAD 46 MEN AT THE TIME. UH, LAST NIGHT. WE HAD 66 INDIVIDUALS UNDER OUR ROOF THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE ALL IN THE STREET OR COUCH SURFING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS GOING ON. I JUST WANTED TO COME UP HERE, INVITE YOU TO THIS. OKAY. TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE HOUSE CENTER. UH, WE ARE BLESSED. UH, GOD DOES WATCH OVER THE HOUSE CENTER. WE TRY TO DO HIS WILL AND SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UM, PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE ALUMNI OF THE HOUSE CENTER HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER. AND THIS FALL WE'LL BE ANNOUNCING A HOUSE CENTER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS IN BEAUMONT THAT HAVE AT LEAST A 90% ATTENDANCE RATE, UH, GOING TO SCHOOL AND, UH, UH, AND DISADVANTAGE AND IS GIVE 'EM AN OPPORTUNITY TO PAY SOME OF THEIR BILLS WHILE THEY GO TO COLLEGE. IF YOU WANNA KNOW MORE, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE. YOU CAN GO TO OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. ANY SUPPORTERS, ANY WAY WE CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY. UH, BELIEVE ME, DON'T BE AFRAID TO REACH OUT. WE GET A LOT OF PHONE CALLS EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HELP EVERYBODY, BUT WE HAVE A NETWORK OF PEOPLE OVER THE LAST 35 YEARS THAT 95% OF THE TIME WE CAN POINT 'EM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. PROUD TO HAVE, PROUD TO BE IN BEAUMONT. Y'ALL HAVE SERIOUS BUSINESS, BUT I WANTED TO START THE DAY OFF WITH SOMETHING UPLIFTING AND LET Y'ALL KNOW WE ARE PROUD TO BE IN BEAUMONT AND PROUD OF, UH, OF THE, UH, RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE HAD WITH BEAUMONT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, CARLTON SHARP, 51, 50 PLANT ROAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, COUNCIL AND STAFF. I WANNA ADDRESS THE DISCUSSION, UH, ADDRESS THE DISCUSSION ABOUT CUTTING COUNCIL SALARIES AS A RESPONSE TO THE CITY'S CURRENT FINANCIAL CHALLENGES. I DISAGREE WITH THAT APPROACH, NOT BECAUSE I BELIEVE ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD NOT BE EXEMPT FROM SACRIFICE, BUT BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE HONEST WITH THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT THAT CUTTING COUNTS AND SALARIES WILL NOT MAKE MEANINGFUL A MEANINGFUL DENT IN THE DEFICIT WE ARE FACING. IT MAY SOUND GOOD PUBLICLY, IT MAY CREATE THE APPEARANCE THAT SOMETHING IS BEING DONE, BUT SYMBOLISM IS NOT SOMETHING NOT THE SAME AS FINANCIAL, A FINANCIAL SOLUTION. WE CANNOT HAVE SIGNIFICANT BUDGET PROBLEMS WITH A SYMBOLIC GESTURE. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, NO ONE WANTS A TAX INCREASE. I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY CITIZEN WAKES UP WANTING TO PAY MORE TAXES. FAMILIES ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH HIGHER COSTS FOR GROCERIES, INSURANCE, UTILITIES, HOUSING, AND EVERYDAY NECESSITIES. BUT GOVERNING REQUIRES US TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS ALSO A COST ASSOCIATED WITH MAINTAINING THE SERVICES CITIZENS EXPECT FROM THE CITY. THE MORE IMPORTANT CONVERSATION IS HOW WE ARRIVED AT THIS POINT. A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE CITY MANAGER AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF PRESENTED A RECOMMENDED TAX RATE BASED UPON WHAT THEY BELIEVE WAS NECESSARY TO FUND CITY OPERATIONS AND PRESERVED THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF BEAUMONT COUNCIL MADE THE DECISION NOT TO FOLLOW THAT RECOMMENDATION. THAT DECISION HAS CONSEQUENCES. YOU CANNOT REDUCE EXPECTED RE REVENUES AND THEN LATER ACT SURPRISED WHEN THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO MEET THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY. IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS DEFICIT, THEN WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DECISIONS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO IT. WHAT CUTTING COUNCIL'S SALARIES DOES IS PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SHOWN TO THE PUBLIC. BUT BEAUMONT DOES NOT NEED POLITICAL THEATER. BEAUMONT NEEDS SOUND. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT LEADERSHIP SOMETIMES REQUIRES [00:15:01] MAKING DECISIONS THAT ARE UNPOPULAR TODAY BECAUSE THEY ARE NECESSARY FOR TOMORROW. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH COUNCIL REVIEWING ITS COMPENSATION. IF COUNCIL BELIEVES SALARIES SHOULD BE REDUCED AS A MATTER OF POLICY, THEN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. BUT PLEASE DON'T PRESENT A SALARY REDUCTION AS THOUGH IT IS A SERIOUS SOLUTION TO THE CITY'S FINANCIAL PROBLEM WITH MA, WHICH IS MA MATHEMATICALLY, IT'S NOT ACCURATE. AGAIN, NO ONE WANTS HIGHER TAXES, BUT WE ALSO CANNOT DEMAND BETTER STREETS, STRONGER PUBLIC SAFETY, COMPETITIVE EMPLOYEE SALARIES, IMPROVE DRAINAGE AND QUALITY CITY SERVICES, WHILE PRETENDING THOSE THINGS CAN BE PROVIDED WITHOUT ADEQUATE REVENUE. WE SHOULD LISTEN TO OUR PROFESSIONAL STAFF. WE SHOULD EXAMINE THE NUMBERS. AND WHEN WE DISAGREE WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATION, WE MUST ALSO BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE ACTIONS. THIS MOMENT REQUIRES MORE THAN SOMETHING THAT LOOKS GOOD. IT REQUIRES RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP, NOT SYMBOLISM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. UM, JOSEPH TREHAN, 26 6 20 ASHLEY STREET, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. AFTER A LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT BEAUMONT'S STRUCTURAL BUDGET PROBLEMS DURING THE LAST MEETING, A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL DECIDED TO CAP THE POTENTIAL TAX RATE AT 0.6832 PER 100 BELOW THE CERTIFIED NO NEW REVENUE RATE. EVEN THOUGH THE BUDGET AT THAT LEVEL STILL LEAVES ROUGHLY 1.9 MILLION IN DEFICIT SPENDING. IN MY OPINION, THAT WAS A MISTAKE AND IT IS SOMETHING I WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED FOR. HAD I BEEN ON COUNCIL AT THE TIME, YOU WEREN'T SETTING THE FINAL RATE, YOU WERE SETTING THE CEILING. AND AS STAFF ECHOED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, YOU CAN ALWAYS GO DOWN. YOU CAN'T GO UP, AND YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE THIS TASK BEFORE YOU AND STAFF MORE DIFFICULT BY UNNECESSARILY LIMITING YOUR OPTIONS. NOW, BEFORE MY CONSERVATIVE FRIENDS START THROWING OUT THE WHOLE TAX AND SPEND LIBERAL DIATRIBE, AND I'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF THEM IN HERE, LET'S FOCUS ON THE FACTS. BEAUMONT LOWERED ITS ACTUAL PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR CONSECUTIVE YEARS. PROPERTY VALUES DID INCREASE PER JAD, BUT THE CITY DID NOT SET THOSE VALUES. WHAT COUNCIL CONTROLLED WAS THE RATE. AND A YEAR AFTER YEAR COUNCIL LOWERED IT. MEANWHILE, THE COST OF OPERATING THE CITY HAS CONTINUED TO RISE. DURING THE LAST MEETING, STAFF SHARED THAT THEY HAD IDENTIFIED MORE THAN 5 MILLION IN PROPOSED REDUCTIONS, INCLUDING A CIVILIAN HIRING FREEZE AND CUTS TO TRAVEL TRAINING, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT. THE CITY HAS ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECURRING EXPENDITURES OF OUTPACED RECURRING REVENUE. AND THAT RESERVES HAVE BEEN USED TO BRIDGE THE GAP UNDER THE CURRENT CEILING THAT WILL CONTINUE. SO THIS IS NOT ABOUT RAISING TAXES AND NOT MAKING CUTS. CUTS ARE BEING PROPOSED AND IN THE WORKS THEY'RE ALREADY HAPPENING, IN FACT. SO BY ALL MEANS, KEEP LOOKING, CUT, WASTE DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY. BUT THERE IS A POINT WHERE EFFICIENCY BECOMES AUSTERITY. IF YOU PUSH TOO HARD AND YOU RISK CREATING AN ANEMIC CITY GOVERNMENT, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE EMPLOYEE'S EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES NECESSARY TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT TAXPAYERS EXPECT. AND YES, IT IS NOT LOST ON ME THAT THIS SITUATION MAKES FOR AN EASY POLITICAL WIN. YOU CAN BEAT YOUR CHEST AND TELL VOTERS, WE HELD THE LINE ON TAXES, BUT THE BILL DOESN'T DISAPPEAR SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU CHOOSE NOT TO PAY IT TODAY. MAYBE IT DOESN'T COME DUE BEFORE THE NEXT ELECTION, BUT EVENTUALLY SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY IT, WHETHER THROUGH HIGHER TAXES LATER, WHICH IS LIKELY DEPLETED RESERVES, DEFERRED INFRASTRUCTURE, AND REDUCED SERVICES. THIS IS THE SORT OF THING WE SEE IN WASHINGTON DC. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY CANNOT SIMPLY MEAN CHEWING, CHOOSING THE LOWEST POLITICALLY ACCEPTABLE TAX RATE. RECURRING REVENUE ULTIMATELY HAS TO COVER RECURRING EXPENSES AND RESERVES SHOULD BE REBUILT FOR EMERGENCIES IN THE UNFORESEEN RATHER THAN RELYING ON RECURRING EXPENDITURES. DO NOT SOLVE TODAY'S POLITICAL PROBLEM BY CREATING TOMORROW'S FINANCIAL ONE. AND WITH THE CEILING ALREADY SET. I FEAR YOU'VE MADE THAT TASK CONSIDERABLY HARDER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, JUDE PEREZ, 1 0 6 2 0 GATE ROAD, BOMA, TEXAS. HELLO. HELLO. UH, YEAH, EVERYBODY THAT WANTS HIGHER TAXES, YOU CAN SEND AS MUCH MONEY AS YOU WANT INTO THE GOVERNMENT. JUST, I MEAN, EVERYBODY DOESN'T WANT HIGHER TAXES, BUT IF, IF YOU PERSONALLY WANT HIGHER TAXES, JUST SEND IN EXTRA MONEY, GO AHEAD. BUT THE REASON I'M HERE IS, UH, THE WORKER IS WORTHY OF HIS WAGE. AND THAT'S FROM, UH, LUKE BOOK OF LUKE CHAPTER 10, VERSE SEVEN. THE WORKER IS WORTHY OF HIS WAGE. AND SO THE PEOPLE ELECT CITY COUNCIL TO DO WORK. WE DON'T MIND PAYING YOU FOR YOUR WORK, [00:20:02] BUT THE WAGES OF CITY COUNCIL MAKE UP LESS THAN 1% OF THE CITY BUDGET. SO THIS PROPOSAL TO REDUCE WAGES TO ZERO IS NOT ONLY A VIOLATION OF MINIMUM WAGE LAW. IT IS A GIMMICK. IT'S NOT A SERIOUS PROPOSAL THAT COULD DECREASE THE BUDGET DEFICIT. WHAT THE TAX, WHAT THE TAXPAYERS WOULD APPRECIATE IS IF THE MEMBERS OF COUNCIL WOULD DO YOUR WORK. STOP COMING UP WITH GIMMICKS AND SEARCH OUT THE PLACES WHERE REAL SAVINGS CAN COME FROM. THE VOTERS HAVE PUT A STOP TO THE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS CANAL TO NOWHERE. THAT IS REAL SAVINGS. A SALARY CAP ON ADMINISTRATIVE SALARIES COULD ALSO AFFECT REAL SAVINGS. THIS CITY CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY ADMINISTRATORS A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. EACH RESTORATION OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN DIVERTED AWAY FROM THE CITY TO PAY FOR TRUMP'S WAR COULD ALSO AFFECT REAL SAVINGS. AND VOTERS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STOP TRUMP'S WAR AND RESTORE FUNDING TO THE CITY IN NOVEMBER. FOR THIS REASON, THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD IS CONDUCTING A VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS TO REGISTER TO VOTE. PLEASE TEXT THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD AT 4 0 9 5 5 0 9 1 9 9. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. UH, JASON WHITNEY, 2290 TURNING LEAF DRIVE. BEAUMONT, TEXAS. NO SIR, YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I DID. I'M GONNA TRY TO READ IT THIS TIME 'CAUSE I GOT CAUGHT BY THE CLOCK LAST TIME. I APOLOGIZE. MAYOR, COUNSEL, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M JASON WHITNEY, OWNER OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, PEO SOLUTIONS FOR YEARS. COMPANIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE PAID ME TO ANALYZE MANY OF THE EXACT PROBLEMS THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TODAY. AND SOMEONE ASKED ME ABOUT A YEAR AGO, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, IS THERE A BETTER WAY OF DOING IT? LAST MAY, BEAUMONT BUSINESSMAN ASKED ME THAT EXACT QUESTION, AND MY FIRST ANSWER WAS, NO, THERE'S NOT, BECAUSE I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO'VE TRIED TO MARRY A MUNICIPALITY WITH A, UH, PEO OF THAT IS IN MY INDUSTRY, AND THEY DID NOT WORK. WHAT I HAVE BUILT IS DIFFERENT. AND JUST TO BE ON THE RECORD, I BEGAN DEVELOPING THIS MODEL WITH PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERS IN MAY OF 2025. I BUILT IT AND REBUILT IT SPECIFICALLY AROUND BEAUMONT WITH MY OWN TIME, MY OWN MONEY. I DIDN'T ASK TAXPAYERS FOR A STUDY OR A BOND OR $150,000 TO LOOK INTO IT. NOVEMBER OF 2025, I HAD THE BEAUMONT SPECIFIC MODEL FAR ENOUGH ALONG THAT I ONLY NEED THE RELATIVELY SIMPLE CITY DATA TO TEST IT. IT IS NOW SEPTEMBER, ALMOST A YEAR LATER, AND I STILL DO NOT HAVE IT. LET ME BE CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT, OR ACTUALLY, MIKE, JOEY, COREY, AJ, I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR Y'ALL. Y'ALL HAVE TALKED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER ABOUT CUTTING WASTE, FINDING INSUFFICIENCIES, THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND LOOKING LONG TERM AND APPROACHING THESE PROBLEMS LIKE A BUSINESSMAN. AND I LISTEN TO Y'ALL BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL'S FRIENDS, LADONNA ROY, Y'ALL HAVE RAISED ANOTHER SIDE OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH IS WE GOT OUR EMPLOYEES TO TAKE CARE OF. I'VE WORKED ON THAT TOO. I'M AGREEING WITH ALL OF Y'ALL. I DON'T KNOW IF MY WAY WORKS, BUT WITHOUT THE INFORMATION, I CAN'T TEST IT. AND I'VE BEEN PASSED AROUND FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT INSTEAD OF JUST GIVING IT TO ME. THAT IS WHY, THAT IS WHY I STOPPED TRYING TO MAKE BEAUMONT FIT THE TRADITIONAL MODEL. I DECONSTRUCTED THE MODEL AND BUILT SOMETHING DIFFERENT AROUND BEAUMONT. IT DOESN'T TAKE AWAY EMPLOYEES AWAY FROM THE CITY. IT DOESN'T TOUCH THE TMRS. IT DOESN'T CUT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. IT DOESN'T REQUIRE FIREFIGHTERS TO SACRIFICE THEIR 4 0 1 KS OR THEIR RETIREMENT. AND IT CERTAINLY DOESN'T REQUIRE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO I KNOW TO WORK FOR FREE. I AGREE WITH HIM. I'M A BUSINESSMAN. IF I PAID YOU TO DO A JOB, I WILL PAY YOU HAPPILY PAY YOU. WE ALL REMEMBER 5 55 MAINE. NOW WE'RE CONSIDERING ANOTHER MAJOR DOWNTOWN FOOTPRINT ON THE OLD FIRST BAPTIST PROPERTY. MAYBE IT'LL WORK, MAYBE IT WON'T. BUT $127,000 GUYS AIN'T GONNA FIX IT. I THINK MY PLA I THINK THAT I CAN, WITH MINE, OUR REVENUES, AS CHRIS SAID, ARE NOT GROWING AS FAST AS OUR EXPENSES. AND I AGREE WITH THAT. SO BEFORE TAXPAYERS PROVIDE MORE REVENUE, BEFORE EMPLOYEES ACCEPT LESS, OR BEFORE ELECTED OFFICIALS DECIDE THEY NEED TO WORK FOR FREE, LET'S FIND OUT HOW MUCH OF THE EXPENSES SIDE WE CAN CHANGE. I'VE ALREADY BUILT THE MODEL I'VE ALREADY PAID FOR THE WORK. JUST GIVE ME THE NUMBERS BECAUSE I BELIEVE ON A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE THAT I'M SAVING THE CITY OF BEAUMONT 1.5 TO $1.8 MILLION A YEAR, NOT JUST ONCE OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT I CAN'T FIND OUT WITHOUT THE NUMBERS. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. UH, LASHAWN PROCTOR, F 46 80, JAN CARR, [00:25:01] BEAUMONT, TEXAS. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR. COUNCIL, UH, STAFF. AGAIN. MY NAME IS LASHAUN PROCTOR, 46 80. JAN CARR DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. UM, I JUST CAME AS WELL TO KIND SPEAK ON THIS. UM, GIVING UP THE MONEY FOR CITY COUNCIL. I, I DON'T AGREE. AND THAT'S JUST ME AGAIN, YOU GUYS HAVE THE DECISION TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, AMONGST YOURSELVES AS FAR AS WHAT YOU FEEL BECAUSE THE MONEY DIRECTLY AFFECTS YOU. BUT WHEN I LOOK AT IT, AND THEN AGAIN, ME LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, $10,000 A MONTH, A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS THAT RUNS A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR, FEW MILLION DOLLARS, WE JUST SAY TWO $3 MILLION A MONTH. NO, BUT WE KNOW IT'S MORE THAN THAT. $10,000 IS NOT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE. $127,000 A YEAR IN A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR D BUSINESS IS NOT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SALARY AND COMPENSATION, WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU ALL ARE GETTING, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS SENT TO ME, SO I'M GONNA USE IT. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BASE, AND I'LL ASSUME THAT'S YOUR BASE SALARY, $400 A MONTH, WHAT YOU GONNA DO WITH THAT? MOST PEOPLE CAN'T PAY OR KEEPING THEIR KIDS IN A WEEK FOR $400 A MONTH. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ADMIN, YOU GOTTA SPEND MORE TIME JUST IN A DAY. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND THAT'S $500 A MONTH. YOU SPEND MORE TIME THAN A DAY. YOU ALL WORK, GOT BUSINESSES FOR YOUR ATTORNEY CAN'T GET A LAWYER FOR $500 A DAY A MONTH. YOU CAN'T BARELY AN HOUR. SO HOW IS THAT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE? AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT YOUR AUTO, WHO GOT A CAR THAT YOU'RE GONNA PAY $500 FOR? I DON'T THINK NOBODY UP THERE CAN PAY $500 FOR THEIR CAR NOTES. AND I JUST SAY THAT. SO IN THAT SENSE IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BUT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING, THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK FURTHER THAN THAT. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, YOU GUYS, AND THAT'S, I SAY THAT BECAUSE YOU GIVING UP YOUR SALARY IS NOT GOING TO HELP. YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? IT'S NOT GONNA DO ANYTHING TO SHOW THAT YOU'RE DOING, DOING ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF, AGAIN, POLITICAL MOVE. BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT GIVING UP THINGS, THEN YOU START LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY GET PAID. 'CAUSE THAT MONEY THAT YOU GET DON'T PAY NO BILLS, DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. WHEN YOU LOOK AT CITY MANAGER, HIS MONEY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. IT FEEDS HIS FAMILY, PAYS SOME. SO HE GIVE UP SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HURT ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S PAYING THEIR FAMILY AND FEEDING THEIR FAMILY WITH THEIR MONEY. IF THEY GIVE UP SOMETHING, IT'S GONNA HURT. IT'S GONNA HELP. IF YOU WANNA DO SOMETHING AND I JUST SAY, AND I CAN, I PARTICIPATE IN THIS WITH YOU. WE'RE BUSINESS PEOPLE. SO I WANNA HELP THE CITY. SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT THE CITY IS PAYING FOR OUTSIDE OF THE EVENTS IN THE PARK THAT COST THE CITY, THEN WHY DON'T WE GET BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT THAT? GET BUSINESSES TO FUND THAT. I'M A BUSINESS OWNER, I'LL HELP FUND IT. WE CAN PICK ONE, PICK WHICHEVER ONE YOU WANT AND WE CAN FUND IT THAT WAY. IT FREES UP THAT MONEY THAT YOU HAVE. BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT HIRING AS BUSINESS PEOPLE, WHEN YOU START HIRING, THEN SOMETIME YOU GOTTA GET RID OF PEOPLE. WE DON'T WANNA GET RID OF NOBODY. AND WE SAY THAT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU RUNNING A BUSINESS, YOU RUNNING A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS. IF SOMETHING GO AWAY, YOU GONNA EITHER LET YOUR BUSINESS CRASH, ARE YOU GONNA START GETTING RID OF PEOPLE DOWNSIZING? BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T GET RID OF PEOPLE, THEN YOUR BUSINESS GONNA CRASH ANYWAY. SO NOW YOU DON'T HAVE A BUSINESS AND YOUR PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A JOB. SO THESE ARE JUST SOME THINGS WHEN WE START LOOKING AT BUSINESS, IT'S JUST KIND OF BASIC BUSINESS STUFF. ARE WE HIRING PEOPLE THAT WE REALLY DON'T NEED AND GIVING A SALARY THAT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THEM? AND I JUST USE THIS AND I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE CITY. I'M IN THE WINDOW LOOKING ON THE OUTSIDE, LOOKING IN. I JUST REMEMBER WHEN KYLE WAS HERE THAT WAS NOT AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. NO DISRESPECT TO YOU OR ANYBODY ELSE, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHERE DID IT COME IN WHEN MR. WILLIAMS CAME? THAT WAS ONE, BUT WHY NOW? THANK YOU SIR. ALBERT HARRISON, 1240. ASHLEY BEAUMONT, TEXAS MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY, STAFF OF THE CONCERNED CITIZENS FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOU CONCERNED CITIZENS. WHAT I JUST HAD THE CITY CLERK WAS A BRIEF OUTLINE. LETTER OF A STATEMENTS HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE AT CITY COST ME, BUT I PUT IT IN WRITTEN FORM TO MAKE SURE THAT'S UNDERSTOOD. NOW, FROM NOW ON, NOW I GO TO MY OF THE SUBJECT, THE SUBJECT OF CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR, ELIMINATING THE SALARIES. APPARENTLY YOU ALL DO NOT KNOW OR IS NOT AWARE OF THE HI HISTORY OF THAT. WHEN THE LINES WERE DRAWN TO ENSURE THAT THIRD WARD AND FOURTH WARD ELECTED BLACK COUNCILMEN, THERE WAS A PROPOSAL PUT IN PLACE, WHICH WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHER INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS LOW INCOME, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO RUN FOR THOSE SEATS. SO THAT'S WHY THE SALARY WAS PUT IN PLACE. NOW AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO DISCONTINUE THAT SALARY, I DISAGREE WITH THAT TOTALLY. NOT ONLY FOR THE HISTORY OF IT, BUT FOR THE MERE FACT OF IT. IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. [00:30:03] NOW WE GO INTO ANOTHER ISSUE, WHICH IS I'VE ALSO UNDERSTOOD AND HEARD THAT INDIVIDUALS HAVE GONE BEFORE THE FOR UNION AND POLICE UNION ASKED THEM TO DECREASE THE INCREASED SALARY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE GETTING IN THE FUTURE. MY COMMENT TO THAT IS THIS YEAR, WHY DO THAT? HERE AGAIN, MY PROPOSAL IS YOU SHOULD IN INCENT ENCOURAGE THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT TO APPLY FOR THAT, THOSE JOBS THAT WAY. WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU SHOULD BE PAYING MORE TO CITIZENS FOR THOSE JOBS THAN OUTSIDE CITIZENS BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT COLLECTING NO TAXES FROM THOSE AT ALL. NOR ARE THEY PUTTING ANYTHING BACK INTO THIS CITY AT ALL. THEY TAKING EVERYTHING OUT. AND HERE WE ARE AS TAXPAYERS LIVING HERE, PAYING THAT AND PAYING THEIR SALARY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU JIMMY. PETE, 2398, GOLIAD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. I'M JUST HERE TO REITERATE A CONCERN BROUGHT BY A SOCIAL WORKER A FEW WEEKS AGO ABOUT ZIP TRANSIT. UM, I HAVE A COUSIN ON THE CORNER OF, UH, CORLEY AND SAN JACINTO. HE'S HAD A STROKE A FEW YEARS AGO AND HAD MOST OF HIS RIGHT LEG REMOVED. AND HE'S NOT WHO I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT. HIS WIFE, MS. TARA, GETS, UH, KIDNEY DIALYSIS THREE DAYS A WEEK. UH, SHE'S BEEN DOING IT DOING THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND SHE WILL BE DOING THAT FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE. AND I WAS, UH, I FOUND IT EXTRAORDINARY THAT SHE HAS TO CALL THE DAY BEFORE TO GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE. SHE GOES AT THE SAME TIME EVERY DAY. UH, AND UH, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL ACTUALLY. IT'S FAIRLY COMMON FOR THAT ZIP TRANSIT TO SHOW UP. 45 MINUTES LATE, MY BROTHER AND I GO THERE, UH, TO HELP HER GET DOWN THE RAMP AND GET BACK UP THE RAMP WHEN SHE COMES BACK. AND I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE IT AS A ITEM TO DISCUSS IN YOUR WORK SESSION. ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THAT VERY SERIOUSLY, TO PRIORITIZE MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO GET GROCERIES AND OTHER THINGS. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ELDERS IN THE CITY, A LOT OF DISABLED FOLKS IN THE CITY. SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT. BUT I'D SAY, UH, THERE'S MUCH MORE SEVERE CONSEQUENCE FOR HER TO NOT MAKE HER DIALYSIS THAN FOR SOMEONE NOT TO HAVE SAUSAGE WITH THEIR GRITS THE NEXT MORNING. SO I ASK YOU TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UNTIL TILL AND RICHARDSON 45 75 NORTH MA DRIVE, MONT, TEXAS. I'D LIKE TO PAINT WITH A PRETTY BROAD BRUSH, BUT IN 2023, THIS COUNCIL, TWO OF YOU STILL ON HERE, CONSIDERED A PAY INCREASE. AND I THINK YOU DID THAT BECAUSE THE TIMES WERE GOOD. THERE'S MONEY IN THE BANK. AND SO YOU THOUGHT IT WAS JUSTIFIED, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE. I THINK WE LOOK AT WHAT'S GONE ON OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE. 'CAUSE TIMES ARE NOT GOOD AND THE MONEY'S NOT THERE. A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE TODAY AGAINST ELIMINATING COUNCIL PAY ARE GONNA BE ON THE BALLOT NEXT MAY. A SOMEWHAT OF A CONFLICT. I'D SAY MORE THAN ANYTHING THOUGH, THEY SAY $127,000 ISN'T A LOT. AND SO IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO WHY SHOULD YOU DO IT? WHEN DOES THAT STOP? 'CAUSE THE 8 MILLION Y'ALL SPEND ON THE AT AND T BUILDING DOESN'T GET TALKED ABOUT THE MONEY YOU GOT SPENT ON THE RIVER WALK AND THE HOTEL AND THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THE BOND DOESN'T GET TALKED ABOUT. THE $19 MILLION THAT THE FIRE CHIEF BLEW THROUGH WITH HIS OVERTIME EVERY YEAR FOR HIS BUDGET, DOESN'T GET TALKED ABOUT WHAT MONEY IS ENOUGH FOR YOU GUYS TO PAY ATTENTION TO IT AND ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT ELIMINATING WASTE. I KNOW A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ACTIVELY TALKED ABOUT DOING AN EFFICIENCY STUDY TO FIND THAT WASTE. AND EVEN THAT'S BEEN MET WITH RESISTANCE. AND SO YOU TALK ABOUT RAISING TAXES, YOU SHOULD SHOW THE CITIZENS THAT YOU'VE TRIED TO CUT WASTE BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A PRETTY BROAD CONSENSUS THAT Y'ALL DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE DOLLARS 'CAUSE IT'S NOT YOUR MONEY. BUT NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUR MONEY THROUGH THESE STIPENDS AND THESE EXPENSE REPORTS AND THESE ALLOWANCES AND YOUR SALARY, NOW IT'S AN ISSUE. AND NOW PEOPLE WANNA VOTE AGAINST IT. AND, AND REALLY THE LAST THING I WANNA SAY IS, MAYOR, I KNOW YOU APPROACHED THE POLICE UNION AND THE FIRE UNION TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT AMENDING THEIR CONTRACTS SO THEY COULD SACRIFICE THEIR PAY. AND I JUST WANNA SAY, I HOPE THAT IF YOU'RE WILLING TO ASK THE FIRST RESPONDERS OF THIS COMMUNITY TO MAKE THAT SACRIFICE, THAT YOU'LL MAKE THE SACRIFICE TODAY TO RE REPEAL [00:35:01] YOUR PAY. 'CAUSE I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JEROME ALEXANDER, 1118 AVALON STREET BY MY TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSEL. I COME IN TODAY AGAIN AND IT'S A SHAME THAT I HAVE TO KEEP COMING HERE OVER AND OVER, MR. MILEY, MR. BOONE AND, UH, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, MA'AM, IT'S A GAS PIPING. THERE'S ONE RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOME. AND I'M TELLING YOU THE OTHER DAY WHEN IT WAS RAINING, THE PIPE WAS DOING LIKE THIS HERE. 'CAUSE THE WATER FLOWED AND THE MUD JUST KEEP GETTING MUSHY, MUSHY, MUSHY. AND SOONER OR LATER, IF ANOTHER FLOOD COME, THE PIPE GONNA BURST. SO I KEEP COMING AND ASKING Y'ALL, YOU GOT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, MA, I'M IN DANGER. AND MR. BOONE, IF THE PIPE WAS ON YOUR SIDE OF EL THE STREET WHERE YOUR HOME WAS, MY OPINION, IT'LL BE FIXED BY NOW. BUT YOU ASK FOR THAT SEAT, YOU ASK FOR THAT, THEN YOU GOT THIS LADY, YOUR ASSISTANT, YOU PAY A HUNDRED SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR. BUT HERE IT IS, YOU GOING TO TEACH THIS LADY THE SAME THING YOU DOING. YOU GONNA LEAVE THE COMMUNITY LIKE THAT IN DANGER. IT'S NOT RIGHT. WE PAYING YOU TO DO YOUR JOB. SO I APPRECIATE IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, YOU TOO, MS. MINOR. THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU. UH, CHRISTOPHER JONES, 10 45 DOUCETTE AVENUE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL POLICE. PARDON MY ATTIRE IN THE CHAMBER. UH, MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER JONES. TODAY I'M SPEAKING STRICTLY IN MY INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AS A BEAUMONT RESIDENT, TAXPAYER AND VETERAN. UH, I STAND IN OPPOSITION TO REDUCING CITY COUNCIL COMPENSATION TO ZERO BECAUSE BEAUMONT DOES NOT HAVE A CITY COUNCIL PAY PROBLEM. BEAUMONT HAS A STRUCTURAL BUDGET PROBLEM. UM, CUTTING COUNCIL COMPENSATION MAY CREATE THE APPEARANCE THAT SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT IS BEING DONE, BUT THE APPEARANCE AND IMPACT ARE NOT THE SAME THING. IF THIS CITY IS TRULY SERIOUS ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND I HOPE THEY ARE, THEN WE MUST BE WILLING TO DEAL WITH THE EXPENSES THAT PLACE SUBSTANTIAL PRESSURE ON THE BUDGET YEAR AFTER YEAR. THEN THAT MEANS LOOKING HONESTLY AT MAJOR RECURRING OBLIGATIONS LIKE FIRE, EMS, POLICE, PERSONNEL COSTS, CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS, AND EVERY OTHER SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE THAT RETURNS TO THE BUDGET ANNUALLY. I'M NOT SAYING FIREFIGHTERS SHOULD NOT BE PAID. I'M NOT SAYING POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD NOT BE PAID. WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT NOTHING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED UNTOUCHABLE SIMPLY BECAUSE ADDRESSING IT MAY BE POLITICALLY DIFFICULT. UM, IF SACRIFICES ARE SUPPOSEDLY NECESSARY, THEN THE SCRUTINY NEEDS TO BE APPLIED WHERE THE ACTUAL FISCAL WEIGHT EXISTS. WE HAVE WATCHED THE CITY DEBATE INCREASED COUNCIL COMPENSATION AND HOW NOW WE ARE DISCUSSING ELIMINATING COMPENSATION ALTOGETHER. THAT'S NOT CONSISTENT FISCAL STRATEGY. THAT IS SWIMMING FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE NEXT. AND THAT IS NOT, UH, GOING TO BRING A ZERO. COMPENSATION, YOU KNOW, CREATES NO REAL BALANCE TO THE BUDGET. UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN THAT PUBLIC SERVICE SHOULD NOT BECOME SOMETHING ONLY PEOPLE WITH ENOUGH PERSONAL MONEY CAN AFFORD TO DO. WORKING. PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SERVE THEIR CITY TOO. SO MY POSITION IS STRAIGHTFORWARD. REJECT THE PROPOSAL. DO NOT USE SYMBOLIC CUTS AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR STRUCTURAL REFORM. ADDRESS THE REOCCURRING EXPENSES, STRENGTHEN THE TAX BASE, GROW THE ECONOMY, MAKE THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS WHERE REAL FINANCIAL PRESSURE EXISTS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SOLVE A STRUCTURAL BUDGET PROBLEM WITH A SYMBOLIC GESTURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR. ALRIGHT, IF [CONSENT AGENDA] THERE'S NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY [00:40:01] SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY MANAGER, [ Council to conduct a Joint Public Hearing on the Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Budget and the Proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Capital Program] CAN YOU TAKE US INTO THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING? YES, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UH, TODAY IS A PUBLIC HEARING, UH, TO CONDUCT A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR FY 2027 BUDGET IN THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 CAPITAL PROGRAM. SO WE'RE GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW. YES. OKAY. IT'S ON. YEAH. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE'RE PLEASED TODAY TO PRESENT TO YOU THE, UH, FY 2027 PROPOSED BUDGET AND CAPITAL PLAN PROGRAM. UH, REAL QUICKLY WE'LL JUST GIVE AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS. UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL BUDGET WORKSHOPS GETTING US TO THIS POINT BECAUSE WE KNOW IT IS A RATHER DIFFICULT BUDGET YEAR THIS YEAR. SO APPRECIATE THE INPUT THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THOSE BUDGET WORKSHOPS. UH, WHERE WE ARE NOW TODAY, OF COURSE, IS THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE'RE IN CURRENTLY, UH, TO DISCUSS THE BUDGET, UH, THE CIP UH, WE'LL ALSO ASK YOU LATER IN THE AGENDA, UH, TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FY 2027 BUDGET. IN ADDITION, AN ORDINANCE RATIFYING THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AND THEN FINALLY, A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FY 2027 THROUGH 2031. THAT'S THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN. YOU MAY RECALL BACK IN MAY OF THIS YEAR AT OUR FIRST BUDGET WORK SESSION, WE DISCUSSED THIS STRUCTURAL GAP, UM, IN THE BUDGET. AND WE LOOK FORWARD OUT PROJECTING REVENUES AND EXPENSES OUT AS FAR AS FY 2028. AND OF COURSE, UM, THE, THE GAP BETWEEN REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. UM, AND AGAIN, THESE ARE OF COURSE JUST PROJECTIONS, UH, BUT CONTINUE TO GROW. AND AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE PROJECTIONS, THE CONCERN WAS SPECIFICALLY IN THE GENERAL FUNDS FUND BALANCE ACCOUNT, UM, WAS THE PROJECTION OF A CONTINUED, UH, REDUCTION IN THAT FUND BALANCE AMOUNT. AND IF WE LEARNED ANYTHING THIS WEEK, WE ALWAYS NEED TO BE PREPARED, UH, FOR CERTAIN, UH, INCIDENCES AND, AND THINGS LIKE HURRICANES AND PANDEMICS AND OTHER, AND OTHER INCIDENTS THAT WE JUST, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR. SO AGAIN, IT STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE. SO AS YOU KNOW, EARLY IN F WELL, MID 2026, UH, WE DIDN'T WANNA WAIT TO THE FY 27 BUDGET TO TAKE ACTION GIVEN THE CONCERNS AND GIVEN THE, UH, THE BUDGET DEFICIT. UM, AND SO WE WENT AHEAD AND IMPLEMENTED A HIRING FREEZE. WE WENT AHEAD AND, UH, IMMEDIATELY STARTED LOOKING, UH, TO REDUCTIONS IN OPERATING SUPPLIES, UH, CUT TRAVEL SIGNIFICANTLY. AND I SAY TRAVEL, IT'S REALLY TRAVEL AND TRAINING, UM, SOME MUCH OF WHICH IS MANDATED. AND THEN ALSO, UH, WE MENTIONED ABOUT IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET INCREASING, UH, EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FUND BY 9%. SO AGAIN, COMBINING THAT IN FY 2026 AS WELL AS THE INPUT FROM COUNCIL, UM, AND A LOT OF GREAT WORK BY THE STAFF. UM, WE, WE'VE FORM FORMULATED THIS PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, WITH THE FOLLOWING PRIORITIES IN MIND. AGAIN, WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICES TO THE CITIZEN. I THINK WE SAID EARLY ON THAT, UM, IDEALLY THE CITIZENS WOULD NOT FEEL THE IMPACT OF THE REDUCTIONS. UM, THE LONGER THAT THIS HIRING FREEZE GOES ON AND THESE CONCERNS GO ON, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT. UM, IN FY 2027, WE'RE GONNA DO A LOT OF WORK, UH, TO CONTINUALLY FOCUSING ON THAT. BUT AGAIN, THE IDEA IDEALLY IS WE, THE, THE CITIZENS DON'T FEEL THE IMPACT, UM, THAT IS A PRIORITY THAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET. UM, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, EFFICIENCIES, UH, WILL BE GOING ON, UM, NOT ONLY IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE'LL ALSO BE LOOKING AT SOME, UM, SPECIFIC EFFICIENCY STUDIES IN THE SOLID WASTE, UH, ENTERPRISE FUND AS WELL AS THE WATER AND SEWER, UH, FUND. [00:45:01] AND SEEING IF WE CAN ESSENTIALLY HAVE MORE EFFICIENCIES, SAVE MONEY, UH, BUT ALSO POSSIBLY MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO SERVICES. AGAIN, WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC IN THE FACT THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE FACING THE INFLATIONARY PRESSURES THAT WE'RE ALL FACING. AND SO THE PROPOSED 2027 BUDGET, UH, INCLUDES OR PROPOSES COST OF LIVING INCREASES, BOTH TO POLICE FIRE AS WELL AS CIVILIANS. WE HEARD THE DISCUSSIONS ON PROPERTY TAXES AND THE FY 2027 UH, REFLECTS A LIMIT ON THE PROPERTY TAX RATE. WE'VE ACCOUNTED FOR UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT ARE IMPOSED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS ON THE CITY WITHOUT FUNDING TO PAY FOR THEM. AND AGAIN, WE WANNA REDUCE OUR RELIANCE ON THE GENERAL FUND FUND BALANCE AS WE TRY TO CLOSE THE GAP. UM, NOT JUST LOOKING INTO 2027, BUT BEYOND. SO EVEN WITH ALL THAT, UM, WE ARE STILL ABLE TO DO, UM, A VARIETY OF THINGS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET. UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU'RE AWARE THAT WE ARE, UM, IMPLEMENTING A NEW ERP SYSTEM AND AGAIN, FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC. THIS IS A, OUR FINANCE SYSTEM, WHICH IS DECADES OLD AND IT'S NOT PROVIDING THE KIND OF, UM, THE KIND OF CAPABILITIES THAT WE NEED TO RUN EFFICIENTLY, EFFICIENTLY. AND ALSO OUR BASE SYSTEM IS FACING SOME END OF LIFE POSSIBILITIES. AND SO WE NEED TO, THIS IS GONNA BE A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS, AND SO WE'VE GOT TO, UH, MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. UH, FINALLY, OUR, WELL NEXT OUR CITY WORKS SYSTEM, UH, WHICH IS USED IN A VARIETY OF DEPARTMENTS FOR PERMITTING AND OTHER WORK TRACKING IS AT THE END OF LIFE, WE'VE GOT TO MIGRATE AWAY FROM THAT. UH, WE RECENTLY, COUNCIL RECENTLY ADOPTED A SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION ORDINANCE. AND SO WE HAVE SOFTWARE THAT WILL HELP WITH THAT. WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF FUNDING FOR SOME ADDITIONAL PARK CAMERAS TO CONNECT TO THE REAL TIME CRIME CENTER. UH, WE ARE FACING ISSUES, UM, IN SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF CDL DRIVERS. AND SO WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT A CDL TRAINING PROGRAM TO HELP OUR EMPLOYEES, UH, AS WELL AS OUTSIDE EMPLOYEES, UM, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A CDL LICENSE AND HELP US IN OUR SERVICE DELIVERY. I MENTIONED THE COLAS EARLIER. UM, AND THEN FINALLY A VARIETY OF, UH, FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS, PARKS IMPROVEMENTS, IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR HUNDREDS OF MILES OF STREETS AND DRAINAGE, AS WELL AS HUNDREDS OF MILES OF WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED IN THE CITY. SO WE'RE ABLE TO INCLUDE ALL OF THESE THINGS IN THE, UH, FY 2027 BUDGET. MOVING FORWARD, REAL QUICKLY, OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON THE PROPERTY TAX RATE. SO REAL QUICKLY, THIS IS A HISTORY OF WHAT THOSE RATES, UH, HAVE BEEN. UM, YOU CAN SEE THE GENERAL RATE VERSUS THE DEBT SERVICE RATE. AND THEN, UH, THE BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER IS THE PROPOSED RATE, AND THAT WAS ADOPTED AT THE LAST PRELIMINARY RATE THAT WAS ADOPTED AT THE LAST MEETING, WHICH IS 0.6 8 2 9 3 3. AND THIS IS A QUICK LOOK AT THE PROPERTY VALUATIONS AGAIN, THAT THAT RATE IS APPLIED TO THOSE VALUATIONS, UM, AS PART OF THIS PROPOSED BUDGET. OOPS. SO AT THE LAST MEETING, AGAIN, WE PROPOSED, THIS IS THE PRIOR PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE PRESENTED. UH, AND A COPY OF THIS PRESENTATION IS BEFORE Y'ALL, UM, HARD COPY. THE PREVIOUS PROPOSED BUDGET IS, UM, IS SHOWN HERE. UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS, THAT WAS BASED ON A PRIOR, UH, PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE. SO BASED ON THE FEEDBACK WE GOT ON THE ADOPTED PRELIMINARY RATE, THIS, UM, HAS BEEN ADJUSTED. AND SO WITH THE CHANGE TO THE PROPERTY TAX RATE, UM, FROM THE LAST MEETING, THAT WAS AN ADDITIONAL $1.3 MILLION REDUCTION. SO SINCE THAT TIME AND REFLECTED IN THIS PROPOSED 27 BUDGET, UH, WE'VE MADE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES. SO YOU CAN SEE, UH, FURTHER REDUCTION OF OUR SUPPLEMENTALS. UM, WE'VE COVERED THE ESSENTIAL SUPPLEMENTALS HERE, BUT BASICALLY ZEROED OUT ALL OTHER SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS FROM DEPARTMENTS, UM, ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS REQUESTS. UM, THERE WASN'T THE BUDGET, A CITY MANAGER DISCRETIONARY LINE ITEM OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE PULLED OUT, AS WELL AS A REDUCTION IN CAPITAL RESERVE TRANSFER. SO THE NET RESULT IS, UM, LOOKING INTO FY 27. UH, THE OUTLOOK IS MUCH BETTER. SO IF YOU CAN SEE THE BLUE [00:50:01] BARS OF COURSE, ARE REVENUE, THEY'RE GREEN, ARE EXPENSES. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE GAPS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND I THINK THE KEY HERE IS THAT ORANGE LINE WHERE IN FY 2024 WITH ABOUT A $44 MILLION GENERAL FUND, FUND BALANCE DROPPED IN 25 AND 26. YOU CAN SEE AS WE GO INTO 27, YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE WE'RE FLATTENING THAT CURVE. UM, AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE FY 27 GAP BETWEEN BLUE AND RED THAT THE, THE GAP IS MUCH LESS SEVERE. SO, UM, WHILE IT IS JUST UNDER THE FULL 20% POLICY, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UH, WE'RE DEFINITELY HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND SO BASED ON ALL THOSE ADJUSTMENTS, UM, THIS IS THE END, UH, THE FINAL PROPOSAL, UM, AND INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET WE'RE ASKING YOU TO ADOPT TODAY, UH, WITH A REVENUE TOTALING OF 178,568,321 OFFSET WITH EXPENSES OF 1 79 348, 8 58. AND AGAIN, THAT INCLUDES ALL THE PROGRAMS, UH, THAT WERE MENTIONED EARLIER, UM, ON TOP OF ALL OF OUR REGULAR ORDINARY OPERATIONS. UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THE DEFICIT IN 25 WAS 2.5 MILLION, 26, 5 0.5 MILLION, UH, EXCUSE ME, THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROJECTED. BUT, UH, THE PROJECTION NOW IS JUST OVER 5 MILLION. BUT THE PROJECTED, UH, DEFICIT FOR FY 27 WOULD BE 700 8530 $7. AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THAT'S 19.88%, UH, OF YOUR FUND BALANCE RESERVE. AND IN CONCLUSION, AGAIN, WHILE WE WE'RE TRYING TO CORRECT SOME ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE, WE CAN'T DO THAT IN ONE BUDGET CYCLE, BUT WE DEFINITELY, AS MENTIONED, BELIEVE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. UM, CITY STAFF IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB OF IDENTIFYING EFFICIENCIES AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN FY 27. UM, AND AGAIN, I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK ALL THE DIRECTORS, DIVISION MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WORKING, UM, ON THIS BUDGET AND CONTINUING TO DELIVER, YOU KNOW, HIGH LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS. AND IN PREPARATION THIS BUDGET, I'D JUST LIKE TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO LAURA CLARK, OUR DEPUTY, OUR CITY MANAGER, BRIDGET VIC, OUR CFO, AMANDA HILL, OUR ASSOCIATE CFO, AND AMY SCHMIDT, OUR BUDGET OFFICER. AND WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE WILL PERHAPS CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANYBODY SIGN UP TO SPEAK IN THE PUBLIC HEARING? NO. OKAY. PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. [1. Council to consider an Ordinance adopting a budget for operating the municipal government of the City of Beaumont for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2026 and ending September 30, 2027; adopting a Master Fee Schedule; appropriating money for the various funds and purposes of such budget including appropriations of money to pay interest and principal sinking fund requirement on all indebtedness; repealing all ordinances and appropriations in conflict with the provisions of the ordinance; and establishing an effective date.] AND MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE? YES, SIR. ITEM NUMBER ONE IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A BUDGET, UM, FOR OPERATING THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027, ADOPTING A MASTER FEE SCHEDULE, APPROPRIATING MONEY FOR THE VARIOUS FUNDS AND PURPOSES OF SUCH BUDGET, INCLUDING APPROPRIATIONS OF MONEY TO PAY INTEREST AND PRINCIPAL SINKING FUND REQUIREMENTS ON ALL INDEBTEDNESS, REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES AND APPROPRIATIONS IN CONFLICT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE ORDINANCE. IN ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND THE CITY CHARTER, THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL ADOPT AN ANNUAL BUDGET AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET. THE GOVERNING BODY OF THE MUNICIPALITY SHALL TAKE ACTION ON THE PROPOSED BUDGET. A VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET MUST BE BY RECORD VOTE ADOPTION OF A BUDGET THAT WILL REQUIRE RAISING MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, REQUIRES A SEPARATE VOTE OF THE GOVERNING BODY TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET. A VOTE UNDER THE SUBSECTION IS IN ADDITION TO AND SEPARATE FROM THE VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET OR A VOTE TO SET THE PRO TAX RATE REQUIRED BY CHAPTER 26, TAX CODE OR OTHER LAW. UH, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT'S PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET WAS FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK ON AUGUST 17TH. THE CITY MANAGER PRESENTED THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 18TH. CITY COUNCIL IS REQUIRED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE HELD TODAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET CALENDAR FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE CITY BUDGET AND TO COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE REQUIREMENTS. THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET IS SCHEDULED FOR TODAY'S SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026. THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET SUBMITTED ON AUGUST 18TH HAS BEEN ADJUSTED FOR REDUCTIONS IN REVENUES RESULTING FROM THE PROPOSED TAX RATE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL BEING LOWER THAN THE PROPOSED THAN THAT PROPOSED IN THE BUDGET. IN ADDITION, DUE TO THE APPROVED PROPOSED 2026 TAX RATE BEING CALCULATED DURING THE [00:55:01] MEETING, AFTER EXTENSIVE DISCUSSION, THE FINAL CALCULATED PROPOSED 2026 TAX RATE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET IS SLIGHTLY LOWER AT A RATE OF 0.68293 DOWN FROM THE APPROVED 0.6832. THE SLIGHT REDUCTION IS INTENDED TO REFLECT THE FINAL CALCULATION OF THE STATED GOAL OF ADOPTING A PROPERTY TAX RATE THAT REPRESENTS THE CURRENT ADOPTED RATE PLUS ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO COVER THE FULL AMOUNT OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND DEBT APPROVED BY THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER OF 2025. THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES THE MASTER FEE SCHEDULE FOR THE FY 2027 YEAR AND THE CITY'S TOTAL PERSONNEL COUNT. UH, THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, DOES RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? MOVE TO APPROVE IT? THERE IS A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER ONE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN TURNER? YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUESTION IN GENERAL. I KNOW THE LAST TIME AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M NOT GONNA SUGAR SUGARCOAT IT. I WANNA THANK, I WANNA THANK STAFF FOR EVEN TAKING THE TIME TO WORK THROUGH THIS BECAUSE DEALING WITH THESE NUMBERS AND TRYING TO GET IT TO WHAT COUNCIL HAS RECOMMENDED ON TOP OF OUR ASK. I KNOW THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE EASY TASK, BUT SOMETHING THAT BOTHERS ME A LITTLE IS THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING WE HAD WHEN WE DISCUSSED OUR BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS, WE WERE TOLD THE LOWEST WE CAN GET THE PROPOSED DEFICIT DOWN TO WAS $1.9 BILLION. AND THAT'S WHAT IT WAS KIND OF PROJECTED AT, AND IT WAS STATED DURING THE PRESENTATION. AND TODAY WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 780,537. CAN WE KIND OF GET INTO YEAH, SO THE, YEAH, THE PRIOR, THE PRIOR PROPOSAL WAS NOT THAT, WHAT WAS IT? YEAH, 600,000 DEFICIT. SO THE DEFICIT AT THE LAST CITY COUNCIL BUDGET MEETING WAS $600,000. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING. I CAN GET YOU AN EXACT NUMBER. I I, I REMEMBER THE MEETING IT WAS, BUT I THINK MAYBE THAT'S WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE REDUCTION IN REVENUE WAS GONNA BE AND IF WE COULDN'T FIND OTHER EXPENSES, THEN YOU WOULD'VE HAD 1.9 MILLION DEFICIT BECAUSE IT WOULD'VE BEEN THE CURRENT PROPOSED PLUS ANOTHER ADDITIONAL 1.6 I THINK IS WHAT WE THOUGHT AT THE TIME. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IT WAS, BUT I DON'T RECALL. YEAH, IT WAS SAID AT THE PODIUM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE CUT AS MUCH AS WE COULD AND I MEAN, I, I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HEARD THAT LAST WELL, YEAH, I THINK, I THINK, I THINK THE CON YEAH, NO, NO. SO I THINK THE CONFUSION IS WE HAD PROPOSED A 0.695 RATE, AND THEN THE DISCUSSION WAS IF WE REDUCE THAT RATE, WE WOULD BE MISSING OUT ON 1.9 IN REVENUE. AND SO WE DIDN'T GO WITH THE 0.695, WE WENT WITH A LOWER RATE, WHICH IS PROPOSED TODAY. AND SO THAT COST BASICALLY RESULTED IN A REDUCTION IN REVENUE OF ONE POINT, EXCUSE ME, 1.3 2 9 0 7 8. YOU GO AHEAD. SO THAT'S REVENUE THAT WE DID NOT CAPITALIZE ON. THAT WAS NOT A DEFICIT IN SPENDING. THAT'S JUST REVENUE THAT WE DIDN'T GET BECAUSE WE LOWERED THE TAX RATE. WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOME CLARITY, RIGHT? SO WE HAD PROPOSED 0.695 AND THE IDEA WAS IF WE DID NOT GO TO 0.695 THAT WE WOULD BE MISSING OUT ON 1.9 IN REVENUE. BUT WHAT HAPPENED WAS, AS Y'ALL KNOW, IS WE ENDED UP RECOMMENDING THIS RATE OF 0.68293. SO, UM, THE DEF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHERE WE HAD PROPOSED, AND THIS IS POINT IS THAT 1.3 2 9 0 7 8. [01:00:14] ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? I, I'LL JUST, COUNCILMAN GRENSHAW, I'LL JUST ADD TO BUILD ON WHAT MS, UH, WHAT COUNCILMAN TURNER IS SAYING IS AT ONE POINT, UM, WE STOPPED THE MEETING AND A SORT OF NEW CATEGORY WAS CREATED, UM, AT MY REQUEST, AND I THOUGHT WE DIDN'T, BECAUSE IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS PREPARED BY STAFF, IT WAS JUST AN ESTIMATE THAT WAS GIVEN THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE NEGATIVE. AND I REMEMBER IT WAS AT LEAST A MILLION DOLLARS BECAUSE I REMEMBER YOU TYPING $1 MILLION. AND SO THAT WAS WHAT WE ANTICIPATED, AT LEAST BY SETTING THAT CAP. AGAIN, I DIDN'T VOTE TO SET A A RATE, I VOTED TO SET A CAP AND THAT CAP WAS GOING TO LEAVE US AT AT LEAST, UH, A MILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT FOR 2027. UH, BUT I ALSO KNOW, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL WENT BACK AND, AND FOUND SOME ADDITIONAL SAVINGS, WHICH IS GREAT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MOVING ON THE RIGHT DIRECTION. BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE STAFF SAID AT THE LAST MEETING, WE CAN'T CUT ANYMORE. YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE ALL THE CUTTING WE CAN DO, UH, AND Y'ALL FOUND SOME ADDITIONAL CUTS. I THINK IT'S A BAD IDEA TO REMOVE THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS STIPEND. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT MONEY WE WERE SAYING WE WERE GONNA SPEND, IT'S JUST KIND OF A CONTINGENCY TO HAVE THERE FOR UNFORESEEN, YOU KNOW, URGENT SITUATIONS. BUT, UH, I, I'M NOT EXACTLY CLEAR HOW WE GOT HERE ON THE NUMBERS, BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT THERE WAS AT LEAST A DISCUSSION THAT BY SETTING THE, THE CAP THAT WE DID VOTE AT THE LAST MEETING, THAT IT WAS GONNA BE AROUND, UH, AT LEAST IT WAS GONNA BE A MILLION DOLLARS. AND I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA ADD A MILLION DOLLARS ONTO WHAT WAS PROJECTED TO ALREADY BE A $600,000 DEFICIT. SO IN MY MIND, I THOUGHT WE WERE COMING IN HERE WITH A ROUND OF $1.6 MILLION, UH, DEFICIT. AGAIN, IT'S GREAT THAT THESE NUMBERS WORKED OUT THE WAY THAT THEY DID, BUT, UH, IT WAS, UM, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE ON STAFF, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS LEFT WITH MORE QUESTIONS AFTER THE LAST MEETING THAN, THAN I FELT LIKE I HAD ANSWERS TO. BUT, UH, IN, IN THE MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN THREE WEEKS. I KNOW WE HAD A WHOLE WEEK OF A STORM, BUT WE HAD A LONG BREAK SINCE THE LAST, UH, MEETING AND HAVEN'T HAD A WHOLE LOT OF TALK FROM STAFF ABOUT THE BUDGET SINCE THEN. BUT I DON'T KNOW, I GUESS THAT JUST TO, YEAH, JUST TO THE WAY IT IS. JUST TO CLARIFY, WE SET THE RATE, SET THE BUDGET BASED ON THE RATE THAT THE COUNCIL HAD APPROVED THE PRELIMINARY RATE. SO THEN WE WENT BACK KNOWING THAT WE WERE NOW FACED WITH, I MEAN, I THINK ORIGINALLY WE WERE FACED WITH ABOUT A DEFICIT OF FIVE OR 6 MILLION. NOW WE'RE LOOKING FOR A DEFICIT OF, I DON'T KNOW, SIX OR 7 MILLION. AND SO HIRING FREEZE TRAVEL AND TRAINING CUTS ZEROED OUT. ALMOST EVERY SUPPLEMENTAL THE DEPARTMENTS HAD ASKED FOR, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LOOKING AT REAL TIME CRIME CENTER ENHANCEMENTS, CUT THAT, A VARIETY OF THINGS, CUT THOSE. AND THEN BASED ON THE RATE THAT WAS SET AT THE LAST HEARING, WE WERE THEN FACED WITH AN ADDITIONAL $1.3 MILLION DEFICIT. RIGHT? AND AS A RESULT, WE CUT SUPPLEMENTALS FURTHER AS A GO RESULT, WE CUT OPERATIONS ALMOST A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS MORE, AND A CONTINGENCY, WHICH YES, IT'S NICE TO HAVE A CONTINGENCY, BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS AT THE COUNCIL, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS WE CAME BACK WITH. AND, AND IF I MIGHT MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT, MR. MAYOR, UH, AND, AND, AND CONGRATULATIONS. I MEAN, WE WENT FROM A ALMOST A $3 MILLION DEFICIT AND A $5 MILLION DEFICIT IN 25, AND THEN A $5 MILLION DEFICIT IN 26, AND NOW YOU'RE PRESENTING US, UH, WITH A $600,000 DEFICIT. SO WELL DONE. UH, MR. BOONE, UH, WHEN I VOTE AGAINST THIS BUDGET, I'M NOT VOTING AGAINST THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB OF COMING UP WITH SOME CUTS, UNFORTUNATELY. I JUST, I CAN'T APPROVE SOME OF THESE ADDITIONAL, UH, INCREASES THAT WE'RE DOING FOR SOME PEOPLE. BUT, UH, YOU ARE TO BE COMMENDED THAT I WISH THREE YEARS AGO WE WOULD HAVE IMPLEMENTED SOME OF THESE, UH, COST SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCIES THAT YOU'VE RECOGNIZED SINCE YOU'VE BECOME CITY MANAGER. WE WOULDN'T BE IN THE MESS THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE IN TODAY, COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. WELL, I WANNA KNOW WHO ARE THESE [01:05:01] PEOPLE THAT WE ARE INCREASING WHAT TWO THAT YOU'RE NOT IN FAVOR OF? UH, I, THERE'S JUST, I CAN'T AGREE TO A BUDGET THAT INCLUDES RAISES, UH, FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE, UH, AND CERTAIN, UH, DEPARTMENT HEADS. I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE. I THINK, UH, WHEN WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A, A, OF A DIFFICULT BUDGET RIGHT NOW, I THINK THAT, UH, GIVING AN ACROSS THE BOARD RAISE FOR, UH, FOR ALL DEPARTMENT HEADS AND EVERYBODY, UH, IT SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE. UH, SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS RECEIVED ADDITIONAL, UH, RAISES, UH, IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED ADDITIONAL DUTIES, AND I'M FINE WITH THAT. BUT NOW WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM A RAISE ON, ON TOP OF THAT. UH, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THOSE EMPLOYEES GET THAT GOT THOSE RAISES. IT'S, IT'S OTHER EMPLOYEES. UH, I, I, I, I SEE SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT DO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AND DO A GREAT JOB, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM GET RAISES. UH, BUT I THINK ACROSS THE BOARD, 2% FOR EVERYBODY, INCLUDING SOME OF THESE DEPARTMENT HEADS, SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE. I PROPOSED POSSIBLY DOING A, UH, A, A RAISE FOR THOSE MAKING LESS THAN $80,000. UM, THAT WAY THOSE AT THE BOTTOM THAT NEED IT THE MOST DO SEE AN INCREASE. I'M FINE WITH THAT. I'M ALSO FINE WITH AN IDEA THAT MR. BOONE DISCUSSED WHERE WE MIGHT NOT DO RAISES NOW AND SEE HOW THE CITY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH LOOKS IN SIX MONTHS AND CONSIDER A MID-YEAR BONUS, UH, TYPE OF, UH, UH, OF PAYMENT. UM, I WOULD ALSO BE FINE WITH THAT, BUT, UH, I, I, I THINK IT WOULD BE BAD MANNERS FOR ME TO IDENTIFY CERTAIN DEPARTMENT HEADS THAT I THINK ARE DOING A, A, A BAD, UH, OR COULD DO A BETTER JOB, UH, IN SAYING THEY DON'T DESERVE A RAISE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M LEFT WITH. AND, UH, I GET THAT'S KIND OF HOW GOVERNMENTS RUN. YOU JUST GIVE ACROSS THE BOARD RAISES. BUT, UH, I, I WOULD PREFER TO SEE A SITUATION WHEREBY WE DO MAYBE GIVE AN INCREASE FOR THOSE MAKING THE LEAST. UH, MAYBE WE GIVE SOME TARGETED, UH, RAISES FOR CDL DRIVERS OR MECHANICS OR, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER PEOPLE WHERE IT'S LOOKING LIKE MAYBE THEY'RE, UH, NOT BEING PAID A RATE THAT, UH, UH, THE PRIVATE INDUSTRY IS PAYING FOR THAT SIMILAR TYPE OF WORK. AND IT'S CAUSING US SOME DIFFICULTIES OF BEING ABLE TO RECRUIT AND, UH, AND MAINTAIN THOSE EMPLOYEES. BUT, UH, AGAIN, I JUST, I, I CAN'T GO ALONG WITH A BUDGET THAT GIVES A RAISE TO EVERYBODY, INCLUDING SOME PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE JUST GOTTEN A RAISE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THANK YOU. I DON'T, UH, ENVY YOUR JOB. AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN TURNER? UH, JUST A, A QUESTION, UH, MR. BOONE, AND THIS KINDA CAN BE RELATED TO, SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER CRENSHAW STATED EARLIER. WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, EMPLOYEE EVALUATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME. ARE WE GOING TO SEE THAT SOON OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE, OR CAN WE EXPECT WHEN WE CAN SEE IT? YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME IT IS APPROPRIATE TO SAY HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT CERTAIN PERFORMANCES TO THE CITY MANAGER. SO I'M ASKING ARE WE GONNA SEE THAT ANYTIME SOON, OR IS IT A PROJECTED TIMEFRAME THAT YOU MAY SEE THAT WE MAY SEE THAT? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CITYWIDE OR JUST YES, SIR. THAT THE EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS WE'VE BEEN KIND OF WORKING ON FOR SOME YEARS NOW. YEAH, THE GOAL IS TO GET IT DONE THIS CALENDAR YEAR. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE. UH, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. MAYOR, IT, IT'S A RECORD VOTE. RECORD VOTE. OKAY, WELL CALL ROLL PLEASE. MAYOR WEST. UH, I AGREE. I APPROVE IT. MAYOR PRO TEM CRENSHAW AGAINST COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD AGAINST COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER FOUR. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS. AND COUNCIL MEMBER SHERWOOD. FOUR. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, MOTION PASSES. [2. Council consider an ordinance ratifying the budgeted property tax increase reflected in the FY2027 Budget.] MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO? YES. ITEM NUMBER TWO IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE RATIFYING THE BUDGET TO PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE FY 2027 BUDGET. SECTION 1 0 2 0.007 OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ADOPTION OF A BUDGET THAT WILL REQUIRE RAISING MORE REVENUE FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, REQUIRES A SEPARATE VOTE OF THE GOVERNING BODY TO RATIFY THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET. A VOTE UNDER THIS SECTION IS IN ADDITION TO AND SEPARATE FROM THE VOTE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET, OR A VOTE TO SET THE TAX RATE REQUIRED BY CHAPTER 26 OF [01:10:01] THE TAX CODE OR OTHER LAW, THE BUDGETED REVENUE FROM THE PROPERTY TAXES IS EXPECTED TO BE 1.3 $1,330,424 MORE THAN FY 2026. THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION IN THE SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER TWO. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER TWO, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OPPOSED. SORRY. CAN I SHOW A HAND? THOSE THAT OPPOSED. ALL RIGHT. MOTION PASSES. [3. Council to consider a resolution adopting the Fiscal Year 2027 Capital Program] MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE? YES. ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 CAPITAL PROGRAM. UH, ARTICLE SIX, SECTION 20 OF THE CITY. CHARTER STATES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL BY RESOLUTION ADOPT THE CAPITAL PROGRAM WITH OR WITHOUT AMENDMENT AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. THE CAPITAL PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL ON MAY 14TH, 2026. A REVISED COPY OF THE CAPITAL PROGRAM WAS SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL ON AUGUST 18TH, 2026. THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? WHO TO APPROVE? THERE IS A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND ON ITEM NUMBER THREE? MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN WE HAVE DISCUSSION PRIOR TO THE RECOMMENDATION OR IS THAT POSSIBLE? IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO, MADAM ATTORNEY, WE CAN DO THAT. IT IS COUNCIL'S ROLE, SO COUNCIL CAN SUSPEND IT. SO GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN TURNER. YEAH, SO, YOU KNOW, NOW IS THE TIME, MR. MANAGER, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, NOW IS THE TIME THAT IF IT'S THINGS YOU DON'T WANT IN THE CAPITAL PROGRAM, YOU CAN, CAN YOU SPEAK ON IT OR, YES. UH, THIS, YES. I MEAN, THIS WAS PROPOSED BACK IN MAY 14TH. IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH EACH, WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, CERTAINLY PULL THOSE UP. EACH OF THE, EACH OF THE PROPOSED, UH, PROJECTS. AND JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE CAPITAL, UH, PROGRAM? AND IF IT'S NOT APPROVED, UH, WHAT COULD BE THE RESULTS? SO THE PURPOSE OF THE FIVE, IT'S A [01:15:01] FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PROGRAM, AND IT BASICALLY, IT SPELLS OUT THE, THE WISHES OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN TERMS OF WHAT FACILITIES, PARKS, STREETS, DRAINAGE, SEWER, AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE YOU WANT WORKED ON. AND THAT MEANS REPAIRED, ENHANCED, ET CETERA. AND SO RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE AN APPROVED FY 26 CAPITAL PLAN, UH, THAT HAS A VARIETY OF THINGS UNDERWAY. UM, IF YOU WERE TO NOT NOT APPROVE A FUTURE CAPITAL PLAN, UM, WE WOULD HAVE, IT'S, WE WOULD HAVE TO ESSENTIALLY, WE WOULDN'T HAVE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEND MONEY ON THOSE PROJECTS. SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE PROJECTS THAT ARE UNDERWAY CURRENTLY THAT WOULD HAVE TO STOP. SO BASICALLY SOME CONTRACTORS MAY BE ALREADY DOING WORK, AND IF THESE CAPITAL PROGRAMS AREN'T APPROVED, IT COULD PUT THE CITY IN SOME POTENTIAL LIABILITY. CORRECT? YOU COULD, YOU COULD, YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, WE'RE UNDER CONTRACT WITH SOME OF THIS WORK, SO IT'S OBLIGATED, BUT CONCEIVE. YEAH, BUT THERE WOULD BE WORK THAT WOULD HAVE TO STOP. THE OTHER THING I'LL MENTION IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS A FIVE YEAR PLAN. UM, WE, WE REALLY FOCUSING ON, OF COURSE, IS FY 27, FY 28, COMPLETING WORK FOR FY 26. SO IT IS REVISITED EVERY YEAR AS PART OF THE BUDGET PROCESS. SO IF THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT YOU, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL DECIDES THEY DON'T WANT TO DO, LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, FURTHER DOWN THE LINE, THAT CAN ALWAYS BE AMENDED IN THE FUTURE BUDGET. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ASKING YOU TO REVIEW AND APPROVE THE BUDGET, UH, FOR THIS, THIS 2027 THROUGH 2031 TODAY. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, UH, MR. BOONE, THAT BEAUMONT ANIMAL CARE, UH, FACILITY WAS GOING TO GET $170,000 IMPROVEMENT FOR SOME ADDITIONAL, UH, UH, CLIMATE REGULATED, UH, UH, DOG RUNS. UH, IN THE BACK OF IT. OUR BEAUMONT ANIMAL CARE FACILITY IS WOEFULLY AND ADEQUATE AND UNDERFUNDED. UH, AND THE DECISION WAS RECENTLY MADE BY STAFF TO NOT DO THAT AND TO INSTEAD USE THAT MONEY TO DO A STUDY ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO BUILD A NEW AND IMPROVED BEAUMONT ANIMAL CARE CENTER. WHICH I THOUGHT WHEN WE JUST HAD IT ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER FOR A NEW FACILITY, THAT MIGHT ALREADY HAVE BEEN DONE. SO THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT I HAVE RIGHT THERE WITH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN. IT'S NOT THE ONLY ISSUE, BUT THAT IS THE ONE ISSUE RIGHT NOW THAT'S BARKING AT ME, PUN INTENDED. UH, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I CAN'T VOTE TO APPROVE THIS. SO, MAYOR, JUST SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THAT. I AGREE. OUR, OUR, OUR SHELTER IS WOEFULLY, UH, TOO SMALL, TOO OLD, TOO OUTTA DATE. WE PUT IT ON THE, UH, THE NOVEMBER BALLOT LAST YEAR TO TRY TO, UM, GET A NEWER, BIGGER MODERN FACILITY, UH, AT, AT THE CORE OF THE MATTER, THE ISSUE IS WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY STRAY DOGS AND CATS, UH, PER CAPITA. IT'S JUST, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S EXCEPTIONAL HOW MANY STRAY DOGS AND CATS WE HAVE. AND SO WE PUT IT ON THE BOND ELECTION LAST SPRING. OBVIOUSLY THAT MEASURE FAILED. AND SO THE DISCUSSION WAS DO WE POUR GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD AND ADD, UH, STRUCTURE FOR THIS OUTDOOR SHELTER WHEN THE IDEA IS HOPEFULLY THE IDEA WILL BE TO, UH, GET THE MATTER BACK ON A FUTURE BOND OR POSSIBLY A FUTURE CERTIFICATE OF OBLIGATION TO MODERNIZE A NEW SHELTER TO TAKE CARE OF THE CAPACITY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE. UM, BUT YEAH, THE IDEA OF ENCLOSING THE SHELTER, WHICH I THINK ACCORDING TO OUR STAFF, WHICH ARE HERE AND CAN ELABORATE ON IT, WOULD HAVE ONLY MIXED BENEFIT. SO THAT'S, IF I COULD, I MEAN, THAT'S JUST ONE PROJECT ON THE ENTIRE CIP WHICH COVERS STREETS, DRAINAGE, ROADWAYS, EVERYTHING. YES. SO WE GONNA STOP THAT WORK OR NOT MAKE A MOTION TO, TO PROJECT WORK? BECAUSE WE WERE AT ABOUT THE ANIMAL SHELTER. WELL, WE GOT A MOTION AND WE'RE WAITING ON A SECOND. THAT'S RIGHT. OH, OKAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO BE CLEAR. MM-HMM . AND IT WOULD ALSO HELP BECAUSE WE'VE ASKED, UH, THE DIRECTOR OF BEAUMONT ANIMAL CARE TO DO THIS, TO BRING TO COUNCIL A, UH, MORE AGGRESSIVE SPAY AND NEUTER ORDINANCE, UH, THAT WOULD HELP CONTROL THE PET POPULATION. BUT LIKE A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT I'VE ASKED FOR, FOR BEAUMONT ANIMAL, UH, CARE, UH, OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR OR SO, [01:20:01] WE ARE JUST STILL WAITING AND SEE MR. BOONE, THAT'S WHY I ASKED SPECIFICALLY FOR DISCUSSION OPENLY WHAT CAN BE THE IMPACT. AND IF COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD HAD ISSUES, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SPEAK ON IT AND ADDRESS, ADDRESS IT, AND MAKE SUGGESTIONS OR CHANGES OR MOTIONS IF NECESSARY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS AND WHAT COULD BE THE IMPACT IF IT'S NOT VOTED ON. YES SIR. WE GONNA FIND A SECOND ON THIS. ITEM NUMBER THREE, ANOTHER QUESTION FOR THE FIRST TIME. IS IT, IS IT A DEADLINE THAT THIS HAS TO BE SUBMITTED, MR. MANAGER END OF THE MONTH. END OF THE MONTH? YES, SIR. SO WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, SINCE, SINCE IT'S QUIET AND PEOPLE HAVE TO OPERATE WITHIN THIS, THAT IF WE CAN DO A WORKSHOP TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE WANT IN AND OUT, I DON'T KNOW. OR THE SEPTEMBER 8TH, I, I, I WOULDN'T MIND COMING AS A COUNCIL MEMBER ON A RANDOM DAY BECAUSE THE LAST THING I WANT IS CITY OPERATIONS TO STOP OR, OR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T WANT CERTAIN PROJECTS IN AND NOT SPEAKING ON IT. MM-HMM . SO, BECAUSE I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SILENCE. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASSUMING. WELL, AND I GUESS WE'VE HAD SINCE AUGUST. YEAH. WELL, MAY WE HAD SINCE MAY. WE, WE PRESENTED THIS IN MAY AND WE DID, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL MAY WANT TO DO. I'M JUST ASKING. YEAH. BUT, BUT LET'S GO AT ONE AT A TIME. SO COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, GO AHEAD. BUT, BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR TO SAY WE'VE HAD SINCE AUGUST BECAUSE WHEN WE ARE HERE IN AUGUST, THAT $170,000 FOR BEAUMONT M DON'T CARE WAS IN IT AND NOW IT'S NOT. SO THAT'S MY PROBLEM. YOU WE'VE CUT THAT OUT. WHAT ELSE HAVE WE CUT OUT? WHAT ELSE HAVE WE ADDED? I DON'T KNOW. I, ALL I KNOW IS THAT'S ONE SPECIFIC ISSUE THAT I WAS TOLD ABOUT THAT IT HAD BEEN REMOVED. AND SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH. BUT I'M SURE THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT MAYBE WERE ADDED OR REMOVED. I DON'T KNOW. IT'S STILL IN THE CIP, BUT I WAS SPECIFICALLY TOLD BY THE CITY MANAGER THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED. NO, WE TALKED ABOUT REMOVE, WE TALKED ABOUT NOT MOVING FORWARD. IT IS IN, IT'S SHOWN AS CASH IN FY 2027. OKAY. SO IT IS IN THE BUDGET, BUT THE IDEA IS WHETHER OR NOT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SPENDING IT. AND THE LAST DISCUSSION, WHICH WAS WE HAD AN ANIMAL CARE ADVISORY COMMITTEE SINCE OUR LAST MEETING AND THE DISCUSSION WAS THIS MIGHT BE PUTTING GOOD MONEY AFTER THAT. SO WE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD WITH SPENDING THE MONEY UNTIL WE BRING THE ITEM BACK TO COUNCIL FOR THE DECISION. BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE IT IN THE BUDGET, THEN WE CANNOT DO THAT. YEAH. WELL ANYWAY, I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT GONNA BE IN THERE, SO I GOT AN ISSUE WITH IT. IT'S IN THERE NOW. YEAH, NO, IT'S NOT. SO IT'S NOT IN THERE OR IT ISN'T FOR CLARITY. IT'S IN, IT'S IN, IT'S IN THE PROPOSED, YES. YES. BUT THE COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW'S, MAYOR CRENSHAW, CRENSHAW'S POINT, IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED SINCE THIS WAS INCLUDED WHETHER OR NOT TO MOVE FORWARD A DISCUSSION, I GUESS. AND, AND MAYBE IT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED FOR CLARITY THAT, THAT THE CAPITAL PLAN IS, OR, OR PROJECTS THAT KENNEDY YES, THAT COUNCIL HAS SAID THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN AND WE WANTED. SO MOST OF THEM ARE FUNDED AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROGRAM, THEY'RE ALREADY FUNDED OUT. SOME OF THEM STARTED, SOME OF 'EM ARE PROJECTED TO START. AND WHEN WE DO START, OR WHEN COUNCIL DOES START, IT HAS TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL TO ALLOCATE THE FUNDS. BUT THE BOOK IS JUST TO SAY THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY COUNCIL FOR IN THEIR PROJECTED TIMELINE. SO A LOT OF THEM, IF COUNCIL DOESN'T APPROVE IT, THEN THE WORK TO DO THE GROUNDWORK IN TERMS OF THE ENGINEERING AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS WON'T BE EXPENDED AS WELL. 'CAUSE IT'S ALL A PART OF THE, THE PLAN SHALL WE TABLE IT? FAIR. UH, MR. BOONE, WHAT HAPPENS IF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, LIKE I SAID, CON CONTRACTORS [01:25:01] ARE ALREADY WORKING ON THEM, WE DON'T APPROVE IT. THEN WHAT IS, WHAT ARE THE CONTRACTORS OPTIONS? SO WE'LL PAY OUT UNTIL, UH, FOR WORK PERFORMED, BUT THE, THE WORK WILL STOP. SO WE'LL THE CITY WILL BE BREAKING THE CONTRACT. YEP. WE DO STUFF LIKE THAT. THAT AFFECTS YOUR, OUR BOND RATING. IT WELL, IT MIGHT AFFECT OUR COST TO DO BUSINESS BECAUSE IF, IF WE'RE KNOWN TO BE BROKEN BREAKING CONTRACTS, I EXPECT THE CONTRACT BIDS ARE GONNA BE MUCH HIGHER. I CAN THINK OF A FEW CONTRACTS I WISH WE'D BREAK. ALRIGHT, WELL IF WE DON'T GET A SECOND ON THIS, ABOUT TO SECOND WANT SOMEBODY SECOND IT AND WE CAN VOTE UP OR VOTE IT DOWN. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM NUMBER THREE PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE A THOSE OPPOSED AGAINST, AGAINST HAND RAISED FOR [4. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Change Order No. 3, accept maintenance, and authorize final payment to SETEX Construction Corp., of Beaumont, for the Highway 124 12-Inch Water Main Replacement (Phelps Road to Downs Road) Project.] MR. CITY MANAGER. MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR? YES. ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE, UH, ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT, UH, TO CTE CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION, UH, BEAUMONT FOR THE HIGHWAY 1 24 12 INCH WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PHELPS ROAD TO DOWNS ROAD PROJECT ON MARCH 18TH, 2025 BY RESOLUTION 25 45 CITY COUNCIL AWARDED A CONTRACT TO C TEX CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION OF BEAUMONT FOR THE HIGHWAY 1 24 12 INCH WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN THE AMOUNT OF $283,521 AND 76 CENTS. PREVIOUS CHANGE ORDERS NUMBER ONE THROUGH TWO, OR EXCUSE ME, ONE AND TWO IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,072 AND 65 CENTS ARE ATTACHED FOR YOUR REFERENCE. PROPOSED CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE WILL DECREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT BY $2,910 AND IS REQUIRED TO ADJUST THE ESTIMATED QUANTITIES IN THE CONTRACT TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL QUANTITIES USED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND ADD 128 CALENDAR DAYS TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL DAYS USED IF APPROVED. THE FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT WILL BE $305,684 AND 41 CENTS. PROJECT HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY WATER UTILITY STAFF AND FOUND TO BE COMPLETE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS AND TERMS SET OUT IN THE CONTRACT ACCEPTANCE OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE, MAINTENANCE AND FINAL PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,284 22 CENTS IS RECOMMENDED. FUNDING IS AVAILABLE THROUGH WATER REVENUE BONDS FOR THIS PROJECT AND WE RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. [5. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Change Order No. 3, accept maintenance, and authorize final payment to the contract with Pro-Pipe Inc., of Irvine, CA for the Sanitary Sewer Evaluation Work Order Contract – Phase V.] MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE? YES. ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE, UH, ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT TO THE CONTRACT, UH, WITH PRO PIPE INC. OF IRVINE, CALIFORNIA FOR THE SANITARY SEWER EVALUATION WORK ORDER CONTRACT PHASE FIVE ON SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2024 BY RESOLUTION 24 2 15, CITY COUNCIL AWARDED A CONTRACT PRO PIPE INC. IN THE AMOUNT OF $655,289 AND 11 CENTS FOR SANITARY SEWER EVALUATION WORK. PREVIOUS CHANGE ORDERS ONE AND TWO IN THE AMOUNT OF $160,020 ARE ATTACHED FOR YOUR REFERENCE. PROPOSED CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE IN THE AMOUNT OF NEGATIVE 1 92 7 0 3 98, UH, IS REQUIRED TO ADJUST THE ESTIMATED QUANTITIES IN THE CONTRACT TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL QUANTITIES USED IN THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT AND ADD AN ADDITIONAL 100 CALENDAR DAYS TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL TIME USED IN THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT. IF APPROVED, THE FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT WOULD BE $622,000 AND 6 620 $2,605 AND 13 CENTS. PROJECT HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY WATER UTILITY STAFF AND FOUND TO BE COMPLETE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS AND TERMS SET FORTH IN THE CONTRACT ACCEPTANCE OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE AND FINAL PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $52,085 AND 16 CENTS IS RECOMMENDED. UH, FUNDS WERE MADE FUNDS [01:30:01] FOR THIS PROJECT WERE FROM THE WATER REVENUE BONDS AS WELL AS AMERICAN RESCUE FUNDS. THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? SO MOVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. [6. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept maintenance and authorize final payment to Elite Contractors for the Athletic Complex – Rehabilitation of Parking Lots and Engelbrecht Drive Project.] CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SIX? YES. ITEM NUMBER SIX IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT TO ELITE CONTRACTORS FOR THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX, UH, REHABILITATION PART OF THE PARKING LOTS AND RE DRIVE PROJECT ON NOVEMBER 4TH, 2026 BY RESOLUTION 25,282 CITY COUNCIL AWARDED A CONTRACT TO ELITE CONTRACTORS OF KIRBYVILLE IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,588,922 FOR THIS PROJECT. PREVIOUS CHANGE ORDERS ONE THROUGH THREE IN THE AMOUNT OF $56,930 RESULTED IN A FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $1,645,852. PROJECT HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY THE ENGINEERING DIVISION AND FOUND TO BE COMPLETE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS AND TERMS SET FORTH IN THE CONTRACT ACCEPTANCE OF MAINTENANCE AND THE FINAL PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $81,970 AND 55 CENTS IS RECOMMENDED. UH, FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT WERE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CIP AND THE CER CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION RECOMMENDATION OF THE RESOLUTION, UH, UH, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION, RATHER VOTE TO APPROVE. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. [7. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the Emergency Repair of a 60-Inch Sewer Trunk Line at the Wastewater Treatment Plant.] MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? YES. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EMERGENCY REPAIR OF A 60 INCH SEWER TRUNK LINE AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. ON JUNE 23RD, 2026, CITY STAFF IDENTIFIED A SIGNIFICANT CAVITY NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT BETWEEN TWO JUNCTION BOXES CONNECTED BY THE 60 INCH SANITARY SEWER INTERCEPTOR. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTIONS REVEALED THAT THE CROWN OF THE 60 INCH CONCRETE INTERCEPTION HAD DETERIORATED AND FAILED RESULTING IN A COLLAPSE NEAR THE MAIN JUNCTION BOX. OVER THE FOLLOWING DAYS, THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE PIPE CROWN ALSO FAILED. UM, THE INTERCEPTION CONVEYS THE SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE CITY'S WASTEWATER FLOWED TO THE MAIN JUNCTION BOX LOCATED WITHIN THE TREATMENT PLANT. THE COLLAPSE CREATED AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO WASTEWATER, CONVEYANCE AND PLANT OPERATIONS REQUIRING PROMPT EMERGENCY ACTION TO PREVENT SERVICE DISRUPTIONS IN POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. AN EMERGENCY CONTRACT HAS BEEN PUT IN PLACE WITH KING SOLUTIONS LLC OF HOUSTON, TEXAS FOR AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $230,100 TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS. FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FROM WATER REVENUE BONDS AND THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION IS CARRIED. [8. Council to consider an ordinance reducing total compensation for the Mayor and Council to zero.] MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? YES. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REDUCING TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO ZERO. ARTICLE THREE, SECTION FOUR. THE CITY CHARTER STATES SALARIES OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS SHALL BE SET BY ORDINANCE IN 1985. ORDINANCE 85 0 5 APPROVED INCREASES IN THE AMOUNTS AS FOLLOWED AND SHOWN ON YOUR SCREEN. UH, THIS REFLECTS THE COUNCIL'S CURRENT COMPENSATION. IN 2023, THE TOTAL COMPENSATION WAS EVALUATED AND THE PROPOSED SALARY INCREASES WERE REJECTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AT THE REQUEST TO COUNCIL MEMBERS WILLIAMS AND HILLIARD. AN ORDINANCE BE IS BEING PROPOSED TO REDUCE THE TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL TO ZERO. GIVEN THE CITY CHARTER ONLY RESTRICTS WHEN SALARY INCREASES, MAY ENACT INCREASES MAY BE ENACTED. THIS ORDINANCE IF PASSED, WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON PASSAGE UNLESS DIRECTED OTHERWISE. THERE IS NO RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? I MOVE TO DENY THERE'S A MOTION TO DENY. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THERE'S A MOTION TO DENY. AND A SECOND. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF [01:35:01] DENYING. UH, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OPPOSED, OPPOSED, OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. AND WE [9. Council to consider granting a new solid waste franchise agreement to Bulldog Roll-Off Dumpsters, LLC] HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER NINE, PLEASE. YES. ITEM NUMBER NINE IS TO CONSIDER GRANTING A NEW SOLID WASTE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH BULLDOG ROLL OFF DUMPSTERS LLC PURSUANT TO CITY ORDINANCE 22.0 5.101, NO PERSON SHALL ENGAGE IN THE BUSINESS OF COLLECTING, HAULING, OR TRANSPORTING IN THE CITY ANY GARBAGE, WASTE OR REFUSE WITHOUT FIRST HAVING OBTAINED A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FROM THE CITY. UH, CURRENTLY 14 ENTITIES HAVE NON-EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS WITHIN THE CITY ARE IN DOING BUSINESS AT THIS TIME. BULLDOG ROLL OFF DUMPSTERS. LLC HAS REQUESTED THAT CITY COUNCIL GRANT THE COMPANY A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT THAT'S LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED, UH, ESTABLISHED IN 2022. THE COMPANY OPERATES AS A SOLE OWNER OPERATED BUSINESS AND SPECIALIZES IN DELIVERING RELIABLE CONTAINER RENTALS FOR RESIDENTIAL CLEANOUTS, HOME RENOVATIONS, COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION, AND CONTRACTOR JOB SITES. THE REQUESTED FRANCHISE IS GENERALLY THE SAME AS THOSE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL. IT PROVIDES FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR FROM ITS EFFECTIVE DATE AND A FRANCHISE FEE OF 7% OF GROSS REVENUES RECEIVED FOR THE SERVICE. IT ALSO REQUIRES THE ENTITY TO INDEMNIFY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND PROVIDE INSURANCE, WHICH NAMES THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AS A NAMED INSURED AND THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE. IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER NINE? SO MOVE SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR OUR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER NINE. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER NINE. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. [10. Council to consider a request for approval of an abandonment to a portion of a Water Utility Easement located on the northwest portion of the property located at 1850 W. Commerce Parkway.] MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER 10? YES. ITEM NUMBER 10 IS, UH, TO REQUEST APPROVAL OF AN ABANDONMENT TO A PORTION OF A WATER UTILITY EASEMENT LOCATED ON THE NORTHWEST PORTION OF THE PROPERTY AT 1850 WEST COMMERCE PARKWAY. UM, THE PORTION OF THE ABANDONMENT CURRENTLY HOLDS A WATER METER THAT IS SCHEDULED TO BE RELOCATED TO ALLOW FOR A PARKING LOT EXPANSION, UH, WHEN THE METER IS RELOCATED. THE PORTION OF THE EASEMENT WILL NO LONGER BE NEEDED AT A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON AUGUST 17TH, 2026. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED SEVEN TO ZERO TO APPROVE THIS REQUEST. UH, THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE VOTE TO APPROVE. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 10. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER 10 PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING A AYE AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION IS CARRIED. MR. CITY [11. Council to consider a request for approval of a Specific Use Permit to allow a community garden and associated education and neighborhood activities within a GC-MD (General Commercial-Multiple Family Dwelling) and RM-H (Residential Multiple Family Dwelling-Highest Density) zoning district for property located South of 2060 Irving Avenue.] MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER 11? YES. ITEM NUMBER 11 IS A REQUEST, UH, FOR APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A COMMUNITY GARDEN AND ASSOCIATED EDUCATION AND NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITIES WITHIN A-G-C-M-D, GENERAL COMMERCIAL MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING AND RMH RESIDENTIAL MULTI-FAMILY HIGHEST DENSITY ZONING DISTRICT FOR PROPERTY. LOCATED AT 2060 IRVING AVENUE ON APRIL 7TH, 2026. CITY COUNCIL APPROVED RESOLUTION NUMBER 26 0 7 0 FOR THE LEASE OF THE CITY OWNED LOTS FOR FIVE YEARS. FOR THE PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY GARDEN AT A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING HELD ON AUGUST 17TH, 2026, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED SEVEN TO ZERO TO APPROVE THE REQUESTED SPECIFIC USE PERMIT WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITION. NUMBER ONE, CONSTRUCTION PLANS MUST MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS BY WATER UTILITIES FOR ANY WATER AND SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING ANY REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY'S BACKFLOW PRE-TREATMENT AND OR FOG PROGRAM. THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH THE SAME CONDITION. MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND. THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL ON ITEM NUMBER 11. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES, HONOR MAYOR? YES SIR. COUNCILMAN TURNER? YEAH, I JUST KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE SOME TIME, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME YEARS NOW. AND MR. JONES AND YOUR COMMUNITY IN CHARLESTON PILOT, I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY DESERVING. THERE'S NO GROCERY STORES OUT THERE CAN BE CONSIDERED A FOOD DESERT. AND THIS IS JUST A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR WHAT WE HOPE TO SEE SOON. MORE PARTNERSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY OF BEAUMONT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSISTENCE AND THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO FIGHT AND GO HARD FOR YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOU'RE APPRECIATED AND CONGRATULATIONS. I SECOND THAT AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO [01:40:01] BE A PART OF IT BECAUSE I TOLD YOU WHEN I GOT ELECTED YOU WOULD AND YOU DID. SO THEN THERE'S THAT MM-HMM . GOOD JOB MR. JONES. AMEN. ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL. ITEM NUMBER 11, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. THE OPPOSED MOTION IS CARRIED. [12. Council to consider a request for approval of a Specific Use Permit to allow a washateria within an RCR (Residential Conservation Revitalization) zoning district for property located at 3505 Pine Street.] MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE GO INTO ITEM NUMBER 12 NOW? YES. ITEM NUMBER 12 IS TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A WASHATERIA WITHIN AN RCR RESIDENTIAL CONSERVATION REVITALIZATION ZONING DISTRICT, UH, AT THE, FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 3 5 5 PINE STREET AT A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING HELD AUGUST 17TH, 2026. THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED SEVEN TO ZERO TO APPROVE THE REQUEST FOR THE WASH AT THIS LOCATION WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS. NUMBER ONE, CONSTRUCTION PLANS MUST MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS BY WATER UTILITIES FOR ANY WATER AND SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING ANY REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY'S BACKFLOW, PRETREATMENT, AND OR FOG PROGRAM. UH, NUMBER TWO SHALL RE RELOCATE THE WATER METER TO BE WITHIN THE CITY RIGHT AWAY. NUMBER THREE SHALL SUBMIT A PARKING PLAN TO BE APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. PARKING PLAN SHALL NOT ALLOW FOR CARS TO BACK DIRECTLY OUT OF A SPOT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AND NUMBER FOUR, THE EXISTING PRIVACY FENCE SHALL BE REPAIRED AND MAINTAIN IN AN UPRIGHT, STRUCTURALLY SOUND AND GOOD CONDITION AT ALL TIME. THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL WITH THE SAME CONDITIONS. SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER 12. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER 12. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED. [ Council to conduct a Public Hearing and receive comments on the 2025 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER)] WILL YOU TAKE US INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING, MR. SEAT MANAGER? YES. UH, COUNSEL TO CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND RECEIVE COMMENTS ON THE 2025 CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT OR THE CAPER, WE WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. ANYBODY SIGN UP TO SPEAK? NO, SIR. YES. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO THIS IS OUR 2025 CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION REPORT. THIS REPORT ARE ALL OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT THE CITY HOUSING AND CDBG DIVISION ACCOMPLISHED IN OUR 2025 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN. WE DO THIS REPORT AND WE HAVE A 30 DAY COMMENT PERIOD. WE'VE HAD THE PLAN DRAFT POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH IS AT THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION, AND WE ALSO HAVE A COPY, HARD COPY UPSTAIRS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. WE WILL BE ACCEPTING ANY COMMENTS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 15TH, AND THEN WE WILL SUBMIT OUR REPORT TO HEAD. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS WITH THAT? THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED. [ Council to review and discuss Zip special transit services] WILL YOU TAKE US INTO THE FIRST WORK SESSION, PLEASE? YES. UH, COUNSEL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS ZIP SPECIAL TRANSIT SERVICE, UM, AND PRESENTING. I THINK WE HAVE DEMI MS. DEMI MANN, OUR DIRECTOR OF PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. UH, TODAY I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF BEAUMONT SPECIAL TRANSIT SERVICES, INCLUDING HOW THE SERVICE OPERATES, WHO IT SERVES IN SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TO ADDRESS. NEXT SLIDE. SO ELIGIBILITY IS BASED ON FEDERAL A DA REQUIREMENTS, UH, UNDER TITLE 49 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS SECTION 37.125. AS SUCH, STS PROVIDES CURB CURB SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WHOSE DISABILITY PREVENTS THEM FROM USING THE FIXED ROUTE BUS SYSTEM. IT ALSO IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE STS IS A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICE AND NOT A MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICE. THIS IS OFTEN A POINT OF CONFUSION. UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE 575 REGISTERED RIDERS. NEXT SLIDE. SO CURRENTLY OUR FLEET CONSISTS OF 10 TOTAL VANS, UH, WITH SEVEN RUNNING DURING OPERATIONAL HOURS AT ALL TIMES. THERE ARE NINE SHIFTS WITH SEVEN OPERATORS PER DAY. UM, RIDER MAY SCHEDULE A TRIP ANYWHERE FROM ONE HOUR TO 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE BY CALLING TRANSIT HEADQUARTERS. CURRENTLY, UH, WE HAVE ONE STAFF MEMBER THAT IS DEDICATED TO SCHEDULING TRIPS. OUR PHONE SYSTEM CAN ACCOMMODATE UP TO 20 CALLS AT ONE TIME OR CONCURRENT CALLS, UH, WITH THE REMAINING PHONE CAPACITY RESERVED FOR EMERGENCY, UH, [01:45:01] PURPOSES OR INTERNAL CITY COMMUNICATIONS. TO ENSURE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, YOU MUST APPLY FOR STS SERVICES. THE APPLICATION INCLUDES INFORMATION THAT MUST BE VERIFIED BY A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, UH, ONCE COMPLETE, ONCE A COMPLETE APPLICATION IS RECEIVED BY STAFF, OUR GOAL IS TO PROCESS IT WITHIN TWO BUSINESS DAYS. EACH APPLICANT IS THEN NOTIFIED BY MAIL THEIR ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION AS REQUIRED BY LAW. UH, THEY MUST RECEIVE A LETTER, UM, AND APPROVED APPLICANTS WILL ALSO, UH, RECEIVE AN ORIENTATION PACKET WITH THEIR STS ID CARD IN THE MAIL. UM, IN MOST CASES, AN ELIGIBLE WRITER CAN BEGIN SCHEDULING AND USING THE SERVICES WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS OF SUBMITTING A COMPLETE APPLICATION IN BETWEEN THE TWO BUSINESS DAYS. WE NEED TO ACCOUNT FOR THE TIME THAT IT TAKES TO GET THE MAIL BACK TO, UM, THE CITIZEN. UM, NEXT SLIDE. SO I WON'T READ OFF ALL OF THESE, BUT I WILL HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS AS IT RELATES TO SPECIAL TRANSIT SERVICES. SO SINCE BEAUMONT PROVIDES A FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM, WE MUST ALSO PROVIDE SPECIAL TRANS TRANSIT SERVICES, AS WE KNOW IS REQUIRED BY LAW THAT PASSENGERS UTILIZING STS MUST BE ELIGIBLE FOR THAT SERVICE. SO SINCE BEAUMONT PROVIDES A FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM, WE MUST ALSO PROVIDE SPECIAL TRA SORRY, AS WE FREQUENTLY, UH, RECEIVE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE ZIP BUT NOT PLACING PRIORITY TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. UM, AS YOU CAN SEE ON ON NUMBER NINE OF THIS SLIDE, UH, THE CITY'S NOT PERMITTED TO PRIORITIZE RIDES BASED ON TRIP PURPOSES, THAT THAT'S A FEDERAL LAW. UM, SO BASICALLY THE GROCERY STORE WEIGHS THE SAME AS A MEDICAL APPOINTMENT. NEXT SLIDE. FEDERAL REGULATIONS DO NOT ALLOW US TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF TRIPS OF AN, AN ELIGIBLE WRITER MAY TAKE, PROVIDED THAT CAPACITY IS AVAILABLE. SO WHILE RESERVATIONS MAY BE ACCEPTED UP TO 14 DAYS IN ADVANCE, FEDERAL LAW ALSO REQUIRES US TO MAINTAIN THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE NEXT DAY SERVICES. SO GIVEN OUR CURRENT RESOURCES, ACCEPTING RESERVATIONS 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE OUTSIDE OF THE ALLOWABLE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE WILL ALSO HELP PRESERVE CAPACITY FOR NEXT DAY TRIPS TO ENSURE THAT WE REMAIN COMPLIANT WITH THE F FDA'S FDA REQUIREMENTS, UM, ADVANCED BOOKING. BEYOND THAT MAY, MAY REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. NEXT SLIDE. SO WE DO FACE SOME CHALLENGES WITH THE SERVICE. UM, FIRST STS CURRENTLY ACCEPTS CASH ONLY. UM, OCCASIONALLY A WRITER MAY REQUEST AN UNPLANNED STOP AT A BANK TO OBTAIN CASH, WHICH IMPACTS THE SCHEDULED TRIP. AND IN REALITY, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED TO THE SCHEDULER OR DISCUSSED AS AN ADDITIONAL RIDE AT THE TIME OF THE BOOKING TO KEEP EVERYONE ON SCHEDULE. UM, WE ALSO EXPERIENCED CHALLENGES WITH NOHOW RIDER RECEIVE AN AUTOMATED REMINDER APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR BEFORE PICKUP. UH, BUT SOMETIMES THE VAN ARRIVES AND THE RIDER DOES NOT COME OUT OR RESPOND. UH, THESE INSTANCES CREATE DELAYS IN IMPACT OR TIMELINESS TO SERVE OTHER RIDERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. UH, SCHEDULING CAN ALSO BE TIME CONSUMING BECAUSE TRIPS ARE NEGOTIATED WITH EACH RIDER. REQUESTS MAY INVOLVE MULTIPLE PASSENGERS PICK UP LOCATIONS OR SPECIFIC TIMING CAN RESULT IN LENGTHY CALLS WHILE OTHER RI PASSEN OR OTHER RIDERS ARE ON THE QUEUE TO HAVE THEIR, THEIR CALL ANSWERED. UM, WHEN OUR SCHEDULER TRIES TO DISCONNECT THE LINE, SOMETIMES, UM, THEY'RE CALLED NOT COMPASSIONATE BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING RUSHED OFF THE PHONE. SO WE DO TRY TO BE, UM, OR WALK THE LINE AS BEST AS WE CAN SO THAT WE'RE HEARING THEM, BUT ALSO TRYING TO MOVE ON IN THE QUEUE. UM, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT STS IS A SHARED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. UM, RIDERS MAY BE TRAVELING WITH OTHER PASSENGERS AND THERE WE DO FACE SOMETIMES RESISTANCE TO SHARED RIDES, UM, IN THE SAME AREA OF TOWN, WHICH CAN CREATE ADDITIONAL DELAYS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. UM, FEDERAL REGULATIONS ALLOW UP TO 50% OF OUR SERVICE CAPACITY TO BE RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIPTION TRIPS. AND SO THAT MEANS LIKE RECURRING WORK SCHEDULES OR RECURRING, UH, MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. I BELIEVE WE JUST HAD SOMEONE COME UP TO THE PODIUM EARLIER TALKING ABOUT A STANDING DIALYSIS APPOINTMENT. UM, WE DO ALLOW FOR, FOR, WELL, THE FEDERAL, UM, LAW ALLOWS FOR 50% OF OUR SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES TO OCCUR. HOWEVER WE HAVE TO. ANYTHING THAT'S BEYOND THAT HAS TO REMAIN OPEN SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SCHEDULE NEXT DAY SERVICES. UM, FINALLY, FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS GENERALLY REQUIRE STS SERVICE WITHIN THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE OF OUR FIXED ROUTES. BEAUMONT HAS HISTORICALLY PROVIDED SERVICE BEYOND THAT AREA AND THROUGHOUT THE CITY LIMITS AT THE CITY'S EXPENSE. UM, IT IS A AN APPROXIMATE NET NET COST OF $59 PER STS TRIP. UM, SO ALIGNING OUR SERVICE AREA MORE CLOSELY WITH FEDERAL FEDERALLY REQUIRED AREA MAY PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COST SAVINGS IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WOULD LIKE FOR US TO PURSUE. UM, NEXT SLIDE. SO WE BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE A FEW IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT ARE WITHIN OUR EXISTING BUDGET. UM, FIRST, WHILE IT MAY SEEM SMALL, UM, OUR CURRENT APPLICATION HAS ALL THE NECESSARY INFORMATION, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE [01:50:01] CAN SIMPLIFY IT WITH A CLEARER STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON, ON THE APPLICATION. IT'LL BE FEWER PAGES AND IN A MORE USER-FRIENDLY FORMAT. UM, WE CAN, WE ALSO PLAN TO MAKE THE APPLICATION ELECTRONICALLY FILLABLE FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO COMPLETE IT ON THE COMPUTER THAN DELIVER IT TO THEIR MEDICAL, UH, PROFESSIONAL FOR VERI VERIFICATION. UM, SECOND, WE ARE TRAINING ADDITIONAL STAFF TO ASSIST WITH SCHEDULING DURING PEAK MORNING PERIODS. UM, A SECOND SCHEDULER IS SET, SET TO BEGIN TAKING CALLS ON SEPTEMBER 14TH AND THEN FOLLOWED BY A THIRD ON SEPTEMBER 28TH. THIS SHOULD HELP REDUCE THE WAIT TIMES AND IMPROVE OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO RIDER DURING OUR BUSIEST PERIOD. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR PEAK HOURS ARE BETWEEN 8:00 AM TO 8:45 AM UH, THIRD, WHILE FEDERAL LAW DOES NOT ALLOW US TO PRIORITIZE MEDICAL TRIPS OVER OTHER TRIP PURPOSES, WE DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT STSS CAPACITY REMAINS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SERVICE. FOR THAT REASON, I DO RECOMMEND, UH, IMPLEMENTING AN ANNUAL RECERTIFICATION PROCESS TO CONFIRM CONTINUED ELIGIBILITY, UM, RATHER THAN EVERY FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE RIGHT NOW PER OUR POLICY. UM, IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE THAT RECOMMENDATION OR PERHAPS A DIFFERENT INTERVAL, UM, WE WOULD NEED TO UPDATE THE ZIPS 88 POLICY AT A FUTURE COUNCIL MEETING TO REFLECT THAT DECISION. UM, FINALLY, I DO WANNA REITERATE THAT STS IS A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, UM, NOT A MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION. OUR OPERATORS PROVIDE CURB TO CURB SERVICES. SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS IF A RIDER REQUIRES ASSISTANCE BEYOND THE CURB, LIKE PERHAPS HAVING TO WALK UP TO THEIR HOUSE OR BE SITUATED INTO THEIR HOUSE, UM, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE. THEY TYPICALLY WOULD HAVE A PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT WITH THEM OR, UM, THEY WOULD SECURE MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION FOR THAT. UM, IT IS, UH, CURB TO CURB. UM, NEXT SLIDE. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I TRIED TO KEEP IT, UH, PRETTY, UH, CONDENSED. WE DO HAVE CLAUDIA SAN MIGUEL, OUR GENERAL, UH, MANAGER OF ZIP UH, HERE TOO FOR ANY TECHNICAL QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. YES. COUNCILWOMAN SHER. UM, I'M FAMILIAR WITH MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION. SO DO YOU GUYS OFFER THEM ALTERNATIVES WHEN THEY CAN'T? UM, MAYBE PERHAPS THEY DON'T QUALIFY OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, OR THEY NEED THESE MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. DO Y'ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THE NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION TO PROVIDE THEM OR NO? SO WE SHOULD NOT BE OFFERING RECOMMENDATIONS. WE CAN TELL THEM WHERE THAT INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND, BUT WE SHOULDN'T OFFER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE REASON THAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THEM DOING THAT TRANSPORTATION, THEY'LL SAY, WELL, THE CITY SAID GOTCHA. I JUST KIND OF WONDERED ARE THEY DIRECTING THEM SOMEWHERE FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN'T OR NOT? I GUESS NOT. SO BY LAW THERE ARE POLICY IS WE CAN TELL YOU WHERE THE INFORMATION CAN BE ACCESSED, BUT WE CAN'T RECOMMEND. GOTCHA. COUNCILMAN TURNER? YEAH, CRENSHAW. YEAH, I HAD A QUESTION THAT WAS ONE OF MY CONCERNS. I WAS GONNA ASK, CAN PEOPLE HAVE DUAL RESPONSIBILITY DURING PEAK? I I WAS HAPPY TO SEE WHO WAS PRESENTED IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UH, CONCERN ALSO IS 20 CONCURRENT CALLS. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT BETTER THAN ME? SO IF YOU HAVE THREE PEOPLE WORKING BETWEEN EIGHT AND 8 45, WE'RE SAYING WE CAN'T GET NO MORE THAN 20 CALLS FOR THE DAY, OR IS IT AN HOUR OUT? DOES THAT WORK? I, YES. I WILL HAVE OUR IT DIRECTOR ANGIE, COME UP AND TALK. I'M SORRY, DEMI . NO, THAT'S OKAY. HI, GOOD AFTERNOON. SO, UM, THE 20 CONCURRENT CALLS IS AT, AT ONE TIME. SO THE WAY THAT IT'S, UH, WORKS FOR ZIP IS VERY MUCH LIKE FOR WATER CUSTOMER SERVICE. UH, FOR 3 1 1, UM, CALLS COME INTO A QUEUE. UM, YOU HAVE CURRENTLY ONE PERSON ANSWERING IT. YOU CAN STACK UP TO 20 CALLS IN THAT QUEUE BEFORE, UM, THAT YOU'LL GET A BUS THAT ANYBODY ELSE CALLING WILL GET A BUSY SIGNAL. UM, WE HAVE FIVE ADDITIONAL LINES. WE HAVE 25 TOTAL, WE HAVE FIVE ADDITIONAL LINES THAT HAVE TO BE LEFT OPEN FOR, UM, ANY CALLS COMING OUT OF THE FACILITY. SO BEING CALLED OUT ANYWHERE ELSE, BEING CALLED, YOU KNOW, TO OTHER PHONES CITY OR, UM, FOR PURPOSE OF 9 1 1 CALLS, IF THERE WERE TO BE AN ISSUE, WE HAVE TO KEEP THOSE LINES OPEN AND JUST, I, I'LL USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE. I HAD A SENIOR CITIZEN CALL ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SANDBAGS FOR THE FLOOD AND IT TOOK ME 45 MINUTES JUST TO DEAL WITH THAT ONE SENIOR CITIZEN ON THE PHONE. SO, YOU KNOW, IF THAT HAPPENED FOR SOMETHING TO THAT MAGNITUDE, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THE CONVERSATIONS ARE LIKE WHEN THESE SCHEDULING IS HAPPENING IN THE MORNING TIMES. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT KIND OF OUT OF TOUCH WITH DEALING WITH THIS. AND I'M PRETTY SURE YOU GUYS HAD EXPERIENCE, BUT MY CONCERN IS EVEN IF TWO IS ENOUGH JUST FOR A TEMPORARY THAT OVERFLOW IN THE MORNING TIME. YEAH. SO WE WANNA START OUT WITH, IT WOULD BE THREE AFTER, UH, SEPTEMBER 28TH. [01:55:01] UH, NEXT MONDAY WE'LL HAVE A SECOND. UM, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK WE SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO TEST THAT FIRST, UM, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE WITHIN BUDGET. UM, AND IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL PEOPLE, MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT MORE. UM, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT'S WITHIN BUDGET. UM, SO ANYTHING BEYOND THAT, UM, I'D LIKE TO TEST THAT FIRST. SO DO WE, ARE WE HIRING SOMEONE ADDITIONAL OR SOMEBODY JUST TAKING SOME DUAL WORK? WE AN INVENTORY CLERK? YOU CAN PROBABLY, YEAH, BASICALLY, UH, A OWNERS, IT'S BASICALLY EXISTING STAFF RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE DOING LIKE A DUAL TRAINING. SO WE REALIZE IT'S THIS FIRST HOUR OF THE DAY THAT EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO CALL AND SET UP THEIR APPOINTMENTS. SO IT'S BASICALLY BETWEEN 8 0 1 ALL THE WAY TO 9 15, 9 30 IS THE LATER THAT WE WANNA HAVE A, THE BULK OF PEOPLE CALLING IN TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS NON PRESSING DUTIES THAT WE CAN PUSH AFTER NINE O'CLOCK FROM OUR PAYROLL CLERK, OUR PARTS AND INVENTORY CLERK, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRAINING SO THAT CAN GO IN AND HELP. AND WE ARE VERY CONFIDENT THAT INSTEAD OF HAVING A 45 MINUTE, UH, TO AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTE BULK OF CALLS COMING IN, BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S WAITING IN QUEUE, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO GET IT DONE WITHIN THE NEXT 30, 45 MINUTES. UH, AND THEN EVERYBODY CAN RESUME TO THE OTHER DUTIES. YEAH. AND JUST A SUGGESTION, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN POSITIONS WHERE I WAS THE DIRECTOR AND HAD SEVERAL EMPLOYEES AND THERE'S EVEN BEEN TIMES WHERE WHEN PEOPLE COULDN'T GET IT DONE OR CALLED IN, I WOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO GET INVOLVED AND HELP IF NECESSARY. IS THAT HOW IT'S STRUCTURED OVER THERE NOW? OR LIKE, EVEN IF I HAD TO GO OUT AND DO A ROUTE OR HELP OR ASSIST OR TAKE CALLS OR DO SOMETHING THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT OUTSIDE OF MY SCOPE, IS THAT HOW IT'S STRUCTURED NOW OR IT IS JUST THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GONNA TRAIN THAT KIND OF GET IN THERE AND HELP AS SO RIGHT NOW THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING. I, WE JUST, JUST LAST WEEK WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THAT ADDITIONAL CAPACITY WITH THE PHONE SYSTEM AND LIKE, UH, MS. DEMI SAID WE'RE GONNA TEST WITH THREE, UH, GOING IN AND THE THING THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE SAME FILE AT THE SAME TIME. SO WE ARE ABOUT TO TEST IT WITH UP TO THREE PEOPLE HERE SOON. IF IT PROVES THAT IT CAN BE DONE, WE'RE DEFINITELY GONNA BE ABLE TO CROSS TRAIN ADDITIONAL PEOPLE. BUT FOR SURE WE'RE COMMITTING AT LEAST THREE PEOPLE AT ANY GIVEN TIME ON THE MORNINGS. UH, PRIMARILY BEING ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE OVERFLOWS AND, AND I APPRECIATE IT. WE'VE BEEN HEARING IT AS A PROBLEM AND YOU GUYS ARE PROPOSING A SOLUTION AND WE HOPE THAT THAT CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO THE RESIDENTS WHO NEED THE SERVICE COUNCIL. THANK YOU COUNCIL COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, THEN HILLIARD THAN DURY AND THAT, THAT'S A PERFECT WAY TO SEGUE INTO WHAT I'M ABOUT TO ASK. UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOW THREE MEETINGS IN A ROW WHERE PEOPLE HAVE COME UP TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS ISSUE. AND IT CONCERNS ME THAT SEVERAL OF THEM THAT CAME UP HERE WERE IN WHEELCHAIRS AND IT WAS NOT EASY FOR THEM TO GET UP HERE. AND WE PAY, UH, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT $300,000 A YEAR TO A THIRD PARTY IN CHICAGO TO MANAGE TRANSIT. AND WHY IS COUNCIL HAVING TO, TO MANAGE, UH, TRANSIT CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES WHEN IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THIS WASN'T A PROBLEM THAT DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT, THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY A COMPANY, UH, THAT'S BEING PAID $300,000 A YEAR TO MANAGE TRANSIT AND WHY THEY DIDN'T THINK LET'S TAKE AN INVENTORY CLERK DURING THE FIRST MORNING HOUR AND HAVE THEM ON THE PHONES. UH, AND SO MAYBE THESE POOR PEOPLE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO, UH, GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS SO BAD WHERE THEY HAD TO, UH, COME UP HERE, UH, IN THEIR WHEELCHAIR TO BEG US FOR HELP. SO THAT TO ME IS VERY CONCERNING. UM, IS I, I ASSUME ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES AT TRANSIT THAT IS INVOLVED IN STS ARE EMPLOYEES OF OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM AND NOT EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, CORRECT? CORRECT. SO WE COULD NOT HAVE USED, SAY, A 3 1 1 OPERATOR TO HELP MANAGE THIS, UH, MORNING LOAD OF CALLS BECAUSE THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE ENTITIES IN ESSENCE. CORRECT. ALRIGHT. UH, AND THAT, THAT TO ME IS JUST, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUDGETS AND UH, THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S JUST, UM, IT'S VERY, UH, FRUSTRATING AND CONCERNING FOR ME THAT WE'RE PAYING A MANAGEMENT COMPANY $300,000, WHICH IS MORE THAN WE PAY OUR CITY MANAGER. UH, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE PEOPLE COME UP HERE IN WHEELCHAIRS TO BEG THAT WE ANSWER THE PHONES WHEN THEY CALL IN THE MORNING. SO WHILE THANK YOU DEMI, FOR YOUR UH, UH, PRESENTATION, UH, UH, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE MANAGEMENT COMPANY, UH, THAT WE PAY IN CHICAGO TO MANAGE TRANSIT. THAT THEY COULDN'T FIGURE THIS OUT, UH, WITHOUT THOSE PEOPLE HAVING TO COME UP HERE IN THEIR WHEELCHAIRS. [02:00:03] UH, A SEC. I WANNA ECHO WHAT COREY SAID. I MEAN, WHY, WHY WAS THIS NOT CAUGHT? I MEAN, WE KNEW THIS WAS GOING ON, YOU HAD TO HAVE BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS FROM CUSTOMERS. WHY DID IT TAKE THE COUNCIL TO FINALLY GET SOMETHING DONE? I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE ARE SICK, THESE PEOPLE ARE ON DIALYSIS. I MEAN, THIS IS THEIR ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION TO LIVE. AND SO THIS HAS PROBABLY BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. WHY WAS IT NEVER CAUGHT? WHY DID WE NOT DO ANYTHING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? IS WOULD BE MY QUESTION. CAN'T SPEAK TO YEARS, BUT I CAN SPEAK TO, WE'VE RECENTLY HAD AN INFLUX OF, UM, PASSENGERS DUE TO SOME DIS SOME DIS DISCONTINUED SERVICES FOR MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION, UM, IN OTHER NONPROFIT SECTORS. SO WE HAVE HAD AN INCREASE. UM, SO WELL YES, UH, WE'VE HAD COMPLAINTS COME TO, UM, THE PODIUM IN THE BACKGROUND. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO WORK TO GET, UM, GET, YOU KNOW, OUR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, UM, EQUIPPED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CALLS, MANAGE THE, UH, SOFTWARE THAT COMES WITH IT, UM, MAKE SURE THAT CALLS GO ARE OUTGOING, TO REMIND THEM OF THEIR APPOINTMENTS WHEN, UM, WHEN, YOU KNOW, AN HOUR BEFORE THEIR, UH, VAN ARRIVES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. UM, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON AND I DO THINK, UH, CLAUDIA AND THE TRANSIT MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR LOOKING AT WHAT THEY CAN DO TO REMEDY THIS. OKAY, THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DURIO, YOU SAID IT IS 48 50 $8 79 CENTS PER TRIP APPROXIMATELY FOR OPERATIONAL? YES. SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE THE DRIVER PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, UM, GAS, UH, OIL CHANGES, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. OKAY, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE RIDER, THEY'RE NOT PAYING THAT? NO, NO, NO. WHAT DO THEY PAY? I GUESS 2 52. 2 52 50. UM, FOR ONE WAY, UM, I BELIEVE THE RATE FOR LIKE A MONTH PASSES IS $80. MAYOR, THE REAL QUICK, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT, THE CITY FOR EACH TRIP PAYS $23 AND 10 CENTS? YES. OKAY. UM, I WAS GONNA SAY THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES TO, UH, NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION, BUT 2 1, 1 IS THEIR ALLY, IF THEY HAVE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID, UM, IF WE CAN DIRECT THEM THERE, THEY CAN HELP THEM. THERE'S A NUMBER THAT SAYS, WHERE'S MY RIDE? BUT THEY CAN GET THERE FROM 2 1 1. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TURNER, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE? YEAH, I, I KNOW THAT YOU SAID EARLIER THAT YOU GUYS, IS IT A COURTESY THAT YOU'LL STOP AT THE BANK OR FOR EXACT CHANGE? LIKE WHAT, WHAT, I KNOW THAT YOU KIND OF SAID IT EARLIER. I WANTED TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF. SO WE TRY HOW DID GOOD WORK OR, UH, WE'RE VERY BLESSED WITH, UH, DRIVERS THAT ARE VERY COMPASSIONATE. MM-HMM . AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE, UH, WRITERS THAT DO NOT BOARD WITH MONEY. UH, WE DON'T DO A TAP. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH, UH, JUST HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE GRANT FUNDING TO DO THAT. UM, AND, AND WHAT I MEAN BY TAP IS LIKE YOU BOARD TAKE YOUR CARD, TAP MM-HMM . TO GET ON. UM, THAT WOULD BE THE MOST EFFICIENT FOR EVERYONE, BUT, UM, RIGHT NOW IT'S CASH ONLY. SO, UM, THEY'RE, THEY WILL STOP BY A BANK. SOMETIMES THAT BANK IS NOWHERE NEAR, UM, THEIR DESTINATION. UM, THAT DOES THROW THE SCHEDULE. UM, WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED REALLY IS THAT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED ON THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ANOTHER DESTINATION. SO THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ANOTHER RIDE, WHICH THEN WE CAN ACCORDINGLY, UM, SCHEDULE. YOU KIND OF MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. YEAH. MM-HMM . OKAY. COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. AND WHILE I, I AGREE THE TAP WOULD MAKE IT EASIER. A LOT OF TIMES THOSE TAP MACHINES, BEING A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH CREDIT CARD, UH, PROCESSORS, A LOT OF TIMES THEY HAVE A MINIMUM FEE. AND SO I JUST ENVISION THIS SITUATION WHERE THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TAXPAYERS ARE CHIPPING IN 2350 PER RIDE. FEDERAL TAXPAYERS ARE CHIPPING IN $30 OR $35, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA OFFER A TAP. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR THOSE MACHINES, WHICH IS GONNA BE A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE MACHINES, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY A PER TRANSACTION FEE OF PROBABLY 40 OR 50 CENTS. AND IT'S JUST LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? HONESTLY, I'D RATHER US NOT CHARGE PEOPLE THAT ARE NEEDING THIS SERVICE. $2 AND 50 CENTS. UH, BECAUSE, UH, I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT'S GOING ON. I'M NOT MAKING ANY ACCUSATIONS OF EMPLOYEES, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH JUST ALL THIS CASH BEING EXCHANGED. UH, AND, YOU KNOW, UH, AND NOW WE WANNA OFFER, YOU KNOW, UH, TAP, WHICH IS GONNA BE A, A, A GREAT REVENUE STREAM FOR THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE SOME TYPE OF FREE RIDES FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS TYPE OF A SITUATION. SO THE TAT WOULD BE LIKE, ALMOST LIKE THE METRO CARD. SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOUR CREDIT CARD. IT WOULD BE LIKE THEY WOULD HAVE LIKE A [02:05:01] LOADABLE CARD. THAT'S WHY IT HAS TO BE, THERE'S STILL GONNA BE SOMEONE CHARGING US A PER TRANSACTION FEE ON THAT. THAT'S NOT EACH TRANSACTION FEE. SOME YOU COULD SET IT UP, UM, IF YOU WANTED TO, LIKE WHERE THE CONSUMER TAKES ON THAT COST, UM, OR THEY CAN NOT HAVE THAT COST AND DO CASH. UM, BUT, BUT AS FAR AS, UM, CASH TRANSACTIONS AND WHATNOT, I'VE NOT HEARD OF ANY, UM, ISSUES. AND MAYOR, I THINK ITEM C ON TODAY'S AGENDA WAS A GRANT APPLICATION TO TRY TO IMPLEMENT A TAP, BUT AGAIN, IT WOULD BE OPTIONAL. SO THE IDEA, IDEALLY WE COULD GET OUR, THE FEES TAKEN OUT ON THE FRONT END, UH, OR THE, THE RIDER WOULD PAY THE FEE. THE IDEA THOUGH WOULD BE OPTIONAL. WHATEVER THAT SCENARIO LOOKS LIKE, YOU COULD STILL PAY WITH CASH. UM, SORRY, ONE REAL QUICK QUESTION MAYBE FOR CLAUDIA. FOR THE STS SERVICE, HOW MUCH WOULD YOU SAY IS CAPACITY? IN OTHER WORDS, DO YOU HAVE A LOT OF RIDE BUSES SITTING AROUND WAITING FOR A CALL? ARE YOU PROBABLY AT 90% CAPACITY, 80% CAPACITY? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? I, I WOULD SAY WE ARE AT A HUNDRED PERCENT CAPACITY. THE THE CHALLENGE IS, UH, PEOPLE SCHEDULING TRIPS AND THEN THEY HAVE WHAT WE CALL CANCEL AT THE DOOR. WE SHOW UP AND NOBODY'S AT THE DOOR, OR WE GET A CALL 15, 30 MINUTES BEFORE TO CANCEL THE TRIP. SO SOMETIME YOU'RE GONNA SEE EVENTS, UH, PARK SOMEWHERE BECAUSE SOMEBODY CANCELED A TRIP. UH, OTHER THAN THAT, EVENTS ARE PRETTY MUCH UTILIZED THROUGHOUT THE DAY, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY HOURS AND NOT SO MUCH IN THE AFTERNOON, BUT THROUGHOUT THE DAY, THE EVENTS ARE GONNA BE BUSY. ANYTIME YOU MIGHT SEE A VAN PARK, IT'S BECAUSE SOMEBODY BASICALLY CANCELED THE TRIP. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK Y'ALL. OH, THAT WAS ONE THING I DID WANNA ADD, UM, REGARDING LIKE THE CASH, UH, OR CARD. UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE RECEIVE COMPLAINTS ON, IS NOT BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE, UH, THEIR BUS PASS, UM, ELECTRONICALLY. UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING IN THE BACKGROUND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CURB. THANK YOU. THAT WORK SESSION'S CLOSED. AND NOW [ Council to review and discuss the 2026 Tax Abatement Policy] LET'S GO INTO THE SECOND ONE, MAYOR AND COUNSEL. THE SECOND WORKSHOP, UH, WORK SESSION RATHER, IS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE 2026 TAX ABATEMENT POLICY. AND WE HAVE JESS PRINCE TO PRESENT, PLUGGED IN. THERE WE GO. GOOD AFTERNOON. BACK AGAIN HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS OUR TAX ABATEMENT POLICY. SO I WAS HERE IN JULY TO GO OVER A WORK SESSION, UH, TO DISCUSS A LOT OF, UH, REVISIONS POTENTIALLY FOR OUR ABATEMENT POLICY. UM, THIS POLICY DRAFT INCLUDES LANGUAGE THAT INCREASES OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEAUMONT'S WORKFORCE AND STRENGTHENS THE OVERSIGHT OF THESE AGREEMENTS. SO, JUST TO RECAP, LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED THAT THE INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENTS ACCOUNTED IN 2026 FOR APPROXIMATELY 12% OF OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES, AS INDICATED ON OUR 2027 BUDGET. UH, THOSE REVENUES WILL BE 25 MILLION 293, 3 86. I'VE LISTED JUST THREE HERE, UH, THAT ARE ALL OF NOTE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND THEIR ANNUAL PROJECTION FOR 2027. SO WHEN WE DISCUSSED THE WORK SESSION IN JULY, WE LOOKED AT WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES WERE DOING WITH THEIR ABATEMENT AGREEMENTS. WE TALKED ABOUT POTENTIAL POLICY REVISIONS FOR BEAUMONT'S POLICY. WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, STRENGTHENING AND EXPANDING OUR APPLICATION SO THAT WE COULD THEN HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY FROM ALL OF THE COMPANIES RECEIVING THESE ABATEMENTS AND INCREASE OUR WORKFORCE. SO THE CITY POLICY REVISIONS THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED IN THE DRAFT, WHICH IS IN THE COUNCIL PACKET, INCLUDE COMPETITIVE SIDING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES, APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENTS, AND ENHANCED REPORTING THAT WILL INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY ACROSS THE BOARD. AND OF NOTE, IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING ALONG IN YOUR PACKET WITH THE DRAFT, ANYTHING IN RED SYMBOLIZES NEW OR MODIFIED LANGUAGE IN OUR POLICY. SO, UH, THE BULK OF THESE CHANGES BEGIN ON PAGE FIVE, AND THEY WILL COVER LOCAL HIRING, WHICH YOU CAN SEE IN [02:10:01] SECTION D NUMBER ONE E, WHICH SAYS THE EXTENT TO WHICH POSITION OF NEW JOBS WILL BE FILLED BY PERSONS WHO RESIDE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. SECOND, UH, LOCAL VENDORS WE'RE COVERING THIS IN SECTION D ONE F AND HF SPEAKS TO THE RECIPIENT OF PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT, MAKING GOOD FAITH EFFORTS TO USE QUALIFIED LOCAL VENDORS, LOCAL CONTRACTORS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THE PROJECT WHENEVER FEASIBLE AND LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE TO PROVIDE PREFERENCE TO COMPETITIVE LOCAL VENDORS. ADDITIONALLY, SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN HAS BEEN INCORPORATED, AND YOU CAN SEE THE VERBIAGE ON THAT. ALSO, UH, SECTION D ONE H WE HAVE THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX. ANY RECIPIENT OF THE TAX ABATEMENT SHALL PROVIDE A SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN OUTLINING THE USE OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES TO INCLUDE THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TEXAS WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS, SABINE AREA LABOR COUNCIL, ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS, AND OTHER VENDOR CONTRACTOR WORKSHOPS. SO IN ESSENCE, WE'RE PROVIDING THEM EXAMPLES OF WHO THEY NEED TO WORK WITH IN ORDER TO PARTNER WITH ALL OF THE AGENCIES IN OUR COMMUNITY TO ENHANCE OUR WORKFORCE. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR 20% CONSTRUCTION LABOR HOURS PERFORMED BY WORKERS ENROLLED IN OUR DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. THIS IS INCLUDED, UH, IN SECTION D ONE, NUMBER ONE. AND SO NOW TO THE WORKFORCE ACCOUNTABILITY, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE HAVE OUR SUSTAINABLE WORK PLAN REQUIREMENT, AND WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO IS ADDRESS TWO CONCERNS. NUMBER ONE, IT'S GOING TO ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT EITHER WITH AN AUDIT COMMITTEE OR STAFF, BECAUSE WHEN THEY ARE WORKING WITH LOCAL PARTNERS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF HOW MANY JOBS THEY'RE CREATING, HOW MANY JOB FAIRS THEY'RE HOSTING, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE DOING LOCAL CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES, HOW OFTEN THOSE ARE PRESENTED. AND SO IT'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT MORE ROBUST REPORTING AND OVERSIGHT, AND THEN REQUIRING MORE FREQUENT EMPLOYMENT DATA. SECTION EIGHT, WHICH IS ON PAGE EIGHT, IS ALL ABOUT THE NEW VERBIAGE FOR THE REPORTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO REQUIRE. WE CURRENTLY ARE NOT REALLY ENTITLED TO REPORTS PER OUR AGREEMENT TEMPLATE, BUT WE WANT TO SEE MORE NUMBERS. AND SO, HISTORICALLY, THE REPORTS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING ARE PROVIDED TO THE COUNTY AND OTHER TAXING ENTITIES, BUT WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS HOW MANY LOCAL HIRES HAPPENED IN A QUARTER INSTEAD OF ANNUALLY, AND HOW MANY, UM, DOLLARS WERE SPENT LOCALLY WITH VENDORS. AND SO HAVING MORE FREQUENT REPORTING WILL HELP US KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE AGREEMENTS. SO BY STRENGTHENING THE LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS, UH, WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED LANGUAGE ON WAGES AND COMPETITIVE WAGES AS DISCUSSED BY COUNSEL BACK IN JULY. AND WE HAVE, UH, PLANS TO HAVE A MUCH MORE ROBUST APPLICATION AND HAVING A MORE ROBUST APPLICATION. WHAT WE CAN DO IS SEE THE COMPANY'S PLAN AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS, UH, GOING FORWARD. AND SO WHEN WE HAVE A MORE ROBUST APPLICATION, IT HELPS US TO SEE HERE'S WHAT THEY'VE PROMISED. NOW, WHEN THEY GIVE US THESE QUARTERLY REPORTS, ARE THEY STANDING UP TO THOSE PROMISES? SO THE APPLICATION WILL BE DIGITAL ONLINE, IT WILL HAVE THE COMPETITIVE SITING NARRATIVE, WHICH ON, UM, THE DRAFT IS, IS ON D TWO THREE, WHICH IS PAGE SIX. WE HAVE, UH, NUMBERS TWO AND NUMBERS THREE, UH, FOR THE COMPETITIVE SITING VERBIAGE. AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT'S TALKING ABOUT IS THE REASONS AND ANY SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT THEY ARE SEEKING ABATEMENT SPECIFICALLY IN THE CITY LIMITS OF BEAUMONT. ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR? OKAY, MAYOR, YOU HAVE QUESTION? NO. OH. UM, THE APPLICATION WILL ALSO HAVE A COM COMMUNITY IMPACT THIRD PARTY SECTION, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT JEFFERSON COUNTY INCLUDES SOMEWHAT, THAT THIS IS REALLY GOING TO STRENGTHEN OUR MONITORING AGAIN. AND, UM, IT'S GONNA HELP US TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE ESSENTIALLY WITH WHAT THEIR ABATEMENT AGREEMENT SAYS. AND SO WE'VE ADDED, AS YOU CAN SEE, QUITE A BIT TO THE APPLICATION SECTION FOR J, SPECIFICALLY K. AND, [02:15:01] UM, AND WE ARE GETTING A LOT MORE INFORMATION FROM THESE COMPANIES ON THE FRONT END SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF WHAT CAN BE NEGOTIATED AND WHETHER OR NOT WE WANNA CHANGE ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE REQUESTING. AND THEN LASTLY, UM, ON PAGE 11, NUMBER 14, THAT IS THE COPY OF THE APPLICANT'S SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN. AGAIN, THAT'S REALLY GOING TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH ALL OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE INVOLVED DAY TO DAY IN OUR WORKFORCE, OR WITH LOCAL CONTRACTORS AND LOCAL VENDORS. AND I THINK THAT THAT WILL GIVE US A, A MUCH BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING ACCOMPLISHED IN OUR COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF THEIR ABATEMENT. SO NEXT STEPS, UH, WE'LL BE BACK SEPTEMBER 22ND WITH THE ACTUAL PLAN FOR ADOPTION, BUT TODAY I WANTED TO PRESENT ALL OF THIS TO YOU, UM, GET ANY FEEDBACK ON ANY LAST MINUTE ADDITIONS. AND, UH, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A LOT OF RED IN THIS DOCUMENT, SO THERE WAS A LOT ADDED. AND WE THINK THAT IT WILL DEFINITELY ENHANCE OUR REPORTING GOING FORWARD. THEY DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENT. IT'S NOT ATTACHED. WE DON'T HAVE IT. HMM. WELL, IT WOULD BE WITH THE ITEM, UM, THAT'S COMING. UM, AND THE NEXT AGENDA, UH, BUT IF ANYONE WANTS A COPY OF THE DRAFT, WE CAN CERTAINLY CIRCULATE IT. PLEASE. YEAH, WE CAN CIRCULATE IT. I THOUGHT YOU HAD IT. I'M SORRY. I CAN EMAIL IT TO YOU AFTER THE MEETING. WOULD YOU LIKE THE PRESENTATION TOO? SO YOU CAN DO THE QUESTIONS? YES, THAT'D BE GREAT. ANY QUESTIONS? JUST COUNCILMAN TURNER THEN. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. I, I, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE REPORTS MM-HMM . UH, SO IN THE NEW APPLICATION, WILL THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS BE IN WRITING? YES. OKAY. AND I LIKE THE COMBINATION WITH LABOR AND ALL OTHER INSTITUTIONS AT THE 20%. AND IS IT A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF VENDOR CONTRACT WORKSHOPS OR VENDOR EMPLOYEE WORKSHOPS? LIKE ARE THEY THEY'RE HELD TO ONE A YEAR? THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC AMOUNT. UH, BUT TO YOUR POINT, IT WOULD REALLY DEPEND. EACH, EACH AGREEMENT IS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, AND THEY MAY HAVE A MUCH LARGER SCOPE IN TERMS OF THEIR CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS TYPICALLY IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE PROJECT. AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE USE OF APPRENTICESHIPS OR LOCAL VENDORS AND CONTRACTORS. AND SO DEPENDING ON THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, I WOULD SAY, AND HOW MANY WORKERS THAT THEY NEED WOULD REALLY IMPACT HOW MANY JOB FAIRS, HOW MANY ROUND TABLES. BUT WE'D LIKE TO SEE THEM INTERACTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS ON THIS FROM BEGINNING TO END. YEAH. AND FOR ME, LIKE YOU SAID, DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER, INSTEAD OF KIND OF LEAVING IT UP TO DISCRETION, I WOULD BE MORE SUPPORTIVE TO SEE, DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT AND THE JOB OR REQUIREMENT OF A MINIMUM OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE. AND I THINK THAT'LL BE IMPORTANT. AND LASTLY, ME AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I DO SUPPORT SOME FORM OF A AUDIT COMMITTEE TO BE AN EXTRA SET OF EYES THAT MAYBE ONE COUNCIL MEMBER CAN APPOINT A PERSON TO KIND OF OVERSEE IT. HOWEVER THE BODY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT. BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. IT'S NOTHING WRONG WITH EXTRA EYES. RIGHT. . ALRIGHT. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS ON THE COUNCILMAN ON, UM, THE APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENT. MM-HMM. AND THE TRAINING. DO, DO YOU THINK THAT WILL TAKE SOME OF THE PRESSURE OFF THE BACK OF THE CITY AS FAR AS ENFORCEMENT BEING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE PEOPLE HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME AND IT'S THEIR ROLE TO PUT PEOPLE TO WORK? SO I THINK THAT WILL HELP TREMENDOUSLY. I THINK THE OTHER PARTNERS WILL BE JUST AS IMPACTFUL. UM, YOU KNOW, OVERALL AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE PARTNERSHIPS AND THE STRENGTHENING OF OUR READINESS OF OUR WORKFORCE. AND SO OF COURSE, ABATEMENTS IS ONE WAY THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE THAT. AND I THINK THAT IT WILL BE A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE. OKAY. COUNCILMAN HILLARD. THANK YOU. THIS IS AWESOME. AND IT, IT'S, WE'VE NEEDED THIS FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE NOW THESE INDUSTRIES ARE NOT JUST COMING HERE AND TAKING, THEY HAVE TO GIVE BACK AND THEY'LL STRENGTHEN OUR CITY, THEY'LL STRENGTHEN OUR CHILDREN AND THIS IS ONE STEP FORWARD. SO MY, MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU. YOU'VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. AND, UH, AND I SECOND THE AUDIT COMMITTEE ALSO, SO THANK YOU. ONE LAST QUESTION THERE. YES. COUNCILMAN TURNER. YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON RESIDENCY, LIKE CAN YOU KINDA SPEAK MORE OF, IS IT, IS IT, 'CAUSE I KNOW AT THE COUNTY LEVEL IT'S A BROAD AREA. [02:20:01] YES. IS IT MORE FOCUSED ON BOWATER OR THE COUNTY? THE COUNTY LEVEL. UH, THEY INCLUDE NINE COUNTIES. MM-HMM . THAT THEY ARE CONSIDERING TO BE LOCAL. OUR CONTRACT, UM, WORDING OR WELL ABATEMENT, GUIDELINE WORDING SPECIFICALLY SAYS THE EXTENT TO WHICH A PORTION OF NEW JOBS WILL BE FILLED BY PERSONS WHO RESIDE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF. OKAY. THAT WAS MY CONCERN. THANK YOU. IT'S VERY SPECIFIC. YES. VERY, VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT, MR. CITY MANAGER? ALRIGHT, SO AT [COUNCIL COMMENTS] THIS POINT WE'LL MOVE TO COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. AND I BELIEVE IT'S COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW'S TURN THIS TIME. UH, YES. UM, IT WAS A, UH, INTERESTING WEEK LAST WEEK. UM, A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF DAMAGE THAT, UH, WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE WAS GONNA HAPPEN WITH THAT STORM. UM, IT WAS A, UH, SORT OF A TYPHOON. THE METEOROLOGIST ARE CALLING IT A PHO. UH, THAT'S WHERE A STORMS THAT ARE DRAWING ITS ENERGY FROM A WARM OCEAN WATERS DRAWS ITS ENERGY FROM, UH, THE LAND. AND THE WAY THAT STORM HIT. IT WENT OVER EVEN WATER WHILE IT WAS ON LAND. SO IT HIT SABINE LAKE AND, AND SOME OF THAT AND CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN WHILE IT WAS, UH, OVER, UH, OVER THE LAND. AND, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE, UH, UH, WERE WITHOUT POWER FOR A LONG TIME. AND THAT WAS, UH, THAT WAS UNFORTUNATE. I DO, UM, GREATLY APPRECIATE THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF OUR, UH, LINEMEN AND CONTRACTORS AND FIRST RESPONDERS AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, CAME TOGETHER TO HELP THOSE THAT HAD BEEN, UH, IMPACTED BY THAT STORM. AND I THINK, UH, LAST ESTIMATES ARE, THERE'S STILL, UH, OVER A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY WITHOUT POWER. AND, UH, 700 PEOPLE ACROSS, UH, SOUTHEAST TEXAS WITHOUT POWER. AND, UH, HOPE THEY GET POWER BACK SOON. UM, COMMENT WAS MADE EARLIER THAT, UH, ELIMINATING THE SALARY OF $400 A MONTH AND THE, WHAT I CALL A REIMBURSEMENT FOR OUR PHONES AND OUR MILEAGE, UH, WOULD, UH, KEEP WORKING PEOPLE FROM SERVING ON COUNCIL. LAST TIME I CHECKED EVERYBODY UP HERE IS WORKING. UH, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYBODY THAT SITS ON THIS COUNCIL THAT, UH, UH, COMES FROM, UH, MONEY OR GENERATIONAL WEALTH AND, UH, JUST SITS AT HOME AND COLLECTS MAILBOX MONEY. IT SURE AS HELL IN ME. UM, BUT, UM, ANYWAY, THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD. UM, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH IS NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY, AND THERE WILL BE A VOTER REGISTRATION CELEBRATION IN THE JURY AND PANELING ROOM AT THE JEFFERSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE. AND THAT WILL BE FROM 11 TO 1230. UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND DO NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DAY. I'M EXCITED ABOUT, UH, ZIP TRYING TO BETTER ACCOMMODATE THOSE PEOPLE THAT MAY BE CAUGHT IN THE NON-EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION CUTS THAT AREN'T ALLOWING THEM TO GET THE RIDES THAT THEY NORMALLY WOULD GET THROUGH MEDICAL TRANSPORT. I'M VERY MUCH AWARE OF THOSE CUTBACKS, UM, SITTING HERE. SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING, UM, BECAUSE WE WERE IN FACT ELECTED TO DO A JOB. SO SOMETIMES IT GETS A LITTLE BIT DISHEARTENING AND DISGUSTING TO SIT HERE IN SILENCE WHEN WE WERE ELECTED TO DO SOME WORK, WHEN MANY OF THE PEOPLE UP HERE HAVE A LOT TO SAY ON FACEBOOK OR TO NEWSPAPERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. BUT WHEN WE GET ON THE DAIS, THERE'S NO COMMENTING AND THERE'S NO MOTIONS BEING MADE AND THERE'S NO SUGGESTIONS. UM, BUT THAT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF THAT THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF THE DAIS, WHICH I THINK IS UNFORTUNATE. NEVERTHELESS, I DIGRESS. UM, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT ABOUT THE SALARY, BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE'S OPINIONS ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE MA MAKING SACRIFICES ABOUT WHAT I AM GRATEFUL FOR. THE GENTLEMAN THAT POINTED OUT BEAUMONT'S HISTORY AND EXPLAINED HOW THE STIPEND CAME INTO BEING, BECAUSE IT RAISES A MUCH BIGGER QUESTION. LIKE, ARE WE SERIOUS ABOUT REPRESENTATION OR ARE WE CREATING [02:25:01] A, A, A SYSTEM WHERE, YOU KNOW, ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE CAN RUN BECAUSE THAT MATTERS. THIS JOB ON COUNCIL COSTS US MONEY TO DO IT MOST OF THE TIME, RIGHT? THERE ARE TICKETS, THERE ARE TABLES, THERE ARE DONATIONS, THERE IS A LOOK, AND THE ALL THE THINGS, GAS, YOU NAME IT, THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ATTENDED TO AND THINGS THAT ARE NOT BEING ATTENDED TO WHILE YOU ARE HERE. RIGHT? UM, AND I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY'S EXPECTED TO WORK FOR FREE, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT A LONG HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY OF EXPLOITING PEOPLE'S LABOR AND TELLING THEM THAT THEIR WORK ISN'T WORTH PAYING FOR. I'M NOT WITH THAT. SLAVERY BEING ONE OF THE MOST HORRIFIC, UM, EXAMPLES OF THAT THROUGHOUT THIS HISTORY. AND I'M NOT GOING BACK. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IF ANYBODY ON COUNCIL DOES NOT WANT OR NEED THEIR MONEY, GIVE IT BACK. GIVE IT BACK, OKAY. GIVE IT BACK. THE SAME PEOPLE CRITICIZING ABOUT THIS MONEY HAVE ACCEPTED THIS MONEY FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN WE DON'T NEED IT. AS ELECTIONS ARE APPROACHING, THAT'S FINE. THIS LITTLE BIT OF COMPENSATION HAS REMAINED THE SAME FOR THE LAST 41 YEARS. IT HADN'T GONE UP NOW ONE SINGLE TIME. SO I DIGRESS. WE HAVE SOME VERY REAL CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING HERE IN BEAUMONT THAT DESERVES SOME SERIOUS CONVERSATIONS AND THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP. WE DO NOT NEED POLITICAL THEATER TO SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS. WE NEED REAL SOLUTIONS. REPRESENTATION SHOULD NOT COME WITH THEATER. PUBLIC SERVICE IS SOMETHING THAT WE DO. WE CAN GET THIS JOB DONE WITHOUT THE PERFORMANCE. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. UM, YEAH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW AND, AND HILLIARD FOR, UM, THE REPEATED UPDATES LAST WEEK. I, I THINK YOU BOTH, UM, REALLY KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK ON, ON KEEPING EVERYBODY POSTED. AND, AND I KNOW THAT, UM, MY FAMILY APPRECIATED IT. IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYBODY DID, UH, ON THE PAY. YOU KNOW, WE CAN SAY IT'S A BANDAID, WE CAN SAY THAT IT'S, IT'S SYMBOLIC, BUT WHENEVER THE WAY I LOOK AT THINGS, WHENEVER THINGS ARE ARE NOT GOING GREAT, THAT IT'S ON US, AND THAT'S NOT THEATER, THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, PROVEN A POINT THAT'S REAL LIFE. AND, UM, LIKE COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW SAID, EVERYBODY UP HERE, HERE WORKS. AND WE WERE ELECTED TO DO A JOB OF PUBLIC SERVICE. AND, UH, IN NO CAPACITY THAT I'VE EVER VOLUNTEERED MY TIME HAVE, I SAID, YOU KNOW, I CARE ABOUT YOUR CAUSE, BUT YOU'RE GONNA PAY ME TOO. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I THINK THAT YOU LEAD FROM THE FRONT AND AT NO POINT WHENEVER I DECIDED TO SERVE THE CITY DID I SAY, I THINK I WANT TO DO IT, BUT HOW MUCH AM I GONNA GET PAID? AND HAD THERE NOT BEEN ANY PAY, I WOULDN'T HAVE DECIDED TO DO OTHERWISE. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I COMMEND THE STAFF AND CITY MANAGER ON, ON THE, THE BUDGET AND, AND TIGHTEN IT UP EVEN MORE. UH, THERE IS STILL A SHORTFALL. AND, AND EVENTUALLY IF YOU DO THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR, WHICH WE HAVE, IT WILL GO TO ZERO. AND YOU KNOW, THE PAY HAS BEEN WHAT IT'S BEEN FOR 41 YEARS. AND SO I SAY, YOU KNOW, HAVE WE EARNED OUR MONEY? HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT SAT BEFORE US EARNED THEIR PAYCHECK? IS BEAUMONT BETTER TODAY THAN IT WAS 41 YEARS AGO? UM, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT 41, SO I CAN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION. UH, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN LEARN THAT THROUGH TALKING TO PEOPLE AND, AND YOU'LL GET A, YOU KNOW, A WIDE RANGE OF OPINIONS. AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M DISAPPOINTED WITH THE WAY THE VOTE WENT. I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT, UM, THAT WE WILL LOOK TO OTHERS AND TAKE FROM THEM BEFORE WE WILL TAKE FOR OUR, FROM OURSELVES. I, I DON'T THINK THE TAXPAYERS NEED TO SUBSIDIZE MY PAY TO SUPPORT EVENTS AND CHARITIES. YOU KNOW, WE DO THAT STUFF BEFORE WE'RE HERE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE VOTE WENT THE WAY IT DID, AND I WILL GIVE MY PAYBACK, YOU KNOW, I'LL PUT MY MONEY WHERE MY MOUTH IS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN TURNER, UH, MR. MANAGER, THE GENTLEMAN, MR. JASON IS, IS IT ANYTHING THAT'S PROHIBITING HIM FROM GETTING THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION HE NEEDS TO [02:30:01] CONDUCT WORK? I KNOW HE DOESN'T HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, BUT IS ANYTHING JUST ASKING OUTTA CURIOSITY? YEAH, WELL, MS. CLARK, I KNOW I MET WITH HIM EXTENSIVELY RECENTLY, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S CERTAINLY SOME STATE BID LAWS. THERE'S ISSUES WITH TMRS AND RETIREMENT SYSTEMS. AND, UM, WHILE WE ARE OPEN TO CERTAINLY NEW AND CREATIVE IDEAS, WE DON'T WANT TO BE GUINEA PIGS WITH OUR PEOPLE'S RESOURCES. BUT I'LL DEFER TO MS. CLARK. I KNOW WHO, WHO MET WITH, I DID VISIT WITH MR. WHITNEY, UM, EXTENSIVELY. I'VE ALSO DONE SOME RESEARCH ON HIS PROPOSAL. UM, IN ORDER FOR, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THIS, UH, MODEL THAT HE'S PUT TOGETHER, UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO TURN OVER, OVER ALL OF OUR PAYROLL SERVICES, UM, TO A THIRD PARTY, A PEO THAT HE, HE CONTRACTS WITH. UM, SO WE WOULD BE TURNING ALL OF OUR PAYROLL SERVICES OVER. HOWEVER, THERE'S A, HE, HE'S SAYING THAT, WELL, WE WOULD KEEP OUR TAX ID NUMBER SO THAT WE COULD KEEP OUR TMRS BECAUSE TMRS HAS TO BE WITHHELD. IT SHOULD BE WITHHELD BY THE CITY, CONTRIBUTED BY THE CITY. SO THERE, THERE'S A QUESTION THERE. IF THE PAYROLL SERVICES ARE BEING, YOU KNOW, RUN ELSEWHERE. UM, SO, SO THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT, RIGHT? AND HE, AND I'D ASK A QUESTION. UM, HE ALSO HAD, WELL, AND ON THE BENEFITS PART OF IT, THEN THOSE EMPLOYEES WOULD, UM, GET THEIR BENEFITS THROUGH WHICHEVER OF THESE PEOS THAT WE CONTRACT WITH. AND THAT'S HOW THE BENEFITS WOULD COME THROUGH. SO AGAIN, YOU HAVE TO START WITH THE PAYROLL SERVICES. UM, AND IN THE RESEARCH I'VE DONE, THERE AREN'T OTHER COMPANIES, I MEAN OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE THIS STRUCTURE, UM, BY THE TIME YOU PULL OUT THE TMRS EMPLOYEES, YOU PULL OUT THE FIRE PENSION EMPLOYEES. IT'S REALLY ONLY PART-TIME TYPE EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? THEY'RE PART-TIME TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES THAT AREN'T UNDER ONE OF THOSE CONTRACTS, THOSE RETIREMENT CONTRACTS. UM, AND I DID FIND SOME MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE AGREEMENTS FOR THOSE PART-TIME SITUATIONS, TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES, UM, BUT CERTAINLY NOT, NOT WITH THEIR FULL-TIME. UM, HIS, THE INFORMATION HE REQUESTED INITIALLY WAS VERY EXTENSIVE ON THE BENEFIT SIDE AND OUR, UM, OUR CENSUS, UM, OVER THE DIFFERENT EMAILS. AND WHEN HE AND I MET, UM, IT WASN'T AS EXTENSIVE WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR, BUT I ALSO DON'T THINK WE ARE LOOKING TO OUTSOURCE OUR PAYROLL SERVICES. ANO ANOTHER, UH, A WAY THAT HE THOUGHT WE WOULD SAVE MONEY, UM, IS THROUGH OUR, OUR PROJECTS IN THE PROJECT SIDE AND WANTED US TO, UM, HAVE A PREFERRED CONTRACTOR PROGRAM, UM, IN WHICH WE WOULD STEER CONTRACTORS THAT WE WANNA DO WORK WITH THROUGH HIM AND HIS COMPANY. THEN, THEN THEY COULD THEN SAVE ON WORKERS' COMP, BUT THEY THEN WOULD ALSO HAVE TO CONTRACT WITH A PEO. THAT'S HOW YOU, THEY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR BETTER WORKERS' COMP RATES AND THEN THAT WOULD ULTIMATELY, UM, HE, IN HIS PROPOSAL, THAT WOULD REDUCE THE COST AND THEIR BID TO US. WE, WE DON'T DO THAT. THAT'S NOT INDEPENDENT ENOUGH. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO OUR PROCUREMENT LAW AND RULES AND FOLLOW ALL OF THAT, WE DON'T STEER, UM, CONTRACTORS, THAT'S THEIR BUSINESS. SO INDEPENDENTLY THEY CAN WORK WITH MR. WHITNEY AND HIS COMPANY, BUT THE CITY CAN'T BE A PART OF THAT, UM, THAT ARRANGEMENT. SO FOR THOSE REASONS AT THIS TIME, UM, AFTER THE RESEARCH I'VE DONE VISITING WITH HIM, READING ALL THE DOCUMENTATION THAT HE'S PROVIDED, I HAVE NOT MOVED FORWARD OR RECOMMENDED THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, WE WOULD HAVE TO START BY BASICALLY OUTSOURCING ALL PAYROLL SERVICES TO BEGIN WITH. AND IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA POSSIBLY, UM, IMPACT THE TMRS RETIREMENT AND, UM, AND OR OUR, OUR FIRE PENSION. YEAH, I JUST THINK IT IS, YOU KNOW, WORTH ASKING. YOU KNOW, THE GENTLEMAN HAS CAME QUITE SOME TIME, YOU KNOW, WITH SUGGESTIONS TO, YOU KNOW, ENHANCE THINGS AND MAKE THINGS BETTER. I'M JUST ONE OF THOSE DIRECT PEOPLE I DON'T BELIEVE IN BEATING AROUND THE BUSH. I JUST ASK OUT FRONT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T MIND STATING MY OPINION, EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T AGREE, IT JUST DOESN'T HURT TO ASK AND HAVE IT OUT LOUD TO SEE WHY. I DON'T WANT HIM THINKING WE AS A COUNCIL ARE AGAINST ANY TYPE OF EFFICIENCY. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION SO IT COULD BE EXPLAINED SO THE PUBLIC CAN ALSO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON. YES, SIR. AND WE MET FOR PROBABLY AN HOUR AND A HALF. I ALSO HAD THE BENEFIT ADMINISTRATOR, UM, BE IN THERE AS WELL. UM, [02:35:01] I MEAN, I THINK HE'S, HE IS BEING VERY CREATIVE AND, UM, AND TRYING TO FIND WAYS, BUT AT THIS JUNCTURE, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S WHAT WE NEED BECAUSE IT IS, AS HE MENTIONED, IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE WORKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S A PROBLEM, BUT THAT COULD CREATE SOME ISSUES WITH SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT PARTS OF, YOU KNOW, WE BE IT OUR RETIREMENT PROCUREMENT LAW, THINGS LIKE THAT. OKAY, I UNDERSTAND. UM, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, PRAYERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE SOME NATURAL DISASTERS RECENTLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE JUST EXPERIENCED SOME TOUGH TIMES FOR PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, EVEN GOING WITHOUT LIGHTS. YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE A HOUSE WITH FAMILY, KIDS, FOOD GOING BAD UP IN THERE WITH NO LIGHTS. SO, YOU KNOW, PRAYERS FOR OUR COMMUNITY WE DID AND ENDURE THROUGH IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN THOSE STORMS HAPPENED IN THE PAST, OUR GENERAL FUND, THAT'S WHEN IT SKYROCKETED. AND IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE REASON FOR IT TO DO THAT. BUT THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT TOOK PLACE AROUND THAT TIME WHEN WE HAD A PRETTY HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. AND FOR ME, I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT I'M COMPLETELY OKAY WITH A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. YOU KNOW, I I, IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME, YOU KNOW, WHEN ME AND OTHER PEOPLE DON'T AGREE, I'M OKAY WITH THAT. YOU JUST MOVE ON. YOU MAKE A DECISION TO MOVE ON AND HOPEFULLY YOU CAN FIND SOME COMMON GROUND AND TALK, TALK THROUGH IT. BUT ONE THING THAT I KNOW I DEAL WITH SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, LIKE TODAY, MY DAUGHTERS GOT OUTTA SCHOOL AT THREE 15. I TAKE PRIDE IN BRINGING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL AND PICKING 'EM UP. I'M A VERY ACTIVE FATHER. I DON'T LIKE OTHER PEOPLE DOING WHAT I FEEL LIKE I'M RESPONSIBLE AND OBLIGATED TO DO. AND I COULDN'T DO IT TODAY, BUT I DID HAVE TO PAY SOMEBODY TO GET 'EM. UH, I'M CONSISTENTLY ASKED WEEKLY FOR SOME SORT OF FINANCIAL OBLIGATION THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT I WOULD BE ASKED IF I WAS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. IF WE'RE BEING HONEST. I'M ASKED OFTEN TO ATTEND GALLES, UH, BY AND PURCHASE TABLES U SPORTS, WHETHER IT BE ANY BASKETBALL TEAM, A TRAVELING A, A U TEAM. I'M ACTUALLY LITERALLY WEEKLY I HAVE EMAILS AND TEXTS TO PROVE IT. FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, BOXING, BANQUETS, A HUNDRED BLACK WOMEN, A HUNDRED BLACK MEN, BAPTIST HOSPITAL, ALL KINDS OF THINGS. JUST CONSISTENT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKED TO SUPPORT AND INCLUDING LIKE NONPROFITS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY. ALSO, THE LITTLE POPCORN THINGS YOU GET FROM THE KIDS , LIKE, UH, I'VE EVEN BEEN ASKED TO HELP SUBSIDIZE PEOPLE'S FUNERALS, YOU KNOW, AND JUST GENERAL HELP FROM PEOPLE, PERIOD. EVEN IF THEY SHOT ON A BILL. AND I KNOW THAT HAS, YOU CAN GET ASKED THAT JUST IF YOU'RE A NORMAL CITIZEN. BUT I THINK A LOT OF RESIDENTS LOOK AT US ELECTED OFFICIALS AS IF WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY WE MAKE BEING IN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN. I AM KIND OF EXCITED THAT THE DIALOGUE OF THE AMOUNT WE MAKE WAS BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE I HAD MORE PEOPLE CALL ME DISAPPOINTED THAT THEY KNEW, MAN, Y'ALL GOTTA GO TO THEM MEETINGS, GOT ALL THESE THINGS AND THIS ALL Y'ALL MAKE. AND AGAIN, THE REASON FOR BEING ELECTED OFFICIAL AIN'T FOR THE MONEY. I HAVEN'T CHANGED ANY MONEY FOR CITY COUNCILMAN SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, EVEN IN 20 20, 20 23 WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP. I DIDN'T BRING IT UP, BUT IT DIDN'T PASS. BUT THE WHOLE POINT OF THE MATTER IS, YOU KNOW, WE CAME INTO THIS KNOWING, KNOWING WHAT IT WAS. AND ONE THING I ALSO KNOW IS, MAN, IF I AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I DON'T KNOW FOR A FACT IF I WOULD BE ASKED TO SPEAK AT AS MANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND GRADUATIONS AND PROGRAMS AND THINGS THAT I'M ACTUALLY ASKED TO, UH, COME TO THESE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I KNOW FOR A FACT WE WOULDN'T BE IN BUDGET WORKSHOPS AND CITY COUNCIL JOBS. THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS I KNOW WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO. UH, EVEN ALL THE EMAILS AND PHONE CALLS AND THINGS WE NEED TO RETURN IT, IT IS A HIGH DEMAND, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ACTUAL POSITION. SO I UNDERSTAND IT FROM BOTH SPECTRUMS, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND WHY THAT STIPEND IS IN PLACE. I WAS TOLD BY MY MENTOR, WHEN YOU TAKE THE CITY COUNCIL JOB, IF YOU DO IT RIGHT, IT'S A FULL-TIME JOB. AND I KNOW BECAUSE MY WIFE CAN ATTEST TO MY PHONE RINGING AT 10, 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT ABOUT AN ISSUE THAT SOMEBODY'S DEALING WITH. AND I DO TAKE THE CALL SOMETIMES I CAN CALL MY CITY MANAGER LATE AT NIGHT BECAUSE A PIPE BURST. ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN AND HE ANSWERS THE PHONE. BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS, NO DISRESPECT, CHRIS GETS PAID A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT, , WE THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT AND WE DON'T . AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST UNFORTUNATE THINGS OF DOING A JOB THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE TELL ME THAT ARE OLDER IN POLITICS, SOME OF THESE POLITICAL JOBS ARE A THANKLESS JOB. BUT IF YOUR INTENTIONS AND YOUR HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND YOU DO IT FOR THE RIGHT REASON, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE GOD WILL ALWAYS PROVIDE OR FIGURE OUT A WAY TO PROVIDE [02:40:02] TO THE AVERAGE CITIZENS. MOST JOBS WILL NOT ALLOW THEM TO TAKE OFF AT ONE 30 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND COME TO A MEETING, LET ALONE MULTIPLE BUDGET WORKSHOPS. I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA JUST WORK LIKE THAT. YOU KNOW, SOME OF US CAN BE RETIRED OR OWN A BUSINESS OR ACTUALLY BE EMPLOYED BY A COMPANY THAT'S WILLING TO WORK WITH US, BUT THE AVERAGE CITIZEN THAT MAY BE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WITH ISSUES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, LIKE THE PIPE EXPOSED THAT HAS TO WORK A JOB, THEY CAN'T COME BE A CITY COUNCILMAN AND TAKE OFF OR LEAVE A JOB, YOU KNOW, AT ONE 30 AND EVEN ANSWER THE PHONE AS MUCH AS OUR PHONE RINGS WHILE THEY ON THE CLOCK. SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THE IMPACT OF WHAT ALL THESE THINGS CAN DO WHILE DEALING WITH PEOPLE. AND YES, I MAY BE BLESSED TO BE IN A POSITION AND TAKE THOSE PHONE CALLS AND DO SOME OF THESE THINGS SUCH AS EVERYBODY UP HERE, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE AN INTEREST THAT MAY NOT BE IN THE SAME POSITION. SO THAT'S WHY I KIND OF GET THE BALANCE OF THE REASON WHY, BUT ALSO I DO UNDERSTAND THE BALANCE OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. AND I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THE ALLOTMENT OF WHAT THEY MAY BE AVAILABLE TO DO BECAUSE OF SOME ISSUES GOING ON WITH COUNCIL. I LIKE WORKSHOPPING THINGS, HAVING DIALOGUE, DISCUSSING IT. I'M OKAY WITH FEEDBACK, DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, SEEING WHAT WE CAN COME UP WITH TO MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. PRIME EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT THE DEFICIT WAS GOING TO BE THIS, BUT THE COUNCIL'S BEEN PRETTY STRONG AND LOOK HOW MUCH IT WAS REDUCED. SO, YOU KNOW, I I BELIEVE IN IT'S OKAY TO HAVE UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS. IT'S OKAY IF WE DON'T AGREE. IT'S OKAY IF A VOTE GOES A CERTAIN WAY, JUST MOVE ON AND, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO HAVE TRANSPARENT DIALOGUE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND SEE WHERE WE CAN LAND. AND I'M OKAY WITH UNCOMFORTABLE CONVERSATIONS AND I WILL QUESTION THINGS AND VOICE MY OPINION WHEN I FEEL A CERTAIN WAY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN HILLIARD. THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME THAT I EVER ASKED THIS, BUT I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THE TRAIN HORNS AND THE HARD WORK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT PUT IN MOLLY. UH, I'VE RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS, I'VE EVEN BEEN STOPPED IN STORES FOR PEOPLE SAYING, THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY SLEPT GOOD LAST NIGHT. SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHAT, THAT HARD WORK AND EVERYTHING THAT WE WENT THROUGH AND ALL THE PHONE CALLS AND EVERYTHING, IT, IT HAS PAID OFF. AND THERE'S THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE NOW THAT ARE GETTING A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP. AND, UH, AND THAT'S AWESOME. THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY AWESOME. SO THANK YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT FOR YOUR HARD WORK. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING. UH, SECOND IS I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO REITERATE THE, THE PARTS DEPARTMENT, THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND EVERYBODY THAT STEPPED UP DURING THIS, UH, NATURAL DISASTER AND WHAT YOU DID AND THE WAY YOU DID IT WAS JUST AMAZING. AND IT, IT GOES SHADOWED SO MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF 40,000 PEOPLE LOSING POWER. BUT MY HAT'S OFF TO THE CITY, CHRIS AND, AND, UH, KENNETH AND EARL AND THEIR DEPARTMENTS, TIM, AND THE THINGS THEY DID TO STEP UP TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, OUR CITY RAN SMOOTH AND THAT WE GOT THE THINGS CLEANED UP THAT NEED TO BE DONE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND SECOND THING IS I WANT TO ASK TIM, AND, AND DEMI, DO WE DEPUTIZE CITIZENS TO GO OUT AND ENFORCE OUR CODES? NO, WE DO NOT. WE HAVE A, UH, A CITIZEN, UM, PATROL FOR AND POLICE, AND ALL THEY DO IS BASICALLY SNAPSHOT THAT AND THEY ISSUE A SUMMONS, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'VE BEEN ACTIVE FOR A WHILE. OUR CITIZENS IN ACTION COMMITTEE, THEY JUST, THOSE, THOSE ARE LIKE THE ONES THAT DO LIKE THE HANDICAP 80 A YEAH, 80 A AND STUFF, BUT, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO ENGAGE OR, SO THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION SITES AND SAY THEY FOUND A PROBLEM AGAINST CODES OR, BECAUSE RECENTLY WE HAD A SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE WENT REALLY BAD. AND SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS SOME KIND OF ENFORCEMENT THAT SAYS, YES, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, BUT IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, DON'T GET INVOLVED. SO THAT'S 3 1 1. YES. WELL, WE HAD AN INCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE GOTTEN REALLY BAD. A GUN WAS INVOLVED, PROTESTERS WERE INVOLVED. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME KIND OF ORDINANCE OR SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT, THAT SAYS TO CITIZENS, THANK YOU. IF YOU SEE IT SAY IT, BUT DO NOT GET INVOLVED. WE DON'T NEED YOUR HELP. WELL, AND I'LL ECHO SHERE REAL QUICK, THAT IS 3 1 1, BUT IF A GUN INVOLVED, DEFINITELY CALL 9 1 1. YES. SO LIKE WE GET TO LIKE BANDIT SIGNS. YEAH. UH, WE GET THOSE CALLS OFTEN THROUGH 3 1 1, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HANDLE THAT. SO I GUESS MY POINT IS, IS THAT WE NEED TO, THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME KIND OF THING IN PLACE THAT WHEN WE SEE CITIZENS TRYING TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS, THAT WE, THERE'S SOMETHING [02:45:01] THERE, THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF ACTION THAT TAKES PLACE. WE CAN DEFINITELY WORK WITH, UH, MS CONNECT TO GET OUT A, A GOOD PR ABOUT OUR 3 1 1 SYSTEM. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE AN INCIDENT HAPPENED COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD. AND SO I DON'T WANT US TO BE, I WANT US TO BE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE IN THE EVENT THAT IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN AND THERE IS ACTUALLY GUNFIRE THAT TAKES PLACE. SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING IN PLACE TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. UM, THIRD, UH, YOU KNOW, I HATE TO BEAT IT INTO THE GROUND, BUT YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS 35 YEARS AND I'VE GONE YEARS, SOMETIMES MONTHS AND NOT TAKEN A PAYCHECK BECAUSE, AND IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT I STILL DIDN'T WORK AS HARD, THAT I DIDN'T GET UP EVERY MORNING AT FIVE, SOMETIMES WORKING NIGHTS. IT JUST MEANT THAT MY EMPLOYEES MEANT MORE TO ME THAN THE MONEY THAT I COULD PAY MYSELF BECAUSE THEY ARE WHAT MAKE UP THE COMPANY. AND SO $127,000 IS TWO PEOPLE MAKING $60,000 A YEAR. SO TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING THAT MONEY, IT'S A BIG DEAL. SO YES, IT WAS A WAY OF SAYING WE ARE GONNA LEAD FROM THE TOP DOWN. NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE TAKING IT AWAY FOREVER, BUT THAT WE'RE GONNA LEAVE FROM THE TOP DOWN THAT WE'RE GONNA SHOW. NOT ONLY ARE WE ASKING THE CITY MANAGER AND THE DEPARTMENT HEADS TO MAKE CUTS THAT HURT, BUT WE TOO, AS A COUNCIL FEEL THAT, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE CUTS TOO. NOT FOREVER. WE WEREN'T SAYING THAT WE WANTED TO DO IT FOREVER, BUT TO SHOW THAT WE'RE TOGETHER AS ONE TO SAY, IF WE'RE GONNA ASK YOU TO MAKE CUTS, THEN WE'LL MAKE CUTS TOO. AND I'M WITH MIKE, I'LL GIVE MY SALARY UP. WHEN I RAN, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE GOT PAID. IT WASN'T UNTIL I WAS FILLING MY PAPERWORK OUT, I WAS LIKE, OH WOW, WE GET PAID FOR THIS. SO, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S A SERVANT'S HEART. AND I DON'T, I'M LIKE, YOU, I, WE GET CALLS, WE GET ASKED TO DONATE. IN FACT, THE FIRST YEAR I DONATED WAY MORE MONEY THAN I SHOULD HAVE. AND SO, UH, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT WAS THE REASON THAT, THAT WAS THE MINDSET. IT WASN'T FOR THEATRICS. IT WAS TO SAY THAT, HEY, WE'RE THE LEADERS OF THE CITY AND IF WE'RE ASKING YOU TO TAKE CUTS, WE SHOULD ALSO TAKE CUTS. AND THAT WAS ALL THAT WAS ABOUT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'LL JUST, I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE. AND, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING Y'ALL HAVE DONE THROUGH THIS STORM. WHAT YOU'VE DONE ON THE BUDGET WAS, WAS REALLY AMAZING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN, COUNCILMAN DURIO. FIRST OF ALL, EVERYBODY UP HERE DOESN'T HAVE A JOB. I DON'T HAVE A JOB . Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE FORGOT THAT THIS IS MY JOB, THIS IS WHAT I DO. AND YOU RIGHT. DIDN'T DO IT FOR THE MONEY. I DIDN'T KNOW WE GOT PAID EITHER. BUT THAT SHOULDN'T BE OUR DECISION INDIVIDUALLY WHAT WE WANNA DO WITH THAT MONEY. NOT VOTE IT, IT VOTE, VOTE IT AWAY. THAT'S, THAT'S MY OPINION ON THAT. AND I HOPE YOU'RE NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE TRAINS ANYMORE. 'CAUSE EVERY TIME YOU SAY SOMETHING, MY PHONE GETS BLOWN UP. GETS TO BLOWING UP. 'CAUSE, 'CAUSE RIGHT, MILEY, I ASK MILEY ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME. , EVERY TIME YOU ON TV, YOU SAYING THAT? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT? YEAH, IT DOES. PROBABLY GONNA CALL ME SOON AS I GET HOME BEFORE I MAKE IT HOME. WHAT HAPPENED TODAY THOUGH, TO ME DOING THAT BUDGET IS A VERY BIG RESPONSIBILITY FOR US UP HERE. WE'RE, THAT'S PART OF OUR JOB. AND WHEN WE JUST SIT HERE AND, AND DON'T SAY ANYTHING, DON'T GET A SECOND, YOU CAN'T EVEN DISCUSS IT, THEN THAT'S PREVENTING ME FROM DOING MY JOB BECAUSE WE SUPPOSED TO VOTE, WE SUPPOSED TO DISCUSS THAT, WORK IT OUT AND VOTE ON IT, AND HOWEVER THE VOTE GOES, THAT'S IT. WE'RE NOT JUST SUPPOSED TO SIT UP HERE LIKE, UH, AT THE LAST MEET, HOW MANY TIMES WE JUST SIT UP HERE AND NOBODY WANTS TO, UH, GET A MOTION. NOBODY WANTS TO DO A SECOND. WE DON'T EVEN, YOU'RE TAKING AWAY OUR TIME, OUR CHANCE TO DISCUSS IT, TAKING AWAY THE CITIZENS THAT ARE WATCHING. WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU, THAT'S A BAD LOOK WHEN WE, THE WHOLE COUNCIL SITTING UP HERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA DO A SECOND, THEY DON'T WANT TO GET A MOTION, THEY DON'T WANNA DISCUSS IT. SO NOW YOU'RE TAKING AWAY MY ABILITY TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT PUT ME UP HERE WHEN, WHEN I CAN'T GET A SECOND, I MAKE A MOTION. NOBODY GIVE YOU A SECOND. SO WE DON'T EVEN DISCUSS IT. DO WE HAVE TO HAVE A, A MOTION AND A SECOND TO DISCUSS STUFF? YES. THAT'S COUNSEL'S POLICY. ALRIGHT. WE MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE THAT POLICY SERIOUSLY, BECAUSE, UH, IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO PRO, IF YOU WANT TO PROTEST, USE YOUR VOTE, USE YOUR VOTE AS YOUR PROTEST. THAT COULD BE YOUR PROTEST RIGHT THERE. BUT DON'T TAKE AWAY OUR, DON'T TAKE AWAY MY CHANCE TO DO MY JOB TO REPRESENT MY FOLKS OR, OR TO EVEN LET PEOPLE HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON. UM, ONE OTHER THING, UH, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, CHRIS JONES. BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING. NOT ONLY DOES HE DO THAT, ANYTIME SOMEBODY WANTS TO START A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, I SEND HIM TO CHRIS JONES, GO TO ONE OF HIS MEETINGS, YOU KNOW, OR OR CALF HIM, COME TO [02:50:01] YOUR MEETING AND HE COMES AND HE HELPS PEOPLE GET STARTED. HE'S BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND EVIDENTLY HE IS DOING A GOOD JOB. SO, AND I THINK, UM, ALSO TO ME, WHEN WE DON'T EVEN DISCUSS THIS STUFF, ALL THE HARD WORK THAT STAFF HAS DONE TO GET THIS INFORMATION TO US, AND THEN WE, WE WON'T EVEN DISCUSS IT OR VOTE ON IT. THAT'S DISRESPECTFUL TO STAFF. THEY DO A LOT OF HARD WORK. AND IF WE WON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT IT, THAT, THAT JUST DOESN'T SIT RIGHT WITH ME. SO THAT'S JUST, LET'S JUST DO OUR JOB AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I WAS GONNA SAY, UH, Y'ALL ALREADY SAID IT. SO THAT'S ALL I GOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. NO COMMENT. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. YES, PUBLIC WORKS. UH, JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THE, UH, KUDOS TO, UH, APPRECIATION TO ALL OUR STAFF THAT WORKED THE STORM LAST WEEK. UH, IT IS A NICE TIME TO RECONNECT, UH, HATE TO DO IT UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT WE KIND OF HAVE A ROUTINE DOWN AND I HATE THAT. I'D RATHER NOT KNOW WHAT WE'RE, UH, TO BE SO WELL VERSED AND TO HAVE STAFF THAT IS SO, UH, ATTUNED TO RESPONDING AND HELPING US GET BACK ON OUR FEET SO QUICKLY. UH, BUT ALSO ONE OF THE GROUPS THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED IS OUR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT GROUP. AT 1.2 THIRDS OF THE SIGNALS IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT WERE IMPACTED AND THAT NUMBER HAS STEADILY, UH, GONE DOWN, UH, ENSURING THAT OUR ROADS, UH, ARE AS SAFE AS THEY CAN BE. UH, RECOVERY WORK WILL CONTINUE, UH, BEHIND THE SCENES. AND SO THERE'S GOING TO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE WANNA WORK ON IS GONNA BE DELAYED WHILE WE CONTINUE TO RECOVER FROM THE STORM. UH, ALSO I WANNA POINT OUT THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER CENTERPOINT SCHEDULE AND CENTERPOINT'S WORKLOAD. ALL WE CAN DO IS PROVIDE THEM WITH THE INFORMATION TO GO DO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND THEN WE'RE AT THEIR MERCY. AND SO CENTER POINT IS STILL SCHEDULED TO GO ADJUST SOME SERVICE LINES. UH, NO ONE'S HAPPY WITH THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE OR NOT MADE, BUT AGAIN, THAT IS CENTER POINT, THAT IS NOT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. CLARK. THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD HAVE IS THAT, UM, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE THAT SOLID WASTE HAS BEEN MENTIONED VERY MUCH TO EITHER, AND THEY HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN WORKING, I BELIEVE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, UM, TO PICK UP ALL THE DEBRIS. I THINK WE HEARD SOME STATS ABOUT IT, BUT, UM, THEY'RE AN INTEGRAL PART OF RECOVERY AS WELL. AND, UH, WITH THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UM, JUST TO KIND OF REITERATE WHAT MR. BOONE SAID IN, IN HIS, IN HIS SLIDES, UM, AND HIS PRESENTATION, A LOT OF THAT MONEY THAT STAFF WAS ABLE TO FIND BY SHARPENING THEIR PENCILS WAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE A REDUCTION OF THE CAPITAL TRANSFER, CAPITAL RESERVE TRANSFER AND ELIMINATING SOME OF THE CONTINGENCY EXPENSES AND STUFF. SO A LOT OF THAT IS STUFF THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS. WE'RE JUST PUSHING IT OFF TO MAKE, TO MAKE THOSE MAKE THE DOLLARS WORK, UM, TO BALANCE BUDGET. AND I DID WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO STAFF, TO DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS FOR THOSE, UM, ESPECIALLY THAT DID GO BACK AND, AND LOOK, LOOK SOME MORE AND FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS BUDGET BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY APPRECIATED EVERY ONE OF YOU. SO THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. THANK YOU. UH, SUPER QUICK. UH, I WANTED TO UPDATE YOU GUYS WITH OUR ZIP AD PROGRAM OR ADVERTISEMENT PROGRAM. UH, WE DID RECEIVE OUR FIRST CHECK FOR ABOUT $9,000. UM, AND I WANNA SINCERELY, SINCERELY, THANK LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH FOR BEING OUR FIRST PARTICIPANTS. WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO THEM. UM, AND I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO MISS, UH, SAM MIGUEL FOR THE HARD WORK TO IMPROVE OUR POLICY OR IMPROVE OUR SERVICES TO THE, UH, FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY. AND THEN ALSO THANK YOU TO MS. PRINCE FOR WORKING HARD ON OUR POLICY TO IMPROVE OUR, UM, EFFORTS TOWARDS WORKFORCE READINESS AND OUR FUTURE. THANK YOU. NO COMMENTS. OKAY. CITY MANAGER. YES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE MY APPRECIATION FOR LAURA AND AMY AND AMANDA AND BRIDGET, UM, AND ALL OF OUR DIRECTORS, UM, AND DIVISION MANAGERS HELPING PUT TO PUT THE FY 27 BUDGET TOGETHER. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO GET US HERE. UH, IT'S BEEN A TOUGH, TOUGH SLOG. UM, BUT I APPRECIATE THEIR EFFORTS. AND THEN I THINK IT, I'M NOT GONNA START NAMING DEPARTMENTS OR DIVISIONS [02:55:01] BECAUSE I'LL GET IN TROUBLE. LAURA MENTIONED SOLID WASTE, BUT, UM, I REALLY WANNA EXTEND MY APPRECIATION FOR THE CITY STAFF OVER THE LAST WEEK WITH, UH, TROPICAL STORM EDWARD. UM, I THINK IT WAS 19 YEARS AGO, ALMOST TO THE DAY THAT WE HAD UMBERTO, WHICH WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ANYTHING AND TURNED OUT TO BE A HURRICANE. AND SO I CAN'T REMEMBER THE INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT IT'S, UH, I THINK Y'ALL KNOW THE PHRASE, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW A THING OR TWO BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN A THING OR TWO AND THIS, THIS GROUP HAS SEEN A THING OR TWO. SO I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE THEM VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. MANAGER. AND ALSO I WANT TO THANK SHAKINA NOBLES WHO'S EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MANAGER WHO, UH, AND CERTAINLY THAT WHOLE STAFF AND AS MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIRECTORS ARE AT THE EOC AND THAT THERE IS A LOT OF COMMUNICATION AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE NEEDS ARE BEING MET ACROSS THE CITY AND IT WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE THERE AND, UH, HELPING, UH, WHERE I COULD. BUT THERE PEOPLE WORKED EXTREMELY HARD, LONG HOURS AND CERTAINLY ALL OUR, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT ALSO TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT AND EVERYBODY ELSE BECAUSE THERE'S PLENTY TO DO DURING THOSE STORMS. AND, UH, WILL GIVE GREG BOSWICK SOME SLACK SINCE HE HADN'T SEEN THAT BEFORE THE STORM INTENSIFYING. BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON THIS WEEKEND. I KNOW THE NINE 11 MEMORIAL AT TERRELL PARK IS HAPPENING, I BELIEVE AT 10:00 AM AND WE'VE GOT VIVA BEAUMONT HISPANIC HERITAGE FESTIVAL ON, UH, SUNDAY. AND UH, I ALSO RECEIVED, UH, FROM BOBBY PATTERSON. SO I'M GONNA BE SURE TO MENTION IT. UH, ALTHOUGH IT WAS MENTIONED A HALF HOUR AGO ABOUT THE, UH, VOTER REGISTRATION THAT WILL BE HAPPENING TUESDAY, UH, SEPTEMBER 15TH AT THE JURY AND PANELING ROOM FROM 11 TO 12:30 PM AND, UH, CERTAINLY THANK EVERYBODY ON THE HARD WORK ON, ON THE BUDGET, UH, TO THIS POINT AS WELL. AND, UH, WITH THAT, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.