* 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. [00:00:01] GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO TODAY'S CITY OF BEAUMONT PROCLAMATIONS AND, UH, RECOGNITIONS PRESENTATION. TODAY'S DATE IS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH, 2026. UH, WE'RE GONNA PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF PRAYER, AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONE, AND IF YOU, AND PLEASE STAND LOVING GOD, WE, WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE MANY PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS THAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. WE GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THIS CITY, FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY, FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO, UH, ENHANCING OTHERS' LIVES. AND WE, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THEM. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS COUNCIL AND FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE AND FOR ALL OUR CITY EMPLOYEES THAT DO THE WORK OF THE CITY, AND ESPECIALLY DURING THIS PAST STORM, LORD. AND WE ASK ALL THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS. AND IF YOU'LL JOIN ME IN THE PRAYER. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WIDGET STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? MAYOR WEST, PRESENT MAYOR PRO TEM CRENSHAW. ABSENT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER TURNER ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER DURIO. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER HILLIARD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS HERE. AND COUNCIL MEMBER SHERWOOD, ABSENT. [PROCLAMATIONS] ALRIGHT. AT THE CLOSE OF THIS MEETING TODAY, CITY COUNCIL WILL REASSESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION TO CONSIDER MATTERS RELATED TO CONTEMPLATED OR PENDING LITIGATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5 5 1 0.07, ONE OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, EVERETT D CORMIER VERSUS CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS. CAUSE NUMBER E 2 0 1 9 78 AND THE HUNDRED AND 72ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, AND ALSO THE CLAIM OF ROBERT LANE. AND TODAY WE HAVE SEVEN PROCLAMATIONS AND ONE RECOGNITION. AND WHEN I CALLED THE NAME OF YOUR GROUP, PLEASE COME FORWARD TO RECEIVE YOUR PROCLAMATION AND YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES, UH, AT THAT TIME AND SOMEONE FROM YOUR, UH, AND EVERYBODY FROM THE GROUP IS WELCOME UP HERE. AND THEN SOMEONE FROM THE GROUP MAY, UH, ADDRESS, UH, THE COUNCIL AND THE, AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE FROM THE PODIUM. UH, THE FIRST ONE WILL BE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY OF BEAUMONT HOUSING AUTHORITY. AND SO WE'VE GOT THE BEAUMONT HOUSING AUTHORITY, WE'VE GOT THE, UH, EXEC CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ALLISON LANDRUM, AND ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, PLEASE COME FORWARD. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD MORNING. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATS. CONGRATULATIONS. YEAH, CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATS OFF. CONGRATULATIONS. YEAH, I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO THE PICTURE NOW. DO WHAT MAYOR WEST MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF. THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION OF BSA ON OUR 85 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THIS COMMUNITY. WE HAVE SEVERAL STAFF, AND OF COURSE, OUR VICE CHAIR PARK HOST HERE. WE ARE BLESSED WITH AN AMAZING TEAM WITH THE HEART FOR SERVING THE BEAUMONT COMMUNITY. SINCE 1941, BHI HAS PROVIDED HOUSING, BUT OUR MISSION HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN BUILDINGS. IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE. IT IS ABOUT PROVIDING STABILITY FOR FAMILIES, CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN, SUPPORTING OUR SENIOR, AND HELPING RESIDENTS BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT. OUR 85 YEAR LEGACY BELONGS TO THE [00:05:01] GENERATIONS OF COMMISSION AND EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE SERVED THIS ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND LEADERS WHO HAVE WORKED THE LAND SERVICE, INCLUDING, WE HAVE MS. JANICE DOMINIC, WHO IS RETIRED, AND NOVEMBER AFTER 39 YEARS OF SERVICE TO BLJ. SO SHE'S BEEN THROUGH ALMOST HALF OF THE LIFE OF THE AGENCY. UH, WE'RE ALSO VERY GRATEFUL FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND MUCH OF WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED HAS BEEN POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF OUR COLLABORATION. WE'RE EQUALLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR FUTURE. WE'RE STILL GROWING, EVOLVING, AND LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THIS MILESTONE HONOR AND THE WORK OF SO MANY PEOPLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER, UH, AS SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH. ACCEPTING WILL BE MS. SALLY BROUSSARD, BOARD MEMBER OF THE MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS. AND ANYBODY ELSE WITH THEIR, I SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES, SO PLEASE COME FORWARD. JUST GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL THREE OF YOU THIS WAY, WE'LL GET YOU RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. A LITTLE BIT MORE. ONE MORE STEP. PERFECT. OKAY. 3, 1, 2, 3. OKAY. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS PROCLAMATION, AND THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE, AS THE MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS RECEIVE FROM OUR CITY AND FROM OUR COUNTY. AND I WANNA FOCUS ON, UH, HOW IMPORTANT MENTAL HEALTH IS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND THERE'S SOME GREAT THINGS HAPPENING HERE. I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A STATISTIC REAL QUICK. 50% OF EVERYBODY THAT IS DIAGNOSED WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS AS AN ADULT STARTED HAVING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS WHEN THEY WERE UNDER 14 YEARS OLD. 75% OF ADULTS WHO HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS HAD HAVE EXHIBITED SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS BEFORE THEY WERE 18. SO THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY INTERVENTION IS CRUCIAL, AND THAT'S OUR GOAL AT MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS INVITED. I'M, I HAVE SOME RESOURCE GUIDES FOR YOU OF ALL THE SERVICES THAT ARE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO AS AN, AS AN ORGANIZATION. BUT I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT SUICIDE AWARENESS MONTH IS SEPTEMBER, AND WE ARE SPONSORING A FREE VIRTUAL SEMINAR. IT'S CALLED ADDRESSING YOUTH SUICIDALITY DURING THE ERA OF AI. IT'S GONNA BE AMAZING. IT'S CONDUCTED BY A WORLD RENOWNED MEMBER OF THE MENNINGER CLINIC OVER IN HOUSTON, AND THAT'S ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 15TH AT NOON FOR AN HOUR. SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO BE THERE FOR THAT. AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, AND I'LL HAND YOU OUT SOME OF THESE RESOURCE GUIDES AND ALSO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT 9 1 1. NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT 9, 8 8. AND THAT IS THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION SUICIDE AWARENESS HOTLINE THAT ANYBODY CAN CALL IF THEY'RE HAVING ANY KIND OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. AND IT WILL CONNECT YOU WITH RESOURCES LOCALLY. SO THANK YOU. AND I KNOW ENA WANTED TO SAY A WORD IS ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, I AGAIN, WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UH, WE STRIVE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND THOSE WHO ARE IN CRISIS WITH OUR THREE-PRONGED, UH, UH, SUPPORT OF ADVOCATION. WE, ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION, AND EDUCATION. AND THE, UH, SPEAKER THAT SHE SPOKE OF WILL BE A PART OF OUR EDUCATION MISSION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I'M JUST A BOARD MEMBER. THIS IS OUR PRESIDENT, AND I WANT TO THANK HER FOR HER YEARS OF DEDICATION AND SERVICE, PARTICULARLY AFTER MY MOTHER'S [00:10:01] STROKE. AND SHE PASSED AWAY. AND BERNICE, WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU, SO I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT ANY KINDA RECOGNITION OR HONORS, BUT WE'RE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL. AND AS A RESULT OF HER AND KIM PHELAN, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THIS BOARD BACK INTO ACTION. AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT MY MOTHER WORKED FOR FOR MANY YEARS. IN FACT, SHE STARTED SUICIDE RESCUE IN BEAUMONT PROBABLY 50 YEARS AGO. AND AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE WORKED VERY STRONG, VERY HARD WITH OUR YOUTH. AND YOU HEARD THE STATS AND HOW MANY OF THEM HAVE THE ISSUES OF MENTAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AT AN EARLY AGE. SO THANK YOU FROM ALL OF US. UH, ROBIN MCCUTCHEN IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. SHE COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY, BUT WE'RE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR BOARD, WHICH IS VERY ACTIVE AND VERY, VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR THE, FOR THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND NOW NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS VISIONARIES AND IF THEY WOULD ALL COME FORWARD, ACCEPTING WILL BE MISS, UH, THERE, RENEE. UH, AND I'M NOT SURE THAT I'D SAY THE LAST NAME, RIGHT? SO SAY IT WHEN YOU GET UP HERE. HERE. YES. YES. NO. OH MY GOODNESS. WE'RE GOING DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. YES. ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. SEE YOU. I GOT YOU. CONGRAT. TRY IT. HOW YOU DOING? YOU KNOW, I'M TIRED. . OKAY. THIS IS GONNA BE TRICKY. EVERYBODY SQUEEZE IN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. TRY TO GET IN A WINDOW IF YOU CAN. SO IF YOU CAN SEE ME READY? AND READY, LOOK RIGHT HERE. AND 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2 CLICKING. SEE IF I GET EVERYBODY'S EYES OPEN. ALRIGHT, COME TOGETHER, Y'ALL. . ALL RIGHT, WELL, GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. UM, WE ARE THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS VISIONARIES. EVERYBODY THAT YOU SEE UP HERE IS A CREATIVE, AN ARTIST, AN ENTREPRENEUR OF SOME SORT THAT HAD A VISION AND DECIDED TO USE THEIR SEED OF PURPOSE WITHOUT ANY SUPPORT TO COME OUT AND MAKE OUR AREA, OUR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE. EVERYONE HAS AN INDIVIDUAL EFFORT, AN INDIVIDUAL TALENT, AN INDIVIDUAL, UM, SKILLSET THAT THEY ALL LITERALLY ARE JUST OUT HERE DOING GREAT THINGS THAT ARE NOT SO HIGHLIGHTED. SO THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS VISIONARY AWARD SHOW CREATED A PLATFORM WHERE WE CAN IDENTIFY THESE PERSONNEL AND SUPPORT THEM AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING. SO, , AND WE JUST WANT TO LIKE, JUST PUT A PLEA SINCE, UH, A LOT OF VISIONARIES ARE HERE, THAT WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, MAJOR PROGRAMS IN THE CITY, [00:15:01] WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES. WE HAVE VISIONARIES THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, MUSICIANS, I'M TALKING ABOUT ENTREPRENEURS, CREATIVES, PEOPLE THAT CAN ALWAYS BE, UH, MOVIE DIRECTORS, THAT CAN ALWAYS BE IN THIS, UH, MAJOR PROGRAMS. SO WHAT WE ARE ALSO JUST SUGGESTING OR JUST PLAYING, IS THAT ANYTIME WE HAVE A MAJOR SHOW, AT LEAST 90% OF THE LOCAL, LOCAL SHOULD BE, UM, ALIGHTED. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. GOOD MORNING. ALL RIGHT. NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2026 AS BEAUMONT PUBLIC LIBRARY HUNDREDTH YEAR CELEBRATION. AND, UH, ACCEPTING WILL BE MR. PAUL, EDDIE PRE, UH, BEAUMONT PUBLIC LIBRARY ADMINISTRATOR. AND ANYBODY ELSE WITH THE 16TH? THE SIXTH. I'LL CORRECT IT. THANK YOU, CONGRAT. SORRY. SORRY. THAT'S ALL GOOD, SANDY. HEY EVERYBODY JUST SHIFT THIS WAY A TINY BIT. YEAH, RIGHT THERE. OKAY. FIRST, THIS ONE. 1, 2, 3. OKAY, STAY RIGHT THERE. 1, 2, 3. OKAY. AND IT IS SEPTEMBER 16TH, NOT THE 15TH. SO MY BAD. WELL, I DIDN'T REMEMBER. I MEAN, I WAS HERE A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, BUT I DIDN'T REMEMBER WELL, UH, THAT'S OKAY. I WROTE THE 18TH ON MY PIECE OF PAPER. . SO . UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK, UM, MAYOR COUNCIL, MR. BOONE, UH, ALL CITY STAFF. UH, WE'VE BEEN AROUND A HUNDRED YEARS. UM, WE ARE DOING A MANY EXCITING THINGS NOW. WE HAVE GROWN, WE HAVE CHANGED. UH, WE WILL BE CHANGING. UH, LIBRARIES ARE CHANGING A LOT, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT 100 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, UH, I TOLD MYSELF WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT ALL THIS IS THE HISTORY OF BEAUMONT, UH, IS BASICALLY THE HISTORY OF THE LIBRARY. WE, UH, CATALOGED THAT HISTORY AT THE TERRELL HISTORICAL LIBRARY, AND THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY THE VERY FIRST LIBRARY IN 1926 THAT WAS DEDICATED BY THE CITY, GIVEN TO THE CITY BY CAPTAIN TERRELL. SO, UH, AS WE GREW THROUGHOUT THESE A HUNDRED YEARS, UH, WE'VE SPREAD ACROSS THE CITY AND WE SERVE A DIVERSE POPULATION. SO WE LOOK FORWARD, LIKE I SAY, TO THAT NEXT HUNDRED YEARS. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WANT TO DO IS I WANT TO THANK MY STAFF BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM THEN, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SOMEBODY SITTING OVER AT THE MAIN LIBRARY. UH, WE HAVE DEDICATED STAFF THAT TRULY WANT TO PROVIDE FOR THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT, THEIR NEEDS OF LITERACY, EDUCATION, UH, ART, WHATEVER THAT COMES UP. SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE YEARS TO COME. UH, AS WE SAID, SEPTEMBER 16TH, FROM TWO TO 4:00 PM IS WHEN, UH, WE WILL HAVE A CEREMONY OVER AT THE TERRELL. EVERYONE'S INVITED, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING IT OUT THERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. UM, IT'S GONNA BE A SMALL CEREMONY, BUT WE WANT THAT TO BE THE START OF A REALLY WONDERFUL YEAR AHEAD SO THAT WE CAN DO A LOT OF NEW THINGS FOR THE CITIZENS OF BEAUMONT. THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. [00:20:01] NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING, UH, THE HEALTHCARE NETWORK ASSOCIATION. ACCEPTING WILL BE MS. FERRISS YOUNG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. COME ON UP. AND DO YOU HAVE ANYBODY WITH YOU? IT'S JUST ME. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. ? YES. DO THAT, DO THAT. LIKE SOME OF THOSE. OKAY. TRUE. IF YOU WANNA HOLD A PROCLAMATION MAYBE IN FRONT. THERE YOU GO. THAT'S NOT TO LAY ACROSS IT. YEAH. YEAH. PERFECT. THERE WE GO. GOT IT. HOW YOU GONNA OUTDO THAT? OKAY. SO THIS IS MY VERY FIRST PROCLAMATION, SO I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO SAY ANYTHING OR TAKE PHOTOS, SO PLEASE FORGIVE ME. I'M NOT PREPARED FOR THAT PART, BUT I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, NOT JUST FOR RECOGNIZING ME, BUT FOR RECOGNIZING THE AMAZING PEOPLE BEHIND ME AS WELL. UH, I FEEL VERY SMALL IN A ROOM FULL OF GIANTS, SO I WANT YOU GUYS TO KNOW THAT, UH, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR BEAUMONT. UH, WE MOVED HERE ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO, SO I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I'M FROM BEAUMONT NOW. NONPROFITS ARE MY HEART AND SOUL. I'M ACTUALLY WORKING ON MY THIRD ONE. SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS. NONPROFITS FILL THE GAPS THAT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY CAN'T FILL. SO WE'RE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AND THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF US WORKING THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST TEXAS TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE. SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. I PRAY OVER YOU GUYS DAILY. I THINK YOU'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB, AND I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE A PRO PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING JANIAH'S LOVE, SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION. RED BALLOON WALK AND ACCEPTING WILL BE MS. LETTY GREEN, UH, CAESAR, FOUNDER OF JANIAH'S LOVE FOUNDATION, AND ALL THOSE THAT ARE ON THE BOARD WITH HER OR ARE THAT ARE HERE WITH HER, PLEASE COME FORWARD. GOOD MORNING. AND I GOT YOUR PROCLAMATION RIGHT HERE. MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MORNING. ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. MORNING. HERE WE GO. IT'S GOOD. AND MAYBE ONE OF Y'ALL, IF YOU WANNA GO ON THIS SIDE OR EVERYBODY SHIFT THIS WAY. A COUPLE CAMERA HERE. FIRST. 1, 2, 3. OKAY. AND THEN RIGHT HERE, THREE OH, TURN ON THE CAMERA. 1, 2, 3. OKAY. GOOD MORNING, CITY OF BEAUMONT. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE PROCLAMATION. I WORE THESE DOTS FOR A REASON. THESE DOTS REPRESENT EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS ASSISTED ME IN MAKING JANIAH'S LOVE A SUCCESS. UM, WE [00:25:01] STARTED IN 2015. IT IS A SICKLE CELL FOUNDATION AND IT HAS GROWN TREMENDOUSLY. AND THANKS TO THE TOP LADIES OF BEAUMONT, TOP LADIES OF PORT ARTHUR, MY TEAM THAT I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT. I APPRECIATE THEM TREMENDOUSLY. WE HAVE A WALK FOR SICKLE CELL COMING UP ON SEPTEMBER 12TH ON CROCKETT STREET. IT'S GONNA BE A BIG ONE. SO WE INVITING EVERYBODY TO COME OUT AND ENJOY YOURSELF AND SUPPORT SICKLE CELL BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S BEEN INVISIBLE FOR A LITTLE TOO LONG AND IT'S TIME TO BRING IT TO THE FOREFRONT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING FOR US AND APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO. . THANK, THANK YOU. UH, NOW WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION THAT IS RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2026 AS JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BEAUMONT'S. FINE. THE GOOD DAY. WHAT TEXAS ACCEPTING WILL BE MS. KATE HAW THORN, LEAD PRESIDENT, AND EVERYBODY THAT IS WITH YOU, PLEASE HAVE THEM COME FORWARD AS WELL. HERE YOU GO. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. GOOD TO SEE Y'ALL. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. CONGRATS. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU. ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU BACK. REAL QUICK. I'VE GOT SOMEONE'S ALL RIGHT. MAYBE SLIDE THIS WAY JUST A LITTLE BIT. SORRY. EVERYBODY STILL? THERE WE GO. MUCH BETTER. TINY STEP AND 1, 2, 3. OKAY. 1, 2, 3. OKAY, GOT IT. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, I APPRECIATE Y'ALL HAVING US TODAY. MY NAME IS KATE BROUSSARD THORN, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BEAUMONT. WE ARE CURRENTLY CELEBRATING 80 YEARS, AND WE HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO ADVANCING WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP FOR MEANINGFUL COMMUNITY IMPACT THROUGH VOLUNTEER ACTION, COLLABORATION AND TRAINING. THE 400 WOMEN OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF BEAUMONT ARE CIVIC LEADERS, CHANGE MAKERS, AND VOLUNTEERS WHO WORK YEAR ROUND TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND FAMILIES IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS. WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN SHARING THE GOOD IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS IN BOTH BIG AND SMALL WAYS. IT IS MY HONOR TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION DECLARING THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH IS FIND THE GOOD DAY IN BEAUMONT THIS PAST YEAR FOR FIND THE GOOD DAY. IN JUST ONE DAY, WE WERE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND PROVIDE 600 LOADS OF LAUNDRY. WE DID OVER 300, UH, VOLUNTEER HOURS. WE ASSEMBLED 260 PERIOD PACKS. WE SORTED 175 BAGS OF BABY CLOTHES. WE PACKED GROCERIES FOR 146 FAMILIES. WE DELIVERED 140 POSEY POTTED, 40 PLANTS SNUGGLED, 32 CATS. WALKED 12 DOGS, BUILT TWO SHELVES, AND WE SHARED COUNTLESS HUGS, SMILES, AND ACTS OF KINDNESS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WE'RE PLANNING TO DO THE SAME. UM, THIS UPCOMING FIND THE GOOD DAY AS WELL. UM, WHEN, WHEN INDIVIDUALS JOIN FORCES TO SERVE, LIVES ARE CHANGED, SPIRITS ARE LIFTED, AND OUR COMMUNITY GROWS STRONGER. WE INVITE EACH OF YOU TO JOIN IN OUR CELEBRATION BY SPREADING THE GOOD AND HIGHLIGHTING ALL THE GOOD THAT OUR COMMUNITY DOES ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [RECOGNITION] ALL RIGHT. AND LASTLY, WE HAVE A RECOGNITION IN MEMORIA OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS MABEL J ZION WILLIAMS, MEMBER OF THE TRIPLE, OR THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT, WHICH [00:30:01] IS 6 8 8 8 CENTRAL POSTAL DIRECTORY BATTALION AS HER NEPHEW, EDWARD CLARK AND MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY. HOW YOU, SIR, CONGRATULATIONS. HERE. YOU YES, SIR. CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS. GOOD MORNING. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU. HERE WE ARE. GOOD MORNING. SHE MADE ALL OF THIS HAPPEN. ALL RIGHT. Y'ALL SLIDE THIS WAY RIGHT TO THE LEFT. THERE YOU GO. YOU GO, YOU GO. ONE MORE. ONE MORE. OKAY. THAT'S GOOD. YEP. PERFECT. RIGHT. HERE WE GO. 1, 2, 3. OKAY. AND STAY THERE REAL QUICK. 1, 2, 3. OKAY. WELL, I GUESS THAT'S GOING TO BE ME IN FRONT OF THE MIC. YES. , MEL WEST AND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU. I AM JUST SO OVERWHELMED BY ALL OF THIS . AMEN. WHEN ALL OF THIS CAME ABOUT, IT WAS JUST, I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT THAT OUR AUNT ACTUALLY WAS IN WORLD WAR II. NOT, WELL, WE KNEW SHE WAS IN THE MILITARY. WE KNEW SHE WAS IN THE MILITARY, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SHE DID. RIGHT. BECAUSE WHEN THEY CAME BACK, THEY NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT. MY AUNT, MY DADDY, MY UNCLE, THEY JUST DID NOT TALK ABOUT IT. AND WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IT THROUGH WATCHING THE MOVIE. AND HER LAST NAME WAS XENON. SO WE COULDN'T HELP BUT SEE HER NAME, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY DID THE CREDITS. YES. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HONORING HER TODAY. AND I WANT TO INTRODUCE MY BROTHER. YES. JAMES LEE CLARK. JAMES LEE CLARK. AND WE ALSO HAVE A SISTER, JOANNE CLARK THOMAS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. OUR OTHER SISTER, PATRICIA ANN CLARK HOLMES IS DECEASED. AND WE ALSO HAVE TWO COUSINS, MARK ZON AND DAVID ZON. AND THEY, WE ARE HER CLOSEST LIVING RELATIVES. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU. AND BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THIS YOUNG LADY RIGHT HERE. NO, YOU GOTTA THANK YOUR WIFE. YES. UHUH . SHE'LL BE OKAY. , SHE GONNA BE ALL RIGHT. SHE BE WITH EVERY NIGHT. , UH, THIS LADY RIGHT HERE, JESSIE DAVIS IS THE LADY THAT TRACKED US DOWN. HER, HER GROUP, THE HISTORIC SACRED SPACES, DID ALL OF THE HOMEWORK, HOW THEY FOUND US. I DO NOT KNOW , BUT I THANK HER. I WANT TO THANK HER PERSONALLY BECAUSE THIS WAS SOMETHING TO BEHOLD. AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND I WANT YOU TO PUT SOME DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR. YES. OCTOBER 17TH, 11:00 AM WE'LL BE AT THE, UM, SACRED HEARTS CEMETERY ON PINE STREET. THEY'LL BE DOING A MILITARY CELEBRATION. AND AFTER THE CELEBRATION, WE'LL BE AT THE DORY MILLER AND WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE FOOD, NOT A LOT OF FOOD, DON'T EAT TOO MUCH . WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME FOOD AND JUST COME BY AND, AND SPEAK AND SEE SOME OF OUR OWN FAMILY. WE SURE WOULD APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. [EXECUTIVE SESSION] WELL, I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THE NEXT PROCLAMATION AND RECOGNITION PRESENTATION WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6TH AT 10:30 AM AND WE ARE GONNA NOW RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. * 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.