Sep 22, 2026 City Council

AND NOW'S THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]

COMMENTS.

AND FOR ANY CITIZEN WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, YOU MAY MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT AGENDA OR REGULAR AGENDA.

ITEMS ONE THROUGH SIX OR ANY OTHER TOPIC, CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM SEVEN, EIGHT, AND NINE WILL BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.

ALSO DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SPEAK IN BOTH.

SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.

THE CITY CLERK WILL CALL YOUR NAME WHEN IT'S YOUR TIME TO SPEAK.

WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM, PLEASE SAY YOUR ADDRESS, CITY AND STATE.

IF IT WAS NOT ALREADY CALLED OUT, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

THE GREEN LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM AND THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON WHEN YOUR TIME IS THAT.

UM, SHANDY CONNOR, 2,700 NORTH TWIN CITY HIGHWAY NEEDLE IN TEXAS.

THIS IS FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.

DO YOU WANNA SPEAK NOW OR DO YOU WANNA WAIT UNTIL THE PUBLIC HEARING? I'LL WAIT UNTIL THE PUBLIC HEARING.

MR. HUMBLE PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.

MM-HMM .

UH, DAVID JOHNSON.

DO YOU WANT PUBLIC HEARING? CYNTHIA, JULIAN,

[00:10:01]

CHAD MASON, I THINK IT IS.

DO YOU WANT PUBLIC HEARING? OKAY.

JUST WANNA CHECK.

AND MARLA CONNOR, PUBLIC HEARING MARK CONNER OR MARK? I, I CAN'T MAKE OUT WHAT THE NAME IS.

WHAT'S HEARING, PLEASE.

AND THEN ROBERT AND I THINK IT'S MODE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, ALBERT HARRISON, 1240.

ASHLEY BEAUMONT, TEXAS MAYOR CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY, EMPLOYEES AS CONCERNED CITIZENS OF THE PRESS, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR PUTTING DOWN THE CROSSWALKS IN THE AREAS OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

MY ONLY COMMENT TO THAT IS THAT IF THEY ARE COMPLETE WITH DOING WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, THEY THEY'RE GOING TO DO, IT'S INAPPROPRIATE.

IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.

AND THE REASON IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE IS BECAUSE GOING ACROSS THE CROSSWALK IS UNEVEN AND YOU WILL POSSIBLY STUMBLE BECAUSE THE SIDEWALK IT MEETS UP TO IS APPROXIMATELY TWO INCHES ABOVE THE CROSSWALK IN SOME AREA.

IN SOME AREAS, THEY'RE CORRECT.

THEY THEY'RE FINE.

BUT IF THEY SAY TO COMPLETE, I'M NOT COMPLETE WITH IT.

THAT ISSUE, THERE IS ONE ISSUE.

NOW, YOU MAY NOT, WOULD HAVE NEVER HAD THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE IF THE GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF WALTER WOULD HAVE REPAIRED THE CROSSWALK AT 1163 AVALON.

THIS IS THE WAY IT LOOKED IN APRIL, 2023.

THEY CAME BACK APRIL 15TH, 23 AND DID THIS.

I TOLD WALTER AT, AT THE TIME, THIS, WHATEVER YOU SEE HERE IS NOT GONNA STAY THERE.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

NOW, I REQUESTED ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO THAT IT BE REPAIRED AGAIN.

SO NOW I'M ASKING THAT IT DO REPAIRED, BE REPAIRED AGAIN.

AND THE REASON WHY IT WAS NOT, THEY STARTED TO BREAK IT UP TO TAKE IT AWAY WHEN IT WAS DOING THE, WHEN THE CITY WAS DOING THE DITCHES AT THAT TIME.

AND THE REASON I TOLD 'EM NOT TO WAS BECAUSE THIS IS MY SISTER'S NAME, THE YEAR MY DADDY BOUGHT THE PROPERTY AND THE YEAR THE CONCRETE WAS PULLED THERE.

SO I WANT THAT TO STAY THERE NOW.

SO NOW I NEED THAT WALKWAY REPAIRED AS WELL.

ALEXANDER, 1118 AVALON, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

JEROME.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

HOW Y'ALL DOING TODAY? UH, I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO STILL BE ON THIS ROLLERCOASTER UNTIL THE MAINTENANCE MAN COME AND FIX IT UNTIL WE BE ABLE TO GET OFF FOR, BUT UH, SERIOUSLY, I'M HERE TODAY.

I'M REPORTING THE GAS PIPELINE AT THE LOCATION OF 11 1100, 1200 BLOCK OF AVALON, THE 1,000 BLOCK, 1100 BLOCK OF CENTER, THE 1100, 1000, 1200 BLOCK OF FOREST, AND 1100 BLOCK OF OAKLAND.

IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN EXPOSED DURING THE CITY OF BALTIMORE CONTRACTED DITCH DITCH EXCAVATION.

THIS HAS BEEN ON THE NEWS.

A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PERSONALLY VISITED AND SAW THE EXPOSED THE LINE THE CITY HAS ACTUALLY NOTICED OF THE POSSIBLE PUBLIC SAFETY HAZARD.

PLEASE HAVE THE RESPONSIBLE GAS UTILITY, INSPECT, BARRICADE, AND REPAIR OR SAFELY COVER THE LINE IMMEDIATELY.

PLEASE RESPOND IN WRITING WITH THE RESPONSE RESPONSIBLE PARTY AND THE CORRECTIVE ACTION BEING TAKEN.

PLEASE PRESERVE OUR PROJECT CONTRACT, 80 LEVEL INSPECTION, PHOTO, VIDEO AND COMMUNICATION RECORDS.

I LOVE MY NAME AND NUMBER.

AND ALSO THEM LIVE PIPELINE AND GAS LINES.

AND ALSO THEY GOT SOME THAT JUST STICKING OUT THE DITCH.

THEY STICKING OUT.

IS SOMEBODY GOING TO COME AND CUT 'EM OFF? 'CAUSE THEY STICKING OUT.

SOMEBODY GET INJURED BY THAT.

APPRECIATE Y'ALL.

COME AND CHECK IT OUT.

I'M JAMES CALLIS, 53 75 ROSEMARY DRIVE, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

[00:15:03]

GOOD EVENING.

GREETINGS TO ALL.

I AM JAMES CALLIS, A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF BEAUMONT, AND I CAME ACROSS AN ARTICLE LAST WEEK IN THE EXAMINER CALLED BEAUMONT DOCKS REVEAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.

UH, I'M A LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER.

AND UM, I KNOW WE HAVE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROBLEM.

AND I'VE TALKED TO YOU MANY TIMES.

THIS IS A LIST OF THE RED TAG HOUSES.

I KNOW YOU GET TIRED OF ME BRINGING IT UP, BUT THIS IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IF IT'S BROUGHT BACK TO LIVING CONDITIONS NOW, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING HAS CHANGED IN THE RED TAG PROGRAM AT ALL.

IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S A VACANT HOUSE OVER HERE, GETS A RED TAG AND THEN IT'S GONNA GET DESTROYED.

UH, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO A PUBLIC RECORD, UH, REQUEST THAT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THESE HOUSES TORN DOWN.

I HAPPEN TO BE THE OWNER OF A LOT THAT WAS TORN DOWN AND UH, IT JUST NEEDS MOWING.

I'VE GOT IT FOR SALE.

HADN'T HAD ANY BITES YET.

UH, BUT I, I HAVE, I HAVE NOT SEEN A POSITIVE ASPECT OF IT.

THE HOUSES ARE TORN DOWN.

IF WE'RE GOING TO GET TO 120,000 POPULATION AS OUR CITY MANAGER HAS REQUESTED, WE'VE GOTTA HAVE HOUSING.

YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER AND YOU HEARD FOOD, CLOTHING, SHELTER.

WELL, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS SHELTER NOW.

EARLY MAN PROBABLY LIVED IN A CAVE.

THERE'S NO CAVES HERE.

IF WE WENT UP CLOSER TO AUSTIN, THERE'S SOME CAVES.

AND THEN OUR NATIVE AMERICANS, THEY HAD ALL KIND OF NEAT STUFF.

AND OF COURSE WE'RE ALL AWARE OF THE TEEPEES.

THOSE WERE DESIGNED FOR NOMADS 'CAUSE THEY WOULD TRAVEL TO WHERE THE BUFFALO AND THE OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS WERE.

AND IT WAS QUITE A NICE SHELTER.

WELL, THESE ARE ALL REGULAR CONSTRUCTED HOUSES THAT FAMILIES ONCE OCCUPIED, BUT THEY'RE VACANT NOW.

AND SO I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER MODIFYING THE RED TAG PROGRAM TO TURN IT INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF INVESTORS IN TOWN THAT WOULD JUMP ON THE WAGON AND TRY TO HELP SOME OF THESE HOUSES GO.

AND, UH, I STILL HAVE ONE RED TAG HOUSE MYSELF THAT I WILL FINISH AND, UH, PROVIDE FOR, UM, UH, A HOMELESS FAMILY.

SO, UH, WITH THAT SAID, I AM GONNA DISTRIBUTE THESE.

THERE'S ONE FOR EVERYBODY.

THIS IS THE ARTICLE.

UH, JENNIFER JOHNSON, MANAGING EDITOR OF THE EXAMINER, DID AN EXEMPLARY JOB OF COVERING EVERY ASPECT.

I CALLED HER, I SAID, MAY I REPRINT THIS AND DISTRIBUTE? SHE SAID, I COULD ALSO, I SAID, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH RED TECH HOUSES? SHE WAS A LITTLE FAMILIAR.

SO YOU MAY SEE AN ARTICLE ON RED TAG HOUSES.

I THINK THAT THE CITY IS, IS LACKING VISION IF THEY DON'T DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN TEAR DOWN RED TAG HOUSES.

WE HAVE WITH THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.

I'M SORRY.

RAYMOND FORD, 48 90 BRACE STREET, BELMONT, TEXAS.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR.

WEST CITY COUNCIL.

UH, CITY MANAGER BOONE CITY ATTORNEY REED, THE REST OF THE CITY STAFF PRESENT TODAY.

BY NOW, Y'ALL KNOW WHO I AM AND I SIMPLY WANTED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS EVENING MEETING TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAM AND THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVE IN 2026.

THE 2026 SEASON WAS A SPECIAL ONE FOR 4 0 9 SWIM.

WE GREW TO 71 SWIMMERS HAD 52 SWIMMERS COMPETE AT THE TAF REGIONAL SWIM MEET.

AND FROM THERE SENT 15 QUALIFIERS TO THE T STATE SWIM MEET AT TEXAS A AND M UNIVERSITY.

OUR PROGRAMS FIRST, BUT NOT LAST APPEARANCE AT THE STATE LEVEL 4 0 9 SWIM IS A GRASSROOTS ENTRY LEVEL COMPETITIVE PROGRAM THAT INTRODUCES YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE WORLD OF COMPETITIVE SWIMMING AND GIVES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN IN THE SPORT.

AND WE ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT WORD.

WE NOW HAVE FOUR SWIMMERS WHO STARTED WITH 4 0 9 SWIM COMPETED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, TWO AT WESTBROOK AND TWO AT BEAUMONT UNITED.

THAT IS EXACTLY THE PATHWAY WE HOPE TO CREATE WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM, BUT THIS SEASON ALSO TESTED US, ALICE KEITH SWIMMING POOL WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR THE ENTIRE SUMMER BECAUSE OF FILTRATION ISSUES.

THAT WAS A MAJOR OBSTACLE BECAUSE ALICE KEITH IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR PROGRAM AND WE'RE, WE WERE EXPECTED TO SPEND MUCH OF OUR SUMMER THERE.

HOWEVER, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY, IT'S PARKS RECREATION STAFF, NAMELY MR. THOMAS ASHWORTH, MR. STACEY LEWIS, AND RASHE FONTANO, OUR COACHES, PARENTS AND VOLUNTEERS.

WE ADJUSTED USE MAGNOLIA SWIMMING POOL AND NEVER STOP SWIMMING.

I THINK THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT IT ALSO SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE PART PARTNERSHIP

[00:20:01]

SO TONIGHT I'M NOT HERE ASKING FOR ANYTHING.

I SIMPLY WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO BELIEVE IN WHAT WE'RE BUILDING.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING HOME TO ALICE KEY SWIMMING POOL IN 2027, WHICH BY THE WAY, IS BACK UP AND RUNNING NOW.

AND CONTINUE CONTINUING TO INTRODUCE MORE BEAUMONT YOUTH TO COMPETITIVE SWIMMING AND HOPEFULLY SEEING EVEN MORE, EVEN MORE OF THE EVENTUALLY REPRESENT OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS AND BEYOND.

ON BEHALF OF MY EXECUTIVE BOARD COACHES, PARENTS, AND MOST IMPORTANT OUR SWIMMERS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF 4 0 9 SWIM AND THE YOUTH COMMUNITY.

OH, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY ATTORNEY REED .

THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

NOW IS THERE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL SECOND.

AND DISCUSS THAT.

IT'S BEEN REQUESTED TO REMOVE O IS YOU ACCEPT THAT COUNCILMAN? YES.

AND JOEY, I'LL SECOND.

YOU'LL SECOND THAT.

ALRIGHT, SO, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA MINUS O SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEM O? YES, SIR.

[O. Council to consider a resolution approving the write off of charity care accounts totaling $1,417,340.00 for individual accounts equal to or exceeding $1,000.00.]

ITEM O ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE WRITE-OFF OF CHARITY CARE ACCOUNTS TOTALING $1,417,340 FOR INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS EQUAL TO OR EXCEEDING $1,000.

THIS REQUEST IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WRITE-OFF POLICY APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON DECEMBER 21ST, 1999.

THE POLICY GIVES COUNSEL THE FINAL AUTHORITY TO WRITE OFF AN INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT RECEIVABLE IDENTIFIED AS UNCOLLECTIBLE WHEN THE BALANCE DUE EQUALS OR EXCEEDS A THOUSAND DOLLARS.

UH, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS BEEN A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMBULANCE SERVICE SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENT PROGRAM SINCE FY 2016.

UH, THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL, A SUPPLEMENT PAYMENT TO GOVERNMENTAL AMBULANCE MEDICAID PROVIDERS WHOSE ALLOWABLE COSTS EXCEED THE FEE FOR SERVICE REVENUES DURING A SPECIFIC PERIOD.

IN PRIOR YEARS, THIS PAYMENT HAS BEEN BASED ON MEDICAID AND UNINSURED TRANSPORT.

HOWEVER, IN FY 2020, THE PROGRAM MOVED TO A CHARITY REIMBURSEMENT METHODOLOGY.

AS A RESULT ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2019, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT ESTABLISHED A CHARITY CARE POLICY PROVIDING GUIDELINES TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY FOR A CHARITY CARE PATIENT.

CENTRAL COLLECTIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH REVENUE OPTIMIZATION SOLUTIONS, INC.

LLC MAY CLASSIFY A PATIENT AS CHARITY IF THE PATIENT MEETS THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS.

UNINSURED COLLECTION EFFORTS RESULT IN NO PAYMENT OVER A 60 DAY PERIOD.

AND THE PAYMENT PREDICTOR MODEL RESULTS IN A LOW OR MEDIAN DESIGNATION OF LIKELIHOOD OF PAYMENT.

ONCE A PATIENT IS DETERMINED TO BE A CHARITY CARE, TO BE CHARITY CARE, RATHER, NO FURTHER ATTEMPTS WILL BE MADE TO COLLECT FROM THE PATIENT.

ATTACHED IS A LIST OF THE 1057 EMS RUNS, TOTALING $1,417,340 FROM JULY 1ST OF 25 TO JULY JUNE 30TH, 2026 THAT HAD BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CHARITY CARE PATIENTS.

THE SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENT FOR FY 26 IS ESTIMATED TO BE NO GREATER THAN $286,000.

WRITE OFF APPROVAL IS REQUESTED WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026.

AND THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER O? CAN CAN THIS BE ONE OF THE, UH, ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED PRIOR TO JUST ASK TO SUSPEND THE, CAN WE SUSPEND THE RULE, MR. MAYOR TO DISCUSS THIS PRIOR TO, UH, SURE.

THEN CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE LATER ON.

MOTION.

UH, MY CONCERN WAS JUST WHAT DOES THIS DO? JUST 'CAUSE I'M UNCLEAR, AND I DON'T RECALL THIS COUNCIL BEING ASKED TO WRITE OFF SOMETHING THAT'S LARGE BEFORE, UH, I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION THAT A DEBT IS UNCOLLECTIBLE AND WE WRITE IT OFF, IT

[00:25:01]

AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE TO OUR FINANCIAL SITUATION? AND IF WE TAKE THIS POSITION, DOES THIS NOW MAKE US TECHNICALLY 1.4 MILLION MORE NEGATIVE ON OUR BUDGET? NO.

NO.

SO THIS DOESN'T HAVE ANY IMPACT WHATSOEVER TO THE BUDGET.

AND AGAIN, I'LL LET EITHER LAURA OR BRIDGET EVIC OUR CFO COMMENT FURTHER.

SO WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS ALLOWS US TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.

SO WE EVALUATE COLLECTABILITY OF ACCOUNTS REGARDLESS AT YOUR END.

WE'RE ADJUSTING IT TO WHAT WE THINK BASED ON COLLECTIONS AND EVERYTHING.

BUT THIS PROGRAM ALLOWS US TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CHARITY CARE PROGRAM THAT THEY ACTUALLY, THE, THE STATE REIMBURSES US X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE POOL OF, OF THESE COSTS THAT OUR, OURSELVES AND THE VENDOR THAT REVENUE OPTIMIZATION SOLUTIONS HAVE DETERMINED IS NOT LIKELY TO BE COLLECTIBLE.

SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT WE'RE GONNA GET REIMBURSED BY THE STATE FOR PART OF THE 1.4 MILLION WE'RE ABOUT TO WRITE OFF? OR HAVE WE ALREADY BEEN REIMBURSED BY THE STATE AND THIS IS THE ADDITIONAL AMOUNT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET REIMBURSED? NO, WE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN REIMBURSED YET.

THIS IS COUNSEL ALLOWING US TO WRITE THESE OFF TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM UPON THE WRITE OFF.

THEN THERE'LL BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST THE REIMBURSEMENT.

UM, THAT IS ESTIMATED AT MAYBE $286,000.

SO LESS THAN, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FULL, THE FULL AMOUNT YOU ASK ABOUT THE BUDGET.

SO WHEN THEY, UM, ESTIMATE WHAT THE, OR BUDGET, THE REVENUES FOR EMS, USUALLY YOU'RE LOOKING AT A TREND.

SO YOU'RE NOT GONNA GO AND BUDGET FOR ALL YOUR RECEIVABLES ANYWAY.

UM, AND SO THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE BUDGET BECAUSE THEY WOULD'VE BASICALLY DONE IT BASED ON TREND.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THEN THE 286,000 THAT WE WILL POSSIBLY GET REIMBURSED FROM THIS 1.4 MILLION THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO WRITE OFF FROM THE STATE WOULD THEN BE ADDED TO OUR BUDGET? YEAH, WE'D RECEIVE IT.

IT'D BE PART OF THAT REVENUE THAT YOU RECEIVE FOR EMS. OKAY.

AND I GUESS, UH, I, I HAVE SOME CALLS ABOUT THIS AND THE CONCERN WAS WHY ARE WE WRITING THESE OFF AND NOT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DO MORE TO COLLECT THEM.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED THESE QUESTIONS.

SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING, UNFORTUNATELY THAT WE'RE WRITING THIS OFF BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA GET A REIMBURSEMENT FOR 286,000.

CORRECT.

BUT YOU COULD ACTUALLY STILL COLLECT THEM THE DEBT.

MM-HMM .

AND, AND ONLY THING I MIGHT ADD IS IF, YOU KNOW, IF ON THE AGENDAS IN THE FUTURE, MAYBE IT WAS MORE CLEAR THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW MAYBE KIND OF LOOKING MORE POSITIVE BECAUSE THE WAY YOU READ THIS ON THE AGENDA ITEM, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE JUST WRITING OFF 1.4 MILLION AND MOVING ON WITH THE REST OF OUR DAY.

BUT IN REALITY, WE'RE HAVING TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING A POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT OF 286,000.

AND I'LL JUST COMMENT REAL QUICK, MAYOR, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT.

AND WE KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS EVERY YEAR.

UM, THAT, AND AN ITEM IN AHEAD OF THIS WAS WRITE OFFS.

AND AGAIN, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT WAIVING OUR WRITER ABILITY, UH, TO GO AFTER THE DEBTS.

IT'S, IT'S AN ACCOUNTING AND A BOOKKEEPING ISSUE.

UM, BUT YEAH, IN THE FUTURE WE CAN MAKE IT A LITTLE CLEARER IN THE MEMO.

COUNCILMAN TURNER AND, AND THOUGH YOU'RE WRITING IT OUT, IT THOUGH WE'RE WRITING IT OFF, IT'S STILL POSSIBLE THAT IT CAN BE COLLECTED, CORRECT? YES, SIR.

AND MY SECOND THING WAS THE 2 82 86.

IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE HOPING TO GET OR THAT'S LIKE A NORMAL PRACTICE IN THE PAST THAT WE'RE SEEING WE WERE ABLE TO GET WHEN WE DO UP TO THIS AMOUNT OF FUNDING? I THINK THAT'S THE ESTIMATE.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S JUST AN ESTIMATE.

'CAUSE IT'S ALL GONNA DEPEND ON WHAT ALL THE OTHER PARTICIPATING CITIES HAVE.

AND SO THEY KIND OF SPREAD IT OUT IN A POOL.

BUT THAT IS THE ESTIMATE THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN.

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.

IS THAT A OKAY.

THAT'S A CEILING.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, NOW MAY I HAVE A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER OR ITEM ZERO OR, OH, I GUESS I GOT US INTO THIS MESS.

I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.

THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND ON ITEM O.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE? YES SIR.

OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED.

THANK YOU MR.

[1. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Change Order No. 3, accept maintenance and authorize final payment to BDS Constructors LLC dba MK Constructors, for the Citywide Ditching Program – Phase 3 Project.]

CITY MANAGER, MAY

[00:30:01]

ITEM NUMBER ONE IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE, ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT TO BDS CONSTRUCTORS L-L-C-D-B-A MK CONSTRUCTORS FOR THE CITYWIDE DITCHING PROGRAM.

PHASE THREE PROJECT ON JULY 1ST, 2025, THE CITY COUNCIL AWARDED A CONTRACT TO BDS, UH, OF BIDDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,523,621 AND 50 CENTS FOR THE CITYWIDE DITCHING PROGRAM.

PHASE THREE PREVIOUS CHANGE ORDERS ONE THROUGH TWO IN THE AMOUNT OF 179,984 ARE ATTACHED IN THE ITEM FOR YOUR REVIEW.

NOW THE PROPOSED CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE IN THE AMOUNT OF NEGATIVE 65 433 AND 55 CENTS IS REQUIRED TO ADJUST THE ESTIMATED QUANTITIES IN THE CONTRACT TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL QUANTITIES USED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT IF APPROVED, THE ADJUSTMENT IN QUANTITIES WOULD RESULT IN THE FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT OF $2,638,171 AND 95 CENTS.

UH, THE 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 CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE, MAINTENANCE AND FINAL PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $152,241 AND 21 CENTS IS RECOMMENDED.

UH, FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT WERE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATIONS AND THE, UH, ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE? SO MOVED.

THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER ONE.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER ONE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER TWO? YES.

[2. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute Change Order No. 3, accept maintenance, and authorize final payment to Capital Underground Utilities, LLC, of Houston, for the Water Line Replacement for Street Rehabilitation Phase VI (Odom Rd, Shamrock Ave, & Harriot St) Project.]

ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE, ACCEPT MAINTENANCE AND AUTHORIZE FINAL PAYMENT TO CAPITAL UNDERGROUND UTILITIES LLC OF HOUSTON FOR THE WATERLINE REPLACEMENT FOR STREET HI REHABILITATION PHASE SIX, WHICH IS THE ODOM ROAD, SHAMROCK AVENUE AND HARRIET STREET PROJECT.

UM, ON OCTOBER 21ST, 2025, CITY COUNCIL AWARDED A CONTRACT TO CAPITAL UNDERGROUND UTILITIES, UH, FOR THE WATERLINE REPLACEMENT, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $469,100.

PREVIOUS CHANGE ORDERS NUMBERS ONE THROUGH TWO IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,000 ARE ATTACHED.

PROPOSED CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE WOULD DECREASE THE AMOUNT BY $34,020 AND IS REQUIRED TO ADJUST THE ESTIMATED QUANTITIES IN THE CONTRACT TO REFLECT ACTUAL QUANTITIES USED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AS WELL AS ADD 12 CALENDAR DAYS, UH, TO REFLECT THE ACTUAL DAYS USED IN THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT IF APPROVED, THE FINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT WOULD BE $439,080.

UH, THE PROJECT HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY WALGREEN UTILITIES STAFF AND FOUND TO BE COMPLETE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS AND TERMS SET FORTH IN THE CONTRACT ACCEPTANCE OF CHANGE ORDER NUMBER THREE, MAINTENANCE AND FINAL PAYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF 21,940 $54 RATHER IS RECOMMENDED, UH, FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT WERE MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH WATER REVENUE BONDS.

THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO? THERE IS A MOTION AND A 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.

MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER THREE? YES.

[3. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to award a contract to Elite Contractors, of Kirbyville, for the Avalon Street and Pevitot Road Drainage Improvements Project.]

ITEM NUMBER THREE IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO ELITE CONTRACTORS OF KIRBYVILLE FOR THE AVALON STREET AND VETO ROAD DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.

THE AVALON STREET AND PEE TOE DRAINAGE PROJECT CONSISTS OF RECONSTRUCTING AND RESHAPING THE ROADSIDE DITCHES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS.

UH, THIS PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF DRIVEWAY, DRIVEWAY, CULVERTS, DRIVEWAY APRONS, SURFACE INLETS, AND OTHER DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, LOCATED WITHIN THE CITY'S RIGHT OF WAY.

ON AUGUST 20TH, 2026, THE CITY RECEIVED RECEIVED NINE BIDS FOR THE PROJECT.

UH, THE SOLICITATION WAS DISTRIBUTED TO 643 VENDORS THROUGH EMAIL, THE CITY'S WEBSITE BIDDING SYSTEM, AS WELL AS PUBLICATION IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER.

THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE FOR THE PROJECT IS 1,000,306 $360,000 AND THE BID RESULTS

[00:35:01]

ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR AGENDA ITEM.

AND, UM, THE PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING STAFF RECOMMENDS THIS PROJECT BE AWARDED TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, WHICH IS ELITE CONTRACTORS IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,066,114 AND ALLOW FOR 180 CALENDAR DAYS, UH, FOR COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT.

FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS PROJECT THROUGH CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER THREE? MOVE TO APPROVAL.

UH, PARTICULARLY DITCHING.

THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER THREE.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN TURNER? COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW? JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, I NOTICED THE ENGINEER BID IT AT 1.3 AND IT WAS GOING FOR ROUGHLY 1 MILLION.

THE EXCESS FUNDING THAT ISN'T UTILIZED, HOW DOES THAT NORMALLY WORK AND WHAT TAKES PLACE WITH IT? WELL, THAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO OTHER PROJECTS AS NEEDED.

MOLLY, ANY COMMENTS? YES, WE HAVE OUR, UH, ROADSIDE DITCHING PROGRAM.

SO IN THE CIP THERE'S A LARGER LINE ITEM.

SO ANY, UM, UNDERAGE, WHICH WOULD BE IN THIS CASE WOULD BE REALLOCATED AND, UH, USED TOWARDS OTHER PROJECTS.

AND THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

WOULD THAT GIVE THE CITY MORE FLEXIBILITY? MAYBE BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THAT IN ANOTHER AREA THAT CAN KINDA TAKE CARE OF SOME MUCH NEEDED PROJECTS IN BEAUMONT IF, IF THEY DON'T UTILIZE IT? 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE CHANGE ORDERS, BUT YEAH.

YEAH, IT WOULD COME FROM THE SAME LINE ITEM AS OUR ROADSIDE DITCHING PROGRAM.

SO THAT'D BE THE FIRST PLACE WE GO.

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITIES TO REUSE THOSE FUNDS.

WE WANNA USE EVERY DOLLAR THAT THAT WE RECEIVE.

SO WOULD IT HAVE TO GO TO A SIMILAR PROJECT OR, YES, BECAUSE THE, THE LINE ITEM IS SPECIFICALLY FOR DRAINAGE PROJECTS.

MM-HMM .

SO WE WOULD WANT TO STAY WITHIN THAT THEME.

YES MA'AM.

COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW, UH, ELITE CONTRACTORS.

THANK, THANK, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN.

HAVE THEY DONE WORK FOR THE CITY BEFORE? WILLY? YES, SIR.

UH, AND ON THOSE PREVIOUS CONTRACTS, ANY UH, COMPLAINTS OR ISSUES WITH, UH, CHANGE ORDERS OF SIGNIFICANCE? NOT OF CHANGE ORDERS, NO.

ANY, ANY UH, CONCERNS THAT HAVE COME UP? WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK THROUGH WITH THEM AND, UH, I REALIZE IT'S STATE LAW THAT WE HAVE TO GO WITH THE LOW BIDDER.

AND IS THAT THE ONLY BASIS TO THE RECOMMENDATION? SO THE LAW STATES THAT YOU HAVE TO GO WITH THE MOST REASONABLE BIDDER.

SO IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE MOST, THE LOWEST, MOST QUALIFIED BIDDER IS HOW IT'S STATED.

SO WE TYPICALLY, THE LOWEST BIDDER TYPICALLY IS, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN WE BYPASS THE LOWEST BIDDER TO GO WITH A MORE QUALIFIED BIDDER.

AND THOSE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO COUNCIL WITH THAT RECOMMENDATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE BIDDER WHO'S BIDDING HASN'T DONE THE WORK BEFORE OR, UH, WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY, UH, THEIR REFERENCES TO SUPPORT THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE.

SO IT'S THE MOST, THE LOWEST, MOST QUALIFIED BIDDER.

AND ON QUALIFIED BIDDER, UH, HAS EAST TEXT UTILITY CONSTRUCTION DONE PROJECTS FOR US BEFORE? YES SIR.

AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST MENTIONED IT 'CAUSE THEY'RE FROM BEAUMONT AND, UH, THE DIFFERENCE IN THE BIDS ISN'T THAT SIGNIFICANT.

SO WE'RE, UH, THE DECISION WAS STRICTLY BA MADE BY STAFF BECAUSE OF THE LOW BID.

WE REVIEW ALL OF THE BIDS FOR COMPLETENESS AND RESPONSIVENESS AND, UH, THERE WAS NO DISQUALIFYING REASON FOR THE APPARENT LOW BIDDER.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

WELCOME.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER THREE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR? YES.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

[4. Council consider a resolution approving a payment to Lower Neches Valley Authority (LNVA) for the Saltwater Barrier Sector Gate Rehabilitation Project.]

ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION APPROVING A PAYMENT TO THE LOWER NATURES VALLEY AUTHORITY OR LNVA FOR THE SALTWATER BARRIER SECTOR GATE REHABILITATION PROJECT ON DECEMBER 12TH, 2000 BY RESOLUTION 0 0 3 1 6, THE CITY ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH LNVA ESTABLISHING THE CITY'S PARTICIPATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE NATURES RIVER SALT WATER BARRIER.

A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.

UH, LNVA IS CURRENTLY PERFORMING MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION OF THE NAVIGATION SECTOR GATES AT THE NATURES RIVER SALT WATER BARRIER TO PRESERVE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND ENSURE CONTINUED SALINITY CONTROL AFTER MORE THAN 23 YEARS OF SERVICE.

THE

[00:40:01]

REHABILITATION PROJECT BEGAN IN AUGUST, 2025.

UH, PURSUANT TO THE AGREEMENT, THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 12.5% OF THE MAINTENANCE COSTS.

CITY'S CURRENT SHARE OF COSTS DUE TO THE DUE FOR THIS PHASE OF THE PROJECT IS $128,160 AND 70 CENTS.

UH, FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, UH, IN THE WATER FUND AND THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

OKAY, IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR? SO MOVE SECOND.

THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE AYE.

MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE? YES.

MR. CITY

[5. Council to consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with CDM Smith, Inc., to continue management of the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Permit for the City of Beaumont for Fiscal Year 2027.]

ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS TO CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH CDM SMITH INCORPORATED TO CONTINUE MANAGEMENT OF THE MUNICIPAL SEPARATE STORM SEWER SYSTEM OR MS FOUR PERMIT FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027.

ON OCTOBER 16TH, 2020 12, CITY COUNCIL AWARDED CDM SMITH OF HOUSTON AN AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES TO MANAGE THE CITY'S MS FOUR PERMIT.

THE MANAGER OF THE PERMIT CONDUCTS DRY AND WET WEATHER SCREENINGS OF OUR MAJOR DRAINING DRAINAGE OUTFALLS IN THE CITY UNDER THE PERMIT.

THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT SUMMARIZING COMPLIANCE ACTIVITIES, RESULTS OF THE SCREENINGS AND OTHER INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WHICH CDM SMITH HAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ON THE CITY'S BEHALF SINCE 2012.

THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDES IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT DETAILS HOW THE CITY AND JEFFERSON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT SIX WILL COMPLY WITH THE MS FOUR PERMIT IF APPROVED.

THE TOTAL SERVICES AND EXPENSES SHALL NOT EXCEED $268,800 WITHOUT THE CITY'S PRIOR WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION.

UH, FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE, UH, FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE? SECOND, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW? UH, WE'VE HAD THIS AGREEMENT SINCE 2012.

WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO BID THIS MOLLY.

IT'S PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES.

WE FUND IT ENTIRELY, SO WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO GO BACK OUT AND BID IT.

UH, I WILL SAY THAT, UM, WE HAVE HAD EXCELLENT SERVICE, UH, KEEPING, UH, STAYING COMPLIANT WITH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY WHO ISSUES OUR MS FOUR PERMIT.

UH, AND THEY'RE WORKING ON BEHALF OF NOT JUST US, BUT ALSO DRAINAGE DISTRICT SIX.

AND, UH, DRAINAGE DISTRICT SIX AS WELL HAS BEEN SATISFIED WITH THEIR SERVICES AS WELL AS US.

SO IS THAT 268,000? UH, FOR JUST 2027? JUST FOR 2027.

AND ARE THERE ANY LOCAL COMPANIES THAT COULD PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICES OR WE HAVE TO GO TO HOUSTON? MOST OF THE FIRMS THAT WOULD PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES MAY HAVE A LOCAL PRESENCE, BUT THEIR OFFICE MAIN OFFICES THAT WOULD PROVIDE THAT SERVICE ARE NOT GONNA BE HERE LOCAL.

UH, IT'S NOT JUST A A SINGLE PERMIT, WHICH I HAVE A COPY OF.

UH, IT'S A PERMIT RENEWAL.

IT'S OUR ANNUAL REPORT.

UM, I THINK COUNCILMAN TURNER REMEMBERS WHEN BAR BROUGHT THE STACK OF BINDERS.

I DIDN'T BRING THEM TODAY.

UM, BUT THERE IS ANNUAL REPORTING THAT IS REQUIRED AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STORMWATER POLLUTION PREVENTION PLANS FOR, UH, FOUR OF OUR FACILITIES.

AND DOES THIS SAME ENGINEERING SERVICES GROUP, UH, ALSO REPRESENT JEFFERSON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT SIX? YES, BECAUSE WE SHARE THE PERMIT.

ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ALL.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

MR. CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER SIX? YES.

[6. Council to consider an ordinance approving an amendment to Chapter 22 of the Code of Ordinances, Article 22.03.005(d)(2) Industrial Waste Standards.]

ITEM NUMBER SIX IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 22 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.

ARTICLE 22.0 3.005 D TWO, UH, INDUSTRIAL WASTE STANDARDS.

CLARIFY A FEW THINGS.

UH, THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, THE TCEQ RECENTLY CONDUCTED AN AUDIT OF THE CITY'S PRETREATMENT PROGRAM AS PART OF THE AUDIT.

TCEQ REVIEWED THE CITY'S INDUSTRIAL WASTE ORDINANCE AND IDENTIFIED A DISCREPANCY IN THE TABLE OF TECHNICALLY BASED LOCAL LIMITS, UH,

[00:45:01]

CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION.

UH, THE REQUESTED MODIFICATIONS CAN BE FOUND IN THE ATTACHED TCEQ PRETREATMENT PROGRAM AUDIT REPORT, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOUND IN SECTION H TWO.

UH, THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY LISTS BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND, UH, CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND, AND TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS AMONG THE CITY'S TECHNICALLY BASED LOCAL LIMITS.

HOWEVER, TCEQ DETERMINE THAT THESE THREE PARAMETERS ARE SURCHARGE PARAMETERS RATHER THAN PROHIBITED DISCHARGE LIMITS REGULATED BY THE CITY AS ENFORCEABLE LOCAL LIMITS TO PROPERLY DISTINGUISH SURCHARGE PARAMETERS FROM ENFORCEABLE LOCAL DISCHARGE LIMITS.

TCEQ AS REQUIRED THE CITY TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO REMOVE THE B-O-D-C-O-D AND T TSS FROM THE TABLE OF LOCAL DISCHARGE LIMITS.

UH, THIS AMENDMENT IS PRIMARILY A CLERICAL AND REGULATORY CLARIFICATION DOES NOT CHANGE THE CITY'S REMAINING ENFORCEABLE, TECHNICALLY BASED LOCAL LIMITS.

UH, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE INCLUDED AND THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE AMENDED ORDINANCE.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX? SO MOVED.

THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER SIX, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU TAKE US INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING? YES, SIR.

ANY OPPOSED? A MOTION IS CARRIED.

[ Council to conduct a Public Hearing to receive public comments regarding proposed modifications to BMT Zip transit services, including the realignment of certain fixed bus routes and changes to Saturday operating hours]

THE PUBLIC, THIS PUBLIC HEARING IS TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENTS REGARDING PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS TO BEAUMONT'S ZIP TRANSIT SERVICES, INCLUDING THE REALIGNMENT OF CERTAIN FIXED BUS ROUTES, AS WELL AS CHANGES TO SATURDAY OPERATING HOURS.

AND PRESENTING WILL BE, UH, MS. DEMI ENGMOND, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UM, I'LL KEEP IT SUPER BRIEF.

UH, THIS IS A FOLLOW UP, SORRY.

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP FROM THE, UH, WORK SESSION CONDUCTED ON AUGUST 4TH.

UM, BASICALLY PROPOSED CHANGES, UH, TO IMPROVE OUR SYSTEM EFFICIENCY AND ALSO SOME ROUTE REALIGNMENT.

UM, TO SUMMARIZE IT, THE PROPOSAL INCLUDES COMBINING THE MAGNOLIA AND PINE ROUTES, EXTENDING THE NORTH 11TH ROUTE ALONG TO EXTEND THE NORTH 11TH ROUTE ALONG DELAWARE AND D TO INCREASE ACCESS TO LOCAL SHOPPING, RESTAURANTS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES.

UM, AND THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE REDUCTION OF SATURDAY SERVICE HOURS FROM 7:15 AM TO 9:30 PM DOWN TO, UH, 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM DUE TO LOW RIDERSHIP DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AND EVENING HOURS.

UM, FOLLOWING THE WORK SESSION, THOSE PROPOSED CHANGES, WHICH ARE IN FRONT OF YOU, THAT, UM, POWERPOINT WAS ON ON THE, UH, CITY'S WEBSITE, UH, FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS.

UM, WE ALSO ISSUED A, UH, PUBLICATION IN THE NEWSPAPER AND WE POSTED, UH, THIS INFORMATION ON, UM, ALL OF THE BUSES, VANS, UH, BUS SHELTERS, UM, AND AT TRANSIT HEADQUARTERS.

UM, WE ALSO DID A ONLINE SURVEY FOR ANYONE THAT WANTED SUB TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENT THAT IS ON THE LAST TWO PAGES OF THAT PACKET THAT'S DISTRIBUTED TO YOU GUYS.

UH, WE RECEIVED SIX, UH, TOTAL COMMENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE 30 DAY PERIOD.

UM, ONE WANTING A 24 HOUR BUS SERVICE.

TWO WERE FOR FROM NON RIDERS WHO EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON THEIR EMPLOYEE.

UM, TWO WERE FROM RIDERS WHO STATED THEY WOULD NEED TO RELY ON SHARED RIDES, UH, OR THEY WOULD HAVE A LACK OF A RIDE.

UM, AND ONE WAS IN FAVOR OF THE CHANGES.

SO THOSE COMMENTS ARE INCLUDED IN THAT PACKET.

UM, AND JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION AND, UM, THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN TURNER.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRE PRESENTATION.

MS. DEMI.

UH, MY QUESTION WAS, I KNOW YOU GUYS IMPLEMENTED WELL, THEY IMPLEMENTED A SYSTEM WITH MAYBE ADDITIONAL PEOPLE ANSWERING THE PHONES IN THE MORNING.

I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP TO SEE HOW THAT'S BEEN GOING.

HAVE WE GOT SOME POSITIVE FEEDBACK? IS IT EFFICIENT? IS IT HELPING? YES.

SO, UM, LAST WEEK WAS OUR FULL WEEK.

UM, WE WERE EXPERIENCING FOR TOTAL CALL QUEUING, UM, ANYWHERE BETWEEN, UH, 45 MINUTES TO ABOUT AN HOUR WITH LAST WEEK.

THAT CALL QUEUING WAS, UM, CLEARING OUT WITHIN 20 TO 30 MINUTES.

WE DO HAVE A THIRD SCHEDULER THAT'S GOING THAT'S BEING TRAINED RIGHT NOW.

AND UM, I BELIEVE IT'S ON DECEMBER 28TH IS WHEN THEY WOULD, WHERE'S CLAUDIA AT OTHER SIDE? THERE SHE IS.

, UH, DECEMBER 28TH.

UM, THEY WILL BE, UH, ON SCHEDULE.

SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL FURTHER REDUCE IT, HAVING A THIRD SCHEDULER IN THE QUEUE.

AND, AND I KNOW YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT DECEMBER 28TH, IS IT A REASON WE HAVE TO WAIT THAT LONG FOR THE THIRD SCHEDULER WITH A 15 TO 20 MINUTE

[00:50:01]

CALL? TIME WAIT.

UH, IT WOULD BE FOR TRAINING PURPOSES, BUT, OKAY.

SO, UH, THERE'S, UM, UH, IT WAS ACTUALLY NEXT WEEK, SEPTEMBER 28TH.

OH, SEPTEMBER 28TH.

SEPTEMBER 28TH.

I'M SORRY.

WAS THAT CONFUSING? I'M SORRY.

9 28, EIGHTH, SAY DECEMBER.

I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU SAID DECEMBER 28, SORRY.

YEAH, YEAH, WE'RE JUST, YEAH, THAT PERSON WILL BE IN STARTING TO EXPLAIN, THEY'RE ALREADY TRAINING AS WE SPEAK.

IF THEY'RE TRAINING WITHIN, LIKE YOU MENTIONED LAST TIME WITHIN THEIR DUTY, THEIR TRAINING.

BUT, UH, BY NEXT MONDAY THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO IN AND, UH, DOUBT ADD AN EXTRA PERSON.

WELL, I FEEL YOU KNOW BETTER ABOUT THAT.

I THOUGHT IT WAS DECEMBER OR SEPTEMBER.

SOUNDS WAY BACK.

I'M SO SORRY.

I SHOULD HAVE, I SHOULD HAVE SPELLED IT OUT.

MY BAD.

IT'S OKAY.

UM, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

YOU, YOU, YOU DID A GREAT JOB.

UH, I DON'T THINK Y'ALL WERE HERE EARLIER AND THERE'S A, A VERY NICE LADY THERE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM WHO CAME AND SPOKE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND GAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ZIP.

AND THIS IS NOW I THINK OUR FOURTH MEETING IN A ROW WHERE, UH, THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT ARE GOING ON WITH PARA, UH, TRANSIT WITH THE ABILITY TO GET PEOPLE ON THE PHONE AND SCHEDULING.

UH, SHE GOT, UH, DROPPED OFF TODAY, I THINK AT ONE 30 AND WAITED ALL AFTERNOON TO, TO SPEAK WITH US AND, UH, AND, AND, AND RACE SOME ISSUES WITH, UH, WITH, WITH SCHEDULING THE APPOINTMENTS.

AND, UH, I MADE SIMILAR COMMENTS TO THIS AT THE LAST MEETING, BUT WE PAY A CHICAGO COMPANY $300,000 A YEAR TO MANAGE TRANSIT.

UH, AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY FOR THE LAST FOUR MEETINGS WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING IN, UH, WITH VERY VALID, UH, CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW LONG THEY'RE LEFT ON THE PHONE IN THE MORNING AND WHY IT TOOK THIS COUNSEL TAKING ACTION FOR THIS TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED.

AND THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING REALIZED BY A MANAGEMENT COMPANY THAT'S BEING PAID $300,000 A YEAR IN CHICAGO TO MANAGE TRANSIT, UH, THAT CAN'T REALIZE THIS ISSUE AND, AND MAKE, UH, REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES, UH, HAVING TO SIT ON HOLD EVERY MORNING FOR AN HOUR, UH, WHILE THEY SCHEDULE THEIR VISITS TO THE DOCTOR OR WHEREVER IT IS THAT THEY'RE GOING.

SO, UH, WHILE I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE, UH, A HUNDRED AND, UH, $64,000 BY, UH, REDUCING, UH, THE FREQUENCY OF SOME OF THESE ROUTES, I JUST THINK THAT, UH, OUR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, UH, NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB OF BEING MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE RIDERSHIP.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN DURIO.

UM, EARLIER, I GUESS THAT WAS THIS WEEK, MR. BOONE, WHEN YOU SENT ME OUT THE NUMBERS FOR THE, THE VETERAN SIGNING UP TO, UH, UH, DO YOU HAVE THOSE NUMBERS, WHICH I WAS LOOKING FOR? IT WAS, UH, 253, I THINK.

UH, TOTAL 23.

THIS WAS ENROLLMENT IN THE, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL, UH, WAIVED FA FAIRES FOR VETERANS.

AND SO IT'S BEEN A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM IN 2023.

COUNCIL WAIVED, UH, THOSE FAIRS AND IT'S DEFINITELY BEEN ONE OF OUR HIGHER PERFORMING, UH, PAST PROGRAMS ASIDE FROM PARATRANSIT.

MAYOR.

IF I COULD, I DON'T KNOW DEMI IF YOU CAN HELP OR CLAUDIA, BUT I DID WANT TO MENTION, 'CAUSE I THINK IT MAY HAVE COME UP AT THE LAST WORK SESSION ABOUT WE HAD ANOTHER PROVIDER THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING SOME SUPPLEMENTAL TRANSIT IN THE AREA THAT MAYBE THEY REDUCED SERVICES.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT? UM, NUTRITION AND SENIORS MAYBE? YEAH, THEY, THEY CEASED THEIR MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION.

SO WE DID, UM, THERE WERE A, AN INFLUX OF, UM, APPLICATIONS FOR PARATRANSIT SERVICES.

BUT IT IS IMPORTANT, I KNOW THAT I TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT THE LAST TIME, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT TO KNOW THAT, UM, PARATRANSIT SERVICES ARE NOT MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION.

IT IS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND SHARED RIDES.

IT MAY NOT BE, BUT THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YOU KNOW, AND I WILL, I WILL ADD TO THAT, UH, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW ANYONE WHO DOES NEED A PERSONAL PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT OR A PCA, UM, THEY RIDE FOR FREE WITH THEM.

UM, SO ANYONE THAT WOULD NEED, UH, EXTRA ASSISTANCE, UH, THROUGH, THROUGH THE DOOR OR TO THEIR HOME THAT THAT IS PROVIDED FOR, UM, SO LONG AS THEY BRING THE, OR NOT PROVIDED FOR WHOA, UM, .

BUT, UH, THEY ARE FREE TO GO ON THE RIDE WITH THEM.

WAIT, THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR TRANSIT? YEAH, PODIUM.

ANYBODY ELSE SIGN UP TO SPEAK IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING? HUH? PUBLIC HEARING'S OPEN, UM, CYNTHIA AND I THINK IT'S JULIEN 38 35 85 NORTH MAJOR DRIVE BY MY TEXAS.

[00:55:12]

AND THE MIC, I'M GONNA PUT THE MIC DOWN FOR YOU.

UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PARATRANSIT IS NOT MEDICAL, BUT PEOPLE DO USE IT TO GO TO THE DOCTOR.

BUT MY ONLY QUESTION WAS HOW ARE THESE CHANGES GOING TO AFFECT THE PARATRANSIT AND WILL IT, BECAUSE FROM WHAT I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER, IT SAID IT WON'T, BUT THAT, THAT, THAT WAS MY CON CONCERN.

WE'LL GET A, WE'LL GET A RESPONSE.

THAT'S THE ONLY PERSON I HAVE.

MAYOR, I HAD A QUESTION.

SHE ON THE SPEAK.

GO AHEAD, MS. EMMAN.

NO, I, I BELIEVE THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THE LADY IN THE BACK WANTS TO SPEAK AGAIN DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING IF YOU'LL LIE.

SHE DIDN'T SIGN UP, BUT SHE CAN GIVE HER NAME.

I, I SHE CAN GIVE HER NAME AND ADDRESS AT THE PODIUM.

THAT WAS MY QUESTION.

, GOOD EVENING AGAIN.

NO, MIKE, I WOULD, MY QUESTION IN REGARD TO THE TIMING, UH, I DIDN'T GET CLARITY.

I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE'S SAYING, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO STOP THE SERVICE AT SIX OR SIX 30 IN THE EVENING.

AND WE NEED THAT TO BE LONGER BECAUSE LIKE I TOLD YOU, I'M PICK GETTING PICKED UP TOMORROW AT SIX O'CLOCK AND DROPPED BACK OFF AT EIGHT 30.

SO THAT IS OUT OF THE TIMEFRAME THAT I HAVE HEARD IS ARE WE CONSIDERING CUTTING OFF THE SERVICE AT SIX? IS THAT WHAT THE ON SATURDAY SATURDAY ON SATURDAY ONLY ON SATURDAY, YES.

OH, NOT DURING THE WEEKDAY.

OKAY, WELL THAT'S WHAT I WASN'T CLEAR ON HEARING THAT RIGHT THERE.

I GUESS WE DON'T, WE HAVE TO STOP SHOPPING EARLY.

Y'ALL DON'T GET HER.

MA'AM, BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE PODIUM, CAN YOU JUST GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AGAIN FOR THE RECORD? OH, JOANNE HARVEY, 85 50 FELAND BOULEVARD, BEAUMONT, TEXAS 7 7 7 0 6.

THANK YOU, MS. HARVEY.

OF ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? YES SIR.

THAT'S IT, MAYOR.

ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, THE PUBLIC HEARING'S CLOSED.

MAY WE HAVE THE READING

[7. Council to consider a resolution authorizing proposed modifications to BMT Zip transit service, including the realignment of fixed bus routes and amending Saturday operating hours.]

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS TO THE BMTS ZIP TRANSIT SERVICE, INCLUDING REALIGNMENT OF FIXED BUS ROUTES AND AMENDING SATURDAY OPERATING HOURS.

UH, THE ZIP SERVICE OPTIMIZATION PLAN PROPOSES ADJUSTMENTS TO IMPROVE TRANSIT SYSTEM, UH, EFFICIENCY AND CONNECTIVITY WHILE CONCENTRATING SERVICE DURING PERIODS OF GREATEST USE.

UH, THE PLAN WOULD COMBINE THE EXISTING MAGNOLIA AND PINE ROUTES INTO A SINGLE MAGNOLIA PINE ROUTE AND EXTEND THE LAUREL NORTH 11TH ROUTE WEST ALONG DELAWARE STREET, DALLEN ROAD, NORTHEAST ON DALLEN AND SOUTH ALONG EAST TEXAS FEEDER ROAD BEFORE RECONNECTING WITH THE EXISTING ROUTE.

NOW THE EXTENDED EXTENDED ROUTE WOULD BE RENAMED THE NORTH 11TH D ROUTE.

UH, THESE REALIGNMENTS ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE RIDERS WITH IMPROVED ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT, GROCERY STORES, SHOPPING, DINING, AND ENTERTAINMENT, WHILE CREATING ADDITIONAL TRANSFER OPPORTUNITIES THAT DO NOT REQUIRE RIDER TO RETURN DOWNTOWN TO THE DANEN BALL TRANSFER STATION.

UH, FOR SOME PASSENGERS, THE CHANGE COULD, CHANGES, COULD REDUCE A TWO TRIP JOURNEY TO A SINGLE TRIP.

IN ADDITION, THE PLAN ALSO PROPOSES MODIFYING SATURDAY SERVICE HOURS, UH, BY ADJUSTING FROM THE CURRENT HOURS OF 7:15 AM TO 9:30 PM ON SATURDAY TO 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM ON SATURDAY.

THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD NOT ELIMINATE STS SERVICE.

STS WOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE CONCURRENTLY WITH THE TRANSIT TRANSIT SCHEDULE ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.

IF APPROVED, THE PROPOSED ADJUSTMENTS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2026.

UH, THE PROPOSED PLAN IS, IS ANTICIPATED TO REDUCE EXPENSES IN THE MUNICIPAL TRANSIT FUND BY APPROXIMATELY $91,000 IN FY 27, AND THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE RESOLUTION.

CAN WE, UH, SUSPEND THE, UH, RULES TO HAVE A BRIEF DISCUSSION?

[01:00:01]

UH, IT SEEMED LIKE WE MIGHT HAVE LEFT THE IMPRESSION WITH THE LADY THAT WE WERE SUSPENDING SERVICE ON SATURDAY EARLIER FOR PARATRANSIT, BUT WHAT I JUST HEARD READ WAS THAT STS, WHICH I THINK IS PARATRANSIT, UH, IS NOT HAVING THEIR HOURS REDUCED, AND I DO NOT WANT PARATRANSITS HOURS REDUCED EVEN ON SATURDAY.

SO CAN WE GET A CLARIFICATION AS TO WHAT WE'RE DOING? SO AGAIN, AS, AS I READ, THE PROPOSAL IS TO ADJUST THE CURRENT HOURS ON SATURDAY ONLY FROM 7:15 AM OF TO NINE 30 TO 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE PARATRANSIT? YES.

AND SO STS WOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE CONCURRENTLY WITH THE, UH, TRANSIT SCHEDULE.

SO BASICALLY PARATRANSIT RUNS CONCURRENTLY TO YOUR FIXED ROUTE OR FIXED BUS ROUTES.

UM, IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONTINUE STS PARATRANSIT SERVICES WITH THE CURRENT HOURS ON SATURDAY BUT CHANGE THE NORMAL BUS ROUTE HOURS AS PROPOSED? IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT, UM, REGARDING BEING SUBSIDIZED, UM, I THINK, LET'S SEE, THE, FOR PARATRANSIT SPECIFICALLY, UM, IN TOTAL IT'S ABOUT $58, UM, PER PER RIDE.

UM, S OR FTA, UH, SUBSIDIZES THAT BY ABOUT $35.

AND THEN, UM, THE CITY ALL, SO THE CITY PAIRS THAT WITH ABOUT $24.

UM, SO IF YOU WERE TO EXTEND BEYOND THE FIXED ROUTE, IT JUST MAY NOT BE SUBSIDIZED, BUT WE WOULD JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, FUNDING IS COVERED, UM, IN THIS PROPOSAL TOGETHER, UM, WITH THE, UH, C COMBINATION OF THE ROUTES, WHICH IS IN THAT FIRST PARAGRAPH, ALL THOSE COMBINATIONS, UM, THAT WOULD INCREASE OPERATIONAL COSTS BY ABOUT 73,000 IN THE SERVICE, UH, OR THE SATURDAY SERVICE REDUCTION PROPOSAL, THAT WOULD OPERATIONALLY SAVE ABOUT 164,000.

AND THAT'S WHERE IT COMES OUT TO THAT 91,000.

I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS, UM, TODAY IF WE WERE TO SUSPEND FIXED ROUTE VERSUS PARATRANSIT, I, SO I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT FOR YOU TODAY, UM, TO KNOW IF THAT'S, THAT'S COVERED OR NOT.

UM, YEAH, AND JUST, BUT IT, IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

IT JUST IS THE, IS THE MONEY THERE TO COVER IT? YEAH.

AND JUST, JUST TO REITERATE WHAT, WHAT MS. UND SAID IS THE IDEA OF ADJUSTING THE, THE NEW ROUTE ALIGNMENTS WAS GONNA BE AN ADDITIONAL $73,000 TO GET TO A NET REDUCTION OF 91,000.

THE SAVINGS WAS GONNA COME FROM THE REDUCED HOURS ON SATURDAY, BUT AS MS. UND MENTIONED, THAT'S, THAT'S BOTH FIXED ROUTE AS WELL AS STS.

SO WE, WE DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE COSTS BROKEN DOWN BY, BY SERVICE.

BUT, UM, AND SUPPORTING THE, UH, SATURDAY MODIFICATION OR THE, THE PROPOSAL OF THAT, UH, WE DO PROVIDE ABOUT 260,000 RIDES PER YEAR, OR AT LEAST IN, UH, 2025.

WE DID, UM, USING THE TIMEFRAME OF SATURDAY SERVICE, AND THAT'S PARATRANSIT AND FIXED ROUTE.

UM, USING THAT TIMEFRAME, WE SERVED ABOUT 3,800 RIDES DURING THAT TIME.

SO THAT'S BETWEEN THE, UM, SEVEN 7:00 AM TO EIGHT 30, UH, AM AND THEN FROM ABOUT FIVE 15 TO, UH, NINE 30.

UM, SO JUST, JUST TO KIND OF KEEP PERSPECTIVE ON, ON WHY WE'RE PROPOSING THIS, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN? I MAKE A, UH, MOTION MR. MAYOR TO APPROVE THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, UH, MODIFYING THE HOURS FOR STS PARATRANSIT ON SATURDAY.

IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY.

THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF SEVEN, BUT LEAVING THE HOURS THE SAME FOR S-T-S-S-T-S ON THIS SATURDAY.

AND, UH, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? EXCUSE ME, I HAD A QUESTION.

NOT SERVING IT WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE, THE RIDERSHIP IN TOTAL, IT'S A SMALLER AMOUNT THAT'S BEING SERVED IN THOSE TIMEFRAMES, UH, VERSUS THE OTHERS.

SO, SO FIRST SATURDAY, WAS THERE A REASON THAT STAFF LEANED THAT WAY TO REDUCE THE HOURS ON SATURDAY? WAS IT, CAN YOU GIVE SOME FEEDBACK OUTTA THE CONTEXT OF WHY? YEAH.

WE GIVE, UH, 260,000 RIDES.

THAT'S WHAT WE PROVIDED IN, UM, 2025 BETWEEN THOSE SERVICE TIMES.

UM, ON SATURDAY SPECIFICALLY, UM, WE'RE 3,800 OF THOSE RIDES ARE OCCURRING BETWEEN THOSE, THOSE MORNING AND EVENING HOURS THAT I SAID.

AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE ADJUSTING THAT BECAUSE, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE SPENDING A LOT, AT LEAST OBVIOUSLY, UM, ABOUT 164,000 ANNUALLY IN THAT TIMEFRAME.

AND THAT'S, UM, IT, IT'S

[01:05:01]

AND I THINK THAT THAT'S JUST ON SATURDAYS, UM, GOING SHOPPING, UH, DINING.

ALL, ALL YOUR ERRANDS, UM, TYPICALLY OCCUR DURING THE, THE MEAT OF THE DAY.

SO OF THE 164,000 IN SAVINGS, WE'RE NOT PREPARED TODAY TO KNOW WHAT IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE ON THAT.

CORRECT.

SO IF YOU WERE TO APPROVE IT AS PROPOSED, WE CAN GET YOU AN ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH THE BUDGET'S GONNA INCREASE OR THE EXPENSES WOULD ESTIMATE BE, BUT IT'S STILL GONNA BE A SAVINGS.

I, I DON'T KNOW.

I WOULD HAVE TO RUN THE NUMBERS.

I, I CANNOT TELL YOU THAT FOR SURE.

UM, PARATRANSIT IS, UH, MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN FIXED ROUTE.

UM, SO I WOULD HAVE TO RUN THE NUMBERS, BUT IT'S STILL GONNA BE A NET OVERALL SAVINGS FOR TRANSIT ON SATURDAY.

I HAVEN'T RAN THE NUMBERS, SO I DON'T WANNA GIVE THE COUNCIL FALSE QUESTION.

WELL, WE HAVE AN INCREASE OF 73,000 FOR ITEMS ONE, TWO ABOVE.

SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.

THE SEVEN, THE 164,000, WHICH INCLUDED THE REDUCTION OF HOURS MINUS THE 73,000 INCREASE IS WHERE WE GOT TO THE 91.

AND SHE'S SAYING SHE'S NOT, SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW MUCH IT MAY BE IN THE GREEN, BUT I DON'T KNOW.

AND I DON'T WANNA, I DON'T WANNA GIVE FALSE IMPRESSION IF IT, WELL, I GET IT, BUT, BUT WE'RE CUTTING THE HOURS OF THE BUSES RUNNING, UH, WHERE A PARATRANSIT IS VERY FEW VEHICLES RUNNING.

AND THE NUMBER COMPARISON DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT.

SO I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT NOT SAVE THE 91,000.

I GET THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SAVE THE MAJORITY OF THAT.

'CAUSE I MEAN, HOW MANY BUSES DO WE RUN ON A SATURDAY COMPARED TO PARATRANSIT? IS IT 20 TO ONE? I WOULD HAVE TO RELY ON, UH, MS. SAN MIGUEL'S, UM, INPUT THERE.

SO PAT TRANSIT ON SATURDAY IS, IT'S ONLY THREE VANS THAT WILL NORMALLY BE RUNNING.

UM, THE ONLY CHALLENGE OR, OR CAUTION THAT I HAVE TO GIVE IS THAT IF WE, UM, ALLOW THE PATRONS EVENTS TO RUN BEYOND THE, THE SIX O'CLOCK, UH, BASICALLY THE SHOP PERSONNEL HAS TO STAY.

SO ALL THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE PROVIDING GONNA INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, CLOSING THE SHOP EARLIER, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA BE NEEDING SUPERVISOR STAYING LATER, THINGS LIKE THAT.

UM, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH YOU, THE SAVINGS WILL BE THERE, UH, JUST BECAUSE THE, THE MILEAGE, UH, AND STA UH, THE DRIVERS, THE SHOP PERSONNEL, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE REDUCING, UH, BY CUTTING FIX ROUTE.

IT SHOULD BE SIGNIFICANT.

THE, THE ONLY PROBLEM IS GONNA BE, UM, UH, THAT WE'RE GOING GONNA HAVE TO KEEP THAT SHOP OPEN.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO KEEP A SUPERVISOR OPEN, BUT, UM, OR THE THREE PARATRANSIT, OR THE THREE PASSENG ACTUALLY.

BUT, UM, VANS, LIKE YOU SAID, THE NUMBERS, VANS, IT'S A VANS, VAN, VANS, THOSE SMALLER CUTAWAY.

BY THE, BY THE FRONT DOORS.

SO THE NUMBERS SHOULD BE GREEN.

UH, SHOULD BE GREEN, BUT YEAH, UH, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S GONNA KILL A LITTLE BIT OF THE MOMENTUM ON THE SAVING THE, YOU KNOW, THE BIG SAVINGS.

COUNCILMAN, WILL YOU, ARE THE 3,800 RIDES, IS THAT ZIP AND STS IS THAT EVERY RIDE ON WITHIN THOSE HOURS? ON SATURDAY, YES, ON SATURDAY, ON SATURDAYS.

DO YOU KNOW THE BREAKDOWN BETWEEN THE REGULAR ZIP SERVICES AND STS PASS THESE AROUND? THESE ARE FOR, LOOKS LIKE THE FIXED ROUTES RIGHT NOW.

UM, BUT LET ME PULL, THIS WAS IN OUR LEFT POWERPOINT.

ONE MOMENT ABOUT 18,700 ARE PARATRANSIT RIDES, BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ON, UM, THE SATURDAY SERVICE.

I DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC NUMBER TODAY.

SO IS THE STS JUST INCLUDE, THESE ARE THE ROUTES THAT ARE NORMALLY RUN.

STS DOESN'T RUN A NORMAL ROUTE, DOES IT? THAT'S CORRECT.

IT'S CURB TO CURB.

SO, UM, IT, IT BASICALLY IS LIKE YOU WOULD SCHEDULE AHEAD OF TIME, UM, YOUR RIDE, AND THEN WE WOULD PICK YOU UP WHEREVER THAT CURB IS.

UH, LET'S SAY THAT AT YOUR HOUSE, AND THEN YOU WANT TO GO TO HEB, WE'LL DROP YOU OFF AT THE CURB, UM,

[01:10:01]

BUT THAT, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS NUMBER THOUGH? YES.

SO 260,000 RIDES ABOUT, OR IN 2025 AND THEN 18,000, UM, ROUGHLY, OR YOU COULD SAY ABOUT 19,000, UM, ARE PARATRANSIT, BUT AS I SAID, THE PARATRANSIT RIDES ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE COSTLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT RUNNING ON A FIXED ROUTE.

UM, THEY ARE CURB TO CURB.

SO THAT MILEAGE INCREASES.

UM, YOU GOTTA PAY FOR A SPECIFIC, UH, OPERATOR.

UM, JUST, JUST PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE SAYING THAT 19,000 NUMBER, THAT'S SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

THAT'S NOT SATURDAY ONLY.

I DON'T HAVE THE SATURDAY BREAKDOWN TODAY.

SO THAT IS FOR ALL STS FOR THE YEAR.

IT SHOULD BE CLAUDIA, DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT? BYE-BYE.

SO ABOUT 7%.

UM, I'M SORRY, I WAS TALKING TO STAFF TO TRY TO GET THE INFORMATION.

WHAT WAS THE QUESTION? I'M SORRY.

SO THE 19,000 OF THE STS OF A TOTAL OF 260,000, SO ABOUT 7% OF THE RIDERS BAD TRANSIT.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS HOW MANY OF THEM ARE ON SATURDAY? SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING.

IT'S ABOUT 40, UH, DIFFERENT PASSENGERS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

UH, IT KIND OF DRIES AFTER, YOU KNOW, THE 5 36, UH, IT'S VERY, YOU KNOW, A FEW PLACES OPEN ON SATURDAY.

SO, UM, UH, AND THAT WAS THE INFORMATION.

I WAS TRYING TO GET AN ESTIMATE, UH, UH, RIGHT HERE.

BUT, UH, IT'S ABOUT 40 PASSENGERS FOR THE WHOLE DAY, FOR THE WHOLE SATURDAY.

DOES, DOES THIS CHART SAY THAT IN 2025, WE NEVER HAD A SINGLE RIDER THE ENTIRE YEAR ON THE COLLEGE ROUTE? FROM 7:00 AM TO EIGHT 15, IT RUNS UNTIL, UH, 11.

I BELIEVE.

IT HAS A LATE START ALSO BASED ON DEMAND.

I KNOW, BUT IT'S ZEROS FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM.

SO DOES THAT MEAN THAT NO ONE EVER RODE THE ROUTE AND WE'VE BEEN RUNNING THAT BUS FOR LIKE THE LAST 30 YEARS WITHIN THOSE TIMEFRAMES? THAT PARTICULAR BUS ROUTE IS NOT AN OPERATION.

IT HAS A LATE OH, IT, IT'S NOT AN OPERATION.

IT HAS A LATE START BECAUSE OF LOW RIDERSHIP.

THAT, THAT WOULD EXPLAIN WHY IT'S ALL ZEROES.

BUT EVEN FROM 5 45 TO NINE 30, THERE WAS ONLY ONE, AGAIN, DEPENDING ON THE AREA THAT THAT ROUTE IS GONNA SERVICE THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE OPEN OR NOT, IS THE DEMAND THAT IS GONNA BE, HMM.

THE DALLAN ROUTE OR THE PARKDALE ROUTE IS OUR, UH, BEST PERFORMING ROUTE.

AND A LOT OF IT IS DUE TO AMENITIES ALONG THAT ROUTE.

AND SO, JUST SO I'M CLEAR, DID WE JUST, IS THE PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE THIS COLLEGE ROUTE ON SATURDAY THAT IN THE ENTIRE YEAR OF 2025, ONLY HAD 57 PEOPLE WRITE IT FOR THE WHOLE YEAR? THE PROPOSAL IS TO REDUCE SATURDAY SERVICE FIXED ROUTE AND PARATRANSIT, BOTH FROM 7:15 AM TO 9:30 PM AND REDUCE IT DOWN TO 7:00 AM TO 6:00 PM THAT'S THE PROPOSAL.

IT, IT'S NOT, UH, BROKEN UP BETWEEN PARATRANSIT OR FIXED ROUTE? IT WOULD BE BOTH.

OH, I, YEAH, I KNOW.

I GET THAT.

I'M JUST, I'M LOOKING.

I, I HADN'T SEEN, I HAVE WE SEEN THESE NUMBERS BEFORE? I HADN'T SEEN WHO'S IN MY LAST, THEY WERE IN THE LAST PRESENTATION.

OH, OKAY.

AND, UH, NO, I MEAN, JUST IT'S, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANYONE RIDES THE COLLEGE STREET BUS AND I DUNNO HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN RUNNING THAT, BUT THAT SEEMS PRETTY WASTEFUL.

SO, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE COLLEGE STREET STARTS LATE ON AS THE LATE START YES, SIR.

ON SATURDAYS.

SO IT DOES, YEAH.

THAT'S WHY THE NUMBER, IT DOESN'T RUN BEFORE EIGHT 15.

DO I CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING YET? YOU'VE ALREADY CLOSED.

SO, UH, ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, MOTION, WE HAVE A MOTION WITH THE ADDITIONAL HOURS.

ALL THOSE NO, WITH THIS IS WITH NO CHANGE TO STS TO THE HOURS.

THE MOTION WAS TO APPROVE WITH NO CHANGE TO OPERATING HOURS, RIGHT.

DOING FOR S STS, CORRECT? CORRECT.

FOR STS OR STS AND NO, JUST STS JUST STS CONTINUE TILL 9:30 PM I WOULD SEE WHAT THE IMPACT IS BEFORE I VOTE ON IT.

I MEAN, THAT'S, I MEAN, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT I'D WANNA SEE THE NUMBERS BEFORE I DID

[01:15:01]

ANYTHING.

I CAN TABLE TO THE SIXTH.

WE TABLE THIS TO THE SIXTH.

DO WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING? NO.

OH, THANK YOU.

NO, BECAUSE WE HAD THE PUBLIC HEARING TODAY, SO IT, WE'VE MET OUR OBLIGATION FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS.

YOU JUST WOULD BRING THE ITEM BACK.

YEAH, BUT THEY WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK ON IT DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.

YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, OH, I'D MAKE, I'D MAKE A MOTION UNTIL WE TO TABLE IT, UNTIL WE, THE UPDATED NUMBERS FROM DE SO THAT'S A, UM, AMENDED MOTION TO TABLE DOES NOT REQUIRE A SECOND, JUST REQUIRES A VOTE.

CORRECT.

SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE AMENDED MOTION FOR TABLING THIS UNTIL OCTOBER 6TH FIRST.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TABLING, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

MANAGER, WOULD YOU TAKE US INTO THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING? YES, SIR.

ANY OPPOSED? SO IT WILL BE TABLED TILL THE SIXTH.

MR. CITY

[ Council to conduct a Public Hearing to receive comments regarding the City’s Reinvestment Zone Tax Abatement Policy for the City of Beaumont]

THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS, UH, THE CITY'S REINVESTMENT ZONE TAX ABATEMENT POLICY FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND PRESENTING.

WE HAVE, UH, CHEST PRINTS.

GOOD EVENING.

UM, TODAY WE HAVE AN ITEM TO GO OVER OUR REINVESTMENT ZONE TAX ABATEMENT POLICY.

WE HAD TWO PRIOR WORK SESSIONS TO REVIEW LANGUAGE AND REVISIONS TO OUR ABATEMENT POLICY.

AND NOW THAT WILL BE BEFORE YOU FOR ADOPTION.

UM, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, THE DRAFT IS ATTACHED TO THE PACKET, AND WE HAVE, UM, CHANGES BEGINNING ON PAGE NUMBER FIVE THAT SPEAK TO, UM, OUR COMPETITIVE, SORRY, LOCAL VENDORS, LOCAL CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES, LOCAL HIRING REQUIREMENTS, THE APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENT.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UH, ON PAGE SIX, THE COMPETITIVE SIDING LANGUAGE THAT WE DISCUSSED IN THE WORK SESSION.

ON PAGE EIGHT, WE HAVE THE REPORTING DETAIL AND INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY THAT COUNSEL HAS REQUESTED.

AND AGAIN, ON PAGE 11, WITH THE INCLUSION OF THE SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE POLICY HERE, I DO WANT TO PULL OUT, I DON'T HAVE A HANDOUT.

DOES EVERYBODY ELSE HAVE ONE? SO IT WAS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.

IT'S IN THE A PACKET ATTACHMENT.

I DON'T HAVE, SO MY PACKET, MY LAPTOP JUST DIED SO , SO I, I CAN'T YOU WANNA MOVE OVER HERE, ? YEAH, I'M, I'M GONNA SHARE WITH JOEY, BUT YEAH.

BUT ISN'T YOUR PICK.

I DO WANNA POINT OUT THAT WE, THE CITY STAFF RECEIVED A REQUEST, UM, LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR AN AMENDMENT CHANGE TO VERBIAGE REGARDING THE APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENT.

AND SO I'VE MADE COPIES OF THOSE PAGES FIVE AND SIX FOR COUNSEL TO REVIEW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.

SINCE WE'RE NOT MANDATING ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE DO THE HEARING? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.

WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

LOCAL CHAPTER MEMBERS, ALONG WITH THE PLANT MANAGERS FORUM AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR GOLDEN TRIANGLE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE RECOGNIZED A LOCAL NEED FOR TRAINING THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO CHOSE NOT TO BE AFFILIATED WITH UNIONS.

THEY'RE GONNA BE MAKING OUT ON POTENTIAL BENEFITS, BUT YOU KNOW, UH, SHANDY CONNOR, UM, 2,700 NORTH TWIN CITY HIGHWAY NEEDLE IN TEXAS.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR.

COUNCIL MEMBERS, JESS.

JESS HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH, SO WE, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME SPEAK TO YOU GUYS THIS EVENING.

SO, UM, MY NAME IS SHAY CONNOR AND I SERVE AS THE DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FOR A BC SOUTHEAST TEXAS CHAPTER, A 5 0 1 C SIX ORGANIZATION.

I ALSO SERVE AS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS CONSTRUCTION TRAINING CENTER, WHICH IS A SEPARATE LEGAL ENTITY.

TONIGHT I'M HERE REPRESENTING A BBC SOUTHEAST TEXAS CHAPTER.

I WANNA BEGIN BY SAYING WE ARE NOT HERE TO EXCLUDE ANY PERSON OR ORGANIZATION FROM THIS TAX ABATEMENT REWARD PROCESS.

OUR APPEARANCE TODAY IS QUITE THE CONTRARY.

THE PRINCIPLES SURROUNDING THAT OF THE MERIT SHOP PHILOSOPHY STATE THAT WE BELIEVE ANYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BID ON A PROJECT AND WIN THAT PROJECT REGARDLESS OF ANY LABOR AFFILIATIONS OR PROGRAMS ONE CHOOSES OR CHOOSES NOT TO BE A PART OF.

WE BELIEVE WORK OPPORTUNITIES SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL LEGAL RESIDENTS.

ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS IS A NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY TRADE ASSOCIATION THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1950 WITH 67 CHAPTERS AND 24,000 COMPANY MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

OUR LOCAL CHAPTER REPRESENTS OVER 200 OPEN SHOP CONTRACT COMPANIES, OR SIMPLY PUT THOSE COMPANIES BELIEVING IN THE MERIT SHOP PHILOSOPHY.

IN 1991,

[01:20:01]

THE ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS CONSTRUCTION TRAINING CENTER, 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WAS CREATED TO ENSURE THIS AVENUE WAS POSSIBLE IN AN EFFORT TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE WORKFORCE PIPELINE OF SKILLED WORKERS.

IN 2025, ABC SOUTHEAST TEXAS TRAINING CENTER ALONE TRAINED 2,818 LOCAL WORKERS WHO CHOSE NOT TO ENTER THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE SET ROOTS IN THE BEAUMONT COMMUNITY, WHETHER THAT BE THEY RESIDE IN THE CITY OR THEY WORK FOR A CONTRACT COMPANY THAT HAS AN OFFICE CALLING BEAUMONT, TEXAS HOME.

THESE INDIVIDUALS CONTINUE THROUGH RIGOROUS TRADE SPECIFIC CURRICULUM THAT IS NATIONALLY ACCREDITED AND TRACKED THROUGH A NATIONAL LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

DATABASE.

CRAFT TRACKS INCLUDE CARPENTERS, PIPE FITTERS, ELECTRICIANS, BOILER MAKERS, IRON WORKERS RIGGERS, ALONG WITH 65 MORE SKILLED TRADE CERTIFICATION ROUTES.

THESE TRAINEES ARE WORKING DURING THE DAY, BOOTS ON THE GROUND, ALONGSIDE JOURNEY WORKERS TO GAIN ON-THE-JOB TRAINING KNOWLEDGE THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

THIS IS COMPLETED ALL UNDER NATIONALLY ACCREDITED GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS, WHICH ARE AUDITED OFTEN TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY.

THIS TRAINING METHOD HAS BEEN TESTED AND PROVEN FOR OVER 30 YEARS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS ALONE.

SO OUR ASKED TODAY IS SIMPLE.

WE ASK THAT THE 20% US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM REQUIREMENT INCLUDE AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY FOR EQUIVALENT NATIONALLY ACCREDITED TRAINING PROGRAMS TO PREVENT UNINTENDED EXCLUSION.

I'M DAVID JOHNSON, 2 23 WEST PINE SHADOWS, SOUR LAKE, TEXAS.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL.

SO, DAVID JOHNSON, UH, I WORK FOR A SAFETY SERVICES PROVIDER AND ONE OF THE TOP, UH, ISSUES THAT WE KNOW IS COMMON IN CONVERSATION TODAY IS THE NEED FOR SKILLED TRADES PERSONNEL, UH, SPECIFICALLY AROUND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT ARE COMING UP.

SO I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE AMENDMENT THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO BE, UH, UTILIZED WITH ALL OF THE COMMUNITY, UH, BEING CONSIDERED.

SO THE COMPANY THAT I WORK FOR, WE PROVIDE OUR SERVICES TO BOTH UNION CONTRACTORS, MERIT SHOP CONTRACTORS, AND PROJECT OWNERS.

UH, WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THE TYPE OF PROGRAMS COMING FROM TAX ABATEMENT, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT INCLUDES EVERYONE.

SO WITH THAT, UH, CONSIDERING PROGRAMS, UH, THAT ARE NATIONALLY CREDENTIALED FOR, UH, SKILLED WORK, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT AS INVOLVING AS MUCH OF THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE.

I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE THIS PERSON'S NAME.

I CAN'T MAKE OUT WHAT IT IS.

UM, I THINK THE LAST NAME IS MASON, BUT I'M NOT SURE.

AGAIN, 62 85 WALDEN ROAD.

I DON'T, WHAT'S THE FIRST NAME? CHAD.

I'M CHAD MASON WITH MASON CONSTRUCTION.

WE'RE A LOCAL INDUSTRIAL CONTRACTOR WHO'S BEEN IN BEAUMONT FOR ALMOST 90 YEARS NOW.

I WANTED TO SPEAK BRIEFLY ABOUT ONE SPECIFIC PART OF THE PROPOSED TAX ABATEMENT POLICY.

THE REQUIREMENT THAT 20% OF ALL CONSTRUCTION LABOR HOURS BE PERFORMED BY WORKERS ENROLLED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

WE NEED TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF CRAFT PROFESSIONALS, AND ALL OF US INVOLVED NEED TO INVEST IN DEVELOPING SKILLED WORKERS.

MY MAIN CONCERN IS CREATING A REQUIREMENT THAT RECOGNIZES ONLY ONE PARTICULAR TYPE OF TRAINING PROGRAM.

MERIT MASON IS A MERIT SHOP CONTRACTOR.

LIKE MANY LOCAL CONTRACTORS, TEXAS IS A RIGHT TO WORK STATE WHERE BOTH UNION AND MERIT SHOP CONTRACTORS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE CONSTRUCTION WORKFORCE.

OUR LOCAL POLICIES SHOULD REFLECT THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE LEGITIMATE WAYS TO TRAIN SKILLED WORKERS.

IN ADDITION, MASON HAS ALSO HAD DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH DOL APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENTS USING, USING A DOL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM ON PROJECTS SUBJECT TO THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.

SO WE ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S INVOLVED WITH THIS.

IN OUR EXPERIENCE, COMPLYING WITH THAT PROGRAM WAS SUBSTANTIALLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TRAINING PROGRAMS WE USE WITHOUT PROVIDING SUBSTANTIVELY BETTER TRAINING TO OUR EMPLOYEES.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE DOL PROGRAMS ARE NOT VALUABLE, THEY'RE JUST ONE LEGITIMATE PATHWAY, BUT THEY SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY PATHWAY RECOGNIZED BY THIS POLICY.

I WOULD ASK THAT COUNSEL, UH, WHETHER THE CITY HAS EVALUATED WHAT THIS REQUIREMENT WILL ADD TO THE COST OF AN ABATED PROJECT AS WELL.

IF IT, IF IT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES LABOR AND COMPLIANCE COSTS, COULD IT WORK AGAINST THE PURPOSES OF THE TAX ABATEMENT ITSELF? IF AN OWNER IS COMPARING BEAUMONT WITH ANOTHER

[01:25:01]

LOCATION, COULD THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS INFLUENCE WHERE THE PROJECT GETS BUILT ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY'S PROPOSED POLICY, YOU RECOGNIZE A BROADER RANGE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES, INCLUDING A, B, CAGC, WORKFORCE, SOLUTIONS, TECHNICAL INSTITUTIONS, AND ORGANIZED LABOR.

I THINK THE BROADER APPROACH BETTER REFLECTS HOW WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACTUALLY OCCURS IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS.

I'M NOT HERE TONIGHT TO TELL YOU WHAT THE RIGHT PERCENTAGE OF APPRENTICESHIP HOURS SHOULD BE, OR EXACTLY WHAT THE FINAL LANGUAGE SHOULD SAY.

I'M ASKING THAT BEFORE ADOPTING A REQUIREMENT THIS SIGNIFICANT, THE CITY FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS PRACTICAL IMPACT ON OWNERS, CONTRACTORS AND WORKERS.

I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK CITY COUNCIL TO TABLE THIS ISSUE AND BRING TOGETHER THE STAKEHOLDERS, OWNERS, LOCAL CONTRACTORS, ORGANIZED LABOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS AND TRAINING PROVIDERS TO DISCUSS THE IMPACTS AND WORK TOWARD A POLICY THAT SUPPORTS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT CREATING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FOR LOCAL CONTRACTORS OR FOR BEAUMONT'S ABILITY TO ATTRACT NEW PROJECTS.

MARLEY.

CONNOR, 60 65 BARRINGTON AVENUE, BAUMONT, TEXAS.

IS THAT RIGHT? .

I'M NOT, I'M NOT DOING TOO GOOD TODAY.

WHAT'S THE FIRST NAME? GOOD EVENING, LADIES.

GENTLEMEN.

MY NAME IS MARK HONORING .

I'M THE GENERAL COUNSEL OF MASON CONSTRUCTION.

I HAVE BEEN FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS, AND ONE OF THE GREAT UPSIDES TO HAVING A DOCTORATE'S IN THE LAW IS THAT WHEN I WENT TO GET MY DOCTORATES, THEY TOLD ME THAT MY PENMANSHIP DID NOT MATTER, SO I WAS SOLD.

UH, I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE, ABOUT THAT SPECIFIC PROVISION, UH, THAT WOULD BE D ONE I IN THE AMENDMENTS TO THAT, UH, TAX ABATEMENT POLICY THAT IS THE TRAINING REQUIREMENT OVERALL, UH, BEING ADDED TO THE ABATEMENT POLICY AS A REQUIREMENT.

NOW, SETTING ASIDE THE LEGITIMATE QUESTION OF WHY IS THIS HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? I MEAN, THE ABATEMENT POLICIES TO SPUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND WE'RE MAKING IT HARDER AND HARDER AND HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO COMPLY.

AND AS SOMEBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY HAD TO DELVE INTO THE REAL COMPLIANCE OF THIS ISSUE, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE SPENT MONTHS, LITERAL MONTHS ON EMAILS AND ON THE PHONE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE STANDARDS EVEN LOOK LIKE DESPITE THE DEPARTMENT GIVING GOOD, GOOD GUIDANCE IN IT, IN ITS PUBLICATIONS.

IT WAS AWFUL, UH, SETTING ALL THAT ASIDE.

AND I MEAN, THOSE ARE REAL LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER THIS ABATEMENT POLICY IS GOING TO BE UNDERMINED.

UH, I HAVE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER IT IS ACTUALLY LAWFUL TO PASS AS IT STANDS.

UH, NOW ME AS A GUY WHO HAS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW, UH, I NOTED THIS AMAZING SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE REQUIREMENT IN THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TO, UH, TO BASICALLY TOW THE LINE AND DO THESE THINGS IN EXCHANGE FOR THESE POSITIVE TAX CREDITS.

UH, THERE'S AN AMAZING STRIKING SIMILARITY IN THEM.

AND, UH, I THINK THAT MAYBE IT'S SUBJECT TO CHALLENGE, EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NOT SEEN THAT CHALLENGE YET.

I WOULD ALSO TELL YOU THAT I THINK THAT THERE'S A REAL QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS PERMISSIBLE UNDER THE CROWN ACT IN TEXAS, GIVEN THAT TEXAS IS A RIGHT TO WORK STATE AND ADDING ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS TO SOMETHING THAT'S BROADLY SEEN AS AVAILABLE TO COUNTIES AND INVESTORS IN COUNTIES AS PROPERTY DEVELOPERS.

UH, ADDING SIGNIFICANT BURDEN TO THAT, THAT SORT OF LENDS ITSELF TO, IT LENDS ITSELF TO AN ARGUMENT THAT RIGHT TO WORK IS BEING UNDERMINED.

UH, I I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT IT'S PERMISSIBLE IN THAT REGARD EITHER.

AND I, I THINK THAT WHAT MY BOSS SAID, WHO HAD MUCH MORE TIME TO PREPARE THIS THAN I DID, WHO I, I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS A COUPLE HOURS AGO, SO I APOLOGIZE.

UM, I THINK THAT HE'S ON THE RIGHT TRACK TELLING YOU GUYS THAT IT WOULD BE THE RIGHT THING TO BRING TOGETHER TO STAKEHOLDERS AND HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.

WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY FOR NEARLY 24.

MARK .

SO I GOT THIS ONE RIGHT BEFORE THE MEETING.

JERRY HUMBLE, 91 95 GRIZZLY DRIVE, BELMONT, TEXAS.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS JERRY HUMBLE AND I'M A BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE FOR OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL FOUR 50.

AND I ALSO SERVE AS A VICE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL.

I'VE BEEN A UNION MEMBER FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN

[01:30:01]

I'M HERE TONIGHT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ORGANIZED LABOR AND APPROXIMATELY 6,000 UNION MEMBERS ACROSS SOUTHEAST TEXAS WHO WANNA SEE THIS TAX ABATEMENT LANGUAGE PASSED.

THOSE 6,000 MEMBERS REPRESENT FAR MORE THAN 6,000 VOICES.

THEY'RE THEIR SPOUSES, PARENTS, CHILDREN, AND EXTENDED FAMILIES.

THEIR IMPACT REACHES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS OUR AREA.

THEY'RE OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR TAXPAYERS, AND OUR VOTERS.

THEY LIVE HERE, SPEND THEIR MONEY HERE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, GOVERNOR ABBOTT CREATED THE TEXAS JOB COUNSEL BECAUSE HE RECOGNIZES THAT TEXAS MUST INVEST IN HIS WORKFORCE AND PREPARE YOUNG TEXANS FOR HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND FOR HIGH DEMAND CAREERS.

HE ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT ORGANIZED LABOR DESERVES A SEAT AT THE TABLE WHEN DECISIONS ARE MADE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR WORKFORCE.

LOCAL FOUR FIFTY'S PRESIDENT, BUSINESS MANAGER, MARK MAYOR JR.

WAS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT TO SERVE ON THE TEXAS JOB COUNCIL.

AS ONE OF HIS ORGANIZED LABOR REPRESENTATIVES, HE SITS AT THE SAME TABLE WITH, WITH LEADERS REPRESENTING BOTH ORGANIZED LABOR AND MAJOR TEXAS INDUSTRIES.

GOVERNOR ABBOTT UNDERSTANDS THAT SOLVING TEXAS WORKFORCE CHALLENGES REQUIRES BUSINESS AND ORGANIZED LABOR TO WORK TOGETHER.

THE CITY OF BEAUMONT SHOULD FOLLOW THAT EXAMPLE BY GIVING LABOR A MEANINGFUL SEAT AT THE TABLE AND INVESTING IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL BECOME OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE.

PROPOSED LANGUAGE WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST 20% OF THE COVER CONSTRUCTION LABOR HOURS ON QUALIFYING TAX ABATEMENT PROJECTS TO BE PERFORMED BY REGISTERED APPRENTICE.

A DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGISTERED APPRENTICE IS THE GOLD STANDARD FOR PREPARING YOUNG PEOPLE FOR SKILLED CAREERS.

THESE PROGRAMS BRING EMPLOYERS, EDUCATORS, AND EXPERIENCED CRAFTSPEOPLE TOGETHER, PROVIDE STRUCTURE, INSTRUCTION, STRONG SAFETY STANDARDS, AND SUPERVISED.

ON THE JOB TRAINING.

WE ARE WORKING TO CREATE A PATHWAY FOR BEAUMONT ISD STUDENTS TO ENTER THE SKILLED TRADES.

BUT INTRODUCING STUDENTS THESE CAREERS IS THE ONLY BEGINNING, IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

THEY NEED A PATHWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM INTO A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP AND ULTIMATELY INTO A GOOD PAYING CAREER.

ANY ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE WOULD NOT CONTAIN ANY ENFORCEABLE REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENT AND PROVIDES NO GUARANTEED WORKFORCE TRAINING TO RETURN FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WHEN BEAUMONT GRANTS AN OPPORTUNITY ON TAX ABATEMENTS AS THEY'RE MAKING A PUBLIC INVESTMENT, IF A COMPANY RECEIVES THAT PUBLIC BENEFIT, BEAUMONT WORKERS AND YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD RECEIVE A MEANINGFUL BE BENEFIT IN RETURN.

BEAUMONT WILL NOT BE STEPPING INTO THE UNKNOWN TERRITORY.

OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES IN TEXAS HAVE ALREADY MADE THE COMMITMENT TO INVEST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BUILD A SKILLED WORKFORCE BY ADOPTING THE SAME TAX ABATEMENT LANGUAGE.

HOUSTON HAS A USED A DOL REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP WORKFORCE GOAL AS HIGH AS 30% THAT SHOWS PARTICIPATION.

AND AT THIS LEVEL IS NEITHER NEW OR IN UNREASONABLE.

IN TEXAS, THIS IS ABOUT MORE THAN ONE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OR ONE TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENT.

WE HAVE ALL TALKED ABOUT THE SHORTAGE OF SKILLED WORKERS AND THE NEED TO BUILD A STRONGER WORKFORCE.

WE CAN CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE PROBLEM OR WE CAN TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION TO ADDRESS IT.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR.

THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

[8. Council to consider a resolution adopting the Reinvestment Zone Tax Abatement Policy for the City of Beaumont.]

AS FAR AS THE LEGALITY? SO JUST IN GENERAL, UM, I WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THE WHOLE DOCUMENT AS A WHOLE AND THEN I'LL SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT ISSUE.

WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

YES, MAYOR.

ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE REINVESTMENT ZONE TAX ABATEMENT POLICY FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT.

CITY OF BEAUMONT UTILIZES A VARIETY OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS TO ENCOURAGE DEVELOPMENT OF A CERTAIN TYPE, SCALE, AND LOCATION WITHIN THE CITY.

AND ITS ETJ OR EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.

ONE SUCH TOOL IS A REINVESTMENT ZONE TAX ABATEMENT POLICY AS ALLOWED UNDER CHAPTER THREE 12 OF THE TEXAS TAX CODE.

UH, TO OFFER SUCH ABATEMENTS UNDER CHAPTER THREE 12, THE CITY MUST READOPT ITS ABATEMENT POLICY AND CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING EVERY TWO YEARS AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.

EACH PROJECT IS EVALUATED, UH, ON A CASE BASIS.

UH, THE PROPOSED POLICY INCLUDES REVISIONS DISCUSSED BETWEEN STAFF AND THE CITY COUNCIL DURING WORK SESSION HELD ON JULY 21ST, 2026, UH, TO MEET THE COMMUNICATED GOALS OF THAT WORK SESSION.

STAFF IF HAS HAVE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE POLICY TO INCLUDE REQUIREMENTS PERTAINING TO A SUSTAINABLE LOCAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN, COMPETITIVE SITING IMPACT ANALYSIS, COMPETITIVE WAGES, AND INCREASED FREQUENCY OF LOCAL HIRING REPORTING.

UH, THE PROPOSED POLICY IS INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.

UH, THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE POLICY.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT? SO MOVED.

THERE'S A MOTION.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN TURNER? UH, THIS IS A QUESTION FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY.

UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONCERN ABOUT LEGALITY WITH THIS.

CAN YOU KINDA SPEAK TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE 20% IN YOUR OPINION

[01:35:01]

SO THE AMENDMENTS TO THE DOCUMENT IN COMPARISON, WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL OTHER CITIES AND COUNTIES IN THEIR ABATEMENT AGREEMENT.

SO WE JUST DIDN'T PULL IT OUT OF THE AIR.

THIS WAS A, A VERY WELL THOUGHT OUT, UM, COMPARABLE DOCUMENT.

SO THAT'S ONE, TWO, UM, THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS ABOUT LIKE RIGHT TO WORK THE REINVESTMENT ZONE TAX ABATEMENT POLICY DOES NOT IMPACT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S NOT LOOKING TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT TAX ABATEMENT.

THEY CAN STILL COME TO WORK HERE, THEY CAN STILL DO THE JOB, THEY CAN STILL BRING IN THEIR BUSINESS.

THEY JUST WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT ABATEMENT.

AND SO WHAT THIS POLICY SAYS IS THAT IF YOU WANT THAT ABATEMENT, THESE ARE, THESE ARE THE RULES TO PLAY.

THE COACH SAYS, WE TRAIN AT 6:00 AM YOU CAN NOT TRAIN AT 6:00 AM BUT YOU ALSO WON'T BE PLAYING ON THIS TEAM.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THE OVERALL THING.

SO IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T IMPACT THAT.

NOW, SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE 20%, GOING BACK TO MY ORIGINAL STATEMENT, DOESN'T APPLY TO ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T WANNA TAKE ADVANTAGE TO THE TAX ABATEMENT.

THEY CAN STILL COME TO WORK HERE.

THEY CAN STILL BID ON THE PROJECTS.

IT'S NOT A PART OF THE CITY'S OVERALL BIDDING PROCESS OR PROJECT.

IT ONLY APPLIES IF THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THE TAX ABATEMENT.

GOT YOU, GOT YOU.

THAT, THAT'S A POINT OF CLARITY THAT I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN BEING CLARIFIED.

YOU ARE WELCOME.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN? THANK YOU.

CAN YOU PLEASE CLARIFY WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE SINCE YOU PULLED THIS LANGUAGE FROM, UH, OTHER TAX ABATEMENT? WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE THE SAME 20%? I'M GONNA ASK JESSICA COME UP SINCE SHE WAS THE ONE WHO'S A PRIMARY RESEARCHER, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY VARY IN PERCENTAGE WISE.

THEY DO, THEY DO VARY IN PERCENTAGE WISE, THE CITIES WE LOOKED AT WERE HARRIS COUNTY, HOUSTON, CITY OF DALLAS, CITY OF WACO.

UM, IN TERMS OF, I BELIEVE WE ALSO LOOKED AT CITY OF SAN ANTONIO IN OUR ORIGINAL ANALYSIS ACROSS THE BOARD OF WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.

UM, THE PERCENTAGES ALL VARIED AND THE PER, DO YOU HAVE A GENERAL RANGE? 15 WAS THE GENERAL RANGE WAS THE AVERAGE.

YOU MEAN 15 WOULDN'T BE, WHAT WOULD BE THE RANGE BE LIKE 10 TO 30 AND 15 WAS AVERAGE? IF I WOULD SAY 15 WAS THE AVERAGE.

AND YOU'RE SAYING WACO HAS THE SAME UNION REQUIREMENT? NO.

NO.

AND AND THIS LANGUAGE IS NOT A UNION REQUIREMENT, IT'S JUST THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

BUT WACO HAS THAT, THEY HAD COMPONENTS OF THAT.

WA THEY, WACO WAS ONE OF THE EXAMPLES THAT HAD THEIR OWN EDC AND PARTNERSHIP.

RIGHT, I REMEMBER THAT.

WHICH IS KIND AND I DON'T REMEMBER THAT THEY HAD A SPECIFIC APPRENTICESHIP REQUIREMENT, BUT THE OTHER CITIES WE LOOKED AT DID HAVE THAT DID, DID HAVE THIS.

SO HARRIS COUNTY HAS THIS? YES.

ANY OTHER CITIES IN THE SOUTHEAST TEXAS AREA OTHER THAN HARRIS COUNTY? NO.

OR ANY OTHER COUNTIES IN THE SOUTHEAST? NO, THE CITY OF, UH, PORT ARTHUR AND CITY OF ORANGE BOTH HAVE EDCS.

SO THEIR SITUATION IS DIFFERENT, IS NOT COMPARABLE.

GOTCHA.

THANK YOU JESS.

UH, MY LAST QUESTION IS IF LIKE MR. MASON SAID, UH, THERE WERE WARNINGS OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, LET'S JUST SAY WE HAD A VERY, UH, UH, AN IMPRESSIVE ORGANIZATION COME IN THAT WANTED TO BUILD A PROJECT AND SUBMITTED THEIR TAX ABATEMENT, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, SAID WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THIS PROJECT BECAUSE OF THIS 20%, UH, REQUIREMENT.

UH, HOW QUICKLY, IF THIS COUNCIL MADE A DECISION, SAY AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE, UH, HOW QUICKLY COULD THIS POLICY BE POSSIBLY MODIFIED TO CORRECT UNINTENDED, UH, CONSEQUENCES WITHIN 30 DAYS? YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AND AN AMENDMENT.

YOU COULD AMEND THE POLICY AT ANY TIME.

SO WE COULD CHANGE THIS AS QUICKLY AS 30 DAYS? YES, YOU COULD.

THE STATE TAX CODE JUST STATES THAT WE HAVE TO READOPT OR REVISE WITHIN TWO YEARS.

SO THIS MONTH OUR EXISTING POLICY IS EXPIRING.

UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, NEXT MONTH AND 30 DAYS FROM NOW, WE COULD MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO WHATEVER IS ADOPTED.

SO WE'RE NOT STUCK WITH THIS FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD? NO, YOU CAN AMEND IT AS OFTEN AS YOU LIKE.

AND AS JESS MENTIONED, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT EVERY TWO YEARS OF COURSE.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL JUST REITERATE AS, AS MENTIONED IN THE PROPOSED REFERENCES, THE DOL APPRENTICESHIP LANGUAGE OF 20%, WHICH WE BORROWED FROM, UH, HOUSTON.

AND WE'RE ON THAT TWO YEAR YES.

[01:40:01]

UM, BUT AS I THINK MS. PRINCE PASSED OUT, THERE'S SOME ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE, UH, THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE THAT.

AND, AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS DOCUMENT THAT WE GOT WITH THE HIGHLIGHTED UNDER THE I, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS PROPOSED, CORRECT.

SO AS PROPOSED IS 20%, UH, DOL CERTIFIED APPRENTICESHIP.

CAN WE, CAN WE PUT THE ATTACHMENT ON THE SCREEN? WE DON'T HAVE IT, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY.

SO I'LL READ.

SO THE, SO THE PAGES I BROUGHT YOU ARE THE, UM, ARE THE AMENDMENT, THE ALTERNATE LANGUAGE THAT A B, C REQUESTED FRIDAY.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

AND THE, THE HIGHLIGHTED ONLY IS THEIR ADDITION.

THEY'RE NOT SUGGESTING WE REMOVE OUR LANGUAGE ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR REGISTERED.

THEY'RE JUST ADDING THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

THAT'S CORRECT, YES.

SO AS, AS FOR CLARIFICATION FOR AS PROPOSED IS THE 20% DOL LANGUAGE, THE ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THIS, THIS SHEET FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, I WILL READ BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE IT, IS, UM, I'LL READ THE WHOLE SECTION.

THIS RECI, THE RECIPIENT OF A PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT SHALL ENSURE AT LEAST 20% OF THE TOTAL CONSTRUCTION LABOR HOURS CALCULATED IN THE AGGREGATE ACROSS TRADE.

ALL TRADES ARE PERFORMED BY INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN A US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, DOL REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

AND HERE'S THE NEW LANGUAGE OR OTHER NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED WORKFORCE TRAINING OR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

SO THAT WAS ADDED.

AGAIN, THIS WAS ADDED AS AN ALTERNATIVE.

BUT BEFORE YOU, THIS IS NOT INCLUDED.

THIS IS JUST AN ALTERNATE ALTERNATE LANGUAGE.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? COUNCILMAN DURIO.

THIS 20% WITH THIS AMENDMENT, IT STILL WILL BE 20%.

THE WORKFORCE IS FROM THIS AREA.

I WANNA BASIS THE, THE AMENDMENT IS ABOUT WHERE THEY WERE TRAINED.

I JUST WANNA KNOW, IT'S STILL A REQUIREMENT THAT SPECIFIC CHAPTER IS ONLY SPEAKING TO THE PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL HIRES THAT WOULD NEED TO BE IN AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.

THERE IS OTHER VERBIAGE IN THE DOCUMENT ABOUT LOCAL HIRES, BUT THIS IS NOT THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVAL OF ITEM NUMBER EIGHT SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU TAKE US INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE NEXT ITEM? YES.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

MR.

[ Council to conduct a Public Hearing finding and ratifying the determination of the Public Health Director that public health nuisances exist on the property owned by Robert Mode at 1495 Wall Street, with a legal description of BLANCHETTE 1ST W 100' L-84 B 7 and order the owner to abate public health nuisances within 10 days. If the property owner fails to comply within 10 days, staff is requesting City Council to abate said property without further notification to the property owner of City Council action.]

THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING IS TO, UM, IS FOR THE FINDING AND RATIFYING THE DETERMINATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR THAT PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCES EXIST ON THE PROPERTY OWNED BY ROBERT MODE AT 1495 WALL STREET WITH A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF BLANCHE FIRST, UH, WEST 100TH FEET OF, UH, LOT 84 BLOCK SEVEN AND ORDER THE OWNER TO ABATE THE PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCES WITHIN 10 DAYS.

IF THE PROPERTY OWNER FAILS TO COMPLY WITHIN 10 DAYS, STAFF IS REQUESTING CITY COUNCIL TO ABATE SAID PROPERTY WITHOUT FURTHER NOTIFICATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER OF CITY COUNCIL.

ACTION AND PRESENTING WILL BE OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR, MR. KENNETH COLEMAN.

GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AGAIN, WE JUST COMING BACK BEFORE YOU TO, UH, BRING THIS PROPERTY, UH, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO DECLARE TO, UH, DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCE.

THE PROPERTY WAS DECLARED IN, UH, JULY OF 2024.

UH, THE OWNER HAD 10 DAYS TO BRING THIS IN COMPLIANCE, WHICH HE DID.

UH, BUT THE PROPERTY WAS REFERRED BACK TO THE, UH, BACK TO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IN AUGUST OF 2026.

THESE ARE THE VIOLATIONS STAGNANT OF OFFENSIVE WATER, UH, ON PROFIT PROPERTY, WHICH CREATES RODENT HARBORING CONDITIONS AS WELL AS MOSQUITO HARBORING CONDITIONS.

AND I DO HAVE SOME PICTURES, UH, FOR YOU TO VIEW AS TO WHAT WE THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE PROPERTY.

GOSH, I THINK THAT'S THE LAST PICTURE IN THE QUESTIONS.

DOES, DOES SOMEBODY LIVE HERE? YES.

[01:45:01]

IS THIS LOCATED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD? WALL STREET? MM-HMM .

AT THIS POINT I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ROBERT MODE 1495 WALL STREET BY MY TEXAS.

FIRST OF ALL, THE TRASH IS THERE IS NOT MINE.

BUT LET ME SAY THIS FIRST SEPTEMBER 9TH, 2017, I THREW CAUTION OF THE WIND AND JUMPED ON A MAN TWICE MY SIZE AND HALF MY AGE.

WAS BEATING A BEAUMONT POLICE OFFICER NAMED JOSHUA HALL TO DEATH AT THE CARWASH AT 1505 COLLEGE STREET.

THE PERPETRATOR HAD HIM ON HIS BACK AND HAD HIS RIGHT ARM PINNED TO THE GROUND AND WAS BEATING ME MERCILESSLY.

THIS WAS HAPPENING IN MY FEET WHEN I SAW HIM TRY TO TAKE THE CO THE OFFICER'S GUN OUTTA THE HOLSTER.

I GOT UP AND FOR SOME REASON, AND JUMPED ON THE MAN AND, UH, SLAMMED HIM DOWN ON HIS, HIS STOMACH GIVING OFFICER HALL AN ABILITY TO FIGHT BACK.

I HAD THE MAN'S ANKLES AND WAISTBANDS OF HIS PANTS AND, AND, AND KEPT MYSELF ACROSS THE WEB AND KEEP HIM FROM GETTING TO IT.

ALL OFFICER HALL COULD DO WAS COVER HIS FACE, WAS HIS LEFT ARM.

UNTIL THEN, HE FOUGHT THE MAN FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY UNTIL A SWARM OF PATROL CARS SHOWED UP.

TWO OF THEM TOOK THE MAN'S LEGS IN THE BACK OF HIS PANTS AND TOLD ME I COULD LET GO.

LATER THEY THANKED ME TELLING HIM HOW THAT PEOPLE DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE.

AND IF I NEEDED HELP TO ASK, I NOW NEED HELP AND HAVE ASKED FOR NOTHING UNTIL NOW.

THE PRO THE TRASH IN MY PROPERTY IS NOT MINE.

IT WAS PUT THERE BY THIEVES WHO ROBBED ME OF ALMOST $2 MILLION OVER THREE YEARS.

ALMOST EVERYTHING I'VE WORKED FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS HAS BEEN STONED FOR ME BY CRACK HEADS, BUT MAINLY BY THREE PEOPLE.

FIRST AND FOREMOST IS A MOBSTER NAMED ORGE LUIS CASTELLA, WHO WAS CONVICTION FOR ARMED ROBBERY, ASSAULT ON A FAMILY MEMBER TWO, UH, CONVICTION FOR ASSAULT ON A FAMILY MEMBER WITH BODILY INJURY, VEHICULAR HOMICIDE, ASSAULT ON A JUDGE OR POLICE OFFICER AND DECENCY WITH A CHILD.

AND SEVERAL DUIS IN TEXAS, IN NORTH CAROLINA.

HE CAME TO AMERICA TO AVOID PROSECUTION WITH THE NUMBER, THE MURDER OF HIS WIFE AND HER BROTHER IN MEXICO.

HE'S ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH GUZMAN SYNO, A CARTEL.

HE BOUGHT MY WAREHOUSE AT 8 49 AVENUE B AND DID EVERYTHING HE COULD DO TO PREVENT ME FROM, UH, BEING ABLE TO GET MY STUFF OUT OF IT.

AT THE SAME TIME HE WAS TELLING ME HE WANTED ME TO STAY THERE AND JUST, JUST, UH, NOT WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING AND, AND I COULD LEAVE MY STUFF IN THE, IN THE WAREHOUSE AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I COULD, YOU KNOW, TREAT IT LIKE MY OWN HOUSE.

AND HE WANTED ME TO STAY IN A CAMPER ON THAT, ON THAT PROPERTY.

AND, YOU KNOW, HE JUST PAINTED THIS UTOPIAN PICTURE FOR ME ABOUT HOW GREAT THINGS WERE GONNA BE.

UM, WHAT HE WAS ACTUALLY DOING WAS TELLING ME HE WANTED ME TO STAY.

SO I'D SAY LONGER THAN THE TIME THAT I HAD ON MY CONTRACT TO GET OUTTA THERE.

THEN HE, THEN AS SOON AS THAT DATE ROLLED AROUND, HE COULD PRETEND LIKE, UH, HE NEVER SAID ANYTHING.

AND NOW ALL THAT STUFF THAT'S IN THE WAREHOUSE THAT HE TOLD ME TO LEAVE IN THERE IS, UH, IS, IS ABANDONED BY ME.

IT WAS NOT ABANDONED BY ME.

HE DID EVERYTHING HE COULD DO TO KEEP ME FROM GETTING MY PROPERTY OUT.

AND, UH, BY EVERYTHING, THE FIRST THING HE DID WAS FILL THAT, UH, THAT LOT AT THE 1495.

WALL STREET WAS CLEAN, IT WAS SMOOTH.

THERE WAS NOTHING THERE EXCEPT MAYBE SOME TRACK AND CARS THAT WERE BACKED UP AGAINST THE FENCE, THE HOLE INSIDE AND THE MIDDLE OF IT WAS PERFECTLY CLEAN.

AND WE MADE THAT, UH, THAT SO THAT I COULD TAKE THE STUFF THAT WAS OUTSIDE, BEHIND THE WAREHOUSE AND MOTORCYCLE STUFF AND PUT IT IN THE, UH, THANK YOU SIR.

HUH? THANK YOU.

ANYWAY, IT'S NOT MY STUFF AND, AND I I'M MORE GONNA GET IT CLEAN.

THAT'S, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT, UH, THE, UH, THANK YOU.

POLICE OFFICER JOSHUA.

HE MIGHT NEED HELP GETTING HIS PHONE OFF.

GOT IT.

MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER NINE? YES MA'AM.

PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

[9. Council to consider an ordinance finding and ratifying the determination of the Public Health Director that public health nuisances exist on the property owned by Robert Mode at 1495 Wall Street, with a legal description of BLANCHETTE 1ST W 100' L-84 B 7 and order the owner to abate public health nuisances within 10 days. If the property owner fails to comply within 10 days, staff is requesting City Council to abate said property without further notification to the property owner of City Council action.]

ITEM NINE IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE FINDING AND RATIFYING THE DETERMINATION OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR THAT PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCES EXIST ON THE PROPERTY OWNED BY ROBERT MODE AT 1495 WALL STREET, WITH LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF BLANCHET FIRST WEST 100 FEET OF LOT 84 BLOCK SEVEN, AND ORDER THE OWNER TO ABATE THE PUBLIC HEALTH NUISANCES WITHIN 10 DAYS.

IF THE PROPERTY OWNER FAILS TO COMPLY WITHIN 10 DAYS, STAFF IS REQUESTING CITY COUNCIL TO ABATE SAID PROPERTY WITHOUT FURTHER NOTIFICATION TO THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S ACTION FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ABATEMENT FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THE ORDINANCE.

IS THERE A MOTION FOR ITEM NUMBER NINE?

[01:50:01]

MOVE FOR APPROVAL? 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.

AT THIS POINT WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS AND I'LL BEGIN WITH COUNCILMAN DURIO.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

ALRIGHT,

[COUNCIL COMMENTS]

COUNCILMAN MAYOR PRO.

TIM CRENSHAW? UH, I, UH, I DON'T WANNA BREAK THE MOMENTUM GOING WITH NO COMMENTS.

I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I JUST GOT A TEXT THAT MAYBE THERE WAS A WRECK ON INTERSTATE 10 AND, UH, WE SHOULD AVOID THE INTERSTATE RIGHT NOW LIVING DOWNTOWN.

SO IF, ASSUMING THAT'S ACCURATE INFORMATION, UH, UH, JUST A HEADS UP.

AND, UM, THANK YOU ALL TO, UH, THE CITY AND, UM, CITY EMPLOYEES AND, UH, CONTRACTORS AND EVERYONE THAT'S WORKED HARD WITH STORM CLEANUP.

UH, AND, UH, IT HASN'T GONE ON NOTICE AND IT'S GREATLY APPRECIATED.

AND I APPRECIATE, UH, UH, THE FACT THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ANOTHER ITEM AGENDA, MAYBE, UH, NEXT WEEK ON THE SPECIAL MEETING REGARDING SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR STORM CLEANUP.

UH, WE'RE NOT GETTING A REIMBURSEMENT BY THE STATE OR THE FEDS FOR THIS.

SO THIS IS A COST THAT'S BEING BARED BY, UH, THE CITY OF BEAUMONT 100%.

AND, UH, THIS IS A FREE DEBRIS SERVICE.

SOMEONE TOLD ME THIS WEEK THAT THEY WANT A REFUND BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HAD, UM, DEBRIS SERVICE PICKUP YET.

AND SO THEY WANTED THEIR MONEY BACK AND I REMINDED THEM THAT IT IS A FREE SERVICE THAT A LOT OF CITIES CHARGE FOR DEBRIS PICKUP AND WE DO NOT.

UH, SO CONTINUE TO PLEASE BE PATIENT WITH US AND HELP US ON THE WAY.