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SO I CALL THIS MEETING THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.
IT IS THURSDAY, AUGUST 25TH, 6 32.
WE'RE IN BAYTOWN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
WE WILL BE LET, WE WILL BE LED IN OUR PLEDGE AND INDICATION THIS EVENING BY COUNCILWOMAN LAURA ALVARADO, DISTRICT NUMBER ONE.
UM, SO IF YOU'LL FOLLOW ME IN THE PLEDGE, UM, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HONOR, HONOR, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.
I'M ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE ONE, AN INDIVIDUAL JOIN ME IN PRAYER.
SO, DEAR LORD, WE ARE HERE WITH YOU ONCE AGAIN TO DO THE WORK OF OUR BUSINESS.
FOR THOSE THAT LIVE AND WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING YOUR WILL, UM, WITH PASSION, WITH HEART, WITH RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER ONE.
AND ALL OF THE TIME I ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, UM, AS WELL AS ASK FOR THOSE WHO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY TO REMAIN SAFE, AS WELL AS OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THOSE THAT ARE LOCAL AND ABROAD.
[a. Consider approving the minutes of the City Council Work Session and Regular Meeting held on July 28, 2022.]
ONE A, WE HAVE CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AND A REGULAR MEETING HELD ON JULY 28TH, 2022.SO I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES AS WRITTEN.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE MOTION CAN BE A SECOND.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR ABSTENTIONS FOR THIS ITEM? IF NOT, ARE THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MAINTENANCE AS WRITTEN, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[a. Recognize City of Baytown Employees for their Years of Service.]
RECOGNIZE THE CITY OF BAY TOWN'S EMPLOYEES FOR THE YEARS OF SERVICE.I HAPPY TO PRESENT THIS MONTH'S SERVICE AWARDS.
APRIL BRUNO, DETENTION SUPERVISOR WITH POLICE, MICHAEL RITO, MAINTENANCE MECHANICAL SPECIALIST WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING.
DEVIN FINLEY, TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALIST WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING.
MARK FREEMAN, LIEUTENANT WITH POLICE, CAROL REEVES, TELECOMMUNICATOR WITH POLICE.
CHERIE MORGAN, LIBRARIAN WITH THE LIBRARY.
RACHAEL MARTINEZ, DEPUTY CITY CLERK WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, US RA ROBERTS, ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH FIRE, JD ABERT, LIEUTENANT WITH FIRE.
JEFF WELCH, LIEUTENANT WITH FIRE.
DAVID MENDE, SABEL, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR WITH FIRE.
JAMES WEAVER, LIEUTENANT WITH FIRE, TIMOTHY VILLA GOMEZ.
AARON SMITH, LIEUTENANT WITH FIRE.
HELLO, PATRICK MAHONEY, BATTALION CHIEF WITH FIRE.
CRISTOBAL RIOS, BATTALION CHIEF WITH FIRE.
RYAN TUCKER, ASSISTANT CHIEF WITH FIRE ROBERT LOPEZ.
MICHAEL DAWSON, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR WITH FIRE.
JESSICA CERVANTES, DETECTIVE WITH POLICE.
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JESSICA WAS BORN IN HOUSTON LATER MOVING TO BAYTOWN AND GRADUATING FROM ROBERT E. LEE HIGH SCHOOL.AFTER GRADUATION, SHE ATTENDED LEE COLLEGE WHERE SHE STUDIED CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
JESSICA WAS HIRED BY THE BAYTOWN JAIL IN AUGUST, 1997, GOING ON TO ATTEND THE BAYTOWN POLICE ACADEMY IN 1998 AND WAS SWORN IN AS A POLICE OFFICER IN NOVEMBER, 1998 AS A PATROL OFFICER.
JESSICA HELD POSITIONS AS A FIELD TRAINING OFFICER, ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONIST AS A MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATORS TEAM, AND AS A MEMBER OF THE HONOR GUARD.
IN ADDITION, SHE'S A CERTIFIED RAD INSTRUCTOR FOR WOMEN'S SELF-DEFENSE.
AFTER 12 YEARS AS A PATROL OFFICER, JESSICA TRANSFERRED TO THE INVESTIGATION DIVISION AS A DETECTIVE IN 2010, WHERE SHE SERVES AS PART OF THE CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS UNIT.
THROUGHOUT HER CAREER, JESSICA HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS MERIT ACCOMPLISHMENT NOTICES AND LETTERS OF APPRECIATION FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES INCLUDING THE FBI, BAYTOWN, CITIZENS BAY AREA HOMELESS SERVICES, AND MANY MORE.
IN ADDITION, SHE HAS RECEIVED THREE HONORABLE CONDUCT MEDALS, THE CHIEF'S UNIT CITATION, THE COMMANDER'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, TWO EMERGENCY RIBBONS AND RECOGNITION AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEAM OF THE MONTH AND TEAM OF THE YEAR.
THANK YOU DETECTIVE CERVANTES FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M GONNA TAKE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE.
UM, IF I MAY, IT'S GONNA BE TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING AN EXXONMOBIL DONATION FOR DISTRICT ONE AND THREE PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
SO I'M NOT SURE MR. HATCH, IF YOU WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS.
AND THEN WE WILL CERTAINLY HEAR FROM, UH, MS. TILTON WITH EXXONMOBIL.
WE WERE JUST GONNA SAY THAT WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE, UH, CONNIE TILTON HERE TO, TO UM, GIVE US THE, UH, DONATION OF $50,000 TO, UH, GO TOWARDS PARKS PROJECTS IN DISTRICT ONE AND THREE.
UH, OBVIOUSLY STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND IF APPROVED, WOULD YOU, UH, PLEASE JOIN US WITH A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY? OKAY, THANK YOU.
IT'S OUR PLEASURE TONIGHT TO GIVE $50,000 TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE, WE'VE BEEN PARTNERING WITH CHARLES AND WITH LAURA TO, AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT TO DO, UM, TO IMPROVE SOME OF THE AREAS AROUND OUR FACILITIES FOR OUR NEAR NEIGHBORS TO ENJOY AND FOR OUR EMPLOYEES TO GO AND ENJOY.
SO WE'RE GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE THEM MONEY.
SO WE CAN GET, UM, UH, ALL OF COUNCIL TO COME DOWN ALONG WITH, UH, PARKS AND I GUESS ANY EXXON MOBILE, EXCUSE ME.
SO, UH, MAKE A MOTION FROM APPROVAL.
I'M ASSUMING NEITHER FROM DISTRICTS, ONE OR THREE.
ANY ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ITEM 12 A AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, THAT WILL GO DOWN.
TAKE, PICK EVERYBODY BACK UP JUST A LITTLE.
I THINK YOU SHOULD BE GRABBING IT.
WHERE DO YOU WANT ME? THE PARK? THE PARK'S CLOSE.
I DON'T WANNA BE WHY DON'T YOU AND PARK GRAB IT.
I'LL, NO, WHEN Y'ALL ON EITHER SIDE.
I'LL STAND BY HERE, CHARLES RIGHT HERE.
EVERYBODY ELSE? YEAH, ALL OF YOU JUST FILL IN THE CRACKS, RIGHT? HE'S MAKING YOU WALK RIGHT THERE.
UH, DO I NEED TO ASK A QUESTION TO THE AUDIENCE? UM, THERE WAS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S, IS IT ASHBY CARTER IF YOU'RE HERE, UH, YOU DID SIGN UP.
YOU DID NOT, YOU DID NOT LIST WHAT ITEM YOU WANTED TO SPEAK ON.
I NEED TO KNOW IF YOU'RE HERE.
SO IS THERE, UM, SOMEONE WITH THE LAST NAME CARTER? MY LAST NAME WAS CARTER.
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DO YOU LIVE ON REPUBLIC AVENUE? YES.WHAT ITEM DID YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON? OH, I JUST SIGNED UP TO BE, UH, TO BE A MEMBER TO, TO COME IN AND, AND LISTEN IN.
OKAY, JUST YOU JUST SIGNED IN UHHUH
[a. Receive and discuss a presentation from San Jacinto Retail Associates, LLC, regarding the development of the San Jacinto Marketplace.]
SO WITH THAT WE HAVE ITEM THREE A, UH, YOU SEE? YEAH.THREE A IS TWO OH, IS THAT RIGHT? HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
THREE A EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN WE HAVE THE FIVES.
SO ITEM THREE A IS GONNA BE, RECEIVE AND DISCUSS A PRESENTATION FROM HENDERSON OIL RETAIL ASSOCIATES, LLC, REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HENDERSON OIL MARKETPLACE.
WE HAVE, I'M SURE MR. HA, ASLU AND THE REST OF THE TEAM.
SO IF YOU CAN PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AND BEGIN YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE, UH, A FEW OF THE FIDELIS FOLKS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT HERE.
WE'VE GOT MIKE SANCHEZ, CARSON WILSON, LYNN DAVIS, AND GLENN OLA HERE.
AND I'M, ALAN HAS BLUE AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU GUYS.
UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG AND WINDING ROAD FOR US.
UH, WE HAVE NOW OWNED IT AS OF LAST MONTH, SEVEN YEARS.
UH, THE PROJECT, WE STARTED OUT BY PURCHASING ROUGHLY ABOUT 50 ACRES OF THE PROJECT.
AND OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, OVER THE NEXT, UH, SIX OR SO YEARS, WE PURCHASED, UH, ANOTHER 55 ACRES.
SO TODAY I STAND HERE IN FRONT OF YOU AND WE OWN 105 ACRES AT THE CORNER, WHICH INCLUDES ALL THE TRACKS, THE INITIAL MALL, UH, THE SERVICE MERCHANDISE, UH, THE MERVINS, THE SEARS, THE JCPENNEY, THE MACY'S, AND, UH, THE MARSHALS THAT, THAT COMPILED ALL THE TRACKS THAT ADD UP NOW TO THE 105 ACRES.
SO WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO GET ANYBODY'S APPROVAL ANYMORE AND WE OWN ALL THE LAND.
AND I WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A BRIEF PRESENTATION, IF I MAY, THAT, UH, WILL KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA.
AND SO A PICTORIAL VIEW OF WHAT WE'RE PLANNING AND, AND OUR ARCHITECTS RENDERING OF THIS.
SO, UH, WE'VE GOT IT ON THE SCREEN HERE, BACK HERE.
AND, UM, IF YOU WOULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WHAT WE INTEND TO DO, WE'RE GONNA TURN THAT 105 ACRES THAT I TALKED ABOUT BACK IN THE AREAS.
THAT'S OUR GOAL WHERE THE COMMUNITY CAN CONGREGATE, ENJOY SHOPPING.
WE WANT IT TO BE A LIVE WORK PLAY, UH, AND, UM, UH, VENUE AND ENTERTAINMENT VENUE AS WELL.
UH, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IS A 450,000 SQUARE FOOT SHOPPING CENTER.
UH, MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIGGER IF WE GET ONE MORE MERCHANT.
THAT INCLUDES DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT.
THERE'LL BE OUTDOOR AND INDOOR, UH, RESTAURANTS AND EATERIES, UH, PERSONAL AND SERVICE USES.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, A, UH, CENTRAL PELICAN GREEN IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT, A SEVERAL ACRE TRACT, UH, THAT IS AN ENTERTAINMENT AND A CONGREGATION GATHERING AREA, UH, FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SPEAKING MORE ON PELICAN GREEN, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL SHOW YOU THE PICTURES IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT OUR GOAL IS TO COLLABORATIVELY, COLLABORATIVELY WORK WITH THE CITY SO THAT, UH, WE CAN HAVE, UM, A VENUE FOR THINGS SUCH AS OUTDOOR SEATING, CHILDREN'S PLAY, MOVIE NIGHT, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, YOGA OR EXERCISE CLASSES, OR ANYTHING THAT WE CAN PUT TOGETHER IN THAT AREA.
WHAT WE WANT IT TO BE AN ACTIVATION AREA FOR THE CITY.
AND WE WANT TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND YOUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT TO HAVE, UH, OF A VARIETY OF EVENTS THERE.
WE HOPE IT'S A CENTRAL GATHERING PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'LL GET INTO THE PICTURES NOW AND I'LL JUST SHOW YOU THE, WHAT WE'RE DOING.
UM, THE CENTRAL GREEN IS LITERALLY RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
YOU SEE IT THERE, RIGHT ON GARTH.
UH, IT'S FLANKED BY, UH, 8 6400 SQUARE FOOT RETAIL BUILDINGS AND THEN PARKING THAT SURROUNDS IT SO THAT, UH, SO THAT YOU CAN HOPEFULLY GET REALLY CONVENIENT PARKING INTO THE CENTRAL GREEN AND INTO THE RETAIL.
AND WHAT YOU SEE ON THE TOP OF THE PLAN IS JUST THE ANCHOR LINEUP AREA, AND THAT'S WHERE ABOUT 350,000 SQUARE FEET WILL BE, UH, AND, UH, IN THAT AREA.
AND ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND SQUARE FEET WILL BE ALONG GARTH.
AND THEN ONE PAD ALONG, UH, THE I 10 FEET OF ROAD.
UH, THIS IS OUR ARCHITECT'S, UH, RENDERING OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE WITH AN OBLIQUE AERIAL FROM GARTH ON THE SOUTH SIDE, LOOKING, UH, NORTHWEST ON THE NEXT PLEASE.
UH, THIS WOULD BE AN OBLIQUE LOOKING, UH, SOUTHWEST FROM THE NORTH.
UH, THIS IS A SMALL BUILDINGS IN THE FRONT RIGHT THERE THAT YOU WOULD SEE ALONG GARTH ROAD.
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NEXT, PLEASE.UH, MORE SMALL BUILDINGS THAT ARE PART OF THE EIGHT.
THERE'S, SO THERE'S ABOUT 16 TOTAL BUILDINGS IN THE FRONT AREA ALONG GARTH AND I 10.
UH, THAT'S PART OF THE ANCHOR LINEUP IN THE REAR.
AND THEN THIS WOULD BE A, A STREET LEVEL OF RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE, OF THE PELICAN GREEN.
AND YOU SEE A COUPLE OF THE EIGHT BUILDINGS THAT WILL FLANK AND SURROUND THE PELICAN GREEN AREA.
THIS WOULD BE THE CENTRAL AREA.
UH, IT'S A PRETTY SIZABLE AREA.
WE INTEND TO HAVE GREEN SPACE.
WE'LL FIGURE OUT HOW, WHAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF AMENITIES, IN TERMS OF, UH, PLAYGROUND OR OTHER, UH, SEATING UMBRELLAS, UH, FOUNTAINS SHADED AREAS.
BUT WE WANT IT TO BE, UH, WHETHER IT'S, UH, ANY SEASON COMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND STAY HERE.
NEXT, UH, THIS WOULD WOULD BE AN EVENT THAT COULD BE SET UP WHERE WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE, UH, VARIOUS VENUES, VARIOUS MERCHANTS, VARIOUS UH, EVENTS, WHETHER IT BE LIVE MUSIC, LIKE I SAID, EXERCISE CLASSES, ET CETERA, THAT COULD BE OUT ON THE GREEN AREA.
AND THEN FLANKED BY THE BUILDINGS AND THE RESTAURANTS.
UH, AND THIS IS AGAIN, OUR ARCHITECTS RENDERING OF RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF, UM, THE GREEN LOOKING BACK TO THE WEST.
AND IF WE HAVE MOVIE NIGHT, THAT'S THE PLACE WE'D PUT IT.
AND UH, THAT'S THE CHILDREN'S PLAY AREA THAT WE WOULD, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME TYPE OF LOGO IN SOME TYPE OF, UH, MONUMENT AND ICON FOR THE, UH, FOR NAMING THE PELICAN GREEN.
AND THAT WOULD BE LITERALLY FROM GARTH TAKING A LOOK STRAIGHT BACK INTO THE GREEN AREA, UH, NEXT.
AND THAT'S A LITTLE WHIRLWIND TOUR OF WHAT WE HAVE PLANNED.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN FRONT OF YOU GUYS AND WE APPRECIATE THE ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT THAT YOU ALL HAVE CONTEMPLATED AND HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT PROVIDING US.
AND, UH, WE'LL, UH, TAKE ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY, AND THEN, UH, AND THEN GO FORWARD.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE FOR, UH, I GUESS THE, THE TEAM? UH, ALRIGHT, I JUST, THE ONLY COMMENT I'LL MAKE IS ON THE, UH, I LOVE THE COMMUNITY GATHERING AREA AND I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE WORKED EXTENSIVELY ON THAT IDEA, THE SCALE.
I KNOW IT'S KIND OF HARD TO TELL.
SO THE LENGTH, I GUESS I CALL IT KIND OF THE NORTH SOUTH IS A FOOTBALL FIELD, A LITTLE MORE THAN A FOOTBALL FIELD, IS A FOOTBALL FIELD AND A HALF.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WITH, WITH THE KIND OF THE, THE CHANGE IN RETAIL AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO, TO GATHER BUT GATHER WITH ENOUGH SPACE IN ELBOW ROOM.
AND SO I THINK THIS AMENITY IS CERTAINLY, UM, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET HERE AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR FLEXIBILITY INDEED.
UH, BUT I DO, I DO APPRECIATE IT.
AND I THINK IT WILL, IT WILL CERTAINLY ENHANCE THE, UH, THE ENTIRE COMPLEX ITSELF.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, UM, LET'S SEE.
I'M MAKING SURE NOBODY HAS SIGNED UP FOR THAT ITEM.
AT LEAST THREE A WE ARE GOING TO,
[a. Recess into and conduct an executive session pursuant to Sections 551.071 and 551.087 of the Texas Government Code to deliberate the offer of a financial or other incentive to San Jacinto Retail Associates, LLC, and to seek the advice of the City's attorneys on legal matters related thereto.]
UH, WE'RE GOING TO RECESS IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'RE GONNA ADDRESS THE, THE THREE ITEMS. THANK YOU.ALRIGHT, SO, UH, DO YOU HAVE TO READ THIS? WE WILL NOW RECESS AND A CONVENE EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 5 5 1 0 0 7 1 AND 5 5 1 0.087 TO DELIBERATE THE OFFER OF A FINANCIAL OR OTHER INCENTIVE TO SANTO RETAIL ASSOCIATES, LLC AND TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEYS ON LEGAL MATTERS RELATED TO THERETO.
SO IT'S 6 51, WE WILL BE BACK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO I'LL NOW RECONVENE OUR OPEN MEETING OF THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL AND ANNOUNCE THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 5 51 0.102 OF THE TEXAN GOVERNMENT CODE, NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[a. Consider an ordinance authorizing the return of $3,250,000.00 in City funds from San Jacinto Retail Associates, LLC. pursuant to a clawback provision within the Chapter 380 Development Agreement.]
NEXT THAT WE HAVE ITEM FIVE A, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE RETURN OF 3.25, UH, MILLION DOLLARS IN, IN CITY FUNDS FROM SAN JACINTO RETAIL ASSOCIATES, LLC, PURSUANT TO A CALLBACK PROVISION WITHIN THE CHAPTER THREE 80 DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.UM, I KNOW IT HAS THE CITY ATTORNEY ON, I'M NOT SURE YOU GUYS REALLY DO MUCH OF AN EXPLANATION.
UM, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, YOU CAN, BUT IF NOT, WE'LL JUST GO, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
UH, I DO HAVE A CITIZEN THAT THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEM FIVE A.
UM, UH, MR. ISAAC, FIVE A THREE MINUTES.
PLEASE TIP, UH, IF YOU CAN PLEASE STICK TO ITEM FIVE, A MATERIAL AND
DAVID ISAAC, 2 8 1 2 LANDMARK DRIVE.
LAST YEAR AROUND OCTOBER, THIS COMPANY, FIDELIS, CAME TO GIVE A PRESENTATION AND, AND SHOW YOU A RENDERING OF, UH, THEIR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
AND I GAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT JUST LIKE THIS, JUST LIKE,
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UH, THE TIMING HERE AND ASKED, WHERE IS R $3.25 MILLION? AND I ASKED THAT REPEATEDLY, AND I ASKED THAT REPEATEDLY OVER MONTHS NOW, UH, IT, IT DID COME TO MY UNDER UNDERSTANDING, UH, FROM ADMINISTRATION THAT, UH, PART OF THAT CLAWBACK AGREEMENT WAS TIED TO, UH, UH, ANOTHER CLAUSE, UH, TO HA HA BY DEF BY, UH, DEFAULT FOR US TO BUILD AN INDOOR MALL.SO I CAN UNDERSTAND HOW THAT CAN BE AN UNSUSTAINABLE PROJECT.
I WANNA THANK THE COUNCIL FOR KEEPING THE TAXPAYER IN MIND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $3.25 MILLION WHERE IT COULD GO, UH, HOLDING, UH, OUR DEALS THAT WE MAKE ACCOUNTABLE.
THERE'S NOTHING PERSONAL TO FIDELIS, BUT, UH, WE HAVE TO ADVOCATE FOR BAYTOWN.
AND I, I APPRECIATE FIDELIS, UH, WORKING WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL, UH, USING THEIR LEVERAGE, UH, TO, TO MAKE A DEAL, TO MAKE THE TAXPAYER HAPPY.
I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS $3.25 MILLION CLAWBACK CLAWBACK AGREEMENT.
I COMPEL THE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE ITEM THREE A, UM, I GUESS FIRST, UM, FIVE A, OH, EXCUSE ME, FIVE A.
SO ITEM FIVE A AND FIRST WE CAN HAVE A A DO WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE A MOTION TO GET INTO THAT FIRST, NEED TO APPROVE ITEM FIVE.
SO, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IT'S TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON ITEM FIVE A? WELL, I ACTUALLY HAD COMMENT AFTER, BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, YOU WANNA, IF YOU WANNA WAIT AFTER I UNDERSTAND, UH, UH, YEAH, I'D LIKE TO WAIT AFTER, YEAH.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ITEM FIVE A FROM COUNSEL? SO IF NOT, THEN I GUESS WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
UH, I OBVIOUSLY THIS IS TO GO AND RECEIVE A CHECK OF 3.25 MILLION FROM, UH, FIDELIS, UH, MR. HASSEN FLU, YOU ARE HERE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU, HOW WHAT YOU HAVE WITH YOU, BUT IF, IF YOU CAN OUR, OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER GLENN AS A CHECK RIGHT HERE AND YOU CAN, SO, YEAH, SO I, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THIS ITEM ANY ANYMORE THAN I NEED TO.
BUT IT'S RELATIVELY BIG CHECK.
CAN YOU, WOULD YOU MIND PLACING IT RIGHT HERE? A PHOTO OFF 3.25 MILLION? THANK YOU.
AND SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION, UH, WE'LL HAVE SOME COMMENTS AFTER.
BUT FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ITEM FIVE A AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THANK YOU FIDELIS FOR IN A SENSE, UH, FROM LEGAL MATTERS, MAKING THAT, MAKING THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT WHOLE.
WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE
[b. Consider an ordinance authorizing the termination of the Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement with San Jacinto Retail Associates, LLC authorized via ordinance 12,891 and amended via ordinances 13.824, 14,036, and 14,612.]
NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM FIVE B, CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AUTHOR.OH, YOU WANNA MAKE SOME COMMENTS ON THAT OR YOU WANNA WAIT TO EVERYTHING'S THAT AFTER EVERYTHING.
SO ITEM FIVE B, CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING DETERMINATION OF THE CHAPTER THREE 80 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH SANTO RETAIL LLL, UH, ASSOCIATES, LLC AUTHORIZED VIA, UH, ORDINANCE 12 EIGHT OR 12 8 9 1, AND AMENDED IN VIA ORDINANCES 13 8 2 4 14 0 3 6 AND 14 6 1 2.
SO WHAT THIS IS, IT WILL BASICALLY TERMINATE THE CURRENT AGREEMENT THAT'S IN PLACE AT THIS TIME.
SO I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM FIVE B IS PRESENTED.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM FIVE B IS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[c. Consider an ordinance authorizing a new Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement with San Jacinto Retail Associates, LLC, for the development of the area formerly known as the Baytown Mall.]
FIVE C, CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZED A NEW CHAPTER THREE 80 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH SAN JACINTO RETAIL ASSOCIATES, LLC FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AREA, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE BAYTOWN MALL OR TECHNICALLY SAN JACINTO MALL.SO WITH THAT, UM, I DO HAVE ONE, UM, INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN THAT DID SIGN TO SPEAK ON A FIVE C.
MR. ISAAC, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THE CONTRACT THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON OVER THE MONTHS AND SEEM TO BE RATHER EXCITED ABOUT TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION WITH THE SAN JACINTO MARKETPLACE IN THE CONTRACT.
THE FIRST, UH, PAGE DISCUSSES, UH, OUR PURPOSE, UH, AS A CITY COUNCIL, AS A GOVERNING BODY, AS TO WHY WE'RE MAKING THIS DEAL AND, AND GIVING THIS COMPANY A, A TOTAL OF, UH, $16 MILLION IN THE FORM OF A TAX ABATEMENT.
IT'S, WHEREAS THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS ECONOMIC INCENTIVES UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL PROMOTE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT AND STIMULATE BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IN THIS CITY.
AND THAT'S THE MOST EXPENSIVE PROPERTY IN THIS CITY.
AND WE HAD A BAD DEAL AND WE'RE OVER IT NOW.
AND WE NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THIS COMPANY.
HOPEFULLY WE ALREADY HAVE BY THIS THE WORKING PROCESS SO FAR THAT THERE IS A PUBLIC INTEREST HERE.
THERE'S A PUBLIC INTEREST, THERE'S A VESTED INTEREST FROM THE PUBLIC TO
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HAVE A PLACE TO SHOP ON I 10 AND GARTH ROAD.BECAUSE OF THAT, BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK THIS CITY COUNCIL HAS DONE, BECAUSE OF THE COMPLIANCE THAT FIDELIS HAS GIVEN US, WE'RE IN A POSITION NOW TO GET THIS PROJECT DONE.
FINALLY, I COMPEL THE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS CONTRACT.
I DIDN'T SEE AN EXPLICIT TIMELINE, DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT APARTMENT COMPLEXES, BUT I'LL LET IT GO THIS EVENING AND CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT WE GOT 3.25 MILLION DO MILLION REASONS WHY
UM, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR FIVE CA MOTION TO APPROVE.
A MOTION TO SECOND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING FIVE C.
I'LL, I'LL JUMP IN THERE AND I, I DON'T WANNA SHOOT MY COLLEAGUES' COMMENTS DOWN 'CAUSE I'M SURE HE'LL HAVE SOME.
BUT, UM, THE MAYOR DID PUT ME ON, ON ONE OF THE TASK FORCE, AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT OVER THE TIME I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, THIS HAS BEEN A TOP SUBJECT.
IT'S BEEN A TOP SUBJECT FOR A LONG TIME.
AS, AS THEY INDICATED, A SEVEN YEAR PERIOD.
UH, UH, JUST TO CLARIFY, A LOT OF THAT DRAG OUT WAS NOT ON THEIR SHOULDERS.
IT WAS JUST A COMPLICATED PROCESS AND, AND THEY WORKED DILIGENTLY THROUGH THAT, UH, GLEN AND EVERYBODY PUSHED THROUGH THAT.
UM, THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST NAYSAYERS ON COUNCIL AS FAR AS THE NEW CONTRACT WHEN IT FIRST GOT STARTED.
AND I THINK I MADE IT CLEAR IN OUR DISCUSSIONS ON SOME OF THEM, BUT I'M A CONVERT.
UM, THE DALLAS GROUP STUCK TO THEIR GUNS, THEY WORKED THROUGH IT, THEY BRINGING US, WHAT THEY SHOWED TONIGHT IS A QUALITY PRODUCT.
UM, SO I'M, I'M EXCITED ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH IT AND APPROVING IT.
UM, AND I'LL SUPPORT IT AS WELL.
BUT IT'S BEEN A, IT, A LOT OF FOLKS SAYS, WELL, WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS? IT'S A ONE, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
TWO, WE WERE NOT ON THE SAME PAGE INITIALLY, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THERE AND IT WASN'T MY PAGE, IT WASN'T THEIR PAGE, IT WASN'T THE MAYOR'S PAGE, IT WAS, BUT WE GOT TO ALL ON THE SAME PAGE EVENTUALLY.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S GOOD, HARD EARNEST WORK.
THAT'S WHAT NEGOTIATIONS ARE ABOUT.
SO, UM, SO THANK YOU TO THE FIDELIS GROUP.
THANKS TO THE MAYOR, BUT, UH, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS TONIGHT.
AND, UH, I, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A GOOD PRODUCT FOR THE CITY NOW, GIVE A COUPLE YEARS.
IF IT'S NOT, I'LL, HOPEFULLY, IF I'M STILL HERE, THEN WE'LL HAVE THAT SAME DISCUSSION.
BUT, UM, I, I THINK THEY'RE HERE TO MAKE MONEY AND THEY'RE HERE TO BRING MONEY TO THE CITY AS WELL.
AND I, I THINK THAT'S JUST A GOOD PLACE TO BE.
ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, SIR.
WE PROBABLY ALL HAVE A COMMENT.
UM, SO I DO LIKE THE NEW AGREEMENT.
UH, THERE, THERE AREN'T ANY FURTHER CASH PAYMENTS TO THE DEVELOPER.
THE DEVELOPER WILL FUND THE CAPITAL COST FROM HERE ENTIRELY.
UH, IT'S ALL SALES TAX REBATES.
THERE'S ZERO PROPERTY TAX REFUNDS THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S ACCRETIVE TO THE TAX BASE.
AND, AND I TOUCHED ON IT AT THE LAST MEETING IS THERE ARE SOME SUNK COSTS THAT THE CITY HAS INCURRED AND, AND, AND WILL INCUR.
UM, HOWEVER, AS I STATED LAST TIME, THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL OBSOLESCENCE AT, AT THAT PROPERTY WITH THAT STRUCTURE.
AND AT LEAST IN MY OPINION, WITHOUT SOME UPFRONT CITY PARTICIPATION, WE WOULD STILL HAVE A DECLINING MALL IN DISREPAIR TODAY.
SO I, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT SOME OF THOSE INCENTIVES WERE APPROPRIATE AND I BELIEVE THE LEVEL OF THOSE INCENTIVES WERE APPROPRIATE AS WELL.
UM, I BELIEVE THIS TO BE REVENUE POSITIVE FOR THE CITY IN THE LONG TERM.
UH, OF COURSE WE ALL LIKE THE GREEN SPACE AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND, AND I'M ACTUALLY THE ONE THAT TALKED ABOUT TURNOVER AND INCENTIVIZING TURNOVER AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT IN THE NEW AGREEMENT, UM, TURNOVER, UH, OR RELOCATIONS THAT RESULT IN PROLONGED VACANCIES WILL NOT BE INCENTIVIZED BY PUBLIC MONEY.
SO I, I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT AND AND APPRECIATE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THERE IN THAT REGARD.
UM, ALSO IMPORTANT, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST THE DOLLARS AND CENTS.
THERE IS A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AND THERE'S CERTAINLY A MULTIPLIER EFFECT WHERE THERE OUGHT TO BE GOOD THINGS TRICKLE DOWN DOWNSTREAM.
UM, HOPEFULLY THE RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL OUTSIDE THE CITY AS MUCH TO SHOP.
HOPEFULLY IT'S, IT'S NOT ONLY A GOOD PROJECT IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT FOR NEARBY PROJECTS AS WELL.
SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO MEASURE THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, BUT, UM, THEY'RE IMPACTFUL NEVERTHELESS, AND
LASTLY, I WANNA THANK THE DEVELOPER.
UM, AT LEAST IN MY OPINION, I, I, I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S BEEN VARIOUS SHIFTS IN THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE, IN THE POLITICAL CLIMATE.
UM, I I BELIEVE THEY'VE HANDLED ALL OF THOSE NUANCES, UM, VERY PROFESSIONALLY AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND FOR ALL OF THOSE REASONS, I'M,
[00:30:01]
I'M IN SUPPORT TONIGHT.UH, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I STOOD UP HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND SAID I DID NOT HAVE ANY FAITH IN FIDEL, THIS FIDELIS TO BRING US WHAT WE WERE ASKING AND WHAT OUR CITIZENS WERE SEEKING.
I'M GONNA SAY TONIGHT, I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN YOU.
WE TOOK A LOT OF BITES AT THIS APPLE AND THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE LEFT ARE THE SEEDS
BUT WITH THAT SEED, WE'RE GONNA GET A, A PLACE FOR OUR CITIZENS TO GO AND ENJOY THEMSELVES.
BUT YOU SAW IN THE PICTURES OF GREEN SPACE, THE SIZE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST IN HARRIS COUNTY WITH A, WITH A RETAIL DEVELOPMENT.
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT MY COLLEAGUE DOWN HERE REALLY WANTED.
THERE WAS SOME PUSHBACK, BUT WE STUCK WITH IT AND WE GOT IT.
THIS ISN'T A DEAL THAT'S JUST GONNA WORK FOR ONE SIDE, IT'S GONNA WORK FOR BOTH SIDES.
UM, I APPLAUD MY COLLEAGUES FOR STICKING TO THEIR GUNS SO THAT THE CITIZENS COULD GET A PRODUCT THAT THE CITIZENS AND WE ALL COULD BE PROUD OF.
AND THANK YOU FAIS, FOR STICKING WITH US THROUGH THICK AND THIN.
HOPEFULLY NOW YOU ALL CAN GO MAKE SOME MONEY AND WE CAN GO SPEND SOME MONEY.
UM, I, I I DID NOT THINK WE WOULD BE HERE TODAY, HONESTLY, ABOUT A YEAR AGO.
I SAID I'M DONE WITH THIS, BUT YOU ALL HAVE, UM, MADE A GREAT IMPRESSION ON ME.
UM, I JUST HAVE SOME FINAL COMMENTS BECAUSE I, I DON'T HAVE MUCH THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND I AGREE WITH ALL OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
BUT I THINK FIRST AND FOREMOST, I I I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR RESIDENTS FOR HAVING THE PATIENCE.
UM, I SAY PATIENCE LOOSELY BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG ROAD GETTING HERE.
AND OUR IDEA OF A QUALITY SHOPPING CENTER, UH, MAY BE DIFFERENT, UM, THAN OTHERS' IDEAS.
UM, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS A DESTINATION.
UM, IT IS A MAJOR SHOPPING AREA, VERY VISIBLE FROM A MAJOR HIGHWAY, AND WE JUST WANTED TO WORK TO ENSURE THAT, UM, WE GAVE, UM, OUR CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS A PLACE THAT THEY CAN BE PROUD OF.
AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL DO THAT.
I HOPE THAT YOU SHARE, UM, IN OUR SENTIMENT ABOUT THIS NEW DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I DO THANK FIDELIS AS WELL FOR, FOR COMING UP, UM, WHEN WORKING WITH US.
UH, WE DID HAVE A LONG ROAD, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, TO REALLY JUST APPRECIATE THE RESIDENTS FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH US.
AND EVERY MEETING WE WENT TO, IT WAS WHAT'S UP WITH THEM ALL.
AND SO HOPEFULLY AT THE NEXT MEETINGS WE CAN SHOW THE PRESENTATION AND THE PICTURES OF THE MALL.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTION, COMMENTS? I WAS JUST WONDERING IF Y'ALL COULD SPEAK TO MAYBE A TIMELINE, UM, THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND ON WHEN YOU THINK YOU MIGHT BEGIN THE PROJECT? YES.
UM, THE, THE MALL WILL BE DEMOLISHED THIS YEAR.
IT'S ALREADY BEING THE ASBESTOS BEING ABATED, SO IT'LL BE TOTALLY DOWN THIS YEAR.
AND THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE SUBSURFACE AND THE SURFACE INFRASTRUCTURE WILL COMMENCE NEXT YEAR WITH THE GOAL.
UH, IT'S A, IT IS A VERY LARGE PROJECT FOR OPENING OF CHRISTMAS 24 IS THE GOAL.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION, UH, MAYOR, JUST IT'S A FACT THAT I JUST DON'T THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT A LOT IS WHAT, UH, WE'VE SEEN TONIGHT IN THE RENDERINGS IS REALLY JUST THE, UM, GARTH ROAD, UH, FRONTAGE PORTION OF THIS, UM, PROPERTY.
AND SO IT IS A REALLY, UM, UH, GOOD POSITIVE FIRST STEP TO A MUCH LARGER PROJECT.
SO THIS IS JUST THE GARTH ROAD FRONTAGE THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT.
YES, THE RETAIL IS ABOUT 40% OF THE TOTAL TRACK.
SO 60% IS STILL REMAINING NOW.
A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE HAS TO GO IN 'CAUSE ROADWAYS ARE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH TO THE WEST TO CONNECT.
AND THEN THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF, UM, SIDEWALKS, LANDSCAPING, HIKE AND BIKE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE AS WELL.
UM, YEAH, NO NEED TO REPEAT WHAT MOST EVERYONE HAS SAID, BUT I AM, I'M HAPPY WITH, UM, THIS NEW AGREEMENT.
UM, I THINK AFTER THAT LAST MEETING, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL THOUGHT THERE WAS SOME WORK TO BE DONE, UH, AND REALLY JUST CREATING THAT EXPERIENCE.
I THINK A LOT OF US, YOU KNOW, MENTIONED BAYBROOK, THAT'S KIND OF, AND THIS DEFINITELY COMPARES TO THAT, IF NOT BETTER.
THE SCREEN'S GONNA BE MUCH LARGER THAN WHAT THEY HAVE DOWN THERE, AND I THINK IT WILL CREATE THAT GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR FAMILIES.
UM, AND SO I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS AS WELL.
[00:35:01]
I'LL MAKE, UH, LAST FINAL COMMENTS AND THEN WITH THAT, WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE ACTION AND THEN WE'LL HAVE SOME, SOME OTHER WEAKEST HAVE SOME OTHER COMMENTS FOLLOWED, UH, BY THAT.UM, SO FOR ME, THIS HAS BEEN A 17 YEAR JOURNEY.
AND SO I WENT THROUGH THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND, AND NOTHING, OBVIOUSLY NOTHING WAS HAPPENING AND THE MALL CONTINUED TO DECAY AND SO WE CONTINUED TO WORK THROUGH THAT.
THE PREVIOUS OWNER, AND I THINK THERE'S STILL OWNERS OF OTHER SIMILAR MALLS IN THE HOUSTON AREA THAT ARE CONTINUED TO BE IN A VERY DEPLORABLE CONDITION.
AND SO SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN FIDELIS WAS ABLE TO TAKE, TAKE OWNERSHIP OF, OF WHAT WAS THERE, UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHALLENGES THAT THAT OCCURRED THAT, THAT ARE WELL BEYOND JUST THEIR CONTROL.
THE MARKET ITSELF, SHOPPING ITSELF, AMAZON.COM, COVID, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF OF JUST HURDLES THAT, THAT WE ALL HAD TO, UM, EXPERIENCE INCLUDING YOURSELF.
AND THEN YOU HAD BANKRUPTCIES WITH, UH, SOME OF THE RETAILERS THAT WERE THERE.
THEN YOU HAD CEOS OF SOME OF THOSE THAT HAD A, UH, THAT WERE NEW TO THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, SUCH AS JC PENNY.
AND SO THEY GO THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS AGAIN OF LIQUIDATION AND WHAT WILL TAKE PLACE.
BUT THOSE ARE REASONS WHY IT TOOK SO LONG.
BUT WE'RE HERE TODAY AND THAT IS WHAT I'M, THAT'S WHAT I'M PROUD OF.
I'M PROUD THAT, UH, WHERE WE'RE AT A YEAR AGO OR SO, WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY IS A BIG IMPROVEMENT.
AND FOR MYSELF, UH, AND FOR OUR CITIZENS.
'CAUSE OUR CITIZENS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO DESERVE IT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHERE SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE TO ASK ME, 'CAUSE I HAVE IT, IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY.
I WAS AT A THIRD GRADE CLASSROOM MONDAY MORNING, 9:00 AM AND WHAT ABOUT THEM? ALL RIGHT? AND SO IT'S, IT'S THE NUMBER ONE, ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE QUESTIONS I GET IS MAYOR, AND, AND I'M SURE AS COUNCIL MEMBERS IS WHAT ABOUT THEM ALL? AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN THEY SAY, WOW, WHAT IS COMING NEXT TO SAN JACINTO MARKETPLACE? MM-HMM
I'M GLAD THAT I THINK WE WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT READY TO HAVE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WISH YOU THE VERY BEST.
UH, AS, AS YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MECHANICS IN THE AGREEMENT IS EXACTLY THAT.
UH, THIS HAS TAKEN A WHOLLY, THE, THE AGREEMENT ITSELF HAS TAKEN A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONTEXT.
SO IT'S BASED OFF YOU AND, AND FIDELIS AND, UH, BRING IN GREAT, UH, RETAILERS, RESTAURANT, ENTERTAINMENT, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE TO GENERATE SALES TAX DOLLARS.
THE SOONER YOU DO IT, THE SOONER YOU MAKE MONEY.
AND THE SOONER OUR, OUR CITIZENS GET TO ENJOY THAT, UH, WORK, PLAY, LIVE ON WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
AND SO WITH THAT, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN ALL YOUR ENDEAVORS.
IF YOU CAN SHORTEN YOUR TIMELINE EVEN BETTER, BUT IT'S A LARGE PIECE OF PROPERTY, I THINK SOME WILL BE COMING DOWN, YOU'LL, YOU'LL ABATE THE THINGS YOU NEED TO SCRAPE THE PROPERTY.
AND SO WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST IN, IN THOSE, UM, IN, IN THOSE EFFORTS.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I WILL, THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE FOR ITEM UH THREE, UH, EXCUSE ME, FIVE C.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF FIVE C, WHICH IS APPROVING THE NEW AGREEMENT WITH FIDELIS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED ITEM CARRIES.
UH, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS, AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY OTHER FINAL COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL, UH, JUST A QUICK COMMENT, UH OH, WHAT A DIFFERENCE ABOUT 10 MONTHS MAKES
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, DOING THIS FOR US.
WE INTEND TO BRING A GREAT PROJECT TO THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
UH, THE BEAUTY AS I STAND HERE AND TALK TO YOU NOW IS THAT WE CONTROL ALL 105 TO 110 ACRES.
WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SAY, SAY THAT UNTIL THIS YEAR, BECAUSE EVEN LAST YEAR, AT THE END OF LAST YEAR, WE DIDN'T, WHEN WE BOUGHT THE FINAL TRACK, WHICH WAS THE MACY'S TRACK.
AND, UM, SO NOW THAT WE HAVEN'T, WE HAVE FULL CONTROL.
WE CAN DO A MASTER PLAN, UH, WITH ALL THE VARIETY OF USERS, UH, NOT JUST THE RETAIL USERS, BUT ALSO OTHER USERS THAT WILL MAKE UP THE REST OF THE 60% AS, AS YOU NOTED.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EVERYBODY IN BAYTOWN.
UH, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THIS GENTLEMAN.
HE, HE'S A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOUR CITY TO HOLD EVERYBODY ACCOUNTABLE.
AND, UH, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU GUYS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
ALRIGHT, ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? IF NOT AGAIN? SO GO BUILD IT.
YEAH, SO I THINK YOU DO, I THINK WE ALL DESERVE AN APPLAUSE.
[6. SPECIAL DISTRICT BUDGETS FISCAL YEAR 2022-23]
MOVE ON TO ITEM.I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX, A, B, AND C IF WE CAN TAKE THOSE TOGETHER.
IS THAT FAIR? SO I TAKE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM SIX, A, B, AND C MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM SIX, A, B, AND C.
AND SO WE CAN JUST DRAW 'EM OUT AS WE NEED TO.
SO THE ITEM A IS THE BAYTOWN C, CP, D, UH, BUDGET.
[00:40:01]
THE BAYTOWN FIRE CONTROL PREVENTION EMERGENCY SERVICES BUDGET.AND ITEM C IS THE BAY, UH, BAYTOWN AREA WATER AUTHORITY FISCAL YEAR PROPOSED BUDGET.
SO WITH THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE.
SO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DID MEET THIS EVENING AND WE WERE DISCUSSING THE A AND E COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LIST.
AND, UM, WE DID ASK THE FINANCE DIRECTOR ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION Y'ALL HAD TO MOVE SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS INTO FUNDING TO THESE, UM, SPECIAL DISTRICT BUDGETS.
AND WE ASKED IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE NEEDED TO, UM, TACKLE THIS EVENING WITH THESE ITEMS. AND IT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE FINANCE DIRECTOR THAT WE, UM, CONSIDER APPROVING THESE BUDGETS AS IS, AS THE COMMITTEE'S PROPOSED THEM TO US.
AND THEN AFTER WE APPROVE OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET AND WE WANT SOME OF THOSE ITEMS TO GO INTO THESE BUDGETS, WE CAN ALWAYS AMEND THEM.
UM, AT A LATER DATE WAS THE FINANCE DIRECTOR'S RECOMMENDATION.
THEY SAID THEY NOT ONLY WANTED US TO APPROVE THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET, BUT THEY ALSO WANTED TO TAKE BACK TO THOSE COMMITTEES ARE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ITEMS THAT THEIR BUDGETS WOULD FUND.
AND I'M OKAY WITH THAT, MAYOR.
I THINK IT'S A COURTESY TO THEM WHO TOOK THE TIME TO, TO GO THROUGH THEIR PARTICULAR BUDGET, SO.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON, ON THESE THREE BUDGETS? SO, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FOR, UM, ITEM SIX A, B, AND C FOR APPROVAL OF THESE BUDGETS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.
UH, THOSE THREE BUDGETS CARRY.
NEXT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE CITY OF BAY TOWN'S FISCAL YEAR 2223, PROPOSED BUDGET.
[a. Conduct a public hearing regarding the City of Baytown Fiscal Year 2022-23 Proposed Municipal Budget.]
WE HAVE MR. ISAAC FOR ITEM SEVEN A IF YOU WANNA MAKE YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT, PLEASE.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23, PROPOSED MUNICIPAL BUDGET, I'VE SPENT SOME TIME AT SOME OF THESE WORKSHOPS.
I ATTENDED THE, UH, FINANCE COMMITTEE TODAY.
I'VE BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON IT.
ONE OF MY, UH, UH, CONCERNS OR POINTS OF INTEREST IS, UH, THE FACT THAT LITTLE LEAGUE WAS CUT IN HALF FROM 1.5 TO 8.5, UH, FROM 1.5 MILLION TO 850,000.
UM, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, BASED ON, UH, SOME OF THE RHETORIC THAT TOOK PLACE AND DISCOURSE ABOUT THE BUDGET, UH, HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH GOOSE CREEK OWNING THAT PROPERTY.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO COMPEL THE, UH, UH, UH, CITY COUNCIL TO WORK THAT OUT SO THAT THESE KIDS CAN HAVE SOMEWHERE TO PLAY AND HAVE THE BUDGET, UH, UH, THAT THEY NEED TO, UH, FLOURISH.
UH, THIS TOWN IS TRYING TO GET OVER COVID.
THIS TOWN HAS A NEW MALL ON THE WAY, A NEW BAIN ISLAND MARINA.
AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE OUR KIDS BE ABLE TO HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO AND PLAY.
UH, I ALSO HAVE ANOTHER CONCERN ABOUT OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
I'VE SPOKEN TO, UH, THE MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD ABOUT THIS, BUT, UH, THE PROPERTY THAT SITS ON NORTH PRUITT, WHICH USED TO BE AN OLD KMART, IT SITS IN AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE.
YOU MIGHT KNOW THE OWNER, MR. ANTONINI, HE'S CAME HERE BEFORE IN THE NINETIES AND IT'S STILL THERE.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD THINK STRATEGICALLY IN FUTURE BUDGETS, IF NOT THIS ONE, ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UH, ADD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND UH, UH, SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH IN THAT AREA.
UH, THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS YEAR'S MUNICIPAL BUDGET.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE STEVE KNIGHT AND I'M ASSUMING IT LOOKS IF, OKAY, IT LOOKS LIKE HERE, YOU ALREADY INDICATED THAT YOU WENT TO YIELD SOMETIME TO MR. KNIGHT, SO I THINK WE'LL DO IF WE CAN DO THAT.
UM, SO MR. KNIGHT, IF YOU COME UP, AND I BELIEVE YOU HAVE, SO YOU HAVE, UH, 21 MINUTES.
I PROMISE YOU I WON'T TAKE 21 MINUTES.
WE DID, WE DID FIDELIS AND THEY CAME WITH A $3.25 MILLION CHECK, AND THEN WE DID THAT LIKE IN 10 MINUTES.
I HAVE A PROPOSAL WHERE YOU CAN SPEND SOME OF THAT.
UH, I'M HERE REPRESENTING THE ART LEAGUE OF BAYTOWN TODAY AND, UH, I KNOW Y'ALL ARE CONSIDERING, UH, PUTTING SOME MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO DO SOME REPAIRS, IMPROVEMENTS AT THE ART LEAGUE OF BAYTOWN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL IS WITH THE ART LEAGUE, BUT IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 1954 AND IN THAT 68 YEAR PERIOD, WE'VE ONLY HAD A PERMANENT RESIDENCE.
AND THAT'S AT THE ONE 10, I'M SORRY, AT, UH, ONE 10 WEST TEXAS AVENUE FOR THE LAST 14.
UH, AND THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE CITY HAVING THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THE TYPE OF ARTISTIC OUTREACH THAT, UH, REACHES THROUGH THE REGION VIA ART CLASSES, WORKSHOPS.
WE HAVE THE, UH, RISING STARS, UH, PROGRAM.
[00:45:01]
DO A SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE THREE SENIORS AT EACH OF THE HIGH, AT THE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS, UH, EVERY YEAR HAVE THIS, UH, KID'S SUMMER ART CAMP.AND WE ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE EXHIBITIONS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF ART THROUGHOUT THE, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UH, TO, TO SAY THAT WE'RE JUST ONLY TO SAY THAT WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF THE CITY, UH, FOR PROVIDING THAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE UNDERSTATEMENT.
UM, WE ALSO, NOW, I THINK YOU CAN SAY WE SERVE AS A GOOD ANCHOR FOR THE, UH, BAYTOWN SCULPTURE TRAIL.
THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE PEOPLE REGULARLY COME IN WHO SAY, I HAD NO IDEA THIS PLACE WAS HERE.
UH, PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN, PEOPLE LARGELY PEOPLE FROM IN TOWN THAT HAVE JUST NOT BEEN DOWN THERE BEFORE, WE'VE PICKED UP SINCE, UH, THAT OPENED THROUGH LAST MONTH.
21 NEW MEMBERS, THAT'S LIKE THREE TIMES WHAT WE USUALLY GET PER YEAR AND WE STILL HAVE FOUR MONTHS TO GO.
SO THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF GROWTH GOING ON WITH US THERE.
UH, ALL OUR MEMBERS, WE HAVE NUMBER MEMBERS ACTUALLY PARTICIPATE WITH THE SCULPTURE TRAIL COMMITTEE AND THROUGH THE PUBLIC ART COMMITTEE.
SO THAT'S PR PR PROVED TO BE A QUITE PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP.
WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE AS A NONPROFIT TO OVER THE LAST 14 YEARS TO, UH, BE ABLE TO CONTINUALLY PAY OUR BILLS.
AND THAT INCLUDES, UH, TO DO MOST OF THE REPAIRS WE'VE HAD SOME ASK FOR SOME HELP, UH, FOR SOME TIME.
BUT WE'VE DONE, UH, MOST OF THE IMPROVEMENTS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MANAGE TO KEEP OUR LIGHTS ON THROUGH COVID, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE CLOSED FOR SIX MONTHS, THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF OUR MEMBERS.
WE RECENTLY HAD SOME ISSUES COME UP THAT NEEDED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.
AND I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO TIM MURPHY AND HIS CREW HERE WITH THE CITY, UH, CALLED TIM.
WE HAD, WE HAD A WINDOW KNOCKED OUT MONDAY NIGHT, AND I CALLED HIM, WELL, THEY WERE OUT THERE WITHIN MINUTES, HAD THE GLASS CLEANED UP, GLASS COMPANY OUT, AND I THINK BEFORE TWO O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON IT WAS, THE GLASS WAS REPLACED.
AND, UH, WHICH IS IMPORTANT 'CAUSE WE'VE GOT A EXHIBITION OPEN TOMORROW NIGHT, UH, WHICH BY THE WAY, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYBODY TO, IT'S THE, UH, UH, SPONSORED BY CHEVRON PHILLIPS.
IT'S THE, UH, UH, RECYCLE ART CHALLENGE SHOW, UH, SIX O'CLOCK TOMORROW NIGHT'S, THE RECEPTION.
SO, BUT ON YOUR CALENDAR, IT'S, IF YOU'RE FREE, PLEASE COME OUT.
WE, WE ALLOCATE A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET FOR OUR MAINTENANCE.
UH, AND IT'S BASICALLY WHAT'S LEFT OVER IN THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR.
AND I, AND THAT'S GENERALLY ADEQUATE THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I'VE SHOPPED THROUGH THAT BY THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR WITH, UH, SURPRISES.
SO, UH, THE VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS LIKE A MAJOR HVAC REPAIR ARE, UH, REPLACING A ROOF.
WE RECENTLY HAD A ROOF LEAK THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO.
UH, IT WOULD EITHER BE COMPLETELY UNAFFORDABLE OR, OR REALLY IMPACT OUR OPERATING CAPITAL.
UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'VE HAD IS WE'VE HAD A NUMEROUS NUMBER OF LEAKS AROUND THE BUILDING JUST IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS OVER THE YEARS.
THESE HAVE BEEN ONGOING FOR AN INDETERMINATE PERIOD OF TIME, SO THERE'S VERY POSSIBLY SOME HIDDEN ISSUES IN THE WALLS THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT NEED TO BE EXPLORED.
UH, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE REASON WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE THAT KIND OF THING WHERE YOU'RE CONSIDERING ABOUT SEE THE BUDGET.
SO THE MONEY THAT'S GONNA BE COMING IN WITH A CITY BUDGET TO AFFECT REPAIR AND REPLACE AND DO SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS IS GONNA BE A BIG DEAL TO US.
UH, IF I COULD, I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES JUST TO TALK ABOUT SOME POTENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE.
UH, AS MY WIFE AND I TRAVEL AROUND, WE MAKE IT A POINT TO GO TO THESE COMMUNITY AND MUNICIPAL SUPPORTED ART AND INSTITUTIONS WHEREVER WE GO AND JUST SEE HOW THEY'RE DOING THINGS.
IF YOU LOOK AT A PLACE LIKE NEW BRONSVILLE, THEY'VE GOT, UH, TWO, UH, CITY PROVIDED BUILDINGS, UH, SIDE BY SIDE.
THEY USE ONE SIDE FOR THEIR MEMBERS ART AND THE OTHER SIDE THEY USE FOR ROTATING EXHIBITIONS.
THEY'VE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR UPSTAIRS AREA WITH STUDIOS THAT THEY LEASE OUT TO ARTISTS AROUND THE AREA TO HELP PROVIDE WITH SOME OF THEIR INCOME.
THEN THERE'S THE BOSKY ART CENTER, UH, IN CLIFTON, TEXAS.
ANYBODY KNOW WHERE CLIFTON IS? IT'S ABOUT 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF WACO.
IT'S A TOWN OF 4,000 PEOPLE, AND THEY HAVE ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING ART CENTERS YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE, PARTICULARLY FOR A TOWN THAT SIZE.
THEY HAVE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ART SHOWS COME IN, THEY HAVE ENTERTAINERS COME IN.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S A HUGE COMPLEX.
AND BEING THAT CLOSE TO WACO AND DFW, IT'S PROVIDED A HUGE BOON FOR THE ECONOMY OF THIS SMALL TOWN OF AROUND 4,000 PEOPLE.
UH, THE CONROE ART LEAGUE IS ANOTHER ONE.
IT HAS A CITY PROVIDED BUILDING, AND IT'S BEEN, UH, SORT OF THE CENTER OF THE RENAISSANCE OF THAT DOWNTOWN AREA THERE.
WE JUST LEFT THIS, UH, UH, JUST WENT TO THIS AMAZING ART CENTER IN D IN FLORIDA.
[00:50:01]
MY WIFE HAD SOME, UH, WORK HER WORK IN AN ART SHOW THERE.AND IT WAS A, A, A CITY CONSTRUCTED BUILDING THAT IS, UM, MANAGED BY THIS UNITY ART COUNCIL THAT THAT EXHIBITION WAS PART OF A, UH, ARTIST SOCIETY SHOW.
IT BROUGHT IN 350 PEOPLE TO THAT, THAT AREA FOR A WEEK WHO WERE STAYING IN HOTELS, SPENDING THEIR MONEY IN RESTAURANTS, GOING TO THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOCAL SHOPS.
UH, AND THAT SHOW'S GONNA GO ON FOR ANOTHER TWO MONTHS, WHICH IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BRING PEOPLE IN TO THAT AREA, TO THAT, TO THAT SHOW FROM THE, UH, TAMPA, ST.
PETE AREA, WHICH IS WHAT, 3.2 MILLION METROPOLITAN AREA, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MENTIONED THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DO SOMETHING SUMMER AT THE ART LEAGUE.
WE'RE ONLY USING HALF THE BUILDING.
UH, WE HAVE A UPSTAIRS THAT'S, WE'RE NOT PERMITTED TO USE FOR THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
WE BASICALLY USE IT FOR STORAGE.
UM, DEVELOPING IT IN THE FUTURE I THINK WOULD ALLOW US TO HAVE THE TYPE OF FACILITY WHERE WE COULD ATTRACT, UH, THESE TYPE OF EXHIBITIONS, THE TYPE OF NATIONAL ARTISTS THAT HAVE LARGE FOLLOWINGS, UH, THE HOST, SOME OF THESE, UH, NATIONAL EXHIBITIONS THAT TRAVEL AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR THESE ARTIST GROUPS.
UH, PLUS WE'RE SOON GONNA HAVE A CONVENTION CENTER WITH A HYATT HOTEL HERE.
UH, WHICH WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE FOR SOME OF THESE GROUPS TO COME IN AND HAVE A CONVENTION, EXCEPT THAT THERE'S NOT REALLY A GALLERY LARGE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT 50, 60, 70 WORKS OF ART FOR TWO MONTHS AT A TIME.
SO I KNOW THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
NEXT, I THINK I NEED YOU TO, I MEAN, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, BUT I NEED YOU TO, TO TALK ABOUT BUDGET.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MENTIONING THAT TODAY IS THAT, UH, WE, AS I SAID EARLIER, THAT KIND OF MONEY THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING IN THE ART LEAGUE FOR NEXT YEAR IS GONNA GO A LONG WAY TO DO THE REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENT STUFF THAT WE NEED.
BUT I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER FOR THE FUTURE, FUTURE MEETINGS NEXT YEAR, YEAR AFTER, WHAT WE COULD DO TO REALLY INCREASE THE POTENTIAL OF THE ART LEAGUE OF BAYTOWN.
I THINK OUR PRESIDENT, UH, JAN STRUBY HAS A COUPLE OF THINGS SHE WANTS TO SAY.
UH, IF I, IF I MAY, I WANNA MAKE A, A QUICK COMMENT.
SO I KNOW MR. KNIGHT, YOU'VE, YOU PRETTY MUCH ARE THE, UH, EVERYTHING JACK OF ALL TRADES AT, AT, AT THE BUILDING.
AND SO YOU, YOU DO EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY CAN TO, TO KIND OF, UH, KEEP THINGS RUNNING.
AND SO I DO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE, THERE WAS SOME MONEY OBVIOUSLY BUDGETED FOR THE ART LEAGUE AND FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
I THINK THE IDEA WAS TO, TO GO AND, AND FUND WHAT, WHAT PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UH, AND THEY MAY BE MORE, UH, THE FIRST, I THINK SOME OF THE FIRST ASPECTS IS TO, TO ENSURE THAT THE GALLERY ITSELF, UM, IS, IS VERY PRESENTABLE.
IF THERE'S ANY IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AESTHETICS THAT, THAT THOSE COULD BE ADDRESSED AND THEN REALLY GET INTO, UH, AGAIN, OBVIOUSLY LEAKS.
WE NEED, WE NEED TO FIX LEAKS AND, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME A DA, UH, YES IMPROVEMENTS THAT, THAT, THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
AND SO SOME OF 'EM WAS OUT TODAY, I THINK FOR THAT.
SO I THINK THEY PROBABLY ALL CAN'T TAKE PLACE AT THE SAME TIME.
BUT LET'S GET, WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO, UM, AND ASK STAFF TO DO IS CERTAINLY DO AN EVALUATION OF, OF EVERYTHING AND THEN, UM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
AND, AND, AND IN A FUTURE BUDGET, WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE ACTUALLY WITH MORE INFORMATION, WITH, WITH, UH, PROBABLY A, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ALL THE NEEDS.
UM, I, I HAVE A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF THE ART LEAGUE AND, AND THE, THE ASSETS THAT YOU ARE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND EVERY EVERY EFFORT THAT Y'ALL HAVE MADE.
I SENT AN EMAIL TO EACH ONE OF YOU EARLIER IN THE WEEK, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW IT OR NOT, UH, TO INVITE YOU TO COME TO THE ART LEAGUE.
IF YOU JUST REPLY TO THE EMAIL, YOU CAN COME.
I'LL BE GLAD TO MEET Y'ALL UP THERE AND TAKE YOU A WALK THROUGH AND SHOW YOU WHAT WE'VE GOT, SHOW YOU WHERE SOME OF THE ISSUES ARE.
AND ALSO DISCUSS, AS I SAID, SOME OF THE POTENTIALS WE HAVE FOR THE FUTURE.
SO, JUST TO MAKE A BRIEF COMMENT, UM, I DID TAKE THE TIME TO, TO WALK THROUGH THE ART LEAGUE.
UM, AND, AND IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE MONEY THAT'S BUDGETED WOULD BE VERY WELL UTILIZED AND IS VERY MUCH NEEDED.
WE REALLY HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THE FUTURE, AND I'M NOT GONNA BE HERE TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE TOO MUCH, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I WANNA STICK TO THE BUDGET.
BUT IN FUTURE BUDGETS, YOU KNOW, ARTIST STUDIOS AND THAT SORT OF THING, YOU KNOW, MY, MY PREDECESSOR WAS THE ONE THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN, IN ACQUIRING THAT BUILDING, NOT ME.
AND IT TOOK US A WHILE ON COUNCIL, AND I GIVE RICK A LOT OF CREDIT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT REBRANDINGS DOWN THERE OVER THE YEARS.
SO IT TOOK A WHILE TO SETTLE ON ARTS DISTRICT.
AND YOU KNOW, THERE, THE ART LEAGUE IS A HUGE ANCHOR DOWN THERE.
AND CLEARLY I'M MORE OF A NUMBERS GUY AND NOT REALLY THE ARTSY TOP.
BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE ART LEAGUE.
[00:55:01]
I SAY, IT'S, IT'S A TREASURE IN THE AREA.IT OFFERS SO MUCH TO SO MANY, AND I, I, I WOULD, I WOULD ECHO THAT IF THERE'S THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE IN THE FUTURE TO WHERE THE CITY WOULD, WOULD SEE THE BENEFIT, WHETHER IT'S INCREASED MEMBERSHIP, UM, ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS WHERE, WHERE THEY RECEIVE, YOU KNOW, A BANG FOR THE BUCK, I CERTAINLY THINK THAT WOULD BE A, A TREMENDOUS IDEA AND A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO WEST TEXAS AVENUE.
SO I DO APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
SO LET ME, LET ME DO THIS REAL QUICK, JUST SO YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE ACTUALLY ARE IN A PUBLIC HEARING MM-HMM
SO LET ME JUST READ SOME SCRIPT AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK TO, WE HAVE, UH, MSIS IS STILL HAS YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES, UH, ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU COME HERE.
SO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY ARE BEING HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING ALL INTERESTED PERSONS THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS REGARDING THE SUBJECT OF THESE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
EVERYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK AND BE A PART OF TODAY'S HEARINGS SHOULD HAVE EITHER SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE LIST IN THE FOYER OR EMAIL THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTED TIME OF THIS MEETING.
EACH PARTICIPANT SHALL GIVE HIS, HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A PROPER RECORD OF THESE HEARINGS.
THE RULES ALLOW EACH PERSON THREE MINUTES TO PRESENT INFORMATION.
HOWEVER, I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE AS BRIEF AND TO THE POINT AS POSSIBLE.
IF YOU'RE A GROUP OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNSEL ON THE SAME SUBJECT, PLEASE SELECT A, A SPOKESPERSON TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION.
AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DIRECT THEM TO ME.
AND SO, UM, UH, WE'LL SAY THAT THIS, THIS, IF, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAD A TIME WHEN THIS STARTED ON THIS AGENDA, BUT, UH, AN I'LL CALL TO ORDER THIS PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE CITY OF BAY TOWN'S FISCAL YEAR 2223, PROPOSED BUDGET.
UM, I THINK STAFF, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A NEED TO SUMMARIZE THIS.
UM, AND SO, MS. DREWBY, YOU HAVE SIX MINUTES.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JAN STRUBY AND I TAUGHT AND COACHED IN GOOSE CREEK SCHOOLS, UH, SYSTEM FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
I'M PRESENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE ART LEAGUE OF BAYTOWN, AND I'M ALSO THE CO-CHAIR OF THE UPCYCLE ART CHALLENGE, WHICH IS NOW IN PROGRESS, WHICH YOU ALL RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO THE RECEPTION TOMORROW NIGHT FROM SIX TO EIGHT.
I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE ART LEAGUE OF BAYTOWN.
I, I TRULY LOVE BAYTOWN AND I LOVE ART.
AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY THAT WE HAVE AT THE ART LEAGUE.
UM, WE HAVE A MEMBERSHIP OF OVER 100 ARTISTS AND WE'RE ADDING CONSTANTLY TO THE NUMBER.
UM, AND OTHER PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT THE ARTS, BUT AREN'T NECESSARILY ARTISTS, THEY'RE STEPPING UP NOW.
WE'RE OFFERING MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS, ETHNICITIES, EVERYTHING TO MEET, BRAINSTORM, JUST COME IN AND JUST FIND WONDERFUL PIECES OF ART.
ALL THIS IS OFFERED IN DOWNTOWN BAYTOWN.
WE FREQUENTLY HAVE PEOPLE WHO COME IN, THEY JUST HAPPEN TO HEAR ABOUT THE PLACE FROM FRIENDS, OR THEY'RE AGAIN TOURING THE SCULPTURE TRAIL, WHICH HAS BEEN A HUGE SUCCESS.
OR THEY JUST PASS, THEY SELL THE MURAL ON THE SIDE OF OUR BUILDING AND THEY COME IN TO SEE WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON.
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE THAT WE HAVE THE GALLERY THAT WE DO IN DOWNTOWN BAYTOWN, THE HIGH SCHOOL SHOW.
UM, THEY SHOW ART AT THE, UM, AT THE ART LEAGUE.
WE HAVE ART CAMPS, WHICH STEVE MENTIONED.
WE ALSO HAVE EVENING CLASSES FOR CHILDREN.
WE HAVE ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS ANYTIME THERE'S A FESTIVAL OR ANY KIND OF EVENT GOING ON DOWNTOWN.
UM, LAST YEAR, MAYOR CAPTIO, UH, WAS ONE OF THE JUDGES FOR THE UPCYCLE ART CHALLENGE AND BECAME A MEMBER OF THE ART LEAGUE.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN HEATHER BENORTH HAS BROUGHT US TOGETHER WITH A SPONSOR TO ALLOW US TO HAVE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR UPCYCLE SHOWS IN THE ENTIRE AREA.
AND, UM, MR. PRESLEY, OUR OWN COUNCILMAN, HAS COME BY OCCASIONALLY AND VISITED WITH US AND TALKED MICHAEL, OUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW HIM, BUT, UM, HE'S AT THE POOL HALL NEXT DOOR AND HE VISITS REGULARLY JUST TO STOP IN AND CHECK.
HE EVEN TAKES OUR TRASH CANS OUT FOR US.
JUST, JUST, MY POINT TO THIS IS IT TAKES A VILLAGE AND IF YOU THINK OF WHERE OUR LOCATION, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH YOU DRIVE UP AND DOWN TEXAS AVENUE, BUT OUR BUILDING IS, IS BEAUTIFUL AND IT BRINGS PEOPLE IN.
AND, UM, WE, AS STEVE SAID, WE ARE AN ANCHOR FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST ATTRACTIVE DESTINATION ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
SO A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN WALK IN, ENJOY A FRIENDLY GREETING, WE GIVE 'EM A LITTLE HISTORY ABOUT THE BUILDING.
WE ALWAYS SAY THAT THE CITY, YOU KNOW, IS, UM, INSTRUMENTAL IN THE BUILDING AND ALSO IT JUST LETS 'EM COME INTO A LITTLE FANTASY WORLD OF ART.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU TONIGHT TO PLEASE VOTE TO HELP US STAY STRONG STRUCTURALLY SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THIS IMPORTANT CULTURE SPOT AND DESTINATION IN TOWN SQUARE FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
I HOPE YOU GIVE US THE MONEY TO HELP US OUT AND HOPEFULLY IN YOUR HEARTS SO THE BUILDING WILL BE ABLE TO BE MAINTAINED.
OKAY, SO I THINK THAT'S ALL EVERYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, SO BEING THAT THERE, NO ONE ELSE DESIRING
[01:00:01]
TO SPEAK IS SIGNED UP, I NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE CITY OF BAY TOWN'S FISCAL YEAR 2223, PROPOSED MUNICIPAL BUDGET.[b. Consider adopting or postponing the adoption of the City of Baytown Fiscal Year 2022-23 Municipal Budget.]
MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM.UM, UNLESS, YEAH, THAT'S THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS ITEM SEVEN B.
UH, WHICH, WHICH THE ITEM AS POSTED, IT'S A LEGAL POSTING THAT HAS TO BE WRITTEN THIS WAY, BUT IT IS TO CONSIDER ADOPTING OR POSTPONING THE ADOPTION OF THE CITY OF BAY TOWN'S FISCAL YEAR 22, 23 MUNICIPAL BUDGET.
SO I'D FIRST ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, FOR DISCUSSION, IF I MAY.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO DISCUSS SO THAT WE CAN REPORT OUT FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THE TASK THAT YOU ASSIGNED US.
IF YOU PLEASE MS. BEN COURT WOULD GIVE US A REPORT ON FINANCE, SHOULD THAT MOTION OKAY.
GIVES WE VOTE MOTION, I GUESS.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF, UH, DISCUSSION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
OPPOSED? SO WITH THAT, UM, NOW YOU CAN GO.
SO, UH, THE MAYOR ASKED US TO TAKE THE A AND E COMMITTEE'S, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LIST AND ASSIGN, UH, FUNDING SOURCES TO THEM.
THE A AND E COMMITTEE HAD LARGELY ALREADY DONE THAT AND WE MOSTLY AGREED WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, I WANNA JUST, UH, NAME THE, THE FEW THAT WE HAD SOME OTHER THOUGHTS ON.
SO FOR, UM, THE ART LEAGUE BUILDING, UM, IT WAS IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO FUND THIS PROJECT WITH TWO SEPARATE, UM, FUNDING SOURCES.
ONE IN A CO DEBT ISSUANCE AND, UH, HALF ANOTHER HALF IN CASH.
AND WE'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE, UH, THE AMOUNT THAT IS RECOMMENDED BE FUNDED ENTIRELY IN CASH.
INSTEAD OF SPLITTING UP THE FUNDING SOURCES, THE JENKINS PARK PAVILION, UH, UH, REPLACEMENT DESIGN, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT IT BE DEFERRED.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO, OR FOR COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER AND NOT DEFER THIS PROJECT.
AND, UM, OUR RECOMMENDATION WAS TO FUND IN CASH THROUGH MDD FOR THE AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, WE AGREED WITH THE, UH, COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION AND THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD AS A GROUP TO, UM, PAR THAT AMOUNT DOWN TO EIGHT 50.
AND, UH, SINCE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, THE CITY NOT OWNING THAT LAND, UH, BUT THERE'S A POSSIBILITY IN THE NEAR FUTURE THAT WE MAY OWN THAT LAND.
AND, BUT SINCE THAT'S NOT A CERTAINTY NOW, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE DON'T, UH, FUND THAT EIGHT 50 IN DEBT THAT WE, UH, USE CASH INSTEAD.
THAT WAY IF FOR SOME REASON WE DO NOT, UH, GET OWNERSHIP OF THIS LAND, WE DIDN'T JUST UNNECESSARILY ISSUE DEBT FOR IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER USES FOR THAT CASH.
UM, THE 100 BLOCK OF TEXAS, WE, WE AGREED WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO FUND IN CASH AND WE HAD NO PREFERENCE ON WHETHER THAT WAS THROUGH MDD OR THE GENERAL FUND.
UM, THE LAST THING THAT WE DISCUSSED, UH, AND AGREED UPON WAS CAPPING, UH, THE CO DEBT ISSUANCE AT 25 MILLION.
IS THAT, WAS WHAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION? WAS THAT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM IT IS, IF ANY, OKAY.
ANYTHING, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? SO, NOPE.
SO I DO APPRECIATE Y'ALL'S, UM, INNOCENCE INPUT REGARDING THAT AND THE FUNDING SOURCE.
SO THIS IS KINDA LIKE WHAT I WOULD WANNA SEE MOVING FORWARD BETWEEN, I GUESS, UM, COLLABORATION BETWEEN TWO SEPARATE COMMITTEES, BUT WORKING HAND IN HAND AND, UH, PRIORITIZATION OF PROJECTS AND THEN PRIORITIZATION OF FUNDING SOURCES AND, AND SO ON.
SO I THINK THAT THAT WILL WORK WELL AND THAT WILL ACTUALLY PROVIDE, I, I BELIEVE WE'LL PROVIDE, UH, CITY ADMINISTRATION STAFF, UH, A LOT BETTER CLEAR DIRECTION AS WE MOVE BUDGET TO BUDGET AND HOW ALL THINGS KIND OF FIT TOGETHER.
SO, UM, IT'S STILL, WE CAN, WE CAN DISCUSS ANY OTHER ITEMS, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE REGARDING THE BUDGET.
UH, WE DID, UH, COUNT, WE DID, UM, HAVE TWO WORK SESSIONS ALREADY, I BELIEVE.
AND I THINK WE CAN, UH, IN A SENSE, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WITH SOME OF THAT, WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK WHAT THAT, WHAT THAT REFLECTS IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET ITSELF.
UH, HOWEVER IT IS MY RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT, WE ARE HEARING FROM OUR PUBLIC, YOU'VE HEARD FROM, UM, A FEW THIS EVENING.
AND, UH, WE, LET'S TAKE THOSE THOUGHTS, UH, MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS IN IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET ITSELF.
AND THEN, UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME SCHEDULING I WOULD LIKE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE PRESENT.
I KNOW ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE HERE THINKING OUR NEXT MEETING, IF THAT'S STILL THE CASE, RIGHT? MM-HMM
SO, UH, IT'S, I BELIEVE IT'S OUR SE SECOND MEETING IN SEPTEMBER THE 22ND.
SO THAT'S WHEN I WOULD ASK COUNCIL TO CONSIDER FOR ADOPTION, UH, AFTER ANY ADJUSTMENTS ARE MADE AT THIS POINT.
CAN, CAN WE GET I GUESS, SOME, SOME COMMENTS? WE GOT 'EM VERBALLY, BUT I'D LIKE TO TO LOOK AT THEIR ACTUAL SPECIFICS FROM THE, FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
[01:05:01]
I WOULD REALLY LIKE WOULD BE OUT OF THE PROPOSED BUDGETS, A COLUMN THAT THAT CAN BE SHARED FOR INFORMATION MM-HMMFOR BOTH COMMITTEES, UM, BOTH THAT ARE FUNDED AND NOT FUNDED.
BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GONNA REVISIT SOME OF THOSE THINGS IN, IN, IN THE FUTURE AND LOOK AT POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, EITHER A FUNDING SOURCE OR POSSIBLE FUNDING SOURCE.
AND THAT'S WHERE FINANCE AND A E WOULD WORK TOGETHER WITH THAT.
UM, I'M KIND OF LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, UM, MS.
SO IF WE CAN GET THAT TOGETHER AND GET IT DISTRIBUTED TO, UH, BOTH COMMITTEES OKAY.
UH, TO ALL THE COUNCIL BE APPRECIATED.
AND THIS IS JUST, UM, MAYBE CLEANUP THAT MAY HAVE TO BE MADE AND THERE'S NO DOUBT THE VALUE THAT THE ART LEAGUE, UM, BRINGS, UM, TO THE CITY.
BUT IN TALKING ABOUT THIS ITEM, THERE ARE CONTRACTUAL, UM, ITEMS THAT WE LOOKED AT AS WELL.
AND, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE THE BAD PERSON HERE.
I'M NOT TRYING TO PLAY THE BAD, UM, OR THE ENEMY IN, IN AGAINST FUNDING ANYTHING FOR THE ART LEAGUE, BECAUSE I DO KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE, BUT, UH, WE DID TALK TO CITY STAFF AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE HOPING EVEN BEFORE OUR LAST, UM, SESSION AS AN A EAE COMMITTEE THAT WE WOULD HEAR COMMENTS BEFORE WE EVEN WENT INTO SESSION.
THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
UH, BUT IT, IT STILL WAS HELD TO US THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LEASE BUILDING AND THE CONTRACT, AS IT SAID, UM, THEY HAD NO OBLIGATION FOR THE CITY TO MAKE, UH, ANY MAJOR REPAIRS OF, UNLESS IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DEEMED UNSAFE AND, AND ALL OF THAT.
THEN WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT.
AND SO I, I GUESS MY QUESTION TO STAFF, IF, IF WE'RE IN A SENSE, UM, ALTERING THE PARAMETERS OF THE CONTRACT, DO WE NEED TO REMAKE THE CONTRACT? DO WE NEED TO DRAW UP A NEW ONE? UM, WHAT IS IT THAT WE NEED TO DO? BECAUSE, UM, I THINK TO CONTINUE IN THAT WE ARE IN ESSENCE AND, UH, WE ASKED, UM, STAFF, UM, ANDREA TO LET US KNOW WHAT OTHER BUILDINGS WE'RE LEASING TO, WHETHER IT'S NON-PROFIT OR WHETHER IT'S FOR PROFIT, WHERE WE COULD POSSIBLY BE SETTING A PRESIDENT'S THAT WE ARE SPENDING SUCH AMOUNT OF MONEY OR, UM, TO FIX A BUILDING THAT WERE IN THE CONTRACT THAT SAID THAT WE WEREN'T OBLIGATED TO DO THAT AND THAT THE REPAIRS FELL ON THE, THE LEASE C UM, AND SO THEY WEREN'T READY TO PROVIDE US A LIST OF ANY OTHER BUILDINGS.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT'S JUST, AGAIN, CLEANUP THAT WE NEED TO PROBABLY ADDRESS.
SO MAYOR AND COUNSEL IN READING THAT AGREEMENT OVER DISCUSSING THAT WITH OUR, OUR LEGAL COUNSEL, AND HE COULD CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I, I THINK I'M, I'M CORRECT IN SAYING THAT THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT ABSOLUTELY PROTECTS THE CITY FROM ANY OBLIGATION, UH, WITH REGARD TO MAKING REPAIRS, UH, TO THAT BUILDING, UH, BEYOND WHAT IS, UH, STIPULATED BY THE AGREEMENT.
HOWEVER, IT ALSO, AT THE SAME TIME, VERY CONSPICUOUSLY DOES, DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE CITY AND IN ONE AREA OF THE AGREEMENT ACTUALLY ANTICIPATES AND EMPOWERS THE CITY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, ADDITIONS, AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE BUILDING AT THE CITY'S DISCRETION.
SO I THINK ALL OF THAT, I, IT WAS A WISE AGREEMENT, UH, AND IT WAS ANTICIPATED LIKELY, I'M GUESSING BY THOSE WHO CRAFTED IT THAT ONE DAY THE CITY MIGHT WANNA DO EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND GIVING IT A FRESH, UH, LOOK.
THE ARTS, UH, UH, ASSOCIATION IS, IS REALLY OBLIGATED TO KEEP THE STATUS QUO AND TO LEAVE THE BUILDING, UH, IF THEY SO CHOOSE TO IN AS GOOD OR BETTER CONDITION AS, AS THEY HAVE IT.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TOO, MR.
UH, COUNSEL, I WOULD JUST PIGGYBACK ON WHAT MR. DAVIS SAID.
UM, IT'S NOT UNUSUAL IN A LEASE FOR, UH, A LANDLORD AND OWNER PROPERTY TO MAKE MAJOR REPAIRS LIFE, UM, UH, SAVING HEALTH SAFETY TYPE LARGE REPAIRS, EVEN WHEN THERE ARE CLAUSES THAT OTHERWISE ALLOW OR REQUIRE THE TENANT TO MAINTAIN THE BUILDING.
UM, AND IF AT ANY POINT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT LEASE AGREEMENT AND SORT OF THE, THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
[01:10:01]
WAS GREAT ABOUT THE CONTRACT IS THAT IT ALSO MENTIONED THAT L LEASES DO NOT HAVE TO PAY BACK OR WE DON'T HAVE TO RAISE THEIR RENT BECAUSE WE MADE ALL OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS.SO I APPRECIATED THAT ASPECT, UM, OF THE CONTRACT.
AND SO THE ONLY OTHER OUTSTANDING WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, IF WE DO HAVE OTHER LEASES, WHAT ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF A PRECEDENCE? WOULD WE GO BACK? AND SO IF THE CITY IS PRECLUDED TO MAKE THESE UPDATES ANYWAY, AT, AT OUR, UM, AT OUR EXPENSE, WOULD WE WANT TO JUST CONSIDER ADDING, UM, THIS TO THE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF BUILDINGS THAT ARE LEASED OUT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS NEW PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM THAT, UM, OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS, UM, PUT TOGETHER MM-HMM
THAT WOULD SAVE US IN THE FUTURE OF THESE 800 AND SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO PAY NOW.
THAT'S A GOOD POINT ON THE PERCENTAGE OF MAINTENANCE.
SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON, I GUESS WITH THE BUDGET ITSELF, BUT I MEAN, I KNOW WE GOT STUCK ON 1 1 1 AREA, BUT ANYTHING ELSE ON, ON THE BUDGET ITSELF? WE DID STUCK ON ONE AREA AND SO DO APPRECIATE ALL THE INPUT.
MR. MAYOR, I HAVE A GENERAL POINT, UH, AND I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU FOR THE COLLABORATIVE AND, UH, INCLUSIVE NATURE OF YOUR DISCUSSIONS THROUGH THE WORK SESSIONS AND OBVIOUSLY THE, THE WORK OF THE, THE TWO COMMITTEES IN THIS.
HOWEVER, UH, WE ARE SOMEWHAT UP AGAINST IT IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE.
UM, THE 22ND OF SEPTEMBER IS JUST ABOUT YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO APPROVE THE BUDGET.
UM, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY ON THAT EVENING TO MAKE ANY FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET.
AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT FROM THE DISCUSSIONS YOU'VE HAD TO DATE, YOU WANT TO SEE AMENDMENTS TO THE CURRENT BUDGET.
SO I'M REALLY SEEKING YOUR GUIDANCE ON THAT.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ENCAPSULATE IN A REVISED BUDGET TO PRESENT TO YOU ON THE 22ND, THE DELIBERATIONS FROM YOUR BUDGET WORK SESSIONS, FROM THE WORK OF THE A AND E COMMITTEE AND ALSO FROM THE WORK OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
BUT GIVEN THAT WE DO NEED TO MODERATE THAT IN SOME WAY, SO THAT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE, UH, I REALLY WOULD LIKE YOUR GUIDANCE ON I WOULD LIKE ME TO DO THAT.
LET ME PROVIDE YOU MY THOUGHTS.
SO, SO WE HEARD FROM OUR PUBLIC WE'RE NOT, UH, I WOULD, I'M GONNA EXPECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO POSTPONE, UH, THIS ITEM, UH, TO, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE FOR, FOR CERTAIN EITHER A DATE OR TIME PERIOD, UM, ON THE, I BELIEVE IT'S THE EIGHTH OR NINTH, BUT OUR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER, ONE COUNCIL MEMBER WILL NOT BE HERE.
WHAT I'LL EXPECT WOULD BE TO HAVE AN ITEM AGAIN, UM, FOR ANY DISCUSSION, ANYTHING THAT WE'VE EXPRESSED THIS EVENING, ANYTHING THAT OUR CITIZENS EXPRESS THIS EVENING, UM, TO REFLECT THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
SO WE WILL GIVE, IN A SENSE, I WOULD ASK COUNSEL, GIVE YOUR FINAL INPUT.
SO THAT YOU CAN, CAN GO AND FINALIZE THE BUDGET.
AT THAT POINT, YOU, YOU'D HAVE TWO WEEKS, BUT, UH, ONCE IT'S PROPOSED ON THE 22ND, WHICH I'M, I'M SURE IT MAKES YOU NERVOUS, BUT I HAVE THE ABILITY TO CALL.
I'M NEVER NERVOUS, MR. MANAGE, IF I NEED TO, I WILL CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.
WE DO, WE HAVE TO THE 30TH, RIGHT? CORRECT.
DO YOU HAVE UNTIL THE 27TH, MR. AMERICA? BE PRECISELY.
BUT, BUT YEAH, WE'D HAVE, WE COULD CALL A SPECIAL MEETING IF NEEDED.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CASE.
AND SO ON THE 22ND, I WOULD, I WOULD PLAN THAT WE DO ADOPT THE BUDGET AS, AS AT THAT POINT, AS WRITTEN PRETTY MUCH FROM ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM OUR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.
IS THAT FAIR? UH, THAT THAT'S FAIR.
SO AM I HEARING YOU RIGHT? YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING AT THE FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER THAT IS A REFLECTION OF WHERE YOU'VE GOT TO DATE IN THE HOPE THAT THEN ON THE 22ND THAT WILL BE YOUR FINAL BUDGET? YEAH, AND I THINK THE ONLY AREAS THAT I, I WANT, UM, IN MY COMMENTS, UM, AND I'LL JUST PUT IT OUT THERE, I JUST, I THINK FOR ME, CONTINGENCY WISE, I'D LIKE TO SEE 2 MILLION AS A REFLECTION ON CONTINGENCY.
I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE IN BETWEEN, BETWEEN THE 3.25 THAT WAS PRESENTED, UH, TO MEN IS, IS, IS I THINK, DOABLE, UH, IN, IN THE BUDGET.
UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WE FOCUS IN ON 75 DAYS RESERVE.
I WANNA MAKE SURE COUNCIL'S OKAY.
UM, I THINK COUNCILMAN LESSER, I THINK THE MAIN THING HE WAS TRYING TO PREVENT IS THAT WE DON'T PUT 90 OR SOMETHING AND END UP AT ONE 20 AND 'CAUSE WE, WELL HOPEFULLY WE DO END, END UP WITH A FEW MORE DAYS, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DOUBLE IN A SENSE.
AND SO AS HE SAYS, WHEN MONEY, WHEN MONEY IS, IS KIND OF JUST KIND OF JUST STAYS, UM, ON THE SHELF, THEN WE'RE NOT REALLY, UM, ADDRESSING THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
SO WITH ALL THOSE COMBINATIONS, I THINK WE'LL BE FINE, BUT THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
AND THEN THE TAX RATE WILL REFLECT, UH, UH, A A, UH, UH, AND THEN
[01:15:01]
FOR THE MOST PART RESPECTIVELY A A SIGNIFICANT TAX RATE REDUCTION.SO WITH ALL THOSE, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS ON IT.
IF COUNSEL HAS ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS, I WOULD, I WOULD TELL YOU CAN SAY IT NOW OR FORWARD IT TO STAFF, BUT LET'S, LET'S GET IT TAKEN CARE OF ON OUR FIRST MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.
AND IT'S ONLY FAIR, UM, YOU GAVE US THE BUDGET TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE, SO I HAVEN'T HEARD MANY COMMENTS REGARDING ACTUAL BUDGET LINE ITEM DIFFERENCES.
IT WAS MORE FROM A MACRO LEVEL OF, OF HOW TO FINANCE AND WHAT TO FINANCE.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT THERE.
I KNOW IT, IT, IT, YOU WOULD LOVE A, A BUDGET ALREADY PASSED, BUT, UM, I THINK WE'LL GET THERE, UM, IN, IN, IN PLENTY OF TIME.
AND TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH WITH A LOT OF INPUT AND A LOT REALLY IN AN IMPROVED FINANCIAL ASPECT, UH, AND PRIORITIZATION OF PROJECT ASPECT OF WHAT WE CAN HANDLE.
SO, UM, I THINK THE END, I THINK THE BUDGET WAS, WAS WELL, WELL WRITTEN, BUT I THINK OUR UNDERSTANDING AS A COUNCIL AND DIRECTION ON THOSE THINGS HAVE ALSO IMPROVED OUR UNDERSTANDING TOO.
SO IT'S VERY HELPFUL, YOUR HONOR.
I'M SORRY, I HAVE ONE, UM, OTHER QUESTION THAT I WAS LOOKING AT IN TERMS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION AND MOVING THINGS OVER TO CASH, DOES THAT MEAN THAT'S ALLOCATED TO BE IN PROJECTS THIS YEAR SINCE IT'S A 23 BUDGET? AND WOULD OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT, UM, WITH CURRENT PROJECTS ON THE TABLE? SO, SO THE ANSWER IS YES, IT WOULD BE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, IT WOULD BE FUNDED FROM CASH AND WE WERE ASSURED TONIGHT THAT, UH, THERE WOULD BE, UH, THE STAFF AVAILABLE TO, TO DO THOSE.
THE ONLY THING I HAVE TO ADD, MAYOR, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID.
UM, THE SIGNIFICANT TAX BREAK AS YOU INDICATED, I'M LOOKING AT 2.5, WHATEVER YOU GOTTA DO.
SO, YOU KNOW, WITH A, WITH THE FINANCE GROUP, IF IT MOVES SOME FUNDS AROUND WITH CASH AND STUFF LIKE THAT, I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO IMPACT THAT.
ONE FINAL COMMENT THERE, JUST IF I CAN.
SO I'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME COMMENTS PREVIOUSLY.
UM, SOMETIMES I'M NOT A HUGE FAN OF AD HOC COMMITTEES AS I'VE EXPRESSED, BUT I, I DO GIVE YOU CREDIT MAYOR IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS HELPFUL AND, UH, IT, IT WAS A GOOD IDEA.
SO I, I I WANNA LET YOU KNOW, UH, EXPRESSED MY GRATITUDE TO A, A GOOD PROCESS WAS PUT IN PLACE THIS YEAR.
OKAY, ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? SO WITH THAT, I DO NEED TO, WE HAVE A MOTION WAS TO DISCUSS, I NEED TO NOW A MOTION, UH, FOR, UH, POSTPONEMENT MOTION OF, UH, THE, THE BUDGET, UM, APPROVAL.
I WOULD, I WOULD ASSUME, UH, 22ND.
CAN YOU SAY SEPTEMBER? UH, MOTION TO THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER.
MOTION TO SUSPEND TO THE 22ND.
OH, YOU'RE GONNA, OKAY, THAT'S EVEN BETTER.
NO LATER THAN THE 20 NO LATER THAN THE 22ND.
WELL, THE 22ND, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GONNA CONSIDER IT ON FOR AN ACTUAL VOTE.
BUT IF WE NEED ANOTHER ONE, WE CAN ALWAYS CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.
SO YEAH, WE'RE GOOD SUSPENDED THEN.
SO, OKAY, SO THE MOTION THAT IS PRESENTED THAT, UH, IS POSTPONED THIS AGENDA ITEM TO SEPTEMBER 22ND.
SO IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT? SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF POSTPONE IT UNTIL THE 22ND OF, OF FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[a. Conduct a public hearing concerning a request to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 0.33 acres of land located at 315, 319, and 325 E. Defee Avenue from a Mixed Residential at Low to a Medium Densities (SF2) to a Neighborhood Serving Commercial (NSC) zoning district.]
TO ITEM EIGHT A.SO THIS IS AGAIN, A PUBLIC HEARING.
IT'S THE SAME SCRIPT THAT I JUST EXPRESSED.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO YIELD THAT TIME TO SOMEONE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
UM, I THINK EIGHT A, LET ME SEE.
I DO, I DO, DO NOT HAVE ANYONE THAT HAS BEEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR IT.
THAT, UH, IF YOU CAN AT LEAST SUMMARIZE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE ITEM ITSELF.
AND THEN I WILL OPEN UP THE, UH, WELL, LET ME OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING ITSELF.
SO I'LL CALL TO ORDER THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED REZO, APPROXIMATELY 0.33 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED AT, UM, 3 15 3 19 AND 3 25 EAST EFE AVENUE.
UH, THANK YOU MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, UH, FOR THE RECORD, MARTIN SCRIBNER WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
SO, UH, WHAT WE HAVE TONIGHT IS A REZONE FOR THIS IS A TOTAL OF ABOUT A THIRD OF AN ACRE ON OVER THREE LOTS ON EAST DFE.
UH, THIS IS BEING, THE REQUEST IS FOR REZONE FROM SF TWO, WHICH IS THE, UM, MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL TO, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL.
UM, CURRENTLY WHAT WE HAVE ON THE SITE IS WHERE YOU SEE IN YELLOW, UM, THOSE ARE THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES.
THOSE ARE ACTUALLY THE BACK HALFS OF THE, THE PIECES THAT THE PROPERTIES THAT FRONT UP TO TEXAS.
UM, THERE ARE CURRENTLY BUSINESSES IN THE, UM, IN THE, THE BUILDINGS THAT FACE TEXAS AVENUE.
AND SO RIGHT NOW THERE IS, UH, PARKING FOR THOSE BUSINESSES ON THE SUBJECT PROPERTIES.
UH, THE CURRENT ZONING DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THAT PARKING, BUT THE PARKING IS NEEDED.
UM, THE, UM, SO HERE'S THE ZONING MAP CURRENTLY,
[01:20:01]
UM, THAT WOULD TAKE SOME OF THAT SF TWO TO NSC, WHICH DOES BUTT UP TO, UH, OTHER NSC THAT'S ALONG, UH, TEXAS AVENUE.UH, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DOES SHOW IT AS A MIXED DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, UH, OVER THE LONG HAUL, BUT THAT ALSO DOES ALLOW FOR SOME NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL TO BE PART OF THAT.
AND WE HAD THIS AT, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING IN JULY, AND WE HAD NO OPPOSITION TO THAT AT THAT MEETING.
SO, UH, STAFF AND PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION BOTH RECOMMEND, UH, APPROVAL OF THIS TO YOU TONIGHT.
UH, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM ITSELF.
UM, WE HAVE, WE WILL HAVE AN ACTION ITEM THAT'S FOLLOWED.
UM, SO BEING THAT NO ONE HAS DESIRE DE DESIRED TO SPEAK HAS SIGNED UP, I, I'LL CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED REZONING OF THE LAND THAT I JUST DESCRIBED, WHICH IS 3 15, 3 19 AND 3 25 EAST DFE AVENUE.
[b. Consider an ordinance to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 0.33 acres of land located at 315, 319, and 325 E. Defee Avenue from a Mixed Residential at Low to Medium Densities (SF2) to a Neighborhood Serving Commercial (NSC) zoning district.]
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO, I MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT B.CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP TO REZO APPROXIMATELY 0.33 ACRES AT THE ADDRESSES I JUST DESCRIBED.
UM, FROM A MIXED RESIDENTIAL AT LOW TO MEDIUM DENSITIES, WHICH IS SF TWO TO A NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT.
SO I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, FOR APPROVAL OR DISCUSSION OF ITEM EIGHT B, MOVE TO APPROVE EIGHT B SECOND.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION, I MEAN YOU HAVE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS QUESTION? YES, SIR.
UH, IF, IF THIS IS, THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT, COULD THEY PUT COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES ON THOSE LOTS? UM, A AS WE'VE MENTIONED IN THE PAST, ANY REZONE TO A STRAIGHT ZONE DOES ALLOW FOR ANYTHING THAT IS ALLOWED IN THAT ZONE.
SO RIGHT NOW IT'S USE THIS PARKING, BUT IF WE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, THEN THEY COULD GO IN AND PUT AN ACTUAL COMMERCIAL BUSINESS THAT HAS NOTHING BUT RESIDENTIAL ALL THE WAY AROUND IT.
THEY COULD, BUT, BUT WHAT WE'RE APPROVING IS NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL, NOT GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
SO IN THEORY IT WOULD BE COMPLIMENTARY COMMERCIAL AND WOULD SERVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO ACCORDINGLY, I I DON'T HAVE AN OBJECTION TO IT.
YEAH, JUST GONNA BE CLEAR THAT THEY COULD PUT A NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING TYPE COMMERCIAL BUSINESS RIGHT NEXT TO A RESIDENTIAL.
THAT'S WHAT THE ZONING CODE ALLOWS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE ZONING CODE ENCOURAGES IN NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL.
SO IT'S LIKE THE THAT IS CORRECT.
THE LOFTS, UM, WHAT IS IT, UM, A V'S APARTMENT WHERE THEY HAVE THE APARTMENTS ON THE TOP AND THEY HAVE THE BUSINESSES ON THE BOTTOM.
SO IT COULD BE THE SAME THING.
I'M NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSED, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THERE ARE REGULATIONS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE MET AND THEORETICALLY NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL IS GOOD FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THEORETICALLY, NEIGHBORHOODS ARE NEIGHBORHOODS SERVING.
COMMERCIAL IS MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN THE GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
SO IT'S, WE'RE WE'RE NOT IN DANGER OF HAVING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, A BIG, A BIG BUSINESS OR A CAR WASH OR SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE IMPACTFUL.
IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD SEE, SEE NORMALLY AS A SMALLER TYPE OF BUSINESS THAT DOES, AGAIN, SERVES THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITSELF.
SO, UM, STAFF UNDERSTANDING THAT STAFF DIDN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THAT.
AND LET ME ASK, THIS IS, 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE ACTUALLY HAD A REQUEST IN A SENSE FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL.
UM, I UNDERSTAND WHY WE CREATED IT MANY YEARS AGO.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS.
THERE'S SQUARE FOOTAGE RESTRICTIONS, THERE'S, I THINK DRIVE-THROUGH RESTRICTIONS.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT DEPENDS ON THE USE.
UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK THAT UP.
I WANT, I WANT TO SAY IT DOESN'T ALLOW A DRIVE THROUGH, BUT I MAY BE WRONG.
I JUST, I, I REMEMBER IN, IN THE AREA, UM, I THINK IT WAS THE, UH, MARKET STREET AND STERLING AREA.
I THINK THERE WAS, WE HAD THE JACK IN THE BOX IN THERE AND THERE WAS ABOUT THE DRIVE THROUGH, WAS IT TOO LOUD AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
BUT, UM, YEAH, SO WE'LL, WE'LL TAKE IT OUT.
BUT USUALLY IT IS A PRETTY COMPLIMENTARY COMMERCIAL ELEMENT TO, TO BE WITHIN A NEIGHBORHOOD.
I, I BELIEVE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT THE DRIVE-THROUGHS IS, UM, THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA GIVE YOU THE WRONG INFORMATION.
I, I GET IT, BUT I, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY CORRECT.
YEAH, IT COULD BE SOMETHING ARY, IT COULD BE, I DON'T KNOW, A D DONUT SHOP OR SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY MINIMAL, MINIMAL IMPACT, SMALL LOT SMALL PARKING AND, AND THAT'S WHY IT WAS CREATED, I BELIEVE FOR RIGHT, FOR THE, FOR IN FACT THESE TYPE OF AREAS ITSELF.
ANY, ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE FOR APPROVAL OF ITEM EIGHT B.
UH, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[a. Conduct a public hearing concerning a request to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 25.20 acres generally located at the southeast intersection of Sjolander Road and IH-10 from Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a General Commercial (GC) Zoning District.]
ITEM CARRIES.WE GO ON TO ITEM NINE A CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING.
SO AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME SCRIPT ON FOR ITEM NINE A.
THERE, THERE IS NO ONE THAT I SEE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
BUT I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO, IF YOU'D LIKE TO, UM, SUMMARIZE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF, OF THE, OF THE, UH, ITEM ITSELF.
I WILL OPEN UP THE MEETING AND CLOSE IT, UH, AFTER THAT.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU.THIS IS, UH, 25 ACRE REZONE AT, UH, THE CORNER OF SLANDER AND I 10 FROM OPEN SPACE RECREATION TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
UM, AS WE KNOW WHEN PROPERTIES ARE ANNEXED, THEY AUTOMATICALLY BECOME OPEN SPEC RECREATIONAL BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST RESTRICTIVE ZONE THAT WE HAVE.
SO IT'S SORT OF A PLACEHOLDER UNTIL THEY GET SOME PLANS FOR SOMETHING.
UM, WE DID, UH, REZONE THE PROPERTY TO THE EAST, UH, LAST YEAR SOMETIME FOR, UH, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
AND AS, SO THE, THE PROPERTY JUST ADJACENT TO THE EAST IS BASICALLY ALL SLATED FOR DETENTION.
THIS PROPERTY, AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, IS NOT, IT WOULD, THIS WOULD BE SPECULATIVE TO GO TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC PLANS.
THERE ARE NO USERS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO STAFF'S ATTENTION.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DOES SHOW, UH, A LARGE SCALE COMMERCIAL, UH, PLANNED FOR THAT CORNER.
IT, IT IS, UH, ON SLANDER ROAD.
THERE'S UM, IT, IT IS NEAR RESIDENTIAL TO THE SOUTH.
UM, AND THE ZONING MAP CURRENTLY SHOWS SOME COMMERCIAL ON THE CORNERS AS WELL AS, UH, OPEN SPACE RECREATION.
UH, A SMALL PIECE JUST TO THE EAST.
UH, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, THE REST OF THAT PROPERTY IS, UH, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR YOU.
SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
SO LET ME, LEMME DO THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO I'LL CALL ORDERS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED REZONING OF THE 25.2 ACRES LOCATED AT THE SOUTH SOUTHEAST INTERSECTION OF SLANDER ROAD.
AND I 10 STAFF HAS JUST SUMMARIZED TO CERTAIN MATTER OF THIS, UM, ITEM AND THERE IS NO ONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SO I'LL NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED REZONING OF THE LOCATION I JUST DESCRIBED.
[b. Consider an ordinance to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 25.20 acres generally located at the southeast intersection of Sjolander Road and IH-10 from Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a General Commercial (GC) Zoning District.]
THAT, WE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NINE B, UM, WHICH IS CONSIDERED ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE OFFICIAL ZONING MAP TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 25.2 ACRES OF THE PROPERTY I JUST DESCRIBED FROM OPEN SPACE RECREATIONAL, UH, TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL ZONING.UM, WITH THAT I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION OR APPROVAL.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION.
ALRIGHT, SO I HAVE A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, COUNCILMAN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS FIRST.
YEAH, I MEAN, FOR ME, UM, I DO THINK, UH, AT THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY HERE, IN MOST CASES, GENERAL COMMERCIALS PROBABLY A GOOD FIT.
UM, THE BIGGEST ISSUE I HAVE WITH IT IS THAT, UM, THERE'S NOTHING FOR US TO APPROVE RIGHT NOW TO GO ON THAT GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
UM, AND THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME WHEN THERE IS RESIDENTIAL DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PROPERTY.
UM, I THINK, UH, IF WE HAD A SPECIFIC USE DEFINED, IT GIVES THOSE RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS.
UM, I THINK SOME THINGS IN IN GENERAL COMMERCIAL THEY MAY BE VERY HAPPY WITH.
UM, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE PERMITTED BY GENERAL COMMERCIAL, UM, I DO NOT THINK THEY WOULD WANT DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THEM.
AND SO WITHOUT HAVING THAT DEFINED AND GIVING THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, TO PROVIDE THEIR INPUT ON IT, UH, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS AT, AT AT THIS TIME.
NO, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THAT? WELL, JUST LEADS ME TO THE QUESTION OF DID THE APPLICANT SPECIFY OR MENTION ANY SORT OF PROPOSED USE NOW OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE AT THE, I THINK OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS STAFF HAS HEARD PLENTY OF DIFFERENT SPECULATION, BUT NO, AT THIS TIME THEY'RE NOT INDICATING ANY SPECIFIC USES AND, AND IT'S, UM, THE SAME OWNERSHIP THAT THAT'S ITERATED OTHER USES PREVIOUSLY, IT'S UNDER THE SAME OWNERSHIP.
I MEAN, WOULD YOU, THAT, THAT I'M NOT SURE OF.
WHAT WERE SOME OF THOSE USES THAT HAVE BEEN ARTICULATED? IF YOU DON'T, UH, THAT, UH, LET'S SEE.
WE, WE'VE HEARD, UM, I KNOW TRAVEL CENTER CAME UP BEFORE, NOT TRUCK STOP, UH, BECAUSE TRUCK STOP IS NOT ALLOWED AT THIS, UH, AT THIS INTERSECTION.
UM, AGAIN, I MAY, LET'S SEE, I THINK OUR, OUR APPLICANT IS, IS HERE TONIGHT.
SO, UM, I WOULD ASK, UH, MS. FOSTER TO OKAY.
UH, MAYBE ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS FOR YOU.
SO MS. FOSTER, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING TO PODIUM, I THINK YOU KNOW THE DRILL AND SO IF THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE US, PLEASE.
I LIVE 47 30 MOHEGAN BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 1.
UM, THIS PROPERTY IS SPECULATIVE AT THIS POINT.
UM, THERE WAS ONE OWNER THAT OWNED THAT ENTIRE 60 ACRES, MOVED FORWARD WITH REZONING AS MR. SCRIBNER SAID LAST YEAR FOR A PROJECT THAT THEY WERE VERY AWARE OF.
UM, THIS PARTICULAR ACREAGE LEFTOVER 25 ACRES.
THERE IS NO USE, THEY'RE THINKING RETAIL RESTAURANT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE MARKET STUDY IS TELLING THEM.
[01:30:01]
NOT WANT TO SELL AND CONFIRM ANYTHING IF THEY DON'T HAVE ABILITY TO USE IT FOR ANYTHING.'CAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU YOU CAN'T USE IT FOR ANYTHING.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE EVEN TALKED ABOUT DOING SOME OF THE, UH, DESIGN WORK AND SO FORTH AND UM, YOU KNOW, FRANKLY THEY JUST DO NOT WANNA USE AND SPEND THAT MONEY IF THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING.
AND RIGHT NOW WITH THE ZONING, THERE'S NO USES ALLOWED.
SO, UM, IF I CAN OFFER A COMMENT, I, YOU KNOW, I I GET SOMETIMES WITH GENERAL COMMERCIAL AND I WOULD AGREE WITH, WITH THE COMMENTS, UH, FROM COUNCILMAN HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES GENERAL COMMERCIAL IS WELCOME DEPENDING ON WHERE IT'S AT.
AND, AND, AND IT'S THE BEST FIT AND, AND IT MAY BE THE BEST FIT HERE TOO, BUT GENERAL COMMERCIAL IS A VERY BROAD ZONING.
THERE'S SOME MINIMAL IMPACT TYPE USES, BUT THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WOULD BE, UM, NOT COMPLIMENTARY TO, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME ALREADY RESIDENTS IN THE AREA.
IT DOES FRONT I 10, I GET THAT.
SO I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE KNOWING REALLY WHAT IS, WHAT IS PROPOSED.
SO, UM, P AND Z I'M NOT SURE WHAT THEIR RECOMMENDATION WAS ON THIS OR, UH, THEY DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL, UM, BECAUSE IT IS FOR LAND USE OPPOSED TO A SPECIFIC, A SPECIFIC USE AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO THEY DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME THINGS THAT IS APPROPRIATE AT THAT SITE, BUT FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT DOESN'T WORK AT THAT SITE.
SO THINGS LIKE THE TRAVEL CENTER, WHICH, UM, THEY DID I THINK BEFORE I WAS INVOLVED, UH, WE'RE LOOKING INTO AND THAT KIND OF THING THAT DOES, THAT DOESN'T WORK.
THAT'S NOT EVEN ALLOWED AT THAT SITE.
UM, THE OWNER DOES KNOW THAT, THAT, UM, THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THEY CAN DEVELOP A FULL 25 ACRES.
SO THAT'S ONE THING IN A PRETTY, BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION AND SOME HISTORY THAT YOU ALL MAY KNOW OF FROM, UM, HURRICANE IKE AND HARVEY AND SO FORTH, THERE'S UH, SOME SIGNIFICANT DETENTION THAT WILL BE REQUIRED AT THAT SITE.
SO THAT'S A LOT OF LAND ACTUALLY THAT WON'T BE DEVELOPED.
AND SO FOR ME, WHAT WOULD MAKE ME MORE COMFORTABLE, I DO NEED AN IDEA OF WHAT COULD GO THERE.
UM, COULD GO, OKAY, WELL, I MEAN I KNOW, I MEAN BESIDES BY ZONING, NOT, NOT WHAT'S WOULD BE ALLOWED BY GC, BUT I WOULD, I WOULD ASK THAT THE APPLICANT OR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPER IN ANY WAY IF I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE KNOWING WHAT, WHAT THEY'RE REALLY PRESENTING.
I REALLY WANNA SEE A SITE PLAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME BUFFERING, I GUESS THAT'S, UH, NEEDLE POINT OR YEAH, NEEDLE POINT ROAD.
AND THAT WOULD, I WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
AND THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF ASPECTS WHEN IT COMES TO, OKAY, IT COULD BE GC IT AND IT COULD BE A RESTAURANT, BUT UM, BUT IT COULD BE SOME THINGS THAT ARE, THAT ARE, UM, WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE AREA.
AND SO WHEN I CAN SEE A SITE PLAN AND I CAN LOOK AT THE TYPE OF BUFFERING TO KIND OF MITIGATE, UM, IF IT'S NOISE ABATEMENT OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, IT, I WOULD BE MORE COMFORTABLE.
FOR ME, FOR ME, AND I WILL TELL YOU TO HOW TIME SENSITIVE IS, IS, IS APPROVAL OF THIS.
AS ALWAYS, THEY'RE ALWAYS TIME SENSITIVE.
UM, THEY DO HAVE A CONTRACT AND THEY WILL NOT CLOSE OR DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT UNTIL THEY KNOW THEY CAN USE THE PROPERTY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT MAY BE IT.
UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU FROM BUFFERING, UM, ON NEEDLEPOINT, YOU DO HAVE THAT PIPELINE, WHICH IS A NA NATURAL BUFFER OF 60 FEET OR SO THAT CANNOT AND WILL NOT BE BUILT UPON, UH, WHICH IS VERY GOOD, UM, IN THAT AREA.
CAN YOU POINT TO WHERE, WHERE THAT'S OUT, WHERE THAT'S AT ON THIS, ON AT LEAST THE, OKAY, SO THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD SPOT IT, RIGHT? MM-HMM
YEAH, SO THAT'S ACTUALLY, SO THAT'S 60 FEET OBVIOUSLY RIGHT AWAY.
AND SO THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN.
AND NOW SOME OF THIS PROPERTY IS CLEARED.
I THINK IT'S PARTIALLY CLEARED SOME OF IT.
THIS ACT, THIS PROPERTY HAS A, A INTERESTING HISTORY.
BUT YES, SOME OF IT WAS CLEARED YEARS AGO WHEN THEY WERE USING A USE THAT WHAT WE WOULD CALL, UH, IMPROPER I THINK.
AND THEN IT WAS ANEX IN AND SO FORTH.
UM, SO YES, WELL, AGAIN, I THINK THINGS ARE TIME SENSITIVE.
I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD.
I BELIEVE GC IS PROBABLY GONNA BE STILL THE BEST ZONING FOR IT.
UM, THERE IS LI IN THE AREA THERE.
UM, SO I WAS GLAD THAT IT, IT WASN'T THAT.
'CAUSE LI EXISTED THERE, UM, A WHILE BACK.
UM, BUT I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE APPROVAL WISE IF KNOWING A SITE PLAN AND, AND ANYTHING TO MITIGATE, MITIGATE THAT IF POSSIBLE.
SO IF YOU CAN COMMUNICATE TO, TO THE FOLKS, IF THEY CAN PRESENT AND GIVE US AN IDEA AND, AND, UM, WE CAN, WE CAN KIND OF CONSIDER THAT MAYBE WE POSTPONE THIS AND IF THEY CAN COME BACK IMMEDIATELY.
UM, SO I WOULD NOT, I WOULD NOT SUGGEST DENIAL OR APPROVAL.
BUT, BUT AT LEAST, UM, BUT MAYBE POSTPONE IT TO, TO, TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT QUESTION FOR YOU.
ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR USES THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IN THAT AREA? UH, PROBABLY LEAVE IT UP TO THE COUNCILMAN, BUT I THINK IT JUST BECOMES RESERVATION FROM YEAH.
I DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC I'M LOOKING FOR.
IT'S JUST, I, I REALLY WANT THERE TO BE SOME KIND OF IDEA OF WHAT, WHAT THEY, YOU KNOW, ARE PROPOSING JUST SO THAT, THAT THE RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA HAVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC TO CONSIDER
[01:35:01]
AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON.I THINK IT'S MORE OF WHAT THEY WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THERE.
IT'S EASIER TO, THEN YOU HAVE A LIST OF THE NOT LIKES
AND THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT IS JUMP IN THERE TIFFANY.
MY CONCERN WOULD BE HOW MUCH TRAFFIC A UNIT DUMP ON A NEEDLE POINT.
UM, WELL THAT'S, SO THAT'S WHERE THAT, THAT, UM, PIPELINE EASEMENT HELPS.
THERE WILL BE NO ACCESS ON NEEDLE POINT.
THERE CAN'T BE NO ACCESS ON NEEDLE POINT.
THERE'S NO ACCESS ON NEEDLE POINT.
UH, IT CAN'T BE, IT WON'T BE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE DEVELOPER WOULD WANT.
AND ACTUALLY AT THIS CORNER, THEY MUST DO A TRAFFIC IMPACT ANALYSIS, JUST LIKE THE FOLKS ON EITHER SIDE HAVE DONE MM-HMM
UM, AND PROVIDE WHATEVER INFRASTRUCTURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEEN, UM, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH STAFF PRELIMINARY, OUR ENGINEERING STAFF IS WIDENING OF NEEDLEPOINT AT THAT IN, IN THAT AREA.
NOT, EXCUSE ME, NOT NEEDLE POINT OF SHOW IN THAT AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRAFFIC CONTINUES TO FLOW AT THAT INTERSECTION.
AND, AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS MY CONCERN.
YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING GOES IN THERE AND THEY DID HAVE ACCESS TO, TO NEEDLE POINTS CLAIM, WE DON'T WANT TO ADD MORE COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC OR, BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE DEALT WITH THE INDUSTRIAL IS NO TRAFFIC ON POINT IMPACT, NO IMPACT ON NEEDLE POINT.
NO, NO TRAFFIC ON, ON NEEDLE POINT.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING ABOUT THE SITE PLAN ISSUE IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN PREPARE A SITE PLAN FOR ANYTHING YEP.
THAT'S ALLOWED IN GENERAL COMMERCIAL AND THEN THERE'S NOTHING THAT, UM, TIES THEM TO THAT SPECIFIC SITE PLAN.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING, IS THERE ANYTHING, ARE THERE ANY PROJECTS THAT YOU'RE LIKE ABSOLUTELY NO USE, WHICH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT I'D, I COULD TAKE BACK TO THAT.
I THINK, I THINK LET'S EXCLUDE CERTAIN THINGS.
LET'S, AND IF YOU CAN GIVE A GENERAL SITE PLAN REGARDLESS OF, OF, I MEAN ASK THEY HAVE AN IDEA, HAVE AN IDEA OF BUILDING STRUCTURE, UH, DETENTION, ALL THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I I WOULD PROBABLY MOVE FOR POSTPONE POSTPONEMENT UNTIL WE KNOW, HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF EITHER WHAT COULD GO THERE OR WHAT THEY ARE CERTAINLY NOT PROPOSING.
I WOULD JUST ECHO THAT, MAYOR.
I MEAN, TO SPEND MONEY ON DESIGN MM-HMM
TYPICALLY YOU HAVE SOME IDEA OF A PROPOSED USE IN ORDER TO UTILIZE THOSE DOLLARS WISELY.
THAT, BUT THAT IS PART OF THE POINT AS WELL, IS HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE INVEST IN SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T USE AT ALL RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE, I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
I THINK THIS WILL BE FOR YOU, MARTIN.
UH, YOU MENTIONED IT AND I, IT, I WENT BACK AND WATCHED THE P AND Z MEETING ON THIS AND IT WAS MENTIONED THERE AS WELL THAT THIS COULD NOT BE A TRUCK STOP.
UM, BUT I LOOKED AT THE GUIDELINES FOR GC AND I DIDN'T REALLY SEE THAT IN THERE.
THE ONLY, IT BASICALLY SAID TRUCK STOPS HAD TO GO ALONG I 10 OR THOMPSON, WHICH THIS IS I 10.
SO WHY, WHAT PROHIBITS THIS FROM BEING A TRUCK STOP, UH, TRUCK STOP.
IT'S VERY SPECIFIC, UH, LANGUAGE IN THE CODE THAT SAYS IT HAS TO BE WITHIN I THINK 2000 SQUARE, 2000 FEET SQUARE, UH, 2000 FOOT RADIUS OF THOMPSON, SO OH.
AND NOT SO WHERE THE TRUCK STOPS ARE NOW.
THAT'S ALL YOU CAN I READ OR, BUT THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
NOT EXACTLY A GEOGRAPHIC GEOGRAPHICAL.
I HAVE A QUESTION OR, OR A COMMENT.
I THINK THINGS LIKE THIS, I MEAN, Y'ALL TOOK THE TIME TO COME UP HERE AND, AND PRESENT AND HOPE THAT WE HAVE A VOTE.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S STILL QUESTIONS, SO I COMPLETELY GET THAT AND WANNA RESPECT THAT.
BUT I WONDER IF PERHAPS THIS IS WHERE BRETT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GETS TOGETHER.
'CAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT EVEN FOR SMALL BUSINESSES, IS THAT WE DON'T WANT THEM TO WASTE THEIR TIME IN DESIGN WORK AND, AND DOING THINGS AND COMING UP HERE TO TRY TO GET AN APPROVAL AND THEN WE SHOOT IT DOWN OR THERE'S ROADBLOCKS BECAUSE OF OUR, UM, ZONING AND CODE ENFORCEMENT.
SO I'M WONDERING IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM CAN WORK WITH Y'ALL OR, OR LOOK AT WHATEVER PIECE OF LAND THAT WE HAVE IN THE AREA AND BEGIN LOOKING AT POSSIBLE INVESTORS FOR THE, FOR THE PLANS.
AND THIS PROJECT ACTUALLY STARTED, UM, WITH MR. GUARD'S OFFICE ABOUT USES, UM, AND WHAT THEY COULD GO THERE.
AND SOME OF THE USES YOU DON'T WANNA SEE THERE, OF COURSE, TRUCK STOPS, RV PARKS, UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT EGREGIOUS WAS NOT WORKING.
AND SO THEY CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, WHEN THEY GOT INTO THE TYPES OF RETAIL AND, AND RESTAURANTS AND DOING THE DESIGN WORK FOR THAT, THAT'S WHEN THEY SAID, YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE WANNA DO, BUT WE ARE NOT READY TO INVEST IN THAT AT THIS TIME BECAUSE IT, THERE'S NO ALLOWED USES.
AND SO THAT, THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE, THE CONVERSATION STALLED AND SAID, WELL, LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET OUR ALLOWED USES AND THEN WE CAN START THE, THE DEVELOPMENT OF, OF THE PROPERTY AND START THE DESIGN PROCESS.
SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IF THEY'VE TALKED TO BRETT AND THEY'VE DECIDED WHAT SHOULDN'T GO THERE, IT ALMOST SOUNDS AS IF THEY'RE LEANING TOWARDS
[01:40:01]
RESTAURANT AND OTHER THINGS.BUT I CAN UNDERSTAND NOT WANTING TO GIVE TOO MUCH INFORMATION FROM A DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THEY JUST SAID NO TRUCK STOP.
WHAT ELSE DID YOU NAME? NO, NO TRUCK STOPS.
NO TRAVEL CENTERS, NO RV PARKS.
UM, YEAH, LET, LET LET ME ASK WHAT TYPE OF DOCUMENT OR WHAT TYPE OF WAY CAN WE, CAN THE DEVELOPER, A DEVELOPER OR THAT DEVELOPER GO ON RECORD THAT THAT, THAT THEY'RE NOT BRINGING THAT, THAT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL COMFORTABLE, AT LEAST THE CERTAIN THINGS I CAN, YEAH.
THERE, THERE IS THE OPTION FOR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
UM, THEN, AND I'M MAYBE SPEAKING ON RETURN NOW, BUT THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT, ARE YOU DOING THE CONTRACT ZONING AND THAT KIND OF THING.
AND UNFORTUNATELY OUR GC IS VERY BROAD HERE.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, SO FOR DEVELOPERS THEY LIKE A GC BECAUSE IT GIVES THEM THE OPTIONS.
BUT IF THIS DEVELOPER ALREADY KNOWS IT'S RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL, IT'S RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL, WILL WE BE ABLE TO GET THEM TO SAY EXACTLY WHAT RESTAURANT AND EXACTLY WHAT RETAIL, THEY'RE NOT EVEN ANYWHERE CLOSE, I GUESS.
WELL, I, I NEED SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS THEM OR THEMSELVES TO LET US KNOW YES, WE ARE INTERESTED IN RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL.
THEY'RE INTERESTED IN RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL.
SO, SO WITH THAT, I GUESS, UM, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE AT, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THAT? SO NOT THEN I GUESS WE CAN VOTE ON THIS.
I WOULD LIKE TO STILL, I MEAN LET'S POSTPONE EVEN IF IT'S JUST ONE MEETING.
LET THE RESIDENTS KNOW THEY'RE PROPOSING RESTAURANTS AND RETAIL OKAY.
AND GIVE 'EM AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO SPEAK.
SO FOR FOR THE RECORD, WE, WE DID NOT HAVE ANYBODY SHOW UP TO THE PUBLIC HEARING AT, AT P AND Z.
WE DID GET A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON THE, ON THE BAYTOWN ENGAGE SITE AND THEY WERE, UM, THEY, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC, WHICH I, I THINK, UM, MS. FOSTER HAS, HAS KIND OF ANSWERED THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND THE OTHER ONE WAS, IT'S ZONED OPEN SPACE, UH, RECREATION.
WE WANT IT TO STAY OPEN SPACE RECREATION AND BE A PARK, WHICH IT WAS NEVER PLANNED FOR THAT.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I HAVE THE, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP UP ON THE SCREEN AND IT IS SLATED FOR LARGE SCALE COMMERCIAL IN THE COMP PLAN.
SO, SO WITH THAT THEN I GUESS I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR POSTPONE IT TO WHATEVER MEETING YOU WANNA PICK.
I MEAN, SEPTEMBER 8TH, WE YOU SHOULD DO IT.
NO, NO MORE THAN SO MANY DAYS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. MAYOR.
OH, SO IS THAT DELIVERABLE? YOU STILL WANT THEM TO DESIGN A SITE PLAN FOR SOMETHING? 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
NO, I WOULD JUST SAY WITH THAT IT WAS MORE WHAT IS, WHAT IS, 'CAUSE GC IS SO BROAD.
IT IS IF, IF, UH, IF WE CAN GO AND AT LEAST IDENTIFY RETAIL OR RESTAURANT, THEN WE CAN.
SO JUST THE LIST OF, I THINK WE CAN BE COMFORTABLE POTENTIAL USES THAT THEY WANTED.
IT HAS TO BE WHO, IT JUST HAS TO BE WHAT.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO HEAR FROM THEM AND, AND HOW CONVICTED IN THEIR CONVICTIONS IN THE PROJECT AS WELL IN THE RESTAURANT AND RETAIL CONCEPTS.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR POSTPONEMENT.
DID YOU SAY 30 DAYS? YEAH, NO MORE THAN 30 DAYS.
I THINK WE ALREADY HELD MOTION.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE POSTPONEMENT, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[a. Conduct the second public hearing regarding the proposed annexation of approximately 55.49 acres generally located east of North Main Street between East Wallisville Road and FM 1942.]
WE MOVE ON TO ITEM 10 A, WHICH WHICH LUCKY US IS ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.AND SO I'M JUST GONNA DOUBLE CHECK NOBODY HAS SIGNED UP FOR THAT.
SO IF YOU CAN, UH, LET ME OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, NOW CALL THE ORDER, ORDER THE SECOND PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION APPROXIMATELY 55.49 ACRES, GENERALLY LOCATED EAST OF NORTH MAIN STREET BETWEEN EAST WALLACE ROAD AND FM 1942.
PLEASE SUM, IF YOU CAN PLEASE SUMMARIZE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS HEARING.
UM, SO 10 A AND 10 B ARE, UM, SO SECOND PUBLIC HEARING AND THE FIRST READING OF THE ORDINANCE FOR THIS IS THE SECOND PIECE OF THE BAY CREEK DEVELOPMENT FROM CASTLE ROCK.
UH, THAT WAS THE FIRST HALF WAS DONE TO THE SOUTH, UH, LAST YEAR OR ZONED LAST YEAR.
UH, AGAIN, YOU'VE SEEN THIS ONE RECENTLY, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO NO, THIS, SINCE THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THIS, THERE'S BEEN NO ONE DESIRE TO SPEAK.
MR. MAYOR, COUNSEL, I JUST WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THE PLANNING STAFF AND LEGAL STAFF DISCUSSED THIS PARTICULAR ITEM BECAUSE THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING WAS BEFORE YOU LAST MONTH, AND THERE WAS A TYPO THAT WE JUST LEARNED ABOUT, UH, THIS WEEK.
[01:45:01]
UH, CALLED THE PROPERTY 62, APPROXIMATELY 62.02 ACRES.THAT IS NOT, UH, ACTUALLY TRUE.
UH, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT DOES NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS A SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE OR A NOTICE ISSUE, BUT I DID WANNA BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
THAT THAT IS ALSO UNDER, UH, CONSENT ITEM F WHERE THERE'S AN AMENDMENT TO THE SERVICES AGREEMENT.
THAT'S ALL THAT IS, IS CHANGING THAT, THAT UH, UM, ACREAGE NUMBER AS WELL.
SO ANYWAY, SO, UM, I BELIEVE WE CLOSED THE, THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF, OF THAT WE
[b. Consider the first reading of an ordinance for the proposed annexation of approximately 55.49 acres of land situated in the George Ellis League, A-21, Harris County, Texas, located generally east of North Main Street between East Wallisville Road and FM 1942.]
MOVE ON TO 10 B, WHICH CONSIDER THE FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE FOR THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 55.49 ACRES OF LAND SITUATED IN THE GEORGE ELLIS LEAGUE, A DASH 21 HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS LOCATED GENERALLY EAST OF NORTH MAIN STREET IN BETWEEN EAST WALLACE FIELD ROAD AND FM 1942.SO I GUESS I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM 10 B FOR, UM, THE FIRST READING I GUESS.
BUT, UM, MAYOR, I'LL BE ABSTAINING FROM THIS ITEM.
AGAIN, THIS IS JUST THE, A READING OF THE ORDINANCES ITSELF, RIGHT? THIS BEGINS THE PROCESS, IT'S NOT APPROVAL, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM 10 B AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[a. Consider an ordinance awarding the Annual Residential Solid Waste Collection, Disposal, and Recycling Services Contract for the City of Baytown to Best Trash, LLC. ]
CARRIES.WE HAVE ITEM 11 A, WHICH IS CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AWARDING THE ANNUAL RE RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING SERVICES CONTRACT FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN TO BETHS BETH TRASH LLC AS YOU MR. SEMINO.
I DO HAVE ONE, UM, INDIVIDUAL THAT DID SIGN UP, I BELIEVE, UM, ON THAT.
UH, MS. LOPEZ, DID YOU JUST WANNA JUST RESERVE SOME TIME LATER? OKAY, MR. SEMINO, GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UH, ITEM 11 A IS CONSIDERING AN ORDINANCE AWARDING A RESIDENTIAL SOLID WASTE CONTRACT WITH BEST TRASH CONTRACT IS A FIVE YEAR TERM.
UH, AS EXPLAINED IN THE WORK SESSION, STAFF EVALUATE PROPOSALS FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT AND BEST TRASH AND STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THE PROPOSAL FROM BEST TRASH.
SINCE THEY PROVIDE THE BEST PROPOSAL AND THE BEST PRICE, THEY HAVE, UH, MANY REFERENCES FOR EXCELLENT SERVICE.
UH, THEY AGREED TO ALL THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT.
WASTE MANAGEMENT DOES, DID NOT AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT AND PROVIDED OVER 10 PAGES OF EXCEPTIONS TO THE CONTRACT, WHICH THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO COMPROMISE ON BEST TRASH.
PROPOSED SEVERAL OPTIONS INCLUDING A BAG COLLECTION AND 65 GALLON, UH, RECYCLE CART OPTION FOR $21 AND 45 CENTS PER MONTH, WHICH IS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.
UH, THERE ARE OTHER, UH, OPTIONS FOR CART COLLECTION OFFERED BY BEST INCLUDING A 95 GALLON, UH, TRASH CART AND 65 GALLON RECYCLE CART FOR $28 AND 75 CENTS PER MONTH.
UH, YOU HAVE, UH, STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION, SO I'LL WAIT FOR YOUR DIRECTION.
OKAY, SO WHAT I HEAR IS, IS THE PROPOSAL IS A, NOT THE, THE 90, THE 95 GALLON, OR EXCUSE ME, THE 96 GALLON.
SO THE, THE RECOMMENDED OPTION BY STAFF IS A, UH, A BAG COLLECTION WITH A 65 GALLON RECYCLE CART FOR $21 AND 45 CENTS PER MONTH.
SO, BUT IF, YES, BUT IF, IF, LIKE MYSELF, I'LL JUST PUT MYSELF, SO I THINK I'M USING THE 64 GALLON, 65 GALLON, THE 65 GALLON, 65 GALLON, UH, CART IN A SENSE.
UM, AND SO WOULD THAT BE AVAILABLE? WOULD THAT BE, WOULD THAT BE, WOULD PICKED UP BY BEST TRASH IN THIS PROPOSAL? SO MY UNDERSTANDING, I I I COULD HAVE MR. YEAH, YOU CAN ASK SOMEBODY JUST ANSWERED.
UH, THEY WOULD ONLY PICK UP TRASH CANS.
WELL, CAN, WELL CAN, YEAH, I'M GONNA SAY CANS, BUT RECEPTACLES, I'M NOT SURE WHAT, WHAT TERM YOU WANT TO USE, BUT, UH, SO NO MORE THAN 50 GALLONS.
SO THEY'RE LIMITED TO 50 GALLONS, SO YOU COULD PUT OUT MORE THAN ONE TRASH CAN.
UM, BUT IT CANNOT BE THE LARGER CARTS UNLESS THE CITY GOES WITH THE CART OPTION, WHICH IS MUCH MORE RESTRICTIVE IN THE AMOUNT OF TRASH THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE RESIDENTS.
SO, SO I WOULD BE LIMITED AS, AS A, AS, UM, AS A USER, RIGHT? AS A CONSUMER OF THE SERVICE.
IF YOU WANTED TO USE, YOU COULD JUST PUT THE BAGS OUT.
SO LEMME TELL YOU WHY THAT WON'T WORK FOR ME.
I LIVE NEXT TO A NATURE CENTER, OKAY.
AND SO PUTTING BAGS OUT OF TRASH IS
[01:50:01]
RIGHT, IS BASICALLY I'LL BE PICKING UP TRASH EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY.SO THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THE REALITY.
AND SO, UM, BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THAT BOAT, BUT I'M JUST GIVING YOU AN EXAMPLE.
UM, THAT THAT'S, I HAVE A LOT OF RESERVATION AS YOU CAN SEE ON, ON, ON NOT PUTTING OUT A 65 GALLON, UM, TRASH RECEPTACLE.
SO YOU COULD USE A GARBAGE CAN, BUT NO MORE THAN 50 GALLONS.
SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT EVERYONE, BECAUSE I MEAN I DRIVE OUTTA MY NEIGHBORHOOD, A LOT OF PEOPLE ALREADY OWN CARTS THAT ARE OVER THIS 55 GALLON.
SO BASICALLY, IF WE GO WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, THOSE CANS ARE NOW USELESS TO EVERYONE THAT OWNS WINE, THAT IF YOU GO WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT OR BEST TRASH, THOSE CANS ARE USELESS.
SO THE, THE, THE ONLY PROPOSAL FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT IS A, UH, A CART CART ONLY, ONLY OPTION, A CART THAT THEY PROVIDE.
AND THE BEST TRASH CART OPTION IS ALSO A CART THEY PROVIDE.
ALL THE CART OPTIONS ARE PROVIDED BY THE CARTS THEY PROVIDE.
YEAH, SO OUR CARTS ARE USELESS REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DO.
THAT'S GOOD TO, THAT'S ALL MY POINT.
BUT I DON'T WANNA PUT BAGS OF TRASH OUT, BUT IT, THERE'S ETSY
I MEAN, I HAVE KIDS STILL PLAY IN IT OR SOMETHING, SO I LIKE TO HEAR FROM COUNCIL, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S MY, JUST, JUST MY RESERVATION.
I, I UNDERSTAND THE CAPACITY LIMITATION TO SOME DEGREE.
UM, BUT I WILL SAY I FOLLOW UP, I FOLLOW UP MY 65 GALLON YES, SIR.
PRETTY MUCH EVERY, EVERY TIME IT'S PICKED UP.
I I THINK THIS OBVIOUSLY LEAN FOR MORE DISCUSSION, SO I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND IT FOR 30 DAYS AND THEN WE GET SOME MORE DETAIL.
I, I THINK, I THINK OUT OF THE OPTIONS, BECAUSE I THINK THERE WERE SIX OPTIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED.
I KNOW THIS IS BECOMING TIME SENSITIVE, BUT WE, WE NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT, IT'S DECEMBER.
AND THEN WE NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO SEE A MATRIX OF WHAT HAS BEEN EXPRESSED BY COUNSEL.
MY, CERTAINLY MY RESERVATION IS I WANNA USE A TRACK, WELL, I, I WANNA USE ONE TRASH, RECEPTACLE, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.
UH, I DO NOT WANNA PUT BAGS OUT AND SO I NEED EITHER OR I NEED, I NEED A MATRIX OF, OF WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WITH OPTIONS THAT ARE ON THE TABLE.
'CAUSE NOW, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, AGAIN, I EXPRESS, YOU KNOW, 96 GALLONS, 65 GALLONS, UH, ON MY RECYCLE, YOU KNOW, I PROBABLY PUT OUT, I PROBABLY PUT THAT OUT EVERY OTHER WEEK.
I THINK 90, THE, THE, THE LARGE TRASH CAN THAT WAS OUT HERE OR WHATEVER THAT WAS.
UM, I THINK THAT'S SUFFICIENT, BUT, AND A LOT OF US ALREADY HAVE THAT MM-HMM
UM, SO WITH THAT, I, I WOULD AGREE THAT, THAT WE NEED TO REALLY SEE AND MAYBE GET SOME MORE INFORMATION, UM, REGARDLESS IF IT'S WASTE MANAGEMENT OR BEST TRASH.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT AND I'D LIKE TO SEE ALL THE OPTIONS GOING TO, TO SOMETHING.
AND I GUESS, UH, BEST TRASH, UM, I THINK THE PRICE POINT YOU SAID WAS $28 AND 75 CENTS, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR THE CART OPTION.
I, BECAUSE OF THE CART, I'M SURE THERE'S SOME CAPITAL ASSET INVESTMENT FROM, FROM, FROM THEM ON THAT, SO I, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT I THINK I'M GONNA FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE LOOKING AT A MATRIX OF, OF EVERYTHING AND THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE THERE THERE IS A MATRIX IN THE PRESENTATION THAT DAY, THE WORK SESSION.
UH, I'D LIKE, I CAN GO BACK TO THAT.
LET'S, I'D JUST LIKE TO CAUTION YOU THAT WE'RE NOT, I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION.
IF I PUSH TO IT, I'M GONNA VOTE NAY.
SO I THINK SUSPENDING IT FOR 30 DAYS THAT WE DISCUSS THIS, I THINK THIS IS GONNA BE NECESSARY.
MAYOR, IS THERE ANY NEW INFORMATION, MR. SEMINO, THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE US AS YOU, AS YOU PROBABLY CAN SEE, THIS IS NOT GONNA GET VOTED ON TONIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, CAN WE DISCUSS THE REPERCUSSIONS OF PUSHING IT, MAYOR, JUST SO COUNCIL IS AWARE? SURE.
THAT, THAT I WAS JUST GONNA LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS A TIME SENSITIVE ISSUE.
THERE IS A IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
UM, UH, EITHER COMPANY HAS TO PURCHASE NEW CARTS.
AND I DO GET, WE WERE RUN OUT OF TIME.
BUT, BUT LET ME TELL YOU, SO THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONTRACTS OUR CITY CAN EVER FACE WHEN IT COMES TO CONTACT WITH OUR CITIZENS.
WE, WE, WE, OBVIOUSLY, WE ALL GET CALLS WHEN, WHEN THINGS HAPPEN.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT JUST HAPPEN OPERATIONALLY.
IF I'M GONNA GO AND, AND MAKE A DECISION ON PRICE TO A COMPANY, UM, THAT DOES HAVE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
IF I'M GONNA LEAVE ONE THAT I HAVE VERY LITTLE COMPLAINTS ON FROM A GRAND SCALE TO SOMETHING NEW, AND THAT'S COST SAVINGS, I WANNA MAKE SURE I GET THE DECISION RIGHT.
IT'S ONLY FAIR TO ME, IT'S ONLY FAIR TO COUNSEL.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND IT'S TIME SENSITIVE.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO DRAG THIS OUT.
WE'LL BE MEETING IN TWO WEEKS.
I THINK TWO WEEKS IS, IS STILL, UM, I KNOW THE SUPPLY SUPPLY CHAIN
[01:55:01]
WITH SOME OF THE ASSETS NEEDED.BUT I GOTTA GET IT RIGHT AND I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA BE FORCED INTO A DECISION TONIGHT.
IF THAT WAS, IF THAT WAS THE CASE, THEN Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE STARTED A LONG TIME AGO.
IS THERE A DEADLINE, A, A HARD STOP DATE THAT Y'ALL HAVE IN MIND? THE, THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN INCLUDED ADOPTION TONIGHT, SO, UM, I NEED TO GO BACK AND SEE IF WE CAN STILL MEET OUR DEADLINES.
I THINK TWO WEEKS, UH, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO WORK, BUT YEAH, I KNOW WE PUSHED IT BACK FROM ONE MEETING.
RIGHT? BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE COUNCIL HERE.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT DECISION.
I THINK ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN INPUT.
AND SO WE DID PUSH IT BACK TWO WEEKS AND PUSHING IT BACK TWO MORE WEEKS.
BUT IF THAT WAS THE, BECAUSE WE KNEW THIS CONTRACT WAS DUE FIVE YEARS AGO.
RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S A SURPRISE.
AND I DON'T LIKE BEING SURPRISED OR FORCED INTO A DECISION LIKE THIS THAT'S THIS IMPORTANT.
THAT'S WHERE I'M, I WASN'T, I WASN'T TRYING TO PUSH IT.
THAT, THAT IT'S TIME SENSITIVE, BUT IF IT WAS, THEN OTHER, OTHER ACTIONS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN PRIOR TO TONIGHT.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO SUSPEND IT FOR NO MORE THAN 30 DAYS.
AND, AND IF WE SET IT FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, THAT'S FINE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? POSTPONE IT FOR 30 DAYS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
WE'LL REVISIT THIS VERY SHORTLY.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL GO TO, UH, LOOKS LIKE
[b. Consider a resolution granting the petition for the proposed annexation of approximately 53.67 acres of land, generally located at the northeast corner of N SH 146 and FM 1405.]
12 A WAS ADDRESSED.CONSIDER RESOLUTION GRANTING THE PETITION FOR THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 53.67 ACRES OF LAND GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF NORTH, UH, HIGHWAY STATE HIGHWAY 1 46 AND F FM 1405.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME YOU'VE SEEN THIS ONE.
SO THIS IS BASICALLY THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE APPLICATION FOR A VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION FOR 53 AND A HALF ACRES AT, UH, 1 46 AND FM 1405.
UH, THIS IS ALSO GONNA BE GOING THROUGH THE REZONE PROPERTY, UH, THE REZONE PROCESS TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
UM, WHAT YOU SEE IS THE, UH, THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF IT WOULD BE, UH, TENTATIVELY SLATED FOR TWO LARGE, UH, WAREHOUSING TYPE OPERATIONS OR BUILDINGS, I SHOULD SAY, WITH YOU SEE THAT THERE'S A STRIP THERE THAT WOULD NOT BE PART OF THE ANNEXATION.
AND THEN THERE IS A SMALL, UH, THERE'S A SMALL PIECE TO THE NORTH THERE THAT IS ANNEXED THAT WOULD REMAIN AS OPEN SPACE RECREATION AS A BUFFER TO THE, UM, TO THE RESIDENTIAL THAT LIES TO THE NORTH.
SO, AGAIN, THIS IS THE VERY FIRST TIME YOU'VE SEEN THIS.
UH, YOU WILL SEE THE, UH, THE FOLLOWING PIECES OF THE ANNEXATION ITSELF AS WELL AS THE REZONE.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO, TO REALLY GO THROUGH THAT TOO MUCH TONIGHT.
BUT THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.
SO REMIND ME AGAIN, WHAT IS, WHAT IS EXPECTED TO BE, TO BE BUILT HERE? IF THIS WAS CHANGED, IT WOULD BE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
UH, AGAIN, THE, THE, THE INITIAL, UH, SITE PLANS THAT STAFF HAS SEEN IS TWO, UH, LARGE WAREHOUSING STRUCTURES BUILDINGS.
SO TONIGHT, TONIGHT ALL WE'RE DOING IS ACCEPTING THE ANNEXATION APPLICATION.
SO, SO THIS IS JUST GRANTED A PETITION, ALLOWING THEM TO, TO PETITION FOR IT.
SO, AND, AND DIRECTING STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER THE SERVICES AGREEMENT.
SO WE HAVE ITEM 12 BI ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, FOR I GUESS, UM, THE ITEM ITSELF.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE 12 B SECOND.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT TRAFFIC? BECAUSE I KNOW WE GET SOME COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS WITH CLARK ELEMENTARY BEING THERE.
WE HAVE NOT YET GOTTEN INTO THAT, UH, STAGE OF ANALYSIS.
WE, WE WILL GET TO THAT, UH, PRIOR TO THE NEXT SET OF, UH, THE NEXT ROUND.
WE'LL, WE'LL PROBABLY HIT THAT MORE WHEN WE GET TO THE REZONE.
'CAUSE AS THIS WOULD BE ANNEXED, IT WOULD BE ANNEXED IN AS O AS OR SO THAT IT, LIKE I SAID, AT THIS STAGE, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT YET.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTIONS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[13. CONSENT All Consent Agenda items listed are considered to be routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Council Member requests, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the agenda.]
UH, NEXT WE HAVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS A THROUGH J.I WANT TO PULL A, I NEED TO PULL F.
SO WE HAVE F AND A, YOU SAID? YES.
SO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEMS A THROUGH J, UH, ASSUMING A THROUGH J, BUT EXCLUDING F AND A MOVE TO APPROVE CONSENT ITEMS A THROUGH J.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THAT CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND THEN LET'S TAKE ITEM A FIRST.
CONSIDER, UH, AN ORDINANCE OF AWARDING A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTED T CONSTRUCTION LLC FOR THE ANNEXATION UTILITIES
[02:00:01]
AT CONLEY AREA.MS. BRINKLEY, IT HAS YOUR NAME.
UM, SO, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM.
SO IF YOU MAY ASK YOUR QUESTIONS, I GUESS.
WELL, I JUST WANT TO HEAR WHAT ALL IS GOING ON WITH IT AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT IT'S ON HERE.
I'LL JUST, UH, GIVE A LITTLE SYNOPSIS.
THIS IS OUR ANNEXATION UTILITIES PACKAGE, ONE PROJECT IN THE CONNELLEY AREA.
WE HAD A VERY LONG PROCESS TO GO THROUGH THE BID FOR THIS.
UM, WE HAD ONE BIDDER, DESPITE MANY, MANY OUTREACH EFFORTS, LOTS OF PLAN HOLDERS.
BUT ON BID DAY WE HAD ONE BIDDER.
THAT BIDDER IS HERE TODAY, UH, T CONSTRUCTION AND THE ENGINEER OF RECORD IS ALSO HERE.
SO JUST TO PROVIDE A SYNOPSIS, WE DID AN ANALYSIS OF WHY PEOPLE DID NOT BID, AND WE, UH, WENT INTO THE REASONING.
UH, EACH ONE OF THEM QUESTIONED AND THEY PROVIDED, UH, REASONS OF MARKET, UH, ESCALATION.
AGAIN, THEY COULD NOT SECURE MATERIALS, THEY COULD NOT SECURE EVEN CONCRETE PIPE IN A TIMELY FASHION.
BUT THIS CONTRACTOR HAS SECURED ALL OF THEIR PRICING.
SO T CONSTRUCTION IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE WEST DISTRICT SECOND FEED PROJECT.
THEY HAVE FINISHED, UH, JUST ABOUT FINISHED THE WORK WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND THAT TELLS ME THAT THEY'RE READY FOR ADDITIONAL WORK.
AND WE WOULD CONSIDER THEM VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A SMALL FIRM.
THEY ARE ALSO A TEXAS WIDE FIRM.
THEY PERFORM WORK IN SAN ANTONIO, IN THE AUSTIN AREA, AS WELL AS HOUSTON.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT SYNOPSIS IN CASE ANYBODY WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ONE BID.
SO I JUST, UH, RECAPPED THE AMOUNT OF THE BID.
SO, SORRY, I'LL JUST READ IT AGAIN.
AND SO THIS IS A LARGE AREA OF WATER AND SEWER INSTALLATION.
SO IT'S A, ONE OF OUR, UH, LARGER PROJECTS.
AND THE DURATION OF THE CONSTRUCTION, UH, WILL BE, SORRY, UH, 18 MONTHS.
SO THIS IS A HIGHLY RESIDENTIAL AREA.
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF TEDIOUS WORK WITH DRIVEWAYS AND WATER AND SEWER TAPS.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS CONTRACTOR HAS DISPLAYED THE CARE FOR, UH, RESIDENTS AND THE TYPE OF PROFESSIONALISM THAT WE REQUIRE AS CUSTOMER SERVICE ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO THAT ALSO, UH, FEEDS INTO OUR RECOMMENDATION AND STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL.
SO WE DIDN'T GET ANY MORE BID, ANY MORE BIDS BECAUSE OF OBTAINING PRODUCT.
SO THE WATER AND SEWER PIPE IS A PETROLEUM PRODUCT AND THAT IS A HIGH, UM, BASICALLY THAT THOSE PRICES ARE CHANGING ALL THE TIME.
AND SO ALSO CEMENT AND THE MESH THAT IS USED TO CREATE REINFORCED CONCRETE PIPE IS ACTUALLY IN A SHORTAGE, BOTH OF THOSE MATERIALS.
SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT SOME OF THE OTHER BIDDERS, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE TRYING TO GET THEIR BIDS TOGETHER, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SUBMIT ON THAT TIME.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE WE COULD HAVE DONE, UM, TO ENGAGE THOSE FOLKS FURTHER.
SO, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE PRODUCT ON THE MATERIALS ON HAND.
THEY HAD SECURED THE MATERIALS.
AND THEY HAVE SECURED THEIR LABOR AND THEY'RE ALREADY HERE.
SO WITH THAT, I GUESS I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM 13, A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
WE HAVE NEXT ITEM F UH, WHICH IS CONSIDER AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE APPROV IN THE SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CASTLE ROCK COMMUNITIES LLC CONCERNING APPROXIMATELY 55.49 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED GENERALLY EAST OF NORTH MAIN STREET BETWEEN EAST WALLACE ROAD AND F AND FM 1942.
I'M ASSUMING YOU WOULD JUST HAVE TO ABSTAIN FROM THIS AND IT WAS ON A CONSENT AGENDA.
AND SO WITH THAT, IF THAT WAS THE ONLY PURPOSE, OTHER THAN IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS, IF NOT, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, BESIDES THE ABSTENTION FROM MS. BENTON COURT OF, UH, ITEM 13 F.
UM, I WOULD ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE 13 F SECOND, SECOND.
THE MOTION IS SECOND, I THINK.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, IT'S CONSENT ANYWAY.
[a. Consider a resolution authorizing the Mayor to consent to and approve the appointment of Mr. Robert Swanson as the Harris County Municipalities Waste Disposal Council’s representative to the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority Board of Directors effective August 25, 2022.]
MOVE ON TO ITEM, UH, 14 A.UM, LET ME, LET ME GIVE YOU, LET ME ASK FOR, FOR COUNCIL'S, I GUESS, AND I'M NOT SURE WHAT I CALL IT, BUT I'LL JUST SAY COUNCIL'S, UM, UM, INDULGENCE FOR ITEM 14 A, WHICH WHICH IS CONSIDER A CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHOR AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO, TO CONSENT AND TO APPROVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE HARRIS COUNTY MUNICIPALITY'S WASTE DISPOSAL, UH, COUNCIL'S REPRESENTATIVE, UH, TO THE GULF COAST WASTE DISPOSAL AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 25TH, 2022.
THIS ITEM, UM, I'M NOT GET INTO ALL THE DETAILS, UH, BUT I WOULD ASK COUNSEL TO CON TO CONSIDER THE RESOLUTION, UM, HOWEVER IT, WITHOUT THE APPOINTMENT OF A NAME.
UM, BUT YOU CAN AUTHORIZE ME TO SUBMIT A NAME.
[02:05:01]
UH, AGAIN, UH, THE WAY THIS WORKS IS, UM, AND I'LL PUT IT OUT THERE, I GUESS, UH, MAYOR TURNER, UH, THROUGH STATUTE, UH, THE LARGEST WAY IT'S WRITTEN, THE LARGEST, UH, CITY IN HARRIS COUNTY, THAT MAYOR WILL, UH, IS EXPECTED TO CALL A MEETING.UM, SO BY DEFECT, THAT IS THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UH, THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD BE, UM, REQUIRED US TO CALL A MEETING OF THE MAYORS OF HARRIS COUNTY.
AND THEN WE'D GO THROUGH A NOMINATION PROCESS AND, AND AN APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
UM, WE'LL JUST SAY THAT THAT MEETING IS NOT CALLED.
SO AN ALTERNATE TO THAT WOULD BE, UM, LETTERS THAT ARE SENT OUT TO EACH MAYOR, UH, FOR APPROVAL.
UH, AND MY SIGNATURE IN A SENSE.
THEN IF THERE'S ENOUGH SIGNATURES OF MAYORS OUT OF THE 30 OTHER, 33 OTHER MAYORS IN HARRIS COUNTY, THEN THAT PERSON WOULD BE APPROVED IN A SENSE, A MAJORITY OF, OF, OF THOSE LETTERS FROM THE OTHER HARRIS COUNTY MAYORS.
UM, I'M WORKING WITH MY MAYOR COUNTERPARTS ACROSS HARRIS COUNTY TO GO AND, UH, TO SIGN UPON A NAME AND CALL UPON MAYOR TURNER TO CALL A MEETING, UH, OPEN A MEETING, AND THEN WE START A NOMINATION AND A FAIR TRANSPARENT PROCESS.
SO I WOULD ASK COUNSEL'S INDULGENCE TO ALLOW ME TO, TO WORK WITH MY COUNTERPARTS OF HARRIS COUNTY, UH, AND THEN SUBMIT A NAME AS NEEDED, BUT I'M NOT GONNA DO IT WITH THE NAME PRESENTED.
SO I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR, FOR THAT, FOR MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM 14 A.
WITHOUT AN, WITHOUT THE NAME PRESENTED WITHOUT THE NAME PRESENTED.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM 14 A.
AS MS. BATTEN COURT DESCRIBED, PLEASE SAY, AYE A AYE.
AND ALL THOSE OPPOSED, AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND ABSTAIN FROM IT, JUST, JUST FOR THAT.
SO THAT, UH, SINCE Y'ALL ARE AUTHORIZING ME TO DO THIS, I WILL CERTAINLY TRUST, UH, I, I THANK YOU FOR THE TRUST, UH, IN ME IN THAT.
AND, UH, I'LL CERTAINLY MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR, UM, ALL OUR CITIZENS FOR THIS APPOINTMENT.
WHY THIS APPOINTMENT IS SO CONTROVERSIAL, I HAVE NO CLUE, BUT WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
[b. Consider two (2) appointments to the Baytown Area Water Authority.]
ON TO ITEM 14 B, CONSIDER TWO APPOINTMENTS AT THE BAYTOWN AREA WATER AUTHORITY.I DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN THAT IS SIGNED UP, I BELIEVE ON 14 B.
MR. ISAACS, IF YOU'D COME AND BE BRIEFLY AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT, BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER THE APPOINTMENT OF, UM, DR.
UH, I READ HIS APPLICATION, UH, I WAS FASCINATED WITH HIS WORK, UH, ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC SERVICE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AT OUR ALMA ALMA MATER, MR. MAYOR, UH, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, CLEAR LAKE.
I THINK IT WOULD BE AN ASSET TO THAT COMMITTEE IF, UH, THE BOARD WOULD CONSIDER NOMINATING HIM.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT WAS, UH, THE ONLY, UH, PERSON THAT WAS SIGNED UP FOR ITEM 14 B.
UH, SO IF I, IF I MAY, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION OF APPOINTMENTS FOR ITEM 14 B.
MOTION TO DISCUSS 14 B SECOND THE MOTION TO SECOND.
SO AT THIS, UH, WHAT IS, WHAT ARE THE NAMES? I THINK THERE'S SOME PROPOSED NAMES.
I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT IT IN FRONT OF ME.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I CAN PULL IT UP.
CAN YOU JUST TELL ME THE NAMES? SO, UH, THE TWO CURRENT MEMBERS, MS. BRENDA BRADLEY SLIP, AND MR. BRANDON BEIT DO SEEK REAPPOINTMENT, BUT WE DO HAVE FIVE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE THAT IS, UH, MR. TIMOTHY BROCKMAN, MS. CAROL BRODY, MR. ERIC ILLA, MS. ALI EZ, AND MR. DAVID STAR.
SO WITH THAT, UM, SO I AM PLEASED THAT THERE IS IN THERE IS CITIZENS INTERESTED IN SERVING IN, IN DIFFERENT OR DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UH, FOR THE CITY, BUT I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO NOMINATIONS.
UH, IF YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY INCLUDE THE INCUMBENTS HAVE SERVED, UH, OR, UH, ANY OTHER APPLICATIONS, I GUESS I'M ASSUMING SPECIFICALLY THEY ASK, UH, OF INTEREST FOR THE BALLOT BOARD, CORRECT? MM-HMM
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD OPEN UP TO NOMINATIONS FOR ITEM 14 B.
GENERAL JUST COMMENTS, NOT A NOMINATION.
UM, UH, I, I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO REALLY CONSIDER, UM, NEW APPOINTMENTS, UM, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, TO ME, SINCE THE VOTERS HAVE APPROVED US OURSELVES HAVING TERM LIMITS, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO START LOOKING AT SOME OF THESE LONG SERVING COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND NOT TO DISPARAGE THE SERVICE OR THE TIME THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M LOOKING AT SOME OF THE ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT DATES AND YOU KNOW, IN MY MIND, YOU KNOW, A DECADE OF ONE PERSON'S OPINION IS SUFFICIENT.
AND I THINK WHENEVER WE SEE SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN SERVING AS LONG AS THAT, OR POSSIBLY LONGER, THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER.
ANOTHER THING THAT, UM, I LEARNED WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF REVIEWING OUR OWN COUNCIL RULES AND PROCEDURES RECENTLY, THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY AN ITEM IN THERE THAT PREVIOUS COUNCILS ADDED THAT SAID THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER NEW APPOINTMENTS AS OFTEN AS NECESSARY FOR COMMITTEES INSTEAD OF
[02:10:01]
REAPPOINTING LONG SERVING COMMITTEE MEMBERS.UM, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT EXISTED IN OUR OWN RULES AND PROCEDURES UNTIL WE WENT TO THAT EXERCISE, BUT, UM, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER LOOKING AT SOME OF THE ONES THAT HAVE MAYBE SERVED 10 YEARS OR MORE AND, AND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE NEW APPLICANTS.
SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE NOMINATIONS.
SO I THINK THERE WAS, THERE WAS FIVE APPLI, FIVE ADDITIONAL APPLICATIONS IN THE TWO INCUMBENTS.
SO ARE THESE AT LARGE APPOINTMENTS ON BAWA? YES.
EXCEPT ONE IS ETJ, BUT THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT ARE THE TWO AT.
ALRIGHT, GOOD, GOOD QUESTION TOO.
ALRIGHT, SO I WOULD OPEN UP THE NOMINATIONS, IT COULD BE THE TWO THAT ALREADY SERVED MS. SMITH AND MS. BENOIT, UH, IF NOT AND OFFER OTHER NOMINATIONS.
ALRIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE ALYSSA NAR.
SO ALYSSA RIS, ANY ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE TO KEEP, UH, MR. BRENDAN BENOIT.
I THINK HE BRINGS A LOT OF VALUE TO THAT COMMITTEE.
I, I DO UNDERSTAND, UM, THE COUNCILMAN'S REMARKS.
UM, AND I, I, I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON COUNSEL, I DID THAT EXACT SAME THING AND WENT IN AND STARTED CHANGING C COMMITTEES.
SO IT IS UP TO US TO, TO KIND OF SAFEGUARD THAT AS WELL.
IS THERE ADDITIONAL? YEAH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT A SLATE OF TWO, BUT I MEAN, IT'S OPEN NOMINATIONS.
I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE MS. BRENDA, BRENDA SMITH, AND I'M GONNA HAVE A COMMENT ALSO IF I CAN.
YOU KNOW, UM, I DO AGREE WITH BRINGING ON NEW THOUGHTS, BUT I WOULDN'T NECESSARILY SAY THAT IT IS THAT PERSON'S OPINION.
PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT ABOUT US AND IT BEING OUR OPINION, BUT WE ALWAYS HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT WHENEVER A DECISION'S GOING TO BE MADE AND RESIDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO THOSE WHO ARE SERVING.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE WHO PUT APPLICATIONS IN, COME AND SIT IN ON SOME OF THESE MEETINGS SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY'RE GETTING THEMSELVES INTO.
UM, THE GET SOME HISTORY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S BEING DECIDED SO THAT YOU'RE NOT COMING IN, UM, ALL GREEN, SO TO SPEAK.
AND ALSO THE TIME COMMITMENT TO IT, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT, WHO ARE ONLY MAKING HALF OF THE MEETINGS.
AND IT MEANS THAT IT'S A COMMITMENT NOT ONLY TO MAKE A DECISION, BUT A COMMITMENT TO SERVE AND SPEND THE TIME HERE SO THAT YOU CAN GET STAFF'S, UM, RECOMMENDATIONS.
YOU CAN HEAR FROM DEVELOPERS AND OTHER PEOPLE COMING IN.
ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, NOMINATIONS? I'M FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA WORK THROUGH THIS.
I SAW IT, BUT, UM, SO I HAVE THREE NOMINATIONS.
MS. EZ, MR. BENOIT, AND MS. UH, BRENDA BRADLEY SMITH.
UH, I'M TRYING TO LOOK IF I CAN, CAN, WHEN WAS MS WHAT YEAR AT LEAST WAS MR. BEAL APPOINTED IN WHICH 2012 AND, AND MS. SMITH? 2009.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, OKAY, MAY I CAN MAKE, MAKE COMMENTS NOW OR NOT.
SO I, I GUESS MY COMMENT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, TO ME IT'S ABOUT STRIKING A BALANCE, ABOUT MAINTAINING SOME CONTINUITY, UM, KEEPING FOLKS THAT WE KNOW ARE, ARE PROVEN AND, AND ARE VERY VALUABLE VERSUS BRINGING IN SOME, SOME NEW IDEAS AND NEW PERSPECTIVES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S EQUALLY VALUABLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
UM, I'M, I'M OKAY WITH SUPPORTING COUNCILWOMAN BETTEN COURT'S RECOMMENDATION.
AND, AND BASED ON THE ATTENDANCE FROM THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, I WOULD TEND TO FAVOR BRENDA BRADLEY SMITH BASED ON THE ATTENDANCE.
AND, AND I THINK MR. BEN WAS A FINE GUY.
I KNOW HIM, BUT BASED ON ATTENDANCE, WE DO NEED FOLKS TO, TO ATTEND THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I DO, I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
AND I WOULD, I WOULD ECHO MR. BEN WALLACE'S WORK, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHEN, WHEN MS. SMITH WAS APPOINTED, UH, NOT ONLY, SHE'S A PE BUT SHE'S ALSO A, UH, AN ATTORNEY, OR AT LEAST SHE HAS A LAW DEGREE, AND SO AN ENGINEER YEAH.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY HELPFUL WHEN SOMEONE SERVES ON THE BOTTLE WITH, WITH THOSE KIND OF CREDENTIALS.
UH, SO ANYWAYS, I I HAVE A QUESTION.
[02:15:01]
REMAINING, UH, INDIVIDUAL THAT'S STILL SERVING ON THREE BOARD? IS SHE ON THREE BOARDS STILL? NO.FIRE, FIRE CONTROL PREVENTION AND EMS. SO SHE'S, SHE'S THERE UNTIL APPOINTED.
SHE'S ON TWO OR THREE, TWO TWO'S.
BUT, BUT SHE'S THIS ONE AND, OKAY.
I THOUGHT I SAW HER NAME LISTED ON THREE.
SHE IS, SHE IS THERE, BUT SHE'S A CARRYOVER.
UM, I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO MAKE.
UM, UH, BUT I DID SPEAK TO HER ABOUT IT AND SO SHE SHARED YOU DONE.
WELL, IT'S, AND YOU KNOW, UH, I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THIS IS NOT ABOUT PERFORMANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THIS, THIS IS ABOUT, HAS BEEN COURT PITTED, UH, POINTED OUT.
THIS IS, UH, JUST AT SOME POINT SOME NEW IDEAS AND SOME, THERE'S CERTAINLY BEEN SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SERVED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS MM-HMM
THEY'VE DONE IT VERY, UH, WELL, THIS IS JUST ABOUT GOING IN AND ENTERING NEW CITIZENS.
WE'RE ASKING OUR CITIZENS TO BE INVOLVED.
AND SO HOW CAN YOU GET NEW CITIZENS INVOLVED WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY AND WHERE BAY TOWN'S AT TODAY, IF YOU DON'T APPOINT 'EM TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M AT.
SO WE HAVE, ANYWAY, SO WE HAVE A SLATE OF THREE INDIVIDUALS.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING, ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? HOPEFULLY NOT WE, IT'S ALREADY HARD WITH THREE.
UM, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, I GUESS YOU WOULD SAY, UM, REGARDING ANY, ANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS? UM, I DID LOOK AT, AT THE FIVE, UM, AND, UH, MS. EZ IS CERTAINLY ALSO QUALIFIED.
AND SO, UH, WITH THAT, I THINK WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA DO A SHOW OF HANDS.
UH, SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MS. LENNAR AS, UH, THE APPOINTMENT, PLEASE, UM, RAISE YOUR HAND.
AND SO MS. RIS WILL TAKE, I GUESS, UH, POSITION ONE.
IF I MIGHT, UH, BEFORE YOU GO ON TO THE SECOND ONE, UM, 'CAUSE MY COMMENTS ARE RELATED TO THE SECOND VOTE, AND SO, UM, I KNOW I MADE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR MR. UH, BENOIT, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M OKAY WITH THE SECOND NOMINATION.
I THINK THAT'S PREFERRED OPTION HERE.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND THEN, I'M GONNA ENTERTAIN MS. MS. SMITH FIRST, IF THAT'S FAIR, BASED OFF YOUR COMMENT.
SO, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MS, UM, UH, BRENDA BRADLEY SMITH AS THE SECOND APPOINTMENT, UH, YOU CAN, UM, RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO I COUNT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ALL THOSE, UM, OPPOSED.
SO WE HAVE, UH, WITH THAT, MS. SMITH DOES, UH, OBTAINED THE VOTES NEEDED FOR THE SECOND POSITION.
AND SO, UH, I DO WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MR. TO MR. BEAL, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE HIS, HIS TIME WITH PAULA, AND, UH, WE'LL MOVE ON FORWARD WITH THAT.
MR. MAYOR, SINCE WE DID A HAND VOTE.
UM, FOR PURPOSES OF THE RECORD, COULD YOU, UH, IDENTIFY THE SIX AFFIRMATIVE VOTES FOR US, PLEASE? YES.
SO WE HAVE, UM, I GUESS IN, IN THE AFFIRMATIVE WE HAVE MR. ALVARADO, MR. PRESLEY, MR. JOHNSON, UH, MR. POWELL, MR. LESTER AND MYSELF.
AND IN DISSENTING WE HAVE MS. BIN COURT FOR, THAT WAS FOR MS. SMITH.
AND THEN FOR MS. RIS WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE AND THE AFFIRMATIVE.
[c. Consider four (4) appointments to the Baytown Crime Control and Prevention District.]
TO ITEM 14 C.SO YES, MR. ISAACS, MR. MAYOR, COUNSEL, UH, FOR THIS COMMITTEE, UH, THE BAYTOWN CRIME CONTROL AND PREVENTION DISTRICT AND DISTRICT TWO, UH, SORRY, IN DISTRICT THREE, OUR PERSON HAS, UH, ONLY ATTENDED FIVE OUT OF THE 11 MEETINGS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT SOMEBODY NEW.
I APPRECIATE, UH, UH, SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT TRYING TO APPOINT NEW PEOPLE TO THIS BOARD, DEVELOPING NEW LEADERS IN THIS TOWN.
MARISSA MORENO, WHO'S CAPABLE OF, UH, CONTRIBUTING TO THAT WHO LIVES IN DISTRICT THREE.
AND, UH, COULD POSSIBLY BE A REPLACEMENT FOR THIS, UH, DISTRICT THREE AT LARGE POINT OF ORDER.
MAYOR, CAN WE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO CONSIDER NOMINATIONS FROM THE PODIUM, CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
BUT HE DOES, HE DOES HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK.
AND SO WITH THAT, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE, SIR.
SO YOU'RE FREE TO SPEAK AS, AS ALWAYS, JUST TO CLARIFY.
MR. NOMINATIONS COME FROM THE DAY IT'S NOT THE PODIUM.
AND AS A MEMBER OF THE GENERAL, GENERAL PUBLIC, UH, WHO CAN SEE THESE THINGS PUBLICLY ON THE AGENDA, UH, IT'S, UH, MY PREROGATIVE TO COMMENT ON THEM PER THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
UH, IS THAT THE END OF YOUR COMMENTS, MR. ISAACS? I'M, IT IS.
AND SO LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, CONSIDERATION.
I'M GONNA ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION AS I JUST DID IN THE PREVIOUS ITEM.
SO MOTION, DID IT EXPRESS? SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION.
SO AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN, I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO, UH, NOMINATIONS.
SO, UH, YES, THESE ARE DISTRICT SPECIFIC, CORRECT? THESE ARE DISTRICT SPECIFIC.
[02:20:01]
UH, I'M JUST GONNA START DOWN AT THE END OF THE TABLE HERE WITH DISTRICT ONE AT LARGE.UH, UH, MS. ALVARADO, WHAT IS YOUR APPOINTMENT? UH, MY APPOINTMENT WOULD BE TO KEEP MS. LORETTA WHITE.
SHE WAS A, UM, SHE WAS BROUGHT ON TO REFILL A VACANT POSITION AND SHE HASN'T HAD ADEQUATE TIME ON THE BOARD, SO I'D LIKE TO KEEP HER AND SHE DID STATE THAT SHE WANTED TO STAY.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? YES, MA'AM.
I JUST WANTED SOME CLARIFICATION FROM THE CITY CLERK.
UM, IT SAID THAT HER START WAS 2020, BUT HER ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT WAS 22.
IS THAT BECAUSE SHE WAS, UH, A, A REPLACEMENT? YES, MA'AM.
SO DISTRICT ONE'S APPOINTMENT, OR EXCUSE ME, UH, NOMINATION IS, UH, FOR MS. WHITE TO CONTINUE DISTRICT TWO.
UM, I'LL OPEN UP TO YOUR NOMINATION.
SO, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE MR. HOSEA ORTEGA, WHO'S A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT TWO.
I'VE SPOKEN WITH HIM, HE WANTS TO GET INVOLVED AND I BELIEVE HE'LL BE AN ASSET.
THANK YOU SIR, FOR YOUR NOMINATION.
AND SO WE HAVE NOW DISTRICT THREE, UM, FOR YOUR NOMINATION.
THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO APPLIED BY THE NAME, I FORGET HIS LAST NAME, BUT HE WENT BY THE NAME OF CHARLES OR CHARLIE? CHARLES EUGENE MERLE, THAT'S WHO IT IS.
AND THAT, THAT'S YOUR, THAT'S YOUR, OKAY.
AND DISTRICT FIVE, UH, YOUR NOMINATION PLEASE.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE MR. DAVID START.
DAVID START, USED TO BE DISTRICT THREE REPRESENTATIVE, BUT MOVED IN, MOVED ACROSS TOWN.
SO I HAVE, UH, FOUR NOMINATIONS.
SO I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
SO WE HAVE MS. WHITE, MR. JOSE ORTEGA, MR. CHARLIE DURRELL, AND MR. DAVID START.
SO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
MOTION SECOND, ALTHOUGH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE FOUR, UH, NOMINATIONS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S, UH, THREE, THREE NEW MEMBERS, SO, UM, WE WISH 'EM THE BEST.
I DO APPRECIATE THEM, UH, APPLYING.
[d. Consider four (4) appointments to the Baytown Fire Control, Prevention, and Emergency Medical Services District.]
TO ITEM, I BELIEVE 14.SO, UH, MR. ISAAC, THANK YOU ON THE DRILL.
MR. MARION COUNSEL, I'D LIKE TO, UH, ENDORSE.
ENDORSE THE, UH, WORK, UH, AND, AND, AND, AND BACKGROUND OF MR. JAMARI GILBERT.
UH, WHO HAS, UH, ACCORDING TO HIS APPLICATION AS A OWNER OPERATOR OF BAYTOWN NUTRITION IN DISTRICT TWO, HAS BEEN A, A, A VERY CONSISTENT MEMBER OF THE ARTS DISTRICT AND HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE WELLBEING OF DISTRICT TWO IN TEXAS AVENUE.
I THINK AS A FORMER PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER, I THINK HE'D BE AN ASSET TO THAT COMMITTEE AND WOULD BE SOME, A NEW FACE, UH, OUR TOWN WOULD BE PLEASED WITH.
ALRIGHT, SO AGAIN, THESE ARE DISTRICT SPECIFIC.
SO FIRST, UM, I GUESS I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR, UH, DISCUSSION.
GOT A MOTION AGAIN, A SECOND FOR DISCUSSION.
OKAY, SO LET'S OPEN UP THE NOMINATIONS.
UH, THESE ARE DISTRICT SPECIFIC.
MY FIRST ONE, OR SINCE IT'S ME, I DO HAVE A CARRY OVER FOR MS. SMITH.
I HAVE NOT FOUND, UH, A, A, UM, REPLACEMENT.
UM, BUT I, I DO PLAN ON REPLACING HER MAINLY BECAUSE ALONG FOR, FOR ME, UM, THIS IS JUST TRYING TO GO AND, AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH, WITH YOU, WITH SOME NEW IDEAS.
AND SO SHE'S CHAIRED, SHE'S DONE A REMARKABLE JOB.
BUT I WILL MAKE A, AN APPOINTMENT AT A LATER DATE.
UH, SO NEXT WE'LL GO ON TO DISTRICT ONE AT LARGE.
SO, UH, MS. ALVARADO, DO YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT? UH, MAYOR, I DO.
I DID SPEAK WITH THE CURRENT APPOINTEE, UH, MR. JOHN ATKINS AT LENGTH.
UM, HE WOULD LIKE TO REMAIN AT LEAST ONE MORE TERM IN, UH, ANTICIPATION THAT WOULD, THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME CHANGES WITHIN THIS BOARD.
UH, I'D LIKE TO KEEP SOME CONTINUITY.
AND SO I WILL SUPPORT MR. ATKINS REQUEST TO REMAIN AT LEAST ANOTHER TERM.
HE'S DONE A REMARKABLE JOB AND HE CERTAINLY HAS THE CREDENTIALS TO REMAIN THERE.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ATTENDANCE, VERY WELL ATTENDED OUT OF ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS IN FRONT OF US.
ALRIGHT, SO DISTRICT ONE IS MR. ATKINS, THEN NOW WE HAVE DISTRICT TWO.
SO MAYOR, I HAVE SPOKEN WITH MR. JAMARI GILBERT PREVIOUSLY IN PERSON ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HE WANTS TO SERVE.
I DO FEEL THAT HE'LL BE AN ASSET.
I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HIM ABOUT ANY POTENTIAL INTER INTERFERENCE, UH, IF HE PLAYS A CERTAIN SPORT PROFESSIONALLY, HE'S COMMUNICATED THAT THERE WILL BE VERY LITTLE, SO THEREFORE I WOULD DOMINATE MR. JAMARI GILBERT.
[02:25:01]
A QUESTION OF STAFF.MR. GILBERT CURRENTLY DOES NOT SERVE ON ANY CITY BOARD, CORRECT? NO, SIR.
AND I, I BELIEVE AT LEAST IT IS, I THINK THROUGH COUNCIL POLICY, CITIZENS CANNOT SERVE ON MORE THAN TWO, TWO AT A TIME.
UH, I JUST, JUST SO YOU'LL KNOW, UM, YES.
SO I'M IN CONTACT WITH MR. GILBERT AND SERVING IN A, IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY ON A DIFFERENT BOARD.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, WE DO HAVE A NOMINATION FROM DISTRICT TWO.
AND SO JAMARI, UH, GILBERT AND THAT, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, DISTRICT FIVE, I'M GOING TO, UH, REAPPOINT MR. BARRY HAWKINS.
ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE, UM, MY APPOINTMENT THAT REMAINS IN A SENSE STILL PENDING.
WE HAVE MR. ATKINS, WE HAVE MR. GILBERT AND MR. HAWKINS.
SO WITH THAT, UH, UH, CAN WE TAKE 'EM SEPARATELY? WE CAN, WE CAN TAKE 'EM SEPARATELY, I GUESS.
WELL, YES, WE CAN TAKE 'EM SEPARATELY.
THESE ARE DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS.
SO FIRST, UH, I WILL TAKE, UH, DISTRICT ONE, MR. ATKINS.
SO, UM, I'LL JUST, I DON'T, I WON'T DO A SHOW OF HANDS ON THIS.
UH, BUT, UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MR. ATKINS APPOINTMENT FROM DISTRICT ONE, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, SO, UH, MR. ATKINS IS REAPPOINTED.
NEXT DISTRICT TWO, MR. GILBERT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, MR. GILBERT? UM, AS THE APPOINTMENT, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED? AND THEN WE HAVE, WHICH CARRIES, UH, ARE APPOINTED, AND THEN WE HAVE MR. HAWKINS FOR REAPPOINTMENT FROM DISTRICT FIVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF MR. HAWKINS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THOSE OPPOSED? ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT WE HAVE, UH, ATKINS, GILBERT, AND, AND HAWKINS.
AND I BELIEVE THE RECORD WILL SHOW THE, THE, THE VOTING ON THAT.
[e. Consider five (5) appointments to Baytown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. One and the Baytown Redevelopment Authority.]
WE WENT ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS OUR LAST ONE.UH, SO ITEM E MR. ISAACS, IF YOU CAN COME, PLEASE SPEAK.
LOOK, UH, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I'VE LOOKED AT THE, UH, APPLICATION OF MR. MICHAEL EMANUEL, UH, WHO'S AN IMMIGRANT AND, UH, OWNS PROPERTY AND, UH, HAS ATTENDED THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS MEETING.
UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE FITTING FOR HIM TO SIT ON THE, UH, SAME COMMITTEE THAT HE HAD, A COUPLE OF MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THAT COMMITTEE THAT ARE SITTING IN THIS COMMITTEE.
SO, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO CONSIDER HIM AS, UH, A POTENTIAL PICK FOR THIS SEAT SINCE HE'S A PROPERTY OWNER, LAND DEVELOPER, AND SOMEONE WHO'S WILLING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY AS HE'S A CANDIDATE FOR THESE SEATS.
SO, UM, JUST AS A, A, WELL FIRST, I GUESS ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION.
MOTION TO DISCUSS SECOND MOTION.
UH, WITH THAT, UM, I GUESS WE HAVE TO VOTE ON WAIT, CLARIFICATION.
ON THE, AT LARGE DISTRICT SPECIFIC, ET CETERA.
CAN'T WE JUST CLARIFY IF THEY'RE AT LARGE DISTRICT, SPECIFIC, ET CETERA? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE PARKS? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
I MEAN, SO THE, THE APPOINTMENTS THAT IN FRONT OF US ARE DISTRICT ONES THREE AND FIVE ARE AT LARGE.
UH, HARRIS COUNTY, THEY, THEY MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT, BUT THAT'S JUST NOTED THERE, UM, FOR MS. SMITH.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A VACANT AT LARGE, I'M ASSUMING USUALLY IT COULD BE FROM ANYONE, UH, CONCLUDING MYSELF.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT'S AT RIGHT NOW.
SO, UH, WE HAVE A, WE, WE HAVE A, A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION.
SO I GUESS WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO DISCUSS, PLEASE SAY AYE.
SO LET'S OPEN UP TO NOMINATIONS.
SO FIRST, UH, WE HAVE DISTRICT ONE, UM, MS. ALVARADO, UH, MAYOR, I'M SEEING THE WRITING ON THE WALL
I DID SPEAK TO MR. GILBERT SANTANA AT LENGTH.
UM, HE, I ACTUALLY APPRECIATED THE 20 PLUS YEARS THAT HE'S BEEN ON HERE.
HE DID NOT SHOW A PRESENCE, UH, OR A PREFERENCE WHETHER TO STAY OR GO IF HE STAYED.
UM, BUT, UH, I, I DO APPRECIATE HIM SAYING THAT HE WOULD BE OKAY IF I REMOVED HIM.
SO, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE MR. MICHAEL BEARD, UM, TO SIT IN DISTRICT ONE AT LARGE.
SO, UH, YOUR, YOUR DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENT IS MR. BEARD? YES.
UH, WE NEXT HAVE DISTRICT THREE.
UM, MR. JOHNSON, I'M GOING TO STICK WITH MR. CHOPPA.
AND NOW WE HAVE DISTRICT FIVE.
UM, I'M GOING TO REAPPOINT MR. KYLE CARRIER.
IT'S RELATIVELY NEW ON THE BOARD.
AND AT LAR I GUESS AT LARGE, I MEAN, SO WE CAN, THERE'S SOMEBODY WE'D LIKE TO CONSIDER, UM, I GUESS I'LL TRY TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT MYSELF TOO.
UM, THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF, LOOKS LIKE THERE'S 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, THERE'S LIKE EIGHT APPLICANTS.
AND, UH, HOPEFULLY, UM, IN, IN THE FUTURE MEETING, WE CAN CERTAINLY,
[02:30:01]
UH, FILL THE VACANCY.WE CAN, I'M SORRY, YES, FOR THE AT LARGE MAYOR, I WANTED TO CONSIDER MARISSA TONG, BUT I'M OPEN FOR OTHER OPTIONS.
WELL, ARE YOU NOMINATING HER? YES.
UH, ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, NOMINATIONS FOR THE AT LARGE ANCY? OKAY.
NOT, NOT JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.
SO, MR. EMANUEL IS A, A CONSTITUENT OF DISTRICT TWO AND JUST CONSIDERING THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I'M, I'M, I WILL NOT PUT FORTH THAT NOMINATION AT THIS TIME.
HOWEVER, WITH THE CAVEAT, UM, I, I DO BELIEVE BASED ON WHAT I KNOW OF AND TO BE QUALIFIED, HOWEVER, I, I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD PUT THAT NOMINATION IN AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO WITH THAT, WE STILL, SO THERE'S, THERE IS FOUR NOMINATIONS.
AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, FOR, SO FOR MS. SMITH, WE ARE JUST A AFFIRMING HARRIS COUNTY'S APPOINTMENT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
ALRIGHT, SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE, UH, MR. BEARD, MR. CHOPPA, UH, MR. CARRIER, AND MS. TONG, AS FAR AS THE APPOINTMENTS, WHICH WILL FILL ALL THE POSITIONS, UM, THAT ARE EITHER REAPPOINTMENTS ARE OPEN.
SO I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THOSE SLATE OF APPOINTMENTS.
MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND MOTION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE FOUR, UH, APPOINTEES AS DESCRIBED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[15. MANAGER'S REPORT Notice is hereby given in accordance with Section 551.0415 of the Texas Government Code, the City Council of the City of Baytown may receive a report about items of community interest from City staff and/or a member of the City Council, but no action or possible action shall be taken or discussed concerning the subject of such report, except as provided by Section 551.042 of the Texas Government Code.]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM, EXCUSE ME, UH, THE BANNERS REPORT.WELL, MAYOR AND COUNSEL A FEW THINGS FOR YOU HERE TONIGHT.
UH, FIRST THING I WANNA DO IS YIELD SOME TIME TO, UM, SHARON ROSE, WHO'S GONNA SHARE SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE BACK TO SCHOOL EVENT BEING SPONSORED BY OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
I AM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUPERVISOR WITH THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
ON JULY 30TH, WE HOSTED OUR FOURTH ANNUAL BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR.
WE PARTNERED WITH A LOT OF LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO HOSTED COFFEE WITH A COP ON THE SAME DAY.
APPROXIMATELY 1,750 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE EVENT.
WE DONATED 750 BACKPACKS THAT WERE STUFFED TO SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
THE EVENT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE PLACE FROM EIGHT TO NOON.
WE RAN OUT OF BACKPACKS AT 10 30.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET DONATIONS FROM A LOT OF LOCAL AGENCIES AND A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES AS WELL.
TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL GAVE US 300 BACKPACKS WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES INCLUDED.
YMCA OF GREATER HOUSTON WAS 300 SCHOOL SUPPLY PACKS.
STATE SENATOR ALVARADO'S OFFICE GAVE US 200 BACKPACKS.
HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO WITH 75 BACKPACKS WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
EXXONMOBIL 50, LEGACY COMMUNITY HEALTH WAS 15 BACKPACKS.
AND WE ALSO GOT THREE LAPTOPS FROM TELEMUNDO FROM HOUSTON WITH FREE INTERNET FOR A YEAR THAT WE RAFFLED OFF TO THE STUDENTS THAT ATTENDED.
AND TARGET PROVIDED US WITH $300 WORTH OF BACKPACKS AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES.
AND WE DID GET SOME MONETARY DONATIONS.
NORM TECH, LLC, WHICH IS THE OWNER OF THE UPS STORE BY KROGER, THEY DONATED $500.
EL TORO PROVIDED US WITH $400 AND BAYTOWN AIRPORT WITH $200.
SO HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET MORE MONEY AND MORE DONATIONS SO THAT WE CAN GIVE AWAY MORE BACKPACKS.
SO, YEAH, SO, UM, IF THAT'S WHAT I HAVE, SO YEAH, SO I, I DO APPLAUD Y'ALL'S EFFORTS AND, AND CERTAINLY THE NEED.
UM, AND IT, IT DOES APPEAR EVERYTHING WENT PRETTY SMOOTH AND WELL.
ANYTHING ELSE? ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
JUST A KUDOS OUT TO TELECOMMUNICATOR, DANIEL LECRAE, WHO WAS, UH, RECENTLY INSTRUMENTAL IN DIFFUSING A, UH, POTENTIAL SUICIDE SITUATION.
HE'S, AGAIN, ONE OF OUR TELECOMMUNICATORS DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSIONALISM, COMPASSIONATE AND CARING AS HE WORKED THROUGH THE SUBJECT'S MOTHER AND KEPT THE CALL FLOWING UNTIL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVED.
UH, HIS QUESTIONING WAS ACTUALLY VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN UNCOVERING THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A WEAPON ON SITE.
AND SO THAT REALLY AIDED, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE KUDOS TO HIM.
UH, TO ME IT'S JUST LIKE A LIFESAVING AWARD, REALLY FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS.
UH, I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, SEAN'S SAUNDERS ENGINEER FOR ACHIEVING HIS CERTIFICATION OF ADVANCED STRUCTURE FIREFIGHTER AND OUR OWN.
DAVID ALAMIA, UH, RECEIVED HIS CERTIFICATION OF FEMA, NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ADVANCED ACADEMY.
SO DAVID ATTENDED THE FIRST COHORT IN FEMA, REGION SIX, WHICH IS TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, LOUISIANA, NEW MEXICO, ARKANSAS, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM, THE FOUR CLASSES WERE HELD, UH, IN AUSTIN OVER THE PAST YEAR.
[02:35:01]
AND HE GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM EARLIER THIS MONTH.AND IF YOU WANNA READ ABOUT THE PROGRAM, YOU CAN HERE, BUT WE ALL SLEEP A LITTLE BIT BETTER KNOWING THAT WE HAVE SUCH CREDENTIALED PEOPLE, UH, MANAGING OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE, UH, FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED THEIR INTERMEDIATE STRUCTURE FIRE CERTIFICATION, ERIC PINNELL, DON LAMB, TAYLOR BROWN, AND CHARLES EVES AND ADVANCED STRUCTURE FIREFIGHTERS, UH, CERTIFICATES WENT TO KEVIN EGLIN, STEVEN ALD, AND JEFF KELLY AND OUR OWN CHIEF DOBSON COMPLETED THE PRO PROCESS FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER DESIGNATION THROUGH THE CENTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION ON PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALING.
IT'S A MOUTHFUL, BUT IT MEANS A LOT, UH, TO HIM AND CONGRATULATE HIM ON, UH, RETAINING THAT CERTIFICATION OR THAT, UH, CREDENTIALING, UH, WITH THAT, UM, I THINK THAT COVERED EVERYTHING.
IT WOULDN'T BE, UH, THIS HAS BEEN A HISTORIC NIGHT AND A HISTORIC DAY, BUT IT'S ABOUT TO GET EVEN MORE HISTORIC.
I'LL BE APPROACH THE PODIUM HERE.
I HAVE TO SAY, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE EVER, UH, I'VE EVER ACTUALLY TOUCHED ONE OF THESE.
OH YEAH, I'VE SEEN THEM BEFORE.
AND, UH, IF YOU WANT TO COME UP, I'M SURE, UH, IT WOULD BE OKAY.
THIS IS AN ACTUAL AUTHENTIC OH WOW.
THIS IS JASON CALDER'S SECOND SUCH, UH, AWARD.
AND SO JASON, YOU WANNA JOIN ME HERE? UH, UH, THIS, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE PRODUCT OF HIS WORK.
UH, HE'S CAN DESCRIBE IT HERE IN JUST A MINUTE ON A SHORT DOCUMENTARY.
UH, BUT I WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, THE CATEGORIES.
BUT I WILL AWARD THIS TO, TO JASON CALDER.
AND IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND KIND OF EXPLAINING AND THEN YOU CAN ALL COME UP AND HOLD IT AND GET A PICTURE IF YOU'D LIKE.
UH, BASICALLY THIS IS AN HOUR LONG DOCUMENTARY, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, UH, UH, IT WAS FOR MY CBS STATION IN OKLAHOMA CITY.
UM, WE TOURED PLACES DURING COVID TO SEE WHAT YOU COULD DO.
WE WENT TO MEMPHIS, WE WENT TO GRACELAND, WE WENT TO THE CATTLE DRIVES IN KANSAS AND STUFF.
AND SO YEAH, A LOT OF EFFORT, A LOT OF WORK.
WELL JASON, THE PRESSURE'S ON BECAUSE WE HAD LOVE FOR YOU TO WANT TO EARN OR EARN ONE FOR THE CITY OF PAY TOWNHOUSE.
IF YOU DO YOUR PART, WE HAVE SOME PLANS.
SO POPPING OFF CEREMONY FOR THE HOTEL CONVICTION CENTER, BEING INSIDE THAT CONVENTION CENTER.
UH, SEEING THE HOTEL HOPPED OFF BEING WITH ALL OF YOU MALL AGREEMENT.
I'M JUST A LITTLE BIT OVERWHELMED TONIGHT, BUT, UH, IT'S BEEN A GREAT NIGHT.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
O ONE FINAL COMMENT, UM, IS MY UNDER, MAYBE I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, BUT IS THIS THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING OF A, OF AN EMPLOYEE THAT WE WILL SEE NAMED ANDREA? OR IS THAT NOT, NOT, NOT IT.
SORRY, ANDREA, I WAS CAUGHT UP IN, YOU KNOW, MALSON, SO CONVICTION CENTERS.
SO JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO WORK WITH ANDREA ON A MULTITUDE OF PROJECTS IN DISTRICT TWO AND CITYWIDE.
AND, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE HER PROFESSIONALISM AND, AND HER KNOWLEDGE AND, AND WE HATE TO LOSE HER.
SO, BUT WE WISH HER WELL, NEVERTHELESS.
YES, I ECHO YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THAT, AND THIS IS NOT SCRIPTED, BUT I'VE HAD OPPORTUNITY THE LAST FEW YEARS TO HAVE SOME MEETINGS WITH ANDREA AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR CARING.
UH, SHE TRULY HONESTLY CARES FOR WHAT GOES ON HERE IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
AND, UM, TO, TO SAY THAT WE HAVE STAFF WHO TRULY CARES IS TRULY AMAZING.
YOU, YOU WILL BE GREATLY MISSED.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR THE TIME YOU'VE SPENT HERE.
I WOULD JUST SAY, I, I DO ECHO THE COMMENTS.
I DO WISH YOU THE BEST, UH, IN YOUR ENDEAVORS.
SO WITH THAT, UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, OUR COUNCIL MEMBER DISTRICT REPORTS.
I'M ASSUMING THAT'S THE END OF YOUR MANAGER REPORT UNLESS YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE? NO, I DO NOT.
[a. Receive a report from Council Member Mike Lester regarding District No. Six projects and programs. ]
ALL RIGHT.A RECEIVER REPORT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER
[02:40:01]
MIKE LESTER REGARDING DISTRICT NUMBER SIX PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. MR. LESTER.AND I'LL BE REAL BRIEF, REAL BRIEF MAYOR.
'CAUSE TYPICALLY WE WOULD JUST SKIP WHEN I'M MISSED IN A MISSED LAST COUNCIL MEETING.
THERE'S SEVERAL SMALLER PROJECTS GOING ON.
UM, I WANT TO, TO THANK FRANK ON ONE OF 'EM.
UM, APPARENTLY THERE'S SOME ROAD STRIPING GOING ON, SO IT'S JUST LIKE WHEN YOU WASH YOUR CAR, YOU START ROAD STRIPING AND IT STARTS RAINING 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T STRIPE THE ROADS IN THE RAIN.
SO FRANK, WE APPRECIATE THE RAIN.
UM, YOU KEEP, KEEP IT UP, KEEP THE GOOD WORK UP.
NO, THEY, THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF ROAST RUNNING.
THEY DID OUR SEAL, THEY'RE LOOKING AT, UM, PART OF KILGO ROAD AND A COUPLE OTHERS.
SO, AND, AND THE CREWS ARE DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
THE, UM, UM, UH, AND, AND I'LL JUST CALL IT, CALL IT THEIR MAYOR.
I WOULDN'T REALLY OVERLY PREPARED, SO NO, I'LL DIVERT TO YES, MY COLLEAGUES REPORT.
[b. Receive a report from Council Member Laura Alvarado regarding District No. One projects and programs. ]
MS. ALVARADO, UM, WELL YOU'RE NOT GETTING A POWERPOINT FROM ME TODAY.UM, BUT AS, AS RICK SAID, WE DID HAVE THE HOTEL REGENCY POPPING OFF EVENT.
SO THAT'S FIRST AND FOREMOST ON MY REPORT.
SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY, SO I JUST APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
UM, THE NEXT ONE, JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, MARKET STREET CORRIDOR.
WE'RE HAVING A SHOWCASE ON AUGUST THE 30TH FROM FIVE TO 7:00 PM AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE ANYONE THAT LIVES, WORKS, VISITS THE AREA TO PLEASE ATTEND, UM, AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK OVER THE DESIGN.
UM, I DID REACH OUT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL BECAUSE IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME ISSUES, UM, TRAFFIC WISE WITH PICKUP IN THE AREA.
SO, UH, IF WE'RE GONNA BE IMPACTING THIS AREA, I THINK THEY NEED TO BE AT THE TABLE AS WELL.
SO I ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO JUST PLEASE ATTEND, BE THERE, LOOK AT THE DESIGN, PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK.
UM, I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE A COUPLE OF NEW OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE NEW SOUTHWEST EDITION CIVIC ASSOCIATION.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, VOTED ON MR. ARTURO VIEGAS AS PRESIDENT AND MS. DALIA MESA AS THE TREASURER.
UM, DALIA MESA HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE SOUTHWEST OF CIVIC ASSOCIATION BACK IN, UM, FUNCTIONING.
UM, BUT ALSO GREAT THANKS TO SABRINA AND HER TEAM AT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, UM, TEAM WHO HAS WORKED REALLY CLOSELY WITH US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE ASSOCIATION.
AND I KNOW SHE'S GONNA BE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH US, UM, IN THAT ASPECT.
UM, NEXT IS, UH, THE PELI AREA THAT I SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUE WILL BE HERE IN DISTRICT, UM, TWO AND ONE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING ON SEPTEMBER THE SEVENTH, UM, 6:00 PM AT THE LIBRARY.
SO WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON GETTING A CIVIC ASSOCIATION FOR THE PELI AREA.
UM, SO WE JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE THERE.
AND I THINK FOR, FOR US, THE GOAL OF OF PUTTING CIVIC ASSOCIATIONS TOGETHER IS NOT TO TAKE WORK OFF OF US AS COUNCIL, BUT TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY AND, AND REALLY EMPOWER THEM TO DO MORE WITHIN, UM, THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY LAST ONE, CENTRAL HEIGHTS.
WE DO HAVE, UM, SOME NEIGHBORS IN THAT DISTRICT WHO, UM, ARE WANTING TO DO A CIVIC ASSOCIATION, BUT I DON'T WANNA OVERLOAD SABRINA AND HER TEAM.
SO WE'RE DIGGING IT AT STRIDES.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE COME TO ME ABOUT DOING IT, UM, WE'RE NOT FORGETTING YOU, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY STILL CAN'T ALREADY START WORKING TOGETHER, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO, UH, WITH THAT MAYOR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
AND, AND I, I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, UM, PARTICULARLY ON SOME ITEMS TONIGHT, PARTICULARLY THE MALL AND AND OTHER STUFF.
IT WAS, IT WAS A, A BIG EFFORT AND, AND IT, AND WE WANTED TO GET IT RIGHT AND I THINK WE GOT IT AS RIGHT AS WE CAN GET IT WITHOUT, IN A SENSE OVERREGULATING PRIVATE, THE PRIVATE FREE MARKET.
AND SO WE, WE, THAT WAS A LOT OF GOOD WORK AND Y'ALL ALL, EVERYONE HAD A LOT OF INPUT WITH THAT.
AND I BELIEVE IT, IT WILL BE A GOOD PRODUCT.
UM, CERTAINLY IT WILL BE ANY IMPROVEMENT.
I MEAN, I DON'T WANNA SAY ANY IMPROVEMENT IS BETTER, BUT, BUT CERTAINLY I DO APPRECIATE ALL Y'ALL'S INPUT OVER THE PAST, WELL, SOMETIMES FEW YEARS, BUT CERTAINLY SINCE THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
UM, WE, WE'VE CERTAINLY TURNED A BETTER PRODUCT, A VERY SIMPLIFIED FEW PAGES IN A SENSE IN THE AGREEMENT.
AND, AND RICK YOU DID A LOT OF THAT WORK AND, AND KNOW THROUGH I GUESS A FEW CITY ATTORNEYS IN THAT TIMEFRAME.
AND SO I DO WANNA, UH, APPLAUD YOUR EFFORT 'CAUSE YOU DID, YOU DID MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND MEETING WITH FIDELIS AND, AND THE AD HOCS.
'CAUSE THE AD HOCS CAN WORK SOMETIMES.
UM, AND UM, IT, IT DOES, IT DOES.
UM, IT WAS A REALLY, UH, GREAT EFFORT OF, OF ALL, IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK AS IT SHOULD BE.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, THANK YOU.
CAN MY POINT COMMENT? YES SIR.
SO I, I DO WANNA SAY IN, IN REGARDS TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE, HE MENTIONED THAT A
[02:45:01]
LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN 10 MONTHS AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS A PART OF THE, THE COUNCIL MEETING AS WE ALL WERE 10 MONTHS AGO.AND REALLY I DO WANNA COMMEND COUNCIL, UM, FOR BEING STEADFAST WITH, WITH WHAT THE, THE CITIZENS EXPECTED.
AND REALLY THAT WAS A COUNCIL MEETING.
YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T SAY ONE OF THE FEW, BUT IT, IT WAS A COUNCIL MEETING WHERE, WHERE REALLY THIS, THIS COUNCIL WAS FOR THE MOST PART, VIRTUALLY UNANIMOUS.
AND IT, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN, BUT IT'S, UH, SPECIAL WHEN IT DOES.
AND, AND THAT, THAT WAS A GOOD NIGHT AND IT, AND IT LED TO A GOOD NIGHT TONIGHT.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS.
SO WITH THAT, I KNOW IT'S A LATE NIGHT.
I DO APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
PLEASE, UH, SAFE TRAVELS HOME.
SO WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.