[00:00:03]
SO NOW CALL THIS MEETING OF THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL ORDER.
WE ARE IN BAYTOWN HALL, UH, BAYTOWN CITY, UH, COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
WE WILL BE LED IN OUR PLEDGE IDENTIFICATION THIS EVENING BY COUNCIL MEMBER HEATHER BEN COURT OF DISTRICT FOUR.
PLEASE STAND AND SAY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WITH ME.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FRAUD.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS STATE, STATE UNDER GOD.
ONE INDIVISIBLE, PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS AS WE PRAY.
DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US TOGETHER TODAY.
WE PRAY THAT YOU WORK THROUGH US TONIGHT AS WE DELIBERATE AND DECIDE ON ISSUES IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE PRAY THAT THE WORDS WE USE ARE YOUR WORDS AND THE ACTIONS WE TAKE ARE YOUR ACTIONS.
BLESS HIS FATHER WITH DISCERNMENT AND WISDOM AND HELP US RESPECT AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS YOU LOVE US.
AND YOUR SON JESUS NAME WE PRAY.
[1. MINUTES]
LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ITEM ONE, A B ON APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.THE FIRST ONE'S FOR SEPTEMBER 8TH.
SECOND ONE IS FROM ALSO SEPTEMBER 8TH, A, UH, COUNCIL WORK SESSION, A REGULAR MEETING.
I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM ONE A AND B TOGETHER.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS ONE A AND B.
CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND, UH, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR ABSTENTIONS? IF NOT, UH, ITEMS ONE A AS WRITTEN, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[a. Ms. Elena Poirot with the Baytown ACE District has requested to speak to the Council in regard to the state of the buildings on Texas Avenue and how they hinder economic development in the area.]
UH, ITEM TWO A AS RECOGNITIONS.UH, WE HAVE MS. PEROT WITH THE BAYTOWN ACE DISTRICT HAS REQUESTED TO SPEAK TO COUNSEL IN, IN REGARDS TO THE STATE OF THE BUILDINGS ON TEXAS AVENUE AND HOW THEY HINDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA, MS. PEROT.
AND WE HAVE A FEW INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SO I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, STEVE KNIGHT, KAREN KNIGHT, AND THEN, UH, WE HAVE DIXIE MOLES, OSCAR CHOPPA, TAMMY, SCOTT, AND ALREADY MS. PER, SO, OKAY.
WAIT, THESE THREE HERE? MM-HMM
UH, SO MS. PERA, CAN YOU DO, CAN YOU MAKE ALL YOUR COMMENTS IN NINE MINUTES? OH, UH, UH YES.
SO AT THAT POINT THEN WE'LL REVISIT AT THAT POINT, SO OUR, OUR, UH, THE MAXIMUM, UH, UH, ALLOW MINUTES, I GUESS FOR COMMUNICATION.
DO YOU HAVE NINE MINUTES FOR THIS? OKAY.
AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO USE THIS.
DO I JUST CLICK UH OH RIGHT HERE.
SO I'LL GO TO THE FIRST ONE, I GUESS.
OH, WELL THAT'S NOT A GOOD, OKAY.
MY NAME IS ELENA PEROT AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ARTS CULTURE AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
I HAVE LIVED IN BAYTOWN FOR 31 YEARS, HAVE TAUGHT FINE ARTS AT LEE COLLEGE FOR 26 YEARS, AND I'M ON SEVERAL COMMITTEES AND BOARDS, INCLUDING SCULPTURE TRAIL, AND KEEP BAYTOWN.
ADDITIONALLY, I CO-WROTE THE GRANT THAT AWARDED THE CITY OF BAYTOWN $270,000 FROM KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL.
IN 2017, WE WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO ENFORCE THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE EQUALLY EQUITABLY AND IN A TIMELY MANNER.
A QUICK TOUR OF TEXAS AVENUE SHOWS MANY BUILDINGS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF DISREPAIR.
SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN ABANDONED AND ALLOWED TO DETERIORATE FOR YEARS.
WHY? UM, BAYTOWN HAS AN ORDINANCE TO ADDRESS DETERIORATING IN AS WELL AS VACANT BUILDINGS, BUT IT IS CLEAR BY THE NUMBER OF DERELICT AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
THAT'S, THE CITY IS NOT DOING ITS JOB ON THAT FRONT.
IF THE CURRENT VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE CANNOT BE ENFORCED THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN, THEN COUNSEL NEEDS TO MAKE TIME TO ALTER IT SO IT CAN BE ENFORCED.
IF CURRENT LAWS ARE UNENFORCEABLE DUE TO FLAWS IN THE WAY THEY ARE WRITTEN, THEN YOU REWRITE THEM AND VOTE TO GET THEM CHANGED.
THERE'S ALSO A VACANT LOT, UM, WHERE ALL THAT REMAINS.
OH, I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST SLIDE, SORRY.
UH,
UM, IF THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE AN ORDINANCE REGARDING, REGARDING VACANT LOTS, ONE NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN TO ENFORCE OWNERS TO RETURN THOSE LOTS TO A NATURAL STATE AND SECURE IT WITH FENCING.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FROM THE CITY BUDGET ARE BEING SPENT ON ONE SIDE OF TEXAS AVENUE WHILE THE OTHER SIDE IS BEING IGNORED.
WE ALL APPRECIATE THE CURRENT PROJECT THE CITY IS WORKING ON, INCLUDING TOWN SQUARE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE SIDEWALKS BEING REPAIRED.
HOWEVER, BY NOT ENFORCING THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE, THE CITY IS BEING NEGLIGENT AND ENCOURAGING VAGRANT TO USE THESE
[00:05:01]
LOCATIONS TO CONDUCT ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES.WHY SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON IMPROVEMENTS IF THE REST OF THE AREA REMAINS AN EYESORE? COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS ON COMMITTEES DEDICATED TO BEAUTIFYING BAYTOWN BY NOT ENFORCING THE VACANT BUILDING ORDINANCE.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS HINDERING OUR EFFORTS IN THIS MANNER.
WE WORK HARD PLANNING EVENTS AT TOWN SQUARE, BRINGING OUTDOOR SCULPTURES, UH, SCULPTURE TRAIL, UH, TO THE ARTS DISTRICT.
AND IN DOING SO, MORE AND MORE VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE VISITING OUR CITY.
IT IS EMBARRASSING TO HAVE SO MANY BUILDINGS IN DISREPAIR WHO WOULD WANT TO INVEST IN A CITY THAT APPEARS TO BE FALLING APART.
BUT I'M NOT HERE TO ONLY DISCUSS THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE DETERIORATING.
THERE ARE OTHER BUILDINGS THAT ARE BOARDED UP, VACANT, AND ARE EYES SOURCED FOR OUR DISTRICT.
IN THE WORDS OF JEFF SIEGLER, THE FOUNDER OF REVITALIZE OR DIE, A COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION FIRM, AN EMPTY BUILDING NO LONGER HAS A GOOD O OWNER AND NO AMOUNT OF EXCUSES FOR THEIR BEHAVIOR ARE SATISFACTORY.
THESE DEADBEAT OWNERS ARE HOLDING OUR COMMUNITY HOSTAGE.
WE HAVE TO STOP ENABLING THEM BY ENABLING THESE PROPERTY OWNERS TO CONTINUE THEIR DELINQUENT BEHAVIOR.
OUR COMMUNITY IS EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING, DECREASED PROPERTY VALUES, DECREASED INCOME TAX AND SALES TAX IN THE DOWNTOWN DIMINISHED ECONOMIC RECRUITMENT EFFORTS, DECREASED TOURISM, DIMINISHED CIVIC PRIDE, DECREASED SELF-ESTEEM, AND OFTEN AN INCREASED IN ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND CRIME.
THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR A PROPERTY TO SIT VACANT, ESPECIALLY THE LEGACY OF BUILDINGS THAT OCCUPY OUR HISTORIC DISTRICT.
WOULD YOU ALLOW THE HOUSE NEXT TO YOURS TO BE USED ONLY FOR STORAGE? WOULD YOU BE OKAY IF THE HOUSES ACROSS THE STREET WERE FALLING OVER AND THE WINDOWS WERE ALL SHATTERED OR BOARDED UP? OF COURSE NOT.
THOSE HOUSES AFFECT YOUR HOUSE.
THE JC PENNY BUILDING WAS BUILDING, WAS VACANT AND FALLING APART FOR YEARS, AND THE CITY DID NOTHING ABOUT IT.
IT'S CHANGED OWNERSHIP AND THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
THAT'S GREAT, BUT LET'S NOT MAKE THAT MISTAKE AGAIN.
THE CITY NEEDS TO ENFORCE THE EXISTING LAWS EVERYWHERE THE SAME WAY FOR EVERYONE AND IN THE SAME LENGTH OF TIME.
ONE SET OF RULES FOR EVERYONE.
IN CONCLUSION, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN ENSURE THAT THESE BUILDINGS AND LOTS ARE PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY NOT DOING SO, YOU ARE LETTING DOWN THE PEOPLE OF BAYTOWN.
WE NEED EACH OF YOU TO DO YOUR JOB SO THAT WE MAY CONTINUE TO DO OURS.
SO I'M ASSUMING, UM, ANYONE ELSE THAT NEEDS THAT SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? I I WANT TO CORRECT MYSELF.
SO YOU AS THE APPLICANT, YOU WOULD RECEIVE FIVE MINUTES, I BELIEVE FOR UNDER CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE THREE PEOPLE THAT COULD SPEAK ON THAT ITEM UP TO NINE MINUTES.
IS THERE, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT'S DESIRING TO SPEAK THAT HAS SIGNED UP? ALRIGHT, MS. SCOTT, SO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
AESTHETICS IS A WORD THAT I USE ALMOST DAILY.
WHEN YOU GOOGLE THIS WORD, YOU CAN FIND MULTIPLE MEANINGS, A SET OF PRINCIPLES CONCERNED WITH THE NATURE AND APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY, ESPECIALLY IN ART, OR THE BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY THAT DEALS WITH THE PRINCIPLE OF BEAUTY AND ARTISTIC TASTE, OR MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, HAVING A SENSE OF THE BEAUTIFUL CHARACTERIZED BY THE LOVE OF BEAUTY RELATING TO, INVOLVING OR CONCERNED WITH PURE EMOTION AND SENSATION AS OPPOSED TO PURE INTELLECT.
I REALLY WISH WE HAD THE TIME TO SIT WITH THAT FOR A MINUTE.
'CAUSE IT'S VERY PROFOUND AND IT SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
INTELLECTUALLY, WE KNOW THAT VACANT AND ABANDONED PROPERTIES PRESENT DAUNTING CHALLENGES TO A COMMUNITY.
EVIDENCE SHOWS SUCH PROPERTIES DRAG DOWN LOCAL ECONOMY, IMPEDED POPULATION GROWTH, THE DEPRESSED PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE CRIME AND IMPOSE HEAVY COST BURDENS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
BUT I WOULD PREFER TO SPEND MY THREE MINUTES SPEAKING ABOUT THE EMOTION AND SENSATION OF THIS BEAUTIFUL WORD, AESTHETICS JOURNEY WITH ME TO GRITO FEST, WHERE WE VISIT OLD CLASSMATES, DANCE WITH OUR CHILDREN, LISTEN TO THE MUSIC THAT TAKES US BACK TO THE PLACE OF OUR YOUTH WHEN WE ATTEND CARIBBEAN FEST AND WATCH THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE DRESSED IN AN ABUNDANCE OF COLORS, DANCING IN THE STREETS, PAYING HOMAGE TO THEIR HERITAGE FOR ONCE.
AND ONCE AGAIN, THE MUSIC TRANSPORTS US.
NOW I ASK THAT YOU LOOK AROUND YOU AND IMAGINE THESE MOMENTS IN TIME IN A SPACE FREE OF VACANT BUILDINGS.
LOOK LEFT, LOOK RIGHT, SEE GREEN SPACES.
SEE THRIVING BUSINESSES CELEBRATING LIFE IN A CITY THAT UNDERSTANDS THIS POWERFUL WORD, AESTHETICS.
I WILL NOT BORE YOU WITH THE DETAILS OF HOW, WHAT AND WHY I OWN AND OPERATE SPA AT TOWN SQUARE THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY ON TOWN SQUARE, BUT WILL SIMPLY STATE AS A BUSINESS, AS BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE ARE HAMSTRUNG BY THE LACK OF REGARD FROM CITY LEADERS TO
[00:10:01]
ENFORCE CITY ORDINANCES.IT MAKES BUSINESS OWNERS WHO SINCERELY WANNA BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION, UNABLE TO COMPLETE THIS TASK.
WE ARE, WE ARE HERE DIRECTLY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUES FACING ACE DISTRICT, BUT I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DO NOT ADD, THIS IS A CITYWIDE PROBLEM.
AS A BUSINESS OWNER WHO HAS SPENT MINE AND MY BUSINESS PARTNER'S MONEY ON A FAKE AND NEGLECTED PROPERTY.
I UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES, YET THE DIRTY DAIQUIRI STANDS TODAY AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT VISION, HARD WORK AND MONEY CAN ACCOMPLISH.
I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EACH OF YOU TO ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS.
HAS CITY COUNCIL HAD THIS CONVERSATION IN THE LAST 15 YEARS AFTER SPENDING APPROXIMATELY $15 MILLION TO REIMAGINE TOWN SQUARE? HOW ARE WE STILL HAVING THIS DISCUSSION? HOW ARE WE ALLOWING THE AESTHETICS OF TOWN SQUARE TO GO UNADDRESSED? AND HOW, ONCE AGAIN ARE WE IMAGINING THIS SPACE? THANK YOU.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT SIGNED UP FOR ITEM TWO A THAT DOES DESIRE TO SPEAK? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO, WELL, MAYOR, IT IS, IT IS MY DISTRICT AND YES, SIR, BUT I BUT I'M SORRY, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA RESPOND.
WE, WE ARE ONLY RECEIVING CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
THERE'S NO RESPONSE FROM COUNCIL COUNCILMAN.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
WELL, I I'M GONNA OBJECT MAYOR, AND I'M SORRY SIR, POINT OF ORDER.
I'M GONNA ASK THE PARLIAMENTARIAN, I DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT AND I'M GONNA ASK FOR A VOTE TO HAVE THE COUNCILMAN THAT REPRESENTS THE DISTRICT FOR NINE YEARS AND HAS BEEN DOWN THERE FOR 18 TO HAVE THE COURTESY OF A COUPLE OF BRIEF COMMENTS.
SO I HEREBY REQUEST IT BE PUT TO A VOTE.
UM, YES, UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T RESPOND TO CITIZENS' COMMENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT AGENDA ITEMS AND IT WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IF WE DID THAT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN STILL SPEAK DIRECTLY TO EITHER OF THE SPEAKERS, UM, AFTER THE COUNCIL SESSION, BUT IT IS A PROBLEM TO TALK ABOUT ANY MATTER THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
BUT WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE AND WE DO HAVE THE RULES OF PROCEDURE.
DOES SPECIFICALLY SAY WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK IF WE SO CHOOSE AND TO COMMENT TO THE COMMENTS IF WE SO CHOOSE? UM, I HAVE TO SAY I'M, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT POLICY AND MY APOLOGIES FOR THAT.
UM, I JUST KNOW BASICALLY WHAT THE STATE HAS SAID WITH REGARDS TO OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
WOULD IT APPLY TO THE TWO B DISCUSSION AT ALL? UM, TWO A, I MEAN, OKAY.
YES, BECAUSE WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE AGENDA ITEM.
UM, THAT'S JUST MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION BECAUSE OF THAT.
WELL, BUT DOES IT SAY SPECIFICALLY WHAT, UM, WHAT YOU WANNA SPEAK ON? YES, MA, MA'AM, IS THAT WHAT YOU WANTED TO SPEAK ON? IT DOES.
SO, SO LET ME, DOES JUST ASK, AND I UNDERSTAND, I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND THE COURTESY, BUT I'M TRYING TO BE CONSISTENT IN THIS MR. UH, COUNCILMAN PRESLEY.
THE IDEA IS THAT CITIZENS, THEY COMMUNICATE, THEY RELAY THEIR MESSAGE TO COUNSEL, THEN, THEN WE TAKE ZERO ACTION, ZERO RESPONSE, AND THEN AT A LATER DATE, WE, WE CAN RESPOND APPROPRIATELY.
I DO, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BE CONSISTENT AND, AND I THINK AS YOU JUST SAID, AS AS BOTH THE PARLIAMENTARIAN AS THE CITY ATTORNEY, WE DO HAVE TO FOLLOW THAT ADVICE, MR. MAYOR.
WE'RE NOT BEING CONSISTENT, IN MY OPINION.
WE HAD A GENTLEMAN DOWN HERE THAT HIS HOME FLOODED.
WE WERE COMPASSIONATE ABOUT HIS SITUATION AND WE COMMUNICATED WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT IN MY NINE YEARS OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHEN WE WANT TO.
AND IN THIS INSTANCE, I BELIEVE THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE COURTESY OF MAKING A COUPLE OF BRIEF COMMENTS.
AND I, I STICK TO PUTTING IT TO A VOTE.
I'VE READ THE RULES OF PROCEDURE, I HAVE THE RIGHT TO OBJECT TO A POINT OF ORDER, I HEREBY OBJECT AND I ASK FOR A VOTE TO MAKE VERY RESPECTFUL COMMENTS IN A BRIEF FASHION.
SO I HEREBY SUBMIT IT TO A VOTE.
WELL, I'D HAVE TO, I'M GONNA HAVE TO DEFER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, IT, AGAIN, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE DEBATED IN ANY WAY.
I THINK SIMPLE RESPONSES, UH, LIKE A SYMPATHY RESPONSE, FOR INSTANCE, UH, WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING OF THE FLOOD SITUATION, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT CITY BUSINESS.
IF WE GET INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, ACTUAL ACTION THAT'S TAKEN PLACE OR IS TAKING PLACE, THAT'S WHERE I THINK WE'RE GONNA COME AFOUL OF THAT.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT SPEAKING IN REGARDS TO ANY POTENTIAL ACTION THAT MAY TAKE PLACE IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHATSOEVER.
IT'S JUST GENERAL COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS OVER NINE YEARS ON COUNCIL AND LIVING DIRECTLY ON TEXAS AVENUE FOR ALMOST 17 YEARS.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY COURTESY I'M ASKING FOR.
I DON'T THINK IT'S ASKING FOR MUCH.
AND, AND I HEREBY STICK WITH PUTTING IT TO A VOTE TO ALLOW ME JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES FOR
[00:15:01]
BRIEF COMMENTS.SO, SO LEMME ASK YOU THIS, COUNCILMAN, LET ME, I'M TRYING TO WORK WITHIN THE RULES THE BEST I CAN.
WHAT, WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THIS, UM, THERE ISN'T, THERE IS AN AREA, I BELIEVE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT, IF THERE'S A COMMON, A COMMON TOPIC THAT A COUNCIL MEMBER COULD MAKE COMMENTS FOR US, WOULD THAT BE DEFER? WOULD THAT BE SO CITY MANAGER COULD DEFER SOME TIME.
MAYOR, I'M A TEAM PLAYER AND, AND THAT'S, I UNDERSTAND.
I JUST ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO DO THAT.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO
[b. Present a proclamation designating October as National Community Planning Month in Baytown.]
ITEM, UH, TWO B IS GONNA PRESENT A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATING OCTOBER AS NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH IN BAYTOWN.UH, WE HAVE MR. SCRIBNER, I GUESS MYSELF.
SO IN A GROWING CITY IS SO IMPORTANT.
UH, I THINK AS, AS YOU'VE SEEN JUST THE SPEAKERS THAT SPOKE A SECOND AGO, HOW IMPORTANT WHEN YOU HAVE A, A CITY THAT IS, IS APPROACHING 75 YEARS OLD, THERE IS CERTAINLY DECAYING STRUCTURES, DECAYING INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, BUT ALSO IN OUR CITY, WE HAVE A LOT OF GROWTH, UH, BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT, NEW HOMES, NEW BUSINESSES, NEW ROADWAYS.
AND SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR THIS COUNCIL AND AS SOME CITIZENS EXPRESS THAT WE DO CONSIDER, UH, ALL THESE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE STAFF AND, AND CERTAINLY OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, INSPECTIONS, PERMITS.
IT ALL REALLY WORKS TOGETHER IN TRYING TO GO AND REALLY MAKE A BETTER BAYTOWN AND IMPROVING OUR, OUR CITY.
AND SO WE, WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT THINGS JUST LIKE THESE BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, IN CERTAIN AREAS OF TOWN, BUT NO DIFFERENT THAN THE, THE NEWEST RESIDENT TO OUR CITY.
THEY CERTAINLY DESERVE, UM, A WELL-PLANNED CITY AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
SO WITH THAT, I'M CERTAINLY THANKFUL AND CERTAINLY I'M, I'M SURE THAT, UH, COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL, THEY'RE THANKFUL FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
WE DEAL, WE DEAL WITH SOME VERY DIFFICULT ISSUES.
IF IT'S ZONING, ANNEXATION, UH, COULD BE THE LIGHT.
AND SO YOU DO HAVE VERY TOUGH JOBS, UM, AND CERTAINLY TRYING TO PREDICT INTO THE FUTURE, UH, IN SOME CASES, DECADES OF, OF WHAT OUR CITY COULD BE.
UM, I JUST APPLAUD THE WORK YOU DO.
IT'S NOT EASY, BUT I'M CERTAINLY LOOKING AT ALL THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND THE CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUTURE.
SO I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR THAT.
SO WITH THAT, THIS IS NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH 2022.
WHEREAS CHANGE IS CONSTANT AND AFFECTS ALL CITIES, TOWNS, SUBURBS, COUNTIES, BOROUGHS, TOWNSHIPS, RURAL AREAS, AND OTHER PLACES.
COMMUNITY PLANNING CAN HELP MANAGE THIS CHANGE IN A WAY THAT PROVIDES BETTER CHOICES FOR HOW PEOPLE WORK, PLAY, AND LIVE.
COMMUNITY PLANNING PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL RESIDENTS TO BE MEANINGFUL, INVOLVED IN MAKING CHOICES THAT DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF THEIR COMMUNITY.
THE FULL BENEFITS OF PLANNING REQUIRES PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS WHO UNDERSTAND SUPPORT AND DEMAND EXCELLENCE IN PLANNING AND PLAN IMPLEMENTATION.
THE MONTH OF OCTOBER IS DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ITS TERRITORIES.
SO WHEREAS NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH PROVIDES THE CITY WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SOUND PLANNING AND PLAN IMPLEMENTATION, AND TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE THE PARTICIPATION AND DEDICATION OF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, AS WELL AS OTHER CITIZEN PLANNERS WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE TO, TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
SO NOW, THEREFORE, I, BRANDON CAP'S MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS DUE HEREBY PRO PROCLAIM OCTOBER AS NATIONAL COMMUNITY PLANNING MONTH AND IN BAYTOWN AND ENCOURAGE ALL OUR CITIZENS TO BE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY PLANNING AND RECOGNIZE THE IMMEASURABLE CONTRIBUTIONS PLANNERS HAVE MADE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
[c. Present a proclamation designating October 9-15, 2022 as Fire Prevention Week. ]
ALL RIGHT.NEXT ITEM IS TWO C, WHICH IS GONNA BE PRESENT PROCLAMATION DESIGNATED OCTOBER 9TH THROUGH THE 15TH AS FIRE PREVENTION WEEK.
AND WE HAVE OUR CHIEF, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME IS THERE'S SOME FIRE YES.
ALRIGHT, SO I THOUGHT WE USUALLY DO THIS WHEN WE HAVE, UH, A TIME CHANGE.
SO IS THAT APPROACHING SOON OR THEN NEXT MONTH? RIGHT.
[00:20:01]
BUT WHAT DO WE ALWAYS USE? WHAT USUALLY SHOULD WE BE DOING? WHAT SOME, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT CITIZENS COULD BE DOING AT THIS TIME AT HOME OR WHEREVER THEY MAY BE TO, UH, TO PARTICIPATE IN, IN, IN FIRE PREVENTION WEEK? THE MAIN THEME IS ABOUT HOME ESCAPING, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CHANGING OUR BATTERIES AND OUR SMOKE DETECTORS.SO I HAVE A PLAN OF ESCAPING YOUR STRUCTURE AND CERTAINLY IT'S TIME TO CHECK YOUR BATTERIES IF YOU NEED TO IN YOUR SMOKE ALARM.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE, THEN PLEASE GET ONE.
AND I THINK THERE'S MANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE HAVE SOME SMOKE ALARMS AVAILABLE FOR INDIVIDUALS FROM TIME TO TIME.
SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK FOR 2022.
SO WHEREAS THE CITY OF BAYTOWN IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF ALL THOSE LIVING AND VISITING OUR CITY FIRES A SERIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN BOTH LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY.
AND HOMES ARE THE LOCATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK FROM FIRE INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SMOKE ALARMS. THE INSTALLATION OF SMOKE ALARMS AND MAINTENANCE OF SMOKE ALARMS SERVES AN ESSENTIAL STEP TOWARD INCREASING THE PUBLIC SAFETY FROM HOME FIRES, SMOKE ALARMS, SENSE SMOKE WELL BEFORE YOU CAN ALERTING YOU TO DANGER IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE IN WHICH YOU MAY HAVE AS LITTLE AS TWO MINUTES TO ESCAPE SAFELY WORKING SMOKE ALARMS CUT THE RISK OF DI OF DYING AND REPORTED HOME FIRES IN HALF.
AND THE CITY OF BAYTOWN RESIDENTS SHOULD BE SURE EVERYONE IN THE HOME UNDERSTANDS THE SOUNDS OF THE ALARMS AND KNOW HOW AND KNOWS HOW TO RESPOND IF ALERTED.
SO, WHEREAS THIS IS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRE PREVENTION WEEK AND THE 2022 FIRE PREVENTION THEME FOR THIS PERIOD IS FIRE WON'T WAIT, PLAN YOUR ESCAPE.
SO NOW, THEREFORE, I, BRANDON CAPRIO'S, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 9TH THROUGH THE 15TH OF 2022 AS NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK.
AND I URGE THAT ALL OUR BAYTOWN CITIZENS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT THE MANY PUBLIC SAFETY ACTIVITIES AND EFFORTS OF THE BAYTOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
[a. Consider an ordinance authorizing the issuance of the City of Baytown, Texas Combination Tax and Revenue Certificates of Obligation, Series 2022 in an amount not to exceed $45,000,000.00 and levying a tax payment thereof.]
ALL RIGHT.SO, SO NEXT WE HAVE ITEM THREE A CONSIDERING ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS COMBINATION TAX AND REVENUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION SERIES 2022 IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 45 MILLION AND LEVELING LE LEVYING A TAX PAYMENT THEREOF.
WE DO HAVE ONE CITIZEN ON ZOOM, DESIRING TO SPEAK.
UH, MR. BECK, YOU HA YOU SIGNED UP FOR ITEM THREE A.
UH, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ON THE ITEM THREE A, THE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, JUST SO PEOPLE KNOW, GENERALLY SPEAKING, UH, PUBLIC DEBT IS ISSUED THROUGH GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A PUBLIC VOTE.
UH, AND I'D JUST LIKE TO READ SOMETHING FROM THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S WEBSITE ON CONCERNS ABOUT CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION, WHICH THE CITY CAN ISSUE WITHOUT A PUBLIC VOTE.
THE CONCERN IS THAT COS ALLOW LOCAL OFFICIALS TO BURDEN TAXPAYERS WITH LONG TERM TAX FUNDED DEBT WITHOUT ADEQUATE CITIZEN INPUT OR APPROVAL.
AND THAT THE ABILITY TO FUND MULTIPLE PROJECTS WITH A SINGLE CO ISSUANCE IS CONFUSING AND DISGUISES PUBLIC INDEBTEDNESS.
LOOKING AT THE, THE, UH, UH, ITEMS UNDER THREE A, UH, THERE'S OVER 20 CATEGORIES IN THIS ONE $45 MILLION BOND.
AND YOU COULD PUT LITERALLY ANYTHING IN THIS, UH, STREET SIDEWALKS RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE, STORM WATER ORDINANCES, FIREFIGHTING FACILITIES, PURCHASE OF LAND, PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES, PARKS, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, EXISTING MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS AND, UH, FACILITIES, COURTS, PUBLIC WORKS, MAINTENANCE, MOSQUITO CONTROL.
THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT THE CITY GENERALLY FUNDS.
UH, THESE AREN'T THINGS THAT AREN'T, ARE UNFORESEEN.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE PREDICTABLE, KNOWABLE.
UH, I WOULD, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE NEED FOR, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE STORM WATER AND EVERYTHING.
UH, YOU DON'T WANT TO SPEND EVERYTHING OUT OF THE BUDGET ALL AT ONCE.
YOU DO WANT TO ISSUE DEBT IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THESE ITEMS. UH, BUT ONCE YOU CRAM ALL OF THESE, ALL THESE ITEMS INTO ONE SINGLE
[00:25:01]
DEBT, UH, WITHOUT VOTER APPROVAL, WITHOUT DISCLOSING A LONG LIST OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY IN THERE, UH, IT'S STARTING TO CAUSE CONCERNS.UH, I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH THE WAY THAT THE CITY SEEMS TO ABUSE THESE COS AS A REGULAR FUNDING MECHANISM FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS DESIGNED TO BE EMERGENCY OR A LAST MINUTE, UH, EMERGENCY FUNDING.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE ITEM THREE A, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY PERSON THAT SIGNED UP, BOTH EITHER IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM.
SO, UM, UNLESS THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE A IS PRESENTED.
THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, I'M HAPPY TO PRESENT THE ORDINANCE TO YOU.
UH, I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS, IF YOU REMEMBER, WE HAD IDENTIFIED, UH, A LIST OF PROJECTS I'M AMOUNTING TO OVER $40 MILLION.
UH, HENCE WE ORIGINALLY SET A CEILING ON DEBT ISSUANCE OF 45 MILLION.
THROUGH YOUR DELIBERATIONS ON THE BUDGET, YOU WHITTLED THAT LIST DOWN TO 25 MILLION OF INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT YOU ARE HAPPY TO FUND FROM THE ISSUANCE OF DEBT TO A MAXIMUM OF 25 MILLION FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
THIS ORDINANCE SETS A NEW CEILING, THEREFORE WITH 25,750,000, THE 750,000 IS TO ALLOW ME ENOUGH LATITUDE TO PAY ANY ISSUANCE COSTS RELATED TO THAT DEBT.
AND TO ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE $25 MILLION THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THE CITY'S BUDGET WITHIN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN, I WOULD COMMAND THE ORDINANCE TO YOU, SIR.
SO, I, I WOULD, THE ONLY ADDITIONAL COMMENT I'LL MAKE IS THAT, IS THIS, DID THIS GO THROUGH A SERIES OF DELIBERATIONS? BOTH BY OUR ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING COMMITTEE AND OUR, UM, OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE? IN FACT, I THINK, UM, IT WAS WISE.
UH, OUR FINANCE, FINANCE COMMITTEE, THEY ALSO CAME UP WITH A MATRIX MM-HMM
WHEN IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF BONDS, UM, AND WHEN DOES IT GO WITH VOTERS? AND SO, UM, I WOULD SAY IT, IT, IT, WE ARE DEFINITELY WITHIN THE LAW, THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD ASK, IS THERE, IS THIS A A LEGAL ORDINANCE THAT WE WILL BE CONSIDERING? YES, IT IS.
AND IT ACTUALLY IS, UH, AS, AS, UH, HE STATED IT IS VERY CONSERVATIVE IN ITS NUMBER.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, UM, THANK YOU MA'AM.
SO I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION NOW FOR ITEM THREE A AS PRESENTED.
I'LL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION, BUT I'LL, IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO ADJUST THE 45 MILLION TO 25,750,000? 'CAUSE I'M NOT COMFORTABLE APPROVING 45 MILLION.
MR. MR. MAYOR, IF I CAN BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, THE ORDINANCE SETS A LIMIT OF $25,750,000 IF YOU TURN TO SECTION.
SO THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE AUTHORIZING NOT 45 MILLION.
THE PURPOSE OF DECLARING THAT IS BECAUSE THAT WAS WHERE WE STARTED AND LEGALLY WE MUST SET SAY THAT TO YOU AGAIN.
BUT YOU WERE NOW CHANGING THAT FIGURE TO 25,750,000.
SO I'LL MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AUTHORING THE ISSUANCE OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS COMBINATION TAX AND REVENUE CERTIFICATES, OBLIGATION SERIES 2022 IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 25,750,000, WHICH IS WHAT WE CAME TO.
I'LL SECOND THAT WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL BE OPPOSED TO THIS.
UH, I, I'VE STATED IN THE PAST WHERE I, YOU KNOW, MY VIEW ON COS, UM, I DO THINK THEY SHOULD BE USED MORE FOR EMERGENCIES.
UM, I'M, I'M HAPPY IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF THINGS WE CASH FUNDED AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US CONTINUE MOVING THAT DIRECTION AND AVOIDING THE, AVOIDING THE DEBT.
WHAT TYPE OF EMERGENCY WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?
I WAS ON COUNCIL WHEN WE SEE, WHEN WE HAVE EMERGENCIES AND IT'S NOT GOOD AND WE DON'T HAVE IT PLANNED, BUT I UNDERSTAND.
SO WE HAVE A ITEM THREE A, UH, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ITEM THREE AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM
[b. Consider an ordinance adopting the tax rate for General Fund Maintenance and Operations at $.46312 per $100 valuation for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022, and adopting the tax rate for Debt Service at $.28688 per $100 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023.]
THREE B.I THINK THERE IS ONE INDIVIDUAL ALSO SIGNED UP FOR THIS.
UH, MR. BECK, YOU'RE ON ZOOM? YES, SIR.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, IF, IF THERE'S SOMETHING I BELIEVE THE CITY'S DOING WRONG, UM, I FEEL IT'S MY DUTY TO SPEAK OUT AND, UH, AS YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AFRAID TO DO SO.
AND IT'S DEPENDS ON THE SWINGS BOTH WAYS, UH, WHEN THE CITY DOES SOMETHING RIGHT, I THINK YOU DESERVE TO KNOW ABOUT THAT AS WELL FROM YOU.
UH, I THINK THE, THE BUDGET WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, UH, I THINK IT REPRESENTS SINCERE, HONEST WORK BY THE MAYOR OF
[00:30:01]
THE STAFF AND THE COUNCIL WITH THE GOAL OF ACTUALLY REDUCING THE TAX BURDEN ON THE CITIZENS.AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO, UH, THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
I KNOW I'VE BEEN ADDRESSING YOU ON THIS ISSUE FOR, FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND I THINK YOU ALL TOOK THIS, UH, TASK AND GAVE IT A SINCERE EFFORT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE ITEM THREE B, WHICH IS CONSIDERED AN ORDINANCE.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM FINANCE? THANK YOU MR. RAM.
MAYOR, UH, I WANT TO PAY TRIBUTE ALSO TO THE WORK THAT, UH, ALL OF YOU CARRIED OUT THROUGH THE DELIBERATIONS ON THE BUDGET.
YOU REMEMBER INITIALLY WE STARTED AT A HALF CENT TAX RATE REDUCTION.
YOU TOOK THAT TO THREE AND A HALF CENTS, THE LARGEST TAX RATE CUT, UH, IN LIVING MEMORY I WOULD SUGGEST FOR THIS CITY.
UH, I THINK THAT IS A PHENOMENAL ACHIEVEMENT.
UH, WE HAVE STILL ISSUED OVER 25 MILLION OF DEBT AND YET BEEN ABLE TO CUT THE TAX RATE BY THREE AND A HALF CENTS.
NO, AND I APPLAUD THIS COUNSEL AND CERTAINLY STAFF.
I MEAN, UM, FROM WHERE WE STARTED AND TO WHERE WE ENDED UP REALLY LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE, UM, AND, AND LIKE WHERE WE CAN BE, UH, RESPONSIBLE FISCALLY CERTAINLY, BUT ALSO RESPONSIBLE WITH OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF WE DIDN'T HAVE SO MUCH INFRASTRUCTURE NEED, THEN WE WOULD BE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
BUT THAT, THAT IS OUR CURRENT STATE.
'CAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S DRAINAGE, THERE'S ROADS, THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT NEED TO TAKE PLACE.
UM, AND SO WE CONTINUE TO BALANCE THAT BETWEEN NEEDS AND, AND CERTAINLY BEING PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE, WHICH I THINK YOU SAID WE TAKE A VERY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH.
WE, WE CREATED THE MATRIXES TO, TO SHOW WHEN, WHEN WE DO NEED TO GO OUT FOR VOTER APPROVAL.
UM, BUT EVERYTHING'S BEEN WITHIN CERTAINLY THE LEGAL, THE LEGAL LAW BY FAR.
AND SO I DO APPLAUD THIS COUNSEL FOR THE FEW YEARS THAT WE CONTINUE TO GO AND REDUCE THE TAX RATE.
AND IT WAS, IT'S CERTAINLY DIFFICULT TO MEET SOME OF THESE NUMBERS WITH SUPPLY CHAIN AND INFLATION OF COST ACROSS THE BOARD FOR GOODS AND SERVICES TO BE ABLE TO GO AND, AND MAKE THIS TYPE OF REDUCTION.
UM, TO, UH, NOW I GUESS THE NEW RIGHT WOULD BE 0.75, UH, IN A SENSE, UH, THAT, THAT'S A LOT OF EFFORT AND, AND IT'S THROUGH A TEAM EFFORT OF BOTH COUNCIL AND STAFF.
SO I DO, I DO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THAT.
SO WITH THAT, UM, DO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND YET WE NOT ON ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM THREE B, SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OR ABSTENTIONS, IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM THREE B, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[a. Conduct a public hearing concerning a request to amend the official zoning map to rezone an approximately 14.76 parcel located at 8200 North Main Street from an Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a General Commercial (GC) Zoning District.]
WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR A, WHICH IS, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING.I DON'T BELIEVE ANYBODY HAS SIGNED UP, BUT IS THERE ANYBODY THAT SIGNED UP FOR THE SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT WE HAVE? YES.
TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY ARE BEING HELD FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING ALL INTERESTS OF PERSONS THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS REGARDING THE SUBJECT OF PUBLIC HEARING OF THIS, OF THE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
EVERYONE DESIRED TO BE A PART OF TODAY'S HEARING SHOULD HAVE EITHER SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE LIST IN THE FOYER OR EMAILED THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTED TIME OF THIS MEETING.
EACH PARTICIPANT SHALL GIVE 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 SPOKESPERSON TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION.
AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DIRECT 'EM TO ME.
SO I'LL NOW CALL, IT IS NOW SEVEN OH FOUR AND I'LL CALL TO ORDER THIS PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED REZONING OF APPROXIMATELY 14.76 ACRE PARCEL LOCATED AT 8,200 NORTH MAIN STREET.
I'LL ASK STAFF NOW TO SUMMARIZE THE SUBJECT OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
MARTIN SCRIBNER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
UH, THIS IS AS MENTIONED, UH, JUST UNDER 15 ACRE PARCEL CORNER OF NORTH MAIN AND VILLE ROAD.
UH, THIS IS CURRENTLY ZONED OPEN SPACE RECREATION, AS YOU KNOW, CAN'T DO MUCH WITH OPEN SPACE RECREATION.
SO THE, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE, UH, COME TOGETHER TO ASK FOR A REZONE TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL.
UH, THIS IS A SPECULATIVE REZONE.
UH, WE HAVE NOT BEEN PRESENTED WITH ANY SPECIFIC PLANS OR BUSINESSES.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE ZONING MAP, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU THAT, UH, MUCH OF THE AREA AROUND THAT PROPERTY IS STILL ZONED, UH, OPEN SPACE RECREATION.
SO, UM, WE, WE WOULD EXPECT OVER TIME TO SEE THOSE COME IN AND, AND ASK FOR REASONS AS WELL.
UM, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DOES SHOW, UH, SUPPORT FOR, UH, GENERAL COMMERCIAL TYPE ZONING.
UM, AND THIS DID GO TO, UH, PLANNING AND
[00:35:01]
ZONING COMMISSION FOR PUBLIC HEARING AND, UH, WAS MET WITH NO OPPOSITION AND HAS COMES TO YOU WITH A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION.HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
WITH THAT, THERE IS TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT DID SIGN UP TO SPEAK.
WE HAVE FIRST, UM, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA START WITH THE COMMANDER, I BELIEVE.
I'M TRYING TO READ THE WHOLE NAME HERE.
UH, YOU DO HAVE THREE MINUTES.
WE SIMPLY COME HERE TONIGHT, UH, TO REPRESENT POST NINE 12.
TO LET EVERYONE KNOW STATE CHAPMAN, OH, MARK CHAPMAN.
AND I AM COMMANDER OF A VFW POST NINE 12.
AND JUST TO SIMPLY STATE THAT WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO THE PROPERTY AROUND US BEING CHANGED TO COMMERCIAL, HOWEVER, WE WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW ON THE COUNCIL AND IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT WE DO HAVE A RANGE THERE.
WE'VE BEEN CARRYING SINCE 1976.
THE BUILDING HAS BEEN THERE SINCE APPROXIMATELY MID SEVENTIES, AND WE'VE BEEN IN THE AREA FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
UH, SEVERAL GROUPS STILL USE IT.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, OFFICER PARKER, UH, HOLDS, UH, HANDGUN CLASSES THERE.
HE TEACHES THE CONCEALED CARRY, UH, THE FAITH FAMILY CHURCH SECURITY GROUP USES THE CHURCH OR THE RANGE AS WELL TO CONDUCT DRILLS AND TRAINING.
AND WE HAVE A CERTIFIED NRA, UH, INSTRUCTOR WITH US THAT HELPS US WITH THAT.
JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, IN FAVOR OF IT, BUT WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW WE HAVE THAT AND WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT RANGE PRIVILEGE MM-HMM
AND WE'RE TAKING PRECAUTIONS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF ANYONE THAT WOULD BE MOVING OR BUILDING AROUND US.
SO WE CONTINUE THAT OPERATION.
UH, MR. JOHNSON, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? NO, NOT AT THIS.
ALRIGHT, THAT IS EVERYONE WHO HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH, FROM COUNSEL? MM-HMM
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM STAFF, IF NOT ANY? NO.
ANY QUESTIONS? FROM, FROM FROM, UH, FROM COUNSEL? YEAH.
I'M GONNA START WITH YOU, SIR.
UM, WITH IT BEING GC AND POTENTIAL BUSINESSES THAT COULD GO IN THERE, THE GUN RANGE, THE RANGE, IS IT AN OUTDOOR INDOOR OUTDOOR? OUTDOOR IS OUTDOOR, HOW DO, HAVE WE GIVEN THOUGHT TO HOW THAT WOULD AFFECT INCOMING BUSINESSES? WOULD IT AFFECT INCOMING BUSINESSES OR WOULD IT, UM, WOULD THERE BE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON BUSINESSES GOING IN IN GENERAL? UM, THERE, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE THE NORMAL RESTRICTIONS THAT, OF A BUSINESS GOING ANYWHERE ELSE.
THE, THE PROXIMITY OF A GUN RANGE DOES NOT PUT ANY ADDITIONAL FROM A CITY STANDPOINT.
DOES NOT PUT ANY ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS ON, UM, NEARBY USES.
SO WE HAVE SOMETHING WRITTEN WHERE WE WOULD ALLOW GUN RANGES, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY RESTRICTIONS OR DISTANCE, THE DISTANCING OR ANYTHING.
THE GUN RANGE ITSELF HAS BEEN THERE SINCE THE SEVENTIES.
BUT SO WE, THAT HAS JUST BEEN, UM, CONTINUED AS, AS IT WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS THE, AS THE CODE CHANGE.
IF I MAY, IF I MAY RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION, SO THE, THE VFW WHEN IT MOVED FROM DECKER DRIVE IN THE SEVENTIES TO, UM, TO NORTH MAINE, UH, SO THAT THEY WOULD AVOID BEING FAR, FAR FROM THE CITY LIMITS OF BAYTOWN.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE, WE ARE, WE SURROUND, WE HAVE CERTAINLY SURROUNDED MM-HMM
UM, HOWEVER, UM, I DO HAVE A LETTER, IT WAS PRESENTED TO ME, I KNEW IT EXISTED.
I'VE NEVER SEEN IT UNTIL THIS EVENING.
UM, BUT IN 1996 IT WAS SIGNED BOTH, UH, BY THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, IGNACIO RAMIREZ AT THE TIME THAT, UH, THEY ARE GRANDFATHERED FROM, UH, THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED AS FAR AS, UM, ALLOWING GUNFIRE, THEY'VE MAINTAINED THEIR CERTIFICATION AND THE ACTIVITIES ON THE PROPERTY ITSELF.
AND CERTAINLY WE, UH, I DO, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK, UM, THAT WE DO HONOR THAT, THAT GRANDFATHERING LETTER.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT.
I HAVE FILED IT WITH LEGAL AND THAT'LL ALSO BE FORWARDED TO OUR POLICE CHIEF.
UM, SO I KNOW THAT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND DECADES THAT IT HAS BEEN USED AS A CERTIFIED RANGE, UH, NOT JUST FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT FOR, FOR OTHER INDIVIDUALS, UM, AS YOU SAID, FAITH, FAMILY AND, AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO USE THAT.
UM, IF ANY GENERAL COMMERCIAL IS DEVELOPED, THEY ARE CERTAINLY MADE AWARE THAT THERE IS A CERTIFIED BERM AND GUN RAGE THAT IS, THAT IS OUT IN THE OPEN FOR THEM.
SO THEY DO NEED TO CONSIDER THAT IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
NOW I WASN'T ASKING IN REFERENCE TO HAVING THE VFW REMOVE THE GUN RANGE OR ANYTHING ALONG ALONG THOSE LINES.
MY CONCERN IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SOME DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS
[00:40:01]
OR RESTRICTIONS BEFORE WE ALLOW BUSINESSES TO GO IN THAT CLOSE.AGAIN, THEY'D BE TREATED THE SAME AS ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT'S LOCATED ANYWHERE IN THE CITY.
THERE'S, THERE'S NO SPECIAL, UH, RESTRICTIONS BASED ON A GUN RANGE BEING NEXT DOOR.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO VISIT BEFORE WE APPROVE THIS.
WELL MY COMMENTS, MAYOR, WERE ON, WERE ONLY THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD BE PROTECTED BECAUSE THEY'RE GRANDFATHERED.
SO I WOULDN'T WANNA SEE ANYTHING HAPPEN TO THEM, BUT I, I THINK I KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING MM-HMM
IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS A GUN RANGE AND, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO WANNA PUT ANY TYPE OF DISTANCE FROM A NEW BUSINESS, UH, GOING IN.
UM, SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON, I GUESS, THE ANGLE OF THE SHOTS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S ALSO BLOWBACK, BUT, UM, I I, I THINK WE, WE MAKE AN ASSUMPTION AGAIN, AS ASSUMPTION, UH, SO GUN RANGES ARE NOT MY SPECIALTY.
SO, UM, UH, BUT I'M, I'M GOING TO, IN ORDER TO BE LICENSED, THEY HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN SAFETY MM-HMM
UM, DEALS AT THE, AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, SO ASSUMING THAT THEY MEET THOSE RESTRICTIONS OR THOSE REGULATIONS, AGAIN, WE WOULD TREAT IT LIKE ANY OTHER USE.
UM, I THINK IF I'M HEARING COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON'S, UH, CONCERN, IT'S, DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO PUT SOME BUSINESSES IN NEXT TO A GUN RANGE KNOWING THAT IT'S THERE AND THAT THERE ARE THE POSSIBILITY OF, OF HAVING ISSUES LATER? UM, AGAIN, IT, IT ISN'T, UM, WE, WE LOOK AT THAT CORNER FROM A LONG RANGE PLANNING STANDPOINT AND THE, THE LAND USE MAP DOES SHOW THAT THAT ENTIRE AREA AS RED ON THE MAP, WHICH IS, UH, COMMERCIAL, WHICH IS A, A LARGE SCALE COMMERCIAL.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, WHILE THE, THE GUN RANGE ISSUE WAS NOT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED, IT, IT, IT IS KIND OF ADDRESSED AS AN OVERALL AREA THING.
IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, BUFFERING TYPE OF, OF, UH, UH, RESTRICTIONS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I, I THINK THAT THAT'S, WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT.
THAT SAID, UM, THIS ONE'S BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AND WE DON'T HAVE SUCH A THING IN PLACE.
SO I DO, UH, I BELIEVE THE APPLICANT IS HERE TONIGHT, SO, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER, SHE CAN, UM, SHE CAN ANSWER THAT.
I, I GUESS I'LL ASK A QUESTION TO THE APPLICANT IF YOU DON'T MIND.
AND, AND I THINK I KNOW WHERE MY COLLEAGUE IS GOING AS WELL.
IF, IF, IF WE LOOK AT AN ORDINANCE TO DEAL WITH GUN RANGES, THAT WOULD APPLY TO NEW RANGES MM-HMM
UM, I WAS UNAWARE UNTIL TONIGHT THAT IT'S ACTUALLY A CERTIFIED RANGE AND THEY DO HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.
AS LONG AS THEY'RE MEETING THOSE REQUIREMENTS, THE SAFETY ISSUES SHOULD BE RESOLVED.
UM, IF THEY'RE AWARE THE GUN RANGE IS THERE, WHICH I THINK IS PART OF THE EFFORT TO MAKE THEM AWARE THAT IT'S THERE, UM, THERE SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
UH, I AGREE WE NEED TO PROTECT THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE PREEXISTING, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CERTIFICATION AND AND SAFETY ISSUES REMAIN AT TOP OF YOUR LIST AND I'M SURE THEY DO.
AND I KNOW SOME OF THE GUYS OUT THERE.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S KINDA LIKE THE NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN.
UM, BUT IF WE WANT TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL NEW GUN REGIONS COMING IN, I ALSO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE, WE NEED TO, TO LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT MM-HMM
UH, SO I KIND OF AGREE WITH THAT, BUT THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENTS AND I THINK COUNCILMAN LESSER, UM, AS YOU KIND OF TALK ABOUT IN THE NEW RANGE TYPE OF THING, WE WOULD PUT THAT ONUS ON THE GUN RANGE PROPERTY, NOT ON THE NEIGHBORS COMING IN.
SO THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, AS IT STANDS WHEN A NEW BUSINESS COMES IN, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON THEM TO LOOK AT THE PROPERTY AND UNDERSTAND THE RISKS OR ANY KINDS OF, OF, YOU KNOW, IS THIS TYPE OF THING GONNA AFFECT MY BUSINESS OR IS IT NOT THAT THAT'S KIND OF ON THEM.
WE THINK THAT FROM A LAND USE PERSPECTIVE, THIS MAKES SENSE TO GO TO GENERAL COMMERCIAL AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF, THAT'S, THAT'S OUR FOCUS ON THAT.
SO, WELL AFTER HEARING THAT THE MAYOR WAS JUST MADE AWARE OF A LETTER, THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME HEARING ABOUT IT.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL.
IT WOULD JUST WROTE, PUT A RED FLAG UP IN MY MIND THAT WE'RE GOING TO, EVEN THOUGH THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN SAYS THAT THAT'S GONNA BE GENERAL COMMERCIAL, WHEN THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN WAS BEING DEVELOPED, WAS IT DISCUSSED THAT A GUN RANGE WAS HERE AND IF WE WERE GOING TO REQUIRE SOME DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS TO PROTECT INCOMING BUSINESSES? THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING.
[00:45:01]
HAD THAT CONVERSATION, I THINK THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE NEED TO HAVE.LIKE I SAID, I WASN'T SAYING THAT, I WASN'T BRINGING THIS UP SAYING THAT WE NEED TO ADD MORE RESTRICTIONS TO THE VFW OR GET RID OF IT ALL TOGETHER.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESSES ARE GONNA BE MADE AWARE OF THIS AND IN THE FUTURE WE REALLY SHOULD DISCUSS IF A GUN RANGE IS GONNA BE GOING IN, HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING SAYING WE DON'T, WE DON'T MIND GUN RANGES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESSES GOING IN AROUND THEM, WE ARE GOING TO REQUIRE DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS.
SO YOU SAID THE, THE UH, I GUESS THE, THE LANDOWNER OF, OF THE, THE, UH, PARCEL IS HERE? YEAH.
ARE THE APPLICANT'S REPRESENTATIVE
SO MS. FOSTER, IS THE LANDOWNER FULLY AWARE THAT THERE'S AN OPERATIONAL GUN RANGE THAT IS GRANDFATHERED? YES.
THAT GUN RANGE WAS THERE AND WAS DISCUSSED AT THE TIME THAT WE ANNEXED THIS ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO MAYBE ROUGHLY.
UM, YEAH, WE, I THINK WE FIRST WE STARTED WITH EITHER A 10 FOOT STRIP OR A 50 FOOT STRIP AND THEN WE DO, THERE'S UH, LAND HAS ALREADY BEEN ANNEXED BY THE CITY OF BAYTOWN ON THE FIRST 10 FEET OF, OF THESE PARCELS, THESE SUBJECT PARCELS.
UM, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN DEDICATION TO HARRIS COUNTY FOR THE ROADWAY WAY IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAST THAT ALSO ALLOWS, UM, IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE SEWER SYSTEM THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DEDICATED BY THESE SUBJECT PROPERTIES.
SO THERE WAS ALWAYS A, AN INTENT TO BRING ALL THE PROPERTIES INTO THE CITY AND THEN DEVELOP THEM.
I THINK THE FIRST INITIAL ACTION WAS WHEN WE UM, ANNEX GOOSE CREEK HIGH SCHOOL.
WE USE THAT AS PORTION OF THE STRIP TO GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL.
ALRIGHT, UH, BEING THAT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK, SO I'LL NOW, UM, CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED REZONING OF APPROXIMATELY 14.76 ACRE PARCEL LOCATED 8,200 NORTH MAIN STREET.
[b. Consider an ordinance concerning a request to amend the official zoning map to rezone an approximate 14.76-acre parcel located at 8200 North Main Street from Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a General Commercial (GC) Zoning District.]
WE'RE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS THE ACTION ITEM.ITEM FOUR B IS TO CONCERN AN ORDINANCE CONCERNING THE REQUEST TO AMEND THE OF OFFICIAL ZONING MAP TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 14.76 ACRES AT THE, AT LOCATED AT 8,200 NORTH MAIN STREET FROM OR TO GC UNDER ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
I BELIEVE THIS IS DISTRICT FOUR MS. MID COURT IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR B.
SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ITEM FOUR B IS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[a. Conduct a public hearing concerning a request to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 55.49 acres, located generally east of North Main Street between East Wallisville Road and FM 1942 from an Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a Mixed Residential at Low to Medium Densities (SF2) Zoning District.]
TO ITEM FIVE A, WHICH IS ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING.SO IT IS NOW SEVEN 18 AND I NOW CALL ORDER THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED REZONING APPROXIMATELY 55.49 ACRES LOCATED GENERALLY EAST OF NORTH MAIN STREET BETWEEN EAST VILLE AND FM 1942.
I'D ASK STAFF TO SUMMARIZE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS HEARING.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS UH, 55 ACRES, 55 AND A HALF ACRES AT NORTH MAINE, UH, AND VILLE.
UM, THIS IS A REZONE REQUEST FROM OPEN SPACE RECREATION TO OUR MIXED AND UH, MIXED RESIDENTIAL AT LOAD MEDIUM DENS, WHICH IS OUR SF TWO.
UM, THIS, UH, YOU'VE SEEN THIS, UH, RECENTLY AS IT WAS JUST RECENTLY ANNEXED.
THIS IS THE SECOND PART OF THE, UM, OF THE BAY CREEK RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION, UH, THAT WAS PROPOSED AND ZONED LAST YEAR.
AND I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER HOW MANY THIS WOULD PROVIDE AN ADDITION OF 156 SINGLE FAMILY LOTS.
SO YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THE SUMMARY.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE THAT HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? IF NOT, SO NO, THERE BE NO ONE THAT'S DESIGNED TO SPEAK.
I NOW CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED REZONING APPROXIMATELY 55.49 ACRES LOCATED GENERALLY EAST OF NORTH MAIN STREET AND BETWEEN EAST WELLVILLE AND FM 1942.
SO I BELIEVE THIS IS DISTRICT FOUR ALSO, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT.
[b. Consider an ordinance to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 55.49 acres, located generally east of North Main Street between East Wallisville Road and FM 1942 from an Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a Mixed Residential at Low to Medium Densities (SF2) Zoning District.]
SO TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM FIVE B, I'LL BE ABSTAINING FROM THIS ITEM.SO I WOULD EN ENTERTAIN A MOTION FROM, UM, ITEM FIVE B, MOTION TO APPROVE A MOTION.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS REGARDING THIS? UM, REZONE YOU HAVE NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM FIVE B IS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED AND ONE EXTENSION, I'M ASSUMING? CORRECT.
[a. Conduct a public hearing concerning a request to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 40 acres located at 6455 East Interstate Highway 10 (IH 10) from an Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a General Commercial (GC) Zoning District.]
ALL RIGHT.AND WE HAVE NEXT ITEM SIX A, WHICH IS CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING, EXCUSE ME, IT IS NOW SEVEN 20 AND I'LL CALL THIS ORDER AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED REZONING APPROXIMATELY 40 ACRES LOCATED AT 64 55 EAST I 10.
SO I'LL ASK THAT TO SUMMARIZE THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS HEARING.
UH, THIS IS, UH, JUST ABOUT 40 ACRES AGAIN LOCATED ON UH, I 10 FRONTAGE ROAD, UH, JUST EAST OF
[00:50:01]
NORTH MAIN STREET.UM, THIS IS A SPECULATIVE COMMERCIAL, UH, REZONE TO, UH, TO GC.
UM, WORTH NOTING IS THAT THE, THE BACK ACTUALLY THAT'S PROBABLY A BETTER PICTURE.
THE BACK HALF OR TWO THIRDS OF THAT PROPERTY IS IN THE FLOODPLAIN.
UM, THERE IS A LARGE POND ON THE, THE, UH, PROPERTY CURRENTLY.
WE'VE NOT BEEN SHOWN ANY PLANS OR GIVEN ANY SPECIFIC USES.
UM, BUT THE, UH, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DOES SHOW THIS ENTIRE AREA AS GC AND, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS FROM, OR WHICH OF COURSE THEY CAN'T DO MUCH WITH.
SO, UH, THIS DID GO TO PLANNING, ZONING COMMISSION AND WAS, UH, COMES TO YOU WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.
THERE WAS NO OPPOSITION AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, WITH THAT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
OKAY, SO ANYONE, MS. CITY CLERK, UH, THAT'S NOT TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, SO IF NOT, NO ONE THERE BEING NO ONE DESIRING TO SPEAK ON.
I CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING THE PROPOSED REZONING APPROXIMATELY 40 ACRES LOCATED AT 64 55 EAST I 10.
[b. Consider an ordinance to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 40 acres located at 6455 East Interstate Highway 10 (IH 10) from an Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a General Commercial (GC) Zoning District.]
WE WILL MOVE TO THE ACTION ITEM OF THIS AND I THINK THIS IS ALSO IN DISTRICT FOUR, UM, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMEND AMENDING THE OFFICIALS ZONING MAP TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 40 ACRES LOCATED AT 64 55 EAST INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 10 FROM OR TO GC ON ENTERTAIN A MOTION, MS. BEN COURT, MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM SIX B.SECOND WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF SIX B AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[a. Conduct public hearing concerning a request to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 2.2 acres located at 706 East Cedar Bayou Lynchburg Road from an Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a Neighborhood Serving Commercial (NSC) Zoning District.]
WE HAVE ITEM SEVEN A, WHICH LUCKY US, WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING FOR ITEM SEVEN A, WHICH IS NOW 7:22 PM AND I CALL THIS ORDER, I CALL ORDER OF THIS PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED REZONING OR APPROXIMATELY 2.2 ACRES LOCATED AT 7 0 6 EAST CEDAR BAYOU LYNCHBURG ROAD.AND I'LL ASK STAFF TO SUMMARIZE, UH, THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THIS HEARING.
THIS IS 2.2 ACRES AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF EAST CEDAR BAYOU, LYNCHBURG ROAD AND BARLOW ROAD.
UH, THIS IS CURRENTLY ZONED, UH, S EXCUSE ME, IT IS CURRENTLY ZONED, UH, OR AND UM, AS IS MUCH OF THE AREA ALONG BARKLEY IN THAT AREA AND ALONG CEDAR BY LYNCHBURG ON THAT SIDE OF THE ROAD.
UM, IT IS THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DOES SHOW THIS AS A LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
THAT SAID, UM, THE REQUEST FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM IS FOR A, UH, THIS WOULD CONVERT A CURRENT EXISTING RESIDENCE INTO AN INSURANCE OFFICE.
UM, AND THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP CATEGORIES, UH, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES DO, UH, ACCOUNT FOR THINGS OF THIS NATURE IN THAT TYPE OF AREA, UH, AS FAR AS THE LAND USE CATEGORY.
SO, UH, THIS WENT TO PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, UM, AND, UH, DID NOT MEET WITH ANY OPPOSITION FROM THE PUBLIC AND COMES TO YOU WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF AT THIS POINT? YES.
ISN'T THERE A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS JUST A LITTLE FURTHER WEST ON THAT SAME ROAD ACROSS THE STREET? NO.
YEAH, THERE, THERE IS CEDAR BY LYNCHBURG IS KIND OF A, A MISHMASH OF, OF USES ALONG THAT.
SO THERE ARE, UH, THERE ARE SOME COMMERCIAL USES YOU CAN KIND OF SEE IN THAT JUST TO THE WEST, ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ROAD YOU CAN SEE A, UH, AN OFFICE BUILDING THERE AS WELL.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A HOUSE JUST TO THE WEST OF IT AND THEN THERE'S A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.
YES, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO LONG, LONG TERM WE MIGHT SEE CEDAR BIO LYNCHBURG TAKING ON A DIFFERENT, UH, UH, FACE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR TONIGHT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? THIS IS STILL THE PUBLIC HEARING, UM, BUT I, WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON THAT IS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
MS. MONTEZ, DO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MA? I DON'T HAVE A STATEMENT.
I'M HERE AND AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. MONTE? I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA SAY YOU WERE HERE FROM STATE FARM, BUT I GAVE YOU A CHANCE.
[b. Consider an ordinance concerning a request to amend the official zoning map to rezone approximately 2.2 acres located at 706 East Cedar Bayou Lynchburg Road from an Open Space/Recreation (OR) to a Neighborhood Serving Commercial (NSC) Zoning District.]
SO, UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS SEVEN B.LET ME, I THINK AFTER THAT YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT, UM, THAT WAS SIGNED TO SPEAK.
SO THERE BEING NO ONE ELSE DESIRE TO SPEAK, I NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED ZONING OF THE 2.2 ACRES LOCATED AT 7 0 6 EAST CEDAR BAYOU LYNCHBURG ROAD.
MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN B NOW IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE, UH, WITH THE PROPERTY I JUST MENTIONED THAT WILL GO FROM OPEN SPACE RECREATIONAL TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVING COMMERCIAL NC AND I BELIEVE THIS IS ALSO IN DISTRICT FOUR, IF MY MEMORY SERVE, YOUR HONOR, CORRECT.
ALL MA'AM, MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM SEVEN B.
[00:55:01]
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMENT, YES SIR.SO I JUST WANNA GIVE THE INDIVIDUAL CREDIT FOR, UH, OPENING UP THIS BUSINESS IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING, UH, THIS ADJACENT AND, AND NEARBY CHALLENGES.
UH, THEY, THEY APPEAR TO BE SEVERE, SO, UH, MUCH CREDIT.
ALRIGHT, SO WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE IF THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
ITEM SEVEN B IS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
A ALL THOSE OPPOSED, THANK YOU.
WE HAVE ITEM SEVEN A CONDUCT THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY
[a. Conduct the first public hearing regarding the proposed annexation of approximately 53.67 acres at 5814 N SH 146, the northeast corner of N SH 146 and FM 1405.]
EIGHT EIGHT A CONDUCT, THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF APPROXIMATELY 53.67 ACRES AT 58 14 NORTH, SOUTH, NORTH STATE HIGHWAY 1 46, WHICH IS THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, AND IN AT FM 14, CODE FIVE.UH, SO THIS IS THE LAST PUBLIC HEARING I'VE GOT FOR TONIGHT, I PROMISE
UM, SO THIS IS, UH, AT THE, AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, ALMOST 54 ACRES, UH, AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF 1 46 AND FM 1405.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE IS, UH, A, THE LARGEST PIECE THERE IS A LONG 1405.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A STRIP IN BETWEEN WITH, THAT'S NOT SHADED YELLOW THAT IS CURRENTLY INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS AND IT IS OWNED BY SOMEONE ELSE.
THEY, THIS COMPANY DOES OWN THE STRIP, THE, THE LITTLE STRIP TO THE NORTH OF, UH, OF WHAT'S YELLOW ON YOUR SCREEN.
AND, UM, THEY ARE ASKING TO ANNEX THE ENTIRE AREA IN.
UM, THEY ARE ALSO, THIS IS, UM, THIS WOULD BE ALSO GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS FOR, UH, A REZONE TWO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A COUPLE OF WAREHOUSES ON THAT SITE FOR ABOUT 750,000 SQUARE FEET OF, UH, SPACE TOTAL.
UH, THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THAT REZONE PROCESS NOW.
SO YOU WILL SEE THE REZONE IN FRONT OF YOU, UM, WITHIN THE, PROBABLY AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'RE JUST HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ANNEXATION, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOW SEVEN TWENTY EIGHT AND I'LL CALL ORDER THIS FIRST PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION OF THE PROPERTY THAT WAS JUST DESCRIBED.
SO NOW I'D LIKE TO REQUEST STAFF TO SUMMARIZE WHAT YOU JUST HAD, WHICH YOU JUST DID, AND I'M ASSUMING NO ONE DID SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
SO I'LL NOW CLOSE THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION APPROXIMATELY 53.667 ACRES AT 58 14 NORTH STATE HIGHWAY 1 46.
WE MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN B, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE FOR REGARDING,
[b. Consider an ordinance authorizing a Services Agreement with DCB Joint Venture No. 2, concerning approximately 53.67 acres of land located at 5814 N SH 146, the northeast corner of N SH 146 and FM 1405.]
OH, EXCUSE ME, EIGHT B, CONSIDER ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH DCP, UM, JOINT VENTURE NUMBER TWO CONCERNING APPROXIMATELY 53.67 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED AT THE ADDRESS I HAVE JUST STATED.UM, SO WITH THAT, UM, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION ON ITEM EIGHT B.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR DISCUSSION.
CAN I GET A SECOND? SECOND? OKAY.
YES, I'D ASK, UH, COUNSEL ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR SERVICES AGREEMENT? YEAH, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THE APPLICANT IS HERE THIS EVENING.
UM, BUT I MEAN, MY CONCERN IS REPRESENTING THAT AREA.
I HEAR A LOT ABOUT, UH, TRUCK TRAFFIC ON 1 46.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRIED, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY WITH TDOT, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO TRY TO PUSH TRUCK TRAFFIC FROM 1 46 OVER TO 99.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IN THIS AREA, OBVIOUSLY WOULD PUTTING MORE TRUCKS IN THAT AREA.
I, I DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, ANNEX 'EM, AND THEN BRING UP THESE CONCERNS WHEN WE'RE TO THE REZONE, UH, WHEN WE'RE TO THE REZONE STAGE.
SO, UM, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW IF THE APPLICANT'S HERE, I'D HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR 'EM.
I, I DON'T SEE THEM HERE TONIGHT.
IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? CAN I JUST YES.
FOLLOWING ALONG WITH MY COLLEAGUE HERE, THAT THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS.
UM, WHAT AUTHORIZING SERVICE AGREEMENT, CAN YOU CLARIFY EXACTLY WHAT WE WOULD BE APPROVING TONIGHT? 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, LET'S, LET'S NOT GET TOO FAR OF AHEAD OF OURSELVES AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY THINK IT'S A DONE DEAL AND THEN WE HAVE MAJOR ISSUES.
SO, ON THE SERVICE AGREEMENT, WHAT WILL BE APPROVING TONIGHT? UH, THE SERVICES AGREEMENT MERELY STATES IT'S, IT'S THE STANDARD SERVICES AGREEMENT THAT WE DO FOR ANNEX STATIONS.
IT MERELY STATES THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE CITY SERVICES TO THE PROPERTY.
NO COMMITMENTS? NO, NO COMMITMENTS OTHER THAN ZONING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
OTHER THAN WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THEM THE SERVICES.
AND THEY'RE NOT ANNEXED AS A PART OF THE SERVICES AGREEMENT, IT'S JUST A STEP IN THE ANNEXATION? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, AND ALSO TO POINT OUT THAT, UM, RE REMEMBER THIS COMES IN AS OPEN SPACE RECREATION.
SO AS IT COMES IN, THAT DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO DO
[01:00:01]
ANYTHING WITH THE SITE OTHER THAN IF THEY WANTED TO PUT A PARK THERE.UM, BEYOND THAT, LIKE I SAID, YOU'LL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, LOOK AT THE REZONE AND, AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU WANT TO GO FROM THERE.
AND WE'LL OBVIOUSLY HAVE MUCH MORE DETAIL FOR YOU AT THAT TIME.
AND IN FAIRNESS TO THEM, I DON'T WANT TO ANNEX THE PROPERTY AND THEN HAVE ISSUES WITH THE REZONE.
UM, I MEAN, WE CAN DO IT THAT WAY, BUT I, I WOULD NOT PREFER TO DO IT THAT WAY.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING ITEM EIGHT B? SO, NOT THERE.
IF NOT, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR, UH, TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE FOR APPROVAL.
ITEM EIGHT B IS PRESENTED WITH THE UNDERSTANDING.
WE'RE NOT ANNEXING AT THIS POINT, JUST JUST APPROVING THE SERVICES AGREEMENT.
WE APPROVE AB SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IF NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[a. Receive a presentation on the What3Words App that will assist citizens in providing their location when requesting Emergency Services in the City of Baytown. ]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM NINE.A JENKINS PARK AND HOT PARK PERFECT PATROL PROJECT.
RECEIVE A PRESENTATION ON WA THREE WORDS APP THAT WILL ASSIST CITIZENS IN PROVIDING THEIR LOCATION WHEN REQUESTING EMERGENCY SERVICES IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
UH, MR. TAXON, UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL RODERICK JACKSON WITH, UH, 9 1 1 COMMUNICATIONS, UM, HERE TONIGHT.
JUST TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN, UH, TO ASSIST WHEN THEY ARE INDEED OF EMERGENCY SERVICES.
UH, AND IT IS WHAT THREE WORDS OUT.
IT'S A GREAT, GREAT WAY TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT LOCATIONS, UM, AND SHARE PRECISE, PRECISE LOCATIONS WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
UH, SO THE, THE, THE MAKER OF THIS APP ACTUALLY DIVIDED THE WORLD UP INTO 10, UH, AND TO A GRID OF 10, UH, FOOT SQUARES, AND GAVE EACH A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF THREE RANDOM WORDS, WHICH IS CALLED A WHAT THREE WORDS ADDRESS.
SO THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS REALLY THINK ABOUT DESCRIBING YOUR, UH, LOCATION TO THE 9 1 1 OPERATOR.
SO BY PROVIDING THOSE WORDS TO US, WE CAN INPUT THEM INTO OUR SYSTEM AND IT WILL UPLOAD YOUR ACTUAL LOCATION ON, ON THE MAP.
UH, SO BASICALLY ALL OF THE 9 1 1 EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE BEGINNING TO UTILIZE THIS MORE.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE HERE, UH, PARTICULARLY CALIFORNIA, UH, SOUTH DAKOTA, ARIZONA, UTAH, KANSAS.
UH, THEY'RE UTILIZING THIS AS A ANOTHER AVENUE INTO THE TRADITIONAL METHODS, UH, OF, OF ALREADY, UH, THAT WE ARE UTILIZING, SUCH AS WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1, UH, YOU, YOU HIT THE CELL TOWER.
WE KIND OF KNOW YOUR LOCATION, BUT NOT THE EXACT LOCATION.
BUT WHAT, WHAT THREE WORDS APP WOULD GIVE US THE ACTUAL LOCATION OF YOUR HANDSET, WHICH IS A WHOLE LOT BETTER.
SO, OTHER COMMON, UH, THINGS THAT COULD BE UTILIZED FOR IS SEARCH AND RESCUE.
UH, PARTICULARLY, UH, WE'VE BEEN, UH, COLLABORATING WITH PARKS ON A PROJECT THAT THEY'RE DOING.
UH, AND UH, THIS WOULD ACTUALLY HELP THE CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN WHEN THEY ARE UTILIZING THE PARK SYSTEM THERE, UH, SUCH AS FALLS.
THEY GO INTO THE, THE PARK SYSTEM AND THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE WHEN THEY FIRST CAME IN.
SO THEY CAN REALLY, YOU KNOW, LET US KNOW, HEY, THIS IS WHERE I'M AT.
AND ONCE WE UTILIZE THAT, WE CAN ACTUALLY GIVE, UH, THE RESPONDENTS THE EXACT LOCATION TO TO, TO HELP THEM, UM, IN EMERGENCY.
USING THIS APP ADDRESS, UH, GIVES NINE ONE ONE CALL AS A SIMPLE WAY TO DESCRIBE THEIR, UH, LOCATION.
UM, AND IT HELPS US HELP YOU AS CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN.
UH, SO HOW DO I USE IT? UH, BASICALLY IF YOU GOT AN ANDROID, UH, AND WHATEVER TYPE OF PHONE YOU HAVE, YOU DOWNLOAD IT.
UH, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE DATA CONNECTION, IT STILL WORKS.
UH, YOU SHARE THAT WHAT THREE WORDS ADDRESS OVER THE PHONE TO THE NINE ONE OPERATOR.
AND AGAIN, WE SEND THE, UH, NECESSARY HELP TO YOU AND IT CUTS DOWN, UH, MAKES A QUICKER RESPONSE TIME.
UH, AND I DON'T WANNA BRING UP CORNELL, UH, TO KIND OF MENTION ABOUT SOME OF THE COLLABORATION PORTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH PARKS.
[01:05:01]
THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING AND WORKING WITH, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WITH OVER THE LAST YEAR, UM, WE WAS ABLE TO GET THEIR SOFTWARE UPDATED TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER ON WHAT WORKS IN THE PARK SYSTEM.UM, AND WE HAD SOME IDEAS WE HAD TO WORK ON CALL LETTERS, LOCATION THINGS.
AND WHAT WE, I WANT TO PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT IS A PART OF THAT SYSTEM.
UH, OVER THE LAST YEAR WE'VE DEVELOPED A SYSTEM AND YOU CAN, THIS IS LIVE.
SO IF YOU ACTUALLY CLICK ON THE, WHAT, THREE WORD APPS THAT THE QR CODE THAT IS IN THE SYSTEM, IT IS LIVE RIGHT NOW THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD.
THAT'S A SAMPLE THAT WE HAD THE, UH, VENDOR SHIP US.
WE SHOULD HAVE IT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
BUT JUST TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IS, UH, WHAT THREE WORDS WILL GIVE YOU THE LOCATION, RIGHT? IF THERE'S ANY EMERGENCY, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS, UH, YOU CAN SIMPLY GO IN THAT PARK, SCAN THAT CODE AS SOON AS YOU COME INTO PARK.
WE'LL HAVE SIGNAGE UP THERE TO TALK ABOUT IT, UH, WHEN WE IMPLEMENT EVERYTHING.
AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BE LOCATED IN THIS IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
UH, PART OF THAT COLLABORATION THAT WE WORKED ON WAS IDENTIFYING MARKERS.
AS YOU NOTICE THAT, THAT, UH, SIGN IS COLOR CODED.
IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT AT JENKINS, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OUTTA JENKINS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PUT THE SOLAR LIGHTS IN MM-HMM
WE COLOR CODED SOME POLES THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE YELLOW.
THOSE THAT ARE SIGNIFYING COORDIN WASTE.
THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PLAN TO DO LOCATION FOR WHERE YOU ARE ON A TRAIL.
THAT YELLOW POLES THAT YOU HAVE THAT'S IDENTIFIED UP HERE WAS THE FIRST PHASE OF THIS WHOLE COLLABORATION WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH ON COLOR VARIATION, SIGNAGE, ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP YOU, UH, IN NEED WHEN YOU'RE IN EMERGENCY NEED TO IDENTIFY SOME LOCATION OF WHERE YOU ARE.
SO THERE WILL BE COLOR COLORED CODE CODED LOCATIONS FOR MARKINGS FOR TRAILS THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM THAT WILL MATCH OUR TRAIL MAPS, UH, THAT WILL HAVE THE, UH, WAY FINDING SIGNS THAT GO IN.
AND ALL OF THIS IS A COLLABORATION IN WORKING WITH, UH, 9 1 1 IN EMERGENCY TO BETTER LOCATE SOMEONE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
UH, THE UH, LAST PART OF THAT IS THE CONTINUATION.
YOU'LL BE HEARING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.
UH, ADDING ADDITIONAL LIGHTS, THOSE LIGHT POLES THAT WILL BE ADDING, UH, THE HOLLOWAY CONNECTION WOULD ALSO BE INCORPORATED WITH THIS COLOR CODED SYSTEM AND WITH THE WHAT THREE WORDS APP.
SO AS A COLLABORATION, WE'VE BEEN WORKING, UH, TOGETHER OVER ALMOST A YEAR.
HE'S JUST BEEN HERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS, SO HE GOT PULLED INTO THE RINGS AT THE LAST MINUTE SO WE CAN GET TO THE FINISH LINE WITH THE, UH, UH, GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION INTO THEIR, UH, COMPUTER SOFTWARE SYSTEM AND JUST GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE COULD GO LIVE.
SO WE'RE AT THAT POINT RIGHT NOW.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER QUESTION.
SO CORNELL IS THE IDEA THAT I WOULD SCAN IT ONCE AND THEN EVERY TIME I COME TO THE PARK IT ALREADY KNOWS EVERYTHING AND I DON'T HAVE TO JUST KEEP DOING IT EVERY TIME I GO TO THE PARK.
ONCE YOU DOWNLOAD THE APP, UH, IT'S ON YOUR PHONE AND YOU JUST USE IT WHEN YOU NEED IT.
SO IF I'M IN A PARK INJURED, DO I NEED TO DIAL NINE ONE ONE ON MY PHONE AND GIVE THE THREE WORDS FOR THE LOCATION? UH, THAT IS CORRECT.
SO AFTER YOU SCAN IT, I GUESS THE THREE WORDS ARE GONNA COME UP AND WE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE PERSON SHOULD REMEMBER? YEAH, YOU CAN JUST READ IT OFF YOUR PHONE.
I'M, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED 'CAUSE YOU GOT MULTIPLE OF THESE SIGNS THROUGHOUT THE PARK ON THE TRAIL.
SO IF I TWIST MY ANKLE, I HAVE TO SCAN THE CLOSEST DISC AND THEN 9 1 1 WILL KNOW WHERE I AM.
'CAUSE HOW'S IT GONNA KNOW WHERE I AM IF I HAVEN'T SCANNED ONE OF THE DISCS I GOT, I GOT THE APP ON MY PHONE, BUT I HAVE TO SCAN ONE OF THE DISCS, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO, SO PART OF THE COLOR CODING OF THE TRAIL SYSTEM AND THE SIGN WAY FINDING SIGNS WILL BE PUTTING OUT, UH, WILL ALLOW YOU, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE APP, YOU CAN AT LEAST TELL THEM WHAT COLOR YOU LOCATION YOU'RE ON THE TRAIL.
AND THAT WILL GIVE THEM, THEY WILL HAVE THAT MAPPING INFORMATION IN THEIR SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO AT LEAST PINPOINT THE LOCATION AND NARROW IT DOWN.
RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY SIGNAGE OUT THERE.
SO YOU'RE BASICALLY TRYING TO PINPOINT GENERAL LOCATIONS AND THINGS THAT YOU SEE OUT THERE, BUT, BUT YOU GOTTA TELL 'EM WHICH PLAQUE THAT YOU'RE CLOSEST TO FOR THEM TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.
I, I THINK ONCE THEY HAVE ENOUGH DATA, THEY'LL KNOW THAT YOU'RE LIKE, IF IT'S RED OR BLUE OR GREEN OR WHATEVER, IT'S, I THINK THE SCANNING IS A PROACTIVE THING YOU DO BEFORE YOU'RE INJURED.
SO I'M, I'M WALKING IN THE TRAIL.
JUST LOOK AT THE SIGN AND CALL 9 1 1.
BUT YOU HAVE TO, YOU HAVE TO, AGAIN, YOU GOTTA SEE ONE OF THE PLAQUES.
IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATIC THING OR YOU TELL THEM THE COLOR, YOU JUST TELL 'EM COLOR THE POLE.
SO IN THE COLLABORATION ONE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WORKED ON WAS, UM, HAVING MORE IDENTIFIER MARKERS.
SO IF YOU DON'T DO THAT, WHAT'S THREE WORD APP? IF YOU'RE JUST RUNNING AND YOU, YOU JUST HAPPEN TO NOT SEE THE SIGN
[01:10:01]
OR YOU JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT.WE AT LEAST HAVE A COLOR CODED SYSTEM WITH THE WAY FINDING SCIENTISTS.
JUST YOU RUNNING PAST, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME KIND OF POLE, ONE OF THESE MARKERS WITH CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FOOTAGE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PARK.
I AGREE TOTALLY WITH ADDING MORE SECURITY AND OPPORTUNITIES TO THE PARKS.
AND THAT WAY, AT LEAST IF YOU GIVE 'EM A COLOR, THEY'LL HAVE A MAP WITH THE IDENTIFYING COLOR TO KNOW YOU WERE IN A CERTAIN ZONE.
SO THAT NARROWS DOWN THE SCOPE.
IF, YOU KNOW, THE BIG JENKINS PARKS WILL NARROW DOWN TO SCOPE TO PINPOINT A, AT LEAST A, A, A RADIUS OF WHERE YOU ARE TO GET EMERGENCY RESPONDERS THERE.
MY QUESTIONS CAME FROM, MY COLLEAGUES SAID, SO IF I JUST DO IT THE ONE TIME, I DON'T HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN.
IT'S GONNA, IT'S EVERY TIME YOU NEED IT, YOU NEED TO HAVE THE SPECIFIC PLAQUE.
SO I I I THINK THIS IS GREAT OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING SOME RECENT EVENTS, BUT I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO ADD SECURITY AND SAFETY TO OUR PARKS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT I DON'T DO Q SO ONE SECOND MA'AM.
UM, TIMELINE FOR INSTALLATION? UH, WE'VE ALREADY ORDERED THE SIGNS, UH, SO THEY SHOULD BE HERE WITHIN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE WEEKS.
AND, UM, THEN WE'LL DO THE INSTALLATION SHORTLY AFTER, I THINK SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT THANKSGIVING TIMELINE.
UH, SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT TIME.
JUST AS THE WEATHER GETS NICE.
JUST THE TIME FOR THE TURKEY TROT.
T I'M TALKING TO MIKE BECAUSE I, I MYSELF DO NOT USE QR CODES AND ESPECIALLY WITH SENIOR OTHER SENIORS OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NOT.
SO I THINK IT'S A, A GREAT CLARIFICATION THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THE QR, JUST KIND OF LET THEM KNOW THE COLOR OF THE POLE.
UM, OR IF THEY HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAN ASSIST THEM IN DOWNLOADING IT
ANY OTHER THING WITH IT? IF, IF YOU ARE NOT PHYSICALLY ABLE RIGHT.
IF SOMEBODY IS THERE TO ASSIST YOU, THEY CAN DO IT.
THEY MAY HAVE IT ON THEIR APP AND THAT PINPOINT RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE.
DOES THAT, UH, CONCLUDES YOUR PRESENTATION? YES.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THAT? UH, I THINK IT IS NEAT.
I I CERTAINLY THINK ANYTIME WE CAN, CAN IMPROVE PARK SAFETY FOR OUR CITIZENS AND FOR ANY INDIVIDUALS, UH, ESPECIALLY USING TECHNOLOGY TO HELP 9 1 1 AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL.
[b. Consider an ordinance authorizing the Trail Lighting Agreement for installation of electrical wiring and associated equipment for the Cary Bayou Holloway Trail Lighting Project with McKinstry Essention, LLC, through the Texas Local Government Purchasing Cooperative Omnia Partners.]
ON TO ITEM NINE B, WHICH IS CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING TRAIL LIGHTING AGREEMENT FOR THE INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICAL WIRING AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT TO THE CARRY BAYOU HOLLOWAY TRAIL LIGHTING PROJECT WITH MC MCKINTRY.I GUESS IT'S ASCENSION, LLC THROUGH THE, THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT PURCHASING COOPERATIVE OMNIA PARTNERS.
SO MR. HATCH OR A REPRESENTATIVE THERE? YOU'RE OKAY.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WE'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THE, UM, PER UH, PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH RY INDUSTRIES TO, UM, DO THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTING, UH, AND CONDUIT, UH, SUPPORT OUR PROJECT TO DO THE HOLLOWAY TRAIL LIGHTING, UH, WITHIN CONNECTIONS TO JENKINS PARK TO PROVIDE, UH, UH, THE FINAL, UM, LIGHTING CLOSURE FOR OUR PERFECT TRAIL PROJECT THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
SO I, I GUESS I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONSIDER, UM, THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
CAN WE GO AHEAD AND GET A, LET'S GONNA GET A MOTION ON THE TABLE FIRST.
UM, AND ONLY BECAUSE OF SOME PRESENTATIONS I SAW IT TML.
SO, UM, DO WE, ARE WE GOING TO OWN THE LIGHTS OR IS CENTERPOINT GOING TO OWN THEM? NO, THEY WILL BE OUR LIGHTS.
THEY WILL BE OUR LIGHTS, YES MA'AM.
AND IS THERE A COST SAVINGS FOR THAT, UM, TO OWN THEM VERSUS, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, CENTERPOINT USUALLY STARTS, UH, DOES THEM IN THE RIGHT OF WAYS.
UM, FOR MOST OF THE PROJECTS, UM, THIS WILL BE INTERNALLY TO THE PARKS AND MOSTLY ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR LIGHTING WITHIN THE PARKS IS OWNED BY, UM, THE PARK SYSTEM.
UM, THEY'RE OPERATED, SOME OF OUR LIGHTS ARE OPERATED THROUGH MUSCOW SYSTEM MM-HMM
UH, THAT WE DO FOR BOTH OF OUR, UH, BALL FIELD LIGHTINGS IN THE PARK.
UH, BUT THIS WILL BE SOLELY, UH, JUST LIGHTING, UH, FOR THE PARK SYSTEM THROUGHOUT.
AND EVEN OUR PARKING LOTS ARE ON THAT TYPE OF SYSTEM FOR MUCO.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, THESE ARE GONNA BE HARDWIRED.
THESE WILL BE HARDWIRE LIGHTS.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT COST SAVINGS AS FAR AS MOVING? AND THEY MAY NOT BE APPROPRIATE IN ALL AREAS, BUT LOOKING AT SOME OF THE SOLAR LIGHTING, I SAW A LOT OF GOOD SOLAR LIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES.
I MEAN, IT'S COME A LONG WAY OVER THE YEARS RIGHT.
SO AS A C COLLABORATIVE, IF YOU NOTICE WE'VE, WE STARTED WITH THE SOLAR LIGHTING ON THE PERIMETER TO, UM, AND WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE SOLAR OPTION WITHIN
[01:15:01]
THIS WOODED STRETCH.HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT DUE THE, UH, LODGE POLE PINES.
WE HAVE, UH, THE COVERAGE WAS BLOCKING FOR IT TO GET TRUE AMPERAGE UP FOR THE SOLAR SYSTEMS OUT THERE, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE WIND TURBINE AND THE LIGHT.
IT WAS JUST TOO DENSE OF AN AREA TO DO THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE WENT, UH, WITH THE ELECTRICAL OPTION EVEN FOR, UH, OTHER SOLAR COMPANIES THAT WE LOOKED AT IT.
IT, UM, BY HAVING THE POWER RAN, WE'D BE ABLE TO PUT IN A LOWER LIGHTING AND SO IT WON'T CAST INTO BACKYARDS THAT ARE ALONG THE TRAIL AS WELL.
SO WE TOOK THAT TO THAT'S GOOD.
AND A COMMENT ON THAT, THAT'S, I MEAN, MOST PEOPLE WERE IN FAVOR OF THE, THE TRAIL LIGHTING JUST FOR SAFETY REASONS, BUT I DID HEAR FROM A FEW HOMEOWNERS THAT BACK UP TO THE TRAIL THAT WE'RE CONCERNED WITH LIGHT IN THE YARD.
SO I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT Y'ALL KIND OF CHANGED THE HEIGHT OF SOME OF THE, THE FIXTURES AND IT'LL KIND OF KEEP THAT LIGHT OUT OF THE YARD A BIT.
AND ONE MORE THING TO REMEMBER, THIS, THIS IS ALL THE PERFECT TRAIL, WHICH IS, IT WAS JUST A RELATIVELY OLDER PROJECT NOW, BUT, UH, IT WAS FUNDED TO BE A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE CAN SEE WHAT WE DO LIKE AND WHAT WE DON'T LIKE.
SO WE, WE PURPOSELY MIXED UP THE SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY LIGHT WITH THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTS HERE AND THE HEIGHT AND THE COLORS.
AND THAT'S THE REASON THERE'S SO MANY VARIATIONS THERE.
AND EVERY TIME WE BRING ON A NEW ELEMENT OF IT, WE'RE PUTTING IN THE, UH, QR CODE OUT OF THE PARK.
SO WHERE YOU CAN GO TO, UH, BAYTOWN ENGAGE AND TAKE THE SURVEY AND WHAT YOU DO LIKE AND WHAT, WHAT AS MUCH AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT YOU DO NOT LIKE, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO, UH, MOVE THESE PRODUCTS TO OTHER PARKS OR AND TRAIL SYSTEMS. YES, MA'AM.
UH, WHAT'S THE FEEDBACK BEEN SO FAR, CLIFF? WHEN PEOPLE TAKE THE SURVEY, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GOOD, UH, FEEDBACK FOR THE WIND ENERGY, UH, AND SOLAR AND WIND ENERGY LIGHTS.
UH, THAT'S BEEN THE BIGGEST, UM, UM, SURVEY RESPONSE FOR THAT.
AND IT'S BEEN ALMOST ALL POSITIVE.
UH, THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE, UH, SAYING THAT WE WISH WE HAD PUT 'EM CLOSE TOGETHER, UH, BECAUSE WE, THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE PLAYED WITH IS A SPACING.
'CAUSE THEY GIVE YOU A RANGE OF WHICH, UM, THAT YOU CAN SPACE 'EM ACROSS.
AND WE DID SOME AT THE MAX AND SOME AT THE MID, AND PEOPLE HAVE NOTICED THAT SOME ARE A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR APART AND THEY SAY IT'S A LITTLE DARK AT NIGHT.
SO LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT IS A GOOD WAY TO, TO WORK IT OUT.
AND IT'S A, IT IS REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK, UH, BOTH GOOD AND BAD.
SO WE, WE CAN CONTINUE TO IMPROVE IT.
SO AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF THE LIGHTS AND THE WOODED TRAIL AND THE 9 1 1 1 MARKERS, WHAT'S LEFT OF THE, THE PROGRAM? UH, THE WAY FIND WAY FINDING SIGNS, FINDING, UH, WE'VE ALREADY ORDERED, UM, SOME OF THE MAPPING AND WAY FINDING SIGNS ALREADY.
UH, THEY'RE, UM, UH, HAVE A PO UM, WAITING TO BE ISSUED.
THE POS ISSUED, WE'RE WAITING FOR THE, UH, COMPANY TO MANUFACTURE THOSE SIGNS.
AND THEN WE ARE WORKING, UH, WITH GETTING ESTIMATES RIGHT NOW FOR THE NEW, IF YOU FAMILIAR WITH OUR NEW SIGN THAT WE PUT OUT FOR JENKINS, UH, MOST OF OUR SIGNS WILL HAVE THAT CORIN STEEL LOOK MM-HMM
AND, UM, WORKING WITH, UH, UH, THE PERSON WHO DID THAT WORK TO DEVELOP THE OTHER SIGNS.
UM, ONLY TIME I MAKE THE, THIS, THE NEW SIGN LOOKS GREAT, YOU KNOW, TO COME TOGETHER WELL, AND IT, IT JUST REALLY ELEVATES THE, THE WHOLE AESTHETICS OF THE PARK ITSELF.
SO VERY PROUD OF, OF ALL THE WORK FROM STAFF PARKS AND CERTAINLY COUNCIL ON THAT TOO.
SO, AND THEN WITH THE SAFETY ASPECTS IS CERTAINLY, AND THE LIGHTING IS, IS REALLY GREAT.
UM, THAT, SO WE DO HAVE A, AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE.
SO UNLESS THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I WOULD ENTERTAIN, EXCUSE ME, I ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF NINE B AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[a. Discuss amending Chapter 14 "Animals," Article I, "In General," of the Code of Ordinances, City of Baytown, Texas, to add Sec. 14-9, "Microchip required," requiring the owner of any dog or cat kept within the corporate limits of the City of Baytown to have the animal implanted with a microchip and registered with a microchip registry.]
ON TO ITEM 10 A.SO WE HAVE, UM, FIRST, MR. BECK, YOU, YOU, YOU ARE ON.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, I, I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE, UH, OPPOSING A NEW FEE ON HEAD OWNERS IN BAYTOWN.
UH, MAINLY WHAT IS IT TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH? THE TWO BIGGEST PROBLEMS WE HAVE IN THE CITY WITH ANIMALS ARE THE FERAL CAT POPULATION.
AND, UH, DOGS RUNNING AT LARGE DANGEROUS DOGS.
UH, IN FACT, MR. JOHNSON, I JUST GOT ANOTHER MESSAGE FROM, UH, SOMEONE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, ABOUT THOSE DOGS THAT ARE OUT CHASING KIDS.
AGAIN, ANIMAL CONTROL IS DRIVEN PAST THE DOGS BEFORE OR THEY WON'T COME OUT.
UH, SO FORCING SOMEBODY TO HAVE THEIR ANIMALS CHIPPED, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT ADDRESSES THESE TWO BIGGEST PROBLEMS. UM, HOW WILL IT BE ENFORCED? ARE WE GONNA EXPECT VETERINARIANS TO TURN IN PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE THEIR ANIMALS CHECKED? UH, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PUBLICIZE IT? HOW ARE YOU GONNA LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS IS A LAW IF YOU DO PASS IT? UH, IF YOU USE VETERINARIANS TO ENFORCE THIS AND, AND TURN PEOPLE IN, MAYBE PEOPLE AREN'T GONNA BRING THEIR ANIMALS TO THE VET ANYMORE AND MAYBE WE'LL HAVE A OUTBREAK OF DISEASE.
MAYBE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT AND THEY GET RID OF THEIR ANIMALS AND DUMP 'EM ON THE STREETS.
UH, BUT MORE THAN THAT, EVEN IF YOU DO DECIDE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING GOOD AND YOU WANT TO PASS, I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES WITH JUST THE WAY THAT THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN.
UH, THE NOTES ON THE AGENDA ITEMS SAY
[01:20:01]
THAT, UH, THE PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED $500, BUT IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT WHAT MATTERS, THE, THE WRITTEN ORDINANCE, UH, THE $500 LANGUAGE IS NOT IN THERE.WHICH MEANS IT MATTERS WHERE YOU PUT THIS IN THE, IN THE CITY CHARTER, AND IT WILL GO UNDER, UH, IN SECTION 14 UNDER ANIMALS.
AND WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT FINES.
UH, WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT FINES IS THAT YOU HAVE TO, UH, GO TO SECTION 14 THREE, UH, WHICH TELLS YOU THAT, EXCUSE ME, I JUST LOST MY PAPER HERE.
UH, UH, BASICALLY IT, IT, IT'LL PUT, PUT THE FINE UNDER, UH, HEALTH AND PUBLIC SERVICES, WHICH SAYS THAT THE FINE SHALL NOT EXCEED.
THE FINER PENALTY SHALL NOT EXCEED $500, EXCEPT THAT A FINE OR PENALTY FOR THE VIOLATION OF A RULE OR POLICE REGULATION THAT GOVERNS FIRE SAFETY, ZONING, OR PUBLIC HEALTH AND, AND SANITATION MAY NOT EXCEED $2,000.
NOW, AS WE KNOW, THE ANIMAL DEPARTMENT IS UNDER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT CHAPTER 42, HEALTH AND SANITATION IS A DIFFERENT CODE, UH, IN THE CHARTER, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT CERTAIN ALL RIGHT.
CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE MR. BECK, THE RULES.
MR. SHE, IF YOU CAN, I'LL GIVE YOU 10 SECONDS TO JUST MAKE A, A CLOSING COMMENT.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T HEAR THE, THE, I GUESS THE, THE BUZZER OR DINGER HERE, BUT IF YOU CAN 10 SECONDS MAKE A MAKE YOUR LAST STATEMENT ON THIS ITEM.
UH, BUT, UH, MY CONCERN IS THAT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF AN OVERZEALOUS EMPLOYEE COULD THIS, THE WAY THIS IS IS WRITTEN, IT COULD BE UP TO $2,000 FOR, FOR A FINE.
ALRIGHT, SIR, I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CUT, CUT THAT, AND WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
SORRY, MR. ROME, I APPRECIATE IT, BUT WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UM, CITIZEN SIGN TO SPEAK IS DAVID ISAAC.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES, MR. ISAAC.
MR. MAYOR, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR.
MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL, GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS DAVID ISAAC OF SHO LANDER.
UH, BY THE WAY, AS A MATTER OF PROCEDURE, WE HAVEN'T REALLY ASKED PEOPLE THEIR NAME AND ADDRESSES TONIGHT.
UH, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE IT AS PROCEDURE.
I'LL, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU BROTHER.
UH, MR. MERRI, YOU DIDN'T READ OFF, UH, UH, THE AGENDA ITEM PREVIOUS TO MR. BYRON'S SPEECH.
PLEASE, UH, TAKE NOTE THAT THE PEOPLE WILL TAKE NOTE OF THAT, UH, COMES OFF KIND OF SHADY.
DISCUSSED WHAT THE MEASURE EXACTLY SEND WHAT THE MEASURE EXACTLY SAYS TO A TI WAS AT THE ANIMAL SERVICES COMMITTEE WHEN THIS MEETING WAS TAKING PLACE WHEN WE IDEATED THIS LAW.
AND THERE IT WAS, THERE WAS SOME, UH, DISCUSSION.
UH, MS. TONY GRAHAM, FOR INSTANCE, GAVE A SPEECH THAT DAY WAS OPPOSED TO IT.
AND I QUOTE SAYING THAT IT GIVES THE PEOPLE, UH, DIRECTIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T GIVE THE PEOPLE ANYTHING IN RETURN.
THE NUMBER ONE MOST TROUBLING THING I FOUND ABOUT THIS PIECE OF, UH, THE ORDINANCE, THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE, IS THAT THERE WAS NO PUNITIVE MEASURES, UH, ON THE ORIGINAL LISTING.
AND IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE PUNITIVE MEASURES ADDED TO THIS, THEN THE BOARD NEEDS TO ADD IT TONIGHT.
THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO ADD IT TONIGHT, THEN APPROVE IT, RIGHT? SO, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT REALLY GOING TO PROCEDURE THE RIGHT WAY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ALLEVIATE PROBLEMS, AS MR. BECK SAID, MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE KA POINT SAID THAT, UH, THERE ARE FERAL CATS THAT ARE AN ISSUE THAT, UH, DANGEROUS DOGS ARE AN ISSUE.
OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS, UH, UH, AFFECTED BY THAT.
BUT TO WHAT EXTENT DO WE RISK OUR OWN LIBERTIES TO, UH, FIX ISSUES THAT THE CITY SHOULD BE FIXING ITSELF, TAKING PROACTIVE LEGISLATION FOR ITSELF? FOR EXAMPLE, UH, MR. REBECK MENTIONED THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO PUBLICIZE THE FACT THAT THIS LAW IS NEW.
AND IN MY OPINION, INSTEAD OF, UH, UH, TAKING TIME TO, UH, INVEST IN PUBLICATION A NEW ORDINANCE, WE COULD SPEND THAT PUBLICATION MONEY TO EDUCATE OUR PUBLIC, TO KEEP CATS NON FERAL, TO GET THEM CHIPPED AND NEUTERED AND RELEASED BACK TO THE PUBLIC.
IF THAT'S WHAT THE CITY CALLS FOR, COULD ALSO, UH, HELP USE SOME OF THAT EDUCATION AND GET DANGEROUS DOGS OFF THE STREET.
BUT INSTEAD, WE'RE LOOKING TO PUNISH PEOPLE.
WE HAVE PUNISHMENTS, WE HAVE EXCESSIVE ORDINANCES ALREADY, MR. BERG AND I HAVE WORKED YEARS AGO, UH, I ALMOST ACCIDENTALLY ON THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS WHEN PEOPLE RAN A RED LIGHT, RIGHT? SO THIS IS AN INFRINGEMENT OF OUR LIBERTIES.
I JUST WANNA SAY IT'S AN INFRINGEMENT ON OUR LIBERTIES.
THERE IS NO PUNITIVE DAMAGE ON THERE.
UH, THERE'S TOO MUCH RED TAPE IN GOVERNMENT ALREADY.
AND, UH, THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
WE ALREADY HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS, UH, UH, FAILURE TO MAINTAIN FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
I KNOW I GOT A WARRANT FOR ONE OF THOSE.
AND THE CITY, I THINK LUCKY YOU MAINTAIN THEIR OWN FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS THIS MATTER BY NOT PUNISHING THE PEOPLE.
[01:25:01]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR.UH, SO I WILL READ THE ENTIRE 10 A ORDINANCE, BUT I, I, I'M, I DO ASSUME WHEN A CITIZEN HAS SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT, THAT THEY, THEY CERTAINLY KNOW THE ITEM THAT WE ARE SPEAKING ABOUT.
SO IT IS TO DISCUSS, UH, AMENDING CHAPTER 14 ANIMALS ARTICLE ONE.
IN GENERAL, THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, THE CITY FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, TEXAS DO ADD SECTION 14 DASH NINE MICROCHIP REQUIRED REQUIRING THE OWNER OF ANY DOG OR CAT KEPT WITHIN THE CORPORATE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN TO HAVE AN ANIMAL IMPLANTED WITH A MICROCHIP AND REGISTERED WITH A MICROCHIP REGISTRY.
UH, WE HAVE MS. HOLLOWAY, AND I'M ASSUMING DR. ALVAREZ AND I GUESS ANYONE WITH THE ANIMAL CONTROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, CERTAINLY THIS IS, UM, A VERY CHARGED TOPIC.
AND SO WE DO WANNA MAKE, WE MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT WITH ALL THE RIGHT INFORMATION, UH, BOTH FOR STAFF AND FOR COUNSEL.
SO WITH THAT, UH, I GUESS I'D HAVE STAFF TO MAYBE, UH, PROVIDE A SUMMARY ON THIS ITEM ITSELF AND THEN WE'LL ASK COUNSEL TO, TO WEIGH IN ON ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
UM, THIS ITEM IS A PROPOSED MICROCHIP ORDINANCE FOR CATS AND DOGS, WHICH THE ANIMAL CONTROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS WORKED ON FOR THE PAST YEAR.
AT THEIR MEETING LAST MONTH, ON SEPTEMBER THE 15TH, THEY APPROVED THIS DRAFT ORDINANCE AND THEN UNANIMOUSLY DECIDED TO PROPOSE IT TO CITY COUNCIL FOR ADOPTION.
UM, AT THIS TIME, MY PLAN WAS TO TURN IT OVER TO THEIR CHAIRPERSON, MS. ELLEN HOLLOWAY, AND THE VETERINARIAN, DR.
FRANCISCO ALVAREZ, UH, FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
SINCE THE COMMITTEE HAS WORKED ON THIS, IT'S THE COMMITTEE'S PROPOSAL TO YOU GUYS.
SO, AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO, IF I MAY, BEFORE, AND DR. ALVAREZ AND, AND ALSO MS. HOLLY.
SO I DO WANNA SAY, I KNOW IF YOU WORKED ON IT INTENSIVELY, AND, AND THIS WAS THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A NEW ADVISORY BOARD, AND MAYBE WE NOT ALL AGREE, MAYBE NOT ALL COUNCIL WILL ALL AGREE.
MAYBE THE COMMITTEE DIDN'T ALL AGREE.
BUT IF YOU'RE SAYING AT THE END OF THE DAY, Y'ALL'S EFFORTS PROVIDED, I GUESS A FINISHED DRAFT DOCUMENT FOR COUNCIL, CONSIDER, I HOPE THAT COUNCIL COULD REALLY DOES CONSIDER THAT WITH THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
UM, AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE WILL GO AND CONSIDER A VOTE THIS EVENING.
ALVARS, UH, YES, THANKS, COUNSEL AND MAYOR, UM, FRANCISCO ALVAREZ HERE, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL COMMITTEE AND LOCAL VETERINARIAN.
UM, COUPLE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WANT TO CLARIFY JUST FROM THE STATEMENTS MADE, VETERINARIANS ARE NEVER GONNA ENFORCE ANY, ANY KIND OF, UH, UH, PUBLIC RULES OR ANYTHING THAT'S NOT OUR ROLE IN, IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, I HAVE STATE LAW REQUIRES FOR ALL ANIMALS TO HAVE RABIES VACCINATIONS.
AND I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE THAT COME INTO MY CLINIC AND DECLINE RABIES VACCINES AND THEIR ANIMALS AREN'T VACCINATED FOR RABIES.
AND THAT'S NOT FOR ME TO BE, YOU KNOW, REPORT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
NOW THAT, SO JUST TO BE CLEAR ON THAT, UM, OUR GOAL WITH THIS, AND WE'VE WORKED REALLY HARD WITH IT, AND WE'VE, WE'VE TRIED TO LOOK AT IT FROM ALL ANGLES, AND IT'S A VERY COMPLEX SITUATION.
OUR GOAL IS TO, AND, AND, AND IT GOES ALONG WITH WHEN WE CAME BEFORE TO TALK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CAP PROGRAM.
WHEN WE PROPOSED THAT TO YOU GUYS, WHAT WE WERE HEARING BACK FROM Y'ALL IS THAT WE WANT A WAY TO MAKE THE INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PETS.
SO THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE ANIMALS AND ASSOCIATED OWNERS SO THAT THEY CAN BE RESPONSIBLE, SO THAT IF MY DOG'S RUNNING THAT LOOSE, IT CAN BE PICKED UP BY, UH, BY THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER SCAN MICROCHIP NUMBER.
THAT MICROCHIP NUMBER IS, IS LINKED TO MY PHONE NUMBER ADDRESS, AND THEN I CAN RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENCES FROM MY ANIMAL RUNNING AT LARGE.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOAL WITH THIS ORDINANCE.
UH, THE MICROCHIP PROCESS IS A VERY SIMPLE PROCESS.
UM, AND IT'S JUST THE, IT'S GOING ALONG WITH THE COST OF PET OWNERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT'S NOT A NECESSITY, IT'S A, IT'S A WANT.
IF YOU OWN AN ANIMAL, THERE ARE CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE I HAVE, UH, MS. HOLLOWAY, IS THERE ANY COMMENTS YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE OR, UM, I JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DIDN'T GO INTO THIS LIGHTLY.
WE WENT THROUGH A VERY THOROUGH PROCEDURE AND WE LOOKED AT ALL THE PLUSES AND MINUSES, AND WE TRY TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WOULD WORK FOR EVERYONE.
I KNOW THAT PEOPLE FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOU SEE ANIMALS ALL THE TIME THAT ARE LOST.
THEY DON'T HAVE A MICROCHIP, THEY'VE LOST THEIR COLLAR.
SO MICROCHIPPING IS GOING TO HELP US KEEP FROM LOSING OUR FAMILY PETS AND SO FORTH.
ALSO, THE THING THAT WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS IS THAT AS THEY ARE
[01:30:01]
IN THE FIELD AND THEY PICK UP AN ANIMAL THAT'S LOOSE AND RUNNING OR WHATEVER, IF THEY ARE MICROCHIP, THAT OFFICER CAN RETURN THAT ANIMAL TO THE OWNER WITHOUT TAKING IT THROUGH THE VERY STRESSFUL PROCEDURE OF INTRODUCING IT INTO THE ANIMAL CONTROL BUILDING.WE TALKED ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM SINCE LAST OCTOBER, AND WE LOOKED AT IT IN DEPTH AS FAR AS THE COST AND THE INCONVENIENCE.
WE, WITHIN MINUTES OF SAYING WE WANTED TO DO THIS, THERE WERE SEVERAL ANIMAL WELFARE GROUPS THAT OFFERED TO PUT EVENTS TOGETHER TO OFFER FREE AND VERY INEXPENSIVE MICROCHIPPING.
AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT AS FAR AS LETTING SOMEONE KNOW, WE REALIZED THE TIMETABLE'S A LITTLE ABRUPT, BUT WHEN WE FIRST STARTED ABOUT TALKING ABOUT DOING THIS, IT WAS JULY.
AND WE THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE SIX MONTHS TO ASK THE PEOPLE TO COME TO, UH, AGREEMENT WITH THIS AND HAVE THEIR ANIMALS DONE.
BUT SINCE WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR ITEM NOW, AND WE'RE ASKING JANUARY THE FIRST, PERHAPS THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND CHANGED IN SOME WAY.
UM, AS FAR AS OUR INTENT WAS NOT TO MAKE SOME KIND OF A, A PROBLEM FOR OWNERS, IT WAS TO HELP KEEP ANIMALS SAFE AND WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
IF, UH, THEY CHANGE OWNERSHIP, WE WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD CHANGE THE INFORMATION.
THERE IS A FREE CHIP REGISTRY.
IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, AND THIS COULD BE USED TO GET ANY ANIMAL THAT WE FIND THAT'S CHIPPED AND GET THEM HOME.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, MAYOR, IF I, UH, MAY MAKE A COMMENT, I AM THE, UH, LEGAL ADVISOR FOR THE COMMITTEE.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ON SOME THINGS THAT WERE RAISED EARLIER WITH REGARDS TO THE FEE.
UM, ANY FINE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS IS STIPULATED IN THE ANIMAL ORDINANCE ITSELF.
WITH EACH INDIVIDUAL, UM, OFFENSE, I GUESS YOU COULD SAY REQUIREMENT.
IT DOES NOT STATE THE FEE ALONG EACH LINE.
IT'S ONCE IN THE ANIMAL ORDINANCE AND IT'S THERE WITH REGARDS TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
UM, THERE IS VERY CLEAR GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE ON WHAT IS CONSIDERED PUBLIC SAFETY, WHERE IT GETS RAISED TO THE POSSIBLE $2,000 FINDING, AND THIS WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT.
SO THERE IS NO RISK OF THAT BEING RAISED.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO I'M GONNA START FROM COMMENTS.
I'M GONNA START ON THIS SIDE JUST BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU START OVER HERE.
UM, I, I'M GONNA COMMEND THE BOARD.
MICROTI HAS BEEN AROUND MORE THAN 20 YEARS, SO IT'S NOT NEW TECHNOLOGY.
UM, WE READ ABOUT AND LISTEN TO AND HEAR ON THE NEWS ALL THE TIME NOW ABOUT ANIMALS BEING DUMPED EVERYWHERE.
IF, IF THEY WERE CHIPPED, WE COULD PICK THOSE ANIMALS UP AND CALL THE PREVIOUS OWNER OR OWNER AND SAY, HA, DID YOU MISPLACE YOUR PET? AND WE HAVE IT AND YOU NEED TO COME GET IT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE CAN HOLD SOME FOLKS TO BE A LITTLE MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE.
AS, AS FAR AS FINES AND PENALTIES.
THIS TYPE OF, OF CODE REALLY ISN'T ABOUT TRYING TO BE PUNITIVE.
IT'S ABOUT TRYING TO HELP AND FIX A LONG-TERM ISSUE AND PROBLEM OF STRAY ANIMALS NEVER BEING RETURNED.
THERE WAS ONE RECENTLY A MONTH OR SO AGO WHERE A DOG WAS RETURNED TO THEIR FAMILY AFTER THREE OR FOUR YEARS OF BEING MISSING AND IT WAS FOUR OR FIVE STATES AWAY, A VETERINARIAN'S OFFICE HAPPENED TO SCAN IT, GOT THE CHIP, REALIZED IT DIDN'T BELONG TO THE PEOPLE THAT BROUGHT IT IN AND GOT IT BACK HOME.
SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE WAY OF HELPING FOLKS.
THE STATE LAW REQUIRES VETERINARIANS TO PROVIDE A, UH, TAG THAT'S OLD SCHOOL.
AND I THINK WITH SOME EFFORT, MOST CITIES ARE REQUIRING MICROCHIPPING WITH SOME EFFORT.
I THINK THE STATE WILL PROBABLY SHIFT, HOPEFULLY, UH, TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, FROM A VETERINARIAN PERSPECTIVE, IT'S JUST AS EASY TO CHIP 'EM AS IT IS TO GET A PRINTED TAG AND SO FORTH.
IT COMES OFF, WEARS OUT, CAN'T READ IT.
UM, AND WOULD HELP VETERINARIANS IN THE LONG RUN WITH THAT.
SO I, I COMMEND THE GROUP FOR DOING IT.
UM, THERE MAY BE SOME ISSUES WE NEED, NEED TO HAVE SOME FURTHER DISCUSSION AS FAR AS SOME DETAILS ON THE ORDINANCE ITSELF, BUT AS FAR AS THE DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING GOOD JOB.
UH, I, I MEAN, IT'S A WAY WE GOTTA START SOMEWHERE HOLDING PET OWNERS RESPONSIBLE AND, AND HAVE THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
DID YOU RAISE YOUR HAND OR WE DON'T HAVE TO GO IN ORDER.
JUST I, YEAH, I GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
WHAT, UH, THIS MIGHT BE FOR TONY, BUT WHAT, UM, IF ANY MICROCHIP REQUIREMENTS DO WE HAVE CURRENTLY? LIKE ANY, ANY ANIMAL ADOPTED OUT OF OUR SHELTER MUST BE CHIPPED, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER YES, SIR.
[01:35:01]
MICROCHIP THE ANIMALS THAT WE WIND UP, UH, OWNING WHEN THEY'RE NOT RECLAIMED AND WE MICROCHIP 'EM WHEN WE ADOPT 'EM OUT.IF, IF WE, UM, PICK UP SOMEONE'S PET AND THEY COME TO CLAIM IT.
DO WE REQUIRE ANY KIND OF CHIPPING FOR THEM TO GET THEIR ANIMAL BACK CURRENTLY? NOT ON THE FIRST TIME.
UH, AFTER THE SECOND TIME, YES.
AND I MEAN, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF ANIMALS THAT WE'RE PICKING UP ARE CHIPPED CURRENTLY? DO YOU, UH, IF YOU HAD TO GUESS AT A NUMBER? 10%? YEAH, 10%.
I MEAN, FOR ME, UM, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING A RESPONSIBLE PET OWNER SHOULD DO.
I MEAN, I'VE HAD PETS THAT WERE MICROCHIPPED.
UM, I JUST DON'T KNOW IF IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FORCE THEM TO BE THAT RESPONSIBLE.
UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF MY THOUGHTS ON IT.
SO FOR ME, UM, THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION I, I HAD WAS WHAT'S THE INTENT OF THIS NEW ORDINANCE? AND I THINK YOU GUYS ANSWERED IT, BUT I JUST KIND OF WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IT CLEARLY, IS, UM, YOU REALLY WANNA JUST IDENTIFY IF THE PET THAT'S PICKED UP HAS AN OWNER OR NOT.
AND SO MICROCHIPS IS A WAY TO BASICALLY CATEGORIZE THE ANIMAL.
SO IF IT'S MICROCHIPPED, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE AN OWNER, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN HOLD THAT OWNER RESPONSIBLE.
IF THE ANIMAL'S NOT MICROCHIPPED, YOU CAN CATEGORIZE IT AS UNOWNED, WHICH THEN YOU POSSIBLY PUT IT IN THE ADOPTION PROGRAM OR IF WE HAD ONE TNR.
IS THAT, IS THAT KINDA WHERE YOU'RE GOING? YEAH.
SO THERE'S REALLY NO INTENT TO RAID PEOPLE'S HOUSES TO SEE IF THEIR DOGS AND CATS HAVE MICROCHIPS OR WHEN COPS PULL THEM OVER.
DOES YOUR DOG MICROCHIPS CORRECT? I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY NOT THE INTENT.
IT'S MORE WHEN ANIMAL CONTROL PICKS UP AN ANIMAL, IS IT OWNED, IS IT NOT OWNED? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND, AND, AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, I SOMETIMES GOOD SAMARITANS BRING IN AN INJURED ANIMAL, YOU KNOW, AND WE SCAN 'EM AND IF THEY DON'T HAVE A MICROCHIP, WELL THEY DON'T HAVE AN OWNER.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO, WHAT DO I DO AS A VETERINARIAN? YOU KNOW, UM, OBVIOUSLY I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO RELIEVE ANY TYPE OF PAIN, BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW, WHO'S FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT ANIMAL, YOU KNOW? AND SO WE DO IT, WE CAN, UM, BUT IF WE HAD A MICROCHIP, MAYBE MAYBE YOUR DOG, YOU KNOW, GOT HIT BY A CAR AND A GOOD SAMARITAN BROUGHT IT IN AND WE CALL YOU AND YOU SAY, YEAH, DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO.
AND SO THEN WE KNOW WE CAN GO X, Y, Z.
AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S LOTS OF BENEFITS TO TO, TO PASSING THIS ORDINANCE.
IT MAKES, IT MAKES SENSE TO ME, UM, ON THE ISSUE OF COST, UM, THAT THAT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE TO ME.
I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER AS A COUNCIL.
UM, FUNDING, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PRIVATE DOLLARS OUT THERE THAT WOULD PROBABLY PAY FOR MICROCHIPPING.
I'VE SEEN, UM, PETCO AND PETSMART BRING, UH, NO COST MICROCHIPPING EVENTS TO BAYTOWN, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ENCOURAGE MORE OF.
SO COST ISN'T REALLY A HUGE CONCERN OF MINE.
UM, BUT TO COUNCILMAN POWELL'S QUESTION ABOUT WHEN, UM, THEY GET PICKED UP AND SOMEONE DOES COME TO CLAIM THE ANIMAL, DO WE PUT A MICROCHIP IN? AND THE ANSWER WAS NOT ON THE FIRST TIME.
DOES THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE THAT OR ARE YOU STILL GOING TO RELEASE THEM WITHOUT A MICROCHIP THE FIRST TIME THEY'RE PICKED UP? NO, NO MA'AM.
THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T ADDRESS THAT.
NOT THAT IT, I MEAN, WE COULD TAKE THAT POSITION BECAUSE I AM LOOKING AT E AND IT SAYS ALL DOGS ARE CATS THAT ARE PROCESSED SHALL BE MICRO TRIPPED PRIOR TO BEING RELEASED.
SO THE WAY I READ THAT IS EVEN ON THE FIRST TIME, YOU WOULD MICROCHIP THEM BEFORE YOU LET THEM GO BACK TO THE OWNER.
OH, WHICH I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF, UM, SORRY.
THIS YEAR, I THINK IN THIS INSTANCE, I WOULDN'T APPLY THE THREE STRIKES.
I THINK IF YOU, YOU GET PICKED UP, IT GIVES INTO THE SHELTER, IT'S MICRO CHIPPED BEFORE IT GOES TO THE OWNER, RECLAIM IT, WE OPERATE.
SO WHEN THEY DO COME IN AND RECLAIM IT, WE DO OFFER THAT, UM, OPTION TO MICROCHIP IT.
BUT THE PART E THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? YES, THAT'S, UH, THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, JARRIS, MAYBE YOU CAN QUALIFY THAT.
UM, YES, THE DISCUSSION WAS THAT THEY WOULD BE DOING IT.
UM, THE CITY CHARGES $10 FOR THE MICROCHIP, SO IT'S STILL MUCH CHEAPER, UM, FOR MOST CITIZENS.
I'M SURE THAT THE ANIMAL CONTROL CAN WORK WITH PEOPLE.
IF THEY SAID, OKAY, I UNDERSTAND I NEED TO BE MICROCHIPPED.
I WANNA HAVE MY VET DO IT, THEN THAT'S FINE.
BUT THE IDEA IS, IS THAT THEY DO WANT TO NOT RELEASE THIS ANIMAL BACK OUT,
[01:40:01]
UM, WITHOUT HAVING EITHER A MICROCHIP OR SOME WAY TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE GETTING MICROCHIP AS THE STATE LAW DOES REQUIRE WHEN WE ARE ADOPTING OUT.UM, THAT STATE LAW HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR A LONG TIME AS WELL, REQUIRING MICROCHIPPING FOR ALL ANIMALS ADOPTED.
UM, IT GONNA KIND OF FALL IN LINE WITH THAT AS WELL.
SO EVEN ON THE FIRST TIME, YES MA'AM.
YOU HAVE ALLOWED ME TO BE A HAPPY CAMPER ONCE AGAIN.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT YOU PUT INTO THIS, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS THING PASSED TONIGHT.
UM, I MEAN, I'M NOT GONNA RELOW THE SAME GROUND.
UH, SOME OF THE COMMENTS, UH, THAT ORIGINATED EARLIER.
UH, I DO COMMEND THE COMMITTEE.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT FIRST STEP.
UM, IT, IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN DISCUSSED OUT THE WAZOO FOREVER, BUT IT, IT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AS OF LATE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M A LITTLE GUILTY OF NOT KNOWING EVERY NUANCE AND EVERY SINGLE DETAIL AND YOU KNOW, I I, WE, WE, I'M NOT SURE IF I SEE A DOWNSIDE TO, TO HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW EVERY NUANCE AND EVERY DETAIL.
UM, AND, AND MAYBE A LITTLE ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION.
I DO COMMEND THE COMMITTEE AND, AND CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK.
UM, I MEAN I ECHO ALL OF THAT AND, AND THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT, AND, AND I THINK FOR ME, UM, HAVING A REQUIREMENT FOR EVERYONE TO DO THIS, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH FOR ME RIGHT NOW.
UM, WHEN WE BUILT THE NEW FACILITY, WE MENTIONED, LET'S MAKE SURE WE PUT A CLASSROOM IN THERE TO EDUCATE PET OWNERS ON BEING RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS.
AND I KNOW WE JUST MOVED IN THERE.
UM, BUT HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CLASSES YET, UM, TO, TO TALK TO PET OWNERS ABOUT MICROCHIPPING OR, OR ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER THING? WELL, WE HAVE NOT TALKED TO THE PET OWNERS ABOUT MICROCHIPPING.
WE HAVE USED THAT TO, UH, INITIATE OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. MM-HMM
THAT'S, UH, ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE'VE, UM, STARTED DOING.
AND SO WE'VE USED IT FOR THAT.
WE'VE OBVIOUSLY USED IT FOR TRAINING EMPLOYEES AND HAVING MEETINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE GOAL, IF THIS IS PASSED, WE WOULD GO INTO AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN.
I WOULD, UH, I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN FROM, FROM THE OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT OF MM-HMM
TRYING TO GET THE INFORMATION OUT AND EDUCATE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.
UM, LIKE COUNCILMAN LESTER SAID, OUR OUR INTENT IS TO GET COMPLIANCE THROUGH EDUCATION.
UH, WE WE'RE NOT GONNA GO DOOR TO DOOR AND ISSUE CITATIONS FOR, FOR THIS.
OUR INTENT IS TO TRY TO GET AS MANY ANIMALS AS WE CAN MICROCHIP SO THAT IT CAN RELIEVE SOME OF THE BURDEN ON THE SHELTER.
IF, IF THEY'RE CHIPPED, WE CAN SCAN 'EM IN THE FIELD, GET 'EM TO THE OWNER ALSO, IF THEY'RE INJURED AND THEY COME IN, THAT'S A KIND OF A DILEMMA FOR US.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT, BUT WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF IT.
UH, SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE WITH THIS IS TO START SOMEWHERE MM-HMM
UH, SO WE WILL UTILIZE THAT ROOM FOR SURE.
I, I AGREE EDUCATION IS A KEY.
AND, AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING, THAT I WOULD PREFER THAT THERE, UH, BE, UH, CLASSES ON EDUCATION TO, WHETHER IT'S MICROCHIPPING, WHETHER IT'S WHAT KIND OF DOG, UH, DOG FOOD OR CAT FOOD TO FEED, WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED, UM, TO HELP THESE PET OWNERS.
A LOT OF 'EM ARE FIRST TIME PET OWNERS AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO WITH YOUR PET? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP THEM SAFE AND OUT OF THE STREETS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
UM, I, I JUST REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE MAY NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, UM, AT LEAST I NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME BEFORE I CAN START REQUIRING PEOPLE TO MICROCHIP.
I HEARD THAT THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT WANTS TO DO IT FOR FREE, LET'S GET THEM OUT THERE.
LET'S CONTINUE TO GET THEM IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY AND NOT JUST AT THE ANIMAL.
I KNOW WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST WHERE THEY'VE COME TO THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, LET'S GET THEM OUT THERE FIRST.
[01:45:01]
EDUCATE, UM, FOLKS EVEN MORE, UTILIZE THE CLASSROOM.UM, I'M, AT THIS MOMENT, I'M JUST NOT IN FAVOR OF MAKING IT A REQUIREMENT, UM, TO MICROCHIP.
THAT SHOULD BE THE PET OWNER'S DECISION, SO.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IF NOT, OKAY, HERE'S MY COMMENTS.
UM, AND I AGREE WITH, WITH COUNCILMAN LESTER AND CERTAINLY HIS BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE IS THAT, UH, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, LEGISLATING RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP IS DIFFICULT.
BUT IF YOU SERVE ON COUNCIL FOR SOME TIME, I, I'VE GOT, I'VE HAD A FEW CALLS OF PEOPLE WHO MY DOG IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S MISSING.
IT'S IN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN THE SHELTER.
IT'S, IT'S CERTAINLY, IT'S, IT'S A LOVED ONE PART OF THEIR FAMILY.
AND THIS HERE, 'CAUSE WE'VE BEEN, WHEN DID WE START SCANNING? AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
WHEN DID WE START SCANNING FOR MICROCHIPS? DO YOU KINDA, WHAT YEAR DO YOU REMEMBER FIRST SCANNER WE HAD PROBABLY ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO.
UM, DR. ALVAREZ, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE COST OF, OF MICROCHIP? JUST, JUST COMMERCIALLY? SURE.
I MEAN, LIKE IF YOU WALK INTO MY CLINIC RIGHT NOW, IT'S $35.
UM, AND IT'S, UH, I HAVE VERY LITTLE MARKUP ON IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT'S TO ME IS MORE OF A, AND AND MOST VETERINARIANS, I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PRICE A LOT OF THINGS, WE SHOP AROUND WITH EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE MARKET.
AND SO WE'RE VERY COMPETITIVE AND IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE DON'T MARKET UP A LOT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, JUST LIKE A RABIES VACCINE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO HAVE.
SO THERE WE REALLY DON'T, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF, UH, PROFIT ON THAT.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF, UM, ANIMAL, UH, I GUESS YOU'D SAY ADVOCATES FOR MICROCHIPPING AND THERE IS FREE EVENTS OR REDUCED COST EVENTS.
UM, I, I THINK WE DO NEED TO, TO REALLY ACTUALLY, UH, CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE AND PASS IT SO THAT WE CAN, AS YOU SAY, UH, GO AND GET, GET THE FOLKS, THE, THESE TYPE OF ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED.
BECAUSE IF WE JUST CONTINUE TO GO AND SAY, LET'S TRY TO LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE MORE AND MORE AND MORE, WE HAVE CITIZENS THAT WE APPOINTED.
WE TRUSTED THEIR JUDGMENT, WE TRUSTED EVERYONE'S INVOLVED JUDGMENT.
AND, AND I THINK I'M GONNA LEAN ON THAT THIS EVENING.
UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO EXPRESS AND, AND MISS CITY ATTORNEY, IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS, UM, I'M NOT BIG INTO THE PUNITIVE, YOU KNOW, THE PUNITIVE MEASURES IN A SENSE FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, AND I THINK SOME OTHER COLLEAGUES HERE ARE PROBABLY ALONG THE SAME LINES.
UM, IS THERE ANYTHING STATUTORILY WHERE, WHERE IT REQUIRES US TO ESTABLISH THESE LEVEL OF FINES, ALTHOUGH WE MAY NOT SITE SITE FOLKS.
I WANNA CALL MY RESERVATIONS ON IT.
'CAUSE I'M NOT LOOKING TO EVER HAVE THE, EVEN THE ABILITY TO, TO FIND SOMEONE 500 OR $2,000, BUT I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE WOULD BE, UM, THAT THE FINE WOULD BE 35, $50, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, IS THE COST OF MICROCHIPPING.
THAT IS THE INTENT OF THIS IS TO GO AND GET THESE ANIMALS MICROCHIPPED SO THAT ONE, IF THEY'RE LOST, WE WE'RE ABLE TO QUICKLY IDENTIFY THE OWNER OR PREVIOUS OWNER AND GIVES US THE ABILITY TO DO THAT AND RETURN 'EM BACK SAFELY TO THEIR HOME.
AND, AND I THINK WE DO HAVE TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND AT SOME POINT AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH AN ORDINANCE.
AND I'M GONNA DEPEND ON MS. HOLLOWAY AND HER JUDGMENT AND DR. ALVAREZ AND THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S WHERE I'M GONNA STAND THIS EVENING.
UM, ABSOLUTELY THE $500 COMES FROM A STATE MANDATED CAP AND THAT IS ONLY MEANT TO BE A CAP.
RARELY DO OUR FINES EVER EVEN ORDINARY OTHER FINES, UH, DO THEY NORMALLY GO TO THAT.
UM, AND SO ABSOLUTELY YOU CAN SET IT WHERE YOU WANT AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT GOING OVER 500.
UM, YOU CAN DO THAT AND YOU CAN MAKE THAT PART OF THE ORDINANCE.
THIS IS WHERE I'M, I'M JUST FAIR, I'M NOT LOOKING AT BEING, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE ARE ASKING TO, TO LEGISLATE PET OWNER RESPONSIBILITY, BUT I WOULD SAY COST NOT TO EXCEED THE COST OF WHATEVER, AT LEAST THIS, IF IT'S THE CITY OF BAYTOWN OR COMMERCIAL, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, IF IT'S 35 OR 50 BUCKS, UM, THAT'S THE INTENT FOR ME.
AND I WOULD AGREE WITH, WITH MS. ALVARADO WHOLEHEARTEDLY, THAT EDUCATION, WHATEVER TIME PERIOD THAT THAT MAY BE, I THINK YOU KIND OF ALLUDED TO THAT.
AND MS. HOLLOWAY, WHAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE GRACE PERIOD OR EDUCATIONAL PERIOD? UM, NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN SOME OTHER ORDINANCES IN THE PAST THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME, UH, FOR FOLKS TO DO THIS.
IS IT 180 DAYS? IS IT 365? WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? WE HAVE DISCUSS GIVING THE PUBLIC SIX MONTHS TO COMPLY AND WITH, UH, THE ANIMAL WELFARE GROUPS OFFERING TO DO EVENTS.
THERE'S NO REASON IF WE PUBLIC, UH, PUBLICIZING THINGS WAS ANOTHER ITEM THAT WE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, HOW WE WOULD GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
WE DON'T WANNA BLINDSIDE ANYONE.
WE WANT EVERYONE TO HAVE A FAIR CHANCE TO FOLLOW THE RULES IF THEY CAN.
BUT SIX MONTHS TO HAVE THE EVENTS OUT.
IT, THE THING IS, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS IN JULY AND NOW WE ARE INTO HOLIDAY SEASONS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL HOLIDAYS COMING UP
[01:50:01]
AND THAT'S GOING TO INTERFERE WITH THE FAMILY'S ABILITY TO GET EVERYTHING GATHERED UP AND GO DOWN AND TAKE CARE OF THIS.I WAS GONNA MENTION THAT I BELIEVE WE STARTED SCANNING ANIMALS FOR MICROCHIPS IN LIKE 2007, 2008? I BELIEVE SO.
SO IT'S BEEN 14 YEARS THAT THE, THE MICROCHIPPING AND THE SCANNING HAS BEEN AVAILABLE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MA'AM FOR THAT INFORMATION.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE AT LEAST THE CHANGE IN THAT IS THAT WE HAVE AN EDUCATIONAL PERIOD OF NO LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AND I CERTAINLY ASK THAT, UM, OUR, OUR DIRECTOR IS ABLE TO HANDLE THAT.
ANY EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS OBVIOUSLY WORK WITH PUBLIC AFFAIRS TO, TO GET THAT WORD OUT.
UM, I CAN SUPPORT THAT AND I CAN CERTAINLY, UH, SUPPORT A, UH, REASONABLE, UM, IF YOU WANNA SAY IT NOT TO EXCEED NUMBER REALLY THE CAUSE OF MICROCHIP.
THAT'S THE INTENT, RIGHT? VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE OR INVOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE IN, IN THIS CASE.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE DO HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, IF NOT WE WILL CONTINUE TO GO AND SEE A PROLIFERATION OF, OF, OF THINGS THAT CAN GET OUT OF CONTROL.
THE QUESTION, IF WE DO, IF WE FIND THE $35, WHERE'S THAT MONEY GOING TO GO? WHAT IS IT GONNA BE USED FOR TO MICROCHIP THOUGH? SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE THAT MONEY AND WHOEVER THEY, WHOEVER'S GOING TO MICROCHIP IT, WE'RE GOING TO, THEY COULD IF I THINK IT WAS 10 AT THE SHELTER, IF IT YEAH, BUT WE'RE DOING, IF IT'S A CITATION, IT DOES NOT COME BACK TO THE, THE DEPARTMENT.
IF IT IS A CITATION, IT WOULD NOT, THERE'S NOT A WAY TO FUND THAT BACK.
UM, BUT UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WELL, SO LEMME ASK, SO LET'S SAY IF THERE'S, LET'S SAY THERE IS A CITATION AND IT'S $35, BUT IF YOU, IF YOU, IF A CITIZEN IS ABLE, OR A, A PEN OWNER IS ABLE TO SHOW THAT THIS, THIS ANIMAL HAS BEEN MICROCHIP, COULD WE, COULD WE EITHER REFUND THAT OR THEN, OR THEY HAVE A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME TO, TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION? UH, NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN, IF IT'S LAW ENFORCEMENT EVERY, HEY, SHOW ME YOU HAVE, UH, INSURANCE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
I CAN PROVIDE IT AND THEN WE'RE DONE.
YES, WE CERTAINLY COULD HAVE A POLICY.
UM, IT WOULD NOT BE PART OF THE ORDINANCE, BUT WE MOST DEFINITELY CAN HAVE A POLICY, UM, THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO DISMISS OR I GUESS TECHNICALLY WE COULD MAKE IT PART OF THE ORDINANCE, BUT UH, IT WOULD NEED TO YEAH, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT.
BUT, UM, YOU CAN BASICALLY, WE DO THAT AS YOU'VE POINT OUT FOR OTHER PROGRAMS. UM, AND IT IS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE TO DO THAT, TO SAY IF YOU CAN PROVIDE US PROOF WITHIN, YOU KNOW, 10 DAYS OR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, THEN UM, WE CAN DISMISS.
WELL, IF, IF THAT'S THE, I WOULD, I WOULD SUPPORT, I MEAN, I WOULD, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT IF, IF WE CAN ADMINISTRATIVELY, UM, ARE ABLE TO PROCESS THAT AS, AS A, AS A A PATHWAY, I THINK THAT, THAT, THAT REALLY MEETS OUR INTENT OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO IF WE'RE ONLY GONNA CHARGE $35, THAT'S REALLY NOT GOING TO INCENTIVIZE ANYONE TO GO AND GET IT DONE.
IF YOU HAVE THE LIMIT OF UP TO 500, IN THEIR MIND THEY SAY IT COULD BE UP TO 500.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET THIS DONE.
JUST, JUST SO THAT I MIGHT NOT GET THAT TICKET.
AND THEY MAY DO IT MORE THAN 35.
IT COULD BE UP TO 500 AND, UM, I MEAN, IT COULD BE WHERE YOU, YOU KNOW, IN 30 DAYS YOU PROVIDE, YOU SHOULD PROVIDE PROOF AFTER THAT IT TURNS INTO THE INCREASED FINE.
THE COURT EXCUSE, THE COURT SETS THE FINES, IF YOU WILL.
SO THE, THE MAXIMUM'S UP TO 500 CAN EXCEED THAT.
THE COURT COULD SET A POLICY, THE JUDGE BASICALLY SETS POLICY THAT IT COULD BE A HUNDRED BUCKS.
AND THEN IF YOU COME BACK IN AND SHOW THAT YOU GOT IT DONE WITHIN A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME, IT COULD BE REDUCED FEE AND JUST COVER COURT COSTS AGAIN.
SO THE MONEY DOESN'T COME BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT.
BUT THE, THE JUDGE COULD HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF BASICALLY AS PART OF THE, INSTEAD YOU JUST PUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS CASH ON THE TABLE, THE JUDGE COULD SAY, OKAY, THE FINE'S A HUNDRED, BUT YOU GET IT DONE IN THE NEXT 10 DAYS, COME BACK, I'LL REDUCE IT TO WHATEVER THAT, THAT, THAT ALLOWS THE JUDGE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
IT JUST DOESN'T COME BACK TO US.
UM, I AGREE WITH ADMINISTRATIVELY ASKING TONY AND, AND HIS GROUP IS LIKE, LET'S SET IT TO JULY 1ST NEXT YEAR.
THAT UNTIL THEN WE REALLY DON'T WANT ENFORCEMENT.
WE WANT TO HAVE SOME EDUCATION PROGRAMS. WE WANNA HAVE SOME FREE MICRO TRIP PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, LET, LET'S PUSH IT OUT.
BUT THEN AFTER JULY DRAW LINE, SAY, OKAY, THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN SIX, NINE MONTHS.
IT'S TIME TO START SAYING, IF YOUR ANIMAL COMES IN AND IT DOESN'T HAVE A CHIP AND YOU CLAIM IT, YOU'RE GONNA GET A TICKET.
AND, AND THAT'S THE INCENTIVE.
BUT THERE'S, THERE'S, THESE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN A LONG, AROUND A LONG TIME.
THIS JUST GIVES US, AGAIN, THE ONE STEP IN THE, IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE NEED TO, TO GO TO CREATE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN OF, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T LEGISLATE RESPONSIBILITY, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY START MAKING IT UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE
[01:55:01]
LESS THAN RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS OUT THERE.AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
'CAUSE IF WE DON'T, WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE DOGS RUNNING LOOSE ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE STILL GONNA HAVE CATS RUNNING LOOSE ALL THE TIME.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT PROGRAMS YOU HAVE, IF WE DON'T START STOPPING THE FRONT END, IT'S NEVER GOING TO END.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JUST MY FINAL COMMENT, MAYOR, WE DON'T NEED AN ORDINANCE BEFORE WE START EDUCATION AND BEFORE WE START DOING ALL OF THE FREE MICROCHIPPING PROGRAMS. UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT MY FINAL COMMENT BECAUSE IT'S APPEARING LIKE, HEY, BEFORE WE DO THIS, LET'S DO THE ORDINANCE.
SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT FOR A WHILE AND, AND, UH, EITHER WE RAMP IT UP EVEN MORE.
I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT WE NEED AN ORDINANCE FOR THAT.
SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, SO I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR.
SO, EDUCATIONAL PERIOD, I THINK YOU DO ON A DATE JULY 1ST, AS FAR AS JULY DATE, IT GETS THE HOLIDAY PERIOD.
AND, AND SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT.
AND THEN LET ME ASK, AND THEN ON THE, UM, I GUESS THE, HOW CAN WE STRUCTURE THE WHOLE, THE FEE, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA IS TO HAVE, GET THE ANIMAL MICROCHIP FOR WHATEVER THAT COST MAY BE.
I WOULD SAY NOT TO EXCEED $50, I GUESS THAT WAY THERE MAY BE SOME COST INCREASES.
UM, AND THEN THE IDEA WOULD BE YOU HAVE 30 DAYS TO, TO, UM, PROVIDE PROOF THAT, THAT THAT ACTIVITY HAS TAKEN PLACE.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEN I THINK WE GO TO THE REGULAR FINE FEE STRUCTURE.
UM, WELL, BASICALLY WE CAN HAVE IT AS A POLICY, UM, BECAUSE IN THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS WE HAVE WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A FRONT WINDOW POLICY.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF I COME IN, I GOT THIS CITATION, NOW I'VE GOT PROOF, YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO TALK TO A PROSECUTOR OR THE JUDGE.
THE CLERKS AT THE FRONT WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO WRITE IT INTO THE ORDINANCE, UM, THEN THAT WOULD BE A, A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE WOULD SPECIFICALLY HAVE TO SPELL OUT THE LANGUAGE IN THE, UH, THE FINE AND WE COULD SPECIFY THAT IT DOES NOT EXCEED, I THINK FOR, FOR HOPEFULLY SIMPLICITY, LET'S KEEP IT AS A POLICY AND NOT IN THE ORDINANCE.
SO, UM, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN SUPPORT MS. HOLLOWAY? UH, AT LEAST SOME OF THE, THE SUGGESTIONS THAT THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED? ANY FORWARD MOVEMENT IS APPRECIATED.
AS YOU SAID, WE MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER MANY, MANY ASPECTS AND, UM, THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHERE IT'S AT ON, ON IT FOR ME.
SO WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, I'LL CALL FOR VOTE.
WE HAVEN'T, WE DON'T HAVE A MOTION THEN.
SO IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION ON ITEM 10 A? I THINK EVERYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK IS DONE.
SO IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM
[b. Consider an ordinance amending Chapter 14 "Animals," Article I, "In General," of the Code of Ordinances, City of Baytown, Texas, to add Sec. 14-9, "Microchip required," requiring the owner of any dog or cat kept within the corporate limits of the City of Baytown to have the animal implanted with a microchip and registered with a microchip registry.]
10 B, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER THE ORDINANCE AS DISCUSSED WITH, I GUESS THE ADJUSTMENTS BY EITHER POLICY AND OR FEE STRUCTURE.SO WITH THAT, WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
UM, I WOULD SPECIFY THAT EFFECTIVE DATE BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF THE, UH, THE PASSING OF THE ORDINANCE.
SO I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION WITH THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF JULY 1ST FOR ITEM 10 B, IF SOMEBODY WOULD MAKE THAT MOTION IN A SECOND.
ITEM 10 B WITH THE DATE OF JULY 1ST, 2023.
SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, IF NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ITEM OF 10 B AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
UM, WHAT I HEARD IS THREE, INCLUDING MYSELF IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, UH, WOULD BE COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, UH, MS. NCCO AND MR. LESTER AND MYSELF.
AND THEN IN THE UH, NA CATEGORY WOULD BE COUNCILMAN POWELL, COUNCILMAN PRESLEY, AND MS. ALVARADO.
ALRIGHT, LET THE RECORD SHOW THAT.
SO ITEM DOES CARRY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM
[a. Consider an ordinance authorizing execution of Amendment 1 to Advance Funding Agreement with the State of Texas through the Texas Department of Transportation for the Garth Road Improvements Project from I-10 to just south of Archer Road.]
11 A, WHICH IS CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AUTHORIZED TO EXECUTE.THANK YOU, MS. HOLLOWAY AND DR. ALVAREZ AND THE ENTIRE COMMITTEE.
AND SO FAR STAFF, UH, WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT THIS DOES PROGRESS OUR, OUR PROGRAM.
SO WITH THAT WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM 11, A CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AUTHORIZED AND EXECUTION OF AMENDMENT ONE TO ADVANCE FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS THROUGH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE GARTH ROAD IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT FROM I 10 TO JUST SOUTH OF ARCHER ROAD.
MR. SEMINO, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
UH, AS YOU STATED, 11, UH, ITEM 11 A IS, UH, CONSIDERING ORDINANCE FOR THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH T THE CITY ENTERED INTO THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT FOR GARTH ROAD IN 2016, UH, WHICH COVERED THE AREA FROM I 10 TO STATE HIGHWAY 1 46.
YOU, THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT WAS DONE PRIOR TO ANY, UH, DESIGN WORK BEING COMPLETED, AND IT DID NOT, UH, REFLECT THE TRUE SCOPE OF WORK REQUIRED OR ACCURATE COST ESTIMATES, UH, STAFF HAS SINCE NEGOTIATED WITH T AND HJAC TO CHANGE THE SCOPE OF WORK AND OBTAIN, UH, INCREASED FUNDING TO MAKE THE REVISED PROJECT, UH, MUCH MORE VIABLE.
[02:00:02]
THE, THE REVISED PROJECT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO COUNCIL PREVIOUSLY, UH, INCLUDING APPROVAL OF A DESIGN CONTRACT IN NOVEMBER OF 2020, AND A FLYOVER PRESENTED, UH, DURING WORK SESSION LAST YEAR.THIS AMENDMENT REVISES SCOPE OF WORK TO THE AREA FROM I 10 TO JUST PAST ARCHER ROAD.
IT ALSO MAKES CITY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL DESIGN RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION AND ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS.
THESE COSTS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN OTHER COUNCIL ACTIONS SUCH AS A DESIGN CONTRACT AND THE UTILITY EASEMENT BUDGET, WHICH HAVE PREVIOUSLY PASSED.
COUNCIL STAFF WILL BRING AN ITEM TO COUNCIL, UH, FOR THE ROADWAY RIGHT OF WAY BUDGET SOON.
UH, STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM TO MOVE THE PROJECT FORWARD.
SO YES, WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN FRONT OF US REGARDING THIS PROJECT.
UM, I AGAIN, GO AHEAD AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION, UH, FOR ITEM 11 A AS PRESENTED MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 11 A SECOND.
DO WE MOTION TO SECOND ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS FOR STAFF, OR ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, MAYBE SOME QUESTIONS, UM, REGARDING THAT? YES, SIR.
UM, I HAD HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT CONNOLLY ROAD SHEPHERD THOMAS AND THE INTERSECTION OF GARTH ROAD AND CEDAR BAYOU LYNCHBURG.
IF WE COULD GET A SIMULATION OR SOME TYPE OF STUDY DONE SHOWING THE EFFECTS THAT THE CONSTRUCTION OF GARTH ROAD ARE GOING TO HAVE ON THOSE STREETS, AND WE WAS TOLD WE WOULD HAVE THAT, I WOULD HAVE THAT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, OR HAVE WE MADE ANY PROGRESS ON THAT? SO THAT WAS RIGHT BEFORE MS. ANDREA LEFT ON CONNOLLY ROAD.
BECAUSE I WAS ASKING WHAT TYPE, HOW, WHAT TYPE OF EFFECT DOES GARTH ROAD CONSTRUCTION GOING TO HAVE ON THOSE ROADS SINCE THOSE ROADS WERE NOT CONSTRUCTED FOR A HIGH, HIGH TRAFFIC COUNT? I, I'M ASSUMING, I GUESS YOU, YOU MADE, YOU WANTED KIND OF A, A, I GUESS THE WHAT IS GONNA, WHAT'S GONNA, WHAT IS IT GONNA LOOK LIKE WHEN GARROW GOES THROUGH THIS TYPE OF YES.
WORK AND HOW IT'S GONNA AFFECT THE NEIGHBORING STREETS? YES.
I'M NOT SURE IF CONLEY WOULD BE ONE, BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WELL, THERE'S A LIGHT AT BUSH AND SAN JACINTO AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY CUT THROUGH CONNOLLY, SHE, CONNOLLY AND THOMAS TO SHEPHERD TO AVOID THAT LIGHT TO GO FARTHER DOWN AND CATCH THE LIGHT.
IS CAN WE WORK ON GETTING THAT PLEASE? UH, I DO REMEMBER THAT, UH, WE DISCUSSED THAT I THINK WITH, UM, CONNIE, YES.
AND I THOUGHT SHE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION, BUT SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS GOING TO GET WITH YOU ALL TO, OR TRAFFIC TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND GET BACK WITH ME.
IT'S PROBABLY GOOD INFORMATION TO HAVE.
I IT IS, I THINK IT'S A FAIR QUESTION, BUT, SO WE, IF YOU CAN, ONCE YOU, ONCE YOU GET SOME TYPE OF, I GUESS YOU'D SAY ANALYSIS ON, ON WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE, I, I THINK, UH, IF YOU CAN FORWARD THAT TO ALL TO COUNSEL.
SO ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON ITEM 11 A, YOU HAVE NOT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? 11 A'S PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE AYE.
OF THOSE POSTS, WE'LL MOVE ON TO CONSENT.
SO FIRST I'LL SAY, UH, I'M GONNA PULL 12 B TO BE CONSIDERED, UM, UH, BY ITSELF IS THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS ON CONSENT THAT NEEDS TO BE PULLED? IF NOT, I DO HAVE ONE, UM, CITIZEN THAT, THAT DID SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON CONSENT FOR 12 E.
MR. ISAAC, ARE YOU THERE? HOLD ON.
YOU, YOU'RE MUTED, RIGHT?
CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN HEAR YOU NOW, YES.
UH, I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE COORDINATES, UH, NOT 12 B NO, IT'S 12 E, BUT, UH, 12 E.
ALRIGHT, SO, UH, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT, UH, DAVID, I, BY THE WAY, UH, MADE BY NAME ESTABLISHING MYSELF AS A WORLD MUSIC FIGURE.
I LIVED IN JAPAN FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS, LOOKING BANDS BACK AND FORTH, CONTRIBUTING TO CORP WRITERS ON TEXAS AVENUE AND AT KDAY, UH, BRINGING RICH FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THE TSC, UH, CONTRACT THAT WE'RE PROPOSING THAT WE'RE WANTING TO DISCUSS TONIGHT, OR APPARENTLY WE DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT, WE JUST WANT TO, UH, PASS IT THROUGH OUR CONSENT, UH, AGENDA IN LIEU OF OTHER THINGS.
UH, I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, RECONSIDER WHAT THE CONTRACT IS NOW.
WE DID A GOOD JOB, UH, BEING MORE TRANSPARENT TO THE COMMUNITY, LETTING THEM HAVE A SURVEY, LETTING 'EM HAVE A VOTE ON, ON JULY 3RD AND JULY 4TH, UH, INCLUDING ACTS LIKE LEANNE, RIMES AND SHAGGY.
HOWEVER, UH, THERE ARE MANY OTHER, I WANNA SAY THIS BASED ON MY OWN, UH, UH, EXPERIENCE.
THERE ARE MANY OTHER COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT CAN PROVIDE
[02:05:01]
HIGH LEVEL TALENT, HIGH LEVEL ARTISTS.I'VE LOOKED AT THE BUDGET, I BELIEVE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, MR. DAVIS IS ASKING FOR $350,000, UH, FOR THIS AGREEMENT.
AND BY THE WAY, MR. DAVIS ISN'T GOING TO BE HERE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO IS GOING TO NEGOTIATE THAT BEFORE 4TH OF JULY OF NEXT YEAR.
HOWEVER, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE COULD FIND A BETTER GROUP.
UH, AND I THINK TRUST DAVIS SAYS HE'S IN A POLKA BAND, OF COURSE, BUT, UH, WE CAN MAKE A LOT MORE, UH, ACTS COME TO 4TH OF JULY, MAKE A SUPER SHOW OF SOME SORT TO HAVE GREATER $50,000.
I'VE TALKED TO BAYTOWN ENGAGED VOTERS OF SOME SORT, AND I KNOW THAT, UH, WE CAN HAVE THE TYPE OF 4TH OF JULY SHOW WITH THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE GIVING OR MORE.
'CAUSE THE WAY I SEE SPENDING IN OTHER DIMENSIONS, UH, THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH 4TH OF JULY.
AND OF COURSE, ACCORDING TO, UH, ELEVATING TRUST IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR ABOVE BY RICK DAVIS, 4TH OF JULY ITSELF IS A, IS A BIG FACTOR TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON THE ONGOING OF THE CITY.
SO I WOULD LIKE FOR, UH, OUR CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER NOT APPROVING HIRING TSC, LOOKING AT OTHER CONTRACTS.
UH, IF YOU WANT MY ADVICE, I COULD DEFINITELY GIVE IT TO YOU.
IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I'M GOOD AT, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
AND WE CAN GET OURSELVES A SUPER SHOW.
I'VE ADVISED, UH, SOME MEMBERS OF THE JUNETEENTH COMMITTEE TO GET THE FIRST WRAPPER HERE.
BUN B I'VE ADVISED THE CITY COUNCIL, I TALKED ABOUT GETTING WRAPPED, UH, ON 4TH OF JULY, GAVE US VANILLA ICE.
CAN'T TELL YOU, I WAS TYPICALLY PLEASED WITH THAT, BUT IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE MADE HISTORY TOGETHER SO WE CAN DO A LOT MORE.
UM, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS TRYING TO GET MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
SO YOU'VE HEARD ME USE THAT, THAT WORD BEFORE.
I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY SURVEYING THE COMMUNITY.
THERE'S NO REASON TO OVERPAY AN ARTIST.
I KNOW THAT AS A PROMOTER, I KNOW THAT AS A BOOKING, I KNOW THAT AS AN ARTIST MYSELF.
LET'S HAVE THE BIGGEST 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE.
INSTEAD OF JUST ONE HEADLINER, LET'S HAVE TWO HEADLINERS, TWO SUB HEADLINERS, AND SOME SOLID LOCAL SUPPORT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL GIVE YOU BACK MY TIME.
[12. 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.]
HAVE A CONSENT AGENDA AND UM, I'M GOING TO FIRST CONSIDER ITEMS A THROUGH A MOTION FOR A THROUGH T, EXCLUDING ITEM B.MAY, IF I MAY, UM, SINCE THIS WAS PULLED FOR DISCUSSION ON E, UM, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
SO THEN, UM, WE CAN, OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND APPROVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA EXCLUDE B AND E MM-HMM
SO THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION OF CONSENT AGENDA A THROUGH T EXCLUDING B AND E, E FROM SOMEONE.
MOVE TO APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA A THROUGH T EXCLUDING B AND E.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND THIS CONSENT AGENDA.
SO WITH THAT, ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE ITEMS THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING FOR THIS MOTION, PLEASE.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[e. Consider an ordinance authorizing the City Manager to negotiate contracts with TSE Entertainment for musical and emcee performances for the City of Baytown's July 3rd and 4th Celebration, Juneteenth, Grito Fest, Brown Bag Lunch and other events in FY2023.]
MOVE ON TO E UH, FIRST.AND SO WE WILL CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE, UM, UH, AS FAR AS THE, THE CONTRACTOR WITH TSE ENTERTAINMENT.
UH, MS. ALVARADO, YOU PULLED THIS ITEM, UM, FOR YOUR, UH, YES, SIR.
SO, UH, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, HOW LONG HAVE WE BEEN WITH THEM? AT LEAST 15 YEARS.
UH, THEY'VE, THEY'VE BEEN THE PROVIDER, UH, FOR AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
SO DO WE EVER BID OR, OR, OR WE JUST USE THEM BECAUSE WE, WE'VE USED THEM EVERY YEAR.
IT, IT IS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE, SO WE, WE DON'T BID IT.
UM, THE, UH, THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN EXTREMELY GOOD FOR US, HONESTLY.
UM, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UM, THINGS THAT GO INTO ACCOUNT WHEN YOU BOOK A BAND.
UM, IT IS TRUE THAT YOU COULD GET BANDS CHEAPER IF YOU PROFIT SHARE AT A GATE OR A TICKET SALES OR AN ALCOHOL SALES.
ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T DO, IT'S A FREE, IT IS A FREE EVENT TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THEN THE ARTISTS TYPICALLY DO COST MORE FOR US THAN THEY WOULD AT THE BAR IN HOUSTON.
UH, WE ALSO IN THE HOUSTON AREA OR THE REGION.
SO THAT, THAT ALSO DRIVES UP THE PRICE AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY CAN GO TO A BIG CLUB IN HOUSTON AND SELL IT OUT AND THEY CAN COLLECT REVENUE IN ADDITION TO THEIR FEE.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, WE ALWAYS GO BACK AND LOOK AT DIFFERENT WEBSITES AND THINGS ABOUT THE RANGE IN WHICH ARTISTS, UM, CALL FOR AND TS E'S ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO GET US AT THE LOWEST NUMBER THERE, OR EVEN BELOW THAT LAST YEAR, UM, VANILLA ICE QUOTED 60, WE GOT 'EM FOR 40.
THE BAM PERRY WE'RE QUOTING LIKE 1 25 OR ONE 50, AND WE GOT 'EM AT UNDER A HUNDRED.
SO, UM, AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE BECAUSE OF THE VALUE THAT TSE BRINGS.
UH, AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY, THEY JUST STARTED, UM, BRINGING ON A, UH, SPONSORSHIP, UH, SOLICITOR THAT WILL GO OUT AND SOLICIT SPONSORSHIPS ON OUR BEHALF.
UH, AND THEY CROSS OVER GENRES.
UH, THEY ARE PREDO PREDOMINANTLY COUNTRY ACT, BUT WE DID WORK WITH THEM TO SECURE THE ACTS OF BUNBEE, THAT GIRL LELE, ALL THE HISPANIC BANDS, UH, FROM TE UH, FOR ANO AND, AND EVERY OTHER GENRE THAT WE'VE EVER USED.
THEY'VE BEEN OUR SOLE BOOKING AGENT.
[02:10:01]
ALSO BOOK IN ADDITION TO THE THIRD AND 4TH OF JULY, WE BOOKED THROUGH THEM FOR THINGS LIKE PARTY AND PENINSULA.UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS, UH, REMEMBER WE HAD A BEATLES TRIBUTE BAND.
WE HAD, UH, A BAG OF DONUTS CAME AT AT, AT A ROCK BOTTOM PART.
I THINK THERE WAS $3,000 FOR THEM.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY PROVIDE A LOT OF VALUE OUTSIDE OF JUST THE THIRD AND 4TH OF JULY.
AND, AND, AND I JUST, THE ONLY ADDITIONAL COMMENT IS I, I HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD ANY TYPE OF NEGATIVE ASPECTS WITH USING TTSE ENTERTAINMENT.
UM, THEY, THEY'VE ALWAYS PROVIDED EVERYTHING AS FAR AS BEHIND THE SCENES.
NO ARTISTS I'VE EVER HEARD ANY ENTERTAINER WITH ANY TYPE OF COMPLAINTS.
AND SO I WOULD, MY SUGGESTION WOULD, WOULD BE CERTAINLY THAT WE CONSIDER THIS CONTRACT AND THEN IF THE VENUE CHANGES, IF THERE'S OTHER ASPECTS THAT, THAT WOULD, WOULD TYPICALLY MAKE CHANGES, THEN, THEN WE DO, THEN WE DO AT LEAST GO THROUGH WITH THE BID PROCESS, WHICH THIS IS A VERY FAIR, I GUESS, UM, COMMENT THAT YOU MADE MS. RADO.
SO WITH THAT, UNLESS THERE'S ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UM, FOR ITEM E, UM, THERE, I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR APPROVAL, MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM E, SECOND MOTION SECOND, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SO NOT ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF E AS PRESENTED, PLEASE SAY AYE.
[b. Consider an ordinance authorizing the conveyance of a right-of-way easement to Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP.]
EXCLUDE MYSELF, UM, FOR EMPLOYMENT REASONS OF ITEM 12 B AND I'LL ASK MAYOR PRO TIM, UM, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON TO, UM, PROCEED WITH ITEM 12 B.WELL, CAN WE GET A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 12 B, MOVE TO APPROVE SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ITEM 12 B AYE.
ALL THOSE WHO ARE NOT ITEM 12 B PASSES.
[13. 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.]
UH, THE REPORT.UH, USUALLY I HAVE, UH, SOME KUDOS FOR SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
I, I ACTUALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON KUDOS TO OUR, UH, HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO COMPLIMENT, UH, OUR PARKS AND RECS, DEPARTMENT, PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT FOR WONDERFUL PRESENTATION OF RETO.
I THOUGHT IT, IT WENT REALLY WELL THIS YEAR.
VERY, A LOT OF, A LOT OF SMILES AND, UH, JUST A FABULOUS EVENT.
AND MY MESSAGE TO EMPLOYEES, I, UH, I COMMENTED THAT WE HAVE RETO FEST, WE HAVE JUNETEENTH, WE HAVE CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL, BUT I FORGOT, UH, ABOUT THE OCTOBER FEST THAT'S BEING PRESENTED BY OUR, OUR FRIENDS AT THE ACE DISTRICT.
AND I LAMENTED THAT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING CELEBRATING MY HERITAGE.
SO, UH, I PROUD TO SAY THAT THIS SATURDAY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THERE'LL BE THE OCTOBER FEST AT FIVE O'CLOCK OVER AT TOWN SQUARE.
SO REALLY HAPPY TO GIVE THAT PROPS.
AND IT'S KIND OF A, A GERMAN G***O, UH, UH, TYPE OF FESTIVAL.
SO ARE YOU THINKING YOUR POKA BAND
I, YOU KNOW, UH, I CAN PLAY A POKA, BUT, UH, I WON'T BE, YOU WON'T.
HOW ABOUT THAT? UM, BUT ANY RATE, UH, I THINK I NEED TO SEE SOME TIME TO, OKAY.
UM, WE JUST WANTED TO WELCOME A NEW ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY JAMILA WAY SHE'S PRESENT TONIGHT AND WE JUST WANTED TO WELCOME HER ON BOARD.
SO JUST VERY QUICKLY, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE MOMENT'S PASSED TO SOME DEGREE SINCE, UH, NO ONE IS REMAINING FROM THE CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION.
I SEE MR. BJ SIMON BACK THERE, AND I ACTUALLY MET BJ SIMON IN 2004 WHEN I FIRST GOT INVOLVED WITH TEXAS AVENUE AND THE DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION.
AND, AND I, I GOTTA TELL YOU BACK THEN WHERE THE TOWN SQUARE SITS TODAY, IT WAS ALL VACANT, BOARDED UP BUILDINGS.
SO IT'S JUST REALLY VERY, UH, SATISFYING, UM, TO SEE ALL THE FESTIVALS AND, AND THE FARMER'S MARKETS OCTOBER FEST AND ALL THE THINGS THAT GO ON DOWN THERE.
THERE WAS ONE POINT IN TIME WHEN YOU COULDN'T DRAG PEOPLE DOWN THERE AND PEOPLE GO DOWN THERE VOLUNTARILY.
NOW THEY SPEND MONEY AND THEY HAVE A GOOD TIME AND THEY ENJOY THEMSELVES.
SO FOR THAT, I COULDN'T BE PROUDER.
AND YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, I'VE, I'VE DEVOTED 17 YEARS OF MY LIFE DOWN THERE AND BJ KNOWS IT AND I HAD A, A PHOTO THAT, THAT I WAS GONNA SHARE EARLIER AND I HAD A BROOM IN MY HAND.
AND I CAN TELL YOU I'VE HAD A BROOM IN MY HAND, DOZENS AND DOZENS OF TIMES DOWN THERE
AND IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD EXPERIENCE.
SO I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO SPEAK EARLIER TONIGHT.
ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER STIPULATES THAT YOU CAN BE GRANTED A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AT ANY TIME TO SPEAK.
SO EVERY NOW AND THEN I'M, I'M DISAPPOINTED AT THIS DAIS AND I WAS PROFOUNDLY DISAPPOINTED EARLIER TONIGHT.
[02:15:01]
UM, AND I DO APPRECIATE THE CITY MANAGER YIELDING SOME TIME AND, AND I'M GONNA JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT TONIGHT.[a. Receive a report from Council Member Heather Betancourth regarding District No. Four projects and programs. ]
WE ALSO NEXT WILL HAVE UM, A DISTRICT REPORT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HEATHER URT, UH, DISTRICT FOUR.SO COINCIDENTALLY TONIGHT THERE WAS A LOT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON IN DISTRICT FOUR.
SO I WON'T RECAP ALL OF THOSE.
UH, CITIZENS CAN LOOK THEM UP AND SEE AS THEY PROGRESS THROUGH THE PROCESS ON BAYTOWN ENGAGE, UH, ONE THAT IS IN DISTRICT FOUR ON BAYTOWN ENGAGE BUT WASN'T DISCUSSED TONIGHT THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP WAS A DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEING PROPOSED OFF OF HUNT ROAD JUST EAST OF THE SENIOR LIVING FACILITY.
UM, RIGHT NOW, UH, IT'S VACANT LAND BUT THERE'S A DEVELOPER LOOKING TO BUILD SOME, UH, MULTIFAMILY, UH, REALLY SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCIL APPROVED UH, LAST YEAR OFF OF SAN TAVI AND SAN JACINTO WHERE THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE UH, LIKE SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCES, SOME THAT ARE LIKE DUPLEXES OR GARDEN HOMES.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
SO IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN THAT, UM, THAT IS ALSO ON BAYTOWN ENGAGE.
SO WE WILL GO, WE WILL NOW, UM, I GOT SOME SCRIPT TO READ HERE IF Y'ALL TAKE A SECOND.
[15. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
AND CONVENE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 5 51 0.071, UH, AND TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF CITY ATTORNEYS AND OUR SECTION 5 5 1 0.074 TO DELIBERATE REGARDING RECRUITMENT FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN CITY MANAGER POSITION.IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WILL ALSO, UH, RECESS AND CONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION SOON TO TEXAS MCG GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 51 0.0712 TO CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND OUR SECTION 5 5 1 0.087 TO DELIBERATE REGARDING DELIBERATE ISSUES REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS.
SO IT IS NOW 8 48 AND WE WILL RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALRIGHT, SO NOW RECONVENE OUR OPEN MEETING WITH THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL AND ANNOUNCED THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 5 5 1 0.102 OF THE TESTAMENT GOVERNMENT CODE, NO ACTION WAS TAKEN EXACTLY THE SESSION.
I'LL ADD, I THINK THAT'S BOTH SCRIPTS.
SO BEING THAT BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL HAS ADDRESSED, UH, ALL POSTED AGENDA ITEMS, THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED.