[00:00:04]
OKAY.Y'ALL GET TO SIT THROUGH THIS MEETING WITH ME, SO PLEASE GIVE ME A LITTLE PATIENCE.
UM, SO I NOW, UH, CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AND THE BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WILL PARTICIPATE IN A JOINT MEETING THURSDAY, FEBRUARY THE EIGHTH, 2024.
IT IS NOW 6 31 AND WE ARE IN CHAMBERS, UM, OFFICE.
UM, ACTUALLY, UH, BECAUSE THERE IS, UM, NOT ANY AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO EFFECT IN TERMS OF MDD, THAT PORTION WILL BE CANCELED.
UM, BUT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM IN PLACE AND WE'RE GOING TO, UH, PROCEED WITH THE PLEDGE AND INVOCATION, WHICH WILL BE LED BY COUNCILMAN, UM, KEN GRIFFITH FROM DISTRICT THREE.
ALRIGHT, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO THE STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, NATION UNDER UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
AND TO THE TEXAS FLAG, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG BY PRESENT ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE BOW YOUR HEADS.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR KEEPING OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SAFE AND ALL OF OUR CITY WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
FATHER, I ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GRACE THEM WITH YOUR HEADS OF PROTECTION AND BLESS THE FRUITS OF THEIR DILIGENT LABOR.
AND LORD, I THANK YOU FOR HAVING THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING OUR CITY.
I PRAY, FATHER, THAT AS WE DISCUSS OUR AGENDA AND CRAFT POLICIES FOR OUR CITY, WE'LL ALWAYS PUT THE PEOPLE'S INTERESTS ABOVE OUR OWN.
REMIND US, FATHER, THAT WE ARE IN THIS POSITION NOT TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE THE PUBLIC JUSTICE.
CHRIST WHO IS KING CAME NOT TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, ULTIMATELY DIE ON THE CROSS TO SAVE US.
I ALSO PRAY, FATHER, THAT WE'LL UPHOLD WHAT IS MORAL AND RATIONAL IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN.
[1. CITIZEN COMMENTS Notice is hereby given that in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, prohibits the City Council from discussing, deliberating, or considering, subjects for which public notice has not been given on the agenda. Issues that cannot be referred to the administration for action may be placed on the agenda of a future City Council Session.]
WE NOW MOVE FORWARD TO ITEM ONE.SO DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, CITIZENS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR THIS ITEM? AND THEN THESE ARE THE ONES WHERE THEY WANNA ABIDE THEIR TIMES.
UM, SO THE PURPOSE OF THE CITY'S, UH, CITIZEN'S COMMENT IS TO GIVE ALL INTERESTED CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.
EVERYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK SHOULD HAVE EITHER SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE LIST IN THE FOYER EMAIL THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTED TIME OF THIS MEETING.
EACH CITIZEN SHALL GIVE HER HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS IN ORDER, UH, TO PROVIDE A PROPER RECORD FOR THESE COMMENTS.
THE RULES WILL ALLOW FOR EACH PERSON ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK.
A CITIZEN MAY PASS HIS OR HER TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS REQUESTED TO ADDRESS THE BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOP DISTRICT AND CITY COUNCIL.
HOWEVER, NO CITIZEN'S REMARKS SHALL EXCEED, UH, THREE MINUTES IN TOTAL.
EITHER THE ONE MINUTE OR THE THREE MINUTE LIMIT MAY BE EXTENDED BY A MAJORITY OF VOTE OF THE BA OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE AS BRIEF AND TO THE POINT AS POSSIBLE.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT CITY COUNCIL CANNOT DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ON ITEMS FOR WHICH PUBLIC NOTICE HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN ON THIS AGENDA.
SO, ISSUES THAT CANNOT BE REFERRED TO ADMINISTRATION FOR ACTION MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR PLACEMENT ON THE AGENDA FOR A FUTURE BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL OR CITY COUNCIL SESSION.
SO I'M GONNA CALL THE FIRST PERSON UP.
UM, SO PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AS YOU COME OUT TO THE PODIUM.
YOU WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE TO ADDRESS.
UH, THE FIRST NAME IS DENISE GRAVES.
THE NEXT PERSON IS, UM, ABIGAIL CAUSTIC.
I OWE MY TIME TO HARVEY PONDER.
SO WE NOW MOVE FORWARD TO MR. PONDER IN REFERENCE TO, UH, ANNEXATION.
LET, UM, MR. PONDER YES MA'AM.
[00:05:01]
HAVE U YIELDED THEIR TIME.SO YOU'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES.
UM, LET ME SAY FIRST THAT, UH, I LOVE ME SOME BICENTENNIAL FIREWORKS.
AND BAYTOWN HAS ALWAYS HAD A FIRST CLASS EVENT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT NO MATTER WHO THE ENTERTAINERS WERE, I'LL BE RIGHT DOWN IN THE FRONT ROW HAVING A GOOD TIME.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL COMMENTS ABOUT MY LAST COUNCIL ADJUSTMENT, MOSTLY ABOUT THE ANNEXED AREAS DO HAVE EVERYTHING INCLUDING EMERGENCY SERVICES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CITY WATER AND SEWER.
I BEG TO DIFFER ON THE 18TH OF JANUARY OF 24, THERE WAS A MAJOR ACCIDENT OUT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.
OUR ADDRESS IS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND ADJACENT TO CITY PROPERTY.
I HEARD THE NOISE AND TOLD MY WIFE TO CALL 9 1 1 AND WE NEEDED AN AMBULANCE.
I WENT AND FOUND WHERE A MAIL TRUCK HAD BEEN T-BONED OUT THE INTERSECTION.
THE DRIVER WAS BLEEDING PROFUSELY FROM A HEAD WOUND WITH BLOOD ALL OVER HER ARM, HER LEG, HER JACKET.
MY SON AND I HELPED HER GET OUT, HELPED HER GET OUT OF THE TRUCK.
WHILE WE WERE TALKING EMS AND BAYTOWN FIRE PULLED UP TO BLOCK THE ROAD AND TWO RECORDS CAME UP.
MY SON AND I GOT THE OTHER DRIVER OUT OF HIS CAR.
A YOUNG MAN SCARED TO DEATH ABOUT HOW BAD HE HURT THE LADY THAT HE ENTERED, THAT HE HIT THIS YOUNG'S MAN, MOTHER SHOWED UP FOR HIM.
THEN THE BA THEN EMS TOOK THE LADY TO THE HOSPITAL.
BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT NEVER SHOWED UP.
AS THINGS WERE WINDING DOWN, I WENT BACK INSIDE TO GET READY FOR WORK.
I ASKED MY WIFE IF SHE'D CALLED 9 1 1.
SHE SAID YES, BUT THE DISPATCHER ASKED HER IF WE WERE IN THE CITY OR THE COUNTY.
AFTER I GOT DRESSED, I WENT BACK OUTSIDE AND TALKED TO A HARRIS COUNTY DEPUTY.
HE TOLD ME THAT BAYTOWN PD REFUSED TO CALL, SO HE HAD TO COME ALL THE WAY FROM CROSBY.
I THEN CALLED THE BAYTOWN PD OPERATOR AT DESK TO ASK THEM WHO WAS I SUPPOSED TO CALL WHEN THERE WAS A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH SEVERE INJURIES.
SOMEBODY HUNG UP ON ME AFTER 30 SECONDS BECAUSE THE ACCIDENT WAS IN AN EXTRATERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.
ONE FAMILY I KNOW HAS SEEN HIS TAX BURDEN RISE 4,000 YEAR DOLLARS A YEAR.
WILL SOMEONE ON THIS COUNCIL, TELL ME AGAIN WHAT BENEFITS I HAVE AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF ANNEXATION AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN TAXATION ON MY PROPERTY ALONE, PRESIDENT REAGAN DEFINE THE MOST TERRIFYING WORDS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
I'M FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND I'M HERE TO HELP.
THE NEXT PERSON IS AMY KAMINSKI.
UH, MR. JAMES KAMINSKI, IF YOU PLEASE STEP FORWARD.
I'M HERE TALKING ABOUT THE BEING DIS WANTING TO BE DIS ANNEXED FROM THE CITY.
MY LAST YEAR IN THE HARRIS COUNTY, MY TAX RATE WAS 10 CENTS A HUNDRED.
I PAID ABOUT 310, 300 $15 IN TAXES.
THE FIRST YEAR WITH THE CITY, THE TAX RATE WAS 81 CENTS PLUS.
YES, THE TAX RATE WENT DOWN EVERY YEAR, BUT OF COURSE THE VALUES WENT UP EVERY YEAR ON MY HOUSE.
SO I REALLY DIDN'T PAY LESS TAXES.
ALL TOTAL IN THE, THE PAY IN THE SAME SIX YEARS, I PAID OVER $17,000 JUST IN CITY TAXES ALONE.
IF I WOULD'VE BEEN WITH THE COUNTY, WHICH I DON'T KNOW THEIR TAX RATE OVER THOSE SAME SIX YEARS, I WOULD'VE PAID CLOSE TO $2,200.
NOW, I, I WROTE A LETTER TO THE NEWSPAPER AFTER THE ARTICLE AND AFTER MR. CALDER'S RESPONSE SAYING ALL THESE BENEFITS THAT I DO HAVE, I DON'T HAVE 'EM.
HE SAID, WELL, WE DON'T TAX YOU ON WATER AND SEWER.
I DON'T HAVE WATER AND SEWER AND THANKS FOR NOT TAXING ME ON SOMETHING I DON'T HAVE.
BUT YOU ARE TAXING ME ON A LOT OF THINGS I DON'T HAVE.
AND I APPRECIATE THE OPENING CONVOCATION WHERE IT SAID, SERVING THE CITIZENS, SERVE THE CITIZENS, DO THE RIGHT THING.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NOW THAT I DIDN'T HAVE.
THEN THERE'S NO SWEAT OFF Y'ALL'S BACK.
'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IN THE PAST SIX YEARS.
[00:10:02]
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.UH, MIX MY TIME WITH LINDA MIX.
AS YOU COME UP, I PLEASE REMIND YOU TO PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, UH, FOR COURT, FOR, UM, CITIZEN RECORD.
AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES.
I LIVE AT 64 27 CROSBY CEDAR BAYOU.
ON JANUARY 31ST ON BAYTOWN.ORG.
JASON CALDER POSTED A RESPONSE TO THE ARTICLE FROM THE BAYTOWN SUN FROM THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT DIS ANNEXATION.
HE SAID WE HAD CITY SERVICES EXCEPT WATER AND SEWER STATING WE ALSO HAD SOLID WASTE, WHICH THE CITIZENS HAVE NEVER BEEN INFORMED ABOUT HAVING SOLID WASTE.
SO I CALLED THE CITY TO GET A PRICE AND I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE BILLED THROUGH MY WATER BILL.
I TOLD THE LADY I DIDN'T HAVE A WATER BILL, AND SHE LOOKED IT UP.
SHE SAYS, NO, NO, NO, YOU HAVE A WATER METER.
WELL, APPARENTLY SOMEWHERE ON A CITY MAP SAYS I HAVE A WATER METER.
AND I TOLD THE LADY I DON'T HAVE A WATER METER.
AND AFTER BEING TRANSFERRED FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT, AFTER 20 MINUTES, I FINALLY GOT SOMEONE TO TELL ME THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME $30 A MONTH, THE SAME AS WHAT I PAY THROUGH HOTCHKISS.
I ASKED HER ABOUT HEAVY TRASH PICKUP.
SHE SAID I COULD PLACE TWO ITEMS ON THE CURB FOR PICKUP, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO CALL BEFORE I DID THAT.
I SAID, WOMAN, I DON'T HAVE A CURB.
I LIVE ON THIS BUSY, BUSY STREET.
MY DITCH IS IS BY HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL.
IF ANYTHING GETS INTO THAT DITCH, I CAN GET FINED.
SHE SAID, I COULD USE THE EXTREMELY BUSY AND WHATEVER, BUT I COULD USE THE GREEN CENTER.
I'VE TRIED TO USE THE GREEN CENTER.
I GOT DENIED EVEN WITH THE TAX BILL.
I GOT DENIED AFTER MS. MR. CALDER STATED POLICE, FIRE AND BUILDING PERMITS, ALL OF WHICH I HAVE THROUGH HARRIS COUNTY DID HAVE THROUGH HARRIS COUNTY.
THE RATE I WOULD'VE BEEN CHARGED WAS 10 CENTS PER HUNDRED, AND THE CITY CHARGES 72 CENTS PER HUNDRED.
MY PRICE DIFFERENCE WOULD'VE BEEN HARRIS COUNTY WOULD'VE CHARGED ME $180.
Y'ALL CHARGED ME $1,300 FOR NOTHING.
MR. CALDER ALSO STATED, OUR SERVICES INCLUDED ACCESS TO A LIBRARY AND PARKS AND RECREATION, I'M SORRY, BAYTOWN.ORG STATES THAT THE LIBRARY IS A PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THAT THE PARKS ARE PUBLIC PARKS.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A BAYTOWN RESIDENT TO USE THOSE FACILITIES ACCORDING TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
CODE CHAPTER 43, MUNICIPAL ANNEXATION 0 5 6 STATES THAT ANNEXED AREAS MUST BE PROVIDED FULL MUNICIPAL SERVICES WITHIN TWO AND A HALF YEARS AND CAN BE EXTENDED TO FOUR AND A HALF YEARS.
THE FOUR AND A HALF YEAR DATE WAS MAY OF 20, 20, 22.
WHEN I TRIED TO PROTEST MY APPRAISAL LAST YEAR, I WAS INFORMED I COULD NOT, THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE COMPARABLE PROPERTIES TO MY PROPERTY.
HCA EVEN COULD NOT FIND A PROPERTY COMPAR TO MINE.
AND I SAID, WHY? THEY SAID, BECAUSE YOUR YOUR PROPERTY CODE HAS BEEN CHANGED.
IT USED TO BE STRICTLY RESIDENTIAL.
NOW I'M RESIDENTIAL SLASH COMMERCIAL.
AND I'M GOING, WELL, ABOUT WHEN DID THIS CHANGE? HE SAYS, OH, WE JUST CAUGHT IT THIS YEAR.
BUT I THINK IT WAS AROUND 2019.
AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, WHAT HAPPENED? HE GOES, WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
SO I LOOK BACK, I, THE ONLY THING I COULD COME UP WITH IS THAT THE CITY HAD PROPOSED A FUTURE LAND USE BUSINESS PARK AND THE BUILDING OF FAKE FAMILY CHURCH BROUGHT CLOSE TO MY HOUSE.
DUE TO THE CITY'S FAILURE TO UPHOLD THEIR FULL RESPONSIBILITIES, I REQUEST TO BE DISCONNECTED.
D ANNEX FROM THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
OKAY, THE NEXT PERSON IS KATHY VANDERBEEK VANDER, UH, DALENE HAMILTON.
MR. GAR, GARY VANDERBEEK, YOU ARE UP.
YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I LIVE ON 44 0 3 CROSBY CEDAR BAY ROAD.
AND I'D LIKE TO BE THE ANNEXED ALSO.
MY PROBLEM IS A LITTLE BIT MORE EXTENSIVE AND MORE DANGEROUS.
IT AMOUNTED TO, UM, THE CITY CAME IN 'CAUSE THE NEIGHBOR BEHIND ME REQUESTED WATER HOOKUP.
[00:15:01]
THAT I OWNED THE ROAD AND I DIDN'T SEE ANY POSSIBLE WAY FOR THEM TO PUT IN THE UTILITIES WE WITHOUT ENCROACHING THROUGH MY PROPERTY, WHICH IS AGAINST YOUR OWN CITY ORDINANCE.ONE DAY I CAME HOME FROM WORK AND I HAD WORKERS DIGGING THROUGH MY PROPERTY WITH A MINI TRACK HOE PUTTING IN A WATER MAIN.
AND I RIGHT AWAY WENT UP TO THE GENTLEMAN AND I TOLD HIM, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I DIDN'T GIVE YOU PERMISSION.
YOU'RE DIGGING THROUGH MY PROPERTY.
SO THEY, THEY WENT AHEAD AND SAID, WE ARE NOT STOPPING.
WE'RE TOLD TO PUT THIS WATER MAIN IN AND THEY PUT THIS WATER MAIN IN.
BUT I SO HAPPENED TO BE A PLUMBER.
AND I WORK FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST PLUMBING COMPANIES IN HOUSTON, AND I'M VERY HIGH UP IN THE COMPANY.
SO I HAVE 40 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN PLUMBING.
WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY PUT IN A SIX INCH WATER MAIN, WHICH IS A DEAD END, ABOUT 2,400 FEET WITH THREE FIRE HYDRANTS ON IT.
IT A SIX INCH MAINE IS ONLY ALLOWED TO HAVE ONE FIRE HYDRANT ON IT.
AND IT CANNOT WITHSTAND MORE THAN 500 FEET.
ALSO, A DEAD END SYSTEM THAT RUNS 2,400 FEET LEAVES THE PEOPLE THAT ARE TIED ONTO IT, WHICH IS ONE RESIDENCE AT THIS POINT WITH PROBABLY A THREE QUARTER INCH TAP.
IT LEAVES THEM SUSCEPTIBLE TO A LOT OF PATHOGENS SUCH AS LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE AND, UH, COLIFORM BACTERIA AND THINGS SUCH AS THAT, THAT, THAT NEED TO BE BLOWN OUT ON OCCASIONAL, UH, BASIS.
ALSO, WHEN YOU RUN THAT FAR, YOU ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH WATER FLOW.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE 500, UH, GALLONS PER MINUTE MINIMUM FOR A RESIDENCY AND A THOUSAND GALLONS A MINUTE FOR, UM, COMMERCIAL AND A LOT OF, UH, JURISDICTIONS, THEY, THEY DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
THEY COLOR CODE THE FIRE HYDRANTS SO THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD TELL WHICH ONE HAS THE RIGHT FLOW.
THEY DIDN'T DO ANY FLOW TEST OR ANYTHING, THEY JUST PUT IT IN, COVERED IT UP.
AND THAT WAS VERY OFFENSIVE TO ME BECAUSE BEING A PLUMBER, I HAVE TO FOLLOW THE CODE.
I HAVE TO, UH, HAVE INSPECTIONS AND THEN I'M ALLOWED TO COVER IT UP.
IF THEY DID THAT, THEY MIGHT HAVE CAUGHT THE PROBLEM.
SO ANYWAY, WE WENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND I WAS MAD AS COULD BE, AND I TRIED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND THEY SHOWED ME A SURVEY AND I SAID, WAIT A SECOND.
THIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE MY SURVEY, BUT I SEE THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS THE NEIGHBOR BEHIND ME GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO GO THROUGH HIS PROPERTY, BUT I OWN 933 FEET OF FRONTAGE UNTIL IT GETS TO THAT PROPERTY.
AND I DIDN'T GIVE AUTHORIZATION.
I HAD TO HIRE A SURVEYOR TO STRAIGHTEN THAT OUT.
THIS SURVEY IS YOUR NEIGHBOR'S SURVEY.
I I THANK YOU FOR COMING UP HERE.
WELL IT'S NE IT'S GROSS NEGLIGENCE, NOT NEGLIGENCE ANYMORE.
'CAUSE NOW YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM.
UM, THE NEXT PERSON WE HAVE IS MS. KIM KOSSEK TECH, UH, KIM EK 51 0 3 ASHWOOD DRIVE, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 1.
I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE RESPONSE THAT WAS GIVEN BY THE CITY WAS A LITTLE FRUSTRATING.
AND YES, I DID GET AN EMAIL IN, UM, JULY THAT SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE 9 1 1 SERVICES PROVIDED.
HOWEVER, A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST TO SHERIFF'S COUNTY, UH, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS THAT THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING AND THAT THEY ARE BEING DISPATCHED QUITE REGULARLY SINCE THAT.
UM, AND WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THERE ARE MANY WAYS FOR THEM TO PROCEED WITH THE DIS STATION, BUT ONE OF THOSE WAYS COULD BE COUNSEL SOUL BRINGING FORTH THAT ACTION.
THAT IS AN OPTION AND IT TAKES THREE OF YOU.
IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT MR. FRANCO ISN'T HERE TO DENY BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THESE SPEAKERS WERE FROM HIS DISTRICT.
BUT MR. GRIFFITH, AND, AND MR. POWELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS AFFECTS Y'ALLS AREAS THE MOST.
[00:20:01]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR CITIZEN'S COMMENT.
THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO, UM, CAME UP TO SPEAK.
[2. MINUTES]
THIS WILL TAKE US, UM, TO AGENDA ITEM, UH, TWO A, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING HELD ON JANUARY THE 25TH, 2024 AND JANUARY 26TH, 2024.MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS SUBMITTED? MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
[a. Present a proclamation designating February 18-24, 2024, as National Engineers Week in Baytown.]
WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE, WHICH IS, UM, RECOGNITION AND CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.SO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION DESIGNATED FEBRUARY 18TH THROUGH THE 24TH.
2024 AS NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK IN THE CITY OF BIG TOWN.
SO I BELIEVE THERE'S A PROCLAMATION DOWN THERE.
OKAY, TO SAVE SOME TIME IF I CAN HAVE MY COUNSEL COME UP AS WELL.
SO,
I KNOW MY DAD IS AN ENGINEER AND UM, THE STORIES HE WOULD TELL US IS HE WOULD COME HOME AFTER HAVING TO GO OUT AND DO SOME REVIEWS AND PLAN.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYONE DOES.
SO THIS IS A PROCLAMATION FROM THE CITY OF BAYTOWN NATIONAL ENGINEER WEEK.
WHEREAS ENGINEER WEEK WAS STARTED IN 1951 BY THE NATIONAL SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF ENGINEERS, POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO QUALITY OF LIFE.
AND WHEREAS ENGINEER'S WEEK IS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY AT THE TIME OF GEORGE WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY BECAUSE HE WAS AN ENGINEER, UM, AS WELL OUR NATION'S FIRST PRESIDENT.
UM, AND WHEREAS ENGINEERS MAKE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS IN DRIVING OUR ECONOMY, PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND WHEREAS THE ENGINEERS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS ACTIVELY HELP TO MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN THE VITAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR CIVILIZED AND NATURAL, UH, NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS.
AND WHEREAS THE THEME OF ENGINEERS WEEK FOR 2024 IS WELCOME TO THE FUTURE, RECOGNIZING HOW ENGINEERS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN INNOVATING SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL CHALLENGES THAT IMPACT FUTURE GENERATIONS.
THEREFORE, ON BEHALF OF MAYOR BRENDAN CAP DO, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM FEBRUARY 18 THROUGH 2024 AS NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK IN BAYTOWN, AND URGE OUR RESIDENTS TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS OF ENGINEERS IN OUR DAILY LIVES AND CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THIS IMPORTANT CAREER.
[a. Consider an ordinance authorizing a Chapter 212 Agreement with Tinci Materials Texas LLC.]
IS, UM, FOUR A.THESE ARE PROPOSED ORDINANCES.
SO WE'RE GONNA READ THROUGH, UM, EACH AGENDA ITEM.
SO FOUR A IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A CHAPTER TWO 12 AGREEMENT WITH TIN C MATERIALS, TEXAS LLC, MR. MORAN.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR PRO TIM AND COUNCIL, UH, BRIAN MORAN, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.
UM, ITEM FOUR A FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS APPROVING A CHAPTER TWO 12 AGREEMENT WITH TENANCY MATERIALS.
THE CITY WENT THROUGH A COMPETITIVE SITE SELECTION PROCESS, UM, FOR THIS PROJECT.
UM, IT'S A 20 YEAR AGREEMENT, UH, FROM TAX YEARS 2027 THROUGH 2046.
UH, THE COMPANY'S, UH, PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED IN TGS CEDAR PORT ON ABOUT 94 ACRES.
AND THE COMPANY WILL BE BUILDING A MANUFACTURING FACILITY, UH, THAT PRODUCES, UH, PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY SUPPLY CHAIN.
[00:25:01]
INVESTMENT, UM, FOR THIS PROJECT IS AROUND $180 MILLION AND THEY PLAN ON HIRING AROUND 139, UH, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT AT THEIR FACILITY AT THE DIOCESE.THERE IS A RED LINE VERSION, UH, REFLECTING THE CHANGES.
ON PAGE THREE, WE INCORPORATED SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE, UH, FOR CLARITY.
UM, IN THE THIRD COLUMN ON THE PAYMENT RATE TO THE CITY, WE ALSO HAVE MR. CORBIT PARKER, UM, WHO'S REPRESENTING TINSEY MATERIALS, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BY COUNSEL? NO.
SO SEEING AS THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, I'LL LEAD A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR A.
[b. Consider authorizing an ordinance to approve Amendment No. 1, in the amount of $24,000.00, to the Professional Services Agreement with Kimley-Horn for Consulting Services related to the USDOT Fiscal Year 2024 RAISE Grant.]
B, THIS SHOULD ACTUALLY BE, UM, ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.SO I'M GONNA READ THE ITEM AND THEN ASK, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO WE WON'T CALL STAFF UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
SO, UM, IT IS CONSIDERED AUTHORIZATION, UM, AN ORDINANCE TO APPROVE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE IN THE AMOUNT OF 24,000 TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH KIMLEY HORN FOR CONSULTING SERVICES RELATED TO THE, UH, U-S-D-O-T FISCAL YEAR 2024 RAISE.
GRANT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? NO.
A MAY I GET A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FOUR B.
SO MOTION PASSES THE NEXT ITEM.
[c. Consider an ordinance authorizing a settlement agreement with Suzan O. and Eric G. Carter, Jr. related to the matter styled Carter v. City of Baytown; No. 2023-35591; In the 127th District Court, Harris County, Texas.]
SO ITEM FOUR C IS TO CONSIDER AN, UH, ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH SUSAN O AND ERIC G. CARTER JUNIOR, RELATED TO THE MATTER STYLED CARTER VERSUS CITY OF BAYTOWN.I'M NUMBER 20 23 3 5 5 9 1 IN THE 1 27 DISTRICT COURT, HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS.
COUNSEL, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE WE'RE REQUESTING, UH, THAT WE ENTER INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH SUSAN AND ERIC G. CARTER, JR.
THIS IS TO SETTLE, UH, THEIR INVERSE CONDEMNATION LAWSUIT.
UH, I APOLOGIZE THAT YOU'RE GETTING A COPY OF THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT TODAY, BUT WE JUST WORKED OUT THE LAST DETAILS TODAY.
UM, THIS FOLLOWS THE, UH, DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THE LAWSUIT.
UH, THE ONLY STICKING POINT THAT, THAT WE TRIED TO RESOLVE THIS WEEK WAS, UH, LANGUAGE OVER FEE VERSUS, UH, PERMANENT EASEMENT.
AND WE HAVE AGREED TO USE THE PERMANENT EASEMENT LANGUAGE.
OTHER THAN THAT, IT FOLLOWS ALL OF OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? OH, SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION APPROVING THIS AGENDA ITEM? SO MOVED.
AND ANY OPPOSED? SO MOTION PASSES.
[d. Consider an ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances, Baytown, Texas, Chapter 94, "Traffic and Vehicles," Article V, "Stopping, Standing and Parking," Division 2, "Parking," to repeal Section 94-189 "Parking prohibited on certain front yards.”]
WE'LL MOVE DOWN TO ITEM FOUR D, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, BAYTOWN, TEXAS CHAPTER 94, TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES ARTICLE FOUR, UH, EXCUSE ME, ARTICLE FIVE, STOPPING STANDING AND PARKING DIVISION TWO, PARKING TO REPEAL SECTION 94 180 9 PARKING PROHIBITED ON CERTAIN FRONT YARDS.SO WE DID HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP FOR THIS ITEM.
UM, AGAIN, IF YOU ARE GOING TO DEFER, PLEASE DO SO.
YOU WILL HAVE, UM, THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON EACH ITEM.
AS YOU COME UP, PLEASE GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
UM, I KNOW THIS HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A HOT TOPIC, SO, UM, WE WILL ASK FOR, UM, SOME DECORUM
[00:30:01]
AND RESPECT AS WE KNOW.WE ON COUNCIL WILL DO THE SAME TO EVERYONE.
UM, SO THE FIRST PERSON, UM, THAT'S COMING UP IS MS. UH, MARIE JUKI.
WE'LL PROBABLY NEED TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER.
MARIE JANOWSKI, 4 7 0 5 BURNING TREE BAYTOWN.
I LIVE IN A SUB SUBDIVISION, WHICH IS NOT AN HOA, THEREFORE, THE SUBDIVISION RELIES HEAVILY ON CITY ORDINANCES TO PRESERVE, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY VALUES.
I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE PERTAINING TO ORDINANCE NINE FOUR DASH 180 9.
A RESIDENT MAINTAINS MORE THAN NINE CARS IN A DRIVEWAY, TWO TO THREE VEHICLES ON THE STREET AND TWO IN THE BACKYARD.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE PARKING LOT IF YOU REPEAL NINE FOUR DASH 180 9? WELL, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, THE PARKING LOT WILL THEN EXTEND INTO THE GRASSY AREA OF THE FRONT YARD WITH MORE CARS WHAT WILL KEEP OTHERS FROM STORING VEHICLES IN THEIR FRONT YARD.
PLEASE RECONSIDER YOUR ACTION ON REPEALING THIS ORDINANCE AND THINK OF THE IMPACT OF YOUR ACTION ON RESIDENTS AND SUBDIVISIONS.
WE DON'T NEED CARS PARKING ON THE GRASS IN FRONT OF HOUSES TO DEVALUE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOMES.
UM, I HAVE A NOTE, UM, THAT CODY FLORES IS GOING TO YIELD THEIR TIME TO MR. MICHAEL FLORES.
UM, SO IF I CAN HAVE MR. MICHAEL FLORES COME UP AND YOU WILL HAVE UP TO, UH, SIX MINUTES TO SPEAK.
SHARON LANE, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 1.
AND I HAVE A OPPOSING VIEW OF THE LAST ONE.
UM, I BOUGHT MY PROPERTY IN 1999.
I HAVE HORSES AND LIVESTOCK AND THE TRAILERS AND TRUCKS THAT GO WITH IT, OF COURSE.
AND I BOUGHT LAND SO I WOULD BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM THERE.
AND I HAD EVERY RIGHT TO DO SO.
I WAS FORCIBLY ANNEXED BY THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
UM, I STILL DON'T HAVE CITY SERVICES THAT I DIDN'T HAVE BEFORE, BUT THE POINT IS, AS I WAS, I RECEIVED A PARKING TICKET FOR PARKING APPROXIMATELY 150 TO HUNDRED 70 FEET FROM THE ROAD.
IT DEAD ENDS IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND MY DRIVEWAY IS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY PROPERTY IF YOU'RE FACING IT.
SO THERE IS ROCK FROM THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY OVER TO THE RIGHT.
SO I CAN'T PARK MY EXTRA VEHICLES OUT THERE, WHICH I HAVE TOO MANY TO PARK THERE ANYWAY, BECAUSE I HAVE A JEEP THAT I USE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE THINGS OUT TO THE HORSES WHEN IT'S MUDDY OUT THERE LIKE HAY AND STUFF.
AND A DUALLY, I DRIVE A DIFFERENT TRUCK TO ON MY EVERYDAY DRIVING.
SO THERE'S NOT, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO PARK ALL OF MY VEHICLES IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND THERE'S NO CURB THERE.
AND I KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE EXCEPTIONS.
SO WHERE I DID PARK MY JEEP IN MY TRUCK, I HAVE ROCK THAT WAS PUT DOWN THERE IN 1999 WHENEVER I BOUGHT MY PROPERTY.
NOW, ACCORDING TO YOUR, UH, CITY PROSECUTOR, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE IT INSPECTED BY A CITY INSPECTOR.
WELL, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO GET INSPECTED WHEN I DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY WHEN I PUT IT DOWN.
OKAY? I DON'T WANNA MESS UP MY YARD.
I DON'T WANNA DRIVE THROUGH MY YARD.
I DON'T HAVE ABANDONED VEHICLES, BUT I DO HAVE SEVERAL TRAILERS THAT I USE.
WE HAVE TWO RANCHES, ONE IN ROCK SPRINGS AND ONE IN CENTERVILLE.
I CAN DRIVE OUT THERE EVERY DAY TO FEED MY HORSES.
SO I KEEP THEM AT MY PROPERTY.
I THINK THAT THIS IS A VERY, IT'S A, WE HAVE A NAME FOR IT THAT, THAT I WON'T SAY OUTTA RESPECT FOR THE COUNCIL, THAT KIND OF TICKET.
I'VE BEEN A HOUSTON POLICE OFFICER FOR 31 YEARS.
I'VE NEVER WRITTEN A TICKET LIKE THAT AND I NEVER WOULD BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED THE, THE COLOR OF THE LAW THAT WE ARE REPRESENTING, FIRST OF ALL.
BUT IT'S THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW.
I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE, WHAT THE LADY BEFORE ME WAS SPEAKING ABOUT.
WHEN YOU HAVE A SUBDIVISION, YOU HAVE SMALL YARDS.
I AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT THAT PEOPLE SHOULDN'T JUST BE PARKING ALL OVER THE PLACE.
I PURCHASED MY PROPERTY TO HAVE THE LAND TO BE ABLE TO DO THOSE THINGS.
AND NOW I AM LOSING RIGHTS THAT I HAD, YOU'RE VIOLATING MY PROPERTY RIGHTS, IN MY OPINION.
THE, AND THIS LAST ELECTION, THE RIGHT TO FARM ACT, WHICH THAT INCLUDES AGRICULTURE.
AND IT SAYS THAT YOU CANNOT MAKE CITY ORDINANCES THAT INTERFERE WITH AGRICULTURE OR FARMING, WHICH YOU ARE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I USE MY DUALLY FOR.
THAT'S WHAT I USE MY TRAILERS FOR.
I HAVE SENSED I'VE GONE TWICE TO COURT AND HAD TO TAKE OFF WORK.
I'LL HAVE TO GO A THIRD TIME AND TAKE OFF WORK, BUT I SEE THE LITTLE CITY CARS COMING TURN AROUND RIGHT THERE AT MY DEAD END AND SIT THERE FOR A SECOND AND SEE IF I PARKED THERE AGAIN AND LEAVE.
I BELIEVE THAT I'M BEING HARASSED AND I DON'T LIKE THAT.
I'VE LIVED IN THE BAYTOWN AREA MOST OF MY LIFE.
I AM A MEMBER OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT VOLUNTEER GROUPS, THE ROCKING HORSE RIDERS, UH, THE HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO.
I'M A FORMER CAPTAIN OF THE BAYTOWN HIGHLANDS, UM,
[00:35:01]
GO TEXAN COMMITTEE.I ALSO AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROCKING HORSE RIDERS, WHICH WE'VE DONATED A LOT OF THINGS TO PEOPLE IN THIS LAST TORNADO.
UM, MR. GRIFFIN WAS THERE WITH US ACTUALLY HELPING US FEED THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HIT BY THE TORNADO ON BAYWAY.
OKAY? I'M PROUD TO BE FROM BAYTOWN, BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
IT'S NOT DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT HAVE PROPERTY.
IT'S DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE LIKE THE LADY BEFORE ME THAT LIVE IN SUBDIVISIONS.
AND DO I THINK THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR IT? ABSOLUTELY.
BUT IT'S BEEN TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF MY BROTHER, WHICH HE WAS TRYING TO BE HERE TONIGHT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY HIS HORSES, UH, GOT OUT OF ONE OF THE PASTURES AND HE HAS TO FIX IT.
BUT HE WAS GIVEN A TICKET FOR ONE OF HIS TENANTS IN HIS RENT HOUSE.
THEY DIDN'T GIVE IT TO MY BROTHER.
THEY GAVE IT TO HIS FATHER-IN-LAW, WRITTEN IN MY BROTHER'S NAME.
AND LUCKILY HE CALLED MY BROTHER WHEN MY BROTHER TOOK THE TENANT TO COURT SO THAT HE COULD SAY THAT WAS HIS CAR THAT PARKED THERE BECAUSE IT WASN'T MY BROTHER'S CAR.
HE RENTED THE PROPERTY, WHICH HE HAS NO RIGHT TO GO ON THAT PROPERTY WITHOUT 24 HOUR NOTICE SINCE HE'S NOT LIVING THERE.
AND WHEN HE WENT IN THERE, FOUND OUT HE HAD A WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST, JUST LIKE THE GUY ON TV THAT HE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT, THAT'S NOT OKAY.
IF YOU WANNA WRITE PARKING TICKETS, PUT IT ON THE CAR, PUT A IT, IT CAN GO ON THAT CAR AND IT'LL STAY WITH IT.
THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO GET THINGS.
YOU'RE MAKING THIS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
YOU KNOW, I'M A POLICE OFFICER, I'M GONNA HAVE A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR ON MY, IN MY RECORD IF I DO LOSE, WHICH I'VE ASKED FOR A JURY TRIAL AND I'VE TALKED TO ALSO TO A LAWYER ABOUT FILING A SUIT ALSO BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT IS VIOLATING MY RIGHTS.
AND I THINK THAT THIS ORDINANCE VIOLATES MY RIGHTS.
YOU CAN BE SPECIFIC AND YOU CAN PUT WITH PEOPLE THAT AREN'T AGRICULTURAL PROPERTY OR WITHOUT A LOT OF LAND.
'CAUSE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE THAT WERE ANNEXED ALONG WITH ME, WE DON'T HAVE THOSE SERVICES.
WE DON'T GET THAT FROM THE CITY.
MY TWO OF MY BROTHERS HAVE LEFT.
THE OTHER ONES ARE STILL HERE.
THEY MOVED TO CROSBY INTO HUMBLE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE KIND OF HARASSMENT THEY WERE, WERE GETTING HERE.
AND I THINK THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
I THINK IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO BETTER AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
YOU ARE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT VIEWS ON THIS.
AND LIKE I SAID, I DO AGREE WITH HER FOR WHAT SHE'S SAYING.
THERE'S A PLACE AND A TIME FOR THING, BUT THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW COMING OUT TO MY PLACE WHERE I'M AT A DEAD END.
IT'S NOT, I'M NOT AFFECTING ANYBODY.
I, I READ A BAYTOWN SUN ARTICLE WHEN YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF THESE, THIS, UH, DIVISION OR HOWEVER, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CALL IT HERE, BUT YOU SAID THAT YOU DON'T ENFORCE THIS UNLESS PEOPLE MAKE A COMPLAINT.
WELL, I'VE TALKED TO ALL MY NEIGHBORS.
I GET ALONG WITH ALL MY NEIGHBORS AND I KNOW YOU'RE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, SIR.
BUT MY POINT IS, IF SOMEBODY'S COMPLAINING ABOUT IT, I UNDERSTAND, BUT NOBODY'S COMPLAINING ABOUT ME.
SO I ASK YOU TO REPEAL THIS LAW AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S BETTER, THAT WOULD AFFECT THIS YOUNG LADY HERE.
AND, AND EVERYBODY CAN BE HAPPY, BUT IT, IT'S NOT MEANT FOR EVERYTHING.
IT'S NOT A COVER ALL AND IT'S NOT GONNA WORK THAT WAY.
THE NEXT PERSON IS, UH, JOSEPH FALLON.
HELLO, MY NAME IS JOSEPH FALLON.
I LIVE AT 1 7 0 NORTH BURNETT.
AND TO EVEN HAVE TO BE HERE TODAY TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE THAT DICTATES WHAT I CAN CANNOT DO ON MY OWN PERSONAL PROPERTY IS LUDICROUS.
WHEN I WASH MY TRUCK IN MY FRONT YARD, I SHOULD NOT RECEIVE A $500 TICKET.
WHEN MY NEIGHBOR DROPS HIS ELDERLY WIFE OFF CLOSER TO THE DOOR AFTER AN EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT, HE SHOULD NOT GET A $500 TICKET.
WHEN MY GUESTS PARK IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH ONE INCH OF THE TIRE HANGING OFF TO AND TO THE GRASS, THEY SHOULD NOT RECEIVE A $500 TICKET.
THE CITY EVEN CHARGED MY BROTHER $1,970 FOR PARKING HIS OWN YARD.
AND THE CITY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL MY FRONT YARD.
I HAVE NO MANDATORY HOA AND I NEVER AGREED TO THIS ORDINANCE.
AND THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN INTRODUCED.
THE CITY OF BAYTOWN IS TRYING TO ENFORCE AN HOA STYLE ORDINANCE ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY.
THIS ORDINANCE IS SO AGAINST THE CITIZENS THAT TECHNICALLY IF I PARK MY RIDING LAWNMOWER IN THE GRASS TO GO GET A GLASS OF WATER, THAT'S A VIOLATION.
I'M BE, I'LL EVEN BRING THIS BACK TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
I HAVE THE RIGHT TO PURSUE HAPPINESS AS LONG AS I'M NOT, I AM NOT DIRECTLY HURTING ANYONE ELSE.
USING MY FRONT YARD MAKES ME HAPPY.
AND FOR THE CITY TO TELL ME I CANNOT IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
WE'RE NOT EVEN THREE OR FOUR DOWN.
WE CANNOT LET THIS CONTINUE ANY LONGER.
WE, THE PEOPLE AT BAYTOWN ARE TIRED OF THIS ORDINANCE.
I WAS EVEN ARRESTED OVER THIS ORDINANCE.
I GOT ARRESTED AND WENT TO JAIL OVER PARKING MY TRUCK AND MY YARD.
I GOT PUT IN THE BACK OF THE POLICE CAR.
THEY TOOK MY MUGSHOT, THEY STRIPPED
[00:40:01]
ME OF MY CLOTHING AND PUT ME IN AN ORANGE JUMPSUIT AND IN A JAIL CELL WITH REAL CRIMINALS ALL OVER PARKING MY TRUCK AND MY YARD.WHAT ARE WE DOING? THIS ORDINANCE SHOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN THIS FAR.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR FROM THE CITY BAYTOWN THAT I HOPE TO SEE FIXED TODAY.
PLEASE SIDE WITH THE PEOPLE AND PLEASE REMOVE THIS DRACONIAN ORDINANCE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT PERSON IS MS. WEBER HOLLAND.
I YIELD MY TIME TO MARGA MATTHEWS.
OKAY, MS. MARGA MATTHEWS, YOU ARE NEXT.
MS. MATTHEWS, YOU'LL HAVE UP TO SIX MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I HOPE Y'ALL CAN UNDERSTAND YOU.
UM, MY BRO CRY DOES THIS REALLY BAD.
UM, MY NAME IS MORGAN MATTHEWS.
I LIVE AT 6 0 6 EAST REPUBLIC IN BAYTOWN.
AND I AM, UM, I'M IN BETWEEN, BUT I DO NOT LIKE, EVEN THOUGH I'VE GOTTEN A TICKET FOR THIS.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ OFF AND I HOPE Y'ALL CAN UNDERSTAND ME.
I WANT TO STATE THAT I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A CITY CITATION IN THE MAIL.
I DID RECEIVE A COURT SUMMONS IN SEPTEMBER FOR PARKING IN THE GRASS WITH PICTURES OF MY VEHICLE, AN INCH IN THE GRASS, AND ALSO SHOWING A FINE FOR $257.
WE ARE NOT SO FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO GET TICKETS DISMISSED AS TO BE IN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
IT IS THE PRINCIPLE CITIZENS EITHER HAVE TO PAY A FINE OR HIRE AN ATTORNEY, WHICH I DID.
PUBLIC HEALTH ENFORCERS NEED TO BE MORE CONS, MORE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY.
ALSO, I WOULD LIKE FOR CITY COUNCIL TO AMEND PARKING IN THE GRASS ORDINANCE DUE TO THE FACT IT IS BEING TAKEN OUTTA CONTEXT BY THE CODE ENFORCERS.
I ALSO SUGGEST THE CITY WHEN ISSUING CITATIONS TO PUT THE CITATION ON THE FRONT DOOR OR ON THE WINDOW OF THE CAR.
ALSO SUGGESTING, UH, SUGGESTING FROM OTHER CITIES.
SUGGESTIONS FROM OTHER CITIES ARE FOR THE CITY TO INVESTIGATE WITHIN THREE WORKING DAYS AND ISSUE A WARNING TICKET OF WITNESS UPON ARRIVAL.
THE CASE IS CLOSED AFTER THE VEHICLE IS REMOVED FROM THE YARD OR WHEN NO VIOLATION IS FOUND FOUND.
IF PROPERTY CONTINUES WITH NON-COMPLIANCE, A CASE MAY BE FILED IN MUNICIPAL COURT AFTER THREE PARKING TICKETS ARE ISSUED FOR THE SAME VEHICLE WITHIN 90 DAYS.
AND THIS INFORMATION ALL COMES ONLINE WHEN YOU LOOK UP OF DIFFERENT CITIES THAT ARE DOING PARKING IN THE GRASS.
'CAUSE I KNOW THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS PARKING IN THE GLASS GRASS, BUT IT'S ONLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO RUIN YOUR, YOUR YARD OR TO MAKE YOUR THE NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK BAD, WHICH I UNDERSTAND.
BUT THERE'S NO FINES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
IT'S THE CITIES THAT ARE PUTTING THIS ORDINANCE AND FINDING THE PEOPLE.
AS A BAYTOWN CITIZEN, I'M ASKING THE CITY COUNCIL TO FORM A COMMITTEE IN ORDER TO HELP AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO BETTER SERVE THE CITY OF THE CITY AND THE CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN SINCE THERE ARE VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CAN LEAD TO PARKING IN THE GRASS, DUE TO UNLOADING CAR WASHING VISITORS AND MANY MORE.
AND REMEMBER, LEAD BY EXAMPLE AND DO NOT LET CITY EMPLOYEES BREAK CITY ORDINANCE ORDINANCE BECAUSE CITIZENS ARE WATCHING.
I AM NOT HERE TO CAUSE CHAOS BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN ME GETTING A WARRANT ALSO.
'CAUSE WHEN THEY SENT THAT CITATION, I GOT IT IN THROUGH MY PHONE THAT SAID SOME MAIL WAS DELIVERED TO MY HOUSE.
BUT IT SAID WHEN I GOT THERE, THERE WAS NO MAIL.
AND SO I MAILED UPS 'CAUSE I HAVE IT ON MY PHONE.
SO, UH, I THINK PUTTING IT ON THE WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE OR ON THE DOOR, LIKE WHEN THE GAS COMPANY AND THEM COME TO DO SOMETHING, IF YOU CAN PLACE IT ON THERE, THAT'S MORE SUFFICIENT FOR SOMEBODY THAT'S OUT OF TOWN OR, UH, AT WORK TO BE ABLE TO COME HOME AND NOT DEPEND ON THE UPS 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT TOO GOOD.
I JUST WANT THE OR ORDINANCE TO BE FAIR TO ALL CITIZENS, NOT TO JUST, UM, LIKE THE MAN WAS SAYING, THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW HAS BEEN TAKEN OUTTA CONTEXT HERE AND IT'S REALLY DAMAGING ALL THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
[00:45:01]
I'M ONE OF THEM.AND THERE WERE 77 TICKETS ISSUED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS A HARDWORKING NEIGHBORHOOD.
PEOPLE MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS.
YEAH, THEY, SOME OF THEM ACTUALLY PARK WAY IN THE GRASS.
THIS IS MY VEHICLE HERE, AN INCH ON THE GRASS.
THAT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT TO GET A TICKET FOR THAT.
AND THE SAD THING IS WE HAVE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE FULL FOR TIRES ON THE GRASS.
NOW IS THAT RIDICULOUS? THIS IS AN EMBARRASSMENT.
ALL YOU CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE TALKING TO YOUR EMPLOYEES AND TELL 'EM, DO NOT BE BREAKING THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE CITIZENS ARE WATCHING YOU.
NOT, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PICTURE THAT'S OUT THERE.
THERE'S LIKE FIVE PICTURES OF CITY TRUCKS ON THEIR GRASS.
I HAD TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY AND PAY A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE ATTORNEY, BUT YET THEY'RE BREAKING THE LAW.
WAS MY TIME UP? IT'S JUST, I WANT Y'ALL TO TAKE AWARE OF THIS AND PLEASE DO SOMETHING BECAUSE THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS AND OUT OF CONTROL.
AND I WANT A COMMITTEE PLEASE TO BE INFORMED TO, UH, AMEND THE ORDINANCE NOT TO DO AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE THERE IS SOME ISSUES, BUT TO AMEND IT TO BETTER THE COMMUNITY, NOT TO TARGET RIDICULOUS ONE INCH IN THE YARD OR SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY THAT'S OUT IN THE COUNTRY.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S UNFAIR.
LET'S JUST BE FAIR ABOUT IT AND BE FAIR TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND YOU PROBABLY WON'T SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING UNLESS YOU'RE FAIR.
BUT IF YOU'RE NOT FAIR, WE WILL BE COMING BACK HERE TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND BRING OUR GRIEVANCE TO YOU BECAUSE WE DEMAND SOMETHING TO BE DONE.
WE'RE NOT ASKING, WE'RE DEMANDING.
THE NEXT PERSON IS AUSTIN PERSWELL.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, SIR.
HOW Y'ALL DOING? UM, MY NAME'S AUSTIN PERSWELL.
I LIVE AT 36 19 CROSBY, CEDAR BAYOU DRIVE.
UM, ME AND MY WIFE JUST RECENTLY PURCHASED OUR HOME.
IT'S, WE'VE BEEN HOMEOWNERS FOR LESS THAN TWO YEARS NOW.
UM, AND OUR, OUR, UM, OUR LOT THAT WE'RE ON IS A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN AN ACRE.
UM, MY GOOD FRIEND JOSEPH, UH, MR. FALLON BACK THERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, UM, THROUGH HIS STORY AND, AND SEEING WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM, UM, I'VE DOVE INTO THIS AND INVESTIGATED IT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, AND OF COURSE Y'ALL'S, UM, ESSENTIALLY BY THE DEFINITION OF THIS ORDINANCE, I DON'T HAVE A DRIVEWAY.
I'M NOT ALLOWED TO PARK IN MY DRIVEWAY THAT I HAVE WHATSOEVER BECAUSE IT'S GRAVEL.
THE ORDINANCE STATES THAT AN APPROVED SURFACE MEANS A PARKING AREA, INCLUDING A DRIVEWAY EXTENDING FROM THE CURB STREET OR ALLEY IN A CON, UH, IN A CON CONTENTIOUS COURSE.
AND CONSTRUCTED OF CONCRETE BRICK, PAVERS, ASPHALT, OR OTHER EQUIVALENT MATERIALS APPROVED BY THE CHIEF, UH, BUILDING OFFICIAL PRIOR TO INSTALLATION, NOT INCLUDING GRAVEL OR CRUSHED STONE UNLESS SUCH WAS IN PLACE PRIOR TO MARCH 23RD, 2008.
MY DRIVEWAY HAS HAD A LOT OF ROCK ADDED TO IT PAST THAT.
SO BY THIS DEFINITION, I DON'T HAVE A DRIVEWAY TO PARK IN.
I'M NOT ALLOWED TO PARK AT MY HOUSE.
UM, I JUST THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT RIDICULOUS.
I JUST THINK THAT A LOT OF, A LOT OF THE WORD EVEN JUST NEEDS TO BE REVISED, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN SUBDIVISIONS.
OF COURSE, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE JUMPING UP OUR TOWN, BUT FOR, I MEAN, PEOPLE LIKE ME, I COULD POTENTIALLY JUST, I COULD BE CITED FOR SIMPLY PARKING IN THE DRIVEWAY THAT I HAVE ACCESS TO.
UM, SO I DO HOPE THAT Y'ALL PAY A LITTLE BIT OF ATTENTION TO IT AND, UM, I HOPE THAT SOME REVISIONS ARE MADE.
UM, NEXT WE HAVE MR. JAY FALLON.
HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING? MY NAME IS JAY FALLON.
I CURRENTLY LIVE AT 2010 NORTH ALEXANDER DRIVE, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 0.
UM, ABOUT JUNE OF 2017, I RECEIVED A CITATION FOR MY TRAVEL TRAILER BEING PARKED IN MY BACKYARD.
IT WASN'T ON THE GRASS EITHER.
IT WAS ON A, UH, MILLED ASPHALT, UM, AREA THAT HAD BEEN BACK THERE FOR YEARS.
AND, UH, SO I MEAN, IT LOOKED NICE.
IT WASN'T JUST AN EYESORE OR ON THE GRASS, UM, TO MY BELIEF YOU COULD PARK THINGS BEHIND YOUR HOUSE AND IT DIDN'T VIOLATE THE ORDINANCE.
UM, WHILE I WENT TO COURT FOR THE CITATION, I WENT WITHOUT A LAWYER.
UM, AND I WAS FOUND GUILTY AND I WAS HIT WITH A 1,970,
[00:50:01]
$70 FINE.I'VE APPEALED IT IN HARRIS COUNTY AND HERE WE ARE SEVEN YEARS LATER AND I'M STILL WAITING ON SOMETHING TO BE DONE ABOUT IT.
I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE COMPLETELY DONE AWAY WITH.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON IS KYLE RHODES.
I'VE HEARD A LOT THIS EVENING AND I SEE A LOT OF CASES AND I DO THINK IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THAT THE ORDINANCE IS TOO BROAD AND NEEDS TO BE AMENDED.
I HAVE THREE SUGGESTIONS ON THE AMENDMENT.
ONE IS THAT IT BE RELATED TO THE ZONING CODES YOU HAVE.
SINGLE FAMILY ONE AND SINGLE FAMILY TWO, THIS WOULD TAKE CARE OF YOUR SUBDIVISIONS WITH HOUSING AND SO FORTH LIKE THAT.
A SECOND SUGGESTION IS A TIME PERIOD ALLOWED WITHIN CERTAIN PERIODS SUCH AS 7:00 AM IN THE MORNING TO 7:00 PM IN THE EVENING.
THEREFORE, YOU CAN EITHER DISALLOW THE PARKING DURING THAT TIME OR ALLOW IT DURING THAT TIME PERIOD AND NOT THE OTHER 12 HOURS.
THIS WOULD TAKE CARE OF ANY LONG-TERM PARKING SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE VEHICLES IN STORAGE, WHICH SHOULD NOT BE IN AN SF ONE OR AN SF TWO.
YOU WOULD NOT HAVE JUNK VEHICLES, YOU WOULD NOT HAVE ROTTING, YOU WOULD NOT BE ADDRESSING AGRICULTURAL OR MULTI USE PROPERTIES.
THEREFORE, THAT WOULD SOLVE THAT SITUATION.
AND THE OTHER SUGGESTION I HAVE AS FAR AS THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE ONE INCH BEING OFF THE PROPERTY.
A DEFINITION NEEDS TO BE DONE ALONG THAT LINES AS INTO A FULL TIRE WIDTH.
UH, THERE'S A CASE IN ANOTHER TOWN, UH, THAT'S IN A NEARBY COUNTY.
AND IF YOUR VEHICLE'S AXLE IS NOT OVER THE VIOLATED PROPERTY, THE TIRE'S EXCEPTIONAL, BUT THE AXLE ACTUALLY HAS TO READ IT, THEN YOU'RE IN VIOLATION OF IT.
UH, THOSE ARE MY THREE SUGGESTIONS.
I WOULD REALLY NOT LIKE TO SEE IT GO AWAY BECAUSE I ALSO LIVE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THERE IS NO HOA.
UH, THE NEXT PERSON IS MR. FRANK MCKAY, ESTEEMED COUNSEL.
I AM NOT IN FAVOR OF REPEALING, UH, THIS LAW, BUT I WOULD BE REALLY OPEN TO YOU GUYS WORKING.
YOU'VE GOT SOME GREAT SUGGESTIONS.
UM, AND SO I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT.
I MEAN, WE COULD PUT, UH, WARNINGS.
LIKE IF I HAVE A BIG PARTY, THERE MAY BE SOME PEOPLE PARKING IN THE GRASS.
AND SO, UH, I WOULD ASK THAT WE LOOK AT THAT AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS LAW, IT'S BEEN INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL IN SOME WAYS.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT.
EVERYBODY IS REALLY BEING CAREFUL NOT TO PARK.
AND, AND WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE PERSON GET ARRESTED TOO, SO.
BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S ALSO A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
IF WE REPEAL THIS, WHAT'S GONNA BE NEXT? NO GRASS HEIGHT STANDARDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, IT'S GREAT.
WE HAVE A CHOICE IN THIS COUNTRY.
YOU CAN MOVE TO CHANNELVIEW, YOU CAN MOVE TO HIGHLANDS IF YOU REALLY WANNA PARK IN YOUR YARD.
OR WE CAN CONTINUE TO SEE THE DECAY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WE HAVE OUR FINE PEOPLE MOVE TO NEW BAYTOWN.
AND SO THAT'S, SO THAT'S WHY WHAT, HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND A GOOD SOLUTION THAT IS PROTECTS OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR CITY AND ALSO DOESN'T, IT'S NOT TOO ONEROUS AND TOO HARD ON THE PEOPLE.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. CHET THI HELLO, COUNSEL.
MY NAME IS CHET THIAS AND I LIVE AT TWO 11 POST OAK DRIVE IN, IN LAKEWOOD.
I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF BAYTOWN EVER SINCE MY DAD WAS TRANSFERRED TO ELLINGTON AIRFIELD BACK IN 64 WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF SECOND GRADE.
ALL THAT TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF BAYTOWN FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
I'VE ALSO BEEN A REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, WHICH HOLDS A BROKER'S LICENSE FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
[00:55:01]
BIT ABOUT REAL ESTATE AND THE LOCAL MARKETS, RULES, STANDARDS, REGULATIONS, AND COVENANTS.I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU COUNCIL TO SUPPORT WHAT THE COUNCIL, THE MAYOR, CITY LEADERSHIP, ADMINISTRATION, LEGAL, AND DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS CAME UP WITH WHEN THEY CREATED THIS.
THE FEW ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE THAT WERE TO HELP THE IMAGE OF BAYTOWN, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK PUT INTO THAT, A LOT OF WORK.
AND IT WAS OVER YEARS, YEARS TIME IN DIFFERENT COMMITTEES AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT ENTITIES THAT WENT INTO IT.
THERE ARE ONLY REALLY A, A FEW THAT I BELIEVE THAT ARE, FOR THE MOST PART, THAT ARE AGAINST IT AND WANTING IT REPEALED FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE ORDINANCE.
AND SEEMS THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF AN AX TO GROIN MOST OF THE PEOPLE FROM MY OPINION.
I'LL EMPHASIZE THAT AND I GIVE YOU THAT IT'S A SILENT MAJORITY.
ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS AND THOSE THAT I KNOW IN THE CITY UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT THE LOSS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, BAYTOWN IS STILL GONNA HAVE A IMAGE PROBLEM AND IMAGE ISSUES.
AND IF THE FEW ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE ON THE BOOKS ARE REPEALED, I'M NOT CERTAIN WHO WOULD WANT TO LIVE HERE WITHOUT ANY STANDARDS.
AND IN CLOSING, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THERE WERE A BUNCH OF EXCELLENT SUGGESTIONS THAT I HEARD TONIGHT.
UH, AND SIMPLY TO MIKE AND HIS SITUATION, UH, I THINK MARK BROUGHT UP AN EXCELLENT IDEA OF A COMMITTEE.
I'M NOT ONE THAT'S JUMPING UP AND DOWN TO CREATE COMMITTEES, BUT THAT SURE SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
UM, THE NEXT PERSON IS MR. JAMES SPRINGER.
JAMES SPRINGER, ONE 16 CALDWELL, UH, LAKEWOOD SUBDIVISION.
I DID AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT WAS SAID.
UH, AS FAR AS, I DON'T THINK IT'S, THE ORDINANCE IS PERFECT AND IT NEEDS WORK, BUT REPEALING IT IS THE ABSOLUTE WRONG THING TO DO.
WE DON'T HAVE AN HOA WHERE I LIVE AND THE CITY, WE RELY ON THE CITY TO KEEP THINGS, AT LEAST AT BAY OF WHAT THEY ARE AND NOT GO DOWN, DECLINE, GO DOWNHILL.
I GREW UP IN LAKEWOOD AND, YOU KNOW, BORN AND RAISED IN BAYTOWN.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, BACK, BACK THEN, GROWING UP THROUGH LAKEWOOD MY ENTIRE LIFE, THIS KIND OF ORDINANCE WASN'T NECESSARY.
NEITHER WAS THE HIGH GRASS TYPE STUFF.
PEOPLE HAD PRIDE IN THEIR YARDS, THEY HAD PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S GONE BY THE WAYSIDE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE EVEN BEEN TOLD BY ONE OF THESE GUYS, HEY, WELL MAYBE YOU NEED TO MOVE AND I'M NOT MOVING, BUT I ALSO, YOU KNOW, DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS KIND OF STUFF GO ON OR GET WORSE.
IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT I DON'T WANNA LIVE NEXT DOOR TO SOMEBODY PARKING THEIR CARS IN THEIR YARD.
THERE'S JUST NO REASON FOR IT.
IF YOU WANNA LIVE AND HAVE YOUR LAND, YOUR LAND, AND YOU WANT TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITH IT, THEN YOU GOTTA MOVE SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE ARE NO RULES.
MOVE TO THE COUNTRY, MOVE TO THE COUNTY, MOVE OUTTA THE STATE.
YOU KNOW, BUT THIS NEED, THIS NEEDS TO BE REPEALING.
ARE YOU SPEAKING? I DIDN'T SPEAK WHILE YOU WERE UP HERE, SO SHUT UP.
SO IF WE CAN HAVE SOME ORDER PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MR. THAT'S ALL, ALL I HAVE SAY, REPEALING IT IS A BAD IDEA.
I DON'T WANNA LIVE NEXT TO SOME OF THESE GUYS, SO THANK YOU.
IF WE CAN HAVE SOME ORDER BACK ON COUNSEL.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ARE TO RESPECT THE ORDER OF COUNCIL RULES, PROCEDURES.
LET'S GIVE EVERYONE WHO HAS SIGNED UP THEIR TIME.
THEY DROVE OUT HERE THIS EVENING TO SPEAK.
UM, NEXT IS MR. HARVEY PONDER.
6 4 0 3 CROSBY, CEDAR BIO ROAD.
UM, IT'S FUNNY, I GET TO SPEAK RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE I MOVED OUTTA LAKEWOOD
IF THIS COUNCIL IS SERIOUS ABOUT BRINGING NEW RESIDENTS TO TOWN, YOU CAN START, START THE SAME WAY ENTITIES ACROSS THIS NATION DO IT, CUTTING
[01:00:01]
TAXES, CUTTING REGULATION, AND LOWERING TAXES.THE FORMULA FOR BUILDING ANYTHING IS VERY SIMPLE.
CUTTING REGULATION AND LOWERING TAXES.
IF THIS CITY WANTS TO INCREASE THEIR REVENUE INCOME, DON'T DO IT BY WRITING A TICKET TO A GUY, WASHING HIS TRUCK.
CUT SOME REGULATION AND LOWER TAXES IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO MOVE TO TOWN.
PEOPLE DO NOT BUILD NEW HOMES IN BAYTOWN.
THEY DO NOT TRY AND IMPROVE THEIR EXISTING HOMES.
WHEN YOU'RE ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT SOME INSPECTORS GOT TO SAY, WHEN YOU'RE ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT, IF I MET THIS OR IF I DID THIS, IF I DID THIS RIGHT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA DO IT.
THEY'RE GONNA MOVE OUT OF TOWN.
CUT REGULATION AND LOWER TAXES.
A PUBLICLY FUNDED AN UNWANTED NEW HOTEL AND GOLF COURSE TO TRY AND INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES IN A FINANCIALLY DEPRESSED PART OF TOWN.
REALLY, MR. PONDER, UM, YOU STILL HAVE TIME ON THERE, BUT THE POLICE STICK TO THE ITEM AT HAND, WHICH IS PARKING.
THIS IS PART OF, IT'S ALL PART OF IT.
JUST WANNA SAY, CUT SOME REGULATION AND LOWER SOME TAXES.
LIKE I SAID, I MOVED OUT OF BAYTOWN.
I TOLD THIS COUNCIL IN THIS ROOM 20 YEARS AGO ABOUT PARKING ON YOUR OWN LAND WITH PARKING.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT PROPERTY VALUES.
HAS EVERYTHING, NOTHING TO DO WITH PROPERTY VALUES, BUT EVERYTHING TO DO WITH A BUNCH OF BUSY BODY NEIGHBORS WHO WANT TO SIT THERE AND CONTROL SOMEBODY ELSE'S.
GET OUT OF MY LIFE, LEAVE ME ALONE.
LET ME LIVE MY LIFE THE WAY GOD SEES FIT.
CUT SOME REGULATION AND LOWER SOME TAXES, PLEASE.
I AM MICHELLE ARNOLD, AND I LIVE AT 8 0 7 ROSEWOOD DRIVE HERE IN BAYTOWN.
UM, AND I WANTED TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, THE PARKING ORDINANCES.
UM, THE DEBATE OVER THE PARKING ORDINANCES DOES HIGHLIGHT THE TENSION BETWEEN PERSONAL FREEDOM AND COMMUNITY REGULATIONS.
BAYTOWN CAN CULTIVATE A THRIVING COMMUNITY THAT PRIORITIZES THE WELLBEING AND SATISFACTION OF ITS RESIDENTS, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A BALANCE BETWEEN PERSONAL FREEDOM AND COMMUNITY REGULATIONS.
HAVING MORE ORDINANCES IMPOSED, ARRESTING AND TICKETING ALREADY STRUGGLE AND FAMILIES IS NOT COMMUNITY FRIENDLY.
WHY WOULD YOU ARREST SOMEONE WHEN PARKING IN THE YARD IS AN ORDINANCE? IT'S NOT REALLY A CRIME.
AND IT ALSO FEELS LIKE SOME OVERREACH.
SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY FOCUS MORE ON THE CRIMES AND NOT THE AESTHETICS OF A YARD AND WHAT I HAVE PARKED THERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE A ELDERLY FATHER WHO LIVES WITH US.
WE HAVE TO PULL UP IN THE YARD TO GET HIM OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE HE JUST HAD SOME TOES AMPUTATED.
AM I GONNA GET A TICKET FOR THAT? POSSIBLY.
BUT IT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE DAY.
UM, ALLOWING RESIDENTS THE FREEDOM TO PARK IN THEIR OWN FRONT YARD.
IT EMPOWERS THEM TO UTILIZE THEIR PROPERTY AS WE SEE FIT.
FOSTERING A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OVER OUR OWN SPACE.
THIS FREEDOM PROMOTES A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EVENT INDIVIDUALS, THEIR HOMES, AND ENHANCING THE OVERALL QUALITY LIFE OF LIFE WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
I MEAN, I PAY TAXES ON A PROPERTY THAT I'M GONNA BE TOLD WHERE I CAN PARK AND WHERE I CAN'T.
UM, IT, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
SO I WOULD SAY I WOULD REQUEST THAT Y'ALL REPEAL THE PARKING ORDINANCE.
NEXT WE HAVE MAR MATTHEWS ON THE SAME THING.
I THINK I ALREADY, I DID ON IT TWICE.
LET ME SKIP YOU AND COME BACK TO YOU.
UM, THE NEXT PERSON IS JAMES, UM, KILBURN.
I LIVE AT 5,001 ASHWOOD DRIVE HERE IN BAYTOWN.
I WANT TO APPROACH THIS FROM A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW.
UM, I'M HEARING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE AND I'M HEARING SOME GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT AS IT STANDS.
[01:05:01]
DISCUSSIONS ON NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR ABOUT IT, AND MY ONE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ABOUT IT, I PARKED MY TRUCK ON THE GRASS SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WENT INSIDE TO GET THE MATERIAL TO WASH IT, WALKED BACK OUTSIDE, BAYTOWN POLICE OFFICERS THERE, STARTING TO WRITE A TICKET.I WOULD ASK THE CITY SOLICITOR OR THE POLICE CHIEF.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS I'M ALLOWED FOUR HOURS IN THIS SPOT BEFORE I SHOULD BE TICKETED.
HE'S READY TO WRITE A TICKET FOR IT.
UM, I THINK THAT THE ORDINANCE NEEDS TO BE TWEAKED.
NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED SOME, BUT I ALSO SEE A TRAINING ISSUE.
IF WE'RE GONNA ASK THE POLICE OFFICERS TO ENFORCE THE ORDINANCE, THEY NEED TO KNOW IT.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO MARKET.
YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU KNOW IF A VEHICLE'S BEEN PARKED SOMEWHERE FOR FOUR HOURS OR AS MR. ROSE SUGGESTED 12 HOURS? IF THAT GETS ADJUSTED TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AS SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE COMMENTED, WHY CAN'T TICKETS THEN BE LEFT ON THE VEHICLE? THE IDEA OF GETTING A TICKET IN THE MAIL, BECAUSE I PARKED MY CAR ON THE GRASS.
AND THAT'S JUST HOPING THE MAILMAN OR MY MAIL WILL GET TO ME.
UM, WE ALL KNOW THE PROBLEMS IN MAIL.
THE POST OFFICE SEEMS TO HAVE GETTING DELIVERIES THESE DAYS.
SO I THINK RATHER THAN GETTING RID OF THE ORDINANCE, I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME SERIOUS WORK DONE TO AMEND IT, TO MAKE IT GOOD.
AND IF EITHER OUR SOLICITOR OR POLICE CHIEF WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE TRAINING ISSUES OR WHAT THE TIME ALLOWED FOR VEHICLE TO BE PARKED IS, I WOULD FEED MY TIME TO HIM.
THE NEXT PERSON IS, UH, JAMES KAMINSKY.
JAMES KAMINSKI, 6 23 LAUREN LANE.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE GOING BACK TO THE LETTER FROM MR. CALDER, CONSIDERING DIS ATION FROM HIS VIEWPOINT, CODE ENFORCEMENT WAS A BENEFIT.
I DON'T SEE HOW MORE OVERREACHED BY CITY GOVERNMENT TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO IN MY OWN YARD IS A BENEFIT AND POSSIBLY TICKETS, FINES, JAIL TIME.
I BUILT MY HOUSE IN 2000, 2001.
I WAS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
WE ACTUALLY CALLED BEFORE WE BUILT TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY PLANS BY THE CITY TO BE ANNEXED BECAUSE WE COULD'VE GONE AHEAD AND RAN ALL THE LINES AND MADE IT THERE IN CASE WE WERE.
AND THEY SAID, NO, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS.
WELL, LO AND BEHOLD, 17 YEARS LATER, I WAS BROUGHT INTO THE CITY.
NOW, BETWEEN MYSELF, WE HAVE A PRIVATE ROAD BETWEEN MINE AND MY MOTHER-IN-LAW THAT LIVES NEXT DOOR TO ME.
AND BETWEEN US, WE HAVE NINE ACRES.
I HAVE TRAILERS, I HAVE VEHICLES, I HAVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
I WOULD THINK IT'D BE A TRAVESTY THAT AFTER WHAT I'VE GONE THROUGH WITH THE ANNEXATION AND ALL THOSE MEETINGS THAT I HAD BEFORE AND WHAT I HEARD AND OVERHEARD AND WERE TOLD FOR THE CITY TO COME IN AND ENFORCE SOMETHING WHEN I DON'T EVEN GET CITY SERVICES, BUT YET I'LL BE TICKETED.
NOW I DO GET A LOT OF UPS DELIVERIES AND OTHER, OTHER DELIVERIES TO MY HOUSE BECAUSE OF ONLINE ORDERING.
AND I'VE GOTTEN PRETTY CLOSE WITH A COUPLE OF THE UPS GUYS 'CAUSE HE IS THERE ALL THE TIME.
AND HE JUST HAPPENED TO MENTION YESTERDAY THAT HE SAW MY LETTER, HE HEARD WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE SURE IS QUITE AN UPTICK OF CITY OF BAYTOWN TRUCKS IN THIS AREA.
NOW AM I BEING WATCHED MORE BECAUSE I'M SPEAKING OUT AGAINST WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME AND WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON ALL THIS TIME.
NOW I WORK QUITE A FEW HOURS OF WORK, QUITE A FEW DAYS, AND I HOPE SOMEDAY WHEN I'M HOME I CAN SIT OUT AND WATCH AND SEE IF WHAT HE SAID IS TRUE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GO BY SOMETHING SOMEBODY ELSE SAID.
BUT I THINK YOU SHOULD STRIKE THE ORDINANCE, OR AT LEAST FOR A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE DRIVING THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERYTHING'S PARKED OUT IN THE ROAD AND YOU'RE HAVING TO WAIT FOR OTHER CARS TO GO PAST.
BUT IF THERE'S A LIMIT ON HOW MUCH PROPERTY YOU HAVE OR HOW MUCH LAND YOU HAVE, DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO ON MY PROPERTY.
I PAY TAXES ON, I DON'T JUNK IT UP.
IT'S, I KEEP IT MOWED, I KEEP IT CLEAN AND EVERYTHING THE CITY NEEDS TO CONSIDER STRIKING IT OR SERIOUSLY AMENDING THIS ORDINANCE BECAUSE IT'S HURTING A LOT OF HONEST PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO JUST GET BY IN THESE
[01:10:01]
HARD TIMES.NEXT PERSON IS EILEEN HAMILTON.
I LIVE AT 35 0 4 KNIGHT LANE, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 1.
UM, I HAVE RECEIVED TWO TICKETS.
NOW THIS, I'M FIGHTING ONE RIGHT NOW.
UM, MY HUSBAND PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY TO AIR UP HIS TIRE TO GO BACK TO WORK.
HE WAS THERE FOR 32 MINUTES AND WE HAD A TICKET IN THE MAIL.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THIS ORDINANCE.
I DO, I UNDERSTAND IT COMPLETELY.
DO I THINK IT NEEDS FIXING? YES, I DO.
I KEEP IT MAINTAINED ALL YEAR LONG.
I WEED AND FEED, I DO EVERYTHING TO MY YARD.
BUT WHEN YOU PULL UP TO YOUR DRIVEWAY AND YOU HAVE A TRAILER IN YOUR DRIVEWAY FIRST, SO YOU GO AROUND IT JUST TO GET TO THE GARAGE DOOR AND YOU GET A TICKET IN THE MAIL FOR BEING IN YOUR YARD FOR 32 MINUTES, SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE.
THERE'S TOO MUCH OF THIS FOR SOMETHING NOT TO BE ABLE TO BE WORKED OUT.
UM, I HAVE RECEIVED A TICKET PRIOR SIX YEARS AGO FOR BEING IN MY YARD.
AND WE STILL HAVE OUR TRAILER AND OUR DRIVEWAY.
I WAS THERE FOR MAYBE 40, 45 MINUTES.
GOT ANOTHER TICKET JUST FOR TRYING TO UNLOAD SOME GROCERIES.
I MOVED IT AS SOON AS I WAS DONE AND WE STILL GOT A TICKET FOR THAT.
WE WENT TO COURT FOR THAT ONE.
I HAD PROOF FROM THE CAMERAS OF HOW LONG I WAS THERE.
UM, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DISMISS IT.
WE SAID THAT WE WERE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT TO TRIAL AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO WITH THAT.
THREE DAYS LATER, I GET A TICKET.
I MEAN, I GET A LETTER IN THE MAIL SAYING IT WAS DISMISSED.
GO TO COURT YESTERDAY FOR THE SAME THING.
THE PROSECUTOR DID NOT WANNA HEAR ANYTHING THAT I HAD TO SAY.
HE DIDN'T WANNA SEE THE PICTURES, HE DIDN'T WANNA HEAR NOTHING.
HE JUST SAID, ARE YOU READY FOR TRIAL? SURE, I'M READY FOR TRIAL.
BUT THIS ORDINANCE IS OVERREACHING.
IT'S OVERREACHING THE CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN.
WE HAVE HARD WORKERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT WE ARE BEING, BEING PUNISHED.
I DON'T LIKE HAVING TO SEE THE JUNK AROUND PEOPLE'S HOUSES.
YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M NOT FOR THAT.
I HOPE Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
NEXT WE HAVE, UH, LINDA, MIKES LINDA MIX 64 27 CROSBY, CEDAR BAYOU.
I ACTUALLY WAS NOT GONNA SPEAK ON THIS UNTIL MY DAUGHTER POINTED OUT.
MOM, WE CAN'T EVEN WASH OUR CARDS IN OUR, OUR YARD ANYMORE.
WE USED TO DO THAT TO KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS CODE OF ORDINANCE IS NEEDED OF PER NEIGHBOR, LIKE THE FIRST LADY.
WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THE YARDS, ALL THE JUNK YARDS, I MEAN JUNK CARS IN A YARD AND ALL THAT, THAT IS NEEDED.
BUT THE GENTLEMAN WHO COULD NOT WASH HIS CAR IN HIS YARD AND GOT GOT A TICKET AND THE GENTLEMAN WHO GOT THROWN IN JAIL, OR THE MAN WHO CANNOT PARK HIS RV IN HIS BACKYARD, WE USED TO PARK.
WE, WELL, I'LL BE HONEST, SHOOT.
WE PARK OUR RV TO GET IT READY TO GO TO THE DEAR LEASING BACK.
SO, YEAH, I, BUT DO WE GET, IT'S IN THE BACKYARD.
AND, BUT HIS WAS TOO, SO, AND I DIDN'T ASK TO BE UNDER THIS ORDINANCE.
I WAS A FORCED ANNEXED IN 2017.
ALSO, I CHOSE WHERE I LIVE BECAUSE I HAD WIDE OPEN SPACE.
I COULD PARK IN MY YARD, I COULD BACK MY CART UP TO MY GARDEN.
AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING I'M IN VIOLATION.
THE POLICE ARE WRITING TICKETS FOR ALL OF THIS.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU, I HAVE CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND ASKED THEM TO PATROL MY ROAD TO WRITE TICKETS FOR SPEEDERS, WHICH COULD KILL
[01:15:01]
SOMEBODY, WHICH HAS HIT A COW AND THROWN IT 400 FOOT.BUT THEY WILL WRITE TICKETS FOR PEOPLE PARKING IN THEIR YARDS TO WASH A CAR.
SO I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE ALL OR NOTHING.
I BELIEVE IT NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED.
SO, BUT YOU'RE AN ALL IN OR NOTHING COUNSEL.
LET'S GET RID OF IT AND COME UP WITH SOMETHING MUCH BETTER.
YEAH, AGAIN, MY NAME IS GARY VANDERBEEK.
44 0 3 CROSBY, CEDAR BIO ROAD.
WE WERE FORCED IN THE ANNEXATION ALSO, BUT, UM, LISTENING TO THESE PEOPLE, TO ME, THEY'RE ALL GOOD PEOPLE.
AND WE ALL TRIED TO IMPROVE OUR PROPERTIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, THERE'S ALWAYS A EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES TO THINGS LIKE, IN MY, MY CASE, I'M LISTENING TO IT.
AND THE ABSURDITY OF IT IS I WANNA MAKE MY PROPERTY BEAUTIFUL.
I MAKE MY PROPERTY BEAUTIFUL, THE TAXES GO WAY UP.
I HAD THE WATER MAIN PUT THROUGH MY PROPERTY, WHICH TOOK OUT THE STORM SEWER.
SO THE NEXT THING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NEXT IS GONNA LOOK AT MY GRASS.
THAT TAKES ME EIGHT HOURS TO CUT.
AND I CAN'T CUT IT BECAUSE IT'S TOO WET, BECAUSE Y'ALL TOOK OUT THE STORM SEWER.
WHEN I'M TRYING TO MAKE MY PROPERTY BEAUTIFUL, MY FENCE IS DAMAGED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I ASKED THE CITY CONTROLLER FOR REMEDIES TO IT AND HE SAID, GO AHEAD AND TRY TO SUE US.
AND THAT'S KIND OF HOW I FEEL.
AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THAT.
LIKE WE'RE DAVID FIGHTING GOLIATH AND WE'RE JUST CITIZENS TRYING TO DO THE BEST THING WE CAN AND NOT BE TAXED INTO OBLIVION SO WE CAN LIVE OUR LIVES IN, IN PEACE.
AND, UM, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW, THAT MOST GOOD PEOPLE, WE, WE TRY TO DO THE BEST FOR OUR FAMILIES.
WE TRY TO, UM, CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE IT'S GOOD TO THE, FOR THE NEIGHBORS.
THERE'S A FEW PEOPLE THAT VIOLATE THAT.
AND I HOPE THAT YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE THERE IS EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT WHEN NOBODY LISTENS TO US, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT ONE PERSON SAID, I WENT TO THE PROSECUTOR AND I I I TRIED TO PLEAD MY CASE AND HE WOULDN'T LISTEN.
IT'S LIKE, I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT GOVERNMENT WAS FOR.
IT WAS TO HELP US NOT NOT NOT TAX US INTO OBLIVION WHERE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND WE CAN'T LIVE ANYMORE.
WE DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD RETIRE BECAUSE WE'RE TAXED TOO HIGH BECAUSE WE TRIED EXTRA HARD.
AND THEN WITHOUT GETTING ON A SOAPBOX, IT FEELS LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T DO ANYTHING AND ARE LAZY, THEY GET THE REWARDS.
AND, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I GOTTA SAY.
AND I THINK MAYBE LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD COME BACK.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, THINGS TO IT, GOING TO COURT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT I MEAN, SOMETHING'S, SOMETHING'S GOTTA CHANGE BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU, YOU'RE DAMNED IF YOU DO AND YOU'RE DAMNED IF YOU DON'T.
YOU TRY REAL HARD TO MAKE YOUR PROPERTY GOOD, AND THEN THE TAXES GO UP WHERE YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT.
AND THEN IT'S LIKE, THEN WHERE AM I GONNA GO? YOU KNOW, THE INTEREST RATES GO SUPER HIGH.
I AM GONNA BUY ANOTHER HOUSE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEN I'M NOT AFFORDING WHAT I HAVE ALREADY, BUT I'M FIGHTING THE TAX GUY TO KEEP THE, THE PROPERTY VALUES DOWN SO I COULD AFFORD TO LIVE.
SO IT'S LIKE, PEOPLE ARE JUST PEOPLE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE AND LIVE AND DO, DO GOOD THINGS FOR PEOPLE IN MOST CASES.
SO, THANK YOU MR. I HOPE TO LISTEN.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, MR. DAVID ISAAC.
AND IS HE ON ZOOM? OKAY, DAVID, IT'S YOURS.
UH, I'M DAVID ISAAC, WEST REPUBLIC, 7 7 5 2.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT IN FAVOR OF PERSONAL FREEDOM THIS EVENING AND, UH, UH, DISCUSS FAVORABLY THE IDEA OF REPEALING AND REPLACING THIS COORDINATES.
UH, SO THAT THE, THE GENTLEMAN WHO, UH, WANT TO PARK THEIR VEHICLES THE WAY THAT THEY WANT TO PARK THEIR VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY FORCED ATION AS RECENTLY AS 2017, DID NOT ASK
[01:20:01]
FOR THIS NEW LEGISL, UH, TO BE PART OF THIS, UH, NEW ORDEAL.UH, I THINK THE FALLONS HAVE A POINT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT ONE SIZE FITS ALL ISSUE THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVE PART OF THESE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS WITH HOAS, UH, MAY DESERVE TO BE REGULATED PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THOSE OF US WHO LIVE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN.
SO WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
I DO THINK IT'S A BAD IDEA, ESPECIALLY COMING FROM A CONSERVATIVE BLOWHARD THAT WE GROW GOVERNMENT WITH THE COMMITTEE, UH, UH, WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE REPEALING LOTS OF COMMITTEES TONIGHT, MAKE ANOTHER COMMITTEE ABOUT ANOTHER COMMITTEE, ABOUT ANOTHER COMMITTEE.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PEOPLE VOICING THEIR CONCERNS AND PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HEAR THEMSELVES TALK FOR SIX MINUTES.
'CAUSE THEY GOT THE LITTLE BUDDIES HERE.
ANOTHER THING IS REPRESENTATION.
PEOPLE TRY TO ATTACK CITY EMPLOYEES THIS EVENING, BUT THE LOW HANGING FRUIT COMES FROM THE COUNCIL ITSELF.
COUNCILMAN FRANCO DOESN'T PAY US BY.
HADN'T PAID HIS FEES, HADN'T PAID HIS HOA SITUATION.
MR. UH, MR. ISAAC, IF WE CAN REFRAIN FROM DEFAMING, ANYONE PLEASE, AND STICK TO THE POINT AT HAND.
MADAM PRO
THEY WANT TALK ABOUT CITY EMPLOYEES.
I'M TALKING ABOUT, UH, COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY FAIR, UH, UH, ASSESSMENT TO MAKE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP HERE IN TOWN.
AND SO, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HYPOCRISY ASPECT OF THINGS.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS INSTEAD OF OUR CITY APPOINTED EMPLOYEES.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WE SHOULD REPEAL AND REPLACE THIS MEASURE.
I'M IN FAVOR OF PERSONAL FREEDOM, UH, MORE, YOU KNOW, JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE ELSE IN THIS ROOM.
UH, HOWEVER, IT DOES HAVE TO BE REASONABLE.
WE WANT TO KEEP BAYTOWN BEAUTIFUL, WE WANT TO KEEP IT PRETTY, WE WANT TO KEEP IT LOOKING FORWARD.
WE WANT PROPERTY VALUES, UH, UH, UH, TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND LOOK NICE TO SOME EXTENT.
SO, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN REASON, THESE PEOPLE WANT TO PARK IN THEIR PROPERTIES THAT THEY PAID FOR, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO EXISTED BEFORE THEY WERE FORCED TO BE ANNEXED INTO BAYTOWN.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY TONIGHT.
SO WE'VE HEARD EVERYONE THAT, UM, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, WHICH IS FOUR D.
WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ANYONE WHO CAME OUT.
REGARDLESS OF, UH, WHERE YOUR STANCE IS, I WILL ASK FOR CITY, UH, STAFF TO, TO REVIEW, UM, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND ALL THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, UM, SINCE, UH, THIS ITEM WAS NOT BROUGHT FORTH OR DRIVEN BY COUNSEL OR BY STAFF.
UM, THERE IS NO ACTION, UM, WHETHER TO KEEP OR REPEAL THIS ITEM AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD TO THE NEXT ITEM, UM, ON COUNSEL, WHICH IS ITEM FOUR E.
[e. Consider an ordinance authorizing payment to Front Line Mobile Health, PLLC for Annual Medical Evaluation services for Fire.]
THE ITEM IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING PAYMENT TO THE FRONTLINE MOBILE HEALTH PLLC FOR ANNUAL MEDICAL EVALUATION SERVICES FOR FIRE.ONCE AGAIN, THIS WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE IN, UM, THE CONSENT ITEMS. SO IF I CAN ASK FOR A MOTION ON ITEM FOUR E, MOVE TO APPROVE FOUR E.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MOVE TO APPROVE.
[f. Consider an ordinance authorizing interlocal agreements with the General Land Office (GLO) of the State of Texas for the Community Development Block Grant - Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Local Hazard Mitigation Planning Program (LHMPP) on behalf of the Fire/Emergency Management Department.]
F IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE, UH, GENERAL LAND OFFICE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT MITIGATION, WHICH IS THE CDBG AND MIT LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING PROGRAM, L-H-M-P-P ON BEHALF OF THE FIRE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT.SO, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM? NO.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION APPROVING? ITEM FOUR F MOVE TO APPROVE FOUR F SECOND.
[a. Consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager, on behalf of the Baytown Police Department, to submit a request for funding for 14 NIJ Type II-rated (or higher) Ballistic Rifle/Bullet-Resistant Shields in an amount not to exceed $112,000.00 to the Office of the Governor, State Homeland Security Division of the State of Texas, for the Fiscal Year 2025 Bullet-Resistant Shield Grant Program.]
IS FIVE A.UM, SO, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER ON BEHALF OF THE BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING BECAUSE OF ALL THE NOISE THAT'S OUT THERE.
I'M, I'M, CAN'T HEAR EVERYTHING GOING ON.
IF WE CAN PLEASE KEEP THOSE, UM, OUT IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE.
QUIET SO WE CAN ALL HEAR ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE BEING READ AND I'LL MAKE SURE TO TRY TO SPEAK UP A LITTLE MORE AS WELL.
UH, SO ONCE AGAIN, CONSIDER RESOLUTION
[01:25:01]
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER ON BEHALF OF THE BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR FUNDING FOR 14 NIG TYPE TWO RATED OR HIGHER BALLISTIC RIFLE BULLET, UM, RESISTANT SHIELDS IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $112,000 TO THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR STATE HOMELAND SECURITY DIVISION OF THE UNITED STATES OF TEXAS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025.AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S THE BULLET RESISTANT SHIELD GRANT PROGRAM.
SO, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? OKAY, CAN I GET A MOTION APPROVING ITEM FIVE? A MOTION.
MOTION TO APPROVE? FIVE A SECOND.
[b. Consider a resolution authorizing the adoption of the City of Baytown Public-Private Partnership Guidelines.]
FIVE B AND THAT'S TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ADOPTION OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP GUIDELINES.AND COUNCIL ITEM FIVE B FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, IS APPROVING THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP GUIDELINES ALLOWED BY TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 2267 FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.
THE P THREE GUIDELINES ALLOW MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY, UM, AND AS ANOTHER PROCUREMENT TOOL, UM, THAT COULD BE USED BY THE CITY.
UM, IT ALSO ALLOWS THE CITY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO CHARGE FEES TO COVER THE COSTS OF EVALUATING PROPOSALS, UM, INCLUDING COST OF EXTERNAL REVIEWERS SUCH AS ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, UM, AND ATTORNEYS.
UM, IF IT IS APPROVED BY COUNSEL, UM, WE WOULD, UH, SUBMIT OUR GUIDELINES TO THE TEXAS FACILITIES COMMISSION, WHICH IS THE REGULATORY BODY THAT OVERSEES THE P THREE STATUTE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? OKAY, MAY I GET A MOTION APPROVING ITEM FIVE B.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FIVE B.
HOW ABOUT FIVE FIVE B FIVE B? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
[c. Consider a resolution authorizing a grant application to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Fiscal Year 2024 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Program, allowing state and local governments to obtain funding for multi-modal projects with significant local or regional impact.]
FIVE C AND THAT'S TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE UNITED STATES, UM, DEPARTMENT OR TRANSPORTATION U-S-D-O-T FISCAL YEAR 2024, WHICH IS REBUILDING AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND EQUITY, WHICH IS THE RAISE PROGRAM, ALLOWING STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO OBTAIN FUNDING FOR MULTIMODAL PROJECTS WITH SIGNIFICANT LOCAL OR REGIONAL IMPACT.SO, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION APPROVING? ITEM FIVE C, MOVE TO APPROVE FIVE C.
[d. Consider a resolution authorizing the City Manager to submit four (4) Partnership Project Applications to Harris County Precinct 2 for Fiscal year 2024.]
D.UM, I DON'T WANNA FORGET YOU MS. MARCUS.
MAKE SURE
UM, SO FIVE D IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT FOUR PARTNERSHIP PROJECT APPLICATIONS TO HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT TWO FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.
BELIEVE WE HAVE MR. SEMINO, OR EXCUSE ME, QUITE ALRIGHT.
MICHAEL LEACH, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS, UH, A RESOLUTION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO AUTHORIZE STAFF TO APPLY FOR, UH, PARTNERSHIP GRANTS WITH HARRIS COUNTY PRECINCT.
UH, THESE TYPES OF GRANTS ARE TYPICALLY FOR CIVIL PROJECTS AND PARKS PROJECTS.
UH, WE LOOKED THROUGH THE CIP AND DETERMINED THAT FOUR MIGHT BE A REALLY GOOD FIT FOR THIS.
UM, THEY'RE LISTED IN YOUR AGENDA PACKET, BUT I CAN, I'LL GO OVER EACH BRIEFLY FOR YOU.
UH, LANTER PARK IS, UH, THE FIRST PROJECT THAT'S A, A SUBDIVISION RECONSTRUCTION.
UH, IT WAS BUILT THE SEVENTIES HAS FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE AS, UH, MANY SUBDIVISIONS THAT AGE DO.
UH, SO WE THINK THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD CANDIDATE, UH, WAYNE GRAY BALL FIELD, UH, AND DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS AS WELL AS PARKING IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THIS WOULD BE TO IMPROVE, UH, HEAVILY USED, UH, SOFTBALL BASEBALL FACILITIES.
UH, ANOTHER PROJECT IS THE 40 ACRE WOOD DISC GOLF COURSE.
UM, AS YOU'RE PROBABLY AWARE, THE CITY HAD A TERRIFIC, UH, DISC GOLF FACILITY, UH, THAT WAS, UM, REPURPOSED TO A REGULAR GOLF COURSE, UH, SOMETIME AGO.
UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT WOULD BE TO, UH, REINSTALL A NEW DISC GOLF COURSE.
UH, THE FOURTH PROJECT WOULD BE THE EVERGREEN TRAIL LOOP, WHICH IS THE EXTENSION OF AN EXISTING TRAIL IN THE EVERGREEN NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO A BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRANT PROGRAM ITSELF.
IT'S A 50 50 MATCH, UH, MEANING THE CITY WOULD PAY, UH, FOR HALF AND THE COUNTY WOULD PAY FOR HALF.
UM, THE GOOD NEWS IS FOR THE COUNCIL, UH, THIS WILL NOT BE YOUR LAST TIME,
[01:30:01]
UH, CONTEMPLATING THIS.YOU HAVE MORE BYS AT THE APPLE.
IF THE CITY IS SUCCESSFUL IN PROCURING THESE GRANTS, WE'D BRING EACH OF THESE PROJECTS BACK TO YOU FOR ULTIMATE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO DO TONIGHT IS SIMPLY, UH, AUTHORIZE OUR APPLICATION PROCESS.
UH, YOU'LL HAVE ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO, UH, WORK WITH US AND WE'LL WORK WITH YOU AND KEEP YOU UP TO SPEED, UH, ON THE PROJECTS SHOULD THEY BE SUCCESSFULLY SELECTED.
UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? OKAY.
I DO WANNA SAY THAT I APPRECIATE THE CITY, UM, CONTINUING TO GO OUT FOR ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT GRANTS, WHICH WOULD LESSEN THE BURDEN ON OUR, ON OUR MONIES THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, MAY I HAVE A MOTION APPROVING? ITEM FIVE D.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM FIVE D.
UM, THE NEXT ITEM, UM, UP IS OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
[a. Consider an ordinance repealing Chapter 2 “Administration”, Article IV “Boards and Commissions”, Division 7 “Cultural Arts Council” and Division 14 "Ethics Commission", in their entirety, to dissolve the Cultural Arts Council and the Ethics Commission.]
A.WE DO HAVE, UM, COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP FOR THIS ONE.
UM, I KNOW, UH, WE ARE TAKING EACH OF THESE SEPARATELY.
SO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO SIGNED UP, UM, TO SPEAK PRETTY MUCH ON EACH ONE OF THEM.
CAN WE TAKE THEM ALL TOGETHER OR DOES SHE HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK UP? TAKE 'EM ALL TOGETHER.
UM, SO I'M GONNA START FIRST WITH, WELL, YOU SIGNED UP FOR SEVERAL AS WELL.
SO MS. MATTHEWS, SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY,
UM, HERE IN, UM, COUNSEL, YOU ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON ITEMS SIX A THROUGH F MORNING, MATTHEWS.
AND ACTUALLY, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE THREE MINUTES.
IT'S JUST, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT OUT THERE.
I DON'T WANNA BE HERE FOR EACH ITEM EVERY TIME COME UP.
SO I'M JUST GONNA MAKE IT KIND OF SHORT.
AND FIRST I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE BECAUSE I ENJOY IT.
AND SO I KIND OF, WHEN I LOOKED AT THIS AND I READ IT, I WAS KIND OF GETTING A QUESTION MARK ON THEM.
WHY ARE THEY BEING DISSOLVED? BECAUSE I THINK, UM, A LOT OF THESE COMMITTEES THAT ARE ON HERE, I SEE THE BATTLESHIP.
YEAH, I COULD SEE THAT DISSOLVED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE BATTLESHIP HERE, IT'S GONE.
BUT, UH, A LOT OF THESE OTHER ONES, WE NEED CHECKS AND BALANCES.
SO, UH, THE COMMUNITY BEING INVOLVED IN THE COMMITTEES TO, TO GIVE INPUT AND TO HAVE A SAY WHAT ALL THESE, UH, COMMITTEES HAVE WOULD BE AN INPUT AND A ASSET FOR CITIZENS AND, UH, THE CITY.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT A LOT OF THESE SHOULD BE DISSOLVED ESPECI, ESPECIALLY THE ETHICS AND THE, UM, THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ADVISORY BOARD.
I THINK ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH LAW EN ENFORCEMENT OR ADVISORY, THIS, THAT'S, TO ME, THAT'S A COMMUNITY WORKING WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HAVING INPUT.
AND IF WE DON'T HAVE INPUT, WE'RE NOT GONNA KNOW ANYTHING.
THE ONLY TIME WE'RE GONNA KNOW ANYTHING IS IF WE'RE IN HERE OR IT'S BEEN PUT OUT.
SO HAVING A COMMITTEE TO, YOU KNOW, TELL THE COMMUNITY THE INPUT, WHAT'S GOING ON OR ANYTHING, COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH, IT'S A BIG PLUS.
SO I'M FOR A LOT OF THESE COMMITTEES AND I BELIEVE IN COMMITTEES.
I'M IN A LOT OF COMMITTEES, BUT, UM, DO I ENJOY TAKING TIME AND DOING IT? NO.
BUT IT HELPS GETTING INFORMED AND HAVING AN INPUT.
AND THAT'S WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A LOT OF THESE ARE BEING TAKEN OFF.
LIKE THE LEGISLATION LOBBYIST COMMITTEE, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THERE WAS ONE.
I KNOW THAT Y'ALL SEND LOBBYISTS TO THE STATE AUSTIN, AND Y'ALL PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR THOSE LOBBYISTS.
AND THAT WOULD BE NICE TO BE INFORMED OF WHAT ARE THEY LOBBYING FOR? IF WE DON'T HAVE A COMMITTEE, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET INFORMED TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
UM, FOR COMMITTEES AND BEING INFORMED AND HAVING A LITTLE SAY, IT MIGHT NOT GIVE US A LOT TO DO OR, BECAUSE I KNOW SOME COMMITTEES YOU JUST LISTEN AND THAT'S IT, BUT YOU'RE GETTING INFORMED.
SO DOING AWAY WITH THEM, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET INFORMED UNLESS WE COME HERE AND READ UP ON IT OR CALL THEM.
AND IT'S EASIER TO HAVE PEOPLE IN THERE TO KNOW THAT AT LEAST SOMEBODY'S KNOWING SOMETHING.
AND I KNOW THE STRATEGIC, I CAN'T EVEN TALK MY THROAT
I WAS PARTICIPATED ONE YEAR IN THAT, AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT BECAUSE THE CITY REALLY
[01:35:01]
LAID IT OUT REALLY NEAT.THEY HAD ALL THESE TABLES AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WERE THERE.
SO THEY ALL GAVE US AN INPUT AND KIND OF SHOWED US WHERE WE'RE GOING AND PLANNING AND STUFF.
AND TO DO AWAY WITH STUFF LIKE THAT, IT'S JUST, TO ME, IT'S UPSETTING BECAUSE I THINK THE COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE INVOLVED IN MORE.
AND IF YOU DO AWAY WITH THINGS LIKE THAT, HOW ARE WE GONNA BE INVOLVED? I MEAN, I KNOW I LIKE TO GET INVOLVED, BUT, UH, WHICH OTHER ONES? AND I DID BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE THAT COMMIT TO THESE COMMITTEES NEED TO COMMIT AND SHOW UP BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE HEARD A LOT THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T SHOW UP AND THEY NEED TO BE DROPPED.
AND TO LET PEOPLE IN THAT REALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
AND, UH, I KNOW THAT EACH DISTRICT PICKS COMMITTEES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND YOU GO ONLINE AND DO THAT, BUT JUST TAKE CONSIDERATION THAT PLEASE DON'T DO WITH A LOT OF THESE COMMITTEES BECAUSE IT HELPS THE COMMUNITY TO BE INFORMED AND WE FEEL THAT THEY'RE PART OF IT.
UM, THE NEXT PERSON WHO IS SIGNED UP ACTUALLY FOR SIX A THROUGH D IS MR. DAVID ISAACS.
SO, UM, THE FLOOR IS YOURS, SIR.
MADAM MAYOR PRO TIM, UH, DAVID ISAAC HERE, WEST FROM PUBLIC 7 7 5 2.
UH, THE FIRST MATTER I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS FIRST IS THE, UH, THE DEPOSITION OF THE, UH, ETHICS COMMISSION AND THE CULTURAL ACTIVITIES.
UH, COUNCIL, I DON'T HAVE THE AGENDA IN FRONT OF ME HERE, BUT, UH, YOU SAID YOU WANT ME TO DO THE WHOLE GROUP, RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? YOU WANT ME TO TRY THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH CULTURAL, WITH THE, WITH THE CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL, I BELIEVE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE EXISTED PREVIOUSLY, JUST LIKE THE ETHICS COMMISSION, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN A SECOND.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HEARD THE MAYOR AT THE LAST, UH, UH, UH, STATED THE CITY ADDRESS IN FRONT OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT THE HYATT CONVENTION CENTER, SAID THAT HE WANTS BAYTON IS TO BE AN AMBASSADOR.
UH, HOW ELSE COULD WE BE AN AMBASSADOR OTHER THAN TO HAVE A CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL TO EXTEND OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND SPREAD, UH, UH, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, ARTS WHEN IN TERMS OF FOOD, IN TERMS OF BUSINESS, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, UH, MUSIC, IN TERMS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, MANY THINGS.
AND SO I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK INTO REESTABLISHING THAT COMMITTEE.
OUR PARSON REC DO A GREAT JOB, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THEIR COMMITTEE, BUT THAT IS MORE OF AN INFORMATIVE COMMITTEE OF THE MAYOR'S APPOINTMENTS.
IT'S NOT REALLY AN INTERACTIVE COMMUNITY BASED COMMITTEE FOR, UH, UH, UH, CULTURAL AND ART ACTIVITIES.
AND WE CAN SEE SUPPORT AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH OTHER ENTITIES AROUND THE CITY AS, UH, TEXAS AVENUE AND THE ARTS COUNCIL, THE EIGHTH DISTRICT.
UH, SO I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK INTO THAT.
FURTHERMORE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, PERHAPS IS THE ETHICS COMMISSION.
I'VE ASKED ABOUT THIS FOR MANY YEARS NOW.
I'M GLAD WE'RE GETTING TO A POINT WHERE HOPEFULLY WHEN THIS PAGE TURNS, WHEN THE NEXT SHOE DROPS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE THAT A NEW ETHICS COMMISSION IS ESTABLISHED.
NOW, I KNOW WE HAD A WORK SESSION TODAY.
I WASN'T ABLE TO TUNE IN LIVE FOR THAT, BUT I THINK THAT THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVE THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO MAKE COMMITTEE WISE, THREE YEARS TO COME, FOUR YEARS TO COME.
WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ETHICAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ETHICS COMMISSION IN, IN OPERATION FOR OVER 12 YEARS.
SO NOW, ARE WE GOING TO BE AN ETHICAL GOVERNMENT? ARE WE GOING TO ACT ETHICALLY? ARE WE GOING TO APPOINT PEOPLE, UH, WHO THINK CAN UPHOLD, UH, UH, OUR CHARTER ETHICALLY? AND SO THAT'S THE ANSWER.
I WANT TO SEE THAT THAT'S THE, THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION.
SO DISSOLVING IT TODAY, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M, I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO BE A FAVOR OF THIS.
'CAUSE I, YOU KNOW, I, I SUPPOSE YOU GUYS HAVE SOMETHING PLANNED UP YOUR SLEEVE FOR THE FUTURE, BUT I URGE THE COUNCIL TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO INSTILL AND ENSURE AN ETHICAL GOVERNMENT GOING FORWARD, HOPEFULLY, BY ESTABLISHING SOME SORT OF REPLACEMENT, AT LEAST, IF NOT FOR THE CULTURAL ARTS, UH, COUNCIL THEN FOR THIS ETHICS COMMISSION.
I BELIEVE THAT, I BELIEVE THE NEXT, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM I HAD TO DEAL WITH, UH, ALSO GETTING RID OF, UH, THE POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UM, IT'S THE, I'M SORRY, DID YOU READ THE ORDINANCE OUT TO CHAIRMAN? IT'S THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ADVISORY BOARD THAT IS NOT THE SAME THING AS THE BAPI UNDERSTAND THAT.
COULD YOU READ OUT THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM TO ME PLEASE? UM, IT'S TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE DISSOLVING THE BAYTOWN AIR WATER CONSERVATION, BAYTOWN, COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE BOARD, LOCAL
[01:40:01]
LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THE BAYTOWN MUSEUM ADVISORY.SO I THINK GETTING RID OF THESE THREE, I THINK ONE, GETTING RID OF THE MUSEUM BOARD JUST LIKE WE ARE WITH THE ARTS, UH, COUNCIL IN THE FIRST AGENDA ITEM SHOWS WHAT THE DIRECTION OR THE MENTALITY THAT OUR COUNCIL HAS WITH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR ARTS, HAVE THE MUSEUM DOING THEIR OWN THING.
WE HAVE A, A, A PRESERVATION SOCIETY THAT'S TRYING TO GET RID OF X EXXON DOING THEIR OWN THING.
BUT, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY GOVERNMENT ARM WORKING TOWARDS THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS IN A COLLABORATIVE SPACE.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, LOOKING INTO THE MUSEUM AND GETTING RID OF THAT, LOOKING INTO THE, UH, UH, POLICE, UH, COULD YOU, UH, I'M NOT GONNA ASK YOU TO REPEAT IT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS JUST GOES TO SHOW WHAT DIRECTION THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TAKEN, WHAT THEY ACTUALLY WANT INPUT FROM.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S ABOUT POLICE AND CULTURAL ISSUES.
UH, THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE,
AND I HESITATE TO SAY THAT, UH, I AGREE WITH MARGARET MATTHEWS, UH, ON THIS MATTER.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GETTING RID OF THAT WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN USING STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, FOR INSTANCE.
YOU KNOW, WE KNOW RICK DAVIS'S SPECIALTY, HIS FORTE WAS TRYING TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN A LONG TERM PLANNING SITUATION.
WHAT HAVE WE BEEN DOING THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF OR SO TO INCREASE AND, AND ENHANCE THOSE EFFORTS? I HAVEN'T SEEN VERY MUCH.
UH, THERE'S ALSO, UH, NOT, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE YOU READ THAT WHOLE THING BACK, BUT I THINK MY POINT IS CLEAR.
I MEAN, SOME OF THOSE, UH, UH, COMMITTEES LISTED IN THERE, ESPECIALLY THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, UH, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, UH, UH, FOR THE FUTURE GOING FORWARD.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, THE LAST PART WITH THE POLICE ADVISORY, I JUST WANT TO URGE CAUTION TO THE COUNCIL, UH, UH, BUT BEFORE WE MAKE ANY ORDINANCE, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU HOW IMPACTFUL THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WITHIN THE LAST YEAR ESPECIALLY.
UH, WE HAD A SCHOOL SHOOTING THAT WAS, UH, UH, UH, WHERE THE, WHERE THE POTENTIAL SCHOOL SHOOTINGS WERE DEEMED BEFORE EVEN ANYTHING EVEN HAPPENED.
UH, AND I FIND, UH, THAT IT WAS HELPFUL FOR STUDENTS TO COME TO OUR COMMITTEE, UH, THE CITY'S COMMITTEE AND TELL THAT COMMITTEE THAT THEY DID NOT FEEL SAFE.
AND IT, IT URGE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO, TO COLLABORATE MORE WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE COLLEGE.
AND SO THAT COMMITTEE IS HELPFUL, AND I URGE, UH, THE COUNCIL TO GIVE THAT COMMITTEE ALL THE TOOLS.
IT NEEDS TO BE THE IMPORTANT COMMITTEE THAT IS SET OUT TO BE, BECAUSE THAT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN, UH, UH, INDIVIDUALS IN, IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE IS VERY IMPORTANT LINK OF COMMUNICATION THAT WE HAVE, UH, IN, IN OUR TOWN RIGHT NOW.
IT'S ONE OF THE POSITIVE GEMS, UH, IN OUR COMMITTEE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE THIS EVENING.
WITH THAT, UM, CIRCLING BACK TO SIX A.
SO I'M GONNA GO THROUGH EACH OF THE ITEMS SEPARATELY AND THEN JUST KIND OF GIVE Y'ALL SOME FEEDBACK.
I KNOW, UH, BETWEEN MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE, UM, UH, SARAH GRAHAM AND OF COURSE, OUR FORMER, UH, COUNCILMAN WENT THROUGH A BINDER, UM, FULL OF COMMITTEES.
THIS WAS NOT AN OVERNIGHT JOB.
WE DIDN'T DECIDE FROM ONE NIGHT TO THE OTHER WHETHER TO KEEP OR DISSOLVE ANY OF THESE COMMITTEES.
AND SO WE WORKED THOROUGHLY WITH STAFF, UM, WITH DEPARTMENTS WHO RAN SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES TO GET THEIR INPUT, UM, AS WELL AS LEGAL.
SO WE, WE DIDN'T TAKE ANY OF THIS LIGHTLY.
UM, AS WE MADE REC, WE ARE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS THIS EVENING TO YOU ALL AS COUNSEL, UM, WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, EITHER, UH, DISSOLVING OR AMENDING SOME OF THESE.
AND SO, UM, THE FIRST ITEM, ONCE AGAIN, IS TO, UH, SIX A CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REPEALING CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATION ARTICLES, UH, FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, DIVISION SEVEN, CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL AND DIVISION 14 ETHICS COMMISSION IN THEIR ENTIRETY, UH, TO DISSOLVE THE CULTURAL ARTS, UH, COUNCIL AND ETHICS COMMISSION.
UM, AND AS, AS YOU HEARD FROM, UH, PREVIOUS RESIDENT, WE DID HAVE A, UH, WORK SESSION EARLIER TODAY WHERE, UM, UH, WE RECEIVED A REPORT FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE IN PLACE THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE EVEN BEFORE, UM, UH, WHEN THIS ETHICS
[01:45:01]
COMMISSION WAS ON BOARD ON WHAT TO DO IN TERMS OF ETHICS VIOLATIONS.AND SO THERE IS STILL GONNA BE A PROCEDURE IN PLACE.
UM, THIS COMMITTEE HAD NOT MET, UH, FOR A LONG TIME.
AND WHEN IT, UM, WAS IN PLACE, UH, IT HAD JUST CLERGY, UM, IN, UH, HOLDING THESE POSITIONS.
AND SO, IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE, UM, TO REPORT ANY ETHICS VIOLATIONS, UM, WHAT WE DID, UM, ASK OUR STAFF TO DO IS REVIEW WHICH DEPARTMENT, UM, WILL ACTUALLY FORMULATE OR FORMALIZED THE FORM THAT IS SUBMITTED BY, WHETHER IT'S SUBMITTED BY RESIDENTS AT LARGE COUNCIL OR STAFF MEMBERS, ET CETERA.
UM, THAT FORM WILL RESIDE IN A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THEN, UH, THE ENFORCEMENT, UM, IS ACTUALLY ALSO, UM, UH, SUMMARIZE INTO WHO IS GOING TO TAKE ACTION ALL ON THOSE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL OUTLINED IN THE PROCESS THAT WAS EXPLAINED TO US EARLIER.
UM, CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL, AGAIN, THAT HAS BEEN A MUTE COUNCIL FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.
AND I THINK OUR, UM, ACE DISTRICT IS DOING TREMENDOUS WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY, IN ADVANCING AND TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE, UH, REALLY GREAT REPRESENTATION WHEN IT COMES TO CULTURAL EVENTS.
AND OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT HAS REALLY, UM, BEEN, UM, DOING GREAT AS WELL IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
SO, UH, AGAIN, OUR FOCUS WAS TO LOOK AT THOSE THAT HAD NOT BEEN IN PLACE, HAD NOT BEEN, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, ACTED UPON IN SUCH A LONG TIME, AND THOSE THAT WE HELP FELT HAD DUPLICITY IN, IN WORK.
UM, AND SO, UH, I AGREE WITH MS. MATTHEWS THAT YES, WE WANT PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO FILL A SEAT, TO FILL A SEAT AND IN ESSENCE, DO BUSY WORK.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WERE CHARGED WITH, IS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT CAUSING BUSY WORK IN THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING OUT, UM, COMMITTEES THAT HAVE VALUE.
UM, AND SO AT, AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK MY COLLEAGUE TO SEE IF SHE HAS ANY FURTHER INPUT REGARDING, UM, SIX A.
UM, I, I WAS GONNA ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS ON HERE.
FIRST OF ALL, I THINK ETHICS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS, BUT ALSO TO EVERYONE THAT'S SITTING UP HERE AT THE DIOCESE.
WE TAKE THAT EXTREMELY SERIOUS.
UM, I KNOW FOR ME ONLY SITTING UP HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, A YEAR PLUS SOME VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THERE IS A PROPER WAY FOR ETHICS CONCERNS TO BE REPORTED.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE THINGS, IF YOU DIDN'T GET TO TUNE INTO THE WORK SESSION, UM, THERE IS A VERY SPECIFIC WAY THAT THINGS ARE GONNA BE REPORTED.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT THAT IS COMMUNICATED WELL TO ALL THE CITIZENS, UM, THAT NEED TO, TO REPORT SOMETHING OR, OR HAVE A CONCERN.
I, UM, AM GOING TO AGREE AFTER SPENDING SIX PLUS MONTHS ON THIS AD HOC COMMITTEE, UM, THAT ALL OF THE ONES THAT ARE LISTED THAT, THAT WE ARE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, AND LOOKING AT THE, WHAT WAS IT? SIX INCH BINDER, UM, THE SIX INCH BINDER.
AS WE WALK THROUGH ALL OF THESE AND, UM, ARE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLAIN, I WILL JUST TELL YOU, UM, SOMETIMES EVEN THE NAMES OF THEM CAN BE DECEIVING.
SO, UM, AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, I'LL EXPLAIN THE CULTURAL ART COUNCIL, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING THROUGH THAT ONE, WHEN THAT WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED, WE DIDN'T HAVE A WELL ESTABLISHED ACE DISTRICT.
UM, AND THE ACE HOLDS MEETINGS, UM, COMMUNITY CAN GET INVOLVED THERE.
THE CITY AND THE ACE DISTRICT WORK TOGETHER ON MANY, MANY THINGS.
AND I, AND I ACTUALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE ARTS AND CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT, UM, UH, GROUP IF YOU CAN.
BUT WHEN THE CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL WAS STARTED, IT WAS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ACE DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO WHAT WE FOUND WHEN WE WERE, WE WERE DIGGING THROUGH THE SIX INCH BINDER, IS THAT THERE WEREN'T CLEAR OBJECTIVES THAT WENT WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY IN OUR TOWN TODAY.
THEY, THEY, THEY DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.
AND I KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE VERY CLEAR.
WE DON'T NEED A, UM, THE BATTLESHIP STILL STEERING COMMITTEE, AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT ON THAT ONE, BUT JUST TO TIE THAT BACK IN, SOME OF THE NAMES ARE GONNA BE VERY CLEAR WHY WE DON'T NEED THEM.
BUT, UM, MYSELF, AND I'M SURE, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM ALVARADO WILL, WILL TRY TO EXPLAIN TO YOU SOME OF THESE AS WE GO ALONG THROUGH THEM.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS REGARDING, UM, ITEM SIX DAY? NO QUESTIONS.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU'ALL FOR THE AMOUNT OF WORK YOU PUT INTO THIS.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S A, WE HAD A LOT OF COMMITTEES, UM, AND SOME THAT, I'LL BE HONEST, I WASN'T AWARE OF, TO YOUR POINT OF THEM BEING OBSOLETE.
IT WAS THINGS THAT, THAT WE HAVEN'T USED IN MANY YEARS.
SO, UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR THE, FOR THE WORK YOU YOU PUT INTO THIS AND, AND I'M GLAD TO SEE IT FINALLY COMING TO US SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AND START FILLING SOME OF THE VACANCIES WE SEE ON THE REMAINING COMMITTEES.
[01:50:01]
I'LL CHIME IN WITH MY COLLEAGUES HERE THAT I THINK Y'ALL DID A HERCULEAN JOB.THE, THE BINDER WAS LITERALLY A SIX INCH BINDER.
IT WAS, IT WAS THIS THICK WITH COMMITTEES AND, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE, THE, THE POLICY OR ORDINANCES THAT, THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN'T SERVE ON, BUT TWO COMMITTEES, SO FORTH AND SO ON.
SO WE NEED NEEDED TO REDUCE SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES DOWN SO THAT ARE REALLY ACTIVE CITIZENS.
AND WE DO HAVE A FEW, MARGOT AND, AND SOME OTHERS THAT ARE VERY ACTIVE.
WE DON'T WANNA WASTE THEIR TIME ON COMMITTEES THAT MEET ONCE EVERY FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
UH, HOPEFULLY THEY CALL ME MORE OFTEN THAN THAT, AND I'M SURE THEY DO.
BUT, SO AGAIN, IT REALLY, Y'ALL DID A GREAT JOB, UH, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, AND I KNOW Y'ALL TOOK IT SERIOUS 'CAUSE I WOULD WALK IN ON SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS AND HAVE TO EXCUSE MYSELF REAL QUICK 'CAUSE Y'ALL WERE HAVING SOME PRETTY SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS.
SO, UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, I APPRECIATE THE WORK, AND THIS IS GONNA THIN OUT, AND MAYBE IT'LL GO FROM A SIX INCH BINDER TO A THREE INCH BINDER.
AND I HAVE SOME THAT WILL TALK TO ME SOMETIMES, AND I TELL THEM, GET ON THE CITY CLERK'S WEBSITE PAGE AND LOOK AT THE COMMITTEES THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, SIGN UP FOR IT.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE GET THE OPTIONS TO APPOINT PEOPLE.
SO STAY INVOLVED, STAY VOCAL, AND, AND, UH, LET'S, LET'S CLEAN UP SOME OF THE, THE, THE DUST THAT WE ACCUMULATE OVER THE YEARS.
I, UH, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY 20 PLUS YEARS, AND SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES I KNOW NEVER MET WHILE I WAS WORKING OR ON COUNCIL.
SO IF IT'S A COMMITTEE THAT'S BEEN AROUND THAT LONG AND HASN'T MET, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE IT REALLY IS.
UM, WE, WE TOOK THIS JOB, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YELP SAID.
I WANT TO CONTINUE TO REPEAT THAT NOTION TO THE CITIZENS BECAUSE, UM, I AM 100% MS. MATTHEWS FOR, UM, FOR CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT.
UM, BUT WHAT EVERYBODY'S SAYING UP HERE GOES ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT WHEN WE WERE, WHEN WE WERE SITTING IN THAT ROOM.
THIS IS, THIS IS IN NO WAY MEANT TO LIMIT ANYONE'S INVOLVEMENT.
IF ANYTHING, IT'S TO MAKE YOUR INVOLVEMENT HAVE MORE MEANING AND HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD, UM, IN A MORE DIRECT MANNER IN, IN THE POSITIONS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABLE TO FILL.
JUST WANNA ECHO MY COLLEAGUES IN APPRECIATION TO THE HARD WORK THAT Y'ALL PUT INTO, UM, REALLY GETTING THROUGH THAT BINDER AND GETTING OUT, TRIMMING THE FAT, SO TO SPEAK OF THINGS OR JUST, YOU KNOW, COMMITTEES THAT JUST DINOSAURS ARE NOT EVEN BEING USED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IN THE SPIRIT OF GETTING PEOPLE INVOLVED, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT MORATORIUM MM-HMM
UH, WOULD THAT BE COMING OFF AFTER YES.
SO I'M EXCITED THAT WE COULD HAVE THAT MORATORIUM COME OFF AND WE COULD GET PEOPLE APPOINTED AND, AND, UM, REPRESENTING AND, AND HAVING A VOICE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, THEN, SO WITH THAT, THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION APPROVING ITEM SIX A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM SIX.
[b. Consider an ordinance dissolving the Baytown Air and Water Conservation Board, Baytown Community Assistance Board, Local Law Enforcement Advisory Board, and Baytown Museum Advisory Board.]
IS SIX B, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE DISSOLVING THE BAYTOWN AIR AND WATER CONSERVATION BOARD, BAYTOWN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE BOARD, AND THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, ADVISORY BOARD, AS WELL AS THE BAYTOWN MUSEUM ADVISORY BOARD.UM, ONCE AGAIN, I DO HAVE TO REITERATE, THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ADVISORY BOARD IS NOT THE SAME AS, UM, OUR, UH, WHAT SOME MAY KNOW AS THE BPAC BAYTOWN, UH, POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, MS. UH, GRAHAM REMIND ME, UH, WE HAD ACTUALLY, THIS COMMITTEE WAS REALLY JUST RE UH, REVIEWING A GRANT THAT WE HAD GOTTEN BACK DURING A CERTAIN TIME.
AND SO THEY WERE THERE TO REVIEW ONLY THIS SPECIFIC GRANT.
AND SO THAT GRANT IS NO LONGER THERE.
WE NOW HAVE, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, OTHER REVIEW PROCESSES THAT WE DO, UH, THAT WE HAVE, UM, IN TERMS OF POLICE GRANTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT GRANTS.
AND THAT WAS THE REASON THAT WE WERE DISSOLVING THIS PARTICULAR ONE.
THE OTHERS, AGAIN, HAVE BECOME OBSOLETE JUST IN THE DAY AND TIME THAT, UH, WE ARE, UM, NOW IN.
SO, UM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? YES, MS. GRAHAM, I'LL, I'LL TAKE THIS MOMENT TO SHARE WITH PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.
PART OF ME WISHES I WOULD'VE BROUGHT THE SIX INCH BINDER IN AND COULD GIVE YOU EVERY LITTLE DETAIL, BUT THEN YOU WOULD BE HEARING SIX PLUS MONTHS OF HOURS OF BANTER BACK AND FORTH.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA ASSURE YOU ON THAT ONE THAT AGAIN, UM, WHAT IT WAS COMMISSIONED TO DO IS LONG GONE.
[01:55:01]
ITS JOB AND SERVED ITS PURPOSE.ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? OKAY.
CAN I GET A MOTION APPROVING ITEM SIX B ITEM TO MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM SIX B? EXCUSE ME.
[c. Consider a resolution dissolving the Architectural Committee, Battleship Steering Committee, Building Ordinance Review Committee, Municipal Court Judges Committee, Golf Ad Hoc Committee, Industrial Appraisal Review Board, Industrial Agreement Committee, the Legislative Ad Hoc Committee, Ad Hoc Committee for Patients at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, and Strategic Planning Committee.]
UM, SIX C, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER RESOLUTION DISSOLVING THE ARCHITECTURAL COMMITTEE.BATTLESHIP STEERING COMMITTEE, BUILDING ORDINANCE REVIEW COMMITTEE, MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES COMMUNITY, UH, COMMITTEE, GOLF AD HOC COMMITTEE, INDUSTRIAL APPRAISAL REVIEW BOARD, INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENT COMMITTEE, THE LEGISLATIVE AD HOC COMMITTEE, UH, AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR PATIENTS AT SAN JACINTO METHODIST HOSPITAL, AND THE STRATEGIC STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE.
UM, SO WHAT I WILL SAY ON THIS ONE, AGAIN, THESE ARE A LOT OF COMMITTEES THAT HAVE BECOME OBSOLETE, UM, AND WE NO LONGER, UM, NEED THOSE IN PLACE.
UM, IN ANSWER, UH, TO MS. UH, MATTHEW'S QUESTION REGARDING THE LEGISLATIVE, A HOC COMMITTEE THAT NOW RESIDES WITHIN OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, AND THEY DO PROVIDE, UM, UH, REPORTS TO COUNCIL, UM, AS WELL AS DURING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS ON WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A COMMITTEE, UH, MADE UP BY, UM, THAT, UH, THE MAYOR HAS APPOINTED SOME INDIVIDUALS ON COUNCIL TO SERVE TO KIND OF SEE THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANNA TAKE, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO ENSURING THAT THE NEEDS OF BAYTOWN ARE BEING MET WHEN IT, UM, IT HITS LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
AND SO, ANY, UM, CITIZEN, UH, WHEN YOU KNOW THAT THIS AGENDA IS COMING UP TO, UH, DISCUSS DURING CITY COUNCIL, OF COURSE YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME AND SPEAK.
YOU SIGN UP AND LISTEN TO, UM, THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING BROUGHT FORTH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.
AND YOU CAN SPEAK AT THAT TIME.
SO A AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT IT TO FEEL LIKE YOU ARE BEING SHUT OUT BECAUSE SOME OF THESE, AGAIN, WE'VE HAD TO JUST KIND OF REPURPOSE AND REVIEW.
SO THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR, UM, BECAUSE YOU, YOU CALLED THAT ONE OUT, I JUST WANNA ASSURE YOU THAT, UM, IT IS STILL BEING, UM, ACTIVATED, BUT THROUGH OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE.
UM, SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS REGARDING THIS ITEM? I I HAVE ONE, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM THAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE, UH, STRATEGIC PLANNING ADVISOR COM ADVISORY COMMITTEE PULLED FROM THIS LIST.
UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST HAVE SOME, A LITTLE FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL AS A WHOLE.
I KNOW THAT WAS ONE THAT, UM, THEY PRESENTED THE FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN TO US BACK IN 2022.
AND ONE OF THE, UH, THE FOLLOW UPS TO THAT WAS THAT THAT COMMITTEE WOULD CONTINUE MEETING AT LEAST ANNUALLY WITH STAFF, AND THAT THAT COUNCIL WOULD, WOULD RECEIVE UPDATES ON HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE TO TO GET INTO IT TONIGHT.
UM, WE CAN WAIT TILL WE HAVE A FULL, YOU KNOW, FULL SEVEN UP HERE.
BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SEE THAT ONE REMOVED, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE DISCUSSION HAD ON THAT ONE.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THE REMAINDER OF THEM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO.
SO, WE'LL, I'LL ASK IS, UM, A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM SIX C SAVE AND ACCEPT THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL BE BROUGHT FORTH, UM, I GUESS WITHIN THE NEXT 60.
IS THAT ENOUGH TIME? 60 DAYS? WE WILL BRING SOMETHING FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL TO FURTHER DISCUSS IN, IN A VERY TIMELY MANNER.
UH, I, I, I WOULD, I WOULD JUST PROMISE YOU THAT IT'D BE VERY TIMELY.
I, WE WOULD SHOOT FOR 60 DAYS, BUT I DON'T WANNA OVER PROMISE SOMETHING 'CAUSE WE'D HAVE TO, LET'S DO 90 THEN WE'D HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT.
UM, AND IF I CAN GET SOMEONE TO MAKE THE MOTION WITH THAT AMENDMENT, PLEASE.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM SIX C WITH THE AMENDMENT MENTIONED BY MAYOR PRO TEM ALDO.
[d. Discuss the scope and composition of the Baytown Police Advisory Committee, and consider a resolution amending Resolution No. 2674 to modify the composition of the Committee.]
SIX D.UH, DISCUSS THE SCOPE AND COMPOSITION OF THE BAYTOWN POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND CONSIDER RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION NUMBER 2 6 7 4 TO MODIFY THE COMPOSITION OF THE, UH, THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, THIS WAS ONCE AGAIN, ONE THAT WE REVIEWED IN DEPTH, AND WE HAD A, UM, SESSION WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE, UM, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN.
UM, AND SO WE, WE DO HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT WE WANNA RECOMMEND, UM, TO Y'ALL.
AND SO THE, THE BAYTOWN POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE,
[02:00:01]
UH, CURRENTLY HOLDS PUBLIC FORUMS TO RECEIVE INPUT FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITY GROUPS TO ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING THROUGH COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION, AND TO IMPROVE AND MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC TRUST OF THE BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.UM, IT IS CURRENTLY COMPOSED OF NINE MEMBERS.
EACH MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL GETS AN APPOINTEE, AS WELL AS THE CITY MANAGER AND THE POLICE CHIEF.
UM, THEY ALL HAVE ONE APPOINTMENT EACH.
NOW, UM, IN THE INTEREST OF, UH, INCREASING PUBLIC SAFETY EFFECTIVENESS FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, WE DISCUSSED RESTRUCTURING THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE, UM, INTO A PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO ADDING OUR FIRE CHIEF, UM, WILL ALLOW FOR GREATER INPUT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM.
POLICE AND FIRE WORK CLOSELY ON MANY ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IMPACT, IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
UM, SO CHIEF DOBSON HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR A VENUE TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTACT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND RECEIVE THEIR FEEDBACK.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THEY'RE INCLUDED IN THIS PROCESS.
UH, THIS STRUCTURE ALLOWS FOR A VENUE THAT WOULD, UH, GIVE CITIZEN INPUT ON PUBLIC SAFETY AS A WHOLE, OR TO HAVE INPUT ON THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS.
POLICE AND FIRE CAN TAKE CITIZEN INPUT.
AND WHERE WE WORKED AND, AND WHERE WE WORKED TOGETHER TO CREATE SYNERGY TO IMPACT PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY, WHICH CAN HELP IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CITIZENS.
THIS MAY ALSO HELP IMPROVE CITIZEN ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION.
SO THIS GROUP HAS BEEN GOING OUT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETIMES HARD FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME TO CERTAIN LOCATIONS.
SO THEY ARE SEEKING OUT DIFFERENT VENUES TO GO OUT AND SPEAK, UM, TO RESIDENTS.
SO IF YOU HAVE A CITIZEN GROUP OR YOU HAVE NEIGHBORS THAT YOU MEET WITH REGULARLY, OR THOSE THAT HAVE, UH, NOT AN HOA, BUT A CIVIC ASSOCIATION, WE REALLY ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEEK OUT, UM, THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE AND HAVE THEM GO AND SPEAK.
ONE OF THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, IS THAT, UH, TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE EQUITABLE REPRESENTATION ON THIS PARTICULAR ADVISORY, UM, BOARD, WE ASK THAT THE APPOINTMENTS BE DISTRICT SPECIFIC AND NOT AT LARGE.
UM, SO CURRENTLY EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, HAS AN APPOINTMENT, BUT THEY'RE AT LARGE APPOINTMENTS.
SO, UM, UH, REPRESENTING COUNCIL ONE, I CAN APPOINT SOMEONE THAT LIVES IN, YOU KNOW, UH, COUNCIL DISTRICT SIX OR FIVE.
AND SO WE, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT IS EQUITABLE AND WE DON'T HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HEAVILY IN ONE SIDE OF THE DI UH, OF THE CITY.
AND SO WE ARE MAKING THAT RECOMMENDATION THAT IT BECOME DISTRICT SPECIFIC.
UM, THERE WILL BE, UM, ALSO, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THE PROPOSAL IS TO CHANGE THE NAME OF THE BAYTOWN POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE CITY MANAGER WILL NO LONGER HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, UM, FOR THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE.
UH, THE POLICE AND FIRE CHIEF WOULD EACH MAKE ONE APPOINTMENT, UH, FROM WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND COUNSEL WOULD RETAIN THEIR APPOINTMENTS, DISTRICT SPECIFIC.
UM, WE ALSO WERE INCLUDING AN APPOINTEE, UM, FROM THE ETJ, UM, FROM THIS PARTICULAR ONE.
SO WITH THAT, WHAT QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS DO ANY OF YOU HAVE? AND COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, GRAHAM, IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO ADD AS YOU WERE ON THE COMMITTEE? WE'LL START WITH YOU.
YOU COVERED PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING.
I WAS GONNA SAY
UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IT'S DIFFICULT FOR CERTAIN DISTRICTS, YOU GET SOMEBODY TO REPRESENT MM-HMM
UM, THEM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE YOU'RE DOING, BUT, UH, I WOULD PREFER LIKE AN AT LARGE DISTRICT AT LARGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE, UM, LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY, YOU WANT SOMEBODY REPRESENT IN YOUR DISTRICT, BUT SOMETIMES THAT ISN'T ALWAYS EASY TO GET SOMEBODY TO REPRESENT IN YOUR DISTRICT AND SHOW UP REGULARLY AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.
SO I'VE RECOMMEND THAT THAT BE AN AT LARGE APPOINTMENT.
WE TALKED ABOUT THAT EXTENSIVELY AND, AND I, I DEFINITELY AGREE TO SOME POINT, BUT ONE OF THE ISSUES LIKE WITH, WITH THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE IS THAT YOU DEFINITELY WANT, BECAUSE OUR TOWN IS NOW SO BIG AND THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON ALL OVER, DIFFERENT CONCERNS, HAVING SOMEONE THAT LIVES IN THE DISTRICT REPRESENTED THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE, I JUST THINK
[02:05:01]
IS, UM, ESSENTIAL TO BRING IN A VOICE FROM ALL SIDES.I THINK IT'S SOMEWHAT UNNECESSARY TO MANDATE THAT.
UM, LIKE COUNCILMAN SAID, IT, SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO FIND, UH, FOLKS TO VOLUNTEER, BUT I MEAN, I THINK EACH ONE OF US CAN, UH, ALWAYS MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO APPOINT PEOPLE THAT RESIDE IN OUR DISTRICTS.
I KNOW I ALWAYS TRY TO TO FIND DISTRICT FIVE RESIDENTS TO PUT ON COMMITTEES.
UM, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARILY, UM, NECESSARY TO MANDATE IT.
I THINK THERE ARE TIMES WHERE YOU JUST HAVE TROUBLE FINDING SOMEONE.
WE'VE SEEN COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ISSUES FILLING BA FILLING POSITIONS, AND SO IT'S EITHER GONNA SIT VACANT FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, OR, OR YOU CAN LOOK OUTSIDE OF YOUR, UH, OUTSIDE OF YOUR DISTRICT IF YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO.
AND SO I, I THINK LEAVING IT FLEXIBLE IS OKAY.
YEAH, I, I, I, I AGREE WITH THAT.
LEAVING IT OPEN OR, OR AT LARGE, I THINK IT'S MUCH MORE, AS A COUNCILMAN, IF I APPOINT SOMEBODY TO A COMMITTEE, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS THE SAME MINDSET THAT I'M LOOKING FOR, WHETHER IT'S FROM MY DISTRICT OR NOT FROM MY DISTRICT.
UM, AND WILL BE PROACTIVE WITH THE CONCERNS THIS FIRST TIME WE'VE HEARD IT AS FAR AS THE EXPANSION OF IT.
AND, AND I'M A LITTLE CAUTIOUS WITH EXPANDING IT TO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.
I, I THINK THE CONCEPT IS GREAT, BUT THIS COMMITTEE IN ITSELF WAS, WAS DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR CITIZENRY.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S NOT HAS OR HASN'T BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
I THINK THE CHIEF AND, AND, AND THE POLICE OFFICERS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR BIGGEST PUSHBACK.
AND SO I THINK IT, THE COMMITTEE NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON THAT.
UM, THE CONCEPT OF EXPANDING IT, MAKING IT POLICE AND FIRE COMMITTEE, I'M, I'M NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSED TO, IS JUST SOMETHING THAT'S NEW INFORMATION TO ME.
AND I LIKE MORE TIME TO CHEW ON THAT IS, AND AGAIN, KEEP THE APPOINTMENTS AT LARGE.
UM, THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF VERY ACTIVE CITIZENS, AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY LIVE IN MY DISTRICT.
I DO HAVE SOME THAT DO LIVE IN MY DISTRICT.
UM, BUT TO, TO RESTRICT MY ABILITY TO APPOINT IS, IS DIFFICULT SOMETIMES.
AND, AND I WOULD, AS MY COLLEAGUES INDICATED, I'D RATHER KEEP THAT OPEN.
UM, AND THAT, AND I'D HAVE MORE DISCUSSION AS FAR AS THE EXPANSION, MY CONCERN IS I DON'T WANT TO DILUTE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
NOT THAT I, I KNOW THE CHIEF WOULD DO A GREAT JOB.
AND, AND, AND I'LL, I'LL SAY IT OUT LOUD, EVERYBODY LOVES A FIREFIGHTER CHIEF, AND, AND I DO TOO.
SO THAT'S, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF ALMOST TOO OPPOSING OBJECTIVES WITH THAT COMMITTEE.
AND I'M JUST, I'D JUST LIKE MORE TIME TO THINK ON THAT CHIEF MAY BE ABLE TO, UM, CHIEF, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? I KNOW THAT THIS, THE, A LOT OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CAME FROM, UH, FROM YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, INCREASE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION SO WE CAN GET THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, WE DO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, UM, WE'RE CONSIDERING IT AS PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOW CAN WE HAVE THE BEST IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, AND HOW CAN WE BRING ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TOGETHER TO GET THEIR, TO GET THEIR CONCERNS, TO GET THEIR INPUT, BUT NOT JUST THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR INPUT.
ALSO, WHAT IDEAS DO THEY HAVE THAT THEY MIGHT WANT TO PRESENT TO US, TO PARTNER WITH US? WHAT KIND OF SPECIAL PROJECTS COULD WE DO? UH, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE REALLY MISSING A LOT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS THAT A, A ADVISORY COMMITTEE CAN HAVE FOR POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CONSIDERED.
IF WE COULD DO THAT AND DRAW MORE PEOPLE IN, THEN WE COULD ALL HEAR THEIR CONCERNS.
BUT WE COULD ALSO BEGIN WORKING TOGETHER AND FOCUS ALL OF OUR RESOURCES ON THOSE PROBLEMS THAT ARE MAYBE QUALITY OF LIFE PROBLEMS THAT LEND THEMSELVES TO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY SO THAT WE COULD REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF, OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS EVER BECOMING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN THE FIRST PLACE.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I'VE SAID IT SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OUR TRUE MEASURE OF SUCCESS IS NOT HOW MANY PEOPLE WE PUT IN JAIL OR HOW MANY TICKETS WE WRITE.
IT'S HOW MANY TIMES WE NEVER HAVE TO DO THOSE THINGS IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE WE'RE OUT IN FRONT OF THE PROBLEMS. UM, AND I HOPE I ARTICULATED THAT, UH, I HOPE I ARTICULATED THAT WELL FOR YOU.
I PERSONALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WORKING WITH THE FIRE FOR, FOR THE CITIZEN UNDERSTANDS THE SYNERGY BETWEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, THE POLICE AND THE FIRE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, WHO CALLS, WHO DEALS WITH WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHO, WHO RESPONDS AND HOW THEY RESPOND.
SO THEY HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, UM, THE PROCEDURES WHEN IT GOES, WHEN THINGS
[02:10:01]
GO DOWN ON, ON, ON A SCENE.SO I LIKE, I LIKE WHERE IT'S GOING PERSONALLY, AND, UM, I THINK THE ONLY GOOD THINGS THAT COME OUT OF THAT.
UM, I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE COMMENTS AND, AND ESPECIALLY THE CONCERN OF MAKING THIS, UH, DISTRICT SPECIFIC.
UH, AGAIN, IT WASN'T TO LIMIT, UM, YOUR TERRITORY OR, OR LIMIT YOU TO JUST YOUR TERRITORY.
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT REPRESENTATION WITHIN THIS, UH, OBVIOUSLY, UM, IT'S NOT LIKE THE FEDERAL, UM, UH, COMMITTEE WITH CDBG WHERE WE HAVE TO APPOINT CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS, BUT, UM, JUST TO THINK ABOUT THE TOPIC THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL DISCUSS IN ENSURING THAT IT, THERE IS AN EQUITABLE SOLUTION PRESENTED BY DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE CITY CITYWIDE AND NOT JUST LEVERAGE ONE AREA, UH, OF TOWN VERSUS ANOTHER.
AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THAT SOMETIMES FALLS.
UM, AND, AND WHAT I HEAR WHEN WITHIN OUR DISTRICTS IS THAT THERE'S NEVER REALLY A VOICE.
UM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF, IF Y'ALL WANT TO WAIT, UM, AND HAVE MORE TIME TO REVIEW THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO SO.
BUT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WAITING SO LONG TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET ALL OF THESE, UM, COMMITTEES PUT TOGETHER, REVISED, UPDATED, UM, TO LIFT THE MORATORIUM AND, UM, BE ABLE TO START CONDUCTING BUSINESS AS USUAL.
AND SO, IF Y'ALL FEEL WE NEED TO HAVE THE REST OF COUNCIL HERE TO DISCUSS THIS ITEM, UM, MS. COUNCILWOMAN GRAHAM, I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THE, IF WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, MAKE THE CHANGE OF SAYING AT LARGE, BUT STILL DO THE COMBO WITH THE FIRE AND THE POLICE, WOULD Y'ALL BE WILLING TO VOTE ON THAT AMENDMENT TO IT TONIGHT? I'D LIKE TO SEE ALL THIS IN WRITING.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF CHANGES.
I KNOW WE, I THINK WE HAVE ONE PAGERS THAT KIND OF DESCRIBE EACH COMMITTEE, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS, YOU KNOW, PRESENTED.
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE MM-HMM
UM, WITH ALL THE CHANGES TOGETHER.
UM, I, I'D JUST LIKE TO BE ABLE TO READ, READ IT AS A WHOLE.
I JUST, THE, I JUST WANT TO RAISE, I AGREE.
I THINK 'CAUSE IT IS A LOT OF CHANGES, BUT, UM, BECAUSE REMEMBER THERE'S BEEN A MORATORIUM, UM, FOR OVER SIX MONTHS NOW.
AND I'M JUST SAYING THIS OUT, AND THERE'S OVER 60 APPOINTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE.
SO EVEN AT THE EARLIEST, UM, OF US BEING ABLE TO LIFT THE MORATORIUM WOULD BE THE FIRST MEETING OF MARCH.
AND WE WON'T BE MAKING, OBVIOUSLY ALL 60 APPOINTMENTS.
THE, THE STAFF IS GONNA BE ROLLING THEM OUT, UM, AT, AT THEIR SPEED.
AND SO, UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE COUNCIL KNOWS HOW THAT'S GONNA WORK.
UM, SO IF, IF WE PULL THIS ONE, THIS ONE WILL STILL HAVE ITS MORATORIUM UNTIL WE FINISH REVIEWING THEM.
BUT I FEEL THAT WE CAN LIFT SHOULD THE REST OF THE ITEMS, UM, MAKE IT THROUGH.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE START REVIEWING AND, UM, MARKETING THE OPEN POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH.
IF WE, IF WE LIFT THE MORATORIUM NOW, WOULD IT HAVE AN EFFECT MOVING FORWARD ON THE COMMITTEE EITHER WAY? UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE YEAH.
SO YOU JUST SWITCH MORATORIUM.
BUT, WELL, THEY, HE WANTS TO ALSO REVIEW THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING TO THE BAYTOWN POLICE ADVISORY COMMITTEE OR PUBLIC SAFETY, THE NEW RECOMMENDED ONE.
SO UNTIL WE GET FULL APPROVAL ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE, UM, WE WOULD HAVE TO KEEP THE MORATORIUM ON THIS ONE UNTIL IT IS, UM, APPROVED AND CONFIRMED.
I HAVE TO VISIT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND, AND THE MORATORIUM WAS JUST A CONSENSUS OR POLICY THAT WE CREATED SO IT WASN'T VOTED ON.
SO WE CAN, MY UNDERSTANDING IS WE CAN LIFT OR, OR EXTEND, OBVIOUSLY FOR THE STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT'S GONNA BE DELAYED.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS ONE DELAYED TOO.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE, THE CHANGES IN WRITING, UM, THAT CAN BE DELAYED.
UM, CAN YOU, CAN YOU REPEAT OR EXPLAIN WHAT Y'ALL ARE SAYING? BECAUSE, UM, WE'RE USING THE WORD MORATORIUM, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO MAKE ANY APPOINTMENTS IN THE WHOLE YEAR IN TWO MONTHS THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNSEL.
SO I'M, I HAVE BEEN USING THE WORD THE VERBIAGE MORATORIUM, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WORD THAT'S BEEN USED WITH ME.
AND SO YOU MEAN TO SAY THAT THIS ENTIRE YEAR WE WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS? I DON'T RECALL YOU ALL VOTING ON A MORATORIUM, AND IF I'M MISTAKEN, MAYBE ANGIE KNOWS, BUT I BELIEVE THERE WAS THE RECOMMENDATION WAS JUST TO WAIT UNTIL YOU FINALIZED WHAT YOU WERE GONNA
[02:15:02]
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.THAT'S, THAT'S BROUGHT, WHAT I UNDERSTOOD WAS BROUGHT, WE WERE DELAY AND TO GIVE THE COMMITTEE TIME, 'CAUSE THE COMMITTEE WAS DISCUSSING COMMITTEES MM-HMM
AND IF YOU MADE APPOINTMENTS TO A COMMITTEE, THEN THE COMMITTEE TURNS RIGHT AROUND AND DISSOLVES THAT COMMITTEE.
THAT'S PRETTY MORALIZING TO OUR CITIZENS.
AND SO THAT, THAT WAS THE REASON THE DELAY WAS PUT IN PLACE IS MORATORIUM, BUT IT WASN'T NECESSARILY VOTED ON.
IT'S JUST, I KNOW YOU JUST OPENED UP A OUR RECOMMENDATION.
A MOMENT OF JUST AGGRAVATION FOR ME,
AND THERE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS, SOME COMMITTEES THAT I WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE MADE APPOINTMENTS FOR.
AND SO I GUESS I, THAT I JUST WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, YOU JUST BROUGHT SOMETHING TO MY ATTENTION THAT JUST NOT YOUR FAULT AGITATE SOMEONE.
SO IT SOUNDS TO ME, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THIS COMMITTEE'S NOT GONNA DISSOLVE.
WE'RE GONNA ADD ANOTHER, ANOTHER DIMENSION TO IT, THEN THERE'S NO REASON TO HAVE A MORATORIUM ON IT.
O OTHER THAN THE, THE CHANGES TO THE COMMITTEE HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED YET.
THERE, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED.
SO I WOULD HATE TO START APPOINTING SOMEONE TO THIS PARTICULAR ONE.
AND THEN WHAT IF WE DECIDE TO KEEP IT THE SAME OR NOT INCLUDE PUBLIC SAFETY MM-HMM
AND SO I WANT TO DELAY MAKING APPOINTMENTS FOR THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE IF YOU'RE CHOOSING NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT TONIGHT.
UM, BECAUSE WE WOULD CAUSE AGGRAVATION IF WE APPOINT SOMEBODY AND SAY, OH, I'M SORRY.
WELL, I THINK IF I, I THINK IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNCILPERSON TO WHOEVER THEY APPOINT TO LET THEM UNDERSTAND THAT, HEY, THIS, THIS COMMITTEE SERGEANT, THIS, THIS FUNCTION, BUT IT MAY STEP OVER TO THIS FUNCTION, UH, SOON.
ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? AND IF THE COUNCILMAN OR COUNCILWOMAN DOES THEIR DUE DILIGENCE, IT SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE.
THAT'S, THAT'S, WELL, IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT ABOUT US.
IT'S ABOUT THE WORK THAT THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE HAS TO DO TO PUT ALL OF THIS TOGETHER.
THAT IS THE OTHER SIDE IS THAT THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE DEALING WITH THE BACK AND FORTH OF APPOINTMENTS.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE MORATORIUM.
WHAT WE'RE ASKING IS THAT WE RECOMMEND THAT AS Y'ALL REVIEW THIS, AND WE CAN, I MEAN, IF YOU CAN MAYBE PUT IT BACK ON THE FEBRUARY 22ND MEETING, AND THAT'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR Y'ALL TO REVIEW IT.
IF Y'ALL THINK THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME, THEN WE'RE STARTING APPOINTMENTS ALREADY IN, IN MARCH 1ST.
UM, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE HAS TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GO THROUGH AND, UH, MARKET PER SE, ALL OF THE AVAILABLE APPOINTMENTS AND, UM, GETTING ALL OF THEIR PAPERWORK TOGETHER, GETTING THESE UPDATED AND REVISED.
AND SO WE CAN'T SPEND THEIR TIME DOING THAT WHEN THEY HAVE ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.
AND SO IF WE DO THIS PARTICULAR ONE ON THE 22ND, THAT WOULD STILL ALLOW THEM THAT TIME TO OPEN UP THE APPOINTMENTS FOR MAY 1ST A DEAL.
NOW YOU CAN STILL TELL PEOPLE, HEY, APPLY.
THAT HAS NEVER BEEN A HINDRANCE.
APPLYING FOR COMMITTEES HAS NEVER BEEN A HINDRANCE.
WHAT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DELAY IN, IN APPOINTMENTS IS UNTIL WE FINISH.
SO AT NO TIME DID WE TELL PEOPLE, OH, YOU CAN'T APPLY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE SELECTED.
WELL, YOU ARE NOT GONNA BE SELECTED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE REVIEWING ALL OF THE COMMITTEES.
SO IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO SERVE, AND ANY OF THE COMMITTEES THAT WE'RE CHANGING TODAY OR THAT ARE STILL IN PLACE, THEY CAN STILL APPLY.
THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO APPLY THIS WHOLE TIME, BUT WE CAN'T APPOINT THEM UNTIL THE MARCH 1ST MEETING AND THEY'LL BE STAGGERED.
JUST TO CLARIFY ON NOT BEING ABLE TO APPOINT, TECHNICALLY YOU CAN APPOINT SOMEBODY.
THIS BOARD, THIS WHOLE COUNCIL, UH, EXCEPT MR. FRANCO AT THE TIME, AT THE EARLY PART OF 2023, DECIDED AS A CONSENSUS BASED ON THE, THE WORKLOAD THAT WAS GOING TO THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE WITH THIS GOING INTO, UM, GOING INTO THE, UH, AD HOC COMMITTEE TO DO THIS, DECIDED AS A GROUP THAT WE WERE GONNA PAUSE ON PUTTING ANY MORE PEOPLE IN PLACE.
UM, AND YES, IT, IT WAS TREATED MRS. GRAHAM, IT WAS TREATED AS BASICALLY A MORATORIUM, ALBEIT NOT AN OFFICIAL ORDINANCE, BUT IT WAS A CONS, UH, A CONSOLIDATED EFFORT BY THIS COUNCIL TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE JUST GONNA PAUSE DOING ANYTHING ELSE AND PUSHING, UH, UH, PUSHING
[02:20:01]
THE AD HOC COMMITTEE TO REALLY DIVE INTO THAT SIX INCH BINDER TO LOOK THROUGH THINGS.JUST TO CLARIFY, SO TECHNICALLY YOU, YOU COULD HAVE APPOINTED THIS WHOLE TIME, BUT IT WAS A GROUP CONSENSUS THAT YOU WOULD PAUSE UNTIL THIS WAS FINALIZED AND THEN START APPOINTING.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
SO WITH THAT, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? SO WHAT IS THE MOTION ON THE TABLE TO DELAY OR TO MOVE? I WOULD MOVE TO SUSPEND ITEM SIX D UNTIL THE NEXT 22ND.
UH, TO ALLOW A LITTLE FURTHER IN DEPTH REVIEW OF IT, AS WELL AS POSSIBLY CHANGE THE DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTEE TO AN AT LARGE DISTRICT APPOINTEE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DELAY THAT MEASURE.
[e. Discuss the composition of the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals and consider an ordinance amending Chapter 18, Article I. Division 2, Section 18-56 of the City of Baytown Code of Ordinances to modify the composition of the Board.]
SIX E UH, IS DISCUSSED THE COMPOSITION OF THE CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND APPEALS AND CONSIDERED ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 18, ARTICLE ONE OR I, UH, DIVISION TWO SECTION, UM, 18 THROUGH 56 OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN CODE OF ORDINANCES TO MODIFY THE COMPOSITION OF THE BOARD.ALRIGHT, SO, UM, THE BOARD WORKS WITH THE BUILDING SERVICES STAFF AND CITIZENS TO HEAR AND DECIDE APPEALS OF ORDERS, DECISIONS OR DETERMINATIONS MADE BY THE CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIALS RELATIVE TO THE APPLICATION AND INTERPRETATION OF ADOPTED INTERNATIONAL CODES.
UM, SO CURRENTLY, UH, WE HAVE ONE ARCHITECT, ONE GENERAL CONTRACTOR, AND ONE ENGINEER AND TWO MEMBERS AT LARGE.
ONE MASTER PLUMBER AND ONE JOURNEYMAN OR MASTER PLUMBER.
THE PROPOSAL IS TO REMOVE THE MASTER PLUMBER AND ADD, UH, A JOURNEYMAN OR AN ELECTRICIAN.
SO THAT IS THE, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS ADVISORY, UH, COMMITTEE.
UM, AS WE RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM MARTIN SCRIBNER AND HIS TEAM, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, UH, FOR US OR FOR STAFF? I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE CLARIFICATION.
YOU STATED, UH, JOURNEYMAN OR ELECTRICIAN? IS IT A JOURNEYMAN OR MASTER ELECTRICIAN? OKAY.
SO, WE'LL, THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO CLARIFY.
JUST SO WE GET THE VERBIAGE RIGHT.
IS THERE A TOOL ENGINEER ON THE COUNCIL?
WOULD YOU REPEAT YOUR, YOUR PROPOSED LIST? THE PROPOSAL? UM, SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE AN ARCHITECT.
A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, ONE ENGINEER, TWO MEMBERS AT LARGE, ONE MASTER PLUMBER, AND ONE JOURNEYMAN OR MASTER PLUMBER.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION OR THE PROPOSAL IS TO REMOVE MASTER PLUMBER AND ADD ONE JOURNEYMAN OR ELECTRICIAN TO, TO THE LAST APPOINTEE TO THE LAB REPLACE.
BASICALLY WE HAVE TWO PLUMBERS AND WE'RE TRYING TO REPLACE THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO.
SO YOU'LL HAVE JOURNEYMAN OR MASTER ELECTRICIAN, JOURNEYMAN, MASTER PLUMBER, THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE EITHER JOURNEYMAN OR MASTER PLUMBER AND A JOURNEYMAN OR MASTER ELECTRICIAN.
I JUST GOT LOST IN ALL THE JOURNEYMAN'S.
IT WAS A JOURNEY, BUT WE GOT THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? CAN I GET A MOTION APPROVING? UH, UH, AGENDA ITEM SIX E, MOVE TO APPROVE SIX E SECOND.
[f. Discuss the make up and creation of the Economic Development Committee, and consider a resolution creating the Committee.]
WAS, UM, ITEM F AND, UM, THAT'S TO DISCUSS THE MAKEUP AND CREATION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, COMMITTEE AND CONSIDER RESOLUTION CREATING, UH, THE COMMITTEE.UM, SO ON ON THE OCTOBER 26TH MEETING, UH, WE DID DISCUSS BRINGING THE SIGN BACK TO COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL.
SO AS IT TURNS OUT, AFTER DELIBERATION WITH LEGAL AND CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, WE DID VOTE ON THAT, UM, ITEM AT THE OCTOBER MEETING TO CREATE THE COMMITTEE AND IT'S ASSIGNED, UM, AND ASSIGNED IT A
[02:25:01]
MISSION.SO RIGHT NOW, THERE IS NO FURTHER ACTION THAT IS NEEDED AT THIS TIME, BUT IT IS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION.
SO I'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR, UM, FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
SO IF THERE ARE NONE, THEN THERE IS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN.
ARE WE GOOD? ALL? SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INDULGING US
UM, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DID TO PUT TOGETHER THIS, UM, UH, ELUSIVE BINDER.
I KNOW WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS BINDER, THIS BINDER, BUT, UM, YOU CAN'T IMAGINE THE WORK THAT WENT INTO NOT JUST PUTTING IT TOGETHER, BUT ENSURING THAT WE HAD THE INFORMATION AS FAR AS WHEN THEY LAST MET, WHO WAS ON EACH OF THE COMMITTEES, UM, ARE THEY NO LONGER MEETING? UM, SO IT, IT WAS MORE THAN JUST PRESENTING US A LIST OF COMMITTEES, AND THEN FROM THERE WE HAD TO DISCUSS IT AT LARGE IN TERMS OF WHETHER, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH IT OR NOT.
AND SO, THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR, FOR YOUR WORK AND OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS WHO WE HAD TO GO THROUGH AND TALK WITH THEM ABOUT WHETHER TO KEEP OR REMOVE THE COMMITTEES THAT WERE APPOINTED TO THEM.
AND SO THERE WERE A LOT OF GREAT ONES THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD REMOVE, BUT BECAUSE OF, OF THEIR FEEDBACK, WE DECIDED TO KEEP THEM.
SO, SO THANK YOU ALL WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS, UM, TO MY COLLEAGUE AS WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE TIME TO THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE AD HOC BECAUSE, UM, THERE, IT, IT WAS A ROLLER COASTER AND I KNOW WE'VE TALKED EXCESSIVELY ABOUT IT, BUT YOU NEED A BIG THANK YOU BECAUSE, UM, YOU PERSONALLY PUT IN A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR OWN JUST PREPARING AND HAVING EVERYTHING READY THERE FOR THE REST OF US THAT WERE ON THE COMMITTEE.
AND SO BETWEEN THE STAFF AND YOU, UM, I HOPE THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEES THAT, THAT THIS WILL MOVE US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD
[7. 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.]
NOW, UM, TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.UM, SO ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PULLED, UH, FOR DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? OKAY, SO IF THERE ARE NO AGENDA, UH, ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PULLED, THEN I'LL ASK FOR APPROVAL TO CONSENT.
ITEM SEVEN A THROUGH SEVEN, I MOVE TO APPROVE ITEM SEVEN A THROUGH, UH, SECOND.
SO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
A LOT DISCUSSED TONIGHT, SO I APOLOGIZE.
[a. Consider two (2) City Manager appointments to the Civil Service Commission.]
APPOINTMENTS.SO WE HAVE TWO, UM, APPOINTMENTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER, UH, TO THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, AND THAT'S AA.
AND I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE, UH, SOMEONE ON THE LINE TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
MR. ISAAC, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
MAYOR PRO TEM COUNSEL, UH, AS A FABULOUS WOMAN BY THE NAME BARBARA OSA.
SHE'S BEEN AT BAYTON FOR DECADES.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT, AT NOMINATING NEW PEOPLE TO THE PROCESS.
NOT THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD BAYTOWN 50 PACES RUNNING OUR TOWN.
WE NEED TO EMPOWER NEW LEADERSHIP IN OUR TOWN.
WE NEED TO DEVELOP NEW LEADERSHIP IN OUR TOWN.
AND I THINK IT STARTS RIGHT HERE WITH COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS.
WE, WE'VE BEEN WAITING MONTHS FOR A NEW COMMITTEE APPOINTMENT.
IT'S BEEN A MORATORIUM ON NONPOLITICAL NEW NAMES TO THE PROCESS.
CHARLES MURRAY, DR. CHARLES MURRAY TALKS ABOUT SOCIAL CAPITAL.
ROBERT PUTMAN SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNALS.
TALKING ABOUT INSTILLING NEW LEADERSHIP IN OUR TOWN, SOMETHING OUR TOWN IS DESPERATELY IN NEED OF, WHICH IS NEW LEADERSHIP.
SO I'M ASKING THE CITY MANAGEMENT TODAY, I'M URGING HIM ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY, LOOKING FOR NEW LEADERSHIP, NEW FACES TO THE PROCESS TO NOMINATE MS. BARBARA HENA HOSTED THIS EVENING FOR THIS SEAT.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEFORE US ARE TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR APPOINTMENT.
THE CITY MANAGER WOULD LIKE TO APPOINT MS OR REAPPOINT, UH, MS. AUBREY, UH, SARTORY, UM,
[02:30:01]
AS SHE DOES SEEK REAPPOINTMENT, UM, AND MR. DONALD VAYE TO FILL THE VACANCY POSITION.UM, SO I WILL NOW ASK FOR A MOTION, UM, TO APPROVE, UH, MS. UH, MR. VALIER AND MS. ART, UM, TO THIS COMMITTEE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[9. 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.]
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.UH, MR. REYNOLDS, TAKE IT AWAY.
UH, I HAVE SOME GOOD, UH, NEWS STORIES TO, UH, TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL VERY QUICK.
UH, FIRST I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH, UH, DETECTIVE AU.
UH, HE HAS, UH, HE WAS ON THE PROWL, I GUESS, FOR A SUSPECT THAT HAD COMMITTED SEVEN BURGLARIES ALONG STIMSON AND, AND GRAHAM STREET OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
UH, BOTTOM LINE IS HE PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER AND WAS ABLE TO, UM, UH, NBB THE SUSPECT AND RECOVER A LOT OF THE PROPERTY.
HE WAS ABLE TO RECOVER SIX TV, TWO HOME SOUND SYSTEM, POWER TOOLS, PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS, AND FOUR PURSES.
SO, UH, A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THE DETECTIVE, UH, FOR THE QUICK WORK AND, UH, ABLE TO GET THE PROPERTY BACK.
UM, ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, UH, COURTNEY ZO.
SHE WAS, UM, UH, SHE HAD AN HONORARY INDUCTION INTO THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL HONOR SOCIETY.
UH, SHE WAS VERY EXCITED AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED FOR HER.
AND, UH, IT'S A PART OF A PARTNERSHIP OF WORKING WITH THE ADOPT APO PROGRAM, UH, WITH STEWART CAREER TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEY, THEY NOM NOMINATED HER AS AN HONORARY, UH, UH, INDUCTEE AND JUST, UH, A BIG SHOUT OUT FOR OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM AND, UH, THE, THE COMMUNITY RECOGNIZING IT BACK.
SO, UH, THANK YOU COURTNEY FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, STEWART CAREER HIGH, UH, TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL FOR, UH, UH, INDUCTING HER.
I ALWAYS LIKE WHEN RESIDENTS WRITE IN, WE HAVE A, UM, UH, RESIDENT, UH, OVER ON, UH, 2 0 3 NORTH BURNETT CALLED ABOUT A FALLEN TREE THAT, UM, UH, HAD BLOCKED THE, THE HOUSE OR BLOCKED THE DRIVEWAY INTO THE HOUSE.
AND, UH, THEY WERE HAVING A FEW ISSUES AND THE RESIDENT CALLED, AND I JUST WANNA READ WHAT SHE, UM, SHE HAD TO STATE, UM, WHILE ON THE PHONE AND SHE WAS TALKING TO, UH, THE SUPERVISOR.
SHE STARTED CRYING AND SAID, SHE IS SO PROUD TO BE A BAYTOWN RESIDENT AND THE WORDS OF A GRATEFUL RESIDENT.
IF ALL WE DO IS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE WRONG AND NOT GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE THE GOOD WORK OF THE ZOO, THAT, UH, THEN IT IS WHAT IT IS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU TO ANY RESIDENT THAT IS, UH, REACHING OUT AND SPREADING THE GOOD NEWS.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
UH, WANNA RECOGNIZE TIM BEARD, ARTHUR, UH, BODAY, RYAN JACKSON, UH, JEREMY VASO, UH, BRASSO, AND JOE JOELLE WILLIE, OR JOEL WILLIE, EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN I WANT TO GET THE WORDING RIGHT, UH, FROM OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND RECOGNIZING OUR, UH, RODEO RESULTS WITH OUR TEAM THAT WENT OUT.
THE WORDING IS BAYTOWN SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT WE WILL BE BRINGING HOME FIVE OF THE SIX BUCKLES.
AND SO WE SENT A TEAM TO DO A PUBLIC WORKS ADVENTURE AND, UH, UH, COMPETE AGAINST, UH, OTHER PUBLIC WORK, UH, TECHNICIANS, UH, IN THE STATE.
WE TOOK HOME FIVE OF THE SIX BUCKLES.
SO FIVE OF THE TOP SIX PIECES WERE BAYTOWN EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT IS, UH, PRETTY PHENOMENAL.
ON TOP OF THAT, THEY HAVE A, UM, THE WOMEN'S DIVISION, THE TOP FIVE, FOUR OF THE TOP FIVE ARE BAYTOWN EMPLOYEES.
SO THAT IS ALSO ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE FEAT, AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE ALL THESE EMPLOYEES' NAMES REAL QUICK THAT WERE INVOLVED WITH THIS RODEO.
AND IT'S, UH, IT'S SPELLED R-O-A-D-E-O.
SO IT'S A RODEO, UH, JUST 'CAUSE THE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA LOVE THE PUNTS.
BUT, UH, ALEJANDRO MOOSE, UH, UH, BLANCA RUBIO AND NICOLE SWEN, UH, SONYA BENAVIDES, UM, JOSEPH ROBERTS, DAVID KIRKPATRICK, AND HECTOR ALVAREZ.
SO A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
FRANK AND YOUR TEAM, THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR EMPLOYEES, GOING OUT AND DOING THESE WONDERFUL THINGS AS WELL.
AND, UH, LOVE SHARING THE HAPPY NEWS.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE AT THIS TIME.
[a. Receive a report from Council Member Ken Griffith regarding projects, programs and events in District No. 3. ]
ON THE AGENDA IS OUR COUNCIL DISTRICT REPORT.SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE CITIZENS AT LARGE WHO ARE STILL WITH US.
SO YOU ALL GET TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES REPORT.
UM, SO YOU WILL RECEIVE A REPORT FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KEN GRIFFITH, UH, REGARDING PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS AND EVENTS IN DISTRICT THREE.
UM, WE'LL START OFF WITH PARTS AND WRECKS.
[02:35:01]
ME BECAUSE MY DAD WAS A BIG BIRDER AND, UH, SO BAYTOWN NATURE CENTER HAD THEIR 62 SPECIES DOCUMENTED BIRDS DURING THE JANUARY, UH, AUTOBON BURN BIRD COUNT.UH, HOUSTON AUDUBON CONDUCTS, UH, BIRD SURVEYS LIKE THIS ACROSS THE REGION.
THIS CRITICAL COMMUNITY SCIENCE EFFORT GATHERS DATA THAT WILL HELP SCIENTISTS EVALUATE POPULATION CHANGES AND UNDERSTAND WHICH SPECIES MIGHT REQUIRE SPECIAL MANAGEMENT.
SURVEY LEADERS ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS OF ALL BIRDING SKILLS.
AND IT'S A GREAT WAY TO, UH, TO INTRODUCE THE JOYS OF BIRDING, WHICH, UH, I, I'M FIRST SAYING IT COULD BE REALLY, REALLY FUN.
UM, PRE-CONSTRUCTION, UH, YES, IT CAN
UH, BOUNDARY AND TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LAKEWOOD PARK, ADJACENT TO THE LAKEWOOD POOL WHERE YOU COULD COOL OFF IN THE SUMMER.
UH, DESIGN AND ENGINEERING IS THE NEXT STEP.
SO THEY'RE GETTING CLOSER TO CLOSER HAVING THEIR DOG PARKED THERE IN LAKEWOOD.
UM, THERE'S A NEW, A RESTAURANT ON I 10, UH, IT'S CALLED A BLACK BEAR DINER.
UH, SO, UH, APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY DONE.
THAT PROJECT IS, UH, PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING.
UM, STORM WORK IS GOING ON ON JOHN MARTIN AND NORTH BURNETT.
UM, 56 15 JOHN MARTIN INSTALLED DRIVEWAYS.
UH, 54 11 TO 58 15 JOHN MARTIN RESET DRIVEWAYS AND REGRADE DITCH.
NO NORTH BURNETT FLUSH STORM WATER PIPES FROM 4 2 8 WILLOW TO 5 0 1 NORTH BURNETT IS 100% COMPLETE.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S READY FOR HURRICANE SEASON ACROSS YOUR FINGERS.
UM, TREE TRIMMING IS GOING, IT IS ONGOING IN LAKEWOOD AND THERE'S A LOT OF TREES THERE.
UH, BAKER ROAD, IF Y'ALL ENJOY THE TRACK OF BAKER ROAD AND ALWAYS WONDER WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT LIFT STATION PROJECT IS STILL ONGOING.
UH, THEY'RE BUILDING THE PLATFORM AND THE GENERATOR PADS HAVE BEEN POURED.
UH, ELECTRIC WORK IS ONGOING FOR THAT LIST STATION.
UH, I WANNA SHUT A SPOTLIGHT, TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPOTLIGHT ONE OF BAY TOWN'S, UH, EMPLOYEES THAT WORK HERE AT OUR CLERK'S OFFICE.
I HAD A CONSTITUENT, UM, GIVE HIGH REMARKS, UM, ON HER BEDSIDE MANNER AND HER CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS IN REGARDS TO A, UM, DEATH CERTIFICATE SHE WAS TRYING TO OBTAIN.
VALERIE WORKS ON THE LEFT, THE LEFT WINDOW WHEN YOU COME IN, UH, WITH THE DEATH AND BIRTH AND DEATH RECORDS AND CERTIFICATES.
UH, VALERIE WAS, UH, CITED AS BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE, KIND, PATIENT AND CALM.
UH, SHE HAS, SHE SAID SHE HAS VAC UH, THE CONSTITUENT SAYS SHE HAS FANTASTIC NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION.
UH, SHE ALSO SAYS SHE HAS CHICK-FIL-A CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCEPT FOR SUNDAYS.
I CAN'T SEEM TO GET GOOD COVER SERVICE FROM CHICK-FIL-A ON SUNDAYS.
SO BIG THANKS TO VALERIE, UM, MAKES ME PROUD TO BE BAYTOWN TO HAVE, UH, PEOPLE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, UH, WITH THAT HIGH LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.
LOTS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING.
I CAN'T WAIT TO GO SEE THE DOG PARK ONCE IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE.
UM, SO, UM, AT THIS TIME WE'RE
[11. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
GONNA MOVE FORWARD WITH, UM, ITEM 11 A, UM, AND IT'S TO RECESS AND, UH, INTO AND CONDUCT AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 AND OR 5 5 1 0.087 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO SEEK THE ADVICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY AND ORDER TO DISCUSS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, UH, NEGOTIATIONS.UM, SO IT IS NOW NINE 10 AND WE'LL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS EVERYBODY BACK THAT NEEDS TO BE BACK? YES, MA'AM.
SO, UM, WE ARE, UH, NOW RECONVENING OUR OPEN MEETINGS OF THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL AND ANNOUNCE IT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5 5 1 0.102 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO, UH, BEING THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS ADDRESSED ALL
[02:40:01]
POSTED AGENDA ITEMS, UH, THANK YOU FOR STICKING IT OUT.AND MAYOR PROTE, YOU DID AN EXCELLENT JOB.