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I NOW CALL ORDER THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AND BAYTOWN, MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT JOINT MEETING FRIDAY, JUNE 27TH, 2025, CONFERENCE ROOM AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING, BAYTOWN, TEXAS.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF CALL AT, WHAT'S IT? CLOCK EIGHT TWENTY EIGHT AT 8:28 AM WE'RE GONNA START WITH
[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.]
CITIZEN COMMENT.THE PURPOSE OF CITIZEN 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 OR EMAILED THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTED TIME OF THIS MEETING.
EACH CITIZEN SHALL GIVE HIS OR HER NAME AND ADDRESS IN THE ORDER TO PROVIDE PROPER RECORD OF THESE COMMENTS.
THE RULES ALLOW EACH PERSON ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK.
A CITIZEN MAY PASS HIS OR HER TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAS REQUESTED TO ADDRESS COUNSEL.
HOWEVER, NO CITIZEN REMARKS SHALL EXCEED THREE MINUTES IN TOTAL.
EITHER ONE MINUTE OR THREE MINUTE LIMIT MAY BE EXTENDED BY A MAJORITY VOTER COUNSEL.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO BE AS BRIEF AND TO THE POINT AS POSSIBLE.
PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, COUNSEL CANNOT DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ON ITEMS FOR WHICH PUBLIC NOTICE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN ON THIS AGENDA.
DO YOU HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? SURE, PLEASE.
MAYOR, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THEM COME UP HERE IN THE, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE A WIRELESS THANK YOU.
FIRST WE HAVE DON MARIE SEAVER.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE SOMEONE BRING THE MIC TO YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND STATING YOUR ADDRESS FOR RECORD, PLEASE.
NAME MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I LIVE AT 8 0 5 SHILLING STREET, APARTMENT 2 0 1, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 0.
THE CONCERN ABOUT OUR OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS I'M AFRAID THAT THAT WILL LEAVE A LOT OF US EITHER, UM, OUT OF WORK, UNEMPLOYED.
WE REALLY DEPEND ON OUR TRANSPORTATION FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, CHILDCARE, UM, SHOPPING, UH, A LIST OF JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN THINK OF.
WE REALLY DEPEND ON THE SYSTEM.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITHOUT IT.
WE CAN'T AFFORD UBERS AND TAXI CABS TO GET TO AND FROM EMPLOYMENT.
IF YOU TAKE OUR OUR BUSING SYSTEM AWAY, A LOT OF US WILL LOSE OUR JOBS.
AND THAT WILL IN TURN, END UP RAISING OUR CURRENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, WHICH BAYTOWN WILL REALLY SUFFER SEVERELY FROM.
THAT WAS YOUR ONE MINUTE MARK.
CAN THEY COME UP HERE TO TALK? SOME OF THEM ARE MORE JOE, IT LOOKS LIKE JACE REYES.
DID YOU SIGN UP TO SPEAK? YEAH.
UM, IT'S WISCONSIN STREET, BUT IT'S, IT IS, THE NUMBERS ARE MIXED UP.
BUT IF, IF THAT'S YOU, YOU'RE GOOD.
WE NEED TO BUS SERVICE VERY BADLY BECAUSE OF, UH, WE NEED TO GO TO OUR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS.
OUR, UH, TO GO TO THE, UM, NO, YEAH, WE
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NEED, WE NEED TO GO TO OUR DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND TO GO TO ARE GOOD MORNING.UM, MY ADDRESS IS 2105 CEDAR BAY ROAD, APARTMENT 6 0 4 BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 0.
AND I USE THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, UM, FOR MY DIALYSIS.
AND IT'S BEEN A BIG, HUGE HELP TO ME BECAUSE MY FAMILY WORKS AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S BUSY.
SO WITHOUT THIS TRANSPORTATION, I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET TO AND FROM MY DIALYSIS TREATMENTS.
AND I REALLY, REALLY NEED THAT
UM, SO I, I, I BELIEVE WE REALLY NEED TO TRY TO HELP, TRY TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT GOING FOR EVERYBODY NO MATTER THE AGE OR WHATEVER THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE.
LAST NAME IS SHE? OH, RIGHT HERE.
SHE AND MY ADDRESS, MY ADDRESS IS 1711 MAR DRIVE, DATA 7 7 5 2 1.
I, I RARELY WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE TAXI SERVICE GOING.
I AM A, UM, BILATERAL, UM, BILATERAL AMPUTEE I DRIVE AND I, I WILL, I WILL BE SUFFERING BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO TO THE DOCTOR.
I GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND I ALSO VOLUNTEER AT THE HOSPITAL SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK.
AND IF I DON'T HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION, I WILL BE ABLE TO GO AND PRAY FOR THESE PEOPLE AT THE HOSPITAL.
SO I HOPE THAT WE'LL HAVE IT AND IT WOULD NOT BE CUT OFF.
WELL I THANK EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME TO SPEAK.
THAT IS EVERYONE THAT'S ON THE LIST FOR CITIZEN COMMENT SIGNED UP WITH THE, I DUNNO.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, THIS WAS SET UP THE WAY THE AGENDA WORKS.
WE HAVE AGENDA ITEMS, AND THE FIRST ITEM ON ALL OF OUR AGENDAS ARE CITIZEN COMMENT.
OKAY? CITIZEN COMMENT, YOU GET ONE MINUTE TO SPEAK.
THOSE WHO SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMENT, THEY JUST WENT, WE HAVE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS AND MOST OF YOU SIGNED UP FOR AGENDA ITEM TWO A.
SO I'M CLOSING OFF THE TIME TO SPEAK FOR CITIZEN COMMENT TO FOLLOW WHAT WE HAVE HERE ON THE AGENDA.
SO IT'S NOT THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HEARD WHEN WE GET TO TWO A, THEN WE'LL ASK IF WE HAVE THOSE WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK AND WE'LL GIVE YOU YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND YEAH, BUT YOU'RE GONNA GET THE ALLOTTED TIME, WHICH IS THREE MINUTES FOR SIGNING UP ON AN AGENDA ITEM.
BUT THAT'LL BE EXPLAINED WHEN THAT TIME COMES.
EVERYBODY GOT IT? SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN.
SO NOW THERE BEING NO ONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK THAT THIS CONCLUDES THE CITIZEN COMMENTS PORTION OF THE AGENDA.
AT THIS TIME, WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS FROM ANYONE WHO SIGNED UP ON ITEM TWO A.
THAT'S WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT REGARDING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PERFORMED BY HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT WITHIN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THOSE WHO SIGNED UP FOR TWO A TO SPEAK AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
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A ACCURATE RIGHT HERE.[a. Consider a resolution authorizing an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Baytown and Baytown Municipal Development District to fund transportation services performed by Harris County Transit within the City of Baytown.]
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AND BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO FUND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PERFORMED BY HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT WITHIN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.UM, THIS RESOLUTION, UM, IF YOU DECIDE TO CONTINUE THE INTERLOCAL WITH HARRIS COUNTY, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE THE DECISION TO FUND THE SERVICES THROUGH THE MVD THAT WOULD REQUIRE AN INTERLOCAL BETWEEN THE MVD AND THE CITY, WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE MVD TO PAY FOR THE SERVICES, UH, WHILE THE CONTRACT REMAINS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY.
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? YES, SIR.
WOULD THAT FUNDING BE FOR THE TOTAL NEEDED FOR THE MDD OR THE DESIRE 400,000 MAYOR COUNSEL? UH, THE, THE, SORRY, I TURNED MY MIC ON TO TRY TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTEXT TO WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.
THE, AND WE WE'RE GONNA DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THE MDD AND FUNDING OF THE HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT THROUGH THE BUDGET CONVERSATION IN A MINUTE.
THE REASON THAT THIS WAS SET UP LIKE THIS, UH, WAS THAT WHEN NEW INFORMATION CAME UP, IT CAME UP AFTER THE WORK SESSION YESTERDAY WAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED TO, TO, TO, UM, TO HAVE THE WATER RATE STUDY ON IT.
FROM THERE, WE DIDN'T WANT COUNCIL TO FEEL LIKE THEY WERE FORCED TO MAKE A DECISION ON FUNDING LAST NIGHT WITHOUT HEARING ANY OF THE BUDGET CONVERSATION AT THE SAME TIME.
SO WE SET UP THE MEETING TODAY SO THAT COUNSEL CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THE HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT, UH, ALTERNATIVES OR POSSIBILITIES, AND THEN HAVE THAT IN PARALLEL WITH, UH, OR IN TANDEM WITH THE BUDGET CONVERSATION.
AND SO, AS MR. LAMONT SAID IT, THAT THE FUNDING FROM HARRIS COUNTY OR MDD THAT HAS NOT BEEN DECIDED.
SO WHAT'S, WHAT WILL HAPPEN HERE IN A SECOND AFTER THE CITIZEN SPEAK? WE WILL HAVE TO GO RECESS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THIS BUDGET PORTION WOULD FINISH TODAY.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO PUT THAT BRIGHT AND EARLY.
THE FIRST THING FIRST, HAVE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO SPEAK ABOUT IT, PAUSE, TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET, AND THEN AFTER THE BUDGET MEETING TODAY, DECIDE ON WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THE HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT SYSTEM, UH, AND THE FUNDING FOR THAT.
SO THE DECISION ON THE ACTUAL FUNDING, MR. GRIFFITH, WILL NOT BE MADE UNTIL MOST LIKELY UNTIL AROUND THREE OR FOUR O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON.
DOES THAT HELP? THAT HELPS, THANK YOU.
SO NOW LET'S, UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, HE SUMMED IT ALL UP.
WE'RE GONNA START OFF WITH DR.
I'M STANSKI 46 0 1 DRIFTWOOD DRIVE, BAYTOWN.
I'M HERE TO SAY THE REASON TO LIVE IN BAYTOWN IS BECAUSE BAYTOWN CARES.
WE CARE ABOUT OUR PEOPLE AND WITH A PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED.
'CAUSE I MOVED HERE BACK IN 1985 AND IT IS JUST REFRESHING TO KNOW THAT WE ARE SERVICING OUR NEEDY BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND THOSE THAT ARE DISABLED.
AND IT IS JUST HEARTWARMING TO KNOW THAT, THAT THAT SERVICE IS THERE AND $400,000 A MILLION DOLLARS, IT'S WORTH THE SERVICE TO MAKE BAYTOWN LOOK GREAT.
SO PLEASE, PLEASE FUND THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AT WHATEVER COST IT TAKES.
CONTINUE HAVING CITY FESTIVALS BECAUSE WE NEED TO KEEP BAYTOWN GREAT.
WE DON'T NEED TO BE MONEY MONGERS AND, AND UNCARING PEOPLE.
PLEASE CARE ABOUT BAYTOWN, KEEP THIS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
IF I HAVE ANY EXTRA MINUTES, I'D LOVE TO GIVE IT TO DONNA.
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OH, REMOVED HER EMAIL.DONNA MOLLMAN 2201 TUSCAN LANE, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 7 7 5 2 0.
FOR MORE THAN 17 YEARS, BAYTON FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE HAVE ENJOYED THE FREEDOM GRANTED BY ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED BY HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT.
DURING THOSE YEARS, BAYTOWN POPULATION INCREASED FROM 69,025 IN 2008 TO 85,539.
TODAY, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NOT ONLY REDUCES THE NUMBER OF CARS ON THE ROAD, BUT ALSO REDUCES THE POLLUTION ASSOCIATED WITH SO MUCH TRAFFIC.
I AM PRIVILEGED TO HAVE ACCESS ON DEMAND CLIMATE CONTROLLED VEHICLES.
HOWEVER MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE NOT SO FORTUNATE.
BAYTOWN CITIZENS WHO DO NOT OWN CARS MAY BE POOR OR LIVE IN POVERTY OR ELDERLY, HANDICAPPED OR DISABLED RELY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFE.
HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT PROVIDES A MEANS TO MEDICAL CARE, SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, WORK, CHILDCARE, SHOPPING, AND OTHER AMENITIES.
I SEE MANY OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE CITIZENS WAITING FOR THE BUSES THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS I RUN ERRANDS OR GO TO APPOINTMENTS.
A NEIGHBOR AND FELLOW CHURCH MEMBER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE WAS SO EXCITED WHEN THE FIRST TWO CIRCULATOR ROUTES BECAME AVAILABLE WITH A BUS STOP RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS APARTMENT COMPLEX.
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE HE MOVED FROM HIS PARENTS' HOME, HE DID NOT HAVE TO RELY ON FAMILY, NEIGHBORS OR FRIENDS FOR TRANSPORTATION TO EASE HIS ANXIETY FOR THIS NEW FOUND FREEDOM.
MY SON AND I TRAVELED FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH HIM TO STERLING MUNICIPAL LIBRARY, FOLLOWED BY LUNCH AT SUN BURGER.
WHILE THE TIME SPENT ON THIS ONE SIMPLE ERRAND TOOK FIVE TIMES LONGER THAN IT NORMALLY WOULD, THE JOY WE SHARED THAT DAY IS PRICELESS.
THE CIRCULATOR ROUTES ENABLE BAYTON TO GO TO SCHOOL OR THE LIBRARY, GET GROCERIES OR MEDICAL CARE TO WORK, OR FOR PLEASURE.
WITH THE INCREASED COST OF LIVING, PLACING MORE ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON FAMILIES.
ACCESS TO RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PROVIDES A LIFELINE TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
I THINK IT IS WISE TO EVALUATE ROUTES EVERY FEW YEARS DUE TO CHANGES IN POPULATION.
I WOULD ASK HOWEVER, THOSE CHANGES BE MADE WITH A SCALPEL RATHER THAN A CHAINSAW.
IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT ONCE PUBLIC SERVICES ARE CUT, THEY ARE RARELY REINSTATED.
FINALLY, THE CIRCULATOR ROUTES HELP WEAVE OUR INDIVIDUAL THREADS INTO A STRONG SOCIETAL FABRIC.
THE TERM LONELINESS EPIDEMIC REFERS TO A WIDESPREAD AND GROWING CONCERN ABOUT THE NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACTS OF LONELINESS AND SOCIAL ISOLATION.
A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS HIGHLIGHTING ITS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON BOTH INDIVIDUAL WELLBEING AND SOCIETAL HEALTH.
AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YESTERDAY TO REACH OUT BY PHONE TO FORMER MAYOR STEVEN DON CARLOS, WHO CHAMPIONED THIS ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION DURING HIS ADMINISTRATION.
AND I WOULD ASK THAT YOU REMEMBER HIS WIFE AND HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS AS THEY BOTH HAVE COVID.
WE ARE NOW IN HURRICANE SEASON AND I WONDERED HOW WILL PEOPLE BE MOVED OUT OF HARM'S WAY? I LOOKED AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2040 AND NOTICED THAT THERE WERE TWO KEY TOP PRIORITIES THAT ADDRESSED IMPROVING TRANSPORTATION, SAFETY AND RESILIENCY, AS WELL AS INCREASING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND TRANSIT.
I REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE LISTENING PROJECTS THAT WERE GOING ON WERE CALLED IMAGINE BAYTOWN, AND I HAVE IMAGINED THE BAYTOWN FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.
AND IMAGINE A BAYTOWN WHO CARES ABOUT EVERY CITIZEN NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SOCIOECONOMIC, THEIR FINANCIAL ABILITY, THEIR HEALTH, THEIR WELLNESS, WHATEVER.
I IMAGINE A BAYTOWN CARING FOR ALL ITS CITIZENS.
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YOU.YOU SAID YOU'RE WAIVING YOUR TIME.
GIVING ME SHE TO WHO? OKAY, TAMMY, YOU'RE GIVING IT TO TAMMY.
WHAT IS TAMMY'S LAST NAME? GOTCHA.
I AM REPRESENTING THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER BAYTOWN AREA IN CHAMBERS COUNTY.
UM, MY HOME ADDRESS IS 1 0 4 2 3 WINDING TRAIL ROAD, LAPORT, TEXAS 7 7 5 7 1.
BUT MY WORK ADDRESS, WHO I'M REPRESENTING IS 53 0 9 DECKARD DRIVE, BAYTOWN, UH, 7 7 5 2 0.
UM, THESE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES THAT PROVIDE BASIC NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WITHOUT THE ACCESS TO THE BUS SYSTEM, OUR CITIZENS CANNOT ACCESS ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUCH AS LOVE NETWORK HEARTS AND HANDS OF BAYTOWN, AND THEY CAN'T GO TO COLLEGE AT LEE COLLEGE.
AND FURTHER THEIR UM, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE FUTURE.
UM, THIS IS ALSO ESSENTIAL FOR OUR WORKFORCE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO WORK.
PEOPLE WHO ARE ARE GROCERY, UH, WORKING IN GROCERY STORES AT HEB OR WALMART OR MANY OTHER SERVICES IN OUR AREA WOULD NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO ACCESS WORK BECAUSE UBER IS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THEM TO AFFORD.
WE NEED TO KEEP MONEY IN OUR CITIZENS' POCKETS, AND THIS IS HOW ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO IT.
UM, QUALITY OF LIFE IN BAYTOWN IS EXTREMELY ESSENTIAL, AND HAVING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEPING THAT QUALITY OF LIFE WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
UM, JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I REALLY HOPE THAT, UH, WE CAN DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND I THINK THAT, UH, SUPPORTING PUBLIC, UH, TRANSPORTATION IS ESSENTIAL TO, UH, OUR COMMUNITY.
MY NAME'S GLEN PELS AND I LIVE AT 1 0 3 1 5 COL OAK DRIVE IN BAYTOWN 7 7 5 2 3.
THE THING THAT I IMPRESSES ME MOST IS THE NUMBERS.
WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM IN 2007, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT SAID, YOU'LL NEVER EVER HAVE A HUNDRED RIDERS ON THAT BUS A DAY.
WE'VE BEEN RUNNING IN EXCESS OF 300 FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE USING THE BUS TO GO TO WORK, MEDICAL SERVICES, SHOPPING.
WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO WORK, BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE A TRANSPORTATION, HOW ARE THEY GONNA GO TO WORK? THE MYRIAD OF PEOPLE THAT USE THIS CROSS, IT CROSSES ALL SOCIOECONOMIC GROUPS.
AND I THINK THE $400,000 THAT WE SPEND ON THIS IS MINIMAL FOR WHAT WE GET IN RETURN.
THE RETURN IN DOLLARS IS WAY MORE THAN $400,000.
WHATEVER TIME I HAVE LEFT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND YIELD TO THE, UH, TRANSIT PEOPLE, DAVID JONES OR KEN ETT BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE NUMBERS THAT I DON'T HAVE WITH ME IN RELATION TO RIDERSHIP.
I WANNA THROW IN MY FEW COMMENTS.
I'M LEONARD LUGO ON DISTRICT TWO ADDRESS 1507, UH, NORTH 10TH BAYTOWN.
WE AS RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE DISABLED, WHICH I AM, NEED A BUS SHUTTLE SERVICE.
THOUSANDS OF US PEOPLE, UH, PEOPLE DEPEND ON TRANSPORTATION AND, UM, AND THAT'S THEIR ONLY TRANSPORTATION.
I PUT MY TRUST IN GOD, THE LORD TO CHRIST AS PSALM 46 S CAUSE
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A REFUGE CONSTRAINING AND TIMES OF HELD TROUBLE.AND I IMPLORE YOU TO, UM, THAT YOU WOULD, UH, KEEP THE, THE, UH, BUS SERVICE GOING CONTRACT.
BUT WE ARE INDEED IN TROUBLED TIMES.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH OF BLESS.
UM, I WANNA SAY I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
I'M TRANSITIONING BACK INTO BAYTOWN THEN IT IS ALLOWED ME TO, UH, GO BACK AND FORTH TO HOUSTON.
I I'VE OBTAINED MY CDL LICENSE AND IT'S ALSO ALLOWING ME TO LOOK FOR EMPLOYMENT.
SO YEAH GUYS, HEY, PLEASE ALLOW US TO GO BACK AND FORTH UNTIL I GET TRANSPORTATION.
I NEED THAT LICENSE SYSTEM, SO THANK YOU.
CAN YOU STATE YOUR ADDRESS PLEASE? OH 2 1 7, UH, WEST LOGAN AVENUE.
TROY WHITE NECK, 9 9 4 6 BAYOU WOODS.
I DON'T USE THE BUS SYSTEM, BUT WHEN I TRAVEL THROUGH BAYTOWN, I SEE PEOPLE SITTING AT THE BUS STOPS.
LAST YEAR, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HEAT OF SUMMER, I ENCOUNTERED AN ELDERLY LADY IN A PARKING LOT NORTH OF BAKER ROAD ON GARTH ROAD, HEADING NORTH TO TAKE CARE OF HIS CELL PHONE PROBLEM.
I LOADED HER AND HER WALKER IN MY TRUCK AND DROVE HER NORTH, TOOK CARE OF CELL PHONE PROBLEM, AND THEN DROVE HER ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF BACK TO BIRDSONG TO ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY WHERE SHE LIVED.
BAYTOWN WOULD BENEFIT BY A MORE ROBUST BUS SYSTEM.
I DON'T MIND PAYING TAX DOLLARS WHEN THOSE DOLLARS THAT USED TO HELP MY FRIENDS THAT USE THE BUS SYSTEM.
JARED
I STAY AT 300 NORTH AFTER XANDER DRIVE.
UH, MY ROOM NUMBER IS 1 0 7, 1 0 7.
THAT'S HOW I GET TO GO CUT MY YARDS.
I GOT YARDS I CUT IN HIGHLANDS AND I, I GOT BACK PROBLEMS AND STUFF.
SO I'M TRYING TO DO MY OWN LITTLE, MY OWN LITTLE GIG.
UH, THAT'S HOW I GET BACK AND FORTH TO PROBATION.
AND I GOT CLASSES FOR PROBATION IN HOUSTON.
UH, I NEED IT 'CAUSE I, I'M NOT TRYING TO GO BACK TO PRISON.
I'M TRYING TO KEEP MYSELF OUT OF TROUBLE.
I LIVE AT 8 0 5 SUGAR STREET AND I'M HERE TO ASK TO, UM, KEEP THE TRANSIT OPEN, YOU KNOW, THAT.
UM, I, I'M JUST HOPING AND THAT Y'ALL, Y'ALL BE HERE TO, TO KEEP IT OPEN BECAUSE, SO THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE TODAY THAT, THAT CAN'T AFFORD THE, THE TAXI AND SO, SO MANY, UM, JUST THE TAXI SERVICE AND SO, SO MANY OTHER THINGS OUT THERE.
WELL, BUT WE, WE NEED THE BUS SERVICE OUT THERE AND WE WE'RE SO, SO THANKFUL FOR, FOR THE BUS SERVICE BECAUSE, NO, I KNOW.
I, I DON'T HAVE THE, UM, LIKE DRIVE CARS OUT THERE BECAUSE I'M ONE OF THE HANDICAP.
I, I'VE BEEN HAVING EPILEPSY SINCE I WAS THE, THE AGE OF 13 AND THINK ABOUT YEARS IS THAT I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THE BUS SERVICE BECAUSE,
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UM, I GET OUT HERE, UH, LIKE I USE BUS SERVICE TO FOR, FOR PICKING UP MY GROCERIES BACK AND FORTH FOR HOSPITAL.JUST, JUST FOR DIFFERENT THINGS AND KNOW, LIKE I SAY, I'M JUST SO THANKFUL FOR IT.
UH, MET SO MANY NICE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
LIKE I SAY, I'M JUST SO THANKFUL FOR IT.
AND I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
UM, WHEN I MOVED TO HOUSTON A FEW YEARS BACK, I MOVED IT TO IN WITH A FRIEND AND I COME BACK SIX MONTHS LATER NOT KNOWING WE HAD A BUS TRANSFER SIR.
UM, ACCORDING TO MY DOCTOR, THERE'S A MEDICINE I AM TAKING, WHICH IS CALLED DEPACOTE.
ER DPS HAS CHANGED THEIR LAW AND REGULATIONS OUT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
ANYBODY TAKING THAT KIND OF MEDICINE, IT'S ALSO KNOWN FOR SEIZURES.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I TAKE IT FOR.
DAVID JONES KNOWS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.
BUT EVEN THOUGH I DON'T TAKE IT FOR THE SEIZURES, I CAN NOT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
I HAVE CALLED ABOUT IT MULTIPLE TIMES.
I WENT DOWN TO DPS WHEN I GOT MY ID RENEWED AND THEY SAID, MR. JOHNSON, I CAN'T GIVE YOU A DR.
I CAN'T UM, HAVE YOU FILL THIS PAPERWORK OUT.
ME, UH, DEATH CODE, ER YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
IF WE GIVE YOU A LICENSE, WE'RE RELIABLE BECAUSE YOU COULD HAVE A SEIZURE BECAUSE OF THE MEDICINE YOU'RE TAKING.
I NEED TO GET TO THE RENTAL COMPANY.
AARON'S RENTAL, I GOTTA GET TO LEGACY FOR MY LAB WORK TO BE DONE.
EVEN THOUGH LEGACY DOES THEIR APPOINTMENTS THROUGH NAP NOW YOU STILL GOTTA GO INTO THE OFFICE TO GET YOUR DECO LEVEL DRAWN AND EVERY, SO HE LIKES TO HAVE A DRUG TEST DONE ON ME BECAUSE OF DISABILITY AND THE FOOD STAMP WALLS OUT HERE AND I GOTTA GET, SO THESE ARE SOME PLACES I CAN'T GET TO ON MY BICYCLE, YOU KNOW, I KNOW A COUPLE OF Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE SEEN THE BIKE SITTING OUT THERE.
THAT'S MY TRANSPORTATION TODAY BECAUSE I FELT LIKE GETTING OUT, RIDING AROUND BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SORE A LOT LATELY.
BUT YEAH, WE NEED A BUS SERVICE OUT HERE 'CAUSE I CAN'T GET A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WE NEED A BUS SERVICE.
I NEED TO GET TO THE GROCERY STORES, RENTAL COMPANIES TO GET THINGS STRAIGHTENED OUT SO THEY CAN HIT MY BANK FOR MY RENTAL MERCHANDISE, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS, STUFF LIKE THAT.
SO WE DO, WE DO NEED A BUS SERVICE AND SOMETIMES I GOTTA GO ALL THE WAY OVER TO FREEPORT STREET OVER THERE AT THAT MEDICAL CLINIC TO SEE MY FOOT DOCTOR.
'CAUSE HE MOVED OUT OF THE MEDICAL CENTER AND OVER TO THAT AREA NOW.
SO YEAH, THIS BUS SERVICE IS A PRETTY GOOD BUS SERVICE OUT HERE.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME, SO, YOU KNOW.
BUT YEAH, LIKE I SAID, I MOVED TO HOUSTON AND COME BACK AND THERE WAS THE BUS SERVICE OUT HERE.
'CAUSE I MOVED THERE WITH SOME FRIENDS, ME AND MY DAD.
THEN THEY SAID, OH THERE'S A BUS SERVICE AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW NOTHING ABOUT IT.
WE JUST HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT FROM THE HOSPITAL AND WHEN MY DAD WAS IN THE HOSPITAL.
SO YEAH, THAT'S THE REASON WE NEED A BUS SERVICE, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT A BUS SERVICE.
HOW AM I GONNA GET WHERE I NEED TO GO OR ANYBODY NEEDS TO GO.
WE NEED A BUS SERVICE OUT HERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO DOUBT WITHOUT A BUS.
SO WE CAN'T GET THE GROCERY STORE, EVEN THE DELIVERY SERVICE FROM WALMART, THEY DON'T BRING HALF OF MY STUFF.
I HAVE TO GO IN AND SHOW 'EM WHAT I DIDN'T GET SO THEY CAN REDELIVER IT TO ME, TO MY FRONT DOOR.
AND YES, I LIVE AT 46 0 1 VILLAGE LANE, APARTMENT 2011.
Y'ALL PROBABLY ALL KNOW WHERE THAT'S AT.
Y'ALL PROBABLY SEEN ME ON THE NEWS AND
Y'ALL PROBABLY ALL SEE ME ON THE NEWS SHOOTING AND EVERYTHING GOING ON OVER THERE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M SURE ALL Y'ALL DID
I STAY AT 70 5G DECKER DRIVE AND I USE THE BUSES TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
AND BAYTOWN IS A GROWING CITY AND THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T HAVE A BUS SERVICE OUT.
WOULDN'T CONSIDER A GROWING CITY.
AND I VOTE FOR KEEPING THE BUS DRIVER.
AND YOU HAVE, UM, TIME YIELDED TO YOU SO YOU HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX MINUTES.
GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR.
UH, MY ADDRESS IS 4 0 8 SOUTH CIRCLE DRIVE.
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OLD.UM, WHEN THE BUS SERVICES CAME TO BAYTOWN, I WAS SO HAPPY BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT I GREW UP WITH IN AREA THAT I GREW UP IN IS OVER THERE IN PELLY.
I GREW UP IN A FAMILY THAT DIDN'T HAVE A CAR.
WE WALKED AWAY EVERYWHERE WE HAD TO GO.
AND SO THIS IS A SERVICE THAT IS NEEDED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I'M SPEAKING NOT JUST FOR THE, UH, CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN, BUT ALSO FOR THE NONPROFIT AGENCIES THAT ASSIST THOSE CITIZENS.
A MISCONCEPTION THAT HAS COME ABOUT IS THAT MANY OF THEM HAVE INSURANCE AND THEY HAVE TRANSPORTATION THROUGH THEIR INSURANCE.
THAT TRANSPORTATION, THAT MAY BE TRUE WITH A LOT OF THEM.
THEY MAY HAVE INSURANCE, BUT THAT TRANSPORTATION IS LIMITED.
IT'S LIMITED TO MEDICAL VISITS ONLY.
IT DOES NOT TAKE THEM TO THE GROCERY STORE.
IT DOES NOT TAKE THEM TO THE PHARMACY.
IT DOES NOT TAKE THEM TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE OR THE FOOD STAMP OFFICE OR THE DPS OFFICE OR THE NONPROFIT AGENCIES THAT ASSIST THEM WITH SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
THIS TRANSPORTATION IS NEEDED IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
I'M ALSO A CASE MANAGER WITH MARCELLUS WILLIAMS RESOURCE CENTER.
WE SERVICE AS NOT ONLY THE HIGHLANDS AREA, BUT THE BAYTOWN AREA AS WELL.
WE SERVICE OVER 300 CLIENTS A YEAR.
AND MOST OF THOSE CLIENTS, I'M GONNA SAY 75% OF THEM, RELY ON THE BUS SERVICES TO GET THEM TO OUR OFFICES.
OUR SERVICE CLIENTS HERE ON TUESDAYS AT THE STERLING LIBRARY.
A HUNDRED PERCENT OF MY CLIENTS COME IN NEEDING BUS PASSES.
YOU CAN'T HELP THOSE IN NEED TO BETTER THEMSELVES TO GET ON THEIR FEET.
IF THEY HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION, THEY CAN'T GET TO THE JOB INTERVIEW WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION.
THEY CAN'T GET TO THE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS AND TO THE, THE FOOD.
LIKE I SAID, THE, THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
MANY OF THEM HAVE APPLIED FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY AND THEY NEED TO GET TO PASADENA.
THEY CANNOT DO THAT IF THEY DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
OUR CITIZENS, WHETHER THEY'RE POOR, BLACK, WHITE, WHATEVER, THE COLOR, WHATEVER THE ETHNIC BACKGROUND, WHATEVER THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION, THEY DESERVE MORE.
CITY OF BAYTOWN IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
I WOULDN'T LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE.
AND I LOVE BAYTOWN AND I WANT TO SEE THE CITY OF BAYTOWN DO THE RIGHT THING BY THE PEOPLE OF BAYTOWN.
THEY NEED THIS ASSISTANCE, THEY NEED THIS TRANSPORTATION.
AND IT'S NOT JUST A FEW THAT'S IN THIS ROOM.
THERE'S MANY OTHERS ON A DAILY BASIS THAT RIDE THESE BUSES.
I GIVE OUR AGENCY GIVES AWAY OVER 300 BUS PASSES A YEAR FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO GET TO AND FROM.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR APPOINTMENTS.
AND I IMPLORE YOU, I'M ONE CAR.
NO WAIT FROM BEING WITHOUT A CAR MYSELF.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, SOME OF US ARE GOING THROUGH STRUGGLES, A LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND, AND I CAN FEEL THAT THE, THE PASSION AND THE EMPATHY FOR THE CLIENTS THAT ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE, THAT DEPEND ON TRANSPORTATION.
GOD HAS BLESSED ME TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A CAR, BUT I KNEW THE DAYS THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ONE.
AND I KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE IN THEIR SHOES AND TO GET, HAVE TO GO WALK TO GET TO WORK, HAVE TO WALK TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE.
I'VE BEEN THERE AND I KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.
AND I IMPLORE THE CITY OF BAYTOWN TO FIND IT IN THE BUDGET TO PLEASE FUND THIS TRANSPORTATION.
'CAUSE IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS NEEDED BY THE CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN.
AND LIKE I SAY, GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL OF OUR LIVES.
WE DON'T KNOW FROM DAY TO DAY WHAT OUR NEXT, UH, STEP IS GONNA BE AND WHAT SITUATION WE ARE GOING TO BE IN NEXT PLEASE.
AS, AS, AS CITIZEN OF BAYTOWN, AS A CASE MANAGER.
AS A SOMEONE WHO LOVES THIS CITY AND LOVES THE PEOPLE, PLEASE FUND THIS TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
MY NAME IS RO AND UM, I KNOW A LOT OF, UH, PROBABLY, MAYBE LET'S JUST SAY 50.
I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE IT IS MORE ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER, BUT 50% OF THE PEOPLE IN HERE OWN A VEHICLE.
AND, UH, THE OTHER HALF WE HAVE TO, UH, RELY ON BAYTOWN TRANSIT TO GET AROUND.
NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD A VEHICLE.
NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD A UBER TAXI OR PAY SOMEBODY TO TAKE YOU HERE AND THERE.
'CAUSE IT GETS EXPENSIVE IF YOU'RE PAYING SOMEBODY OR EVEN TO USE THE UBER TO GET EVERYWHERE.
AND, UM, AND I'M JUST PRAY THAT DAY THEY DON'T CANCEL THE BUSES BECAUSE, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE WE USE, WE USE IT FOR EVERYTHING WE USE IT FOR TO GO GET GROCERIES TO THE DOCTOR, TO COLLEGE, TO GO TO WORK, TO, UH, CHURCH, TO EVERYWHERE.
AND WE NEED IT FOR EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD A CAR.
NOT EVERYBODY CAN AFFORD A TAXI, AN UBER, NOTHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING'S TOO EXPENSIVE.
WE CAN BARELY AFFORD TO PAY, UH, A DOLLAR ON THE BUS TO GET AROUND.
RIGHT? AND, UH, I MEAN, IT'S HARD.
IT'S HARD, YOU KNOW, AND THEN YOU GOTTA TAKE THAT AWAY FROM US IS GONNA BE EVEN HARDER ON
[00:40:01]
US, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE WE'RE ALREADY HAVING A HARD TIME.CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE YOUR ADDRESS? UH, YES, IT IS, UH, 1501 MORRIS IN THIS DISTRICT.
THANK YOU MS. BARBARA WOOSTER.
I'LL, I'LL PASS, BUT THANK YOU.
SOMEBODY SHE WOULD HAVE TO SIGN.
GOOD MORNING MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
THANKS SO MUCH, UH, FOR, UH, ALLOWING EVERYBODY TO COME AND SPEAK.
I CAN'T BE NEAR, UH, 1 3 3 1 8 BAY PLACE DRIVE IN BEACH CITY, TEXAS.
AND EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT IN BAYTOWN, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR REGION AND OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, WE ALWAYS FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT SEPARATED BY CEDAR BAYOU.
UH, FROM CHAMBERS COUNTY TO HARRIS COUNTY AND BAYTOWN.
WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE CONNECTED BY CEDAR BAYOU.
UH, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENTIRE REGION.
UH, THE, UH, I WANTED TO REMIND, UH, COUNSEL, UH, ABOUT, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS, UH, WE HAVE A PROGRAM THROUGH UNITED WAY.
I'M ON THE BOARD OF UNITED WAY.
WE HAVE A PROGRAM THROUGH UNITED WAY CALLED 2 1 1.
UH, ANYBODY WHO'S IN NEED OF HELP ANYWHERE CAN CALL 2 1 1 AND GET HELP WITH WHATEVER THEY NEED.
SO IT'S A CENTRAL LOCATION PEOPLE CAN CALL IF THEY GIVE THEM THEIR ZIP CODE, THEY HAVE A LIST OF ALL OF THE ASSETS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM TO HELP THEM.
UH, HARRIS TRANSIT IS ONE OF THE PARTNERS ON ON THAT THAT SERVES THE BAYTOWN, UH, AREA AS WELL AS CHAMBERS COUNTY.
UH, THE, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DONNA ULMAN MENTIONED, I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, THAT IF IT WINDS UP BEING NECESSARY TO MAKE CHANGES THAT YOU USE A SCAFFOLD AND NOT A HATCHET, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE TO CHANGE THERE? THERE'S GONNA BE A TOUGH, TOUGH JOB FOR DETERMINING HOW THEY MAKE THOSE CHANGES.
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, IF YOU'VE HEARD, OR RENTERS, THEY HAVE RENTAL AGREEMENTS IN PLACE.
AND IF YOU WIND UP HAVING TO CUT ONE FULL ROUTE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DO THAT ARE IN THOSE AREAS.
SO THEY HAVE A RENTAL AGREEMENT THAT THEY CAN'T GET OUT OF.
THEY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PAY, AND YET THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. JONATHAN AUSTIN.
THEY TOUCHED ON, UM, PRETTY MUCH EVERY TIME.
OKAY, THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UM, COMMENTS.
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NOW, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND RECESS THIS MEETING AND MOVE TO THE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION.
WE'RE GONNA GO INTO OUR WORK SESSION TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.
YOU ARE WELCOME TO STAY IF YOU WANT TO STAY, BUT THIS IS GONNA BE A LONG PROCESS.
WE'LL PROBABLY WE'RE SCHEDULED TO BE HERE UNTIL FIVE O'CLOCK.
SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, ON A, ON A VERY POSITIVE NOTE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR IN A FEW YEARS THAT WE ARE NOT USING TRANSFER ENDS AS A SIGNIFICANT REVENUE PORTION TO BALANCE THE FORMULA.
OKAY? SO THE TRANSFER IN IS A, IS A MECHANISM IN THE FORMULA THAT OTHER DEPART OR OTHER FUNDS ARE ASSISTING THE GENERAL FUND WITH A REVENUE SOURCE.
AND I'M, I'M JUST GONNA STOP HERE.
THERE ARE MORE THAT THAT GO IN.
[00:45:01]
THAT PUTS IN MONEY.YOU HAVE THE HOT FUND THAT PUTS IN MONEY, UH, TOURS OF MONEY.
YOU HAVE THE MDD THAT TRANSFERS MONEY IN, AND YOU HAVE WATER SEWER ALONG WITH PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR OTHER FUNDS THAT ACTUALLY TRANSFER MONEY IN.
AND THIS IS AN AREA THAT IT'S USED ALMOST AS A CATCHALL, RIGHT? AND Y'ALL AS A COUNSEL NEED TO KNOW THAT WHEN THE FORMULA IS BEING DEVELOPED SO THAT YOU CAN ASK DIFFERENT QUESTIONS ABOUT, HEY, WHAT ALL IS GOING INTO YOUR FORMULA? BECAUSE IF YOU GO BACK TO THE GRAPHS, YOU HAVE, UM, YOU HAVE THE IDAS AND PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX AND FRANCHISE FEES THAT ARE, THAT ARE YOUR PRIMARY DRIVERS OF REVENUE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE ALL THE FEES, AND THAT'S THE REVENUE ACUTE PIECES THAT Y'ALL JUST LOOKED AT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THIS ONE CATCHALL PIECE FOR THE FORMULA THAT HAS HELPED TO BALANCE THE OVERALL PIECE, KNOWING WHAT THE EXPENDITURES ARE, EVEN THOUGH THE FORMULA, THE FORMULA READS LEFT TO RIGHT.
AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET AN EQUATION.
THIS IS THAT ONE SECTION OF THE EQUATION WHERE YOU GO BACKWARDS AND PLAY WITH IT TO HELP GET THE, UH, FORMULA TO BALANCE.
UM, HISTORICALLY YOU ARE USING IT TO TRANSFER DIFFERENT PIECES IN IF YOUR EXPENSES ARE ABOVE YOUR REVENUE, RIGHT? AND IT TRANSFERS SOME THINGS IN FROM OTHER FUNDS THAT MAY HAVE A SURPLUS OR MAY JUST HAVE A, A BETTER RESERVE.
AND IT'S STRATEGICALLY DONE JUST BECAUSE YOU MIGHT NOT NEED THOSE.
UM, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WE'VE HAD THIS PINCH POINT WHERE WE'VE BEEN REALLY RELYING ON OTHER FUNDS TO HELP OFFSET SO THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET.
IF YOU, ONCE YOU GET YOUR BUDGET PAPER HANDED OUT TO YOU TODAY, YOU'LL SEE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WE TRANSFERRED IN, UM, I BELIEVE SIX, ALMOST 7,000,002 YEARS AGO.
WE TRANSFERRED IN 9 MILLION LAST YEAR.
AND A LOT OF THAT WAS PULLING FROM OTHER FUNDS, UH, THAT WEREN'T NECESSARILY JUST FOR THIS.
OKAY? UM, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THOSE IN JUST A SECOND.
AND THEY PULLED FROM OUR CAPITAL FUND.
AND THE, THE, THE POLICY PIECE THAT Y'ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THEY'RE PULLING FROM OUR CAPITAL FUND.
IT'S AUTOMATICALLY HURTING OUR ABILITY TO OFFSET SOME OF THE DEBT THAT WE'RE ISSUING, RIGHT? UH, WE ARE PULLING FROM THE MEDICAL FUND.
WE HAVE A SELF-SUSTAINING MEDICAL PROGRAM FOR, UH, THE EMPLOYEES.
WHAT ARE OUR BENEFITS FROM? IT HAS A, IT HAD A, A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA CAPACITY AND IT WAS UTILIZED TO OFFSET THAT.
OKAY? AND SO YOU HAD TO PULL FROM THAT, THAT PUTS A DETRIMENT ON BEING SELF-FUNDED MEDICALLY AND COULD REALLY HURT US, UH, IF WE HAD A LARGE CLAIM COME IN AT THE TIME.
AND SO WE BALANCE THOSE RISKS ON WHERE WE ARE AT AND USE THAT AS A TRANSFER INTO THE FORMULA.
BUT Y'ALL DO NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE THINGS OPERATE, UH, SO THAT WHEN WE ARE IN THESE BUDGET PIECES, WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS AROUND THEM.
NOW WITH THESE FUNDS, UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT COME INTO PLAY OVERALL, JUST LIKE GRANT WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH SANITATION, WHICH WE'LL GET TO WITH, UH, UH, WATER AND SEWER AND MDD IN A MINUTE.
BUT YOU HAVE, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TURS IN THE CITY.
OKAY? CURRENTLY ONE TRANSFERS IN, I THINK IT'S $300,000.
OKAY? UH, AND THAT'S TO COVER THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, JUST TO RUN THE TURS.
SO WE'RE PAYING SOME OF THE EMPLOYEE SALARY AND SOME OF THE COSTS THAT IT, THAT HAS TO HA THAT HAVE TO HAPPEN TO KEEP THAT TURS AFLOAT, RIGHT? AND TO RUN THE BOARDS, DO ALL THE PROCESSING, PAY THE AUDIT FIRMS, WHATEVER.
AND I CAN SET UP HERE IN GOOD FAITH AND JUSTIFY THAT THAT 300,000 BEING TRANSFERRED IN IS, IS BEING USED, UH, PROPERLY TO PAY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO DO THAT.
I CAN DO THE SAME WITH HOT, RIGHT? THE TOURISM FUND IS TRANSFERRED IN, IT PAYS FOR SOME OF THE SALARIES, PEOPLE SPREAD OUT THROUGH PARKS REC AND TOURISM, UH, THROUGH PUBLIC AFFAIRS, UH, WHATNOT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT'S ALSO TRANSFERRED IN TO DO THE ADMINISTRATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF ADMINISTRATION THAT COMES WITH THESE EXTRA FUNDS THAT WE COLLECT.
UH, I CAN SEND UP HERE AND FULLY SUPPORT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT FUND.
THE MDD, WE ARE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST ONE SECOND.
THE MDD TRANSFERS IN ROUGHLY 300,000 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.
ONE THING THAT WE WILL DISCUSS IS IT COULD POSSIBLY TRANSFER IN ADDITIONAL 400,000 TO OFFSET THE HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT SYSTEM.
SO RIGHT NOW, AS THE BUDGET IS CURRENTLY BUILT, I BELIEVE THE 700,000 IS COMING OUT OF THE MDD INTO THE GENERAL FUND.
AND IT'S USED FOR EXPENSES THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY INCURRING WATER AND SEWER.
WATER AND SEWER IS TRANSFERRING IN $3 MILLION.
OKAY? SO THE POLICY QUESTION THAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT HERE IN A SECOND IS, DO YOU WANT TO TRANSFER THAT
[00:50:01]
IN OR DO YOU WANT THE GENERAL FUND, UH, IDA MONEY TO ACTUALLY ABSORB SOME OF THAT COST BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WATER RATES IN A SECOND AFTER THE DISCUSSION Y'ALL HAD WITH, UH, UH, THE PRESENTATION LAST NIGHT.NOW THOSE, THAT $3 MILLION IS ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, A MAJORITY OF THAT IS LEGAL FEES.
AND THEN SOME OF THAT IS PENALTIES.
AND I'M LOOKING AT FRANK AND SCOTT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT SAYING ANY OF THESE THINGS INCORRECTLY BY AND LARGE, I'M JUST TRYING TO GENERAL, I I BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE AT.
UM, I THINK WE HAVE PENALTIES THAT GO WITH THE LEGAL FEES AND THEN SOME ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AND EMPLOYEE COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT $3 MILLION.
HOW IT'S CURRENTLY SET UP IS DIFFERENT THAN THE PAST BECAUSE I CAN STAND UP HERE IN GOOD FAITH AND SAY THAT IT IS COVERING ACTUAL COSTS THAT WE FEEL, YES, IT'S ROUGHLY AROUND $5 MILLION, BUT WE'RE NOT TRANSFERRING IN TO JUST OFFSET OTHER EXPENSES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN, UH, JUST TRYING TO COVER THAT COST IN, IN THE PAST.
THE FIRST ONE THAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU, TO YOU ABOUT TODAY IS THE MDD.
SO WITH HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT, UM, WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.
I, I WOULD SAY, AND WE REALLY GOT INTO THE CONVERSATION, UM, WITH THE COUNCIL ON FINDING ALTERNATIVES FOR TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD AROUND TRANSIT IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON ARE THERE DIFFERENT WAYS TO PROVIDE TRANSIT THROUGHOUT BAYTOWN? DO WE HAVE TO THINK OF THE STANDARD WAYS OF JUST HAVING A BUS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM? OR CAN WE BE MORE INNOVATIVE AND THINK OF LIKE, HOW DOES UBER WORK? HOW DOES, HOW DOES A DA ACCESSIBILITY WITH, UH, PERSONAL CARS WORK? HOW DO DRIVERLESS CARS WORK? WE SEE THESE THINGS IN OTHER CITIES.
CAN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN LOOK AT DIFFERENT AVENUES WHERE WE CAN PROVIDE A VERY SIMILAR SERVICE, UM, TO HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT, FIND SOME WAY TO OFFSET IT, FIND SOME WAY JUST TO NOT HAVE IT, OR FIND JUST OTHER WAYS TO HAVE HYBRIDS GOING ON.
THAT WAS KIND OF THE DIRECTION THAT WE WERE WORKING ON, UH, AS A BODY.
AND SO PART OF THAT, WE WENT INTO THESE DISCUSSIONS.
WE ALSO HAD SOME PRETTY HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE AS A, AS A COUNCIL AND SAID, OKAY, HOW CAN WE STILL PROVIDE A TRANSPORTATION SERVICE AT A REDUCED COST? AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IF WE HAVE A REDUCED COST? WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE THE, THE KEEP IT AS IT IS? WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES AND WHAT ARE THE EXTREME OR NOT EXTREME? THE THE, UH, THE OTHER MEASURE OF JUST NOT HAVING THAT COST ALTOGETHER? LET'S LOOK AT ALL THREE SCENARIOS AND WHAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION FOR US WAS, CAN THE MDD FUND THIS, UH, MECHANICALLY, CAN IT FUND THIS, UH, AND IT STILL BE A VIABLE USE OF THE SALES TAX FUNDS THAT GO INTO THE MDD? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YES.
AND THEN WE RAN INTO A COMPLICATION OF, HEY, THE MDD HAS A PINCH POINT AS WELL.
UM, IS THE MDDD GOING BE, IS THE MDD GOING TO BE THE FUND THAT HAS THE MONEY TO SUPPORT THIS SYSTEM? IF IT'S NOT THE FUND TO SUPPORT THIS SYSTEM, DOES THE JOURNAL FUND HAVE THE CAPACITY TO SUPPORT THIS SYSTEM?
AND, UH, BEFORE I GO ANY MORE INTO THE TRANSIT PIECE, I DID WANT TO INVITE, UH, KEN
THAT IS Y'ALL'S PREROGATIVE IF Y'ALL WANT THE PRESENTATION OR NOT.
SO I'M GONNA KIND OF PAUSE IT.
I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT ANYBODY ON THE SPOT.
UM, BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO PROCEED OR WHAT Y'ALL WANNA DO ON THIS CONVERSATION AT THIS POINT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING HERE TODAY.
UH, BEFORE I GET INTO MY POWERPOINT PRESENTATION, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
SO WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO BAYTOWN FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS NOW.
THE FIRST PROJECT WAS A BAY, THE, UH, BAYTOWN PARKING RIDE OR THE BAYTOWN EXPRESS, AS WE CALL IT.
WE CONTRACTED WITH METRO TO PROVIDE DIRECT SERVICE FROM BAYTOWN TO DOWNTOWN.
AND THEN YOU CAN TRANSFER THERE FOR FREE TO ANY OF THEIR SYSTEMS. IF THEY'VE GOT GO MEDICAL CENTER, CATCH A DA PARATRANSIT OR WHATEVER YOU MENTIONED A DA EARLIER, INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE TO DO THAT 'CAUSE WE DO IT NOW.
A DA PARA TRANSIT'S REQUIRED WITH FIXED ROUTE BUS SERVICE.
[00:55:02]
AND IT'S, ANYBODY CAN GET ON A BUS AND GO ANYWHERE THEY WANT TO.WELL, A DA REQUIRES THE SAME THING.
I GOTTA PICK 'EM UP AT THEIR HOUSE, TAKE 'EM ALL THE WAY ACROSS TOWN, WHICH CAN BE A $40 TRIP.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO, TO KIND OF REDUCE THAT COST A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE ROUTES TO THE STANDPOINT.
CAN WE FLEX THESE ROUTES A LITTLE BIT MORE? POSSIBLY HAVE ZONES WHERE IT'S A, IT IS AN ON-CALL PRO PROGRAM OR THEY USE AN APP OR SOMETHING.
WE USING THE APP NOW GENERATION PARK, THEY CAN GET THE APP OUT, BOOK THEIR TRIP, GET PICKED UP IN A FEW MINUTES.
THEY TAKE 'EM WHERE THEY WANT TO GO.
BUT THE WAY TO SAVE MONEY INSTEAD OF TAKING 'EM ALL THE WAY ACROSS TOWN, TAKE 'EM TO THE NEXT, TAKE 'EM TO THE CLOSEST ROUTE, WHICH IS WHAT DARK DOES IN DALLAS.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A COST SAVINGS.
YOU'RE ALLOWED ABOUT A LOT TO DO IT THAT WAY AND IT SAVES A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, WE LIKE TO THINK OF OURSELVES AS A PARTNER OF CHOICE THESE DAYS.
OUR, I'M A, I'M IN HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
SO IT'S, WE'RE A DIVISION OF THAT.
WE STARTED OFF AS THE HOUSING WELL COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
TRANSIT STARTED AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT AS A RESULT OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN BACK IN 2007.
I'M GONNA GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT RECENTLY WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE ONE OF THE PROJECTS FOR PRECINCT FOUR, PRECINCT TWO AND YES, THE HARRIS COUNTY TO ROAD AUTHORITY, THEY OWNED THE LINCHBERG FERRY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET INTO THE FERRY BUSINESS HERE IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS.
WE RECEIVED A REWARD FOR THREE, $2 MILLION TO ABOUT TWO THE BOATS.
THAT FALLS INTO OUR LAP BECAUSE WE'RE THE FTA RECIPIENT FOR HARRIS COUNTY.
SO IT'S KINDA EXCITING TO SEE SOME OF THESE THINGS WE'RE GONNA GET TO DO.
WE GOT A, EVERYBODY FROM HERE, NAVIGATION BOULEVARD, EAST SIDE OF TOWN.
YEAH, WELL DOWNTOWN FROM LOCKWOOD BACK OVER TO MAX STREET.
ONE MILE STRETCH IS GONNA BE CONVERTED TO A LINEAR PARK SHARED USE PATH.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A PROJECT OUT IN PRECINCT FOUR IN KATY, WHICH IS GONNA BE A HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL ALONG MASON CREEK.
IT CONNECTS TO A METRO PARKING LOT FACILITY.
SO ANYTHING TRANSIT RELATED, IT GETS TO TRANSIT.
YOU CAN FUND IT WITH FJ FUNDS.
SO IT GONNA BRING UP YOU GOT, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BIG PROJECTS FOR OUR SIDE OF TOWN? NO, WE DON'T HAVE, WE'VE HAD PROJECTS.
I'VE TALKED TO THIS MAN BEFORE ABOUT AND PRIOR CITY MANAGERS.
THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT PARK OVER BEHIND BUCKY'S.
MM-HMM
AND THAT JUST KIND OF WENT AWAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WENT AWAY.
I THINK FIDEL WAS INVOLVED WITH THAT.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE WE'VE DEALT WITH FS FOR YEARS.
AT THE BAYTOWN MALL PRESENTATION.
WE LOOKED AT PROJECTS FROM BAYTOWN A LOT.
UH, SO YES, WE HAVE SERVICE 6:00 AM TO 6:00 PM ON SATURDAYS.
WE SUPPORT SERVICES FIXED OUT BUS SERVICES COSTS US $896,000 80 YEAR PERIOD TRANSIT 2 82.
THAT NUMBER HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
'CAUSE YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE IN BAYTOWN NEED TO GET TO DIALYSIS OR OTHER MEDICAL SERVICES WHO ARE SEVERELY HANDICAPPED.
WAS THAT THE COST OR WHAT THEY'RE PAID? WHAT? THAT'S THE COST THAT WE'RE PAYING TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE THAT HAVE DISABILITIES.
WILL YOU GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE PLEASE? OKAY.
OKAY, SO IT'S OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
OKAY, JEREMY, LEMME HAVE THE NEXT ONE.
TOTAL COST FOR OUR PROGRAM THAT WE PAY FOR IS, IS 1,000,003 30.
THAT INCLUDES SALARIES THAT WE PAY.
SO OUR PRIOR SHARES, WE WOULD ALLOCATE TO BAYTOWN IF WE WERE CHARGING YOU FOR THAT ONE, WE'RE NOT.
THE ORIGINAL ARRANGEMENT THAT WE HAVE IN BAYTOWN WAS WE WOULD ONLY CHARGE YOU FOR THE COST OF THE ACTUAL SERVICE WAS TO CONTRACTOR.
WE DON'T CHARGE FOR OVERHEAD, DON'T CHARGE FOR SALARIES.
WE DON'T CHARGE ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PASS THROUGH.
SO YOU'RE PAYING $400,000 FOR $1.3 MILLION COST ON A SERVICE.
WE THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD DEAL.
WHY? BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST GOT INVOLVED WITH BAYTOWN ON THIS PROJECT, THEY HAD TALKED TO METRO ABOUT SERVICE HERE AND METRO WANTED $1 MILLION TO RUN OUR BUS OUT HERE SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM GAR ROAD TO LEE COLLEGE AND BACK.
WELL, WASN'T GOING, IT WASN'T GOING TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
IT WASN'T GONNA GO TO STATE STREET SUBDIVISION.
IT JUST WENT UP AND DOWN GAR ROAD.
SO THAT WASN'T A VERY GOOD DEAL.
JAY, CAN I HAVE THE NEXT ONE PLEASE? OKAY.
HERE ARE SERVICES PROVIDED TO BAYTOWN AND NO COST TO BAYTOWN DOES COST US, BUT THAT COST BAYTOWN, HOLD ON.
I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE.
[01:00:01]
I SEE SHELTER, WE PAY FOR IT, HUH? YEAH, SHELTERS.YOU, YOU PAY FOR EVERY SINGLE SHELTER AND THE CONCRETE TO PUT 'EM UP.
YOU PAY FOR THE PERSONNEL AND ALL THE MAINTENANCE OF ALL OF THEM.
AND YES, WE HAD THREE CONTRACTS FROM 2011 TO ABOUT 2000.
WHAT'S THE COST NUMBER? WE HAD 10.
SO FROM THE SHELTERS, UM, WE PAID OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR AN INSTALLATION TO BAYTOWN FOR THE INSTALLATION TO BAYTOWN.
SO I THINK SCOTT WOULD HAVE COPIES OF OUR CONTRACTS WITH CITY OF BAYTOWN AND IS IN THE CONTRACT AND WE REIMBURSED YOU GUYS FOR IT.
AND WE DO HAVE, WE HAVE LETTERS SHOWING THAT IT WAS REIMBURSED TO MAYTOWN A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
IT WAS PROBABLY MORE THAN THAT.
BUT YOU'RE, WHEN YOU SAY INSTALLATION, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS ARE PUTTING IN THE CONCRETE AND INSTALLING THEM.
SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE PURCHASE OF THE SHELTER? JUST THE INSTALLATION, MA'AM.
SO WE BOUGHT SHELTER, WE PURCHASED THE SHELTERS.
YOU GUYS DO THE WORK AND WE'RE, WE REIMBURSE YOU FOR THE WORK.
SO SAY IF WE TIME, IT'S GETTING REIMBURSED AND YOU ARE CORRECTING ME SAYING YOU GUYS ARE INSTALLING IT.
'CAUSE YOU ARE, YOU'RE DOING THE WORK, YOU'RE GETTING REIMBURSED FOR THE TIME THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION.
BUT THE SECOND QUESTION IS, I JUST SAID WHO'S MAINTAINING THEM? AND YOU SAID WE'RE MAINTAINING 'EM AND I WHAT, WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION? MY DEFINITION WE'RE POWER WASHING AND WE TRY TO REPAIR THEM.
I DO KNOW THAT IN THE PAST Y'ALL HAVE GONE OUT AS A FAVOR TO US TO POSSIBLY MAKE A REPAIR ONE OR REPLACE ONE OR MOVE ONE.
BECAUSE Y'ALL HAD TO MOVE SOME FOR STREET WORK.
NO, I'M, I'M GONNA BE MORE SPECIFIC.
PAYING FOR THE TRASH BAGS AND TAKING GRAFFITI AND THINGS LIKE THAT OFF OF THEM.
WELL WE NOT, THERE'S NOTHING IN OUR CONTRACTS ABOUT GRAFFITI.
BUT OUR CONTRACTS DO PROVIDE FOR Y'ALL TO DO TRASH PICKUP AND SEND US A BILL AND WE'LL PAY FOR IT.
IT'S IN THE CONTRACTS HAS BEEN FOR YEARS.
SO WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN SENDING YEAH.
HAVEN'T BEEN SENDING US THE BILLS.
WE'VE HAD SOME, WE'VE HAD SOME, I'M LOOKING AT TWO DIRECTIONS.
WE'VE ALREADY, WE'VE HAD SOME HEADLIGHTS, WE'VE HAD SOME PHONE CALLS ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT.
'CAUSE SOMEBODY CALLS US FROM FINANCE.
WHAT'S STATUTE OF LIMITATION ON THOSE BILLS? SEND ME A BILL.
I'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT FROM THE BEGINNING.
WE TALK, WE TALK TO OUR LAWYER SCOTT
NO, AND I'M, I I WANNA BE CLEAR, I'M NOT, I'M NOT TRYING TO GIVE YOU A HARD TIME, BUT THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN THE ISSUE WHEN I'VE PERSONALLY BEEN ASKING QUESTIONS.
BECAUSE I, I KNOW THE MAYOR SAID THAT HE SPOKE TO YOU AND THE MAYOR AND I ARE TALKING AND HE'S LIKE, NO, I, THEY SHOWED ME WE GOT THE SHELTERS I I'VE WATCHED FOR 15 YEARS.
PARKS PEOPLE PUT THEM TOGETHER AND PUBLIC WORKS.
WHAT I CAN'T FIGURE OUT THAT I'VE ASKED THE CITY MANAGER IS IF WE ARE BEING REIMBURSED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TOTAL FOR 18 YEARS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR.
NO, NO WAIT, WE ONLY, WE ONLY REIMBURSED YOU FOR THE COST OF THE INSTALLATION OF THE SHELTER.
WE'VE ALSO HAD A SEPARATE CONTRACT.
IS IS, IS SHE ANNUAL CONTRACT WITH YOU? YOU SEND US A BILL FOR THAT.
HERE'S SO I CAN'T, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK FOR WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE 2015, WHICH IS WHEN YOU STOPPED PAYING YOU GUYS TO DO INSTALLATIONS.
'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY SHELTERS OR HAVE SHELTERS.
AND I'M REALLY, REALLY TRYING TO STAY ON TARGET WITH YOU, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE SAYING ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
YOU JUST TOLD ME THAT YOU STOPPED PAYING US IN 2015.
I'VE SEEN PLENTY OF SHELTERS INSTALLED SINCE 2015.
WHERE, WHERE I'LL TAKE YOU ON, WE, I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT.
ALL I'M LOOKING AT IS WHAT LEXANDER ROAD, MI, MICHIGAN STREET, THREE OF THEM.
UM, TWO OVER BY GOOSE CREEK ON DECK.
I WOULD NEED TO RESEARCH THOSE.
SO I THINK I'M GOING, I'M GOING OFF A LEDGER THAT MY FINANCE PEOPLE KEEP THAT SHOWS WE'RE REQUIRED BY A LAW TO MAINTAIN A LEDGER AND AN INVENTORY OF ALL THOSE SHELTERS.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE DISCONNECT IS.
AND I'M TRYING TO BE REALLY CLEAR.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING, IF YOU WOULD SEND ME WHERE LOCATIONS YOU THINK THAT WE, THAT YOU INSTALLED SHELTERS FOR THAT YOU WEREN'T PAID.
I I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE WEREN'T PAID.
SO MY MAIN QUESTIONS TO OUR STAFF YES.
WAS WHO'S THE ONE TELLING OUR DEPARTMENTS TO GO INSTALL ALL THESE SHELTERS? BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS THE NUMBERS IN THE EIGHTIES OKAY.
SHELTERS EIGHTIES AND THEY, THEY GO EVERYWHERE FROM, LET ME REPHRASE THAT.
80, BUT POSSIBLY 80 WITH A POLE.
SO A POLE WHICH HAS TO BE INSTALLED BY THE WAY.
SO I'M GONNA INCLUDE ALL OF THOSE.
[01:05:01]
THE COMMAND OR THE SAY SO BECAUSE WITHIN OUR CITY NO ONE CAN CAN TELL ME THAT.THEY SAY THAT THESE POLES AND THESE SHELTERS SHOW UP AND THEY'RE JUST TO INSTALL THEM.
SO I WANTED TO KNOW WHO'S GIVING THE SAY.
SO I WANTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH Y'ALL HAD REIMBURSED OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS.
AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW, BECAUSE I HAPPEN TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT.
THERE'S A NORTH SIDE CREW, A SOUTH SIDE CREW.
YOU'RE NOT GONNA KNOW ALL OF THAT.
BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE PERSONNEL ADDED WHEN 80, 80 PLUS STOPS WERE ADDED TO MAINTAIN AND OVERSEE THAT.
YOU'RE TELLING US WE REIMBURSED THAT YOU ARE REIMBURSING US FOR BUT NOW YOU'RE ALSO SAYING WE DIDN'T BILL YOU.
SO WE EITHER WERE REIMBURSED OR WE WEREN'T.
SO DID WE JUST FORGET TO BILL YOU? IT'S POSSIBLE.
YOU WANNA KNOW WHO'S BEEN DOING THIS? IT HASN'T BEEN JAY.
PRIOR TO JAY'S ARRIVAL, WE WOULD CALL THE CITY MANAGER AND SAY, WE NEED HELP WITH THIS STOCK.
AND THAT GOES BACK TO BOB LEER, UH, TO RON BOTTOMS. I DON'T THINK JAY'S EVER HAD BEEN, HAS GOT A CALL FROM US BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T DONE THAT MUCH IN RECENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF'S BEEN CALLING SOMEBODY AND PARKS AND SAYING CAN HELP US WITH THIS.
SO YOU SAY THAT YOU, SO YOU, YOU ARE DOING MAINTENANCE ON IT AND POWER WASHING AND KEEPING IT UP.
SO WHAT IS Y'ALL'S, WHAT DO Y'ALL, HOW DO, WHAT IS Y'ALL'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE? WELL RIGHT NOW WE'RE GETTING BIDS TO GET OUR, ALL OF OUR SHELTERS POWER WASHED.
'CAUSE THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DONE IN FIVE YEARS.
WE'RE HAULING OFF FROM THAT TILL WE DECIDED WE'RE GONNA HAVE SERVICE IN BAYTOWN.
WELL, SO I'M LOOKING AT LAND RIGHT NOW TO BUY IN BAYTOWN TO PUT IN A FACILITY OUT HERE THAT'S ON HOLD.
BUT I'M GONNA JUST SAY REGULARLY WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE TO PRESSURE WASH CLEAN FIVE YEARS.
EVERY FIVE YEARS YOU PRESSURE WASH AND CLEAN.
SO WE ON A SITE AND IF WE DECIDED ON A CYCLE WE HAVE, WE HIRE SOMEBODY TO DO IT.
IF WE DECIDE, HEY, THESE THINGS ARE REALLY GETTING DILAPIDATED, WE NEED TO CLEAN THEM AND WE TELL YOU HOW WE NEED OF THEM.
THE ESTIMATED LIFE ON THESE ARE 20 YEARS.
ABOUT 12 YEARS ON SOME OF THEM.
WE HAVE 20 OR SO SITTING AT WADE ROAD CAMP FOR REPLACEMENTS.
Y'ALL HAVE THREE, I THINK IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT THAT YOU'RE HOLDING AS SPARES FOR US.
IT'S YOUR, YOUR COURTESY TO LET US DO THAT.
SO LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE HAVE BEEN A PHONE CALL SAYING CAN HELP US WITH THIS.
WHO, WHO IS IT THAT CALL IN? BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND, SOMETIMES I CALL, I WOULD CALL C MANAGER.
BUT HE'S BEEN HERE THREE YEARS TALKING ABOUT RICK BEFORE.
SO YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED A PHONE CALL IN THREE YEARS? NO.
HE SAID I'M STILL BACK ON THE MAINTENANCE THING, SO I'M SORRY.
SO, SO BASICALLY A FIVE YEARS, EVERY FIVE YEARS YOU'RE GONNA COME AND CLEAN AND PRESSURE WASH THAT BUS STOP.
NOW WE'RE TRYING TO, TRYING TO DO EVERY FIVE YEARS.
WELL, I NEED TO GET, WE GOT, WE GOT, WE HAD, WE HAVE TO GET, LOOK FOLKS TO SPEND FEDERAL DOLLARS, YOU HAVE TO GET THREE QUOTES FOR EVERYTHING.
I'LL PUT EVERY FIVE YEARS IS NOT, I'LL PUT OUT AN R FP EVERY FIVE YEARS IS NOT, BUT THAT WOULD BE A CONTRACTUAL YEAH, WE, YEAH.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THAT FROM, EVERYBODY'S GONNA MORE THAN THAT.
MAYOR, IF I COULD WELL SPEAK UP.
I, I THINK WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN HELPFUL, JAY, UM, AND WE DID GET THE DATA, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN HELPFUL TO GET IS THE CONTRACT ITSELF.
'CAUSE YOU COULD HAVE ANSWERED SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS OR COULD POSE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
WHAT VERSION ARE WE ON OF THE CONTRACT? WELL, THIS IS I EIGHT.
SO YOU HAVE THAT, THAT WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM.
BUT WE'RE ON CONTRACT 18 AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, WHAT I SEE ON THE OUTSIDE IS EVERYONE'S ON A DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE CONTRACT.
I, I THINK IT'S REALLY NERVE WRACKING TO ME THAT WE'VE HAD THIS CITY MANAGER FOR THREE YEARS AND THESE TWO PEOPLE HAVE WORKED HERE ONE OVER TWO DECADES AND ONE CLOSE 15 YEARS.
AND, UM, I CAN TELL YOU, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT I'M SURE THEY HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE RIGHT NOW.
UM, BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
I JUST, THEY'RE THE, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO SOMETHING ELSE.
SO WE RECEIVED YOUR DATA AND I JUST HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE DATA.
UM, TODAY WE GOT TO HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR, OUR AMAZING CITIZENS THAT SHOWED UP THAT UTILIZE THE HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT.
UM, ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE SAID THAT THERE'S A HUNDRED RIDES A DAY.
SO THE DATA THAT WE RECEIVED SAID 297 CLIENTS.
THAT'S, UH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YEAH, THAT'S FOR WHICH PROGRAM IS THAT 10? THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT FIXED.
WHICH ROUTE IS THAT? THE 88, IS THAT THE 88 PREP TRANSIT OR IS THAT A RIDE? YEAH.
WHICH ROUTE ARE YOU USING? WELL, SO, UM, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A, THAT'S THE RIDES CLIENTS IN BAYTOWN.
IT SAID, SO HERE'S WHAT THE DATA SAYS.
THREE YEARS OF SERVICE BY THE NUMBERS.
THIS WAS EMAILED TO OUR CITY MANAGER, RIGHT.
SO I JUST HAVE TO ASSUME YOU, WHATEVER Y'ALL CALL FIXED ROUTE 195,000 PLUS TRIPS.
BUT AT THE VERY BOTTOM IT JUST SAYS RIDES TRIPS.
SO RIDES IS A SEPARATE PROGRAM.
[01:10:01]
IS A SEPARATE PROGRAM.IT'S OUR PAY FOR WITH CDBG FUNDS.
RIDES IS, WE AS A CITY, UM, WE USE, UH, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 60 AND $80,000 WORTH OF CDBG FUNDS EACH YEAR TO PROVIDE VOUCHERS TO THE RIDES PROGRAM.
THINK OF IT AS A TAXI CAP SERVICE.
WELL, BASICALLY IT HAS BEEN, IN SOME CASES, I'M SURE, RIDE.
WE PICK UP THE OTHER HALF OF THAT COST.
SO WE'RE PAYING HALF THAT COST.
ALSO, THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN AROUND LONGER THAN THE TRANSIT PROGRAM HAS BEEN.
Y'ALL BEEN USING IT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
AND WE STARTED THE FIXED ROUTE BUS SERVICE.
BOB LIEBER AT THAT TIME TOOK EVERYBODY THAT WAS ON THE CDBG PROGRAM THAT MARTIN'S TALKING ABOUT, THAT LIVED ANYWHERE THAT WAS CLOSE ON, ON THE ROUTE, OR CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE ROUTE TO GET TO THE BUS TO GO WHERE THEY'VE BEEN GOING.
SO THEY MATCHED UP THOSE WHO WERE, WHO COULD TAKE THE BUS AND NOT USE THE, THE RIDE SYSTEM AND TAKE THEM OFF THE RIGHT SYSTEM TO SAVE MONEY AND PUT 'EM ON A BUS.
SO I, ONE OF MY
UH, SHE SAID WITH, SHE'S ON THE RIDESHARE PROGRAM, RIGHT? SHE SAID HER ISSUES, WHEN SHE GOES TO THE APP, SETS IT, SCHEDULES IT, IT THEN CANCELS IT THE DAY SHE'S SUPPOSED TO COME GET THE DAY OF THE RIDE.
SHE SAID IT HAPPENS TO HER EVERY SINGLE.
WILL YOU GIMME HER NAME AND MS. HOWARD? I'LL GET, I'LL LET ME LOOK INTO THAT.
BECAUSE SHE SAID THEN THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT SHE'S HAVING.
SHE'S NOT, WE STARTED, WE'RE NOT USING AN APP ON RIDES.
IT'S AN APP THAT SHE SAYS THROUGH HARRIS COUNTY.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IT MIGHT BE, BUT SHE OH, YOU KNOW, WELL, SHE'S TAKING THE BUTT OR USING HER THE RIDE THE RIDE RIDE.
BECAUSE SHE HAS, SHE HAS, SHE HAS, UH, SHE HAS DEMENTIA AND SHE'S ALSO ON DIALYSIS.
'CAUSE SHE, HER NAME WHILE LOOK INTO IT.
MS. HOWARD, WE'LL JUMP INTO THAT QUICK.
SO THAT DOESN'T SOUND RIGHT WHEN WE'RE LOOK YEAH, I'LL, I'LL PUT SOME, I'LL LEAVE MY CARD.
I'LL GIVE HER A CALL BACK QUICKLY.
SO I, I THINK ALL I RECEIVED THEN WAS THE RIDES DATA.
'CAUSE EV BOTH OF THE SHEETS THAT WE WERE EMAILED, SAY RIDES.
SO HOW MANY PEOPLE IN BAYTOWN RIDE THE BUS EACH DAY ON AVERAGE? AMP WAS FROM KEN DIRECTLY.
SO WE AVERAGE ABOUT 70,000 PER YEAR ON A DAILY NUMBER, I WOULD SAY WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 300, 300 PER DAY OF RIDING THE BUS.
AND THEN ON AVERAGE, YEAH, THIS PROBABLY ISN'T.
UH, I, I WAS CURIOUS HOW Y'ALL DETERMINE.
THIS WAS JUST INTERESTING TO ME IN THE DATA THAT IT'S BROKEN UP INTO AMBULATORY, WHEELCHAIR, ELDERLY, DISABLED, UH, EVEN GOES AS FAR AS DIALYSIS.
I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T ASK PEOPLE THIS WHEN THEY GET ONTO THE, THE BUS.
SO THAT'S NOT FOR THE BUS ONE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO EARLIER.
IT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE THAT'S PROGRAM.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, LET ME LET, LET'S BACK UP FOR A MINUTE.
THE WHITES PROGRAM IS A SHARED RIDE PROGRAM OR CAN BE ONE PERSON PER VEHICLE.
IT IS FOR ELDERLY, DISABLED PEOPLE ONLY.
YOU CAN'T BE A NORMAL PERSON LIKE ME OR SOMEONE.
I ACTUALLY QUALIFY AS ELDERLY THAT I'LL DO THAT.
BUT I'M SAYING, BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
SO WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE TO THIS PROGRAM, WE COLLECT IT, YOU GET THE FILE APPLICATION, YOUR DATE OF BIRTH, WHAT, WHAT YOUR DISABILITY IS.
WE STORE IT, KEEP IT LOCKED UP SO WE KNOW WHAT WE GOT AS FAR AS MOST OF OUR CUSTOMERS.
WE ALSO DO SURVEYS TWICE A YEAR ON THE BUSES.
THAT'S WHEN I SAW FOR, FOR MEDICAL, ABOUT 35% ARE FOR GOING TO WORK.
SO THAT'S THE, WE CLICK A, I'M A DATA HOUND.
I LIKE TO SEE A LOT OF DATA AND COLLECT THIS.
WHAT CONCERNS ME A LOT IS YOUR CONCERN ABOUT THE SHELTER THING.
AND I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT'S RELEVANT TO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
WE'VE NEVER, EVER TRIED TO SHORT BAKE HOUND ON ANY FUNDING OR OWE YOU MONEY.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU HOW IT'S RELEVANT.
ARE NOT TAKING CARE OF SOME OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THINGS THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND WHEN I WAS, WE, WHEN WE WORKED OUT THIS ARRANGEMENT TO DO THIS AND, AND WE PAY Y'ALL TO DO THIS, WE WERE TOLD THE O THE SHELTERS WOULD ONLY BE INSTALLED IN THE WINTER MONTHS.
'CAUSE IT TOOK AWAY PARK ACTIVITIES FROM THE PEOPLE THAT NEEDED TO BE WORKING ON PARK STUFF.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THE INWARD WORKINGS OF THE BAYTOWN PARK SYSTEM, BUT THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE TOLD WAS GONNA HAPPEN IF WE NEEDED HELP WITH, IF WE NEEDED INSTALL WHEN WE DID THESE SHELTER STALLS, WE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF 'EM ONE TIME.
SO IT TOOK US ABOUT TWO YEARS TO GET 'EM DONE.
MOST OF THAT WORK WAS DONE WHEN IT WAS COLD.
BY THE DIRECTOR ASKING WHEN DID, WHEN WAS THAT DISCUSSED? INITIAL 2011, 2010.
SO I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THE CITY MANAGER, WHAT UNFORTUNATELY FOR YOU IS THAT HE HAS BEEN FOLLOWING EVERYTHING THAT SOMEBODY ELSE
[01:15:01]
ARRANGED.AND YOUR STAFF IS, IS NOT AWARE OF ALL OF THESE ARRANGEMENTS.
THAT THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE, THERE'S A BIG HIDDEN COST FOR US.
WELL, IT'S, WE DID HAVE, I KNOW SOMEBODY CALLED, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO WAS THAT? TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO.
SOMEBODY ELSE DID, BUT THEY WERE CALLING ABOUT THAT AND THEY WERE, DID NOT KNOW IT WAS IN THE CONTRACT.
THEY, THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE BILLING US FOR IT.
THAT'S THE LAST I HEARD ON IT FOR A WHILE.
I DON'T, WE, I DON'T, I DON'T PAY THE BILLS.
SO JUST, I DON'T WANT TO GET LOST THOUGH ON YES, WE CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK DONE.
BUT TO YOUR OTHER POINT, IT'S STILL WORK BEING DONE.
THIS, THE ONGOING MAINTENANCE IS STILL WORK BEING DONE.
SO THE, THE BALANCE THAT Y'ALL HAVE TO CONSIDER IS LIKE, IF YOU WANT THE WORK DONE, YES, YOU'RE GONNA BE REIMBURSED FOR IT.
AND MAYBE IT'S ONLY $20,000, UH, FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, BUT YOU'RE TAKING AWAY FROM WHAT PARKS IS DOING FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
OR DO YOU WANT TO PUT THAT BACK ON THE CONTRACT RENEWAL OF LIKE, HARRIS COUNTY NEEDS TO SEND THEIR OWN PEOPLE OFF TO TAKE CARE OF THE WE'RE DOING THAT NOW.
RIGHT? THE TRASH AND THE CLEAN WE HIRED ON PERSON BECAUSE WE NEED A HAPPY MEDIUM.
SO THE OTHER THING IS, UM, YOU, I KNOW THAT MOST PEOPLE THAT RIDE THE BUS ROUTES, THEY PAY EITHER 50 CENTS OR A DOLLAR.
UM, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH YOU, UH, RECOUP THROUGH THAT? YES.
AND WHAT'S THAT NUMBER? I CAN'T TELL YOU TODAY.
BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT THEY'RE GETTING THAT WE'RE NOT WELL, I'M SORRY, WHAT? THAT, THAT YOU'RE GETTING THAT WE'RE NOT.
SO YOU PUT THE NUMBERS UP THERE EARLIER.
ANY WHO'S, WHO'S IN FINANCE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A BUS OPERATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE TAKING CASH DOWN IN CASH CONTROL? THERE YOU GO.
SO THE, THE COUNTY AUDITOR, MY FINANCE PEOPLE SAID, HERE'S THE WAY WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
YOUR CONTRACTOR'S GONNA, THEY HAVE A LEAVE A LOCK BOX.
THEY COUNT THE CASH, WHEREVER THE CASH TALLY IS, HAS TO MATCH BOARDINGS.
THEY KEEP THE CASH, WE GET A CREDIT FOR ALL THAT THEY HAVE TO BALANCE OUT.
IF THEY DON'T, THEN WE, THEY DON'T, WE DON'T PAY ON THEIR BILL.
HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MEETING ABOUT THAT.
IT GOES TO THE BUS CONTRACTOR.
SO WE'RE NOT, THIS IS NOT A PROFIT BUSINESS FOR US.
IT'S JUST A DOLLAR OR 50 CENTS.
SO I WAS GOING BACK TO THE NUMBER.
IT COST Y'ALL A MILLION PLUS DOLLARS AND IT COST US 400,000.
THE 30% THE SLIDE THAT YOU PUT UP THERE.
SO THE REASON I BROUGHT THAT UP IS BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE A DEDUCTION FROM YOUR CONTRACTORS FOR WHATEVER CASH THEY RECOUP.
SO YOUR COST OF A MILLION PLUS, THERE'S GONNA BE A SMALL AMOUNT THAT YOU NEED.
PART OF THAT'S PART OF, THAT'S, THAT'S BEFORE, LET'S SAY AFTER FAIR RECOVERY.
WE, WE COULD KEEP THAT INFORMATION.
I JUST DON'T HAVE IT WITH ME IN MY BRAIN TODAY OR ON PIECE OF PAPER.
NO, I, SO I COULDN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT IS.
SO, AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED BEFORE AT BAYTOWN ABOUT DOING RAISING FAIRES.
OH NO, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
WE WANNA KEEP IT AS AFFORDABLE AS WE CAN.
A DOLLAR, THAT'S ABOUT WHAT FAIRES ARE ON A NATIONAL BASIS FOR SMALL SYSTEMS. METRO IS A DOLLAR 40, I THINK 25, A DOLLAR 25.
I CAN RAISE FAIRS, BUT I CAN'T RAISE THEM MORE THAN 25% AT ONE TIME.
SO METRO RAISED THEIRS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO.
SO I WAS ASKED BY, I FORGOTTEN WHO IT WAS.
CAN WE RAISE OUR FAIRS LIKE A BUCK 50? YEAH, WE CAN DO, IT'D BE HAPPY TO DO IT FOR YOU.
HARRIS COUNTY, OUR BLANK CITY RAISES THEIR FAIRES 150%.
BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PAYING TO RIDE THE, TO RIDE THE BUS.
WHAT KIND OF FUNDING DO THEY HAVE? SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, I CAN GET YOU SOME DEMOGRAPHICS ON THE ROUTES IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT.
ANYBODY ELSE? EARLIER, EARLIER YOU STATED THAT IF YOU ADJUST THE ROUTES THAT MAY SAVE ON YES.
WHAT'S PROJECTED? DON'T, WE'VE ONLY BEEN DISCUSSING IT.
I COULD PROBABLY GIVE YOU AN ESTIMATE IN A FEW WEEKS.
WE'VE BEEN HIT WITH THIS VERY SUDDENLY FOR US TO, IT TOOK US A YEAR TO DESIGN ROUTES.
IT TAKES TIME TO DESIGN ROUTES.
IT TAKES TIME TO DO AN ANALYSIS.
IT TAKES TIME TO DO PUBLIC OUTREACH AND HAVE PUBLIC MEETINGS AND COLLECT INFORMATION FROM YOUR PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT THEY WANT BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO THAT.
IT TAKES TIME TO DO ALL THOSE THINGS.
SO THE ROUTES, LIKE WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD ROUTES WHOLE THING ABOUT ROUTES BEING ADDED.
HOW, HOW DOES THAT DETERMINE, OKAY, SO ROUTES
[01:20:01]
GONNA BE ADDED.WE SPENT, WE SPENT A YEAR DESIGNING THE FIRST TWO ROUTES.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC MEETINGS, YOU GOT PUBLIC INPUT.
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE? WELL, WE, AND I WOULD SAY THINGS LIKE, WELL THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA INCREASE YOUR HEADWAY FOR AN HOUR INSTEAD OF 30 MINUTES.
HEADWAY'S THE ROUTE, THE TIME THEY GO AROUND THE ROUTE.
ONE OF THESE GUYS SAYS, WE DON'T REALLY CARE.
WE'VE BEEN WAITING 15 YEARS FOR A BUS.
WHAT'S AN HOUR? THAT WAS ONE OF, AT YOUR AUDITORIUM OVER HERE BEHIND THE CITY HALL.
SO I NEVER, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND I, I'VE, I REMEMBER ALL THIS STUFF THAT I'VE SEEN HERE.
SO TO YOUR POINT, I'M JUST, I MEAN, HOW DO WE GET TO 85 ROUTE IS MY QUESTION.
SO, SO PART OF THE POLICY DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD IS CAN WE, CAN WE LOOK LIKE THE HISTORICAL STUFF I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO AN EXTENT.
AND THEN THE PROBLEM IN FRONT OF US IS, DO WE WANT TO CONTINUE FORWARD WITH HER KIND OF TRANSIT? AND IF WE DO, DO WE WANT TO FIND A MODIFIED METHOD TO MOVE FORWARD? UM, 'CAUSE A LOT OF THE STUFF IS GONNA BE DETAILED STUFF THAT PROBABLY HE NOR I CAN PROBABLY ANSWER ON THE SPOT RIGHT NOW, BUT LIKE, GENERALLY LOOKING AT THIS, HOW DO WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AS A, AS AN ENTITY? WELL, TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, JASON, THE, THE FIRST TWO ROUTE, THE FIRST, THE FIRST, THE FIRST TWO ROUTES LINKED TOGETHER.
AND THAT TOOK A LONG TIME TO DO THAT.
A LOT OF DISCUSSION IN YOUR MM-HMM
CITY HALL BUILDING OVER THERE, YOUR MEETING ROOM, AROUND THE TABLE THERE.
WE ATTENDED A LOT OF MEETINGS, DID A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS.
AFTER HURRICANE I, WE GOT A CALL.
WE NEED EXTRA SERVICE IN LOWER BAYTOWN.
CAN YOU GET SOME BUSES OUT THERE FOR US? WE'LL PAY YOU.
AND WE THEN AFTER THAT WE GOT A $40,000 GRANT CUP COVER, SOME OF THAT COST THROUGH HGAC.
SO THEY DECIDED TO KEEP THAT ROUTE.
AND ABOUT TWO YEARS LATER, THEY CAME TO US AND SAID, WE THINK WE NEED HAVE COVERAGE OVER HERE.
SO WE HAD ROUTE FOUR WHO, WHO SAID THEY NEED COVERAGE? CITY BAY, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE COUNCIL AT THE TIME, Y'ALL, Y'ALL WEREN'T IN THERE, BUT SOME PEOPLE WERE.
BUT IS WE HAD WHAT, HOW MANY, WHAT? THREE, TWO MAYORS, I GUESS.
SO YOUR MAYOR, A LOT OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I BELIEVE THE LAST ONE THAT WAS ADDED WAS RIGHT WHEN I GOT HERE IN JULY OF 22.
AND I THINK RICK HAD WORKED TO RICK AND THE FORMER MAYOR HAD WORKED TO DO THE HYATT BUS STOP MAYBE.
SO THAT WAS ADDED ON TO THE ROUTE THAT GOES OVER THERE.
THAT WAS JUST, THAT'S JUST A ROUTE CHANGE.
THAT WAS THE LAST CHANGE THAT I REMEMBER.
AND THAT WAS LIKE, RIGHT WHEN I GOT HERE IS THE AC SO WHEN WAS THE LAST, WAS THE LAST ROUTE ADDED? I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND RESEARCH THAT THAT ROUTE WAS CHANGED.
BUT I, I CAN SAY IT'S NOT ROUTE TO COUNCIL.
SHE SHE WAS, YEAH, IT WAS NOT NO, YOU'RE YOU'RE CORRECT.
WE, I, I WAS AROUND, BUT THE, THE CONTRACT CURRENTLY READS, IT'S THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER IN HARRIS COUNTY.
THAT'S WHAT THE CONTRACT SAYS.
AND SO Y'ALL KNOW MY M TRYING TO DO ANYTHING IN THE PAST, Y'ALL KNOW MY STANCE ON MATTER.
LIKE RIGHT NOW, ALL OF THAT, IT HAS HAPPENED.
AND THE THE NEXT QUESTION IS YES, AND I DO AGREE WITH KEN.
THEY, THEY HAVE PART, THERE WAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH LEE COLLEGE WHERE THEY PROVIDE STOPS AT LEE COLLEGE.
UH, I THINK THAT ONE HAS GONE AWAY.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS THEY PAYING AND THE CLOSED ONE IS LIKE, YEAH, THEY STOP PAYING FOR BACK, BACK TO THE IKE THING AND THE HELPING WITH EMERGENCY, I'M AND HARVEY AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.
SO THEY PROVIDE, SO LIKE IN HURRICANE BARREL, THE HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT DID RESPOND TO DO, TO MOVE TRANS, UH, UH, UH, PEOPLE, UH, FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER.
SO THEY WERE HURRICANE BARREL.
BUT I, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR DURING HARVEY THAT THAT'S A NO, I'LL STEP ASIDE DURING RITA, THAT'S A NO, BECAUSE THERE WERE EMPLOYEES HERE THAT HAD TO GO TO SAN JA AND LEARN HOW TO DRIVE A BUS VERY QUICKLY FROM GOOSE CREEK SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I JUST, THERE'S A LOT OF JUST THINGS BEING THROWN OUT HERE THAT ARE, ARE NOT THE TRUTH THAT I KNOW.
WELL, AND THERE'S, AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE THAN ONE TRUTH BECAUSE WE DID PROVIDE BUSES FOR HARVEY.
WE DID PROVIDE BUSES FOR BARREL IN BAYTOWN.
DAVID CALLS US EVERY TIME THERE'S A STORM COMING.
SO YOUR EOC WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH US.
WE'RE ALSO IN THE HARRIS COUNTY.
SO WHENEVER THERE'S A HURRICANE, WHENEVER THERE'S A FOREMAN STATION THAT NEEDS TO GET SET UP, WHENEVER THERE'S A FREEZE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHEN THERE'S A FLOODING, WE WILL SEND OUR CREW OUT HERE TO GO PICK UP PEOPLE, BRING 'EM TO THOSE SHELTERS, TAKE 'EM TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER, TAKE 'EM WHEREVER WE NEED TO GO.
SO IF YOU SPEAK WITH, UH, THE FIRE CHIEF OR HIS EEOT MEMBERS WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH US.
AND WE ARE YOUR PARTNER FOR EVERY EMERGENCY.
AND, AND SARAH, I THINK, UM, I'M NOT THINKING ABOUT BARREL AND THE RECENT ONES.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
HE, HE MENTIONED IKE SPECIFICALLY.
THAT'S ALL I WAS, THAT'S, I WAS SAYING GO AHEAD.
PROVIDE YOU WITH MORE INPUT ON THAT.
IKE, I DON'T REMEMBER HONESTLY.
HARVEY, I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER VIVIDLY.
I, ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON, I GOT A CALL FROM BOB,
[01:25:01]
ER I NEED YOUR BUSES AND I NEED HIM NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE TO EVACUATE LOWER BAYTOWN NOW, ACTUALLY.WE SENT OUR BUSES OVER UNDER THE FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
WE CALLED UP OUR PROVIDER AND GOT THREE MORE VEHICLES DOWN HERE.
WE OPERATED ALL NIGHT LONG TO EVACUATE WAR BAYTOWN TO GET 'EM TO THE MALL, TO GET 'EM TO THE G RV DOWNTOWN.
IT WAS TOO MUCH AFTER WE STARTED SERVICE TO GET HIM TO THE, TO GET HIM TO THE MALL TO GET OUT.
NOT OUT OF BAYTOWN TO THE MALL.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING, THAT WAS MY FIRST EVACUATION.
ONCE THEY, THE MALL WERE DRIVEN.
BUT NONE OF THAT REALLY MATTERS ANYMORE.
IT'S JUST MORE ABOUT THE COST AND THE EFFECTIVENESS.
SO MY, MY ASK TO KEN AND TO, UH, COMMISSIONER GARCIA'S OFFICE IS THAT IT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT THE BUS ROUTE SYSTEM HAS GROWN BEYOND WHAT WAS EVER INTENDED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, AND FINDING A WAY GOING BEYOND WHAT WAS OBJECTIVE.
SO I, I'M, I'M TRYING TO SAY THAT, I'M TRYING TO SAY THAT THE CITY MANAGER HAD PROBABLY MORE AUTHORITY OVER THINGS THAN THE COUNCIL PROBABLY EVER REALIZED, UH, AS A WHOLE.
I'M NOT GONNA SAY THAT THE MAYOR'S INVOLVED DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON BEFORE.
I'M SAYING THAT AS THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY AWARE OF HOW MUCH THE BUS SYSTEM WAS GROWING.
THAT'S PROBABLY HOW I'M TRYING TO, TO WE A ROUTE.
BUT COUNTY COUNCIL, LAURA'S BEEN THE LONGEST AND LAURA HAS NO CLUE ABOUT IT.
LAURA LONG, WE'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WE, UH, WE REALIZED THAT THE CONTRACT WAS GROWING, BUT WE DIDN'T SEE THE WEEDS AND WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW EACH ONE, NOW IT COULD BE ON US AS WELL THAT WE DIDN'T ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
UM, BUT IT, IT HAS, I WASN'T HERE WHEN IT FIRST STARTED.
NO, BUT I MEAN, BUT FROM WHEN I DID COME ON COUNCIL, WE DIDN'T REALIZE WHO WAS MAKING THE DECISIONS TO ADD THE ADDITIONAL STOPS.
BUT IT, AND, AND, AND I THINK WHAT WE PROBABLY NEED TO DO IS, IS I THINK WHAT JAY IS, IS TRYING TO OPEN TO IS THAT AT THIS POINT, WE KNOW THERE'S A FLAW SOMEWHERE.
WE KNOW THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN INFORMATION, A BREAKDOWN IN PROCESS COMMUNICATION.
UM, YOU, UM, HARRIS COUNTY IS WORKING ON THE FACT THAT, HEY, WE HAD A CONTRACT.
THIS IS A PROCESS WE FOLLOWED.
UM, WHO DID IT? WELL, WE KNOW WHO WE WORKED WITH, BUT IT JUST NEVER GOT DOWN TO COUNCIL AS A WHOLE.
AND SO I FEEL WHERE WE NEED TO MOVE ON FROM HERE IS WHAT ARE WE GONNA APPROVE TODAY? DO WE NOT? HOW, HOW IS IT GONNA BE BUDGET? RIGHT.
UM, AND DO WE WANT TO THEN LATER REVIEW BECAUSE WE'RE UNDER A CON, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTUAL.
WHETHER WE WANT REVIEW, RENEW WHAT'S ON THERE RIGHT NOW, AND THEN WHAT I'M HEARING, IF WE NEED TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO LOWER THE COST, WE DO, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
THAT PROCESS IS GONNA INVOLVE Y'ALL TOO.
AND WHICH IS, YOU SAID IT WAS A YEAR, IT USED TO A YEAR PROCESS.
NO, IT TOOK A YEAR TO START THE PROGRAM WITH THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS.
BUT TO, TO DO THE ANALYSIS WHETHER WELL, I, WE COULD GIVE US A FEW, GIVE US A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
I I'M GONNA CALL TIME OUT IF YOU DON'T MIND REAL QUICK.
HARRIS COUNTY HAS THEIR PROCESS.
THE CITY OF OF BAYTOWN AND HARRIS COUNTY ARE VERY GOOD PARTNERS.
THANK YOU FOR COMING TO, LIKE, IT'S BETTER HAVING YOU HERE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT ONE-ON-ONE.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE EVERY DAY, AND HE DOES, AND YOUR ATTORNEY KNOWS THIS 'CAUSE HE'S, HE'S BEEN AROUND IT WITH US.
WE HAVE A LOT OF CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUES WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
PUBLIC INFORMATION, PUBLIC INPUT, ALL THAT FALLS UNDER THE BIG UMBRELLA OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND TITLE VI.
SO WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ALL THAT.
OUR A DA MANUAL WAS 262 PAGES THAT'S PUBLISHED BY THE FDA.
SO WE GOT A LOT OF RULES AND REGULATIONS WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
IT TAKES TIME TO FIGURE ALL THIS STUFF OUT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO EXPLAIN THE COMPLEXITY.
THANK YOU FOR COMING IN AND GIVING US THAT INFORMATION.
I, WE'VE ALL BEEN ENLIGHTENED.
'CAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS ONE ON YOUR SIDE OF THE FENCE.
SO, SO NOW WE NEED TO DECIDE IF WE'RE, WE'RE, HOW WE'RE GONNA PROGRESS GOING FORWARD.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR FROM MR. YEAH.
I'LL, I'LL TRY TO TIE IT ALL TOGETHER AND I KNOW KEN WILL STILL BE HERE IN CASE THERE ARE MORE QUESTIONS.
SO I'LL BE AVAILABLE ALL DAY IF YOU NEED ME HERE.
HE'S GOT MY CELL PHONE NUMBER.
HARRIS COUNTY DOES HAVE PROGRAM PIECES THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO CHANGE ROUTES.
[01:30:01]
CONSIDERING THAT WE ARE GOOD PARTNERS, THERE ARE THINGS THAT LIKE, HEY, HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER WITH THEM? IN MY SAME BREATH, I'M GONNA SAY THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM.WHEN I LOOK AT THIS FROM THE CITY OF BAYTOWN ISSUE, THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT MR. LAMONT UP HERE.
IF, IF WE CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD SAYING, HEY, WE WANT TO BE PARTNERS FOR NDD OR, OR FOR HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT, UH, BUT I WANT TO PAY MAX 250,000, IT'S GOING TO FORCE YOU TO LIKE CHANGE SERVICE DELIVERY THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
UM, AND WE WANT TO BUILD A NEW CONTRACT BASED ON THAT.
AND THEN THE QUESTION FOR THE, THE RISK POINT FOR THE COUNCIL IS LIKE, OKAY, WELL ARE THESE THINGS THAT MR. PICK IS TALKING ABOUT PROBLEMS FOR THE CITY OF BAYTOWN? OUR ATTORNEYS ALREADY TOLD YOU NO, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE BELIEVE.
AND IF I'M MISSPEAKING, PLEASE TELL ME I'M MISSPEAKING.
THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO, THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
UH, WE CAN ASSIST THEM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO WORK THROUGH.
BUT THE MAX THAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND WITH THE CONTRACT RENEWAL IS 250,000 AND WORK ON YOU WITH WHAT THE ROUTES LOOK LIKE.
BUT THE FIRST QUESTION BEFORE WE EVEN GET THERE IS, DO WE WANT TO FUND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? THAT'S THE VERY FIRST QUESTION WHICH WE NEED TO ANSWER.
AND THEN, WHICH THE GENERAL DIRECTION THAT HAS COME TO ME BUILDING UP TO THIS POINT IS LIKE, WE FEEL IT IS RIGHT TO HAVE A FORM OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN LOOK AT TO PROVIDE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN? WE LOOKED AT UBER, WE TALKED TO KEN ABOUT HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT IS ALSO LOOKING AT A, UH, UH, AUTOMOBILE.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN UBER THING.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE ACTUALLY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH UBER THIS FOR THE RIDES PROGRAM.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO FIND DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE INNOVATIVE ON THAT THING.
FOR US, WHEN WE TALKED TO UBER AND LYFT AND THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE PROVIDING THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICE, AND THEY DID HAVE AN A DA, UM, PORTION OF THAT, IT WAS GONNA BE ROUGHLY $500,000 A YEAR.
AND FOR TWO CARS, AND THOSE TWO CARS, THEY WOULD JUST BE, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LARGE UBER PRESENCE IN BAYTOWN, YOU'RE REALLY SUBSIDIZING THAT PRESENCE.
AND SO IT WOULD BE TWO DEDICATED CARS THAT WOULD PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO GET PEOPLE AROUND OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
AND SO WE DIDN'T FEEL THAT THAT WAS A GOOD ENOUGH SERVICE DELIVERY.
AND SO WE CONTINUED TO LOOK AT OTHER PIECES.
WE WERE TRYING TO LOOK AT THE, UH, DRIVERLESS CARS THAT OTHER CITIES WERE USING.
UM, AND SO LIKE WHAT, HOW ARE THOSE THINGS WORKING OUT OR NOT? WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ANSWERS ON THAT.
SO LIKE THE, THE FALLBACK AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT IS THAT MEDIUM THAT IS GOING TO ASSIST WITH THAT.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST QUESTION.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH DO WE WANT TO SPEND? AND IF, IF HOW MUCH WE WANNA SPEND IS GONNA DETERMINE OTHER BUS ROUTES, THEN THE DIRECTION THAT I NEED TO GET IS, HEY, WORK WITH KEN ON SETTING UP WHAT THIS PROGRAM LOOKS LIKE.
THE THE PROBLEMATIC PIECE IS THAT THE CONTRACT DOES IT EXPIRE? UH, JA JULY 8TH.
UH, DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE FORCED.
THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO RUSH ON THAT.
YEAH, THERE'S NO, I'M NOT GONNA STOP, BUT SIR, I UNDERSTAND
UM, UH, SO IT IS SOMETHING JUST THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE THAT IT IS HAPPENING.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, THE CONTRACT THAT WE HAVE SIGNED, UH, I THINK IT'S A 30 DAY NOTICE IF WE NO LONGER WANT TO USE THAT SERVICE.
90 DAY NOTICE IF WE NO LONGER WANT TO USE THAT SERVICE.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, THE FIRST QUESTION IS DO WE WANT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? YES.
THE NEXT QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH DO WE WANT TO SPEND ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? CAN I JUMP IN FOR A YES SIR.
I THINK YOU DID A, A LOT OF THIS CONVERSATION REALLY CAME UP WHEN WE REALIZED $400,000.
I'VE BEEN HERE SIX YEARS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.
SEVERAL YEARS AS A, AS A DIRECTOR.
NEVER HEARD DISCUSSIONS OF HOW IT EXPANDED.
YOU EXPLAINED TODAY, AND IT'S BECOME VERY CLEAR.
THEY EXPANDED WAY BEFORE SIX YEARS AGO.
BUT HOW THOSE EXPANSIONS OCCUR WITHOUT COMING TO THIS BODY.
WELL, THE CONTRACTS PUT IT ON THE SEED MANAGER.
THEY, WE PRESENTED YOU ALL ORIGINALLY.
THEY HERE BECAUSE I WAS WITH THE CITY FOR I YEARS.
BUT YOU, SO, SO THAT'S HOW THAT OCCURRED.
SO THE 400,000, THAT'S HOW IT GREW, RIGHT.
THEN THEN IT THEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION CAME IN AS FAR AS, WELL, CITY STAFF IS PUTTING UP ALL THE, THE SHELTERS, CITY STAFF.
AND, AND WE OBVIOUSLY BY THE, THE BLANK STARES FROM THE TWO DIRECTORS INVOLVED, WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, OR THERE WASN'T A CONNECTION AS
[01:35:01]
FAR AS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INVOICING BACK TO BE PAID FOR THAT.SO THEN THAT'S BECOME CLEAR THAT THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING.
SO, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT COME AROUND.
YES, WE ALL AGREE THAT WE WANT SOME TYPE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
I THINK Y'ALL PROVIDE EXCELLENT SERVICE DURING EMERGENCY, SO FORTH AND SO ON.
I'VE WORKED WITH Y'ALL DURING THE IKE ISSUE.
UM, IT, IT IS JUST, HAS IT GROWN TOO LARGE AND HOW CAN WE SCALE IT BACK? WELL, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT OUR ROUTES, PARTICULARLY ROUTE FOUR.
IS THAT IT? BECAUSE THIS GOT A COUPLE SECTIONS IN THERE THAT DON'T HAVE GOOD RIDERSHIP.
AND, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD ASK IF WE COULD.
I I WANT YOU NEED TIME TO DO THAT.
BUT I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT THOSE AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE GOOD RIDERSHIP, THERE WAS A LOCAL DECISION MADE THAT WE NEEDED TO GO OVER THERE.
THAT WAS, I GOT, I GOT ALL THAT.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING OKAY.
JUST SAYING IS IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MOVE FORWARD AND RE RE REDUCE THE ROUTES TO WHERE THEY HAVE GOOD RIDERSHIP, SCALE IT BACK A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I I'M, I'M MORE APPLICABLE TO GO THAT WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS.
SO, BUT 400,000, IF WE GOTTA DO THAT TO GET TIME TO MOVE FORWARD AND THEN SKATE IT BACK AND REDO AGAIN.
I, MY, MY, MY PROPOSAL AT THIS POINT WOULD BE WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
WELL, I'M GONNA WORK TOGETHER TO REDUCE THE COST WHERE WE CAN, IF I CAN PASS THE COST ON TO YOU BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, I'LL DO THAT.
I MEAN COST SAVINGS, BUT WE, WE NEED TIME TO DO THAT.
THE SECOND THING IS, IF YOU DECIDE YOU WANT TO, TO, TO OFFER SERVICE, I SAVE SOME MONEY.
WE CAN STOP SATURDAY SERVICE AND CUT AN HOUR OFF IN THE MORNING.
THAT'S AS FAR AS I WOULD TAKE IT.
Y'ALL ARE NEED TO TALK OUT AMONGST YOURSELVES AND DRAW STRAWS TO FIND OUT WHO WANTS TO LOSE THE ROUTE IN THEIR DISTRICT.
I'LL, YOU DON'T HAVE, DON'T TALK TO YOU ABOUT, I'LL TALK ABOUT YOUR DISTRICT BECAUSE WE SPENT LOT HARRIS COUNTY OR CHAMBER COUNTY.
WELL, WE CAN, BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT HOSPITAL ABOUT IT AND RUSTS WAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER OVER THERE.
HE AND I STILL LOCKED OUT, LYING AROUND A CAR TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.
SO OUR CITIZENS THAT ARE CHAMBERS COUNTY.
SO WE PAYING SERVICE AND OUR GETTING SERVICE BACK AND THEN, SO SORRY, WHAT, WE COULD CUT SATURDAY SERVICE BACK AND REDUCE THE ROUTES AND WE COULD GET IT DOWN TO 2 50, 300.
BUT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, WELL, KEEPING, KEEPING THE ROUTES WOULD BE ABOUT 312,000.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE NUMBER I CAME UP WITH ON THE BACK.
AGAIN, I THINK SOME OF THE ROUTES WERE EXPANDED IN UNNECESSARILY, BUT, AND MY, AND MY, MY, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS, IS, IS OUR ELDERLY INSECT.
IT, IT'S THAT BAYTOWN IS NOT LIKE, IT'S NOT THIS GRAND BIG CITY.
THERE'S THERE'S WAYS TO GET AROUND FOR, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE TOO.
HAVE A LOT OF GOOD SIDEWALK SYSTEM AND YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WE HAD A GENTLEMAN HERE WHO RODE A BIKE HERE TODAY.
I MEAN THAT'S, YOU CAN GET AROUND BAYTOWN AND OTHERS, AND I GOT SOME RANK, BUT MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE, THE LADY, MY DIALYSIS, WHO, WHO IS UH, IS, IS IN STAGES OF DEMENTIA AND SHE CAN'T EVEN GET HER RIDES HERE BECAUSE THEY KEEP CANCELING ON HER.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, I'LL LET YOU, WELL, I DON'T LOOK INTO THAT.
I LOOKING, I'LL GIVE HER A CALL HERE IN A SECOND.
THOSE ARE THOSE ASSISTANTS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
BUT THOSE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE ONES, JANE.
UM, IF WE CAN GET WITH, UM, ARTS AND, AND MAYBE EVEN PUBLIC PARKS IS YOU MENTIONED AS WELL AS FINANCE.
UM, AND WE RENEW AT THE 400 FOR THIS YEAR AND THEN SEE HOW MUCH WE ARE GOING TO RECOUP.
THAT MAY WASH A LITTLE BIT OFF OF THE 400,000 UNTIL WE HAVE THAT TIME TO FIGURE OUT THE SCALE BACK.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HERE DOESN'T THINK WE HAVE.
I DON'T THINK I, MY PERSONAL OPINION FOR MY, MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL IS THAT I DON'T THINK PARK SHOULD BE DOING IT, PERIOD.
I WOULD ASK THAT HARRIS COUNTY TAKE CARE OF THEIR OWN STOPS AND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE ANY REIMBURSEMENT OR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT GO WITH THAT.
UM, BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR DOWN IN THIS DISCUSSION, I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT EARLIER, EARLIER, BUT I DO WANT, UH, COUNSEL TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING IF, IF, IF WE TALK ABOUT THE TOTAL SYSTEM, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ONLY THIS CONTRACT THAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY.
THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT CONTRACTS AND I THINK THERE ARE MORE THAN THAT.
UH, THERE'S A CONTRACT FOR THE SERVICE, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY, RIGHT? THERE'S A CONTRACT FOR SIDEWALKS, THERE'S A CONTRACT FOR SHELTERS AND THERE MAY BE MORE THAN THAT.
THAT'S ALL THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND, UH, SO FAR.
ARE THEY ALL UNDER THE $400,000 COST? NO, THEY'RE NOT.
[01:40:01]
THEY'RE SEPARATE.WE HAVE, WE'VE PUT IN 3 MILLION, ALMOST 3 MILLION.
SO I, THAT YOU GUYS BROUGHT UP SIDEWALKS BECAUSE OF MY TEAM HAS WORKED.
I'VE CAME BREAK BEFORE WE WORKED ON SIDEWALKS WITH YOU GUYS.
A LOT OF OUR PROJECTS FOR SIDEWALKS, WE EITHER FUND THEM AT 80% OR I WAS TALKING TO THE MAYOR.
WE HAVE MONEY THAT WE'RE WILLING A HUNDRED PERCENT AT A HUNDRED PERCENT WE'RE WILLING TO PUT SIDEWALKS IN BAYTOWN.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, I HAVE 3.3 MILES WORTH OF SIDEWALKS IN BAYTOWN.
SAYING WE'RE SAYING FINISH ALL THAT WE'RE SAYING, OUR $3 MILLION EARMARK WITH BAYTOWN, THAT IS PROBABLY GONNA GO TO A PORT IF WE DON'T PUT 'EM IN HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE SALIVATING OVER IT FOR THE COST OF $400, YOU GUYS WILL SEE ALL OTHER, HOW MUCH DOES THEY HAVE? ONE BUS THAT'S $90,000 AND THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE ADA A FAIR TRANSIT ISSUES THAT Y'ALL DO.
SO IT'S, IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL BASED ON FAIRNESS AND WHERE THE HOURS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
HALF, SO 30 PLUS Y'ALL ARE, Y'ALL ARE SHARING A BUS WITH THE COURT THAT YOU MAY NOT REALIZE.
IT GOES FROM HERE TO LA PORT TO STRAWBERRY CLINIC IF IT'S NEEDED.
THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE AND YES.
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO GULF GATE.
SO Y'ALL GOT PEOPLE GOING TO WORK, GET SURVEYS ON THAT.
I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION I WAS TRYING TO ASK EARLIER.
UH, IS THE MDD CAPABLE OF FUNDING EVEN A PORTION? YES.
THE MDD CURRENTLY AS IT'S STRUCTURED WITH THE SAVINGS FROM THE HEB SALES TAX IN INITIATIVE THAT WOULD SAVED THE MDD 150,000 AND THE POSSIBLE, THE, IT'S, AND I NEED TO, I NEED TO HIGHLIGHT POSSIBLE SAVINGS OF INSURANCE FOR THE HOTEL.
THERE IS A PROPOSED SAVINGS RIGHT NOW WHERE THE MDD CAN AFFORD, UH, THE ABSORPTION OF THE HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT.
THE CAVEAT BEING, UM, WE ARE GIVING UP THE GRANT, RIGHT? LIKE THAT IS COMING OUT AT THAT WHAT CATALYST GRANT? THE CATALYST GRANT.
THE GRANT PORTION THAT'S COMING OUT.
AND WE ARE NOT FUNDING ONE OF THE, THE POSITIONS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AT THIS POINT.
AND SO YOU ARE LOSING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO DO THIS.
AND SO WE HAVE TO START WEIGHING WHERE DO, DO WE WANT TO PUT MORE MONEY TOWARDS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REALLY BRING IN THAT STUFF? OR DO WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT? THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, UH, WHEN IT COMES TO THE MDD.
SO, BUT, SO WE'RE GONNA BE ON EQUAL KIND OF COURTS, GOT ABOUT 36,000 PEOPLE.
SO THEY'RE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF, TWO AND A HALF PERCENT MORE.
TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE POPULATION.
SO IF THEY'RE PUT IN 90 FOR THEM, THEN THEY SHOULD BE ABOUT TWO 20.
THEN IF LA PORT'S PUT IN 90, THEN WE NEED TO MOVE ABOUT 2 25.
THAT'D BE ABOUT EQUAL PERCENTAGE OF WHAT LA PORT'S PUT IN.
WE'LL DO THE TWO 50 'CAUSE WE HAVE THE 80 A.
SO OUR FIRST QUESTION IS, YOU WANT DO THIS AT ALL, RIGHT? I THINK HE'S GONNA SAY, RIGHT.
SO THAT QUESTION IS, I THINK WE GOT, IF WE WANT TO DO IT AS YES, WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT, DO Y'ALL MIND GOING OVER THERE? SURE.
WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE GOING TO START SCALING IT BACK.
BUT THAT'S GONNA BE A SEPARATE CONVERSATION.
IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME TO DO THAT ON OUR END AS A CITY.
AGAIN, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
WE, WE, YOU SAID WE NEED TO LOOK AT AT LEAST THREE CONTRACTS.
WHAT I SAID WAS THERE ARE MORE, MORE THAN, THAN JUST YES.
THIS CONTRACT, UH, THAT INVOLVES THE BUS SYSTEM.
SO THIS CONTRACT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SERVICE.
WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE SHELTERS.
AND THOSE CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN LONG GONE FOR YEARS.
AND THERE COULD BE MORE IS WHAT YOU ALSO SAID.
THERE IS ALSO A CONTRACT FOR SIDEWALKS.
AND THERE COULD BE MORE THAT WE HAVEN'T FOUND TO THIS POINT.
SO WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO HEAR AND SEE WHAT ELSE ALL WRAPS INTO THIS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A DECISION.
I DON'T THINK THOSE OTHER CONTRACTS ARE RELEVANT, MAYOR, HONESTLY.
I I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE RELEVANT.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY MORE THERE ARE.
AND I'D RATHER BE ON THE SAFE END AND FIND OUT BEFORE WE MAKE A MISTAKE.
WELL, SO WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M HEARING FROM EVERYONE IS YES TO PUBLIC TRADE, BUT YOU WANNA SCALE BACK YOUR ROUTES AND COSTS AND WE STILL NEED TO REVIEW ALL OF THE CONTRACTS.
BUT THE, THE ISSUE IS, IS THERE'S NO WAY FOR ME TO GO SCALE BACK OR NEGOTIATE UNTIL I UNDERSTAND WHAT Y'ALL WANT.
THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING THE OTHER CONTRACTS ARE NOT RELEVANT.
I NEED TO FOCUS ON WHAT Y'ALL WANT SO THAT I CAN NEGOTIATE.
ALL THE OTHER STUFF IS NOISE RIGHT NOW.
AND IT'S DELIBERATE NOISE TO TRY TO CONFUSE SO THAT YOU
[01:45:01]
CAN'T HAVE A A CON NOT, NOT YOUR, NOT YOU MAYOR.MR. LAMONT, YOU SIDEWALKS, SHELTERS, TRANSIT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
DO ARE WE GONNA HAVE TO RENEGOTIATE ALL OF THOSE? NO.
AND MY PURPOSE IN BRINGING THAT UP WAS SIMPLY TO ADDRESS THE QUESTIONS GOTCHA.
THAT CAME UP ABOUT THE COST OF THE SHELTER.
SO THIS IS, THEY THEY ARE STANDALONE CONTRACTS, BUT THEY ALL RELATE TO THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE.
CAN I ADD SOMETHING TO THAT REAL QUICK? OKAY.
THE CONTRACTS WITH THE SIDEWALKS, THAT'S WATER OVER THE BRIDGE, OVER THE DAM, WHATEVER IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE THOSE CONTRACTS WERE USED.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE ONE CONTRACT.
I BELIEVE IT'S STILL THE, THAT ONE SIDEWALK CONTRACT HAS NOT CONTRACT REPLACE
IT'S FOR THE SIDEWALKS OFF DECKER.
IT HASN'T BEEN CLOSED OUT YET.
BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER CONTRACT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO CLARIFY.
IS IT THINK SO THE FINAL CHANGE ORDER IS GOING YEAH, THE END OF JULY.
AND THEN AFTER THAT WE'LL CLOSE, WE'RE DONE.
WE DON'T EVEN NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
'CAUSE IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S TOTALLY SEPARATE SERVICE.
I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO PUT OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION, UM, IN A PLACE WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE MASS TRANSPORTATION OR TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE.
BUT, UM, ALL THE CONCERNS THAT I'VE SHARED WITH COUNSEL AND YOU, UH, BOTH I THINK ARE NOW EVEN GREATER THAT I'VE HEARD THIS.
AND SO YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB OF SUMMARIZING, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A CONSENSUS ON WHAT TO DO.
SABRINA'S WRITTEN WHAT WHAT I, WHAT I THINK AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM WHAT'S HAPPENED TODAY, WHICH I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO YOU ABOUT.
BUT, UM, THE GOAL FOR ME IS NOT TO DO AWAY WITH CORRECT.
TRANSPORTATION FOR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE DOING IT IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY AS A CITY.
I'M REMOVING HARRIS COUNTY FROM THAT AND JUST SAYING, I DON'T THINK WE'RE BEING EFFICIENT AND I DON'T THINK WE ARE BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
AND SO WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX THAT.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO COME WITH COMMUNICATION.
'CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME THINGS WERE GOING ON AND COUNSEL AS A WHOLE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO THAT'S A GOOD START RIGHT THERE.
YOU WERE ASKING FOR WHAT TO DO.
SHE NEEDS A DOLLAR FOR ME IT'S $250,000.
AND THAT'S BASED OFF OF SOME, SOME THINGS THAT HE SAID WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES NEAR US AND OUR NEEDS A LITTLE BIT GREATER THAN THEIR NEEDS.
COMPARING POPULATION AND HOW MANY ROUTES? MY NUMBER'S TWO 50.
DO Y'ALL NEED TO DECIDE? YOU NEED TO DECIDE WHICH ROUTE DO YOU WANT TO CLOSE? THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE TODAY.
YOU'RE GONNA DECIDE, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE DO OR ARE THEY Y'ALL THAT DECISION? WE'RE NOT GONNA DECIDE THAT.
YOU'RE GONNA DECIDE THAT Y'ALL NOT.
I WILL, YOU'RE GONNA END UP WITH NO SERVICE.
YOU'VE GOT THE DATA ON WHERE, WHERE THE RIDERS ARE AND WE, I MEAN WHEN THEY MADE, WHEN THEY MADE THE NEW ROUTES, YOU HELPED MAKE THAT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE HELPED DESIGN THAT ROUTE ROUTE THAT WAS YEARS AGO.
TO ASK ME TO COME UP YOU DECISION KNOW HOW TO DESIGN ROUTES ON OUR ROUTE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SHUT ONE DOWN BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MONEY.
PAY FOR FOUR AND YOU KNOW, WHICH ONES ARE BEING LEASED, USED BEING LEASE USED.
SO THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT MAY NOT NEED TO BE THE PRIORITY FOR CLOSING THAT ROUTE.
THAT'S GOING TO PUT US BACK IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE NOT MAKING THAT DECISION.
BUT WE'RE IN THIS POSITION BECAUSE COUNSEL WAS NOT ABLE TO HAVE INPUT ON WHAT ROUTES WE'RE GONNA BE IN.
WE JUST ESTABLISHED THAT AND, AND I THINK JAY WAS TRYING TO JUMP IN THERE AND I'LL JUMP IN THERE WITH, AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE'RE SAYING, I THINK THE CONSENSUS IS AROUND 250.
JAY WILL THEN TAKE THAT AND WORK WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND WITH THE INFORMATION HARRIS COUNTY COME, YOU'LL COME BACK TO US.
JAY WILL BRING THAT BACK TO US.
THIS IS ROUTE WE'RE GONNA CUT.
THIS IS WHY FOR 300,000 SAY YEAH.
JAY KNOWS OUR, WHERE OUR VULNERABLE POPULATIONS ARE AT.
AND HE CAN USE THAT KNOWLEDGE THAT HE HAS OF THE COMMUNITY HE LIVES IN WITH THE DATA OF WHO'S WRITING.
I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO TRUST YOU.
WE NEED TO, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE BRINGING IT BACK TO US AND LETTING US KNOW, IT'LL BE A NEW CONTRACT THAT'S BROUGHT BACK TO Y'ALL BASED AND EVERYTHING'S LAID OUT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT HARRIS COUNTY IS MAINTAINING AND, AND
[01:50:01]
THIS WITH THE SHELTERS.I'LL TALK TO THE PARK SCENE AND TALK TO PUBLIC FORKS.
THEY WILL BE INVOLVED WITH HARRIS COUNTY DUE THIS PROCESS.
EVERYBODY WILL BE INVOLVED HAVING, UH, UH, VIGOROUS FELLOWSHIP.
WHERE'S BRANCH VIGOROUS FELLOWSHIP GRANT? WHERE TO GO, UM, WITH THESE CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF THIS IS TAKING PLACE AND, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN PUSHING THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE SOME SAY YES.
I THINK, WE'LL, GRANT AND I SERVED TOGETHER ON THE TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I HE'S HEARING THE REPORTS THAT I'M HEARING.
I'M HEARING A MILLION FREE OF SET OF VEHICLES TO DO MICRO TRANSIT MATH ON HOW MUCH THAT IS PER VEHICLE.
AND NOT GETTING GOOD SERVICE YET EITHER.
LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS.
ITEM TWO A TWO A TWO A TO FINISH THE DISCUSSION ON, UM, HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT RIGHT HERE.
SCOTT, IS THERE ANY DIRECTION THAT WE NEED ON THIS THAT WE'RE AUTHORIZING? YES.
SO THE FIRST ITEM IS, UH, FOR MDD TO AUTHORIZE THE CONTRACT TO FUND THE BUS SERVICES.
UH, I THINK, UH, THE CONSISTENCE WOULD REACHED EARLIER THAT IT'S GONNA BE IN THE $250,000 RANGE, NOT THE $400,000 RANGE.
SO WE WILL, I THINK, BASED ON ADDITIONAL DISCUSSIONS, FIND OUT WHAT THAT, THAT TOTAL AMOUNT WILL BE.
BUT, BUT WE HAVE OUR DIRECTION.
UH, WE'RE FUNDING THAT AT THE $250,000 RANGE.
IS THAT STARTING JULY THE EIGHTH WHEN THE CONTRACT IS TO BE RENEWED? THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM YES.
THAT'S, THAT'S EITHER WAY THE, THE COUNTY HAS MISSED ITS DEADLINE TO GET TO COMMISSIONER'S COURT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT, SO IT WILL BE RETROACTIVE REGARDLESS.
AND WE WILL JUST BE MONTH TO MONTH UNTIL THIS IS EXECUTED.
AND THERE THERE'LL BE TWO CONTRACTS TO THREE ITEMS. SO THERE WILL BE THIS ITEM FOR THE MBD TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.
THERE WILL BE A CITY OF BAYTOWN ITEM TO APPROVE THE CONTRACT WITH MDD AND THEN THERE WILL BE A CITY ITEM TO APPROVE THE TRANSIT AGREEMENT.
AMENDMENT 18 WITH HARRIS COUNTY.
UM, BUT THAT WILL REQUIRE MODIFICATION BECAUSE OF THE LOWER AMOUNT.
YOU WAIT TILL FRANCO GETS BACK.
WE DON'T TELL ME TAKING NEEDS TO GET UP IS POWELL? NO, HE'S AT A, HE'S AT A WORK MEETING AND HE SAID HE IS COMING IN.
I MEAN, WE, WE PRETTY MUCH AGREED.
I MEAN YEAH, WE PRETTY MUCH AGREED.
I MEAN WE AGREED THAT WE WERE GONNA DO THE TWO 50.
SO JUST GIMME A MOTION FOR IT AND WE CAN VOTE ON IT AND MOVE ON.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM TWO, A SECOND AT THE 250 THOUSANDS MARK AT THE 250,000 MARK.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION? ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.
NOW WE ARE ON TO, UM, THREE A CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE
[a. Consider an ordinance authorizing an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Baytown and Baytown Municipal Development District to fund transportation services performed by Harris County Transit within the City of Baytown.]
AUTHORIZING AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AND BAYTOWN MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO FIND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES PERFORMED BY HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT WITHIN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN.MR. LAMONT, THIS IS THE SAME ITEM EXCEPT IN YOUR CAPACITY AS, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL.
MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM THREE A CONSIDERING ALL THINGS THAT WERE DISCUSSED TODAY DURING OUR MEETING.
[b. Consider an ordinance authorizing Amendment No. 18 to the Interlocal Agreement with Harris County Transit for Public Transportation Services in the City of Baytown.]
ORDINANCE AUTHORIZED AN AMENDMENT 18 TO THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH HARRIS COUNTY TRANSIT[01:55:01]
FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES IN THE, OH, I'M SORRY.IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, UH, COUNSEL, THIS IS THE, UH, ITEM BETWEEN THE CITY AND HARRIS COUNTY, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE MODIFIED AND IT WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE MODIFIED AS BEFORE.
WHAT'S THE MODIFICATION BEFORE WE APPROVE IT? I'M GONNA BE, UM, MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM THREE B.
REMEMBERING THAT IT WAS DISCUSSED TODAY TO BE UNDER YEAH, I, IF YOU WANT MRS. GRAHAM, YOU CAN JUST WAIT UNTIL THE AMENDMENT COMES BACK.
UH, AFTER NEGOTIATION TO APPROVE IT THAT WAY.
I PRESENT THE FULL CONTRACT TO Y'ALL.
ITEM WE SUSPEND WHEN WE HAVE SUSPENDED RETURN.
DO YOU NEED A MOTION TO SUSPEND OR NO? ACTION IS TAKEN ON.
SO NO ACTION IS GOING TO BE TAKEN ON THREE B.
AND THAT WOULD BE, IT MIGHT GIVE, UH, MR. NICK A LITTLE HEARTBURN, BUT, UH, IT IS PERFECTLY FINE TO TO PASS ON IT.
NOW THE, THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE AS JASON SUGGESTED TO, I DON'T, UH, I DON'T WANNA DO THAT BECAUSE PER THE CONVERSATION THEY WANTED TO SEE IT BEFORE THEY APPROVE THE THING.
AND IF THEY JUST GIVE ME THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT UNDER THOSE GUYS, I DON'T, I'M, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO BRING IT BACK AND I DON'T WANT TO DO IT THAT WAY.
ALRIGHT, SO THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
SO HAVING EXHAUSTED ALL THINGS ON THIS AGENDA, THIS MEETING THAT NOT ADJOURNED.