Mar 23, 2026 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION

Y'ALL GONNA HAVE

[00:00:01]

WE GOOD?

[ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2026 5:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]

[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.]

HAS ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? YES, SIR.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, MR. JOSEPH FALLON, YOU'VE SIGNED UP ON CITIZEN COMMENT.

THE PURPOSE OF CITIZEN COMMENT IS TO GIVE ALL AND THE REST OF CITIZENS THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.

EVERYONE DESIRING TO SPEAK SHOULD HAVE EITHER SIGNED THE APPROPRIATE LIST OF THE FOUR YEAR OR EMAIL THE CITY CLERK PRIOR TO THE POSTAL TIME OF THIS MEETING.

EACH CITIZEN SHALL GIVE HIS OR HER NAME AND, AND ADDRESS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE PROPER RECORD OF THESE COMMENTS.

THE RULE ALLOWS 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 A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES.

SO EITHER THE ONE MINUTE OR THREE MINUTE LIMIT MAY BE EXTENDED BY A MAJORITY OF 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 NOT POSTED AS PUBLIC NOTICE ON THIS AGENDA.

IF YOU DON'T MIND STATING YOUR ADDRESS.

MY NAME'S JOSEPH FALLON, AND I'M AT ONE 70 NORTH BURNETT.

GOOD DEAL.

ALL RIGHT.

SO AT, IT WAS MADE AWARE TO ME WHENEVER WE WERE PRESENTED THE ORIGINAL SECURITY PLAN AT THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MM-HMM .

THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE INVOLVED IN METAL DETECTORS.

WHEN I ASKED WHAT THE METAL DETECTORS WERE FOR, I WAS MADE AWARE OF ORDINANCE 5 2 8 8, WHICH STATES IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR ANY PERSON WITHIN A PUBLIC PARK TO CARRY OR DISCHARGE ANY FIREARM.

NOW, I'M, I'M JUMPING AROUND, BUT I'M NOT PARAPHRASING.

SO, AND I WAS ALSO MADE AWARE OF THE INTENT TO ENFORCE THE NO FIREARMS IN THE PARKS.

SO I WENT HOME, DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, AND I CONFIRMED WITH TWO SEPARATE LAWYERS THAT IS IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH THE TEXAS PREEMPT LAW, SECTION 2 2 9 0.001.

NO MUNICIPALITY MAY ADOPT OR ENFORCE ANY REGULATIONS THAT RELATE TO THE TRANSFER POSSESSION, WEARING CARRYING OF FIREARMS. AND IT GOES DOWN HERE TO SPECIFICALLY STATE A PUBLIC PARK.

SO NO MATTER WHAT WE DECIDE ON DOING, WE CANNOT BREAK TEXAS LAW AND PREVENT LICENSE TO CARRY HOLDERS FROM COMING IN.

CAN I KEEP GOING? UH, LET'S, LET'S TAKE A VOTE.

WE NEED A MOTION.

I MOTION TO YIELD.

TWO MORE MINUTES TO OKAY.

OUR DIRECTOR, WE NEED A SECOND.

SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.

AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

YOU HAVE TWO MORE MINUTES, SIR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO IT, IT COMES DOWN HERE AND SAYS THAT THIS DOES NOT, THIS IS THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND I'M NOT PARAPHRASING, I'M JUST JUMPING AROUND.

THIS SUBSECTION DOES NOT AFFECT THE AUTHORITY OF A MUNICIPALITY, HAS TO REGULATE THE CARRYING OF AN AIRGUN ARCHERY EQUIPMENT OR FIREARM.

NOW HERE'S THE SPECIFIC PART, OTHER THAN A HANDGUN CARRIED BY A PERSON NOT OTHERWISE PROHIBITED BY LAW FROM CARRYING A HANDGUN AT A, A PUBLIC PARK.

SO THIS IS FOR LTC HOLDERS AND PEOPLE CARRYING UNDER CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY TEXAS STATE LAW, CLEAR AS DAY CUT AND DRY.

BLACK AND WHITE SAYS NO CITY OR MUNICIPALITY CAN PREVENT SOMEONE FROM CARRYING A HANDGUN AT A PUBLIC PARK.

WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THE SECURITY, THE ORIGINAL SECURITY PLAN PREVENTED, UH, PRESENTED TO US RECOMMENDED WITH THE METAL DETECTORS AND SO FORTH.

SO, LIKE I SAID, UM, IT'S, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO FOR THE SECURITY, BUT ONE THING THAT WE CAN'T DO ACCORDING TO TEXAS STATE LAW IS PREVENT SOMEONE FROM CARRYING A HANDGUN IN THE PARK.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT AWARE, 'CAUSE I WOULD HATE TO SEE THE CITY OPEN THEMSELF UP TO A BIG LAWSUIT OR EVEN WORSE TRAMPLE ON SOMEONE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE Y'ALL AWARE OF THAT, AND IF YOU CAN DO SOME RESEARCH TO, YOU KNOW, VERIFY I'M CORRECT.

AND NOT ONLY CAN WE NOT PREVENT SOMEONE FROM CARRYING A FIREARM, BUT THE ORDINANCE ITSELF IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACCORDING TO TEXAS LAW.

SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE EVERYBODY AWARE OF THAT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EXTENSION, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

YES SIR.

THANK YOU THERE BEING NO ONE ELSE DESIRING TO SPEAK.

I NOW CLOSE THIS SECTION.

WE HAVE ONE MORE.

OH, I THOUGHT YOU SAID ON HERE TWO A.

OH, THAT'S THE NUMBER.

IT'S TWO A.

WELL THEN WE'RE, WE'RE ON CITIZEN COMMENT RIGHT NOW.

SO WHEN WE GET TO TWO A I NEED TO CLOSE CITIZEN COMMENT, THEN WE'LL GO TO TWO A AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR TIME RIGHT

[00:05:02]

WE NOW CLOSE THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA

[a. Receive a safety plan for large events at Bicentennial Park.]

RECEIVE A SAFETY PLAN FOR LARGE EVENTS AT BICENTENNIAL PARK, MR. CLIFFORD HATCH AND STEVE DORIS, I'M GONNA GET TO YOU.

ALRIGHT, UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UH, CLIFFORD HATCH PARKS REC AND TOURISM.

UH, WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS THE, UH, THE PLAN THAT WAS REQUESTED BY CITY COUNCIL BACK ON AUGUST, UH, THE FIFTH AT A BUDGET WORKSHOP.

UH, SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE STARTED WORKING WITH THE BAYTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT SINCE THEY ARE OUR, UH, SAFETY, UH, SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, UH, TO DEVELOP A SAFETY PLAN.

UH, AT A REAL HIGH LEVEL.

UH, YOU CAN SEE THE EVENT PLAN ON THE SCREEN THAT SHOWS, UH, THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT IN GREEN, UH, WHICH ALLOWS MOSTLY OPEN ACCESS.

THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO BARRIER OR PHYSICAL BARRIER ANYWHERE AROUND THE GREEN AREAS.

UM, THE PROPOSED NEW FOOTPRINT IN RED, UH, DEFINES THE, THE NEW OR THE PROPOSED EVENT AREA, UH, MORE CLEARLY.

UM, UH, BAYTOWN POLICE SAYS THAT THIS ADJUSTMENT WOULD HELP THE BETTER MANAGE THE ENTRY AND EXTRA POINTS, MAKING IT EASIER FOR STAFF AND SECURITY PERSONNEL TO MONITOR, UH, THE EVENT AND THE GUEST.

UM, AS MR. FALLON JUST SAID, UH, WE TOOK THE, UH, ORIGINAL, UH, PLAN OR THE PRELIMINARY PLAN, UH, TO PARKS BOARD BACK ON JANUARY 7TH, UH, FOR, FOR THE, UH, PARKS BOARD TO REVIEW.

UH, FROM THAT PLAN, THEY VOTED NOT TO, UH, THEY RECOMMENDED, THEY VOTED TO NOT RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD, UH, WITH THAT CURRENT PLAN, UH, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE FENCING ITSELF.

UH, THE, A FEW PEOPLE ON PARKS BOARD FELT THAT IT WAS A SLIPPERY SLOPE, UH, THAT THE FIRST YEAR WOULD BE A FENCING.

THE SECOND YEAR COULD BE TICKET SALES, AND THEN SO FORTH AND SO ON, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ALCOHOL SALES.

AND THEY WERE REALLY ADAMANT THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT THAT SLIPPERY SLOPE TO START.

UH, BUT MORE SO THAN THAT, THEY DIDN'T WANT THE, UH, EXCLUSIVE FEEL TO THE EVENT.

UH, PARKS BOARD WAS REALLY ADAMANT ABOUT THE, UM, THE COMMUNITY FEEL OF OUR EVENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT BICENTENNIAL PARK TO BEING INCLUSIVE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY SAID THAT IT HAD A LONG TRADITION OF BUILDING THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO IMPEDE ON THAT.

THEY DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING PHYSICAL THERE TO STOP PEOPLE FROM FEELING WELCOMED IN A PARK IN AN EVENT.

UM, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, UH, THAT PARKS BOARD WAS IN FAVOR OF ADDING ADDITIONAL SECURITY MEASURES.

UH, THEY WEREN'T OPPOSED TO SECURITY, JUST THE FENCING ASPECT OF THE SECURITY, UH, EVEN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY, UH, SUGGESTED THAT WE COULD, UM, UH, UTILIZE HOT FUNDS TO HELP OFFSET THE COST OF ENTERTAINMENT, UH, WHICH WOULD, UH, ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE FUNDING, UH, IN THE GENERAL FUND TO PAY FOR THE NEW SECURITY COSTS.

THAT'S JUST AN OPTION THAT'S NOT PROPOSED.

UH, BUT JUST SO WE ARE TRANSPARENT ON WHAT EVERYBODY SAID, UM, FROM THAT POINT ON THOUGH, UH, WE HAVE CHIEF DAVIS, UH, HERE IF WE WANTED TO, OH, I'M SORRY.

CHIEF DAVE.

I'M SORRY.

CHIEF DORIS, YOU GOT DID WHAT CHARLES SAID TO ME.

.

, SORRY.

CHIEF DORIS HERE, UH, TO SPEAK ON THE ACTUAL PLANS.

, MR. MAYOR.

COUNSEL? YES.

UM, BEFORE WE GET TOO, UH, FOR OUR FIELD, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, REMIND YOU ALL THAT, UM, THE DEPLOYMENT OR IMPLEMENTATION OF SPECIFIC SECURITY DEVICES OR PERSONNEL IS A MATTER THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS REGARDING, UH, SPECIFICS ON THE PLAN, UH, I'D ASK THAT YOU RESERVE THOSE AND, UH, RESEARCH, UH, RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

ALSO, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF SPECIFIC LAWS, UM, TO THE PLAN TO RESERVE THOSE FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AS WELL.

OTHERWISE, IF WE DON'T NEED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

BUT I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT BEFORE WE, UH, START HAVING DELIBERATIONS.

WE, WE WILL RECESS UNTIL EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT FIRST I WANT TO GIVE CHIEF DORIS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? YES, SIR.

AND THEN AFTER THAT WE'LL CALL MS. UM, I WOULD ASK CHIEF TO SPEAK IN THE BACK.

MAYOR, CHIEF.

OKAY.

WELL, STANSKI, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES AND IF YOU DON'T MIND STATING YOUR ADDRESS, ALTHOUGH I SHOULD HAVE IT BY MEMORY BY NOW.

SHOULD BE KNOCKING ON MY DOOR.

RIGHT.

THERE YOU GO.

I KNOW WHERE I, I KNOW WHERE SHE WORKS THOUGH.

YEAH.

YOU KNOW WHERE I WORK.

UM, STANSKI 46 0 1 DRIFTWOOD DRIVE, UH,

[00:10:01]

RESIDENTS SINCE 1986, UM, BEEN COMING TO FESTIVALS HERE IN BAYTOWN FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS.

THEY'RE, THE GREATEST THING ABOUT BAYTOWN ARE THE CITY FESTIVALS.

THEY'RE OPEN, THEY'RE FREE AND AMAZING ENTERTAINMENT.

I WOULD HATE TO SEE A FENCE GO AROUND THEM.

I, IT WOULD BE DISCOURAGING TO HAVING THESE WONDERFUL FESTIVALS.

I UNDERSTAND THERE WERE SOME DIFFICULTIES, UM, AT, UH, JUNETEENTH POLICE DEPARTMENT CAME THROUGH FOR JULY 4TH AND PUT SQUAD CARS DOWN THE MIDDLE OF MARKET STREET.

HEY, IT WORKED.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE AWFUL GANGS GOING UP AND DOWN THE STREET SAYING, HEY, AS A FIGHT OVER HERE, FIGHT OVER THERE.

SO PLEASE JUST PUT MORE POLICE OFFICERS INVISIBLE PRESENCE AT THE FESTIVALS AND I THINK YOU'LL CURB THE CRIME PROBLEMS OR THE, THE YOUTH PROBLEMS, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL THEM, BUT CONTINUE WITH THE GREAT MUSIC.

NO OFFENSES.

THAT'S JUST FOOLISHNESS.

AND, AND IT WOULD SAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

I UNDERSTAND MR. FRANCO'S COMPANY WOULD MAKE A LOT OF MONEY BUILDING FENCES AROUND THE FESTIVAL, AND IN TURN WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO CHARGE ADMISSION FEES TO PAY FOR SUCH FENCES.

BUT DON'T DO IT, JUST DON'T DO IT.

JUST PUT OUT OFFICERS, WHICH ARE IN HIGH FEASIBILITY.

UM, I WAS AT THE PLANNING SESSION LAST SUMMER WHERE THAT WAS SUGGESTED BY MR. FRANCO TO PUT OFFENSES AND CHARGE ADMISSION.

UM, I'M, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA MAKE IT, I WAS GONNA WAIT TILL SHE GOT TO AN END OF A SENTENCE, BUT WE DO NOT, WE DO NOT ADDRESS COUNCIL MEMBERS.

OKAY.

I WON'T DO THAT AGAIN.

DIRECT PUBLIC COMMENT.

OKAY.

AND ALSO MADE THE COMMENT THAT I DO NOT OWN A COMPANY .

WELL, SO THAT'S A FALSE STATEMENT TOO.

SO PLEASE DO THAT'S THING.

OKAY.

BUT ANYWAY, DON'T PUT FENCES AROUND OUR FESTIVALS.

LET US HAVE FUN.

LET THE PEOPLE COME OUT AND ENJOY THEMSELVES WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH METAL DETECTORS.

WE HAVE AN AWESOME POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE BEING VERY VISIBLE AT OUR FESTIVALS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NOW THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO RECESS, RECESS INTO ADJOURN AND RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION ACCORDING TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0.071 THROUGH 5 5 1 0.090 TO DISCUSS MATTERS LISTED ON THE AGENDA.

ON NOW WE RECONVENE OUR OPEN MEETING OF THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL AT 6:40 PM AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 5 5 1 0.102 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

UM, THAT BEING SAID, UH, JUST WANTED TO SAY, MAYOR COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR, UH, FOR THE INPUT.

UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO REVISE THE PLAN WITH, UH, BAYTOWN POLICE OFFICERS AND WE WILL, UH, BRING FORWARD, UH, ANYTHING ELSE IN THE, UH, BUDGET PROCESS FOR FY TWO SEVEN.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR.

HAVING EXHAUSTED EVERYTHING ON THIS MEETING, IJOIN IT AT 6:41 PM WE WILL TAKE A 15 MINUTE RECESS BEFORE WE START OUR COUNCIL MEETING.

SO BE BACK HERE ABOUT 7 7 55 6 6 55, 6 55.

DAMN.