Aug 18, 2020 Baytown Fire Control, Prevention and EMS District

CAN WE HAVE DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? WELL, THIS IS JUST A CHANGE OF, UH, TITLES.

IS THAT CORRECT? BASICALLY, UH, NO, SORRY, .

UM, WHAT WE DISCOVERED WHEN WE HAD THE INFORMATION FROM HARRIS COUNTY ABOUT THE COST OF RUNNING THE ELECTION, IT WAS APPARENT THAT YOUR CURRENT BUDGET ALLOCATION IS INSUFFICIENT TO COVER THE COSTS.

SO THIS WILL MOVE FUNDS FROM THE CONTINGENCY INTO THE ELECTION'S BUDGET TO COVER THE, THE FULL COST.

NEXT WE'LL RECEIVE AN UPDATE REGARDING THE DISTRICT'S NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020 CONTINUATION ELECTION AND RELATED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? LIKE SIGN.

MOTION CARRIED HAND.

[b. Receive an update regarding the Baytown FCPEMSD November 3, 2020, Continuation Election and related educational materials.]

THAT WOULD BE BE A THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS THE FLYER THAT'S BEEN PRODUCED ABOUT THE ELECTION INFORMATION.

AS YOU KNOW, WE CAN EDUCATE, BUT WE CANNOT ADVOCATE AS A BOARD TO DO PRIVATELY AND IN YOUR OTHER GROUPS IS ON YOUR OWN.

BUT OFFICIALLY AS A BOARD AND AS A CITY, WE CAN ONLY EDUCATE PEOPLE ON WHAT THE ISSUE IS.

SO THIS YEAR WE TOOK THE BENT OF TAKING CRIME CONTROL BOARD AND THE FIRE CONTROL BOARD AND PRODUCING ONE SET OF MATERIALS.

'CAUSE THIS HAS TO BE PRODUCED IN FOUR LANGUAGES.

THE VIDEO THAT'S BEEN DONE HAS TO BE DONE IN FOUR LANGUAGES.

AND SO IT BECAME VERY TIME CONSUMING 'CAUSE I'M THE ONE THAT DID IT.

UM, SO, UH, THE VIDEO IS AVAILABLE IF YOU GO TO YOUR ELECTION PAGE ON THE WEBSITE, UH, THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

YOU CAN SEE THE VIDEO.

IT IS AVAILABLE IN ALL FOUR LANGUAGES LINKING TO YOUTUBE.

ALL OF THESE, THIS FLYER IS IN ALL FOUR LANGUAGES AND THOSE LINKS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW.

UH, IT'S GOING TO THE PRINTER TO GET YOU GUYS SOME PRINTED MATERIALS TO HAND OUT.

SO I'M NOT SURE WHEN THEY'RE, I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM BACK.

WE'D LIKE TO HAVE HAD 'EM BY NOW, BUT WE JUST DIDN'T.

UM, SO ANY QUESTIONS, ANY ADDITIONS TO ANY OF THIS THAT, UH, OF COURSE ALL THIS INFORMATION'S GONNA BE PUT OUT ON ALL OF THE CITY'S MEDIA.

IT'S GONNA GO ON THE BACK OF THE WATER BILL.

IT'S GOING TO GO ON, IT'S CURRENTLY RUNNING ON CHANNEL 16, UM, WITH, YOU'RE TELLING THEM WHERE TO GO TO GET IT IN THE OTHER LANGUAGES AND IT'S AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.

UM, IT'S GONNA GO OUT ONTO ALL OF, UH, ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AS WELL, IS TRY TO TELL PEOPLE, HEY, THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT.

HERE YOU GO.

SO WE WANT TO TELL 'EM VERY BADLY, GO VOTE FOR THIS.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

BUT ALL WE CAN DO IS EDUCATE THEM THAT IT'S ON THE BALLOT AND, AND WHAT IT MEANS.

SO, ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH.

CAN'T YOU VOTE FOR ONE OF THESE AND NOT THE OTHER? EXACTLY.

GO TOGETHER.

OR YOU CAN SEPARATE THEIR SEPARATE, THEY'RE COMPLETELY SEPARATE ON THE BALLOT AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE TWO DIFFERENT BALLOT LANGUAGES AT THE

[00:05:01]

ON THERE.

UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE BOTH PROPOSITION A BECAUSE ONE IS THE FIRE CONTROL PROPOSITION A AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE, UH, CRIME CONTROL PROPOSITION.

A UH, SO WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP THAT CONFUSION DOWN.

WE PUT THE BALLOT LANGUAGE EXACTLY AS IT'S GONNA BE LISTED ON THERE.

'CAUSE WE KNOW HOW SOMETIMES THE BALLOT LANGUAGE CAN SWITCH THINGS AROUND.

SO LUCKILY WE DIDN'T GET INTO THAT SITUATION THIS YEAR.

SO ANYTHING ELSE SINCE I HAVEN'T SEEN THE VIDEO? MM-HMM .

UH, IN THE VIDEO, IS THERE A REFERENCE OR EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT THAT WE PURCHASED WITH THIS? WE, WE LIST A FEW THINGS.

BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA GET INTO THE WEEDS BECAUSE THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY DOESN'T CARE.

THEY WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S THE MONEY GOING TOWARDS WHILE IT'S GOING TOWARDS.

UH, WE HAVE IMAGERY OF THE FIRE TRAINING FIELD.

WE HAVE IMAGERY OF THE COMMERCIAL POLICE UNIT, UH, ENFORCEMENT THAT'S OUT THERE.

WE SHOW PICTURES OF AMBULANCES, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS INTERESTED.

SO THAT IMAGERY IS THERE.

THE, THE VIDEO IS, IS WHAT WE CALL MOTION GRAPHICS.

IT'S MAINLY GRAPHIC BASED.

SO THE BIG PENNY IS IN THERE AND EVERYTHING TIES BACK TO ITSELF WITH, UH, I'M DOING THE ENGLISH VOICEOVER AND THEN WE WENT OUT FOR TRANSLATIONS ON THE REST OF THEM.

THE VIETNAMESE IS THE LONGEST THAT THAT ONE WAS, THAT WAS FUN TO TRY TO SYNC TOGETHER.

UM, BUT, UM, THOSE EXAMPLES, A LOT OF THE EXAMPLES LISTED IN THE BULLET POINTS FOR EACH ONE ARE IN THE VIDEOS.

WE JUST, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO DOWN TO, OH, WE BOUGHT THIS MANY BODY CAMERAS AND WE BOUGHT THIS MANY THIS AND WE WERE EMPLOYING THIS MANY, UH, FIRE, YOU KNOW, FIREFIGHTERS OR PD OUT OF THESE FUNDS.

BUT WE WANT PEOPLE TO REALIZE THAT IT'S JUST AN EIGHTH OF A PENNY ON EACH SIDE.

SO IT'S A QUARTER OF A CENT FOR BOTH.

AND WE DO WANT BOTH.

UM, BECAUSE IF WE DON'T GET BOTH, SOMEBODY'S GONNA COME IN BEHIND US AND GRAB THAT OTHER PERCENTAGE SO THEIR TAXES AREN'T GOING DOWN, RIGHT? SO MM-HMM .

SO ANYTHING ELSE? WHAT IS THE FOURTH LANGUAGE? IT'S ENGLISH, SPANISH, VIETNAMESE, AND CHINESE.

WE, WE DON'T HAVE A HUGE CHINESE CONTINGENT IN BAYTOWN.

WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A FAIRLY LARGE VIETNAMESE POPULATION, BUT BEING THAT WE ARE IN HARRIS COUNTY, THERE IS A VERY LARGE CHINESE POPULATION TO HARRIS COUNTY.

SO WE'RE UNDER THAT MANDATE.

ITS, UM, AND THEN, AND THE FUNDS FOR ALL OF THIS.

THIS IS WHY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, LYDIA HAS HAD THAT IN YOUR BUDGETS TO PULL A LITTLE HERE, A LITTLE HERE FOR OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO GET ALL OF THIS PAID FOR BECAUSE THOSE TRANSLATIONS ARE NOT CHEAP WRITTEN.

AND THEN LANGUAGE, WE'RE PAYING LANGUAGE ACTORS.

AND SO, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST ADDED A WHOLE OTHER WEEK TO EARLY VOTING, RIGHT? THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO PAY FOR .

SO LUCKILY LETTY THOUGHT AHEAD, SHE SAW IN HER CRYSTAL BALL THAT THIS WAS GONNA BE NEEDED.

WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UH, ITEM.

ANYTHING ELSE? ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH.

THANK FOR RUNNING, ADDING JOHN.

AND JOHN E OH OH.

ALRIGHT, UH, I'LL BE BACK.

I, ANOTHER MEETING TO GO .

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU LLOYD.

AS THAT WAS AN UPDATE,

[a. Consider a resolution approving the Baytown Fire Control, Prevention, and Emergency Medical Services District's Investment Policy and Strategy Statement in accordance with the Public Funds Investment Act, Section 2256.005(e) for (i) the addition of an investment officer and (ii) the addition and deletion of broker/dealers.]

WE'LL CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE DISTRICT'S INVESTMENT POLICY AND STRATEGY STATEMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT.

SECTION 2250 6.05, PARAGRAPH E FOR THE ADDITION OF AN INVESTMENT OFFICER AND THE ADDITION AND DELETION OF BROKER DEALERS.

I A MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE THE CHANGE.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT.

UM, CAN WE HAVE QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED TO MAD PRESIDENT? THIS IS MERELY A PROCEDURAL MATTER.

UM, IT JUST ADDS ME AS A NAMED INVESTMENT OFFICER OF THE DISTRICT AND, AND ADDS ONE, UH, BROKER TO OUR LIST OF APPROVED BROKERS.

SO THAT'S ALL THAT DOES.

IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY OTHER CHANGES TO YOUR ACTUAL POLICY.

ALRIGHT, SO IT'S NOT A COST FACTOR? NO, NO, NO, NO.

IT JUST, IT JUST ADDS MY, I HAVE TO BE NAMED IN LAW, UH, AND IT HAS TO BE MY NAME.

IT CAN'T JUST BE MY TITLE.

SO MY NAME HAS TO BE ON YOUR, ON YOUR POLICY.

UM, ANY QUESTIONS? JOHN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE.

I'M GOOD.

A REPORT CONCERNING THE DISTRICT'S QUARTERLY FINANCIAL AND INVESTMENT REPORTS FOR THE QUARTER ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2020.

UH, THEN ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF SAY AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? LIKE SIGNED.

MOTION CARRIED.

YOU DID MS. UM, NEXT WE'LL RECEIVE

[a. Receive the Baytown Fire Control, Prevention, and Emergency Medical Services District’s Quarterly Financial and Investment Reports for the Quarter Ending June 30, 2020.]

UM, THE SALES TAX REMAINS ROBUST REMARKABLY SO, UH, THIS WAS AT THE END OF JUNE, SO, UH, THESE WERE TAXES COLLECTED AS OF THE END OF APRIL.

UH, AGAIN, MADAM PRESIDENT,

[00:10:01]

UM, I CAN TELL YOU I'VE SEEN THE FIGURES FOR, UM, AUGUST AND THEY ARE STILL ROBUST RE AGAIN, IT'S QUITE REMARKABLE.

YES, I'VE BEEN LOOKING ACROSS THE STATE.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE NOT AN OUTLIER AT ALL.

UH, QUITE A NUMBER OF, UH, OTHER CITIES ARE EXPERIENCING THIS.

SOME HAVE SEEN, UH, DECLINES.

HOUSTON INTERESTINGLY HAS SEEN A REDUCTION IN ITS SALES TAX TAKE.

UH, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE REMAINING SOLID.

UH, MY ONLY CONCERN IS LOOKING FORWARD WHETHER THAT'S SUSTAINABLE.

UH, I VERY MUCH DOUBT IT.

UM, THERE'S NOT REALLY A CONTINUED STIMULUS, UM, GOING INTO PEOPLE'S POCKETS.

I I I, I ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL SEE A, A TAILING OFF, BUT FOR NOW IT'S LOOKING GOOD.

AND ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, UH, AGAIN, WE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE.

UM, GENERALLY, UH, ON PERSONNEL WE'RE ABOUT EXACTLY WHERE WE ASSUMED WE WOULD BE THIS TIME OF YEAR.

UH, WE HAVE UNDERSPENT ON SOME OTHER LINES IN THE BUDGET AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE OBVIOUS REASON THAT, UH, SOME THINGS SHOULD START HAPPENING.

FOR INSTANCE, WE'VE, UH, PUT THE BRAKES ON THE, UH, ON THE TRAINING FIELD AT THIS STAGE.

UM, BUT OVERALL YOUR FUND BALANCE IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

UH, WE ARE WELL PLACED FOR NEXT YEAR, UH, BUT IT DOES REMAIN TO BE SEEN JUST, UH, WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF SALES TAX, REMEMBERING THAT YOU'RE SOLELY AND SOLELY RELIANT ON THAT, THAT THAT REVENUE.

RIGHT.

LIKE AN UPDATE ON THE FIRE TRAINING FIELD, BROUGHT SOME PICTURES.

ANY, ANY, UM, QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UH, NEXT WE'D

[b. Present an update regarding the Baytown Fire Training Field.]

UM, WE'RE GONNA PULL THOSE UP AND TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE REAL QUICK.

UH, CONSTRUCTION IS GOING WELL.

CAN WE, UH, MAXIMIZE THAT? THERE WE GO.

SO CONSTRUCTION'S GOING WELL.

THE, UM, WE HAVE REALLY NOT BEEN IMPACTED BY THE COVID.

THERE'S BEEN VERY MINOR.

UH, THEY HAD A, LIKE TWO CONTRACT GUYS THAT THAT GOT SICK, BUT OTHER THAN THAT IT'S BEEN FULL STEAM AHEAD.

UM, THEY'RE DOING CARPET PAINTING.

UM, THEY'RE, UH, PRETTY MUCH FOOT PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES, GLAZING THE WINDOWS, STUFF LIKE THAT IN THE BUILDING.

UH, WE'RE FIXING TO START THE CONTRACTORS IN FOR THE UP THERE SOMEWHERE.

I DUNNO WHAT HAPPENED.

THINKING, JUST THINKING.

UM, IT'LL COME BACK IN A MINUTE.

THE CONTRACTORS ARE, UH, SO THEY'RE FIXING A START FOR THE DATA BOX, WHICH IS THE AUDIO VISUAL STUFF.

ALL THE CABLING.

UM, IT, IT'S GOING REALLY WELL.

UH, IT'S A ZOOM THING.

IT'S A ZOOM THING.

IF IT DOESN'T WORK, MAYBE WE JUST TURN THE PRESENTATION OFF.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE, THE ORIGINAL BEFORE YOU RAN THAT, SHOWED SOME PICTURES.

CAN WE GO BACK TO THE POWERPOINT? OH, SOMETHING.

OH, THERE WE GO.

OH, MAYBE SHE'S, HE'S JUST TEASING US.

YEAH, THAT'S CRAZY.

THAT IS CRAZY.

JOHN, ARE YOU ABLE TO SEE THE PICTURE? I DID.

I'VE WENT OUT THERE.

I WENT OUT AND LOOKED AT IT.

DID YOU SEE OUR NEW, WE GOT A NEW POND.

DID YOU SEE THE POND? NO, I DIDN'T SEE THAT.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE A POND NOW.

UM, THEY'VE GOT THAT ALL DUG.

THAT'S TO RECLAIM ALL THE WATER AND IT'S GONNA SUPPLY THE, THE FIRE WATER SYSTEM.

SO IT'S DUG.

THEY DON'T HAVE THE PLUMBING DONE AND IT, WE'RE WAITING ON THE PUMPS TO SHOW UP, BUT, UH, IT'S GOING REALLY WELL.

THEY'RE HANGING UP DUMMY PIPE ON THE PIPE RACKS AND, UH, GORILLA, THE FIRE PROP PEOPLE.

THEY'RE BUSY, BUSY BUILDING AWAY.

UM, GOING REALLY GOOD.

I WISH YOU COULD SEE IT.

YOU'RE IMAGINING.

UM, WHEN, WHEN WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE? I MEAN, WHEN WILL IT BE FINISHED AND THAT WE CAN KIND OF THINK AHEAD FOR US OR A GREAT OPENING? SO IT'S, IT'S GONNA, IT, IT'S SUCH A HUGE PROJECT THAT IT'S GONNA FINISH UP IN, IN DIFFERENT SECTIONS THAT THE TRAINING BUILDING, THAT'S THE, THE KITCHEN KIND OF, UH, EATING AREA THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON.

I EXPECT THEM TO BE DONE WITH THE BUILDING PROBABLY IN ABOUT A MONTH.

OF THE, SOME, A LOT OF THE PIECES FOR THE ACTUAL INDUSTRIAL PART.

NOW I DON'T EXPECT SOME

[00:15:01]

SOME OF THOSE ARE AT FAB SHOPS BEING BUILT.

WE'VE GOT ALL THE, THE ACTUAL FIRE STUFF IS BEING BUILT IN, UH, OHIO, AKRON.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES THAT AREN'T ON LOCATION.

UM, I DON'T EXPECT THE INDUSTRIAL PORTION TO BE FINISHED UNTIL PROBABLY LATE NOVEMBER MAYBE, OR MAYBE EARLY DECEMBER.

UM, THEY ARE TECHNICALLY SPEAKING ON, THEY'RE ON SCHEDULE.

UM, THEY'RE, I'M PRETTY PLEASED WITH THE, THE PROGRESS.

UM, WE'VE GOT, UH, NEXT, PROBABLY EITHER THE END OF THIS WEEK OR EARLY NEXT WEEK, COVESTRO UH, IS DONATING SOME CRANE THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEIR CRANE CONTRACTOR.

UH, THEY'RE GONNA MOVE THE, THE ENTERPRISE FIN FANS OUT.

THEY'RE GONNA MOVE SOME OF THE TANKS AROUND.

SOME OF THE STUFF THAT'S JUST EXTREMELY HEAVY.

THEY'RE GONNA START SETTING THAT STUFF WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO.

YOU CAN SEE THIS IS THE POND HERE.

SO EVERY, ALL THE WATER THAT GETS USED HERE WILL RUN BACK AND FILL THIS UP AND THEN THE PUMPS PULL IT AND THEN FIRE IT BACK OUT THROUGH THE MONITORS, UH, AND ALL THAT THROUGH THE HOSE LINES.

SO, UH, IT'S GOING REALLY WELL.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FEW HICCUPS HERE AND THERE THAT WE GOTTA KIND OF JUGGLE AND TWIST AROUND, BUT IT'S GOING, GOING WELL.

I STILL HAVE NOT LOCATED A TRAIN CAR.

I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND ONE OF THOSE, BUT, UH, WE'LL SEE.

SO ANY QUESTIONS? DID, UH, THAT ISSUE WITH THE FOUNDATION ON THE ORIGINAL BUILDING GET RESOLVED? SO WE HAD, WE MADE A COUPLE YEARS, IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS, THEY DID A FULL REPAIR.

IT HAS THE PROBAB PROBABLY THICKEST SLAB OF ANY BUILDING IN THE ENTIRE CITY, I WOULD IMAGINE.

UH, AND SO FAR SO GOOD.

EVERYTHING LOOKS WELL.

UM, WE USE THAT BUILDING PRETTY FREQUENTLY.

WE FLOOD THAT PLACE WITH WATER ALL DAY, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME.

AND, UH, BUT YEAH, THE CONTRACTOR THAT GOT THE, THE FLOOR REPAIR, I'VE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE, BUT THEY TELL ME IT'S, IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THEY DO NOWADAYS.

BUT THEY CAME IN, TOOK OUT THE ENTIRE FLOOR, DUG SIX FEET DOWN AND USED FLOWABLE FILL, WHICH IS BASICALLY CONCRETE.

SO WE HAS IN ESSENCE A SIX FOOT SLAB UNDERNEATH THAT BUILDING.

WOW.

SO IF IT MOVES, THE REST OF THE CITY'S IN TROUBLE.

IT'S GONNA BE BIG TROUBLE.

EVERYBODY IS MORE PROBLEMS THAN THAT.

SO, BUT YEAH, NO, THAT'S, THAT'S HOLDING UP REALLY WELL SO FAR.

SO WHAT ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? UM, GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER.

GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER.

IT IS, IT'S IMPRESSIVE.

UH, MR. ATKINS, IF YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE, I'M SURE YOU WERE IMPRESSED.

OH YEAH.

IT REALLY LOOKS GOOD.

LOOKS GOOD.

IT'S A, IT'S A LOT OF INDUSTRIAL STUFF THOUGH, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD.

THAT'S WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

THERE IS TONS OF CONCRETE THAT IS JUST, MAN, THAT IS A LOT OF CONCRETE PEOPLE WENT IN IT, IT GOOD FOR US, REALLY GOOD FOR US TO DO JUST BASICALLY BREAD AND BUTTER OPERATIONS OF PUMPS AND LADDERS AND, AND, UH, AND THEN TWO, THE INDUSTRIAL PART WOULD, WOULD REALLY WORK OUT WELL, I THINK.

AND SO IN THE, THE POND DESIGN THAT'S UP THERE, I'VE ALSO HAD 'EM PUT A DRY HYDRANT IN THERE SO WE CAN TEACH PUMP OPS, HOW TO DRAFT ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF WITH THE, WITH THE POND AS WELL.

ALRIGHT, WELL IF THAT'S IT, UH, I WOULD GUESS GROUNDBREAKING.

UH, MAYBE DECEMBER.

WE TARGETED DECEMBER.