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Home My WebLink AboutMIN JULY 01 2003 I i M I N U T E S - CITY OF BEAUMONT Lulu L.Smith EVELYN M. LORD, MAYOR Nancy Beaulieu Andrew P. Cokinos CITY COUNCIL MEETING Becky Ames, Mayor Pro Tern Bobbie J. Patterson July 1,2003 Audwin Samuel Lane Nichols, City Attorney Kyle Hayes, City Manager Susan Henderson,City Clerk The City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in a regular session on July 1, 2003, at the City Hall Council Chambers, 801 Main Street, Beaumont, Texas, at 1:30 p.m. to consider the following: OPENING Invocation Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call Presentations and Recognition Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled agenda items Consent Agenda Mayor Evelyn Lord called the meeting to order at 1:31 p.m. Reverend Patrick Healy, S.S.J., Pastor of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, said the invocation. Councilmember Patterson led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was made by Susan Henderson, City Clerk. Present at the meeting was Mayor Lord, Mayor Pro Tern Ames, Councilmembers Beaulieu, Cokinos, and Patterson. Also present was Kyle Hayes, City Manager; Lane Nichols, City Attorney; Susan Henderson, City Clerk; and Tina Broussard, Administrative Assistant, I. Council member Smith arrived at 1:40 p.m. Council member Audwin Samuel was absent from the meeting as he was engaged in trial. Proclamations, Presentations, Recognitions • A Proclamation was read by Mayor Evelyn Lord recognizing July 1, 2003 as Kendrick Perkins. Kendrick Perkins, a 2003 graduate of Clifton J. Ozen High School, is the first of two graduating seniors in the State of Texas to be drafted into the National Basketball Association. Kendrick was drafted in the 27th round by the Memphis Grisslies and then traded to the Boston Celtics. Kendrick Perkins accepted the Proclamation, along with Coach Boutte, his high school coach, Raymond Antoine, Principal of Clifton J. Ozen High School, and Raymond and Mary Perkins, grandparents of Kendrick Perkins. • Mayor Evelyn Lord read a Proclamation recognizing the Texas Liberty Fest as the largest July 4 Celebration the City of Beaumont has produced to be held on July 4, 2003. Michael Malloney,with Channel Six News,along with Bill Neilly, representing Conn's, Kathleen Jackson, with ExxonMobile, Beth and Charlie Boren, with Advantage Restoration, Don Dodd, with the Examiner and other representatives from other sponsors of this event received the Proclamation. Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled General Business Agenda Items 3-6 or on the Consent Agenda. None CONSENT AGENDA Approval of minutes - Minutes of June 24, 2003 Confirmation of committee appointments - RESOLUTION 03-135 Marie Broussard would be reappointed to the Historical Landmark Commission. The current term would expire May 1, 2005. (Mayor Evelyn M. Lord) Ed Edson, III would be appointed to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. His term would commence July 1, 2003 and expire June 30, 2005. (Councilmember Lulu Smith) A) Approve a resolution to allow Hibernia Bank to release a security as collateral for City accounts and pledge an additional security to replace it - RESOLUTION 03-136 B) Approve the payment of an invoice for aircraft repairs - RESOLUTION 03-137 C) Authorize a release of weed liens against four properties -RESOLUTION 03-138 D) Authorize the acceptance of a water line easement providing access for fire prevention services -RESOLUTION 03-139 Councilmember Cokinos moved to approve the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Beaulieu seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR LORD, MAYOR PRO TEM AMES, COUNCILMEMBERS SMITH, BEAULIEU, COKINOS AND PATTERSON NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED. Minutes-July 1,2003 Page 2 i GENERAL BUSINESS 1. Consider amending Section 26-13 of the Code of Ordinances to authorize the Public Works Director or his designee to implement reduced speed zones in and around areas of roadway construction within the City limits. Administration also recommended that Section 26-13 be amended to include the following: Replace the phrase"Director of Urban Transportation"with"Director of Public Works or his designee," and to further authorize the Director of Public Works or his designee. (24) to establish "temporary" reduced speed zones, based on engineering and traffic investigations,along portions of roadways within the Citythat are under construction or repair. Such reduced speed zones will terminate upon completion of the roadway improvements. Councilmember Cokinos moved to approve ORDINANCE 03-049 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 26, SECTION 26-13 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AUTHORIZING THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR OR HIS DESIGNEE TO IMPLEMENT SPEED ZONES IN AND AROUND AREAS OF ROADWAY CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE CITY; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL AND PROVIDING A PENALTY. Mayor Pro Tern Ames seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR LORD,MAYOR PRO TEM AMES,COUNCILMEMBERS SMITH,BEAULIEU, COKINOS AND PATTERSON NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED. WORK SESSION • Review Proposed FY 2004 Transit Budget Public Works Director Tom Warner presented Council with an overview of the proposed Fiscal Year2004 Transit Budget. He distributed a statement of revenues, expenditures and changes in the Municipal Transit Fund Balance for eight months ending May 31, 2003. The overview summarized: • the past year's reductions in fare box revenue • possible loss of advertising revenue • potential reductions in federal and state funding Mr. Warner presented Council with detailed explanations related to the items listed above. He also offered recommendations that will enhance revenue as well as help the City secure monies from a newly proposed federal funding source identified as Minutes-July 1,2003 Page 3 i the High Intensity Transit Tier. The overview presented by Mr. Warner is attached hereto as Exhibit "A." • Review Articles VI I - XVII of the City Charter City Attorney Lane Nichols reviewed Articles VII through XVII of the City Charter with Council for the Charter Amendment Election to be held September 13, 2003. This review yielded mainly generic verbiage changes. Discussion led to agreement to remove a standard surety company bond requirement for the City Manager as written in Article VIII, Section 1, unless Councilmembers decided to enforce such bonds by ordinance. Under Article XII, Section 4, City Manager Kyle Hayes proposed removing Municipal Court from the City Clerk and proposing to have Municipal Court under the auspice of the City Manager with the Municipal Court Administrator reporting to the Finance Director. Councilmember Bobbie Patterson asked that a decision to propose this change be deferred for one week. The remaining Councilmembers also agreed to defer the item allowing the City Manager and City Clerk time to confer. COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS Councilmember Smith - None Councilmember Beaulieu - None Councilmember Cokinos - None Mayor Pro Tern Ames - None Councilmember Patterson - None City Manager Kyle Hayes stated all was well. City Attorney Lane Nichols said that everything was fine. Mayor Evelyn Lord stated all was well and wished everyone a Happy Fourth of July. Public Comments (Persons are limited to three minutes) Roberto Flores 2425 Buchanan Beaumont, TX Mr. Flores addressed Council about a Neighborhood Plan worked out for the area of Beaumont commonly known as "The Avenues." His concern was that monies approved to be spent within the Avenues' community had not been done. Mr. Flores was especially concerned about the proposed enlargement to Fletcher Mini Park, as well as proposed improvements to be made on the park but have not been realized. Minutes-July 1,2003 Page 4 LeRoy Lewis III 7866 Gladys Beaumont, TX Mr. Lewis expressed his concern about an increase in crime in the City and requested additional police patrol within the City. He reported citing a dilapidated structure at 2476 North Street and having overgrown grass around the structure. Mr. Lewis also reported broken curbs at College and Major. He expressed concern about traffic being held up at Iowa and MLK Parkway from the train that runs during the heavy morning and afternoon traffic. Reverend M. L. Johnson 2250 W. Virginia #80 Beaumont, TX Reverend Johnson asked Council to seriously consider placing traffic lights at the corner of Gill and Magnolia Street and at Hale and Magnolia Street. Reverend Johnson turned in signed sheets from residents within this community. The neighborhood's concern to have these traffic lights erected is a result of the death of a fourteen-year-old who was killed on Magnolia Street during the month of June 2003. Audio tapes are available upon request in the City Clerk's Office. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:25 p.m. G Mayor Evelyn lkmd — 44- 44f(q- Susan Henderson, City Clerk Minutes-July 1,2003 Page 5