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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN SEPT 30 1997 M I N U T E S .- CITY O F BEAD MOOT Lulu L.Smith DAVID W. MOORE, MAYOR Becky Ames,Mayor Pro Tem Guy N.Goodson CITY COUNCIL MEETING Andrew P.Cokinos John K. Davis SEPTEMBER 30,1997 Bobbie J. Patterson Lane Nichols,City Attorney Ray A. Riley,City Manager Patrice Fogarty,City Clerk The City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in a regular session on September 30, 1997, 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 Moore called the meeting to order at 1:39 p.m. Father Jerry McGrath, Saint Anthony Cathedral, gave the invocation. Mayor Moore led the pledge of allegiance. Present at the meeting were: Mayor Moore, Mayor Pro Tem Ames, Councilmembers Smith, Goodson, Cokinos, Davis, and Patterson. Also present were Ray A. Riley, City Manager; Lane Nichols, City Attorney; Patrice Fogarty, City Clerk; and Barbara Liming, Deputy City Clerk. *Presentations and Recognition One Proclamation was issued: "Muscular Dystrophy Association Day," October 4, 1997. Transportation Manager for the Port of Beaumont, Mr. John Roby, announced that the Port of Beaumont is honored to have as their special guest Mr. Jaime Lea-Plaza Saenz, vice-president and director of the Port of Lirguen in Chili. Mrs. Wanda Meyers introduced Mr. Saenz and his wife, Molly. Mr. and Mrs. Saenz complimented the beauty of Beaumont and the pleasure of their visit. Mr. Saenz said that as a civil engineer, he has studied and visited many ports. He has taken the information gleaned and incorporated some of it into his work. He said he hopes to learn much from the Port of Beaumont, share his knowledge with them and their ports become involved in trading. Mayor Moore invited Mr. and Mrs. Saenz to meet Council individually and Council presented them with various gifts representative of Beaumont. Convention and Tourism Director Jef Russell joined Mayor Moore in presenting them a large gift basket with items significant to Beaumont, including Tex-Joy products, Seaport coffee, Douget rice, jelly, items produced by local companies, a "Don't Mess with Texas" tee-shirt and a cookbook. 2. Consider approving a classification/compensation plan as provided in Section 21-12 of the Code of Ordinances Councilmember Smith moved to approve Resolution No. 97-224 approving a classification/compensation plan with a 2% across-the-board increase on October 1, 1997, for all regular full time civilian employees, except for Council appointed employees, and an additional 2% increase on their anniversary date. Councilmember Davis seconded the motion. MOTION PASSED. Ayes: Mayor Moore, Mayor Pro Tem Ames, Councilmembers Smith, Goodson, Cokinos, Davis, and Patterson Noes: None COMMENTS * Councilmembers comment on various matters: Councilmember Davis questioned when information will be forthcoming from the Planning and Zoning Commission regarding procedures for location of half-way houses, said it is important that applications begin with the Planning and Zoning Commission and that this is a strong concern of the neighborhood associations and members of the community. Also, Councilmember Davis asked Public Works Director Tom Warner about the possibility of Long Street between Magnolia and M. L. King Parkway being included in the 1997 Street Rehab Program. Councilmember Davis said the street is in atrocious condition and spoke of the effect of the railroad and possible assistance at the state level. Councilmember Smith thanked Kirby Richards for assistance with the demolition of the building at the former location of Larry's Antique Mall, said remaining bricks need to be cleared and there is another building on the site that still needs attention and questioned its status and said the whole neighborhood appreciates the cleanup activity. Mayor Moore commented that Chief Morris Sandefer is retiring from the Fire Department to accept a governor appointed position to work on the State Pension Board. Mayor Moore said a nice reception was held for Chief Sandefer yesterday and wished him well in his new endeavors. * Public Comment (Persons are limited to 3 minutes) Minutes;9 030197;Page 3 Mrs. Marie Hubbard, 1990 Nora, addressed Council regarding seizure of property in the Lincoln Brown Addition from mostly elderly people, said it was unfair to them, spoke of an unknown lady's name on her father-in-laves records, addressed City liens on his property and different cost quotes given with the last amount being $1,457.08 and said the property was being seized for building low income housing. Mrs. Hubbard said she is not only speaking for her father-in-law, but is here as a "drum major for justice" for all the elderly. Mayor Moore asked Mrs. Hubbard to remain after the meeting to speak with him and Councilmember Davis. He told Mrs. Hubbard they would like to investigate and understand the problem and help find a solution. Mrs. Paubla Ydrogo, 1590 Gilbert, thanked Council for their involvement with the Avenues Neighborhood Association, reported that kids are participating in drugs and alcohol consumption in a house across from Fletcher Mini Park and asked for assistance with the problem, and invited Council to attend the Avenues Neighborhood Association meeting on the third Monday of October. Mr. Mark Williford, 2380 Briarcliff, referred to a recent article in the Beaumont Enterprise about a young woman that danced at one of Beaumont's local lounges and moved to Kansas and was murdered and the article today about the underaged girl working in a sexually-oriented business. Mr. Williford said the City needs to adopt an ordinance that includes licensing, time cards and employment records. He stated that before adoption of an ordinance, a public hearing should be held for public input, that some women can be saved from exploitation by ordinance restrictions, said Council should do what is prudent, not political and reviewed the era when Jimmy Cokinos was mayor and had to take a stand for desegregation and his life was threatened and his church bombed. Also, Mr. Williford stated that members of the church community want to volunteer assistance in helping these women and girls who feel desperate and without any other alternative. Officer Crystal Holmes announced that the Beaumont Police Department will host the Fifth Annual Cops and Kids Picnic, October 2, (correct date October 4) at the Jefferson County Airport. She said there will be 2,000 free tee-shirts, food, cokes, ice cream and lots of demonstrations such as the SWAT Team and K-9 demonstrations. She encouraged organizations and church groups to bring their children out for a time of fun and instruction. Councilmember Davis inserted comments that there is no program in the Charlton-Pollard area that is seizing property, said there are two issues in the former complaint and one is enforcement of the Code of Ordinances regarding high grass. He said efforts to clean up neighborhoods will continue to avoid infestation of rats and roaches. Mayor Moore addressed Mr. Williford's comments by stating that it is not Council's position to create a point/counterpoint situation with citizens, said there are already laws against murder and hiring underage people, displayed information he has received from the City Attorney regarding creation of a City ordinance regulating sexually-oriented businesses, Minutes;9 030/97;page 4 said this Council will do what is right, not what is politically correct and doesn't know why that opinion prevails and said most concerns are against the law. Mayor Moore asked City Attorney Lane Nichols to capsulate the content of his memo. Mr. Nichols said his research regarding sexually-oriented businesses concluded that: 1) regulations be directed at the negative secondary effects of such businesses and not designed to curb control happenings in the structure, but designed to help the City in protecting neighborhoods, assist police in enforcing the law and protect health and sanitation, and 2.) that through regulation, the City may not by the inclusion of spacing requirements "space" the sexually-oriented business out of town. He stated that zoning addresses the property line distance from schools and churches, and that he has asked the Planning and Zoning Division to look at the zoning of present establishments and the Police Department and Planning and Zoning Division to assist with evidence concerning any negative secondary effects caused by local sexually oriented businesses. Mr. Nichols said he has looked at the County's ordinance and said there are additional subjects such as adequate lighting, hours of operations, holes between peep-show booths, etc. that are absent from their ordinance and may be appropriate to consider. Mayor Moore explained that Council's intent is to present the proposed sexually-oriented business ordinance in a workshop meeting, said they are trying to not create an adversarial situation, are moving forward in formulation of a workable ordinance, said it is sad that a life was lost in trying to get to a goal, said that citizens are becoming more keenly aware of what's going on and understanding the plight of some in the community and hopes the church can help some of these people. EXECUTIVE SESSION * Executive Session in accordance with Section 551.071 of the Government Code to discuss contemplated or pending litigation: State of Texas et al v. Brand Darwin Combest et al Janell Johnson et al v. City of Beaumont Contract proposals for Police and Fire Unions *Executive Session in accordance with Section 551.074 of the Government Code to consider the evaluation of appointed officials: specifically the City Clerk Minutes;9/30197;Page 5 There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:24 p.m. to reconvene in executive session. ci�L f Mayor David W. Moore Patrice Fogarty, Ciq Clerks` Minutes;9/3a97;Page 6