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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN JUN 20 1989 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL - CITY OF BEAUMONT HELD JUNE 20, 1989 - 1:15 P.M. BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in regular session this the 20th day of June, 1989, with the following present: HONORABLE: Maurice Meyers Mayor Bob Lee, Jr. Mayor Pro Tem Councilman At Large Andrew P. Cokinos Councilman At Large Lulu L. Smith Councilman, Ward I Audwin Samuel Councilman, Ward III David W. Moore Councilman, Ward IV Absent: Michael Brumley Councilman, Ward II Betty Dunkerley Administrative Services Director Lane Nichols City Attorney Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -000- The Invocation was given by the Reverend R. D. Carrington, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Jesus Christ and Chairman of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway Commission. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Samuel. -000- Mayor Meyers related that due to a business schedule, Councilman Brumley is out of town and unable to attend Council today. -000- Mr. James Whitmire, District Director of the Department of Agriculture was introduced and asked to comment about the activities of the Farmer' s Market. Mr. Whitmire said that "the Farmer' s Market is a vital part of our community. It is a source of home-grown, fresh produce. . .all grown by local producers. . .and open everyday, except Sunday, from 5:00 a.m. until sell-out. " He invited participation in an auction and vegetable show on Saturday, June 24th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. This year a $10,000 grant has been received to assist Senior Citizens in conjunction with the Department on Aging and a $40,000 grant for Women and Indigent Children assistance. Mayor Meyers said the Farmer' s Market receives vegetables grown from six counties--Jefferson, Orange, Hardin, Newton, Chambers, and Polk, and offers opportunities for small farmers to vend their produce. -147- June 20, 1989 MAYOR MEYERS Next, we have a good friend from the County Courthouse, Nick Lampson. I don' t think anyone needs to be introduced to our Tax Collector- Assessor. As a matter of fact, we either hear Nick' s name mentioned with a big smile or. . . ! And, that' s usually somebody who has a delinquent notice or something like that and is complaining. But, we ' re pleased that Nick took time today. . .to make some comments about a past convention in our city. NICK LAMPSON Well, Mayor and Councilman, thank you for allowing me to come over and visit with you for a few minutes today. It' s nice to be able to come over without having to have my hand out. This time we were able to bring something sort of nice to the City of Beaumont, and certainly it was a success for us. But, meeting in it' s 35th annual conference was the Tax Assessor Collector' s Association of Texas this past weekend, before this immediate past one. We had the largest convention we've had in ten years, and judging from the comments from the people who were visiting our fair city and the letters I 've gotten following the convention, I think, obviously, it was one of the best, maybe ever. Even beat the one that we did in 1981, and I think it was the most talked about in recent years. But, in that convention the members of our Association passed a resolution, and if you don' t mind, Mr. Mayor, I 'd like to read it and present it to the Council. R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, the Tax Assessor Collectors Association of Texas hereby wishes to express its most sincere appreciation to the City of Beaumont for hosting the 1989 Tax Assessor Collectors Association Conference, and, WHEREAS, Beaumont is a very scenic city and we have enjoyed meeting here; and, WHEREAS, the City of Beaumont has worked many hours and furnished signs, typewriters, and other assistance to the conference; therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Tax Assessor Collectors Association of Texas hereby expresses its most sincere appreciation by passing this resolution and that a copy of this resolution be properly prepared and presented to the City of Beaumont. /s/ Buran House, President Clyde M. Craigen, Secretary-Treasurer TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION OF TEXAS The Convention and Visitor' s Bureau did a great deal of effort in working with us in seeing to it that our convention turned out to be the success that it was. We were able to show off a little bit of our culture in the area. We were able to bring visitors from all over the -148- June 20, 1989 State of Texas to the Port of Beaumont, a tour of several of our museums, and generally driving them through Beaumont and pointing things out as we moved from one place to another. We also had a very nice tour of the River for quite a few of the people who came. In our efforts--normally, our convention is two and one-half days. It beings on Sunday afternoon and goes through Tuesday evening. We added a little bit of extra effort and invited all of. . .the members of the Association to come down as early as Friday and we set up extra activities for them. We were able to get between 100 and 125 people to come on Friday, two days before our convention began, which also did something good for our community. I am pleased, very much so pleased, to have been involved with this, and I thank you for the support that you've given through the Convention and Visitor' s Bureau in working with us to make it a success. MAYOR MEYERS Thank you very much. We' re pleased to accept that resolution from you, and I know I speak for Council, and particularly for the Bureau. It takes someone locally, like yourself and your associates, to go and say, "We want to go for it. " Then we' re pleased that you got the kind of support that you needed because it' s difficult when you get out on a limb and you' re going to have several hundred people coming, if they don' t back you up. But, I can' t imagine the extra special impact, particularly on our economy, that that Friday, Saturday had, and we compliment you for that, and we' re pleased they had a good visit, and this will bring them back sooner, we hope. MR. LAMPSON We hope so. I might also mention that the Beaumont Plaza Hotel did an exceptional job in working with us. It was indeed a pleasure. -000- Mrs. Sharon Eaves, on behalf of the Old Town Association, addressed Council to say thank you for providing leadership throughout the past year in helping to reestablish the group and to focus on goals, needs, and leadership in attaining those goals. She reported that the "Old Town Bash" was a good day and a beginning for the future and thanked Council for appropriating monies from the Community Block Grant Funds for side walk renovation. Mrs. Eaves said there is a genuine effort on the part of businesses toward cleaning up their property and a growing pride in the community. Mrs. Eaves presented a basket of Caladiums to Councilman Smith from the Old Town Distric businesses in appreciation for many hours of support and consultation. Mayor Meyers complimented Councilman Smith for doing a good job in Ward I and expressed pleasure in recognition to her by her constituents. -000- -149- June 20, 1989 Citizen comment was invited on the Consent and Main Agendas. No one wished to address these items. -000- Mayor Meyers announced that City Manager Ray Riley is at a City Manager' s meeting, and in his absence Finance Director Betty Dunkerley will present business items for consideration. -000- The following Consent Agenda items were considered: Approval of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held June 13 , 1989; and Resolution No. 89-123 reappointing Lonnie Hood to the Airport Advisory Commission for a term expiring May 31, 1990; reappointing Bill Matthews, Leo Lemell, and Mike Hobbs to the Airport Advisory Commission for terms expiring May 31, 1991; Resolution No. 89-124 granting a 10-foot-wide easement to Gulf States Utilities for underground electric service to the Tyrrell Historical Library from Pearl Street out of Lots 64 and 65, Block 13 of the Original Townsite of Beaumont; Resolution No. 89-125 authorizing a request to the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation for a property exchange of 2. 88 acres of surplus right-of-way for Major Drive (FM 364) in the vicinity of Interstate 10 (appraised at $17,658, Samuel Stivers Survey) to the Phelan Interests (Patrick Henry Phelan and Michael Arthur Phelan, Trustees, for K. E. Phelan Carmody, J. C. Phelan, M. M. Phelan Green, M. R. Phelan McKaughan, C. A. Phelan McMahon, L. H. Phelan Bean, S. A. Phelan Davant, A. M. Phelan, Jr. , P. H. Phelan, M. A. Phelan, and H. D. Phelan) as part of the consideration for acquiring Parcel 411, ( 0. 1607 of an acre out of Lot 12, Block 41, Calder Addition, appraised at $50,420) needed for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway Project plus $32, 852 in cash in addition to the surplus right-of-way property; Resolution No. 89-126 accepting a general utility easement described as 247 square feet of land out of the David Brown League from the Port of Beaumont Navigation District for relocation of the Verone Street sanitary sewer lift station to a site on Buford Street east of Wallace Street; and Resolution No. 89-127 granting an easement to the Kansas City Southern Railway Co. for street crossings in the relocation of its tracks in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway across portions of Sabine Pass, Brien, , Lyle, Neches, Easy, Irma, Craig, Royal, and Blanchette Streets and a portion of the ten foot alley out of Block 2 of the Gentz Addition. The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman Samuel. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -150- June 20, 1989 wr a• • Resolution No. 89-128 urging selection of a site in Jefferson County for a correctional facility to be constructed by the Texas Department of Correction because of the benefits it would yield the economy in the jobs created during the construction phase as well as the payroll of permanent jobs and business generated by its operation was considered: R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Jefferson County is urging the State Department of Corrections to select a site in Jefferson County for the construction of a state correctional facility; and, WHEREAS, such a project would yield tremendous benefits to the City of Beaumont and Jefferson County through the creation of both construction and permanent jobs and the associated economic spin-off from such a facility; and, WHEREAS, the city desires to support the efforts of Jefferson County to urge the selection of a site in Jefferson County for such correctional facility; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT: THAT the City of Beaumont hereby supports the efforts of Jefferson County to have a site selected by the Department of Corrections for a new state correctional facility in Jefferson County. The city hereby urges the selection of such a site and commits its' support to efforts to influence the Department of Corrections and elected state officials to act favorably upon the request of Jefferson County. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this the 20th day of June, 1989. -Mayor- Resolution No. 89-128 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Lee and seconded by Councilman Cokinos. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None Mayor Meyers relayed information that Commissioner Moore is publicly urging written support of the citizens to the Commissioners Court as visible evidence of the community' s feelings and Mayor Meyers personally encouraged citizens to act on the request of Commissioner Moore. -000- Resolution No. 89-129 accepting a gift of a 0. 442-of-an acre of land on the southwest corner of Franklin and Victoria as the site for the restoration of the historic Kansas City Southern Depot building in a project of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway Commission from Mr. Lewis Debes in memory of his parents, Spero and Lillie Debes, and his brother and sister-in-law, Sam and Berrelia Debes, with The Jones Boys, Inc. donating their services to move the building was approved on a motion made by Councilman Lee and seconded by Councilman Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -151- June 20, 1989 �. A .. Resolution No. 89-130 awarding a contract for furnishing a year' s requirement of liquid polymer for the water treatment process to Callaway Chemical Company of Columbus, Georgia at a price of $ .79 per pound, an estimated annual expenditure of $18,960, was approved on a motion made by Councilman Samuel and seconded by Councilman Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Mrs. Dunkerley stated that Agenda Item No. 4 is being held for one week. -000- Resolution No. 89-131 designating the firm of Coopers & Lybrand to perform the independent audit for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1989 and submit a report to City Council was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman Samuel. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Councilman Lee reported a good "Sunday in the Park" last week with lots of fun and including his participation in a dunking booth. Councilman Moore reported an impressive Flag Day ceremony at the Civic Center, June 14th; thanked Staff for an outstanding weekend at Riverfront Park, Fair Park Coliseum, Julie Rogers Theater, and the Civic Center during the Juneteenth celebration; asked Mrs. Dunkerley to check the status of a previous request regarding feasibility of security fencing behind Dunbar School in a cooperative effort with the School District; reported the area around the Hebert Cemetery needs City crews to pick up old refrigerators, television sets, and other items that have been dumped there and asked the Legal Department to investigate the possibility of asking heirs to assist in keeping the cemetery clean or the City to accept complete responsibility; and asked Staff to collect cost figures for extending the sidewalks adjacent to Blanchette Elementary School from Goliad West to Fourth Street to provide complete sidewalks for children walking to school. Councilman Samuel thanked John Gorman and all the Staff that worked with the Juneteenth celebration and stated that it was an excellent weekend filled with fun and festivities for all ages; asked that someone follow-up on a mosquito problem at the corner of Maida Road and Barrett Road to insure there is no rubbish that would create a problem there. Councilman Smith invited everyone to join her at "Sunday in the Park, " Sunday, June 25th, when radio station KYKR will sponsor the activities with lots of games and festivities. -000- -152- June 20, 1989 Ms. Janice Morgan, 3730 Kenneth Street, a handicapped employee of Goodwill Industries, addressed Council regarding no public transportation after 5: 00 p.m. Ms. Morgan stated that taxi cab fare is expensive and asked if Council could enact a discount rate for taxi fare for handicapped individuals. Mr. Wallace Osborne, P. O. Box 1031, Fremont, California, addressed Council regarding property he owns in Beaumont and charges received for cutting grass and removing litter; double billing; escalated rates of independent contractors; and the short turn-around time for correspondence from the City for out-of-state land owners. Mr. Henry Dannenbaum, 1567 Wall Street, addressed Council regarding several social service agencies and said he enjoyed the Juneteenth celebration at Riverfront Park. -000- There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. -000- 2, Rosemarie Chiappetta, City Clerk of the City of Beaumont, Texas, certify that the above is a true copy of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held June 20, 1989 . Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -153- June 20, 1980