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Home My WebLink AboutMIN APR 16 1991 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL - CITY OF BEAUMONT HELD APRIL 16, 1991 - 1:30 P.M. BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in regular session this the 16th day of April, 1991, with the following present: HONORABLE: Evelyn M. Lord Mayor Andrew P. Cokinos Mayor Pro Tem Councilman At Large Brian R. Alter Councilman At Large Lulu L. Smith Councilman, Ward I Guy N. Goodson Councilman, Ward II Audwin Samuel Councilman, Ward III David W. Moore Councilman, Ward IV Ray A. Riley City Manager Lane Nichols City Attorney Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -000- The Invocation was given by the Reverend James Henry from Victory Bible Church in Pasadena, California, a guest of the Reverend James Boswell. The Reverend Henry is visiting Beaumont to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of Mount Zion Baptist Church with Pastor Boswell and his congregation. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Alter. -000- Mayor Lord welcomed and introduced Dawn Gordy, the new Student Government Association liaison from Lamar University. -000- Six Proclamations were issued: "Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month, " April, 1991; "Green Week, " April 20-26, 1991; "Junior-Senior Games Day, " April 27, 1991; "Better Hearing Month, " May, 1991; "Mount Zion Baptist Church Day, " April 21, 1991; and "Texas Archaeology Awareness Week, " April 13-19, 1991. -000- Citizen comment was invited on the Consent and Main Agenda. No one wished to address these items. -78- April 16, 1991 The following Consent Agenda item was considered: Approval of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held April 9, 1991. The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Moore. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Mayor Lord announced that an Executive Session will be held immediately following the Workshop Session in accordance with Section 2 (e) of the Texas Open Meetings Act to discuss pending or contemplated litigation: Excavators and Constructors. Inc. vs. City of Beaumont. -000- Resolution No. 91-79 establishing a construction policy for College Street reconstruction (approved in the Thoroughfare Improvement Program bond issue election) to allow work to begin on the east end of the project and completed between Main and Archie Streets before construction is started west of the Parkway between Goliad and Avenue A in an effort to minimize any hardship on businesses from street closings and temporary traffic regulations, and allow more time for study of options for alleviating anticipated problems from detours and temporary one-way traffic on the section of College west of Martin Luther King, Jr. Parkway was approved on a motion made by Councilman Goodson and seconded by Councilman Alter. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 91-80 authorizing allocation of $100,000.00 in Community Development Block Grant funds for improvements to Liberia Park which include a drinking fountain, site grading, landscaping and a shelter and Roberts Park improvements which include a covered play area with lights and two basketball goals, site grading and landscaping was approved on a motion made by Councilman Alter and seconded by Councilman Samuel. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 91-81 authorizing renewal of a five-year lease held by the Young Men's Business League on the YMBL Building on Fair Park commencing April 1, 1991, and ending March 31, 1996, with a rental fee of $400. 00 per month, payable in advance, for a total of $24,000.00 for the five-year period was approved on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Goodson. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -79- April 16, 1991 (Councilman Samuel left the Council Chambers at 2 : 15 p.m. during discussion, and before the vote, of Agenda Item No. 4. ) Resolution No. 91-82 authorizing a contract with Beaumont Carpet, Inc. in the amount of $14, 123 . 00 for furnishing and installing carpet and vinyl tile at the Beaumont Community Health Service Facility was approved on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- (Councilman Samuel returned to the Council Chambers at 2 :20 p.m. during discussion, but before the vote, of Agenda Item No. 5. ) Resolution No. 91-83 authorizing renewal of a two-year contract with Allright Beaumont Co. commencing April 1, 1991, and ending March 31, 1993, for parking control services for the Civic Center north and south lots, the Art Museum lot and the Library lot, when the library is closed, with a 30-day cancellation clause and a monthly fee of $1, 300. 00 was approved on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Alter. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 91-84 authorizing an intergovernmental agreement with Jefferson County for an exchange of services whereby Jefferson County will supply labor and equipment for maintenance, repair, and reconstruction of certain City streets, roads, ditches, and recreational areas, and in exchange, on an emergency basis only, the Beaumont Fire Department will respond to fires occurring at Cardinal Meadows, Garden Villa, the Jefferson County Jail and the Texas Department of Corrections was approved on a motion made by Councilman Goodson and seconded by Councilman Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Councilman Moore announced that at 11: 00 a.m. , April 17th, there will be a groundbreaking for the first of six affordable housing units at the site of Sherman and Poplar Streets. He invited everyone to join the Beaumont Housing Finance Corporation for this occasion. Councilman Samuel reported receiving a call from Mr. Donald Shackleford regarding closure of Meentzen Drive and opening of a drainage ditch, and requested a report regarding these activities. Councilman Smith congratulated Councilman Goodson for the success of his directorship in producing a very successful and entertaining evening of -80- April 16, 1991 events as part of the Neches River Festival last Friday. She said the evening was beautiful with the fireworks, music, and parade. Councilman Smith expressed regret that "Sunday in the Park" had to be cancelled last week because of rain, but announced the next "Sunday in the Park" is scheduled for May 12, 1991, with Mayor Lord featured as the comic reader. Councilman Goodson acknowledged the success of the Neches River Fest Dance and thanked Bill Wilson, President of the Neches River Festival Knights, for his assistance, Claudie Hawkins and Mark Arrington of Community Facilities for their guidance and direction, and J. R. Smith and other officers of the Beaumont Police Department for their efforts. Councilman Goodson said this was a great experience for the citizens of Beaumont, as well as residents of other cities in Jefferson County and neighboring cities north of Beaumont. Councilman Goodson asked for an update of fund balances of Community Development Block Grant expenditures. Councilman Alter added it was great that River Fest should experience such success the first year. He said the affair was well attended, and hopefully, it will expand to an even better community event. Also, Councilman Alter issued a challenge to fellow councilmembers to participate in "Spring Sweep" on April 27, 1991. Part of the plan is to encourage businessmen to spend thirty minutes during the week of April 20-26th cleaning up around their facilities. He asked Council to join him for thirty minutes of cleaning the grounds around City Hall next Tuesday, April 23, 1991 before Council meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos complimented the events of Friday evening, reported that the Friends of the Library hosted a banquet with Jim Lehrer, co-anchor of PBS 's Mac-Neil-Lehrer Newshour, as a guest and that Mr. Lehrer was highly complimentary of Beaumont. Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos said the luncheon today with members of the City Council of Orange was very interesting and a good means of becoming acquainted with political leaders of the area. Mayor Lord affirmed there has been much activity recently in meeting other community leaders. Mayor Lord met with a group of 20 Texas mayors and Mexico's president, Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Saturday, April 13, 1991. She said that besides the excitement of meeting a president of another nation, it was a pleasure to meet and get to know several more new Texas mayors sharing common problems. Mayor Lord said the Moccasin Exchange Program which has provided opportunity to meet with fellow council members of neighboring cities has been productive in that actual business is not conducted, but serves as an opportunity to become acquainted, and then when a need for business conduct arrives, they will already know each other and a base of understanding will already be in place. -000- -81- April 16, 1991 Mrs. Delia Harrington, 815 Willow, addressed Council in support of the Clean Sweep efforts, the Clean Community Commission and individual participation in keeping neighborhoods clean, commented that the roses she planted along the parking lot fence at City Hall are in bloom, and complained about vines, bushes, and weeds growing in an unsightly manner around utility poles. Mr. Henry Dannenbaum, 1567 Wall Street, addressed Council to compliment Delia Harrington for her tireless efforts in keeping the community clean, announced that a benefit spaghetti dinner will be served at St. Mark's Episcopal Church on April 25th to raise funds for the Seamen's Center and challenged the youth to participate in the Clean Sweep program. -000- There being no other business, the Regular Session of City Council was adjourned to reconvene in Workshop Session in the Third Floor Conference Room. -000- I, 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 April 16, 1991. Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -82- April 16, 1991