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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN JULY 21 1987 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL - CITY OF BEAUMONT HELD JULY 21, 1987 - 1 :15 P.M. BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in regular session this the 21st day of July, 1987, with the following present: HONORABLE: Maurice Meyers Mayor Bob Lee, Jr. Councilman At Large Andrew P. Cokinos Councilman At Large Lulu L. Smith Councilman, Ward I Mike Brumley Councilman, Ward II Audwin Samuel Councilman, Ward III David W. Moore Councilman, Ward IV Betty Dunkerley Acting City Manager Lane Nichols City Attorney Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -000- The Invocation was given by the Reverend John Sperling, pastor of Northwood Christian Church. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Lee. -000- Mayor Meyers introduced Tu Chiappe tta as the newly appointed City Clerk. -000- Mayor Meyers introduced Mr. Kendall Hottman as Pn active member of the Elks Lodge and applauded his efforts in getting the Elks' Convention to convene in Beaumont. Mr. Hottman was invited to address Council and citizens in attendance regarding the convention.. Mr. Kendall Hottman: Well, I moved here, retired from the Dakotas. I traveled up there for. . .had the two states for American General Insurance Co. , was the manager, and said if I ever made enough money to get out of there I'm going somewhere where I don't have to shovel snow and I wound up in Beaumont due to my wife. I followed her here because of her career, but I like it here. I love it. So, I sat around for a couple of years not doing much and that got old, and I decided I wanted to to something. I've been active in the Lodge, Elks Lodge, up in the Dakotaa, and so down here in this one needed some help and needed it bad, and I felt that I could make a contribution, and so I've operating that and taking care of it and we have got the convention here which was my main objective when I started. Like I say, it will be 40 years since the last time it was here. It was in 1948. The last convention was held on the Coast had 1 ,029 registered voting Elks. And, I don't like coming in second. So. I'm gonna tell you we're gonna have more than that here. That will mean there's gonna be over a thousand women running around the city with credit cards and check books. And, if none of you know our project for -266- July 21 , 1987 MR. HOTTMAN continued: the National is drug awareness, I have some bumper stickers here our lodge will make available to the community, anyone wants to use them, put them on their cars, I will make them available. If you need more, give me a call and we'll provide them for you, and also we have the. ..our State project, major project is the Crippled Children's Hospital in Luling, Texas. If any of you not know anything about it, if you remember back here a year ago in March, it made headlines in the Beaumont Enterprise when the Della Williams story broke. . . .She was a gal that came through our hospital and made UPI, so that is what our major project is and we also had this past, had the honor at the convention in Amarillo when we got the vote, we won first place, I've got a trophy here for first place for Community Image. The best Community Image Lodge in the State of Texas. I have a brochure there, that my wife put together, who is the one that really makes me look good, and Betty Dunkerley 'knows that. And, if anybody wants to look at it, it will show what the things we did this past year to get that. We have a Boy Scout Troup out there that we house, and we have a cleanup program, and we have many various things that we help in the community. If we can do anything to help the commmunity, we're here to do that. None of us get paid; we donate our time. The only person out there that gets paid is the janitorial service and we have a gal in the lounge. And, then that is all that get paid. The rest of us donate our time. I am proud to be in this city. I'm proud to know the Honorable Mayor. I met him, the first person in the voting line when we moved here. We got acquainted, and he announced to me that day he was running for mayor. I said, you can put a sign in my yard today. You know, and I'm just real proud to know him and work for him. Thank you. MAYOR MEYERS: Thank you. See if you can get some air-conditioning people to come into that convention. Councilman Moore called to my attention I think something that is just outstanding, and by that I mean, for people and what they do and their recognition and more importantly what it brings to our community, and I'd like to ask him if he would read this proclamation and then present it. It's one that I'm just so proud and I know everyone here in attendance will be plus everybody in the city should be. COUNCILMAN MOORE: Well, Mayor, that's exactly what I want to say, everybody in the city should be excited about this and very proud of this family. I'm very happy because I've known them all for quite awhile and had an opportunity to work with many of them on many boards and commissions and even been schooled, and taught and told by Mrs. Provo, more than one time or two. But, the proclamation reads: WHEREAS, the family is the basic strength of any free and ordinary society, and reflects the values of that society; and, WHEREAS, Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Provo, Jr. will be among six exemplary families honored by First Lady Nancy Reagan in behalf of all families who contribute to America's strength on Monday, July 27, 1987 at 2:00 p.m. at The White House; and, WHEREAS, Mr. & Mrs. Provo, Jr. will be honored in the Fifth Annual Great American Family Awards Program, which is sponsored by the American Family Society; and, WHEREAS, the Provo's inner strength and civic leadership enhance the quality of daily life in Beaumont and promote pride in our American heritage; and, -267- July 21, 1987 WHEREAS, each member of this Great American Family is exemplary of how well Mr. & Mrs. Provo have nurtured individual growth, teamwork and love, and friendship and service to others; and, WHEREAS, the City of Beaumont is proud to honor Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Provo, Jr. in recognition of the benefits that come to individuals, to communities, and to the nation when family members apply time-tested values in their daily lives. NOW, THEREFORE, I, Maurice Meyers, Mayor of the City of Beaumont, do hereby proclaim Tuesday, July 21, 1987, as "MR. & MRS. JOSEPH W. PROVO, JR. DAY" in Beaumont, and behalf of Council and citizens of Beaumont, extend congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Provo, Jr. for receiving this honor as your family is indeed a credit to Beaumont, Texas. Furthermore, I urge all citizens to celebrate and renew thier commitment to strong family life. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and have caused the Seal of the City of Beaumont to be affixed. (Signature of Mapor�- I see there are a number of the family Members here, so I'm gonna ask all to stand and please come forward with your mom and dad to receive this award. Attorney Marva Provo, Joseph W. Provo, III, Iris Marie Booker, Monica Ruth Provo, Carletta Provo Sullivan, and I'm not sure she's able to make it. As you come to the microphone. . .applause. Mr. and Mrs. Provo, will you come forward so I can extend the proclamation to you, and, I know you've never been short for words or expressions, so here's your opportunity to do so. MRS. PROVO: Thank you. C0UNCILMAN MOORE: Good to see you again. Mr. Provo, good to see you. MR. PROVO: Glad to meet you. MAYOR MEYERS: Congratulations, congratulations. I would mention for those, while the Provos come to the microphone, that we have been honored within our community within a span of 90 days as having the Father of the Year recognized in New York, and now the Family of the Year in National competition. And, I think that says something for the quality of life that we are so proud of. -268- July 21, 1987 COUNCILMAN MOORE: Vernon, I want you all to come forward, too. You're part of the family, too. At this time, please go to the microphone, Mr. and Mrs. Provo, and say anything you'd like to at this time, except you can't tell us about garbage and drainage right now! Okay? MRS. PROVO: Delia would like for me to talk about garbage and Clean Community to answer you there. But, to Mayor Meyers, Councilman Moore, and other members of the Council and to the City of Beaumont, we the members of the Provo family accept this proclamation humbly and gratefully. We are indeed proud as a family because in times like these, in no other time of society has the family been so morally decayed. So, we were chosen among six other families across the United States to serve as example to aid other families, . . . in these times you can, regardless of the social problems and ills that face us today, rear a family if you base that family upon good Christian morals and goals, and the family that is based upon a solid foundation of love and God will stay together and achieve those goals. As we travel to t:ashington, I beg for your prayers and we shall represent the City of Beaumont and the State of Texas proud. COUNCILMAN MOORE: Thank you. (applause) Mrs. Provo, while you're gone, who's gonna take care of all those commissions anal board you belong to? MRS. PROVO: Well. . .you are MAYOR MEYERS: Councilman Lee? COUNCILMAN LEE: Is .fan Huffman, here? Ah! We are fortunate to have s. Huffman who will enter "W an agreement to become involved in the Operation Cl e I Clean Street Program, and wouask Mayor Meyers and Maree Calcote to come to the podium. MAREE CALCGTE: I want to tell you that Jan called and said that they were active in the Aviation Association, and that they were concerned about the way the Beaumont Airport looked, and we have many people who come into Beaumont through our Municipal Airport and so they have taken on a very large stretch of road there so that our visitors and people who go out to the airport will have a nice clean environment, and we are very pleased. COUNCILMAN LEE: We are, we appreciate your willingness, and Beaumont Aviation's willingness to accept responsibility from Keith Road from College Street to Phelan Blvd. It is a long way, -269- July 21, 1987 COUNCILMAN LEE continued: and we appreciate your agreeing to keep that stretch, one of Beaumont's streets looking real good, and we want you to officially become involved in the Operation Clean Street Program by signing your name to this participation agreement that outlines the specific things that you would be involved with for at least a twelve-month period, and if you would sign right here, we would also ask the Mayor and Maree to add their signatures. . . .and we will allow you to take a copy with you, and if you would like to say anything, please make any comments you would want. MRS. HUFFMAN: No thank you. COUNCILMAN LEE: Well, when do you expect to begin? MRS. HUFFMAN: As soon as the signs get up. COUNCILMAN LEE: Good, the signs will be up early next week. MRS, HUFFMAN: Alright, we'll start. COUNCILMAN LEE: Well, thank you very much. MAYOR MtEYERS: Thanks very much, Maree. Bob, the Clean Community Commission, and Operation Clean Street continued to drive that effort that perhaps may not cause people to look at some of the thoroughfares and say "my, how beautiful," but it certainly does prevent people from looking at some of the thoroughfares and saying, "my, how ugly," as the improvement continues to be extremely significant, and I think will ultimately have a very meaningful impact on our ability to diversify our economy. -000- Mayor Meyers announced that City Council will hold an executive session in accordance with Section 2(g) of the Open Meetings Act of the State to discuss appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee following the regular session of City Council. -000- -270- July 21, 1987 Public comment was called on Agenda Items A through D. No one wished to address these items. -000- The following Consent Agenda Items were considered: Resolution 87-147 authorizing pledge and release of $635,000.00 in securities held as collateral for City deposits by Texas Commerce Bank; and Resolution 87-148 authorizing execution of a contract with Southwestern Laboratories for soil borings at the Lafin Road Landfill in an amount not to exceed $18,000. (Soil testing rewired by State Health Dept. before disposing of solid waste in a new area. ) The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman Smith. Motion: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution 87-149 appointing Rosemarie Chiappetta as City Clerk was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Samuel. Motion: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- A resolution authorizing emergency purchase of one (1) 4-door LTD Crown Victoria police cruiser from Kinsel Ford Co. in the amount of $12,960.00 and six (6) 4-door Caprice sedans and one (1) Caprice station wagon from Beaumont Motor Co. in the amount of $84,352.52 was considered. A lengthy discussion regarding Council approval February 25, 1987 for purchase of sixteen (16) police cars from Chuck Miller Ford and Ford Motor Company's non-delivery due to manufacturing deadline prompted questions from Council regarding possible litigation. (The City was advised that Ford Motor Co. had been unable to fill 4,000 police car orders prior to cessation of production for the 1987 model year. Chuck Miller Ford of Houston agreed to fill the City of Beaumont's order with 16 1988 model cars at the bid price for 1987 models but would be unable to do so prior to November. Price quotations were then solicitated for ten (10) vehicles for immediate delivery that would be suitable for police use. ) Councilman Cokinos urged legal action and discussed local purchases and delivery problems. Councilman Cokinos made a motion that the City Attorney be directed to collect all damages or amounts due the City as a result of Chuck Miller Ford's failure to deliver vehicles to the City's contract. The motion was seconded by Councilman Moore. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- -271- July 21, 1987 Resolution 87-150 authorizing emergency purchase of one (1) 4-door LTD Crown Victoria police cruiser from Kinsel Ford Co. in the amount of $12,960.00 and six (6) 4-door Caprice sedans and one (1) Caprice station wagon from Beaumont Motor Co. in the amount of $84,352.62 was approved on a motion by Councilman Lee and seconded by Councilman Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution 87-151 authorizing a one-year extension of a contract with Peat, Marwick, Main 6 co. as independent auditors for Fiscal Year 1987 (The firm will conduct the FY 87 audits at cost of $110,000 for estimated 3,100 hours of work, or about 20% less than fees of $139,000 for 3,182 hours worked last year. FY 85 fees came to $75,000 for 4,971 hours of work. The firm agrees to subcontract at least 500 hours of work on the audit to Minority Business Enterprises for a fee of $25 per hour) was approved on a motion made by Councilman Samuel and seconded by Councilman Lee. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: Done Mayor Meyer's expressed appreciation to Councilman Samuel and Councilman Smith for their active participation on the Audit Committee. Councilman Moore commented on the willingness of Peat, Marwick, and Main to participate with the Minority Business Enterprises. Councilman Samuel requested that these commendations be expressed directly to Peat, Marwick, and Main Co. -000- Ordinance No. 87-54 adopting the Standard Plumbing Code was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 87-54 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 1985 EDITION OF THE STANDARD PLUMBING CODE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABTLITY AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAL. The ordinance was approved on a motion made by Councilman Lee and seconded by Councilman Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Councilman Brumley invited everyone to attend the "Concert on the Move," Thursday, July 23, 1987, 7:00p.m. at Rogers Park. The Boogarillos will be the warm-up group for Jimmy Simmons, the feature artist. Councilman Lee deferred comments to Councilman Samuel regarding "Sunday in the Park" for July 26, 1987, but stated that last Sunday's attendance was one of the largest and the "Mystery Friends" were the host sponsor and everyone had a good time and look forward to next Sunday. Councilman Samuel announced that Parks and Recreation will sponsor "Sunday in the Park" July 26th. There will be lots of fun and games and everyone is invited to attend. -272- July 21 , 1987 Councilman Cokinos requested that Tom Warner, Public Works Director, check into the drainage ditch on Fannin and Goliad all the way around to College and 4th Street. There is a controversy regarding responsibility of the ditch's maintenance. Also, he requested that something be done about a private road at the Fannin and Goliad sign that deadends going East that is being used as a place to deposit old refrigerators, sofas, e tc. Councilman Moore addressed grass cutting of lots and the level of approval of the individuals doing the cutting (does not look good); grass growing up at a considerable height at Elgie and Sutherland and there is a problem with people loitering in that area; requested criteria for railroad crossings and small bridges; and asked the City Attorney to investigate restitution centers because he is asking for a moritorium as a level of safeguards to be placed on these kinds of centers being approved by Council until such time as the Planning and Zoning Commission along with volunteers bring back their report and recommendations for notification process. Councilman Samuel asked for an update of the progress of fill dirt on Magnolia Park. A lot of water still stands on the Magnolia side of the park after a heavy rain. Councilman Smith thanked Tom Warner and the Department of Public Works for the work involved in cleaning out ditches and putting in culverts under the streets and trying to improve the drainage in Ward I. -000- Mr. Ben Rogers, 2010 Thomas Road, addressed Council on several items: He thanked Council for requesting the Legal Dept. to obtain Attorney General's opinion regarding the proposed parking garage; inquired about construction of the Spindletop Water Park, HUD funding and developers; requested that Council contact Beaumont Independent School District officials and ask that the proposed Planetarium be constructed on their downtown property and reserve the proposed site for another use; inquired abo=.}t City's direct participation in redevelopment of the Stedman Building; asked that immediate consideration be given to !raking Forsythe a two-way street from Main to Pearl to facilitate better movement of the Art Museum traffic; and complained about Beaumont's antiquated parking meter system. Mr, Henry Dannenbaum, 1567 Wall Street, addressed Council as Resident Director of the McBride Halfway House regarding proper supervision of half-way houses and commended Councilman Bob Lee and the children of Buckner Children's Village and others for cleaning areas of Beaumont. -000- There being no further business, the meeting was recessed before continuing with the Executive Session. -000- I, Rosemarie Chiappetta, City Clerk, certify that the above is a true copy of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held July 21, 1987. Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -273- July 21, 1987