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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN MAR 19 1985 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL - CITY OF BEAUMONT HELD MARCH 19, 1985 BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in regular session this the 19th day of March, 1985, with the following present: HONORABLE: William E. Neild Mayor Joseph D. Deshotel Councilman At Large G. Wayne Turner Councilman At Large Nell Pruitt Weisbach Councilman, Ward I Mike Brumley Councilman, Ward II Audwin Samuel Councilman, Ward III David W. Moore Councilman, Ward IV Karl Nollenberger City Manager Hugh Earnest Asst. City Manager Lane Nichols City Attorney Myrtle Corgey City Clerk -00o- The Invocation was given by the Reverend Terry Pierce, First Church of the Nazarene. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Turner. -000- Three proclamations were issued: "Camp Fire's 75th Anniversary Week in Beaumont" - March 17-23, 1985; "Exceptional Children's Week in Beaumont" - March 25-30, 1985 and."Love Lamar Week in Beaumont" - March 25-29, 1985. -000- The following Consent Agenda items were considered: Approval of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held March 12, 1985; Resolution 85-81 appointing Charles Thompson as Alternate to the Board of Adjustment, term expiring September 30, 1987 and Lt. Tom Scofield to the Clean Community Commission, term expiring September 30, 1986; Resolution 85-82 authorizing the Rental Rehabilitation Program and Request for Proposals from local financial institutions to participate in the financing of investor-owned housing located in the CDBG Strategy Area for funds for the program, underwrite the loans which have been approved by the City, closing the loans and recording the associated liens, establish private funds escrow account and disbursing the private funds, private loan close-out, and provide monthly reports; and -50- March 19, 1985 Resolution 85-83 designating Karl Nollenberger, Hugh Earnest and Myrtle Corgey as signatories on City accounts. The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Councilman Turner and seconded by Councilman Weisbach. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Ordinance No. 85-28 amending the budget for the fiscal period commencing October 1, 1984, by transferring the General Improvement Fund Balance to the General Fund and reversing equity transfer of $1.0 million from the General Fund to Fleet Equipment Fund was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 85-28 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE BUDGET OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT FOR THE FISCAL PERIOD COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 1984, BY TRANSFERRING GENERAL IMPROVEMENT FUND BALANCE TO THE GENERAL FUND AND REVERSING THE EQUITY TRANSFER OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE FLEET EQUIPMENT FUND. Resolution 85-84 cancelling fleet equipment purchases from J K Chevrolet, The Truck Ranch, Kinsel Ford, Ray Bernard Olds, Tidelands International, Beaumont Motor Company and Saf T Mark because of the present financial crisis of the City; and Resolution 85--85 cancelling purchase of a carbon/oxygen demand analyzer from Pan Tech Engineering and a mechanized file system from NB Business Systems were considered. Ordinance No. 85-28, Resolution 85-84 and Resolution 85-85 were approved on a motion made by Councilman Weisbach and seconded by Councilman Deshotel. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution 85-86 authorizing an application for financial assistance in the amount of $7.4 million from the Texas Water Development Board was approved on a motion made by Councilman Samuel and seconded by Councilman Brumley. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution 85-87 setting the date of April 2, 1985, for a public hearing to amend the fiscal year 1984/1985 federal revenue sharing budget was approved on a motion made by Councilman Deshotel and seconded by Councilman Moore. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -51- Ordinance No. 85-29 adopting an amended Community Development Plan was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 85-29 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING AN AMENDED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. The ordinance was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman Turner. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution 85-88 setting 5:30 p.m. as the regular meeting time for City Council meetings held on the second Tuesday of every month with the first meeting on May 14th was approved on a motion made by Councilman Samuel and seconded by Councilman Brumley. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Councilman Samuel mentioned he had been contacted by Mrs. Myrtle White, 2791 Park Street, to ask why the dilapidated structure behind the Sak N Pak on Park Street has not been demolished. COUNCILMAN MOORE: First of all, in view of the latest financial crisis, there has been a lot of concern by citizens . and even employees about what the future will be for the employees and at the last meeting our City Manager took the initiative on his own leave to reduce his salary by 20 percent. With the feelings . . . all the employees feel like this is what is being asked of them and we had the follow- up meetings on Friday getting input. I would just like to simply say to that, that is not the direction at this particular time the Council is taking asking all employees to do that. The process is to let you all have input into it and then we would then make a decision and come forward. So, I would just like at this particular time to lay that rumor to rest. The second part of my comment is that there have been several citizens that have approached the City in terms of wanting to give support as the Mayor mentioned last week and they are willing to give this support, technical assistance, what ever it may be, for no charge, in view of the crisis right now until we find out what the uncertainty is. I would just simply like to commend those citizens. I won't call out their names. If they want it to be known who they are, I'll let them do that themselves. -52- March 19, 1985 COUNCILMAN DESHOTEL: I just would like to somewhat give the citizens some idea of the . . . let them know over the last several days that the staff - and I would like to commend the Manager and his staff for the double shifts basically they've been working from 7:00 in the morning to Midnight every day for the last two weeks since this happened and have been able to come up with approximately $16.5 million of recovery without basiscally cutting any day-to-day services that citizens would automatically see in effect at their residences, garbage collections or these types of things, police protection, fire protection. All that is as it has been and still have not had to cut any jobs or cut any salaries and I would just like to say that I personally appreciate the hard work and many hours that staff has put in along with the Council to help the City recover from this situation. Thank you. COUNCILMAN WEISBACH: I also would like to add my support to Mr. Deshotel's comments. COUNCILMAN BRUMLEY: I think there's a lot of questions in the community and there's been a lot of questions to me and we've seen it in the media concerning the City's participation with the building of the Art Museum downtown. I think that a point needs to be made, and it needs to be made - today is the appropriate day to do it. I think all the people in Beaumont need to understand that . . . and the staff needs to understand, too, that the priority that this Council has at this time is the financial status and the financial recovery of the City. It is not in the relocation of the Art Museum downtown. That, when that day comes that day will come, but we have no other purpose right now except to address the financial situation of the City. I think it's very important that people understand that we are not going to use our credit or use or ability to do anything except enable this City get out of its financial situation. I think that's very important now and I think that's going to answer a lot of questions for the citizens in this community. -000- MAYOR NEILD: Before we move on from hearing from other citizens, the Council joins me in the following announcement and I'll read that: A series of town meetings will be offered to interested citizens Thursday, March 21st and Friday, March 22nd. At that time, Beaumont Mayor William Neild, Councilmembers Mike Brumley, Joe Deshotel, David Moore, Audwin Samuel, Wayne Turner and Nell Weisbach will answer questions concerning the City's current financial situation. On Thursday, March 21st at 7:00 p.m. , Odom Middle School Cafeteria, Wayne Turner and David Moore will be present. At Marshall - we are -53- March 19th MAYOR NEILD continued: going to split up into teams so that we can cover as much of the City as necessary - Marshall Middle School Cafeteria, Mike Brumley and Joe Deshotel; French high School Auditorium will be Mayor Neild, Audwin Samuel and Nell Weisbach. That will be on Thursday. On Friday, the 22nd, Austin Middle School - Mayor Neild and Nell Weisbach; Amelia Elementary School Cafeteria, Mike Brumley and Wayne Turner; Lucas Elementary School Cafeteria, Audwin Samuel and Joe Deshotel. The Council is certainly willing to have these town meetings in those neighborhoods where interested citizens would like to come and share their concerns and answer any questions we possibly can, we are willing to be there. -000- Mr. Herb Oswald, 1234 Avenue B: Councilmembers, Mayor: My name is Herb Oswald. I live at 1234 Avenue B and I'd like to commend Mr. Nollenberger for his generous offer to cut his pay 20 percent and I would also like to remind Council that while that's an admirable thing for him to do, . . . should it become necessary for the rest of the City employees to take a cut, it should be done more on a basis of an ability to pay and while he could afford 20 percent, people making $10,000 and $15,000 could possibly only afford 5 percent *if it becomes necessary and would like to see that type of a forum put on for the possible cut. Also, at this time, I'd like to commend Councilman Audwin Samuels for setting example for the youth of this community in showing that people can change and showing his ability to become a good citizen and Councilman of this Council, even after being convicted of selling marijuana. Thank you. Mrs. Billye Gordon Rogers, Gordon's Driving School, again addressed Council to ask that CDBG Commercial Rehabilitation Loan Program guidelines be made more flexible to allow use outside strategy areas. Mrs. Jessie Cooper, 446 Georgetown, addressed Council to tell of a news article comparing the City Manager's salary with State Governors. Mr. Glen Butler, 3522 Washington Boulevard, addressed Council to express his hopes for unity and cooperation within the community. -000- Mayor Neild called an Executive Session pursuant to Section II of the Texas Open Meetings Act. -000- -, Myrtle Corgey, 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 March 19, 1985. Myrtle Corgey City Clerk -54- March 19, 1985 EXCERPT FROM REGULAR CITY COUNCIL SESSION HELD MARCH 19, 1985 MR. HERB OSWALD, 1234 AVENUE B: Councilmembers, Mayor: My name is Herb Oswald. I live at 1234 Avenue B and I'd like to commend Mr. Nollenberger for his generous offer to cut his pay 20 percent and I would also like to remind Council that while that's an admirable thing for him to do, it . . . should it become necessary for the rest of the City employees to take a cut, it should be done more on a basis of an ability to pay and while he could afford 20 percent, people making $10,000 and $15,000 'could possibly only afford 5 percent if it becomes necessary and would like to see that type of a forum put on for the possible cut. MAYOR NEILD: Thank you. MR. OSWALD: Okay. Also, at this time I'd like to commend Councilman Audwin Samuels for setting example for the youth of this community in showing that people can change and showing his ability to become a good citizen and Councilman of this Council even after being convicted of selling marijuana. Thank you. END OF EXCERPT. I, Myrtle Corgey, City Clerk of the City of Beaumont, Texas, certify that the above is a true copy of the excerpt portion of the regular City Council session held March 19, 1985. My tle Corgey City Clerk THE STATE OF TEXAS } COUNTY OF JEFFERSON } BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, on this day personally appeared MYRTLE CORGEY, CITY CLERK of the City of Beaumont, Texas, known to me to be the person whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged to me that she executed the same for the purposes and consideration therein expressed. GIVEN under my hand and seal of office, this 19th day of March, A.D. , 1985. Notary Public in an4fo State of Texas. Commission expires 9-10-88