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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN OCT 14 1986 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL - CITY OF BEAUMONT HELD OCTOBER 14, 1986 - 1:15 P.M. BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in regular session this the 14th day of October, 1986, with the following present: HONORABLE: Maurice Meyers Mayor Bob Lee, Jr. Councilman At Large Andrew P. Cokinos 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 Albert E. Haines City Manager Lane Nichols City Attorney -000- The Invocation was given by Mr. John Davis, pastor of the Ridgewood Church of Christ. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Meyers. -000- Several proclamations were issued: "National Business Women's Week" - October 19-25, 1986; "National Catholic Daughters of America Day World Missions" - October 15, 1986; "Legal Secretary's Day in Court in Beaumont" - October 15, 1986 and "National School Lunch Week in Beaumont" - October 12-18, 1986. -000- MAYOR MEYERS: We have stated on numerous occasions, and I will restate again, that our economy's turn-around will be due, primarily, to the efforts of citizens in our community, , both as they work to expand and start new business, as well as as volunteers work in the many areas of activity that are now seeking new business. I would say to you that in each occasion as one day when I had ten businesses that provided forty-six jobs, trying to impart the fact that it didn't matter that one company did it but had ten representative businesses, I was dismayed that the next day nobody from the media picked up on the fact that it wasn't a global announcement that some company was coming here to employ forty-six people. I say again today that if we keep only thinking about the stars instead of reality . . . the reality is that every day when somebody steps out and creates a new business, that is the life blood of the future of our city and region and, while we continue to work to attract those large businesses, and we are, I assure you, the bread and butter is the daily activity of people like I am going to introduce in a moment. -221- October 14, 1986 MAYOR MEYERS continued: I had the pleasure this morning, along with the Manager and others from the community and the region, to sit at the Minority Enterprise breakfast and it was an awards breakfast - an award recognizing those from the minority community who have stepped out and displayed the guts and courage that it takes to go into business for yourself. And, I was absolutely astounded to learn that a gentleman in our midst not only was selected as the number one minority business here or in our region or in our state but last week was in Washington, D. C. , receiving from Secretary Baldridge, only because the President of the United States was going to Iceland, the designation as the "Number One Minority Business Enterprise in the United States." Now, I'll restate that if the significance of that impact doesn't get through, but the number one Minority Business Enterprise in the United States is a gentleman by the name of John Doan (Hung Thanh "John" Doan) who is sitting right here and in a moment I'll let Mr. Doan make any comments he would care to. Mr. Doan came to this Country eleven years ago from Viet Nam. Mr. Doan has experienced probably and that's his son who's first. name I can't recall, a recent graduate of Lamar University. The bottom line on everything I am saying is Mr. Doan came here eleven years ago. His wife followed shortly and she was . . . unfortunately experienced the loss of his wife, unfortunately, he has faced several severe personal tragedies. Today . . . at that time, he worked for a nursery in Orange and when the owner of the nursery passed away, Mr. Doan had the guts and fortitude to gather together whatever little money it took to start his own nursery, which, today, he has forty green houses in Orange. In the height of his business year, he employs about forty people, regularly it's fifteen to twenty. I don't mean to be talking out of school, but I understand your sales now are approaching $700,000 - is that reasonable? Well, I am telling you that's one heck of an accomplishment and I haven't heard enough about it. I haven't read enough about it and I cannot imagine that this gentleman who has been selected as the "Number One Minority Enterprise" in the United States is here in our midst and I am delighted to welcome you today and congratulate you and won't you step forward and say anything that you'd care to. MR. HUNG THANH DOAN: Mayor Meyers, Members of the City Council, Ladies and Gentlemen: When I first learned a few weeks ago that I was being considered for National Minority Businessman of ' the Year Award, I felt very proud. Today standing here before you I can't find words to tell you how honored and pleased I really am that I was recognized as the National Business. Just over eleven years ago when my Country fell to the Communists, I knew the only place I could be free to live, work, and practice my faith was the United States of America. I am living proof that America is the land of opportunity. I am living proof a person can suceed here if he is willing to. I am living proof that America offers equality to all. America and our free enterprise system works. I just ask you appreciate our Country as I do. I am proud to be an American and I am proud to live here in Southwest Texas. Thank you for honoring me, my family and my business. -222- October 14, 1986 MAYOR MEYERS: Thank you for honoring us. I am really pleased that you would come today and visit with us and I was just proud this morning to share the podium with you. As I said before, I think you represent everything that is right about our Country and certainly if anyone questions the potential for the American dream still living, as you mentioned, the opportunity's there for those who want to take advantage of it and certainly your are living proof of that. -000- Mayor Meyers mentioned that the Golden Gators, Class AA Baseball Franchise Team, would be leaving Beaumont to settle in Wichita, Kansas. -000- Approval of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held October 7, 1986; Resolution 86-319 authorizing the release of $1,000,000 in securities by Allied Bank of Beaumont held as collateral for City deposits; and Resolution 86-320 appointing Laurie Hall Leister as chairperson to the Historical Landmark Commission and appointing Karen Rogers, Paige Windham, Ann Heidtke and Tanya Lee to the Sesquicentennial Coordinating Committee, terms expiring December 30, 1987. The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Councilman Weisbach and seconded by Councilman Samuel. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Public comment was called on Agenda Item C. No one wished to address City Council on Agenda Item C. -000- Ordinance No. 86-105 repealing Ordinance No. 86-103 granting abandonment of a portion of Calder Avenue and Forrest Street was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 86-105 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 86-103; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAL. The proposed ordinance provided for the repeal of Ordinance No. 86-103 and, in Section II, provided for the abandonment of the north one-foot of Calder Avenue between Magnolia and Forrest Streets and the east one-foot of Forrest between Calder and McFaddin. -223- October 14, 1986 After a lengthy discussion concerning whether a "License to Encroach" would allow a clear title to the property located at 1096 Calder, Councilman Cokinos made a motion to delay action on the abandonment of portions of Calder and Forrest until Council gets "a firm legal decision from the City Attorney's Office concerning the feasibility of issuing a License to Encroach; motion was seconded by Councilman Moore. Question: Ayes: Mayor Meyers Mayes: Councilman Brumley Councilman Lee Councilman Cokinos Councilman Weisbach Councilman Samuel Councilman Moore Councilman Cokinos made a motion to approve the ordinance, with the deletion of Section II (providing for the abandonment of portions of Calder and Forrest), repealing Ordinance No. 86-103; motion was seconded by Councilman Lee. Question: Ayes: All Mayes: None -000- Resolution 86-321 authorizing the purchase of 26,188 feet of 4-inch through 15- inch polyvinyl chloride sewer pipe from Coburn Supply of Beaumont in the amount of $30,339.77 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Lee. Question: Ayes: All Mayes: None -000- Councilman Lee expressed his disappointment for the rainout of the Sunday in the Park festivities that were to be held October 12th and said that Fashion Showcase Productions would host activities Sunday, October 19th. COUNCILMAN SAMUEL: A couple of weeks ago, there was a comment about misunderstanding or misinterpretation of some of my words and I did prepare an excerpt from that Council meeting and the question of sovereignty, as to who has the rights of individual communities, is not a new issue. This is something that has gone for years and years since the Founding Fathers brought forth the Constitution. This is the reason that the Constitution is being evaluated because there is language within the Constitution that is not clear. And, this ist he type of thing that is being addressed with this formulation of the new Constitution and I felt compelled to let this be known because the two are directly related. Undoubtedly, someone misunderstood my comments in saying that I did not uphold the Constitution and I was in favor of creating a new Constitution. I just wanted to clarify that and, at the same time, they asked for a copy . . they said they couldn't find an Oath of Office and I do have that prepared for them. -000- -224- October 14, 1986 CORRECTED MAYOR MEYERS: I was unable to be in Houston on Friday and Mayor Pro Tem Moore did attend the meeting of the Texas Municipal League and he, in a moment, can share with you a presentation made to our City along with our Economic Development Council of the Chamber of Commerce and designating Beaumont as a "Texcel City" and, David, if you would, I think everyone would be interested in that presentation from the Governor. MAYOR PRO TEM MOORE: I would certainly like to say that it was indeed a great honor to be there representing the City of Beaumont along with 21 other cities and the award that's entitled "Texcel" simply states that this City has put together a pretty fantastic package of criteria necessary to become a city of excellence and we were recognized by Governor White at the assembly of the Texas Municipal League meeting and it simply states that we have in place all the things that are needed to make something happen good for our City and it proves that, through our Chamber of Commerce and the citizens themselves and our staff here at the City of Beaumont, we have prepared ourselves for the availability of projects that may be coming available and it simply states that we are almost like a blue chip athlete now. We are rated high and when people come looking for places to come to, Beaumont is rated right up there with the top 21 cities in the State of Texas. There were several comments made after receipt of this award by many other cities and you could tell they wished they were one of those who were chosen. I thank the Mayor for giving me the opportunity to go for the City and receive this award and I think it speaks very highly of Beaumont. MAYOR MEYERS: Thanks, David. COUNCILMAN SAMUEL: And we were the first city to receive it. COUNCILMAN MOORE: That's right. MAYOR MEYERS: They went alphabetically. . . . No, I don't make light of this. Basically, the Texas Economic Development Commission will now, as they work with business locators in the State and as they work with economic devlopment prospects, they are promoting the Texcel economic development spirit and the qualifications and preparation of the information was quite lengthy. The Chamber did an outstanding job and then we met our piece and melded it together and it is good that we would be one of the first twenty-two. Now, they have demographics; they have information relative to available properties, labor force availability and all the ingredients that those economic development locators want when they pull up a Texcel City. Right now, if they did it, there would be only 22 cities that they would pull up on their computer. So, David, I thank you very much for being there and accepting it from the Governor. It's another piece, a plus for our tool kit as it relates to job development. -225- October 14, 1986 r Mr. Henry Dannenbaum, 695 Avenue C, again addressed Council to speak in favor of half-way houses. The Reverend Amos Landry, Jr. , 1197 Corley, addressed Council to express his concern for possible loss of jobs in the Sanitation Department if the pilot program using larger containers and one-person operation of the trucks proves successful. Mr. Dana Braquet, bid consultant with the Bid Resourse Center, addressed Council to promote their "Buyers' Fair" to be held all day October 20, 1986 in the Hilton. Mr. Braque t said that the Chief Attorney for the Defense Supply Service in Washington, D. C. , would be the main speaker explaining to local businesses "what they need to do as far as legal affairs in dealing with government contracting - the rights and the wrongs and what their rights are". In addition, he said there will be representatives from 25 to 30 Military Entities and prime contractors, and the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce President speaking for the Home Port, available for local businessmen to gather additional information on bidding for prime contracting or subcontracting with these entities. -000- There being no further business, the meeting was recessed before continuing with the City Council Workshop Session. -000- I, Rosemarie Chiappetta, Secretary, City Clerk's Office, City of Beaumont, Texas, certify that the above is a true copy of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held October 14, 1986. Rosemarie Chiappetta Secretary -226- October 14, 1986