HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN MAR 29 1988 REGULAR SESSION--TOWN MEETING
CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH GYMNASIUM
HELD MARCH 29, 1988 - 7:00 P.M.
BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas
met in regular session this the 29th day of March, 1988, with the
following present:
HONORABLE: Maurice Meyers Mayor
Bob Lee, Jr. Councilman At Large
Andrew P. Cokinos Councilman At Large
Mike Brumley Mayor Pro-Tem
Councilman, Ward II
Audwin Samuel Councilman, Ward III
David W. Moore Councilman, Ward IV
Absent: Lulu L. Smith Councilman, Ward I
Albert E. Haines City Manager
Lane Nichols City Attorney
Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk
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The Invocation was given by the Reverend Michael Dean, pastor of Calvary
Baptist Church.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Will and Casey Crenshaw, Citizenship
Community Merit Badge Scouts from St. Anne Catholic School' s troop.
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Councilman Mike Brumley, Ward II coordinator for tonight' s Town Meeting,
welcomed Reverend Michael Dean, new pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, to
Beaumont and expressed appreciation to Calvary Baptist Church for
hosting this Regular Council and Town Meeting.
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One proclamation was issued by Council to Mrs. Barbara Hulsey, widow of
Officer Paul Douglas Hulsey, Jr. , through Police Chief George Schuldt:
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, according to the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics, the
fundamental duty of a Law Enforcement Officer is to serve mankind; to
safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception,
the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against
violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all
men to liberty, equality and justice; and,
WHEREAS, long before November 14, 1980, when Paul Douglas Hulsey,
Jr. , was sworn in as a commissioned Beaumont Police Officer, he knew he
would dedicate his life to these ideals; and,
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WHEREAS, courageous men have protected the lives and dreams of
their neighbors from the ravages of crime since the beginning of
civilization, Officer Paul Douglas Hulsey, Jr. , has made the ultimate
expression of love for his neighbor by laying down his life in fighting
against the crime that took his life; and,
WHEREAS, Officer Paul Douglas Hulsey, Jr. , kept his personal life
unsullied as an example to all, was constantly mindful of the welfare of
others, and was honest in thought and deed in both his personal and
official life; and,
WHEREAS, with no compromise for crime and with relentless
prosecution of criminals, Officer Paul Douglas Hulsey, Jr. , enforced the
law courteously and appropriately, recognizing the badge of his office
as a symbol of public faith and trust; and,
WHEREAS, by contrast with the day-to-day difficulties and
emergencies of law enforcement, Officer Paul Douglas Hulsey, Jr. ' s life
ended with an act of such valor and selflessness that it commands the
admiration and gratitude of all of us.
NOW, THEREFORE, I , Maurice Meyers, Mayor of the City of Beaumont,
in honor of this consecrated man and his ultimate sacrifice for his
fellow men, do hereby recognize
"OFFICER PAUL DOUGLAS HULSEY, JR. "
and call upon all citizens to pause and remember that he dedicated
himself before God to his chosen profession. . .Law Enforcement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have
(Seal) hereunto set my hand and have
caused the Seal of the City of
Beaumont to be affixed.
March 19, 1988 Js/ Maurice Meyers
DATE MAYOR
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Host Councilman Mike Brumley introduced his wife, Georgia, daughters,
Olivia and Lauren, and their friend Kathryn Englander and expressed his
appreciation to his family for their support and assistance in helping
him represent his Ward II constituents.
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Mayor Meyers welcomed Dr. James R. Minto and his wife, Rosemary, from
Scotland to Council and our community and presented them with Honorary
Citizen' s Cards. Dr. Minto is the General Director of Quarrier' s
Homes, a multi-caring facility, and is visiting Joy Reagan,
Administrator of Buckner Children's Village and her husband, David.
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-77- March 29. 1988
Mr. Walter Manchak, Deputy Commissioner of the General Land Office in
Austin, and Joan Foster, Field Representative for the Veteran' s Land
Board, presented Certificates of Appreciation to City Manager Albert E.
Haines and Mayor Maurice Meyers for their support in promoting the Texas
Veterans programs.
Mayor Meyers thanked Mr. Max Patterson and the Resource Management
Department for their assistance and leadership in this project.
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Mayor Meyers welcomed Ann Ponder, Vice President of the American Health
Service in Tyler and Sheryl Hanneman, Administrator for the Claremont
Health Care Center under construction at College and 23rd Streets.
Completion of the Claremont in the near future will create one hundred
permanent opportunities for employment.
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Citizen comment was invited on Agenda Items A through C.
Mr. George Miller, 5677 Camellia, addressed Council in support of Agenda
Item B and asked that more Naval ships and nautical activities be
brought to Riverfront Park.
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The following Consent Agenda items were considered:
Approval of the Minutes of the Regular City Council Session held March
15, 1988;
Resolution No. 88-52 authorizing M Bank of Beaumont to pledge $600,000
in securities as substitution for securities held at First Republic Bank
of Dallas, and release $500,000 in securities effective March 29 , 1988;
Resolution No. 88-53 authorizing release of $2,140,000 in securities by
Texas Commerce Bank effective March 29, 1988;
Resolution No. 88-54 appointing James D. Appling to the Sister Cities
Commission with a term expiring December 22, 1988;
Resolution No. 88-55 providing for the exemption necessary to obtain
special license plates for unmarked police cars by declaring them to be
exempt from state law requirements for the identification of city and
county vehicles and equipment and designating Albert Haines, City
Manager, George Schuldt, Chief of Police and Susanne Brubaker,
Purchasing Manager the authority to apply to the Texas Department of
Highways and Public Transportation for special license plates;
Resolution No. 88-56 scheduling a Public Hearing for 1:15 p.m. , May 3 ,
1988 to consider the Fiscal Year 1989 Transit Program Projects; and
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Resolution No. 88-57 authorizing a ten (10 ) year lease agreement with an
option to purchase the property under a right of first refusal should
the land be offered for sale during the term of the lease or within 12
months after its termination with Johnny Haynes for a five ( 5) acre
tract of land being used as a park on Roland Road.
The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cokinos
and seconded by Councilman Samuel.
Question: Ayes: All Nayes : None
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Resolution No. 88-58 authorizing a contract with the Port of Beaumont
for the Formula I Grand Prix Boat Races scheduled for September 17-18,
1988, and a contract with the United States Formula I Racing Association
was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by
Councilman Samuel.
Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None
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Resolution No. 88-59 authorizing a contract with Southeast Cable Company
in the amount of $28 , 500 . 00 for installing a steel casing for an 18-inch
sanitary sewer line under the Southern Pacific tracks and Highway 90 for
the Gulf Terrace-Westfield Terrace Sanitary Sewer Relief Project was
approved on a motion made by Councilman Lee and seconded by Councilman
Brumley.
Question: Ages: All Nayes: None
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Mayor Meyers announced that Councilman Lulu Smith is out of the city
today and sends her regrets for not being able to attend the Town
Meeting.
Councilman Samuel thanked citizens for attending the Council Meeting and
expressed a desire for their regular attendance.
Councilman Moore reminded Public Works Director Tom Warner of a
previously expressed problem of lighting in relation to burglaries and
break-ins.
Councilman Cokinos expressed appreciation for citizen support for the
Hulsey family and announced that contributions for the children' s
educational fund could be sent to Beaumont Bank and that to date $24, 540
has been received in contributions.
Councilman Lee thanked Pastor Dean and Calvary Baptist Church for the
use of their facility for the Town Meeting, stated his appreciation for
the opportunity to meet those not able to attend regular Council
Meetings, recognized the Convention and Visitors Board's contribution to
our community and Beverly Hatcher for her participation in the Ethnic
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Heritage Festival that will run simultaneously with the Grand Prix Boat
Races, and complimented the work of the Clean Community Commission and
announced their plans for "Can-Do Day" on April 9th that will climax
with an event at Fair Park where there will be food, soft drinks and
entertainment. To volunteer to assist in cleaning certain areas of
Beaumont, citizens may call the Public Works Department at 838-0774.
Councilman Brumley also thanked the Convention and Vistors Bureau for
the impact they have on our city, announced there will be a discussion
on drainage, thanked City Staff for response to citizens and citizens
for their spirit of volunteerism.
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Mr. Haines introduced Department Heads and Staff present, invited
questions from citizens relative to services of individual departments
and asked Mr. John Gorman to introduce two presentations from the
Convention Facilities Department.
Mr. Gorman outlined the general activities of the Community Facilities
Department under the new reorganization.
Mr. Tim Hemphill, the Division Manager of the Convention Visitors
Bureau, reviewed the Convention Visitors Bureau program, introduced
members of the Convention Visitors Advisory Board, Mr. Bill Kimbrough,
Mr. Gus Keriotis, Mrs. Bonnie Cokinos, Mrs. Martha Reed, Mr. David
Hartman, Mr. Ric Warchol and Mr. Alex Ogunmuyiwa, showed a five minute
video promoting Beaumont, and announced that Dr. Arcalla has been
instrumental in scheduling the 1992 Texas Public Health Officials
Convention that will bring approximately 2 , 000 visitors to Beaumont, and
Chief Shelton has been instrumental in securing the State Firemen and
Fire Marshalls Convention for this summer.
Mr. George Miller, 5677 Camellia, suggested securing various attractions
such as stage shows, astronauts, parachute shows, and the Goodyear
Blimp.
Mr. Luke Jackson, Recreation Director, expounded upon the various
recreational activities available to residents of Beaumont which include
a summer reading program, Sunday in the Park, Concerts on the Move,
Friday morning movies, aquatics, canoeing classes, hydroarobics,
playground program, basketball, tennis, golf and many other community
center programs.
Mr. Tom Warner, Public Works Director, introduced Mr. Ronald Rossmiller,
senior project engineer for Wright Water Engineers of Denver, hired by
the City of Beaumont to evaluate past drainage studies, develop goals
for the future, and deliver a plan of action to stop flooding in
Beaumont stated he is nearly finished with the first task and under way
on the next two.
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-80- March 29, 1988
Mr. Frank Keifer, 3190 Willowood, addressed Council regarding Officer
Hulsey, implementing an education fund for children of Police and
Firefighters killed or injured in the line of duty, asked Council to
consider an assessment of $1.00 per year per resident and business to
perpetuate the fund for these children, and informed Mr. Hemphill that
the Lions Club Convention will be in Beaumont on May 14 and 15.
Mr. George Miller, 5677 Camellia, addressed Council regarding the new
garbage system, the cost of the garbage containers, taxes, air shows,
and commended Mayor Meyers for his attempt in getting people to look to
the future.
Mr. Gene Darst, 585 Iowa, addressed Council regarding the need of two
Police Officers in each unit, said $10 per property owner would not be
too much to assure two officers in each patrol unit, announced his
support for both the Police and Fire Department, addressed the need for
someone that can speak Vietnamese to assist these departments and voiced
concern about crime rate--his wife was attacked at Market Basket.
Mr. Frank Keifer, 3190 Willowood, addressed Council again to compliment
Mr. Jackson and the recreation program and asked if a program would be
undertaken to control litter in the parks, especially broken bottles and
vandalism.
Mr. George Miller, 5677 Camellia, addressed Council again to voice
objection against a tax increase for Police Officers ' families because
it might not remain dedicated for that purpose.
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There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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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/Town Meeting session held March 29, 1988.
Rosemarie Chiappetta
City Clerk
-81- March 29 . 1988
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QKNRRAL.OSNT Wrpty
3170 NORTH NT.
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March. 3, 1988 ®EAUMONT.TEXAS 77702
The Honorable Mayor, Maurice Meyers
P. O. Box 3827
Beaumont, Texas 77704
Dear Mayor Meyers,
Once again I thank you for the courtesy of your personal visit to my office
on Monday, February 29. It was very kind of you to respond to my corres-
pondence in such a considerate,- prompt and personal manner. I sincerely
hope that the text of our chat has resulted in a better understanding of
my serious constitutional concerns regarding the proposed "Automated Gar-
bage System". I trust that you will follow through with your agreement
and duty to thoroughly research the Constitutionality of the particulars
we discussed through the proper due process procedure.
I have for your convenience listed below a "Bill of Particulars" for which
I respectfully and formally request legal basis as per the text of our visit.
Since the basis for most of this petition for redress of grievances is dir-
ectly related possible compromise of basic Constitutional rights and guar-
entees, please address each item accordingly. Thank you.
1. Is the U.S. Constitution binding on the City Council of Beaumont. (Mar-
bury vs. Madison, 5 US (2 Cranch) 137, 174.176, (1803 ) ; Article VI, U.S.
Constitution)
2. Did every member of Council swear (or affirm) a solemn oath of allegiance
to the U.S. Constitution. (Article VI, U.S. Constitution)
3. Can the City legally appropriate funds to purchase an item of "personal
property" for certain citizens of the the city and require them oac-
cept it, without providing such - item to "every" taxpaying citizen in the
city. (Article Is Section 9 & 10 and Article XIV, U.S. Constitution)'
4. How can the City accurately determine the number of citizens who are in-
firm and/or disabled, and does not such determination involve the poss-
ible invasion of privacy. (Article IV, Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution)
5. Can the City legally provide a "Courtesy Service" to a certain segment
standing) without providing the same service to every taxpaying
Of citizens in the city (the merits and motives of such service notwith-
in the city. (Articles I, Section 9 b 10, XIV & Article IV [Bill of citizen
Rights], U.S. Constitution)
6. Can the City legally refuse garbage service. to any citizen who "pay*'
their garbage fee, but does not want and/or will not use the "free"
containers required for the automated system. (Articles XIII b XIV,
U.S.Constitution)
7 . Can the City legally use city funds from any source to purchase major
equipment and supplies for a city-wide program that will not serve and/
or benefit the entire taxpaying citizenry. (Article XIV, etc. , U.S.
Constitution)
$. Will, or is the City willing to accept leqal responsibility for any ac-
cident ( physical or medical ) resulting directly or indirectly from the
4
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ORNKRAL DIENTIeTRY
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implementation of this program regardinq the use (or misuse) of the 90
qal-
lorr "required" containers in a once a week pick-up schedule. If not, where
would such legal responsibility lie. (Examples: sanitation related diseases,
increase possibility of pests and rodents, physical trauma, etc. )
9. Are the 90 gallon containers in reality free to the citizens as stated.
Please address each item as listed at the earliest possible convenience in
writing. I am interested only in legal basis and not in opinions and/or
assumptions. Also, I am sure you understand and can appreciate the well
settled principle of "conflict of interest" as it relates to determining
points of law. Therefore, I respectfully request that any final determin-
ation of Constitutionality of- the pertinent aforementioned items be based
on research beyond the office of the City Attorney to avoid such conflict.
Until such time these questions can be adequately researched and lawfully
settled, according to the Oath of Office relevant to the U.S. Constitution
as sworn by each city official, further proqress in the automated garbage
system should perhaps be halted.
Thank you for your courtesy and valuable time, and I await your answer.
Sincerely and Respectfully,
Gary C .wine, .D.S.
GCB:sab
Copies to: All Members of Council
C . L. "Sonny" Sherman
Anthony Sacker
Tom Mannes, District Attorney
allowa..
W
•
, o ea wyont
March 7, 1988
Dr. Gary C. Baine, D.D.S.
3130 North
Beaumont, TX 77702
Dear Dr. Baine:
At your request I am responding in writing concerning the
method which will be used to institute the automated garbage
collection system in the City of Beaumont. This recitation of
facts is directly related to your letter dated March 3 , 1988,
received by the Mayor, concerning what you characterize as
constitutional violations arising from the institution of the
automated garbage collection system.
As I indicated to you in our conversation last Friday, the
garbage cans which will be used in providing the service will
belong to the City of Beaumont and will not be given to the
citizens. The cans will be provided to those citizens who opt to
use the automated garbage system but, should the citizen desire
to use a private collector or, for some other reason, leave the
system, the can remains the property of the City of Beaumont.
Additionally, you were concerned that we would provide a
discriminatory service to certain citizens not available to
others. Specifically, you were concerned that those who were,
because of age or other disability, unable to move the garbage
cans to the curb would be provided that service by the City. It
is my opinion that a classification of citizens based on their
age or handicap is not only lawful but, in many instances,
required by law. We would provide this service only to those
persons who need this assistance because of some handicap or
circumstance of age. This decision is completely consistent with
similar treatment provided to the handicapped or indigent in bus
transportation, construction of public facilities, special tax
exemptions and indigent health care.
The automated garbage system will be provided to all those
citizens in the community who desire to use it. However, City
ordinances allow citizens to use a private collector if they so
desire.
P. O. Box 3827 Beaumont, Texas 77704
Dr. Gary C. Baine
March 7 , 1988
Page 2
I hope these facts concerning how the new automated garbage
system will be implemented address your concerns. However,
should you still have questions concerning the legal basis of
this activity, please feel free to call.
Ve/yl� truly yours,
4ane Nichols
City Attorney
LN:rw
cc: Mayor and City Council Members
Tom Maness, District Attorney
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EXCERPT FRQN REGULAR SESSION/TOWN
MEETING HELD MARCH 29, 1988
DR, RONALD ROSSNILLER, Senior, Project Engineer` Wright Water Engineers:
Thank you, Tom (Warner) . I think I'll just stand over here. N,. Nayor, and members
of City Council , citizens, as Tom said, I went to talk with you about drainage this
evening. . . . I am going to talk about drainage in general . . .
out-, charge from the Mayor, and the City Council is three-fold. Number, 1 , review
drainage studies done fur, Beaumont in the past, develop a set of goals, objections
and the criteria that will guide- the city's drainage efforts in the future and, most
importantly of all , deliver, a plan of action to you and them that will alleviate the
current flooding problems in Beaumont.
A map of Beaumont, north is to the top of the map, Port Arthur is down here on the
bottom right hand corner. The Neches River is flowing along here, Pine Island Bayou
to the north. These thick black lines like here are drainage boundaries and I'll
get in the way of the City Council here. . .to the north of this line is the Pine
Island Bayou and water, flows to the north. The major portion of Beaumont is in the
Hfllebrendt Bayou - that's all of this portion and all of that flows generally to
the south. Hfllebrandt Bayou itself is a tributary to Taylor-Is Bayou and the inter-
bayou watershed is everything off to the west of the map and it then comes around to
the south and just see a little of Taylur /s Bayou coming in from the south here.
So, all the watar, from most of Beaumont drains through the Hillebrendt Bayou,
Taylor's Bayou, and finally down to the inner Gulf Coastal system and finally out
into to the Gulf. There are a couple of other, small dra�nage ways or, drainage
areas, Neches marsh area and this small portion of the Neches River, area which flows
directly -into the the Neches River.
There are some givings in Beaumont - there are three (3) things that we can't du
anything about, we simply accept them and we work with them. One is that Beaumont
gets a lot of rain - on the average of 55 fnnhae a year and if we look at any one
given year in a 24-hour period, there is one chance in two - a 50/50 chance we are
going to sae 5-1/2 inuhe6 of rainfall , 1 chance in 5 - that is a 20% chance that we
are qoing to see 7-1/3 inches of rain in a single day. 10% - one chance in 10 we
are going to see a little over, 10 inches of rain and once in a hundred years, a 1%
chance that in any given year, Beaumont can receive 16. 15 inches of rain in a single
day. Now, that's a lot of rain. Nothing we can do about that - we can just look up
there and say Thank you* God, for whatever, we can get and sometfmesthere/s too
muuh.
Number two is that Beaumont has clay soils. If they were sandy soils, a lot of the
rainfall would infiltrate but Beaumont has clay soils and very little penetrates.
That means most of the rain that falls out of the sky is going to run off . . . and
that's a lot of volume of water.
The third thing that you really can 't do much if anything about is Beaumont is
flat. There are no hills here, there are just small elevations . . . . . . very flat.
Therefore, the run-off velocities are very slow and the small amount of energy that
we get in the form of gravity . . . . . and therefore, we need to make the best use of
that little bit of energy we've got due to those little bits of elevation
differences. That'o specific to Beaumont.
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EXCERPT FROM RESUL4R SESSION/TO-40J
MEETING HELD MARCH 29, 1888
DR. RicSS#ILLER continued: Page 2
In every community, and there's no difference whether, in Beaumont, Texas, or, New
York City or can Francisco or any other, place we want to mention in the world, two
drainage systems exist - whether, we recognize them or not, whether we plan for them
or, not, two drainage systems exist and they can be planned or, unplanned. There/s a
minor system and a major system . . .
The minor system is sometimes called the initial system or, the convenient system.
It consists of` her-e fn Beaumont, the small ditches and swales along side the
streets or, in some areas, the gutters, the inlets and storm sewers and this minor,
system is designed for an event that is going to occur, once every other, year, once
every five years, maybe once every ten years - the more frequently occurring
events. And, it 's called the convenience system because it 's purpose is to reduce
or eliminate inconvenience to us when we want to Go shopping, when it rains, we 'd
like to be able to get there and get home. And, that r0nor drainage system is
supposed to handle those kinds of events.
The Me4or, System, and this is where most cities get into trouble, the major system
consists of whatever pathways the run off takes when the capacity of the minor,
system is exceeded. When the ditches are full , when the storm sewers are full and
the rain is still coming down, the water, has to go somewhere and wherever it goes,
that 's the ma5or, system. It's pathways are the streets, channels, the bayous, the
rivers, and those pathways and however it gets from the neighborhoods to the
channels, the streets, the bayous, the rivers, whatever, happens to be in the way,
whatewer, development happens to be there - whether it was planned or, unplanned, if
it's compatible with periodic inundation, the pathways are there. That 's the way
the water goes. If the rYverway/s downhill , that's the way the water will flow and
so what we ought to be doing is planning those pathways so that they are non-
damaging. When we get to handling this run off, we've got to think about two
things. Both the peak rate of run off and we usually put that in terms 2 feet of
run off every second and I'm not sure what the volume of this room is -- cubic feet
of volume* but if we imagine this room being full of water, and emptying it out that
doorway, aver; single second, that is probably a minor, amount when we talk about run
off in Beaumont.
We are dealing with large rates and large volumes of water. And, all we are trying
to do in urban drainage design, Yt/a simply a time and space allocation problem. If
wetmr, ocmvas down in a storm event that lasts two hours or one day, it falls out of
the sky and it is going to try and gat through Beaumont . . . at any point in time,
there is so much falling out of the sky, so much on the ground, so much running off
intm the channels and trying to go somewhere.
And, it is our job . . . drainage engineers to allocate that into space and time so
that the water is where you *would like it to be and that's everywhere but our living
rooms. Now, there are three approaches to handling that and Beaumont and every
other, place uses all three.
EXCERPT FROM REGULAR SESSIONXTa4N
MEETING HELD MARCH 29, 198E page 3
DR. ROSSMILLER continued:
There is a conveyance approach where we simply put the water. in a storm sewer, . , we
store it and . . . Sometimes it 's stored in the streets and in some cases in living
rooms temporarily - don't really want it there. We also store it in places called
catch basins and The conveyance approach obviously we need to have sufficient
capacity for, that system. We can design it for the five-year, or the ten-year, event,
we should make sure that the storm sewer is big enough; but whatever we design
that channel , that ditch, that storm sewer, for, I only know one thing for, sure and
that 's a bigger, one coming some time. And, where's the excess run off go when the
bigger, event comes along? We need to plan for, that. And the bigger, event in only a
questions of when. It is never, a question of if. The largest flood on record which
we hope to never, see again - "it rained for, forty days and forty nights. We won't
see that . . . but whatever- we have seen in the past, it was really a drop in the
bucket compared to what could occur.
In the storage approach, we need to think about storing all of the water, or, some of
the water, and in Beaumont storing all of it is not a really practical or- economical
. . . because of the volume here in Beaumont is large. The temporary storage of water,
is a good way to reduce. . . and if we reduce that . . . we can save some money on our,
channel system. That's a nice idea and a good approach but, again, even when we
design these storage-approach systems and design for something that is going to
occur' once every twenty-five years - once every hundred years, again, there's always
a possibility - not even a possibility, a probability and eventuality a certainty
that a bigger rainfall is going to occur, and it will tax both these facilities and
the water, will go somewheres. And, again, it is never a question of if. It 's
simply a matter, of when.
Let me go back to this map and . . . . .city limits of Beaumont and there is a lot of
area that is blank that in the future will . . . In the year 1947, a report was done
and this is the first one that I find and it is interesting. The earlier . back
in the 1800'x, the 19th century, . . . . . . the City of Beaumont . . .construct the
system . . . they proposed a major drainage-way improvement . . . cutoff which now has
been a reality for, several years which is in this location here. Hillebrandt Bayou
. . . out of the City. They also proposed a large diversion channel which was about
in this location and . . . Neches Marsh area and that has never, been constructed.
They also proposed what they called a South Beaumont Relief Channel - this is back
in 1947, and is roughly along the line of Eastex Freeway in this southern portion of
the City.
In October of 1965, that 's a little over, 20 years ago, the U S Congress authorized
the Taylor's Bayou proiect and that is now under construction. In the Fort Arthur
area and those facilities are either, completed or, half completed, there is an
outfail channel on Taylor ' s Bayou, a diversion channel in the Salt Water, Barrier
structure to make sure that the salt water does not come into the bayou areas. It
also mentions some . . . . . . Hillebrandt Bayou to include what the Corps of Engineers
will be doing - improving the Hillebrandt Bayou all the way up to the State Highway
124, which is the diagonal running here. There were some improvements to Willow
Marsh Bayou which is along here and some improvements along the Bayou . and Feveto
Gully which are here and here up to LaBelle Road. And that will handle an outfall
system so that the channel being enlarged so that it can contain more run off and
water, getting to them can then be conveyed south in a better, fashion.
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EXCERPT FROM REGULAR SESSI{V1/TD4N
MEETING HELD MARCH 28, 1988 Page 4
DR. RDSSMZLLER continued:
In July, 1981 , the Kohler and Kohler Engineers here had a study whioh now is only
seven years old - much shorter, title and it 's called simply Drainage Study,
Beaumont, Texas. And, that partfcVlar study made a good inventory of existing storm
sewer systems as it existed then show . . . —throughout the City which for an area
this flat is a nice thing . . . engineer, . . . A-gain, proposed additions to and
enlargements of the storm sewer, system, again, enlarging the . . . to the ditches that
were in the area and proposed another, and a different diversion . . . . . . red line on
the map here, here is College Street, here U S QO^ . . . . . . In 1983, based on the
Kohler, report, there was a bond issue passed and that bond issue. identified 18
projects throughout the C-Ity . . , drainage problems . . . in the Kohler, report.
One of the latest studies which was completed in Ootober, 1985 - a consortium of
Bernard Johnson associated with Bob Shaw - this work was done . . . to the City of
Beaumont and Drainage District No. 8 and that proposed fmprpvexents in Taylor's
Bayou west and south through Hfllebrandt Bayou and also some projects in Pine Island
Bayou area. Through some good surveys and photographs has provided e good inventory
of channels and bridges and culverts into these areas . . . took those data and
developed some comprehensive computer models which depict both that rainfall run off
Process I was talking about before and then water, surface profiles through the
channels through that system. Thefr, final recommendation consisted of 93 miles of
channel improvements and those that are shown here as the blue lines . . . throughout
the City and Q detention facilities are the blue rectangles that you see scattered
north and west and south of the city. . . . . . .but the black lines throughout the city
here, here, here represent the bond issue projects that were authorized in that 1983
bond program.
In the final and latest study is one just completed by the Corps of Engineers again
in January of this year, 1988, entitled «Hfllebrandt Bayou Tributaries Texas
Reconnaissance Report" and it covers only that portion of Hfllebrandt Bayou north of
State Highway 124. The previous ones . . . . . . this area, the City of Beaumont,
itself to sae what if any improvements they might have interest in there. And,
they've identified scxne projects along James Gully here and again along Hillebrandt
Bayou . . .
If you put all that together, then what you see is kind of e tree-like pattern with
Hfllebrandt Bayou being the trunk and then all the tributaries the lfmbs, the twigs`
all _ representing channels that . . . into all the neighborhoods. The bond issue
projects a little bit farther than that and that kind of a system becomes the
backbone for the total drainage system in Beaumont. And, wherever you happen to
live in Beaumont, here, here, here, here, what needs to be done in our, task is the
rainfalls . . . and finally ends up in Hillebrandt Bayou in this location - how do,---s
it get there? What pathway does it take, should it take to make sure that the water,
is not in the living room? . . .
And, so, in closing, Z want to repeat our charge from the City Council which was,
again, threefold: review theme previous drainage studies, develop a set of goals,
objectives and criteria and again, most importantly, deliver, a plan of action that
will alleviate the current flooding problems in Beaumont. We are well into the
first half and continuing on with the second and the third and, with that, I will
turn it back to Tom (Warner) . Thank you very kindly.
NR. TOM WARNER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS: Manager, that concludes . . . . . .