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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN APR 11 1989 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL - CITY OF BEAUMONT HELD APRIL 11, 1989 - 1: 15 P.M. BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in regular session this the 11th day of April, 1989, 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 Michael Brumley Councilman, Ward II Audwin Samuel Mayor Pro-Tem and 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 Sinclair Oubre, Saint Anne' s Catholic Church. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mr. George Garza, KFDM-6 news cameraman. -000- Mayor Meyers called an Executive Session, pursuant to Section 2 of the Texas Open Meetings Act, to be held immediately following the City Council Workshop Session, to discuss pending or contemplative litigation. -000- MAYOR MEYERS• We have several pieces of business before we get to our agenda and all are really, I think, most worthy and I 'd like to first ask Chairman of the Board of First City National Bank, Wilton White, if he would come forward. I think Wilton wants to join with all of us today in celebration of the bank' s 100 years of service to our community and we are pleased to have you here, Wilton, and congratulate you and all of your associates at First City Bank. We appreciate your interest in our community and the work that you and so many others at First City do to try and make this a better place and we thank you very much for coming today and the microphone is yours. -85- April 11, 1989 MR. WILTON WHITE: Good. Thank you, Mayor. To Mayor Meyers and members of the Council, I want to thank you for allowing me just a few minutes this afternoon. I have with me in the audience the president of the bank, Pat Parsons and I would like to at least acknowledge him. Pat, if you would wave you hand or something at the group. . .he' s waving. In 1889, a bank charter was granted Beaumont and its name was First National Bank. That bank progressed through the years and had a series of names. It had some mergers. Its next name was First Security National Bank, then followed that with a merger from a sister organization over in Houston and became First City Bank. Most recently, in a state-wide effort and again additional changes, it' s now called First City Texas - Beaumont. We are proud of that organization and Sunday, April the 9th, of this year, we began our hundredth year of service to this community. It' s been an exciting last few years as all of you have read the papers about banking in general; but, this bank survived. This bank' s always been strong. This bank' s always made money which is a definite prerequisite for being able to survive and we are just proud that we could be here. In celebration and to commemorate that event and our birthday celebration this week we are having coffee and cake in the bank and asking everybody to come join us and I would like to extend to all of you and all of the audience if you would. But, we commissioned our ad agency to prepare a poster, a poster of First in Beaumont and we have that and I have a copy that I 've had framed and I 'd like to present that to Council today if I could. This was an ad in the paper Sunday and it' s actually fixed up in poster size. MAYOR MEYERS• Right. I saw it. That' s beautiful. Wilton, on behalf of the City Council and the citizens of our community and the area that First City continues to serve, we thank you very much for this gift. We shall place it in an appropriate place commemorating the birthday and anniversary of your bank and we thank you for taking time. I hope everyone will take time to go by and let them know you appreciate the fact that they are still there with us and there is a unique element there. No one has had to relearn their name which is quite good. Thank you, very much, Wilton. -000- Five Proclamations were issued: "Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month, " April, 1989; "Hats Off to Retired Senior Volunteer Program Volunteers Day, " April 12, 1989; "Texas Archeology Awareness Week," April 9-15, 1989; "Southeast Texas Victims ' s Rights Week, " April 9-15, 1989; and "Twister Day, " April 15, 1989. -86- April 11, 1989 Mayor Meyers mentioned for the benefit of those attending today' s session that Richard Bonnin, reporter covering activities of the City for the Beaumont Enterprise, and his new bride, Julie Noble Bonnin, also an employee of the Enterprise, were honeymooning in the Florida Keys and wished them well. -000- Public comment was invited on the Consent Agenda and the Main Agenda Items 2 through 5. No one wished to address these items. -000- The following Consent Agenda Items were considered: Approval of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held April 4, 1989; Resolution No. 89-76 accepting a three-by-five ( 3x5 ' ) foot easement on the northeast corner of Magnolia and Liberty from Beaumont Realty, Inc. , for a traffic signal to be installed as part of the Crockett Connector Project (easement will provide additional space necessary for the foundation, pole and underground wiring for the traffic signal because of a 54-inch storm sewer to be constructed in the Magnolia Avenue right-of- way) ; Resolution No. 89-77 authorizing purchase of approximately 361 uniform shirts at $13 . 50 each, approximately 28 pairs of officer' s trousers at $28. 55 per pair, and approximately 342 pairs of uniform trousers at $21 . 75 per pair at an estimated yearly requirement cost of $13,111. 40 from Night' s Uniform Company of Beaumont for use by the Fire Department; Resolution No. 89-78 authorizing the sale of 1,820 square feet of an uneconomic remnant of land on the northwest side of the Kansas City Southern right-of-way between Holmes Street and Archie Avenue (purchased by the City in 1964 for a railroad relocation program) to Jack Baxter, owner of abutting property, for a consideration of $455 . 00; Resolution No. 89-79 authorizing a negotiated settlement of Earl Sandlin' s claim against the City, in the amount of $3 ,070.00, releasing the City from any further liability for claims growing out of the incident on March 18; and Resolution No. 89-80 authorizing a one-year contract with International Mill Service, Inc. , for furnishing approximately 2,000 tons of 0" - 3" slag aggregate at $7. 00 per ton loaded on City trucks at the vendor' s plant for use by the Landfill Department. The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Moore. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -87- April 11, 1989 A Public Hearing was called to consider Gulf States Utilities Company' s rate increase request for an added $67. 5 million in annual revenues, including a $65 million base rate increase and $2. 5 million net increase in fuel costs - the base rate increase would include about $32. 3 million associated with the Riverbend Plant and $32.7 million for other costs related to providing services, with an estimated $5. 83 increase in a typical 1,000 kilowatt hour monthly residential bill: Dr. Lynn Draper, Chairman of Gulf States Utilities Company; Mr. Ward McCurtain, 5975 Gladys; Mrs. Delia Harrington, 815 Willow; Mr. Armon Husband, 7525 Yellowstone, social worker; Mr. Fred Guarnere, 7635 San Carlos, with Texas Department of Human Services; addressed City Council in support of the the rate increase for Gulf States Utilities Company. Mr. James Smith, 759 Cartwright; Mrs. Sarah Lilley, 2410 Primrose; and Mrs. Wanda Neyland, 9510 Shepherd, addressed City Council in opposition to the requested rate increase. There being no other to address the City Council concerning the requested rate increase by Gulf States Utilities Company, the public hearing was closed. After a lengthy discussion by City Council, Resolution 89-81 denying the requested rate increase was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Lee. Question: Ayes: Councilman Lee Nayes: Mayor Meyers Councilman Cokinos Councilman Moore Councilman Smith Councilman Brumley Councilman Samuel In answer to a question by City Attorney Nichols, concerning Council' s interest in authorizing intervention in the rate case and presentation of information to Council concerning the employment of consultants and attorneys, Councilman Cokinos made a motion to so direct staff; motion was seconded by Councilman Samuel. Question: Ayes:All Nayes: None -000- Ordinance No. 89-19 authorizing abandonment of a 10-foot wide utility easement described as the east five ( 51 ) feet of Lots 1-6 and the west five ( 51 ) feet of Lots 7 and 14, Block 24, McFaddin Heights Addition, extending from Maple Avenue to Caldwell Avenue east of Mariposa (requested by Howell Furniture Company for construction of a storage building to be attached to an existing warehouse) was considered: -88- April 11, 1989 ORDINANCE NO. 89-19 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE VACATING AND ABANDONING A TEN FOOT ( 10 ' ) WIDE DEDICATED GENERAL UTILITY EASEMENT LOCATED IN THE MCFADDIN HEIGHTS ADDITION, BEAUMONT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS. The ordinance was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Ordinance No. 89-20 establishing reduced construction speed limit zones to 45 miles per hour for east and west traffic on Interstate 10 between Seventh and College and for north and south traffic on Eastex Freeway between Delaware and Interstate 10 for reconstruction of the interchange and other improvements on the freeway system west of 11th Street was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 89-20 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 26, SECTION 26-23 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO ESTABLISH MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM SPEEDS IN CERTAIN ZONES; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL AND PROVIDING A .PENALTY. The ordinance was approved on a motion made by Councilman Smith and seconded by Councilman Cokinos. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution 89-82 authorizing the purchase of a 1989 Ingersoll-Rand Model DO-65 Vibratory Compactor with a standard 12-months ' parts and labor warranty from Romco, Inc. of Houston at an amount of $52,560. 00 for street work was approved on a motion made by Councilman Lee and seconded by Councilman Brumley. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution 89-83 authorizing award of a one-year contract with the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation for a Litter Enforcement Program with the State compensating the City for citations issued for litter law violations on State-owned right-of-way within the City limits at a rate of $20. 00 per citation up to a maximum of $50,000 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Lee and seconded by Councilman Cokinos. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -89- April 11, 1989 Councilman Smith briefly mentioned a cold but good "Sunday in the Park" last weekend and reminded Council of the Texas Art Museums ' yearly meeting to be held Thursday, April 13th, and said that approximately 350 participants were expected. Councilman Moore congratulated Mayor Meyers for his newest grandchild Andrew. Mayor reported both mother and baby are doing well. Councilman Brumley invited all to attend the next Sunday in the Park festivities, hosted by the Beaumont Symphony Women' s League. Councilmembers mentioned the many events for the up-coming weekend including the following: Neches River Festival activities including a parade, tours of the Tall Ship Elissa, a chili cook-off, "Twister" event, and welcome for the NRF King. -000- Mr. F. F. "Ted" Posey, 3695 Edmonds, and Henry Dannenbaum, 1567 Wall, addressed Council on various subjects. Mr. James Smith, 759 Cartwright, addressed Council to complain that street sweeping had been discontinued in his residential area. Mayor Meyers told Mr. Smith that residential street sweeping services have been suspended and only thoroughfares are swept. -000- There being no further business, the meeting was recessed for the City Council Workshop Session. -000- 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 session held April 11, 1989. Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -90- April 11, 1989