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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN JULY 31 1990 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS HELD JULY 31, 1990, 1:15 P.M. BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in regular session this the 31st day of July, 1990, with the following present: HONORABLE: Evelyn M. Lord Mayor Andrew P. Cokinos Mayor Pro Tem Councilman At Large Brian R. Alter Councilman At Large Guy N. Goodson Councilman, Ward II Audwin Samuel Councilman, Ward III David W. Moore Councilman, Ward IV Absent: Lulu L. Smith Councilman, Ward I Ray A. Riley City Manager Lane Nichols City Attorney Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -000- The Invocation was given by the Reverend Father Joseph Stratman, St. Joseph's Catholic Church. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos. -000- Mayor Lord asked City Manager Ray Riley to make a special presentation. MR. RILEY: Mayor and Council, annually, we have an award which we present to a City employee that is selected for the award for the Doris Johnson Award for Excellence. It's really a very special time for all of us in the employee work force particularly. Not only are we selecting a recipient of an award that represents an excellent work, an employee who has done something that in an exemplary manner, and you might say is the "Employee of the Year, " but not only that we're also honoring Doris Johnson. For me, personally, it' s a very special time because I can tell you that Doris Johnson was absolutely the first employee that I had anything to do with in the City of Beaumont. When I was an applicant for City Manager, the first person that I talked to who answered the telephone was Doris Johnson. I can tell you that my opinion of this City and of its work force was directly impacted, not only by that first impression of Doris Johnson in what she made me feel about the people who were here, but it continued for all the many years of association -187- July 31, 1990 that we had. And, I think that it's very aptly and very appropriate that we make this selection on an annual basis, and do it in memory of Doris Johnson. The award is made on, for about five or six criteria that we're looking for. For an employee who personifies at all times the highest ideals of personal integrity, professionalism and excellence, sets work standards which far surpass the requirements for adequacy and acceptability and shows a continual striving for excellence and perfection, consistently performs tasks, deals with others and presents himself or herself always in such a way as to reflect credit and distinction upon his employer and the City of Beaumont, is self-motivating, self-directing, shows pride in his work and a devotion to duty, and treats co-workers with respect and inspires respect and confidence by setting an example of professionalism. This year, we had received in excess of ten (10) nominations, all of which we would have been very happy to present to you as a winner. In reviewing the criteria, reviewing those that were presented to us, we determined that it was impossible to make a single selection, because we have two employees who more than adequately fulfill all of the criteria, and, therefore, we are going to recommend to you that we make two awards this year. First of all I 'd like to call forward Jimmy Hubbard. Jimmy is a custodian, Building Maintenance, has been employed with the City of Beaumont for seventeen (17) years. We take exceptional pride in Jimmy in. . .his work, he adjust his schedules, his procedures to accommodate any special request for a department. He never complains about the hard work, long hours, or difficult assignments. He prides himself in always finding the right side of any situation. He's in City Hall late. He helps other employees. We've noticed, like for example, after dark if somebody finds it difficult to get to their automobiles, he'll be more than happy to help them. He's more than positive about every City policy. He's supportive of all internal changes, and he's seen many of them in his seventeen (17) years. He does all of this with a very infectious enthusiasm and a high level of energy and effectiveness. He really performs his duties very well. We've been very, very proud of Jimmy Hubbard, and we want to recommend to him to accept one of the Doris Johnson Awards for Excellence this year. (Applause as Jimmy Hubbard goes forward to receive a plaque from Mayor Lord. ) MAYOR LORD: It really is a great deal of pleasure for me to give this to Jimmy, too, because I haven't been upstairs in that office very long, but I know who's going to be there, and I know who does worry about those doors being locked, and Jimmy, we think you're wonderful, and it's such a pleasure. JIMMY HUBBARD• I appreciate it. -188- July 31, 1990 MAYOR LORD: If you want to say something, please do. JIMMY HUBBARD• Ladies and Gentlemen and Council, I'll keep up my best work I can give you. I 'll keep it up from now on throughout the years. I appreciate it. MAYOR LORD: Thank you. COUNCILMAN SAMUEL: And you might also want to mention, he's responsible for a lot of the beautiful photographs around City Hall, also. MR. RILEY: The other employee that we want to recommend for the acceptance of the Doris Johnson Award is Carey Balka. Carey. Carey is a ten (10) year employee with the City of Beaumont. He's an equipment mechanic at Streets and Drainage. Much of Carey's work is performed after hours or during lunch hours to repair and keep work crews on schedule. He does this with no loss of time, money, or productivity to the City. An example of his dedication is last September he had scheduled a vacation, was going to take fishing trip. It turns out that we had a piece of equipment that was down, and without even being asked, because he knew of the need for the grade-all to be repaired, cancelled his vacation, worked on the grade-all, put it back into shape before that he would take off. And, I think that this is noticed by all of the employees that we have in the Street Department. His sense of duty is very rare. Recently, he was diagnosed with fluid around the heart, and he was told by his doctor to take three (3) days off to rest and recuperate. He didn't do that. As a matter of fact, he said he would take time off once he had Truck 3082 repaired. He is very well liked, respected-- actually, I think, probably the highest esteemed of anybody in his department. They've always said that if you're between a rock and a hard place, you only want him to be there, you know he will be there. Carey, we're really very pleased, we're very proud of you, and we want to congratulate you on being a winner of the Doris Johnson Award. CAREY BALKA• Thank you. (Applause as Carey Balka proceeds forward to receive a plaque from Mayor Lord. ) -189- July 31, 1990 MAYOR LORD I must say, like Ray, he had the opportunity to know Doris when he first came here, and it was the same with me when I was on Council before. I want you to take good care of yourself though. Do you hear that Mr. Balka? CAREY BALKA• Guess so. MAYOR LORD: Yes, because people like you we need! And, if you would like to say something, we invite you to do so. CAREY BALKA• Thank you all Councilmen, First, I would like to thank my boss, Mr. Jim Terry. Would you please stand? This is the guy that wrote the marvelous letter that got me here. Thank you. (to Mr. Terry) My wife, Lois Balka. And, I want to thank--I 'm not only accepting this award for myself. I 'm accepting this award for my Department as a family of one. Again, I want to say thank you again. MAYOR LORD: Well, you know we very much appreciate, not just the things that have been said about you, you know by our City Manager, but it's fellows like you two that make us look good, too. And we're very, very cognizant of that and appreciate it more than you know. Andrew, perhaps could you hold this up? This the plaque that will be in our front hall, and it will bear the names of this year' s winners. And so everybody who comes in--you see we're bragging on you, as you say in Texas, and very, very proud to do so. -000- Citizen comment was invited on the Consent Agenda and Main Agenda Items 1-4. 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 July 24, 1990; -190- July 31, 1990 Resolution No. 90-153 appointing Gene Darst to the Airport Advisory Committee for a term ending May 31, 1992 ; the Reverend Beauregard Brown and H. B. "Buddy" Arnoult to the Beaumont Advisory Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect for terms ending June 30, 1992 ; Yvonne Osborne to the Board of Directors of Reinvestment Zone No. 1 for a term ending December 31, 1991; Virgil Hughes to the Plumbing and Mechanical Board of Review for a term ending May 31, 1992 ; Nell Phillips and W. F. "Bill" Miranda with terms ending June 30, 1992 and Larry Porter for a term ending June 30, 1991 to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee; Raymond Chaison and Amos Landry for terms ending May 31, 1992 and Rick Canady and Beverly Nolan for terms ending May 31, 1991 to the CDBG Citizens Advisory Committee; Hester Bell and Edgar Perkins to the Housing Rehabilitation Loan Board for terms ending May 31, 1992 ; and confirm the appointments of Herman Rogers and Richard Chappell as Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively of the CDBG Citizens Advisory Committee; Resolution No. 90-154 accepting Street and Storm Sewer Improvements: Gleneagles Drive from Willow Bend Drive 346 feet east and Winged Foot Drive from Gleneagles Drive 418 feet north to and including the cul-de- sac and Water and Sanitary Sewer Improvements: Lots 1 through 4, Block 6, and Lots 1 through 13, Block 7, in Willow Creek Country Club Estates-- Phase II, Section 1-A; Resolution No. 90-155 authorizing purchase of a brush chipper from Industrial Disposal Supply Co. of Houston in the amount of $14,879.00 for use by the Parks Department to chip tree limbs into mulch for landscaping; and Resolution No. 90-156 appointing Public Works Director Tom Warner and Traffic Engineer Jim Cline as alternate representatives on the Planning Committee for the Jefferson Orange Regional Transportation Study. The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Moore. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 90-157 approving the proposed $1,884, 000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) budget for the 1990 Program Year as follows: Housing, $1, 225, 000; Neighborhood Improvements, $250, 000; Economic Development, $151, 000; Social Service, $200, 000; and Administration, $58, 000; and officially designated as the Final Statement of Objectives and Projected Use of Funds, authorize the City Manager to submit the budget to the Department of Housing and Urban Development was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem. Cokinos. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- -191- July 31, 1990 Resolution No. 90-158 authorizing adoption of a policy for amendments to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Final Statement of Objectives and Projected Use of Funds requiring that the statement be amended whenever an activity is dropped or added, an amendment required for any substantial change in the purpose, location, scope or beneficiaries of an activity, require that citizens be given reasonable notice of any proposed amendment and opportunity to comment before action is taken a on change in use of funds, require a description of any change adopted be submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and made available to the public, and that the letter of transmittal to HUD be signed by the official representative of the grantee was approved on a motion made by Councilman Alter and seconded by Councilman Samuel. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 90-159 authorizing a contract for reconstruction of 15.9 miles of various asphalt streets (Fannin, 4th to 11th; Washington, Burbank to Major; 11th, Washington to Fannett; Langham, College to Washington, 23rd, Calder to Phelan; Walden--Fannett to 1390 ' E. of IH- 10, 2810 ' W. of IH-10 to Major; Helbig, Lorilee to Piney Point; Old Dowlen, Dowlen to Hwy. 105; Washington, Langham to Burbank; Lindbergh, College to Washington; Tyrrell Park, Fannett to Babe Zaharias; Florida, Ave A to Cardinal; Virginia, Ave A to Mercantile; Laurel, 21st to 23rd; Roland, Bigner to Helbig; Sabine Pass, Emmett to MLK; Brooks, Fannett to Major; and Laf in, Fannett to Landfill) under the Major Street Rehabilitation Program with Bo-Mac Contractors, Inc. in the amount of $846,256. 30 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Samuel and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 90-160 authorizing a contract for removal and replacement of the upper and lower shingled roof on the Harvest Club building and replacement of any unexposed lumber that needs to be replaced to Jleeco Builders in the amount of $11, 616. 00 plus $.40 per board foot for lumber replacement was approved on a motion made by Councilman Alter and seconded by Councilman Goodson. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- A public hearing was called to consider the twenty-six (26) below listed structures found to be in violation of the City of Beaumont's Dangerous Structure Ordinance, Article III, Section 14-50: 1162 Ashley (rear) - Charles E. Jones, owner (21 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 645 Blanchette - W. S. & Aubrey Dickson c/o William S. Dickson, owner (21 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 1735 Irving (garage apt. ) - O. -192- July 31, 1990 Cozier c/o Toni Cleaver, MD, owner (20 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze with 30 days; 1580 Fulton - C. O. Heard, owner (21 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 2695 Houston (rear) - Mrs. Felisa Guillory, owner (20 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze or repair within 30 days; 4445 Flamingo (carport) - James L. McCoy, owner (3 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 993 Alma - Thomas C. Williams, Jr. , owner (21 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 891 Gladys - Shirley Fontenot, owner (14 violations) , Staff recommendations to raze within 30 days; 1139 Forrest - Charles E. Jones, owner (21 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 2405 Hegele (commercial) - Eddy Autry, owner (5 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze or repair within 30 days; 4155 Pradice - Shirley Jones, owner (10 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze or repair within 30 days; 2855 Amarillo - Evelyn Gilbreath, owner (15 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 3598 Westmoreland (garage) - Louis Pearline, owner (7 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 3190 Westmoreland - Cecelia Bowman, owner (7 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 3160 Westmoreland - 011ie Smith, owner (12 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 545 N. 24th - David Royer Et Ux, owner (10 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze or repair within 30 days; 2133 Laurel (shed) - Jimmy Anderson, owner (8 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 745 Avenue D (21 violations) and 745 Avenue D (garage apt. ) (22 violations) - Terrell McCarrell, owner, Staff recommendation to raze or repair both structures within 30 days; 1965-75 Sabine Pass (rear) - James Weaver, owner (5 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 4090 Agnes - Flora Jackson, owner (26 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 3975 St. Helena - James Simmons, owner (27 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 4790 Steelton - C. E. Tait, owner (25 violations) , , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 1215 E. Lucas - Anton J. Steely, owner (25 violations) , Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days; 7925 Mitchell (21 violations) and 7925 Mitchell (shed) (6 violations) - R. C. Rhodes, owner, Staff recommendation to raze within 30 days. These parcels of property have been inspected, are vacant, and found to be in violation of Article III, Section 14-50 of the Code of Ordinances. Notices have been sent to owners by Certified Mail and published in the Beaumont Enterprise. The twenty-five (25) structures listed below have been condemned by City Council and the owners ordered to either raze or repair them within specified time frames. Reinspection of these structures have revealed non-compliance with the Council 's order. The Public Safety Department is requesting authorization from City Council to demolish these structures in accordance with the Dangerous Structure Ordinance and charge the property owners with the cost of demolition. 1080 Alma, 2845 Atlanta, 6402 Bigner, 2210 Brooklyn, 2220 Brooklyn, 4790 Buffalo, 1450 W. Cardinal, 2929 Concord (garage), 2350 Delaware, 2350 Delaware (garage), 2213 Forrest, 2213 Forrest (rear), 2535 Gilbert, 1466- -193- July 31, 1990 1470 Gladys, 1135 Hale, 1135 Hale (#1 rear), 1135 Hale (#2 rear) , 570 Hill, 615 Hill, 425 Jackson, 2455 Jirou, 635 Lincoln Alley, 2412 Park, 1614 Roberts, and 5281 Roberts. There being no one to address Council, the public hearing was closed. Ordinance No. 90-42 declaring certain dilapidated structures to be public nuisances and ordering their repair or removal by their owners was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 90-42 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE FINDING CERTAIN STRUCTURES TO BE PUBLIC NUISANCES AND ORDERING THEIR REPAIR OR DEMOLITION; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY. Ordinance No. 90-42 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman Alter. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos congratulated Mr. Riley and everyone that was involved in the ceremonies last Sunday for "Saving the Tyrrell. " (Tyrrell Historical Library) Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos proclaimed the Tyrrell Historical Library as being considered the centerpiece of Beaumont, urged those who have not visited the library to do so. He thanked Mildred Hall and her volunteers and Library Director Maurine Gray. Councilman Alter echoed the comments of Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos and added it is a magnificent structure and that everyone who worked on it, both private citizens and the City Manager and City Staff, showed a great public/private partnership in providing the building. Councilman Goodson expressed regret in being out of town and unable to attend the ceremonies, but has looked at the facilities, and they are a wonderful addition to the city. Councilman Moore agreed with all previous statements, recalled that library is where he received his first library card, and applauded all the people who have worked so diligently to reach their goal--Robert Robinson and crew, the Library Commission and Council liaisons, and said the library is another tremendous addition to our cultural center downtown. Councilman Moore asked that the Police Department be alerted to unusual activity at Chaison Park and patrol the area for the benefit of the children and residents of that area. Councilman Samuel echoed comments of Council and said that he, too, received his first experience at a library at the Tyrrell. As a liaison to the Library Commission, Councilman Samuel hailed the efforts -194- July 31, 1990 of the Library Commission for their endurance to see the completion of the restoration of the Tyrrell Historical Library. Councilman Samuel asked that the Police Department investigate setting up a periodic radar unit on Bigner Road to assist in controlling speed violations by dump truck drivers. Mayor Lord concurred with all the favorable comments about the Tyrrell Historical Library and reminisced of Louise Loomis (long-time Library Commission member) taking her for the first time to the Tyrrell when it was far from its finished state. -000- Mrs. Lavert Blanchette Mollette, 2990 Roberts, addressed Council to correct a statement in an article appearing in the July 29, 1990 edition of the Beaumont Enterprise. She said the cemetery referenced must be either the Fleming or Pear Orchard Cemetery, not the Blanchette (misspelled Blanchard in article) or Hebert Cemetery. Blanchette Cemetery was founded by her family and now maintained by family members. Mrs. Mollette distributed pictures of her family's cemetery. -000- There being no other business, the meeting was recessed before continuing with the Workshop Session in the Executive Conference Room on the third floor. -000- I, 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 July 31, 1990. Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -195- July 31, 1990