HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN AUG 21 1990 REGULAR SESSION
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS
HELD AUGUST 21, 1990, 1:30 P.M.
BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas,
met in regular session this the 21st day of August, 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
Lulu L. Smith Councilman, Ward I
Guy N. Goodson Councilman, Ward II
Audwin Samuel* Councilman, Ward III
David W. Moore Councilman, Ward IV
Ray A. Riley City Manager
Tyrone Cooper Asst. City Attorney
Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk
(*Councilman Samuel arrived at 2 : 07 p.m. ; Councilman Alter arrived at
2 : 27 p.m. )
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The Invocation was given by the Reverend Delmar Dabney, Cathedral in the
Pines Christian Center.
The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Smith.
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Two Proclamations were issued: "Lions Bowl-A-Thon Day, " August 25,
1990; and "Pastor Delmar Dabney Day, " August 25, 1990 (in commemoration
of his twenty years as pastor of Cathedral in the Pines Christian Center
and service to the community) .
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Mayor Lord welcomed Councilman Billy Doornbos of Nederland to the
meeting.
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Mayor Lord announced an Executive Session will be conducted immediately
following the Workshop Session in accordance with Section 2 (e) of the
Open Meetings Act of the State of Texas to discuss pending or
contemplated litigation.
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Citizen comment was invited on the Consent and Main Agenda items.
Mr. Ted Walker, on behalf of the Porter Company and Tri-Tex Paving and
Construction Company, addressed Council to protest passage of Agenda
Item No. 1 awarding a contract to bidders from the August 14, 1990 Bid
Opening for overlay resurfacing in the Major Street Rehabilitation
Program. Mr. Walker said his clients were the lowest responsible
bidders at the original bid opening. He complained that Council looked
beyond the responsibility and qualification of the Porter Company into
the background of the subcontractor, Tri-Tex Paving, and determined them
not qualified because of breach of prior agreements even though they are
an approved Minority Business Enterprise and urged Council to take time
to rethink their position.
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The following Consent Agenda items were considered:
Approval of the Minutes of the regular City Council session conducted
August 14, 1990;
Resolution No. 90-168 authorizing Texas Commerce Bank - Beaumont to
pledge $200, 000. 00 in securities with the Federal Reserve Bank -
Dallas/Houston Branch, effective August 16, 1990; and
Resolution No. 90-169 appointing Elmer E. Embs to the Planning
Commission for a term ending July 31, 1992 .
The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and
seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos.
Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None
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After a short discussion concerning the Minority Business Enterprise
subcontractor and bid specifications, Resolution No. 90-169 awarding a
contract for the overlay resurfacing of some 34 miles of streets
(portions of Calder, Seventh, Cartwright, College, Fourth, Grand,
Irving, Magnolia, Neches, North, Orleans, Pearl, Stagg, Trinity,
Virginia, Washington, Avenue A, Bigner, Blanchette, Bowie, Bristol,
Callaghan, Delaware, Eleventh, Fannin, Florida, Gladys, Gulf, Langham,
East Lucas, Milam, Montrose, Pine, Tram, Twenty-Third, and Walden) in
the 1990 Major Street Rehabilitation Program to Bo-Mac Contractors, Inc.
in the amount of $2, 101,562 .56 was approved on a motion made by
Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman Smith.
Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None
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Ordinance No 90-45 prohibiting the scavenging of recyclable materials
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placed out for collection in residential areas, making it unlawful for
anyone other than the resident or an authorized carrier to remove, pick
up or transfer recyclable materials left at the curbside, and
establishing a fine of $25. 00 for the first conviction of each
violation, $100.00 per violation for the second conviction, and $200. 00
for each violation for subsequent convictions was considered:
ORDINANCE NO. 90-45
ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 28 OF THE
CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT BY
ADDING A NEW SECTION 28-20. 15 PROHIBITING SCAVENGING
OF RECYCLABLE MATERIALS FROM RESIDENTIAL AREAS;
PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL;
AND PROVIDING A PENALTY.
Ordinance No. 90-45 was amended to include scavenging or removal of the
containers, as well as the recyclable materials, as an offense and
approved on a motion made by Councilman Goodson and seconded by Mayor
Pro Tem Cokinos.
Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None
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Resolution No. 90-171 authorizing an escrow agreement with the State
Department of Highways and Public Transportation whereby the City would
deposit $257, 236.56 in escrow for relocation of 5, 600 feet of 8" water
lines and 4,700 feet of sanitary sewer lines which are in conflict with
the State' s proposed widening of State Highway 105 to five lanes between
Eastex Freeway and Keith Road was approved on a motion made by Mayor Pro
Tem Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Moore.
Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None
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Ordinance No. 90-46 establishing a temporary reduced speed school zone
on North Street, from a point 130 feet west of the center line of Center
to a point 220 feet west of the center line of Oakland in the vicinity
of Dick Dowling Elementary School, due to a delay in the opening of the
new Homer Drive School and in the closing of Dick Dowling Elementary was
considered:
ORDINANCE NO. 90-46
ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 26,
SECTION 26-24 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF
THE CITY OF BEAUMONT TO ADD A NEW SCHOOL
ZONE; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING
FOR REPEAL AND PROVIDING A PENALTY.
Councilman Moore questioned the need for school crossing guards. Mr.
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Riley replied that according to his understanding, all children will be
bussed from Homer Drive School and no one will be walking, but he will
confirm his information.
Ordinance No. 90-46 was approved on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem
Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Smith.
Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None
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Ordinance No. 90-47 repealing Section 2-50 of the Code of Ordinances
which created the Health Advisory Board, a task oriented committee which
has accomplished its original objectives and whose members' terms have
expired, was considered:
ORDINANCE NO. 90-47
ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE REPEALING SECTION 2-50
OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF
BEAUMONT WHICH CREATED THE HEALTH ADVISORY
BOARD; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING
FOR REPEAL.
Ordinance No. 90-47 was approved on a motion made by Mayor Pro Tem
Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Smith.
Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None
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(Councilman Samuel arrived at 2: 07 p.m. during discussion of Resolution
No. 90-172 . )
Resolution No. 90-172 authorizing a development agreement for Phase II
of the Stedman Building Project with Fidentia Development Corporation,
which would include City participation in public improvements involved
in relocation of overhead power lines and streetscaping not to exceed
$300, 000, improve the parking facility known as the triangle lot and
lease it to the developers for a five-year period, recommend historic
preservation tax abatement to the building site for a maximum of ten
(10) years, and agreement in principal that any industrial development
within 300 feet would adversely affect development of the site, and also
agree in principal that Crockett Street may be closed between Park and
Neches and assist and support securing approval for the closure was
approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman
Goodson.
Question: Ayes: Mayor Lord Nayes: None
Mayor Pro Tem Cokinos
Councilman Smith
Councilman Goodson
Councilman Moore
Abstention: Councilman Samuel
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Councilman Samuel asked that someone from the Sanitation Department be
advised to pick up items that have been dumped on Bennett Road.
Councilman Moore reminded everyone that school will soon be starting and
to drive cautiously.
Councilman Goodson reported that a lot of traffic is being rerouted onto
Nineteenth Street because of Interstate construction and asked if a
letter could be written to residents in that area explaining the time
frame of this inconvenience. He said there is concern about the truck
traffic, and there are a lot of children in that area.
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Mr. Frank Kiefer, 3190 Willowood, introduced his granddaughter, Kristen
Massey, to Council. He explained this is her first experience
attending a Council meeting. Mr. Kiefer discussed the feasibility of
converting City vehicles to use liquid natural gas to reduce operating
costs, to reduce environmental emissions, and dependency on foreign
oil, asked that consideration be given to extending the use of wading
pools in City parks to the beginning of May until the end of September
to allow pre-school children use of the pools, and asked that Council
work with the Department of Public Safety to control the speed of
motorists through the construction area on Interstate 10.
Mayor Lord invited Kristen to come forward to individually meet Council
members and to shake their hands.
Mr. Forrest "Ted" Posey, 3695 Edmonds, addressed Council on various
personal items and complimented Mayor Lord for her participation in the
Foster Grandparents Program recently conducted at the John Gray
Institute.
(Councilman Alter arrived at 2 :27 p.m. while Mr. Dannenbaum was
speaking. )
Mr. Henry Dannenbaum, 1567 Wall Street, addressed Council to compliment
the young people who helped at Some Other Place this summer.
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There being no other business, the meeting was recessed before
continuing with the Workshop Session.
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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 August 21, 1990.
Rosemarie Chiappetta
City Clerk
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EXCERPT 8/21/90 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
CITIZEN COMMENT - ATTORNEY TED WALKER
MAYOR LORD
Now, at this point, I will tell you that we have an opportunity for
anybody with us to speak on two occasions to us. If they wish to speak
to any item on the Consent Agenda or the Main Agenda, the time would be
now. If it's a matter relative to some other item of business, you
would speak at the close of the business meeting. . . (read Executive
Session notice) Now, I will ask at this point, is there anyone who
wishes to address something on the Consent Agenda or the Main Agenda
item? Yes sir, would you please give your name and address for the
record.
ATTORNEY TED WALKER
Your Honor, my name's Ted Walker. I'm here on behalf of the Porter
Company and Tri-Tex Paving and Construction Company. With all due
respect, I 'm here to protest the action of Council today with respect to
Agenda Item No. 1, the award of the resurfacing project to the bidders
who submitted bids this past week after the original bids were rejected
by the City. My clients, having been the lowest and most responsible
bidder, as recommended by Mr. Riley to the Council. The Council, as I 'm
sure all of you aware then delved past and beyond the responsibility and
the qualification of the bidder, the Porter Company, into the background
of the sub-contractor, Tri-Tex. It, in breach of it's prior written
agreements, the City's prior written agreements with the principals of
Tri-Tex, determined that Tri-Tex was not qualified to do the work,
despite the fact that Tri-Tex's been approved by this very City
government as a minority business enterprise and then rejected these
bids without any legal basis whatsoever. These people have been life-
long residents of this city. They've worked with the City before. The
City has, sure they've had disputes with them before, but the City
recognized its position there and offered settlement to these people.
And, now to come back several years later, on the very first opportunity
that they've had to try to do work for the City, and then reject their
low bid simply because of the past is clearly not right, and we want to
urge the City Council to take some time to rethink its position before
it moves forward on this project and take this opportunity to correct
wrong that is being perpetrated. And, with that I would, I would be
glad to answer any questions that any of you might have.
MAYOR LORD
I think, at this point, Mr. Walker, we'll just thank you for your
comments, and they are entered into the record.
MR. WALKER
Thank you.
MAYOR LORD
Is there any other citizen who would like to address any item on the
Consent Agenda or the Main Agenda? If not, at this point, I will turn
it over the City Manager. Mr. Manager, please.
END OF EXCERPT