Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN DEC 19 1991 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL - CITY OF BEAUMONT HELD DECEMBER 19, 1991 -- 1:30 P.M. BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in regular session this the 19th day of December, 1991, with the following present: HONORABLE: Evelyn M. Lord Mayor Lulu L. Smith Mayor Pro Tem and Councilman, Ward I Andrew P. Cokinos 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 Sterling Pruitt Asst. City Manager Lane Nichols City Attorney Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -000- The Invocation was given by Councilman Samuel. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Alter. -000- Mr. Chad Haddock, District Manager of Human Resources for HEB Pantry Foods and Cathy Hopping, Store Manager for Beaumont II (HEB) presented a large round cake to City Council. Mr. Haddock said, "One thing that we'd like to do is thank the City of Beaumont, Mayor, Councilmen and Officials, for the warm welcome that you have given us and to show our gratitude we have given you a cake here. . . . . .It was definitely made for everyone. The card itself says, "Wishing you and your family a very happy holiday season. Your friends at HEB. " -000- No one wished to address City Council on items contained in the Consent Agenda or Main Agenda. -000- The following Consent Agenda items were considered: Approval of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held December 10, 1991; -310- December 19, 1991 Resolution No. 91-310 appointing Howard Close as an alternate member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment for a term ending September 30, 1993 and appointing David Fisher to the Clean Community Commission for a term ending September 30, 1992 ; Resolution No. 91-311 accepting street and storm sewer improvements for a 730-foot section of Durango Drive extending northward from the existing pavement to the center of the cul-de-sac connecting with Salida Lane, a 110-foot section of Salida Lane extending from the center of the cul-de-sac connecting with Durango Drive northward to a barricade, a 230- foot section of Durango Circle extending eastward from Durango Drive to and including a cul-de-sac, a 230-foot section of Vegas Lane extending from Durango Drive eastward to the center of a cul-de-sac connecting with Sierra Circle, a 420-foot section of Sierra Circle extending from the existing pavement northward to the cul-de-sac connecting with Vegas Lane and water and sanitary sewer lines serving Lots 22 through 29, Block 3 , Lots 8 through 22, Block 4 and Lots 4 through 10, Block 5 in Meadowlands, Section Two; Resolution No. 91-312 authorizing the purchase of liquid polymer flocculent from Calgon Corporation of Pittsburgh on a one-year contract for the sewage treatment plant at a costs of $3 .46 per dry ton of sludge; Resolution No. 91-313 granting a 15-foot-wide utility easement across property in the W. B. Dyches Survey to Gulf States Utilities Company for electrical service to Fire Station No. 14 at the intersection of Chinn Lane and Old Voth Road; and Resolution No. 91-314 authorizing the purchase of approximately 10,500 48-inch and 96-inch fluorescent lamps at unit prices of $0. 68 and $2 .84 respectively from Warren Electric Company for an estimated amount of $10, 380. 00 and ballasts from Graybar Electric Company for $1, 679. 00 for the year based on an estimated usage of 100 for City buildings. The Consent Agenda was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Samuel. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 91-315 approving a plan for Emergency Medical Services to provide a third responding ambulance, recruitment and training of additional personnel necessary to man the unit and an expenditure of $150, 000 from Contingent Appropriation for operating expenses was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Alter. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -311- December 19, 1991 Resolution No. 91-316 authorizing the purchase of a four-cubic-yard wheel loader for the Solid Waste Management Department to be used in the compost recycling program from Stewart and Stevenson Services of Beaumont at a cost of $101, 335. 00 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem. Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 91-317 authorizing an application to the Texas Water Development Board for financial assistance in the sale of $20 million in water and sewer revenue bonds to the State Revolving Fund to be used to finance sewer system improvements including the construction of artificial wetlands sewage treatment facility on 2,200 acres south of the sewage treatment plant to bring waste water treatment and discharge system into compliance with the requirements of its EPA permit was considered: RESOLUTION NO. 91-317 "WHEREAS, the City of Beaumont, Texas (the "City") is now in the process of issuing its $20, 000, 000 City of Beaumont, Texas Waterworks and Sewer System Revenue Bonds, Series 1992, to finance improvements and extensions to the waterworks and sanitary sewer system of the City; and, WHEREAS, the City has determined and hereby finds that it is unable to finance such construction without financial assistance from the Texas Water Development Board; and, WHEREAS, the amount of such required assistance is presently estimated to be $20, 000, 000; and, WHEREAS, the City Council of the City desires to authorize an application to the Texas Water Development board for such assistance; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT: 1. That the City hereby requests financial assistance from the Texas Water Development Board in the amount of $20, 000, 000, to be evidenced by the sale of the City's $20, 000, 000 Waterworks and Sewer System Revenue Bonds, Series 1992, to the Texas Water Development Board. 2 . That Evelyn M. Lord, Mayor of the City, be, and she is hereby, designated as the City's official representative for execution of the Application and for appearances before the Texas Water Development Board. -312- December 19, 1991 Resolution No. 91-317 continued: 113 . That the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City, and the City's consulting engineers, financial advisors and attorneys be, and they are hereby, authorized and directed to submit an application to the Texas Water Development Board for financial assistance and to do any and all things necessary and/or desirable to carry out the purpose of this resolution. 4. That the Mayor is hereby authorized to execute letters or contracts of engagement and to employ a financial advisor and bond counsel to 1) request financial assistance from the Texas Water Development Board and, 2) issue and sell the Bonds if the City subsequently adopts an ordinance providing for such issuance and sale. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this the 19th day of December, 1991. " Resolution No. 91-317 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Goodson and seconded by Councilman Moore. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Ordinance No. 91-95 abandoning 2 .242 acres of the Rose Lane right-of-way easement for the development of the proposed 39-acre Lefler Park was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 91-95 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE ABANDONING 2 .242 ACRES OF THE ROSE LANE STREET EASEMENT, BEAUMONT, JEFFERSON COUNTY,TEXAS. This item was deferred to later in the session to give Councilman Cokinos opportunity to read the back-up materials provided in an up- dated City Council packet. -000- Resolution No. 91-318 authorizing purchase of approximately 1,200 square yards of carpet to be installed in offices, including the box office and adjacent hallways and approximately 2, 200 square feet of vinyl floor tile for the dressing rooms and adjacent hallways of the Civic Center from Beaumont Carpet, Inc. , at a cost of $19,923 . 00 as approved on a motion made by Councilman Moore and seconded by Councilman Samuel. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -313- December 19, 1991 Ordinance No. 91-95 abandoning 2 .242 acres of the Rose Lane right-of-way easement for the development of the proposed 39-acre Lefler Park was again considered: ORDINANCE NO. 91-95 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE ABANDONING 2 . 242 ACRES OF THE ROSE LANE STREET EASEMENT, BEAUMONT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS. The ordinance was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cokinos and seconded by Councilman Alter. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Resolution No. 91-319 authorizing the purchase of high impact, laminated wall panels and matching vinyl converting to be installed by City crews over approximately 7, 000 square feet of cement block walls or sheetrock surfaces in the box office entry areas, the meeting rooms and adjacent corridor on the first floor of the Civic Center from Deco Guard Products of San Marcos, California, at a cost of $33,797. 00 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Alter and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Smith. Question: Ayes: All Nayes: None -000- Mayor Lord called an Executive Session, pursuant to Section 2 (e) of the Texas Open Meetings Act, to be held immediately following the City Council Workshop Session, to discuss contemplative or pending litigation, specifically: 1) Linda Robbins vs. Stenson Terry, et al; 2) Bobby Blankenship, et al vs. The City of Beaumont; 3) Kelvin Moulton vs. The City of Beaumont and 4) Zohreh Shahrodi vs. The City of Beaumont. -000- Councilman Goodson extended "happy holiday" wishes to all. Councilman Alter questioned when the street work near Broussard's Mortuary and that area would begin. In addition, he spoke of a good economy and wished all "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. " -314- December 19, 1991 Councilman Samuel questioned the feasibility of parameter fencing along the backside of Magnolia Park and asked if this was included in parks improvements that have already been authorized. He also asked that the Police Department continue to enforce the policy against vehicles on the Park. Mr. Tom Warner, Director of Public Works, said that an 8 ' chain link fence along the north property line is proposed and said he would try to expedite the installation to alleviate some of the problems residents are currently experiencing. In addition, Councilman Samuel reflected on his recent attendance at the National League of Cities Conference in Washington, D. C. that he had attended with Mayor Pro Tem Smith and Councilman Moore. He expressed his concerns for the lack of funding from Washington, especially in the areas of health care for the low income and elderly, the homeless, and to combat increased crime. Councilman Samuel also expressed an interest in the possibility of video taping City Council meetings to be shown on the City's Cable Government Channel, Channel 31. Other members of Council expressed concerns shared by cities that are currently taping, saying that video taping of City Council meetings only lengthens the time of the meetings. According to Mayor Lord: "In fact, you should be prepared to stay as they do in several cities for lunch and dinner and to come back. " Councilman Moore also mentioned many things derived from his attendance at the recent NLC conference. He congratulated Councilman Samuel on his recent election to office and his being a member of the Executive Board of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials. He told of Dr. Smith' s keen interest in the handicapped and the American Disabilities Act. He expressed appreciation for Beaumont's Legislative person in Washington, Carolyn Chaney, especially in the areas of discussions of transportations bills and demonstration projects. He said that in attending the many workshops, "it was good to know that Beaumont seems very much in tune in regards to handling the youth problems and the drug problems . it is good to know that we already have that in place and we have, in some cases, a little more progress to show than others. " Councilman Moore also told Council that he was honored to serve as Sergeant at Arms at the business meeting of NLC at the request of the League's president. In addition, he said that Beaumont was invited to the President's (George Bush's) signing of the Transportation Bill but was unable to attend. Mayor Pro Tem Smith, a member of NLC's committee on health care and a member of the Steering Committee this year, told Council the committee's main goal is a comprehensive health care plan that would "build on the plan that we have now which is third party payment and some way of covering the 40 million or more Americans who are uninsured and those who are underinsured. " She also mentioned her concerns about the "American Disabilities Act along with the Civil Rights Act that was passed, plus one or two that passed during the last Legislature that are very, very awesome in how they are going to impact the cities. " -315- December 19, 1991 Mayor Lord told about "something unique happening at the NLC level and Conference of Mayors level. The cities are uniting rather than competing with one another . . . because we realize that more and more of these problems are coming from the failure of the Feds to do anything but deliver more of the cares and the needs into the municipal hands at the same time without giving us the tools to address them. " Mayor Pro Tem Smith said, "I am extremely excited about the collaborative effort of preventive medicine with UTMB and the County and the City. This is the first time in my 30+ years in medicine that the City and the County have cooperated. . . . . .We don't need to be competing with resources and duplicating services and I think that the longer that we do have a collaborative effort with UTMB, they will expand their services in our community if we will just meet them half way so I think there are a lot of good things going to come out of this. " Councilman Samuel complimented Dr. Smith and Mr. Moore for the national recognition each received with the more than 3, 000 participants in the National League of Cities conference. Councilman Moore requested an official statement by City Council, either by formal resolution or by letter, to "our Congressman and Senators about what is perceived as somewhat of a Peace Dividend and where the redirection of those dollars need to go. " Mayor Lord mentioned having a great deal of fun playing Mrs. Santa Claus with the Westbrook Band as they serenaded all the hospitals and nursing homes; going to Central High with Councilman Samuel and the Army recruiters and attending two DARE graduations at Crockett and South Park schools with Councilman Cokinos. Mayor Lord talked about the noticeable benefits derived from the DARE programs, saying statistics show that "drug use amongst our young people is dropping. " Mayor Lord also said that some members of Council had enjoyed lunch in Vidor with their City officials as a continuation of the informal lunches with area cities. -000- Mr. Henry Dannenbaum, 1567 Wall, addressed Council to comment on Mayor Lord's riding on a float in the Cotton Bowl parade on New Year' s Day. -000- There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned before continuing with the City Council Workshop Session. -316- December 19, 1991 I, Rosemarie Chiappetta, City Clerk of the City of Beaumont, Texas, certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the regular City Council session held December 19, 1991. Rosemarie Chiappetta City Clerk -317- December 19, 1991