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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN OCT 05 1982 REGULAR SESSION CITY COUNCIL - CITY OF BEAUMONT HELD OCTOBER 5 , 1982 BE IT REMEMBERED that the City Council of the City of Beaumont , Texas, met in regular session this the 5th day of October , 1982 , with the fol- lowing present : HONORABLE: William E. Neild Mayor Bill Cox Councilman, Ward I Evelyn M. Lord Councilman , Ward II Joseph D. Deshotel Councilman , Ward III Wayne Turner Councilman , Ward IV Ray Riley City Manager Kenneth Wall City Attorney -000- The Invocation was given by the Reverend Bill Hedges, pastor of Forest Park United Methodist Church. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Councilman Lord. -000- The following proclamations were issued: "Domestic Violence Awareness Week in Beaumont" - October 10-15, 1982 and "The Day of Unity for Battered Women in Beaumont" - October 16th; "Higher Education Week in Beaumont" - October 2-9, 1982 ; "'Taste of Beaumont , 182 in Beaumont" - October 12 , 1982 ; "Alpha Delta Kappa Week in Beaumont" - October 10-16 ; "Employ the Handi- capped Week" - October 3-9, 1982 ; and "Handicapped Awareness Week in Beau- mont" - October 10-16, 1982 . -000- The Minutes of the regular City Council session held September 28, 1982 , were approved. on a motion made by Councilman Cox and seconded by Council- man Deshotel. . Question : Ayes : All Nayes : None -000- Ordinance No. 82-120 changing the zoning from RM-H to GC-MD on a 124.49- by-185. 7-foot portion of Lot 1 , Block 1 , Langham Place Addition , located approximately 230 feet south of the intersection of Calder and Junker Roads (reconsidered because 41% of opposition removed when property owner removed protest ) was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 82-120 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 30 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF BEAUMONT , TEXAS, AND IN PARTICULAR THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ZONING DIS- TRICTS AS INDICATED UPON THE ZONING MAP OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS , BY CHANGING PROPERTY DESCRIBED AS LOT 1 , BLOCK 1 , LANDHAM PLACE ADDITION, BEAU- MONT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS, PRESENTLY ZONED RM-H (RESIDENTIAL MULTIPLE DWELLING-HIGH DENSITY) DISTRICT TO GC-MD (GENERAL COMMERCIAL-HIGH DEN- SITY) DISTRICT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL; AND PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY. The ordinance was approved on a motion made by Councilman Deshotel and seconded by Councilman Turner. Question : Ayes : Councilman Cox Nayes: Mayor Neild Councilman Deshotel Councilman Lord Councilman Turner . -000- -181- October 5, 1982 An ordinance changing the zoning from RM-H to GC-MD on property located at 1225 Wescalder was considered: AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 30 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, AND IN PARTICULAR THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ZONING DISTRICTS AS INDICATED UPON THE ZONING MAP OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, BY CHANGING PROPERTY PRESENTLY ZONED RM-H (RESIDENTIAL MULTIPLE DWELLING-HIGH DENSITY) DISTRICT TO GC-MD (GENERAL COMMERCIAL- MULTIPLE DWELLING) DISTRICT, BEAUMONT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, TEXAS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PRO- VIDING FOR REPEAL AND PROVIDING A PENALTY. A motion to approve the ordinance was made by Councilman Deshotel ; motion died for lack of a second. A motion to deny the ordinance was made by Councilman Turner; motion was seconded by Councilman Cox. Question : Ayes : Mayor Neild Nayes : Councilman Deshotel Councilman Cox Councilman Lord Councilman Turner -000- Resolution 82-370 accepting the work performed under a contract with Greer Construction Company for Beaumont Water Canal Clearing, Contract No. 2 - clearance of the surface water supply canal which extends approx- imately 13 miles from Lawson ' s Crossing to Wiess Bluff - and approving Change Order No. 1 to said contract increasing the total cost by $6, 576.00 to provide for additional hours required to work under and adjacent to low level power lines near the Wiess Bluff Pump Station ; for silt removal from below the water surface in Bunn ' s Bluff ; and to increase the square yards of earthwork to provide for new and unforeseen repairs required at var- ious locations on the 8. 1 miles of Wiess Bluff Canal and authorizing final payment of $12 , 795. 70 to the contractor (total contract including Change Order No. 1 - $130,907. 00) was approved on a motion made by Councilman Lord and seconded by Councilman Deshotel. . Question : Ayes : All Nayes: None -000 Resolution 82-371 approving Change Order No. 3 to the contract with C.F.W. Construction Company for construction of Contract I - Sewage Treatment Plant , EPA Grant No. C-481254-04 to provide paved access and work area for removal of four (4) pumps and chlorine ,disinfection units at the chlorine contact chamber and to replace deteriorated piping concrete in the wall and floor of the secondary sludge digester and increasing the contract by $9,450. 00 (total contract increased to $5,834,682.b0) was ap- proved on a motion made by Councilman Turner and seconded by Councilman Deshotel . Question : Ayes: All Nayes : None -000- Resolution 82-372 authorizing execution of a contract with J. R. Plake, Inc. , in the amount of $24, 984. 60, for construction of three (3) pedestrian bridges in Klein Park (formerly North West Park) Walker at Griffin Roads, which will allow pedestrian access to both sides of the ditch which runs through the middle of the park, was approved on a motion made by Council- man Deshotel and seconded by Councilman Turner. (Federal grant and pri- vate donation received for improvement of the park. ) Question : Ayes : All Nayes: None -182- October 5, 1982 Students from Oak Forest Elementary School of Vidor , attending today' s session, sang Happy Birthday to Mayor Neild under the direction of former Mayor, Maurice Meyers. -000- Resolution 82-373 authorizing execution of a contract for reroofing the generator building at the Main Water Treatment Plant on Pine Street - work includes the stripping of the tile roof , replacing supports and decking where necessary, and installing 47 squares of 15-year bonded composition roofing - with Shackelford Roofing Company in the amount of $6,400. 00 was approved on a motion made by Councilman Cox and seconded by Councilman Lord. Question : Ayes : All Nayes : None -000- 1 PUBLIC HEARING URBAN DEVELOPMENT ACTION GRANT APPLICATION _ , MARKET PLACE PROJECT CITY MANAGER RILEY: The next item is related to the application by the City of Beaumont for an Urban Development Action Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development of the federal government . Council has heard the proposed Market Place Project which includes the renovation of four structures lo- cated in the Central Business District primarily in the area bounded by Neches., Bowie, Laurel and Crockett Streets. The project includes the construction of some 500 parking spaces on Neches; the construction of Neches extending it from its present location through to Laurel; the closing of two blocks of Crockett which would accommodate the redevelop- ment of this area; and improvements by the developer which would total approximately $11 . 0 million. Included in the proposed redevelopment of this area are public areas located between the buildings which would in- clude public amenities to support the redevelopment of the four structures Which would include such things as perhaps a skating rink, park setting or public areas and plaza areas. between the four buildings and where the street has been closed. In order to make the application for the Urban Development Action Grant , a public hearing is required to allow interested parties to make comments concerning the desirability of making this appli- cation. We would point out that the grant , if approved by the Department of Housing and Irban 'Development , would be a grant to the City of Beaumont at the anticipated amount of $2, 100,000.00. It is proposed .then that those monies would be lent to the redeveloper on terms approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development which is generally acceptable at about a 40-year repayment at 10 per cent interest . Those funds are repaid to the City of Beaumont and would be reused for Community Development eligible ac- tivities both within the Central Business District and other neighborhoods within. the community. So, in a sense, it is a grant to the City but a loan to the developer and funds are returned for other uses related to Community Development within the City. Mayor Neild declared the public hearing open. Mr. Dennis Sederholm, president of the Beaumont .Chamber of Commerce, addres- sed Council in support of the UDAG application for support of the Market Place Project . He said the project will serve three purposes: " . . . pro- bably paramount is the downtown development itself ; but , secondly, is the community development program - the future programs as the Council chooses with the money repaid from the project - and the third area that it ' s going to support is jobs and tax base in Beaumont . We anticipate that there will be 100 construction jobs for one year created by this project and about 500 permanent jobs after year one, starting in year two. Again , we, the Chamber and CCDC, urge that you make the application for the UDAG grant . " -183- October 5, 1982 Mrs. Willard (Mildred) Hall addressed Council to speak of her '.'concern in the matter of the City applying for another UDAG grant for development in downtown Beaumont because of the recent removal of the UDAG grant (after the Downtown Hilton Hotel project was dropped) and was concerned that the City does not gain a reputation of applying for UDAG grants that eventually cannot be used because other financing cannot be obtained. " She asked several questions : Who is to be the eventual owner of the property in the Market Square Project - the City of Beaumont 'or the present owners? What plans are being made for the financing of the rest of the project? Does the UDAG grant apply to just the Market Square renovation or to the street projects leading to and from the Market Square project? She questioned the manner of use of Tax Increment Financing and if the other taxing agencies involved in the area have been kept abreast of the project . The City Manager responded to the questions : " This is the second UDAG application that we've made and we have discussed the matter with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and they say that there is absolutely no problem with our reputation concerning the Hilton Hotel downtown. In their opinion , the UDAG is there to be able to promote development and that they want to finance projects that are feasi- ble and that there is no problem as far as our loss of the first one. Se- condly, Cranston Development Corporation basically will be the owner or will be the developer but some of the owners of the property included within the district will have the choice of either contributing either property and take a part of the ownership either by contribution in kind or in cash but there will be an equity which will accompany the grant of approximately $2. 5 million. In addition , there' ll be financing required of about $6. 6 million which will finance then the private development portion.. The pub- lic portion is related to the acquisition of land; in other words , purchas- ing land in between or adjacent to Crockett Street in which about(!500 pub- lic parking spaces will be provided. The approximately $2. 0 million involved in the public improvements relate to the acquisition of land and the improve- ment of parking areas and the exteesion of Neches Street across what would be the railroad property to tie into Laurel. . . it will actually be Crockett Boulevard because this extension will eventually connect Liberty and Laurel and so Crockett from Main Street will be constructed as part of the Liberty-Laurel Connector which was funded through the 1980 TIP Bond project - so the cost of the Crockett Blvd. is already funded from the Street Improvement Program and the $2. 0 million that I referred to does not include any costs of construction for this street . The costs of improve- ments - approximately one-half of the $2. 0 million will be involved with land acquisition and perhaps another $8/900,000. 00 would .be the improvements which are being made for the parking areas. Tax Increment District which is proposed to finance these improvements related to the Market Place Project would be in an area which is essentially the Central Business District - probably an area which might be bounded by College on the south, Trinity or one block to the west of Neches extending perhaps to Calder or either to North Street . The Tax Increment District has not been defined and will not by the Council for probably another thirty (30) days because of the necessity for the Tax Appraisal District to appraise the property and pro- vide the City a tax roll before a determination of the proper area can be made. The other taxing agencies have been advised throughout this project as to just exactly what is involved. Mr. J. C . Leggett , 1849 Washington Boulevard, addressed Council to ask if Crockett Street would be permanently closed in this area or if it would only be temporarily. He was told the two-block area would be permanently closed. There being no one else wishing to address the public hearing, it was closed. -000- Resolution 82-374 authorizing the filing of UDAG application for the Down- town Market Place development project was approved on a motion made by Councilman Turner and seconded by Councilman Deshotel . Question : Ayes : All Nayes : None -184- October 5, 1982 Resolution 82-375 authorizing purchase of a parcel - #152 from Steinhagen Oil Company in the amount of $61 ,031. 50 - for needed right-of-way for improvement of the Calder-Major Drive intersection was approved on a mo- tion made by Councilman Lord and seconded by Councilman Cox. Question : Ayes : All Nayes : None -000- Resolution .82-376 reappointing John Paul Davis as Chief Magistrate of Municipal Court and Wendell Radford as Magistrate of Municipal Court for two-year terms beginning July 8 , 1982 , and ending July 7 , 1984 , was ap- proved on a motion made by Councilman Deshotel and seconded by Councilman Turner. Question : Ayes : All Nayes : None -000- Resolution 82-377 appointing Dorcy Watler to the Clean Community Commis- sion for a two-year term ending September 30, 1984, was approved on a motion made by Councilman Lord and seconded by Councilman Deshotel . Question : Ayes : All Nayes: None -000- Ordinance No. 82-121 establishing position classifications and compensa- tion in the Police Department and authorizing an extension of the contract with Local 491 of the IBPO was considered: ORDINANCE NO. 82-121 ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 21 , SECTION 21-74 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, TO PROVIDE FOR GRADES CLASSIFICATION, PAY SCALES, AND OTHER BENE- FITS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT; AND ALSO RATIFYING AN EXTENSION OF THE LABOR AGREE- TRENT; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE; AND PROVIDING FOR REPEAL. The ordinance was approved on a motion made by Councilman Turner and se- conded by Councilman Deshotel. Question : Ayes : All Nayes : None -000- Councilman Turner told Council that he had learned that adequate utility facilities are not considered in issuing building permits and asked that a Workshop discussion be scheduled. -000- Councilman Cox ' s wife, Reggie, was welcomed to today' s session. -000- Mr . Johnny Spell , resident of Nederland and a Lamar University student and member of the Student Government Association, addressed Council to .say that he or another representative of the organization will be attend- ing Council sessions. He spoke in support of "Handicapped Awareness Day" presentation and the need for such awareness at Lamar and other areas. -000- There being no further business, an Executive Session pursuant. to Article II of the Texas Open Meetings Law was called. -000- I , Rosemarie Chiappetta, Deputy 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 October 5, 1982. Rosemarie Chiappetta, Deputy City Clerk -185- October 5, 1982