The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutMIN JAN 29 2008 M I N U T E S - CITY OF BEAUMONT W.L. Pate, Jr., At-Large BECKY AMES, MAYOR Gethrel Williams-Wright, At-Large Dr. Alan B. Coleman, Ward I CITY COUNCIL MEETING Nancy Beaulieu, Ward II Audwin Samuel, Mayor Pro Tem, Ward III January 29, 2008 Jamie Smith, Ward IV Tyrone E. Cooper, City Attorney Kyle Hayes, City Manager Tina Broussard, City Clerk The City Council of the City of Beaumont, Texas, met in a regular session on January 29, 2008, at the City Hall Council Chambers, 801 Main Street, Beaumont, Texas, at 1:30 p.m. to consider the following: OPENING Invocation Pledge of Allegiance Roll Call Presentations and Recognition - Receive a report related to the FY 2007 Audit Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled agenda item 1/Consent Agenda Consent Agenda Mayor Ames called the council meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Pastor Castile Colbert Jr. of The Gospel of Jesus Christ gave the invocation. Councilmember Coleman led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was made by Tina Broussard, City Clerk. Present at the meeting were Mayor Ames, Councilmembers Coleman, Beaulieu, Wright, Pate and Smith. Absent: Mayor Pro Tern Samuel. Also present were Kyle Hayes, City Manager; Tyrone Cooper, City Attorney; Tina Broussard, City Clerk. Proclamations, Presentations, Recognitions None Mayor Ames read the announcement about the Executive Session to be held at the conclusion of the General Business portion of the meeting. Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled agenda item 1/Consent Agenda. None CONSENT AGENDA Approval of minutes - January 22, 2008 Confirmation of committee appointments - None Minutes-January 29,2008 A) Approve a resolution accepting payment and authorizing the release of weed liens against property described as West Calder Estates Lot 3, Block 6 - Resolution 08 - 027 B) Approve the purchase of a firearms training system for the Police Department-Resolution 08 - 028 C) Authorize the City Manager to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Texas Data Exchange (TDEx)which is a comprehensive information sharing portal that allows criminal justice agencies to exchange jail and records management systems data- Resolution 08- 029 D) Authorize the City Manager to execute Amendment 1 to the Interlocal Agreement with Drainage District No. 6 for the Calder Street Project - Resolution 08 - 030 Councilmember Pate made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Beaulieu seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR AMES,COUNCILMEMBERS COLEMAN,BEAULIEU,WRIGHT,PATE AND SMITH NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED GENERAL BUSINESS 1. Consider approving a bid for the demolition of 296 Pearl/330 Liberty. Administration recommended awarding a bid to Inland Environments, Ltd. of PortArthur for furnishing all labor, equipment, materials and supplies necessary to remove asbestos containing materials, demolish the building, and grade and level the site in the amount of $144,880. The building to be abated and demolished was declared a dangerous structure by City Council on October 2, 2007, by Ordinance 06-079. On October 2, 2007, the City Council ordered the owner of 296 Pearl/330 Liberty to enroll into a work program and complete substantial work in ninety(90)days. Because the ninety(90)days have now expired without the owner complying with the City Council's order to obtain substantial completion as defined in the work program, the property will be demolished. Bids were received on this property in September 2007 prior to City Council ordering the owner to enroll into the work program. Because the structure is in such a dilapidated condition and is continuing to deteriorate, the demolition needs to begin as soon as possible. Work is expected to commence on February 4, 2008, and be completed within (40) days. All work will be conducted by Inland Environments, Ltd., therefore, no work will be subcontracted. Page 2 of 5 Minutes-January 29,2008 Funds are available for this expenditure in the General Fund. Councilmember Beaulieu moved to APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT THE BID SUBMITTED BY INLAND ENVIRONMENTS, LTD. OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS, FOR A CONTRACT TO FURNISH ALL LABOR,EQUIPMENT,MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO REMOVE ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIALS, DEMOLISH THE BUILDING LOCATED AT 296 PEARL/330 LIBERTY, AND GRADE AND LEVEL THE SITE IN THE AMOUNT OF $144,880 BE ACCEPTED BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. Councilmember Wright seconded the motion. AYES: MAYORAMES,COUNCILMEMBERS COLEMAN,BEAULIEU,WRIGHT,PATEAND SMITH NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED Resolution 08 - 031 WORKSESSION Review and discuss amending the Code of Ordinances to restrict the overnight collection of trash dumpsters Chris Boone, Community Development Director stated the purpose of this workshop is to discuss possible changes to the City Ordinance concerning the collection of dumpsters within the City. In order to maximize the efficient use of land in the City,the zoning map allows some commercial and industrial uses to be adjacent to residential uses. As a result, conflicts can arise between the two types of uses. In an effort to minimize this conflict, Section 7-67 of the Code of Ordinances could be changed to restrict such collection during the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on weekdays and 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays for all dumpsters located within the City of Beaumont. Review and discuss the creation of Neighborhood Empowerment Zones Chris Boone, Community Development Director stated the purpose of this workshop is to discuss the creation of two Neighborhood Empowerment Zones. In an effort to encourage economic development in areas of the city with higher concentrations of low to moderate income families and limited redevelopment, it is being proposed that the first two Neighborhood Empowerment Zones within the city. These zones will offer incentives to attract redevelopment to these areas. Combined with the focused use of CDBG dollars within these zones, these economic incentives should leverage additional private reinvestment within these areas. Chris also discussed the incentives that are proposed for the zones which include: A three-year tax abatement for all added value for investments greater than $50,000 for residential uses and $75,000 for all other uses. Building fee waivers (not including tap and meter fees) Expedited Permit Review Page 3 of 5 Minutes-January 29,2008 Lien wavers for any lien claimed by the City for demolition or high grass abatement expenditures COMMENTS Councilmembers/City Manager comment on various matters Public Comment (Persons are limited to 3 minutes) COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS COUNCILMEMBER SMITH - THANKED CHRIS BOONE FOR THE EXCELLENT JOB HE DID ON THE EMPOWERMENT ZONE WORKSESSION,ANNOUNCED THAT THE SOUTH PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WOULD MEET ON THURSDAY JANUARY 31, 2008 AT 6:30 P.M.,UNFORTUNATELY THE RAIN CANCELLED THE CLEAN-UP AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE RESCHEDULED IN FEBRUARY MAYOR PRO TEM SAMUEL - ABSENT COUNCILMEMBER PATE - IT'S ANOTHER GREAT DAY IN BEAUMONT COUNCILMEMBER WRIGHT - NONE COUNCILMEMBER BEAULIEU - NONE COUNCILMEMBER COLEMAN - COMMENTED THAT HE AND CHRIS BOONE MET WITH CITIZENS IN THE NORTH WEST END,TO ANSWER QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SEISMIC TESTING; ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WILL BE A WARD I TOWN HALL MEETING THURSDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2008 AT 5:30 P.M. AT THE ELMO WILLARD LIBRARY AT HELBIG AND LUCAS CITY ATTORNEY COOPER - NONE CITY MANAGER HAYES - NONE MAYOR AMES - THANKED COUNCILMEMBER SMITH FOR WORKING WITH STAFF REGARDING THE EMPOWERMENT ZONE, THANKED LAURA CLARK AND STAFF FOR THEIR HARD WORK DURING THE AUDIT, ANNOUNCED THE MARDI GRAS IN BEAUMONT, THERE WILL BE TWO PARADES,ONE AT 2:00 P.M.AND ONE AT 6:00 P.M., ON CROCKETT STREET, THE THEME IS "THE PETS AND FAMILY", THE MAYOR STATED THAT HER DOG, JOHNNY, WOULD BE THE GRAND MARSHAL Page 4 of 5 Minutes-January 29,2008 Public Comments (Persons are limited to three minutes) Kerry Avie 3035 Elinor Beaumont TX Prayer for the City Open session of meeting recessed at 1:59 p.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Consider matters related to contemplated or pending litigation in accordance with Section 551.071 of the Government Code: Johnny Hadnot v. City of Beaumont Beaumont Professional Firefighters Local 399 v. City of Beaumont Claim of Brenda Leaven Consider matters related to employment, evaluation and duties of a public officer or employee in accordance with Section 551.074 of the Government Code: City Magistrates There being no action taken in Executive Session, Council adjourned. Audio tapes are available upon request in the City Clerk's Office. a,YL-�L &M"� '� 1 Becky Ames ayor A41rr�lr► Tina Broussard, City Clerk AW 1 I' Page 5 of 5 Minutes-January 29,2008