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Home My WebLink AboutMIN FEB 22 2011 M I N U T E S - CITY OF BEAUMONT W.L. Pate,Jr., Mayor Pro Tern BECKY AMES, MAYOR Gethrel Williams-Wright,At Large Dr.Alan B. Coleman,Ward I CITY COUNCIL MEETING Ward II Audwin Samuel,Ward III February 22, 2011 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 February 22, 2011, 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 Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled agenda items 1-3/Consent Agenda Consent Agenda Mayor Ames called the council meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Pastor Tim Roosevelt of the Calvary of Beaumont Church gave the invocation. Councilmember Smith led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was made by Tina Broussard, City Clerk. Present at the meeting were Mayor Ames, Mayor Pro Tern Pate, Councilmembers Coleman, Wright, Samuel and Smith. Also present were Kyle Hayes, City Manager; Tyrone Cooper, City Attorney; Tina Broussard, City Clerk. Proclamations, Presentations, Recognitions "Engineers Week" - February 20 - 26, 2011 - Proclamation read by Councilmember Wright; accepted by Patrick Donart, City Engineer and President of the Sabine Chapter of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, along with fellow board members "Severe Weather Awareness Week" — February 20 — 26, 2011 — Proclamation read by Councilmember Coleman; accepted by Tim Ocnaschek, Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Beaumont Uliana Trylowsky, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity introduced a group of students from Ontario, Canada, who has traveled to Beaumont for one week to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. The students attend the University of Guelph, and are a part of Habitat's Collegiate challenge. This is an annual program that provides alternative spring break options for college students from around the USA and Canada. They will be working on a Habitat house located at 4395 Shalom Street, part of the Jehovah Jireh neighborhood. The students are staying at Wesley United Methodist Church. Page 1 of 7 Minutes—February 22,2011 Presentation — Carolyn Howard with Beaumont Main Street Carolyn Howard discussed the Save and Secure part of the Visionaries in Preservation Plan. There was discussion as to how the new plan works, in order for the plan to work there first has to be identification to save and secure the dilapidated property downtown, identify the properties in danger, research the property, contact the property owners, have the ownership transferred to Beaumont Main Street, the market plan is then activated. The property would be purchased by a new developer once Main Street has renovated the property. The new owner would purchase the property with deed restrictions. Through this process the Save and Secure plan will have saved, secured and prevented demolition of the property. It has ensured business and job growth, and ensured the long-term vitality of Beaumont's central business district. The first project that will be done under the Save and Secure plan was shown to Council, this project is being done in partnership with the Beaumont Heritage Society. The property is located at 1561 Park Street, (12) twelve jobs will be created. More jobs will be created during the restoration. Materials will be purchased to complete the restoration. There will be an increase in property value. This renovation will be done with private sector dollars. Mayor Ames read the announcement regarding Executive Session being held at the conclusion of the General Business portion of the meeting. Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled agenda items 1-3/Consent Agenda. Taylor Neild 1538 W. Lucas Beaumont, TX Spoke in regards to Item#1 on the agenda; asked that Council move forward with approval of the lowest bidder which is Racehorse Foundation CONSENT AGENDA Approval of minutes - February 15, 2011 Confirmation of committee appointments - None A) Authorize the City Manager to execute all documents necessary for the affiliation agreement between The City of Beaumont EMS and Galveston College-Resolution 11 - 070 B) Amend Resolution 10-275 approving a contract with Helbig Community Development Corporation for acquisition and rehabilitation and/or construction of properties for lease or sale - Resolution 11 - 10 - 071 C) Approve a contract for refuse container and solid waste collections - Resolution 11 -072 D) Amend Resolution 11-056 approving the purchase of a tractor and a mower- Resolution 11 - 11 - 073 Page 2 of 7 Minutes—February 22,2011 E) Authorize the participation of the City of Beaumont with other municipalities in a Cities Steering Committee in matters concerning Entergy Texas, Inc. before the Public Utilities Commission of Texas and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the calendar year 2011 - Resolution 11 - 074 F) Authorize the settlement of the claim of Frederick Ogbutor- Resolution 11 - 075 Mayor Pro Tern Pate made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda. Councilmember Wright seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR AMES, MAYOR PRO TEM PATE, COUNCILMEMBERS COLEMAN, WRIGHT, SAMUEL AND SMITH NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED GENERAL BUSINESS 1. Consider approving a contract for reconstruction of Babe Zaharias Park Walking Trail. Administration recommended the award of a bid to Racehorse Foundation, Inc. of Lumberton, Texas in the amount of$157,692.50. Bids were received on Thursday, January 27, 2011 for furnishing all labor, materials, equipment and supplies to reconstruct the walking trails at Babe Zaharias Park located at IH-10 and Gulf Street. The current asphalt walking path is approximately 6,030 linear feet, or approximately 1.14 miles. The asphalt has deteriorated beyond repair and will be removed and replaced with a five (5) ft. wide concrete walking path. Work is expected to commence in February and be completed in approximately forty-five (45) days. There is no Minority Business Enterprise participation on this project. The project will be completed solely by Racehorse Foundation, Inc. Funds for this project are budgeted in the Capital Program. Councilmember Wright made a motion to APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT THE BID SUBMITTED BY RACEHORSE FOUNDATION,INC.,OF LUMBERTON,TEXAS,IN THE AMOUNT OF$157,692.50 FOR ALL LABOR, MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES NECESSARY TO RECONSTRUCT THE WALKING TRAILS AT BABE ZAHARIAS PARK LOCATED AT IH-10 AND GULF STREET,BE ACCEPTED BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. Mayor Pro Tern Pate seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR AMES, MAYOR PRO TEM PATE, COUNCILMEMBERS COLEMAN, WRIGHT, SAMUEL AND SMITH NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED Page 3 of 7 Minutes—February 22,2011 Resolution 11 - 076 2. Consider approving a contract for the installation of a Sound Reinforcement System in the Event Center. Administration recommended the award of a contract to Gulf Coast Audio of Beaumont in the amount of$199,747. Six bids were received on January 27, 2011 for furnishing all labor, equipment, and materials to install a sound reinforcement system in the Event Center. The proposed system is a concert quality sound system that will handle sound reinforcement needs for a wide variety of activities ranging from single microphone events to full-scale musical concert productions. Work is expected to commence in June and will be completed in approximately thirty (30) days. Funds for this project are available in the Capital Program. Councilmember Coleman made a motion to APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT THE BID SUBMITTED BY GULF COAST AUDIO, OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $199,747 TO FURNISH ALL LABOR, EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS TO INSTALL A SOUND REINFORCEMENT SYSTEM IN THE DOWNTOWN EVENT CENTER BE ACCEPTED BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT. Councilmember Smith seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR AMES, MAYOR PRO TEM PATE, COUNCILMEMBERS COLEMAN, WRIGHT, SAMUEL AND SMITH NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED Resolution 11 - 077 3. Consider approving a resolution of preliminary support of the proposed Beaumont Place of Grace, a proposed Low Income Housing Tax Credit project. Administration recommended approval. The City of Beaumont receives an annual allocation of HOME Investments Partnerships funds from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD) and has previously used these funds to support Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects. ITEX Property Management, LLC has submitted a request for a $576,000 loan from the 2011 HOME program allocation. Given that the City can not yet commit future funding,this request would need to be considered at a future date. In addition, because the City is now working to fund multiple Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO's) this amount of funding would probably not be recommended. Again, such funding decisions would be considered by Council at a future date. Page 4 of 7 Minutes—February 22,2011 However, ITEX will soon be submitting an application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) for use of LIHTC funds for the construction of a one hundred twenty-eight (128) unit senior housing development at 4400 Warren Street. Currently, the area of the proposed development has more than twice the state average of subsidized housing units per capita. As such, additional subsidized units would not be allowed in this area unless the proposed development and the allocation of tax credits is supported by the City Council. Approval of this resolution would allow TDHCA to consider funding Beaumont Place of Grace. Councilmember Smith made a motion to APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT HAS BEEN APPRISED OF THE PENDING APPLICATION FOR TAX CREDITS FILED FOR THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OF BEAUMONT PLACE OF GRACE APARTMENTS A NEW CONSTRUCTION SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT LOCATED WITHIN THE PEAR ORCHARD NEIGHBORHOOD AND EMPOWERMENT ZONE #2 WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ("TDHCA!°). Councilmember Wright seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR AMES, MAYOR PRO TEM PATE, COUNCILMEMBERS COLEMAN, WRIGHT, SAMUEL AND SMITH NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED Resolution 11 - 078 COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS COUNCILMEMBER COLEMAN - CONGRATULATED LYNN HUCKABEE AND THE BEST YEARS CENTER ON THE GREAT MARDI GRAS EVENT ON FRIDAY FOR THE SENIOR CITIZENS, THANKED THE COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM CANADA THAT DROVE OVER 1,500 MILES TO VOLUNTEER WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COUNCILMEMBER WRIGHT - THANKED BEAUMONT MAIN STREET FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING,CONGRATULATED DR.SIMMONS ON HIS AWARD FOR HIS MUSIC,COMMISSIONER ED MOORE FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY, PROUD OF COUNCILMEMBER SMITH FOR THE HUMANITARIAN AWARD HE RECEIVED, COUNCILMEMBER COLEMAN AND HIS FAMILY FOR THEIR AWARD, THANKED THE COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT CAME FROM CANADA TO VOLUNTEER WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MAYOR PRO TEM PATE - CONGRATULATED COUNCILMEMBER SMITH ON RECEIVING THE HUMANITARIAN AWARD, DR.SIMMONS ON HIS AWARD AS WELL Page 5 of 7 Minutes—February 22,2011 AS COUNCILMEMBER COLEMAN, STATED THAT THE LAMAR UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM WILL BE PLAYING THEIR LAST HOME GAME ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THEY WILL BE RECOGNIZING FOUR OF THEIR SENIORS COUNCILMEMBER SAMUEL- CONGRATULATED COUNCILMEMBER SMITH ON THE GREAT JOB THAT HE HAS DONE AND HIS HUMANITARIAN AWARD, TRULY PROUD OF THE AMOUNT OF CITIZENS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE NAACP FREEDOM FUND BANQUET, COMMENTED ON BISD BEING RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR THEIR ACADEMICS AND THEIR FISCAL PRUDENCE, OUT OF TWENTY-NINE BEAUMONT SCHOOLS THREE OF THE SCHOOLS HAVE RECEIVED NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS, TWENTY-TWO SCHOOLS WERE AWARDED TOP PERFORMANCE HONORS, FOURTEEN RATED EXEMPLARY,EIGHT RATED RECOGNIZED AND SEVEN RATED ACCEPTABLE, NONE OF THE SCHOOLS WERE RATED UNACCEPTABLE,COMMENTED ON THE CITY POPULATION WHICH HAS GONE UP FROM 113,866 TO 118,296 COUNCILMEMBER SMITH - THANKED THOSE ON COUNCIL THAT ATTENDED THE AWARDS CEREMONY ON HIS BEHALF CITY ATTORNEY COOPER- NONE CITY MANAGER HAYES - NONE MAYOR AMES - CONGRATULATED COUNCILMEMBER SMITH AND COLEMAN ON THEIR AWARDS, GO LU, ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WILL BE NO CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON NEXT TUESDAY,SOME OF COUNCIL AND STAFF WILL BE ATTENDING THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE DAYS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS Public Comments (Persons are limited to three minutes) Kerry J. Avie 3036 Elinor Beaumont TX Religious Comments Page 6 of 7 Minutes—February 22,2011 Randy Stevens 255 College Beaumont TX Announced there will be a warrant round-up March 5-13, 2011, the roundup will involve 250 jurisdictions across the State, local agencies such as Port Arthur, Nederland, Port Neches, Groves and Jefferson County will work together to try and serve some of these unpaid traffic tickets, the reason this is being announced early is to try and get people to pay before the roundup, starting March 5, 2011, the County will have nine cars with license plate readers, anyone with an unpaid ticket will be programmed into the reader, if there are citizens out there with any unpaid tickets please take care of the ticket before being arrested and put in jail Open session of meeting recessed at 2:34 p.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION • Consider matters related to contemplated or pending litigation in accordance with Section 551.071 of the Government Code: Beaumont Police Officers Association vs. City of Beaumont, Texas, et al, Cause No. E-187,102 Beaumont Police Officers Association, et al vs. City of Beaumont, et al, Cause No. A-0186653 There being no action taken in Executive Session, Council adjourned. Audio available upon request in the City Clerk's Office. t4rttf 4 1 �l Becky Am E6/, M yor A. Tina Broussard, City Clerk olk r Page 7 of 7 Minutes—February 22,2011