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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMIN SEP 24 2019BEAUMONT T E X A S M I N U T E S- CITY OF BEAUMONT W.L. Pate, Jr., Mayor Pro Tern BECKY AMES, MAYOR Randy Feldschau, At -Large Taylor S. Neild, Ward I CITY COUNCIL MEETING Michael D. Getz, Ward II Audwin Samuel, Ward III SEPTEMBER 24, 2019 Robin Mouton, 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 in strict compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551 on September 24, 2019, 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 * Presentation and Recognition Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled agenda item No. 1/Consent Agenda * Consent Agenda Mayor Ames called the council meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Pastor Howard Cameron with Trinity Church gave the invocation. Mayor Ames led the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was made by Tina Broussard, City Clerk. Present at the meeting were Mayor Ames, Mayor Pro Tem Pate, Councilmembers Nield, Getz, Feldschau, Samuel and Mouton (arrived at 1:41 p.m.). Also present were Kyle Hayes, `City Manager; Tyrone Cooper, City Attorney; Tina Broussard, City Clerk. Proclamations, Presentation, Recognitions Recognition — Satchel Smith, Beaumont Hotel (Homewood Suites) employee hailed as a hero after running the hotel solo during the flooding of Tropical Storm/Depression Imelda for thirty-two (32) hours "Pray Beaumont Day" - September 29, 2019 - Proclamation read by Mayor Ames; accepted by Pastor Howard Cameron and other Pastors Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled agenda item No. 1 None GENERAL BUSINESS Consider a resolution ratifying the Declaration of a Local State of Disaster related to Tropical Storm/Depression Imelda. Minutes — September 24, 2019 Councilmember Getz moved to APPROVE A RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE DECLARATION OF A LOCAL STATE OF DISASTER RELATED TO TROPICAL STORM/DEPRESSION IMELDA. Councilmember Mouton seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR AMES, MAYOR PRO TEM PATE, COUNCILMEMBERS NEILD, GETZ, FELDSCHAU, SAMUEL AND MOUTON NAYS: NONE MOTION PASSED PRESENTATIONS Receive a report from the Emergency Management Division and other staff members related to Tropical Storm/Depression Imelda Tim Ocnaschek, Director of Emergency Management gave a report to. Council on TS/Depression Imelda. Mr.. Ocnaschek stated that Imelda quickly became one of the most damaging rain producing storms today, in fact it's the fifth wettest storm in continental history and the third wettest storm to hit Beaumont. The city has also been impacted by the all-time high Hurricane Harvey in 2017, as well as Tropical Storm Allison in 2001, which is ranked as number two. Imelda began to move across the region Tuesday night with consistent rainfall throughout Wednesday, the city began to experience slow street flooding on Wednesday night. The first call for service came in at 3875 Eastex Freeway in front of Classic Kia on the service road for a stalled and stranded vehicle at 8:15 p.m. Rainfall rate began to increase and within two hours city resources quickly became overwhelmed as city streets turned into rivers, making it almost impossible in some cases to access even with high water vehicles that were being used. Years of dedicated planning, training and exercises as well as working through periodic emergencies and other disasters with local state and federal partners has paid off yet again. The Emergency Management Division has an extraordinary team of first responders from every department within the city and are represented by each department head here today. During the height of the storm there was approximately 7,300 calls received for service and approximately 680 recues performed for stranded motorist. There were approximately 1,360 citizens evacuated from. flooded homes. Engine eleven lead by Captain Corey Cabiness and his crew Ryan Aguirre and Eric Bourgeois, safely and effectively did swift water rescues at the Irving St., underpass where a driver was trapped by flash flood waters deeper than the vehicle. There were many efforts by the First Responders, but this was one that really stood, wanted to thank the crew for a job well done. The most deeply flooded area was the neighborhood of Blossom and Washington where residents were trapped in their attics when ten feet of water filled their homes. The entire West End and far North End were hard hit as well with rain fall totals in excess of twenty-four inches in some parts of the city. Fire Chief Earl White led rescue efforts and teamed up with Texas Task Force One, Texas Wildlife, Texas National Guard, United States Coast Guard and the Beaumont SWAT Team, they concentrated on the -critical rescues from the Blossom neighborhood most of the night and early morning hours of Thursday. Beaumont Patrol, Traffic Division and Special Assignment Unit with the help of Public Works, Streets and Drainage responders worked tirelessly through the night assisting stranded motorists, maintaining drainage systems and assisting the Texas Department of Transportation as flood waters inundated portions of 1-10 and other major highways both within the city and Minutes — September 24, 2019 major blockages as Council well knows in Houston and Louisiana. City responders were immediately able to implement emergency sheltering at the Beaumont Civic Center under the direction and support of BISD Superintendent, Dr. Shannon Allen, Chief Joseph Malbrough and Sanitation Director, Donald Coleman. They all coordinated constantly with personal at the EOC and provided transportation for stranded citizens as well as shelter for displaced citizens. HEB opened its doors and provided covered shelter as stranded citizens were brought there as a collection sight to await transportation. Preliminary damage assessments indicate approximately 1,818 homes and 199 commercial buildings were impacted. Mr. Ocnasheck stated that the number will continue to rise as damage assessments teams are still out in the field. Director Chris Boone is managing this operation with the help of staff from multiple departments and hopes to be complete by the end of the day. The city has already begun collecting debris generated by this event under the direction of the Solid Waste Manager, Bengy Williams. The city is currently estimating a total of 50,000 cubic feet of yards of debris from the impacted neighborhoods. At this time the Solid Waste Department has removed a remarkable 4,977 cubic yards already. The EOC is currently at level three activation while damages, assessment and debris operations are ongoing. Law enforcement and EMS are largely back to normal operations. There was some damage to approximately thirty-one city facilities which are all moderate to minor. During the event the sewer treatment plant lost power due to rising water but was quickly restored as soon as it was safe to do so. The city could not be as efficient or effective with their responses without the dedicated and competent leadership of the Mayor and City Manager, without their foresight and perseverance the city wouldn't be as organized nor as financially stable to respond to these types of disasters. A federal declaration has not been issued, however the Mayor and many other officials are pushing hard for support. Based on the catastrophic flooding and surge of resource needs the Mayor and staff quickly realized that a need for financial and outside support was needed which led to the Disaster Declaration on September 18, 2019. COMMENTS Public Comments (Persons are limited to three minutes) Shala Griffin 927 Centerville Turnpike Virginia Beach, VA Thanked Mayor and Council for allowing her to speak, stated that she with a nonprofit Christian organization called Operation Blessings out of Virginia Beach, VA, they provide disaster services and coordinate volunteers, stated that they were here for nine months with Cathedral in the Pines Church for Harvey, Pastor Randy Feldschau and his church opened up their doors and their hearts to them, the organization setup on yesterday to start taking work orders, as of yesterday over two hundred people have filled out work orders, there's a lot of people that are in hopeless situations right now, wanted to share that they are in town at Cathedral Church and are in desperate need of volunteers, the work orders can't get done without volunteers James Eller 2332 Evalon St. Beaumont TX Commented on the statement that Councilmember Getz made regarding the city needing high water vehicles, stated that there is a web site called Govplanet.com that the city can utilize, it's an auction web site for military vehicles, mentioned that in the Capital Plan there is Minutes — September 24, 2019 $2.5 million that can be used to buy vehicles instead of a roundabout on College St., with that amount the city.could purchase thirty-five vehicles, one air boat and one medium tactical vehicle, or the $4.8 million that's listed in the Capital Plan for a dog shelter could be used to purchase sixty eight vehicles, one air boat or a truck, or the $12.5 million dollars the city spent on the Parkway that doesn't have any development out their yet they could have purchased one hundred seventy eight vehicles, one air boat and one truck, water can't be predicted but it can be prepared for, 11th St., and 4th can have overpasses for some of those millions of dollars that the city likes to spend on useless and beautification projects, stated that social media is not the city's outlet, the city needs to get on the news as much as possible, stated that the news ran all night long, there was information about school closures, possible school closures etc., didn't hear anything from the city Kenny Vaughn 1555 S. Major Dr. Beaumont TX Stated that about 6:30 a.m., he received a call for help from the Nome Fire Department because he does own an air boat, shortly after he received a phone call from a friend that their parents were going underwater in their vehicle, when he got -to his friends parents it was in Councilmember Mouton's neighborhood, stated that he was blown away at the amount of water in that neighborhood, everyone was screaming for help from their homes, the vast majority of them were elderly, he was in the neighborhood for nine hours, recognized Officer Thompson who brought his boat into the neighborhood and worked all day long, stated that the city doesn't need extremely highwater vehicles but highwater vehicles are needed, the vehicles can get the citizens out of the neighborhood and shuttle them to higher ground fairly quick Councilmembers/City Manager/City Attorney comments on various matters COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS COUNCILMEMBER MOUTON - STATED THAT AS OF 10:00 P.M., THURSDAY NIGHT THE WATER SHE HAD IN HER HOME WAS COMPLETELY GONE, THANKED COUNCIL, CATHEDRAL CHURCH, HER CHURCH FAMILY, PARADISE AND ANTIOCH BAPTIST CHURCHES, OUR MOTHER OF MERCY, AS WELL AS ATTORNEY DANIELLE NETTLES AND PASTOR JERIMIAH MOSS, WHO CAME IN ON FRIDAY AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED FEEDING THE COMMUNITY, CHIEF EARL WHITE AND HIS STAFF, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND 911, ALSO THANKED SHERIFF ZENA STEPHENS WHO HAS TAKEN TRUSTEES OUT INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO HELP ANYONE THAT NEEDED HELP, ASKED EVERYONE THAT'S VOLUNTEERING TO PLEASE DON'T STOP COUNCILMEMBER SAMUEL - THANKED EVERYONE PARTICULARLY THOSE THATARE CALLED BY HIS NAME MAYOR PRO TEM PATE - THANKED EVERYONE FOR ALL THAT THEY HAVE DONE, WHAT A GREAT CITY AND COMMUNITY WE HAVE, COMMENTED ON SATCHEL SMITH A LAMAR UNIVERSITY TRACK STAR THAT ROSE TO THE OCCASION, THE WATER WAS RISING AND SO WAS HIS ABILITY TO PERFORM, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THESE TYPE SITUATIONS BRING OUT, COMMENTED ON HOW Minutes — September 24, 2019 WELL THE WATER DRAINED AFTER THE STORM, THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH THAT BEAUMONT HAS DONE TO IMPROVE THE DRAINAGE IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, ANNOUNCED THAT LAMAR UNIVERSITY WILL BE TAKING DONATIONS FOR ITEMS, THEY WILL NOT BE TAKING MONEY, THERE WERE 411 LAMAR STUDENTS THAT WERE IMPACTED, THERE'S ALSO AN EMERGENCY FUND SETUP FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAT LOST BOOKS, COMPUTERS ETC., A LOT OF THE STUDENTS DON'T LIVE ON CAMPUS, THE CAMPUS SUSTAINED VERY LITTLE DAMAGE, STATED THAT EVERYONE IS PITCHING IN AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES BEAUMONT WHAT IT IS, A GREAT CITY COUNCILMEMBER FELDSCHAU - SPEAKING TO THOSE THAT ARE PRESENT AT THE MEETING AND THOSE THAT WILL BE WATCHING VIA TELEVISION, ONCE AGAIN WE ARE FACING THE AFTER MATH OF A MAJOR STORM, THE TRAGEDY IS THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE FLOODED WITH HARVEY AND NOW THEY ARE FLOODED AGAIN, IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE AS TO HOW THEY ARE TRAUMATIZED, MANY OF THE CITIZENS ARE RENTERS AND HAD NO RENTERS INSURANCE SO IN THAT CASE THEY LITERALLY LOST EVERYTHING, PLEASE KNOW THAT THE CITY, CHURCHES AND NONPROFITS ARE GEARING UP FOR THIS, AS WE JUST HEARD OPERATION BLESSINGS IS BACK IN TOWN WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THERE ARE MANY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE COMING INTO BEAUMONT, TOO MANY TO MENTION, THEY ARE BEING SEEN ACROSS THE CITY, THEY ARE BEGINNING TO WORK TOGETHER, KNOWS THAT CITIZENS ARE FRUSTRATED, A LOT PEOPLE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS AS TO WHY, PLEASE KNOW THAT WITH EVERY STORM WE LEARN AND WE GROW, AFTER EACH STORM BEAUMONT IS GETTING BETTER BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCE OF THIS COUNCIL AND ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES, TODAY LETS HELP FAMILY AND FRIENDS COUNCILMEMBER GETZ - THANKED ALL FIRST RESPONDERS AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES, THANKED THE SETX FOOD BANK AND CATHOLIC CHARITIES, ALSO THANKED BISD FOR OPENING UP THE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GYMNASIUM AS A SHELTER, THANKED HIS WIFE ALISON GETZ, TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR AND NEWLY APPOINTED PIO FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATED THAT THERE WAS TREMENDOUS DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, ALL OF SOUTH EAST TEXAS WAS IMPACTED COUNCILMEMBER NEILD - STATED THAT HIS PRAYERS ARE WITH EVERYONE THAT HAD ANY DAMAGE DURING THE STORM, ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT BEAUMONT THAT HE'S SEEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN IS TO WATCH OUR COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND REBUILD', IT'S A VERY NEAT AND INTERESTING THING TO WATCH THE TOWN COME TOGETHER AND BE ONE, COMMENTED ON THE EOC, STATED HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT THERE SEVERAL TIMES, HE WATCHED THE WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, Minutes — September 24, 2019 WATCHED THE TEAM THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER PUT TOGETHER, WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT GOES ON IN THERE AND HOW IT ALL HAPPENS, LEFT THIS SAYING WITH EVERYONE, HOW MANY THOUSAND YEAR FLOODS DOES A MAN HAVE TO GO THROUGH IN ONE LIFE TIME CITY ATTORNEY COOPER - NONE CITY MANAGER HAYES - NONE MAYOR AMES - THANKED STAFF, STATED THAT SHE HAS WORKED WITH ALL OF THEM AND OF COURSE EVERY STORM IS DIFFERENT, STAFF IS CONSTANTLY PREPARING FOR THESE STORMS, THERE WAS NOT A DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT COULD HAVE SUSTAINED THE AMOUNT OF RAIN IN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT IT CAME DOWN, IT RAINED DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE CITY, STATED FOR THE LISTENING AUDIENCE THAT IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO TOUR THE EOC STAFF WOULD BE HAPPY TO OPEN THE DOORS FOR A TOUR, CITIZENS CAN REACH OUT TO HER OR SHAQUEENA NOBLES, DEPUTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS COORDINATOR being no Executive Session, Council adjourned at 3:18 p.m. , Mayor .a VO C&- JJ/ I M Tina Broussard, City Clerk Minutes — September 24, 2019