Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/03/2020 MINKE:A_U.M:QN.T MIN U T E S - CITY OF BEAUMONT W.L. Pate, Jr., Mayor Pro Tem BECKY AMES, MAYOR Randy: Feldschau., At -Large Taylor Neild, Ward I CITY COUNCIL MEETING Michael D. Getz, Ward II Audwin Samuel, Ward III APRIL 3, 2020 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 Special session in strict: compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551 on April 3, 2020, 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 Mayor Ames called the special council meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Mayor -Ames did the invocation as well as 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. Neild, Getz (arrived at 1:33 p.m.), Feldschau, Mouton and Samuel. Absent: Tyrone Cooper; City Attorney. Also present were Kyle Hayes, City Manager; and Tina Broussard, City Clerk. Proclamations, Presentation, Recognitions None Public Comment: Persons may speak on scheduled agenda item No. 1 None GENERAL BUSINESS 1. Consider an Ordinance extending the "Stay Home—Work Safe" Order issued by Mayor Becky Ames, Mayor of the City of Beaumont, Texas on March 27, 2020, as amended. On March 27th the Mayor issued a "Stay Home -Work Safe Order for the citizens of Beaumont made necessary to reduce the substantial risk of harm to the public due to the potential spread of the COVID-19 virus. This Orderwas'amended on March 31,2020. The Texas Disaster Act of 1975 provides that such orders shall continue for a period of not more than seven (7) days unless continued or renewed by the City Council. This. imminent threat is ongoing.- It is necessary that the "Stay Home -Work Safe" Order be extended,until further notice. . . Minutes—April 3, 2020 Approval of Ordinance. COuncilmember Neild moved to ADOPT AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT EXTENDING THE "STAY HOME -WORK SAFE" ORDER OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND ADDING UNDER SECTION 3; ITEM A "TO PROHIBIT THE USE OF BASKETBALL COURTS IN ALL CITY PARKS"; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND PROVIDING A PENALTY. Councilmember Samuel seconded the motion. AYES: NAYS: MOTION PASSED Ordinance 20-015 COMMENTS MAYOR AMES, MAYOR PRO TEM. PATE, COUNCILMEMBERS NEILD, GETZ, FELDSCHAU, SAMUEL AND MOUTON NONE Public Comments (Persons are limited to three minutes) David Pete 6355 Chinn Ln.- Beaumont.TX Spoke to Council with a concern regarding the way the Stay Home -Work Safe order has been put in place, stated that based on the decision that the City Council has made, it's his thought -that the decision has to be made by the medical department; from what he's hearing a lot of things have not been reported regarding those that have tested positive, some cases haven't been revealed and have been kept undercover regarding who may have contracted the virus and if they have been properly quarantined, the Governor has issued his declaration and determined what the houses of worship should do, based upon the Stay at Home order it does impede upon the rights of civil liberties regarding the freedom of religion and the separation of Church and State, asked that each Councilmember take a look at it because they are all doing serious damage to this community by what they are.doing, stated that he isn't saying that Council shouldn't try and prevent the -spread of the virus but doesn't believe Council can force something on people who have a rightto go and worship freely, is -opposed to how the order is being put forth Councilmembers/City Manager/City Attorney comments on various matters COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS COUNCILMEMBER NEILD - NONE- COUNCILMEMBER GETZ - STATED THAT HE'S WEARING A MASK TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS 7FOR EVERYONE TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GUARD AGAINST TRANSMISSION OF DROPLETS WHICH. COULD LEAD TO THE VIRUS, THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY IS NOW SAYING THAT THE MASK WON'T PROTECT A PERSON FROM GETTING THE VIRUS, IT'S TO PROTECT OTHERS FROM" GETTING THE VIRUS FROM YOU IF YOU HAVE IT, BEST WAY TO KEEP FROM GETTING THE VIRUS IS TO WASH YOUR Minutes —April 3, 2020 HANDS, SOCIAL DISTANCE, SELF -ISOLATE AND PRACTICE GOOD HYGIENE COUNCILMEMBER FELDSCHAU - THANKED THE MAYOR AND STAFF ETC., THAT'S WORKING SO HARD TO HELP GET THROUGH THESE UNCHARTED WATERS, STATED THAT WHAT.. HE'S SEEN IS THE BEST .OF OUR COMMUNITY, PEOPLE ARE TRYING FOR THE MOST PART TO WORK WITH THE STAY HOME -WORK SAFE ORDER, TO BE SAFE AND PROTECT THEMSELVES'AND OTHERS,.THANKED ALL OF THE CITIZENS FOR TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GET THROUGH THIS, BELIEVES THAT FROM THE MAYOR ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS THEY ARE WORKING VERY HARD TO GET US THROUGH THESE TRYING TIMES MAYOR PRO TEM PATE - STATED THAT THERE ARE SOME OUTSTANDING PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY, EVERYONE HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB, ASKED THAT EVERYONE TAKE TIME TO PRAY BECAUSE PRAYING DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, ALSO COMMENTED ON THE PASSING OF HIS GOOD FRIEND RANDY FLATAU, WHO HAD COMPLICATIONS FROM THE CORONAVIRUS COUNCILMEMBER SAMUEL - NONE COUNCILMEMBER MOUTON - THANKED THE MAYOR, ALLOF CITYSTAFF FORALLTHATTHEY DO, STATED THAT THERE IS NO RULEBOOK FOR WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH, WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, ASKED THAT EVERYONE ABIDE BY THE ORDER IN PLACE SO THAT THEY CAN HOPEFULLY GET THROUGH THIS, ENCOURAGED EVERYONE TO STAY IN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE CITY ATTORNEY COOPER - NONE CITY MANAGER HAYES - THANKED COUNCIL FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK, ANNOUNCED THAT THERE WILL BE A VIRTUAL MEETING ON TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2020, AT 1:30 P.M. MAYOR AMES - WANTED ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE AND THAT THE.CITY IS ESSENTIAL,, STATED THAT IT'S EASY TO GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND SAY BAD THINGS ABOUT CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT WITH THIS VIRUS, JUST KNOW THAT'EVERYONE IS DOING THE VERY BEST THEY CAN, ASKED THAT EVERYONE FOLLOW THE ORDER, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, THE MEETING ON TODAY IS BEING, STREAMED LIVED ON FACEBOOK AND ON THE CITY WEBSITE, THE CITY IS TRYING TO REACH EVERYWHERE THAT THEY CAN, ALL UPDATES WILL BE DONE IN THOSE PLACES, DISCUSSED UPDATES REGARDING THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE CASES IN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT AND WHAT THE LAW SAYS REGARDING HOW THE REPORTING IS BEING DONE Minutes —April 3, 2020 With dere being no Executive Session, Council adjourned at 2:07 p.m. Tina Broussard, City Clerk Minutes — April 3, 2020