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Home My WebLink About08/31/2020 MINBEAUMONT T E X A S MINUTES OF THE CITY OF BEAUMONT SPECIAL - COUNCIL MEETING W.L. Pate, Jr., At -Large BECKY AMES, MAYOR Randy Feldschau, Mayor Pro Tern Taylor Neild, Ward I CITY COUNCIL MEETING Michael D. Getz, Ward II Audwin Samuel, Ward III AUGUST 31, 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 regular session in strict compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551 on August 31,2020, 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 Mayor Ames called the council meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. Councilmember Samuel 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 Tern Feldschau, Councilmembers Neild, Getz, Pate (arrived at 1:34 p.m.), Samuel and Mouton. Also present were Kyle Hayes, City Manager; Tyrone Cooper, City Attorney; Tina Broussard, City Clerk. REPORTS * Reports from the Mayor and City Manager Kyle Hayes, City Manager thanked the Mayor, Tim Ocnaschek and Shaqueena Nobles with the EOC. Thanked all of the city employees that worked the event, they did an excellent job before and after. Mr. Hayes informed Council that there will be an official after -action review to show how staff can do things different/better with the next event. Tim Ocnaschek, Emergency Management Coordinator stated that the National Weather Service started their briefings with Hurricane Marco, once Marco fizzled out the Weather Service then started their briefings on Hurricane Laura and potentially where it could hit. There was a late call from the National Weather Service stating there was a significant jog as Laura came off of Cuba and made clear that this region would be impacted. There was an extreme concern that the hurricane would be a catastrophic event. The EOC met regionally and virtually, the emergency management officials and elected officials all agreed that there needed to be a mandatory evacuation which was to begin at 6:00 a.m., on the morning of Tuesday, August 25, 2020, with tropical force winds from Laura expected to begin early Wednesday morning. Mr. Ocnaschek stated that there was a lethargic response to the Mayor and the Judge's order to evacuate, it was estimated that about eighty percent (80%) of the population remained in town even when the news media stated the Minutes — August 31, 2020 hurricane would be a catastrophic event. There was eight hundred and thirty (830) citizens that showed up at the assembly sites, eighty-eight (88) citizens were picked up for evacuation. The storm over night jogged slightly eastward before landfall which put Beaumont on the west side of the tracking, which is where there's usually less surge, rain fall, tornadoes, wind etc. The hurricane was close enough that there was some impact to the city. The city was very fortunate, there was about 41,000 residents and 5,000 apartments that had initial assessments done, there was about fifty (50) of those that were impacted with six (6) having major damage or destroyed, it will take a week or two to get detailed assessments as citizens return from evacuation. There's about forty thousand (40,000) cubic yards of vegetative debris thus far. Out of seventy-six (76) lift stations about fifty (50) had power knocked out, so far there's about four that are still being assessed. There's one hurricane fatality from what has been reported, the fatality may be due to a generator being used improperly. At this time citizens that evacuated from the assembly sites are being returned. EMERGENCY BUSINESS 1. Consider approving an Ordinance extending the Declared State of Disaster for the City of Beaumont, Texas related to Hurricane Laura. Councilmember Neild moved to ADOPT AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE DECLARED STATE OF DISASTER FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS RESULTING FROM THE IMMINENT THREAT OF HURRICANES MARCOILAURA. Councilmember Feldschau seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR AMES, MAYOR PRO TEM FELDSCHAU, COUNCILMEMBERS NEILD, GETZ, PATE, SAMUEL AND MOUTON NAYS: COUNCILMEMBER NEILD MOTION PASSED Ordinance 20-040 2. Consider approving an Ordinance extending the Emergency Powers as amended forthe City of Beaumont, Texas related to Hurricane. Laura. Councilmember Getz moved to ADOPT AN ORDINANCE EXTENDING THE EMERGENCY POWERS AS AMENDED FOR THE CITY OF BEAUMONT, TEXAS RELATING TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT NECESSITATED BY HURRICANE LAURA AND ADDED IN THE MOTION TO EXTEND THE EMERGENCY POWERS OF THE MAYOR WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DELETING THE POWERS TO CONTROL EXPLOSIVES WHICH WOULD COVER FIRE ARMS AND AMMUNITION AND WITH THE PROVISION THAT ANY EFFORT BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO PURCHASE ITEMS WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING REGULATION REQUIRE NOTIFICATION AFTER THE FACT TO THE CITY COUNCIL. Councilmember Mouton seconded the motion. AYES: MAYOR PRO TEM FELDSCHAU, COUNCILMEMBERS GETZ, PATE, SAMUEL AND MOUTON NAYS: MAYOR AMES AND COUNCILMEMBER NEILD MOTION PASSED Minutes — August 31, 2020 Ordinance 20-041 COMMENTS None Public Comments (Persons are limited to three minutes) Councilmembers/City Manager/City Attorney comments on various matters COUNCILMEMBER COMMENTS COUNCILMEMBER GETZ - COMPLIMENTED THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE, THE CITY WAS SPARED, OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE EAST WERE NOT, STATED THAT THERE'S RESCUE EFFORTS UNDERWAY, ASKED THAT EVERYONE KEEP THE CITIZENS IN ORANGE, SULPHUR AND LAKE CHARLES IN THEIR PRAYERS, IF ANYONE CAN HELP IN ANY WAY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR CLEANUP AND RECOVERY PLEASE DO SO COUNCILMEMBER NEILD - NONE MAYOR PRO TEM FELDSCHAU - NONE COUNCILMEMBER PATE - REITERATED WHAT WAS SAID BY COUNCILMEMBER GETZ, STATED THAT LAKE CHARLES HAS NEVER BEEN HIT BY A HURRICANE, ASKED THAT EVERYONE PRAY FOR OUR FRIENDS IN LAKE CHARLES, COMPLIMENTED THE CITY AND ENTERGY FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO COUNCILMEMBER SAMUEL - THANKED Tim OCNASCHEK AND SHAQUEENA NOBLES WITH THE EOC FOR ALL THEY HAVE DONE TO HELP KEEP EVERYONE SAFE, THANKED THE MAYOR, CHIEF SINGLETARY, CHIEF WHITE, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FIREFIGHTERS, EMS, CITY MANAGER, PARKS AND RECREATION AND OFFICER CAROL RILEY, ALSO THANKED CITY WORKERS THAT BAGGED UP SAND TO GIVE TO CITIZENS, THANKED COUNCILMEMBER FELDSCHAU FOR HELPING HIM WALK IN WARD III AND GO DOOR TO DOOR TO MAKE SURE CITIZENS DID EVACUATE AND CHECK ON THOSE THAT DIDN'T COUNCILMEMBER MOUTON - ASKED THAT EVERYONE KEEP THE CITIZENS AND THE CITY OF LAKE CHARLES IN THEIR PRAYERS, HAS STOPPED AND THANKED OTHER ELECTRICAL WORKERS THAT'S WORKING IN THE CITY TO HELP RESTORE POWER, THANKED THE MAYOR, Tim OCNASCHEK, EMS, ENTERGY, BENGY WILLIAMS AND STAFF AND 311 EMPLOYEES Minutes — August 31, 2020 CITY ATTORNEY COOPER - NONE CITY MANAGER HAYES - NONE MAYOR AMES - STATED THAT THERE HAS BEEN 26 DISASTERS DECLARED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SINCE 1953, 19 OF THOSE 26 HAVE BEEN SINCE 2007, STATED THAT IF SHE SAYS WHAT A WELL-OILED MACHINE THE CITY HAS AT THE EOC AND OPERATIONS OUT IN THE FIELD WHEN THERE'S BEEN A DISASTER OF ANY KIND, IT'S BECAUSE SHE'S LIVED IT AND SEEN IT AS WELL AS MANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS, IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID TO HER, THAT HAVE BEEN SAID ON NEXT DOOR AND FACEBOOK WHERE CITIZENS HAVE SAID THINGS ABOUT CITY EMPLOYEES, ALSO STATING THAT SHE HAD POWER RIGHT AWAY WHICH SHE DIDN'T IS UNFORTUNATE, STATED THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE THANKING GOD THAT WE WEREN'T IN LAKE CHARLES' SEAT, FEELS FOR THE CITY OF LAKE CHARLES, ORANGE, BRIDGE CITY ETC., STATED THAT SHE HAS TALKED TO ALL OF THE MAYORS AND JUDGES AND OFFERED MUTUAL AIDE TO THEM, TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM AS BEST AS WE CAN AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO ncil adjourned at 2:52 p.m. ayor %1I/1 /rMWA117r�_ /M Tina Broussard, City Clerk Minutes —August 31, 2020