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HomeMy WebLinkAbout(00) 10-23-07DELORIS "BOBBIE" PRINCE, MAYOR MICHAEL "SHANE" SINEGAL, MAYOR PRO-TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS: JACK CHATMAN, JR. CAL JONES THOMAS J. HENDERSON MARTIN FLOOD JOHN BEARD, JR. ROBERT E. WILLIAMSON AGENDA City Council Special Meeting STEPHEN FITZGIBBONS CITY MANAGER EVANGELINE °°VAN" GREEN CITY SECRETARY MARK T. SOKOLOW CITY ATTORNEY October 23, 2007 4:00 p.m. In compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, the City of Port Arthur will provide for reasonable accommodations for persons attending City Council meetings. To better serve you, requests should be received 24 hours prior to the meeting. Please contact the City Secretary's Office, at (409) 983-X3115. P.O. BOX 1089 • PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS 77641-1089 • 409/983-8115 • FAX 409/983-8291 Special City Council Meeting City Hall Council Chamber City of Port Arthur October 23, 2007 4:00 p.~m. INVOCATION, PLEDGE & ROLL CALL Mayor Prince Mayor Pro Tem Sinegal Councilmember Chatman Councilmember Jones Councilmember Henderson Councilmember Flood Councilmember Beard Councilmember Williamson City Manager Fitzgibbons City Secretary Green City Attorney Sokolow *CLOSED MEETING EXECUTIVE SESSION In Order To Comply With The Requirements Of Section 551.101 Of Chapter 551 (Open Meetings Law) Of The Texas Government Code [Formerly Article 6252-17, Section 2(a)], Prior To Going {nto Closed Meeting The Presiding Officer Of The City Should Make The Following Public Announcement: "A Closed Meeting Or Executive Session Will Now Be Held Pursuant To The Following Sections Of Chapter 551 Texas Government Code": Section 551.071 Section 551.072 Section 551.073 Section 551.074 Section 551.076 Section 551.087 Litigation And/tar Legal Advice Land Negotiated Contracts For Prospective Gifts To The City Personnel Security Personnnel Or Devices Deliberations F;egarding Economic Development Incentives SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA OCTOBER 23, 2007 Page 2 Closed Meeting: (1) Section 551.071 Government Code - To Discuss With The City Attorney Pending Litigation Between The City Of Port Arthur And Jefferson County. (2) Section 551.071 Government Code - To Discuss With The City Attorney Pending Litigation Between The City Of Port Arthur And Entergy (3) Section 551.071 Government Code - To Discuss With The City Attorney Pending Litigation Between The City Of Port Arthur And The Texas (;ommission On Environmental Quality (State Of Texas) (4) Section 551.071 Government Code - To Discuss With The City Attorney Prospective Litigation With Metal Recycling Facilities That Do Not Comply With Local, State, Or Federal Laws (5) Section 551.087 Government Code - To Discuss Incentives For Business Prospects For Commercial, Residential And Industrial Prospects (6) Section 551.072 Government Code - To Discuss The Value Of Land In The Port Acres Area For Housing Developments. *The Items In Executive Session May Be Discussed And Acted On In Open Session III. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING RULES OF DECORUM -PERSONS ADDRESSING COUNCIL & AUDIENCE MEMBERS 1. Recognition by Presiding Officer. No person shall address the Council without first being recognized by the Presiding Officer. 2. Spokesman for group of persons. In order to expedite matters and to avoid repetitious presentations, whenever any gru ;p of persons whishes to address the Council on the same subject matter, it shall be proper for the presiding officer to request : at a spokesman be chosen by the group to address the Council arn~, in case additional matters are to be presented by any other men per of such group, to limit the number of such persons addressing the Council. 3. Speaking procedure; limitation on discussion and questioning. Each person addressing the Council shall step up to the microphone. provided for the use of the public and give his name and address in an audible tone of voice for the records, state the subject he wishes to discuss, state whom he is representing if he represents an organization or other persons, and, unless further time is granted by majority vote of the Council, shall limit his remarks to (5) five minutes. Ail remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a whole and not to any member of the Council. No person other than members of the Council and the person having the floor shall be permitted to enter into any discussion, whether directly or through a member of the Council, without the permission of the Presiding Officer. 4. Improper references, disorderly conduct by persons addressing Council. Any person making, expressly or impliedly, personal, impertinent, slanderous, derogatory, discourteous, snide or profane remarks, or who willfully utters loud, threatening or abusive language, or engages in any disorderly conduct which would impede, disrupt or disturb the orderly conduct of any meeting, hearing or other proceedings, shall be called to order by the Presiding Officer. if such conduct continues, such person may, at the discretion of the Presiding Officer, be ordered barred from further audience before the Council during that meeting. 5. Addresses after motion made or public hearing closed. After a motion has been made or a pubic hearing has been closed, no member of the public shall address the Council from the audience on the matter under consideration without first securing permission to do so by majority vote of the City Council. 6. Campaign Speeches. No person will be allowed to address the City Council by making campaign speeches for or against any candidate who has announced or does announce his intention to run or issue already ordered on a ballot for election. 7. Persons having complaints, allegations, or charges against individual city employees. No person shall make any complaint, specific allegation or charge against an individual city employee by name in a public meetings unless he first shows that he has pursued appropriate administrative channels. 8. Disorderly Conduct. No person in the audience shall engage in disorderly conduct such as hand clapping, stamping of feet, whistling, using profane language, yelling, and similar demonstrations which conduct disrupts the peace and good order of the meeting. 9. Person authorized to be within rail. No person except member; of the Council and the city staff shall be permitted within the rail without the consent of the Presiding Officer. 10. Limitations on use of supplemental lighting. Limitations on use of supplemental lighting for television and motion picture cameras to create the least amount of interference with or disturbance of the proceedings of the Council and the least amount of discomfort to the public in attendance. ENFORCEMENT OF DECORUM Warning. Alt persons shall, at the request of the Presiding Officer, be silent. Removal. If, after receiving a warning from the Presiding Officer, a person persists in disturbing the meeting, such officer may order him to remove himself from the meeting. If he does not remove himself, the Presiding Officer may order the Sergeant-At-Arms to remove him. Resisting Removal. Any person who resists removal by the Sergeant-At-Arms shall be charged with violating V.T.C.A., Penal Code 42.05. Motions to eniorce. Any Councilmember may move to require the Presiding Officer to enforce this division, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the Council shall require him to do so. RULES OF PROCEDURE The City Secretary shall make public, in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings law an agenda containing all business to be discussed at a meeting of the City Council. Persons Reauestinsr To Be Heard On Asrenda Items (1) Residents. Any resiclent who wishes to address the Council may do so by notifying the City Secretary no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the scheduled meeting. The person shall specify the particular subject matter of such address. The City Secretary shall place the names of those requesting to address the Council on the agenda with the agenda item. (2) Nonresidents. Any nonresident wishing to address the Council shall noti!Fy the City Secretary and specify his interest in the matter being considered. The City Secretary shall present such request to the Presiding Officer for approval before placing the name on the agenda. Upon timely notification, a nonresident shall be permitted to address the Council when the applicant claims an interest in a matter on the Council's agenda and he is so situated that the disposition of the agenda may, as a practical matter, impair or impede his ability to protect that interest. The Presiding officer shall have the power to deny a nonresident the opportunity to address the Council when his interest in the matter is not deemed by the Presiding Officer to be sufficient, or where the applicant's interest can be adequately represented by residents addressing the Council. Specific Agenda Items After a motion, second and discussion by the City Council on any specific agenda item, and before a vote is taken, the Presiding Officer shall recognize any citizen in the audience wishing to address the Council on such item, who shall be permitted to address the Council thereon for a period of (3) three minutes. Specific agenda items are defined as any items specified on the notice of meeting posted for purposes of the Texas Open Meetings Law and which becomes the subject of a motion before the Council.