The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutSEPTEMBER 28, 2004 J/SP MEETING 3OINT/SPEC[AL HEETING - September 28, 2004 I. ROLL CALL, INVOCATZON & PLEDGE The City Council of the City of Port Arthur met in a Joint/Special Meeting on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 at 9:55 p.m. in the City Council Chamber, City Hall, with the following members present: Mayor Oscar G. Ortiz; Mayor Pro Tern ]ohn Beard, Jr.; Councilmembers Craig Hannah, Felix A. Barker, Thomas J. Henderson, Martin Flood, Ronnie Thompson, Deloris "Bobble" Prince and Michael Shane Sinegal; City Manager Steve Fitzgibbons; City Secretary Evangeline "Van" Green and City Attorney Hark T. Sokolow. The Section 4A Economic Development Corporation of the City of Port Arthur convened with the City Council in the Joint/Special Meeting with the following members present: EDC Board Chairperson Deborah Khalajabadi; EDC Board Directors Eli Roberts, and Maria Block; EDC Advisory Board Directors Mike Nicholas and Paul McCallum; Executive Director Tke Mills; and EDC Secretary Bobble Mitchell. IT. ITEMS RE(~UIRING INDZVIDUAL ACT~'ON A. ORDINANCES (1) P.O. NO. 5453 - An Ordinance As It Pertains To The Assessment Delineated In Ordinance No. 03-044 As Well As A Settlement Of The Litigation In Cause No. 96,870 County Court At Law No. I And In Cause No. D-171,175, 136th District Court, 3efferson County, Texas The City Manager introduced the above-mentioned Proposed Ordinance. Upon the motion of Councilmember Henderson, seconded by Councilmember Sinegal and carried unanimously, Proposed Ordinance No. 5453 was tabled. (2) P.O. No. 5445 - An Appropriation Ordinance Approving And Adopting A Budget For The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation For The Ensuing Fiscal Year Beginning October 1, 2004 And Ending September 30, 2005, And Providing The Effective Date Of This Ordinance. The City Manager introduced the above-mentioned Proposed Ordinance. The motion was made by Councilmember Henderson and seconded by Councilmember Sinegal that Proposed Ordinance No. 5445 be adopted. EDC Executive Director l~ke Mills appeared before the Council and addressed inquiries regarding individual budget line items and proposed expenditures. EDC Business Development Coordinator Tim Alexander appeared before the Council and gave an overview of future marketing and public relations programs regarding the Business Park. Mayor Ortiz requested the following statements be recorded for the record: Mayor Ortiz: T just want to get it clear so it clear for the record Mr. Hills. ! want to get it clear for the record so it goes on tape. You at this point are saying to the Council that this $380,000 dollars is for grants to... EDC Director !ke Hills: Grants and loans for the upcoming year. Mayor Ortiz: ...for the upcoming year not necessarily, not necessarily going to Mr. DonShe. EDC Director [ke Mills: Correct, EDC Board Director Maria Block questioned the addition of several budget line items that were not presented to the board for approval before review by the City Council. Mayor Ortiz made the following statement for the record: Mr. Mills, ! want to put that on this microphone on this tape so that you can understand it. Because you know the problem we've had in the past with you people doing things and never bringing them to this Council. Spending money as much as fourteen and fifteen thousand dollars and never bringing it to this Council. Mrs. Khalajabadi, don't look at me cause I'll have to name off all the items and we'll have to be here all night. So, but that's what [ want to make clear. I don't have any problem passing your budget as it is even though some of these items on here are, I think items that the Council is not going to approve eventually, but [--but as the Mayor Pro Tern said, to expedite this thing so we don't spend all night here, and I don't know, I think the Mayor Pro Tern will agree with me, we pass the budget as is. And then when you decide you want to take action on some of these items, [ don't care what the item is, you're going to have to bring it to this City Council for final approval and there's no ifs, ands, or buts about it. We will take nothing short of you bringing it to us for final approval. Finance Director Rebecca Underhill appeared before the Council and recommended amending Proposed Ordinance No. 5445 increasing the budget line item for Development by $715,000 and the budget line item for the Business Park by $:t0,000 dollars. The motion was made by Mayor Pro Tern Beard and seconded by Councilmember Thompson that the above-mentioned budget line item amendment be adopted. Mr. Donald Edwards, 346 Fifth Street, appeared before the Council in opposition of the Council's decision to require review and approval of any and all expenditures by the EDC. The motion to amend Proposed Ordinance No. 5445 carried unanimously as recommended above. The motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Beard and seconded by Councilmember Thompson that Proposed Ordinance No. 5445 also be amended by also adding language that will require any and all expenditures made by the EDC to be reviewed and approved by the City Council. The above-mentioned amendment carried over the dissenting vote of Councilmember Sinegal. The following roll call vote was taken on the motion to adopt Proposed Ordinance No. 5445: Councilmember Barker "No" Mayor Pro Tem Beard "Yes" Councilmember Flood "Yes" Councilmember Hannah "Yes" Councilmember Henderson "Yes" Councilmember Prince "Yes" Councilmember Sinegal "No" .~oint/Spe¢ial M~ting S~ptember 28, 2004 Councilmember Thompson "Yes" Mayor 0rtiz "Yes" Proposed Ordinance No. 5445 was adopted as amended becoming Ordinance No. 04-60. ORDINANCE NO. 04-60 AN APPROPR]AT:[ON ORD1~NANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING A BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR SECT]ON 4A ECONOH]C DEVELOPMENT CORPORAT]ON FOR THE ENSU1~NG FI'SCAL YEAR BEGtNNtNG OCTOBER 1, 2004 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30~ 2005, AND PROVlrDtNG THE EFFECT?VE DATE OF THIS ORDtNANCE. Upon the motion of EDC Board Director Deborah Khalajabadi, seconded by EDC Board Director Eli Roberts and carried Proposed Ordinance No. 5445 was adopted as amended by the City Council. Voting Yes: EDC Board Directors Khalajabadi, Roberts and Block. Voting No None. B. Resolution P.R. No. 12821 - A Resolution Approving The Purchase Of An Office Building From Basco Construction, ]nc. Located At 4173 39th Street To The City Of Port Arthur Section 4a Economic Development Corporation Not To Exceed $235,000; Account No. 120-1429-582.82-00 The Mayor introduced the above-mentioned Proposed Resolution. The motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Beard and seconded by Councilmember Sinegal that Proposed Resolution No. 12821 be adopted. EDC Business Development Coordinator Tim Alexander appeared before the Council and stated that the monthly rental fee for the building located at 4173 39th Street is $3,750.00 dollars per month. The motion was made by Councilmember Henderson and seconded by Councilmember Thompson that Proposed Resolution No. 12821 be amended to instruct the EDC to lease the above-mentioned building for another six-months. The above-mentioned motion to amend Proposed Resolution No. 12821 carried unanimously. Proposed Resolution No. 12821 was adopted as amended becoming Resolution No. 04- 325. Voting Yes: Mayor Ortiz; Mayor Pro Tem Beard; Councilmembers Hannah, Barker, Henderson, Flood, Thompson, Prince and Sinegal. Voting No: None. The caption of Resolution No. 04-325 reads as follows: 3 .]ointJSpecial Neeting September 28, 2004 RESOLUTION NO. 04-325 A RESOLUTION APPROVTNG THE PURCHASE OF AN OFFICE BUILDING FROf4 BASCO CONSTRUCTTON, INC. LOCATED AT 4173 39TH STREET TO THE CZTY OF PORT ARTHUR SECTION 4A ECONOt4IC DEVELOPf4ENT CORPORATION NOT TO EXCEED $235f000; ACCOUNT NO. 120-1429-582.82-00 ITT. *CLOSED F4EETltNG (EXECUTIVE SESSION) Closed f-leetinq: (1) Section 551.071 Government Code - To Discuss With The City Attorney Potential Litigation As It Pertains To City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation Consultants And Grantees (2) Section 551.071 Government Code - To Discuss With The City Attorney The Pending Litigation With Hayes And Hayes Affiliated Entities (3)Section 551.072 Government Code - To Discuss The Value Of Land As It Pertains To The Location Of The EDC Office (4) Section 551.087 Government Code - To Discuss Economic Incentives For Industrial Business Prospects The Mayor cancelled the above-mentioned Executive Session. IV. ADJOURNI~IENT OF MEET1tNG Upon the motion of Mayor Pro Tem Beard, seconded by Mayor Flood and carried, the City Council adjourned their meeting at 11:15 p.m. Upon the motion of EDC Board Director Roberts, seconded by EDC Board Director Block the EDC Board of Directors adjourned their meeting at 11:16 p.m. An audio tape of this meeting is on file in the office of the City Secretary and is made a part of the official minutes of this meeting. MAYOR OSCAR G. ORT1[Z Al'rEST: CITY SECRETARY EVANGELINE GREEN END OF JOINT CZTY/EDC SPECIAL t4EETING HELD September 28f 2004 APPROVED: 4 Joint/Special Meeting September 28, 2004