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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarch 7, 2005OSCAR G. ORTIZ, MAYOR STEPHEN FITZGIBBONS CITY MANAGER JOHN BEARD, JR., MAYOR PRO-TEM EVANGELINE "VAN" GREEN COUNCIL MEMBERS: ,. C¥T¥ SECRE_IAR¥ CRAIG HANNAH Cily oj FELIX A. BARKER MARK ~ $OKOLOW THOMAS J. HENDERSON CITY ATTORNEY MARTIN FLOOD RONNIE H. THOMPSON DELORIS PRINCE MICHAEL "SHANE" SINEGAL Texas AGENDA City Council & Section 4A EDC Joint/Special Meeting March 7, 2005 5:30 p.m. In compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, the City of Port Arthur will provide for reasonable accommodations for persons attending City Council meetings. To better serve you, requests should be received 24 hours prior to the meeting. Please contact the City Secretary's Office, at (409) 983-8115. P.O. BOX 1089 · PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS 77641-1089 · 409/983-8115 · FAX 409/983-8291 CI'TY COUNCI'L AND SECTTON 4A EDC 3OZNT/SPECZAL MEETZNG City Hall Council Chamber City Of Port Arthur March 7, 2005 5:30PM !'. ROLL CALL~ TNVOCATt'ON & PLEDGE Mayor Ortiz Board of Director~ Mayor Pro Tem Beard Morris Carter Councilmember Hannah Eli Roberts Councilmember Barker Cesar Munoz Councilmember Henderson Maria Block Councilmember Flood Councilmember Thompson Advisory Directors Councilmember Prince Kerry Lynn Thomas Councilmember Sinegal City Manager Fitzgibbons Staff City Secretary Green Deborah Echols City Attorney Sokolow Bobble Mitchell ri'.*CLOSED MEETI'NG (EXECUTI'VE SESSt'ON) In Order To Comply With The Requirements Of Section 551.:~01 Of Chapter 551 (Open Meetings Law) Of The Texas Government Code [Formerly Article 6252-17, Section 2(a)], Prior To Going Into Closed Meeting The Presiding Officer Of The City And/Or The EDC Should Make The Following Public Announcement: "A Closed Meeting Or Executive Session Will Now Be Held Pursuant To The Following Sections Of Chapter 55:~ Texas Government Code": .loint/$pecial Agenda March 7, 2005 II. *CLOSED MEETING (EXECUTIVE SESSTON)- CONTINUED Section 551.071 - Litigation And/Or Legal Advice Section 55:L.072 - Land Section 551.073 - Negotiated Contracts For Prospective Gifts To The City Section 551.074- Personnel Section 551.076 - Security Personnel Or Devices Section 551.087 - Deliberations Regarding Economic Development Incentives Closed Meetinq: (::L) Section 551.071 Government Code - To Discuss With The City Attorney Potential And Pending Litigation As It Pertains To The City Of Port Arthur Section 4A Economic Development Corporation Consultants, Grantees, Processes, Procedures And Staffing Issues. (2) Section 551.087 Government Code - To Discuss Incentives For Commercial And Industrial Business Prospects. *The Items In Executive Session May Be Discussed And Acted On In Open Session ITI. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR REQUESTED REPORTS Items For Future Agenda Consideration Or Reports From Staff May Be Requested But No Discussion Of Any Item Or Request Shall Take Place. IV. AD3OURNMENT 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 group of persons whishes to address the Council on the same subject matter, it shall be proper for the presiding officer to request that a spokesman be chosen by the group to address the Council and, in case additional matters are to be presented by any other member 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. All 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 celled 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 cempaign speeches for or against any cendidate who has announced or dees 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 Conduc£ 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 auffiorlzed to be within rail. No person except members of the Council and the city staff shall be permitted wthin 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 cemeras to create the least amount of intertersnce with or disturbance of the proceedings of the Council and the least amount of discomfort to the public in attendance. ENFORCEMENT OF DECORUM Warning. Ail 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 enforce. 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 Reeuestino To Be Heard On Aoenda Items (1) Residents. Any resident 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 notify 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 applicent 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 practicel 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 cen be adequately represented by residents addressing the Council. SoeciBc Aoenda 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 ara 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.