Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Meeting Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Votes at a glance: Port Arthur council approves contracts, purchases and budget amendments
Summary
The City Council approved multiple resolutions and ordinances including contracts for wayfinding, purchasing manual amendments, on-call professional services, grants and equipment purchases, plus a budget amendment. One ordinance about residence restrictions for registered offenders was tabled for correction.
At its meeting the Port Arthur City Council approved a slate of routine and non-routine items by voice or motion, including contract authorizations, purchases, and ordinance amendments. Items included procurement and contract approvals, a vehicle/equipment purchase, and a multi-fund budget amendment. A proposed ordinance restricting residency of registered offenders near schools was tabled for revision.
Key votes recorded on the meeting agenda (motions and outcomes as shown in the official record):
- PR No. 24318 — Authorize contract with Preferred Facilities Group USA LLC for the city wayfinding program through BuyBoard cooperative purchasing (funding from Hotel Occupancy Tax transfer to Capital Improvements). Motion made by Councilman Lewis; second by Councilwoman Everfield. Outcome: approved by voice vote. Council discussed and staff clarified that the hotel-occupancy tax (HOT) transfer should appear on both sides of the budget amendment and that the transfer was the intended funding source.
- PR No. 23708 — Accept change order No. 1 and release of retainage for Traffex Inc. (traffic signal installation at Bluebonnet Avenue and Gulfway Drive). Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote. Staff clarified account coding for retainage and equipment accounts.
- PR No. 24355 — Approve third amendment to the city purchasing manual. Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote. Council asked members to review the manual ahead of upcoming procurement discussions.
- PR No. 24265 — Authorize on-call professional services contract with SoCo Group LLC for planning, grants, research, engineering and program management (procurement based on RFP process). Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote.
- PR No. 24301 — Authorize local forfeiture agreement under Chapter 59 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure between Port Arthur Police Department and the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote.
- PR No. 24321 — Re-certify Tender Loving Care Center for Children (Legacy CDC) as a Community Housing Development Organization and authorize up to $255,000 in HOME funds for acquisition/site clearance/new construction and related activities (contingent on budget amendment). Motion made by Councilman Lewis; second by Councilwoman Beckham. Outcome: approved by voice vote.
- PR No. 24345 — Purchase one Hogzilla tub grinder for Public Works/landfill division not to exceed $1,000,052 from C.W. Mill & Equipment Company; funds available in Capital Reserve Fund. Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote.
- PR No. 24353 — Approve purchase of approximately 3.8 acres adjacent to Parks & Recreation at 1308 Ninth Avenue from the Port Arthur Housing Authority for $240,500 (funding split from parks and capital-improvement accounts). Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote. Council discussed funding-source accounting across accounts and possible future acquisitions.
- PR No. 24354 — Authorize annual GPS software services agreement with T-Mobile Government Solutions for fleet/equipment tracking at an estimated annual amount of $114,447.12; monitoring will be performed in-house. Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote.
- PR No. 24358 — Approve transfer and additional appropriation of $100,000 for outside legal services (Bickerstaff, Heath, Delgado & Acosta LLP) for ongoing litigation (Kirk Thomas v. City of Port Arthur et al.). Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote.
- PO No. 7338 — Ordinance authorizing issuance of City of Port Arthur tax notes series 2025 in the principal amount of $6,460,000. Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote.
- PO No. 7337 — Budget amendment ordinance increasing multiple funds and appropriations (General Fund, Hotel Occupancy Tax, CDBG, HOME grants). Motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote.
Items tabled:
- PO No. 7330 — Ordinance amending Chapter 62 (sex-offender residency) was tabled to allow staff and police to reconcile and correct the list of schools and locations referenced in the ordinance. Council directed staff to correct discrepancies between printed and online backup materials and return the item for consideration.
For each approved item, staff indicated appropriate follow-up (contract negotiations, budget transfers, procurement processing or return with finalized contract terms). Where funding-account questions arose, staff pledged clarifications or amendments to ensure proper accounting.
