Port Arthur council approves multiple engineering agreements, grant application and budget amendment

The Port Arthur City Council on March 25 approved a slate of project authorizations, contract renewals and a budget amendment affecting street reconstruction, drainage and other capital work.

Key approvals included a resolution authorizing the city manager to apply for U.S. Department of Transportation Port Infrastructure Development Program funding for the city’s shrimp-boat pier (PR number 24228). The council voted to submit the application; the grant would be 80% federal with a 20% recipient match if awarded. Councilman Jimmy Frank moved approval and Councilman Calvin Doucette seconded the motion; it passed.

Council members also approved multiple professional engineering services agreements to advance design work on city streets. The projects and design budgets approved were: - Ninth Avenue paving, utilities and drainage design with South Texas Surveys & Engineers — $674,500 (PR24178). - Delft Avenue and Becker Place roadway design with S & R Consulting and Construction LLC — $150,000 (PR24179). - Thomas Boulevard improvement design with Arsenal, Wilson & Co., LLC — $796,460 (PR24180). (An optional additive for landscape/irrigation appeared as a separate additive in the design proposal but was not authorized by the motion.) - Jade Avenue (H.O. Mills Blvd/US 73 to FM 365) design with Fitz & Shipman, Inc. — $311,450 (PR24181).

The council approved change order number 2 to the Vista drainage improvement contract with Alco Inc. to add 152 calendar days to the original completion date (project DR1P02, PR24091). Funding was not affected by the change order; staff said the added days combine (a) 60 days previously removed during value engineering, (b) contract-allowed inclement-weather allowances and (c) a projection of likely remaining weather delays. The change was moved by Councilman John Lewis, seconded by Councilwoman Hamilton Everfield and approved after questions from council about percent complete and the contractor’s progress.

The council renewed the fifth and final extension of a contract with Adora (the Dura Group LLC) for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant management and reporting services in an amount not to exceed $180,000, bringing the contract total to $900,000 (PR24214). City staff said the consultant will continue required Treasury reporting and work with the city’s newer grants staff to transition responsibilities.

Other approved items included the annual renewal of multiple flood-insurance policies with Wright National Flood Insurance Company ($120,000 projected; PR24221) and ratification of emergency water-leak repairs by Alco LLC in an amount not to exceed $40,667.52 (PR24237). Council also approved an appropriation ordinance (Ordinance No. 73-21) to transfer $40,668 from general fund contingency into the water and sewer capital fund to cover the emergency repairs.

The council tabled action on an unrelated litigation matter (HP Engineering & Construction, Inc. v. City of Port Arthur) until the April 8 meeting and authorized a staff trip to meet a potential investor for Pleasure Island Buildings A and B: the city approved travel for Councilwoman Everfield, the city manager and the city attorney to travel to the Dallas–Fort Worth area to meet the investor; council recorded a roll-call vote (Mayor Del Barty: yes; Councilman Lewis: yes; Councilmember Hamilton Everfield: yes; Councilman Frank: yes; Councilman Doucette: no; Mayor Pro Tem Beckham: no).

Votes: the meeting record shows each listed action was moved, seconded and approved during the March 25 session; where roll-call votes were recorded, they are noted above.

Votes at a glance (selected items) - Consent agenda (pages 3–5) approved with item 4 (page 4) pulled for separate action — Mover: Councilman Frank; Second: Councilman Lewis; Outcome: approved. - PR24228 (US DOT port infrastructure grant application for shrimp-boat pier) — Mover: Councilman Frank; Second: Councilman Doucette; Outcome: approved. - PR24091 (Vista drainage change order #2: +152 calendar days) — Mover: Councilman John Lewis; Second: Councilwoman Hamilton Everfield; Outcome: approved. - PR24178, PR24179, PR24180, PR24181 (engineering design agreements for Ninth Ave; Delft & Becker; Thomas Blvd; Jade Ave) — motions approved; estimated design budgets listed above. - PR24214 (fifth-year ARPA contract renewal with Dura Group LLC) — Outcome: approved. - PR24221 (renew flood insurance policies with Wright National) — Outcome: approved. - PR24237 (ratify emergency water-leak repairs by Alco LLC; not to exceed $40,667.52) — Outcome: approved; associated appropriation ordinance No. 73-21 also approved. - Motion authorizing travel to meet investor regarding Pleasure Island buildings A & B (Councilwoman Everfield, city manager, city attorney) — Outcome: approved by roll call (4 yes, 2 no).

What the approvals do: the design agreements put several projects into the design phase so they can be bid in the next funding cycle; the Vista change order formally extends the contractor’s schedule; the ARPA consultant renewal keeps federal reporting and closeout support in place through the final reporting period; the appropriation funds emergency water repairs.