COUNCIL MEETING CITY COUNCIL DECEMBER 2, 2024 A regular meeting of the Groves City Council was held December 2, 2024, in the Groves City Council Chamber with Mayor Chris Borne, Mayor Pro Tem Mark McAdams, Councimember Paul Oliver, Councilmember Pete Konidis, and Councilmember Rhonda Dugas in attendance. Mayor Borne called the meeting to order and welcomed the attendees. A representative from VFW 4820 then led the prayer and pledge of allegiance. Mayor Borne then asked for reports and City Manager Kevin Carruth stated that there is a small leak on Hogeboom just past Alabama and staff will be taking care of that on Wednesday or Thursday this week. Indorama has been notified sO they can redirect their truck traffic. VFW representative Ken Lofton then gave a report regarding the 83rd anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day. Mr. Lofton stated that we remember the thousands of soldiers, sailors, and marines who died that day and in the years that followed. Mr. Lofton also stated that 18 ships were sunk and over 350 aircraft were destroyed. There were no further reports. Mayor Borne then asked for citizen comments and there were none. The Joint Public Hearing then started at 5:05 p.m. See Joint Public Hearing Minutes. City Council Meeting resumed at 5:14 p.m. DELIBERATE AND ACT TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 18, 2024, CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND JOINT PUBLIC HEARING: Councilmember Oliver made a motion to deliberate and act to approve the minutes of the November 18, 2024, City Council Meeting and Joint Public Hearing. Mayor Pro Tem McAdams seconded. There were no questions and the motion passed unanimously. RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER 18, 2024, PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING: Mayor Borne stated that all of the Council has received the minutes of the November 18, 2024 Planning and Zoning Meeting. HEAR AND DELIBERATE ON A PRESENTATION ON THE REESTABLIS-MENT OF THE GROVES NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PROGRAM: City Marshal Christopher Robin then gave a presentation on the reestablishment of the Groves Neighborhood Watch Program. See the attached presentation. Marshal Robins stated that the kickoff meeting will be on January 14th at 6 p.m. in the Groves Municipal Court Room. Mayor Borne asked Marshal Robin if he had any idea why City Council Meeting December 2, 2024 Page 2 the program fizzled out the first time and Marshal Robin stated that he believes tha maybe people just became complacent. Mayor Borne then asked Marshal Robin if he knew how long the Watch Program originally lasted, and he stated he was not sure. Councilmember Dugas asked when the program fizzled out, and Marshal Robin stated it was before his time here, sO he is guessing maybe 15 years ago. Councilmember Dugas asked about the funding for this program and Marshal Robins stated that he is still trying to put numbers together. Councilmember Dugas then expressed her concerns about crime around the City. There was no further discussion. DELIBERATE AND ACT ON ORDINANCE 2024-31, AUTHORIZING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR GAMING MACHINES & GAME ROOMS AT 5011 MONROE BOULEVARD: Mayor Pro Tem McAdams made a motion to deliberate and act on Ordinance 2024-31 and Councilmember Konidis seconded. Councilmember Dugas asked if this was a renewal or a new application and City Clerk Clarissa Thibodeaux stated it was new. Councilmember Dugas then asked about Mr. Carruth's email and asked if it was a mix-up with understanding of the Moratorium and Mr. Carruth stated that he didn'tfeel it was a mix-up but maybe wasn't clear enough for some people to, understand. Mr. Carruth then noted that the Moratorium did state that the City wou not accept new applications and the game rooms in question were not new applications. In these three sites, the applications were already accepted and were in process. Councilmember Dugas then stated that she believes the items on the November 18, 2024 agenda should have been done in a different order. Mr. Carruth reminded the Council that anything on the agendas can be rearranged in a different order during the meeting. Mayor Borne asked Building Official Don Pedraza if the Planning and Zoning Committee had any objections to this location being approved and he did not. Mayor Borne then asked City Attorney Brandon P. Monk if the location has done everything we have asked them to under the current ordinance excluding the moratorium, do we have the grounds to deny them and Mr. Monk stated we do not. Councilmember Dugas brought up the business that is currently established which will be due for a new specific use permit during this moratorium. Mr. Monk stated that can be done but Council would have to make that decision. There were no further questions. The motion passed unanimously with Mayor Borne, Mayor Pro Tem McAdams, Councilmember Konidis, and Councilmember Oliver for the motion. Councilmember Dugas voted against the ordinance. DELIBERATE AND ACT ON ORDINANCE 2024-32, AUTHORIZING A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT FOR GAMING MACHINES & GAME ROOMS AT 5170 TWIN CITY HIGHWAY: Councilmember Konidis made a motion to deliberate and act on City Council Meeting December 2, 2024 Page 3 Ordinance 2024-32 and Councilmember Oliver seconded. Mayor Borne asked Mr. Pedraza if this is the business that is under construction and Mr. Pedraza stated they have submitted plans but are waiting to start construction until Council approves the Specific Use Permit. Mayor Borne stated that if Council approves the Specific Use Permit then they will not actually get a permit until they finish construction and Mr. Pedraza stated that is correct. Mayor Borne then asked if the yearly clock for the Specific Use Permit would start today and Mr. Pedraza stated it would. There were no further questions. The motion passed unanimously with Mayor Borne, Mayor Pro Tem McAdams, Councimember Konidis, and Councilmember Oliver for the motion. Councilmember Dugas voted against the ordinance. INVOICES: City Manager Kevin Carruth presented invoices for payment totaling $449,489.15 as follows: 1. Albanese Cormier Sub divider rebate. $24,124.49 - Holdings,LLC A 2.-GhyorPortArthur Landfill fees. $15,695.00 Core &Mâin L.P. 3 American Darling Fire Hydrants. $11,463.00 - 4:-Higginbotham Wind and Hail Insurance. $295,241.53 Insurance Agency 5. Lower Neches Raw water purchased. $42,206.13 Valley Authority 6. Zone Ind. Gorman Rupp super pump, check $17,750.00 valves, and plug valve. 7. Zone Ind. Gorman Rupp pump - return $43,009.00 activated sludge pump. Councilmember Dugas made a motion to deliberate and act on the December 2, 2024 invoice list and Councilmember Oliver seconded. Mayor Borne asked how often do we pay the sub divider rebate and Mr. Ozley stated we pay it once a year over the next 20 years. Mayor Borne then asked if the pumps were planned or unplanned and City Manager Kevin Carruth stated it was unplanned. Councilmember City Council Meeting December 2, 2024 Page 4 Dugas asked if the wind and hail insurance was higher this year and Mr. Carruth stated that the rate is lower but we added a couple of buildings that were not on there last year. There were no further questions and the motion passed unanimously. Mayor Borne then asked for Councilmember comments and there were none. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 5:51 p.m. Mayor Borne 3 - - 2 ATTEST: a 6 6 : 3 - / City Clerk