COUNCIL MEETING CITY COUNCIL APRIL 28, 2025 A regular meeting of the Groves City Council was held April 28, 2025, in the Groves City Council Chamber with Mayor Chris Borne, Mayor Pro Tem Pete Konidis, Councilmember Mark McAdams, Councilmember Brandon Holmes, and Councilmember Rae Shauna Gay in attendance. Mayor Borne called the meeting to order and welcomed the attendees. The local VFW 4820 representatives then led the prayer and pledge of allegiance. Mayor Borne then asked for reports, and City Manager Kevin Carruth discussed the pipe bursting project between Roosevelt and McKinley. The contractor will mobilize tomorrow, and the construction will start on Wednesday. Ken Lofton of VFW 4820 then reported on Loyalty Day. This day is meant for reflection, reaffirmation of loyalty to our nation, and recognition of American freedom. Loyalty Day was initially established to counterbalance the May 1st celebration of the communist party of the United States, which took place in the 1930s and 40's. It has been honored with a Presidential Proclamation every year since its inception as a legal holiday in 1958. President Dwight Eisenhower was the first to proclaim May 1st as Loyalty Day in 1955. Mr. Lofton also stated that the VFW will be holding several Memorial Day events this month, including an event at Nederland City Hall on the 23rd, a memorial service at Oak Bluff Memorial Park, and the dedication of a bench at Celebration Park. Mayor Borne called for citizen comments, and there were none. PROCLAMATION FOR THE 2024 FIREMAN OF THE YEAR JAMES BORELLO: Mayor Borne proclaimed the 2024 Fireman of the Year, James Borello. DELIBERATE AND ACT TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 14, 2025, CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Mayor Pro Tem Konidis made a motion to deliberate and act to approve the minutes of the April 14, 2025, City Council Meeting, and Councilmember Holmes seconded. There were no questions, and the motion passed unanimously. DELIBERATE AND ACT TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 14, 2025, C.O.D.E.S. HEARING: Councilmember McAdams made a motion to deliberate and act to approve the minutes of the April 14, 2025, C.O.D.E.S. Hearing, and Councimember Gay seconded. RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 21, 2025, PLANNING AND ZONING MEETING: Mayor Borne stated that all of the Council members have received a copy of the April 21, 2025, Planning and Zoning Meeting. City Council Meeting April 28, 2025 Page 2 DELIBERATE AND ACT ON REQUEST BY MAISON D' AMIS VENUE FOR APPROVAL OF AN ALCOHOL SALES PERMIT APPLICATION: Councilmember Gay made a motion to deliberate and act on request by Maison D' Amis Venue for approval of an alcohol sales permit application, and Councilmember McAdams seconded. City Manager Kevin Carruth stated that this application has been reviewed by the Police Department, planning staff, and the building official. Mr. Carruth noted there is no reason for the staff to decline the application. The ordinance change in January allows for alcohol sales in any area except R1 and R2. There were no further questions, and the motion passed unanimously. DELIBERATE AND ACT ON THE APPOINTMENTS FOR THE GROVES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, AND ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT [THIS ITEM REQUIRES A MOTION TO UNTABLE BEFORE CONSIDERATION): Mayor Pro Tem Konidis made a motion to untable this item, and Councilmember McAdams seconded. Motion to untable passed unanimously. Mayor Borne said he would like to start with the Zoning Board of Adjustment, which needs five members and four alternates. Currently, the board has five members and no alternates, with all five current members wanting to continue their service with the board. Mayor Borne recommended Sidney Badon, Rawetts Baaheth, James Carpenter, Bill Hartje, and Jeremy Mitchell. Mayor Borne then moved on to the Planning and Zoning Commission, which needs five regular members and two alternates. The board currently has four regular members and one alternate. Mayor Borne recommended Lynette Baaheth, Michael Campise, Chris Crain, Rodney Pacetti, and Craig Plokhooy as regular members with Charles Chelette and Brette Hagedorn as alternates and we need to continue to look for altemates. Mayor Borne then moved to the Groves Economic Development Corporation, which requires at least one member from each ward and has seven members in total. After the discussion, the Council agreed on Letha Knaus (Ward No. 1), Karen Theis (Ward No. 2), Kirk Gillespie (Ward No. 3), and Ken Lofton (Ward No. 4). For the at-large positions, Chad Gary, William Lane Howlett, and Melissa Hoyt were chosen. Councilmember McAdams amended his previous motion to select for Groves Economic Development Corporation Letha Knaus (Ward No. 1), Karen Theis (Ward No. 2), Kirk Gillespie (Ward No. 3), and Ken Lofton (Ward No. 4). For the at-large City Council Meeting April 28, 2025 Page 3 positions, Chad Gary, William Lane Howlett, and Melissa Hoyt. Planning and Zoning Commission Lynette Baaheth, Michael Campise, Chris Crain, Rodney Pacetti, and Craig Plokhooy as regular members, with Charles Chelette and Brette Hagedorn as alternates. Zoning Board of Adjustment: Sidney Badon, Rawetts Baaheth, James Carpenter, Bill Hartje, and Jeremy Mitchell. Councilmember Gay seconded. The motion passed unanimously. DELIBERATE AND ACT ON THE SELECTION OF A PROFESSIONAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES FIRM FOR GLO CDBG RESILIENT COMMUNITIES PROGRAM AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS: Councilmember Gay made a motion to deliberate and act on the selection of a professional planning and administrative services firm for GLO CDBG Resilient Communities Program and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute all necessary documents. Mayor Pro Tem Konidis seconded. City Manager Kevin Carruth reminded the Council that the authorization for this RFP was approved earlier last year, and the RFP was issued in March 2025. The selection review committee was selected when the authorization for the RFP was approved, with Mayor Chris Borne, Finance Director Lamar Ozley, and Public Works Director Troy Foxworth chosen for the committee. The Finance Director, Lamar Ozley, informed the Council that after the review by the selection review committee of the two bids from the administrative services firms, which were very close, the committee would like to recommend GrantWorks. Mr. Ozley stated that these bids were very close, with the same cost, but GrantWorks proposed having the comprehensive plan done in 18 months with all six services listed. In contrast, Langford proposed a 24-month timeline and only included 3 of the six services listed. Councilmember Holmes asked if we were "s aggressive in getting more bids. City Manager Kevin Carruth stated that we had direct mailed to at least ten firms, posted on the Houston MBDA Business Center website, and published in the local paper. Mayor Borne stated that we also applied for this grant last year, but did not receive it because we were within our two-year limit. Councimember Gay amended her previous motion to select GrantWorks as the administrative services firm, and Mayor Pro Tem Konidis seconded. There were no further questions, and the motion passed unanimously. , DELIBERATE AND ACT ON RESOLUTION 2025-05 EXPRESSING OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL 2858 AND SENATE BILL 3016 AND URGING THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE TO PROTECT LOCAL AUTHORITY AND THE WELL-BEING OF TEXAS COMMUNITIES: Mayor Pro Tem Konidis made a motion to deliberate and City Council Meeting April 28, 2025 Page 4 act on Resolution 2025-05, and Councilmember McAdams seconded. Mayor Borne then read the resolution aloud. City Manager Kevin Carruth explained that you have two types of cities in Texas: Home Rule, which is what we are, and General Law. General Law cities can only do what the State says they can do, and Home Rule cities can do anything except what the State explicitly says they can't do. Therefore, as a Home Rule city, we can be more responsive to the community than a General Law city. These two bills continue the Texas Legislature's efforts to preempt our authority to respond to our communities' needs and essentially erode our Home Rule authority, specifically, land use regulations, election laws, and the penal code. Councilmember Holmes asked if these bills pass, would we have to look at all of our ordinances and align them with what the state has, and Mr. Carruth said yes. City Manager Kevin Carruth stated that the Texas Municipal League approached the city about doing something regarding these bills, and he is sure they probably approached anyone who uses their services. There were no further questions, and the motion passed unanimously. DELIBERATE AND ACT ON CANCELING OR RESCHEDULING THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF MAY 26, 2025, IN OBSERVANCE OFT MEMORIAL DAY: Councilmember McAdams made a motion to deliberate and act 4 canceling or rescheduling the regularly scheduled City Council Meeting of May 26, 2025, in observance of Memorial Day. Mayor Pro Tem Konidis seconded. Staff recommended moving the meeting to Tuesday, May 27th, due to Planning and Zoning having a Joint Public Hearing and EDC having a regular meeting. Councilmember McAdams amended his previous motion to reschedule to Tuesday, May 27, 2025, and Mayor Pro Tem Konidis seconded. There were no further questions, and the motion passed unanimously. INVOICES: City Manager Kevin Carruth presented invoices for payment totaling $70,640.66 as follows: 1. Burton Accounting, Internal Auditor. $17,450.00 P.L.L.C. 2. Citibank Citibank credit card payment. $11,703.53 3. Core & Main L.P. Water meters. $13,000.09 4. PVS DX, INC Chlorine for Water Plant. $6,861.00 City Council Meeting April 28, 2025 Page 5 5. Republic Services Sludge disposal March 2025. $6,048.81 6. Wathen, DeShong, & Final billing for 2024 Audit. $6,150.00 Juncker, L.L.P. 7. Waukesha-Pearce Change lift cylinders. $9,426.72 Industries, LLC Councilmember Holmes made a motion to deliberate and act for the April 28, 2025, Invoice Approval List in the amount of $70,640.66, and Councilmember Gay seconded. Councilmember Konidis asked if those are the same kind of water meters that we have been using, and Mr. Carruth said yes. There were no further questions, and the motion passed unanimously. Mayor Borne asked for Councilmember comments and thanked everyone who volunteered for the boards. There was no further business, and Mayor Borne adjourned the meeting at 5:57 p.m. Mayor ATTEST: City Clerk - bn & 6 5 - *