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Home My WebLink About10-13-2025 CC minutesMINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE Councilpersons Present: Rick Helton, Brandon Lunsford, Brent McCaulley, Mandi Williams, Chuck Engelken, Bill Bentley, Robert Guerra, Jay Martin, Robbie McLarrin Councilpersons Absent: None Councilpersons Attending Remotely: None Council -appointed Officers Present: Corby Alexander, City Manager; Clark T. Askins, City Attorney; Lee Woodward, City Secretary The City Council of the City of La Porte met in a regular meeting on October 13, 2025, at the City Hall Council Chambers, 604 West Fairmont Parkway, La Porte, Texas, at 6:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order - Mayor Helton called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. 2. Invocation and Pledges of Allegiance Senior Pastor Walter Brumley gave the invocation and Police Chief Scott Pullig led the pledges. 3. Recognitions a. Recognition of Fire Chief Chris Pettis [Corby Alexander, City Manager] Chief Pettis was not able to attend. b. Recognition of October as National Community Planning Month in the City of La Porte [Ryan Hvitlok, Director of Planning & Development] 4. Citizen Comment Maggie Anderson addressed agenda item 7.b. and asked for the Council's support. 5. Consent Agenda a. Approve the minutes of the September 22, 2025, regular meeting of the City Council and the September 29, 2025, special meeting of the City Council [Lee Woodward, City Secretary/PIO] b. Appoint Mayor Helton to serve as the City's delegate to the TML 2025 annual business meeting, and Councilperson Guerra as an alternate. [Lee Woodward, City Secretary] c. Retail Recruitment Contract -Authorize the City Manager to execute a three- (3-) year contract for retail recruitment services with Retail Strategies in the amount of $50,000.00 per year, for a total authorization of $150,000.00, and authorize expenditure of $150,000.00 by the La Porte Development Corporation over three- (3-) year period to fund same. [Matt Daeumer, Assistant City Manager] d. Depository Banking Services - Authorize the City Manager to execute Depository Banking Services Agreement between the City of La Porte and Amegy Bank. [Michael Dolby, Finance Director] e. FY25-26 Vehicles and Equipment Replacement - Approve vehicle and equipment purchases through cooperative purchasing contracts; BuyBoard 706-23, HGACBuy HT06-20 and BT01-19, Sourcewell 050625-CFC and 112624-KBA, and TIPS 240901, totaling $1,567,479.97. [Ray Mayo, Director of Public Works] f. Ordinance 2025-5004 - Real Property - Adopt Ordinance 2025-5004 for the purchase of real property located adjacent to the Five Points Plaza, legally described as Lot 16 and 17 in Block 198 of Town of La Porte, for an amount of $70,000.00, and miscellaneous closing costs for an amount up to $5000.00, for a total authorization not to exceed $75,000.00, and authorize the City Manager to execute any and all documents associated with this purchase. [Matt Daeumer, Assistant City Manager] g. Ordinance 2025-5003 - Adopt Ordinance 2025-5003 providing for the repeal of Ordinance 2025-4079 passed on September 8, 2025, and which condemned a substandard carport structure located at 514 S. Blackwell St., La Porte. [Richard Glass, Chief Building Official] h. DSHS letter - Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter requesting the Texas Department of State Health Services consider issuing an addendum to the report that disaggregates data by census tract on its 2025 East Harris County Cancer Assessment. [Matt Daeumer, Assistant City Manager] Mayor Helton signed a conflict -of -interest affidavit for item 5d and did not participate in the vote. Councilperson Engelken moved to approve the consent agenda; Councilperson Williams seconded the motion; the motion was adopted, 8-0. 6. Public Hearings and Associated Ordinances a. Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation - LSP Partners, LP - Seville Place Apartments - The City Council will conduct a public hearing in accordance with Section 394.9025(a) of the Texas Local Government Code regarding a proposal by the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation (SETH) to issue one or more series of tax-exempt obligations in an amount of not more than $22,500,000.00, for the benefit of LSP Partners, LP, in connection with the acquisition, rehabilitation, and equipping of a multifamily rental housing development located at 3701 Luella Boulevard, La Porte, Texas, 77571, known as Seville Place Apartments and consisting of 180 units; followed by discussion and possible action to authorize and direct the Mayor to execute. 1) Certificate of Approval and 2) General and No Litigation Certificate by the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation (SETH) for the benefit of LSP Partners, LP, for the acquisition, rehabilitation, and equipping of a multifamily housing development known as Seville Place 2 Apartments, 3701 Luella Boulevard, La Porte, Texas, 77571. [Corby Alexander, City Manager] Mayor Helton opened the public hearing at 6:15 p.m. Mr. Alexander provided background and introduced SETH Executive Director Ron Williams and SETH City representative Betty Moore. Mayor Helton closed the public hearing at 6:27 p.m. Councilperson Engelken moved to authorize and direct the Mayor to execute 1) Certifitate of Approval and 2) Geneal and No Litigation Certificate -by the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation (SETH) to issue one or more series of tax- exempt obligations in an amount of not more than $22,500,000.00, for the benefit of LSP Partners, LP in connection with the acquisition, rehabilitation, and equipping of a multifamily rental housing development located at 3701 Luella Boulevard, La Porte, Texas, 77571, known as Seville Place Apartments; the motion was seconded by Councilperson Williams ; the motion was adopted 9-0. 7. Statutory Agenda a. Battleground Concrete Workshop - Presentation, discussion, and possible action to provide administrative staff direction related to the proposed project by Battleground Concrete at 1911 West Main Street, La Porte. [Ryan Hvitlok, Director of Planning and Development] Mr. Hvitlok requested direction from the Council and Preston Beard of Battleground Concrete shared his plans for the project. b. Presentation, discussion, and possible action to adopt Ordinance 2025-5006 designating The Hometown Press as the City's official newspaper. [Lee Woodward, City Secretary] Wade Thibodeaux offered public comments on his and Mrs. Anderson's collaboration, saying the paper was assembled and delivered in Harris County. 1. Executive Session - Official newspaper executive session - Texas Government Code Sec. 551.071(2)- Consultation with Attorney: The City Council will meet in closed session with the City Attorney to discuss legal issues in connection with agenda item 7b - selection of Hometown Press as official newspaper of the City of La Porte. Mayor Helton convened the Council in executive session at 7:00 p.m. 2. Reconvene Mayor Helton reconvened the Council in open session at 7:41 p.m. Councilperson McLarrin moved to adopt Ordinance 2025-5006 designating The Hometown Press as the City's official newspaper conditioned on 1) submission to the City from the publisher of The Hometown Press of signed affidavit as prepared by the City Attorney and 2) receipt by the City of written 3 proof that The Hometown Press has been entered as second class postal matter in Harris County by USPS; Councilperson Bentley seconded the motion; the motion was approved, 6-3, Mayor Helton and Councilpersons Williams and Guerra voting against. c. Discussion regarding consolidation of the City of Shoreacres with the City of La Porte [Corby Alexander, City Manager] Mr. Alexander provided background and possible schedules were discussed. 8. Reports a. Report of the La Porte Drainage and Flooding Committee meeting held on October 13, 2025. [Councilperson Martin] Councilperson Martin said the committee met, received updates on projects, and set its next meeting for November 10. b. Administrative Reports [Corby Alexander, City Manager] Mr. Alexander provided an update on new positions included in the new budget and on items from last week's TIRZ meeting. 9. Items of Community Interest Councilperson discussed attending the Precinct 2 meeting at Sylvan Beach last week and encouraged attendance at the next one, on December 9; asked for an update on the pier; and inquired about a proposed wildlife sanctuary on McCabe Road. odward, Helton ad'ourned the meetin. at 8:22 4