[0:00] [music]
[0:12] I'd like to welcome everyone to the
regular scheduled meeting of the Lufkin
[0:15] City City City Council. It's great to
see such a big crowd here this evening.
[0:19] If any of you guys would like to, we
have some open seating here. If you plan
[0:23] to be here for a while, you may just be
hanging out for one or two items and
[0:27] going to hit the road.
hit the road.
[0:36] » I think I saw Emmy Lions here earlier.
Is he somewhere close by?
[0:41] » You want to do our invocation this
evening?
[0:43] » Sorry to spring you on it. We'd like to
see
[0:45] » how good of a pastor you really are.
[laughter]
[0:52] » Dear God, we thank you for this day,
this privilege uh to be at this place
[0:56] with these leaders of our great city. We
pray that you give them the wisdom, the
[1:00] knowledge, and the wherewithal to uh
make the decisions that is best for all
[1:04] of us. We ask that you bless all of
their families, themselves, those who
[1:09] protect us, those who are citizens of
this great city, and uh we thank you for
[1:13] what you will do through this day. In
Jesus name we pray. Amen.
[1:17] » Amen. [clears throat]
[1:23] » All right, we're now going to move to
the public comment portion of our
[1:26] meeting. Items listed on the agenda are
now open for public comment. If you
[1:30] would like to comment on a specific
agenda item or items, you may step to
[1:34] the microphone and state the specific
agenda item or items you wish to address
[1:38] and limit your comments to 3 minutes
total. City council members will not
[1:42] respond during the public comments, but
will take your comments into
[1:44] consideration during their deliberation.
So, if you'd like to make a public
[1:48] comment about an item on the agenda this
evening, you may do so at this time.
[1:55] All right. All right, there being no
one, we're going to close the public
[1:57] comment and move to the consent agenda.
[2:02] » Mr. Mayor, I'll move to approve the
consent agenda for March 3rd, 26.
[2:07] » I'll second.
>> Very good. We have a motion and a
[2:10] second. Any further discussion on this
item?
[2:13] » All in favor, please say I. I.
>> Any opposed?
[2:18] » Very good. That motion carries. On to
the business agenda. Item number four,
[2:22] administer the oath of office to Travis
Razle, our new chief of police.
[2:27] » Yeah, Mr. Mayor, uh, as council is
aware, due to the retirement of Chief
[2:31] David Thomas, after 36 years of service,
uh, we've selected Travis Brazzle as the
[2:37] next chief of police for Lufkin. Chief
Brazzle brings more than 34 years of law
[2:41] enforcement experience to this role. He
is a Lufkin native, a 91 graduate of
[2:47] Lufkin High School. Uh he immediately
began his career as a jailer with
[2:52] Angelina County Sheriff's Office before
joining DPS in 94 as a highway trooper.
[2:57] And over the years he rose through the
ranks serving as a patrol sergeant,
[3:01] special agent, Texas Ranger in 2012 and
ultimately a major with the Texas
[3:05] Rangers where he uh implemented their
special operations group and led that
[3:10] until his retirement earlier this year.
Uh you can tell that's why everybody's
[3:16] here for uh this point. Uh but we're
looking forward to his service and his
[3:21] leadership with Lufkin. So welcome
Travis. We've asked the mayor to do the
[3:24] uh oath of office.
[3:34] » We have
Okay, great. [laughter]
[3:39] » Bring it.
[3:55] » [clears throat]
>> In the name and by the authority of the
[3:59] state of Texas by the name and authority
of the state of Texas,
[4:02] » I do solemnly swear that I will
faithfully execute the duties solely
[4:07] swear that I will execute the duties
>> of the office of Ling Police Department
[4:11] of the state of Texas of the Office of
local police department, state of Texas,
[4:16] » and will to the best of my ability to
preserve, protect, and defend to
[4:20] » the best of my ability, preserve,
protect, and defend
[4:23] » the Constitution and laws of the United
States.
[4:25] » the Constitution and laws of the United
States
[4:28] » of the state
and I'm sorry, and the states help me
[4:31] God.
>> And the States help me God.
[4:33] » Congratulations,
[applause]
[4:40] » [applause]
[4:44] [applause]
[4:55] » going on.
[4:59] Everybody [applause]
[5:05] » [applause]
[5:32] » We are really excited to uh have you
here and obviously there's a lot of
[5:36] people in this community that feel the
uh the same way. I can honestly say I I
[5:40] I tell people I talk to lots of folks in
Lufkin Texas have a good idea what's
[5:44] going on in Lufkin not Nacadoces not
Dball but in Lufkin Texas Angelina
[5:48] County and I and I don't think I've ever
had more people tell me
[5:53] positive very positive extremely
positive things about you and how
[5:58] excited they are to have you here as our
police chief and we all are. It's a true
[6:02] honor. uh you got a wealth of experience
and we're just excited that you were uh
[6:06] you're taking the job. So, thank you
again. [applause]
[6:14] [applause]
>> Okay, so we have a real exciting meeting
[6:17] this evening, but uh there's also
understand a party or reception for uh
[6:22] new Chief Brazzle. So, if you guys want
to make your way, you you're welcome to
[6:25] hang out, but if you want to go ahead
and head on over to the party.
[6:30] Cody Jackson, are you wearing a tie? You
got [laughter] a tie on.
[6:34] » He left.
>> That's a first intermission.
[6:37] » All right.
[6:42] [clears throat]
[6:46] » Oh, thank you. I'm going to be looking
at you.
[6:51] » You fill in.
[6:55] » You know, at some point you have to use
glasses,
[6:58] » you know. I mean, it's like I go back
and forth and uh I'm there. I mean, it's
[7:02] it's just crazy how
>> is it the state of Texas or city or
[7:07] Yeah.
>> You're right there with me.
[7:09] » Yeah.
>> There was someone from leadership in
[7:11] here, right?
>> Yes.
[7:14] » Rhonda and we do have I think one
personship.
[7:18] » Okay.
[7:23] All
[7:40] right. Do we have any leadership Lufkin
folks with us this evening? You want to
[7:44] stand up? Tell us where you're from,
what you do.
[7:47] » Over. I am the publisher of the L. I'm
the leadership.
[7:52] » Great.
We're glad to have you here this
[7:54] evening.
>> No, just just write a good story about
[7:57] us for tomorrow. [laughter]
>> All right. Item number five, conduct
[8:02] public hearing and consider approval on
second reading of an ordinance granting
[8:05] a special use permit for a hotel for lot
4B block one of the Garden District
[8:11] Shopping Village subdivision phase 4
totaling approximately
[8:16] 2.4 [clears throat]
I'm sorry 2.8 acres.
[8:21] This is a second reading for this
special use permit. The new hotel is
[8:24] proposed to be located in the Garden
District Shopping Center as you can see
[8:27] on the map. Uh the property is
undeveloped located directly south of
[8:32] Buffalo Wild Wings. The applicant
intends to construct a fourstory
[8:37] extended stay hotel with 90 guest rooms.
Uh including your packet is some
[8:42] proposed site plans and building
elevations to uh depicting what it'll
[8:47] look like. The properties located
immediately to the northeast and west
[8:51] are local business and developed with
restaurants and a movie theater and
[8:55] another hotel that's currently under
construction. Property to the south is
[9:00] residential large zoning and uh
developed with such uh uses. The hotel
[9:07] will include this development will
include a screening wall along the
[9:11] southern border that abuts the area
that's zone residential large in
[9:15] accordance with our ordinance. staff
mailed out 12 notices to property owners
[9:20] within the 200 foot notification area.
We received one letter in opposition
[9:26] that's included in your packet as well.
Planning and zoning unanimously
[9:29] recommended approval of the special use
permit and staff recommends council
[9:33] conduct a public hearing and a consider
approval of the ordinance. Mr. Mayor.
[9:39] » All right. This is a public hearing. If
you'd like to speak on this item, you
[9:43] may step forward at this time.
[9:53] Good evening. Hi, my name is Tom
Broomstead. Um I spent about 7 months on
[9:57] this project back in 2016 on that pond
in the back. And so my question is
[10:05] um I drove through there the other night
and and the street lights were not even
[10:09] working in the subdivision in the garden
district. So my question is on that
[10:14] pond, what are the asurances that that
thing is going to be maintained to the
[10:19] proper level that it's supposed to be
maintained to? Because when I go around
[10:25] the city and go to the um Burlington
coat factory or whatever it is, that sub
[10:31] subdivision, that pond is in disarray
and the one next to Hobby Lobby is in
[10:37] disarray. So that's my question is how
is that pond going to be maintained?
[10:43] » Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[10:51] » Is there anyone else?
>> Are we on the
[10:59] » We are. Yep. Number uh item number five.
Yep.
[11:06] » Sorry I'm late. Uh my name is Amy. I had
spoke to before in the other hearings.
[11:10] Um I'm the owner of lot 4A. Uh before we
even discuss any of the uh easement
[11:16] itself, I do need to address that the
process has taken place uh in this room
[11:22] previously.
At the beginning of this hearing cycle,
[11:25] the city did not have the exhibit B. The
recorded meets and bound survey
[11:29] following October 27 of 2023. Despite
not having the legal description, the
[11:34] city still made two separate claims
about the Eastman's purpose. Um, first
[11:40] first it was that it was for access for
the retention pond. That was the first
[11:44] uh meeting that I had with them. And
then later in another meeting, it was
[11:48] actually for uh fire access that they
wanted to use my easement on those two
[11:54] occasions. Now, both of those statements
were made without the actual exhibit
[11:58] being hand. That to me is not
transparency. That to me is not due
[12:03] diligence and that is not how decisions
affecting private property should be
[12:08] made. When I asked questions on a
different occasion in the meeting, I was
[12:12] told by the city engineer, this is the
way it's going to be and this is this is
[12:16] not going to change. Uh that to me is
not a legal explanation.
[12:22] That is not a factual explanation to me
either. That to me is more of a
[12:26] predetermined outcome. And it's to me I
feel like it's not acceptable when we're
[12:30] take when we're tech talking about the
use of someone else's land. Texas law is
[12:36] not vague on this point and Eastman is
limited to the exact plan described and
[12:41] it on its meets and bounds. It cannot be
enlarged. It cannot be shifted. It
[12:45] cannot be assumed like it's been for
this couple of weeks and it cannot be
[12:50] used to take additional land that was
never granted. The Eastman does not
[12:54] authorize permanent payment pavement,
permanent access or or permanent use
[12:59] outside the meets and bounds description
on exhibit B. I purchase lot 4A subject
[13:04] only to the recorded easement, not to
any expansion of it, not to any
[13:09] interpretation of it and not to any site
plan that goes beyond the legal
[13:13] description. So, I'm standing here today
asking very simple question. Where does
[13:17] the transparency and accountability
stand when the city makes claims about
[13:21] an easement before even having the legal
description on exhibit B? I'm not here
[13:25] to stop the development. I'm not I'm
here to actually protect the boundaries
[13:28] of my property. And I'm here for
transparency on this easement that is
[13:32] taken approximately 40 ft on my land.
And I'm here to ensure that the hotel is
[13:36] limited to the exact scope of what is
legally granted, nothing more. And
[13:41] finally, I would like to see in a
clearly highlighted specific manner
[13:44] where exhibit B states that the
additional portions of my land. I want a
[13:47] factual legal explanation, not an
assumption and not a survey
[13:51] interpretation. If the city is relying
on exhibit B, then the city must show
[13:55] exactly where exhibit B authorizes the
use of the easements of meets and bounds
[13:59] description where it starts and it ends
on the property within mine. With that,
[14:04] I yield. Thank you.
>> Thank you.
[14:12] All right, we're going to close the uh
public hearing hearing and move to
[14:15] comments from the council.
[14:20] » Mr. Mayor, I just have one question. Um
sir, I'm sorry I did not get your name.
[14:24] Um the first gentleman who spoke,
>> Tom.
[14:27] » Mr. Tom. Um just out of curiosity cuz I
I personally stressed to everyone if you
[14:33] see something, say something. So, you
said that you noticed that the lights
[14:37] were out at the pond area. Did you by
chance call the city to address that so
[14:42] that someone could come out and address
that, whether it be through the city
[14:47] department or through Encore, who's ever
responsible for it? I'm just curious,
[14:50] was that reported on the pond area? You
have to understand that that that garden
[14:55] district and the city manager will
probably explain it better than I
[14:58] [clears throat] can, but that was part
of a master plan development.
[15:03] When the wheels came off the bus and we
went into financial disarray,
[15:11] everybody started foreclosing on that
property and so there was never an HOA
[15:17] or anything planned. So that the lights
that were out the other night, just like
[15:21] the pond doesn't work, the pump doesn't
work at the front,
[15:24] » there's nobody to pay those bills. Okay.
>> So the the pond in the back
[15:29] » is being sold right now.
>> Okay.
[15:31] » To a to some random person that's going
to I don't understand how this can
[15:36] » Okay.
>> rely on that pond.
[15:38] » Okay. Thank you for that explanation. I
was just envisioning what you said that
[15:42] you drove by somewhere, it was dark, the
lights were out, and I just wondering
[15:46] has someone been notified to come and
correct that. But thank you for your
[15:49] explanation.
>> That's all I have, Mr. Mayor.
[15:53] » Very good.
>> I'd like to make a motion to approve.
[15:59] » A second.
>> Second.
[16:01] » We have a motion and a second. All in
favor, please say I.
[16:05] » Any opposed?
>> That motion carries. Item number six,
[16:10] consider approval on first reading of an
ordinance providing for the abandonment,
[16:14] vacation, closure, and sale. I'm sorry,
this is uh this is an item that I'm
[16:19] actually financially involved in. So, on
item number six, at this time, I hereby
[16:23] announce my recusal for from
consideration and deliberation of the
[16:27] next agenda item due to conflict of
interest. Because mayor prom Shankle's
[16:31] not present this evening, I'm appointing
council member Ford to serve as acting
[16:35] mayor prom for the limited purpose of
providing I'm sorry, presiding over this
[16:39] item, including conducting the
discussion and calling for vote. I'll
[16:43] abstain from any participation,
discussion, or vote on this matter. Mr.
[16:47] Ford, take it over. The next item on the
agenda is item number six. Consider
[16:52] approval on first reading of an
ordinance providing for the abandonment,
[16:56] vacation, closure, and sale of an
approximately 0.047
[17:02] acre portion of an alley located in
block 10 of the town of Lufkin Bonner
[17:07] Edition extending from North 7th Street
to North Chestnut Street. Kevin,
[17:14] » yes. uh engineering services received a
request from EGA consultants on behalf
[17:19] of Oakdale Manor to purchase this uh 047
acre alley rideway located in the 100
[17:25] block of the Bonner edition. There are
no existing city utilities. Um
[17:32] would you go to the location map, Jesse,
as well? You can see that it goes from
[17:36] uh Chestnut over to uh North 7th Street
um and is a very small alley that a lot
[17:45] of us weren't actually aware of. Staff
has reviewed the request and determined
[17:50] there are no uh existing utilities, no
planned or current purpose for the city
[17:56] to retain this portion of the rideway.
Chapters 252 and 272 of local government
[18:00] code were followed in a process to offer
the land for sale. The uh if approved,
[18:07] the total sale amount would be $4,150
consisting of the appraised value of
[18:14] $3500
and the fee for appraisal and filing. So
[18:20] upon payment, the city would issue a
deed without warranty
[18:25] and uh the land would be required to be
platted into uh the rest of the property
[18:31] there in some way. Staff recommends the
abandonment, vacation, closure, and sale
[18:36] of the alley, finding it is not needed
for public use, and that the sale
[18:40] complies with chapters 252 and 272 of
local government code.
[18:45] » Thank you, Kevin.
>> Uh at this time, we will open the public
[18:48] hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to
speak on this item?
[18:56] Seeing there's no one further wishing to
speak. The public hearing is now closed.
[19:01] I will entertain a motion now.
>> I move approval.
[19:08] » I second it.
We have a motion made and a second uh to
[19:15] approve the sale of of this land, this
alleyway. Uh do I need to read the whole
[19:21] thing or no?
>> Okay. Uh is there any further discussion
[19:25] from the council?
[19:29] » I just have one question which I I think
it it's nullan boy honestly. By selling
[19:34] that alleyway, it'll also close off
access like how the alley now can access
[19:38] Chestnut and can access Seventh. That
closes off. Correct.
[19:43] » Any right for the city to use it would
be abandoned with it not no longer being
[19:48] an alley.
>> It'll be part of that property.
[19:53] » That's my board. [laughter]
>> Yeah,
[19:55] » we have lots of accidents on Chestnut.
Yeah, there's no
[19:59] » there is no improvements, no pavement,
nothing in that property right now. It
[20:03] is undeveloped.
>> Perfect.
[20:06] » Anything further?
>> All right, I will call for a vote. All
[20:11] in favor, please say I.
>> I.
[20:13] » I.
>> All those opposed say nay.
[20:18] Uh, the motion carries.
>> Thank you, Mr. Ford. We're now going
[20:23] into executive session. The city council
will convene into executive session
[20:28] pursuant to Texas government code
section 551.087
[20:32] to deliberate regarding economic
development negotiations.
[20:38] » Time is 520.
[20:42] » Okay. So it's time is 602. Our meeting
is back in session after executive
[20:48] session. No further action. Time is 602.
We're now a journey.
[21:00] » [music]