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2024 02 08 WS Minutes MINUTES OF THE REGULAR WORK SESSION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAYTOWN February 8, 2024 The City Council of the City of Baytown, Texas, met in a Regular Work Session on Thursday, February 8, 2024, at 5:31 P.M. in the Team Room of the Community Center at 2407 Market Street, Baytown, Texas, with the following in attendance: Laura Alvarado Mayor Pro Tem Sarah Graham Council Member Kenrick Griffith Council Member James Franco Council Member Jacob Powell Council Member Mike Lester Council Member Jason Reynolds City Manager Scott Lemond City Attorney Angela Jackson City Clerk John Stringer Sergeant at Arms Mayor Pro Tem Laura Alvarado convened the February 8, 2024 City Council Regular Work Session with a quorum present at 5:31 P.M.All members were present with the exception of Mayor Capetillo. 1. CITIZEN COMMENT Mayor Pro Tem Alvarado announced no one signed up to speak. 2. DISCUSSIONS Mayor Pro Tem Alvarado announced the agenda items will be taken out of order. a. Receive and discuss a presentation by Paths Development, LLC regarding the reha- bilitation of the Village at Baytown Apartments,an approximately 210-unit affordable rental housing complex, located at 4601 Village Lane, Baytown, Harris County,Texas. Planning and Development Services Director Martin Scribner introduced the applicant from Path Development, LLC regarding the rehabilitation of the Village at Baytown Apartments. Ms. Anna Weiss presented a presentation detailing the renovations of the said property which would allow Path to apply to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) for a 40 o Housing Tax Credit for the proposed rehabilitation of 210 affordable rental housing units. (Exhibit A) b. Ethics guidelines and procedures presentation. City Attorney Scott Lemond commented, "We want to speak to you all today about our ethics complaint procedures and to review and discuss key elements in the process. One of the things we want to bring to your attention is the disbanding of the Ethics Commission.The will of the Council City Council Regular Work Session Minutes February 8,2024 Page 2 of 4 will not impact the flow of ethics complaints. It's important to remember that the Ethics Commis- sion is and has always been advisory in nature. They can recommend action to the Council but cannot take action themselves. They can recommend action to the Council for complaints that relate to the City Manager, Municipal Court Judge, the Associate Municipal Court Judges, or any other city official who is not an employee. So that would be our appointed representatives, citizens who serve on our boards, committees,commissions,and so forth. The Ethics Commission can also recommend action to the City Manager for any violations that might relate to city employees other than the Municipal Court Judge." "The recommendations that the Commission can make to the Council or to the City Manager would be in five areas first. The lowest recommendation would be a letter of notification, which would relate to something that might be a violation, but it was clearly unintentional, and it would tell the person that these are how you can avoid a similar mistake in the future.The next step would be a letter of admonition. This is used for something that's a little bit more substantial although it might still be an unintentional violation of the ethics policy. The next level would be a letter of reprimand. This would be for more serious violations, violations that may have been found to be intentional. The next level would be a recommendation to remove the person from office or to suspend the person from office for a serious violation. Lastly,the last level would be to recommend a letter of censure. A letter of censure would be a public admonition of the appointed person, of the official, or the employee, for elected officials, and a recommendation to hold a recall election. At all times, the power to make decisions is vested with the City Council or the City Manager. With respect to the City Council, you have the specific authority to appoint and remove the City Manager or the Municipal Court Judge, the Associate Municipal Court Judges, and all of our ap- pointed officials. You have the power to inquire into the conduct of city officials and city depart- ments, generally the workings of the government. You have the power to establish any boards or commissions or to disband any boards or commissions that are not otherwise required by state law or federal law, and you have the power to judge the election and judge the qualifications of the elected members of this body. Similar powers rest with the City Manager, who has the power to appoint and remove all city employees other than the Municipal Court Judge." "So, the key points we'd like to leave you with today are to remember that the City Council has and remains to have the power to hear ethics complaints. You delegated some of that authority to the commission, but you always have the power to take it back, but the ultimate decision-making rests with Council or the City Manager depending on who the individual is. The City Council has the power to discipline city officials, the City Manager, the Municipal Court Judge, the Associate Judges,or other city officials who are not employees of the city for any type of ethical lapses. The City Manager has the power to hear ethics complaints involving city employees. He has the power to discipline Staff for any ethical violations and beyond that. If any sort of ethical lapses rise to the level of a criminal offense, the City Attorney and the District Attorneys of our two counties have the power to hear those types of cases and to prosecute them. We also have a state ethics commis- sion that provides guidance to us. They're actually the ones who created the Form 1295 that you see regularly when we are presenting contracts to you for decisions." "Ethics remains a priority in Baytown with or without the Ethics Commission. The Code of Ethics, which is found in Article 8 of the Code of Ordinance of the city will remain in place. Of course, you have the authority to create any policies, amend the ordinance, create procedures for us,create forms, and to delegate powers to different departments with different staffing members. One of City Council Regular Work Session Minutes February 8,2024 Page 3 of 4 the things that we would like for you all to consider as you deliberate today is whether there's a department you would like to designate to create an intake form for any sort of ethics complaints and a department to accept administrative responsibility for processing those complaints. Today's discussion for the Council and yourselves would be on the level of policy guidance, procedures you'd like to see in place, any forms that might be necessary, and how those forms would be sub- mitted and processed following the discussion. We'd like for you to direct Staff on procedures you'd like to see come back. We can draft those for you and bring them back based on the feedback we get today." Mayor Pro Tern Alvarado questioned if direction is needed right now on those two key items on what department and who will formulate the intake forms? City Manager Jason Reynolds advised if the Council so chooses, if there are any follow-up questions that we can bring to you if you want to discuss designating a department. However, you all would like to handle it, we wanted the Council and the citizens to know that there are already processes in place that can handle this. An additional commission is not necessary to have one more process of things. It can be handled internally, and for anything that's a criminal piece, there's already another process in place to han- dle that as well. Council Member Graham asked, "If someone had an ethics complaint tomorrow, who in the City would they go to?" City Clerk Angela Jackson informed Council the complaints are received in her office. Council Member Graham suggested that we have written tiered steps to let people know how the process works. Council Member Powell commented, "As far as the questions that were asked about who would we like to create an intake form? It sounds like maybe one already exists". City Manager Jason Reynolds commented,"Right. I guess the point is that you all understand that you all have the power to designate it how you like. One is in the place where you just want to delegate the responsibility for me to set one up and get the process in place and publicize it heavily, so people will understand what it is. It can be as simple as that and we can come back to you and let you know that it's complete and ready and here is the defined process." Council Member Lester commented, "The discussion needs to go back around. Do we want to keep a separate commission to do this or do we want to take the responsibility on Council? Ulti- mately, it comes to the Council. So, that's the kind of discussion we need to have. Do we want to eliminate the commission as an intermediary step and just have the complaints filed with the proper process and paperwork procedures, and then it either comes to Council or it goes to the City Man- ager or Staff? I agree with that position that we need to have proper paperwork and procedures in place. It needs to be well-publicized, but then once it goes through that, then it either comes to Council if it's a non-employee or it goes to the City Manager if it is an employee. Again, I hate to say it, take out that middleman, the commission. I was here when it was first created and it was a political issue. Honestly, it was to take the heat off of the Council. The Council didn't, in my opinion, have the fortitude to stand up at that time. I know those Council Members and they had good reasons. I think it has more of an impact if it comes to Council or to the City Manager and then we still regulate it because it just gets diluted if it goes through another intermediary." City Council Regular Work Session Minutes February 8,2024 Page 4 of 4 Mayor Pro Tem Alvarado commented, "Right, and we did go through that as part of the Boards and Commission Review Committee. If you all remember and part of our recommendation was to dissolve the Advisory Committee. If Council decides to keep it, there was a recommendation of revising it because right now it's currently all clergy that would sit on the commission. I feel that taking out that middle person, knowing that we have these steps in place, that's something we can follow. The consensus of the Council is to keep the committee with taking out the clergy and keep the process as recommended. This is only discussion tonight". 3. ADJOURN With there being no further business to discuss, Mayor Pro Tern Alvarado adjourned the February 8, 2024, City Council Regular Work Session at 6:01 P.M. Angela Ja so"n; Clerk " f. City of Bay zown r. 0 VILLAGE AT BAYTOWN PROPOSED PROJECT Presentation for the City of Baytown 1paths 1 paths i� Paths,formerly known as Omni,is a vertically - integrated company comprised of multiple operating businesses: " Development I Paths Development Property Management I Paths Management Services . Maintenance Paths Management Services - r I`� Construction Paths Construction Security I Reliant Safety [ d The company has revitalized,preserved the affordability,and constructed more than 19,500 units of affordable housing I I1111� I Igilll ill #aC91: �.. ,. �► ��:�` '' 1 � • � I "J � f • I • • • � • � I I • I I I I I 1 • I Village al Baytown f •�� 'a�y-lpull a,o--t�C,uaa,tuaH,� �•$ y +. -+`}�,�[y-�La}��j�3_*; _ +"C'a:ral^Cnurin �. .C:w, a-. rJ..• �3`-;x VI I I age at Baytown: Location and Neighborhood • Units:210 • Year Built: 1971 - • Buildings:25 two-story residential buildings plus three additional ' outbui dings containing laundry, . community rooms,and a leasing office r • Amenities:Community room, - Playground,swimming pool,and aundry facilities - • 190 Units administered by a Project- Based Section 8 HAP Contract through HUD bit • Remaining 20 units are at 50%AMI 1 paths Vi I I aRe at Baytown: Unit Mix Unit Type Unit SF # Units 1-Bed 1-Bath 664 50 2-Bed 1-Bath 810 90 3-Bed 2-Bath 1,052 50 4-Bed 2-Bath 1,099 20 TOTAL 210 A paths Village at Baytown: Unit Mix—Detail Current Affordability 1-Bed 1-Bath (HAP) 664 41 HAP 2-Bed 1-Bath (HAP) 810 84 HAP 3-Bed 2-Bath (HAP) 1,052 47 HAP 4-Bed 2-Bath (HAP) 1,099 18 HAP 1-Bed 1-Bath (non-HAP) 664 9 @ 50%AMI 2-Bed 1-Bath (non-HAP) 810 6 @ 50%AMI 3-Bed 2-Bath (non-HAP) 1,052 3 @ 50%AMI 4-Bed 2-Bath (non-HAP) 1,099 2 @ 50%AMI TOTAL 210 1 paths VillaRe at Baytown: Conditions Upon Acquisition �, I- 1 .^ 1 paths Village at Baytown: Rehabilitation Summary Upgrades&Improvements q • In-Unit • Exterior • Site Work L • Community Facilities New Features • Resident Services I • Security Cameras&24/7 Monitoring r • Free Wi-Fi ` • ADA Compliant • i Examples of prior Paths Construction projects 1 paths Village at Baytown: In-Unit Improvements • All new: • Kitchen cabinets • Energy Star appliances } Bathroom vanities&medicine cabinets - LVI-flooring Sinks • Toilets and tub liners 1 Doors 500 �1 . Energy-efficient light fixtures • Heat&A/C units(unless recently replaced) • Painting throughout • 5%of units will be made accessible(ADA/UFAS compliant) d Examples of recent Paths Construction projects 1 paths Village at Baytown: Exterior, Site Work, & Community Facilities Improvements • New Energy Star windowL, New signage • Replace roofs • Repair&seal asphalt pavement and sidewalks • Siding repairs and replacement as necessary w • Painting throughout Management office&maintenance room j upgrades • New Flooring,light fixtures,HVAC,painting • Laundry room upgrades • New Flooring,light fixtures,HVAC,painting • Playground upgrades • Mailbox/Mailroom upgrades 1 paths Village at Baytown: New Features: Resident Services & Free Wi-Fi • Post-renovation the property will benefit from a resident service provider that will provide services to aid kCompass tenants in: • Financial literacy H; Continuing education .721 • Heath and nutrition e 0 • Employment readiness • 400— Computer and technology training r • Ownership will provide Wi-Fi and the necessary hardware(router,modem,etc.)free of charge to residents I • In-Unit • Community Room Li s. • Business Center • Improve community engagement and social cohesionI through increased services and opportunities 'Photos courtesy of ftinbow Housing Assistance Corporation A pa t h s Village at Baytown: New Features:Security Cameras & 2417 Monitoring • Renovation will include the installation of 200+cameras throughout the property " 1r 41 f+ • Cameras are monitored 24/7 by Reliant Safety;provide real-time feedback • Collaborate with local law enforcement to increase resident safety • Help identify and root out bad actors to reduce calls to the property I . I , • Security gate to increase safety at Village at Baytown • Current and future residents can feel safe at home i ` J� ,t ILL 1 paths Village at Baytown: Requesting a Resolution of No Objection a i VA A paths