HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes City Council - 08/10/1970 - EmergencyMINUTES
CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS
EMERGENCY COUNCIL MEETING
August 10, 1970
11:00 a.m.
PRESENT:
Mayor Jack R. Blackmon
Mayor Pro Tem Gabe Lozano, Sr.
Commissioners:
V. A. Bradley, Jr. City Manager R. Marvin Townsend
Eduardo E. de Ases Acting City Attorney Jim Riggs
Ken McDaniel City Secretary T. Ray Kring
W. J. Roberts *
Ronnie Sizemore
Mayor Jack R. Blackmon called the meeting to order and stated the purpose.
of the meeting was to attend to emergency matters pertaining to problems resulting
from Hurricane Celia.
City Manager Townsend reported that basically, matters of which the City.
is responsible are in satisfactory condition and essentially back to normal in
most areas. He stated that one remaining major problem is in relation to traffic
control. He reported that additional stop signswould be provided by the City of
San Antonio. He commended public response to the request that travelers control
traffic by observing the 4 -way stops, and stated that thus far, the public has been
very courteous. He asked continued public cooperation in this regard, and it is
hoped that busy intersections can be controlled in this manner without a serious
accident. He reported that practically all other City services are back to normal
and presenting no major problems. He stated that various matters relating to housing
are in the process of being worked out; that mobile homes furnished by HUD are arriving a
Cabaniss Field; and that the leases for the proposed sites for the mobile homes will
be submitted.
Mr. Townsend reported that the curfew was successful last night, having been
moved back one hour; that the problems of curfew will be less as additional lighting
is provided; that individuals are taking steps to protect their own property; that
windows are being replaced and personal control restored. He suggested that the
curfew could still be maintained by leaving it to the discretion of the Mayor or
that a "pedestrian" curfew might be logical. He pointed out that the Texas National
Guardsmen are leaving today which will leave the policing duties to local officers
and stated the curfew will be more difficult to enforce with only local police
personnel.
Public Safety Director Wayland Pilcher explained that the main problem
in enforcing the curfew is in cases where persons and families need passes to and
from their jobs, and that it is his feeling that a pedestrian curfew would be more
logical.
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Minutes
Emergency Council Meeting
August 10, 1970
Page 2
Motion by Sizemore, seconded by McDaniel and passed, that a modified
curfew be continued for tonight and tomorrow night, and that a "pedestrian" curfew
be in effect from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. until further amended.
City Manager Townsend explained that because of the emergency, it had been
necessary to take some preliminary steps relative to leasing of sites for the mobile
homes which are arriving hourly at Cabaniss Field which are being provided by the
Department of Housing and Urban Development to be leased to persons who lost their
homes during Hurricane Celia, and requested authority to execute leases for three
sites: (1) with L. D. Scott, for Loma Linda Mobile Home Park, containing 87 spaces
located on Violet Road near Mayfield Drive, at $40 a month per space for a period
beginning August 10, 1970, until August 4, 1971; with the owner providing all
utilities including sewage facilities and connections for electricity, telephone
and gas service, and a recreation building; (2) with W. J. Lucas, for 15 spaces
located in the Flour Bluff area, being basically the same lease, at $35 a month
per space, but without the recreation building; and (3) with Jack Davis for an
additional 108 spaces located on Corpus Christi Beach, basically the same lease, at
$35 per month per space, subject to satisfactory arrangements to be worked out, making
a total of 210 spaces which would be available in these three parks. He stated the
program will be administered by the Housing Authority, and that negotiations are
under way for lease of other parks.
Motion by de Ases, seconded by McDaniel and passed, that the foregoing
request of the City Manager be granted, and that he be authorized to execute the three
leases as presented.
Assistant City Manager Archie Walker reported that the air conditioning had
been restored in the Utilities Building of the City Hall, and that it will be in
operation in the main City Hall Building tomorrow.
City Manager Townsend announced that some of the Civil Defense Communications
operations will remain at the Civil Defense Section of the Police Building, but that
all other Departments and Divisions will be in full operation at City Hall tomorrow
morning; stated that the Legal Department will be assigned the responsibility of
receiving and handling complaints, such as inconsistencies in prices of commodities
and services being sold, etc., and the City Secretary's office and the Legal Depart-
ment to be responsible for the issuing of itinerant vendor's permits.
Minutes
Emergency Council Meeting
August 10, 1970
Page 3
It was agreed that a Workshop Meet'
would be held in the City Manager's
Office Wednesday, August 12 at 9:00 and t . Regular Council Meeting as scheduled
on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.
*Commissioner W. J. Roberts arriv: Dt the meeting.
Mr. Wm. F. Wallace, Jr., attorney, speared before the Council and stated
he was speaking on behalf of bankers and 1, :ling companies concerned with the
economic effect of Hurricane Celia; that 1.
delay to obtain land for both the proposed
Center, and to firm up these two projects b
are rebuilt. He further pointed out that is
had been in the newspapers across the nati.
:felt the Council should proceed without
"wernmental Center and the Convention
::fore improvements on the proposed sites
publicity on the hurricane which
could have an adverse effect on the
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community's tourist trade and industrial ;:.:7th, and suggested that it could be
somewhat counteracted if it were publicize:: Lhat the City is enthusiastically at
work making future plans.
Mayor Blackmon stated that Mr. Wallrc:e's suggestion has merit and is well
taken, but explained that a meeting had beer: scheduled last Friday to either approve
or reject proposals on these projects; that ;he matter is before the Council, that
discussions will be resumed as soon as possile, but .that the Council is not in a
position to move in that direction at this :-ment.
State Representative Carlos Truan el eared and advised the Council that
the American Red Cross and the Office of Er: 2gency Preparedness should hire some
trained personnel instead of relying on vol.: .teers to be trained to handle interviews
and requests for assistance, even at the Ciry's cost. He stated that long lines are
still in evidence at the agencies, that there seems to be confusion as to who is
in charge, and suggested that some bilingualpersonnel should be employed.
Mayor Blackmon stated that assistant, is being provided from the Federal,
State and local levels and that these matters were being handled between these two
agencies and the City on a cooperative basis, but that the request will be given
further consideration in an effort to solve any problems in this regard. He stated
that he and City Manager Townsend are scheduled to meet with the Red Cross following
this meeting and that Mr. Truan's request will be passed on to Mr. Hastings who is
in charge of the Office of Emergency Preparedness.
City Manager Townsend presented the following recommendations:
a. Recommendation that the City Man -,ger be authorized to execute a contract
with the Department of Housing and Urban Development under which HUD would reimburse
Minutes
Emergency Council Meeting
August 10, 1970
Page 4
the City for all expenses incurred for maintaining an emergency housing program,
including reimbursement for leases, administrative costs, and the City's management
sub -contract with the Housing Authority.
Motion by Bradley, seconded by de Ases and passed, that the foregoing recom-
mendation be approved as presented.
b. Recommendation that a contract be entered into with the Corpus Christi
Housing Authority for the purpose of their administering and carrying out the local
role in the HUD Temporary Housing Program with the understanding that their expenses
would be reimbursed by HUD and that they would be acting as agent for the City in this
regard.
Motion by Lozano, seconded by Bradley and passed, that the foregoing recom-
mendation be approved as presented.
ORDINANCE NO. 9881
EXTENDING AND RENEWING THE AUTHORITIES, RULES, REGULATIONS AND ALL OTHER PROVISIONS
OF THE ORDINANCE OF AUGUST 7, 1970, FOR AN ADDITIONAL SEVENTY-TWO HOURS, EXCEPT
THAT PEDESTRIAN CURFEW BE CHANGED TO A PERIOD NOT EARLIER THAN 11:00 P.M. AND NOT
LATER THAN 6:00 A.M.; PROVIDING NOTICE; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY; AND DECLARING AN
EMERGENCY.
The Charter Rule was suspended and the foregoing ordinance was passed by
the following vote: Blackmon, Lozano, Bradley, de Ases, McDaniel, Roberts and
Sizemore, present and voting "Aye".
ORDINANCE N0. 9882
AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE LEASE AGREEMENTS FOR MOBILE
HOME PARK SUBDIVISION, FOR USE BY HURRICANE CELIA VICTIMS, WITH L. D. SCOTT AND WITH
WILLIAM J. LUCAS, JR. AND WIFE, ROSEMARY LUCAS, COPIES OF SAID AGREEMENTS BEING
ANNEXED HERETO; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
The Charter rule was suspended and the foregoing ordinance was passed by the
following vote: Blackmon, Lozano, Bradley, de Ases, McDaniel, Roberts and Sizemore,
present and voting "Aye."
There being no further business to come before the Council, the meeting was
adjourned.