Beaumont City Council today voted unanimously to approve a $1,443,752 property insurance policy with McGriff, Seibels and Williams.

The total cost of the policy for the majority of city facilities is $1,386,003.

“In addition, the city has also purchased separate coverage for Hotel Beaumont with a yearly premium of $57,749,” City Manager Kyle Hayes said.  “The city is keeping the policy for Hotel Beaumont separate with the option to cancel at any time upon selling the property.”

The city council voted 5-1-1, with Dr. Alan Coleman opposed and Mike Getz abstaining, to approve the city’s 2012 Annual Action Plan.  The preliminary plan was approved on March 27.

A public hearing was held prior to approval of the final plan, which includes allocations of $1,299,941 in Community Development Block Grant funding, $100,000 in program income, $433,158 in HOME funding and $143,199 in Emergency Solutions Grant funding.

The city council voted unanimously to approve the purchase of property adjoining the sewer treatment plant to allow for future expansion.

B&L International, LLC, which owns a 100 tract adjoining the treatment plant, has agreed to convey the property to the city for a total cost of $262,500.

The city council voted unanimously to approve a $64,148 payment for the emergency repair of a city water well pump.

The city’s “Loeb 3” well pump and motor failed, and require a total rebuild.

“The city has a total ground water capacity of approximately 16 million gallons per day with all three wells in operation,” The loss of the Loeb 3 well reduces the capacity to approximately 10 million gallons per day. Current demand is 9 million gallons per day.  Starting in June, and throughout the summer months, the two remaining wells cannot meet demand by themselves.”

The city gathered written quotes from three vendors, with the lowest being from Layne Christensen, Co. of Houston.  According to Hayes, formal bidding for the project would put repairs off until early or mid June, with completion of the work putting the well out of services until the middle of August.

The city council voted unanimously to authorize Hayes to execute all documents necessary to accept the “STEP-Click It or Ticket” grant from the Texas Department of Transportation.

The grant, which will not exceed $6,884, will fund additional enforcement and public information and education concerning safety belt use during the Click It or Ticket Campaign, which runs from May 12 through June 26.  No city match is required for the grant.

The city council voted unanimously to file a law suit against Crystal Engle for the collection of delinquent rent associated with the use of an airport hangar.

According to City Attorney Tyrone Cooper, Engle rented a hangar at Beaumont Municipal Airport to store an aircraft she owned.

“She failed to pay all the rent owed and failed to remove the airplane,” Cooper said.

The airplane was sold at a public auction to recover the cost of the rent owed.  However, Engle still owes $1,167 in past due rent, according to Cooper.