The Port Arthur City Council isn’t wasting any time in seeking a new city manager.

The council held their regular meeting on Tuesday morning at city hall. Jimmie Johnson was appointed as interim city manager and they established the terms of his employment. Also passed was directing the purchasing department to solicit proposals from qualified search firms for city manager.

Brian McDougal submitted his resignation last week as city manager after serving for three years.

Mayor Derrick Freeman said the purchasing department will send out Requests For Proposals and do an international search. The search firm will create a want ad for the position.

The first public hearing was held for proposed annexation of several industrial properties to enlarge the boundaries of the city of Port Arthur.

The second public hearing is scheduled at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at city hall.

Freeman said Industrial District Agreements between the city and industries are due to expire on Dec. 30 and 31. The IDAs are made with industries in lieu of being annexed by the city.

The city is now in the process of annexation. The two parties are still negotiating, but they haven’t reached an agreement. Letters were sent out to those who would be impacted by the annexation.

The provision of services, such as infrastructure, fire and police, etc., would have to be supplied to the newly annexed areas.

A resolution was removed until further information can be collected on a contract for management of the Pleasure Island RV Park. Melissa Wilson would manage the park. There were questions if Wilson should be under contract or should she become a fulltime city employee.

It was discussed the Pleasure Island Committee does not regularly meet and they aren’t involved in the decision-making process for the island. Some board members said they didn’t know about the RV park situation until the city council meeting.

Some reforms were offered to better notify board members of meetings, get them to the meetings, and to pass on information they need to know to do their jobs.

It was approved to start a Port Arthur Hurricane Harvey Citizen Recovery Advisory Board.

Staff will create bylaws for the committee and the city council will then make their appointments to the board.

This committee will help the city in its recovery efforts and work closely with Not For Profit organizations.

Freeman said the committee didn’t form earlier because they city was trying to get past the response from Harvey.

Liaquat Khowaja and Dr. Hina Azam spoke to the council about funding for Ibn Sina Clinic on Ninth Avenue.

They said they are having problems sustaining the clinic, particularly since Tropical Storm Harvey when many residents left the city.

The clinic has been in operation since 2012 and sees around 500 patients a month. Many of them are undocumented, uninsured or underinsured.

Freeman said they can speak with the Port Arthur Economic Development Corporation about grants and explore other avenues for funding.

Willie “Bae” Lewis Jr., District 5 councilman, said the clinic serves a public purpose and the city can fund such functions.

“It’s not a gift,” he said. “The city can spend taxpayers money for a public purpose.”

Lastly, the city council sent a resolution to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency protesting the permanent closure of Capital One Bank downtown branch.

A contract amount of $58,969 was approved to be paid to Excavation and Construction, LLC of Nederland for the Fourth Street improvements project.

The new contract amount is increased to $947,581 and increases it by 20 days for a new total of 165 days.