During discussions over management at the Pleasure Island RV Park, the city council learned the Pleasure Island Committee has been meeting until Tropical Storm Harvey flooded the area.

However, it appears neither the city council nor the committee knows what the other side wants or is doing.

Raymond Scott Jr., District 1 councilman, said he heard the committee was not actively involved in the decision-making process for Pleasure Island. He added that the city council appointed these members to the committee and they’re not holding meetings.

Jimmie Johnson, interim city manager, said though the committee didn’t have a quorum last month, they had been holding meetings before then.

Johnson said either the board members need to be replaced or be re-energized to serve.

However, John Beard Jr., former city council member and current Pleasure Island Committee board member, said the board is unclear what the city council wants. He said this week was the first time he heard about the proposal to hire a manager for the RV park.

Willie “Bae” Lewis Jr., District 5 councilman, told Jimmy Dike, director of the Pleasure Island Committee, it was his job to contact all the board members about meetings.

Dike said they send out letters to board members about what’s on the agenda. Some are contacted via email. In addition, Jimmy Whitley, board president, contacts the board members.

Lewis said Dike can get his secretary to call the members.

Thomas Kinlaw III, District 3 councilman, asked if the meetings are held on the same days at the same time. Dike said they know when the meetings are scheduled.

Cal Jones, District 2 councilman, said this is an accountability issue and about getting things done.

Whitley said the board held four to five meetings before Harvey, but there was nothing to discuss because they didn’t know what was on the agenda.

Charlotte Moses, Position 7 councilwoman, said the committee needs to change not knowing what’s on the agenda.

In other council news, the second public hearing for proposed annexation of several industrial properties to enlarge the boundaries of the city of Port Arthur is scheduled at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at city hall.

Those industries being considered are: BASF Total Petrochemicals and Refinery, BASF (old Sandoz), Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, Chevron USA, Flint Hills Resources, Oxbow Calcining, Praxair (at the Motiva refinery), Premcor Refining Group (at the Valero refinery), Air Products & Chemicals (at the Valero refinery), Total Petrochemicals & Refining and Total Par GT Logistics and Golden Triangle Properties (at GT Omniport).

Freeman said the city has a $65 million operating budget in which half of that amount comes from IDA payments. If the city doesn’t get that money, half of the city staff including police and firefighters would be cut. Many city services would be cut too.