Christmas may come early for the Port Arthur Fire Department if they get the new fire engine they requested.

The Port Arthur City Council will meet at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29 at city hall, 444 Fourth St. in Port Arthur.

The council will consider the purchase of one Pierce Fire Engine for the fire department. The purchase is made possible through the HGAC Buy Cooperative Purchasing Program for $744,993.

This fire engine would replace an existing fire engine that has reached its useful lifetime, according to the resolution.

The price includes loose equipment and discounts for the chassis repay and full prepay.

The fire department and the purchasing department determined the cooperative purchase as the most cost effective to buy the vehicle.

The council will hear a presentation by City Attorney Val Tizeno, Harriet Mitchell and Ales Flood of the South East Texas Council On Alcohol & Drug Abuse regarding a proposed city ordinance on social hosting accountability.

It was reported in the Nov. 6 edition of The News the SETCADA Community Coalition Partnerships hosted a town hall meeting on Nov. 10 at the Westside Development Center, 601 W. Rev. Dr. Ransom Howard Sr.

Flood, coalition coordinator, said the purpose of the town hall meeting was to raise awareness about the number one way young people access alcohol — typically at parties.

Flood said the group is hoping to approach city council with the idea of a social host ordinance in Port Arthur that would promote adult responsibility, provide an additional tool for law enforcement to respond to unruly gatherings where underage drinking is happening and help keep youth safe and healthy.

“A lot of individuals and parents are not aware there is a punishable criminal law. For example, if a child goes to a party hosted by a family member of other adult and the child has access to alcohol, leaves the party then gets in a car and gets killed, those parents who held the party can be held accountable,” Flood said.

The potential ordinance would impose civil charges, or fines, for such acts.

The council will consider the FY 2017 contract between the city and the Department of State Health Services, WIC Division for $608,867.

In an interoffice memorandum, the WIC program provides supplemental food vouchers and nutrition education to enhance good health care at no cost to low-income pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children identified to be at nutritional risk.

This grant covers 10 fulltime employees and one contractor who is a registered dietitian.

Lastly, members to the Citizen’s Pipeline Advisory Committee must be appointed and/or reappointed.

They are: Loveless Williams whose term expires Nov. 12, 2016; Deral Segler whose term expires Nov. 12, 2016; Harrison Hill whose term expires on Nov. 12, 2016; Sharon Lynn Watts whose term expires on Nov. 12, 2016; Warren Field whose term expires on May 27, 2017; Harold Joseph Jr. whose term expires on Oct. 4, 2014; Hilton Kelley whose term expires on Nov. 12, 2016; Tyrone Neaveaux whose term expires on Nov. 12, 2016 and Earl Tizeno whose term expires on June 14, 2014.

The committee was created on April 13, 1993 and the term of office is three years.

David Ball: 409-721-2427