Mar 09, 2021 City Council Regular Meeting

[00:00:02]

WELCOME TO THE BUSINESS MEETING FOR THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL FOR THE DATE OF MARCH 9, TWO

[INVOCATION]

THANK YOU, MAYOR NELSON, FOR HAVING ME.

I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER AND MAYOR PRO TEM HOWARD SMITH FOR REACHING OUT TO ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO WITH THIS TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SERVICE.

IF WE COULD PLEASE ALL BOW OUR HEADS AND CLOSE OUR EYES IN OUR RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS.

HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS GOD.

THANK YOU FOR THIS GREAT ASSEMBLY OF SERVANT LEADERS AND HUMBLE SERVANTS.

WE ASK YOU TO GUIDE THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL ON OUR BUSINESS ON THIS AND EVERY DAY.

THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THEM WITH THE HEARTS OF SERVICE AND THE COMPASSION TO LEAD.

WE THANK YOU, FATHER GOD, FOR ALLOWING US TO LIVE IN THIS PRESENT TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO SERVE RIGHT HERE IN THIS GREAT MOMENT WHERE WE ARE TESTED FROM EVERY ANGLE.

WE KNOW, LORD GOD, YOU WERE THERE AND WE DON'T SEE THE TWO SETS OF FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND.

LET US BE REMINDED OF THE FACT THAT YOU ARE CARRYING US IN THOSE MOMENTS.

WE THANK YOU FATHER GOD FOR THIS GREAT DAY.

WE THANK YOU FOR THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND ALL THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO BE REPRESENTED BY THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY OUR ESTEEMED LEADERS IN OUR CITY.

BRING PEACE, COMFORT AND JOY TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM AS THEY TAKE ON THE CHALLENGES OF LEADING THIS CITY, BE MERCIFUL TO US GOD AND GIVE US YOUR GRACE, FOR IT IS UNDESERVED.

FATHER, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO RECEIVE IT.

WE THANK YOU FOR LEADING THIS COUNCIL ON MARCH 29TH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY ONE.

TO GREATER HEIGHTS AS THEY CONTINUE TO LEAD AMARILLO IN THE CAPACITY'S IN WHICH THEY SERVE. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TODAY.

LORD LET YOUR WILL BE DONE IN JESUS'S NAME.

AMEN. AMEN THAT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PRAYER, PATRICK, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS YOUR WORDS, THAT BLESSED US TO START OUR MEETING TODAY.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

ALSO, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH, MAYOR PRO TEM SMITH, WHO FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAS SET UP ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO DO THE INVOCATION.

AND THAT IS A TIME COMMITMENT.

AND WE JUST APPRECIATE YOU.

HOWARD, THANKS FOR DOING THAT FOR US.

YOU'RE WELCOME. IT WASN'T QUIET ALL OF THEM, OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS GOT SOME PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY, BUT I DID A LOT OF THEM.

OK, WELL, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE YOU AND FRANCIS, FRANCIS COORDINATES AND OPERATES BEHIND THE SCENES ON THAT, TOO.

SO, FRANCIS, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO HELP US HAVE THAT SET UP EVERY MEETING.

WE HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS TODAY, THE FIRST ONE IS NATIONAL TRANSIT DRIVER APPRECIATION

[PROCLAMATION]

WHEREAS IN 2020, THE AMARILLO CITY TRANSIT ACT, FOR SHORT, DRIVERS HAVE BEEN ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO CONTINUOUSLY PROVIDED SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC, WHEREAS HEREBY A PROFESSIONAL ACT TRANSIT DRIVERS HAVE A HUGE IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING QUALITY TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE TO THE PUBLIC, SENIORS AND CITIZENS WITH DISABILITIES.

AND WHEREAS OUR PASSENGERS TYPICALLY RELY ON THE ACT TRANSIT DRIVERS TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORK, SCHOOL, SHOPPING AND MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS.

THIS YEAR, ADDITIONAL SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO COVID-19 TESTING, INFUSION AND VACCINATIONS. AND WHEREAS OUR TRANSIT DRIVERS, ROUTE SUPERVISORS, MAINTENANCE, MECHANICS AND UTILITY WORKERS WORK TIRELESSLY TO DELIVER A SAFE, CLEAN AND ESSENTIAL SERVICE THAT STRENGTHENS OUR COMMUNITY.

NOW THEREFORE, WE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MARCH

[00:05:03]

I WILL SAY THAT ACT STANDS FOR AMARILLO CITY TRANSIT, ALSO THE WORD ACT, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE DONE. THEY'VE ACTED TO REACT WHAT WE'VE NEEDED AND CARING OUT TRANSPORTATION FOR ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE.

THANK YOU. I KNOW WE HAVE MARITA AND CHRIS QUICKLY.

OH, WHAT A GREAT THAT'S GREAT PICTURE.

CHRIS, MARITA WITH EITHER ONE OF YOU LIKE TO SAY A WORD.

I WOULD AND I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR HONORING OUR TRANSIT EMPLOYEES, AND WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

AND I HOPE YOU LIKE THE PICTURE OF WE TOOK THAT SO THAT OUR BUS OPERATORS COULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED AND YOU WOULD SEE THEM THANKING YOU WITH A WAVE.

THAT'S WONDERFUL, MARITA.

WE LOVE THE PICTURE.

PLEASE TELL THEM HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE SERVICE THAT THEY PROVIDE TO OUR CITIZENS.

AND WE APPRECIATE BOTH YOU AND CHRIS AND THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR THAT DEPARTMENT. IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING YEAR IN TRANSIT AND Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN A LOT DONE AND MADE PROGRESS DESPITE THE CHALLENGES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WILL PASS THAT ON.

COUNCIL, ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT? I WANTED TO JUST ADD THAT, JUST AGREEING WITH THAT THANK YOU FOR THIS PAST YEAR AND THEN ALSO RECOGNIZING JUST THE ADVANCEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN OUR TRANSIT DEPARTMENT OVERALL, NOT JUST THEM STEPPING UP THIS LAST YEAR, BUT EVEN JUST THE STUDIES THAT WERE STARTED BY THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL THAT THEN WERE CONTINUED AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT WITH MARITA AND HER LEADERSHIP, THE PURCHASE OF THE NEW BUSSES, JUST SEEING THAT PICTURE IS A REMINDER TO JUST. BESIDES JUST SHARP IN APPEARANCE JUST THEY ARE MORE FUNCTIONAL IN SERVING OUR CITIZENS MUCH MORE CONVENIENTLY AND APPROPRIATELY.

AND SO JUST REALLY PROUD OF THE PROGRESS THAT OUR TRANSIT DEPARTMENT HAS MADE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

MAYOR, ALSO, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO AND WHAT COUNCIL'S BEEN ABLE TO DO OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR AND REALLY ALL THE PRECEDING YEARS, REALLY ALSO IS REPLACING OUR OLD, TIRED, WRONG SIZED BUSSES WITH NEW BUSSES, ESPECIALLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR.

MOST OF THAT WAS DONE THROUGH FTA FUNDS.

VERY LITTLE OF IT WAS ACTUAL CITY MONEY.

I THINK OUR MATCH WAS ROUGHLY 20 PERCENT ON MOST OF THESE BUSSES.

MARITA, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THAT, BUT SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR FLEET, IN OUR ASSETS, AND MOSTLY AT UTILIZING FTA FUNDS WITH SOME CITY MATCH, WHICH IS ALWAYS REQUIRED THROUGH FTA PROCESSES, BIG IMPROVEMENTS THOUGH.

NOT TO MENTION THE EFFICIENCIES ON THE ROUTES AS WELL.

AND SO JUST REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THAT DEPARTMENT.

THANK YOU AGAIN. EXCELLENT.

WELL, OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION IS A MEMORIAL FOR THE VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF CORONAVIRUS.

COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL. WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO READ THAT PROCLAMATION FOR US, PLEASE? YES, MAYOR, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO, WHEREAS THE FIRST POSITIVE TEST FOR COVID-19 IN AMARILLO, TEXAS WAS MARCH 18TH, 2020, AND WHEREAS COVID-19 HAS TAKEN THE LIVES OF SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY NINE RESIDENTS IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES IN THE LAST YEAR, AND WHEREAS OUR HEART GOES OUT TO ALL THAT HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE TO COVID-19 AND WHEREAS WE RECOGNIZE EACH FAMILY'S GRIEF AS WE HAVE FELT IT AS A COMMUNITY, AND WHEREAS ON THIS DAY, MARCH NINTH, TWENTY TWENTY ONE WE PROCLAIM MARCH 18TH, TWENTY TWENTY ONE, A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, MEMORIALIZATION AND CELEBRATION OF LIFE FOR THE VICTIMS OF

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FLAGS WILL FLY AT HALF MAST AT CITY FACILITIES GIVEN UNDER OUR HANDS AND SALES OF OFFICE THIS NINTH DAY OF MARCH TWENTY TWENTY ONE, THE HONORABLE MAYOR GINGER NELSON, COUNCIL MEMBERS ELAINE HAYS, RITA POWELL, DR.

EDDIE SAUER AND HOWARD SMITH.

AND MAYOR, I'D JUST LIKE TO OFFER UP TO THE TO THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST A LOVED ONE TO COVID-19 AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT KNOW THOSE FAMILIES.

I ASK THEM TO REACH OUT TO THEM JUST TO SEND A CARD THAT SAYS THINKING OF YOU AND ALSO PERHAPS A PHONE CALL JUST TO CHAT, NOTHING MORE, JUST TO LET THOSE INDIVIDUALS KNOW THAT YOU ARE THERE FOR THEM.

AND SO MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL OF THOSE FAMILIES.

AND OF COURSE, I HAVE HAD TO CARE FOR A LOT OF THOSE FAMILIES IN MY DAY TO DAY RESPONSIBILITIES. SO IT IS VERY, VERY CHALLENGING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS PROCLAMATION? ALL RIGHT, WELL, DEFINITELY IT IS.

IT'S A MILESTONE TO BE MARKED THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY WHEN COVID WAS DISCOVERED IN OUR CITY AND THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT HAVE CHALLENGED US, BUT WE CAN CELEBRATE THROUGH THEM, REMEMBERING THE LIVES THAT WE LOST.

IS DEFINITELY THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN MARKING THAT MILESTONE.

SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, FOR READING THAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRACTICAL EXPERIENCED ADVICE ON HOW WE CAN REACH OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND TAKE CARE OF THOSE FAMILIES.

APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.

THE NEXT PORTION OF THE MEETING IS OUR PUBLIC ADDRESS.

STEPHANIE, DO WE HAVE ANYONE ON THE LINE TODAY TO DO PUBLIC ADDRESS? MAYOR, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TODAY.

OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'LL MOVE ON THEN TO AGENDA ITEM 1A REVIEWING THE AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE REGULAR MEETING

[1A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments;]

[1B. Coronavirus Update;]

SO CASIE, TAKE IT AWAY AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH CORONAVIRUS HERE IN TOWN. WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR TRAUMA SERVICE AREA.

WE'LL TALK ABOUT GA34 AND ANYTHING ELSE COUNCIL WANTS TO TALK ABOUT.

CASIE? THANK YOU. THE PROCLAMATION WAS JUST CERTAINLY.

NOT ONLY PROFESSIONALLY, JUST AMAZING, BUT PERSONALLY.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT NOT TO CRY, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL MEMORIALIZING THAT DAY.

IT'S BEEN QUITE A YEAR FOR OUR PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM, FOR MY FAMILY, FOR JUST PERSONALLY AND I APPRECIATE THIS TEAM.

I CAN'T IMAGINE GOING THROUGH A YEAR LIKE THIS WITHOUT THE PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM, WITHOUT YOU ALL AS A TEAM MEMBER.

SO I APPRECIATE THE PROCLAMATION AND THE WORK THAT THIS TEAM HAS DONE SO.

WE'LL KICK OFF WITH THE NUMBERS.

AS OF TODAY, THERE IS A TOTAL OF THIRTY THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FOUR TOTAL CASES OF COVID-19 IN OUR COMMUNITY, SIXTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SIX CASES IN POTTER COUNTY AND SIXTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY EIGHT CASES IN RANDALL COUNTY. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THIRTY TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE RECOVERIES AND WE'RE THRILLED WITH EACH AND EVERY RECOVERY.

WE ARE UP TO SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY NINE DEATHS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THAT AVERAGES OUT ABOUT TWO PER DAY OVER THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE DAYS.

SO THAT'S A LOT OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WE'VE LOST HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT DOES LEAVE US WITH FOUR HUNDRED ACTIVE CASES.

THE [INAUDIBLE] POSITIVITY RATE IS CURRENTLY AT THREE PERCENT.

THE [INAUDIBLE] IS AROUND [INAUDIBLE] AND THE FIVE DAY NEW CASE AVERAGE IS DOWN TO 40 NEW CASES PER DAY.

OUR GA [INAUDIBLE] HOSPITALIZATION PERCENTAGE.

I GUESS OUR BJ34 HOSPITALIZATION PERCENTAGE, FOUR POINT THREE ONE PERCENT, THAT MEANS

[00:15:01]

[INAUDIBLE] ARE NO LONGER CONSIDERED AN AREA OF HIGH HOSPITALIZATION.

WE ARE STILL IN STATUS LEVEL ORANGE.

LOCALLY WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID-19.

OUR ADULT BED UTILIZATION IS AT SEVENTY SIX POINT FIVE PERCENT.

OUR ICU UTILIZATION IS AT SEVENTY SIX PERCENT AND OUR VENTILATOR CAPACITY IS AT TWENTY FIVE POINT FIVE PERCENT.

TRANSIT HAS PROVIDED THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR FREE RIDES RELATED TO THE CITY'S COVID-19 EFFORT.

FIFTY SIX RIDES TO THE VACCINATION CLINIC AND TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT RIDES TO THE TESTING CENTER. SO TODAY'S TRANSIT DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY, WE HAD A PROCLAMATION FOR THAT, TOO. AND OUR PUBLIC HEALTH TEAM WANTS TO SAY A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR TRANSIT DRIVERS WHO WE LIKE TO CALL HONORARY PUBLIC HEALTH TRANSIT DRIVERS, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEY'VE JUST DEDICATED A FULL YEAR TO PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND SO WE APPRECIATE THEIR SERVICE TO OUR TO OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

SO THANK YOU, TRANSIT.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH SIDE, OUR DRIVE THRU TESTING SITE DOES REMAIN OPERATIONAL, YOU CAN CALL 378-6300 TO BE SCREENED AND DIRECTED TO THE TEST SITE.

THE VACCINATION CLINIC IS STILL OPEN AT THE CIVIC CENTER.

ENTRANCE THREE IS THE ENTRANCE THERE AT THE CIVIC CENTER.

TO DATE, AMARILLO HAS GIVEN FIFTY SEVEN THOUSAND AND EIGHTY SIX FIRST DOSES.

THIRTY THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY THREE SECOND DOSES, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF NINETY SEVEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FIFTY TOTAL DOSES.

WE'LL BE OPEN TODAY UNTIL 7:00, SO IF YOU HAVE TO WORK AND YOU GET OFF A LITTLE BIT LATER, COME SEE US. WE'LL BE HERE UNTIL 7:00.

IF YOU'RE A HEALTH CARE WORKER.

SIXTY FIVE OR OLDER, YOU'RE 18 OR OLDER WITH A CHRONIC HEALTH CARE CONDITION.

AND LAST WEEK, TEACHERS, THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WAS OPENED UP TO TEACHERS, ANYONE WHO WORKS IN A PRIMARY OR SECONDARY SCHOOL, BUS DRIVERS, CUSTODIANS, SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS, ANYBODY WHO WORKS AT THAT, THOSE CAMPUSES OR CHILD CARE, LIKE LICENSED CHILD CARE FACILITIES. SO SCHOOLS AND DAYCARES.

IT DOES REMAIN CRITICAL TO BE VIGILANT IN PROTECTING OURSELVES AND EACH OTHER FROM COVID-19.

MASKING, SOCIAL DISTANCING, STAYING HOME WHEN YOU'RE SICK AND VACCINATION ARE THE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX RIGHT NOW, EVEN IF THERE'S NOT A MASK MANDATE TO WEAR A MASK.

IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO SO AS THE VIRUS IS NOT GONE FROM OUR COMMUNITY.

I VALUE THE WORK THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS DONE IN BRINGING OUR NUMBERS TO A LEVEL WHERE OUR HOSPITALS ARE NOT STRUGGLING.

HOWEVER, EACH DAY WE CONTINUE TO LOSE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO COVID-19.

SO THANK YOU TO THE BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS WHO CONTINUE TO MASK, SOCIAL DISTANCE AND CHOOSE VACCINATION.

THIS IS TRULY A COMMUNITY EFFORT AND I COULD NOT APPRECIATE OUR COMMUNITY MORE.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

COUNCIL, QUESTIONS FOR CASIE? CASIE YOU WERE CUTTING OUT JUST A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS, WOULD YOU REPEAT WHAT? WHAT IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OUR ACTIVE CASES RIGHT NOW? AND THEN ON THE LATEST REPORT CARD, THE NUMBERS FOR THAT DAY.

SO OUR ACTIVE CASES, FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX ACTIVE CASES.

AND I'M SORRY THE NUMBERS FOR THAT DAY, WHICH.

I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU HAD TODAY'S NUMBERS ALREADY, I WAS GLANCING THROUGH TO SEE IF THE REPORT CARD HAD COME OUT YET TODAY.

SO I THINK IT MAY BE THE LAST REPORT CARD WAS YESTERDAY OF WHAT THAT NUMBER WAS.

AND THEN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ARE AVERAGES ABOUT IN THE 40S.

NOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AVERAGING.

YES, WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 40 NEW CASES PER DAY.

SO THESE ARE TODAY'S NUMBERS.

OK, THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE QUESTIONS FOR CASIE? CASIE, DO YOU EXPECT OUR VACCINE SUPPLY TO HOLD STEADY AT FIVE THOUSAND DOSES, OR WILL IT BE INCREASING ANYTIME SOON? I EXPECT IT TO HOLD STEADY.

ONE OF THE, SO THE BENEFITS OF BEING A HUB IS THAT YOUR VACCINE SUPPLY KNOW WHAT THAT IS FROM WEEK TO WEEK, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED FIVE THOUSAND DOSES OF VACCINE EACH WEEK FOR SOME TIME. AND SO I DO EXPECT TO RECEIVE OR WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED WORD THAT THAT WOULD CHANGE.

AND SO I DO EXPECT THAT THE SAME.

ARE YOU STARTING TO RECEIVE ANY OF THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON DOSAGE?

[00:20:05]

I WOULD EXPECT THAT TO BE KIND OF RAMPING UP IN SUPPLY AS TIME MOVES ON, BUT WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED.

WE DID THE STATE SENT OUT A SURVEY ASKING PROVIDERS IF THEY WOULD WANT SOME.

AND WE DID SAY YES, THAT IF WE IF IT WAS SENT TO US, WE WOULD IT WAS AVAILABLE.

THAT WOULD BE FINE IF IT WAS SENT TO US.

CASIE, DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATED NUMBERS ON THE BAM INFUSION, HOW MANY THERAPIES WE HAVE SUPPLIED TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY? YES, JUST OVER A HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE.

SO WE'RE RIGHT AROUND ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY FIVE I THINK.

FRIDAY WAS OUR LAST DAY TO DO BAM INFUSION.

SO WE DID DEMOBILIZE THAT OPERATION AS OUR THE DEMAND FOR THAT JUST WAS REALLY.

DECLINING TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD MOVE THAT BACK INTO THE NORMAL CHAIN OF THE WAY PEOPLE RECEIVE HEALTH CARE, SO WE'RE STILL WORKING IF AS WE RECEIVE IF WE DO RECEIVE A REFERRAL AND WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE PHYSICIAN OR THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER TO MOVE THAT BACK INTO LIKE NORTHWEST BFA, THOSE NORMAL CHAINS OF THE WAY PEOPLE RECEIVE HEALTH CARE. SO WE WERE AT OVERFLOWN FOR BAM INFUSIONS BECAUSE THE HOSPITALS WERE POSITIONED TO BE ABLE TO DO MAX SERVICE FOR CORONAVIRUS PATIENTS.

ONCE THAT STARTED DIALING BACK, THE NEED TO PUSH THOSE OVERFLOW BAM INFUSIONS TO A CITY FACILITY WENT AWAY SO THEY CAN HANDLE THOSE ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS NOW.

SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT SO AN INDIVIDUAL, INSTEAD OF HAVING THAT REFERRAL, COME THROUGH TO THE CITY? CASIE DO YOU MIND JUST DISCUSSING HOW SOMEBODY WOULD REQUEST THAT GOING THROUGH A HOSPITAL, THEIR INDIVIDUAL DOCTOR? JUST KIND OF TALK THROUGH THAT? YES. SO THEY WOULD STILL GO TO THEIR PRIVATE PHYSICIAN OR PRIVATE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND THEN THAT PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER WOULD MAKE THE REFERRAL STRAIGHT TO BFA OR NORTHWEST, JUST LIKE THEY MIGHT MAKE A REFERRAL FOR AN X-RAY OR LAB WORK, OR THOSE NORMAL REFERRAL PROCESSES ARE IN PLACE AND ARE IN PLACE FOR THE WAY PEOPLE RECEIVE HEALTH CARE.

AND SO THEY WOULD MAKE THAT REFERRAL TO THE HOSPITALS INSTEAD OF THE CITY.

IF WE IF WE DO HAPPEN TO GET ONE.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT TAKES A MINUTE FOR FOR ALL OF THOSE ALL THOSE DETAILS TO GET WORKED OUT, THEN WE'LL WORK WITH THOSE PROVIDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND THAT THE PATIENT DOES NOT FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.

THANK YOU. CASIE, CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE TO THE COUNCIL ON.

I KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A PUBLIC STATEMENT YET FROM DSHS OR FROM THE EXPERT VACCINE ALLOCATION PANEL, BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK THE TIMING IS FOR OPENING UP TO THE NEXT CATEGORY AND HOW ARE THEY? HOW DO YOU KIND OF PREDICT THAT CATEGORY MIGHT LOOK? SORRY. SO I WOULD EXPECT AN ANNOUNCEMENT PROBABLY THIS WEEK ON WHAT THAT CATEGORY LOOKS LIKE AND THEN EITHER MID-MARCH OR PERHAPS EVEN EARLY APRIL, THEN THOSE THAT CATEGORY WOULD BE OPENED UP.

SO THE TIMELINES AND SOME OF THE DETAILS ARE STILL ARE.

THE STATE IS STILL WORKING THOSE OUT.

AND SO BUT I DO EXPECT AN ANNOUNCEMENT HERE, JUST HERE ANY TIME.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CASIE, COUNCIL? OK, THANK YOU, CASIE.

MAYOR, I DID I KNOW CASIE TOUCHED ON IT AT A HIGH LEVEL.

THE MAIN TAKEAWAY IN THIS DOES TAKE EFFECT TOMORROW IS THAT ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE OPEN AT 100 PERCENT.

FACE COVERINGS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED IN MORE THAN ONE PLACE IN THE DOCUMENT, GA29, GA32 ARE BOTH SUPERSEDED BY GA34 AND THERE ARE A FEW SPECIAL ABILITIES GRANTED.

IF WE DO BECOME AN AREA OF HIGH HOSPITALIZATION TO HELP OUR AREA MANAGE BETTER MANAGE OUR SITUATION, WE DON'T WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL THAT THAT WON'T BE THE CASE.

BUT IF WE DO GET CLOSE TO THAT AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE UNDER FIVE PERCENT, IF WE DO GET CLOSE TO THAT, THEY'D BE WORKING WITH COUNCIL AND WITH OUR COUNTY JUDGES ON OPTIONS TO BE ABLE

[00:25:02]

BUT THE MAIN TAKEAWAY IS THAT ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE OPEN AT 100 PERCENT AGAIN TOMORROW. SO CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION JARED? SO OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD.

I DO KNOW THAT FEDERALLY FUNDED FACILITIES ARE STILL UNDERNEATH FEDERAL MASKING REQUIREMENT. AND SO I BELIEVE I'VE SEEN SO FAR THAT SINCE OUR TRANSIT HAS RECEIVED A LOT OF DOLLARS FROM FEDERAL MONEY, THAT IT'S UNDERNEATH THAT, THE OFFICES WOULD BE UNDERNEATH THAT SAME FEDERAL MANDATE, YOU GO TO THE POST OFFICE.

YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK.

FEDERAL COURT, THE COURT SYSTEM WILL STILL BE THAT WAY.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT AND I KNOW THAT REALLY SMALL BUSINESSES AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS, IT'LL BE AT THEIR DISCRETION.

BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WILL STILL BE MANDATED ON A FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE A LIST OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE? I DON'T HAVE A LIST OF ALL OF THE FEDERAL FACILITIES IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO, BUT I DO KNOW THAT ALL FEDERAL FACILITIES HAVE BEEN DIRECTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND THEN ALSO BY EACH INDIVIDUAL AGENCY.

SO FTA HAS SENT OUT SPECIFIC GUIDANCE TO ALL OF THE TRANSIT ENTITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

FAA HAS SENT OUT FEDERAL GUIDANCE THROUGH THEIR ADMINISTRATION TO ALL THE AIRPORTS THAT ARE GOVERNED BY FAA GUIDELINES AND FUNDING.

SO OUR AIRPORT FALLS INTO THAT OUR AIRLINES FALL INTO THAT.

OUTSIDE THAT FEDERAL REQUIREMENT, EACH BUSINESS AND EACH ENTITY RESPONSIBLE FOR FACILITIES CAN MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, HERE AT CITY OF AMARILLO.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO REQUIRE FACE COVERINGS INSIDE CITY FACILITIES.

AND THAT'S NOT BECAUSE OF ANY POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS WANTO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADHERING TO THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE AND AS WE SAID INSIDE HIS GA34, HE DOES STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE USE OF FACE COVERINGS ANYWHERE.

THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING AND BEING OUT AND OUT ARE SOCIAL AND CAN'T BE OBSERVED OR BEING OUT ABOUT, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SITUATIONS.

FEDERAL BEING THE MOST PRIMARY THAT IT HAS TO HAPPEN ANY TIME ANYBODY IS IN ONE OF THOSE FACILITIES. SO ANY TIME YOU'RE ON A CITY TRANSIT BUS, WHICH IS FUNDED THROUGH THE FTA, PURCHASED THROUGH FTA PRIMARILY AND FUNDED OPERATIONALLY THROUGH FTA, WE DO HAVE TO ADHERE TO THOSE FEDERAL GUIDELINES.

BUT ALSO WHEN YOU'RE AT THE AIRPORT AND I THINK ANYBODY WHO HAS FLOWN RECENTLY KNOWS WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE. AND A GREAT EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T TOUCH ON IS THE POST OFFICES. JARED, WHAT IS YOUR THINKING OR EXPECTATIONS ABOUT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, AND.

I AM, MY INITIAL THOUGHTS AND OBVIOUSLY I'M VERY OPEN TO INPUT FROM CITY COUNCIL ON THIS, IS WE WOULD MOVE TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS OR AT LEAST HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ONCE WE HAVE ONCE OUR VACCINATION SERIES AND PROGRAMS HAVE OPEN.

TO THE PHASES HAVE OPENED UP TO INCLUDE EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE HAVE ACCESSIBLE VACCINATIONS AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, ONCE WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE, IF THEY WANT A VACCINATION, THEY CAN HAVE A VACCINATION, WELL, THEN WE CAN.

IN MY MIND, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO TO FULLY OPEN OPERATIONS WITH NO REQUIREMENTS FOR FACE COVERINGS OR ANYTHING ELSE. AND IF SOMEONE DOES OR DOES NOT CHOOSE TO GET A FACE COVERING, THAT'S ON THEM NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO GET ONE OR THE YOU SHOULD NOT GET ONE.

I'M JUST SAYING EVERYONE CAN OWN THEIR OWN CONSEQUENCES AT THAT POINT.

AND THAT'S A GOOD TIME WHERE WE SHOULD LOOK AT IT.

SO CAN I. I'M GOING TO THROW A MODIFICATION OUT THERE, JUST THINKING THROUGH IT AS BASICALLY SOMEONE IN THE HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY.

SO ONCE YOU GET A VACCINE, YOU'RE REALLY NOT COVERED UNTIL YOU'RE TWO WEEKS POST SECOND VACCINE. SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE SHOULD KIND OF HOLD THAT AT BAY FOR SIX WEEKS.

ONCE YOU OPEN IT UP TO TO TWO, THEN I WOULD WAIT FOR SIX WEEKS AFTER TWO BEFORE I WOULD MAKE THAT AVAILABLE.

THAT WAY, THOSE WHO DO CHOOSE TO GET THE VACCINE WILL DEFINITELY BE FULLY COVERED AT THAT POINT IN TIME. AND I WOULD SAY JUST THAT WE WOULD NEED A LOT OF GOOD INFORMED INFORMATION FROM OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND CASIE STOUGHTON, BECAUSE THEY'LL KNOW. WHAT TYPE OF PENETRATION WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, HOW MUCH AVAILABILITY HAVE WE HAD FOR HOW LONG? HOW LONG HAVE ANYBODY THAT HAS WANTED A VACCINE BEEN ABLE TO GET A VACCINE? THEN WE CAN ADD THE NECESSARY AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET THAT SECOND VACCINE AND TO PROVIDE THE

[00:30:01]

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF GRAY AREA THERE, BUT WE'LL KNOW WHEN WE GET TO A POINT WHERE EVERYBODY WHO WANTS A VACCINE HAS GOTTEN THE VACCINE OR HAS HAD AN AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THE VACCINE, THE EFFECTIVENESS PERIOD BE PASSED, DON'T I DO NOT KNOW WHEN THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE. SOME OF THE MOST AMBITIOUS PROJECTIONS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVE SAID END OF MAY.

SOME POSSIBLY DIFFERENT PROJECTIONS HAVE BEEN END OF AUGUST, SO SOMETIME IN THE SUMMER, LATE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER, WE CAN EXPECT HOPEFULLY TO GET TO A POINT WHERE OUR COMMUNITY CAN REASONABLY, IF THEY WANT IT, HAVE GOTTEN THE VACCINE.

AND THAT WOULD BE THE TIME WHERE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, REALISTICALLY LOOK AT CONSIDERING GOING TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS FOR ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, INCLUDING THE CITY COUNCIL. JARED I KNOW WE'VE SAID AT VARIOUS TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR WHY WHAT YOUR THINKING WAS AND WHY YOU WENT TO DIGITAL MEETINGS, BUT CAN YOU JUST I HAD A CITIZEN ASK ME ABOUT IT LAST WEEK, AND THAT PERSON DID NOT KNOW WHY WE HAD DONE THAT.

DO YOU MIND JUST REPEATING THAT THINKING? YES, MA'AM. VIRTUAL MEETINGS WERE NOT TIED TO THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER GA29 THOSE WERE ACTUALLY TIED TO THE ORIGINAL DECLARATION OF DISASTER PASSED BY THE GOVERNOR ON, I WANT TO SAY, MARCH 13TH.

THE ABILITY TO DO VIRTUAL MEETINGS WAS SOLIDIFIED ON MARCH 16TH.

SO A FEW DAYS LATER, THROUGH ACTION BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND GOVERNOR.

SO THAT IS THE FUNCTION THAT ALLOWED US TO MOVE TO VIRTUAL MEETINGS.

WE WENT THERE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

THERE WAS A GREAT A LARGE PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE SHUT CITY FACILITIES.

AFTER WE STARTED, WE GOT INTO CORONAVIRUS.

AND THIS IS BEFORE WE REALLY STARTED REALIZING THE EFFECTS HERE IN AMARILLO.

SO THE CLOSING OF CITY FACILITIES, THE REQUIRING A FACE COVERINGS IN CITY FACILITIES WERE NOT TIED TO THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER GA29.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE STARTED REQUIRING FACE COVERINGS IN CITY FACILITIES WELL BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S GA29.

SO THERE IS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR USE OF FACE COVERINGS IN CITY FACILITIES AND GA29.

THE END OF GA29 BY THAT SAME LOGIC DOES NOT DICTATE WHAT WE DO IN CITY FACILITIES OR WHAT A BUSINESS DOES INSIDE THEIR BUILDING.

A NUMBER OF BUSINESSES INSIDE TOWN ARE STILL REQUIRING FACE COVERINGS AND WILL REQUIRE FACE COVERINGS BEYOND TOMORROW.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR GUIDANCE ON FACE COVERINGS IN CITY FACILITIES AND CERTAIN BUSINESSES IN TOWN IS REALLY PREDICATED UPON OUR EXPERIENCE THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING HERE LOCALLY, BUT ALSO THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING STATEWIDE.

AND THEN JUST FOR SOME BUSINESSES THAT EXIST IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT STATES, THEIR GUIDANCE IS NOT ONLY DEPENDENT UPON WHAT WE'RE SEEING LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE, BUT ALSO WHAT THEY'RE SEEING IN ALL THEIR OTHER OPERATING LOCATIONS.

NEVER HAVE THOUGHT BEYOND WHAT YOU WERE ASKING, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS AT PLAY THERE, THE VERY LEAST OF WHICH IS GA29 AS FAR AS DICTATING WHAT WE DO INSIDE CITY FACILITIES OR INSIDE BUSINESSES HERE IN TOWN.

SO EVEN OUTSIDE OF WHAT THOSE SPECIFIC ORDERS ARE, IS OUR COUNCIL ROOM LARGE ENOUGH TO SAFELY PUT THE PEOPLE IN THERE THAT NEED TO ATTEND THE MEETING AND BE DISTANT? IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT TO ATTEND A MEETING, NOT BEING ABLE TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT TO ATTEND A MEETING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STAFF THAT NEED TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT A MEETING, MOST OF WHICH ARE NOT INSIDE CATEGORIES, 1A OR PHASES 1A OR 1B.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO SAY THAT THE TEAM THAT WOULD BE SERVICING A COUNCIL MEETING OR PERFORMING THE FACILITATING A CITY COUNCIL MEETING WOULD HAVE BEEN VACCINATED.

THEY WILL NOT HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AT THIS POINT.

THE SAME IS VERY TRUE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAD FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD BE ATTENDING THE MEETING. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEAM AND OUR PUBLIC ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND ARE AS SAFE AS THEY CAN REASONABLY BE.

WE DO KNOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN VERY GOOD PERFORM AT THESE VIRTUAL MEETINGS.

AND SO IT WOULD BE PREMATURE OF US TO MOVE TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS BEFORE WE CAN REASONABLY BE ASSURED THAT PEOPLE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET VACCINATED IF THEY SO CHOOSE.

THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT SOMEONE HAS TO GET VACCINATED, IT'S JUST SAYING WE WANT THEM TO BE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE IF THEY SO CHOOSE.

ARE THERE CHALLENGES IN MOVING TO A BIGGER ROOM JUST BECAUSE OUR VIDEO AND OUR CAMERA EQUIPMENT, ALL OF THAT IS? YEAH. FROM A TECHNOLOGICAL STANDPOINT.

WE'VE DONE MEETINGS IN THE GRAND PLAZA OVER AT THE CIVIC CENTER BEFORE.

IT'S A MASSIVE OPERATION, ONE IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE TO PERMANENTLY PUT IN THE TECHNOLOGY NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO DO COUNCIL MEETINGS THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS.

SO BASED ON WHAT I KNOW OF OUR COMMUNITY, THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO DO THAT FOR A TEMPORARY PURPOSE, EXPEND THE FUNDS NECESSARY TO MAKE THAT HAVE A REGULAR BASIS.

IT'S A HUGE PUSH TO SET UP THAT FACILITY FOR ONE TIME COUNCIL MEETING.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, WHEN WE'VE DONE THAT, THE SOUND, THE VIDEO AND OTHER THINGS ARE NOT

[00:35:02]

OUR COUNCIL CHAMBER, WE LOSE WELL OVER HALF OF IT IF WE BLOCK OFF SEATS TO ENSURE SOCIAL DISTANCING. SO IT'S A CATCH 22.

SO BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, BASED ON HOW CHALLENGING IT IS TO DO COUNCIL MEETINGS IN OUR [INAUDIBLE] AND THE COST PROHIBITIVE NATURE OF SETTING UP THE GRAND PLAZA TO ABLE TO HANDLE COUNCIL MEETINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS, WE CHOSE CONTINUE FORWARD WITH THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS, THEY ARE WORKING VERY WELL, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL.

ALL FEEDBACK THAT I'VE GOTTEN, ALL THE FEEDBACK THAT I'VE GOTTEN.

I HAVE NOT GOTTEN ANY NEGATIVE FEEDBACK ABOUT THE VIRTUAL MEETINGS FROM THE PUBLIC.

SO THESE ARE A TENABLE WAY TO MOVING FORWARD THAT MANAGES OUR COST AND MANAGES ACCESS AND VISIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT COUNCIL? CASIE, DO YOU HAVE A WAY OF SHOWING OR DO YOU KNOW A PERCENTAGE OF WHAT WE THINK POTTER [INAUDIBLE] POTTER, RANDALL RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN VACCINATED? I MEAN, CAN YOU WORK BACKWARDS OFF OF THAT? HOW MANY PEOPLE WE VACCINATED AND KIND OF GIVE US THIS IS HOW MUCH COVERAGE WE THINK WE HAVE IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES? GIVE ME JUST A MINUTE. OK.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE, COUNCIL, WHILE CASIE WORKS ON THAT? QUESTIONS, WE CAN EVEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING AND CASEIE CAN COME BACK TO US WITH THAT.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? GOING TO SAY THAT POSSIBLY FOR OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON THE UPDATE IS AS OPPOSED TO JUST A PERCENTAGE OF OUR WHOLE POPULATION, IF THERE'S ANY WAY OF WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS, BUT DETERMINING WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR VULNERABLE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN VACCINATED, THAT WOULD BE OUR OLDER AGE GROUPS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR INDIVIDUALS WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT I WOULD THINK WOULD BE THE HARDER INFORMATION TO DETERMINE BUT AGE GROUP AND THE FIRST RESPONDERS.

THOSE ARE THE GROUPS THAT I AM MOST INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AS OPPOSED TO THE JUST GENERAL POPULATION.

SINCE WE HAVE SEEN THAT THE.

DURATION, THE.

INCREASE OF THE VIRUS, THE RAMIFICATIONS, THE CONSEQUENCES ON THE VIRUS CERTAINLY AFFECT DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS DIFFERENTLY, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL INFORMATION AS WE LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE THAT'S COVERED.

I CAN CERTAINLY GET THAT.

I THINK THE THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT WE'RE ALL VULNERABLE TO THE VIRUS AND IT IS YOUNG, HEALTHY PEOPLE THAT CAN SPREAD THE VIRUS AS WELL TO THOSE POPULATIONS THAT YOU DESCRIBED.

SO THAT'S, I THINK, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY VACCINE IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE KIND OF TIERING IT OUT BY THOSE PRIORITY GROUPS RIGHT NOW, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF SUPPLY. SO I'LL CERTAINLY GET ALL OF THAT DATA FOR YOU.

IT MAY TAKE ME JUST A MINUTE.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT CORONAVIRUS OR RESPONSE OR VACCINES? I'LL JUST MAKE ONE MORE JUST WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS, AND I THINK IT'S REAL IMPORTANT, WHENEVER WE'RE CONSIDERING ALL OF THIS AND WE'RE CONSIDERING THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR POPULATION THAT GETS VACCINATED IS AND PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG ABOUT WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY, BECAUSE ALL OF THESE DEATHS ARE TRAGIC.

BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT END UP HAVING RESPIRATORY, LONG TERM RESPIRATORY ISSUES, LONG TERM NEUROLOGICAL ISSUES, LONG TERM CARDIOVASCULAR ISSUES.

AND THEY ARE DEBIL-- AND THERE'S A LOT OF THEM THAT ARE SIGNIFICANTLY DEBILITATING.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER REASON THAT WE DO HAVE TO CONTINUE BEING CAREFUL IS BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS IN FACING THIS.

IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ANY DIFFERENT REALLY, HONESTLY, THAN EVEN THE MEASLES VACCINE.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE DEATH RATE AND WHEN MEASLES CAME OUT WAS REALLY PROBABLY NOT MUCH MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH HERE.

BUT THE PROBLEM WAS, WAS THE NEUROLOGICAL RESULTS THAT YOU HAD FROM IT.

[00:40:02]

YOU DON'T SEE VERY MANY DEATHS WITH IT.

BUT THE DEVASTATING EFFECTS THAT THE NEUROLOGICAL SIDE EFFECTS HAVE ON THE VIRUS, THEY PLAY A MAJOR ROLE.

AND SO I THINK WE CAN'T WE HAVE TO BE ALL ENCOMPASSING WHEN WE LOOK AT BEING VERY.

CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE DO MOVE BACK INTO A NORMAL ASPECT OF IT, BECAUSE PERSONALLY THAT WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WOULD BOTHER ME THE MOST, WOULD BE WHAT KIND OF LONG TERM EFFECTS COULD MY FAMILY END UP HAVING FROM CATCHING THE VIRUS BEYOND THE DEATH? AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT I THINK THAT WORRIES ME THE MOST.

HONESTLY. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO FACTOR THOSE THINGS IN THERE, TOO, WHEN WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THAT. SO I THINK IT'S REAL IMPORTANT FOR US, FOR THE CITIZENS TO BE VACCINATED. AND, OF COURSE, I WOULD NEVER MANDATE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT I DO THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER THAT PART OF IT.

THANK YOU. CASSIE, ARE YOU STILL WORKING? IF SO, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM AND YOU CAN JUST RAISE YOUR HAND WHEN YOU'RE READY AND I'LL COME BACK.

OK, JARED, ARE YOU READY TO MOVE ON? YES, MA'AM. OK, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE UTILITY BILLING MOBILE UNIT PRESENTATION.

[1C. Utility Billing Mobile Unit Presentation;]

I'M GOING TO THROW IT TO LAURA AM I THROWING IT TO YOU OR DEBBIE, WHO'S GOT THIS UTILITY BILLING MOBILE UNIT PRESENTATION? I'VE GOT IT JARED.

YEP, WE'LL HAND IT OVER TO DEBBIE REID, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR.

HI, DEBBIE, I SAW YOU POP UP.

AND SO I DIDN'T MEAN TO THROW SOME CONFUSION OUT THERE, BUT I DEFINITELY WANTED TO GIVE IT TO YOU. GO AHEAD, DEBBIE. ALL RIGHT, GREAT.

THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO PRESENT SOME INFORMATION TO YOU TODAY ABOUT THE MOBILE UTILITY BILLING MOBILE UNIT.

BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WANT TO POINT OUT A FEW OBSERVATIONS THAT I'VE MADE IN MY FIVE MONTHS SO FAR HERE AT THE CITY.

AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, UTILITY BILLING OPERATIONS IMPACT JUST ABOUT EVERY CITIZEN WITHIN THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND OUR COMMUNITY.

EVERYONE NEEDS WATER AND SEWER SERVICES.

EVERYONE NEEDS DRAINAGE AND SANITATION SERVICES.

AND BECAUSE OF THIS DYNAMIC, WHAT I'VE OBSERVED OVER MY YEARS IN WORKING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UTILITY BILLING OPERATIONS CAN BE VERY CHALLENGING, BUT ALSO THEY CAN BE VERY REWARDING IN THAT REGARD.

WATER, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BECOME AN EXPENSIVE COMMODITY IN TEXAS AND ACROSS THE NATION, AND WATER IS A COMMODITY THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO DEAL WITH.

SO I'VE OBSERVED THE CITY OF AMARILLO UTILITY BUILDING TEAM TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO, COHESIVE AS A TEAM, THOROUGH IN THEIR APPROACH, FOCUSED ON PROVIDING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EXTREMELY INNOVATIVE.

AND I DON'T SAY THAT LIGHTLY BECAUSE I WORKED IN ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY WHERE WE HAD JUST ABOUT AS LARGE OF A UTILITY BASE.

AND I OBSERVED VERY GOOD THINGS IN THE TEAM HERE AT THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

JENNIFER GONZALEZ, SHE'S WITH US TODAY.

SHE IS THE CURRENT MANAGER IN UTILITY BILLING AND SHE'S OVER UTILITY BILLING AND VITAL STATISTICS. JENNIFER HAS BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR 13 YEARS AND SHE'S BEEN THE MANAGER OVER UTILITY BILLING FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS.

JENNIFER IS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE AREAS THAT SHE OVERSEES.

I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH HER KNOWLEDGE AND ALSO HER TEAM BUILDING SKILLS.

SHE DOES SOME COOL THINGS WITH HER TEAM TO KEEP THEM MOTIVATED THAT JUST HAVE HAVE JUST AMAZED ME. SO, JENNIFER'S BUILT AN INCREDIBLE TEAM OF EMPLOYEES.

I WOULD SAY THEY HAVE APPROXIMATELY 64 IN TOTAL AND THEY CARRY OUT THE MISSION OF UTILITY BILLING AND VITAL STATISTICS FOR OUR WONDERFUL CITY.

WHEN I INTERVIEW THIS IS KIND OF INTERESTING.

WHEN I INTERVIEWED FOR THE FINANCE DIRECTOR POSITION, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MEMBERS OF THE MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT WOULD BE REPORTING DIRECTLY TO ME.

JENNIFER WAS ONE OF THE TEAM AND JENNIFER DESCRIBED SOME OF THE MANY CHALLENGES UTILITY BILLING FACED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO CONTINUE TO MEET THOSE CUSTOMER NEEDS.

AND I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE MANY INNOVATIVE, INNOVATIVE IDEAS THAT SHE AND HER TEAM HAD COME UP WITH. AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.

JENNIFER IS GOING TO JOIN US AND SHE'S GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU ONE OF THOSE IDEAS THAT CAME OUT AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.

SO, JENNIFER, I BELIEVE SHE'S ON IT.

I THINK STEPHANIE CAN HELP HER GET GET UP AND RUNNING.

I THINK YOUR MUTED JENNIFER, JUST CLICK THAT MICROPHONE BUTTON, YOU KNOW? BUT. I THINK YOU'RE STILL MUTED.

YEAH, IF YOU'VE GOT YOUR PHONE ON ALSO, JENNIFER, YOU'VE GOT TO MOVE ONE OF THOSE

[00:45:05]

HAVEN'T WE ALL BEEN IN THIS POSITION? I THINK ALL OF US AND OUR TECHNOLOGY HOLDING THINGS UP.

I THINK IF SHE MUTES HER COMPUTER, MUTE YOUR COMPUTER AND DON'T MUTE YOUR PHONE.

AND IT MAY BE IF WE COULD HAVE EVERYONE ELSE MUTE YOURSELVES AND JENNIFER, I KNEW WE MAY NOT HAVE FEEDBACK, OK? OK, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? I WANT YOU TO HEAR JENNIFER, BECAUSE SHE SAID, OH, WHAT KIND OF STARTED THEIR THINKING IN THIS FOR THE MOBILE UTILITY UNIT.

SO ARE YOU GOOD NOW? JENNIFER? I THINK THERE'S STILL A LITTLE BIT OF AN ECHO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

I THINK WHAT WE COULD DO, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DEBBIE, DO WE HAVE A, OR JENNIFER, DO WE HAVE A VIDEO OR SOMETHING TO SHOW HERE? YES WE DO. AND THEN LET'S MOVE UP TO DEBBIE'S OFFICE AND STEP INTO YOUR SPOT, DEBBIE, AND GIVE US HER THOUGHTS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT JENNIFER'S THOUGHTS.

YES, IT'S TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE, NOT FREQUENTLY ON THESE MEETINGS.

AND AND YOU'RE WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THESE LEARNING CURVES THAT WOULD GIVE US A CHANCE TO GO AND THROW THE VIDEO UP THERE AND THEN HAVE JENNIFER'S COMMENTS HERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. OK, THANK YOU.

JENNIFER WILL BE UP IN A FEW AND THE VIDEO IS JUST A SHORT VIDEO.

BUT AND I'LL TELL YOU, JENNIFER AND I PRACTICED THIS THIS MORNING BECAUSE SHE YOU KNOW, SHE HASN'T BEEN INVOLVED IN THE MEETINGS, BUT WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T GET ECHO THEN, BUT THERE AREN'T AS MANY PEOPLE ON THE MEETING AS WELL.

SO WE DO HAVE A SHORT VIDEO.

SO STEPHANIE WILL GO AHEAD AND PLAY THAT AND JENNIFER WILL COME UP HERE TO MY OFFICE.

SHE HAS TO COME UP HERE BY THE STAIRS.

BUT, STEPHANIE, IF YOU COULD PLAY THE VIDEO.

THE CITY OF AMARILLO MOBILE UNIT IS A NEW FEATURE OF A UTILITY BILLING DEPARTMENT THAT WILL PROVIDE A QUICK AND CONVENIENT WAY FOR CUSTOMERS TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS RELATED TO THEIR UTILITY BILL ACCOUNT.

THE MOBILE UNIT CONSISTS OF A DRIVE THRU WINDOW FOR PAYMENTS.

IT ALSO INCLUDES TWO WALK UP WINDOWS TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS WITH VARIOUS NEEDS RELATED TO THEIR UTILITY BILL ACCOUNT, SUCH AS MAKING UTILITY BILL PAYMENTS, ASKING QUESTIONS RELATED TO THEIR UTILITY BILL ACCOUNT, AND SETTING UP VARIOUS UTILITY ACCOUNT ARRANGEMENTS.

FOR MOBILE UNITS, INITIAL HOURS OF OPERATION WILL BE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY FROM 7:30 A.M.

TO 4:30 P.M.

AND WILL BE LOCATED IN THE PARKING LOT ON THE EAST SIDE OF CITY HALL OFF JOHNSON STREET.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MOBILE UNIT AND A MAP OF THE LOCATION, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY'S WEBSITE AT BILLING.AMARILLO.GOV.

OK, SHE'S NOT HERE YET.

I'M SURE SHE'S ON HER WAY, BUT THE MOBILE UNIT IS LOCATED RIGHT OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL AND SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS YOU MIGHT APPRECIATE THE DRIVE UP FUTURE AND SHE'S COMING IN NOW. THE DRIVE UP FEATURE, I THINK, IS GOING TO BE A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR CITIZENS, SOMETHING THAT SOME OF YOU, I THINK HAVE LOOKED FOR.

SO LET ME LET JENNIFER GET IN MY CHAIR AND SHE'LL KIND OF EXPLAIN THE VISION.

WELCOME, JENNIFER, WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO I REALLY JUST KIND OF WANTED TO START OFF THE YOU KNOW, THIS IDEA CAME UP WHEN COVID FIRST STARTED AND IT WAS A COMBINATION OF MANY IDEAS FROM PEOPLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.

AND OUR PURPOSE, THOUGH, HAS REALLY NEVER CHANGED.

THE PURPOSE FOR ALL OF THIS WAS TO PROVIDE A SERVICE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO CONTINUE TO BE SAFE AND AND THAT WE COULD HELP THEM DURING THIS TRANSITION.

I AM REALLY EXCITED WITH ALL OF THE THINGS THAT THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING. AND WE'VE HAD HELP FROM SEVERAL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.

SO HUGE A THANK YOU TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS.

WE HAD FACILITIES, WE HAD FLEET SERVICES, OUR I.T.

DEPARTMENT, PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATION.

THEY ALL HAD A HUGE PART IN MAKING THIS MOBILE UNIT COME TO LIFE.

SO I DON'T KNOW OF A VIDEO.

OK, SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO FIRST START OFF IN OPERATING FROM CITY HALL, BUT WE WILL BE TRANSITIONING INTO DIFFERENT AREAS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY TO

[00:50:06]

AND THAT WILL BE DEPENDENT ON THE DISTRICT DUE DATES AS WELL AS THE NEED FOR CONVENIENT SERVICES WITHIN THEIR AREA.

SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO GET THIS UP AND RUNNING.

AND I HOPE THAT YOU ALL TOO ARE AS WELL.

COUNCIL, FEEDBACK FOR JENNIFER AND DEBBIE? OR QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I'D AGAIN, REALLY QUICK, JENNIFER, GREAT JOB.

AND HERE'S THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD REALLY WANT TO SAY IS THIS IS JUST LIKE THE VACCINATION CLINIC HERE.

WE'VE GOT A PRIME EXAMPLE OF WE HAVE A PROBLEM AND WE DON'T HAVE JUST ONE CITY DEPARTMENT THAT'S GOING TO PITCH IN AND MAKE THIS THING WORK.

WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND I THINK THAT JUST IS A REFLECTION UPON HOW GREAT A TEAM THAT WE HAVE WORKING FOR US AT THE CITY AND TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS.

AND THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, TRYING TO ADDRESS CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES AND AS WE HAVE MOVED FORWARD, TRYING TO MAKE EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS BECOME MORE EFFICIENT AND BETTER NOW THAT WE'RE SEEING THEM, THEY'RE ACTUALLY HELPING EACH OTHER OUT.

THEY'RE COMING UP WITH GREAT IDEAS.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA, GIVING A WAY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR UTILITY BILLING TO MAKE THINGS MUCH MORE CUSTOMER FRIENDLY.

AND SO REALLY, JENNIFER, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.

APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH.

ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.

SURE. THE MOBILE UNIT IS A GREAT IDEA, SO YOU WOULD MOVE IT TO OTHER PLACES IN THE CITY AND HAVE SPECIFIC TIME THAT IT BE AT A CERTAIN PLACE SO PEOPLE COULD.

CORRECT. YES, WE'RE WANTING TO COORDINATE WITH THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN, WHICH WE CALL DISTRICTS FOR BILLINGS AND WILL BE THERE DEPENDENT ON THEIR DUE DATE.

SO WE'RE WANTING TO UTILIZE OWNED PROPERTIES FIRST TO BEGIN WITH TO HAVE THIS SERVICE AVAILABLE TO CUSTOMERS IN THEIR AREA.

AND SO IF THINGS CONTINUE TO GET BETTER WITH COVID AND ALWAYS GO INTO CITY HALL AT THAT TIME. PAY THE BILLS.

CORRECT. NOW WE'RE JUST WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO TAKE THIS TO THEM, SOMETIMES IT'S NOT AS EASY TO GET DOWNTOWN TO PAY THEIR UTILITY BILLS.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS CONVENIENT AS POSSIBLE FOR OUR {INAUDIBLE] TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY NEED TO. SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA TO ME, I'VE SEEN THAT OUT ON THE PARKING LOT.

I DIDN'T KNOW. THANK YOU.

ELAINE, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? AND JENNIFER, I LOVE THE MOBILE UNIT EVEN BEFORE COVID, AS YOU'RE SAYING, IT WAS A CONCERN WHEN WE WOULD SEE MOMS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN HAVING TO UNLOAD EVERYBODY AND HAUL THEM INTO CITY HALL AND STAND IN LINE.

AND SO JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE PROBLEM SOLVING AND IDENTIFYING A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. IT'S ALWAYS EASIER TO TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE, BUT THEN COME UP WITH THAT SOLUTION. AND SO VERY EXCITED.

I LOVE THE IDEA OF THAT.

IT'S GOING IT'S GOING TO THE LOCATION AND TIMING WILL BE DEPENDENT UPON THOSE DISTRICTS.

AND WHEN THOSE BILLS ARE DUE AND WE WILL WORK TO HELP GET THAT INFORMATION OUT FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO BE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO JENNIFER SAYING THAT GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT, IS THERE A CHANCE THAT WE CAN HAVE A COPY OF THAT VIDEO THAT WE COULD PUT OUT, LIKE ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO KIND OF HELP START GETTING THAT MESSAGE OUT OF WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING? ABSOLUTELY.

YES. I CAN WORK WITH PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS TO GET YOU THAT VIDEO.

YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT VIDEO, BY THE WAY.

THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, JENNIFER, ONE OF OUR EIGHT PILLARS IS CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF A DEPARTMENT NOT JUST BEING A FRIENDLY FACE IN THE MOMENT IN THE WAY WE'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING, BUT ACTUALLY TRYING TO EXPAND HOW WE IMPACT CUSTOMERS AND BE MORE SERVICE ORIENTED.

SO I THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA.

AND I ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL HEAR US SAY AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL FAIRLY OFTEN IS, WELL, HOW IS PRIVATE INDUSTRY DOING THIS OR HOW CAN WE INTEGRATE THINGS THAT ARE

[00:55:03]

WE'VE WATCHED AS ALL OF US FOLLOW OUR FAVORITE FOOD TRUCKS.

AND WE THIS IS A PHENOMENON THAT WE ARE NOW KIND OF USED TO IN SOCIETY.

YOU CAN HAVE A BUSINESS THAT MOVES AROUND ON A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE AND PEOPLE CAN FIND YOU DIGITALLY THROUGH THEIR PHONES.

SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD MIX OF UPPING OUR COMMUNICATIONS PILLAR AND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE PILLAR. AND APPRECIATE ALSO ELAINE'S PERSPECTIVE AS A MOM WHO HAS LOADED KIDS AND STOOD IN LINE WITH KIDS.

AND IT'S IT'S NOT AN EASY THING.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FROM A MOM'S PERSPECTIVE.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE FOR JENNIFER OR DEBBIE? OK, JENNIFER, THANKS, THANKS FOR PERSEVERING.

THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE THAT.

DEBBIE, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OK, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM O1D, WHICH IS A PRESENTATION OF, YOU KNOW, ONE MORE THING I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THAT UNIT.

STEPHANIE, CAN YOU PUT THE PICTURE UP AGAIN? I LOVE THE LOGO THAT'S ON THE BACK.

GIVE ME ONE SEC, OK, SORRY, I TOTALLY THREW YOU A CURVEBALL THERE, THAT IT'S THE NEIGHBORS SERVING NEIGHBORS LOGO AND STAFF DEVELOPED THAT LOGO TO ENHANCE EMPLOYEES THINKING MORE AND MORE ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE.

AND IT IS THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER FOR.

THERE IT IS.

WE AS CITY STAFF, WHEN WE IMPROVE OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THINK CUSTOMER SERVICE, IT'S JUST ABOUT NEIGHBORS SERVING NEIGHBORS.

SO I LOVE THAT THAT THAT CUSTOMER SERVICE LOGO DEVELOPED BY THE STAFF IS ON THIS MOBILE UNIT JUST TO PROMOTE THAT.

[INAUDIBLE]. JUST TO GIVE SOME INSIGHT INTO THAT LOGO, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT LOGO, THAT WAS A CITYWIDE CONTEST TO CREATE THAT LOGO.

AND IT WAS LED BY LAURA STORRS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WHEN SHE WAS LEADING OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM.

AND LAURA MAY HAVE MORE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR HER, BUT THAT WAS A WE HAD A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ON WAYS TO GET THIS THEME ACROSS.

SO THAT WAS A EMPLOYEE LED, EMPLOYEE DRIVEN, EMPLOYEE SOURCED EFFORT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

IN RESPONSE TO THE COUNCIL'S GUIDANCE ON OUR PILLARS WITH REGARD TO WITH REGARD TO CONVERSE WITH REGARD TO CUSTOMER SERVICE.

I THINK THAT'S GREAT AND I HOPE WE START SEEING THAT LOGO COMING OUT OF EVERY DEPARTMENT WITH NEW IDEAS HOW TO BETTER SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS.

MAYOR, BEFORE WE JUMP TO 1D, YOU'D WANTED TO GO BACK TO CASIE [INAUDIBLE] HER CHANCE, SHE'S GOT SOME DATA FOR YOU, IF YOU'D LIKE.

GREAT. LET'S GO BACK TO CASIE.

CASIE. HEY, SO I DID THE MATH AND SO.

THE FIRST DOSE GIVEN OUT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION, WE HAVE ABOUT 25.4 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION OF THE ADULT POPULATION THAT HAS RECEIVED THEIR FIRST DOSE AND 17.9 PERCENT THAT HAS BEEN FULLY VACCINATED.

FOR THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS, SO AND AND REALLY, EVERYBODY THAT HAS RECEIVED THE VACCINE SHOULD BE IN ONE OF IS IN ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES, BUT THAT THOSE THAT 25.4 AND 17.9 IS OUT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.

BUT THERE WAS 1A 1B CATEGORIES AND THEN THE EDUCATORS OF THAT POPULATION THAT WOULD BE 39 .2 PERCENT HAS RECEIVED A FIRST DOSE AND 27.7 PERCENT HAS BEEN FULLY VACCINATED.

AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT, LIKE, THOSE ARE THOSE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE, JUST THE 25.4 AND 17.9 PERCENT IS OUT OF IS CALCULATED OUT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IT APPEARS THAT WE ARE SIGNIFICANTLY OUTSTRIPPING.

AND POSSIBLY THE NATION, WITH REGARD TO VACCINE PENETRATION.

DEPENDING ON WHAT MORNING SHOW YOU LOOK AT, WE'RE ANYWHERE FROM SIX TO NINE PERCENT VACCINATED AS A STATE AND A LOT OF THEM ARE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT REGIONS OF THE STATE OR REGIONS OF THE COUNTRY THAT VACCINATING AT A HIGHER RATE THAN MOST MOST AREAS OF THE

[01:00:05]

GOOD JOB, CASIE AND TEAM.

JARED, WE'VE JUST OVER AND OVER AGAIN EVERY WEEK, WE WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THE EFFORT. AND AS FAR AS THE STATE BEGINS TO OPEN UP, I DO WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO BE CAUTIOUS, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF COMFORT KNOWING THAT WE ARE GETTING GOOD PENETRATION ON OUR VACCINES. SO CASIE, THANKS FOR RUNNING THOSE NUMBERS.

SORRY TO SPRING THAT ON.

NO, THAT'S OKAY..

I ALWAYS APPRECIATE MY MATH TEACHERS SO THAT THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD SKILL WHEN YOU NEED TO DO THAT. EVERY ONE OF THEM TO, YOU KNOW, BEAT THE DRUM FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOR CASIE AND CASIE WILL QUICKLY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS VACCINATION CENTER HAS DONE MORE VACCINATIONS THAN ANY OTHER VACCINATION CENTER IN THE UNITED STATES.

IS THAT STILL TRUE, CASIE? PROBABLY PER CAPITA, BUT SOME OF THE BIG CITIES ARE CERTAINLY THEY HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE. AND THEY HAVE.

YEAH, BUT ANY SINGLE VACCINATION CENTER? THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF VACCINATION CENTERS IN BIG CITIES AND THEY'RE DOING RESERVATIONS AND THINGS. THERE'S NO SINGLE AND I COULD BE WRONG, BUT WE'RE REALLY KILLING IT, SO GREAT JOB. WE ARE.

SO WE HAVE A GOOD TEAM.

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OR YOU KNOW IF YOU KNOW SOMEBODY WHO HASN'T BEEN VACCINATED, PLEASE SEND THEM OUR WAY AT 39 PERCENT AND T27 PERCENT.

THAT'S, THOSE ARE AMAZING NUMBERS.

BUT STILL THERE'S ROOM FOR PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED.

SO WE CERTAINLY WANT PEOPLE TO STILL COME TO THE CLINIC AND TO BE VACCINATED.

CASIE, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I AM STILL RECEIVING COMPLIMENTS EVERY WEEK, JUST WEEK AFTER WEEK ON HOW WELL RUN THE CENTER IS AND JUST THE FRIENDLINESS OF THE PEOPLE WORKING.

AND I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE TO BE TIRED AND I KNOW THEY'RE ON MULTI THOUSAND OF A VACCINE, THAT THEY'RE GIVING A VACCINATION AND JUST STILL GREAT FEEDBACK AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE BEING THE SERVICE THAT'S BEING PROVIDED, NOT JUST THE EFFICIENCY OF IT, BUT WITH THE WRAPPED IN A LOT OF KINDNESS AND CONCERN.

WELL, I SURE APPRECIATE THAT OUR TEAM REALLY LOVES TO SERVE JUST LIKE THE OTHERS.

I'M ALWAYS IMPRESSED WITH JENNIFER.

SHE'S AMAZING.

ALL OF THE OTHER TEAMS, LIKE OUR CITY STAFF, ARE THERE TRULY ONE OF A KIND.

SO I'M PROUD TO BE PART OF THE TEAM AND I APPRECIATE MINE.

AND I'LL TAKE THAT WORD BACK TOO.

SO THANK YOU. OK, LET'S MOVE ON TO 1D AND TALK ABOUT THE ANNUAL RACIAL PROFILING REPORT

[1D. Presentation and Discussion of the Amarillo Police Department 2020 Annual Racial Profiling Report;]

WE DO THIS REPORT ANNUALLY.

WE LIKE TO PRESENT THEIR SUPPORT, TO COUNCIL, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE FROM THE COUNCIL OR THE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE RACIAL PROFILING REPORT.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, CHIEF MARTIN BIRKENFELD.

CHIEF? THANK YOU, SIR, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN, I HAVE A SHORT SLIDESHOW HERE JUST TO KIND OF HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS.

THE RACIAL PROFILING REPORT IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.

WE DO THIS EVERY YEAR, LIKE MR. MILLER SAID, AND WE PROVIDE A COPY TO CITY COUNCIL THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO YOU AROUND THE FIRST OF THE MONTH AS A FULL 17 PAGE REPORT.

AND IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE.

AND I'LL SHOW THAT AT THE END OF THE SLIDE SHOW.

SO ON A YEARLY BASIS, THE TEXAS CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE OUTLINES THE EXACT DATA THAT WE HAVE TO COLLECT. AND WE ALSO HAVE TO CONDUCT AN ANALYSIS ON THAT DATA.

ON EVERY SINGLE TRAFFIC STOP THAT OCCURS, WE COLLECT THAT THROUGH THE WARNING OR THE TICKET THAT'S ISSUED AT THE TIME OF THE TRAFFIC STOP.

SO OUR POLICY IN PRACTICE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS WHOLE THING.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MAINTAINS AN UNWAVERING STANCE AGAINST RACIAL PROFILING.

WE HAVE POLICY IN PLACE AND PRACTICE IN PLACE THAT EXPRESSLY FORBIDS THE RACIAL PROFILING IN TRAFFIC STOPS OR ANY OTHER [INAUDIBLE] ACTIVITY.

ALL OF OUR CARS ARE EQUIPPED WITH VIDEO SYSTEMS. ALL OF OUR PATROL OFFICERS HAVE BODY CAMERAS.

SO WE HAVE VIDEO AND AUDIO OF ALMOST EVERY TRAFFIC STOP THAT OCCURS.

AND OUR SUPERVISORS ARE REQUIRED BY POLICY AND PRACTICE TO CONDUCT RANDOM AUDITS OF THE VIDEO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO DO THE DOING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING GOOD SERVICE AND WE'RE NOT ENGAGING IN ANY PRACTICES THAT WOULD BE UNETHICAL.

ON OUR COMPLAINT PROCESS, EVERY SINGLE COMPLAINT THAT COMES THROUGH, WHETHER IT COMES DIRECTLY TO A SUPERVISOR OR DIRECTLY TO OUR INTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICE OR HERE IN THE CHIEF'S OFFICE, WE INVESTIGATE EACH COMPLAINT REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE THINK OF IT, OR IF WE

[01:05:03]

AND SECONDLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR POLICIES AND OUR PRACTICES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE COMMUNITY'S VALUES.

IN 2020 WE DID NOT RECEIVE A SINGLE COMPLAINT FROM REGARDING RACIAL BIAS OR RACIAL PROFILING, WHICH IS A VERY GOOD THING.

SO SOME OF THE DATA THIS MOST OF THIS WILL TRACK BACK ABOUT FIVE YEARS.

AND THIS JUST SHOWS A TREND OF OUR TRAFFIC STOPS.

IN 2020, OUR STOPS WERE DOWN QUITE A BIT BECAUSE OUR OFFICERS WERE OCCUPIED ON A FEW OTHER THINGS, ESPECIALLY OUR MOTORCYCLE OFFICERS WERE HELPING WITH SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES RELATED TO VACCINATIONS AS WELL AS THE TESTING CENTER.

BUT THERE WAS ALSO SOME CHANGES IN TRAFFIC LAWS, SOME TEMPORARY CHANGES PUT IN PLACE BY THE GOVERNOR THAT REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF OFFENSES.

SO OUR TRAFFIC STOPS WERE DOWN TO 31,503 STOPS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT THE PROFILING REPORT ASK IS, WAS THE RACE KNOWN PRIOR TO THE STOP? IN OTHER WORDS, DID THE OFFICER KNOW THE PERSON THAT THEY WERE STOPPING OR WHAT THE PERSON LOOKED LIKE? AND IN 98 PERCENT OF THE TRAFFIC STOPS, THIS WAS NOT KNOWN.

THE OFFICER SEES A CAR SPEEDING.

THEY PULLED THE CAR OVER, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN THEY FIRST DISCOVER WHO'S ACTUALLY DRIVING THE CAR. THIS CHARTS A LITTLE MORE BUSY, BUT THE RIGHT HAND TWO COLUMNS ARE THIS YEAR'S DATA AND YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKDOWN.

AND AGAIN, THESE LABELS, THESE THESE CATEGORIES ARE WHAT TCOLE AND WHAT THE CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE REQUIRES US TO COLLECT.

THESE ARE NOT CATEGORIES THAT WE DESIGNATE.

SO THIS IS STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO ASSIGN ON EACH TRAFFIC STOP.

MOST OF THAT INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE DRIVER'S LICENSE.

OCCASIONALLY, IF A PERSON DOESN'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE, THE OFFICER MAY HAVE TO ASK THE PERSON OR JUST PUT DOWN WHAT WHAT THEY REASONABLY BELIEVE.

BUT MOST OF THE TIME IT'S IN THE DRIVER'S LICENSE INFORMATION.

IT'S ALSO BROKEN DOWN BY GENDER.

YOU CAN SEE HERE, YOU KNOW, 41 PERCENT OF THE TRAFFIC STOPS FOR FEMALE, 59 PERCENT WERE MALE. THIS IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT QUESTION.

AND THIS HAS TO DO WITH SEARCHING VEHICLES.

AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF TRAFFIC STOPS, OVER 98 PERCENT.

THERE'S NO SEARCH CONDUCTED.

AND LAST YEAR THERE WAS ABOUT 500 SEARCHES CONDUCTED, WHICH IS ABOUT 1.6 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL TRAFFIC STOPS.

SO THIS BREAKS DOWN WHEN A SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED.

SO WHEN A SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED AND THESE PERCENTAGES ARE A TOTAL OF THE SEARCHES, NOT A TOTAL OF THE TRAFFIC STOPS.

SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE 807 PERCENT OF THE SEARCHES WERE CONDUCTED.

OF ALL THE SEARCHES CONDUCTED WERE CONSIDERED WHITE, 31.5 HISPANIC, 18.2 BLACK, AND THEN JUST LESS THAN ONE PERCENT ON ALASKA, NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN OR ASIAN CATEGORIES.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL SEARCHES, NOT THE TOTAL TRAFFIC STOPS.

THE REASONS FOR THE SEARCH VARY, AND THIS BREAKS DOWN AGAIN, WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES CONSENT TO SEARCH IS CASES WHERE THE OFFICER SUSPECTS SOMETHING OR SEE SOMETHING THAT AROUSES THEIR SUSPICION.

AND SO THEY ASK THE OCCUPANT FOR CONSENT TO SEARCH EITHER THEIR PERSON OR THE VEHICLE.

INCIDENT TO ARREST IS WHERE AN ARREST OCCURRED FOR SOME OTHER OFFENSE.

AND THE STATE LAW ALLOWS US TO CONDUCT A SEARCH OF THE PERSON OR THE VEHICLE FOR SAFETY REASONS TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT A WEAPON OR SOMETHING DANGEROUS THAT WE'RE TAKING INTO THE POLICE CAR OR INTO THE JAIL.

65 BASED ON PROBABLE CAUSE.

THIS IS WHERE THE OFFICER WILL CAUSE TO BELIEVE AN OFFENSE HAD OCCURRED.

AND SO THEY CAN CONDUCT A SEARCH OF A VEHICLE IN THOSE CASES, 46 CONTRABAND IN PLAIN VIEW. THIS IS WHERE THE OFFICER WOULD SEE, FOR EXAMPLE, A WEAPON OR NARCOTICS OR SOMETHING IN PLAIN VIEW, WHICH ALLOWS FOR AN IMMEDIATE ARREST.

AND THEN THREE, WHERE AN INVENTORY OF WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS IMPOUNDED DURING THE TRAFFIC STOP FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND AN INVENTORY SEARCH IS CONDUCTED TO MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER PROPERTY THAT WE NEED TO ACCOUNT [INAUDIBLE] WE SEND IT TO THE TOWING COMPANY.

ARRESTS FROM TRAFFIC STOPS.

THESE ARE THE CATEGORIES MOST OF THEM WERE FOR DWI, ALTHOUGH THE CAVEAT THERE IS DWI ARRESTS ARE SOMETIMES A RESULT OF A CRASH, WHICH IS NOT A SELF INITIATED ACTIVITY.

SO SOME OF THESE ARE TRAFFIC STOPS.

SOME OF THESE ARE CRASHES. THE REST ARE SIMPLY ON TRAFFIC STOPS.

23 FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE PENAL CODE, 115 FOR TRAFFIC LAW VIOLATIONS, 4 FOR VIOLATIONS OF CITY ORDINANCE AND 73 ON WARRANTS.

THIS IS ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT CATEGORY.

WAS PHYSICAL FORCE USED? AND THIS IS A TOTAL OF ALL THE TRAFFIC STOPS AND AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE BY FAR PHYSICAL FORCE WAS ONLY USED IN A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF TRAFFIC STOPS.

31,350 WHERE NO FORCE WAS USED AT ALL DURING THE STOP, 151 WERE THERE.

YES, YES, THERE WAS FORCE USED, BUT THERE IS NO INJURY THAT OCCURRED.

IN OTHER WORDS, IS A PERSON MAY HAVE PUT UP SOME TYPE OF PASSIVE RESISTANCE.

THE OFFICER USED A CONTROL HOLD OF SOME TYPE AND TOOK THEM INTO CUSTODY.

[01:10:04]

I [INAUDIBLE] THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE PERSON TO BE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL TO BE TREATED FOR THAT INJURY.

THIS FULL REPORT, AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT 17 PAGES.

IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE AT AMARILLO POLICE.ORG OR AT THE AMARILLO.GOV WEBSITE AND I PUT THE FULL ADDRESS THERE IN CASE SOMEBODY WANTS TO DRILL DOWN INTO THAT AND PULL THE FULL REPORT. YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT AS A PDF.

SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL, QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF? CHIEF BIRKENFELD, CAN YOU EXPAND JUST A LITTLE BIT ON THE PHYSICAL FORCE THAT WAS USED FOR THE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE INJURED AND THEY WERE HISPANIC, HISPANIC PERSONS, CAN YOU JUST EXPAND A LITTLE BIT OF WHY THAT WHY THAT TOOK PLACE OR WHY THE FORCE HAD TO BE USED? AND IN THOSE TWO INCIDENTS, INSTANCES .

BOY I CAN HARDLY GET MY WORDS OUT THERE.

I UNDERSTAND, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO THOSE TWO INCIDENTS, BUT I CAN GET THAT AND VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT IT OR PRESENT AGAIN IF YOU NEED ME TO DO THAT.

OK, AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION WOULD BE WITHIN THE RACIAL PROFILING REPORT, IF YOU COULD TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WRITTEN WARNINGS THAT WERE ISSUED IN AND MAYBE HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE REPORT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, IT LOOKS IT LOOKS LIKE ABOUT 61 PERCENT OF WHITES RECEIVED WARNINGS VERSUS THE OTHER RACES.

YES, MA'AM. AND AGAIN, THAT CATEGORY IS A TOTAL FOR THAT CATEGORY ONLY.

SO IN OTHER WORDS, 100 PERCENT OF THE WRITTEN WARNINGS ARE IN THAT PARTICULAR BOX AND THEN THAT CATEGORY IS BROKEN DOWN.

THAT'S 63.9 PERCENT OF THE WHITE CATEGORY OUT OF THAT 100 PERCENT RECEIVE WARNINGS, WHICH IS CAN BE CORRELATED OVER TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TRAFFIC STOPS.

SO, IN OTHER WORDS, FOR THE TOTAL NUMBER OF TRAFFIC STOPS, IT WASN'T 63 PERCENT OF ALL THE STOPS. IT WAS SIMPLY.

63 PERCENT IN THE WARNING CATEGORY WERE WHITE, 23.9 PERCENT IN THE WARNING CATEGORY WERE HISPANIC. 10.3 IN THE WARNING CATEGORY WERE BLACK AND SO ON.

DOES THAT MAKE BETTER SENSE? YES, SIR, IT DOES.

AND YOU COULD SEE THE SAME UNDER THE CITATION CATEGORY AND THE OTHER CATEGORIES AS WELL, IT'S A PERCENTAGE OF THE CATEGORY AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY LOVE THE WAY THIS IS BROKEN DOWN. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES US TO LIST IT OUT.

AND THIS IS WHAT THEY EXPECT TO SEE IN THE REPORT THAT WE'RE TURNING TO TCOLE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF? ANY FINAL COMMENTS? NO, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME ON THIS, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AND I'LL CHECK ON THE INFORMATION FOR COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, ON THOSE TWO INCIDENTS.

AGAIN, I JUST I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE ARE COMMITTED TO HAVING AN ETHICAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE A HISTORY OF IT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE.

WE'RE GOING TO LEARN AND GET BETTER. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT OUR DATA COLLECTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACCURATELY COLLECTING THIS DATA.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE CLOSE, BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE 100 PERCENT ACCURATE IN SOME AREAS.

AND I'M LOOKING AT THAT. WE JUST WE TRANSITION TO A NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN 2020. AND SO AS OF JANUARY 1ST OF THIS YEAR, WE'LL HAVE A CLEAN START AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COLLECT OUR DATA IN A PROPER FASHION, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THAT OUR POLICY IN PRACTICE IS IN LINE WITH WHAT OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS.

AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I MEAN, THAT JUST TO GET DOWN IN THE WEEDS FOR JUST A SECOND, YOU BROUGHT IT UP? I'M GOING TO ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THE ACADEMY, DO YOU HAVE TRAINING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT HOW TO COLLECT THIS DATA AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR PROTECTING NOT JUST CITIZENS, BUT ALSO THE INTEGRITY AND THE REPUTATION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE TRUST BETWEEN CITIZENS AND POLICE OFFICERS? WE DO.

WHEN THE RECRUITS ARE GOING THROUGH TRAFFIC STOP TRAINING AND HOW TO FILL OUT A TRAFFIC TICKET. IT SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY THING.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT.

NOT ONLY IS THE DATA, IT HAS TO BE ACCURATE, BUT IT ALSO HAS TO BE CONSISTENT.

THE DAYS OF ISSUING VERBAL WARNINGS ARE PRETTY MUCH GONE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DOCUMENT EVERY TRAFFIC STOP. AND SO WE MAKE SURE AND EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCUMENTATION. NOBODY COMES TO WORK AS A POLICE OFFICER HOPING TO COLLECT DATA, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA THAT WE HAVE TO BY LAW.

AND IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO COLLECT THAT DATA.

WE TRY TO EMPHASIZE THAT TO OUR NEW OFFICERS AS WELL AS OUR INCUMBENT OFFICERS.

[01:15:03]

JUST WE HAVE TO REEMPHASIZE WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COLLECT ACCURATE DATA ON A VERY CONSISTENT BASIS. CHIEF, YOU MENTIONED THAT OUR NUMBER OF STOPS WAS DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY AND REFERENCED POSSIBLY SOMETHING FROM THE STATE LEVEL.

CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? WHY THOSE NUMBER OF STOPS HAS TO HAVE DECREASED SO MUCH? ONE OF THE REASON, AN ELIMINATION OF THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR MOTORCYCLE OFFICERS ARE TASKED WITH TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT.

THAT'S THEIR PRIMARY DUTY.

THE THINGS THEY LOOK AT IS REGISTRATIONS ON CARS.

EVEN WHEN THEY'RE WORKING IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S HIGH TRAFFIC VOLUME, THEIR GOAL IS TO BE HIGHLY VISIBLE AND ALSO TO MAKE A LOT OF CONTACTS, TO TALK TO PEOPLE.

AND ONE OF THE WAYS THEY DO THAT IS TO LOOK AT REGISTRATIONS.

AND THE LAW REQUIRES US TO HAVE OUR VEHICLES REGISTERED UNDER NORMAL TIMES AND UP TO DATE. AND SO THOSE STOPS ALL BUT WENT AWAY AFTER MARCH WHEN THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER RESCINDED THAT REQUIREMENT TO HAVE THAT REGISTRATION UPDATED.

THAT'S GOING TO GO AWAY IN APRIL.

AND SO WE EXPECT WE'LL END UP STOPPING CARS FOR REGISTRATION VIOLATIONS.

THAT WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE PRIMARY DRIVERS IN THE REDUCTIONS.

THE OTHER ONE WAS OUR MOTORCYCLE OFFICERS.

THEY ACCOUNT FOR WELL OVER HALF OF THE TRAFFIC STOPS THAT OUR DEPARTMENT DOES.

THEY SPENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME BOTH AT THE TESTING CLINIC.

WE'RE HELPING WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL AND NOW AT THE VACCINATION CLINIC, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NO TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. THANK YOU, CHIEF. YES, MA'AM.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

WE APPRECIATE WHAT THE OFFICERS DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

PLEASE LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THEM.

I WILL THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OK, ITEM 1E IS A DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

[1E. Discuss Proposed Animal Management & Welfare Breeder’s Ordinance; and]

HI THERE. WE HAVE SEEN THIS IN RECENT WEEKS, AT LEAST ONCE, WANTED TO GIVE COUNCIL ONE FINAL OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS, HAVE A VERY, VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION FROM ANIMAL WELFARE DIRECTOR VICTORIA MEDLEY, AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE.

WITH THE INTENTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF COUNCIL FOR FIRST AND SECOND READINGS AND ADOPTION HERE IN COMING WEEKS.

SO NEXT COUNCIL MEETING AND THE FOLLOWING COUNCIL MEETING, THE FIRST AND SECOND READINGS.

SO, VICTORIA.

HEY, GUYS, SO I'M BACK WITH THE BREEDERS ORDINANCE, I KNOW THAT WE BRIEFLY, WHEN WE WENT OVER IT AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COVERING EVERYTHING, WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER IT ONE MORE TIME JUST TO SEE IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING HAS COME UP.

SO. AND STEPHANIE'S GOT.

THERE WE GO. SO AS WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BREEDERS ORDINANCE, STATE LAW AND LAST TIME I KNOW IT SOUNDED FUNNY ON THIS SLIDE SHOW IS IT REGULATES LARGE OPERATIONS OF DOGS AND CAT BREEDING, BUT NOT SMALL BREEDING OPERATIONS.

SO WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR SOMETHING WITHIN THE CITY THAT WOULD HELP US ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. THE ORDINANCE REALLY DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT THE SAFETY OF ALL ANIMALS AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE COMMUNITY ARE ADDRESSED.

I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT OR SOME CONFUSION OR CONCERNS THAT WE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC IS WHAT IS A BREEDER? SO WE CLEARLY DEFINE THAT IN THIS ORDINANCE.

IT MEANS A PERSON WHO BREEDS DOGS OR CATS AND TRANSFERS POSSESSION OF MORE THAN ONE LETTER OR PART OF THEIR IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD.

THE REASON WE BROUGHT THAT UP IS BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE SOME FOSTER.

PARTNERS THAT WERE CONCERNED THAT THAT WOULD AFFECT THEM, I THINK THE KEY TO THAT, THAT DEFINITION IS THAT IT IS PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY BREEDING.

SO IT'S NOT GOING IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT OUR LOCAL FOSTERS OR RESCUES.

2SO COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS ON WHAT'S GOING TO THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS BREEDING PERMIT IS THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AN ANNUAL FEE OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

THAT PERMIT IS GOING TO BE ASSIGNED TO THE PERSON AND THE LOCATION WITHIN OUR CITY OF A ABOUT WHERE THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN BREEDING ANIMALS.

THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT PLANS OR DESIGNS TO ADDRESS BOTH THE INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CAGE IN PENS AND THE ENCLOSED OUTDOOR AREA.

AND THAT'S ONCE AGAIN TO ASSURE THAT WHOEVER IS DOING THIS IS DOING IT AND IN A BEST PRACTICES BUSINESS AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR THE ANIMALS AS WELL AS OUR COMMUNITY. WE ALSO HAVE WHERE AN APPLICANT CAN'T HAVE SURRENDERED ANIMALS TO THE SHELTER

[01:20:01]

AND REALLY WE DO HAVE A WAY TO TRACK THAT.

WE'VE LOOKED AT THE SOURCES ON KEEPING TRACK OF THAT.

AND OUR BIGGEST ONE IS WHEN PEOPLE SURRENDER OR PUPPIES COME TO US OR THEY'RE PICKED UP, THEY ARE IN OUR SYSTEM BY LOCATION.

SO IT WILL BE ONE MORE TOOL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS.

FOR THE LACK OF MORE PROFESSIONAL TERM LIKE THOSE BACKYARD BREEDERS.

AND THAT WILL HELP US ADDRESS THAT.

BREEDERS WOULD HAVE TO HAVE VACCINATION CERTIFICATES FOR EACH ADULT DOG, AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE GIVING A BUSINESS PERMIT, THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING BEST PRACTICES. ONCE THAT PERMIT IS GIVEN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE CAN REVOKE, GIVEN THE IDEA IT SAYS WE MAY, DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL ABSOLUTELY HAPPEN.

IF ONE OF THESE THINGS, THE DIRECTOR AND STAFF THERE WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH BREEDERS.

IF THERE ARE SOME ISSUES THAT COME UP.

BUT IF THE BREEDER FAILS TO UPDATE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE LOCATION, IF THERE'S THOSE NUISANCE TYPE THINGS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE THEY'VE BEEN APPROVED AND THEY'VE HAD THE ROOM AND THE APPROPRIATE GUIDELINES ARE SET FORTH, BUT IT BECOMES A NOISE OR THEY'RE NOT TAKING CARE OF THE KENNELS, IF SOMEONE IS BIT OR SCRATCHED IS REPORTED TO US.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THAT QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND REALLY KIND OF ADDRESSING THAT, TOO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE.

THE OTHER THING IS, IF THEY HAVE ANY VIOLATIONS OF CHAPTER 8.21,OR 8-2.

ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S THE ORDINANCES OR THE PART OF OUR CODE THAT REALLY DEALS WITH ANIMAL WELFARE AND MANAGEMENT.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY ARE A LEGITIMATE BREEDER WITH GOOD PROCESSES, GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICES, THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE VIOLATING ANY OF OUR ANIMAL WELFARE ORDINANCES. SO THAT'S YOU GUYS HAVEN'T THAT WAS QUICK, IT WAS THROUGH ANY KIND OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.

VICTORIA, WHERE WAS THE ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE BOARD ON THIS? OK, SO WE DID TAKE THAT IN FRONT OF THE ADVISORY BOARD ONCE IN JANUARY AND AGAIN IN FEBRUARY, AND IT WAS VOTED ON.

WE HAD DISCUSSIONS, AS I SAID, IN JANUARY, KIND OF TWEAKED A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY HAD ORIGINALLY WE ORIGINALLY PUT THE ORDINANCE AT FIFTY DOLLARS AND THEN THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON WHAT THAT WAS GOING TO LOOK LIKE AS FAR AS ADMINISTRATIVELY AND BEING ABLE TO CHECK AREAS AND WHAT IT WAS GOING TO COST IN REAL MONEY TO TO TO KEEP THE PROGRAM GOING AND TO HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE.

SO THE SECOND ORDINANCE WE OR THE SECOND TIME WE TALKED WITH THE ADVISORY BOARD, IT WAS REALLY DISCUSSED THAT ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS SEEMED TO BE A MORE LEGITIMATE RECOVERY COST FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS THAT THE ORDINANCE COULD BRING US.

SO IT WAS TAKEN BOTH TIMES.

BOTH OF THOSE ADVISORY BOARDS WERE PUBLIC MEETINGS.

THEY WERE POSTED AND IT WAS PASSED UNANIMOUSLY TO SEND IT TO YOU GUYS.

THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? AND ALSO MAKE THIS COMMENT ABOUT THAT.

SO IT WASN'T EVEN A QUESTION OF.

OF HAVING AN ORDINANCE OR THE NEED FOR A BREEDERS ORDINANCE FROM THAT BOARD, IT WAS WHAT THAT ORDINANCE NEEDED TO LOOK LIKE.

SO IF THAT KIND OF MAKES SENSE, THIS WASN'T EVEN JUST A QUESTION OF YES OR NO, WE NEED TO HAVE THE ORDINANCE. IT WAS IT WAS UNANIMOUS THAT THE ORDINANCE THERE NEEDED TO BE A BRAIDERS ORDINANCE. THERE JUST NEEDED TO BE A BASELINE FOR HOW WE TOOK CARE OF OUR ANIMALS HERE IN AMARILLO.

AND SO BEYOND THAT WAS JUST THE DISCUSSION OF WHAT NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAD TO HAVE. WE HAVE TO HAVE A FLOOR SOMEWHERE WITH WHICH TO SET A STANDARD AND WE HAVE NEVER HAD ONE BEFORE.

SO WE NEED A FLOOR.

AND HOW DO WE MAKE THAT FLOOR LOOK SO THAT FOR THE FUTURE THERE NEEDS TO BE ANYTHING BUILT ON OR CHANGED? AT LEAST WE HAVE A GROUND FLOOR WHICH EVERYTHING IS STARTED.

ANYTHING ELSE? OK, VICTORIA, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS DOCTOR, SIR.

[01:25:01]

ITEM 1F IS REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER.

[1F. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager.]

LOOK AT THE RESULTS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GAINED MY SUPPORT IN IMPLEMENTING THIS A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK WAS THAT IT WASN'T WE WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING PERMANENT.

WE WEREN'T THEY WEREN'T PERMANENT METERS.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD TEST AND THEN CIRCLE BACK AROUND AND EVALUATE.

AND AND SO THAT'S THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF MY REQUEST TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

TO EVALUATE, EVALUATE WHETHER OR NOT TO CONTINUE THE PARKING PROGRAM? AND TO LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF IT AND YES, IF IT WARRANTS CONTINUATION.

OK. DOES IT, DOES ANYONE ELSE THINK THAT IS A NECESSARY DISCUSSION BASED ON THE TWO YEARS OF DATA THAT WE HAVE, ONE OF THOSE YEARS BEING A CORONAVIRUS YEAR? I MEAN, I GUESS I'M NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING THE CONVERSATION.

I JUST FEEL LIKE. OUR LAST 12 MONTHS OF DATA IS NOT GOING TO BE TYPICAL NORMAL DATA.

I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHETHER THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THINK THAT SHOULD BE AN AGENDA ITEM OR NOT. I THINK HAVING ANOTHER YEAR OF WHAT I HOPE WILL BE A NORMAL YEAR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT NORMAL WOULD BE, BUT TWO YEARS AGO WAS A NORMAL YEAR, THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN CORONAVIRUS YEAR.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO TALKING ABOUT IT WITHOUT NO MAKE A DECISION.

I WOULD AGREE THAT WE REALLY JUST HAVE ONE YEAR OF DATA AND THAT THE SECOND YEAR WAS INTERRUPTED, BUT I THINK IT IS VALUABLE INFORMATION EVEN THROUGH A 12 MONTH OF THERE WAS A TREND EVEN WITH THAT, EVEN BEFORE COVID AND JUST SOME FEEDBACK FROM SOME OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND STUFF THAT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THE RESEARCH COUNCIL'S INPUT AND THOUGHTS ON.

ARE THERE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT THINK WE HAVE INPUTS OR THOUGHTS REGARDING THAT BASED ON ONE YEAR'S WORTH OF DATA? LET'S SEE THE DATA.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD.

I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD BE WILLING TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS BASED UPON THAT DATA, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE WHAT THE TREND LOOKS LIKE, I GUESS, EVEN FOR THAT YEAR.

BUT I THINK WE NEED WE NEED A LOT MORE DATA BEFORE I WANT TO MAKE ANY CONSIDERATION ON.

ON WHAT WE. TO MAKE ANY CONSIDERATION ABOUT THE PARKING, DOWNTOWN PARKING, I WOULD RATHER SEE MORE DATA, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE THE DATA JUST TO JUST TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

AND I THINK THE DATA WENT OUT TO US MAYBE ON FRIDAY.

WELL, I GUESS REALLY WHAT I MEAN BY THAT WOULD JUST BE I WOULD LOVE FOR THE DATA, ESPECIALLY FOR THAT FIRST YEAR, SO THAT WE SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND.

EXACTLY, BECAUSE I FELT LIKE THAT FIRST YEAR IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND IT PROVED ITSELF WARRANTED. AND SO I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT MIND TOUCHING THE DATA AGAIN.

OK, OK, GREAT.

MS. FREDA I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT ANY INPUT THAT YOU HAVE THERE? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY AT THE MOMENT.

I MEAN, I WAS GOOD WITH THE DATA THAT WAS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S REPORT AT THE MOMENT, SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

OK. THANK YOU.

SO JUST COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, CAN YOU AND I JUST VISIT ABOUT THIS AFTER THE MEETING AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT WHEN TO GET IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA? THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU.

MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, IS THERE ANYTHING THERE THAT COUNCIL HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT OR NEEDS TO COME OFF FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION? YOU GONNA SKIP OUT ON?

[01:30:09]

OK, THANK YOU, HOWARD, FOR MAKING SURE WE WERE DONE WITH IT NOW.

[2. CONSENT ITEMS]

HEARING NOTHING. DO WE HAVE A MOTIONS TO.

MAYOR? YES. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO PULL IT OFF BUT POSSIBLY BEFORE WE VOTE, BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT WOULD BE ITEM K AND SOME CLARIFICATION ON THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S BEING PURCHASED, HOW FREQUENTLY THAT HAS TO BE DONE.

AND A LITTLE BIT OF UPDATE ON THAT PARTICULAR ITEM.

JARED. YES, MA'AM.

WE HAVE GEORGE PRIOLO AND MICHAEL KASHUBA AND KEVIN STARBUCK AND MYSELF, GEORGE AND MICHAEL COULD Y'ALL GO INTO SOME DETAIL.

SOME OF THIS EQUIPMENT IS GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT.

THE LION'S SHARE IS PARKS IN GENERAL MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT.

AND SO MICHAEL OR GEORGE, EITHER ONE.

FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AND WALK US THROUGH THIS.

I KNOW MOST OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS PROBABLY WELL OVERDUE FOR REPLACEMENT. AND WE HAD BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT TO MAINTAIN THE EQUIPMENT WE HAVE. SO THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAD POSTPONED FROM LAST YEAR'S FY AS WE HAD TRIED TO MAXIMIZE OUR SAVINGS THROUGHOUT THAT YEAR TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ENOUGH RESOURCES TO GO THROUGH WHAT WE THOUGHT AND WHAT WE INITIALLY PROJECTED WAS GOING TO BE A BIG HIT ON OUR REVENUE. IT DIDN'T TURN OUT TO BE NEARLY AS MUCH AS WHAT WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED, BUT WE DID SAVE SIGNIFICANT REDUCE OUR SPENDING SIGNIFICANTLY LAST YEAR.

SO WHO DO WE HAVE, MICHAEL? FIRST. YES, SIR. MAYOR, COUNCIL, MICHAEL KASHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

OF THESE ITEMS THERE'S A PRETTY EVEN SPLIT.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE GOLF SIDE.

ABOUT 670,000 IS GOLF EQUIPMENT.

ROUGHLY 560 IS FOR PARK MAINTENANCE EQUIPMENT.

SO THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM MOWER'S TO HIGH END COLLECTION SYSTEMS, FAIRWAY MOWERS.

IT'S THE FULL GAMBIT.

AS THE CITY MANAGER MENTIONED, SOME OF THESE ITEMS HAVE BEEN DEFERRED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. SO REALLY, THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED EITHER LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE.

JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, SOME OF THESE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT ARE FROM 2012.

AND SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALMOST TEN YEARS OF SERVICE, WHICH IS A LOT ON SOME OF THESE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ARE BEING USED EVERY DAY TO MOW GOLF COURSES.

SO ABOUT 670 IS GOLF COURSE, ABOUT 560 IS PARK MAINTENANCE.

AND THAT GIVES YOU THE TOTAL OF THAT 1.23.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, IF YOU HAVE ANY.

COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, DO YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS OR.

NO. ORIGINALLY, I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ON WHETHER THE SOME OF THESE WERE RENEWAL OF LEASE CONTRACTS, PURCHASES, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THESE THIS IS SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT GEORGE WAS DISCUSSING DURING OUR LAST ROUND OF BUDGET TALKS OF JUST THE HOURS THAT WERE BEING SPENT BY STAFF AND JUST MAINTAINING OUR CURRENT EQUIPMENT AND SOME OF THE OLD THINGS THAT WERE CONTINUALLY BREAKING DOWN.

SO I'M GUESSING THAT THE PARK STAFF IS KIND OF GLAD TO SEE THIS ON THE AGENDA.

THAT IS CORRECT. [INAUDIBLE] OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, ESPECIALLY AS THESE ITEMS AGE.

SO WE'RE STILL PLAYING FLEET COSTS, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO PAYING THOSE MAINTENANCE FEES.

SO, YES, WE'RE EXCITED TO GET SOME NEW PIECES OF EQUIPMENT OUT THERE.

THANK YOU FOR WEIGHING IN ON THAT, MICHAEL.

YES, MA'AM. OK, ANYTHING ELSE ON CONSENT AGENDA? THANK YOU, MICHAEL, FOR ADDING THAT INFORMATION.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO ITEM 2 THE CONSENT AGENDA? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

IT WAS MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, I THINK IT WAS SECONDED BY EVERYBODY ELSE.

WE'LL TAG HOWARD THAT SECOND AND THEN ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH DR.

SAUER'S IN FAVOR OF IT, A 5-0 VOTE.

OK, THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO WE ONLY HAVE ONE AGENDA ITEM UNDER NON CONSENT, AND THAT IS A

[3A. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7913]

MR. CITY MANAGER? ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE HAVE KEVIN CARTER, PRESIDENT TO AEDC TO I REALIZE I JUST THREW OUT LIKE SEVEN DIFFERENT ACRONYMS TO YOU, CEO OF AEDC, THOUGH, TO PRESENT THE ITEM FOR US.

KEVIN? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

[01:35:02]

THIS IS CONSIDERATION OF REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 13.

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE PROJECT PROCESS OF DESIGNATING A REINVESTMENT ZONE FOR PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENT PROCESS UNDER THE CHAPTER 312 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT TAX CODE.

THIS 55 ACRES PROPOSED FOR REINVESTMENT ZONE NUMBER 13 IS LOCATED AT SOUTH GEORGIA STREET AND LOOP 335.

THE REASON FOR CREATING THIS ZONE IS TO PROVIDE COUNCIL THE OPTION TO OFFER AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVE TO A PROSPECTIVE MANUFACTURING FACILITY.

AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF FACILITY IS GOING TO GO IN THIS P ROPERTY, THERE WAS THE WORD, THE USE OF THE WORD DAIRY IN THERE, THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A DAIRY THAT GOES IN. THIS WILL BE A MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING PLANT OF CHEESE AND THOSE TYPE PRODUCTS. SO IT IS NOT GOING TO BE A DAIRY.

SO IT WILL BE A MANUFACTURING FACILITY THAT'S GOING TO GO IN THIS PROCESS.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE BLACK SQUARE THERE ON THE AERIAL MAPS, 55 ACRES.

AND IN THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE ACTUAL WHAT THE ACTUAL PROPERTY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE UNDER THE REINVESTMENT ZONE IS THE ACTUAL MEETS AND BOUNDS.

SO THERE'S THERE'S AN ACTUAL DEPICTION OF THE 55 ACRES.

I WOULD CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS IF ANYBODY HAD ANY QUESTIONS.

YES, SIR, MR. CARTER? YES, MA'AM. CITIZENS HAVE ASKED ME, ARE THEY GOING TO SEE LIKE COWS AND SHEEP AND EVERYTHING ELSE OUT THERE? NO, MA'AM, IT'S GOING TO BE.

PROPERTY? NO, MA'AM. IT'S GOING TO BE A FOOD PROCESSING FACILITY.

NO ODOR, NO SMELL, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

IT WILL BE VERY FRIENDLY TO THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE AROUND THAT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO WITH THIS PROPERTY IS WELL ALONG GEORGIA, FOR THOSE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE ACROSS THERE, THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EIGHT FOOT PRIVACY WALL BUILT AFTER THIS FACILITY, HOPEFULLY LOCATES IN AMARILLO.

WE'RE GOING TO BUILD AN EIGHT FOOT PRIVACY SCREEN MOST OF THE WAY DOWN GEORGIA.

SO FROM MOST OF, YOU KNOW, JUST OFF THE LOOP, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FARMERS, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME TYPE OF SCREENING.

THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT EXPLANATION VERY MUCH AND THAT [INAUDIBLE], JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE POTENTIALLY THINK THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

I MEAN, THE BEST EXAMPLE OF WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IS JUST NORTH OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HERE IN DOWNTOWN.

THEY HAVE A SIX OR EIGHT FOOT PRIVACY WALL TO WHERE THEIR VEHICLES ARE PARKED BEHIND.

THAT'S WHAT WE ENVISION THAT LOOKING LIKE.

THAT'S DONE VERY WELL AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT THAT TO LOOK LIKE.

OK, CERTAINLY AGREE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, MA'AM.

KEVIN, THAT'S IN THE CITY LIMITS, CORRECT? IT IS NOT CURRENTLY IN THE CITY LIMITS.

THE ANNEX PROCESS, THE ANNEXATION PROCESS, IS IN IN-PROCESS.

OK, SO ITS PLANNED TO BE IN THE CITY LIMITS? YES, MA'AM. THE ANNEXATION PROCESS IS ONGOING.

SO AS FAR AS FARM ANIMALS, AGRICULTURAL ANIMALS, NONE OF THAT IS PLANNED TO BE STORED ON SITE OR AND AGAIN, THAT WOULD CONFLICT WITH CITY ORDINANCES REGARDING THOSE TYPES OF ANIMALS INSIDE CITY LIMITS.

ONCE THIS PROPERTY IS ANNEXED.

IF IT'S ANNEXED.

YES, MA'AM. I MEAN, A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT THIS PARK IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CENTREPORT BUSINESS PARK, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS GOING TO BE MODELED AFTER.

OTHER THAN WE'RE GOING TO GO AN EXTRA STEP AND ADD THAT PRIVACY WALL ALONG GEORGIA, SOUTH GEORGIA. SO.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN ABOUT THIS OR THE AEDC TEAM? ONE OF THE THINGS ALSO, MAYOR, WITH WHEN WE FILED THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE FILED TODAY OR TOMORROW, WE FILED THE COVENANTS, CODES AND RESTRICTIONS FOR THIS PROPERTY.

IT'S GOING TO FOLLOW THE SAME MODEL IS WHAT WE HAVE OUT IN CENTREPORT.

SO EVERYBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO PLANT TREES.

EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE IRRIGATED AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME GRASS IN FRONT OF THEIR BUSINESS. AND SO WE WANT THAT TO LOOK REAL ATTRACTIVE.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ALSO FOLLOW.

PARKING LOT STANDARDS ARE GOING TO BE BUILT TO TO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TO DO WITH THEIR PARKING LOT. SO MANY TREES BUILT IN THE ISLANDS AND IT'S GOING TO BE A REAL ATTRACTIVE PROPERTY.

I RECENTLY DROVE BY CENTREPORT, AND IT REALLY IS A NICE LOOKING PROPERTY, I'M PROUD OF IT.

[01:40:01]

THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD PARTNERS OUT THERE THAT HELP US MAINTAIN THOSE AREAS OUT THERE. SO VERY THANKFUL FOR OUR PARTNERS OUT THERE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR KEVIN OR THEIR TEAM? OK, AT THIS TIME, LET'S GO AHEAD AND OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 3A REGARDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 7913.

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR, ON, OR AGAINST THIS ITEM CAN DO SO NOW BY NOTIFYING THE CALL HOST THAT YOU WISH TO SPEAK.

STEPHANIE? GOOD AFTERNOON, IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE PRESS YOUR RAISED HAND BUTTON OR PRESS *9 FROM YOUR TELEPHONE AT THIS TIME.

MAYOR, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYONE ON THE LINE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK.

OK. I ALWAYS PICTURE SOMEONE LIKE ME FUMBLING AROUND AND TRYING TO GET THOSE NUMBERS PUNCHED IN, WANTING TO SPEAK, SO I ALWAYS WANT TO DELAY A LITTLE BIT MORE HERE TO GIVE ANYBODY WHO IS NEW TO THE TECHNOLOGY A CHANCE TO GET IT ALL PULLED TOGETHER BUT STILL DON'T HAVE ANYBODY. STEPHANIE? NO, MA'AM. OK, OK, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.

YES, MA'AM, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 7913, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 55 ACRES IN THE VICINITY OF SOUTH GEORGIA STREET AND LOOP 335 AS A REINVESTMENT ZONE.

NUMBER 13 FOR COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL TAX ABATEMENT.

SO. MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7913, ANY DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOTION? HEARING NONE, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I SEE FIVE, THAT PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR NON-EXECUTIVE AGENDA ITEMS TODAY.

[4. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

I WILL SEE YOU OVER AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BATHROOM BREAK BEFORE WE GET OVER THERE.

THANKS. THIS IS TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT CLOSED SESSION OF THE AMARILLO CITY ON MARCH THE 9TH, 2021 2:42 P.M., ON THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS AND PROVISIONS, 551.072 DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE SALE.

[INAUDIBLE] PUBLIC DISCUSSION SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION. SECTION 551.087 DISCUSSED COMMERCIAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT, WHICH THE CITY'S NEGOTIATING THE LOCATION RETENTION OF A FACILITY BEFORE INCENTIVES THE CITY'S WILLING TO EXPAND THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE SEEN.

THANK YOU. THANKS, BRIAN.

THANKS FOR COVERING THAT FOR US.

NO PROBLEM. ANYTIME, MAYOR.

BYE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.