Jul 13, 2021 City Council Regular Meeting

[00:00:05]

AND HERE TO OPEN US WITH AN INVOCATION IS PASTOR CLAUDE TUGWELL.

[INVOCATION]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

[INVOCATION] HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE FREEDOM AND THE PRIVILEGE TO PRAY BEFORE THE MEETING TIME OF AN [INAUDIBLE] BODY SUCH AS THIS CITY COUNCIL.

WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE HERE.

HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU THAT YOU ARE A GOD WHO IS BUSY AND INVOLVED IN THE DAILY AFFAIRS OF MANKIND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF YOUR PEOPLE.

WE PRAY FOR THIS MEETING TODAY.

WE PRAY FOR OUR MAYOR, FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

WE PRAY, HEAVENLY FATHER.

YOU WILL GIVE TO THEM WISDOM, CLARITY OF MIND.

FAIRNESS. WE THANK YOU FOR OUR COUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE IN UNIFORM WHO PROTECT US.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND GRACE.

AND MAY YOUR JOY AND PEACE PREVAIL IN THIS HOUR IN THE NAME OF JESUS, OUR SAVIOR, AMEN.

THANK YOU.

STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

THANKS YOU MAY BE SEATED . AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO CALL JACOB DIAZ, WHO IS THE FIRE MARSHAL HERE FOR US HERE IN

[EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION - MERITORIOUS CITATION]

JARED, DO YOU SEE JACOB? I DO NOT. JENNY, OH, THEY'RE COMING.

OK, OK, PERFECT, THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] JACOB'S NOT COMING.

I DON'T I DON'T KNOW.

OK, HE WAS COMING AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS, OK, DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL JONES, IT'S GREAT. OK, DEPUTY FIRE MARSHAL JONES, I'M GOING TO HAND THE MICROPHONE TO YOU JUST TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.

IT'S A SPECIAL ITEM. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

I'M CHARLES JONES.

I JUST WANTED TO TO RECOGNIZE ONE OF THE OFFICERS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.

WE HAD A FIRE, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT FIRE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

AND THROUGH HARD WORK, DEDICATION TO THE CASE, WE WANT TO PRESENT HIM WITH A MERITORIOUS AWARD. AND WE JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE HIM THROUGH THE CITY, THROUGH EVERYBODY ELSE, AND JUST LET HIM KNOW HOW THANKFUL WE ARE TO HAVE HIM.

SO, JACOB, COME ON UP.

AND IF YOUR WIFE WOULD COME WITH YOU.

[APPLAUSE] CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

VERY PROUD OF THEM.

SO THIS IS JACOB CHARTER AND IT WAS HIS ABOVE AND BEYOND SERVICE IN DOING HIS JOB THAT IS RECEIVING RECOGNITION TODAY.

SO TELL ME YOUR NAME.

MORGAN, I CALL YOU MRS. CHARTER. RIGHT. MORGAN, I'M GOING TO HAND THIS TO YOU AND ASK THAT YOU ASK THAT YOU PIN THAT ON JACOB. [APPLAUSE] IT'S OK IF YOU DRAW BLOOD, SMACK IT ON IN THERE.

EXCELLENT. AND A ROUND OF APPLAUSE PLEASE.

[APPLAUSE] YOU KNOW, AT THE CITY, WE HAVE SO MANY EMPLOYEES THAT GO ABOVE AND BEYOND IN THEIR DAY TO DAY SERVICE, BUT WE WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE AND PAUSE FOR A MINUTE AND INTENTIONALLY THANK THEM WHEN THEY DO THAT.

AND CERTAINLY WE BELIEVE THAT WHAT GETS CELEBRATED GETS REPEATED.

AND THAT'S THE KIND OF SERVICE THAT WE WANT OUR EMPLOYEES GIVING OUR CUSTOMERS, THE

[00:05:01]

AND SO WE REALLY, REALLY DO APPRECIATE YOU JACOB, THANK YOU FOR GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND.

AND MORGAN, THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GIVE JACOB IN DOING HIS JOB EVERY DAY.

OK, LET'S TAKE A PICTURE.

CAN WE DO THAT? OK, AT THIS TIME, WE'LL MOVE TO THE PUBLIC ADDRESS PORTION OF OUR MEETING AGENDA AND I

[PUBLIC ADDRESS]

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING TODAY.

YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US.

AND WE WERE GLAD YOU'RE HERE TO SHARE THEM AT EACH POSTED MEETING.

WE INVITE OUR FELLOW COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL REGARDING POSTED AGENDA ITEMS TO ENSURE ALL ARE ABLE TO SPEAK.

WE LIMIT EACH SPEAKER'S TIME TO THREE MINUTES.

AT THE END OF TWO AND A HALF MINUTES OF WARNING BEEP WILL SOUND FROM THE TABLE TO ALERT YOU THAT YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND STATE LAW SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO ITEMS POSTED ON THE AGENDA. DOING SO WILL ENSURE WE ARE ALL FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES AND ARE ABLE TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE AND BENEFICIAL MEETING FOR ALL.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS PROCESS AND FOR YOUR VALUABLE INPUT.

THE FIRST SPEAKER TODAY IS GINA CRAVEY AND UP AFTER THAT IS MICHAEL FORD.

FIRST TIME DOING THIS, SO HERE WE GO I'M A NURSE IN AMARILLO BEEN A NURSE FOR 26 YEARS AND SPENT RESEARCH THE LAST 13 DEDICATED.

SO I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT INFORMED CONSENT.

SO ON JUNE 25TH, THE FDA UPDATED THE FACT SHEETS FOR MODERNA AND PFIZER AND THE MYOCARDITIS RISK.

AS OF JUNE 29TH, THE CIVIC CENTER WAS STILL HANDING OUT THE FACT SHEETS DATED MAY 10TH, AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH WEBSITES WERE NOT UPDATED UNTIL JULY 1ST.

AND THAT'S OF CONCERN.

IT'S INFORMED CONSENT IS BOTH AN ETHICAL AND LEGAL OBLIGATION OF ALL MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. TRUE INFORMED CONSENT INVOLVES DISCLOSING ALL THE KNOWN RISK.

HOW MANY PATIENTS, INCLUDING MINORS, WERE CONSENTED WITHOUT KNOWING THOSE UPDATED RISK? SORRY, THIS IS RESEARCH REALLY PASSIONATE ME AND INFORMED CONSENT IS TO.

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A QUESTION.

ANYONE THAT RECEIVED A VACCINE THAT DIDN'T HAVE THOSE UPDATED FACTSHEETS DID NOT RECEIVE TRUE INFORMED CONSENT.

SO. WHO COULD BE INJURED, WHO COULD BE INJURED, NOT KNOWING THAT, WHO COULD HAVE TAKEN AN ADDITIONAL RISK THAT THEY DIDN'T? THAT THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW.

JUST AS A REMINDER, RESEARCH IS GENERALLY CONDUCTED FOR THE GREATER GOOD, BUT A MEDICAL DECISION IS DONE FOR THE PERSON.

WE MAKE MEDICAL DECISIONS BASED ON OUR WHAT WE NEED FOR US.

VACCINES SHOULD ONLY BE GIVEN TO PROTECT THE INDIVIDUAL.

AND THIS IDEA OF VACCINATING CHILDREN FOR THE OTHER PERSON.

IT'S CRAZY TO HAVE A CHILD WHO HAS AN INFECTION FOR UNDER 19.

THE INFECTION FATALITY RATE IS LESS THAN A ONE.

IT'S CRAZY TO HAVE A CHILD BE VACCINATED TO ASSUME THAT IT'S GOING TO PROTECT SOMEONE ELSE WITH A VACCINE THAT HAS WE HAVE LONG NO LONG TERM SAFETY DATA ON IT.

WE HAVE NO NO REPRODUCTIVE TOXICITY ON IT.

WE BASICALLY HAD TWO MONTHS OF DATA BEFORE IT GOT APPROVED OR WITH AN EUA.

SO I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK JUST AS IT HAS AN EUA.

ARE WE DOING ARE WE PROVIDING THE MOST INFORMATION THAT WE CAN GIVE THE RISK VERSUS THE BENEFIT, THE RISK VERSUS THE BENEFIT RATIOS, WHAT WE DO IN MEDICINE, WE DO IT ALL THE TIME AND THERE'S AN UNUSUALLY HIGH NUMBER OF ADVERSE EVENTS.

AND HISTORICALLY, WE KNOW THAT ABOUT ONE TO 10 PERCENT OF THOSE REPORT.

I DO RESEARCH.

I HAVE TO DRAG ADVERSE EVENTS OUT OF OUT OF MY PATIENTS.

[00:10:01]

NOW, WHAT REALLY EVERYONE TO THINK ABOUT THAT IS LIKE HOW MANY CHILDREN WHO'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE INJURED BEFORE WE REALLY CONSIDER? ARE WE REALLY DOING A GREAT JOB OF GETTING THESE PATIENTS, THEIR KIDS? YOU KNOW, THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE GETTING A GOOD INFORMED CONSENT. OVER 80 PERCENT OF THOSE HOSPITALIZED NEEDED CPR OR [INAUDIBLE] OBESE.

DO WE TALK ABOUT OBESITY? WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.

THANKS. UP NEXT, IS MICHAEL FORD.

THANK YOU.

I WANTED TO PROVIDE THAT, MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAD IT IN FRONT OF THEM AND HAD IT AT THE READY. AND THIS IS A THIS IS A MY NAME'S MIKE FORD.

I'M TALKING ON ITEM 1 B.

AND THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE CONVERSATION WE HAD PREVIOUSLY MR. CITY MANAGER. AS YOU KNOW, I RAISED SOME CONCERNS REGARDING THE AS MS. CRAVEY JUST MENTIONED THE ISSUE OF INFORMED CONSENT.

YOU'RE MAINTAINING THAT THE CITY OF AMARILLO IS DOING AN ADEQUATE JOB ON MAINTAINING OR NOT. AND I WOULD ACTUALLY ECHO THE COMMENTS OF MS. CRAVEY, BUT WHAT I HAVE PROVIDED FOR EVERYONE IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE FDA REQUIREMENT OF EACH VACCINE EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION, THE INFORMATION TO PROVIDE VACCINE RECIPIENTS AND CAREGIVERS, IT SAYS, IS THE VACCINE PROVIDE VACCINATION PROVIDER, WHICH THE CITY HAS TAKEN ON THAT ROLE. YOU MUST COMMUNICATE TO THE RECIPIENT OR THEIR CAREGIVER INFORMATION CONSISTENT WITH THE FACT SHEET, WHICH WE NOW THE FACTSHEETS HAVEN'T BEEN UP TO DATE AND OTHER INFORMATION INCLUDING AND THERE'S FOUR BULLETS HERE.

FDA HAS AUTHORIZED THE USE OF THE IN THIS CASE, MODERNA VACCINE, WHICH IS NOT AN FDA APPROVED VACCINE. THE RECIPIENT OF THEIR CAREGIVER HAS THE OPTION TO REFUSE THE SIGNIFICANT KNOWN AND POTENTIAL RISKS AND BENEFITS OF THE MODERNA VACCINES AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH SUCH RISKS AND BENEFITS ARE UNKNOWN.

INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT ALTERNATIVE VACCINES.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. AND SPEAKING ABOUT ALTERNATIVE VACCINES BECAUSE THERE ARE ALTERNATIVE THERAPEUTICS.

BUT IF YOU TALK ABOUT APPROVED OR EFFECTIVE THERAPEUTICS, THEN THE EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION DISSOLVES.

SO WHAT'S NOT ON THE FACTSHEETS? SIDE EFFECTS SUCH AS DEATH, THROMBOCYTOPENIA, HEART ATTACK, BLOOD CLOTTING, STROKE, ANAPHYLAXIS, A SEVERE ALLERGY, MISCARRIAGE, MENSTRUAL DISORDERS, VAGINAL OR UTERINE HEMORRHAGE, SHINGLES, MYOCARDITIS, PERICARDITIS PER PERICARDITIS ON THAT SUBJECT FOR THE AGE RANGE OF SIX TO EIGHTEEN YEARS.

IN THE LAST TWENTY YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN SIXTEEN REPORTS OF MYOCARDITIS AND PERICARDITIS OCCURRING IN THAT AGE RANGE FROM THE FLU VACCINES.

IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE REPORTS IN THE COVID VACCINES IN SIX TO EIGHTEEN YEARS.

DURING THAT SAME PERIOD, FOR THE AVERAGE RANGE OF NINETEEN TO TWENTY NINE, THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTY TWO REPORTS IN JUST THE LAST TWO MONTHS, COMPARED TO SIXTY ONE FOR THE LAST TWENTY YEARS.

NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DEATHS OFF THE CHART I'VE INCLUDED HERE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT BASICALLY A SKYROCKET.

THIS IS LOOKS LIKE FIREWORKS GOING OFF.

YOU'VE GOT A BASELINE AND THEN YOU HAVE A HUGE SPIKE, AN ENORMOUS SPIKE.

THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY FIVE TIMES THE INCREASE OVER THE LAST THIRTY YEAR AVERAGE.

FOR DEATHS FROM THREE VACCINES VERSUS FIFTY FOUR VACCINES.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION, BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE A PAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME. AND CONTRAST, IN 1976, THE SWINE FLU VACCINATION PROGRAM WAS CANCELED AFTER TWENTY FOUR MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN VACCINATED AND TWENTY FOUR DEATHS, TWENTY FOUR DEATHS. IT WAS CANCELED.

I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS BECAUSE MY TIME IS SHORT, DR.

[INAUDIBLE], IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIM, YOU SHOULD.

JUNE 2021.

WE CAN ACTUALLY CALCULATE WHAT'S CALLED A CONFIDENCE INTERVAL.

AND WHEN WE EXCEED THE CONFIDENCE INTERVAL FOR RISK ABOVE A CERTAIN LIMIT, WE CALL IT, WE END THE TRIAL. AND THAT OCCURRED ON JANUARY 22ND.

AND HERE WE ARE, A FULL BLOWN FIVE MONTHS LATER.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY.

I HAVE TWO PARAGRAPHS.

WE'LL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE BIGGEST BIOLOGICAL CATASTROPHE, THE BIGGEST MEDICAL, BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT SAFETY CATASTROPHE IN HUMAN HISTORY.

BY FAR, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT [INAUDIBLE].

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PACEMAKER LEAD RECALLS.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT TYLENOL OR ANYTHING ELSE.

THIS IS IT.

THIS IS GOING TO TOP IT.

THIS WILL GO DOWN IN THE SCHOOLS.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH WILL HAVE ENTIRE CLASSES ABOUT THIS.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? HOW DID ALL THESE THINGS THERE'S DISCUSSION NOW THAT THIS IS OUT OF CONTROL.

EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THAT SOMETHING VERY TERRIBLE IS GOING ON, BUT NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO SHUT IT DOWN. THAT'S THE HUBRIS.

AND THE MOMENTUM IS SO UNBELIEVABLY STRONG.

THANK YOU. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

[00:15:06]

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

ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BRING UP AT THE FRONT OF THE AGENDA COUNCIL? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT WE TABLE ITEMS. THREE B, THREE C TO REMOVE THOSE ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION TODAY, IS THAT CORRECT? OK, SO MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU TELL US THE STATUS OF ITEMS THREE, B AND THREE, C, AND WHAT YOU'RE RECOMMENDING WITH REGARD TO THOSE ITEMS? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THOSE ITEMS AREN'T READY YET.

SO WE JUST RECOMMEND WE REMOVE THEM FROM THE AGENDA.

AND I CONSIDER WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A BUNCH OF GUYS WAITING ON TO COMMENT ON THE ITEM IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE CONSIDERING IT. SO IF YOU'RE HERE WITH REGARD TO ITEMS THREE B OR THREE THREE C, THOSE ITEMS ARE NOT GOING TO GO TODAY.

SO JUST AS A COURTESY TO ALL YOU FOLKS WHO TURNED OUT TO WATCH THE PROGRESS OF THOSE THEY'RE NOT HAPPENING TODAY? THEY'RE NOT READY TO GO. YOU'RE NOT READY FOR IT.

CORRECT. CORRECT. SO WHY WAS IT ON THE AGENDA.

BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO CONSIDER THEM.

YEAH, WHY WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT IF YOU ARE NOT READY.

I'M SORRY, SIR. YEAH, IT'S NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE A SHOUTING DIALOG OUT IN WITH SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE.

SO THEY'RE WELCOME TO CONTACT ME AND WE CAN SOMETIMES TALK.

THAT WOULD BE GREAT. IF YOU WANT TO CONTACT THE CITY MANAGER OR YOU'RE WELCOME TO STAY THROUGH THE MEETING AND WE CAN HAVE A DIALOG ABOUT IT AT A BREAK OR VISIT WITH THE CITY MANAGER AT A BREAK. BUT I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW AS A COURTESY, IF YOU'RE THAT ITEM, IF YOU'RE HERE FOR THAT ITEM AND YOU DON'T WANT TO STAY FOR THE WHOLE MEETING, THEN JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT ITEM'S NOT GOING TO BE DISCUSSED TODAY.

SO WE'RE NOT HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING OR NO MORE PUBLIC ADDRESS.

SO THANK YOU.

YES, YOU'RE WELCOME.

ANYTHING FURTHER ON THAT MR. CITY MANAGER? NO MA'AM.

OK, ANYTHING, COUNCIL, WITH REGARD TO ITEM 1A OR ANYTHING ELSE ON THE AGENDA YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT?

[1.B. Coronavirus update]

TO DO THE CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, WE HAVE CASIE STOUGHTON, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH CASIE, WELCOME.

SO AS OF TODAY, WE'LL KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS AND THEN WE'LL GO THROUGH OPERATIONS AND THEN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

SO AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY TOTAL CASES OF COVID-19 REPORTED IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT THERE'S ABOUT A 50 50 SPLIT, SO SEVENTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY SIX CASES IN POTTER COUNTY AND SEVENTEEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY FOUR CASES IN RANDALL COUNTY. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF THIRTY THREE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE RECOVERIES AND WE'RE UP TO SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THREE DEATHS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT LEAVES US WITH TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO ACTIVE CASES.

THE SEVEN DAY ROLLING POSITIVITY RATE IS CURRENTLY AT THREE PERCENT AND THE POSITIVITY RATE AT THE DRIVE THRU TESTING SITE IS AT TWENTY SEVEN PERCENT.

WE HAVE HAD SOME ADDITIONAL WE HAVE HAD SOME PICKUP THERE AT THE DRIVE THRU TESTING SITE.

THE FIVE DAY NEW CASE AVERAGES AT NINETEEN NEW CASES PER DAY.

YESTERDAY OUR GA THIRTY FOUR'S HOSPITALIZATION PERCENTAGE WAS AT TWO POINT EIGHT SEVEN PERCENT. THAT MEANS THAT JUST UNDER THREE PERCENT OF ALL HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS HAVE COVID-19. THE PUBLIC HEALTH DRIVE THROUGH SITE DOES REMAIN OPERATIONAL.

LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE HAD WE'VE SEEN JUST IN JUST A SLIGHT UPTICK IN PATIENTS NEEDING TO BE TESTED. INDIVIDUALS CAN CALL THREE SEVEN EIGHT SIX THREE ZERO ZERO TO BE SCREENED AND DIRECTED TO THE TEST SITE.

THE VACCINATION CLINIC IS ALSO OPERATIONAL AT THE AMARILLO CIVIC CENTER'S ENTRANCE FOUR AND TODAY WILL BE OPEN UNTIL SEVEN THERE IN THE REGENCY ROOM.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS GIVEN JUST OVER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FOUR THOUSAND DOSES OF MODERNA AND TWELVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN DOSES OF THE PFIZER VACCINE TO ADOLESCENTS AGED 12 TO 17.

WE'VE WORKED WITH THE LET'S SEE, WE WORKED WITH THE CIVIC CENTER TEAM FOR ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS. I JUST I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW, LIKE TIME HAS PASSED SO QUICKLY.

I THINK IT'LL BE CHRISTMAS HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT.

SO AS OF AUGUST THE 6TH, THE COVID-19 VACCINATION CENTER WILL MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT. THIS WILL BE A WALK IN STYLE CLINIC UNTIL AUGUST THE 20TH BECAUSE IT WILL BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR BACK TO SCHOOL EFFORTS.

AND SO WE'LL BE DOING BACK TO SCHOOL IMMUNIZATIONS AND COVID VACCINE EFFORTS THERE AT THE

[00:20:04]

SO ON AUGUST THE 23RD WE'LL MOVE BACK TO AN APPOINTMENT BASED CLINIC.

AND SO PATIENTS CAN AGAIN CALL THAT THREE SEVEN EIGHT SIX THREE ZERO ZERO TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT BOTH FOR COVID TESTING AND COVID VACCINATIONS.

WE HAVE BEEN AT THE CIVIC CENTER AGAIN FOR SEVEN MONTHS.

IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE PART OF THE CIVIC CENTER FAMILY NOW.

AND SO WE KNOW THAT CHANGES THE NAME OF THE GAME HERE.

BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY MISS WORKING WITH THEIR TEAM.

THEIR HOSPITALITY HAS JUST BEEN INCREDIBLY GENEROUS.

SO THANK YOU TO THE CIVIC CENTER.

OUR OUTREACH TEAM HAS BEEN QUITE BUSY WITH MOBILE CLINICS.

AMARILLO ALERT'S IS UP TO DATE WITH A LIST OF LOCATIONS.

RIGHT NOW ON THE WEBSITE, THERE ARE AROUND 20 MOBILE DATES AND LOCATIONS FOR THOSE MOBILE CLINICS. SO CHECK OUT AMARILLO ALERTS DOT COM FOR THOSE DATES.

YESTERDAY, BOTH HOSPITALS DID LET US KNOW OF AN INCREASE IN HOSPITAL IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWENTY EIGHT PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH COVID-19, ALONG WITH FIFTY NEW CASES FROM YESTERDAY TO TODAY.

SO WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN CASES JUST HERE.

IN THE SHORT TERM, I HOPE THAT IT'S SHORT LIVED, BUT WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENCOURAGE VACCINATION AND STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF MASKING IF YOU'RE NOT VACCINATED, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

SO, CASIE, DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON THE DELTA VARIANT? YES, WE DO HAVE.

SO WE ARE SURVEILLANCE TESTING THE HOSPITALS AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT ARE THE TESTING THAT IS DONE THROUGH THOSE LOCATIONS.

THEY ARE SENT FOR SURVEILLANCE TESTING AND THE DELTA VARIANT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED.

A NUMBER OF VARIANTS, THE UK VARIANT, THE BRAZIL VARIANT, THE DELTA VARIANT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THAT SURVEILLANCE TESTING.

SO WE DO KNOW THAT THAT'S TO BE EXPECTED.

LOTS OF TRAVEL, OUR VACCINATION PERCENTAGE IS AROUND 40 PERCENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT.

AGAIN, I CAN'T STRESS VACCINATION ENOUGH.

IT'S IN OUR WORK TEAM. WE'VE HAD QUARANTINES RELATED TO DELTA VARIANT EXPOSURES OR POSITIVES ACTUALLY TWO POSITIVE I THINK OR AT LEAST.

VARIANCE? DELTA. DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON THAT VARIANT AS IT, I GUESS, COMPLIES WITH THE MODERNA VACCINE, THE ONE WE'RE GIVING OUT? YES, SO IT IS STILL THE VARIANT IS STILL SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE VACCINE.

SO IT IS PROTECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY NOT AS PROTECTIVE AS IT WAS WITH THE ORIGINAL STRAIN, BUT STILL QUITE PROTECTIVE.

AND SO, AGAIN, NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT VIRUSES.

THEIR JOB IS TO STAY ALIVE.

AND THE WAY THAT THEY DO THAT IS TO CHANGE THROUGH THOSE VARIANTS.

AND SO IF WE DON'T HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF VACCINATION, THEN IT ALLOWS FOR THAT CHANGE TO HAPPEN AS IT PASSES FROM PERSON TO PERSON.

AND SO VACCINATION IS SUPER CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, WHILE THOSE VARIANTS ARE STILL SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE VACCINE.

LAST QUESTION, SO AND MAYBE JARED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE DID HAVE A COMMENT ON UPDATED INFORMED CONSENT. CAN YOU TELL ME, DID WERE YOU DID YOU UPDATE THE INFORMED CONSENT AND WHAT DATE WAS THAT DONE? AND ARE WE CURRENT TODAY? YES, SIR. SO THEY ARE CURRENT AND WE SENT THOSE TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ON THE 28TH.

AND SO THEY WERE YOU KNOW, WE CHECKED DAILY.

SO IN THE MORNING IS TYPICALLY IS WHEN OUR TEAM CHECKS THOSE INFORMED CONSENTS.

IF THEY'RE UPDATED ON THE FDA WEBSITE IN THE AFTERNOON, THEN IT MAY BE THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN WE SEE THAT UPDATE HAS COME THROUGH.

AND SO WE SENT THOSE OFF ON THE 28TH, THE MORNING OF THE 28TH TO BE UPDATED.

OK, THANK YOU. AND CASIE JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT PROCESS, LIKE HOW ARE YOU WATCHING? LIKE YOU HAVE A PERSON ASSIGNED TO CHECK THAT EVERY DAY.

WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR MAKING SURE THAT'S UPDATED? ABSOLUTELY. YES. SO WE DO HAVE A PERSON ASSIGNED TO CHECK THE WEBSITE EVERY MORNING.

WE DON'T IT'S NOT AN AUTOMATED PROCESS, SO WE DON'T GET THOSE VIA EMAIL OR WE HAVE TO GO OUT AND CHECK EVERY DAY. AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

SO WE DO HAVE A PERSON ASSIGNED TO CHECK THE FDA WEB SITE EVERY MORNING.

IS THAT SOMETHING NEW OR YOU'VE HAD THAT SET UP FOR HOW LONG? THERE HADN'T BEEN, YOU KNOW, THE CHANGES.

THEY HADN'T HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, THE CHANGES AREN'T LIKE ON A SCHEDULED TIME OR SO, WE

[00:25:01]

AND SO BUT NOW WE'RE ABSOLUTELY CHECKING EVERY DAY.

SO IT'S WE KNOW IT'S IMPORTANT.

YEAH, IT IS IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FROM THIS END.

YOU KNOW, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CITIZENS WOULD COME AND BRING THEIR CONCERNS DIRECTLY TO THE COUNCIL. IT'S SO HELPFUL BECAUSE THEN WE CAN HAVE A CHANCE TO HEAR THEM GIVE WEIGHT TO THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE DATA IN RESPONSE TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.

SO I THANK THOSE TWO CITIZENS BECAUSE THEY'RE HERE OUT OF COMPASSION.

THEY WANT THE VACCINE TO BE SAFE OR THEY WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE THE INFORMATION ABOUT POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF USING ANY VACCINE, NOT JUST THE COVID VACCINE.

SO. AS CITIZENS ARE WONDERING, SHOULD I GET VACCINATED, WHERE WOULD YOU, AS THE DIRECTOR OF OUR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, SEND THEM TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THE VACCINE IS FOR THEM? YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF REALLY GREAT PLACES TO GO.

I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO TO A VERY CREDIBLE SCIENCE BASED WEB SITE.

SO LIKE THE CDC, THE FDA, THOSE TYPES OF WEBSITES, I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT YOUR OWN PERSONAL HEALTH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN.

PHARMACISTS ARE ALSO A GREAT WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

THEY YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE PHARMACY THAT YOU USUALLY GO TO.

THEY HAVE ALL OF YOUR MEDICATIONS.

AND SO THEY WOULD KNOW, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THAT BACKGROUND, TOO.

SO YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE PHARMACIES WERE HAPPY TO HELP AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF PLACES THAT SOMEBODY CAN GO IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.

AND WE HAVE HAD PATIENTS WHO THEY WANTED THE VACCINE, BUT THEY WERE YOU KNOW, THEY HAD LOTS OF QUESTIONS. THEY WERE CONCERNED AND WERE ABLE TO TALK TO THEM AND AND REALLY OFFER LOTS OF INFORMATION.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, WE'VE HAD SOME JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FOR ME RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S OK. THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

AND THEN WE'VE HAD SOME WHO SAID IT'S NOT FOR ME RIGHT NOW.

BUT THEN THEY CAME BACK AND, YOU KNOW, WERE VACCINATED.

AND SO THERE'S JUST YOU KNOW, IT IS A VERY PERSONAL DECISION.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S THIS LARGER PANDEMIC HAPPENING.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE PIECES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, LOTS OF PLACES, DOCTORS' OFFICES, PHARMACIES, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THEMSELVES.

JUST TO KIND OF PLAY THE DEVIL'S ADVOCATE A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE MIGHT COULD SAY IF YOU DID NOT GIVE OUT UPDATED INFORMATION, THAT WE WERE PURPOSEFULLY GIVING WRONG INFORMATION, TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET A VACCINE.

HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THAT? SO ON EVERY SO I'M SORRY, VIS SHEETS ARE WHAT ARE GIVEN OUT WITH EVERY ALL OF THE OTHER VACCINES. SO SOMETIMES I'LL SLIP INTO THAT LANGUAGE.

BUT ON EVERY FACT SHEET, THE MODERNA, THE PFIZER, THE JOHNSON JOHNSON, THERE IS A QR CODE THAT WILL THAT ONCE YOU SCAN IT, IT WILL TAKE YOU TO THAT FDA WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN ACCESS THE NEWEST INFORMATION.

SO PATIENTS WHO ARE VACCINATED IN DECEMBER WITH THEIR PAPERWORK, THEY CAN SCAN THAT QR CODE AND BE TAKEN TO THE INFORMATION THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE TODAY.

AND SO IT'S AND WE, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT.

WE'LL CIRCLE IT OR TALK ABOUT IT WITH PATIENTS.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND THAT QR CODE IS RIGHT THERE AT THEIR FINGERTIPS WHERE THEY CAN WHERE THEY CAN GET THAT.

SO THAT'S, I THINK, A REALLY GREAT PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT THE FDA PUT ON THOSE FACT SHEETS. IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT WANTS PEOPLE TO BE INFORMED TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISION? ABSOLUTELY WE WOULD.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A DECISION THAT WOULDN'T BE THE VERY BEST FOR THEM. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION SO WE KNOW WE HAVE IT IN SPANISH, WE HAVE IT IN ENGLISH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THAT IN WHATEVER FORMAT IS BEST FOR THEM.

CASIE, CAN YOU TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS VACCINATION RATE? I SAW THIS WEEK THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY TRAILING THE STATE FOR BEING ONE OF THE LEAST VACCINATED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE.

WE'RE RIGHT AROUND 30 PERCENT.

CAN YOU JUST TALK TO THAT? ABSOLUTELY. SO EACH COUNTY SO I THINK PARK COUNTY IS RIGHT AROUND 35 PERCENT RANDALL COUNTY IS, RIGHT AROUND 37 PERCENT.

SO BETWEEN THAT 30 AND 40 PERCENT MARK, EACH AGE GROUP IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING, WE WERE JUST FLYING THROUGH VACCINE.

SO OUR OLDER POPULATION, WHICH IS IS GREAT, THEY'RE PROBABLY HIGHER IF YOU TAKE IT BY AGE

[00:30:02]

BUT OUR OVERALL POPULATION IS PROBABLY RIGHT AROUND BETWEEN THAT 35 AND 40 PERCENT MARK, WHICH, YOU KNOW, OTHER STATES, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S LIKE A KIND OF THAT GOAL RIGHT NOW WITH THE CDC AND WITH OTHER BENCHMARKS IS THAT 70 PERCENT MARK.

SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KIND OF CHEERS WHENEVER A STATE HITS THAT 70 PERCENT MARK.

SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO DO HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THERE'S NOT ANYTHING IN OUR DATA SHOWING THAT WE'VE PUSHED VACCINES SO HARD THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT PLEASED WITH WHERE WE ARE.

I MEAN, I BELIEVE IN THE VACCINE.

THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION.

AND I RESPECT ANYONE THAT HAS A DIFFERENT PERSONAL OPINION.

BUT AS FAR AS INCREASING OUR ACCESS TO VACCINES AND DILIGENTLY IMPROVING OUR PROCESS SO THAT WE'RE GIVING OUT GOOD INFORMATION SO THAT PEOPLE CAN MAKE THE INFORMED DECISION FOR THEMSELVES, HOW ARE WE INCREASING OUR ACCESS? SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE STARTED DOING MOBILE CLINICS AT THE LAST PART OF MAY, EARLY PART OF JUNE, WE HAD FOUR DIFFERENT SITES THAT WE WERE GOING TO IN THE COMMUNITY, THE DIFFERENT QUADRANTS OF THE COMMUNITY.

NOW, ON THE WEBSITE, I COUNTED 20 AND SO CERTAINLY INCREASED OUR ACCESS AS WE'RE MOVING THROUGH AND THE STATE IS PUSHING OUT ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THROUGH GRANTS, WE'RE ABLE TO HIRE ADDITIONAL STAFF AND WILL BE ABLE TO DO, YOU KNOW, EVEN MORE OF THAT.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

WE HAVE LATE LAST WEEK, WE COMPLETED OUR INTERVIEWS FOR THE THOSE FINAL POSITIONS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THOSE CHANGES AND THOSE THAT, YOU KNOW, FORWARD MOVEMENT. I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT VACCINE IS NOT AS LIKE THE VACCINE SUPPLY IS NOT AS TIGHT AS IT ONCE WAS.

AND SO VACCINE IS AVAILABLE AT PHARMACIES.

IT'S AVAILABLE AT DOCTOR'S OFFICES.

ANY PROVIDER CAN ORDER THE AMOUNT OF VACCINE THAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR PATIENTS.

AND SO IT IS CERTAINLY A COMMUNITY EFFORT.

SO I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA JUST TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO THEIR TRUSTED HEALTH ADVISOR, WHETHER THAT'S YOUR PHARMACIST OR YOUR DOCTOR, TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE VACCINE.

LOOK AT THESE CDC, FDA INFORMATION.

AND THEN I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO GET THE VACCINE.

AND I MEAN, IT'S EVERYBODY'S INDIVIDUAL DECISION.

WE ABSOLUTELY I RESPECT THAT AND THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT RESPECTS THAT.

BUT FROM THE CITY'S VIEWPOINT, WE ARE BETTER THE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE COVERED WITH IMMUNITY. SAFER, WHAT I MEAN BY BETTER, OUR HEALTH IS SAFER.

YES, MA'AM. OK, ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS ON THAT COUNCIL? WE APPRECIATE YOU, CASIE.

THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE YOU ALL.

OK. IS THAT ALL WE HAVE MR. CITY MANAGER, I HAVE ONE MORE THING I'M SORRY, DO YOU WANT ME TO INTRODUCE DR.

BELL RIGHT NOW OR WAIT UNTIL LET'S DO IT NOW? YEAH, YEAH. LET'S JUST MOVE YEAH. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE UP IS WE'RE GOING TO PULL OFF OF.

THE CONSENT AGENDA COUNCIL.

OH, ITEM TWO, G, I'M SORRY TWO D AND CASIE, LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THAT DOCTOR BELL, WHERE ARE YOU? SO HE'S NOT HERE TODAY.

OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE OH, OK. HE WAS IN THE ROOM.

OK, SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL LEAVE THAT ITEM ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

BUT CASIE, WOULD YOU GIVE US SOME EXPLANATION ABOUT IT? YES. SO DR.

MILTON HAS BEEN OUR HEALTH AUTHORITY SINCE 2016 AND HAS JUST DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN 2016.

AND I DON'T THINK HE HAS STOPPED FOR A MINUTE.

AND SO HE HAS TAKEN A POSITION IN FOR HE'LL BE OUR REGIONAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR REGION ONE. I HOPE THAT'S OK TO ANNOUNCE BECAUSE I JUST DID.

BUT HE WILL BE OUR SO DURING THE PANDEMIC, HE DECIDED HE LOVED PUBLIC HEALTH SO MUCH HE WANTED TO DO IT FULL TIME.

AND SO THAT'S GOOD FOR US BECAUSE WE'LL STILL GET TO WORK WITH HIM HERE IN REGION ONE.

AND THEN SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE A VACANCY IN OUR HEALTH AUTHORITY POSITION.

AND SO DR. BELL HAS AGREED TO SERVE IN THAT CAPACITY AND THAT, AGAIN, IT'S A WIN WIN FOR US. SO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA IS THE THE CONSIDERATION OF THE HEALTH AUTHORITY AND ALSO THE THE AMENDMENT TO THE CONTRACT THERE AT TEXAS TECH.

COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT DR.

BELL OR THAT POSITION AND ITS ROLES AND DUTIES? JUST EXCITED TO HAVE HIM ON BOARD.

OK, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT CASIE MENTIONED IT, BUT IT IS NICE TO HAVE AFTER THIS CHALLENGING PERIOD OF TIME, SOMEBODY THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPOSURE TO, 100 PERCENT CONFIDENCE IN, WHO'S HELPED WITH CREATION OF THE MEDIA FOR THE TESTING AND EVERYTHING

[00:35:06]

IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT ROLE MADE VERY OBVIOUS BY OUR LAST 18 MONTHS TIME.

AND IT'S PROBABLY A ROLE THAT MANY CITIES FOR DECADES HAVE JUST APPOINTED SOMEONE THEY HANDLED JUST BEHIND THE SCENES.

AND YOU NEVER REALLY SEE IT OR KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IT REALLY IS.

BUT IT'S JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

IF WE'RE GOING TO LOSE SOMEONE LIKE DR.

MILTON NOT LOSE, HE'S GOING TO MOVE ON TO A DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE LIKE DR. BELL READY.

OK, JARED, ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE MOVE OFF OF CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, WE HAVE A CHANGE IN OUR TEAM WITH REGARD TO PUBLIC HEALTH.

DO YOU WANT TO VISIT ABOUT THAT NOW? YES, WELL, IT'S NOT DIRECTLY PUBLIC HEALTH, BUT HE OVERSEES PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO JUST TO ALL OF OUR GUESTS, TO OUR TEAM HERE ON THE DAIS AND EVERYONE WATCHING.

WE HAVE A PERSONNEL CHANGE.

IT'S GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE.

DEPUTY CITY MANAGER KEVIN STARBUCK, SOMEBODY WHO I HAVE 100 PERCENT CONFIDENCE IN AND RELY UPON VERY, VERY HEAVILY, IS TAKING ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S ALWAYS A COMPLIMENT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY MOVES FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION, FROM YOUR TEAM AND TAKES ON A POSITION OF GREATER RESPONSIBILITY AND VERY HIGH PROFILE IN THIS CASE.

KEVIN HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

HE'S BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR 14 YEARS.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAS BEEN AS AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND ALSO AS DEPUTY CITY MANAGER. PRIOR TO THAT, THOUGH, HE RAN OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OPERATION HE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ALSO HAS A LOT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE FROM HIS TIME AT PANTEX. AND HE IS TAKING A JOB TO BE ONE OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEFS OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WORKING DIRECTLY FOR NIM KIDD, THE CHIEF OF TDEM.

HE WILL BE THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OVER REGION ONE, WHICH IS THE DFW AREA.

THIRTY NINE COUNTIES, I BELIEVE, OVER THE DFW AREA.

I WILL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH CHIEF KIDD JUST TO SAY YOU'RE GETTING A GREAT PERSON.

IT WON'T BE A CRITICAL CONVERSATION.

I AM SO HAPPY AND PROUD OF THE WORK THAT KEVIN'S DONE FOR US.

AND EVERYONE HAS SEEN THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS WITH REGARD TO CORONAVIRUS AND DIRECT INVOLVEMENT WITH THE VACCINATION CENTERS, WITH THE THE RESPONSE EFFORTS, WITH COORDINATING WITH TDEM FOR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, WHICH WAS IN SHORT SUPPLY EARLY ON IN THE EVENT TO JUST A MYRIAD OTHER THINGS.

YOU ALSO SAW HIS WORK IN A LOT OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS.

SO I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO TOO MUCH.

I'M VERY PROUD OF KEVIN.

I COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD OF HIM.

AND I COULD NOT BE MORE CONFIDENT THAT HE'S GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. IT'S OUR OUR LOSS IS STATE OF TEXAS'S GAIN.

AND BUT HE'S STILL GOING TO BE SOMEONE THAT WE'RE GOING TO INTERACT WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS, IF NOT FOR ANY OTHER REASON, BUT TO PULL STRINGS WITH TDEM.

KEVIN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? I JUST THANK JARED THANK THE COUNCIL THANK MY TEAM IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.

WHEN I MOVED HERE 25 YEARS AGO, I THINK MY COMMENT WAS I'LL BE HERE FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS. I'LL HEAD BACK TO THE METROPLEX, OR UP TO PACIFIC NORTHWEST WHERE MY FAMILY LIVES.

AND 25 YEARS LATER, THIS IS MY HOME.

IT WILL ALWAYS BE MY HOME.

AND IT'S BITTERSWEET, BUT VERY EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF GOING BACK TO WHERE MY PASSION IS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HELPING THE STATE AND BEING PART OF A BIGGER ORGANIZATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACROSS THE STATE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JARED.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I THINK IT SPEAKS A LOT ABOUT KEVIN TO SAY THAT THIS IS A THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DEALS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT JOBS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND WHEN THIS VACANCY CAME OPEN, IT WAS NOT POSTED.

THE CHIEF OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IN STATE OF TEXAS CALLED KEVIN DIRECTLY AND SAID, HEY, I GOT A JOB FOR YOU. YOU CAN'T SAY NO.

KIND OF ALMOST MADE IT TO WHERE.

IT'S LIKE YOUR DUTY. YOU'RE IGNORING THE STATE OF TEXAS IF YOU DON'T TAKE THIS JOB.

BUT IT'S VERY COMPLICATED.

IT'S A HUGE COMPLIMENT TO KEVIN.

ANY TIME YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE JOB SEARCH AND THEY ALREADY KNOW WHO THE WINNER IS [APPLAUSE] IT IS YOUR DUTY.

YES. IT IS YOUR DUTY TO GO AND DO HARD THINGS, AND WE I'VE SAID TO SEVERAL PEOPLE, WE WANT TO DO THAT, WE WANT TO BE OPEN HANDED IN THE FACT THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN US 25 YEARS OF THE STARBUCK FAMILY.

YOU AND KARA BOTH HAVE INVESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

YOUR SCOUT TROOP WILL MISS YOU.

YOUR CHURCH WILL MISS YOU.

YOUR FRIENDS ARE GOING TO MISS YOU.

WE'RE GOING TO MISS YOU. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO DO A VERY IMPORTANT JOB AND YOU GO WITH OUR BLESSING. AND THAT'S WHAT ARE WE HERE FOR, FOLKS, IF WE'RE NOT HERE TO AS IRON SHARPENS

[00:40:03]

SO THIS IS A PIECE OF AMARILLO GOING OUT ON THE STATE OF TEXAS STAGE FOR A BIGGER IMPACT AND A BIGGER CIRCLE OF INFLUENCE.

AND WE ALL ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE ABOUT THAT.

SO THIS IS HOW AMARILLO INCREASES ITS INFLUENCE IN THE STATE AND IN THE NATION.

AND WE WILL MISS YOU.

BUT WE ARE CELEBRATING THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND YOU GO WITH OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR PRAYERS, AND THE DOOR WILL ALWAYS BE OPEN FOR YOU TO COME BACK AND VISIT OR COME BACK AND WORK, BUT COME BACK AND VISIT.

YEAH, OK.

THANK YOU. YES.

[1.C. Thompson Park Pool update]

RIGHT. WE HAVE MICHAEL KASHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION, TO GIVE US THE UPDATE.

MICHAEL. MAYOR, COUNCIL MICHAEL KASHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC, I'LL KEEP THIS FAIRLY BRIEF PLASTER'S GOING IN THE POOL AS WE SPEAK.

THERE'S INTENTION TO START FILLING THE LEISURE POOL TOMORROW WITH WATER.

THEY'LL START SHIFTING OVER AND PLASTERING THE LAZY RIVER.

THE GOAL IS TO FINISH CONSTRUCTION NEXT FRIDAY, THE TWENTY THIRD.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT END.

SO BRIEF.

BUT WATER WILL BE GOING IN THE POOL TOMORROW.

I THINK THAT ONE OF THE TRIGGERS FOR RAIN MIGHT BE MICHAEL'S UPDATES.

YEAH. EVERY TIME WE GIVE AN UPDATE AND SAY HERE'S WHEN WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO OPEN, WE GET ANOTHER. LARGE RAIN.

YEAH, WELL, OUR CORN FARMERS DON'T HATE THAT, SO.

YEAH, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT.

WE'LL PROVIDE SOME UPDATES THIS WEEK TO OUR PARK BOARD AND OBVIOUSLY THE COUNCIL, BUT THAT'S THE GOAL PLASTER WILL BE GOING IN ON THE LAZY RIVER, LIKE I SAID, STARTING TOMORROW, HOPEFULLY. SO.

MICHAEL WHERE ARE YOU ON PLANNING A PUBLIC PARTY, LIKE A RIBBON CUTTING OR SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WANT TO GET ON OUR CALENDARS BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE THERE TO CELEBRATE? YES, BECAUSE OF THE DELAYS, WE'VE BEEN A LITTLE HESITANT TO SCHEDULE ANYTHING.

SO I'M GOING TO BE VISITING WITH WILEY AGAIN TODAY AND JUST TRYING TO HAMMER DOWN THOSE DETAILS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOOD FOR THAT PUBLIC UNVEILING.

SO HAVE YOU TALKED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE? I THINK I READ SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE PREDICTING THREE TO SIX INCHES BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER. I MAY HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM.

AND I THINK TOO THE MAYOR'S.

WATER. TO THE MAYOR'S QUESTION ABOUT WHEN WILL WE SCHEDULE THAT, WE, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, ARE GOING TO LOOK AT WHEN WE CAN REALISTICALLY FINISH BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF WORK LEFT TO BE DONE AND BUILD IN AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF CUSHION THERE.

WE WILL PROBABLY OPEN PRIOR TO THAT RIBBON CUTTING, IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN IT'S DIFFICULT TO PUBLICIZE THAT RIBBON CUTTING, OPEN IS VERY FLUID.

WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN WHENEVER WE CAN REALISTIC, WHENEVER WE CAN GET DONE.

BUT SCHEDULING AN EVENT, YOU KNOW, AND CLEARING CALENDARS AND ALL THAT STUFF, THERE LIKELY MIGHT BE A GAP BETWEEN WHEN WE OPEN WHEN THE RIBBON CUTTING IS, NOT A LOT.

IT'S JUST DIFFICULT TO SAY EXACTLY WHEN THAT RIBBON CUTTING IS GOING TO HAPPEN, PUBLICIZE IT AND COUNT ON THE FACT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE ACCURATE ON THAT ON THAT ON THAT DAY JUST BECAUSE OF WEATHER.

SO WE'LL OPEN AS SOON AS WE CAN POSSIBLY OPEN.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MICHAEL? WE WON'T DELAY FOR A RIBBON CUTTING.

WE DON'T WANT YOU TO DELAY FOR A RIBBON CUTTING, LET ME BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

I KNOW THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS.

WE'LL GIVE A LITTLE CUSHION THERE.

OK. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, I THANK YOU, MICHAEL.

APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE.

[1.D. TxDOT mowing within the City of Amarillo update]

JARED. ALRIGHT. WE'VE GOT KYLE [INAUDIBLE], DIRECTOR OF CPD&E OR CAPITAL PROJECTS, DEVELOPMENT, ENGINEERING, KYLE.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU.

EFFECTIVELY, WE ENTERED INTO A MOWING CONTRACT WITH TXDOT LAST MAY OR JUST JUST THE PREVIOUS MAY, AND THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE ON THEIR ACTIVITIES.

THE BASICALLY THE CONTRACT COMMITS THE CITY TO THREE MOWING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER AND TXDOT TO ADDITIONAL THREE MOWING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS THAT THE CITY WOULD COVER MAY, TXDOT WOULD COVER JUNE.

CITY WOULD COVER JULY AND SO FORTH.

EVERY OTHER THROUGHOUT AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER.

MAY WAS NOT WARRANTED.

AND SO EFFECTIVELY WE DIDN'T MEET THE CRITERIA.

OUR RAIN IS GOING TO COME A LITTLE LATER IN THE SUMMER.

AND SO WE DID NOT DO A MOWING ON I40 OR I27 IN MAY, BUT SUBSEQUENTLY IN JUNE WE DID.

TXDOT COMPLETED THAT ACTIVITY TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH OF JUNE.

I THINK THE TWENTY THIRD WAS WHEN THEY WERE KIND OF PULLING OFF THAT I27 AREA.

AND SO IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT WE'LL MAINTAIN THAT KIND OF ABOUT THAT SAME KIND OF MONTHLY SCHEDULE THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE SUMMER.

TECHNICALLY, WE HAVE ONE EXTRA MOWING THAT THE CITY DIDN'T PAY FOR IN MAY.

[00:45:06]

IF WE START TO GET IF WE DRAG ON THROUGH SOME LIGHT RAINS OR EVEN GOOD, GOOD GROWING SEASON, THEN THEN WE'LL USE THAT EXTRA MOWING AS AS THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES.

THAT'S THE PROGRESS, ACTUALLY.

INTERNAL MAINTENANCE DIVISION IS DOING SOME WORK INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS TODAY AS WE SPEAK OUT ON AMARILLO BOULEVARD.

THAT'S SEPARATE FROM THIS CONTRACT.

THIS CONTRACT COVERS I40 AND I27 SPECIFICALLY, BUT THE MAINTENANCE DIVISION IS OUT MAINTAINING OTHER ROADWAYS IN OUR IN OUR AREA AS WELL.

ALSO HAVE WITH ME WES KIMMELL WITH TXDOT IS PRESENT.

HE'S THE MAINTENANCE ENGINEER FOR TXDOT.

AND IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, HE OR I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THE.

ARE THERE QUESTIONS COUNCIL? OK. THANK YOU KYLE.

ABSOLUTELY. ITEM ONE E IS AN UPDATE ON OUR HEALTH INSURANCE, THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR

[1.E. Health lnsurance Third Party Administrator, Dental Insurance, and Pharmacy Benefits Manager Request for Proposals Update]

ALRIGHT, SO WE'VE GOT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER LAURA STORRS.

LAURA HAS HER TEAM BEHIND HER THAT THAT SHE'S GOING TO REFERENCE, I'M SURE.

SO, LAURA, TAKE IT AWAY. ABSOLUTELY AND JENNY, I DON'T KNOW.

DID YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR ME? IT MAY HAVE NOT GOTTEN LOADED.

OK, ALL RIGHT.

SO IF Y'ALL BEAR WITH ME.

SO I'M GOING TO WALK YOU THROUGH TODAY.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT A PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR MONTHS NOW. THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM.

IT'S JUST TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT.

AND WE'RE LOOKING TO BRING A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

SO ON FEBRUARY EIGHT, THE CITY MARKETED A REQUEST FOR A PROPOSAL FOR SOLICITING BIDS FROM CARRIERS FOR THREE DIFFERENT SERVICES.

AND THESE WERE STANDALONE.

THEY WERE SEPARATE RFPS.

ONE WAS FOR MEDICAL, THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATION SERVICES.

WE ALSO REFER TO THAT AS TPA SERVICES.

THE SECOND ONE WAS FOR PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGER, PBM SERVICES, AND THE THIRD ONE WAS DENTAL THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.

WE HAD A PANEL OF FIVE CITY EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING MYSELF, OUR H.R.

DIRECTOR, OUR I.T.

DIRECTOR, OUR BENEFITS MANAGER AND OUR RISK MANAGER THAT INDIVIDUALLY SCORED THE BEST AND FINAL OFFERS, APPLYING THE FOLLOWING SCORING CRITERIA.

AND THESE WERE DEVELOPED WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY'S HEALTH CARE CONSULTANT.

AND WE HAVE RANDY MCGRAW IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US WITH HUB INTERNATIONAL.

HE'S OUR HEALTH CARE CONSULTANT.

AND THIS IS ALL BASED ON BEST PRACTICES.

SO WE HAD ONE HUNDRED POINT SCORING SCALE FOR EACH OF THESE.

40 POINTS WAS ALLOCATED TO THE PURCHASE PRICE AND DISCOUNTS.

AND THIS WAS ANALYZED, PREPARED AND VERIFIED.

IT WAS ANALYZED, PREPARED BY OUR HEALTH CARE CONSULTANT, BUT IT WAS VERIFIED THROUGH OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT AND ALSO THROUGH OUR FINANCE AREA.

TWENTY FIVE POINTS WERE ALLOCATED TOWARDS ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITY, FIFTEEN POINTS TOWARDS QUALITY OF THE VENDORS, GOODS AND SERVICES, 10 POINTS TOWARDS REPORTING CAPABILITIES, FIVE POINTS TOWARDS THE REPUTATION OF THE VENDOR AND THEIR GOODS AND SERVICES. IN THE LAST FIVE POINTS WAS THE VENDORS PAST RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY.

SO ON MAY 12TH, THE CITY REQUESTED BEST AND FINAL PROPOSALS.

WE HAD PRESENTATIONS IN THESE THREE DIFFERENT AREAS ON WE HAD BEST AND FINAL PRESENTATIONS IN THESE THREE AREAS.

ON MAY 20TH AND MAY 21ST, WE HAD THREE FINALIST CARRIERS WHO PROPOSED BEST AND FINAL FOR OUR HEALTH PLAN, TPA SERVICES.

WE HAD ONE FINALIST FOR OUR PBM, WHICH IS THE PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGER SERVICES FOR BOTH TRADITIONAL AND PASS THROUGH PRICING.

AND IF YOU WANT MORE DETAIL ON THAT, I MAY HAVE OUR HEALTH PLAN CONSULTANT GIVE YOU A LITTLE MORE DETAIL. AND THEN WE HAD FIVE FINALISTS THAT DID BEST AND FINAL PROPOSALS FOR THE TPA SERVICES FOR OUR DENTAL SERVICES.

SO AFTER THOSE PRESENTATIONS, EACH OF THE FIVE MEMBERS RESCORED ALL OF THE PROPOSALS, THEN ALL OF THOSE GO SEPARATELY OVER TO OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT.

THE POINTS ARE COMPILED AND WE'LL GO OVER THE RECOMMENDATION IN A SECOND.

BUT LET ME TALK REAL QUICK WHO OUR CURRENT CARRIERS ARE.

SO CURRENTLY, AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, AETNA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OR AETNA IS THE CURRENT MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARRIER.

[00:50:02]

WE ENTERED INTO AGREEMENTS WITH EACH OF THESE THREE VENDORS THAT WERE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1ST OF 2016, AND THAT WAS AN INITIAL THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH EACH OF THEM.

THEN WE EXERCISED TWO ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR RENEWALS, ONE IN 2019 AND ONE IN 2020, WITH EACH OF THOSE THREE FOR EACH OF THOSE THREE SERVICES.

THEN LAST YEAR, WE WOUND UP EXERCISING ONE LAST ADDITIONAL ONE YEAR RENEWAL FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2021.

AND THAT WAS PERSON FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL ON SOME ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES THAT WANTED TO BE SEEN THROUGH, ESPECIALLY OUR HEALTH CARE SERVICES, REALLY PUTTING AN EMPHASIS ON WELLNESS AND LONG TERM RESULTS.

AND SO THOSE WERE INCORPORATED INTO OUR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS AND HEAVILY LOOKED AT AS WE WERE EVALUATING THESE THESE PROPOSALS.

SO THE RESULTS FROM THIS RFP PROCESS BASED ON THESE CUMULATIVE SCORES.

WE ARE LOOKING TO RECOMMEND AWARDING THE BIDS AS FOLLOWS, AND AGAIN, WE'LL BRING THIS TO YOU ALL NEXT WEEK.

FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE TPA SERVICES, WE ARE LOOKING TO REQUEST AWARD OR RECOMMEND AWARD.

THERE'S MY PRESENTATION.

I APOLOGIZE.

IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE SECOND TO LAST SLIDE.

THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. OH, NO.

THAT'S THE OTHER PRESENTATION.

THAT ONE'S WELLNESS. WE'RE LOOKING TO RECOMMEND AWARD FOR HEALTH PLAN TPA SERVICES TO AETNA LIFE INSURANCE.

WE'RE LOOKING TO RECOMMEND AWARD FOR PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGER SERVICES TO MAXOR PLUS.

AND WE'RE LOOKING TO RECOMMEND AWARD DENTAL SERVICES, DENTAL TPA SERVICES TO METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.

THESE SERVICES.

THANK YOU. THESE SERVICES WOULD COMMENCE ON JANUARY 1ST OF 2022 AND THAT WOULD BE FOR AN INITIAL THREE YEAR CALENDAR TERM WITH THE OPTION FOR TWO ONE YEAR AND RENEWALS AFTER THAT. AND I KNOW IT FEELS A LITTLE BIT EARLY THAT WE'RE COMING TO YOU IN JULY WITH A RECOMMENDATION ON THIS, BUT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN OPEN ENROLLMENT PROCESS IN THE FALL.

THAT IS A PRETTY IT'S AT LEAST A MONTH OR MORE PROCESS WITH A GROUP OUR SIZE.

AND SO IF AS WE'RE LOOKING AT ANY KIND OF CHANGES TO THESE PLANS, WE NEED THESE TO BE PUT IN PLACE AHEAD OF TIME SO WE CAN MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SET AND SECURE WHEN WE GO INTO OPEN ENROLLMENT.

SO WITH THAT, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER FROM COUNCIL? ONE OTHER THING BEFORE I OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS MAYBE IS WE HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON.

WE HAVE A STANDALONE WELLNESS RFP THAT WE ARE STILL CURRENTLY WORKING THROUGH.

THERE IS A WELLNESS COMPONENT THAT IS INCORPORATED WITHIN OUR HEALTH PLAN, TPA SERVICES.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A STANDALONE WELLNESS RFP THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING EVALUATED.

ALSO WITH SOME WE HAVE A CLINIC RFP THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY EVALUATING AND WE'LL BE BRINGING RECOMMENDATIONS ON BOTH OF THOSE AT A LATER POINT IN TIME.

WE WANTED TO GET THESE ARE THE THREE BIG ONES AND WE WANTED TO GET THIS RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

AND THEN WE WILL BE LOOKING AT BRINGING THE OTHER TWO PROBABLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. QUESTIONS, COUNCIL.

LAURA, WOULD YOU JUST BACK UP AND GIVE US JUST A LITTLE REFRESHER COURSE ON WHAT IT MEANS WHEN WE GET RESULTS UNDER AN RFP PROCESS, WHAT OUR ABILITY IS TO NOT TAKE THOSE BIDS? OR, YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN HAVE CITIZENS ASK US ABOUT, WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE WOULD COST A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT IT'S LOCAL.

WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO TAKE IT.

SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A REALLY IMPACTFUL FINANCIAL DECISION FOR THE CITY.

AND WE CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT PROVIDING STAFF WITH THE VERY BEST BENEFITS BECAUSE Y'ALLS HEALTH IS IMPORTANT TO US AS CITIZENS.

YOU'RE OUR FRIENDS AND OUR NEIGHBORS.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT HEALTHY ENOUGH TO BE AT WORK, THE SERVICES WE RELY ON YOU TO DO ARE NOT GETTING DONE. SO WITH ALL OF THAT, IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO US TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION HERE. BUT NOW THAT WE'RE AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS, EXPLAIN HOW LIMITED WE ARE ON FLEXIBILITY IN IN MAKING A CHANGE.

SO STATE LAW OUTLINES THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL PROCESS IS ONE OF THE ALLOWABLE WAYS TO

[00:55:05]

IT'S DIFFERENT THAN JUST THE REGULAR BID PROCESS, THE BID PROCESS.

AS LONG AS THE BID COMES IN AND MEETS THE QUALIFICATIONS, THE CITY IS REQUIRED TO TAKE THE LOWEST PRICE THAT MEETS THOSE QUALIFICATIONS.

AND I'M GOING TO LOOK TO BRIAN TO MAKE SURE I DON'T STEP OUT OF LINE ON ANY OF THIS.

BUT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

SO PRICE IS A COMPONENT BECAUSE, OF COURSE, PRICE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT THING THAT WE ALL WE NEED TO EVALUATE AND EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE ARE STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. SO IN A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, WE'RE LOOKING AT VARIOUS OTHER FACTORS BEYOND JUST PRICE. AND AS I MENTIONED AND JENNY, IF YOU CAN GO, I THINK, TO THE SECOND SLIDE ON THIS ONE, GO ONE MORE.

OUR, WE PUT OUR PURCHASE PRICE IN DISCOUNTS AS THANK YOU RIGHT THERE AS 40 POINTS OF AN OVERALL 100 POINT SCALE.

SO WE'RE SAYING PRICE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

HOWEVER, IT IS A FACTOR IN A MUCH BIGGER PICTURE.

AND SO WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RECEIVING QUALITY GOODS AND SERVICES.

WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN REPORT TO US THE INFORMATION WE NEED SO WE CAN TRACK WHAT'S GOING ON AND AND HELP MAKE DECISIONS THAT KIND OF STEER OUR PLAN INTO THE FUTURE. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE REPUTATION OF THE COMPANY IS ONE THAT IS GOOD, THAT THERE'S NOT ISSUES FROM OTHER OTHERS THAT HAVE USED THEIR SERVICES.

WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE FLEXIBILITY.

IT IS IT IS A HAND IN HAND, ALMOST PARTNERSHIP.

US WORKING WITH THESE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATORS, SANDY AND HER TEAM ARE IN CONTACT WITH THESE GROUPS ALL THE TIME.

SO AS OUR PLAN MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR HEALTH PLAN, THEIR DENTAL PLAN, THEIR PHARMACY BENEFITS, THEY'RE REACHING OUT TO BOTH THE CITY STAFF AND ALSO TO THESE VENDORS.

AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO WORK WITH US.

THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US THAT WORK THROUGH ANY EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COME UP.

SO THOSE ARE ALL FACTORS THAT WE LOOK AT ON THESE PROPOSALS AND THEN WE SCORE EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY. THERE ARE FIVE OF US AND EACH ONE PUTS THEIR SCORES ON WHAT THEY SEE, WHAT THEY'VE READ THROUGH THESE PROPOSALS.

AND THEN IT'S ALL COMPILED TOGETHER.

ONCE ALL OF THE NUMBERS ARE COMPILED TOGETHER, THE PROPOSAL WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF POINTS IS THE ONE THAT STAFF THEN RECOMMENDS TO COUNCIL.

AND MY UNDERSTANDING AND BRIAN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT'S EITHER COUNCIL CAN APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION OR THEY CAN DENY THE RECOMMENDATION.

AND IF THEY DENY THE RECOMMENDATION, THE ONLY OTHER OPTION AT THAT POINT IS TO START A NEW PROCESS. SO IT'S NOT A WE CHOOSE THIS ONE.

YOU ALL CAN CHOOSE ONE OF THE OTHERS.

IT IS A IT'S A VERY DETAILED PROCESS FROM STATE LAW.

AND WE HAVE FOLLOWED THAT PROCESS TO A T.

WE'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT AND OUR LEGAL TEAM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING CORRECTLY.

AND SO ALL THE INFORMATION COMPILED TOGETHER FROM THE TEAM AND WE FEEL IS A TEAM OF EXPERTS. WE PULLED TOGETHER SOME SOME STAFF FROM THIS ORGANIZATION THAT HAVE KEY ROLES THAT WHETHER IT'S IN THE FINANCE AREA, THE BENEFITS AREA, OVERALL INSURANCE, WE EVEN HAVE HAVE ONE FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT'S VERY TRUSTED IN THE ORGANIZATION, BUT MAYBE NOT IN THE INSURANCE WORLD IS KIND OF AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE.

AND THAT'S OUR I.T. DIRECTOR.

SO WE'RE KIND OF ALL LOOKING AT THIS FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FULLY. EVALUATING EACH ONE OF THESE PROPOSALS, THEN AS THOSE POINTS COME TOGETHER, AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS THE RECOMMENDATION WILL BE TO GO WITH AETNA FOR HEALTH INSURANCE AND MAXOR FOR PHARMACY AND METRO LIFE FOR DENTAL.

THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.

AND LAURA, WILL WE BE VOTING ON THIS ON JULY 27TH? YES, MA'AM, THAT IS CORRECT.

AND SO WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM YOU, RIGHT? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.

AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ME TO PRESENT, IN ADDITION, AT THE NEXT TIME, IF YOU WILL PASS THAT TO JARED OR TO ME, I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO INCORPORATE IT. I WILL DO THAT.

THANK YOU. OK. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT WELLNESS HERE IN A SECOND.

WE WILL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY PUT A MAJOR EMPHASIS ON, ESPECIALLY AFTER, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST IMPACTS OF CORONAVIRUS WERE FELT AND KNOWN AND THE VALUE OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, HEALTHY BODY CONDITIONS, YOU KNOW, JUST ALL THE VALUES OF A HEALTHY APPROACH

[01:00:02]

SO THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

ALSO, YOU'LL BE SEEING WELLNESS AS ITS OWN SELECTION THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS FOR A VERY DEDICATED WELLNESS PROGRAMS. WE REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT ON THIS NEXT ITEM, THE WELLNESS ISSUES THAT THE WELLNESS

[1.F. Wellness Update]

ABSOLUTELY. AND AS WE GET TO THAT NEXT ONE, I HAVE A QUICK INTRODUCTION ON IT AND THEN I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO SOMEONE ELSE.

OH, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT I CAN ANSWER RELATED TO THIS ITEM ON THESE RFPS? AND I WANT TO SAY, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE STARTED BACK WE STARTED FALL LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY, BUT THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS WENT OUT IN FEBRUARY.

THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LENGTHY PROCESS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT.

ALL OF OUR RFPS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

THIS IS A VERY BIG ONE THAT IMPACTS THE LIVES OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. AND SO THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT RFP.

AND WE TOOK A LOT OF TIME ON THIS TO MAKE SURE IT WAS DONE CORRECTLY.

ANYTHING ELSE, COUNCIL? THANK YOU, LAURA.

ITEM ONE F WELLNESS UPDATE.

ALL RIGHT, I JUST WANTED TO DO A QUICK INTRODUCTION, I HAVE SANDY ELLIOT, SHE'S OUR BENEFITS MANAGER HERE WITH ME.

SHE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU ALL THE EXCITING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS.

BUT WHAT I WANTED TO MENTION, GOING BACK TO THAT LAST ITEM WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THESE RRPS LAST YEAR AND KIND OF WHERE WE WERE AT FROM A HEALTH CARE PERSPECTIVE, WE HEARD YOU ALL. WE HEARD WELLNESS WAS IMPORTANT.

AS JARED MENTIONED, WE STARTED FROM THAT DAY.

WHAT CAN WE DO WITH WELLNESS? WE NEED THIS IS IMPORTANT.

AND AND AGAIN, THE PANDEMIC JUST EMPHASIZED ALL OF THAT.

THE HEALTHIER ARE THINGS MAY HAVE LOOKED A LITTLE DIFFERENT FOR YOU DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AND SO WE TOOK THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE STARTED RIGHT AWAY.

WHAT CAN WE DO WITH WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE NOW TO START MOVING ON WELLNESS? AND SO THIS IS OUR FIRST UPDATE ON WHAT WE'VE DONE SINCE WE HEARD THAT FROM YOU ALL.

WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS GOING ON.

AND SO WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO HAND THIS OVER TO SANDY.

AND AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON NOW.

WE STILL HAVE AN RFP THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, SO WE'LL HAVE MORE WELLNESS COMING.

BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOING ON, WE'VE GOT GOING ON AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

MY NAME IS SANDY ELLIOT.

I'M THE BENEFITS AND WELLNESS MANAGER FOR THE CITY, SO I'M EXCITED TO PROVIDE YOU A WELLNESS UPDATE FOR 2021.

SO. SO THE FIRST WELLNESS PROGRAM THAT WE'VE LAUNCHED THIS YEAR IS A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM, IT IS CALLED WONDER HEALTH.

IT'S FORMALLY KNOWN AS NATURALLY SLIM.

SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD HEARD OF THAT NAME PRIOR.

THEY HAD A NAME CHANGE RECENTLY.

AND THIS WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM WAS OFFERED TO CITY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ENROLLED IN THE MEDICAL PROGRAM.

AND THIS WAS LAUNCHED JUNE 14TH.

THE THE PROGRAM IS 10 WEEKS.

AND WE ARE IN OUR FIFTH WEEK.

AND WE HAD HUNDRED AND SIXTY EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.

THIS NEXT. AND THEN ONE ONE THING TO POINT OUT THERE IS WE WILL BE OFFERING A SECOND OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYEES TO ENROLL IN THIS PROGRAM IN THE FALL.

OK, SO IT'S A 10 WEEK PROGRAM.

YES, 10 WEEK PROGRAM.

AND WE'RE IN OUR FIFTH WEEK, OK.

AND THEN THE NEXT PROGRAM WE'VE LAUNCHED IS.

BEFORE YOU THEM. OH, I JUST WANT TO TELL COUNCIL SOME OF THE VALUES OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS. AND I'M TAKING UP TIME AND WE'RE.

THAT'S GOOD. NO, IT'S GOOD.

THAT WHEN IT WAS NATURALLY SLIM IN A PREVIOUS ORGANIZATION, WE HAD 30 PEOPLE DOING THE CLASS. WE HAD JUST AND THE CLASS COST THE CITY.

IT WAS LIKE 35,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, TO DO IT, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PLAN FROM THE VENDOR. WE HAD ONE EMPLOYEE WHO WAS IN ONE OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS LOSE SOMETHING LIKE 30 OR 40, 50 POUNDS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, A VERY APPRECIABLE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT. HE WAS DIABETIC ON A NUMBER OF MEDICATIONS, JUST THE MEDICATIONS THAT HE STOPPED TAKING AS A RESULT OF NO LONGER BEING DIABETIC AND AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THE HEART ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE WITH THE.

WITH THE WEIGHT, IT SAVED THE CITY LIKE 30,000 DOLLARS A MONTH IN MEDICATIONS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WAS TAKING. IT'S SO VALUABLE FROM A FINANCIAL STANDPOINT, BUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE ASPECT FOR THIS EMPLOYEE FAR, FAR OUTWEIGHED THAT STARTED CYCLING, KNEES WEREN'T

[01:05:01]

AS I MENTIONED, JUST THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BEING ABLE TO DO YOUR JOB. THIS PERSON WAS IN PUBLIC SAFETY CAN RESPOND MUCH BETTER THE HEALTHIER THEY ARE MUCH BETTER ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, GOING TO HAVE MUCH LONGER LIFE WITH HIS FAMILY, A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE WHEN WITH THE FAMILY, WITH THE COWORKERS. WE TALK ABOUT THE VALUE OF THE TIME WITH OUR COWORKERS.

WE SPEND MORE TIME WITH THEM AWAKE THAN WE DO WITH OUR FAMILY MEMBERS.

SO MAKE IT GOOD TIME.

THIS WELLNESS REALLY CONTRIBUTES TO ALL THAT, WE SAW EARLIER.

YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE THE MORTALITY RATE OF CORONAVIRUS AND THERE ARE CONNECTIONS TO MORTALITY AND YOUR HEALTH CONDITIONS.

THESE WILL HELP THAT AS WELL.

WELL, SEVEN PERCENT OF YOUR EMPLOYEES SIGNED UP, SO THAT'S A GREAT START.

YES, I DID THE MATH RIGHT ABOUT 19.

AND ONE THING THAT JUST TO KIND OF GO OFF OF WHAT JARED SAID, I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED AND SEEN THE RESULTS WITH A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE RESULTS OF WHEN IT WAS NATURALLY SLIM.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE I'VE SEEN AND IT JUST IS AMAZING JUST WHAT WEIGHT, WHAT WEIGHT LOSS CAN DO FOR YOU, WHERE IT CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN YOU KNOW, BY LOSING WEIGHT, YOU CAN GET OFF CERTAIN MEDICATIONS.

YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN FOLKS THAT ARE DIABETIC NO LONGER NEED TO TAKE DIABETIC MEDICINE AND JUST A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

PEOPLE GET OUT THERE AND START MOVING.

AND IT'S JUST BEEN REALLY EFFECTIVE.

AND THE THINGS THAT I'VE SEEN IN MY PAST EMPLOYER.

SO WHEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT WELLNESS, THEN THIS IS WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, LET'S BRING BRING THIS VENDOR IN AND TALK ABOUT HIM.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, HERE WE ARE TODAY.

IT TEACHES PEOPLE HOW TO LIVE LIFE IN A FULFILLING WAY, BUT DIFFERENT WAY.

IT'S NOT A DIET. IT'S IT'S A LIFESTYLE, JUST A MODIFICATION OF LIFESTYLE.

IT'S NOT A LIFESTYLE IN AND OF ITSELF.

BUT IT MODIFIES YOUR EXISTING LIFESTYLES TO ALLOW YOU TO EAT AND LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A WAY THAT IS HEALTHIER, FAR HEALTHIER.

AND IT REALLY MINIMAL CHANGES.

YEAH. AND IT REALLY FOCUSES ON PORTION CONTROL, ELIMINATING SUGAR FROM YOUR DIET.

YOU KNOW, I WENT THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO, AND SO NOW I'M PARTICIPATING AND AND NOW, YOU KNOW, JUST ALL THE THE INFORMATION AND THAT THEY PROVIDE.

AND IT'S JUST REALLY GOOD TO BE REMINDED OF, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU EAT.

AND EVERYTHING IS REALLY IMPORTANT IN ADDITION TO EXERCISING.

ANYTHING ELSE, JARED. OK, SO THE SECOND WELLNESS PROGRAM WE LAUNCHED SO FAR THIS YEAR IS WE NOW HAVE A NEW CITY OF AMARILLO WELLNESS AND BENEFITS PORTAL.

IT'S OFFERED TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

IT WAS ALSO LAUNCHED ON JUNE 14TH.

SO THIS IS THE PORTAL BASICALLY IS DESIGNED WHERE ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES CAN GO TO THIS PORTAL TO GET RESOURCES ON THEIR BENEFITS AND WELLNESS.

THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS THAT THE PORTAL PROVIDES.

AND ONE OF THE FUNCTIONS IS IT HAS DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHALLENGES THAT EMPLOYEES CAN ENROLL IN. AND ONE OF THE THE FIRST GROUP CHALLENGE, IT'S A WALKING EVENT STARTED YESTERDAY. IT'S CALLED FIND YOUR STRIDE.

SO EMPLOYEES CAN SIGN UP.

IT'S A SIX WEEK PROGRAM AND IT'S BASICALLY WHERE YOU CAN BE A TEAM OF ONE OR YOU CAN INVITE AND CREATE A TEAM OF TWO OR MORE.

AND THEN IT JUST GETS REALLY PEOPLE MOTIVATED TO START MOVING.

SO THIS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, JUST NOT ONLY WITH NATURALLY SLIM, BUT ALSO WITH THIS THE LAUNCHING OF THE PORTAL AND THE WALKING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.

SOME OF THE FEEDBACK I'VE GOT FROM EMPLOYEES IS, YOU KNOW, WITH COVID, SOME PEOPLE HAVE SAID THEY'VE PUT ON SOME WEIGHT, YOU KNOW, AND HAVE NOT BEEN MOVING AS MUCH AS THEY HAVE BEEN USED TO. AND SO THIS IS JUST GIVING YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF STARTED WITH THE PROGRAM TO START WITH WEIGHT LOSS, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.

AND THEN SECOND IS TO OFFER PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO START WALKING AND, YOU KNOW, MOVING IN THAT TYPE OF THING AND SO THEY CAN TRACK THEIR STEPS ON THE PORTAL OR SYNC A DEVICE.

SO WE WILL BE OFFERING ANOTHER GROUP CHALLENGE ALSO IN THE FALL.

OK, ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT? AND THE NEXT WELLNESS PROGRAM WE'RE INTRODUCING TO OUR EMPLOYEES IS TOBACCO SENSATION CLASSES, THESE WILL BE LAUNCHED IN AUGUST.

WE ARE PARTNERING WITH TOBACCO FREE AMARILLO AND THEY WILL BE PROVIDING FREE GROUP COUNSELING SESSIONS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES, THEIR SPOUSES AND THEIR CHILDREN AGES 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER. OK, AND THEN WE ALSO WILL BE PROVIDING ADDITIONAL CLASSES THROUGHOUT THE

[01:10:01]

SO WE CAME UP WITH A WELLNESS TAGLINE CONTEST.

AND SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CREATIVE EMPLOYEES HERE AT THE CITY.

AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF FOLKS TURN IN THEIR TAGLINE.

AND SO WE HAD 29 FINAL.

WELLNESS TAGLINE ENTRIES.

AND FROM THERE THEN EVERYONE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE ON THEIR THEIR FAVORITE TAGLINE.

SO I AM HERE TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF THE CONTEST IS MAX DUNLAP.

AND OUR NEW WELLNESS TAGLINE WILL BE A BETTER YOU FOR A BETTER AMARILLO AND.

THEY'RE HERE, AND SO [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.

[INAUDIBLE] GREAT JOB. THAT'S VERY FUN.

AND THEN FROM THERE, SO THANKS, MAX, THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND THEN SO WHAT WE DID IS I WANTED TO TAKE THAT TAGLINE AND THEN COME UP WITH ASSOCIATED URL FOR THE LOGIN, FOR OUR NEW WELLNESS AND BENEFITS PORTAL.

SO THE LOGIN FOR THAT PORTAL IS ABETTERYOUAMA.COM.

SO WE DID THAT AND THEN FROM THERE WE HAD THE HELP OF ASHTON, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER.

THERE SHE IS BACK THERE, AND SHE CAME UP WITH A LOGO THAT TIES IN WITH THE WELLNESS TAG LINE. AND SO YOU CAN SEE IT ON THE SCREEN THERE, A BETTER YOU FOR A BETTER AMARILLO.

AND SO THAT WILL BE WHAT WE'LL USE GOING FORWARD FOR ANY WELLNESS COMMUNICATIONS.

IT LOOKS GREAT. GOOD JOB, ASHTON, YES.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL FOR SANDY? I THINK THIS IS A GREAT JOB.

I THINK IT WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON THE PEOPLE'S LIVES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN IT.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY TO HELP MOVE THINGS FORWARD.

AND I THINK THE END RESULT IS, IS WE KNOW THAT IT'LL HAVE AN EFFECT UPON THE BENEFIT PACKAGE THAT IS BEING OFFERED AND THAT YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE WILL BE A REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT HAVE TO BE TREATED.

SO I THINK IT'S A LOT ALL OF THAT.

I THINK IT'S AWESOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YES. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AS WELL.

AND OF COURSE, I KNOW IT PERSONALLY.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SANDY.

THANK YOU, MITCH. RANDI, WE APPRECIATE YOU MAKING A TRIP TO AMARILLO.

WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT HUB HAS DONE ON THIS.

IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS, BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPERTISE.

OK, ANYTHING ELSE DO WE NEED TO WITH REGARD TO ITEM ONE G, REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR

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

ANYBODY ELSE? OK, MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA, ANYTHING THERE COUNCIL NEEDS TO COME

[2. CONSENT ITEMS:]

YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED.

THAT ITEM PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE.

[3.A. CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER RESOLUTION ACCEPTING STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS FOR THE OPERATION OF AMARILLO CITY TRANSIT]

WE'VE GOT DIRECTOR OF TRANSIT MARITA WELLAGE-REILEY HERE TO PRESENT THE ITEM AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, MARITA.

GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. I'M RITA WELLAGE-REILEY TRANSIT DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

I HAVE A PRESENTATION HERE.

WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY IN ADVANCE OF A RESOLUTION THAT WE

[01:15:04]

THE CITY OF AMARILLO THROUGH THE AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN ACT RECEIVED 1.264,943, 924 DOLLARS IN THAT GRANT.

AND THOSE ARE 100 PERCENT FUNDS THAT REQUIRE NO MATCH FROM THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

AND THOSE FUNDS COME THROUGH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION AND THEY ARE TO BE USED ONLY FOR OPERATING.

AND THEN WE ARE ASKING THAT YOU APPROVE THE ACCEPTANCE OF TXDOT TRANSPORTATION GRANT OF FOR FIVE HUNDRED EIGHTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS IN OPERATING, IT'S A IT'S A REGULAR GRANT THAT THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND THAT IS ALSO 100 PERCENT FUNDING.

COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MARITA ABOUT THAT? ANYBODY WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, UNCLE SAM? SOMEONE THAT'S LOOKING FOR GRANTS, AND I THINK MAYBE WHAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOESN'T ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND IS THAT I THINK EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY IS CONSTANTLY SCOURING WHATEVER THEY CAN FIND FOR STATE AND FEDERAL MATCHING GRANTS.

AND THERE ARE MANY OF THEM OUT THERE.

AND I JUST IT'S IT'S HARD WORK.

AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU THANK YOU FOR PURSUING THOSE THINGS BECAUSE IT HAS A GREAT IMPACT ON HOW FAR OUR CITY DOLLARS GO WHENEVER ALL OF A SUDDEN ONE CITY TURNS INTO THREE.

AND I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK BECAUSE WRITING GRANTS IS NOT EASY AND YOU ALL HAVE TO TAKE TIME. AND IT'S A LEARNED SKILL.

AND I DO APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK.

AND I WOULD SAY THAT TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS HERE.

IT DOES A VERY HARD DOES THE HARD WORK OF GETTING THOSE GRANTS APPROVED OR EVEN GETTING US TO THE POINT OF PRESENTING TO MAKE THE GRANTS, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

AT LEAST TWO OF OUR GRANT SUPERSTARS ARE IN THE ROOM WITH CASIE AND MARITA, LOTS A.

YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT, EDDY.

THAT'S A VERY, VERY WELL-MADE POINT.

WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT AS WELL.

OK, THANK YOU, MARITA.

OK, AND THE THE REASON WE ARE CONDUCTING A HEARING TODAY IS BECAUSE IT'S REQUIRED OF OUR RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDS UNDER TITLE SIX.

OK, ON THAT NOTE, THEN, WE HEREBY OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER.

ANYONE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK FOR, ON OR AGAINST ITEM 3A MAY DO SO AT THIS TIME.

IS THERE ANYONE PRESENT WHO WANTS TO COME TO THE PODIUM TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE WE'LL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.

YES. MAYOR I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION ACCEPTING STATE EXCUSE ME, ACCEPTING A STATE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF FIVE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS AND A FEDERAL GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY FOUR THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF THE AMARILLO CITY TRANSIT FIXED ROUTE IN AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT REQUIRED SERVICE.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY DR.

DR. SAUER TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ACCEPT THE STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS WITH REGARD TO OUR CITY TRANSIT OPERATIONS.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED.

THAT ITEM PASSES WITH THE 5-0 VOTE, AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR NON EXECUTIVE SESSION AGENDA.

SO AT THIS TIME, I'D ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PLEASE READ OUR DISMISSAL LANGUAGE.

[4. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

SO TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT CLOSED SESSION AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON JULY 13, 2021 AT 2:30 PM UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY, SECTION FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO SEVEN ONE. CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY ABOUT PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION OR SETTLEMENT OF THE SAME. CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY ON A MATTER IN WHICH ATTORNEYS DUTY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT CONFLICTS WITH THIS CHAPTER FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO SEVEN TO DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE LEASE SALE VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY.

PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, WE'RE ADJOURNED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.