[00:00:06]
THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL.
[1. Call to Order]
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM AS WE'RE GETTING STARTED HERE TODAY.I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE OF THINGS RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING.
THE TYPE OF MEETING THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY IS A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, AND I'D LIKE FOR OUR CITY ATTORNEY, BRIAN MCWILLIAMS, TO EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING AND AN EMERGENCY MEETING.
A SPECIAL MEETING IS A MEETING THAT'S CALLED FOR IN OUR CHARTER.
THE CHARTER SAYS THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER CAN CALL A SPECIAL MEETING.
YOU ALSO HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT SPEAKS TO REGULAR MEETINGS AND SPECIAL MEETINGS.
THIS MEETING IS NOT ON A TUESDAY.
THAT'S OUR REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING.
AN EMERGENCY MEETING IS A MEETING THAT YOU WOULD HAVE IF YOU HAD AN EMERGENCY.
THIS DOESN'T FIT THAT CRITERIA.
THIS IS JUST A SPECIALLY CALLED MEETING BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON TUESDAY.
SO ESSENTIALLY THAT'S ALL THERE IS.
DID WE GIVE THE FULL NOTICE REQUIRED FOR LIKE WE WOULD A REGULAR MEETING OR DID WE GIVE AN EMERGENCY MEETING? NOTICE THE NOTICE WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER MEETINGS.
SAME SAME NOTICE THAT WE WOULD GIVE FOR A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
AN EMERGENCY MEETING NOTICE IS HAS SHORTER TIMEFRAMES.
WHY DID WE DO A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING INSTEAD OF WAITING TO TAKE THIS SUBJECT UP AT OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING? AND I WOULD ANSWER THAT, THAT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER IS A VERY SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP.
THE WAY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNS IS THROUGH ITS EMPLOYEE, THE CITY MANAGER.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CAN MAKE IS WHO IS THE CITY MANAGER? THE CITY MANAGER CAME TO CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK ABOUT UPDATING HIS CONTRACT.
IT'S BEEN SIX YEARS SINCE THAT CONTRACT WAS UPDATED AND HE BROUGHT THAT DURING HIS ANNUAL EVALUATION, WHICH THE CITY COUNCIL HAD SCHEDULED AND WAS WORKING ON LAST WEEK DURING OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BUSINESS MEETING.
WHILE WHEN HE DID THAT, THEN IT PUT US ALL IN A STANCE OF NEGOTIATING IN THIS VERY IMPORTANT CONTRACT WITH REGARD TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP FOR THE CITY AS WE ARE IN THE STANCE OF NEGOTIATING THAT WITH HIM, IT REALLY CHANGES THE DYNAMIC OF HOW WE WORK TOGETHER, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
IF WE STAY FOR A LONG TIME IN THAT STANCE OF NEGOTIATING AGAINST EACH OTHER, THEN WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE PUTTING THAT IN FRONT OF OPERATING THE CITY.
SO. SO IN ORDER TO MOVE QUICKLY OUT OF THAT NEGOTIATION STANCE, WE DECIDED TO DO A SPECIAL MEETING.
IT WAS TALKED ABOUT AMONG ALL OF THE ALL FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE THERE WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT AND WE FELT LIKE THIS WAS THE BEST WAY TO GET IT LANDED, DECIDED SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON TO HAVING A NORMAL RELATIONSHIP, A NON NEGOTIATING STANCE, RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND BACK TO FOCUSING ON CITY OPERATIONS.
SO THAT I HOPE, WILL CLEAR UP SOME QUESTIONS I KNOW I'VE RECEIVED ABOUT THE TIMING OF THIS MEETING.
THANK YOU, CAROL. EACH ONE OF YOU TO PRAY WITH ME AS WE PRAY TODAY. FATHER, WE JUST PAUSE TO THANK YOU AS THIS EASTER SEASON, TO PRAISE YOUR NAME, DEAR LORD, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT YOU LAID YOUR LIFE DOWN WILLINGLY FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US THAT WE FATHER.
AND WE PRAY FOR GRACE AND ALL THAT WE DO EACH AND EVERY DAY.
YEAH. AMEN. WOULD YOU JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[3. Public Address]
[00:05:05]
I'M GOING TO PASS THE MICROPHONE TO OUR ASSISTANT CITY SECRETARY AND SHE WILL BE OUR MODERATOR FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS.THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US AND WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE HERE TO SHARE THEM.
SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO LIMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO ITEMS ON THE POSTED AGENDA.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR THIS PROCESS AND FOR YOUR VALUABLE INPUT.
TODAY'S AGENDA HAS ONE ITEM POSTED FOR CONSIDERATION ITEM FIVE A AND WE HAVE 14 INDIVIDUALS SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL REGARDING THIS ITEM TO ENSURE EVERYONE IS SIGNED.
EXCUSE ME. TO ENSURE EVERYONE SIGNED UP IS ABLE TO SPEAK TODAY.
WE WILL BE LIMITING EACH SPEAKER'S TIME TO THREE MINUTES AT THE END OF 2.5 MINUTES.
TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYONE HERE TO SPEAK TODAY, WE ASK YOU DO NOT EXCEED YOUR ALLOTTED TIME.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE TOM SHERLIN, AND ON DECK WILL BE JAMES SKANCKE.
COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE ME TODAY TO COME HERE AND ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE OF THE NEGOTIATION OF A CONTRACT.
I FEEL LIKE WITH 30 DAYS OR A LITTLE OVER 30 DAYS BEFORE WE HAVE AN ELECTION, I BELIEVE A NEW COUNCIL SHOULD BE ABLE TO LISTEN AND MAKE THAT NEW CONTRACT.
I DON'T MIND Y'ALL GUYS TALKING, NEGOTIATING, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.
I THINK IT WOULD BE OUT OF LINE IF Y'ALL VOTED FOR A NEW CONTRACT FOR A CITY MANAGER THAT THE NEW COUNCIL MAY NOT LIKE OR WANT.
I MEAN, THE THING I'D LIKE TO KNOW TODAY IS A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I WANT YOU ALL TO CONSIDER.
WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO NEGOTIATE THE TERMS OF THIS TODAY OR THIS WEEK OR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS? COOL. NEXT QUESTION. IS THIS AN EMERGENCY? I MEAN, IS THIS MAN GOING TO WALK OUT TOMORROW? I DOUBT IT. NEXT THING IS, I WOULD LIKE I THINK WE HEARD THE MAYOR TALK ABOUT EMERGENCY, BUT MORE OR LESS THIS WAS CALLED IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED, I WOULD THINK, IN A BUDGET PROCESS BEFORE.
I WOULD ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO ASK YOURSELF SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS.
HAS MR. MILLER INFORMED THE CITY OF AMARILLO THAT HE REQUIRES THESE CHANGES IN ORDER TO STAY? OR IS HE GOING TO STAY? IF WE CHANGE IT OR NOT, I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT IMPORTANT.
I DON'T THINK HE'S WALKING OUT THIS WEEK.
I DON'T THINK HE'S WALKING OUT IN 30 DAYS FROM NOW.
BUT I THINK THESE ARE QUESTIONS YOU ALL NEED TO ASK.
AND PLEASE, PLEASE, ONE MORE THING.
THIS IS TOTAL GOVERNMENT OVERREACH.
IF YOU MAKE A CONTRACT WITHOUT A NEW COUNCIL BEING AWARE OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO.
THANK YOU. MR STINK MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM.
ON DECK WILL BE JOHN INGERSON.
OKAY, ONE POINT OF ORDER QUESTION.
ARE YOU GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION RIGHT AFTER PUBLIC COMMENTS AND THEN COMING BACK OUT? YES, SIR. OKAY.
IN THE EVENT OF WHEN YOU COME BACK OUT, WILL WE BE TALKING ABOUT HOW MUCH, IF ANYTHING, THAT THIS WILL COST THE CITY MORE? AND LIKEWISE WITH WHAT TOM SAID IS THE.
OR ARE WE IN COMPETITION WITH SOMEBODY? AS CITY MANAGER, LOOKING LIKE LOOKING FOR LEAVING AND WE HAVE TO ENTICE HIM TO STAY.
[00:10:04]
AND, YOU KNOW, THIS SORT OF IS THERE A BIDDING WAR AND YOU KNOW, WITH.I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A SITUATION AND I KNOW YOU SIGNED ON WITH US FEBRUARY OF 16, ISN'T THAT RIGHT? I BELIEVE SO.
YEAH. I MEAN, 17 JUST A FEW WEEKS, MONTHS BEFORE THE NEW COUNCIL TOOK OVER.
YEAH, I KNOW. AND, AND, YEAH, BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO GET THERE, YOU KNOW, AND SO I JUST DON'T.
I'M NOT REALLY. I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW.
ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM. WE HAVEN'T EVER HAD HIS CONTRACT NEGOTIATED IN FRONT.
YOU SAID WE HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING FOR SIX YEARS, BUT YET WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF INCREASES IN SALARY, YOU KNOW, OVER THAT SIX YEAR PERIOD AND THOSE THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO ANYWAY, I THINK YOU NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WILL YOU WOULD BE WORKING WITH IN THIS CROWD AS WELL AS THE CITIZENS.
AND I HOPE THIS WORKS IN YOUR FAVOR TO SOME DEGREE, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT IS BECAUSE THIS IS DIFFICULT FOR SOME PEOPLE.
IT'S JUST LIKE RIGHT NOW THIS PUBLIC ADDRESS IS THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT.
AND WE MAY BE IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT.
BUT BECAUSE WE'VE SABOTAGED, IN MY OPINION, PUBLIC ADDRESS TO WHERE WE HAVE TO DO IT BEFORE WE HEAR WHAT YOU TALK ABOUT, IT CIRCUMVENTS UNDERSTANDING OF Y'ALL BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALL SORT OF IT'S EDUCATED, GUESSING, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SORRY.
AS MR. INGERSON MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM, ON DECK WILL BE KELSEY RICHARDSON.
HI COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
SINCE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THIS SPECIAL MEETING, I'VE HEARD AND READ MANY COMMENTS AS TO IT BEING VERY WRONG THAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD TAKE ANY ACTIONS THAT WOULD LIMIT THE NEXT COUNCIL'S ABILITY TO DO THEIR JOB.
I AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT VERY MUCH.
I DO, HOWEVER, HAVE SOMETHING THAT CONCERNS ME EVEN MORE, AND THAT IS THAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD DO SOMETHING TODAY THAT WOULD LIMIT THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THEIR OWN FUTURE.
WE THE PEOPLE IS NOT JUST A FEEL GOOD CATCHPHRASE.
BUT AS CITIZENS, WE SHOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER OUR OWN DESTINY.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE VERY FUNCTION OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AS MS.. RICHARDSON MAKES HER WAY TO THE PODIUM ON NEXT WILL BE MATTHEW NEELY.
THIS CURRENT COUNCIL HAS DECIDED TO BRING JARED MILLER'S CONTRACT IN TERMS UP TO A VOTE.
THE FUNCTIONS OF THE CITY COUNCIL ARE TO REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO TO ENACT NEW POLICIES OR MANDATES WITHIN THE CITY THAT WILL PROMOTE A HIGHER STANDARD OF LIVING THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CORE SERVICES ARE BEING MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND TO REPRESENT YOU ACROSS THE BOARD REGARDLESS OF HOW CONVENIENT OR INCONVENIENT IT IS.
THE COUNCIL THEN DELEGATES THE ENFORCEMENT OF THESE POLICIES OR PLANS TO THE CITY MANAGER.
OUR CONSTITUTION WAS SET UP IN A WAY THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES EVEN HERE IN OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IN MY OPINION, TO PUSH THIS VOTE THROUGH THE CURRENT COUNCIL. IT WILL GIVE JARED MILLER CARTE BLANCHE TO DO WHATEVER HE WANTS, THEREBY REMOVING THE AUTHORITY OF THE INCOMING CITY COUNCIL.
IF THE CITY COUNCIL CANNOT HOLD JARED MILLER ACCOUNTABLE AND OR FIRE HIM FOR NOT DOING WHAT WE DELEGATE HIM TO DO, THEN WHAT IS THE POINT IN ELECTING A NEW CITY COUNCIL? THE ANSWER IS THAT THERE ISN'T ONE, AND THEY KNOW THAT BY DOING THIS THEY ARE TYING THE HANDS OF THE INCOMING COUNCIL AND WILL MAKE IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO EFFECT THE CHANGE THAT OUR CITY DESPERATELY NEEDS.
I'M HERE AS A CITIZEN TODAY, NOT A CANDIDATE, AND I'M ASKING YOU TO DO YOUR JOB.
STOP OVERSTEPPING YOUR BOUNDS.
[00:15:08]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.AS MR. NEELY MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM ON DECK IS DON TIBBS.
THIS EVENT WAS ADVERTISED AS PG 13, BUT CHILDREN APPEARED AS YOUNG AS TWO AND ATTENDED THIS EVENT.
IT WAS CLAIMED THAT NO CHILD WOULD BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND THE EVENT WITHOUT A PARENT, ALTHOUGH DESPITE POLICE PRESENCE, NO IDS WERE CHECKED AND THUS THERE WAS NO WAY TO TELL IF THIS PROMISE WAS MET OR NOT.
NO MATTER HOW ADULT THIS MATERIAL SEEMS, I ASK THAT YOU REMEMBER THAT CHILDREN ATTENDED THIS EVENT.
THE DEGREE OF INDIGNITY THAT THIS EVENT MERITS ACTION.
AS MR. TIBBS MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM, JOHN ADAIR WILL BE ON NEXT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNCIL MAYOR.
SO IF MR. MILLER IS ENTERTAINING OTHER OFFERS, IF HE WERE TRYING TO MAINTAIN CITY MANAGER, I GET THE TIMING OF THIS RIGHT.
YOU ALL HAVE GOT TO DO YOUR JOB.
AND I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW I HAVE A GREAT APPRECIATION.
I'M LEARNING MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY HOW MUCH I DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO.
YOU ALL HAVE SACRIFICED AND YOU'VE DONE A TON FOR OUR CITY.
BUT IN THAT YOU'RE ELECTED BY US, THE CITIZENS.
SO THE BIG ISSUE OF THIS IS TIMING AND OPTICS.
WE'RE TRYING TO REBUILD THE TRUST BETWEEN THE CITIZENS AND THE COUNCIL.
A LOT OF DECISIONS WERE MADE OR SOME DECISIONS WERE MADE THAT APPEARED NOT TO BE VERY TRUSTWORTHY.
SO WE'RE IN THIS WE'RE IN THIS TIME OF TRYING TO REBUILD THIS.
SO SINCE THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY, SINCE MR. MILLER IS NOT ENTERTAINING OTHER OFFERS AND MAYBE WE DON'T KNOW THAT, I KNOW IT'S AN EMPLOYMENT ISSUE AND WE DON'T GET TO DISCUSS THAT.
SO I KNOW MAYBE YOU ALL DISCUSSED THAT IN THERE.
IF IT'S TO MAINTAIN JARED AND KEEP HIM HERE, GREAT.
WE WANT THAT. WE GOT TO HAVE THAT RIGHT.
WE CAN'T HAVE WE CAN'T HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER BAIL.
WE DON'T WANT THAT. SO DO YOUR JOB.
IF IT'S NOT IF THIS IS JUST A CONTRACT NEGOTIATION THAT WINTERED IN, EVEN THOUGH EVEN WITH HIM DEMANDING IT, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO SEE THOSE DEMANDS AFTER ALL THIS IS DONE. IF IT'S THAT ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS.
AND I AND I AGREE WITH YOU ALL DOING THE EVALUATION.
YOU ABSOLUTELY SHOULD DO HIS EVALUATION, WHICH I THINK WAS LAST WEEK.
AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU SHOULD DO.
BUT LET THE INCOMING COUNCIL, WHOEVER THAT IS, ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS, ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH MR. MILLER, BUT PROBABLY NOT MAKE A DECISION WHEN YOU HAVE AT LEAST FOUR NEW MEMBERS COMING IN.
AND WE KNOW THAT AT LEAST FOUR WE HAVE A WEAK FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
AND YOU ALL KNOW, YOU ALL KNOW THIS, THIS IS OUR ONE POWER.
SO FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THE COUNCIL TO REBUILD TRUST WITH THE CITIZENS, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS, BUT THEN PASS THAT OFF TO THE INCOMING, THE INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS SO THAT WHOEVER IT IS, THEY HAVE A GOOD IDEA.
YOU SAY, HEY, THESE ARE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
LET THE NEW COUNCIL MAKE THE DECISIONS.
AS MR. ADAIR MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM, MIKE FISHER WILL BE ON DECK.
HELLO. I JUST WANTED TO SAY RIGHT NOW, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS A VERY INTERESTING TIME IN AMARILLO.
WE'RE A MONTH AWAY FROM A NEW ELECTION.
WE'RE FIXING TO HAVE A WHOLE NEW COUNCIL.
AND MY MAIN THING IS I JUST DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, LOCK SOMETHING DOWN THAT CAN'T BE CHANGED IF IT NEEDS TO OR.
IS NOT GIVEN ANY CONSIDERATION TO THE NEW COUNCIL.
[00:20:02]
MY BEST SUGGESTION WOULD JUST BE TO LET A NEW COUNCIL COME IN, LET THEM WORK WITH JARED AND LET THEM DO WHAT AMARILLO HAS ELECTED THEM TO DO.THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. ADAIR. AS MR. FISHER MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM, CLAUDETTE SMITH WILL BE ON DECK.
ALL RIGHT, MR. MILLER. I HAVE AN EVALUATION FOR YOU.
IF PUBLIC CORRUPTION WAS YOUR ONLY JOB DESCRIPTION, YOU WOULD GET AN A.
THIS, IN TURN, ARTIFICIALLY INFLATED OCCUPANCY AND REVENUE.
TWO OF THE HOTELS WERE SOLD BY NEWCREST.
IMAGE HOLDINGS TO A PUBLICLY TRADED.
SHE'S IN ON THIS IN ORDER TO CORRECT SOME INFORMATION.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT UPSET BECAUSE MY TIME.
BUT SECOND OF ALL, WE'RE NOT PAUSING THE TIME.
WE NEVER USED CITY FUNDS FOR PEOPLE TO STAY IN THOSE HOTELS AND CARES ACT MONEY.
AND DURING THAT TIME, I DID NOT OWN NO, WE DIDN'T USE CARES ACT MONEY EITHER.
SO I WANT YOU TO HAVE YOUR FACTS RIGHT.
YOU CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION FROM THE COUNCIL.
THAT'S FINE. BUT YOU CAN'T STAND UP THERE AND NOT TELL THE TRUTH.
SO I'M GOING TO CORRECT YOU ANY TIME THERE'S A FACTUAL MISTAKE.
YOU GUYS DIRECTED PEOPLE TO STAY IN SPECIFIC HOTELS IN THIS TOWN.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE DID THAT OR USED CARES MONEY TO PAY FOR ANYONE TO STAY THERE.
OKAY. THERE WERE NURSES THAT STAYED AT THOSE HOTELS, STILL TALKING AND MY TIME IS RUNNING.
SO I GET SOME ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.
YEAH, BUT MY TIME SHOULD NOT RUN WHEN STICK TO THE FACTS AND YOU WON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM.
YEAH. THIS IS WHY SHE'S UPSET MR OFFICERS HERE.
ALL RIGHT, SO THOSE HOTELS WERE ARTIFICIALLY THEIR VALUE WAS ARTIFICIALLY INFLATED.
REMEMBER THAT, GINGER YOU SHOULD.
BECAUSE THE MONTH BEFORE THE SECURITIES FRAUD WAS COMMITTED, NEWCREST IMAGE SOLD TWO OF THEIR HOTELS TO YOUR COMPANY THAT YOU'RE PART OF CAMP HOTELS, THE COMPANY YOUR FAMILY HAS OWNERSHIP IN, ALONG WITH THE OWNERS OF AMARILLO NATIONAL BANK AND ALAN RHODES OF THE UNDERWOOD LAW FIRM.
IS THAT IS THAT INCORRECT? SHE'S NOT DENYING THIS. THAT IS INCORRECT.
ACTUALLY. YOU DON'T KNOW THE OWNERSHIP OF THOSE COMPANIES.
I OPENLY ADMIT THAT MY COMPANY THAT RECEIVED TWO OF THOSE HOTELS.
MR. FISHER MY COMPANY DOES HAVE OWNERSHIP IN CAMP HOTELS.
AS TO THE OTHER OWNERS IN CAMP HOTELS, YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT.
AND ONE OF THE PEOPLE YOU NAMED ON THAT LIST IS NOT AN OWNER.
SO AGAIN, YOU ARE NOT HIS NAME ON THE LLCS.
THIS CITY TO SPENDING MILLIONS OF TAX DOLLARS ON WORTHLESS PROPERTIES, MANY OF WHICH CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE SAME PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THE HOTEL TRANSACTIONS, INCLUDING YOU.
I CAN SEE WHY YOU WANT TO PAY JARED MILLER FOR ALL THE DIRTY DEEDS BECAUSE THEY WERE DONE DIRT CHEAP WHEN THE CITY USED TAXES TO PAY FOR THEM.
YOU CAN HAVE THAT OPINION, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT'S NOT BASED ON FACTS AND IT'S NOT TRUE.
YOU WARNING ME OF WHAT'S THE WARNING? IS THAT A THREAT? YOUR TIME IS UP, MR. FISHER. OFFICIAL OPPRESSION.
SHE'S WARNING ME. IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM.
YOUR TIME IS UP, MR. FISHER. I'M NOT MAD, BUT I WILL MAKE SURE THIS MEETING IS CONDUCTED ON FACTS.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MORE TIME, MR. FISHER. MISS SMITH, YOUR TIME IS STARTING.
YOU'RE TALKING TO ME. PLEASE START THE TIMER FOR MISS SMITH.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FACTS.
OKAY. AMARILLO CITY CHARTER SECTION 22 STATES THAT NO CONTRACT SHALL EVER BE MADE, WHICH BINDS THE CITY TO PAY FOR PERSONAL SERVICES TO BE RENDERED FOR ANY STATED PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT ALL APPOINTIVE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES SHALL BE SUBJECT TO DISCHARGE WITHOUT REASON.
[00:25:05]
I'M GOING TO VENTURE TO GUESS IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF A LARGE SEVERANCE PACKAGE ALONG WITH A SUPERMAJORITY VOTE IN ORDER TO DISCHARGE HIM.AND IF SO, WHY THE SUPERMAJORITY VOTE? IS IT BECAUSE YOUR FRIENDS ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE? AND IF THEY GET ELECTED, YOU WILL INSTRUCT THEM TO VOTE AGAINST DISCHARGING HIM? I DON'T BELIEVE I NEED TO FILL IN THE REST OF THE BLANKS THERE.
THE FUTURE FUTURE COUNCIL VOTERS ARE ABOUT TO ELECT.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, YOU'RE DOING NOTHING BUT SIGNING JARED MILLER'S WALKING PAPERS TODAY AND JARED, I HAVE TO WONDER HOW THIS IS GOING TO LOOK FOR YOU WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE AND HAVING TO TELL THE NEW CITY YOU'RE APPLYING TO.
THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY SUING YOUR PREVIOUS EMPLOYER FOR THE CONTRACT THAT YOU RENEGOTIATED A MONTH BEFORE THE COUNCIL WAS SET TO PART WAYS WITH CITY HALL AS A CANDIDATE FOR PLACE FOUR.
THIS IS DEEPLY CONCERNING AND IT BEGS THE QUESTION AS TO WHAT ELSE MIGHT THIS CITY MANAGER AND THIS COUNCIL, ASIDE FROM COAL, BY THE WAY, BE PLOTTING ON VOTING FOR BEFORE PARTING CITY HALL? I FEEL THIS IS NOT THE LAST THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE COME BEFORE THIS COUNCIL THAT'S GOING TO POTENTIALLY BIND OR OBLIGATE ANY FUTURE MAYOR OR COUNCIL FOR YEARS TO COME.
I'M ASKING YOU TO TABLE THIS ITEM AND LEAVE IT FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL TO DECIDE ON.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS SMITH, AS SHE MAKES HER WAY TO THE SEAT.
RICK SPROUSE IS UP AND ON DECK BEHIND MR. SPROUSE IS RONNIE KENYON.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR YOUR JOB.
WHY IS IT BEING DONE NOW? I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE YOUR JOB FROM $230,000 A YEAR WHEN YOU FIRST STARTED IN 2017 TO 323.
THAT'S ALMOST $100,000 RAISE IN SIX YEARS.
I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE YOUR JOB.
LET'S SEE YOU GUYS WORK FOR US.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS NEED TO COME UP WITH AND UNDERSTAND.
WE'RE ALL SICK AND TIRED OF IT.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF YOU, MR STANLEY.
ALL YOU GUYS CAN PACK YOUR CRAP AND GET OUT.
WE'RE SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR CRAP.
I THINK THIS IS THE LAST SESSION YOU'LL BE IN.
MAYOR, I HOPE THAT THIS IS THE LAST MEETING YOU'LL BE IN.
I WAS GOING TO RUN AGAINST YOU, BUT MR STANLEY IS GOING TO RUN.
I DON'T MIND TAKING A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM THE RAILROAD TO TAKE HIS JOB OR YOUR JOB.
THANK YOU, MR. STANLEY, FOR RUNNING.
AS MR. KENYON MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM, LINDA WATKINS IS ON DECK.
AND I CAN ONLY IMAGINE TRYING TO SELL MY BUSINESS AND GETTING THE DEAL DONE AND THEN GIVING ALL MY GUYS A BIG RAISE AND AN EXTENDED CONTRACT AND THEN TELLING THE NEW OWNER TO DEAL WITH IT SEEMS CORRUPT AND CROOKED FROM WHERE I STAND, TAXPAYERS DON'T LIKE IT.
THANK YOU. AS MISS HAWKINS MAKES HER WAY TO THE PODIUM.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I CAN'T REALLY ADD MUCH TO WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, EXCEPT THAT THE FACT THAT NONE OF YOU, EXCEPT FOR COLE AND FRIEDA ARE RUNNING FOR ANY KIND OF REELECTION TELLS ME THAT YOU'RE AWARE THAT YOU HAVE ERODED OUR TRUST.
AND I MEAN THIS IN THE MOST RESPECTFUL WAY.
BUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMERGENCY AND SPECIAL MEETING IS A MATTER OF SEMANTICS.
THIS NOTICE WAS PUT OUT ON FRIDAY ONLY BECAUSE I GOT AN EMAIL DID I EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND I SPOKE TO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE THAT THIS MEETING WAS TAKING PLACE.
[00:30:02]
THAT IS THE PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM WITH THIS CITY COUNCIL.WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COLE STANLEY, YOU GUYS ACT LIKE YOU COULD CARE LESS WHAT WE THINK OR FEEL.
OR IF YOU DO, WE SURE CAN'T TELL HIM.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND SAY MAYBE YOU'RE DOING YOUR BEST.
THANK YOU. AS MR MCGONAGALL MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM.
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE BEFORE YOU.
AND AS A MAYORAL CANDIDATE, I'VE HAD MANY CITIZENS REACT IN DISTRUST REGARDING THIS MEETING.
THEY DEMANDED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL NOT TAKE ANY SORT OF ACTION ON THIS AGENDA ITEM THAT WOULD BIND OR OBLIGATE THE FUTURE COUNCIL THE VOTERS ARE ABOUT TO SELECT. THESE ARE THE WORDS OF LES SIMPSON.
WELL, YESTERDAY I MADE A TRIP TO THE BOOT HILL CEMETERY.
THERE WAS A LONE GRAVE COVERED WITH TUMBLEWEED.
WE CLEARED THE TUMBLEWEED AND READ THE TOMBSTONE.
AT THE SAME TIME, A TEXT CAME ACROSS MY PHONE ALERTING ME TO THIS MEETING.
AS I READ THE DOCUMENT, BRINGING THIS MEETING TO ORDER, THE EARTH SHOOK BENEATH OUR FEET VIOLENTLY.
ROLLING OVER BENEATH OUR FEET.
ANOTHER THING I NOTICED THE GRAVEYARD IS FILLED WITH 20 SOMETHINGS.
LIKE THE 20 SOMETHINGS OF TODAY.
UNABLE TO TRUST THOSE IN POWER.
THERE'S A DIVIDE THAT NEEDS HEALING.
AND TODAY THAT DIVIDE WIDENS AGAIN.
I ASKED THE QUESTION THAT'S IN THE POEM, IF YOU ALL HAVE HEARD IT.
IS IT? AMARILLO? OF OLD. OR IS IT AMARILLO? THE NEW. YOU MAKE THE CHOICE.
I HAVE A LITTLE POEM. BYGONE EAGLE TRUST USED TO BE COVERED IN RUST, BUT TODAY IT'S DEAD. IT'S BEEN FILLED WITH LEAD.
THE TRIGGER PULLED, DRIVEN BY LUST.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MCGONIGLE. UP NEXT IS RHONDA SAVANT.
HELLO, EVERYONE, AND GLAD TO BE HERE TO SPEAK.
I'M NOT REALLY POLITICAL IN ANY WAY.
I'M JUST A CITIZEN BORN AND RAISED IN AMARILLO ALL MY LIFE.
AND SO MY CONSIDERATION FOR THE COUNCIL TO LISTEN TO IS TO ACTUALLY PLEASE GO INTO NEGOTIATIONS, AS HAS BEEN SAID, BUT DO NOT MAKE THE CHANGE THAT AMARILLO WANTS THE FUTURE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON AND SETTLE THE CONTRACT WITH THE CITY MANAGER. I THINK THAT THAT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THAT RIGHT, AS I THINK THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU ALL THAT WHEN YOU CAME IN THAT YOU ALL WOULD EXPECT THAT SAME THAT SAME PART IN YOUR PART TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK THAT YOU ALL COULD SEE THAT IF YOU WERE COMING BACK IN OR IT WAS TIME TO MAKE THE CHANGE, THAT YOU WOULDN'T APPRECIATE OTHER PEOPLE MAKING THAT DECISION FOR YOUR THE FUTURE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT EVERYBODY HERE IN AMARILLO AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS MEETING ARE TRYING TO SAY TO YOU ALL NOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE ABOUT OR WHAT IS COMING, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PRIVY TO THAT INFORMATION.
THANK YOU, MISS YVONNE. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC ADDRESS.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY TO READ OUR DISMISSAL LANGUAGE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[4. Executive Session]
YES, MA'AM. PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AT CLOSED SESSION, THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON APRIL THE 3RD, 2023, AT 1:49 P.M.[00:35:02]
THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WE ARE DISMISSED INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.THIS IS MY. IS THAT MIKE ON WORKING ON IT? A MOTION. YEAH, IT IS.
EXECUTIVE SESSION IS COMPLETED AT 4:00.
THANK YOU. UM, JUST TO GIVE YOU A SUMMARY, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO STAYED TO GET INFORMATION.
[5A. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH CITY MANAGER (Contact: Ginger Nelson, Mayor)]
SORRY THAT IT TOOK US SO LONG.UM, SOME THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AS A COUNCIL THAT WE WANTED TO START OFF THIS POST EXECUTIVE SESSION, PART OF OUR MEETING DISCUSSING OR AT LEAST PUTTING OUT THERE IS THAT THE TERM OF THIS CONTRACT IS THE SAME AS IT WAS IN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT.
THERE'S NO TERM ON THIS CONTRACT.
THE CITY MANAGER WILL STILL BE HIRED AT THE WILL OF THE THE CITY COUNCIL.
ANY FUTURE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE ABLE TO TERMINATE THIS CONTRACT EITHER FOR CAUSE OR NOT FOR CAUSE.
SO WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR RIGHT UP FRONT.
A SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE TERMS THAT WE UPDATED IN THIS CONTRACT.
THERE WAS A SALARY CHANGE FROM 294,000 TO 313,000, AND THAT WAS BASED ON THE CPI FOR 2022 AT 6.57%.
SO THE COUNCIL FELT THAT THAT INCREASE WAS ALL DRIVEN BY THE RISE IN INFLATION OVER THE PAST YEAR.
VACATION TIME CHANGED FROM 16 DAYS.
WAS IT 16 DAYS OR 15, 16 DAYS TO 25 DAYS TO MATCH WHAT A CITY EMPLOYEE WITH MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WOULD GET? SO THAT'S THE SAME THING THAT ANY PERSON WHO'S WORKED FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO WITH MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WOULD GET.
TYPICALLY CITY MANAGERS HAVE TO CHANGE CITIES IN ORDER TO BUILD THEIR EXPERIENCE LEVELS.
SO IT WOULD BE VERY UNREALISTIC FOR US TO EXPECT HAVING A CITY MANAGER FOR THAT LONG.
THE CITY MANAGER IS GETTING CREDIT FOR OTHER TIME AT OTHER CITIES IN HIS CITY.
MANAGER, MANAGER POSITION AND THOSE VACATION DAYS MATCH THAT LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE.
OTHER MINOR BENEFITS THAT WERE IN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT ARE AN AUTO ALLOWANCE, A PHONE ALLOWANCE, SICK DAYS AND WE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THOSE BENEFITS WITH REGARD TO THE ABILITY TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT.
WE WENT THROUGH THAT IN 2015 AND THE 2017 COUNCIL.
THERE ARE FOUR MEMBERS OF THAT COUNCIL STILL SERVING, LIVED THROUGH GOVERNING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT AND WE HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STAFF TURNOVER, ESPECIALLY IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF STAFF AND DEPARTMENT HEADS AND EXECUTIVE LEVEL STAFF.
WHEN JARED ATKINSON WAS FIRED AND IT TOOK YEARS TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS WITH QUALIFIED CANDIDATES BECAUSE OF THE REPUTATION THAT AMARILLO HAD FOR BEING UNSTABLE. WE BELIEVE THIS PROVISION ADDS STABILITY TO CITY OPERATIONS TO TERMINATE WITH CAUSE, YOU WILL STILL NEED THREE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO AGREE TO THAT TERMINATION AND CAUSES FURTHER DEFINED IN THE CONTRACT.
SO THOSE WERE THINGS THAT WE FELT WERE IMPORTANT, JUST SO THAT EVERYBODY'S WORKING ON FACTS AND NOT JUST ON ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND OBVIOUSLY WE'RE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS BY EMAIL OR HOWEVER.
BUT AT THIS TIME, DOES ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE SOMETHING THEY WANT TO ADD TO THOSE COMMENTS? OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION WITH REGARD TO THE DRAFT OF THE CONTRACT? YES, MAYOR. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE DRAFT CONTRACT FOR THE CITY MANAGER, MR JARED MILLER, AS IT IS WRITTEN.
SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THE DRAFT OF THE CONTRACT AS PRESENTED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION TODAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE THE MOTION?
[00:40:06]
MR. STANLEY. THANK YOU, MAYOR.COUNCIL MEMBER STANLEY. I'M SORRY.
THANK YOU. SO THERE'S TWO LARGE ISSUES HERE.
IN MY OPINION, THESE GO DIRECTLY TO TIE THE HANDS IS WHAT THE THE STATEMENT WAS EARLIER.
I DON'T FEEL THAT THIS IS RIGHT.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT GOES TO BUILD CREDIBILITY FOR OUR OFFICE HERE.
WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, I DON'T THINK IT GARNERS FURTHER TRUST.
SO I AM ASKING ONE QUESTION, BUT NOT OF MY COUNCIL OR MAYOR.
I'M ASKING ONE QUESTION OF MY CITY MANAGER.
MR. MILLER, I'M ASKING YOU TO DECLINE THIS AND I'M ASKING YOU TO REJECT IT.
YES. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU BE THE LEADER THAT I KNOW YOU CAN BE.
AND I THINK IT GOES VERY, VERY FAR IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND SO I'M ASKING YOU TO DECLINE THIS.
ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL ABOUT THAT? SORRY, JARED. I DIDN'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT.
SO THE COMMENTS THAT I WOULD MAKE IS AFTER WATCHING WHAT HAPPENED IN 2015 WHENEVER.
JARED ATKINS WAS RELEASED AND IT TOOK THEM 20 MONTHS BASICALLY TO HIRE ANOTHER CITY COUNCIL.
ANOTHER CITY MANAGER AND THAT CITY MANAGER WAS WAS JARED.
HE WAS HIRED IN FEBRUARY OF 2017 AND A NEW COUNCIL TOOK OVER IN MAY OF 2017.
AND IT WAS DEEP INTO 2019 BEFORE WE REACHED A PRETTY GOOD POINT OF STABILITY.
AND SO THERE'S BEEN THIS SWELL OF TALK ABOUT THE COUNCIL TURNS OVER.
IT'S A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE THAT THE CITY MANAGER MAY BE REPLACED.
AND I CARE ABOUT THE CITY WAY TOO MUCH TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN WITHOUT CAUSE IF THERE'S CAUSE.
I'M ALL FOR IT. IF THERE'S NO CAUSE, THEN BASICALLY WHAT ENDS UP SETTING UP IS ANYBODY WORTH THEIR SALT? WOULD NEVER CONSIDER THE CITY MANAGER'S POSITION HERE.
IF YOU LOSE THE CITY MANAGER WITHOUT CAUSE IN 2015 AND YOU FROM A COUNCIL CHANGE AND THEN YOU HAVE ANOTHER COUNCIL CHANGE AND YOU LOSE ANOTHER CITY MANAGER IN 2023, ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE A REALLY GREAT CANDIDATE IS NOT GOING TO CONSIDER THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND IT COSTS THE CITY.
IT COSTS THE CITY AND EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
IT TOOK US FOUR YEARS, FOUR PLUS YEARS TO RECOVER, AND THE ABILITY TO RECOVER FROM THIS IS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LONGER.
AND SO I'M TELLING YOU THAT MY FEELING BEHIND THIS IS PURELY PHILOSOPHICAL.
THE CITY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO THAT AGAIN.
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO DO THAT AGAIN.
IT WILL IT WILL TAKE US AN EVEN LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.
AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A LONGER RANGE VIEW FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE.
AND I COMPLETELY SUPPORT THAT.
BUT I DO NOT SUPPORT A SITUATION.
AND SO IT WAS STATED THAT WHEN WE WERE BACK THERE TALKING, THAT BASICALLY.
[00:45:05]
IT FULLY LEAVES THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL.IF THEY FEEL LIKE THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE MADE, THEN THEY CAN MAKE THAT CHANGE.
THEY CAN MUTUALLY DECIDE TO GO AND REVISIT THAT CONTRACT.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE.
AND SO I JUST FEEL LIKE THAT WE'VE THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE DONE THAT TRY TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT WE HAVE STABILITY IN THE CITY AND THAT IT CARRIES ON THROUGH.
COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD? I'VE HAD A LITTLE BIT, BUT NOT MUCH.
I WOULD EMPHASIZE THE STABILITY.
FOUR OF US WENT THROUGH THE CHANGE IN 2017.
I REMEMBER WE WERE HAVING A TRAINING SESSION BY SOME PEOPLE THAT CAME HERE THAT TRAINED CITY COUNCILS ALL OVER THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY. AND THEY.
CAME IN. THEY WERE TALKING MAINLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
BUT ON DAY TWO OF THIS TRAINING, THEY HAD THE TOP.
DEPARTMENT HEADS WERE, I THINK, 40 PEOPLE.
AND. THESE TRAINERS ASKED NOW THESE 40 PEOPLE, HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE LESS THAN A YEAR.
A THIRD OF THEM RAISED THEIR HAND.
WE RELY. NOT ONLY THE CITY MANAGER, BUT THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE STABILITY OF THIS CITY.
AND THAT'S WHY SECONDED THE MOTION.
GO THAT WAY. NO, I THINK EVERYTHING HAS HAS BEEN SAID AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, BECAUSE I'M ABOUT STABILITY AS WELL.
BUT I JUST WANT THE CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT WHEN I CAME ON BOARD 2017, THE 2015 2016 COUNCIL HAD NEGOTIATED MR. MILLER'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BEFORE WE CAME ON BOARD.
AND ONCE THAT CONTRACT WAS IN PLACE AND THEN THIS CITY COUNCIL CAME INTO OFFICE IN 2017, WE HAD THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW MR. MILLER'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AND TO MAKE ANY CHANGES THAT WE FELT WERE NECESSARY.
AND SO AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, WE DID NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES.
BUT AS FAR AS A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL, THE NEW CITY COUNCIL COMING ON BOARD AS CITIZENS HAVE, HAVE REFERRED TO IT AS THEIR HANDS BEING TIED, THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
AND SO THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I HAVE JUST A FEW COMMENTS AS WELL.
AND I THINK THAT CHANGING THE CITY MANAGER IS VERY COSTLY TO OUR ORGANIZATION.
AND WE HAVE TO HIRE FEES TO A SEARCH AGENT TO FIND A NEW CITY MANAGER.
IT COSTS AND DISRUPTION TO CITY OPERATIONS.
AS MR. SMITH REFERENCED LAST TIME WE FIRED THE CITY MANAGER, WE HAD MANY OF OUR EXECUTIVE AND DEPARTMENT LEVEL STAFF RESIGN AS WELL AND DECIDE TO TAKE A JOB ELSEWHERE.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY, BASED ON THE LACK OF STABILITY THAT WE HAD IN OUR LEADERSHIP, IT AFFECTS OUR REPUTATION AND AS WAS SAID, OUR ABILITY TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS GOING FORWARD.
AND IT TAKES TIME AND ENERGY TO MAKE THE CHANGE.
THE LAST TIME WE DID IT, IT WAS OVER 18 MONTHS BEFORE WE HAD ANOTHER PERMANENT CITY MANAGER.
SO IT'S NO SMALL THING TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
HE WORKS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND FOR THE CITIZENS WHO LIVE IN AMARILLO, AND HE DOES A MAJORITY.
HE DOES WHAT A MAJORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL INSTRUCTS HIM TO DO.
FOR ONE THING, IT WAS DONE IN A VERY SIMILAR TIME FRAME IN 2015.
WE'RE JUST FOLLOWING THE CALENDAR OF EVALUATING THE CITY MANAGER IN THAT SAME TIME FRAME.
[00:50:05]
ALSO, I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL IS IN THE BEST POSITION TO KNOW WHAT HE WAS ASKED TO DO AND HOW HE PERFORMED THAT OVER THE OVER THE COURSE OF HIS JOB.SO BECAUSE I BELIEVE SO STRONGLY AS A PRINCIPLE THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S JOB AND CONTRACT SHOULD BE BASED ON PERFORMANCE AND NOT ON POLITICS. I DO ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT THE BEST PEOPLE QUALIFIED TO DO THAT ANALYSIS AND DO THAT NEGOTIATION ARE THE PEOPLE WHO'VE WORKED WITH HIM IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
UM. WE ARE PREPARING TO CHANGE THE LEADERSHIP ON OUR CITY COUNCIL.
WE KNOW FOR SURE THAT 80% OF OUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL WILL BE BRAND NEW TO GOVERNING THE CITY.
PERHAPS 100% OF IT WILL BE BRAND NEW TO GOVERNING THE CITY.
THEY HAVEN'T WORKED WITH MR. MILLER. THEY WILL HAVE A VERY STEEP LEARNING CURVE ABOUT GOVERNANCE AND ALL THINGS AMARILLO.
EVEN THAT PROCESS JUST TAKES TIME.
I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT IN THAT TIME AND TO LEARN AND TO SERVE.
WE HAVE OVER 20 CANDIDATES WITH THEIR NAMES ON THE BALLOT, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS ESSENTIALLY BY PUTTING THEIR NAME ON THE BALLOT, VOLUNTEERING FOR THAT REALLY TOUGH JOB OF LEARNING HOW IT WORKS.
AND THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO SPEND LEARNING.
BUT THEY THEY WON'T BE IN THE FIRST YEAR OR EVEN LONGER IN THE BEST POSITION TO NEGOTIATE THE CITY MANAGER'S CONTRACT AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS WHO ELECTED ME.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY MANAGER DECISION IS BASED ON PERFORMANCE, NOT BASED ON POLITICS.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITIZENS WILL HAVE STABILITY IN CITY OPERATIONS WHILE THAT NEW GROUP OF LEADERS HAS THE TIME TO GET UNDERSTANDING AND TO GET THEIR LEARNING DONE SO THAT THEY CAN TO BE QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED TO LEAD THE CITY.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT AMARILLO HAS A REPUTATION FOR STABILITY.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS IN THIS DECISION.
AND I HAD THE EXPERIENCE IN 2017 OF A PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL, JUST A FEW MONTHS.
MY EXPERIENCE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER IS THAT THE BEST LONG TERM DECISIONS FOR THE CITY ARE SOMETIMES NOT POPULAR, AND SOMETIMES THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING OR TO HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF FACTS BEHIND THE DECISION. BUT I KNOW THAT I'M NOT GOING TO BASE A DECISION ON OPTICS OR ON POPULARITY.
AT THIS TIME, THEN? YES. JARED.
I WANTED TO GET BACK TO COUNCIL MEMBER STANLEY REQUEST.
I MISSED A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
FIRST, THOUGH, WE HAVE A VERY INHERENTLY I WON'T SAY UNSTABLE, BUT IT'S CONDUCIVE TO INSTABILITY THE WAY OUR WE HAVE 100% OF THE COUNCIL UP FOR ELECTION EVERY TWO YEARS.
I AM THE ONLY LIVING CITY MANAGER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO HAVE GONE THROUGH A 100% CHANGE OF COUNCIL FROM WHEN I WAS HIRED IN FEBRUARY OF 17 TO MAY OF 17 WHEN A NEW COUNCIL WAS SWORN IN.
[00:55:02]
I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO COUNCIL MEMBERS BLAKE AND NAIR AND BURKETT AND EMERSON AND MAYOR HARPOLE FOR HIRING ME.NOW THAT I'VE THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH, I BELIEVE I MIGHT BE THE ONLY CITY MANAGER IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ALIVE TO HAVE AN 80% CHANGE, WHICH IS THE VERY MINIMUM THAT WE THAT WE WILL HAVE THIS TIME THEORETICALLY, I'M ASSUMING I WOULDN'T I'M NOT GOING TO ASSUME ANYTHING.
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ONE OF Y'ALL TWO WOULD WIN AND THAT WOULD BE AN 80%, BUT IT COULD STILL BE 100%.
SO I MAY HAVE BOTH OF THOSE RECORDS.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'M NOT PROUD OF IT.
I'M NOT I'M PROUD OF IT. BUT IT IS AN OBSERVATION OF SOME OF THE STABILITY CHALLENGES THAT THAT THE WAY WE DO THAT CAN INJECT INSTABILITY INTO THE ORGANIZATION.
THE OBJECTIVE WITH THE REQUEST TO DISCUSS THIS WITH COUNCIL IS TO CREATE AND FOSTER THE MOST CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT TO STABLE CONDUCT OF CITY BUSINESS THAT I POSSIBLY CAN.
MY JOB IS TO WORK FOR OUR COMMUNITY, TO WORK WITH THIS TEAM AND TO WORK WITH THIS COUNCIL.
WHEN I SAY THIS TEAM, I MEAN THE CITY TEAM AND WITH THIS COUNCIL AND WITH WITH THOSE SAME THOSE SAME PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE AS WELL. SO THIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE THE FUTURE COUNCIL.
NONE OF THIS IS IS IS MEANT TO.
DO ANYTHING BUT CREATE A MORE STABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR IN WHICH WE CAN DO WHAT WE DO.
SO I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
BUT THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS REQUEST IS TO CREATE THAT STABILITY.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, I AM COMMITTED TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
I WANT TO BE THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
I WANT I HOPE THAT I BRING A POSITIVE INFLUENCE TO THIS TEAM.
AND I AND I'M NOT GOING TO LOOK AROUND AT ANY OF MY.
COWORKERS. I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANYBODY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT MY HOPE AND MY PRAYER IS THAT I BRING A POSITIVE IMPACT TO THIS TEAM, THAT I MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND THIS JOB GIVES ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
I FEEL LIKE WE DO THAT AND I FEEL LIKE I'M A PART OF THAT.
AND I'M GRATEFUL TO THIS COUNCIL.
SO THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME, THEN WE WILL TAKE A VOTE ON THE MOTION.
ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. THOSE AGAINST THE MOTION? SAME SIGN? NO.
OKAY. THE MOTION PASSES WITH THE FOUR ONE VOTE.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE END OF THE BUSINESS ON OUR AGENDA TODAY.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.