[00:00:04]
WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL OURSELVES TO ORDER.
[1. Call to Order]
THIS AFTERNOON, WE HAVE ONE ITEM OF BUSINESS HERE TO TAKE CARE OF TODAY.SO WHAT WE'RE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
[2. Public Comment]
WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE THAT ARE SIGNED UP.WE'LL ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK IN ORDER AND THEN WE'LL ASK FOR ANYONE ELSE THAT'S HERE.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE INTO OUR ONE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
MISS CITY SECRETARY, IF YOU'LL WALK US INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE.
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUR INPUT AND YOUR OPINIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE TO SHARE THEM.
WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
THEY MAY REFER THAT ITEM TO A FUTURE AGENDA.
THEY MAY RECITE A STATEMENT OF FACT OR POLICY, OR THEY MAY REFER YOU TO STAFF.
MAYOR. WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS TODAY.
IS. MR. GRAYS IN THE AUDIENCE.
AND IF NOT, JEFFREY MCGUNNIGLE.
AND WHILE MR. MCGUNNIGLE MAKES HIS WAY UP, PAUL HARPOLE WILL BE AFTER HIM.
OR BEFORE YOU START THE CLOCK, I THINK FOUR OF US GOT THE MEMO FROM YOUR MAYOR.
OKAY, LET ME FIND THAT HUMOROUS.
IN THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN, TWO PEOPLE SPOKE OF AMARILLO BEING AT A CROSSROADS.
TODAY, AUGUST 23RD, 2023, WE ARE SITTING DEAD CENTER AT THE CROSSROADS.
I SAW A VISION OF WHAT'S BEYOND THE CROSSROADS.
A CITIZENRY THAT STATES THAT'S AMARILLO.
LAST WEEK I BROUGHT A POEM AND PART OF IT SAID, THE CITY MANAGER IS THE ONE WHO SETS THE TONE.
A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE HE MUST OWN.
THIS TRICKLES DOWN TO THOSE HE GUIDES BELOW.
HE DOES SO. BUT ABOVE THE GUIDE IS THE FIVE GUYS.
FIVE GUYS THAT CANNOT REMAIN IN DISGUISE.
SO WE'RE BACK TO THE CROSSROADS.
SO SITTING DEAD CENTER OF THE CROSSROADS IS THE CITY MANAGER.
THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO RISE AS A CITY WITH A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE.
A CITY WHERE EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN STATES.
SO THE CHOICES AT HAND DOES THE COUNCIL ADOPT AND HIRE SOMEONE WHO WALKS THE TALK OF A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE, OR DO THEY HIRE SOMEONE WHO WILL BE OKAY WITH THE STATUS QUO? HIRE THE ONE TO TAKE US TO NEW HEIGHTS OF EXCELLENCE.
HIRE SOMEONE OF THE STATUS QUO IN THIS REVEALS WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW.
KNOW THAT AMARILLO IS ON WATCH.
I'LL END WITH THE QUESTION AT THE SAME QUESTION LAST WEEK.
WILL THINGS THESE TWO YEARS BE DONE FAIRLY OR WILL THEY BE DONE FAIRLY? PS, THE ENTRANCE TO OUR PALACE, OUR HALL, OUR CITY HALL, OUR MOST DECORATED BUILDING IN THE CITY.
THE ENTRANCE FAR FROM EXCELLENCE.
THIS IS A REFLECTION OF LEADERSHIP.
AND AFTER MR. HARPOLE. OUR FINAL SPEAKER WILL BE GARY PITTNER.
GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR WELCOMING THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS FOR OUR CITY.
[00:05:01]
I DO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TODAY TO COME AND SEE MANY OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO WORK SO HARD FOR THIS CITY AND HAVE FOR A LOT OF YEARS.SO I REALLY WANT TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES WHO.
BUT I WANT US TO ALL REMEMBER THAT.
THE COMMISSION AND THE MAYOR HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE, THE CITY MANAGER COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT WAS ESTABLISHED EARLY IN THE 19TH CENTURY AND WE WERE THE SECOND CITY, THE FIRST IN THE SOUTHWEST TO ADOPT IT.
IT'S BEEN A TRIED AND TRUE WAY TO OPERATE A CITY.
AND IT REQUIRES SOMEBODY WHO IS CONCENTRATING ON THAT FULL TIME.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL SPEND AN AWFUL LOT OF TIME ON THIS, BUT I THINK EVERYONE WOULD AGREE YOU NEED SOMEBODY AT THAT NEXT LEVEL TO DO ALL THE LITTLE DAILY THINGS THAT ARE SURPRISING EVERY DAY.
THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO GET BORED.
THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO FEEL ANYTHING OTHER THAN A PUSH TO REALLY MANAGE THE CITY.
AND SO I WANT TO ALSO THANK JARED.
I WAS PART OF THE GROUP THAT HELPED HIRE HIM.
I SAY VERY SADLY THAT I WILL MISS YOU, JARED.
AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE DONE A FORTHRIGHT JOB FOR OUR CITY.
AND I WISH ALL THE CITY EMPLOYEES THE BEST.
YOU DO A YEOMAN'S JOB AND I SAY THANK YOU.
MR. PITTNER AND I BELIEVE KEITH GRAYS IS IN THE AUDIENCE NOW, SO WE'LL HAVE HIM AFTER GARY.
FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES, I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF AMARILLO.
WE MOVED AWAY FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEN DECIDED WE NEEDED TO COME BACK HOME.
SO WE CAME BACK HOME IN DECEMBER.
I RETIRED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AFTER A 40 YEAR CAREER WITH THE PANHANDLE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION.
32 OF THOSE YEARS IS THAT ORGANIZATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND I HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, JUST LIKE THE FIVE OF YOU SITTING BEHIND THIS TABLE OVER THE YEARS AND ALSO OVER THOSE SAME DECADES WORKING WITH DOZENS OF CITY MANAGERS ACROSS THE PANHANDLE AND THE STATE OF TEXAS, FOR THAT MATTER.
I ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HIRING A LOT OF YOUNG ASPIRING PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS OVER THE YEARS OUT OF SCHOOL LOOKING FOR THEIR FIRST JOB IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, MANY OF WHOM WANTED TO BE CITY MANAGERS.
AFTER SEVERAL YEARS IN OUR SHOP, THEY THEY HAD OPPORTUNITIES AND MOVED INTO THAT PROFESSION.
AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THOSE SUCCESSFUL GUYS THAT I HIRED AS YOUNG MEN WHO WENT ON TO BE CITY MANAGERS IN PLACES LIKE MIDLAND, IN LUBBOCK AND PLAINVIEW AND AMARILLO AND CANYON AND WELLINGTON AND STRATFORD AND CANADIAN AND ON AND ON DOWN THAT LIST.
IT WAS A PLEASURE TO WORK FOR AND WITH THE PAST FIVE CITY MANAGERS FOR ME HERE IN AMARILLO.
JOHN USED TO SCARE THE BEJESUS OUT OF ME, BUT HE WAS AN HONORABLE MAN AND A FINE INDIVIDUAL, AS WERE JOHN WARD, ALLEN TAYLOR, JARED ATKINSON, AND NOW JARED MILLER.
SO THAT PROVES I'M OLD, NUMBER ONE.
SO JARED, I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S RAN.
BUT I'M GOING TO STATE THE OBVIOUS, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU CAN HEAR IT TOO MUCH.
[00:10:07]
IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME.IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF WORK.
IT'S IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE ON OUR PART.
AND I KNOW THAT'S IN YOUR HEARTS TO DO.
SO FIND US A LEADER WITH HIGH EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS, A PROFESSIONAL WITH PROVEN CITY MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE, A PERSON WITH THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF ETHICS AND INTEGRITY, AND MAYBE MORE IMPORTANTLY, A PERSON WITH THE RIGHT DEMEANOR TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY.
REMEMBER, AS MAYOR HARPOLE SAID, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A LEADER FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, A CITY WITH 2600, 2700 EMPLOYEES, AND A BUDGET APPROACHING THESE DAYS, ABOUT HALF $1 BILLION.
THE 200,000 OF US PLUS ARE LOOKING TO TOWARD YOU ALL TO DO A GOOD JOB.
AND WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU TO DO YOUR VERY BEST.
AND WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
AND OUR LAST SPEAKER SIGNED UP IS KEITH GRAYS.
YES, SIR. I WON'T GET ARRESTED.
I LIVE AT 2326 NORTHWEST 11TH AVENUE.
I'M A LIFELONG NATIVE AMARILLOAN.
AND AND I STAND HERE TODAY TO SAY THAT I HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY IN NORTH HEIGHTS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHERE I WAS RAISED. AND NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS HERE TODAY, I WANT TO LEAVE ON YOUR MINDS THAT NORTH HEIGHTS AMARILLO IS LIKE A JUNGLE OUT OF AFRICA, AND I DON'T THINK TOO MANY OF YOU HERE HAVE EVER DRIVEN THROUGH THERE.
IF YOU HAVE, CALL ME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU SAW.
I'M EITHER GOING BLIND OR I'M SEEING EXACTLY WHAT I'M SEEING.
THANK GOD THAT JUST AS RECENTLY AS YESTERDAY, THE ABANDONED BURNED TWICE IN ONE YEAR APARTMENT COMPLEX AT 206, NORTH MADISON BEGAN DEMOLITION SERVICES AND WITHIN 24 HOURS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A NEIGHBORHOOD FROM JUST THAT ONE. IF YOU GO TO THE OLD PONDEROSA APARTMENTS, THERE'S I DON'T WANT TO TURN THIS INTO A RACE THING BECAUSE IT'S CITIZENS, BUT I HAVE TO USE THIS, THAT THERE ARE TWO AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN WHO THEIR HEARTS DESIRES WAS TO BE DEVELOPERS IN THAT COMMUNITY.
IT JUST RAN THROUGH THE NICEST NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE MOST VALUED PROPERTY VALUATION WISE IN THAT QUADRANT OF AMARILLO ACROSS THE STREET FROM ROSS ROGERS GOLF COURSE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THOSE GUYS TEED OFF AND NOT SMELL IT.
IT THEY FINALLY GOT THAT OVER THE YEARS WE WERE THE LAST TO GET PAVED STREETS.
WHEN THEY WERE DEVELOPING SOUTH AMARILLO BACK IN THE MIDDLE PART OF THE 80S, WE WERE SITTING UP LOOKING AT ROADS THAT HAD STILL DIRT ROADS AND THEY WERE PAVING THE ALLEYS IN DEVELOPMENTS.
AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN A LONG HISTORY OF THINGS, NOT JUST HERE OF LATE, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T COME IN THESE ROOMS BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE HEARD.
I BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS ARE LISTENING.
I BELIEVE WHATEVER HAPPENS HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU, MR. MILLER, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I WAS ABLE TO APOLOGIZE TO HIM.
I TOLD HIM ONE DAY THAT I DIDN'T LIKE HIM, BUT I LOVED HIM WITH THE LOVE OF CHRIST.
AND I THANK YOU GUYS FOR WHERE YOU'RE SITTING.
THIS I'M SURE THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB.
IT'S AN ARDUOUS TASK FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD BE ELECTED TO THESE POSITIONS.
BUT REMEMBER, Y'ALL, AMARILLO IS NOT JUST ABOUT JUST THE 200,000 PEOPLE, BUT IT'S ABOUT A LOW TO MODERATE INCOME DILAPIDATING COMMUNITY CALLED NORTH HEIGHTS.
IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A JUNGLE.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT BLACK OR WHITE.
WHERE ARE THE TAX DOLLARS FOR THAT QUADRANT? WHERE ARE OUR TAX DOLLARS? YOU GUYS AREN'T THE ONES.
BUT WHILE WE'RE SITTING HERE DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES, I KNOW WE NEED QUALITY OF LIFE.
[00:15:04]
I LOVE [INAUDIBLE] AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO COINED THAT PHRASE YEARS AGO, BUT A $8 MILLION SWIMMING POOL.AND WHOEVER GAVE THIS GUY THE MONEY TO PUT 125 HOMES BETWEEN NORTHWEST NINTH STREET AND NORTHWEST 20TH STREET.
AND THE NEW STRUCTURES OVER THERE LOOK WORSE WITH THE WEEDS GROWN UP AND THE BUILDINGS BOARDED UP AND PORTA TOILETS IN FRONT OF IT GO TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE I LIVE.
GO OVER THERE AND SEE WHAT I SEE.
THANK YOU. AND MAYOR THAT WAS OUR LAST SIGNED UP SPEAKER.
SO I WOULD ASK IF WE CAN POST THOSE COMMENTS SO THAT CITIZENS CAN SEE IT.
OKAY. LET ME RECOGNIZE MR. DEEPAK PATEL REAL QUICK.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
PAUL HARPOLE, 2016 AND 15 ALL THE TOWN HALL MEETINGS HE JUST DECLARED HE JUST EMBASSY SUITES TO BRING A LOT OF BUSINESS EVERY WEEKEND.
AREAS, HOTELS FULL, ALL THIS DRAMA AND ALL THIS, WE LIKE TO INVESTIGATION THIS DEAL.
REASON, THIS IS SINGLE CONVENTION, THIS HOTEL BRING IN THIS TOWN THIS HOTELS IS A BURDEN TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO, MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR PLUS PROPERTY TAX.
I PAY MY REGULAR ALL THESE EMPLOYEES TAXES AND PAYROLL ALL THIS TIME TO TIME EVERY FRIDAY.
MY QUESTION TO THE DIRECT TO THE PAUL HARPOLE.
WHY THIS HAPPENS AND ALL THIS ALL THIS DRAMA BY DAN QUINN AND DAN CONTE AND THIS PAUL HARPOLE TEAMS, THEY BRING THIS BURDEN TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO FOR NEXT 20 YEARS.
THEY COLLECT THE TAX, 15%, THE COMPETITION IN THE TOWN.
THEY COLLECT THE 15% TAX AND CITY AND STATE REIMBURSEMENT THEM BACK.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
THEY NOT PAY THE PROPERTY TAX.
IT IS SOME IT IS OR SOME ORGANIZATION PAY FOR THEIR PROPERTY TAX.
AND WE HARD WORK FOR THE HARD WORK FOR OUR PROJECT OF OUR ON RISK.
CITY NEVER HELP ANY SINGLE DIME.
MY QUESTION IS THERE BECAUSE I LIKE TO INVESTIGATION THIS HOTELS BECAUSE ALL THIS PROPAGANDA THEY SEND TO THE STATE AND CITY BY CVB THAT TIME, ALL THIS FIGURE IS A FAKE FIGURE TO THE STATE AND THEY APPROVE THE TAX EXEMPT FOR THIS OCCUPANCY TAX.
WHEN THE CITY OF AMARILLO OPENED THE GATE THE GOT THE CO FROM CITY OF AMARILLO.
FOR DIAMOND WHEN HAPPENED FOR DIAMONDS.
WHEN THEN HOTEL IS ON THE CONTRACT.
THAT TIME THEY JUST LIKE 22, 1922, SORRY, 2022.
ANOTHER THING WHEN THEY SELL THE HOTEL TO SUMMIT HOTEL AUSTIN, SUMMIT HOTEL PAY $20 MILLION.
TOP OF THE $20 MILLION FOR ALL THIS INCENTIVE.
THEY CASH $20 MILLION CASH FOR THIS DEAL.
ANOTHER THING THAT THE THE GLOBE NEWS DONOR, THE LADY MARY BUSCEMI THAT TIME SHE REQUEST BECAUSE SHE DONATE. GOOD AMOUNT OF THE DOLLARS IN A GLOBE NEWS CENTER.
SO SEE A LOT OF TIME REQUESTS CAN MAKE SURE PEOPLE SEE FROM THE 10TH STREET MY GLOBE NEWS CENTER DIRECTOR FROM THE 10TH STREET THAT TIME I REMEMBER THAT SHE REQUEST IN THIS DESK AND THEY SAID, THE OWNER SAYS, WE JUST TURN AROUND.
WE JUST PEOPLE SEE THE GLOBE NEWS CENTER.
[00:20:01]
ANOTHER THING SHE REQUEST, WHEN MY SENIOR CITIZEN FROM AMARILLO, THEY ATTEND THE SHOW IN A GLOBE NEWS CENTER AFTER AFTER THE SHOW, MIDNIGHT, MAYBE RAIN OR HEAVY SNOW OR SOMETHING.SO WE NEED A PATH, PUBLIC PATHWAY FROM THE CROSS OF THE HOTELS.
THE DEVELOPERS NEVER PUT THE CROSS OF THE HOTEL PUBLIC PASSAGE PATHWAY.
THIS IS THE BREACH OF CONTRACT.
YOU GUYS REALIZE THAT YOU GUYS TAKE ACTION ABOUT THIS THING FOR DIAMOND, THEY BREACH THE CONTRACT.
THEN THEY PUT THE PUBLIC PASSAGE PASSAGEWAY.
ANOTHER THING HOW GET THE CEO BECAUSE ALL THIS DOCUMENTS IN A CITY CONTRACT SO CITY CONTRACT CODE ENFORCEMENT WE JUST VISIT WITH THE CODE ENFORCEMENT THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING.
SO HOW CITY ISSUE THE CEO WITHOUT THEY BREACH THE CONTRACT.
THEY NOT PUT THE FOUR DIAMONDS AND THEY NOT PUT THE PUBLIC PASSAGE PATHWAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PATEL. AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE REVEREND BRASHEARS.
I SAW HIS HAND AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK OVER TO YOU, SIR.
REVEREND, WERE YOU STILL NEXT? OKAY. AND THEN THE THE MAN BEHIND.
I'M REVEREND RUPERT BRASHEARS.
TO THE MAYOR, TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
THERE'S A SAYING HE WHO LAUGHS LAST LAUGHS BEST.
HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT A LAUGHING MATTER.
THIS LAST ADMINISTRATION HAVE LEFT A MESS IN THIS CITY.
NOW I GOT SOME THINGS I WANT TO SAY TO JARED.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THEM.
AND WHEN KEL SELINGER WAS THE MAYOR AND JOHN WARD WAS THE CITY MANAGER.
JOHN WARD BECAME THE CITY MANAGER AT ABOUT 29 YEARS OLD.
AND HE WORKED FOR THIS CITY FOR OVER 20 YEARS AS THE CITY MANAGER AND DID A WONDERFUL JOB.
IF YOU HAD ANY PROBLEMS, YOU COULDN'T TELL WHETHER YOU WERE BLACK OR WHITE WITH HIM.
HOW YOU DOING? AND HE WOULD LISTEN TO YOU.
AND IF THERE WAS ANY VALIDITY TO WHAT YOU SAID, HE WOULD INVESTIGATE IT.
HE DIDN'T JUDGE YOU BY WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THOUGHT.
HE JUDGED YOU BY THE WAY YOU HANDLED YOURSELF WITH HIM.
HE ONLY BECAME A UNITED STATES SENATOR.
I REMEMBER ONE TIME WHEN I WAS ON A PLANE AND I SAW HIM YEARS LATER.
I ASKED THE STEWARDESS, I SAY, CAN I GET OFF FIRST? BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEBODY I SEE THAT I KNOW AND I WANT TO SEE DOES HE REMEMBER ME? I GOT OFF THE PLANE.
AND THE PEOPLE PILED OUT, PILED OUT, PILED OUT.
YES, SIR. I SAID, I'M REVEREND BRASHEARS.
DO YOU REMEMBER ME? WHY, YES, REVEREND BRASHEARS.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? BOTH OF THOSE MEN WOULD MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE THE TOP OF THE HEAP.
I WANT TO LEAVE YOU WITH A POEM.
WHEN IT COMES TO JARED. COME TO THIS GENTLEMAN.
KNOW WHEN TO RUN. YOU NEVER COUNT YOUR MONEY.
WHY ARE YOU SITTING AT THE TABLE? THERE'LL BE TIME ENOUGH FOR COUNTING WHEN THE DEAL IS DONE.
[00:25:01]
AND I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO ADDRESS YOU GUYS WHO'VE GOT A LOT ON YOUR SHOULDERS.I'VE HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO'VE ASKED ME, WHY IS OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER BEING LET GO? AND I WOULD APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO ANSWER THEM.
SO IF YOU COULD ARTICULATE CLEARLY WHAT IT IS THAT HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING ABOUT HIS PERFORMANCE TO DATE, SUCH THAT AS AS GARY SAID, YOU'RE WILLING TO MAKE SUCH A BIG MOVE AND WHAT QUALITIES ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO PURSUING IN A NEW CITY MANAGER THAT OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER LACKS? APPRECIATE THAT, SIR. THANK YOU.
AND IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL FOR THE FIRST TIME.
AND MR. MAYOR, I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REACH YOU.
I CALLED ONE DAY AND THE PHONE RANG ALL DAY LONG.
THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE NO ONE TO ANSWER THE PHONES.
I KNOW THAT I SAW ON TV THAT YOU WERE ON WORKING ON THE BUDGET.
LET ME JUST GO BACK AND SAY THAT MY NAME IS VERLINDA PRIDE WATSON.
I STARTED WORKING FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO AT 14 YEARS OLD FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT UNDER A LOW INCOME STATUS.
THAT'S WHAT THE CITY WAS DOING.
PUT THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO WORK AND I LOVE THAT JOB.
OKAY. MY CAREER TOOK ME ALL THE WAY FROM AMARILLO TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND TO NEW YORK CITY.
BECAUSE OF SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED.
THE TERRORIST PROBLEM IN NEW YORK.
I RETURNED BACK HOME TO AMARILLO, TEXAS, AFTER BEING WITH GIRL SCOUTS OF THE USA FOR OVER 25 YEARS AS AN EXECUTIVE.
I STAND HERE, I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL, YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS FULL AND YES, YOU DO.
BUT I LOVE AMARILLO AND I'M HERE TO HELP.
THAT'S WHY I WAS A LITTLE BIT LATE.
I'M TAKING CLASSES, SOME CLASSES.
BUT I HAD TO COME BECAUSE COMING BACK HOME TO AMARILLO WAS GOOD, EXCEPT FOR WHEN I BECAME EMPLOYED WITH THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
I HAVE CALLED MR. JARED MILLER.
I'VE TALKED TO MR. FLOYD OVER THERE.
I'VE BEEN TO H.R., AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE FAST ENOUGH TO GET BACK IN CONTACT WITH ME.
THIS HAS BEEN SINCE JUNE THE 20TH, AND I RESIGNED UNDER DURESS, MEANING THAT I LOVE MY JOB.
AND I SEE THAT MR. FOWLER IS HERE FROM THE CIVIC CENTER.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE CIVIC CENTER AND THE GNC, WHICH PRIMARILY I WORKED AT THE GNC.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DO NOT KNOW GLOBE-NEWS CENTER OF PERFORMING ARTS.
I'VE BEEN HURT BY MY CITY AND I'M NOT GOING TO STAND FOR IT.
AND THE LAST PERSON I TALKED TO WAS MR. FLOYD OVER THERE.
AND I SAID THE SAME THING TO HIM.
HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HE WAS GOING TO TALK TO SOME MAN NAMED RICK.
WHO'S RICK? WHOLE TIME I WAS EMPLOYED.
IF YOU WOULD, YOU CAN GRAB ME AFTER THIS, OR I'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU MY CELL PHONE NUMBER.
I WOULD LOVE THAT. AND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL THE OFFICE.
OKAY. I'LL DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP YOU.
YES, THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE CIVIC CENTER.
AND THERE HAS TO BE SOME THINGS DONE AT THE CIVIC CENTER FOR THE CITIZENS.
I'M GLAD TO LISTEN TO YOU, MA'AM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING UP.
I BELIEVE I HAD ONE HAND BACK HERE.
[00:30:07]
I'M RICHARD DETTERMAN.I'VE LIVED IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO FOR ABOUT 32 YEARS.
MR. MAYOR, COUNCILMAN, I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU GUYS HERE.
I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU'RE HAVING THE PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT WERE TAKEN AWAY BY THE LAST ADMINISTRATION, LIKE THIS LADY THAT JUST WAS HERE.
AND SOME OF THE PREVIOUS CITY MANAGERS.
AND I AM GLAD THAT YOU ARE TAKING A LOOK AT THIS.
AS A MANAGER, HE'S SUPPOSED TO MANAGE.
HE HAS SUBORDINATES THAT ARE SUPERVISORS OVER DEPARTMENTS.
I THINK THAT HE PROBABLY AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT MR. MILLER DID. I DON'T REALLY KNOW.
I KNOW SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE OVER ARE LACKING IN A LOT OF THINGS.
A LOT OF WAYS. I'VE CALLED THE STREET DEPARTMENT.
I LIVE ON BONITA AVENUE OFF OF RIVER ROAD ON THE CORNER.
THERE'S A LITTLE BRIDGE AND THE CREEK.
AND THIS CAUSES THE STREET TO BE LIKE A ONE LANE WIDE.
AND ONE OF THE PAST MAYORS AND HIS MANAGER TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND THEY TOOK CARE OF IT.
AND BUT THEY THEY LET ME LET ME TELL THEM ABOUT IT.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM, I THINK THAT WE HAD WITH MAYBE MR. MILLER OR MAYBE SOME OF THE SUPERVISORS OF YOUR OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY ONE DEPARTMENT.
I THINK THAT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO MANAGE THE MANAGERS OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
WHEN YOU HIRE A MANAGER, I HOPE THAT YOU'LL HIRE SOMEONE WHO CAN LOOK OVER THE DEPARTMENTS IF HE'S GOT A SUPERVISOR THAT'S NOT DOING HIS JOB, I HOPE THAT HE CAN DO HIS JOB AND REPLACE THAT PARTY.
GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. SO CAN I GET YOUR LAST NAME TO MAKE SURE I GET IT RIGHT IN THE RECORD? SCHERLEN. SO I HAVE JAMES SCHANKE.
I HAVE A GENTLEMAN BACK HERE THAT RAISED HIS HAND.
HE'S GOING TO SPEAK, AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL GO TO YOU, MR. SCHANKE. YES, SIR.
I MUST. OH, I'M CLIFF CRAIG, I SHOULD SAY THAT.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE TAKEN THE OCCASION TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL.
I'VE BEEN A VERY HAPPY CITIZEN OF AMARILLO SINCE 1959, WHEN A YOUNG LADY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS CAPTURED MY HEART. AND SHE LIVED HERE.
AND I'VE NEVER REGRETTED A SINGLE DAY HAVING GOTTEN BACK HERE AND MARRIED HER AND MADE THIS MY HOME.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND, THE CITY MANAGER WORKS FOR THIS COUNCIL.
AND THIS COUNCIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIRECTION AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THAT THAT POSITION IS IS CARRIED OUT TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND TO ALL OF US CITIZENS.
IT'S A OBVIOUSLY A HUGE, HUGE POSITION, A HUGE ROLE FOR ANY ONE PERSON TO CARRY OUT.
AND IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT THAT PERSON HAS THE BACKING OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I WOULD ASSUME THAT TO BE THE CASE.
ALL OF THAT SAID, I ALSO HAVE COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE TERMINATION OF MR. MILLER IS MADE ON THE BASIS OF WITHOUT CAUSE.
AND THAT OUR PREVIOUS CITY COMMISSIONER, OUR CITY MANAGER, RATHER, WAS ALSO TERMINATED BY THE
[00:35:04]
COUNCIL AT THAT TIME WITHOUT CAUSE.AS AN EMPLOYER IN THIS CITY OF AMARILLO AND HAVE BEEN FOR A GREAT NUMBER OF YEARS, I FIND IT VERY HARD TO GO ABOUT RECRUITING GOOD PEOPLE TO AN ORGANIZATION WHO IN RESPONSIBLE POSITIONS, MAKE THE DECISION TO TERMINATE AND SEEMINGLY HAVE THE EITHER THE INABILITY OR UNWILLINGNESS TO IDENTIFY, AS MR. WITTEN HAS CALLED UPON THE COUNCIL TO DO.
WHY IS THIS WITHOUT CAUSE? I'VE NEVER KNOWN ORGANIZATIONS.
WELL, I'VE KNOWN ORGANIZATIONS WHO WHO DO THAT.
HOWEVER. I ALSO KNOW THAT GOOD PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO BE A PART OF ORGANIZATIONS WHO DO THAT. AND SO I IMPLORE THE COUNCIL TO THINK LONG AND HARD ABOUT THIS.
AND WHAT ARE YOU COMMUNICATING TO THAT POOL OF PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE OUT THERE RECRUITING? THAT WILL NOT BE A SECRET THAT THE CITY OF AMARILLO KICKS YOU OUT WITHOUT CAUSE.
WASN'T REALLY GOING TO SAY ANYTHING SINCE I'VE BEEN WITH YOU GUYS SINCE 8:00 THIS MORNING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME HISTORY HERE THAT I'VE BEEN OBSERVING SINCE LONG BEFORE.
WELL, ALL THE WAY BACK TO JERRY HODGE, TO KEL SELIGER, TO TRENT, WATCHING THE CITY WORK.
UP ABOUT 2008 2009, THINGS STARTED ADJUSTING IN THIS TOWN THAT MADE THINGS SORT OF SHIFT OVER INTO A A THING THAT SOME CITIZENS REALLY LIKED, BUT SOME THE MAJORITY REALLY DIDN'T BECAUSE THEY WERE SEEING THE EFFORTS GOING IN ONE DIRECTION AND NOT SORT OF AROUND THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, AND WHEN YOU WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOUR JOB NOW IS, BECAUSE THERE IS A A SEPARATION THAT'S FIXING TO HAPPEN. WE HAD AS THE GENTLEMAN, AS CLIFF SAID THERE, WE HAD A WITHOUT CAUSE LAST TIME AND WE HAD PLENTY OF APPLICANTS THAT CAME ALONG WITH JARED.
ONE THING I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT WANT TO HAVE THIS JOB AND WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH WHAT IT IS, WHO IT IS, AND HOW THEY FUNCTION WITH US. JARED WILL PROBABLY LAND ON HIS FEET SOMEWHERE.
WE CAN'T BE ALL STIFF UP ABOUT THAT, JOHN STIFF WOULDN'T SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET STIFF UP.
I'VE WATCHED GOVERNMENT FOR A WHILE IN LOCAL THING HERE AND I'M REALLY SORT OF STUMBLING FOR WORDS ABOUT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THEM THAT WE LOOK AT THEY'VE HAD TROUBLE KEEPING A JOB.
AS ONE DID THAT WAS OUR INTERIM HERE AND MADE A LOT OF MY COMMENT AND SORT OF GOT HIMSELF TERMINATED OR I DON'T KNOW.
AND THAT WASN'T AND THAT WAS WITHOUT CAUSE.
YOU WERE ON TOP OF THIS STUFF.
HELP OUR CITY AND WE'LL SUPPORT YOU.
I APPRECIATE ALL OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT'S WILLING TO GET UP AND SPEAK.
THAT'S NOT AN EASY THING TO DO.
NO ONE THAT GETS UP AND SPEAKS IS IS NOT LISTENED TO OR NOT HEARD.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU SPEAK.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LISTEN AND THEN PLEASE KNOW WE'RE DOING OUR BEST.
I GET TO BE THE LEAD VOLUNTEER UP HERE.
[00:40:04]
THE ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE HELPING TO TO WORK ALONGSIDE, BUT ALSO THE CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.SO I THINK WE CAN JUST MOVE RIGHT INTO ITEM THREE.
[3.A. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER SEPARATION AGREEMENT WITH CITY MANAGER]
A, I WOULD ASK MISS CITY SECRETARY IF SHE NEEDS ANYTHING, DO YOU HAVE ANY NAMES OR INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED US TO GATHER BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? NO, SIR.OKAY. ITEM THREE A, DISCUSS AND CONSIDER SEPARATION AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY MANAGER.
SO THIS ITEM IS A DISCUSSION AND A CONSIDERATION OF AN APPROVAL FOR THIS SEPARATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND THE CITY MANAGER, JARED MILLER, AND THE AUTHORIZATION FOR THE MAYOR TO SIGN THIS AGREEMENT.
SO TODAY WE WOULD ACTUALLY FORMALLY VOTE ON THE AUTHORIZATION FOR ME TO SIGN THIS.
AND THEN ONCE SIGNED, IT'LL BE ACCEPTED AND WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
THIS IS OUR ONLY ACTION ITEM HERE TODAY, BUT WE HAVE A DISCUSSION.
AND SO I'M FINE WITH WITH HEARING, YOU KNOW, THE LOOK BACKS.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK BACK AND I THINK SOME OF YOU GUYS NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE SAW.
AND THERE WILL BE A TIME AND A PLACE FOR THAT.
THIS ISN'T THE THE TIME OR THE PLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO TO SPEAK VERY RESPECTFULLY ABOUT JUST OCCURRENCES AND SITUATIONS THAT WE JUST EITHER STRUGGLED WITH OR NEEDED IMPROVED.
HOWEVER, TODAY'S MEETING IS FOR A LOOK FORWARD AND WHAT OUR PLAN IS, AND WE OWE THAT TO YOU AND WE WILL INSTILL THE CONFIDENCE IN YOU OR IN OURSELVES AND FOR YOU TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN US TO KNOW THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THIS SHIP FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AT THIS TIME.
COUNCIL DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION OVER THIS SEPARATION AGREEMENT? MR. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION.
WE ACCEPT THE TERMINATION AGREEMENT THAT WE ALLOW YOU TO SIGN.
DO I HEAR A SECOND? SECOND. OKAY.
BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WE'VE BEEN IN MULTIPLE MEETINGS OVER THIS.
WE'VE HAD ATTORNEYS THAT HAVE WORKED ON THIS ON BOTH SIDES.
IT DOES HAVE SOME FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS IN IT.
IT'S WHAT WAS CONTRACTED BEFORE.
WE FEEL LIKE THE CONTRACT, AS IT WAS STATED, WAS WAS VERY DELIBERATE IN WHAT IT WOULD DO.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE DEFINITION OF A WITH CAUSE, THAT IS A VERY, VERY DAMAGING THING USUALLY TO AN ORGANIZATION THAT WOULD CAUSE THAT.
AND SO MR. MILLER HAS DONE NOTHING TO TO CONSTITUTE ANYTHING WITH CAUSE.
AND SO THIS ACTION IS A IS AN AGREEMENT TO SEPARATE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE GENTLEMAN'S BEEN A TRUE PROFESSIONAL OVER THE LAST 3 TO 4 WEEKS SINCE OUR FIRST CONVERSATION AND THE FIRST DAY THAT I ASKED HIM, HEY, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SIT DOWN AND VISIT WITH MYSELF AND ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER ON WHAT WHERE OUR STRUGGLES ARE, WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHERE WE NEED TO GO, AND TRULY WHAT WE'VE BEEN ELECTED TO DO AND IN REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND HE HAS WALKED THIS OUT WITH WITH INTEGRITY AND RESPECTFULNESS ON BOTH SIDES.
AND I FEEL LIKE THIS COUNCIL HAS DONE OUR VERY BEST.
I KNOW THAT THE STAFF HAS BEEN PUT IN AN AWKWARD POSITION AND IT'S NOT BEEN AN EASY, FUN COUPLE MEETINGS AND THERE'S LOTS OF TALK, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING IN A GOOD DIRECTION. AND SO I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS COME UP AND WE'RE JUST PULLING THE TRIGGER HERE.
I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND I DO BEFORE WE VOTE.
A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE IS AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IF MIKE IS HERE, BUT CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT OF THE WITH CAUSE AND WITHOUT CAUSE FROM A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE? AND NUMBER TWO, IS, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WOULD WANT TO POINT OUT TO US OR ANYTHING ABOUT IT THAT WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF? SO, MR. CITY ATTORNEY, WOULD YOU MIND GIVING US MAYBE THE DEFINITION OF WITH AND WITHOUT CAUSE AND THEN MAYBE A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF THAT? SURE. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT THE CITY ATTORNEY.
[00:45:08]
AND I'VE DONE SO IN THIS CONTEXT.I HAVE HAD A RETENTION AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY FOR SINCE 2015.
SO IN ANY EVENT, JUST LIKE VIRTUALLY EVERY OTHER MAJOR TEXAS CITY, WHEN A CITY MANAGER IS HIRED, THEY ARE HIRED WITH A ON A CONTRACT BASIS.
THE TERMS OF THAT CONTRACT ARE BUILT AROUND STANDARD CONTRACT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL CITY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION AND MR. MILLER'S ORIGINAL CONTRACT AND THE ONE AMENDED IN APRIL OF 2023 IS NO EXCEPTION.
IT DOES INCLUDE DEFINITION OF TERMINATION WITH CAUSE AND TERMINATION WITHOUT CAUSE, A TERMINATION WITH CAUSE UNDER THOSE CONTRACTS, INCLUDING MR. MILLER'S, REALLY INVOLVE, NUMBER ONE, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, CONVICTION OF A CRIME THAT'S A FELONY OR A CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE OR A WILLFUL FAILURE TO WILLFULLY, FAITHFULLY PERFORM DUTIES ANTICIPATED UNDER THE CONTRACT.
AS THE MAYOR STATED EARLIER, THAT CERTAINLY DID NOT OCCUR HERE IN MR. MILLER'S CONTRACT, EITHER ONE OF THOSE.
IT IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES WHO ARE ENTITLED TO MAKE SUCH AN AGREEMENT FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO, AND THAT IS THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER. SO THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY TERM I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT, LES IS THAT TERM.
OTHERWISE IT'S, I THINK, IN LINE WITH THE TERMS OF THE APRIL 2023 CONTRACT WITH MR. MILLER. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
AND WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LEGAL ADVICE TO COUNSEL AS TO WHEN PEOPLE ASK FOR MORE DETAILS? WELL, THAT'S ALSO A GOOD QUESTION.
BUT I THINK YOUR BEST BET IS TO BECAUSE IT IS AN EMPLOYMENT ARRANGEMENT THAT YOU SHOULD KEEP THAT IN MIND IN MAKING COMMENTS TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THAT THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT REALLY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND YOUR ROLE AS CITY COUNCIL TO SET THE POLICIES FOR THE CITY IN THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
I WOULD JUST ANSWER, I THINK, LESS THAT YOU PERFORMED THAT ROLE IN THIS CONTEXT AND NOT GET INTO DETAILS ABOUT PERFORMANCE OF AN EMPLOYEE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE CITY MANAGER IS STILL AN EMPLOYMENT SITUATION, WE TRY TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES PRIVACY RIGHTS.
WELL, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I THOUGHT YOU WOULD SAY BECAUSE IN ANY EMPLOYEE SITUATION, THE REALLY ANY BUSINESS, ANY ORGANIZATION, NO MATTER THE LEVEL OF THE EMPLOYEE, YOU'RE NEVER TALKING PUBLICLY ABOUT THE REASONS WHY YOU MADE THAT DECISION.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE REASONS WHY.
AND I THINK WHAT LEGAL WOULD BE.
BUT IT'S ALSO IT'S THE BEST THING TO DO FOR ALL INVOLVED.
SO I KNOW THE QUESTIONS ARE OUT THERE BUT YOU KNOW FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF EVERYONE AND I THINK MR. MILLER IS WHY THAT WE HAVE TO HANDLE THIS THE WAY THAT IT IS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S BEST FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.
SO I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT STATING THAT, THAT HE IS OUR ACTING OR INTERIM ATTORNEY FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, THAT IS WHAT WE FELT WAS BEST FOR STAFF AND I THINK JUST HELPED US TO GET THE THE PROJECT DISCUSSED IN THE RIGHT WAY AND LISTED CORRECTLY.
SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER THAT I NEED TO PROBABLY WEIGH INTO ON THIS.
I WOULD ASK IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING ELSE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY.
WELL, I'LL SAY ONE MORE THING.
ONE MORE. YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE VOTE IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AND I'M JUST GOING TO SPEAK PERSONALLY.
WHEN I CAME INTO THIS, AS I STATED, I CAME IN WITH AN OPEN MIND.
BUT I'VE COME TO A POINT WHERE, BASED ON INFORMATION THAT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME GATHERING AND LOOKING AT IS REALLY WHERE IT'S GOING TO DETERMINE WHERE MY VOTE IS.
AND I FEEL, ALTHOUGH THIS IS A TOUGH DECISION AND IT WAS NOT EASY TO GET THERE, I FEEL 100% COMFORTABLE IN THE VOTE THAT I'M ABOUT TO CAST.
[00:50:04]
THERE MAY BE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE ABOUT HOW WE CAME TO THIS POINT OR WHAT HAPPENED OR WHO DID WHAT OR WHO TALKED TO WHAT.BUT I CAN TELL YOU, AS I'VE WORKED WITH THIS COUNCIL SINCE I WAS ELECTED IN THE RUNOFF AND EVEN TO THIS DECISION ON THAT WILL BE MADE TODAY, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE GENTLEMAN SITTING BEHIND ME HAVE DONE THEIR HOMEWORK AS WELL.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ON THE FRONT ROW OF SEVERAL OF THESE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.
SOME OF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED IT.
IT DOES NOT FALL LIGHT ON MY EARS OF WHERE WE ARE IN MAKING A MOVE LIKE THIS.
I UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IT.
I THINK OUR FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IT.
AND AND WE REALIZE THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU GIVE A LOT OF THOUGHT TO.
SO I WANT TO ASSURE THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE UP HERE WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THIS.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK ALL OF US REALIZE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.
WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, I WILL ASK.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT WILL BE ACCEPTED WITH A 5-0 VOTE.
ITEM THREE B IS A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER.
[3.B. DISCUSS APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM CITY MANAGER]
IT'S NOT AN ACTION ITEM TO APPOINT THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER.WE WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION.
WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS I'VE HAD TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF WORKING ALONGSIDE, WORKING WITH MR. MILLER, AND I CAN TELL YOU THE ONE THING THAT HE'S DONE EXCEPTIONALLY, EXCEPTIONALLY WELL IS HE HAS BUILT A TEAM AROUND HIM AND BENEATH HIM.
FOR TWO YEARS AS CITY COUNCIL PLACE ONE, I SAT ON THE OUTSIDE.
FOR THE MOST PART, I DIDN'T REALLY GET TO SEE THE INNER WORKINGS.
I DIDN'T GET TO SEE THE HEAVY LIFTING.
I REALLY DIDN'T GET TO TO EXPERIENCE A LOT OF THE THE THE TALENTS EXPERTISE THAT WE HAD IN OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS JUST HERE AND THERE IN THE IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TO REALLY GET THE FIRST FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE.
AND SO I CAN TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, ANDREW FREEMAN, LAURA STORRS, RICH GANNON, FLOYD HARTMAN, AND THEN EVERY ONE OF OUR DIRECTORS BENEATH THEM, ALL OF OUR BOOTS ON THE GROUND THAT ARE OUT THERE WORKING, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SOLID TEAM.
AND THIS COMES AT A CREDIT TO MR. MILLER. HE HIRED THE MAJORITY OF THESE PEOPLE AND THEY THEY HAVE THE ABILITIES TO DO A VERY, VERY GOOD JOB TO FULLY PERFORM IN ALL OF THE AREAS WITH THE TOLERANCES THAT WE HAVE.
WE EXPECT NOTHING HERE THAT'S PERFECT.
AND IN OUR IN OUR TOWN WITH OUR CITIZENS, WE DON'T EXPECT EVERY LITTLE BIT OF TRASH NEVER TO BLOW.
BUT WE WHAT WE DO EXPECT IN OUR IN OUR CITY AND IN OUR STAFF IS A CERTAIN LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY WITH THE WITH CAUSE OR WITHOUT CAUSE, THAT THAT GOES TO A LEGAL ISSUE LIKE A MORAL TURPITUDE ISSUE OR A CRIME.
WHAT WE REALLY HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT IS A PERFORMANCE ISSUE.
AND SO THE PERFORMANCE IS IS MANDATORY IN THIS POSITION.
AND AND FOR US, WE HAVE A DIRECTION, WE HAVE A VISION.
AND AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND WORK WITH THE LEADER THAT'S STEERING THAT SHIP.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A DEPUTY.
HE'S ALREADY INSTALLED IN THAT.
SO HE WAS ACTING AS THE CITY MANAGER ANYTIME THAT JARED MILLER WASN'T THERE.
I CAN TELL YOU THROUGH THE FLOODING, MR. MILLER WAS OUT OF TOWN AND ANDREW FREEMAN AND I WORKED VERY WELL TOGETHER AND WITH THE OTHER COUNCIL AND AND HE SHOWED HIS ABILITIES, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THAT AND THEN AND A LOT OF OTHER AREAS.
AND SO I'M EXCITED TO GET TO WORK WITH MR.
[00:55:03]
FREEMAN. HE HE IS YOUR DEPUTY.WE HAVE EVERY INTENTION TO TO PUT FORTH A SEARCH, TO PUT OUT APPLICATIONS.
THIS THING COULD TAKE SIX MONTHS.
IT COULD TAKE 12 MONTHS. WE DON'T KNOW.
WE DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT THE CASE EITHER.
THE HARDER WE LOOK, THE BETTER HE MAY LOOK.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE FROM GROWING FROM WITHIN.
BUT WE OWE YOU AS A COUNCIL, WE OWE YOU, OUR CONSTITUENTS AND OUR TAXPAYERS.
WE HAVE TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
AND AND I AGREE WITH WHAT WAS SAID.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, INFLUENTIAL AND IMPACTFUL DECISION THAT WE GET TO MAKE HERE.
AS YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES, WE ARE GOING TO GET THIS ONE RIGHT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I'VE BEEN COUNTING THE COST.
AND IF I DO NOTHING, I'M GETTING IT WRONG.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO HEAR ME SAY THAT.
I'M NOT WILLING TO GET THIS ONE WRONG.
SO I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE THE CONFIDENCE IN US TO GIVE US A LITTLE TIME.
[APPLAUSE] THIS IS THIS IS NOT A PLACE THAT ANY OF US WANTED TO BE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU FOR HOW MR. MILLER'S WALKED THROUGH THIS DEAL.
I PRAY AND I WISH THE BEST FOR HIM AND HIS FAMILY.
THIS IS WHAT THIS IS WHAT IS BEST FOR THE ORGANIZATION AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO FROM HERE, THIS IS OUR PLAN.
THIS IS THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD.
I'M OPEN FOR WHATEVER YOU GUYS FEEL IS IS BEST HERE.
I WOULD SAY, AND I'LL ADDRESS THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE FIVE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING UP HERE THAT ARE AT A CROSSROADS.
AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, AS WE WILL AND I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO NOW IS LOOK AT EVERYTHING THROUGH THE PRISM OF A POTENTIAL CITY MANAGER CANDIDATE.
WHEN THEY SEE WHAT WOULD THEY WHAT WOULD THEY THINK? AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH MAKING THIS DECISION AND WHAT WE'VE WHAT WE'VE DONE AND I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK, WELL, YOU'VE NOT BEEN IN OFFICE LONG ENOUGH OR THIS IS 2015 ALL OVER AGAIN OR WHATEVER YOU SAY, I WAS THERE.
WE GET ALONG, WE WORKING WITH EACH OTHER.
WE'RE LEARNING TO TRUST EACH OTHER.
BUT I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS AS A COMMUNITY.
AND THE BEST WAY TO WORK TOGETHER, I THINK, IS THROUGH COMMUNICATION.
IT'S NOT TALKING ABOUT EACH OTHER, BUT TALKING WITH EACH OTHER.
I HAVE HEARD THINGS OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS AS PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT I'M LIKE, WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? WHO IN THE WORLD SAID THAT? TRUST ME, IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE HEARING THINGS OUT THERE, THERE'S 99.9% CHANCE THAT ARE NOT TRUE.
OUR PHONE NUMBERS ARE ALL OUT THERE ON THE BOARD.
CALL ANY ONE OF US AT ANY TIME.
IF YOU HEAR SOMETHING OR WANT TO KNOW.
AND IF WE LEGALLY CAN TELL YOU, I WILL.
AND I'M SURE THESE OTHER GENTLEMEN WILL.
SO LET'S LET'S LET'S WORK TOGETHER THROUGH THIS.
LET'S AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, LET'S WORK TOGETHER SO THAT WHEN WE'RE PRESENTING A PICTURE OF A POTENTIAL CITY MANAGER CANDIDATE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND WE'VE GOT A LONG WAYS TO GO ON THIS, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS THAT HAVE DIVIDED US.
BUT THE TRUTH IS, IF WE'RE GOING TO GET A GOOD CITY MANAGER CANDIDATE TO COME INTO THIS, AND IF WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY, LET'S START TALKING WITH EACH OTHER. AND I THINK THAT WILL HELP GET US THERE.
[01:00:01]
THANK YOU.OKAY. I WANT TO SAY ONE MORE TIME, MR. MILLER. I RESPECT YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOUR PROFESSIONALISM THROUGH ALL THIS.
I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR MEETING.
AND AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN HEAR US LISTENING.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TO WALK AND BE ALONGSIDE OF YOU GUYS AS WE WALK THIS OUT.
WE DON'T HAVE AN ACTION ITEM ON THIS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE AND I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
WE'RE GOING TO LET YOU GUYS GET BACK TO YOUR WORK WEEK HERE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.