8.B. Discuss City of Odessa Resolution No. 2023-77 stating the City will not enforce any mandates, such as masks, vaccinations, or lockdowns, imposed nationally or by the State of Texas.

[8.B. Discuss City of Odessa Resolution No. 2023-77 stating the City will not enforce any mandates, such as masks, vaccinations, or lockdowns, imposed nationally or by the State of Texas.]

DISCUSSION OF A RESOLUTION THAT THE CITY OF ODESSA PUT FORWARD A FEW WEEKS AGO.

MR. CITY MANAGER.

YES, SIR. SO JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS ITEM TO THE ATTENTION OF COUNCIL BASED ON SOME PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS I'VE HAD WITH THE MAYOR.

WE HAD A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THIS FORWARD, KIND OF A BROAD DISCUSSION BASED ON OUR NEIGHBOR OVER IN ODESSA ADOPTING THIS RECENT RESOLUTION.

SO JUST COVERING SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.

THERE WE GO. SO UP ON THE SCREEN ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RESOLUTION THAT THEY APPROVED DURING A SEPTEMBER BOARD MEETING OF THEIR CITY COUNCIL.

IT'S REALLY IT'S NOT COVID SPECIFIC.

SO THIS IS REALLY JUST ANY MANDATE SPECIFIC THAT'S EITHER FROM THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL AS FAR AS NOT ENFORCING THOSE MANDATES RELATED TO WEARING A MASK OR FACE COVERING CONFINING CITIZENS TO THEIR HOMES, REQUIRING A BUSINESS TO ADJUST THEIR OPERATIONS, WHETHER IT'S THEIR SPACING REQUIREMENTS, MODIFIED HOURS OF OPERATIONS OR CEASING OPERATIONS.

IT ALSO TOUCHES ON INFORMED CONSENT AND MAKING SURE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS ABLE TO RESPOND TO THAT BEFORE TAKING ANY TREATMENT.

AND THEN JUST BRIEFLY, I WANTED TO ON YOUR DICE, YOU HAVE THE AGENDA TRANSMITTAL MEMO AS WELL AS THE MINUTES.

I JUST WANTED TO READ THE SUMMARY REAL BRIEFLY JUST SO THE CITIZENS CAN HEAR IT AS WELL AS COUNCIL.

THAT MIGHT HELP WITH YOUR DISCUSSION TODAY.

SO THE SUMMARY STATED, THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CITY OF ODESSA WERE SUBJECTED TO INJUSTICES IN THE FORM OF OVERREACHING GOVERNMENT IMPOSED MANDATES DURING THE PANDEMIC. UNQUANTIFIABLE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF ODESSA MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY BY THE IMPOSITION OF SUCH OVERREACHING, GOVERNMENT IMPOSED MANDATES. MANDATES SUCH AS MASKING MANDATES VIOLATE THE FREE CONDUCT OF A CITIZEN.

A CITIZEN SHOULD EXPECT TO ENJOY COMPULSORY VACCINATION MANDATES IMPOSED BY GOVERNMENT OR BUSINESS, VIOLATE A CITIZEN'S RIGHT TO CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN BODY MANDATES SUCH AS COMPULSORY LOCKDOWN MANDATES IMPOSED BY AN OVERREACHING GOVERNMENT VIOLATED CITIZENS RIGHT TO FREEDOM AND LIBERTY GUARANTEED BY THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF TEXAS. SO THAT JUST GIVES YOU A LITTLE INSIGHT AS TO HOW THEY DRAFTED THE RESOLUTION.

AND THEN I WANTED TO TOUCH ON JUST WHERE THIS DISCUSSION COULD GO.

[00:30:03]

A FEW DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

AS FAR AS ONE, I'LL DISCUSS.

IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN HAVING STAFF WORKING WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO ADOPT A SIMILAR RESOLUTION TO STATE WHERE CITY COUNCIL STANDS ON THIS ISSUE? WOULD THERE BE ANY CHANGES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE BASED ON WHAT YOU'VE SEEN TODAY? WOULD CITY COUNCIL BE INTERESTED IN DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT? MAYBE TAKING A STANCE WITH AN ORDINANCE WHICH WOULD BE KIND OF THE NEXT LEVEL UP FROM A RESOLUTION ON THIS TOPIC? AND THEN BEFORE THE DISCUSSION, I DID WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THE SPECIAL SESSION THAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT ISSUED THAT STARTED THIS WEEK.

ONE OF THE MAIN ITEMS THAT THEY LISTED TO BE CONSIDERED IS A SPECIFIC ONE AS FAR AS LEGISLATION PROHIBITING COVID 19 VACCINE MANDATES BY PRIVATE EMPLOYERS.

SO THAT'S A NEW TOPIC THAT THEY'LL BE TAKING UP THIS WEEK RIGHT NOW.

AND THEN PREVIOUSLY IN THEIR REGULAR SESSION, THERE WAS SENATE BILL 29 THAT WAS ADOPTED.

THAT MAKES MAKES IT TO WHERE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES CANNOT IMPLEMENT ORDER OR OTHERWISE IMPOSE A MANDATE RELATED TO FACE MASK TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID 19, WITH SOME MINOR EXCEPTIONS FOR STATE SUPPORTED LIVING CENTERS, JAIL FACILITIES AND HOSPITALS OR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES OWNED BY A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY.

SO JUST SO YOU ALL ARE AWARE THAT THE STATE HAS TAKEN SOME ACTION ON THIS, THEY'RE CONTINUING TO DISCUSS IT.

SO THAT MIGHT BE PART OF Y'ALL'S DISCUSSION TODAY ON WHAT ACTION THE COUNCIL MIGHT WANT TO TAKE OR IF WE WANT TO GIVE THE STATE A LITTLE TIME TO WORK THROUGH THEIR SPECIAL SESSION, BECAUSE DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY ADOPT, IT MIGHT VOID WHAT CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS IF YOU GO THE ORDINANCE ROUTE.

SO THAT'S REALLY JUST A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW FOR YOU ALL TO DISCUSS.

AND STAFF IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR DIRECTION.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE THE KIND OF LEAD IN ON THAT AT THIS TIME.

I THINK IT'S GOOD TO JUST LET COUNCIL SPEAK TO THIS AND THEN AFTER COUNCIL HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF DISCUSS MAYBE THEIR POINT OF VIEW OR THE RIGHT ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN WHAT WE'VE COME THROUGH, THEN I THINK IT'D BE HEALTHY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH OUR CITIZENS IN A LIMITED WAY AND WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE PRODUCTIVE HERE AND RUN A WELL RUN MEETING.

BUT WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND WHAT YOU THINK.

WE'RE NOT TAKING ACTION ON ANYTHING TODAY.

HOWEVER, WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO DIRECT STAFF FORWARD.

AND THEN AFTER WE SPEAK, I WILL KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION THAT CAME FROM REPRESENTATIVE HARRISON'S OFFICE.

I THINK HE'S DISTRICT TEN AND WHAT THEY DID DISCUSS AND THAT THEY TOOK ACTION ON TODAY AT THE STATE LEVEL.

SO DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING THERE, COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN? YES, SIR. UH, MY OPINION, I DO LIKE THIS ODESSA RESOLUTION.

AND THE REASON I DO IS WE FOUND OUT DURING THE COVID OUTBREAK THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS GIVING US THAT WAS NOT ACTUAL TRUE.

THEY KEPT TELLING US TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE.

THE SCIENCE WASN'T THERE TO FOLLOW.

THIS IS NOT GOVERNMENT'S PLACE TO REGULATE ITS CITIZENS.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WANT TO WEAR A MASK AND YOU WANT TO GET A SHOT.

GO DO IT.

BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY'S GOT THE RIGHT TO TELL ME TO DO THAT.

I AM A FREE CITIZENS AND THE CONSTITUTION STATES.

WE ARE FREE AND IT'S NOT GOVERNMENT'S PLACE TO DICTATE TO ANY OF ITS CITIZENS WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO DO IT.

THE FIRST TIME I THINK WE ALL COMPLIED.

I DON'T THINK MANY WILL COMPLY THE NEXT TIME, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE FINDING OUT NOW THROUGH THE SCIENCE IS THAT A LOT OF THINGS THEY TOLD US TO DO HADN'T DIDN'T DO ANY EFFECT WHATSOEVER.

THEY SAID GET A VACCINE AND YOU WOULDN'T GET THE COVID.

WELL, I GOT THE VACCINE.

I GOT A COVID.

WILL I DO IT AGAIN? NO, I'M NOT GOING TO DO IT AGAIN.

IT WAS ANOTHER FALSE PRETENSE.

THEN THEY SAID, WEAR A MASK FOR TWO WEEKS AND EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE.

WELL, WHAT WAS IT, SIX MONTHS LATER OR SO? WE'RE STILL WEARING A MASK.

I READ A DEAL LAST NIGHT FROM A LADY WHO LOST HER JOB HERE IN TOWN.

JUST YESTERDAY BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T TAKE THE SHOT.

THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, YOU SHOULD NOT LOSE YOUR JOB BECAUSE YOU GOT A FREE RIGHT TO DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

THAT'S ALL I GOT TO SAY.

THANK YOU, SIR. ANYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL? CARE TO COMMENT? ARE Y'ALL GOING.

GO AHEAD. MAYOR? I THINK JUST MY OPINION IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RIGHT ROLE OF GOVERNMENT EARLIER.

[00:35:01]

AND THAT'S, IN MY OPINION, THAT'S GOING TO BE TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOM AND LIBERTIES OF OUR CITIZENS IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE ELECTED TO DO. AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I SIT ON THIS ISSUE.

I DO LIKE A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE IN THIS RESOLUTION.

MY OPINION WOULD BE IS SEE WHAT WHAT COMES OUT OF THE SPECIAL SESSION AND TAKE SOME TIME AND AND SEE WHAT WE NEED TO ALTER WITHIN THIS AND SEE WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS AS WELL.

WELL SAID, SIR.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE IN AGREEMENT WITH COUNCILMAN CRAFT.

I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK, WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE COMES OUT AND SAYS SO THAT WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING DOWN A ROAD THAT WE DON'T NEED TO GO DOWN.

THE THINGS WITH THE LEGISLATURE, I THINK IT'S VERY LIMITED TO COVID 19.

AND I THINK THAT WE'D HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH LIMITING IT TO THAT BECAUSE THERE COULD BE ANOTHER ANYTHING, WHICH THAT'S WHAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT THE ODESSA RESOLUTION IS IT DOES NOT LIMIT IT TO A CERTAIN VIRUS, A CERTAIN ISSUE, BECAUSE IT COULD BE COME DOWN AS ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, AND OTHER MANDATES AND THINGS BE SET.

I THINK IT'S UP AGAIN.

THE RIGHT ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS NOT TO TELL A BUSINESS THAT THEY CAN OR CANNOT OPEN OR THAT THEY'D BE FINED WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH SOMEONE WITH A MASK OR WITHOUT A MASK OR HAVING A SHOT OR NOT HAVING A SHOT.

THAT'S UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS, JUST LIKE IT'S UP TO THE CITIZEN TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

THAT'S TOTALLY UP TO THEM.

SO I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF US LOOKING AT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS DOING AND THEN COMING BEHIND IT TO TAILOR IT FOR OUR OWN CITIZENS.

REAL GOOD. THANK YOU, SIR.

CAN I ADD SOMETHING ELSE? YES, SIR. I AIN'T LIKE Y'ALL WANTING TO WAIT, BUT I WOULD RATHER SEND THE MESSAGE LET'S LEAD.

FROM THE RANKS LIKE ODESSA TOOK A LEAD.

THEY'RE TELLING THE LEGISLATURE WHAT THEIR CITIZENS WANT INSTEAD OF THEM TELLING US.

I WOULD RATHER SEND.

EVEN IF WE GOT TO UNDO IT, WE UNDO IT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT WE'RE WILLING TO STEP OUT AND LEAD INSTEAD OF BE SHEEP IN A PEN AND FOLLOW. JUST MY THOUGHT.

I WOULD BE OPEN TO LOOKING AT THIS AS WELL.

I THINK THIS IS KIND OF THE FIRST I'M SEEING THE DETAIL ON THIS.

SO I'VE GOT I'D WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE'RE DOING HAS THE EFFECT THAT WE WANT IT TO HAVE, NOT ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT WE MIGHT NOT BE THINKING ABOUT. SO I GIVE US SOME TIME TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS AND LOOK AT THIS.

BUT I THINK A PRINCIPLE I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT.

I'VE GOT TO BRUSH UP ON HOW MUCH POWER DOES THE CITY ACTUALLY HAVE? I MEAN, DO WE HAVE ALL THIS POWER TO BE ABLE TO DO THESE THINGS? AND IF WE DO, IF WE NEED TO SCALE IT BACK, THEN WE NEED TO DO THAT.

BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH WITH ENTERTAINING SOMETHING THAT ADDRESSES ITEMS THAT THAT ODESSA LOOKED AT.

YEAH. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

YOU KNOW, I'D SAY WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR POINT, COUNCILMAN, IS IT STATES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENFORCE IT IF THERE ARE MANDATES PUT ON US. I THINK LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE MORE AUTHORITY OVER OUR CONSTITUENTS TO SAY THOSE MANDATES MAY BE OUT THERE, BUT OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IS NOT GOING TO ENFORCE THEM, YOU KNOW, WHICH I THINK IS GREAT.

AND I THINK THAT'S MORE THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

AND THAT'S WHERE OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS.

YOU'VE ELECTED US, ALL FIVE OF US UP HERE, YOU KNOW WHERE WE STAND ON ISSUES TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE BELIEVE IN A SMALL GOVERNMENT AND NO OVERREACH. AND SO WE WANT TO LEAD THAT WAY AND GOVERN THAT WAY FOR OUR LOCAL CITY.

SO I BECAUSE I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TO LES IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO BE KNOW HOW MUCH AUTHORITY AND POWER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S LIKE WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING TO ENFORCE IT.

LIKE, THERE MAY BE THOSE MANDATES, BUT THEY'RE LIKE, LISTEN, IF THEY TELL US STAY IN THE HOUSE AND THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE NOT GOING TO COME AND ROUND US UP, YOU KNOW, WHICH I LIKE. SO I WANT TO ADD TO OUR CONVERSATION A LITTLE BIT HERE AND MAYBE EDIFYING WHAT THE STATE HAS DONE.

I DON'T WANT TO FEEL SHORTED BECAUSE THE STATE IS TAKING ACTION.

AND I COMMEND THOSE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS THAT ARE DOWN THERE DOING THAT HARD WORK.

LORD KNOWS THEY'VE BEEN DOING IT LIKE MONTH IN AND MONTH OUT.

NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE WAY LESS THAN WHAT IT IS.

THEY'RE IN THEIR THIRD SPECIAL SESSION AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE LOSING TRACK OF WHICH SB SEVEN HOUSE BILL NUMBER THEY ARE BECAUSE THEY NAME THEM THE SAME EVERY BUT YOU GOT TO GO TO SESSION ONE, 2 OR 3.

AND SO SB 29 LEFT FOR ME AND OUR STAFF IN MY OFFICE.

THE QUESTION OF, OKAY, THIS IS A VERY GOOD DIRECTIVE TELLING US AS THE AUTHORITY, AS THE GOVERNMENT OR AS THE MUNICIPALITY, WE CANNOT TAKE THIS

[00:40:02]

ACTION. IT IS INAPPROPRIATE.

IT VIOLATES THAT INDIVIDUAL'S CIVIL LIBERTY.

SO I CAN NO LONGER TELL MY FIREMEN, HEY, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR JOB, YOU HAVE TO WEAR A MASK AND YOU HAVE TO TAKE A SHOT.

NO MORE THAN I SHOULD TELL MY FIREMEN, HEY, YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR A MASK.

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE A SHOT BECAUSE YOU HAVE FIREMEN ON BOTH SIDES AND YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR LIBERTIES THAT BELIEVE STRONGLY FOR THE VACCINE AND THOSE THAT BELIEVE STRONGLY AGAINST IT.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A HEALTHY DISCUSSION HERE TODAY THAT POINTS TO THIS IS THE RIGHT ROLE OF GOVERNMENT, TALKING ABOUT IT AND WORKING IT OUT.

AND AND WHAT GOVERNMENT'S MAIN ROLE IS THAT WE FORGET IT'S NOT TO MANAGE YOUR BUDGET.

IT'S TO PROTECT YOUR CIVIL LIBERTIES AND YOUR PROPERTY AND TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM HARMING ANOTHER AND TAKING A LIFE.

SO AS FAR AS IT IS UP TO THE TAKING OF A LIFE, I WANT TO HAVE THE SMALLEST LOCAL LIMITED FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT I CAN.

SO IF YOU RUN YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU WANT ALL OF YOUR EMPLOYEES TO TAKE THE VACCINE AND TO WEAR A MASK, I THINK THAT IS YOUR RIGHT AS A BUSINESS OWNER.

YOU JUST NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY EMPLOYEES OR YOU NEED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

IF YOU ARE THE ONE THAT IS ENCOURAGING OR COERCING THAT INDIVIDUAL TO TAKE THAT MEDICAL TREATMENT AND THAT THEY HAVE A NEGATIVE OUTCOME.

WHAT WE SAW WITH COVID WAS FOR THE FIRST TIME WE SPUN THAT AROUND AND WE WORKED A GOVERNMENT, WORKED THROUGH PRIVATE ENTITIES TO ENFORCE GOVERNMENT POLICY BY GIVING THEM AN IMMUNITY, BY GIVING THEM A SHIELD TO STAND BEHIND.

WHAT SB 29 DID WAS IT TOOK AWAY THE RIGHT FOR US TO DO THIS, BUT IT DID NOT ADDRESS THE PRIVATE BUSINESS SECTOR. SO THE QUESTION HERE TODAY IS, I'M AN EMPLOYEE OF A LARGE COMPANY.

AM I A SLAVE OR AM I AN EMPLOYEE? BECAUSE IF THAT ENTITY CAN TELL ME YOU WILL DO THIS EVEN THOUGH IT VIOLATES YOUR CONSCIENCE, I WILL NOT ACCEPT YOUR EXEMPTION OR YOU'LL LOSE YOUR JOB. YOU'RE REALLY SAYING THAT BECAUSE I'M AN EMPLOYEE, I'M YOUR SLAVE, AND THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN BE FREE AGAIN IS TO STOP BEING YOUR EMPLOYEE.

THAT, IN MY OPINION, IS NOT HEALTHY.

THAT'S NOT A GOOD ORGANIZATION.

WE DON'T RUN BUSINESS LIKE THAT.

WE DON'T RUN GOVERNMENTS LIKE THAT.

AND ULTIMATELY, WE NEED INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS PROTECTED MORE THAN WE NEED TO PROTECT, I'D SAY THE AUTHORITY OF BUSINESS.

AND SO WE'RE KIND OF CONFOUNDED HERE.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO BECOME THE BIG GOVERNMENT THAT I HATE, SO I DON'T WANT TO GO IN AND TELL BUSINESS WHAT YOU CANNOT DO.

SO WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WAS A POTENTIAL ORDINANCE.

WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO THINGS.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A RESOLUTION THAT JUST SAYS WHAT THE CITY OF ODESSA SAID, AND WE MIGHT TWEAK IT OR CHANGE IT A LITTLE BIT.

BUT FOR MORE OR LESS THOSE, IT SERVES A GOOD PURPOSE.

AND I APPLAUD THEM FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT.

AND THE MAYOR THERE FOR LEADING AND THE COUNCIL THERE FOR LEADING.

THAT BEING SAID, I NEED TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S CALLED SB SEVEN NOW.

SO THIRD SESSION, SB SEVEN WAS HEARD TODAY AND WAS PASSED, BUT THEN STILL HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO BECOME LAW.

AND SB SEVEN SAYS PRIVATE BUSINESS SHALL MAKE NO MANDATE.

AND SO IT TAKES WHAT SB 29 DID AND IT PUTS IT OVER ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

SO IT'S VERY COVID SPECIFIC.

IT'S VERY COVID VACCINE SPECIFIC.

IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY SPEAK TO EVERYTHING THAT THIS RESOLUTION DOES.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE COUNCIL, AFTER WE LISTEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, TO MAYBE BREAK THIS APART INTO TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, WE COULD DIRECT STAFF TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RESOLUTION THAT JUST SAYS, LOOK, THIS IS OUR OPINION, THESE ARE OUR VALUES, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE STAND FOR.

THIS IS WHAT WE'VE HEARD OUR CITIZENS TELL US INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS MATTER, INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES MATTER, AND THAT'S WHAT WE STAND FOR.

THEN I THINK WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE THE STATE TO TAKE ACTION ON SB SEVEN AND MAKE IT LAW WITH NO EXCEPTIONS.

SO AS WE KNOW, THEY CAN WATER THINGS DOWN DOWN THERE TO WHERE THERE REALLY IS NO PRACTICAL GOOD HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

SO WE WANT GOOD, CLEAR, CONCISE DIRECTION FROM THE LAWS THAT THEY PASS DOWN THERE.

NOW, IF THEY DON'T MOVE ON THAT AND THEY LET IT DIE, THEN WE STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAYBE PUT AN ORDINANCE OUT.

AND I THINK WE COULD PUT AN ORDINANCE OUT THAT JUST PUTS IT BACK IN THE RIGHT ROLE OF GOVERNMENT.

WE AS THE CITY SHOULDN'T TELL YOU AS A PRIVATE BUSINESS OWNER WHAT YOU SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT DO WITH YOURSELF OR YOUR EMPLOYEES.

HOWEVER, WE CAN HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

SO YOU CAN BE FINED.

WE CAN PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR A CIVIL SUIT.

WE CAN PROVIDE WAYS FOR EMPLOYEES TO HOLD THOSE EMPLOYERS ACCOUNTABLE.

AND I THINK THAT IS THE BALANCING ROLE OF SMALL MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

[00:45:06]

NOW, THAT'S A VERY SLIPPERY SLOPE, AND I THINK WE'VE GOT TO HAVE GOOD DISCUSSION AND WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE STAND ON THAT.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES FOR AN ACTION LIKE THAT.

SO BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION, WITH THAT ALL BEING SAID, DOES COUNCIL HAVE QUESTIONS ON WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO LEAVE THIS AT FOR RIGHT NOW? OR FURTHER COMMENT.

OKAY. AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO DISCUSS.

BUT AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK, IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? MRS. TROVATO, I SEE IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING FORWARD.

I WAS TAKEN ABACK WHEN I READ IT.

WHEN A CITY AS.

TRADITIONAL AND CONSERVATIVE IS OUR CITY IS SAYS IT WILL NOT ENFORCE ANY MANDATES IMPOSED NATIONALLY OR BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THAT'S PRETTY ARROGANT BECAUSE THE WAY YOUR THE SENTENCE IS ORGANIZED, THERE'S A COMMA AFTER MANDATES AND IT SAYS SUCH AS.

WHEN YOU READ THE SENTENCE WITHOUT THE DEPENDENT CLAUSES, IT SAYS WHAT I JUST READ.

THE CITY WILL NOT ENFORCE ANY MANDATES.

IMPOSED NATIONALLY OR BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THAT'S REALLY GOING A STEP TOO FAR.

SECONDLY, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE REWORDED.

AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE COVID SPECIFIC, BE COVID SPECIFIC, BUT THIS SAYS ANY MANDATES.

I ALSO THINK THAT THERE IS SOME MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH VERSUS PERSONAL HEALTH.

DO YOU KNOW THE FIRST PERSON IN THE UNITED STATES WHO UTILIZED A PUBLIC HEALTH MANDATE? IT WAS GEORGE WASHINGTON AND HE MADE HIS TROOPS TAKE A SMALLPOX VACCINATION.

OR THEY COULDN'T STAY IN THE MILITARY.

PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES AND DIRECTIVES ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.

AND THEY'RE NOT JUST MADE ON A WHIM.

AND DURING THIS PAST THREE YEARS OR SO OF COVID, I DON'T KNOW OF ANY MANDATE.

THAT SAID, EVERYBODY HAD TO HAVE A SHOT BECAUSE I KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET A SHOT.

I KNOW MANY OF YOU ALL UP THERE DIDN'T GET A SHOT.

THERE WAS NO MANDATE TO GET A SHOT.

THERE WAS A SUGGESTION, A RECOMMENDATION.

AND THE SAME WAY WITH MASKS.

SOME PEOPLE WORE MASKS.

SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T. IT WASN'T A MANDATE.

IT WAS A RECOMMENDATION BY PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND I THINK YOU REALLY OUGHT TO LOOK INTO AND HAVE YOUR STAFF ADVISE YOU ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC HEALTH AND PRIVATE HEALTH.

PUBLIC HEALTH IS WHEN YOUR ACTIONS AFFECTS MY HEALTH AND THEIR HEALTH.

PERSONAL HEALTH IS I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE NOT TAKING YOUR MEDICINE, YOUR DOCTOR'S ADVISED YOU TO TAKE I DON'T CARE IF YOU DON'T HAVE SURGERY THAT YOUR DOCTOR'S ADVISED.

I DON'T CARE IF YOU DON'T TAKE THE RADIATION THERAPY THAT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED TO YOU.

THAT'S PERSONAL HEALTH.

BUT I SUGGEST THAT YOU REREAD THIS SENTENCE.

AND NUMBER TWO, THAT YOU LOOK INTO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC AND AND PRIVATE HEALTH AND THAT YOU RELOOK AT THE LAST THREE YEARS, THERE WERE NO MANDATES AND THOSE MADE BY PRIVATE BUSINESSES I'M JUST ABOUT THROUGH HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THE BUSINESSES.

AND THE LEGISLATURE EXCLUDED PLACES LIKE NURSING HOMES AND HEALTH CARE FACILITIES WHERE THEY CAN'T TAKE THE RISK OF NOT GIVING VACCINATIONS TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK.

I WOULD REALLY ASK YOU TO CAREFULLY LOOK INTO THIS AND TO MOST DEFINITELY WAIT UNTIL THE LEGISLATURE GETS THROUGH.

WE'RE NOT SCIENTISTS HERE.

THANK YOU. SO GO RIGHT AHEAD.

UH, I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.

DEFINITELY. BUT IN REALITY, THERE WERE MANDATES.

WE CLOSED CHURCHES.

WE CLOSED BUSINESSES.

THE ONLY BUSINESSES THAT COULD STAY OPEN WERE THE ONES THESE BIG BOX STORES.

[00:50:01]

WE CLOSED DOWN MOM AND POP BUSINESSES.

WE CLOSED CHURCH DOORS.

THAT'S NOT FREEDOM.

WHEN I TOOK THIS OFFICE, I SWORE TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

AND WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.

I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID, BUT IN REALITY, YOU'RE TRYING TO REVERSE WHAT WE'RE SAYING.

IT'S UP TO YOU TO MAKE THE DECISION.

IT'S UP TO ME TO MAKE MY DECISION.

NOW, THE CITY, THESE PEOPLE HAVE A BRAIN.

THEY CAN MAKE THEIR CHOICE.

IT'S NOT UP FOR ME.

I'M JUST SAYING THEY DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RULES.

I MEAN, OUR GOVERNMENT DID A COMPLETE OVERSTEP DURING COVID, AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO LIMIT IT TO COVID.

THERE'S PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT ANY OTHER VACCINES AS WELL.

I MEAN, WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE TODAY COMING ACROSS OUR BORDERS MILLIONS AT A TIME.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'VE GOT, BUT YET WE'RE LETTING THEM IN.

AND THEN THEY TELL ME I NEED TO TAKE A SHOT.

IT'S JUST COMING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF THE MOUTH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

AND I AGREE. DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE? NOBODY'S MAKING ANYBODY TAKE A SHOT.

OKAY. SO WELL SAID, PROFESSOR.

I DO APPRECIATE THE ADVISEMENT AND I THINK THERE'S SOME WISDOM IN WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING IS THE RIGHT ROLE OF GOVERNMENT.

AND SO THIS IS A BALANCING ACT.

AND I FEEL LIKE WE GOT OUT OF BALANCE.

I DON'T WANT TO DO THE PENDULUM EFFECT AND GO BACK OUT OF BALANCE THE OTHER WAY.

WHAT WE WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS INCREMENTALLY STEP TOWARDS WHAT IS OUR ROLE AS LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS IN IN ASSISTING OUR STATE AND REPRESENTING OUR COMMUNITY IN WORKING THIS BACK TO A RIGHT ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AND CORRECT BALANCE THAT DOES WHAT WE ALL BELIEVE IN PROTECTING INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES, RIGHTS AND PROPERTY.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS.

DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE? YES, SIR. WHAT IS THAT? WAS THAT TALKING TO YOU? THANK YOU, AL ABRAHAM.

RESIDENT OF AMARILLO.

I'M STRUGGLING WITH THE MOTTO.

THAT WE'RE A DEMOCRACY AND A NATION OF LAW.

AND AS THIS RESOLUTION WAS INTRODUCED.

FROM YOU TO US.

IT SOUNDED TO ME LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO BE SO GENERAL THAT IT DIDN'T HAVE ANY TEETH TO IT AT ALL.

AS I'VE HEARD THE CONVERSATION, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD BE REALLY SERIOUSLY AFFECTING.

PUBLIC WELFARE, WHICH IS YOUR JOB, WHICH IS SMALL GOVERNMENT.

BIG GOVERNMENT'S.

JOB. SO AS A NATION OF LAW.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND PROTECT THE INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS FROM EACH OTHER.

AND THAT'S PART OF THE BALANCING ACT.

AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THE MODERATE LANGUAGE OF THAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT INSTEAD OF.

WHAT I WOULD CALL HYPERBOLE ABOUT HOW.

GOVERNMENTS OVERSTEPPED AND DAH DAH DAH.

ONE OF MY QUESTIONS AND I CAME UNPREPARED FOR THIS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF TECHNICAL WORDS, AND I THINK PROFESSOR HAS ALERTED YOU TO THE FACT THAT LANGUAGE IS ALL IMPORTANT WHEN YOU PUT IT DOWN IN WRITING. SO LET'S BE CAREFUL.

WHAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY? THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A MANDATE.

A RESOLUTION.

AN ORDINANCE.

A STATUTE.

AND WHAT DOES CONGRESS FEDERAL CALL IT? AN ACT? THOSE ALL HAVE CONCRETE MEANING.

THEY'RE NOT JUST YOU PICK, YOU PICK THE WORD AND THROW IT AT US.

IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK YOUR VOICE FOR AMARILLO AS OUR REPRESENTATIVES.

AND SAY, WE DON'T WANT THIS AND THIS.

BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DON'T TIE YOUR OWN HANDS.

WHERE YOU CAN'T ENFORCE SOMETHING.

FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN THE LIBERTY OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

AND I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER.

I DIDN'T COME PREPARED.

MANDATE, RESOLUTION, SO FORTH.

[00:55:02]

BUT I WILL BE VERY DISAPPOINTED IF YOU TIE YOURSELVES IN A KNOT.

UNDER THE RUBRIC OF BIG GOVERNMENT.

OVERSTEPPING BOUNDS.

CONTROLLING BUSINESS, TELLING BUSINESS WHAT TO DO.

BLAH. I CAN'T THINK OF A BUSINESS THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE PUT SOME GUARDRAILS AROUND IT TO KEEP THEM FROM OVERSTEPPING.

THE HEALTH OF THE GENERAL COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU SIR.

APPRECIATE YOU. GO AHEAD, SIR.

UH, IN RESPONSE.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT, SIR.

APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, MY RESPONSE IS OUR GOVERNMENT.

REALLY? CONGRESS NEVER PASSED A LAW.

WE HAD A CDC AND A HEALTH.

PERSON WHO MADE THESE DECISIONS.

IF CONGRESS HAD PASSED A LAW AND TOLD US THIS, THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT THING BECAUSE THAT BECOMES THE LAW OF THE LAND.

BUT WHAT I HAD WAS A DR.

FAUCI AND A CDC WHO WERE MAKING DECISIONS THAT WERE NOT BASED ON SCIENCE.

AND THAT'S MY ONLY RESPONSE TO IT.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE'RE TRYING TO ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTION IS ALL WE'RE DOING.

AND IT'S MY FREEDOM.

AND WE MAY HAVE TO COME BACK AT SOME TIME AND UNDO A RESOLUTION.

I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE YOU DO ONE TODAY DOESN'T MEAN IT'S LAW.

UNTIL WE'RE ALL GONE.

WE CAN UNDO THINGS.

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCIL. I DON'T HAVE.

YES, SIR. MR. [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU.

I THINK EVERYBODY'S RIGHT.

AND I THINK THE MAYOR SAID IT REALLY GOOD.

OKAY. THINGS GOT OUT OF BALANCE WITH COVID.

AND I REMEMBER AT MY CHURCH, WE HAD A MEETING AND WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ATTEND THE CHURCH.

AND I REMEMBER I GOT UP AND SAID, WAIT A SECOND, WAIT A SECOND.

TIME OUT. THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

WHAT IS THE GOVERNMENT TELLING ME TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT GO TO CHURCH? AND WHAT IS THIS COVID THING? AT THE TIME, WE WERE ALL SCARED.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS.

AND WE LISTENED TO DR.

FAUCI BECAUSE HE'S SUPPOSED TO KNOW.

BUT HE SAID, WEAR A MASK.

HE SAID, WELL, AT FIRST HE SAID, DON'T WEAR A MASK.

THEN HE SAID, WEAR A MASK.

AND THEN THINGS WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS.

I THINK IT'S ALSO THINGS CAN BE DIFFERENT.

HEAVEN FORBID IF YOU HAVE AN EBOLA OUTBREAK AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT THING THAN WHAT COVID WAS.

AND HOPEFULLY WE LEARNED A LESSON BECAUSE OF COVID, THAT WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE OUR FREEDOM AWAY.

WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE OUR LIBERTY, JUSTICE AWAY.

AND THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE SLOWER AT TAKING THOSE THINGS AWAY.

BUT STILL, WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OUR PEOPLE AND WE HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

AND I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE ALL SAID IT REAL WELL, AND I THINK THE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID IT REAL WELL, TOO.

MR. [INAUDIBLE], I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO BRING SOMETHING BACK THAT YOU SAID, ALAN.

WORDS DO MATTER, AND SO IT'S EASY TO FORGET.

YOU SAID YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY.

WE DON'T.

THAT'S WHY IT'S A STRUGGLE.

WE LIVE IN A REPUBLIC.

THOSE WORDS MATTER.

THAT REPUBLIC WAS FOUNDED ON THE CONSTITUTION AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

THAT REPUBLIC WAS FOUNDED ON THE BASIS OF LIMITING GOVERNMENT, THAT OUR RIGHTS DON'T COME GIVEN TO US BY THE GOVERNMENT.

MR. NUSSBAUM JUST SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE SLOWER IN TAKING THOSE RIGHTS AWAY, AS THOUGH THEY HAD GIVEN IT TO US TO BEGIN WITH.

GOVERNMENT CAN'T TAKE MY RIGHTS AWAY.

THEY DIDN'T GIVE THEM TO ME.

THE CONSTITUTION PROTECTS ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND A CITIZEN IN THIS COUNTRY.

MY RIGHTS ARE GOD GIVEN AND IT'S MY RIGHT TO LIFE AND IT'S MY RIGHT TO LIBERTY AND IT'S MY RIGHT TO THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO RESPECT IT.

AND IT'S AND YOU RESPECT IT BECAUSE IT'S WORKED FOR OVER 200 YEARS.

AND SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A HISTORY LESSON HERE, BUT WE DO NEED REMINDERS IN WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO IS JUST VOLUNTEER AS REPRESENTATIVES AND TO CARRY FORWARD YOUR WILL.

AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT IF WE DON'T DO THAT BASED ON A SET OF PRINCIPLES? AND SO I WOULD REMIND US IT'S A REPUBLIC AND IT'S DIFFERENT THAN A DEMOCRACY.

ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME UP? ISN'T IT DEMOCRACY IS HOW WE ELECT.

I AGREE. WE HAVE SOME DEMOCRATIC VALUES.

POWER OF GOVERNMENT.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING.

I'M A IF I MAY REAL QUICK, THIS DOESN'T DIRECTLY HAVE TO DO WITH THE ISSUE, BUT IT DOES HAVE TO DO WITH THE DISCUSSION OF REPUBLIC VERSUS

[01:00:01]

DEMOCRACY. FRANK LEE, I'M NOT SURE THAT I'VE SEEN ANYONE GET THIS COMPLETELY RIGHT OTHER THAN TEXTBOOKS, INCLUDING THE GENTLEMAN THERE OR WITH THE MAYOR SAID, WE ARE BOTH A DEMOCRACY AND A REPUBLIC.

DEMOCRACY COMES FROM THE GREEK RULE OF THE PEOPLE.

REPUBLIC COMES FROM LATIN, THIS PUBLIC THING.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, WHAT HAS GENERALLY BEEN AGREED UPON BY POLITICAL PHILOSOPHERS IS A REPUBLIC, IS ANY FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT DOES NOT HAVE A MONARCH, WHICH GOES TO THE ROMAN HISTORY OF IT WAS ESTABLISHED ONCE THEY OVERTHREW THE KING, THE LAST KING OF ROME.

SO WE ARE A REPUBLIC.

WE DON'T HAVE A KING.

WE'RE ALSO A DEMOCRACY.

NOW, GENERALLY, I THINK WHAT PEOPLE MEAN WHEN THEY SAY WE ARE NOT A DEMOCRACY, THEY MEAN THAT WE ARE NOT A DIRECT DEMOCRACY, WHICH IS MOSTLY CORRECT.

WE AREN'T EXACTLY LIKE THE ANCIENT GREEK ATHENIAN FORM, WHERE EVERY LAW WAS PASSED BY A COLLECTIVE VOTE OF EVERY CITIZEN OF ATHENS.

EXCEPT SOMETIMES WE DO.

WE HAVE PROPOSITION ELECTIONS.

SO SOMETIMES WE'RE A DIRECT DEMOCRACY.

SOMETIMES WE'RE A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY.

WE VOTED WHICH POWER.

THAT IS A FORM OF DEMOCRACY BECAUSE IT IS A RULE BY THE PEOPLE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY CHARTER, PASS ON TOP IS THE PEOPLE THAT IS DEFINITIONALLY A DEMOCRACY.

SO THE IDEA THAT WE ARE EITHER A PUBLIC OR A DEMOCRACY, JUST AS A POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY NERD, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A CORRECT DEBATE BECAUSE THEY AREN'T MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE YOU CAN HAVE A REPUBLIC THAT'S NOT A DEMOCRACY.

YOU CAN HAVE DEMOCRACIES THAT AREN'T REPUBLICS.

THE UK IS, FOR MOST INTENSE PURPOSES, A DEMOCRACY.

THEY HAVE AN ELECTED PARLIAMENT, REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY, BUT YET THEY'RE ALSO A MONARCHY.

AND IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO OVERTHROW THE MONARCHY, WHAT ARE THEY CALLED? REPUBLICANS? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT A REPUBLIC IS.

PUBLIC SIMPLY MEANS NO MONARCH.

A DEMOCRACY SIMPLY MEANS THAT THE POWER IS VESTED IN THE PEOPLE.

AND AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY CHARTER, PEOPLE ARE ON TOP.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE ALWAYS DIRECT DEMOCRACY.

FOR THE MOST PART, WE ARE NOT DIRECT DEMOCRACY.

I JUST AS POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE NERD, THAT JUST THE WHOLE DISCUSSION ALWAYS JUST AGGRAVATES ME BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYONE EVER GETS IT RIGHT.

WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR CONTRIBUTION, THAT'S WELL SAID, SIR.

ANY OTHER CITIZENS HERE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO PARTAKE IN THIS DISCUSSION? OKAY. SO COUNCIL WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD.

WE COULD GIVE DIRECTION AT THIS TIME OR WE CAN JUST CALL THIS A HEALTHY DISCUSSION.

WOULD ANYONE CARE TO GIVE DIRECTION OR WOULD WE BE GOOD WITH A HEALTHY DISCUSSION FOR TODAY? WE CAN PROBABLY WAIT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND SEE WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE ARRIVES AT.

UM, I'LL TAKE INPUT.

YEAH, I SAY WE DO THAT, WAIT ON THE LEGISLATURE AND THEN BRING IT BACK.

COUNCILMAN CRAFT. I SAW YOU NOD YOUR HEAD.

OKAY, THIS SIDE.

COULD WE POSSIBLY SEND TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE SAYING WE SUPPORT THIS? SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE COULD RESOLVE AND IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE, I BELIEVE, IN HOW A LOCAL GOVERNMENT MUNICIPALITY SHOULD WORK.

WE COULD RESOLVE TO ENCOURAGE THE STATE TO MOVE ON SB SEVEN WITH NO EXEMPTIONS.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE THE STATE TO MOVE FORWARD.

COULD I ASK STAFF, DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? SO NORMALLY WE HAVE A KIND OF A OVERALL DOCUMENT OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.

I THINK THIS WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THAT.

WE JUST DO A STANDALONE FOR THIS TOPIC.

IF THERE'S CONSENSUS TO TO MOVE FORWARD, WOULD YOU DO IT IN THE FORM OF A RESOLUTION OR IS THERE A MORE APPROPRIATE RESOLUTION? OKAY. YES, SIR. UM.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN SIMPSON.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? NO, I MEAN, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO STUDY MORE OF SB SEVEN BEFORE I DETERMINE IF I WOULD SUPPORT A RESOLUTION.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM BRINGING IT TO US, BUT MY PARENTS TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTENTION IN HISTORY CLASS, SO I'M REGRETTING FALLING ASLEEP THOSE FEW TIMES.

BUT NO, I MEAN, I'VE JUST TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I'VE GOT TO DO MY HOMEWORK MORE ON THIS ISSUE AND SPECIFICALLY WHAT SB SEVEN.

I WOULD NOT SAY WE WOULDN'T ENTERTAIN A RESOLUTION TO IT, BUT TO USE AN ANALOGY THAT GOES WITH YOU, LIKE HOT OFF THE PRESS, THIS JUST HAPPENED TODAY.

SO AT NO DERELICTION OF YOUR STUDIES DID YOU NOT KNOW SB SEVEN IS DRAFTED AND SO WE WOULD BE DIRECTING STAFF TO TAKE SB SEVEN, SUMMARIZE IT, UNDERSTAND IT, HELP US TO UNDERSTAND IT, AND THEN BRING IT BACK WITH A RESOLUTION.

[01:05:03]

AND THEN WE COULD UP OR DOWN THAT.

AND IF WE DIDN'T LIKE IT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO AMEND IT.

IF PERHAPS IT HAD SOME WORDING THAT DIDN'T GO CORRECTLY OR DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.

RIGHT. YOU COULD SAY SUPPORT SB SEVEN AND PRINCIPLE, BUT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THESE THINGS INTEGRATED AND WE COULD WE COULD EITHER PREPARE JUST AN INITIAL STAB AT IT AND THEN COUNCIL COULD ADD SOME OF THOSE NUANCES DURING THE DISCUSSION.

I MEAN, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY AND ADD TO THIS IS I JUST THINK WHATEVER WE'RE DOING AND A RESOLUTION IS ONE THING, BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT GOING FURTHER THAN THAT, I JUST WE NEED TO HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION ON THIS BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT BUT SIGNIFICANT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T RUSH TO ANYTHING BUT THAT WE GIVE IT SOME THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION AND HEAR FROM OUR COMMUNITY ON THIS AS WELL.

AGREED. OKAY.

SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THIS AT A POINT OF DISCUSSION.

AND WE WOULD REQUEST THAT STAFF WOULD BRING AN UPDATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER PRIOR TO THE OCTOBER 24TH MEETING WITH THE INTENTION OF A SUPPORTING RESOLUTION OR A LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY FOR FOR ACTION ON THE 24TH, ON THE 24TH.

IF IT'S APPROPRIATE AND THE DRAFT IS FINALIZED OR IT HAS PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT LAW WOULD BE.

SOUNDS GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, SIR. REALLY APPRECIATE THE DISCUSSION FROM OUR CITIZENS.

[8.C. Discuss City Manager recruitment process]

ITEM EIGHT C, WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS CITY MANAGER RECRUITMENT PROCESS.

AND SO I WOULD ASK COUNCILMAN SIMPSON ARE YOU WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE AN INTERIM CITY? CITY MANAGER AND I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE NECESSARILY FOR HIM TO MAYBE PRESENT, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTION THAT COUNCIL SHOULD GO.

SO IT'S KIND OF A ONE SIDED CONVERSATION AT THIS POINT, JUST FROM US FIVE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN PUBLIC ABOUT THE PROCESS OF OF SELECTING, YOU KNOW, A FINAL CITY MANAGER AND THE PROCESS OF EITHER HAVING A CITIZENS COMMITTEE OR GOING TO A CONSULTANT TO GO OUT AND SEARCH FOR THAT AND THEN BE ABLE TO TO DECIDE FROM INTERNAL STAFF VERSUS, YOU KNOW, APPLICANTS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY HALL.

YEAH, IT WOULD BE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND ON A LIGHTER BUT STILL IMPORTANT TOPIC, YOU KNOW, FINDING OUR CITY MANAGER.

I DID HAVE SOME CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR ABOUT I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD TEAM IN PLACE.

WE'VE KIND OF SOLIDIFIED THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CITY CHARTER, THE GROUP THAT'S SITTING UP HERE HAS VERY LIMITED POWER AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR IS WE WE ONLY HIRE TWO EMPLOYEES.

THE THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE AND THE CITY MANAGER.

AND SO THAT'S WHEN IT COMES TO THE CHARTER.

AND OUR GOVERNMENT WAS SET UP SPECIFICALLY THAT WAY SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT IS THE CITY MANAGER IN THIS CASE, THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER THAT'S RUNNING THE DAY TO DAY.

AND WE KIND OF SERVE AS A BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

BUT IT IS OUR JOB AS A BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO BE ABLE TO HIRE THAT PERSON.

AND NOW THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE BUDGET AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, BRING ON THE AGENDA, YOU KNOW, BEGINNING TO LOOK AT WHAT TYPE OF PROCESS THAT WE MAY WANT TO USE AND LOOKING TO DO THAT.

THERE'S LOTS OF VARIETIES OF HOW DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS DO THAT.

BUT I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS YOU COULD SAY, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE'LL DO AS A AS A MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT MOVING FORWARD AND DOING THAT. SO I DID I'VE BEEN DOING A LITTLE BIT OF HOMEWORK.

THERE'S VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT HELP PEOPLE WITH THAT.

BUT I KIND OF FELT THAT MIGHT BE GETTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE A LITTLE BIT.

BUT I DID FIND A DOCUMENT FROM THE TEXAS CITY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION THAT IS IT'S ABOUT A 50 OR 60 PAGE BOOKLET THAT TALKS ABOUT SEARCHING FOR A CITY MANAGER AND BRINGS UP A LOT OF TOPICS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS AND AS I WAS LOOKING OVER IT, SOMEONE HAD SHARED IT WITH ME AND BEGAN LOOKING AT IT.

IT JUST GAVE ME SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.

AND I BUT I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS UP AS A TOPIC FOR CONSIDERATION.

I WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, TO HANDLE IT APPROPRIATELY, MAYBE TO PASS THAT DOCUMENT TO THE CITY STAFF TO GIVE TO YOU GUYS.

OR WE COULD SHARE IT BUT AS I WAS READING IT, I JUST THINK IT GIVES IT BRINGS UP A LOT OF TOPICS AND THOUGHTFUL THINGS THAT AS WE WANT TO BE JUST AS THOUGHTFUL AND METHODICAL AS THIS, THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND BEGIN DISCUSSING AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT NEXT STEPS WOULD BE LIKE AS WE'RE LOOKING TO PERMANENTLY FILL THE ROLE OF CITY MANAGER. BUT I DID FEEL LIKE THE AS I WAS KIND OF SKIMMING THROUGH THAT DOCUMENT, IT TALKS ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT I KIND OF FELT, BOY, THAT WAS GOOD FOR ME TO KNOW THAT.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT IF I CAN SHARE WITH THE OTHERS, IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT AND KIND OF GIVE SOME THOUGHTS AND THEN MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS ANY

[01:10:02]

THOUGHTS TODAY, BUT MAYBE AFTER LOOKING AT THAT AND SHARE IT WITH THE PUBLIC AS WELL, IT'S A PUBLIC DOCUMENT, BUT THEN BEGIN TO KIND OF FORMULATING MAYBE WHAT OUR GAME PLAN MAY WANT TO LOOK LIKE ON MOVING FORWARD WITH AND WHAT WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE.

BECAUSE I THINK THE GOOD THING ABOUT THE BOOK IS IT PRESENTS SEVERAL OPTIONS, DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THINGS.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY RECOMMEND ONE OVER THE OTHER, IT JUST GIVES YOU SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT.

SO BUT AGAIN, NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN KIND OF THROUGH THE HEAT OF THE BUDGET AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, I JUST THOUGHT MAYBE IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO AT LEAST BRING UP THE DISCUSSION ON ON HOW WE MIGHT MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.

QUESTIONS ON THAT COUNCIL? NO, I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT BOOKLET FOR SURE AND SEE WHAT ALL OPTIONS ARE IN THERE.

AND PLUS, I MEAN, LES MAKES A GOOD POINT.

YOU KNOW HOW WE PICK OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO REALLY SET THE TONE FOR.

THE FUTURE. AND, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT STARTING AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, KIND OF LIKE WHAT'S KIND OF OUR TIME FRAME ON THIS? I GUESS WOULD BE MY QUESTION.

I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW.

AND I THINK I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF PREDETERMINED TIME FRAME ON, I WOULD, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IF WE COULD LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, I CAN GET THIS INFORMATION TO YOU AND YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT MAYBE EVEN TWO WEEKS FROM NOW, IF PEOPLE IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT, TO THEN MAYBE BEGIN TALKING ABOUT WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE, WHETHER WE TAKE ACTION NOW OR, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT EXAMPLES.

I MEAN, THERE ARE TIMES WHERE A MAYOR AND COUNCIL MAY TAKE 100% OF THE SEARCH AND RECRUITMENT AND DO EVERYTHING INVOLVED IN IT.

THERE ARE TIMES WHERE SOMETIMES MAYBE THE COUNCIL WOULD WORK WITH STAFF TO BE DOING THE SEARCH.

THERE ARE TIMES WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL WILL OUTSOURCE THE SEARCH PART, THE SEARCH PART OF IT TO DO ALL THE TYPES OF, YOU KNOW, THE LISTING OF IT.

YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES THE BENEFIT OF GETTING AN EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT I HOPE WOULD BE IF WE HAVE AN OUTSIDE CANDIDATE THAT WE'RE WE DON'T WANT THE ONES THAT ARE LOOKING FOR A JOB.

THEY'RE PROBABLY LOOKING FOR A JOB FOR A REASON.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THE EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRMS HELP IS THAT THEY CAN FIND PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT BE LOOKING FOR A JOB, BUT COULD BE A GOOD FIT FOR US TO CONSIDER.

AND THAT'S JUST THE EXPERTISE THAT WE DON'T HAVE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE MAY NOT HAVE.

SO I THINK THOSE ARE JUST A LOT OF THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS.

SO I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, TAKING ACTION TO SAY WE'RE SEARCHING.

I DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT EXACTLY WHEN THAT MAY BE.

BUT I THINK GIVING THIS SOME THOUGHT SO THAT WE CAN KIND OF BE VERY DELIBERATE IN HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD IN THIS SEARCH WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT MAYBE IS WE'RE KIND OF TALKING THROUGH THAT NOW BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU AS YOU KIND OF LOOK THROUGH IT, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THINGS TO CONSIDER EVEN BEFORE YOU GET TO THE QUOTE UNQUOTE, SEARCH PROCESS, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HANDLE IT? WHO'S GOING TO DO IT? WHAT'S THE JOB DESCRIPTION LOOK LIKE? YOU KNOW, WHAT TYPE OF CANDIDATE ARE WE? DO WE WANT TO LOOK FOR DO WE WANT TO GET COMMUNITY INPUT ON WHAT KIND OF CANDIDATE WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR? SO I THINK AS YOU LOOK AT THE SEARCH PROCESS, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE LEADING UP TO WHEN YOU ACTUALLY BEGIN THE SEARCH TO EITHER HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT TYPE OF PERSON YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR OR TO HELP THOSE THAT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, HELPING YOU, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS AND GETTING INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ALONG THE WAY.

SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AND YOU JUST NEVER KNOW HOW SEARCHES GO.

I MEAN, I THINK I'D WANT IT TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAVE SOMEBODY IN THIS ROLE, THE PERMANENT PERSON, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

THAT IS NOT IN APRIL OF 2025, IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ELECTION TO BE BUT TO PROVIDE THAT STABILITY BY BEING.

BUT YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A SEARCH.

WE MAY BE SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE.

AND WHILE WE SAY THAT TIMETABLE COULD BE 3 TO 6 MONTHS, YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT MAY HAPPEN WITH A CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATES OR SOMEONE MAY DECIDE THAT THEY DON'T WANT THEIR NAME TO BE PUBLIC.

THEY MAY DECIDE THEY MAY GET ANOTHER OFFER.

SO I THINK BEING DELIBERATE ABOUT THIS, BUT MAKING BUT I THINK BEGINNING TO MAKE PROGRESS THAT SO WE JUST DON'T WIND UP GETTING INTO SOMETHING WHERE IT WINDS UP TAKING A LOT LONGER TO DO THE SEARCH, THAT IF WE WAIT LONGER TO START IN THIS INITIAL PROCESS, THAT IT PUTS US WAY DOWN THE ROAD IN TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY PERMANENTLY.

UNDERSTOOD. I THINK MAYBE SHARING THAT DOCUMENT, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS TO PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.

SO I THINK WE ALL HAVE ACCESS TO IT.

I JUST EMAILED IT TO ALL OF YOU.

OKAY, PERFECT.

SO I THINK THAT WE START THERE WAS JUST MAKING SURE YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION.

ANDREW THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU.

YEAH. FIRST TEST PASSED.

THAT'S GOOD. GOOD JOB.

BUT THEN MAYBE CALLING A WORK SESSION MAYBE.

AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE NEED TO DO THAT, BUT TO REALLY HASH THIS OUT EITHER BECAUSE IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE OUT HERE OR IT'S GOING TO BE A PUBLIC WORK SESSION THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FOCUS ON THAT AND GET IT DONE AND HAVE TO BE A LONG ONE.

BUT AND I DON'T KNOW TIMING OF THAT, BUT I THINK WE START WITH MAYBE THIS DOCUMENT SO THAT WE ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND HAVE THE OPTIONS TO LOOK AT.

LIKE YOU SAID, THE WISDOM THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY MUNICIPALITIES HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH TO COMPILE THAT, TO SEE WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE, AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN GET TOGETHER IN A WORK

[01:15:07]

SESSION AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THINKING.

YEAH, RIGHT. YEAH, I THINK SO TOO.

I MEAN, MAYBE WE CAN TRY AND LOOK AT AND DOING SOMETHING THAT NO ONE'S DONE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LIKE SOME FORUMS FOR THE PUBLIC TO COME SEE, YOU KNOW, THESE, THE FINALISTS OF THE CANDIDATES OR WHOEVER IT MAY BE.

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING I'VE NEVER REALLY SEEN IN THE CITY.

AND I MEAN, I'VE BEEN NO OFFENSE.

YOU ALL BEEN HERE LONGER THAN I HAVE.

SO MAYBE I'VE SEEN THAT IN THE PAST IN THE CITY, MAYBE NOT.

BUT JUST SOMETHING TO DEFINITELY GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN AND LET THEM ALSO DECIDE.

YEAH. OKAY. I'M GOING TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON THIS.

MY PARTNER OVER HERE, I DON'T KNOW, NO OFFENSE TO ANYBODY OUT HERE EITHER.

I DON'T KNOW THAT.

I THINK AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, WE ARE ELECTED BY YOU GUYS.

I THINK INVOLVING THE PUBLIC COULD GET KIND OF MESSY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HIRING A THE ONE PERSON THAT YOU ALL ELECTED US TO TO HIRE, THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE LOTS OF OPINIONS AND LOTS OF THINGS.

I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH GETTING INPUT, YOU KNOW, TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD YOU ALL LIKE AND THAT TYPE OF DEAL BECAUSE THAT PERSON IS GOING TO BE RUNNING THE CITY.

BUT I THINK IT MIGHT COULD GET MESSY, YOU KNOW, IN DOING THAT.

AND I SAY THAT WITH COMPLETE I MEAN, AGAIN, WHERE YOU'RE REPRESENTATIVES UP HERE, NOT TO SAY THAT WE'RE I HOPE YOU CAN SEE FROM WHAT WE'RE DOING ALREADY.

WE LISTEN TO YOU EVERY DAY, WHETHER IT'S ON FACEBOOK OR IT'S A PHONE CALL OR A TEXT OR WE DEFINITELY LISTEN.

BUT AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THIS DOCUMENT IF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST.

I KNOW THERE WAS TALK ABOUT FORMING A COMMITTEE, A CITIZENS COMMITTEE AND THAT TYPE DEAL.

AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD TAKE A HARD LOOK AT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO DO OR DOES THAT KIND OF CONFLICT, THE PROCESS? YEAH. AND IT DOES MAKE MENTION OF THAT.

AND I THINK WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THAT, I THINK WHAT IT GOT ME THINKING IS THERE ARE THINGS THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT I DON'T KNOW.

YEAH. FOR SURE AND ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK AND THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT AS MR. FERMOR SAID, I MEAN, THERE CAN BE SOME DEBATE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU KNOW HOW YOU CONDUCT A SEARCH, SPENDING MONEY ON IT, HIRING SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PROBABLY LOOK AT AND WANT TO CONSIDER PERSONALLY, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION THAT WE MAKE, IF WE HAVE TO SPEND SOME MONEY TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

I ALSO THINK THAT JUST AS WE'VE NOT GONE THROUGH SEARCHING FOR A CITY MANAGER, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOMEBODY ALONGSIDE THAT DOES THAT EVERY DAY AND TWICE ON SUNDAY, BECAUSE I THINK THERE COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD GIVE US SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY, THINGS THAT THEY SEE THAT WORK REALLY WELL. MAYBE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT DON'T WORK WELL OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT IN AN EXHAUSTIVE AND THOROUGH WAY.

BUT I REALLY LIKE THE POTENTIAL OF AT LEAST CONSIDERING HAVING SOME EXPERTS WALK US ALONG THAT.

ABSOLUTELY. AND THE OTHER THING, I THINK A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I THINK THERE ARE SO MANY ADVANTAGES TO HAVING A SEARCH AND AN ORGANIZATION OUTSIDE, JUST FINDING THE PERSON THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEARCH FOR.

I THINK SOME OF THOSE INCLUDE YOU BRING IN PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

YOU'RE GOING TO LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS OF HOW PEOPLE HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAT WE MAY NEVER HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE.

YOU KNOW, ALSO IN DOING A SEARCH, I THINK OFTENTIMES AND WHETHER IT'S JUST THE COUNCIL OR, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING, YOU KNOW, IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT BIGGER PICTURE THINGS. I MEAN, WE'RE IN HERE TALKING ABOUT WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT SEARCHING FOR A, YOU KNOW, THE EXECUTIVE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONSIDERING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TWO YEAR WINDOW HERE FOR US.

SO I THINK IT DOES THAT.

AND ALSO A LOT OF TIMES YOU INTERVIEW PEOPLE AND YOU SAY, WOW, THAT PERSON MAY NOT BE READY TO BE A CITY MANAGER, BUT BOY, WE SURE WOULD WANT TO HAVE THEM ON OUR STAFF SERVING IN ANOTHER ROLE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO I THINK THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE LOTS OF VALUES TO HAVING A THOROUGH SEARCH AND AT LEAST CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL OF HAVING SOMEBODY THAT HAS SOME EXPERTISE TO WALK US THROUGH THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY AND MAKING.

ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE RECRUITING, YOU KNOW, THE BEST CANDIDATES WE CAN TO, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER FOR THAT JOB.

AFTER LISTENING TO THAT LESSON.

I AGREE WITH A LOT WHAT YOU SAID, BUT WHO KNOWS BETTER THAN WHAT WE NEED THAN WE DO.

YOU KNOW, I CAN HIRE A GUY FROM PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, WHO THINKS HE KNOWS IT ALL, BUT HE WON'T FIT IN AMARILLO, TEXAS.

AND THESE ARE THE THINGS I THINK WE JUST NEED, LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT PAPER.

WE NEED TO READ IT, LOOK AT IT, AND THEN HAVE THESE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.

YEAH, I MEAN.

I LIKE IT. I THINK IT'S AN OPENING DISCUSSION.

I THINK I'D ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO TRY TO COMPARTMENTALIZE THIS A LITTLE BIT.

[01:20:04]

DO WE WANT TO HAVE A CITIZENS COMMITTEE OR DO WE NOT? THAT'S A PRETTY BIG STEP IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER, AND IT CAN KIND OF GET YOU ALL THE WAY DOWN A ROAD, YOU KNOW, THE PROS AND CONS THAT WE WOULD HAVE. YOU KNOW, I FOR ONE, PROBABLY LIKE A CITIZENS COMMITTEE, I THINK THAT IT'S GOOD TO GET DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT HAVE WAY MORE EXPERIENCE THAN WE DO AT THIS.

SO I LOVE THE GUY WHO'S 75 YEARS OLD AND HAS BEEN THE CEO OF 3 OR 4 DIFFERENT COMPANIES AND HAS GONE THROUGH THIS BEFORE AND COULD BRING ALL OF THAT EXPERTISE.

BUT HE'S ALSO LOCAL AND HE'S NOT GETTING PAID TO COME AND MEET.

I LIKE THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT COUNTERBALANCES THAT HEAVY HANDED VOICE OF A CONSULTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY'VE GOT THEIR PRESENTATION AND THEIR POWERPOINT AND AN HOUR LATER YOU JUST KIND OF WENT ALONG WITH WHATEVER THEY SAID.

I DON'T THINK THAT WE GET THE BEST OUTSIDE OF AMARILLO BECAUSE I'M A PRETTY BIG BELIEVER THAT WE KIND OF ALREADY HAVE THE BEST HERE.

SO I WOULD ALMOST FEEL LED TO.

MAYBE WALK DOWN THE ROAD OF CITIZENS COMMITTEE BEFORE WE GOT ENTANGLED WITH A CONSULTING GROUP AND THAT CITIZENS COMMITTEE COULD HELP US DECIDE.

DO YOU NEED THE CONSULTANT OR NOT? AND THEN ONCE YOU GET THAT CONSULTANT, HAS THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE DONE THEIR JOB AND NOW WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED, OR DO WE NEED THEM TO CONTINUE FORWARD? AND IT'S VERY FUNCTIONAL, YOU KNOW, AND IF IT BECOMES DYSFUNCTIONAL, THEN IT SERVED ITS PURPOSE.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING WE WOULD HAVE A WORK SESSION OPEN MIC NIGHT TO TELL US ALL THE THINGS YOU LOVE OR HATE ABOUT THE CITY THAT'S NOT GOING TO GET US WHERE WE'RE GOING.

I ALSO DON'T THINK WE NEED TO PUT UP LIKE PHRASES ON THE BOARD AND COME UP WITH A VISION STATEMENT OF LIKE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU WANT IN A CITY MANAGER? WELL, I THINK WE'RE ALL GOING TO HAVE SOME PRETTY WORDS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY OF THAT'S GOING TO GET US TO GO HIRE SOMEONE, YOU KNOW.

SO LET'S HAVE A MEETING.

TO HAVE A MEETING TO GET A GUY HIRED OR LET'S HAVE A MEETING TO FIGURE OUT THAT WE'VE GOT A GUY HIRED.

AND WE'VE LOOKED AND WE'VE DONE OUR JOB AND WE'VE GOT WHAT WE NEED HERE.

AND SO THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT'S TWOFOLD FOR ME.

I AM GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR ANDREW FREEMAN AND TEAM WHILE HE IS LEADING AND STEERING THIS SHIP.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, I AM GOING TO BE LOYAL TO MY TAXPAYER AND WE ARE GOING TO LOOK LONG AND HARD FOR THE ABSOLUTE BEST QUARTERBACK THAT WE CAN FIND AND WHATEVER THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.

WE STARTED A DISCUSSION AND WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

BUT I THINK WE PROBABLY NEEDED TO JUST GET IT OUT THERE AND THEN I THINK WE BRING IT BACK.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE NOT ON THE 24TH, BUT IN THE NOVEMBER MEETING OR MAYBE ON THE 24TH, MAYBE COUNCILMAN SIMPSON IS READY TO MOVE AND WE CAN READ THE DOCUMENTS AND KIND OF LEARN.

BUT WHAT WE NEED FROM THIS COUNCIL IS LET'S CHART A PATH OF WHAT WE THINK BEST REPRESENTS AMARILLO IN CITIZEN COMMITTEE.

NO CITIZEN COMMITTEE CONSULTANT.

NO CONSULTANT.

AND THEN LET'S COME UP WITH A GOOD PATH FORWARD AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN START MAPPING OUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE BY DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY.

AND THEN HOW DO WE ALL FEEL ABOUT IT? I'M GOING TO ASK IF THAT'S KIND OF DOWN THE LINE OF WHERE YOU WANT, I THINK YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FINE.

AND I THINK MAYBE WE JUST WE HAVE IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE 24TH IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, IF WE'RE NOT READY TO DO THAT.

BUT I THINK JUST GIVING IT, YOU KNOW, THAT GIVE US A COUPLE MORE WEEKS TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT, THINK ABOUT IT, AND THEN WE'VE GOT IT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE 24TH.

IF WE'RE NOT READY TO DISCUSS IT AT THAT POINT, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE CAN MOVE IT DOWN.

BUT I THINK AT LEAST MAYBE HAVING IT ON THERE FOR THE 24TH MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA.

AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE SCHEDULED MEETING IN NOVEMBER, ONE SCHEDULED IN DECEMBER.

SO NORMALLY WE'RE HAVING TWO MEETINGS PER MONTH.

BUT BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO HOLIDAYS, WE'VE GOT JUST THE TWO TO FULFILL THE YEAR.

SO I'M NOT SAYING WE COULDN'T CALL A MEETING FOR THAT AND I'M NOT SAYING I WOULDN'T HAVE A WORK SESSION.

JUST DON'T THINK IT'S AS PRODUCTIVE RIGHT OFF THE BAT TO JUST KIND OF STIR IT UP.

SO I'D RATHER HAVE SOME GOOD DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL AND ADVISEMENT FROM STAFF BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD.

COUNCIL DO YOU GUYS FEEL COMFORTABLE LEAVING THIS HERE AS A DISCUSSION TODAY? YES, SIR. YEAH. ALL GOOD.

OKAY, I'LL TELL YOU GUYS, Y'ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO WEIGH IN ON ALL THIS.

SO NOT NECESSARILY ASKING ANYBODY TO COME UP AND SPEAK ON THIS ONE ITEM JUST BECAUSE IT'S A LONG PROCESS.

WE'RE GOING TO GET TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO TO SAY.

MOVING ON TO ITEM EIGHT D REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.

[8.D. Request future agenda items and reports from City Manager.]

I HAVE NOTHING. I.

WELL, TWO THINGS I DO WANT TO SAY IS THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THE ROLLING AGENDA OUT.

AND THAT'S UP WHERE.

SO WHERE CAN PEOPLE FIND THAT? I KNOW YOU SENT ME A I THINK YOU SENT US A LINK, BUT IF I.

IS IT ON THE HOMEPAGE OF THE CITY WEBSITE OR WHERE CAN THAT BE LOCATED?

[01:25:02]

LET ME GET THIS UP ON THE OTHER SCREEN.

COUNCIL MEMBER SIMPSON. AND I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH HOW TO GET TO IT REAL QUICK.

OKAY. BECAUSE I THINK AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE IS, I THINK SOME OF US HAVE SHARED IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT, YOU KNOW, AT THE WISHES OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL STAFF HAS BEGUN PUTTING AGENDA ITEMS OUT THERE, A ROLLING AGENDA FOR ITEMS THAT WILL COME UP IN OUR MEETINGS.

I THINK THERE'S ITEMS ON THERE FOR THE 24TH, THE 12TH THAT ARE UP THERE.

I HEAR STAFF REALLY LIKES THIS, SO BUT I APPRECIATE THE HARD WORK THAT'S GOING INTO THAT BECAUSE I THINK JUST YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES TODAY THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA THAT WE'RE SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT I WAS JUST CONCERNED ABOUT IS ITEMS WHERE WE'RE ONLY SEEING IT ON THE AGENDA ONE TIME AND WE TAKE ACTION THAT ONE TIME THAT'S ON THERE.

SO IF WE CAN GET THIS OUT ON THE ROLLING AGENDA BEFORE WE TAKE ACTION ON IT JUST GIVES US A CHANCE TO GET A HEADS UP AND THE COMMUNITY A HEADS UP.

BUT GO AHEAD AND JUST SHARING THIS AS AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

IF YOU GO TO AMARILLO.GOV AND UNDER CITY HALL, GO TO MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THE FIRST THING THAT YOU WILL SEE ON THIS WEB PAGE NOW ON THIS SITE IS OUR ROLLING AGENDA PLANNER.

AND IF YOU PULL THIS UP, THEN YOU'LL SEE A LIST OF ITEMS. SO THIS CURRENT ONE THAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW IS OCTOBER 24TH AND OUR NOVEMBER 14TH MEETING.

I'M JUST SCROLLING THROUGH THIS SO THAT EVERYONE CAN SEE.

BUT THAT'S HOW YOU'LL GET TO IT.

FROM AMARILLO.GOV.

CITY HALL MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU SO I APPRECIATE THE CITY SECRETARY SHARING THAT AS AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

AND FOR COUNCILMAN SIMPSON REQUESTING THAT FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM IF NEEDED.

SO IF STAFF GETS A BUNCH OF REQUESTS FROM THE PUBLIC THAT THEY CAN'T FIND THIS OR LOCATE IT, THEN IT WOULD BE SOMETHING WE COULD PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA OF MAYBE JUST AN ORIENTATION WALKTHROUGH OF WHAT WE'RE DOING THERE, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY'S HEARING WHAT WE'RE SAYING.

ANY I'M SORRY, SIR, GO AHEAD.

I DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT I'D LIKE TO PUT ON THE FUTURE AGENDA.

AND IF THERE'S ROOM ON THE 24TH, IT'S NOT A TIME SENSITIVE, BUT I'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS OF PEOPLE ARE HEARING PEOPLE DISCUSS POLICE RESPONSE TO AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS.

AND WHEN THERE ARE REPORTS FILED, WHEN THERE'S NOT REPORTS FILED, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

AND I THINK IF WE COULD GET SOME MAYBE AT A TIME AT A FUTURE MEETING, I'D JUST LIKE TO GET CLARITY ON EXACTLY WHAT OUR POLICIES ARE.

IF CITIZENS WANT TO HAVE A POLICE OFFICER THERE TO FILE A REPORT, I KNOW COUNCIL MEMBER TIPPS MAY EXPERIENCE THIS EVERY NOW AND THEN IN HIS BUSINESS WHEN YOU KNOW YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TO RESOLVE INSURANCE CLAIMS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M UP TO SPEED ON WHAT OUR POLICIES ARE.

AND THE COMMUNITY IS UP TO SPEED AS WELL ON THOSE POLICIES AND WHY WE HAVE THOSE POLICIES IN PLACE.

ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE THAT READY TO GO IN PRETTY SHORT TIMEFRAME.

SO IT COULD BE NEXT MEETING OR NOVEMBER.

OKAY, NO PROBLEM. BE GREAT.

THANK YOU. ANYTHING FURTHER.

FUTURE REQUEST ITEMS. OKAY. MOVING ON TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[9. Consent Items]

I WOULD ASK, DOES COUNSEL HAVE ANYTHING ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THAT THEY WOULD LIKE PULLED OFF? OKAY AS PRESENTED WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

I'LL SECOND. OKAY.

I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THAT ITEM PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE.

UM. I AM GOING TO SAY 4:30.

WE HAVE 16 ITEMS ON OUR NON CONSENT.

SO QUITE A BIT OF WORK TO DO.

WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A TEN MINUTE RECESS.

LET EVERYBODY STRETCH YOUR LEGS, COME BACK, GET COMFORTABLE.

WE WILL TRY TO PUSH THROUGH THIS ALL THE WAY TO THE END WHEN WE COME BACK.

THANK YOU. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL OURSELVES BACK TO ORDER.

APPRECIATE YOU GUYS GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A SHORT RECESS THERE AND GET A FEW THINGS CAUGHT UP.

WE ARE MOVING INTO OUR NON CONSENT AGENDA, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE ONE ITEM OUT OF ORDER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO START WITH ITEM TEN.

[10.A. CONSIDER APPROVAL - AMENDMENT TO LEASE AGREEMENT FOR RICK KLEIN BASEBALL COMPLEX AND SOUTHWEST SOFTBALL COMPLEX IN JOHN STIFF MEMORIAL PARK]

A, DO WE HAVE MICHAEL KASHUBA, HERE? THERE HE IS. IF YOU DON'T MIND GIVING US KIND OF A BRIEF OVERVIEW ON ON WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AND THEN GOOD TO GO.

ABSOLUTELY. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

MICHAEL KASHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY IS AN AMENDMENT TO A LEASE AGREEMENT THAT WE ENTERED INTO WITH THE TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH SPORTS FOUNDATION.

THAT ORIGINAL LEASE WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL ON JANUARY 31ST OF 23 WITH IT'S A TEN YEAR LEASE

[01:30:02]

WITH AN AUTOMATIC FIVE YEAR RENEWAL.

AND ESSENTIALLY THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE INCLUDED AT THE TIME WERE THE RICK KLEIN BASEBALL COMPLEX.

THERE'S AN OPTION PROPERTY NORTH OF THE COMPLEX ITSELF FOR POTENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THEN THE SOUTHWEST SOFTBALL COMPLEX AT JOHN SMITH PARK.

SO THE GENERAL BREAKDOWN.

TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH SPORTS FOUNDATION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE, THE FIELD PREPARATION, TRASH CLEANUP, FIELD IMPROVEMENTS, CLEANING OF THE CONCESSION STAND, GENERAL MAINTENANCE OF HEATING AND AIR, PLUMBING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THE CITY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME LARGER ISSUES.