[00:00:05]
[1. Call to Order]
WE THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS FOR BEING WILLING TO COME DOWN HERE AND PARTICIPATE WITH US.I WOULD GO AHEAD AND CALL OURSELVES OFFICIALLY TO ORDER WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PASTOR RICKY PFEIL COME UP HERE AND LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION.
[2. Invocation Ricky Pfeil, Kingdom Keys Christian Network]
AND THEN IF YOU'LL REMAIN STANDING AFTER THAT, WE'LL DO BOTH PLEDGES.PLEASE STAND. THANK YOU MAYOR.
AND THE MAYOR HAS TENTATIVELY AGREED TO COME AND BE ON THE RADIO WITH ME.
ON FIRST SATURDAY AFTER SPRING BREAK.
AND. AND BY THE WAY, EVERY ONE OF YOU MEMBERS OF THIS CITY COUNCIL ARE WELCOME.
IT'S AN OPEN DOOR TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU TO COME ANYTIME YOU WANT TO.
FATHER, FIRST OF ALL, WE WANT TO PRAY FOR OUR FRIENDS AND OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEARBY CITIES THAT ARE HAVING SUCH DIFFICULTY TODAY WITH THESE FIRES AND THIS RAGING WIND.
WE PRAY FOR THE PROTECTION OF THEIR LIVES AND PROPERTY AND ANIMALS.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO PRAY FOR THIS MEETING HERE TODAY.
I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND BEFORE THESE MEN WHO HAVE GIVEN OF THEMSELVES SO MUCH TO SERVE THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND WE PRAY.
FEELING VERY HONORED THAT I WOULD BE ASKED TO PRAY.
MOSES BELIEVED THAT MEN WHO SERVE IN GOVERNMENTAL LEADERSHIP, FROM THE TOP TO THE LOWEST LEVEL OF GOVERNMENTAL OFFICES, SHOULD BE MEN OF TRUTH WHO FEAR GOD.
AND I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT THAT HERE IN AMARILLO.
AND WITH THAT IN MIND, I PRAY THAT YOU WILL REMIND EACH MEMBER OF THIS HONORABLE GROUP CONSTANTLY OF THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED THEM, BUT MORE SO TO YOU.
HELP US TO REALIZE THAT WE GET OURSELVES IN OUR CITY IN SERIOUS TROUBLE WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS AFFECTING THE CITY THAT ARE CONTRARY TO THE STANDARDS WRITTEN IN YOUR WORD.
LORD, YOU SAID IN PROVERBS 14:34, RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION, BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE. IF THAT'S TRUE OF A NATION, IT'S TRUE OF THE CITIES WHICH ARE THE MAKEUP OF THE NATION, SUCH AS OUR BELOVED CITY AMARILLO. I PRAY THAT THESE MEN WILL HAVE GODLY WISDOM AND CLEAR DIRECTION FROM YOU.
I ASK THAT YOU WOULD PUT IT IN THEIR HEARTS ALWAYS TO DESIRE THAT YOU WOULD RULE IN THEIR DECISIONS.
MAY THEIR THOUGHTS BE IN AGREEMENT WITH YOUR PERFECT WILL.
AND IF ANY AMONG US HAVE THOUGHTS OR INTENTIONS CONTRARY TO THE WORD OF GOD, MAY THOSE PLANS BE OVERRULED BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. I PRAY THAT THEY WOULD ALWAYS KNOW THAT THEY'RE HOLDING AN HONORABLE POSITION, BUT IT'S A SERVANT'S POSITION AND THAT THEY WILL REMEMBER.
I PRAY THAT THEY'RE MORTALS THAT ARE IN NEED OF YOUR HELP, AS THEY STRIVE TO DO THEIR VERY BEST OF THEIR JOB WITH EXCELLENCE AND NOBILITY. I PRAY THAT THE FEAR OF GOD WOULD CHARACTERIZE THIS GOVERNING BODY OF OUR CITY.
LET RIGHTEOUSNESS PREVAIL AND EVIL BE DEFEATED FOR THE GLORY AND HONOR OF GOD ALMIGHTY.
I PRAY ALL OF THESE THINGS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OF LORDS AND THE KING OF KINGS, THE ONE WHO DIED FOR OUR SINS ON THE CROSS AND ROSE AGAIN, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.
YOU GUYS JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[00:05:03]
THE TEXAS FLAG. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE TEXAS; ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.WELL, WE'RE ALREADY TO NUMBER FIVE.
SO, MISS CITY SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY? WE DO NOT, MAYOR.
SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
[6. Public Comment]
BEFORE WE BRING UP OUR FIRST SPEAKER LET ME ASK, JUST BY A SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE HAVE HERE TODAY THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ORDINANCE 8092, WHICH IS THE MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT ORDINANCE? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. SO IF YOU CHOOSE TO, WE HAVE TWO WAYS TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU.ONE IS PUBLIC COMMENT WHERE YOU GET THREE MINUTES TO COME DOWN AND YOU CAN SPEAK TO US.
WE CAN ONLY ANSWER BACK TO YOU IN KIND OF A STATEMENT OF FACT OR WE COULD DIRECT YOU TO STAFF.
LATER IN OUR DISCUSSION WE WILL DISCUSS THAT UNDER ITEM 70.
DURING DISCUSSION, WE CAN ALLOW YOU GUYS TO ENGAGE WITH US IN A GREATER WAY.
YOU COULD HEAR MAYBE WHAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING AS A MISTAKE.
YOU COULD SEE WHO WE'VE ALREADY MET WITH IN THE COMMUNITY, WHAT CHANGES WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO MAKE.
SO I WOULD INVITE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING DISCUSSION TO WAIT UNTIL DISCUSSION.
AND YOU COULD YOU WILL GET YOUR TIME AT THAT POINT.
WE'RE FINE HAVING THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME AND LET US KNOW EITHER YOUR THOUGHTS OR HOW YOU FEEL.
SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD INTO PUBLIC COMMENT MS. CITY SECRETARY, OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU. MAYOR, 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.
EVERY SPEAKER TODAY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL.
AT THE END OF 2.5 MINUTES, YOU'LL HEAR A WARNING BEEP ALERTING YOU THAT YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO WRAP UP YOUR THOUGHTS, WE DO ASK YOU TO STAY TO YOUR THREE MINUTES TODAY TO BE FAIR TO EVERYONE THAT'S SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC HEARINGS TODAY.
THEY CAN RESPOND WITH A STATEMENT OF FACT OR POLICY.
THEY CAN ASK THAT THE ITEM BE PUT ON A FUTURE AGENDA, OR THEY CAN REFER YOU TO STAFF.
AND THEN BEGIN YOUR COMMENTS AND WE'LL START YOUR TIMER FIRST.
TODAY ON OUR LIST IS MIKE VIGIL.
HE'S NOT HERE. OKAY, IN THAT CASE, WE WILL GO ON TO SHIRLEY NICHOLS.
AND AFTER MISS NICHOLLS ON DECK WILL BE DOCTOR BREA BRADLEY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW I'M FIRST SERGEANT SHIRLEY C NICHOLS.
I WEAR MY RANK BECAUSE THE ARMY.
I SERVED IN A MILLION MAN ARMY.
AND I LIKE YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M HERE WITH MY ATTORNEY, AND I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE, SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT SOME HYSTERICAL FEMALE THAT'S COME IN OFF OF THE STREET.
AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE MASSAGE THERAPY BECAUSE I AM A PATIENT AND NOT LOCKING THE DOOR.
MY MASSAGE THERAPIST, IF HE WISHES TO ACKNOWLEDGE HE MAY, I'M NOT GOING TO BRING HIS NAME UP, BUT I WANT THE DOOR LOCKED, BECAUSE THAT'S FOR MY SAFETY. I DON'T WANT SOMEBODY KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND WALKING IN, AND THAT IS MY SECURITY.
AND I'VE BEEN IN NURSING FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
I GAVE MY LICENSE UP IN 2003 BECAUSE I CAN'T WORK ON THE WARDS AND TAKE CARE OF PATIENTS, BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE IN THE ARMY, I HAD THE FIRST COMPANY THAT THEY INTEGRATED, WOMEN AND MEN IN THE SAME COMPANY, AND THAT WAS IN 1975.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY MASSAGE THERAPIST CAN'T TAKE CARE OF ME.
AND ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME NEXT THAT I CAN'T SEE MY MEDICAL DOCTOR BECAUSE HE'S A MALE?
[00:10:01]
I'VE SEEN HIM FOR 23 YEARS.MY MASSAGE THERAPIST I'VE SEEN FOR EIGHT.
AND I WANT TO TELL YOU, I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A PROBLEM IN 1966 WITH SEVERE PAIN.
I CHOOSE NOT TO TAKE THE HEAVY MEDICATIONS THAT ARE AROUND FOR HEAVY PAIN.
I HAD DIFFICULTY WALKING WHEN I GOT MY FIRST APPOINTMENT AND HE TOLD ME LATER ON THAT HE SAID, I THOUGHT, MY GOD, AM I GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP THIS LADY? AND HE HAS.
HE'S CHANGED MY LIFE AND HE'S MADE ME A BETTER PERSON.
I JUST HAD MY 86TH BIRTHDAY AND SO I WANT THE GOVERNMENT OUT OF MY LIFE, AND I WANT THIS BILL OUT OF MY LIFE, BECAUSE I WANT TO CONTINUE SEEING MY MASSAGE THERAPIST AS HE HAS GIVEN ME.
I SEE HIM EVERY WEEK, AND HE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET ME TO WORK BECAUSE I WAS SO STIFF.
AND SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME TO HAVE MY THERAPY EVERY WEEK.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE EVER HAD A MASSAGE THERAPIST.
WHEN I WAS IN JAPAN, WE HAD MASSAGE PARLORS ALL OVER EVERY CORNER.
WE ALL KNEW THAT THEY WERE PROSTITUTES.
AND WE DON'T NEED THIS LAW ALREADY PRESSED ON THE POLICE THAT ARE VERY BUSY, AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT TO DO TO KEEP US SAFE.
YES, MA'AM. LET ME SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE FIRST OF ALL.
[APPLAUSE] AS A STATEMENT OF FACT, WE DO HAVE AN OLD ORDINANCE.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE'S REFERENCED ARE OLD.
THEY'VE BEEN IN THERE SINCE 1986.
WE WERE JUST NOT AWARE OF THEM.
AND THEN I DON'T THINK YOU'LL BE DISAPPOINTED WITH COUNCIL WHEN WE COMPLETE THE REVISION OF THIS.
BUT I WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THE ERROR AND DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU FROM YOUR POINT IN YOUR STANCE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, MA'AM.
DOCTOR BREA BRADLEY AND ON DECK AFTER MISS BRADLEY WILL BE MANDY LAND.
HELLO, COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
IF YOU'LL PULL THAT MICROPHONE TO YOU SO PEOPLE ONLINE CAN HEAR YOU.
SORRY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
I OWN A HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS.
IT'S COMPLETE. I'VE ACTUALLY DISASSOCIATED FROM THE WORD MASSAGE THERAPY.
AS FOR THIS REASON, RIGHT HERE I HAVE BUILT MY PRACTICE FOR A SAFE HAVEN FOR TRAUMA THERAPY ABUSE.
ABSOLUTELY. I DON'T WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT STIGMA.
SO THE DEFINITION OF MASSAGE PARLOR IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
YOU'VE GOT A BROTHEL, WHICH IS DEFINED AS PREMISES USED FOR HABITUAL PROSTITUTION.
SO IF THAT'S IN ANY WAY ASSOCIATED WITH MY BUSINESS, I AM ABSOLUTELY OFFENDED IN THAT CONTEXT.
AT BEING A VICTIM OF THAT, I TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY.
IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US IN OUR REPUTATIONS NO MATTER WHAT WE GO BACK AND FIX.
THERE'S THE OLDER COMMUNITY THAT ARE GOING TO NOT WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
ALSO, IT CAN AFFECT OUR THE STIGMA PER SE.
WE ARE ALREADY LICENSED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE WORKED VERY HARD TO BE PROFESSIONAL.
WE GOT LICENSED, WE GET FINGERPRINTED.
I'VE EVEN FURTHERED THAT AND GOT MY DOCTORATE IN NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WERE LISTED WAS NOT HAVING A SHOWER.
SO THERE ARE SOME DEFINITE THINGS THAT I'VE JUST KIND OF LOOKED THROUGH.
ALSO WE'RE UNDER OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH.
SO WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD JUST LIKE YOU TO BE MORE DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE YOU PUT STUFF OUT THERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO RECOVER WITH OUR PRACTICE.
PEOPLE THAT TRUST US, THEY'RE ASKING QUESTIONS.
AND I'VE EVEN HAD PEOPLE SAY THAT THEY WERE HECKLED ABOUT GETTING A MASSAGE AND A HAPPY ENDING.
[00:15:05]
THAT'S NOT OKAY.AND I DON'T WANT THAT COMING BACK INTO MY PRACTICE.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK, AND I HOPE YOU GUYS HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU DOCTOR. [APPLAUSE] MANDY LAND AND ON DECK AFTER MANDY LAND WILL BE DEEDEE HOUGHTON. IS MANDY HERE? DEEDEE IS NOT HERE.
AFTER MR. HOUSTON WILL BE JOSEPH ROGERS.
MIC] I WANT TO THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR ALLOWING ME TO COME AND SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU. THIS HAS REALLY BECOME SOMETHING VERY DEAR TO MY HEART.
I'VE DEALT WITH THIS FOR ABOUT THREE DECADES NOW.
I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THERAPISTS THAT HAVE CONTACTED ME.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT VERY, VERY GOOD FOR US AT ALL.
I JUST REALLY OPPOSE THIS IN GENERAL BECAUSE WE REALLY DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE.
SO WE'RE STILL IN THE DARK, AND NOW OUR LICENSES ARE CONTROLLED BY THE OCCUPATIONAL CODE 4 55.
LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST WHO PRACTICE SOLE PRACTITIONERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ESTABLISHMENT LICENSE BY OUR TEXAS LAW. SO THAT KIND OF LEAVES US OUT OF THE PROCESS OF BEING AN ESTABLISHMENT. MY PAGES ARE STICKING TOGETHER.
MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS, AS WELL AS SOLE PRACTITIONERS CAN USE TUBS, SHOWERS, SAUNAS AND SO FORTH IN THEIR PRACTICES, WHICH WAS PART OF THE ORIGINAL THING. AND SOME OF US DO.
I'VE HAD A SCHOOL FOR TEN YEARS IN AMARILLO.
ONE OF THE RESTRICTIONS THEY PUT ON A MASSAGE THERAPISTS WHEN YOU ARE LICENSED IS THAT YOU CANNOT DO ANY MASSAGE IN A SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS, AND I DON'T THINK ANY OF US DO.
BUT IN THE OTHER THING, A SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESS CANNOT USE THE WORD MASSAGE OR BATH IN ANY OF THEIR SIGNAGE OR ADVERTISEMENT. I PASSED ONE THIS MORNING.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, ABOUT FIVE BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE LEGITIMATE OR NOT, BUT EVERY ONE OF THEM USED THE WORD MASSAGE.
AND I THINK THAT'S A LAW THAT COULD BE ENFORCED IF IT JUST WOULD BE.
AND ALSO, I THINK YOU PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT THE HOUSE BILL, TEXAS HOUSE BILL 2127 THAT WAS PASSED AND IN LAW IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023 THAT TRIES TO RESTRICT MUNICIPALITIES FROM OVERREACH, WHICH THE ONE THAT WAS PUT OUT THAT WE'VE SEEN WAS GREAT BIG OVERREACH BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE PUT ME OUT OF BUSINESS.
AND I DON'T MIND YOU KNOWING THAT SHIRLEY NICHOLS IS MY CLIENT.
WORKED ON HER FOR EIGHT YEARS, AND YOU OUGHT TO SEEN THE MESS SHE WAS IN WHEN SHE WALKED IN MY DOOR.
AND LOOK AT HER NOW. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] JOSEPH ROGERS.
[00:20:09]
JOSEPH RODGERS, IF NOT JULIE BEDNORZ.AND AFTER JULIE WILL BE JOHN ROBERTS.
I THINK I, LIKE MR. HOUSTON, HAD WAY MORE NOTES THAN THREE MINUTES WORTH.
I AM ALSO A LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST IN AMARILLO.
I LIVE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS, BUT I PRACTICE HERE AND I, LIKE THE REST OF THE MASSAGE THERAPIST IN HERE AM DISGUSTED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. WE ALL RECOGNIZE THESE THINGS ARE GOING ON.
WE HATE THAT THEY USE THE TITLE THAT WE USE.
FOR ME PERSONALLY, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT MEETINGS AND PEOPLE DISCUSSING DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS, BUT THE ONE THAT APPEALS TO ME THE MOST IS 14-8-2 EXEMPTIONS.
LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPISTS WERE INCLUDED IN THOSE HEALTH CARE EXEMPTIONS WITH PHYSICIANS AND CHIROPRACTORS AND PHYSICAL THERAPISTS, AND WE WERE STRUCK FROM THAT.
WE WERE THE ONLY ONES STRUCK FROM THAT.
HAD YOU LEFT THE LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST IN THE EXEMPTIONS, MANY OF US WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
I KNOW IN THE MEETING WITH DON A FEW SATURDAYS AGO, HE SAID THE PURPOSE OF THIS WAS SO THAT THE CITY WOULD HAVE THE TEETH TO CLOSE DOWN THESE ILLICIT ESTABLISHMENTS, AND TO ME, THIS DOES THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
AND NOW YOU'RE WANTING TO ROLL BACK THE FEES AND ROLL BACK THE EXEMPTIONS AND ROLL BACK ALL OF THE STUFF, WHERE TO ME, THE LOGICAL THING SEEMS TO BE IS JUST TO TAKE US OUT OF THAT EQUATION.
I AGAIN AM GOING TO ADDRESS THE SAME THING THAT THEY HAVE THE TEXAS OCCUPATIONAL CODE SECTION 455005 THAT SAYS A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION MAY NOT ADOPT A REGULATION OF THIS TYPE DESCRIBED BY THE SUBSECTION THAT IS MORE RESTRICTIVE FOR MASSAGE THERAPISTS THAN IT IS FOR OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.
WE HAVE WORKED HARD FOR OUR TITLES.
WE HOLD OURSELVES TO A HIGH STANDARD, AND WE SHOULD BE LEFT OUT OF THIS NONSENSE.
THAT IS THE ILLICIT SEX TRADE IN AMARILLO.
AND AFTER MR. ROBERTS WILL BE NATHAN SMITH.
GOOD AFTERNOON. MR. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU GUYS, FOR ALLOWING ME AN OPPORTUNITY.
I DON'T THINK I'LL NEED THE FULL THREE MINUTES.
I AM REFERENCING AGENDA ITEM 9E.
AND I'M IN IN FAVOR OF THAT, I'LL JUST MENTION.
BUT I SAW IT COME ACROSS ON THE AGENDA, AND I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COURT.
I NOW WORK AS THE BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVE FOR CARPENTERS LOCAL 665 OF AMARILLO, TEXAS.
AS A COMMUNITY, THESE CONTRACTORS, LIKE WILEY HICKS, ARE SO KEY TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR ECONOMY.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE, JUST FOR INSTANCE, THE LOCAL INVESTMENT THAT'S BEEN MADE THROUGH OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR FACILITIES LIKE AMTECH, WHERE THEY HAVE A CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM, WILEY HICKS ACTUALLY WAS A GRADUATE OF THAT PROGRAM WHO'S BEEN ON PAYROLL WITH HIM FROM THE DAY HE GRADUATED.
THESE COMPANIES, THE, THE PARTICIPATE IN A CARPENTER'S APPRENTICESHIP OR AN APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.
THEY CREATE A PATHWAY FOR A YOUNG PERSON OR AN OLD PERSON BECAUSE I WAS 30 WHEN I JOINED.
SO THEY CREATE A PATHWAY FOR SOMEONE TO COME IN WITH NO TUITION, SO NO DEBT AND GET ALL THE TRAINING THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT CRAFT.
AND HERE IN AMARILLO IN FOUR YEARS FROM START TO FINISH, FOUR YEARS A PERSON CAN MAKE A MIDDLE CLASS INCOME WITHOUT ANY STUDENT DEBT. SO I JUST I WANTED TO PUT THAT IN YOUR EAR.
[00:25:04]
MIND THAT WE DO HAVE A STRONG BODY OF LOCAL CONTRACTORS WHO HAVE BEEN FOR DECADES INVESTING BACK IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH PROGRAMS LIKE THE CARPENTERS APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM.SO I THINK AND I TOLD YOU I'D GET DONE BEFORE THREE.
THANK YOU SIR, THANK YOU SIR. [APPLAUSE] NEXT IS NATHAN SMITH.
MR. SMITH, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU OF THE NEED FOR DECORUM HERE TODAY, SIR.
YEAH. CAN WE AGREE? IF I SLIP, I'LL JUST STEP.
AS USUAL, I WILL START WITH A QUOTE FROM THE OLD BIBLE, THIS TIME OUT OF EXODUS 22.
I'M SORRY. I'M TRYING TO TALK SLOWER SO I DON'T SLIP.
IT'S RELEVANT. WE'RE NOT A THEOCRACY ANYWAY.
I HAVE A SCRIPT, BUT LOOKING AT IT, I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW THAT AND NOT SWEAR.
SO THOSE SEEKING TO MAKE US A SANCTUARY CITY FOR FERTILIZED EGGS.
THE JOURNAL OF AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION REPORTED THAT THERE WERE 64,000 RAPES SINCE ROE V WADE BETWEEN THE PERIODS OF JANUARY OR JULY OF 22 AND JANUARY OF 24.
SO ABOUT 18 MONTHS ISH, 64,000 RAPES IN ALL THE POST-ROE STATES WHERE ABORTIONS WERE IMMEDIATELY CRACKED DOWN ON.
I'M ADVOCATING TO LET THEM HAVE THEIR VOTE BECAUSE I VERY LIKE, VERY MUCH LIKE TO KNOW THE STATE HAS ALREADY MADE THE DECLARATION, ARE MY DAUGHTERS HUMANS? I WILL ALWAYS VIEW THEM AS HUMANS.
THEY'RE MY DAUGHTERS. OR ARE THEY CHATTEL INCUBATORS ONLY WAITING TO BE IMPREGNATED BEFORE THEY NO LONGER HAVE ANY AUTONOMY OVER? BEFORE THEY NO LONGER HAVE ANY AUTONOMY OVER THEIR LIVES.
AND THE REASON I ALWAYS USE AN INTERESTING QUOTE IS TO POINT OUT THAT THE PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY'RE PRO-LIFE, THEY ARE INHERENTLY PRO AND RAPE B Y THE VERY NATURE OF THEIR DOCTRINE.
OF COURSE, MOST OF THEM NEVER READ IT, BUT THAT'S NO BIG DEAL ANYWAY.
WE'VE BECOME A PRO-RAPE SOCIETY.
AS SOON AS THE CHILD STARTS BLEEDING, SHE BECOMES ANY RAPIST INCELS FANTASY.
HE WILL GO TO JAIL AFTER WE CATCH HIS RAPIST.
HE WILL GO TO JAIL AND THE CHILD WILL BE FIRST.
THE CHILD WILL BE FORCED TO BIRTH IT.
I HAVE DAUGHTERS, SO LET THE SANCTUARY PEOPLE HAVE THEIR VOTE.
DON'T WAIT FOR THEIR LITTLE PETITION.
JUST GIVE IT TO THEM. MAKE IT PUBLIC.
HEY MAN, I DON'T THINK I SWORE.
HEY. NO, SIR, I APPRECIATE YOU HONORING THAT.
WHO DO YOU HAVE NEXT? THAT'S IT MAYOR. OKAY.
DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK? YES, SIR. IF YOU COME FORWARD, GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.
KEVIN CARTER 9501 COPPER CREEK I WAS STILL LIVING IN TOWN WHEN I VOTED FOR YOU GUYS.
I'VE SINCE MOVED OUTSIDE OF TOWN, SO THIS IS LIKE THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
THE STATE ALREADY RUNS LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPISTS.
OKAY. THE PROBLEM THAT YOU'RE HAVING IS NOT A LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPY PROBLEM.
YOU'RE HAVING A MASSAGE PARLOR PROBLEM.
THEY'RE NOT LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPISTS.
THIS DOES NOT COVER THEM AT ALL.
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING TO THEM BECAUSE THE STATE ONLY RECOGNIZES STATE LICENSED THERAPISTS, NOT IF THEY HAVE SOME OTHER T RAINING OR WHATEVER ANYWHERE ELSE.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE A TEXAS LICENSE.
AT THE END OF THAT CODE 455 SECTION 455353 ENFORCEMENT BY PEACE OFFICERS.
[00:30:01]
THAT BE YOU A PEACE OFFICER OF THIS STATE, INCLUDING A PEACE OFFICER EMPLOYED BY A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE, MAY ENFORCE THIS CHAPTER. THIS IS IT.YOU GUYS HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED RIGHT HERE.
WITHOUT WRITING AN ORDINANCE THAT STEPS INTO BETWEEN ME AND MY MEDICAL CARE, ALLOWING SOMEBODY JUST TO WALK IN WHENEVER THEY WANT TO ON AN UNLOCKED DOOR TO CHECK WHETHER I HAVE MY PANTS ON OR OFF.
NOT THE WAY IT SHOULD BE. YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SHEEPDOGS.
THAT'S YOUR JOB. THAT'S WHAT WE VOTED YOU IN TO DO.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE NOW AND NOT THE OTHER PEOPLE BEFORE YOU.
YOUR JOB IS TO PROTECT US FROM THE WOLVES.
AND THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE TO DO IF YOU WANT TO MAKE A SANCTUARY CITY.
LET'S MAKE A SANCTUARY CITY FOR THE CONSTITUTION.
THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO WRITE THIS STUFF.
I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS TIME. THANK YOU SIR.
AND YOU NEEDED MY ADDRESS, RIGHT? DO YOU LIVE IN THE CITY? YES.
WHILE I'M NOT A MASSAGE THERAPIST, MY PARTNER IS.
AND I ALSO OWN A SALON HERE IN AMARILLO, WHERE HE IS ABLE TO PRACTICE SOME THINGS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WITHIN THE ORDINANCE IS NOT ONLY WHAT PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED TODAY ABOUT GROUPING SOMETHING TOGETHER, NOT BEING AS EFFECTIVE IN YOUR EFFORTS TO STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WHICH I THINK EVERYONE HERE AGREES THAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS AWFUL.
HOWEVER, TDLR ALREADY MAKES US POST SIGNS WITHIN OUR ESTABLISHMENTS.
THEY GIVE US RULES TO ABIDE BY TO REPORT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, EVEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SOME STATES ARE LIKE IMPLEMENTING TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO MORE EASILY RECOGNIZE THAT.
BUT ONE THING I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER IS WHAT IT COULD DO TO SOMEONE'S BUSINESS.
I KNOW THAT MY PERSON WOULD LOSE 98% OF THEIR CLIENTELE THAT'S EXISTING.
THEY WENT TO SCHOOL, THEY WORKED HARD.
HE STUDIED FOR 1500 HOURS, I THINK ON TOP OF DOING AN EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECK, FINGERPRINTING AND ALL OF THAT MUST BE UP TO DATE EVERY TWO YEARS.
THEY'RE ALREADY REGULATING US.
THEY'RE ALREADY LOOKING SO CLOSELY AT US.
AND I APPLAUD YOUR EFFORTS TO WANT TO TRY TO STOP TRAFFICKING.
MY SALON WITHIN ITSELF HAS DONE ADVOCATING FOR CHILD TRAFFICKING AS WELL, TO BRING ATTENTION TO IT.
AND MOST OF THE PUBLIC DOESN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR EFFORTS ARE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HERE WHEN YOU P UT THIS ORDINANCE ON PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY PAYING ATTENTION TO THEIR LAWS, AND THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE REGULATIONS AND THE CODES TO TRY TO KEEP THEIR BUSINESS INTACT.
PEOPLE WHO ARE INTENT ON DOING CRIMES AND TRAFFICKING ANYWAYS, THEY DON'T CARE.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE AFFECTED.
AND I THINK THAT REVISION WOULD BRING A LOT OF CLARITY AND INSIGHT.
THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] ALL IN ALL, WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD.
SO, ANYONE ELSE HERE? OH, YES, MA'AM.
ONCE AGAIN APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S PATIENCE WHILE WE DO THIS.
I'M A LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST.
AS HAS ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT UP TO YOU ABOUT HB 2127, AND HE READ IT, SO I'M NOT GOING TO REPEAT IT.
I AM GOING TO ADD TO IT THAT THERE IS AN ADDITION, AN ADDENDUM TO IT THAT IS, SUBSECTION B, IT SAYS MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO AFFECT MUNICIPAL OR COUNTY AUTHORITY TO REGULATE A MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 455.005.
[00:35:03]
WHAT THAT DOES DO IS IT DOES GIVE YOU SOME NARROW PATHWAY AND A PROVISION TO MAKE AN ORDINANCE THAT WILL GOVERN AND REGULATE MASSAGE THERAPY ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CITY.HOWEVER, WHAT IT DOES NOT DO BECAUSE OF THE WORDING, IT DOES NOT GIVE YOU A PROVISION OVER SOLO PRACTITIONERS UNTIL THE WORDING IS ADDED YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ABILITY TO CREATE AN ORDINANCE OVER SOLO PRACTITIONERS.
NOW, CERTAINLY YOU CAN CHECK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ABOUT THAT.
AND I DO AGREE WITH THE SECTION REGARDING THE RESTRICTIVE ORDINANCES NOT BEING ABLE TO BE PASSED FOR SOLO PRACTITIONERS OR FOR MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS. I PRAY THAT YOU GUYS SOBERLY DELIBERATE ABOUT THIS.
AND I KNOW I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US IS NOT HERE AS YOUR ENEMY.
NO POPULATION IN AMARILLO IS MORE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE PRESENCE OF THESE BUSINESSES THAN US.
BECAUSE MUCH LIKE ME, ALL OF US HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY YEAR AFTER YEAR, THAT WE HAVE PRACTICED THIS VOCATION TO COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY DIFFERENTIATE OURSELVES FROM THEM.
AND OUR REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING.
I WORK BY REFERRAL ONLY, AND I NEED PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN WHAT I DO, WHO HONOR WHAT I DO.
AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU MA'AM APPRECIATE YOU. I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK.
THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY? YES, SIR. PLEASE COME FORWARD.
YOUR NAME AND IF YOU RESIDE IN THE CITY.
I RESIDE AT 3415 WAYNE HERE IN AMARILLO.
I'M A LONG TIME CLIENT OF A MASSAGE THERAPIST.
I HAVE TWO HERNIATED DISCS IN MY LOWER BACK FOR WHICH I WAS TAKING TRAMADOL, WHICH IS A RATHER HEAVY NARCOTIC, AND I WAS ALSO RECEIVING CORTISONE INJECTIONS AFTER GOING TO MY MASSAGE THERAPIST.
I WENT WEEKLY AND AFTER SIX MONTHS I NEVER TOOK ANOTHER SHOT, NEVER TOOK ANOTHER PILL.
NOT ONCE DID I ASK FOR OR WAS OFFERED ANY EXTRAS BECAUSE SHE IS A PROFESSIONAL.
SHE IS A LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPIST.
SHE IS A MEDICAL PERSON OFFERING HELP AND COMFORT TO PEOPLE THAT ARE IN PAIN.
THAT'S SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER.
SHE RUNS A PROFESSIONAL BUSINESS.
SHE HAS THE RIGHT TO LOCK DOORS NOT ONLY FOR HER CLIENTS PROTECTION, BUT ALSO FOR HER OWN.
I KNOW MANY OF THESE MASSAGE THERAPISTS HERE IN AMARILLO.
AND THEY ARE TRAINED PROFESSIONALS.
BY THE WAY, I MARRIED THAT LADY.
THANK YOU SIR. [APPLAUSE] ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY OR WE'LL MOVE ALONG.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
DO I HAVE ANYTHING NEEDED FROM COUNCIL? NO. OKAY. WE'LL MOVE ALONG TO ITEM SEVEN B THIS SAYS MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.
[7.B. Mayor's State of the City address]
LET ME JUST TELL YOU, I AM NOT FIXING TO GIVE YOU A STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS.IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING UP HERE AND TAKING US THROUGH THIS.
YES, SIR. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I'M JORDAN SCHUPBACH OR SUPERBACH, DEPENDING.
HERE TODAY TO JUST PRESENT SOME INFORMATION ON THE STATE OF THE CITY EVENT, TO GIVE YOU SOME HISTORY, GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ON THE ORIGIN, AND THEN MAYBE FACILITATE A LITTLE BIT OF A DISCUSSION ON HOW YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
[00:40:03]
IT STATES, COUNCIL SHALL REPORT PERIODICALLY TO THE CITIZENS ON ITS STEWARDSHIP AT LEAST ONCE PER YEAR.SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE STATE OF THE CITY ORIGINATED FROM.
SOME ADDITIONAL HISTORICAL CONTEXT.
IT'S HISTORICALLY, AGAIN ORGANIZED AND HOSTED BY THE MAYOR.
IT'S NOT REALLY A CITY EVENT, ALTHOUGH THE CITY CERTAINLY PARTICIPATES.
WE PROVIDE CONTEXT, WE PROVIDE INFORMATION, WE PROVIDE ANALYTICS.
FUNDED, SPONSORED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.
SO THE CITY IS NOT FUNDED IT BEYOND, I BELIEVE, THOSE IN-KIND DONATIONS.
AND THEN OFTENTIMES A DISCUSSION WITH CITY LEADERSHIP, DIFFERENT DIRECTORS DEPENDING ON TOPICS OF INTEREST AND THEN GENERALLY KIND OF A CALL TO ACTION OR A VISION OR MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
IT HAPPENED AT THE CIVIC CENTER.
2018 IT WAS AT THE GLOBE NEWS CENTER.
2019 WAS AT THE CIVIC CENTER AGAIN.
THESE WERE ALL RATHER FORMAL EVENTS WHERE THERE WAS FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND AN AUDIENCE THERE.
2021 WE HAD AT HODGETOWN IN 2022 WAS AT SAM HOUSTON PARK, I THINK.
2023 WE DID NOT HAVE THE EVENT.
SO THESE ARE JUST KIND OF VERY BRIEF DISCUSSION STARTERS, KIND OF FOR YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT.
WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THE ONLINE OPTION AGAIN.
THIS IS WHERE WE CREATE A STANDALONE WEBSITE.
THERE'S VIDEOS, THERE'S PICTURES.
THERE'S A LOT OF STATISTICS KIND OF AN INFOGRAPHIC FEEL TO IT.
WE CAN PRESENT ALL THOSE THINGS TO OUR CITY WEBSITE CHANNELS, DIFFERENT SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.
THE FORMAL EVENT, WHICH IS KIND OF THE MORE WAY IT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN DONE ANYWAY, WHERE LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE MAYOR MIGHT GIVE AN ADDRESS AND THEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT CITY DEPARTMENTS MIGHT COME UP AND SPEAK TO WHAT THEY'VE DONE OR, YOU KNOW, MAJOR PROJECTS, THOSE KIND OF THINGS, AND THEN MAYBE A MORE INFORMAL COMMUNITY EVENT.
IT WAS KIND OF A CELEBRATION, MORE THAN LIKE A FORMAL KIND OF PRESENTATION.
A LOT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WERE INVOLVED.
SO THESE ARE, AGAIN, NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, JUST KIND OF AN IDEA OF WHERE WE COULD GO WITH THEM.
SO WE'RE KIND OF HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS OR REALLY FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS AND SEE WHERE YOU MIGHT WANT TO LAND, WHO'S GOING TO OWN THIS THING? WHO'S GOING TO FINANCE THIS THING OR FUND THIS THING? AND THAT'S KIND OF THE END OF ESSENTIALLY ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR PROVIDE YOU WHATEVER CONTEXT I HAVE.
OTHERWISE I'LL JUST KIND OF GET OUT OF THE WAY AND LET YOU ALL PROVIDE WHATEVER GUIDANCE YOU HAVE.
I THINK YOU KNOW, I AM PROBABLY THE ONE THAT'S STANDING OUT THERE REALLY, IN THE WAY OF LIKE, I NEED GUIDANCE, YOU KNOW, SO AS THE HISTORICAL RECORD SHOWS, IT'S REALLY KIND OF A MAYOR'S EVENT.
THE MAYOR GETS TO KIND OF DIRECT IT AND DO WHAT THEY WANT.
WELL, AS THE MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO DIRECT IT TO A PUBLIC CONVERSATION AND BRING MY COUNCIL IN, AND I'D LIKE TO GET GUIDANCE FROM COUNCIL AND SEE KIND OF WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO YOU? WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'VE DONE WELL IN THE PAST, AND WHAT DIRECTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO IN THE FUTURE? I THINK THAT THE GOVERNANCE AND ENDS POLICY IS IMPORTANT TO POINT TO A FEW THINGS, BUT I THINK THOSE FACTS CAN BE REPRESENTED PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND THAT'S NOT REALLY MUCH FOR AN EVENT.
RIGHT. AND SO IF YOU ASKED ME, WOULD WE WANT TO SHINE THE SPOTLIGHT ON COUNCIL AND SHOW YOU LIKE, HEY, HERE'S EVERYTHING COUNCIL'S WORKING ON, HERE'S OUR VISION, HERE'S EVERYTHING THAT WE THINK WE'RE DOING WELL.
THAT TO ME, DOESN'T REALLY DO, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY A WHOLE LOT OF GOOD.
WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME, THEY GIVE OF THEIR EXPERTISE, THEIR EFFORTS.
WE HONOR THESE PEOPLE AT DIFFERENT TIMES, BUT WE REALLY DON'T TYPICALLY KIND OF COME TOGETHER WITH THE CITY AND HAND IN HAND WORK TOGETHER, THAT IS SOME OF THE VISION THAT I BELIEVE THIS COUNCIL HAS IS THIS IS YOUR MEETING.
[00:45:02]
WE WANT TO LEAD IN A WAY IN WHICH IT'S SERVANT LEADERSHIP.IT'S NOT DICTATORIAL OR SO IDEOLOGICAL THAT IT DOESN'T IMPACT YOUR DAY TO DAY LIFE.
IF I HAD MY WAY, I WOULD DO SOMETHING IN THE PAVILION BACK HERE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE GOT THIS BIG, NICE BUILDING THAT CAN HOLD A TON OF PEOPLE, AND WE WOULD HAVE EVERYBODY COME TOGETHER.
I MEAN, I WOULD PROBABLY BORDERLINE RIGHT UP ON THE OLD, LIKE BEER GARDEN/AARON WATSON SHOW.
HE PROBABLY WON'T TAKE MY PHONE CALL.
NOW THAT I SAID IT OUT LOUD HERE.
I THINK YOU JUST CALLED HIM MAYOR.
YEAH. SO WHOEVER WE COULD HAVE, THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SOME LIVE ENTERTAINMENT.
AND I'D LOVE TO JUST SPOTLIGHT FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND LET THE COMMUNITY COME OUT ENJOY.
YOU KNOW, HAVE THINGS FOR FAMILIES, KIDS, FAMILY FRIENDLY.
AND IT'D BE MORE OF A CELEBRATION.
AND THEN WE'LL GET WORK DONE AT THE SAME TIME.
WE'LL SHOW YOU WHAT WE'RE DOING, WE'LL SHOW YOU WHERE WE'RE GOING.
BUT THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT AS FORMAL AS I WOULD DIRECT IT.
I DON'T THINK THAT AN ONLINE VIDEO REALLY HITS HITS YOU VERY WELL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE DO THAT ALREADY VERY, VERY WELL.
WE'VE BEEN VERY UPFRONT WITH OUR BUDGET.
WE'VE BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT, TRANSPARENT WITH HOW WE'RE WORKING THROUGH IT.
YOU GUYS DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF YOU KNOW, CLUING YOURSELF IN ALREADY AND SEEING WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, I THINK THIS JUST GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE EXTRA.
THE TIMING OF IT WOULD BE PROBABLY JUNE.
PROBABLY WOULDN'T WAIT TILL JULY.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME, AND THEN WE DON'T NEED TO OVERDO IT.
WE DON'T NEED TO CREATE WORK FOR OURSELVES OR STAFF OR FOR THE COMMUNITY.
BUT WE DO HAVE PLENTY OF RESOURCES AND WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY.
SO THAT BEING SAID, I WOULD JUST OPEN IT UP FOR COUNCIL TO ADVISE ANY HERE IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF OR AGAINST CONTINUING WITH THIS AND THEN IF WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR, MAYBE HOW WOULD WE TRY TO DO THIS TOGETHER? HOW WELL ATTENDED ARE THESE EVENTS IN THE PAST? I'M GOING TO HAVE TO KIND OF BALLPARK SOME OF THAT STUFF.
SO JUST TO MOVE BACKWARDS REALLY QUICKLY, AGAIN, THE EVENTS I BELIEVE FROM LIKE MAYBE 2021 AND EARLIER WERE HOSTED AND RUN BY A DIFFERENT AGENCY. SO THE CITY DIDN'T RUN THEM.
SO WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THOSE ANALYTICS ABOUT ATTENDANCE.
OH, WOW. AND IT WAS A TERRIBLE DAY WEATHER WISE.
SO I THINK THERE'S INTEREST IN THAT KIND OF EVENT.
AND ANYBODY IS WELCOME TO CORRECT ME ON THOSE NUMBERS, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.
GOOD GRIEF. YEAH, IT'S AN EVENT.
OKAY. WELL, AND I CAN ADD IN THOSE EARLY YEARS WE DID ONE AT THE GNC AND IT WAS FULL.
I DON'T KNOW THE CAPACITY OVER THERE, BUT I THINK IT WAS BETWEEN 2 AND 300.
SO LIMITED TICKETS FOR THAT ONE.
SAME THING WHEN THEY HAD IT IN THE HERITAGE ROOM, IT WAS LIMITED TICKETS.
IT WAS A LITTLE MORE SPACED OUT OVER THERE, BUT IT WAS VERY FULL.
NO, I MEAN, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I KNOW WE HAVEN'T COMPLETELY DEDICATED ON THE FORUM WITH THE FUNDING FOR THE 4TH OF JULY EVENT, BUT, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE ANOTHER GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO JUST WRAP IT ALL INTO ONE, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE ONE BIG EVENT.
YEAH. SO THE OTHER THING THAT COUNCILMAN CRAFT IS BRINGING UP IS WE ARE TRYING TO STEER AND LOOK INTO WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD COMMUNITY INPUT AND SOME TEAMWORK GOING FOR A JULY 5TH EVENT.
SO 4TH OF JULY FALLS ON A THURSDAY.
MAKES IT REALLY OPPORTUNISTIC OF US TO LOOK AT A FRIDAY WHEN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE OFF ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY MAYBE A SEMI DAY OFF OR AN EARLY DAY OUT. WE START AROUND FOUR IN THE AFTERNOON AND WE DO FIREWORKS AND A DRONE SHOW, AND WE HAVE ACTIVITIES AND ALL SORTS OF COMPETITIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. DO WE FUND THAT AND DO WE JUST TAKE THE STAGE DURING THAT EVENT AND PUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE CITIZENS? KIND OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHERE WE'RE GOING.
AND THEN ALSO JUST GIVE OUR REPORT AND GIVE OUR ADDRESS.
WHICH IS BEING FUNDED BY COMMUNITY DOLLARS ALREADY.
SO WE MAY JUST HAVE ONE PARTY AND MAKE IT A REALLY BIG ONE.
QUIET ON THE LEFT SIDE OVER HERE TODAY.
I AGREE WITH THE DUAL, THE 4TH OF JULY TIME TOGETHER.
I THINK IT'D BE A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
AND I THINK WE'D PROBABLY GET A REAL GOOD DRAW TO GET ALL THAT DONE.
[00:50:06]
AND I THINK WE'D HAVE PROBABLY MORE PEOPLE THAN WE'D PROBABLY KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH.YEAH. USING THAT PAVILION WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, I THINK.
DO WHAT? I THINK USING THE PAVILION FOR SOMETHING WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA.
YEAH. SO WE DEFINITELY WANT TO TRY TO GET TO THE PAVILION.
AND SO WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A PAVILION AS A SEPARATE DATE SOMEWHERE IN JUNE.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS ON THAT COUNCILMAN.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? NO. OKAY. YES, SIR, I WOULD ADD, AND WHILE I'M NOT AGAINST AARON WATSON OR HAVING AN EVENT, I THINK THE EVENT IS GREAT.
BUT WHAT I'M THINKING HERE THOUGH, IS WE HAVE 200,000 CITIZENS AND WE HAVE AN EVENT, AND MAYBE WE COMMUNICATE WITH 600 OF THOSE, OR MAYBE 1000 OR MAYBE 1200.
AND WHILE I WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, HAVE ANY OPPOSITION TO AN EVENT, I JUST WONDER, YOU KNOW, I CAN I MEAN, I CONSIDER THE IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY OR THE OWNERS, THEY'RE THE SHAREHOLDERS.
AND THEY INVEST IN US WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT.
AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE GIVING A REPORT ON THEIR INVESTMENT AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO IT.
AND WHILE I THINK AN EVENT CERTAINLY COULD BE ONE WAY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US MAYBE TO THINK ABOUT WAYS WHERE WE CAN BE MORE PROACTIVE IN LETTING ALL CITIZENS KNOW OR MAKE IT EASIER IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND DIFFERENT AVENUES FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHAT WE'RE INVESTING IN NOW, WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
I MEAN, THAT COULD LOOK LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA.
IT COULD LOOK LIKE SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT I WOULD SAY, WHATEVER WE'RE INVESTING ON THIS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN BE SURE TO INVEST IN A WAY WHERE MAYBE WE'RE GETTING OUR MESSAGE OUT TO AS MANY CITIZENS THAT [INAUDIBLE] US, AND SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE TIME TO COME TO EVENTS.
SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE.
I MEAN, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU'D WANT TO USE ON SOCIAL MEDIA? IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT TO ISSUE REPORTS AND MAIL IT TO CITIZENS WHO ARE INTERESTED, SO.
WELL I'M PERFECTLY IN FAVOR OF AN EVENT.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US THAT MAYBE WE THINK OF OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING TO AS MANY CITIZENS AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT THEY GET A REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE CITY AND HOW THEIR INVESTMENT IS WORKING IN THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WHAT THEY'RE GETTING OUT OF IT.
WITH AN EVENT, THOUGH, WE COULD STREAM IT.
I MEAN, THAT WAY WE'VE GOT BOTH KIND OF A CELEBRATION, KIND OF, YOU KNOW, LET THE PEOPLE TO ATTEND AN EVENT BUT ALSO STREAM IT, I MEAN, LIVE STREAM IT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAY IT'S READILY AVAILABLE.
BUT THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING LET ME THINK ABOUT IT.
AND ABSOLUTELY, WE'D HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPONENT.
IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE REALLY INTERESTING FOR ME PERSONALLY TO KIND OF DO A MORE COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN LIKE THAT AND THEN COLLECT A FULL SET OF ANALYTICS ON HOW MANY DO WE REACH. I MEAN, TO COUNCILMAN SIMPSON'S POINT, IF 1200 COME, THAT'S 1200.
BUT HOW MANY WERE ONLINE? HOW MANY WERE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING THING TO KIND OF TRACK.
I MEAN, IT'S VERY WELL ATTENDED SO THAT THERE'S A DEMAND FOR IT.
WELL, I'VE ALREADY HIT UP A FEW STAKEHOLDERS THAT I BELIEVE ARE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A DIRECTION TO GO.
YOU KNOW, I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM COUNCILMAN SIMPSON.
AND SO IN THAT, I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, YOU KNOW, ORGANIZE IT, DO THE EVENT, RECORD IT, EDIT IT, PUSH THAT OUT THROUGH SOCIAL. AND THEN ALSO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, BULLET POINTED, TYPED UP, DIRECT MAILED OR JUST POSTED.
RIGHT. YEAH, I THINK I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY CAN'T COMMUNICATE THROUGH TOO MANY CHANNELS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, YOU CAN AFFORD TO BE ABLE TO DO.
BUT AGAIN, FOR SOME PEOPLE THAT BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT PEOPLE ASK IS WHERE IS MY MONEY GOING? WHAT STREETS ARE GOING TO BE FIXED, WHAT SEWER LINES ARE YOU GOING TO BE REPLACING? AND REALLY, YOU CAN'T OVERCOMMUNICATE THAT TOO MUCH.
AND SO I THINK AUGMENTING THAT WITH, YOU KNOW, SAYING, HERE'S WHAT YOUR MONEY HAS DONE.
AND I THINK WE'VE TRIED TO DO A LOT IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO ON THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.
[00:55:04]
SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THIS EVENT.BUT IF WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ASSURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THEIR TAX MONEY IS GOING, I THINK AS MANY CHANNELS AS WE CAN LOOK AT UNDER THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS WOULD BE GOOD.
SO. MR. SUPERBACH, I THINK I'M GETTING SOME GOOD FEEDBACK.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE GETTING PRETTY GOOD DIRECTION ON MAYBE PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER? YEAH, I THINK SO. I CAN KIND OF CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF A PROPOSAL AND SEND IT AROUND TO THE CITY LEADERSHIP AND FIND OUT A GOOD WAY TO MAKE IT WORK.
BUT I THINK WE CAN DEFINITELY MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN ME TODAY.
DOES ANYBODY FEEL LIKE IT'S A MISTAKE TO DO THE 4TH OF JULY EVENT AND OVERLAP THE STATE OF THE CITY IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY? DURING AGAIN, I'D SAY TO MR. SIMPSON'S POINT, YOU WILL NOT FIND A BIGGER AUDIENCE THAN YOU'LL FIND AT THE 4TH OF JULY EVENT.
OKAY. ANY OTHER COUNCIL OPINION ON IT.
DOES THAT DETRACT IN ANY WAY? WELL, I JUST DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYBODY'S GOING TO COME TO THE JULY 4TH DEAL.
MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE STATE OF CITY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I THINK THE DRAW IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FOR A STATE OF THE CITY VERSUS A JULY 4TH, YOU KNOW, CELEBRATION.
YEAH. I THINK THE STATE OF THE CITY AUDIENCE IS A VERY SPECIFIC SET OF PEOPLE.
SO THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL SHOW UP NO MATTER WHERE YOU HAVE IT.
IF YOU COMBINE IT WITH THE JULY 4TH EVENT, THEN I WOULD SUGGEST THAT VERY POSSIBLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REACH THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO KNOW YOU'RE THERE, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO REACH MORE PEOPLE THAT WOULDN'T HAVE COME TO THE PAVILION, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO MY PERSONAL OPINION IS YOU WILL REACH MORE PEOPLE WITH STATE OF THE CITY INFORMATION COMBINING THE EVENTS LOGISTICALLY, HOW WOULD THAT LOOK? I MEAN, I KNOW THAT'S EARLY, BUT I MEAN, IF WE'RE AT A JOHN STIFF OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE THAT TO THAT MANY PEOPLE? AND I MEAN, I GOT TO THINK COMFORT TOO, YOU KNOW, THE PAVILION'S COVERED.
THAT'S NOT COVERED, YOU KNOW, IS IT HOT? IS IT? THEN WE'VE GOT THE WEATHER TO CONTEND WITH NOW.
I THINK I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO HAVE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE ORGANIZING THE 4TH OF JULY EVENT, AND JUST KIND OF THOSE ARE HONESTLY A LOT OF QUESTIONS I'M GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT NOW THAT NOW THAT WE'VE KIND OF GOTTEN THIS FAR IN THE DIRECTION IT LEADS ME DOWN THE PATHWAY TO ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE.
YOU KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME, BUT HOW FAR ARE THEY SPREAD OUT? WHAT ARE THEY DOING? ARE THEY PAYING ATTENTION? ARE THEY INTERESTED IN IT? ARE THERE TOO MANY DISTRACTIONS, OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON WHEN YOU DO IT? YOU KNOW, AT A 4TH OF JULY EVENTS I'VE SEEN BEFORE, YOU MAY HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE CLOSE TO THE STAGE, BUT DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU HAVE IT, YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE JUST AND AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS WITH THE BEST, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS, WHICH WOULD HAVE MORE BANG FOR THE BUCK IF PEOPLE ACTUALLY LISTENING AND SHARING THAT INFORMATION, WOULD IT BE AT AN EVENT WHERE THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING? OR WOULD IT BE AN EVENT WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON? I AGREE, I THINK THERE WOULD BE A DRAW YOU KNOW, AT A 4TH OF JULY EVENT.
BUT THE QUESTION IS, ARE THEY LISTENING, YOU KNOW, IS THAT IF THEY'RE THERE FOR THAT, THEN THEY MAY OR MAY NOT, BUT IF IT'S AN EVENT THAT'S MAYBE TARGETED TOWARDS THAT, THEN YOU AT LEAST KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE IS THERE BECAUSE THEY DO WANT TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON.
I THINK IT'S JUST I DON'T THINK THERE'S A BAD IDEA.
THIS IS A REALLY GOOD ONE FOR MESSAGE BOARD IN MY OPINION.
IF YOU COULD TAKE I MEAN, WE'RE LISTING OUT SOME PROS AND CONS RIGHT NOW.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAMMER IT OUT.
YOU KNOW, TODAY, I THINK THAT WE COULD PUT THIS UP ON MESSAGE BOARD, GO BACK AND FORTH WITH A FEW THINGS AFTER YOU FEED US BACK SOME RESPONSES OF MAYBE A RECOMMENDATION OR WHAT YOU'RE HEARING. AND THEN I THINK I KNOW THE JULY 4TH EVENT, WE'VE GOT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD ON AND I BELIEVE WE'RE ALL IN SUPPORT OF THAT. AND SO WHETHER THE TWO TRY TO OVERLAP OR WE PAIR THEM APART I THINK IT STILL IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO START MOVING SO THAT WE DON'T WORK OURSELVES UP TO A DEADLINE.
YES, SIR. I AGREE, THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT TAKE MORE TIME THAN PEOPLE THINK THEY TAKE.
SO I APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO GET MOVING ON IT.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR JORDAN, GENTLEMEN? APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU SIR.
THANK YOU JORDAN. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.
[7.C. Bulk waste collection pilot program update ]
HOOPER COMING UP HERE ON OUR BULK WASTE COLLECTION PILOT PROGRAM.IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO FOLLOW JORDAN, BUT WE'LL GIVE IT A SHOT, SEE IF WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN.
PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION. TODAY, WE'RE JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AWAY FROM FINALLY BEING ABLE TO KICK OFF OUR PILOT PROGRAM FOR OUR BULK WASTE COLLECTION, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THIS PROGRAM.
ALSO, OUR PILOT PROGRAM HISTORY AND PROGRAM DETAILS AND THE LAUNCH DATE CITY HAS SPENT A GREAT AMOUNT OF TIME SINCE 2018 TO TRY AND STOP, OR AT LEAST CURB ILLEGAL DUMPING. WE HAVE TRIED MANY, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
[01:00:04]
WE CREATED AN ILLEGAL DUMPING TASK FORCE.THAT GROUP WAS CREATED AROUND 2021, I BELIEVE, IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, AS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING THE NEXT THREE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THIS LIST THE CAMERA PLACEMENT AT ILLEGAL DUMPING HOT SPOTS, CHANGING OF ORDINANCES TO ALLOW FOR CIVIL PENALTIES, AND THEN OF COURSE, HIRING OF CONTRACTORS TO CLEAN UP SPECIFIC AREAS THAT WE HAD IDENTIFIED ACROSS THE CITY THAT HAD ILLEGAL DUMPING IN THEM.
WE ALSO HAVE EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS, INTERVIEWS, SOCIAL MEDIA PACKAGES THAT WE PUT OUT PLACEMENT OF ROLL OFF CONTAINERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND ESPECIALLY IN OUR PLANNING GROUPS AND THE FOUR PLANNING NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THOSE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE HAVE 24 ROLL OFFS THAT ARE OUT IN THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
SO WE'VE MOVED THAT OPERATION TO SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AS FAR AS EMPTYING THOSE AND CLEANING THEM OUT.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S PRETTY SUCCESSFUL AS WELL.
ALSO PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL AND NATIONAL CLEANUP EVENTS.
OUR ENHANCED BULK WASTE COLLECTION PROGRAM.
ACTUALLY, THE FIRST THING THAT I WAS ASKED TO OVERSEE WHEN I CAME BACK AND WAS NAMED MANAGING DIRECTOR, WAS CREATING A PROGRAM BASED ON COUNCIL'S DIRECTION THAT YOU HAD GIVEN MR. FREEMAN PUT THAT PROGRAM TOGETHER, COLLABORATE WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WE HAD HERE AT THE CITY AND MAKE IT WORK.
THE INNOVATION TEAM, ALONG WITH PUBLIC WORKS MANAGEMENT SOLID WASTE, HAVE CREATED A PILOT PROGRAM.
SHE'S BEEN INVALUABLE TO THAT TEAM AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER.
SO I WANTED TO PERSONALLY SAY THANK YOU TO HER.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS, THOSE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL AS WELL.
WE HAD INPUT FROM CITIZENS THAT WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PILOT PORTION OF THIS PROGRAM, AND WE WERE IN THERE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND GOT A LOT OF GREAT FEEDBACK, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT TOOK PLACE AFTER THE MEETING AS WELL.
WE ALSO HAVE STAKEHOLDER OR CROSS-FUNCTIONAL CO-CREATION FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS, AND IT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE POSITION THAT I'M IN, THAT I VALUE SO MUCH, IS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE TOGETHER IN ONE ROOM, MEET REGULARLY, TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT IDEAS, OR FROM DIFFERENT GROUPS FROM PUBLIC WORKS, SOLID WASTE, CITY MANAGEMENT, BUILDING SAFETY, THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE, THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT OF ALL PEOPLE THAT WE BROUGHT INTO THIS SAYING, HEY, HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE PAID? LET'S WALK THROUGH THOSE PROCESSES.
SO IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD GROUP EFFORT TO PUT THIS TOGETHER.
OUR PILOT LAUNCH DATE IS COMING UP ON MARCH THE 11TH.
THAT'S GOING TO START IN THE SAN JACINTO NEIGHBORHOOD.
I KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM HAS BEEN OUT FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS COLLECTING DATA.
AS FAR AS WORK ORDERS ARE CONCERNED FOR EACH WEEK OF THE PROGRAM.
THERE ARE ACTUALLY FIVE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PILOT PROGRAM.
AND I MIGHT JUST MENTION TO YOU, THIS IS JUST A PILOT.
THESE ARE THE ONLY FIVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE USING.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PILOT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND THAT WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HOPE TO FIND SO THAT WHEN WE PUT THIS PROCESS OUT FOR THE PUBLIC TO PARTICIPATE IN IT, THAT IT WILL BE COMPLETELY TAKEN CARE OF AND READY TO GO.
I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CONTRACTOR REQUIREMENTS.
ONCE WE ROLL THIS OUT THEY'LL HAVE TO HAVE PROOF OF INSURANCE AND A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AND REALLY, ALL THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO NEED IS THEMSELVES A VEHICLE, CELL PHONE OR TABLET SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN TAKE PICTURES ON OR COMPUTER IN SOME WAY TO TRANSMIT THAT BACK TO US SO THAT WHEN WE GET THE WORK ORDER COMPLETIONS, WE CAN VERIFY THAT THE WORK WAS DONE.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY DECIDE WHICH ONES ARE GOING TO COLLECT.
WE ARE ALSO GOING TO DIVIDE THAT OUT.
IT'LL BE EASY DURING THE PILOT BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE FIVE.
SOME OF THEM ARE LOCAL CONTRACTORS, SOME OF THEM ARE FATHER AND SON.
WE ALSO HAVE A VOLUNTEER GROUP THAT WORKS AS RAISING MONEY FOR A CHURCH THAT FOR THEIR YOUTH GROUP.
BASICALLY, THEY'LL THE ESTIMATED AVERAGE, BY THE WAY, FOR ALLEY IS $250 PER ALLEY.
AND THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE. IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE DO.
[01:05:02]
ELSE HASN'T BEEN ADDED TO THAT CALCULATION WHEN WE GET OUT THERE.SO IN CASE THERE'S MORE THAN WHAT WAS SAID OR IF THERE'S LESS THAT WE CAN ADJUST THAT WHEN THEY COME BACK IN TO BE PAID FOR THAT PARTICIPANTS WILL LOAD THAT CLEAN IT UP, THEY'LL TAKE AN AFTER PICTURE, AND THEN THAT'LL BE A PART OF WHAT THEY BRING BACK TO US THE DISPOSAL OF THE ITEMS. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR THAT.
IF THEY DO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL $25 FEE ON THERE.
SO SOMEBODY WITH A TRAILER THAT WANTS TO DO THAT, THEY'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO DO THAT AS WELL.
THEIR OPTION TAKE A FINAL PICTURE OF THE ITEMS AS THEY GET TO THE DISPOSAL SITE.
AS FAR AS PAYMENT IS CONCERNED, CONTRACTOR WILL EMAIL THE PICTURES, CONFIRM PROOF OF COMPLETION.
THEY'LL COME BACK IN THE FOLLOWING MONDAY WHEN IT'S TIME TO PICK BACK UP NEW WORK ORDERS.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE SATISFIED WITH THAT.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT CAME IN.
SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, THERE ARE WEBSITE ADDITIONS THAT ARE ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE BULK WASTE PROGRAM, THE PARTICIPANT INFORMATION PACKET, THAT IS JUST FANTASTIC. AND WHEN YOU SEE IT, YOU'LL BE IMPRESSED BY IT.
THAT'S A PICTURE OF THE COVER OF IT ON THE RIGHT THERE THAT YOU SEE.
BUT IT HAS ALL OF THE INFORMATION STEP BY STEP FOR WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
THOSE HAVE BEEN CREATED AS WELL.
AND SIGNS THAT VEHICLE, THAT TAG NUMBER TO THAT PROJECT.
SO IF PEOPLE SEE THEM IN THE ALLEY, THEY'LL KNOW THAT WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR.
AND ALSO YARD SIGNS YOU'LL SEE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
THAT'S A YARD SIGN THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO PLACE.
WE'VE GOT THOSE ORDERED AS WELL.
AND ANY TIME THEY DO A CLEAN UP, WE'LL GO AND PUT THOSE SIGNS THERE SAYING THAT THIS ILLEGAL DUMPING SITE HAS BEEN CLEANED UP BY THIS PROGRAM SO THAT PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE THAT MIGHT NOT KNOW. AND WE FIND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T REALIZE IT'S ILLEGAL TO DO THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD AWARENESS CAMPAIGN BY BEING ABLE TO PUT THOSE SIGNS OUT THERE.
WE WANT TO INCORPORATE THEIR FEEDBACK TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE WANT TO COLLECT DATA, AND WE'RE GOING TO BE COLLECTING A LOT OF IT.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE PICKING UP, HOW LONG IT'S TAKING US.
AND THEN SUSTAINMENT PLANNING FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS.
WE WANT TO DETERMINE STAFFING AND OPERATIONAL SUPPORT THAT WE CAN GIVE TO YOU DURING BUDGET TIME TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM, SHOULD IT BE SUCCESSFUL. SO WITH THAT, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER THEM.
AND WE'RE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THIS PROGRAM STARTED.
IT'S EXCITING FOR US AS STAFF FOR SURE.
HOW LONG DO YOU PROPOSE THIS PILOT PROGRAM TO LAST? WELL, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.
BUT AGAIN, I MEAN, THAT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE IF WE START HAVING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THINGS, WE WANT TO KEEP THE MONTH OF APRIL AVAILABLE TO MOVE TO EAST RIDGE OR TO THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK THOSE KINKS OUT.
BUT I REALLY BELIEVE, COUNCILMAN, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO FINISH THIS UP BY THE END OF MARCH.
DO YOU EVER THINK YOU'LL HAVE A WHOLE CITY WORKING AT THE SAME TIME? I THAT WOULD BE THE HOPE OR THE HOPE.
THE ACTUAL HOPE WOULD BE THAT NO ONE'S WORKING, THAT IT'S ALL TAKEN CARE OF AND DONE.
BUT I THINK THAT WE COULD GET TO THAT POINT.
I JUST THINK FOR RIGHT NOW, WE WANTED TO KEEP IT MANAGEABLE.
AND IT'S A LOT, A LOT EASIER TO MANAGE BY QUADRANT.
THEY'RE PRETTY BIG. IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE FOUR AREAS, THEY'RE PRETTY BIG.
AND IT'S A LOT TO MANAGE JUST TO DO ONE OF THOSE AREAS.
SO WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S OUR BEST CHANCE FOR SUCCESS RIGHT NOW.
BUT I THINK CERTAINLY MAYBE IF WE MAKE A DENT IN THIS, THERE COMES A POINT IN TIME WHERE WE JUST HAVE A GROUP OF WORK ORDERS THAT ARE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY, AND THEY'RE PICKING THEM UP. I LIKE IT.
WHEN YOU TAKE THE ROLLWAYS OUT THERE.
IS IT BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF DEBRIS THAT YOU FIND? BECAUSE I WENT OUT THERE WITH FULLER AND SONS ONE TIME, AND, I MEAN, THEY GOT A COUPLE COUCHES.
YEAH, RIGHT. I MEAN, JUST THE IT DOESN'T FIT VERY WELL IN THOSE AND THAT TYPE DEAL.
YES. HOW MANY OR WHAT ROLLWAY'S WILL BE OUT THERE? YES, SIR. I THINK THE DATA IS GOING TO GIVE US A LOT OF INFORMATION.
NOT TO LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH RICH ON SOME TECHNOLOGY THAT HE'S AWARE OF WHERE WE CAN TAKE THESE PHOTOS, AND IT'LL ACTUALLY INVENTORY THAT SITE WITHOUT US DOING ANYTHING.
[01:10:02]
SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF A COOL THING IN THE FUTURE.WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEM IF THIS PROGRAM IS SUCCESSFUL.
WE TRY TO CATCH THEM WHEN WE CAN TALK TO THEM, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM.
I THINK THERE'S STILL SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THAT, THAT THIS IS RESIDENTIAL ONLY.
BUT WHEN IT GETS TO THAT POINT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
THE OTHER THING, BACK TO WHAT MR. SCHERLEN MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO.
WHEN WE'RE WORKING IN SMALLER AREAS LIKE THIS, IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO ALLOCATE OUR RESOURCES TO EMPTY THOSE ROLL OFFS WHILE THAT CLEANUP IS GOING ON IN JUST THAT AREA, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE ROOM FOR MORE.
AND ARE WE DOING SOMETHING BESIDES HAVING THE SUPERVISORS GO WALK THESE ALLEYS? I MEAN, ARE WE LOOKING INTO MAYBE THE DUMPSTER GUYS THAT ARE ALREADY DOWN THE ALLEYS? I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AN EFFICIENCY TO ME THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULDN'T.
THE ISSUE THAT THAT IS, IN FACT, WE WERE DOING THAT FOR A WHILE.
THERE'S ONE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, ONE CUBIC YARD, THERE'S ONE THAT'S TEN CUBIC YARDS.
HOW DO WE PRICE THAT? AND I THINK FOR A TRASH TRUCK DRIVER, SAY IN AN ALLEY, TO DO THAT WOULD BE PRETTY DIFFICULT TO ACCOMPLISH.
YEAH. THANKS. IS THIS GOING TO BE OUR BEST SOLUTION FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING? OH MAN, DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT.
[LAUGHTER] I MEAN, I LOVE THE IDEA.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD TIMES IN THE PAST WHERE EITHER THE COMMUNITY OR DOES THAT SOMETHING.
AND THEN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, WE'RE BACK TO THAT.
I'LL SHARE MY PERSONAL BELIEF ON THAT.
AND I THINK THAT SOMETIMES ENFORCEMENT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN WE CAN HANDLE THINGS LIKE THIS.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT.
WHEN WE WENT TO PROVIDING A CIVIL PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING IN AN AREA WHERE WE HAD A CAMERA, IF WE COULD GET THEIR TAG NUMBER, AND IF WE COULD FIND OUT WHO IT WAS AND ASSIGN SOME KIND OF PENALTY TO THEM FOR DOING THAT, THAT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE IN SOME WAYS.
WE ALSO FOUND THAT THEY JUST FOUND ANOTHER PLACE TO GO DUMP IT.
THAT IS, IF WE SEE REPETITIVE THINGS.
BUT ONE OF THE PIECES OF DATA THAT I'M GOING TO BE BRINGING BACK TO COUNCIL WHEN WE GIVE OUR UPDATE OF WHERE WE'RE AT ON IT, IS HOW MANY TIMES DO WE SEE REPETITIVE THINGS DUMPED IN THE SAME EXACT LOCATION OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN? I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE START TO MAYBE ENTERTAIN GOING DOWN THAT PATH AS A BETTER SOLUTION OR A BEST SOLUTION.
COULD THEY NOT REPORT IT? BUT I THINK WHAT YOU TOLD ME, I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT THEIR JOB TO DO AND THEY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR MAIN JOB INSTEAD OF SO THEY DON'T HIT GAS LINES OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A VIDEO CAMERA ON THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK, AT LEAST TO OR SOME? OR MAYBE NOT VIDEO, BUT SOME METHOD TO PICK UP? BECAUSE IT WOULD SEEM TO ME IF WE GET TO THESE THINGS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, BUT OTHER WAYS TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE THIS DUMPING IS GOING ON MORE IN REAL TIME OR TO BE ABLE TO GET THE INFORMATION BACK.
BUT THAT'S A LOT OF THE IDEA OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH TECHNOLOGY IS BEING ABLE TO PUT SOME TYPE OF DEVICE ON THE TRASH TRUCKS WHERE THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO DO ANYTHING, AND IT IS COLLECTING THAT DATA FOR US.
I THINK THAT'S DOWN THE ROAD A PIECE, BUT WE'RE ALREADY GOING THAT DIRECTION.
WE HAVE IN FACT, WHEN THEY'RE COLLECTING THE DATA NOW, THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE USING AS A CAMERA.
THEY'RE NOT SPENDING A LOT OF TIME.
TAKING A PHOTO. BRING IT BACK TO THE OFFICE.
THAT'S WHEN WE DO OUR WORK ON IT.
THANK YOU. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? OKAY. COUNCILMAN.
OKAY. I, I AM EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT IT CAN BE AUTOMATED.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TAKING IT ONE SECTION AT A TIME, PILOT PROGRAM.
BUT MY VISION FOR THIS IS CITYWIDE.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO TIE IT IN WITH 311 WHERE CITIZENS ARE ALREADY TAKING A PHOTO AND SENDING THAT POTHOLE IN OF, HEY, NEED YOU TO KNOW THIS NEEDS TO FIX THAT. IT CAN ALSO BE THE SAME ON THE TRASH ITEM, AND THAT WE WOULD THEN SOMEHOW GET GOOD ENOUGH AT THIS TO BE ABLE TO SAY, WELL, WE'VE BEEN PAYING THIS MUCH FOR THAT, THAT
[01:15:07]
AVERAGE SIZED LOAD, AND IT'S ALL AUTOMATED OR DIGITAL REDUCING THE TIME OF SUPERVISORS OUT THERE WALKING THE ALLEYS AND HAVING TO DO ALL THIS.I THINK THE PAPER TRAIL RIGHT NOW IS MUCH NEEDED.
AND STARTING WITH THE FIVE IS GREAT.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS IS I LOVE THE FACT THAT IT GROWS SMALL BUSINESS.
SO WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE THE OPTION OF COUNCIL SAYING, HEY, LET'S JUST ALLOCATE $1 MILLION OVER HERE AND LET'S LET'S GO HIRE THE LARGEST CLEANUP COMPANY, YOU KNOW, AS A SUB AND JUST LET THEM RUN ALL THE ALLEYS.
AND ALL WE DID AT THAT POINT WAS TEACH OUR CITIZENS THAT WE'LL PICK UP THE STUFF LEFT LAYING AROUND.
AND IT'LL COST YOU $1 MILLION EVERY YEAR.
I THINK THIS WILL REDUCE THAT COST DOWN.
THESE ARE SELF-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS.
YOU GOT TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE LEARNING.
MAYBE YOU'VE NEVER FILLED OUT A 1099 BEFORE.
YOU'RE LEARNING ALL THIS FROM STAFF? THERE'S VIDEOS ONLINE THAT SHOW YOU.
HERE'S HOW YOU PROPERLY SECURE A LOAD.
HERE'S WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU GET TO THE LANDFILL.
HERE'S HOW YOU FILL OUT THIS FORM.
THERE'S SO MANY TEACHING OPPORTUNITIES HERE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER MENTORING PROGRAM THAT'S HERE IN TOWN WHERE THEY LOVED IT.
AND THEY SAID, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENGAGE, FUND THIS NONPROFIT TO A GREAT EXTENT, TAKE SOME YOUNG MEN WITH US AND GO TEACH THEM HOW TO WORK. AND SO THIS WILL HAVE A BIGGER IMPACT.
PLUS, I THINK IF YOU HAVE ALL OF US OUT THERE AND WE'RE KIND OF DOING IT, I THINK IT BECOMES SOME SELF-POLICING AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT LESS LIKELY TO INSPIRE MORE OF THE SAME THROW IT, YOU KNOW, JUST THROW IT DOWN, THROW IT ANYWHERE MENTALITY.
SO YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
AND SO I DEFINITELY WANT TO COMPLIMENT STAFF ON PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I'M EXCITED. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT IN MARCH.
THANK YOU. AND I AGREE WITH YOUR COMMENT.
I THINK WE'RE I THINK THE SKY'S THE LIMIT WHERE WE CAN GO WITH IT.
THANK YOU DONNY. APPRECIATE THAT.
[7.D. Ordinance No. 8092 regarding massage establishments]
ORDINANCE NUMBER 8092 REGARDING MASSAGE ESTABLISHMENTS.YOU DON'T NEED THIS PRESENTATION.
IT'S THE SAME COMMENTS THAT WE HAD BEFORE.
SO, YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO MENTION THAT MY MASSAGE THERAPIST IS ACTUALLY HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
LET ME JUST SAY, LIKE, THIS IS MY FAULT.
I APPRECIATE THE GRACE AND THE PATIENCE WITH YOU GUYS.
I DEFINITELY IDENTIFY WITH SOME SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, TO US, YOU KNOW, ALSO TODAY, BUT ALSO BEFORE TODAY, YOU KNOW, LOOK, WE'RE NOT AGAINST YOU, BUT THIS IS A MISTAKE.
AND SO I THINK I JUST WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO OUR CITIZENS.
I MISSED IT. SO I PERSONALLY WAS TAKING AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TEXT MESSAGE OR EMAIL OR ONE ON ONE CONVERSATION ABOUT LIKE, WELL, WHAT IS THIS? WHAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE? HOW COME YOU GUYS DON'T ENFORCE THIS? OR FROM ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT THAT'S LICENSED SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT I DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW SO, YOU KNOW, I ADDRESSED COUNCIL AND JUST SAID, HOW OLD IS THAT ORDINANCE? AND THEY TOLD US IT WAS PRETTY OUTDATED.
THEY FELT LIKE STAFF WAS WILLING TO TAKE DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TO UPDATE THAT ORDINANCE.
AND THEN CITY MARSHAL'S OFFICE IS A PERFECT FIT FOR HOW WE DO NEED SOME GOOD REGULATIONS.
AND THEY NEED TO BE REASONABLE.
AND SO THERE'S THE RIGHT ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN THERE.
YOU KNOW, WE HANDED IT OFF TO STAFF.
HONESTLY, I DID NOT GO BACK THROUGH IT.
I DIDN'T GO I DON'T, YOU KNOW, LINE BY LINE.
SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU, IT'S MY FAULT.
AND THEN I'M GOING TO TELL YOU IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
I WILL KEY IN A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I'VE GOT FOUR GENTLEMEN HERE THAT WORK REALLY HARD.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MISS IT EITHER.
[01:20:01]
AND THEY'RE GOING TO FOLLOW UP AS WELL.AND SO WE HANDED IT OVER DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB FOR YOU.
SO NEVER INTENDED TO MAKE ANYONE FEEL LIKE YOU'RE THE PROBLEM OR I WANT TO REGULATE YOU BECAUSE I CAN'T ENFORCE WHAT'S NEEDED. AND SO, AS AN EXAMPLE, THE OLD ORDINANCE SAID YOU KNOW, OPPOSITE SEX MALE, YOU KNOW, SHALL NOT MASSAGE FEMALE OR FEMALE MALE LIKE, THAT WAS STRUCK.
YOU GUYS ARE READING THAT AS THOUGH, NO, IT WASN'T STRUCK.
IT LOOKS UNDERLINED. YOU'RE 100% CORRECT.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHEN THEY STRUCK IT, IT LOOKS UNDERLINED.
I MEAN, ALL OF THAT WAS JUST SO MUCH BEYOND WHAT OUR INTENTION WAS.
LIKE ONE THING THAT I REALLY WAS SURPRISED BY WAS THERE WAS KIND OF A LINE IN THERE THAT JUST SAID AT ANY TIME, YOU KNOW CITY MARSHAL OR IT MAY NOT HAVE SAID CITY MARSHAL, BUT, YOU KNOW, STAFF WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK YOU FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF THEY SAW FIT, LIKE, YOU KNOW, PLEASE NO, LIKE NEVER GIVE THAT TEMPTATION TO SOMEBODY WHERE JUST FOR ANY REASON I CAN DEMAND THINGS FROM YOU.
WE WANT THEM TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT THEY'RE NOT DOING.
AND THEN WE RAN EVERY WHAT IF IN MY OFFICE WITH, WELL, WHAT IF I'M THIS PERSON AND WHAT IF I NEED TO LOCK THE DOOR AND WELL, WHAT IF WE HAVE THIS ESTABLISHMENT AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL IN THE ROOM.
AND SO WE'VE RAN THE GAMUT ON IT.
I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE A HABIT OF SITTING UP HERE AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, I APOLOGIZE.
AND SO I THINK WE CAN CORRECT IT.
I THINK THE STATE RULES AND REGULATIONS LINE OUT MUCH MORE THAN WE THOUGHT.
AND THE PUSHBACK WE GOT WAS, WELL, IT'S NOT REAL, CLEARLY ENFORCEABLE.
AND SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A PLAN TO ENFORCE IT.
SO WE WERE TRYING TO DEFINE SOMETHING THAT ALLOWED OUR CITY MARSHALS TO WORK AND OPERATE A LITTLE BIT MORE LIKE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DOES.
SO IF YOU ARE A HAIRSTYLIST AND YOU ARE LICENSED WITH THE STATE, YOU HAVE THAT POSTED AND YOU GET AN INSPECTION IF YOU'RE A NAIL SALON YOU HAVE SOME REQUIREMENTS.
AND THEN THE COST WAS NOT A REVENUE FOR THE CITY.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REVENUE ANYTHING.
SO, HONESTLY, IT DIDN'T MATTER TO ME WHETHER IT WAS $10 OR $100.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD HOPE TO DO WITH STAFF TODAY IS TO GET A DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL THAT IS JUST IN THE WAY OF WHAT'S THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ORDINANCE THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE.
AND THEN WHERE DO WE STOP? WHERE, LIKE THE STATE'S DOING ALL OF THIS ALREADY.
WE ONLY NEEDED TO DO X, Y, AND Z.
INSTEAD WE'VE GOT A THROUGH TRIPLE F HERE AND IT IS JUST WAY OFF THE RAILS.
SO IF YOU GUYS WOULD I THINK WE COULD OBVIOUSLY TAKE SOME DISCUSSION HERE TODAY AND WE COULD LET YOU SPEAK TO SPECIFICS, BUT I ALMOST FEEL LIKE WE'RE SO FAR FROM HAVING SOMETHING NARROWLY DEFINED THAT WE REALLY NEED TO GO BACK TO LEGAL AND START FROM A CLEAN DRAFT.
[01:25:02]
COMMITTEE AND WORK WITH DONNY AND HIS DEPARTMENT TO.THEY KNOW WHAT THEY'RE UP AGAINST.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA AT ALL.
LET ME SEPARATE HERE REAL QUICK AND THEN WE'LL LET EVERYBODY JUMP.
WE DO PROBABLY NEED TO START OUR CONVERSATION OF DO WE WANT TO DO NOTHING AND JUST RELY ON THE STATE AS TDLR AND TOTALLY PULL BACK? OR ARE WE OKAY WITH DOING SOMETHING? BUT WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT THING, BECAUSE I THINK IF WE ALL SAY NO, WE PROBABLY DO HAVE AN ASPECT HERE THAT SHOULD BE REGULATED, THAT IS NOT.
AND IT'S REALLY NOT BEING DIRECTED TO STAFF LIKE IT SHOULD.
THEN I LOVE YOUR IDEA IN PUTTING A SMALL COMMITTEE TOGETHER AND TAKING A LITTLE TIME.
WE'RE NOT UNDER ANY DEADLINE OR URGENCY AND WE WANT TO GET THIS RIGHT FOR YOU GUYS.
CAN I JUMP IN REAL QUICK? I'M GOING TO ADD TO WHAT MAYOR SAID.
AND HE WAS BEING PRETTY GRACIOUS.
SO WHEN THIS CAME OUT, WE GOT WE DID HEAR FROM YOU GUYS.
I THINK SOME OF YOU ASSEMBLED AND WOULD ASK FOR A ELECTED OFFICIAL TO BE THERE TO HEAR YOU GUYS OUT.
SO I MET YOU GUYS, ABOUT 40 OF YOU.
THERE'S ABOUT 40 YOU KNOW, DIDN'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT I WAS WALKING IN.
DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO WALK OUT, YOU KNOW SO I APPRECIATED IT.
AND THAT WAS NOT THE INTENTION AT ALL.
AGAIN MAYOR TOOK THE BLAME FOR IT, BUT WE ALL MISSED IT.
WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK.
YES, SIR. THAT WERE BROUGHT UP.
AND THIS IS NOT ALL ENCOMPASSING BY ANY FORM OR FASHION, BECAUSE I WILL SAY, THEN WE HAD A FOLLOW UP MEETING THAT WE INVITED SOME THAT WERE WILLING AND HAD THE SPACE AVAILABLE IN THEIR SCHEDULES TO COME IN AND TALK AGAIN AND LITERALLY GO LINE BY LINE THROUGH THIS TERRIBLE ORDINANCE.
OKAY. SO WE WENT LINE BY LINE SAYING, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES IT NEED TO BE? WHAT DOES THIS NEED TO BE STRUCK? DOES THIS NEED TO BE.
SO TO COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN YOU KNOW IDEA OF MAYBE FORMING A COMMITTEE.
THAT WAS KIND OF THE BEGINNING OF IT.
WE WERE JUST SAYING, HEY, WHO'S WILLING TO COME IN AND SIT THROUGH THIS THING? SO SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU BROUGHT UP WE NEED A BETTER DEFINITION OF ESTABLISHMENT, YOU KNOW, WHO FALLS IN THIS CATEGORY FOR ENFORCEMENT? WHO DOESN'T? CLEAN UP OF THE EXEMPTION SECTION CLIENT INTAKE FORMS AS MAYOR ADDRESSED, YOU KNOW, REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT BIG FANS OF THAT.
I MEAN, WE JUST DON'T. TERRIBLE.
OKAY, SO THE MASSAGING THE OPPOSITE SEX REQUIREMENTS FOR UNLOCKED DOOR.
WE'RE ABOUT YOUR SAFETY AND YOUR SECURITY? SO WE, AGAIN, TERRIBLE.IN-HOME MASSAGES.
SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THAT, I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD BE ALLOWED.
HEY, WE'RE NOT ENFORCING THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT. WE'RE BACKING OFF.
WE'RE GOING TO LISTEN TO YOU GUYS.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE INPUT FROM YOU, WHICH IS WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE STARTED.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND AGAIN THIS IS NOT ALL ENCOMPASSING WHAT I JUST LISTED.
SO IF YOU'RE SITTING THERE GOING, HEY THERE'S 8 OTHER THINGS THAT YOU DIDN'T.
AND I SENT THIS TO THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER BECAUSE HE WANTED TO WE'RE TRYING TO COMPILE AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN TO GET IT TO LEGAL TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO ALIGN WITH WHAT THE STATE HAS ALREADY.
WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANYTHING MORE.
AND IF THERE'S ANY DEFINITIONS, WE JUST WANT TO ALIGN WITH IT.
WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE YOUR LIFE COMPLICATED.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LAY THAT OUT THERE, LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S WHAT'S BEEN DONE SO FAR.
AND LIKE MAYOR SAID BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THE SPEED OF GOVERNMENT'S USUALLY NOT VERY QUICK.
BUT I THINK WE HAD TO RESPOND PRETTY QUICKLY TO THIS, AND HOPEFULLY WE'RE DOING AS GOOD AS WE CAN.
[01:30:01]
WE'RE SORRY FOR THE INITIAL THAT IT GOT OUT THERE AND HOW IT MADE YOU FEEL YOU KNOW, I REALLY DISLIKED THAT THE MEDIA LUMPED YOU GUYS IN.I WISH WE COULD CONTROL THAT STUFF, BUT WE CAN'T.
IT DID LUMP YOU ALL IN, AND THAT IS CERTAINLY NOT OUR INTENTION WHATSOEVER.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS LEGITIMIZE YOU GUYS.
YOU'VE PUT HOURS IN YOUR WORK, YOUR CE HOURS.
WHAT YOU DO, IT'S A GREAT PROFESSION, AND I THINK I DON'T KNOW EVERYBODY.
I THINK WE'RE ALL PROPONENTS OF MASSAGE UP HERE.
SO, YOU KNOW, DONNY SAID HIS MASSAGE THERAPIST IS HERE, YOU KNOW? MINE TOO. SO YEAH, HIS.
I MEAN, SO WE'RE FOR YOU GUYS.
SO JUST WANT TO GET THAT OUT THERE TO LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE ON THAT.
SO I OWE MY CITIZENS, I SERVE A SINCERE APOLOGY FOR THIS.
IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT THE INTENTION.
SO IF WE'RE TRYING TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, I THINK STAFF WITHIN STATE LAW AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES AND BRING THAT BACK IS WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO HEAD WITH THAT.
I MEAN, THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.
YEAH I WOULD, I WOULD GO, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY BEST OF INTENTIONS, HORRIBLE EXECUTION.
AND YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, THE ONLY WAY YOU LEARN THINGS IS WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE MADE A MISTAKE HERE AND THERE WERE SEVERAL MISTAKES MADE.
WE'VE GONE TO TALK WITH THE FOOD TRUCKS.
WE'RE TALKING WITH THESE PEOPLE.
I MAY BE MISSING SOMETHING, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE WE WERE COMMUNICATING WITH THIS COMMUNITY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THIS TO DETERMINE, HEY, IS THIS THE RIGHT THING? AND ALSO THE COMMUNICATION.
I THINK WE DID THIS BACK IN OCTOBER, BUT I GUESS A PRESS RELEASE WENT OUT TO FINALLY ALERT EVERYONE.
AND THAT SEEMED TO BE WHAT, YOU KNOW, GOT PICKED UP.
AND I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BE ASKING THAT WE DID NOT ASK IS, HAVE WE TALKED TO THE PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THIS ORDINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT AND RUN THIS BY THEM? I THINK WE DO A GOOD JOB OF THAT A LOT OF THE TIME.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, THAT SEEMS TO HAVE FALLEN THROUGH THE CRACKS HERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I AM NEVER GOING TO BE THE EXPERT ON THESE LAWS YOU KNOW, BUT WE'RE THE CHECK AND BALANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE EXPERTS, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PUTTING THESE THINGS TOGETHER. AND I FEEL LIKE AT THIS POINT THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT I SHOULD HAVE ASKED, JUST LIKE YOU HAD TO SAY, HAVE WE DONE THE CHECK AND BALANCE ON THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE? THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ORDINANCES, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS WHAT PROBLEM ARE YOU TRYING TO SOLVE? AND IN THIS WHAT PROBLEM WE WERE TRYING TO SOLVE, WAS THIS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT? OBVIOUSLY NOT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, LET'S GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
LET'S SAY WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE? AND LET'S LOOK AT EXISTING LAWS OR EXISTING ORDINANCE, EITHER STATE OR LOCAL, TO SAY, CAN THESE LAWS HELP SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? IS IT A MATTER OF WE DON'T HAVE THE WRONG LAWS IF IT'S ENFORCEMENT? BUT YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS NOT EXECUTED THE WAY THAT IT IS.
AND THINGS SLIP THROUGH THE CRACKS AS, AS THEY DID THIS TIME.
BUT I THINK IF WE WANT TO GO BACK INTO THIS, LET'S START.
WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE? CAN WE DO IT THROUGH AS EXISTING LAWS AND ORDINANCES? IF WE CAN'T, THEN VERY SPECIFIC OF WHAT DO WE NEED, IF ANYTHING, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT? YEAH. CAN I TAG ON TO THAT? ONE LAST THING, MAYOR.
THIS WAS ON OUR AGENDA. IT TALKS ABOUT THE OBJECTIVES, IDENTIFY AND TRACK ALL MASSAGE, ESTABLISHED ORDINANCES WITHIN AMARILLO PROCESS AND APPLICATIONS AND ISSUE BUSINESS LICENSES, CONDUCT INITIAL AND ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, BEGIN ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS AFTER SECOND READING AND FINAL APPROVAL.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN YOU KNOW, LOOKING IN THIS, NOT ONCE IN THERE TO TALK ABOUT, WE'RE TRYING TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, NOT ONCE TO TALK ABOUT THE FEE INCREASES, WHICH WAS A PART OF THAT DEAL.
[01:35:02]
WE HAVE TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT AS MUCH AS WE CAN ON THIS.I THINK THIS IS AND IT'S I'M NOT BLAMING COMPLETE STAFF, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST AS GUILTY AS THIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING I COULD HAVE SAID WHENEVER I WAS READING THIS.
BUT LIKE I SAID, I PUBLICLY APOLOGIZED TO MY CONSTITUENTS.
AND WE'LL WORK HARD TO FIX IT.
YEAH. SO THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN.
I, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE HAPPY TO, VOLUNTEER TO RUN WITH THIS ONE SO I CAN ATTEND THE MEETINGS.
AND, BE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M HEARING IT FIRST HAND.
I THINK WE HAVE 3 TO 400 LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPISTS HERE IN TOWN.
I BELIEVE IT'S PROBABLY A DATA COLLECTION WE ALREADY HAVE.
CAN WE JUST EMAIL THEM DIRECTLY AND LET THEM RESPOND? OR HOW IS THE BEST WAY TO GET A GROUP TOGETHER TO WHERE WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WORKING ON THIS ISSUE? SURE. AND I THINK WE CAN WORK ON THAT OUTSIDE OF THIS MEETING FOR SURE, AND START HEADING DOWN THAT PATH OR WHATEVER DIRECTION COUNCIL SEND US.
BUT I WANT TO SAY THIS AS WELL.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN AGAIN EITHER.
SO MOVING FORWARD, I THINK WE'RE VERY WILLING TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS THAT COUNCIL HAS.
OKAY. SO REAL QUICK, DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE OR RECOMMENDATION ON HOW WE REACH THESE LMT'S? I DO NOT.
DO WE WANT TO PUT SOMETHING OUT THAT DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GRAB THAT DATA AND EMAIL THEM DIRECTLY, OR IS THAT NOT THE BEST PRACTICE? LET'S. CAN WE JUST TAKE SOME TIME AND LOOK INTO THAT? SURE. TAKE OUR TIME AND LOOK AT THAT.
LIKE YOU SAID A MOMENT AGO, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE IN A HUGE HURRY.
OKAY. I THINK WE WANT TO DO IT RIGHT.
FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY THAT WE COULD DO THAT ON OUR END, AND THEN GET BACK WITH YOU.
OKAY? EITHER VIA THE MESSAGE BOARD THROUGH MR. FREEMAN OR OTHER IN ANOTHER COUNCIL MEETING AS WELL.
THANK YOU. YOU KNOW ONE OTHER THING THAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER, BECAUSE I BELIEVE I RECEIVED AN EMAIL OR TWO AND MAYBE SOMEONE IN THE NEW ROOM WOULD KNOW IT THERE'S A A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION THAT LOBBIES AND SUPPORTS LICENSED MASSAGE THERAPISTS.
THEY MAY BE SOMEONE THAT WE WOULD WANT TO CONNECT WITH ON THIS TO ASK FOR THEIR GUIDANCE.
THEY MAY KNOW FAR MORE THAN WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THIS ISSUE IS.
AND IF THERE'S A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AS WELL THAT COULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME IMPORTANT EXPERTISE TO SAY, BECAUSE THEY MAY GIVE US SOME IDEAS THAT CAN HELP US DO EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITHOUT CAUSING HARM LIKE WE DID.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF IF THERE'S ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THAT THAT SUPPORT THESE PROFESSIONALS THAT COULD MAYBE PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR US AT FINDING OUT IF WE WRITE AN ORDINANCE, HOW CAN WE CORRECTLY DO IT? SURE. THAT'S GREAT FEEDBACK.
WE HAVE SOME EMAILS THAT ARE RELATED TO THAT, SO WE'LL LOOK INTO THAT AS WELL.
OKAY. ANYTHING FURTHER FROM COUNCIL ON THIS OKAY.
THANKS. APPRECIATE THE CITIZENS GIVING US A MINUTE TO JUST KIND OF DO BUSINESS HERE IN PUBLIC.
AND THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETIMES.
WE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT SPOKE EARLIER.
I WOULD LIKE FOR EVERYBODY TO BE VERY RESPECTFUL AND CONSCIENTIOUS OF EVERYONE'S TIME.
I THINK WHAT WE JUST DID WAS WE DECIDED WE'RE NOT GOING TO COME UP WITH THE BEST ANSWER HERE TODAY.
WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO TRY TO DRAFT A DOCUMENT HERE WITH YOU TODAY.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO BE VERY PROFICIENT IN SPEAKING.
AND SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO RUN THE THREE MINUTE CLOCK, BUT IF YOU WOULD LET ME TRY TO KIND OF KEEP US MOVING IN A GOOD DIRECTION ON THIS, AND THEN AFTER THIS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A RECESS AFTER EVERYBODY GETS A CHANCE TO TALK THAT NEEDS TO.
AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND GO.
SO. YES, MA'AM, I HAD YOUR HAND UP, IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING FORWARD.
AS I WORKED IN THE MEDICAL FIELD FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND ALL OF THESE MASSAGE THERAPISTS ARE MEDICAL.
AND OUR CREDO WAS DO NO HARM TO THE PATIENT.
[01:40:04]
AND ONE THING THAT HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT UP TO THIS COUNCIL AND THIS IS THE HIPPA REGULATIONS, IT'S H I P P A, THEY ARE FEDERAL AND THEY GUIDE ALL MEDICAL RECORDS.HE CANNOT GET MY MEDICAL RECORDS WITHOUT MY SIGNED AND DATED STATEMENT.
AND I DON'T KNOW THE LAW, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GOT A WARRANT, YOU COULD GET THEM.
AND I, ALL OF MY PHYSICIANS THAT I GO TO EVERY YEAR, EVERY JANUARY, I HAVE TO GO IN AND SIGN A NEW STATEMENT AND IT SAYS, I HAVE TO WRITE ON THERE WHO MAY HAVE MY MEDICAL RECORDS.
AND ONE OF MY PHYSICIANS, IF YOUR NAME ISN'T ON THAT LIST, THEY HANG THE PHONE UP ON YOU BECAUSE THEY CAN GO TO JAIL. THESE ARE HARD AND FACT RULES ON MEDICAL RECORDS, AND NOBODY HAS BREACHED THAT.
AND THIS IS PART OF THE MEDICAL THAT THE RECORDS HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED.
AND SO THIS IS A VERY BIG PART.
I WORKED IN NURSING BEFORE WE HAD HIPPA AND A SMALL ARMY COMMUNITY.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW SHE'S DOING? NO. ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS SHE'S HERE.
YOU'LL HAVE TO TALK TO HER HUSBAND.
HE'S AT WORK. BUT NOW I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT THE NURSES CAN EVEN TELL YOU THAT.
BECAUSE THESE REGULATIONS, THEY CHANGE THEM EVERY YEAR.
ALL OF THE DOCTORS AND ANYBODY THAT TAKES CARE OF MEDICAL, SUCH AS WHETHER YOU'RE NURSING OR PHYSICAL THERAPIST OR MASSAGE THERAPIST THESE RULES MUST BE GONE OVER.
AND GO BY THEM BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO GO TO JAIL OVER THEM, I UNDERSTAND.
YES, MA'AM, THAT WILL BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE CONVERSATION.
SO I JUST NEED YOU TO [INAUDIBLE].
I WANTED TO INCLUDE THAT BECAUSE.
WE WILL. VERY IMPORTANT ACCORDING TO THE LICENSURE.
YES, MA'AM. CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME? AND IF YOU'RE A CITIZEN FOR THE RECORD, IF YOU'D SAY YOUR NAME ONE MORE TIME, SHIRLEY NICHOLS, I'M FIRST SERGEANT SHIRLEY.
SHIRLEY NICHOLS, FIRST SERGEANT.
I'M A RESIDENT. I LIVE IN THE SHE'D LIKE IT STATED IN THE RECORD.
[LAUGHTER] THANK YOU, FIRST SERGEANT.
APPRECIATE YOU. IT'S A BIG LOT AND I BUT I'LL PAY FOR IT.
OKAY. I DO NOT WANT TO PUSH BACK AT ALL.
HAPPY TO CONTINUE IN THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU GUYS.
ANYONE ELSE HERE? I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU, MA'AM.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING FORWARD.
MY NAME IS CATHY WELCH I AM A CITIZEN OF AMARILLO.
I'M ALSO A POLITICAL JUNKIE AND THE STATE REGULATES THIS.
YOU DON'T NEED TO IF YOU WANT TO STEP DOWN ON THOSE OF OTHER PLACES.
AS A LANDLORD, I TURNED THEM DOWN.
YOU CAN STEP DOWN ON THEM, BUT LEAVE THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS ALONE.
I KNOW YOU SPOKE EARLIER, BUT IF YOU WOULD JUST WE'LL WAIT AND MAKE SURE THERE'S NOBODY ELSE.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO CONTRIBUTE HERE BEFORE WE TAKE OUR LAST COMMENT? YES, SIR. YOU'LL BE OUR LAST COMMENT ON THIS, AND THEN WE'LL WE'LL TAKE A RECESS.
I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN GO TO TDLR.TEXAS.COM, AND YOU CAN PULL UP A, A ROSTER OF ALL THE MASSAGE THERAPISTS LICENSED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THEY WILL SEND IT TO YOU.
AND THEN YOU HAVE TO IT'S IN AN EXCEL FILE.
YOU'LL HAVE TO BREAK IT DOWN TO THE AMARILLO PEOPLE.
[01:45:01]
TEXAS. I BELONG TO AN ORGANIZATION CALLED ABMP.THEY ARE. TELL US WHAT THAT STANDS FOR? PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THOSE PEOPLE, I'M SURE, WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME GUIDANCE.
THEY HAVE THOSE TYPE OF PEOPLE IN THERE TO HELP YOU.
CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE OTHER ONE STANDS FOR SO WE CAN LOOK THAT UP? SORRY. YOU SAY, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE OTHER ONE STANDS FOR? DID YOU SAY ABP? APMP AMERICAN BODYWORK AND MASSAGE PROFESSIONALS.
AND THE AMA IS THE AMERICAN MEDICAL OR AMERICAN MASSAGE ASSOCIATION.
CAN YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, SIR.
AND IF YOU'RE A RESIDENT, FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS CHARLES HOUSTON.
AND YES, I AM A RESIDENT OF THE STATE AND OF AMARILLO.
THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ON THAT.
ONCE AGAIN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND LETTING US WORK THROUGH IT.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 15 MINUTE RECESS AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK AND FINISH OUR MEETING.
CAN CALL OURSELVES BACK IN SESSION.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON FROM ITEM 7D TO ITEM 7E.
[7.E. Discussion and possible direction regarding Interim City Manager’s proposed organizational changes and direction to staff on Council’s advice and consent process]
WE HAVE OUR INTERIM CITY MANAGER MR. FREEMAN. YES, SIR.GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.
IS IT OKAY IF I SAY SOMETHING? YES, SIR.
SO CITIZENS ARE KIND OF THEY'RE WANTING TO KNOW KIND OF A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE WE'VE MADE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS, RESCINDED THEM, AND NOW WE'RE HERE KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THIS TODAY.
I MEAN, CAN YOU CATCH EVERYONE UP TO WHAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S HAPPENED AND KIND OF.
YEAH, THAT'S ALL IN MY PRESENTATION.
SURE. SO I'LL COVER THE WHOLE HISTORY OF IT.
IN DECEMBER, WE STARTED REVIEWING THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE TO DETERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY IMPROVEMENTS WE COULD MAKE TO BENEFIT THE CITY AND HELP US MEET CITY COUNCIL'S GOALS ADOPTED IN YOUR STRATEGIC PILLARS.
HE'S DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB PROVIDING LEADERSHIP FOR OUR DEPARTMENTS.
HE'S ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF SOMEONE WHO LEFT THE CITY FOR MORE RESPONSIBILITY.
BUT THE MANAGING DIRECTOR WILL ENCOURAGE HIM TO COME BACK.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A NEW BULKY WASTE PILOT PROGRAM WHICH YOU JUST HEARD ABOUT ROADWAY SAFETY ORDINANCE, PROCEDURAL CHANGES AND BUILDING SAFETY FOR BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THIRD PARTY INSPECTIONS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS.
MANAGING DIRECTORS CAN FOCUS ON THESE LARGER, HIGH PROFILE PROJECTS AND COUNCIL PILLAR RELATED INITIATIVES IN COORDINATION WITH STAFF TO PRODUCE POSITIVE RESULTS TO MEET COUNCIL'S GOALS.
IN PRACTICE FOR A LARGE ORGANIZATION, IT DOES THE OPPOSITE.
ALAN HARDER, WHO RECENTLY ALSO CAME BACK TO THE CITY AFTER LEAVING FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
HE'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, TOLD ME HE HAS SEEN MANY BENEFITS FROM THE CHANGE, INCLUDING BEING EMPOWERED TO MAKE OPERATIONAL DECISIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT THAT MAY HAVE PREVIOUSLY ONLY BEEN MADE BY THE DIRECTOR.
REVIEWING THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
I WANTED TO GIVE ALL OUR DIRECTORS AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY AND PRESENT THEIR IDEAS.
THIS WAS AN APPLICATION PROCESS OF SORTS.
11 SUBMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
MANY HAD SIMILAR IDEAS, SUCH AS PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS COMING TOGETHER.
[01:50:01]
AFTER REVIEWING THE PROPOSALS, AND HOW THEY COULD FIT WITH THE CURRENT ORG CHART, THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE TEAM CAME TO THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION THAT IS SHOWN ON YOUR SCREENS OF CREATING FOUR NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR ROLES, FOR A TOTAL OF FIVE WITH DONNY HOOPER.THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY A DIVISION OF H.R.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, OVERSEEING ANIMAL MANAGEMENT AND WELFARE, LIBRARY AND FOCUS AREA PURCHASING, PREVIOUSLY A DIVISION OF FINANCE AND PUBLIC SAFETY OVERSEEING POLICE, FIRE, OEM AND AECC.
EXCEPT PUBLIC SAFETY, MANAGING DIRECTORS MAINTAIN DIRECTOR STATUS OF THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS WHEN CREATING NEW POSITIONS AFTER A BUDGET IS ADOPTED, STAFF DETERMINES HOW TO FUND THEM, ENSURING WE STAY WITHIN THE AUTHORIZED BUDGET AND AUTHORIZE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT EMPLOYEE COUNT.
HISTORICALLY, THIS IS THROUGH MIDYEAR ADJUSTMENTS, IDENTIFYING VACANT POSITIONS THAT ARE NO LONGER NEEDED, AND OTHER ONGOING EXPENSES THAT MAY NO LONGER BE A PRIORITY COMPARED TO FUNDING NEW POSITIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, ELIMINATING ONE ADMIN TECHNICIAN IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, ONE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT 4 IN PUBLIC WORKS, ONE DEPUTY COURT CLERK, ONE IN MUNICIPAL COURT, AND CAPTURING THE VACANT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER SAVINGS IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
THIS IS MOVING 0.19% OF THE $250 MILLION GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
ALL MID-YEAR CHANGES ARE FORMALIZED IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR 2024 AND 2025 BUDGETING PROCESS.
SO WE HAD TWO NEW POSITIONS WERE CREATED WITH THE PROPOSAL MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH REQUIRES A STRONG MANAGER AND A COLLABORATIVE AND INNOVATIVE LEADER WITH PREVIOUS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC SAFETY, SERVING AS AN ADVISOR TO CITY MANAGEMENT ON PUBLIC SAFETY ACTIVITIES.
THE POSITION IS EXPECTED TO BE VISIONARY IN IDENTIFYING, PROMOTING, AND ADVANCING PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES, ACTIVITIES AND PRACTICES AS PART OF AN OVERALL TEAM TO ADVANCE THE OBJECTIVES OF CITY COUNCIL.
THE OTHER THREE MANAGING DIRECTORS MAINTAIN DIRECT OVERSIGHT OF THEIR CURRENT DEPARTMENTS, BUT IS IMPORTANT FOR THIS POSITION TO NOT BE DIRECTLY AFFILIATED WITH ONE OF THE DEPARTMENTS THEY OVERSEE, ALLOWING FOR AN UNBIASED APPROACH WHEN WORKING ON A HIGH PROFILE PUBLIC SAFETY INITIATIVES, WHICH IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE SAFETY OF AMARILLO. AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, THIS IS NOT A NEW APPROACH TO IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY.
CITIES SUCH AS SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI.
MCKINNEY, TEXAS. CARROLLTON, TEXAS.
CLEVELAND, OHIO. AND DENVER, COLORADO.
THE SECOND POSITION ADDED WAS DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZATIONAL ADVANCEMENT.
IT REQUIRES AN ESTABLISHED AND QUALIFIED CURRENT EMPLOYEE WHO KNOWS OUR VALUES, LEADING INITIATIVES TO FOSTER A COHESIVE CULTURE ALIGNED WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION, VISION, AND VALUES. THIS POSITION SPEARHEADS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS TO NURTURE TALENT AND DRIVE ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH.
THE ROLE EXTENDS TO SUPPORTING THE TRAINING AND SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION OF ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE ROLLOUTS, ENSURING SEAMLESS INTEGRATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE OPERATIONAL OUTCOMES.
ON THIS SLIDE, THERE ARE ALSO 16 FOCUSED CITIES FOCUSING DEDICATED STAFF TOWARD ORGANIZATIONAL ADVANCEMENT TO INVEST IN THEIR EMPLOYEES, BENEFITING THE COMMUNITY LONG TERM. MCKINNEY, HOUSTON, CORPUS CHRISTI, GEORGETOWN, SAINT LOUIS, MISSOURI, FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, AND COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO.
BEFORE EXECUTIVE SESSION LAST WEEK I EMAILED COUNCIL, THE MANAGING DIRECTOR IDEA, ON JANUARY 26TH AND THE FINAL DECISION ON FEBRUARY 9TH, BEFORE ANNOUNCING BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT. PRESS RELEASES WENT OUT FEBRUARY 12TH.
I'D ALSO LIKE IT'D BE BENEFICIAL TO DISCUSS HOW COUNCIL GIVE DIRECTION TO STAFF.
I EMAILED SOME OF THIS INFORMATION TO COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION LAST WEEK.
THE MAIN DOCUMENT COVERING THE CORE FUNCTIONS, OF COURSE, OF THE ORGANIZATION IS THE CITY CHARTER.
WE HAVE RESEARCHED RECORDS, ESTIMATING THIS NUMBER TO BE BETWEEN 20 AND 25.
[01:55:02]
WE NOW HAVE POPULATION OF 200,000 AND 2500 EMPLOYEES.TO CHANGE THE CHARTER REQUIRES CALLING ELECTION FOR THE VOTERS TO APPROVE IT.
I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW OF THEM.
B IS A POINT ALL APPOINTED OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY, WITH THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE COUNCIL, SUCH APPOINTMENTS TO BE MADE UPON MERIT AND FITNESS ALONE, AND REMOVE ALL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES APPOINTED BY THE MANAGER.
I ALSO HAVE PERFORMING SUCH OTHER DUTIES AS MAY BE PRESCRIBED BY THIS CHARTER, OR BE REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL TO REVISE OR RESCIND THE DOCUMENT S UPPLEMENTING THE CHARTER YOU FOLLOW THE SAME PROCESS USED TO CREATE THEM OR THAT OF A HIGHER LEVEL.
I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE POLICIES AND RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCE THAT I AND STAFF HAVE BEEN OPERATING UNDER SINCE 2015, AND WHY THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES I MADE WERE UNDER PREVIOUSLY APPROVED CITY MANAGER AUTHORITY THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REVISED OR RESCINDED SINCE THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS TOLD NOT TO BE IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MEETING LAST WEEK.
I KNOW WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE TODAY, SINCE THESE ARE LEGAL DOCUMENTS.
EXAMPLES INCLUDE DELEGATION OF THE CITY MANAGER.
ALL COUNCIL AUTHORITY DELEGATED TO STAFF IS DELEGATED THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER, SO THAT ALL AUTHORITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF STAFF, AS FAR AS THE COUNCIL IS CONCERNED, IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE AUTHORITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE CITY MANAGER.
BY DOING SO, THE COUNCIL WILL CHANGE THE LATITUDE GIVEN TO THE CITY MANAGER.
UNDER THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER CODE OF CONDUCT.
ADHERE TO THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT SET OUT IN THE CHARTER.
UNDER CITY MANAGER RESPONSIBILITIES, EFFICIENTLY ADMINISTER ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND ALL CITY STAFF EXCEPT MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE AND UNDER CODE OF ETHICS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMPLY WITH THE LETTER AND SPIRIT OF THE LAWS OF THE NATION, THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE CITY, INCLUDING ALL CITY POLICIES.
UNDER MUNICIPAL SERVICES AND PROVIDING MUNICIPAL SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO THE CITY MANAGER WILL, WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES, CONTINUALLY STRIVE TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES.
THE DOCUMENT ALSO STATES THAT COUNCIL WILL REVIEW ALL POLICIES ANNUALLY.
RESOLUTION 12-21-15-1 WAS ADOPTED IN DECEMBER 2015.
THIS WAS BY MAYOR HARPOLE AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
PER ORDINANCE, ALL RESOLUTIONS SHALL BE PRESERVED FOR PERMANENT RECORD BY THE CITY SECRETARY.
UNDER THE COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
INTERFERENCE BY COUNCIL MEMBERS IS PROHIBITED IN THE CITY'S ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE, INCLUDING THE HIRING, FIRING AND WORK OF MUNICIPAL WORKERS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CITY MANAGER AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE.
THIS WAS ADOPTED IN FEBRUARY 2018.
IT STATES THE CITY WILL CONSIDER INNOVATIVE CHANGES AND OTHER METHODS TO OFFER SERVICES TO THE CITIZENS, AND TO INCREASE EFFICIENCIES IN ITS OPERATIONS AND THE BUDGET. ORDINANCE 8068, ADOPTED IN SEPTEMBER 2023 APPROVING THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR BUDGET, STATES THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS AUTHORIZED TO APPROVE TRANSFERS BETWEEN LINE ITEMS AND ANY DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET, AND TO MAKE TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS WITHIN THE BUDGET, WHICH WILL
[02:00:05]
NEITHER DECREASE A PROGRAM OR SERVICE ADOPTED IN SAID BUDGET, NOR INCREASE EXPENDITURES OVER THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF EXPENDITURES APPROVED IN SAID BUDGET IN ORDER TO MEET UNANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES WITHIN ANY DEPARTMENT, PROGRAM OR SERVICE.UNTIL LAST TUESDAY THESE WERE WHAT I KNEW TO WORK FROM AND HAD EXPERIENCE WITH.
THIS IS HOW THE THREE CITIES I HAVE WORKED FOR DURING MY 16 YEAR CAREER OPERATE.
BUT THE ORGANIZATION MUST CONTINUE TO FUNCTION.
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A CITY MANAGER RECRUITMENT SEARCH TO RUN AND I RESPECT THAT, BUT I HAVE A CITY OPERATION TO RUN AND HAVE BEEN DOING SO AT A HIGH LEVEL SINCE YOU APPOINTED ME IN SEPTEMBER. A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL HAVE TOLD ME TO RUN IT HOW I NEED TO IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT YOUR COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC PILLARS.
I WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING TO INTENTIONALLY CAUSE HARM TO YOUR ABILITY TO RECRUIT GREAT CANDIDATES.
IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, I DID WHAT I THOUGHT BEST FOR THE ORGANIZATION TO MAKE IT AS EFFICIENT AND HIGH PERFORMING AS POSSIBLE, USING THE APPROVED BUDGET AND EXISTING RESOURCES TO DO SO.
I BELIEVE I HAVE NOW ADDRESSED THOSE CONCERNS BY SHARING THE POLICIES, RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCE ADOPTED BY YOU OR PREVIOUS COUNCILS TO HELP PUT IN BLACK AND WHITE HOW CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER WORK TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT ADOPTED BY THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO.
THE CHARTER STATES I AM TO PERFORM OTHER SUCH DUTIES REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL, KNOWING THESE WERE IN PLACE AND PROVIDING ME CLEAR DIRECTION ON MY ROLE AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER FOR MAKING PERSONNEL AND OPERATIONAL DECISIONS I STILL REQUEST YOUR ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK TODAY, ALTHOUGH IT IS HARD TO ARGUE I DIDN'T ALREADY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES I THOUGHT APPROPRIATE UNTIL THE COUNCIL'S POLICIES, RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES WERE UPDATED.
I ALSO WANT TO BE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT I DID NOT BREAK THE LAW OR IGNORE THE CHARTER.
HOWEVER, THIS COUNCIL ULTIMATELY DEFINES CONSENT.
NEVERTHELESS, AT THIS POINT, I'M NOT SURE I'D MAKE ANY OF THE CHANGES NOW, SINCE INTERNAL OPERATIONAL CHANGES HAVE BECOME SO PUBLIC, POLITICIZED, AND ARE PERSONALLY AFFECTING OUR STAFF, MANY OF THEM MAY NO LONGER BE WILLING TO TAKE ON A HIGHER LEADERSHIP ROLE.
YOU ARE ALL SEATED AT THIS DAIS NOW HAVING FULL AUTHORITY AS AN ELECTED BODY, AND THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO PROVIDE CLEAR DIRECTION TO ME AND STAFF THAT WE WILL BE ETHICALLY AND LEGALLY BOUND TO FOLLOW.
IT'S HIGHLY UNDERSTANDABLE AND RESPECTED THAT A RECENTLY ELECTED CITY COUNCIL WOULD WANT TO REVISIT AND UPDATE EXISTING POLICIES, RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES TO PROVIDE STAFF WITH CLEAR DIRECTION, PARTICULARLY WITH AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER IN PLACE.
THIS IS WHY THE GOVERNANCE AND POLICY RECOMMEND AT LEAST AN ANNUAL REVIEW.
THIS IS PROCEDURAL AND FOLLOWS A NORMAL PROCESS FOR ANY ITEMS WE BRING TO COUNCIL.
THIS DIRECTION WILL BE VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF YOUR NEW CITY MANAGER STARTING IN A FEW MONTHS.
WE ARE TOO LARGE OF AN ORGANIZATION TO NOT HAVE THOSE PARAMETERS IN WRITING.
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND CITY COUNCIL BRING BACK ADDITIONAL AGENDA ITEMS DURING YOUR UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS TO REVIEW, AND EITHER REVISE OR RESCIND THE CURRENT POLICIES, RESOLUTIONS OR ORDINANCE. THIS IS IMPERATIVE TO PROTECT THE COUNCIL AND STAFF RELATIONSHIP MOVING FORWARD BY PROVIDING CLEAR EXPECTATIONS TO BUILD TRUST AND TO BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.
COUNCIL MAY WANT TO CONSIDER WAITING UNTIL YOUR NEW CITY MANAGER IS ON BOARD.
OVERALL, THIS COMPLETES MY PRESENTATION.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THE PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES, ANSWER QUESTIONS, AND TAKE YOUR DIRECTION ON NEXT STEPS TO ADDRESS THE ADOPTED POLICIES, RESOLUTIONS, OR ORDINANCES THAT I HAVE HIGHLIGHTED.
MR. INTERIM CITY MANAGER, WE APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
I GET THIS, I THINK IT'S OKAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
AND MY CONCERN AND COUNCIL'S CONCERN IS WE HAVE HARMED OUR ORGANIZATION.
WE'RE NOT MOVING IN A GOOD DIRECTION ORGANIZATIONALLY.
[02:05:03]
BEING A LEADER ON THIS TEAM, I FEEL RESPONSIBLE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES, WE WALK OUT OF HERE WITH CLEAR DIRECTION.ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE SOME GOOD ITEMS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS.
I THINK WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE EVEN IF IT IS PUSHED BACK YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD HERE? I DO KNOW COUNCILMAN SIMPSON STARTED OFF WITH A REQUEST OF, YOU KNOW, LET'S GO BACK.
HOW DID WE GET HERE? I APPRECIATE YOUR TIMELINE, BUT I THINK AT THIS POINT I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER TO COUNCIL AND MAYBE.
MAYBE COUNCILMAN SIMPSON WANTS TO GO FIRST, IF NOT SOMEBODY ELSE.
STILL PRETTY UNCLEAR HOW WE GOT HERE.
STILL PRETTY UNCLEAR WHERE THE CHARTER SITS IN THIS.
NEED TO IDENTIFY BOTH, I THINK BEFORE WE EVEN LOOK AT ANY POSITIONAL PLACEMENTS.
SO LET'S SPEAK ABOUT DIRECTION AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND THEN I THINK IF WE'RE IN A GOOD POSITION THEN WE LOOK AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
YOU GOOD WITH THAT, SIR? ABSOLUTELY.
OKAY. COUNCILMAN SIMPSON I'D ASK YOU SPOKE UP FIRST.
SO YOU KIND OF PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
WELL, I GUESS THE FRUSTRATION LEVEL MUST BE GOING BOTH WAYS, BECAUSE, I MEAN, MY QUESTION IS WAS COUNCIL OR ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS, I KNOW I WASN'T INFORMED OF ANY OF THESE CHANGES.
WERE ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS INFORMED OF THESE CHANGES BESIDES ME BEFORE YOU ANNOUNCED THEM ON THAT FRIDAY? THE COMPLETE NEW ORGANIZATIONAL CHART AND THOSE CHANGES? NO, THAT'S WHEN I SHARED THEM WITH COUNCIL.
AND THEN THE PRESS RELEASE. YOU NOT FEEL LIKE, WHY WOULD YOU NOT SHARE THOSE WITH THE MAYOR? I MEAN, THIS IS A PRETTY MAJOR DECISION YOU'RE MAKING.
WHY WOULD YOU NOT SHARE AND PERHAPS GET FEEDBACK FROM YOUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND SHOW THEM THE ENTIRE PLAN? WELL, I THINK MOST OF THAT REASON IS WHAT I LAID OUT IN HERE.
THAT WAS NOT THE PAST PRACTICE.
IF I KNEW ALL COUNCIL WAS THAT INTERESTED IN MAJOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES, DEPARTMENT HIRES, I NEED MORE CLEAR DIRECTION ON WHICH POSITIONS ARE THEY? DIRECTOR LEVEL. ARE THEY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR? ANY OF THAT SUGGESTION SO I CAN BRING THOSE TO YOU? SO CREATING TWO NEW POSITIONS THAT ARE NOT BUDGETED.
TWO FDES. CORRECT? CORRECT. NOT IN THE BUDGET.
TWO NEW POSITIONS, TWO MORE DEPARTMENT HEADS AND CREATING OTHER MID-LEVEL MANAGERS FEEL NO NEED FOR ANY FEEDBACK OR INPUT FROM ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION BECAUSE LIKE YOU, I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS.
BUT IT WAS NOT RESCINDED FROM THIS COUNCIL EITHER.
SO BUT THE CHARTER WOULD TRUMP THE GOVERNANCE POLICIES.
CORRECT. I THINK BRYAN WOULD NEED TO WEIGH IN ON THE LEGAL ASPECTS.
I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER, OR THE CITY ATTORNEY, I SAID, ACCORDING TO THE CHARTER, BECAUSE I READ HERE THAT AND I WAS ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT THE COUNCIL SHALL FIX AND DETERMINE THE SALARIES AND WAGES OF ALL APPOINTIVE EMPLOYEES, OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY.
WELL, YOU'LL HAVE TO ASK, BUT I ASK HIM THOSE TWO POINTS IN THE CHARTER, AND I ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY IS THIS DOES WOULD THIS REQUIRE APPROVAL BY THE CITY COUNCIL? AND I WAS TOLD, YES.
SO I'M JUST CONFUSED AS HOW THE CHARTER AND THE POLICIES, IF THEY CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER OR WHAT'S GOING ON, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD BY OUR CITY ATTORNEY THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY US.
WELL, I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS THE CHARTER IS OVER 100 YEARS OLD WHEN WE ONLY HAD WELL, BUT WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE CHARTER, RIGHT? THE CHARTER IS OUR CONSTITUTION, RIGHT.
SO WE DON'T WE DON'T SAY, WELL, THE CONSTITUTION IS OLD, SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW IT, OR WE KNOW WHO'S IN CHARGE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE FOLLOW THE CHARTER? COUNCIL IS BY SETTING POLICIES AND RESOLUTIONS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CHARTER.
SO IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, IT'S UP TO US TO SAY, WOW, YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW THE CHARTER ON THAT.
OR TO UPDATE THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING.
OKAY. SO IT'S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY OR THE CITY ATTORNEY'S RESPONSIBILITY.
[02:10:02]
IF THE CITY ATTORNEY SEES SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE CHARTER, THAT HE'S TO BRING IT UP OR IT'S UP TO US TO KNOW AND THEN SAY, WELL, WE'RE NOT FOLLOWING THE CHARTER THERE. WELL, I THINK WITH THE RECOMMENDATION STAFF, I THINK IT'S TO UPDATE THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT YOU WANT STAFF TO FOLLOW IN RELATION TO THE CHARTER.WHY DID YOU FEEL THAT IT WAS NOT AT LEAST A GOOD IDEA TO KEEP COUNCIL AWARE OF MAJOR CHANGES? I MEAN, DON'T YOU THINK MOVING A POLICE CHIEF INTO ANOTHER POSITION, THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER THAT IF COUNCIL WOULD P ERHAPS BE GIVEN A CLUE ON THAT HAPPENING.
WHEN DID YOU SAY THAT YOU WERE GOING TO MOVE THE POLICE CHIEF OUT OF HIS POSITION INTO AN IN CREATING A NEW POSITION? I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME THAT THAT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE PROPOSALS WE WENT WITH.
AND WHEN DID YOU KNOW THAT? WHEN DID YOU WHEN DID YOU ANNOUNCE TO THE STAFF THESE CHANGES? THAT WOULD BE FEBRUARY 9TH.
SO WE DETERMINED THAT THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 9TH.
SO IT WAS NOT ANNOUNCED BEFORE THAT TO ANYBODY, ANY STAFF PEOPLE.
WHAT CHANGES WERE GOING TO BE MADE BEFORE THAT.
OKAY. WHEN WAS THAT ANNOUNCED? THAT WAS THE WEDNESDAY OF THAT WEEK.
WEDNESDAY. SO WHAT? SO SO YOU'RE JUST FEELING THAT WE REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO KNOW.
I HEARD FROM ONE OF YOU, BUT NOBODY ASKED FOR DETAILS.
NOBODY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT SPECIFIC ROLES.
WHAT I WAS PLANNING, IT WAS JUST, HEY, ANDREW SO. SO I GUESS WE'VE GOT TO LIKE, SAY WHAT'S IN YOUR MIND TO KNOW WHAT TO ASK ABOUT.
WELL, I THOUGHT. THE INITIAL PART WAS VERY VAGUE.
I COULD HAVE OVER COMMUNICATED MORE.
I COULD HAVE SHARED THE FINAL ORG CHART.
IN RETROSPECT, I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE.
BUT THIS PRACTICE IS GOING TO BE A NEW ONE FOR ME.
SO I JUST NEED DIRECTION ON WHAT YOU ALL WANT TO RECEIVE.
SO DO YOU THINK CHANGES OF THIS TYPE ARE SOMETHING THAT AN INTERIM CITY MANAGER SHOULD MAKE? IS THAT A GOOD IDEA? I MEAN, IF YOU GET THE POSITION, WHICH I GUESS YOU'RE APPLYING FOR IT'S YOUR JOB.
BUT WHAT IF ANOTHER CITY MANAGER CAN IF SOMEONE ELSE BECOMES CITY MANAGER, IS THAT.
I THINK IT'D BE COMPLETELY UP TO THEM.
THEY COULD TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN AND REBUILD IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
AND WHY COULDN'T THESE CHANGES WAIT? WHY DID THEY HAVE TO BE INSTITUTED RIGHT NOW? JUST WORKING WITH STAFF, LOOKING AT IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES.
I WAS IN THE POSITION ALMOST SIX MONTHS I'VE WORKED HERE, SEVEN YEARS.
ALL OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE WORKED HERE MORE THAN ME.
SO I THINK WE ALL FELT STRONGLY THAT THESE WOULD MAKE THE ORGANIZATION MORE EFFICIENT.
AND SO BUT I GUESS WHAT I HEAR YOU SAYING IS YOU'RE GOING TO DEPEND ON US GIVING YOU A LIST.
NO, THAT'S WHAT I NEED NOW BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL WANT, I REALLY DON'T.
WELL, WHAT WOULD YOU THINK IF YOU WERE SITTING HERE? WELL, AS I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'M USED TO A COUNCIL NOT GETTING IN THE WEEDS OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES, SO I NEED TO KNOW IF.
RIGHT. WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
I UP UNTIL LAST WEEK, I NEVER HEARD THAT YOU ALL WANTED TO KNOW MAJOR HIRES.
I HIRED DONNY IN OCTOBER AND MADE HIM A MANAGING DIRECTOR AND DIDN'T GET A QUESTION.
I'VE MADE TWO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT DIRECTORS IN DEPARTMENTS.
DIDN'T GET ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE.
THOSE WERE SHARED WITH COUNCIL.
WELL, WHEN YOU'RE ADDING A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF UNBUDGETED EXPENSES.
THEY'RE IN THE BUDGET, THAT WAS IT.
WELL, THESE THESE POSITIONS ARE NOT.
RIGHT. BUT AS I POINTED OUT IN THE ORDINANCE, I GET TO MOVE MONEY IN BETWEEN FUNDS TO PAY FOR MY QUESTION IS GOING TO BE WE'RE ADDING ANOTHER $500,000 IN EXPENSES TO MIDDLE MANAGEMENT.
HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP US PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES FOR OUR COMMUNITY? I THINK I EXPLAINED IT WHEN I SHOWED HOW MUCH DONNY'S DOING.
THAT'S WHAT I EXPECTED OUT OF EACH ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS TO ADD THAT LEVEL OF VALUE.
OKAY. AND MID-LEVEL MANAGER, I JUST KIND OF I'M ALSO TRYING TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT IS HOW INCREASING LAYERS MAKES THINGS MORE EFFICIENT. AND I TOUCHED ON THAT IN MY PRESENTATION AS WELL.
YES, SIR. YEAH I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD.
RIGHT. WELL, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. FREEMAN? I GUESS THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE, ANDREW, IS BACK TO THE ORIGINAL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING
[02:15:01]
ABOUT YOU SAID FOUR OUT OF FIVE OR YOU HAD HEARD FROM FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS WHICHEVER COUNCIL MEMBER YOU DIDN'T HEAR FROM.WHY DON'T WE JUST STOP OR JUST SAY, HEY.
I ONLY HEARD FROM ONE THAT SAID DO NOTHING AS INTERIM.
HEY, STOP! HEY, I'M ASKING QUESTIONS.
SO I JUST THAT IN MY MIND IS WHAT CONSENT IS.
IF I ONLY HAVE ONE OUT OF THE FIVE, THAT'S AGAINST IT.
NOW, GRANTED, MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE FOUGHT A LITTLE HARDER TO HAVE A 5 0, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY A VOTE.
I MEAN, CONSENT, I DON'T THINK HAS TO BE DEFINED AS A VOTE.
THAT'S WHAT I REALLY NEED TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL.
IS CONSENT GOING TO BE A VOTE OF APPROVAL? IS CONSENT GOING TO BE I GOT TO GET THREE HEAD NODS.
I REALLY I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.
I NEED CLEAR DIRECTION FOR HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.
WHAT DOES THE CHARTER SAY? IT SAYS CONSENT, BUT I DON'T IT DOESN'T SAY APPOINT IS ME.
SO I'M APPOINTING HIM. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ADVICE AND CONSENT HONESTLY MEANS.
WE GET CONSENT IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONS ALL THE TIME.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SOMETHING BRYAN COULD WEIGH IN ON.
HOW LEGALLY TO DEFINE CONSENT.
WELL, I THINK QUESTION FOR BRYAN IS WHAT HE DID IS IT LEGAL AS PER THE CHARTER OR NO.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT'S TRYING TO ACHIEVE IN THAT PHRASE.
IT SAYS THE CITY MANAGER SHALL APPOINT.
MANAGER HAS THAT AUTHORITY, BUT IT IS NOT UNCHECKED AUTHORITY.
IT IS CAN WITH CONSENT AND ADVICE.
THAT MEANS THAT CHECK WITH ME.
IT'S A SITUATION IN WHICH THE PHRASE IS MEANT TO MEMORIALIZE A SITUATION BY THAT WOULD HAVE A CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION AND REMIND EVERYONE YOU NEED TO TALK AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
ONE OF THEM IS SALARIES AND HOW THEY FIX THOSE SALARIES.
AND SO TO ME, WHEN I THINK OF THE WAY THAT OUR CHARTER IS WRITTEN, AND I THINK ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH IT WAS WRITTEN IN, I LIKE TO IMAGINE IT AS THAT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT OTHER COUNCILS HAVE IMAGINED IT AS, AND HAVE TREATED IT THAT WAY FOR YEARS, DECADES.
I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT IT WAS A YES OR NO.
SIMPLE. I WOULD SAY THAT IF HE REACHED OUT TO YOU WITH COMMUNICATION N OT ANSWERING OR NOT EVEN BEING, NOT EVEN MENTIONING.
IT COULD BE CONCEIVED AS CONSENT.
OKAY. AND I'M JUST GOING OFF OF WHAT OTHER COUNCIL HAVE DONE IN THE PAST, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL.
I CAN READ IT OFF. BUT IT'S NOT WHAT OTHER COUNCILS HAVE DONE.
IT'S WHAT DOES THE CHARTER SAY? WELL, I MEAN, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
I MEAN, IF ANOTHER COUNCIL DID, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S RIGHT OR WRONG.
IT'S JUST LIKE, I MEAN, THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES DOESN'T.
WE DON'T SAY, WELL, SOME PEOPLE DID IT, SOME PEOPLE DIDN'T.
WE KNOW THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS.
AND TO ME, ADVICE AND CONSENT MEANS YOU GET OUR ADVICE AND WE GIVE CONSENT.
BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE ENTIRE PLAN TO GIVE CONSENT TO BEFORE IT WAS ALREADY IMPLEMENTED.
CORRECT? I SENT IT OUT THAT FRIDAY.
BUT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED, BUT IT HADN'T BEEN PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED YET.
WELL, WHAT IF SOMEBODY IS NOT SITTING THERE SPENDING THEIR FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT 4:50 P.M.
WATCHING EVERY EMAIL THAT COMES IN, RIGHT? AND THEN IT GETS LEAKED TO THE MEDIA THE NEXT DAY? THAT'S TRUE. I MEAN THAT'S YOU KNOW, SO YOU KNOW, I MEAN I QUESTIONED THIS AND I SAID BUT I DIDN'T SAY DON'T DO IT, I SAID I THINK I WOULD PREFER TO WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE A PERMANENT CITY MANAGER TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES WITH MANAGING DIRECTORS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF NEBULOUS.
I WASN'T SURE WHAT THAT MEANT.
AND I ASKED YOU, I SAID, DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT? OR, WOULD THERE BE A PROBLEM OF WAITING? AND YOUR REPLY WAS I FELT IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION TO DO FOR THE SAKE OF THE ORGANIZATION.
BUT YOU WERE ALSO YOU WERE GIVING YOUR OPINION ABOUT PREFERRING TO AWAIT.
[02:20:02]
WELL, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING, AND I TOOK THAT AS I REALLY I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO WHAT I WANT TO DO. ACCORDING TO THE RESOLUTION AND THE PAST POLICIES AND DOCUMENTS I BELIEVE THAT'S STILL CORRECT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING COUNCILS CAN CHANGE.I WOULD HAVE LISTENED AND ABIDED BY THAT, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE DIRECTION UNTIL LAST WEEK.
SO I DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE US FORWARD.
I'M NOT SAYING WE CAN'T COME BACK TO ANY INDIVIDUAL QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER I WILL TAKE THE TIME THAT IT TAKES HERE TODAY.
I DO WANT TO HIT ON A FEW THINGS THAT I THINK ARE PRETTY PERTINENT TO THE YES OR NO QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS ADVISEMENT GIVING? YOU KNOW, DID YOU INFORM COUNCIL INDIVIDUALLY? AND SO I CAN ADD A LITTLE CONTEXT TO MINE.
AND THEN THERE ARE CERTAIN CHECKS AND BALANCES HERE THAT I'M PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH.
HOW DO I BALANCE THAT? AND HOW DOES THAT COMPUTE WITH $479,000 WORTH OF ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT ARE AT YOUR DISPOSAL? SO DO YOU HAVE A $531 MILLION BUDGET AND ANYTHING WITHIN THAT, WHETHER IT'S BELOW OR ABOVE THE 50 K? LIKE STAFF IS THOSE ARE JUST BY POSITION.
SO. IT IS HOW IT'S TYPICALLY BEEN HANDLED.
GRAND TOTAL OF WHATEVER COUNCIL APPROVES FOR BUDGET.
ALL STAFF ANY STAFF THAT YOU CAN REMOVE, REPLACE, MOVE, TRANSFER, WHATEVER IS AT YOUR DISCRETION.
THE $50,000 ONLY WOULD SPEAK TO SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL.
PURCHASES. SO IF YOU NEEDED TO BUY $100,000 PIECE OF EQUIPMENT COMES TO COUNCIL.
RIGHT. YES SIR. YES. IF YOU NEED TO SPEND $500,000 WITH STAFF CHANGES DOESN'T NEED TO COME TO COUNCIL EXCEPT FOR WHAT WE'RE READING IN HERE TO THE CHARTER OF THERE'S ADVISEMENT OF THE NEED OF WHY YOU NEED TO DO IT.
AND THEN THERE'S THE ULTIMATE CONSENT OF COUNCIL.
SO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT WE'RE PROCEDURALLY OUT OF ORDER.
I DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO TELL YOU THAT YOU CAN'T DO IT.
I JUST I MEAN, I THINK THE QUESTION I WOULD ASK MR. ATTORNEY IS CONSENT CAN BE OFFERED FINALLY.
RIGHT. OR CONSENT CAN BE OFFERED INDIVIDUALLY.
COMMUNICATION CAN HAPPEN MULTIFOLD DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT ONLY HAPPENED ONE TIME.
SO REGARDLESS, YOU'RE BRINGING THIS BACK PROCEDURALLY BECAUSE OF THE CHECKS AND BALANCES OF THE CHARTER, RIGHT? NO. WELL, THAT WAS AFTER I GOT THE CHECK AND BALANCES FROM YOU ALL TO BRING IT BACK.
HAD I BEEN GOING OFF CURRENT ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTION POLICIES? I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE FOUND THAT OUT.
SO YOU'RE DOING A COURTESY OF BRINGING IT BACK THROUGH HERE.
I WOULD NOT AT THIS POINT, BUT I THINK UNTIL YOU UPDATE THESE RESOLUTIONS, I THINK WE'RE IN KIND OF A STRANGE SPOT WHERE NO ONE KNOWS WHO'S DOING WHAT. SO I DID A LITTLE HOMEWORK ON MY SIDE.
BACK WHEN HE WAS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ABBOTT DID GIVE AN OPINION.
WE HAD A COUNCIL AND A MAYOR THAT, HONESTLY, THEY WERE TRYING TO HIRE A CLOSE RELATIVE OF THE MAYOR.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL DECIDED WELL, WE WILL JUST SIT QUIET ON THIS.
WE WILL ALLOW THE CITY MANAGER TO DO THIS HIRE.
AND ULTIMATELY, WE WON'T GIVE CONSENT BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S TOO CLOSE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT SUED, IT WENT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RENDERED AN OPINION.
PER THE STATE, THESE MUNICIPAL BODIES HAVE ELECTED GOVERNING OFFICIALS CANNOT ABDICATE THAT AUTHORITY TOTALLY OVER TO A CITY MANAGER.
SO IT'S THE CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT HELP PROTECT OUR CITIZENS.
THEY ELECT US TO COME IN HERE AND THEY GIVE US THEIR LIMITED AUTHORITY.
AND THEN WE CANNOT GIVE THAT AUTHORITY OVER TO YOU WITHOUT REVOKING IT FROM THEM.
SO ULTIMATELY, IN THAT SYSTEM, I THINK WHAT ABBOTT SAID WAS YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
AND SO TO THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY HERE, WHICH IS MY QUESTION.
DO YOU NEED OUR CONSENT ON THESE CHANGES OR DO YOU NOT? I THINK THAT'S AFTER Y'ALL TELL ME HOW TO DEFINE CONSENT AND WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.
SO EACH COUNCIL CAN DEFINE CONSENT? YES, I BELIEVE THEY CAN.
OKAY, LET ME ADD A LITTLE CONTEXT HERE TO WHERE I WAS IN THE DEAL.
[02:25:01]
YOU DID MENTION TO ME ABOUT THE CHIEF AND THE INTERIM CHIEF.INTERIM CHIEF, I BELIEVE IS A GOOD LEADER.
I THINK HE COULD HANDLE A ROLE LIKE THAT IF HE HAD BEEN APPOINTED TO IT.
I AM A PUBLIC SAFETY PRIORITIZER.
I THINK THAT IF WE WERE GOING TO SPEND MONEY SOMEWHERE.
I'M LOOKING AT ALL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE.
I'M ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU NEED THE ABILITY TO DO YOUR JOB.
AND I'M WILLING TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING YOU BRING TO ME.
I TOLD YOU, I SAID YOU'RE NEVER GETTING THAT THROUGH SIMPSON.
YEAH, I KNOW WHAT HE'S GOING TO TELL YOU.
AND THEN BRING IT TO COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, LET ME KNOW.
YOU DID NOT BRING IT TO COUNCIL.
SO IF THAT WAS WHAT YOU WANTED ME TO DO, THAT WAS NOT WHAT I HEARD.
THAT WAS NOT THE CONVERSATION, BUT YES.
THE CONVERSATION WAS, SIR, I SAID, LOOK, I WILL ADVISE.
I THINK THESE ARE FOOLISH MISTAKES.
I THINK THIS ONE'S POLITICALLY YOU KNOW, A PROBLEM FOR YOU.
I THINK THIS STAFF MEMBER IS GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I THINK YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE ISSUES LAYING IN FRONT OF YOU.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS? YOU'RE TAKING ON A TON OF RISK.
THE ONE THAT I AGREED WITH WAS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO MY EXPECTATION, RIGHT OR WRONG IN CONTEXT, WAS YOU AND I WERE HAVING A CONVERSATION.
THIS WAS GOING TO COME TO COUNCIL.
MY EXPECTATION WAS NOT ON A SATURDAY TO GET NOTIFIED FROM THE MEDIA THAT, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'D LIKE A COMMENT ON THE NEW POLICE CHIEF AND THE REORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
AND SO I'M DOING A LITTLE DAMAGE CONTROL ON SATURDAY TRYING TO READ THROUGH A BUNCH OF EMAILS.
AND SO I THINK IT'S POOR JUDGMENT ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON TO SEND OUT AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART REVISION AND THEN IMPLEMENT IT WITH STAFF THE SAME DAY.
I ALSO THINK THAT CONSENT IS CONSENT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A LEGAL TERM I NEED TO REDEFINE WITH ANYBODY.
I ALSO DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE GOVERNANCE AND ENDS POLICIES WOULD EVER TRUMP THE CHARTER.
AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO MORE GREATLY DEFINE YOUR ROLE AND THE WAY IN WHICH WE RELATE.
YEAH, THAT'S A FUTURE ACTION ITEM.
I FELT UNEDUCATED, MEANING YOU WERE WORKING ON THINGS THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.
I AS AN EXAMPLE, I DIDN'T GET THIS UNTIL SUNDAY NIGHT.
I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, THE ADDITIONAL MONIES.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU CAN RELATE TO ME, THIS ONE ITEM.
YOU'RE JUSTIFYING THE ADDITIONAL SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
BY CAPTURING $487,000, OF WHICH 211,000 OF IT IS A VACANT POSITION FOR AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
SO ARE YOU SERVING AS THE INTERIM, KNOWING THAT YOU'VE REMOVED THAT FROM OUR BUDGET IF WE IMPLEMENT THIS? NO, IT'S STILL THERE. LIKE I MENTIONED, ALL THIS GETS BUILT INTO THE NEW BUDGET AND CORRECTED IN THE PLACE THAT IT WOULD GO IF APPROVED.
SO HOW ARE YOU JUSTIFYING THE ADDITIONAL COST THAT YOU IMPLEMENTED IF THAT POSITION IS NOT VACATED? WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT POSITIONS.
THESE ARE THE ONES WE RECOMMEND IN THIS PROPOSAL.
WE REGULARLY HAVE 100 TO 200 VACANT POSITIONS AT ONE TIME.
SO THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT OPTIONS ON HOW TO FUND THINGS WHEN NEEDS ARISE.
OKAY. SO LET ME GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I THINK WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT DISCUSSIONS TO HAVE THAT I DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONVERSATE WITH YOU ON.
RIGHT. NEW PUBLIC SAFETY MANAGING DIRECTOR $243,000 FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
DOES THAT OUTWEIGH AND SUPERSEDE MY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS? NO IT DOES NOT. IT DOES NOT.
SO EVERY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WILL MAKE MORE THAN THAT BY HOW MUCH? LIKE ROUGHLY PERCENTAGE WISE, ARE THEY? IS THERE A PRETTY GOOD DISPARITY OR DO WE HAVE.
YEAH, I THINK THE ACMS RANGE ANYWHERE FROM BASE PAY.
10 TO 20,000 MORE THAN THAT ONE.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH ANY.
YES. RIGHT. RIGHT NEXT TO LIKE UP AND DOWN.
[02:30:02]
ORGANIZATIONAL ADVANCEMENT IS THAT NOT THE CITY MANAGER'S JOB? ORGANIZATIONAL ADVANCEMENT AS FAR AS GOING IN AND WORKING HANDS ON WITH DEPARTMENTS AND BUILDING UP STAFF.THAT'S LIKE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, SUCCESSION PLANNING.
HOW DO WE INTEGRATE WITHIN ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS? IT REALLY NEEDS A MORE DEDICATED PERSON TO GO IN AND MAKE THOSE IMPACTFUL CHANGES WORKING WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS DAY TO DAY.
OKAY. THAT ONE I DON'T FOLLOW, SO I DON'T WANT TO GET IN THE WEEDS ON THAT ONE NECESSARILY.
I DON'T FOLLOW THE ORGANIZATIONAL ADVANCEMENT THE PUBLIC SAFETY ONE I DID TALK TO YOU ABOUT.
YOU TOLD ME ABOUT IT. I'M NOT I'M DEFINITELY NOT TRYING TO BACK UP ON WHERE I WAS.
YOU KNOW, I SAID I WOULD NOT DO ANY OF THAT ON ON SOME OF THESE OTHER ONES.
SO DID YOU HAVE THE OTHER THREE FULLY INFORMED? I DID NOT HEAR FROM THE OTHER THREE FROM WHAT I SENT OUT.
I JUST WANT, I NEED, I NEED YOU TO GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF TO WHAT LEVEL OF ALL OF THIS THAT WE'RE NOW HAVING AFTER YOU IMPLEMENTED THESE CHANGES, DID THE OTHER THREE INDIVIDUALS GIVE CONSENT ON? I DID NOT GET A DIRECT CONVERSATION ON ANY PARTICULAR POSITION.
I DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO YEAH, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE.
I SHOULD HAVE CALLED EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY AND MADE SURE THAT THEY HAD THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AND AGAIN, I DID NOT KNOW I NEEDED TO ASK EACH ONE DO I HAVE YOUR CONSENT? BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT WHAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH, SO I WOULD NOT HAVE ASKED THAT QUESTION.
I THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS MAYBE MY OWN IGNORANCE, THAT I WRONGLY ASSUMED THAT YOU COULDN'T CREATE A NEW POSITION READING THE CHARTER, WHERE IT SAYS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL BE ABLE TO CREATE OR REMOVE, YOU KNOW, POSITIONS AND DEPARTMENTS.
RIGHT? IT SAYS DEPARTMENTS, JUST DEPARTMENTS.
OKAY. SO MAKE ANY NEW DEPARTMENTS SO.
WELL, MIDDLE MANAGEMENT IS IT'S NOT A NEW DEPARTMENT, A WHOLE NEW.
NOT A NEW DEPARTMENT, THE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR IS GOING TO BE IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
ALL THE SAME DEPARTMENTS. ONCE AGAIN, MY OWN UNEDUCATION HERE KIND OF ON DISPLAY.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED TO YOU IN OUR MEETING ABOUT THIS IS A MESS, RIGHT? I DON'T FEEL THAT I'VE CREATED THIS MESS.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME HOW I'VE DONE THIS? I DON'T THINK YOU'VE CREATED A MESS.
SO I KNOW SPECIFICALLY DO I BRING NEW POSITIONS.
IF WE'RE FILLING A DIRECTOR ROLE, DO I BRING THAT FOR APPROVAL? SOME CITIES PUT THEM ON AGENDA FOR A COUNCIL TO AFFIRM THE HIRE.
SO I NEED TO KNOW IF THAT'S HOW WE WANT TO PROCEED.
SO THOSE ARE JUST THE DETAILS I'M LACKING.
I THINK IF WE POSTED POSITIONS AND TOOK LETTERS OF INTENT OR LETTERS OF INTEREST.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YOU TOOK.
I MEAN, THE ONES I READ WERE THE ONES YOU PLACED.
YOU KNOW, I FEEL A GREATER SENSE OF OBLIGATION TO THE ORGANIZATION TO MAKE SURE IF YOU DO CREATE A NEW POSITION REGARDLESS THAT THAT WE ALL CARE ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE STAFF ENOUGH TO FACTOR IN HOW PLACEMENT OF THESE INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT DUE PROCESS WOULD BE HARMFUL.
AND SO I APOLOGIZE TO THE ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE HERE.
HOW DO YOU DO YOUR JOB WITH ME YOU KNOW, AS YOUR BOSS OR AS ONE OF YOUR FIVE BOSSES? IT IS. HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER FOR WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ORGANIZATION ON YOUR SIDE? ABSOLUTELY. AND I DO WANT TO STAY IN MY LANE.
I DO WANT TO BE DRIVEN ON POLICY.
AND I DO NEED A CITY MANAGER THAT IS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS SOME SUBJECTIVITY TO THIS.
AND IF YOU PLACE ALL OF THE SUBJECTIVITY ON MY SHOULDERS AS MAYOR, BE OBJECTIVE, TYPE IT ALL UP, FIGURE IT ALL OUT, GIVE IT BACK TO ME THEN RELATIONALLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE A GOOD TEAMMATE FOR EACH OTHER.
SO I NEED YOU TO BE IN A POSITION WHERE YOU CAN DO YOUR JOB WITH ALL FIVE OF US.
SURE. UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONAL ASPECT OF IT.
[02:35:01]
ABSOLUTELY. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN STILL DO THAT? YES, SIR. OKAY. I FEEL LIKE WE CAN BE FIVE GOOD BOSSES.AND I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A MINUTE.
LET ANYBODY ELSE HERE THAT NEEDS TO ADD SOME CONTEXT OR ASK ANOTHER QUESTION.
BUT THEN I'D LOVE TO GET THIS BACK ON THE TRACK SO WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.
YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT A TIMELINE WHICH I WAS UNAWARE OF.
RIGHT. WHEN DID THIS BEGIN? WHEN DID THIS BEGIN? DECEMBER. DECEMBER.
AND YOU DID SPEAK TO BECAUSE ONE OF MY CONCERNS WAS WHETHER THE DEPARTMENTS OR THE WHETHER THEY EVEN KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON, WHETHER IT WAS APD, WHETHER IT SPEAKERS]. AND WHAT YOU TOLD ME IS THEY DID.
YES. YEAH. SO THE WAY IT WORKED, ALL 11 APPLIED.
ONCE WE NARROWED IT DOWN, WE MET WITH THOSE THAT WERE BEING SELECTED.
WE ALSO SPOKE TO THOSE THAT WERE NOT SELECTED AND EXPLAINED WHY.
WELL, THAT WAS BEFORE WE EVEN MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WE HAD ALL THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
SO WHEN YOU SAY ALL 11 APPLIED, ALL 11 FOR WHAT POSITION? ALL POSITIONS. SO THE WAY IT WORKED, IT WAS I WAS ASKING BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL DIRECTORS, SO THERE'S NOT REALLY A JOB TO APPLY FOR.
IT'S AN ADVANCED TITLE TO HELP OUT.
AND THEN WE EVALUATE ALL THOSE PROPOSALS AND CAME UP WITH THE FINAL VERSION.
OKAY. SO I THINK I MEAN, I THINK WHAT GIVES US PAUSE IN HEARING ALL THIS IS ALL THIS WAS GOING ON INSIDE AN ORGANIZATION THAT WE'RE TECHNICALLY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR.
RIGHT? I MEAN, I THINK THAT WAS THE DEAL.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND YOU SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE I WAS COMPLETELY DOING THE RIGHT THING.
I MEAN, I'M IMPROVING WHAT I FEEL LIKE I'M PROVIDING EFFICIENCIES.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT'S THE CONCERN IS THIS BIG THING WAS GOING ON.
INTERVIEWS WERE GOING ON, ON BIG POSITIONS RIGHT.
RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT.
WE CAN'T KNOW ABOUT LIKE YOU SAID, WE GOT TO KNOW WHAT WHAT LEVEL DO.
I NEED TO KNOW WHICH LEVEL AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOW, RIGHT? I MEAN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, CLEAR DIRECTION.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG PAUSES WE HAVE.
DID YOU RECEIVE ANY DIRECTION FROM ANYONE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE? NOW I DON'T MEAN INPUT, BUT DIRECTION FROM ANYBODY INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION.
FOR WHAT? TO DO, WHAT TO CREATE THESE POSITIONS TO DO.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIG THING.
I MEAN, WE WORK IN IT DAY AND DAY.
THIS THIS WASN'T A MAJOR CHANGE OPERATIONALLY.
THESE WERE JUST MOVING PIECES AROUND REPORTING STRUCTURES SO THAT IT COULD WORK BETTER TOGETHER.
YEAH. SO HONESTLY, WE WOULDN'T EVEN NEED TO CALL A MANAGING DIRECTOR.
YOU CAN JUST HAVE A DIRECTOR THAT DIRECTORS REPORT TO.
IT'S REALLY JUST TO CLARIFY REPORTING STRUCTURE MORE THAN ANYTHING.
SO DID YOU BRING THE OTHER ACMS IN THIS? FROM DAY ONE? FROM DAY ONE? SO THEY ALL KNEW ABOUT IT? YES, SIR. EVERYBODY KNEW EVERYBODY IN MANAGEMENT.
YEAH, EVERY DIRECTOR GOT THE EMAIL.
THEY WORKED WITH ME FROM I MEAN, I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING BY MYSELF.
I DIDN'T COME UP WITH A PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR POSITION.
CHIEF BIRKENFELD AND ANOTHER DIRECTOR PITCHED THOSE IDEAS.
YEAH. DID ANY OF YOU GUYS FEEL THE NEED TO SAY YOU RUN THIS BY COUNCIL, OR DO YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS JUST WHAT WE DO? I FELT LIKE IT WAS GOOD.
I MEAN, IT'S A GOOD DIRECTION FROM YOU.
THE WAY ALL THESE HAVE WORKED. THIS IS HOW THE CITY MANAGER OPERATE IN THE PAST.
SO NO, I DON'T THINK ANY OF THEM WOULD HAVE SAID, HEY, LET'S GO TO COUNCIL WITH IT.
I MEAN, YOU JUST FELT LIKE THIS IS WE'RE JUST DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ORGANIZATION, RIGHT? OKAY. RIGHT. DO YOU THINK AND THIS IS JUST BEING REAL HONEST AND BLUNT, AND IT'S KIND OF OUT HERE IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY.
DO YOU THINK MAKING THESE MOVES.
I MEAN, YOU'RE IN A UNIQUE SITUATION.
YOU'VE GOT A BIG POSITION COMING UP, RIGHT? AND WE'VE GOT A SEARCH FIRM THAT'S LOOKING FOR YOUR POSITION.
RIGHT? YEAH. AND YOU'RE GOING TO COMPETE FOR THIS THING.
AND MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD BE IF WE CAN REALLY BE SUPER HONEST, BUT.
GO FOR IT. WAS THIS IN ANY WAY YOU TRYING TO PROVE YOURSELF AS LIKE, HEY, LOOK AT WHAT I CAN DO.
LOOK LIKE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SHOW YOU FIVE THAT I'M GOOD.
[02:40:09]
HASTE OF THIS, WHAT WE FEEL LIKE IS HASTE? I MEAN, YOU SAID IT WAS BACK IN DECEMBER.AND I'VE SEEN THE ORGANIZATION, I'VE BEEN A PART OF IT.
AND SO OF ALL THESE GUYS, THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT FACTORED INTO IT.
IT WAS JUST WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS, THAT MIGHT HELP FIX SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACED OR HOW WE CAN WORK BETTER TOGETHER.
THAT'S REALLY ALL IT CAME DOWN TO.
YEAH, EVEN THE ONE WEEK AS APPROVED THEY WERE ALREADY SEEING BENEFITS AND COMMENTING ON IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT A POLICE CHIEF IS GOING TO BE MOVED OUT.
AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT IN ADVANCE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
AND I FELT IT WAS PUTTING HIM IN A STRONGER ROLE TO DO MORE GOOD I'M JUST SAYING AS A COUNCIL PERSON YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING WE ALL WOULD SAY IS WE DON'T WANT TO BE SURPRISED, RIGHT? WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO SAY OH NO, WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.
RIGHT. BUT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, I REACHED OUT TO YOU AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I ASKED, WOULD IT HURT ANYTHING IF WE PUT THIS ON PAUSE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AFTERWARDS I SAID, WELL, EVEN AS A COURTESY, YOU KNOW, WHY WOULDN'T YOU TELL COUNCIL AND YOU SAID, WOULD IT HAVE BEEN A COURTESY, OR WOULD YOU HAVE JUST TOLD ME TO STOP? AND THEN YOU SAID IN MY RESPONSE OF JUST ASKING, CAN WE WAIT? YOU SAID, I THOUGHT IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC NO.
AND SO, I MEAN, I MEAN, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT.
RIGHT. I FELT LIKE YOU REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO HEAR MY OPINION.
AGAIN. I THOUGHT IT WAS COMPLETELY OPERATIONAL.
I GOT MY MIC IS MESSING UP HERE OR SOMETHING TODAY.
Y'ALL, Y'ALL MESSED WITH MY MIC, DIDN'T YOU? WE COULD HEAR YOU. THE QUESTION.
YES, SIR. I HAVE IS FOR THIS YEAR, WE MOVED $500,000 TO COVER THE BUDGET FROM OTHER POSITIONS.
THAT WAS A PROPOSAL. YES, SIR.
BUT GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, ARE WE GOING TO CUT $500,000 WORTH OF POSITIONS TO KEEP EVERYTHING AT A STATUS QUO? OR ARE WE GOING TO COME BACK AND STILL WANT BUDGET? ONLY HALF $1 MILLION MORE? NO, WE WOULD MAKE THE PROPOSED BUDGET WITH THE ADJUSTMENTS IN MIND.
IT WOULD NOT BE ASKING FOR NEW POSITIONS OR NEW FUNDS.
SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT MOVING THESE PEOPLE AROUND, DID WE STOP TO PUT X'S ON POSITIONS NOT TO HIRE? YES, YES.
SO THOSE POSITIONS ARE FROZEN AND WOULDN'T BE HIRED DURING THIS BUDGET.
AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT FORMALIZING IN THE NEXT BUDGET PROCESS.
I DON'T GUESS WE KNOW THE PEOPLE WE ARE NOT HIRING ANYMORE.
RIGHT. WELL IT'S THOSE ADMIN POSITIONS.
SO THAT'S PART OF OUR PROCESS.
THAT'S ALSO HOW WE FUNDED RAISES IN THE PAST IN A CERTAIN DEPARTMENT, MAYBE THEY HAVE A VACANCY, BUT IT'D BE MAKING MORE SENSE TO CUT THAT POSITION AND PAY THE OTHER FOLKS ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FOR THE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD.
SO IT'S THOSE KIND OF FLEXIBILITIES THAT WE'VE USED IN THE PAST.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN WE SAY WE NEED X NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, WE REALLY DON'T NEED X NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES. IT REALLY DEPENDS.
THERE'S ALWAYS A CUSHION OUT HERE, RIGHT? NOT NECESSARILY THE WAY WE WERE ABLE TO WORK SOME OF THOSE.
ONE WAS HAVING DONNY AS A MANAGING DIRECTOR.
THEY DIDN'T SEE THE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER ADMIN SUPPORT STAFF.
JUSTIN OPPEL WAS ABLE TO BE ABSORBED IN THE PLANNING STRUCTURE, SO HE DIDN'T NEED A DEDICATED ADMIN.
[02:45:03]
SO IT'S THEY THEY NEED THEM AT THE TIME.NOW, WHEN YOU SEND US THAT EMAIL IN YOUR REPORT TELLING US WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO DO.
YEAH. I ASSUMED THAT WHAT YOU HAD WRITTEN THERE, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU SEND US REPORTS, WE TALK ABOUT IT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR OTHER TIMES SOMETIMES.
YES. AND I ASSUMED AND THAT'S WHERE I MADE A MISTAKE, THAT THESE THINGS THAT WAS IN THAT EMAIL.
WOULD COME BACK. WERE GOING TO BE TALKED ABOUT.
RIGHT. AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
RIGHT. YOU KNOW, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ALL THE OTHERS.
AND I WAS SURPRISED TODAY TO HEAR THAT ALL THIS STARTED IN DECEMBER.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW FROM DECEMBER, JANUARY AND INTO, WE DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT ANY OF THAT.
YOU KNOW. AND THAT'S ON ME BECAUSE IT WAS ALL OPERATIONAL CHANGES.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW COUNCIL WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM.
OTHERWISE I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY TOLD YOU BACK IN DECEMBER.
AND YOU KNOW, THE WAY I'M SEEING THINGS FOLD OUT TODAY IS THAT COME BUDGET TIME NEXT YEAR, I THINK WE BASICALLY CAN SAY WE CAN CUT POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE LOOK AT EVERY YEAR WHEN WE PROPOSE THE BUDGET.
WE DO. WHETHER WE THINK WE'LL FILL THEM.
COULD WE GET A LIST, LIKE HOW MANY POSITIONS WE BUDGETED THIS YEAR THAT AREN'T FILLED, AND A LIST OF BUDGETED POSITIONS THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT WEREN'T FILLED.
AND MAYBE GIVE ME A FIVE YEAR DEAL.
THAT WAY I CAN REALLY GO BACK AND MAKE A DETERMINATION.
WELL, WE'VE GONE FIVE YEARS WITHOUT 30 SOMETHING EMPLOYEES OR 40 EMPLOYEES.
WE MAY JUST SAY THIS YEAR WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT THOSE UP.
ABSOLUTELY. I THINK IF WE HAD THAT KIND OF INFORMATION IT WOULD HELP US MAKE A DECISION.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, MY OPINION IS I WOULD LIKE TO SIT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AND LOOK AT THIS THING AND THINK ABOUT IT AGAIN.
I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT IT LAST WEEK.
BUT I'M NOT READY TO REALLY SAY, LET'S DO THIS.
I MEAN, IF ANY OF THEM, I WOULD BE READY TO DO THE PUBLIC SAFETY.
YEAH. SO I WANT TO HEAR WHAT YOU GUYS STILL HAVE TO SAY, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE IT TO DIRECTION AND HELP TO DEFINE EXPECTATIONS BEFORE WE GO TO POSITIONAL CHALLENGES.
SURE. DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU GET? NO. YEAH. COUNCILMAN SIMPSON.
GO AHEAD. I MAY HAVE SOMETHING, BUT, I MEAN.
OKAY. RELATED BACK TO THESE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS.
HERE'S PROBABLY WHERE I'M AT CREATING NEW POSITIONS HIGH LEVEL MANAGING DIRECTORS, 200 PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS. TO ME, THAT'S A GIVEN.
I WOULDN'T EXPECT TO BE IN YOUR POSITION HAVE MY MAYOR SURPRISED ON A SATURDAY FROM A MEDIA REQUEST, AND EXPECT HIM TO BE HAPPY OR SATISFIED WITH MY PERFORMANCE, IF THAT'S HOW HE FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS.
SO NEW POSITIONS, BUT THEY'RE RECLASS POSITIONS.
SO HOW DO YOU WANT TO DEFINE THEM? CREATED A NEW JOB DESCRIPTION.
YEAH. HAD PEOPLE APPLY FOR THIS WITHOUT JOB DESCRIPTIONS I UNDERSTAND.
YOU HAD LETTERS OF INTEREST WITHOUT JOB DESCRIPTIONS.
YEAH. SO OUT OF ORDER IN AND THEY'RE VERY CUSTOMIZED BECAUSE THEY WERE HELPING CREATE THE POSITION.
[02:50:02]
OKAY. THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IS KIND OF A DEFINITION ISSUE IS APPOINTIVE.SO APPOINT ALL APPOINTIVE OFFICERS OR EMPLOYEES.
YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE A LIST OF THOSE PLACES.
YOU CAN JUST PICK THIS PERSON IF YOU THINK THEY MEET THE VALUES OF THE TEAM.
YOU ALREADY KNOW THEY'RE AT A HIGH LEVEL.
THEY HAVE THE DEGREES, CREDENTIALS.
IT'S REALLY JUST A MATTER OF FIT AND THEN YOU APPOINT THEM.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT CLARIFICATION.
IF MY EXPECTATION IS, IS THESE MANAGING DIRECTORS AND THEN ALSO THESE DIRECTORS ALL SIT DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH ME, THE CITY MANAGER AND I APPOINT THESE, AND I DO THIS WITHOUT ADVISEMENT AND CONSENT OF COUNCIL PER, YOU KNOW, THE SECTIONS AND POWERS AND DUTIES IN THE GOVERNANCE AND ENDS DOCUMENT.
DOES THAT RIGHTLY ALIGN WITH THE CHARTER, AND IF SO, THEN WE HAVE A CLEAR MOVE FORWARD? CURRENTLY IN THE GOVERNANCE AND ENDS IT DOESN'T ALIGN, OKAY.
IT JUST SAYS COUNCIL APPROVED CITY MANAGER, MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO ADD BACK IN THE DIRECTORS.
I WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD THAT, YOU KNOW, APPOINTIVE POSITIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN MAYBE.
THAT'S WHAT I NEED. NO, I DON'T KNOW.
FIRING AND THAT THERE'S A DIRECTOR ABOVE THEM.
I WOULD NEVER EXPECT THAT TO HIT YOUR DESK NECESSARILY AN MINE FOR SURE.
BUT THEN AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE DIRECTORS, MANAGING DIRECTORS, ACMS AND CITY MANAGER I WOULD UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WOULD BE ADVISING CONSENT.
SO I'LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IS THAT I PUT IT ON A CONSENT AGENDA.
AM I JUST ASKING? I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW TO PROCESS THOSE.
I LOOK AT IT, MAN, IF YOU'RE LOSING A DIRECTOR, WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED? YOU KNOW, WHERE IS THIS COMING FROM? THERE'S ALL SORTS OF OF GOOD RELATIONAL ASPECTS HERE.
NOT WELL, LET ME DO YOUR JOB OR I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
WELL, I JUST NEED TO KNOW IF I'VE GOT A FINAL IDENTIFIED CANDIDATE.
DO I PUT IT ON AGENDA? DO I EMAIL EACH OF YOU? DO I SEND YOU THEIR RESUME? WHAT? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME TO GET IT CONSENTED? YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW.
AND I'D LOVE TO USE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS ANALOGY ON THIS ONE.
BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT IN PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE.
AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN IF YOU THINK WE CAN DRAW THE LINE JUST LIKE WE DRAW IT ON BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY UNDERSTAND CEO, CFO, CIO, THEY'RE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN ALL OF THAT.
AND THAT'S YOUR TYPICAL BUSINESS MODEL.
I THINK WE COULD WE COULD LET YOU BRING THAT BACK.
AND THAT MAKES SENSE TO US BEING BUSINESS INDIVIDUALS.
OR MAYBE THEY'RE ALL APPOINTIVE.
AND WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH RECLASSIFYING THAT.
OKAY. MINE WOULD PROBABLY BE NONE.
BUT I WILL WORK WITH YOU ALL TO REFINE IT.
I GUESS THE THE INFORMATION AND THE EDUCATION SIDE WOULD BE THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.
IF THERE IS NONE, IS IT JUST THE ANNUAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING? AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT.
OR IS IT JUST MAKING IT CLEAR ONCE THE BUDGET'S ADOPTED, DO NOT CREATE A NEW POSITION.
DO NOT TRY AND MOVE THINGS AROUND.
MAYBE THAT'S A DIRECTION I NEEDED.
BECAUSE. YEAH, BUT I THINK THERE'S A LEVEL RIGHT.
THAT MAKES SENSE. AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOME COMMON SENSE NOT BEING UTILIZED HERE.
AND I GET THAT YOU'RE FRUSTRATED.
BUT, I MEAN, THERE'S SOME COMMON SENSE OF MAJOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES, AND I THINK WE CAN LEAVE HERE GOING, OKAY, SO WHERE IS THAT? RIGHT? I DON'T KNOW THAT A DIRECTOR I MEAN, I WANT TO YEAH.
IS IT HIRING A VACANT POSITION.
SO SO WE'VE GOT ALL THESE POSITIONS.
THESE ARE APPROVED IN THE BUDGET.
DO YOU ALL WANT TO CONSENT TO WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M HIRING THE PERSON YOU WANT? OR DO YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH I'M PAYING? I DON'T WANT TO KNOW.
I DON'T WANT TO KNOW YOU'RE HIRING THE RIGHT PERSON.
I DON'T WANT DOESN'T MATTER. SAYING THAT.
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHO IT IS I'M HIRING? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S SO MUCH WHO.
BUT IF IT'S A POSITION IF LIKE IN THIS SITUATION WE CREATED.
WE HAVE A VACANCY IN FINANCE DIRECTOR.
WE MADE AN OFFER I BELIEVE THEY'VE ALREADY ACCEPTED.
HOW DO I MOVE FORWARD GETTING CONSENT TO FILL THAT POSITION.
SO FINANCE DIRECTOR IT FALLS WHERE ON THE ORG CHART.
UNDER LAURA. SO ONE OF THESE OKAY.
[02:55:01]
SO WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT PERSON THAT WE HAVE READY TO COME WORK HERE? I HAVE NOT TOLD THEM THEY NEED TO GET CONSENT FROM COUNCIL OR WHAT THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE.WHAT DO I DO WITH THAT? YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THE PERSON, BUT HOW DO I FILL IT IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE PERSON? I WOULD GO BACK TO THAT AND JUST SAY, I DON'T FEEL LIKE CONSENT IS NEEDED ON THOSE DIRECTOR POSITIONS.
BUT THEN ONE FROM OCTOBER, THAT ONE.
YEAH. AND HONESTLY, LET ME TELL YOU THAT ONE, LIKE, MANAGING DIRECTOR TITLE DIDN'T CATCH IT.
YOU AND I DID TALK I CONSENTED DEFINITELY GAVE YOU AS MUCH INPUT.
THINK HE'S GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS.
DID NOT REALIZE THAT YOU KNOW, MUCH LIKE WITH MY DAUGHTER.
YEAH. I GAVE YOU THE CREDIT CARD.
RIGHT? I KNEW YOU WERE BUYING THE SHOES.
DIDN'T KNOW YOU WERE BUYING A HOUSE.
WHAT IF I LEFT EVERYBODY? WHAT IF I LEFT EVERYBODY AS DIRECTOR TITLES AND JUST HAD DIRECTORS APPOINT TO OR REPORT TO THEM, THEN I'M NOT CHANGING THE STRUCTURE.
I'M JUST REPLACING WHO'S REPORTING TO WHO.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART IS SOMETHING THAT'S GIVEN TO ALL OF OUR PUBLIC.
CHANGING THE CHART, I BELIEVE, WOULD BE MORE OF THE CONSENT LEVEL AS WELL.
NOW, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S BENEFICIAL TO GET INTO THE DIRECTOR ROLE.
BELOW ACMS AND THEN NEW POSITIONS, BUT EVEN EVEN ACMS, I MEAN I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, FLOYD HARTMAN KNOWS WHERE EVERY VALVE IS IN THIS ENTIRE CITY.
LIKE, IF YOU JUST DECIDED, HEY, HE DON'T, YOU KNOW, HE NO LONGER MANAGES THIS OVER HERE.
SO I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT CLEAR.
I DO WANT TO CLEAR IT UP THOUGH.
AND I THINK THE ISSUE HERE IS OUR WE ARE ELECTED BY THE COMMUNITY TO BE A CHECK AND BALANCE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR AND THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
THAT'S THE CITIZENS HAVE ALL THE POWER.
THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO COME UP HERE.
BUT THE LIMITED IS WE'RE A CHECK AND BALANCE.
BUT THE ISSUE HERE IS NOT ONLY THAT, IT'S COMMUNICATION, US KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT'S ON THE CITY MANAGER, AND THAT TAKES JUDGMENT.
AND THAT TAKES THE ABILITY TO SAY, WOW, IF I WAS SITTING IN THAT CHAIR.
SO, I MEAN, I GUESS WE'RE TRYING TO GET CLARITY, BUT HOW LONG ARE WE GOING TO SPEND? I GUESS GETTING CLARITY ON THINGS WHEN I THINK PART OF THIS IS THAT JUST KEEPING US INFORMED BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE FIVE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT YOU DO, AND WE GET JUDGED ON THAT BECAUSE YOU THEN GO PERFORM IT.
SO I THINK IT'S A LITTLE I MEAN WE'RE YOUR BOSS IF YOU WILL.
RIGHT. THERE'S FIVE OF US AND THAT MAKES IT HARD AS ANY JOB IN THE COUNTRY, BUT AS YOUR BOSS, IT'S LIKE ARE THE ONES THAT AND WE'RE NOT YOUR BOSS, THE CITIZENS ARE THE BOSS.
OR WAIT, MAYBE I SHOULD ON THE SIDE OF, YOU KNOW, GIVING MORE INFORMATION.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO? I THINK THE CHARTER SAYS BRING BACK EVERY EMPLOYEE.
OKAY, WELL THEN IF WE NEED TO MAKE, THEN IF WE NEED TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO BE FOLLOWING THE CHARTER OR IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE IN THE CHARTER THAT WE CAN DO THAT. THAT'S WHAT I NEED CLARIFIED.. BUT WE DON'T NEED TO BE BECAUSE THAT CHARTER AGAIN, WE HAVE VERY LIMITED VERY LIMITED.
AND TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO GET INFORMATION RIGHT, NOT ONLY ON THE THINGS THAT YOU MAY THINK THAT WERE REQUIRED TO DO, BUT AND AGAIN, I WISH I COULD GIVE YOU THE LIST, BUT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, THIS IS THE LIST OF WHAT YOU NEED TO TELL US ABOUT.
IT'S UP TO A CITY MANAGER TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT.
AND I THINK IF YOU GO TALK TO JOHN WARD OR OTHER CITY MANAGERS, YOU COULD PROBABLY GET A LITTLE BIT OF ADVICE ON HOW DO YOU KEEP THE COUNCIL INFORMED? BECAUSE I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S FOR US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE AND THAT WE'RE PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
[03:00:06]
I ONLY NEED CLARITY ON ONE ONE THING.DOES COUNCIL WANT TO BRING BACK THIS ENTIRE PROPOSAL FOR CONSIDERATION.
DOES COUNCIL WANT TO BRING BACK ANY SINGULAR POSITION? DOES COUNCIL WANT TO SIT PUSH AWAY FROM THE TABLE FOR A PERIOD OF WEEKS HERE? WELL, I THINK I NEED FEEDBACK TO DETERMINE IF I WANT TO BRING BACK A POSITION AFTER TALKING TO STAFF.
BUT YEAH, I'D WANT TO KNOW WHAT APPETITE YOU HAVE FOR ANY OF THEM TO BRING BACK.
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE DIRECTION.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE COUNCIL, TO GIVE DIRECTION ON WHAT THEIR INTERESTS ARE.
AND THEN, YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE SAYING THAT VERY APPROPRIATELY.
IF Y'ALL LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU DON'T LIKE THIS ONE.
WE SHOULD HAVE A NEW CITY MANAGER.
MY THINKING WOULD BE SINCE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMEONE THAT WE DON'T MAKE ANY CHANGES AT THIS POINT, OKAY? THAT WHEN WE HIRE THE NEW CITY MANAGER BECAUSE AND I THINK ONE GREAT THING OUT OF THIS THAT I THINK HAS COME IS TALKING ABOUT AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
BECAUSE AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS, WHAT I ALSO WANT TO HEAR IS I WANT TO HEAR OTHER CITY MANAGER CANDIDATES POSITION ON LAYERS ORGANIZATIONS. I DID SOME OF MY HOMEWORK MYSELF.
AND I MEAN, THERE WERE 16, YOU KNOW, 16 CITIES THAT HAD THIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
IN FACT, THERE'S JUST AS MANY IN THE STATE.
THAT'S A QUESTION I WANT TO ASK.
I MEAN, IS IT BECAUSE WHAT AND WITH THE BEST OF INTENTION WHEN YOU'RE ADDING MORE LAYERS.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO GET THINGS UP THROUGH THERE TO GET THEM CHANGED.
AND YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THE NEW CITY MANAGER COMES ON BOARD, SHE OR HE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THEN TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT IS HAMSTRINGING SOMEONE NEW, IF YOU CAME IN AND MAKE ALL THESE CHANGES AND GIVE ALL THESE RAISES, THEN THIS PERSON SAYS, THIS IS NOT THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE DONE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IT'S LIKE? IS THERE WAYS TO IMPROVE IT AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT? AND I THINK THAT WILL ALSO GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT ISSUE.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO SINCE I'VE HEARD FROM THE OTHER MANAGEMENT AND THEY'VE DISCUSSED THIS.
THEY FEEL LIKE IT'S BENEFICIAL.
I MEAN, THAT THEY NEED TO RUN THE ORGANIZATION.
THEY NEED TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE IF IT'S AN INTERNAL LIKE ANDREW, IF IT'S INTERNAL, IF SOME GUY FROM OUTSIDE OR SOME WOMAN FROM OUTSIDE, I'D SAY NO, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING. LIKE, DON'T TOUCH OUR ORGANIZATION.
I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IMPROVING THE ORGANIZATION IF THAT'S THE CASE.
BUT IF WE'RE LOOKING AT A AN EFFICIENCY OR WE'RE LOOKING AT A WAY TO BETTER OUR ORGANIZATION, I THINK WE MIGHT BE FOOLISH TO WALK AWAY FROM IT WHEN WE HAVE WHAT WE'VE SAID, YOU KNOW, A GOOD TEAM IN PLACE AND THAT THEY'VE DONE THEIR INPUT IF IT'S DONE CORRECT.
NOW, WE DON'T AGREE WITH THE WAY IT WAS BROUGHT.
RIGHT. WE THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THE ADVICE AND THE CONSENT.
BUT IF IT'S BEEN LOOKED AT WHICH BUT WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE DARK.
WELL, WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
WE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ANY OF THIS.
BUT WHAT'S THE HARM IN WAITING A FEW MORE MONTHS TO GET THIS DONE? BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT'S IN CASE, AGAIN, WE MAKE THESE CHANGES, WE HIRE SOMEONE ELSE AND THEY SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, BECAUSE THAT THESE ARE GREAT CHANGES TO BE MADE AND THEY'RE THE RIGHT.
[03:05:02]
UNFAIR TO YOU KNOW, MAKE ALL THESE CHANGES AND NO FAULT IN THE PLAN, BUT I WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS OR WHAT OTHERS MAY SAY AND NOT HAMSTRING A NEW CITY MANAGER TO A STRUCTURE THAT HE OR SHE MAY NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE.THE WAY I WOULD LOOK AT IS WE MIGHT NOT BE HAMSTRINGING A NEW CITY MANAGER.
WE MIGHT BE GIVING THEM BENEFITS.
YOU'VE GOT A BETTER, WELL-RUN ORGANIZATION.
DO WE THINK THAT OR DO WE KNOW THAT? I MEAN, WE THINK, WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE IN THE DARK, WE DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS I'M NOT OPPOSED.
I'M NOT SAYING, HEY, MOVE FORWARD AND JUST PLACE EVERYBODY.
EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE ASKING TO SAY WOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS GOING ON.
NOW, IF YOU BRING US ON BOARD, WE MIGHT SAY, HATE IT BAD.
OUR ADVICE WOULD BE NO OR YES HERE, YES, WHATEVER IT IS.
RIGHT. BUT WE MAY LOOK AT IT IF IT WAS PRESENTED TO US AND WE SAY THOSE ARE SOME GREAT IDEAS OR THAT'S TERRIBLE, WE AT LEAST GET TO GIVE THE ADVICE AND CONSENT, WHICH IS WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS.
WHETHER WE GET A NEW CITY MANAGER, WHETHER IT'S ANDREW OR IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE WE ARE GUIDING OUR ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE PERSON THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GUIDING OUR ORGANIZATION THROUGH.
SO IF WE HAVE THE INPUT OF THE ORGANIZATION, WHY WOULD WE NOT MOVE FORWARD? BECAUSE IF THERE IS SOMEBODY NEW, IF IT'S NOT ANDREW, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOOK AND SEE WHO THEY DON'T KNOW THE PEOPLE THEY DON'T KNOW THE ORGANIZATION WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE SOMEBODY HERE THAT SAYS, HEY, WE'VE GOT SOMEBODY IN PLACE.
YOU'RE GOING TO TRUST THE NEW CITY MANAGER TO RECOMMEND CHANGES.
SO IT COULD BE WORTHWHILE TO WAIT BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN AND EVALUATE IT WITH FRESH EYES.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'D WANT TO CHANGE.
BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO SPEND SOME TIME GETTING TO KNOW EVERYBODY TO MAKE ANY OF THESE CHANGES.
COUNCILMAN CRAFT WHERE ARE YOU AT ON IT.
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, MAYOR.
I DON'T KNOW, I WOULD JUST BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT AND HONEST WITH YOU.
AS MUCH AS IT SUCKS TO SAY SO, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU.
I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR MORE FEEDBACK AT THE VERY START WHEN Y]ALL APPOINTED ME.
AS FAR AS THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
I GUESS I AGREE MORE WITH LES AS TO WHERE LEAVING IT ALL THE SAME.
SO CAN I GET THE APPROVAL FOR DONNY TO STAY IN HIS MANAGING DIRECTOR ROLE? YES. CAN I GET THAT CONSENT? YEAH, I LOVE THAT CONSENT.
HE'S BEEN IN IT SINCE OCTOBER AND THAT'S WHY HE CAME BACK FROM AUSTIN.
WE. SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LOVE THAT ONE AT LEAST.
WE HAVE A COURSE OF DEALINGS WITH YOU HERE.
I KNOW THAT I HAD GOOD KNOWLEDGE.
YOU TOLD ME BEFORE YOU EVER HIRED HIM.
YOU HAD GIVEN ME A HEADS UP A MONTH BEFORE WHEN HE WAS EVEN LOOKING AT IT.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE DEFINITELY VISITED WITH YOU ON THAT ONE.
I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT MANAGING DIRECTOR ROLE.
I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HOW THAT COURSE OF DEALINGS HAS LED US OFF PATH HERE.
AND IT WENT TO SIX NEW POSITIONS.
RIGHT? SO SOME OF THAT TWO NEW POSITIONS AND A FEW RECLASS OR REMOVING PIECES.
BUT YES. CAN I INTERJECT HERE TOO.
SORRY. YES, SIR. BUT YOU HAD MY CONSENT AS WELL.
WE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING DONNY BACK.
RIGHT. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I MENTIONED.
I DON'T KNOW IF I EVEN SAID THE MANAGING DIRECTOR TITLE WHAT HIS RESPONSIBILITIES WOULD BE.
BUT I GUESS THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, ANDREW, IS, YOU KNOW, WE I'M GUESSING EVERYBODY.
I COULDN'T HONESTLY DON'T REMEMBER WHO I TALKED TO.
[LAUGHTER] WELL, I KNOW I EMAILED IT TO EVERYBODY SO EVERYBODY KNEW THE ANNOUNCEMENT BUT I DIDN'T.
BUT I FELT GOOD WITH DONNY BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
THAT WAS THE ADVICE AND CONSENT.
SO THAT'S THE WAY YOU COULD DEFINE CONSENT.
THAT'S WHAT I NEED TO KNOW. LETTER OF THE LAW AND SPIRIT OF THE LAW I GUESS YES, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO KNOW.
I APPRECIATE THE POSITION YOU'RE IN, SIR.
WELL, I COULDN'T IN GOOD CONSCIENCE SEND ANYBODY BACK TO AUSTIN, TEXAS.
SO I SAY KEEP THEM HERE. THAT'S GOOD.
SO I THINK I'VE HEARD FROM THREE.
THEN WE DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
PUBLIC WORKS. GREAT. I KNOW I WANT TO CLARIFY WITH COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN.
WILL YOU ENTERTAIN THE WOULD YOU LIKE TO ENTERTAIN THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO ENTERTAIN JUST THE PUBLIC SAFETY ONE, OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL PERMANENT CITY MANAGER'S PLACE?
[03:10:11]
TOM, IF YOU WANT TO THINK ON THAT FOR A SECOND, I'LL ASK ANDREW ANOTHER QUESTION.SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND, YOU RESCINDED THE POSITIONS, BUT ORGANIZATIONALLY, WITHIN YOUR STAFF, HOW DAMAGING IS IT BY US HOLDING OR.
I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IF WE DO NOTHING? SINCE I'VE ALREADY CHANGED IT BACK, I.
NO WHAT I'M SAYING IS LIKE I GUESS HOW COMMITTED WERE YOU? OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE COMMITTED ON FUNDING.
BUT WE'VE REVERSED IT ALREADY, SO EVERYBODY'S GOTTEN USED TO IT'S OUT OF IT'S NOT IN PLACE ANYMORE.
SO EVERYBODY'S GONE BACK TO THEIR OLD POSITIONS.
YOU'RE BACK TO YOUR OLD POSITION. THAT'S ALL IT TOOK.
I THINK AT THIS POINT, I THINK I'D JUST SEEM TO WAIT A SPELL ON EVERYTHING.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? YEAH, WHAT LES SAID AND JOSH.
ALL RIGHT. SO YOU'RE SAYING WAIT UNTIL WE HAVE A NEW CITY MANAGER AND THAT POSITION IS FILLED.
YEAH, YEAH. OKAY, SO I'VE HEARD FROM THREE TO DON'T DO ANYTHING.
MAYBE PRESENTING SOME PARAMETERS OF DIRECTORS VERSUS ACMS LIKE WHAT CONSENT LOOKS LIKE? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU ALL WANT TO HEAR FROM, OR YOU ALL WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A LATER DATE? MAYBE WE BRING THE GOVERNANCE AND ENDS DOCUMENT BACK, PUT A WORK SESSION TOGETHER AND JUST JUMP IN THERE AND GET IT GOING.
OKAY. I THINK WE'RE PRETTY VULNERABLE IN SOME OTHER AREAS THAT WE CAN'T SEE YET.
WE GOT A LOT OF BLIND SPOTS, AND I'D LIKE TO NOT HAVE A REPEAT, YOU KNOW, ON OUR SIDE.
BUT WOULD YOU RATHER WAIT FOR THE NEW CITY MANAGER FOR THAT, TOO, FOR THEIR INPUT? THE GOVERNANCE AND ENDS DOCUMENT, I THINK CAN BE AMENDED, YOU KNOW, WITH COUNCIL.
I ALSO THINK IT'S GOOD WHY YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE SEARCH.
YOU'D AMEND IT IF THEY OFFERED INPUT.
IF THEY OFFERED INPUT, BECAUSE WHEREVER THEY CAME FROM DOES IT DIFFERENTLY THAN HOW WE DO IT.
SO I'M SURE THEY'LL BE DIFFERENT FROM PLACING INDIVIDUALS, I GUESS IS WHAT I WOULD SAY.
SO I FEEL LIKE IT'S RIGHT IN OUR LANE.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL BRING IT BACK.
YES, SIR. FOR COMING BACK THROUGH THIS.
ABSOLUTELY. NOT THE BEST PROCESS FOR THIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE GOT WHAT WE NEEDED HERE.
GOT GOOD DIRECTION. OKAY, I JUST WANT TO ADD ONE THING FROM MY PERSPECTIVE IS.
OH, ABSOLUTELY. I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR THEM.
THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS.
AND SO I WANT I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT.
I GUESS MY FINAL QUESTION IS BECAUSE YOU YOU'VE ASKED US A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A COMMUNICATION ISSUE AND YOU'RE TRYING TO GET THAT.
HOW ELSE? WHAT OTHER IDEAS DO YOU HAVE FOR US TO IMPROVE THIS? FOR COMMUNICATION? YES. IN WRITING WOULD BE PREFERRED.
I THINK A LOT OF IT FOR ME IS ALSO GOING TO BE AND COUNCIL MEMBER CRAFT HAD A GREAT SUGGESTION.
IF I GET QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS, MAYBE I DON'T ANSWER IT RIGHT AWAY, BECAUSE IF IT'S SOMETHING ALL COUNCIL NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT, MAYBE I CAPTURE IT ALL AND ANSWER IT ALL AT THE SAME TIME. SO Y'ALL ARE ALL INFORMED, RIGHT AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THAT'S JUST ALL LOGISTICS FOR ME TO SORT THROUGH, BUT NOTHING WE CAN'T OVERCOME.
YEAH. WELL, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS A CHALLENGING JOB, BUT ALL FIVE OF US HAVE TO HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION.
AND OF COURSE, WE CAN'T TALK WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST FELT IF SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE WE HAD ALL THE INFORMATION, WE MIGHT HAVE SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, I'VE GOT SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. AND AGAIN, I KNOW WE CAN SAY I JUST THE THING THAT JUST STRUGGLES WITH ME IS WE'RE TRYING TO WE'RE TRYING TO SAY, OKAY, IT'S US VERSUS THEM.
IT'S POLICY VERSUS OPERATIONAL, YOU KNOW? AND IF IT'S OPERATIONAL, THEN NOTHING CAN BE SAID OVER HERE.
BUT I THINK IF WE DON'T AND YOU KNOW, IF WE DON'T KNOW WHAT EACH OTHER'S THINKING AND REACHING OUT AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO PULL IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
[03:15:02]
RIGHT. AND SO I JUST THINK WHATEVER WAYS THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO IMPROVE THAT COMMUNICATION.YES, IT'S ON THIS END, BUT I THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR YOU IS AND THIS IS PART OF THE CHALLENGE OF BEING A CITY MANAGER, YOU GOT TO HAVE YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO ADAPT TO FIVE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS AND HOW TO DO THAT.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THIS BECAUSE IF YOU HAD ANOTHER COUNCIL YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT'S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT CITY MANAGERS HAVE, NOT TO DIMINISH IT, BUT RUNNING A HALF BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET AND MANAGING 2700 PEOPLE IS A PIECE OF CAKE, AS OPPOSED TO DEALING WITH FIVE PEOPLE UP HERE.
IT IS, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU KNOW, AND THAT PART.
BUT IF YOU DON'T LEARN HOW TO ADAPT TO A DIFFERENT COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE THEM OUT, AND I THINK THAT'S GOT TO BE DON'T WAIT UNTIL THEY TELL ME. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE GONE AT SOME POINT.
THERE'LL BE NEW PEOPLE UP HERE.
YEAH. AND BEING ABLE TO DO THAT AND THAT TAKES A LOT OF CONVERSATION.
I'M GOING TO MAKE A COMMITMENT.
I MEAN, I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, I REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU AND I HAVE NOT HAD A LOT COMMUNICATION.
THERE'S NOT BEEN A LOT OF PHONE CALLS THAT I'VE GOTTEN WHERE YOU'VE REACHED OUT TO ME AND SAID, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? LIKEWISE, MAYBE I NEED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE AND GIVING YOU FEEDBACK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE.
AND I THINK IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.
AND YOU'VE SEEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN WHERE NEW COUNCILS HAVE COME IN AND THERE'S JUST NOT A MESH THE MOST TO ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR AT LOOKING FOR A NEW CITY MANAGER IS GOING TO BE SOMEONE THAT IS VERY ADEPT AT LEARNING HOW TO DEAL WITH THE CHANGE OF THE BOSSES ON A REGULAR BASIS.
AND I THINK IF AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT STABILITY.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T LIKE THIS INSTABILITY.
THERE AND I WILL SAY THIS BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY TRUE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING A NEW CITY MANAGER SEARCH IN DALLAS.
HE SAYS YOU HAVE TO FIND A UNICORN WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A CITY MANAGER.
AND HE SAYS THAT CITY MANAGER HAS TO HAVE ENOUGH EGO TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN RUN THE CITY REALLY WELL.
BUT I THOUGHT THAT'S PART OF IT.
BUT I ALSO THINK YOU UNDERSTANDING VERY UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS.
AND BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT WITH ALL FIVE PEOPLE.
IS THAT A CHALLENGE? I AGREE, I AGREE.
LET'S PUT THIS THING BACK ON TRACK.
OKAY. GOT IT. DID I GET OFF TRACK? I APOLOGIZE. NO. YOU'RE GOOD. WE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU. YES. APPRECIATE YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
[7.F. Updates from Councilmembers serving on outside boards and commissions]
WE GOT A COUPLE OF UPDATES FROM QUICK UPDATES FROM COUNCILMAN CRAFT.LET ME PULL UP MY NOTES. SORRY.
GIVE YOU A QUICK DOWN AND DIRTY ON THE BEAUTIFICATION BOARD AND PARKS AND REC.
THE BOARD EXAMINED ATTENDANCE PATTERNS, REVENUE BREAKDOWNS, AND RECENT FEE ADJUSTMENTS TO OPTIMIZE REVENUE STREAMS. STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENTS WERE PROPOSED TO EVALUATE THE CONDITION OF THE POOL, WITH POTENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES DISCUSSED TO PROLONG ITS LIFESPAN.
THE BOARD DELIBERATED ON MEASURES TO ATTRACT MORE VISITORS, POTENTIALLY INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF LOW COST AMENITIES LIKE AN AQUA TRACK TO ENHANCE THE POOL'S APPEAL AND GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
[03:20:04]
SOMETHING THAT OTHER POOLS DON'T HAVE.ENHANCING MARKETING EFFORTS WERE EXPLORED TO INCREASE ATTENDANCE AND REVENUE AT SOUTHWEST POOL.
THE BOARD ULTIMATELY SUPPORTED A MOTION TO MAINTAIN THE OPERATION OF SOUTHWEST POOL, INVESTIGATE THE AQUA TRACK IMPLEMENTATION, AND ENHANCE MARKETING STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT MORE VISITORS.
BOARD MEMBERS TOOK A TOUR OF ALL THE PARK.
FACILITIES INCLUDE MARTIN ROAD COMPLEX, THOMPSON PARK, WARFORD ACTIVITY CENTER, THOMPSON MEMORIAL PARK, SAM HOUSTON PARK, JOHN STIFF MEDICAL CENTER PARK, AND PUCKETT SCHOOL PARK.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE DOWN AND DIRTY ON THE PARK BOARD.
BEAUTIFICATION BOARD DISCUSS VARIOUS ONGOING PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES IN THE RECENT MEETING.
UPDATES WERE PROVIDED ON THE WELDING ART PROGRAM WERE CHALLENGES WITH CLEANING SCRAP METAL WERE ADDRESSED, AND PLANS WERE MADE TO ACQUIRE METAL THROUGH DONATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS.
THE BOARD ALSO HEARD FROM MR. SHERMAN BASS ABOUT THE INTEGRATION OF THE CVB DIRECTORY WITH NEW SOFTWARE, AIMING TO CREATE A CENTRALIZED LOCATION FOR ARTISTS AND EXPAND THE DIRECTORY TO INCLUDE VARIOUS ARTISTS. FUTURE PLANS INVOLVE COLLABORATION WITH THE CVB TO MANAGE THE DIRECTORY EFFICIENTLY AND TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, AND FURTHER DISCUSSIONS.
THE BOARD CONSIDERED AND APPROVED THE RECOMMENDED MURALS FOR VARIOUS LOCATIONS.
SO. JUST QUICK UPDATES ON THAT.
COUNCILMAN, WE APPRECIATE YOU INFORMING US ON THAT.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNCILMAN CRAFT? ALL RIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ALONG.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY REQUESTS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY. WE'LL NOW MOVE INTO ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
[8. Consent Items]
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING THEY NEED TO COME OFF OF THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION.I MOVED TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
MOVING ON TO OUR NON CONSENT AGENDA.
[9.A. CONSIDER ACCEPTANCE - CITY OF AMARILLO ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2023]
ITEM NUMBER 9A OKAY, WE DO HAVE MISS LAURA STORRS HERE TODAY.THANK YOU MA'AM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BRING THIS ITEM.
THIS IS AN ITEM THAT JUST CONSIDERS THE ACCEPTANCE OF OUR ANNUAL AUDIT RELATED TO OUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023.
THIS PROCESS IS A LENGTHY ONE.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO THANK JANIE ARNOLD HERE IN THE AUDIENCE.
OUR ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT RECEIVES THE CERTIFICATE OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR EXCELLENCE IN FINANCIAL REPORTING, AND WE HAVE RECEIVED IT 47 YEARS IN A ROW.
YOU SHOULD ALL HAVE A COPY OF THESE DRAFT FINANCIAL REPORTS.
WONDERFUL. I WANT TO THANK THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER TIPPS FOR SPENDING A FEW HOURS WITH US LAST WEEK AS PART OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE GOING OVER THIS REPORT IN DETAIL.
I'M SURE THEY WOULD BOTH BE HAPPY TO COVER EVERYTHING WITH YOU ALL AT A LATER POINT IN TIME.
BUT I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
[03:25:01]
I JUST WANTED TO GO OVER SOME HIGHLIGHTS ON THIS.SO THE FIRST THING IS IN YOUR BOOK ON TAB TWO, WHICH IS PAGE ONE.
IT IS THE STATEMENT OF THE OPINION BY THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR.
AND THAT STARTS THE REPORT FROM THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS.
AND IT'S IN THE SECOND PARAGRAPH ON THERE.
WE DID RECEIVE AN UNMODIFIED WHICH IS A CLEAN OPINION ON OUR AUDIT.
SO THAT IS WHAT WE WORK FOR EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
THE NEXT ITEM, BIG ITEM OF INTEREST IS ON PAGE FIVE, WHICH IS ALSO TAB THREE IN YOUR BOOK.
THAT STARTS THE MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS.
IT IS A WONDERFUL SUMMARY DOCUMENT OF THE ACTIVITIES, THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES THAT WENT ON DURING THE FISCAL YEAR COVERED IN THIS AUDIT. IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT HOW THAT KIND OF TRANSLATES INTO THE BUDGET PREPARATION THAT FOR THE BUDGET THAT'S ACTUALLY IN PLACE.
AND THAT IS ON PAGE FIVE IN THIS REPORT.
I WANT TO STOP FOR JUST A SECOND.
THESE ARE DRAFT FINANCIAL REPORTS.
THIS ITEM IS JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO ACCEPT THAT WE HAD AN AUDIT CONDUCTED.
ONCE THAT IS DONE, WE WILL GET THIS FINALIZED AND IT WILL BE POSTED OUT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS OR ANY STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE INTERESTED TO VIEW THESE, BECAUSE THESE ARE THEIR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS WELL.
IT REPORTS ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE CITY.
THIS DOCUMENT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS VERY LENGTHY.
I THINK IT'S ALMOST 300 PAGES LONG.
THERE'S A LOT OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN HERE.
THE CITY DOES A LOT OF VARIOUS ACTIVITIES.
WE REPORTED A FUND LEVEL, AND THEN WE ROLL IT ALL THE WAY UP TO A FULLY COMBINED LEVEL.
PAGE 25 IS THE CITY AND ALL ACTIVITIES COMBINED TOGETHER AS A WHOLE.
SO THAT IS CERTAINLY A GOOD THAT'S THE BALANCE SHEET.
AND THEN THE NEXT PAGE STARTS THE INCOME STATEMENT.
ANOTHER TAB OF INTEREST IS TAB NINE, WHICH OUTLINES THE CITY'S COMMITMENTS.
ONE THING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL TO REMEMBER AND FOR OUR CITIZENS TO REMEMBER AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO REMEMBER IS, YES, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF MONEY IN OUR NET POSITION, OUR RESERVES.
THEY MAY BE OUT TO BID THOSE THINGS.
THIS PAGE 84, WHICH IS THIS TAB NINE.
I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD ONE FOR COUNCIL TO BE AWARE OF.
THOSE ARE THE DOLLARS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMMITTED BY THIS COUNCIL OR BY PRIOR COUNCIL.
SO THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PAGE TO KEEP HANDY AS WELL.
ANOTHER PAGE OF INTEREST IS IT'S TAB 11 IN YOUR BOOK AND IT'S PAGE 126.
THE BULK OF THE CITY OPERATIONS THAT THE NORMAL CITY OPERATIONS ARE IN THE GENERAL FUND.
TAB 11, WHICH IS PAGE 126, HAS OUR BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL RESULTS FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
SO IT SHOWS HOW DID WE DO FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT? WE ACTUALLY COLLECTED MORE IN REVENUE THAN WE HAD BUDGETED THIS PAST FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEN IT SHOWS HOW MUCH WE SPENT.
WE ACTUALLY UNDERSPENT OUR BUDGET SLIGHTLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR.
ON PAGE 26, YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE ARE ALL THE AUDITED RESULTS.
I THINK THIS IS ALSO A PAGE THAT'S OF INTEREST.
IT MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR COUNCIL TO HAVE HANDY.
THOSE ARE SOME MAJOR COMPONENTS.
THERE'S FOOTNOTES IN HERE THAT OUTLINE A LOT OF THE MAJOR ITEMS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE CITY.
I DID WANT TO MENTION SINCE WE MET LAST WEEK, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF REPLACEMENT PAGES THAT WE'VE PUT INTO YOUR BINDERS THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE FINAL APPROVED AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THERE WAS A COUPLE OF CLARIFICATIONS IN THE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
THERE WAS ALSO SOME CHANGE TO SOME BUDGET SCHEDULES TOWARDS THE BACK RELATED TO THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT YOU ALL ACTUALLY JUST DID THE SECOND APPROVAL ON DURING THE CONSENT SECTION.
AND SO WE DID SWAP THOSE PAGES OUT IN YOUR BOOK.
AND IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THOSE, I CAN CERTAINLY ANSWER THOSE AS WELL.
BUT THOSE WOULD BE PART OF THE FINAL REPORT AS ACCEPTED BY COUNCIL.
[03:30:07]
SINGLE AUDIT.AS I MENTIONED, WE GO THROUGH THE DEEP DIVE OF THIS.
THIS IS WHY WE HAVE AN AUDIT COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE OUR MAYOR AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBER TIPPS IS ON IT.
WE ALSO HAVE DEAN FRIGO, WHO SERVES AS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE AMARILLO HOSPITAL DISTRICT BOARD INTERIM CITY MANAGER ANDREW FREEMAN AND MYSELF ALSO SIT ON THAT BOARD. WE HAVE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED THESE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
JANIE HAS WEIGHED INTO A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY LOOKED INTO ON THEIR STANDPOINT.
BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, THAT TOOK OVER TWO HOURS THE OTHER DAY.
BUT IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS I CAN ANSWER AT THIS POINT, OR IF MAYOR OR COUNCIL MEMBER TIPPS IF YOU ALL HAD ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO REITERATE OR WANTED ME TO POINT OUT, I WILL PAUSE FOR A SECOND.
SO THIS IS OUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AS MENTIONED THIS ITEM IS JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO ACCEPT IT.
ALSO IN YOUR BOOKS, THERE IS A LETTER FROM JANIE ARNOLD AND CMMS, AND IT OUTLINES ANY KIND OF CHALLENGES THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED DURING THE AUDIT, WHICH THEY DID NOT NOTE ANY.
AND THEN IT GOES OVER JUST SOME MAJOR OTHER COMPONENTS RELATED TO THE AUDIT.
SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ONE FOR YOU ALL TO READ AS WELL.
AND THEN LASTLY, IN YOUR PACKET, THERE WAS A COPY OF A SINGLE AUDIT REPORT.
AND IT DISCLOSES RELATED TO THE MAJOR PROGRAMS THAT THEY AUDITED THIS YEAR DURING THE SINGLE AUDIT, THAT THERE WERE NO FINDINGS RELATED TO IT.
ALSO, THERE IS A REPORT ON COMPLIANCE AND INTERNAL CONTROLS RELATED TO THE MAJOR PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY FEDERAL AND STATE GRANT PROGRAMS. AND WE DID RECEIVE AN UNMODIFIED OR CLEAN OPINION.
AND JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS, IF YOU TURN TO PAGE EIGHT, IN THAT REPORT, THE CITY EXPENDED ABOUT $42.7 MILLION IN FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS.
SO THAT IS A LARGE REVENUE SOURCE THAT IS HELPING TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL TAX DOLLARS TO CONTINUE ON THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO OUR CITIZENS. AND SO THIS IS A STEP THAT WE HAVE TO DO BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF GRANT AWARDS THAT WE RECEIVE.
AND THERE'S A REPORT ON THAT AS WELL WITH NO FINDINGS ON IT.
SO WITH THAT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER OR IF JANIE ARNOLD COULD COME UP AND ANSWER OR ANYTHING THAT WE COULD CLARIFY FOR YOU? QUESTIONS ON THE AUDIT, COUNCIL.
THANK YOU MA'AM. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL.
YES, MA'AM. AND I BELIEVE THIS CAME AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM AUDIT COMMITTEE TO ACCEPT THIS.
GO AHEAD AND DO A MOTION. OKAY.
NEED A MOTION OF ACCEPTANCE? I MOVE TO ACCEPT THE CITY OF AMARILLO ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED IN SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2023.
SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
[9.B. CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 8119]
ITEM NINE B CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE 8119.WE HAVE MR. HOOPER HERE FOR THIS ONE.
THANK YOU. AND MY MIND IS KIND OF SIDETRACKED, SO BEAR WITH ME.
SO I HAD TO STEP OUT AND GET THEM.
AND WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS THE ROADWAY SAFETY ORDINANCE.
I JUST REALLY WANT TO KIND OF GIVE YOU THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS.
IN FACT, 22 FATALITIES SINCE 2021.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE CHART THERE, THAT THOSE ARE JUST ALARMING NUMBERS FOR US.
[03:35:02]
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO TAKE A STAB AT TRYING TO GET BETTER AT, AS FAR AS INCREASING THE SAFETY FOR OUR CYCLISTS AND FOR OUR PEDESTRIANS.THIS IS A PEDESTRIAN CYCLIST FATALITY BREAKDOWN.
AND THE BIG ALARMING NUMBER, AS WE MENTIONED TO YOU IN THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION THAT WE DID A FEW WEEKS AGO, WAS A 31% OF THE CRASH FATALITIES ARE PEDESTRIAN RELATED. THAT'S JUST A VERY ALARMING NUMBER TO ALL OF US.
AND I THINK YOU'VE SEEN THESE CHARTS BEFORE.
THIS IS JUST AGAIN SHOWING THE MAP OF WHERE THESE ARE TAKING PLACE.
THERE'S NO SPECIFIC AREA THAT IS WELL DEFINED THAT SAYS THIS IS THE LOCATION WHERE EVERYTHING IS AT.
YOU CAN SEE THAT ALL THE WAY ACROSS.
I KNOW THE MAP IS PRETTY FAR OUT, BUT AS CHIEF BIRKENFELD WENT OVER THIS THE LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THE UNDERPASSES ON I-40, ALONG WITH THE STUFF ALONG AMARILLO BOULEVARD, THE MAIN CORRIDORS, COULTER, [INAUDIBLE] BELL SO ON AND SO FORTH, WESTERN GEORGIA, YOU CAN SEE IT PRETTY MUCH WIDESPREAD THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY.
WE DEFINED A CLEAR ZONE AS ANY MEDIAN.
AND I'M TALKING ABOUT A CENTER MEDIAN.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, I'LL HAVE SOME MAPS TO SHOW YOU IN A SECOND.
THAT'S SIX FEET OR LESS IN WIDTH.
AN AREA THAT'S FOUR FEET FROM THE CURB IS ALSO IN THAT CLEAR ZONE THAT WOULD BE INSIDE OF A DEFINED SAFE ZONE, WHICH IS A CENTER RADIUS THAT GOES AROUND THE CENTER OF AN INTERSECTION OUT BY 100FT.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE SAFE ZONE AT ALL SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS.
THAT AGAIN EXTENDS AT 100FT FROM THE CENTER OF AN INTERSECTION.
ACCORDING TO THE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE CURRENTLY.
IT WOULD ALSO BE ILLEGAL TO BE STATIONARY ON AN ISLAND THAT'S UNDER SIX FEET.
AND I KNOW THIS GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING AS FAR AS THE LANGUAGE IS CONCERNED.
THAT'S WHY WE PUT THE MAPS ON HERE THAT WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU BEFORE.
THESE MAPS SHOW THOSE AREAS THERE, THE YELLOW BEING THE SAFE ZONE.
AND THEN THE CLEAR ZONES ARE DEFINED AROUND THOSE CURBS THERE.
IS THAT THE ONLY ONE STEPHANIE, THAT WAS ON THERE? THERE SHOULD BE OTHERS.
LET ME MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT. IT'S OKAY.
IF NOT, I THINK WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, BUT GEORGIA IS MUCH THE SAME.
AND WE ALSO PRESENTED TO YOU AS WELL.
FOR EVERY ONE OF THOSE SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS, THERE'S 278 SIGNALIZED INTERSECTIONS IN AMARILLO SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THOSE AREAS DEFINED WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENFORCEMENT PIECE.
BUT I THINK THAT PRETTY MUCH JUST HIGHLIGHTS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
THERE'S MORE LANGUAGE INSIDE OF THAT ORDINANCE.
I'M SURE THAT YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT.
AND NOW HERE TODAY TO PRESENT THE ITEM ON FIRST READING.
SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS I CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO ANSWER THEM.
I KNOW IT'S BRIEF, BUT YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB AND WE WE HAVE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
SO THE CHART, THE COLOR DRAWING LENDS A GREAT DEAL OF UNDERSTANDING TO THIS.
WILL THAT BE GOING UP ON WEBSITE? HOW WILL THIS ROLL OUT? LAW WOULD ACTUALLY GO INTO EFFECT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO USE THAT TIME WISELY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET COMMUNICATION PIECES OUT.
WE DO KNOW THAT JASON RIDDLESPURGER AND HIS TEAM HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE ON THE GROUND AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, AS WELL AS OUR MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE ALSO BEEN COMMUNICATING THESE MESSAGES AS WELL, THAT THERE IS THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF THIS ORDINANCE COMING INTO DEFINE THOSE AREAS AND TALK ABOUT THAT. I'M SURE WE'LL UTILIZE JORDAN AND HIS TEAM TO COMMUNICATE THIS AS WELL SO THAT EVERYBODY'S PRETTY AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE BIGGEST THING FOR US, TOO, IS ALSO INTERNALLY COMMUNICATING THIS WITH OUR MARSHAL'S OFFICE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THAT THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND WE TRIED TO MAKE THIS ORDINANCE. THAT'S WE WANT TO ADDRESS A COUPLE THINGS.
WE WANT TO ADDRESS CIVIL RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO ADDRESS ENFORCEMENT AND MAKE IT TO WHERE IT'S EASY ON THE OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT THEY'RE DOING WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE, SO THAT THEY DON'T JUST LOOK AT IT AND SAY, THIS IS TOO COMPLICATED, IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.
IT'S EASY TO FIGURE OUT WHEN YOU HAVE THE MAPS IN PLACE.
IT'S EASY TO FIGURE OUT WHEN YOU HAVE THE TRAINING IN PLACE.
AND I KNOW THAT CHIEF IS COMMITTED TO THAT AS WELL AS WE ARE IN THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE.
AND WE'VE COMMUNICATED TO THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO FUNDRAISING HERE.
THEY'RE VERY WELL AWARE OF THIS.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE COMMUNICATED THIS WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
I'M ASSUMING THE OTHER WOULD BE LIKE MDA.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH THEM.
[03:40:03]
IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIND A LOCAL CONTACT, BUT WE WILL WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS.WE STILL HAVE I BELIEVE IT'S 45 DAYS OR SO.
IS THAT CORRECT BRYAN, BEFORE.
YEAH. SO WE'LL HAVE SOME TIME THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE IN THAT OUTREACH THAT WE'LL DO THAT.
ANYTHING FURTHER ON THIS GUY? MR. HOOPER. THANK YOU SIR.
APPRECIATE YOU GUYS MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS ONE.
ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION ON ITEM 9B? I APPROVE I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 8119 AS PRESENTED IN THE AGENDA.
SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND ON ITEM 9B.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
[9.C. CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION NO. 02-27-24-7]
ITEM 9C.YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, AND THIS IS JUST FORMALIZING THE CHANGE IN THE PROJECT PLAN FOR THE ARPA DOLLARS.
AND THIS IS AMENDING, AND I THINK I DON'T KNOW, STEPHANIE, IF YOU HAVE THAT.
SO THE FIRST INSTALLMENT, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE WOULD SHIFT $100,000 OUT OF THE BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING INTO WHAT WE CALLED AT THE TIME IS, AND WE CALLED IT HOMELESS PALLET SHELTER.
IT WAS THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THE ARPA FUNDING, AND WE HAD FUNDED THE COMING HOME LITTER CREW OR THE PREP ACADEMY ORIGINALLY 250,000, BUT THEY ALSO HAD 250,000 JUST FOR YOUR AWARENESS IN THE FIRST INSTALLMENT.
SO THIS IS JUST CLEANING ALL THAT UP.
SO IT'S FORMALIZED FOR ARPA REPORTING PURPOSES.
AND ANY QUESTIONS THAT I CAN ANSWER ON THIS? QUESTIONS FOR MS. STORRS. THANK YOU MA'AM.
I MOVED TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2-27-24-7.
SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES.
ITEM 9D CONSIDER APPOINTMENT ON THE LIBRARY BOARD.
[9.D. CONSIDER APPOINTMENT - LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD]
DO WE HAVE MRS. BARRERA COMING UP FOR THIS ONE? OKAY. WELL, LET ME ASK, WOULD YOU.ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT, OR WOULD YOU RATHER JUST GIVE THE LIST? I CAN JUST REVIEW THE LIST AND GIVE US A RECOMMENDATION.
THESE ARE ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT WE HAD ON FILE.
WE NEED ONE APPOINTMENT, SO THERE'S NO STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
WE JUST THOUGHT Y'ALL COULD GO OFF THE REMAINING LIST.
OKAY, SO THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, GENTLEMEN, WE WE HAVE A VACANCY.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO APPOINT ONE NEW MEMBER.
AND SO YOU SEE YOUR CURRENT MEMBERS HERE ON THE LEFT.
AND THEN YOU SEE THE EXISTING APPLICANTS ON FILE HAS STAFF REACHED OUT TO THESE APPLICANTS AND CONFIRMED THAT THEY'RE ALL STILL WILLING TO SERVE? MAYOR, WE HAVE NOT.
SO WHAT I WOULD PROBABLY ASK FOR IS LET'S NOMINATE ONE AS A PRIMARY AND THEN LET'S ALTER NOMINATE AN ALTERNATE, JUST IN CASE WHEN YOU REACH OUT, YOU DON'T NEED TO BRING IT BACK. OKAY.
THAT FINE WITH YOU MR. FREEMAN? OKAY.
DO I HAVE ANYBODY HERE WHO'S LOOKED OVER THIS LIST AND HAS ANYONE THAT JUMPS OUT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE FOR LIBRARY BOARD? I'D SAY MISTY VIGIL.
OKAY. SO I HAVE PLACE ONE NOMINATING MISTY VIGIL FOR LIBRARY BOARD.
DO I HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION OVER THAT ONE? OKAY, I WILL SECOND THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD NOMINATION.
AND SO MISTY VIGIL ALL IN FAVOR OF HER BEING NOMINATED TO THE LIBRARY BOARD, I DO.
[03:45:01]
WELL, LET ME ASK, DO I NEED A MOTION FROM.SO LET ME ASK FOR A MOTION FROM MR. CRAFT OR COUNCILMAN CRAFT FIRST.
THERE'S NO DISCUSSION BEFORE THIS.
CORRECT? WELL, I ASKED FOR DISCUSSION.
I DIDN'T GET ANY, SO I THINK I SHOULD JUST NEED TO GO BACK AND ASK FOR A MOTION NOW.
OKAY. I MOVED TO APPOINT MISTY VIGIL TO THE LIBRARY BOARD AND TERM ENDING 12-31- 25. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ONE? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE, AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SO WE DO HAVE MISTY VIGIL.
I WOULD ASK FOR AN ALTERNATE JUST SO WE HAVE ONE IN CASE SHE'S NOT ABLE TO SERVE.
I HAVE A NOMINATION AND A SECOND FOR MISS LISA BROWN.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? NO. COUNCILMAN SCHERLEN.
WOULD YOU MAKE A MOTION FORMALLY? MAKE A MOTION THAT WE ACCEPT LISA BROWN TO THE AS AN ALTERNATE TO THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD.
SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? CHECK WITH MY SECRETARY.
MAKE SURE YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE WAY THOSE MOTIONS CAME OUT.
YES, SIR. DID I GET COUNCIL MEMBER CRAFT SECONDING THAT LAST ONE? YES. WE'RE GOOD.
MOVING ON TO ITEM 9E, I BELIEVE THIS IS OUR LAST ONE.
[9.E. CONSIDER AWARD - CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR APD 4TH AND 5TH FLOOR RENOVATIONS]
AND THEN WE WILL ADJOURN.MR. DANFORTH, WE ALWAYS MAKE YOU STAY TILL THE VERY END.
YOU THINK YOU GOT PAID BY THE HOUR, WOULDN'T YOU? YOU KNOW. I'M ABUNDANTLY AWARE OF THAT, TOO.
YES, MAYOR, COUNCIL, WE'RE EXCITED TO GET THIS PROJECT STARTED.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.
SO GETTING THIS THING ACROSS THE FINISH LINE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A CHALLENGE.
THE APPROACH WE UTILIZED ON THIS WAS ACTUALLY BRINGING IN ALL OF THE BUY BOARD TYPE CONTRACTORS THAT EXIST HERE IN THE CITY, THE LOCAL ONES GETTING THEM TO COME IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROJECT PROVIDE US BIDS FOR THAT PROJECT.
SO WE, IN ESSENCE, STILL HAD A COMPETITIVE BID.
THE WINNER OF THIS MR. HICKS DID A GREAT JOB OF HITTING US WITH A GOOD TIMELINE AND HITTING US WITH A BUDGET THAT ACTUALLY BRINGS THIS IN ON TIME.
THE REASON THIS JOB IS SET UP IS A TWO PHASE JOB.
THE FIFTH FLOOR WILL BE THE TRAINING AREA.
AND THEN ALSO THE NEW CRIME CENTER FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THAT COMPLETED BEFORE WE CAN MOVE INTO PHASE TWO.
SO I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GOT ON THIS ONE.
GO AHEAD. MY ONLY QUESTION IS ON THE.
IT FEELS LIKE EVERY TIME I GOT TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS.
I'M SORRY, JERRY, BUT ON THE PHASE TWO PORTION, HOW COME THERE WASN'T BIDS FOR PANHANDLE STEEL OR TRI-STATE? THE REASON WE DID IT, AS I REFERENCED EARLIER, WE WENT WITH THE BUY BOARD CONTRACTORS.
THAT AND THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS WE WERE LOOKING AT.
THEN WE TOOK PROPOSAL FROM THE CONTRACTOR THAT WAS AWARDED THE FIFTH FLOOR BECAUSE IT'S A BUY BOARD CONTRACTOR, YOU CAN AWARD IT REGARDLESS, BUT THAT ALLOWED US TO NEGOTIATE A PRICE ON THAT FOURTH FLOOR, KEEP THE PROJECT WITHIN BUDGET WITH A CONTRACT THAT IT'S ALREADY DOING THE FIFTH FLOOR.
OKAY. THE TWO PROJECTS ARE INTERLOCKED TOGETHER.
SO IN ESSENCE, THERE'S SOME COMPONENTS OF THE FOURTH FLOOR THAT HAVE TO RELOCATE TO THE FIFTH FLOOR ONCE IT'S COMPLETED AND THEN RELOCATING SOME ADDITIONAL STUFF ON THE FOURTH FLOOR. SO HAVING THE SAME CONTRACTOR ON THE PROJECT, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE MEP ON THE PROJECT WITH SOME GREAT ADVANTAGES TO THE CITY.
THAT'S ALL I GOT. I UNDERSTAND.
SCHEDULED START DATE? COMPLETION DATE? AS SOON AS WE'VE GOT A CONTRACT, WE WILL START MOVING ON IT RIGHT AWAY.
WHEN DO YOU EXPECT. THE WE'VE DONE MOST OF THE DEMOLITION AND ASBESTOS ABATEMENT ON THE FIFTH FLOOR.
WHAT DID THE CONTRACTOR GIVE YOU ON THE COMPLETION DATE ROUGHLY? RIGHT NOW, THE FRONT SIDE WE WERE LOOKING AT ON THE FIRST PHASE, WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT AT 10 TO 11 MONTHS.
[03:50:03]
IT'S GOT SOME CHALLENGES ON THAT.AND THEN ON THE SECOND PHASE THAT ONE'S AROUND SIX MONTHS OKAY.
NEITHER PART OF THOSE RUN CONGRUENTLY.
THEY CAN'T BE PHASE ONE BECAUSE IN TWO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO MOVE PERSONNEL OKAY OKAY.
APPRECIATE YOU GETTING ON THIS ONE.
YOU BET. WE'RE EXCITED TO GET IT DONE FOR THEM.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU TOMORROW AT THE RIBBON CUTTING.
YES, SIR. WE'VE GOT GOOD FEEDBACK ON THAT PROJECT.
SO WHAT IS DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. DANFORTH? I'LL MAKE A MOTION IF YOU'RE READY.
SIR. I MAKE A MOTION, WE ACCEPT ITEM 9E TO CONSIDER THE AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR APD FOURTH AND FIFTH FLOORS RENOVATION.
SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON 9E? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ITEM PASSES.
YOU'RE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU GUYS FOR STAYING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.