[00:00:01]
[2. Call to Order]
WE'RE LIVE STREAMING. HELLO TO THE VIRTUAL WORLD. SO, I'VE MET ALL OF EVERYONE HERE AROUND THE TABLE, SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY. AND TRY TO GET EVERYBODY'S NAME HERE.DONNIE AND GRAYSON AND ANDREW AND TIM, DON, COLE, DAVID.
YOU KNOW WHAT THOUGH? BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU SEE THESE THINGS RIGHT HERE? I CAN'T SEE BEYOND ABOUT DON'S FACE WITHOUT MY GLASSES, NOT IN ANY KIND OF DETAIL, SO.
YEAH, WE GET ROLLING. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU. OK, SO LET ME, Y'ALL HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW ME A LITTLE BIT,
[3. Strategic Planning Workshop This item is a facilitated workshop for the City Council and senior staff to discuss and develop the City’s strategic goals, priorities, and desired direction. The Council may discuss numerous broad topics, such as public safety, infrastructure, development, community services, parks and recreation, water resources, public works, finance, council pillars, policies and procedures and other matters related to the desired direction and plans for the City, as well as general issues and matters related to the current and future needs and expectations for the City. The Council may reach broad consensus on the mission, values, priorities, expectations, milestones, funding options and opportunities for the City, but no final decision or vote will occur.]
BUT I'M GOING TO INCLUDE THE GROUP TODAY AS WELL. I WANT TO SAY HELLO TO EVERYONE. I UNDERSTAND THAT MOST OF YOU ARE PAID TO BE HERE, CORRECT? NO, YOU TWO AREN'T? OK, YOU PAY TO BE HERE, RIGHT, WITH YOUR TAXES? TAX MONEY.YEAH, BUT IT'S THE LOWEST TAXES, RIGHT? DON'T Y'ALL HAVE SOME OF THE LOWEST TAXES? NOT ACCORDING TO THEM. HUH? NOT ACCORDING TO THEM.
SO, BUT EVERYONE ELSE IS PAID TO BE HERE? OKAY, GOOD. I'M JUST KIND OF JOKING AROUND WITH YOU GUYS. TODAY IS GOING TO BE AN INFORMAL DAY. THIS IS, ON ONE HAND, IT'S SERIOUS BECAUSE IT'S A CITY AND IT'S OUR LIVELIHOODS.
ON ANOTHER HAND, WE'RE NOT DOING OPEN-HEART SURGERY TODAY.
RIGHT? NO ONE'S ON THE OPERATING ROOM TABLE AND THEIR LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE.
SO, ON ONE HAND, THERE'S GRAVITY BECAUSE IT'S REAL LIFE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'RE JUST TALKING THROUGH THINGS. SO, I LIKE TO JOKE AROUND. I'M AN INFORMAL PERSON. SO, THIS IS AN INFORMAL WORKSHOP. IT'S VERY INTERACTIVE. WE'RE GOING TO THINK THROUGH THINGS, AND THAT'S THE GOAL TODAY, OR THAT'S THE PLAN. MY BACKGROUND IS, I HAVE A LOT OF VARIOUS THINGS IN MY BACKGROUND. I GUESS THE MAIN THING IS THIS IS WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING. I WORK WITH EXECUTIVE TEAMS. I WORK WITH BOARDS. I WORK WITH COUNCILS. AND THERE ARE 3 THINGS THAT DRIVE THE WORK THAT I DO. IS TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS, WHETHER IT'S A TEAM OF 2 OR A TEAM OF 2,000, HOW DO WE OPERATE AND FUNCTION ON PURPOSE, ON AND WITH PURPOSE, IN A HEALTHY WAY, AND ACHIEVE RESULTS? SO THOSE ARE 3 COMPONENTS THAT I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO MOVE CLIENTS TOWARD. ARE YOU WORKING ON AND WITH PURPOSE? ARE YOU FUNCTIONING IN A HEALTHY WAY? AND ARE YOU ACHIEVING RESULTS? SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE, RIGHT? IS TO, AND EVERYONE'S ON A SPECTRUM WHEN IT COMES TO PURPOSE, HEALTH, AND RESULTS ON A SPECTRUM.
WE'RE SOMEWHERE ON THAT SPECTRUM. AND WE ALL WOULD LIKE TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ALONG ON THAT SPECTRUM. SO, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE IS TO HELP JUST MOVE THE NEEDLE A TAD.
AT THE END OF TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IF WE GAIN CLARITY. THAT'S MY NUMBER ONE OBJECTIVE TODAY WITH THE GROUP IS, CAN WE GAIN A LITTLE BIT OF CLARITY? HOW MUCH CLARITY? THAT'S TO BE DETERMINED. WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT OVER THE NEXT 6 HOURS. BUT THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR ME TODAY IS FOR US TO GET CLARITY.
WHY IS CLARITY SO IMPORTANT? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING, HOW ARE WE EVEN GOING TO GET STARTED WALKING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? OKAY.
ABSOLUTELY. WHAT ELSE CAN WE ADD TO THAT? THAT'S 100% TRUE.
CLARITY HELPS CREATE SOME UNITY.
SO, IT HELPS MAKE SURE THAT ALL PARTIES, COUNCIL, STAFF, CITIZENS ARE CLEAR ON THE OBJECTIVES. WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE, AND WE'RE MOVING AND MOVING IN AN UNDERSTOOD, AGREED DIRECTION.
YEAH, CLARITY HELPS WITH ALIGNMENT. HELLO, LES.
YEAH, CLARITY HELPS WITH ALIGNMENT. OKAY. WHAT OTHER VALUE DOES CLARITY BRING
[00:05:01]
TO A GROUP? YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE ACTING AS A TEAM.AND SO THAT CLARITY, I ALWAYS LIKE TO LOOK AT THE NEGATIVE FIRST. IF YOU'RE UNCLEAR, THINGS ARE MUDDLED.
AND YOU'RE JUST KIND OF GOING THROUGH SOME MOTIONS AS OPPOSED TO THE DIRECTION YOU WOULD LIKE TO MOVE.
WHAT, WHAT DO WE THINK ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD LIKE CAUSE A HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAL.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY FOR EVERYONE TO UNMUTE THEMSELVES? YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE GOOD THERE.
OKAY, JUST. OKAY. I'M THINKING ABOUT THE FLOW BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO JUST TALK.
WHAT'S THAT? YOU COULD PROBABLY DO EVERY OTHER ONE BETWEEN US MAYBE.
AT LEAST TRY THAT AND SEE IF IT STARTS PICKING UP.
LES, YOU GOT YOURS ON? YES, THERE WE GO. OKAY, PRESCOTT, HOW DOES THAT WORK? LIKE IF YOU'RE TALKING? HELLO? YEAH, IT SHOULD PICK YOU UP.
YEAH, IF YOU PUT IT IN BETWEEN 2 OF YOU.
HELLO? SLIDE YOURS OVER AGAIN. I GET MY OWN. YEAH, THEN WE'RE GOOD.
ALL RIGHT, YEAH, ALL RIGHT, OTHER CLARITY? LET'S START POPPING OUT SOME IDEAS HERE.
WHAT, WHAT VALUE WHAT VALUE DOES CLARITY BRING? IT LETS US KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING.
YEAH. WHY ARE WE HERE? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE GOAL? WHAT'S THE MISSION? WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF WHY THE HECK WE'RE HERE? WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO FOR THE CITIZENS? WHAT ARE, WHAT IS THE RESOURCES WE HAVE AND WHAT CAN WE ACCOMPLISH? YEAH. I MEAN, WHAT IS THE GOAL AND WHY? IS THAT A QUESTION? ARE YOU ASKING A QUESTION? OKAY. THAT'S NOT, YOU'RE NOT PUTTING TOWARDS CLARITY. YOU'RE ASKING KEVIN.
NO, THAT'S WHAT IS THE PURPOSE.
THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF CLARITY. OKAY, SO WE KNOW WHAT THE HECK WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING UP HERE, AND WHAT WE'RE RECEIVING IS INFORMATION FROM EVERYBODY IN THE CITY, EVERY STAKEHOLDER. HOW, WHAT, AND WHY, THAT IS MISSION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
YEAH, AND SO LET'S BE CLEAR ON THE MISSION, RIGHT? AND ESTABLISH THAT CLARITY.
YEAH, AND YES, AND THE BENEFIT FROM THAT IS. THAT'S GOOD.
THAT'S GOOD. AND SO, AND WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF THAT? IF WE DO THAT WELL, WHAT'S THE BENEFIT FROM DOING THAT WELL? WE GET RESULTS.
IT PUTS US IN A BETTER POSITION TO GET RESULTS, FOR SURE.
WE'RE IN A BETTER POSITION TO GET RESULTS.
I THINK IT ALSO HELPS SET YOUR TARGET FOR YOUR INVESTMENTS OF THAT BUDGET. THAT'S ONLY ONCE A YEAR. MAKE SURE YOU'RE STAYING ON PATH WITH THAT CLARITY. OTHERWISE, YOU MAY PIVOT TO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT YOUR PRIORITY OR FUNDING'S NOT IN PLACE FOR IT. SO, IF YOU KNOW YOUR CLARITY UP FRONT, YOUR CITIZENS CAN UNDERSTAND, YEAH, THIS IS OUR FOCUS. MAYBE THIS WILL HAVE TO WAIT TILL, CORRECT.
AND IT ALIGNS RESOURCES. I MEAN, TOWARDS, IF WE HAVE, LIKE YOU SAID, IF WE HAVE A TARGET, IT'S GOING TO ALIGN RESOURCES TO ACHIEVING THAT TARGET. IF WE HAVE CLARITY. IF WE DON'T, IT'S NOT FOCUSED. WE CAN GO DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
BUT WE CAN GET ALL OF OUR RESOURCES ALIGNED TOWARD, IN A DIRECTION.
YEAH, SO IT HELPS US WITH DECISION-MAKING. YOU KNOW, THEY SAY, I'M NOT A VERY DETAIL-ORIENTED PERSON. SO, I AM VERY MUCH, MY NATURAL STYLE IS TO SHOOT FROM THE HIP.
BUT THERE ARE TIMES IN LIFE WHERE KIND OF THE ADAGE IS YOU NEED TO MEASURE 3 TIMES BEFORE YOU CUT, RIGHT? CLARITY IS THAT MEASURING 3 TIMES.
BECAUSE HOW MANY BLADES DO YOU HAVE THAN HOW MANY OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU HAVE TO CUT? NOT VERY MANY, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S ONE THING IF IT'S A TEAM OF 2. CAN YOU BE PRETTY AGILE AND FLEXIBLE IF YOU CUT WRONG? YEAH. BUT HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE IN THE CITY? AROUND $2,400.
$2,400, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS UPWARD BUDGET, 200-SOMETHING THOUSAND CITIZENS. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY AND AGILITY THAT EXISTS, RIGHT, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THAT COMPLEX OF A MACHINE. SO, MEASURING MULTIPLE TIMES AND SAYING, IS THIS WHERE WE WANT TO CUT? IS THIS WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE A CUT? IT HELPS WITH DECISION-MAKING. AND ONCE WE START CUTTING, THE BOARD OVER HERE OR THE PIECE OF THE BOARD OVER HERE, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE BOARD. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL WOOD TO GO WITH THE METAPHOR. IT MIGHT SAY, CUT. CUT RIGHT HERE. NO, CUT RIGHT HERE. NO, CUT RIGHT HERE. AND IT'S LIKE, NO.
[00:10:01]
LIKE, WE'VE GOT, IT TOOK A LOT TO DECIDE TO CUT RIGHT HERE.WE CAN'T JUST LIFT THE SAW BLADE UP AND CUT OVER HERE, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO, GETTING CLARITY BRINGS UNITY, HELPS US KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING. IT HELPS US WITH OUR DECISION-MAKING.
ANOTHER BENEFIT WHEN WE DO WELL WITH CLARIFYING THINGS IS IT SETS EXPECTATIONS. IT PROVIDES A SENSE OF PREDICTABILITY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ONE OF THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL? HAVE Y'ALL EVER HEARD OF MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS? WHAT'S DOWN THERE AT THE BASE? SOME FUNDAMENTAL NEEDS.
FOOD, SHELTER. WE PUT THAT IN WHAT? STARTS WITH AN S.
SAFE. YOU KNOW, YOU READ ALL THE RESEARCH ABOUT HOW OUR BRAIN FUNCTIONS.
THE BRAIN'S PRIMARY SUBCONSCIOUS JOB IS KEEP YOU SAFE. KEEP YOU SAFE, RIGHT? AND ONE WAY PEOPLE FEEL SAFE IS WHEN THE ENVIRONMENT IS PREDICTABLE. WHY IS THAT? WHY DOES PREDICTABILITY GIVE A PERSON A FEELING OF SAFETY? BECAUSE YOU CAN PLAN.
WHAT ELSE? WELL, CHANGE CREATES INSECURITY.
SO IF IT'S PREDICTABLE, YOU KNOW WHAT'S COMING, IT PROVIDES THAT SAFETY, PROVIDES THAT, IT'S JUST, IT'S EASY.
WHAT DO WE FEEL WHEN WE KNOW WHAT'S COMING? WE, AND THAT WAS HARD TO KNOW, LIKE, WHAT'S THE TEACHER SAYING? WE FEEL IN CONTROL.
RIGHT. CHANGE DOES CREATE AN INSECURITY MAINLY BECAUSE WE FEEL OUT OF CONTROL. HUMANS WANT TO FEEL THAT THEY'RE IN CONTROL. THEY'RE IN CONTROL. PREDICTABILITY GIVES THAT FEELING, RIGHT? NOW, CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT CHANGE. WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE CHANGE.
BUT WHEN WE PROVIDE CLARITY, WE ARE OFFERING THE ENVIRONMENT A LEVEL OF PREDICTABILITY, WHICH DOES HELP PEOPLE FEEL A LITTLE MORE SECURE. PEOPLE MIGHT NOT LIKE THE CLARITY, RIGHT? WE DECIDED TO CUT RIGHT HERE, BUT THEY WANTED US TO CUT RIGHT THERE. THAT'S OKAY.
THAT'S OKAY. NOT EVERYONE'S GOING TO AGREE ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CUT. BUT AT LEAST THEY KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CUT.
TO GET THE BLOOD FLOWING A LITTLE BIT MORE, I TOLD YOU THIS IS GOING TO BE INFORMAL. AND IT'S GOING TO BE PAINSTAKING FOR YOU TODAY BECAUSE I'M GOING TO, YOU'LL HAVE TO BE SUPER INVOLVED TODAY.
THIS IS Y'ALL'S MEETING, NOT MY MEETING. SO, TO HELP WITH THAT, I WANT TO PLAY A LITTLE GAME TO INTRODUCE A CONCEPT. OKAY? 2 OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO COME VOLUNTEER FOR OUR GAME.
OKAY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THIS ON CAMERA.
HEY, Y'ALL ARE THE 2 NEW GUYS.
ALL RIGHT, TIM, YOU'RE RIGHT THERE FACING THE CAMERA RIGHT HERE. COME HERE, DAVID. COME HERE, DAVID. MOVE THAT WAY A LITTLE BIT. MOVE THAT WAY A LITTLE BIT. ALL RIGHT, DAVEY, YOU'RE RIGHT THERE. WHERE AM I AT? STEP RIGHT UP HERE. AND A LITTLE SPACE, A LITTLE SPACE, A LITTLE SPACE. ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GOING TO ASK THE GROUP HERE TO HELP ME WITH DETERMINING WHO RAISES THEIR HAND FIRST. I CALL THIS GAME, I CALL THIS GAME ANSWER THE CALL. THIS IS AN ANSWER THE CALL GAME. OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO SAY A WORD.
YOU'VE GOT TO RAISE YOUR HAND, ALMOST LIKE A BUZZER, BUT I DON'T HAVE A BUZZER.
YOU'VE GOT TO RAISE YOUR HAND FIRST. THEN I WILL SAY, OKAY. SO, IF I SAID UP, WHAT? DOWN.
DOWN. OKAY. SO, I'M GOING TO CALL OUT A WORD, AND YOU'LL HAVE AN INTUITIVE RESPONSE ABOUT WHAT CORRESPONDS WITH THAT.
THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE IDEAL BECAUSE I THINK I NEED TO, NO, IT'S NOT. AND HE'S A BLURTER TOO. HE WON'T RAISE HIS HAND. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
YOU GOT THIS. ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL, ACTUALLY THIS SIDE OF THE ROOM, Y'ALL ARE CHEERING FOR TIM.
LET'S HEAR A LITTLE NOISE FOR TIM. THAT WAS MID. THAT WAS MID. I HAVE TEENAGE DAUGHTERS, SO I'M, I'M KIND OF UP TO SPEED ON THE LINGO. ALL RIGHT, THIS GROUP, YOU'RE YOU'RE FOR DAVID. LET'S HEAR
[00:15:02]
IT. ALL RIGHT. AND ACTUALLY, I'M JUST GOING TO DESIGNATE STEPHANIE AS MY HELPER ON WHO RAISED THEIR HANDS FIRST. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. READY? WE'RE LIVE. WE'RE LIVE.WE'RE DEAD? NO, THAT'S NOT THE STATEMENT.
BUT I LIKE THE EAGERNESS. HERE WE GO. HANDS BY YOUR SIDE LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO DRAW. ALL RIGHT, PEANUT BUTTER.
JELLY. IT'S JELLY. ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL KEEP UP WITH THE SCORE.
YES, 1 POINT. SALT. OH, THAT WAS CLOSE. I'M GONNA HAVE TO TAKE HIM.
I, I LIKE IT. I LIKE IT. I LIKE IT. BUT WE'RE GOING ON MY ANSWER KEY HERE. ALL RIGHT, READY? ROMEO.
YES, CLYDE. THAT'S RIGHT. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. WE GOT, HEY, TIM, YOU GOT TIME? TIM, YOU GOT TIME? YOU GOT TIME? COOKIES.
NO, BUT GOOD GUESSES. ROCK AND ROLL. ALL RIGHT, WHAT WAS THE FINAL COUNT? 6-6. 6-6? ARE YOU SERIOUS? OKAY, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. YEAH, I GOT MORE. I GOT MORE. WE'RE IN THE BONUS ROUND HERE. IT'S FOR ALL THE MARBLES. READY? IT'S NOT EASY. IT'S NOT AN EASY ONE. FUNKY.
NO. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO ANOTHER ONE. CARPET. IT WAS FUNKY CHICKEN. CHICKEN. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
CHIPS. YES! DAVID TAKES THE CHAMPIONSHIP! HEY, GIVE HIM A, GIVE HIM A, YOUR GUY WON! ALL RIGHT, THANKS DAVID.
AND THE POINT OF THAT WAS? WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THAT? YEAH, THANK YOU.
HEY, TALK TO DAVID, TALK TO THE CITY STAFF. THEY'VE GOT A PRIZE FOR YOU.
YEAH, WE LINED IT UP AHEAD OF TIME.
I KNOW. ALL RIGHT, WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT GAME? ONE PURPOSE IS JUST TO LOOSEN US UP A LITTLE BIT.
BUT THE MAIN PURPOSE IS WE'RE ANSWERING A CALL. WE'RE ANSWERING A CALL. THIS GROUP RIGHT HERE IS, WE COULD SAY AS A WHOLE IS A LEADERSHIP GROUP.
WOULD Y'ALL AGREE WITH THAT? THERE'S GOVERNING AUTHORITY, AND THERE'S ADMINISTRATIVE OR EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY. BUT THIS GROUP AS A WHOLE IS A LEADERSHIP GROUP. OKAY, HERE'S HOW I DEFINE LEADERSHIP.
A LEADER TAKES FOR CREATING THE, ALL RIGHT, WHAT WORD DO YOU THINK GOES RIGHT THERE? A LEADER IS SOMEONE WHO TAKES, RESPONSIBILITY.
SO, SOMEONE ON THEIR PHONE, LOOK UP THE LATIN ROOT FOR RESPONSE OR RESPONSIBILITY.
[00:20:06]
RESPONDERE, MEANING TO PROMISE OR TO PLEDGE.GOOD. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? OH, AI SAID TO RESPOND OR TO ANSWER.
TO ANSWER. YEAH, TO RESPOND, TO ANSWER. ALL THAT IS, ALL THAT HAS THE SAME KIND OF MEANING. TO PLEDGE, TO PROMISE, TO RESPOND, TO ANSWER. TO PROMISE, TO PLEDGE, TO ANSWER REQUIRES SOME TYPE OF OUTSIDE STIMULUS.
WOULD YOU AGREE? SOMETHING OUT THERE BRINGS SOME TYPE OF STIMULUS TO YOU, AND YOU HAVE TO RESPOND TO IT. AND THAT'S WHAT RESPONSIBILITY IS. IT'S ANSWERING A CALL. HENCE THE NAME OF THAT GAME, ANSWER THE CALL. I CALLED OUT. YOU ANSWERED. YOU KNOW, I TOLD YOU I HAD TEENAGE DAUGHTERS. AND THE GOAL IS FOR THEM NOT TO LIVE IN MY HOUSE ULTIMATELY.
RIGHT? WE WANT TO SEND THEM ON. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO AS PARENTS IS TEACH OUR CHILDREN RESPONSIBILITY. SO, LET'S SAY MY DAUGHTERS COME IN AFTER VOLLEYBALL PRACTICE AND THEY THROW THEIR KNEE PADS AND SHOES AND SOCKS DOWN ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR. AND THEY GO OFF AND DO THEIR THING.
AND LATER THEY WALK BACK THROUGH THE KITCHEN AND THOSE SOCKS ARE LAYING IN THERE ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR. IT'S AS IF THOSE SOCKS ARE CALLING OUT.
AND WE'LL PICK ON MY OLDEST DAUGHTER LAUREN.
AND THOSE SOCKS ARE CALLING OUT TO LAUREN SAYING, WHAT ARE THOSE SOCKS SAYING TO LAUREN? PICK ME UP.
PICK ME UP. I DON'T BELONG HERE. I WANT TO GO TO MY HOME.
IN THE DIRTY CLOTHES HAMPER IS WHERE I BELONG. SO, WHEN MY DAUGHTER WALKS PAST THOSE SOCKS AND THOSE SOCKS START TO CALL, WHAT DOES RESPONSIBILITY LOOK LIKE? ANSWERING THE CALL.
BUT WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS, RIGHT? SO, MY DAUGHTER WALKS THROUGH THE KITCHEN, THE SOCKS ARE CALLING. THERE ARE 3 CATEGORIES THAT CAN ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE. WHAT ARE THEY? IGNORE.
WHAT'S NUMBER 2? I CAN PICK THEM UP.
I CAN PICK THEM UP. NUMBER 3? I CAN KICK THEM ASIDE.
WELL, WHICH IS NOT PICKING THEM UP, BUT NUMBER 3 IS I DON'T EVEN HEAR THE CALL.
OBLIVIOUS. DEAF. AS A LEADER, WHEN WE SHOW UP TO LEAD, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S COMING FROM, WHEN WE SHOW UP TO LEAD, THINGS ARE CALLING ALL THE TIME. THINGS ARE CALLING OUT. AND AS A LEADER, ONE, WE HAVE TO HAVE THE DISCIPLINE AND THE FOCUS TO LEARN HOW TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S CALLING AND HEAR CORRECTLY WHAT'S CALLING. AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO DECIDE, DO WE ANSWER IT? DO WE IGNORE IT? DO WE ANSWER IT? DO WE IGNORE IT? SO THAT'S WHAT A LEADER IS. A LEADER IS SOMEONE WHO TAKES RESPONSIBILITY. THEY ANSWER THE CALL. AND ULTIMATELY, THEY ANSWER THE CALL FOR CREATING THE, FUTURE.
SO, MOVING THINGS AROUND THIS DESK IS MANAGEMENT.
LEADERSHIP BRINGS A NEW WORLD ABOUT, HOWEVER INCREMENTAL, BUT LEADERSHIP BRINGS A NEW WORLD ABOUT. AND SO TODAY AS WE THINK ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING, WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A LEADERSHIP GROUP IS WE'RE FUNCTIONING AS LEADERS. WE'RE, THE FUTURE IS CALLING. TOMORROW IS CALLING TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO, RIGHT? YES.
WHETHER YOU WANT IT TO OR NOT, WHETHER YOU WANT IT TO OR NOT, YOU DON'T GET TO VOTE ON WHETHER TOMORROW IS CALLING FOR YOU TO ANSWER IT. IT IS CALLING. THE QUESTION IS, HOW WILL YOU ANSWER THAT, OR WILL YOU ANSWER IT, RIGHT? WILL YOU ANSWER IT, AND HOW WILL YOU ANSWER IT? SO TOMORROW, NEXT YEAR, IT'S SAYING, HEY, AMARILLO LEADERSHIP, WHAT WILL YOU MAKE OF ME? THAT'S WHAT THE FUTURE IS SAYING. AND IT'S OUR JOB TO PURPOSEFULLY SHAPE THAT, PURPOSEFULLY SHAPE THE FUTURE.
TO NOT DO THAT IS TO NEGLECT OUR DUTY. IT'S TO STAGNATE GROWTH. IT'S TO STAGNATE OUR MATURITY. IF MY DAUGHTER HAS A HABIT OF WALKING THROUGH THE KITCHEN AND NOT ANSWERING THAT CALL,
[00:25:01]
TO THOSE SOCKS, WHAT'S MY ASSESSMENT? SHE'S MATURING. NO. IT'S, IF SHE'S 11, IT'S ONE THING. BUT AT 14, AT 17, THERE SHOULD BE MATURITY, RIGHT? THEY SAY A GOOD LEADER DOESN'T SOLVE THE SAME PROBLEM TWICE. DO YOU ALL AGREE WITH THAT? OR WOULD Y'ALL PUSH BACK ON THAT? I AGREE.DO YOU FEEL AS A LEADERSHIP GROUP YOU'RE ADDRESSING THE SAME PROBLEMS? SOMETIMES? YOU'RE COMING BACK TO THE SAME PROBLEM? SO, YOU WANT TO DIG IN.
YEAH, SOME OF THOSE PROBLEMS ARE, I DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE RIGHT NOW.
SOME OF THEM TAKE TIME TO SOLVE IF THEY'RE THOSE BIG AUDACIOUS PROBLEMS. AND SOMETIMES, MAN, YOU CAN HAVE A PROBLEM SOLVED, BUT IT COMES UP AGAIN, BUT YOU'RE READY TO SOLVE IT AGAIN BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN THERE.
SO, BECAUSE, I MEAN, WITH WHAT WE DO FOR A LIVING, I MEAN, THE PERSON WHO HAD THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME, YOU SOLVE IT, BUT THEN ANOTHER PERSON HAD NO IDEA YOU SOLVED IT, BRING THE ISSUE BACK UP, BUT YOU'RE READY TO SOLVE IT.
YOU'RE YOU'VE ALREADY GOT IT LAID OUT AND READY TO GO.
YEAH, YOU CAN'T CONTROL WHAT PROBLEMS POP UP.
RIGHT? AND SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT OBSTACLES AND BARRIERS THAT POP UP, BUT AREAS WHERE WE KEEP STUBBING OUR OWN TOE. DO WE KEEP STUBBING OUR TOE IN THAT SAME WAY? WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE WHEREWITHAL, WE COULD PREVENT THAT. WE COULD PREVENT THAT, RIGHT? SO MY QUESTION IS, I DON'T WANNA KNOW LIKE ANY SPECIFICS, BUT DO YOU HAVE A SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE ARE SOME WAYS WE STUB OUR TOE THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE STUBBING OUR TOE ANYMORE? IT'S TIME FOR US TO GET PAST THAT. IS THAT TRUE? OR YOU FEEL LIKE, NOPE, THE PROBLEMS WERE, THE THINGS WE'RE DEALING WITH, ARE THE APPROPRIATE THINGS AT OUR LEVEL OF MATURITY WE SHOULD BE DEALING WITH? Y'ALL TELL ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT.
YEAH, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO CATEGORIZE. SO, I THINK IF YOU'LL COMPARTMENTALIZE AND DROP A FEW THINGS INTO SOME BUCKETS, IT'D BE HELPFUL. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU HAVE CHRONIC OR SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS IN ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE AGED.
AND THOSE ARE INHERENT THINGS THAT SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF, RIGHT? SO THE POOR FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT, RIGHT, VERSUS THE HIGH PERFORMANCE FUNCTION OF BUSINESS, YOU KNOW. SO, YOU'RE JUST SADDLED WITH PROBLEMS THAT YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF BECAUSE YOU HAVE LEGAL RESTRAINTS, STATUTES.
THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF OF TAKING A LEADERSHIP TEAM, BRINGING THEM ALL TOGETHER, BUT IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU WALK OUT OF HERE, BREAKING THEM ALL BACK APART AND SAYING, WHATEVER YOU GAINED, YOU KNOW, IN THIS MEETING, YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO TALK, YOU KNOW, FREELY ON OUTSIDE OF HERE, RIGHT? GOTCHA. YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE SLEW OF HEAVY LIFTING AND LABORIOUS ACTIVITIES JUST TO GET YOURSELF BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S A PROBLEM WE CAN'T SOLVE. SO, LET'S SAY YOU HAVE PROBLEMS THAT ARE SOLVABLE AND, AND THAT YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH, AND THEN YOU HAVE CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES, RIGHT? IN LEADERSHIP, I THINK WHEN YOU DON'T SEPARATE THOSE AND YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO FOCUS AND BRING CLARITY TO THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET CONFUSED.
I LIKE THAT. EASILY. THAT'S A GOOD DISTINCTION, RIGHT? THERE ARE INHERENT THINGS THAT WE CAN HUFF AND PUFF, BUT WE'LL NEVER BLOW IT DOWN.
YOU'RE JUST, AND, AND THEN YOU HAVE OUTSIDE FORCES THAT FORCE INWARD, AND THEN YOU HAVE INTERNAL FORCES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, CONSTANT STRIFE. SO, I THINK IN GOOD, HEALTHY CONVERSATION, YOU'VE GOT TO ALLOW FOR A TOLERANCE IN THERE AND NOT BE SO OVERLY OPTIMISTIC THAT YOU DON'T REALIZE WHAT YOU'RE HERE TO ACCOMPLISH, RIGHT? SURE.
SO IN KNOWING THAT, RIGHT? WHAT IS A PROBLEM AND WHAT IS A CONDITION? THEN YOU STILL HAVE IN THAT SLEW OF PROBLEMS, YOU HAVE PRIORITIZATION.
URGENT, NOT URGENT, NOT MY PROBLEM, SOMEBODY'S, DELEGATION, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT. SO, YEAH. AND SO WHAT I, SO GOING WITH THAT HELPFUL DISTINCTION WITHIN THE PROBLEM WORLD, NOT THE CONDITION WORLD, AS YOU REFLECT, JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING, ARE THERE THINGS IN THAT PROBLEM WORLD THAT YOU KEEP BUMPING YOUR HEAD AGAINST THAT YOU'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE SHOULD MOVE PAST THAT. WE SHOULD NOT KEEP BUMPING OUR HEAD IN THIS SAME SPOT.
[00:30:01]
YEAH, SO TAKE THE EASIEST ONE LIKE COMMUNICATION, RIGHT? SO LIKE THE EASIEST THING IS TO JUST COMMUNICATE MAYBE WITH THE CUSTOMER, RIGHT? AND YET IT IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO. THE EASIEST THING IS TO JUST FOLLOW UP. LIKE, THAT IS NOT A CONDITION THAT WE CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WOULD SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. WELL, WE COULD HAVE FOLLOWED UP WITH THE CUSTOMER, RIGHT? THE GUY THAT TOOK THE PROBLEM SAID, THAT'S MINE, I HAVE OWNERSHIP OF THAT, COULD, AND SO WE COME TOGETHER AND WE PUT IN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND WE DO ALL SORTS OF STUFF AT MANAGEMENT LEVEL, BUT ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, JUST FOLLOW-UP AS A, YOU KNOW, AN ISSUE. AND THAT'S A VERY SOLVABLE PROBLEM IN ANY BUSINESS, YET IT'S ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS BUSINESSES TRY TO TACKLE. AND SO IT COMES DOWN TO A CONDITION ON THE OTHER SIDE OF JUST HUMANITY. WE'RE ALL PEOPLE, AND WE FORGET EASILY.WE GET TIRED. WE HAVE DIFFERENT CONDITIONS, AND SO THINGS DON'T GET FOLLOWED UP ON. AND THAT WOULD BE A CHRONIC ISSUE THAT EVERY ONE OF THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS STRUGGLES TO SOLVE.
AND IF YOU SOLVED IT LAST WEEK, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SOLVE IT AGAIN THIS WEEK, RIGHT? SO IT'S EASY TO POINT OUT, BUT LIKE NOT TO GET HUNG UP IN THE MINUTIA OF THOSE THINGS. LIKE WHAT'S THE LEADERSHIP ASPECT OF THAT? OTHERS? OTHER THOUGHTS? I THINK SOMETIMES WE HAVE TROUBLE WITH UNIFIED CLARITY OF DEFINING WHAT THE ACTUAL PROBLEM IS.
THAT'S NICE. THAT'S RIGHT. ONE OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE COULD SAY, THIS IS A PROBLEM. ONE OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE COULD SAY, ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. THAT'S FINE. IT'S PART OF THE THING.
ABSOLUTELY. YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.
AND IT'S NOT EASY. IT'S NOT EASY TO DEFINE IT. AND IT TAKES TIME. IT TAKES WORK. EVERYONE HAS THEIR PERSPECTIVE. AND IT TAKES A LOT OF HEALTHY DISCUSSION TO GET UNIFIED ON SEEING SOMETHING THE SAME WAY, TO HAVE A SHARED VIEW OF THE THING, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT, HERE'S WHAT I WANT US TO DO.
WE'RE GOING TO ASSESS THE ENVIRONMENT YOU'RE MOVING INTO, OKAY? SO LET ME KIND OF GO THROUGH THE AGENDA. WE'VE KIND OF HAD AN INTRODUCTION HERE TO GET US THINKING ABOUT LEADERSHIP, TO GET US THINKING ABOUT WHAT IS THE TASK THAT'S BEEN HANDED TO YOU AS A GROUP, AND THAT'S THIS RIGHT HERE.
IT'S TO ANSWER THE CALL OF CREATING THE FUTURE. AND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE. EVERYONE HERE WANTS A BETTER TOMORROW FOR AMARILLO. YES. RIGHT? EXCEPT FOR STEPHANIE. STEPHANIE SAID SHE WANTS IT TO GO DOWNHILL.
BUT OTHER THAN STEPHANIE, EVERYONE ELSE WANTS A BETTER TOMORROW FOR AMARILLO. SO, WE HAVE THIS TASK OF LEADERSHIP.
SO, LET'S, LET ME KIND OF LAY OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.
ONE, WE'RE GOING TO ASSESS THE ENVIRONMENT, RIGHT? IF THAT'S THE WILD, WILD WEST OUT THERE AND WE'RE TRYING TO CHART OUR COURSE, WE WANT TO DO A FLYOVER OF THE WILD WILD WEST AND SAY, IS IT A DESERT LAND? IS IT A SWAMPLAND? WHAT'S THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER INTO? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY. NUMBER 2, WE'RE GOING TO DEFINE THE DESTINATION.
WHERE IS IT WE'RE TRYING TO GO? WHERE IS IT WE'RE TRYING TO GO? THAT'LL GET US TO LUNCH, PROBABLY. AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO ASK OURSELVES, WHAT CAPACITY DO WE NEED TO GET THERE? WHAT KIND OF CAPACITY DO WE NEED TO GET TO THIS DESTINATION? AND ONCE WE KIND OF HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE CAPACITY REQUIREMENT IS, THEN WE WANT TO ASSESS OURSELVES AND SAY, DO WE HAVE THAT CAPACITY? DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO GET THERE? AND INEVITABLY, THERE ARE GOING TO BE GAPS BETWEEN THE CAPACITY REQUIRED AND WHAT YOUR CURRENT CAPACITY IS.
AND THEN, I THINK BY THE TIME WE GO THROUGH THOSE STEPS, SOME THINGS WILL HAVE EMERGED THAT ARE CLEAR FOR US. ALL RIGHT, SO FIRST WE'RE GOING TO ASSESS THE ENVIRONMENT. AND THE WAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT IS, THIS IS A 2-PAGE HANDOUT, 2-PAGE HANDOUT. OKAY? I ONLY WANT YOU RIGHT NOW TO JUST WORK ON THIS FIRST PAGE, NUMBERS 01, 2, AND 3. I'M GOING
[00:35:01]
TO GIVE YOU 5, 6, 7 MINUTES.TO INDIVIDUALLY THINK THROUGH, MAYBE JOT DOWN A BULLET POINT. WE DON'T NEED ANY MASTER'S THESES, OKAY? A COUPLE OF BULLET POINTS.
I WANT YOUR INDIVIDUAL THOUGHTS, AND THEN I'LL TELL YOU WHAT TO DO FROM THERE. AND IF WE HAVE ANY JEOPARDY MUSIC OR ANYTHING FOR THE BACKGROUND, THAT'D BE GREAT. THAT WAS ALSO A JOKE.
YOU WANT TO DO THIS, STEPHANIE? OKAY. I KNOW YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE, BUT, OKAY, OKAY.
YEAH, DON'T BE CHEATING, GRAYSON. WE WANT YOUR OWN THOUGHTS. DON'T AI, DON'T AI THIS.
[00:41:54]
TIM AND ANDREW, KIND OF PAIR UP THERE AND LOOK AT YOUR LISTS TOGETHER AND TRY TO GET A CONSOLIDATED DOCUMENT.JUST MAYBE 2, AT MOST 3 POINTS PER QUESTION. OKAY? GRAYSON AND DON, Y'ALL PAIR UP, COMPARE YOUR NOTES, AND TRY TO GET IT 2 OR 3 KEY POINTS PER QUESTION. COLE AND DONNIE, Y'ALL PAIR UP. AND THEN DAVID, LES, AND STEPHANIE, Y'ALL TEAM UP AND CONSOLIDATE YOUR LISTS. SO, IT'LL REQUIRE SOME CHITCHAT OR WHATEVER, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU AGAIN 6, 7, 8 MINUTES TO CONSOLIDATE YOUR LIST.
[01:01:39]
THIS GROUP THAT WAS SITTING[01:01:41]
OVER HERE. WHAT Y'ALL'S GROUP[01:01:42]
NAME? DID YOU ALL COME UP[01:01:43]
WITH A NAME? THAT WASN'T ON OUR ASSIGNMENT. OH, OKAY.SOD POODLES. OH, I THOUGHT WE WERE THE A-TEAM. OKAY, WHAT Y'ALL'S TEAM NAME? A-TEAM.
YEAH, IT'S ANDREW, SO IT'S GOT TO BE THE A-TEAM, RIGHT? YEAH. SO YEAH, WE'RE THE A-TEAM. SO MY GROUP SITTING HERE, WHO'S GOING TO KIND OF BE THE SPOKESPERSON, WHICH EVERYONE CAN CHIME IN? DAVID. HE, I SAW HIM CLAMORING FOR THAT SPOKESMAN ROLE.
CLAMORING POLITICIAN. AND THEN OVER HERE THEY SAID ANDREW.
SURE, I THINK WE NOMINATED ANDREW. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, SO ANDREW, START WITH GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT.
BUT WHAT, WHAT ARE THE KEY ENVIRONMENTAL REALITIES IN THE FUTURE FOR THE, SO REALLY IT IS CONTINUED AND SUSTAINED GROWTH. SO OVER THE NEXT 5, 10 YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADD MORE POPULATION, MORE PEOPLE, WHICH IS GOING TO BRING MORE OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE INCREASED REVENUE, WHETHER IT'S SALES TAX, NEW PROPERTY TAX, ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, IT'S JUST GOING TO ADD MORE EXPECTATIONS OF WHERE WE'RE SPENDING THOSE DOLLARS FOR THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PROVIDE, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT A LOT OF A LOT OF WHAT WE SEE HERE, IT'S NOT INTERIOR GROWTH. IT'S WE'RE CONTINUING TO SPRAWL OUTWARD, JUST MORE AND MORE SQUARE MILES. IT'S JUST GOING TO EXTEND OUR LINES, GOING TO HAVE TO ADD MORE OFFICERS, MORE FIRE STATIONS. JUST, IT JUST SPREADS US PRETTY THIN.
SO IT'S HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO FUND THOSE THINGS? AND THEN THE ONE ADDITION WE ADD TO THIS AS FAR AS KIND OF CHALLENGES, IT'S JUST HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED SOCIALLY AS FAR AS HOW NEIGHBORS REACT, HOW THINGS ARE POSTED ONLINE, THAT JUST THE DEMANDS HAVE CHANGED AS FAR AS EXPECTATIONS, CULTURE, HOW PEOPLE TREAT EACH OTHER DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.
SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE TO FACE AS A COMMUNITY OF HOW WE WORK TOGETHER TO KEEP MOVING. AND YOU PUT THAT IN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE YOU ADD MORE PEOPLE AND YOU CONTINUE TO MIX THE SOCIAL CULTURE, THE SOCIAL DYNAMIC, THE EXPECTATIONS, AND HOW PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER.
HAS JUST CHANGED A LOT IN THE LAST 15, 20 YEARS IS PROBABLY WHEN IT'S HAPPENED THE MOST. YEAH. WE ALSO ADDED THE PART ABOUT THE COUNCIL CHANGING EVERY 2 YEARS AND HOW THAT AFFECTS US AS WELL. YEAH, THAT'S IN OUR NEXT ONE THOUGH. THAT'S A NUMBER 3. SORRY. YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S WHY HE'S THE FIRST PERSON THAT COULD BE IN ANY OF THEM. YEAH. OKAY. NUMBER 01, THAT WAS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. YEAH. TAKE, TAKE, JUST TAKE IT AWAY, GUYS.
DONNIE, WE GAVE YOU A CHANCE, MAN. WE GAVE YOU A CHANCE.
100%. OKAY. I'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY. ALL RIGHT.
FROM THAT GROUP, DOES ANYONE, ANYONE FROM THAT GROUP, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CHIME IN ON ANY OF THOSE POINTS? THE POPULATION GROWTH? MY MIC'S BROKE NOW. ANYBODY ELSE FROM THAT GROUP? WANT TO CHIME IN ON THOSE POINTS? WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BEING FORTUNATE WE ARE STILL A GROWING COMMUNITY. SOME OF US HAVE WORKED IN TOWNS THAT WERE STAGNANT OR DECLINING. SO JUST WITH THAT BECOMES EXPECTATIONS AND HOW DO YOU USE THAT GROWTH TO PROVIDE
[01:05:01]
FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. THE POPULATION GROWTH IS A CERTAIN TYPE OF CALL TO THE LEADERSHIP, RIGHT? AND THERE'S A RESPONSIBILITY TO ANSWER IT. TO CHOOSE NOT TO ANSWER IT IS, IS, IS A CHOICE, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT, DAVID, POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. POPULATION GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. I THINK ONE OF THE, THE RESOUNDING THEMES THAT OUR GROUP CAME UP WITH WAS HOUSING AND HOMES, TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE, THE, THE, THE EXTREME GROWTH THAT WE'RE GETTING READY TO SEE. I THINK WE'RE GETTING READY TO SEE A GROWTH IN THE, IN THE TOP 26 COUNTIES, SECOND TO MAYBE JUST A WORLD WAR II TYPE ENVIRONMENT WITH, WITH THE INCREASE IN DATA CENTERS AND THE PROJECTS THAT ARE, THAT ARE COMING. THINGS THAT, THAT ARE GOING TO BE A PROBLEM FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, LOSS OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA SEE, A LOT OF, A SHUFFLING OF INDIVIDUALS.I THINK THAT AS, AS MORE FOLKS COME IN AND RAISE, RAISES AND WAGES INCREASE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF PRESSURE, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE READY TO, TO HANDLE THAT. BECAUSE I THINK THE, I DON'T THINK IT'S UNREALISTIC TO SEE A 20% INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD IN WAGES, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE IN ALL POSITIONS FOR THE CITY. I THINK WE NEED TO BE, BE PREPARED FOR A LOT OF, OF PRESSURE.
THE, I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT IS, THAT IS CHALLENGING, OUR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IS INCREASED ANGER AND DISCORD FROM THE PUBLIC. SAY THAT AGAIN. INCREASED ANGER AND DISCORD FROM THE PUBLIC. AND I THINK THAT IS, IS DRIVING INDIVIDUALS OUT OF LEADERSHIP POSITIONS. IT'S CAUSING INDIVIDUALS NOT TO WANT TO RUN FOR OFFICE. TIE THAT, TIE THAT, TELL ME THE, THE LINK. I KNOW THERE IS ONE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR IN MY MIND. SO WITH THE POPULATION GROWTH, YOU'RE SAYING, RIGHT? NO, I THINK, I THINK THAT THE POPULATION GROWTH, IT SAYS WHAT IS PRECLUDING GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. OH, OKAY. YEAH, OKAY. AND SO WITHOUT STRONG LEADERSHIP, OKAY, YOU DON'T HAVE VISION, YOU DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. I THINK THINGS THAT ARE GOING, GOING TO, THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS, WHAT CHANGES IN GROWTH OR DEVELOPMENT DO YOU EXPECT AND WHAT OPPORTUNITY OR CHALLENGES? I THINK THAT'S A CHALLENGE IS WHAT I'M, WHAT I'M TRYING TO CLARIFY ON THAT. MORE CONTROL FROM AUSTIN. WE, WE'RE SEEING MORE CONTROL, MORE, MORE MANDATES COMING OUT OF AUSTIN. AND I THINK ONE THING THAT IS GOING TO HELP WITH THE GROWTH OF THE CITY IS USING TECHNOLOGY TO THE, TO THE STRONGEST AMOUNT WE CAN.
THAT'LL HELP WITH INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
HOW DO WE RUN? DO WE NEED 03,200 EMPLOYEES IN THE CITY? WHERE ARE WE GOING TO FIND THEM? WE'VE GOT 2,400 TODAY. WHAT IF WE LOSE 20% OF THOSE BECAUSE WE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH, WITH WAGES? HOW ARE WE GOING TO RUN THIS CITY AND THIS ENTITY EFFECTIVELY WITH ALL OF THOSE EXTERNAL PRESSURES? AND WE HAVE TO BE COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS. HOW DO WE GET MORE HOMES? HOW DO WE GET MORE INSPECTORS? HOW DO WE GET MORE CONCRETE GUYS, MORE BUILDERS, MORE FRAMERS, MORE ELECTRICIANS, MORE ROOFERS? WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO LIVE AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THESE INDIVIDUALS INTO OUR CITY? CAN I, LET'S TALK ABOUT, ON THAT LAST PIECE ABOUT ROOFERS, CONCRETE. ARE WE SAYING HOW ARE WE GOING TO ATTRACT ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS? IS THAT, CAN I PUT THAT IN THAT CATEGORY, OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT FLAVOR TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE? I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A HUMAN CAPITAL PROBLEM. I THINK THE ENTREPRENEURS ARE GOING TO COME. OKAY, THEY'RE GOING TO SEE OPPORTUNITY, INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO BRANCH OUT, BUT WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO GET THE INDIVIDUALS TO DO THE ACTUAL LABOR, RIGHT? JUST A POPULATION. AND THEN AS, AS WE SPOKE ABOUT, WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO LIVE, RIGHT? RIGHT. OKAY, ANYBODY WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE FROM THAT GROUP? ANYTHING ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? I THINK AN IDEA THAT COUNCILMEMBER TISS BROUGHT UP WAS, WAS AS WE GROW, GROWTH IS EXCITING, BUT YOU HAVE TO ALSO KEEP UP WITH, WITH YOUR CURRENT AS WELL. AND SO WE MAY SEE PARTS OF TOWN GROWING, OTHER PARTS OF TOWN NOT GROWING. AND SO AS WE ARE, AS WE ARE LOOKING AT, AT GROWTH, IS MAKE SURE WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF EXISTING, LOSE SIGHT OF OUR CURRENT, LOSE SIGHT OF, OF, OF THOSE THINGS AS WE'RE FOCUSED ON GROWTH AS WELL. IS THAT FAIR? OH YEAH. YEAH. AND
[01:10:03]
THEN GRAYSON BROUGHT UP THAT THE POPULATION GROWTH IN OUR, IN OUR CITY IS BECOMING A LOT MORE DIVERSE, WHICH POSES IT'S, IT'S VERY UNIQUE, IN EMBRACING DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE'RE BECOMING MUCH MORE DIVERSE THAN WE USED TO BE.ANYBODY ELSE FROM DAVID'S GROUP, FROM THE GLADIATORS OF DOOM? ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO CHIME IN FROM THAT GROUP? LET'S GO GLADIATORS OF OPPORTUNITY. SO LET ME SUMMARIZE. LET ME SUMMARIZE HERE. I'M GREAT. AS WE THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE, THE HORIZON, THE WILD, WILD WEST THAT WE'RE ENTERING INTO, WE'RE LOOKING AT INCREASED POPULATION IN, IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH MEANS, MOST LIKELY INCREASED REVENUE FROM, FROM PROPERTY TAX AND SALES TAX.
BUT HOW DO WE MANAGE THAT? AND WHAT SERVICES, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE SERVICE STRUCTURE? WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CITY CONTINUING TO BE SPREAD OUT GEOGRAPHICALLY. NUMBER 3, WITH POPULATION GROWTH AND A DIVERSE POPULATION GROWTH, THAT BRINGS VARIOUS SOCIAL DYNAMICS.
WE TALKED ABOUT LABOR SHORTAGES IN GENERAL AND WE TALKED ABOUT KEEP NOT JUST FOCUSING ON MANAGING THE GROWTH, BUT WE'VE GOT DECADES AND DECADES OF EXISTING THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN BUILDING THAT WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN. WE CAN'T NEGLECT THAT HOUSING FOR THIS POPULATION GROWTH WITH WAGE INCREASE, WITH WAGE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IT PUTS WAGE PRESSURE ON THE ORGANIZATION HERE, THE CITY ORGANIZATION, TO KEEP UP. AND IT, IF NOT, YOU CAN EXPECT TURNOVER, YOU CAN EXPECT A LACK OF OR A LOSS OF INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE.
STATE LEGISLATION THE NECESSITY FOR TECHNOLOGY AND HOW TO LEVERAGE THAT IN THE FUTURE, THE EMPLOYEE COUNT AS THE CITY GROWS, WHERE TO, WHERE TO GET THAT STAFF. AND THEN THE ENVIRONMENT WE'RE IN AS A WHOLE DISINCENTIVIZES PEOPLE FROM VOLUNTEERING TO LEAD THE CITY. RIGHT.
OKAY. SO THAT'S THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE'VE GOT TO NAVIGATE. I WOULD, THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE MAY FACE IS WHERE IS THIS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT GOING TO OCCUR AND WHERE DO WE WANT IT AS A CITY TO OCCUR? OKAY.
LIKE WHAT QUADRANTS OF THE CITY? WELL, NO, IN THE CITY VERSUS OUTSIDE THE CITY.
OKAY. I'LL GIVE YOU 2 EXAMPLES OF 2 COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS THAT ARE SEEING DIVERGENT PATHS ON WHERE THEY'RE GOING, AND IT'S AFFECTING THEIR MUNICIPALITIES. AND THAT'S DALLAS AND FORT WORTH. I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT FORT WORTH DID DECADES AGO ON PREVENTING A DOUGHNUT HOLE IN THE MIDDLE AND WHERE DALLAS IS RIGHT NOW, DALLAS HAS SEEN A MASS EXODUS TO OTHER PLACES FROM BUSINESS TO PROFESSIONAL SPORTS HAVE NOW MOVED OUT INTO OTHER AREAS, WHERE IN FORT WORTH YOU'RE NOT SEEING THAT. IN FACT THAT DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENED IN THE CORE THEN HELPED NEIGHBORS ADJACENT TO IT. AND SO YOU'RE SEEING A DIVERGENCE OF 2 DIFFERENT CITIES. I THINK THAT ONE HAD THE DEVELOPMENT AND ATTRACTED PEOPLE TO LIVE THERE. THE OTHERS DIDN'T. AND DALLAS IS FACING TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL STRIFE. YOU KNOW, THEY GOT A CITY HALL THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD. SO I THINK THE QUESTION IS, I MEAN, DO WE WANT THIS DEVELOPMENT INSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS? WELL, I THINK WE DO. AND HOW DO WE HELP FACILITATE THAT? I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FORT WORTH BLUEPRINT AND OTHER PLACES, BECAUSE WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'VE SEEN IS AN EXODUS OUT OF THE CENTERS OF THE CITY. AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE SUBURBS HERE YET TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, BUT THAT'S HAPPENING BETWEEN HERE AND CANYON AND OTHER PLACES. AND GROWTH IN ALL THESE AREAS ARE GOING TO DO NOTHING MORE THAN PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON US FOR WHATEVER REASONS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE WORKING HERE USING OUR SERVICES, BUT THEY'RE NOT CONTRIBUTING PARTY. UH SO I,
[01:15:01]
I THINK MAKING THAT WHERE YEAH, WE WANT THE REGION TO DEVELOP, BUT IF WE DON'T SEE THAT DEVELOPMENT HERE, IT'S GOING TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY, ON OUR SCHOOLS, AND, AND, AND OTHER THINGS AS WELL.THAT'S THAT MEASURE, MEASURE MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE YOU CUT. QUESTION.
OKAY, NUMBER 2, COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS. SO WE'LL START, WE'LL START WITH GOO FIRST.
LET ME READ THIS OUT LOUD JUST SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. WHAT WILL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS EXPECT FROM THE CITY TOMORROW IN THE FUTURE? I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S VERY CLEAR, MORE IMPROVEMENTS, A CONTINUED, INCREASE IN, THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN, IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO. I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT WE NEED PARKS, ROADS, WE NEED SERVICES.
EVERYONE'S GOING TO WANT LESS TAXES, LESS FEES, LESS COST, BUT EVERYTHING, I MEAN, THE COMPRESSION, WITH JUST INPUT COST AND WE WERE, WE SPOKE JUST A MOMENT AGO.
WHAT IF, WHAT IS A, 4 TIRES? WHAT DID THEY COST IN, IN 2020? WHAT DID 4 TIRES COST IN 2024? AND WHAT DO 4 TIRES COST TODAY? AND MULTIPLY THAT ACROSS 2,500 VEHICLES THAT THE, THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS AS ROLLING STOCK. ALL THINGS ARE INCREASING DRASTICALLY. AND SO HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE KEEP UP WITH, THE, THE TYPICAL MAINTENANCE WHICH INDIVIDUALS WANT. THEY WANT THE POOLS AND THEY WANT EVERYTHING WHICH IS, IS NEEDED. BUT HOW DO WE FIND THE FUNDS AND YET HAVE THE LOWEST TAXES? HOW DO WE DO THAT WITH A, A 20 TO 40% INCREASE IN, IN ALL THINGS? INFRASTRUCTURE, THE COMMUNITY IS GOING TO EXPECT THE NECESSITIES: SAFE WATER, OPERATING WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS, GOOD ROADS. THEY'RE GOING TO EXPECT PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS, WE HEAR OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WELL, AMARILLO IS NOT THE SAME AS IT USED TO BE. NOTHING STAYS THE SAME.
EITHER YOU'RE GETTING BETTER OR YOU'RE GETTING WORSE EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY. IT IS NOT GOING TO BE THE SAME AMARILLO IF WE ADD 100,000 PEOPLE IN THE NEXT 15 TO 20 YEARS, WHEN, WHEN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS GOING TO DOUBLE IN SIZE.
FROM 33 MILLION TO 50 MILLION BY 2060, NOTHING IS GOING TO STAY THE SAME. AS A GROUP HERE, DAVID, YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT I'M THROWING THIS TO THE WHOLE GROUP. IT'S COMMON FOR CITIZENS THAT ARE IN A GROWING CITY TO NOT EVERY CITIZEN TO, TO A PERSON, BUT THERE CAN BE A CERTAIN POPULATION THAT SAYS WHAT YOU JUST SAID. IT'S NOT THE SAME AMARILLO, IT'S NOT THE SAME XYZ. DOES THIS GROUP HAVE A SENSE OF WHERE THE POPULATION IS IN THEIR VIEW ON GROWTH? DO THEY WANT THE CITY TO GROW, OR DO THEY WANT THE CITY TO FUNCTION LIKE IT DID IN 1992? CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT? ARE YOU ASKING THIS GROUP TO OPERATE LIKE 1992, OR WHAT THE CITY IS? HOW THE, HOW THE EVERYDAY CITIZEN EXPERIENCES LIFE. DO THEY SAY, YEAH, WE WANT AMARILLO TO GROW AND BECOME MORE WITH THE TIMES AND KEEP UP WITH THE, THIS, THE EARTH SPINNING? OR DO THEY WANT, NO, WE WANT TO PAUSE AND WE WANT THINGS TO BE LIKE THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN.
I THINK YOU'VE GOT SECTORS, AND I WOULD, I WOULD VENTURE A GUESS THAT THAT'S THAT WAY IN EVERY COMMUNITY. A LOT OF IT WOULD PROBABLY BE AGE, BUT THERE, SO I WOULD SAY HERE IN AMARILLO, WE DO HAVE THAT SECTOR THAT SAYS, I DON'T WANT AMARILLO TO GROW. I DON'T, I WANT TO KEEP IT WHERE IT IS. I LIKE IT, YOU KNOW. I HATE THE TRAFFIC. I HATE THE STUFF, YOU KNOW. NOT WORTH IT, THE GROWTH. THEN YOU'VE GOT THAT SECTOR THAT IS, IS ALL ABOUT EMBRACING IT, WHETHER IT'S BRINGING WHATEVER INDUSTRY MEDICAL, AI WHATEVER. LIKE, WE WANT AMARILLO TO GROW. WE WANT THESE THINGS. SO I THINK IT DEPENDS. I THINK YOU HAVE A SECTOR THERE THAT REALLY IS JUST KIND OF HERE AND THEY DON'T REALLY PAY ATTENTION.
BUT I WOULD GUESS IT'S THAT WAY IN EVERY COMMUNITY. YEAH, YOU HAVE. AND I WOULD GUESS AGE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT. AND THEN, THEN YOU LOOK AT THE VOTERS AND LIKE, WHO VOTES? WE HAVE 20% TURNOUT, ROUGHLY FOR MUNICIPAL VOTES.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THOSE PEOPLE DICTATE WHAT'S DO WE KNOW THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF THAT 20%? WHAT'S LIKE THE AVERAGE AGE? STEPHANIE, RIGHT HERE. 55 TO 65 IS A SMALL PORTION, BUT 65 AND OLDER IS THE MAJORITY OF THAT 20%. YEAH. OKAY.
[01:20:04]
ANDREW, FOR Y'ALL'S GROUP, FOR COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS TOMORROW, WHAT'S THE COMMUNITY EXPECTING TOMORROW? A LOT, A LOT OF SIMILAR COMMENTS, BUT BASICALLY MORE AND BETTER SERVICES ALL AROUND. BUT NO, BUT NO MONEY, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY YOU ANYMORE.YEAH. HIGH PRIORITY BEING PUBLIC SAFETY, LOWER CRIME, BUT THE BALANCE BEING THE QUALITY OF LIFE ASPECTS. SOME OF THOSE ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL, BUT WE CAN MAYBE HELP RECRUIT DIFFERENT QUALITY OF LIFE BUSINESSES, WHETHER IT'S AN INDOOR WATER PARK TYPE FACILITY OR EVERYBODY WANTS THE NEXT BIG BOX STORE THAT WE DON'T HAVE, WHICH IS GOING TO COME WITH THAT POPULATION GROWTH.
BUT YEAH, IT'S THE EXPECTATION OF WANTING IT FASTER AND WANTING IT NOW AND THE QUALITY IMPROVED, BUT IS THE REVENUE KEEPING UP WITH IT? AND IS THAT REVENUE JUST COVERING WHAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN COVERING IN THE PAST AND WE HAVEN'T REALLY ADDED TO THE, THE SERVICE LEVELS? I THINK A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION IS THE QUALITY OF SERVICE. IS IT A CADILLAC PLANE YOU'RE PAYING FOR? IS IT A COROLLA? I, I'VE DONE THAT EXERCISE IN OTHER CITIES.
LIKE, YOU REALLY GOT TO RANK IT. DO YOU WANT THE COROLLA OF PARKS OR DO YOU WANT THE CADILLAC OF PARKS? AND WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR IT? SAME WITH PUBLIC SAFETY. WE HAVEN'T INCREASED OUR SWORN NUMBERS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO JUST BUILD UP STAFF IN THE PAST WHERE WE'RE GETTING TO THAT POINT. YOU'VE GOT TO ADD MORE. WE PROBABLY NEED 15 TO 20 MORE JUST ON THE STREETS PATROLLING BASED ON OUR GROWTH PATTERNS. SO EVEN IF WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW, IT'S REALLY GETTING ABSORBED WITH WHAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO COVER IN THE SO THAT'S THE BALANCING ACT. ALL RIGHT. GOOD JOB. ALL RIGHT. NEXT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE DEMANDS. WE'VE KIND OF TOUCHED ON THAT, BUT WE'LL START WITH YOU, ANDREW, THIS TIME.
ANY OTHER POINTS THE GROUP CAME UP WITH THERE? BUT BEFORE ON THAT ONE, I JUST WANTED TO ADD ON THE LAST ONE. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT THE CITIZENS ARE EXPECTING MORE OF THEIR COMMUNITIES IS AT LEAST WHAT I'M SEEING MORE OF IS HOW IS A COMMUNITY GOING TO FUNCTION IN A DISENGAGED ENVIRONMENT FULL OF SOCIAL MEDIA? SO HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE? HOW DO WE GET THE RIGHT MESSAGE OUT? HOW DO WE KEEP PEOPLE INFORMED CORRECTLY AND ACCURATELY AND TIMELY? SO WHEN MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GETTING DESENSITIZED AND DISENGAGED AND PURSUING SENSATIONAL MESSAGES AND EVERYTHING. I THINK THAT'S STRUGGLING. I THINK CITIES ARE ALL STRUGGLING WITH THAT. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WORRY ABOUT IS HOW DO WE AS A GOVERNING BODY, COUNCIL, STAFF, THE TEAM, I THINK CITIZENS ARE ALSO LOOKING TO US FOR ANSWERS ABOUT HOW, I MEAN, THEY ARE DISENGAGING, BUT YET THERE'S STILL A NEED FOR ACCURATE INFORMATION, CUTTING THROUGH THE NOISE. I DON'T KNOW. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO QUITE FIGURE OUT HOW TO SAY THIS YET. BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S STILL AMBIGUOUS AND STILL NEBULOUS. AND SO, SO, BUT I'M GETTING PEOPLE JUST MORE AND MORE TELLING ME ABOUT, I'M SEEING A MESSAGE COMING MORE FROM CITIZENS TO ME.
YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE ARTICULATING IT WELL.
LET ME ASK A FEW CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, MAYBE HELP DEFINE WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING. SO ONE STATEMENT OF FACT IS THE CITIZENRY IS MORE DISENGAGED FROM THE RE, THE, THE, THE REALITIES OF THE CITY THAN IT WAS IN THE PAST. IS THAT, IS THAT WHERE, ARE WE ESTABLISHING THAT, THAT THEY'RE MORE, THEY'RE MORE DISENGAGED TODAY THAN THEY WERE YESTERDAY? I WOULD SAY SO, AS A WHOLE.
YES. OKAY. NEVERTHELESS, THOUGH THEY'RE DISENGAGED, THEY STILL WANT COMMUNICATION.
TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THAT PART. SO I SEE THE DISENGAGEMENT. TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE FEELING OR SENSING THAT YET SOME AT LEAST ARE STILL SAYING, NO, WE WANT COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY. WELL, IT'S THE RIGHT MESSAGE AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT FORM AND THE RIGHT ON THE RIGHT MATTER. AND IT'S JUST MORE OF A GUESSING WHAT I WANT, WHEN I WANT IT, WHEN I NEED IT. AND IF YOU, BUT IF YOU DON'T MEET THAT EXPECTATION, I'M GONNA LET YOU KNOW. TOTAL FAILURE. I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU KNOW WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS.
YES. I'LL JUST LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU DON'T MEET IT. YEAH, IT'S MORE OF A READING MIND SITUATION.
AND THAT TARGET MOVES ALL THE TIME. YES. ALL RIGHT. OKAY.
OKAY, GOT THAT. THAT WAS A JOKE. DID Y'ALL HEAR THAT? NO? OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT, LAST, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE DEMANDS. ALL RIGHT, ANDREW.
YEAH, I, I THINK IT ALL KIND OF TIES TOGETHER WITH 1 AND 2 FROM THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE OF TAKING CARE OF THE OLD. HOW DO YOU SUPPORT THE NEW? CAN NEW GROWTH PAY FOR ITSELF, OR IS THERE STILL GOING TO BE A COMPONENT OF THE CITY HAS TO PARTICIPATE? AND IS THERE
[01:25:01]
SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL AND CITIZENS TO INCENTIVIZE AND INVEST IN THOSE THINGS, WHETHER IT'S STREETS AND THE UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE? IS IT THE WASTEWATER PLANT THAT HAS TO SUPPORT THE LONG-TERM GROWTH? KIND OF ALL THOSE THINGS. AND THEN ALSO THE PARKS EXPECTATION OF, IN THE PAST, WE'VE PUT A PARK EVERYWHERE, AND, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IT, BUT CAN WE STILL SUPPORT THAT LEVEL AND MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS? AND THEN ALSO, JUST AS YOU ADD STAFF, YEAH, YOU THINK ABOUT THE PERSONNEL, BUT YOU DON'T REALIZE THE FLEET, THE EQUIPMENT, THE EVERYTHING THAT'S NEEDED TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE. AND THEN THE LAST ONE WE ADD IN THERE, NOT AN INFRASTRUCTURE DEMAND BUT A SERVICE DEMAND, AND THE EXPECTATION IS IT IS A CONTINUOUS CHALLENGE OF THE 2-YEAR CYCLE COUNCIL AND YOU GET A NEW COUNCIL OR SOME NEW MEMBERS, YOU GOT TO RESET OR REESTABLISH PRIORITIES. YOU'RE GETTING RIGHT INTO YOUR BUDGET, AND THEN A YEAR LATER YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AN ELECTION CYCLE, BUT YOU'RE EXPECTED TO MEET ALL THESE DEMANDS, BUT YOU'VE ONLY GOT 2 YEARS TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT BE THERE IN YEAR 3. AND IS THAT REALLY REALISTIC TO HAVE THAT SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME TO REALLY INFLUENCE THE CHANGE THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE WHEN YOU'VE GOT DECADES OF HISTORY AND RESOURCES THAT ARE CHALLENGED, IT'S, IT'S NOT REALLY POSSIBLE IN A 2-YEAR TIMEFRAME. SO THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE, AND THAT'S A COMMUNITY EXPECTATION AND INPUT BECAUSE IT'S GONE TO THE VOTERS, I THINK, 3 TIMES NOW. IT GETS VOTED DOWN EVERY SINGLE TIME BECAUSE IT'S ALSO THE CONTROL ASPECT. YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THEY'RE GONE IN 2 YEARS VERSUS 3 OR VERSUS STAGGERED OR 5 VERSUS 7. AND THAT'S A SERVICE DEMAND ISSUE THAT CONTINUES TO COME UP EVERY FEW YEARS.OKAY, THAT'S A UNIQUE WAY TO PUT, THINK ABOUT THAT AS FAR AS THE SERVICE DEMAND. THAT'S GOOD. OKAY, DAVID.
OF COURSE, WASTEWATER TREATMENT, WELL-FILLED DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT'S THAT DEVELOPMENT? WELL-FILLED, DISCONTINUED, FRESH WATER. AND I MEAN, THAT'S A, THAT'S A HUGE DEMAND THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE AS WE SEE THE, THE GROWTH. I THINK THAT THE CITY NEEDS TO BE VERY AWARE OF PUBLIC SERVICE AND CONTINUED SALARY INCREASE. AS THOSE, THOSE WAGES INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD IN, IN ALL SERVICES, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF MIGRATION OF INDIVIDUALS FROM ONE CAREER TO ANOTHER BECAUSE THE OPPORTUNITY IS, IS GOING TO BE GREAT. THE STRONG EMPLOYMENT POOL AS WE CONTINUE TO LOWER THE, THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN, IN THIS CITY IS GOING TO BE A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR US. INPUT COSTS ARE ONLY GOING TO CONTINUE TO RISE. AND AS, AS, AS DON SAID, AND WE IDENTIFIED, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE GENERATIONAL REQUEST GOING TO BE AND GENERATIONAL EXPECTATION AS WE MOVE THROUGH GENERATIONS. AND SOME GENERATIONS ARE EXITING AND OTHERS ARE COMING ON BOARD.
AND THERE'S A WHOLE SKILL SET THAT THE YOUTH EXPECT AND THOSE EXPECTATIONS BEING MET. AND I CANNOT ECHO ENOUGH OR SUPPORT WHAT ANDREW SAID. HOW DOES A $600 MILLION A YEAR ENTITY HAVE A COMPLETE CHANGE EVERY 2 YEARS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, RIGHT? IT TAKES A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF TO GET UP TO SPEED, AS WE ALL KNOW.
AT LEAST THE, THE CITIZENS NEED TO HAVE A STAGGERED TERM JUST SO WE HAVE SOME CONTINUITY, CORRECT, OF AN OPERATIONAL SYSTEM TO JUST, JUST TO BE LEVELED UP. YEP. OKAY, LET'S DO THIS. LET'S TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK. AND THEN WE'LL RECONVENE, LET'S SAY, 10 MINUTES. ALL RIGHT, SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE HIGH OCTANE. WE'RE HIGH OCTANE. WE'LL GO A LITTLE FASTER ON THIS SECOND PAGE, BUT WHY IS THIS PROCESS, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE WALK THROUGH THIS PROCESS SO THAT THIS LEADERSHIP GROUP OPERATES FROM A SHARED UNDERSTANDING.
WE CAN THINK WE'RE ALIGNED, BUT UNTIL WE'VE ARTICULATED IT OUT LOUD AND DEFINED SOME THINGS, WE DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ALIGNED.
WHAT DOES TOMORROW REQUIRE? DOES EVERYONE IN THIS DOES EVERYONE AROUND THESE TABLES AGREE ON WHAT TOMORROW REQUIRES? I DON'T KNOW, RIGHT? BUT US SAYING THESE THINGS OUT LOUD GIVES US A BASELINE FROM WHICH TO OPERATE. NUMBER 02, ONE OF THE DEFICITS, WHEN IT COMES TO THE COUNCIL WITH THE 2-YEAR CHANGEOVER,
[01:30:03]
HOW, HOW WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITY OR SETUP FOR SUCCESS DID THIS, WAS THIS COUNCIL GIVEN FROM THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10? 10, THEY SET THE BALL UP ON A TEE TO HELP Y'ALL THRIVE.ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10. YEAH, I'D JUST LIKE A LITTLE MORE.
CAN YOU ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN, PLEASE? YEAH, YEAH. THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL THAT HANDED THE REINS TO THIS COUNCIL, WHETHER WILLINGLY OR BY VOTE, TO WHAT DEGREE DID THEY SET THIS COUNCIL UP FOR SUCCESS? 10 IS THEY COULDN'T, THERE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN A BETTER BATON HANDOFF IN THE WORLD. 1 IS NO, NO SETUP FOR SUCCESS.
AND WHAT WAS THE 1 TO 10? 1 TO 10. 1 TO 10. WOW. WELL, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, IT'S EXTREMELY CONTENTIOUS.
ENDED WITH A LAWSUIT AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO CITIZENS WERE UPSET. IT WAS A HUGE DEAL.
YEAH. SO IT WAS REALLY SKEWED.
I THINK THE FOCUS WAS ON THAT, AND I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE WAS JUST, NOBODY WAS LOOKING AT ANYTHING ELSE. EVERYTHING ELSE GOT PUT INTO THE PERIPHERY. YEAH. SO I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE DONE THE RESEARCH OR LOOKED, BUT, AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT COUNCILS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 2 DIFFERENT TERMS HERE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 3 OF US THAT HAVE BEEN HERE, WE'RE SERVING IN OUR SECOND TERM. THESE 2 GUYS THAT ARE IN THEIR FIRST TERM. SO THESE 2 GUYS MAYBE HAVE A DIFFERENT ANSWER THAN WHAT WE HAVE.
OKAY. SO BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SAYING PREVIOUS COUNCIL, WELL, WE 3 WERE PREVIOUS. OKAY.
THESE 2 GUYS NOT. SO IT'S NOT GIVING YOU AN ANSWER, BUT NO, NO, NO. WELL, I'LL TELL YOU THIS. I ASKED GRAYSON WHEN WE WERE IN THIS AND I SAID, HEY, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN IN YOUR CAREER? BECAUSE THIS IS THE WAY I FEEL IS SO MANY THINGS WERE THAT IF THE CAN WAS KICKED DOWN THE ROAD AND IN THE LAST 2 TERMS WE HAVE, WE HAVE HAD TO UNDER, WE'VE TAKEN ON, I MEAN, WE COULD GO THROUGH THE LIST. I MEAN, THESE GUYS CAN ATTEST TO IT OF LIKE ONE, THE BIG ONE, THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, JUST NOTHING'S BEEN DONE WITH IT, RIGHT? AND NOW WE'RE FACED WITH A BILLION-DOLLAR PROBLEM THAT WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND. OUR FLEETS, OUR VEHICLES WERE JUST IN TERRIBLE SHAPE. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO REPLACE THEM. FIRE APPARATUSES, ALL THIS KIND OF THING. SO WE'VE HAD TO BE CREATIVE AND COME UP WITH WAYS TO FUND THESE THINGS. YEAH.
THROUGH LEASES AND BE VERY CREATIVE WITH STAFF HAS HELPED OUT TREMENDOUSLY. BUT THERE ARE SO MANY CANS KICKED DOWN THE ROAD. AND THAT'S NOT JUST, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY FROM JUST THE ONE PREVIOUS COUNCIL.
I'M TALKING IT'S PROBABLY BEEN 10, 20 YEARS. YEAH. OH, 20 YEARS WORTH OF THINGS ARE GREAT, EVERYTHING'S NEW. AND THAT'S WHAT GRACE SAID. YOU KNOW, WE GET IN THE MINDSET OF LIKE, GOSH, WE'RE IN A GREAT POSITION. AND THEN THAT EVERYTHING STARTS AGING.
AND GETTING WORSE AND GETTING WORSE AND JUST NOTHING'S BEING DONE. WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY. AND I FEEL LIKE, AND I DON'T KNOW ANY BETTER, RIGHT? MY PERSPECTIVE IS ONLY MY PERSPECTIVE. I ONLY KNOW WHAT I KNOW ABOUT SERVING THESE LAST 3 YEARS. I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE. SO MY PERSPECTIVE IS THAT I DON'T THINK LIKE, I DON'T THINK WE WERE SET UP VERY WELL AT ALL.
NOW I WOULD SAY I THINK WE HAD A GREAT TEAM IN THAT ASPECT. I THINK WE HAD A GREAT TEAM. WE HAD TO MAKE A MAJOR MOVE WITH THE CITY MANAGER. WE'VE HAD SOME OTHER ATTRITION AND THAT KIND OF THING HAPPEN.
BUT I WOULD SAY IN THAT ASPECT OF TEAM, WE WERE SET UP PRETTY WELL.
OTHERWISE, I FEEL LIKE WE WEREN'T SET UP AT ALL. WE HAD TO TACKLE A BUNCH OF ISSUES AND WE TOOK ON SOME BIG ISSUES. BUT MY OPINION IS I DON'T THINK WE WERE SET UP. AND I DON'T MEAN THAT WE'VE GOT GINGER NELSON SITTING OUT HERE, THE PREVIOUS MAYOR. I DON'T MEAN THAT BAD TOWARDS ANYONE BECAUSE THIS ISN'T, THIS IS A WEIRD SPOT. I MEAN, WHEN YOU'RE SITTING IN COUNCIL OR YOU'RE MAYOR, YOU GET WHAT YOU GET AND YOU MOVE ON. SO TO SAY, TO ASK THAT QUESTION, I ONLY KNOW WHAT I KNOW.
YEAH. WHAT OTHER COUNCILS HAVE.
BUT I DO FEEL LIKE THAT WE'VE, AND I WOULD LOVE STAFF TO CHIME IN HERE AND SAY, WELL, THERE WAS SOME HEAVY LIFTING.
YOU KNOW, WE GOT VERY CREATIVE WITH ROADS. AND I MEAN THESE GUYS HAVE DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH WHAT WE'VE HAD TO GET ON A NORMAL REPAIR REPLACEMENT SCHEDULE. WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT BEFORE. SO, SO MANY THINGS.
BUT AGAIN, MY IGNORANCE, MAYBE I DON'T KNOW THAT, BUT I FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING THE LAST 3 YEARS. SO I DON'T THINK WE WERE SET UP VERY WELL AT ALL. OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? JUST A SECOND, ANDREW. I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WELL, I DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. BEING HERE A YEAR, I HAD, YOU SIGN UP TO RUN. YOU
[01:35:02]
LIVE IN A COMMUNITY FOR 35 YEARS. YOU SERVE AND YOU DO AND YOU'RE CALLED TO RUN. AND WHEN YOU SURVIVE THE CAMPAIGN, CAMPAIGN AND THE NASTINESS AND THE GROSSNESS AND THE PITTING AND JUST ALL THE CRAP. THE JUNIOR HIGH BEHAVIOR. OH, IT'S AWFUL. AND YOU DON'T KNOW, WE'RE ALL ALIGNED IN CERTAIN ASPECTS. AND YOU WIN JUST BY 49 VOTES. AND YOU REALIZE HOW DIVIDED THIS CITY IS, YOU REALIZE WHEN YOU GET THERE, I MEAN, YOU HAVE SOME REAL HONEST CONVERSATIONS. YOU REALIZE THAT WE'RE ALL PRETTY SIMILAR. BUT YOU GO THROUGH THIS POLITICAL PROCESS, AND YOU HAVE ALL THESE OUTSIDE FORCES INFLUENCING AND TRYING TO DISRUPT THE MISSION. ON A 1 TO 10, MAN, I THINK THIS IS A 3 OR A 4. YOU KNOW, ON, IT TOOK ME A YEAR TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HECK I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. LIKE JUST HOW TO TURN THE COMPUTER ON? YEAH. YEAH. I MEAN, SO THAT, I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT ANDREW SAID THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. I MEAN, THIS IS COMPLEX STUFF. THIS IS HARD STUFF. I MEAN, I STILL HAVEN'T EVEN HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AND VISIT ALL THE GROUPS, OR, I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT I STILL DON'T KNOW.YOU'RE REQUIRED TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS, AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE LOOKING DOWN THE BARREL OF IN 6 MONTHS WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA BE IN THIS SLUGFEST AGAIN. I MEAN, THIS, THIS GROUP NEEDS, I MEAN, ARE WE UNIFIED? YEAH, I'D SAY WE'RE PRETTY UNIFIED. WE CARE ABOUT THIS CITY. THERE'S A REASON WE SET UP HERE EVERY 2 WEEKS AND, AND TAKE THE BEATING THAT WE, WE TAKE. THESE GUYS, OH MY GOSH, THEY TAKE THE BEATING EVERY DAY, AND THEY DON'T GET THE OPTION TO CHOOSE TO STAY OR GO IN 6 MONTHS. AND SO WAS THERE A BATON PASS? I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A BATON PASS. I THINK IT WAS WHEN THE GROUP LEFT BEFORE, THEY THROW IT IN THE WEEDS, AND WE'RE STILL OVER THERE LOOKING FOR THE DAMN BATON IN THE WEEDS SOMETIMES. I MEAN, WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE? AND WE'RE 5 INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT. WE'RE ALIGNED, BUT IS THE MISSION CLEAR? RIGHT. ANY OTHERS? YEAH, I WOULD ECHO THAT TO A POINT. I THINK BY DESIGN, BECAUSE OF THE 2-YEAR TERM, THERE'S NEVER GOING TO BE A GOOD HANDOFF. WELL, I WOULD, I WOULD PUSH BACK ON THAT, BUT GO AHEAD. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE HANDOFF IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING. OH, YEAH. BUT I WOULDN'T SAY IT CAN'T BE GOOD. BUT GO AHEAD.
IT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGING. I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU. THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF IT BEING GOOD. I THINK THE GOOD PART FOR US IS 3 OF THE, 3 OF THE MEMBERS GOT ELECTED.
YEAH, RIGHT. AND SO THAT HELPS.
BUT, I THINK, I THINK IT'S JUST THAT'S A DIFFICULT THING, CORRECT, TO RATE THAT, YOU KNOW. OKAY, WAS IT A GOOD, WAS IT A GOOD HANDOFF? DID YOU, DID THEY ABLE TO PREPARE YOU FOR WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE? I, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S REALLY A GOOD QUESTION. OH, I THINK IT'S A PHENOMENAL QUESTION. I KNOW IT IS. YEAH, YOU KNOW IT IS.
YEAH, I KNOW IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE? WHAT HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED? AND YOU KNOW THE PRESSURES, THE CHALLENGES, AND THE SHORTCOMINGS. AND WE HAVE TO SAY, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO DIFFERENTLY WHEN WE PASS THE BATON? SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THIS COUNCIL NEEDS TO ASK ITSELF. WHAT WERE WE HANDED? AND WE'RE NOT HERE TO BLAME PEOPLE. THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT FINGER-POINTING. IT'S ABOUT OBSERVING REALITY IS WHAT WERE WE HANDED AND WHAT WAS THE QUALITY OF THAT HANDOFF? WHAT DID WE LIKE ABOUT IT? WHAT DID WE NOT LIKE ABOUT IT? AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO PASS IT OFF A LITTLE BETTER? RIGHT.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A RESPONSIBILITY THIS COUNCIL HAS. RIGHT. SO IT'S A GOOD QUESTION TO ASK, WAS IT A GOOD HANDOFF? IT'S NOT TO MAKE ANYTHING PERSONAL, IT'S JUST REALITY. IT'S REALITY. ALL RIGHT, ANDREW, YOU'RE GOING TO COMMENT? I WAS JUST GOING TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT ON KIND OF THE HISTORY AND ALL THE HANDOFFS. WELL, LET'S, FOR TIME, YEAH, WE DON'T, WELL, IT WAS REALLY THE, THE HOW YOU PAY FOR STUFF CONVERSATION. THE 2016 WAS KIND OF OUR LAST MAJOR BOND, AND IT WAS THIS COUNCIL, LAST COUNCIL, PREVIOUS, IT ACTUALLY STARTED HAVING GOOD DEBT
[01:40:01]
CONVERSATIONS. THIS IS PART OF OUR PROBLEM IS, YEAH, WE HAD A LOT OF NEW STUFF IN THE PAST, BUT IT WAS CASH PAY AS YOU COULD GO. NO ONE COULD DO THAT ANYMORE. YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CASH. YOU'D HAVE TO SAVE FOR YEARS TO PULL THAT OFF.BUT AS FAR AS THE, THE GOOD HANDOFF, I'VE WORKED HERE 9 YEARS. I'VE HAD 9 YEARS IN 3 OTHER CITIES, LOTS OF STRATEGIC PLANS. THEY ALL ARE A LITTLE SIMILAR OF, YEAH, BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, INFRASTRUCTURE GROWTH. ALL OF THESE COUNCILS, IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, THEY'RE ALL VERY SIMILAR. THE ONLY, THE ONLY CHANGE IS WHAT DO YOU PRIORITIZE, HOW YOU COMMUNICATE IT, AND HOW YOU MOVE FORWARD. BUT WE'VE ALWAYS HAD BUDGET CHALLENGES. WE'VE ALWAYS HAD INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SAFETY. I MEAN, YOU COULD KIND OF READ THEM OFF EACH COUNCIL. SO THE HANDOFF, WE'RE WORKING THE SAME ISSUE.
IT'S JUST HOW DO WE TWEAK IT WITH EACH ONE? OKAY. YEAH.
YEAH. SO TO RESPOND TO WHAT DON SAID AND OUR THOUGHTS, I THINK WHAT I SEE, THE CANS THAT ARE KICKED DOWN THE ROAD BECOME THE PRIORITY OF THE NEW PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING INTO OFFICE. THAT'S THE ONES THEY WANT TO ADDRESS. AND WHEN THEY ADDRESS THOSE, THEN THE PREVIOUS CANS BECOME CANS AGAIN AND GET KICKED DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN. AND ANOTHER GROUP COMES IN TO ADDRESS THOSE CANS. AND IT'S A CYCLICAL THING THAT IS HARD TO GET OUT OF. AND WE SPOKE ABOUT THAT IN OUR GROUP A LITTLE BIT, THAT WHY DO YOU RUN? WHY DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? IT'S BECAUSE WE SEE THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED AND WE WANT TO ADDRESS THEM.
RIGHT. SO EVERY TIME THAT HAPPENS, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE NOT ADDRESSED AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY BECOME A PRIORITY AND WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THEM AGAIN. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS A PART OF THAT HANDOFF THAT IS IMPORTANT. OR WHAT ARE WE ADDRESSING? WHAT, WHAT HAS BEEN IMPORTANT AND WHY? IT'S, WHY HAS IT BEEN IMPORTANT TO THE PUBLIC? SO ON AND SO FORTH. ALL RIGHT. AS WE GO THROUGH THIS I'M TAKING THESE NOTES AT A, WE'RE GOING TO DO A LOT MORE THAN THIS, BUT AT A MINIMUM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DOCUMENT. THIS GROUP WILL HAVE A DOCUMENT THAT SAYS THIS IS OUR FUTURE ENVIRONMENT.
WHAT YOU DO WITH THAT DOCUMENT, HOW YOU UTILIZE THAT DOCUMENT, HOW YOU SET THE NEXT COUNCIL UP WITH THAT DOCUMENT, THE COUNCIL COULD COME IN AND RIP IT UP, BUT THEY'RE NOT RIPPING UP YOUR OPINION.
THEY'RE NOT RIPPING UP YOUR PET PROJECT. YOU CAN'T, THEY CAN RIP IT UP AND CHOOSE TO CLOSE THEIR EYES AND PLUG THEIR EARS, BUT WHAT WE'VE JUST DEFINED IS REALITY. IT'S THE REALITY OF THE FUTURE, RIGHT? AND SO, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALIGNED ON WHAT REALITY IS TOMORROW THAT WE'VE GOT TO NAVIGATE. AND THIS CAN BE DOCUMENTED FOR CITIZENS. IT'S IN THE MINUTES OR IT'S FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL. IT'S WHATEVER. IT'S A DOCUMENTED, THIS IS THE WORLD WE HAVE TO OPERATE IN. AND HONESTLY, YOU WANT TO MAKE IT AWKWARD FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DENY THAT. YOU WANT TO MAKE IT AWKWARD. IT'S PUBLIC NOW. NOPE, THIS IS THE REALITY WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE. TELL US WHICH PART OF THIS REALITY ISN'T TRUE, RIGHT? BUT NOW WE HAVE A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF THAT. SO THAT'S WHY THIS EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT AND WHY IT'S A PRACTICAL BENEFIT AND TOOL TO HELP THIS WHOLE APPARATUS FUNCTION AT A HIGHER LEVEL. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT AT A NEXT GALAXY, BUT REMEMBER WE'RE SAYING WE JUST WANT TO TAKE ONE STEP FURTHER IN FUNCTIONING WITH PURPOSE, HEALTH, AND RESULTS. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S LOOK AT PAGE 2.
TO KEEP IT MOVING, WE'LL JUST DO IT AS A GROUP.
FINANCIAL PRESSURES. WE'VE TOUCHED ON THIS. HOW CAN WE CRYSTALLIZE, HOW CAN WE CRYSTALLIZE TOMORROW'S FINANCIAL PRESSURES/OPPORTUNITIES? WHAT'S THAT? LET'S DEFINE IT.
LIKE, WE'RE, IT'S TOO HIGH LEVEL, SO LET'S DEFINE THAT.
OPPORTUNITIES COMPOUNDED BY FINANCIAL PRESSURES, RIGHT? SO ARE YOU, ARE YOU ASKING HOW ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO DEAL WITH NOT HAVING ENOUGH MONEY AND NEEDS THAT CONTINUE TO GROW? IS THAT WHAT THAT QUESTION ASKS? EXACTLY. NO, IT'S NOT HOW YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT. WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT SOLVING PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE DEFINING IT, RIGHT? AND I THINK WE'VE DEFINED IT IN THE EARLIER MY, MY QUESTION IS, ARE, ARE WE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEXITIES IN HOW DIFFICULT THAT IS, OR ARE WE TRYING TO METRIC, LIKE, WHAT ARE OUR EXPECTATIONS? HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO SEE FINANCIAL PRESSURE INCREASE? LIKE, ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE YOU WANTING TO SEE HERE? NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO QUANTIFY IT. WE, WE, WE CAN'T. WE COULDN'T DO THAT RIGHT NOW. I THINK WE, WE'VE ANSWERED THIS QUESTION, BUT WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL WELL, WHAT FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES DO YOU HAVE IN THE FUTURE? LET ME JUMP IN HERE REAL QUICK AND JUST GO BACK TO, YOU ASKED A REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND YOU KIND OF WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT A HANDOFF, RIGHT? SO,
[01:45:01]
OKAY, SO LET ME TELL YOU THE ONE, WELL, NOT ONE THING, BUT ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS THAT STAFF WAS SPEAKING TO, BUT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO GET COUNCILS TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THERE IS FINANCIAL PRESSURE. AND SO BORROWING MONEY GETS LOOKED AT IN WAY WHERE LIKE, WHOA, YOU DON'T BORROW MONEY LIKE AGAINST YOUR TAXPAYER. WELL, NO, I MEAN, IN BUSINESS, IF, IF YOU SAID I'M GONNA OWN THE VEHICLES FOR ALL OF MY TRUCKS AND TRAILERS AND BUSINESS, AND I'M GONNA PAY CASH FOR THEM, AND THEN I'M GONNA DRIVE THEM UNTIL THE WHEEL, WHEELS FALL OFF, AND THEN I'M GONNA HIRE A MECHANIC AND I'M GONNA KEEP HIM THERE FULL-TIME, AND WE JUST WEAR EQUIPMENT OUT AROUND HERE TO THE POINT UNTIL LIKE IT'S DANGEROUS. SOME OF SOMEBODY'S GONNA GET HURT, RIGHT? THAT IS A BUSINESS STRATEGY THAT SOME PEOPLE HAVE.ANOTHER BUSINESS STRATEGY IS, WELL, FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT I'M SPENDING AND HAVING TO SAVE CASH AND THEN PAY THE MECHANIC, AND THEN I HAVE A LOSS OF BUSINESS PRODUCTION BECAUSE EVERY TIME THE TRUCK BREAKS DOWN WE CAN'T GET TO THE JOB, RIGHT? I COULD JUST LEASE ALL THE VEHICLES. EVERY 5 YEARS GET A BRAND NEW ONE PULLED UP INTO MY PARKING LOT, AND IF I STRUCTURE IT OVER 5 YEARS, I REPLACE 20% AT A TIME. WELL, NOW I ACTUALLY HAVE A BUILT-IN SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT I CAN OVERHEAD WHERE I'VE ELIMINATED A HUGE VARIABLE.
RIGHT. AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT OUR COMMUNITY GETS TO HEAR NOW FROM THIS CURRENT COUNCIL AND THE ONE THAT WAS PREVIOUS. WHAT FUTURE COUNCILS WILL SEE WITH A HANDOFF IS WE BUILT YOU A 10-YEAR PLAN AND IN 10 YEARS ALL OF THAT DEBT ROLLS OFF. AND YOU'VE BUILT IN THAT AMOUNT OF REVENUE TO RE-UP AND TO RENEW. WE'VE BUILT YOU IN A 7-YEAR PLAN. WE'VE PUT IN GOOD DEBT RIGHT NOW. WE'VE HAD TO DEFEND IT EVERY TIME WE SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR OR AGAINST A CEO. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT WITH SCRUTINY AND SEE, LIKE, IS THAT GOOD DEBT OR BAD DEBT? AND NONE OF THEM HAVE GONE TO PET PROJECTS. EVERYTHING'S GONE TO WHAT THE STAFF HAVE BEEN SAYING THEY NEEDED. SO THERE'S A REALLY GOOD HANDOFF.
LIKE AN EXCELLENT HANDOFF RIGHT THERE. WELL, THAT IS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS A HUGE CHALLENGE. IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE TO GET OVER A COMMUNITY THAT'S ALWAYS PAID CASH FOR EVERYTHING AND BOASTS IN, WELL, WE, WE DON'T BORROW MONEY, WE TAKE IT TO THE VOTER. AND THEN ONCE EVERY HOWEVER MANY YEARS, A DECADE, WE PASS ONE AND IT'S A HUGE BOND AND THAT'S WHAT WE GO AND DO AND WE JUST SPEND THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND SO YOU IGNORE 29 DEPARTMENTS TO TAKE CARE OF THE ONE IF YOU, IF YOU CHOOSE TO DO BUSINESS THAT WAY. SO THE OPPORTUNITY WAS COMPLEX CHALLENGES ON A LARGE SCALE.
THE FINANCIAL PRESSURE THAT COMES FROM THAT PUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT UTILIZED SOME REALLY GOOD BUSINESS SAVVY AND, AND HAVE WORKED WITH STAFF TO UNDERSTAND HOW DO WE GROW, HOW DO WE PAY FOR THAT. SO AND SAYING LIKE, WHAT ARE THE OTHER THINGS WE CAN DO? I JUST SAY WE'VE GOT A GOOD FOUNDATION IN THAT PERSPECTIVE. AND, AND SO ITEMIZING THOSE AND UNDERSTANDING THOSE AND CONTINUE TO GROW INTO THAT IS WHAT I HOPE THE FUTURE MAYOR AND COUNCIL DO TO KIND OF BUILD ON WHAT WE'VE DONE.
OTHERWISE, WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, ENERGY, AND EFFORT LAYING A FOUNDATION THAT THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO STAND A 2X4 UP ON. AND THAT WOULD BE A LEADERSHIP MISTAKE.
WHAT'S THE OPPORTUNITY THEN TOMORROW? SO THE OPPORTUNITY IS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IN CHALLENGE TO GET TO THE GROWTH RATE. SO YOU'RE GROWING AT A FASTER RATE THAN YOU CAN PROJECT ON REVENUES, RIGHT? YOUR EXPENDITURES ARE GOING TO OUTPACE YOUR REVENUES. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S CAPTURE THAT.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S A PRESSURE. THAT'S A PRESSURE.
OKAY, THE PRESSURE IS OUR COSTS ARE GOING TO OUTPACE OUR REVENUES, AND THAT'S NOT A UNIQUE PROBLEM.
CORRECT. NOW, LET'S, LET'S COMPLICATE THAT WITH STATE LEGISLATURE HAS COMMUNICATED THAT THEY WILL RESTRICT REVENUES EVEN FURTHER, RIGHT? SO THEY'LL RESTRICT LOCAL ABILITIES TO INCREASE REVENUES AND THEY POSSIBLY WILL RESTRUCTURE THE WAY REVENUES COME IN. SO YOU NEED TO BE NOW, YOU NEED TO BE 2 YEARS IN ADVANCE. SO YOU'RE FORCED TO FORECAST, RIGHT? SO THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, WELL, THE CALL IS NOT WHAT TOMORROW IS CALLING.
ACTUALLY, 2 YEARS IS CALLING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE 90TH LEGISLATURE MEETS IN '27. SO WE'VE GOT TO THINK PROACTIVELY FURTHER AND BE WAY MORE NIMBLE.
SO WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY IS, IS, WELL, WE COULD BE PRETTY MYOPIC AND JUST KIND OF WORRY ABOUT OURSELVES AND TODAY AND, AND WORRY ABOUT WHAT SOMEONE WOULD SAY OR WHAT THINGS WOULD LOOK LIKE. OR WE COULD GO AHEAD AND HAVE ROBUST DISCUSSIONS.
WE CAN PUT THINGS ON THE TABLE, WE CAN ANALYZE, AND WE COULD COME UP WITH MANY PLANS. SO WE NEED A PRIMARY OBJECTIVE AND THEN A
[01:50:02]
COUPLE SECONDARIES. WELL, IF THIS HAPPENS, THIS IS WHERE WE PIVOT. IF WE SEE THIS, THEN WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE THIS. LET'S PREPARE FOR LIKE, WELL, WHAT IF WE DON'T GET THIS? OKAY, LET'S PREPARE.BUT IF WE DO, THEN WE WON'T HAVE TO IMPLEMENT. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE THESE GENTLEMEN DOING.
THEY'VE GOT A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN THAT, I MEAN, THERE'S MULTI, MULTI APPROACHES AT IT AND LOTS OF GOOD COST ANALYSIS, AND, AND WE, WE'RE GOING TO BE PRETTY NIMBLE JUST WITH THAT ONE ITEM. AND SO DEPENDING ON THE DEPARTMENT YOU WANT TO GO TO, WE COULD DIG IN, BUT FOR THIS DISCUSSION, I THINK WE'RE PRETTY HEALTHY THE WAY WE'RE, SO I'M HEARING 2, 2 CHALLENGES, AND THEN I WANT TO HEAR FROM OTHERS. 2 CHALLENGES, OUR COSTS ARE GOING TO OUTPACE OUR REVENUES.
ANOTHER CHALLENGE IS LEGISLATIVE, LEGISLATIVE RESTRICTION ON REVENUE GROWTH.
OPPORTUNITIES, IT'S FORCING US TO THINK WAY AHEAD 2 YEARS OUT.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS WE'VE GOT TO BE CREATIVE WITH OUR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT.
YEAH. AND I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT OPPORTUNITY IS THAT CLARITY OF HOW YOU'RE MANAGING THOSE RESOURCES. WHAT IS YOUR FOCUS AREA? AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DERAIL AND SPREAD TOO THIN, BASICALLY. SO THE OPPORTUNITY IS, YOU'VE GOT TO FOCUS ON YOUR PRIORITIES. I WOULD CALL THAT AN OPPORTUNITY AND A PRESSURE.
THIS, NOT THAT. AND THEN YOU HAVE TO COMMUNICATE THAT AND KNOW, YEAH, IT'S NOT A PRIORITY THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN GET IN NEXT YEAR WITHOUT TRYING TO ROB FROM PETER TO PAY PAUL BECAUSE IT BECOMES A NEW PRIORITY. THE OTHER GLARING OPPORTUNITY IS WE GOT NEW, MOSTLY NEW LEADERSHIP AT THE EDC, NEW PRESIDENT.
WE'VE GOT TO TAKE A HARDER LOOK ON HOW WE INCENTIVIZE AND DO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DOES IT FOCUS MORE ON INFRASTRUCTURE, LESS ON TAX ABATEMENTS, MORE ON CASH INCENTIVES? BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DEDICATED REVENUE SOURCE THAT WE CAN'T TOUCH.
BUT IT ALL HAS TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND HAVE SOME SYNERGY THERE TO MAKE SURE IT'S GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
BECAUSE IN THE PAST IT'S BEEN, AND THIS COUNCIL AND PREVIOUS COUNCIL FOCUSED ON STEP-DOWN TAX ABATEMENTS, GET SOME OF THAT TAX BASE GROWING SOONER INSTEAD OF 10 YEARS. WE DON'T SEE A PENNY OF IT EXCEPT FOR EMPLOYMENT GROWTH. WHAT'S THE COLLAB, WHAT'S THE NATURE OF THE COLLABORATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE EDC? I MEAN, MAYBE MORE OF A COUNCIL ANSWER. IT'S GOTTEN BETTER. IT HAS CHALLENGES THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. 10, IT'S TOP-NOTCH.
1'S HORRIBLE. WELL, IT'S GOT TO BE IN THE 7 OR 8 RANGE NOW AS FAR AS JUST RELATIONSHIP.
NOW IT'S HOW DO YOU COLLABORATE TO GET TO THE 10 ON PRIORITIES IS WHAT I WOULD SAY. OKAY, SO MAYBE JUST THE HEALTH OF THE HUMANS ACTING WITH ONE ANOTHER IS IMPROVED.
NOW IT'S HOW DO WE RECRUIT, HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE AND HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO THERE'S WORK TO BE DONE ON THE STRATEGIC FRONT. WE'RE HEADING IN A GOOD DIRECTION RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE, RIGHT NOW. GOOD.
IT'S AMAZING THE THINGS YOU CAN DO WHEN HUMANS TREAT ONE ANOTHER WITH RESPECT AND YOU COMMUNICATE WELL. WE CAN ACTUALLY WORK ON STRATEGIC ITEMS. RIGHT? SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE'S HEALTH THERE. I THINK THERE'S A REAL FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITY AT THIS EXACT MOMENT TO TURN THE AIR CONDITIONER UP.
WHOEVER'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER IN THIS ROOM, IT'S SET ON ARCTIC. SO IF WE COULD LIFT IT UP JUST A LITTLE BIT. DO WE HAVE A BLANKET BACK THERE? I'D ASK FOR ONE. I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE ONE. DO WE NEED TO INCREASE THE TEMPERATURE IN HERE, OR IS IT JUST ME? WE'RE TRYING TO CONTROL COSTS? WELL, WE'RE NOT CONTROLLING THEM AT THIS POINT. GET A BLANKET.
YEAH, I NEED ONE, PLEASE. GO AHEAD, DONNIE. THANKS. WERE YOU GOING TO SAY SOMETHING? OH, GRAYSON. GRAYSON, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, 2 THINGS. AS I LOOK AT YOUR QUESTIONS HERE ABOUT FINANCIAL PRESSURES BECOME MORE SIGNIFICANT AND EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES, I THINK ONE THING THAT WE'RE DOING NOW THIS YEAR WITH THIS COUNCIL AND THE OPPORTUNITIES GOING FORWARD IS, AS A CITY, WE PROVIDE LOTS OF SERVICES. SOME OF THOSE COME AT REVENUES. AND SO MAKING SURE THAT THOSE SERVICES THAT PRODUCE REVENUE ARE MORE PAYING FOR THEMSELVES AND NOT BEING SUBSIDIZED BY TAXES. AND SO WE'VE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT, THIS COUNCIL HAS GIVEN GOOD DIRECTION ON MORE COST RECOVERY OPPORTUNITIES.
NOW, ALSO, THAT COMES WITH SOME CONCERNS FROM THOSE WHO ARE PAYING THOSE FEES. SO WHEN YOU RAISE THAT COST, THE USER OF THAT COST HAS TO PAY MORE, AND THERE'S A CONCERN WITH THAT. SO TRYING TO BALANCE THOSE FEE INCREASES SO THAT THE TAXES ARE NOT SUBSIDIZED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU'RE STILL NOT OUTPACING THE USER'S ABILITY TO PAY FOR THAT SERVICE, RIGHT? ANOTHER THING I'LL SAY TOO IS, AS WE'VE BEEN SEEING RECENTLY IN EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES THAT REQUIRE DISCIPLINE AND FORESIGHT, IS OUR SELLING OF WATER. WE ARE IN A BUSINESS OF SELLING WATER, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THIS, OF THIS, OF THIS LIMITED RESOURCE. AND SO WE, WE WANT TO SELL WATER, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS CONCERN ABOUT WHO WE SELLING IT TO, FOR WHAT PURPOSE, IS IT A GOOD PURPOSE, AND IS THERE A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT? AND SO THAT'S A CHALLENGING EFFORT. I KNOW THIS COUNCIL, THE CITY IS DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW WITH DATA CENTERS AND SO FORTH.
AND SO OUR DECISIONS TO SELL WATER
[01:55:01]
TO THOSE ENTITIES, DO WE, DO WE NOT? IS IT A BUSINESS DECISION? IS IT NOT? AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT, AND GIVEN WATER IS OUR, ALMOST OUR LARGEST REVENUE STREAM, IT SUBSIDIZES OUR GENERAL FUND.DO WE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES OR, OR, OR SUPPLY PURPOSES? HOW DO WE BALANCE THAT? ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO TO THE NEXT ONE.
WORKFORCE NEEDS. CAN I, CAN I ADD JUST ONE THING TO THE FINANCIAL PRESSURES AND OPPORTUNITIES? A COUPLE OF THINGS. I DO LOOK AT IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CORRECT TO CALL IT, WELL, REVENUE PRESSURES, MORE APPROPRIATELY EXPENSE PRESSURES. BECAUSE IF I GO BACK AND LOOK, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS EXACTLY RIGHT, SO I DON'T WANT TO BE QUOTED ON THAT, BUT I MEAN, WHEN WE LOOK AT GENERAL FUND BUDGET, SALES TAX BUDGET, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE, I MEAN, MOST BUSINESSES WOULD KILL FOR THE TYPES OF INCREASES THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST 5 OR 6 YEARS. SO I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE NOW IF YOU'VE EVER MANAGED A BUSINESS IN DECLINE IN REVENUE, THEN YOU GOT A PROBLEM. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THAT PROBLEM, YOU DO REALIZE, WOW, THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THAT WE SAID WE COULD NEVER DO IN A MILLION YEARS THAT WHEN WE HAD THE FINANCIAL PRESSURES TO PUT ON THAT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS JUST TO CHALLENGE OURSELVES TO REALIZE, YEAH, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET PRESSURE, BUT THE REVENUE, THE EXPENSE SIDE OF IT, I THINK, IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK AT AS WELL AS WE LAY THE EXPECTATIONS ON WHAT OUR CITIZENS WANT AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE. SO I JUST THINK WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE REVENUE THAT'S BEEN GENERATED, IT'S LIKE I SAY, WE'VE NOT HAD A QUOTE UNQUOTE REVENUE PROBLEM. WE'RE SEEING GOOD REVENUES COMING THROUGH.
THE EXPENSES GO UP, THE TYPES OF EXPECTATIONS. AND THEN SO, SO I THINK JUST LOOKING AT THAT AND, AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, I FEEL THE PAIN OF PROVIDING RELIEF TO TAXPAYERS. I FEEL IT AS WELL.
AND I KNOW WE ALL SAY IN OUR GOVERNING ENTITY, WELL, IT'S THE COUNTIES THAT TAXING THEM, IT'S THE SCHOOL BOARDS, BUT WE'RE ALL CONTRIBUTING TO THAT. AND I JUST THINK IT'S, I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO PAY ON PROPERTY TAXES I KNOW WE SAY THAT EVERY, BUT I DO THINK WE OWE IT TO THE TAXPAYERS TO SEE WHERE, AND THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE'S GOING TO ORDER US TO DO THIS, BUT WHERE CAN WE TIGHTEN OUR BELTS AND STILL MAINTAIN THE MAXIMUM LEVEL OF SERVICES THAT WE CAN FOR THAT. YEAH, SO IT'S, IT'S ALL, IT COULD BE SEMANTICS, IT COULD BE THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT. DO YOU HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM? DO YOU HAVE AN EXPENSE PROBLEM? WELL, I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE WAY YOU LOOK AT IT. HEY, WE GOT PLENTY OF REVENUE. WELL, WE GOT PLENTY OF REVENUE TO DO, WE GOT THIS MUCH REVENUE. IF WE SHRINK OUR THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE TO THIS, WE DON'T HAVE A REVENUE PROBLEM, RIGHT? SO YEAH, IT'S, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF REVENUE IF WE, WE DRASTICALLY CUT EXPENSES.
AND SO WHICH ONES ARE WE GOING TO CUT, RIGHT? THAT'S THE CHALLENGE. AND THE ONLY OTHER THING, THE OTHER OPPORTUNITY I THINK WE'VE HAD, AND, AND WE'VE EXECUTED ON THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT I HOPE IT IS SOMETHING THAT OVERARCHING WE LOOK AT ACROSS THE CITY.
BUT I THINK WE'RE AT THE POINT OF WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ONLY THE CITY CAN PROVIDE? WHAT ARE THINGS THAT NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE? I SEE THAT AS PUBLIC SAFETY. NOBODY'S GOING TO COME IN AND START THEIR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT OR FIRE DEPARTMENT OR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND WHAT THINGS CAN OTHERS DO OR HAVE THEY DONE? I MEAN, AND WE HAVE WE'VE MADE SOME, I MEAN, THE ZOO IS A PRIMARY EXAMPLE OF THAT. IT'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, BUT THE PRINCIPLE I THINK IS TRUE. AND I THINK WHAT I HOPE WE GET OUT OF THIS IS SOME OVERARCHING GOAL LONG-TERM AS TO WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'VE, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE AN OVERARCHING GOAL, TO ME, ON THE FINANCIAL PRESSURES OR THE OPPORTUNITIES OR THE EXPENSES, THAT EVERY SINGLE DECISION IS LIKE ENCAPSULATED INTO ITSELF. IT'S GOT TO COME TO COUNCIL TO DETERMINE, ARE WE GOING TO DO THIS, ARE WE GOING TO NOT DO THAT? BUT I THINK WE NEED SOME TYPE OF, AND I HOPE WE GET THIS OUT OF THIS, SOME TYPE OF OVERARCHING GUIDELINE THAT GIVES US DIRECTION ON THESE TYPES OF THINGS GOING FORWARD SO EVERY DECISION DOESN'T HAVE TO BE A MAJOR CONFLICT THAT WE SAY HERE'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS AND IT'S THE REASON. I KNOW POLITICS ARE GOING TO COME INTO PLAY, BUT I HOPE WE GET SOMETHING THAT GIVES US SOME GUIDELINES, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO AND NOT DO LONGER TERM AND WHAT OVERARCHING GOALS CAN PROVIDE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I THINK WE CAN PROVIDE IN THE FUTURE. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, LES. WORKFORCE NEEDS, CAN WE SUMMARIZE THAT BY SAYING WHAT? DAVID, YOU HIT ON, YOU HIT ON SOME KEY POINTS ON THIS EARLIER, SO IF YOU WANT TO SUMMARIZE THOSE, I THINK IT COULD FIT HERE.
[02:00:05]
INCREASE WAGES IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO INCREASE WAGES.
FROM ALL LEVELS, THIS ISN'T THE ONLY JOB.
THIS ISN'T THE ONLY CITY THAT INDIVIDUALS WILL COME TO.
AND IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE COMPLEX STRIFE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET QUALIFIED APPLICANTS.
IT WILL CONTINUE TO ERODE THE LONG-TERM MISSION OF THE CITY.
SO CULTURE, MORALE? CULTURE, MORALE.
ALSO, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO...
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE CERTAIN GROUPS THAT GET THE RAISES.
IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE LIFTING EVERYONE BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, 20% TO 40% INCREASE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF WAGE COMPENSATION.
YOU JUST WON'T GET ANYBODY TO COME TO WORK.
AND LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY AND TELLING THE STORY ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, I MEAN, IF YOU BUILT A FOUNDATION WHICH...
THIS COUNCIL AND THE PREVIOUS COUNCILS ARE DOING AND HAVE DONE, TELL THAT STORY.
LET'S BE PART OF A WINNING TEAM.
LET'S GET OUT OF THE WEEDS AND LISTEN TO ALL THE CRAP, AND LET'S BE PART OF A WINNING TEAM AND RECOGNIZE THE WINS.
NOBODY WANTS TO GO TO WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT IS ANTIQUATED OR NOT ON THE WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE WINNING TEAM.
WE DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF THE LOSING TEAM.
ANYBODY ELSE? ADD TO THE WORKFORCE NEEDS OF TOMORROW? I'D TOUCH ON IT'S KIND OF LIKE AT THE COUNCIL LOW WHEN IT COMES TO REVENUE AND EXPENSES AND THE PRIORITIES AND HOW YOU FOCUS THINGS THAT'S THE SAME AS AN ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY OF WE'VE GOT DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE THE SAME NUMBER OF STAFF THEY'VE HAD FOR 20 YEARS BUT THEY'RE EXPECTED TO TAKE ON MORE AND PRIORITIZE THIS BUT YOU'VE GOT TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE MISSION AND THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES INSTEAD OF TAKING DETOURS AS THINGS POP UP SO HAVING THAT GRACE AND EXPECTATION OF...
YEAH, WE WANT TO WORK ON THIS TOO, BUT THIS IS OUR MAIN FOCUS.
SO BALANCING THAT EXPECTATION.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED 30% GROWTH, 40% GROWTH.
WHO ON OUR TEAM KNOWS HOW TO MANAGE THAT? WHO ON OUR TEAM HAS...
HAS BEEN IN MIDLAND DURING AN OIL BOOM OR AUSTIN DURING A TECH SURGE AND THEN HOW DO WE LEVERAGE THAT AGAIN GOING BACK TO THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHAT THIS THE POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHAT THE WHAT THE STATE IS GOING TO SEE YOU KNOW IN THE NEXT 25 TO 30 YEARS. WHO ARE THE INDIVIDUALS OR THE THE GROUPS THAT ARE GOING TO GIVE US THE GUIDANCE WE ONLY KNOW WHAT WE KNOW IN THE EXPERIENCES THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED.
ALL RIGHT, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, TOMORROW'S POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY DYNAMICS.
WHAT POLITICAL OR COMMUNITY DYNAMICS ARE GOING TO SHAPE THE CITY'S ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD TOMORROW? WHEN I ASK INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CAPABLE TO LEAD IN THIS CITY, WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO SIGN UP TO RUN FOR COUNCIL OR LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, THE COMMON ANSWER IS, IT IS NASTY, IT'S WROUGHT WITH LIES, THERE'S GROUPS THAT PIT US AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
WHEN WE GET TOGETHER AND WE FINALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK, WE'RE NOT THE DEVILS AND DEMONS THAT PEOPLE MAKE US OUT TO BE.
AND IT IS, I THINK THAT SCARES ME THE MOST FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO WHEN I ASK INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE MORE THAN CAPABLE, HAVE THE TIME AND THE RESOURCES AND THE HEART TO SERVE, AND THEY SIT THERE AND THEY GO, THERE IS NO WAY I'M PUTTING MY FAMILY AND MY KIDS THROUGH THIS.
CONCEPT, BUT REALLY IT IS A TEAM AND YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD THE STRONGEST TEAM YOU HAVE, AND SO YOU'RE LOOKING
[02:05:01]
FOR FELLOW LEADERS THAT ARE OPERATIONAL.YES, WE CAN BE POLICY AND WE CAN BE CEREMONIAL AND ALL SORTS OF COMMUNITY DYNAMICS, BUT THEN THE OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS, WHEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE PERSONALIZED AND IT'S NO LONGER JUST A JOB PERFORMANCE, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT CAN BE HARD IF YOU HAVE A JOB AND YOUR BOSS CALLS YOU IN FOR A PERFORMANCE EVAL AND HE JUST TELLS YOU IN A CLOSED ROOM, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT REALLY GETTING IT DONE.
YOU KNOW, YOUR PERFORMANCE IS LACKING.
WE'VE GOT THESE ISSUES WITH YOU.
YOU KNOW, SO LIKE THAT CAN HIT ANYBODY IN A HARD WAY, RIGHT? AND THEN THEY JUST LOOK INTERNALLY OF LIKE, OKAY, I STILL HAVE A FAMILY TO FEED.
I STILL NEED TO GO HOME AND TELL MY WIFE, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, I GOT TWO WEEKS HERE.
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TELLING ME I'M...
TAKE THAT AND THEN YOU COMPOUND IT INTO EVEN THE OPINION, RIGHT? AND SO THE STAFF SIDE OF THINGS, FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO ASPIRE TO PUBLIC SERVICE, RIGHT, TO BE A SERVANT LEADER, THERE'S A GREAT DIFFICULTY THERE.
SO LET ME AND HERE'S WHERE IT REALLY ALL COMES DOWN.
THERE'S ONE WORD IN THERE CALLED TRUST.
AND SO I WOULD ASK, DOES ANYBODY FEEL LIKE, IN BEING A VERY REALISTIC, OBJECTIVE WAY, DO WE STILL HAVE PUBLIC TRUST AT LARGE? IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO? WELL, I'M ASKING YOU.
LIKE, YOU DO THIS FOR A LIVING.
YOU GO TO DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE PUBLIC TRUST IS STILL OFFERED AT LARGE? IT'S MORE CHALLENGING, BUT THERE ARE COMMUNITIES THAT DO HAVE PUBLIC TRUST, YES.
OKAY, SO LIKE MY OPINION HAS BEEN IS WE CAN'T OPERATE UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE HAVE PUBLIC TRUST.
BECAUSE LIKE I'VE TRIED TO PULL ON THINGS TOGETHER AND IT'S BEEN ERODED AT A GREAT LEVEL.
SO THERE'S A GUY, YOU KNOW, FORMER CONGRESSMAN, FORMER CHANCELLOR, YOU KNOW, HE GAVE A SPEECH THE OTHER DAY.
AND HE'D WORKED FOR YEARS IN THE POLITICAL REALM OF SERVICE, AND HE SAID, MAN, IF YOU ASK SOMEBODY TODAY, WHO DO YOU HEAR, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A MINUTE BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU SO MANY THINGS.
HE'S LIKE, IT WASN'T LIKE THAT 30, 40 YEARS AGO.
YOU KNOW, WE DIFFERED RED AND BLUE, BUT WE STILL CAME TOGETHER AS KIND OF AMERICANS, RIGHT? NO, I'M SAYING, YEAH, WE ARE DEFINITELY MORE...
SO YOU'RE IN FAR MORE DIVISIVE TIMES.
SOCIAL MEDIA HAS CHANGED THINGS.
AND THAT SELF CREATES AN ELEMENT OF...
IN A PUBLIC TRUST ATMOSPHERE, ASKING FOR CONFIDENCE.
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO TRUST ME.
I JUST WANT YOU TO HAVE CONFIDENCE AND GIVE ME ONE OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST PERFORM TO A CERTAIN MEASURE.
AND THEN IF IT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH, LIKE, SO BE IT.
BUT AT LEAST GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? AND SO FOR STAFF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO WORK INTERNALLY IN THE SAME ASPECT OF LIKE.
IT'S NOT TRUST THAT I'M OFFERING, I'M OFFERING CONFIDENCE, RIGHT? OR I'M REQUIRING THIS IN ORDER TO GAIN CONFIDENCE.
AND SO THERE'S A BIG DYNAMIC THERE INTERNALLY HERE, AND SO THIS IS A VERY HEALTHY QUESTION TO ASK IF WE ACTUALLY ADDRESS IT.
BUT IF WE ASSUME THAT WE STILL OPERATE ON TRUST AND THAT WE HAVE THE PUBLIC'S TRUST, THEN I THINK WE'RE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR FAILURE BECAUSE THAT'S LIKE ASSUMING YOU'RE GOING TO GET ELECTED AND IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD TIME AND YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY IT FOR TWO YEARS AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LIKE YOU.
YOU KNOW, SO EXPECTATIONS ARE IMPORTANT.
I THINK IT'S HOW YOU DEFINE WHAT THE PUBLIC IS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE VOICES OF CONCERN, JUST LIKE WITH AN ELECTION AND THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT SHOW UP TO VOTE.
IT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE GROUP THAT IS ACTUALLY OUR PUBLIC, RIGHT? AND USUALLY THAT'S THE LOUDEST OF THAT GROUP.
SO REALLY IN A MATHEMATICAL EQUATION, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FULL PICTURE OF IT, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY A PART OF THE, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION SEVERAL TIMES.
I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S AS EASY TO DEFINE NOW WHAT THE PUBLIC IS BECAUSE THE LOUDEST IN THE ROOM ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE THE BIGGEST SAY.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OH, YEAH.
[02:10:04]
IT'S ALL STAFF.I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COUPLE OF INTERESTING THINGS IN HERE, I THINK, AND TWO KIND OF JUMPED TO THE TOP FOR ME.
AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING POLITICS FOR A LONG TIME.
AND IF YOU GO ASK TEN VOTERS WHY THEY VOTED THE WAY THEY DID...
YOU'RE GOING TO GET 11 DIFFERENT OPINIONS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE THINK, AND WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE GET ELECTED, AND THEY THINK THEY KNOW WHY THEY GOT ELECTED.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU, THERE'S NO CONCERN.
AND THEY GET UP AND THEY SAY, WELL, THE CITIZENS WANT THIS, AND THE CITIZENS WANT THAT.
YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO KNOW WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT.
YOU KNOW WHY I THINK THEY VOTE FOR US? HOPEFULLY, AS THEY FIGURE YOU GUYS SEEM TO BE THE ONE WITH THE MOST COMMON SENSE, YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME IN IT AND GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT.
BUT THE PROBLEM COMES INTO PLAY.
TO ME, THE LOUD VOICES, I WANT TO SAY, NEVER REPRESENT THE MAJORITY.
OKAY, MAYBE, AND WHY DO YOU THINK THEY'RE SO LOUD? BUT THE PROBLEM IS, THEY NOW HAVE PLATFORMS TO BE ABLE TO BE LOUD, AND IT AMPLIFIES THE VOICE, WHICH IS NOWHERE NEAR REPRESENTING WHAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE REALLY WANTING, BECAUSE THEY'RE SITTING AROUND.
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, THEY DON'T CARE.
YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE, THEY'RE FINE WITH THE JOB WE'RE DOING, BECAUSE IT HAD NEGATIVELY AFFECTED THEM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS BECAUSE I DIDN'T SAY IT, BUT SOMEBODY SMARTER THAN ME SAYS SOCIAL MEDIA HAS ENABLED PEOPLE TO ASSEMBLE THAT SHOULD NEVER BE ASSEMBLING.
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT WE FACE, AND IT'S GIVE THEM A LOUDER VOICE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL? IS THEIR ULTIMATE GOAL FOR WHAT'S IN THE CITY? AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, THOSE PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OPINIONS, AND I'M NOT SAYING THEY DON'T.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY GOING TO INFLUENCE OUR POLICY? AND THE CHALLENGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IS HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE YOUR ACTUAL RESIDENTS? THAT'S PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
ALL RIGHT, SO, DAVID, I'LL LET YOU LEAD THE QUESTION TO THE GROUP.
CAN I SAY ONE OTHER THING? I'M DOCKING YOUR MINUTES, BUT IT'S GOING TO IMPACT YOUR AFTERNOON MINUTES, BUT GO AHEAD.
YOU KNOW, RHETORICALLY, IF YOU HAD TO ASK ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10 WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS FROM THE COUNCIL AND STAFF, I WOULD NOT WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I DO NOT FEEL LIKE WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S MORE ADVERSARIAL THAN WORKING TOGETHER.
WE DON'T HAVE TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM TODAY, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GO ON THE RECORD THAT I DON'T THINK OUR COMMUNITY IS GOING TO ACHIEVE ANY THINGS UNLESS WE'RE ALL PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF DAYS THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK WE'RE THAT.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS TO BE ADVERSARIAL.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT FAMOUS ABRAHAM LINCOLN QUOTE, TRUST EVERYTHING YOU READ ON FACEBOOK.
I REMEMBER READING THAT IN MY HISTORY TEXTBOOK.
ALL RIGHT, SO MAYBE THE QUESTION IS, JUST FROM Y'ALL'S PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE COMMUNITY, WHAT LEVEL OF TRUST DOES THE COMMUNITY HAVE IN THE CITY? AND WHEN I SAY CITY, I MEAN CITY STAFF, CITY LEADERS, COUNCIL AS A WHOLE APPARATUS.
WHERE'S THAT LEVEL OF TRUST? OKAY, SO LET ME...
I'M ASKING, DOES THE CITIZENRY, WHAT LEVEL OF TRUST DO THEY HAVE IN THE CITY? AND YOU'RE SAYING MAYBE AS A GROUP WE DON'T EVEN FEEL COMFORTABLE ANSWERING.
STAFF MEMBER OR AS A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL OF THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WE ARE STAFF MEMBERS, BECAUSE WE ARE A PART OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT'S TRYING TO DO THE VERY BEST THAT WE CAN WITHIN THE SYSTEM THAT WE WORK IN.
WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO WALK THAT PLANK, THAT TIGHTROPE, ON HOW TO CONTINUE DOING OUR JOB DESPITE ALL THE NOISE, DESPITE WHATEVER'S HAPPENING.
SOCIAL MEDIA, WHATEVER'S HAPPENING AT COUNCIL, WHATEVER'S, WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT.
WE'VE ALL BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF REALLY TOUGH TIMES WITH CHANGING OF LEADERSHIP, DIFFERENT COUNCILS, DIFFERENT DIRECTIVES THAT WE NEED TO BE HANDLED.
AND SO IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW THESE FOLKS WELL, AND I KNOW THE HEARTS OF MOST OF OUR STAFF IS THAT THEY CARE ABOUT THE CITY OF AMARILLO.
THEY CARE ABOUT GIVING THEIR ALL TO THEIR JOBS AND DOING WHAT THEY CAN.
[02:15:01]
KNOWING THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE HIGHEST PAID PEOPLE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE LAUDED FOR THEIR WORK AT COUNCIL MEETINGS, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT DESPITE THE NOISE.AND SO I WANTED TO SPEAK UP FIRST BECAUSE I FEEL PROTECTIVE OF OTHERS PUTTING THEMSELVES OUT THERE AND SAYING, HEY, YEAH, I TRUST EVERYTHING, AND US THINKING, YEAH, OKAY, RIGHT.
OR, NO, I DON'T TRUST ANYTHING AND THIS IS WHY.
I THINK THAT COULD POTENTIALLY PUT TARGETS ON THEM.
YEAH, I JUST THINK IT'S WE GOT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE ANSWER FOR THINGS AND I'M JUST I'M TRYING TO BE A LITTLE BIT PROTECTIVE OF THEM.
SO AND LET ME LET ME CLARIFY MY QUESTION.
I HEAR ALL THAT TRACK WITH ALL THAT.
AND THIS IS NOT TO GET YOU TO CHANGE THAT ANSWER OR ANYTHING.
MAYBE I WANT TO ASK IT A WAY THAT MAYBE GIVES SOME SAFETY TO EVERYONE.
LET'S SAY WE'RE A BIG TEAM HERE.
AND WE JUST WANT TO SELF-ASSESS AND SAY, HEY, ON THE WHOLE, DO WE FEEL LIKE OUR COMMUNITY TRUSTS THE CITY OR NOT SO MUCH? IS THAT STILL A PUBLICLY SUICIDAL QUESTION TO ANSWER? I AGREE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING IT IS I DON'T WANT.
GRAYSON JUST ANSWERED BECAUSE HE'S GOT A CERTAIN SLIVER OF THE PIE THAT HE HEARS FROM.
YOU ALL INTERACT WITH A DIVERSE GROUP THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND THAT'S WHY I AM ASKING TO KIND OF GET A BROADER SWATH OF WHAT'S THE IMPULSE OUT THERE.
ANSWERING FOR MYSELF, MOST OF THE PHONE CALLS YOU GET ARE COMPLAINTS.
BUT WHEN I GO OUT AND DO CIVIC SPEAKING AND I TALK TO DIFFERENT GROUPS, IT'S VERY SUPPORTIVE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT AND WE GIVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING, IT'S VERY SUPPORTIVE AND APPRECIATED.
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW ALL OF THOSE THINGS ALL THE TIME.
AND SO THEY THINK EVERYTHING IS BROKEN AND THERE'S SOME KIND OF A PROBLEM ALL THE TIME.
WELL, I HEARD AT COUNCIL THAT THIS HAPPENED.
AND SO I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THE MAJORITY ARE VERY HAPPY AND VERY PLEASED WITH WHERE WE'RE GOING.
ANY OTHER PERSPECTIVES, JUST AS YOU'RE OUT THERE IN THE GRASSROOTS DOING LIFE? DOING CITY WORK? JUST TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT HE SAID, SO GENERALLY, THE SAME THING, THE COMPLAINTS IS EVERYTHING THAT COUNCIL AND EVERYBODY...
MY SITUATION IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM SOME OF THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS BECAUSE I'M THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR.
AND GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHEN PEOPLE COME IN MY BUILDINGS, THEY WANT TO BE THERE.
SO I WOULD JUST ADD THAT WHEN WE GO OUT, WE ALSO GET THE SAME KIND OF FEEDBACK THAT'S BEEN DESCRIBED HERE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN FOR SERVICES THAT THEY WOULD NOT GET OTHERWISE.
AND SO THERE'S AN AMOUNT OF GRATITUDE THAT IS COMMUNICATED ABOUT THAT.
I THINK PART OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ACTUAL ROLE THAT WE PLAY IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO FOR ME, DEALING WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST FACTORS.
THERE IS A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE RECEIVE.
CONVERSELY, WE TALK TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE JOB THAT WE DO.
SO I THINK AS A WHOLE, OR MAYBE NOT A WHOLE, BUT THE PRIMARY MAJORITY IS APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT WE DO.
THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT ARE VERY VOCAL.
AND IF YOU LISTEN TO THAT, YOU START THINKING THAT WE'RE NOT MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
BUT THE MAJORITY, AS JASON MENTIONED EARLIER, ONCE YOU START TALKING TO PEOPLE AND THEY UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND, HOW WE GOT HERE, AND WHY, THEY'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE.
AS IT'S BEEN MENTIONED, EVERYBODY WE'RE WORKING FROM THE ROLES, WITHIN THE ROLES THAT WE SERVE, I WILL SAY, AND I'VE ALWAYS FELT THAT EVEN IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY SECTOR, WE'RE SPOILED.
WE'RE SPOILED EVEN WITHIN THAT, YOU KNOW, A GOOD COP CAN DO EVERYTHING RIGHT AND STILL RECEIVE CRITICISM WHEN HE WRITES A TICKET.
[02:20:01]
IF FIRE SHOWS UP, PEOPLE ARE GLAD TO SEE US REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER THE OUTCOME IS.I THINK IT'S ALL ABOUT WHERE YOU'RE GETTING YOUR NEWS.
IF IT'S FACEBOOK, THE CITY CAN'T POST ANYTHING.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT IT SEEMS, AND THAT'S AN OVERGENERALIZATION.
I SHOULD HAVE QUALIFIED IT WITH THAT.
BUT IF I'M DICTATING JOB SATISFACTION BY THE COMMENTS THAT WILL COME OUT ON FACEBOOK, I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY DOES THE JOBS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW ANY OF Y'ALL SIT BEHIND THAT WALL, SIT IN FRONT OF THE GUYS THAT SIT IN FRONT OF IT BY THE DIALS UP THERE AND DEAL WITH WHAT YOU DEAL WITH BECAUSE I KNOW THIS AS SPOILED AS WE ARE WE CAN HAVE A STAFF MEETING WE CAN HAVE ANYTHING GOING ON AND THERE COULD BE 99 GOOD COMMENTS BUT MY FOCUS WILL BE ON THE PERSON WITH THE FROWN AND SO IT'S JUST FOR ME IT'S A COMMON PERSONAL BATTLE I HAVE ALL THE TIME IS JUST FOCUSING ON WHO'S THERE FOCUSING LOOKING FOR THE HELPERS WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER BUT EVIDENTLY AS SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY HAVE INCREASED THAT BACKGROUND NOISE GOOD AND BAD SOMETIMES.
IT HAS A WAY OF SABOTAGING EVERYTHING THAT THOSE THAT STARTED OUT WITH THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, ONLY TO HAVE IT KIND OF BEAT DOWN.
AND SO I'LL USE THIS BEFORE I HAND IT OFF TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE DOING THIS FOR VERY LITTLE PAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU'RE PUBLIC SAFETY UNIFORM OR NOT, SOMETIMES I DON'T KNOW HOW WE, I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL DO WHAT YOU DO.
BUT, YEAH, YOU BETTER PICK WHERE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BECOME A THERMOSTAT AND INSTEAD OF A THERMOMETER AND IT GETS TO DICTATE A LOT OF AND IT OVERSHADOWS SO MUCH POSITIVE AND NOBODY YOU KNOW IF WE'RE NOT VERY INTENTIONAL WE'RE NOT GOING TO ACCIDENTALLY HAVE THE BEST ATTITUDE OR THE RIGHT OUTREACH OR THE RIGHT OUTLOOK SO ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO RAMBLE ON IF YOU DON'T TAKE THAT.
I THINK EVERYBODY LOVES AMARILLO THAT'S WHY WE DO IT.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
WE'RE GOING TO PUSH THROUGH HERE FOR ANOTHER 20-25 MINUTES AND THEN WE'LL BREAK FOR LUNCH.
Y'ALL GOT THAT IN YOU? ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT, LET'S, LET'S PUT...
LET'S SEE HERE, OKAY, LET'S PUT ANDREW AND TIM AND DON AND COLE IN A GROUP AND THEN THE OTHER FOUR WILL BE IN A GROUP AND WE'RE GOING TO START DEFINING THE DESTINATION.
OKAY, WE'RE DEFINING THE DESTINATION.
WE'VE ASSESSED OUR ENVIRONMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO DEFINE THE DESTINATION.
AND HERE ARE A COUPLE QUESTIONS I WANT YOU TO ANSWER IN YOUR GROUPS.
LET'S DIVIDE UP AND START ON THOSE THREE QUESTIONS.
[02:25:03]
WE'RE SAYING IN THREE TO FIVE YEARS, OKAY, SO MORE THAN TOMORROW, BUT NOT TOO FAR OUT NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO WHAT ARE RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING? OKAY, AND I'M KEEPING THAT KIND OF BROAD. YOU HOPE...NOT ODAY, NOT TODAY, BUT IN THREE TO FIVE YEARS. IF THIS GROUP COULD HAVE ITS WAY, WHAT ARE RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING? IN THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WHAT ARE EMPLOYEES SAYING ABOUT WORKING FOR THE CITY? IF I WERE TO GO GRAB 13 RANDOM EMPLOYEES, WHAT WOULD THEY SAY ABOUT WORKING FOR THE CITY? AND IN THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WHAT DOES THE RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE BETWEEN COUNCIL AND STAFF, COUNCIL AND CITY LEADERSHIP AND CITY STAFF? WHAT'S THAT RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE THREE TO FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? CORRECT.
THIS IS WHAT DO WE, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? WE'RE DREAMING HERE.
WHAT'S THE DESIRED STATE HERE? YOU OUGHT TO GET A RAISE.
ALRIGHT, I GUESS IF GRAYSON DOESN'T KNOW I'M WAITING ON HIM.
OKAY, WE'LL START WITH THE FAR GROUP OVER THERE.
WHAT ARE RESIDENTS SAYING? EXPERIENCING.
[02:30:01]
YEAH, WHAT ARE RESIDENTS GUARANTEEING? WE PUT GROWTH ALONG WITH THE GROWING PAINS THAT COME WITH IT IN THAT THREE TO FIVE YEAR TIME PERIOD.A SAFER CITY WITH REDUCED RESPONSE TIMES AND LOWER CRIME RATES AND IMPROVED HIGHER QUALITY CORE SERVICES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.
IMPROVED? HIGHER QUALITY CORE SERVICES ALONG WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ABOUT SAFE CITY? SAFER CITY WITH REDUCED RESPONSE TIMES AND LOWER CRIME RATES.
IT'S JUST A YES OR NO FOR THIS MOMENT.
IT'S JUST A YES OR NO QUESTION.
IS THIS GROUP ALIGNED ON WHAT CORE SERVICES ARE? NO.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE THE ONLY THING WE DO.
DONNIE, ARE YOU THERE? YEAH, I TOOK NOTES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THEY WANT ME TO SPEAK OR NOT, BUT I WILL.
SAFE COMMUNITY, AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY, BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE, PEOPLE THAT TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY BEING ABLE TO BRAG TO OTHERS AND SAY, YOU NEED TO LIVE HERE.
AND WE TALKED ABOUT BEING THE KIND OF COMMUNITY THAT WOULD RECEIVE AWARDS AND BE RECOGNIZED FOR WHAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS AND BE THE MODEL CITY FOR FAST GROWTH IN DIFFICULT TIMES SO THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES WILL CALL US AND SAY, HOW DID YOU DO THAT? SO THAT OTHERS THAT WANT TO FIND A PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND PLAY WILL SAY, WE WANT TO BE THERE.
WHAT ARE EMPLOYEES SAYING? WE'LL START WITH YOU THIS TIME, DONNIE.
SO, WHAT WE PUT THERE WAS THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE SAYING THAT THEY FEEL RESPECTED, THAT THEY FEEL HEARD, AND THEY FEEL APPRECIATED FOR WHAT THEY'RE DOING AT ALL LEVELS, AND THAT THEY'RE GIVEN THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AND THE ABILITY TO EXPLAIN WHY THEY DO WHAT THEY DO BEFORE THEY'RE ACCUSED OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING WRONG.
OTHER GROUPS? THAT THEY'RE PROUD TO WORK FOR THE CITY, THAT THEY FEEL VALUED WHILE UNDERSTANDING CONSTRAINTS OF THE BUDGET AND THE REALIZATION OF WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH, BUT PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANTLY IS KNOWING WHAT THEIR MISSION AND GOALS ARE THAT ALIGN TOP TO BOTTOM, BASICALLY.
CAN I ADD ONE THING TO THAT LIST? YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY, AND THIS USED TO BE THE CASE, BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU RANK THINGS OF WHAT MOTIVATES EMPLOYEES THE MOST, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, A RAISE IS NOT VERY HIGH UP ON THE LIST.
WHAT IS USUALLY NUMBER ONE WILL FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE, SOMEBODY'S TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THEIR FUTURE, THAT THEY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES, THEY HAVE TO DO THINGS.
SO IF I HAD TO ADD, AND I THINK WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB WITH THIS, BUT I WOULD WANT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE AS A CITY ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR FUTURE AND YOUR CAREER TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES IF YOU WANT TO.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE HEALTHY WORKING ENVIRONMENT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT USUALLY RISES TO THE TOP IS THAT PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS EITHER HERE OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT, NEXT QUESTION.
WHAT'S COUNCIL-STAFF RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE? I'LL GO FIRST ON THAT ONE.
LESS CONTENTIOUS BY WORKING THROUGH THE PROBLEMS. DEFINE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
HOLD ON JUST A SECOND, JUST A SECOND.
LESS CONTENTIOUS, SO THAT MEANS THERE'S, WITH THAT, THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S CONTENTIOUS TODAY? YEAH, I THINK THAT IS THE...
ALRIGHT, SO LESS CONTENTIOUS, ALRIGHT.
YEAH, AND BASICALLY KNOWN TO WORK THROUGH THE PROBLEMS AND NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF HANGING OVER THEM.
DEFINED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN GOVERNING BODY.
[02:35:05]
PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION THROUGH OPEN OR RESPECTFUL CONVERSATION, AND THEN MORE STABILIZED AND CONSISTENT, INCLUDING STAFF RETENTION.YES, A LOT OF THE SAME, THAT COUNCIL AND STAFF ARE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT, ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION TOWARD THE SAME GOAL.
RESPECT AND TRUST BOTH WAYS SO THAT, AGAIN, STAFF RESPECTS THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL RESPECTS THE STAFF, AND THE COUNCIL DOESN'T FIGURE OUT, OR COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO AND THE WHY BEHIND IT.
AND THAT STAFF HAS THE ABILITY TO FIGURE OUT THE HOW TO GET IT DONE.
YEP, SO THOSE DISTINCTIVE ROLES.
DONNIE, WILL YOU GIVE THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU SAID WHERE YOU FEEL WE ARE RIGHT NOW? YEAH, SO THE STORY THAT I TOLD THEM WAS THAT, TO ME, THE PERFECT COUNCIL-CITY MANAGER RELATIONSHIP, OR CITY MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIP, STAFF RELATIONSHIP, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, IS I JUST VISUALIZE A BIG BOAT, AND I SEE THE COUNCIL AND THE CITY MANAGER ON THE BOW OF THAT BOAT.
HANDING BINOCULARS BACK AND FORTH TO EACH OTHER.
EVERYBODY SEES THE FUTURE DIFFERENTLY BUT SEEING THE OBSTACLES THAT ARE AHEAD OF US, SEEING THE CHALLENGES, SEEING THE OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, AND THAT VISUAL IS HANDED BACK AND FORTH.
DO YOU SEE THIS? DO YOU SEE THIS? AND EVERY NOW AND THEN CITY MANAGER TURNING BACK TO US AND SAYING ROW TO THE RIGHT AND WE'RE ALL IN UNISON AND WE'RE ROWING TO THE RIGHT OR ROWING TO THE LEFT.
WHATEVER THAT DECIDES THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING BUT WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE AND WHY WE'RE GOING THERE AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT WAY.
THEN I'LL ASK THE QUESTION, WELL, WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE NOW? AND THIS IS NOT JUST ME.
THIS IS STUFF WE HEAR FROM STAFF AS WELL, THAT WE'RE OUT IN THE BOAT, FLOATING IN THE OCEAN WITH NO OARS, AND WE'RE BEING SHOT AT.
SO IN THREE YEARS, THAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT PICTURE TO ME.
PARDON ME? WATER SKIS WOULD BE COOL.
WHAT'S NOTICEABLY BETTER ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE? WE'LL START WITH YOU THIS TIME, DONNIE.
SO THAT WE TALKED ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATION BEING BETTER SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE BENEFITS OF THAT, AND SEEING THE RESULTS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND HOW IT BENEFITS.
THEM SO THEY'RE NOT JUST SEEING JUST A BIG NUMBER OR A BIG COST UP THERE.
THEY ACTUALLY SEE THE FRUITION OF THE WORK IN THE END AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT MORE OF THAT.
THIS IS A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
SO JUST BASICALLY SEEING THE RESULTS BEHIND ALL THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE.
YEAH, KIND OF ECHOING THAT, IT'S SEEING THE RESULTS OF ALL THE PLAN PUT INTO PLACE.
YOU'RE SEEING THE STREETS IN THE BEST CONDITION THEY'VE BEEN.
THEY'RE ON A CYCLE, AND THERE'S THE EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE DOING IT.
SAME TIME EACH YEAR AND TRYING TO TOUCH ALL AREAS OVER TIME.
AT THIS POINT, WE'D HAVE THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OR CONSTRUCTION.
AND JUST TAKING CARE OF OLDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND SEEING THAT WHETHER IT'S THE POOLS OR RESTROOMS AND PARKS, IT'S LIKE IF IT'S OLD AND NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OUT, TAKE IT OUT, REPLACE IT, JUST SEEING THAT PROGRESS THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE.
SO YOU'D SEE ACTIVELY INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.
HOW IS GROWTH BEING MANAGED? SEEING RESULTS OF HOW WE DEFINE LIKE OUR MUD POLICY.
WE'VE GOTTEN ONE DEVELOPER TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT WHERE WE'RE ONLY EXTENDING WATER AND SEWER BUT WE'RE SEEING THE BENEFIT OF PEOPLE SHOPPING IN TOWN WITHOUT HAVING TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES UNTIL THEY COME INTO THE CITY.
SO WE'VE NOT HAD THAT HERE SO EVALUATING AND SEEING THOSE NEW TOOLS BEING USED TO SPUR GROWTH IS ONE.
SEEING PRIMARY JOB GROWTH IN KEY AREAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN THAT THREE TO FIVE YEAR TIME PERIOD AS WELL AS A STRONG NUMBER IN THE PIPELINE SO WE KNOW WE'VE GOT SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT, NEW TAX BASE, NEW EMPLOYEES, NEW PEOPLE BUYING HOMES, ALL THOSE THINGS, SEEING THAT COME TO FRUITION AND THEN I ADD IN OF COURSE THIS IS A CURRENT GOAL NOW JUST REFINING AND BEING MORE EFFICIENT WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SUPPORT THAT GROWTH.
BECAUSE THAT'S A GROWING PAIN IN ANY COMMUNITY.
PERMIT TIMES ARE TOO SLOW, NOT ENOUGH INSPECTORS, ALL THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT IMPROVE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS,
[02:40:01]
BUT IT'S GOT TO BE A CONTINUOUS GOAL.TELL ME YOUR FIRST POINT AGAIN.
JUST TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THOSE GROWTH POLICIES LIKE MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT POLICY TO ENCOURAGE, JUST FIND WAYS FOR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE TO BE PAID FOR THAT ISN'T JUST UTILITY RATES AND EXTENDING LINES.
LIKE THE DEVELOPERS CAN PAY FOR IT, THEY CAN GET PAID BACK.
JUST GIVES ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WHETHER IT'S A MUD PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT JUST ENCOURAGING ALL THE DIFFERENT TOOLS THAT DON'T JUST RELY ON CITY TAX DOLLARS AND CURRENT RATE PAYERS TO PAY FOR IT.
IT'S NOT FAIR BECAUSE THEY HAVE A PLANNER ON THEIR TEAM SO OURS IS A LITTLE MORE GENERIC THAN THEIRS WERE BUT YEAH WE IT WAS A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS THOUGH OUR PROCESSES ARE MUCH BETTER OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR DEVELOPERS ARE ARE GREAT AND THE DEVELOPERS SEE US AS SOMEONE THAT'S WANTING TO HELP THEM GROW NOT ONLY IN THEIR DEVELOPMENTS OR THEIR BUSINESSES BUT THAT AMARILLO IS A PLACE WHERE OTHERS CAN COME AND WE'RE HERE AS A HELPING RESOURCE TO THEM TO HELP THEM BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR BUSINESS AND TO GROW IT.
BETTER P&Z PROCESSES ARE IN PLACE, BETTER BUILDING PERMIT TIMELINES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE TALKED ABOUT OUR PROCESSES ARE SO MUCH BETTER THAT WE'RE JUST A LOT MORE FLUID IN WHAT WE'RE DOING AND BEING HELPFUL TO THAT COMMUNITY.
AND THEN FINALLY, WHAT ARE YOU KNOWN FOR IN THE REGION? OURS WAS THAT WE'RE A CITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND THAT WE'RE A MODEL CITY FOR OTHERS AND JUST WE'RE THE BEST AT WHAT WE DO IN OUR REGION NOW.
WHY NOT BE THE BEST IN WHAT WE DO ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THAT WE'RE PROBLEM SOLVERS? WHEN WE SAY THE BEST AT WHAT WE DO, WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS THAT? THE BEST AT WHAT ARE WE THE BEST AT? PRESCOTT, YOU'RE THE ONE THAT SAID IT.
WHAT ARE WE BEST AT? WHAT WE'RE BEST AT IS, YOU KNOW, DO OTHERS ASK US HOW WE WENT THROUGH A PERIOD OF EXTREME GROWTH? ARE WE THE CASE STUDY IN MUNICIPAL COURSES? THIS IS HOW AMARILLO DID IT.
THIS IS HOW AMARILLO, I MEAN IT WAS CHALLENGING, IT WAS TOUGH.
THIS IS HOW THEY CAME TOGETHER AS A LEADERSHIP GROUP.
THIS IS HOW THEY CAME TOGETHER AND WERE FORWARD THINKING AND WE WERE LOOKING OUT THE WINDSHIELD, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVED FORWARD.
SO THE BEST OF WHAT WE DO IS MANAGING THIS GROWTH? YEAH.
YEAH, I MEAN AS A CASE STUDY, OTHER CITIES WILL SAY, DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN AMARILLO...
STANDARDS AND THESE ARE THE PROCESSES THAT GOT THEM THERE GOT YOU AND IT BECOMES BEST IN CLASS.
OKAY. I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE WORSE AND SO TALK IS IN THERE BUT WE'RE SERVING THE...
SO WE WANT TO BE KNOWN TO TAKE ON THAT GROWTH AND NATION ROTATION JUST CONTINUE TO, I THINK, KNOWN, BUT CONTINUING TO THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE NATION WHEN SOMEONE THINKS OF WHERE THEY WANT TO REACH.
AND FROM AN ORGANIZATION STANDPOINT, I PUT JUST BEING RECOGNIZED AS OUR SERVICE OF TRYING TO.
ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS I'VE EXPERIENCED IN MY CAREER IS WHEN ANOTHER TOWN'S MAYOR OR MANAGER OR SOMEONE CALLS US, SAY, CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU SOLVED THAT OR HOW YOU DID THAT? THAT IS ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS I'VE HAD IN MY CAREER TO DO IS WHEN OTHER CITIES, EVEN OTHER STATES SAY, THEY CALL AND SAY, HOW DID YOU SOLVE THAT? HOW DID YOU GET IT DONE? I WANT TO BE KNOWN FOR THAT.
IT MAY NOT BE KNOWN FOR EVERYTHING WE DO, BUT I WANT SOME THINGS THAT WE ACCOMPLISH AS A TEAM THAT PEOPLE THINK, I WANT TO CALL AMARILLO AND FIND OUT HOW THEY DID THAT.
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO PICK THIS BACK UP.
BUT IT'S 1230, LET'S BREAK FOR LUNCH.
HERE'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO LUNCH.
TAKE 10, IT'S 12:31, SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 10, NO MORE THAN 15, TO STRETCH YOUR LEGS, GET YOUR LUNCH, COME BACK, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ROLLING WHILE WE'RE EATING, OKAY? READY, BREAK.
SORRY, I DIDN'T GIVE YOU A HEADS UP.
[02:45:02]
OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS.WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IN THREE TO FIVE YEARS? WHAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS A PRIORITY? OKAY.
SO STREETS, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS ABOUT THE WAY YOU APPROACH STREETS THAN...
YOU NEED A CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE PLAN.
IT'S A CYCLE OF DEBT ISSUANCES TO SUPPORT THE PLAN.
SO, CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR STREET PLAN? YEAH, THE STREET FINANCE PLAN, BASICALLY.
IN FIVE YEARS, WE'LL BE LOOKING MORE CLOSER TO CREMWA 2.
WHAT'S THAT? IT'S CREMWA, IT'S AN ACRONYM.
THE CANADIAN RIVER AND MISSILE WATER AUTHORITY.
OKAY, SO ARE WE GOING TO ADD THIS AS A SEPARATE LINE THAN WATER SUPPLY, OR IS THIS A SUB POINT IS DIFFERENT? WE NEED... YEAH. SO WATER MAIN REHAB.
I WOULD JUST SAY WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. WHAT'S ONE, A WNS? I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT.
THEY CALL, I MEAN, WE HAVE THEM.
WHAT OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE, IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, IF NOTHING ELSE GETS DONE, WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE? WE'VE SAID THESE THINGS.
OUR IT INFRASTRUCTURE HAS TO BE HEAVILY MONITORED.
I THINK THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME KIND OF PLAN ON PARKS AND POOLS.
DOES THERE? YEAH, AMENITIES, YEAH.
PARKS AND RECREATION AMENITIES.
DRAINAGE? DAVID, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE'RE SAYING IF NOTHING ELSE GETS DONE IN THE NEXT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WHAT INFRASTRUCTURAL NEEDS HAVE TO GET DONE? THOSE WOULD BE TRAFFIC SIGNALS THAT GO ALONG WITH GROWTH, TRAFFIC-RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE, I GUESS YOU COULD CALL THAT.
THERE'S A DEFICIT RIGHT NOW? IT IS, AND IT'S ALSO RELATED TO GROWTH, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE TO FIVE YEARS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE A NEED TO CONTINUE EXPANDING TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS. INFRASTRUCTURE-WISE.
[02:50:10]
EXISTING FIRE STATION REPLACEMENT AND POTENTIAL NEW FIRE STATIONS.SHOULD PROBABLY INCLUDE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ACONA DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS PARKS.
THAT'S AN AEDC, BUT IT COMES THROUGH THE COUNCIL FOR WHERE THEY MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS.
AND WE'VE GOT TWO EXISTING BUSINESS PARKS THAT OVER THE NEXT THREE OR FIVE YEARS WILL HOPEFULLY BE COMMITTED.
SO IT'S PLANNING FOR THAT NEXT PHASE, WHETHER IT'S AROUND THE AIRPORT OR NEW LAND.
A LOT OF DOLLARS RIGHT THERE, ISN'T IT? ALRIGHT.
I'VE ACTUALLY INCREASED YOUR NUMBER.
SO, OBVIOUSLY IT'S WAY MORE COMPLEX THAN THIS, BUT TO PUT IT SIMPLY, UNLESS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A HURRICANE THAT BLOWS THROUGH HERE, OR A TORNADO, I GUESS, YOU DON'T GET A HURRICANE.
ALL THINGS BEING EQUAL, THIS IS THE LIST, RIGHT? WHY WOULD THIS CHANGE? YOU CAN HAVE PRIORITIES AND YOU CAN SEE...
OKAY, WE'VE GOT ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO NEED TO BE ADDRESSED FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, BUT THEY'RE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AND SO WHAT COUNCIL IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO IS GETTING HUNG UP IN SMALLER PROJECTS THAT ARE PRIORITIZED IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE SHINY THINGS.
THEY CAN EAT UP ALL OF YOUR TIME, THEY CAN CHEW UP YOUR POLITICAL CAPITAL, THEY TAX YOUR STAFF WITH LOTS OF ADDITIONAL WORK, AND THEN CONSEQUENTLY YOU COMMUNICATE TO THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU'RE NOT GETTING TO THOSE THINGS, SO YOU SEE A DILAPIDATION.
MORE SO, WELL WE JUST DIDN'T THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT TO REPLACE THAT OR TO DO THIS OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE DISTRACTION, I'D SAY, IS JUST THAT.
THAT BIG, SHINY OBJECT THAT'S TEMPTING, BUT IT'S TAKING YOU OUT OF THE BALL.
I'M TRACKING, AND THAT'S COMMON.
IN ONE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSION, THERE IS NO WAY TO DEFINE ALL THESE THINGS, RIGHT? AND I WAS CLEAR ABOUT THAT, THAT THERE'S JUST NO WAY.
AND THIS IS JUST ONE CATEGORY.
WE'VE GOT OTHER CATEGORIES WE'RE ABOUT TO LOOK AT.
IF WE'RE SAYING THESE ARE THE PRIORITIES, LET'S JUST SAY OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, OKAY, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE ACCOMPLISH THESE A TO Z IN THREE YEARS, RIGHT? BUT IT'S WHERE OUR MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, CREATIVE, FINANCIAL ENERGIES GO REGARDING INFRASTRUCTURE.
CAN THE COUNCIL, DOES IT HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO STAY DISCIPLINED WITH THESE? WELL, I WANT TO GET TO THAT IN A SECOND.
SO COUNCIL HAS THE WHEREWITHAL TO STAY FOCUSED ON THESE.
THE BUDGET IS THE OTHER COMPONENT.
IDEALLY, OR THEORETICALLY, WE COULD WRAP UP TODAY.
IF WE STOPPED RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT.
IF WE STOPPED RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD HAVE A FEW THINGS DEFINED ALREADY, RIGHT? WHAT THE FUTURE ENVIRONMENT LOOKS LIKE THAT WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE.
WHAT THIS GROUP WANTS THE FUTURE TO LOOK LIKE, THAT DESIRED DESTINATION.
WE COULD WORDSMITH WHAT Y'ALL SAID AND COME UP WITH A WAY TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE WANT.
[02:55:01]
PARTICULARITY TO IT WITH RESPECT TO INFRASTRUCTURE, WE COULD SAY, HERE'S THE LIST OF 1, 02, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.HERE ARE 11 TOP INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITIES.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT THIS DOCUMENT.
WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT IN THE MONEY AND ALL THAT.
BUT THEORETICALLY, WE COULD HAVE THIS LIST, AND IF ANOTHER SHINY OBJECT COMES UP, THE WHOLE COUNCIL WOULD HAVE TO SAY, WE ARE CONSCIENTIOUSLY, AS A GROUP, DECIDING TO PAUSE TWO OR THREE OF THESE IN ORDER TO SAY YES TO THIS DIFFERENT THING.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT WHAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN? WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST? SO, IN THEORY, RIGHT? HISTORICALLY, IT'S THE CREEP.
SO, EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT UP THERE IS 10 YEARS. I MEAN, BY THE TIME YOU GET THROUGH ENGINEERING AND YOU GET THIS, AND THEN YOU HAVE WHAT'S THE LIKELIHOOD OVER THE NEXT 4 OR 5 YEARS THAT WE DON'T HAVE SOME SORT OF EMERGENCY THRUST UPON US THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WAS COMING? WELL, OKAY, I WANT TO DISTINGUISH NOT LIKELY.
WELL, EMERGENT I SAID UNLESS A TORNADO COMES THROUGH. SO EMERGENCY AND SHINY OBJECT.
SO, LET'S PUT EMERGE WE KNOW WE GOT TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES. OKAY. SO, IF YOU EXCLUDE THE REALITY OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL CHANGE AND YOU'RE SAYING LIKE, IN AN OPTIMISTIC WORLD, CAN WE STAY FOCUSED ON THAT IF WE PUT IT IN WRITING AND GIVE A COMMITMENT? I THINK WE'RE FOCUSED AND COMMITTED FOR THE NEXT 10 MONTHS. I GOT IT. AND THEN WE HAVE A POLITICAL ALTERATION. SO, LET'S EXCLUDE THAT OVER THERE WITH EMERGENCY. LET'S JUST SAY WE DON'T HAVE TO FACTOR THAT IN EITHER. RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S OUT OF YOUR CONTROL.
CAN YOU STAY FOCUSED ON THESE ITEMS BASED ON NEEDS ASSESSMENTS AND THE GLARING REALITY OF HOW IMPORTANT THOSE ITEMS ARE WHEN YOU'RE GROWING A COMMUNITY. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY.
HOW WOULD THE COUNCIL GRADE ITSELF? OKAY, SO THIS IS SELF-REFLECTION FOR THE COUNCIL. HOW WOULD THE COUNCIL GRADE ITSELF? AND SOME OF YOU ONLY HAVE A YEAR, SAMPLE SIZE. SOME OF YOU HAVE A LONGER SAMPLE SIZE. SO, WHATEVER YOUR RELEVANT SAMPLE SIZE IS, USE THAT AS THE SAMPLE SIZE.
HOW WOULD YOU RATE THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE ON ITS ABILITY TO STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT IT SAID IS A PRIORITY VERSUS GETTING DISTRACTED? NOT BY EMERGENCIES, BUT GETTING DISTRACTED. 10 IS, MAN, WE'RE SUPER DISCIPLINED.
ONE IS, MAN, WE CHASE IF THE WIND BLOWS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, WE CAN GET EASILY OFF TRACK. SO, I WANT TO HEAR A NUMBER. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE COMMENTARY, JUST A NUMBER. OK. WHOA. HUH? I SAID, WHOA. I THINK WELL, WAIT, WAIT, JUST A NUMBER. NO COMMENTARY. JUST I WAS ABOUT TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER. I THINK I WAS ABOUT TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER. OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE YOU ALWAYS GOT TO CUT ME OFF, KEVIN. ALL RIGHT. I'M TRYING TO KEEP US FOCUSED. WELL, THINK. THINK IN YOUR HEAD AND THEN SAY IT OUT WHEN YOU GOT IT. 6.5. NO, THAT'S TOO LOW. ALL RIGHT. OUR FOCUS ON THESE SETS. NO, NO, NO. LET ME CLARIFY. LET ME CLARIFY. WHO CARES ABOUT THESE FOR NOW? LOOKING BACKWARDS, YOU ONLY HAVE A YEAR SAMPLE SIZE AS A WHOLE. HOW WELL HAS THE COUNCIL BEEN DISCIPLINED TO FOCUS ON PRO WHATEVER IT HAS SAID PRIORITIES ARE, OR DOES IT GET BLOWN AROUND BY THE WIND? 10 IS WE'RE SUPER DISCIPLINED. 1 IS IF THERE'S A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE WIND, WE'RE, WE'RE OFF SIDEWAYS.
OKAY. LES AND COLE? I HATE TO GIVE YOU A 5, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A 5.
THAT'S ALL RIGHT. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I WOULD SAY THAT'S A LEGIT NUMBER. WELL, I'M THINKING MAYBE OVER A 3-YEAR PERIOD. THAT'S WHAT I'M YEAH. PERIOD? OKAY.
OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. YEAH.
THIS COUNCIL AND PREVIOUS COUNCILS, BECAUSE I HAVE THE LONGEST
[03:00:01]
TENURE, SO I'M HEADING INTO YEAR 6 HERE. RIGHT. SO OVER THAT, AND DEFINITELY THE LAST 3 YEARS, LIKE 7, AND PUBLIC SAFETY IS A REALLY GOOD ONE.PUBLIC SAFETY IS MASSIVELY, PRIORITIZED. AND Y'ALL HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THAT AND STAYED DISCIPLINED ON IT TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE, WHAT WE'VE DONE. GOOD. OKAY.
SO, WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, STEPHANIE. YOU DIDN'T TURN YOUR MIC ON. IT WAS PICKING UP RIGHT THERE. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. LET'S TALK ABOUT CORE SERVICES. WHAT ARE CORE SERVICES OF THE CITY? WE CAN START RATTLING THEM OFF.
SEWER. STREETS. SOLID WASTE, IS THAT WITH SEWER? HUH? NO.
TRASH. IT'S TRASH. PUBLIC HEALTH. OKAY. WHAT ARE THE CORE SERVICES? ANIMAL MANAGEMENT.
I'D SEPARATE THAT OUT, ALTHOUGH IT'S PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY. YOU SAID ANIMAL MANAGEMENT? MUNICIPAL COURTS. THAT BE PUBLIC SAFETY, OR NO? WE'LL JUST PUT IT HERE.
ANY OTHER CORE SERVICES? PARKS. PARKS. PARKS.
MAINTENANCE DEPENDS ON WHAT'S GOING ON. OH, BACK TO THE OTHER QUESTION, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? RATCHET US DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, PLANNING, ENGINEERING, BUILDING SAFETY, ALL THOSE.
ABOUT BACK OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. THAT SUPPORTS ALL THOSE DEPARTMENTS, YOUR HR, FINANCE, CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, LEGAL.
COMMUNITY I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT ONE TO THE SIDE. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. AIRPORT. CAN I JUST ASK A QUESTION? IF YOU HAD TO PUT A DEFINITION I MEAN, WE'RE SAYING THESE ARE THE CORE SERVICES, BUT HOW DO YOU DEFINE CORE SERVICES? THAT'S FOR THIS GROUP TO DECIDE. I MEAN, I'M JUST SAYING, I'M NOT SAYING INDIVIDUALLY THIS IS IT. I'M JUST SAYING, IF YOU, IF YOU SAID, OKAY, IF WE'RE TRYING TO PICK OUT WHAT SERVICES ARE. I AGREE.
HOW WOULD WE DEFINE THAT? HOW WOULD THIS GROUP DEFINE THAT? HOW WOULD WE DEFINE THAT? WELL, YOU GO BACK TO MASLOW'S HIERARCHY. WELL, I THINK IT'S LIKE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS THAT TAXPAYERS FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD GET WITHOUT PAYING ANY EXTRA.
LIKE, THAT'S WHAT THEIR TAX DOLLARS ARE PAYING FOR. SAY THAT AGAIN. NO, I'M JUST THAT'S THIS. I THINK THAT THESE ARE ESSENTIAL, TO WHAT TAXPAYERS FEEL THAT THEIR TAX DOLLARS PAY FOR WITHOUT THEM HAVING TO PAY ANY EXTRA. LIKE, ALL THESE THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN, OR THEY SHOULD BE AFFORDED
[03:05:01]
TO THEM WITH THEIR TAX DOLLARS BEING PAID. I THINK IF I WERE TO DEFINE IT, I WOULD SAY I KIND OF THINK ALONG THE LINES OF A SERVICE THAT IF WE WERE NOT DOING IT, THERE WOULD BE NO ONE ELSE WOULD DO THAT SERVICE. WHAT, BE PICKED UP BY PRIVATE SECTOR, RIGHT? WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD PICK IT UP, BUT I'M JUST SAYING I MEAN, IF WE WERE NOT, IF WE WERE NOT DOING IT. SO, CAN WE BE A LITTLE MORE STRUCTURED, LIKE IN TRYING TO DEFINE THIS? SO, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE A LITTLE MORE ABSTRACT IN TALKING ABOUT IT AS KIND OF LIKE ANY COMMUNITY AND WHATNOT, BUT LIKE WE HAVE A CORPORATION.AND SO, AT ONE POINT THERE WAS A POST OFFICE HERE, RIGHT? AND THEN A RAILROAD. AND SO, THROUGH THAT, IT BECAME WHERE WE WANT TO SET OUR CORPORATE LIMITS AND INSIDE OF THIS CORPORATION, WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE ARE THE HAVE-TO-HAVES IN ORDER TO FUNCTION, YOU KNOW, SAFELY IN THIS CORPORATE CITY LIMITS.
SO, IN THAT, RIGHT NOW, A CORE, A CORE FUNCTION IS, IS HEALTH, RIGHT? SO, WE CANNOT HAVE A COMMUNITY THAT ALLOWS, YOU KNOW, WASTE AND GARBAGE TO JUST ACCUMULATE, OR WE'RE ALL GOING TO SUFFER HEALTH CONSEQUENCES.
AND SO, WHEN WE, WHEN WE BECOME LIKE WAY MORE FINITE ABOUT IT, THESE ARE CORE SERVICES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE FUNCTION OF THE CORPORATION, RIGHT? AND SO, WHAT ARE YOU CALLING THE CORPORATION? CORPORATION IS THE INCORPORATED CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO. AND SO INCLUDED INSIDE OF OUR CITY LIMITS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY AND RESIDENTS AND STREETS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND ALL OF THAT. AND SO, IF WE JUST LOOK AT, IF YOU, IF IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR FUNCTION TO HAPPEN WITHIN THE CITY, LIKE YOU CAN'T FUNCTION IN THE CITY WITHOUT STREETS, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T FUNCTION IN THE CITY WITHOUT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH THESE DAYS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T FUNCTION IN THE CITY. SO, IT JUST AND I'M JUST BEING BRUTALLY HONEST, RIGHT? LIKE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN FUNCTION IN THE CITY WITHOUT? OKAY.
YEAH, YOU CAN START PULLING THINGS OUT. LIKE WHAT? WELL, YOU COULD SAY AND THIS IS A HARD ONE TO POINT TO, BUT LIKE, I MEAN, I WOULD GO TO INTERNAL VERSUS EXTERNAL FUNCTIONS. SO, THERE ARE CERTAIN INTERNAL FUNCTIONS THAT WE CAN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT, LIKE ADMIN AND IT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, RIGHT? BUT JUST LOOKING EXTERNAL FUNCTION, RIGHT? YOU CANNOT PRIVATIZE POLICE, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T PRIVATIZE FIRE. YOU CAN'T PRIVATIZE 911, RIGHT? YOU THEN HAVE A STATE THAT'S OVER THAT, THAT FEEDS DOLLARS TO YOU THAT CREATES ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AS WELL. SO, COULD THE ZOO BE PRIVATIZED? I THINK WE'VE SHOWN THAT IT COULD BE, RIGHT? OKAY. COULD, CERTAIN OTHER AMENITIES BE PRIVATIZED? FOR SURE. WELL, LET'S I WANT THAT'S WHAT I WANT US TO THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO HELP US UNPACK. IF I FEEL LIKE ALL THE DEFINITIONS THAT WE'RE GIVEN ARE CO ARE, COHERENT, LIKE TOGETHER, I DON'T THINK I DON'T SEE ANY ODDS WITH THESE DEFINITIONS, BUT I THINK THAT'S A GOOD ONE, COLE. WHAT ARE THE WHEN WE LOOK AT THE INCORPORATED CITY, WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR IT TO FUNCTION? OKAY. IS ANYTHING ON HERE COULD WE PUT AN ASTERISK BY ANY OF THESE THINGS? FOR WHAT? NOT REQUIRED. NOT REQUIRED OR REQUIRED? NOT REQUIRED. THIS FOR SURE. YEAH. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PARK.
TO FUNCTION AS A CITY, CORRECT? YEAH. NO, IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GETTING RID OF PARKS, BUT WE ARE, WE ARE WRAPPING OUR HEAD AROUND WHAT'S REQUIRED AND NOT REQUIRED. OKAY. WHAT ELSE? IS PUBLIC TRANSIT NECESSARY FOR THIS CITY TO FUNCTION? ANYTHING ELSE? SO, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE CERTAIN LIKE IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, YOU HAVE CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS FROM THE STATE. SO THAT IS A REQUIREMENT. NOW, TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU REQUIRE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THAT, RIGHT, SO TO THE DEGREE COULD DEFINITELY BE MINIMIZED.
OKAY. AND YOU COULD, YOU COULD PUSH THAT TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AS WELL.
[03:10:01]
SO, I'M GOING TO PUT THOSE WITH AN ORANGE.BUT THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE NOT TOTALLY VOLUNTARY, LET'S SAY IT THAT WAY. OKAY.
WHAT ELSE COULD WE WERE WHAT ELSE? WELL, ABOUT THE ONLY DEPARTMENT MISSING FROM THE ORG CHART UP THERE IS CIVIC CENTER. OKAY. WHICH IS QUALITY OF LIFE, AMENITY.
RIGHT. BUT I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S THE ONLY ONE YOU CAN MARK WITH AN ASTERISK MOST LIKELY, BUT IT'S NOT LISTED. SO, IT'S BEING LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE ESSENTIAL PROBABLY IN THE '50S AND '60S. WELL, LET'S LOOK AT ONE THAT'S NOT UP THERE, WHICH IS DRAINAGE. SO I MEAN, LIBRARIES, YOU TOO, BUT DRAINAGE, I MEAN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S PROPERTY FROM FLOODING. IT'S THEIR PROPERTY. WE'VE TAKEN THAT ON FOR A FEE, BUT YOU COULD STOP CHARGING THAT FEE AND STOP FUNCTIONING IN THAT. LIKE, NOW THERE MAY BE SOME STATE CONSEQUENCE TO THAT, BUT I THOUGHT THE ORIGINAL LIST WAS RELATED TO INFRASTRUCTURE.
WELL, THAT WAS NO, THAT WAS THE EARLIER LISTS.
OKAY, WE WERE SAYING WHAT, WHAT ARE NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CORE SERVICES. I, I WOULD SAY, NOT THAT I WOULD WANT TO DO WITHOUT ONE, BUT MANY CITIES DO NOT HAVE AN AIRPORT AND THEY STILL EXIST. I WOULD, YOU KNOW, THE AIRPORT I MEAN, IT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL, BUT I WOULD SAY THE AIRPORT ISN'T NECESSARILY A CORE SERVICE THAT, YOU KNOW, OR THAT IF WE DID NOT HAVE IT, THAT OUR CITY WOULD GO AWAY.
CORRECT. AS A PUBLIC THAT'S CORRECT. AIR, WATER, SEWER. I AGREE. AND I OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD. I, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, ANIMAL MANAGEMENT COMES INTO PLAY JUST A LITTLE BIT.
OKAY. I MEAN, I, I DON'T SEE I DON'T SEE ANIMAL MAN I THINK PARTS OF WHAT IT DOES PROVIDES CORE SERVICES. OKAY. OTHER PARTS, THERE ARE PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES. WE CAN JUDGE WHETHER THEY DO IT.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE DEBATED. AND JUST IN THE CONTEXT, I MEAN, POWER IS DEFINITELY CORE. THIS CITY DOESN'T FUNCTION WITHOUT EXCEL, RIGHT? YOU GOT TO HAVE POWER. HOWEVER, WE DON'T, WE DON'T OBLIGATE OURSELVES AS THAT UTILITY, RIGHT? SO, ALL OF THESE THAT WE'RE SAYING, LIKE IF WE'RE SAYING TRANSIT WOULDN'T BE CORE FUNCTION WITHIN THE CITY, DOESN'T MEAN TRANSIT WOULDN'T BE FUNCTIONAL AS A SERVICE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY BODY. BUT EXCEL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. IT IS, IS CORE TO US, BUT DATA SERVICE, INTERNET SERVICE IS CORE TO ANY COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
YOU CAN'T RUN A BUSINESS IN TOWN WITHOUT IT, BUT WE RELY ON OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES TO PERFORM THOSE FOR PUCS.
OK. WE WANT TO IMPROVE ALL THESE, RIGHT? RIGHT? THAT'S THE GOAL, RIGHT, TO MAKE THESE AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE. I DID WANT TO JUST SPEND A MINUTE SPENT A COUPLE OF MINUTES SAYING, BECAUSE I ASKED, WOULD WE ALL AGREE ON WHAT CORE SERVICES ARE? AND THE ANSWER WAS NO, A QUICK UNEQUIVOCAL NO.
BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL ARE PRETTY IN LINE. WHERE'S THE MISALIGNMENT AT THIS GROUP, IN THIS GROUP? ANDREW WAS WRONG. NO, I THINK YOU'RE I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD. NO, NO, GO AHEAD. ALL I WAS GOING TO SAY JUST REAL QUICK I THINK SOMETIMES THINGS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT TO US DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF CONFLICT THAT BECOME A CORE SERVICE THAT MAYBE WEREN'T A CORE SERVICE 6 MONTHS AGO OR WEREN'T RECOGNIZED AS THAT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, THEY SOMETHING CONTROVERSIAL HAPPENS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN IT WASN'T THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THE PREVIOUS YEAR DURING BUDGET. WELL, I THINK IT'S ALSO THE COMMUNITY SETS THE CORE SERVICE EXPECTATION. SO, ONCE YOU TURN SOMETHING OFF AND THEY REALIZE IT, OH WAIT, I WANT TO REMIND YOU, 60 YEARS AGO WE INVESTED IN THIS AND YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE CARE OF IT. EXACTLY.
AND YOU DECIDED NOT TO, SO NOW WE'RE UPSET. YEAH. AND WE BASICALLY LISTED ALMOST ALL THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY.
SO NOW OBVIOUSLY SOME ARE LESS CORE, BUT THEY'RE ALL CORE.
THERE'S CORE AND LESS CORE, I GUESS. WHAT ARE THE NON-NEGOTIABLES? THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE. AND YEAH, AND I THINK WE KIND OF LISTED THOSE. THE ONES WITHOUT ASTERISKS ARE THE NON-NEGOTIABLES.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO DEGREES OF IMPORTANCE, ALL RIGHT, DEFINITELY WE'RE GOING
[03:15:01]
TO HAVE MIXED OPINIONS. IT SEEMS EVERYONE'S IN ALIGNMENT ON THESE. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SAY TO THAT, COLE? ANYTHING? I THINK DONNIE SAID IT VERY WELL. I THINK WE'RE BEING WE HAVE THE LUXURY RIGHT NOW OF JUST PUTTING THEM ON, RIGHT, TWO POST-IT NOTES, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT TRYING TO PRIORITIZE THOSE, RIGHT, AND THEN PUT VALUES, YOU KNOW, THROUGH A BUDGET TO THEM. AND THAT'S WHERE THE THAT'S WHERE THE STRUGGLE IS. I DON'T THINK STAFF IS STRUGGLING TO IDENTIFY LIKE SERVICES OR EVEN WHAT WE WOULD SAY CORE SERVICES WHERE THE STRUGGLE COMES IN IS NOW PRIORITIZE THOSE AND VALUE THEM, RIGHT? SO, THIS IS A GREAT EXERCISE, BUT I THINK THAT'S MORE IN LINE WITH WHERE STAFF IS COMMUNICATING TO COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE LACK CLARITY AND WHERE THERE ISN'T CONSISTENCY. BECAUSE LAST YEAR WE WEREN'T WORRIED ABOUT FUNDING THAT. THIS YEAR WE BETTER FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND IT, RIGHT? SO, THEIR STRUGGLE IS LIKE, WELL, I THOUGHT THAT WASN'T EVEN TOP 10, AND NOW IT'S NUMBER 3.NOT, NOT NECESSARILY LIKE CORE VERSUS NOT CORE. ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S SAY IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE OF HIGHEST PRIORITY AMONG ALL THESE? I MEAN, I THINK THE, THE ONE WITHOUT ASTERISK I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THEY CHANGE.
OKAY. AND SO NEVERTHELESS, WE CANNOT GIVE EQUAL IMPROVEMENT ATTENTION TO ALL OF THESE, CORRECT? LIKE, I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, SOME OF THEM DEMAND IT LIKE YOU ONE OF YOUR PAPERS SAYS, YOU KNOW, TO NOT BE REACTIONARY.
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS LIKE THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT IS GOING TO DEMAND, OKAY, TO BE MOVED UP THE LIST.
RIGHT. THERE ARE SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT DEMAND IT.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WATER, STREETS, SOLID WASTE, I MEAN, THOSE THINGS ARE THOSE THINGS.
WE HAVE TO EMPTY THE TRASH. WE HAVE TO PROVIDE STREET MAINTENANCE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO STREET MAINTENANCE.
RIGHT? LIKE, YOU COULD YOU COULD NO, SO I'M SAYING THEORETICALLY, YOU COULD DO A C-MINUS JOB ON YOUR STREET MAINTENANCE. I'M NOT SAYING IT'LL BE PRETTY OR PEOPLE WILL LIKE YOU, BUT I'M SAYING THAT IS A POSSIBILITY.
WELL, IN THAT CASE, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THIS. I AGREE. I HAVE TO DO ONE THING. I AGREE. AND SO, I AGREE WITH THAT. AND SO, THE QUESTION IS, FROM WHERE THE COUNCIL SITS, WHAT GRAVITATIONAL PULL WHERE DOES GRAVITY PULL YOU? YOU JUST SAID WATER, RIGHT? WELL, OUR SEWER AND SOLID WASTE. YEAH.
WELL, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO PUT IT LIKE IF YOU'RE STARTING A CITY TODAY OF 200,000 PEOPLE, WHAT DO YOU GOT TO START? YOU CAN ONLY PICK 3, LIKE WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO BE AND WHY? IS THAT KIND OF WHERE YOU'RE GOING? LET'S START THERE. WE CAN START THERE. I MEAN, WATER, WATER, AND OKAY, I DON'T HAVE WATER TO LIVE. YEP. WHAT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY? WELL, I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU I MEAN, IT'S GOING TO KILL YOU FIRST.
EXACTLY. WELL, YEAH, WHAT'S PUBLIC SAFETY? I MEAN, WHAT'S GOING TO KEEP SOMEBODY FROM BEING AN OUTLAW AND DOING, YOU KNOW, RUNNING ALL STUFF IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WATER.
YEAH, BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR WASTE BEING I MEAN, THOSE, THOSE ARE THE YOU DIG A HOLE.
ON A LET ME ASK THIS TO THE COUNCIL. RATHER THAN SAYING WHAT'S RIGHT NOW, LET ME, LET ME TAKE IT A DIFFERENT APPROACH. THINKING TODAY, TODAY'S REALITY FOR THESE AREAS, OKAY? I'M JUST FRAMING US OUR TIMEFRAME, LOOKING AT THESE AREAS TODAY. I'M GONNA BE VERY CLEAR CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE GOT THE DEPARTMENTS REPRESENTED IN HERE. OKAY? THIS IS NOT ABOUT, THIS QUESTION IS NOT ABOUT, HOW WELL OR NOT WELL INDIVIDUAL HUMANS ARE DOING IN THESE DEPARTMENTS. THIS ISN'T A DEPARTMENTAL EVALUATION FROM A HUMAN PERFORMANCE STANDPOINT. THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M ABOUT TO ASK. WHAT I'M WHAT I AM ASKING IS, AS IT FUNCTIONS TODAY, WHAT GRADE WOULD YOU GIVE IT? AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT? DOES IT HAVE THE RIGHT TALENT? DOES IT HAVE THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO FUNCTION AT AN A LEVEL? AND
[03:20:02]
THAT'S NOT IF IT'S AT AN F, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THAT DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR IS FAILING.IT MEANS MAYBE IT WAS UNDERFUNDED. WHATEVER. THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS WHY WE'RE NOT AT AN A. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AN INDIVIDUAL HUMAN. SO, I WANT YOU TO GRADE THESE.
WHERE'S PUBLIC SAFETY TODAY? I'D SAY IT'S AN A. IT'S AN A? B- TO AN A. A B- TO AN A? ANYBODY ELSE? COUNCIL? YOU MEAN B+ TO AN A? I MEAN B+ TO AN A, SORRY. I HAD TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE LISTENING. B+ TO AN A. I AGREE. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. WATER. WHAT IS IT? IS THIS THE IS THIS THE AMOUNT OF WATER, THE CLEANLINESS OF THE WATER, BOTH, DELIVERY OF THE WATER? DELIVERY. OKAY.
HOW WOULD WE GRADE IT TODAY? WE JUST GRADE IT AS OLD.
LIKE, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. SO, LIKE, YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU IT'S OLD.
SO, LIKE, I MEAN, YEAH, SUPPLY IS AN A AND THEN INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERGROUND, WHAT, C-MINUS? YEAH, THE WATER ITSELF. YEAH.
AND SO, I THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WATER TREATMENT, A, WATER DELIVERY CONSISTENCY, A, YOU KNOW, INFRASTRUCTURE.
YOU'VE GOT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S OLD. WHAT'D WE GIVE THAT? OH, D. LIKE IT'S NOT, NOT THEIR FAULT.
BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT CUSTOMER SERVICE IN THERE. THAT'S PROBABLY A B. SO, SEWER, SEPARATE FROM DRAINAGE. LIKE, SEWER'S OLD, YOU KNOW. WHAT'S THAT? IT'S OLD. SO, WHAT IS IT? YEAH. ALL RIGHT, WHAT'S DRAINAGE? DRAINAGE, IT'S FUNDED AND STILL, STILL NOT THERE, RIGHT? WELL, LET'S IF WE COULD LAY THE BLAME WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO. WHOEVER FLAT HERE.
WHOEVER THOUGHT THIS DAISY CHAIN UPHILL UP GOT A D BACK THEN. SO, IT'S LIKE, STILL, I WOULD JUST SAY THIS. I MEAN, WHAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM IS THE STREETS. I MEAN, AND IT'S BEEN DESIGNED THAT WAY FOR YEARS AND YEARS. IT GETS THE WATER OUT. THE PROBLEM IS, AS OPPOSED TO PEOPLE AT ONCE KNOWING, MAYBE I SHOULD WAIT A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE I GET OUT ON THE STREETS, THEY GO. SO, I MEAN, BUT TO THE POINT OF DRAINAGE AND FLOODING, ISSUES FOR PERMANENT PROBLEMS, I WOULD SAY WE'RE AT ABOUT A C. STREETS? B? YEAH, I'LL GO WITH B. B, B-MINUS. I MEAN, THEY'RE REALLY GOOD. B-PLUS.
SOLID WASTE? B-PLUS. OH, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S PICKED UP REALLY WELL.
IT'S PICKED UP WELL. WE'VE GOT A LITTLE ISSUE, BUT YEAH, IT'S A B, SOLID B. YEAH.
PUBLIC HEALTH? I THINK PUBLIC HEALTH'S AN A. A. WE'RE ALIVE.
WELL, YOU TAKE VERY FEW EMAILS.
ANIMAL MANAGEMENT? FACILITY'S OLD. I MEAN, IT REALLY FUNCTIONS WITHIN PUBLIC SAFETY AS AN OVERALL, SO, YOU KNOW, I SAY B+. A+, HONESTLY, FOR WHAT THEY'VE GOT. YEAH, I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHAT PEOPLE'S GOALS AND, DESCRIPTION OF IS FROM ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. ALL RIGHT, THAT'S FAIR. MUNICIPAL COURTS, FOR WHAT WE'VE TESTED, IT DOES GREAT. COURTS, A. A.
YEAH. LIBRARY, A. PARKS, I'D GIVE IT AN A. A, LIKE MASSIVE IMPROVEMENT.
BECAUSE I KIND OF HEARD IN MY INTERVIEW'S PARKS ARE A LITTLE WANTING. THAT'S THE SENSE I GOT. I WOULD SAY OVERALL, I MEAN, I MEAN, COMPARED TO WHAT THEY COULD BE IN OTHER PLACES, I MEAN, I WOULD SAY OUR PARKS MAY BE TO OTHER COMMUNITIES, AGAIN, NOT, I MEAN, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE AVERAGE, OKAY, COMPARED TO WHAT OTHER COMMUNITIES.
BUT WHAT'S AVERAGE? C+. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY B, BUT YEAH, BECAUSE THEY I THINK THEY COULD STAND TO BE IMPROVED WITHOUT A LOT OF EFFORT LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. BUT, BUT TO BE BLUNT, LIKE, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A RESTROOM THAT WE DON'T OWN THAT SITS IN AN ISD PARK. I'M TALKING ABOUT ONE OF THE TOP-RATED MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES IN THE NATION. OKAY. THAT SITS IN THE PARKS, LIKE REALISTICALLY, IT'S AN A.
YES. YEAH, I THINK YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT'S THE STANDARD TOO, YOU KNOW. I THINK B OVERALL.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE PARKS AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE COULD MAKE, AND I'D PROBABLY GO WITH A B. I MEAN, I'M HEARING B. I'M HEARING B. TRANSIT, I
[03:25:01]
MEAN, FOR WHAT, BUDDY? I MEAN, WE'RE NOW HAVING TO PAY FOR IT. I MEAN, BUT, BUT TRANSIT AS A, AS A MEANS OF GETTING AROUND THIS TOWN, IT'S NOT REALLY HELP. I MEAN, BUT OUR WHOLE SYSTEM IS SET I MEAN, EVERYBODY HAS CARS.BUT IF YOU EVER GOT TO TRY TO GET ON A BUS AND GET SOMEWHERE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE YOU FOREVER TO GET THERE, RIGHT? BUT I MEAN, I GUESS IT MAY BE BETTER THAN HAVING NOTHING.
IT'S NOT A CORE NEED THE WAY, THE WAY THE, WITH THE WAY THE CITY IS LAID OUT IN THE WAY THIS IS A VERY INDIVIDUAL MOBILE COMMUNITY. I MEAN, YOU JUST DON'T SEE IT'S NOT NEW YORK NEEDING THAT SERVICE.
CORRECT, CORRECT. PUBLIC SAFETY, WATER, SEWER, THE REST. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
I'D STILL GIVE IT AN A. LIKE, IT'S A DIFFICULTY, BUT I MEAN, IT'S AN A. ANYBODY HAVE ANOTHER GRADE? A.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? A. A, YEAH, REALLY FUNCTIONS WELL.
OKAY, AIRPORT AND CIVIC CENTER. OH, WHOA, WAIT, WHAT? AIRPORT OR CIVIC CENTER? OKAY, AIRPORT, A. CIVIC CENTER, SHE'S OLD. IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE. YEAH, NO, REITERATE. YEAH, THE FUNCTION OF IT. YEAH, WE GOT A NEW GUY THOUGH. YEAH. B. C. C. WHAT YOU THINK, LES? I, I JUST, I MEAN, I MEAN, YEAH, SHE'S THERE, WHATEVER, BUT I JUST GOT TO SAY OVERALL, I MEAN, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, I'D SAY IT'S ABOUT A C-. I MEAN, YEAH, SO I'M GONNA ARGUE THAT. ALL RIGHT, SO TO CLARIFY THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT HUMANS THAT WORK IN THESE DEPARTMENTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW THESE DEPARTMENTS FUNCTION WITHIN THIS CITY APPARATUS.
SO, WHAT ARE WE SAYING OUR PRIORITIES ARE? RIGHT, WE, WE GOT TO KEEP OUR A'S, RIGHT? WE GOT TO GO THROUGH THESE CORE SERVICES AND IMPROVE THESE GRADES A LITTLE BIT. GOT ONE QUICK I MEAN, SO WE'RE KIND OF GOING THROUGH THIS EXERCISE IS TO HELP US ULTIMATELY IDENTIFY PRIORITIES AND REVENUE. SO, WHAT WHERE ARE THE PRIORITIES? AND IF WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO DISTRIBUTE THE REVENUE AND WE RUN OUT, WHERE IS THAT? CAN I SUGGEST THAT THERE'S TWO OF THOSE WE COULD REMOVE FROM THAT LIST FOR CONSIDERATION? OKAY.
AIRPORT IS ONE. IT'S SELF-SUFFICIENT. I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE I MEAN, IT'S GOT TO PAY FOR ITSELF. I DON'T THINK UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENS, THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING WHERE WE SAY, WELL, WE GOT TO SPEND MONEY FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO DO THAT. SO, I DON'T KNOW AS WE LOOK AT THAT. AND THEN AS I UNDERSTAND IT, I THOUGHT PUBLIC HEALTH IS OR MAYBE A PART OF IT IS FULLY COMPENSATED BY GRANTS AND OTHER PLACES. SO I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IN THIS DISCUSSION AS WE'RE TRYING TO PRIORITIZE, THAT THOSE REALLY NEED TO GO ON THE LIST BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO FUNDING SHORTAGE. WE KNOW WHERE THE FUNDING IS GOING TO COME FROM FOR THOSE, AND THERE'S REALLY GOING TO BE NO DECISIONS TO BE MADE AS TO PRIORITY.
THEY FUND THEMSELVES, AND WE EXPECT IT TO CONTINUE.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT'S SIMILAR TO THAT TOO. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WOULD BE THE SAME CATEGORY AS THOSE. SO THE FUNDING FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMES FROM OTHER SOURCES OUTSIDE? GRANTS, YEAH. ALL RIGHT. I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT AND JUST FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH IT. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS IT. LET'S START
[03:31:58]
WITH NUMBER 4. CIVIC CAPACITY IS THE RESULT OF GOVERNING, EXECUTIVE, AND OPERATIONAL CAPACITY FUNCTIONING WELL.WHEN GOVERNING CAPACITY IS STRONG, EXECUTIVE CAPACITY IS STRONG, OPERATIONAL CAPACITY IS STRONG. THE BENEFIT FROM THAT IS COMMUNITY TRUST, PARTNERSHIP, CONFIDENCE. ARE Y'ALL TRACKING WITH THE LOGIC? WHERE'S THE COMMUNITY TRUST, PARTNERSHIP, AND CONFIDENCE IN THE CITY? WE HEARD IT'S KIND OF A MIXED BAG, RIGHT? WE HEARD WE'VE GOT SOME LOUD ONES. WE HEARD A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE PLEASED, RIGHT? I SUSPECT THAT THIS GROUP WOULD SAY WE NEED GREATER COMMUNITY TRUST, RIGHT? COLE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU OPERATE FROM A POSITION OF THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT TRUST US.
IN 3 YEARS, DO WE WANT THAT TO BE DIFFERENT? YEAH, WE SAID WE WANT OUR RESIDENTS PROUD OF THIS COMMUNITY, RIGHT? SO THE GOOD THING THE GOOD NEWS IS WE KNOW WHAT HAS TO IMPROVE TO GET THERE, AND IT'S THESE THREE FUNCTIONS.
SO WHERE DOES GOVERNING CAPACITY NEED TO IMPROVE? I GIVE YOU SOME BULLET POINTS THERE. WHAT, WHAT HEALTHY GOVERNING CAPACITY LOOKS LIKE.
WHAT, WHAT AREAS, WHAT BULLET POINTS THERE DOES THIS, DOES THE GOVERNING CAPACITY NEED TO IMPROVE? WELL, I THINK EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS THAT SHARED VISION. THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR US TO GET TOGETHER AND REALLY DISCUSS, HEY GUYS, ARE WE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE? ARE WE IN THE SAME DIRECTION. WE DON'T GET TO DO THIS. I MEAN, THIS IS RARE. ALL OF OUR TIME IS VERY VALUABLE.
WE'RE ALL BUSINESS OWNERS, ALL THAT KIND OF THING. WE'LL LEAVE FROM HERE GOING, MAN, THAT WAS REALLY GOOD. LIKE, WE ALL GOT TO HEAR FROM EACH OTHER.
BUT ARE WE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN? PROBABLY NOT.
WHY? WHY? WELL, WE'VE DISCUSSED THAT, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, NOT ON IT'S NOT ON THEM EITHER, BUT THE TIME TO GET TOGETHER AND TO PRIORITIZE THAT, TO SAY, HEY, ARE WE ON THE SAME ARE WE STILL IN HEADED IN THE SAME DIRECTION. SO WHY? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. ALL RIGHT. SO I THINK BUT WE HADN'T DONE IT. THAT'S THE WHOLE REASON YOU'RE HERE TODAY. I KNOW. AND THAT'S A CONTROLLABLE. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS IN THE ENVIRONMENT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL. YOU CAN'T CONTROL WHETHER THE STATE, WHAT IT DOES ABOUT TAX LEVELS. YOU CAN CONTROL HOW OFTEN YOU GET TOGETHER AND HOW MUCH OF A PRIORITY YOU MAKE THINGS LIKE THIS. THAT IS IN YOUR CONTROL. WILL IT COST A LITTLE EFFORT? YEAH. BUT IT'S A DECISION YOU HAVE TO MAKE. DO WE PRIORITIZE OR DO WE NOT? AND IF YOU DON'T, OKAY, NO PROBLEM. THERE ARE
[03:35:01]
CONSEQUENCES TO THAT, RIGHT? THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO THAT. SO WHEN IT COMES TO GOVERNING CAPACITY, DISCIPLINED AND INTENTIONAL TIME FOR CLARITY, AND ALIGNMENT. ALL RIGHT, WHAT ELSE? HOW ELSE THE GOOD THE GOVERNING CAPACITY IMPROVE? I PUT A COMPELLING SHARED VISION FOR THE FUTURE. WHAT IS IT? OKAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. CLEAR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES. WHAT ARE THEY? DO WE HAVE HEALTHY DEBATE? YES.DO WE HAVE TRUST IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS? YES. DO WE HAVE LONG-TERM THINKING OVER SHORT-TERM REACTION? I THINK WE'RE VERY REACTIONARY AS A CITY.
STEWARDSHIP OF PUBLIC RESOURCES? 100%. AND IS THERE A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN GOVERNANCE AND ADMINISTRATION? I DO NOT BELIEVE THERE IS. SO, AND YOU KNOW, I SAID THIS EARLIER, LIKE WE COULD WRAP UP, WE COULD WRAP UP RIGHT NOW. WE COULD WRAP UP RIGHT NOW. THERE YOU GO. YOU WANT A STRATEGIC PLAN? DO YOU WANT TO POSITION THE CITY OF AMARILLO TO REMOTELY START TO HIT SOME OF THESE THINGS YOU GOT, YOU GUYS HAVE FIND AS A FUTURE DESTINATION, WE COULD CALL IT WRAPS RIGHT NOW. THIS IS PLENTY OF MEAT TO CHEW ON. THAT'S PLENTY OF MEAT. PLENTY OF MEAT. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GOING, BUT A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT IMPACT THIS YOU CAN'T CONTROL, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT THIS THAT THESE 5 PEOPLE SITTING RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN CONTROL. SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS. WHY IS THAT GOOD NEWS? IT'S CONTROL. BECAUSE THERE'S MOVEMENT. WE CAN MAKE MOVEMENT.
WE DON'T JUST SIT AROUND AND LOOK AT THINGS WE CAN'T CONTROL AND BEMOAN THE WORLD AROUND US. NO, THERE'S THINGS WE CAN CONTROL. RIGHT? ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO TO EXECUTIVE CAPACITY. SO GRAYSON, THIS IS GOING TO BE YOU AND YOUR TEAM. IT MAY BE EXTENDING OUT TO THE DIRECTORS. BUT LOOK AT EXECUTIVE CAPACITY. I'LL LET YOU AND ANDREW AND DONNIE TOUCH ON THESE. WHERE DOES EXECUTIVE CAPACITY NEED TO IMPROVE? WHERE DOES IT NEED TO LEVEL UP? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW WE AS STAFF ARE DOING INTERNALLY THAT WE WANT TO DO MORE OF IS HAVING MORE CLEAR DIRECTION AS STAFF OURSELVES. RIGHT. AND SO STAFF WANT TO KNOW FROM MANAGEMENT, MANAGEMENT OF THE STAFF, WHAT ARE OUR DAY-TO-DAY MISSIONS? WHAT ARE THE GOALS THAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE WHEN IT COMES TO JUST SERVING CITIZENS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS? WHAT ARE OUR METRICS? WHAT'S OUR MEASURING? WHAT'S OUR DASHBOARD? HOW DO WE EXAMINE OUR HEALTH? HOW DO WE KEEP UP WITH INFORMATION? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THE RIGHT INFORMATION IS GETTING UP TO MANAGEMENT? HOW DO WE RELAY IT BACK TO STAFF? AND SO THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE WANT TO AND WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS ADDRESSING. DOES THAT SAY FAIR? YEAH. YEAH, I THINK PART OF THAT IS JUST NOT AT THE HIGHER LEVELS, IT'S THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ORGANIZATION.
BUT IT STARTS HERE. YEAH, IT STARTS HERE AND THEN WE'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO BUILD IT WITHIN OUR IT STARTS HERE. AND MAKING SURE COMMUNICATION IS GOING THROUGH THE CHAINS, MAKING SURE THAT THE FRONT LINE IS TALKING TO THE NEXT LINE, TALKING TO THE ONE. AND IF THERE ARE BREAKS, MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF FEEL EMPOWERED TO SKIP A LEVEL IF THEY FEEL THERE'S A BREAK. YEAH. SO HERE'S A KEY FROM A THIRD FROM THE BOTTOM, LOOKING AT EXECUTIVE CAPACITY, THIRD BULLET POINT FROM THE BOTTOM, HEALTHY ACCOUNTABILITY. I WORK WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. A LEADER AT, AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, A LEADER WILL HAVE WHAT HE OR SHE CREATE, A COMBINATION OF WHAT THEY CREATE AND WHAT THEY ALLOW. PERIOD, END OF STORY.
MY KIDS, THEY ACT THE WAY THEY ACT.
THAT IS A RESULT OF WHAT I'VE CREATED AND WHAT I ALLOW.
PERIOD. IF COMMUNICATION DOESN'T FLOW WELL THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION, ONE OF THE WAYS TO SAY THAT, TO PUT IT BLUNTLY, IS, HEY, AS AN EXECUTIVE TEAM, WE'RE OK WITH POOR COMMUNICATION AROUND HERE. I'M OK WITH IT.
RIGHT? IF I SAY THAT TO A LEADER AND THEY'RE LIKE, NO, I'M NOT OK WITH IT, I'M LIKE, WHY IS IT HERE THEN? WHY IS IT HERE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT? RIGHT? AND I WANT
[03:40:02]
TO BE CLEAR TOO. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I MEAN, I KNOW FOR ME, MY STAFF NEED TO LOOK TO ME AS A MODEL FOR THESE THINGS. AND AM I DOING THAT OR AM I NOT DOING THESE THINGS? RIGHT. AM I, TO MY DIRECT ASSIGNS, AND THEN FROM THEM TO THEIR DIRECT ASSIGNS, ARE WE GIVING THESE STANDARDS, THESE METRICS, THESE EXAMPLES, AND SO FORTH? ABSOLUTELY.THESE ARE THINGS THAT I KNOW MY PEOPLE DESERVE FROM ME.
RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. BOTH WITH THE COUNCIL, THEN HERE, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE IN OUR CONTROL. IS IT HARD? ARE THERE BARRIERS? ARE THERE REASONS NOT TO DO IT? YES, BUT IT'S LIKE, WELCOME TO PLANET EARTH. TELL ME A JOB, TELL ME, SHOW ME SOMEONE'S JOB WHO DOESN'T HAVE BARRIERS AND CONSTRAINTS. I WANT TO MEET THAT PERSON. RIGHT.
YEP. AND I THINK YOU DO HAVE TO, OF COURSE, REFERENCE THE STRONG ALIGNMENT AROUND COUNCIL PRIORITIES.
CAUSE IT'S THE SAME REASON WE'RE HERE. ONCE WE KNOW THOSE, WE HAVE TO ENFORCE THAT. RIGHT NOW THERE IS PROBABLY SOME GRAY AS FAR AS WHAT'S REALLY A PRIORITY AND WHAT IS NOT.
EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING'S TURNED INTO A PRIORITY AND NO, I, I, I AGREE. AND, AND LISTEN, WE, WE SAID THERE'S REACTIONARY.
OKAY. NO DOUBT. THAT'S ONE OF THE SENSES I'VE GOTTEN AS I'VE, I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW AND I LISTENED TO A FEW, COUNCIL MEETINGS, BY THE WAY. I DO A LOT OF TRAVELING. AND SO MY, MY ROAD TIME ENTERTAINMENT WAS LISTENING TO THE AMARILLO COUNCIL MEETINGS. SO I'VE TRIED TO GET A FEEL FOR THE CITY.
DEFINITELY AS A WHOLE APPARATUS, YOU'RE VERY REACTIONARY. AND SO THE WIND IS BLOWING MORE THAN WE'RE SAYING, NO, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
RIGHT? NOW, I CAN TELL THAT WE'RE I FEEL LIKE THINGS, FROM WHAT I'M HEARING, THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
FOR EXAMPLE, A LEASE PROGRAM OR THE STREET MAINTENANCE. THOSE ARE GOOD, KEY, STRATEGIC, PROACTIVE MEASURES, RIGHT? SO THIS IS A MASSIVE SHIP, AND TO TURN IT TAKES TIME, AND YOU GOT TO DO IT BY DEGREES. THERE'S NO LIGHT SWITCH, RIGHT? BUT I AGREE, ANDREW, THAT THERE'S PROBABLY SOME VAGUENESS, BUT I ALSO THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE CLARITY THAN WE REALIZE.
THERE'S A LOT MORE CLARITY THAN WE REALIZE. WHERE DID MY LIST GO? OH, RIGHT HERE. WE ALL, WE ALL AGREED, THIS GROUP AGREED ON WHAT THE PRIMARY INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS WERE. WE ALL AGREED PRETTY MUCH WHAT CORE SERVICES ARE, AND WE ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH IN AGREEMENT ABOUT THE GRADES WE GAVE THEM.
NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE CAN BE DISAGREEMENT OVER EMPHASIS.
I'M NOT MINIMIZING THAT, BUT I HEAR ONE THING. IS I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, ANDREW. I'M SAYING AS AN APPARATUS, WE'RE SAYING WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CLARITY. AND I AGREE THAT WE NEED BETTER STRATEGIC CLARITY. OK, THAT'S YES.
BUT I'M HEARING AS A WHOLE, WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CLARITY. AND THEN I'M SITTING HERE SAYING, WELL, WHAT ARE OUR CORE SERVICES AND HOW WOULD WE GRADE THEM? AND EVERYBODY'S LIKE, PRETTY MUCH IN LINE. SO I'M LIKE, ARE WE IS THERE CLARITY? IS THERE NOT CLARITY? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND WE CAN HAVE BOTH. WE CAN HAVE BOTH. I THINK TOO THAT, I THINK OVERALL, THE OVERALL CORES DON'T CHANGE, BUT AGAIN, THE DAY TO DAY, THE WEEK TO WEEK, THE COUNCIL MEETING TO COUNCIL MEETING. AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE SOMETIMES WE, I KNOW I'M GUILTY OF THIS. I GET SO CAUGHT UP IN TODAY'S FIRE ISSUE KIND OF THING OR SO, WHATEVER THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THAT DAY.
BUT YEAH, I DON'T THINK ANY OF US HAVE LOST SIGHT OF THE OVERALL CORE MISSION OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
BUT WE GET, WE GET STUCK IN THE MINUTIA EACH DAY.
AND SO. OKAY, I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THAT. ANYTHING ELSE FROM THE, FROM THE EXECUTIVE CAPACITY? I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN HE JUST, HE SAID WHAT I WAS TRYING TO THINK OF HOW TO SAY IT.
BUT IT'S EASY FOR US TO TRANSLATE WHAT COUNCIL IS WANTING US TO DO AND COMMUNICATE WHAT COUNCIL IS WANTING US TO DO DOWN THROUGH THE STAFFING LEVELS WITH THE CORE SERVICES. THERE ARE JUST SOME THINGS WHERE THERE'S DISAGREEMENT OR THERE'S DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAT'S COMING THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO TRANSLATE THAT MESSAGE INTO COMMUNICATION. HOW DOES THAT DIFFERENT DIRECTION COME? SIDE CALLS, SIDE MEETINGS.
RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. SO WE GOT TO STOP THAT. RIGHT, COUNCIL? THE COUNCIL CAN'T SAY SOMETHING AND THEN TIM CALL DONNIE AND SAY LIKE, BUT I WANT
[03:45:04]
TO ADD THIS FLAVOR TO IT. Y'ALL WITH ME ON THAT? THAT'S A NO-NO. THAT'S A NIGHTMARE FOR THIS TEAM.THAT'S A NIGHTMARE. IT'S GOTTA BE, NO, THIS IS THE DIRECTIVE. AND WE HAVE A PROCESS IF WE NEED TO TWEAK THE DEGREE OR THE EMPHASIS. THERE'S A PROCESS WHERE EVERYBODY'S IN THE KNOW. RIGHT? OK. LET'S LOOK AT OPERATIONAL CAPACITY.
AND I'LL LET THE CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM HERE COMMENT ON THIS. HOW WHERE, WHERE DOES OPERATIONAL CAPACITY NEED TO IMPROVE? I, I THINK WE CAN IMPROVE ON THE EMPOWERED EMPLOYEES ONCE YOU GIVE THEM THE, THE TRAINING AND THE PARAMETERS OF WHICH TO WORK WITHIN, WE COULD EMPOWER THEM MORE. I DO THINK WE'RE STRONG IN THE CROSS-DEPARTMENT COLLABORATION.
GOOD. YEAH, THAT'S A STRONG AREA. THAT'S AWESOME. THAT'S RARE. CUSTOMER SERVICE. HOLD ON, I WANT TO, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT, I WANT TO GIVE YOU GUYS A BLUE RIBBON FOR THIS. THAT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST SINGLE CHALLENGES WHEN I'M WORKING WITH LIKE A CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM IS, MAN, OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE SO SILOED.
YEAH. SO THAT'S HUGE. THAT POSITIONS YOU WELL TO EXECUTE BETTER. ALL RIGHT, KEEP GOING. I'D SAY THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVING CUSTOMER SERVICE.
YOU HAVE THOSE THAT ARE JUST, IT'S THEIR SKILL, AND THEN SOME THAT IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE CONVERSATION. AND IT'S JUST THAT TRAINING AND KNOWING YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS, BUT YOU JUST HAVE TO RISE ABOVE IT AND KEEP TO YOUR MESSAGE AND PROVIDE THAT STRONG CUSTOMER SERVICE WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE RESPONSE YOU'D HOPE FOR BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME WHEN PEOPLE CALL, IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE GIVING US KUDOS, IT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN ISSUE. RIGHT. SO YOU JUST HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO HANDLE THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO REALLY, REALLY WELL, AND WE WORK REALLY HARD ON IT TOO, IS BECOMING MORE COLLABORATIVE ACROSS THOSE SILOS. WE'VE INTENTIONALLY SET THOSE THINGS ASIDE TO TELL OUR DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S IN OUR PURVIEW OF WHAT WE OVERSEE, BUT EVEN BEYOND THAT, IN THAT WE'VE GOT TO BE BETTER COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS ACROSS THE BOARD, AND YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE THAT THAT'S MADE, ESPECIALLY LIKE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
I THINK WE DO THAT REALLY WELL, AND I THINK THE ONLY REASON THAT WE DO THAT WELL IS BECAUSE WE COMMUNICATE WELL AND WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A DEFINED MISSION IN FRONT OF US. SO I THINK WE'RE ALL SEEING THE BENEFITS OF THAT. I AGREE WITH ANDREW THAT WE NEED TO THAT'S A WAY TO EMPOWER THE EMPLOYEES, BUT I STILL THINK WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO ON EMPOWERING OUR EMPLOYEES TO, TO NOT QUESTION THEMSELVES ON THE DECISIONS THEY'RE MAKING.
MAKE THEM. I'D SAY YOU CAN ALWAYS WORK ON THE EFFICIENT, WELL-DESIGNED PROCESSES.
THAT'S EITHER TECHNOLOGY OR WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT THIS WAY, THERE'S WAYS TO DO IT BETTER.
IT'S TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND PROACTIVELY ASK THEM TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE. DON'T SIT ON IT JUST BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE IT.
JUST BRING IT BACK TO OUR KPIS AND GIVING THEM VISION, GIVING THEM VISION, DIRECTION. SO YEAH, I AGREE, BECAUSE THERE'S WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ALWAYS GET MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO JUST KEEP ADDING STAFF. YOU GOT TO FIND WAYS TO DO THINGS BETTER. ALL RIGHT.
WHAT WOULD GET IN THE WAY OF THE COUNCIL IMPROVING THIS? WHAT WOULD GET IN THE WAY? NOT JUST NOT DOING IT. I MEAN, SETTING THE OKAY, THE GOALS, COMMUNICATING THE GOALS TOGETHER. OKAY, SETTING THE VISION TOGETHER. SO WHAT, WHAT, BUT WHAT, WE GOT TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER. WHAT PRACTICALLY, WHAT WOULD GET IN THE WAY? WHAT GETS IN THE WAY OF NOT DOING THIS? YES. PERSONAL SCHEDULES. OK.
SCHEDULES. NOT PRIORITIZING THE TIME TO DO IT. OR NOT THINKING IT IS A PRIORITY. OR NOT THINKING IT HAS VALUE TO IT.
NOT THINKING THAT WE DON'T NEED IT OR THAT IT'S NOT IMPORTANT.
I COULD KEEP GOING, BUT I'LL STOP THERE.
EXACTLY. THAT'S WHAT IT IS. OK, SO OUR SCHEDULES CAN GET IN THE WAY. MAYBE WE SEE IT AS VALUABLE. WE JUST DON'T PLACE AN EMPHASIS ON IT. ANOTHER THING COULD BE WE DON'T THINK IT'S VALUABLE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO A LOT OF THINGS WE DON'T THINK ARE VALUABLE. WE DON'T SPEND OUR TIME ON NOT VALUABLE THINGS NORMALLY. ALL RIGHT, WHAT ELSE? WHAT ELSE GETS IN THE WAY OF NOT DOING THIS?
[03:50:01]
WORRYING ABOUT WHAT THE CITIZENS OR ATTENDANTS ARE GOING TO SAY WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. OKAY.YEAH, PUBLIC PUSHBACK, BECAUSE YOU'LL PROBABLY HEAR FROM THE ONES THAT ARE AGAINST IT, BUT THE MAJORITY OUT THERE WOULD LIKELY BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING AND HAVING A FACILITATOR, YOU KNOW, TO FACILITATE IT. IT'S LIKE, WHO'S GOING TO STEP UP AND RUN THIS THING WITHOUT OKAY, WITHOUT DRIVING A CONVERSATION? OR DRIVING A PERSONAL VIEW OR YEAH, OBJECTIVITY. YEAH.
ORGANIZING IT, FACILITATING IT. I WANT TO SHOW YOU ANOTHER MATRIX.
CAN I JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT BACK TO THIS CHART? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE THROUGH GOING THROUGH THESE OR NOT, BUT WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT AS A WHOLE. I'M SURE THIS IS NOT BY ACCIDENT, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KIND OF BUILD IT IN A LITTLE BIT OF A PYRAMID AND THE FOUNDATION IS GOVERNING CAPACITY. THAT'S CORRECT. AND I JUST SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, AS I'M GOING THROUGH THESE AND LOOKING AT THESE, I SAID, YOU KNOW, I'LL KIND OF GIVE MY SHOT AT GIVING IT SINCE WE LIKE TO GIVE NUMBERS OR GRADES.
OKAY. I SAID, YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHT IS IS WHAT DO I GIVE GRADES ON THESE ISSUES? RIGHT. AND I THOUGHT GOVERNING CAPACITY, WE'RE AT C MINUS. I THINK WE'RE BELOW EVEN AVERAGE. I KIND OF FELT LIKE EXECUTIVE CAPACITY, WE'RE MAYBE AT ABOUT A B MINUS. AGAIN, NOT TO THE INTEREST OF THE OVERALL ORGANIZATION.
UNDERSTAND. OPERATIONAL CAPACITY, I'D SAY WE'RE AT A B. AND CIVIC CAPACITY, I DON'T THINK IT'S AS NEAR AS BAD AS SOMETIMES WE THINK IT IS. RIGHT. IT'S ONLY BECAUSE WE HEAR ABOUT IT. AND SO WHAT I HEAR IS, HEY, YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
AND I JUST DON'T GET A WHOLE LOT OF NEGATIVITY FROM JUST REGULAR EVERYDAY PEOPLE. BUT, BUT AS I LOOKED AT THIS, WHAT I DON'T THINK WE'RE EVER GOING TO REACH A HIGHER I MEAN, TO ME THAT I'M GIVING HIGHER GRADES TO THESE UPPER LEVELS WHEN THE FOUNDATION HAS A LOW GRADE, I THINK IS A TESTAMENT TO THE, TO THOSE UPPER LEVELS. AND I THINK THAT THE FACT THAT I'M SITTING HERE GIVING A BETTER GRADE ON CAPACITY, EXECUTIVE, OPERATIONAL, AND CIVIC, WHEN I THINK THE FOUNDATION IS STRUGGLING, I THINK WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD. AND I THINK JUST IMAGINE IF THE GRADE ON THE FOUNDATION, IT COULD BE EVEN HIGHER THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW, HOW THAT COULD HELP THE REST OF IT. YEAH. AND WHAT I'M SENSING IS THAT THE GOVERNING CAPACITY THAT GRADE'S GONNA CHANGE PRETTY REGULARLY, RIGHT? WE CHANGE THE DYNAMIC EVERY 2 YEARS, RIGHT? AND SO I THINK THAT'S A STRATEGIC PRIORITY FOR THE COUNCIL IS IT SOUNDS LIKE, I KNOW WE'VE TRIED TO GO TO THE VOTERS WITH CHANGING THAT STRUCTURE, BUT GIVEN THAT CONSTRAINT, HOW DO WE BRING MORE STABILITY TO THAT PIECE OF THIS MODEL. I THINK THAT'S HOMEWORK. AND I THINK IT'S A HIGH PRIORITY.
IT'S A HIGH PRIORITY. I TOLD YOU I WANT TO SHOW YOU A MATRIX. IT IS WITH THIS. I'M NOT MOVING OFF TOPIC. WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT IMPROVING CAPACITY, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT GROWING CAPACITY, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT IN 3 CATEGORIES.
TO IMPROVE CAPACITY, TO GROW CAPACITY, YOU HAVE TO IMPROVE THE STRUCTURE. YOU HAVE TO IMPROVE THE STRUCTURE. SO YOUR STRUCTURE IS GOING TO BE IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE CAPACITY IS. LET'S TAKE EXECUTIVE CAPACITY. HOW DO WE IMPROVE EXECUTIVE CAPACITY? WELL, WHAT'S THE MEETING CADENCE OF THAT EXECUTIVE TEAM? HOW OFTEN DO THEY MEET? ANOTHER PART OF THE STRUCTURE WOULD BE HOW EFFECTIVE AND WELL-DESIGNED, WELL-GOVERNED, AND WELL-MANAGED THOSE MEETINGS ARE. THAT'S A STRUCTURE. ARE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AMONG THE EXECUTIVE TEAM CRYSTAL CLEAR? THAT'S A STRUCTURAL QUESTION. I COULD KEEP GOING, BUT THOSE ARE STRUCTURE ISSUES, RIGHT? THEN WE GOT TO LOOK AT SKILL. TIME MANAGEMENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL EXECUTIVE, HANDLING CONFLICT, STRATEGIC THINKING.
THESE ARE SKILLS. COACHING AND DEVELOPING OTHERS. THESE ARE SKILLS EXECUTIVES NEED, RIGHT? BUT THEN THERE'S THIS MATURITY ASPECT, WHICH IS THE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF THE EXECUTIVE. IT'S THE SELF-MANAGEMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE, THE RESILIENCY, THE INTERPERSONAL ABILITIES.
[03:55:01]
TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL EXECUTIVE OR AN EXECUTIVE TEAM, IF I'M WORKING WITH AN INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM, I'M LOOKING AT ALL THREE OF THESE AREAS. WHERE IS THIS PERSON STRONG? WHERE IS THIS PERSON WEAK? RIGHT? IF I'M LOOKING AT THE COUNCIL TO SAY, HOW DO WE IMPROVE GOVERNING CAPACITY? WELL, WHAT'S THE STRUCTURE LIKE? WHAT'S THE MEETING CADENCE? HOW WELL ARE THE MEETINGS RUN? HOW ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, HOW WELL ARE THE AGENDAS MANAGED? HOW WELL IS COMMUNICATION DISSEMINATED? THEN WE LOOK AT THE SKILL. GOVERNANCE IS A SKILL. GOVERNANCE IS A SKILL.DO I HAVE THE SKILL TO GOVERN, TO MAKE DECISIONS, TO HAVE THE DISCIPLINE TO KNOW WHAT'S IN MY LANE, WHAT'S OUT OF MY LANE? THOSE ARE SKILLS WE CAN DEVELOP. AND THEN MATURITY, RIGHT? FOR THE GOVERNANCE ROLE, FOR ALL OF THEM, THIS IS WHAT IS OUR CHARACTER.
DO I KNOW WHAT TO EMPHASIZE, MY PLAN OR THE BEST PLAN FOR THE CITY? RIGHT? THESE ARE MATURITY AND CHARACTER ISSUES.
SO IF WE WANT TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF THE GOVERNING FUNCTION, WE GOT TO LOOK AT WHERE DO WE NEED TO IMPROVE HERE? WHERE DO WE NEED TO IMPROVE? AND IT DOESN'T MEAN WE IT'S NOT BINARY, MEANING IN ANY OF THESE AREAS FOR ANY OF THESE LEVELS, IT'S EITHER GOOD OR BAD. THOSE AREN'T THE ONLY TWO OPTIONS.
IT'S AN INFINITE SCALE OF DEGREES. WHERE ARE YOU? WHERE DO YOU NEED TO BE? NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT IS, WHERE COULD IT BE BETTER? NO MATTER HOW BAD IT IS, WE GOT TO KEEP ARE WE GETTING A LITTLE BETTER AT THESE THINGS? ARE WE GETTING A LITTLE BETTER AT THESE THINGS? SO LET'S TRY TO THE REASON I WANT TO LOOK AT CAPACITIES IS YOU ALL DEFINE WHAT THE IDEAL FUTURE IS REALISTICALLY IN THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS WHERE AND I'LL WORDSMITH THIS, BUT OUR RESIDENTS ARE HAPPY ABOUT THIS PLACE. THERE'S HOUSING. THEY FEEL THAT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS STRONG.
HOW DO THE EMPLOYEES EXPERIENCE WORKING HERE? THEY'RE APPRECIATED, RESPECTED, VALUED. WHAT'S THE COUNCIL-STAFF RELATIONSHIP? IT'S MORE HARMONIOUS. THEY'RE MORE IN LINE. THEY RESPECT EACH OTHER. EACH OTHER'S ROLES.
THERE'S TRUST. THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE MAIN ONES ARE. YOU JUST LISTED THEM. IT SOUNDS LIKE ONE OF THE KEY THINGS WE WANT TO DO A BETTER JOB AT IN OVER THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS IS A BETTER JOB AT COMMUNICATING THE PROGRESS WE ARE MAKING ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE. DID I HEAR THAT CORRECTLY? OUR DEVELOPMENT, OUR GROWTH POLICIES, AND THAT WE START TO BUILD A REPUTATION IN THE REGION THAT WE'RE THE HUB.
WE'RE THE HUB. SO LET'S SAY THOSE ARE NASCAR-PACED TIMES WE WANT TO HIT AROUND THE LAP OR AROUND THE TRACK. IF OUR GOVERNING CAPACITY OR OUR EXECUTIVE CAPACITY OR OUR OPERATIONAL CAPACITY IS A DODGE NEON, ARE WE HITTING THOSE ARE WE HITTING THOSE TIMES? NO. SO THAT'S THE POINT OF THESE CAPACITIES, REFLECT AND SAY, WE'RE WANTING X, BUT DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO HIT X? DO WE EVEN HAVE THE CAPACITY, RIGHT? AND I'M HEARING THAT THERE IS SOME NOT EASY, BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE'S, THERE'S SOME LOW-HANGING FRUIT THAT'S IN OUR CONTROL TO INCREASE OUR CAPACITY A BIT THAT COULD GET US CLOSER TO WHERE WE WANT TO BE IN 3 TO 5 YEARS. THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING. LET ME HEAR SOME ON CAPACITY AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A BREAK.
WE DIDN'T REALLY TOUCH ON A WHOLE LOT ON THE CIVIC CAPACITY, BUT I THINK THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT ON HOW WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE THEM MORE OPPORTUNITIES. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE LACKING, WHETHER IT'S BUDGET PRIORITIES, KEEPING IN THE LOOP ON THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON.
IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE LACKING WHEN IT COMES TO GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DOING THOSE THINGS. PROACTIVE ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION. YEP. I AGREE. I AGREE. THAT HAS
[04:00:02]
TO BE THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE A STRATEGIC PRIORITY, THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE INVESTMENT OF BOTH DOLLARS AND TALENT THERE. AND THAT MIGHT BE WE TALKED ABOUT THAT WITH WORKFORCE.DAVID, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT. THERE ARE CERTAIN ASPECTS, IF WE WANT TO ACHIEVE WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE, YOU GOT TO TAP INTO SOME OUTSIDE EXPERTISE. IN PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND MESSAGING IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE, OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. SO YEAH, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
OTHER THOUGHTS ON THE GAP BETWEEN WHERE WE WANT TO BE AND OUR CURRENT CAPACITY? ARE WE STILL ON CIVIC CAPACITY? ON ANY ONE YOU WANT. I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO SET SOME PARAMETERS ON CITIZENS ENGAGED CONSTRUCTIVELY IN CIVIC LIFE. I THINK THAT WE ARE 95% OF THE TIME, I THINK IT'S A TRAIN WRECK OF DISRESPECT AND JUST CRAZINESS. MM-HMM. CIVIC, OR IS THAT A LACK OF CITIZENS ENGAGING IN THAT CIVIC LIFE? THE ONLY ONES I HEAR FROM, IT DOESN'T YEAH, IT DOESN'T GO WELL. I'M SAYING THERE'S A LACK OF PEOPLE WANTING TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT CIVIC STRUCTURE, RIGHT? AND I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T WANT WE DON'T WANT THAT, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER DISCUSSION.
YEP. AND IT HAS TO BE MATURE DISCUSSION. IT HAS TO BE MANAGED AND SHAPED. IT HAS TO BE MANAGED AND SHAPED, MANAGED AND SHAPED. AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE IT'S GOING TO TAKE DOLLARS AND TALENT.
DOLLARS AND TALENT. AND I'M NOT THAT I'M NOT THE PERSON.
OTHER? THOUGHTS ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHERE WE WANT TO BE AND THE CURRENT CAPACITY? YOU KNOW, WHAT'S KIND OF INTERESTING IS, I MEAN, THIS THE GROUP AT THIS TABLE HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT ANOTHER YEAR TOGETHER.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE IN HERE THAT, YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, I MEAN, TO WORK ON.
BUT I MEAN, AS I LOOK AT THIS, IF I LOOKED IN THE, IN THE REMAINING YEAR OF OFFICE. AND I THINK IT WOULD ALSO BE HEALTHY TO ESTABLISH YOU KNOW, NOW, THIS JUST DEPENDS ON WHETHER, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MEMBERS FEEL LIKE AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING, DID YOU GET VALUE OUT OF THIS TODAY? IS THERE VALUE OUT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING? IS THERE A VALUE OF FOCUSING ON SOME OF THESE THINGS IN THE FUTURE? BUT I THINK THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN DO AND AGAIN, YOU PUT IT AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR PYRAMID WITH COVERING CAPACITY AND THAT THE PEOPLE SITTING AT THIS TABLE HAVE THE MOST IMPACT ON GOVERNING CAPACITY AND THE ABILITY TO IMPROVE IT. AND I THINK JUST FOCUSING ON THE GOVERNING CAPACITY IN AND OF ITSELF IS GOING TO HAVE A NATURAL IMPROVEMENT ON THOSE OTHER THREE AREAS WITHOUT NECESSARILY HAVING TO WORK ON IT THAT MUCH. NOT THAT WE'RE STILL NOT WORKING ON IT. SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT. THE OTHER THING IS THE ONLY TIME WE GET TOGETHER AS A GROUP IS WHEN WE'RE ON THE PRODUCTION STAGE. AND IT'S ALL A BIG PRODUCTION WHEN WE COME OUT HERE AND WE'RE UP ON THE DAIS, YOU KNOW, LIKE WE'RE BROADWAY PERFORMERS AND YOU'RE DOWN THERE. AND THEN WE'VE GOT THE AUDIENCE BEHIND IT AND THEN PEOPLE GET UP AND COMMENT AND PEOPLE ARE CLAPPING AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND THAT'S THE WAY THE MEETING RUNS. I MEAN, IT'S ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THAT IS, BUT WE NEVER SIT DOWN AND JUST HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER AS A GROUP LIKE THIS AND GET, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT'S THE VALUE OF THIS AS TO BEING ABLE TO DO IT. AND I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO MAXIMIZING THE TIME, WE DON'T ALL HAVE TIME TO DO THAT, TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THIS GOVERNING CAPABILITY, WHICH I THINK IS AN AREA THAT WE CAN MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENT ON AND WOULD HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON THE BETTERMENT OF OUR ENTIRE ORGANIZATION. SO LET ME SAY, LIKE, I'M NATURALLY NEGATIVE, PESSIMISTIC TOWARDS YOU KNOW, ONE-DAY CONSULTANT COME IN, LIKE, GIVE US A DELIVERABLE.
YOU KNOW, EXPECTATIONS CAN, CAN BE PRETTY LOW, I THINK, A LOT IN KIND OF CREATING A MISSION VISION STATEMENT AND THEN PUTTING IT ON A SHELF AND NEVER REALLY LOOKING AT IT. SO WE GOT ABOUT AN HOUR LEFT. I'D LIKE TO SAY, LIKE, THIS HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD. AND THEN YOU'VE BEEN BOLD TO ATTACK A FEW THINGS AND PUT THINGS OUT THERE. BUT IN GOVERNING CAPACITY, I THINK BECAUSE WE ARE TOO POLITE AT TIMES AND WE DO WHAT, YOU KNOW, WEIGH EVERY WORD AND DO A RISK ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS
[04:05:01]
ON LIKE, WELL, WHAT'S THE RISK IF WE ALL GET OUT THERE TOGETHER AND WE HURT SOMEBODY'S FEELINGS IN A DEPARTMENT WHEN WE DIDN'T MEAN TO OR WHATEVER, RIGHT? SO WE COULD GET SOME REALLY GOOD TAKEAWAYS HERE. AND, AND I'M ENCOURAGED. I'M ALSO THANKFUL FOR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR ABILITY TO GET US THIS, THIS FAR IN A, IN A CONVERSATION IN ONE DAY.SO IMPRESSIVE. THE ONE ON GOVERNING CAPACITY I AGREE WITH LES. THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF MEAT ON THAT RIGHT? THE NUMBER ONE WAY I WOULD FIX THAT IS I WOULD HAVE A TEAM OF FULL-TIME DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS, NOT PART-TIME RUNNING MULTIPLE BUSINESSES, MANAGING FAMILY AND STRESS AND LIFE, AND THEN PAYING OUT OF THEIR POCKET TO DRIVE, YOU KNOW, REPLACE TRUCK TIRES AND GO AND DO AND DEAL WITH AND ALL OF IT. AND I WOULDN'T HAVE THEM, YOU KNOW, ALMOST BEAT TO DEATH ON A WEEKLY BASIS. SO WHAT COULD WE FIX THERE THAT'S NOT A CONDITION? WELL, IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT AND WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME AND BANDWIDTH AND WHEREWITHAL, THEN WE AT LEAST NEED TO BE DEDICATING THESE 5 TO GOVERNANCE, NOT OPERATIONS. SO WHAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE A VERY ACCESSIBLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND WE CARE A LOT, AND WE DO ANSWER THE PHONE CALLS, AND WE'RE FACILITATING AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF OPERATIONAL, YOU KNOW, NEED. AND SO LIKE, THAT WOULD BE WHERE I WOULD, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR TWO THINGS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I DON'T CARE HOW I HEAR THEM. I JUST THINK WE NEED TO HEAR THEM, POLITE OR IMPOLITE. LET'S GET SOME, SOME TAKEAWAYS, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO ONE IN LIKE US NOT BEING CLEAR ON THE VISION. I KNOW PREVIOUS COUNCIL VERY CLEAR ON PUBLIC SAFETY'S FIRST.
WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A SAFE CITY. WE WANT A CRIME-FIGHTING DEPARTMENT. WE WANT MORE OF THIS. WE WANT MORE OF THAT. WE'VE, WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED SOME THINGS. WE SAID INFRASTRUCTURE, YOU KNOW, LET'S GO GET EVALS. LET'S REALLY DEAL WITH IT. LET'S FIGURE OUT CREATIVE WAYS TO FUND IT AND FINANCE IT. SO FIRST 2 YEARS, WE TOOK OFF RUNNING STRAIGHT UPHILL AS FAST AS WE COULD GO. THE 2 NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS COME IN AND IT'S A, IT'S A CATCH-22 FOR YOU. WE CAN BRING YOU IN ON WEEK 2. YOU JUST GOT ELECTED. YOU KNOW NOTHING.
YOU, YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO LEARN NAMES AND FACES, AND WE CAN SIT YOU DOWN AND DO THIS AND SAY, WELL, THIS IS GOOD LEADERSHIP. AND SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE TELLING YOU AT THAT POINT IS GET ON BOARD. WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED WE'RE MOVING AND, AND THERE'S, THERE'S NOT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO REALLY GIVE ANY INPUT ON WHAT THE PRIORITIES SHOULD BE OR WHERE WE'RE PROPERLY EVALUATED OR NOT. YOU HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY. SO IN WAITING A YEAR, GETTING HALFWAY THROUGH IT, THE, THE CATCH-22 ON THAT IS WE ONLY GOT A YEAR LEFT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY. LET ME, LET ME JUMP IN RIGHT THERE.
LET ME JUMP IN RIGHT THERE. SO I THINK THAT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS KIND OF A CONVERSATION DOESN'T REALLY HAPPEN WITH THIS GROUP. IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. AND IT HASN'T HAPPENED IN 10 YEARS. IS THAT CORRECT? 3 YEARS. WELL, NO.
3 YEARS. THIS HISTORICALLY HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR. ONCE EVERY 2 YEARS, RIGHT? NEW, NEW COUNCIL. OR EVEN IF YOU HAD THE SAME COUNCIL THAT'S RE-ELECTED, I MEAN, YOU KIND OF HAD YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
OKAY, LET'S COME BACK TOGETHER BECAUSE NOTHING IS FAIR.
THERE'S NO FAIRNESS IN ANY OF THIS. LIKE, YOU'RE TOTALLY BOMBARDED WITH SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE EXTRACURRICULAR. YOU COULD SCHEDULE A 6-MONTH MEETING. AND I MEAN, I THINK IT'S HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT YOU COULD HAVE STAYED FOCUSED FOR JUST THOSE 6 MONTHS.
WITH THE DYNAMICS. BUT GO AHEAD. WELL, IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER HERE, I DEFINITELY FEEL LIKE LONG-TERM, LOOKING 3 TO 5 YEARS, WE'VE GOT TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF HUMAN CAPITAL HERE THAT'S DEDICATED DECADES OF SERVICE. SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO REMAIN AND CONTINUE.
BUT ALL THAT TO SAY, STRATEGIC PLANNING TO FIND PRIORITIES LIKE WHERE ARE YOU STRUGGLING TO HEAR THAT WE WANT TO CHANGE OUR TOP 3 PRIORITIES? SO LIKE, I UNDERSTAND ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE, BUT I'M JUST SAYING ON THE GOVERNANCE SIDE, AND I GET WHERE OPERATIONALLY WATER BILLING WAS A BIG DEAL 6 WEEKS AGO, RIGHT? IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL BEFORE WE HAD A FUMBLE, BUT THEN IN THE PILLARS, OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, RIGHT? WE WANT BUSINESS-LIKE COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE WANT PUBLIC SAFETY. WE, WE
[04:10:02]
WANT, YOU KNOW, A CRIME-FIGHTING ORGANIZATION.WE'VE GOT TO PRIORITIZE AND GET TO INFRASTRUCTURE. WE ONLY HAD A SHORT WINDOW, AND I THINK YOU GUYS AGREED WITH THIS. IF WE DIDN'T GET ON TOP OF SOME OF THOSE ITEMS OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS, WE WERE GOING TO LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH UP, RIGHT? LIKE 5 YEARS FROM NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD IN SOME OF THOSE ROADS. SO ALL THAT TO SAY, WHERE, WHERE CAN WE DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING TO YOU GUYS THAT WE'RE STILL COMMITTED TO THESE PRIORITIES OR THAT SOME OF THESE PRIORITIES ARE CHANGING BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN IMPROVEMENT? WE HAVE CONFIDENCE. WE'RE, WE'RE LETTING GO OF THE REINS AND THAT'S A GREAT THING. AND DO YOU NEED TO HEAR THAT LIKE IN THIS KIND OF A SETTING? IF I COULD JUST ASK. I THINK THAT WHAT I TRIED SAYING EARLIER MAY BE THE ANSWER TO THAT IS WE KIND OF MEASURE IT BY WHERE DO WE SPEND MOST OF OUR TIME EACH DAY. AND SO, YEAH, I THINK OVERALL EVERYONE KNOWS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE ARE OUR PRIORITIES. BUT THEN WE MEASURE WHERE'S OUR TIME, WHERE DO OUR MEETINGS, CONVERSATIONS, SCHEDULE TAKES US ON A DAILY, WEEKLY, EVEN MONTHLY BASIS.
AND SO I'D LIKE IF I LOOK, IF I WERE TO LOOK AT MY, MY, MY, MY, MY NOTES OR MY, OR MY SCHEDULE, I DON'T SEE THE PRIORITIES. I DON'T SEE THE CORES SO MUCH. AND SO, I THINK, I THINK, IS THAT FAIR? I THINK, I THINK WE, I THINK WE, WE WHERE DOES IT GO? WELL, AGAIN, IT'S THE DATA. IT'S ALL THE DAILY FIRES THAT WE DEAL WITH. AND SO, BUT AGAIN, AND PART OF IT, THAT'S JUST PART OF CITY GOVERNMENT AS WELL.
WE'VE GOT A POT HERE. WE'VE GOT A HANGING LIMB THERE. WE'VE GOT A TRANSPARENCY WEBSITE THING HERE. WE'VE GOT A MONUMENT THERE. WE'VE GOT A SO THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT TAKE OUR TIME UP. AND SO, I THINK WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE CORES BECAUSE ON A DAILY, WEEKLY BASIS, WE'RE EVERYWHERE. IS THAT DONNIE ANDREWS? BUT LET ME, LET ME, LET ME SAY, LET ME, LET ME SAY WHAT I'M HEARING HERE IS WHAT I'M HEARING COLE SAY AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNCIL IS IN THE LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, CUSTOMER SERVICE, THOSE ARE OUR, THOSE ARE OUR TOP THINGS. AM I GETTING THOSE 3 RIGHT? YEAH.
AND, AND I, I KNOW WE PRIORITIZE QUALITY OF LIFE. WELL, THAT'S THE THING. IF YOU GO BACK TO OUR OLD PILLARS, THEY WEREN'T RANKED, BUT Y'ALL HAVE RANKED THEM SINCE. SO, I THINK ONE THING THAT WE THIS TIME AROUND, WE NEED TO RANK THEM. WE'VE GOT 7 OUT THERE, AND THEN YOU CAN PICK 3 OUT OF THE 7 AT ANY TIME.
BUT ESSENTIALLY, IF YOU CAN FOCUS ON 3, YOU'RE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. LIKE, IT'S HARD TO GET TO THE 3, RIGHT, CONSISTENTLY. SO IN, IN THAT BOTTOM 2 OR THAT LAST ONE, THE THIRD KIND OF SHIFTING IN AND OUT. WELL, NOW WE'RE CONCERNED WITH BUSINESS LIKE CUSTOMER SERVICE. WELL, I THOUGHT WE WERE CONCERNED WITH PARKS AND REC. WELL, WE STILL ARE, BUT WE NEED TO DO MORE, RIGHT? SO THERE'S BEEN THAT CONSTANT PULL, BUT I ECHO YOUR SENTIMENT.
YOU'RE SPENDING SO MUCH TIME IN THE DAY-TO-DAY OF PUTTING OUT, YOU KNOW, FIRES AND DEALING WITH ISSUES. AND I'M SPENDING SO MUCH TIME ON THE OPERATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE SIDE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ENERGY LEFT AT THE END OF THE WEEK, EVEN IF THERE IS TIME. LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION HERE. SO FOR THIS GROUP WELL, I WANT TO ASK BOTH OF YOU AND YOU, COLE, ALL THREE OF YOU AND YOU, COLE. WHY, COLE, ARE YOU PULLED INTO OPERATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE? WHAT ARE THE VARIABLES THAT PULL YOU INTO THAT? YEAH, SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE ANSWERED LIKE WITH THE TRUTH OF THE ANSWER, RIGHT? SO, SO THE TRUTH IS, IS JUST BLUNT, BUT, BUT DIRECTNESS IS APPRECIATED, RIGHT? I GOT ELECTED AS A COUNCILPERSON AND WAS GIVEN THE OPERA THE OPPORTUNITY WE CAN GIVE YOU A PHONE WITH A PHONE NUMBER, OR YOU CAN KEEP YOUR PHONE AND WE CAN PUT YOUR CELL PHONE ON THE WEBSITE. MY NATURE WAS LIKE, MAN, IF I'M WALKING INTO SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANT TO DO MY BEST, I DON'T, I DON'T NEED A BUFFER. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO NOT CALL ME. HOW WOULD I KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS REALLY WERE IF THEY HAD TO GO, YOU KNOW, FROM THE BASEMENT ALL THE WAY TO THE THIRD FLOOR BEFORE I GOT TO HEAR THEM? SO, REMOVAL OF THAT BUFFER.
SO, I THINK TO MYSELF, BACK THEN I PROBABLY COULD HAVE RAN IT THROUGH A 378 NUMBER AND MAYBE SOME OF IT WOULD HAVE GOT FILTERED OUT. BUT ULTIMATELY THE ENTIRE COUNCIL HAS SHOWN UP NOW AND SAID, WE'VE GOT TO BE MORE APPROACHABLE, WE'VE GOT TO BE MORE OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND SO YOU'RE SEEING TOWN HALL MEETINGS THAT ARE RUN CONSISTENTLY AND, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA THAT REACHES
[04:15:01]
OUT DIRECTLY TO YOU. SO THERE IS NOW NO LONGER A BUFFER ZONE.OKAY. IN THE DYNAMIC, THE WAY THAT IT WAS SET UP TO WORK, COMPOUND THAT WITH THE FACT THAT PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT I'M NOT IN CHARGE OF TRASH. THEY THINK THAT THEIR TRASH CAN LID IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM SAYING, WELL, I'LL JUST CALL HIM AND TELL HIM, HEY, MY TRASH CAN STILL HASN'T BEEN EMPTIED. AND SO THERE'S AN EXPECTATION THAT WE NOW NO LONGER ARE EDUCATING OUR POPULATION, THAT THE MORE TIME WE DEAL WITH TRASH COLLECTION, THE LESS TIME WE DEAL WITH GOVERNANCE. SO TWO THINGS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE ONE, STRUCTURALLY, THERE WAS A DESIGN FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE MORE ACCESS TO THE COUNCIL. IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY? THAT WAS AN INTENTIONAL THING? YEAH, I'D SAY ON TWO FRONTS. ONE, INTENTIONALLY I DID THIS, RIGHT? MY CELL PHONE'S ON THE WEBSITE. BUT THEN TWO, IF IT HADN'T BEEN THE, THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY IS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND THAT DOES GIVE DIRECT CORRESPONDENCE. SO LIKE, WE JUST NO LONGER HAVE THAT STRUCTURE. SO WE ARE NOW IN A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE. AND WHAT IS THAT STRUCTURE? TOTALLY OPEN AND AVAILABLE TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS 24/7 WITH NO MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY RESPECT OF ANYONE'S TIME OR PERSONAL SPACE. DUDE. AND IN THE SHORT TERM, WE CAN'T EXPECT THE COMMUNITY TO ALL OF A SUDDEN START TAKING THOSE THINGS IN CONSIDERATION.
BUT IS THAT WHERE THE COUNCIL WANTS TO STAY? I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK. ASK BECAUSE YOU'RE ASKING US WHAT WE MIGHT WANT VERSUS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE. SO LIKE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IS WHAT WE HAVE, RIGHT? WHICH USED TO MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, I DIDN'T CALL YOU UNTIL 8 O'CLOCK, . I KNEW YOU WEREN'T IN THE OFFICE AND I, I LEFT A MESSAGE WITH YOUR SECRETARY AT 5 AND THEN I KNEW YOU WEREN'T GOING TO CALL ME TILL THE NEXT DAY.
NOW YOU DRIVE TO MY HOUSE AT 9 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT CUZ YOU SAW MY TRUCK PULL IN. AND SO YOUR EMERGENCY IS MY EMERGENCY AT NIGHT ON MY DRIVEWAY. AND THAT IS A, THAT'S A SOCIAL DYNAMIC. AND IT DOESN'T JUST EXIST FOR ME. IT EXISTS FOR A LOT OF YOU GUYS.
YOU GUYS ARE CONSTANTLY TAKING PHONE CALLS AND ANSWERING AND EMAILING PEOPLE BACK. AND SO WE'RE JUST HARD WORKERS AND THUS OUR CUSTOMERS TAP INTO THAT EVERY TIME BECAUSE, WELL, HE EMAILED ME BACK AT NIGHT. SO I'M JUST GOING TO CALL HIM AND ASK HIM, WHEN ARE YOU GETTING ON THAT? SO ALL THAT TO JUST SAY, ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS A LIMITED CAPACITY OF ENERGY, RIGHT? AND SO HOW DO I GET OUT OF YOUR WAY, GET OUT OF OPERATIONS, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO, RIGHT? AND I'M NOT EVEN IN OPERATIONS. I'M IN DELEGATION OF EMAILS. YOU BECOME THE MIDDLEMAN. I'M JUST A MIDDLEMAN. EVERYTHING COMES TO ME AND IT GOES TO GRAYSON AND I ASK GRAYSON AND IT'S THE THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT TO ME DEAL. AND, AND THEN THE ONE THING THAT I'D BRAG ON IS I DON'T HAVE A FOLLOW-UP LIST LIKE I USED TO. I USED TO HAVE TO KEEP EMAILS BECAUSE NO ONE HANDLED MRS. SMITH'S PROBLEM FOR A WEEK AND I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK. BUT NOW ONCE I SEND IT AND I SEE HE ANSWERED IT AND DELEGATED IT OVER TO RICH OR WHOEVER, I DELETE IT. SO THAT'S AN IMPROVEMENT. THAT IS, THAT'S STILL NOT GOVERNANCE, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT. SO IN COMING BACK IN HERE AND, AND CREATING GOVERNING CAPACITY, THE NUMBER ONE THING WE COULD DO IS EDUCATE OUR POPULATION, OUR PUBLIC, OUR CUSTOMERS ON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU OPERATIONALLY AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. AND THAT, THAT ONE CHANGE WOULD BE DIRECT ACCOUNTABILITY. AND SO LIKE, IF YOU GUYS ARE DIRECTLY ACCOUNTABLE, THEN THEY'RE NOT COMING TO US.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT THEY HAVE IS THEY HAVE DIRECT ACCOUNTABILITY TO REPS. AND SO THE OTHER THING THAT COULD CHANGE IN GOVERNING CAPACITY WOULD BE OUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE VERY DIRECTLY HERE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS. I THINK WE COULD HAVE A GREAT DELIVERABLE BY THE TIME BUDGET'S IN PLACE WHERE OUR DOLLARS MATCH PRIORITIES, AND THEN THERE'S NO WONDER BUT YOU CAN DEAL WITH THE DESIRES, BUT THEN THE PRIORITIES ARE THE PRIORITIES.
OKAY. I'M SORRY, I HAD TO STEP OUT FOR A MINUTE, BUT DID YOU SAY YOU DON'T WANT PEOPLE CALLING YOU? I SAID LIKE THERE IS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO CALL, AND IF I SAID ANYTHING SPECIFIC, LIKE I DON'T LIKE THE DRIVEWAY AT NIGHT, RIGHT? LIKE, AND THERE IS A WEARING DOWN OF YOUR SERVANTS. WHEN YOU GUYS ARE SAYING, STAFF IS SAYING, WE'D LIKE TO FEEL VALUED AND RESPECTED, MAN, I GET IT. I WANT YOU TO FEEL VALUED AND RESPECTED.
AND I HATE THAT EVERY TIME I'M THE GUY THAT HAS TO REPRESENT
[04:20:02]
THAT THOSE GUYS DON'T VALUE WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND THEY WERE DISRESPECTFUL, THAT MY NAME'S ATTACHED TO IT AND IT'S COMPOUNDED.BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I'M IN OPERATIONS AT THAT POINT. I SHOULD NEVER BE THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY I MEAN, I DON'T RUN INTO ANYBODY THAT'S SAYING, WELL, THAT'S MY TRASH, IT'S BEEN PICKED UP AND IT'S YOUR FAULT. WE GET ELECTED TO BE THE INTERMEDIARY TO HELP PEOPLE. WHY? BECAUSE PEOPLE KNOW WHO WE ARE. YEAH, I DON'T I MEAN, THAT, THAT, THAT'S I TAKE PLEASURE IN BEING ABLE, YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE TO GET THE GOOD THING IS WHEN I PASS SOME ALONG, YOU MAKE ME LOOK GOOD BECAUSE IT GETS DONE PRETTY QUICKLY. AND THAT'S THE ROLE THAT I THINK WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE IN. YEAH, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE SAME CHALLENGE.
PEOPLE KNOW US FROM THE RELATIONSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY. WE WANT THEM TO TRY AND GIVE THE STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESOLVE IT IF THEY HAVEN'T GONE THAT ROUTE.
SO IT DOES BECOME THAT. YEAH, BUT LET ME DISAGREE. LET ME DISAGREE THOUGH. LIKE, I, I DON'T WANT THAT. LIKE, LIKE, IF I'M YOUR CITY MANAGER AND I'M THE MAN, I DO NOT WANT MY MAYOR AND COUNCIL GETTING THOSE REQUESTS RIGHT. I WANT IT COMING TO STAFF AND COMING UP THE CHAIN. AND I WANT A SYSTEM THAT FUNCTIONS WHERE ONCE EVERY COUPLE OF MONTHS, YOU KNOW, AN ELECTED REP GOT AN EMAIL, NOT 8 OR 9 TIMES A DAY WITH FOLLOW-UP TEXTS AND, AND PHONE CALLS. RIGHT. ARE YOU SAYING ARE YOU SAYING IN A PICTURE-PERFECT WORLD, YOU ARE GETTING THOSE COMMENTS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT, I NEED MY TRASH? WELL, IN A PICTURE-PERFECT WORLD, TELL ME WHERE THAT EXISTS. I MEAN, IN A, IN A, IN A 50% MATURE WORLD, YOU WANT THOSE CALLS? WELL, IF I CAN HELP FACILITATE, IF I, IF I, I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY I DON'T WANT PEOPLE CALLING ME. I MEAN, ABOUT THEIR TRASH AT THE, AT THE END OF THE DAY. WELL, NO, AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WOULD HOPE WE WOULD EXECUTE PERFECTLY. I KNOW WE'RE NOT RIGHT. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO GET MAD BECAUSE WE'VE MADE A MISTAKE AND A PERSON'S CALLED ME ABOUT IT. NO, WE DON'T GET MAD.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT HERE'S FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, NOT AMARILLO, JUST CITY X. THE MORE THAT CITIZENS ARE CONTACTING COUNCIL MEMBERS REGARDING KNICKKNACK DAILY LIFE THINGS, THAT IS A SIGN OF A BROKEN SYSTEM. IT'S NOT A SIGN OF HEALTH. YEAH. CAN I ADD SOME TO THAT FROM OUR SIDE? OH, GO AHEAD. YEP, REAL QUICK.
THERE'S 204,000 PEOPLE IN THIS CITY, AND IF WE ALL SPENT 10 MINUTES WITH EACH PERSON IN THE CITY, IT'S 17.4 YEARS NONSTOP, RIGHT? IT'S NOT DOABLE. NO, IT'S NOT DOABLE. SOMETHING ON OUR SIDE THAT AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THESE CALLS. THAT'S THE WAY IT'S BEEN FOREVER, RIGHT? MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. BUT ON OUR SIDE, WE HAVE DIRECTORS, SUPERVISORS, SUPERINTENDENTS THAT WANT THOSE CALLS. AND THE REASON THAT THEY WANT THEM IS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO PUT THIS PERSON IN THE SAME CUSTOMER SERVICE QUEUE THAT THE PERSON NEXT TO THEM HAD AND PROVIDE THEM THE SAME. AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY TAKE VERY IMPORTANT.
WELL, ALL OF A SUDDEN WE GET A CALL FROM YOU OR YOU OR YOU, AND NOW THAT HAS TO BE PRIORITIZED. AND THE PERSON THAT WAS ON THE LIST TO BE SERVICED THAT DAY GETS PUSHED DOWN WHILE THEY'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, BUT IT'S THEIR FRUSTRATION. I KNOW THAT THEY'RE SAYING, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS THE RIGHT WAY, BUT YET WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR PRIORITIES ALL THE TIME. AND THAT'S THE THAT'S FRUSTRATING ON NO DOUBT. SO YEAH, I MEAN, THERE'S DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE GROWTH IF WE IF WE WANT TO GET TO BACK TO OUR DEFINED DESTINATION, OUR DESIRED DESTINATION. IF WE WANT TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE RESIDENTS YOU KNOW, FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE THING. WE WON'T GET THERE BECAUSE WHOEVER ELECTED COUNCIL PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S YOU GUYS, ANOTHER GROUP, ARE AWESOME AT TRIAGING PHONE CALLS.
THAT'S NOT THAT IS NOT THE PATH TO SUCCESS. THE PATH TO SUCCESS IS LOOKING AT TECHNOLOGY. I KNOW THERE ARE CUSTOMER SERVICE, LIKE CITIES HAVE ADOPTED LIKE DIAL 811 ON ANY SERVICE ISSUE.
LIKE THERE ARE WAYS TO, AND IT TAKES TIME. IF YOU ANNOUNCE THAT YOU HAVE THAT TOMORROW, WILL ALL 200-SOMETHING RESIDENTS ADOPT THAT PROCESS TOMORROW? NO.
BUT 4 YEARS FROM NOW WITH IT BEING A STRATEGIC FOCUS BY EVERYONE SITTING AT THIS TABLE AND THEN DOWN THE ORGANIZATION, IF WE WERE DISCIPLINED, YEAH, 4 YEARS FROM NOW, WHATEVER THAT COUNCIL, WHOEVER THAT COUNCIL IS, THEY'RE GOING TO COME KISS YOUR HAND AND SAY, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.
THAT'S BETTER FOR THEM. IT'S BETTER FOR THE STAFF. IT'S BETTER FOR THE COUNCIL. SO YEAH, THE DESIRED FUTURE IS COUNCIL IS NOT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THEM HERE AND THERE, BUT AS A SYSTEM, AS A NORM, IT'S A SIGN OF NOT HEALTH. NOT A SIGN OF HEALTH. RIGHT. AND I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING A POINT ON IT, BUT I WANT TO SHARE THAT IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ORGANIZATION. LIKE, I'M
[04:25:01]
COMPLICATING THE PROCESS IN ENGAGING THERE BECAUSE NOW WE ARE OUT OF THE QUEUE. OUR FOLLOW-UP IS NOT IN LINE. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FUNNEL THAT CUSTOMER IN THE RIGHT WAY. AND MOST OF THE TIME, YOU KNOW, 99% OF THE TIME, IT'S SUPER RESPONSIVE, AND YES, IT DOES MAKE ME LOOK GOOD, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I NEED. I DON'T NEED MRS. SMITH THINKING I'M THE GREATEST MAYOR EVER BECAUSE I'M THE ONLY GUY THAT GOT THE TREE LIMB HAULED OUT OF THE FRONT OF HER YARD. I NEED A SYSTEM THAT FUNCTIONS SO YOU GUYS ARE MRS. SMITH'S GREATEST GUY EVER. I NEED IT TO BE MIKE IN THAT DEPARTMENT WHERE SHE'S SINGING HIS PRAISES, AND ULTIMATELY WHAT IT DOES IS IT GOES BACK OVER TO SOCIAL WHERE, HEY, I JUST WANT TO LET THE OTHER 01,000 OF Y'ALL KNOW I'VE BEEN CALLING THE CITY FOR WEEKS, NEVER GOT A PHONE CALL BACK. I EMAILED MAYOR STANLEY AND THAT AFTERNOON THEY CAME OUT.WELL, SHE TAUGHT A BEHAVIOR TO EVERYONE THAT IS EVEN WORSE.
AND, AND, AND IT COMES WITH A NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCE OF, WELL, I GUESS THEY'RE JUST NOT GETTING IT DONE OVER THERE. SO LET ME ASK THIS. LET ME ASK THIS. THIS IS GOOD. LET ME ASK THIS. LET'S JUST TAKE A QUEUE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE Y'ALL HAVE AN INTERNAL TRACKING SYSTEM FOR CALLS. IS IT TRACKED HOW LIKE WHEN THAT THING IS RESOLVED? LIKE EXPLAIN THAT TO ME JUST IN LAYMAN'S TERMS. MOSTLY IN SOME OF THE OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS, YES. I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION IN THE COMMUNICATION, AND THIS IS I'M NOT ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, BUT CALLED THE WRONG DEPARTMENT. THEY TALKED TO THE WRONG PERSON THAT TRANSFERRED THEM TO THE WRONG DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW. AND NOW THEY'VE TALKED TO 4 PEOPLE. AND SO THEY CALL THE MAYOR AND SAY, I'VE CALLED AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. 9 TIMES OUT OF 10, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING. IF THEY CALL THE RIGHT PLACE, THEY GET THE RIGHT PERSON, IT GETS RESOLVED JUST AS FAST.
AND WE DO WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK. LET ME ASK SOME OF THE QUESTIONS. I DON'T WANT THE AND I DON'T WANT SOLUTION RIGHT NOW, BUT WITH THAT SCENARIO WHERE IT'S LIKE, OH, WRONG DEPARTMENT OVER HERE.
OKAY. IN YOUR HEADS RIGHT NOW, DO YOU HAVE A FIX FOR THAT? DON'T TELL ME WHAT IT IS, BUT IN YOUR HEAD, DO YOU HAVE A FIX FOR THAT? I THINK SO. WE KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. YEAH.
OKAY. SO THERE IS A FIX FOR THAT, RIGHT? BUT YEAH, IF THEY BYPASS, WE NEVER FIX THE PROCESS. NO, I UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTAND. AND THAT'S A REALITY. REACTIVE CYCLE THAT WE'RE IN. I UNDERSTAND THAT. THERE'S A FIX FOR THAT. GO AHEAD. OH, YOU'RE TURNING IT OFF? YEAH. OKAY. I THINK SOME OF THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN TANDEM BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP IS THIS. EVEN ON A TRIAL BASIS, DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THAT HAPPENS? WHERE IT'S IS THERE SOME LOG OR IS THERE A WAY TRACK IN YOUR SYSTEM WHERE SOMETHING WAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING WAS OPEN-ENDED AND NEVER GOT CLOSED? YEAH, IF THEY USE THE CALL CENTER, THEY HAVE A SOFTWARE. IF THEY GET TO AN INDIVIDUAL APARTMENT, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS WE TRACK STUFF. SO YEAH, SO JUST DEPENDS, YOU KNOW. ONE OF THE THINGS, IF WE WANT TO MOVE TOWARD INCREASING GOVERNANCE CAPACITY, IT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT, AND, YOU KNOW, FURTHER CONVERSATION CAN BE HAD ON THIS, BUT LET'S SAY WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE, IF THAT'S A CORE OUTCOME, WE DEFINE THOSE OUTCOMES FOR THE EXECUTIVE TEAM TO SAY, IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CALLS WERE LEFT OPEN? HOWEVER YOU CAN TRACK IT. AND LET'S SAY IT WAS 26%, RIGHT? A GOVERNING CAPACITY WOULD SAY, HEY, BY THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE NEED THAT DOWN TO 10%. WE NEED THAT DOWN TO 12%, RIGHT? THAT IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS WELL. OKAY. SO REAL QUICK, TWO THINGS. GO AHEAD.
JUST TO WRAP UP GOVERNANCE AND THEN I DON'T WANT TO CUT OFF COUNCIL, BUT LIKE WHAT I HEARD WAS THAT WE DID A GOOD JOB OF MAPPING OUT THE WAY FORWARD 3 YEARS AGO. BUT WE WERE BROAD. AND THEN WHEN WE REALLY GOT OUR FEET WET AND WE LEARNED HOW DEEP THE WATER WAS AND HOW BIG THESE PROBLEMS WERE, IT STARTED ISOLATING ITSELF TO THESE 3 THINGS. THEN WE'VE GROWN JUST A LITTLE BIT AND WE'RE, WE'RE NOT EVEN REMEMBERING WHAT ALL 7 PILLARS ARE. WHAT IF THIS COUNCIL COMES TOGETHER AND WE DECIDE WHAT ARE OUR TOP 3 PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT 10 MONTHS AND HOW DO WE REFLECT A BUDGET THAT'S GOING TO CARRY ON INTO LATTER PART OF NEXT YEAR THAT HITS THESE.
CAN WE GIVE YOU THAT DELIVERABLE BASED ON THIS MEETING, RIGHT? AND THEN HAND THAT OVER WHERE COMES BACK IN LINE WITH BUDGET AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. THE SECOND THING AND YOU GUYS STOP ME IF, IF THAT'S TOO MUCH BUT THE SECOND THING IS JUST OPERATIONS. EITHER THEY'RE GETTING WHAT THEY NEED
[04:30:03]
ON THEIR FIRST PHONE CALL, YOU KNOW, AND SOLVES IT, OR WE GOT TO GET A BETTER TRIAGE SYSTEM AND WE NEED HELP PROBABLY REMOVING OURSELVES FROM AN INAPPROPRIATE ROLE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S, IT'S WITH GOOD INTENTIONS, IT'S NOT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE, THE FUNCTION OF THE ORGANIZATION. HOW DO YOU GUYS HELP US DO THAT? THOSE ARE MY TWO, AND THEN I'M GOOD IF, IF WE CAN WORK IT FORWARD FROM THERE. I MISSED A COMPLIMENT AS WELL. ONE THING THAT HAS IMPROVED IS THAT COMMUNICATION WHEN YOU'RE GETTING A CALL AND IT'S COMING FROM ALL OF YOU THAT YOU SAY WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THIS OVER TO SO-AND-SO. THAT, THAT USED TO NOT HAPPEN AS WELL. SO THAT'S BEEN A BIG IMPROVEMENT.AND I THINK WE RECOGNIZE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FIX THE ISSUE THAT STILL IS STANDING WHERE THEY'RE CALLING YOU 01,000 TIMES AND US 10 TIMES.
THAT'S JUST PERSON-BY-PERSON EDUCATION, UNFORTUNATELY.
WELL, OR US PUTTING OUT MORE MESSAGING OF WHO TO CONTACT, BEING PROACTIVE.
NO, I MEAN, IT IS GOING TO TAKE THE ONE-OFFS. WELL, NO, I'M THINKING MORE PRACTICALLY.
SO LIKE I WOULD LOVE AN AUTOMATED RESPONSE. YEAH. SO WHEN I GET A PHONE CALL, INSTEAD OF ME CALLING BACK, I CAN SEND THE LINK THAT AUTOMATICALLY ROUTES THAT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS OF, AND, AND, AND IT NEEDS TO COME WITH, THANK YOU FOR REACHING OUT.
YOUR, YOUR REQUEST, YOU KNOW, IS AN EASY ONE FOR ME TO CONNECT YOU DIRECTLY TO WHERE YOU NEED TO GO. AND THEY'RE BACK IN THE SYSTEM. SO IT'S JUST A PING PONG BACK.
AND THEN IF IT NEEDS A FOLLOW-UP CALL OR SOMETHING PERSONALIZED BECAUSE THEY WERE ANGRY OR THEY WERE UPSET, WE COULD DO THAT. BUT A LOT OF IT IS JUST THE IMMEDIATE REACH OUT. AND I THINK WE COULD TEACH THAT. IF YOU TEXT AND IT SAYS, HEY, TRY THIS LINK FIRST. IF YOU DON'T GET SATISFIED, LET ME KNOW. BUT THAT'S WHERE 311 IS NOT FUNCTIONING, YOU KNOW, LIKE IT NEEDS TO. AND SO I'M GETTING COMPLAINTS ON 311.
COST CAUSING SOMEBODY. WE ARE TOO. ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES SAID JUST CALL THE MAYOR, YOU KNOW, AND SO THEY'RE CALLING ME SAYING, HEY, HE GAVE ME YOUR NUMBER. THAT WAS ME. AND SO IT WASN'T YOU, DON? YEAH. SO THAT'S, THAT'S A WIN RIGHT THERE. SO I'M, I, THAT, I'M LOOKING FOR PRACTICAL THINGS FOR THE FUTURE, RIGHT? SO THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED A SYSTEM THAT WE CAN PLUG PEOPLE INTO RATHER THAN US BEING THE SYSTEM. YEAH. AND WHEN WE'VE I KNOW YOU'VE NOT PROBABLY HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT, BUT YESTERDAY'S EMAIL SENT TO YOU ALL, THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I'M PUTTING IN MOTION ON 311. OKAY. YEAH.
ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL, OTHER THOUGHTS ON GOVERNING CAPACITY? I JUST I MEAN, OF COURSE, I GUESS WE'RE T-MINUS 27 MINUTES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE CLOSES ON. BUT, BUT I MEAN, OF COURSE, TO ME, WE JUST, WE JUST DIVED IN A LITTLE BIT INTO OPERATIONAL. NOT THAT IT'S A BAD THING, BUT WE GOT IN THERE. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I JUST THOUGHT, WOULD THAT CONVERSATION HAVE EVER HAPPENED IF WE'D NOT BEEN IN THIS ENVIRONMENT? SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS JUST FROM EACH, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER IS, I MEAN, AS YOU'VE SEEN TODAY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, WHAT VALUE HAVE YOU GOTTEN OUT OF IT? AND, AND DO YOU THINK IT IS WORTH CONTINUING TO HAVE I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF IT EXACTLY LOOKS LIKE THIS, BUT YOU GO BACK TO THE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL, AND THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL. AND WHETHER ARE WE GETTING VALUE OUT OF THIS? AND IS IT WORTH CONTINUING? I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, 10 MONTHS. I MEAN, MY HOPE ALSO WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A FINITE CAPACITY OF WHEN WE'RE HERE, BUT HOPEFULLY IF WE'RE A FORWARD-LOOKING CITY COUNCIL, I MEAN, IF WE CAN ONLY PROVIDE CAST A VISION FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS, THEN WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAD THIS MEETING. I THINK THERE IS A VALUE OF US TRYING TO CAST A VISION LONGER TERM, BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T CAST IT AND HAVE IT OUT THERE, THEN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.
BUT I'D BE INTERESTED IN JUST HEARING WHAT THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT TODAY AND, AND THE BENEFIT AND VALUE, AND, AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING, WE SHOULD DO MOVING FORWARD. I, I THINK THIS, THIS MEETING'S BEEN, BEEN INCREDIBLE. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT OUR 6 7 PILLARS ARE PRIORITIZED, ESPECIALLY BEFORE WE GO TO BUDGET. I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S HUGE. WHAT DO OUR WINS LOOK LIKE? WHERE HAVE WE FALLEN SHORT? WHERE ARE WE HEADED? WHOEVER GOT THIS SET UP LES, WAS THIS YOU? THE MAYOR AND LES, THANK YOU FOR, FOR GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CHANCE. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR I MEAN, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT. YOU SIT DOWN, YOU ALIGN, YOU GET THAT VISION, AND THEN YOU GO BACK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT THE BATON HANDOFF. I MEAN, HERE'S THE 7 PILLARS. HERE'S WHAT WE'RE STRIVING FOR. WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU, NEW PERSON, YOU KNOW, THAT COMES ON? HOW DOES IT FIT INTO THIS? LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION AND THEN LET'S ALL ROW IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND NOT BE BEING SHOT AT WITH A .22, RIGHT? I MEAN, LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GET ALIGNED AND LET'S, LET'S BE THAT MODEL THAT WE ALL WANT THIS CITY TO BE.
SO FANTASTIC. AND I WOULD ADD TO IT, MAYBE IT MAY JUST BE ME.
[04:35:03]
I DON'T KNOW IF ALL THE REST OF THEM ARE THIS WAY, MAN. I'D APPRECIATE FEEDBACK FROM YOU GUYS. I KNOW THAT SEEMS LIKE A SCARY POSITION SOMETIMES OF LIKE, MAN, WE DON'T WANT TO CORRECT YOU GUYS. I MEAN, BUT REALLY, I MEAN, GRAYSON'S THE ONLY ONE THAT WORKS FOR US. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE COME ON COUNCIL, THESE TWO GUYS HAVE PROBABLY FIGURED IT OUT OR PRETTY CLOSE TO IT.BUT, MAN, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT PROCEDURE IS. YOU DON'T KNOW, LIKE, WHEN MISS SMITH CALLS, YOU DON'T KNOW, LIKE, ALL OF THOSE THINGS OF LIKE, HEY, GREAT JOB ON DOING IT THIS WAY. OR, HEY, YOU KNOW, DON, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER MAYBE IF WE COULD HAVE DONE IT THIS WAY.
APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK. THAT WAY, I THINK NEW COUNCIL COUNCILS ARE COACHED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE BEST, BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THEM ARE GOING TO GET THIS RIGHT. WE'RE NOT ALL SITTING DOWN GOING, OKAY, WELL, WHAT'S GOVERNING CAPACITY? YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYONE'S GOING TO GET THAT. BUT I THINK YOU GUYS AND EVEN DIRECTORS ARE LIKE, THEY CAN GIVE FEEDBACK AND WE CAN GET FEEDBACK TO ALMOST COACH THE COUNCIL TO BE LIKE, THIS IS THE WAY THE COUNCIL OPERATES. THIS IS THE WAY IN ORDER TO BE HEALTHY.
THIS IS THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW. A WAY I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH COUNCIL AND MAYOR, YOU COME IN, SOMETIMES WE'VE GOT EGOS, SOMETIMES WE DON'T HAVE EGOS.
YOU'VE GOT PERSONALITIES TO DEAL WITH. IT'S LIKE YOU GUYS ARE THE STEADY.
YOU GUYS, THE STAFF, ARE THE ONES THAT ARE HERE AND HAVE BEEN HERE. AND YOU ALL KNOW THIS WAY BETTER THAN MOST OF US DO, ESPECIALLY THE NEW ONES. IF YOU ALL WERE ABLE TO GIVE SOME COACHING AND FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, GOOD, HEALTHY, YOU KNOW, FEEDBACK, I THINK THAT HELPS US AS COUNSEL CURRENTLY AND FUTURE. SO I THINK AND AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, BUT I WOULD WELCOME THAT, YOU KNOW, TO HELP SHOW ME HOW TO BE BETTER, TO FUNCTION IN A HEALTHY WAY. AND I APPRECIATE WHAT WE'VE DONE HERE. I THINK IT WAS A GOOD THING. I THINK THE OTHER NIGHT I SAID IT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST A DISCUSSION. AND IT'S GOOD TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND HEAR BOTH SIDES, WHAT WE'RE SEEING, WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM, FROM EACH OTHER, WHERE WE'VE CROSSED THE LINE. I KNOW I'VE, I'VE TOLD YOU GUYS AT MEETINGS THAT A GOOD DAY FOR ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER IS I'M NOT IN CITY HALL. THAT'S REALLY A GOOD DAY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO ON A DAILY BASIS. THERE'S A, THERE'S A ROLE WE PLAY ON THE GOVERNANCE END. I'VE TRIED TO KEEP THAT, BUT WE DO BECAUSE WE'VE MADE OUR NUMBERS PUBLIC.
WE GET THOSE PHONE CALLS. I WAS JUST THINKING HERE WHEN I WAS I RAN A CALL CENTER AND A MILLION LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND 19,000 AGENCIES. SO, BUT WHAT WE DID IS WE DID AWAY WITH AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM, AND IT WAS ALL HUMAN BEINGS, BECAUSE I REFUSED TO HAVE A POLICE OFFICER, A POLICE CHIEF, A DIRECTOR OF SECRET SERVICE CALL AND GET AN ANSWERING MACHINE THAT'S GOING TO PUT THEM IN A QUEUE AND THEY GOT TO WAIT FOR AN ANSWER. AND SO WHAT WE DID IS WE WENT DOWN TO LSU FSU, LOOKED FOR A COLLEGE CAMPUS, AND WE HIRED COLLEGE KIDS, WORKED AROUND THEIR SCHEDULES 24 HOURS A DAY. ANYBODY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT COULD CALL IN TO THE CALL CENTER AND HAVE A HUMAN BEING, AND THAT PERSON DIDN'T GET OFF THE PHONE UNTIL THEIR PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES AUTOMATION IS ITS OWN PROBLEM, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST SAID WITH THIS SYSTEM IS WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT GETS SOME CORRECTIONS THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S FEASIBLE GOING BACK, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO DO IT THIS WAY.
IS THERE A WAY THAT IT COULD BE A HUMAN BEING THAT PICKS UP THE TELEPHONE AND THAT WAY IT GETS DIRECTED? BECAUSE THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE OPERATING AS. THAT CALL SERVICE COMES INTO OUR NUMBER AND WE'RE ACTING THAT WAY, AND THEN WE GET CAUGHT UP IN THE MINUTIA OF THE, OF THE, THE DAILY WORK. SO, BUT THIS WAS THIS WAS A GOOD EXERCISE. GOOD. AND THAT'S GOOD. LIKE, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY. THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED, RIGHT? SO IF WE SAY YES TO THAT COST, WHAT ARE WE SAYING NO TO, RIGHT? SO, YOU KNOW, THE PHRASE WOULD BE LIKE, FOREST FOR THE TREES, YOU KNOW? AND SO LIKE, THANK YOU TO LES. TOO CLOSE TO IT, TOO MANY TREES RIGHT IN MY FACE. AND, AND TOO MANY BIG DEALS THAT ALL HAVE TO BE DONE. AND THEN GOT TO HURRY UP AND TAKE OFF THE SPORT COAT, ROLL UP MY SLEEVES AND GET TO THE JOB SITE. CAUSE THERE'S A CREW OF GUYS STANDING AROUND WAITING, YOU KNOW, AND I NEED TO RUN MY BUSINESS AT SOME TIME. AND THEN, YOU KNOW MY DAUGHTER WAS WAITING ON ME AND I NEEDED TO GET THERE AN HOUR AGO. SO YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THAT AND LIKE, I'VE JUST LOST SIGHT OF WHAT WE DID SIT DOWN AND WE DID COME UP WITH A GOOD STRATEGIC PLAN, AND
[04:40:01]
THEN WE EXECUTED AND WE MADE IMPROVEMENTS ON THOSE TOP 2, TOP 3. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LES BASICALLY SAID, LIKE, I, I DON'T THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM THESE 2 NEW ONES.AND SO IT'S GOOD LEADERSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND IT'S NEEDED IN THIS, RIGHT? SO IN TRYING TO THIS BODY FEELS LIKE IT'S TRYING TO BUILD THE PLANE WHILE IT'S FLYING IT.
RIGHT. RIGHT. AND SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. AND WE KNOW WE'RE NOT THE BUILDERS OF THE PLANE. WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES FLYING IT. BUT FOR A LOT OF INTENTIONS, PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT AND THAT PRESSURE, THAT WEIGHT STILL SITS THERE.
YOU WOULD THINK AS A MAYOR YOU COULD JUST CALL SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND THAT THERE WOULD BE A COACH OUT THERE SOMEWHERE THAT WOULD SAY, OH MAN, IF I MEAN, I KNOW RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE AT.
OH YEAH, YOU DON'T GO OUT TO EAT ANYMORE. MM-HMM. THAT'S NORMAL. YEAH. YOU GET YOURSELF TO WHERE YOU DON'T EVEN FEEL COMFORTABLE SITTING IN PUBLIC BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL COME UP AND, YOU KNOW, WELL, I TRIED TO GET THIS DONE YESTERDAY.
CAN YOU HELP HERE? YOU KNOW, EVEN ON THE GOOD SIDE OF THEM JUST THINKING YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB, IT'S THE UNIQUE LIFE EXPERIENCE THAT THERE IS NO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE TOTALLY ISOLATED ON AN ISLAND. YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO CALL THESE GUYS, SO YOU REALLY CAN'T LEAN ON TOO MANY. PLUS, THEY'VE GOT THEIR OWN ISSUES. CAN'T REALLY CALL MY CITY MANAGER AND SAY, HEY, COACH ME HERE ON, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE DO THIS? SO WE'VE GOT A REALLY GOOD FIND HERE. THIS THING WAS LIKE A TENTH THE COST, YOUR FEE OF WHAT SOME OF THESE OPERATIONS CAN BE.
WHAT I WOULD LOVE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR COUNCIL TO COME BACK AND SIT DOWN WITH HIM AND FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. JUST MAYBE JUST CITY SECRETARY IN HERE, WHATEVER, BUT LET US GET A LITTLE COACHING BECAUSE WHAT WE JUST DID WAS SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF HOW BAD I AM AT THIS JOB. RIGHT. LIKE FOR SOME OF YOU OUT THERE, YOU'RE LIKE, MAN, MAYOR'S IN OPERATIONS AGAIN. GOD, WHEN WILL THAT GUY LEARN? LIKE, DON'T TAKE THE PHONE CALL.
WELL, LIKE, HE JUST CARES A LITTLE TOO MUCH AND HE'S GOING TO RETURN EVERYBODY'S CALL.
AND THAT'S A CONDITION WE HAVE.
AND, AND SO IN BEING APPROACHABLE, THERE'S SO MUCH THAT WE COULD LEARN AS A COUNCIL FROM EACH OTHER.
AND, AND SO RIGHT NOW, IF WE WALK AWAY, I SAY, HEY, SEND ME THE 7 PILLARS, LET ME GO AHEAD AND ORGANIZE IT. AND THEN I NEED TO RANK MINE AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO FACILITATE THIS WITHOUT BREAKING THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT. LIKE, I'M KIND OF LOST, RIGHT? OR I GOT TO PUT IT ON A PUBLIC DISCUSSION ITEM AND IT'S IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSINESS. SO NOW WE'VE GOT MORE PEOPLE SITTING OUT THERE WAITING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GET OUR TIME BECAUSE ALL WE'RE DOING HERE IS JUST SAYING, LIKE, WE KNOW THAT A SHARP AX CUTS DOWN THOSE TREES WAY EASIER.
WE WANT TO SHARPEN OUR AX BEFORE WE GO HACKING AWAY ALL DAY, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT OPPORTUNITY, SO I'M THANKFUL FOR YOU GUYS COMING IN HERE.
BUT IF YOU CAN SHARPEN THE AX WITH US, I WOULD JUST ASK COUNCIL, IF YOU GUYS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, LET'S SCHEDULE SOMETHING AGAIN HERE SOON AND LET'S JUST COME BACK TOGETHER FOR HALF THIS AMOUNT OF TIME, JUST WITH THE FOCUS OF GOVERNANCE CAPACITY NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN DOWN THERE. AND LET'S GET US AS HEALTHY AS WE CAN AND IDENTIFY THE AREAS WHERE WE'RE IN YOUR LANE AND HOW DO WE GET BACK OVER INTO OURS. AND THEN FROM THERE, WE CAN LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE OTHER DELIVERABLES ARE THAT COME FROM YOU. BUT AND I THINK AS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT THAT'S GOOD, COLE. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SELF-REFLECTION AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS. AND YOU'RE THINKING IN THE RIGHT YOU'RE THINKING RIGHT ON, RIGHT SPOT ON.
SIMULTANEOUSLY, THIS TEAM AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING IN A NEW TO REPLACE THE OLD OTHER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S NOT A THESE ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE ENTITIES.
SYMBIOTIC. WHAT'S THAT WORD? SYMBIOTIC. THERE'S A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP. THE STRONGER THEY FUNCTION AS A GOVERNING BODY, IT GIVES YOU THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE. BUT THE BETTER YOU FUNCTION AS AN EXECUTIVE TEAM PUTS THEM IN A MUCH BETTER POSITION TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO GOVERN. RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT IF I WERE SITTING IN A COUNCIL SEAT, THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE A FEW OF THE BIGGEST MATURITY EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES ARE THAT THE UNPOPULARITY THAT YOU DEAL WITH IT WITH THE PUBLIC,
[04:45:05]
THE BLAME THE WHAT SEEMS TO BE SNAIL-LIKE PACE OF CHANGE IN EXECUTION. AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT PEOPLE ARE EXECUTING BADLY. IT MEANS THE NATURE OF THE BEAST IS A VERY SLOW-MOVING THING. AND THAT'S HARD WHEN WE'RE USED TO GETTING THINGS DONE. THAT'S HARD TO SIT ON OUR HANDS. IT'S HARD TO FEEL LIKE, DID I EVEN MAKE AN IMPACT IN 2 YEARS? WEIRD, RIGHT? THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT COUNCILS HAVE TO BE DISCIPLINED TO JUST SIT IN THAT DISCOMFORT. AND HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE DEBATED, BUT I THINK THAT'S AN I THINK THEIR JOB IS EASIER. HONESTLY, THE WEIGHT OF THE SUCCESS OF THE ORGANIZATION IS THIS GROUP, RIGHT? IF I'M SITTING IN A COUNCIL SEAT, I'M LOOKING AT MY EXECUTIVE TEAM. I'M SAYING, HEY, EXECUTIVE TEAM, LISTEN. I KNOW MY ROLE. AND IT'S A VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY LIMITED ROLE BY DESIGN.THE AMOUNT OF TRUST I HAVE TO HAVE IN YOU GUYS, YOU LADIES, IS WE HAVE TO HAVE IN YOU IS IMMENSE. AND YOU GOT TO OWN THAT. AND YOU GOT TO TAKE THAT URGENCY AND THAT GRAVITY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TO THE REST OF THE ORGANIZATION. AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE YOUR OWN HOST OF CHALLENGES. IF I CAN'T PAY THIS MID-LEVEL MANAGER OR THIS FRONTLINE SUPERVISOR COMPETITIVE WAGES, HOW DO I TURN AROUND AND ASK THEM TO PERFORM AT AN A+ WHEN THEY'RE LIKE, CRAP, I CAN GO OVER HERE FOR AN A+ PERFORMANCE AND GET PAID A LOT MORE. RIGHT? BUT EVERYONE HAS TO OWN THEIR SPOT. I THINK IT'S WHAT'S THE OLD ALABAMA COACH? WHAT'S HIS NAME? NICK SABAN? YOU KNOW, HE'S LIKE HE TOLD HIS PLAYERS, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO WIN THEIR POSITION. WE WANT TO WIN GAMES, EVERYBODY'S GOT TO WIN THEIR POSITION.
EVERYBODY'S GOT TO WIN THEIR ROLE. RIGHT? THEY GOT TO WIN THEIR ROLE, BUT IT IS A VERY, VERY, VERY LIMITED ROLE, AND THEIR ABILITY TO REALLY IMPACT THINGS IS JUST SO MINIMAL, AND THAT'S WHAT'S FRUSTRATING.
IT IS JUST A VERY LIMITED ROLE, BUT THEY GET THE FLAK FROM THE PUBLIC AS THOUGH YOU SHOULD HAVE MORE IMPACT THAN YOU DO, RIGHT? IT'S LIKE, NOT REALLY, RIGHT? IT'S THIS TEAM. Y'ALL CARRY A LOT OF WEIGHT, RIGHT? SO HOWEVER MUCH WORK THE GOVERNING BODY PUTS INTO ELEVATING THEIR STRENGTH, YOU GUYS GOT TO TRIPLE THE WORK TO ELEVATE YOUR SKILL AND YOUR ABILITY.
AND THEN DOWN THE LINE, RIGHT? NO ONE CAN SIT ON THEIR HANDS. SO, AND WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, IT IS THE COUNCIL THAT'S GOT TO MAKE TOUGH CALLS TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO FUND THIS, OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO FUND THIS LIKE WE USED TO.
AND THAT IS THE LITTLE IMPACT YOU HAVE. THAT'S THE CALL YOU MAKE, AND THEY GO AND EXECUTE. SO I THINK TAKEAWAYS FOR TODAY LES, AS YOU TALKED ABOUT SEEING FOR THE FUTURE, I AGREE. BUT MY SENSE, AS I GOT TO KNOW THE ORGANIZATION AND THE REASON I BUILT THIS DAY THE WAY I BUILT IT WAS, I THINK THERE ARE SOME THERE'S SOME SIDING AND SOME WINDOWS AND DOOR TREATMENT THAT WOULD BE NICE TO THINK ABOUT REGARDING THE FUTURE. BUT I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE SOME KEY CRACKS IN THE FOUNDATION.
WE COULD HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME I COULD HAVE TRIED IT. I COULD HAVE BEEN LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WHAT COLOR PAINT FOR THIS FUTURE THING? BUT IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT IF WE DON'T GET SOME OF THESE FOUNDATIONAL CRACKS SHORED UP. AND SO I THINK WHAT I TOLD YOU MY GOAL TODAY WAS TO BRING CLARITY. AND I HOPE THAT NOW, NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO LAND THIS PLANE, IS I THINK WE SEE CLEARLY THAT THERE ARE SOME FUNDAMENTAL FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES THAT WE'VE GOT TO SHORE UP. AND THOSE ARE LEARNING TO INCREASE THE STRENGTH OF THESE THREE CAPACITY LEVELS.
EXACTLY WHAT TACT TACTICALLY THAT IS, LIKE IN PARTICULARS, WE GOT TO CHEW ON THAT BECAUSE THERE'S 13 OPTIONS. THERE ARE 13 THINGS WE COULD DO, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THEM.
SAME WITH THIS GROUP. WE'VE GOT TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE ELEVATE OUR GAME. THE DIRECTORS OUT THERE, YOU GOT TO BE THINKING, HOW DO I ELEVATE MY GAME? ONE OF THE THINGS I ALMOST ASKED WELL, I DON'T DO THIS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO MAKE ANYBODY UNCOMFORTABLE.
BUT SOMETIMES I'LL ASK A GROUP OF LEADERS, JUST WRITE DOWN THE
[04:50:01]
CURRENT LEADERSHIP BOOK YOU'RE READING. AND IF THAT PAPER'S BLANK, THAT'S A PROBLEM.LEADERSHIP IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. WE WANT THE TITLE. WE WANT THE PAY RAISE. LEADERSHIP IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. IT'S NOT A CUSHY JOB. YOU GET YOU DON'T GET THANKED, YOU GET BLAMED. RIGHT? SO WE'VE GOT TO BE ELEVATING OUR LEADERSHIP GAME ALL THE TIME, ALL THE TIME. SO I THINK WE'VE GOT THESE CAPACITIES WE'VE GOT TO IMPROVE. AND I THINK ANOTHER THING THAT THE WHOLE APPARATUS NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT IS A STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION PLAN.
AND I'VE GOT A FIRM THAT I CAN RECOMMEND. BUT MOVING FORWARD IN EVERY CITY WE ACTUALLY HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT FROM OUR COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT. WE JUST HAVEN'T ROLLED IT OUT YET. OK. OK. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT. THAT'S HUGE.
THAT'S HUGE. BECAUSE Y'ALL CAN GO THROUGH ALL THESE CAPACITY-GROWING MEASURES, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY THE INSIDE OF THIS THING CAN START LOOKING REALLY HEALTHY. BUT TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD, DO THEY KNOW THAT, MAN, OUR CHOLESTEROL LEVEL WAS HERE, NOW IT'S HERE? BUT THEY'RE LIKE, BUT MY STREET, RIGHT? AND IT'S LIKE, HEY, WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT AND HOW WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE PUBLIC IS KEY.
WELL, I'LL GIVE WHAT I WANT TO DO, I LIKE TO END THESE SESSIONS WITH A KEY TAKEAWAY FROM EACH PERSON.
BUT LET ME SAY THIS TO PUT ANYBODY'S NERVES AT EASE. I'VE GOT A LOT OF NOTES HERE. I'M GOING TO DOCUMENT AND CRYSTALLIZE OUR TAKEAWAYS. GRAYSON AND COLE, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WE CAN GET ON A ZOOM CALL JUST TO DEBRIEF THE DAY AND LOOK AT THE NOTES AND TALK ABOUT WHAT, WHAT IF ANY NEXT STEPS LOOK LIKE.
BUT WHAT'S A TAKEAWAY FROM EACH PERSON TODAY THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN THEIR POCKET TO IMPACT THE WAY THEY SHOW UP TOMORROW IN THEIR, IN THEIR ROLES. MINE'S PRETTY SIMPLE. I FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY, AT LEAST ANYBODY THAT'S UNDER OUR OVERSIGHT, WANTS TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PART OF A TEAM. THEY WANT TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PART OF SOMETHING. THAT'S THE AREA I THINK WE STRUGGLED IN, IN THIS ROOM.
AT LEAST I'M TALKING ABOUT MYSELF PERSONALLY. TODAY I FEEL LIKE I'M A PART OF A TEAM. AND THAT'S MY TAKEAWAY. I THINK YOU SAID IT RIGHT HERE AT THE END. WE HAVE TO WIN OUR ROLES EVERY DAY. I HAVE TO GET UP IF WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE SUPER BOWL, WE'VE GOT TO BE PERFORMING AT A HIGH LEVEL, AND WE HAVE TO WIN OUR ROLES. YEAH, I THINK THAT'S KNOWING WHAT OUR ROLE IS, BUT ALSO I THINK TODAY A BIG THING IS THAT WE DID COME TOGETHER AS A TEAM. AND WE SEE THAT WHERE OUR STRENGTHS ARE AND OUR WEAKNESSES. AND I THINK WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE AS BEST WE COULD RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S PROBABLY SOME MORE THAT WE CAN WORK ON. BUT I THINK THAT'S BEEN A GOOD EXERCISE.
YEAH, I THINK THE CAPACITY MODEL THAT YOU'VE GOT, I MEAN, SEEING HOW THAT OUR FUNCTIONING, A HEALTHY COUNCIL REALLY AFFECTS EVERYBODY.
LIKE YOU SAID, THE FOUNDATION CRACKS. IT'S GREAT IF WE CAN PUT SOME PAINT ON SOME THINGS AND MAKE IT LOOK GOOD, BUT REALLY, IF WE'RE NOT WILLING TO DRILL DOWN AND FIX THE FOUNDATION, THEN IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT. I'D JUST SAY THE BEST PART OF THESE CONVERSATIONS IS THAT WHEN YOU SPEND HOURS TOGETHER, YOU JUST HAVE A CHANCE TO KIND OF TALK THROUGH THINGS, VET DIFFERENT THINGS, AND BY THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN YOU DIGEST IT ALL, YOU CAN JUST TELL YOU'RE NOT THAT FAR OFF. LIKE, WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE. IT'S JUST ALIGNING IT, PACKAGING IT, COMMUNICATING IT. SO ALL GOOD OUTCOMES YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DO WHEN YOU DON'T TALK TO SOMEONE OR YOU HEAR, YOU START MAKING ASSUMPTIONS.
AND HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU GET BIT ON THINKING, WELL, THAT'S WHY THIS PERSON IS DOING THAT, YOU KNOW. WE PROBABLY SIT HERE, 5 OF US, BECAUSE WE CAN'T ALL TALK, WE'RE JUST ASSUMING, WELL, THAT'S WHY LES IS DOING THIS OR THAT'S WHY COLE'S DOING THAT OR DAVE IS DOING THAT. AND WHEN YOU GET AROUND THE TABLE TO TALK, YOU REALIZE, WAIT A MINUTE, THERE'S MORE TO IT.
BUT I DON'T KNOW, AS I AS I SIT HERE, IT'S LIKE JUST SITTING IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, EVEN WITH THE BODY LANGUAGE TO IT, IT'S LIKE WE ARE REALLY ALL ONE.
YOU KNOW, DON'T WANT TO GET BIBLICAL HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE WE'RE ALL DONNIES, THE CITY WAS FULL OF DONNIES, LIKE IF WE WERE ALL EYES, AS THE BIBLE SAID, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? WE EACH HAVE DIFFERENT ROLES TO PLAY, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT TOGETHER.
AND I JUST THINK TO ME, IT IS THE ROLE THAT COUNSEL PLAYS. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE ARE I MEAN, I KNOW THE PUBLIC IS AT THE TOP OF THE LEADERSHIP AND WE'RE IN THE ORGANIZATION SOMEWHERE, WHETHER WE'RE AT THE TOP OR THE VERY BOTTOM, I DON'T KNOW. BUT A LEVEL NEVER RISES AN ORGANIZATION NEVER RISES ABOVE THE LEVEL OF ITS LEADERSHIP.
IN OTHER WORDS, ORGANIZATIONS DON'T GET BETTER.
AND I THINK IT'S UP TO US TO SET THE CULTURE
[04:55:01]
OF WHAT TYPE OF LEADERS WE WANT TO BE AND HOW WE HANDLE IT. I'M GLAD WE'RE GOING TO SPEND SOME TIME MAYBE TALKING ABOUT WHAT TYPE OF COUNCIL DO WE WANT TO BE, WHAT COUNCIL CAN WE BE, WHAT COUNCIL LOOKING INWARD TO SEE HOW CAN WE BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN ACCOMPLISHING THE MISSION.BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, BUT SOMEHOW IT JUST SEEMS LIKE MOST DAYS IT'S LIKE AN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP. AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT'S HEALTHY AND IT'S NEVER GOING TO GET US TO WHERE WE WANT TO GO. AND I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ONE A RELATIONSHIP OUT OF RESPECT, BUT IT. BUT I JUST THINK SOMETIMES IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF FRICTION THERE THAT MAY EVEN NOT BE THERE, BUT IT JUST LEADS ITSELF TO THAT ENVIRONMENT. I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING OPPORTUNITIES, IT SOUNDS LIKE, FOR MORE OF THESE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I'VE I, BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF STATE LAW AND CODES, WE ARE OUR MEETINGS ARE TYPICALLY VERY AGENDAED, VERY, VERY STRUCTURED. WE HAVE ITEMS 1 THROUGH 20. OTHERWISE, YES, AS THE MAYOR SAID, YOU DON'T GET TO COMMUNICATE, AND SO THAT OFTEN SO, AND, AND FOR MY PURPOSES AS YOUR CITY MANAGER, I, I KNOW STARTING LAST YEAR WE STARTED MEETING REGULARLY. AND SO BEFORE THAT, WE I WASN'T MEETING REGULARLY WITH THE COUNCIL. SO IT WAS I KNOW THE MAYOR AND I MET VERY REGULARLY, BUT THEN, BUT FROM THE REST OF COUNCIL AT THE TIME, IT WAS VERY IRREGULAR. AND SO I THINK DON AND I MET PRETTY, PRETTY CONSISTENTLY, BUT THEN OTHERWISE IT WASN'T A LOT.
SO, BUT NOW IT'S VERY REGULAR, BUT IT'S STILL IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ME AND LES AND ME AND DAVID AND ME AND COLE AND ME AND DON AND ME AND ME AND TIM. AND SO, AND I, WHILE I DO TRY TO, I TRY TO RESPECT SOME CONFIDENTIALITY TO A DEGREE, I DO TRY TO RELAY THE SENTIMENT OF THE REST OF COUNCIL, BUT THAT ONLY CAN GO SO FAR.
AND, AND BECAUSE AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT HEARING IT FROM ME, YOU'RE NOT HEARING IT FROM YOU, AND YOU'RE NOT HEARING IT FROM YOU. AND SO YOU'RE HEARING IT FROM ME. SO THERE'S ALWAYS THAT IT WAS THAT, WELL, DID I, DID I MISS SOMETHING THERE? SO HAVING OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS FOR YOU ALL, PARTICULARLY YOU ALL TO SIT DOWN TOGETHER AND, AND, AND WITH US AND THEN WITH I LOVE HAVING A FACILITATOR PART OF THIS, TOO. AND SO I THINK IT TAKES SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE POTENTIAL AWKWARDNESS AWAY FROM, FROM EITHER THE MAYOR OR I OR SOMEONE ELSE LEADING THIS.
AND SO HAVING A FACILITATOR HELP GUIDE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
AND SO BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I THINK WE ALL FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE SAYING.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S, THE CAMERAS ARE ON US. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST EAGER JUST TO GRADE US AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING. AND OKAY, DID HE EVEN NOW, THERE'S PROBABLY SOMEONE HOPING THAT, THAT THEY CAN DO SOME MEME OVER US RIGHT NOW. I'M SURE.
AND SO WE'RE ALL VERY SCARED. I THINK IT'S PART OF THE COMMENT OUT THERE. A LOT OF US ARE AFRAID TO SAY SOMETHING 'CAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO POUNCE. AND, AND SO, BUT I THINK THE MORE WE HAVE THESE, THE MORE WE START GETTING OUT OF THAT, HOPEFULLY TOGETHER.
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I DON'T KNOW IF WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT FULLY TODAY, BUT HOPEFULLY THE MORE TIMES WE DO GATHER TOGETHER LIKE THIS, WE CAN START TO GRADUALLY GET OUT OF OUR COCOONS OR WHATEVER.
AND AS A TEAM, WE'RE IN A SAFE PLACE WITH EACH OTHER. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE THERE YET TODAY.
AND SO AND BECAUSE I DO TALK TO EACH OF YOU AND I DO KNOW WHERE EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY ARE ON THINGS. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE THERE TODAY, BUT I DO KNOW IN TIME I MEAN, IF WE DO THESE KIND OF THINGS, WE CAN GET THERE TOGETHER, I FEEL. THAT MAY BE A LITTLE TOO LOT. NO, I THINK IT'S JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT, HONESTLY. SO IT'S BEEN PRODUCTIVE. SO A COUPLE THINGS.
ONE, I'D SAY YOU FACILITATED A MEETING WITH YOUR SKILL SET, RIGHT, WHICH IS UNIQUE. AND YOU FACILITATED A MEETING TO ME WHERE MY TAKEAWAYS ARE LIKE HUMILITY AND RESPECT, RIGHT? SO I THINK IT'S INTERNALIZED WHERE WE ALL FEEL AS LEADERS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT APPRECIATED. THERE'S NOT A LEVEL OF RESPECT. NOBODY KNOWS HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO TRY TO SIT IN THIS SEAT.
RIGHT. AND I KNOW I FEEL THAT.
AND THEN THERE IS AN AFFINITY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, OUR PREVIOUS MAYOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS IN PLACE ONE, I HAD NO IDEA THE LUXURY OF SITTING OFF TO THE SIDE AND LETTING HER DEAL WITH HOW TO FACILITATE A MEETING AND HOW TO RUN IT ALL AND ALL THE THINGS YOU'RE TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION TO AND WORK AND AT THE SAME TIME MEASURE YOUR WORDS AND SAY THINGS CORRECTLY. AND SO LIKE NOW I KNOW LIKE, WOW, WHAT AN INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT ROLE TO FULFILL WHILE RUNNING A BUSINESS AND GROWING A FAMILY AND GOING THROUGH LIFE. AND SO I HOPE EVERYBODY ELSE IS HEARING, LIKE, THERE'S A GREAT LEVEL OF HUMILITY IN THIS ROOM AND HOW DIFFICULT THIS JOB IS. YOU KNOW, I SEE OUR POLICE CHIEF SITTING OVER THERE. HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY IN A CITY WITH 250,000 PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AND A PORTION OF THEM BEING CRIMINALS RIGHT NOW WITH A STAFF OF 350, RIGHT? SO LIKE, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT, AND THEN WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT WITH SEVERAL LIMITATIONS ALL THE WAY AROUND US. AND WHAT HAS TO COME OUT OF THESE MEETINGS IS, IS A,
[05:00:02]
A KEY COMPONENT TAKEAWAY OF RESPECT. LIKE, I GREATLY RESPECT YOU GUYS, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM DISAGREEING OR BEING ME, RIGHT? AND I GET THAT, LIKE, YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE ME, BUT LIKE, I HOPE YOU RESPECT THE FACT THAT MY HEART'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND I'M TRYING, YOU KNOW, AND WE ARE A TRY-HARD COUNCIL.AND SO WE'RE WORKING AND WE CAN GET SO MUCH BETTER. WE'RE ALL VERY IMMATURE IN THIS ROLE.
I'VE RUN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS NOW FOR 27 YEARS AND I STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO TO GET GOOD AT IT.
BUT I KNOW HOW BAD I WAS ON YEAR 4. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE THAT I SHOULD BE A REALLY GOOD MAYOR YEAR 3. LIKE, THOSE ARE UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS, RIGHT? AND, AND THERE'S NO TRAINING MANUAL, AND, AND EVERYTHING CHANGES, AND THE DYNAMICS ARE DIFFICULT. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S FAIR FOR CITY MANAGER PATH SHOULD HAVE TO WALK INTO A BRAND NEW COMMUNITY, UPROOT HIS FAMILY, TAKE ON EVERYBODY ELSE'S PROBLEMS THAT HAVE PILED UP OVER 2 AND HE SHOULD BE THE FASTEST RACEHORSE OUT THERE ON THE TRACK. LIKE, IT'S JUST NOT REALISTIC, YOU KNOW. BUT WHAT IS THE PATH FORWARD HERE? THE TAKEAWAY IS IF WE PUT ASIDE FEAR AND WHAT PEOPLE THINK OR WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE, AND WE TAKE UP JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH IN EACH OTHER OF, MAN, I DON'T TRUST YOU, BUT LIKE, I HAVE CONFIDENCE AND I'M GOING TO PUT MY FAITH IN YOU, RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOT HAVING TO WORK ON BLIND TRUST THAT'S, THAT'S NOT REALISTIC IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH. WE'RE WORKING ON WHAT WE HAVE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE COMMUNITY CAN PLACE THEIR TRUST AND JUST WALK AWAY.
BUT IF WE'LL PUT A LITTLE BIT OF FAITH IN EACH OTHER, THEN I THINK WE COULD BRING ABOUT THAT BODY THAT, THAT YOU CAN CALL A TEAM. AND SO WE CAN GET MUCH BETTER AT THIS GOVERNING CAPACITY. MY TAKEAWAY IS THIS: I DIDN'T BREAK IT DOWN IN 4. I HAD IT BROKEN DOWN IN 2, AND IT WAS REALLY A PLACE IN MY HEAD WHERE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO NAME IT, OR I COULDN'T IDENTIFY IT. SO WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR ME HERE TODAY IS HELP ME IDENTIFY. SO THERE'S A CIVIC CAPACITY THAT I JUST FELT, BUT I NEVER WAS ABLE TO LABEL IT AND SAY, OH YEAH, THAT'S A PART OF THE ORGANIZATION I'M TRYING TO RUN, WHEN YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, AND I DON'T HAVE THESE THINGS. I DON'T HAVE COMMUNITY TRUST. I DON'T HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ALL THE TIME. I DON'T HAVE COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE COMING TO, YOU KNOW. SO LIKE, NOW I'M WORKING IN A, IN AN OPERATIONAL CAPACITY THAT I DIDN'T GIVE YOU GUYS THE GRACE OF SEEING IT FROM. THERE IS AN EXECUTIVE CAPACITY, AND THEN THERE'S OPERATIONS.
WE TRY TO PUT EVERYTHING ON YOU, AND WE JUST BIFURCATE THIS.
WE'RE THE COUNCIL, SO WE'RE GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNITY. IT'S NOT FAIR TO US, RIGHT? WE DON'T REPRESENT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A REALISTIC TASK FOR US TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHATEVER THEY'RE THINKING OR WHAT THEY DID OR DID NOT ACCEPT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT FAIR FOR US TO PUT EXECUTIVE CAPACITY AND OPERATIONAL CAPACITY TOGETHER. I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY BEEN HINDERING ME IS SEEING THAT, THAT PLAY OUT, I THINK, WOULD REALLY HELP US IN STAYING IN OUR OWN LANE. SO I'M ENCOURAGED AND THANKFUL FOR THE TIME. IT'S BEEN A DAY WELL SPENT SO FAR. GOOD.
STEPHANIE? SO I KNOW I HAD TO STEP OUT FOR ANOTHER PRIORITY FOR A LITTLE BIT, BUT JUST HEARING EVERYBODY ELSE RECAPPING COMMENTS, I THINK THE TEAM BUILDING AND THE FEELING LIKE A TEAM, BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHERE IT FEELS ALMOST LIKE WE'VE BEEN AT ODDS OVER CERTAIN TOPICS. AND I THINK THAT GOOD TEAMS CAN ALWAYS DISAGREE AND CAN ALWAYS DEBATE, BUT IF WE'RE WALKING HAND IN HAND, WE'RE MOVING AMARILLO FORWARD. AND SO THAT'S VERY ENCOURAGING TO HEAR. WELL, THAT'S A WRAP. ANY LAST QUESTIONS FOR ME? YEAH, GOOD, GOOD WORK, EVERYBODY. I, I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A BIG ORGANIZATION AND YOU'RE PLAYING FOR KEEPS AND IT'S HARD WORK.
AND ONE OF MY OWN TAKEAWAYS AS I GOT TO KNOW THE ORGANIZATION, I SHARED A COUPLE OF THEM, ANOTHER ONE WAS THIS, THAT EVERYBODY AT THE TABLE DOES WANT AMARILLO TO TO SUCCEED, RIGHT? AND WE CAN HAVE A LOT OF VARIABLES PUSHING AND PULLING AT US THAT GET US OFF TRACK.
BUT THIS IS ONE STEP IN THIS STRUCTURE TO HELP THIS THING FUNCTION AS ONE. AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THOSE HEALTHY STRUCTURES. SO GOOD JOB. I'M GLAD THAT THE SOLIDARITY WAS THERE., AND I THINK KEY PROGRESS WAS MADE.
[05:05:02]
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, DIRECTORS, FOR BEING HERE, AND HAVE A GOOD REST OF YOUR DAY.