Jun 02, 2020 City Council Regular Meeting

OK. THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THAT.

[00:00:03]

HERE TO START US OFF TODAY WITH AN INVOCATION IS OUR CHIEF, JASON MAYS.

[INVOCATION]

AND WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY GOOD LUCK IN THEIR NEW ROLES AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

LET'S PRAY. DEAR LORD IN HEAVEN WE COME TO YOU IN JESUS NAME AND WE ASK FOR FOR YOUR LOVE AND YOUR GUIDANCE TO BUILD A BROKEN AND LOST SOCIETY.

AND WE JUST ASK FOR YOUR CONSTANT AND YOUR GENTLE REMINDER THAT WE WERE ALL CREATED IN YOUR IMAGE. NOW, HELP US TO ACT LIKE US AND IS DIFFERENT.

HELP US TO FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE AND APPLY IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES.

AT WORK AS WE'RE RUNNING AND CONDUCTING THE CITY'S BUSINESS.

AND JUST OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, AS WE'RE SAYING HI TO ONE ANOTHER.

LORD, PLEASE UNITE US AND ALLOW US TO GIVE US THE SPIRIT TO BE UNITED.

LORD, I PRAY THAT YOU BE WITH COUNCIL, YOU BE WITH OUR CITY GOVERNMENT, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, OUR CITIZENS, LORD AND ALL CITIES THAT YOU WOULD JUST BRING US TOGETHER, THAT YOU WOULD GUIDE US TEACH US YOUR WISDOM.

AND JUST FROM THE SMALLEST OF DETAILS.

LORD, REMIND US AND LET US TO BE STILL AND KNOW YOU'RE GOD AND CHRIST NAME WE PRAY.

AMEN. AMEN.

THANK YOU, CHIEF.

WE APPRECIATE THOSE WORDS VERY MUCH.

I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC ADDRESS.

[PUBLIC ADDRESS]

SO [INAUDIBLE].

OK, WE'RE READY FOR THEM.

AND SO, STEPHANIE, IF YOU DON'T MIND MAKING THEM ABLE TO PARTICIPATE? OK, MR. MICHAEL FORD, YOU ARE GOOD TO TALK.

WELCOME, MR. FORD. OK THANK YOU.

SO I HOPE Y'ALL ARE HAVING A GREAT DAY.

I'D LIKE TO JUST ADDRESS THE MEETING MINUTES AND THAT'S GOING TO BE MY ADVICE WHERE THE START BEGINS. BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK THE MUNICIPAL CODE IS THE SECRETARY TO DIRECT THE PLACE THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS INTO THE MEETING MINUTES.

AND I ASK THIS IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY ARE NEITHER OF MY ELECTED CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES NOR THE CITY MANAGER, THE ATTORNEY OR THE EMPLOYEES OR THE CHIEF WHO JUST PROVIDED THE WONDERFUL INVOCATION AND THE HOME ADDRESSES PLACED IN THE PUBLIC MEETING RECORD, NONE OF MY CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES EVEN HAVE PUBLICLY PUBLISHED AVAILABILITY WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATIVE OR RESIDENT COULD MEET WITH THEM AND HAVE A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION LASTING LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES.

YOU HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT HAVE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS AND ARE TERRIFIED ENOUGH TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC, MUCH LESS HAVING THEIR HOME ADDRESS PUBLICLY POSTED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INTIMIDATION, THAT THEY SPEAK OUT ON A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC.

I MEAN, WHAT ABOUT SINGLE MOMS? AS I'VE SHARED WITH YOU BEFORE, I WAS AN APPOINTED STATE OFFICIAL FOR 14 YEARS UNDER GOVERNORS BUSH AND PERRY.

I'VE CHAIRED OVER 70 PUBLIC MEETINGS UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND THEN HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ATTEND THOSE MEETINGS.

THERE ARE CONTENTIOUS ISSUES BEING DISCUSSED AFFECTING PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOODS.

AND IF I HAD EVER SUGGESTED WHEN PEOPLE'S NAMES, MUCH LESS THEIR HOME ADDRESSES IN THE MEETING RECORDS, I WOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLICLY REBUKED BY EITHER OR BOTH OF THE TWO ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERALS THAT SUPPORTED ME AS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL DURING THOSE MEETINGS.

WHY SHOULD ANY AMARILLO RESIDENT BE CONCERNED WITH HAVING THEIR NAME OR HOME ADDRESS PLACED IN THE PUBLIC MEETING RECORD, DISCUSSING CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE? IT'S NOT LIKE ANYONE IS GOING TO SHOW UP AT YOUR HOUSE AND THROW A BRICK OR MOLOTOV COCKTAIL THROUGH YOUR WINDOW RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT. I'M ONLY APPEARING TODAY TO ONCE AGAIN TELL THE CITY COUNCIL THAT THEIR APPROVAL OF THE FRAUDULENT USE OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS IS A VIOLATION OF AT LEAST ONE STATE LAW AND MAYBE MORE. AND YES, MR. CITY ATTORNEY. CHAPTER 504, DOES ACTUALLY HAVE THE WORDS 10 PERCENT AND PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES. SO THOSE HAVE TO BE LEGITIMATE PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES.

NOT JUST A NAKED GIVEAWAY TO 200 COMPANIES AND ONLY ASKING WINK WINK FOR FIVE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY EVEN HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT OR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING. AND YOU DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE LEGITIMATE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES IN TOWN FULLY CAPABLE OF CREATING THOUSANDS OF POSTS PAID ADS BOOSTED POSTS AND SPEAKERS] METRICS. I'LL GIVE YOU A 30 SECOND WARNING SIR, YOUR TIME IS ALMOST UP.

YES, I HAVE A TIMER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HOPE YOU ADD THAT TO TIME.

YOU DO UNDERSTAND THERE ARE LEGITIMATE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES IN TOWN FULLY CAPABLE OF CREATING THOUSANDS OF POST PAID ADS, BOOSTS THE POST OF ACTUAL METRICS OF EFFECTIVENESS OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY.

CORRECT. YOU'RE PUTTING WHOLLY UNQUALIFIED COMPANIES IN DIRECT COMPETITION WITH QUALIFIED

[00:05:02]

THIS IS JUST A NAKED GIVEAWAY OF TAXPAYER MONEYS AND THE EXACT SAME WAY THAT THE ADC ENGAGED IN A NAKED GIVEAWAY OF A 10 MILLION DOLLAR FACILITY AND A FIVE MILLION DOLLAR PROPERTY ON MARCH 31 OF 2015.

AND THAT'S MORALIZED IN RESOLUTION CITY EXCUSE ME. YOU INTERRUPTED ME AND YOU TOOK AWAY MY TIME.

AND I GAVE YOU THAT TIME BACK SIR.

CAN READ THAT WILL TAKE ALL OF TWO SECONDS.

NOTHING ON THE AGENDA TODAY THAT RELATES TO THE CONVERSATION THAT YOU'RE HAVING NOW.

SO IF IT'S ON TOPIC FOR SOMETHING ON OUR AGENDA TODAY, THEN I'M FINE WITH YOU WINDING UP YOUR COMMENTS. IT DIRECTLY DISCUSSES THE MEETING MINUTES, WHICH ARE ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY.

SO BY LAW, I'M LEGALLY ALLOWED TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION REGARDING A MATTER ON THE MEETING MINUTES. WHICH MY NAME IS IN THERE, BY THE WAY.

WHICH I THOUGHT YOUR COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING ADDRESSED THAT BUT YOU STEPPED OUT OF BOUNDS ON THAT WHEN YOU CHANGED, AND WENT DIRECTLY TO THIS IS A VIOLATION OF LAW.

YOU CAN'T DO THIS.

I'M ALLOWED TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL FOR THREE MINUTES.

AND YOU'VE INTERRUPTED ME FIVE TIMES.

I HAVE ONE SENTENCE TO FINISH.

PLEASE FINISH, SIR. IN CONCLUSION.

THIS CONTINUES A PATTERN OF CONDUCT BY THE AEDC OF MALFEASANT USE OF PUBLIC MONEYS, AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS CONTINUING TO AID IN THAT MALFEASANCE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, SIR. MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS ITEM ONE A, WHICH IS TO REVIEW

[A. Review agenda items for regular meeting and attachments;]

IS THERE ANYTHING IN THOSE ATTACHMENTS, COUNSEL, THAT YOU NEED FURTHER EXPLANATION ON OR ANY FURTHER INFORMATION? NO MAYOR, I DO NOT.

OK, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM ONE B, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON THE CANADIAN RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER

[B. Update on Canadian River Municipal Water Authority;]

WE HAVE CHAD POURNELLE.

HE'S THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER FOR CRMWA.

HE'S GOING TO GIVE US A QUICK UPDATE.

SO, CHAD. THANK YOU I'M GOING TO SHARE MY SCREEN.

LET ME GET THAT GOING REAL QUICK.

OK. I HOPE THAT'S VIEWABLE.

WANT TO SAY, FIRST OF ALL, I'M GLAD TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU.

AND SORRY, KENT COULDN'T BE HERE.

HE HAD A DEATH IN THE FAMILY AND HE COULDN'T BE.

BUT I KNOW HE WOULD WANT TO BE.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS REAL BRIEFLY GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR WATER SUPPLY IN GENERAL AND THEN JUST TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS IN CLOSING THAT WE HAVE GOING ON, INCLUDING OUR BUDGET. NOW, OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO INTERRUPT AS WE GO. OK.

NOW, THIS FIRST GRAPH SHOWS HISTORICAL USAGE FOR CITY OF AMARILLO.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT STAND OUT TO ME, YOU KNOW, IS THE TRANSITION OF LAKE WATER TO WELL WATER FROM CRMWA.

I KNOW YOU'VE SEEN THE GRAPHS AT THE LAKE AND ITS LEVEL, AND NOW THERE'S A BIG REASON FOR THAT STARTING IN 2000.

JUST SO HAPPENS, THAT'S WHEN WE BROUGHT THE WELL FIELD ONLINE.

BUT THAT'S WHEN THE LAKE LEVEL BEGAN TO REALLY DROP.

SO WE WERE REALLY BLESSED TO HAVE THAT AT THAT TIME.

YOU KNOW, THE USAGE THAT WE SEE THIS YEAR SO FAR IN 2020.

EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE PRETTY NORMAL FROM WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN YEARS PAST SO IT'S SHOWING TO BE BEHIND. WE'RE JUST NOW GETTING [INAUDIBLE] INCREASE.

ANOTHER THING OF NOTE AND I HAD CONFIRMED THIS WITH FLOYD OR JONATHAN, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK BACK AT 2000 TILL NOW AS EVEN THOUGH THE POPULATION OF AMARILLO WAS INCREASED, THE WATER USAGE HAS DROPPED.

SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS ONE THING TO POINT OUT.

I KNOW THAT YOU LOOK AT SEASONAL DROUGHT AS SOMETHING THAT WE USE IN OUR TOOL BOX AS WELL JUST TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT MIGHT BE HEADED OUR WAY.

YOU SEE, THE BIG PORTION OF THE WEST IS UNDER A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DROUGHT.

HOPE THAT DOESN'T EXTEND INTO THE PANHANDLE.

BUT AGAIN, JUST SOMETHING THAT WE KIND OF LOOK AT.

[00:10:01]

AND, YOU KNOW, THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE BEEN IN THIS WELL, I GUESS THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS.

ONE, THAT THE INFILL DOESN'T SEEM TO SUGGEST THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT USING AS MUCH AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST. AND THE MAIN REASON FOR THAT IS WATER QUALITY.

WE WOULD LOVE TO USE MORE OF THE LAKE, BUT WATER QUALITY WON'T ALLOW US TO DO THAT.

SORRY TO BOMBARD YOU WITH CRASH, BUT I WANT TO GO OVER QUICKLY AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT LATER, YOU COULD AS WELL.

BUT THIS HAS HISTORICAL INFLOW.

THIS IS SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND INTERESTING.

EACH BAR HERE REPRESENTS EACH YEAR AND THE AMOUNT OF INFLOW WE GET INTO THE LAKE.

SO NOTICE THEY STARTING IN 2000 FROM THERE AFTERWARD, WHEN THE LAKE LEVEL REALLY DROPPED IS WHEN WE WEREN'T GETTING AS MUCH INFLOW.

AND NOTICE THAT TIME PERIOD BEFORE THAT BACK TO 1965.

IT LOOKS LIKE TWO DIFFERENT WATERSHEDS ALMOST.

BUT THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE LAKE HAS CHANGED AS MUCH AS IT HAS.

SO FAR IN 2020. WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT 15 THOUSAND ACRE FEET.

SO WE NEED TO GET GOING, GET BACK TO SOME SORT OF NORMAL THIS YEAR.

YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S A 14 YEAR DROUGHT OF RECORD AND A 36 MONTH DROUGHT OF RECORD THAT WE SHOW. WE USE THAT FOR THIS NEXT SLIDE.

WE LIKE TO DO FORECAST ON THE LAKE.

WHAT COULD THE LAKE DO UNDER DIFFERENT SCENARIOS? SO WE DID THIS AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING.

WE MADE A PROJECTION.

THIS GREEN LINE IS THE LAKE LEVEL.

HERE'S WHERE WE WERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL ARE SEEING THIS HAND, BUT ANYWAY, YOU ALL ARE OK.

SO EACH ONE OF THESE PROJECTIONS ARE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.

YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A 14 YEAR DROUGHT OF RECORD.

THIRTY SIX EVEN DOWN TO ZERO.

WHAT WOULD THE LAKE LOOK LIKE IF WE HAD ZERO INFLOW TO THE LAKE? WHEN WOULD WE GET TO A CERTAIN GATE ON OUR INTAKE TOWER? WHEN WOULD WE HAVE TO START UP OUR [INAUDIBLE] LEVEL PONDS.

SO IT'S JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT WE LOOK AT TO TRY TO PLAN FOR WHAT THE FUTURE MIGHT HOLD. NOW, YOU KNOW, THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS WE'RE MUCH MORE RELIANT ON GROUNDWATER NOWADAYS AND.

THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD REASONS FOR THAT.

THIS GRAPH REPRESENTS THE CAPACITY OF ALL OF OUR WELLS STARTING BACK IN 03 THROUGH THIS YEAR. THE DARK BLUE AND THE TWO LIGHTER BLUES ARE JUST THE DIFFERENT PHASES.

PHASE ONE, TWO AND THREE OF OUR WELL FIELD.

AND SO THAT'S GOING TO BE THE TOTAL CAPACITY.

YOU CAN SEE HOW OVER TIME THEY DECLINE, WHICH IS EXPECTED AS THE WATER DRAWS DOWN IN THE AQUIFER. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME DECLINE IN THOSE WELLS.

IT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO KEEP TRACK OF.

THE RED LINE, LET ME BACK UP.

SO WE'VE GOT MGD OVER HERE AN ACRE FEET OVER HERE.

SO ALL OF OUR WELLS CURRENTLY WOULD BE THIS BLACK LINE AT EIGHTY TWO MILLION GALLONS A DAY. SOMETHING ELSE WE WANT TO KEEP TRACK OF IS THE PIPELINE CAPACITY SIXTY FIVE.

WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THAT PIPELINE IN TERMS OF FLOW TO THE CITIES.

SO WE WANT TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CUSHION BETWEEN THESE TWO BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE WELLS THAT ARE DOWN FOR OPERATIONAL OR FOR REPAIR PURPOSES.

AND THAT SORT OF THING. FACT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A CAPACITY OF 71.

AND I'M EXPECTING IN THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO, YOU KNOW, THAT NUMBER WILL INCREASE.

BUT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE LOOK AT AND SHOW OUR BOARD EACH QUARTER.

LET'S SEE. ANOTHER PART OF THIS MORE JUST INTERESTING IS A PROFILE OF OUR WELL FIELD.

JUST SORT OF A CUT SHEET THAT SHOWS ALL THE WELLS, THEIR DEPTH, WHERE THE WATER LEVEL IS.

THESE BLACK AND RED SQUARES REPRESENTS THE PUMPS.

AND I KNOW THIS IS HARD TO SEE, BUT SORT OF WHERE THEY ARE IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WATER.

IT GIVES US AN IDEA OF OR DO WE LOOK LIKE WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE? WE NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

IN GENERAL, THINGS ARE REALLY GOOD WITH OUR SUPPLY.

LIKE I SAID WE KNOW WE'D LOVE TO HAVE THE WATER QUALITY BE IN A BETTER POSITION, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT WATER IF WE NEEDED IT FOR A SHORT TIME PERIOD.

OK, I'M GONNA MOVE ON.

I KNOW KENT HAS TALKED ABOUT THE PIPE REPAIRS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.

WE JUST FINISHED UP OUR LATEST ROUND OF THESE REPAIRS THAT WE'VE PLANNED ON DOING.

[00:15:05]

WE'VE COMPLETED ALL OF THOSE FROM THE SURVEYS THAT WE DID A FEW YEARS AGO.

SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE PLANNED AND WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO WATCH THAT AS TIME GOES FORWARD. WE'RE ALSO CONTINUING TO ACQUIRE RIDE A WAY FOR THE [INAUDIBLE] PIPELINE STARTS UP NORTH OF PAMPA AND WE'LL GO DOWN TO AMARILLO.

HOPEFULLY, WE MIGHT HAVE SAID THIS LAST YEAR.

BUT WE'RE HOPING TO WRAP THIS UP BY END OF THE YEAR.

WE'RE NOT UNDER A TIME CRUNCH RIGHT NOW, BUT NEVERTHELESS, WE'D LIKE TO GET THIS DONE.

OK, ONE FINAL THING I JUST WANT TO MENTION, YOU KNOW, SOME CHANGES TO THE BUDGET.

WE'RE WORKING ON OUR BUDGET IN MARCH AND APRIL WHEN COVID 19 HIT.

AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, IT JUST CREATED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS WAS GOING TO MEAN FOR THE CITIES, REALLY FOR ANYTHING.

WE DECIDED TO TRY TO MAKE SOME CUTS NOT ONLY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

FOR THIS YEAR WE DECIDED TO STOP OR PAUSE THE FUNDING OF A COUPLE RESERVES THAT WE FELT WE WERE IN SATISFACTORY POSITION, AND THAT WOULD SAVE US ABOUT SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS YEAR.

IT MAY END UP BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT BEFORE AFTER THE END OF THE YEAR IS TALLIED FOR.

FOR NEXT YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR O&M COSTS BY TWO MILLION DOLLARS WHICH IS ABOUT 20 PERCENT.

[INAUDIBLE] PART OF THE RESERVES.

NOT ALL OF THEM. SOME OF THOSE ARE STILL NEEDED FOR MAINTENANCE PURPOSES.

BUT ALSO DELAYING OF SOME EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS SOME YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK AND TALK WITH THE CITY [INAUDIBLE] ON AND SEE WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND WHAT CHANGES WE MIGHT NEED TO MAKE.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S IT.

I WENT THROUGH THAT REALLY QUICKLY.

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING THAT I CAN COVER [INAUDIBLE] NOT [INAUDIBLE] QUESTION, JUST A GENERAL QUESTION, THEN, ON WATER QUALITY.

THERE'S NO ACTION STEP ON WATER QUALITY COMING OUT OF THE LAKE.

OTHER THAN MITIGATION STEPS THAT WE'RE ALREADY TAKING, IS THAT RIGHT CHAD? YES. THE WATER QUALITY IS BASICALLY SALT CHLORIDES.

SO IT'S A SECONDARY DRINKING WATER STANDARD.

SO THERE'S NOT REALLY A HEALTH CONCERN WITH IT AS MUCH AS IT IS TASTE AND ODOR.

BUT WE STILL WANT TO LAND TO THAT LEVEL.

YEAH, THAT'S ALL IT WOULD BE.

SO IS THE WATER QUALITY.

IS THAT A RESULT OF WE CHANGE WHERE OUR WATER SOURCE IS COMING FROM AND IT'S COMING MAINLY FROM WELLS? AT THIS POINT IN TIME, AS OPPOSED TO HOW IT WAS BEFORE.

SO, CHAD, DID THE LOWERING OF THE LAKE.

DID THAT CHANGE THE WATER QUALITY.

AND IT'S JUST NEVER COME BACK FROM THAT POINT OR IS THIS JUST A DECISION THAT HAS BEEN MADE THAT BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER AS A KID, I NEVER WANTED TO DRINK THE WELL, I'D RATHER DRINK WELL WATER THAN DRINK CITY WATER.

AND WE LIVED IN BETWEEN EMERALD AND CANYON AND HAD WELL WATER, AND I HATED COMING TO AMARILLO AND HAVING TO DRINK THE WATER WHEN I WAS A KID.

BUT SO IS IT JUST A DECISION THAT WE MADE THAT WE'RE GOING TO MIX MORE WELL WATER WITH IT? OR DID THE WATER QUALITY [INAUDIBLE] WORSE DURING THAT PERIOD OF DROUGHT? YEAH. YOU KNOW, I SHOULD HAVE. I FELT LIKE I WAS DOING TOO MANY GRAPHS AS IT WAS THAT WAS AN INTERESTING ONE, BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THE CHLORIDE LEVEL HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE IN THE LAKE. THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU GET CHLORIDES OR THE SALT OR MINERALS OUT OF THE LAKE IS BY PUMPING IT OUT, WHICH WE ARE ONLY PUMPING SO MUCH OR IF YOU RELEASE THROUGH THE DAM. SO WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU LOSE THIS MASSIVE AMOUNT OF EVAPORATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR WE HAD 30 TO 40 THOUSAND ACRE FEET LOST IN EVAPORATION.

WE SUPPLIED 15000 ACRE FEET TO THE CITIES.

SO TWICE AS MUCH IN EVAPORATION.

SO ALL THAT WATER LEAVES, BUT IT LEAVES BEHIND ALL THAT SALT.

OKAY.

AND THAT TREND CONTINUES OVER TIME.

SO YOU LOOK BACK AT WHERE WE WERE, SAY, 20 YEARS AGO, I THINK WE WERE ABOUT THE SAME LAKE LEVEL. WELL, THE FLUORIDE LEVEL WAS MUCH BETTER AT THAT POINT.

[00:20:04]

WE HAVE A SALINITY CONTROL PROJECT WHERE A SOURCE, A LOT OF THAT CHLORIDE OR SALT, THAT IS COMING INTO THE RIVER AND IT MAKES ITS WAY TO THE LAKE WAS IDENTIFIED AND WE TRIED TO MITIGATE ITS WAY COMING INTO THE LAKE.

IT'S JUST A COMPLICATED THING AND SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME.

SO THE NET RESULT IS WE HAVEN'T SEEN YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE IMMEDIATE BENEFIT AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN IMMEDIATE BENEFIT FROM THAT.

BUT THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE INCREASE AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.

NOW, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE COULD DO.

I MEAN, WE COULD TREAT THE WATER OR PARTIALLY TREAT THE WATER AND TAKE THAT SALT OUT OF A PORTION OF THAT FLOW AND THEN SEND IT ON DOWN.

IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF COST.

IF WE WANT TO DO THAT. AND I GUESS UP TO THIS POINT, THAT HASN'T BEEN THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITIES HAVE WANTED TO GO, BUT IT CERTAINLY COULD BE IN THE FUTURE.

THAT THE BENEFIT OF DOING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USING MORE SURFACE WATER AND SAVING GROUNDWATER, WHICH IS GOING TO COME AT A HIGHER COST.

SO THAT GROUND WATER WE ONLY HAVE X AMOUNT OF GALLONS OF GROUNDWATER AND IS OUR DEPLETION RATE DOES IT GET CRITICAL OR WHERE OR WHEN DOES THAT DEPLETION RATE GET CRITICAL AND DO YOU ALL KNOW WHEN THAT DEPLETION RATE BECOMES CRITICAL? YEAH, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

YEAH, WE PUT LOTS OF PROJECTIONS GOING OUT.

HOW LONG IS THIS WATER GOING TO LAST? AND WE SAY ANYWHERE FROM 100 TO 300 YEARS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU START TALKING 300 YEARS WHERE OUR COUNTRY IS NOT THAT, YOU KNOW, A POPULATION PROJECTIONS ARE SO MANY UNKNOWNS TO KNOW HOW TO HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT.

BUT WE DO GO OUT 50 TO 100 YEARS AND MAKE PREDICTIONS ON WATER CONSERVATION, WHAT THE POPULATION COULD BE.

AND WE SHOW TO HAVE MORE WATER THAN ANY ENTITY, MORE GROUND WATER THAN ANY ENTITY IN THE COUNTRY. AND THAT'S GOOD.

BUT, YOU KNOW, CONSERVATION AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON HOW LONG THAT LASTS. BUT WE THINK WE'RE GOOD FOR 100 YEARS AND POTENTIALLY BEYOND.

IT'S JUST KIND OF SCARY SAYING WORDS LIKE THAT.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

BACK ON ONE OF YOUR OTHER GRAPHS.

AND THIS IS JUST AS I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT IT.

YOU HAVE THE PROJECTION FOR THIS YEAR.

YOU HAVE ZERO INFLOW ALL THE WAY TO NORMAL YEAR OF INFLOW.

AND YOU HAD TWO DIFFERENT MARKS ON THERE, ONE OF THEM WAS FIRST GATE AND ONE OF THEM WAS SECOND GATE. WOULD YOU MIND EXPLAINING TO ME WHAT THAT IS? THOSE IF YOU'VE EVER DRIVEN OVER THE DAM, THERE'S A STRUCTURE OUT IN THE WATER.

IT'S CALLED THE INTAKE STRUCTURE.

THAT'S WHERE THE WATER GOES INTO THE PIPELINE OR THE AQUEDUCT FROM THE LAKE.

SO THERE'S DIFFERENT GATES AT DIFFERENT LEVELS.

AND THOSE REPRESENT THE BOTTOM TWO LEVELS OF THAT INTAKE STRUCTURE.

OK. HE ADDS, PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S INFORMATIONAL FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE X AMOUNT OF GATES OPEN AND THAT SORT OF THING, BUT REALLY NOT GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING OTHERWISE. NOW, LET ME SAY THIS.

ONCE IT GETS BELOW THE LOWER LOWEST GATE, THERE'S NO WAY TO GET WATER OUT OF THE LAKE.

THAT'S THE REASON. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT WE HAVE SOME LOW LEVEL [INAUDIBLE] PROJECT, WE CALL IT.

WE DID SEVERAL YEARS BACK WHERE WE CAN PUMP WATER UP INTO THE INTAKE TOWER.

SO THAT'S PART OF THE FORECASTING THAT WE DO AS WELL TO SEE WHEN MIGHT THAT HAPPEN.

UNFORTUNATELY 76 SOMETHING FEET WE'RE NOT TOO CONCERNED ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU. YOU BET.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNSEL? CHAD, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

OUR THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS ARE WITH KENT'S FAMILY.

AND WE HOPE YOU'LL PASS THAT ALONG TO HIM.

I WILL. ONE COMMENT HE WANTED ME TO MAKE WAS HE THOUGHT THAT THE CITY'S APPROACH TO THE PROTEST WAS VERY CLASSY, AND THOUGHTFUL, AND HE WANTED ME TO PASS THAT ALONG TO YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

YOU BETCHA. ITEM 1C IS A CORONA VIRUS AT BAY.

[C. Coronavirus Update;]

RIGHT, MAYOR WE HAVE CASEY STOUGHTON DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH HERE TO WALK US THROUGH THE SITUATION FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT.

AND THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS ON ALL FRONTS FROM ANY ANY COUNSEL.

ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE? GREAT.

AS OF TODAY AT NOON, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF THREE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FORTY THREE CASES OF COVID 19 REPORTED IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES.

TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO IN POTTER COUNTY.

[00:25:03]

WE HAVE A TOTAL OF NINE HUNDRED AND SIXTY EIGHT RECOVERIES AND A TOTAL OF THIRTY SEVEN DEATHS REPORTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THAT LEAVES US WITH TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY EIGHT ACTIVE CASES.

EACH CASE REPRESENTS A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL.

STAFF WORKED TO REMOVE ANY DUPLICATED TEST RESULTS BEFORE REPORTING THE NUMBERS FOR THAT DAY. LOOKING AT HOSPITAL CAPACITY, AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF FORTY FIVE COVID PATIENTS IN TWO OF OUR HOSPITALS.

NORTHWEST AND BSA FOR A HOSPITALIZATION RATE OF ONE POINT NINE PERCENT.

WHILE THAT PERCENTAGE JUST SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN LAST WEEK, WE DO REMAIN UNDER 2.5 PERCENT. ADULT BED UTILIZATION IS AT SIXTY SEVEN POINT FIVE PERCENT.

A SLIGHT INCREASE OVER LAST WEEK, WHICH WAS 59 PERCENT.

ICU UTILIZATION IS AT SIXTY EIGHT POINT FIVE PERCENT.

AGAIN, JUST SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN LAST WEEK AT 65 PERCENT.

AND VENTILATOR UTILIZATION IS DOWN.

WE'RE AT THIRTY EIGHT PERCENT THIS WEEK FROM FORTY ONE PERCENT LAST WEEK.

SO I THINK WE'VE KIND OF LEVELED OFF A LITTLE.

I DO HAVE THE DOUBLING DAY INFORMATION.

SO WE WERE KIND OF AT THE BEGINNING WE WERE DOUBLING VERY QUICKLY.

IT'S EASIER TO DOUBLE SMALL NUMBERS IN THE TWOS, EIGHTS FOURS.

I GUESS THAT WOULD BE TWO FOUR EIGHT.

RIGHT. AND THEN AS WE MOVED THROUGH APRIL, WE STRETCHED THAT OUT TO SIX DAYS, TEN DAYS, SEVEN DAYS. SO WE WERE KIND OF RIGHT AROUND A WEEK THERE.

AS WE MOVED INTO MAY, MAY 2ND.

WE WERE DOUBLING RIGHT AROUND FIVE DAYS.

MAY 15TH, WE STRETCHED THAT OUT TO 12 DAYS.

AND WE'VE NOT YET DOUBLED AGAIN SINCE MAY THE 15TH.

SO THE LAST TIME WE DOUBLED IT WAS AT TWELVE DAYS.

AND THAT WAS ON MAY 15TH.

SO WE HAVEN'T DOUBLED AGAIN SINCE MAY THE 15TH.

WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THE NURSING HOMES AND THE MASS TESTING AT THE NURSING HOMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE FACILITIES THERE IN THE NURSING HOME SPECIFICALLY HAVE TESTED TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVEN RESIDENTS AND STAFF MEMBERS.

OF THE TEST RESULTS THAT WE HAVE BACK 71 PERCENT ARE NEGATIVE, SIX PERCENT ARE POSITIVE, AND TWENTY THREE PERCENT ARE PENDING.

THERE ARE 14 NURSING HOMES, 10 HAVE COVID POSITIVES IDENTIFIED.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAVE PROACTIVELY REACHED OUT TO ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES AND GROUP HOMES IN POTTER AND RANDAL COUNTIES OFFERING TESTING TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO COMPLETE THAT TESTING SOONER THAN AN ORDER MAY REQUIRE TESTING.

WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ORDER FROM THE GOVERNOR YET, BUT WE ARE BEING PROACTIVE IN ASKING THOSE FACILITIES IF THEY WOULD LIKE TESTING JUST SO WE CAN BE AHEAD OF THE ORDER WHEN IT COMES. AND WE APPRECIATE EACH FACILITY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE TEAM HERE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE TODAY, I THINK, IT'S NICE TO KIND OF TAKE A COLLECTIVE BREATH. SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALL THE WORK THAT OUR TEAM HAS DONE.

COUNCIL QUESTIONS. CASIE, ON TODAY'S REPORT CARD, WE WERE BACK UP NET ACTIVE POSITIVE CASES AND WE HAD LIKE SEVENTY EIGHT IN POTTER COUNTY AN THE 23 IN RANDALL.

THAT WAS AFTER WE'D HAD TWO OR THREE DAYS, MAYBE LONGER, WHERE WE WERE HAVING ACTUALLY THE NET ACTIVE CASES WERE IN THE NEGATIVE RANGE.

SO CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INFORMATION.

AND THAT IS KIND OF A BIGGER JUMP AND ONE DAY THAT UP 78, IS THAT COMING FROM PARTICULAR AREAS, MEAT PACKING PLANTS FROM THE NURSING HOME TESTING WE'VE BEEN DOING? CAN YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT ON THE ORIGIN OF THOSE NUMBERS? SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL TESTING AT THE TESTING SITES.

SO WE'RE STILL AVERAGING AROUND 60 TO 90 TESTS A DAY OUT OF THE TESTING SITE.

WAL-MART HAS OPENED TESTING.

THERE MAY BE OTHER COMMUNITY TESTING, BUT LIKE KIND OF THE DRIVE THROUGH TEST STYLE TESTING SITES AVAILABLE.

SO WE'RE STILL DOING THAT TESTING AND WE ARE GLAD TO STILL BE OFFERING THAT SERVICE.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO WE HAVE WE'RE STARTING TO RECEIVE MORE OF THE RESULTS FROM THE TESTING THAT WAS COMPLETED THERE AT JBS, AS WELL AS THE NURSING HOMES.

SO I ANTICIPATE WE'LL SEE THAT SPIKE AND THEN I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THE DAYS OF NEGATIVE NUMBERS.

AND SO OUT OF THE SEVENTY EIGHT IS THE LARGEST COMING FROM JBS OR MORE FROM JUST SO MANY RANDOM THAT IT'S NOT ONE PARTICULAR AREA.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S ANY ONE PARTICULAR.

[00:30:01]

SO AS WE'RE GETTING READY FOR CITY COUNCIL, I HAVE ONE OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS PUT TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT CARD. AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S KIND OF MULTIPLE PIECES WORKING TOGETHER TO HAVE EVERYTHING BY NOON.

AND SO I'LL LOOK MORE INTO THAT AND GET BACK WITH YOU IF THAT WORKS.

AND ONE QUESTION JUST RELATED TO THE SEASON AND HEAT.

I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT THIS VIRUS MIGHT POSSIBLY RESPOND TO HEAT AND SUN THE WAY OTHER VIRUSES SOMETIMES DO.

ARE YOU SEEING ANYTHING IN OUR STATISTICS? ARE YOU SEEING ANY INFORMATION RELATED TO THAT? I DON'T KNOW. I THINK WE'RE ALL HOPEFUL.

I THINK IT'S THERE ARE OTHER COUNTRIES THAT ARE MUCH HOTTER THAN OURS THAT HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT CASES.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF HEAT IS LIKE THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURE MEANS MORE, THEN WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY INDOORS.

KIND OF THAT DISTANCE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PUT BETWEEN OURSELVES DURING THE WARMER TEMPERATURES IS HELPFUL AS WELL.

IN THE WINTER, WE'RE ALL INSIDE.

WE'RE KIND OF BUNDLED UP WE'RE CLOSE TOGETHER.

THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE JUST PERFECT FOR THE SPREAD OF DISEASE.

AND SO BUT YEAH. I THINK THAT THE FLU IS VERY CYCLICAL AND HAS CERTAINLY A SEASONAL LOOK TO IT.

SO I THINK THAT WE WILL CERTAINLY KNOW MORE AS TIME MOVES ON.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

CASIE, I'VE NOTED THAT THE DASHBOARD CONTINUES TO EXPAND AND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING TO CITIZENS, SO I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOUR TEAM AND TO THE I.T.

TEAM AND COMMUNICATIONS.

AND I KNOW THAT'S QUITE A PARTNERSHIP OF ALL OF Y'ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO BRING US MORE DATA.

SOMETHING THAT I'M HEARING CITIZENS ASK ABOUT IS WHEN WE FIRST ROLLED OUT OUR CORONA VIRUS WARNING SYSTEM, IT'S YOU KNOW YELLOW, ORANGE AND RED.

SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THE CRITERIA FOR, YELLOW, ORANGE AND RED AS WE MOVE INTO A MORE STABILIZED.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE RIGHT WORD OR NOT SEASON OF HAVING DISEASE IN OUR CITY NOW.

I'M WONDERING IF Y'ALL AS A TEAM FEEL LIKE THAT'S STILL A GOOD TOOL TO USE FOR CITIZENS.

AND I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK ABOUT USING THE CDC GUIDELINES ON DISEASE, DISEASE SPREAD LIKE CDC DEFINES IT AS IF DISEASE SPREAD IN YOUR COMMUNITY IS AT THIS LEVEL.

THEN HERE'S THE THINGS THAT YOU OUGHT TO BE DOING TO KEEP YOURSELF SAFE.

I'M WONDERING IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE USING THAT WARNING SYSTEM AND IF WE'RE GOING TO TIE IT TO SOME OF THE MARKERS THAT CDC IS USING TO ANALYZE DISEASE SPREAD.

SO THAT'S A LONG, RAMBLING QUESTION FOR TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE LEVELS SYSTEM.

ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THOSE ARE ALL SOME OF THE PIECES THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUALLY REEVALUATE. I'VE SEEN SOME OTHER THINGS COME FROM OTHER HEALTH DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE HELPFUL THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO KIND OF WEAVE INTO OURS ALONG WITH THE CDC GUIDANCE.

SO ABSOLUTELY. AND OUR TEAM WILL BE LOOKING AT THAT IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS ON HOW THAT CAN BE REALLY A USEFUL TOOL.

I THINK IT WAS REALLY USEFUL AS WE RAMPED UP AND MAYBE EVEN AS WE GO BACK DOWN, I THINK IT WILL ABSOLUTELY BE A HELPFUL TOOL FOR COMMUNITY.

I JUST THINK AS I'VE HAD BUSINESS OWNERS, I'M SURE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO THEY WANT TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR FOLKS.

I MEAN, WE ARE PROVIDING THEM A LOT OF DATA.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO RUN THEIR BUSINESSES.

AND THERE'S PLENTY OF WORK FOR THEM TO DO DAY TO DAY WITHOUT HAVING TO SCHEDULE TIME EVERY DAY TO STUDY THE NUMBERS AND LOOK AT THE CASES AND ANALYZE THE DATA FOR THEMSELVES.

AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE LEVELS SYSTEM, IS THAT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, A CITIZEN COULD KIND OF HAVE A GENERAL FEEL FOR WHERE WE ARE WITH DISEASE SPREAD IN OUR CITY BASED ON WHAT LEVEL WE'RE AT.

AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL THINK IT MAY GO BY ZIP CODE OR BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING THAT SOMETIMES IT'S SPREADING DIFFERENTLY IN ONE PART OF THE CITY THAN IT IS ANOTHER.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AND WOULD LOVE FOR US TO CONTINUE HAVING UPDATES ON THAT PROCESS.

I THINK THAT'S A USEFUL TOOL TO CITIZENS.

BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GOT CHALLENGES IN FLESHING IT OUT.

ABSOLUTELY, AND I THINK A LOT OF THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED DURING COVID ARE USEFUL DURING FLU SEASON AND WITH WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SALMONELLA AT A PICNIC, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE

[00:35:03]

AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE PIECES OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, IF SOME ESPECIALLY IF SOMEBODY IS SICK OR IF YOU'RE SICK, YOU KNOW, MANY OF THE LESSONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED AND THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ARE GOOD NO MATTER NO MATTER WHAT TIME IT IS, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL TO STAY HEALTHY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT ACTUAL VIRUS OR BACTERIA WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. EVERYTHING ELSE, THEN, COUNCIL ON COVID.

CASIE, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

WE APPRECIATE YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR

[D. Amarillo Police Department Priorities; and]

WELCOME CHIEF. GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE.

AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS WE WERE ASKED TO PUT TOGETHER A FIRST YEAR GAME PLAN.

AND SO I WORKED ON THAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO PRESENT HERE TODAY.

SO I WILL SHARE MY SCREEN WITH YOU AND WE'LL WALK THROUGH THAT.

AND THEN AT THE END, THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR QUESTIONS.

SO THERE'S SEVERAL PARTS TO THIS PLAN, AND I'LL GO THROUGH EACH ONE, ONE BY ONE.

THE FIRST PART IS LISTENING AND LEARNING, AND THAT'S WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION.

AS THE NEW CHIEF COMING INTO ANY ORGANIZATION I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU TALK TO THEIR EMPLOYEE. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR TWENTY NINE 1/2 YEARS, BUT I STILL THINK IT'S IMPORTANT DURING THIS FIRST YEAR TO SIT DOWN WITH EVERY EMPLOYEE AND EITHER A GROUP FORMAT OR AN INDIVIDUAL FORMAT AND TALK TO THE DEPARTMENT, FIND OUT WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT WORKING, WHY THEY THINK IT'S WORKING WELL OR NOT WORKING WELL, AND SEE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE OUR SERVICE OVERALL AND ALSO IMPROVE OUR MORALE AND THE JOY THAT EMPLOYEES CAN FIND IN OUR WORK.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE FIRST PART OF MY PLAN.

AND THE NEXT PART INVOLVES COMMUNITY OUTREACH.

AND BY THE WAY, THESE ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, BUT A COMMUNITY OUTREACH WOULD PROBABLY BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST IF THERE WAS AN ORDER.

AGAIN, HAVING LIVED IN AMARILLO MY ENTIRE LIFE, I DO UNDERSTAND A LOT OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY. BUT AS A POLICE CHIEF, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THOSE FOLKS.

AND SO THIS INVOLVES MY PERSONAL ATTENDANCE AND POLICE OFFICERS ATTENDING VARIOUS COMMUNITY EVENTS, CREATING THOSE EVENTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A SIT DOWN CONVERSATION WITH BOTH. AND THE KEY TO THIS IS JUST BUILDING TRUST.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ME.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW OUR DEPARTMENT WELL.

AND I THINK THAT THE KEY TO BUILDING TRUST IS THAT THEY KNOW US THEY KNOW THEY CAN APPROACH US AND TALK TO US.

AND THIS IS A BIG PART OF MY STRATEGY.

I WANT TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY FORUM ONCE PER YEAR IN EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE OFFICER DISTRICTS. OUR NPO DISTRICTS ARE SMALL, ONE SQUARE MILE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE A POLICE OFFICER DEDICATED TO WORKING IN THAT AREA TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND TO ADDRESS ANY OTHER ISSUES THAT MIGHT OCCUR IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO I THINK HAVING A FORUM IN EACH OF THOSE DISTRICTS IS AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY FOR CITIZENS TO COME IN. THEY CAN TALK TO ME PERSONALLY.

THEY CAN TALK TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE OFFICERS AND TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE CAN HELP OUT WITH.

I ALSO WANT TO EXPAND OUR CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY AND OUR STUDENT OUTREACH PROGRAMS. WE'VE BEEN KIND OF ON HOLD ON SOME OF THOSE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THE CORONA VIRUS SITUATION. BUT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, WE'RE GOING TO REESTABLISH OUR ACADEMIES AND OUR CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY AND OUR STUDENT PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THESE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO COME INTO THE DEPARTMENT AND TO GET A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT WE DO, TO EXPERIENCE WHAT WE DO, AND TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT SOME OF OUR POLICIES AND OUR PRACTICES.

AND IT GIVES US A GREAT CHANCE TO GET FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WELL WE'RE DOING IT. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ESTABLISH A MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE.

AMARILLO HAS A GREAT COMMUNITY OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS, AND I THINK THIS IS AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO CONNECT WITH OUR COMMUNITY, OUR RELIGIOUS LEADERS. THEY GET A LOT OF INPUT AND FEEDBACK FROM THEIR CONGREGATIONS AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ASKED OF THEM ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES.

AND IF WE CAN BRING THAT GROUP TOGETHER AND HAVE A OPEN EXCHANGE BACK AND FORTH, I THINK THAT'LL HELP US MAKE BETTER CONNECTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND IT ALSO GIVES US THE CHANCE TO EXCHANGE PHONE NUMBERS AND HAVE A DIRECT CONVERSATION WHEN SOMETHING DOES COME UP.

A PASTOR COULD CALL ME, FOR EXAMPLE, DIRECTLY AND JUST SAY, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS? AND THEN I CAN PROVIDE THE ANSWERS TO THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH TOO MANY

[00:40:02]

THINGS LIKE PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH IS MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN OUR VIOLENT CRIME. I ALSO WANT TO LOOK DOWN THE ROAD AND TRY TO FORECAST OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT. WE NEED TO EVALUATE HOW THE GROWTH IN AMARILLO IS GOING TO AFFECT OUR POLICING, BOTH GEOGRAPHICALLY AND IN NUMBERS.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE STAFFING LEVELS THAT MATCHED THAT.

I ALSO WANT TO LOOK AT OUR TECHNOLOGY NEEDS AND OUR REPLACEMENT SCHEDULES FOR CURRENT TECHNOLOGY SO THAT WE'RE NOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD WHEN SOMETHING BREAKS OR WHEN SOMETHING LOSES OR GOES TO IT'S END OF LIFE PROCESS.

THE SAME THING WITH OUR FACILITIES.

WE HAVE A VERY OLD POLICE BUILDING HERE, BUT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF RENOVATIONS GOING ON.

WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WATCH FOR THAT AND LOOK FOR PLACES WHERE WE CAN MAKE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STRUCTURE AND ALSO IN THE EXPANSION BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ROOM TO EXPAND. WE JUST GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING GOOD USE OF THAT SPACE RIGHT NOW.

AND THE SAME THING WITH OUR FLEET I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICE FLEET IS THE RIGHT SIZE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.

THERE MAY BE AREAS WHERE IT NEEDS TO EXPAND.

THERE COULD BE AREAS WHERE IT NEEDS TO CONTRACT.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT CLOSELY AND AND THINK ABOUT OUR GROWTH AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO LOOK FIVE, 10 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

I VIEW BUDGETING ITSELF AS A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.

WE TEND TO FOCUS A LOT ON OUR CURRENT OPERATING BUDGET HERE AT THE DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN FOR HOW THAT'S GOING TO LOOK THREE TO FIVE YEARS AND LONGER DOWN THE ROAD, THREE OR FIVE YEARS LONGER DOWN THE ROAD IN ADDITION TO OUR CAPITAL PROJECT.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD BUDGET, A STRATEGIC BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS.

AND THEN FINALLY, OUR GRANT ACQUISITION.

WE HAVE SOME GRANTS THAT ARE PRETTY STANDARD THAT WE APPLY FOR EVERY YEAR TO HELP SUPPLEMENT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

BUT I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A DEEPER LOOK THROUGH PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERSHIPS WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE'VE LOCATED SOME ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDING THAT'S HELPED US WITH PROJECTS THAT ARE MAKING OUR CITY SAFER.

AND SO I WANT TO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN ON HOW WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEARCH FOR GRANTS AND MAINTAIN THE ONES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

AND THE NEXT PART OF MY PLAN IS A RECRUITMENT ASSESSMENT.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT IN THE UNITED STATES THERE'S BEEN A CRISIS OF RECRUITING POLICE OFFICERS FOR POLICE AGENCIES AND WE'RE NO DIFFERENT.

COUNCIL HAS PROVIDED US WITH AMPLE RESOURCES TO HIRE OFFICERS.

SO WE'VE GOT TO DO OUR PART TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT AND GET THEM ON BOARD.

AND IT'S DIFFICULT. THE JOB MARKET UP TO MARCH AND APRIL HAS BEEN VERY COMPETITIVE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE VIRUS SITUATION WILL DO TO CHANGE THAT.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO RECRUIT HARD AND FIND THE BEST POSSIBLE CANDIDATES WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ELSEWHERE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT.

I ALSO WANT TO EXAMINE HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR POLICE FORCE, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE OUR POLICE FORCE NEEDS TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND LOOK LIKE OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MARKETING THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO OUR CANDIDATES AND MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE ADVANTAGES OF LIVING IN AMARILLO AND WORKING FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE, AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THERE'S A LOT OF FUN THINGS TO DO IN AMARILLO.

THERE'S A LOT OF ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF LIVING IN AMARILLO, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE OUR APPLICANTS UNDERSTAND THAT AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO STAY HERE, ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPLY AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO WORK FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO.

AND FINALLY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR TIMELINE FROM APPLICATION TO EMPLOYMENT IS REASONABLE SO THAT OUR CANDIDATES DON'T LOSE INTEREST.

IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO HIRE POLICE OFFICERS BECAUSE WE DO OUR VERY THOROUGH BACKGROUND CHECK IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE OTHER PROCESSES.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT LOSING CANDIDATES WHO EITHER GO TO OTHER AGENCIES OR FIND OTHER LINES OF WORK OR JUST SIMPLY LOSE INTEREST BECAUSE IT'S TAKING TOO LONG TO GET THEM ON BOARD, REALIZING IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY WITH OUR STAFF AND THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT WAYS WE CAN STREAMLINE SOME OF THAT AND GET THEM ON BOARD QUICKER.

THE NEXT PART OF MY PLAN IS A TECHNOLOGY SURVEY.

THIS KIND OF TIES INTO STRATEGIC PLANNING.

BUT I WANT TO DO A TOP TO BOTTOM LOOK AT ALL OF THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE USING IN THE DEPARTMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT EACH COMPONENT THAT WE ARE PURCHASING OR PAYING FOR ACTUALLY ADDS A GREAT DEAL OF VALUE TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO USE A PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY SO THAT WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE TO WHERE IS A START, A MIDDLE AND AN ENDING TO A PROJECT ACQUISITION.

AND WE DON'T JUST BUY SOMETHING OFF THE SHELF, ASSUME THAT IT'S GOING TO WORK WELL FOR US. AND THEN A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER, WE FIND THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH IT.

SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A GOOD METHODOLOGY IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE VERY USEFUL TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERY ONE OF OUR PROJECTS IS INTEROPERABLE WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE EXTERNAL TO OUR DEPARTMENT.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE RADIO SYSTEM THAT WAS IMPLEMENTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND NOW IS

[00:45:01]

AND IT'S EXCELLENT. IT WORKS VERY WELL.

AND THE INTEROPERABILITY INCREASES THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS AND OUR OFFICERS BOTH.

AND SO ANYTHING WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY WISE EVERY CHANCE WE GET IT NEEDS TO OPERATE WITH OTHER SYSTEMS AND OTHER AGENCIES.

THE NEXT PART OF MY PLAN IS A LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND EDUCATION PLAN.

THE CITY OF AMARILLO PUT ON SOME LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR SUPERVISORS, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FIRST LINE SUPERVISORS, WHICH ARE GENERALLY SERGEANTS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE GOOD SUPERVISORS.

BECAUSE OF OUR PROMOTION PROCESS THERE'S SOME CASES WHERE A PERSON MAY DO VERY WELL ON A TEST AND THEY GO LITERALLY FROM ONE WEEK TO THE NEXT FROM BEING A PATROL OFFICER TO A SUPERVISOR. AND SO WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A STRUCTURE PLAN IN PLACE FOR EACH LEVEL OF PROMOTION AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION THEY'RE GOING TO GET WHEN THEY MAKE THOSE PROMOTIONS.

THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF LOW COST AND NO COST TRAINING THAT'S PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

AND WE HAVE SOME [INAUDIBLE] TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES.

BUT I THINK WE CAN DO MORE THINGS LIKE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE OF TEXAS, THE FBI LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND THE NATIONAL ACADEMY, THE NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, THE POLICE EXECUTIVE RESEARCH FORUM.

ALL OF THESE AGENCIES PROVIDE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADERSHIP TRAINING.

AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM HAS ACCESS TO THESE AND WE SEND FOLKS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. FINALLY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE DEPARTMENTAL PRIORITIES IN PLACE, AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT I WANT EVERY EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT TO UNDERSTAND AND LEARN AND KNOW THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE MAKING DECISIONS AND WHEN WE ARE MAKING POLICY.

AND THEY SHOULD TIE TO ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES.

THE FIRST IS AN UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EMPLOYEE SAFETY.

POLICE WORK IS A LITTLE BIT RISKY.

WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO AS POLICE OFFICERS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SAFE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICIES AND OUR EQUIPMENT AND OUR PRACTICES LINE UP WITH MAKING OUR POLICE OFFICERS AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

THE SAME THING APPLIES TO OUR CIVILIAN STAFF HERE IN THE BUILDING.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE WORKING THIS WEEK ON EVACUATION AND SAFETY DRILLS IN CASE THERE'S AN EMERGENCY AT THE BUILDING.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR EMPLOYEES KNOW WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY, WHERE TO GO, WHO TO CONTACT AND HOW TO STAY SAFE.

WE'RE COMING UP TO TORNADO SEASON AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

THE SECOND IS A CULTURE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND RESPONSIVENESS.

AND THIS IS REALLY KIND OF TWO PARTS.

THE FIRST PART BEING TO BUILD ON THE CULTURE OF VOLUNTEERISM THAT ALREADY EXISTS HERE AT THE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE A LOT OF POLICE OFFICERS AND A LOT OF CIVILIAN STAFF THAT ALREADY VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AT LOCAL CHARITIES OR AT THEIR CHURCH OR OTHER AGENCIES THAT DO GOOD IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO GROW THAT AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT REALLY, THAT'S PART OF BEING IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, IS BEING INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY, BOTH AT WORK AND OUTSIDE OF WORK.

AND THE RESPONSIVENESS PART OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE ASKED A QUESTION, IF WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, WE GET THE ANSWER. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING, THAT WE DO IT AND WE DO THOSE THINGS IN A TIMELY MANNER AND WE'RE RESPONSIVE TO THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO. THE THIRD PART IS A REDUCTION OF VIOLENT CRIME.

THIS IS BUILDING UPON A PROCESS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, ALONG WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS AND OUR LOCAL AGENCY PARTNERS.

WE STILL HAVE A HIGH INCIDENCE OF VIOLENT CRIME IN AMARILLO.

AND SO I'M COMMITTED TO MAKING OUR DEPARTMENT WORK ON THAT, ESPECIALLY GUN CRIMES.

AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO REDUCE GUN CRIMES, REDUCE THOSE VIOLENT CRIMES IN AMARILLO.

THE SAME THING WITH OUR TRAFFIC CRASH AND FATALITY REDUCTION.

AGAIN, I'M BUILDING OFF THE PRIORITIES THAT ALREADY EXIST.

BUT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AN AVERAGE OF TWENTY SEVEN PEOPLE IN AMARILLO LOSE THEIR LIVES EVERY SINGLE YEAR IN TRAFFIC CRASHES.

AND TO ME, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.

WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT, FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A ROLE IN THAT, AND IT'S PRIMARILY EDUCATION AND ENFORCEMENT.

AND THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT ARE TIED TO THAT.

IT'S ONE IS REDUCE OUR SPEED TWO WEAR SEAT BELTS.

THREE, DRINKING AND DRIVING.

AND AS A COMMUNITY, IF WE CAN JUMP ON BOARD AND TAKE ON THOSE THREE ACTIONS, WE CAN REDUCE OUR TRAFFIC FATALITIES BY A GREAT AMOUNT, PROBABLY BY HALF OR MORE.

BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ENFORCEMENT AND EDUCATION AND THEN THE COMMUNITY'S INVOLVEMENT IN THAT AS WELL.

THE FIFTH PRIORITY HERE IS HIGHLY TRAINED PERSONNEL.

AND THIS HAS TO DO I TALKED ABOUT LEADERSHIP TRAINING EARLIER, BUT THIS HAS TO DO WITH EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE HAVING THE TECHNICAL AND EDUCATIONAL SKILLS THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB VERY WELL.

WE HAVE A GOOD PROCESS IN PLACE FOR SENDING PEOPLE TO TRAINING OR BRINGING TRAINING HERE.

I WANT TO CONTINUE AND BUILD ON THAT SO THAT THERE'S I DON'T EVER WANNA HEAR THE EXCUSE THAT WELL WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO TRAIN FOR THAT OR WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY.

WE'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THAT DONE.

[00:50:01]

AND LASTLY, AN INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY RESOURCEFULNESS PRIORITY.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INNOVATIVE IN OUR THINKING.

THIS INVOLVES TAKING SOME RISK, THINKING IN DIFFERENT WAYS ABOUT DOING THINGS, TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US, WHICH IS ALWAYS CHANGING.

INNOVATION TO ME IS VERY IMPORTANT.

IT INVOLVES STICKING YOUR NECK OUT A LITTLE BIT, THROWING OUT SOME IDEAS.

AND SOMETIMES THOSE IDEAS NOT BEING GOOD AND US BEING ABLE TO LEARN FROM THAT AND MOVE ON. AND THE SAME THING WITH OUR TECHNOLOGY I WANT TO BE RESOURCEFUL WITH THIS.

I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THAT SOME.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT'S OUT THERE FOR THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY AND ALSO MAKING SURE OUR OLD TECHNOLOGY KEEPS RUNNING AND DOES WHAT WE NEED IT TO DO. MY VISION FOR THE DEPARTMENT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICIES AND OUR PRACTICES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE COUNCIL AND MANAGER PRIORITIES.

EACH ACTION THAT WE TAKE NEEDS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I'M COMMITTED TO THAT. IT'S MY GOAL TO DEVELOP A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY CAN TRUST.

AND AGAIN, THAT MEANS MAKING PERSONAL CONNECTIONS WITH AS MANY FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY AS POSSIBLE. LETTING EVERYONE KNOW YOU CAN CALL US.

YOU CAN CONTACT US. WE WILL HELP YOU OUT.

I WANT TO CULTIVATE AN ORGANIZATION WHERE OUR EMPLOYEES FIND PERSONAL FULFILLMENT AND JOY IN THEIR WORK. BENEFITS ARE GOOD.

MONEY IS GOOD. BUT I THINK EACH OF US NEEDS TO FIND PERSONAL JOY AND FULFILLMENT IN OUR JOB TO BE TRULY HAPPY.

AND I THINK WHEN WE'RE HAPPY, WE DO A BETTER JOB.

I THINK IT IMPROVES OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND IMPROVES OUR SAFETY.

AND THAT'S MY GOAL TO CULTIVATE THAT TYPE OF ORGANIZATION.

I ALSO WANT OUR DEPARTMENT TO SET THE EXAMPLE FOR EXEMPLARY POLICING THROUGH OUR PROFESSIONALISM AND OUR EXCELLENCE AND OUR DEDICATION TO SERVICE.

AND WE ARE THE BIG CITY HERE IN THE PANHANDLE.

I WANT US TO BE THE EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.

I WANT OTHER OFFICERS.

I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME CHIEFS THAT WILL BE MAD AT ME FOR SAYING THIS, BUT I'D LIKE OTHER OFFICERS FROM OTHER AGENCIES TO SAY, GOSH, I'D SURE LIKE TO WORK IN AMARILLO AND COME WORK FOR US AND DO A GREAT JOB.

I WANT TO BE THAT TYPE OF ORGANIZATION.

SO THIS NEXT PART IS RELATED TO WHAT'S GOING ON CURRENTLY, AND CITY MANAGEMENT ASKED ME TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING ON OUR RESPONSE TO PUBLIC PROTEST.

AND FIRST, I HAVE TO ECHO WHAT THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGEMENT PUT OUT YESTERDAY. OUR CITIZENS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB IN RESPONDING.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

IT'S A CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT FOR US TO SPEAK OUR VOICE IN PUBLIC AND TO ASK FOR A REDRESS OF OUR THINGS THAT BOTHER US.

AND SO I THINK THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S ROLE IN THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS DONE SAFELY.

MAKE SURE EVERYBODY HAS A CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD.

OUR PRIORITIES ARE SIMPLE.

FIRST AND FOREMOST IS LIFE SAFETY.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE EVERY ACTION THAT WE CAN TO PROTECT ANYONE FROM BEING INJURED IN ANY TYPE OF PUBLIC EVENT, WHETHER IT'S A PUBLIC CONCERT OR A PROTEST OR A FAIR PARADE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE'VE ALWAYS DONE THAT.

WE'VE GOT A GOOD HISTORY OF DOING THAT AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

THE SECOND PRIORITY IS PROTECTION OF PROPERTY.

AGAIN, LIFE SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT, BUT WE ALSO WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTY FROM DAMAGE DURING ANY PUBLIC EVENT.

AND IF WE HAVE TO TAKE POSITIVE AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTIONS TO DO THAT, WE WILL.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IS PROTECTED SO THAT PEOPLE CAN VOICE THEIR CONCERNS WITHOUT BEING INTERRUPTED BY SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO COME IN AND BE VIOLENT OR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO INTERRUPT WITH VANDALISM OR LOOTING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE'S VOICES ARE HEARD IN OUR DEPARTMENT [INAUDIBLE] ABLE TO HAPPEN. WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND TO ALL PUBLIC PROTEST IN A MANNER THAT IS RESPECTFUL TO EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED.

WE'VE DONE THIS A FEW TIMES JUST IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT I CAN THINK OF WHERE PEOPLE HAVE PUBLICLY WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT.

AND WE'VE BEEN THERE AND WE WATCHED.

WE'VE OBSERVED, WE'VE HELPED. WE'VE GIVEN ADVICE WHENEVER POSSIBLE.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

WE WILL ALSO MAINTAIN A READINESS TO TAKE ACTION IF WE SEE PROPERTY DAMAGE OCCURRING.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN IF WE SEE ASSAULT OCCURRING.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN.

BUT WE'RE ALSO WE'RE JUST GOING TO TAKE EVERY STEP WE CAN TO MAKE SURE ANY PEACEFUL PROTEST OR CONGREGATION OR COLLECTION OF PEOPLE IS ABLE TO HAPPEN IN OUR CITY IN A LAWFUL AND SAFE MANNER. SO THAT KIND OF CONCLUDES WHAT I'VE PUT TOGETHER HERE, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTION. WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF.

MAYOR BEFORE WE GET TO THE QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE COMMENTS ON CHIEF BIRKENFELD AND HIS APPROPRIATENESS AND SUITABILITY AND TIMELINESS FOR HIS APPOINTMENT TO THIS POSITION RIGHT NOW.

HE'S A CHIEF THAT'S KNOWN BY OUR COMMUNITY.

HE'S KNOWN BY OUR DEPARTMENT.

[00:55:02]

AND HE BRINGS A SENSE OF STABILITY, COMMON SENSE, COMPASSION, EMPATHY.

WE DIDN'T KNOW WHEN WE MADE THE APPOINTMENT THAT WE WOULD FIND OURSELVES IN SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF CORONA VIRUS, BUT HE IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO BE LEADING OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AT THIS TIME.

I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.

AND THE PROVIDENTIAL WAY THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENED, I'M VERY PLEASED AND I'M CONFIDENT IN CHIEF BIRKENFELD AND IN HIS ABILITY TO LEAD OUR DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.

I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO SAY RIGHT NOW, ALSO, WE'RE GONNA BE SWEARING IT IN TOMORROW.

WE'LL PUT OUT SOMETHING THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS TOMORROW AT TIMES AND PLACES AND EVERYTHING. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL PUT OUT ON YOUTUBE AS WELL.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO SEE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RE-EMPHASIZE THE PERSON AT THE HEAD OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS THE RIGHT PERSON, AT THE RIGHT TIME.

THANK YOU, JARED. I THINK WE AGREE ACROSS THE BOARD WITH THE COUNCIL, WE'RE VERY GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON, CHIEF, AND I'M SORRY YOU DIDN'T GET A HONEYMOON PERIOD, BUT I GUESS SINCE YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE DEPARTMENT FOR SO LONG, YOU MAYBE WEREN'T EXPECTING THAT IN ANY WAY.

BUT, COUNCIL, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ANY QUESTIONS OR THOUGHTS OR FEEDBACK THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE THE CHIEF ON THE PRESENTATION THAT HE MADE.

CHIEF, I LOVE HEARING YOU EXPRESS YOUR PRIORITIES AND ESPECIALLY JUST HEARING HOW IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP AND TRUST IS IN YOUR OVERALL VISION AND NOT JUST WITH THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO YOUR STAFF.

AND THAT IS JUST ALL ABOUT PEOPLE.

AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT BEING A PART OF WHAT YOUR GOALS AND YOUR VISIONS ARE.

AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE REACHED OUT AND BEING CONNECTIONS, MAYBE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONVENTION AND VISITOR COUNCIL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MARKETING AMARILLO FOR OUR RECRUITING.

THAT THAT'S AN ORGANIZATION HERE IN TOWN THAT THAT'S THEIR JOB.

THEIR FULL JOB IS SELLING AMARILLO AND SELLING IT TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO WOULD COME TO OUR CITY AS VISITORS BRING CONVENTIONS HERE AND THEY HAVE SOME GREAT RESOURCES AND TOOLS AS FAR AS VIDEOS THAT TELL OUR STORY OF WHO AMARILLO IS.

AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO TELL THE STORY OF WHAT A GREAT PLACE AMARILLO IS TO LIVE AND WORK IN.

AND THEY'VE ALREADY DONE A LOT OF THAT GROUNDWORK AND IT MIGHT HAVE SOME USEFUL RESOURCES AND TOOLS. AND THEN THE THIRD AREA WAS JUST I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPANSION ON YOUR YOUR MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH PASTORS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY OUR RELIGIOUS LEADERS WERE SO VITAL IN THAT LEADERSHIP ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND CONNECTIONS WITH CITY GOVERNMENT.

AND I HEAR A LOT OF PASTORS IN CHURCHES WANTING TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY, WANTING TO ENGAGE WITH THE CITY.

AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THERE IS JUST ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY, A NEW BRIDGE.

AND SO ENCOURAGING OUR COMMUNITY TO BE LISTENING TO WHAT YOU'RE BUILDING AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, JUST MAYBE EXPAND ON THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE HOW YOU ENVISION THAT. WE HAVE A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN AMARILLO. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS, BUT I WOULD SUSPECT IT'S A GREAT NUMBER OF OUR CITIZENS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN ONE OR ANOTHER FAITH BASED ORGANIZATION.

AND SO OUR PASTORS, OUR MINISTERS ARE RELIGIOUS LEADERS FROM ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW THEM WELL ENOUGH.

WE KNOW SOME OF THEM VERY WELL.

AND THERE ARE SOME THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT HAVE ALREADY REACHED OUT TO ME THIS WEEK FROM DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS.

AND WE'VE GOT MEETINGS SCHEDULED.

I'D LIKE TO SEE A BIGGER GROUP COME TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN ALL HEAR EACH OTHER'S CONCERN AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CHANCE FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF RELIGION TO GET TOGETHER AND UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL PEOPLE.

WE ALL HAVE THE SAME FEARS ABOUT CRIME.

WE ALL HAVE THE SAME CONCERNS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE JUST MAY SEE THEM DIFFERENTLY.

WE MAY PRACTICE OUR RELIGION DIFFERENTLY.

BUT IN THE END, WE'RE ALL RESIDENTS OF AMARILLO AND WE ALL HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. AND I WANT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT DIRECTLY WITH OUR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, JUST BECAUSE, LIKE YOU SAID, THEY ARE ALREADY LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS FAR AS MAKING THOSE

[01:00:03]

WE'LL DEFINITELY BE STEERING PEOPLE YOUR WAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTION ON THE VISITORS BUREAU.

THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA. WELL, CHIEF BIRKENFELD, SO I JUST WANT TO SAY WELCOME ABOARD AND I STAND READY TO SERVE WITH YOU ALSO TO WORK BESIDE YOU AND TO BE OF ANY RESOURCE THAT'S NEEDED FOR ANY AREA OF AMARILLO.

DURING YOUR PRESENTATION, I APPRECIATE HEARING YOUR FIRST YEAR PLAN.

YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT DIVERSITY IN REGARDS TO RECRUITING.

WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE SUGGEST IS DIVERSITY TRAINING, NOT JUST IN RECRUITING, BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOUR OFFICERS ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN CONTACT WITH ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF NATIONALITIES.

SO THERE'S DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT CULTURES.

SO I THINK DIVERSITY TRAINING, YOU KNOW, AND YOU MAY DO THAT NOW, I DON'T KNOW.

YOU MAY ALREADY HAVE THAT IN PLACE, BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE HIGHLY IMPORTANT.

AND I ALSO THINK YOU YOU TOUCHED ON IT ALSO THAT BUILDING TRUST.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN BUILD TRUST IN OUR CITY IS THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING PLAN THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE AND NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING, WHICH IS ACTUALLY COMMUNITY POLICING.

SO I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE HIGHLY IMPORTANT AND WE HAVE TO BUILD TRUST ON BOTH SIDES. AND I THINK THAT THAT'S A KEY ISSUE, LISTENING FOR, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT JUST LISTENING IN THE COMMUNITY ITSELF THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT. AND SO I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO TALK MAYBE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PROCEDURAL JUSTICE AND I'M GOING TO THROW OUT SOME OTHER THINGS REALLY QUICK.

AND ALSO I'M WONDERING IF MAYBE OUR POLICE UNION COULD HELP BY MAYBE THEY COULD PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BRING A MORE POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE AS FAR AS TRUST IN BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. I DON'T KNOW IF OUR UNION COULD HELP WITH THAT.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY ARE TALKING TO PEOPLE.

AND SO THAT MIGHT BE ANOTHER AVENUE OR ANOTHER RESOURCE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT.

AND ALSO. GO AHEAD.

WELL, ABSOLUTELY. AND THE FIRST THING YOU TALKED ABOUT WAS AND WHAT I WOULD CLASSIFY AS IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING.

AND WE DO THAT ONCE A YEAR WITH ALL OF OUR POLICE OFFICERS.

AND WE ALSO TALK ABOUT IMPLICIT BIAS IN OUR POLICE ACADEMY.

AND LAST YEAR, I LOOK AT OUR TRAINING AND I VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE THAT ON AS A SUBJECT THAT I WOULD TEACH TO OUR ACADEMY AND TO OUR POLICE OFFICERS IN OUR UPCOMING TRAINING THIS YEAR, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND FOR US TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S PASSIONATE ABOUT THOSE TYPE OF TOPICS TO TEACH BOTH.

AND SO I AM GOING TO TEACH IMPLICIT BIAS TO OUR ACADEMY.

I'M ALSO GOING TO TEACH PROCEDURAL JUSTICE BECAUSE PROCEDURAL JUSTICE TIES INTO HOW WE TREAT OURSELVES INTERNALLY AND HOW WE TREAT OUR ORGANIZATION, HOW WE TREAT OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO I THINK THAT BOTH OF THOSE TOPICS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON I WANTED TO TAKE THOSE ON SO THAT I WOULD LEARN MORE ABOUT THEM, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO IMPART MY PHILOSOPHY ON THESE THINGS, BECAUSE, AGAIN, I'VE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY MY WHOLE LIFE AND I'VE SEEN THE DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND I'VE EMBRACED A LOT OF THOSE.

I GREW UP IN A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WAS FAIRLY MIXED WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF CULTURES.

AND AS I GREW UP I SAW CHANGES.

AND I THINK SOME OF THOSE CHANGES WERE LEARNED.

AND I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THAT WHENEVER WE LEARN HOW TO NOT LIKE EACH OTHER.

AND SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THOSE IMPLICIT BIAS THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OURSELVES. AND IF WE UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, THEN WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

AS FAR AS OUR NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING, I THINK COMMUNITY POLICING IS MORE THAN JUST A PROGRAM, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO ADDRESS SMALL PROBLEMS. AND SO I AGREE WITH YOU. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD POLICE OFFICERS HAVE DONE THAT VERY WELL.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW THAT PROGRAM.

AND WE JUST OPENED UP THE OFFICE IN HAMLET AND WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING IT DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO ABSOLUTELY, THE INFIELD PROGRAM IS GOING TO CONTINUE AND GROW.

AND THEN THE LAST THING YOU TALKED ABOUT WAS THE POLICE ASSOCIATION.

AND I'VE GOT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP.

YEARS AGO, I WAS EVEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE POLICE ASSOCIATION.

SO I KIND OF UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE INTERNAL PARTS OF THAT ORGANIZATION.

BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THE POLICE ASSOCIATION DOES SOME THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY SEPARATE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

IN FACT, THERE'S AN UPCOMING EVENT THAT THEY ARE HOSTING THAT IS GOING TO BE VERY GOOD FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND I DON'T WANT TO STEAL THEIR THUNDER, BUT OUR POLICE ASSOCIATION DOES A GOOD JOB OF BEING CONNECTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

[01:05:02]

. I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CONVERSATIONS RECENTLY, ESPECIALLY DURING THE POLICE CHIEF'S SEARCH PROCESS. AND THOSE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE ASSOCIATION, THEY ARE ONE PERCENT FOCUSED ON OUR COMMUNITY, THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE SAFETY OF THEIR OFFICERS.

AND THEY ABSOLUTELY AND NORMALLY I WOULDN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER PEOPLE.

BUT I GUARANTEE YOU, THEY'RE ONE CENT LOCKSTEP WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH WHAT CHIEF BIRKFIELD JUST SAID.

SO GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD INTENTIONS, GOOD RESULTS.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS PERSONALLY TOO SO.

AND SO CHIEF BIRKFIELD THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IN STEP WITH COUNCIL MEMBER HAYES IS THE MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE.

SO I DO KNOW THAT IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY THERE IS A MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE THAT EXISTS. AND SO IF YOU'RE NOT IN TOUCH WITH THOSE PASTORS, I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THAT CONNECTION AS WELL.

AND LET'S SEE HERE.

OH, AND ALSO I JUST MY LAST THING I WANTED TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, BEING AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MOM AND GRANDMOTHER, I NEVER THOUGHT IN THIS DAY IN TIME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH MY GRANDSON.

SO I HAVE I HAVE TWO GRANDSONS.

ONE IS TWENTY THREE YEARS AGO, AND HE'S SIX FOOT TWO.

THE OTHER ONE IS 21 YEARS OLD AND HE'S SIX FOOT FOUR.

SO, YOU KNOW, HEIGHT CAN BE INTIMIDATING, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER. BUT I NEVER WOULD'VE THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS ABOUT WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE STOPPED.

YOU KNOW, AND WHAT NOT TO DO.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST A STATEMENT, YOU KNOW.

AND I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO EXCEPT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO TALK TO THEM, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE HURT OR INJURED IN THE PROCESS OR, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO REACH FOR INSURANCE. AND THEN ACCIDENTALLY BE SHOT.

AND I ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS.

AND YOU KNOW, I CAN'T POSSIBLY IMAGINE EVERY SCENARIO OUT THERE THAT COULD HAPPEN.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE PROFESSIONALISM OF OUR OFFICERS IS BASED IN THEIR TRAINING.

AND WE DO A LOT OF TRAINING.

WE DO A LOT OF EDUCATION.

WE TALK WITH OUR OFFICERS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE SITUATIONS.

AND AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO MAKING SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE WHAT IS DANGEROUS AND WHAT IS NOT. THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS OUT THERE.

SO I EXPECT OUR OFFICERS TO DO EVERYTHING AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE, TAKE THEIR SAFETY INTO CONSIDERATION. BUT WE ALSO HAVE A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF ACTING APPROPRIATE.

AND I THINK IN ALMOST EVERY CASE, OFFICERS DO THAT AGAIN.

THERE'S ALWAYS BOTH THOSE THINGS THAT POP UP AND WHICH SEEM RECENTLY NATIONALLY, BUT THEY POP UP THAT YOU'RE JUST SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD, NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH A PERSON'S MIND WHEN THEY TAKE AN ACTION LIKE THAT.

BUT IN EVERY POSSIBLE CASE, WE TRY TO MAKE SURE OFFICERS UNDERSTAND HOW TO APPROPRIATELY REACT WITH EVERYONE THAT THEY ENCOUNTER AND TRY TO AVOID THOSE UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS FROM HAPPENING. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

AND I DO KNOW THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO WORK TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND BUILD TRUST RIGHT ALONG WITH YOU AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS.

SO IT HAS TO BE A TWO WAY STREET AND WE CAN'T EXPECT YOU ALL TO, YOU KNOW, MAKING THE FIRST MOVE.

WE HAVE TO WORK AS A COMMUNITY AND I'M TALKING THE ENTIRE AMARILLO COMMUNITY TO BUILD TRUST, BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, WORK TOGETHER, BUILD PARTNERSHIPS SO THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY GOING TO WORK. I AGREE, AND THAT'S WHY I LOVE AMARILLO, BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY APPROVES OF THE CONCEPT OF LAW AND ORDER.

THEY'RE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.

ONE OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEFS EARLIER WAS SAYING THAT HE WENT TO EAT AT LUNCH TODAY AND HE WAS APPROACHED BY SIX DIFFERENT PEOPLE OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT AND ASKING HOW THINGS ARE GOING. AND WE GET THIS ALL THE TIME.

AND THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS I LOVE WORKING HERE TOO.

IT'S A VERY SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT.

AND SO I THINK OUR COMMUNITY DOES THEIR PART.

AND SO I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE WE DO OUR PART TO KEEP THOSE CONNECTIONS, TO KEEP THAT TRUST AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.

THANK YOU. AND ANYTHING ANY RESOURCES OR ANY HELP THAT I CAN PROVIDE, I STAND READY TO DO

[01:10:04]

YOU'RE WELCOME. I APPRECIATE THAT.

GENTLEMEN, ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'D LIKE TO SAY COMPLIMENTS TO YOU ON THE WAY YOUR DEPARTMENT TOOK PLACE IN THIS PROTEST IN THE LAST FEW DAYS AND I ALSO COMPLEMENT THE PUBLIC.

IT WAS A PEACEFUL PROTEST.

AND WHEN I SAW A LOT OF OTHER TOWNS HAVE NOT PEACEFUL PROTESTS.

SO I APPRECIATE THE WAY YOU HANDLED IT AND THE WAY THE PUBLIC HANDLED IT.

AND THAT ALSO COMPLIMENTS YOU ON YOUR PRIORITIES.

I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAID, IT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

THANK YOU. I THINK I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ECHO WHAT JARED HAD SAID EARLIER.

I THINK YOU'RE THE RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB AT THE RIGHT TIME.

I'VE NOTICED EVER SINCE THAT I WAS ELECTED ON THE CITY COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE] SEVERAL DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

AND YOU'VE ALWAYS IMPRESSED ME WITH THE FACT THAT YOU'RE VERY DELIBERATE AND A THOUGHTFUL MAN WHO THINKS THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT HE'S ABOUT TO DO AND IS ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT HE IS PUTTING HIS BEST FOOT FORWARD AND DOING THE BEST THING FOR THOSE THAT ARE AROUND HIM.

AND IT'S BEEN EVIDENT THIS PAST THREE YEARS AND I THINK WE COULDN'T HAVE PICKED A BETTER PERSON FOR THIS POSITION.

AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL YOU'RE IN THIS POSITION.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO A WONDERFUL JOB FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO AND THE CITIZENS AND BY HELPING BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER.

I JUST APPLAUD YOU. THANK YOU, I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.

I DO HAVE TO SAY, THOUGH, I'M A PRODUCT OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY GREAT PEOPLE IN IT.

AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM OTHER PEOPLE HERE, AND I'VE BEEN MENTORED OVER THE YEARS.

SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH.

AND I WANT TO GIVE THEM THE CREDIT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE ACTIONS THE OTHER DAY.

YOU KNOW, I WASN'T ON THE GROUND.

I WAS WATCHING AND LISTENING.

AND THE OFFICERS WHO WERE ON THE GROUND WERE THE ONES WHO DID SUCH A PROFESSIONAL JOB AND WORKING WITH EVERYBODY. I ALSO WANT TO COMPLIMENT SOME COMMUNITY LEADERS OUT THERE THAT WERE HELPING KEEP THINGS CALM AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO NOT GET INTO PERSONAL DISPUTES WITH ANYBODY. IT WAS JUST A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.

AND HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU CONSIDER A PROTEST, WONDERFUL.

AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO IN AMERICA.

WELL, CHIEF, I WANTED TO ASK SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO PROTESTS.

IT'S NOT REQUIRED FOR ANYONE TO PUBLICIZE THAT THEY ARE ORGANIZING AN ASSEMBLY.

BUT I JUST WONDERED IF THERE WERE SOME BASIC THINGS YOU WANTED TO TELL SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO MIGHT BE ORGANIZING AN ASSEMBLY.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY CAN'T DO IT IN A WAY THAT INTERFERES WITH SOMEONE'S USE OF THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY.

I WOULDN'T THINK WE WOULD WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT STOPS TRAFFIC OR PUTS THE PROTESTERS IN DANGER BY HAVING THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WITHOUT A POLICE ESCORT. SO IF YOU WOULD TALK ON THAT TOPIC AND THEN TELL THEM IF THERE'S A PHONE NUMBER THAT THEY COULD CALL TO ASK FOR POLICE HELP, IF THEY WANT TO INVITE THE POLICE TO BE PART OF THEIR EVENT? HOW WOULD THEY CONTACT YOU? ABSOLUTELY. WE LIKE AND WE DO IT ALL THE TIME, WE PARTNER WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS.

FOR EXAMPLE, MARATHONS OR PARADES.

AND THERE'S A PROCESS THROUGH THE CITY THAT WE GET A PERMIT FOR THAT'S WHERE WE DO BLOCK OFF THE STREET THAT THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT IS INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY LIKE TO OR I SAY THEY DO PROVIDE EXCELLENT PLANS FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL.

AND THEN WE SUPPLEMENT THAT WITH POLICE OFFICERS IF NEEDED.

AND SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO PLAN A PUBLIC EVENT, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO PARTNER WITH THEM AND HELP THEM DO THAT AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.

LIKE YOU SAID, WE CAN'T INTERRUPT BUSINESSES OR PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION. WE CAN'T BLOCK STREET BECAUSE WE HAVE TO ALLOW TRAFFIC FLOW TO GO.

IF WE DO BLOCK STREETS, THEN WE HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TRAFFIC PLAN.

AND IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET ON THAT IN ADVANCE BY SEVERAL DAYS OR WEEKS, THEN WE CAN PLAN FOR THAT AND REROUTE TRAFFIC AND DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE THINGS SAFE.

WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT ON SHORT NOTICE, BUT WE WOULD RATHER TALK ABOUT IT SEVERAL DAYS OR WEEKS IN ADVANCE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A PROPER STAFFING IN PLACE TO HELP MAKE THAT A SAFE EVENT. WHAT NUMBER WOULD A CITIZEN CALL CHIEF IF THEY WANTED TO CONTACT AND VISIT

[01:15:06]

AND I WILL TAKE THE REQUEST OR I WILL DIRECT THEM TO THE RIGHT DEPARTMENT WITHIN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. [INAUDIBLE] TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE DIRECTLY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE PLANNING AN EVENT LIKE THAT AND WE'LL GET THEM THE HELP THEY NEED.

GOOD. WELL, WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR LEADERSHIP MAKING OUR CITY A SAFER PLACE FOR EVERY CITIZEN. AND I DO THINK THAT YOU'VE HIT ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.

GUN CRIME BEING ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT.

SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC PLANS AND WATCHING THAT CRIME STATISTICS CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

SO THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THE LAST ITEM ON OUR SECTION ONE AGENDA IS REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA

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

DOES ANYONE HAVE A SPECIAL REQUEST.

NO MAYOR? NO.

OK. NOT SEEING ANYTHING [INAUDIBLE].

WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

[2. CONSENT ITEMS:]

I'D ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON OUR CONSENT ITEMS. MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL.

SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I SEE FIVE HANDS SO THAT MOTION PASSES WITH A 5 0 VOTE.

AND THAT'S THE END OF OUR REGULAR AGENDA.

SO WE WILL NOW MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[3. EXECUTIVE SESSION: City Council may convene in Executive Session to receive reports on or discuss any of the following pending projects or matters: 1) Section 551.072 - Discuss the purchase, exchange, lease, sale, or value of real property and public discussion of such would not be in the best interests of the City's bargaining position: (a) Discuss property located in the vicinity of East 34th Avenue and South Osage Street.]

IF YOU DON'T MIND READING OUR LANGUAGE, PLEASE? NOT AT ALL. PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT CLOSED SESSION.

[INAUDIBLE] CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON JUNE THE 2ND, 2020 AT 2:19 P.M.

UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY.

SECTION FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO SEVEN TWO DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE SALE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY, A PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITION.

OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'RE ALL ADJOURNED TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.