Nov 30, 2020 Work Session

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GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER 30TH, 2020 WORK SESSION FOR THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A SAFE AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND MUCH LIKE MUCH LIKE I WAS ON THANKSGIVING.

OUR AGENDA IS VERY FULL TONIGHT.

SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.

WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT LOTS TO LOTS TO DISCUSS.

THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS.

[1. Public Comments on Work Session Items]

AS WE MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO.

[2. Consider the Consent Agenda]

THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY BE FOR TOMORROW NIGHT.

I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANY ITEMS TO BE PULLED AND CONSIDERED SEPARATELY, BUT WE WILL GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

SO IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING.

[3. Written Briefing(s)]

ITEM THREE A NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY MATCHING GRANT FALL 2020 APPLICATIONS.

ITEM THREE B PROJECT SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS COUNTY FOR HOLFORD ROAD, SEGMENT A FROM PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE TO NORTH DALLAS COUNTY LINE.

ITEM. EXCUSE ME, ITEM 3C PROJECT SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH DALLAS COUNTY FOR HOLFORD ROAD, SEGMENT B FROM NAAMAN FOREST BOULEVARD TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE.

AND ITEM 3D PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY FOR FIRE STATION NO.7.

ALL RIGHT. WE WILL MOVE ON TO VERBAL BRIEFINGS.

[4A. COVID-19 Response Update and Further Actions ]

AND MR. CHESSHER? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.

I'LL DIVE RIGHT INTO THE NORMAL UPDATE, I'LL ASK MISTIE TO SHARE HER SCREEN SO YOU ALL CAN FOLLOW ALONG.

AND THERE YOU GO, THE NUMBERS THAT I TYPICALLY REPORT, SO AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, WE ADDED COINCIDENTALLY, WE ADDED NINETY NINE POSITIVE CASES TODAY.

BACKLOG CASES, REALLY, AS YOU ALL PROBABLY KNOW, HAVEN'T BEEN AN ISSUE FOR SOME TIME, ALTHOUGH WE DID GET A WARNING TODAY ABOUT PERHAPS A SMALL NUMBER OF BACKLOG CASES IN THE SYSTEM. BUT BRING THE COUNT AS OF TODAY, IS JUST UNDER TWELVE THOUSAND TOTAL CONFIRMED CASES, WHICH IS IS JUST UNDER FIVE PERCENT OF THE POPULATION.

SO TO MAYBE PERHAPS PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S ABOUT ONE IN EVERY 20 GARLAND RESIDENTS HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 AT SOME POINT DURING THE PANDEMIC.

MOST OF THOSE ARE IN THE RECOVERED CATEGORY.

SO JUST OVER NINE THOUSAND YOU SEE IN THE GREEN NUMBER THERE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN. THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT HAVE BECOME INFECTED, PROGRESSED THROUGH THE DISEASE PHASE AND AT THE END OF MONITORING.

SO THEY'RE CONSIDERED RECOVERED AND PRESUMABLY BACK TO NORMAL LIFE.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE'VE REACHED THE TRIPLE DIGIT MARK ON THE TOTAL DEATHS WHERE WE'RE SITTING RIGHT ON ONE HUNDRED TOTAL DEATHS.

THANKFULLY, WE HAVE HAVEN'T WITH THE LAST DEATH THAT WE RECORDED.

THE MOST RECENT ONE WAS IN THE MIDDLE PART OF LAST WEEK.

AND THEN THE WHITE NUMBER THERE AT THE BOTTOM, OF COURSE, IS THE ACTIVE CASES.

SO THOSE ARE THE FOLKS WITH CURRENT INFECTIONS OR PERHAPS YOU CAN THINK OF IT AS RECENT INFECTIONS. THEY'VE NOT YET MET THE END OF MONITORING CRITERIA.

THE GRAPH THAT YOU SEE THERE ON THE LEFT PORTION OF THE PAGE ILLUSTRATES POSITIVE CASES BY SAMPLE COLLECTION DATE.

AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN SEE THE SPIKE THAT WE HAD BACK IN LATE JUNE EARLY JULY.

AND AGAIN, THE SPIKE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN NOW.

OF COURSE, YOU SEE A DOWNWARD TREND THERE.

OUR. A SEVEN DAY ROLLING AVERAGE IS TRENDING DOWNWARD AND CERTAINLY ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THAT CONTINUES TRENDING DOWNWARD, BUT WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT IT DOES.

MISTIE, THANK YOU. YOU CAN UNSHARE YOUR SCREEN NOW.

JUST TO BRIEFLY.

GO OVER THE THE VACCINE LANDSCAPE AS IT IS.

THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES IS HAVING WEEKLY PHONE CALLS TO UPDATE REGISTERED PROVIDERS ON POTENTIAL AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES.

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SO WE'RE IN THE SYSTEM AND EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO ORDER VACCINES AS SOON AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE TO PRIORITY GROUPS THAT WE SERVE.

RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE THREE VACCINE DEVELOPERS HAVE RELEASED PRELIMINARY INFORMATION.

Y'ALL WE'VE ALL HEARD OF PFIZER.

WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN PRIOR MEETINGS, MODERNA AS WELL.

ASTRAZENECA RELEASED SOME EARLY VACCINE TRIAL RESULTS LAST WEEK AND THEIR.

THEIR RESULTS ARE PROMISING, AS ARE THE ONES FROM PFIZER AND MODERNA, THE ASTRAZENECA VACCINES UP TO, NOW THESE ARE VERY PRELIMINARY RESULTS, I SHOULD SAY.

SO THEY'RE CERTAINLY SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

BUT THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS FOR THE ASTRAZENECA VACCINE ARE UP TO 90 PERCENT EFFECTIVE.

THERE'S AN ODDITY THERE BECAUSE IN THE EARLY TRIALS, THE VACCINE IS MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN INDIVIDUALS WERE GIVEN A HALF DOSE FOR THE FIRST ROUND AND A FULL DOSE FOR THE SECOND ROUND. THAT'S KIND OF LEFT EVERYBODY SCRATCHING THEIR HEADS.

I DON'T HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR WHY THAT MAY BE THE CASE, BUT SUFFICE TO SAY THAT THE EFFICACY OF UP TO 90 PERCENT IS VERY PROMISING.

SO THAT'S THREE VACCINES, POTENTIAL VACCINES THAT ARE EITHER IN THE PIPELINE OR WILL SOON BE IN THE PIPELINE FOR EMERGENCY AUTHORIZATION.

THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES CONTINUES TO EXPECT THAT VACCINES WILL BE RELEASED IN VERY LIMITED DOSES BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH.

NOW, THOSE DOSES, THOSE FIRST FEW DOSES ARE GOING TO GO TO FRONTLINE HOSPITAL WORKERS CARING FOR COVID POSITIVE PATIENTS AND LONG TERM CARE FACILITY, SO IT'S UNLIKELY THAT WE WILL RECEIVE ANY OF THOSE EARLIEST DOSES OF VACCINE.

I EXPECT OUR, I EXPECT VACCINES TO BE AVAILABLE TO US AND OTHER LOCAL PROVIDERS AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. HOPEFULLY SOON AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.

SO THAT KIND OF GIVES US AN IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF VACCINE DEVELOPMENT.

THE. ONE FINAL THING I WANT TO GO OVER, OF COURSE, WITH THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASE PRECAUTIONS, AS I SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO, OUR ROLLING AVERAGES TRENDING DOWNWARD.

THAT'S GOOD. I THINK EVERYBODY'S CONCERNED THAT THERE'S ANOTHER POTENTIAL SPIKE IN THE NEAR TERM BECAUSE OF TRAVEL OVER THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY.

WHILE WE CAN'T GO BACK IN TIME AND CHANGE ANY OF THAT, WHAT WE CAN DO IS MINIMIZE ANY TRANSMISSION THAT'S HAPPENED THUS FAR BY DOUBLING DOWN ON THESE CONTAGIOUS DISEASE PRECAUTION, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE THE ONLY THING AVAILABLE TO US.

THEY'RE THE ONLY TOOLS AVAILABLE TO US TO PREVENT SPREAD, TO PROTECT OURSELVES, OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS AND OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

SO VERY QUICKLY, THESE, OF COURSE, HAVEN'T CHANGED.

AND I PROBABLY SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT THEY'RE WORTH MENTIONING EVERY TIME.

YOU WANT TO WASH YOUR HANDS REGULARLY WITH SOAP AND WATER, OF COURSE, AVOID TOUCHING YOUR EYES, NOSE AND MOUTH, PARTICULARLY WITH UNWASHED HANDS.

YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN THAT SOCIAL DISTANCE, SIX FEET.

CERTAINLY WHEN YOU'RE OUT IN PUBLIC, MAINTAIN THAT SOCIAL DISTANCE, AVOID CONTACT WITH ANYONE ELSE. AND PRIMARILY BECAUSE, AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, PEOPLE CAN APPEAR PERFECTLY HEALTHY AND YET TRANSMIT COVID-19.

SO YOU CAN'T RELY ON THE PERSON'S APPEARANCE TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE SICK.

THEREFORE, WE NEED TO MAINTAIN THAT SOCIAL DISTANCE.

IDEALLY, YOU WANT TO STAY AT HOME AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

AND CERTAINLY IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING ANY COVID LIKE SYMPTOMS, YOU WANT TO STAY HOME AND COVID LIKE SYMPTOMS ARE UNFORTUNATELY THE SAME, VERY SIMILAR SYMPTOMS TO THE FLU OR A COMMON COLD OR EVEN ALLERGIES.

SO IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING ANY OF THOSE SYMPTOMS, PLEASE STAY HOME AND DO YOUR PART IN PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY.

AND AGAIN, YOUR COWORKERS, FRIENDS AND OTHERS.

YOU WANT TO COVER, BE COURTEOUS AND COVER COSTS AND SNEEZES AND THEN AGAIN FREQUENTLY CLEAN THOSE HIGH TOUCH AREAS, DOORKNOBS, HANDRAILS AND THE LIKE.

AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU WANT TO WEAR A MASK.

I THINK I MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING, CDC RELEASED A SERIES OF PERHAPS SMALL STUDIES IS THE BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT, BUT THAT REALLY REINFORCED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MASKS IN BOTH PREVENTING TRANSMISSION, SO PREVENTING DROPLET SPREAD AND PREVENTING THE INHALATION OF DROPLETS. SO IT PROTECTS BOTH WAYS.

THOSE MASK CLOTH MASKS PROTECT BOTH WAYS.

RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE PERHAPS THE SINGLE BEST METHOD THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 NOT TO DIMINISH ANY OF THESE OTHER PRECAUTIONS, BUT CERTAINLY WE WANT TO WEAR MASKS AND PRACTICE ALL OF THESE OTHER PRECAUTIONS THAT I'VE

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UNLESS THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK WE DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND COUNCIL.

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM VERA WILL BE JOINING US HERE SHORTLY HERE.

HE'S NOT ON WITH US NOW, BUT HE IS TRYING TO GET IN.

FIRST UP IS COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS. THANKS, MR. MAYOR. MR. CHESSHER GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN. HOW ARE YOU, SIR? OK, I'M GOOD, YOU? I'M GOOD. ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU, GIVEN THE MEASURES THAT THE COUNCIL, MAYOR, COUNCIL THAT WE PUT IN PLACE AND GIVEN THE NUMBERS, I THINK YOU SAID ONE ABOUT ONE IN 20.

WAS THAT CORRECT? YES SIR, OR CUMULATIVE, YES SIR.

OK, OK, DOES YOUR AND YOUR TEAM, DOES YOUR AND YOUR TEAM, HAVE ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS AND MEASURES THAT YOU THINK WE MIGHT CONSIDER TAKING THAT HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO FURTHER HELP MITIGATE THE SPREAD? ANY THOUGHTS ALONG THOSE LINES? ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM YOUR TEAM? GREAT QUESTION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE ANSWER IS NO.

THE THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASE PRECAUTIONS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW THAT I JUST WENT OVER REALLY ARE THE THE BEST.

AND TO A LARGE DEGREE, THE ONLY TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO COMBAT THIS DISEASE SPREAD AT A PERSONAL LEVEL. SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE MOMENT, OUR BEST SUGGESTION AND THE BEST SUGGESTIONS THAT WE'RE SEEING, WE'RE HEARING FROM BOTH STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TO IS TO REALLY DOUBLE DOWN ON THESE CONTAGIOUS DISEASE PRECAUTIONS.

THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. YES, SIR.

COUNCIL LADY MORRIS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. JASON, I JUST WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION THAT I'M AT LEAST HEARING FROM A NUMBER OF CITIZENS, WHICH IS HAVE YOU HEARD ANY TALK ABOUT THE COVID-19 VACCINE BECOMING MANDATORY FOR THE PUBLIC WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE? ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION, AND I HAVE HEARD NOTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.

OK, THERE IS A COUNCIL MEMBER IN [INAUDIBLE] WHO'S TELLING PEOPLE THAT THEY EXPECT IT TO BECOME MANDATORY. AND SO I'M GETTING I'M GETTING WASHBACK FROM THAT.

OK, AND WHEN YOU'RE WHEN YOU MENTIONED YOU THINK THAT VACCINES MAY BE SHIPPED OR BECOME INITIALLY BECOME AVAILABLE BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH, I'M ASSUMING THE MONTH YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS DECEMBER? YES, MA'AM. YES.

I JUST JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.

GOOD. GOOD. OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY ANXIOUS FOR THE END OF THE DAY AND.

YOU ANSWERED THE OTHER THINGS.

APPRECIATE IT, APPRECIATE THE CHARTS.

I ALSO HOPE THE DOWNTREND ON OUR ROLLING AVERAGE CONTINUES DOWN.

I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT THANKSGIVING IS GOING TO SET US BACK, BUT WE'LL SEE.

THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MR. CHESSHER? IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE ON, MISTIE? YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU.

COUNCIL, I WILL SHARE MY SCREEN.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE'LL DO WHAT WE'VE DONE THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS AND THAT'S GO THROUGH THE STATISTICS AS THEY ARE, I'LL TRY TO GIVE YOU A FEW THINGS THAT AS WE'VE SEEN THINGS COME UP THAT ARE ODDITIES WILL POINT OUT A FEW OF THOSE THINGS JUST TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. SO, FIRST OF ALL, ON THE TEXAS CASES AS OF TODAY, THE THEY DID UPDATE JUST PRIOR TO 5:00 TODAY, TEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FOURTEEN NEW CASES TODAY FOR A TOTAL OF ONE MILLION ONE HUNDRED SIXTY EIGHT THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN CONFIRMED CASES FOR THE STATE. JUST TO COMPARE THAT, IT'S ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY THOUSAND MORE CASES THAN LAST REPORT ON THE 16TH.

UNFORTUNATELY TWENTY TWO NEWLY REPORTED FATALITIES FOR A TOTAL OF TWENTY ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY NINE, WITH AN ESTIMATED ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SIX THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT ACTIVE CASES.

COMPARED TO LAST REPORT ON THE 16TH.

THAT WAS THAT ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED THIRTY ONE ACTIVE CASES.

FOR POSITIVITY, THIS BECOMES I DON'T KNOW IF IT BECOMES MORE AND MORE IRRELEVANT, BUT IT CERTAINLY BECOMES HARDER TO TRACK.

ON SPECIMEN COLLECTION DATE POSITIVITY.

ITS ELEVEN POINT THREE THREE EIGHT PERCENT ON LAB TEST, A REPORTED DATE POSITIVITY,

[00:15:02]

AND THEN CASE REPORTED DATE POSITIVITY, WHICH WAS THAT ORIGINAL METHOD THAT THEY USED TO TRY AND RATE TESTING VERSUS POSITIVE CASES IS NINE POINT TWO TWO.

THOSE ARE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY BUT SOMEWHAT DECREASED ALL OR DECREASED FROM LAST REPORT.

AND THESE POSITIVITY RATES, WHILE I'M REPORTING IT TODAY, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE POSITIVE RATE FROM THE TWENTY NINTH OR THEY RUN ABOUT TWO DAYS LATE.

FOR HOSPITALIZATIONS.

SO TOTAL STAFF BED COUNT IS SIXTY THREE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED AND TWELVE FOR THE STATE.

WE'LL COMPARE THIS TO THE COUNTY INTO THE REGION WITH THIRTEEN THOUSAND TWENTY BEDS AVAILABLE FOR A TOTAL OCCUPANCY OF FIFTY THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED NINETY TWO FOR TODAY.

THAT'S DOWN ABOUT ELEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY FROM THE LAST REPORT.

OUT OF FIFTY THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED NINETY TWO SORRY PATIENTS.

THERE ARE EIGHTY NINE HUNDRED PATIENTS THAT ARE CONFIRMED COVID-19.

THAT'S UP ABOUT FOURTEEN HUNDRED AND THIRTY TWO FROM LAST REPORT.

SO WHILE THE TOTAL OCCUPANCY IS DOWN, THE NUMBER OF COVID PATIENTS IS UP FOR A PERCENTAGE OF SEVENTEEN POINT SIX SIX FOR THE STATE.

IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT IT SHOWS THE PERCENTAGE AS FOURTEEN POINT ZERO FOUR, AND I'LL JUST HIGHLIGHT THIS AGAIN, LIKE WE'VE DONE IN PREVIOUS REPORTS, THE STATE SHOWING THE COVID HOSPITALIZATION OUT OF TOTAL HOSPITAL CAPACITY, NOT TOTAL NUMBER OF PATIENTS. SO THAT'S WHY THAT PERCENTAGE GOES DOWN PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY.

AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT AGAIN WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COUNTY NUMBERS.

SO FOR COUNTY CASES, NEW CASES TODAY, SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FOUR CONFIRMED DEATHS AT THIS POINT. TWELVE HUNDRED AND TWELVE FOR THE COUNTY.

AND THEN CUMULATIVE POSITIVES IS ONE TWENTY SIX SIX NINETY.

COUPLE OF THINGS TO LOOK AT HERE ON THE TOTAL CONFIRMED DEATHS.

THAT'S UP ABOUT SIXTY NINE FROM LAST REPORT.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT LAST WEEK.

SO OUR LAST REPORT, SO WANT TO MAKE SURE AND HIGHLIGHT THAT.

BUT ALSO IF YOU SAW ANY REPORTS YESTERDAY ON THE CUMULATIVE CASES OR TOTAL I'M SORRY, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEW CASES FOR YESTERDAY, THEY SHOWED THIRTY THREE HUNDRED AND THREE FOR ONE DAY. BUT AS YOU READ THROUGH THE DETAILS, THAT'S ACTUALLY A COMBINATION OF THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

SO PRETTY ALARMING NUMBER THERE ALL AT ONE TIME AT THE TOP.

BUT WHEN YOU AVERAGE IT OUT, IT COMES OUT TO ABOUT ELEVEN HUNDRED A DAY.

SO STAYING PRETTY CONSISTENT THERE.

ONE OTHER THING JUST TO.

AGAIN, FOR TRANSPARENCY PURPOSES, THE COUNTY IS ALSO REPORTING NOT JUST THEIR POSITIVE CASES, BUT ALSO THEIR.

SORRY.

ON THEIR PRESS RELEASES, THEY'RE SHOWING ADDITIONAL POSITIVES, BUT ALSO PROBABLE CASES.

EASY FOR ME TO SAY. COULDN'T THINK OF THAT WORD.

AND SO THOSE PROBABLE CASES WHEN THEY START ADDING THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES.

SO ON THIS REPORT, IT'S JUST SHOWING CONFIRMED POSITIVES, NOT POSITIVES AND PROBABLE CASES. OK, FOR HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR TODAY, LOOKING AT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF LICENSED BEDS REPORTED, SIX THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND TWENTY, A HOSPITAL CENSUS FOR DALLAS COUNTY IS FORTY FIVE FORTY SEVEN.

SO IT'S OCCUPIED BEDS.

OUT OF THOSE EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIX ARE COVID PATIENTS.

AND THAT PERCENTAGE IS SEVENTEEN POINT SEVEN TWO PERCENT.

FOR VENTILATOR AVAILABILITY, WHICH IS DOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

TOTAL VENTILATORS AVAILABLE IS FIFTEEN NINETY FOUR.

BUT THEY DIVIDE THAT UP INTO TWO CLASSES, ONE BEING A CLASSIC VENTILATORS AT FIVE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY, WHICH IS ABOUT A FORTY TWO PERCENT USAGE RATE, AND THEN MECHANICAL VENTILATORS AT ONE THOUSAND TWENTY FOUR, WHICH IS ALSO A FORTY POINT ZERO FIVE PERCENT USAGE RATE. SO LOOKING AT COVID-19 HOSPITALIZED AND VENTILATED, IT'S ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY EIGHT PATIENTS THAT WERE REPORTED TODAY.

PERCENT OF ALL VENTILATED PATIENTS IS ABOUT TWENTY THREE POINT TEN PERCENT BEING COVID PATIENTS THAT ARE ON VENTILATORS.

AND THEN LAST WEEK WE LOOKED AT THE ICU NUMBERS AS WELL.

CONFIRMED COVID ADULT ICUS PATIENTS IS TWO HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE, WHICH IS ABOUT FORTY POINT THREE EIGHT PERCENT.

AND COMPARED TO LAST REPORT, THAT NUMBER WAS ONE EIGHTY.

SO LOOKING AT THE GRAPH IN THE MIDDLE, A LOT OF QUESTIONS HAVE COME UP ABOUT THIS, SO THIS IS WHY WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IT.

THAT PERCENTAGE OF ALL, MAKE THIS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER.

PERCENTAGE OF ALL IN-PATIENTS WITH COVID IS THE ORANGE LINE.

THAT'S HOW WE ORIGINALLY REPORTED IT.

THE RED LINE IS HOW THE STATE IS COMPARING FOR THAT NUMBER ON THE LATEST GOVERNOR'S ORDERS. LOOKING AT THINGS OVER 15 PERCENT.

[00:20:02]

SO THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, WITH THE COUNTY SPECIFICALLY.

WE'RE JUST HOVERING RIGHT AT JUST BELOW 15 PERCENT FOR MOST DAYS.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TRAUMA SERVICE AREA, WHICH IS HOW THE STATE LOOKS AT IT, AND THIS IS WHAT WAS REPORTED ON THE NEWS TODAY, IS THAT FOR THE PAST THREE DAYS WE'VE BEEN OVER THE 15 PERCENT THRESHOLD.

SO THE REASON I'M SHOWING YOU THIS, I'VE NEVER SHOWN YOU THIS PARTICULAR GRAPHIC BEFORE.

IT'S JUST THE TRAUMA SERVICE AREA AS OPPOSED TO JUST DALLAS COUNTY.

AND THE REASON I'M SHOWING YOU IS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THIRTY TWO IS ACTUALLY HINGED ON.

SO THEY LOOK AT TRAUMA SERVICE AREA, NOT JUST THE COUNTY.

AND SO THAT IS TRUE.

FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS, WE ARE OVER A 15 PERCENT CAPACITY FOR THE TRAUMA SERVICE AREA.

SO IF YOU HEAR THAT, THAT'S WHERE THAT NUMBER IS COMING FROM.

THIS IS THE SLIDE THAT JASON REVIEWED EARLIER, SO I WON'T GO BACK OVER THAT.

THE CARES ACT FUNDED GARLAND TESTING SITE.

SO THE TOTAL TEST AS OF TODAY, ELEVEN THOUSAND NINETY TWO CONFIRMED POSITIVES IS THIRTEEN HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE.

AND THE CONFIRMED NEGATIVES IS 6260, I'M SORRY, NINETY TWO SIXTY FOUR.

NINETY TWO SIXTY FOUR.

THE GRAPH IN THE MIDDLE SHOWS THE NUMBER OF TESTS REPORTED BY DATE AND THEN THE YELLOW LINE IS THE PERCENT POSITIVE.

SO FOR CUMULATIVE POSITIVITY FOR THE OPEN SITE, REMEMBER WE STARTED WITH TWO SITES.

FOR THE OPEN SITE IS TWELVE POINT ONE NON AND FOR BOTH SITES COMBINED IS TWELVE POINT EIGHT ONE. THEN FOR STAFF IMPACTS, WE HAVE A TOTAL SO FAR OF ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEEN WHO HAVE RECOVERED FROM COVID AND RETURNED TO WORK.

STAFF IMPACTS AT THIS POINT, ARE SEVENTY SIX EMPLOYEES WERE EXCLUDED FROM WORK.

TWENTY FOUR HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID, ONE IS PENDING A COVID TEST RESULT AND FIFTY ONE ARE EXCLUDED DUE TO RISK EXPOSURES.

FOR THAT TOTAL SEVENTY SIX NUMBER THAT ARE EXCLUDED.

AND THEN THIS IS THE SAME GRAPH THAT WE HAD ON LAST REPORT THAT JASON'S TEAM CAME UP WITH.

WE HAD STARTED TRACKING THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WERE POSITIVE AND EXCLUSIONS FROM WORK IN LATE JUNE.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE GRAPH STARTS.

AND THEN EACH DATA POINT REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF POSITIVE EMPLOYEES OR EMPLOYEES EXCLUDED ON THE ON EACH FRIDAY OF THE WEEK, WITH THE EXCEPTION BEING LAST WEEK BEING THE TWENTY FIFTH ON WEDNESDAY.

THEY REPORTED THAT ON WEDNESDAY INSTEAD OF FRIDAY BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAY.

AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, UNLESS THERE'S QUESTIONS I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. OK, AND WE DO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU, COUNCILMAN AUBIN? THANK YOU, MAYOR. MISTIE, DID I, DID I SEE THAT RIGHT THAT THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE ICU BEDS IS THIRTY SIX? YES ADULT ICU BEDS, YES, SIR, THAT'S CORRECT, FOR THE COUNTY.

IS THAT IS THAT THAT'S FOR THE COUNTY OR IS THAT FOR THE WHOLE.

THAT'S JUST FOR THAT. YES, JUST FOR THE COUNTY.

DO WE KNOW IF HOSPITALS IN DALLAS COUNTY HAVE STARTED TAKING MEASURES TO EXPAND THEIR ICU? THAT NUMBER IS VERY CONCERNING TO ME AND.

IT LEAVES ME WITH THE MESSAGE OF, YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY FOLLOW WHAT MR. CHESSHER SAID IN TERMS OF PROTOCOLS BECAUSE THERE'S NO ROOM FOR YOU AT THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW. IF YOU NEED AN ICU THAT'S THIRTY SIX BEDS FOR A COUNTY OF TWO POINT SIX MILLION IS VERY CONCERNING. YES.

SO THEY I MEAN, THERE IS ALWAYS A SURGE CAPACITY AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT THE EXPERT HERE, BUT THEY DO HAVE A CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THAT SURGE.

BUT THIS IS BASED OFF THE CURRENTLY STAFFED AVAILABLE ICU BEDS.

THIS WOULD NOT INCLUDE ANY EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES THAT THEY COULD TAKE TO OPEN UP EXTRA ICU AREAS OR ADD BEDS TO THOSE AREAS.

SO THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL CAPACITY IF THEY HAD TO INCREASE THE SURGE.

BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW, BASED ON STAFF BEDS, THAT IS ACCURATE.

THAT'S HOW MANY ARE AVAILABLE.

OK, I GET IT.

ACTUALLY, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THERE.

WHEN YOU MENTIONED STAFF BEDS, BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE BEDS THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADD BEDS BUT NOT BE ABLE TO ADD STAFF, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, HUGE SWATHS OF THE NATION ARE NOW A HOTSPOT.

SO THE IDEA OF GETTING STAFF TO KIND OF PARACHUTE INTO TO HELP US MAY NOT MAY NOT BE REALISTIC. SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MAYOR. YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR MISTIE OR JASON? I SEE NONE AND AS ALWAYS, MISTIE, JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, I KNOW AN AMAZING AMOUNT

[00:25:04]

AND IN ALL THE VARIOUS YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S LOTS OF CALCULATION METHODS AND THERE'S A LOT OF DATA TO BE COLLECTED AND DISPERSED, SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS PULLING ALL THAT TOGETHER FOR US OR FOR OUR MEETINGS IN AND HONESTLY FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS.

I KNOW IT'S I'M ASSUMING IT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THE LAST NINE MONTHS.

AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR US.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.

OK, NEXT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 4B, AND 4B IS INTERVIEWS FOR APPOINTMENT TO CITY COUNCIL

[4B. Interviews for Appointment to City Council, District 1]

I KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE SOMEWHERE, BUT BEFORE WE GET STARTED WITH THE WITH THE INTERVIEWS, CAN YOU GIVE US A STATUS UPDATE AS FAR AS YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH AUSTIN? THANK YOU, MAYOR. YES, COUNCIL, I HAVE BEEN HARANGUING MY CONTACTS DOWN IN AUSTIN, IT'S ACTUALLY THE GENERAL COUNCIL ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELECTION SERVICES AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE, WHICH SERVES UNDER THE GOVERNOR.

AND WHEN WE LAST SPOKE, WHICH WAS I THINK THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS, I TOLD MY CONTACT THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE GOVERNOR ABBOTT IS BUSY, HAS OTHER THINGS TO DO.

IN FACT, I BELIEVE THAT DAY HE WAS DOING THE GUBERNATORIAL CANVASING OF STATEWIDE ELECTION RESULTS.

THE LADY I'VE BEEN TALKING TO IS GOING TO TRY TO TALK TO THE GOVERNOR OR THE GOVERNOR'S CHIEF OF STAFF THAT DAY, THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GOING TO BE POSSIBLE.

I DID TELL HER THAT WE WEREN'T EXPECTING SOMETHING ACTUALLY SIGNED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT, JUST AN OFFICIAL ANSWER TO OUR REQUEST.

I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THAT ANSWER IS GOING TO BE A NO, BECAUSE THE CURRENT PANDEMIC AND OTHER ISSUES RELATED TO ELECTION YEAR.

WE CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT.

WE EXPECTED THAT.

BUT WE WERE WANTING SOMETHING WE NEED SOMETHING OFFICIAL SO THAT WE CAN PROCEED.

AND WE'RE STILL AWAITING THAT OFFICIAL RESULT.

I THINK IT WAS OF SOME CONCERN THAT THEY WERE THEY WERE THINKING THAT WE NEEDED AN ACTUAL LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR.

I DON'T THINK THE CHARTER CALLS FOR THAT.

WE DO NEED AN OFFICIAL ANSWER ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNOR.

AND AS I SAY, I THINK WE ALL EXPECT THE ANSWER GOING TO BE NO.

I DID ASK IF ANYTHING WOULD BE WRONG WITH PROCEEDING AS WE ARE GOING TO DO TONIGHT, IF THAT WOULD CAUSE ANY CONCERN WITH THE GOVERNOR AND OTHERS.

AND SHE TOLD ME NO, THAT WASN'T A CONCERN AT ALL.

SO WE'RE READY TO PROCEED WITH THIS STAGE TONIGHT.

COUNCILOR AUBIN? THANK YOU, MAYOR, THANK YOU, BRAD, FOR THE UPDATE.

A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IF.

HOW LONG DO WE WAIT? I MEAN, IF WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER, I MEAN, WE'VE GOTTEN KIND OF AN UNOFFICIAL ANSWER, BUT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANYTHING CAN YOU GIVE US ANY GUIDANCE OR ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW LONG WE WAIT? IN TERMS OF I MEAN, CUZ OR ACTUALLY MAYBE A BETTER QUESTION IS THIS.

HOW LONG AGO DID WE ASKED AND WHAT DAY WAS IT DELIVERED TO THE TO THE GOVERNOR? AND HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE ANY OPINIONS ON HOW LONG WE WAIT? I DON'T HAVE THE LETTER IN FRONT OF ME TO TELL YOU WITHOUT GETTING OFF THE ZOOM MEETING HERE TO LOOK AT IT. WE FEDEXED IT DOWN THERE.

AND WHEN WAS THAT? IT WAS ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I BELIEVE, AND.

HOW LONG DO WE WAIT? WELL, WE CALLED WE ARE HAVING A SPECIAL ELECTION, BEAR IN MIND IT'S IN ITS NORMAL COURSE

[00:30:01]

AND THAT WOULD BE IN DUE COURSE OR PRECEDING.

WELL WE CALL THAT ELECTION IN FEBRUARY.

SO THIS POSITION IS APPOINTED POSITION WOULD FILL IN UNTIL MAY, BUT I THINK BY THE TIME THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO CALL THAT SPECIAL ELECTION, THE MAY SPECIAL ELECTION, THAT'S THE END OF THINGS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE SOMEWHERE AROUND THE FIRST OR MID PART OF FEBRUARY IS THE DROP DEAD DATE FOR CALLING ELECTIONS.

YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF THE ELECTION AND PUT OTHER THINGS IN PLACE.

I DON'T THINK COUNCIL WANTS TO WAIT THAT LONG THAT IF THAT DAY CAME TO PASS, WELL, THERE'S A NO BY OPERATION LAW.

THERE IS NO OTHER RESULT.

WE COULD HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION CONCEIVABLY EARLIER THAN THAT, EVEN IF I'M SORRY TO EXPOUND ON IT HERE.

BUT MY REASONING IS THAT EVEN IF THE GOVERNOR SAID, SURE, TOMORROW SEND US A LETTER, SURE YOU CAN HAVE A SPECIAL ELECTION.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 60 TO 75 DAYS OF PRE NOTICE TO GET THAT ELECTION CALLED.

AND IT WOULD JUST LEAVE US WITH SO LITTLE TIME IT WOULDN'T BE, IN MY OPINION, COST EFFECTIVE TO DO SO.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AGAIN, CERTAINLY FEBRUARY, BUT I'VE BEEN ASSURED THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET AN ANSWER BEFORE THAT.

I ACTUALLY JUST HEARD FROM YOUR STAFF THAT THE LETTER WAS SENT OCTOBER 16TH, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SIX WEEKS AGO THAT WE SENT IT.

AND SO I JUST WONDER AT WHAT POINT WE DO A CONSTRUCT.

IT'S A CONSTRUCTIVE NO AND MY POINT IS THIS IS THAT IF WE WAIT IF WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL FEBRUARY, WELL, THAT'S THAT DOESN'T HELP US MUCH.

WE NEED TO I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE DISTRICT ONE, HAVE SOME REPRESENTATION IN TIME FOR CONSIDERING THE CIP.

AND SO I DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE THAT, CAN WE? LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION.

CAN WE PREAPPROVE SOMEONE? AND WHAT I MEAN IS, RATHER THAN WAIT FOR THE GOVERNOR TO SEND US NO.

CAN WE GO FORWARD? I KNOW WE CAN'T DO IT TONIGHT, BUT COULD WE GO FORWARD AT A SPECIAL MEETING AND SEE IF WE CAN GET TO AN APPOINTMENT THAT WOULD BE CONDITIONAL.

AND SO WE LET'S SEE IF WE AGREE ON, YOU KNOW, JOE SMITH.

SIX OF US AGREE, JOE SMITH, SO THAT WE'VE NOW GIVEN STAFF DIRECTION THAT THE MOMENT THAT THE GOVERNOR SAYS NO, YOU ALL CAN SWEAR IN THAT PERSON, CAN WE DO THAT OR DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER WE'VE HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR? IF THE COUNCIL WERE TO GIVE ITS PRE APPROVAL WITH THAT CONDITION, BECAUSE THAT IS THE CHARTER'S CONDITION, THAT THAT WE HAVE NO ANSWER FROM THE GOVERNOR AND WE RECEIVED THAT AFTER YOUR CONDITIONAL APPROVAL, I THINK WE COULD GO AHEAD AND SQUARE THAT PERSON.

OK, SO WE COULD HAVE WE COULD CALL A MEETING IN ADVANCE.

AND SO THAT PERSON'S READY TO GO.

ALSO, COULD WE YOU KNOW, THE.

I SUPPOSE THE ONLY PROHIBITION WOULD BE IF WE IF WE DID APPOINT SOMEBODY AND THAT PERSON HASN'T BEEN SWORN IN YET, WE COULD STILL HAVE SOMEBODY PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETINGS, JUST NOT IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSIONS AND PERHAPS NOT VOTING.

IS THAT CORRECT? YOU COULD HAVE THEM SERVE IN SOME SORT OF EX OFFICIO CAPACITY.

I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT THEIR VOTE WOULDN'T COUNT.

RIGHT. RIGHT.

OK. THANK YOU, BRAD.

THANK YOU MAYOR. YES, SIR.

COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

MR. CITY ATTORNEY TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT COUNCILMAN AUBIN, WOULD YOU TELL ME WORST CASE SCENARIO. MY CONCERN IS, IS AS HE'S EXPRESSED REPRESENTATION FOR THE FOR THE FOR THE RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT ONE.

SO IF WE IF WE PROCEEDED AND HAVE TO GO EX OFFICIO, AS YOU JUST STATED.

WHAT IS? I'M TRYING TO THINK OF HOW TO FRAME THIS.

WHAT IS THE.

WHAT IS WHAT WOULD BE THE UNDOING LEVER.

THAT THE GOVERNOR OFFICE WOULD HAVE SHOULD WE PROCEED?

[00:35:03]

THAT THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT ONE NEEDS REPRESENTATION.

WE DO HAVE THINGS COMING UP, WE DO HAVE PARTICULARLY IN JANUARY AND WAITING UNTIL FEBRUARY AND WE'VE GOT AN ELECTION IN MAY.

I THINK THAT DOES [INAUDIBLE] A DISSERVICE, A DISSERVICE TO THOSE CITIZENS.

SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IF WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THIS AND WE DID THE EX OFFICIO, WE WOULD MAKE AN APPOINTMENT PENDING THE GOVERNOR'S THING.

AND THE GOVERNOR CAME BACK WITH A NEGATIVE.

WHAT WOULD BE WHAT'S WHAT'S THE REPERCUSSION IF WE PROCEEDED IN THE MANNER THAT COUNCILMAN AUBIN JUST DESCRIBED? WHAT WOULD BE THE PUSHBACK, WHAT WOULD BE THE CONSEQUENCES, IF ANY? WELL, YEAH, IF I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION AND AT LEAST ON MINE, SOME OF YOUR AUDIO WAS CUTTING OUT. I'M SORRY IF I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION THE WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT AND SITTING IN SOME EX OFFICIO CAPACITY.

WELL, IT'S A PERSON PARTICIPATING.

IT'S SORT OF I DON'T MEAN TO DOWNPLAY IT, BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] TO ENGAGE IN DISCUSSIONS AND DEBATES.

BUT THAT PERSON WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO VOTE, AS COUNCILMAN AUBIN POINTED OUT.

THEY ALSO WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONS BECAUSE THEY AREN'T A SWORN MEMBER OF THE CITY OF GARLAND.

BUT THEY COULD PARTICIPATE IF Y'ALL SO ALLOWED IT IN THE DEBATES ON THE SCHEDULE, JUST LIKE WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.

I THINK WHAT COUNCILMAN AUBIN IS PROPOSING IS WORKABLE IN THE SENSE THAT, WELL, I SHOULD BACK UP AND SAY THAT I WAS ASSURED THAT WE'LL GET AN ANSWER SOON.

AND IT'S NOT LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IS INSENSITIVE TO OUR NEEDS, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE OTHER AND I DARE SAY BIGGER THINGS GOING ON IN TEXAS AND NATIONALLY. BUT ASSUMING WE DON'T GET AN ANSWER THIS WEEK AND I GUESS WHAT WE'RE REALLY AIMING FOR IS THE 15TH, WHICH WOULD BE OUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING.

ASSUMING WE DON'T GET SOMETHING BEFORE THAT TIME.

THEN YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE THAT STEP AND APPOINT SOMEBODY AT LEAST CONDITIONALLY PENDING SOME APPROVAL FROM THE GOVERNOR OR DISAPPROVAL OF THE SPECIAL ELECTION.

WHEN THAT COULD OCCUR.

WELL, LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY.

AS SOON AS WE HEAR, I'LL LET EVERYBODY KNOW.

IF THAT HAPPENS TOMORROW.

WELL, WE MAY WANT TO REGROUP, COURSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THREE DAYS PRIOR NOTICE TO TAKE A VOTE ON THE APPOINTMENT.

AND WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONVENIENCE OF ZOOM MEETINGS, IF THAT'S NOT A BURDEN ON Y'ALL.

BUT WE CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THE 15TH.

I THINK WHAT COUNCILMAN AUBIN SUGGESTING WE GIVE SOME KIND OF PREAPPROVAL AND WE DON'T HAVE IT POSTED FOR TONIGHT.

BUT EVEN IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM THE GOVERNOR IN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS TO GO IN AND GIVE A PREAPPROVAL, AS SOON AS WE HAVE A CONDITION PRECEDENT THAT IS GOVERNORS NO VOTE, THEN WE CAN USE THE AUTHORITY GIVEN BY THAT PREAPPROVAL AND SWEAR THAT MEMBER AND THEN OF THE 15TH. THAT PERSON WOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AT THAT TIME AS A FULLY SWORN MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT ONE.

AND SO YOU YOU'RE GOOD WITH THIS CONTINUING WITH THIS PROCESS UP TO THAT POINT OF ACTUALLY TAKING SOME OFFICIAL ACTION, IS THAT CORRECT? YES, WE CAN CONDUCT THE INTERVIEWS.

I THINK WHAT THE CONFUSION IS, IS DO WE WAIT UNTIL THE 15TH AND SEE IF WE'VE HEARD FROM THE GOVERNOR? DO WE SCHEDULE A MEETING AS SOON AS WE HEAR FROM THE GOVERNOR OR DO WE GO AHEAD AND HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING OR POST SOMETHING FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND YOU GIVE US

[00:40:05]

AND MY LAST QUESTION TO YOU IS, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HAS NOT THEY'VE NOT RESPONDED, BUT THROUGH YOUR COMMUNICATIONS, THEY HAVE REQUESTED, QUOTE, ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTATION OR ANYTHING FROM THE CITY, AM I CORRECT? NO, THEY COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.

OK, WELL, I'M STRONGLY FOR PROCEEDING WITH THIS PROCESS UP TO THE POINT THAT YOU JUST YOU COUNCILMAN AUBIN TALKED ABOUT RATHER THAN WAITING SO THAT WE PREPARED AT SUCH TIME.

WHEN WE GET THE NO OR THE YES.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR.

AND THANK YOU, BRAD, FOR THE FOR THE UPDATE AND IN STAYING IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH AUSTIN ON THIS. ALL RIGHT.

SORRY BRAD, CUT YOU OFF.

OK, SO WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, WE WILL NOW START THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS.

AND AS I WAS WORKING THROUGH THIS AND TALKING IT AROUND, TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY PROCESS 12 NOW? ACTUALLY, WE HAVE 11 APPLICANTS.

ONE APPLICANT WITHDREW THEIR APPLICATION LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

WE HAVE 11 APPLICANTS.

AND WHAT I WHAT I WE SEEM TO COME UP WITH IS, YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US, AS WE'RE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, THERE IS A TRIED AND TRUE METHOD OF CANDIDATE FORUMS THAT WE ALL PARTICIPATE IN.

AND SO BASICALLY TRYING TO, AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE, MATCH THAT PROCESS.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS WOULD BE MUCH BETTER.

THIS WOULD BE MUCH BETTER IN PERSON, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT IS NOT AN OPTION FOR US.

SO THIS IS TO THE COUNCIL AND TO THE APPLICANTS.

HERE'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO PROCEED THROUGH THIS.

WE WILL TAKE THE APPLICANTS IN THE ORDER THAT THEIR APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED.

WE WILL EACH APPLICANT WILL BE GIVEN THREE MINUTES TO MAKE AN INTRODUCTION.

TELL US ABOUT THEMSELVES OR WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE TO TELL US AS FAR AS INTRODUCING THEMSELVES TO US, ALL APPLICANTS WILL BE ASKED THE SAME THREE QUESTIONS AND THEY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ANSWER EACH ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS.

AND YES, IT IS GOING TO BE REPETITIVE, BUT THAT IS THAT ALSO IS SORT OF HOW THE FORMS WORK THAT YOU WILL GET TO HEAR ALL OF THE APPLICANTS ANSWER THE SAME QUESTIONS.

AND AGAIN, WITH A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT AND TO THE APPLICANTS, I WILL BE MONITORING THE TIMER. AND IF YOU'RE STILL GOING AT TWO MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE HEADS UP THAT YOU NEED TO SUM UP AND WE'LL MOVE SO THAT WE CAN WE CAN MOVE THROUGH EVERYBODY AS AS QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

NOW, COUNCIL, I'VE GOT THE QUESTIONS HERE AND NOW.

IF THERE IS AN INSTANCE WHERE AN APPLICANT'S ANSWER NEEDS A BIT MORE CLARIFICATION, WE CAN CERTAINLY WE CAN CERTAINLY BACKTRACK TO THAT.

BUT I'D LIKE FOR US JUST TO MOVE THROUGH THE QUESTIONS.

THERE'S NOT A SCORING SYSTEM THAT ANY OF US KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL USING, MUCH LIKE THE DEBATES AND THE CANDIDATE FORUMS. YOU KNOW, THE VOTERS GET THE INFORMATION AND THEN THEY GO TO THE VOTING BOOTH AND THEY PUSH ONE OF THE BUTTONS.

SO WE WILL WE WILL GO WITH THAT.

SO OUR FIRST THE FIRST APPLICANT I HAVE UP IS DOMINIC ARZON WE GET OVER HERE.

AND.

SO THERE YOU ARE, THERE YOU ARE.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, SIR, LET ME GET THE HANDY TIMER STARTED HERE, AND I'M ASSUMING YOU HEARD WHAT I WAS JUST SAYING TO EVERYONE THERE.

YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION, SIR.

THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DOMINIC ARZON.

I AM 22 YEARS OLD.

I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF GARLAND AND DISTRICT ONE FOR 14 YEARS.

AND I THINK GROWING UP IN GARLAND AND GOING THROUGH GARLAND ISD IS REALLY GIVING ME AN INSIGHT OF HOW REALLY DISTRICT ONE OPERATES AND HOW THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT ONE REALLY WANT THE CITY TO MOVE FORWARD, ESPECIALLY OUR DISTRICT.

I'VE SEEN DISTRICT ONE GROW FROM BEING SLIGHTLY RURAL AND I'VE SEEN [INAUDIBLE] GROW.

[00:45:04]

I'VE SEEN SO MUCH ACTIVITY IN DISTRICT ONE.

CURRENTLY, I'M A POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT AT SMU.

I FOCUS IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN USUALLY SMALL SETTINGS.

SO ON LOCAL LEVELS.

RIGHT NOW, MY WORK HAS REALLY BROUGHT ME TO MY SENIOR YEAR WHERE I'M ABOUT TO GRADUATE AND HOPEFULLY GO INTO PUBLIC POLICY.

ESSENTIALLY, MY WANT TO BECOME AN INTERIM CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IS REALLY STEMMED FROM BEING PART OF A POLITICAL STRUCTURE FROM PRETTY MUCH DAY ONE OF MY ACADEMIC LIFE.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN LUCKY TO WORK WITH JUDGE JOHN PAYTON AS ONE OF HIS CLOSE LEGAL CLERKS.

AND THAT HAS GIVEN ME A LOT OF INSIGHT IN WORKING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND AS WELL AS WORKING WITH THE PUBLIC CONSTITUENTS.

SO I'VE BEEN REALLY LUCKY TO WORK IN A PUBLIC ATMOSPHERE AND ALSO CURRENTLY WORK IN A POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE AS WELL.

SO AS YOU KNOW, JUST TO SAVE TIME AND I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE RIGOROUS, I'LL JUST ENDED IT AT THAT AND I'M DEFINITELY READY FOR SOME QUESTIONS.

VERY GOOD, SIR. ALL RIGHT, SO THE FIRST QUESTION AND AGAIN, EVERYBODY, THIS THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE SOME REPETITION IN HERE, AND I REALIZE THAT.

SO QUESTION ONE, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THIS POSITION? WELL, MY QUALIFICATIONS, LIKE I PREVIOUSLY STATED, I'VE HAD A LOT OF WORK IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AS FAR AS WORKING WITH THE COURTHOUSE, WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE COLLIN COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AS WELL AS OTHER JUDGES IN THE COURTHOUSE.

AND I THINK THAT MY BACKGROUND DEALING NOT ONLY WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT AS WELL AS WITH THE PUBLIC IN A GOVERNMENT SITUATION REALLY, REALLY HELPS MY BACKGROUND.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT MY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AS WELL.

MY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND AND POLITICS, AS WELL AS MY CONCENTRATION IN CONSTITUENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS, GOES A LONG WAY.

AS WELL AS THAT. I AM A PRECINCT CHAIR FOR A POLITICAL PARTY AND I DID HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN ELECTION FOR THAT. SO I DO THINK I HAVE A BACKGROUND FOR THAT AS WELL AS I DO THINK THAT ME BEING A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER, I DEFINITELY LIKE TALKING TO PEOPLE.

I DEFINITELY LIKE GOING ON SOCIAL MEDIA A LOT.

I DEFINITELY LIKE HEARING WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, ESPECIALLY LOCALLY.

AND I THINK THAT I WOULD BE A GREAT PERSON TO HAVE TO REPRESENT DISTRICT ONE.

VERY GOOD. QUESTION TWO, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IF APPOINTED TO THIS POSITION FOR DISTRICT ONE? SO I KNOW THAT THIS WOULD BE AN INTERIM POSITION AND IT WOULDN'T BE A POSITION THAT I WOULD HAVE VERY LONG.

IN THAT TIME SPAN.

I WOULD REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL ON WHAT THEY HAVE, WHAT THE CITY HAS GOING ON.

BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO IS I REALLY WANT TO TAKE ALL OF THE CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE. I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO ME AND I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO TELL ME WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE AND WHAT THEY WANT CITY COUNCIL TO FOCUS ON.

SO I REALLY WANT TO BRING MORE CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IN THAT.

AND I KNOW IN THE COVID 19 TIMES RIGHT NOW, IT IS HARDER TO GET OUT AND TALK TO PEOPLE.

BUT I THINK THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH MEMBERS ONLINE AND ENGAGING WITH CITIZENS ONLINE WOULD BE BENEFICIAL. BUT I REALLY JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE ON HAVING THE CITIZENS AVAILABLE TO REACH ME PRETTY MUCH 24/7, WHATEVER THEY NEED.

I REALLY WANT TO BE SOMEONE THAT THEY CAN GO AND REACH PRETTY EASILY.

SO THEY HAVE A VOICE AND A VOICE THAT THEY CAN RELY ON, AND ESPECIALLY SOMEONE THAT THAT'S GOING TO DEFINITELY LISTEN TO THEM.

VERY GOOD, SIR. AND THE FINAL QUESTION, AND THIS IS SORT OF A TWO PARTER, SO IF YOU COULD PLEASE SUMMARIZE ANY PREVIOUS CONTACT YOU'VE HAD WITH YOUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS? SO I ACTUALLY TWO YEARS AGO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY OF GETTING COFFEE WITH MR. GIBBONS. AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT CITY COUNCIL DOES.

AND I THINK IT'S FUNNY THAT I'M HERE NOW TALKING WITH Y'ALL, BUT.

MR. GIBBONS REALLY GAVE ME THE LOOK OF THIS, I MEAN, HE PRETTY MUCH SUMMED IT UP, IT'S NOT

[00:50:02]

PEOPLE CALL HIM. PEOPLE REACH OUT TO HIM ALL THE TIME.

AND I LIKE THAT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TO REALLY HAVE THAT ENGAGEMENT WITH YOUR CITIZENS IN DISTRICT ONE ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

AND I REALLY LIKE THAT HE WAS WILLING TO MEET WITH ME.

I MEAN, I WAS 19 YEARS OLD AND HE WAS WILLING TO GO OUT OF HIS WAY.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOUR REPRESENTATIVE IN YOUR CITY TO REALLY GO OUT OF YOUR WAY AND REALLY CONNECT WITH SOMEONE AND REALLY GIVE THEM GOOD INFORMATION AND REALLY LEAD THEM TO WHERE THEIR QUESTION WANTS TO GO.

SO MR. GIBBONS WAS VERY HELPFUL.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE BEST THING, IS BEING VERY HELPFUL AND BEING ENGAGING WITH YOUR CITIZENS. VERY GOOD.

MR. ARZON, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND AND YOUR INTEREST HERE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU, SIR. AND OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS IVAN TURINGAN, TURINGAN SORRY, I PROBABLY BUTCHERED THAT PRETTY WELL.

LET'S SEE, FACES MOVING OVER.

THERE HE IS. YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, SIR.

YEAH, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE BIT OF A DRAG, BUT WELCOME TO OUR MEETING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I JUST MADE THE STATEMENT EARLIER TODAY, I HAD THE CHANCE TO LOOK THROUGH IT AND I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA THAT THERE WOULD BE SO MUCH INTEREST IN FILLING THIS INTERIM POSITION.

AND I'M REALLY ENCOURAGED THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WANT TO REPRESENT OUR DISTRICT. BUT I ALSO, IN THE INTEREST OF NOT WASTING ANYONE'S TIME I'LL GO AHEAD AND BOW OUT AT THIS TIME.

I THINK OUR DISTRICT IS IN GOOD HANDS.

AND SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND PASS THE MIC SO TO SPEAK.

AND GOOD LUCK TO THE REST OF THE CANDIDATES.

I HOPE I CAME THROUGH THERE.

YES, SIR. WE'RE GETTING WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF DELAY ON YOUR ON YOUR AUDIO.

SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, YOU ARE WITHDRAWING YOUR APPLICATION.

IS THAT CORRECT? DID YOU HEAR THAT? YES, SIR. OK. WELL, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR, WE CAN, BUT IF YOU'RE WITHDRAWING, WE CERTAINLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST. WERE Y'ALL ABLE TO HEAR THAT? YES, SIR. OK.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY HAVING SOME.

THAT'S CORRECT. OK.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL, WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON.

JUST TO RECAP AT MR. TURINGAN HAS WITHDRAWN HIS APPLICATION.

THE NEXT APPLICANT I HAVE IS ALBERTO PEREZ.

MR. PEREZ, I THINK I SAW YOU IN THE LINEUP HERE.

AT SOME POINT.

CARMA IS MR. PEREZ ON WITH THIS.

[00:55:05]

THERE YOU ARE.

THERE I AM. THERE YOU ARE.

WELL, THANK YOU, SIR. AND I THINK YOU'VE HEARD THE INSTRUCTIONS PREVIOUSLY, SO I WILL GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ALBERTO PEREZ.

I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF GARLAND SINCE 2006 IN DISTRICT ONE SINCE THEN.

I'VE BEEN A SCHOOLTEACHER FOR 16 YEARS AND WHERE I'VE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY OF GARLAND ISD, CURRENTLY WORKING AT ROWLETT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITHIN THE GARLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT. MY EXPERIENCE IN REGARDS TO WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT GOES BACK AS FAR AS MY BEING PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT BROWNSVILLE AND WORKING THERE WITH THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION AND THE CITY, JUST TRYING TO WORK THINGS OUT AND TRYING TO BE MAKE A BETTER, BETTER SITUATION FOR THE STUDENTS THERE DURING MY TENURE AS PRESIDENT.

ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE ASPECT TO MORE THAN THE POLITICS SIDE OF THE THING, AND JUST REALLY HAPPY THAT I'VE BEEN CONSIDERED FOR THE POSITION AND HOPE THAT IF SELECTED FOR THE INTERIM POSITION OF DISTRICT ONE, ALL I CAN SAY IS I WILL WORK AS HARD FOR THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT ONE AS I HAVE FOR MY STUDENTS FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS.

VERY GOOD, SIR. SO QUESTION ONE.

AND AGAIN, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THE POSITION? WELL QUALIFICATIONS WISE, AGAIN, I'VE, AS I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, JUST WORKING ONE AS A STUDENT PRESIDENT BACK IN COLLEGE AND MY UNDERGRADUATE YEARS, JUST BEING ABLE TO WORK AS A AS AN EXECUTIVE WITH THE STUDENT, THE TEACHER UNION WITH GARLAND EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, AND JUST WORKING THERE FOR THE TEACHERS, ME A REPRESENTATIVE AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.

WORKING FOR A NONPROFIT WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, AS AN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT WORKS WITH UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM FOR OVER A YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS.

AGAIN, JUST MY MAIN GOAL, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, IS JUST WORKING FOR THE PEOPLE, MAKING SURE THAT I PROVIDE THEM TO THEM AN OUTLET WHERE IF THEY NEED SOMETHING FROM THEIR REPRESENTATIVE, THEY'RE ELECTED OR APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE, THAT I CAN GO AHEAD AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THEM THAT SERVICE THAT THAT I, AS A PUBLIC SERVANT WOULD NEED TO DO FOR THEM AND BE THEIR VOICE IN THE COUNCIL.

VERY GOOD SIR.

QUESTION TWO, IF APPOINTED, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR DISTRICT ONE? I THINK THE MAIN GOAL IS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CONCERN OF MINE LIVING IN DISTRICT ONE.

JUST MAKING SURE THAT I HAVE PERHAPS PROBABLY MORE POLICE PRESENCE WITHIN THE DISTRICT, MAKING SURE THAT OUR POLICE FORCES ARE ONE SUPPORTED.

AND TWO THAT THEY THEY MAKE THEIR PRESENCE KNOWN THAT THEY'RE THERE AND THAT THEY'RE THE GOOD GUYS, THAT THEY'RE THERE TO HELP THE PEOPLE AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN THE CITY.

SAFETY WISE AS WELL, MAKING SURE THAT [INAUDIBLE] ON THE STREETS, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE WELL LIT, MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE VISIBLE TO THE TO THE CITIZENS WHEN WE'RE DRIVING AT NIGHT. AND I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE ON THAT AND WORK TO MAKE THAT A BETTER POSITION. JUST BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR THE CITIZENS, SOMEONE WHERE THEY CAN SPEAK THAT IF THEY DO HAVE A QUESTION AND AS THE GENTLEMAN STATED PREVIOUSLY, JUST BE AVAILABLE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS TO THEM HAVING ANY COMPLAINTS OR ANY CONCERNS OR ANY COMMENTS OF HOW WE CAN BEAUTIFY OUR CITY OR HOW WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER THAN IT ALREADY IS, AND BEING ABLE TO BE THAT VOICE TO THAT EAR TO LISTEN TO THEM AND THEN THAT VOICE TO GO AHEAD AND STATE THEIR CONCERNS AND COMMENTS AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THEIR FAVOR.

VERY GOOD, SIR. QUESTION THREE, IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE ANY PREVIOUS CONTACT YOU'VE HAD WITH YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND SORT OF WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS? WELL, I'VE NEVER HAD ANY CONTACT WITH MY PREVIOUS REPRESENTATIVE, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT AND MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE IN THE IN THE TIMES THAT I HAVE AVAILABLE, WHEN I'M NOT TEACHING, WHEN I'M NOT WORKING WITH MY STUDENTS, WHEN I'M NOT TUTORING, WHEN I'M NOT DOING THE PLETHORA OF THINGS THAT I USUALLY DO IS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS, EVEN BEFORE I WAS A TEACHER.

SO MY GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M A PERSON THAT CAN REPRESENT THE DISTRICT.

I'M A PERSON THAT CAN REPRESENT ALL OF THE INTERESTS OF THE CITIZENRY WITH MY ENGLISH SPEAKERS, SO, I MEAN, IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF BEING ABLE TO SERVE MY

[01:00:04]

I DO IT NOW AS A TEACHER.

I DO IT THROUGH MY NONPROFIT WORK.

AND NOW I WOULD HOPE TO DO IT AGAIN AS THE INTERIM COUNCIL MEMBER FOR DISTRICT ONE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST AND CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOUR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO YOU AND TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR AND YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.

THANK YOU, SIR. HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU. YOU DO THE SAME. NEXT APPLICANT IS JAMES DOBBINS.

I BELIEVE I SAW MR. DOBBINS IN HERE SOMEWHERE.

AS ALL THE FACES SHUFFLE AROUND THE BOARD.

MR. DOBBINS.

IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, SIR.

THERE YOU GO, SIR.

GOOD EVENING. AND GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL AND MR. MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO Y'ALL TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS JAMES DOBBINS.

I'VE LIVED IN GARLAND FOR A LITTLE OVER SIX YEARS NOW.

I WORK FOR THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THIRTY TWO YEARS.

I RETIRED IN MAY OF TWENTY SEVENTEEN.

IT'S A CAREER THAT TOOK ME ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS.

I'VE SPENT THE MOST TIME IN AUSTIN, EL PASO AND THEN HERE AT THE DALLAS DISTRICT.

I'VE WORKED MOSTLY IN TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.

ALSO, I HANDLED THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES FOR THE DISTRICTS.

I HAVE A BACKGROUND.

WHEN I WAS IN AUSTIN AT HEADQUARTERS, I DID A LEGISLATIVE ANALYSIS FOR FIVE SESSIONS OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.

I THINK I HANDLED ABOUT ONE HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE BILLS.

WE DID FISCAL AND OPERATIONAL IMPACT STATEMENTS FOR ALL THOSE BILLS.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE DAY TO DAY THE MUNICIPALITIES I'VE WORKED WITH, SUCH AS CITY OF CITY OF EL PASO AROUND HERE, I'VE WORKED WITH ONE CITY OF GARLAND BEFORE, CITY OF PLANO, CITY OF RICHARDSON, CITY OF ROCKWALL, SOME OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ON SOME BIG PROJECTS. THE BIGGEST ONE I FINISHED JUST BEFORE I RETIRED.

I DID THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT FOR THE LBJ PROJECT, WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW. I'VE GOT EXPERIENCE WITH THE WHEN I WAS AT THE EL PASO DISTRICT AND WENT TO THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION'S POLICY BOARD MEETINGS EVERY MONTH.

SO I DEALT WITH THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS THERE.

WE DELIVERED PROJECTS, QUITE A FEW PROJECTS THERE.

SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS I'VE DEALT WITH, I WAS THE STORM WATER MS 4 COORDINATOR FOR THE EL PASO DISTRICT, WHICH IS THE SIX WESTERN MOST COUNTIES OF TEXAS.

I WAS ALSO THE BORDER [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM COORDINATOR THERE.

I WORKED WITH THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND I'VE WORKED WITH A VARIETY OF.

PROJECTS WITH MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER.

FOR THE LAST LITTLE MORE THAN TWO YEARS, I'VE SERVED ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND, THIS LAST TERM, I WAS THE VICE CHAIR.

AND I'VE GOT A LOT OF GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE AND I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS PRETTY WELL. AND I'M ALSO VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY CHARTER.

SO I UNDERSTAND HOW THINGS WORK.

OK. VERY GOOD, SIR.

SO QUESTION ONE, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THIS POSITION? I THINK MY STRONG SUIT IS MY UNDERSTANDING OF HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS.

I UNDERSTAND BUREAUCRACIES AND HOW THINGS DON'T ALWAYS GO AS SMOOTHLY AS YOU MIGHT DO, BUT MIGHT LIKE IT TO GO.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A PROCESS AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THE PROCESS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I HAVE LIKE I SAID, I'VE HAD THE EXPERIENCE WITH BOTH STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE MUNICIPALITY, SO I THINK I'M PRETTY VERSED IN ALL OF THAT.

I GUESS I THINK I BRING A LOT OF EXPERIENCE TO THE TABLE AND I ALSO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HERE IN GARLAND AND PARTICULARLY IN OUR DISTRICT.

I'VE GOT A PRETTY GOOD FEEL FOR ALL OF THAT.

SO I THINK THAT'S THOSE THAT WOULD BE WHAT I WOULD BRING TO THIS JOB.

OK, VERY GOOD, SIR.

SO WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IF APPOINTED FOR DISTRICT ONE? SO IT'S THIS COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM SIX MONTHS TO A TWO YEAR APPOINTMENT, AS I UNDERSTAND

[01:05:04]

I'VE BEEN VERY IMPRESSED WITH EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN SINCE WE'VE LIVED MOVED HERE AND HAVE LIVED HERE. WE DO A LOT AROUND THE CITY.

SO I'M PRETTY TUNED INTO THAT.

JUST HERE IN DISTRICT ONE, A COUPLE OF THINGS I'VE NOTICED THAT WE SEEM TO BE LACKING, AT LEAST LIVING HERE.

I LIVE IN THE FIREWHEEL ESTATES THAT WE'RE NORTH OF THE TOLLWAY.

WE COULD PROBABLY USE MORE PARKS THIS WAY.

WE'VE GOT THE GOLF COURSE, BUT THAT'S NOT EXACTLY A PARK.

AND THE OTHER THING I THINK THIS AREA COULD USE, AMENITY WISE, IT'S LIKE SOME HIKING BIKE TRAILS THAT CONNECT IN, BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE YOUR BICYCLE OUT ON EITHER [INAUDIBLE] ROAD OR NORTH GARLAND ROAD, THOSE ARE PRETTY DANGEROUS PLACES TO RIDE YOUR BICYCLE.

SO THOSE WOULD BE A COUPLE OF IMMEDIATE GOALS FOR MYSELF.

I THINK OVERALL, I THINK THE CITY OF GARLAND IS A VERY GOOD JOB TAKING CARE OF THIS DISTRICT. THEY'VE RE PAVED THE STREETS LAST YEAR.

THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS FOR THE AREA.

AND IT'S BASICALLY JUST MAKING SURE THAT THIS THAT LEVEL OF SERVICE IS KEPT UP.

AND MY JOB WOULD BE TO BE A WOULD BE THE.

GO BETWEEN BETWEEN OUR RESIDENTS AND THE CITY.

IF THEY'VE GOT COMPLAINTS OR THEY HAVE PROBLEMS, JUST GET HELP HELPING THEM GET IT SORTED OUT. AND SINCE I'VE HAD SO MUCH GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE THAT REALLY GOOD AT CONNECTING, CONNECTING THE DOTS AND PUTTING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

VERY GOOD. AND THE FINAL QUESTION, IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE ANY PREVIOUS CONTACT YOU'VE HAD WITH YOUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND WHAT YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS.

MY PREVIOUS CONTACT WITH THEM? WELL, AS I WAS APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER OF TWENTY EIGHTEEN TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD.

TOUCH BASE WITH HIM PREVIOUSLY ON ISSUES THAT CAME UP WITH THAT.

THE WHAT WAS.

CAN YOU I'M SORRY. CAN YOU REPEAT THE SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION AGAIN? IS WHAT DO YOU WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS? THE CITY COUNCIL IS BASICALLY IN MY MIND, THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE RESIDENTS OF YOUR PARTICULAR DISTRICT.

AND YOU'RE LOOKING OUT FOR YOUR DISTRICT, FIRST OF ALL, AND THEN THE CITY AS A WHOLE.

SECONDLY, AND I THINK THE CITY OF GARLAND'S MADE REALLY BIG STRIDES JUST IN THE SIX YEARS WE'VE BEEN HERE. SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART OF THE OF THAT OF THAT JOB, JUST BASICALLY TO MAKE SURE JUST TO TAKE CARE OF THE BUSINESS OF THE OF THE CITY.

OK, WELL, THANK YOU, MR. DOBBINS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS AND ALSO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY THROUGH OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.

APPRECIATE IT. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR.

NEXT APPLICANT IS DOROTHY BROOKS.

MS. BROOKS, I THINK I KNOW I SAW YOU EARLIER.

AND IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF AND TURN YOUR CAMERA ON FOR US.

THERE YOU ARE. THERE I AM.

GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.

THANK YOU. AND WE'LL HAVE YOUR THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION.

WELL, GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, ALTHOUGH I KNOW MOST OF YOU PRETTY WELL.

I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF GARLAND FOR ABOUT THIRTY FOUR YEARS OR MORE.

LIVED IN THE SAME HOME REALLY FOR THAT TIME.

I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

I AS I LOOK BACK ON MY TIME AT GARLAND, I FIRST STARTED AS A BUDGET ANALYST FOR AT&T.

I HAD A GROUP OF SIX FORECASTERS WHO WORK FOR ME AND WE DREW UP BUDGETS FOR FIVE STATE AREA. I'VE ALSO WORKED WITH SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS.

THE LAST NONPROFIT I WORKED WITH WAS THE ARAB AMERICAN LEARNING CENTER, WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE WE WORKED WITH MUSLIMS, IMMIGRANTS WHO WERE COMING INTO THE AREA.

I HAVE BEEN A QUIET BUT FREQUENT VISITOR TO THE CITY COUNCIL WHEN AND

[01:10:08]

BUT NORMALLY I JUST FEEL LIKE MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A CITIZEN IS TO JUST SUPPORT THE COUNCIL PERSON.

AND IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DISCUSSED, THEN I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN DOING THAT. I HAVE MY PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY IS THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES ARE THERE TO RESPOND, BUT ALSO TO HAVE A POINT OF LEADERSHIP.

AND I HAVE REALLY RESPECTED OUR PAST REPRESENTATIVE CITY COUNCIL PERSON BECAUSE OF HIS BECAUSE OF HIS LEADERSHIP.

I WAS THE PAST PRESIDENT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND IT STARTED BECAUSE WE HAD SOME RACIAL GRAFFITI IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I SAW IT RESPONDED TO IT, CAME IN MY IN MY OFFICE, TYPED UP.

LIKE, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

AND I PASSED OUT FLIERS TO MY NEIGHBORS AND A COUPLE OF OTHER STREETS AND WE MET IN MY HOUSE AND WE GOT SOME THINGS DONE AND WE CONNECTED WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND IT WAS VERY IT WAS VERY GOOD LESSON NOT ONLY FOR ME, BUT FOR MY CHILDREN, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THEY HAD TO HELP ME PASS OUT FLIERS.

BUT THAT'S HOW, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED, VERY INVOLVED WITH THE CITY OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. FIRST QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THIS POSITION? FIRST OF ALL, I AM A BRIDGE BUILDER, SO I DO BELIEVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL POSITION CALLS FOR BRIDGE BUILDERS.

BRIDGES AMONG PEOPLE, BRIDGING PEOPLE TOGETHER, BRIDGING THE CITY WITH THE CITIZENS, AND SO YOU TRY TO RELATE TO CITIZENS SO THAT WHEN THEY HAVE ISSUES THAT YOU CAN YOU CAN SOLVE THEM. I FEEL LIKE I AM ALSO ONE WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED OVER THE YEARS.

GOING BACK TO ENVISION GARLAND.

I PARTICIPATED IN THAT WHICH WAS THE LONG RANGE PLANNING TO I BELIEVE 2030.

I WAS ALSO INVOLVED WITH THE GOLDIE LOCK PRESENTATION.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE GOLDIE LOCK COMMUNITY MULTIPURPOSE MEETING ROOM ACROSS THE STREET FROM YOU. I'VE HAD MANY DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE LAST ONE THAT WAS VERY I THOUGHT WAS VERY INTERESTING WAS THE ONE WHERE WE HAD THE ISSUE AT THE [INAUDIBLE] CENTER.

AND I CAME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL ASKING WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREVENT ANY POSSIBLE TERRORIST ACT? AND I CAME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALSO THE SCHOOL BOARD.

SO I BELIEVE THAT OVER THE YEARS I'VE BEEN INVOLVED AND I DO HAVE BUDGET EXPERIENCE.

AND SO THAT'S THOSE ARE MY QUALIFICATIONS, I BELIEVE.

VERY GOOD. AND NEXT QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IF APPOINTED FOR DISTRICT ONE? WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN INTERIM POSITION.

SO I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF MY PRIMARY GOALS WOULD BE TO CONTINUE THE WORK OF THE PREVIOUS CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE DAVID GIBBONS.

HE WAS OUR ELECTED OFFICIAL.

AND I WOULD BELIEVE THAT THIS PERSON SHOULD REPRESENT THE CITY WELL AND REPRESENT THE DISTRICT WELL. AND SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WILL COME UP BETWEEN NOW AND MAY, AND IT WOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY, KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN STYLE, I BELIEVE, TO OUR PAST REPRESENTATIVE.

THE REASON WHY WE ELECTED HIM, HE WAS EFFICIENT.

HE RESPONDED TO US.

HE CAME TO OUR MEETINGS AND HE CAME PREPARED.

AND SO THAT'S A STYLE THAT I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD EMULATE.

VERY GOOD. AND.

LET'S SEE, THE LAST QUESTION, IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE YOUR PREVIOUS CONTACT WITH YOUR

[01:15:03]

HE DIDN'T LOOK AT IT AS SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST TALKING TO KIDS, BECAUSE I DO HAVE A SENIOR AND ONE WHO JUST RECENTLY GRADUATED AND ANOTHER WHO'S A SENIOR NOW.

AND HE CAME WITH THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE GIVEN HIM AND HE ANSWERED THEM.

HE LOOKED THEM IN THE EYE AND IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.

SO I BELIEVE THAT I'M NOT EASILY IMPRESSED, BUT THAT IMPRESSED ME.

SO I LIKE THAT.

AND I'VE TOLD I'VE SAID BEFORE, I WAS INVOLVED IN ENVISION GARLAND IN AND IN MANY DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

YOU ASKED, WHAT DO I THINK IS THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON? I THINK YOU LEAD THROUGH YOUR SERVICE, YOU RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF CITIZENS, YOUR POINT OF CONTACT FOR CITIZENS.

I THINK YOU'RE A BRIDGE BETWEEN THIS BIG GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HOMES AND THEY MIGHT HAVE NEEDS AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO.

HOW TO. TO GO, I MEAN, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT IS SO BIG, THERE ARE SO MANY DEPARTMENTS, AND SO THE CITY COUNCIL PERSON WOULD BE THAT BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CITIZEN AND THE THE GOVERNMENT. AND IT'S THE ENTRY POINT, BECAUSE IF CITIZENS HAVE SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, THEN THEY CAN SEE THAT ALL OF GOVERNMENT, WHETHER IT'S ON THE CITY LEVEL, STATE LEVEL OR NATIONAL LEVEL, IS THERE TO SERVE.

AND YOU WILL YOU WON'T JUST BE THERE WITH THE PROBLEM, NOT KNOWING.

YOU'LL BE VERY CONFIDENT IN KNOWING THAT YOU CAN KNOCK ON DOORS AND PEOPLE WILL RESPOND TO YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST IN AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME IN JOINING US THIS EVENING.

AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS AND I'LL HAVE TO CHANGE THE WORDING UP A LITTLE BIT FROM THE OTHERS, THE HONORABLE TIM CAMPBELL.

MR. CAMPBELL, I THINK I SAW YOU IN THE IN THE QUEUE THERE.

IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF.

CAN YOU SEE ME AT ALL? I CAN SEE YOU AND HEAR YOU, SIR.

OK, GREAT.

AND THE SCREEN COMPLETELY CHANGED.

WE GOT TO MOVE PEOPLE AROUND HERE IN THE QUEUE.

SO YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION, SIR.

OK, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME IN TODAY.

I CHOSE THE BACKGROUND BECAUSE IT'S MUCH NICER THAN THE CLUTTER OF PICTURES AND THINGS ON MY BACK WALL. AND IT ALSO NICE TO BE IN TAHITI, AT LEAST IN MIND.

I AM A FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.

I AM VERY MUCH FAMILIAR WITH ALL THAT THE CITY DOES.

I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU VERY WELL.

AND MY BACKGROUND, MY PERSONAL BACKGROUND IS I WAS A GENERAL MANAGER FOR A DIVISION OF GENERAL DYNAMICS, WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN SOLD OFF TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

SO THEY'RE NOT GENERAL DYNAMICS ANYMORE.

BUT WHEN I WAS THERE, IT WAS.

MY BACKGROUND IS IN ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT OF PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, ANYTHING THAT'S LARGE AND COMPLICATED.

CITY COUNCIL IS CERTAINLY LARGE AND COMPLICATED.

IT FROM THE VERY LIST OF ALL THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, FROM THE VARIETY OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY, FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TO THE STREET DEPARTMENT AND AS COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS AND I KNOW THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT, TOO.

[01:20:02]

IT NEEDS LOTS OF MACHINERY, LOTS OF EQUIPMENT AND LOTS OF MONEY TO RUN IT.

AND MY BACKGROUND AND PARTLY HAS INCLUDED MANAGEMENT OF LARGE PROGRAMS WITH LOTS OF MONEY ATTRIBUTED TO THEM.

SO THAT DOESN'T SCARE ME, BUT IT CREATES PRIORITIES THAT WE HAVE TO THINK THROUGH IN DEALING WITH THOSE. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE A JUDGMENT WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT, MORE SPACE FOR THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR MORE TRUCKS FOR THE SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT OR MORE PIPES FOR THE WATER DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT'S THE ENGINEERING PART.

BUT THE PEOPLE PART IS MORE THAN THAT.

IT IS A I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH SPEAKING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.

I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH CONVEYING IDEAS TO THEM AND.

YES, 30 SECONDS.

OK, ANYWAY, I HAVE I HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH THE PEOPLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CONSIDERED VERY IMPORTANT WAS THE TWO YEARS I SPENT WITH A GROUP OF HOMEOWNERS THAT PUT THIS NORTH GARLAND PROGRAM TOGETHER WHERE THE DATA CENTERS ARE NOW LOCATED.

ALL RIGHT, SO THE FIRST QUESTION TO YOU IS, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THIS POSITION? OBVIOUSLY YOU PREVIOUSLY SERVED, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS TODAY? OK, I STILL HAVE ALL THE HOAS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS LISTED ON MY PHONE.

SO I HAVE READY PHONE NUMBERS FOR EVERYBODY I NEED TO TALK TO.

I HAVE OCCASIONALLY SPOKEN WITH DAVID GIBBONS ABOUT THINGS.

WHEN I HAD QUESTIONS OR QUESTIONS CAME UP THAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, HE PRETTY MUCH COVERED THINGS. SO I WASN'T TOO WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER THEY WOULD GO AWRY UNDER HIS WATCH.

I SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF TIME, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, IN WORKING THROUGH THE PROBLEM OF GETTING SIX THIRTY FIVE REBUILT.

WHEN I GOT INTO THE COUNCIL, THE FOUR YEARS I WAS IN IT, IT CAME TO ME TO BE VERY APPARENT THAT THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE CITY COULD NOT DEVELOP UNLESS THE SIX THIRTY FIVE WAS REDONE BECAUSE OF POOR ACCESS ON SIX THIRTY FIVE AND SOME MORE HELP THEY NEEDED ON I 30, BECAUSE OF THE BUSINESS IN THE COMPLICATION OF TRUCKS AND TRAFFIC THAT IS NEEDED FOR COMMERCE IN THE CITY OF GARLAND, SINCE WE'RE SO HEAVILY ENDOWED WITH MANUFACTURING CONCERNS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE.

FOR PRACTICAL POINT.

I'M STILL CERTIFIED FOR OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT AGAIN, MAYBE A REFRESHER, BUT I'M PRETTY AWARE OF THAT NEED.

AND WHOEVER GETS ON THERE, IF THEY HAVEN'T HAD THAT, WILL CERTAINLY HAVE TO GO TAKE THAT COURSE. I HAVE ENJOYED THE TIME I'VE SPENT WITH IT.

I'VE TOURED VIRTUALLY EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF GARLAND AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

SO I UNDERSTAND HOW THEY ALL WORK, HOW THEY ARE, ALL THE NEEDS THEY HAVE.

BUT MOST OF ALL, OUR FIRST ATTENDERS, YOU KNOW, FIRST RESPONDERS ARE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR CITY.

THEY'RE AMONG THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY, CERTAINLY AMONG THE BEST IN THE CITY OR IN THE IN THE AREA AND IN TEXAS.

SO I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THEY HAVE TO BE SUPPORTED AND BE ALLOWED TO DO THEIR JOB AS BEST THEY CAN. THEY'VE AVOIDED A LOT OF DIFFICULTIES HERE IN MAKING GARLAND ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES AROUND. VERY GOOD SIR.

AND THE SECOND QUESTION, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR GOALS IF APPOINTED FOR DISTRICT ONE, OK, TO CONTINUE WITH DEVELOPMENT IN THIS DISTRICT.

WE STILL HAVE OPEN LAND THAT NEEDS TO BE WATCHED AS THINGS COME UP.

WE WANT GOOD HIGH QUALITY DEVELOPMENT HERE IN THIS DISTRICT.

WE HAVE STILL A FAIR AMOUNT OF OPEN LAND.

SO THERE'S THE CHANCE THAT JUST ANYTHING COULD BE IN THERE UNLESS WE WATCH IT CLOSELY.

[01:25:02]

WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY BICYCLE PATHS AS OTHER CITIES DO.

MIGHT BE GOOD TO HAVE A FEW MORE OF THOSE AS WELL.

OK, SIR, AND.

NOW, THIS THIRD QUESTION SUMMARIZE YOUR PREVIOUS CONTACT WITH YOUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS.

[INAUDIBLE] WITH YOUR PAST SERVICE.

OK. [INAUDIBLE] DIFFERENT.

YEAH, WELL, THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO SPOKE HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS OF IT.

IT'S A BUSINESS JOB.

I MEAN, THERE IS THE CONTACT PORTION WITH THE CITIZENS AND THAT'S WE'RE THEIR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE CITY AND WE ARE TO SUPPORT OUR CITIZENS IN THE FACE OF THE CITY WHEN THAT COMES UP IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE CITY HAS THINGS THEY NEED TO DO.

IT'S THE JOB OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO CONVEY THAT MESSAGE TO THE CITIZENS IN A WAY THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS AND SATISFIES THEIR CONCERN OVER VARIOUS ASPECTS.

AND I'VE DONE THAT MANY TIMES IN THE FOUR YEARS I WAS ON DURING.

DURING THE TWO YEARS I'M SORRY, FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN I DECIDED NOT TO RUN FOR MY THIRD TERM BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH SITUATION OF MY WIFE, I HAD MANY, MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH DAVID GIBBONS. WE HAD COFFEE A NUMBER OF TIMES, DISCUSSED A LOT OF ISSUES AND BECAME COMFORTABLE THAT I WAS LEAVING MY POSITION TO PERHAPS A PERSON.

IF HE HAD GOT IF HE GOT ELECTED, WHICH HE DID, THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SITUATION, THE DISTRICT WOULD BE IN GOOD STEAD.

DISTRICT ONE IS THE LARGEST PHYSICAL DISTRICT IN GARLAND, RUNNING ALL THE WAY DOWN FROM THE NORTH END AT LOOKOUT DRIVE TO HIGHWAY 66 AND EVEN INCLUDES THE SHORTEST STREET IN GARLAND, WHICH IS TOWER DRIVE, WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT A HUNDRED FEET LONG.

SO AT ANY RATE, IT'S GOT EVERYTHING IN IT.

AND I THINK I'VE BEEN ON ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THOSE STREETS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER BECAUSE I WOULD INTENTIONALLY GO OUT AND DRIVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND EVERYONE, BOTH RICH AND POOR, TO SEE WHAT WAS THERE AND HAD OCCASION DURING MY TERM TO DISCUSS THINGS WITH CITIZENS FROM A VERY MANY OF THOSE DISTRICTS AND VERY MANY OF THE HOAS AND MANY OF THE MANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AS WELL.

SO I THINK MY ROLE OR THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS TO BE THE INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN THE PART OF THE PEOPLE AND THE GOVERNMENT IN ORDER TO KEEP A SMOOTH RUNNING SOCIETY. ALL RIGHT, SIR, CERTAINLY WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR PREVIOUS SERVICE TO THE CITY. WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND YOUR TIME WITH US HERE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU, SIR. YOU'RE WELCOME.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

AND OUR NEXT APPLICANT.

COUNCIL, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ROLLING HERE, I KNOW WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO A TO A TYPICAL RECESS TIME, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO ROLL THROUGH SOME OF THESE.

THE NEXT APPLICANT IS TRACEY WHITAKER.

AND MR. WHITAKER, I KNOW YOU JUST JOINED US, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU I'LL GIVE YOU THE INSTRUCTIONS OR THE DETAILS THAT THE PREVIOUS IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, SIR, WE'LL GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES TO MAKE YOUR INTRODUCTION AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THREE QUESTIONS FOR YOU WITH A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT ON EACH.

AND I WILL GO AHEAD AND START AND YOUR THREE MINUTE INTRODUCTION.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.

I LIVE UP HERE IN DISTRICT ONE.

[INAUDIBLE] MR. WHITAKER, I'M GOING TO STOP YOU FOR JUST A SECOND.

[01:30:03]

I DON'T KNOW. LET'S SEE? IS THAT A LITTLE BETTER? THAT IS MUCH BETTER, THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS TRACY WHITAKER.

I LIVE HERE IN SPRING PARK.

I'VE LIVED HERE FOR OVER TWENTY FIVE YEARS.

I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE HOA AND FOR FOUR YEARS AND ALSO A MEMBER OF A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF DALLAS, NORTH TEXAS CRIME COMMISSION, SMU BOARD THERE OF THE COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS.

I'VE BEEN ON THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL.

I AM A PRODUCT OF CORPORATE AMERICA, IF YOU WILL.

I WAS A VICE PRESIDENT OF XEROX FOR TWO YEARS.

PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS REALLY WORKING ON MY MASTER'S DEGREE.

FINALLY GOT MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN THE YEAR 2000, AND THEN BECAME AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY, WHICH I STILL TEACH NOW.

I AM NOW WITH THE HOME DEPOT.

I HAVE BEEN WITH THE HOME DEPOT NOW FOR NINE YEARS.

I AM IN THE NATIONAL ACCOUNT ORGANIZATION.

I MANAGE FIVE STATES FOR THE HOME DEPOT AND THE MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING DIVISION.

THOSE STATES WOULD BE TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS AND MISSISSIPPI.

I AM VERY, VERY INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH THE CITY AGAIN.

I WAS ON THE DART BOARD FOR FOUR YEARS REPRESENTING THE CITY OF GARLAND AND DECIDED TO MOVE ON AFTER I MOVED ON TO A CORPORATION.

SO. OK 30 SECONDS.

WITH THAT, I THINK THAT IT WOULD NOT BE A BAD IDEA TO ALSO CONTINUE TO GET NEW BLOOD ON THE COUNCIL WITH VARIOUS BACKGROUND AS THAT BACKGROUND THAT I HAVE.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, SIR.

THE FIRST QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THIS POSITION? I THINK NUMBER ONE UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH I LIVE, NUMBER ONE.

NOT ONLY FROM THE DIRECT COMMUNITY AND BEING INVOLVED IN THE BOARD HERE AT SPRING PARK, BUT ALSO HAVING CHILDREN THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE RECENTLY.

I'VE GOT GRAND CHILDREN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN WHICH THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE GARLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT OR RICHARDSON SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I'M VERY ACTIVE IN ATHLETICS HERE.

I'M A COACH. SO WITH THAT AND ALSO BEING VERY INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE OF THE CITY OF GARLAND, I'M NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND SAY THAT I KNOW THEM ALL.

HOWEVER, I DID PURSUE A SETTING UP A BUSINESS IN THE CITY.

AND I LOOKED AT THE 2020 STRATEGY THAT YOU HAVE AND UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE POINTS OF THAT. BUT I THINK TO LOOKING AT MY CORPORATE BACKGROUND, UNDERSTANDING, STRATEGIC PLANNING, UNDERSTANDING, MAKING SURE YOU UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMERS REQUIREMENTS AND THEN IMPLEMENTING THOSE REQUIREMENTS, I THINK IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT.

VERY GOOD, SIR. SECOND QUESTION, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS, IF APPOINTED TO THIS FOR, THIS POSITION FOR DISTRICT ONE? THE FIRST GOAL THAT I WOULD HAVE IS TO REALLY SIT DOWN WITH THE PREDECESSOR THAT HAS LEFT THIS POSITION AND REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT HIS GOALS WERE.

NUMBER TWO, MAKING SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CITY'S GOALS ARE, BECAUSE, AGAIN, I AM A CONDUIT OF THE CITY AFTER BEING A ON THE BOARD HERE.

[01:35:01]

OK, VERY GOOD, SIR.

AND THE FINAL QUESTION, IF YOU COULD, THIS IS KIND OF A TWO PARTER, IF YOU CAN SUMMARIZE YOUR PREVIOUS CONTACT OR INTERACTIONS WITH YOUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS? WELL, I'M GOING TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

I KNEW THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, BUT I DID NOT KNOW THE ONE THAT HAS JUST VACATED THE POSITION.

TIM AND I, TIM CAMPBELL, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR MANY YEARS.

HE AND I HAVE COMMUNICATED ON MANY SITUATIONS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, QUITE FRANKLY, EVEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPRING PARK AND THIS WHOLE AREA. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RETAIL, WHETHER THAT WAS THE MCDONALD'S COMING HERE, WHETHER THAT'S KROGER COMING HERE, BECAUSE AS YOU CAN REMEMBER, FOR THOSE THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NORTHERN SECTOR UP HERE, THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT SAID WE DON'T WANT GROWTH.

SO I AM A GROWTH PERSON.

AND WITH THAT, IT'S GOT TO BE GROWTH THAT'S GOOD FOR THE CITY.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING.

THE SECOND PIECE IS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I NEED TO CLEARLY UNDERSTAND THE ROLE.

THAT THE CITY WOULD LIKE ME TO PLAY.

I NEED TO ALSO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CUSTOMERS, THE CUSTOMERS ARE THE HOA.

THE CITY, THE CITY REPRESENTATIVES OF DISTRICT ONE AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS A GOOD MIX INSIDE OF THAT, SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD THINK WOULD BE MY ROLE.

MR. WHITAKER, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PREVIOUS SERVICE TO OUR CITY AS FAR AS BOARDS.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS TONIGHT.

AND I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I'D LOVE TO HEAR BACK FROM YOU ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

WELL, AND I KNOW YOU WEREN'T ON WITH THIS ORIGINALLY, SO WE ARE JUST TO GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE. WE ARE STILL WAITING ON SOME OFFICIAL WORD FROM THE GOVERNOR AS FAR AS OUR NEXT STEPS. BUT WE ARE PROCEEDING TONIGHT WITH THE INTERVIEWS AND IN WORKING TOWARDS WHAT WE ASSUME TO BE AN APPOINTMENT.

OK. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU.

AND COUNCIL, I'LL CONTINUE TO ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING, I THINK WE'RE ON A GOOD ROLL HERE. SO I'D LIKE TO KEEP US GOING.

THE NEXT APPLICANT IS RICKY MCNEAL.

MR. MCNEAL. I THINK I SAW YOU IN THE QUEUE.

I'M SURE SOMEBODY IS MOVING YOU OVER AS WE SPEAK.

AND MR. MCNEAL, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF AND TURN YOUR CAMERA ON FOR US.

THERE YOU ARE. ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. MR. MCNEAL, I THINK YOU I THINK YOU'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START YOUR THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION, SIR.

WONDERFUL. GOOD AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, TO CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING. AGAIN, I'M RICKY MCNEAL.

I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE AND HAVE RESIDED HERE SINCE NINETEEN NINETY FOUR.

I'VE RAISED MY FAMILY HERE AND.

COMPANIES SERVE AND MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES HERE WITHIN THE CITY OF GARLAND, I GO TO CHURCH HERE IN GARLAND AT MOUNT [INAUDIBLE] AND AS WELL AS DOING MY DAUGHTER'S [INAUDIBLE] IN HIGH SCHOOL, GOT A CHANCE TO SERVE AT [INAUDIBLE] HIGH SCHOOL AS A BAND PARENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND [INAUDIBLE] FOR EIGHT YEARS.

AND THOSE WERE THE PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING YEARS OF MY LIFE.

[01:40:05]

AND AGAIN, WE'RE BLESSED WITH THREE WONDERFUL CHILDREN.

GRADUATED FROM LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY, RUSTON, LOUISIANA, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE ACROSS THE HALL FROM CARL THE MAILMAN MALONE DURING OUR COLLEGE YEARS.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS I SERVE HERE IN GARLAND ON A COUPLE OF CIVIC BOARDS, JUST ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF IS THE IS THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE SEEN HERE IN GARLAND AND JUST KNOWING THAT THE CITY IS ON A GREAT TRAJECTORY AND I'M JUST PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER MYSELF UP FOR SERVICE.

THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU.

AND SO WE'LL GO TO THE FIRST QUESTION.

AND WHAT DID WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THE POSITION? GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, AND ONE OF THE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES I HAVE WAS TO SERVE ON THE UTILITY ADVISORY BOARD, WHEREBY WE USED TO WORK AND WORK WITH PREVIOUS PLANNING DIRECTOR, MR. NEIL MONTGOMERY. AND IN THAT ROLE ON THE UAB, GOT A REALLY GOOD CHANCE TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH GP&L AND ALSO GOT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH OUR SOME OF OUR GENERATION.

THAT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.

BUT IN ADDITION TO SERVING ON THE UAB FOR ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, I ALSO SERVED ON THE EAST AREA PLANNING COMMITTEE.

I WAS APPOINTED BY A CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE RESIDE. THAT'S WHERE WE GO TO CHURCH IN DISTRICT TWO AND WAS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THERE ON THE EAST AREA PLAN COMMITTEE.

GOT A CHANCE TO REALLY GET MY FEET WET WITH A LOT OF THINGS THAT WAS GOING ON FROM A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE.

AND THAT ROLE WAS BASICALLY LOOKING FORWARD IN ORDER TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES AND OPTIONS TO THE CITY AND THINGS THAT WE COULD DO TO ENHANCE OUR CITY.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE BOND PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF GARLAND BACK IN THE NINETEEN NINETIES, HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MEET A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS AND LOOK AT OUR CITY FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, FROM A PROCUREMENT PERSPECTIVE. I ALSO HAVE SERVED ON A BOND SETTING COMMITTEE FOR THE GARLAND INDPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL. THANK YOU, SIR.

AND SECOND QUESTION, IF APPOINTED, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR DISTRICT ONE? I THINK RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, WE ARE ON A GREAT TRAJECTORY AND I LOVE ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OCCURRING IN THE NORTHERN CORRIDOR IN DISTRICT ONE, A COUPLE OF MY PRIMARY GOALS WOULD BE TO CONTINUE ON THAT TRAJECTORY AND ALSO TO SEE IF WE COULD SPRINKLE IN A LITTLE ADDITIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE.

I LOVE OUTDOORS AND I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE GREEN SPACE IN DISTRICT ONE.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT FIVE MILE PARK TO SEE IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO ENHANCE THAT, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS A FULL MENU OF PROGRAMS WITH THE BOND PROGRAM THAT WAS JUST PASSED. HOWEVER, TO SEE IF WE COULD SPRINKLE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THERE.

WITH A LOT OF THE NEW HOUSING IN DISTRICT ONE, WE WOULD DEFINITELY LOVE TO KEEP OUR FAMILIES AND ALL OF THOSE DOLLARS HERE IN THE CITY.

SO INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUALS GOING TO RICHARDSON AND SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE DOLLARS REMAIN HERE AND TO ALSO TRY TO DETERMINE WHAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE OUR PARKS AREA A MORE OF ATTRACTION SO THAT OUR FAMILIES CAN [INAUDIBLE] GET OUT.

DURING THIS ENVIRONMENT OF COVID OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR SOME SPACE, SOME SAFE SPACE WHEREBY WE CAN HAVE SOME FAMILY TIME.

BUT I THINK IF WE COULD UTILIZE OUR PARKS EITHER FOR BIKING, HIKING OF THOSE AREAS AND THE NORTH AREA IS JUST PRIME FOR THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY NUMBER TWO GOAL.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE REMAIN SAFE AS A CITY.

OK, THANK YOU, SIR.

AND THE FINAL QUESTION IS, IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE YOUR PREVIOUS CONTACT OR INTERACTION WITH YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND WHAT YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS.

THANK YOU. CURRENTLY, I HAD A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS WITH COUNCIL MEMBER GIBBONS', NOTHING WITHIN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, BUT A COUPLE OF PREVIOUS YEARS HAD A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS.

THE COUNCILMAN GIBBONS, AGAIN, AS SOMEONE ATTRIBUTED EARLIER, HE WAS ALWAYS RESPONSIVE.

SO WE HAD A GREAT COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH HIM.

HOWEVER, MOST OF OUR INTERACTIONS WAS IN CIVIC EVENTS AND PUBLIC EVENTS WHERE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WHERE WE WERE AND HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

OFTENTIMES WE WOULD MAKE OUR WAY TO ONE ANOTHER JUST SO WE COULD HAVE THAT KIND OF PERSONAL TIME SO WE COULD SPEAK AND TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE.

I KNOW WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THE AT HOME FACILITY THAT CAME ONLINE AND HE WAS GIVING ME SOME OF HIS OUTLETS OF WHAT HE THOUGHT THAT COULD BE A DRIVER FOR THE NORTHERN AREA AS

[01:45:01]

BUT THOSE WERE OUR INTERACTIONS.

REGARDING THE ROLE OF COUNCIL.

OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE PRIMARY ROLES OF COUNCIL IS TO SET AND PREPARE A BUDGET FOR THE CITY AND TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY IS OPERATING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND ALSO TO HIRE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT POSITIONS, THE CITY MANAGER, THE AUDITOR AND MAYBE A COUPLE OF OTHER ROLES. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE ROLE WAS JUST TO SET THAT PLAN AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE THERE'S A PLAN AND A VISION FOR THE CITIZEN MOVING FORWARD.

OK. WELL, THANK YOU, SIR, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PREVIOUS SERVICE TO THE CITY IN THE VARIOUS CAPACITIES THAT YOU HELD AND MR. MCNEIL, I KNOW YOU HAVE SERVED AS A MODERATOR IN MANY FORUMS OVER THE YEARS THAT I PARTICIPATED IN.

AND I WILL AND ACTUALLY ALL OF THE FACES I'M SEEING HERE AND I WAS SO HOPING YOU WOULD GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU, TO SUM UP, AS YOU'VE TOLD ME COUNTLESS TIMES BEFORE, OVER THE YEARS. BUT I DIDN'T GET THAT OPPORTUNITY, SO.

DOGGONE IT. [LAUGHTER] BUT MR. MCNEIL THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY PLEASURE.

HAVE A GREAT EVENING. THANK YOU.

AND COUNCIL WITH THAT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT APPLICANT, STEPHANE RAVELLO, MR. RAVELLO. THERE YOU ARE, SIR, IF YOU CAN UNMUTED YOURSELF.

AND WE'LL GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION.

GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MAYOR LEMAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.

TO START MY STORY OFF, GETTING TO KNOW ME A LITTLE BIT.

MY STORY FULL CIRCLE STARTS WITH GARLAND.

MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH GARLAND, ALTHOUGH I LIVED IN MESQUITE, WAS IN BOY SCOUTS HERE AND TROOP 580, [INAUDIBLE] UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND OFF OF NORTHWEST HIGHWAY.

AND IN MY EXPERIENCE THERE, I WAS IN BOY SCOUTS UNTIL I AGED OUT AT 18.

AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WAS INSTILLED IN ME THERE AS WE WENT CAMPING AND WE DID SOME TRAVELING, WAS TO LEAVE THE PLACE BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT.

AND WHEN YOU'RE 14, 13, 12, YOU DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF A STATEMENT LIKE THAT, BUT YOU WILL SEE THAT THROUGH MY LIFE, THE IMPACT THAT THAT HAS HAD ON ME HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE. SO MY EXPERIENCE WITH GARLAND STARTS FROM WHEN I WAS JUST A CHILD AND I LEARNED TO MAKE A PLACE BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN I FOUND IT.

SO AS I GREW UP IN GARLAND, I EVENTUALLY WENT TO SCHOOL AND MET MY NOW WIFE, WHO WAS A PRODUCT OF GARLAND.

AND SHE'S THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING TO COME OUT OF GARLAND, I'M CERTAIN.

AND SHE SOLD ME ON THE PLACE, YOU KNOW, GROWING UP IN MESQUITE, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A RIVALRY THAT EXISTS.

AND MY WIFE HAS SOLD ME ON THIS ON GARLAND.

AND SO EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE WENT OFF TO COLLEGE AND I ENDED UP LIVING OUT OF THE COUNTRY TEACHING ENGLISH IN SOUTH KOREA.

AND AFTER TEACHING THERE FOR A WHILE, I RETURNED HERE TO THE STATES AND I STARTED LOOKING FOR JOBS AS A TEACHER.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS.

THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF A NEED FOR TEACHERS HERE IN GARLAND, MESQUITE OR IN DALLAS.

BUT WOULDN'T YOU KNOW THE PLACE THAT I ENDED UP CALLING HOME IS GARLAND ISD.

AND SO I'VE BEEN TEACHING AT SAM HOUSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR NOW.

AND I'VE HAD JUST THE ABSOLUTE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH GARLAND STUDENTS, WORKING WITH GARLAND PARENTS AND WORKING WITH GARLAND TEACHERS IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS THERE AND ALSO THE QUALITY OF THE LIVES OF THE TEACHERS HERE IN GARLAND ALSO.

AND SO IT'S THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE THERE THAT I'VE REALIZED THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT GARLAND THAT KEEPS ME COMING BACK.

AND SO TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME IS ALSO TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT GARLAND AND THE MORALS THAT IT HAS INSTILLED IN ME AND JUST THE ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE THAT I HAVE HAD TO WORK HERE AS PART OF GISD TO SERVE HERE AS A BOY SCOUT, MAKING THIS PLACE BETTER THAN IT WAS WHEN I FOUND IT.

AND JUST TO HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, WILLING TO POUR INTO ME WHEN I AM JUST ONE OF ANY NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HOLDING THEMSELVES ACCOUNTABLE FOR.

SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME IS ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF A STORY ABOUT GARLAND IN AND OF ITSELF.

AND THEN IS THE STORY THAT I HAVE PRESENTED TO YOU.

VERY GOOD, SIR. SO THE FIRST QUESTION, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THE

[01:50:03]

I'M LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE PURSUING MY MASTER'S IN EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW, AND I AM SET TO BE FINISHED IN MAY AND THROUGHOUT MY TIME WITH THIS PROGRAM, I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO WORK WITH AN INCREDIBLE TEAM AT SAM HOUSTON MIDDLE SCHOOL WHO HAS AFFORDED ME UNBELIEVABLE OPPORTUNITY AND A CHANCE TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOL AND WITH THE DISTRICT IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES AND ALSO THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR CIP.

NOW OUR CAMPUS CIP IS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THAT YOU FOLKS WORK WITH.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S ABOUT GETTING THINGS TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

SO OUR CIP STANDS FOR THE CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THE LIVES OF GARLANE STUDENTS STRONGER? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO DIFFERENTLY FROM LAST YEAR THAT CAN IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS NOW? AND OF COURSE, THAT INCLUDES RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS.

I'M SURE YOU FOLKS ARE FAMILIAR WHEN YOU HAVE MONEY COMING IN FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHEN YOU HAVE MONEY COMING IN FROM THE STATE, IT BETTER GO WHERE IT BELONGS.

AND IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WORKING LIKE THAT WITH OUR SCHOOL CIP.

NOW, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IS THIS IS A COVID YEAR AND WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. YOU FOLKS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING, BUT NAVIGATING THOSE CHALLENGES OF EXPERIENCING A COVID YEAR, PARENTS WOULD PREFER TO MEET VIRTUALLY THIS YEAR COMING TO OUR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLANNING MEETINGS.

THEY DON'T WANT TO COME PHYSICALLY.

A NUMBER OF STUDENTS PREFER TO ATTEND DIGITALLY.

I KNOW YOU FOLKS TALKED AT YOUR LAST PLANNING MEETING, I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO, ABOUT FOLKS PREFERRING TO MEET VIRTUALLY INSTEAD OF SHOWING UP TO LOCATIONS PHYSICALLY.

AND SO ADAPTING TO THOSE CHALLENGES AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED AND ARE AFFORDED THOSE RESOURCES IN A REASONABLE WAY IS GOING TO BE MY STRONGEST SUIT MOVING INTO THIS POSITION AND THEN GOING BACK TO MY EXPERIENCE IN SOUTH KOREA, EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATING WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION HAS GONE OUT THE WINDOW. AND THERE'S NOTHING QUITE LIKE TALKING WITH A LANGUAGE BARRIER IT'S SOMETHING THAT I EXPERIENCED OVER IN SOUTH KOREA.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I STILL EXPERIENCE HERE, TEACHING WITH PARENTS.

AS YOU KNOW, GARLAND IS AN EXTREMELY DIVERSE COMMUNITY.

OVER 50 PERCENT OF ALL HOUSEHOLDS IN GARLAND SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH.

I MEAN, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REACH OUR CONSTITUENTS HERE AND PROVIDE FOR THEM. AND I'VE BEEN AFFORDED THANKFULLY BEEN AFFORDED THAT PRIVILEGE WORKING IN SOUTH KOREA AND EVEN WORKING HERE IN GARLAND ISD, AS A TEACHER.

OKAY VERY GOOD SIR. AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IF APPOINTED FOR DISTRICT ONE? SO MY GOALS FOR DISTRICT ONE IF APPOINTED ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU FOLKS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON. I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN PUTTING A LOT OF EFFORT INTO THE HOME IMPROVEMENT INCENTIVE REBATE PROGRAM.

IN GARLAND I BELIEVE THE AVERAGE MEDIUM INCOME OR THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD VALUE IS ABOUT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND YOUR INCENTMENT PROGRAM IS ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND.

SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF HOUSES IN DISTRICT ONE THAT DON'T FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.

BUT THERE ARE A FEW THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET ACCESS TO THOSE RESOURCES AND ARE AWARE OF THOSE PROGRAMS. SECONDLY, I BELIEVE THAT THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN DIRE NEED OF A VOICE OF REPRESENTATION.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FOLKS ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE NEXT DOOR APP OR THE NEXT DOOR PROGRAM, BUT IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO COME ASK QUESTIONS, REACH OUT TO EACH OTHER AND REALLY BE MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY.

AND THE EXTREME BENEFIT OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS IT ALSO GIVES MEMBERS A CHANCE TO STEP UP FOR EACH OTHER. AND WHAT I'M SEEING RIGHT NOW IS PEOPLE COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER IS THERE'S A LARGE CONCERN ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF SPEEDING THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE TOLLWAY HERE. THEY WANT LARGER POLICE REPRESENTATION ON THE HIGHWAYS AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT WILL STAND UP AND GET THEM WHAT THEY NEED.

PEOPLE COMPLAINING EVERY DAY SAYING THREE O'CLOCK, FOUR O'CLOCK LAST NIGHT, DID YOU HEAR THOSE PEOPLE SPEEDING? WHY IS NOBODY DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? SO MAKING SURE THAT MY DISTRICT HAS THE REPRESENTATION THAT THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR AND MAKING SURE THAT I'M PLUGGED IN TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO AS FAR AS WHAT I SPECIFICALLY WANT FOR MY DISTRICT, I JUST WANT MY DISTRICT TO BE REPRESENTED. AND RIGHT NOW THAT LOOKS LIKE MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE HERE IN GARLAND AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THE NOISE PROBLEM, THAT IT SEEMS TO BE A CONSISTENT COMPLAINT AMONG MY NEIGHBORS.

OK, VERY GOOD.

AND THE FINAL QUESTION, IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE YOUR PREVIOUS CONTACT, YOUR INTERACTION WITH YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND WHAT YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS . THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, IT'S IRONIC.

MOST OF MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IS ACTUALLY NOT WITH DAVID GIBBONS IS ACTUALLY WITH YOU FOLKS. AND I THINK THAT REALLY WORKED TO SET THE PACE WITH ME AS FAR AS WHAT CAN BE EXPECTED FROM A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.

[01:55:02]

I WANT TO SEE IF I MEET THE TEST OF THE REQUIREMENTS.

SO MOST OF YOU ALL OF YOU WERE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO RESPOND TO ME AND THEN MAYOR LEMAY WE TALKED ON THE PHONE. AND THE BIGGEST THING THAT STRUCK ME ABOUT THIS COUNCIL IS THAT WHEN I REACHED OUT, I RECEIVED A RESPONSE WITHIN TWENTY FOUR HOURS.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT MOST OF THIS COUNCIL RESPONDED SAYING, HEY, GIVE ME A CALL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. WHICH OF COURSE I MANAGED TO, TAKE HOLD OF Y'ALL UP ON THAT OFFER.

AND I SPOKE WITH MAYOR LEMAY FOR FORTY FIVE MINUTES, WHICH IS JUST A SMALL PART OF THE DAY. BUT I WAS EXPECTING SOMEONE WHO HAD NO TIME.

THIS WAS BEFORE A CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I WAS EXPECTING SOMEONE WHO IS BUSY AND MAYOR LEMAY SAID, LISTEN, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE CALLING YOU COMPLAINING ABOUT THE NEIGHBORS DOG BARKING.

YOU NEED TO BE THERE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY.

YOU NEED TO BE THERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THEM, NOT AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE BEST FOR THEM.

NOW, I KNOW YOU FOLKS HAVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT GARLAND DOESN'T JUST END UP A USED CAR SALES LOT.

AND I THINK PUSHING FOR THOSE INITIATIVES AND MAKING SURE WITH OUR INCREDIBLE EXPANSION THAT WE ARE KEEPING UP WITH THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE AND ALSO PUSHING THEM IN A CERTAIN DIRECTION WHERE THERE'S A LONG TERM GROWTH SOLUTION INSTEAD OF JUST LOOKING FOR THE SHORT TERM GAINS. SO MY ROLE AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS TO FIRST AND FOREMOST REPRESENT MY COMMUNITY.

AND I DO THAT BY FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF MAYOR LEMAY AND BEING ACCESSIBLE WHEN THEY GIVE ME THOSE PHONE CALLS. AND I HAVE AND AFFORD THE TIME TO SPEAK WITH MY COMMUNITY AND LET THEM KNOW I AM YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK FOR YOU.

I'M NOT HERE TO SPEAK FOR MY OWN INTERESTS.

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU, SIR, I APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST AND YOUR TIME WITH US THIS EVENING, AND I WISH YOU GOOD LUCK WITH [INAUDIBLE] SCHOOL TEACHING IS NOT EASY, AND IT IS CERTAINLY THAT IS NOT IMPROVED WITH OUR CURRENT COVID SITUATION.

BUT, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL.

THANK YOU SIR. AND OUR NEXT APPLICANT IS GEORGE URBACH.

I THINK I SAW MR. URBACH IN THE QUEUE, THERE YOU ARE, SIR, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF.

YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF DOWN, I THINK.

THERE YOU GO. OK, THERE WE GO.

AND I'LL GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION, SIR.

GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'M A NATIVE TEXAN.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN ANTONIO.

I'VE BEEN IN THE DALLAS AREA SINCE 1976.

I'VE BEEN A GARLAND RESIDENT SINCE 1989.

I'VE BEEN IN DISTRICT ONE FOR ABOUT TWENTY FIVE YEARS.

AND BASICALLY, I FEEL LIKE IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY AS A CITIZEN TO MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO SERVE THE CITY IF I'M NEEDED, AND THAT WAS MY PRIMARY MOTIVATION FOR SUBMITTING MY APPLICATION TO YOU ALL TO CONSIDER.

AND BECAUSE CITY GOVERNMENT NEEDS PEOPLE TO BE INVOLVED TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND THAT WAS MY PRIMARY MOTIVATION.

I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU ALL HAVE SEVERAL GOOD PEOPLE TO CONSIDER.

AND OF COURSE, AND I'M PRETTY PARTIAL TO TIM CAMPBELL.

YOU KNOW, I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR AWHILE.

LIKE MY APPLICATION, INDICATED WE SERVED TOGETHER ON THE SPRING PARK BOARD IN 07 AND 08.

AND HE'S GREAT.

I MEAN, YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH THAT GUY.

SO ANYWAY, LIKE I SAID, I'M GLAD TO KNOW GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PLENTY OF PEOPLE TO CONSIDER. AND I FEEL GOOD THAT I'VE MADE MYSELF AVAILABLE.

THAT'S MY DUTY AS A CITIZEN.

THIS IS A GREAT COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHY I'M SPEAKING TO YOU ALL.

[02:00:04]

I WAS WITH THE SPRING PARK BOARD FOR ABOUT 14 YEARS.

AND THROUGH THAT BETWEEN THAT WAS NINETY THREE AND TWO THOUSAND SEVEN.

SO I WAS ON THAT BOARD WHEN THE CITY STARTED THE NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY PROGRAM.

AND SO I HAD INTERACTIONS WITH THE CITY ON THAT.

WE HAD SOME CREEK ISSUES, DRAINAGE ISSUES OVER A SUTTEN PLACE.

I SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH RON JONES ON THOSE ISSUES BEFORE HE WAS MAYOR IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT.

AT DURING THAT TIME WAS WHEN I MET DOUG ATHAS.

SO I'VE SPENT A LITTLE TIME WITH HIM OVER THE YEARS AND THEN OF COURSE WHEN HE WAS OUR COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE IN DISTRICT ONE.

SO AND AS MY APPLICATION INDICATED, WHEN GARLAND INITIATED THE RENTAL PROPERTY INSPECTION ORDINANCES, I WAS PRETTY ENGAGED IN THAT.

I WAS BASICALLY CHEWING ON RICHARD BRADLEY'S JUGULAR QUITE A BIT.

AND STEVE KILLIAN'S JUGGLER, I CHEWED ON, CHEWED ON THEIR JUGGLERS ENOUGH UNTIL WE BECAME FRIENDS SO THAT WAS A GOOD PROCESS.

I GAVE TESTIMONY BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL ON THAT AS WELL.

SO I'VE KIND OF BEEN ENGAGED WITH THE CITY ON THE PERIPHERY OVER THE YEARS AND I THINK I'M A PRETTY LEVELHEADED GUY AND I CAN LOOK AT LOOK AT STUDY AND ISSUE AND TRY TO MAKE A GOOD DECISION ON THE MATTER WITHOUT ME, YOU KNOW, INTERJECTING ANY OF MY BIASES THAT MAY BE PRESENT.

30 SECONDS. THAT'S IT.

I'M GOOD. OKAY [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT. SECOND QUESTION, IF APPOINTED, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR DISTRICT ONE? WELL, MY GOALS WOULD BE TO GET WRAPPED UP ON WHAT THE PRESENT ISSUES ARE AND TO REPRESENT THOSE ISSUES TO THE BEST ABILITY THAT SERVES DISTRICT ONE.

QUITE FRANKLY, I'M NOT AWARE OF WHAT PENDING ISSUES ARE.

I WOULD HAVE TO BE EDUCATED ON THAT.

AND THEN FROM THERE, I WOULD PULL EACH AND EVERY ISSUE APART AND TRY TO REPRESENT DISTRICT ONE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY ON EACH AND EVERY ISSUE.

OKAY. AND THAT.

SORRY. GO AHEAD. LAST QUESTION, IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE YOUR PREVIOUS CONTACT OR INTERACTION WITH YOUR CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE AND WHAT YOU THINK THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IS.

WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I THINK I SOMEWHAT ANSWERED THAT QUESTION ALREADY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY CONTACTS HAVE WITH MY HOA EXPERIENCE I HAVE BEEN AROUND DOUG ATHAS OFF AND ON OVER TWENTY FIVE YEARS.

AND, OF COURSE, TIM CAMPBELL.

AND OF COURSE, THE ROLE OF THE COUNCIL IS TO REPRESENT THE CITY AT LARGE AND IN A LEGAL, RESPONSIBLE WAY.

AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY BECAUSE THERE'S YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SEES THINGS DIFFERENTLY AND YOU KNOW GOOD, GOOD, GOOD LUCK TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION THAT'S GOING TO MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY. THAT'S NOT EASY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU MAKING AN EFFORT TO SERVE THIS CITY.

IT CAN BE THANKLESS.

SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DO IT.

AND AS A CITIZEN, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OK, SIR. WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR INTEREST IN THE POSITION.

[02:05:01]

YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME.

GOOD LUCK. THANK YOU, SIR.

YOU'RE WELCOME. AND WE WILL MOVE TO OUR LAST APPLICANT, JAMES VAN DYKE.

MR. VAN DYKE.

HELLO, GOOD EVENING.

THERE YOU ARE. SIR, I WILL GIVE YOU YOUR THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION.

GOOD. WELL, AS THE LAST APPLICANT, I'LL MAKE THIS FAIRLY QUICK FOR YOU.

WE'LL TRY NOT TO GO IN TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME.

YOU TAKE ALL THE TIME YOU GET SIR.

WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

OF COURSE, MY NAME IS JAMES VAN DYKE AND I CAN APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION FOR FILLING THIS POSITION. AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.

YOU KNOW YOUR WORK REALLY ENABLES OUR BUSINESSES, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, THE POLICE, FIRE DEPARTMENTS TO PROVIDE FOR AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY DURING THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MY WIFE AND OUR THREE YOUNG BOYS REALLY ENJOY LIVING IN GARLAND.

WE DECIDED TO MOVE OUR FAMILY TO GARLAND ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO, THANKS IN PART TO THE QUALITY OF THE SCHOOLS AND THE QUALITY OF THE CITY.

AND SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE GROWTH IN GARLAND AND ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT ONE.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION HERE TONIGHT.

ALL RIGHT, SIR. SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR QUALIFICATIONS ARE FOR THE POSITION? WHAT WOULD BE FUNNY IF WE GOT ALL THE WAY TO THE LAST CANDIDATE AND I CHANGED THE QUESTIONS? [LAUGHTER] THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT WOULD THROW ME OFF.

BUT LUCKILY, YOU DIDN'T DO THAT.

WELL, I KNOW THAT YOU'LL HAVE A FULL SLATE OF QUALIFIED PEOPLE.

AND SO WHAT I'LL DO TO POINT OUT MY QUALIFICATIONS IS JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS I THINK YOU'LL MISS OUT ON IF YOU CHOOSE SOMEBODY ELSE.

I THINK THE FIRST ONE OF THOSE IS I'M ONE OF THE FEW APPLICANTS WHO IS CURRENTLY SERVING ON A CITY BOARD.

I WAS HONORED TO BE NOMINATED BY COUNCILMAN GIBBONS AND THEN CONFIRMED BY THE CITY COUNCIL TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, SERVING MY SECOND TWO YEAR TERM.

AND IT'S BEEN GREAT TO WORK WITH JIM [INAUDIBLE] AND THE REST OF THE BOARD MEMBERS TO RESOLVE ISSUES FOR CITIZENS AND BUSINESSES.

I THINK THE SECOND THING IS MY EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS AND REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS. I WORK FOR AN ARCHITECTURE FIRM, MY DAY JOB, AND SO I'M INTERACTING WITH DEVELOPERS AND REAL ESTATE PEOPLE ON A DAILY BASIS.

AND I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THE DEVELOPERS IS USEFUL AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO GROW.

THIRD WOULD BE UNDERSTANDING OF PUBLIC FINANCING.

I WORKED FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION FOR ROCKWALL ISD SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THAT INCLUDED WORKING WITH THEIR BOND COMMITTEE TO PASS THE LARGEST EVER BOND FOR ROCKWALL ISD.

AND IN ADDITION, I HAVE AN MBA FROM SMU.

AND SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH FINANCIAL REPORTING.

I THINK THE LAST THING IS MY EXPERIENCE WITH MARKETING.

YOU KNOW, I THINK MY UNDERSTANDING OF FINANCE AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF MARKETING ENABLES ME TO COMMUNICATE WITH BOTH THE CITIZENS OF DISTRICT ONE AND THE REST OF THE CITY ABOUT WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF VARIOUS MEASURES THAT THE CITY IS TAKING ARE.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT I THINK SET ME APART.

OKAY QUESTION TWO, IF APPOINTED WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR DISTRICT ONE? SURE SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A TEMPORARY POSITION, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT SIX MONTHS AND SO I WON'T BE COMING IN WITH MY OWN AGENDA FOR WHAT TO DO.

INSTEAD, I THINK MY ROLE WOULD BE MORE TO LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT ONE AND TO REALLY SUPPORT WHAT THE COUNCIL IS ALREADY DOING AND I THINK I ECHO WHAT A LOT OF THE OTHER APPLICANTS SAID IS WE APPRECIATE WHERE THE CITY IS CURRENTLY AND WE FEEL LIKE WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THAT.

AND THEN I THINK AS WELL, HAVING KIDS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, I THINK IT'LL BE IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SUPPORT MAKING GARLAND CONTINUE TO BE A GREAT PLACE FOR YOUNG FAMILIES.

VERY GOOD SIR. AND A FINAL QUESTION, IF YOU COULD SUMMARIZE YOUR PREVIOUS CONTACT OR

[02:10:01]

AND, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE ROLE OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I REALLY THINK IT'S LISTENING.

SO CONNECTING WITH CITIZENS, LISTENING TO COMPLAINTS, LISTENING TO IDEAS, I THINK IT'S ABOUT BEING A CONNECTOR.

SO CONNECTING PEOPLE TO CITY AGENCIES AND PEOPLE WITHIN THE CITY TO EACH OTHER.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE PRIORITIZING THINGS IS THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD THINGS WE COULD DO.

AND SO THE CITY COUNCIL HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN PRIORITIZING SETTING GOALS THROUGH BUDGETING AND SPENDING AND LAST IS OVERSIGHT.

AND I THINK THAT OVERSIGHT REALLY BOILS DOWN TO ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS.

AND SO I THINK AS THE COUNCIL AND THIS COUNCIL PERSON CAN ASK GOOD QUESTIONS IT REALLY GOES A LONG WAY TO HELPING THINGS OUT BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY GOT A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE WORKING FOR GOOD THINGS HERE IN THE CITY.

VERY GOOD. WELL, SIR, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HERE THIS EVENING AND OBVIOUSLY YOUR CURRENT SERVICE TO THE CITY AND YOUR INTEREST IN THIS POSITION.

I THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, SIR. AND COUNCIL AS I SAID THAT WAS OUR LAST APPLICANT, WE HAD 11, IF ANYBODY WAS KEEPING TRACK AT HOME.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF THOSE APPLICANTS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I THINK WE HAD SOME GREAT INTERVIEWS HERE THIS EVENING.

AND IT'S VERY REASSURING TO SEE THAT WE HAVE ALMOST A DOZEN PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN STEPPING UP TO SERVE IN THIS DISTRICT FOR THIS INTERIM POSITION.

SO BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.

AND AS WE GOT OUR UPDATE FROM OUR CITY ATTORNEY EARLIER, WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING SOME FINAL APPROVALS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

OUR STAFF WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU IF WE GET THAT WORD TOMORROW OR IN THE COMING DAYS ON WHEN WE WILL BE VOTING ON A NOMINATION.

SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

COUNCIL I'M GOING TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS. WE HAVE A NATURAL BREAK COMING UP BEFORE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO IF YOU ALL COULD JUST TOLERATE ME FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM 4C.

[4C. Appoint a Legislative Ad hoc Committee]

WE DISCUSSED THIS PREVIOUSLY AND IT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY MAYOR PRO TEM SMITH.

WE HAD A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AT OUR LAST WORK SESSION AND THE LEGISLATIVE SEASON IS ON.

IT IS ALREADY MOVING FORWARD.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MAYOR PRO TEM SMITH'S RECOMMENDATION AND CREATE AN AD HOC LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE IT AD HOC BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE IN SOME DOWNTIME BETWEEN LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS, ETC.

AND AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE FOR MAYOR PRO TEM SMITH TO SERVE AS CHAIR WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AUBIN AND WILLIAMS ON THE COMMITTEE.

AT THIS POINT, ARE IS THERE ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ISSUES WITH THAT, AS WE HAD PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED? IF THERE'S NOT ANY, THEN WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.

AND MAYOR PRO TEM SMITH, IF YOU CAN START PULLING TOGETHER AGENDAS AND MEETINGS AND ALL OF THAT STUFF, AS I KNOW YOU ARE VERY GOOD AT.

[LAUGHTER] SO AND FOR THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.

COUNCIL MEMBER AUBIN AND COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING ON THIS AS WELL. AND SO.

OFF TO AUSTIN WE GO, I GUESS, LIKE IT OR NOT.

[02:15:02]

AND WE WILL MOVE TO ITEM FIVE ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS.

[5. Announce Future Agenda Items]

MAYOR PRO TEM SMITH.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'D LIKE TO START OUT WITH REFERRING A FEW THINGS INTO THE NEWLY CREATED LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND SENT A LIST OF THESE TO RENE SO SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO TRY AND WRITE THEM DOWN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

FIRST IS A CONSIDERATION OF A 2021 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.

SECOND.

THE NEXT IS CONSIDERATION OF VETERAN HOUSING AMENDMENTS TO TDHCA RULES.

SECOND.

COUNCILMAN AUBIN IS A SECOND AGAIN.

THIRD IS CONSIDER RULES TARGETING PREDATORY APPLICATION PRACTICES AT MULTIFAMILY HOUSING.

COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS IS THE SECOND ON THAT ONE.

AND CONSIDER REQUESTING PHYSICAL NOTES ON BILLS STATING THAT THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE AN IMPACT TO MUNICIPALITIES AS A RESULT OF THE BILL.

SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER AUBIN IS A SECOND.

EVERYONE WILL SECOND THAT ONE. [LAUGHTER] I WAS GONNA SAY I THINK THAT WAS A UNANIMOUS ON THAT ONE. AND THE LAST ISSUE I HAVE IS FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.

AND WHAT I'D LIKE IS FOR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO EXPLORE THE GDC REQUIREMENT ON MASONRY SURROUNDS FOR COVERED PARKING POSTS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COMES UP ON NEARLY EVERY P&Z CASE. SO I'D JUST LIKE THEM TO KIND OF EXPLORE IT, SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO KEEP OR IF THEY HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON ANY CHANGES.

I WILL SECOND THAT.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU, SIR.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NEXT IS COUNCIL MEMBER AUBIN.

THANK YOU, MAYOR I HAVE TWO THINGS? FIRST, I'D LIKE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER ADOPTING SOME KIND OF RULE REGARDING EITHER A REGULAR PUBLISHING OF WHAT ITEMS ARE IN COMMITTEE OR AN ONGOING PUBLICATION OF WHAT ITEMS ARE BEING PUT INTO COMMITTEE.

WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, PUTTING THINGS IN THE COMMITTEE.

BUT SEEING AS IT CAN ALSO BE DONE BY EMAIL, WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THINGS ARE GOING INTO WHAT COMMITTEES.

SO I'D LIKE ASC TO CONSIDER POLICY CHANGE ON THAT.

AND MAYOR PRO SMITH IS A SECOND ON THAT.

AND THE SECOND ONE FOLLOWS ON I MEAN, MAYBE IT'S NOT A FUTURE.

WELL IT'S BOTH THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM AND THE FUTURE AGENDA.

BASED ON WHAT WE SAID EARLIER, I'D LIKE FOR US TO HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING AT THE END OF THIS WEEK TO GO THROUGH THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS, AS I DISCUSSED EARLIER AND AS WE DISCUSSED WITH MR. NEIGHBOR. SO I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE A SECOND TO DO THAT WITH THESE THREE DAYS, EITHER THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.

I'D BE FINE WITH FRIDAY SO THAT WHEN THE GOVERNOR MOVES FORWARD, WE'RE READY TO GO.

OK. SORRY, MAYOR PRO TEM THE BOXES ARE MOVING AROUND ON ME, SO MAYOR PRO TEM SMITH IS A SECOND ON THAT.

AND WAS THAT ALL SIR.

THAT IS IT, SIR. OKAY. OH, I HAVE ONE MORE I APOLOGIZE IS ONE I THINK I'VE ACTUALLY OVER THE YEARS, HAS GONE IN A COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT NOTHING HAS COME OUT, WHICH IS I'D LIKE AND THIS WOULD GO TO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE REGARDING HISTORIC OR ICONIC SIGNS AND OTHER EDIFICES.

OK. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THIS ONE TO COUNCILMAN HEDRICK.

HE'S JUST OUT OF MY FIELD OF VISION ON THE SCREEN, SO, OK.

SO HE DOESN'T LOOK TOO UPSET ABOUT IT.

SO I THINK WE'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT, SIR.

AND THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT THANK YOU MAYOR. ALL RIGHT.

I'M GOOD NOW I'M DONE [INAUDIBLE] WHATEVER.

ALL RIGHT. AND COUNCIL MEMBER NICKERSON.

YEAH, I JUST HAVE ONE I WANTED TO GET IT ON A WORK SESSION HERE AS SOON AS WE CAN, A DISCUSSION OF THE ROWLETT MARINA DOWN THERE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE.

SEE IF WE CAN GET EVERYBODY BROUGHT UP TO SPEED ON WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND SOME OF THE THOUGHTS. OK, AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM VERA IS SECOND ON THAT.

[02:20:02]

AND COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS. YOU'RE ON MUTE SIR. I NEED YOU TO UNMUTE.

BUT OK, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, SIR. GO AHEAD. OK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS MY SECOND FLIGHT, SO I'LL GET THERE.

I'LL GET IT BACK. [LAUGHTER] THREE THINGS RIGHT QUICK.

ONE IS I'D LIKE TO REQUEST A VERBAL BRIEFING FROM CHIEF BRYAN AND CHIEF LEE ON THE IMPACT OF THE COVID 19 SPIKE ON THEIR DEPARTMENTS.

AND I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT FOR THE DECEMBER 15TH MEETING, JUST A VERBAL BRIEFING FROM.

YES, SIR. I'LL SECOND THAT.

THANK YOU, MAYOR. OK.

THE SECOND ITEM, THE SECOND ITEM IS I'D LIKE FOR, AND I'M PROBABLY NOT GOING TO PRONOUNCE THIS NAME CORRECTLY, HIS FIRST NAME IS RICK AND I THINK IT'S [INAUDIBLE].

WHO IS THE BOND PROJECT DIRECTOR? YES SIR. I PROBABLY JUST BUTCHERED HIS NAME.

DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS RECOMMENDED, BUT PULLS FROM THE TWENTY NINETEEN BOND PACKAGE AND I'D LIKE FOR HIM TO DO THAT FOR US ALSO ON THE 15TH, JUST A VERBAL UPDATE ON JUST INFORMATION UPDATE ON THAT PROJECT.

OK. I MEAN THE LIST. YEAH.

WHAT I'M REACHING FOR THERE MAYOR WAS IT WAS PULLED FROM THE LIST.

RIGHT. AND I'D LIKE TO BRING THAT BACK.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN DOING THAT.

I KNOW IT'S NOT FOR ANY KIND OF ACTION, BUT FOR INFORMATION.

AND I'VE HAD A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BEFORE FROM CONSTITUENTS, JUST INFORMATION.

AND OF COURSE, ANY DISCUSSION OR ACTION ON THAT WOULD HAVE TO TAKE PLACE LATER ON DURING THE CIP OR BEYOND. BUT JUST INFORMATION ON THAT BUT ASK QUESTIONS OF WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT'S THAT PROJECT'S ABOUT, THAT KIND OF THING.

SO JUST SOME GENERAL INFORMATION THAT HE CAN PROVIDE ON THAT PROJECT, BECAUSE I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT PROJECT FROM CONSTITUENTS ALREADY.

SO IT'S MOSTLY JUST AN INFORMATION.

OK. I DON'T KNOW, I WILL SECOND THE INFORMATION I DON'T THINK THAT'S A BOND PROJECT.

IT'S GOING TO MAYBE AN UPDATE FROM ENGINEERING WOULD BE.

WELL, I'M NOT SURE WHETHER HE WOULD DO IT OR ENGINEERING, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE I WAS THINKING ABOUT HIM BECAUSE I KNOW HE'S THE BOND MANAGER, BUT THE APPROPRIATE STAFF PERSON. AND I'D LIKE TO SCHEDULE THAT ALSO FOR DECEMBER 15TH MEETING.

AND MY FINAL PIECE IS AN UPDATE, VERBAL BRIEFING ON THE OFFICE OF FAIR HOUSING FOR JANUARY. AT OUR JANUARY 4TH, I THINK I'VE GOT THE DATE, CORRECT? SOUNDS RIGHT.

JANUARY YEAH, JANUARY 4TH 2021.

A VERBAL BRIEFING, JUST AN UPDATE ON.

I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF CHANGES MADE OVER THERE IN THAT PROGRAM.

SO I'D JUST LIKE TO GET A VERBAL BRIEFING ON THAT FOR THE JANUARY 4TH TWENTY TWENTY ONE MEETING. OK, AND I WILL SECOND THAT AS WELL.

ALL RIGHT. WOW.

THAT IS THE MOST NEW AGENDA ITEMS WE HAVE HAD IN PROBABLY SIX MONTHS AT ONE MEETING.

IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU ALL COUNCIL AND ITEM SIX, THE COUNCIL WILL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE

[6. Council will move into Executive Session]

THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTIONS FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO SEVEN ONE AND FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO SEVEN TWO OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS ONE PENDING OR CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION OR OTHER ATTORNEY CLIENT MATTERS DEEMED CONFIDENTIAL BY LAW.

AND TWO, TO DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGED LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY RELATING TO PROPERTY LOCATED ON ROWLETT ROAD AND LAKE RAY HUBBARD.

AND COUNCIL I BELIEVE YOU'VE ALL RECEIVED THE WE WILL ALL HAVE TO LOG OUT AND LOG BACK

[02:25:01]

AND LET'S ALL DO THAT SINCE I KNOW WE'VE RUN KIND OF LONG BETWEEN BREAKS.

LET'S HAVE EVERYBODY BACK ONLINE AT 8:40 PLEASE.

EIGHT FORTY. THANK YOU.

WE ARE IN RECESS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.