[00:00:05]
SO, UH, WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE MARCH 11TH, 2021 MEETING OF THE GROVE AND CITY COUNCILS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE, CHAIRMAN ROBERT JONES, SMITH.
THAT DAY WITH ME, I'VE GOT COUNTS, NUMBERS, NICKERSON, AND MCNEIL.
AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
[1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
OF THE MINUTES.UH, HAS EVERYBODY HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY 21ST, 2021 MEETING? IF SO, CAN I HAVE A MOTION, UH, WOULD LOVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES AS READ SECOND.
WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER NICKERSON AND A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN NEIL, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
NONE OPPOSED THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
MOVING ON TO ITEM TWO, A GUERLAIN FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP A COOLER REAL QUICK ONE PAGE PRESENTATION HERE, AS SOON AS I CAN REMEMBER HOW TO SHARE SCREEN PROPERLY.
NO, I'VE GOT THAT BUTTON HERE SOMEWHERE.
[2.a. Garland Foundation for Development]
TWO H G F D.UH, THIS WAS BROUGHT TO US, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MORRIS AND MAYELLA MAY.
UM, THIS WAS THE GARLAND FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE WALKED AWAY WITH, UH, THREE POSSIBILITIES.
ONE IS TO KEEP IT COMPLETELY UNTOUCHED AS IS, UH, ONE IS TO MOVE IT TO A COMPLETELY COUNCIL APPOINTED BODY.
AND ONE THIRD OPTION WAS WHERE WE COULD ADD NON COUNCIL MEMBERS EITHER INTO VOTING OR EX-OFFICIO TYPE NON VOTING POSITIONS, BUT JUST TO GIVE THEM A SEAT AT THE TABLE, UH, THERE WAS A BIT OF DISCUSSION LAST TIME, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD A VERY CLEAR DIRECTION AND SO I'D LIKE TO OPEN IT FOR DISCUSSION.
AND YOU GUYS JUST JUMP ON INTO, OR ABOUT USING THE HAND RAISE FUNCTION.
CAUSE I DON'T THINK I COULD SEE IT ANYWAY.
WELL, I GUESS MY THOUGHT ON IT WAS, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD ANY REAL ISSUES DOING IT THE WAY WE'VE BEEN DOING IT.
AND, AND I DON'T MEAN JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGING IT.
I'M NOT, NOT NECESSARILY FOR IT, BUT, UM, AND I REALLY THINK IT'S, IT'S PERFECTLY FUNCTIONAL AND I THINK, UH, UM, THAT IT SEEMS TO WORK FINE THIS WAY.
THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THE POINT EASE IN MY MIND GENERALLY.
AND WE HAVE, I HAVE AT LEAST I'VE HAD TROUBLE WITH FINDING APPOINTEES, INTERESTED IN DOING CERTAIN THINGS FOR COMMITTEES AND, UM, UH, BEGIN TO BELIEVE IT BECOMES ALMOST A, UM, SORT OF A PERSONALITY CLUB.
AND I JUST, I JUST WONDER IF WE REALLY GET VALUE OUT OF IT BY ADDING EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS OR, UH, MAKING OTHER APPOINTMENTS.
IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO GET QUALIFIED, INTERESTED PEOPLE FOR SOME OF US IN THE DISTRICT.
SO FOR THE COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE NOW, AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT ARE THEY, 15 OF THEM ARE SO THAT WE CAN BETWEEN THE TIPS AND THE COMMITTEES THAT WE END UP NEEDING TO APPOINT FOLKS FOR? UM, I JUST THINK THAT'S A CONCERN OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND I DON'T SEE ANY REASON WHY WE NEED TO CHANGE.
UH, I GUESS MY THOUGHT THERE, JERRY IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WE STRUGGLE WITH, YOU KNOW, AND IN SOME ORGANIZATIONS IS ALWAYS THAT SUCCESSION PLANNING, RIGHT? I'M NOT TRYING TO SAY WE NEED A LAUNCH IN PLAT TO LUCK, SO ON SOMEONE ELSE'S CAREER, HOWEVER, REALIZING THAT SOME OF US AREN'T GETTING ANY YOUNGER, UH, NOT, NOT, NOT TALKING ABOUT CHAIRMAN SMITH HERE.
UH, HOWEVER, UH, I TURNED 40 A FEW WEEKS AGO.
I'M FEELING, I'M FEELING THAT THING TO THERE, BUDDY.
UH, BUT THAT, THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I, I ALWAYS KIND OF LOOK AT IT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IS IT AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF EXPLAIN, EXPAND THE, THE, UM, THE ENTITY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE EXPOSURE TO MORE PEOPLE, HOPEFULLY SOME OF THAT NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP TO EXPOSE THEM TO, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THAT.
MY ONLY MOLLY THOUGHT THERE, I AGREE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I THINK I'VE TRIED TO LOOK AT MY COMMITTEE MEMBER APPOINTMENTS WHERE I COULD, UH, FIND INTERESTED PEOPLE THAT WERE, UH, MAYBE A FIRST TIME OR SOMEONE EXPRESSING AN INTEREST FOR MORE PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS.
SO, UM, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD, A GOOD REASON.
UH, THE, BUT I'M AFRAID THAT THE FIRST TIME WE DO IT, OR THE FIRST TIME WE START PICKING
[00:05:01]
FOLKS, WE'RE GOING TO PICK PEOPLE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HAD BEEN INVOLVED BEFORE, OR I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A GOOD POINT.AND I CONCUR THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN NEVER DECIPHER, YOU KNOW, THE MOTIVES OF INDIVIDUALS.
SO, BUT AGAIN, GOING BACK TO YOUR INITIAL POINT, IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY, UH, REAL, UM, UH, CHALLENGES OR ISSUES ON THE COMMITTEE, THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT, I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE A REASON TO PIVOT EITHER.
AND I WOULD SAY IF WE'RE, IF WE'VE HAD COMPLAINTS FROM CITIZENS THAT THEY FEEL THAT THE FOUNDATION IS MADE UP OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS IS QUOTE, UH, SOME ISSUE WITH THEM FROM, FROM BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT WHAT GOES ON.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HEARD THAT KIND OF A LOT OF THAT KIND OF THING.
UM, I'M SURE THERE'S FOLKS OUT THERE THAT WILL ALWAYS BE CONFIRMED, CONCERNED WITH IT, BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM THE WAY WE SET THIS UP RIGHT NOW, EITHER.
SO MAYBE, MAYBE OTHERS HAVE HEARD MORE THAN THAT THAN I HAVE.
WELL, AND, AND TO THAT POINT, UH, THE FOUNDATION HAS NOT BEEN TERRIBLY ACTIVE.
UH, MR. ENGLAND, GO AHEAD, SIR.
I WAS JUST GONNA, UM, ADD MR. CHAIRMAN THAT KEEP IN MIND WITH WHATEVER DIRECTION THE, THE COMMITTEE DECIDES TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL.
UM, UM, THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION REQUIRE THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD BE THE MAYOR.
AND SO WHATEVER COMBINATION YOU COME UP WITH WITH THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO SERVE AS THE MAYOR.
AND TO THROW SOME ADDITIONAL IDEAS OUT THERE AND YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS THAT I'M AWARE OF.
UM, YOU KNOW, DO WHEN THAT BOARD MOVES INTO ITS EXECUTIVE SESSION TYPE DISCUSSIONS.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME, SOME CONCERN THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE IT'S ALL ECONOMICALLY J IT'S THE SAME STUFF THAT WE GET CONCERNS ABOUT WHEN THE COUNCIL MOVES INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU KNOW, W WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING BEHIND THE SCENES? WHAT SORT OF DEALS ARE YOU MAKING? AND, AND SINCE THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT TYPE OF BOARD, I KNOW I'VE, I'VE HEARD SOME CONCERN THAT, UH, WE'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH DIVERSITY OF VIEWPOINT, UH, ON THAT COMMITTEE, BUT, BUT AT THE SAME ARGUMENTS I THINK, WOULD BE MADE WITH THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S HARD TO, IT'S HARD TO SPLIT THOSE UP.
YOU KNOW, I, I THROW IN SOME ADDITIONAL IDEAS ON ADDING NON COUNCIL MEMBERS INTO NON-VOTING ROLES, UH, TO BROADEN THE NET A LITTLE BIT, BUT I, I THROW IT OUT THERE AS AN IDEA.
SO WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU GUYS IS THAT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED REALLY IN MAKING ANY CHANGES TO THE MEMBERSHIP.
IS THAT A FAIR SUMMATION? UH, I MEAN, I THINK FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IT IS, BUT I AM STILL VERY OPEN TO WHAT THE REMAINDER OF COUNCIL MIGHT SAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT HARD AND FAST.
I JUST DON'T SEE A NEED FOR IT AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UH, ARE YOU GUYS COMFORTABLE IF WE TAKE NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM AND REFER IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL IS ASE DECIDED TO DO NOTHING ON IT, OR SHOULD WE SEND BACK AN AFFIRMATIVE VOTE THAT WE SAID THAT THE THREE OF US BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE KEPT AS IS WE CAN GO EITHER WAY.
I KINDA THINK WE OUGHT TO AT LEAST SEND BACK A POSITION OF SOME SORT.
AND, UH, YES, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE KEEP THE MEMBERSHIP AS IS, IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND? ALL RIGHT.
NOT OPPOSED THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
KEEP THE MEMBERSHIP AS IS THAT RECOMMENDATION WILL GO BACK TO THE COUNCIL.
[2.b. Donation Handling]
B UH, LET ME PULL THAT UP REAL QUICK.THIS WAS BROUGHT TO US BY FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER BOOKOUT.
HE WAS A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED, UH, ABOUT, UH, HOW WE MIGHT HANDLE DONATIONS, UH, THAT ARE LARGE FROM PRIVATE CITIZENS TO DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S ALSO, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY HASN'T BEEN AN ISSUE.
AND I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF MYSELF HERE, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN MR. NEIGHBOR PRESENTS THE, UM, THE COUNCIL POLICIES, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HE WROTE UP AND THIS IS ONE OF HIS IDEAS.
I THINK THIS, UM, THIS IS NICE AND SQUISHY LANGUAGE, BUT IT, IT MAKES OUR, OUR INTENT CLEAR WITHOUT TANGLING US UP IN A BUNCH OF NEW PROCESS.
UH, BUT IT, BUT IT EXPRESSES OUR DESIRE TO KNOW ABOUT THE BIG STUFF.
[00:10:01]
WE'LL SEE THIS IN THE COUNCIL POLICY, BUT I WANTED TO RUN THIS PAST, YOU GUYS AS AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM HERE JUST TO, TO POINT IT OUT.AND ONCE AGAIN, MY THOUGHT IS, IS THAT, UM, I'M KIND OF, I'M MORE OF A HANDS-OFF PERSON IF WE DON'T NEED TO BE HEAVILY INVOLVED, BUT WE JUST WANT TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE OVERSIGHT.
AND I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THIS LANGUAGE DOES THAT, AND I'M FINE WITH IT.
I MEAN, I, I THINK THE CITY MANAGER AND THEIR STAFF, UM, UH, WILL DO A VERY GOOD JOB AND AN AN AND HAVE THE OPENNESS BACK TO COUNCIL AND THAT I'VE ALWAYS SEEN FROM THEM.
SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT AT ALL IN MY MIND.
I, I, AGAIN, I, I DEFINITELY THINK THIS IS AN OPERATIONAL ISSUE.
UM, SO YEAH, I I'M, I'M FIND THAT THE LANGUAGE.
AND I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT EVERY DONATION TO PAPER PLATES EITHER, BUT IF SOMEBODY IS TRYING TO GIVE US A STOLEN NAZI HORDE OF, OF ARTWORK.
SO, AND HONESTLY, IF OUR CITY MANAGER DIDN'T LET US KNOW THAT WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION I WOULD UNDER THE CITY MANAGER IS, AND THEN THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DISCUSSION.
BUT THEN THIS ITEM, UH, AS PART OF TWO C UM, FOR THE COUNCIL POLICY REVIEW, SO I'M GONNA HOLD OFF ON A MOTION HERE.
AND WHILE I'VE GOT THE SCREEN SHARING IN PLACE, MR. NEIGHBOR, LET ME SKIP TO TWO D AND THEN I'LL COME RIGHT BACK TO, AND WE CAN DO TO SEE, BECAUSE IF I LOSE THIS SCREEN SHARE THING, I'M GOING TO HAVE A HECK OF A TIME GETTING IT BACK.
UH, UH, LAST TIME WE TALKED ABOUT SENIOR HOMESTEAD, EXEMPTION RATES, UH, THE FEEDBACK I GOT AT THE TIME, AND I THINK WE ALL EXPRESSED WAS NO CHANGE AND, AND NO PROPOSALS.
UH, BUT I WANTED TO CONFIRM THAT BEFORE WE TAKE IT BACK TO COUNCIL, I SEE NO REASON TO CHANGE.
THIS CHAIR, A MOVE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH NO CHANGE ON THE SENIOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
I'LL SECOND THAT I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN NEIL, UH, FOR NO CHANGE IN THE PROPOSED SENIOR IN HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION RATES WITH THE SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER NICKERSON, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
NOT OPPOSED THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
NOW I'M GOING TO TRY AND STOP MY SHARE.
LET'S FLIP BACK TO ITEM TWO C,
[2.c. Council Policy Review]
WHICH IS COUNCIL POLICY REVIEW.UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU, UM, IF WE DROP THESE INTO THE BOX, I DID NOT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL TOO.
I THINK HOPEFULLY I'M SHARING THE RED LINE COPY OF THE COUNCIL POLICY.
DID YOU LIFT THAT, LIFT THAT LAST VIDEO GAME BEAT YOU THAT BAD? I DID.
SO LET ME SCROLL TO THE TOP HERE AND I'LL TRY AND KEEP UP WITH YOU, MR. NEIGHBOR, IF YOU WANT TO RUN THE SECOND.
YEAH, LET ME, UH, I'M GOING TO START FROM THE BACK AND YOU GO FORWARD.
AND EVERY TIME, EVERY TIME SCROLL UP TO SECTION NINE, WHICH WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
THIS IS THEIR DONATION POLICY.
UM, YOU ALL ARE GOOD WITH THAT.
I DID NOTICE WHEN IT WAS UP ON A SLIDE.
UM, THE SECTION, UM, AND THIS IS THE CHAIRMAN'S IDEA.
I WON'T TAKE CREDIT FOR THIS, BUT IT'S NOT RUDE THAT WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH BEFORE.
UM, AND THAT IS, UH, FINDING, UM, UH, SPOTS THAT ARE COMMERCIAL SPOTS.
USUALLY RETAIL SPOTS, UH, THAT ARE NO LONGER IN OPERATION.
AND, UH, THEY WERE USUALLY, AS I SAY, SET UP FOR A RETAIL BUSINESS, UH, BUT WE FIND BECAUSE OF WHAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAS DONE AS FAR AS FILING DEED RESTRICTIONS, UH, THAT IT'S, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO REINVIGORATE THEM AS A RETAIL USE.
WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS, IS SOME LARGE COMPANIES WITHOUT CALLING ANY OUT RIGHT NOW.
UM, SOME LARGE COMPANIES WHEN, WHEN THEY, UH, SELL PROPERTY, THEY SELL
[00:15:01]
IT ON A CONDITION OF THE DEED RESTRICTIONS IN THE DEED RESTRICTION SAY, YOU CAN'T COMPETE WITH US, UH, IN ANY FORM OR FASHION.AND THEY USUALLY HAVE SOME SORT OF, OF LISTS OR DEFINITION OF WHAT THAT COMPETENT.
UM, AND SO WE'VE SEEN ON A HYPERMARKET SIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, THERE'S A LIST OF THINGS THAT JUST CAN'T BE SOLD THERE.
AND, UH, THAT'S VERY PROBLEMATIC WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO REDEVELOP A PROPERTY.
UM, WHAT'S THIS POLICY IS DIRECTED AT IS THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER OF STATE LAW BEHIND US, AND IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO DO THAT, EVEN ON A STATE LAW BASIS, BUT WHAT I'VE PUT TOGETHER HERE IS A PROPOSED POLICY THAT SAYS, IF WE ARE GOING TO, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SEEK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY, THEN WE HAVE A CONDITION.
AND THAT CONDITION IS SAID THAT EAT, DO NOT A DEED, RESTRICT YOUR PROPERTY AND A MANNER THAT CREATES WHAT WE CALL THESE ECONOMIC BROWNFIELD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE.
UM, ACTUALLY THEY MAY BE ECONOMIC, DEAD FIELD, UH, IN MANY RESPECTS BECAUSE OF THE NATURE, THE STATE RESTRICTION, UH, WE HAD, UH, SOMETHING SIMILAR, COME UP ON A COUPLE OF, UM, UH, WE'LL CALL THEM OUTFIELD, WALMART MARKET, UM, PLACE, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE TWO, AND IT CAME UP ABOUT THE SAME TIME.
UH, AND AGAIN, IN THE NEGOTIATION OF THOSE, UM, WE REQUIRED THE DEVELOPER TO PROMISE THAT THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY, UH, ECONOMIC BROWNFIELD, DEEP RESTRICTIONS PUT IN THE PLAY, UH, ON THOSE PROPERTIES.
IF THE OPERATOR WERE TO WITHDRAW FROM OPERATION AND, UH, THAT SAME SET OF WORK.
NOW I'LL TELL YOU THE, THE CHALLENGE HERE IS WITHOUT GOING IN AND CONSTANTLY MONITORING DEEP RESTRICTIONS, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, UH, TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY HAVE BREACH.
WE WOULD PROBABLY FIND OUT AFTER THE FACT, UM, THERE THOUGH, UH, IF WE HAVE BY THIS POLICY THAT, OKAY, WE WILL DO AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEAL WITH YOU.
UH, ONE OF THE TERMS OF THAT DEAL IS THAT YOU MAY NOT DEED RESTRICT YOU IN A FORM THAT CREATES AN ECONOMIC BROWNSVILLE.
UH, AND THEN IF WE FIND OUT THEY'VE BREACHED, THEN WE STILL HAVE A CALL BACK TO HER.
AGAIN, SAID THAT CURRENT OR PRIOR ARMOR FOR BREACHING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FIELD.
AND WE CAN TRY TO BOLSTER THAT SOMEWHAT IN THE TERMS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WITH AGREEMENT, WHATEVER FORMAT.
NOW WE CALL THEM THREE AGREEMENTS.
YOU WOULD SAY IS WE USED TO DO A LOT OF TAX ABATEMENT AGREEMENTS, UM, AND SALES AND TAX REBATES.
WE DID BARONS IN VARIOUS FORMS TOO.
AND, UH, I THINK THIS IS A VIABLE POLICY.
IT DOESN'T SAY THAT WE'RE NOT GRIEVING FOR DATES.
IT SAYS YOU CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'D EVER BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THAT.
BUT ASSUMING THE LEGALITY OF THAT KIND OF ORDINANCE HERE, IT'S A CARROT AND STICK.
IF YOU WANT CITY'S HEALTH AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE UP SOMETHING AND THAT GIVING UP REALLY SHOULDN'T AFFECT YOUR OPERATION, WHERE YOU ARE TO BE ABLE TO, TO RUN THE CITY, LET THE CITY RUN IN ACCORDANCE OR RATHER THE RETAIL USES, UH, RUN, UH, AS THE MARKET DICTATES AND NOT BE CONSTRAINED OR CHOKED OUT OF EXISTENCE BY REASON OF THESE ECONOMIC BANFIELD, DEEPER STREETS.
UM, ALL THAT SAID, I'LL STOP NOW.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE DEFINING THINGS FOR ME IN THIS IS LOOK, IF, IF YOU GET PRIVATE PROPERTY AND YOU WANT TO TRANSACT BUSINESS WITH ANOTHER PRIVATE COMPANY, THAT'S FINE.
YOU GUYS DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE DEEDS WITHIN THE LAW.
BUT THE SECOND YOU START LOOKING AT TAKING PUBLIC MONEY.
NOW THE TAXPAYER'S INTEREST HAS GOT TO BE INVOLVED AS WELL.
AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO HARM THE TAXPAYERS LONG-TERM BECAUSE WE'RE HELPING PROMOTE YOUR PRIVATE BUSINESS.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE TOOK THIS APPROACH, WHICH WAS, I'M NOT GOING TO GET, I'M NOT GOING TO INTERFERE WITH THE FREE MARKET AS LONG AS IT'S A FREE MARKET, BUT NOW IT'S A SUBSIDIZED MARKET AND TAXPAYERS GET A SAY, YOU KNOW? AND SO WE'VE SEEN THE HARM.
I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S COME TO THE KINGSLEY AREA, UH, BY THAT BROWNFIELD OVER THERE.
AND I JUST DON'T, I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE IT HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE CITY.
[00:20:02]
THAT'S THE GOAL AND, AND, AND CHAIRMAN SMITH.UM, AND THIS NEIGHBOR, I'M ASSUMING THAT BROWNFIELDS IS THAT'S A UNIVERSAL TERM THAT MOST DEVELOPERS, MOST, UM, INVESTORS ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE AND UNDERSTAND, CORRECT.
UM, IT USUALLY COMES UP IN THE CONTEXT OF ENVIRONMENTAL BROWNFIELDS.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A LEAKING UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS OR WHAT WE SAY TO THEM IN THE CONTEXT OF OLD DRY CLEANING STORES, WHERE THEY USED TO A SHOP WHERE THEY USED TO USE A LOT OF BAD CHEMICALS AND IT'S CONTAMINATED SITE.
AND SO WHEN I MOVE OUT, UM, NOBODY COULD MOVE IN UNTIL THEY CLEAN IT UP.
AND SO WE CALL THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL BROWN HILLS HERE, AND YES, WE COINED THIS TERM OURSELVES, BUT, UH, I THINK THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND ECONOMIC BROWNFIELD, THAT IF YOU CHOKED OUT ALL THESE OTHER USES, UH, TO PRESERVE YOUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND IT'S, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE VIABILITY OF THE CITY.
I'VE ALWAYS HEARD AS GREENFIELD VERSUS BROWNFIELD, WHICH THE GREENFIELD IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THAT UNSPOILED LAND THAT YOU BUILD ON BROWNFIELD IS WHERE THE GRASS LITERALLY WON'T GROW BECAUSE YOU'VE DAMAGED THE SOIL SO BADLY THAT ALL YOU CAN SEE IS THE DIRT, THE, UM, THE, UH, BROWNFIELD TERM, REALLY, AS IT DID COME FROM ENVIRONMENTAL SIDE.
AND ACTUALLY WHAT THEY REQUIRE NOW IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL PHASE, ONE ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT PURCHASING A PROPERTY LIKE THAT, TO DO JUST THAT, TO SEE IF THERE'S BEEN REMEDIATION OF PREVIOUS UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS OR PROPER CAPPING OF OLD OIL AND GAS FACILITIES OR SOIL CONTAMINANT, UH, UH, REMOVAL.
UM, SO, UM, THAT'S HOW THE BROWNFIELD THING DEVELOPED.
UM, AND SO I I'M THIS TERM ECONOMIC BROWNFIELD WHEN I WAS, WHEN I FIRST LOOKED AT IT, I'M GOING, WHAT IS THAT? AND THEN I REALIZED WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO SAY.
UH, I THINK MAYBE, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE DEFINITION MIGHT BE HELPFUL THERE, BUT GENERALLY I LIKE THIS.
I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT PROBLEMATIC IN SOME WAYS, BUT I THINK THE HEART OF THE MATTER IS THAT I'VE SEEN THE HARM THAT THESE KINDS OF THINGS HAPPEN.
UM, SO YOU DON'T, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT WE WERE AT PARKLAND.
WE WERE TRYING TO SELL THE OLD HOSPITAL ONCE WE MOVED OUT OF IT.
AND, UM, WE WANTED TO SELL IT TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL, BUT WE DIDN'T WANT THEM TO DO CERTAIN PRACTICES IN THAT HOSPITAL.
SO WE PUT IN DEED RESTRICTIONS FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF ACTIVITIES, UH, WHO THEY COULD AND COULD NOT TREAT.
SO, UH, WHICH ENDED UP, WHICH ENDED UP CUTTING OUT.
THE ONLY PEOPLE THAT WERE INTERESTED IN US IN THAT MARKET WERE HOSPITALS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A, I THINK IT GETS ABUSED AS WELL WITH THESE DEED RESTRICTIONS.
AND, UH, I'VE NEVER BEEN REALLY IN FAVOR OF IT.
SO GENERALLY I LIKE WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
I THINK IT, I THINK IT, UM, IT PROVIDES, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR AT LEAST THE CITY TO CROSS CHECK THESE FOLKS.
UM, UH, EVERY NOW AND THEN I WISH WE HAD A WAY IN, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK WISH WE HAD A WAY TO DEVELOP WHAT I WOULD CALL A PHASE ONE ECONOMIC BROWNFIELD EVALUATION, WHICH MEANS REALLY A NEED AND TITLE.
UH, BEFORE WE, UH, BEFORE WE LET SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, UM, GET TOO FAR DOWN THE LINE THERE.
BUT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WHEN WE FIND OUT IT COULD BE AFTER THE FACT.
UM, BUT, UM, BUT I LIKE THIS, I THINK IT'S A, THE WORDING'S PRETTY GOOD.
UM, MIGHT NEED A LITTLE MORE POLISHING, BUT GENERALLY I THINK WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO I'M GENERALLY IN FAVOR OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
AND IT'S, IT'S, SINCE IT'S IN COUNCIL POLICY, IT'S MORE DIRECTION TO STAFF THAN IT IS, UH, AN ATTEMPT AT LAW.
IT'S JUST TO TELL OUR STAFF TO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST AND HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IF YOU WEREN'T ACROSS THE SITUATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN'T GOVERN THE INDUSTRY, BUT WE CAN GOVERN OURSELVES.
AND I THINK, I THINK THAT AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE THE MOST MOST SAY IS AT THAT POINT WHERE SOMEONE'S COMING TO US FOR AN ECONOMIC, UM, ASKING OF SOME SORT THAT'S WHEN WE THAT'S, WHEN THAT'S THE TIME.
ALL RIGHT, MR. NEIGHBOR, WHAT'S THAT? I LOOK LIKE MR. ANGOLAN WANTS TO CORRECT MY WORK OR SOMETHING JUST NEVER PUT HIS HAND DOWN BECAUSE I WAS SCREEN-SHARING AT THE TIME AND I STILL DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT FOR THE WHOLE NIGHT.
[00:25:01]
I GOT THAT AIR.UM, THE NEXT ONE DOWN, UM, THIS IS UNDER THE ATTACHMENTS AND THIS IS SORT OF WHERE WE PUT VARIOUS FLUIDS FOR, UH, THEIR, THEIR POLICIES, BUT, UH, THEIR POLICIES OR RELATED TO POLICIES, UH, THAT, UH, I HATE TO CALL THEM PLEASE, I POLICY, BUT THEY, THEY REALLY DON'T PLUG IN VERY WELL OTHERWISE.
AND SO HERE, UH, WITH THE DIGNITARY RECOGNITION PROTOCOL, UH, COUNCILMAN DEAL, THIS WOULD YOUR PREDECESSORS IDEAS, AS I RECALL, UM, AND W WHAT WAS TRYING TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IS NOT NECESSARILY A POLICY, AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE CALLING HER PROTOCOL.
UH, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN VIP'S, I CALL THEM DATA TRAYS FOR POLICY THAT, UH, ATTACHMENT THAT, UM, WHEN DIGNITARIES ARE, ARE IN ATTENDANCE AT AN EVENT CREATED BY SPONSORED BY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, UH, THE CITY, UH, HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THOSE DIGNITARIES? IT DOESN'T SORT OF OUR INTEREST TO INSULT ANYBODY, UH, NOT RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT TO TURN OUR MEETING OVER INTO A POLITICAL SPEECH GIVING MOMENT.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE THE CHAIRMAN WAS THE MAIN AUTHOR IS TO THANK YOU.
UM, AND THIS WAS, UH, TRYING TO CAPTURE THE IDEA THAT IF WE HAVE DIGNITARIES AND AUDIENCE, WE SHOULD, UH, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED, GIVE THEM SOME RECOGNITION.
THE TYPE OF ACTIVITY IT'S TYPES THAT, UM, THAT DIGNITARY SAYING SOME WORDS IS APPROPRIATE, THEN WHOEVER IS RUNNING THAT MEETING CONDUCE.
UH, UM, AND IF IT'S SOMETHING REALLY RECOGNIZING THAT THERE STILL SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE, BUT YES, IT IS GOING TO TURN INTO A POLITICAL EVENT, UM, THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE INVOLVED ANYWAY, IS TAXPAYER MONEY TO SPONSOR PURELY POLITICAL EVENTS.
SIR, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, THAT DROVE THIS REQUEST.
UH, THE FIRST WAS WE HAD, UH, UH, UH, ELECTED STATE OFFICIALS SHOW UP TO ONE OF OUR EVENTS, UH, GRAB A MIC AND START SPEAKING.
UH, THEY WEREN'T SPECIFICALLY INVITED TO THAT EVENT.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE WHERE WE INVITED ONE OF OUR STATE REPS, BUT WE LEFT THE OTHERS OUT.
UH, THERE WAS ANOTHER WHERE WE WERE FUNDING A PROGRAM FROM A STATE REP, UM, WITHOUT THE COUNSEL'S KNOWLEDGE.
SO THIS WAS SPECIFIC TO THE, UH, UH, ENGINE BUTTON DOES THE SENIOR DAY.
AND WE TRADE OFF WITH RICHARDSON HOSTING THAT, AND NOBODY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THOSE THINGS SENIOR DAY, WE JUST REALIZED WE WERE FUNDING IT.
WE HAD NO IDEA WE WERE FUNDING IT.
AND SO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER GIVENS AT THE TIME HAD ASKED US TO ADDRESS THOSE, THOSE ISSUES AND SOME PROTOCOL, UH, THAT, THAT WRAPPED JUST, UH, JUST A LITTLE, UH, SOME RULES AS SOME GENERAL GUIDELINES ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT TACKLE THAT IN THE FUTURE.
AND, UH, WE TRIED TO KEEP IT PRETTY BROAD, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NICKERSON, AND, AND BOOKOUT REALLY HELPED TO PULL BACK A LOT OF THE, THE WEEDS THAT I WAS GETTING INTO AND JUST, UH, MADE IT A MORE GENERAL POLICY.
UH, COUNCIL'S SEEN THIS ONCE IN WORK SESSION.
UH, WE HADN'T, WE WERE, WE WERE JUST GOING TO WAIT TO DO ANY FORMAL APPROVAL AS PART OF THIS YEAR'S, UH, COUNCIL, POLICY REVIEW, AND REVISION.
AND SO I'LL SUBMIT THE SPEC TO THE COMMITTEE FOR COMMENT, OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANT TO DO WITH IT.
LET ME SCROLL DOWN HERE TO SEE IF THERE'S MORE.
SO IT'S JUST THOSE FOUR, FOUR BULLET POINTS.
SO YOU JUST SAID YOU WERE GOING TO, UH, WE WERE GOING TO MAYBE PUT THESE ALL TOGETHER IN A STACK AND KIND OF GO THROUGH THEM AT ONE TIME IN A WORK SESSION WITH COUNCIL, FOR OUR ANNUAL POLICY REVIEW OR REVIEW PROTOCOLS.
I THINK WE CAN COVER ALL THESE AT THAT TIME.
YOU KNOW, ONCE A YEAR IS ESPECIALLY ADOPT POLICY.
UH, NOW IT'S TIME TO INTRODUCE, UM, THE CHANGES AND, UM, DEPENDING ON WHAT Y'ALL DO TODAY, UH, WE CAN GET IT ON AS SOON AS FIRST MEETING IN APRIL OR AT LEAST ON WORK SESSION.
AND CONSTABLE SMITH, JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS RIGHT QUICK.
I DEFINITELY SEE THE NEED AND I
[00:30:01]
DEFINITELY LIKED THE DIRECTION HERE, I GUESS.UM, HOW WOULD THIS, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD A BUN PACKAGE, WHAT, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO A DISTRICT HAT BEARS.
UM, DOES THIS, UM, HOW DOES THIS LANGUAGE ADDRESS, UM, INDIVIDUAL SPEAKING TO SUPPORTING BOND PACKAGES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? HOW DO WE SEE THIS IN RELATIONSHIP, THOSE KINDS OF CONVERSATION THAT MAY SURFACE? SURE.
UM, SO WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF LIMITED BY STATE LAW AND I HAVE SOME, SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MOST RECENT TRE THAT WE LOOKED AT, UH, AND HOW THAT COULD HAVE BEEN HANDLED BETTER, BUT I'M SORRY THAT THAT WAS ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SIDE, BUT, UH, WE ARE GENERALLY PROHIBITED WITHIN OUR OFFICIAL CAPACITY OF PROMOTING A BOND ELECTION, UH, AS FAR AS VOTE YES.
UM, AND, AND MR. NEIGHBOR CAN GET INTO DETAILS ON THAT, BUT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IF I WANT TO GO, OR IF SOMEBODY SHOWS UP TO ONE OF OUR EVENTS WHO IS A, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR DIGNITARY AND STARTS PITCHING THEIR BOND PACKAGE OR CORRECT.
THE DISTRICT SHOWS UP, THEY'VE GOT A BOND, THEY SHOW UP AT ONE OF OUR THINGS AND THEY START WELL, THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OF STATE LAW WHEN THEY DO IT MOST LIKELY.
UM, BUT UNLESS THE EVENT IS GEARED TOWARDS PROMOTION OF THAT BOND, THEN I WOULD SAY THAT THEY WOULD BE OUT OF LINE BASED ON, UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE.
LET'S SEE, IT'D BE NUMBER ONE, NUMBER ONE, I THINK RULE ONE KIND OF COVERS THAT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S THERE FOR, UH, THE SPECIFIC, THE EVENT NEEDS TO BE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO INCLUDE THE EVENT THEM IN THE AGENDA FOR PROMOTING THAT PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
SO IF SOMEBODY SHOWS UP TO CHRISTMAS ON THE SQUARE AND STARTS PITCHING A BOND PACKAGE, OUR MAYOR HAS THE RIGHT TO TAKE THE MIC BACK AND KICK THEM OFF THE STAGE.
AND JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, NO, WE HAVE, UM, SOME RELLER RATHER, UH, ZEALOUS ADVOCATES OCCASIONALLY.
WELL, WE HAD AN INCIDENT AT A, A, AT A TOWN HALL THAT THE CITY HAD SPONSORED, UH, FOR, UH, UH, ONE OF OUR SITTING CONGRESSMEN.
AND IT WENT OFF THE RAILS IN A HURRY THAT WAY, SO SOMEBODY CAN TRY AND SCORE POLITICAL POINTS, AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD COVER THAT AS WELL.
WELL, AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY IF THE MAYOR'S THERE, OR IF COUNSEL IS THERE, HOWEVER, IN THE EVENT THAT ONE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IS NOT THERE, WHAT, WHAT GUIDANCE WILL STAFF HAVE TO, TO ADDRESS THIS WITH AN ELECTED OFFICIAL? YEAH.
AND, AND STAFF, UH, CAN CERTAINLY USE THE PROTOCOL AS JUSTIFICATION FOR THEIR ACTIONS TO, TO SILENCE A, A, AN OFFENDING VISITOR, IF THEY NEED TO.
AND, AND THIS JUST WOULD, UH, THIS WOULD INDICATE THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD SUPPORT THAT TYPE OF MOVE.
IF SOMEBODY HAS GONE OFF THE RAILS COMPLETELY, AND STAFF HAS TO SHUT THEM DOWN.
WELL, STAFFS GET EMPOWERED HERE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO SIT AND LET SOMEBODY DO A LOT OF DAMAGE OR POTENTIALLY IN THE, AGAIN, IN THE BOND PACKAGE CASE, BLATANTLY VIOLATE STATE LAW, THEY CAN TURN IT OFF IT.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, UM, INTERRUPT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND SAY, THEY'RE THE COCKTAIL ABOUT STOPPING THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT OR IN A MANNER THAT CAN BE TALKED ABOUT WHEN IT'S REALLY ON MA'AM IT'S NOT, UH, ARE BAD.
UM, WHAT WE NORMALLY DO IS WAIT, WE WOULDN'T INTERRUPT THEM.
UM, UH, UNLESS THEY JUST DRUG ON FOREVER.
UH, WHAT WE WOULD STOP IS ANY KIND OF DIALOGUE FROM THERE, UH, BECAUSE WE CAN BE RESPONSIBLE OR, UM, UH, ARE PART OF IT.
AND, UM, I, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE ACCOUNTS WHEN THERE'S ANY MANNER LIKE THAT.
UM, YOU CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL WHAT COMES OUT OF THE SPEAKER'S MOUTH, OR RARELY COULD WE CONTROL WHAT COMES OUT OF THE SPEAKER'S MOUTH.
HE CAN CONTROL, UH, MORE ON THE FOLLOWER? WELL, I THINK THE REASON WE MAKE IT PROTOCOL INSTEAD OF POLICY IS THERE'S SO MUCH SUBJECTIVENESS AND SO MUCH INDIVIDUAL JUDGMENT.
THAT'S GOT TO GO INTO THIS, A POLICY COULDN'T BE WELL-WRITTEN AND IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MISAPPLIED.
SO THE PROTOCOL JUST GETS THE IDEA OUT THERE, AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE, HOW THAT IS PRACTICED AND IN REAL LIFE.
ANY MORE QUESTIONS ON THIS SECTION? ALL RIGHT, MR. NEIGHBOR, WHERE AM I HEADED NOW? ALL RIGHT.
[2.d. Senior / Homestead Exemption Rates]
ITEM, UM, SIMILAR[00:35:01]
TO PROTOCOL, WHAT, UH, UH, THE GERMANS DONE ALL MY WORK HERE.UH, WHAT'S THE CHAIRMAN CAME UP WITH IN Y'ALL'S STUDY, UH, THE, UM, UH, THE FACILITIES USE AGREEMENTS THAT AUDIT THAT, UM, THAT PROJECT THAT YOU ALL CONSIDERED PREVIOUSLY.
AND NOW WE'RE SAYING IT COME INTO PLAY, YOU KNOW, YOU GOING TO SAY, UH, UH, MONDAY NIGHT, I BELIEVE IT IS, UH, WELL, NEXT WEEK, YOU'LL SEE A SERIES OF LEASES COMING THROUGH THAT ARE INTENDED TO BE EXECUTED, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE GUIDELINES.
NOW, AGAIN, I DIDN'T TRY TO, UM, PUSH THEM.
I DIDN'T SEE A PLACE WHERE WE WOULD WANT TO PUSH THEM INTO THE POLICIES AS POLICIES PER SEC.
UM, BECAUSE IN MY VIEW AND Y'ALL CAN CORRECT ME IN MY VIEW, THEY ARE GUIDELINES.
THERE HAS TO BE SOME FLEXIBILITY, AND THEY'RE NOT A ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT ALL.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE SOME DIFFERENCES, UH, IN THE LEASE AGREEMENTS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH NEXT WEEK.
UM, THEY ALL WERE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THESE GUIDELINES, BUT THEY'RE NOT POLICY.
SO WHAT I WAS PROPOSING HERE WAS TAKE, UM, UH, UH, A SHORTER VERSION OF THE CHAIRMAN'S WORK, UH, AND ATTACH THEM AS AN ATTACHMENT UNDER THE HEADING OF GUIDELINES.
SO I, WASN'T GOING TO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT.
IT'S, UH, UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE STUDIED MADE, RIGHT.
RECOMMENDATIONS ON BEFORE WE GOT ACCOUNT OR COUNCIL CONSENSUS ON THEM, UH, WHAT I'M PROPOSING HERE THAT WE'D ATTACH THEM TO OUR POLICIES AS THESE GUIDELINES AND AS AN ATTACHMENT.
AND I THINK THE BASIC DOCUMENT WITH ALL OF MR. ENGLAND'S CONTRACT LANGUAGE IN THERE, THE AUDIT COMMITTEES WORK AND, AND, AND AFCS WORK IS PROBABLY 150 PAGES OR SO, SO IT DOES MAKE FOR A NICE BIG STACK OF PAPER.
UM, AND, UH, MR. NEIGHBOR, BASICALLY, YOU JU YOU GUYS ARE JUST GONNA CALL OUT THE IMPORTANT BITS OUT OF THAT 150 PAGES IN DROPPING IN AS THE GUIDELINES.
I THINK YOU HAD A SHORTER VERSION ANYWAY, OR IT'S LIKE THE FIRST 10 PAGES IS THE IMPORTANT PART AND THE REST OF IT'S JUST ALL THE BACKING DATA AND ANALYSIS WORK THAT WENT INTO IT AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF.
AND I THINK, I THINK THIS IS GUIDELINES.
I MEAN, I'M REALLY, I THINK THE INTENT OF COUNCIL AND, AND OF THIS COMMITTEE, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT, IT WAS REALLY NOT A SET HARD AND FAST POLICY, BUT TO MAKE IT WHERE WE HAD SOME KIND OF GUIDELINES THAT WE ALL KNEW WERE THERE AND EVERYBODY ELSE KNEW WERE THERE.
AND WE WEREN'T, WE WEREN'T, YOU KNOW, UH, DOING SOMETHING SUPER SPECIAL FOR SOMEBODY ELSE AND DIDN'T DO IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
AND ALSO FOR US TO KNOW ABOUT LEASES AND HOW MANY AND WHAT THEY WERE, AND THEN WE COULD ALL SAY, YES, WE KNOW WHAT THE GUIDELINES GENERALLY ARE FOR THESE LEASES, SO WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT.
SO THAT WAS, IT WAS REALLY TO GIVE THE STAFF THE, THE HELP THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING IN GENERAL, WHAT COUNSEL WOULD, AS THEY EXECUTE VARIOUS LEASES.
AND THEN OF COURSE THE OTHER WAS REALLY SHIFTING THE FOCUS OF OUR, OF OUR PARKS FACILITIES, YOU KNOW, AND GOING FROM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, NON-PROFITS OWNING THESE THINGS AND RESTRICTING PUBLIC USE TO THEM TO MORE, THE CITY OWNS IT, WE RUN IT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS, BUT THE KIDS OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS DESERVE ACCESS TO THESE PARKS THAT THEY'VE BEEN KEPT OUT OF BY SPORTS LEAGUES FOR YEARS.
AND SO THIS HAS KIND OF SHIFTED OUR APPROACH THERE.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE BIG TAKEAWAY.
AND I THINK ALONG WITH THAT, IT KIND OF HELPS SET GUIDANCE ON HOW, UH, COSTS WERE MANAGED OR WHO HAD THE COSTS IN KEEPING THE FIELDS UP AND HOW MUCH SUPPORT WOULD THE CITY GIVE IF WE OPENED THEM UP NOW AND OTHER FOLKS CAN USE THEM THAT ARE PART OF THE LEAGUE.
I MEAN, ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF, UH, IS WHAT OUR GUIDELINES HOPE TO ADDRESS, AND THEN LET THE, UH, LET OUR, UM, OUR STAFF DEAL WITH KIND OF NEGOTIATING THROUGH THAT.
AND I, I, I THINK ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, SOME OF THAT WENT BACK TO MY TIME ON THE PARKS BOARD WHEN WE HAD, YOU KNOW, AN INCONSISTENCY IN QUALITY OF CONCESSION STANDS ACROSS THE CITY, BECAUSE YOU WERE RELIANT ON THE, THE CONTRACTING ABILITIES OF THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE CONCESSION STAND AND MAKE IT A VIABLE
[00:40:01]
BUILDING.SO I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE FIXED THAT BY TAKING OWNERSHIP OF IT WITHIN THE CITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THE CITY OF GARLAND IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CONDITION OF CITY FACILITIES AND THAT, THAT WAS A BIG, BIG WIN.
I, I THINK THAT Y'ALL WILL HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT BECAUSE YOU'VE TAKEN ESSENTIALLY, I SAY 70 YEARS OF, UH, UH, MOSTLY AD HOC, IF NOT, UH, HANDSHAKE AGREEMENTS AND, UH, PUTS THEM INTO SOMETHING IT'S NOT A LOT MORE CONSISTENT, ESPECIALLY WE HAVE THE GUIDELINES TO TELL US WHAT THAT CONSISTENCY, NOT IN FLEXIBILITY, BUT CONSISTENCY.
QUESTIONS ON USAGE GUIDELINES.
I'M PRETTY HAPPY WITH THEM AS, AS GUIDELINES THAT ARE ATTACHED, UH, ANY CONCERNS THERE AT ALL, AND WE'LL HAVE THE FULL DOCUMENT PUT TOGETHER FOR THE COUNCIL WHEN IT HITS A WORKDAY.
UH, WHAT'S NEXT? UM, NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO UP, UH, TO, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S SECOND PAGE.
AND HERE I WAS, UH, TRYING TO ADDRESS A COMMENT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MAKE MAIL AND, UH, SENT TO YOU MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, GOOD POINT.
UH, THIS IS, UH, WHAT DO WE DO DURING A LOCAL EMERGENCY IF THEY CALL ALL THESE THINGS NEVER HAPPENED.
AND YET WE FOUND OUT, UH, YEAH, THEY DO.
UH, IF WE CAN'T MEET IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS THAN SOME OTHER PLACE AS DESIGNATED BY THE MAYOR AND OUR LINE OF SUCCESSION HERE WAS THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND COUNCILMAN NEIL VALLEY POINTED OUT.
UM, IF WE HAVE A, UH, UH, A DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM THEN, AND THE MAYOR IS NOT AVAILABLE IN AMERICA, TOWN'S NOT AVAILABLE.
THEN WE HAVE BY CHOOSING A DEPUTY, MATT HIM, UH, CHOSEN THE NEXT, UH, NAME, THE PERSON NEXT IN LINE IS SUCCESSION.
AND WE SHOULD, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT HERE IN THIS POLICY CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD NEVER BRING THAT ABOUT.
BUT LIKE I SAY, WE'VE LEARNED ROLLING DOWN.
THIS WAS, UM, I'M NOT REAL SURE THIS HAS TO DO WITH, UH, UH, THE ROLE FUNCTIONS, THE ASSIGNED FUNCTIONS OR THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
WHAT PAGE? ARTICLE TWO AND SECTION THREE, I DON'T HAVE A NUMBER HERE.
MY ZOOM WAS COVERING THREE PURPOSE.
UH, AND WHAT, UH, WHAT'S UP, SIR? UM, MY ON PAGE 15 ON MINE, UM, UH, I'M SORRY.
THEN WE GOT TWO STANDING COMMITTEES.
WE'LL KEEP TRACK ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE.
YEAH, I BELIEVE THE QUESTION HERE WAS, UH, YOU SEE THESE, THESE BULLET POINTS, UM, UH, AS, AS FAR AS SORT OF THE, UH, THE OUTLINE OF WHAT THIS COMMITTEE IS SUPPOSED TO CONSIDER, UH, COUNCIL ON AND MCNEIL, I'M NOT TRYING TO MISQUOTE YOU HERE.
UM, I BELIEVE I'M NOT INTERACT.
UH, IT HAD TO DO WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN MCNEIL.
IT HAD TO DO WITH, UM, DISCUSSING, UM, NOT JUST LOCAL POLICY, UM, UH, NOT JUST CITY POLICY, BUT LOCAL POLICY RIGHT.
UH, I WASN'T REAL SURE HOW TO PHRASE THAT BECAUSE I HADN'T PICKED YOUR BRAIN ON IT.
CAN I JUST ASK YOU, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
DID YOU JUST WANT TO THROW THE WORD COUNTY IN HERE OR NO, WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING TO LEGISLATIVE.
[00:45:03]
OKAY.OH, AND YOU KNOW, OXFORD COMMA, COME ON, GUYS.
WORD'S BEEN YELLING AT ME ABOUT THAT LATELY, SO THAT'S FRESH IN MY MIND.
OKAY, MR. CHAIRMAN, UM, UNLESS I AM MISTAKEN, THAT WAS THE LAST OF THE CHANGES HERE.
UH, ANY GENERAL COMMENTARY? ARE WE HAPPY WITH THIS PRODUCT TO SEND BACK TO COUNCIL FOR A WORK SESSION DISCUSSION? UH, IF SO, CAN I HAVE A MOTION MR. CHAIRMAN, UH, MOVE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, ON THE POLICY CHANGES.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER MCNEIL AND A SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER NICKERSON, UH, TO TAKE WHAT WE PUT TOGETHER HERE TODAY AND, UH, UH, GIVE IT OUR STAMP OF APPROVAL AND SEND IT BACK TO COUNCIL ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
NONE OPPOSED THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN KNOCK THIS OUT AND GET YOU OUT OF HERE ON TIME.
THAT WAS ITEM TWO C WE'RE GONNA, WE DID THAT IN TWO D MOVING ON A LOT IN TWO
[2.e. Reporting on Items Pending in Committee]
E, WHICH IS REPORT ON ITEMS PENDING IN COMMITTEE.UH, THIS WAS BROUGHT TO US BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALBAN.
UH, HIS REQUEST WAS THAT WE HAVE A, UM, UH, SOMETHING EITHER AS PART OF THE WRITTEN BRIEFINGS OR ELSEWHERE SITUATED IN THE WORK SESSION AGENDA, UH, THAT SHOWED WHAT ITEMS WERE PENDING IN COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, BY WHAT METHOD THEY GOT THERE, WHETHER IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT ONLY WHO PUT IT INTO COMMITTEE, BUT DID THEY EMAIL IT? DID THEY BRING IT UP AT THE WORK SESSION? YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW DID IT GET TO WHERE IT WAS? AND HE JUST, I THINK HE WANTED A LITTLE ONE PAGER, UH, JUST AS PART OF THE WORK SESSION AND RENEE, I THINK YOU HAD SAID YOU WERE GOING TO TACKLE THAT ONE, IS THAT CORRECT? ACTUALLY, MR. WATSON MADE A TABLE FOR IT.
YEAH, I'VE GOT A TEMPLATE HERE.
I'LL JUST SHARE MY SCREEN AND LOOK AND TALK THROUGH IT.
EVERYONE, EVERYONE SEE THAT? YEP.
SO I'LL JUST TRY TO MAKE A SIMPLE TABLE HERE WITH THE ITEMS BASED ON WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST COLUMN JUST SHOWS THE ITEM, UH, IN THE ASSIGNED BY COUNSEL.
UH, WHAT I HAVE HERE IS JUST WHO, WHO PUT IT IN THE, IN THE COMMITTEE AND THE DATE THEY DID IT, BUT, UH, TO THE CHAIRMAN'S POINT WE COULD, I COULD ADD IN THERE AT, AT, AT WORK SESSION ON NINE, 14, 20 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN ALSO ADD WHO PUT THE SECOND IN THERE TOO, SO THAT IT'S A LITTLE MORE DETAILED.
SO FOR INSTANCE, ON THE GARLAND FOUNDATION WILL BE COUNCILMAN MORRIS FIRST AND, UH, UH, MARILYN MAY SECOND TO THAT, THE WORK SESSION ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2020.
AND THEN BASED ON WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME IS, UH, TRYING TO PUT SOME SORT OF CURRENT STATUS OF WHERE IT IS AND THE COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY I JUST KEPT THIS KIND OF SHORT AND SWEET, BUT JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT.
WE INITIALLY DISCUSSED THIS AND THE CITY ATTORNEY PRESENTED IT HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE ONE 21 MEETING THAT WE WERE SCHEDULED FOR A FOLLOW-UP.
AND I ALSO BELIEVE WE WERE LOOKING TO GET AN ANTICIPATED DATE AND THOSE, ALL THESE DATES IN HERE ON THE ANTICIPATED DATE TO COUNCIL ARE JUST MADE UP BY ME OBVIOUSLY, BUT, UH, HAVING SOME SORT OF SCHEDULE OF WHEN IT MIGHT BE COMING BACK TO COUNCIL.
SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET AND, UH, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY COMMENTS.
I JUST, UM, IT'S JUST THE COLUMN FOR THE ANTICIPATED DATA.
I MEAN, I GUESS IT'S NICE TO KIND OF KNOW, BUT WORKED WE'RE ANTICIPATING IT.
SO HOW ACCURATE IT REALLY WOULD THAT DAY BE? AND DO WE REALLY NEED TO SHOW IT THAT WAY THAT MAY CAUSE MORE CONSTERNATION TO FOLKS AND THEN BEING HELPFUL? UM, IF FOR SOME REASON WE PUT AN ANTICIPATED DATE, THEN WE'RE, WE'RE THREE MONTHS BEHIND THAT DATE.
I MEAN, I, I'M JUST KINDA CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO TRACK HERE.
DO WE WANT TO JUST SAY, HAVE LIKE A, UM, UH, PENDING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING TO INDICATE THAT IT'S LEFT THE COMMITTEE AND IT'S ON ITS WAY TO COUNCIL AND THAT'S IT, WE DON'T WORRY ABOUT DATES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT COMMITTEE HERE.
SO IF THERE IS A CERTAINTY OF WHAT, WHAT, WHEN WE'RE TAKING IT FORWARD, WE'LL PUT THE DATE, BUT IF NOT, WE'LL DO A SPLIT ATTENDING.
[00:50:01]
UM, I'M ALL RIGHT WITH THAT.WELL, WHY WOULD THERE I'M I'M, I'M, I'M DEFINITELY ALIGNED WITH IT CUSTOMER NICKERSON.
THE ONLY THING I WOULD SUGGEST WOULD BE RIGHT THERE WITH CURRENT STATUSES IS THAT THEY COMMITTEE PLANS TO HEAR IT RIGHT.
MAYBE SOMETHING OF THAT MAGNITUDE, THAT WAY WE KIND OF KNOW WHERE WE'RE COMING UP ON THE COMMITTEE'S AGENDA, BUT AS FORCED AS GOOD IDEA, I LIKE THAT.
AND THEN FROM THERE THAT SHOULD DICTATE AND MAYBE PROVIDE LINE OF SIGHT TO WHEN WE WOULD GO BACK TO COUNCIL.
BUT I WOULD, THAT WOULD BE, I WOULD NOT WANT TO GIVE ANTICIPATED FOR COUNCIL.
I LIKE YOUR, I LIKE YOUR IDEA THOUGH.
UH, COUNCILMAN NEIL ON ANTICIPATION OF WHEN IT GOES INTO COMMITTEE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
THAT'S BUT I JUST WANTED TO STAY AWAY FROM ANY KIND OF DATES IT'S GOING TO GO TO COUNCIL.
I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH.
UH, WITH THOSE TWO CHANGES, ARE WE ALL COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE? I AM.
I'LL LET YOU AT THE LAST SECOND.
AND, AND, UH, UH, LET'S LET ME GO AND GET A MOTION TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS.
CAROL, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, UH, WITH THE SERVICES OR WITH THE PENDING ITEMS LIST RIGHT NOW.
ALL RIGHT, MATT, YOU DON'T NEED TO BRING THAT BACK TO THE COMMITTEE.
UH, JUST GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE CHANGES AND WHAT WOULD OVER TO THE COUNCIL.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE EVEN GONNA SET THIS AS POLICY OR IF IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE JUST GOING TO START DOING, UH, WE MIGHT EVEN JUST FOR THE NEXT, UH, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF WORK SESSIONS OUT INCLUDED IN THE PACKET, FORGET, USE THAT AS THE, AS THE WAY TO BRING IT UP AND SAY, HEY, WHAT DO YOU GUYS LIKE ABOUT IT? WHAT DO YOU NOT LIKE ABOUT IT? GIVE ME SOME FEEDBACK AND WE'LL JUST ADJUST AS WE GO.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF THIS NEEDS TO BE SUPER OFFICIAL, YOU KNOW, WHAT'D YOU WANT US TO DO THAT IN THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL, WHATEVER GIVES THE STAFF LIAISONS TIME TO PUT IT TOGETHER.
I DON'T WANT TO PUT A DEADLINE ON ANYBODY.
THAT WAS ITEM TWO E NICE AND EASY ITEM TO F
[2.f. City Council Ethics Ordinance]
UH, WE'RE GOING TO GET AN INTRODUCTION TODAY ON THE CITY COUNCIL ETHICS ORDINANCE.UH, THIS WAS, AND MR. GARY WILL GO INTO THE HISTORY OF IT, BUT, UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET INTO THE MEAT OF THIS TODAY.
I JUST WANT TO PUT IT ON EVERYBODY'S RADAR, UH, TO GET US WARMED UP FOR IT.
AND WE'LL GET INTO THE REALLY SUBSTANTIAL DISCUSSIONS AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, MR. NEIGHBOR, GO AHEAD, SIR.
I TELL HIM, BUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO MUTE IT, SIR.
I WAS BETTER THAN THAT YEARS AGO.
UH, YOU HAD A WIRE THAT, UH, MANDATED THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPT, UH, AN ETHICS ORDINANCE.
UH, IT DIDN'T SAY COOPER TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THAT ETHICS ORDINANCE, BUT YOU DO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO HAVE AN ETHICS ORDINANCE.
UM, SHORTLY AFTER THAT, UH, THERE WAS A COMMITTEE PUT TOGETHER THAT INCLUDED, UH, CITIZENS, UM, AND, AND THE CURRENT ETHICS ORDINANCE WAS, UM, ADOPTED INTO THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
UM, I DON'T MEAN TO DISPARAGE THE PARTICIPANTS IN THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK ARE DONE ON PUTTING IT TOGETHER, BUT IT HAS A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS AND FRANKLY, I'VE NEVER BEEN A FAN.
UM, WE DON'T RUN INTO A LOT OF INSTANCES WHERE, UH, WE HAVE ALLEGATIONS OF ETHICS ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS, BUT SOMETIMES WHEN WE HAVE A, THERE'S A DIFFICULTY, THERE'S A DIFFICULTY IN PROSECUTING THEM, UH, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE ETHICS ORDINANCE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WAS DRAFTED, UH, PLUS IT HAS, UH, IN MY VIEWS, UM, UH, UNNECESSARY DEFINITIONS AND UNNECESSARY DETAILS.
AND BY THE SAME TOKEN, UH, IT'S LACKING IN DETAIL AND OTHER VERY IMPORTANT RESPECT.
AND, UH, I'LL SPEAK BRIEFLY ON, UH, ANOTHER PORTION OF OUR ETHICS ORDINANCE.
IT COMES UP A LOT, AND THAT HAS TO DO WITH A LIMITATION THAT OUR ETHICS ORDINANCE, UH, PURPORTS TO IMPOSE ON CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND DURING THE $600 CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITATION, UM, AND, UH, AS CURRENTLY WORDED, UH, IN MY VIEW
[00:55:01]
THAT PROVISION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND UNENFORCEABLE FOR, UH, I SHOULD EXPLAIN, WE DECLINED TO ENFORCE IT BECAUSE IN MY VIEW THAT PROVISION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.SO IF WE'RE GOING TO GO AROUND REDRAFTING AND I SUGGEST IT'S TIME TO DO THAT, UM, IF WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A REDRAFTING, SOME OF THESE PROBATION, HE'LL SAY WE'LL DROP OUT.
UM, WE CAN LOOK THROUGH OTHER ETHICS ORDINANCES TO SAY, IF THERE IS A BETTER WAY OF THE ONE THING, UH, SOME OF THE PROVISIONS ARE ETHICS ORDINANCE ARE ALREADY COVERED BY STATE LAW, AND THERE'S NO REASON TO DUPLICATE THEM IN OUR ETHICS ORDER.
UH, NOW SOME OF THOSE STATE LAWS, IF IT CHANGED OVER THE YEAR OR HAD BEEN ENACTED, UH, SUBSEQUENT TO THE ADOPTION OF THAT ORDINANCE, MY POINT IS I STRONGLY BELIEVE IT'S TIME TO UPDATE THIS, UH, NEARLY 20 YEAR OLD ORDINANCE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S QUITE BETTER THAT, UH, IT'S DATED, UM, AND IT NEEDS TO BE REVIVED.
AND I THINK THERE ARE BETTER WAYS TO DO THINGS.
UM, THE PROCESS INVOLVED COURTS IS UP TO Y'ALL.
UH, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS, UM, UNLESS YOU HAVE STRONG IDEAS, AS FAR AS EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW, LET ME COME UP WITH A DRAFT.
I'LL TRY TO PRESERVE AS MUCH AS THE SPIRIT OF THE CURRENT ETHICS ORDINANCE, AS I THINK IS ADVISABLE.
I'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH A RED LINE COPY OF, UM, MY RECOMMENDED FORM.
UM, NOW, AS FAR AS PUTTING THAT TOGETHER, I'LL LEAVE IT TO THE COMMITTEE.
IF YOU WANT TO SEND ME SUGGESTIONS, UH, AS I'M GRABBING THAT, A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S MORE HELPFUL BECAUSE THEN YOU GET TO IT DOWN THE DRAFT, UH, OR IF WE THINK IT'S PROBLEMATIC, WE GET TO DISCUSS IT.
AND WHY, UH, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD IDEA TO PUT IT TOWARD MINUTES, OR I CAN JUST BRING YOU BACK A RED LINE OF MY IDEA OF WHAT'S BEST AND, AND MY JOB WE'LL TAKE IT FROM THERE.
UM, EITHER WAY, UH, I'M OPEN TO THIS CARAMEL, UM, DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH SOURCE MATERIAL FROM THE ORIGINAL RUN THROUGH THIS, THAT YOU FEEL THAT YOU CAN DO THIS WITHOUT US GOING BACK? AND RE-ENGAGING LIKE A PUBLIC TASKFORCE KIND OF APPROACH, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE HAD THEM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'VE, IF WE FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT ENOUGH, 20 YEARS TO GO TO ASSEMBLE A GROUP OF CITIZENS OUTSIDE OF CITY GOVERNMENT TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T LOSE THE ESSENCE OF WHAT THEY CONTRIBUTED, YOU KNOW? YES.
SO I CAN, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE'LL FOR SURE, UNLESS Y'ALL TELL ME DIFFERENT OR, OR THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, UM, THERE'S, UH, A PROCESS OF PROCEDURE INVOLVED IN, UM, PROCESSING ETHICS ORDINANCE ALLEGATIONS, UH, THAT PROVIDES, UH, UH, A WAY FOR THE CITIZENS TO ENGAGE.
IF IT'S A CITIZEN INITIATED ETHICS VIOLATION, UH, ALLEGATION, UH, AND SOME PROTECTIONS, UH, WE'LL CALL IT DUE PROCESS.
THAT'S NOT, UH, UH, AN EXACTLY SITTING TERM.
AND IN THIS CONTEXT, UH, SOME DUE PROCESS PROTECTIONS FOR THE TARGET OF THAT ETHICS, UM, ALLEGATION ETHICS VIOLATION ALLEGATION.
AND WE FOUND THAT TO BE HELPFUL OVER THE YEARS IN THE FEW INSTANCES WHERE WE HAVE HAD, UH, ALLEGATIONS OF VIOLATIONS, UH, SOME OF THEM, UH, SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY PREVALENT.
UM, WE KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING THEY WERE, AND, UH, THERE'S A WAY TO WEED THOSE OUT WITHOUT SPENDING A LOT OF COUNCIL TIME OR POLITICAL EFFORT, UM, AND EITHER DEFENDING OR
SO I BELIEVE WE ALL KEEP THOSE IN PLACE.
AND, UH, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS MORE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES AS FAR AS WHAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY OUR ETHICS ORDINANCE.
LIKE I SAID, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY REASON TO DUPLICATE STATE LAW.
UM, AND IF IT'S NOT COVERED THERE, BUT, UH, IS ADDRESSED IN A LAWFUL FASHION AND THE CURRENT ETHICS ORDINANCE, I'LL TRY TO BRING THAT FORWARD IN THIS REVISED.
UM, OUR NEXT MEETING, I WAS PLANNING FOR APRIL 22ND AT 4:00 PM.
[01:00:01]
THE NATURE OF THIS TYPE OF ORDINANCE, UH, I'LL DO A LOT, I'LL MAKE A LOT MORE EFFORT TO MAKE IT PUBLIC THAT WE ARE MEETING ON THIS DAY.AND HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING.
AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THE PUBLIC INPUT ON THIS, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET US TOO FAR DOWN THE ROAD WITHOUT HAVING ENGAGED THE PUBLIC FIRST.
SO I'M A LITTLE WORRIED THAT WAITING TILL THE END AND THEN DOING A PUBLIC HEARING MIGHT BE A BIT OF A DISSERVICE, AND I DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS SHIT BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO SHOW UP AT FOUR O'CLOCK ON A THURSDAY FOR A COMMITTEE HEARING.
WE COULD PROBABLY STRETCH IT OUT ON THE COUNCIL TIMELINE AND DO MULTIPLE PUBLIC HEARINGS.
IF, IF THIS IS, IF THIS IS GOING TO BE A LARGE DOCUMENT, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF LINK ARE YOU ANTICIPATING ON THIS? UH, AS FAR AS, UH, WRITTEN LINKS, AS FAR AS THE WRITTEN DOCUMENT.
YOU ASKING HOW MANY PAGES REALLY? UM, I THINK IF YOU PRINTED IT OUT IN THE FORM THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO, TO STUDY, IT'S UNDER 10 PAGES.
IT'S NOT THAT THERE AREN'T THAT MANY WORDS INVOLVED.
COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ANY INPUT ON THIS? JUST A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS REGARDING THE PROCESS.
UH BRAD'S I THINK HE MAY HAVE MENTIONED THAT OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO DUPLICATE ITEMS WHERE STATE LAW IS ALREADY IN PLACE, BUT YOU WOULD REFERENCE THAT STATE AND YOU WOULD MAKE THAT REFERENCE IN THE DOCUMENT.
UH I'LL I'LL NOT SAY YOU'LL GET A RED LINE.
SO, UM, IF WE, THERE ARE PROVISIONS, UM, OR EXAMPLE CONFLICTS OF INTERESTS THAT THE ETHICS ORDINANCE DOESN'T REALLY EXPAND THAT MUCH ON WHAT STATE LAW PROVIDES.
UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME, SOME TWEAKS THERE, WHICH I THINK WERE IMPORTANT TO THE ORIGINAL DRAFTERS AND ALL THE PRODUCT AREAS THOSE FORWARD.
UM, THERE ARE SOME REPORTING REQUIREMENTS WHICH ARE DUPLICATIVE OF STATE LAW.
YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH YOUR CAMPAIGN REPORTS AND THEN THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT, UH, FOR JAYA'S AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTORNEY HAVE HAD TO, UM, AS THE CURRENT ORDINANCE STANDS, YOU'D HAVE TO SUBMIT TO, WE'VE ALWAYS TAKEN THE POSITION.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT ONE DROP DOWN.
UM, BUT I'LL, I'LL MAKE ALL OF THAT VISIBLE TO YOU IN, IN A RED LINE FORM, UH, AS I'M SORRY.
AS FAR AS MORE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES, UM, UH, I DID LOOK AT A COUPLE OTHER ORDINANCES, UM, FROM OTHER CITIES, THEY MAY HAVE SOME GOOD IDEAS.
UH, I HATE TO BE THE SOLE AUTHOR OF, OF THOSE GOOD IDEAS I CAN BRING IN FOUR REPORTS.
YOU CAN STRIKE THEM DOWN, BUT IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ME NOW WHERE THOSE GET PLUGGED IN.
AGAIN, I'M HOPING, UH, IT'S HELPFUL TO ME ACTUALLY, TO HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS AS I'M PUTTING TOGETHER THE INITIAL DRAFT.
AND THAT LEADS INTO MY SECOND QUESTION WAS I WAS THINKING THAT YOU WOULD PROBABLY PREFER THAT AS OPPOSED TO YOU CAN, THROUGH THE COMPLETE DOCUMENT, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH AND WANTING TO TEAR DOWN EVERYTHING.
SO I CONCURRED THAT WE SHOULD FEED YOU AND MONITOR AS WE GO THAT WAY.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TO DO AT THE END AND ELABORATELY DO THIS AS A WAY OF GETTING STARTED.
UH, I'M GOING TO SEND YOU THE, THE WORD VERSION OF, UH, THE CURRENT ETHICS ORDINANCE AND LET YOU LOOK THROUGH THAT IF YOU WANT.
UM, AND YOU CAN GO FROM THERE AT LEAST HE'LL GIVE YOU A STARTING PLACE OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UM, IF YOU FIND SOMETHING FROM ANOTHER CITY OR EVEN A CITY OUTSIDE OF TEXAS, AND YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
IF, IF YOU CAN, UH, EITHER SEND ME THE DOCUMENT OR, UM, CUT AND PASTE, UH, BE EVEN BETTER THAN THE PARTICULAR IDEA OR THE CONCEPT THAT YOU WANT TO COVER, UH, THAT I'LL TRY TO GET IT PLUGGED IN TO THIS INITIAL DRAFT AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT ALL.
I'LL TRY TO REMEMBER TO TAG YOU, WHOEVER SUBMITTED AS, AS THE AUTHOR OR THE, UH, THE PROPOSER OF THAT.
UM, FORGIVE ME IF I DON'T, BUT I WILL GET AROUND TO DISCUSS IT.
AND I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME AND GETTING OUT OF FINAL FORM FOR SEAN TO THE COUNCIL.
UH, BRAD, CAN YOU ALSO KIND OF BE A VOICE FOR STAFF FOR A WAY FOR THEM TO, UH,
[01:05:01]
ROLL SUGGESTIONS INTO THIS AS WELL, BUT TO PROTECT THEIR ANONYMITY, UM, FOR STAFF, IF STAFF MEMBERS SEE SOME NEED TO ADD THINGS TO THE ETHICS ORDINANCE, UH, CAN YOU TAKE THEIR SUGGESTIONS AS WELL? AND, UH, ROLL THOSE OUT UP TO US.UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE, THERE MAY BE, I AM SURE THAT I ANNOYS SOMEBODY IN, IN, UH, IN AN ORGANIZATION OF 2000 PEOPLE AND THEY MAY HAVE SOME IDEA.
THAT'S LIKE, HEY, YOU KNOW, HE, THAT ROBERT, HE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS ETHICALLY.
I'D LIKE FOR THEM TO FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING TO YOU AND PITCHING IDEAS FOR THE ETHICS ORDINANCE, UH, THAT WE CAN SEE, UH, WHILE WE PROTECT THE STAFF MEMBER.
I JUST CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU THAT THERE'S AN ON NAMANNY BECAUSE I HAVE A DUTY TO THE WHOLE, TO EACH OF YOU ALL IN LINE.
WELL, IF THEY, HOWEVER, THEY'D LIKE TO DO IT, WHETHER IT'S SLIPPING A PIECE OF PAPER IN A BOX OR WHATEVER, I MEAN, I, I DON'T WANT TO CUT STAFF OUT OF THE DISCUSSION AND I DON'T WANT THEM TO, UH, RISK ANY SORT OF, UH, REAL OR IMAGINED RETRIBUTION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT, BUT THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE GOVERNING BODY FOR THE CITY AND, AND I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IN WHAT I CALL A THREE 60 REVIEW.
UH, WE'RE NOT ONLY DO THE PEOPLE ABOVE YOU, UH, GET FEEDBACK INTO YOUR PERFORMANCE AND HOW YOU CONDUCT YOURSELF, BUT THE FOLKS THAT YOU SUPERVISE DO AS WELL.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS IN PRACTICE WITH THIS, BUT I'D LIKE TO LEAVE THE OPTION OPEN.
JERRY, YOU GOT ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, I THINK GETTING OUR CALL MENTION TOO IS A GOOD IDEA, TOO.
AND APPRECIATE YOU SENDING THAT WORD DOCUMENT TO ME.
MR. NEIGHBOR, ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, SIR? OH, I'LL, UH, I'LL SEND THIS, UH, ORDINANCE OUT RIGHT NOW.
UM, THAT COMPLETES TWO F AND WE'RE AT ITEM THREE ADJOURNMENT, UH, AT, UH, 5:08 PM.
CAN WE ADDRESS TO, OR DID I, WE DID A TO B UH, WE ROLLED THAT INTO ITEM TWO C, WHICH WAS THE OVERALL COUNCIL POLICY REVIEW.
AND SO THAT'LL BE, UH, UH, I THINK, DID WE DO, UM, DID WE HAVE A MOTION ON THAT OR DID WE JUST TAKE IT AS PART OF, TO SEE, I HAVE TO GO BACK AND LOOK, WE DID ON THE POLICIES.
SO, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL ROLL THAT INTO A, TO B AND TO SEE IS ONE ITEM.
UM, IT IS 5:09 PM AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR COMING TODAY.