[00:00:01]
[Charter Review Committee on September 26, 2023.]
WE WILL.I WASN'T SURE WHO WAS GONNA TAKE THIS, BUT I GUESS IT'LL BE ME.
SO YOU HAVE A LEGAL AUTHORITY HERE, ILLEGAL
UM, IT IS SEPTEMBER 26TH AT 6:30 PM WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE TO ORDER.
UH, I WILL NOTE THAT FOR THE RECORD, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM OF MEMBERS ATTENDING.
UM, I AM TREY LANSFORD, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY.
UM, RIGHT NOW, UM, THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR 2023.
UM, THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WILL, UM, BE THE WELCOMING INTRODUCTIONS.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I KNOW PROBABLY MOST OF YOU KNOW EACH OTHER, UM, BUT BEFORE WE DID THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR NOMINATIONS AND DECISION BY Y'ALL, WE WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL A CHANCE TO I INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND FOR US TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES AS STAFF, BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT KNOW SOME OR ALL OF US.
I AM TREY LANFORD, DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY FOR THE CITY OF DENTON.
I HAVE BEEN WITH THE CITY SINCE JANUARY OF GARLAND.
UM, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY SINCE JANUARY.
UM, BEFORE THIS I WAS WITH, UH, CITY OF PARKER AND CITY OF DENTON.
UM, I'VE BEEN PRACTICING FOR OVER 15 YEARS NOW.
UM, UH, MUNICIPAL LAW HAS BEEN ABOUT HALF OF THAT FOR ME.
I WAS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE BEFORE THAT.
UH, BUT I'VE REALLY ENJOYED MUNICIPAL LAW AND WHAT I GET TO DO THERE AND HOW I'M ABLE TO HELP, UH, CITIES ACCOMPLISH PUBLIC PURPOSES.
IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A GOOD, GOOD CHANGE FOR ME AND FOR MY FAMILY.
SO I, I ENJOY DOING THIS AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT WITH Y'ALL, UM, AS WE LOOK TO BETTER THE CITY OF GARLAND THROUGH THIS, UH, CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
UM, BEFORE WE GET TO Y'ALL, WE WILL LET STAFF INTRODUCE THEMSELVES IN CASE Y'ALL ARE UNAWARE OF WHO IS HERE TONIGHT.
SO, UH, PHIL, WE'LL START WITH YOU.
I'M ONE OF THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS.
UH, IT'LL BE A YEAR NEXT MONTH THAT I WILL BE WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND.
UH, CAME FROM THE CITY OF ODESSA, WHERE I WAS AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER THERE.
SO HAPPY TO, TO BE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE AND WORKING WITH EACH AND ONE EVERY ONE OF YOU.
I'M THE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND NOW FOR APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR, UM, ABOUT 16 AND A HALF YEARS.
I STARTED OUT IN PLANNING AND I RECENTLY MOVED TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE IN JANUARY, SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY 12 YEARS AND THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE, SO HAPPY TO BE HERE.
I SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THIS CURRENT COUNCIL AND SOME PAST ONES.
UH, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY NOW FOR 15 YEARS.
SO THAT IS ALL THE STAFF WE HAVE PRESENT, BUT I WILL LET Y'ALL GO THROUGH THE DA.
I, LIKE I SAID, I'M SURE MOST OF YOU HAVE MET EACH OTHER IN THE PAST, BUT THERE MIGHT BE SOME OF YOU THAT YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYONE.
SO WE WANTED TO GIVE Y'ALL THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELVES, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SELECTION OF THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR.
I'LL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START.
AND I'M JUST GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE AN ALL ROUND BACKGROUND.
I'M AN ARCHITECT BY TRADE AND FOR ABOUT THE PAST 36 YEARS IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER, I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER AT THE CITY ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND STUFF.
SO THIS IS JUST A CONTINUATION OF THAT.
UH, CURRENTLY CHAIRMAN OF THE PLAN COMMISSION ONLY FOR ABOUT 16 YEARS NOW.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I ENJOY A SERVICE AND EVERYTHING.
AND, UH, TO MAKE THIS MORE FUN, I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT MY FAVORITE MOVIE IS AND I WANNA HEAR ALL OF Y'ALL'S FAVORITE MOVIE TOO.
AND JUST SO YOU, JUST SO YOU KNOW HOW CRAZY I AM, THE FIFTH ELEMENT IS MY FAVORITE MOVIE,
UM, YEAH, I THINK I'LL JUST LEAVE IT OFF.
I GUESS I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT I'M DOING HERE.
UH, BUT, UH, MR. MOORE, I'VE BEEN IN, UH, UH, CLOSE CONTACT WITH HIM FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, EVER SINCE HE GOT ELECT ELECTED.
UM, THE H O A PRESIDENT FOR HILLSIDE ON THE LAKES.
WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES OUT THERE THAT HAS KIND OF DRAWN ME INTO SORT OF THE PUBLIC ARENA.
UM, BUT, UH, I AM A 28 YEAR AIR FORCE VETERAN.
13 YEARS OF ENLISTED TIME, 15 YEARS OFFICER TIME.
I'M A SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CAPTAIN.
UM, AND THE H O A, UH, I THINK I SAID THAT THE H O A PRESIDENT.
SO, UH, HE THOUGHT I MIGHT DO SOME GOOD HERE, UH, THAT I WOULD BE HELPFUL AND HAVE SOME GOOD INPUT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S TRUE, BUT I WILL DO MY BEST.
[00:05:01]
NICE TO MEET ALL OF YOU.20 YEARS THERE, I DECIDED I DIDN'T LIKE IT, SO I QUIT.
AND I RETIRED FROM THE NAVY IN 89 AT GREAT LAKES AND MOVED DOWN HERE THEN IN 89.
SO I WASN'T BORN HERE, BUT I GOT HERE AS SOON AS I COULD, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
UH, I HAVE SPENT MOST OF THE LAST 34 YEARS SINCE I RETIRED AS A TECHNICAL WRITER AND TECHNICAL TRAINER FOR ABOUT A DOZEN, I THINK, UM, TECH COMPANIES IN THIS AREA.
THE FIRST ONE I WORKED FOR WAS RIGHT HERE IN GARLAND.
IT WAS SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE V F W POST IN DALLAS.
MY WIFE'S RELATIVES LIVED RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM IT AND WERE MEMBERS, SO I HAD TO JOIN THERE.
SINCE THEN, I'VE BEEN HELD A LOT OF DIFFERENT OFFICES IN THE V F W AT THE POST DISTRICT AND STATE LEVELS, AND I'M JUST REALLY HAPPY TO BE HERE.
I HAVE RIGHT NOW THE BEST COUNCILWOMAN I'VE EVER HAD.
THE FIRST, THE FIRST GUY THAT WAS DISTRICT TWO CITY COUNCILMAN WHEN I GOT HERE.
HE WAS A MAILMAN, AND HE GOT HIMSELF IN A WORLD OF TROUBLE.
I MEAN, JUST, HE WAS KIND OF RUN OUT TOWN.
SO DEBRA MORRIS NOW IS FANTASTIC, IN SPITE OF WHAT MR. JOHNSON MIGHT SAY.
UM, UH, MY NAME'S MARTIN GLENN.
UH, AS OF NEXT SUNDAY, THIS COMING SUNDAY, I'VE BEEN RETIRED FROM THE CITY OF GARLAND FOR SEVEN YEARS.
UH, I WORKED FOR THE, UH, CITY FOR 37 YEARS.
UH, STARTED OUT IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND WORKED MY WAY UP, UH, TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
AND THEN PROBABLY THE LAST 12 YEARS I WAS THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
SO, UH, GARLAND HAS ACTUALLY IS MY, MY SECOND HOME FROM THE STANDPOINT.
FIRST TIME I EVER CAME TO GARLAND, I GREW UP IN DALLAS OAK CLIFF.
UH, I CAME TO GARLAND IN 1968.
I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I WAS WORKING A SUMMER JOB, AND I DELIVERED MAGAZINES TO ALL THE, UH, DRUG STORES AND THE, UH, FOOD STORES.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S, AND, AND, AND THE STRANGE THING ABOUT IT, THE ONLY PART OF GARLAND I KNEW WAS MY ROUTE.
IF I EVER GOT OFF MY ROUTE, I'D GET LOST.
SO, BUT NOW I KNOW, YOU KNOW, GARLAND, I KNOW ABOUT BACK OF MY HAND.
BUT, UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT, UH, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED, UH, WITH THE CITY SINCE I'VE RETIRED A LITTLE BIT WITH THE BOND COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, UH, WE, I CURRENTLY, WELL, WE LIVE UP IN NORTH GARLAND AREA, AND, UH, BJ UH, APPOINTED ME.
AND SO I'VE, I'VE KNOWN BJ, GOSH, FOR PROBABLY 37 YEARS.
AND, UM, I COME FROM THE FIELD OF EDUCATION.
I SPENT 29 YEARS AS A CAMPUS ADMINISTRATOR AND TEACHER.
I THEN MOVED OVER TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND I DID CURRICULUM DESIGN AND EDUCATION CONSULTING FOR THE NEXT 11 YEARS.
AND I HAVE BEEN RETIRED FOR FOUR YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE A NAVY CONNECTION.
MY SON IS A MASTER CHIEF WITH MOBILE UNIT EIGHT, NOW STATIONED IN EUROPE.
UM, I SERVE ON THE PROPERTY STANDARDS BOARD FOR DISTRICT FIVE, AND I'M JUST READY TO SERVE NOW THAT I'M RETIRED AND I HAVE TIME AND I CAN STUDY.
I'M, I'M READY TO BE OF SERVICE TO THE CITY.
BOTH OF MY, UH, WELL, THEY'RE ADULTS.
I ACTUALLY RETIRED FROM THE CITY SEVEN MONTHS AGO.
AND AS THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC MEDIA RELATIONS TEAM, UM, I'M NOW IN PRIVATE SECTOR PR UH, WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT CLIENTS.
SO I'M STILL DOING THE SAME THING JUST FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
IN FACT, MY PARENTS MOVED TO GARLAND AT THE TAIL END OF 1949.
UH, I AM A PRODUCT OF GARLAND I S D I GRADUATED FROM GIRL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM GARLAND
[00:10:01]
HIGH SCHOOL.MOVED AWAY FROM TOWN FOR ABOUT 20 PLUS YEARS IN THE TV NEWS BUSINESS, AND THEN CAME BACK HOME TO SERVE MY HOMETOWN.
AND, AND AFTER RETIRING FROM THE CITY, I WAS LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO CONTINUE TO SERVE MY HOMETOWN.
I'M ALSO ACTIVE WITH GARLAND SUMMER MUSICALS ON THEIR BOARD.
I'M INVOLVED WITH THE SPRING CREEK, UH, PRESERVE SOCIETY AND WITH HOPE CLINIC AND VARIOUS, AND ANDREA, OTHER THINGS AS THEY COME UP.
DODSON STARTED OUT, STEVE, YOU'LL, YOU SHOULD TAKE CLOSE NOTE TO THE STORY.
STARTED OUT WANTING TREES IN THE MEDIAN ON SHILOH.
AND ABOUT 20 YEARS LATER, I AM STILL SERVING FOR THOSE TREES.
UM, STARTED OUT PLAN COMMISSION, SERVED WITH SCOTT, UM, WENT TO COUNCIL, SERVED THE SIX YEARS OFF FOR A YEAR.
MAYOR AT THE TIME, QUIT IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS TERM.
I RAN AND SERVED THE ONE YEAR AS MAYOR AND CONVINCED SCOTT LEMAY THAT HE WAS GONNA REPLACE ME.
I THINK THAT TAKES ME THROUGH ABOUT 12 YEARS.
I'M CURRENTLY THE APPOINTEE FOR NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT WHERE CITY OF GARLAND GETS OUR WATER FROM NEAR CHARTER REVIEW.
GRADUATED OUT OF NORTH GARLAND.
AND WELCOME TO YOUR CIVIC DUTY FROM NOW UNTIL YOU DIE.
YOU REMEMBER MICHAEL CORLEONE AND THE SECOND GODFATHER.
EVERY TIME I THINK OUT, THEY SUCK ME BACK IN.
JUST LIKE MY, I JUST THOUGHT I'D TELL YOU WHAT NOBODY EVER TOLD ME IN HERE.
I'M MIKE ROSE, UM, DISTRICT SEVEN.
UH, I'VE SERVED ON THIS CHARTER REVIEW SEVERAL TIMES.
THE LAST TIME I WAS CHAIRMAN OF IT, UH, MY WIFE AND I HAD LIVED IN GARLAND OVER 30 YEARS.
UH, WHAT ELSE CAN I TELL? UM, I'M A SEMI-RETIRED COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AGENT.
UM, I DUNNO WHAT ELSE I CAN TELL YOU.
I, I KNOW A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
SOME OF THEM GET ME IN TROUBLE.
ANYWAY, UM, I'M GLAD I'M ABLE TO HELP.
UM, BORN AND RAISED IN GARLAND.
I GRADUATED IN NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
MY GOVERNMENT TEACHER WAS HER SISTER
SO, UH, BIGGEST SMALL TOWN ON EARTH.
UM, I, I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING OR EMPLOYED BY THE CITY IN SOME FORM SINCE THE MID NINETIES.
UH, MY FIRST JOB WAS AS A SILVER PAGE AT CENTRAL LIBRARY.
UM, GOT APPOINTED TO PARKS BOARD IN 2013 CITY COUNCIL IN 2017.
AND IT JUST CAME OFF OF THERE IN MAY.
UH, SO THIS IS MY IDEA OF RETIRING FROM THAT LIFE IS TO GET IMMEDIATELY SUCKED BACK INTO AS MANY COMMITTEES AS THE CURRENT COUNSELING WANTS TO DO FOR 'EM.
AND I THINK SOME OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING DURING THIS CHARTER REVIEW IS CORRECTING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I DID IN 2017 THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT SO WELL.
SO TAKE EVERY ONE OF MY OPINIONS WITH A GIANT GRAIN OF SALT BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY GOOFED IT UP ONCE.
UM, HOPEFULLY THAT WAS HELPFUL.
UM, I GUESS RIGHT NOW I'M STILL CALLING THE AGENDA ITEMS, AT LEAST FOR THE NEXT ONE.
UM, SO THAT WAS OUR WELCOMING INTRODUCTIONS.
AT THIS POINT, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE SELECTION OF THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
AND HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK IS THAT WE WILL ACCEPT NOMINATIONS AND IF THE PERSON ACCEPTS THEIR NOMINATION, THEY'LL BE ADDED TO A LIST.
IF THERE'S ONLY ONE, YOU CAN CHOOSE THEM BY AGREEMENT OF THE PARTY.
IF THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE, WE WILL TAKE THEM UP AND, UH, VOTE.
AND THE FIRST ONE TO RECEIVE A MAJORITY OF THE VOTE WILL GET THE POSITION.
MR. ROSE, I WOULD NOMINATE, UH, SCOTT ROBERTS.
MR. ROBERTS, DO YOU ACCEPT THE NOMINATION? I SHOULD, BUT I WILL.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE A SECOND WHETHER YOU NEED OR RIGHT OUT HERE.
I'LL GO TO ROBERT JOHN SMITH AS VICE CHAIR.
[00:15:04]
I'M BUSY OVER HERE.DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? OKAY.
SO PUTTING THE NOMINATION OF SCOTT ROBERTS AS THE CHAIR TO THE GROUP, UM, WHAT, SAY YOU AS A GROUP BY A SHOW OF HANDS ON YOUR RIGHT HAND.
IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF SCOTT ROBERTS AS CHAIR.
AND, UM, TO THE GROUP, UH, AS MR. SMITH, AS THE VICE CHAIR, AS A SHOW OF YOUR RIGHT HAND, WHO IS IN FAVOR ALSO PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL HAPPILY PASS THE ORDER OF THIS MEETING ONTO MR. ROBERTS AS THE CHAIR OF YOUR 20 23 20 24 CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
NO, I KNOW WHY I DON'T LIKE THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT.
AND I JUST HAD AN OBSERVATION WHEN I SAW EVERYBODY THAT WAS NOMINATED, WHETHER BY DESIGN OR BY ACCIDENT.
THE COUNCIL HAS PUT TOGETHER QUITE A GROUP HERE.
WE HAVE FORMER COUNCIL PEOPLE, THEY'LL HAVE A POINT OF VIEW, FORMER STAFF, THEY'VE GOT A POINT OF VIEW.
PEOPLE CURRENTLY SERVING, WE HAVE OUR POINT AND THOSE THAT ARE NEW TO THE SYSTEM.
SO I CAN'T THINK OF A MORE PERFECT ROUNDED BOARD TO WORK ON THIS.
AND IN TERMS OF, UH, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, MY IDEAS, I WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO SAY WHAT THEY WANT.
UH, AND IF YOU'RE TALKING TO FOLKS OUT IN THE CITY, GET THEIR OPINION TOO.
SOME OF 'EM WILL HAVE OPINIONS AND BRING 'EM FORWARD.
'CAUSE WE'RE HERE TO LOOK AT ALL IDEAS AND GIVE OUR BEST RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NEW, WE RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL AND THEY DO WHATEVER THE HELL THEY WANT.
OR IN THE CASE OF THE LAST ONE, THEY IMPROVED ON A LOT OF STUFF IN THE LAST ONE WE PUT TOGETHER.
I WAS VICE CHAIR LAST TIME WE PUT TOGETHER WHERE THEY COULD APPOINT A REPLACEMENT FOR COUNCIL OR MAYOR SHOULD THEY LEAVE THE POSITION.
BUT WHAT THEY ADDED TO IT, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS BRILLIANT, IF THAT PERSON'S APPOINTED, THEY CANNOT RUN FOR ANY POSITION FOR A YEAR OR A TERM.
SO THERE'S NO PERPETUATING A POLITICAL HIERARCHY THERE.
SO THE COUNCIL CAN DO SOME GOOD STUFF WITH WHAT WE PRESENT.
UH, CONSIDER AND DISCUSS THE CHARGE OF THE CHARTER.
WELL, I GUESS I JUST DID THAT, DIDN'T I? AND, UH, THE CITY COUNCILS PUT TOGETHER A NUMBER OF SUGGESTIONS.
CONSIDER AND DISCUSS A MEETING SCHEDULE.
THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE THE HARDEST THING FOR NINE DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO AGREE ON.
WHEN CAN WE MEET? THERE'S SOME TIMES WE CAN'T MEET, LIKE, UH, EVERY OTHER MONDAY AND TWO, WELL, EVERY OTHER MONDAY, FIRST AND THIRD, THE CON FIRST AND THIRD, THE COUNCIL USES THIS ROOM.
THIS IS KIND OF A FORMAL SETTING.
WE COULD MEET IN THAT OTHER ROOM, WHICH IS A LITTLE LESS FORMAL, WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO THAT MAY BE, THAT MAY BE SOMETHING FOR US TO CONSIDER.
YOU CAN PUT A MICROPHONE OUT IN THE MIDDLE AND I JUST THINK IT'S A LITTLE LESS FORMAL AND WE WILL INTERACT A LITTLE BETTER IN THERE.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DECIDE LATER.
BUT ON THE FIRST AND THIRD MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS, THE COUNCIL USES THIS AREA ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH TUESDAY, UH, MONDAYS, UH, PLAN COMMISSION USES THE CHAMBERS.
SO WE CAN MEET HERE ON, OH, WE REALLY, I GUESS WE CAN MEET HERE WHEN THE COUNCIL IS IN MEETING, UH, ON TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, APPARENTLY WERE PROBLEMATIC AT FIRST.
THURSDAY, THURSDAYS, WE COULD PROBABLY DO FRIDAYS.
ANYBODY WANNA MEET ON A FRI? NO, I DIDN'T THINK SO.
SO ANY IDEAS FOLKS? HOW ABOUT THE SECOND TUESDAY? WELL, YEAH, EXACTLY HOW FREQUENTLY? WELL, YEAH, THAT, THAT REMINDED ME.
WE'RE, WE'RE ON A SHORT FUSE HERE.
'CAUSE IF YOU, UH, READ WHAT THE COUNCIL PASSED, THEY WANT US TO HAVE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BACK BY JANUARY.
AND IN THAT PROCESS, WE'VE GOT THE WEEK OF THANKSGIVING, WE GOT THE WEEK OR SO OF CHRISTMAS.
SO WE KIND OF HAD TO BE PRETTY ALL FINISHED BY THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER AND MAYBE FINISH THINGS UP THE FIRST WEEK IN JANUARY.
YEAH, TUESDAYS ARE THURSDAYS ARE, ARE GOOD FOR ME.
I DON'T MEAN TO CUT IN TOO, TOO MUCH.
UM, AND OH NO, UH, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, AGAIN, I WASN'T HERE FOR THE LAST TIME Y'ALL DID THIS, BUT I THINK, UH, Y'ALL TOOK A TWO WEEK BREAK, UH, BETWEEN THE FIRST MEETING AND THE SECOND MEETING THE LAST TIME, SO THAT EVERYBODY HAD A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH THE CHARGE, GO THROUGH THE, THE CHARTER AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND THEN Y'ALL MET EVERY WEEK EXCEPT FOR HOLIDAY WEEKS, UNTIL IT WAS
[00:20:01]
TIME TO PRESENT YOUR THING TO COUNCIL.I MEAN, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE, I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT MORE CHANGES LAST TIME THAN WERE RECOMMENDED THIS TIME, SO THAT IT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY TO MEET EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
BUT IF Y'ALL WANTED TO SET A REGULAR SCHEDULE, IT, EVEN IF THAT'S EVERY OTHER WEEK FOR NOW, WE CAN SEE HOW FAR WE GET AT THE FIRST MEETING AND GO FROM THERE.
DO WE HAVE TO COME BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY OR TO THE COUNCIL OR, I BELIEVE SO.
UM, IN LOOKING AT THE, I THINK WE HAD UNTIL FEBRUARY LAST TIME.
I THINK THE WAY THAT THEY SET IT OUT, WE DON'T NEED THAT LONG MR. CHAIRMAN WAS THAT YES.
NO LATER THAN THE FIRST COUNSEL WORK SESSION OF JANUARY, 2024, IS HOW IT'S SET OUT IN THE RESOLUTION.
THEY'LL, THEY'LL NEED TWO TO THREE MEETINGS TO GO THROUGH THIS, DO THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS AND ACTUALLY CALL THE ELECTION.
SO THEY DEFINITELY NEED THIS BACK BY JANUARY.
SO WE NEED TO BE FINISHED YEAH.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH A SCHEDULE.
AND, UH, UH, HOW MUCH DOES LEGAL HAVE TO BRING FORWARD? LEGAL HAS MAYBE TWO OR THREE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE ON THE RADAR, BUT THAT COULD GROW DEPENDING ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS Y'ALL MAKE.
SUCH AS, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND GIVE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE, SIR.
UM, THE TERMS OF COUNSEL, IF Y'ALL DECIDE TO RECOMMEND TO EXTEND THE TERMS FROM TWO YEARS TO THREE YEARS, THERE ARE CERTAIN TEXAS CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE FACT THAT IF WE EXTEND THE TERMS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS, THEY CAN NO LONGER APPOINT REPLACEMENTS.
THEIR REPLACEMENTS HAVE TO GO TO A VOTE.
AND SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THERE WOULD BE MULTIPLE OTHER CHANGES WITHIN THE CHARTER THAT WE AS LEGAL WOULD GO THROUGH AND BRING BACK TO Y'ALL AS PART OF THAT AMENDMENT.
AND JUST SPEAK UP 'CAUSE WE'RE A LITTLE LESS FORMAL.
YOU THINK I HAVE LOUD ENOUGH VOICE? NO,
MY CONCERN IS THE TIMEFRAME, SINCE WE ALL COULD BE HERE ON TUESDAY EVENINGS, MY SUGGESTION IS WE MEET EVERY WEEK BETWEEN NOW AND, UH, THANKSGIVING WEEK.
AND THEN BETWEEN THANKSGIVING WEEK AND CHRISTMAS WEEK, WE JUST MEET EVERY WEEK AND GET IT RESOLVED AND GET IT GOING BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A SHORT FUSE TIME-WISE.
AND IF WE'RE OUTTA HERE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER, WE'RE OUTTA HERE.
DO YOU WANNA TRY TO MEET ONCE A WEEK? UH, DO WE WANNA MAKE THAT ON A TUESDAY OR A THURSDAY? UH, IF WE'RE HERE ON TUESDAYS, THIS IS USUALLY OPEN ON TUESDAYS.
THERE MAY BE COUNCIL SESSION AND WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO, NOW THAT I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION,
SO A TUESDAY WOULD WORK BETTER.
SPEAKING OF THAT, ARE YOU THE PERSON I TALKED TO ABOUT MY WATER BILL? NO.
UH, SOUNDS LIKE TUESDAY WE'RE ZEROING IN ON TUESDAYS.
UH, WELL THAT'S THE NEXT QUESTION.
SOME OF YOU, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE SIX ISN'T AS EARLY AS I CAN GET HERE.
I DON'T REALLY WANT TO GO THAT LATE.
AND, AND I THINK A REASONABLE GOAL IS HOUR AND A HALF.
AND THEN IF IT SHOOTS OVER, YOU KNOW, CUT IT OFF AT TWO OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO LOOKS LIKE SIX 30 ON TUESDAYS NOW, DO YOU WANNA SKIP THE NEXT ONE AND STUDY MORE? OR YOU WANNA DO YOUR HOMEWORK BETWEEN NOW AND THEN? LET'S GET IT GOING.
LET'S, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START.
YEAH, I'VE BEEN STUDYING THEM ALREADY, SO
WE WILL MEET AT SIX 30 ON TUESDAYS UNTIL WE GET THE JOB DONE.
DO WE NEED TO TAKE A VOTE ON THAT, SIR? OR DO WE JUST BECAUSE WE YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT AS QUASI.
YES, BUT YOU SHOULD, FOR, FOR SAKE OF THE COMMITTEE DECIDING ON THAT WILL BE YOUR MEETING SCHEDULE.
YOU SHOULD GO AHEAD AND TAKE A VOTE.
SO IF YOU COULD GET A MOTION AND A SECOND AND VOTE SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO MEET AT SIX 30 ON TUESDAYS AND WE WILL MAKE, UH, CHANGES ONCE HOLIDAYS COME UP AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
THAT'S RIGHT HERE, RIGHT? YEAH.
OR, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL CAN LOOK AT THE OTHER ROOM AND FEEL IF YOU'RE MORE COMFORTABLE THERE.
YOU KNOW, HERE IT'S KIND OF A HIERARCHY KIND OF THING, AND I JUST WANT US ALL TO BE COMFORTABLE.
DISCUSS FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS AND APPROACH TO REVIEW, UH, ON THE FIRST MEETING.
SOUNDS LIKE LEGAL'S GOT ONLY A COUPLE THINGS FOR, SO WE'LL PROBABLY HIT THOSE AND KNOCK THOSE OUT FIRST.
BE TO, TO MEET IN THIS ROOM, OR WE COULD FIND ANOTHER ROOM IF, IF YOU RECALL, ON TUESDAYS, WE'LL HAVE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND THAT'S THE GOOD POINT FOR THIS.
AND, AND THEY'LL BE EATING IN THERE AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET BETTER FOOD THAN THEY WILL
[00:25:02]
IN THERE, AS I SAID, THE COUNCIL HAS LAID OUT, UH, SUGGESTIONS.AND GO AHEAD AND LOOK THROUGH THESE.
AND WE'LL PROBABLY JUST KIND OF GO INTO ORDER, EXCEPT THERE ARE A COUPLE HERE THAT CAN BE COMBINED ABOUT APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND REMOVAL FROM BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT CAN PROBABLY BE TREATED AS ONE TOPIC WHERE WE COVER EVERYTHING.
UH, SO HOMEWORK WILL BE TO GO THROUGH THESE AND START FORMULATING YOUR IDEAS AND ALSO TO GO THROUGH THE CHARTER IN GENERAL.
I'VE, I'VE STARTED THAT ALREADY AND HAVE HIGHLIGHTED A BUNCH OF THINGS.
AND I'LL PROBABLY CALL YOU DIRECTLY.
SOME OF 'EM ARE LEGAL THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE SURE YOU CAN, Y'ALL CAN FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME.
UM, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING.
UM, EMAIL ADDRESS IS L LANSFORD@GARLANDTX.GOV.
UH, UH, IF YOU TALK TO ANY OF YOUR COMPADRES UP THERE, YOU KNOW, I ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
YOU KNOW, IT TALKS ABOUT, UH, POLICE BEING ABLE TO ISSUE SUMMONS FROM THE COUNCIL.
WELL, DOES THAT INCLUDE MARSHALLS? YOU KNOW, CAN THEY DELIVER SUMMONS? SO I GOT SILLY QUESTIONS.
UH, ANY OTHER IDEAS ON HOW WE SHOULD DO THIS, MIKE? ALL RIGHT.
IF WE, UH, LOOK AT WHAT THE, UM, ATTORNEY'S OFFICE PUT OUT, UH, ON, I GUESS IS WHAT, PAGE THREE ANYWAY, STARTING WITH SECTION FOUR, ARE WE JUST GONNA GO IN THAT ORDER? ARE WE GONNA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR WHAT? WELL, WHAT I, I MAY DO IS I MAY, UH, LUMP SOME OF 'EM TOGETHER AND, AND PUT 'EM IN THE AGENDA.
MAYBE HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT, BUT GET FAMILIAR WITH ALL OF THEM.
'CAUSE YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THEM HERE.
UH, UM, TALK ABOUT, UH, FORMER COUNCILMAN BEING APPOINTED TO CITY BOARD COMMITTEE OR COMMISSION.
AND I THINK ONE TALKS ABOUT THE PLAN COMMISSION IN PARTICULAR.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER SECTION ABOUT BEING ABLE TO REMOVE AN APPOINTEE.
AND THOSE ARE THREE ITEMS THAT I THINK ARE RELATED AND WE CAN HANDLE IN ONE DISCUSSION.
WELL, WHY DON'T WE JUST KIND OF GO DOWN AND REVIEW A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE'VE GOT TIME HERE.
UH, THE TERM LIMIT THING, THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG DISCUSSION.
I'VE BEEN DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH, A LOT OF THE CITIES HAVE THREE, THREE YEAR TERMS WITH, UH, 18 MAXIMUM IF THEY CAN BECOME MAYOR TOO.
SO I'VE BEEN DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THAT.
UH, AND THEN HERE'S FIRST ONE IN COMMISSION.
COUNCIL PERSON HAS TO, UH, WAIT A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD BEFORE SERVING ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UH, AND THEN WE GET INTO, UH, COMPENSATION PAID TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
AND I'VE STARTED A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THAT.
DALLAS MORNING NEWS HAS AN ARTICLE OUT THERE.
HERE'S HOW MUCH ELECTED OFFICIALS IN NORTH TEXAS ARE PAID.
YOU CAN PROBABLY GOOGLE THAT AND FIND IT.
AND WE'RE PROBABLY IN THE MIDDLE.
SO THERE'S SOME SOMETHING ON THAT.
AND SOME OF THE COUNCIL PEOPLE, UM, THAT I'VE TALKED TO, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED TO BE PAID, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH WORK THIS IS INVOLVED.
AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE SOMETHING LIKE DALLAS.
THEY GET PAID, MAYOR GETS 60,000, AND THE COUNCIL PEOPLE GET 25 OR 30,000.
SO THAT'S CREATES A DIFFERENT MOTIVATION.
UH, AT THE, AT THE LAST CHARTER REVIEW, WE ALLOWED APPOINTMENT OF, UH, INTERIM MAYOR OR COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND THEY WANTED TO SHORTEN THAT PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT FROM, BUT WHAT I HEARD, IF WE CHANGE IT TO A THREE YEAR TERM, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED THAT OPTION ANYMORE.
SO SOME OF THESE ARE INTERRELATED.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT IN OUR LAST CHARTER REVIEW IS PAYING THE COUNCIL, ALL NINE OF THEM, EXTRA MONEY FOR THE EXTRA MEETINGS THAT THEY HAD.
AND THE CITY MANAGER AT THE TIME SAID, OKAY, I AGREE, BUT'S LIMITED TO AN X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S NOT IN HERE AT ALL, BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER 'CAUSE THEY HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF EXTRA MEETINGS AND THEY DON'T GET PAID FOR IT.
AND THAT'S SOME OF THE ITEMS WE'LL NEED TO DISCUSS.
UH, I THINK RICHARDSON IS A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER MEETING UP TO 50, $200 A YEAR EXTRA.
YES, CHAIR AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF THE, UH, PROPOSALS.
[00:30:01]
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IN GENERAL TERMS ABOUT INCREASING COMPENSATION MM-HMM.I'M JUST, I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S ANY BACKGROUND INFORMATION THAT THE STAFF WILL, COULD PROVIDE IF REQUESTED BY THE COMMITTEE.
UH, I, I SEE A NODDING, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO START SOME HOMEWORK
I'LL SAY, I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT NORTH TEXAS IS 150 PER MEETING UP TO 7,200 FOR THE YEAR.
AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, I ALSO WANT TO THINK ABOUT STAFF, STAFF HAVING TO, OKAY, HOW MANY MEETINGS DID IT GO TO THIS MONTH AND THIS AND THAT.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE A STRAIGHT SALARY PER MONTH.
AND MAKE IT MORE PREDICTABLE FOR THE COUNCIL PERSON TOO.
AND JUST PROVIDE THE INFORMATION.
STAFF DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE BE HERE.
JUST PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO THE COMMITTEE.
YOU KNOW, IF THAT INFORMATION IS NEEDED.
CHAIR, JUST QUICKLY, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'VE GOT BASICALLY ABOUT 12 CITIES THAT WE TYPICALLY COMPARE OURSELVES TO.
WOULD IT BE OKAY IF STAFF JUST YEAH.
GRABS THOSE 12 AND BRINGS THE BRING, BRINGS THOSE FORWARD DEAL? YEAH.
THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT 43 CITIES RIGHT AROUND
AND YEAH, JUST CHIME IN ON ANY IDEAS HERE.
UH, AND THERE'S SOME AWKWARD WORDING IN HERE THAT, UH, ONE OF THE COUNCIL CONSIDER AMENDING ARTICLE TO CLARIFY, THE POWERS OF THE COUNCIL IS RELATED TO ALIGNMENT OF STREETS, THOROUGHFARES, AND ALLEYS.
I DID FIND SOME GOOD, UH, WORDING OUTTA THE FRISCO ONE, AND I MAY FORWARD THAT TO YOU.
UH, AND, UH, AGAIN WITH POINT APPOINTEES, UH, SOME OF 'EM ARE LOOKING FOR THE ABILITY TO MOVE APPOINTEE AT ANY TIME.
BUT, UH, AND, UH, INCREASE OF MAXIMUM TERM, THE CITY MANAGER'S CONTRACT.
THOSE APPOINTEES HE'S REFERRING TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UH, THERE IS ANOTHER SECTION TALKING ABOUT, UH, MAXIMUM TERM LIMITATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER CONTRACT.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD EXPAND TO THE, WE COULD LOOK AT IT FOR THE ATTORNEY AND THE CITY SECRETARY TO YOU.
SO THERE, THERE'S THAT TO CONSIDER, UH, AT A WAITING PERIOD.
SEE HERE'S ANOTHER ONE FOR SERVING IN A PLAN COMMISSION.
SO YOU SEE TWO OR THREE OF THEM ARE LINKED TOGETHER, AND WE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT IN ITEM 13.
UM, SETTING, MAYBE SETTING SOME PARAMETERS WHERE IT WOULD TAKE A, UH, THREE QUARTERS VOTE TO OVERRIDE CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PLAN COMMISSION.
THAT'S, THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED.
SO WE'LL DISCUSS THAT ANOTHER TIME.
SEE, THOSE ARE TWO THINGS THAT GO RIGHT TOGETHER.
SO WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY ITEMS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AS IT LOOKS ONCE THEY'RE COMBINED.
AMENDING CHARTER IN VARIOUS SECTIONS IS RECOMMENDED BY CITY ATTORNEY BASED ON LEGAL REVIEW.
AND, UH, THE STATE OF TEXAS, THE PAST TWO SESSIONS HAVE BEEN MESSING WITH CITIES TERRIBLY AND WE NEED TO CHANGE SOME STUFF.
SO THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY CHARGED US WITH.
IF YOU KNOW, YOU, YOUR STAFF, FORMER STAFF MEMBERS HAVE IDEAS.
YOUR FORMER COUNCIL PEOPLE, YOU HAVE IDEAS AND OTHERS AS YOU READ THROUGH IT, YOU MAY, MAY HAVE IDEAS TOO.
AND AS YOU READ THROUGH THE CHARTER, IT'S A LOT OF LEGAL GOBBLY GOOD.
AND AS, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY ONCE TOLD ME, I WAS ARGUING WITH HIM ON AN ITEM ABOUT, UH, VESTED RIGHTS.
HE, HE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE WERE GOING BACK AND FORTH.
HE GOES, LEMME STOP YOU RIGHT THERE.
YOU'RE TALKING MORALLY AND LOGICALLY I HAVE TO GO BY THE LETTER OF THE LAW.
AND WE ARE WRITING LAW HERE IS WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO.
SO A WORD SHALL IS DIFFERENT THAN THE WORD MAY.
SO YEAH, DISCUSS FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS AND AGAIN, START WITH LEGAL AND THEN START WITH, UH, SOME OF THESE.
[00:35:01]
AND, UH, WHAT I WOULD TRY TO DO, I GUESS I'M IN CHARGE OF HELPING PUT THE AGENDA OUT, IS TRY TO GET THE AGENDA OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE TOPICS ARE.ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD IN THE LAST, UH, CHARTER ELECTION WAS A, IT WAS ONE ITEM THAT THE VOTERS WERE ABLE TO VOTE ON THAT WAS, UH, SIMPLIFICATION OF LANGUAGE AND, UH, GENDER NEUTRALITY OF LANGUAGE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I'M HOPING WE GET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY HERE TO SIMPLIFY SOME OF THE VERBIAGE IN THIS THING SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR PUBLIC.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN DO A SINGLE PROVISION THAT WRAPS IT UP IF THERE'S NOT A, UH, ANY CHANGE IN THE MEANING IF WE CAN, CAN SIMPLIFY THE LANGUAGE WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE A DOZEN DIFFERENT BALLOT PROPOSITIONS FOR THOSE YEAH.
I, I WAS READING THROUGH OURS AND THEN I READ THROUGH THE FRISCO.
I WANTED TO CHECK MAYBE SOME OF THE NEWER ONES IN THE AREA.
I'LL READ THROUGH THAT ONE TOO.
BUT THE LANGUAGE SEEMS SO MUCH CLEARER.
AND WE DO HAVE SOME LEGACY LANGUAGE IN HERE.
WELL, THE CITY ATTORNEY AT THE LAST MEETING SAID THAT THIS WAS BASED ON KIND OF A BOILERPLATE TEMPLATE AT THE TIME OF THE CITY BECOMING A HOMEROOM CITY.
AND SO WE'RE LOCKED INTO SOME OF THE LANGUAGE STILL FROM, FROM WAY THE HECK BACK WHEN.
AND SO I JUST WANNA SEE SOME OF IT MODERNIZED AGAIN.
IF, IF WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE EXPECT OUR CITIZENS TO, YOU KNOW, AND IF IN, IN YOUR COPIOUS FREE TIME YOU WANT TO REWRITE THE WHOLE THING, JUST LET US KNOW.
AND, AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL BE LOOKING AT WHEN I READ THROUGH THIS AND I'LL TAKE QUITE A NUMBER OF NOTES ON IT.
AND, AND LAST TIME THERE WERE ISSUES ABOUT ISSUING BONDS AND METHODS OF PAYMENT AND WE GOT A THOROUGH EDUCATION ON THAT.
THAT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP HERE.
BUT, UH, THERE'S SECTIONS ON BONDS AND ISSUING MONEY AND ACCOUNTING AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND ACCOUNTING.
SO IF ANY OF YOU READ THROUGH IT AND SEE WE NEED SOME CHANGES, BRING 'EM UP.
ONE OTHER THING, UM, THIS LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, UH, DID IN, UH, INTRODUCE SOME NEW LIMITATIONS ON WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO PUT IN OUR CHARTER WITHOUT THEIR PERMISSION.
GREAT TO BE HOME, RURAL CITY IN TEXAS.
UM, UH, JUST ONE EXAMPLE IS YOU CAN'T PUT THINGS LIKE CLIMATE GOALS BECAUSE YOU KNOW MM-HMM.
UM, AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TEMPER MOST OF OUR IDEAS BASED ON THE LIMITATIONS THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE THROWING IN FRONT OF US.
AND I'M SURE THE, UH, LEGAL DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS TO SAY ABOUT WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.
WHAT HE'S REFERRING TO IS THE STATE OF TEXAS IS CALLED WHAT THE CITIES ARE CALLING THE DEATH STAR BILL, WHICH USED TO BE CITY COULD DO SOMETHING.
THEN THE LEG STATE LEGISLATOR WOULD COME PASS LAW, SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS WE SAY YOU CAN.
THAT'S IN ESSENCE WHAT THEY WROTE.
AND A LOT OF THIS IS BASED BECAUSE OF AUSTIN.
AUSTIN'S A BAD PLAYER IN THE STATES, SO YOU CAN THANK THEM FOR ALL THIS
ANY OTHER IDEAS? WE'RE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
WELL, IF YOU WANNA START NOW, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING ELSE ON OUR AGENDA.
UH, YOU SEE THE BOOKS HERE, THEY HAVE THE CURRENT, UM, CURRENT DEAL IN HERE AND ALL OF OUR CONTACT INFORMATION, WHICH REMINDS ME, MOST OF YOU KNOW, UH, SOME OF YOU NEW FOLKS MAY NOT.
THERE'S A STATE LAW CALLED THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS OR DISCUSS STUFF OUTSIDE OF THESE MEETINGS.
AND THAT INCLUDES WHAT THEY CALL A ROLLING MEETING.
IF I WERE TO CALL YOU, YOU CALL HIM.
SO ON, ONCE YOU GET TO A QUORUM, BOOM, YOU VIOLATED THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS, IS TO HAVE THIS WHOLE PROCESS UP AND OPEN, UH, OUT THE OPEN.
WILL WE BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IF THE PUBLIC CHOOSES TO COME AND LISTEN? WILL THEY BE ALLOWED? CERTAINLY, YES SIR.
WE ARE, WE ARE POSTED EVEN TONIGHT UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
UM, THEY'RE WELCOME TO ATTEND, UH, THE AGENDA'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE'LL BE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
NOW THIS ISN'T A GROUP WHERE ANYBODY HAS TO TAKE THE, UH, OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
THERE IS AN OPEN MEETINGS ACT COURSE THAT THE STATE GIVES, BUT I KIND OF SUMMARIZED IT.
DON'T GET TOGETHER OVER BREAKFAST AND DISCUSS EVERYTHING.
THE CITIZENS THAT MIGHT COME, WILL THEY BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK? I THINK THAT'S, UH, THESE ARE NOT, UH, POSTED AS, UH, PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS, SO I DON'T BELIEVE SO
[00:40:01]
JUST TO ASK.EXCEPT THAT THE CHAIRMAN AND THE COMMISSION, UH, COMMISSION COMMITTEES, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO SPEAK, I'LL SAY YOU GUYS WANT 'EM TO, YOU KNOW,
IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT ON AND WE COULD ADD THE TYPICAL KIND OF RESTRICTIONS ON THREE MINUTES AND STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT THEY HAVE TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE.
BUT OF COURSE, IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE IT'S A PUBLIC COMMENT, UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S AN ACTUAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA, Y'ALL COULDN'T SPECIFICALLY ENGAGE IN THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.
SCOTT, IF SOMEBODY ACTUALLY GOES TO THE TROUBLE TO ATTEND THIS, I WANT TO HEAR, LET'S GIVE 'EM SOME TIME.
I MEAN, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND ONE OF THE STATE LAWS, AND WE'VE NEVER REALLY SQUARED THIS WITH OUR COMMITTEES, IS THAT IF WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING, THERE HAS TO BE A PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION.
AND THAT HAPPENED TWO LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS AGO.
SO WITH OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WE'RE TREATING THAT AS THE GOLD STANDARD.
AND YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, IF SOMEBODY ACTUALLY TAKES THE TIME TO SHOW UP, I WANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
YOU KNOW, I WANNA HEAR FROM EVERYBODY AND I SOMETIMES IGNORE THE THREE MINUTE RULE WE HAVE AT, AT THE COMMISSION.
'CAUSE IF THEY COME DOWN HERE TO TALK AND THEY'RE SAYING SOMETHING IMPORTANT, I WANT TO HEAR IT.
'CAUSE UH, AS COMMISSIONERS FORMER NOW, AND EVEN COUNCIL PEOPLE, YOU MAY COME IN TO A MEETING THINKING ONE WAY GOING.
BUT YOU HEAR SOMETHING FROM MAYBE AN APPLICANT OR FROM A CITIZEN AND GO, NOPE.
AND THAT HAPPENED TO ME LAST NIGHT.
I FLIPPED MY MIND ON, UH, ONE OF THE TOPICS.
SO KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND LISTEN TO EVERYBODY IS BOTTOM LINE.
I KNOW MOST OF Y'ALL KNOW THIS, BUT, ALRIGHT.
UH, OTHER THAN THAT, UH, AND HAS THE COUNCIL MADE ANY MENTION, I THINK LAST TIME, DIDN'T THEY HAVE A GET A BRIEFING IN OCTOBER AS TO WHERE WE WERE? OUR PROGRESS? DO YOU THINK THEY'LL WANT A PROGRESS BRIEFING? THAT SOUNDS RIGHT.
I I WASN'T PART OF THE LAST ONE, BUT NO, THEY'LL STAFF IS SAYING YES.
BUT YOU'RE ALL INVITED TO COME ON ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS AND YOU'LL BE INTRODUCED.
AND IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE IT TO WHERE THEY CAN'T SAY NO
FIRST MEET THE END OF OCTOBER.
END OF OCTOBER 1ST, 1ST OF NOVEMBER.
I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, COUNSEL WANTED Y'ALL TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A IT'S A TRUNCATED TIME SCHEDULE FOR SURE, BUT AT, AT THE SAME TIME, UH, THE, THE CHARTER ITSELF SAYS THAT Y'ALL DIDN'T HAVE TO BE APPOINTED UNTIL OCTOBER.
WE WERE SPECIFICALLY GIVEN DIRECTION.
NO, WE WANT THEM APPOINTED IN SEPTEMBER.
SO THEY'VE GOT THE EXTRA TIME TO DO THIS.
ANY OTHER TIDBITS WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
UM, SO YOU'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THAT.
UM, I ALWAYS BRING A COPY OF ROBERT'S RULES WITH ME, BUT IF I'M GOING THROUGH THAT, WE HAVE GONE WAY OFF THE RAILS.
WELL, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD A CHAIRMAN CAN DO ANYTHING HE WANTS UNTIL HE'S CALLED ON IT.
HE LAYS REMOVED AND HE'S IN BANK OF, OH GOD.
YEAH, I, I'VE GOT ONE IN MY BRIEFCASE.
YEAH, GO, GO TALK TO BRIAN ABOUT ME,
IF, UNLESS ANYBODY'S GOT ANYTHING ELSE, UH, I CAN JUST DECLARE THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO ADJOURN A MEETING.
I CAN JUST DECLARE IT OR WE CAN VOTE ON IT.
AND THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR COMING UP.
SIX 30 TUESDAY, UH, SIX 30 NEXT TUESDAY.