[00:00:01]
COMMITTEE, AND OF COURSE COUNCIL WILL BE LOOKING AT ON THAT KIND OF THING.UH, BUT THAT WAS KIND OF THE KEY THING THAT I GOT IT OUT IN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THEM ON STANDARDIZING BYLAWS, STANDING, STANDARDIZING SOME OF THE PROCEDURES.
CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THEM.
OF COURSE, WE GOT A NUMBER OF LIAISONS, STAFF LIAISONS THAT CAN WORK WITH THAT.
BUT I WANT TO JUST ASK, WAS THERE, WAS THERE MORE TO IT? IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL, UH, REQUESTS OR INFORMATION FROM THE COMMITTEE? UM, YEAH, I THINK WE WANTED TO LOOK AT, UH, MAYBE ROTATING, UH, CHAIR AND IF THERE'S A VICE CHAIR POSITIONS AND WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE INCLUDED THOSE IN THE BYLAWS.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS, YES, THAT'S WHAT I REMEMBER US DISCUSSING.
BUT THE BIG ISSUE WAS THE BYLAWS ARE JUST, NOW WE UNDERSTAND THAT SOME HAVE TO BE AS THEY ARE BASED ON, UM, STATE REGULATIONS OR FEDERAL REGULATIONS, BUT OTHERS, IT'S LIKE EVERYBODY JUST WROTE THEIR OWN BYLAWS AND THERE ARE NO, THERE'S NO CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THEM.
WHAT I CAN DO IS I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE TEAM.
I KNOW SOME WORK HAS BEEN DONE, BUT WITH JENNIFER AND PHIL BOTH OUT TODAY, WE'VE GOT SOME INFORMATION AND WE CAN WORK ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
COME BACK TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING WITH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY A, A UH, A DRAFT OF STANDARDIZING THE BYLAWS AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
AND YES, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF COMMITTEES THAT ARE GOVERNED BY STATE LAW SPECIFIC.
WE, AND THAT WAS MENTIONED, I SAW THAT MENTIONED IN THE NOTES LAST TIME.
YOU KNOW, OF COURSE WE'LL MAKE WHATEVER LEGAL EXCEPTIONS FOR THEM AND WHATEVER STATE LAW GUIDES ON THOSE.
UH, BUT WE'LL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO STANDARDIZE SOME OF THE BYLAWS.
IT'LL TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO GET ALL OF THOSE OUT THERE.
'CAUSE THERE'S SO MANY OF THEM.
BUT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND STANDARDIZE THAT AND, AND LOOK AT THAT KIND OF THING.
AND THEN WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT, AS WELL AS THE ROTATING, UH, CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AND WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.
WAS THERE ON THE ROTATING CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, WAS THERE A TIMELINE DISCUSSED LAST TIME? IS IT AN ANNUAL ROTATING OR TWO YEAR, OR WAS THAT EVEN JUST DISCUSS? WE DIDN'T, I DON'T THINK SO.
WE CAN, WE CAN LOOK AT THAT AND SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS DISCUSSED LAST TIME.
SO WE ALSO WANTED TO INCLUDE A, UM, ANNUAL REPORT BY EACH BOARD AND COMMISSION TO COUNCIL EVERY, EVERY YEAR.
AND I THINK, I THINK THERE'S ALREADY BEEN SOME WORK DONE ON THAT KIND OF, WELL, I KNOW THERE HAS BEEN.
SO THERE'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.
SO, UH, I'LL, I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE TEAM ON THAT AS WELL, SO, OKAY.
SO CAN I, UH, COURTNEY, ANYTHING ELSE I MISSED OR ANYTHING THAT YOU RECALL FROM WHAT YOU'VE HEARD? UH, NO.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO, UM, WORK ON THE DRAFT FOR THE STANDARDIZING THE BYLAWS.
KIND OF GET SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR THAT.
DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE ON? OR, OR WHAT, WHAT DO WE DO? OKAY.
IT, YEAH, IT'LL BE, THIS ONE WILL BE RETURNING AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO NO ACTION REQUIRED BY THE COMMITTEE TODAY ON THIS ITEM SINCE IT'S COMING BACK.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CARISSA DUTTON FROM DISTRICT SIX HAS JOINED US.
ON TO ITEM B, CITY SIGNAGE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND CIP PROJECTS.
SO, TODAY I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT, UM, OUR TRANSLATION OF NOTICES, SPECIFICALLY SIGNAGE IN REGARD TO DEVELOPMENT AND CIP PROJECTS.
BUT I'VE ADDED SOME MORE IN THERE TOO.
BUT, UM, OUR GUIDING QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS WHAT ARE OUR CURRENT PRACTICES AND THEN WHAT ARE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS, UM, THAT WE CAN MAKE TO ENSURE OUR NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS HAVE BE THE BEST ACCESS TO INFORMATION.
SO WITHIN THE, WHAT ARE OUR CURRENT PRACTICES, THAT'S WHERE I WENT AND TRIED TO THINK OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WHO HAD MAYBE SOME PUBLIC FACING SIGNAGE.
AND WHEN I THINK OF SIGNAGE, I'M THINKING OF ROAD SIGNS OR WHEN I, I USE THE WORD NOTICES 'CAUSE ALSO LETTERS OR DOOR HANGERS OR FLYERS, UM, FOR, FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA GO THROUGH, HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT TOO MUCH, BUT GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT WE HAVE OUT THERE SO THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THOSE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS, WE CAN THINK ABOUT IT, UM, IN RELATION TO ALL OF THOSE.
'CAUSE WHAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, FOR DEVELOPMENT AND CIP, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THAT FOR EVERYTHING AS WELL.
SO, SPECIFICALLY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THEY USE ROAD SIGNS THAT THEY PUT UP IN LOCATIONS WHERE CHANGES IN ZONING
[00:05:01]
ARE BEING PROPOSED.UM, THOSE SIGNS ARE ENGLISH ONLY, BUT THEY DO HAVE A QR CODE THAT LEADS TO A WEBSITE WITH INFORMATION IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE.
UM, THEY ALSO MAIL LETTERS TO THE HOMES AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE WITHIN THAT NOTIFICATION ZONE FOR THE AREA WHERE THE CHANGES IN ZONING ARE BEING PROPOSED.
AND THOSE LETTERS ARE MAILED IN ALL THREE LANGUAGES.
ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE.
FOR ENGINEERING AND PMO, THESE ARE OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, BUT ALSO BOND PROJECTS.
UM, ROAD SIGNS THEY PUT AT THE PROJECT SITES ONCE THE WORK STARTED.
UM, AND THEN OUR YARD SIGNS, UM, THAT THEY PLACE TO PROMOTE THE COMMUNITY.
UM, MEETINGS THAT THEY HAVE SOMETIMES, UM, EITHER BEFORE WORK HAS STARTED OR WHILE WORK'S GOING ON.
UM, THOSE ARE ENGLISH ONLY AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, THEY DEVELOP FLYERS TO DISTRIBUTE, TO PROMOTE THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
AND THEY ARE DEVELOPED IN ENGLISH ONLY, BUT IF THERE HAS BEEN A REQUEST, WE'VE TRANSLATED THOSE AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN THE PRESENTATIONS AT THE MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY ENGLISH ONLY WATER UTILITIES.
THAT'S ANOTHER KIND OF REALM OF THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THEY ARE MUCH OF THE SAME ROAD SIGNS PLACED AT THE PROJECT SITES ONCE THE WORK IS STARTED.
UM, THE SIGNS ARE CURRENTLY ENGLISH ONLY.
THEY DO PUT DOOR HANGERS ON HOMES WHEN THEY MAY HAVE TO TURN OFF WATER, UM, WHEN THERE'S WORK BEING DONE.
AND THEN THEY MAIL LETTERS HOME FOR LARGE SCALE EVENTS.
MOST RECENTLY THEY DID IT WHEN WE HAD THE SERVICE LINE, UM, MATERIALS NOTIFICATIONS, AND THOSE WERE IN MAILED IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE FOR OUR STREET PROJECTS.
THEY USE THE ROAD SIGNS, UM, THAT ARE ENGLISH ONLY.
AND THEN THEY HAND DELIVER RIGHT NOW, UM, LETTERS TO HOMES WITHIN, UM, AREAS WHERE WORK IS BEING DONE ON DIFFERENT BASIS.
THEY DON'T DO THAT FOR EVERYTHING, BUT WHEN THEY DO, THOSE LETTERS ARE ENGLISH ONLY.
OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UM, CODE COMPLIANCE.
THEY MAIL OUT LETTERS FOR VIOLATIONS AND CITATIONS WHILE THEIR LETTERS ARE ENGLISH ONLY.
THEY INCLUDE A STATEMENT IN SPANISH THAT, UM, TELLS YOU HOW TO REQUEST A TRANSLATION.
IT'S, IT'S THE SENTENCE ITSELF IS TRANSLATED AND THEN IT TELLS YOU HOW TO REQUEST THE ENTIRE LETTER.
UM, BUILDING INSPECTION, THEY POST SIGNS AT, UM, THEIR BUILDING, LIKE ON THE DOORS AND OTHER PLACES.
AND THEY ALSO OFFER A SELF-SERVE KIOSK.
UM, THEIR SIGNAGE THAT THEY POST IS ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
UM, THEIR KIOSK THOUGH HAS OPTIONS FOR ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE.
AND THEN GPNL PUTS DOOR HANGERS ON THE HOMES WHERE THEY'RE WORKING ON A BIG PROJECT IN THAT AREA.
AND THEIR DOOR HANGERS ARE ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
LASTLY, NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY.
UM, THEY USE YARD SIGNS AND DOOR HANGERS TO PROMOTE WHERE THE HEART IS.
UM, EITHER MEETINGS OR, OR MEETUPS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, THEY DO THOSE, UM, THEY'RE DOUBLE-SIDED AND THEY'RE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
SO HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? AND THE POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT I HAVE.
UM, I I, BEFORE I GO OVER THESE, AND I'LL GO OVER THESE, THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE ALREADY DOING THINGS IN ALL THREE LANGUAGES.
SO WHEN I SAY MY RECOMMENDATIONS, IT'S KIND OF UP TO AND INCLUDING THAT, LIKE THAT'S THE GOLD STANDARD IS ALL THREE LANGUAGES.
BUT I DO WANT US TO HAVE A BASELINE THAT THIS IS OUR FIRST STEP TO AT LEAST DO THIS, TO HAVE ACCESS.
BUT OUR GOLD STANDARD WOULD BE PROVIDE EVERYTHING.
IT'S JUST A BUILDING OF WHAT WE HAVE, UM, RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABILITY FOR.
SO FOR SIGNAGE, THOSE ROAD SIGNS, BECAUSE THERE IS A FINITE AMOUNT OF SPACE, UM, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE KEEPING THEM ENGLISH ONLY.
BUT WITH THAT QR CODE, HAVING A TRANSLATED, SO PLANNING DEVELOPMENT, THEY ALREADY HAVE THE QR CODE, BUT LET'S PUT A STATEMENT ON THAT SIGN IN SPANISH AND VIETNAMESE THAT BASICALLY SAYS, SCAN THIS FOR TRANSLATIONS.
THAT WAY WHEN THEY DO, LIKE, THEY ARE ALREADY HAVING ENGLISH, SPANISH OR VIETNAMESE ON THE WEBSITE, BUT MAYBE THE SPANISH OR VIETNAMESE SPEAKERS DON'T KNOW THAT IF THEY SCAN THAT, THAT'S WHERE THEY CAN GET IT.
SO JUST MAKING THAT KIND OF MORE PROMINENT ON THE SIGN.
UM, AND THEN MAKING THAT OUR STANDARD FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT STREETS, WATER, UTILITIES, DIFFERENT, UM, PMO TYPE PROJECTS, LETTERS OR OTHER PRINTED MATERIALS LIKE THE FLYERS.
UM, IF THEY ARE PRODUCED IN ENGLISH ONLY, YOU KNOW, WE MENTIONED THAT SOMETIMES WE DO GO AHEAD AND TRANSLATE THEM.
IF, IF WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE, IF THAT'S A NEED, IF THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE'RE GIVING IT TO THAT HAS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF OF CERTAIN LANGUAGES, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET IT TRANSLATED.
BUT IF WE ARE PRODUCING SOMETHING IN ENGLISH ONLY, AT LEAST THE, THE, THE STANDARD CAN BE THAT WE INCLUDE STATEMENTS, UM, IN SPANISH AND VIETNAMESE ON HOW TO REQUEST THAT TRANSLATION SO THAT SOMEONE KNOWS WE ARE WILLING TO PROVIDE THAT.
JUST LET US KNOW YOU NEED IT AND WE'LL GET IT TO YOU.
UM, AND THEN FOR PRESENTATIONS, UM, LIKE COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE STAFF THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE IN ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, THEN, UM, LIKE
[00:10:01]
FOR A YARD SIGN, IT'S MY THOUGHT AND, AND I'VE PULLED PEOPLE AND THEY KIND OF HAD THE SAME FEELING THAT IF THEY SEE A YARD SIGN IN THREE LANGUAGES, THEY'RE GONNA EXPECT THAT WHEN I GO TO THAT MEETING, I WOULD HAVE SOMEONE THERE THAT SPEAKS THAT LANGUAGE.SO IF WE HAVE ONLY AN ENGLISH SPEAKER AT THAT PRESENTATION, OUR YARD SIGN WOULD BE ENGLISH ONLY.
BUT IN ALL OF OUR PROMOTION, THE FLYERS ON WEBSITE, WE CAN INCLUDE THAT SENTENCE THAT SAYS FOR TRANSLATED MATERIALS.
BECAUSE MY THOUGHT IS THE PRESENTATION MIGHT BE GIVEN IN ENGLISH, BUT WE CAN FOR SURE TAKE THAT POWERPOINT PRESENTATION OR WHATEVER WE'RE USING, TRANSLATE THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN HAVE ACCESS IN THEIR LANGUAGE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY FLYER WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION, WE WANNA INCLUDE ALL OF THOSE STATEMENTS.
BUT WITH THE YARD SIGNS, KEEPING THOSE IN WHATEVER LANGUAGE, IF WE DO HAVE A SPANISH SPEAKER, NEIGHBORHOOD VITALITY TOLD ME THEY HAVE STAFF THAT REGULARLY, THEY'LL HAVE THEIR MEETINGS IN BOTH LANGUAGES.
SO THEY USE YARD SIGNS IN BOTH LANGUAGES.
THAT, THAT WAS MY PRESENTATION.
UM, HAPPY TO THINK THROUGH THINGS WITH YOU, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND DISCUSS HOW YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO DO WE HAVE, UM, ANY CONCERN ABOUT COST OF TRANSLATING ALL OF THE THINGS? SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THAT'S WHY I WANNA HAVE THE BASELINE OF AT LEAST WE HAVE THAT STATEMENT BECAUSE THAT'S A STATEMENT THAT I CAN PROVIDE THAT ALL STAFF CAN USE.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRANSLATE THAT OVER AND OVER.
NOW, WHEN IT DOES COME TO NEEDING TO TRANSLATE A PRESENTATION OR A FLYER, 'CAUSE SOMEONE REQUESTS IT, THAT IS GONNA BE A COST.
WE DON'T HOW TO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY WE'RE GONNA GET, SO WE CAN'T BUILD IT INTO THE BUDGET.
BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE'D HAVE TO WORK THROUGH AND KIND OF SEE WHAT WE'RE GETTING.
BUT THAT IS PART OF THE REASON THAT THE BASELINE IS THERE.
AND OUR BASELINE IS NOT TRANSLATING EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE THE COST FOR THAT.
BUT AT LEAST IF WE CAN DO IT ON AN AS REQUESTED BASIS, THEN WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH THAT COST IS AND TRY TO BUILD THAT IN.
SO ONE THING THAT I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT IS, UM, HAVING SIGNS IN THREE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES IS GONNA BE KIND OF GAUDY, RIGHT? THAT'S, UM, SO IF YOU GO TO GOOGLE, YOU CAN OPEN YOUR CAMERA AND I CAN TAKE A PICTURE OF THIS PAPER RIGHT HERE AND IT, I CAN TRANSLATE IT FROM ENGLISH TO WHATEVER LANGUAGE YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE.
YOU, IT LITERALLY SWITCHES THE IMAGE ON YOUR PHONE TO THAT LANGUAGE.
SO I, I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS ARE MICS ARE OFF MICS RIGHT NOW.
WHERE DO 'EM AUDIO? I HATE THIS.
I MEAN, AND THE QR CODE IS FINE, BUT THAT'S STILL, IT'S STILL A COST.
AND I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS KNOW HOW TO GET WHAT THEY NEED TRANSLATED, EVERYONE'S GOT GOOGLE ON THEIR PHONE AND IT, I MEAN, IT'S AS SIMPLE AS YOU TAKE A PICTURE AND BOOM, IT TRANSLATES IT FOR YOU.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES IN OUR CITY.
SO IF WE'RE FOCUSING ON THREE ONLY, WE'RE NOT REALLY BEING, WE'RE NOT REALLY BEING ALL INCLUSIVE.
AND SO I, I THINK THAT I DON'T GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE, I CAN'T READ A SIGN BECAUSE IT'S IN ENGLISH.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ONLY CAN, UM, COMMUNICATE WITH SIGN LANGUAGE, YOU KIND OF KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THE WORLD AROUND THAT.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT I WOULD LOOK AT A VERY BIG COST, UM, ASSOCIATED WITH TRYING TO TRANSLATE ALL OF THE STUFF AND THINGS.
SO, AND, AND I AGREE, WHICH IS YES, WE DO.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE GOOGLE THAT.
BUT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO PROMOTION FOR LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA TYPE OF PROMOTION TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, A TOOL THAT THEY CAN USE.
UM, AND THE QR CODE WAS MAINLY JUST, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE ADDED TO THE SIGNS.
SOME OF THE SIGNS, LIKE I TALKED WITH PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AND THEY REUSED THEIR SIGNS.
SO THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE ON WHEN YOU NEED TO REPLACE THEM, YOU CAN ADD, YOU KNOW, THAT EXTRA TRANSLATED SENTENCE ON THERE.
UM, BUT I KNOW THINGS LIKE THE STREET PROJECTS OR THE, UM, THE WATER PROJECT, SOMETIMES THEY'RE, THEY'RE, UM, OR THE ENGINEERING ONE, EXCUSE ME, THEY'RE SOMETIMES LIKE SPECIFIC FOR THAT LOCATION, SO THEY'RE ALREADY MAKING IT ANYWAY.
AND MY THOUGHT IS JUST TO HAVE THE QR CODE TO BE INCLUSIVE, UM, BUT NOT INCORPORATING OR INCURRING TOO MUCH EXTRA COSTS, LIKE UNNEEDED COSTS.
[00:15:01]
'CAUSE I, I DEFINITELY AGREE THAT, THAT OUR TRANSLATION, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE PEOPLE KNOW, ESPECIALLY LIKE ON THE WEBSITE TOO, THAT YOU CAN TRANSLATE THAT ON THE WEBSITE.UM, AND WE'RE, IT'S PART OF THE COMMUNICATION PLAN, WHICH WE'LL HOPE ABOUT, UM, SHORT OR SOON.
UM, THERE IS TRANSLATION ASPECTS IN THAT THAT WE WANT TO REALLY BEEF UP HOW PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY CAN GET TRANSLATION LIKE HELP THAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ADDING QR CODES TO LIKE STREET SIGNS, RIGHT? LIKE CIP YES.
WE DON'T NEED ANY HELP WITH PEOPLE WRECKING.
SO FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANT PEOPLE TRYING TO SNAP PHOTOS OF A QR CODE GOING DOWN THE ROAD.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
I WOULD HOPE THAT PEOPLE DON'T, WELL THE, THE THEORY WOULD BE HOPEFULLY IF IT'S SOMEONE, IF IT'S IN A, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND STUFF, HOPEFULLY ANYONE WOULD PULL OVER PARK, STOP AND THEN TAKE A PICTURE.
I KNOW THERE ARE SOME WHO MAY NOT CHOOSE TO DO THAT, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE THEORY BEHIND THE, THE QR CODE.
SO I ACTUALLY BROUGHT THIS FORWARD BECAUSE I GOT A COMPLAINT THAT PEOPLE COULDN'T READ THE CONSTRUCTION SIGN IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO THAT'S WHAT, LIKE, BECAUSE OF LANGUAGE, THEY COULDN'T READ IT UHHUH.
AND I DON'T, I MEAN, I, I WOULD TRY TO TRANSLATE WITH GOOGLE LENS OR WHATEVER CAMERA, UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT A WHOLE LOT OF OLDER PEOPLE KNOW THAT, UM, AND THAT THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY WERE IN WAS LIKE ONE OF A LOT OF OLDER PEOPLE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST DIDN'T, AND THEY JUST HAD NO CLUE WHAT WAS GOING ON.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT IT FORWARD.
MAKING SURE THAT WE, I, I DO KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR MATERIALS DO GO OUT IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
AND, BUT I MEAN, I ATTEND EVENTS THAT ARE NOT IN ENGLISH AND I HAVE TO PULL UP THE TRANSLATION APP ON MY PHONE THAT WILL THEN DO VOICE TO TEXT.
YOU'LL DO THEIR VOICE IN WHATEVER LANGUAGE TO TEXT IN ENGLISH FOR ME.
AND THEN I HAVE TO SCAN WHATEVER HANDOUTS THEY GIVE ME AND GET.
SOME OF THE TRANSLATIONS ARE A LITTLE OFF, BUT IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON.
UM, SO I THINK MAYBE PROMOTING THAT OPTION ON, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE LIKE A HUNDRED LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN GARLAND.
AND SO YES, MOST OF THE PEOPLE IT'S ENGLISH, SPANISH, AND VIETNAMESE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A, A WHOLE BUNCH MORE.
SO, BUT THOSE, THOSE APPS WILL TRANSLATE TO ANY LANGUAGE FROM ANY LANGUAGE.
SO LIKE I CAN SCAN VIETNAMESE AND IT TRANSLATE IT TO ENGLISH SO THEY CAN SCAN ENGLISH AND IT TRANSLATES IT TO VIETNAMESE JUST AS EASY, UM, ROAD SIGNS THAT ARE NOT IN THE CORRECT LANGUAGE.
IF YOU TRAVEL TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, THE ROAD SIGN IS GONNA BE IN THE NATIVE LANGUAGE.
AND IT'S JUST KIND OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIGURE OUT THE TRANSLATION ON YOUR OWN.
BUT I UNDERSTAND, 'CAUSE I HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S, A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH.
THEY DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH WELL.
OR IF THEY DO SPEAK IT, THEY DON'T READ IT.
SO I LIKE THE QR CODE IDEA, ADDING IT AS SIGNS ARE GETTING RENEWED, OR FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE A ONE TIME PROJECT.
I THINK THAT'S GREAT FOR THE SIGNS THAT ARE REUSED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
THAT'S AN EXPENSE WE DON'T NEED TO BE PAYING.
BUT I THINK PROMOTING ON OUR WEBSITE, ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND MAYBE IN OUR FLYERS THAT GO OUT WITH THE, WITH OUR G-P-N-L-L BILLS, THAT THIS IS HOW YOU CAN GET THINGS TRANSLATED.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT WAY TO ADDRESS THAT.
I MEAN, I PUT A RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT'S, IT IS COUNCIL'S PLEASURE.
SO I MEAN, WHAT Y'ALL, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO PROMOTE HOW TO GET TRANSLATIONS.
'CAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE LANGUAGES THAT WE, YOU KNOW, AREN'T COVERING.
UM, SO WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT AND FOCUS OUR EFFORTS MORE ON THAT.
BUT I MEAN, IF YOU LIKE ANY OF THOSE PIECES, I CAN ADD SOME TAKES AWAY.
I LIKED ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE ALL IN LINE.
I DEFINITELY DON'T WANNA DO STREET SIGNS.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA RECEIVE EVERY SINGLE COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY IN A HUNDRED DIFFERENT LANGUAGES, UM, LIKE, OR EVEN GET A BABBLE NOTICE
[00:20:01]
WITH EVERYTHING.I'M, I'M GOOD WITH ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU SET FORWARD.
SO, UM, SO THE, THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE THEN OKAY, AS A COMMITTEE, YOUR RECOMMENDATION AS WE RETURN AND REPORT BACK TO THE FULL COUNSEL ON THIS PRESENTATION RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THESE PLUS THE CONVERSATION WE HAD AND THEN HAVE THIS CONVERSATION AGAIN WITH FULL COUNSEL TO GET DIRECTION FROM FULL COUNSEL ON, OR AT LEAST THE CONSENSUS OR WHATEVER ON, ON HOW BEST TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HOW WE, HOW WE DO THIS.
SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE NEXT STEP.
ARE WE ALL IN AGREEMENT? I'LL ADD THE RECCO AS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'LL ADD THE INCREASED AWARENESS ABOUT HOW TO TRANSLATE ANYTHING USING AVAILABLE APPS, RIGHT? AND MOVING FORWARD, NOT JUST REPRINTING EVERY SINGLE SIGN THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL NOTATE THAT TOO.
THAT THIS IS YES, ON A, ON A NEW BASIS.
NOTHING, WE'RE NOT REPRINTING THINGS WE ALREADY HAVE.
MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER C, REVIEW PROCESS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
MS. SCHUSTER HERE,
UM, SO TODAY, I THINK, UM, MY UNDERSTANDING AND I AM HERE TO, UM, GOING THROUGH THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT PROCESS, I THINK BEFORE I STARTED START THIS PROCESS, I THINK THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, THAT OVERALL I THINK THERE IS A BIG TWO DIFFERENT KIND OF PROJECT.
ONE IS REALLY ABOUT, OKAY, WE CAN REALLY EASILY NOT, I SHOULDN'T SAY EASILY, WE CAN EVALUATE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.
SO THE, FOR EXAMPLE, INDUSTRIAL PROJECT, THE DATA CENTER PROJECT, AND ALSO THOSE BIG BOX RETAIL, THOSE ARE REALLY CLEAR TAX GENERATION AND ALL THAT.
WE CAN REALLY CALCULATE THOSE.
NOW, THE OTHER SIDE IS A DIFFERENT KIND, IS REALLY MORE FOCUSING ON PLACEMAKING, CREATING DESTINATION, AND THOSE ARE MORE ART SYNERGY, THOSE KIND OF THING.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE, BUT IS IT'S REALLY, UM, IT'S ON THE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN AND ALSO THE, UH, GPS CHANGING PERCEPTION.
AND THOSE IS THE ONE, IT'S REALLY INTANGIBLE BENEFITS.
AND THEN IT'S NOT USUALLY NO MANDATORY ADVANTAGE.
IT'S REALLY HARD TO PUT THAT ON ROI.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US WHERE WE WANTED TO BE, WHERE IS THE GOAL, UH, WE WANTED TO BE AT.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I LIKE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
UM, AT FIRST, YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO IDENTIFY AND INITIATE THE, UH, THOSE INITIAL ENGAGEMENT.
I THINK THERE IS A THREE DIFFERENT, UM, WAYS.
UH, WE CAN REALLY START THIS PROCESS.
NORMALLY THOSE SITE SELECTORS BROKERS A CONSULTANT.
THEY, THEY'RE THE ONE ENGAGED BY PROSPECT OR COMPANY.
THEY HIRED THOSE GUYS, THEY CONTACTED US, OUR OFFICE OR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
AND THEN MAYBE YOU GUYS THEN, UM, OR MAYBE BY COMPANY, EXISTING COMPANY, THEY'RE THINKING TO, UM, EXPAND, LOOKING FOR EXTRA SPACE, ADDITIONAL SPACE, THEY CONTACT US.
AND ANOTHER ONE IS LEADS COMING FROM A GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OR DALLAS REGIONAL CHAMBER.
NORMALLY THESE, UH, COMPANIES OR CONSULTING FIRM APPROACH TO, UM, THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OR A REGIONAL CHAMBERS, THEY WANT IT TO BE SPECIFIC AREA.
SO WE, I RECEIVE THOSE EMAIL FROM THEM.
NORMALLY I GET PROBABLY EIGHT 10 EMAIL FROM THEM AND I LOOK THROUGH IT, BUT IT SOMETIME THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A MILLION SQUARE FEET, THE BUILDING OR A HUNDRED ACRE, WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
OR NORMALLY WE, UH, PROBABLY WE SUBMIT COUPLE PROJECT EACH MONTH.
SO FAR THIS YEAR WE, UH, SUBMIT A PROJECT TO A GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
NORMALLY THEY ARE VERY, VERY HIGH LEVEL.
THEY'RE JUST LOOKING FOR A SITE OR BUILDING IF THOSE A MATCH WE SUBMIT AND IT'S REALLY PROACTIVE APPROACHES.
WE ISSUE RFP, LIKE WE DID FOR ALL THE RY OR, UM, DAR, UH, UM, LAKE.
[00:25:01]
YES, THE BEST TRANSIT AND THOSE KIND OF THING.WE WORK WITH THE DART AND THEN WE ISSUE RFP LOOKING FOR A DEVELOPER.
UH, ALSO WE, UH, ATTEND A CONFERENCE OR EVENTS AND THEN WE CAN REALLY FIND A DEVELOPERS OR A PROJECT WE ARE VERY INTERESTED, FIT IN OUR GARLAND, UM, FIT IN GARLAND.
SO WE FOLLOW UP WITH THEM, OR A MEETING WITH THEM ONE-ON-ONE.
AND ALSO ANOTHER ONE IS COORDINATION WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, TO EXPLORE DEVELOPMENT OP OPPORTUNITY.
WE DID THAT WITH ORCHARD HILL RIDGEWOOD OR ONION SHED ON THE WALNUT AND FIRST STREET AT THAT TYPE.
SO THOSE THREE DIFFERENT WAYS.
THEN, UH, GOING THROUGH THE, UH, INCENTIVE REQUEST AND THE NEGOTIATION, WHENEVER THEY APPROACH US, WE ALWAYS SEND THEM, UH, GARLAND INCENTIVE APPLICATION FORM.
WE ALWAYS REQUIRE THEM TO GIVE US WRITTEN PROPOSALS, INCLUDING ALL THE PROJECT DETAIL, HOW BIG THEY, WHAT'S THE SPACE THEY NEED, WHAT IS THE TAX GENERATION, HOW MANY JOBS, AND THEN ALL THE DETAILS.
ANOTHER, UH, INCENTIVE PROGRAM IS EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENT APPLICATION.
WE HAVE, WE STARTED THIS 2019, UM, AFTER 2025 BOND, UM, APPROVED AND ALREADY HAVE A THREE APPLICATION IN PLACE.
WE HAVE A COMMITTEE MEMBER COM COMMITTEE PUT IT TOGETHER.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE REVIEWING THOSE, UH, APPLICATION.
AND AT THE END, WE WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR THAT FINAL APPROVAL.
AND OR, UM, IF CONSULTANT IS ENGAGED, THEY ARE THE ONE, UH, PROVIDE US FULL PROJECT SCOPE, THOSE PRESENTATION, THEN NOT NECESSARILY THEY NEED TO, UH, FILL OUT THE APPLICATION, BUT ALL THE INFORMATION IS INCLUDED ON THIS PRESENTATION.
ONCE WE RECEIVE IT, UH, WE EVALUATE THOSE PROPOSAL FEASIBILITY, STUDY IMPACT ASSESSMENT, FINANCIAL PROJECTION, ALL THE, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
UM, WE REVIEW THEIR, UH, BASED, BASED ON THEIR NUMBERS AND ASSESS INCENTIVE OPTIONS.
YOU KNOW, FILLING THE GAP IS ONE THING.
WHAT KIND OF TOOL WE WE USE AND WHICH, UM, FINANCE, FINANCIAL RESOURCE WE HAVE TO DISCUSS WITH MATT.
AND CAN WE DO THAT? OF COURSE, THE LEGAL TEAM ALWAYS ADVISE US, YOU KNOW, YOU CANNOT DO THAT.
HOW WE CAN STRUCTURE, THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, GOING BACK AND FORTH BEFORE WE REALLY TALK TO THE, UH, COMPANIES.
THEN GOING THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING, UH, PROCESS.
OF COURSE ALL THE DISCUSSION IS ALWAYS, WE TELL THEM ULTIMATELY IT'S REALLY WE HAVE TO APPROVE, UH, UH, APPROVE BY COUNCIL.
UM, AS A PROCESS AT THE FIRST, ONCE WE KIND OF OVERALL THE NUMBERS AND THE STRUCTURE AGREED, UM, BY THE, UH, APPLICANT, UH, WE GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE RECEIVE YOUR DIRECTION.
THEN ONCE WE GET THAT, UH, DIRECTION, GREEN LIGHT, THEN WE GO TO AGREEMENT DRAFT.
WE HAVE, UM, BUSINESS TERMS, UM, WE PUT TOGETHER FOR THE LEGAL TEAM TO DRAFT THOSE AGREEMENT, INCLUDING ALL DIFFERENT, IT'S NORMALLY FIVE, SIX PAGES.
UM, THEN WE GO TO, UM, ONCE IT'S DRAFTED, WE SEND IT TO THE, UH, COMPANIES OR DEVELOP THEIR LEGAL TEAM.
THEN GOING BACK AND FORTH, IT'S PROBABLY FOUR TO FIVE TIMES GOING BACK AND FORTH, THOSE RED LINE REVISIONS, UH, BETWEEN CITY ATTORNEY'S TEAM AND THEIR SIDE.
UM, THEN WE GO TO WORK SESSION WITH THE VERBAL BRIEFING, WITH THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ATTACHED THAT SO WE CAN PRESENT IN THE PUBLIC.
THEN, UM, THEN STILL PROBABLY LITTLE TWEAK ON AGREEMENT, PROBABLY CONTINUE THE, ONCE THEY ARE OR AGREED, WE REQUIRE THEM TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT SO THAT WE CAN PUT THAT ON A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
AND THAT IS AGREEMENT, YOU APPROVE AND THAT'S DONE.
BUT THEN WE GO THROUGH THE ANNUAL COMPLIANCE PROCESS AND THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW.
WE ARE ABOUT TO FINALIZE OUR COMPLIANCE FOR 2024 TAX YEAR.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT, I THINK A, A COUNTY THIS MORNING, 30 ACTIVE PROJECT, ACTIVE AGREEMENT.
WE NEED TO GO THROUGH ALL THE, UH, PROJECT.
AND THEN WE DO, UH, DO THE COMPLIANCE AND, UH, WE PUT TOGETHER SUMMARY SHEET, SEND IT TO FINANCE, THEN GO TO, UH, PAYMENT PROCESS.
SO WE ARE GONNA GO ABOUT TO START THE PAYMENT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT IS REALLY KIND OF OUR AGREEMENT, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INCENTIVE AGREEMENT PROCESS.
AND, UM, NORMALLY ONCE I RECEIVE THE, UM, APPLICATION FORM, IT, IT USUALLY TAKES 30 TO SIX DAYS OF THE EVALUATION.
AND THEN GOING THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS IS 60 TO 90 DAYS, AND THEN ADDITIONAL SIX TO 90 DAYS TO DRAFT A LEGAL DOCUMENT AND GOING BACK AND FORTH.
UM, BUT AGAIN, EACH PROJECT ARE VERY, VERY DIFFERENT.
[00:30:01]
THE STRUCTURE GONNA BE DIFFERENT.UM, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION BEHIND.
SO AS ALLISON, MATT, AND OF COURSE LEGAL TEAM ADVISES, UM, WHAT YOU, WE CAN DO WHAT IS REALLY, UM, MINIMIZING CITY'S RISK.
UM, SO THE PERFORMANCE BASE AND ALSO THE, UH, CLAWBACK, THOSE PROVISION GONNA BE INCLUDED IN AGREEMENT.
UM, SO THEN THAT'S THE ONE WE ARE DOING THE, UH, COMPLIANCE EVERY YEAR.
SO WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS? AND I CAN SAY, UH, RIGHT NOW, NORMALLY OUR YEAR, WE HAVE A 70 TO 80 PROJECT.
NOW PROJECT IS SOMEBODY CALLING US.
I'M LOOKING FOR THIS, THOSE THAT WE ALWAYS CAPTURE THAT.
BUT ALSO, UM, THERE IS SOMETIMES THOSE PROJECT REALLY GO LONG TIME.
SOMETIMES IT GOES TO TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS, IT'S KIND OF REALLY QUIET, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S COME BACK AND WE HAVE TO START NEGOTIATING AGAIN.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 40 TO 50 ACTIVE PROJECT WE HAVE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NOPE.
SO OUR NEXT STEP WOULD BE TO MOVE THIS TO, WHAT ARE WE DOING? MOVE? NO ACTION COUNCIL.
THANK, APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO THIS IS READY TO MOVE FORWARD TO GET REPORTED BACK TO FULL COUNSEL.
OKAY, ITEM NUMBER D ALL ABILITIES COMMITTEE, UM, COMMITTEE, AGAIN, I'M FOLLOWING UP ON, I WASN'T HERE LAST TIME, BUT I DID REVIEW THE, THE COMMITTEE NOTES AND I, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT AN ALL ABILITIES ADVOCACY COMMITTEE, UH, AND WHAT THAT MAY, UH, LOOK LIKE.
AND I KNOW THERE WERE, UH, AGAIN, REVIEWED THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST MEETING, BUT I WANTED TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE BEYOND, IN ADDITION TO THE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
UM, UH, AND OKAY, SO LET ME, UH, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT, UM, OUR, OUR, WE DO HAVE AN A DA POSITION.
ABEL LEGER IS A LEGAL COMPLIANCE SPECIALIST WITHIN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE THAT DEALS WITH A DA TYPE COMPLAINTS AND REVIEW AND PROCESS AND WORKS WITH ALL STAFF ON THAT KIND OF THING.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WAS BROUGHT UP LAST TIME.
UM, BUT WE DO, OF COURSE, OUR PARKS AND RECREATIONS DEPARTMENT LIBRARY TO SOME DEGREE, THEY DEAL WITH SOME SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS AND THEIR, AND THEIR PARENTS IN PARTICULAR, OUR SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM, UH, WORKS WITH SEVERAL OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY DO, GETTING FEEDBACK FROM THE PARENTS OF THOSE SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS, AND THEN THEY PARTNER AT TIMES WITH BUDDY LEAGUE AND SOME OTHER, UM, ENTITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
SO A A NUMBER OF THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE, BUT I WANTED TO GET SOME MORE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE ON ADDITIONALLY WHERE YOU THINK YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO WITH THIS ITEM.
SO, UM, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE GOT STAFF THAT HANDLES A DA COMPLAINTS.
UM, KIND OF THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS TO ELIMINATE HAVING A DA COMPLAINTS, UM, AND MAKING, WE'VE GOT A MULTICULTURAL COMMISSION THAT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
SO, UM, I, I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR US TO HAVE A, A COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS THAT ARE THERE TO JUST VOICE AND ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL ABILITIES.
UM, ESPECIALLY WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE NEW A DA, UM, THINGS THAT WE'RE HAVING TO DO.
AND, UM, JUST TO HAVE AN OUTSIDE PERSPECTIVE.
AND THAT WAY WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE LIBRARY BOARD GOING OR THE LIBRARY STAFF GOING AND, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO PARENTS WHILE THEY'RE THERE, JUST TRYING TO ENJOY THEIR TIME.
THEY CAN JUST SEND IT OVER TO OUR COMMITTEE AND LET THEM HANDLE IT AND MAKE IT, MAKE IT A MORE STREAMLINED PROCESS INSTEAD OF WELL, I REACHED OUT TO THEM, WELL, I REACHED OUT TO THEIR, AND IT'S KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE RIGHT NOW WHERE WE CAN JUST STREAMLINE IT INTO ONE, ONE BOARD AND BE DONE.
RIGHT? I WAS, UM, I'VE THOUGHT IT WAS A BOARD OF LIKE A CITIZEN BOARD, LIKE THE, LIKE ECAB OR, YES.
NOT A LIKE ANY OTHER, LIKE ANY OF THE OTHER, THE BOARDS AND THE COMMISSIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE, OTHER THAN THE, THE LEGISLATED ONES, RIGHT.
BUT THE WHERE COUNCIL WOULD APPOINT CITIZENS TO A NEW BOARD OF, UH, ALL ABIL WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS ALL ABILITIES ADVOCACY, I THINK WAS BROUGHT UP LAST TIME, BUT
[00:35:01]
WHATEVER WE CALL IT, RIGHT.UH, IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THAT.
BUT THE MEMBERS OF THAT BOARD WOULD NEED SOME, THEY EITHER NEED TO BE A PERSON WITH THAT NEED OR BE A FAMILY MEMBER OR ADVOCATE OR WORK IN THAT FIELD.
I, WELL, I, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I THINK THAT'S AT THE COUNCIL PERSON'S DISCRETION AS TO WHO THEY APPOINT TO THAT BOARD.
I MEAN, WE HAVE, UM, WE HAVE PLENTY OF BOARDS WHERE PEOPLE AREN'T NECESSARILY EXPERTS IN PARKS AND RECREATION, BUT THEY STILL ARE ON THE PARKS BOARD.
UM, I'VE, THERE'S LIKE THE, THE UNIFIED BUILDING STANDARDS BOARD WHERE THEY DO ASK FOR SOMEONE WITH EXPERTISE IN THAT FIELD.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL ABILITIES, LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ANYONE WHO HAS HAD ANY KIND OF CONTACT WITH ANYONE WHO HAS A, AN A DIS OR A NON DISABILITY OF SOME KIND, SORRY,
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, THERE, YOU, EVERYONE AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY SOMEONE.
YOU THINK THAT IN SOME WAY YOU THINK THAT, BUT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT ACCURATE.
IT, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE THAT LITERALLY HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED THAT.
IT, IT WOULD BE LIKE THE EQUIVALENT OF HAVING A MULTI, MULTI, WHAT THE HECK AM I TRYING TO SAY? MULTICULTURAL COMMISSION, THAT'S ALL WHITE PEOPLE LIKE THAT IS, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND I MEAN, LIKE FROM GARLAND WHITE, YOU'VE NEVER LEFT TEXAS TYPE OF, LIKE, THAT DOESN'T GET YOU THE, THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU NEED.
SO WOULD IT BE PREFERRED? ABSOLUTELY.
LIKE YOU NEED TO, HOW ARE YOU GONNA ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT? LIKE IF YOU PUT ME ON THE LIBRARY BOARD AND I'M LIKE, I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE LIBRARY.
LIKE, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME DUE DILIGENCE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY THE COUNCIL PERSON TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FILLING A, A SEAT CORRECTLY.
WE JUST DON'T WANT IT TO BE ALL WILLING.
MY CONCERN IS, AND I'VE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION WITH THE CAREER I HAD, THAT PEOPLE, WHEN I'M DEALING WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE HEARING IMPAIRED OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, ARE THOSE WHO ARE BOTH HEARING IMPAIRED AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND PEOPLE MAKING RULES OR MAKING DECISIONS FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT IMPACTS THEM.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO THE ISSUE ON THINGS THAT ARE FOR WHEELCHAIR PEOPLE AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE CONFLICT.
SO MAKING STUFF WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE USUALLY CAUSES A PROBLEM FOR THOSE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
SO THERE'S SOME CONFLICTING THINGS THERE THAT WE NEED PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCED THAT, THAT CAN PROVIDE THAT INPUT.
UM, I MEAN, I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF WE DO A NEW BOARD OR COMMISSION, THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THAT BOARD OR COMMISSION THAT TRULY KNOW AND CAN ADVOCATE FOR NOT JUST THEIR GROUP OF PEOPLE, BUT FOR ALL PEOPLE.
AND WE ALL AT SOME POINT NEED SOME ADAPTABLE ADAPTIVE AIDS.
AND I THINK ALSO I WANTED TO, I DON'T KNOW, MY ISSUE IS MAKING SURE THAT IT'S, THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT ACROSS THIS CITY AND NOT JUST IN CERTAIN AREAS OR CERTAIN PLACES.
I AGREE THAT WE NEED THIS BOARD.
I'M JUST NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW TO APPOINT THIS BOARD SO THEY'RE NOT MAKING RULES.
UM, THEY'RE AN ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, I THINK I, I, MY VISION WAS A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO THAT HAVE AN ISSUE AND WANT TO BE HEARD.
AND IF THAT ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FORWARDED TO STAFF OR COUNCIL, THERE'S A, THERE'S A SOUNDING BOARD FOR PEOPLE TO VOICE THEIR OPINION OR, OR WHATEVER, IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
ALSO, UM, I, MY CONCERN ABOUT REQUIRING A SPECIFIC SKILLSET
[00:40:01]
IS THAT YOU GET INTO A BOARD OR COMMISSION, LIKE ANIMAL SERVICES COMMITTEE, WHERE WE ONLY ALLOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE VET TECH EXPERIENCE OR, OR EVEN ACTUALLY MORE EXPERIENCED THAN THAT WE REQUIRE THEM TO BE VETERINARIANS AND, AND PRACTICING ACTUAL EMPLOYEES IN ANIMAL SERVICES IN ANOTHER CITY OR, OR WHATEVER.UM, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT, I THINK THAT IT COULD BE A DISSERVICE TO SOME IF YOU REQUIRE THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IF YOU HAVE A, A BOARD FULL OF PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT, UM, DEAF PEOPLE AND, AND BLIND PEOPLE, BUT NO ONE ON THE BOARD KNOWS ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE AUTISM, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT'S WHERE MY CONCERN WITH HAVING A, A, A REQUIREMENT IS COMING FROM.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THE, THE PLAN WAS EVER TO HAVE A REQUIREMENT.
I MEAN, I, I THINK MAYBE WE'RE READING TOO MUCH INTO IT.
IF, IF SOMEONE, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO APPLY FOR AN ALL ABILITIES BOARD, THERE'S GONNA BE A REASON, RIGHT? LIKE, THEY'RE NOT JUST LIKE, EH, MONEY, MONEY MO HERE.
THEY'RE NOT PICKING A SHORT STRAW.
SO WHEN WE DO OUR BOARD APPOINTMENTS AND PEOPLE APPLY, ONE OF THE QUESTION IS QUITE LITERALLY WHAT QUALIFIES YOU FOR THIS BOARD? IT IS UP TO COUNCIL'S DISCRETION TO LOOK AND SEE WHO DO THEY FEEL LIKE WOULD BE FIT.
AND IT MIGHT BE A THING THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE A, A, A PRE-APPOINTMENT MEETING AND SAY, OKAY, LIKE, WHERE ARE YOU AT WITH YOUR, YOUR PICK? SO THAT WAY WE'RE NOT ALL PICKING THE SAME, YOU KNOW, THE SAME ABILITY OR DISABILITY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE PEOPLE WITH SOME SORT OF LIFE, LIFE.
WE BOTH DID IT
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY GET FOR NOT WORKING LAST WEEK.
UM, HAVING SOME SORT OF LIFE EXPERIENCE WITH NEEDING DIFFERENT AIDS, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT ACCOMMODATIONS.
SO THEY'RE DEFINITELY NOT MAKING ANY RULES OR REGULATIONS FOR ANYBODY.
IT'S SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, HEY, WE'RE DOING CHRISTMAS ON THIS SQUARE.
WHAT ARE SOME, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT MIGHT MAKE IT MORE ENJOYABLE? LIKE ROLLETTE, THEY HAVE A SENSORY TENT.
LIKE THERE'S ARAN, MIRANDA COMES OUT WITH A SENSORY TENT, AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A CHILL SPOT FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED, MAYBE THEY COULD BRING THAT AND SAY LIKE, HEY, MAYBE WE NEED THIS, OR MAY, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
UM, JUST TO GIVE US MORE IDEAS TO BE ALL INCLUSIVE AS A CITY WHEN WE'RE DOING THINGS.
UM, THERE'S DIFFERENT GRANTS THAT WE CAN GET FOR DIFFERENT, UM, LIKE DISABILITIES.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD LOOK IN.
WE COULD BE GETTING, THEY COULD BE HELPING FIND GRANTS FOR, UM, AN ALL ABILITIES PLAYGROUND.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS.
IT'S JUST TO HAVE THAT VOICE, THAT DIFFERENT VOICE.
BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE HAS THAT LIFE EXPERIENCE AND THEY DON'T KNOW, YOU ONLY KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW.
SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GO TO A PARK AND TRY TO BARREL THROUGH A WHEELCHAIR WITH, YOU KNOW, UM, WHAT'S IT CALLED? MULCH OR, YEAH.
SO DO I POSSIBLY KNOW THAT WHEN I GO OUT TO THE SQUARE AND THERE'S P ROCKS ALL OVER EVERYWHERE BECAUSE THOSE KIDS HAVE KICKED THEM EVERYWHERE? DO I KNOW THAT IT'S A TRIPPING HAZARD? THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT THIS BOARD COULD LOOK AT.
I MEAN, AMONGST OTHER THINGS THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS.
BUT, UM, I MEAN, EVEN AT HOLLOW BALL, WE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A HANDICAP BUTTON UNTIL ONE OF MY RESIDENTS WAS LIKE, HEY, I CAN'T HOLD MY CANE AND GET THIS DOOR OPEN.
SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IT TRIGGERED THAT.
SO IT'S THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DIFFERENT EYES AND EARS AROUND THE CITY THAT CAN HELP JUST KIND OF MAKE IT MORE PLEASURABLE FOR EVERYONE.
I JUST WASN'T SURE HOW WE WERE GOING TO STAFF THIS OR APPOINT THIS BOARD.
HOW DO WE DECIDE? AND, AND SO I I I'M IN AGREEMENT THAT YES, WE DO NEED SOME PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD THAT, THAT SPECIFICALLY WORK OR HAVE THESE NEEDS OR KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THESE, BUT OKAY.
UM, IT'S THE SAME AS HOW WE'RE APPOINTING FOR THE MULTICULTURAL BOARD.
YOU KNOW, MULTI MULTICULTURAL COMMISSION.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW WHO'S PICKING WHAT.
[00:45:01]
COUNCIL, THERE WAS NOT A, A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THAT BOARD.AND SO IT KIND OF DID A DISSERVICE TO THE BOARD BECAUSE YOU'VE JUST GOT A BUNCH OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE THAT DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE CULTURE ABOUT THEM.
SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING.
COUNCIL HAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THEY'RE APPOINTING, THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING YOUR JOB AND APPOINTING APPROPRIATELY.
SO FOR THE NEXT STEP, WOULD WE BE ASKING STAFF TO COME UP WITH BYLAWS FOR THIS GROUP? OR DO WE WANNA TAKE IT TO COUNCIL? HOW DO, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO NEXT? COUNCIL BYLAWS SHOULD BE ON A TEMPLATE,
BUT I, I THINK THE NEXT STEP WOULD PROBABLY BE A, A DISCUSSION WITH COUNCIL ON MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION.
I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS A CONSENSUS AMONG THE COMMITTEE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COUNCIL OF CREATING A NEW BOARD, UH, ALL ABILITIES ADVOCACY BOARD.
UH, AND THEN WE CAN TALK THROUGH WHAT THAT CRITERIA, GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL ON THAT EXACT, AND, AND WHATEVER, HOWEVER WE DO THIS, WE CAN, WE CAN PUT CRITERIA OUT THERE OF THOSE THAT HAVE INTEREST, HAVE KNOWLEDGE, HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE OUT THERE.
AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER APPOINTMENT FROM COUNSEL TO A BOARD COUNSEL CHOOSING BASED ON THE CRITERIA, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT THE APPLICANT SUBMITS ON, HERE'S MY EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE IN VISUALLY IMPAIRED OR PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED OR OTHER TYPES OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE KNOWLEDGE.
AND THEN COUNSEL COULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE AMONG THOSE.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD WORK WITH THEM AND WORK WITH THE REST OF OUR TEAM ON CREATING BYLAWS AND SUCH.
ANYTHING I'M MISSING, SCOTT? WELL, LET, LET, LET ME ASK THIS QUESTION 'CAUSE I MAY BE LATE TO THE PARTY.
DO WE HAVE, IS THERE A MISSION STATEMENT OR A PURPOSE FOR THE BOARD? I THINK YOU'RE EARLY TO THE PARTY
BECAUSE, BECAUSE IN, IN, IN ATTEMPTING TO CREATE BYLAWS AND ATTEMPTING TO, WE WILL APPOINT FOLKS, YOU'LL NEED TO KNOW, SO WHAT ARE WE DOING? RIGHT? BECAUSE IF WE WANNA KNOW WHO'S QUALIFIED, WHO MIGHT BE A, A GOOD SELECTION TO SIT ON THIS BOARD, YOU MIGHT WANNA FIRST ASK, WHAT IS THE PURP, WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS GROUP? AND THEN BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, UM, WOULD IT BE INTERESTING TO HAVE SOMEONE WITH ENGINEERING BACKGROUND OR GRANT BACKGROUND ON THE BOARD? I MEAN, SO, SO I THINK IF, IF WE SPEND A MOMENT AND TRY TO THINK, OKAY, WHEN WE ASSEMBLE THIS GROUP, WHAT IS THE MISSION OF THE GROUP? WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO? THEN THAT WILL PROBABLY MAKE THE NEXT STEPS EASIER.
I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE COUNCIL DECIDE IF WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ESTABLISHING THE GROUP FIRST RATE.
I MEAN, YOU COULD, YOU COULD COME IN WITH A RECOMMENDATION, OR AT LEAST IT'S A DRAFT OF, OKAY, HERE'S KIND OF THE MISSION STATEMENT, SO TO SPEAK, OF HERE'S THE, AND WE, WE, WE COULD WORK THROUGH ON THE WORDING, BUT YOU KNOW, I TOO HAVE THAT QUESTION AND I KNOW WE'LL GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE FULL COUNCIL ON, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, UH, PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED, VISUALLY IMPAIRED.
I MEAN, YOU, YOU GOTTA WHAT, WHAT ALL IS INCLUDED IN THAT? 'CAUSE IT AN ACTUAL COMPLAINT IS NOT, THAT WILL GO THROUGH THE FORMAL PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
THAT'S NOT THE POINT FOR THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS TO HELP US AND WORK WITH THE CITY IN THINKING THROUGH POSITIVE THINGS AND THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO ADD, TO ADD VALUE AND INCLUSIVITY, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT KIND OF THING.
SO IT'S, HOW DO WE WORD THAT? I GUESS I JUST SAID SOMETHING ALONG SAID IT LINE.
AND NO, WHEN I, WHEN I SIT, SO IT'S RECORDED, SO I CAN'T REPEAT WHAT I JUST SAID, BUT SOMEBODY ADD VALUE AND INCLUSIVITY.
SO IS, IF, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE COMMITTEE IS OKAY WITH, WE CAN TAKE THAT AND BRING THAT TO THE FULL COUNCIL, AT LEAST AS A STARTING POINT OF DISCUSSION, POINT OF THE DIRECTION OF THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE FOR THIS NEW BOARD AND, AND COME UP WITH A, A DRAFT MISSION STATEMENT OR FOCUS FOR THE COMMITTEE.
SO WHEN I SENT OVER, UM, TO JUDD AND LETICIA, THE ORIGINAL, UM, OUTLINE OF IT, UM, LIKE THE MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSES ON THERE, I DON'T, I'LL READ IT FOR YOU GUYS.
IT WAS JUST A ROUGH DRAFT IDEA.
UM, THE BOARD WOULD EXIST TO ADVOCATE FOR SUPPORT AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN THEIR FAMILIES.
THE PURPOSE, OH, THE PURPOSE MIGHT INCLUDE ADVISING CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF ON POLICIES, PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, IDENTIFYING GAPS IN ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION IN THE COMMUNITY, RAISING AWARENESS AND FOSTERING UNDERSTANDING OF SPECIAL NEEDS, COMMUNITY PROMOTING COLLABORATION BETWEEN CITY SCHOOL, NONPROFIT AND LOCAL BUSINESSES.
[00:50:01]
CHAT GBT TO ME, I SOLID ON THAT ONE.SO I THINK, I THINK THAT'S VERY WELL WRITTEN.
OH, SO, UM, CAN, OR WELL, JUDD OR LETICIA PROBABLY COULD FORWARD IT.
UM, SO DO WE WANNA TAKE THAT MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSE AS KIND OF OUR DRAFT, THEN WE COULD TWEAK AND GO AHEAD AND, AND MOVE FORWARD WITH COUNCIL? YEAH, I'M GOOD WITH THAT IF YOU GUYS ARE OKAY.
SO TO MOVE FORWARD THE COUNCIL ALL RIGHT.
WITH CARISSA'S DRAFT OF OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS TOPIC? NO.
MOVING ON TO ITEM E FLAGS AT HALF STAFF FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
SPECIFICALLY FOR SPECIFIC EVENTS.
SO I, PAM KATHLEEN CHEESE ACT, UM, WITH THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT.
SHE'S OUR PUBLIC SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR AND SHE'S VERY WELL ACKNOWLEDGED AND FOR FLAG AND FLAG ETIQUETTE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE YOU THROUGH A HEY, KAREN KENYA.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE YOU THROUGH A BRIEF PRESENTATION, UM, ABOUT FEDERAL, STATE, AND THE LOCAL, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FLAGS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSEL AND STAFF.
UH, AS KAREN MENTIONED, I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE FLAG CODES FOR US AND TEXAS, AND THEN ALSO WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO, FIRST OF ALL, WHO HAS AUTHORITY FOR HALF STAFF ISSUING HALF STAFF ORDERS, AND WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO SO.
UM, SO THE KEY POINTS FOR THIS IS US FLAG CODE IS TITLED FOUR US CODE CHAPTER ONE, AND IT PROVIDES ADVISORY GUIDELINES FOR DISPLAYING AND HANDLING THE US FLAG.
KEY WORD IS IT PROVIDES ADVISORY GUIDELINES, TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
IT ALSO DOES A SIMILAR, IT PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THE DISPLAY OF THE FLAG, THE PLEDGE, AND THE RETIREMENT OF THE STATE FLAG FOR BOTH CODES.
THE PURPOSE IS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROPER DISPLAY AND TO SHOW RESPECT AND PATRIOTISM WHEN DISPLAYING IT.
SO THERE ARE DAYS THAT ARE ALWAYS OBSERVED FOR FLYING THE FLAG AT HALF STAFF, AND IT'S EITHER BY LAW OR BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE NATIONAL FALLEN FIREFIGHTERS MEMORIAL SERVICE.
IT'S, UH, SINCE 2023, IT'S NOW OBSERVED ON THE FIRST SUNDAY IN MAY.
PREVIOUSLY IT HAD BEEN IN OCTOBER, UH, PEACE OFFICER'S MEMORIAL DAY.
HOWEVER, IF IT ALSO FALLS, UM, ON ARMED FO FORCES DAY, IT IS NOT OBSERVED.
THE FLAG WILL STAY AT HALF STAFF.
I MEAN, EXCUSE ME, ADD FULL STAFF MEMORIAL DAY LAST MONDAY IN MAY, HALF STAFF UNTIL NOON.
AND THEN IT'S RAISED TO FULL STAFF.
UH, THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT IT'S HALF STAFF, UH, IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN IN, UM, SERVICE.
AND THEN IT GOES TO FULL STAFF IN, UH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE STILL LIVING AND PATRIOT DAYS, SEPTEMBER 11TH AND PEARL HARBOR REMEMBRANCE DAY, DECEMBER 7TH.
SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY STANDARD DAYS EVERY YEAR THAT ARE ON THE CALENDAR.
AGAIN, THE US FLAG CODE, UM, PROVIDES ADVISORY GUIDELINES FOR DISPLAYING AND HANDLING THE US FLAG.
AND IT COD ADVISED LONGSTANDING CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS.
[00:55:01]
CODE, THE, UM, FLAG CODE WAS, UH, CREATED IN JUNE OF 1942.AND SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN AMENDED 18 TIMES.
SO THE CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS, AS THEY EVOLVE, ARE SOMETIMES, UH, AMENDED.
AND THE FLAG CODE CONTINUES TO BE LIKE MANY LAWS.
SO, SO WHO ORDERS THE US FLAGS TO HAVE STAFF? IT IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
HE'S, HE OR SHE'S HAS AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
UH, FOR NATIONAL MOURNING, COMMON OCCASIONS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY LISTED IN THE CODE ARE THE DEATH OF A CURRENT OR FORMER PRESIDENT 30 DAYS.
AND IT'S NOT JUST THE OCCASION, IT'S THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT ARE ALSO LISTED.
DEATH OF VICE PRESIDENT, CHIEF JUSTICE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, 10 DAYS DEATH OF A US SENATOR REPRESENTATIVE OR GOVERNOR UNTIL THE DAY OF THEIR INTERNMENT, BUT ONLY IN THEIR STATE OR DISTRICT.
IT'S NOT A NATIONWIDE THING UNLESS IT FALLS UNDER THE LAST THING, THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT EVENTS OR TRAGEDIES.
AND THAT'S AT THE PRESIDENT'S DISCRETION.
UH, AND I AM, UH, THINKING OF, UH, SENATOR BOB DOLE, WHICH WAS A NATIONWIDE, UH, REMEMBRANCE, EVEN THOUGH, UH, IT WOULD NORMALLY JUST BE IN THAT STATE.
SO THE MAIN RULE TO REMEMBER WHEN THE US FLAG IS THAT HALF STAFF IS ALL FLAGS HAVE TO BE AT HALF STAFF.
UM, WHETHER IT'S FROM THREE ON THREE STANDARDS OR ON ONE, THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, SECTION 3100.065, UH, OUTLINES GUIDELINES FOR DISPLAYING THE TEXAS STATE FLAG, INCLUDING THE HALF STAFF PROCEDURES.
BUT OTHER SECTIONS COVER THE GENERAL DISPLAY RULE POSITION RELATIVE TO OTHER FLAGS.
AND AS IT SAYS HERE, THE U US FLAG ALWAYS TAKES PRECEDENCE.
AND THE ENFORCEABILITY PRIMARILY GUIDELINES FOR STATE ENTITIES AND PUBLIC DISPLAYS, MUCH LIKE THE US CODE, WHICH IT TAKES A LOT OF THE WORDING FROM, IT IS STILL A ADVISORY.
THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ORDER THE TEXAS STATE FLAG TO HALF STAFF FOR STATE LEVEL OF REMEMBRANCE, COMMON OCCASIONS OR DEATH OF STATE OFFICIALS, A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY AND STATE LEVEL TRAGEDIES.
THE DISTINCTION, IF THE TEXAS FLAG IS ORDERED TO HAVE STAFF AND THE US FLAG IS ALSO DISPLAYED, THE US FLAG SHOULD REMAIN AT FULL STAFF.
THIS RECENTLY OCCURRED WHEN WE RECEIVED THE ORDER FROM THE GOVERNOR TO FLY THE TEXAS FLAG AT HALF STAFF, UH, IN HONOR AND MEMORY OF THE KERRVILLE KERRVILLE AND FLOODING.
AND IF YOU DROVE AROUND YOU, YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THAT.
UM, FLAGS WERE AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS.
SO AGAIN, THAT WAS, THIS IS WHAT THE, UH, CODE INDICATES.
HOPEFULLY THAT IS WHAT IS, UH, THAT PEOPLE FOLLOW IT, BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN.
UH, SO MAYORS AND CITY LEADERS BY CODE, BY THE, THE TWO FLAG CODES, MAYORS AND CITY LEADERS ARE ONLY AUTHORIZED TO ORDER THEIR CITY FLAG AT HALF STAFF ON MUNICIPAL PROPERTY.
AND THAT WOULD BE A DEATH OF A CITY EMPLOYEE OR A LOCAL FIGURE, PROMINENT LOCAL FIGURE, OR A LOCAL TRAGEDY.
AGAIN, BY CODE, THEY ARE NOT AUTHORIZED TO, TO ORDER THE LOWERING OF THE US FLAG OR THE TEXAS STATE FLAG.
HOWEVER,
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AS A MARK OF RESPECT FOR A LOCAL EVENT OR INDIVIDUAL THAT WOULD ONLY BE DONE AS A MATTER OF LOCAL CUSTOM OR RESPECT AND NOT UNDER DIRECT FEDERAL OR STATE MANDATE FROM THE MAYOR.AND THUS, IT WOULD ONLY BE A REQUEST IF IT'S MADE, UH, FOR PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES AND COMPLIANCE WOULD BE VOLUNTARY.
THAT STATEMENT IN ITSELF IS SOMEWHAT, UM, UNNECESSARY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE CODES THEMSELVES ARE ADVISORY.
SO IT'S ALWAYS, EVEN THOUGH THE PRESIDENT ISSUES A PROCLAMATION OR THE GOVERNOR ISSUES A, UM, AN ORDER TO FLY THE FLAGS AT HALF STAFF, NO ONE IS UH, REQUIRED TO DO THAT.
AND IN DOING THE RESEARCH FOR THIS, THERE WERE SOME STATES THAT HAVE, UM, ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES THAT WILL ACTUALLY STATE THAT MAYORS OR CITY LEADERS DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER, UH, AUTHORITY, THAT THEY CAN ONLY DO THEIR CITY FLAG.
OTHERS ARE HAVE IT WHERE THEY INDICATE THAT THEY CAN, AND THEN, UH, SOME LIKE TEXAS DON'T ADDRESS IT SPECIFICALLY.
SO, UM, IN LOOKING, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE FIND OUT ABOUT THE FLAGS? UH, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT A FLAG IS GOING TO BE A, IS HAS BEEN, UH, NEEDS TO BE LOWERED TO HAVE STAFF? MOST OF THE, IF YOU GO TO A WEBSITE, YOU TYPE IT IN, YOU CAN FIND IT, BUT I LIKE TO HAVE THE, UH, AN OFFICIAL SITE, SO WHITEHOUSE.GOV, AND THEN GOING TO PROCLAMATIONS AND YOU CAN FIND IT.
OR FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE'S ACTUALLY, UH, THIS WEBSITE THAT YOU CAN ENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, AND THEN YOU GET ACTUAL UPDATES ON WHEN THE GOVERNOR ISSUES A MEMO.
THERE ARE OTHER, UH, NOTIFICATION SERVICES LI AS LISTED HERE.
AND THERE'S MANY MORE THAT YOU CAN EITHER, MUCH LIKE THE STATE ONE THAT YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS OR A TEXT AND GET UPDATES SO THAT YOU ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN A, THE FLAG HAS BEEN A PROCLAMATION HAS BEEN, UH, ISSUED TO LOWER THE FLAG TO HALF STAFF.
I WOULD JUST ADD, UH, ONE RECOMMENDATION THAT, UM, OUR TEAM WOULD RECOMMEND, WHICH IS REDUNDANT MM-HMM
UM, IS IF THE MAYOR OR CITY LEADERS CHOOSE TO LOWER THE, THE CITY FLAG FOR AN EVENT OR THE, THE STATE OR US FLAG FOR A LOCAL EVENT, THAT THERE'S SOME KIND OF, UM, COMMUNICATION STANDARD OR MESSAGING THAT'S PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC SO THEY UNDERSTAND WHY THE FLAGS HAVE BEEN LOWERED TO HALF STAFF.
THAT IS SOMETHING WHEN WE LOWER THE FLAGS AT THE LIBRARY, THAT WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS WHY OR WHAT'S THE EVENT? OR, YOU KNOW, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE PUBLIC ABOUT FLAG ETIQUETTE AND WANTING TO KNOW THE WHY.
ESPECIALLY, UM, VETS, UM, WE GET COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AND I KNOW THE, UH, YEAH, THEY'VE ASKED YEAH, THEY DO.
I I WILL GET IT JUST TO CHIME IN, EVEN AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER PLACES I'VE RUN ACROSS IT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THE VETERANS KNOW THOSE GUIDELINES AND, AND WHAT THEY ARE AND THEY WILL LAST.
SO THE ORIGINAL THOUGHT BEHIND THIS WAS LOWERING OUR CITY, OUR CITY FLAGS AT OUR CITY BUILDINGS, UM, WHEN WE'VE GOT CURRENT OR PAST, UM, MAYOR, COUNCIL, UM, AND THEN CITY EMPLOYEES THAT PASS.
UM, AND I KNOW LIKE NOW THE MAYOR GETS TO DEEM IF IT, I GUESS SOMEONE, HE GETS A CALL AND IS LIKE, DO YOU WANNA LOWER IT? BUT I WOULD LIKE IT JUST TO STANDARD ACROSS THE BOARD, UM, AS THE RESPECT THING FOR OUR PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE EMPLOYED HERE AND OR HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAVE, HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED HERE, WHATEVER.
UM, JUST OUT OF RESPECT, I THINK IT'S THE LEAST
[01:05:01]
THAT WE COULD DO.UM, BUT I, I DON'T EVER WANT IT TO BE A, WELL, SO AND SO SITTING IN THIS SEAT NOW DOESN'T LIKE HER, SO NO FLAGS AT HALF STAFF.
SO THAT'S KINDA WHAT MY, UM, WHEN MR. FAGAN PASSED AWAY, UM, IT WAS RIGHT IN THAT TRANSITION OF DYLAN AND SCOTT.
AND SO, UM, I, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT BROUGHT THE WHOLE THING UP IS, YOU KNOW, IN THE EVENT THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE PASSES IN THAT TRANSITION PERIOD AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE MISSED AND THEN, YOU KNOW, UPSET A FAMILY MEMBER OR SOMETHING AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TO PAY RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PUT INTO THE CITY.
SO THE, OF COURSE, LIKE I I MENTIONED THE, THE MAYOR ABSOLUTELY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO, FOR THE CITY FLAG.
AND AS WHAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HAVING LIKE GUIDELINES, UH, AGAIN, WHEN I WAS RESEARCHING THE INFORMATION FOR THIS PRESENTATION, THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THERE ARE, THAT THERE'S A FORMAL POLICY PROCEDURE THAT IS CREATED FOR, UM, WHEN, UH, WHO QUALIFIES OR, YOU KNOW, QUALIFIES AND WHO, UM, UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES THE FLAG WOULD BE LOWERED.
AND THEN ALSO, UH, AS KAREN MENTIONED, HOW YOU WOULD GO ABOUT, UM, LETTING THE CITIZENS KNOW.
SO YEAH, I MEAN, AND WE COULD ALWAYS POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, LIKE ON OUR SOCIALS, LIKE MM-HMM
I LOVE THAT THEY ASK, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY COME INTO THE LIBRARY AND ASK, OR THAT THEY CALL PD AND ASK, LIKE, I LOVE THAT.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'LL TEXT, YOU KNOW,
SO I ALWAYS GOOGLE WHY ARE THE FLAGS THAT HAVE STAFF TODAY? YEAH.
UM, MY ISSUE OKAY, IS, IS CONSISTENCY.
BECAUSE IF WE'RE GONNA DO ALL CITY CURRENT AND PAST EMPLOYEES, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT A PAST EMPLOYEE HAS PASSED AWAY? AND DO WE DO IT LIKE FOR THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL OR FOR, AND THEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE A FUNERAL, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE GET THAT CONSISTENCY IS MY QUESTION? WELL, WE COULD ONLY DO IT FOR WHEN WE KNOW.
UM, AND I, I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS JEN AND I THAT HAD TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHEN SOMEONE PASSES.
SO OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN'T DO IT IF YOU DON'T KNOW.
BUT IF A FAMILY MEMBER WERE TO REACH OUT, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU RETIRE, YOU GO, YOU KNOW, UPSTATE WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO THE COUNTRY.
AND SO, UM, THE LAST THING THAT SOMEONE THINKS IS, OH, LEMME CALL THE CITY AND LET 'EM KNOW THAT SO-AND-SO PASSED AWAY.
BUT LIKE, IF, IF WE KNOW, IF YOU KNOW, FAMILY CALLS AND SAYS, HEY, OR YOU KNOW, WE HEAR IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE, WHATEVER, AND WE, WE CONFIRM, THEN I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, SO CURRENT EMPLOYEES ISN'T HARD TO FIGURE OUT.
UM, PAST EMPLOYEES IS THE HARDER ONE.
THE, AT THE REQUEST OF THEIR FAMILY, UH, WOULD, I MEAN, OR NOTIFICA BY NOTIFICATION OF THEIR FAMILY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DECIDE IS, IS CONSISTENT.
BECAUSE I CAN SEE IT COMING BACK ON, WELL, Y'ALL LOWERED THE FLAGS FOR SO AND SO'S, YOU KNOW, FATHER AND YOU DIDN'T LOWER IT FOR MINE AND HE WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR 35 YEARS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S CONSISTENT THAT WOULD COVER THOSE MISSED OCCASIONS AS WELL AS THE, THE ONES THAT WE KNOW.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN.
I MEAN, AND THEN WE COULD ADD IN LIKE A CLAUSE, LIKE UPON NOTIFICATION.
I MEAN, I DON'T, WE SEE THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ALL THE TIME AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THAT BEFORE WE GET ANY KIND OF NOTIFICATION.
SO LIKE IF I, IF I SEE SOMETHING ON FACEBOOK AND I'M LIKE, OH MY GOSH, DID Y'ALL KNOW LIKE SO AND SO PASSED AWAY? IF I NOTIFY, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA REACH OUT TO THEIR FAMILY AND BE LIKE, HEY, YOU NEED TO CALL THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN DO THIS THING FOR YOU.
SO CAN I, CAN I POINT OUT SOMETHING FOR THE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER? SO, UH, I DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, ALMOST FOUR DECADES NOW.
I HAVE ONE, ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT, AND I GET THE DESIRE TO BE CONSISTENT A ACROSS THE BOARD.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE SOME DEATHS THAT ARE CONTROVERSIAL.
I'VE RUN ACROSS WITH EMPLOYEES AND OTHERS THAT I KNOW.
[01:10:01]
DON'T WANNA DRAW ATTENTION.YOU HAVE THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE, UH, THEY DO HAPPEN, THE SUICIDES THERE, THERE ARE SOME THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WILL BE CHALLENGING TO KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET TO FORMER EMPLOYEES, CURRENT EMPLOYEES, WE WILL, WE WILL KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENS.
BUT EVEN THEN, I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST, IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, WE, WE NEED THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE SOME COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILY.
I'M SURE MOST OF THE TIME THEY WOULD LIKE THAT.
BUT I HAVE RUN ACROSS FAMILY MEMBERS THAT DON'T WANT ANY KIND OF RECOGNITION BECAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
IT CAN BE NOT JUST THE SUICIDE, IT CAN BE THE ALCOHOL, IT CAN BE DRUGS, IT CAN BE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OR IT'S JUST SO TRAUMATIC THEY DON'T WANT ATTENTION.
AND IN POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE, WE DO CERTAIN THINGS WHEN DEATHS OCCUR.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT I'VE HAD FAMILIES SAYING, WE DON'T WANT THAT.
THEY WERE GRATEFUL FOR THE OFFER, BUT THEY DON'T WANT THAT.
ALL I'M SAYING IS WE NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FORMER EMPLOYEES, IT, IT'S, AND, AND TRYING TO BE CONSISTENT.
WELL, WE HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES THAT ARE HERE FOR A VERY SHORT TIME.
IT'S MAYBE NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
OR MAYBE THEY'VE RETIRED OR, BUT, AND, YOU KNOW, 2,400 FULL AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN IF YOU GO BACK FOR YEARS TO EVERYBODY, THAT'S A FORMER EMPLOYEE THAT GETS THAT.
NOT ONLY IS IT GET DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP WITH WHEN YOU'RE TALKING THOUSANDS, THAT COULD BE A LOT OF FLAGS UP AND DOWN WHEN YOU'RE TALKING FORMER EMPLOYEES OVER, OVER TIMES ON THAT KIND OF THING.
SO I'M JUST WANTING THE COMMITTEE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT AS, AS WE GO THROUGH CURRENT AND FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MUCH EASIER TO, I MEAN, THE NUMBERS AREN'T AS BIG THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I, I THINK THERE IS NOW, AS WE'VE SEEN, THERE CAN BE THE OCCASION WHEN, WHEN NEEDED TO GO TO THE MAYOR ON, YOU KNOW, CURRENT EMPLOYEE OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT FITS THE CRITERIA THAT, THAT THE COMMITTEE AND THE COUNCIL COMES UP WITH.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KEEP THOSE KINDS OF THINGS IN MIND.
'CAUSE WHEN WE DO, IF WE SAY ALL, WE MEAN ALL, WE PUT A POLICY, IT SAYS ALL, BUT THEN REALLY THERE NEEDS TO BE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT.
SO JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND AS, AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT, IT, I I DON'T KNOW HOW OFTEN THAT WOULD BE IF WE'RE TALKING CURRENT AND FORMER EMPLOYEES, UM, CAN WE DO MAYBE LIKE CURRENT EMPLOYEES AND THEN FORMER WITH FAMILY REQUEST OR SOMETHING? I DON'T, I I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND WHATEVER IF WE DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
AND THE, THE TIMES THAT I'VE SEEN OVER THE YEARS, IT'S, IT'S BEEN RARE OCCASIONS, BUT THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND, AND IT'S HAPPENED ON OCCASION.
UH, OTHER THAN THE THINGS THAT KATHLEEN HAD PUT UP, THEIR LINE OF DUTY DESK FOR CERTAIN THINGS, PUBLIC SAFETY KIND OF THINGS USUALLY FITS THAT.
BUT SOME OF THE OTHERS WILL FIT THAT.
UM, IT'S EVEN IF WE, IF WE DO THAT, WE REALLY NEED TO, I MEAN, WE'VE GOTTA PUT A PROCESS IN PLACE.
'CAUSE WE REALLY NEED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FAMILY.
UH, I MEAN, THEY, WE CAN UPSET THEM IF WE'RE DOING THINGS THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT'S A CHALLENGE.
AND I'M NOT, I'M REALLY NOT TRYING TO BE A DEBBIE DOWNER HERE.
IF THIS IS, THIS IS, I MEAN, RECOGNIZING PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIMES IS VERY IMPORTANT AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
BUT WHO YOU DEAL WITH IN THE FAMILY SOMETIMES GETS COMPLICATED.
I'VE HAD THAT CHALLENGE MYSELF, SPOUSE KIDS, ADULT KIDS.
WHO'S MAKING THAT DECISION? THE FAMILY DOESN'T ALWAYS AGREE.
UM,
AND IT WAS ACROSS THE BOARD AND, AND, AND WE DEALT WITH THAT.
I'M JUST LETTING YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE ACROSS THE BOARD.
EVERYBODY AGREES EVERYBODY WANTS THE SAME THING AND WE CAN DO THIS.
I MEAN, THEY CAN OPT OUT, OBVIOUSLY.
I, I, I, MY, MY QUESTION IS, CAN WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES UP, IF THERE IS A REQUEST AND WHETHER THAT BE FROM THE FAMILY OR IF SOMEONE SEES THIS ONE IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH THAT WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, UH, TO, TO RECOGNIZE THIS INDIVIDUAL FOR A CURRENT FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALL THEIR SERVICE, YOU KNOW, ON COUNCIL, THAT CLEARLY MAKES SENSE.
UH, IF COUNCIL WANTS THAT AS, AS A POLICY, AS A PRACTICE.
[01:15:01]
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, AND IT MAY BE ON A CURRENT EMPLOYEE THAT'S BEEN HERE A LONG TIME THAT, THAT WE WANT TO DO THAT KIND OF THING.BUT I'M JUST, THERE, THERE ARE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT GO INTO DEATHS THAT ARE VERY COMPLICATED FOR THE FAMILY ITSELF.
AND FIGURING THAT OUT SOMETIMES IS JUST NOT EASY.
UM, AND I'VE JUST LEARNED THAT THE HARD WAY OVER THE YEARS.
IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF EXTRA WORK TO ME.
AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FLAG, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LIKE, STUFF LIKE THAT TO, IT'S JUST NOT A, A BIG DEAL TO ME.
UM, SO I, I MEAN, HOWEVER Y'ALL WANNA DEAL WITH IT, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M, UH, I DON'T, I DON'T CARE.
IT'S NOT, I REALLY DON'T CARE.
THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S AN ACCEPTABLE ANSWER.
MY, MY ONLY SITUATION IS WHO GETS TO DECIDE WHO'S SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH.
I DON'T, I, OVER THE LAST YEAR WE'VE LEARNED, UM, WE'VE, UH, WHATEVER THE, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN.
SO WHO GETS TO DECIDE WHO IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO BE REMEMBERED AND RESPECTED? THAT IS THE ENTIRE POINT OF THAT.
UM, AND I, I DID IT BROADLY AS YOU KNOW, FORMER EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WHAT IF, WHAT IF BRIAN BRADFORD PASSES AWAY IN 30 YEARS? 'CAUSE I'M GONNA MAKE HIM LIVE FOREVER.
BUT WHO GETS TO DECIDE IF HE'S SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH? RIGHT? SO, AND THAT'S WHY I KIND OF LEFT IT LIKE OPEN-ENDED, UM, BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA SAY, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 PLUS YEARS, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO, YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE THE FLAG.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE COVERING THOSE BASES.
LIKE THE WHO GETS TO DECIDE WHO'S SIGNIFICANT.
AND DO WE JUST GET ANYBODY OUT OF THAT? DO WE DECIDE IF IT'S OKAY EMPLOYEES THAT LEFT UNDER GOOD TERMS OR EMPLOYEES THAT WERE FIRED? UH, THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER COMPLICATION.
I'M NOT SURE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH.
I MEAN, THEN I WOULD JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE DON'T LOWER OUR FLAGS PERIOD.
IF WE'RE NOT GONNA, IF WE'RE NOT GONNA EXTEND AN OLIVE BRANCH AT ALL.
LIKE, JUST MAKE IT ACROSS THE BOARD.
'CAUSE HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU GET TO DETERMINE WHO'S, WHO'S DESERVING OF THE LOWERING, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? LIKE, IF JUDD DIES TODAY, ARE YOU GONNA LOWER THE STAFF? ARE YOU GONNA LOWER HALF STAFF? HE'S OUR CITY MANAGER.
SO, SORRY, I'M NOT TRYING TO KILL YOU OFF.
I'M JUST
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S MY THINKING.
IT SHOULD EITHER BE, AND I, AND I FEEL UGLY SAYING, OH, WELL, ELECTED OFFICIALS, WELL, OUR CITY MANAGERS AND OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT.
THEY'RE NOT ANY IMPORTANT ANY LESS OR MORE IMPORTANT THAN KAREN'S SITTING HERE.
SO IT, IT'S EITHER, IN MY OPINION, IT SHOULD EITHER BE ALL OR NOTHING OR IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? YEAH.
AND I THINK CURRENTLY, RIGHT? I THINK WE DISCUSSED, IT'S REALLY UP TO THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION ON THAT KIND OF THING.
WHEN THOSE THINGS COME FORWARD TO, TO THE MAYOR ON THAT, I THINK KEEP IN MIND AS WELL, THERE ARE MANY WAYS WE CAN RECOGNIZE FOLKS.
UM, CURRENT FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS, CURRENT FORMER EMPLOYEES, UM, AND THERE, THERE ARE THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO DO THAT AS WELL.
AND THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES, THERE'S THERE AS WELL.
BUT IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE IT'S UP TO THE COMMITTEE AND ULTIMATELY UP TO THE COUNCIL ON, ON ANY POLICY TYPE DECISION ON THAT, UH, THE ALL OR THE NONE OR WHATEVER.
RIGHT NOW IT'S CURRENTLY THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION OUTSIDE OF THE THINGS THAT KATHLEEN SHOWED AT THE STATE AND AND FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, BUT IT DOES BECOME A CHALLENGE WITH, YOU KNOW, CURRENT AND FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S WHAT TURNS DID THEY LEAVE IN ALL THE REST OF THAT KIND OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
HUH?
WELL, KRISA, THIS IS YOUR TOPIC AND, AND I'M GETTING MY, MY ISSUE IS JUST HOW DO WE, WHAT KIND, I MEAN, HOW DO WE IMPLEMENT THIS IF WE CHOOSE TO IMPLEMENT IT? AND IT'D BE, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S OKAY TO ALSO MOVE IT TO ANOTHER MEETING AND HAVE
[01:20:01]
A LONGER DISCUSSION AND HAVE MORE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA.
LET'S POSTPONE THIS TO THE NEXT MEETING.
LET US ALL THINK ABOUT IT BETWEEN NOW AND THEN.
WE'VE GOT KATHLEEN'S PRESENTATION, WE HAVE MITCH'S FEEDBACK AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT FURTHER AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
IF I CAN TAKE ONE MORE MINUTE.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW KATHLEEN BEFORE KATHLEEN, YOU'VE BEEN HERE HOW MANY YEARS? UH, 26 YEARS.
AND YOU'VE BEEN SENDING AND COMMUNICATING ABOUT FLAGS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SHE DOES A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN THAT,
BUT, UH, YOU HAVE A TREASURE RIGHT THERE.
SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW KATHLEEN, PLEASE GET TO KNOW HER.
EVERYBODY ALREADY LOVES KAREN.
BUT EVERYBODY SHOULD BE KATHLEEN TOO, YOU KNOW? WELL, WE LOVE YOU KATHLEEN.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS AFTER HEARING OUR DISCUSSION, BY ALL MEANS, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
UM, AGAIN, IN THE, IN MY RESEARCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION, ANOTHER POINT THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, UM, REPEATEDLY WAS LIMITING HOW MANY TIMES A FLAG IS LOWERED.
AND IT WAS REFERRING MAINLY TO, UH, GOVERNORS THAT THEY WERE LOWERING IT BECAUSE THEY CAN LOWER IT FOR SIGNIFICANT, THE DEATHS OF SIGNIFICANT FIGURES.
IT DOESN'T END, IS NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH.
AND THERE WAS A MENTION OF SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT IT WAS LOWERED FOR.
SO, UM, ARTIST, UM, THEY MENTIONED, UM, IT WAS WHITNEY HOUSTON.
IT WAS, UH, ATHLETES THAT HAD PASSED AWAY.
AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S RIGHT OR NOT JUST BECAME A LOT.
AND THEN IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER, UH, THERE WAS ACTUALLY A MENTION THAT FLAGS WERE AT HALF STAFF.
AND I DID NOT WRITE THAT DOWN, BUT THE YEAR, UH, OVER 300 TIMES.
SO IT CAN LOSE ITS SIGNIFICANCE.
AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU DO BRING IN PAST EMPLOYEES, UH, LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S HOW MANY THOUSANDS OF THEM.
AND SO THAT'S JUST ANOTHER THING TOO.
BUT THAT'S NOT FOR ME TO DECIDE.
I NO, WE APPRECIATE THAT'S WHY YOU'RE HERE.
WE APPRECIATE THE INPUT AND YOU ARE CLEARLY, YOU'VE CLEARLY DONE MORE RESEARCH ON FLAGS THAN WE HAVE, SO YOUR, UM, YOUR OPINION IS VALUABLE.
SO IF WE RUN OUT, THANK FOR INVITING DAYS BEFORE AND THEN SOMEBODY BIG DIES AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, YOU CAN'T GO PAST THIS MANY DAYS.
LIKE, CAN YOU DIE TOMORROW PLEASE? WE'RE OUTTA WE'RE OUT OF DAYS THIS WEEK.
WELL THEN WE WILL POSTPONE THIS AND DISCUSS IT FURTHER AT OUR NEXT MEETING IF, ARE THERE ANY FURTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION? ARE WE DONE MADAM CHAIR? PERSON? UH, JUST TO REITERATE, UH, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS COMING BACK.
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONED ENGAGEMENT.
UM, AND THEN THIS ONE, YES, THE LAST ONE, THE FLAGS AT HALF STAFF'S DISCUSSION AS WELL.
AND THEN THE OTHER ITEMS, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH A, UH, COMMITTEE OF UPDATE TO THE FULL COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
WE'LL NEED TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF WORK.
THE EMAIL'S BEEN SENT ON THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR THAT.
SO WE'LL COMPILE ALL THAT INTO AN UPDATE FOR THE FULL COUNSEL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
OKAY, WELL THEN AT 5 27 WE ARE ADJOURNED.