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WELL, WELCOME EVERYBODY TO THE AUGUST 17TH, 2026 MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS TODAY IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 20TH MEETING.
MOVE TO APPROVE AND I'LL SECOND.
ALRIGHT, OUR NEXT ITEM IS, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND I DON'T SEE MUCH PUBLIC TODAY, BUT, UH, PERSONS WHO WISH TO DESIRE TO, UH, WHO DESIRE TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA ARE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
WE ALWAYS WELCOME IT, BUT THERE'S NOBODY HERE TODAY.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE A, ITEMS FOR WELL, ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.
THREE, A INTRODUCTION TO THE LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS TEAM.
WE, WE HAVE OUR, UH, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ARIEL TROUB HERE TODAY.
UM, I'M THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO BRIEFLY DISCUSS, UM, THE MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM.
WE HAVE KARMA POTTER HERE TODAY AS WELL TO RECORD AND TAKE MINUTES.
AND SHE IS OUR, UM, POLICY AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TAYLOR BOER.
SHE IS BASED IN GEORGETOWN AND SHE'S OUR, UH, REGULATORY AFFAIRS DIRECTOR.
SO, SO IT'S THE THREE OF US WORKING DURING SESSION.
UM, AND TAYLOR AND I WILL BE DOWN THERE FULL-TIME, UM, IN, IN JANUARY WHEN WE KICK OFF, BUT I WANTED TO OPEN IT UP AND SEE IF YOU ALL HAD ANY QUESTIONS FOR US AND WHAT OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE BEFORE WE DOVE INTO THE REST OF THE AGENDA.
I HAVE ONE QUESTION, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WRITING THE LEDGE AT THE, THE NEWSLETTER THAT YOU DO? WILL THAT BE YOU OR IS THAT, UH, TAYLOR THAT DOES THAT, THAT WAS ME LAST SESSION, BUT IT'LL BE A COMBINATION OF ALL THREE OF US, UM, THIS SESSION AS WELL.
EITHER ISSA OH, HAVE ITEMS, HOT TOPICS GOING ON THAT, UM, TALKING ABOUT, OH, THAT'S GOOD.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE, THERE'S, I KNOW WE GOT, SO, BUT WHAT ON YOUR AGENDA, THERE'S NOT A SHORTAGE? UM, I WOULD SAY THE NUMBER ONE WILL BE THE REDUCTION OF THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE FROM THREE AND A HALF TO QUITE POSSIBLY LOWER THAN TWO AND A HALF EVEN.
UM, NEXT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF, NOT ISSUES, BUT A LOT, A LOT OF LEGISLATION FILED REGARDING, UM, MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITIES, UM, COMPETITION, UM, IMPACT FEES, SCHEDULED FEES, UM, THOSE, THOSE ARE GONNA BE THE BIG FIGHTS, GENERAL FUND TRANSFERS.
I DIDN'T, UH, POST FOR, UH, THAT SPECIFICALLY.
WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? IT'S NOT POSTED.
I, I, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HERE TODAY, BUT I CAN SEE, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A STORM EITHER.
YOU CAN SEE MATT, UH, LOOKING UNCOMFORTABLE
WHAT ITEMS MIGHT COME UP BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE? AND I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT SOMEBODY WOULD SAY WE'RE EXCEEDING THE POSTED AGENDA.
WELL, SHE'S, UH, DESCRIBING EXPLAINING THE ROLE, CORRECT.
WELL, YEAH, IT'S POSTED AS INTRODUCTION TO LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS THING.
YOU COULD ASK HER WHO'S HANDLING THE ISSUES THAT WE EXPECT TO COME UP THIS YEAR AND SHE CAN DO IT THAT WAY.
SOUNDS LIKE A FANTASTIC QUESTION.
NO, UH, NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ITEM.
WELL, WE DO HAVE A, UH, WELL THEN I GUESS WE HAVE ITEM THREE B, WHICH IS, UH, SCOPING DISCUSSION TO EXPLORE ADVOCACY CHANGES TO THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION SYSTEM.
THIS ITEM WAS REQUESTED FOR REFERRAL TO THE, TO OUR COMMITTEE BY, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM DUTTON, AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LUCK ON JUNE 15TH.
I, UM, AM, YOU KNOW, PREPARED AS ALWAYS, THE ALWAYS, I MEAN, FULL PACKET GO.
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SO, UM, THIS WAS, UM, A TOPIC OF HOT DISCUSSION, UM, OVER THE PAST YEAR, UM, ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS, NOT JUST OUR CITY, BUT OTHERS.UM, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, UM, IN B-C-C-B-S 11, UM, GINGER DID A STORY ON FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE WORKERS' COMP SYSTEM AND HOW THAT WAS ATROCIOUS.
UM, I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR OWN PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD LEAST THAN LESS THAN FAVORABLE, UM, OUTCOMES AND EXPERIENCES WITH WORKERS' COMP AS WELL.
UM, AND IT, IT'S ONE THING WHEN YOU, YOU HEAR THAT FIRE IS HOT, BUT THEN WHEN YOU, YOU GET TO TOUCH IT OR GET A LITTLE BIT CLOSE TO IT, IT, AND THEN YOU'RE LIKE, OH, OKAY.
UM, SO MY, UM, I GAVE YOU ALL OF MY LITTLE PACKET.
UM, I WOULD, MY ASK IS THAT WE ADVOCATE FOR SOME CHANGES, UM, OR AT LEAST A, A NICE REVIEW.
UM, SO I'M ASKING THAT WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.
UH, TEXAS HAS A SEPARATE STATUTORY FRAMEWORK UNDER THE LABOR CODE CHAPTER 5 0 4.
BECAUSE OF CITIES, COUNTIES, AND OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND RESPONSIBILITIES THAN PRIVATE EMPLOYERS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT OUR VERSION OF WORKERS' COMP IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN IF YOU WORK AT WALMART AND YOU GO THROUGH THEIR WORKERS' COMP, UM, SYSTEM.
SO, UH, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT WE ARE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE COVERAGE THROUGH A SYSTEM THAT IN MANY CASES IS BROKEN.
IT CAN PROLONG TREATMENT, KEEP EMPLOYEES OUTTA WORK LONGER THAN NECESSARY, CREATE UNNECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE HURDLES, AND ULTIMATELY COST CITIES AND TAX PAYERS A LOT OF MONEY.
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD ADVOCATE FOR A SYSTEM THAT GETS INJURED EMPLOYEES THE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL CARE THEY NEED SOONER RESOLVES DISPUTES MORE QUICKLY, ENCOURAGES A SAFE RETURN TO WORK, AND REDUCES UNNECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL COSTS.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT CHOOSING EMPLOYEES OVER EMPLOYERS, IT IS ABOUT MAKING A SYSTEM WORK BETTER FOR EVERYONE.
AND WHEN THE EMPLOYER IS A CITY, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE CITY IS ULTIMATELY ACCOUNTABLE TO THE TAXPAYER.
IF A CITY IS ASSUMING THE FINANCIAL RISK OF ITS WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAM, SHOULDN'T THAT CITY HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY TO RESOLVE CLAIMS EFFICIENTLY AND PROVIDE APPROPRIATE CARE TO ITS OWN EMPLOYEES? EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND MANAGING A WORKER'S COMPENSATION CLAIM IS ULTIMATELY THE PUBLIC DOLLAR.
WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THOSE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT ON TREATMENT RECOVERY AND GETTING OUR EMPLOYEES BACK TO WORK, NOT NECESSARY, NOT UNNECESSARY DELAYS, DISPUTES, AND ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
IF WE CAN GET AN INJURED EMPLOYEE THE RIGHT TREATMENT SOONER AND SAFELY GET THEM BACK TO A PRODUCTIVE WORK SOONER, IT'S BETTER FOR THE EMPLOYEES, THE CITY, AND BETTER FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT TML AND THE LEGISLATOR TAKE A SPECIFIC LOOK AT CHAPTER 5 0 4 AND IDENTIFY CHANGES THAT WOULD MAKE THE SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENT, PREDICTABLE, AND FAIR TO POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS AND THE EMPLOYEES WHO SERVE THEM.
COMMITTEE, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I, UH, YOU ARE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE HOT.
I DID DO SOME, UH, SOME RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT AND I FOUND TOO, PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, UH, TAKING PLACE, ESPECIALLY IN THE MEDIA SITUATION HAPPENED IN ARLINGTON, I THINK THAT IT WAS WHERE FIREFIGHTER INVOLVED IN A FIREFIGHT AND, UH, BUILDING CRUSHES IN ON HIM, AND THEN HE, UH, GOES FOR, UH, ASSISTANCE AND THERE WAS ONE PROCEDURE THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR THAT THEY CALLED THE COSMETIC OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
IT SEEMS THAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT THE REAL ISSUE SEEMS TO BE IS WHAT WE AS EMPLOYEES OR WHAT THE EMPLOYEE CONSIDERED TO BE, UH, ASSISTANCE THAT THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING VERSUS WHAT THE EMPLOYER IS SAYING, THAT THEY ARE GIVING THE VERY BEST THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
THOSE TWO TENSIONS, OF COURSE, IT WOULD CREATE A SITUATION OF THERE, THERE, THERE, THERE MAY NEED TO BE SOME TYPE OF, OF, UH, RE RESOLVE OR RESOLUTION.
I GUESS FOR ME, MY QUESTION THEN WOULD BE, OKAY,
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I HEAR THE GENERALITY, BUT WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS IT THAT WE WANT TO CORRECT AND WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT TAKING IT TO THE LEGISLATURES, THE LEGISLATORS, WHAT PARTICULARLY, WHAT SPECIFICALLY ARE WE GONNA REALLY TAKE? SO, I MEAN, THE BIG THING IS THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL FOR TREATMENT THAT EITHER IS GOING TO AFFECT THEIR LONG-TERM QUALITY OF LIFE, OR SOME OF THEM, EVEN THEIR LIFE.I'VE HEARD FROM, UM, CASE MANAGERS THAT HELP WITH WORKERS' COMP CLAIMS THAT FULLY BELIEVE THAT THE CLIENT THAT THEY WERE THERE WITH, UM, WOULD STILL BE ALIVE HAD THEY HAVE NOT HAD TO FIGHT SO HARD FOR TREATMENT FROM WORKERS' COMP.
UM, SO I, I THINK THAT JUST BEING EFFECTIVE AND I, I MEAN, I CAN'T, I CAN, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR PEOPLE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT, I'M NOT GONNA RELEASE ANYONE'S, YOU KNOW, MEDICAL STUFF.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU MY OWN EXPERIENCE WAS, UM, ALMOST A YEAR BEFORE GETTING APPROVAL FOR A SURGERY BECAUSE APPARENTLY WHEN YOU AGE, THAT'S A BAD THING.
IT IS THE NATURAL PART OF LIFE, RIGHT? WELL, WORKERS' COMP WILL TELL YOU, NO, YOU, YOU'RE OLD.
UM, THAT WAS ALREADY GONNA HAPPEN, APPARENTLY.
UM, THEY APPROVED MY SURGERY AND THEN NOW THEY WON'T PAY FOR IT BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THAT APPROVAL DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GONNA PAY FOR IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN, WHAT COUNTRY THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT, OKAY.
SO IT, IT'S JUST, THERE HAS TO BE A WAY FOR IT TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK THAT THESE ARE OUR STREETS WORKERS, RIGHT.
OUR, OUR FIRE, OUR POLICE, ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE VERY PHYSICAL, PHYSICALLY DEMANDING.
THAT'S IF THE LONGER THAT IT TAKES THEM TO GET TREATMENT, THE LONGER IT TAKES US TO GET OUR EMPLOYEE BACK TO WORK.
SO IT PUTS A STRAIN ON US AS FAR AS LABOR GOES, BECAUSE NOW OUR PEOPLE ARE SHORT A GUY OR SHORT TWO GUYS.
I MEAN, SO IT, IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT WHEN IT, OBVIOUSLY THEY ARE IN THE MARKET OF DENYING CLAIMS BECAUSE IT SAVES MONEY IN THE LONG RUN.
IT DOESN'T SAVE MONEY BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL HAVING TO PAY THAT PERSON'S LOST WAGES.
THEY'RE STILL HAVING TO PAY FOR FOLLOW UP APPOINTMENTS.
I HAVE TO GO TO A PAIN MANAGEMENT DOCTOR.
THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING FOR ME.
I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I HAVE TO GO, BUT GUESS WHAT, WE'RE HAVING TO PAY FOR THAT.
BUT IF I DON'T GO WORKER'S COMP IS GONNA DENY THE CLAIM.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE AND IT'S MORE COST HEAVY THAN WHAT IT, IT COULD BE.
I GUESS THE QUESTION STILL COMES BACK, WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO THOUGH? WHEN A DOCTOR, A PHYSICIAN, AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, I'VE FOUGHT THE CLAIMS TO VA UH, AS A PASTOR, I'VE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COME IN AND TALK TO ME ABOUT TRYING TO THE WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION.
AND SO WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN A PHYSICIAN IS ACTUALLY SAYING, WELL, THIS IS THE BASIC NEED.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE TO DO, AND TO, AND WE ARE DOING THAT, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT.
WHAT, WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE RESULT THERE? WHAT, WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S, IT'S ALSO A MATTER OF, IT'S NOT JUST EVENTUALLY GETTING THE, UH, THE SURGERY OR THE TREATMENT DONE.
IT'S THE SPEED BY WHICH THEY DO IT.
AND IT'S, UH, THE, THE WASTE OF TIME IN BETWEEN.
AND, AND PARDON MY IGNORANCE ON THIS, UH, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT THE RULES FOR WORKMAN'S COMP IS THE SAME WHETHER YOU ARE IN GARLAND OR RICHARDSON OR DALLAS AND EVERYWHERE.
SO THIS IS A A WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS TO FIND A WAY TO FIND A UNIVERSAL FIX FOR THIS THAT HELPS EVERYBODY.
SO THERE COULD BE ADVOCACY FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT AVENUES.
IT COULDN'T, IT COULD BE BEYOND GARLAND, RIGHT? CORRECT.
I MEAN, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE'RE A POLITICAL SUBSIDY, SO WE ALL FOLLOW THE SAME STRUCTURE STATEWIDE.
UM, AND SO I MEAN, THEY, THEY'RE LITERALLY JUST TRYING TO DENY CLAIMS. SO I GET IT, BUT AT WHAT POINT DO CITIES SAY ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE CAUSING MORE LONG-TERM DAMAGE THAN YOU ARE DOING GOOD.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REALLY ABUSING THE SYSTEM? IF YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THESE DOCTORS THAT ARE SAYING, THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
BUT UM, STEPHANIE BEHIND THE DESK IS LIKE, OH, NO, I DON'T THINK SO.
LEMME ASK THIS TO THE, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU TELL ME, MIKE, IF I CAN, IF THIS IS A GOOD QUESTION OR NOT, BUT ON THE POLITICAL, UH, SCENE AS FAR AS, UH, AUSTIN'S CONCERNED,
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IS THERE ANY LEGISLATION GOING ON THERE? AND IF WE OUGHT TO TAKE THIS ON, HOW WOULD WE GO ABOUT DOING IT? UM, I THINK THE SCOPE OF THIS IS SO LARGE.IT WOULD HAVE TO BE TML WORKING TOGETHER AND LEADING THIS EFFORT AS WELL.
UM, FOR US AS A SINGLE CITY TO WORK THROUGH THE POLICY ANALYSIS AND REVIEW, WRITING THE LEGISLATION AND THEN TRYING TO FIND SOMEONE TO CARRY IT WOULD TAKE A YEAR AND A HALF.
UM, SO I, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I AM ALSO MANAGING EXPECTATIONS THAT I DON'T THINK I COULD GET THIS ASK OFF THE GROUND BY JANUARY.
WHAT I CAN DO IS WORK WITH TML, MAYBE BRING IT UP AT THE POLICY CONFERENCE, TALK TO OTHER CITIES AND SEE WHAT THEIR THOUGHTS ARE, AND MAYBE WORK WITH TML TO DO AN INTERIM STUDY AND SEE WHAT THEY COME UP WITH LEGISLATIVELY.
BUT THERE IS SOMETHING, UM, PLANNED FOR THIS SESSION IN REGARDS TO WORKERS' COMP.
I THOUGHT I INCLUDED IT IN THE PACKET, BUT I GUESS I DID NOT.
SO, UM, I CAN FIND IT AND GET IT TO YOU THOUGH.
MAYBE WE CAN LIKE PIGGYBACK OR I DON'T KNOW.
YEAH, I MEAN, WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY THROW SUPPORT BEHIND BILLS TOO.
UM, BUT THERE ARE BILLS FILED EVERY YEAR ON WORKERS' COMP.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHO FILES THEM AND HOW FAR THEY GO.
NO, WE KNOW THAT
WELL THEN, UH, I GUESS, UH, WHAT WOULD NEXT STEPS BE FOR US? UM, MIKE, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ON WHAT THOUGHTS ON THIS? UH, I THINK THAT PROBABLY HAVE A LITTLE SCOPE SOMETHING, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE COULD ASK FOR IF WE DON'T THINK WE DO IT FOR THIS JANUARY.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVEN'T SPOKEN ABOUT, AND ONE OF THE PUSHBACK YOU GET FROM OTHER CITIES IS, IS THE SYSTEM.
AND I KNOW IT'S TRUE FOR THE STATEWIDE WORKERS' COMP SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONTROL COSTS.
SO IT'S DESIGNED TO CONTROL COSTS AND TO AVOID THE WORKERS' COMP SYSTEM THAT APPLIES, UH, ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL SORTS OF EMPLOYERS.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE, EVEN FROM A CITY SIDE OF SAYING, WELL, HOW DO WE PAY FOR THIS? IF YOU'RE GONNA SAY, 'CAUSE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE NEED TO GIVE MORE CARE TO MORE PEOPLE.
AND, AND I AGREE FOR OUR CITY, BUT YOU GET OTHER CITIES WHO ARE GONNA SAY, WELL, HOW, HOW ARE YOU GONNA PAY FOR THIS? WE ALREADY CAN'T PAY FOR THE PAYROLL WE HAVE.
AND SO WHAT IS THAT GONNA COST US? ARE WE TALKING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, MILLIONS? WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? IT'S GONNA COST A CITY.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S WHY THEY'VE HAD TO STUDY THIS AND TRY AND COME UP WITH A SYSTEM THAT WOULD, UH, BE ONE WHERE WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE COST STRUCTURE OF THIS? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE EMPLOYEES ARE TAKEN CARE OF ON THE ONE HAND IN A WAY THAT SO MANY CITIES AREN'T GONNA JUMP OUT OF THE WOODWORKS AND SAY, WE CAN'T AFFORD THIS.
AND I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE POLICY DEBATE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE, UH, AT THE TML LEVEL.
AND THEY'RE, THEY HAVE A LOT MORE EMPLOYEES THAN WE DO.
SO I THINK, AND THEY HAVE A WIDER, UM, SCOPE AND AVAILABILITY TO OTHER CITIES TO KIND OF LOOK INTO THIS DEEPER THAN WE WOULD.
UM, ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH ALL OF THE ASKS HERE.
I THINK THAT BUDGET WOULD BE TOP OF MIND FOR ANY OF THEM, UM, AND SCOPING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE FOR EACH CITY AND SIZE AND ALL OF THAT.
BUT, AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE SELF-INSURED HERE WITH REINSURANCE.
WE HAVE A BIG SELF-INSURED RETAINER OR RETAINAGE, AND THEN THERE'S INSURANCE ABOVE US.
BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, IF YOU CHANGE THE WORKERS' COMP RULES, THEIR WORKERS' COMP RATES THAT THEY PAY FOR THEIR INSURANCE.
'CAUSE THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE THE FINANCIAL ABILITY TO BE SELF-INSURED.
THOSE RATES ARE GONNA GO UP, UH, THE MORE CARE THAT WE GIVE EMPLOYEES.
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SOME OF THE SMALLER CITIES WHO ARE GONNA SAY, WELL, WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GONNA BE THE PUSHBACK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ACROSS THE STATE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I THINK YOU'VE FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE RESOLVE THIS? BECAUSE WE'VE ALL HEARD THE SAME STORIES THAT, UH, DEPUTY MAN PRO TEM DUTTON SAID, I MEAN, I'VE LISTENED TO THEM FOR 20 YEARS AROUND HERE FOR POLICE OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I OFTEN SCRATCH MY HEAD AND WONDER, WHY DO WE TREAT POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS WHO DELIBERATELY PUT THEMSELVES IN HARM'S WAY? WHY ARE WE TREATING THEM UNDER THE WORKERS' COMP SYSTEM? YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO SOME OTHER SYSTEM.
THERE'S OTHER STATES WHERE THEY EXCLUDE THOSE TYPES OF INJURIES, UH, FROM WORKERS' COMP ALTOGETHER AND THEY HAVE A SEPARATE SYSTEM TO PAY FOR THEM.
UH, UH, IT BEGS THE QUESTION HERE, AND IT'S REALLY GOT TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT WE'RE A VERY DIVERSE GROUP OF CITIES IN, IN TEXAS.
WE HAVE CITIES WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THE AVERAGE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, 10 PEOPLE OR LESS, AND THE CITY HAS, YOU KNOW,
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5,000 PEOPLE LIVE THERE.WELL, CAN THEY AFFORD TO PAY FOR POLICE OFFICERS IF THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR HIGHER WORKERS' COMP RATES? AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO.
I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU STUDY AND FIGURE OUT IS THERE APPROACH WHERE YOU COULD TIER IT? IS THERE APPROACH WHERE YOU COULD, YOU KNOW, LOOK TO IT? I MEAN, OUR, OUR SELF-INSURED RETAINER IS LARGE ENOUGH THAT IS IT GONNA HAVE A TREMENDOUS EFFECT ON US? YOU KNOW, SURE.
IS IT GONNA COST, IF IF WE HAVE MORE CARE, IS IT GONNA COST RISE, PUSH THE REINSURANCE RATES UP? ALMOST CERTAINLY.
BUT IS THAT GONNA BE MEANINGFUL TO A CITY OUR SIZE COMPARED TO NOW A CITY OF, YOU KNOW, 5,000 PEOPLE WHERE THEIR RATES DOUBLE ON THEIR WORKERS' COMP AND NOW THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO HIRE AS MANY POLICE OFFICERS TO ACTUALLY PATROL THEIR CITY.
AND SO I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO, IT'S A, IT'S A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE AND YOU'RE GONNA GET, IT'S NOT GONNA BE WITHOUT PUSHBACK FROM SOME CITIES ALL WHO HAVE DIFFERENT FINANCIAL AND PRIVATE INDUSTRY IF IT IMPACTS THEM AND WORKERS' COMP, WELL THAT'S OUR FINANCIAL GUY,
THAT'S, THAT'S STUPID METH JUST BITE.
HE'D BEEN AT THE, HE READY TO GO
WELL, I KNOW IT'S NOT AN EASY, IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK, BUT WE CAN'T GET ANYWHERE WITHOUT ASKING.
SO IT'S, IT'S WORTH ADVOCATING FOR.
YEAH, AND THAT'S WHAT, AND THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
I MEAN, THE ASK LIST HERE, WELL DONE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S SOME GREAT BULLET POINTS.
THIS IS THE STUFF THAT YOU HEAR IN THE NEWS WHEN WORKMAN'S COMP CLAIMS HIT, YOU KNOW, SOME REPORTER PICKS UP ON SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET A CLAIM THROUGH AT ALL.
I MEAN, BULLET POINT NUMBER ONE, THERE IS THE ONE THAT JUST TAKES FOREVER TO GET IT AND GET IT THROUGH TO GET HEARD.
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF WE COULD, CERTAINLY THEY COULD DO SOMETHING WITH EXPEDITING STUFF WITHOUT ADDING A TON OF COST.
I MEAN, IT TOOK A YEAR TO, FOR HER THING TO CUT FINALLY.
I MEAN, THAT'S RIDICULOUS THAT IT WOULD TAKE THAT LONG.
SO I, I THINK THE ASK HERE, THERE'S SOME GREAT BULLET POINTS HERE AND I'D STILL LIKE TO SEE THAT AS KIND OF A FRAMEWORK TO GO FORWARD.
WE'LL PUT IT INTO YOUR GOOD HANDS TO, UH, OKAY.
WE WILL WORK ON AN INTERNAL DISCUSSION AND SCOPING AND THEN WE WILL WORK WITH TML AS WELL.
IS THAT THE CONSENSUS? I BELIEVE WE HAVE A CONSENSUS ON THAT, YES.
AND DID WE WANT TO INCLUDE SOMETHING IN OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA ABOUT ADVOCATING FOR THE HEALTH AND GENERAL WELFARE OF EMPLOYEES? SO THAT WOULD MAYBE COVER THIS ISSUE IF WE WERE TO ADVOCATE OR BILL WERE TO POP UP DURING SESSION? I WOULDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC TO DO.
I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME START.
AUSTIN WOULD BE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU.
YOU GOING TO TM OLD ISSUE? YES, SIR.
ALRIGHT, WELL WITH THAT THEN WE, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE C, SCOPING DISCUSSION TO CONSIDER AN ANNUAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM AND ANNUAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS CALENDAR.
THIS ITEM WAS REQUESTED AND REFERRED TO THE LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE BY DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BUTTON.
WELL, I'M NOT AS PREPARED FOR THIS ONE AS I WAS THE OTHER ONE, SO SORRY ABOUT THAT.
UM, SO THIS ONE IS JUST, UM, WANTING TO WORK ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, UM, WITH, WITH OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
UM, AND JUST THE DIFFERENT, UM, LIKE OUR, OUR STATE REPS, WE SEE SOME OF THEM HERE AND THERE AT EVENTS.
OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE DON'T, THERE'S NOT REALLY A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
UM, ONE OF OUR STATE REPS HAS A, A REALLY LOVELY HABIT OF SENDING AN EMAIL SAYING LIKE, HEY, I'D LOVE TO GET TOGETHER AND CHAT, DA DA DA.
LIKE, LET ME KNOW WHEN CRICKETS, TWO YEARS IN A ROW.
UM, AND I, I FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IF WE THINK THAT WE'RE EVER GONNA GET ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED ON A LEGISLATION LEVEL, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES AND PEOPLE, UM, OUTSIDE OF JUST OUR CITY HALL.
SO ARE WE THINKING HAVING MAYBE STAFF FROM THEIR OFFICES COME TALK DURING A WORK SESSION? NO, I DON'T WANT THEIR STAFF.
I WANT THEM, LIKE RTA AND ANGIE G WE HAVE, UM, THIRD ONE, GARCIA BUTTON, BOWERS, ANNA MARIA RAMOS, AND HALL.
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I I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S TOO MUCH TO ASK FOR THEM TO COME ONCE A YEAR AND HAVE A, A CONVERSATION.IF IT IS, THEN MAYBE THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WE DO THAT WITH THE, UH, DRMC EVERY MONTH WHEN WE MEET, UH, WE REACH OUT TO ONE OF OUR LEGISLATORS THAT MAY RELATE TO SOME SUBJECT THAT WE ARE DEALING WITH.
WHATEVER WE ASK THEM TO COME IN.
OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO REALLY DO THIS AHEAD OF TIME BECAUSE THEIR SCHEDULE ARE VERY, VERY, UH, BUSY.
BUT, UH, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT, AND I'M NOT SO CERTAIN THAT, UH, MAYBE A COMMITTEE WOULD DO IT, BUT WE COULD ACTUALLY DO IT THROUGH OUR CITY MANAGER ALSO, IF IN FACT, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET THEM TO COME AND JUST SPEAK BEFORE US, LIKE IN A WORK SESSION OR IF A CASE MAY BE, OR ARE YOU REALLY WANTING TO DO IT WITH A COMMITTEE, UH, SUCH AS WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY? THAT'D BE GREAT WITH A WORK SESSION.
BECAUSE THAT WAY YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS AND THEY CAN BRING THE STAFF THAT THEY WANNA BRING AND, AND CAN TALK ABOUT GARLAND CENTRIC THINGS AND HOW DO, I MEAN, AND A LOT OF IT IS HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER? RIGHT? WE WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT STUFF WITH MD HEALTH PATHWAYS, WHERE WAS OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONER.
THAT IS QUITE LITERALLY, THEIR, THEIR JOB IS PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND THEIR, AND, AND I'M NOT BLAMING, I'M NOT BLAMING THE PERSON IN PARTICULAR, I'M JUST SAYING WE FAILED AS WELL REACHING OUT, BUT A LOT OF US HAD NO IDEA THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY HANDLE.
AND SO, UM, I, I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO BE AS EFFECTIVE MOVING FORWARD AS WE CAN AND KNOWING WHAT THOSE DIFFERENT PEOPLE, UM, HAVE THAT WE CAN COLLABORATE WITH, I THINK IS A SMART WAY TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO IF, IF WE WANT TO INVITE THEM HERE, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN AGENDA OF TOPICS WE WERE GONNA TALK TO THEM ABOUT.
WE CAN'T JUST, WE CAN'T JUST INVITE A MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE HERE AND THEN JUST OPEN IT UP TO WHATEVER WE WANNA TALK ABOUT.
NOT IF THERE'S A, NOT IF IT'S A PUBLIC MEETING.
YOU MEET WITH TWO OR THREE OUT OF THOSE.
I CAN CERTAINLY SET UP, UH, I'M, I'M JUST SAYING IF WE WANNA BRING THEM BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO ASK THEM QUESTIONS, YOU'D HAVE TO TELL 'EM WHAT TOPICS AND THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO AGREE TO COME AND TALK TO US.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY GENERALLY DON'T LIKE TO SIT IN THE HOT SEAT AND BE THE, THE INQUISITION.
I KNOW WE HAVE SUBPOENA POWER UNDER OUR CHARTER, BUT WE'VE NEVER USED IT.
BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THEY WOULD BE MORE LIKELY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT'S, IT'S A, UM, THEY DON'T WANNA BE PUT ON THE THEY DO NOT.
WE COULD DO IT LIKE SPEED DATING AND YOU JUST HOP TABLES
YOU GET OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, YOU KNOW,
I THINK THE, THE, THE ISSUE IS REALLY GOING TO BE THOUGH, YOU'D BE SURPRISED AT HOW BUSY THEY ARE AND HOW THEY PRIDE THEIR TIME.
THAT'S GONNA REALLY BE A SITUATION FOR WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.
IT'S GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A MESSAGE OF REAL IMPORTANT IT NOW.
SO WE JUST HAVING A, A LUNCHEON OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE.
BUT EVEN THERE, EVEN THERE, THEY
BUT I THINK WE STILL OURSELVES SHORT BECAUSE ALSO WE ARE SUPPOSED TO, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR CITIES.
SO IF YOU CAN'T MAKE TIME FOR THE CITY THAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT, THEN MAYBE, MAYBE THIS ISN'T FOR YOU.
LIKE WE NEED TO START BEING A LITTLE BIT MORE DEMANDING OF WHAT OUR NEEDS AS A CITY ARE.
BECAUSE HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO ADVOCATE FOR US WHEN YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO WE ARE? RIGHT.
BUT AGAIN, I'M THINKING THIS SUBJECT MATTER IS GOING TO BE, THEY'LL COME FOR CERTAIN, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.
I THINK THEY WANT TO COME, BUT OUR SUBJECT MATTER IS GONNA BE, I THINK CIRCUMSTANCE WILL BE KEY AS WELL.
I THINK WE WILL HAVE A HARDER TIME GETTING THEM TO SIT HERE THAN AT LUNCH OR DINNER.
UM, IS THAT NOT WHAT THEY DO? UM, WHEN THEY'RE IN SESSION, THEY, I'M JUST SAYING.
IF YOU CAN SHOW UP FOR OUR EVENTS AND SMILE AND TAKE PICTURES, YOU CAN COME AND SIT UP HERE AND JUST TELL US WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO,
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT, THAT'S A LOT TO ASK AND MAYBE I'M
[00:30:01]
JUST A JERK, BUT IT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR.I SPENT 12 YEARS AT, ISN'T THAT WEIRD? THEY TOLD ME FOR 12 YEARS
YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL 'EM WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM AN AWARD AND THEN WHEN THEY SHOW UP, WE CAN ASK THEM A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.
THEY'LL NEVER CHECK OUR AGENDA.
I THINK THEY, THE THOUGHT THE IDEA IS A VERY GOOD THOUGHT.
AND EVEN IF THE FIRST MEETING IS JUST LIKE, HEY, COME INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO COUNCIL.
TELL US WHAT, WHAT YOU DO, WHAT ARE YOUR HOT TOPICS, THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, HOW DOES, HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER INTO THAT? YES.
ARE WE WANTING IT JUST TO BE THE COMMISSIONER AND STATE REPS? ARE WE WANTING IT TO BE ORGANIZATIONS? WHAT'S, HOW FAR AND HOW WIDE DO WE WANNA GO? IDEALLY, WHEN I, WELL, WHEN I BROUGHT THIS UP, IT WAS ANY OF OUR PARTNERS, RIGHT? WHOEVER WE PARTNER WITH, BE IT ATMOS DART, UM, SO LIKE ONCE, ONCE A MONTH OR WHATEVER, WE WOULD HAVE SOMEONE DIFFERENT THAT WOULD COME IN.
UM, DALLAS COUNTY HEALTH, WE JUST, WE, WE USED TO RUN A, A CLINIC.
NOW THE DALLAS COUNTY TOOK THAT OVER.
IT WOULDN'T BE BAD TO HAVE EITHER DR.
HUANG OR HIS STAFF, UH, OR HE AND HIS STAFF COME AND TALK ABOUT HOW IS IT GOING.
IT'S, UH, THEY DO DO THIS IN OTHER CITIES.
UM, SO
UM, I KNOW THAT ROLLETTE DOES THE SAME, UH, SAME THING WHERE THEY HAVE ATMOS COME IN ONCE A YEAR.
UM, JUST ANYONE THAT THEY PARTNER WITH SO THAT THEY HAVE THOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS.
SO THEN THAT WAY WHEN THOSE SKY IS FALLING, IT'S NOT, OH, WHO DO WE REACH OUT TO? HOW DO WE ASK THEM? BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THEM BEFORE IN OUR LIVES.
SO, MR. CHAIRMAN, I THINK THAT, THAT GETTING DAR HERE AND GETTING NORTEK, DISMISSIBLE WATER DISTRICT HERE AND GETTING THOSE TYPES OF ENTITIES HERE, THAT'S EASY.
TELLING A LEGISLATOR, THEY'RE GONNA SIT HERE IN THE HOT SEAT AND ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
I WOULD JUST BE SURPRISED IF THEY WOULD BE INCLINED TO WANT TO DO THAT.
I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN IT IN THE PAST.
I MEAN, I HAVE NEVER SEEN THAT.
I, I HAVE ORGANIZED LUNCHES WITH COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR AND THEY'VE BEEN OPEN AND RECEPTIVE TO THAT.
I'VE JUST NEVER SEEN THEM ACCEPT THAT FORM OF INVITATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND THE INVITATION AND IF THEY SAY NO, THAT IS ON THEM.
UM, IF LUNCHEONS ARE THE WAY TO DO IT, I DON'T, THE END RESULT IS STILL TO FORM A RELATIONSHIP, A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE PEOPLE.
I ALSO WANT THEM TO, UH, PUBLICLY SAY NO.
THAT'S PROBABLY WHY THEY WON'T.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN DECLINE OUR INVITATION TO COME AND SPEAK TO US.
THAT IS YOUR OWN, UH, POLITICAL UNLI IF YOU WANT TO.
BUT EITHER WAY, THE RELATIONSHIP STILL NEEDS TO BE FORMED FOR EVERYONE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
WELL, UH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM AT ALL WITH IT BECAUSE I, I THINK THAT TO A CERTAIN EXTENT IT HAPPENS.
NONE OF THESE ARE ON REALLY A REGULAR, UH, AGENDA THAT I'M AWARE OF.
AND THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.
UH, UH, MAYOR, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO IS ASKING FOR, SHE'S ASKING FOR SOMETHING ON CREATE A CALENDAR.
IS THAT IT? LIKE IT'S, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE A, THEY COME BECAUSE ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE AND SOMEONE'S MAD AND NOW WE WANT THEM TO COME.
THE ONLY TIME ATMOSPHERES COME IS WHEN I'VE QUESTIONED WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY GAS LEAKS? SO WHAT I'M THINKING IS THAT, AGAIN, THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT, UH, CITY MANAGER, OR NOT AT LEAST THE CITY MANAGER, MAY WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IN THE WAY OF, UH, AT OUR WORK SESSIONS, GO AHEAD AND SET UP AN ATTENDANT ITINERARY AND AGENDA THAT WILL INCORPORATE THEM INTO COMING ONCE A QUARTER.
YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE ENTITIES, LET'S GET THEM SCHEDULED TO COME ONCE A QUARTER WOULD BE A LOT OF, A LOT OF MEETINGS, BUT MAYBE ONCE A YEAR.
AND I WOULD ALSO INVITE ANY OF YOU ALSO, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ENJOY PUTTING 'EM ON THE HOT SEAT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO COME AND GO TO SOME OF THE MEETINGS THAT I ATTEND, RTC, THE RMC, THE COG, THESE PEOPLE ARE OFTEN IN THOSE MEETINGS AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT YOU, SPEAKING
[00:35:01]
OF PRESENTLY, NOT NECESSARILY GARLAND, BUT YOU KNOW, THE REGION AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ATTEND SOME OF THOSE WITH ME ALSO.
YES, I DO SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF DOING WHAT SHE'S ASKING.
AND I'VE GOT, UH, DARK COMING ALREADY IN SEPTEMBER.
I'VE ASKED THE NEW CEO AND, UH, AND OUR, UH, DARK BOARD MEMBERS TO COME.
AND THEN I'VE GOT OUR DARK BOARD MEMBERS COMING BACK SEPARATELY FOR A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE BOARD ACTIVITIES.
UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, THE, AT FOLKS WE'VE REACHED OUT TO ALREADY ASKING THEM TO COME.
AND SO, UM, I CERTAINLY DIDN'T ASK ARIEL TO HELP ME MAKE IT A REGULAR CALENDAR AND FIGURE OUT, UH, HOW WE CAN GET THESE PEOPLE WORKED INTO THE AGENDA AND THEN JUST START BRINGING THEM QUARTERLY, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST, OR, OR ANNUALLY AT LEAST.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'LL PROBABLY TAKE UP, UH, ONCE A MONTH.
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE, UH, SOMEBODY BEFORE US FOR 15 OR 20 MINUTE BLOCK, UH, TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE, THAT'D BE SOMETHING THAT WE, THAT WOULD BE EASILY DO.
WE KIND OF HAVE A BUNCH OF THOSE IN THE PIPELINE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WORKING WITH, ALRIGHT, LET'S TALK TO THE WATER DISTRICT.
LET'S TALK TO THE, JUST SOME OF THE OTHER GROUPS THAT WE INTERACT WITH AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THEM TO COME DOWN HERE AND TALK TO US.
SO I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I KNOW THAT THE NORTH TEXAS TOLL AUTHORITY WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT.
THEY COULD COME AND TALK ABOUT PROJECTS UPCOMING.
DO WE WANNA INVITE GEORGETOWN IS, I MEAN GARLAND, ISD OR OKAY, SURE.
ALL OF THOSE GROUPS THAT, I MEAN, I'M SURE DR. LOPEZ WOULD BE HAPPY TO COME SIT HERE AND CHAT.
YEAH, HE, HE, HE LOVES THE YEAH.
H-E-B-H-E-B UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE YEAR.
THAT'S WHAT HE'S EVERYWHERE HE GOES, THAT'S SAYS SO, SO, UH, ARIEL, IF YOU'LL WORK WITH ME ON THAT AND JUST KINDA COME UP WITH A PROPOSED LIST AND WE'LL START REACHING OUT TO THEM AND THEN GET THEM SET OUT MAYBE ONCE A MONTH, HAVE, YOU KNOW, FROM ONE OF THE TWO WORK SESSIONS EACH MONTH, FIND SOMEBODY TO COME IN HERE FOR A 15 TO 20 MINUTE PRESENTATION AND WE'LL SCOPE OUT A TOPIC THAT WOULD BE SO WE CAN POST SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA OTHER THAN JUST TALK TO 'EM IN GENERAL.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COMMISSIONER DANIELS COMING.
DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE ON WHEN WE WOULD WANT THESE MEETINGS TO START? WHENEVER.
I MEAN, I'M, I TRY TO BE MINDFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THEY'RE FREE AND ARE WILLING, AND YOU CAN COORDINATE WITH ME AND WITH, UH, JENNIFER STUBBS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TWO OF THEM COMING ON ONE NIGHT.
BUT, UH, WE'VE GOT, I KNOW WE'VE GOT DART COMING IN SEPTEMBER, MAYBE WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN'T GET SOMEBODY IN OCTOBER AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL JUST FILL UP THE CALENDAR ONCE A MONTH.
WE'LL HAVE THAT AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
AND IF YOU COULD, COULD START TO REACH OUT TO 'EM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND THEN WE'LL JUST, WE'LL JUST DO THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS COUNCIL ACTION.
I THINK THAT THIS COMMITTEE, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT, THEN LET'S, LET'S DO THAT.
WELL, COMMITTEE, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
DO YOU, DO YOU AGREE? I DO, I DO AGREE.
WELL, WE DON'T HAVE A D MY FAVORITE FOUR.
WELL, I KNOW IT'S BEEN FUN, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN TO ITEM FOUR, WHICH IS, UH, NO FURTHER BUSINESS.