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ROTATE TEXT GARLAND CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION.AND WELCOME TO THE OCTOBER 19TH, 2026 WORK SESSION IN THE GARLAND CITY COUNCIL.
FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WORK SESSION ITEMS. MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE ANY SPEAKERS SIGNED UP? NO SIR, WE DO NOT.
THEN, UH, FIRST ITEM IS CONSIDERING THE CONSENT AGENDA.
COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS, I KNOW YOU HAD AN A ITEM YOU WANTED TO HAVE PULLED, SIR.
YEAH, THE, UH, TOMORROW NIGHT'S AGENDA ITEM FIVE, RIGHT ITEM FIVE FROM TOMORROW.
OKAY, WE'LL HAVE THAT ONE PULLED.
ANY OTHER COUNSEL, ANYTHING ELSE YOU HAVE TILL TOMORROW, AS YOU KNOW, TO GET THOSE ITEMS TO ME.
MOVE ON THEN TO WRITTEN BRIEFINGS.
ITEM NUMBER ONE IS BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT ANNUAL UPDATE.
NUMBER TWO IS PENDING ITEMS LIST CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES AND FUTURE WORK SESSIONS.
THE TWO MEN REVIEW DOCUMENTS AT THE DESK.
ITEM THREE IS CLEANUP AMENDMENTS OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE GARLAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
I THINK THAT'S THE ONE YOU WANTED TO HAVE PULLED, SIR.
IS THAT IT'S IN THERE TOMORROW.
NO FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THOSE.
WE'LL MOVE TO VERBAL BRIEFINGS.
MAYOR HEDRICK LOOKS DOWN AT HIS PAPERS.
THE FIRST ITEM FOR RURAL BRIEFING IS ITEM NUMBER FOUR, INTRODUCTIONS OF NEW MANAGING DIRECTORS AND DIRECTORS.
WHAT IS THAT? GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.
UH, TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA INTRODUCE, UH, SEVERAL OF OUR NEW, UH, MANAGING DIRECTORS AND DIRECTORS.
WE'LL START WITH, UH, JONATHAN MORGAN.
JONATHAN MORGAN IS OUR NEW CIO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.
UH, JONATHAN'S BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR 16 YEARS AND, UH, WAS MY RIGHT HAND MAN WHEN I WAS CIO AT IT.
AND, UH, HE IS COMMITTED TO, UH, MOVING THE ORGANIZATION FORWARD WITH THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY.
HE'S ALSO, UH, AN ARMY VETERAN AND TWO MEN ARE SEATED AT THE BASE.
UH, REALLY ONE OF THE, THE BEST, UH, PEOPLE I'VE EVER WORKED WITH.
HERE HE IS, HE'S AB ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING AND, AND, UH, HE'S THE RIGHT GUY TO BE LEADING OUR TECHNOLOGY, UH, EFFORTS HERE AT THE CITY.
AND HE'S, UH, HE'S A BIG AI FAN THESE DAYS TOO.
HE FINALLY SAW THE LIGHT ON AI TEXT.
JONATHAN, UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE WARM INTRODUCTION MR. BETS.
SO, AS MIKE HAS MENTIONED, I'VE BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR, UH, AROUND 16 YEARS NOW.
SO MY ENTIRE CAREER HAS BEEN WORKING AND SUPPORTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
AS MIKE MENTIONED, UH, OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL.
I DID SERVE, UM, IN THE U UNITED STATES ARMY.
GOT TO DO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN THE ARMY AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
AND SO DEFINITELY EXCITED TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND.
THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGY, AS MIKE MENTIONED, WITH AI.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AROUND THAT, UH, WITHIN THE CITY THAT'S REALLY GONNA HELP BENEFIT AND PUSH THE ORGANIZATION FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.
I DON'T SEE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW POSITION, SIR.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE, UH, MR. JASON OLIVER.
HE'S BEEN WITH THE CITY FOR 27 YEARS.
HE'S WORKED IN MANY CAPACITIES.
HE'S DEFINITELY DEDICATED, UH, TO THE CITY OF GARLAND, AND I'M EXCITED FOR, UM, EVERYTHING THAT HE BRINGS.
UM, MY ENTIRE TENURE HERE, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH JASON, SO IT'S BEEN EXCITING IN ALL THE ROLES THAT HE'S, UH, BEEN SUPPORTING THE CITY.
WITH THAT, I'LL HAND IT OVER TO JASON AND JASON'S OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF, UH, OPERATIONS AT, UH, IT.
UH, LIKE JONATHAN SAID, I'VE BEEN HERE WITH THE CITY FOR 27 YEARS.
UH, STARTED IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SOMEHOW WORKED MY WAY OVER TO IT.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW POSITION.
UH, WE'VE GOT A GREAT LEADERSHIP TEAM IN PLACE AND, UH, I THINK WE'RE GOING SOME GOOD PLACES AND I'M HAPPY TO BE, UH, PART OF IT.
YEAH, I MUST SAY I HAVE IT GUYS I WORK WITH.
YOU GUYS ARE MUCH MORE WELL DRESSED THAN THEY ARE
NO OFFENSE TO THEM, THEY'RE GREAT GUYS.
THE CIRCULAR SEAL OF GARLAND IS ON THE WOOD PANELED WALL BEHIND THE DESK.
NEXT WE HAVE AN AMERICAN FLAG STANDS LEFT OF THE DESK.
CRYSTAL, UH, OWENS IS GOING TO INTRODUCE, UH, NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR AT WATER AND, UH, WASTEWATER, MICROPHONES AND MONITORS.
SIT ON THE DESK IN FRONT OF EACH MAN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG JOURNEY.
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OF LAST YEAR.OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR OF WATER UTILITIES, UH, RESIGNED BACK IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.
AND ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS THAT I MADE TO THE TEAM IS THAT I WOULD NOT BRING ANYONE IN UNTIL I FOUND THE TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT I FELT WERE RIGHT FOR THOSE TWO POSITIONS.
UM, AFTER TWO ROUNDS OF, UH, RECRUITING, THE FIRST DID NOT YIELD THE RESULTS THAT I WAS HOPEFUL FOR.
UM, BUT AFTER THE SECOND ROUND OF RECRUITING, I AM VERY, VERY PLEASED TO INTRODUCE YOU TONIGHT TO MR. KUMAR ALI.
CRYSTAL OWENS SITS WITH TWO COLLEAGUES.
UH, HE BRINGS TO THE CITY OF GARLAND 25 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, UH, IN WATER UTILITIES.
AND THEN TO MY LEFT, YOUR RIGHT
CHRISTINA IS THE DIRECTOR OF WATER UTILITIES AND THAT SHE WILL BE OVER, UM, WASTEWATER COLLECTIONS AND WATER DISTRIBUTIONS, THE OPERATION SIDE OF THINGS.
AND KUMAR IS GONNA TAKE IT FROM WATER UTILITIES TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT TO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH WATER UTILITIES.
YOU WILL ULTIMATE ULTIMATELY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN WATER.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED TO HAVE THEM ON THE TEAM AND I'M GONNA LET THEM, UM, SHARE WHATEVER INFORMATION THEY WOULD LIKE TO ABOUT THEMSELVES AT THIS TIME.
UM, VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE, PART OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, PART OF THE GARLAND TEAM.
AND, UM, UM, AS CRYSTAL MENTIONED, UM, UM, I BRING 25 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
I'VE BEEN IN PUBLIC SECTOR FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
UM, SERVED AS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND ALSO DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES.
UM, AND, UH, I'VE BEEN IN PRIVATE SECTOR FOR 15 YEARS.
UM, SO YEAH, I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, SERVING THE TEAM AND THE COMMUNITY.
BRIGHT WOMAN TURNS TO THE CENTER WOMAN.
UM, I'VE SPENT MY CAREER IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE IN GARLAND.
EXCITED FOR THE TEAM THAT CRYSTAL HAS, UM, CREATED AND WE WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I'VE LIVED IN GARLAND FOR OVER A DECADE, UM, SO IT'S VERY EXCITING TO BE HERE WORKING IN THIS POSITION NOW WHERE I LIVE.
WANNA WELCOME BOTH OF YOU TO TEAM GARLAND.
UM, AS A 15 YEAR YEAR RESIDENT, OR, UM, HOWEVER MANY YEARS, I DON'T REALLY PAY ALL THE MOST BEST ATTENTION, BUT, UM, I, I ASSUME YOU KNOW WHAT OUR PRESERVE IS.
IF YOU KNOW THAT, I THINK YOU'LL BE JUST FINE.
UM, BUT WELCOME TO THE TEAM AND I HOPE YOU GUYS, UM, HAVE A LOT OF FUN WHILE YOU'RE HERE.
JUST GOOGLE THE PRESERVE AND THEN YOU'LL BE GREAT.
YEAH, SO, UM, CRYSTAL, UH, THANK YOU.
THESE BOTH, BOTH OF YOU SOUND LIKE EXCELLENT SELECTIONS.
I THINK YOU PROMISED ME A TOUR OF THAT WASTEWATER FACILITY, BUT ONLY AFTER NEW MANAGEMENT WAS IN PLACE.
I DON'T KNOW IF EITHER OF YOU HAVE TAKEN THAT TOUR YET, BUT I AM RETIRED AND AVAILABLE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EIGHT TO FIVE, PRETTY MUCH ANYTIME TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, LET'S, LET'S ARRANGE FOR THAT HERE REAL SOON.
I THINK YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE A GREAT ADDITION TO OUR TEAM.
UM, WELCOME AND CONGRATULATIONS.
I KNOW DISTRICT ONE IS WE CARE ABOUT RELIABLE WATERS AND UM, THE RESPONSIVE SERVICE.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL.
ANYBODY ELSE? COUNSEL? WELL YOU HEARD COUNCIL MEMBER THOMAS.
HE'S AVAILABLE TO GO WORK OUT THERE AT THE PLANT, SO PUT HIM TO WORK WHEN HE TAKES THAT TOUR OUT THERE.
I WANT TO, UH, MAKE A SPECIAL NOTE AND, AND SAY THANK YOU TO, UH, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER OWENS FOR, SHE HAS LITERALLY BEEN CARRYING THE LOAD OUT THERE FOR A DIRECTOR SPOT AND A MANAGING DIRECTOR SPOT, UH, FOR THE BETTER PART OF 10 MONTHS.
AND, UH, I'M SURE SHE'S THE MOST PLEASED THAT WE HAVE NEW, UH, LEADERSHIP OUT THERE.
BUT SHE CARRIED THAT LOAD, UH, ON HER OWN, UH, FOR THAT TIME WITH HER TEAM.
AND, UH, WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
THE CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR SIT SIDE BY SIDE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE DIRECTOR THOMAS OWENS.
THOMAS IS THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND HE MOVED OVER THERE ON JULY 13TH, WHICH IT WAS ABOUT THE SAME DAY THAT I MOVED OVER TO CITY HALL.
UH, HE HAS A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN EARTH SCIENCE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS.
HE'S A RAZORBACK AND IT SAYS HERE THAT HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE SECOND BEST LEADERSHIP GARLAND
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CLASS, CLASS 45.THE MEN LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND SMILE.
HE'S ALSO MARRIED AND HAS MARRIED AND HAS A YOUNG SON.
UH, YEAH, WE HAVE A, UH, HE'S GOING ON THREE, HE'LL BE THREE IN DECEMBER.
SO WE, WE HAVE OUR HANDS FULL, BUT, UM, IT'S GOOD TO, GOOD TO MEET EVERYONE IN PERSON.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
UH, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED AND HOW BLESSED I AM TO BE HERE WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, LIKE YOU SAID, I'VE BEEN OVER AT SANITATION FOR THREE YEARS, SO IT'S BEEN KIND OF A 180 FOR ME COMING OVER TO ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE.
BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY THRILLING, UH, TO BE A PART OF A TEAM OVER THERE THAT CARES SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT THEY DO.
I MEAN, UM, I THINK WE HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT HERE IN GARLAND.
AND I JUST, UH, COULDN'T BE BLESSED THAT I WAS CHOSEN FOR THIS.
SO I CAN'T WAIT TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU ON A, ON A MORE INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.
AND IF YOU EVER NEED ANYTHING, YOU KNOW WHERE TO, WHERE TO FIND ME.
GOOD, GOOD TO SEE YOU, THOMAS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, HAVE YOU REMIND EVERYBODY WHICH CLASS IS THE BEST CLASS? CLASS 45.
I TEXT CHRISTINA SERAN, DISTRICT FOUR TEXT ED MOORE.
UM, AND I'M EXCITED, UH, TO SEE THAT YOU NEW, NEW IN THIS NEW POSITIONS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORK WITH YOU.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS WELL.
THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER ARE SEATED AT THE DAYS IN FRONT OF THE GARLAND CITY SEAL.
MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER FIVE, PROPOSED MODIFICATION OF CERTIFIED LANDLORD PROGRAM.
CITY MANAGER MICHAEL BETSON, MAYOR DYLAN HEDRICK, SIT AT THE DAYS IN FRONT OF THE CITY OF GARLAND EMBLEM.
I'M THE MANAGERS AT CODE COMPLIANCE.
THIS IS CHRIS HARRIS, THE OTHER MANAGER AT CODE COMPLIANCE.
TWO MEN SIT AT A SEPARATE CONFERENCE TABLE WITH MICROPHONES IN THE LAPTOP, REVIEWING DOCUMENTS.
THE MAN ON THE RIGHT USES THE TRACK BOOTH ON HIS LAPTOP.
ALL RIGHT, JUST A LITTLE BIT WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.
UH, CHAPTER 32 0 9 IS A SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL ORDINANCE HERE IN GARLAND.
I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL, WELL, Y'ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM.
UH, IT'S BEEN AROUND SINCE 2005.
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS A LOT OF, IT WAS ONE OF THE PIONEERING PROGRAMS IN THE, IN THE STATE, IN THE AREA FOR SURE.
THERE WASN'T ANYBODY ELSE DOING THE INTERIOR INSPECTIONS OF THESE RENTALS HOUSES.
SO IT WAS DEFINITELY A HARD FIGHT TO GET IT PASSED IN THE BEGINNING.
UM, SO THERE, BUT THE, THE REASON BEHIND GETTING IT IN PLACE WAS IF YOU DROP AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU COULD SEE, YOU COULD EASILY PICK OUT, WHICH IS A RENTAL PROPERTY.
YOU'RE SEEING BASICALLY THREE VIOLATIONS AT THESE RENTAL HOUSES TO EVERY ONE OWNER OCCUPIED HOUSE.
SO THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL OF THE PROGRAM.
UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF LEGAL CHALLENGES AT THE BEGINNING.
A LOT OF THE LANDLORDS ACTUALLY FOUGHT AND WENT TO COURT.
AND THERE WAS A BLUE RIBBON, COMMANDING BLUE RIBBON PANEL REVIEW, UH, PROGRAM WE LASTED IN 2007.
CAME BACK WITH SOME KEY CHANGES INSTEAD OF DOING EVERY YEAR INSPECTIONS, WE SETTLED IT ON CHANGE IN TENANT INSPECTIONS.
UH, AND A BIG, BIG PART OF THE PROGRAM THERE TOO WAS A LANDLORD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
UH, JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PART OF IT.
THE LANDLORD CERTIFICATION PROGRAM IS A, AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT.
UH, WE BASICALLY HAVE A FOUR HOUR CLASS.
WE BRING LANDLORDS IN, IT'S COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE.
EXPLAIN WHAT VIOLATIONS WE LOOK FOR IN HOUSES, RENTAL HOUSES, SO THEY KNOW WHAT VIOLATIONS TO TAKE CARE OF FOR THEIR TENANTS.
UM, IDEA BEING THAT THEY DO HAVE A, A BETTER HOUSE THAN THE AVERAGE CITIZEN OR THE, THE AVERAGE LANDLORD.
SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO IN THERE AND DO AN INSPECTION AND ALSO ALLOWED US TO, TO MAKE THE PROGRAM MANAGEABLE WITH, WITH TWO INSPECTORS.
SO THAT'S HOW THE, THE LANDLORD CERTIFICATION BECAME PART OF IT.
AND JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NUMBER.
WE HAVE OVER 10,000 RENTALS IN THE CITY.
UH, OF THOSE, THERE'S 2,500 LANDLORDS THAT ARE, THEY'RE REGISTERED, CERTIFIED LANDLORDS HAVE TAKEN THE CLASS.
AND WE HAVE OVER 4,400 CERTIFIED RENTAL PROPERTIES NOW.
SO YOU SEE ALMOST HALF NOW GET THE, THE EXEMPTION, THE EXEMPTION OF NO LONGER DOING THE INSPECTIONS.
UH, AND WITH THAT, IT ALSO GIVES THE, THE BENEFIT OF HAVING TO REGISTER THE PROPERTY EVERY THREE YEARS INSTEAD OF EVERY ONE YEAR.
SO THE BIGGEST THING WE'RE, WE'RE ASKED FOR, UH, LET SAY THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS WE'RE WANTING TO GET IN THE, THE CERTIFIED PROPERTIES
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MORE OFTEN BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENED WITH THE, THE PROGRAM, SOME OF THESE HOUSES, WE BASICALLY NEVER SEE THE INTERIOR OF LANDLORDS WILL TAKE THE CLASS.SAY THEY TAKE THE CLASS IN 2010 WHEN IT BECOMES CERTIFIED LANDLORD, THEY CAN BUY A NEW HOUSE TODAY AND IT AUTOMATICALLY COMES ON A PROGRAM.
AS A CERTIFIED RENTAL PROPERTY, YOU WOULD NEVER GO INSIDE UNLESS THERE'S A COMPLAINT.
UH, A LOT OF, A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY SAY, WELL, AT LEAST YOU'VE GOT THE COMPLAINT INSPECTION.
BUT TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS, I MEAN, SOME ACCOUNTS KNOW THEY, THE PEOPLE DON'T WANNA LET YOU IN BECAUSE THEY'RE SCARED OF RETALIATION FROM THE LANDLORD.
SO WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINT INSPECTIONS THAT WAY.
BUT WHEN WE DO GET IN, IT'S, THERE'S GONNA BE SOME PRETTY, PRETTY ROUGH HOUSES.
AND I'LL GO INTO A FEW PICTURES LATER, SEE SOME OF THE CERTIFIED HOUSES WE'VE BEEN IN.
SO OVERALL, WHY DOES IT MATTER? WITH GAR ON THE RISE, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO GET IN THESE HOUSES MORE OFTEN, TAKE BE ABLE TO TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM, MAKE SURE WE PRESERVE THEIR EXISTING HOUSING STOCK.
THAT WAY WE CAN IDENTIFY THE NEGLECTED HOUSES QUICKER BEFORE THEY BECOME, BECOME BIG ISSUES.
ESPECIALLY PROTECT THE LIFE, HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE, THE TENANTS.
UH, WE GOT A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, WE GET A CALLS DURING THE SUMMER FOR THE AC COMPLAINTS BACKED UP SEWAGE.
WE CAN GET IN THESE HOUSES MORE OFTEN, ESPECIALLY THE CHANGE IN TENANT.
WE COULD ACTUALLY GET IN THERE, PREVENT THE ISSUES BEFORE THEY BECOME A, AN ISSUE FOR THE, THE NEW TENANTS OVERALL, THE SUPPORT STRONGER NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THESE, ALL THESE PICTURES ARE, ARE HOUSES THAT WERE TAKEN FROM CERTIFIED RENTAL PROPERTIES THROUGH THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.
UM, ALL ONES I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN, UH, YOU CAN SEE IN THE, THE KITCHEN PICTURE THERE, THE, THE WATER HAD GOTTEN BASICALLY AROUND THE KITCHEN SINK DETERIORATED.
THE COUNTERTOPS WORKED ITS WAY UNDERNEATH THE, THE COUNTERTOP IF YOU HAD CLOSEUPS OF IT.
YOU SEE THE, THE MOLD AND STUFF UNDERNEATH THE CABINETS.
UH, THE ELECTRICAL PANEL IS ACTUALLY AT THE SAME HOUSE THERE, YOU SEE WHERE THEY TOOK AN EXTENSION CORD AND WIRED IT DIRECTLY INTO A BREAKER PANEL.
AND OF COURSE, ALL THE BREAKERS THEMSELVES WERE OPEN AND EXPOSED FOR ANYONE TO BE ELECTROCUTED.
UH, HAD CLEAR WATER ISSUES AND BACKUPS FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.
YOU SEE THE PLUNGER IN THE KITCHEN SINK THERE.
IT ACTUALLY BACKED UP ON THE KITCHEN SINK AND YOU'D SEE THE, THE MOLD AND MILDEW ON THE, THE WALLS BACK THERE.
AND BEHIND, UNDERNEATH THE COUNTERTOPS.
IT ACTUALLY SAW THE SIDE OF IT.
IT ACTUALLY CONTINUED DOWN THE WALL AS WELL.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, ONE OF OUR PERSONAL FAVORITES.
UH, YOU SEE THE EXPOSED WIRING OUTSIDE, UH, AND THEN THE, THE BATHROOM PICTURE.
IT'S HARD TO TELL FROM THE, THE PICTURE ITSELF.
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS ACTUALLY THE, THE FLOOR IS SEPARATING FROM THE WALLS.
IT'S ACTUALLY DROPPED OUT FOUR INCHES.
WHAT IT WAS WAS YEARS OF WATER SEEPING AROUND THE, THE TUB SPOUT.
UH, THERE WAS A, THE ROTTED OUT OR RUSTED OUT FROM AROUND THE TUB AND NEVER ADDRESSED THAT SMALL ISSUE.
SO IT BEGAN DRIPPING, ROTTING THE, THE BEAM UNDERNEATH THAT SUPPORTED THAT WALL.
AND THE FLOOR DROPPED, LIKE I SAID, ABOUT FOUR INCHES.
YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE UNDERNEATH THE HOUSE, YOU COULD SEE THE RUNNING WATER.
YOU COULD SEE ALL THE, THE CRITTERS BELOW THERE AS WELL.
UM, AND THIS, LISA WAS A CERTIFIED PROPERTY AT THE TIME, TEXT RECOMMENDED DIRECTION.
OVERALL, WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS TO REMOVE, UH, SECTION O OF THE CER FROM THE RENTAL ORDINANCE, WHICH IS BASICALLY CERTIFIED RENTAL PROPERTIES.
UH, STRIKE THROUGH IT, UH, WOULD REMAIN LEAVE THE REST OF THE RENTAL ORDINANCE INTACT.
SLIDE LIST FOUR RENTAL ACTIONS.
LEAVE THE CHANGE IN TENANT INSPECTIONS ACROSS ALL RENTAL PROPERTIES.
INSTEAD, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON JUST THE ONES THAT AREN'T CERTIFIED, THAT WE MAINTAIN SAFE HOUSING, EDUCATION, TEXT, RECOMMENDED ORDINANCE REVISION.
LIKE TO OPEN UP THE QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, I'LL START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER LUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, SO A CERTIFIED RENTAL PROPERTY OR LEND LORD, UM, THEIR PROPERTIES ARE INSPECTED EVERY THREE YEARS.
THEY'RE NOT INSPECTED AT ALL UNLESS THERE'S A COMPLAINT.
UM, SO WHEN THEY DO RECEIVE A VIOLATION, WHAT HAPPENS UNDER THE CURRENT PROGRAM? I, SO THERE'S BASICALLY THE ONLY WAY TO RIGHT NOW TO GET IN THERE AND DO THE INSPECTION WAS IF THE TENANT COMPLAINS.
UH, OR IF WE DID A, A DRIVE BY WHERE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD INSPECTORS COULD STILL SEE THE EXTERIOR VIOLATIONS AND WRITE THEM UP.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE WAYS WE COULD ACTUALLY DECERTIFY 'EM LIKE A PROPERTY.
IF WE TAKE 'EM TO THE PROPERTY STANDARDS BOARD, THERE'S AN ACTION OF THAT.
IF WE GO OUT THERE AND ABATE A NUISANCE AS OF PROPERTY, UH, THAT WOULD REMOVE IT.
OR IF WE HAD ACTUAL CRIMINAL CITATION, THAT WAS CON A CONVICTION.
IT TAKES A LOT TO GET, GET IN THERE.
UH, AND THEN WE WRITE A, IF WE FOUND VIOLATIONS, THEY'D HAVE THE STANDARD AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET IN THERE, CORRECT THEM.
UM, SO I'M CURIOUS, THE MAN ON THE LEFT ADJUST HIS GLASSES.
WAS THERE THOUGHT TO MAYBE IF THEY'VE RECEIVED A VIOLATION AT ALL, THEN THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY REMOVED FROM THAT PROGRAM, KEEPING THE PROGRAM AND THEN JUST, YOU KNOW, IF THEY, IF THEY RECEIVE A VIOLATION ON ANY OF THEIR PROPERTIES AND THEY'RE TAKEN OUT OF IT KIND OF THING, THAT'S
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ONE WE COULD DEFINITELY LOOK AT BLANK SCREEN BEHIND THE AMEN.WE WOULD'VE TO BASICALLY FIGURE OUT A WAY TO QUERY THOSE, LIKE EITHER CIVIL CITATIONS.
UH, THAT'D PROBABLY BE THE, NOW THAT WE HAVE THE CIVIL CITATION ROUTE, UH, BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF CRIMINAL CITATIONS THAT ACTUALLY WERE CONVICTIONS WAS VERY SMALL.
UH, SO MAYBE IF WE LOOKED AT THE, A WAY TO DO CIVIL CITATIONS AND, AND USE THOSE CONVICTIONS TO REMOVE FROM THE PROGRAM, IT'S A POSSIBILITY.
AND THERE'S NO FEE FOR THE CLASS AND THERE'S NO, I MEAN, IT IT'S ALL PLUS FOR THE, FOR THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD'S.
I I MEAN THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF LANDLORDS THAT DO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTIES AND THEY, THEY WORK VERY HARD TO MAINTAIN THEM AND SOME OF THEM GO ABOVE AND BEYOND.
UM, BUT IT'S THOSE BAD ACTORS THAT REALLY MAKE STUFF LIKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH RED TAPE THAT WE CAN'T ABATE A PROPERTY THAT AND, AND, AND GO BACK AND VISIT IT AND INSPECT IT BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL IN THE PROGRAM AND IT'S TOO HARD TO GET THEM OUT OF IT.
SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, DO WE CURRENTLY INSPECT ALL 10,200 OF THE RENTAL PROPERTIES IN THE CITY? SO IF YOU SUBTRACT OUT THE 4,400 CERTIFIED PROPERTIES, WE, WE DON'T LOOK AT THOSE.
LIKE I SAID, WE, WE LOOK AT 'EM AS PART OF THE OVERALL GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD INSPECTION.
LIKE IF WE'RE DRIVING DOWN THE PROACTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD INSPECTION TO LOOK AT EXTERIOR VIOLATIONS.
BUT AS FAR AS INTERIOR INSPECTIONS, WE, WE WOULD LOOK AT THOSE 4,400 AT ALL.
THOSE, THEY'RE EXEMPT FROM THE OKAY.
THE, THE OTHER ROUGHLY 5,800 OR WHATEVER THAT BE.
UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SUBJECT TO A CHANGE IN TENANT INSPECTION.
SO EVERY TIME THE TENANT CHANGES WE THEY GET A NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE AN INSPECTION.
SO JUST 'CAUSE I THINK THAT WHEN WE MADE THE POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THE CHANGES IN THE PROGRAM AND THE RATES, I THINK THAT IT WASN'T VERY CLEAR WHY WE WERE LOOKING AT GETTING RID OF THE PROGRAM.
AND SO I DON'T THINK THAT IT WAS VERY COMMON KNOWLEDGE EVEN AMONGST COUNSEL THAT WE, THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD PROGRAM DID AWAY WITH ANY KIND OF INSPECTION.
AND SO I THINK THAT THAT HELPS CLARIFYING THAT, THAT THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT GETTING RID OF IT.
UM, BECAUSE IT GAVE THEM THAT, THAT SAFE, YOU KNOW, ZONE TO DO WHATEVER.
UM, 'CAUSE I, AS YOU WERE SHOWING THE PHOTOS, I'M LIKE JESUS, LIKE THESE ARE CERTIFIED PROPERTIES THAT ARE, YOU DID A CLASS FOR AND YOUR TENANT IS ABOUT TO FALL THROUGH THEIR BATHROOM, LIKE THE EXTENSION CORD WAS A PLUS.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY PROGRAM, THE WOMAN WITH PURPLE HAIR GESTURES WITH HER HANDS, LIKE I GUESS, UM, THAT WOULD BE LIKE THIS.
BUT FOR MULTIFAMILY, THREE PEOPLE SIT AT A CURVED CONFERENCE TABLE, TEXT MARISSA DUTTON, DO WE CHARGE, WHAT DO WE CHARGE FOR MULTIFAMILY, UM, UNITS? SO MULTIFAMILY IS, THEY DO HAVE AN INSPECTION PROGRAM AS WELL.
THERE'S IS A DIFFERENT FEE STRUCTURE.
RIGHT NOW IT'S CURRENTLY $13 PER UNIT WITH A MEMO OF $52.
'CAUSE THERE'S SOME SMALLER ONES.
THERE'S SOME LITTLE THREE PLEXES OUT THERE.
'CAUSE THE WAY THE ORDINANCE READS ANYTHING THREE OR MORE IN A, IN A AREA WOULD BE THE MULTIFAMILY.
SO, UH, SO THAT IT'S $13 PER UNIT.
YES, I WAS, UM, I WANNA PIGGYBACK OFF OF WHAT, UM, DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIMM DUTTON INDICATED, 'CAUSE THAT I GOT A LOT OF RESPONSE TO FROM RENTAL PROPERTIES.
COULD YOU SHOW ONE OF THOSE PICTURES AGAIN? UM, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS WAS A CERTIFIED HOME, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE INSPECTION, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY WERE CERTIFIED, THEY TOOK THE FREE CLASS AND THIS IS WHAT OUR RESIDENTS WERE LIVING IN.
THEY'RE PAYING THEIR RENT FAITHFULLY.
UM, SO WHAT DO WE DO ON THOSE THAT HAVE, WHO ARE ACTUALLY LIKE, UM, UM, COUNCILMAN LUCK SAID THAT.
YOU KNOW, GREAT LANDLORDS, HOW ARE THEY? THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE BEING OVERSHADOWED BY THIS, IS THAT CORRECT? BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BEING RECOGNIZED FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT'S, UM, COMING UP ON THE CERTIFIED.
IS, IS THAT CORRECT? THERE'S THERE'S NO REAL, I GUESS REWARDS OKAY.
PROGRAM OUT THERE FOR 'EM, FOR THEM.
UM, I GUESS THE, THE BIGGEST REWARD WOULD BE BE ABLE TO CHARGE MORE RENT, TRUTHFULLY.
I MEAN THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO YOUR MM-HMM
CHARGE ABOVE OR AT MARKET RATE OR ABOVE MARKET RATE.
UH, THAT'D BE THE, THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A, A REALLY NICE HOUSE.
AND, AND IF I MAY ADD, UM, ONE OF THE INTENTS WITH THE, THE REMOVAL OF THE CERTIFIED LANDLORDS WAS TO SORT OF INLINE OURSELVES WITH THE GROWING ON THE RISE AS INITIATIVE THOSE BROUGHT FORTH.
[00:25:01]
WE FELT THAT THIS WOULD BE THE MOST DIRECT WAY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS, TO THE RENTAL PROGRAM, TO THE RENTAL PROPERTIES TO BE ABLE TO GO IN AND ACTUALLY HAVE A, A BETTER EFFECT ON THE LIVING CONDITIONS.UM, NOW, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING, IF WE WANT TO GO ANOTHER ROUTE, THEN WE CAN ALWAYS COME BACK BEFORE YOU GUYS, UH, BEFORE COUNCIL MM-HMM
UM, WITH SOME ALTERNATES SUGGESTIONS IF THAT'S THE COURSE THAT WE MM-HMM.
CHOOSE BECAUSE I GUESS THERE'S NO WAY TO REWARD THOSE THAT OR ARE DOING GREAT, RIGHT? WE, WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM THAT CAN REWARD THOSE THAT ARE, I KNOW THE COST OF, OF, OF, YOU KNOW, INCREASING OR DECREASING THE RENT OR WHATEVER.
BUT REALLY THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE RECOGNIZING, I I GUESS THAT WHAT THE FEEDBACK I'M GETTING IS THAT LIKE, HEY, WE'VE BEEN FAITHFUL LANDLORDS HERE, YOU KNOW, FOR 25 PLUS YEARS AND WE'VE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT.
AND YET THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING, I GUESS, PUNISHED SO TO SPEAK, BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE HAVING TO PAY I I, I GUESS THIS FEE, DO THEY HAVE TO PAY A FEE EVERY, THERE'S A YES MA'AM.
THERE'S AN ANNUAL, UM, CERTIFICATION FEE MM-HMM
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A, UM, THAT'S A PUSHBACK THAT I'M, I'M ME PERSONALLY RECEIVING AS A COUNCILWOMAN AT THIS TIME.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA, UM, REASSURE THEM THAT IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT'S IN THE ALLIANCE.
WE, WE WANT EVERYTHING TO LOOK GREAT AND, YOU KNOW, UM, MAYBE IN THE FUTURE THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN, I DON'T KNOW, RECOGNIZE THOSE THAT ARE, ARE DOING.
COUNCILWOMAN LUCK SAID THAT YOU, YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, THE BAD SEEDS ARE ONES THAT ONE MOLD SPREADS THEY SAY.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT.
COUNCIL MEMBER TR THANK YOU MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, UH, YOU MENTIONED WE HAVE TWO INSPECTORS FOR TOTAL OF 10,000, AROUND 10,000 PROPERTY.
AND THEN WE HAVE ABOUT 4,400 FOR THE CERTIFIED PROPERTY.
AND NOW OF THAT 2,500 LANDLORDS CERTIFIED LANDLORD, UH, DO WE HAVE A COMPLAINT RATE FOR HOW OF THAT 4,400 DO WE HAVE, HOW MANY PERCENT OF THEM IS, UH, TEXT JUSTIN CARAWAY COMPLAINT GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT DATA? I WAS ABLE TO BASICALLY INTERIOR COMPLAINTS, WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT, IT ROUGHLY AMOUNTS TO LIKE 50 A YEAR.
UH, BUT THAT, THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE WHEN THEY CALL OUT AND THERE'S NO, NO VISIBLE ISSUES.
UM, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE DO GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT WOULD BE BASICALLY LANDLORD TENANT DISPUTES THAT WE COULDN'T GET INVOLVED IN.
UM, AND IT JUST, LIKE I SAID, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THOSE THAT JUST ARE SCARED TO, TO CALL IN ABOUT THEIR, THEIR LANDLORDS.
WE, AGAIN, UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF THAT IS JUST THERE.
IT WILL SAY THEY'RE, THEY'RE AFRAID OF RETALIATION, SO THEY NEVER WILL CALL US.
THEY REALLY MOVE OUT AND TAKE THE HIT ON THEIR DEPOSIT AND, AND MOVE OUT INSTEAD.
I, I AGREE WITH CASUAL WOMEN'S, UH, L THAT EARLIER THAT WE HAVE GOOD LANDLORD AND UM, IF THEY DO EVERYTHING RIGHT AND THEY COMPLY AND IT'S, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS THE PART OF GOVERN UNDER THE RISE.
WE WANT ALL THE PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE UP TO THE STANDARD THAT, THAT, UM, THAT WE WANT.
UM, BUT WE ALSO BE CAREFUL IF THE ONE THAT DOING WELL, WE, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE NOT PUNISH THEM.
COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT AT THE U-SHAPED DAYS.
SO I NEED TO KNOW, UNDERSTAND MORE ON THAT, WHAT IS THE PERCENT, UM, AND THEN MAYBE THE OPTION OF TEXT JIMMY TRAN DISTRICT, IF THERE ARE OBSERVERS, WATCH THE PROCEEDINGS FROM THE ROWS BEHIND THE ACE AND FIRST, FIRST VIOLATION, SECOND VIOLATION, WE CAN TAKE IT AWAY.
UM, THAT CERTIFIED LANDLORD, BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND IS IF WE RIGHT NOW, WE WILL GO FORWARD WITH THAT, EVERY TIME THEY CHANGE TENANTS, THEN THEY HAD TO GO TO THE CD FOR INSPECTION.
UM, SO DEPENDING ON HOW MANY OFTEN THEY DO THAT, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SEATED AT THEIR DESKS FACING FORWARD, LIKE I SAID, SOME, MAYBE WE GOT SOME ADDITIONAL DATA.
UM, HOW URGENCY OF THIS IS THAT? I KNOW THAT IT MENTIONED NOVEMBER SOMETHING, THAT WAY WE NEED TO MOVE IT FORWARD.
WAS THAT THAT'S, THAT WAS THE, IT WAS ORIGINALLY ON SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL.
SO I'D LIKE TO, I NEED TO BRING MORE INFORMATION FORWARD WORK WITH INTERRUPT.
YEAH, SO I-I-I-I-I, I SAW SOMEWHERE THAT MENTIONED IS THAT THIS IS GONNA GO FORWARD IF THE COUNCIL EDMORE TAKES A DRINK FROM A CUP, I'LL VOTE FOR IT.
THIS GO FORWARD PRETTY QUICK SOMEWHERE IN NOVEMBER.
SO, BUT FROM WHAT I SEE SO FAR, THAT MAY, I FEEL LIKE I NEED ADDITIONAL DATA.
UM, BUT WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ON THE GOOD LANDLORD.
UM, FOR THE ONE THAT IS NOT MEET THE STAND, THAT, UH, UH, ABSOLUTELY WE WANNA MAKE
[00:30:01]
SURE THAT IT'S UP HELD.SO IF I COULD ADD A LITTLE BIT OF PERSPECTIVE.
SO JUST A REMINDER THAT THE FEE WAS, UH, SELECTED, UM, AND EVALUATED DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS WHERE WE EVALUATE ALL THE FEES AND MANY OF OUR FEES IN, IN A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT RELATED DEPARTMENTS WERE WILDLY BELOW, UH, OUR PEER CITIES.
AND SO THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT WAS SELECTED, UH, SOMEWHAT IN, IN REGARDS TO THAT.
BUT IT ALSO WE'RE ABLE TO RECOVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS RELATED TO THESE PROGRAM DELIVERIES.
AND SO THE GOAL, AGAIN, IF, IF YOU, THIS IS STRIKING TO ME THAT THAT'S A, THEY'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM.
SO IN ORDER FOR US TO, HAD WE IN, IN INSPECTED THIS DURING A TENANT CHANGE OUT, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN CAUGHT.
AND SO THAT THOSE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES HAVE TO BE, UH, REASONABLY COMPENSATED IN SOME WAY.
IN ORDER TO CATCH THESE ADDITIONAL, UH, YOU KNOW, I I, I CAN'T IMAGINE IN THOSE LIVING CONDITIONS AT ALL, BUT IF THEY'RE GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM, WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ABILITY.
AND I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A COMPROMISE.
I WOULDN'T VIEW THIS AS PUNISHING GOOD LANDLORDS.
THAT'S THE MINIMUM EXPECTATION.
THEY SHOULDN'T BE PROVIDING ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE LIVING STANDARDS THAT ARE CODIFIED THE WAY THEY ARE.
SO I FEEL LIKE IS THERE A COMPROMISE WHERE THEY COULD BE, UM, UH, DEMONSTRATE THAT THEY'RE A GOOD LANDLORD? BECAUSE THAT'S THE ISSUE IS THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WILL NOT COME OUT AND COMPLAIN.
THEY WOULD, THEY WILL AVOID THE FIGHT WITH THE LANDLORDS AND AVOID ALL THE ISSUES THAT COME WITH IT AND STILL LIVE IN THE SQUALOR THAT'S ON THIS PHOTO.
SO WE CAN ABSOLUTELY FIND A WAY THAT SHOULD SOMEBODY BE A, A GOOD ACTOR AND DOING THE RIGHT THING, UM, THEN, THEN IT WOULD BE COMPLAINT BASED WHERE OKAY, ONE OR TWO STRIKES AND NOW YOU'RE OUT OF THE PROGRAM AND NOW YOU WILL BE SUBJECT TO INSPECTIONS ON TENANCY CHANGE OUT.
NOW THE ONES THAT TEND TO HAVE REALLY GOOD, UH, LANDLORD TRACK RECORDS ALSO HAVE LONGSTANDING TENANTS.
THEY LIKE, THEY LOVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S THERE 5, 10, 15 YEARS.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE THE VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT WE PROBABLY WON'T EVER INTERACT WITH.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO ADD SOME PERSPECTIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, HOW THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT WAS ARRIVED AT AND THE PURPOSE TO, TO RAMP UP THE ABILITY TO, TO SEE THESE PROPERTIES THAT OTHERWISE THEY'VE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRAM.
WHICH AGAIN, IT IS YOU MENTIONED WAS A COMPROMISE AT THE TIME, GIVEN SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WERE RAISED AT THAT POINT.
AND I AGREE, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS CONDITION.
THE PICTURE'S HORRIBLE, RIGHT? I'M SAYING IT TEXT CHRISTINA ANO DISTRICT FOUR FOR, FOR THOSE WE SHOULD REVOKE RIGHT AWAY.
WE MAY HAVE TO HAVE THE OFFICIALS AT THE FRONT TABLE ARE IN VIEW ONE RIGHT.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO STUDY IT SOME MORE AND BRING UP SOME MORE DATA.
GENTLEMEN, YOU'VE DONE A OUTSTANDING JOB OF MAKING A PRESENTATION.
UM, CAN'T HELP BUT SIT HERE THOUGH AND THINK TO MYSELF THAT IN THE STATE, WHEN OUR LARGEST CITIES DO THINGS THAT UH, REALLY CAUSE THE LEGISLATORS IN AUSTIN TO HAVE SECOND THOUGHT, THE FIRST THING THAT AUSTIN DOES IS THEY BEGIN TO PASS LEGISLATION THAT IMPACTS THOSE CITIES TO ASSURE THAT, UH, THEY BECOME IN COMPLIANCE.
BUT GUESS WHO ELSE SUFFERS? TEXT? ED MOORE, DISTRICT ONE, OUR SMALL CITIES, THE ONES WHO ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO THE WORK, TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO TRULY COME WIND UP SUFFERING AND, UH, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, I'M KIND OF HEARING A LITTLE OF THAT.
SO LET ME QUALIFY, LET ME CLARIFY SOMETHING BEFORE I GO FURTHER.
THE FIRST THING IS, WHAT ARE YOU ASKING OF US TONIGHT? COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT AROUND A CURVE TABLE.
WE'RE ASKING TO BASICALLY TO REMOVE THE CERTIFIED RENTAL PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE TO TOTALLY REMOVE IT, CORRECT? YES, THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
SO IN SO DOING, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, THERE ARE LANDLORDS OUT THERE WHO ARE THOUGH ATTEMPTING TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS.
AND IF WE WERE TO MAYBE EVEN DO A STUDY, I'M, I'M THINKING THAT, UH, SAY OUT OF A HUNDRED PERCENT, ARE YOU SAYING THAT MAYBE 50% OF THOSE LANDLORDS ARE VIOL IN VIOLATION? I CAN'T SAY IT'S THAT HIGH.
I, I'M SAYING THAT JUST TO SAY TO YOU THAT I, I'M THINKING THAT MAYBE COUNCIL MEMBERS VIEW DOCUMENTS, WHAT IS COUNSEL LOOKS DOWN AT DEVICES, SOMETIMES A PROCESS.
STAFF AT THE TABLE LISTEN TO THE COUNCIL.
WHAT WOULD BE ANOTHER WAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK MIGHT BE A BETTER WAY, NOT A BETTER WAY, BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU'RE GIVING US WHAT YOU FEEL IS YOUR BEST WAY RIGHT NOW? UH, IS THERE ANOTHER WAY OF GOING ABOUT DEALING WITH THIS PROGRAM SUCH THAT WE DON'T PUNISH THOSE LANDLORDS WHO ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO THE RIGHT THING VERSUS THOSE WHO ARE NOT? SO WE HAVE DISCUSSED, WE'VE DISCUSSED SOME THINGS THAT WE COULD DO FOR THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD.
THE COUNCIL MEETS IN A CHAMBER, WE DISCUSSION
[00:35:01]
SOME SORT OF A ONE STRIKE RULE.IF YOU HAVE A CRIMINAL CONVICTION, IF YOU HAVE A, UH, FINDING OF LIABILITY FOR A CIVIL CITATION AND THOSE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY DISQUALIFY YOU FROM THE PROGRAM.
UM, THERE'S AN ELIGIBILITY SCREEN THAT WE COULD DO.
UM, THE, ALSO THE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN LUCK BROUGHT UP THE, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DO ANY INSPECTIONS ON THEM.
SO MAYBE ONE TIME PER RENEWAL SEASON OR, UH, IF YOU WILL, THAT WE COULD DO AN INSPECTION ON THE PROPERTY.
UH, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS FOR THE REMOVAL OF IT.
IF WE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE US TO GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, THEN I THINK PROBABLY INSTEAD OF DELIBERATING, IT'D BE BEST FOR US TO BE ABLE TO REGROUP.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND WRITE THAT UP FOR YOU, GIVE THAT PRESENTATION TO YOU AT A DIFFERENT TIME.
YOU SEE, I'M, I'M ALSO GOING ALONG WITH WHAT I THINK, UH, OUR, OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, ALERTS US TO QUITE OFTEN.
AND THAT IF YOU SAY YOU HAVE TWO PEOPLE THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS PROGRAM, AND WHEN YOU BE TALKING AGAIN TO TALK ABOUT TWO PEOPLE WHO DEAL WITH THIS PROGRAM, IT'D BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THOSE TWO.
AND PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO LIVE IN THOSE TYPES OF CONDITIONS.
THAT'S, THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE.
BUT IT MAY BE A MATTER OF FINANCE.
IT MAY BE THAT WE HAVE A SITUATION HERE WHERE THERE IS NO WAY, AND MAYBE THE BEST THING IS TO ABOLISH IT.
UH, I DON'T SEE THAT AT THIS POINT.
BUT IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN I'M LOOKING FOR YOU TO GIVE ME THAT ARGUMENT THAT IN FACT IT'S A FINANCIAL SITUATION.
AND WE, MATTER OF FACT, I THINK I'D LIKE TO GO TO THE CITY MANAGER AND JUST ASK HIM, SIR, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AS IT RELATES TO THIS PRESENTLY? I THINK THAT, THAT WE CERTAINLY, I UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT AND, UH, CONCERNS THAT COUNSEL AND I HAVE HEARD FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS REGARDING, UH, THE CERTIFIED, THE AB ABOLITION OF THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD PROGRAM.
I THINK WE CAN COME BACK WITH SEVERAL OPTIONS AND LET YOU PICK FROM THEM.
UH, PART OF THE PROBLEM IS SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES, ONCE THEY BECOME A CERTIFIED LANDLORD, WE NEVER INSPECT THEM AGAIN.
MEANING IT COULD BE 10 YEARS AND WE STILL HAVEN'T INSPECTED THAT PROPERTY.
AND SO MAYBE YOU COULD HAVE A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE A CERTIFIED LANDLORD AND MAYBE WE GET IN THERE ONCE EVERY, IF WE DON'T, EVEN IF IT'S NOT EVERY TENANT CHANGE ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS, ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS, SOME PERIOD OF TIME.
SO A CONDITION LIKE THIS, SOME OF THESE CONDITIONS WE LOOK AT HERE, THOSE OCCURRED OVER LONG PERIODS OF YEARS.
AND SO YOU WOULD REWARD THE CERTIFIED LANDLORDS BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T BE SUBJECT TO INSPECTIONS EVERY YEAR OR AT EVERY TENANT SWITCHOVER, BUT THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO INSPECTIONS PERIODICALLY.
AND THEN THERE WOULD BE AN INCENTIVE TO, UH, BE APPROVED.
AND, AND WE COULD BUILD INTO THAT.
EITHER IF THEY FAIL THE INSPECTION ON A PERIODIC INSPECTION, THEN THEY'RE OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
OR WHETHER YOU DO ONE STRIKE TWO STRIKE HOWEVER MANY STRIKES FOR VIOLATIONS ON THE PROPERTY, THEN REMOVE THEM.
AND THAT WOULD GIVE LANDLORDS WHO WERE CERTIFIED LANDLORDS THE INCENTIVE TO MAKE SURE THEIR PROPERTIES WERE IN FACT SOME OF THE BEST PROPERTIES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SO THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE VIOLATIONS AND, AND GET THEM OUT.
AND I THINK WE COULD COME BACK WITH A PROGRAM WE'VE DISCUSSED A LITTLE BIT INTERNALLY AND COME BACK WITH A PROGRAM THAT WOULD GIVE YOU THOSE OPTIONS.
IF I COULD ADD IT, I CONCUR WITH THAT.
I, I, THE CHALLENGE WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO TALK THROUGH IS WHAT FREQUENCY? WE DON'T KNOW WHO THE GOOD ACTORS ARE BECAUSE THEY'VE NOT BEEN INSPECTED.
THIS PERSON SAID THEY WERE A CERTIFIED RENTAL AND THEREFORE WEREN'T INSPECTED.
SO WE DON'T KNOW OTHER THAN BY SOMEBODY SAYING, HEY, I'M A GREAT LANDLORD, THEY'VE NOT BEEN INSPECTED.
SO IF WE CAN FIND A HAPPY MEDIUM WHERE THEY CAN MAINTAIN A BENEFIT OF SOME TYPE OF CERTIFICATION, MR. BET'S POINT, UH, BUT YET SOMEHOW THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME EYES ON IT TO VERIFY THAT CLAIM.
WHILE OUT OF TOWN THIS PAST WEEK, UH, I DID RECEIVE A CALL FROM
THEY DO WANT TO SIT DOWN AND SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE WAYS THEY FEEL THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO GO ABOUT ASSISTING IN BRINGING ABOUT A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE, UH, MANAGEABLE AND, UH, FAIR TO ALL CONCERN.
SO I DO AGREE, SIR, THAT IF IN FACT, UH, YOU COULD DO THAT, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
AND LET'S TRY TO INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, I'LL GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT EMAIL AND GET IT TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN INCLUDE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE AS YOU GO FORWARD.
GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR THIS, UH, PRESENTATION.
AND I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THIS IS HORRIFIC AND NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN THESE KIND OF CONDITIONS.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS BACK TO, WE HAVE TWO INSPECTORS, IS THAT CORRECT? AND HOW OFTEN, UH, UNDER IDEAL CIRCUMSTANCES DO THE PROPERTIES GET INSPECTED? SO IT IT'S IDEALLY THE CHANGE IN TENANT.
UM, THE WAY THE ORDINANCE READS THOUGH, THERE IS A BASICALLY A FOUR EIGHT HOUR CLAUSE.
SO IF, IF WE CAN'T GET TO IT WHEN THE FOUR EIGHT HOURS WHEN THEY REQUESTED IT, WE KIND OF FORFEIT OUR RIGHT TO GET IN THE PROPERTY.
[00:40:01]
WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD ALSO WANT TO LOOK INTO CHANGING? I WOULD LOOK AT, YES, SIR.SO THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD, I THINK WOULD, UH, GIVE US BENEFIT.
UM, BUT WE HAVE ROUGHLY 10,000 PROPERTIES AND TWO INSPECTORS.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE, UH, THAT SOUNDS DIFFICULT.
AND UH, I'LL SAY THOUGH, I KIND OF JUST WENT BACK AND JUST LOOKED AT PREVIOUS YEARS, JUST THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF CHANGE OF TENANT.
'CAUSE NOT EVERY, WE DIDN'T PULL DATA FOR, FOR EVERY HOUSE.
WE ONLY LOOKED AT THE ONES THAT WEREN'T CERTIFIED.
BUT BASED ON THAT, IT EQUATED ROUGHLY 24 TO 25% WAS LIKE CHANGE OVER CHANGE IN TENANT EACH YEAR.
SO IT'S ABOUT ONE, UH, PEOPLE ARE STAYING FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, SO YOU HAVE 2,500 PROPERTIES A YEAR, ROUGHLY.
IF, IF THERE WERE NO WELL GIVE OR TAKE, SO THAT'S, MEMBERS LOOK AT DOCUMENTS STILL QUITE A, STILL, STILL QUITE A TASK.
IT'S STILL AT LEAST THREE A DAY THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO, YOU'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH.
SO YEAH, EVERY MORE THAN BY THE TIME YOU GET THE SUBSEQUENT RE-INSPECTIONS, THREE MEN ARE SEATED AT A TABLE.
IT'LL BE A FULL-TIME JOB FOR SURE.
FOR AT LEAST TWO WE'LL HAVE TO PROBABLY TO SHIFT SOME OF THEIR INSPECTORS TO, TO COVER DUTIES AS WELL.
WELL I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO PUT SOME MORE THOUGHT INTO IT AND MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE COMPREHENSIVE.
AND I, AND SOMEHOW IF WE CAN FIND SOME WAY TO, UH, LENGTHEN THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THE CITY HAS TO BE ABLE TO INSPECT THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT CERTIFIED AND JUST TRY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD LANDLORDS OUT THERE.
I DID GET A LOT OF THE CALLS AND THE EMAILS AND FROM THOSE THAT ARE DOING IT RIGHT, INDIVIDUALS IN BACKGROUND SHIFT, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT AREN'T.
SO, UH, IF WE COULD PUT A LITTLE MORE THOUGHT INTO THIS AND NOT BE QUITE AS DRACONIAN ON IT AND FIND PERSON IN WHITE HAT STANDS UP, UH, FIND SOME REWARD FOR THE CERTIFIED PROGRAM, I WOULD FIND MORE COMFORT IN IT.
YEAH, SO, UM, GENTLEMEN, AS A LANDLORD MYSELF WHO PRIDE MYSELF ON KEEPING MY HOUSES IN A CONDITION WHERE I WOULDN'T BE ASHAMED TO MOVE INTO 'EM TOMORROW, I, I REALLY SYMPATHIZE WITH SOME THAT I'VE HEARD FROM THAT ARE THE GOOD GUYS, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WE ALL GOT AN EMAIL FROM LOUIS MOORE, WHO TOO DOES GREAT WORK WITH HIS HOUSES.
AND THEN I'VE GOT TWO OR THREE OTHERS THAT SAID MY, I'VE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM, NEVER HAD A COMPLAINT, NEVER HAD ANYTHING.
AND SO I I, BEFORE WE MARCH FORWARD HERE, I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING THE GOOD GUYS.
THERE'S LOTS OF 'EM OUT THERE.
YOU SAID WE HAD 50 OF THESE A YEAR OR SO, OVER 4,400 PROPERTIES.
IS THAT THE NUMBER I HEARD? I MEAN THAT'S 1%.
AND SO I DON'T WANNA PUNISH THE 99% TO FIX THE 1% AND I, OR I DON'T WANT TO AT LEAST NOT DON'T WANNA RUSH INTO IT.
UH, UH, BECAUSE I WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE PROTECTING THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THINGS RIGHT, THAT CARE ABOUT THE CITY AND CARE ABOUT THEIR PROPERTIES, CARE ABOUT THEIR TENANTS, FRANKLY.
AND SO, UH, BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE GO THERE, I WANNA MAKE SURE, AND SO I WAS THINKING, WELL IF I'M A CERTIFIED LANDLORD, WHAT'S MY BENEFIT? WELL, IN INSPECTION, HOW ABOUT EVERY THREE YEARS WE'VE GOT TRACKING SOFTWARE AND NABILA HAS SOMETHING, SHE'S TRACKING HOW LONG SUVS GO NOW AND WHEN THOSE EXPIRE AND WHEN WE SHOULD RECHECK AND WE COULD USE WHATEVER THAT IS TO SAY, OKAY, YOU GET EVERY, YOU GET EVERY THREE YEARS OR EVERY FIVE YEARS OR WHATEVER, WE DECIDE TO GO WITHOUT INSPECTION.
BUT THEN WHEN THAT CLOCK'S UP, THEN WE GET X AMOUNT OF TIME TO CHRIS'S POINT, NOT FIVE MINUTES.
WE NEED A NUMBER OF DAYS TO SCHEDULE YOUR INSPECTION AND WE ONLY DO IT EVERY THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS.
AND THAT'S SOME KIND OF A REWARD FOR THEM FOR BEING A GOOD GUY IS KIND OF THE WAY I SEE IT.
SO I'LL LET YOU RESPOND TO THAT.
ANDY, I APOLOGIZE THAT, SO CAN I GET SOME CLARIFICATION FOR THOSE WHO'VE HEARD SOME FEEDBACK ON WHAT PART IS, IS, IS BEING CONSIDERED PUNITIVE? WHAT PART OF THE, OF THE PROPOSAL IS PUNITIVE? IS IT THE FEE? IS IT BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE RECOMMENDATION IS YOU PULL THE PROGRAM AWAY, THEY'RE ONLY INSPECTING WHEN THERE'S A CHANGE IN TENANCY.
SO THEY'RE ONLY GONNA BE PAYING THE NEW FEE AND ONLY BEING INSPECTED WHEN THERE'S A CHANGE IN TENANCY.
IT'S NOT AN ADDITIONAL SO AM I, AM I, AM I UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PUNITIVE PART IS CORRECTLY? WELL, THE, I THINK IT'S, I THINK THAT WE'RE ALSO ADDRESSING THE OTHER, THE OTHER PART IS FOR THE TENANT THAT DOESN'T MOVE OUT FOR 10 YEARS.
'CAUSE I'VE GOT A COUPLE THAT HAVE MOVED IN 10 YEARS AGO, THEY'RE STILL THERE.
AND SO HOW DO WE LOOK AT THOSE TO SEE THAT THOSE FOLKS ARE DOING SOMETHING? WELL, IF YOU'RE IN THE CERTIFIED PROGRAM, OKAY, WE'LL GIVE YOU, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO EVERY CHANGE.
SO THERE WOULD BE, THERE WAS THAT WAY THAT KIND OF COVERS BOTH SIDES OF THAT.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN? BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, WE CURRENTLY INSPECTED WHEN, WHEN THEY'RE IN THE PROGRAM, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S LIKE, OKAY, YOU'RE IN THE PROGRAM, THE TENANT HASN'T CHANGED, BUT WE NEED TO GET IN THERE EVERY THREE YEARS JUST TO SEE THAT YOU'RE STILL DOING GOOD.
AND IF WE DO THAT, THEN WE WON'T HAVE YOU DO IT EVERY TENANT CHANGE.
'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA, SOME PEOPLE ARE GONNA CHANGE, YOU KNOW, MONTH TO MONTH AND FOR OTHER, FOR VARIOUS REASONS.
[00:45:02]
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO IT EVERY TIME SOMEBODY CHANGES.UM, BECAUSE THAT, I THINK PEOPLE CHANGE A LOT THESE DAYS 'CAUSE THERE'S, THERE'S BETTER DEALS OUT THERE AND I'M GONNA, I'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT PLACE.
I CERTAINLY EXPERIENCED THAT MYSELF.
TEXT CHRIS, OT, MAYOR, PRO TEM, DISTRICT EIGHT, I, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BUT AS FAR AS YOU KNOW, THAT 1% THAT NEED TO NOT BE IN THE LANDLORD BUSINESS, LIKE THE PICTURES THERE.
I WANNA, WELL WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THOSE GUYS OUT OF THE MARKET THAT HELPS THE GOOD GUYS TOO IF THESE GUYS ARE OFF THE MARKET.
BEFORE I GO AROUND AGAIN, I HAVE THREE MORE IN THE QUEUE AND I THINK EVERYONE HAS HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK RED, BUT I THINK I'M HEARING THE SAME THING FROM EVERYONE THAT WE NEED TO TAKE THIS BACK AND, AND IF IT NEEDS TO GO TO A COMMITTEE OR SOMETHING, BUT COME BACK AT UH, SOME POINT AND RATHER THAN JUST ELIMINATING WHOLESALE AND ESPECIALLY IN CASES LIKE THIS, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THESE HOUSES, THESE INTERIOR PROBLEMS DON'T HAVE EXTERIOR PROBLEMS AS WELL THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT AND WOULD REQUIRE AN INSPECTION.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO TELL ON THEIR LANDLORDS THAT WE CAN EDUCATE THEM AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP AND WE WANNA MAKE YOUR LIVING SITUATION BETTER.
I THINK THAT CLEARLY LINES WITH GARLAND ON THE RISE AND ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY FOLLOWING OUR GUIDELINES AND THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING POSITIVELY TO THE FABRIC OF GARLAND PROVIDING RENTAL HOUSING IN ANOTHER HOUSING OPTION.
I THINK THAT YOU ASKED ABOUT WHAT IS THE PUNITIVE, I THINK IT'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE PART OF IT, THE OVERHEAD THEY HAVE TO SPEND MORE TIME DOING THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS OF THAT.
IF WE HAVE A THREE YEAR PROGRAM, IF WE CAN ROLL OUT WHATEVER IT, WHATEVER FORM IT TAKES, I'LL LEAVE THAT UP TO MORE DISCUSSION.
BUT WE HAVE A ROLLING TIMELINE OF WHEN THEY'VE BEEN CERTIFIED AND THEY ROLL OFF.
WE CAN BE INSPECTED OR PAWN CHANGE OUT OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT TAKE.
BUT WE COULD DO, I KNOW WE'VE MENTIONED KIND OF A THREE STRIKES PROGRAM OR I'M A BASEBALL FAN, BUT ALL MY KIDS PLAY SOCCER.
SO IF THERE'S A YELLOW CARD RED CARD WHERE YOU HAVE, IF IT'S A RED CARD LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT WHERE IT'S SIGNIFICANT VIOLATIONS, YOU GO IN FRONT OF PROPERTY STANDARDS OR SOMETHING THAT'S A RED CARD AND YOU'RE OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
OR IF YOU GET TWO YELLOW CARD VIOLATIONS THAT EQUALS A RED CARD, YOU'RE OUTTA THE PROGRAM.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT WE COULD WORK ON.
AND, AND I THINK WE HAVE THE CREATIVITY TO MODIFY THIS PROGRAM WHERE IT WILL WORK FOR, BECAUSE I, AGAIN, I'VE HEARD FROM A LOT OF LANDLORDS CALLING ME AS WELL ABOUT THIS THAT, UM, ARE SAD TO SEE THE PROGRAM GO, BUT I THINK WE CAN FIND SOME KIND OF MIDDLE GROUND WHERE WE CAN MAKE IT WORK FOR EVERYONE HERE.
I UH, UH, I'VE HEARD ALSO FROM, FROM SEVERAL LANDLORDS AND UH, I'VE TALKED TO STAFF, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT COMING BACK WITH SOME OPTIONS AND WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND TO THE COUNCIL IS LET US COME BACK AND OFFER YOU OPTIONS AND SAY, OKAY, HERE'S DIFFERENT PARTS OF THIS PROGRAM AND LET YOU ALL PICK FROM THEM AND THEN PUT IT TOGETHER.
PUT THE ORDINANCE TOGETHER FROM THAT, THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ONE, THE NEED TO GET INTO A PROPERTY AT LEAST ON SOME FREQUENCY.
NOT LET A DECADE GO BY, UH, WITHOUT SEEING THE INSIDE OF A PROPERTY.
NUMBER TWO IS MAKE SURE THAT THOSE LANDLORDS WHO TEXT DYLAN HEDRICK, MAYOR, MR. THOMAS CALLS 'EM THE 1% OF BAD LANDLORDS.
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, IS THE PROBLEM BECAUSE WE GET SO FEW COMPLAINTS.
UH, SO THERE'S TIMES WHEN WE GO IN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL FIND OUT A PROPERTY AND WE, WE CAN GET A COMPLAINT 'CAUSE THE TENANTS DON'T WANT TO COMPLAIN.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, BUT AT LEAST SET UP A PROGRAM WHERE IF THERE IS COMPLAINTS OR IF THERE IS VIOLATIONS THAT OCCUR INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY, UM, THAT WE CAN REMOVE THEM FROM THE PROGRAM AND MAYBE ALSO WORK ON THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE GET, UH, GET INSPECTIONS DONE.
IF YOU WOULD GIVE US, UH, UH, A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO PUT TOGETHER SOMETHING AND COME BACK, I THINK THAT WE COULD OFFER THE COUNCIL OPTIONS.
I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD NEED TO GO TO A COMMITTEE.
I THINK WE COME BACK AND OFFER OPTIONS AND GET CONSENSUS OF THE COUNCIL.
THEN WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO IT COMING BACK.
I HAVE, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR TIM IS IN FRONT OF THE QUEUE OF YOU.
I'LL LET HER GO FIRST AND THEN YOU, CAN YOU CLARIFY THE TWO 50 FEE? IS THAT ANNUALLY OR ACCIDENT CHANGE ANNUALLY.
SO I THINK THAT WAS THE LARGE POINT OF CONTENTION WAS THE TWO 50 ONLINE.
UM, AND THEN MEMBERS REVIEW PAPERS.
I I AGREE WITH THE LIKE DO A POINT SYSTEM IF YOU'RE ABOVE SO MANY POINTS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE INSPECTED FOR TWO YEARS, WHATEVER.
UM, BUT THE TWO 50 I THINK WAS THE BIGGEST POINT OF CONSUMPTION.
SO I, UM, THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY THING THAT I NEEDED CLARIFICATION ON.
WE'LL, WE'LL POST IT WHEN WE COME BACK, WE'LL POST BOTH THE DISCUSSION OF THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD PROGRAM AND WE'LL POST IT FOR DISCUSSION OF THE FEE.
'CAUSE TONIGHT IT'S NOT POSTED FOR A DISCUSSION OF THE FEE TEXT.
ANYTHING ELSE MA'AM? THAT'S IT.
[00:50:01]
MEMBER LUCK.SO I'M ACTUALLY OKAY WITH REMOVING THIS PROGRAM.
UM, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN AND THEN PROPOSE A NEW CERTIFIED LANDLORD PROGRAM THAT'S BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS THEY HAVE TO QUALIFY TO BE IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S WHERE THIS PROGRAM INITIALLY, OR IN THE LAST 21 YEARS HAS REALLY FAILED, IS THAT THERE'S NO QUALIFICATION PROGRAM.
IT'S FREE TO GO TO A CLASS AND THEN YOU JUST GET TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.
SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS ACTUALLY, IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO BE IN THE CERTIFIED LANDLORDS PROGRAM, A AN INITIAL INSPECTION OF ALL OF THE PROPERTIES THAT YOU OWN, ALSO FEES FOR PERFORMING THOSE INSPECTIONS AND THEN MAYBE A THREE TO FIVE, THREE OR FIVE YEAR REINSPECTION FOR EVERY CERTIFIED LANDLORD.
AND IF THERE ARE ANY VIOLATIONS, YOU GET KICKED OUT AND IT'S NOT THROUGH THE PROPERTY STANDARDS BOARD, IT'S NOT THROUGH HAVING TO GO TO COURT.
YOU GET A VIOLATION AND YOU GET KICKED OUT.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT UPHOLDING YOUR CERTIFIED LANDLORD POSITION.
SO I WANT TO SEE THAT PROGRAM IF IT DOES COME BACK, WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE VERY STRICT AND I THINK THERE NEED TO BE VERY STRONG QUALIFICATIONS IN ORDER TO BE IN THAT PROGRAM.
BUT IF WE GET RID OF IT RIGHT NOW, THEN EVERYBODY'S ON THE SAME PAGE.
EVERYBODY'S GONNA GET INSPECTED.
AND ANYBODY THAT'S IN THE CERTIFIED LANDLORD PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, THEY SHOULD BE INSPECTED, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN EVER.
REAL QUICK, JUST TO PUT THAT, THIS OUT THERE.
SO IF, IF WE WERE TO GET RID OF IT TODAY THERE, I MEAN THERE IT CAN PHASE OUT.
THEY ALREADY, THEY HAVE ALREADY PAID, SOME OF THEM HAVE PAID MAYBE IN AUGUST, RIGHT? SO THEY HAVE A THREE YEAR RENEWAL SO THAT IT COULD BE PHASED OUT OVER THAT TIMEFRAME AS WELL.
YEAH, AND WE CAN ALWAYS BRING THE PROGRAM BACK, BUT WITH TEXT JOE THOMAS JR.
WITH QUALIFIERS THAT MAKE IT A A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, IT IS NOT A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT 1% OF LANDLORDS THAT THIS IS GOING ON WITH.
AND THE DRACONIAN PART OF IT IS ARE THESE CONDITIONS NOT THE WAY THAT WE ARE TREATING OUR LANDLORDS.
ARE ARE THERE ANY OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE A CERTIFIED LANDLORD PROGRAM LIKE THIS? NOT, NOT, NOT EXACTLY LIKE THIS.
THERE ARE CERTAIN THAT HAVE SIMILARS THOUGH, AND THEY, THEY REINSPECT THOSE PROPERTIES OFTEN, RIGHT? WE'RE THE ONLY CITY THAT'S NOT, AND THEN WE'RE, WE'RE SAYING, OH WELL WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH RENTAL PROPERTIES, BUT WE WANNA, WE WANNA MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE THIS WAY.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT LOGIC.
SO, UM, IF, IF WE IN FACT KEEP THIS PROGRAM, IT NEEDS TO BE TOTALLY OVERHAULED.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARAWAY, JUST TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF MARGARET, TOTALLY AGREE.
I MEAN, I'VE SEEN PERSONALLY SEVERAL HOUSES IN THIS TYPE OF CONDITION THAT HAVE, I DON'T LIKE TO CALL 'EM LANDLORDS.
AND IF YOU GO BACK TO YOUR NUMBERS, YOU SHOW HOW MANY RENTAL PROPERTIES WE HAVE AND HOW MANY OF THEM ARE CERTIFIED LANDLORDS, THAT SHOULD ALREADY TELL YOU RIGHT THERE THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
SO TOTAL, I'M WITH MARGARET, A THOUSAND PERCENT.
I THINK WE SHOULD OVERHAUL THIS AND EVERYONE SHOULD BE UP FOR AN INSPECTION AND LET'S GET IN AND START DOING THE WORK.
WE WANT TO SEE THE CITY ON THE RISE.
WE HAVE TO START WITH THESE TYPE OF ISSUES AND PROBLEMS THERE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW.
LANDLORDS KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT STANDING FOR THAT ANY LONGER.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE IN THE QUEUE, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE, UM, THERE'S SOME WORK TO DO TO BRING IT BACK.
SO I THINK I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COUNCIL IS DIRECTION IS HERE, AND WE'LL COME BACK WITH A BUNCH OF OPTIONS NEXT TIME AND, UH, WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE THIS PROGRAM.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT IN THE FUTURE.
THE CITY OF GARLAND SEAL IS ON THE WALL BEHIND OFFICIALS.
MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER SIX, LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE UPDATE.
MAYOR HEDRICK REVIEWS PAPERS WHILE SEATED AT THE COUNCIL DESK.
ALL RIGHT, TEXT CARISSA DUTTON.
MAYOR PROTE, YOU CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE.
DO YOU WANNA KICK US OFF, SIR? YES, SIR.
WE HAD A LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING JUST RECENTLY.
IT WAS MYSELF AND COUNCILMAN THOMAS.
I THINK IT WAS THE TWO OF US RIDING SOLO ON THAT AND TEXT MARGARET LUCK DISTRICT EIGHT.
UH, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM, UH, FROM THE COMMITTEE AND STAFF, BUT UH, WHAT WE HAVE IS ARIEL IS, UH, GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION AND DIRECTION FOR US.
SO GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, TWO YEARS AGO WE DRAFTED THE ORIGINAL STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AND IT WAS DRAFTED IN A WAY THAT WAS INTENDED TO GROW AND
[00:55:01]
EVOLVE WITH THE CITY.SO WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE LOOKED AT THE HOT BUTTON ISSUES AND WE KIND OF TAILORED OUR AGENDA TO THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THOSE CHANGES THAT WE MADE TO, UH, THE AGENDA.
AND THEN IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO STOP ME AT ANY TIME.
TEXT PROTECT CITY OF GARLAND INTERESTS.
THE FIRST CHANGE WAS, UM, OBVIOUSLY ON, ON THE FIRST PAGE, THE MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE.
UH, THE NEXT CHANGE WAS UNDER PRESERVE PROPERTY AND SALES TAX REVENUE.
BULLET THREE, WE ADDED EXPENDITURE TO THAT LIST, SO IT READS, THE CITY OPPOSES EXPANSION OF REVENUE, TAX EXPENDITURE OR APPRAISAL CAPS, WHICH WILL LIMIT THE CITY'S ABILITY TO RAISE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO PAY FOR CRITICAL MUNICIPAL PUBLIC SERVICES.
THE NEXT CHANGE WAS BULLET NUMBER FOUR UNDER PROTECTING TAXPAYERS INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC UTILITIES AND ASSETS.
IT WAS A REWRITE ON OUR POSITION REGARDING PFAS AND PFOS.
UM, AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS KEEPING GARLAND SAFE.
THE LAST BULLET, UH, WAS BROUGHT TO US, UM, BY COUNCILWOMAN DUTTON.
AND THAT ONE IS, UH, THE CITY SUPPORTS LEGISLATION THAT ENHANCES WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS FOR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES IN A MANNER THAT BALANCES EMPLOYEE WELLBEING WITH SOUND FISCAL STEWARDSHIP TEXT, CITY OF GARLAND 2027 LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
THE BULLETS RIGHT HERE, UM, BULLETS TWO AND THREE ABOVE TRANSPORTATION FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GROWTH ARE NEW AS WELL.
AND THOSE ARE IN RESPONSE TO GARLAND ON THE RISE AND THEY FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS AND ENSURING THAT CITIES, UH, HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE TOOLS.
THE LAST BULLET UNDER TRANSPORTATION FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GROWTH, UM, IS A STANCE THAT BRINGS IN THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH DART, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE UPDATING OF THE STRUCTURE FOR MEMBERSHIP AND RE REPRESENTATION, TEXT, TRANSPORTATION FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE GROWTH.
AND THAT IS THE LAST CHANGE THAT WE MADE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER LUCK.
UM, DO YOU HAVE, UH, SUPPORTING MUNICIPAL OWNED UTILITIES IN YOUR LIST? COUNCIL MEMBERS SHIFT IN THEIR SEATS AT THE TABLE.
OKAY, ARIEL, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE ITEMS THAT WE HAVE PRESENTLY, I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN DRMC IS ATTEMPTING TO IDENTIFY THREE, WE HAVE A LIST OF THINGS, BUT TO IDENTIFY AT LEAST THREE THAT WE REALLY FEEL THAT WE CAN TAKE TO THE LEGISLATORS AND AT, UH, THERE IS A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT WE'LL GET THOSE, GET SOME MOVEMENT ON THEM.
IF WE WERE TO PRIORITIZE, IS THERE, OR, OR SHOULD WE EVEN EVEN CONSIDER THAT, UH, SHOULD WE BE LOOKING AT MAYBE SOME PRIORITIES AND NO MATTER ABOUT WHICH WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT? SO THESE ARE NOT NECESSARILY PRIORITIES THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY PURSUING.
UM, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO WRITE AND HAVE SOMEONE CARRY.
IT ALLOWS US AND HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE, NOT JUST TO YOU, BUT TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL THAT SAYS, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE SUPPORT AND ALLOWS ME TO GO DOWN AND SUPPORT OR SUBMIT LETTERS OF, UM, SUPPORT FROM YOU GUYS TO COMMITTEES.
UM, ADVOCATE FOR THE CITY AND EDUCATE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND SUPPORT OR IN OPPOSITION OF THESE ITEMS. SO THIS IS OUR PLATFORM.
AND YES, THIS WILL BE LOOKING FOR ADOPTION ON NOVEMBER 2ND, SO WE'LL BE AGREEING TO VOTE ON THAT AT THAT DATE.
SO THERE, THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE ANY LEGISLATION THAT'S ACTUALLY PROPOSED YET TO SUPPORT OR OPPOSE, BUT IF SUCH A PIECE OF LEGISLATION WERE TO ARISE, OUR POSITION ON WHETHER WE SUPPORT IT OR OPPOSE IT, OPPOSE IT IS IN THIS DOCUMENT.
IS THAT HOW I'M READING? READING IT, YES.
AND IT'S MORE OR LESS ALL ENCOMPASSING.
SO IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE THAT WE HAD A STANCE ON OR WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE A STANCE ON, WE TRIED TO THINK THROUGH EACH OF THOSE BASED ON OUR DEPARTMENTS AND PUT IT IN THIS AGENDA.
BUT WE, THEY HAVEN'T FILED BILLS YET.
THAT DOESN'T START, THAT DOESN'T, THAT DOESN'T START UNTIL NOVEMBER.
BUT THIS GETS US KIND OF JUST AHEAD OF THAT.
AND SO NOW WHEN BILLS GET FILED, YOU'RE WATCHING TO SEE IF ANYTHING THAT COMES UP TO SOMETHING WE'D WANNA SUPPORT OR IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT COMES UP THAT WE WANT TO OPPOSE.
AND SO THIS WOULD, THAT'S WHAT YOU, YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT? YES, SIR.
[01:00:01]
SO THIS WOULD ALLOW ME TO LOOK AT THE BILL THAT WAS PROPOSED, THE BILL THAT WAS FILED, SEE IF IT WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE CITY, MEASURE IT AGAINST THIS TO SEE IF I CAN SUBMIT COMMENTS OR ENGAGE ON THAT BILL AT ALL.UM, AND THEN PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU ALL.
HOW MANY BILLS DO YOU LOOK AT? UM, LAST YEAR IT WAS ROUGHLY 13,500.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN YOUR SPARE TIME? HOLY COW.
COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT AT A CURVE TABLE,
AND THIS DOCUMENT IS GONNA COVER ALL 13 FIVE THIS YEAR.
UH, IF, IF THERE IS ONE THAT WE SOMEHOW MISSED, IT'S OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THIS DOCUMENT, WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL AND ASK THAT WE HAVE A STANCE THAT IS AMENDED TO THE DOCUMENT SO THAT WE, I, MYSELF AND MY TEAM CAN WORK ON THAT BILL.
I, UH, IT'S A MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
THE AUDIENCE WATCHES THE MEETING.
JUST SO IT'S CLEAR IN RESPONSE TO MR. THOMAS'S QUESTIONING, AND SO IT'S CLEAR FOR THE MEMBERS, IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SEASON, ONE OF THE REASONS WE ADOPT THIS AGENDA IS BECAUSE DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SEASON, TIME SIMPLY DOES NOT PERMIT, UH, TO GET BACK TO COUNCIL IN TIME TO GET A CONSENSUS AND THEN GET BACK TO THE LEGISLATURE.
SO WE ADOPT A PLATFORM AND THEN AS LONG AS IT'S COVERED BY THAT PLATFORM, THEN ARIEL KNOWS THAT SHE HAS THE ABILITY TO LAW, TO UH, INFORM THE, UH, LEGISLATURE AS TO WHAT OUR POSITION IS AS A CITY, UH, WITHOUT, UH, HAVING TO COME BACK.
AND THOSE RARE CASES, AND WE'VE HAD A FEW IN THOSE RARE CASES WHERE SOMETHING COMES UP AND WE HAVE TO GET IN, THEN WE END UP IN THIS TIME CRUNCH.
AND SO TO AVOID THAT, WE TRY TO MAKE THESE AS BROAD AS POSSIBLE SO SHE HAS, UH, COMPLETE WORKING DIRECTION.
AND I JUST WANTED EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT IS BECAUSE OF THE TIMING THAT WE HAVE AT THE LEGISLATURE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
I JUST HAVE TWO CLARIFICATION CLARIFIES ON THE TWO ITEMS THAT, UH, THE ONE THAT SUPPORT LETTING CITY EXIST, THE REVENUE CALF, AND ANOTHER ONE IS, UH, OPPOSED A NEW PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION.
UH, SO MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PART.
UH, WE ARE ASKING THE RESIDENT TO TRUST US ON NOVEMBER 3RD TAX ELECTION.
AND UH, THIS IS GOING TO, UH, VOTE ON NOVEMBER 2ND.
SO IT'S LIKE A DAY BEFORE THE, THE ELECTION.
SO TEXT CHRISTINA BO GUAVANO, DISTRICT FOUR, ED MOORE, DISTRICT SIX, JUSTIN CARAWAY, DISTRICT NINE, I, I JUST WANNA CLARIFY ON, ON, ON THAT LANGUAGE OF THE TWO ITEM, IS THAT WHAT WE ACT, WE SUPPORT LEAD AND CITY EXCEED THE REVENUE CALS AND ANOTHER ONE IS OPPOSED NEW PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION.
SO THE BULLET YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS ON PAGE THREE OF THE DOCUMENT.
UM, THIRD BULLET UNDER PRESERVED PROPERTY AND SALES TAX REVENUE.
UM, THIS SAYS THE CITY OPPOSES EXPANSION OF REVENUE TAX EXPENDITURE OR APPRAISAL CAPS, WHICH LIMIT THE CITY'S ABILITY TO RAISE SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO PAY FOR CRITICAL MUNICIPAL PUBLIC SERVICES.
THIS REFERS TO PILL BILLS THAT WOULD, UM, LIMIT OUR ABILITY TO USE TAXPAYER FUNDS TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO THE TAXPAYERS.
THIS IS SAYING THAT WE OPPOSE THE STATE HAM TYING OUR HANDS IN REGARDS TO USING TAXPAYER FUNDS.
SO THIS IS, THIS MORE PREVENT US FROM LIKE THE SB TWO THAT FROM HAPPENING, RIGHT? WE'RE SAYING WE, THIS IS BASICALLY SAYING WE OPPOSE FURTHER BILLS LIKE SB TWO, LIKE THE REDUCED OUT TO 1%, CORRECT? CORRECT.
THAT COVERS THAT IS THAT THAT IS OUR STANCE THAT ALLOWS ME TO SAY WE DON'T WANT ANY REDUCTION TO THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA? THE CITY MANAGER SITS AT THE DESK BESIDE THE MAYOR THAT'LL BE COMING TO US, UH, FOR, UH, ADOPTION ON NOVEMBER 2ND.
UM, ARIEL, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE VERY BUSY.
UM, I KNOW YOU'LL BE KEEPING US UPDATED WITH YOUR, UH, WITH YOUR RIVETING.
UM, FOR THOSE THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE THE COUNCIL, YOU'LL BE GETTING A, UH, A MAILER, THE LEDGE, WHICH GIVES US A, UH, A PLAY BY PLAY.
THERE WERE TWO OTHER ITEMS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE COMMITTEE MEETING AS WELL.
UH, ONE OF THOSE BEING, UM, THE CREATION OF A LEGISLATIVE ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING LONG TERM.
SO, UM, THE IDEA IS TO LAUNCH A LEGISLATIVE AMBASSADORS PROGRAM ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE WE ALLOW RESIDENTS TO SIGN UP AND THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE NEWSLETTER WEEKLY FROM MYSELF AND MY TEAM.
[01:05:01]
UM, AND THEY CAN ENGAGE THEIR LEGISLATOR BASED ON, UM, THAT NEWSLETTER.AND THEN LONG TERM LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING OUT, UM, UH, AN ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM SIMILAR TO THE CITY OF OF GEORGETOWN, WHERE WE WOULD HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT WOULD PROVIDE INPUT ON OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AS WELL.
AND THEN THE LAST ITEM WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE COMMITTEE WAS THE CREATION OF AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL PARTNER LIST WHERE WE HAVE, UM, COMMUNITY PARTNERS COME IN AND TALK TO YOU ALL AT WORK SESSION.
AND SOME OF THOSE PARTNERS INCLUDE DART, TXDOT, UM, NORTH TEXAS TOLLWAY AUTHORITY, DALLAS COUNTY COMMISSIONER ATMOS, ET CETERA.
UM, AND WE'VE PROVIDED THAT FOR YOU GUYS AS WELL.
OFFICIALS SIT AT A U-SHAPED DESK BENEATH THE GARLAND SEAL.
AND JUST TO GIVE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT LEGISLATIVE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM, IT WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT I HEARD AT.
THERE'S A METROPLEX MAYORS MEETING AND WE INVITED THE MAYOR OF GEORGE GEORGETOWN AND THE CITY MANAGER OF GEORGETOWN TO COME SPEAK TO US.
AND THEM BEING SO CLOSE IN PROXIMITY TO AUSTIN, THEY RUN DOWN THERE ALL THE TIME, BUT THEY REALIZED THAT THEM GOING THERE DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THE SAME IMPACT AS CITIZENS GOING DOWN THERE.
AND THEY HAVE A, THEY'VE CREATED A GROUP OF ENGAGED CITIZENS WHO GO DOWN AND ADVOCATE ON THE CITY'S BEHALF FOR VARIOUS ISSUES.
GRAHAM ERROL DIDN'T MENTION, BUT WHEN SHE WAS IN GEORGETOWN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHE STARTED DOWN THERE.
SO APPARENTLY IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL AND COMPLETELY UNAWARE THAT SHE STARTED THAT PROGRAM.
I SAID, LET'S START SOMETHING LIKE THAT HERE.
AND I THINK IT'S GONNA BE GREAT TO GET OUR CITIZENS MORE INVOLVED, LEARN ABOUT MUNICIPAL ISSUES, BUT STATE ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR CITIES AND HOPEFULLY HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT CAN ALSO, UM, ADVOCATE ON OUR BEHALF.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THAT PROGRAM AND IT SOUNDS LIKE WE WON'T QUITE HAVE IT ROLLING BY THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
NOT ENOUGH TIME BY, YOU KNOW, SESSION STARTS IN JANUARY, BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY HAVE IT FOR THE 2029 SESSION AND BE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO SINCE TO JOIN THAT GROUP AND BE ENGAGED.
UM, GARLAND IS LEGENDARY FOR ITS, UH, ITS CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.
WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB, WHETHER IT BE WITH TEXT, CHRIS, UT MAYOR, PRO TEM, DISTRICT EIGHT, OH, UH, WHENEVER WE HAVE A BOND ELECTIONS, WE PUT TOGETHER A BOND COMMITTEE AND IT'S, UH, THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT I KNOW THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF INTEREST IN IT.
WE HAVE, UH, SOME DEEP THINKERS IN IN THIS TOWN AND VERY PASSIONATE AND, UH, FOLKS THAT ARE LIKE JOE THAT ARE RETIRED THAT HAVE TIME, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE GREAT.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, I, I HEAR GREAT THOUGHTS ALL THE TIME.
GREAT THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AND THIS, THESE ARE CERTAINLY VERY GOOD THOUGHTS.
WHAT I'M THINKING IS, UH, HAVE YOU EVEN BEGAN TO THINK IT, LIKE YOU JUST SAID, IT WON'T HAPPEN THIS LEGISL SAFE TERM, BUT HAVE YOU BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT MAYBE A PROCESS BY WHICH WE CAN BE GOING, ALRIGHT, CAN YOU TALK TO US TODAY
THIS LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS ONE THAT UH, IT'S ONGOING CONSTANTLY.
MM-HMM
HEY, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ARE WE REALLY GOING TO DO? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, THE THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THAT WE WOULD START GEARING UP AFTER SESSION.
UM, IT WOULD BE THAT EACH OF YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO APPOINT ONE PERSON TO THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AND THEN WE WOULD BRING IN DIRECTORS TO HAVE MEETINGS WITH THE COMMITTEE, UM, EVERY TWO WEEKS DURING THE SUMMER AND THEY WOULD HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENTS ON WHERE THEIR PAIN POINTS ARE.
UM, AN OVERVIEW FROM LAST SESSION ON RULES THAT WERE PASSED THAT HAD AN IMPACT, UM, AND THEN SUGGEST CHANGES TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
UM, AND THEN AT THE END WE WOULD COMPILE ALL THOSE CHANGES INTO A DOCUMENT.
WE WOULD BRING THEM TO THE LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE AND THEN TO WORK SESSION.
SO IT IS OUR ABI IT REALLY IS A GOOD THING TO GO DOWN AND SAY, THIS ISN'T JUST SOMETHING THE CITY CREATED, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME RIGHT AND THE COMMUNITY CREATED.
THIS IS WHAT THE CITY OF GARLAND AND THEIR RESIDENTS WANT.
ANYBODY ELSE? TEXT MICHAEL J BETS CITY MANAGER.
ALRIGHT, NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDER AN APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TOMORROW FOR THE COMMUNITY MULTICULTURAL COMMISSION AND IF MAYOR PROTI YOU WOULD MAKE THAT NOMINATION FOR ME SIR.
AND NOW'S THE TIME TO ANNOUNCE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. COUNSEL, ANY FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? COUNCIL MEMBER LUCK.
YES, I WOULD LIKE FOR COUNCIL TO REVIEW THE MULTIFAMILY AND SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL PERMIT ORDINANCES TEXT
[01:10:01]
JOE THOMAS JR.DISTRICT SEVEN AND ALSO IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER MOORE.
AND THEN ALSO THE EXPLORE THE CREATION OF A BUSKING ORDINANCE FOR DOWNTOWN BUS BUSKING BUS BUSING MUSICIANS.
THEY'RE LIKE STREET PERFORMERS.
LUCK GESTURES TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SECOND BY DEPUTY MAYOR PROTON DUTTON HEDRICK AND BETS VIEW MONITORS.
ANYTHING ELSE MA'AM? NO, THANK YOU SIR.
ALRIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE? HEDRICK AND BETS LEAN INTO REVIEW PAPERS.
ALRIGHT, VERY GOOD THEN WITH THAT, THAT WAS OUR LAST ITEM.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 5 51 0.071 AND 5 5, 1 0.087 FOR THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DELIBERATE OR DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING.
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION THAT THE CITY HAS RECEIVED FROM ONE OR MORE BUSINESS PROSPECTS THAT THE CITY SEEKS TO HAVE LOCATED, STAY OR EXPAND IN THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT OF THE CITY AND WITH WHICH THE CITY IS CONDUCTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEGOTIATIONS 5 51 0.087 INCLUDING POTENTIAL SALE, EXCHANGE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY AT 1116 SOUTH SIXTH STREET, GARLAND, TEXAS, AND ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS RELATED TO THE SAME.
5 5 1 0.071 AND I'M NUMBER NINE.
DISCUSS OR DELIBERATE ATTORNEY-CLIENT MATTERS RELATED TO STR LITIGATION, LAND USE ZONING AND NONCONFORMING RIGHTS.
COUNSEL AT SEVEN 11 WE ARE ADJOURN.
SCREEN FADES TO A BLUE GRAPHIC.