[CALL TO ORDER ]
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I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE RICHARDSON CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM
[A. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORUM ]
UH, WE WILL START OFF WITH ITEM A PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORM.WE HAVE, UH, SEVERAL, UM, RESIDENTS AND PARTICIPANTS IN OUR MEETING TONIGHT SCHEDULED TO SPEAK IN PERSON.
UM, I'D LIKE TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR EVERYONE THAT IS HERE TONIGHT TO MAKE COMMENTS.
UH, AND THEN I WILL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY SECRETARY TO START CALLING SPEAKERS, EXCUSE ME.
DURING THIS PORTION OF THE COUNCIL MEETING, 30 MINUTES IS ALLOTTED FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE COMMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON AGENDA ITEMS. IF THERE'S TIME LEFT DURING THE INITIAL 30 MINUTES ALLOCATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, THE REMAINING TIME WILL BE PROVIDED AS A VISITOR'S FORUM OPEN TO ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC IN WHICH THE SUBJECT MATTER IS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY.
IF THE FULL 30 MINUTES ALLOCATED FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS REACHED, THEN SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD MAY SPEAK AT THE VISITOR'S FORUM SCHEDULED AT THE END OF THE MEETING.
WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED, PLEASE STEP TO THE PODIUM AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
ALL SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO A MAXIMUM OF FIVE MINUTES AS INDICATED BY THE TIMERS.
WHEN THE TIMER BEEPS, THE SPEAKER SHOULD CONCLUDE THEIR COMMENTS PROMPTLY.
SPEAKERS MUST NOT PHYSICALLY APPROACH MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OR STAFF AND SHOULD REMAIN AT THE PODIUM DURING THEIR COMMENTS.
SPEAKERS WITH HANDOUTS MUST PROVIDE THEM TO THE CITY SECRETARY FOR DISTRIBUTION.
SPEAKERS COME, UH, SPEAKERS SUBMITTING COMMENTS ON THE SAME TOPIC, ARE ENCOURAGED TO REDUCE REPETITIVE REMARKS BY INDICATING THEIR COMMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSED, OR BY SELECTING A REPRESENTATIVE.
THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT PROHIBITS THE CITY COUNCIL FROM DISCUSSING OR TAKING ACTION ON ITEMS THAT ARE NOT POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF WILL NOT AFFIRM OR OPPOSE ANY SPEAKER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
THE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER MAY RESPOND WITH FACTS, A POLICY OR DIRECT CITY STAFF TO RESPOND TO THE SPEAKER.
AFTER THE MEETING, THE AUDIENCE IS ASKED TO REFRAIN FROM APPLAUDING OR OTHER EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION, A COPY OF THE COUNCIL RULES OF ORDER AND PROCEDURE, AND THESE GUIDELINES MAY BE FOUND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AT THIS TIME, I'D ALSO LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE TO SILENCE THEIR CELL PHONE FOR THE DURATION OF THE MEETING.
MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I WANT TO DRAW TO, UH, UM, EVERYONE WHO IS HERE IN ATTENDANCE AND WATCHING, UH, THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED A HANDOUT THAT, UH, INDICATES APPROXIMATELY, UH, 30 COMMENT CARDS THAT WERE SUBMITTED IN ADVANCE OF THE 5:00 PM DEADLINE.
I WANNA ASSURE EVERYONE THAT SUBMITTED A COMMENT CARD THAT THOSE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO THE COUNCIL.
IF FOR SOME REASON THAT CARD CAME IN SUBSEQUENTLY AND WASN'T CAPTURED, WE'LL PROVIDE THAT CARD, UM, PRIOR TO THE, UH, START OF THE NEXT, UH, MEET, UH, THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, SO, UM, LET ME PAUSE THERE AND TURN IT OVER TO OUR CITY SECRETARY.
UM, AS, AS THE FIRST SPEAKER BEGINS, UH, TO MAKE COMMENTS, UH, MS. EMER WILL START THE 30 MINUTE TIMER.
IF, UM, THAT TIMER, UH, EXPIRE IF THE 30 MINUTES EXPIRES WHILE SOMEONE IS AT THE PODIUM, WE'LL LET THEM CONCLUDE THEIR REMARKS.
THEN MS. NEER WILL, UM, LET US KNOW THAT THE 30 MINUTES HAS EXPIRED AND, AND SHE'LL REFER IT BACK TO ME FOR, UH, ADDITIONAL COMMENT.
MS. ER, OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ROBERT PRINGLE.
UH, MY NAME IS ROBERT PRINGLE.
I LIVE AT 1206 EAST BERKELEY IN RICHARDSON, 7 5 0 8 1.
I'VE LIVED THERE FOR SEVERAL DECADES, UH, SO I'M A LONG TIME RESIDENCE.
I, UH, AM 75 YEARS OLD AND STILL STANDING, AND SO, UH, I JUST APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO Y'ALL.
UH, MY SUBJECT IS, UH, WHAT I FEEL IS OUTTA CONTROL RATES FROM TXU ELECTRIC.
I, UH, MADE THE MISTAKE, EVIDENTLY OF GETTING SOLAR PANELS SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AT THAT TIME, I KNEW I WOULDN'T RECOUP ALL OF MY MONEY, BUT I WAS THINKING IT WOULD BE A STABLE SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY AT THAT TIME.
THE, UH, RATE, BASE RATE, LOOKING AT YOUR OVERVIEW, WAS 14 9 5 BASE RATE PER MONTH, 14.10 CENTS.
CHARGE FOR ANY, UH, ELECTRICITY I USED AND 14.10 CENT BUYBACK THAT THEY WOULD PAY ME FOR ANYTHING I GENERATED THIS MONTH.
THAT CONTRACT WITH THEM IS UP AND THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF PROPOSALS TO ME.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE SAME, 14 9 5 PER MONTH BASE RATE, BUT INCREASE TO 16.90 CENTS FOR CHARGING ME FOR ANY, UH, UH, POWER I USE AND ONLY RE REIMBURSING ME 4.5% OF CENTS FOR ANYTHING THAT I, UH, REDUCED.
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ON THE PHONE, THEY GAVE ME A SECOND PROPOSAL THAT THEY DECLINED TO PUT IN WRITING.SO I ONLY HAVE MY VERBAL NOTES.
IT WAS 9 95 PER MONTH, 11.60 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR, AND A BUYBACK OF 3.50 CENTS PER KILOWATT HOUR ON ANYTHING I PRODUCE.
SO IT MAKES MY SOLAR PANELS A VERY POOR DECISION.
I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M MESSED UP FINANCIALLY.
NOW WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS IN THE YELLOW, THE TXU PORTION THAT I PAID, UH, OVER THE LAST 12 MONTH PERIOD WAS $433 AND 22 CENTS.
YOU ADD TO IT WHAT THE ENCORE PART AND THAT WA ENDS UP BEING 1,021 17 FOR THE YEAR.
THAT DOES NOT FACTOR IN WHAT I PAID FOR THE SOLAR PANELS, WHICH WAS ABOUT $60,000.
THEN IN THE ORANGE, IF I USE THE SAME AMOUNT OF POWER, AND IF I PRODUCE THE SAME AMOUNT OF POWER, IT GOES FROM 4 33 UP TO 14, UH, 48, THAT'S A BIG INCREASE.
AND IF YOU GO TO THE, UH, COLUMN F THAT'S ENDS UP BEING A TOTAL BETWEEN TXU AND ENCORE OF 2030 $7, THAT'S ANOTHER BIG INCREASE.
NOW, WHAT THEY GAVE ME OVER THE PHONE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS BETTER THAN WHAT THEY SENT IN WRITING, IT WOULD BE 958 FOR TXU, UH, FIVE.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ENCORE PRICE INCREASE IS YET, BUT I LEFT IT THE SAME.
I REALLY THINK THAT TXU NEEDS TO BE REGULATED BECAUSE WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS UNFAIR THAT I'VE INVESTED IN OUR GRID AND I'M GETTING THE SHAFT.
SO, ANY RATE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND, UH, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CARLY STERN.
I LIVE AT 6 1 3 CAMBRIDGE DRIVE, 7 5 0 8 0.
I'VE BEEN IN THE GENERAL DFW AREA FOR 12 YEARS.
I STARTED OUT IN RICHARDSON, THEN MOVED TO PLANO, AND THEN QUICKLY RAN AS FAST AS I COULD BACK TO RICHARDSON TO BUY MY FIRST HOUSE.
AND, UM, I'M SO EXCITED IN MY RETURN TO SEE ALL THE UPDATES AND REVITALIZATION AND HEAR ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR CITY.
AND I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT WHAT IS IN THIS POTENTIAL NEW BOND FOR 2026.
AND SPEAKING OF THE BOND, UM, I AM A MEMBER OF THE RICHARDSON BICYCLE COALITION, AND I KNOW THAT RICHARDSON IS, THEY, THEY'RE THE BEST ADVOCATES FOR BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY AVENUES.
AND I, WE WERE, I WAS JUST, UM, THINKING ABOUT THE SIDEWALKS AND HOW WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE SHARED PATHWAYS, WIDER PATHWAYS, UM, AND WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF STRIDES IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH THOSE SHARED PATHWAYS ALONG RENNER AND CITY LINE.
UM, BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE EVEN MORE OF THOSE TRADITIONAL SIDEWALKS THAT ARE NARROW AND NOT SUPER WELL CONNECTED, THAT HAVE SEVERE WEAR AND TEAR ISSUES THAT CREATE HAZARDS AND ACCESSIBILITY BARRIERS.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE ARE ALL LOOKING TO BE MORE, UH, A DA COMPLIANT IN OUR CITY AND IS RICHARDSON BICYCLE COALITIONS HOPE THAT THE CITY WILL INCLUDE THOSE SIDEWALK CONVERSIONS IN THE BOND PROPOSAL SO THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, CONVERT THOSE OLD NARROW SIDEWALKS INTO WIDER SHARED PATHS.
THIS IS A VERY POPULAR GOAL IN THE BI BIKE COMMUNITY.
WE'VE DONE SOME POLES, UM, AMONG OUR, OUR BICYCLE FRIENDS, AND, UH, WE JUST AGREE THAT LIKE UTD, THE UNIVERSITY TRAIL IS AWESOME, THE CENTRAL TRAIL.
WE JUST WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE CONNECTIONS TO HELP HELP BICYCLES, UM, BE MORE, HAVE MORE AVENUES FOR JUST NORMAL EVERYDAY BIKING TO COMMUTE, TO GO RUN OUR ERRANDS SO THAT IT'S NOT JUST RECREATION, IT BECOMES MORE, UH, UTILITARIAN.
SO, ESPECIALLY IN HIGH STRESS AREAS OF RICHARDSON WHERE ALL THAT WE HAVE ARE THOSE NARROW SIDEWALKS, LIKE ON ARAPAHOE OR SPRING CREEK, OR NOT
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SPRING CREEK, SORRY, ARAPAHOE CAMPBELL AND BELTLINE, THAT WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL.UM, SO THAT WE HAVE BUS ROUTES AND BUS STOPS AND PEDESTRIANS AND BIKE BICYCLE PEOPLE ALL ABLE TO USE THESE SHARED PATHS AND, AND NOT HAVE ANY KIND OF CONFLICT, RIGHT? WHEN, OH, I'M ON A BIKE AND I HAVE TO GO AROUND THIS PEDESTRIAN.
UM, IT CAN JUST ACCOMMODATE SUCH A VARIETY OF USERS, PEDESTRIANS, RUNNERS, CYCLISTS, UH, THOSE USING MOBILITY DEVICES WITH ACCESS TO BUSINESSES AND SERVICES, UM, BECAUSE I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE LESS TRAFFIC, AND I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY REVITALIZE THE, THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I CAN GET TO MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT PART TO NO PAY WITH NO PROBLEM.
AND, UM, SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING.
THANK YOU, MR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK WHITT.
I LIVE AT 1810 CENTENARY DRIVE, WHICH IS IN THE DUCK CREEK AREA OF RICHARDSON.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE LIVED THERE ABOUT 33 YEARS, SO I'M NOT A NEWCOMER, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NOT YET ADDRESSED THE CITY COUNCIL IN MAYOR YET.
UM, I WANNA START OFF BY STATING PUBLICLY THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL HAVE EARNED MY ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FOR SPENDING THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU DO, TRYING TO MAKE RICHARDSON A BETTER CITY.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE, AND I KNOW MY WIFE DOES, AND PROBABLY EVERYONE ELSE DOES, EVEN IF THEY DON'T ARTICULATE IT PUBLICLY.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL MAYOR SERIOUSLY CONSIDER SEVERAL INITIATIVES OR ACTIONS.
FIRST, CREATE A CITY SPONSORED OR CITY PROMOTED PROGRAM TO HELP INCENTIVIZE HOMEOWNERS TO PLANT AND MAINTAIN TREES IN THEIR YARDS.
UM, THE PROGRAM SHOULD INCLUDE SEEKING INPUT FROM ARBORISTS TO IDENTIFY TREES THAT WILL THRIVE IN HOTTER AND DRIER ENVIRONMENTS THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE NOW.
AND, UM, YOU SHOULD ALSO TRY AND REACH AGREEMENTS WITH LOCALLY OWNED NURSERIES LIKE BRUCE MILLER OR, UH, PLANTS AND PLANTERS THAT ARE RICHARDSON BASED, AND JUST TRY AND MAKE A DEAL WITH THEM AND SAY, WE WILL BRING YOU X AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL BUSINESS FOR GIVING A, PARDON ME, GIVING A, UM, A LOWER PRICE TO THE CITIZENS THAT ARE AVAILING THEMSELVES OF THAT PROGRAM.
UM, IT'D BE SIMILAR TO A PACE PROGRAM, I BELIEVE, AND I HAVE A GRAPHIC HERE, AND THIS KIND OF SHOWS WHAT THE, UH, STUDIES HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS THAT IT DRAMATICALLY COOLS THE AREA, NOT JUST THE YARD, BUT THE STREETS, THE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND PLUS IT JUST LOOKS A LOT BETTER.
SECONDLY, AND SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THAT, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, AS THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDER PLANTING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TREE DOWNTOWN.
THOSE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN CONTINUALLY PLANTED DOWN THERE CONTINUE TO DIE OFF, AND IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE EXISTING TREES DIE.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I WOULD CHECK WITH AN ARBORIST TO FIND OUT WHAT TREES MIGHT DO WELL OR DO BETTER DOWN THERE THAN WHAT IS BEING PLANTED.
UM, SECONDLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO INCENTIVIZE VERY ELDERLY RESIDENTS TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES INTO RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES OR NURSING HOMES IN RICHARDSON.
YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO GET THEM TO MOVE OUTTA THE CITY, YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THEM TO MOVE OUT OF THEIR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
A LOT OF 'EM ARE AGING IN PLACE, AND I THINK IT'S, UM, IT WOULD BEHOOVE THE CITY TO TRY AND GET YOUNGER FAMILIES IN THOSE HOMES, AND IT WOULD ALSO HELP THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, OBVIOUSLY.
AND, UM, SO HOW WOULD THAT WORK? I THINK IF YOU SIMPLY TRIED TO PAY THEM SOME MULTIPLE OF WHATEVER THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL TAXES THE CITY WOULD RECEIVE FROM THE TERMINATION OF THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR AND TERMINATION OF THE OVER 65 EXEMPTION,
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UM, IT MIGHT BE ENOUGH INCENTIVE TO GET SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE AND MOVE OUT.NEXT, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT YOU STUDY REDUCING SPEEDS ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS FROM 30 MILES PER HOUR TO 25 MILES PER HOUR.
AGAIN, JUST TO CREATE A MORE LIVABLE, FAMILY FRIENDLY, FAMILY ORIENTED CITY.
NEXT I WOULD SUGGEST CITY IMPLEMENTS SOLAR APP PLUS, WHICH WAS JOINTLY DEVELOPED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY TO EXPEDITE SOLAR PERMITTING.
IT'S AN ONLINE AUTOMATED SYSTEM THAT DRAMATICALLY REDUCES SOLAR PERMIT VIEW TIMES.
IT ONLY COSTS THE SOLAR COMPANY $25, AND IT'S, IT HAS SAVED CITIES THAT ARE USING IT.
LITERALLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF PERMIT REVIEW TIME.
NEXT, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT THE CITY ERECT LIGHTS ADJACENT TO THE WALKING PATH AROUND THE PONDS, NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF HUFFINES REC CENTER AND
UM, MR. WHITTY, UH, JUST BECAUSE YOUR TIME'S UP, IF, IF YOU WANNA WRAP UP OR, OR JUST SEND US AN EMAIL WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER 12 GIMME 20 SECONDS.
UH, ON BEHALF OF RICHARDSON BICYCLE COALITION, I WANT TO INVITE THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL TO, UM, ACCOMPANY US ON, SAY, A FIVE MILE BIKE RIDE AROUND THE CITY.
AGAIN, JUST TO REVIEW THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAVE IN PLACE AND, AND GET A FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE OF IT.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE UNCEASING EFFORTS BY DANIEL HERRICK AND MICHAEL DC TO MAKE RICHARDSON A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND DO BUSINESS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MANAL CARMI.
I LIVE IN 5 4 5 0 9 BRIAR HOLLOW DRIVE PLAIN NORTH TEXAS.
WHEN I MOVE TO THE DALLAS AREA OVER 10 YEARS AGO FROM MISSOURI, I MOVED FIRST RICHARDSON BECAUSE OF HOW VIBRANT AND DIVERSE THE CITY IS.
AND ALTHOUGH I HAVE MOVED TO PLANO, I CONTINUE TO WORK AND VOLUNTEER FULL-TIME AND RICHARDSON BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THIS CITY AND IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M CURRENTLY PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT THE MUSLIM AMERICAN SOCIETY DALLAS CHAPTER HERE IN RICHARDSON.
THE REASON WHY I'M CALLING HERE TODAY, AND I'M COMING IS ONE OF OUR MOST BELOVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
MARWAN MARU WAS DETAINED BY ICE TWO MONTHS AGO.
HE IS CURRENTLY DETAINED AT BLUE BONNET DETENTION CENTER.
I WORKED WITH MARWAN AT MASS SINCE 2013, AND I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW HE HELPS WITH OPEN ARMS AT ALL LEVELS.
HE HAS GIVEN HIS TIME, HIS EFFORT, AND HIS GENEROSITY TO STRENGTHEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
I WAS HERE IN FEBRUARY 26TH, 2024 WHEN THE CITY OF RICHARDSON GAVE MARWAN A PROCLAMATION OF HEARTFELT APPRECIATION ADDRESSED TO HIM AND THE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY FOR THEIR REMARKABLE EFFORTS IN PROVIDING SUPPORT AND NOURISHMENT TO THE FRONT LINES AGAINST THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.
THIS EFFORT INCLUDED OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND HOT MEALS TO DEDICATED FRONTLINE WORKERS ACROSS NORTH TEXAS.
EVERY DAY HE IS KEPT BEHIND BARS IS A LOSS TO NOT ONLY RICHARDSON, BUT THE ENTIRE DALLAS COMMUNITY.
RICHARDSON IS NOT THE SAME WITHOUT WAN OV.
THE CITY COUNCIL KNOWS WAN ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, AND I CALL ON YOU TO MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF HIS IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
MS. CAR SHA SALEM, SHADIA SALEM.
HELLO, MY NAME IS SHADIA SALEM AND I LIVE AT 1 2 0 9 WINDING BROOK ROAD.
I AM CURRENTLY THE COUNSELOR OF THE, UH, TEXAS STATE LA UH, COUNSELOR AT, UH, MASS.
AND, UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON, UM, MARWAN MA'S, UM, CHARACTER.
UM, SO RECENTLY AFTER HIS DETENTION,
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I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW, UM, SOME OF HIS FILES AS WELL AS, UM, RECREATE HIS RESUME.AND IN THAT PROCESS, I'VE LEARNED THAT HE HAS SPENT, UM, DURING THE TIME THAT THERE WAS, UH, SOME AMBIGUITY WITH HIS VISA BEING RENEWED.
UM, WHILE HE WAS AN ENGINEER FOR ERICKSON AND, UM, SOME OTHER COMPANIES, I REALIZED THAT DURING THAT TIME THERE WAS AN EIGHT YEAR PERIOD WHERE HE HAD DEDICATED HIS LIFE UNPAID TO COMMUNITY SERVICE, WHICH INCLUDED DOING BLOOD DRIVES, UM, ESTABLISHING BOY SCOUTS FOR AMERICA, AND HAVING THE LARGEST NORTH TEXAS, UH, BOY SCOUT, UM, TROOPS, AS WELL AS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF, UM, GRADUATES, UM, FROM THE BOY SCOUT, THE EAGLE SCOUTS, WHICH IS AN INCREDIBLE PROCESS TO GO THROUGH.
UM, HE HAD SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS FROM THIS OFFICE AND HAS HAD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH, UM, RICHARDSON, BUT AS WELL AS OTHER CITIES.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR SOCIETY, UM, EXTEND FROM THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS, WHETHER IT'S CHILDREN AND BEING A COACH FOR SOCCER, BASKETBALL, UM, FOOTBALL, BUT ALSO THE, UM, COACHING THAT HE DOES FOR REFUGEES AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE ALIGNED WITH, UM, CATHOLIC, UH, SERVICES, CHARITY SERVICES TO GET LANGUAGE THAT THEY NEED TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE, UH, MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY.
HE ALSO HAS DONE SIGNIFICANT, UH, WORK TOWARDS BLOOD DRIVES AND VOTING DRIVES, VOTING DRIVES FOR HERE IN RICHARDSON TO GET YOU ALL HERE.
AND HE'S ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS, UM, WITH EVERYBODY HERE.
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SIDE OF THE COIN EVERY SINGLE PERSON IS ON, HE ACTUALLY EXTENDS A HAND TO EVERY SINGLE PERSON, HIS KEY FOCUS.
AND EVEN AFTER HE ACCEPTED, UM, THE PR AS WELL AS ED DIRECTOR, UH, THE PR AND, AND, UH, FINANCIAL DIRECTOR AT MASS, UH, FUNDRAISING, HE HAS STILL CONTINUED AND MAINTAINED HIS COMMUNITY SERVICE, HIS MET, HIS ENERGY HAS BEEN, UM, RELENTLESS.
WHEN THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTOOD AND LEARNED THAT HE WAS PICKED UP, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS THAT WAS FELT BECAUSE WE UNDERSTOOD HOW INCREDIBLY RELIABLE HE IS, HOW SINCERE AND AUTHENTIC AND TRANSPARENT HE IS.
HE ISN'T SOMEONE THAT JUST WORKS FOR ONE COMMUNITY OR ONE FAITH.
WHEN A COMMUNITY IS HURTING, HE IS THERE TO BUILD BRIDGES AND TO ESTABLISH WHAT DO YOU NEED.
AND HE TEACHES US HOW TO EXTEND A HAND BEYOND THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS.
I AM A STATE LICENSED COUNSELOR.
I HAVE LEARNED FROM HIM, HE HAS TAUGHT ME HOW TO GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT, UM, THINGS THAT THE DOMINANT CULTURE, THE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES, THE DO DOMINANT CULTURE FACES.
HE HAS TAUGHT ME HOW TO CHANGE THE LENS IN WHICH I HAVE PREVIOUSLY LOOKED AT, UM, CERTAIN SITUATIONS.
HE EXPANDS PEOPLE'S VIEWS, AND I REALLY DO ASK FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HE'S DONE IN RICHARDSON AND FOR ALL OF THE INSPIRATION THAT HE HAS HAS CREATED WITHIN US THAT YOU DO CREATE A PROCLAMATION THAT, OR A STATEMENT THAT SAYS WE NEED HIM OUT, AND THAT THIS WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO OUR SOCIETY.
I GRADUATED FROM SMU, MY DAUGHTER GRADUATED FROM UTDI CURRENTLY HAVE, UM, A POSITION WITH IN RICHARDSON WITH EN MASS.
MOST OF THE PEOPLE HERE THAT WILL TALK ON HIS BEHALF HAVE EITHER EXPERIENCED HELP FROM HIM OR HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY HIM TO, TO HELP OTHERS.
THAT'S THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, NOT ONE SMALL, SIMPLE COMMUNITY.
SO I ASK THAT YOU TAKE THIS, UM, REQUEST WITH SINCERITY AND UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WORTH ALL OF US BEING HERE, AND THIS IS ONLY A FRACTION OF THE PEOPLE THAT WISH THEY COULD BE HERE TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR THIS QUORUM AND THIS TIME.
OKAY, NEXT WILL BE ABDUL YASIN, FAT ED HADAD, MIRIAM MARYAM UDIN.
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CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.MY NAME IS MARY UDINE, MY ADDRESS, MY ADDRESS IS 7 2 3 9 NATIVE OAK LANE IRVING, 7 5 0 6 3.
ALTHOUGH I'M A SUFFOCATING PARENT AND ACTUALLY SHARE AN APARTMENT WITH MY KIDS HERE IN RICHARDSON.
IN ANY EVENT, IT'S A PLEASURE AND A PRIVILEGE TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXTENSION OF GRACE AND WILLINGNESS TO HEAR ME OUT.
I HAVE ANOTHER UNIQUE PRIVILEGE IN SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY, AND THAT IS AS ONE OF 11 FROM OUR ONE I LEAD AN EXTRAORDINARY TEAM OF 11 OF THE FINEST LEGAL MINDS IN THIS COUNTRY, EACH OF WHOM IS RELENTLESS IN HIS OR HER PURSUIT OF MARWAN'S FREEDOM.
TODAY, IMMIGRATION JUDGE ABDI TATA DETERMINED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO GRANT BOND FOR MARWAN.
THIS DECISION MEANS THAT MARWAN WILL BE FORCED TO CONTINUE FIGHTING HIS IMMIGRATION CASE FROM WITHIN BLUEBONNET DETENTION CENTER, SEPARATED BY NEARLY 200 MILES FROM HIS FAMILY, THAT INCLUDES HIS FOUR US CITIZEN SONS.
WE ARE DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED IN TODAY'S DECISION, WHICH KEEPS ME ONE UNJUSTLY LOCKED AWAY FROM HIS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY BOND IS INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO POSE NO DANGER AND NO FLIGHT RISK CAN RETURN HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES WHILE THEIR CASES PROCEED.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHO MARWAN IS, AND YET HE REMAINS DETAINED.
I STAND BY THE INTEGRITY OF THE ARGUMENTS WE PRESENTED IN COURT TODAY.
ADDITIONALLY, TO KEEP MARWAN DETAINED IS BOTH MORALLY WRONG AND IN AFFRONT TO DO PROCESS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT MARWAN'S HEART OF GOLD IS ALSO A HEART WITH A PACEMAKER.
WE MUST BE MINDFUL OF WEIGHTY CONSIDERATIONS AROUND A PERSON WHO NEEDS ACCESS TO CRITICAL MEDICAL CARE ON THE OUTSIDE, IT WOULD BE NEGLIGENT ON ALL OUR, ON OUR, EXCUSE ME, I'M EXHAUSTED ON ALL OUR PARTS, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US TO IGNORE THE GRAVITY OF THIS REGATI SYNDROME.
HIS CONDITION IS A RARE BUT POTENTIALLY LIFE-THREATENING HEART CONDITION, CHARACTERIZED BY ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHMS, WHICH CAN LEAD TO SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH.
MARWAN'S HEALTH IS PRECARIOUS AND HIS MEDICAL CONDITION LEAVES HIM UNIQUELY VULNERABLE.
WE LIVE IN WHAT IS STILL CONSIDERED THE GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, ONE BASED ON LAW AND ORDER BUILT ON FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE.
TODAY'S DECISION SHOWS HOW OUR IMMIGRATION SYSTEM CAN LOSE SIGHT OF ITS OWN HUMANITY.
THE COURT'S DENIAL GOES AGAINST OUR MERITORIOUS ARGUMENTS, AND THE SYSTEM WE ARE OPERATING WITHIN IS UNFORTUNATELY ONE THAT DOES NOT GIVE HUMANITY OR COMPASSION OR EVEN FAIRNESS, THE STANDING THEY DESERVE.
WHILE WE, WE ARE WITNESSING THE EROSION OF THAT VERY LAW AND ORDER, ICEFIELD OFFICERS ARE TOLD HOW TO EXERCISE ENFORCEMENT DISCRETION.
A BIA DECISION RECENTLY HANDED DOWN LAST MONTH GIVES A FORMAL LEGAL RULING THAT IMMIGRATION JUDGES LACK JURISDICTION TO GRANT BOND FOR MANY OF THOSE SAME PEOPLE.
IT'S A SWEEPING DECISION THAT REPRESENTS A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM 28 YEARS OF ESTABLISHED PRACTICE AND CREATES A CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS TOGETHER, AGENCY INSTRUCTION AND APPELLATE LEVEL PRECEDENT, EFFECTIVELY STRIP IMMIGRATION JUDGES OF AUTHORITY, AND THEREBY REMOVE A SAFETY VALVE FROM MILLIONS.
I, MYSELF HAVE SERVED AS A US IMMIGRATION JUDGE, YET, EVEN IF I WERE TO SAY STAY SILENT ABOUT THAT GROWING ARCHITECTURE IN MARWAN'S CASE, THE FINER POINT WAS LOST.
NEITHER THE MEMO NOR THE DECISION APPLIES TO HIM AS HE WAS NOT AMONG THOSE WHO ENTERED THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY OR WITHOUT INSPECTION.
HE ENTERED LAWFULLY OVER 30 YEARS AGO.
WE CAN'T VIEW THIS, WE CAN'T VIEW THIS IN ISOLATION.
ICE IS MAKING ROUGHLY 3000 DURESS PER DAY DETENTION CAPACITY HAS BALLOONED TO 60,000 BEDS ACROSS TEXAS AND LOUISIANA JURISDICTIONS THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS ARE MOST FAVORABLE TO ITS DETENTION AGENDA.
WE ARE WITNESSING DELIBERATE FORUM SHOPPING AND THE STRATEGIC TARGETING OF OUR MOST OUTSPOKEN AND VULNERABLE VOICES.
TOO MANY AND UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE WE KNOW AND PEOPLE WHOSE NAMES WE ARE ABLE TO CALL OUT THE PEOPLE WHO DARE TO STAND UP AS TOMORROW MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF WHAT HAS TORMENTED OUR COMMUNITY FOR TWO YEARS.
WE MUST BE AS BRAVE AS THEY ARE.
WE MUST BE AS BRAVE AS MARWAN HAS BEEN, A PERSON WHOSE FAITH IN GOD, HIS FAITH IN FAMILY, AND HIS FAITH IN THIS SYSTEM'S CAPACITY FOR CORRECTION IS UNSHAKEN.
WE MUST LEARN FROM MARWAN WHAT COURAGE AND DIGNITY REALLY ARE.
WHAT I ASK OF MEMBERS OF MY COMMUNITY IS TO REMEMBER THE STORY OF PROPHET JOSEPH, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
MARWAN HAS BEEN READING THIS PRAYER, THIS SURAH FINDING STRENGTH IN PATIENCE AND TRUTH IN HIS TIME IN CUSTODY.
REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS WHEN PROPHET YUSEF WAS FINALLY FREED AND HIS LORD ELEVATED HIM FIGURATIVELY AND LITERALLY, WE CALL ON THE GOVERNMENT TO DEMONSTRATE FAIRNESS AND INTEGRITY IN ITS DECISION MAKING, TO STAND WITH PRINCIPLE TO BE THE WHITE KNIGHT AND TO CORRECT THIS INJUSTICE.
AND WE CALL ON YOU TO EXERCISE
[00:30:01]
YOUR POSITIONS OF POWER AND LEVERAGE THEM TOWARDS A JUST OUTCOME.WE KNOW ALL TOO WELL THAT LAWYERS AND COURTS ARE NOT ALWAYS ENOUGH ANY LONGER TO STAND AGAINST INJUSTICE.
THERE MUST BE AN ALLYSHIP BETWEEN THE LAW AND OUR POLICY MAKERS, THOSE WHO LIKE YOU, WIELD CONNECTION AND POWER TO BROKER CHANGE.
REMEMBER THAT THIS CASE IS BIGGER THAN ONE MAN, EVEN IF THAT MAN IS A GIANT AMONG US.
THIS CASE IS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT AN AMERICA WHICH BELONGS TO US ALL AND ONE WHICH MARWAN HAS SO LOVINGLY SERVED, WILL RECLAIM THE BETTER ANGELS OF HER NATURE AND LIVE UP TO HER PROMISE OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE NEED YOU TO BE AMONG THOSE BETTER ANGELS.
I LIVE ON 44 25 LANEY COURT, ZIP CODE 7 5 0 8 2.
I'M HERE LIKE THE PREVIOUS TWO SPEAKERS TO TALK ABOUT MAD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK TONIGHT MANY OF US IN THIS ROOM ARE HERE TO TALK ABOUT MARWAN, THE IMPACT HE'S HAD ON OUR LIVES.
BUT REALLY WE CAN STAND HERE FOR HOURS JUST TALKING ABOUT WHO HE WAS AS A PERSON AND WHAT HE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT I'M AWARE THAT NONE OF YOU HERE ARE STRANGERS TO HIS CONTRIBUTIONS AND HIS STRONG CHARACTER.
AND SO I WANT TO JUST MAKE MY ASKS VERY DIRECT TODAY.
WE KNOW THAT MARWAN WAS A DEDICATED COMMUNITY MEMBER, A FATHER, A LEADER WHO SERVICE EXTENDED BEYOND JUST HIS IMMEDIATE ARAB AND MUSLIM COMMUNITIES, FROM BEING A BOY SCOUT LEADER TO LEADING A ROBOTICS TEAM TO VOLUNTEERING, DONATING BLOOD.
THE LIST CAN GO ON AND ON, BUT REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS WE'RE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST AN INJUSTICE THAT PERTAINS TO A CONSTITUENT OF YOURS, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT AS YOU HAVE A DUTY TO REPRESENT AND PROTECT ALL OF US.
IT IS THE DUTY OF OUR ELECTED CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SHOW UP AND PROTECT RESIDENTS.
I KNOW THAT MYSELF AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN RICHARDSON DO NOT WANNA LIVE IN A CITY WHERE IT IS OKAY AND NORMALIZED TO BE DETAINED JUST SIMPLY AFTER DROPPING YOUR SON OFF FROM SCHOOL, PULLED OVER BY SEVEN POLICE OFFICERS, SEVEN POLICE CARS, AND DETAINED AND TAKEN 200 MILES AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES.
THAT IS NOT A RICHARDSON THAT ANY OF US WANNA LIVE IN.
I CALL ON YOU TODAY TO NOT JUST MAKE A STATEMENT OF SUPPORT, BUT LIKE MIRIAM MENTIONED BEFORE ME, DO WHAT YOU CAN TO LEVERAGE YOUR POWER TO LEVERAGE YOUR CONNECTIONS AND SHOW UP WITH US HERE, MOBILIZE WITH US, STAND UP WITH OUR CAMPAIGN JUSTICE FOR MAAN, BECAUSE THE LOSS OF AMMO, MAAN IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE LOSS OF THE MASS COMMUNITY OR THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY THAT'S HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY.
IT'S A LOSS FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND FOR OUR CITY AS A WHOLE.
SO I CALL ON YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING, TO MAKE A STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF WAN, TO STAND WITH HIM AND HIS FAMILY, AND TO STAND WITH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN UNJUSTLY DETAINED BY ICE IN OUR CITY IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS.
WE CANNOT ALLOW FOR THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR TO BE NORMAL.
MR. MAGNER, WE'VE REACHED THE 30 MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
UH, MAYOR, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK EVERYONE WHO'S IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACTS, UH, DOES PROHIBIT THE COUNCIL FROM MAKING ANY COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO ANYTHING THAT'S NOT OFFICIALLY POSTED ON THE AGENDA.
BUT IF YOU'D, UH, ALLOW ME, MAYOR, I I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SHARE SOMETHING I KNOW, UH, A SENTIMENT THAT NOT ONLY THE COUNCIL, BUT OUR WHOLE CITY, UH, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THOSE IN ATTENDANCE TONIGHT.
FIRST, LET ME, UH, NOTE THAT THE CITY OF RICHARDSON IS DEEPLY COMMITTED, UM, TO ENSURING THAT EVERY PERSON IS TREATED WITH DIGNITY, RESPECT, AND COMPASSION, AND TO MAINTAINING A COMMUNITY THAT IS SAFE AND SECURE FOR ALL.
UM, OUR MUNICIPAL TEAM STANDS FIRM AND OUR DEDICATION TO JUSTICE, PEACE, AND SERVICE.
AND WE STRIVE EACH AND EVERY DAY TO BE THE BEST PUBLIC SERVANTS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.
I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE RICHARDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT DOES NOT HAVE, NOR IS IT SEEKING THE AUTHORITY TO ENFORCE THE US IMMIGRATION LAWS.
THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE, THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT.
RPDS FOCUS REMAINS ON UPHOLDING THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, ENSURING DUE PROCESS AND ADHERENCE TO THE RULE OF LAW FOR ALL.
THE CITY FIRMLY BELIEVES IN PROTECTING THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, THE SECURITY, AND THE DIGNITY OF EVERY INDIVIDUAL.
[00:35:01]
COUNCIL, EXPECTS ALL STAFF TO UPHOLD THESE VALUES AND EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR WORK.AND AS MANAGER, I EXPECT AND FULLY AND AM FULLY COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT WE HONOR THESE PRINCIPLES AND ALL THAT WE DO AS A CITY TEAM.
I DO WANNA REITERATE IN CLOSING THAT THE RICHARDSON POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE MATTER THAT MANY OF YOU HERE TO DISCUSS TONIGHT.
NOR DID THE CITY OF RICHARDSON HAVE ANY PARTICIPATION OR A ROLE IN THAT SITUATION.
AND SO, AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, I, AGAIN, I HOPE THAT REFLECTS NOT ONLY YOUR SENTIMENT, BUT I WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT REFLECTS THE SENTIMENT OF THE 1100 PEOPLE THAT I WORK HERE, HERE WITH, AND THAT SERVE YOU EACH AND EVERY DAY.
MR. MAGNER, FOR SPEAKERS WHO MAY STILL WANT TO SPEAK, UM, WE WOULD HAVE SPACE FOR THEM AFTER THE ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST ON THE AGENDA.
[B. REVIEW AND DISCUSS RICHARDSON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT’S 2025 BOND PROGRAM]
ITEM B, REVIEW AND DISCUSS RICHARDSON IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT'S 2025 BOND 2025 BOND PROGRAM.MR. MAGNER, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
UH, WE ARE SO EXCITED TONIGHT TO, UH, WELCOME, UM, OUR RICHARDSON, ISD SUPERINTENDENT, UH, TABITHA BRONO AND HER TEAM, UH, WITH HER IS, UH, DAVID PATE, WHO IS THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCE AND SUPPORT SERVICES, AS WELL AS DR.
MELISSA HELLER, WHO'S THE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF STRATEGY AND ENGAGEMENT.
UM, YOU HAVE A, UH, PRETTY BIG, UH, UH, ITEM ON THE UPCOMING NOVEMBER BALLOT, AND WE ARE JUST A LITTLE ONE.
WE ARE SO HERE, UH, SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE SO THAT, UH, WE CAN HELP EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ON, UH, THE DECISIONS THAT THEY'LL BE MAKING, UH, IN JUST A COUPLE OF SATURDAYS.
SO, TABITHA, IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
YOU AND YOUR WHOLE TEAM ARE SUCH GOOD PARTNERS TO THE CITY.
UH, IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO, UH, TO HAVE YOU COME AND, AND PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT.
SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR FURTHER BRIEFING.
WELL, WE ARE BEYOND GRATEFUL, UM, THAT YOU ALLOWED TIME ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT FOR US TO SHARE THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
UM, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU MAYOR, AND THANK YOU CITY COUNCIL, UM, AND CITY STAFF.
IT'S, IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE HERE WITH YOU TONIGHT.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, RICHARDSON, ISD, UM, WE HAVE HAD A HISTORY, UM, REALLY SINCE THE MID 1990S WHERE WE BEGAN TO MOVE TO A PRETTY PREDICTABLE CYCLE FOR OUR BONDS.
PRETTY MUCH A BOND EVERY FIVE YEARS.
AND REALLY THAT WAS IN ANTICIPATION EVEN IN THE MID NINETIES, UM, A RECOGNITION THAT AS FUNDING WAS GETTING TIGHTER, UM, THAT WE WERE NEEDING TO LOOK AT CREATIVE WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD ENOUGH CAPACITY AND THAT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION BUDGET WHERE WE COULD REALLY, UM, ADEQUATELY FUND OUR PROGRAMS AND PROVIDE FOR DEEP LEVELS OF COMPENSATION.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE BEGAN TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES LIKE OUR BAND INSTRUMENTS, UNIFORMS, SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO UPDATE ON A REGULAR BASIS, MOVING THOSE MORE INTO THAT BOND.
UM, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, PRETTY MUCH EVERY FIVE YEARS WE STAND IN FRONT OF YOU COMMUNICATING TO YOU AND OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY WHAT INVESTMENTS, UM, WE ARE PRO ARE ASKING THE, THE, THE, UH, COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT AS WE THINK ABOUT THE NEXT, UH, YOU KNOW, 50 YEARS IN RICHARDSON, ISD.
THIS BOND IN PARTICULAR IS A SIGNIFICANT BOND, AND IT IS TOTALING $1.4 BILLION.
SO I WANNA SHARE JUST BRIEFLY HOW WE GOT HERE.
WE HAD OVER 63 COMMUNITY MEMBERS SIT IN A ROOM, UM, AS YOU AS THE CITY DOES WHEN YOU GO THROUGH AND THINK ABOUT A PROCESS, UH, A A POTENTIAL BOND PROCESS.
UM, THEY WORKED FROM APRIL UNTIL AUGUST.
I THINK WE EVEN HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE THAT WERE ON THAT BOND PROCESS.
AND REALLY IT IS AN EXTENSIVE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS IN WHICH WE EVALUATE WHERE WE'VE BEEN, WE EVALUATE WHERE WE WANT TO BE AND WHAT ARE THOSE GAPS AND HOW DO WE LEVERAGE THIS BOND TO FILL IN THOSE GAPS.
IT WAS A VERY DIVERSE BOND THAT CONSISTED OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, CURRENT PARENTS, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WERE FORMER PARENTS.
WE HAD STAFF MEMBERS, WE HAD BUSINESS PARTNERS.
SO IT REALLY, UH, REFLECTED A DI DIVERSE GROUP.
AND THEY HAD LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND REALLY HEALTHY DEBATE AROUND WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE MOVING FORWARD IN THIS BOND.
UM, AGAIN, PART OF THE PROCESS REALLY WAS A CONSENSUS MODEL.
WE KNEW WITH THAT MANY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM, GETTING EVERYONE TO AGREE A HUNDRED PERCENT ON EVERY ITEM WAS PROBABLY NOT SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING TO BE LIKELY.
BUT WE REALLY DID WANNA STRIVE FOR CONSENSUS.
WE WANTED THE MAJORITY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE PARTICIPANTS TO, TO REALLY SUPPORT AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CERTAIN ITEMS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN THE BOND.
SO WHERE DID WE LAND? UM, WE DID LAND ON A BOND THAT IS TOTALING $1.4 BILLION, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, PER, UH, TEXAS LAW, WE ARE REQUIRED BASED UPON THE CONTENTS OF THAT BOND TO POTENTIALLY SE SEPARATE THEM INTO REFERENDUMS. AND FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THAT REFLECTED IN THESE THREE REFERENDUMS. PROPOSITION A IS OUR CONSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
PROPOSITION B IS OUR TECHNOLOGY DEVICES, AND PROPOSITION C IS OUR STADIUM UPGRADES.
AND I'LL TALK ABOUT EACH OF THESE, UM, BRIEFLY IN OUR OVERVIEWS.
UM, AND AS WE GO THROUGH THE NEXT THREE SLIDES.
[00:40:01]
A IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT, UH, PROPOSITION THAT WE ARE BRINGING FORWARD WITH OVER $1.3 BILLION.I'M GONNA ACTUALLY START ON THE RIGHT WITH TEACHING AND, UM, AND STUDENT SUPPORT.
THESE ARE REALLY THE ITEMS THAT YOU PROBABLY ARE MOST FAMILIAR WITH AND WE'VE HAD IN EVERY BOND SINCE THOSE MID 1990S.
THESE ARE THINGS LIKE OUR BAND UNIFORMS THAT LAST OVER 10 YEARS, AND THEY SMELL EVERY BIT OF THOSE 10 YEARS OF MARCHING BAND NIGHTS.
UM, THERE ARE INSTRUMENTS, THERE ARE, UM, ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT, THERE ARE MICROSCOPES OR GRAPHING CALCULATORS.
THERE ARE EVERYTHING THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN THOSE CLASSROOMS THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO LAST, UM, YOU KNOW, A A AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, USUALLY ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE TO 10 YEARS, UM, ON THE OPPOSITE END OR INFRASTRUCTURE AND SAFETY.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF, YOU DRIVE BY A CAMPUS AND YOU DON'T REALLY NOTICE THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS BEEN, HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY INSTRUMENTAL INTO HAVING A FUNCTIONING CAMPUS.
THINGS LIKE HVAC ROOFING, MAKING SURE THAT, UM, OUR BUSES, UM, WE TRANSPORT, UM, THOUSANDS OF, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS WITH OUR PRE-K THREE AND FOUR PROGRAM.
AND THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE SPECIAL HARNESSES ON OUR BUSES.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUSES ARE UPGRADED.
WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE WORKING A ED MACHINES, UM, AT EVERY ONE OF OUR LOCATIONS AND OUR ATHLETIC LOCATIONS.
AND AGAIN, THOSE NEED TO BE REPLACED.
SO AGAIN, JUST REALLY MAKING SURE THAT, UM, THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR BUILDINGS ALSO MATCH THE QUALITY OF, OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT WE WANT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF.
REALLY WHAT'S KIND OF NEW IS WHAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE REPRESENTED IN THE MIDDLE.
AND I'M GONNA START FROM THE BOTTOM UP ON THAT MIDDLE LIST.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER IS A GEM THAT IS NEXT TO BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, AND I ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY, IF YOU NOT HAD A CHANCE TO GO SEE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER, TO STOP BY AND SEE IT.
UM, BUT IT REALLY IS THIS LITTLE HAVEN THAT IS NEXT TO BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY.
WE HAVE AN ACTUAL OUTDOOR CLASSROOM THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OLD AND HAS NOT BEEN INVESTED IN A LITTLE BIT, BUT THOSE CLASSROOMS HOLD ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES.
IT REALLY IS THE INTERSECTION OF SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES AND BRINGING THAT TO LIFE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND ONE OF THE EXPERIENCES AS WE THINK ABOUT ENTERPRISE CITY 2.0 AND TO BE LIKE ME AND NOW THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER, IT WAS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR BOND STEERING COMMITTEE SAID WE WANTED TO INVEST IN.
WHAT MAKES RICHARDSON ISD AND THE CITY OF RICHARDSON SPECIAL, AND THAT IS SOMETHING LIKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
THE NEXT ONE ABOVE IS THE CTE CENTER.
AND REALLY, THIS IS THE ONE I'VE PROBABLY SEEN THE MOST CHATTER ON SOCIAL MEDIA TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS THE CTE CENTER, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE, WHAT PROGRAMS WOULD IT HOUSE? UM, SO THE CTE CENTER WOULD BE LOCATED ON GREENVILLE AVENUE NEXT TO OUR RICHARDSON OPERATIONS CENTER RIGHT ACROSS FROM WESTLAND.
AND IT WOULD REALLY SERVE SIMILAR TO OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, RICHARDSON METHODIST HOSPITAL, UM, WHERE ITS FOCUS WOULD BE ON PROVIDING THOSE CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PATHWAYS.
AND I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT PATHWAYS LIKE TRADES, UM, HVAC, MANUFACTURING, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, UM, WELDING PROGRAMS THAT TAKE AN INTENSIVE AMOUNT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND INDUSTRY LEVEL EQUIPMENT.
ALSO, IT REQUIRES A HIGH LEVEL OF STAFFING WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE THE, THE CREDENTIALS TO BE ABLE TO CREDENTIAL OUR STUDENTS.
REALLY, YOU CANNOT REPLICATE THAT AT ALL FOUR OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
NUMBER ONE, WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING.
NUMBER TWO, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE REAL ESTATE.
UM, AND ALSO WHEN YOU TRY TO, UH, SPREAD THOSE PROGRAM PROGRAMS AGAINST ALL FOUR HIGH SCHOOLS, THAT'S HARD TO HAVE THE NUMBERS THAT YOU NEED IN ALL OF THE COURSES TO MAKE ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS MAKE.
SO HAVING A CENTRALIZED SITE, UM, ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE A CENTRAL LOCATION.
ALL FOUR CAMPUSES CAN ACCESS THAT.
THIS IS NOT A FIFTH HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, STUDENTS WOULD TRAVEL THERE JUST FOR THESE SPECIFIC CTE COURSES AND THEN TAKE THE REST OF THEIR CORE CLASSES BACK AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL.
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE WITH OUR HEALTHCARE SCIENCE PROGRAM, THERE ARE SOME PROGRAMS WHERE WE'VE INVESTED THAT WILL STAY AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, LIKE OUR COSMETOLOGY LABS AND BARBERING CLASSES, OUR, UM, CULINARY PROGRAMS, SOME OF OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAMS. SO THERE ARE STILL SOME PROGRAMS THAT ARE GONNA STAY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, BUT THOSE THAT REALLY REQUIRE A HIGH LEVEL OF VERY SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT, THOSE WOULD BE TARGETED FOR THE CTE CENTER.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ONLY ONE, UM, WE'RE THE ONLY SIX A DISTRICT IN THE METROPLEX THAT DOES NOT HAVE A CTE CENTER.
AS YOU KNOW, PLANO, ISD WILL BE ACTUALLY OPENING THEIRS FOR 26 27.
UM, SO THE COMMITTEE REALLY, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT COMPETITION, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE PATHWAYS WHERE OUR STUDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THAT HIGH WAGE, HIGH DEMAND, HIGH SKILL JOB, WHETHER THEY'RE DIRECTLY ENTERING CAREER OR MAYBE THEY NEED THIS JOB WHERE THEY'RE PURSUING, THAT TWO YEAR OR FOUR YEAR DEGREE, WE BELIEVE IS AN INST INSTRU, UH, A REALLY INSTRUMENTAL PART OF CLOSING UP OUR OFFERINGS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THIS NEXT ONE DOES NOT SEEM EXCITING, BUT I HAVE
[00:45:01]
YET TO PRESENT TO ANY STAFF.I WAS AT SPRING CREEK THIS MORNING, UM, IN WHICH I GOT A STANDING OVATION WHEN I PRESENTED THAT OUR, ALL OF OUR RESTROOMS FOR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES.
AND THEN, UM, THE MAJORITY OF OUR RESTROOMS AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES ARE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A COMPLETE, UH, REFRESH.
THE AVERAGE AGE OF RICHARDSON ISD FACILITIES ARE 58.8 YEARS OLD, SO JUST LET THAT REGISTER FOR A MINUTE.
UM, I BELIEVE WE HAVE FIVE CAMPUSES THIS YEAR THAT ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 50TH BIRTHDAY OR ANNIVERSARY.
UM, AND OUR BATHROOMS ARE EVERY BIT OF THOSE 50 YEARS.
AND IF YOU THINK NOW, IF, IF YOU WERE TO BUY A HOUSE THAT WAS 50 YEARS OLD, ONE OF THE AREAS YOU WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO REFRESH WOULD BE YOUR RESTROOMS, WHETHER YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PLUMBING UNDERNEATH, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS OPERATING EFFICIENTLY, BUT ALSO JUST THE AESTHETIC AND MAKING SURE THAT IT MATCHES THE, THE ENVIRONMENT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, IF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THE BOND TO BE ABLE TO UPGRADE BOTH STAFF RESTROOMS AS WELL AS STUDENT RESTROOMS. SO AGAIN, I KNOW THAT DOESN'T SEEM EXCITING, BUT I'M TELLING YOU I'VE GOTTEN STANDING OVATIONS.
UM, AND THEN THE LAST THING I JUST WANNA TO, TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, IN NI UH, 20 19, 20 20, UM, RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD A COMMITTEE THAT SPENT OVER A YEAR STUDYING GRADE CONFIGURATIONS.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME, 94, 90 5% OF TEXAS DISTRICTS WERE ON A TRADITIONAL K 5 6 8 MIDDLE SCHOOL, NINE 12 HIGH SCHOOL MODEL.
AND AS A COMMITTEE STUDIED THAT FOR OVER A YEAR, THEY IDENTIFIED THAT OUR CURRENT K 6 7 8, 9 12 WAS A MODEL THAT, UM, HAD SOME CHALLENGES WITH IT.
AND AS WE HAVE NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND NEW EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE NEEDED TO BEGIN TO SHIFT TO A MODEL THAT REALLY MATCHED WHAT THE REST OF THE STATE WAS DOING FROM OUR CURRICULUM.
OUR CURRICULUM IS BUNDLED IN K 5 6 8, 9 12.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT PRE UIL, ATHLETICS BAND, ORCHESTRA CHOIR, UM, THERE ARE JUST NUMEROUS STUDENTS THAT ARE ACCELERATED IN MATH AND SCIENCE, BEING ABLE TO HAVE THOSE IN-PERSON CLASSES RIGHT THERE AT THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.
AGAIN, THEY SPENT A WHOLE YEAR, UM, BRINGING FORWARD A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE TO THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL AS PART OF BOND 2021 LIKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS A COMPLETE, UH, REBUILD.
AND IT OPENED, AND IT'S NOW IN ITS SECOND YEAR IN FOREST MEADOW WAS A COMPLETE RENOVATION.
AND IT'S ALSO IN ITS SECOND YEAR, UM, OF BEING A MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCEPT.
AND WE HAVE SEEN ALREADY SIGNIFICANT, UM, POSITIVE OUTCOMES AND A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THAT.
AND THE BOARD, WHEN THAT RESOLUTION WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE BOARD, THEY MADE A RESOLUTION THAT IN THE NEXT BOND, THEY COMMITTED TO FULFILLING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL FOR THE NORTHERN PART OF THE DISTRICT, WHICH WOULD BE THE NER RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL AND PIERCE LEARNING COMMUNITY.
AND THAT IS WHAT YOU SEE REFLECTED IN THE SIX MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
THESE SIX MIDDLE SCHOOLS WOULD REFLECT $750 MILLION OF THE $1.4 BILLION PROJECT.
UM, APOLLO WOULD BE A COMPLETE RENOVATION, SIMILAR TO WHAT FOREST MEADOW WOULD BE.
LIBERTY WOULD BE A TEAR DOWN REBUILD.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A TEAR DOWN REBUILD, UM, BASICALLY THAT, THAT WHOLE ENTIRE BACK HALF OF THE LIBERTY LANDSCAPE, THAT REAL ESTATE THAT'S BACK THERE, BASICALLY WE'RE BUILDING WHILE SCHOOL IS HAPPENING INSIDE THE BUILDING.
AND THERE'S REALLY LITTLE DISRUPTION, REALLY NO DISRUPTION WHILE THAT IS HAPPENING.
SO THE NEW LIBERTY WOULD KIND OF FACE WHERE FOREST RIDGE IS.
UM, NORTH WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT, UM, REBUILD, UH, I MEAN A SIGNIFICANT, UH, UH, REMODEL.
PARK HILL IS KIND OF A HYBRID.
UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE REAL ESTATE AT PARK HILL JUNIOR HIGH CURRENTLY WAS JUST IDENTIFIED AS BEING A PART, AND YOU KNOW THIS WELL OF A 100 YEAR FLOODPLAIN.
SO YOU'RE VERY LIMITED IN WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION IN A FLOODPLAIN.
UM, AND SO THERE IS A NORTHERN PART THAT THAT IS RIGHT ACROSS FROM BRENT FIELD ELEMENTARY, IN WHICH WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PUT SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION THERE AND THEN RENOVATE THE CURRENT PARK HILL, UM, TO AT MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FULFILLING, UM, SOME OF OUR ATHLETIC REQUIREMENTS, ADDING A SECOND GYM FOR THE STORM SHELTER, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
WESTWOOD WILL BE A COMPLETE TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD.
UM, AND THEN WEST, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IS INCREDIBLY COMPLEX, UM, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF REAL ESTATE AT WEST.
YOU HAVE, UH, THE JUNIOR HIGH, YOU HAVE THE MAX, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE HIGH SCHOOL, UH, WHICH IS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF EVALUATING TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS, WHAT A REBUILD MIGHT LOOK LIKE, AS WELL AS WHAT A COMPLETE RENOVATION WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND TRYING TO EVALUATE BOTH IN TERMS OF COST AS WELL AS FOR STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND STUDENT IMPACT, WHAT IS GONNA BE THE BEST OPTION, UM, AND THE MOST FEASIBLE OPTION AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, FOR THAT, FOR, FOR WEST SOLUTION.
UM, THIS WOULD, IF AGAIN, IF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED, UM, BOND 2025, THIS
[00:50:01]
WOULD ALLOW US TO OPEN THE OTHER SIX MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN AUGUST OF 2028.UM, NOW I KNOW WE ALL THINK ABOUT HOW WE MUCH, WE LOVE OUR SIXTH GRADERS SOMETIMES BEING AT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND I HAVE A FIFTH GRADER, AS YOU KNOW, IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND SO I RECOGNIZE WHAT THAT MEANS TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SAFETY OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I WILL ALSO SHOW THAT DEVELOPMENTALLY, IF WE THINK ABOUT A SIXTH GRADER WITH SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADERS, IT'S FAR DIFFERENT THAN SIXTH GRADERS RIGHT NOW, BEING WITH THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLDS.
UM, AND THE LEVEL OF PROGRAMMING THAT WE OFFER AND THE SUPPORTS, THE COUNSELING SUPPORTS THAT WE OFFER IN THAT TRANSITION, WE FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED AT LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL AND FOREST MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, AND BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE NEXT TRAJECTORY, UM, FOR RICHARDSON, ISD.
I WILL GO MUCH QUICKER FOR PROP B AND PROP C.
THESE ARE MUCH MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD, AS YOU KNOW.
UM, WE HAVE 43,000 HUMANS THAT WALK IN AND OUT OF OUR BUILDINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
UM, AND A BIG PART OF THAT REQUIREMENT IS LOOKING AT DEVICES AND MAKING SURE OUR DEVICES NOT ONLY HAVE, UM, THE CAPABILITIES THAT WE NEED TO ENGAGE IN HIGH LEVELS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING, BUT THEY'RE ALSO SAFE AND THAT THEY CAN HANDLE THE CYBER CYBERSECURITY MEASURES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS, UM, AND ALL OF OUR DEVICES.
SO YOU CAN SEE, UM, HERE HIGHLIGHTED BOTH TEACHER AND STUDENT DEVICES, CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE COMPUTERS THAT ARE, UM, CAD SOFTWARE AND OTHER SOFTWARE PROGRAMS, UM, YOU KNOW, GRAPHICS, ANIMATION, UM, THAT WOULD ALSO BE UPDATED.
I MISS THE CARD CATALOG DAYS, BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE DON'T USE THOSE ANYMORE.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, WE MAINTAIN THAT LEVEL OF HIGH QUALITY, UH, DEVICES IN ALL OF THOSE AREAS.
THAT IS $54 MILLION OF THE $1.4 BILLION.
UM, FINALLY, UM, PROPOSITION C FOR ANY STADIUM OR ATHLETIC VENUE THAT HOLDS MORE THAN A THOUSAND STUDENTS OR A THOUSAND SPECTATORS, WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT ON A SEPARATE PROPOSITION.
SO IN THIS PROPOSITION, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE UPGRADES FOR WILDCAT RAM STADIUM AND FOR EAGLE MUSTANG.
NOW, I'M GONNA SAY THIS NUMBER LIKE THREE TIMES BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO, OR WILDCAT OR RAM WILDCAT, MUSTANG EAGLE, DEPENDING UPON WHO YOU MIGHT HAVE ALLEGIANCE TO.
UM, I WANT, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HEARS THIS NUMBER, 7.4 MILLION, 7.4 MILLION, 7.4 MILLION.
WHY DO I REITERATE 7.4 MILLION? UM, BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, BONDS AND SOME OF OUR SURROUNDING AREAS, ONE OF THE PROPOSITIONS THAT WE TEND TO SEE THE MOST MEDIA OR THE MOST CONCERNS ABOUT ARE RELATED DIRECTLY TO ATHLETIC FIELDS.
AND I JUST WANNA ASSURE, UM, THE CITY AND OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT WE ARE NOT TRYING TO REPLICATE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEAUTIFUL, THE ALLEN STADIUM OR THE MCKINNEY STADIUM, THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, THEY'RE AMAZING.
WE ARE NOT TRYING TO REPLICATE THAT.
UM, WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING BY OUR TWO STADIUMS, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THESE ARE BEING DONE OTHER THAN IF YOU GO TO A GAME AND IF YOU GO TO GRADUATION, WE HOLD ALL OF OUR GRADUATIONS AT OUR STADIUMS. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT 80 A DA SEATING UPGRADE UPGRADES, MAKING IT EASIER BOTH MOBILITY WISE, UM, FOR OUR, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE STADIUM, SEE THE GAMES, UM, PARTICIPATE IN GRADUATION TURF REPLACEMENT.
WE HAVE A 10 YEAR TURF REPLACEMENT CYCLE, UM, THAT IS A PART OF INDUSTRY STANDARDS.
AND WE ARE HITTING OUR 10 YEAR REPLACEMENT FOR BOTH OF OUR ATHLETIC FACILITIES.
SO AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT ANYTHING, THIS IS NOT ANYTHING UPDATING OUR PRESS BOXES OR ANYTHING THAT ARE SHINY, YOU KNOW, FUN THINGS.
THESE ARE BASIC SAFETY UPGRADES, UM, THAT WE, WE BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO, TO DO TO MAKE SURE OUR COMMUNITY IS SAFE, UM, AT OUR TWO STADIUMS. I ALSO DO WANNA NOTE THAT IN PROPOSITION A, WE ARE ALSO ADDING, ADDING LED LIGHTS TO ALL OF OUR TENNIS COURTS.
WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THEY WANT LIGHTS ON OUR TENNIS COURTS.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT PICKLEBALL, BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO ALLOW US TO HAVE, UM, TENNIS MATCHES THAT START AND END IN A SAFE MANNER.
UM, EVEN WHEN WE DO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SUNSET, OUR KIDS CAN STILL BE SAFE FINISHING THEIR MATCHES AND OF COURSE, HEADING TO THEIR, UM, THEIR TRANSPORTATION.
ON OUR WEBSITE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE POTENTIALLY WHERE YOUR NEAREST SCHOOL, WHAT SPECIFIC UPGRADES THEY WOULD BE RECEIVING AS PART OF BOND 2025.
THERE'S A DOT MATRIX CHART AVAILABLE, AND LITERALLY SCHOOL BY SCHOOL, YOU CAN GO AND SEE SPECIFICALLY, UM, WHAT THAT SCHOOL WOULD BE RECEIVING AS PART OF BOND 2025.
WE RECOGNIZE, AGAIN, THIS IS A $1.4 BILLION BOND.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS WOULD BE A 4 CENT INCREASE ON OUR PROPERTY TAX RATE.
UM, WE WANTED TO, UH, ILLUSTRATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UM, BASED UPON WHAT THEIR INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY VALUE MIGHT BE.
THE AVERAGE IN RICHARDSON ISD IS RIGHT ABOUT $500,000, UM, IN THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
[00:55:01]
ON THEIR, UH, THEIR ANNUAL INCREASE AND A MONTHLY INCREASE OF $10 AND 33 CENTS.IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS DOES INCLUDE THE TWO, UM, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS THAT ARE ALSO ON THE, UH, THE BALLOT ON NOVEMBER 4TH THAT ARE FOR AN INCREASE BOTH IN THE, UH, OVER 65 AS WELL AS FOR A PROPERTY OR, UM, ANY PROPERTY OWNER THAT WOULD SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR OBS OPTIONAL HOMESTEAD.
AND SO WE'VE ALREADY CALCULATED THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE A POSITIVE PRESUPPOSITION THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE GONNA SUPPORT THOSE TWO, UM, THOSE TWO AMENDMENTS.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE REFLECTED.
I ALSO WANNA NOTE THAT FOR OUR OVER 65, UM, HOMEOWNERS, THEY ARE NOT IMPACTED AS LONG AS ALL THEIR PAPERWORK IS UP TO DATE AND FILED.
THEY ARE NOT IMPACTED BY THE 4 CENT TAX INCREASE BECAUSE THEIR PROPERTY, UM, TAXES ARE, UM, FROZEN.
WE RECOGNIZE EVEN ON THIS KIND OF SEE WHERE WE FALL IN COMPARISON TO OUR COMPARISON DISTRICTS.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS RIGHT HERE BECAUSE, UM, OUR BOARD JUST, UM, IN OUR LAST MEETING, ADOPTED OUR 25 26 TAX RATE.
IT WAS THE SAME AS IT WAS, UM, THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND IT'S THE LOWEST IT'S BEEN IN OVER 20 YEARS.
WHILE I SAY THAT, I ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT OUR COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE THEY, AND THEY KNOW THEY ARE WRITING, UM, YOU KNOW, HIGHER, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, KNOW PROPERTY TAX CHECKS EVERY MONTH BECAUSE THEIR PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP.
BUT I JUST WANNA ASSURE THEM IT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE TAXING AT A HIGHER LEVEL, IT'S BECAUSE PROPERTY VALUES ARE INCREASING.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE A 4 CENT INCREASE, BUT IT WOULD STILL BE AT ONE OF THE LOWEST LEVELS THAT IT'S BEEN IN OVER 20 YEARS.
THE LAST THING I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO ILLUSTRATE.
UM, WHEN WE HEAR THAT BILLION DOLLAR, UM, THAT THAT BILLION DOLLAR AMOUNT, AGAIN, IT, WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT.
UM, AND I WANTED TO JUST BRING FORWARD FOR, FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THESE ARE SOME OF OUR MOST RECENT, UM, BONDS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND OUR SURROUNDING DISTRICTS.
AND YOU KIND OF SEE THE TALE OF TWO COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? YOU SEE A PROSPER AND A SALINA AND A NORTHWEST IN WHICH THEY ARE BUILDING AND ADDING NEW FACILITIES, TWO TO THREE NEW SCHOOLS A YEAR TO KEEP UP WITH THEIR GROWTH.
AND THEN YOU SEE DISTRICTS LIKE A DALLAS, A PLANO, A GARLAND IN A LEWISVILLE THAT ALSO HAVE PASSED OVER A BILLION DOLLAR BONDS AND THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR.
THEY MIRROR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN RICHARDSON, ISD, THEY HAVE AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, BUT RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO INVEST IN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IF IT'S GONNA LAST US ANOTHER 58.8 YEARS, IF IT'S GOING TO BE.
AND IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE THE DISTRICT THAT RECRUITS RETAINS AND RECOVERS OUR STUDENTS AND KEEPS THEM IN RICHARDSON, ISD OUR, OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR BUILDINGS, OUR FACILITIES NEED TO MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY HOW MUCH WE VALUE EDUCATION AND REFLECT WHAT MODERN DAY LEARNING NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
FURNITURE, I DIDN'T MENTION FURNITURE, THAT'S THE OTHER REASON I GET A STANDING OVATION.
UM, OUR TEACHERS ARE BEYOND EXCITED TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE FURNITURE THAT IS NEW, THAT'S FRESH, THAT'S EASILY MOVED, THAT MATCHES.
UM, SO JUST LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT ARE NOT ONLY A, A FAMILY AND A STUDENT RECRUITING TOOL, BUT THEY'RE ALSO A STAFF RECRUITING TOOL.
UM, WE ALSO, I JUST THINK IT'S SOMETIMES WE DON'T THINK ABOUT, UM, ALSO THE IMPACT ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THE LOCAL ECONOMY WHEN THIS KIND OF INVESTMENT, UM, IS MADE IN THE AREA.
SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE NUMBER OF JOBS THAT ARE GONNA BE GENERATED AS WE ARE BUILDING, UM, OR HAVE THE POTENTIAL, UM, IF PASSED, UM, TO BUILD SIX MIDDLE SCHOOLS, UM, THE RENOVATIONS THAT WILL BE HAPPENING FROM THE RESTROOMS TO THE PURCHASE OF NEW MATERIAL.
SO JUST THE, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT TO THE CITY OF RICHARDSON AND, AND, AND OUR, UH, NEIGHBORS, THE CITY OF DALLAS AND CITY OF GARLAND ARE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AND WE JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT FORWARD.
I WILL JUST LEAVE IT WITH EARLY VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 20TH.
ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, AS EVERYONE KNOW, TODAY WAS THE LAST DAY.
I SEE WE HAVE OUR FRIENDS WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THEM.
AND, UM, ANYTIME THAT THEY'RE THERE WITH OUR STUDENTS, WITH OUR STAFF, WITH OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE REGISTERED SO THEY CAN, UM, THEY CAN, UH, MAKE SURE TO, TO, TO ACCESS AND TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE.
SO ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH WEBSITE.
WE HAVE A DYNAMIC SET OF FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
SO AT EVERY PRESENTATION WE GIVE, IF WE HAVE A QUESTION THAT IS NOT ALREADY, UM, ASKED, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE PRESENT IT ON OUR WEBSITE SO THAT WE, UM, REALLY ARE GIVING THE COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO SEE AND, AND HAVE THEIR VOICES REFLECTED.
WE HAVE LOTS OF, UH, BOND INFORMATION MEETINGS STILL LEFT TO GO.
I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN A TRAVELING ROAD SHOW, BUT IF WE HAVE A COMMUNITY MEMBER, IF THERE IS A BUSINESS PARTNER, ANYONE THAT MEETS, THEY WANNA MEET ME AT STARBUCKS AND HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT, TO HELP EDUCATE THEM, INFORM THEM ON BOND 2025.
UH, AND WITH THAT, AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
I THANK OUR COMMUNITY FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
I LOVE RICHARDSON, ISD, AND I'M SO PROUD OF THE BOND
[01:00:01]
STEERING COMMITTEE IN THEIR HEART THAT THAT WENT INTO BRINGING THIS FORWARD.AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
BRANDON, UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, COUNCIL MEMBER DUANE.
UH, OBVIOUSLY, UH, THE ENERGY IS VERY HIGH AND, AND VERY, YOU SEEM VERY, UH, PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
ARE THERE ANY PLANS ON THE EXISTING, UH, SCHOOL CLOSURES, UH, THE, I MEAN, WHAT'S, WHAT'S PROJECTED OR WHAT, WHAT ARE SOME THOUGHTS BEHIND THAT, JUST FOR THE PEOPLE? ABSOLUTELY.
SO IF I, IF I MAY, I'LL ADDRESS THAT FROM TWO SIDES.
FIRST, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THE CAMPUSES THAT WERE CONSOLIDATED.
UM, EVERY ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS HAS BEEN REPURPOSED IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY, WHETHER YOU LOOK AT JOBY, WHICH IS NOW A CITY OF DALLAS, AND DALLAS COUNTY, AND RICHARDSON, ISD COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, WHERE WE'RE HELP, UH, UM, HELPING TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO THAT ENTIRE ESPERANZA CORRIDOR.
UM, AND THAT INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BEEN FUNDED THROUGH DALLAS COUNTY AND THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, OR YOU LOOK AT, UM, GREENWOOD HILLS LEARNING CENTER, WHICH IS NOW HOW, UH, UH, HOUSING ARE TO BE LIKE ME PROGRAM.
WE ARE BRINGING BACK ENTERPRISE CITY 2.0.
UM, AND SO YOU ASK, UM, RICHARDSON, ISD GRADUATES, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY WILL ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IS ENTERPRISE CITY.
ONE OF OUR GRADUATE PROFILE SKILLS IS THAT FINANCIAL LITERACY.
SO WE'RE SO PROUD THAT WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING THAT BACK, AND THAT WILL BE HOUSED AT GREENWOOD HILLS AS WELL AS OUR, UM, PTA PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE, THE DRESS AND, UM, PROM SHOP.
UM, THURGOOD MARSHALL HAS BEEN REPURPOSED, AND IT IS NOW OUR COMBINED, UM, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION CENTER AND OUR ACCELERATED HIGH SCHOOL.
WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN EFFICIENCIES BY HAVING ONE PRINCIPAL, UM, COUNSELOR EFFICIENCIES AND HAVING THEM AT ONE SITE.
UM, SPRING VALLEY LEARNING CENTER IS NOW HOUSES OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING STAFF.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO SELL EXCESS PROPERTY AT SHERMAN, AND THAT WAS PART OF OUR PROJECT RIGHT SIZE WAS TO IDENTIFY EXCESS PROPERTY AND SELL THAT.
UM, AND WE, UM, EXCEEDED OUR $10 MILLION PROJECTION FOR THAT.
AND WERE ABLE TO, UM, HELP SUPPLANT OUR, UM, OUR SURPLUS, I MEAN OUR, OUR DEFICIT BUDGETS AS WE ARE, YOU KNOW, HANDLING AND ADDRESSING THESE DEFICIT BUDGETS THAT WE'RE ADOPTING.
SO ALL OF OUR, AND THEN SPRING RIDGE IS NOW OUR THIRD EMPLOYEE DAYCARE.
UM, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO ALMOST TAKE EVERY ONE OF OUR, UM, EMPLOYEES THAT HAD A A, A BABY ON THE, ON THE WAIT LIST.
AND THAT'S FOR OUR SIX WEEK TO THREE YEAR OLDS.
UM, AND IT HAS BEEN ONE OF WHAT WE THINK IS, UH, A KEY BENEFIT THAT HAS BROUGHT OUR TURNOVER RATE FROM OVER 18% 10 YEARS AGO TO, UM, RIGHT UNDER, UH, RIGHT OVER 11%, 11.54% RIGHT NOW.
NOW, I HAVE HAD SOME QUESTIONS AROUND IF WE'RE BUILDING MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND MOVING SIXTH GRADE TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, ISN'T THAT GONNA MEAN WE'RE GONNA LEAVE A LOT OF EXCESS CAPACITY AT OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES? WELL, TWO THINGS I WANNA REMIND OUR COMMUNITY.
WHEN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, OUR JUNIOR HIGHS WERE ONCE 7, 8, 9 BUILDINGS WHEN THEY WERE 7, 8, 9 BUILDINGS.
THE ENROLLMENT OF RICHARDSON ISD WAS NOT AT THAT 30,000 MARK.
UM, AND SO EVEN THOUGH, YES, WE ARE NOT, UM, WE ARE NOT STILL A GROWING DISTRICT, WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GONNA BE A, A PLATEAUED ENROLLMENT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 35 AND 36,500 STUDENTS.
UM, WHICH AGAIN, IS BIGGER THAN WHAT WE WERE WHEN WE WERE 7, 8, 9 BUILDINGS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE PROGRAMMING THAT IS NEEDED NOW FOR THAT 6, 7, 8, WHETHER IT'S SPECIAL EDUCATION, CTE CLASSES, OUR ATHLETIC REQUIREMENTS, THOSE CAMPUSES WERE GONNA NEED TO BE UPDATED ANYWAYS.
UM, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE EVERY BIT OF THE 58.8 YEARS.
SO THIS IS AN INVESTMENT IN THAT LONG-TERM PIECE.
AT OUR ELEMENTARIES, ANY CAMPUSES THAT WE HAVE, UM, ADDITIONAL, UM, CAPACITY, WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING PRE-K THREE AND FOUR AND IT'S COMMUNITY TUITION ACCESSIBLE.
UM, SO WE HAVE NO CONCERN THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO BACKFILL SOME OF THOSE OPEN CLASSROOMS, UM, AND PROBABLY HELP INCREASE OUR ENROLLMENT AND HOPEFULLY INCREASE THE PATHWAY FOR KIDS WANTING TO STAY IN RSD BECAUSE THEY'RE STARTING WITH THAT THREE AND FOUR.
WELL, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'VE BEEN ASKED IS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, UH, UH, EXISTING CLOSURES, UH, COULD THEY HAVE BEEN RETROFITTED? I KNOW THEY CAN'T OPERATE AS A MIDDLE SCHOOL NOW, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT THEY COULD HAVE BEEN RETROFITTED TO EXPAND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, PROGRAM, 'CAUSE I THINK I WAS ACTUALLY A PART OF THAT AS WELL GROWING UP.
YOU KNOW, IT GOT, WE GOT SWITCHED RIGHT ABOUT YES.
SO I UNDERSTAND HOW THOSE HAVE TO BE HOUSED.
SO I JUST, JUST FOR THE PEOPLE LISTENING, ABSOLUTELY.
SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD ADDRESS.
SO I MEAN, UL ULTIMATELY THE, THE SIX JUNIOR HIGHS, UM, THE CURRENT JUNIOR HIGHS THAT WE HAVE, WE KNEW WERE THE IDEAL SITES BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE SEVEN, EIGHT, WE ALREADY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF SOME OF THE BAND,
[01:05:01]
ORCHESTRA AND THE ATHLETICS.SO FOR THE RENOVATIONS, IT MADE SENSE TO JUST THEN ADD THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS NEEDED, AS WELL AS UPDATE THE REST OF THE CAMPUS TO REFLECT WHAT LEARNING LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
UM, AND THEN ALSO, UM, THE, SOME OF THE TEAR DOWNS, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE'S BEEN INSIDE LIBERTY, UM, BUT EVEN IF WE WEREN'T MOVING TO A MIDDLE SCHOOL MODEL, UM, WE WOULD RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD LIBERTY.
IT WOULD ACTUALLY, LIKE LAKE HIGHLANDS JUNIOR HIGH, IT WOULD COST MORE TO RENOVATE THAN IT IS TO TEAR DOWN AND REBUILD BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE BUILDING JUST DOES NOT WORK FOR LEARNING, UM, THAT WE NEED IN 2025.
UM, THE, THE ELEMENTARIES THAT WERE CONSOLIDATED, UM, THOSE WERE NOT IDEAL SITES.
UM, THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH REAL ESTATE.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH LAND THAT THEY WOULD SERVE AS VIABLE OPTIONS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
AND ONE LAST QUESTION, UM, CAN YOU SPEAK ON BEHALF OF WHAT IS, UM, HAPPENING AT THE CORNER OF, BETWEEN ON WALNUT, BETWEEN ABRAMS AND GREENVILLE? YES, I'M HAPPY TOO HERE.
UM, SO THAT SITE THAT WE ARE SPEAKING OF ON GREENVILLE ABRAMS, RIGHT ACROSS FROM, FROM WESTLAND AND RIGHT DOWN FROM OUR OPERATION CENTER, THERE IS A FENCE GOING UP AND YOU'RE GONNA SEE, UM, MOVEMENT OF DIRT.
THAT IS NOT BECAUSE WE ARE BUILDING A CTE CENTER IN ADVANCE OF KNOWING THE OUTCOMES OF THE NOVEMBER, UM, BOND ELECTION.
THAT IS ACTUALLY ATMOS ENERGY REACHED OUT TO US.
THEY NEEDED SOME, UM, REAL ESTATE TO LAY DOWN SOME OF THEIR EQUIPMENT WHILE THEY ARE GOING THROUGH THE 6 35, UM, PROJECT.
AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO LEASE THEM THAT SPACE.
UM, I DON'T, I THINK I'M AT LIBERTY TO, IT'S, I'M AT LIBERTY TO SHARE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WHICH AGAIN, WAS A GREAT REVENUE GENERATOR AND WHAT WE KNOW IS A DEFICIT BUDGET.
UM, SO THERE'S NO CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING THERE THAT IS SIMPLY, UH, AN EQUIPMENT LAY DOWN FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
WELL, GREG, I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
YOU ALREADY TOUCHED ON IT ON, UM, THE PARTNERSHIPS YOU'VE DONE WITH SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT CLOSED, BUT I WANNA SAY THANK YOU.
I KNOW MYSELF AND MAYOR WE'RE AT THE, UH, ISN'T IT AMAZING THE LAUNCH OF 20 OVER ON THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER AT, UH, ADOBE? YEAH.
AND TO SEE THE ESP ESPANZA PROJECT COME START TO COME TO LIFE.
AND SO THANK YOU FOR CON YOUR CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH THAT AND OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I'M VERY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT PART OF THIS, UM, IS TO BRING THE REST OF THE JUNIOR HIGHS INTO MIDDLE SCHOOLS AS SOMEBODY WHO WENT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I, I GUESS IT WAS 91 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, 90, UH, I WAS IN SIXTH GRADE AND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO THAT THIS BLOW MY MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL A LITTLE BEHIND ON THAT, SO I'M SO GLAD BETWEEN THAT AND THE CTE CENTER, THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING IN RSD RIGHT NOW.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR, FOR Y'ALL'S LEADERSHIP IN THAT.
UM, THE, IN REGARDS TO THE, TO THE, UH, PARTNERSHIP AND SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS Y'ALL ARE DOING IN THE COMMUNITY, I DID, UH, HEAR FROM A COUPLE PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AS YOU KNOW, THESE, WHEN, WHEN ONCE PEOPLE START TALKING, THIS QUESTIONS START HAPPENING ABOUT ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
I KNOW YOU'RE IN A PARTICULARLY, UM, UNIQUE POSITION OVER AT WEST AND BECAUSE OF THE LAND, UH, I KNOW THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT LOT THAT USED TO BELONG TO THE CHURCH AND SOME OF THE STUFF LIKE THAT.
UH, I JUST ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE IN THE PATH YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITH COMMUNITY COMMUNICATING, UM, WITH THE COMMUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO LIGHTING AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.
'CAUSE IT IS A TIGHT AREA AND I KNOW THE TENNIS COURTS AS WELL JUST CONTINUE TO WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
WE RECOGNIZE FOR ANY OF OUR TEAR DOWN REBUILDS, WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.
AND, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR AT, YOU KNOW, LAKE HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE HAD INDIVIDUALS WHO BROUGHT, BOUGHT THEIR HOUSE BECAUSE IT EITHER LOOKED AT OR FACED OR BACKED UP TO GREEN SPACE.
UM, AND THEN SUDDENLY HERE WE ARE.
UM, WHEN YOU DO A REBUILD, YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO USE THAT GREEN REAL ESTATE TO BUILD YOUR NEW BUILDING.
UM, AND SO WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO BE VERY SENSITIVE AND WORK ALONGSIDE SHOW RENDERINGS, TAKE INPUT, MAKE ADJUSTMENTS, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A, A, A COMMITMENT TO, YOU KNOW, THAT GREENERY TREES, MAKING SURE THAT IT STILL IS A IS IS SOMETHING THAT AESTHETICALLY IS STILL SOMETHING VERY PLEASING TO LOOK AT BECAUSE WE DO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS A CHANGE.
UM, AND SO WE STAY ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE INVESTED IN, SUPPORTED THE DISTRICT, AND, AND WE WANNA KEEP THEM AS OUR FRIEND.
WELL, I, I KNOW FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN, UH, AS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF RISD AND A FORMER TEACHER, AND ALSO AS A PARENT AND PTA MEMBER, I, UM, I, I JUST, I'VE SEEN IT AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT YOU'LL CONTINUE THAT PATH.
COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE, UH, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, REALLY INTERESTING, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE CORRECTION ON RAM WILDCAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS THE RISD GRADUATE UP HERE, I WANNA SAY THAT ENTERPRISE CITY WAS JUST AN EPIC PART OF MY EXPERIENCE AS A STUDENT.
SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT IT'S COMING BACK.
[01:10:01]
COMING BACK.I MEAN, IT, IT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF SORT OF JUST LEARNING HOW TO BUY THINGS AND TO HAVE A JOB AND HOW TO INTERACT.
I MEAN, IT REALLY, DID IT SERVE, IT WAS A REALLY FUN DAY AS A KID, BUT IT SERVED A REALLY IMPORTANT PURPOSE TOO.
UM, SAME THING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT THAT'S GETTING LOVED BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT'S HIDDEN BACK THERE.
AND IT'S A REALLY COOL PLACE, AGAIN, AS A KID, A REALLY COOL PLACE TO GO, UH, ON A FIELD TRIP AND LEARN, UH, AND BE OUT IN NATURE AND, AND OUTSIDE.
IT'S A REALLY GREAT ASSET FOR THE DISTRICT.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE CLARITY ON, UH, PROP CI HAD HEARD SOME, SOME STUFF AROUND THAT.
SO THAT IS REALLY, UM, IMPORTANT CLARITY AND I, I APPRECIATE YOU GIVING THAT TO US.
AND I JUST, LASTLY, I WANNA SAY I THINK THE CTE CENTERS IS GREAT.
UM, I'VE SERVED ON THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND THE BUSINESS COMMITTEE FOR, UM, THE, THE COUNCIL.
AND WHAT WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT IS HOW WE'RE LACKING TRAITS.
UM, AND IT'S NOT JUST A LOCAL ISSUE, IT'S A NATIONWIDE ISSUE.
AND SO IT'S A SUPER IMPORTANT, UM, THAT WE PROVIDE PATHWAYS, UH, TO STUDENTS WHO, UH, YOU KNOW, COLLEGE MAY NOT BE FOR THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT A TRADE IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO THEM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.
UM, AND SO IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THOSE, THOSE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S A REALLY, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A CHEAP PROGRAM TO BUILD AS YOU'VE POINTED OUT, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S ESSENTIAL, UM, FOR BOTH THE STUDENTS AND QUITE FRANKLY, JUST FOR THE ECONOMY IN GENERAL.
UM, AND I THINK THERE ARE REALLY GREAT PROGRAMS TOO THAT YOU CAN, I'M SURE YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT PARTNERING WITH, YOU KNOW, COLIN COLLEGE AND WITH THE, UH, DALLAS COLLEGE, COLLEGE COLLEGE AND ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
I MEAN, THAT THEY HAVE GREAT PROGRAMS TOO, THAT, THAT THERE'S AMAZING SYNERGY THERE.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT, BUT, UM, ANYWAY, I THINK THAT THAT'S A REALLY GREAT THING THAT YOU HAVE ON PROGRAM AND I JUST WANNA SAY THANKS AS, UH, OUR ISD GRADUATE APPRECIATE IT.
WELL, AND ON THAT NOTE, WE HAD, YOU KNOW, OVER 160 STUDENTS THAT GRADUATED WITH THEIR ASSOCIATES BEFORE THEY EVER WALKED ACROSS A RICHARDSON ISD STAGE.
UM, AND THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY IN RP TECH PROGRAMS, WHICH ARE ALL ABOUT BUILDING THAT INDUSTRY PIPELINE.
WE WANNA BE A PART OF THAT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WHETHER IT'S KIDS GOING RIGHT INTO CAREERS OR MAYBE THEY'RE GOING INTO CAREERS WHILE THEY'RE FINISHING THAT FOUR YEAR DEGREE.
AND I'LL SAY WHEN I WAS A STUDENT, IT WAS A REALLY, UH, DUAL CREDIT.
IT'S, IT'S WAY MORE SORT OF INTEGRATED NOW THAN IT WAS WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
MY MOM WAS GETTING HER ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE AT RICHLAND, AND I GOT TO TAKE CLASSES WITH HER.
WE TOOK BIOLOGY TOGETHER, WE TOOK JUUJITSU.
SHE HATED IT WHEN I WOULD THROW OVER MY SHOULDER.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A REALLY GREAT EXPERIENCE.
IT'S AMAZING TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT CREDIT.
UM, SO IT IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO GRADUATE WITH, WITH SOME CREDIT.
IT MAKES HIGHER EDUCATION A LITTLE MORE ATTAINABLE FOR PEOPLE AS WELL.
UM, SO YEAH, REALLY, REALLY GREAT STUFF YOU'RE DOING.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, REAL QUICK, SO IF I, I WENT TO BIG SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, IF I WANTED TO GO TO THE NATURE CENTER AND JUST, YOU MENTIONED WE COULD POSSIBLY VISIT AND POP IN MM-HMM
WHAT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO DO THAT? OR, WE'LL, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO ANYTIME.
UM, AND SEE IT NOW, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A STAFF MEMBER THERE THAT HELPS TAKE CARE OF ALL THE CRITTERS.
AND SO IF YOU GO DURING NORMAL SCHOOL HOURS, UM, SHE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ACTUALLY SHOW YOU OUR CURRENT, UM, OUTDOOR CLASSROOM.
UM, THAT HAS NOT REALLY BEEN TOUCHED SINCE IT WAS BUILT.
UM, AND THEN SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU KIND OF WHERE WE ENVISION THE NEW OUTDOOR CLASSROOM GOING.
UM, AND AGAIN, AND, AND I REALLY WANNA ILLUSTRATE TOO THAT THESE ARE NOT JUST WHERE STUDENTS ARE GONNA GO ONE TIME.
UM, ALL OF OUR, YOU KNOW, EXPERIENTIAL, UM, LOCATIONS, WHETHER IT'S TO BE LIKE ME OR ENVIRONMENTAL OR ENTERPRISE CITY STUDENTS ARE GONNA HAVE AN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL AND A HIGH SCHOOL TOUCHPOINT.
SO THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANNA BE THAT STICKY MM-HMM
THAT HELPS MAKE LEARNING STICKY.
UM, SO YES, COME FEEL FREE TO COME SEE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER ANYTIME.
I RECALL GOING THERE MULTIPLE TIMES, AT LEAST AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SO, THANK YOU MAYOR PROAM, HUTCHEN RAD.
UM, EXCITED TO SEE THE CTE CENTER BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD SUCH A GREAT PARTNERSHIP IN, IN HEALTHCARE.
AND I CAN TELL YOU IT MAKES SUCH A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS.
AND THEN, AS YOU SAID, THE PIPELINE GOING THROUGH AND THEN BEING ABLE TO, TO SEE, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN SO MANY TIMES IS STUDENTS THINK THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING, THEY GET INTO IT AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH, THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANT TO DO.
AND THEN THEY, THEY MOVE AWAY AND THAT'S THE TIME TO DO IT.
NOT ONCE THEY'VE GONE THROUGH COLLEGE YES.
AND GOT THEIR DEGREES AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WAKE UP ONE MORNING AND GO, I DON'T WANNA DO THIS.
SO, ABSOLUTELY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SORRY, I JUST WANNA ASK A QUESTION.
IS, IS THAT JUST, SO IN CASE PEOPLE WANNA GO OUT AND SEE THE INFORMATION, IS THAT 2025 SUPPOSED TO BE TOGETHER OR IS THAT ACTUALLY A SPACE IN THERE, OR? OH, I GUESS WHEN WE, THE PDF VERSION, UH, IT IS IT, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANTED MAKE SURE, APOLOGIZE WHEN WE NO, NO, NO.
I JUST ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE WE GET CORRECT INFORMATION OUT TO YES.
[01:15:01]
PEOPLE SO THEY CAN GO OUT AND REVIEW.BECAUSE I, I, THERE'S SO MANY GOOD THINGS IN HERE THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
AND SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YES, SIR.
NO ONE'S GETTING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PUT A SPACE ON STUFF IT SOMETIMES EXACTLY.
I WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE, OKAY, MAYBE THEY'RE, 'CAUSE WHO KNOWS, SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE BOUGHT THE BOND 2025.
I MEAN, WE RAN INTO THAT ALL THE TIME.
SO, ANYWAY, GREAT JOB, GREAT PRESENTATION.
UH, SUPERINTENDENT BRANDON, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE WORK.
UH, JUST HATS OFF TO THE BOND COMMITTEE AND YES, SIR, ALL THE WORK THEY PUT IN, IT'S, UH, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO KEEP RICHARDSON AS ATTRACTIVE.
A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WANNA BRING, UH, THEIR FAMILIES AND, AND, AND TO BEGIN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT WORK.
I'M GONNA PROBABLY TRIPLE OR QUADRUPLE DOWN ON THE CTE IMPORTANCE, UH, THE NUMBER OF TIMES WE HEAR IT FROM THE FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE INDUSTRY THAT ARE REALLY LOOKING FOR, UH, PEOPLE COMING OUTTA HIGH SCHOOL READY TO WORK.
UH, IT'S JUST SUCH A GREAT OPTION AND I'M, I'M THRILLED TO SEE ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING AND CONTINUE TO DO THERE.
UH, SO HATS OFF TO YOU AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
IT'S THE COMMITTEE AND IT'S OUR AMAZING TEAM AND OUR AMAZING STAFF THAT JUST POUR EVERYTHING THEY HAVE INTO OUR ESTEEM, WANT, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA BE THE BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WE WANNA BE THE BEST FOR Y'ALL.
[C. REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE INVESTMENT POLICY ]
ON TO ITEM C, REVIEW AND DISCUSS THE INVESTMENT POLICY.MR. MAGNER, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
OUR, UH, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, TODD GASTRO IS GONNA LEAD THIS BRIEFING.
UH, EACH YEAR AT ABOUT THIS TIME, WE BRING YOU, UH, A, UH, REVIEW AND OF OUR INVESTMENT POLICY.
THIS IS, UH, REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
UH, AND, UH, SO TIDE'S GONNA RUN THROUGH WHAT THAT INCLUDES.
UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE STATE, UH, GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE, UM, EXPECTED TO ADHERE TO.
AND, UH, THEN, UH, SHARE WITH YOU A COUPLE OF NEXT STEPS MOVING FORWARD.
SO TODD, THANKS FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
UH, MAYOR AIR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO AS DON LED OFF, I'M GONNA DISCUSS THE INVESTMENT POLICY THIS EVENING.
IT'S PART OF OUR ANNUAL REVIEW, UH, THAT'S REQUIRED BY STATE LAW AND JUST, UH, A SNEAK PEEK AT WHAT I'LL TALK ABOUT.
WE'RE GONNA GO OVER, UH, GUIDELINES WITHIN THE POLICY.
UM, AND, UH, WE WILL NOT BE RECOMMENDING ANY CHANGES TO IT BECAUSE THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY CHANGES TO STATE LAW THAT WOULD NECESSITATE ANY CHANGES.
AND THE POLICIES WORKED REALLY WELL FOR US.
WE ANTICIPATE IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
UH, WITH THAT SAID, SO STATE LAW PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO INVEST IN AND NOT INVEST IN.
IT'S COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE PFIA OR PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT.
UM, AND IT PROVIDES THAT STANDARD FOR US TO FOLLOW.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO REVIEW THE POLICY ANNUALLY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS EVENING.
AND, UM, AND THEN WE WILL, UH, HAVE A RESOLUTION, UH, UP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION LATER THIS MONTH.
THE CITY HAS AN INVESTMENT COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF, UH, KENT FILE, OUR CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, MYSELF, AS WELL AS OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE CONTROL AND ASSISTANT CONTROLLER POSITIONS.
UM, THAT'S REQUIRED BY OUR POLICY DAY TO DAY.
THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, UH, MANAGES THE PORTFOLIO, UH, MAKES TRADE DECISIONS, UH, AND THEN ALSO MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY POLICY CHANGES THAT WE BRING FORTH TO YOU ANNUALLY.
THE CITY ALSO CONTRACTS WITH AN INVESTMENT ADVISOR, UH, HILLTOP SECURITIES AND HILLTOP.
REALLY, ONE OF THE BEST BENEFITS I'VE SEEN IN MY TIME HERE AT THE CITY IS, IS PROVIDE US ACCESS TO A POOL OF INSTITUTIONAL BROKERS.
SO IN THE PAST, BEFORE WE CONTRACTED WITH THEM, WE HAD A STAFF MEMBER THAT WOULD HAVE TO GET ON THE PHONE AND TRY AND MAKE, FIRST OF ALL, BE TRACKING THE ECONOMY WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW WHEN'S THE RIGHT TIME TO MAKE INVESTMENTS, UH, AND THEN BE PICKING UP THE PHONE, GETTING QUOTES.
WHEREAS NOW WE HAVE ACCESS TO A LARGE GROUP OF, UH, BROKER DEALERS THAT HAVE A TRADING DESK RIGHT THERE.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS DECISIONS MUCH QUICKER TO THE POINT WHERE, WHEN A DECISION IS MADE, I MEAN WITHIN MINUTES THAT TRADE'S EXECUTED.
SO IT'S REALLY PROVIDING A GREATER POOL THAT WE CAN DRAW FROM AS WELL AS WE'RE GONNA GET BETTER RATES BEFORE RATES CHANGE.
SO, UH, FROM THAT STANDPOINT, VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
I DO WANT TO CLARIFY THE LAST BULLET POINT.
ALTHOUGH THEY ADVISE US ALL INVESTMENT DECISIONS ARE MADE BY CITY STAFF.
SO AS MENTIONED, THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, UH, MONITORS THE PO THE POLICY, UM, THE POLICY ITSELF, UH, ALLOWS US FLEXIBILITY TO INVEST IN BOTH STRONG AND WEAK ECONOMIC CYCLES.
UH, WE'VE SEEN THE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AS INTEREST RATES A FEW YEARS AGO STARTED ESCALATING QUICKLY.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, TO PIVOT AND START INVESTING IN LONGER TERM SECURITIES TO CAPTURING THOSE INTEREST RATES.
NOW THAT INTEREST RATES ARE STARTING TO FALL, WE'RE SEEING THE BENEFIT OF THAT FLEXIBILITY AS SOME OF THOSE, UH, MATURITIES THAT WE'RE GOING OUT YEAR AND A HALF TO TWO YEARS ARE YIELD A LOT HIGHER THAN WHAT, UH, INTEREST RATES ARE TODAY.
SO THAT FLEXIBILITY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
[01:20:01]
UH, IT, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE MONITOR ANY CHANGES TO ACCOUNTING STANDARDS OR STATE OR FEDERAL LAWS THAT WOULD IMPACT THE POLICY.AGAIN, NONE THAT WOULD IMPACT IT SINCE LAST YEAR.
SO, UH, NO CHANGES GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED.
THE CITY ALSO, AS YOU'RE WELL AWARE EARLIER THIS SUMMER, GOT ITS 14TH AWARD FROM, UH, GOVERNMENT TRA TREASURER'S OFF ORGANIZATION AT TEXAS.
UH, SO WE RECEIVED IT EVERY TWO YEARS.
WE, WE APPLY FOR THE AWARD AND WE'VE GOT THE 14TH TIME IN A ROW.
WE'VE BEEN GETTING IT SINCE 1999, FULLY ANTICIPATE IN 2027, WE'LL GET TO CELEBRATE NUMBER 15.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN OUR POLICY AS WELL AS STATE LAW, UH, PROVIDE ORDER BY ORDER OF IMPORTANCE.
SO, UH, OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IS THAT WE INVEST ONLY IN THE HIGHEST QUALITY, UH, SECURITIES.
IT'S, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING THAT EVERYTHING WE INVEST THAT MONEY IS AVAILABLE WHEN WE NEED IT.
UH, SECOND WOULD BE LIQUIDITY.
SO THINK OF US IN TERMS OF TRYING TO INVEST IN A WAY THAT WE KNOW THAT CASH FLOW IS THERE WHEN WE NEED IT.
UM, 'CAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LARGE TRANCHE OF MONEY COMES DURING PROPERTY TAX SEASON, AND THEN WE SPEND IT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE STAGGER THOSE MATURITIES TO, TO MEET OUR NEEDS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
AND THEN YIELD IS, UH, THE THIRD AND FINAL GOAL.
OUR TARGET IS TO BEAT THE, UH, 91 DAY T BILL FOR ALLOWABLE INVESTMENTS.
UM, THAT INCLUDES, UM, US TREASURY AND FEDERAL AGENCY OBLIGATIONS.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES.
WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO INVEST IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS AS WELL AS MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUNDS THAT MAINTAIN A $1 PER SHARE CONSTANT ASSET VALUE.
TO SIMPLIFY THAT, THINK IT'S ALWAYS GONNA BE $1 PER SHARE.
THAT REGARDLESS OF FLUCTUATIONS IN THE MARKET, WE CAN STILL SELL FOR $1 PER SHARE.
SO IT'S MUCH LESS VOLATILE THAN WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE IN A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FUND.
UH, AS WELL, WE CAN INVEST IN CDS AND THEN HIGHLY RATED BONDS FROM, UH, STATE AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
INVESTMENTS THAT WE DO NOT ALLOW IN OUR POLICY ARE IN BANKERS ACCEPTANCES.
SO FOR THOSE, THINK OF THAT AS A PROMISE TO PAY IN THE FUTURE, THAT'S NOT ALLOWED BY OUR POLICY.
MUTUAL FUNDS, AGAIN, REFERRING BACK TO THAT CONSTANT ASSET VALUE.
UM, BOND MUTUAL FUNDS, THOSE SHARE PRICES FLUCTUATE, UM, WITH MARKET CONDITIONS AND INTEREST RATES.
AND SO WE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO INVEST IN THOSE.
IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S MORE VOLATILE.
AND THEN, UM, PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES, UH, THEY CAN BE USED AS COLLATERAL, UH, WHICH I'LL GET INTO THAT IN A FUTURE SLIDE, BUT WE CANNOT DIRECTLY INVEST IN, UH, MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES.
AND THEN COMMERCIAL PAPER, WHICH WOULD BE SHORT TERM UNSECURED DEBT DIVERSIFICATION.
SO WE, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE LIKE TO STAGGER OUR MATURITIES TO MEET OUR CASH FLOW NEEDS.
UH, AND WE THINK OF IT LIKE A LADDER EVERY MONTH.
WE HAVE SOMETHING CONSTANTLY MATURING SO THAT WE CAN, UH, REINVEST THAT WHEN THE TIME'S RIGHT TO, TO CAPTURE, UM, ADVANTAGES OF WHERE THINGS ARE LOOKING WITH INTEREST RATES.
UM, ALSO, UH, THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH BULLET POINT, JUST SUM IT, SUM IT DOWN TO WE, WE WANT TO DIVERSIFY THE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE UTILIZE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF OUR PORTFOLIO IN ANY ONE CATEGORY COLLATERALIZATION, SO AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, SO, UH, BANK DEPOSITS AND CDS MUST BE FDIC INSURED.
AND THEN ABOVE THAT $250,000 LIMIT, UH, PER ACCOUNT, UH, IT MUST BE COLLATERALIZED.
SO IT, THIS HELPS PROTECT US TO WHERE IF, IF THE BANK FAILS, WE ARE COVERED AND WE ARE GONNA GET EVERY DOLLAR BACK THAT WE HAVE IN THAT INSTITUTION.
UM, AND SO THE SECURITIES ARE OWNED BY, UH, THE BANK AND THEY'RE GIVEN TO A THIRD PARTY BANK AND PLEDGED ON OUR BEHALF IN THE EVENT OF FAILURE.
UM, THOSE CAN BE, THE COLLATERAL CAN BE IN THE FORM OF US TREASURIES OR AGENCY SECURITIES AT 102% OF THE MARKET VALUE.
THE INVESTMENT COULD ALSO BE, UM, IT CAN ALSO BE THROUGH A LETTER OF CREDIT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WHAT OUR DEPOSITORY BANK HAS.
WE HAVE A $5 MILLION STANDBY IRREVOCABLE LETTER OF CREDIT.
SO, UM, WE ALWAYS MAINTAIN, UH, UNDER THAT $5 MILLION THRESHOLD IN OUR ACCOUNT IN THE EVENT WE DO NEED TO INCREASE IT DUE TO, UM, CHANGES, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WE JUST IN PREPARATION TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ABLE TO MEET OUR NEEDS IN CASE THERE WAS EVER ANY LIQUIDITY CONCERNS, UM, AT THAT TIME TO GO ABOVE THAT FILM, $5 MILLION LIMIT, UH, THE BANK WOULD, UH, COLLATERALIZE THE REMAINING AMOUNT.
MORTGAGE BACKED SECURITIES, AGAIN, NOT ALLOWABLE AS A DIRECT INVESTMENT BY THE CITY.
HOWEVER, THEY CAN BE USED AS COLLATERAL BY THE DEPOSITORY BANK PROVIDED AT 110% OF THE BALANCE.
THAT LARGER AMOUNT OBVIOUSLY ACCOUNTS FOR ANY SORT OF VOLATILITY THAT WOULD OCCUR SAFEKEEPING.
[01:25:01]
THAT WE HOLD, UM, THEY ARE, WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY CUSTODIAL BANK THAT HOLDS THOSE INVESTMENTS ON OUR BEHALF.AND THAT WE HAVE A SEPARATE AGREEMENT SEPARATE FROM OUR BANK DEPOSITORY THAT HAS OUR DAILY CASH ACCOUNT.
AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE ON THE LAST BULLET POINT IS WE UTILIZE A DELIVERY VERSUS PAYMENT METHOD.
SO THERE'S NO SETTLEMENT RISK FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
WE, UH, THE PAYMENT AND THE SECURITY EXCHANGES HAND SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SO PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED WITH HILLTOP, ONE OF THE GREAT ADVANTAGES IS THEIR ACCESS TO A POOL OF INSTITUTIONAL BROKERS AND DEALERS.
UH, THERE'S 27 BROKER DEALERS ON THEIR APPROVED LIST.
10 OF THOSE ARE PRIMARY DEALERS WITH A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FED.
UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE SIX HUB BUSINESSES THAT ARE ON THAT LIST.
UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST YEAR, UH, WE HAD SECURITIES, UH, THAT WE PURCHASED FROM 12 OF THE DIFFERENT 27.
UM, SO A GOOD COVERAGE FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
UH, AND THEN ALSO AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE, UH, HOLD MONEY IN US THREE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS AS WELL AS A MONEY MARKET MUTUAL FUND.
SO EVERY MEMBER OF THE INVESTMENT COMMITTEE, UH, IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW AS WELL AS OUR POLICY TO, TO UNDERGO TRAINING EVERY TWO YEARS, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE UP TO DATE ON ANY SORT OF CHANGES THAT WOULD OCCUR.
MAKING SURE WE'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, INVESTING WISELY, UH, WITH THE ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS.
AND THEN FROM A TRANSPARENCY STANDPOINT, WE HAVE OUR POLICY AS WELL AS EVERY QUARTERLY REPORT THAT COUNCIL SEES, UM, EVERY THREE MONTHS THAT IS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.
I BELIEVE IT GOES BACK ABOUT FIVE YEARS, WHAT WE'VE GOT OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
SO NEXT STEPS, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO, UH, HEAR FEEDBACK FROM, FROM THE COUNCIL ON WHAT YOU HEARD THIS EVENING.
BUT UM, AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, DUE TO NO CHANGES IN STATE LAW, VERY PLEASED WITH HOW THE POLICY HAS WORKED FOR US.
OUR FINANCIAL, OUR, OUR INVESTMENT ADVISOR HILLTOP, REVIEWED OUR POLICY AND THEY ALSO HAD NO RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
UM, WE'RE NOT RECOMMENDING AT THIS TIME.
UH, AND SO WITH THAT, UH, RESOLUTION WOULD BE UP FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE COUNCIL ON THE OCTOBER 20TH AGENDA.
THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE A SECOND HOUSEKEEPING RESOLUTION, UH, TEXT POOL.
ONE OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS WE ARE A PART OF REQUIRES AN ACTUAL RESOLUTION FOR ANYBODY WHO IS AUTHORIZED TO TRADE ON THEIR PLATFORM.
AND SO IT WOULD BE TO ADD OUR ASSISTANT CONTROLLER WHO'S NOW HANDLING THE DAY-TO-DAY INVESTMENT ACTIVITY.
NOW THAT I'M NOT DOING THAT, UM, THE PLAN WOULD BE TO HAND THAT OVER TO HIM.
AND THAT RESOLUTION WOULD ALSO BE ON THE OCTOBER 20TH AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
AND WITH THAT, ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE, I'D LOVE TO ANSWER, COUNSEL.
UM, I THINK NO QUESTIONS MEANS, UH, WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T GET A CLAP THOUGH.
[D. REVIEW OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PROCESS ]
ON TO ITEM D, REVIEW OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS PROCESS.THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO ARE GOING TO, UH, UH, PARTNER ON THIS BRIEFING.
UH, THERE ARE REALLY, UH, THREE COMPONENTS TO THIS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU.
UH, FIRST, AMY'S DONE A GREAT JOB OF PROCURING SOME NEW SOFTWARE, UM, THAT, UH, WE STARTED TO PROMOTE WITH THIS LAST ROUND OF BOARD COMMISSION, UH, APPLICANT.
UH, NEXT WE'D LIKE TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE, UH, APPLICATION PROCESS ITSELF.
UM, AND THEN FINALLY, UH, KIND OF WRAP UP WITH, UH, A DISCUSSION AROUND, UH, OUR CURRENT APPROACH, UM, UH, TO, UM, REPORTING OUT ON BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETINGS.
AND SO, UH, GREG WILL CONCLUDE WITH THAT, UH, THAT PART OF THE BRIEFING.
SO, UH, AT THIS POINT I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO AMY FOR, UM, THE FIRST TWO COMPONENTS.
WELL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
I AM GLAD TO BE HERE TONIGHT TO, UH, TACKLE ONE OF YOUR FIRST TACTICS OF THE YEAR, AND I'M ALSO REALLY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT, ABOUT OUR NEW BOARD SOFTWARE, INTRODUCE THAT TO YOU.
UH, SO THIS, UH, ALIGNS WITH THESE TWO COUNCIL GOALS AND THE COUNCIL STRATEGY IS TO DOCUMENT AND CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE BUSINESS PROCESSES.
SO WE'LL START OUT WITH AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW NEW BOARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND THEN WE'LL REVIEW BOARD DUTIES AND DESCRIPTIONS.
THEN WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE INTERVIEW AND APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
AND THEN I WILL HAND IT OVER TO GREG AND HE'LL TALK ABOUT MEETING RECORDINGS AND BROADCASTING.
AND THEN THROUGHOUT THE PRES PRESENTATION, WE WILL STOP FOR SOME DISCUSSION POINTS AND HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK.
ALL RIGHT, SO FIRST UP IS OUR BOARD MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE.
SO EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, WE TRANSITIONED TO A NEW BOARD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WITH GRANICUS AND RECALL THAT OUR PREVIOUS SYSTEM WAS BUILT IN-HOUSE THROUGH LOTUS NOTES.
AND WE'VE, UH, USED THAT FOR MANY YEARS AND IT HAS SERVED ITS PURPOSE FOR US VERY WELL.
BUT THEY WERE SEVERAL, SEVERAL FEATURES THAT THE NEW SYSTEM OFFERS
[01:30:01]
THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO ACHIEVE WITH THE OLD SYSTEM.SO OUR NEW PLATFORM ALLOWS A CUSTOMIZABLE SYSTEM AND IT AUTO GENERATES EMAILS FOR US TO APPLICANTS AND TO BOARD MEMBERS.
IT ALSO HAS AN ATTENDANCE TRACKING FEATURE AND THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN BOARD MEMBER DOCUMENTS, SUCH AS THEIR OATH OF OFFICE AND TRAINING DOCUMENTS WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
SO THIS PICTURE SHOWS A SNAPSHOT OF THE DASHBOARD FEATURE AND THIS SHOWS US AT A GLANCE THE NUMBER OF BOARDS, BOARD POSITIONS AND APPLICATIONS ON FILE.
SO HERE WE'RE SHOWING 15 ACTIVE BOARDS, AND THAT INCLUDES OUR THREE TIF BOARDS AND OUR EISMAN CENTER FOUNDATION BOARD, WHICH IS AN INTERNAL BOARD THAT WE TRACK.
IT'S SHOWING 97 FIELD POSITIONS AND TO HAVE 176 APPLICATIONS.
NOW, ONE FEATURE THAT DOES DIFFER ABOUT THIS SYSTEM FROM OUR OLD SYSTEM IS EACH, UH, EACH TIME SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR A BOARD, IT GENERATES AN APPLICATION FOR THAT BOARD.
SO THAT 176 DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN WE HAVE 176 APPLICANTS.
AND AS WE PREPARE WITH YOU TO ACTUALLY REVIEW YOUR BOARD APPOINTMENT PROCESS AT A FUTURE MEETING, WE'LL GO OVER THAT IN MORE DETAIL WITH YOU.
THIS IS ANOTHER SNAP SNAPSHOT OF THE DASHBOARD.
AND THIS IS ONE FEATURE THAT I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN, UM, IN USING THIS SOFTWARE BECAUSE THIS SHOWS YOU A GRAPHIC OF YOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION.
SO HERE IT SHOWS YOU ETHNICITY, GENDER, AND DISTRICTS.
SO THE THREE LITTLE SECTIONS THERE SHOW YOU HOW YOUR BOARD REPRESENTATION LOOKS.
SO FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW SYSTEM, WE DID CREATE A NEW APPLICATION THAT COLLECTS THE DATA POINTS THAT I JUST SPOKE ABOUT.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE REQUIRED ALL CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS TO REAPPLY, UH, OR WITH THE NEW APPLICATION.
AND SO THESE NUMBERS REFLECT THE APPLICATION STATS SEPT SINCE SEPTEMBER 1ST.
SO OUT OF 77 BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAVE 68 WHO HAVE REAPPLIED AND WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING ON THOSE TO GET EVERYBODY IN THE SYSTEM.
WE HAD 195 APPLICATIONS ON FILE IN THE OLD SYSTEM AND THEY ALL DID RECEIVE AN EMAIL INVITATION TO APPLY IN THE NEW SYSTEM.
AND WE HAVE RECEIVED 30 SO FAR.
AND THEN WE HAVE 20 BRAND NEW APPLICANTS SINCE SEPTEMBER ONE.
SO ALTOGETHER WE HAVE, UM, ABOUT 50 APPLICATIONS ON FILE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE SOFTWARE BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO BOARD DUTIES? COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN, JUST THANK YOU MS. GRANT.
NOT JUST NOT A QUESTION ON THE SOFTWARE NECESSARILY.
JUST A QUICK CLARIFYING QUESTION ON THE PRESENTATION.
SO ON THE, UH, THE SLIDE THAT JUST SHOWED ETHNICITY, GENDER, DISTRICT, THAT JUST REFLECTS THE ONES THAT ARE IN NOW, THAT'S NOT, I DON'T, NO ONE SHOULD USE THAT AS THIS SLIDE RIGHT NOW AS LIKE THE DEFINITIVE NUMBERS BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE LIKE ALMOST A THIRD OF THE APPLICATIONS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN REED.
I'M SORRY, THAT'S, THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO EVEN HAVE TO GO BACK TO SLIDE IF YOU DON'T
THIS SOFTWARE, THIS IS NOT AN INTERNAL SOFTWARE, I'M GUESSING THIS IS A PLATFORM WE PAY LIKE A LICENSE, YEARLY LICENSE FEE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? YES, IT'S A CLOUD-BASED SYSTEM.
AND WHEN DID YOU SAY WE STARTED THIS WAS, WAS IT JUST SEPTEMBER 1ST? SEPTEMBER 1ST IS WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED IT.
DID WE GIVE UP THEIR CURRENT, UM, COMMISSION MEMBERS, LIKE A CERTAIN DATE IN WHICH THEY NEEDED TO HAVE THAT? BECAUSE YOU SAID THEY HAD TO REAPPLY.
WE TOLD THEM THROUGH THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AND, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE REACHING OUT TO THEM.
MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF THEM IN THERE.
OKAY, NOW THAT I'VE FIGURED OUT THE REMOTE.
BOARD DUTIES AND DESCRIPTIONS, UM, SO OUR ARTICLE NINE, AND YOU HAVE THESE HANDOUTS IN FRONT OF YOU.
UM, ARTICLE NINE OF THE CITY CHARTER, UH, GIVES COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO CREATE AND ABOLISH BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BY ORDINANCE.
AND IT SPECIFIES THAT THE ORDINANCE CREATING THE BOARD SHALL INCLUDE THE TITLE OF THE BORDER COMMISSION, THE PURPOSE AND DUTIES, THE NUMBER OF PERSONS COMPRISING MEMBERSHIP TERMS, AND THE APPOINTMENT OF A CHAIRPERSON AND VICE CHAIRPERSON.
THE CHARTER ALSO ESTABLISHES THE BOARD'S LISTED HERE, CITY PLAN COMMISSION, PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION, THE LIBRARY BOARD, THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, CIVIL SERVICE BOARD, AND CIVIL SERVICE APPEALS BOARD.
AND ADDITIONALLY, THE CHARTER ALSO STATES THE PURPOSE AND POWERS OF THE
[01:35:01]
CITY PLAN COMMISSION, THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, AND THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD AND CIVIL SERVICE APPEALS BOARD.AND THEN THE SECOND HANDOUT THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS FROM THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, WHICH LISTS DIVISION TWO CULTURAL ARTS AT THE TOP OF YOUR HANDOUT.
AND THIS ESTABLISHES THE REMAINING BOARDS BY ORDINANCE.
SO THOSE ARE THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION, THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE ANIMAL SERVICES ADVISORY ADVISORY COMMISSION, AND THE COMMUNITY INCLUSION ENGAGEMENT COMMISSION.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CODE PROVIDES FOR THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE LIBRARY BOARD AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION.
ALSO, THE TIF BOARDS ARE CREATED BY ORDINANCE, BUT THEY ARE NOT CODIFIED IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BECAUSE THEY ARE AUTHORIZED BY STATE LAW.
SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE POWERS AND DUTIES FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD LISTED IN SECTION 11.31 OF YOUR HANDOUT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS LISTING GIVES A VERY DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE BOARD DOES, AND IT SPECIFIES THAT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS GO TO YOU, THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO MAYOR, I WILL PAUSE AT THIS POINT TO POSE THESE TWO QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION.
FIRST, ARE THE CURRENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OUTLINED IN THE CHARTER AND OR CODE OF ORDINANCES SUFFICIENT EXPLANATION OF BOARD AND COMMISSION MEMBER DUTIES? AND THEN IF NOT, IS THERE A DESIRE TO HAVE JOB DESCRIPTIONS CREATED? AND SO I WILL LET Y'ALL DISCUSS THAT.
COUNSEL, I SEE US SHUFFLING SOME PAPERS, SO I'M GONNA GIVE US A MOMENT OR TWO JUST TO AT LEAST LOOK AT WHAT THE WORDING IS THAT WE'VE GOT ON FILE.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE SEEN? DO YOU GUYS FEEL LIKE THIS IS CLEAR ENOUGH FOR A JOB DESCRIPTION? ANY INPUT AT ALL ON THAT? YES.
COUNCIL MEMBER CORMAN? YEAH, MR. MAYOR.
I THINK THE ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE ON FILE ARE SUFFICIENT EXPLANATION OF THE BOARD, UH, SLASH COMMISSION MEMBER'S DUTIES.
I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE SPECIFIC JOB DESCRIPTIONS CREATED FOR EACH BOARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT I'VE BATTED AROUND BOTH WITH, WITH CITY STAFF AND MAYBE DIFFERENT PEOPLE APPEAR ON CITY COUNCIL IS, YOU KNOW, HAVING, HAVING SOME SORT OF GUIDE MADE UP, UM, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, NOT, NOT AS A PRIORITY, BUT AT SOME POINT THAT WOULD JUST SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN EXPECT THIS BOARD OR THIS COMMISSION WILL TAKE THIS AMOUNT OF TIME PER MONTH OR, OR PER WEEK.
UH, REALLY JUST SO THAT APPLICANTS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING INTO.
AND SO THAT WE, WE ALSO SORT OF HAVE A STANDARD FROM THAT END THAT WE HOLD PEOPLE TO AS WELL.
UM, IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT I'D KIND OF BEEN BATTING AROUND AND I, I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF OTHER PEOPLE FEEL THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THE DUE COURSE OF TIME OVER THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS WOULD BE GOOD TO PUT TOGETHER AND MAYBE POST ONLINE SOMEWHERE.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS? UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.
YEAH, I AGREE WITH WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN CORCORAN SAID.
AMY, WAS THERE ANYWHERE THAT TALKED ABOUT ATTENDANCE POLICY OR ANYTHING RELATED TO THAT? I DIDN'T, NO, ATTENDANCE IS NOT ADDRESSED IN THE ORDINANCE.
SO ALONG WITH TIME, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH, UM, DISCUSSING IS, IS ATTENDANCE AND HOW WE WILL ADDRESS THAT OR WHAT'S EXPECTED UPON ATTENDANCE.
I, I KNOW THERE'S, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS IT'S BEEN HIT AND MESS ON A COUPLE OF OUR COMMISSIONS.
UM, AND WHILE THE JOB DESCRIPTION, I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, A LOT LIKE COUNCILMAN CORT SAID, THIS DOES A GOOD JOB.
I THINK TIME, THE, UH, SPEAKING TOWARDS THE, UH, TIME EXPECTATION, MY BIGGER CONCERN, UM, IS NOT AS MUCH AS ADDING THINGS TO THIS, BUT MORE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MY, I GUESS THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING NEXT IS THAT, UH, YES, THAT IS, OKAY.
SO MY, I THINK MORE MY CONCERN IS TOWARDS THAT AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO ADD FOR NOW.
FOR THE MOST PART, I AM, I'M GOOD WITH THIS.
IF WE WANNA MAYBE FORMALIZE THIS IN A DIFFERENT WAY, MAYBE CREATE A DIFFERENT DOC SO IT'S CLEARER TO THE PUBLIC WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
BUT I DON'T SEE ANYTHING NEEDED TO BE ADDED OTHER MAYBE THOSE TWO ITEMS. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THE, THE COUNCIL OVER THE YEARS HAS HAD AN INFORMAL POLICY FOR ATTENDANCE THAT IT'S 75% AND THAT IS EXPRESSED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS.
UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM HUTCHEN MATTER.
[01:40:01]
I, I DON'T BELIEVE WE NEED TO HAVE A SEPARATE JOB DESCRIPTION.I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN CORCORAN TO MAYBE HAVE A, I'LL CALL IT A COVER SHEET, JUST TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE CASE MIGHT BE.
IF, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOR US IT'S, WE MEET EVERY MONDAY NIGHT, APPROXIMATE TIME, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
I THINK WE OUGHT TO, UH, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT SHOULD BE DONE EVERY, EVERY COUNCIL TERM.
MAYBE WE NEED TO CODIFY THAT 75% IF THAT'S BEEN THE, THE INFORMAL MAYBE THAT SHOULD BE JUST A QUICK, WE ALL ARE GOOD WITH 75.
IF WE THINK IT OUGHT TO BE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THAT QUICKLY AND THEN JUST HAVE THAT ON THAT COVER SHEET AS WELL SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS.
SO I, I MEAN, IT COULD BE JUST VERY QUICK.
I MEAN, I THINK MOST PEOPLE WOULD PROBABLY SAY 75 SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT.
AND JUST HAVE IT SO THAT, SO THAT WHEN SOMEONE'S, I'LL SAY APPLYING FOR IT AND THEN INTERVIEWING FOR IT, AND THEN IF THEY'RE PLACED ON IT, THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
SO, UH, TO ME IT'S NOT A JOB DESCRIPTION.
JUST A QUICK EASY COVER SHEET, KIND OF LIKE WHAT, WHAT COUNCILMAN CORCORAN WAS TALKING ABOUT.
THANKS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE.
I DID, AMY DO WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR PARKS IN PARTICULAR? AND, AND THE REASON I'M ASKING IS I THINK COUNCILMAN CORCORAN YOU BROUGHT UP, UM, STUFF IN THE PAST THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT SORT OF, YOU KNOW, SECRET SHOPPING AT THE REC CENTERS AND VISITING PARKS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND SO I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW THINGS LIKE THAT THAT I THINK ARE EXPECTATIONS.
UM, FOR, FOR SOME BOARDS, SOME OF THAT IS IN HERE, LIKE THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION FOR EXAMPLE.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE EXPENDITURE OF CITY FUNDS.
THEY'LL REVIEW THAT AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO SOME OF THAT IS IN HERE, IN THIS MOMENT, I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING SORT OF LENGTHIER FOR PARKS AND REC AND, AND SO BY LARGE, I THINK GO AHEAD.
IT'S LOCATED IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES UNDER THE PARKS.
I THINK IT, IS IT CHAPTER NINE, AMY? UH, YES IT IS IN HERE.
YEAH, IT TALKS ABOUT THE SECRET SHOPPING.
NO, I MEAN, IT, IT DOESN'T LIST, YOU KNOW, I MEAN IT, SO THAT, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE VALUE PROPOSITION I THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET AT HERE IS, YOU KNOW, 10 DESCRIPTORS OF WHAT THE JOB IS ENOUGH TO PAINT A PICTURE FOR SOMEBODY THAT THEY WOULD KNOW WHETHER THEY WOULD WANT TO VOLUNTEER TO DO THAT OR NOT.
OR ARE WE TRYING TO HAVE AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST? YEAH, I, I SEE IT NOW.
THAT'S, THAT'S HELP, THAT'S HELPFUL.
UM, BUT NO, I MEAN I THINK LARGELY I AGREE LIKE YOU REALLY DO HAVE, I MEAN FOR NOW THAT I SEE IT, PARKS IS WHAT IS THIS 12 DIFFERENT, UM, SORT OF THINGS THAT WE'VE PUT IN HERE FOR WHAT THEIR DUTIES ARE.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, CULTURAL ARTS IS, IS FIVE.
AND SO ANYWAY, I THINK, I THINK IT IS LENGTHY.
I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, MAYBE SETTING OUT WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS ARE FROM AN ATTENDANCE STANDPOINT.
UM, IF THERE ARE OTHER THINGS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MAYBE CONSIDER ADDING ONE OR TWO, BUT THESE SEEM, UH, PRETTY BROAD AND ALL ENCOMPASSING.
AND SO, UM, I THINK WE HAVE THEM ALREADY.
I GUESS, UM, THIS IS AN EXPLANATION IF YOU REVIEWED THIS, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A BETTER WAY, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, TO SORT OF SET IT OUT ONLINE.
SO IF YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING, UM, WHAT, WHAT THOSE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
BUT I THINK WHAT WE HAVE HERE, UM, IS WHAT WE EXPECT OF PEOPLE.
UM, SO I, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT DESCRIPTION.
UM, IT IS NECESSARY, UH, BASED ON WHAT I'M, I'M SEEN HERE.
YEAH, SO, UM, I THINK MAYBE WE'RE, I, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY IF WE'RE FOR SURE ALIGNED OR NOT, BUT MY, MY MY FEELING IS, IS THAT, UM, I THINK I'M HEARING BOTH.
WE DON'T WANT ADDITIONAL WORK BEING DONE, BUT THEN I'VE HEARD ALSO THAT WE WANT TO ADD A COUPLE MORE THINGS IN TERMS OF DESCRIPTIONS.
SO I, I, I AGREE WITH PROBABLY THE LATTER PART OF THAT, WHICH IS IF THERE ARE EXPECTATIONS THAT WE HAVE OF BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD REALLY LIKE IT TO NOT BE THAT THEY LEARN ABOUT IT ONCE THEY'RE INTERVIEWING WITH US.
IF WE HAPPEN TO MENTION IT TO 'EM, THEN EVEN, OR HEAVEN FORBID, ONCE THEY GET SWORN IN AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY AT THEIR FIRST MEETING AND THEY LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THESE DETAILS.
SO FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I WOULD LOVE IT IF WHAT WE DID IS, IS TOOK WHAT WE DO HAVE.
IT'S, IT'S A GREAT BUILDING BLOCK.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG ACTUALLY WITH WHAT'S ALREADY THERE.
UH, BUT I THINK ADDING A LITTLE BIT MORE DESCRIPTION, SOME OF WHAT WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, THE ROUGH ATTENDANCE MODEL, THERE IS A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PARKS BOARD AND SOME OF OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND SO IN, IN TERMS OF ATTENDANCE AND THE AMOUNT OF MEETINGS, UM, I THINK IT MAY EVEN BEHOOVE US TO TALK ABOUT AN AVERAGE MEETING LENGTH.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SCIENTIFIC, BUT IF WE KNOW IT'S ROUGHLY TWO HOURS EACH TIME, THEN PUTTING THAT EXPECTATION OUT THERE IS PROBABLY HELPFUL.
UM, THE PRIMARY GOAL HERE IS TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO PEOPLE, NOT BY HAVING TO CHECK INTO ARTICLES, UH, BUT
[01:45:01]
IDEALLY, UH, HAVING IT ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE WOULD APPLY AND PERHAPS EVEN ON OUR WEBSITE WHERE WE DO HAVE, UM, UH, PLACES AND INFORMATION ABOUT EACH OF OUR BOARDS, UH, TO HAVE A, A A ONE PAGER COVER SHEET, UH, WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT KIND OF DESCRIBES THESE THINGS, PLUS A FEW MORE ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THEM TO KNOW.WE PROBABLY, BY NOW, I ASSUME Y'ALL PROBABLY HAVE ALREADY HEARD THE THREE OR FOUR.
OH, I DIDN'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW XI DIDN'T KNOW YI DIDN'T KNOW Z MY, MY SUGGESTION IS, IS LET'S LET 'EM KNOW, UH, IN THE, IN THE DOCUMENT.
AND THAT WAY IT'S, IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY THOUGHT PROCESS ON THE JOB DESCRIPTION SIDE.
COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, DORIAN, THANK YOU.
I, UM, YOU KNOW, I KINDA WANNA REITERATE ON THAT AS WELL.
I KNOW WE'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE PAST, BUT, UM, I THINK, I THINK EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY'RE APPLYING FOR A BOARD AND COMMISSION THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A DEFINITION OR SOMETHING DEFINED ON WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY SOMEONE THAT HAS A SEMI BACKGROUND THAT CAN, THAT CAN LEND VALUE TO THAT BOARD AND COMMISSION.
UM, I'M NOT SAYING IT ALL HAS TO BE VERBATIM, UM, TO THE POINT OF, YOU KNOW, A PERSON'S DEGREE IN THAT AREA, BUT WE NEED, BEFORE APPLYING, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START LOOKING AT, UM, APPOINTING PEOPLE IN THESE POSITIONS UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE GETTING TO NOT LEARNING ON WHILE THEY'RE IN THE MEETING.
I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A FINE LINE THERE.
UM, AND THIS IS A VOL, ALL THESE ARE VOLUNTEERED AND APPOINTED POSITIONS I REALIZE.
BUT I STILL THINK IT'S, UH, I THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO LOOK AT THOSE AND VALUE IT FOR THE BOARDS OF COMMISSION AND WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY OF RICHARD.
SO I JUST THINK WE SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS INCLUSIVE THERE, WHETHER IT'S JUST A DEFINITION OR SOME KIND OF DEFINEMENT THAT SHOWS WHAT YOU'RE EXPECTED TO DO AND THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND POTENTIALLY BRING THAT TO THE COMMISSION OR THE BOARD.
I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY IMPORTANT.
I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT MANY TIMES.
UM, JUST TO EXPAND A SLIGHT BIT ON THAT, 'CAUSE HE STARTED TOUCHING ON A SEPARATE THING, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE BREAKING IT OUT AS A SEPARATE SUBJECT, BUT WE'VE GOT JOB DESCRIPTION MM-HMM
UM, I'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT ANY, UH, JOB SCENARIO IS JOB DESCRIPTION AND THEN QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS COULD AREN'T, AREN'T NECESSARILY REQUIREMENTS, BUT THEY, THEY ARE, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THAT MAKE YOU MORE QUALIFIED HYPOTHETICALLY IN, IN A, IN A JOB SITUATION.
ARE WE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT YEAH, THAT'S THE NEXT TOPIC.
IF I, IF YOU, IF YOU WOULD, MAYOR, LET ME, LET ME KIND OF SUMMARIZE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT JUST SO WE CAN GO DO THIS GOOD WORK.
SO, UM, I LOOK ONLINE AND UM, WE, WE HAVE SOME RESOURCES THERE NOW.
UH, WE'VE GOT THE GET ON BOARD CAMPAIGN AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AS I HEAR FROM YOU, UM, I THINK AT TWO, TWO BIG THEMES, UH, UM, I THINK THE WAY WHERE WE CAN ENHANCE, WE CURRENTLY GIVE THE WIN WHEN ARE THE MEETINGS, FOR INSTANCE, SO THAT FOLKS KNOW, UM, I THINK WE COULD TALK ABOUT HOW LONG, I THINK WE CAN TALK ABOUT, UH, MAYBE OTHER TIME COMMITMENTS THAT'S KIND OF THE SHOPPER, UH, SCENARIO FOR INSTANCE, RIGHT? AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT MINIMUM EXPECTATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS LIKE PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE.
AND SO I THINK WE CAN ABSOLUTELY, WE CAN ENHANCE BOTH TO GET ON BOARD CAMPAIGN INFORMATION AS WELL AS JUST ON THE CITY SECRETARY'S WEBPAGE.
THERE'S A WHOLE BOARDS AND COMMISSION SCENARIO THERE WHERE IT GIVES A BRIEF DESCRIPTION NOW, BUT LET US WORK ON THAT.
I THINK THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE GREAT IDEAS.
I DO WANNA JUST FOR THE, FOR YOUR, UM, REMINDING IN THE, IN THE PUBLIC.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF, UM, UH, ONE OF, ONE OF THE WAYS WE'RE TRYING TO DO THIS AT A MICRO LEVEL IS THE RECEPTION.
AND SO FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE INTERESTED, I THINK THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION IS FOR THEM TO TALK TO THE LIAISONS, TALK TO SOME OF THE OTHER FOLKS THAT ACTUALLY VOLUNTEER IN THOSE POSITIONS.
AND THEN I WANNA REASSURE YOU THAT, YOU KNOW, ONCE, UM, ONCE WE MAKE, UH, ONCE YOU MAKE A DECISION AND I ON YOUR BEHALF CALL TO EXTEND THAT OFFER TO SOMEONE, THESE ARE THE EXACT KINDS OF THINGS THAT I MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALIGNED WITH, UM, BEFORE THEY ACCEPT IT.
NOW THAT'S NOT AN ANSWER FOR ALL OF THIS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT EVEN APPLY 'CAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
AND THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY WE, WE SAID WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO, WHAT WE WERE GONNA DO PREVIOUSLY, BUT I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, PART OF THE OFFER IS TO RECONCILE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS, WHAT IS, UM, WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM.
BUT I, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT OUR HOMEWORK ON THIS AND UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING WITH YOU SOME OF THE ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE'LL MAKE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY ONE QUICK COMMENT.
I, AND I DUNNO IF IT'S ENCOMPASSED IN WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT EVEN WHEN YOU GO TO THE, THE SECRETARY'S WEBSITE AND YOU LOOK LIKE I HAVE PARKS AND REC PULLED UP RIGHT NOW, NONE OF THIS IS THERE, YOU KNOW, STUFF, STUFF LIKE THAT WOULD, WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
IF I'M INTERESTED IN PARKS AND REC AND I MAKE MY WAY TO THIS PAGE OR JUST GOOGLE PARKS AND REC COMMISSION, I CAN GO THERE AND SORT OF SEE WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE ONE PAGER OR JUST ADDING TO THESE PAGE, TO THESE PAGES THAT ALREADY EXIST.
THERE'S A VERY BRIEF DESCRIPTION ABOUT IT BEING ADVISORY BOARD,
[01:50:01]
BUT I THINK THAT WE COULD, WE COULD MAKE IT JUST SORT OF SMACK YOU IN THE FACE ABOUT WHAT THIS THIS BOARD DOES.AND SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED OR NOT.
THAT, THAT'S THE ONLINE VERSION I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SO I THINK ENHANCING THAT, BUT ALSO OUR GET ON BOARD CAMPAIGN, I THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE SOME OF THOSE DESCRIPTORS AS WELL.
I, I SEE GREG TAKING NOTES AND I KNOW, UH, HE AND I WILL GET TOGETHER AND ALSO WITH THE BOARD LIAISONS, I THINK A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION IS ALREADY THERE WITH A FEW ADDED THINGS AND WE JUST NEED TO REORGANIZE IT.
MAYOR RAD, JUST ONE OTHER THOUGHT.
YOU SAID SOMETHING DON THAT TRIGGERED SOMETHING IN MY BRAIN AND I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT THE NIGHT WE HAD THE RECEPTION AND WE WERE ALL HERE.
UM, WOULD IT BE APPROPRIATE OR COULD WE CONSIDER INVITING THE CHAIR AND OR VICE CHAIR OF EACH OF THE COMMITTEES TO THAT RECEPTION? SO IF SOMEONE'S THERE, THEY COULD WALK UP AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE THE CHAIR OF PARKS, LET'S SAY, JUST PICKING ONE OUT.
WE, BECAUSE WE, WE DO, I MEAN, I THINK WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF TELLING, BUT SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY GOOD TO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S WALKING IN THE, WALKING IN THERE IN, IN THE FOOTSTEPS, SO TO SPEAK.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD CONSIDER FOR NEXT YEAR AS WELL.
OKAY, NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE INTERVIEW AND APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
SO FIRST I'M GONNA REVIEW OUR CURRENT PROCESS AND THEN I'LL REVIEW SOME SURVEY WORK THAT WE GATHERED FROM, UH, SOME OF OUR BENCHMARK CITIES.
SO JUST LIKE THE BUDGET, THE APPLICATION PROCESS IS YEAR ROUND.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A TARGETED CAMPAIGN DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER AND THAT'S CALLED OUR GET ONBOARD CAMPAIGN.
WE STARTED THIS IN 2022 AND WE, UM, SO WE BEGIN ADVERTISING THROUGH ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATION CHANNELS ABOUT THE GET ON BOARD CAMPAIGN DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER.
AND THEN WE ALSO CONDUCT THE APPLICANT RECEPTION IN SEPTEMBER.
AND IF YOU RECALL, WE ALSO BEGAN THE ANNUAL APPOINTMENT PROCESS IN 2022, AND THAT'S WHERE WE MOVED ALL BOARD APPOINTMENTS TO BE THE SAME TIME OF YEAR IN DECEMBER.
SO WITH THIS TIMELINE, WE START OUR APPLICANT OUTREACH IN SEPTEMBER TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO APPLY, ALTHOUGH WE DO TAKE 'EM ALL YEAR, YEAR ROUND.
UM, THEN DURING NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER THE COUNCIL HOLDS WORK SESSIONS TO DISCUSS APPOINTMENTS AND THESE SESSIONS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT RECORDED.
AND THEN THE COUNCIL DECIDES, UH, IF INTERVIEWS ARE NEEDED AND IF SO, THEN THOSE ARE NORMALLY SCHEDULED FOR A, A SPECIAL MEETING.
AND THESE MEETINGS ARE ALSO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC UNLESS, UM, COUNCIL IS DISCUSSING A QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARD, WHICH THOSE CAN BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UM, WHICH IS ALLOWED BY LAW.
AND THEN APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN DECEMBER AND THE TERMS BEGIN IN JANUARY.
SO ONE THING THAT, UM, WE WANTED COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, AND WE MAY, WE MIGHT WANNA RECONSIDER THIS BASED ON SOME OF THE OTHER FEEDBACK, UM, BUT WE HAVE BEEN HAVING THE APPLICANT RECEPTION SINCE 2022.
EVERY YEAR IN SEPTEMBER WE'RE AVERAGING ABOUT 20 TO 25 ATTENDEES.
AND SO WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT CONSIDER DOING IT EVERY OTHER YEAR, THOUGHT MAYBE THAT WOULD GARNER SOME MORE INTEREST, UM, HAVING A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN IT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN ADD SOME OF THESE OTHER ENHANCEMENTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BY INVITING THE, THE BOARD CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR SO THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT YOU TO CONSIDER AFTER, UM, I REVIEW THE SURVEY INFORMATION.
SO WE SURVEYED 11 CITIES IN NORTH TEXAS WITH THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, OUR BOARD INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED IN PUBLIC SESSION.
AND THEN WE HAD A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, HOW ARE THEY CONDUCTED, IF NOT IN PUBLIC SESSION.
AND THEN OUR SECOND QUESTION WAS, ARE INTERVIEWS RECORDED AND BROADCASTED? SO ALONG WITH RICHARDSON, ALLEN, DALLAS, IRVING, AND MCKINNEY CONDUCT INTERVIEWS IN OPEN SESSION.
UH, CARLTON REPORTED THAT THEY CONDUCT INTERVIEWS, UH, FOR QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARDS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AS WE DO HERE.
AND THEN FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT CONDUCT INTERVIEWS IN OPEN SESSION, THEY REPORTED A VARIETY OF METHODS, UH, INCLUDING INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY COUNCIL, BOARD LIAISONS, STAFF BOARD LIAISONS, AND THEN INFORMAL PHONE INTERVIEWS REGARDING INTERVIEWS BEING RECORDED AND BROADCASTED.
ONLY DALLAS RESPONDED THAT INTERVIEWS ARE RECORDED AND BROADCASTED MCKINNEY REPORTED THAT THEY BROADCAST AND RECORD.
BUT AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, WE DETERMINED THAT WHAT THEY DO IS THEY HAVE THEIR APPLICANTS AND CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS COME TO THE PODIUM AT A COUNCIL MEETING.
THEY'RE GIVEN TWO MINUTES TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND EXPLAIN THEIR INTEREST IN APPLYING FOR A BOARD.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURVEY INFORMATION? ALL RIGHT, THEN I'M GOING TO PAUSE AGAIN HERE FOR, UM, SOME COUNCIL DIRECTION.
UM, SO WE WOULD LIKE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER TO CONTINUE THE APPLICANT RECEPTION ANNUALLY OR TO MOVE TO EVERY OTHER YEAR.
AND THEN, DOES COUNCIL WISH TO CONTINUE INTERVIEWS IN PUBLIC SESSION? IS THERE AN INTEREST IN VIDEO RECORDING AND BROADCASTING BOARD AND COMMISSION INTERVIEWS? AND THEN FINALLY, IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN DEVELOPING AN APPLICANT'S SCORING SYSTEM? AND THAT IS WHAT'S SHOWN HERE ON THE SCREEN.
[01:55:01]
AND, AND MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND IT, IT MAY BE HELPFUL TO TAKE THESE IN ORDER.THAT WAY IF THERE ARE TWO OR THREE THAT ARE PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD AND YOU WANNA HAVE DIALOGUE ABOUT THE OTHER, WE CAN DO THAT.
SO, UM, WE DON'T JUMP BACK AND FORTH YEAH.
SO I GUESS WE CAN START WITH THE BOARD APPLICATION RECEPTION ANNUAL VERSUS EVERY OTHER YEAR.
UM, I DIDN'T SEE WHAT ORDER THESE WENT ON, SO I'LL JUST START WITH COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I'M, I'M, I, I SUPPORT, UH, MOVING IT TO EVERY OTHER YEAR BECAUSE I AGREE THE TURNOUT HAS BEEN LESS.
AND HONESTLY, UH, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT'S, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE DO APPOINT THROUGHOUT EVERY YEAR, PEOPLE, UH, EXPIRE.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR NEW, UH, CANDIDATES.
UH, I STILL, I THINK EVERY OTHER YEAR WE MIGHT HAVE A BETTER TURNOUT.
WE JUST MARKET IT A LITTLE BETTER.
SO I SUPPORT THAT COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE.
YEAH, I THINK I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF MAYBE SCALING IT BACK.
UM, SO MAYBE JUST SCALING IT BACK, BUT I FIND THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY REALLY IMPORTANT.
I WAS SAD TO MISS THE ONE THIS YEAR BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE'VE HAD ONE AND THEN WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS, I THINK WE WIND UP APPOINTING SOMEONE THAT ONE OR MORE OF US MET AT THAT RECEPTION.
UH, REALLY PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTION.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE AN INTERVIEW OF THAT PERSON, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE HAD INTERACTION AND SORT OF APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT THEY WANNA DO AND, AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO BEING INVOLVED IN THE CITY.
SO I THINK THEY ACTUALLY SERVE A REALLY IMPORTANT FUNCTION FOR THE COUNCIL.
AND SO I, I THINK MAYBE JUST FIGURE OUT A WAY TO REINVENT THEM OR SCALE IT BACK SO IT'S NOT AS BIG AN EXPENSE WOULD BE.
YEAH, I, I WAS, UM, I DID NOTICE LESS PEOPLE AT THIS YEAR'S.
WHAT WAS THAT LAST WEEK, I THINK? MM-HMM.
WAS THAT LAST WEEK? SO MANY THINGS.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS A COUPLE WEEKS.
UH, LAST WEEK I DID NOTICE LESS PEOPLE, BUT I'M WITH COUNCILMAN, UM, JUSTICE ON THIS ONE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE IT EVERY WEEK.
IF IT'S A COST SAVINGS SITUATION, THEN WE SCALE IT BACK AND MAYBE FIND OTHER WAYS TO DO COST SAVINGS.
UH, BUT, UM, YES, I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
IN FACT, THERE WERE SEVERAL PEOPLE I MET, UH, MOST OF THE ROOM I HAD NEVER MET, UM, BEFORE, AND THERE WERE SEVERAL.
I THOUGHT, OH, COUNCILWOMAN JUSTICE, LOVE TO TALK TO THIS PERSON.
UM, 'CAUSE, BUT I, I, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT AND I ALWAYS SEE NEW FACES.
UM, SO I, I THINK IT'S A GOOD WAY TO GET MORE AND MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A, IT SERVES A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND IT'S A WELCOMING EVENT.
AND IF WE NEED TO CUT THE FOOD OR CUT SOMETHING, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
IF WE NEED TO GET OTHERS INVOLVED AS FAR AS CURRENT CHAIRS AS, UM, MAYOR PRO TEM SUGGESTED, I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
UH, BUT I, I DO THINK EVERY YEAR IS IMPORTANT.
COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN, I WOULD, SO I WOULD JUST DITTO EVERYTHING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS AND JUSTICE SAID.
AND I WOULD JUST ADD TOO, THAT, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S NECESSARY, UM, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO LET US KNOW THAT MAYBE WE CAN PUT A LITTLE BIT OF PRESSURE ON THE BOARDS THAT WE ARE EX-OFFICIO ON TO SAY, HEY GUYS, YOU GUYS NEED TO START SHOWING UP TO THIS ONCE A YEAR AS WELL, JUST TO HELP WELCOME APPLICANTS AND REALLY, UM, AND TAKE SOME OF THE BURDEN MAYBE OFF OF STAFF TO DO ALL OF THAT.
I, I, I WOULD ALSO, UH, THINK THAT KEEPING IT ONCE A YEAR, I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VOLUNTEERS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE AND NOT HAVE TO THINK, OH GOSH, IT'S GONNA BE TWO MORE YEARS BEFORE I MISSED THIS ONE.
IT'LL BE TWO MORE YEARS BEFORE I CAN DO IT.
I, I WORRY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RECEPTION FROM THE STANDPOINT OF, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE COMMENTS, UH, MADE.
IT, IT IS HUMAN NATURE THAT ONCE WE MEET SOMEONE, WE FEEL MORE ENGAGED WITH THEM.
WE MAY NOT EVEN FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO INTERVIEW ANYONE, BUT I, I WORRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO SOME DEGREE, IT, IT CREATES AN ARTIFICIAL PART OF THIS RUBRIC THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT.
AND NOT TO JUMP FROM ONE TO FOUR, BUT, UM, IT, IT'S JUST A CONSIDERATION.
SO, UM, I, I'M ON THE KEEPING IT ANNUAL, MAKE IT LIGHTER, UH, AND PERHAPS COUNCIL MYSELF, UH, AND MAYBE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, WE CAN START ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO PROMOTE IT MORE SO THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN COME OUT.
'CAUSE IT, IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF JUST A LOT OF PEOPLE EITHER FORGOT ABOUT IT OR JUST WEREN'T AWARE.
I THINK WE CAN JUST TWEAK THE FORMAT OF IT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND PART, WHICH IS CONTINUE INTERVIEWS IN, UH, PUBLIC SESSION.
UM, YEAH, MR. MAYOR, I THINK THE WAY THAT, I'M JUST GONNA SAY, I MEAN, BULLET TWO AND THREE ARE KIND OF RELATED IN THIS ANSWER, BUT JUST I THINK THE WAY THAT WE CURRENTLY DO THE INTERVIEWS AS FAR AS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ARE FINE.
SO I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES TO THAT BULLET POINT FROM ME.
CONTINUE THE ONES THAT WE DO IN PUBLIC SESSION AND PUBLIC SESSION, THE ONES THAT WE DO IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND EXECUTIVE SESSION.
KEEP IT THE WAY THAT WE DO IT NOW IN TERMS OF THAT BULLET POINT.
UM, DOES IT MAKE ANY SENSE FOR US TO PUT TWO AND THREE TOGETHER OR SHOULD WE JUST HANDLE TWO BY ITSELF? I'M FINE JUST HANDLING THIS.
[02:00:01]
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.SO WE'LL GO ON TO, UH, COUNCILMAN BARRIOS, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON NUMBER TWO? UM, NO.
I'M FINE WITH KEEPING IT PUBLIC.
I WOULD BE ALSO BE OPEN TO KEEPING 'EM ALL PUBLIC IF WE CHOOSE TO DO THAT.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY HARM IN TAKING 'EM ALL PUBLIC, SO.
YEAH, I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN CORCORAN.
I DON'T SEE A REASON TO CHANGE, UM, THE WAY WE DO IT NOW.
IF YOU WANNA COME NOW, YOU CAN COME NOW.
I KNOW WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT SORT OF, UM, WHAT COMES NEXT.
UM, SO I'LL WAIT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT, BUT COOL.
BUT WITH RESPECT TO WHAT WE DO NOW, I, I, I'M, I'M GOOD WITH IT.
I AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN CORCORAN AS WELL.
I THINK KEEPING IT LIKE WE HAVE IT NOW WORKS, IT'S OPEN SO PEOPLE CAN ATTEND IF THEY NEED TO.
MAYOR PRO TIMM, HUTCHEN RIDER, DITTO.
UM, I AGREE ON CONTINUING THE INTERVIEWS IN PUBLIC, SO I THINK WE'RE UNANIMOUS THERE.
UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE INTEREST IN VIDEO RECORDING BROADCASTING.
DO WE WANT TO GO IN THE SAME ORDER, MR. COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN, YOU WANNA, I MEAN, I CAN GIVE MY, I CAN GIVE MY OPINIONS AND YEAH, PLEASE.
I HAVE LONG OPINIONS AND I HAVE SHORT OPINIONS DEPENDING ON HOW THIS GOES, BUT SURE.
I'LL JUST SAY MY, MY SHORT OPINION IS THAT I'M, I'M A HUNDRED PERCENT AGAINST, UH, VIDEO RECORDING BROADCASTING ANY OF OUR BOARD AND COMMISSION INTERVIEWS.
AND I, I THINK THE SHORT VERSION IS, ONE, IT'S TO PROTECT US A LITTLE BIT, AND THAT'S, I'M UNSELFISHLY GONNA, SELFISHLY GONNA SAY THAT.
UM, BUT SECOND, IT'S, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT'S TO PROTECT THE APPLICANTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST, I'LL JUST SAY THAT IF I WANTED EVERY SINGLE JOB INTERVIEW THAT I'VE EVER HAD PUBLISHED AND PUT ONLINE IN PERPETUITY, UM, WHO KNOWS WHETHER I'D GET ANOTHER JOB
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST, I JUST THINK WE, I, I UNDERSTAND MAYBE SOME OF THE CALLS FOR THIS, BUT I THINK IN THE INTEREST OF PROTECTING, PROTECTING APPLICANTS AND PARTIALLY OURSELVES, UM, A HUNDRED PERCENT NO.
COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS, DITTO.
WHAT COUNCILMAN CORCORAN SAID.
UM, I, I THINK THERE ARE OTHER WAYS OF ACCOMPLISHING THAT SOME OF THE, I GUESS, ISSUES OR SOME OF THE NOT CONCERNS, THAT'S, THAT'S A STRONG WORD, BUT SOME OF THE, UH, THINGS WE CAN, I, I, I THINK THAT MAYBE WE CAN DO TO IMPROVE WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN DISCUSS FURTHER IN THE NEXT POINT.
UM, DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, WHEN IT COMES TO, TO THAT, I, I AGREE.
IT'S, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY AS WE, AS A CITY WHO WANTS TO GET MORE AND MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED, I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY JUST LIKE FOR US TO INTERVIEW THEM, BUT FOR THEM TO INTERVIEW US AND ASK US QUESTIONS.
AND I KNOW WE'VE IN THE PAST INTERVIEWED PEOPLE THEN, THEN THEY'VE COME BACK AND SAID, YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT POSITION FOR ME, NOT THE RIGHT TIMING IN MY LIFE BASED ON WHAT YOU ALL NEED.
UM, AND I I, I WOULD BE AFRAID THAT IF THIS ACTUALLY DOES THE OPPOSITE AND LIMITS THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE SOME INTEREST BUT WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT THE POSITION, AND THEY, I THINK THAT WOULD MAYBE PUSH SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE AWAY IF THIS WERE TO BE A, IF WE STARTED RECORDING THOSE.
SO I'D BE AFRAID OF THAT KIND OF BLOW BACK THAT MAY HAPPEN.
UH, YEAH, I AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN CORCORAN SAID.
AGAIN, I, I THINK IN THE INTEREST, I THINK THERE'S A SORT OF TRANSPARENCY DESIRE AROUND THIS.
I THOUGHT, UH, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT CITY YOU SAID, AMY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THOUGH THAT THEY CAME TO THE PODIUM AND GAVE A TWO MINUTE SORT OF OPENING STATEMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I, I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING APPROACH THAT, THAT I THINK MAYBE CAN ADD A LITTLE BIT OF TRANSPARENCY TO THE PROCESS ABOUT WE'VE SELECTED THESE FIVE PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT.
BUT THAT, THAT FOR THE REASONS THAT COUNCILMAN CORCORAN SAID, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY JUST SORT OF HAVING THIS LIVE ON IN PERPETUITY FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT, YOU KNOW, HAVE A BLUNDER OR WHATEVER, UM, MIGHT NOT WIND UP ON THE BOARD, BUT THIS LIVES ON FOREVER.
UH, AND, AND INFAMY IN SOME CASES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THAT, BUT I, I AM IN FAVOR OF MAYBE TRYING TO FIND A SORT OF A HYBRID THAT ALLOWS US TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF THE TRANSPARENCY I THINK THE PUBLIC IS SEEKING WITH RESPECT TO INTERVIEWS.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY BE OPEN TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT IF WE SELECT FIVE PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW, THAT THOSE FIVE PEOPLE WOULD PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE PUBLIC.
EITHER WE PUT IT ONLINE OR THEY COME TO THE PODIUM IN A COUNCIL MEETING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DISCUSS WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT I WOULD BE OKAY WITH DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS OPPOSED TO BROADCASTING AND RECORDING AND KEEPING FOREVER, UH, INTERVIEWS.
THAT, THAT WE MAY DO, WE MAY DO COUNCIL MEMBER DOAN.
CAN I ADD TO THAT? MAYOR? I'M SORRY, COUNCIL.
SORRY, I, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, SIR.
UM, ESPECIALLY MAYBE THE QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARDS, ESPECIALLY IF WE KEEP THOSE IN, UM, IN EXEC OR IN PRIVATE.
IF, IF THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO COME, THAT WOULD ADD THE EXTRA LAYER OF TRANSPARENCY.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN, THANK YOU.
I, UH, I'M GONNA HAVE TO, UH, AGREE ON, ON TWO TERMS. ONE, AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, CORCORAN.
[02:05:01]
I, I, I THINK THERE IS A LEVEL OF, UH, PROFESSIONALISM, UH, OF PRIVACY, UH, FROM AN INTERVIEWING STANDPOINT.THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT NOW IS FINE, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO THE, TO THE, UH, POINT OF BEING MORE TRANSPARENT, UM, I'M OPEN TO A HYBRID, UH, SITUATION.
WHETHER I LIKE THE PODIUM IDEA, I'M NOT QUITE SURE THE TIMEFRAME OF THAT.
IF IT TAKES MORE TIME OR LESS TIME, IS IT MORE COSTLY FOR THE CITY, CITY STAFF? UH, WE'D HAVE TO EVALUATE SOME OF THOSE DETAILS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, UH, WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT AND EVALUATE IT, UM, IF WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE A POTENTIAL, UH, HIGHER LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY IN THAT, WITH THAT RESPECT.
IF, IF I REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID, AMY, IF YOU GO BACK A SLIDE, MAYBE ONE MORE, I'M SORRY.
SO COULD WE, IF, IF WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO HAVE A COUNCIL WORK SCH SCHEDULE SESSION SCHEDULED? WELL, IT'S NOT RECORDED.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID.
I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, SO WE DIDN'T ADD ON ANY COST OR ANY STAFF TIME, IF THERE WAS A MEETING THAT WE COULD DO IT AT, WE'RE ALREADY HERE.
IT'S ALREADY BEING YEAH, I THINK RECORDED AND EVERYTHING, THEN IT WOULD, WE COULD JUST DO THAT AND NOT ADD TIME, UH, COST, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
I WAS, I JUST WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER, 'CAUSE I REMEMBER THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT A SPECIAL, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, BUT I JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE COULD DO THAT.
BUT MAYOR PRO TIM, I, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THE WAY IT CURRENTLY WORKS IS, UH, WE WOULD, WE STAFF WOULD NOT KNOW WHO TO CALL TO MAKE A STATEMENT UNTIL YOU HAD THE FIRST MEETING, UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE IN THE WAY THAT YOU'RE APPROACHING IT NOW.
SO UNLESS WE ADDED A MEETING, UM, WHICH YOU WOULD HAVE IS YOU WOULD HAVE A AGENDA ITEM ON A WORK SESSION WHERE, YOU KNOW, FIVE APPLICANTS WOULD COME MAKE THEIR STATEMENT, BUT THEN YOU PROBABLY WOULDN'T INTERVIEW 'EM THAT NIGHT THEN.
UNLESS, AGAIN, UNLESS WE EITHER UTILIZED A PORTION OF A WORK SESSION FOR THAT, WHICH WE NORMALLY DON'T DO.
UM, WE, WE WOULD PROBABLY ADD A TUESDAY NIGHT MEETING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO HANDLE THAT JUST BECAUSE, UM, OF OUR, OF OUR WORKLOAD OTHERWISE.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE INITIAL MEETING SO THAT YOU COULD DETERMINE WHO YOU WANTED TO HEAR FROM.
UH, BUT I WOULD, I MEAN, I WOULD SUGGEST HAVING A, A SEPARATE MEETING, NOT TRYING TO DO IT AT A WORK SESSION, HAVING SOMEONE STAND FIVE APPLICANTS, MAKE A STATEMENT, AND THEN COME BACK FOR AN INTERVIEW.
I WOULD JUST SAY SUGGEST HAVING A, A SEPARATE MEETING WHERE YOU DO THAT, AND THEN GO, I GUESS GO OFF CAMERA AND THEN, UH, CONDUCT THE INTERVIEWS, UH, SUBSEQUENT TO THE, TO THE STATEMENTS BEING MADE.
SO PHILOSOPHICALLY, UM, I'VE JUST HIGH LEVEL THE WAY I LOOK AT THINGS IS IF IT'S CONSIDERED AN OPEN MEETING, THEN ANY RESIDENT OF OUR CITY COULD SHOW UP WITH A CAMERA.
THEY COULD RECORD THE MEETING, WHICH WE'VE HAD THIS HAPPEN IN OPEN MEETINGS IN THE PAST, AND IT WOULD LIVE ON FOR PERPETUITY.
IT WOULD POTENTIALLY SCARE AWAY ALL THE PEOPLE.
IT WOULD HAVE ALL THE OTHER CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE.
THE, THE FOLKS THAT I'VE TALKED TO, BOTH IN DALLAS AND IN MCKINNEY, HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE NO LACK OF APPLICANTS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY HAVE TOO MANY APPLICANTS, UH, IN MANY OF THESE TYPES OF ROLES, INCLUDING WHEN THEY HAVE TO DO THINGS PUBLICLY.
UM, SO MY FEELING IS, IS THAT IF, AND WE'VE LIVED THROUGH THIS SOMEWHAT RECENTLY, BUT IF THERE'S A SCENARIO WHERE A RESIDENT CAN SHOW UP AND RECORD THE MEETING, THEN WHY WOULDN'T WE JUST RECORD THE MEETING AND MAKE IT EASIER FOR ALL PARTIES TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT? AND THAT'S JUST MY OWN 2 CENTS.
UM, I, I, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I HAVE SOMEWHAT UNANIMOUS, UH, OPPOSITION AT LEAST ON THE FRONT END OF THIS.
UH, BUT I, I, I, I CAN'T SAY IT MORE CLEARLY.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I MEAN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULD ALLOW A RESIDENT TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE WOULDN'T JUST DO PROFESSIONALLY TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENS THERE.
AND I THINK THE CONCERN ABOUT OUR SAFETY AND THEIR SAFETY AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS, I MEAN, FRANKLY, I THINK THE NEXT TOPIC, WHICH I BELIEVE IS GONNA BE THE RUBRIC THAT PROBABLY SHOULD HELP US ACTUALLY HAVE LESS CONCERN ABOUT OUR SAFETY OR THEIR SAFETY, IF IT'S MORE OF A ACTUAL THOUGHT PROCESS RELATED TO QUALIFICATIONS VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WHO SHOWED UP AT THE, UH, GET ON BOARD MEETING AND WAS SUPER NICE OR WHATEVER.
AND SO THAT, THAT'S JUST MY HIGH LEVEL THOUGHTS.
BUT I THINK, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, DORIAN, YOU, YOU MIGHT HAVE TURNED ON YOUR QUESTION.
I MEAN, I, I, MY, I LOOK AT THIS AS NOT POTENTIALLY AS A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT MORE OF A PRIVACY ISSUE.
I'M GONNA GO BACK TO SOMETHING COUNCILMAN CORCORAN SAID, AND I HATE SINCE HE STARTED THIS AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY HIS PIECE.
A LOT OF WHAT HE SAID RESONATES
[02:10:01]
WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.BUT IT'S, IT'S MORE OF A PRIVACY THING.
BECAUSE IF, IF, IF I PERSONALLY WANTED TO GO INTERVIEW WITH A CORPORATION AS A DIVISION PRESIDENT OR, OR A, FOR A BOARD OR COMMISSION OR WHATEVER, KIND OF WOULD LIKE THAT TO BE EITHER IN, UM, EITHER A, A ONE-ON-ONE OR A VERY, VERY, VERY SMALL, UM, YOU KNOW, GROUP OF PEOPLE, TWO OR THREE PEOPLE, WHICH IS GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU'RE APPLYING FOR A POSITION.
I JUST, IT, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S MORE ON THAT LEVEL, IS THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.
AND THE OTHER THING TOO IS YES, ANYONE CAN COME AND RECORD IT.
UH, DO PEOPLE DO THAT? I MEAN, WE'VE HAD IT, WE'VE HAD IT HAPPEN A VERY LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIMES.
ONE, AND, AND THE THIRD POINT IS THIS IS NOW ADDING ANOTHER LEVEL OF COST TO THE CITY, ANOTHER LEVEL OF MORE RESPONSIBILITY ON STAFF.
AND IT'S LIKE, WHERE'S THE MONEY GONNA COME FROM TO TAKE CARE OF THESE? AND WHERE ARE WE GOING TO, WHERE ARE WE GONNA PULL IT FROM? SO I HAVE TO LOOK AT IT LIKE THAT FROM, FROM ALL STANDPOINTS.
AND, AND I THINK AS A COUNCIL, WE SHOULD REALLY BE LOOKING AT ALL THREE SIDES OF THAT TRIANGLE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE, FOR THE PEOPLE, FOR THE RESIDENTS AND FOR THE CITY, UH, INCLUDING STAFF.
UH, I JUST WANNA BRING THAT TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN, I WOULD, UH, AND MAYOR, I MEAN, I, I THINK JUST SINCE YOU, SINCE YOU MADE YOUR COMMENTS, JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF, OF HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION ON IT, UM, OUT THERE.
I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE WITH THE QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARDS THAT WE HAVE, WE ARE ABLE TO DO THOSE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE DON'T HAVE THE PUBLIC WITH CAMERAS THERE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN MADE A GOOD POINT THAT YES, PEOPLE CAN DO IT.
IN MY TIME IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, HAVE I SEEN ANYBODY IN AN ACTUAL MEETING WHERE WE HAVE BOARD COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, MAYBE ONCE, HAVE THEY HAD A CAMERA? THEY DID NOT HAVE A CAMERA.
UM, AND, AND I'VE SEEN THE WAY THAT MCKINNEY DOES IT, WHERE EVERYTHING IS ON CAMERA.
I'VE WATCHED SOME OF THOSE CLIPS.
I MEAN, THERE IS, THERE'S VERY LITTLE DISCUSSION.
THERE'S, THERE'S A MOTION AND A VOTE AFTER THE, I THINK THAT IN, IN A CITY OF OUR SIZE, A LOT OF US HAVE VERY PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE PEOPLE APPLYING.
I STILL JUST DON'T THINK IT'S A GOOD, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY AND GOOD FOR US TO, TO BE COMPARING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AGAINST EACH OTHER ON CAMERA IF WE CAN AVOID IT.
THOSE ARE JUST THE LITTLE HANDFUL OF POINTS I WOULD JUST SAY TO KIND OF REBUT.
THE ARGUMENTS YOU MADE, COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS.
MAYOR, YOU BRING UP A REALLY GOOD POINT.
AND I AM, I'M TORN BECAUSE I DO AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.
UM, I KNOW RECENTLY WE JUST HAD THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, AND I KNOW WAS I, I HAD SPOKEN FOR HAVING THOSE RECORDED.
AND I, WHEN I WANTED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT COMMENTS, I HAD TO GO ON A POST OF ONE OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, WHO WAS RECORDING AND ACTUALLY WATCH WHAT THE RESIDENT WAS RECORDING IN ORDER TO KNOW WHAT OUR COMMISSIONER WE APPOINTED.
AND, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S BOTHERSOME THAT I, THAT WE HAD TO DO THAT, THAT I HAD TO DO THAT.
I AM CONCERNED THAT TO COUNCILMAN CORCORAN'S POINT, 'CAUSE I KNOW WHEN, UH, THE DISCUSSION AROUND MAYOR PRO TEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THIS? WHAT, WHAT'S THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION PART OF IT? HOW MUCH OF IT IS DONE IN FRONT OF A CAMERA? HOW MUCH IT IS DONE AROUND A CAMERA? I TALKED TO FRIENDS IN OTHER CITIES THAT DID IT IN A MORE PUBLIC WAY, AND THEY SAID, WELL, I, I SAID, THESE ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, WHO WE EITHER PREVIOUSLY SERVED OR CURRENTLY SERVING.
UM, AND THERE'S, LOOK, THE REALITY IS WE MAKE THE DECISION AHEAD OF TIME.
AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, NOBODY'S GOING TO TEAR SOMEBODY DOWN IN FRONT OF A CAMERA.
NOT THAT THEY WOULD DO IT, BUT NOT THAT WE DO THAT IN PRIVATE, BUT NOBODY'S GOING TO, UM, REALLY SAY WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY THINK.
AND IT'S KIND OF, ALTHOUGH IT'S IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, IT ACTUALLY REMOVES THE TRANSPARENCY PART.
AND BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF PREDETERMINED, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH ACTUAL BREAKING OF FLAWS, BY DISCUSSING THINGS WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T BE, OR BY WINKS OR NODS OR BODY LANGUAGE, IT RE IT WHILE IT'S IN DISPUTE OF TRANSPARENCY, IT ACTUALLY TAKES AWAY THE TRANSPARENCY PART.
SO I'M TORN BECAUSE YOU HAVE A REALLY, REALLY VALID POINT, MAYOR AND I, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM STAFF ONE.
UM, AMY OR DON, CAN Y'ALL CLARIFY? UH, I KNOW WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE, AND FOR THOSE WATCHING HOME, WHICH ONES ARE THE ONES THAT ARE QUASI, UH, JUDICIAL THAT WOULD BE, UH, SUBJECT TO, EVEN IF THIS WERE TO, WE WOULD START, WHICH WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO BE DONE IN PRIVATE.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART, I'M GONNA ASK IF YOU HAVE SOME IDEAS ON COSTS.
[02:15:01]
SO THE QUASI JUDICIAL BOARDS ARE C-P-C-Z-B-A CIVIL SERVICE DART AND NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT.SO I THINK WE'RE UNANIMOUS OR CLOSE TO UNANIMOUS ON, WE WOULD KEEP THOSE IN PRIVATE SESSION.
AND SO, SO THE ONLY QUESTION NOW IS ON THE PUBLIC SESSION PORTION, JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, YOU HAD A COST QUESTION.
WHAT WAS THE COST? THE, THE COST ISN'T A CONSIDERATION IN THIS.
THIS IS A ONE TIME A YEAR, PROBABLY ONE, MAYBE TWO AT THE MOST.
SO I, I, THE COST REALLY ISN'T A CONSIDERATION.
THAT'S ALL QUESTIONS I HAVE FOR NOW.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, MY POSITION ISN'T MOVED.
I THINK, UM, UH, AGAIN, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN CORCORAN ON THIS.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE, WE'RE IN A SITUATION NOW BASED ON WHAT WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT, WHERE WE TREAT SOME BOARDS DIFFERENTLY THAN WE TREAT OTHER BOARDS, UM, WITH RESPECT TO INTERVIEWS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, NEXT WE'LL TALK ABOUT ACTUALLY RECORDING THE MEETINGS.
BUT WITH RESPECT TO THESE INTERVIEWS, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T, UH, I THINK, I DON'T THINK THERE, THE BENEFIT, UH, OUTWEIGHS SORT OF, UM, SOME OF THE PRIVACY CONCERNS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO AGAIN, I'M, I'M OPEN TO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE THE PROCESS MORE TRANSPARENT WITHOUT, UM, JUST VIDEO BROADCASTING AND RECORDING THE, THE INTERVIEWS, UH, FOREVERMORE.
I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT YOU COULD COME AND RECORD AND, YOU KNOW, THAT CAUSED ISSUE FOR SOME BOARD MEMBERS THAT THAT HAPPENED RECENTLY.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND THAT, UM, SEPARATELY.
BUT, UH, WITH RESPECT TO INTERVIEWS, I'M, I'M NOT IN FAVOR, BUT I WOULD BE IF THAT, AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL'S OPEN TO FIGURING OUT A WAY TO MAKE, TO ADD TRANSPARENCY TO THE PROCESS, WHETHER IT'S COMING TO THE PODIUM OR WRITTEN STATEMENTS THAT WE'VE PUT ONLINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN HAVING A DISCUSSION, UH, AROUND THAT PIECE.
UM, SEEMS THERE'S AGREEMENT ON NOT BROADCASTING THE INTERVIEWS.
SO WHAT COULD WE DO TO ADD TRANSPARENCY TO THE, THE PROCESS? MAY I PRETEND
WOULD IT BE, I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT PARKS, CULTURAL ARTS, WHAT AM I LEAVING OUT? LIBRARY, LIBRARY, LIBRARY.
ANIMAL SERVICES, ANIMAL SERVICES, COMMUNITY INCLUSION, ENGAGEMENT, BPAC.
SO THERE'S FIVE IN ESSENCE, THERE'S, IS THAT CORRECT? NO, THERE'S, THERE'S SEVEN, I THINK.
THERE'S SEVEN THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT QUASI-JUDICIAL.
IS THAT RIGHT? SIX OR SEVEN? YES.
IT IS, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER OFF, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT WE, IT'S SEVEN.
I'LL, I'LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.
A THOUGHT IS IF WE, SHOULD WE TRIAL AND SEE FOR ONE YEAR THE, THE VIDEO OR BROADCASTING? OR SHOULD WE TRY IT WITH ONE OF THE, THE BOARDS, ONE OF THE BOARDS, SEE HOW IT WORKS VERSUS NOT, AND THEN COME BACK? BECAUSE I HEAR BOTH, I HEAR BOTH ARGUMENTS.
SO I'M KIND OF, I'M, I'M KIND OF LIKE COUNCILMAN BARRIOS OF, OF, I HEAR BOTH SIDES OF IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I I, I DON'T EVER LIKE THE IDEA OF SOMEONE COMING IN, COMING IN WITH A CAMERA AND KIND OF MY WORDS BOOTLEGGING, A, A VIDEO RECORDING, AND THEN PUTTING IT OUT ON THE, PUTTING IT OUT OUT THERE WHERE WE DON'T, I DON'T WANNA SAY WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL, BUT IT'S, YOU CAN'T HEAR THINGS.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S SAID, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
AND SO THAT COULD ACTUALLY, POTENTIALLY DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
I'M JUST, I'M, I'M TRYING TO THINK.
THE ONE, THE ONES THAT WE'RE GONNA, WE'VE, WE'VE AGREED TO KEEP THE OTHER ONES PRIVATE.
THOSE ARE THE ONES WHERE I THINK WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE, WHAT DO I WANNA SAY? MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE ROBUST DISCUSSION.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE, IF WE, IF WE TRY, I DON'T KNOW HOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW DIFFICULT THAT WOULD BE IS IF WE TRIED ONE OF THE, THE BOARDS AND ORG COMMISSION, UM, OR MAYBE TRIED IT FOR ONE YEAR AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED.
SEE HOW WE ALL FELT AFTERWARDS.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL SEVEN YEARS.
WE'VE ONLY DONE IT ONE WAY IN THE SEVEN YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE TO DO IT THE OTHER WAY.
I DON'T, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID TONIGHT.
THAT'S MY PROBLEM, IS I SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE EQUATION.
SO I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF IT'D BE WORTH A TRIAL.
I THROW THAT OUT THERE AS A SURE.
I THINK, I THINK EITHER OF THESE OPTIONS WILL, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GONNA SOMEWHAT CHANGE THE WAY YOU APPROACH BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU CALL SOMEONE IN, NOW, YOU MAY BE CONSIDERING THEM FOR SEVERAL BOARDS.
AND SOMETIMES, UM, OFTEN YOU'LL GO IN AND OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION DEPENDING ON, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING ME FOR ZBA, YOU MAY BE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, YOU DECIDE THAT I'M NOT A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THAT, BUT MAYBE I AM A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR THE LIBRARY.
[02:20:01]
BY LAW WE GO BACK INTO OPEN SESSION.AND SO MAYOR PRO TIM, THE ONLY THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD CHANGE BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE CALLING APPLICANTS IN EXCLUSIVELY FOR ONE COMMITTEE, AND GOOD POINT.
AND YOU KNOW, THE LATITUDE THAT, THAT YOU'VE ENJOYED ABOUT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE RIGHT SCENE ON THE BUS, NOT NECESSARILY JUST CALLING HIM IN.
SO IT WOULD CHANGE THE WAY THAT YOU'VE TRADITIONALLY APPROACHED THAT.
BUT WE COULD DEFINITELY DO A PILOT.
I MEAN, IF THAT'S WHAT THE COUNCIL CHOOSES.
OH, WERE YOU DONE FOR NOW? OKAY, WE CAN COME BACK IF THIS IS A GOOD POINT.
I HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT NOW.
I MEAN, I'M, AND YOU, YOU TOLD ME HOW YOU WANNA DIRECT THE MEETING.
SO I ACTUALLY SENT THIS DRAFT BOARDING COMMISSION APPLICANT'S SCORING SYSTEM OVER TO CITY STAFF, UM, FOR US TO POTENTIALLY TALK ABOUT, YEAH.
TO ALLEVIATE MAYBE SOME OF THE TRANSPARENCY CONCERNS HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP.
SO I WAS GONNA SAY A QUICK MENTION OF THAT IF WE WANT TO MOVE TO THAT.
BUT IF YOU WANT US TO STAY ON THIS TOPIC.
THEN OKAY, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO, LET'S, LET'S JUST FOR A MOMENT MORE AND THEN WE'LL, WE CAN KIND OF PERHAPS GO BACK AND FORTH.
UH, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TALKING ABOUT IT.
MAYOR, I WANTED TO GIVE A FINAL THOUGHT HERE.
UM, I, I AM, I COULD GO EITHER WAY ON THIS, BUT LOOKING AT THE BOARDS AND WHAT THE QUASI QUASI BOARDS ARE, QUASI JUDICIAL BOARDS, YOU KNOW, IF I WERE, LET'S SAY A CITY COUNCIL WATCHER, RIGHT? AND SOMEBODY WHO, WHO REALLY, UM, PUSHED FOR THAT TRANSPARENCY.
YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THINGS IN ONE THAT WASN'T MENTIONED, WHICH, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, 'CAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF OUR REGULAR BOARDS, BUT THE, UH, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION THAT WE HAD THIS PAST YEAR.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT C-P-C-Z-B-A CIVIL SERVICE, THESE ARE SOME VERY, AND NOT TO SAY THAT ANY BOARDS ARE LESS IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS, BUT THESE ARE SOME HEAVY HITTING BOARDS.
SO EVEN IF WE DID A PUBLIC INTERVIEW PROCESS FOR SOME OF THE OTHER ONES, LIKE, UM, PARKS OR WHICHEVER THE OTHERS, I FEEL THAT EVEN SOME OF THE BIGGEST ONES WERE STILL KIND OF PROTECTED BY THIS CLOAK.
AND THEY'RE STILL DONE IN PRIVATE.
SO I, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH ACTUAL, OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT, THE ONLY REASON I WOULD WANT TO HAVE THESE THAT I'M EVEN CONSIDERING STILL, UH, HAVING THESE IS, IS THE REASON YOU HAVE.
BUT I SEEM, I SEEM TO THINK THERE'S MORE REASONS TO MAYBE KEEP IT THE WAY WE DO IT NOW, BUT IT DOES BOTHER ME THAT THAT PUBLIC CAN RECORD.
AND I FEEL THAT WHILE WE HAVEN'T, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE HAVEN'T HAD IT BE A PROBLEM YET, THAT, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS IN THE FUTURE SOMEBODY WOULD DO SOMETHING, UH, THAT'S NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT YEAH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S OUT OF OUR CONTROL AT THAT POINT.
SO RECORDING, UM, I'M GONNA JUST GO BACK TO MY PHILOSOPHY ONE LAST TIME, JUST 'CAUSE I NEED TO SAY IT ONE MORE TIME AND THEN WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE SCORING.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE AN OPEN MEETING IS AN OPEN MEETING, AND IF A PERSON IS ALLOWED TO BE THERE, THEN I DON'T SEE WHY THERE'S A REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE CAMERAS ROLLING.
AND HONESTLY, ANY AND ALL OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT SOMEHOW AS SOON AS THE CAMERAS ARE ROLLING, THE WHOLE WORLD IS GONNA CHANGE.
AND WE'RE GONNA GO AND PRE-PLAN AND PRE PICK PEOPLE.
LIKE I, I DID THIS YEARS BACK, THERE SEEMED TO BE A DECENT AMOUNT OF PRE-PLANNING AND PRE PICKING, EVEN WHEN THE MEETINGS WEREN'T ONLINE.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW BEING ONLINE IS GONNA MAKE IT EVEN MORE PRE-PLANNED.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL GET APPROACHED BY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND THEY TELL US AND THEY HAVE ACCESS TO US, AND THEN WE GET A CHANCE TO INTERVIEW THEM OR NOT.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT, AT LEAST IF WE'RE INTERVIEWING THEM IN PUBLIC, NUMBER ONE, AN OPEN MEETING IS AN ACTUAL OPEN MEETING, MEANING THAT PUBLIC CAN WATCH IT AND JUST LIKE THEY COULD IF THEY SHOWED UP.
AND NUMBER TWO, I THINK IT WOULD ACTUALLY FORCE US TO ACTUALLY HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION OR A FAKE CONVERSATION EITHER WAY, A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE, THE, THE TOPICS OF WHETHER OR NOT THE PERSON IS QUALIFIED OR WHETHER OR NOT WE MIGHT LEARN SOMETHING BECAUSE WE'RE FORCED TO ACTUALLY ASK A FEW QUESTIONS THAT WE MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE.
SO IT'S JUST MY HIGH LEVEL THOUGHT PROCESS.
UM, UH, BUT I'D, I'D BE HAPPY TO GO ON TO THE APPLICANT'S SCORING SYSTEM.
MAYBE TO SOME DEGREE THAT'LL HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT ALLEVIATES IT, IF, IF THIS DOESN'T, IF THE DOCUMENT DOESN'T BECOME PUBLIC, UH, WHICH MAY ALSO BE A CONCERN FOR PEOPLE.
SO, COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE, I SAW YOUR LIKE, COME ON.
YEAH, JUST ON YOUR LAST POINT AND SORT OF INCORPORATING THIS NEXT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I GO BACK TO, WE HAVE PEOPLE ON THE FENCE, SOME WHO DON'T WANNA RECORD THE INTERVIEWS.
AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO FIND SORT OF A HAPPY MEDIUM GROUND HERE.
[02:25:01]
SO I, IT, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM SORT OF USING A SCORING SYSTEM, OR AGAIN, IF WE WANNA HAVE A STATEMENT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I'M FINE PUTTING THEM ONLINE, ALL OF OUR FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS AND SUFFER ONLINE.SO I MEAN, IF, IF WE WANT TO SORT OF TALK ABOUT LINKING THAT, UM, ON, YOU KNOW, OR MAKING THAT AVAILABLE SOMEHOW, OTHER THAN THROUGH A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, UM, I'M, I'M OKAY DOING THAT TO TRY AND ADD, AGAIN, TRYING TO FIND A MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN, BETWEEN SORT OF YOUR POSITION AND THE ABSOLUTELY NOT POSITION.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT MAY BE MAKING THESE PUBLIC, UM, I WILL SAY TRADITIONALLY, BECAUSE THEY'RE IN OPEN MEETINGS, WE ALL TEND TO ASK THE EXACT SAME QUESTION.
AND SO PERHAPS WE COME UP WITH AN AGREEMENT OF WHAT THOSE SEVEN QUESTIONS ARE.
WE USUALLY ALL ASK ONE QUESTION AND THEY WIND UP BEING THE SAME QUESTION OVER AND OVER.
PERHAPS WE JUST WRITE THOSE DOWN AND HAVE APPLICANTS ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND WE MAKE THAT PUBLIC, UM, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES TO TRY AND, AGAIN, ADD MORE TRANSPARENCY TO THE PROCESS AND BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO POSITIONS.
YEAH, I WOULD BE OPEN TO, TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS WELL.
AND, UH, MAYOR PRO, TIM HUTCHIN REER SUGGESTED POSSIBILITY OF DOING IT FOR ONE YEAR TO SEE WHETHER, WHETHER OR NOT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S A CHILLING EFFECT AND NO ONE SHOWS UP, OR SOMEHOW ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'RE PLOTTING AND FIGURE OUT WHO WE WANT BEFORE WE EVER GET TO THE INTERVIEW, OR IT ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING NATURAL AND IT ENDS UP BEING FINE.
UM, SO THAT'S ANOTHER POSSIBLE OPTION THAT MIGHT BE A SOFT WAY TO AT LEAST TRIAL SOMETHING WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF IT BEING A TRIAL.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO GO BACK TO YOU, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN CORCORAN'S ALSO.
COULD HIS LIGHT ON? YEAH, YEAH, NO, I JUST, ON ON THAT POINT.
YOU KNOW, I, I I THINK, AGAIN, I, I MADE THE POINT EARLIER, I HAVE CONCERN ABOUT TREATING SOME BOARDS DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER BOARDS.
SO I I WOULD THE QUASI-JUDICIAL VERSUS THE OTHERS, UH, YEAH.
WITH RESPECT TO, WE'RE INTERVIEWING SOME, AND I MEAN RECORDING SOME, OR NOT RECORDING SOME, I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOOD, UM, TO, TO SORT OF TREAT THEM DIFFERENTLY.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO INTERVIEW THE QUASI-JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE SESSIONS, SO THAT DOES SORT OF CREATE A DICHOTOMY.
UM, BUT I THINK, UH, MR. MAGNER'S POINT WAS A REALLY GOOD ONE TOO.
I MEAN, WE ARE TYPICALLY INTERVIEWING PEOPLE FOR MULTIPLE BOARDS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THE RIGHT FIT.
AND SO FOR ME, THERE'S NOT REALLY A HYBRID THAT MAKES SENSE HERE, THAT WE DO SOME BOARDS AND OTHER, NOT OTHER BOARDS.
AND SO AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE POINT OF WHAT CAN WE DO TO INCREASE SORT OF THE TRANSPARENCY AROUND THE INTERVIEW PROCESS SO THE PUBLIC FEELS LIKE THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS ASKED.
UH, THERE'S SOME SORT OF SOMETHING IN WRITING, UM, HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, IT CAN, OTHER THAN SORT OF A PERSONALITY FIT, WRITING DOWN THOSE QUESTIONS AND HAVING PEOPLE ANSWER THEM, UM, WOULD SPEED UP THE PROCESS TO BEGIN WITH.
UM, SO WE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO ASK ALL THOSE QUESTIONS.
JUST TO CLARIFY, I DEFINITELY PROMISE I'M NOT TRYING TO BE ARGUMENTATIVE, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY TREATING BOARDS DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE WE GOT THE QUASI-JUDICIAL VERSUS THE NOT NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT.
THAT IS CLOSED MEETING VERSUS OPEN MEETING.
NOW WE WOULD, IN MY HYPOTHETICAL, WE WOULD TREAT ALL THE OPEN MEETING FOLKS ONE WAY.
AND ALL THE CLOSED MEETING FOLKS, WELL, IT'S A CLOSED MEETING, SO THEREFORE WE WOULDN'T, BUT YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT'S TREATING THEM DIFFERENT, UH, MORE THAN THAT BEING DIFFERENT? OR ARE YOU SAYING WITHIN THE OPEN PICKING ONE OR TWO TO DO, WHICH WAS THE CONCERN THAT YOU HAD ABOUT TREATING SOME DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS? I'M SAYING THAT THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE THAT SOME WOULD BE RECORDED AND SOME WOULD NOT.
UNDER THE SCENARIO THAT COUNT THAT MAYOR HUTCHIN HAD SUGGESTED, SOME WOULD BE RECORDED AND SOME WOULD NOT.
THAT'S THE TREATING THEM DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK SOME OF THESE BOARDS, AGAIN, ARE VERY, ARE VERY SORT OF, UM, HIGH LEVEL BOARDS THAT, THAT NEED, UM, SORT OF THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION, UM, IN AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
BUT ALSO TO MR. MAGNER'S POINT, I THINK IT'S A, A REALLY GOOD POINT ABOUT HOW THIS, THESE INTERVIEW PROCESSES WORK, UH, DISAGREE THAT ANYTHING'S PRE-BAKED.
I DON'T GO INTO ANY SORT OF MEETING SUGGESTING THAT, THAT ANYTHING, ANY ONE PERSON SUGGESTS THAT I KNOW THERE'VE BEEN HURT FEELINGS AMONGST COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO DIDN'T GET SOMEBODY THAT THEY WANTED.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A THING.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, I THINK WHEN WE'RE INTERVIEWING PEOPLE FOR MULTIPLE POSITIONS, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO SORT OF, AGAIN, HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC INTERVIEW FOR A VERY SPECIFIC BOARD.
UM, SO GO BACK TO MY POINT ABOUT WHAT, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO IF THIS ISN'T THE THING WE'RE GOING TO DO? AND I, I, I MAY EVEN SUGGEST THAT WE CONSIDER DOING INTERVIEWS FOR SPECIFIC BOARDS.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND BEING SPECIFIC.
I MEAN, WHEN WE ALL GO TO THAT JOB, UH, OPPORTUNITY, UH, THE COUNCIL MEMBER DORIAN WAS TALKING ABOUT, WE ACTUALLY INTERVIEW FOR A POSITION AND, AND ESPECIALLY IF WE START GOING TO QUALIFICATIONS AND SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS, IT, IT, IT MAY LEND ITSELF TO THAT, BUT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.
SO I AM NOT INSENSITIVE TO THE PUBLIX CALLS FOR INCREASED TRANSPARENCY WITH BOARDS AND COMMISSION APPLICATIONS,
UM, SO SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SO SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO ME EVEN BEFORE ALL THIS REALLY STARTED WAS, HEY, LOOK, IF, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO TELEVISE ALL THE INTERVIEWS, WHAT'S SOMETHING MAYBE YOU CAN DO? AND MR. MAYOR, WE HAVE,
[02:30:01]
AND WE HAVE HAD VERY ROBUST DISCUSSIONS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ON PEOPLE'S QUALIFICATIONS, ON THE QUALITY OF THEIR APPLICATION AND WHETHER THEY WOULD MAKE A GOOD BOARD MEMBER OR NOT BASED ON COMMUNITY SERVICE.THOSE HAVE BEEN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD.
AND SO TO SORT OF REASSURE THE PUBLIC AND SAY, LOOK, IF, UM, YOU KNOW, TO SORT OF PULL THE VEIL BACK A LITTLE BIT, HAVING SOME SORT OF RUBRIC WHERE WE SAY THIS IS, THIS IS MORE OR LESS HOW WE WEIGH APPLICATIONS AGAINST EACH OTHER.
AND I'LL REMIND EVERYONE THERE ARE QUESTIONS ON ALL THE APPLICATIONS THAT ARE LIKE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS THAT APPLICANTS HAVE TO FILL OUT.
AND SOME APPLICANTS FILL 'EM OUT IN PARAGRAPHS, SOME LEAVE THEM BLANK, BUT HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE DONE EVERY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IN THE CITY, THEY'VE SERVED AS HOA PRESIDENT, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
HOW DO WE WEIGH ALL THAT AGAINST ITSELF? SO HAVING SOMETHING THAT IS PUBLIC OUT THERE THAT CAN ALSO GUIDE OUR CONVERSATION IN PRIVATE THAT EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO IS SORT OF WHAT IN MY MIND WHEN I WAS TALKING TO STAFF AND TRYING TO SAY, HEY, WHERE DO WE FIT IN? THIS IS SORT OF THAT OLIVE BRANCH, AND THAT'S WHY I PROPOSED THIS ROUGH DRAFT OF SOMETHING THAT MAYBE COULD FULFILL THAT NEED.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, COUNCILOR BARRIOS, I KNOW YOU HAD A LOT OF COMMENTS ON IT THAT YOU SAID YOU HAD OR OTHERS MIGHT AS WELL, BUT YEAH, REALLY I JUST WANTED TO, TO PUT THIS OUT THERE AS SORT OF, HEY, THIS IS FOR THAT HALFWAY POINT.
IF WE DON'T TELEVISE EVERYTHING, AT LEAST EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW THEIR APPLICATION IS MATCHED UP AGAINST OTHER PEOPLE'S.
ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS, UM, AMY, ANY PART OF APPLICANT'S APPLICATION? IS THAT OPEN RECORD OR IS THAT NOT BECAUSE IT'S AN APPLICATION? IS THAT SUBJECT TO IT? IT'S OPEN EXCEPT FOR, UM, THE THINGS THAT ARE ALLOWED THAT ARE PROTECTED BY LAW, SUCH AS, UM, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS.
UM, THE PHONE NUMBER IS OPEN, THE ADDRESS IS OPEN, AND ALL OF THE QUESTIONS WOULD BE OPEN.
I LIKE COUNCIL WOMAN'S JUSTICE WHERE SHE, THE TRAIL SHE WAS KIND OF GOING AND TRYING TO FIND ABOUT MAYBE WE CREATE ANSWERS.
AND I KNOW IN THE SHORT TIME I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, SURELY THERE'S PEOPLE HERE ON THE, IN THIS DIOCESE THAT HAVE WAY MORE EXPERIENCE.
BUT IN THE SHORT TIME I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL ONE, I WILL SAY I'VE NEVER ONCE FELT THAT, UM, ANY DECISION HAS EVER BEEN REDETERMINED.
UM, AND THERE BEEN A COUPLE TIMES WHERE I'VE WALKED AWAY UPSET FROM A MEETING BECAUSE A LITTLE HOT AS COUNCILMAN JUSTICE SAYS, BECAUSE I, I FELT THAT I WAS NOT HEARD OR MY SUGGESTIONS WERE NOT CONSIDERED, UH, IN THOSE PRIVATE MEETINGS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THAT'S PART OF PART OF HOW IT GOES.
BUT I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF, I KNOW SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD IS LIKE, OKAY, WELL WHAT KIND OF QUESTIONS ARE, ARE YOU GONNA ASK A QUESTION AROUND THIS? ARE YOU GONNA ASK A QUESTION? WE'VE KIND OF HAD A LITTLE BIT OF CHATTER IN SOME OF THOSE STUFF ABOUT WHAT QUESTION WERE YOU? OR, YOU KNOW, OR, HEY JOE, YOU'RE GOING FIRST, DAN'S GOING SECOND, YOU KNOW, AND KIND OF FIGURE OUT THE ORDER WHEN THE PERSON COMES IN THE ROOM, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO MAYBE THERE'S SOME OPPORTUNITY THERE TO BE MORE TRANSPARENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE COMING TO A, TO DECISION TONIGHT ON, OR PERHAPS IT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, STAFF TAKES IT BACK, BRINGS BACK, BUT I, I THINK THERE'S GOTTA BE A PATHWAY THERE MAKING IT MORE TRANSPARENT.
UM, AND MAYBE WE PREDETERMINE SOME QUESTIONS, I DON'T KNOW.
UM, AND THAT BECOMES A PART OF THIS OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS AND THAT BECOMES PART OF THE OPEN RECORD.
UM, BUT I, I THINK I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT IDEA.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA SAY A FEW THINGS HERE.
ONE, I I'M IN SUPPORT OF BEING AS TRANSPARENT AS WE CAN AND TRY TO CREATE SOME KIND OF HYBRID, UH, TRANSPARENCY SYSTEM.
I'M, I'M HONESTLY STILL NOT IN SUPPORT OF RECORDING ANY OF THE MEETINGS, UH, TO COUNCILMAN BARRIOS, WHICH HE JUST MENTIONED AND, AND, AND BROUGHT, MAYBE RETHINK THIS AGAIN, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY HEAVY CONVERSATIONS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ABOUT THE APPLICANT.
I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT TO BE INTERVIEWING WITH A FIRM THAT MY INTERVIEW AND MY DISCUSSION ABOUT THREE, I'M AGAINST THREE OR FOUR OTHER APPLICANTS IS NOW RECORDED FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.
HOWEVER, IF I WERE GIVEN A HYBRID SITUATION SUCH AS A FORM, SOMETHING THAT IS AND POTENTIALLY COULD BECOME PUBLIC, ANSWERS ARE THERE, THEY KNOW HOW WE EVALUATED THEM, BUT WE EVALUATED THEM STILL IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I THINK AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO PRIVACY, IT GOES BACK TO, UH, DISCRETIONARY.
UM, IT'S, IT'S REALLY A PERSONAL THING BECAUSE WE ARE A SMALL CITY.
WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT DALLAS, WE'RE NOT HOUSTON, WE'RE NOT NEW YORK, WE'RE NOT CHICAGO.
I REALLY THINK THAT AS BEING A SMALL CITY, WE HAVE TO, WE, WE
[02:35:01]
HAVE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS HERE AND I REALLY DON'T THINK PEOPLE ARE GONNA WANT TO HEAR THAT.AND I JUST, I DO LIKE THE IDEA OF WHAT I KNOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO INTO THE SCORING BOARD SYSTEM.
I DO LIKE THE FACT THAT POTENTIALLY HYDRATING SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO CREATE AND MAYBE START THIS TRANSITION, MOVING IT A DIRECTION.
WHATEVER THAT DIRECTION MIGHT BE AT THIS TIME.
I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT FOR THE RECORD.
JUST ALSO FOR THE RECORD, NOBODY IS SUGGESTING YEAH, THAT THE EXECUTIVE SESSION BE RECORDED OR TELEVISED.
NO ONE IS EVER ASKED FOR THAT.
SO WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED WOULD NEVER HAPPEN IN ANY OF THE POSSIBILITIES THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S SUGGESTING THAT IT WOULD HAPPEN.
UM, DO WE WANNA MOVE ON TO THE SCORING SYSTEM? UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CORCORAN, OR DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER ITEM YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT? OH, SORRY, I THOUGHT WE WERE ALREADY ON THAT.
OH, I SAW YOUR ALL I WAS GONNA SAY, ALL I WAS GONNA SAY IS, YOU KNOW, I'M, IF Y'ALL DON'T LIKE THIS, IT DOESN'T HURT MY FEELINGS AT ALL.
I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF EITHER THIS OR SOME SORT OF HYBRID WHERE THERE'S A LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK FOR EACH BOARD THAT ARE PREDETERMINED.
WHATEVER IT IS, I THINK THAT THAT IS MUCH BETTER THAN A VIDEO EVEN FOR THE PUBLIC SESSION ITEMS. FAIR ENOUGH.
SO I, I, I'LL JUST GIVE MY THOUGHTS ON THIS WRITE OFF, I LOVE THIS.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE KIND OF PROACTIVE STEP OF, OF PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
HUGE, HELPFUL, UH, I THINK VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, AT LEAST BY ME AND I IMAGINE BY OTHERS.
UM, THE ONLY PLACE I WOULD PROBABLY ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICITY IS IF THERE ARE UNWRITTEN RULES, THINGS THAT WE, LET'S SAY, SAY LIKE, IS A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM, IS EVERY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM EQUAL OR DO WE COUNT LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON AS TWO POINTS OR THREE POINTS WHERE WE MIGHT COUNT, UH, CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY AS ONE POINT NOT TO, BUT THERE IS A KIND OF REALITY, AT LEAST I HAVEN'T DONE ANY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WITH YOU GUYS SELECTIONS, BUT I'VE BEEN IN ENOUGH ROOMS WHERE THAT BECAME A VERY HOT REASON WHY SOMEONE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.
NUMBER ONE IS 'CAUSE THEY WENT THROUGH LR.
SO IF THAT'S A TRUE, STILL STRONG POSITION BY PEOPLE, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY ARTICULATE IT HERE.
IF, IF, IF LR IS WORTH FIVE POINTS AND CARES IS WORTH FOUR POINTS, OR ARE THEY BOTH WORTH FIVE POINTS? THOSE KINDS OF THINGS I THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UM, BROADCAST SO THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT IF THEY WANT TO GET ON A BOARD OF COMMISSION, THIS IS A WAY THAT THEY CAN GET ADDITIONAL POINTS.
SO I JUST THINK A LITTLE BIT OF SPECIFICITY.
AND THEN ON THE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, ONCE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S EXAMPLES AND MAYBE IT'S EXAMPLES BY, UM, UH, BY POSITION.
SO PERHAPS THERE'S PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT'S DIFFERENT, THAT'S VALUABLE FOR PARKS WHERE IT WOULDN'T BE AS VALUABLE ON ARTS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
SO THAT'S MY HIGH LEVEL THOUGHT ON THIS, BUT THANK YOU.
I THINK THAT I'D LIKE TO FROM WHY STAND I LOOK AT THIS AND FOR EXAMPLE, THE WEIGHTED, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WAS JUST SOMETHING WE GOOGLED AND FOUND, OR THERE WAS, HOW MUCH THOUGHT WAS PUT INTO SOME OF THE WEIGHTING OF THESE POINTS.
UM, OH, YOU HAVE IT UP THERE SO SOME PEOPLE CAN SEE IT.
SO LOOKING AT THIS, I'LL BE HONEST, I WOULD NOT QUALIFY TO BE ON ONE OF OUR COMMISSIONS OR BOARDS, BUT YET I'M AN ELECTED CITY COUNCILMAN.
I'M GOING THROUGH LR RIGHT NOW.
UM, I HAVE NOT SERVED ON A PROFESSIONAL BOARD.
I'VE SERVED ON A LOT OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP.
NOW YOU LOOK AT MY RESUME AND I CAN EASILY MAX OUT SIX BASED ON THE COMMITTEES, BASED ON THE COACHING, BASED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF I'VE BEEN ON HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, BUT ON SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS, I, I WOULDN'T, AND YET I WAS ELECTED NOW TWICE.
UM, SO MY CONCERN HERE IS HOW ARE WE WEIGHTING SOME OF THOSE THINGS? IS THERE MAYBE ANOTHER CATEGORY? I LOVE THE IDEA OF HAVING THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT CLEARS UP THE PROCESS VERSUS IT BEING, UM, I THINK THIS GIVES A MORE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, UH, TO MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THE APPROACH SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE, UH, WHEN WE'RE HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS.
AND I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS IDEA.
I WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE WAITING, YOU KNOW, IF WE, AND TO ANSWER YOUR SPECIFIC QUESTION, YOU KNOW, ABOUT, LET'S SAY, YOU KNOW, DO WE WEIGH LR MORE THAN CARES FROM WHERE I STAND? I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT, IT SHOULD BE, UM, DID WE WEIGH THAT MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS POLICE ACADEMY OR THE FIRE ACADEMY OR ONE OF THE MANY OTHER COMMUNITY GROUPS, UM, OR PROGRAMS? I KNOW MY CHURCH AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, WE HAVE A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.
IN FACT, I'M ON THE COMMITTEE THAT,
[02:40:01]
UH, HELPS PUT THAT TOGETHER.THE, SO THERE'S A LOT AND I'M, I'M SURE ALL THE, THE OTHER BIG, UH, HOUSES OF WORSHIP HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR.
SO I WOULD LIKE, FROM WHERE I STAND, WHEN I LOOK AT, LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, WE DO KEEP THESE FOUR CATEGORIES, LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND APPLICATION QUALITY.
I THINK THEY NEED TO BE EVENLY WEIGHTED.
UM, BECAUSE THE WAY IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, AND I'VE SEEN THIS WHERE WE HAVE SOMEBODY WITH A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, BUT MAYBE THEY HAVEN'T DONE ALL THE LEADERSHIP STUFF HERE WITHIN, UM, AND WITHIN THE CITY.
UM, AND I, I REALLY THINK IT NEEDS TO BE WEIGHTED MORE EVENLY.
SO WITH, YEAH, THAT'S IT FOR NOW.
YEAH, NO, I, I AGREE THAT THIS IS A GREAT IDEA.
WE DO HAVE TO SORT OF FIGURE OUT SORT OF HOW TO MAKE IT WORK FOR OUR CITY.
UM, AND ON THE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, UH, JUST FOR ME, THAT HAS TO BE FLUSHED OUT BETTER.
UM, WHAT DO WE MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE AREA YOU'RE APPLYING.
SO DOES THAT MEAN FOR LIKE PARKS WE CAN ONLY HAVE ARBORISTS OR ARE WE GONNA SAY THAT THREE OF THOSE, HOWEVER, NINE OR HOW MANY, HOWEVER MANY COMMISSIONERS THERE ARE, WOULD HAVE DIRECT EXPERIENCE? YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I, I THINK THAT THERE'S DEFINITELY VALUE IN HAVING PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT DIRECT EXPERIENCE, BUT, UH, I THINK THERE'S VALUE IN HAVING, UM, A COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO ENJOYS OUR PARKS BUT DOESN'T HAVE ANY DIRECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE ASSOCIATED WITH ARCS OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FLESH THAT OUT IN A WAY THAT THAT DOESN'T IMPROPERLY WEIGHT IT AND SORT OF SUGGEST THAT WE'RE ONLY GONNA HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIRECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA WIND UP WITH A CPC, GOD FORBID, FULL OF LIKE LAWYERS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WE DON'T NEED EXACTLY.
WE DON'T NEED, WE DON'T NEED, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT.
UM, AND SO I THINK WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO SORT OF, HOW THIS IS GOING TO FIT INTO THE RUBRIC AS A RUBRIC.
I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING THIS, MAKING IT PUBLIC.
UM, AND THEN BEYOND THAT, UM, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT SORT OF THE LIST OF QUESTIONS AND MAKING THOSE PUBLIC.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO MAYBE MAKE OUR APPLICATION A LITTLE MORE ROBUST.
WE ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT WE DON'T ASK THEM.
I THINK IN THE ACTUAL APPLICATION PROCESS, IT MIGHT HELP WITH SOME OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU NAVIGATE CONFLICT OR, YOU KNOW, SO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ADDING THOSE SORTS OF QUESTIONS TO THE APPLICATION PROCESS SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE, THOSE UPFRONT.
AND THEN THAT WILL GO TO APPLICATION QUALITY AS WELL.
UM, 'CAUSE I DON'T THINK OUR APPLICATION IS SORT OF THAT, IN THAT, IN DEPTH AT THIS, AT THIS PARTICULAR MOMENT.
UM, SO THAT WOULD HELP FOR THAT PARTICULAR CATEGORY.
UM, SO, UH, SORT OF AS A BROAD CONCEPT, I THINK THIS IS REALLY GREAT.
I, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GONNA GO ABOUT SORT OF AGREEING ON WHAT THESE CATEGORIES LOOK LIKE AND, AND SORT OF HOW WE BREAK THEM DOWN.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE ALL PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS TO THE CITY MANAGER AND HE BRINGS BACK A LIST AND THERE'S A SECOND PRESENTATION, BUT MAYOR, I DON'T KNOW.
SOUNDS LIKE FOR THE MOST PART, PEOPLE THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA, BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET ALL THIS FEEDBACK AND TURN IT INTO A SCORING SHEET THAT WE CAN ALL ACTUALLY USE? FAIR ENOUGH.
UM, I LIKE THAT IDEA BY THE WAY.
EACH OF US SUBMIT OUR, OUR THOUGHTS AND HAVE THEM AVERAGE IT OUT OR WORK IT OUT OR MELD IT TOGETHER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
YOU KNOW, I, I AGREE THAT, UH, I I, I DEFINITELY LIKE THE SCORING SYSTEM AND, AND THERE'S, AND, AND TO A FEW POINTS MADE, UH, FROM OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, AND I JUST WANNA BRING THIS TO THE POINT.
I KNOW THAT WE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LR AND, AND CARES AND CPA AND FIRE ACADEMY AND, AND SOME OTHER PROGRAMS, WHETHER THEY'RE REGIONAL OR LOCAL.
YEAH, THOSE ARE SUPER IMPORTANT.
I MEAN, MAINLY THOSE ARE PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT IF YOU'RE GETTING ELECT IF YOU'RE RUNNING FOR AN ELECTED OFFICE.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS YOU WANNA KNOW ABOUT YOUR CITY BEFORE YOU RUN FOR AN OFFICE GENERALLY.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING FOR A BOARD OR COMMISSION FOR A SIZE CITY THAT WE, THAT WE ARE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH AND KIND OF EXPERIENCED SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS. I'M NOT SAYING THAT'S PART OF THE QUALIFICATIONS.
I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE USED AS PART OF THE QUALIFICATIONS.
'CAUSE IF YOU'RE APPLYING FOR PARKS AND RECREATION, WELL, SOME OF THOSE MIGHT NOT EVEN APPLY, BUT IT IS NICE TO KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THE PROGRAMS. DOES IT MAKE, UH, IS IT GONNA MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR US, UM, IF WE'RE GONNA LEAN THAT DIRECTION FOR THAT CANDIDATE? UH, POTENTIALLY NOT, BUT IT DOES SHOW THAT, HEY, I'M INTERESTED IN THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW I LEARN, I'M LEARNING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW WHERE THE WOMAN'S CLUB IS.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HERE, SO I, YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE COMMUNITY WORKS, WHICH I FEEL LIKE IS SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT.
UM, I THINK GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS ARE, UH, VERY IMPORTANT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT CREATING THIS SCORING CARD.
UM, I THINK THAT, UH, COVERS, UH, WE SHOULD HAVE THINGS IN HERE FOR QUALIFICATIONS.
UH, WE SHOULD HAVE THINGS OUT ON THE PROFESSIONAL, UH,
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QUALIFICATION LEVEL AND THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE REGIONALLY AS WELL AS LOCAL.AND I THINK IF WE ADD THAT TOGETHER SOMEHOW AND PUT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF PART OF THE SCORING CARD, I THINK THAT MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
NOW, WHAT PARTS AND PIECES OF THAT ARE WE GOING TO APPLY TO A POSITION, TO A BOARD, A COMMISSION? UH, I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON WHO'S APPLYING FOR WHICH BOARD OR COMMISSION AND, AND, AND WHAT HAVE THEY GONE THROUGH.
WE'LL HAVE TO EVALUATE THAT AS A TEAM TO ANALYZE WHAT IS THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THAT POSITION.
BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT WE HAVE ALL THIS DATA HERE, WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION, AND IT HELPS US MAKE A BETTER DECISION.
AND YES, IT BECOMES PUBLIC INFORMATION NOW.
SO I, I REALLY, REALLY LIKE THE, THE DIRECTION OF THIS, AND I THINK IT'S, UH, I THINK IT'S INVALUABLE AND DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO GET THE CITY STAFF AND CITY MANAGER'S INPUT ON TAKING THIS INFORMATION TONIGHT AND COMING UP WITH A BETTER TWEAKED SCORING SYSTEM AND DONE A GREAT JOB.
COUNCIL MAYOR, PRO, HUTCHIN RIDER.
UM, AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, ALTHOUGH I, I DO WANNA BE VERY CAUTIOUS AS WE GO INTO THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE A, I, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
OVER THE SEVEN YEARS I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, WE'VE APPOINTED A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE ONTO SEVERAL OF OUR, OUR BOARDS AND OUR COMMISSIONS THAT HAVEN'T DONE LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON, HAVEN'T DONE CARES THAT HAVE, THAT HAVE COME IN AND HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN OTHER PROGRAMS, OTHER, AND HAVE SHOWN COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND HAVE SHOWN PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT ONE PROGRAM OR THE OTHER OUGHT, OUGHT TO OUTWEIGH, LIKE YOU SUGGESTED MAYOR.
UM, BECAUSE MY ONE CONCERN WOULD BE THAT, YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON IS NOW IS $1,700 AND NOT EVERY, AND NOT EVERY COMPANY PAYS FOR IT.
AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO SAY TO SOMEBODY, OH, WELL, IF THE WAY YOU WANNA GET ON A BOARD AND COMMISSION IS GO DO LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON, HAVE THEM PAY $1,700 TO TRY TO GET INTO THE PROGRAM AND GO THROUGH THAT.
I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER WAYS THAT YOU CAN GAIN EXPERIENCE AND GAIN KNOWLEDGE ABOUT OUR CITY AND BE INVOLVED AND, AND BE, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, BE ABLE TO, TO, TO MAKE A REAL IMPACT.
SO I I, I WOULD BE, I LOVE SCORING SYSTEM.
I'M JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, SINCE YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, I'M JUST SAYING THAT, THAT, THAT I WOULDN'T WANT TO, I WOULDN'T WANT TO SO HEAVILY WEIGHT SOMETHING TO WHERE IT WOULD ALMOST DISQUALIFY SOMEONE IF THEY HADN'T DONE A PARTICULAR PROGRAM OR A COUPLE OF THE PROGRAMS. SO, UM, I DO LIKE THIS A LOT.
I THINK IT'S JUST, I THINK IT'S NOW COMES DOWN TO A, A TWEAKING, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE MY THOUGHT.
SO WHAT I'LL ASK THE COUNSEL TO DO IS JUST SUBMIT YOUR THOUGHTS TO, UH, MR. MAGNER, LET'S GO AHEAD AND HAVE HIM PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND, AND HE CAN DISTILL IT A BIT AND, AND COME BACK WITH SOMETHING AT, AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UM, WE DO NEED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING.
MY WHOLE POINT ON LR, JUST FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, IS IF IT'S A TRUMP CARD, IT ONCE WAS, MAYBE IT'S NOT ANYMORE, AND I'M THRILLED TO HEAR THAT.
IT MIGHT NOT BE, BUT IF IT IS, THEN WE SHOULD PUT IT AS AN ITEM THAT IS SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T QUESTIONING WHAT, WHAT IT WAS.
SO IF IT'S NO LONGER, IT USED TO BE BACK IN MY INITIAL DAYS.
SO THINGS HAVE CHANGED FOR THE BETTER, AND THAT'S EXCITING TO HEAR.
UM, BUT IF IT'S, IF IT'S NO LONGER THE TRUMP CARD OR THE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO IT, THEN, THEN I'M, I'M VERY COOL WITH THAT.
LET'S MAKE 'EM ALL EQUAL IF THAT'S WHAT WE THINK.
BUT, BUT LET'S JUST, WHAT, WHATEVER OUR REALITY IS, WE OUGHT TO STICK IT IN THE SCORING SYSTEM IS ALL I'M ASKING.
SO IF YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S SUPER IMPORTANT FOR YOU, PLEASE SHOW THAT IN, IN THE FEEDBACK YOU'RE GIVING TO, UH, THE, UH, CITY MANAGER SO THAT WE CAN PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER.
IS THAT OKAY? ABSOLUTELY, MAYOR.
SO LET ME, LET ME JUST POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
I KNOW WE'RE GONNA TAKE A QUICK BREAK HERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA COME UP WITH, UH, FIVE TO SIX QUESTIONS.
UM, THAT AFTER YOU, UM, UM, AFTER YOU NOTE, LET ME POINT OF CLARIFICATION.
DO YOU WANT THAT TO BE A PART OF EVERY APPLICATION OR DO YOU WANT THAT TO BE ONLY THOSE QUESTIONS LIKE THE CHARTER? THOSE QUESTIONS ONLY APPLY TO FOLKS THAT YOU, THAT YOU WANTED TO GO TO THE NEXT STEP, UH, FOR THE, IT WAS MY SUGGESTION.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO SORT OF EXPAND THE APPLICATION ON, I THINK THAT THE WAY THE APPLICATION IS NOW, IS IT, IT WE WIND UP HAVING TO INTERVIEW PEOPLE THAT WE THINK ARE OTHERWISE GOOD.
'CAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO ADD OKAY.
UM, SORT OF SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS THAT WE ALWAYS ASK.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL COME UP WITH FIVE TO SIX QUESTIONS THAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE, UH, RESULT IN AN ENHANCED, UH, IMPROVED, UM, APPLICATION.
UM, AFTER I RECEIVE YOUR FEEDBACK, WE'LL COME UP WITH A SCORECARD THAT, UM, CAN BE, UH, UH, YOU CAN REFLECT ON, I, I WOULD, I WOULD ARGUE WE MAYBE STAY AWAY FROM THE POINTS UNTIL YOU CAN AGREE ON THE CRITERIA.
AND THEN WE CAN GO TAKE THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE CRITERIA AND THEN APPLY SOME POINTS.
MY REAL POINT IN SAYING ALL THIS IS WE NEED TO GET BUSY, UM, WITH 2025 APPOINTMENTS, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA GET WITH, WITH WHAT WE HAVE LINED UP FOR THE NEXT, UH, THREE MEETINGS.
UM, UNLESS WE CHANGE THE ORDER, UM, UH, AGAIN, FOR THE REMAINDER OF OCTOBER, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL HAVE THIS ALREADY TO GO FOR YOUR NOVEMBER 25
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APPOINTMENTS.IS THAT ACCEPTABLE, OR WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO LOOK AT RE-ALIGNING THE REMAINDER OF OCTOBER AND PUSHING OTHER THINGS FURTHER OUT? I, I PERSONALLY WILL JUST SAY THAT IF THIS IS THE COMPROMISE IN US HAVING MORE VISIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND A BETTER SYSTEM VERSUS DOING A RECORDED INTERVIEW, THEN I WOULD WANNA WAIT FOR THIS TO BE CODIFIED BEFORE WE START PICKING PEOPLE.
UM, IF NOT, THEN I WOULD GO BACK TO A RECORDED INTERVIEW.
MY OWN PREFERENCE, I, I'M ONE OF SEVEN, BUT THAT'S JUST MY, MY THOUGHT PROCESS.
SO WHAT, WHAT WE CAN EASILY DO IS WE CAN SCHEDULE YOUR, UH, UH, YOUR INTERVIEWS FOR THE, WE HAVE THREE MEETINGS IN DECEMBER, TWO MEETINGS IN NOVEMBER.
WE CAN WORK ON THIS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER.
HAVE A CONSENSUS ON HOW WE'RE GONNA APPROACH IT, AND THEN DO SOME BOARD INTERVIEWS IN, UH, DECEMBER.
WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY EIGHT POSITIONS.
EVEN IF IT TOOK YOU INTO JANUARY, THOSE THAT ARE SERVING NOW WOULD JUST CONTINUE THE SERVE FOR AN ADDITIONAL MONTH.
IT WOULDN'T BE, WOULDN'T BE A, A BIG ISSUE, BUT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO APPLY THIS NEW, UH, FORMAT, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE TO THE 2025, UH, APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
I JUST WANTED TO BE LET EVERYBODY BE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH WHAT THAT MEANS FROM OUR, FROM A, UM, CALENDARING STANDPOINT.
UM, DO WE HAVE COMMENTS THAT WE WANNA, ARE WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT ONE LAST PART OF THIS DISCUSSION, WHICH IS THE RECORDING AND BROADCASTING.
BUT IF IT'S OKAY, UM, I'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO RECESS FOR JUST FIVE MINUTES AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK AND, UH, FINISH OFF THIS TOPIC.
SO, UH, IT IS CURRENTLY 8 51, AND, UH, WE WILL RECESS FOR FIVE MINUTES AND BE BACK AT, LET'S CALL IT EIGHT FIFTY SEVEN.
AND WE'RE GONNA FINISH OFF THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, WHICH IS, UH, STILL ITEM D, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UH, EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE RECORDING BROADCASTING COMPONENTS OF THIS DISCUSSION.
GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY OF WHERE WE'VE COME SINCE WE'VE STARTED THIS PROCESS, TALKED TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE DO IT, AND THEN GO INTO THE RECOMMENDATION GOING FORWARD.
SO LOOKING AT THAT BACKGROUND, OUR FIRST BROADCAST RECORDED MEETING OCCURRED ON MONDAY, AUGUST 17TH, 2009.
AND THAT STARTED WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS.
UH, THIS IS AN IMAGE FROM THAT MEETING, SO WAY BACK WHEN.
AND THEN A FEW YEARS LATER, WE STARTED THE CPC MEETINGS, UH, AND RECORDING AND MAKING THOSE AVAILABLE ON DEMAND AS WELL.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, CITY COUNCIL CPC HAS BEEN DISCUSSED EVEN EARLIER THIS EVENING, HEAVY HITTING KIND OF TOPIC MATERIAL.
THAT'S WHY THESE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN, UH, TARGETED FOR HAVING THESE, THESE DISCUSSIONS RECORDED LIVE, BROUGHT LIVE, AND, UH, AND MADE AVAILABLE ON DEMAND.
VARIOUS OTHER VIDEOS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE THAT WE HAVE, UH, FOR ON DEMAND AND EVEN PROVIDED LIVE, THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS THAT YOU DO, UH, THROUGH YOUR, YOUR BUDGET PROCESS, THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS IS ALSO PROVIDED LIVE AND THEN PROVIDED ON DEMAND, AS WELL AS THE CANDIDATE FORMS, UH, THAT ARE DONE ON, UH, UH, EVERY OTHER YEAR AS PART