Aug 24, 2026 City Council

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:09]

JUSTICE. THANK YOU MAYOR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYER AS YOU'RE COMFORTABLE. MAY WE BE GUIDED BY WISDOM, HUMILITY, AND A SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE COMMON GOOD. LET US REMEMBER OUR SHARED HUMANITY AND WORK TOGETHER FOR PEACE, JUSTICE, AND UNDERSTANDING. AMEN. AMEN.

NOW THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THE TEXAS FLAG. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER JUSTICE.

[Additional Item]

THANK YOU VERY. OF COURSE. DON. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALTHOUGH IT'S AN

[00:05:01]

[3. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS AND VISITORS FORUM ]

COUNCIL. I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ONE CARD WE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, MR. WILLIAM STANFORD, FIELD OF 262666 HONEYSUCKLE. THE TOPIC WAS THE WATER RATE PLAN. MR. STEINFELD'S CARD CAME IN AFTER THE 4 P.M. DEADLINE LAST WEEK, SO WE WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE IN RECEIPT OF SEVEN CARDS, ALL FOR IN-PERSON COMMENTS TONIGHT. THREE ARE ON AGENDA ITEMS. THE OTHER FOUR ARE ON VARIOUS TOPICS. AND SO, MAYOR, I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE INSTRUCTIONS. AS LONG AS WE GET THROUGH THE AGENDA ITEM SPEAKERS, WE CAN MOVE ON TO OUR VISITORS. IF THERE IS ANYONE WHO WANTS TO SPEAK ON THE AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT, WHICH IS THE PLACE THREE APPOINTMENT, PLEASE GET WITH OUR CITY SECRETARY SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEAK DURING THE AGENDA REVIEW PORTION OF THE MEETING TONIGHT. SO DURING THIS PORTION OF THE COUNCIL MEETING, 30 MINUTES IS ALLOCATED FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE COMMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON AGENDA ITEMS. IF THERE'S TIME LEFT DURING THIS INITIAL 30 MINUTES, THE REMAINING TIME WILL BE PROVIDED AS A VISITORS FORUM OPEN TO ANYONE WISHING TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC WHICH THE SUBJECT MATTER IS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CITY. IF THE FULL 30 MINUTES ALLOCATED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IS REACHED, THEN SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED A PUBLIC COMMENT CARD MAY SPEAK AT THE VISITORS FORUM SCHEDULED AT THE END OF THE MEETING. ALL SPEAKERS SHOULD COMPLETE A COMMENT CARD AND SUBMIT IT TO THE CITY SECRETARY. SPEAKERS WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE RECEIVED. 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 TIMER. 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, CITY SECRETARY FOR DISTRIBUTION. 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 SPEAKER. 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 COUNCIL, 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 PHONES FOR THE DURATION OF THE MEETING. MISS NEMER. DARRYL DE. HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING TONIGHT? AND CONGRATULATIONS, DON. 30 YEARS. THAT'S TREMENDOUS. YOU MUST HAVE STARTED WHEN YOU WERE 12, RIGHT? DARRYL DE 1303 CHICKASAW RICHARDSON I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS. AND I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES. I WANT I DON'T WANT A SINGLE WORD ABOUT THIS CANDIDATES GOOD. THIS CANDIDATES BETTER THAN THIS ONE. I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CRITERIA THAT YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT LAST MONDAY. AND THIS IS MY AREA OF EXPERTISE. FOR 28 YEARS, I'VE RUN AN EXECUTIVE SEARCH FIRM IN RICHARDSON. SO PART OF MY JOB WAS COUNSELING CEOS ON HOW TO ATTRACT, SELECT AND RETAIN TALENT. THAT'S WHAT I'VE DONE FOR 28 YEARS. ALSO, I'M CERTIFIED, WAS CERTIFIED AS A SENIOR PROFESSIONAL OF HUMAN RESOURCES. THAT'S THE TOP CERTIFICATION IN HR. IT'S LIKE AN ATTORNEY PASSING THE BAR. IT'S LIKE A BUSINESS PERSON GETTING AN MBA. IT IS THE TOP LEVEL OF EXPERTISE YOU CAN GET. SO THE SELECTION PROCESS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW A LOT ABOUT. SO AGAIN, NOT TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES THIS CANDIDATES GOOD, THIS CANDIDATES BAD. NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT. JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CRITERIA THAT YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK. COUNCIL MEMBER ARFIN HAD A GREAT SUGGESTION. HE SAID YOU SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT EXPERIENCE. THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE. VERY INTELLIGENT, LOGICAL CRITERIA. YOU'D THINK YOU WOULD WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT THE MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN DORIAN TALKED ABOUT, WELL, LET'S TALK TO THE CANDIDATES. LET'S ALL BRING THE CANDIDATES IN. NOW, A JOB LIKE THIS WHERE BEING ABLE TO SPEAK THERE BEHIND THAT DESK IS AN IMPORTANT CRITERIA. AND THE ABILITY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU THINK MIGHT BE AN IMPORTANT

[00:10:02]

I'LL GIVE YOU A GREAT EXAMPLE. I ONCE GOT A 26 PAGE RESUME, 26 PAGES. IT WENT DOWN TO EVERYTHING THEY DID IN JUNIOR HIGH. WAS THAT A QUALIFIED PERSON? NO. THEY HAD A LOT OF TIME TO WORK ON THEIR APPLICATION BECAUSE THEY WERE FIRED ABOUT EVERY SIX MONTHS, AND THEY WERE ALWAYS UNEMPLOYED AND HAD LOTS OF TIME TO WORK ON THEIR RESUME. SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT CRITERIA. AND A FOURTH CRITERIA THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT. COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS TALKED ABOUT HAVING A HEART FOR SERVICE. AND I'D AGREE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

NOW WE WANT TO COUPLE THAT WITH THE INTELLIGENCE TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. WE WANT A BRAIN AS WELL. BUT A HEART FOR SERVICE, I'D SAY IS IMPORTANT, BUT BUT THIS IS NOT THE PERSON WHO CAN TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE THE ONLY REASON YOU'RE GOING THROUGH ALL THIS IS BECAUSE HE'S BAILING ON THE VOTERS TO GO RUN FOR SOMETHING ELSE THAT DOESN'T EXHIBIT A HEART OF SERVICE. THE VOTERS HAVE ENTRUSTED YOU WITH A SACRED RESPONSIBILITY TO RUN THIS CITY, AND YOU'RE BAILING BEFORE THAT OBLIGATION IS COMPLETE. SO EVERYBODY ELSE HERE, YOU CAN TALK ABOUT HAVING A HEART FOR SERVICE, BECAUSE YOU ALL ARE FULFILLING YOUR OBLIGATION THAT YOU'VE MADE TO THE PEOPLE OF RICHARDSON. AND HATS OFF TO YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT. SO AGAIN, NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY PARTICULAR CANDIDATES, BUT 28 YEARS OF COUNSELING CEOS, HOW TO INTELLIGENTLY SELECT TALENT. THAT'S MY AREA OF EXPERTISE. SO ANYHOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. DE. MELINDA LAWRENCE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. AND I HAVE MY NOTES WRITTEN BECAUSE I COULD RAMBLE ON AND I DON'T WANT TO BE A RAMBLER TONIGHT. SO GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MELINDA LAWRENCE. I'M AT ONE SHENANDOAH PLACE, AS WE USED TO LIKE TO SAY, THE BEVERLY DRIVE OF RICHARDSON. I HAD TO GET THAT IN THERE. I'VE LIVED IN RICHARDSON FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS AND I GREW UP IN THE AREA. SO THANK YOU TONIGHT FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ON BEHALF OF RICK BELL. SO I MET RICK WHEN I WAS A LITTLE SEVENTH GRADER IN THE YOUTH GROUP AT FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF RICHARDSON. RICK WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE OF THE GROUP'S MOST RESPECTED AND ADMIRED LEADERS. WHAT STOOD OUT ABOUT RICK WAS NOT SIMPLY THAT HE WAS A LEADER STANDING UP IN FRONT OF OUR GROUP. IT WAS THE WAY HE TREATED PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF US WHO WERE YOUNGER AND STILL TRYING TO FIND OUR PLACE. I WAS NEW TO THE YOUTH GROUP, AS ALL OF US SEVENTH GRADERS WERE, AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT'S PRETTY INTIMIDATING WALKING INTO A ROOM FULL OF HIGH SCHOOLERS.

THOSE 11TH AND 12TH GRADERS LOOK SCARY, AND RICK MADE US FEEL WELCOME. YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT SAYING OF HOW SOMEONE MAKES YOU FEEL THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. RICK WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO MADE ALL OF US LITTLE SEVENTH GRADERS FEEL WELCOME. SO WHETHER HE WAS LEADING THE GROUP, SINGING OR DOING A SKIT, RICK MADE US ALL FEEL WELCOME AND SHOWED US THAT WE COULD BE OURSELVES, HAD A PLACE IN THE YOUTH GROUP AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO SERVE. SO EVEN AT A YOUNG AGE, HE UNDERSTOOD THAT LEADERSHIP BEGINS WITH VALUING PEOPLE, LISTENING TO THEM, AND USING YOUR INFLUENCE TO GET THINGS DONE. THOUGH OUR YOUTH GROUP DAYS ARE A LITTLE FAR BEHIND US, RICK AND I STILL SEE EACH OTHER QUITE A BIT. THE QUALITIES I

[00:15:02]

I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. RICK ALSO BRINGS SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS EXPERIENCE AND SOUND FINANCIAL JUDGMENT. I THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE AND IMPORTANT QUALITY THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD ESPECIALLY CONSIDER WHEN EVALUATING THESE CANDIDATES. HAVING BEEN IN CORPORATE AMERICA MYSELF FOR OVER 30 YEARS, I APPRECIATE THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOMEONE WITH A LARGE ENTERPRISE EXPERIENCE, ESPECIALLY SOMEONE IN SALES LIKE RICK. I'VE GONE UP AGAINST THOSE PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, HAD TO TEST THEM A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. AND BECAUSE OF HIS ENTERPRISE SALES EXPERIENCE, HE UNDERSTANDS HOW TO BALANCE COMPETING PRIORITIES, WORK THROUGH DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS, NAVIGATE SIGNIFICANT PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES, AND BRING TOGETHER PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND BUDGETS. THOSE ABILITIES ARE PARTICULARLY VALUABLE ON THE CITY COUNCIL, WHERE THE CHOICES ARE RARELY SIMPLE AND EVERY DECISION INVOLVES TRADEOFFS. ONE OF RICK'S GREATEST GIFTS IS THAT HE ASKS THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS AND SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE REACHING A CONCLUSION. HE KNOWS WHEN IT IS IMPORTANT TO GO SLOW, TO MOVE FAST, TO LISTEN, GATHER CONTEXT, AND MAKE A GOOD DECISION. ADDITIONALLY, HIS BUSINESS EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE OF RICHARDSON WOULD ALLOW HIM TO GET UP TO SPEED QUICKLY, WHICH IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN FILLING A SEAT DURING AN ACTIVE COUNCIL TERM.

YOU HAVE A VERY IMPRESSIVE GROUP OF CANDIDATES, AND AS A RICHARDSON RESIDENT, I WAS SO PLEASED TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE PUT THEIR HAT IN THE RING TO BE CONSIDERED, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR EVERY PERSON WHO APPLIED. SO RICK HAS A VALUABLE COMBINATION OF TRAITS AND AND BACKGROUNDS HE'S EXPERIENCED WITH LARGE ENTERPRISE. HE'S A CONNECTOR, HE'S A LISTENER AND A PROVEN LEADER WITH DEEP ROOTS IN RICHARDSON AND HAS THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND INTEGRITY THAT RICHARDSON EXPECTS. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER HIM TO FILL THIS SPOT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MISS LAWRENCE. ERWIN BLACKMON. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MAYOR AMIR. YOU AND BLACKMON, 611 BIRCH LANE, RICHARDSON. I RISE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF. NOT THAT I'VE BEEN ASKED TO, BUT BUT ON MY OWN RECOGNIZANCE ON BEHALF OF RICK BELL AS THE ONE OF THE CANDIDATES YOU WILL BE INTERVIEWING TONIGHT, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK IS IMPORTANT AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, AS A COMMUNITY LEADER, AS A VOLUNTEER, AS SOMEONE WHO'S ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN A LOT OF THINGS THAT GO ON IN RICHARDSON.

AND I KNOW WITHOUT EXCEPTION, I'VE SPOKEN TO ALL OF YOU ABOUT MANY OF THOSE MANY TIMES. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T COME BLOWING AIR AND DOING NOTHING. BUT I CERTAINLY THINK THAT. I'LL USE A QUOTE THAT I USED IN ADDRESSING OUR SUPERINTENDENT, OUR AMAZING SUPERINTENDENT, TABITHA BRANHAM, WHO WAS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR. WHEN I SAID, WHEN I FIRST MET HER, AND WE JUST STARTED TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION, I WAS AMAZED BY THE FACT THAT SHE WAS EVEN ENTERTAINING MY CONVERSATION, THAT WE WERE TALKING, GETTING INTO POLICY DESK BECAUSE I WAS JUST A TEACHER. AND, AND THAT, I THINK SPEAKS WELL TO HER BECAUSE I USE THE QUOTE FROM GOETHE WHEN SHE WAS UP FOR SUPERINTENDENT, WHICH IS A LONE CANDIDATE. AND I SAID, THERE'S A SAID IT'S THE THE MEASURE OF A PERSON IS, IS HOW THEY TREAT YOU WHEN YOU CAN DO NOTHING FOR THEM. AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS WELL TO, TO MISTER BELL. I HAD THE OCCASION TO MEET HIM SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AFTER MY ELECTION CANDIDACY. SORRY FOR.

DIDN'T GET THE ELECTION FOR SCHOOL BOARD AND SPOKE A GREAT DEAL. HE REACHED OUT A HAND AND SAID, HEY, IS THERE ANYTHING I DO FOR YOU? ANYTHING I CAN HELP YOU? I HEARD THIS HAPPENED OR THAT HAPPENED AND, AND CAN I ENGAGE WITH YOU ON SOME OF THAT? AND SO THESE THINGS ARE STILL WORKING IN THE BACKGROUND FOR SURE. BUT THE FACT THAT HE'S ABLE TO DO THAT, THAT HE REACHED OUT THAT HAND FROM SOMEBODY I'D NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE. AND I KNOW HE'S ACTIVE IN HIS COMMUNITY. I KNOW THAT HE WAS A PRECINCT CHAIR FOR A WHILE. HE'S A LEADER IN HIS COMMUNITY. THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO ME AS A CITIZEN, AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, AS A TAXPAYER. ALL OF YOU FOLKS AT THIS COUNCIL HAVE SPOKEN WITH ME ABOUT VARIOUS ISSUES, AND THAT'S A GREAT MARK OF A COUNCILMAN OR COUNCILWOMAN. AND THAT'S A GREAT THING TO BRING TO THIS JOB. AND I THINK THAT RICK BELL BRINGS THAT IN SPADES. AND IT'S JUST BEEN EVIDENT TO ME. SO I WOULD NOT STAND HERE BEFORE YOU AFTER DRIVING THIS HEAT FOR HOW LONG? IT WAS AN HOUR. HORRIBLE TRAFFIC IN DALLAS TO SPEAK ON HIS BEHALF. BECAUSE THAT'S HOW STRONGLY I

[00:20:03]

MAYOR, THE REMAINING FIVE SPEAKERS ARE NON-AGENDA ITEMS. OKAY, LET'S GO AHEAD AND CALL ON THEM. DEPENDING ON HOW LONG THESE GO, WE MAY NEED TO SHORTEN THEM TO KEEP THEM INSIDE THE 30, OR THEY'LL CARRY INTO THE END OF THE MEETING. SO IF YOU CAN KEEP IT UNDER FIVE, THAT'D BE AMAZING. YOU'LL GIVE SOME SPACE FOR YOUR OTHER SPEAKERS. SAMUEL SEAMAN. GOOD EVENING. I'M SAMUEL SEAMAN RICHARDSON, TEXAS, 1625 WISTERIA WAY. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE FLOCK CAMERAS. I BELIEVE WE HAVE 20 IN THIS CITY. I COULD TALK FOR HOURS ABOUT WHY THEY'RE NOT A TRUSTWORTHY COMPANY, OR HOW THEY'VE HAD NUMEROUS SECURITY BREACHES IN THE PAST, OR THEY CAN'T SEEM TO KEEP THEIR STORY STRAIGHT ON HOW THEIR CAMERAS ACTUALLY FUNCTION. BUT THEY ARE A PRIVATE COMPANY WITH THEIR OWN POLICIES. SO I WOULD RATHER TALK ABOUT THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY THAT I CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK ON. IN JUNE, THE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT THE ACT OF POLICE OFFICERS PULLING A CELL PHONE LOCATION DATA REQUIRES A WARRANT. THE COURT FOUND THAT BROAD GEOFENCE SURVEILLANCE CONSTITUTES A SEARCH UNDER THE CONSTITUTION'S FOURTH AMENDMENT, WHICH PROTECTS AGAINST UNREASONABLE SEARCHES AND SEIZURES. I'D SAY THAT FLOCK CAMERAS ALSO CONSTITUTE AN UNREASONABLE SEARCH. RIGHT NOW IN OUR CITY, A POLICE OFFICER CAN LOG INTO FLOCK SEARCH KEY DATA POINTS, SUCH AS A BUMPER STICKER ON A CAR OR A MAN WITH A RED HOODIE, AND PULL UP VIDEO FOOTAGE OF EVERY MATCHING INSTANCE. AS FLOCK STATES ON THEIR OWN WEBSITE. NO PLATE, NO PROBLEM.

THE OFFICER NEEDS TO PROVIDE A CASE NUMBER TO PULL THE VIDEO FOOTAGE, BUT THERE IS NO WARRANT REQUIRED. THEREFORE, THE POLICE ARE EXPECTED TO POLICE THEMSELVES AND TO NOT ABUSE THIS TECHNOLOGY. BUT ALREADY, AS I'M SURE YOU KNOW, THERE ARE COUNTLESS STORIES IN THE NEWS ABOUT COPS STALKING EX LOVERS WITH FLOCK CAMERAS. AND OF COURSE THEY ARE USUALLY CAUGHT AND PUNISHED, BUT LITTLE IS BEING DONE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. WITHOUT THE REQUIREMENT OF A WARRANT, WE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SIMPLY TRUST THAT OUR DATA IS IN GOOD HANDS AND IS NOT BEING USED WITHOUT CAUSE. I AM THANKFUL THAT HERE IN OUR CITY, OUR DEPARTMENT BELIEVES THAT EVIDENCE FROM FLOCK ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE AN ARREST OR CHARGES ON A SUSPECT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THAT STANCE IS NOT ONE THAT IS ENFORCED BY EVERY DEPARTMENT AND IS A STANCE THAT IS NOT BEING ENFORCED ON BY OVERSIGHT. LAST MONTH, CHRISTIANA ELSER OF COLORADO WAS WRONGFULLY ARRESTED BECAUSE OF EVIDENCE THAT HER VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A PACKAGE THEFT. SHE HAD HER OWN VIDEO LOGS TO PROVE HER INNOCENCE, BUT THE OFFICER REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT. JUST THREE WEEKS AGO, A MAN FROM WISCONSIN, WHERE WEED IS ILLEGAL, WAS TAGGED AS SUSPICIOUS BECAUSE FLOCK CAMERAS RECORDED HIM VISITING MICHIGAN FREQUENTLY. WHERE WE WHERE WEED IS LEGAL. THE POLICE DECIDED THAT HIS CROSSING STATE LINES WAS ENOUGH TO INTERCEPT HIM AND SEARCH HIS CAR FOR WEED, AND HE WAS ARRESTED FOR POSSESSION. THERE ARE MANY OTHER CASES WHERE THESE CAMERAS ARE BEING ABUSED. CITIZENS ARE BEING TREATED AS IF THEY ARE GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT. I UNDERSTAND THAT A SURVEILLANCE STATE COULD EASILY REDUCE CRIME, BUT I DO NOT THINK IT IS WORTH THE TRADE OFF. SOME WOULD SAY THESE CAMERAS ARE NO BIG DEAL BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE SO MANY CAMERAS IN THE WORLD. BUT I SAY THERE HAS TO BE A LINE IN THE SAND SOMEWHERE, AND I BELIEVE THAT AMERICANS HAVE DRAWN THAT LINE. WE DO NOT WANT TO BE WISH, WE WISH. WE DO NOT WISH TO BE WATCHED BY THE GOVERNMENT IN EVERY PUBLIC SPACE WITHOUT OVERSIGHT. NOT NOW, NOT EVER.

BUT EVEN WITH OVERSIGHT, I DO NOT BELIEVE WE CAN PUT THIS CAT BACK IN ITS BAG. THE VERY NATURE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY PUTS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE UNDER INVESTIGATION BEFORE A CRIME EVEN HAPPENS. I DO NOT THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE REFORMED OR PROPERLY REGULATED.

I WILL END WITH A QUOTE FROM EDWARD EDWARD SNOWDEN, AN NSA WHISTLEBLOWER WHO REVEALED THE EXISTENCE OF GLOBAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS. EDWARD FAMOUSLY SAID, ARGUING THAT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE, IS NO DIFFERENT THAN SAYING YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT FREE SPEECH BECAUSE YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SIR. STEPHEN BUTLER. I'M BACK. TONIGHT. I DO HAVE PREPARED

[00:25:20]

MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MAY RECALL THAT THE HOUSTON AND TEXAS CENTRAL RAILWAY CREATED RICHARDSON IN 1873 BY THE BUILDING OF A TRAIN DEPOT IN THE LITERAL CENTER OF WHAT I LIKE TO CALL HISTORIC DOWNTOWN RICHARDSON. AT THAT TIME, A RAILROAD SURVEYOR NAMED THEODORE COS LAID OUT THE TOWN INTO BLOCKS AND LOTS WITH A 290 FOOT WIDE RAILROAD RESERVATION RUNNING THROUGH THE CENTER OF THE TOWN THAT THE RAILROADS BOARDS OF DIRECTORS CHOSE TO NAME FOR H. AND TC SECRETARY ALFRED STEPHEN RICHARDSON, WHAT THOSE RECENTLY ACQUIRED SURVEY MAPS REVEAL IS THAT THE 1873 DEPOT WAS CONSTRUCTED NOT WHERE THEODORE COS. SHOWED IT ON HIS ORIGINAL TOWN PLANT, BUT RATHER A BLOCK FURTHER NORTH, WHERE THERE IS NOW A NEW CITY PARK CALLED INNER URBAN COMMONS. THE MAPS ALSO REVEALED THE GRAVE SITE OF AN ANCIENT ROADMASTER NAMED PATRICK J. BURKE, WHO DIED ABOUT 1894 AND WAS BURIED SOME 75 YARDS NORTH OF THE DEPOT AND IS ALMOST CERTAINLY STILL BURIED THERE TO THIS DAY. IN LIGHT OF THESE RECENT DISCOVERIES, AND ALSO BECAUSE SUCH ACTION IS LONG OVERDUE, I IMPLORE YOU TO ERECT OR PLACE A PLAQUE OR SIGN MADE OF SOME DURABLE MATERIALS, PREFERABLY BRONZE AND STONE, AT THE SPOT WHERE THAT FIRST DEPOT WAS ERECTED, AND ALSO TO MARK IN A SIMILAR MANNER THE GRAVE SITE OF ROADMASTER BURKE. INCLUDED WITH THIS LETTER IS A COPY OF ONE OF THOSE MAPS SHOWING THE LOCATION OF THE 1873 DEPOT AND ALSO MR. BURKE'S GRAVESITE, ALONG WITH AI GENERATED PICTURES OF WHAT I BELIEVE WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO MARK BOTH THESE SITES. AS I HAVE OFTEN SAID BEFORE, I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF RICHARDSON COULD DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF EMBRACING OUR HERITAGE THAN IT HAS DONE IN THE PAST, AND THIS IS ONE WAY IN WHICH THE CITY COULD DO SO AT A RELATIVELY LOW COST. AS I HAVE TRAVELED AROUND TEXAS AND OTHER STATES, I'VE BEEN STRUCK BY THE TANGIBLE WAYS THAT MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES MUCH SMALLER IN SOME CASES THAN RICHARDSON, HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THEY VALUE THEIR HISTORY. SURELY WE CAN DO THE SAME HERE. I'D LIKE TO FURTHER SUGGEST THAT IF THE CITY FINDS ITSELF WITHOUT FUNDS FOR SUCH AN UNDERTAKING AT THIS TIME THAT YOU CONSIDER APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE SUMMERLEE FOUNDATION OF DALLAS OR SOME SIMILAR ENTITY, AND IN THE PACKET IS A ARTICLE FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS IN 1896, WHICH MENTIONS THE GRAVE OF MR. BURKE BEING ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT SOUTHBOUND PASSENGERS SEE WHEN THEY COME TO RICHARDSON. THERE'S ALSO ON THE THIRD PAGE THERE IS A PORTION OF A SURVEY MAP SHOWING THE GRAVE OF MR. BURKE AND ALSO THE PRESENT DAY LOCATION OF THE 1873 DEPOT. I ALSO HAVE SOME SUGGESTED VERBIAGE FOR THE PLAQUES AND PICTURES WHICH I GENERATED WITH CHATGPT, WHICH SHOW WHAT A PLAQUE ON A BLOCK OF STONE WOULD LOOK LIKE AT INNER URBAN COMMONS, AND ALSO AT THE GRAVESITE OF MR. BURKE,

[00:30:08]

PEOPLE FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS HAVE COME TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS CITY ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE, AND THE HINDU AMERICAN COMMUNITY IS GRATEFUL TO CONTRIBUTE THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CHARITABLE SERVICE, CULTURAL PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT FOR OUR NEIGHBORS. OUR HERITAGE TEACHES US THE TIMELESS PRINCIPLE OF VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM. THE WORLD IS ONE FAMILY. WHEN OUR FAMILIES CAME TO AMERICA, WE BROUGHT WITH US VALUES OF RESPECT, SERVICE, FAMILY, AND HARMONY. AMERICA, IN TURN GAVE US THE FREEDOM TO PRACTICE OUR FAITH, PRESERVE OUR TRADITIONS, AND FULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE LIFE OF THIS GREAT NATION. THAT IS SOMETHING WE TRULY CHERISH. THIS 250TH ANNIVERSARY HAS INSPIRED AN UNPRECEDENTED CELEBRATION ACROSS THE DALLAS METROPLEX. MORE THAN 40 TEMPLES CAME TOGETHER TO PROUDLY COMMEMORATE AMERICA'S 250 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE BY DISPLAYING SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY BANNERS AT THEIR TEMPLES. IT WAS A POWERFUL EXPRESSION OF UNITY AND GRATITUDE, A WAY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO HONOR THIS HISTORIC MILESTONE WHILE REAFFIRMING OUR SHARED COMMITMENT TO THE IDEALS OF LIBERTY, DEMOCRACY, AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY THAT DEFINE AMERICA. THE SIGHT OF THESE BANNERS ACROSS DOZENS OF TEMPLES WAS MORE THAN A CELEBRATION. IT REFLECTED THE DEEP APPRECIATION OF HINDU AMERICANS FOR THE FREEDOMS THIS COUNTRY PROVIDES AND OUR DESIRE TO STAND TOGETHER WITH FELLOW OCCASION IN AMERICANS. IN MARKING THIS HISTORIC OCCASION, AS WE CELEBRATE 250 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE, LET US CONTINUE STRENGTHENING THE BONDS THAT UNITE US. OUR DIVERSITY IS NOT A CHALLENGE TO OVERCOME. IT IS ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST STRENGTHS. BY EMBRACING BOTH OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE AND OUR SHARED AMERICAN IDENTITY, WE HELP BUILD AN EVEN STRONGER, MORE WELCOMING AND MORE VIBRANT RICHARDSON AND DALLAS METROPLEX. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THESE THOUGHTS ON BEHALF OF THE HINDU AMERICAN COMMUNITY. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NATION ON THIS HISTORIC MILESTONE AND HAPPY 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE. MUCH LOVE TO RICHARDSON AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. KUMAR.

BRIAN BRISTOW, BRIAN BRISTOW. HELLO, I'M BRIAN BRISTOW. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT. IT'S A PLEASURE TO ADDRESS YOU. I LIVE AT 1415 BALTIMORE DRIVE IN BIRCKNER PARK, 75081. I'M A GRADUATE OF J.J. PEARCE HIGH SCHOOL, 1976. 50 YEARS AGO TODAY OR THIS YEAR. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT STR SHORT TERM RENTALS AGAIN. I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT IT BEFORE. I WANT TO START BY SAYING A 2022 SURVEY IN PLANO SHOWED THAT NEARLY THREE FOURTHS OF RESPONDENTS WOULD BE MODERATELY OR VERY UNCOMFORTABLE LIVING NEXT DOOR TO AN STR. COUNT ME IN, PLEASE.

I DO NOT WANT AN STR OWNED AND OPERATED BY SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN OUR COMMUNITY, DEVELOP NEIGHBORLY ACQUAINTANCES AND FRIENDSHIPS, OR SEND THEIR KIDS TO OUR SCHOOLS NEXT DOOR TO ME, THESE HOTELS ARE HOUSES THAT RESIDENTS COULD BE LIVING IN FOR EVERY SHORT TERM RENTAL HOUSE IN RICHARDSON, THERE IS A LOST OPPORTUNITY FOR AN INDIVIDUAL OR COUPLE OR FAMILY TO SETTLE INTO THE HOUSE OF THEIR DREAMS IN A STABLE, INVITING NEIGHBORHOOD. I BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE, A COURT CASE AS RECENT AS MARCH 12TH OF THIS YEAR CALLED DASSEL VERSUS LAFAYETTE CITY PARISH IN LOUISIANA. IT WAS HELD AT THE FIFTH CIRCUIT U.S. COURT OF APPEALS, WHICH HANDLES TEXAS MUNICIPAL. MISS MISSISSIPPI AND

[00:35:06]

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK MAYOR OMAR FOR HIS INTERVENTION, HIS PERSONAL INTERVENTION ON OUR TRASH ISSUE ON THREE BLOCKS LAST WEEK. THANKS, AS ALWAYS FOR YOUR ACCESSIBILITY AND GOING THE EXTRA MILE. I'M ALWAYS GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND SPEAK MY OPINIONS. WE MIGHT NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT YOU ALWAYS LISTEN. BUT I THINK WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TODAY, YOU MIGHT AGREE WITH APOLOGIES IF THERE'S ANY REPETITION.

COUNCILS COME AND COUNCILS GO AND EVEN MAYORS. BUT THERE'S ONE PERSON WHO STICKS AROUND AND THAT IS OUR CITY MANAGER, DON MAGNER, WHO'S MARKING HIS 30TH YEAR WITH THE CITY THIS MONTH. 30 YEARS IS A LONG, LONG TIME, AND IT SPEAKS A LOT TO HIS DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT TO THE CITY. HE PROVIDES A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE AND IS AN IMMENSE ASSET TO US. DON HAS BEEN INTERESTED IN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT SINCE HIGH SCHOOL. HE DEVELOPED A STRONG BELIEF THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE MANAGED BY PROFESSIONALS WHO, ABOVE ALL ELSE, ARE COMMITTED TO INTEGRITY AND SERVICE. AND HE EMBODIES THOSE PRINCIPLES. THIS IS THE ONLY CITY HE HAS WORKED IN, AND HE'S WORKED DIRECTLY WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY FOR PROBABLY HALF HIS LIFE. TO QUOTE HIM FROM AN INTERVIEW, I ENJOY MANY ASPECTS OF SERVING, BUT NONE MORE THAN WORKING DIRECTLY WITH RESIDENTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO RESOLVE ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM. THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST THEM WHEN THEY NEED IT THE MOST IS A REWARDING EXPERIENCE THAT YOU WANT TO REPEAT AGAIN AND AGAIN. I ALSO LOVE THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH. THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY TRULY CARE ABOUT THE JOB THEY DO AND THE

[00:40:04]

WE HAVE 48, SO YOU CAN HAVE TWO. WILL YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN SINGING FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW. I HAVE A GROUP HERE TO HELP ME. THE HEART OF DALLAS CHORUS. RICHARDSON'S OWN AND ONLY WOMEN'S BARBERSHOP CHORUS. OH, HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW. FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW.

FOR HE'S A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW. WHICH NOBODY CAN DENY. AND WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SING A LITTLE LOVE LETTER TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, AND THANKS AND GOODBYE TO OUR WONDERFUL PLACE. THREE COUNCILMAN D DON BARRIOS. ALL RIGHT. SIR. CLOSER, CLOSER. TO.

TO. YOU. DO YOU ALL I MIGHT BE ALL ALONE WHEN I'M ALL ALONE WITH YOU. YOU'RE THE KIND THAT I TRIED HARD TO FIND. YOU MAKE ALL MY DREAMS COME TRUE. IN THE CROWD I FEEL MIGHTY PROUD. BUT WHEN YOU'RE NOT THERE. I'M ALONE SOME. I DON'T MIND. BEING ALL ALONE. WHEN I'M ALL ALONE WITH YOU. WITH YOU THE SUN WILL SHINE. THE RAIN FALL. I REMEMBER WHEN I'M ALL ALONE.

WITH NOBODY ELSE BUT YOU. SOMETIMES I'M SURE. SOMETIMES I'M CALLING AND. YOU MAKE ALL MY DREAMS COME TRUE. IN THE CROWD. I FEEL MIGHTY PROUD. BUT WHEN YOU'RE NOT THERE. I'M LONELY. OH. I KNOW MY. BE IN ALL THE. WAY. I'M ALL ALONE WITH YOU. A BUM BUM. THANK YOU LADIES. ALL RIGHT. IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPEAKERS, WE'LL TRY TO TAKE YOU AFTER WE GET TO THE

[4. CONDUCT INTERVIEWS TO FILL A VACANCY FOR CITY COUNCIL PLACE 3 FOR AN UNEXPIRED TERM ENDING MAY 1, 2027.]

MAYOR, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE. EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AT ABOUT 515, ALL EIGHT OF YOUR INTERVIEW CANDIDATES TONIGHT JOINED US FOR A DRAWING, WHICH RESULTED IN KIND OF THE ORDER FOR THE INTERVIEWS TO TAKE PLACE TONIGHT. AND SO AT THEIR REQUEST, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THAT. SO EVERYONE KNOWS THE ORDER THAT WILL BE USED TONIGHT. SO FIRST UP WILL BE JEFF DAVIS. NUMBER TWO WOULD BE DANIEL BURDETTE. NUMBER THREE WOULD BE RICHARD OR RICK BELL. NUMBER FOUR WOULD BE JEFFREY GRIFFIN, NUMBER FIVE WOULD BE SCOTT MOORE. NUMBER SIX WILL BE ERIC WILSON, NUMBER SEVEN JORDAN AURET. AND FINALLY, NUMBER EIGHT WOULD BE GINEVRA THOMAS MAYOR. JUST AS A REMINDER TO EVERYONE WHO WILL BE WATCHING, EACH CANDIDATE WILL BE PROVIDED THREE MINUTES TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT. AND THEN EACH OF THE COUNCIL WILL BE ALLOWED TO ASK A QUESTION TO WHICH EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE UP TO TWO MINUTES TO REPLY, AND THEN FINALLY, EACH CANDIDATE WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO MAKE A CLOSING STATEMENT. OUR CITY SECRETARY WILL BE KEEPING TIME ON THE RESPONSES OF THE OPENING CLOSING STATEMENT AND THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT ON THE TIMER HERE, AS WELL AS THE

[00:45:02]

INFRASTRUCTURE. RICHARDSON HAS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS. SO WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, HOW WOULD YOU DECIDE WHAT GETS FUNDED FIRST AND WHAT GETS DEFERRED? VERY GOOD QUESTION. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN, I THINK WE'VE MADE GREAT STRIDES THIS ACTUALLY COMING YEAR IN 2027 BUDGET TO ACTUALLY START TO MAKE INROADS TO, TO, TO CATCH UP ON SOME OF OUR STREETS AND ALLEYS INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT IN

[00:50:06]

SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CORCORAN. THANK YOU. AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS THE MAYOR, TWO AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FOUR PLACED SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS SEAT IS PLACED SPECIFIC. HOW DO YOU VIEW THE ROLE OF A PLACE SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBER VERSUS THAT OF AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER? THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN, AS YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TWO AT LARGE AND THE REST ARE BY PLACE. I TEND TO LOOK AT EVERYBODY SITTING ON THAT COUNCIL AT LARGE. EVERY, YOU KNOW, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER REPRESENTS THE ENTIRE CITY. AND THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING SOMEBODY FROM PLACE THREE OR PLACE FOUR IS THAT THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE FROM, THAT'S WHEREHEY LIVE. AND THEY'RE MORE CONNECTED TO THAT COMMUNITY THAT THEY CAN BRING TO COUNCIL THOSE EXPERIENCES AND THAT PERSPECTIVE. AND THE, THE FEEDBACK FROM THEIR COMMUNITY MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE. SO THAT OUR ENTIRE CITY HAS A VOICE ON THE COUNCIL. BUT WHEN IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY, EVERYBODY SITTING THERE HAS EXACTLY THE SAME JOB. AND THAT'S TO LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST OF THE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. I'M NOT USING MY WHOLE TWO MINUTES. I'M SORRY. COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS. THANK YOU. MAYOR. EXCUSE ME. JEFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. YOU'RE KNOWN AS A LONGTIME LEADER IN HYDE PARK AND SOMEBODY WHO'S FOUGHT FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, I EVEN RESPONDED TO AN EMAIL OF YOURS.

HOW DO YOU TRANSITION BEING A LEADER AND A FIGHTER FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD TO TRANSITIONING THAT INTO THE CITY OVERALL, THE ENTIRE CITY? THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. YES. BEING A HEAVILY INVOLVED IN A FAIRLY LARGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WE HAVE 1037 HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. SO IT DOES GIVE ME A A SMALLER SLICE OF THE ENTIRE CITY AS FAR AS PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND WANTS AND DESIRES. I, I SEE IT AS, AS. I'M TRYING TO SAY HOW TO SAY THIS, BUT THINK HOW TO SAY THIS, BUT IT IS JUST A LARGER VERSION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. A NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT NEEDS TO GET TO KNOW HIS, HIS RESIDENTS AND HIS PEOPLE AND, AND WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM AND MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS THAT THEY CAN FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

COUNCILMAN, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAS A MUCH LARGER SWATH OF, OF, OF NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THE CITY IS ONE BIG NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I THINK THE SAME PRINCIPLES APPLY TO NEIGHBORHOOD MANAGEMENT AS IT DOES WITH MY REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE PLACE THREE ON THE COUNCIL. IT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT BIGGER NEIGHBORHOOD, A LOT BIGGER NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS THE QUESTION.

COUNCILMEMBER JUSTICE. THANK MR. DAVIS. I BELIEVE THAT A HEALTHY CITY COUNCIL IS ONE THAT CAN COLLABORATE, COMPROMISE, AND RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. IN THAT SPIRIT, WHAT IS ONE DECISION YOU THINK THE CITY COUNCIL GOT RIGHT AND ONE DECISION YOU THINK THE CITY COUNCIL GOT WRONG AND WHY? WOW. DIDN'T THINK I'D GET THAT. GOOD FOR YOU. YOU'LL EXCUSE ME WHILE I HAVE TO TAKE A SECOND TO THINK ABOUT IT. I LIKE TO THINK ABOUT MY ANSWERS. I DON'T TALK OFF THE CUFF A LOT. I LIKE TO BE PREPARED AND THINK ABOUT MY ANSWERS. SO GIVE ME ONE SECOND.

AS FAR AS A DECISION THAT I THINK THIS COUNCIL GOT WRONG, I'M REALLY HESITANT TO PICK OUT

[00:55:05]

SO AS FAR AS ONE THAT GOT WRONG, LET'S SEE. LET'S SEE. OKAY, I'LL GIVE YOU ONE. I'M ON THE PARKS COMMISSION. SO I WILL SAY THAT. AND I'M SURE WE WON'T ALL AGREE ON EVERYTHING. BUT AS FAR AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PARKS, I THINK THE BRIDGE IN IN HUFFINES COULD HAVE BEEN PUT OFF AND WE COULD HAVE USED THAT MONEY ELSEWHERE FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO I, I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE THAT DECISION DIFFERENTLY. IT'S A SMALL THING, I KNOW, BUT AS FAR AS WHAT THE COUNCIL DID RIGHT. WELL, ■THAT'S A THAT'S A PRETTY LONG LIST. I THINK PART A LOT OF PARTS OF THE, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED NOW IN DOWNTOWN RICHARDSON IN THE JUST NORTH OF OF BELTLINE THERE. I THINK THOSE DECISIONS WERE HARD. AND I THINK THE COUNCIL MADE THE RIGHT DECISIONS ON, ON THE REZONING OF THOSE THOSE PROPERTIES. COUNCIL MEMBER DORAN. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS, WHAT PERSPECTIVES OF LIFE EXPERIENCES WOULD YOU ADD THAT ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY REPRESENTED ON THE CURRENT COUNCIL? COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? I'M SORRY. YES. WHAT PERSPECTIVE OF LIFE EXPERIENCES WOULD YOU ADD THAT ARE NOT SUFFICIENTLY REPRESENTED ON THE CURRENT COUNCIL? OKAY. VERY GOOD. I THINK PERHAPS I COULD ADD PERSPECTIVE OF BEING AT THIS POINT, VERY FAMILIAR WITH OUR VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY IN THE CITY, AS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE A PLUG HERE, BUT RICHARDSON, REAL HEROES I'M VERY INVOLVED IN. MY WIFE, BONNIE IS THE THE HEAD OF THAT THAT BOARD AND GETTING TO KNOW ALL THE DIFFERENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AND ALL THE DIFFERENT VOLUNTEERS, SOME OF THE AMAZING PEOPLE IN RICHARDSON WE'VE COME ACROSS IN THAT PROGRAM. PEOPLE YOU DON'T SEE PEOPLE. A LOT OF PEOPLE. OH, I'M SO SORRY. I TALK WITH MY HANDS. A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THE COUNCIL AND A LOT OF THE PUBLIC JUST DON'T KNOW EXIST BUT DO SO MUCH TREMENDOUS WORK FOR THE CITY AND PEOPLE THAT WERE ANYWHERE FROM WALK THAT WORKED FOR WILDFLOWER AND ALL THE, ALL THE WORK THEY DO FOR WILDFLOWER TO NETWORK TO A WHOLE VARIETY. BUT I THINK THAT THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT I'VE ACTUALLY TALKED AND INTERVIEWED AND GOT TO KNOW A LOT OF THE UNSUNG, REAL VOLUNTEERS THAT HELP RUN THIS CITY, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A PERSPECTIVE THAT I COULD BRING TO TO THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER. THANK YOU MAYOR. JEFF, AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WHY? THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. MY TOP THREE. AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, I THINK INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE VERY FOUNDATION OF WHAT A CITY HAS TO PROVIDE ITS RESIDENTS. AND ITS RESIDENTS RELY ON THAT, AND THEY PAY TAXES FOR THAT. AND THAT IS WHAT THE BASIS OF EVERYTHING BUILDS ON. SO I THINK INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM STORM DRAINS TO, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING ELSE. WHAT OUR WATER SYSTEM, OUR DRAINAGE, EVERYTHING. THAT'S NOT THE MOST SEXY PART OF RUNNING A CITY. I KNOW THAT, BUT THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A OF A CITY. SECOND OF ALL, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE AGAIN, I'M A LITTLE BIASED FROM PARKS HERE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE WHEN IT'S FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE TO DO THINGS LIKE A SKATE PARK AND SOME PADDLEBALL COURTS AND TO, YOU KNOW, EXPAND OUR TENNIS CENTER MAYBE. AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE LUXURY ITEMS, GRANTED. BUT IT'S ALSO WHAT MAKES RICHARDSON SUCH PART OF WHAT MAKES RICHARDSON A REALLY ATTRACTIVE TO PEOPLE COMING HERE AND OPENING BUSINESSES HERE AND, AND HAVING A FULFILLED LIFE HERE. SO PART

[01:00:06]

I'M TRYING TO THINK. I GUESS THE THIRD ANSWER IS REALLY. OUR CONNECTIVITY. AND THAT'S I'M NOT TRYING TO BE VAGUE, BUT OUR LIKE I TALKED ABOUT THE HOA GATHERING TOGETHER AND WORKING TOGETHER BETTER. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OUR COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT MORE CONNECTED. AND I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC ANSWERS EXCEPT FOR THE ONE I GAVE MY OPENING STATEMENT OF HOW TO DO THAT.

BUT I, WE HAVE WE HAVE SUCH A VIBRANT CITY THAT I THINK WE'RE STILL SMALL ENOUGH TO COME TOGETHER AND A LOT OF MORE WAYS THAN WE DO. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. YOU'RE WELCOME.

CONSIDERING OUR CITY AND EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE GOING FOR IT, I'M BULLISH ON RICHARDSON'S FUTURE. WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT, WE CAN SETTLE FOR WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD IS THE BEST WE CAN EXPECT, OR WE CAN DEMAND MORE BIG IDEAS, REAL PLACE MAKING DESTINATION EXPERIENCES. RESIDENTS I'VE TALKED TO ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERS WHO SHARE THAT AMBITION. AND MY QUESTION IS, SHOULD COUNCIL SIMPLY ACCEPT WHAT THE MARKET BRINGS US OR, WHEN APPROPRIATE, CHALLENGE THE MARKET AND HOLD OUT FOR SOMETHING? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR. THAT COMES DOWN TO A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.

FIRST OF ALL. ARE THE ENVISION PLAN WAS A REALLY GOOD PLACE TO START. AND THAT WAS THAT'S WHERE WE GOT ALL THE PUBLIC INPUT AND DECISIONS WERE MADE FOR LONG TERM SOLUTIONS. AND, AND WHAT WE WANTED THE CITY TO LOOK LIKE IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS OR 15 YEARS. A LOT OF THOSE DECISIONS, WHEN IT COMES RIGHT DOWN TO, GEE, DO WE LET THAT ZONING GO THROUGH BECAUSE IT'S MONEY RIGHT NOW, OR DO WE HOLD OUT AND TRY TO FULFILL WHAT WAS THAT PART OF THE ENVISION PLAN AND WORK TOWARD THAT WITH MAYBE A SHORT TERM LOSS AND A LONGER TERM GAIN? THOSE THOSE ARE CASE BY CASE ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED. BUT FRANKLY, I'M ONE THAT THINKS THE. WE NEED TO BE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT TEN YEARS OUT, 15 YEARS OUT, 25 YEARS OUT. I KNOW WE CAN'T SEE THE FUTURE, BUT YOU KNOW, I WOULD I DON'T WANT US TO SEE US SELL OUR FUTURES SHORT BY TAKING SHORT TERM GAIN. AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I THINK IF THAT IS THE BACK OF YOUR MIND THAT, OKAY, THE BIGGER VISION IS 15 YEARS OUT. IS THIS WHAT WE. IS THIS GOING TO GET US ACCOMPLISHED WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IN 15 YEARS? THEN I THINK THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES MUCH MORE MERIT. AGAIN, FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND BUDGET AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS PLAY INTO THIS. BUT LONGER TERM IS WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS FOR. IT'S NOT JUST TO FIX THE STREETS NEXT WEEK. IT'S TO MAKE A WONDERFUL AND VIBRANT CITY IN 15 YEARS. I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. IT DID. MR. DAVIS, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THREE MINUTES FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I HOPE I ANSWERED ALL YOUR QUESTIONS. I HAVE NOT HAD A JOB INTERVIEW IN MANY YEARS, AND THIS IS THE FIRST ONE BEING STREAMED LIVE ASKING QUESTIONS. LISTENING, LEARNING AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS IS THE VERY HEART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LEADER AND TO LEAD. I AM PROUD TO EVEN BE CONSIDERED FOR THE CHANCE TO JOIN RICHARDSON'S LEADERSHIP TEAM, ALONG WITH, IN MY VIEW, ONE OF THE BEST CITY MANAGEMENT TEAMS IN ALL OF NORTH TEXAS. OUR COUNCIL HAS HELPED SHAPE THE VISION OF A RICHARDSON THAT IS INNOVATIVE, RESPONSIVE AND A TRUSTED CARETAKER OF OUR RESOURCES. I KNOW THAT THIS DOES NOT COME EASILY. CAN WE ASK MORE AND BETTER QUESTIONS? PROBABLY. CAN WE LEARN FROM PAST DECISIONS? SURELY. CAN WE LISTEN WITH MORE UNDERSTANDING? ABSOLUTELY. CAN WE DO BETTER? AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, I STARTED AND RAN A COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO FOR OVER 30 YEARS. THIS IN ITSELF MIGHT NOT SOUND LIKE IT WOULD QUALIFY ME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE GOVERNANCE OF A CITY OUR SIZE, BUT LET ME BREAK IT DOWN TO YOU INTO SMALLER PIECES, MUCH LIKE WE DO WHEN WE ANALYZE OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR. CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, INVESTMENT, NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND SURVIVAL THROUGH AN EVER CHANGING INDUSTRY THAT SAW MOST OF MY CONTEMPORARIES FALTER FROM JUGGLING MOUNTING EXPENSES AND LOWER, LOWER REVENUE, CREATING BEAUTY EVERY DAY AND AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE THE BILLS WERE PAID AGAIN. NOT

[01:05:02]

SOMETIMES THE ANSWER LIES IN THE VISION TO SEE THE UNSEEN. MICHELANGELO FAMOUSLY SAID THAT HIS JOB AS A SCULPTOR WAS TO SIMPLY TAKE AWAY THE MARBLE THAT WAS NOT NEEDED. ALTHOUGH HIDDEN FROM THOSE WHO ONLY SAW THE OBSTACLES, THE BEAUTY WAS ALWAYS THERE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS APPROACH TO MY WORK, AS WELL AS EVERYTHING I DO, WILL GUIDE ME THROUGH THE CHALLENGES OF OUR WORK TOGETHER. FINDING THOSE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THROUGH OUR BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, MAKING OUR PARKS AND RECREATION OFFERINGS EVEN BETTER. ALONG WITH KEEPING OUR CITY AND RESIDENTS SAFE, IS SOMETHING THAT I FIND EXCITING AND INSPIRING. GAZING BEYOND THE VENEER OF WHAT IS TO WHAT'S POSSIBLE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE RICHARDSON A GREAT CITY NOW AND AN EVEN GREATER CITY IN THE FUTURE. I ASKED EARLIER IF WE COULD DO BETTER. THERE IS NEVER A TIME THAT WE, AS A CITY OR INDIVIDUALLY CAN'T DO BETTER.

SO OF COURSE WE CAN. I BELIEVE RICHARDSON CAN BE AS GREAT AS WE CAN IMAGINE IT TO BE. IF SELECTED, WE MAY NOT EVER ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT WE WILL AGREE AGREE THAT THE GOAL FOR OUR CITY IS TO BE THE BEST, MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO WORK, LIVE, AND CALL HOME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS. THANK YOU.

WELCOME, MR. BURDETTE. YOU'LL GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A THREE MINUTE OPENING, AND THEN WE'LL START ASKING OUR QUESTIONS FROM THERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE LAST WEEK, EACH OF YOU WHO DESCRIBED WHAT CRITERIA YOU WERE LOOKING FOR WHEN EVALUATING THE APPLICATIONS THAT WERE SUBMITTED AND WAS ENCOURAGED TO HEAR, AND A FEW OF YOUR REMARKS, THAT IN THE QUALIFIED CANDIDATE YOU WERE LOOKING FOR, AND I'LL QUOTE COUNCILMAN BARRIOS, A VAST ARRAY OF EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AND A HEART FOR SERVICE. I'VE SPENT OVER 20 YEARS VOLUNTEERING AND SERVING IN RICHARDSON. THIS IS NOT A NEW INTEREST FOR ME, BUT A LONG STANDING ONE. MY FIRST INVOLVEMENT STARTED THROUGH OUR CHURCH. CATHERINE AND I. MY WIFE CATHERINE, AND I JOINED FIRST UNITED METHODIST BACK IN OH THREE AND IMMEDIATELY FOUND WAYS TO GET INVOLVED AND SERVE NOT ONLY IN THE CHURCH BUT IN OUR COMMUNITY. I JOINED THE CHOIR IN THE MUSIC MINISTRY EARLY ON, AND WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST COUPLES TO FOUND A NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS. RIGHT AFTER WE MOVED TO THE CENTRAL CAMPUS, A GUEST SPEAKER AND OUR NEW CLASS CHALLENGED EACH OF THE COUPLES TO DEFINE A FAMILY MISSION STATEMENT. WE CAME UP WITH A THREE POINT MISSION STATEMENT WORK HARD, PLAY HARD, AND GIVE BACK. THOSE OF US, OR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW US, THAT WE ORIENT OUR LIVES AROUND THAT MISSION. CONNECTIONS THROUGH OUR CHURCH LED US TO VOLUNTEERING IN THE CITY, STARTING WITH THE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL, SERVING AS THE PRODUCERS FOR THE BUDDING TALENT VOCAL COMPETITION FOR TEN YEARS. THAT ALSO LED TO INVITATIONS FOR US TO SERVE ON THE EXECUTIVE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE FESTIVAL, OF WHICH I EVENTUALLY SERVED AS THE CHAIRMAN. A YEAR INTO OUR WILDFLOWER SERVICE, I WAS ACCEPTED FOR THE LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON IN 2012, WHICH OPENED MY EYES TO EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITY. ON OUR SOCIAL SERVICES DAY, I WAS INTRODUCED TO RICHARDSON ADULT LITERACY CENTER AND I ASKED, HOW CAN I HELP? INITIALLY IT WAS I T AND NETWORKING SUPPORT AROUND THE OFFICE, BUT THAT LED TO OVER A DECADE OF VOLUNTEERING FOR THAT ORGANIZATION AND LATER SERVING ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE LR EXPERIENCE ALSO INSPIRED ME TO CIVIC DUTY, AND I APPLIED TO BE ON ONE OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND WAS HONORED TO BE APPOINTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2015 TO THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION. SERVING IN THAT ROLE TOOK ME TO EVERY PARK AND TRAIL IN RICHARDSON, HELPING TO BE THE EYES AND EARS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AND OUR NEIGHBORS TASKED WITH ASSESSING CURRENT CONDITIONS AND SETTING PRIORITY FOR PROJECTS ON A ON A FINITE BUDGET. ALL THE WHILE, IF YOU ADD TO THESE YEARS OF SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM, THE EDUCATION THAT I RECEIVED THROUGH THE CARES PROGRAM, AS WELL AS BOTH

[01:10:03]

THANK YOU, MR. BURDETTE. WE'LL START OFF WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ARFIN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION THAT I ASKED BEFORE AND WITHOUT MUCH DISCUSSION. SO LET'S GO TO THE QUESTION. THIS IS GOING TO BE ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE. RICHARDSON HAS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS. WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, HOW WOULD YOU DECIDE WHAT GETS FUNDED FIRST AND WHAT GETS DEFERRED? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. AND I RECOGNIZE WITH THE AGE OF THE CITY, THE THE AS WE KNOW, THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY WERE BUILT AT DIFFERENT TIMES. AND, AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERNEATH THE STREETS AND THE STREETS THEMSELVES HAVE DEGRADED IT TO VARYING DEGREES OVER THE OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS, THE. THERE'S THE QUESTION MORE ABOUT SPENDING ON INFRASTRUCTURE AS OPPOSED TO OTHER BUDGET ITEMS, OR MORE JUST PRIORITIZING THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AMONG THE CITY. WELL, THIS IS IT. JUST IN GENERAL. OKAY. YEAH. SO I THINK CERTAINLY THE, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE LARGEST RISKS ARE, I KNOW THERE'S ONGOING ASSESSMENTS OF THE DIFFERENT GRADES AND THE, THE NEEDS UNDERNEATH THE STREETS.

AND OF COURSE, THERE'S A FACTOR OF BUDGET AND THE BOND THAT THIS CITIZENS GENERALLY ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE BONDS AND RECOGNIZING THAT NEED THAT THAT WE ARE AN AGING CITY AND WE NEED TO PLACE VALUE IN THOSE PROJECTS. CERTAINLY THE. WHERE THE MOST SPECIFIC NEED IS UNFORTUNATELY, HAS TO SOMETIMES DRIVE AND DELAYS PROJECTS WHERE IT'S MAYBE NOT AS CRITICAL OR, OR THERE'S ALSO A COMPONENT OF SCHEDULING, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT ALL PROJECTS HAPPENING IN ONE SECTION OF THE CITY THAT'S PRETTY DISRUPTIVE TO TRAFFIC PATTERNS INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHATNOT. SO THERE'S LOTS OF FACTORS THAT THAT PLAY IN. I THINK OUR CITY STAFF DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF, OF ANALYZING WHAT WE HAVE TO SPEND, WHERE WE CAN SPEND THAT AND, AND HOW WE CAN ROLL THE PROJECTS IN A WAY THAT MAXIMIZES THE BENEFIT WITHOUT DISRUPTING THE PUBLIC ANY MORE THAN WE NEED TO. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CORCORAN. DANIEL, AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS THE MAYOR, TWO AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FOUR PLACE SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS SEAT IS PLACED SPECIFIC. HOW DO YOU VIEW THE ROLE OF A PLACE SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBER VERSUS THAT OF AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER? THAT'S. YEAH, THE EACH ONE OF THE PLACES THAT ONE, TWO, THREE, AND FOUR REQUIRES THE CANDIDATE TO OR THE COUNCIL MEMBER TO LIVE IN THAT DISTRICT.

AND I THINK THAT'S BENEFICIAL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE IN EACH ONE OF THOSE SECTIONS OF THE CITY AT THE DAIS. WE KNOW THESE ARE NOT MEMBER SPECIFIC DISTRICTS, THOUGH. AND SO I FEEL WHILE HAVING EXPERTISE AND KNOWLEDGE OF ISSUES AND CONCERNS AND MAYBE MORE DIRECT EXPOSURE TO NEIGHBORS IN DISTRICT THREE, I SEE THE POSITION AS STILL SERVING THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF RICHARDSON. SO ALTHOUGH, YOU KNOW, KNOWING THE PEOPLE AND HAVING A CLOSE REPRESENTATIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS GREAT, BUT WE WE CANNOT ONLY FOCUS ON DISTRICT THREE ISSUES. WE NEED TO BE AWARE AND PAYING ATTENTION TO THE THE CITY AS A WHOLE. SO. COUNCILMEMBER, THANK YOU, MAYOR DANIEL. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, YOU'RE THE ONLY CANDIDATE WHO HAS PREVIOUSLY RUN FOR OFFICE TO FILL A SIMILAR SEAT. WHAT DID THAT TEACH YOU AND DO YOU FORESEE IT IMPACTING AN APPOINTMENT? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY RECOGNIZE THAT MYSELF, BUT WASN'T SURE WHETHER APPROPRIATE TO MENTION THAT OR NOT. BUT, YOU KNOW, IN IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS LEADING UP TO THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS, I CERTAINLY HEARD FROM THE CITIZENS WHO CAME TO THE TO THE LECTERN AND MENTIONED WANTING TO HEAR OR NOT TO LOSE THE VOICE OF THE, OF THE PUBLIC AND THE TASK THAT YOU GUYS HAD IN FRONT OF YOU TO, TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. SO IT IS UNIQUE THAT I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE IN THE POOL AT THE MOMENT WHO HAD 2500 VOTES FROM CITIZENS OF RICHARDSON. SO THE VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD. OBVIOUSLY, 2500 WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO TO WIN THE SEAT. AND SO COUNCILMAN ARPIN IS IN THAT PLACE, SIXTH POSITION RIGHT NOW. AND. DURING

[01:15:06]

SO THAT ONE. AND COUNCILMAN HAFEN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, HAD FELT OPPOSED TO IT BEFORE. BUT AND AND SAW WHERE THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION HAD KIND OF DEBATED AND WERE CONCERNED ABOUT PARKING IN THE AREA AND WHATNOT. SO I THINK WHEN WE WHEN THERE IS DISAGREEMENT AMONG THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR THE COUNCIL, THAT OFTEN RESULTS IN THE APPLICANT THINKING ABOUT ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WAS MAYBE OVERLOOKED OR WASN'T CONSIDERED DEEPLY ENOUGH IN, IN WHAT THEY WERE PRESENTING. SO I THINK THAT'S VALUE VALUABLE FOR, FOR THERE TO BE EYES LOOKING AT DIFFERENT ANGLES AND PERSPECTIVES THAT THAN THE APPLICANT IS BRINGING NECESSARILY. AND SO YEAH, BUT ULTIMATELY, IF THE, EVEN IF IT'S SPLIT, IF WE END UP WITH THE BEST PRODUCT, THAT'S A WIN. I DON'T CAN'T THINK OF ANY THAT HAVE GONE AWAY THAT I WOULD BE OPPOSED TO. I THINK, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY HAVE HAD SOME THOUGHTS OR DIFFERING OPINIONS THAN SOME OF THE VOTES PLAYED OUT OVER OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. BUT AGAIN, I THINK THE CONSENSUS, I FEEL LIKE I WAS IN ALIGNMENT WITH WITH WHAT WAS AGREED TO BY THE BY THE COUNCIL IN RECENT CASES. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER DORIAN. THANK YOU, MR. BURDETTE. WHAT WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING RICHARDSON DURING THE REMAINDER OF THIS COUNCIL TERM AND WHY? AN EXCELLENT QUESTION AS WELL. SO THE REMAINDER OF THE TERM MAYBE SPEAK TO SOME OF THE OVERARCHING ISSUES THAT I SEE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE A FACTOR NECESSARILY IN THE NEXT SEVEN MONTHS. BUT, YOU KNOW, THE THE REMOVAL OF SOME LOCAL CONTROL OF BUDGET IS CERTAINLY A CONCERN. AND, AND. NOT NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT VOTES ON THE DYESS CAN CAN CHANGE IF THAT'S COMING FROM THE STATE OR ELSEWHERE THAT. SO I THINK THE THE COUNCIL DOES A GREAT JOB TO. AND THE STAFF DO A GREAT JOB TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THE LOCAL CONTROL VOICE IS HEARD AT THE STATE LEVEL AND CAN CONTINUE TO TRY TO INFLUENCE THAT. I'M NOT AWARE OF KIND OF LOOKED AT SOME OF THE ZONING CASES THAT ARE COMING UP. I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE ANY THAT ARE GOING TO BE NECESSARILY CONTENTIOUS OR CONTROVERSIAL. SO. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY KIND OF ISSUES AMONG THOSE THAT THAT WOULD COME UP. YEAH, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN COME UP WITH THREE FOR YOU, MR. DORIAN. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER THANK YOU MAYOR. FIRST OFF, DANIEL, I'M VERY SORRY FOR YOUR RECENT LOSS OF YOUR MOTHER.

THANK YOU. AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WHY? I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE VERY FIRST FOCUS IS GOING TO BE THE TRAINING, RIGHT? I KNOW YOU GUYS EACH KNOW GUYS AND GALS ALL KNOW VERY WELL THE TRAINING THAT THE CITY CONDUCTS FOR, YOU KNOW, ETHICS TRAINING AND PROCEDURAL TRAINING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WHOEVER ENDS UP IN THIS APPOINTED SPOT, THAT WILL PROBABLY BE THE FOCUS FOR AT LEAST A MONTH OR TWO. SOME OTHER THINGS THAT. THAT WE WOULD NEED TO FOCUS ON. I THINK CERTAINLY THE, YOU KNOW, REDEVELOPMENT OF, OF SPACES THAT WE HAVE. SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND. WE DON'T HAVE

[01:20:05]

AND MY QUESTION IS, SHOULD COUNCIL SIMPLY ACCEPT WHAT THE MARKET BRINGS US OR, WHEN APPROPRIATE, CHALLENGE THE MARKET AND HOLD OUT FOR SOMETHING BETTER? EXCELLENT QUESTION THAT THAT I THINK THAT HAS TO BE A BALANCE OF BOTH. I MEAN, IF WE LOOK AT INTERURBAN AS AN EXAMPLE THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MAKING THAT A PLACE AND KIND OF THE VISION OF WHAT WE WANT FOR OVER A DECADE NOW, IT HADN'T BEEN BROUGHT. AND SO ARE WE BETTER OFF WITH IT BEING BLANK SPACE OR EMPTY SPACE OR. ALLOWING SOME USES, AT LEAST FOR AN INTERIM? SO I THINK THAT HAS TO BE A BALANCE. CERTAINLY, WE WANT THE COUNCIL TO ALL BE FORWARD THINKING AND LONG TERM THINKING AND STRATEGICALLY THINKING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING YES TO EVERYTHING THAT GETS BROUGHT FORWARD, THAT I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN APPROPRIATE RESPONSE. WE WE'RE NOT DESPERATE, BUT WE WE DO NEED TO SOMETIMES MAYBE THINK IF WE MADE A PLAN AND DECADES HAVE GONE BY AND THE MARKET IS NOT REFLECTING THAT DEMAND, WE MIGHT NEED TO AT LEAST RELOOK AT THE PLAN. IF IF IF NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT SAYING YES TO EVERYTHING, OF COURSE, BUT BUT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IF IF THERE'S A THOUGHT, BUT THE MARKET'S NOT THERE, ARE WE? HOW LONG ARE WE WILLING TO WAIT TO TRY TO INFLUENCE THE MARKET TO COME TO THE VISION? SO. WELL, MR. BURDETTE, WE'RE AT THE END OF OUR QUESTIONS, BUT YOU DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A THREE MINUTE CLOSING. SO IF YOU WANT TO GET THAT GOING, WE'RE MORE THAN ALL EARS HERE. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS MY QUALIFICATIONS AND MOTIVATIONS FOR APPLYING FOR THIS ROLE AND LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE TO RICHARDSON. I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF SERVING OUR COMMUNITY BOTH IN TIME AND TREASURE, ALTHOUGH NOT SOMETHING I SPEAK ABOUT PUBLICLY OFTEN. KATHRYN. I HAVE ALSO INVEST FINANCIALLY IN MULTIPLE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, COMMITTING THOUSANDS OR SOMETIMES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR FAMILY BUDGET TO CAUSES AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE BELIEVE IN, WHICH PROVIDE VALUABLE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU'VE SEEN US IN COMMITTING MANY HOURS TO FUNDRAISING EVENTS AND COMMITTEES FOR THE ADULT LITERACY CENTER, THE RICHARDSON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, AS WELL AS LR AND CFA ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS.

WE HAVE A VACATION HOME IN NEW MEXICO AND HAVE DONATED THAT TO. I COUNTED UP 30 AUCTIONS OVER OVER 11 DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN RICHARDSON AND AND IN AND AROUND RICHARDSON. MOST OF YOU HAVE KNOWN ME FOR A LONG TIME, BUT YOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD ME MENTION THAT OR THESE OFFERINGS. BUT TODAY I PRESENT THEM TO YOU AS EVIDENCE OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE HAVE MADE IN RICHARDSON AND THE WAYS THAT WE TRY TO DO OUR BEST TO KEEP RICHARDSON A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY. AS FAR AS MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT I WOULD BRING, I STARTED MY CAREER AS A SOFTWARE DEVELOPER, BUT SOON IDENTIFIED AS A RESOURCE CAPABLE AND WILLING TO LEAD OTHERS. DRAWING ON LEADERSHIP TRAINING I RECEIVED IN THE CORPS OF CADETS AND THE FIGHTIN TEXAS AGGIE BAND AT A&M, I SPENT 22 YEARS WITH MY FIRST EMPLOYER, WORKING MY WAY FROM DEVELOPER TO TEAM LEAD TO MANAGER, WHICH BUILT EXPERIENCE AND HIRING, LEADING AND CERTAINLY SCRUTINIZING BUDGETS. COUNCILMAN OFTEN MENTIONED A DESIRE FOR HAVING A PERSON CAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING COMPLEX ISSUES. FEW PEOPLE KNOW THAT I HAVE TWO U.S. PATENTS TO MY NAME. WHEN APPROACHED BY OUR PRODUCT AND MARKETING TEAMS, WITH A CHALLENGE FOR HOW TO KEEP CURRENT MEDICAL DEVICE PRODUCT INFORMATION IN THE HANDS OF OUR GLOBAL CUSTOMERS,

[01:25:04]

SO THANK YOU TO YOU ALL AS A GROUP. THANK YOU TO THOSE CITIZENS, NEIGHBORS, THOSE THAT ARE JOINING REMOTELY. DEFINITELY APPRECIATE IT. MY NAME IS RICK BELL. I AM SEEKING THE NOMINATION OF THIS COUNCIL TO BACKFILL THE SEAT FOR COUNCILMAN BARRIOS. I AM HOPEFUL OF THAT OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M HOPING THAT THINGS WILL COME DOWN THE LINE IN MY FAVOR.

I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOUR TOWN HALL. FROM BACK ON AUGUST 5TH, ONE OF OUR CITIZENS ASKED SAID, HEY, WHAT TYPE OF CREDENTIALS ARE WE LOOKING FOR? AND IT WAS SHARED, SOMEBODY THAT CAN GROW MORE, SOMEBODY THAT CAN GIVE MORE, SOMEBODY THAT CAN DO MORE TO TAKE THIS CITY AND HELP US TAKE THIS CITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND NOT JUST BE SATISFIED WITH THE STATUS QUO. WE ALSO HEARD DURING THE LAST COUPLE OF SESSIONS FROM CITY MANAGER MAGNER ABOUT THE NEED TO RETHINK EVERYTHING, WHERE OUR APPROACH TO DEALING WITH TODAY'S PROBLEMS AND TOMORROW'S OPPORTUNITIES ARE CONCERNED. AND WHEN WE LOOK AT IT FROM A FISCAL LENS, NOT TO JUST LIMIT IT TO A ONE YEAR, BUT ALSO STRETCH IT OUT TO MULTIPLE YEARS. OTHERWISE, IT IS JUST SIMPLY NOT FINANCIALLY STABLE FOR US TO DO THAT. I BRING THESE THINGS UP FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. THE PERSON THAT'S GOING TO FILL THAT CHAIR HAS TO HAVE THESE SKILL SETS. IT'S NOT A NICE TO HAVE. IT IS A NEED TO HAVE. THE OTHER REASON I BRING THEM UP IS BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT IN MY WHEELHOUSE. I'VE LIVED IN THIS AREA AND THIS WONDERFUL GEM OF A CITY SINCE 1971. I LIVE ON THE SAME STREET THAT I GREW UP ON. MY WIFE AND I KNEW EACH OTHER IN HIGH SCHOOL. WE GO WAY BACK WHEN I GO ALL THE WAY BACK, AND I THINK OF THINGS OF THE ROCKET AT HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY, LEAD PAINT NOTWITHSTANDING, IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO LAUNCH. BUT RICHARDSON IS ALSO A GREAT PLACE TO LAND. WHAT I AM GOING TO LOOK TO BRING TO THE TABLE AND TO OFFER UP TO THIS CREW. ON ONE HAND, I HAVE GOT TWO AND A HALF DECADES OF ENTERPRISE WIDE GLOBALLY SCALING IT BACKGROUND AND BUSINESS ACUMEN. I SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS AND I AM MANIACAL ABOUT PROCESS. LOVE THE PROCESS AND THE PROCESS WILL LOVE YOU BACK ON THE OTHER SIDE, SOME OF THE SOFTER SKILLS. I'M A CONNECTOR. I'M A CONNECTOR OF PEOPLE, SOMETIMES WITH COMPETING PRIORITIES TO WHERE WE COME TOGETHER. WE HAVE A CONSENSUS AND WE MOVE FORWARD.

AND I ALSO LOOK AS FAR AS CONTINUITY AND DEVELOPING TRUST. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. WONDERFUL. COUNCIL MEMBER ARFIN THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WELL, I HAVE I'M SURE, PRETTY MUCH MOST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE YOU HAVE SEEN WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR HAS BEEN BUILT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES. SO MY QUESTION IS, RICHARDSON HAS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, HOW WOULD YOU DECIDE WHAT GETS FUNDED FIRST AND WHAT GETS DEFERRED? SO THE QUESTION IS, IS HOW I WOULD DECIDE WHAT GETS FUNDED FIRST. IN TIMES WHERE FINANCES ARE TIGHT FOR

[01:30:06]

THERE IS A GAP WHERE LONG TERM EXPERIENCE WITH IT AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE ENTERPRISE LEVEL IS CONCERNED. WE DON'T HAVE THAT. I NEGOTIATE FOR BIG TECH. I'VE NEGOTIATED AGAINST BIG TECH. I'VE DONE SO WITH THE LARGEST ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD. I'VE ALSO DONE SO FOR SMB SIZE ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL TO ACHIEVE THAT BALANCE. THE OTHER THING IS TRUE IS THAT AS OUR CITY GROWS AND AS OUR CITY SCALES, AND THE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THINGS LIKE DATA CENTERS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO MOVE HERE, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE THAT MINDSET AND THAT SCALE SITTING AT THAT TABLE. IF WE DON'T, FRISCO WILL, PLANO WILL AND EVERYBODY ELSE WILL, AND WE WILL MISS. COUNCILMEMBER JUSTICE MR. BELL, I BELIEVE THAT A HEALTHY CITY COUNCIL IS ONE THAT CAN COLLABORATE, COMPROMISE AND RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. IN THAT SPIRIT, WHAT IS ONE DECISION YOU THINK THE CITY COUNCIL GOT RIGHT? ONE YOU THINK IT GOT WRONG AND WHY? GOOD CALL. WHERE WILDFLOWER WAS CONCERNED? I TRULY THINK SO. AND YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND I LOVE MUSIC, AS MY WIFE CAN ATTEST. I'VE GOT TOO MANY INSTRUMENTS SITTING AROUND THE HOUSE GATHERING DUST TO SEE THAT THING GO FROM THREE DAYS TO TWO. OH, IT KIND OF PAINED ME A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE BUSINESS SIDE OF ME KICKED IN, AND I FEEL AS THOUGH THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A BIGGER AND BETTER EVENT THAN WHAT WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE. AND IT'S

[01:35:01]

SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO IS WE GOT TO GET CREATIVE.

WE GOT TO CREATE SOME MORE REVENUE STREAMS. I'M NOT SURE WHERE THEY'RE FROM. MAYBE THEY'RE FROM TAXES ON SHORT TERM RENTALS AND THE LIKE. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER. THANK YOU MAYOR. RICK, AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WHY? TOP THREE AREAS AREAS OF FOCUS. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT BRINGS ABOUT THE LONGEVITY OF OUR CITY TELECOM CORRIDOR. I'M SURE EVERYBODY REMEMBERS THAT NOW. MORE A PART OF THE REFERENCED SILICON PRAIRIE, BUT WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE VERSATILE TYPES OF BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE GOING AFTER, WHETHER IT'S COMBINATION OF RETAIL BUSINESS, AS FAR AS THAT GOES IN TERMS OF FOLKS CAN GO ENJOY THEMSELVES, GENERATE BUSINESS, GENERATE REVENUE, WHETHER IT'S DATA CENTERS, LOTS OF MISINFORMATION FOLKS. I'D LOVE TO GET INTO A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED TO CREATE JOBS. THEY CREATE REVENUE. AND THERE'S MORE THAN ONE WAY TO COOL IT. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WATER. SO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SAFETY, OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT I ALSO CALL IT SOCIAL SAFETY, SOCIAL SAFETY FOR OUR SENIORS. THEY NEED TO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN PICK UP A PHONE AND NOT BE SCAMMED. AND HOW TO READ THAT AND HOW TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S PROGRAMS FOR THAT. ALSO SAFETY FOR OUR CHILDREN IN TERMS OF TRAFFICKING, THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE THAT CAN HELP COME IN WITH BEST PRACTICES AS FAR AS HOW TO EDUCATE AND ENABLE WHERE TRAFFICKING IS CONCERNED. AND THE LAST IS THE SAFETY OF OUR SANCTITY, OF OUR INVESTMENT IN TIME, ENERGY AND MONEY INTO THE CITY. SO IT STAYS THE CITY WE WANTED WHEN WE FIRST GOT HERE. AND THEN FINALLY, MANIACAL FISCAL DISCIPLINE. I THINK IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, Y'ALL, WHEN WE SEE THE SCENARIOS THAT WE'VE GOT AND THE COMPRESSION THAT WE'VE GOT, WE HAVE TO BE SUPER TIGHT AND BE VERY, VERY CREATIVE. AND IN SOME INSTANCES, CONSIDER TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE A REPLACEMENT FOR SOME OF THE LARGEST LINE ITEMS ON OUR BUDGET. MR. BELL, CONSIDERING ALL WE HAVE GOING FOR US, I'M BULLISH ON RICHARDSON'S FUTURE. WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT, WE CAN SETTLE FOR WHAT WE'RE TOLD IS THE BEST WE CAN EXPECT OR DEMAND MORE BIGGER IDEAS, REAL PLACEMAKING, DESTINATION EXPERIENCES. RESIDENTS I'VE TALKED TO ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERS WHO SHARE THAT AMBITION. MY QUESTION IS, SHOULD THE CITY COUNCIL SIMPLY ACCEPT WHAT THE MARKET BRINGS

[01:40:03]

WELL, MOST OF THEM. BUT THE THING IS, IS THAT WE CAN GO AND WE CAN WORK AND WE CAN LEAD AND OTHERS WILL FOLLOW. YOU KNOW, FOR THE LONGEST TIME, TEXAS WAS A FLYOVER STATE FOR MOST OF THE TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES OUT OF CALIFORNIA. THEY WERE GOING TO NEW YORK OR THEY WERE GOING UP TO SEATTLE, OR THEY WERE STAYING IN CALIFORNIA. AND YET, HOW MANY BIG PERCENTAGES OF THE FORTUNE 500 ARE IN TEXAS? WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE STATE NOW. CALIFORNIA IS BACK BEHIND US.

RICHARDSON IS NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT SAME PROFILE. THERE'S NO SENSE TO GO TO FRISCO. THERE'S NO SENSE TO GO TO PLANO. WE'VE GOT THE BONES AND WE'VE GOT THE PEOPLE. AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO COME TO US. WE'RE GOING TO CHALLENGE. AND I THINK WE NEED TO CHALLENGE INTEALLY AS WELL. AMP UP YOUR GAME. THAT'S HOW THIS PLACE STAYS. THAT'S HOW THE ROCKET GETS REINVENTED. AND THAT'S HOW WE BLAST OFF AND WE LAND. MR. BELL, APPRECIATE THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT WHEN YOU'RE READY. SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH A COUPLE OF LINES THAT I LIKE. IN LIFE. YOU'RE DEFINED BY A COUPLE OF MOMENTS. SAME IS TRUE FOR AN ORGANIZATION. SAME IS TRUE FOR A CITY COUNCIL. EITHER THE MOMENT DEFINES YOU OR YOU DEFINE THE MOMENT. WE. TO YOUR QUESTION YOU JUST ASKED. WE HAVE GOT TO DEFINE THE MOMENT I AM CHOOSING TO DEFINE THIS MOMENT. HINDSIGHT BEING 2020, I HAVE REALIZED IN THE RECENT MONTHS THAT GOD HAS BEEN PREPARING ME FOR THIS VERY MOMENT MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE. THE OTHER THING IS THIS LOVE, THE PROCESS AND THE PROCESS WILL LOVE YOU BACK. SEEK TO UNDERSTAND BEFORE BEING UNDERSTOOD. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I STRIVE FOR. THESE ARE SOME OF THE MANTRAS THAT I LIVE BY. I LOVE THIS CITY. I CAME BACK TO THIS CITY. I LIVED DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS FOR A FEW YEARS. I LIVED DOWN ON LOWER GREENVILLE, BUT WHEN IT CAME TIME TO REALLY LOOK AT EVERYTHING, TO RAISE A FAMILY, THAT'S WHY I AM HERE. ALL OF OUR KIDS WENT THROUGH RICHARDSON HIGH SCHOOL. WE ENDED UP PUMPING ALMOST, I THINK, 16 KIDS THROUGH OUR ISD, STARTING WITH MY BROTHER AND HIS FAMILY GOING ALL THE WAY THROUGH. SOME OF MY CLASSMATES TAUGHT MY KIDS. SOME OF MY COACHES WERE THEIR PRINCIPALS. YOU CAN'T FIND THAT ANYWHERE. I TELL PEOPLE THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT MY BROTHER IN LAW AND I KNOW EACH OTHER FROM EIGHTH GRADE. YOU'RE FROM A TOWN OF 400 KNOW, 125,000, PLUS OR MINUS A LITTLE BIT. THE FIRST SUBURB NORTH OF THE NINTH LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY. THAT'S THE UNIQUE THING THAT WE HAVE HERE. THAT'S WHAT I AM GOING TO FIGHT FOR. AND THAT'S WHY I WANT YOUR NOMINATION FOR THIS POST THAT'S OPENING UP.

THANK YOU, MR. BELL. APPRECIATE Y'ALL. GEOFFREY GRIFFIN WILL BE NEXT. GOOD EVENING, MR. GRIFFIN.

WE ARE GOING TO START WITH A THREE MINUTE OPENING WHENEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE. AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN WITH THE QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'LL SAVE YOU A COUPLE MINUTES. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND THE EFFORT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO HELPING THE CITY KIND OF NAVIGATE THIS SOMEWHAT UNPRECEDENTED SCENARIO. I GUESS I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF ONLY USING TWO WORDS WHEN OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT USE 20. SO THAT'S BECAUSE I AM HAVE NO. THERE IS NO SCENARIO WHERE I AM EVER GOING TO ACTUALLY RUN FOR THIS SEAT, BUT IF IT'S CONCLUDED THAT I AM NEEDED, I AM WILLING TO SERVE. AND WITH THAT. I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT, MR. GRIFFIN, COUNCIL MEMBER GRIFFIN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT RICHARDSON HAS AGING

[01:45:02]

YOU KNOW, ONE I HEAR ABOUT A LOT IS ALLEYS. YOU KNOW, WHY? WHY IS THERE ASPHALT PATCHES GOING INTO MY ALLEY? WHY ARE WE NOT REDOING THE ENTIRE THING? BUT, BUT THERE'S ALREADY A PLAN IN PLACE FOR THAT TO SAY, ALL RIGHT, WE WILL PATCH THE AREAS THAT NEED PATCHING. AND THEN AS THE NEED HITS A CERTAIN THRESHOLD, THAT'S WHEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO REPLACEMENT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER CORCORAN. THANK YOU. AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS THE MAYOR, TWO AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FOUR PLACE SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS SEAT IS PLACED SPECIFIC. HOW DO YOU VIEW THE ROLE OF A PLACE SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBER VERSUS THAT OF AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER? I THINK THEY HELPED TO BALANCE EACH OTHER OUT. YOU MAY HAVE SPECIFIC CONCERNS RELATIVE TO A CERTAIN AREA. I A CERTAIN STREET THAT MAY PEOPLE THINK NEEDS TO BE FIXED IMMEDIATELY, BUT THEN THE AT LARGE PLACES HELP TO BALANCE THAT AGAINST THE NEEDS OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE. SO I THINK THEY'RE BOTH HIGHLY IMPORTANT, AND I THINK THEY BOTH BRING DIFFERENT THINGS TO THE TABLE AND HELP EVERYBODY'S VOICE GET HEARD IN THE WAY THAT IT NEEDS TO.

COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS. THANK YOU. MAYOR, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH DURING THE UNEXPIRED TERM AND WHAT WOULD CONSTITUTE A SUCCESSFUL SERVICE TO YOU? WELL, AS I SAID, I AM THERE'S NO WAY I'M GOING TO RUN FOR THE SEAT. MY GOAL WOULD BE CONTINUITY. I THINK THIS COUNCIL, AS WELL AS PREVIOUS COUNCILS, HAVE LAID A A WONDERFUL GROUNDWORK. SO AGAIN, THE WORD THAT POPS INTO MY MIND IS CONTINUITY. WE ALL CHOSE TO LIVE HERE BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT PLACE. I DO NOT FEEL THE NEED WHATSOEVER TO ROCK ANY SORT OF BOATS. SO THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE MR. GRIFFIN, I BELIEVE THAT A HEALTHY CITY COUNCIL IS ONE THAT CAN COLLABORATE, COMPROMISE AND RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. IN THAT SPIRIT, WHAT IS ONE DECISION YOU THINK THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL GOT RIGHT, ONE THAT IT GOT WRONG AND WHY? SO SO. I THINK SPENDING AND THIS IS THIS HAS BEEN WELL, OKAY, I'M GOING TO GO WITH A DIFFERENT ONE. I THINK THE PLAN THAT WAS PUT TOGETHER FOR THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN HAS TURNED OUT SPECTACULAR. BUT IT'S NOT BEEN WITHOUT ITS ITS BUMPS. YOU KNOW, THE APARTMENT COMPLEX, IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN SOME OF US WOULD HAVE LIKED. YOU KNOW, THE THE SLOWDOWN BECAUSE OF. WIRING ISSUES OR WHAT HAVE YOU. BUT OVERALL, I THINK THAT'S BEEN JUST IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT FOR THE CITY. AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE DISAGREEMENTS. BASICALLY WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS, FOR THE MOST PART, EVERYBODY CAN AGREE ON WHAT THE END GOAL IS. THE. THE DISAGREEMENTS MAY HAPPEN IN. HOW DO WE REACH THAT END GOAL? AND THAT'S OKAY, BECAUSE I MAY HAVE WHAT I THINK IS THE GREATEST IDEA IN THE WORLD, AND I COULD BE TOTALLY WRONG. AND THAT'S WHERE THE CONVERSATIONS HAVE TO TAKE PLACE TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M WILLING TO TAKE

[01:50:02]

THANK YOU. AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WHY? WELL, NUMBER ONE, AND IN ALL HONESTY, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT IS WATER RATES. THEY'RE THEY'RE CREEPING UP AND, AND THE WATER DISTRICT IS WHAT IT IS. BUT IT REALLY FEELS LIKE WE ARE SUBSIDIZING THE GROWTH OF OTHER CITIES. NOW, WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THAT? THAT'S DEBATABLE. YOU KNOW, NUMBER TWO. IS REALLY JUST LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE. AND AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEM, RIGHT? THIS IS THIS IS THE BIG DEAL TODAY. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CITY, EVERYTHING GREAT THAT HAS COME ABOUT IN THIS CITY, IT WAS PLANNED 15, 20 YEARS AGO, AND IT'S JUST NOW COMING TO FRUITION. AND, YOU KNOW, SO I GUESS THAT'S WHERE I KIND OF SPEAK TO THE CONTINUITY OF THINGS. WE. AND, AND. THREE. I DON'T KNOW, WE JUST WE DO A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN THIS CITY. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GREAT THINGS CONTINUE. THANK YOU, MR. GRIFFIN. CONSIDERING ALL WE HAVE GOING FOR US, I'M BULLISH ABOUT RICHARDSON'S FUTURE. WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT, WE CAN SETTLE FOR WHAT WE'RE TOLD IS THE BEST WE CAN EXPECT OR DEMAND MORE BIGGER IDEAS, REAL PLACEMAKING, DESTINATION EXPERIENCES. THE RESIDENTS THAT I'VE TALKED TO ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERS WHO SHARE THAT AMBITION. MY QUESTION IS, SHOULD COUNCIL SIMPLY ACCEPT WHAT THE MARKET BRINGS US OR, WHEN APPROPRIATE, CHALLENGE THE MARKET AND HOLD OUT FOR SOMETHING BETTER? MY OPINION ON THAT 100%. SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO CHALLENGE THE MARKET. IT'S IT'S KIND OF A CLICHE, BUT I'LL SAY IT ANYWAYS. YOU LOOK AT APPLE, THEY DON'T THEY DON'T SAY, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S WANTING A BICYCLE. THEY SAY, NO, WHY DON'T WE HAVE CARS THAT WILL DELIVER PEOPLE WITH NO DRIVERS? I THINK YOU YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT VISION. AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO END UP WITH I MEAN, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS IN THE CITY, BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO END UP WITH A A COAL FIRED POWER PLANT RIGHT NEXT TO A RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT. SORRY. I'M THINKING BACK TO SIM CITY HERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FAIRLY BASIC IDEAS. AND IF IF YOU JUST GO WITH WHAT THE MARKET SAYS IS BEST, SOMETIMES THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. AND SOMETIMES IT FITS INTO THE VISION OF THE CITY. BUT SOMETIMES YOU DO HAVE TO PUSH BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. BUT MAYBE IT DOESN'T WORK. OR MAYBE WE JUST NEED TO TWEAK IT A LITTLE BIT SO THAT IT DOES FIT INTO THE VISION FOR WHAT WE HAVE 15 OR 20 OR 30 YEARS LATER. MR. GRIFFIN, THAT'S THE END OF OUR QUESTIONS. YOU DO HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR CLOSING, AND YOU CAN START WHENEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE FOR CLOSING. ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS, YOU KNOW, Y'ALL HAVE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY

[01:55:04]

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GRIFFIN. SCOTT WILL BE NEXT. YOU GUYS HOLDING UP? EVERYBODY GOOD? OKAY. MR. RICK MOORE, WELCOME. AND WE ARE GOING TO START WITH A THREE MINUTE OPENING. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL START TO YOUR FAR RIGHT ONCE WE'RE DONE AT THAT POINT. SO YOU CAN START WHENEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TONIGHT.

BEFORE I BEGIN, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MY WIFE, SARA, WHO IS HERE WITH US TONIGHT. PUBLIC SERVICE IS RARELY A COMMITMENT. ONE PERSON MAKES A LOAN, AND I'M INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR HER SUPPORT. IN THE SUMMER OF 1974, MY GRANDPARENTS DECIDED THEY'D HAD ENOUGH OF CHICAGO WINTERS.

THEY CAME SOUTH LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LIVE, AND THEY CHOSE RICHARDSON, AND THEY BOUGHT A HOUSE ON SUMMIT DRIVE WHERE I WOULD SPEND MY SUMMERS, THE SUMMERS OF MY CHILDHOOD SUMMERS.

MY PARENTS MET HERE IN RICHARDSON WHEN THEY WERE BOTH WORKING AT STEWART ENGINEERING, AND MY PARENTS CHOSE RICHARDSON TWO. I GREW UP IN DISTRICT THREE. I SPENT MY CHILDHOOD GETTING MUDDY IN THE CREEK AT COTTONWOOD PARK, AND I LEARNED TO DRIVE ON OUR WELL-MAINTAINED STREETS. WHEN MY WIFE AND I SAT DOWN TO DECIDE WHERE WE WOULD RAISE OUR KIDS, WE COULD HAVE CHOSEN ANYWHERE, BUT WE CHOSE RICHARDSON TO. THAT IS WHEN IT STOPPED BEING THE CITY I CAME FROM AND BECAME A CITY THAT I FELT A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE BETTER, NOT A PLACE HANDED TO ME, BUT A PLACE HANDED DOWN TO ME. EVERY NEW GENERATION GETS IT IN TRUST. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT. IT'S EASY TO WATCH THE NEWS OUT OF D.C. OR AUSTIN. FEEL LIKE THE PROBLEMS ARE TOO FAR AWAY. TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT IS DIFFERENT. IT'S THE WATER IN OUR FAUCET AND HOW THE TRASH GETS PICKED UP. THE LIBRARY WHERE OUR KIDS FIND THE LOVE OF READING. IT'S THE FIRE TRUCK THAT SHOWS UP WHEN YOU NEED HELP. THOSE AREN'T ABSTRACTIONS. THOSE ARE DECISIONS THAT REACH INTO MY NEIGHBOR'S LIVES EVERY SINGLE DAY. I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY CAREER WORKING IN TELEVISION PRODUCTION, WHICH TURNS OUT IT'S BETTER PREPARATION FOR CITY COUNCIL THAN YOU MIGHT THINK. EVERY PROJECT STARTS THE SAME WAY. WEEKS AND MONTHS OF PLANNING, SCHEDULING, BUDGET DECISIONS. AND THEN YOU HIRE EXPERTS WHO UNDERSTAND THEIR CRAFT BETTER THAN YOU COULD. THEN PRODUCTION BEGINS, AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY THE PLAN CHANGES. SO YOU ADAPT AND CONSULT YOUR TEAM. YOU SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU PROTECT THE BUDGET, AND HOPEFULLY YOU COMPLETE THE PROJECT ON TIME. WHAT THAT TEACHES YOU IS THAT LEADERSHIP ISN'T HAVING EVERY ANSWER. IT'S SETTING A DIRECTION. IT'S TRUSTING EXPERTISE AND ASKING THE HARD QUESTIONS AT THE RIGHT MOMENT. IF YOU APPOINTED ME, I'D BE THE NEWEST PERSON IN THIS ROOM AND I'D ACT LIKE IT.

LISTEN, FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE I HAVE ANSWERS AND KEEP THE LONG TERM INTEREST OF RICHARDSON AT THE CENTER OF EVERY VOTE. SO WHEN MY KIDS ARE TRYING TO CHOOSE WHERE TO START THEIR FAMILY, THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT RICHARDSON IS THE BEST CHOICE. TWO NOW I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. COUNCILMEMBER. FINE. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I DO HAVE A QUESTION THAT'S ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. AS YOU KNOW, THAT RICHARDSON HAS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS. SO WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, HOW WOULD YOU DECIDE WHAT GETS FUNDED FIRST AND WHAT GETS DEFERRED? WELL, LUCKILY WE HAVE A SOLID CITY STAFF WHO OFTEN PRESENTS PLANS THAT TELL US EXACTLY WHERE THE PRIORITIES SHOULD BE. NOW, I THINK EVERY COUNCIL DECISION THAT I WATCH THAT IS MAYBE A DIFFICULT DECISION HAS TRADE OFFS, AND THERE AREN'T ALWAYS THE A CORRECT ANSWER. THERE ARE TWO ANSWERS, AND AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO DECIDE. LUCKILY, YOU HAVE GREAT STAFF THAT YOU CAN TURN TO AND ASK GOOD QUESTIONS AND GET THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU NEED. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU HAVE TO MAYBE DECIDE BETWEEN TWO BAD CHOICES. AND WHEN YOU HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION, I CAN TELL YOU, YOU ALWAYS HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET. AND THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS THAT THE CREW WANTS, WHETHER IT BE EQUIPMENT. THERE'S MORE TIME ON THE SCHEDULE THAT THE DIRECTOR WANTS TO GET THEIR DAYS IN. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU

[02:00:03]

WE HAVE A COUNCIL THAT EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES AND EVERYONE BRINGS THOSE PERSPECTIVES INTO THIS ROOM AND HELPS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS AS A RESULT. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, QUESTION A DECISION I THINK THE COUNCIL GOT WRONG WAS APPROVING THE AMAZON DRONE FACILITY. THAT WAS A DECISION THAT WHILE I COMPLETELY RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND WHY COUNCIL CAME TO THE DECISION, THEY DID. IT HAD FALLOUT WITH RESIDENTS WHO WERE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THAT DECISION, AND THEY HAVE BEEN ON NATIONAL NEWS PROTESTING OVER THAT DECISION.

SO I PROBABLY WOULD SAY THAT THAT WOULD BE A DECISION THAT I DISAGREE WITH. CONVERSELY, THERE ARE SO MANY DECISIONS THE COUNCIL HAS MADE THAT I DO AGREE WITH THAT. IT'S HARD FOR ME TO PICK OUT JUST ONE. I THINK THE. THE THE BOND PACKAGE WAS GOOD. I THINK THAT IT LOOKS

[02:05:01]

I'LL SEGUE OVER TO THIS QUESTION. HOW WOULD YOU OR I'M SORRY, WHAT WHAT FINANCIAL INDICATORS WOULD YOU MONITOR TO JUDGE THE CITY'S FINANCIAL HEALTH? WELL, I THINK PROBABLY THE BEST ONE IS MAINTAINING OUR BOND RATING. YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYONE IS PROUD OF OF MAINTAINING THAT TRIPLE-A BOND RATING. AND IT GOES TO SHOW THAT WE ARE BEING GOOD STEWARDS FISCALLY OF NOT ONLY OUR BORROWING, BUT ALSO OUR SPENDING. IF. IF WE WERE. IF WE WEREN'T CAREFUL WITH OUR SPENDING, THEN WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR BOND RATING. THEY WOULD LOOK AT US AS A BIGGER RISK. SO THAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER ONE INDICATOR THAT I WOULD LOOK AT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER. THANK YOU MAYOR.

AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WHY? YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK GOING INTO THIS APPOINTMENT I WOULD NECESSARILY HAVE AREAS OF FOCUS, IF YOU WILL. I THINK THAT GOING INTO THIS APPOINTMENT, THERE'S SEVEN MONTHS LEFT OF TIME THAT I WOULD BE FOCUSED ON LEARNING THE JOB AND ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS AND HELPING COUNSEL ARRIVE AT GOOD DECISIONS. SO I DON'T HAVE SPECIFIC AREAS OF FOCUS OR A PLATFORM OR AGENDA THAT I WANT TO COME IN HERE AND DICTATE. WE DO THIS OR THAT, OR THE OTHER THING, I WOULD REALLY WANT TO JUST BE A GOOD STEWARD OF THIS FINE ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU. MR. MOORE.

CONSIDERING ALL WE HAVE GOING FOR US, I'M BULLISH ON RICHARDSON'S FUTURE. WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT, WE CAN SETTLE FOR WHAT WE'RE TOLD IS THE BEST THAT WE CAN EXPECT OR DEMAND MORE BIGGER IDEAS, REAL PLACEMAKING AND DESTINATION EXPERIENCES. RESIDENTS I'VE TALKED TO ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERS WHO SHARE THAT AMBITION.

MY QUESTION IS, SHOULD COUNCIL SIMPLY ACCEPT WHAT THE MARKET BRINGS US OR, WHEN APPROPRIATE, CHALLENGE THE MARKET AND HOLD OUT FOR SOMETHING BETTER? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I THINK THAT I AGREE WITH YOU. WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE HOLDING OUT FOR BETTER. OBVIOUSLY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ANY CITY, BUT AS I LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE, I SEE A GROWING METROPOLIS. WE ARE ON TRACK TO HAVE THE NORTH TEXAS REGION IS ON TRACK TO HAVE 11 MILLION PEOPLE HERE BY 2040. AND WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE MORE WE WIELD MORE POWER WITH OUR LAND USE POLICY THAN WE THINK WE DO. WE WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE INTO THE METROPLEX THAT WILL CREATE BOTH CHALLENGES AND HUGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US AS A CITY. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US USE OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS CAREFULLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE BEST VALUE FROM THAT INVESTMENT. MR. MOORE, THE QUESTIONS ARE OVER, AND NOW YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT. YOU CAN START WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AS I SAID, THIS APPOINTMENT HAS ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS LEFT ON IT. WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND I, I GUESS SOME OF YOU ARE WEIGHING IT EXACTLY THAT WAY AS A BRIDGE TO MAY. THE THING I'D LIKE TO OFFER ON THAT. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A CARETAKER VOTE. WHOEVER YOU SEAT WALKS OUT OF THIS ROOM AND CASTS REAL VOTES FROM ZONING CASES TO OUR NEIGHBORS. QUALITY OF LIFE. THE TERM IS SHORT, BUT THE DECISIONS THEY MAKE WILL NOT BE. THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN OPEN. MAYBE NOT WITH THE WORLD, BUT I WILL SAY NOW THAT I DO PLAN TO RUN FOR COUNCIL IN MAY. I UNDERSTAND THE CASE FOR APPOINTING SOMEONE WITH NO STAKE IN THAT ELECTION. BUT NO STAKE ALSO MEANS NO ACCOUNTABILITY, NOTHING A

[02:10:02]

MY PARENTS CHOSE RICHARDSON. SARAH AND I CHOSE RICHARDSON. AND SOMEDAY, WHEN MY KIDS ARE DECIDING WHERE TO BUILD THEIR LIVES, I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE SAME CHOICE THAT THREE GENERATIONS BEFORE THEM DID. BUT TONIGHT, I'M THE ONE DOING THE ASKING. I'M ASKING RICHARDSON TO CHOOSE ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME TONIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE THE DECISION THAT YOU'LL BE MAKING IS A DIFFICULT ONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MOORE.

NEXT WILL BE ERIC WILSON. WELCOME. MR. WILSON, YOU ARE GOING TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO START WITH A THREE OPENING, A THREE MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT. AND THEN WE'LL START WITH QUESTIONS TO YOUR FAR RIGHT. YOU CAN START WHENEVER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ERIC WILSON AND I LIVE ON BURNETT STREET HERE IN RICHARDSON. I FIRST CAME TO RICHARDSON IN 1999 WHEN I WAS HIRED AS A POLICE OFFICER. HERE. I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING THE COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS. DURING THAT CAREER, I SERVED IN PATROL INVESTIGATIONS AND IN LEADERSHIP, ULTIMATELY RETIRING AS A SERGEANT. THOSE POSITIONS GAVE ME THE EXPERIENCE OF LEADING PEOPLE. WORKING WITH CITY MANAGEMENT, MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE DECISIONS, SOMETIMES FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE. I SPENT MANY YEARS INVESTIGATING SERIOUS CASES WHERE DECISIONS HAD REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR PEOPLE'S LIVES.

BUT I THINK ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS THAT THE EXPERIENCE GAVE ME WAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW RICHARDSON AND ITS RESIDENTS IN A WAY THAT FEW PEOPLE GET TO DO DURING THEIR LIVES. I'VE MET PEOPLE IN SOME OF THEIR BEST DAYS, AND I'VE MET THEM ON THEIR WORST DAYS. I'VE WORKED ALONGSIDE CITY EMPLOYEES, I'VE WORKED ALONGSIDE CITY LEADERSHIP, AND I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW DECISIONS MADE BY THE CITY AFFECT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE THE RESIDENTS, THE EMPLOYEES, AND THE COMMUNITY. THAT'S A LARGE PART OF WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT.

PUBLIC SERVICE HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY LIFE, AND I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE SERVING IN A DIFFERENT CAPACITY. MY APPROACH TO SERVING ON COUNCIL WOULD BE PRETTY SIMPLE. LISTEN TO EVERYONE INVOLVED, UNDERSTAND THE FACTS, THE EVIDENCE AND THE INFORMATION. TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT EVEN WHEN WE DISAGREE AND THEN MAKE DECISIONS I BELIEVE IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF RICHARDSON. I BELIEVE MY EXPERIENCE, MY CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY AND MY COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND SERVICE WOULD ALLOW ME TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE COUNCIL, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU, MR. WILSON. COUNCIL MEMBER. GRIFFIN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. JUST TO BE FAIR, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION THAT I ASKED BEFORE WITH THE OTHER CANDIDATE. YES, SIR. THIS IS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE AND. NOW YOU KNOW THAT RICHARDSON HAS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS FOR IT. SO WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, HOW WOULD YOU DECIDE WHAT GETS FUNDED FIRST AND WHAT GETS DEFERRED? THAT IS A TOUGH QUESTION. AND IT'S, AGAIN, WHERE'S THE GREATEST NEED, I BELIEVE WOULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT. WHAT WHERE DO WE NEED TO HAVE WHAT DONE? YOU'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF INPUT FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE. AND AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE FACTS, LOOK AT THE INFORMATION AND LISTEN TO ALL THE VOICES AND FIND OUT WHERE DO WE NEED TO UTILIZE AND WHAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO FIX HERE? BECAUSE YOU HAVE BUSINESSES

[02:15:02]

THANK YOU. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON BEING INTERVIEWED THIS EVENING THAT IS A FORMER EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY. WHAT IMPACT, POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE DO YOU BELIEVE IT WILL HAVE ON YOUR SERVICE ON THE COUNCIL? POSITIVE IMPACTS. I MEAN, I FEEL I COULD GO ON AND ON WITH A LOT OF THOSE JUST BECAUSE OF THE THINGS I'VE STATED ALREADY, THE NEGATIVES I HAVE TO GET RID OF BIASES OR THINGS THAT I MAY HAVE HAD AS AN EMPLOYEE. YOU COULD HAVE HAD NEGATIVE THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HARBOR GRUDGES. I DON'T HARBOR ILL ILL FEELINGS, BUT IT WOULD BE EASY FOR SOMETHING LIKE TO COME UP IF THAT WERE THE CASE. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S ANY ROOM FOR THAT IN COUNCIL AND IN THIS POSITION, BUT THAT COULD ABSOLUTELY BE SOMETHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE. SERGEANT, I BELIEVE THAT A HEALTHY CITY COUNCIL IS ONE THAT CAN COLLABORATE, COMPROMISE AND RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. IN THAT SPIRIT, WHAT IS ONE DECISION THAT THIS CITY COUNCIL GOT RIGHT, ONE THAT IT GOT WRONG AND WHY? IF THERE ARE TWO ABSOLUTE THINGS, IS PEOPLE DO NOT LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE AND THEY HATE CHANGE. SO THOSE TWO THINGS ARE DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED AS FAR AS WHAT? IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK. IN MY OPINIONS ON THINGS THAT WERE DONE RIGHT, THERE'S A LOT WE'VE MADE A LOT OF ADVANCES IN TAKING CARE OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

WE'VE MADE A LOT OF ADVANCES IN CHANGING THAT VIEWPOINT, GETTING BETTER RESOURCES FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY. WHERE COULD WE HAVE DONE MORE? I WOULD QUESTION SOME OF THE AREAS WHERE MONEY IS SPENT. MEANING IS, ARE THESE THINGS REALLY GOING TO BENEFIT US IN TEN YEARS, OR ARE THEY JUST A COOL THING THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW? I COULDN'T GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. THAT'S THE THINGS I WOULD QUESTION AND LOOK AT, THOUGH, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

COUNCILMEMBER DORIAN THANK YOU. YES, SERGEANT WILSON, WHAT WHAT SHOULD RICHARDSON SEEK FROM DART AND HOW SHOULD THE CITY ENCOURAGE PRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT NEAR RAIL STATIONS WHILE ADDRESSING NEIGHBORHOOD IMPACTS? DART IS AN INTERESTING ENTITY AND ISSUE. DART DOES BRING BENEFIT FOR JUST THE TRANSPORTATION LEVEL ALONE. GOING TO THE AIRPORT IS NICE WITHOUT HAVING TO DRIVE PARK THERE. IT TAKES A LOT OF THAT ISSUES AND THOSE THINGS OUT. IT DOES PRESENT A LOT OF PROBLEMS. IT BRINGS IN A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE. WHEN I SAID THAT THAT WOULD BE THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE. IT BRINGS OTHER CITY'S PROBLEMS TO US SO THAT WE'RE WE'RE STUCK HAVING TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THOSE SOMETIMES. IT CAN BE MANAGED, AND I THINK IT'S ALL IN HOW IT'S MANAGED. I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE INCUMBENT TO MAKE SURE THAT DART IS DOING THEIR END ON WHAT THEY PROMISE. SOME OF THE THINGS THEY SAY, HEY, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PLATFORMS ARE SAFE, OUR STATIONS ARE SAFE. OKAY, THEN DO THAT. YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW DOES WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? HOW DOES THAT WORK? AND THAT CAN BE THE MOST DIFFICULT PART. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER.

GOOD EVENING. AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WHY?

[02:20:13]

[02:25:02]

RECENTLY, A DEAR FRIEND GAVE ME THIS ROCK THAT HAS THE WORD BALANCED PAINTED ON IT. THAT WORD DESCRIBES MY APPROACH TO ALL THINGS. I KEEP IT ON MY DESK AS A DAILY REMINDER. I HAVE LIVED IN RICHARDSON FOR 16 YEARS, THE LAST NINE IN PLACE. THREE. I DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT RICHARDSON WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST HOUSE HERE IN 2010, BUT I'M A HISTORY BUFF, SO I SOON WENT DIGGING, DIGGING AT THE LIBRARY, AND GOT DEEP INTO HOW THE CITY CAME TO BE. I WAS THINKING ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICE BACK THEN, BUT I KNEW IT WAS NOT THE RIGHT TIME. OUR FIRST CHILD HAD JUST BEEN BORN, AND I LEFT THE DOCTORAL PROGRAM AT SMU TO BEGIN A CAREER IN INDUSTRY. MY AFTER HOURS HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO MY KIDS EVER SINCE. LEADING CUB SCOUT PACK 893 IS PROBABLY WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF. WE JOINED DURING THE PANDEMIC, LOOKING TO RECONNECT WITH OTHER FAMILIES. I KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT SCOUTING, BUT THE PACK LEADERS WELCOMED ME WITH REAL ENTHUSIASM. THE COMMITTEE CHAIR AND CUBMASTER AT THAT TIME WERE MODELS OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP, AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHY I'M STANDING HERE TODAY. OUR PACK IS ASSIGNED TO TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, MOHAWK AND CANYON CREEK. BUT UNDER MY LEADERSHIP, OUR FAMILIES HAVE COME FROM 11 SCHOOLS ACROSS SIX CITIES. AND IN THAT STRETCH, WE WENT FROM 30 SCOUTS TO OVER 65 IN 11 ARE GIRLS, WHICH WE DID NOT HAVE A FEW YEARS AGO. THAT WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT. WE RECRUITED THEM BECAUSE THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM IS THE BEST THING WE DO, AND THERE'S NO GOOD REASON HALF THE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULDN'T HAVE IT. WE HAVE AN OPEN DOOR WITH A BIG SIGN THAT SAYS ROOM FOR YOU HERE. THERE'S A REASON THAT THIS MATTERS TO ME. ONE OF MY KIDS HAS A MEDICAL CONDITION THAT MAKES OVERNIGHT CAMPOUTS COMPLICATED. IT TAKES EXTRA PLANNING, COORDINATING WITH LEADERS AND THE RIGHT FACILITIES. IT TAKES SORRY. IT TAKES SOMEBODY THINKING ABOUT IT BEFORE WE GET THERE TO PLAN AHEAD SO THAT AS MANY KIDS CAN PARTICIPATE. I DID NOT THINK OF THIS AS CIVIC WORK AT THE TIME, BUT NOW I DO. A COUNCIL SETS, THE BUDGET, THE BUILDINGS, THE MEETING TIMES, THE MESSAGING AND THE LANGUAGE. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT DECIDE WHO CAN ACTUALLY SHOW UP. I'VE ALSO COACHED MY KIDS SPORTS TEAMS FOR MANY YEARS. WHEN MY SON MISSED THE ROSTER CUT ONE YEAR, WE WENT POTLUCK ONTO A TEAM FROM A NEIGHBORING SCHOOL. ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT EVER HAPPENED TO US. I MET MANY PARENTS FROM STREETS I HAD ONLY EVER RUN DOWN OR DRIVEN PAST, AND I SAW OVER AND OVER THAT THIS CITY IS BLESSED WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF SERVANT LEADERS. I'VE ALSO SEEN THIS WHILE LEADING J.J. PEARCE HOA AND LIVE LIKE LUKE, A NONPROFIT THAT HELPS LOCAL FAMILIES WITH CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN. ALL OF THIS HAS PULLED ME TO PUBLIC SERVICE. I COMPLETED LEADERSHIP RICHARDSON CLASS 41. EVERY MONTH, I MET CITY STAFF, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND LOCAL BUSINESS LEADERS, AND EVERY MONTH I CAME HOME MORE CERTAIN THAT THIS IS WHERE I WANTED TO SERVE. I CARE MORE ABOUT BRINGING PEOPLE TO THE TABLE THAN SITTING AT THE HEAD OF IT.

BELONGING IS NOT A FEELING. IT IS A FACILITY, A FORM, A SCHEDULE, A ROSTER. IT IS SOMEBODY DECIDING IN ADVANCE THAT A PERSON IS COMING. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT I BRING TO THIS CITY. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER GRIFFIN. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

MR. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. AND AS YOU KNOW, THAT RICHARDSON HAS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS FOR THAT. SO WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, HOW WOULD YOU DECIDE WHAT GETS FUNDED FIRST AND WHAT GETS DEFERRED? THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION, AND I AGREE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS KIND OF BUILT AT THE SAME TIME, AND IT'S ALL AGING AT THE SAME TIME. IT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AND REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME. SO I THINK THE CORE INFRASTRUCTURE I'M TALKING ABOUT ROADS, THE WATER AND SEWER FOCUS ON THOSE. OBVIOUSLY, I THINK I WOULD FOCUS MORE ON ON WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE THE MOST. SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A TRIAGE PROCESS. AND AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, I WOULD NOT BE REALLY PART OF THE TRIAGE PROCESS. I WOULD I WOULD TRUST THE CITY STAFF TO TRIAGE THAT. BUT FROM MY TECHNICAL BACKGROUND AS A GEOLOGIST AND WORKING WITH MANY ENGINEERS, I THINK I COULD UNDERSTAND THAT TRIAGE PROCESS IN A UNIQUE WAY. AND THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT I THINK I BRING TO THE TABLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CORCORAN. AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS THE MAYOR, TWO AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FOUR PLACE SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS SEAT IS PLACED SPECIFIC. HOW DO YOU VIEW THE ROLE OF A PLACE SPECIFIC COUNCIL MEMBER VERSUS THAT OF AN AT LARGE COUNCIL MEMBER? THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

THIS IS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'VE DECIDED THAT THIS IS THE TIME FOR ME TO RUN, BECAUSE I NOT ONLY DO I LOVE THE CITY OF RICHARDSON, BUT I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I LOVE THE NEIGHBORING NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN, LIKE I SAID, SPORTS I MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST MY OWN. I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW A LOT OF THE PEOPLE. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT PEOPLE, NOT JUST IN J.J. PEARCE MOHAWK AREA, BUT SOUTH OF ARAPAHOE, EAST OF WATERVIEW.

[02:30:06]

BUT I THINK THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT I CALL NEIGHBORS. COUNCIL MEMBER BARRIOS. THANK YOU. MAYOR. JORDAN, OBVIOUSLY, YOU WOULD BE COMING IN TO FINISH OFF AN UNFINISHED TERM THAT I'M VACATING. WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE BIGGEST HURDLE IN COMING IN AS FAR AS THE TIMING AND WHAT THE TIME YOU HAVE LEFT, AND HOW DO YOU PLAN ON OVERCOMING THAT? WELL, I THINK THE BIGGEST HURDLE IS JUST GETTING UP TO SPEED IN A IN A SHORT TIME. AND THAT'S WHY I'VE SPENT THE LAST TWO MONTHS EITHER WATCHING COUNCIL MEETINGS OR ATTENDING THEM, DIGGING INTO THE BUDGET, ATTENDING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP, LOOKING INTO ALL THE DETAILS OF THE BOND. JUST TO MAKE, JUST TO DO MY HOMEWORK. THAT'S REALLY THE WAY THAT I APPROACH THINGS. ALL THE WAY BACK TO GRAD SCHOOL, I WAS VERY FOCUSED ON STUDYING, AND BEING PREPARED FOR THE EXAM IS THE WAY I KIND OF THINK ABOUT IT. AND YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT, THIS TERM IS ONLY SEVEN AND A HALF MONTHS, SO THERE'S NOT REALLY A RAMP UP PERIOD FOR ME OR FOR WHOEVER TAKES THE SEAT. AND SO THAT'S WHY I'VE BEEN PROACTIVE IN, IN TRYING TO DO MY HOMEWORK AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT I AM PREPARED ON DAY ONE.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER JUSTICE. THANK YOU, MR. NORRIS. I BELIEVE THAT A HEALTHY CITY COUNCIL IS ONE THAT CAN COLLABORATE, COMPROMISE AND RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. IN THAT SPIRIT, WHAT IS ONE DECISION THAT YOU THINK THE COUNCIL GOT RIGHT, ONE THAT IT GOT WRONG AND WHY? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. THAT'S THAT'S A THAT'S A GOOD ONE. YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE DECISIONS OVER THE LAST, SAY, YEAR OR TWO, AND THE ONE THAT KEEPS COMING BACK TO MY HEAD AND TO MY MIND IS THE DRONE DELIVERY. IT'S IT WAS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN A NEW TECHNOLOGY TO OUR AREA THAT WAS PROBABLY GOING TO COME HERE ANYWAYS. AND TO BE AHEAD OF THAT AND TO ACTUALLY CAPTURE THAT, THAT IMPROVED TAX BASE FROM THAT, I THINK WAS A GREAT WAS A GREAT ADVANTAGE FOR THE CITY. I THINK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL DID A GREAT JOB ON TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ACCOMMODATE NEIGHBORS IN TERMS OF THE CONCERNS ON NOISE SAFETY, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S THE EXAMPLE THAT I KEEP COMING BACK TO. I WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT, ABOUT THE AMAZON DRONES COMING UNTIL I HAD ONE LAND IN MY FRONT YARD, AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HOW LOUD IT WAS AND LITERALLY SAW THE LEAVES BLOWING AWAY FROM MY YARD. SO I KIND OF, I KIND OF WENT BACK ON THAT DECISION A LITTLE BIT IN MY OWN HEAD, LIKE MAYBE THIS WASN'T THE RIGHT THING FOR THE CITY. NOW I KNOW, MAYBE I'M NOT REALLY ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION REALLY WELL, BUT I GUESS. YEAH, I'M SORRY. I KIND OF LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT THERE. YEAH. I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMEMBER DORAN. MR. NORA, WITH WITH ONLY SO MANY HOURS IN A SEVEN DAY WEEK, HOW WILL YOUR FULL TIME COMMITMENTS, WHETHER IT BE A CAREER OBLIGATION, MANAGING YOUR OWN BUSINESS OR JOB RELATED TRAVEL COMMITMENTS, AFFECT MANAGING THE EXTENSIVE TIME COMMITMENT REQUIRED BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBER. AND WITH THAT, DO YOU HOPE TO. WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH DURING THAT UNEXPECTED TIME? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN ON THE TOP OF MY MIND FOR FOR MANY MONTHS AND MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH MY FAMILY, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO. THERE REALLY SHOULD NOT BE ANY CONFLICT AT ALL WITH MY WITH MY JOB. THE CONFLICTS WILL BE WITH MISSING KIDS EVENTS. AND THAT'S WHAT I'VE HAD TO THINK ABOUT VERY LONG AND HARD. AND WHAT AM I WILLING TO SACRIFICE? AND REALLY, THE BIG THING I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SACRIFICE IS MISSING MY KIDS, SOME OF MY KIDS SCOUTING EVENTS AND THAT I CARE A LOT ABOUT THAT, BUT I CARE MORE ABOUT THE CITY AND SERVING IT. I DO HAVE PLENTY OF OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO HANG OUT WITH MY KIDS. ALSO, I THINK THE BIGGEST TIME COMMITMENT OUTSIDE OF THIS IS ALL OF MY NONPROFIT WORK WITH J.J. PEARCE HOA LIVE LIKE LUKE, THE PAC, CUB SCOUT PACK, AND I'M ALREADY STARTING TO WORK ON TRANSITION PLANS FOR THOSE. CUB SCOUT PACK IS IN GREAT SHAPE. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT AT ALL. LIVE LIKE LUKE, I'VE ALREADY STEPPED OFF OF THE THE MAIN BOARD AND I'M JUST ON THE APPLICATION APPLICATIONS COMMITTEE NOW. AND J.J. PEARCE HOA, WE'RE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR MORE BOARD MEMBERS. SO ONCE THOSE ALL ROLL OFF, WHICH SHOULD BE IN THE NEXT MONTH, I'LL HAVE 30 HOURS EXTRA. THAT'S ABOUT WHAT I'VE BEEN

[02:35:01]

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WHY? SO MY TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS ARE GOING TO BE PUBLIC SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO IS GOING TO BE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. AND NUMBER THREE, I GUESS WOULD BE INFRASTRUCTURE. I CAN'T REALLY IMAGINE ANYTHING BEING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THOSE THREE WITH THE SEVEN AND A HALF MONTH TERM. I'M NOT SURE HOW MUCH NEW IDEAS I WOULD BE BRINGING. SO I DO HAVE IDEAS, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WOULD BE EVEN APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO BE PUSHING ANYTHING IN A SEVEN AND A HALF MONTH TERM, BUT THOSE ARE MY PRIORITIES. PUBLIC SAFETY IS DEFINITELY NUMBER ONE. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. I OBVIOUSLY CARE A WHOLE LOT ABOUT THAT. AND INFRASTRUCTURE, IT'S IT'A MAJOR CONCERN FOR OUR CITY. AND AS A TECHNICAL PERSON, I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF SOLID INFRASTRUCTURE. SO THAT WOULD DEFINITELY BE MY TOP THREE. THANK YOU. MR. NOR. CONSIDERING ALL WE HAVE GOING FOR US, I'M BULLISH ABOUT RICHARDSON'S FUTURE. WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT REDEVELOPMENT, WE CAN SETTLE FOR WHAT WE'RE TOLD IS THE BEST WE CAN EXPECT OR DEMAND MORE BIGGER IDEAS, REAL PLACEMAKING, DESTINATION EXPERIENCES. RESIDENTS I'VE TALKED TO ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERS WHO SHARE THAT AMBITION. AND MY QUESTION IS, SHOULD COUNCIL SIMPLY ACCEPT WHAT THE MARKET BRINGS US OR, WHEN APPROPRIATE, CHALLENGE THE MARKET AND HOLD OUT FOR SOMETHING BETTER? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. I THINK HONESTLY, IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE A CASE BY CASE BASIS. I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME REALLY BIG IDEAS THAT I HAVE HEARD OF IN RICHARDSON THAT I THINK WOULD BE FANTASTIC FOR THE CITY AND FOR THOSE TO COME TO FRUITION. IT WOULD TAKE SERIOUS PATIENCE TO WAIT FOR THE RIGHT TIME, THE RIGHT DEVELOPER, AND I WOULD SUPPORT THOSE. BUT THERE IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE CASES THAT I WILL HEAR WHERE THE TIME IS NOT RIGHT TO BE PATIENT, AND WE NEED TO FILL A SPACE, AND I WOULD PROBABLY SUPPORT THAT AS WELL. SO I GUESS MY ANSWER IS IT WOULD BE A CASE BY CASE BASIS. AND THAT'S HOW I APPROACH REALLY JUST ABOUT ANYTHING. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE JUST A BLANKET STATEMENT ON DEVELOPMENT. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE A BLANKET STATEMENT ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S RIGHT FOR A CERTAIN AREA. EVEN. SO, YEAH, I THINK THAT'S I THINK THAT'S THE ANGLE I'LL GO FOR IS JUST A CASE BY CASE BASIS. I DO. AND I'LL JUST GO BACK TO WHAT I SAID A MINUTE AGO. I DO HAVE SOME IDEAS, BUT IN A SEVEN AND A HALF MONTH TERM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S REALLY APPROPRIATE TO BE PUSHING THOSE IDEAS. I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO ALSO JUST BE RUBBER STAMPING THINGS EITHER. I WILL COME WITH A FRESH MIND ON IDEAS AND I WILL, YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE EVERYTHING A FAIR SHOT. I THINK I'VE SHOWN THAT IN MY PAST AND I'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. MR. NORRIS, WE'RE AT THE END OF THE QUESTIONS. YOU DO HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR A CLOSING, AND YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO START WHENEVER YOU ARE COMFORTABLE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THIS TIME TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO I AM AND WHAT I'VE DONE AND WHY I WANT TO SERVE THE CITY. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I'M A FAMILY MAN WHO CARES DEEPLY ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE AND WORK HERE. AND I CAN BE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT THINGS. BUT I'M ALSO A SCIENTIST, AND I'M COMPELLED TO DIG INTO THE DATA TO UNDERSTAND THE WHY. AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I WILL WEIGH WHAT RESIDENTS ARE TELLING US AGAINST WHAT THE DATA ACTUALLY SHOWS. THOSE TWO DO NOT ALWAYS AGREE WHEN THEY DO NOT. THE BALANCE IS THE JOB. WHEN I VOTE AGAINST WHAT SOMEBODY WANTS AND I WILL, THEY WILL GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER ABOUT WHY BEING HEARD IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING AGREED WITH, AND PEOPLE CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE. I REALLY ENJOY BUILDING THE SCAFFOLDING THAT ALLOWS THE SYSTEM TO FUNCTION AND MAKES THE ORGANIZATION SHINE. EVERY ORGANIZATION I'VE LED RUNS ON PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT PAID AND CANNOT BE MADE TO COME. YOU CANNOT ORDER A VOLUNTEER. YOU CAN ONLY BE THE KIND OF OPERATION THAT IS WORTH THEIR SATURDAY. I HAVE BEEN DOING ALL OF THIS IN MULTIPLE PLACES AT ONCE FOR YEARS. THIS APPOINTMENT RUNS ABOUT SEVEN AND A HALF MONTHS. THAT'S NOT ENOUGH TIME TO LEARN THE JOB AND THEN DO. IT IS ONLY ENOUGH TIME TO DO IT. SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU WEIGH READINESS MORE HEAVILY THAN YOU OTHERWISE MIGHT. WHOEVER TAKES PLACE THREE DOES NOT GET A FIRST YEAR TO LEARN ON. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY IS PREPARING TO REWRITE ITS ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT CODE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 70 YEARS, AND THAT WORK STARTS IN THE COMING MONTHS AND DEMANDS THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL THAT I CAN PROVIDE ON DAY ONE, 13 PEOPLE APPLIED FOR THIS SEAT, AND I

[02:40:06]

SO 13 DOES NOT FEEL LIKE COMPETITION TO ME. IT FEELS LIKE AN OPEN DOOR, AND AN OPEN DOOR IS THE WHOLE THING THAT I'M FOR. I'M NOT ASKING YOU TO PICK ME BECAUSE I HAVE THE LONGEST LIST. I'VE NEVER HELD A CITY BOARD SEAT. I'M NOT GOING TO PRETEND THAT AWAY. WHAT I AM ASKING IS THAT YOU LOOK AT WHAT I DO WHEN NOBODY APPOINTS ME TO ANYTHING. NOW BACK TO MY BALANCE, ROCK, BECAUSE I NEED TO TELL YOU THE REST OF THE STORY IN LEADERSHIP. RICHARDSON.

EVERY COMMITTEE HAS ASSIGNED AN ADVISOR, AN LR GRADUATE, WHOSE JOB IT IS TO SIT WITH YOU, GUIDE YOU ALONG NOW AND THEN, AND WATCH HOW YOU ACTUALLY WORK FOR TEN MONTHS. THEY'RE CALLED ROCKS. I SPENT MY TEN MONTHS OF LR ON PUBLIC SAFETY. ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT OUR CITY DOES EXCEPTIONALLY WELL. AND AT THE END, MY ROCK GAVE ME THIS ROCK ON GRADUATION DAY BALANCE. THAT IS THE WORD I WAS GIVEN, AND I WOULD LIKE THE CHANCE TO EARN IT IN PLACE. THREE THANK YOU, AND LOOK FORWARD TO MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OF YOU IN THE COMING MONTHS AND YEARS.

THANK YOU, MR. NORTON. OUR LAST APPLICANT TONIGHT IS GENEVRA THOMAS. MISS THOMAS, WELCOME.

YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A THREE MINUTE OPENING. AND YOU CAN, OF COURSE, START WHENEVER YOU ARE SETTLED AND COMFORTABLE AND READY TO GO. ONCE YOU'RE DONE WITH THAT OPENING, WE'LL START WITH QUESTIONS AND THEY'LL BE ALL THE WAY OVER TO YOUR RIGHT ONCE WE GET GOING. OKAY? OKAY, READY? SO HI, MY NAME IS JEN OR GENEVRA THOMAS, AND AROUND TEN YEARS AGO, I HAD THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE WHERE TO LIVE AND REALLY DIG IN WITH MY CAREER. AND I CHOSE NORTH TEXAS, AND I CHOSE RICHARDSON. AND I CHOSE RICHARDSON AS AN EDUCATOR BECAUSE I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE IN A DISTRICT WHERE 76 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN IN OUR SCHOOLS. POST PANDEMIC, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE RICHARDSON AS A HOMEOWNER AFTER, YOU KNOW, SOME SOME POST PANDEMIC BIDDING. AND I CHOSE RICHARDSON BECAUSE I LOVE LIVING IN A COMMUNITY WHERE MY NEIGHBORS WELCOMED ME WITH BROWNIES. AND I LOVE LIVING IN A PLACE WHERE I FINALLY HAD TO BREAK. MY LIFELONG RULE OF ALWAYS STOPPING FOR LEMONADE STANDS, MY, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, SICK KIDS. AND SO AS A AS A MOTHER AND AS A CITIZEN OF RICHARDSON, I REALLY HAVE THREE THINGS IN MIND. ONE IS MAKING SURE WE BUILD A FAMILY FRIENDLY COMMUNITY. I THINK ABOUT THAT IN MY RICHARDSON MOMS GROUPS, HOW PEOPLE ARE OFTEN DIRECTING PEOPLE TOWARDS HILLCREST VILLAGE. YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU HAVE THIS CITY PARK REALLY BUTTRESSED BY BUSINESSES. AND I THINK ABOUT HOW THEY REDEVELOP THAT SPACE. AND WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO REDEVELOP HERE IN RICHARDSON. AND THEN I THINK ALSO ABOUT MAKING SURE WE'RE AN ECONOMICALLY PROSPEROUS CITY.

YOU KNOW, MY HUSBAND OWNS A SMALL BUSINESS, AND WHEN WE WENT TO LOOK FOR OFFICE SPACE, WE FOUND A SPACE. BUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAPPEN AND WE DIDN'T END UP LEASING UNTIL A YEAR LATER.

THAT SAME SPACE WAS VACANT. SO I THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITY MAYBE WITH LIKE A VACANCY REGISTRATION THAT COULD HELP FEE THAT COULD HELP, YOU KNOW, DRIVE MORE REVENUE AND ALSO GIVE US A CLEARER PICTURE OF WHERE THOSE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES ARE IN OUR CITY.

AND THEN LAST, I REALLY THINK ABOUT LONGEVITY. YOU KNOW, AS A AS A MOTHER OF THREE, I THINK ABOUT BUILDING A CITY THAT WILL THRIVE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. AND, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ONE, OF COURSE, WE CAN DO THAT THROUGH OUR THE EFFORTS YOU ALL HAVE DONE WITH MORE TREES, BUT ALSO I THINK ABOUT OUR CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE MAKING THOSE RIGHT INVESTMENTS. I THINK WE'VE BEEN MAKING A LOT OF GREAT INVESTMENTS THERE. BUT THINKING TWO OF THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE SHADE AS WELL IN OUR IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO, YEAH, I'M REALLY EXCITED BY THE OPPORTUNITY THAT, THAT THIS PRESENTS TONIGHT TO SERVE MY COMMUNITY. I'M A LIFETIME GIRL SCOUT, GOLD AWARD, GIRL SCOUT, AND ALSO A VIRGINIA TECH HOKIE AND OUR, OUR MASCOT. OUR MOTTO IS THAT I MAY SERVE. SO I WANTED TO THROW MY HAT IN THE RING TO HOPEFULLY SHARE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AS A MOTHER OF YOUNG CHILDREN WHO, YOU KNOW, INTERACTS WITH THE CITY AND MAYBE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT WAYS. THANK YOU, MISS THOMAS. COUNCIL MEMBER ARFIN THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. WELL, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE QUESTION ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE. I HAVE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION TO ALL OTHER SAME, YOU KNOW, ALL OTHER CANDIDATES. SO NOW RICHARDSON HAS AGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND SIGNIFICANT CAPITAL NEEDS WHEN THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, HOW WOULD YOU DECIDE WHAT GETS FUNDED FIRST AND WHAT GETS DEFERRED? YEAH, SO I THINK I WOULD THINK LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE NEEDS ARE AND WHERE WE HAVE

[02:45:05]

BUT I ALSO THINK EVEN AS A DISTRICT MEMBER, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, KEEPING THAT THAT THAT VISION, YOU KNOW, OF CONSIDERING ALL OF ALL OF THE DISTRICTS, THE DISTRICTS, ALL THE CITY'S NEEDS, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S NOT I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE A SINGULAR VISION. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE CONSTITUENTS IN THE DISTRICT, BUT ALSO KEEPING IN MIND ALONG WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, THE MORE GLOBAL VIEW, SO TO SPEAK, OF THE CITY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK CONNECTING WITH WITH, YOU KNOW, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES IN OUR IN SCHOOLS IN, IN MY DISTRICT, BUT ALSO, OF COURSE, KEEPING THAT, THAT LARGER VISION. COUNCILMEMBER BARRIOS. THANK YOU. MAYOR JEN, I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY A DOCTORAL STUDENT. SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW ONE, WHAT IS YOUR AREA OF STUDY AND WHAT DOES IT TELL US ABOUT YOU? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO I, I WORKED IN RICHARDSON ISD FOR EIGHT YEARS AS A SPECIAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR. AND SO MY AREA OF FOCUS IS SPECIAL EDUCATION, BUT IT'S REALLY SPECIFICALLY ON SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSITION.

SO SPECIAL EDUCATION TRANSITION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR POSITIVE POST-SCHOOL OUTCOMES.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT. AND I THINK IT CONNECTS US WELL, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES IN CONNECTING OUR STUDENTS KIND OF EARLY WITH DIFFERENT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. YOU KNOW, INTERNSHIPS, PAID EMPLOYMENT IS ACTUALLY A VERY STRONG PREDICTOR OF POSITIVE POST-SCHOOL OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. SO THAT'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY, OBVIOUSLY. SO I THINK WHAT THIS WHAT THIS FOCUS SAYS ABOUT ME IS, I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING OBVIOUSLY I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT. I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE INCLUSIVE, BUT REALLY OUR COMMUNITIES TOO, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING OUR, I DON'T KNOW, I GO TO MY LOCAL CHURCH AND I THINK TOO, ABOUT THAT, MAKING SURE THAT THAT'S AN INCLUSIVE SPACE. AND SO I THINK WHAT YOU WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT ME. YEAH, WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT ME IS THAT I REALLY CARE ABOUT INCLUSIVITY, ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT ALL MEANS ALL AND THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STRUCTURED IN A WAY THAT ALL, OF ALL PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN THE WAY THAT THEY DEFINE IT. AND SO, YEAH, I'M. YES. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER JUSTICE THOMAS, I BELIEVE THAT A HEALTHY CITY COUNCIL IS ONE THAT CAN COLLABORATE, COMPROMISE, AND RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. IN THAT SPIRIT, WHAT IS ONE DECISION THAT YOU THINK THIS COUNCIL GOT RIGHT AND ONE THAT IT GOT WRONG AND WHY? YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I WILL SAY SOMETHING THAT INSPIRED ME. LITERALLY. I WAS DRIVING, DRIVING HOME FROM DALLAS AND I HAVE TO SAY, I, MY HEART REALLY HURT WHEN WE LOST A VACATION THAT WAS CERTAINLY A FAMILY FRIENDLY SPACE. AND, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE WORKED ON MAKING SURE THAT'S PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY, BUT AS YOU KNOW, A PARENT, I DO YOU KNOW, MY FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HAVING THAT ROAD NOW, POTENTIALLY PEOPLE COULD PASS THEIR PARKING GARAGE IS MY UNDERSTANDING. BUT SO THAT'S SOMETHING MAYBE I WASN'T ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT SOMETHING CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, DRIVING HOME FROM DALLAS AND I TOLD MY HUSBAND, I SAID, SHOULD I RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL? AND THEN AND THEN THIS OPPORTUNITY OCCURRED. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I DEFINITELY I KNOW THERE'S A LOT

[02:50:04]

MY. MY PARTNER USES SOCIAL MEDIA EXTENSIVELY IN HIS BUSINESS, AND IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT WAY TO HEAR BACK. SO I THINK THAT'S ONE THING. IT'S ONE THING I'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT IN TERMS OF HOW DO I ACCESS AND HOW DO I GET THE INFORMATION. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE I WOULD LIKE TO TO CERTAINLY LEVERAGE THAT IN ORDER TO GET MORE CONSTITUENT INPUT. AND I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT I HAVE A LOT OF LIKE FUNGIBLE SKILLS FROM WORKING AS A DISTRICT SPECIAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, THINGS AT PLAY. AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR FEDERAL POLICY AND OUR STATE POLICY. AND JUST LOOKING AT HOW LOOKING AT ALL THE FACTORS AT PLAY AND MAKING SURE I'M MAKING KIND OF LIKE A COMPREHENSIVE DECISION. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, LIKE YOU SAID, THE TRAFFIC, LOOKING AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND REALLY LOOKING AT THAT ALL COMPREHENSIVELY. I'M ONE OF MY INPUT. ONE OF MY STRENGTHS IS INPUT. SO I REALLY DO LIKE TO TAKE IN A LOT OF INFORMATION AND KIND OF COME TO CONSENSUS FROM THAT. SO THAT'S WHAT I WOULD DO. I'D LOOK AT KIND OF ALL THE DIFFERENT LEVERS TO MAKE THAT DECISION. THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM HUTCHENRIDER. THANK YOU MAYOR. AS A CITY COUNCIL PERSON, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR TOP THREE AREAS OF FOCUS AND WHY? YEAH, SO I DID SHARE THOSE EARLIER, BUT MY WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT NUMBER ONE, BUT THE FIRST ONE THAT COMES TO MIND, OF COURSE, IS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WITH WITH GARLAND, PLANO AND RICHARDSON ISD. LIKE, I KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE A MAJOR DRIVER. SO I THINK ABOUT AS A WHOLE, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING, MAKING FAMILY FRIENDLY DECISIONS THAT REALLY FOSTER GROWTH. SO FAMILY FRIENDLY DECISIONS. THE SECOND ONE WOULD BE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. SO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT HELP OUR BUSINESSES SO WE CAN, YOU KNOW, GROW THE NEXT LOCKWOOD, GROW THE NEXT LA CASITA, MAKING SURE BUSINESSES ARE ABLE TO THRIVE LIKE DALLAS IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY AND LOOKING AT POLICY OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, MR. MAGNER WAS SHARING ABOUT HOW HE ASKED THE ALL OF THE SUPERVISORS TO REALLY LOOK AT EVERYTHING WITH FRESH EYES AND SEE WHERE OUR OPPORTUNITIES. AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO, OBVIOUSLY, IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. AND LIKE I MENTIONED OFF THE TOP, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ON MY MIND IS OBVIOUSLY THOSE VACANCIES I THINK I MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, I GO TO ARAPAHO PHARMACY, I GO TO TOM THUMB AND WE'VE HAD THREE VACANCIES IN THAT STRIP FOR THREE YEARS SINCE I'VE LIVED THERE. SO TO ME, THAT'S A REVENUE OPPORTUNITY. SO ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. AND THEN MY THIRD ONE WOULD BE LONGEVITY. SO THAT'S CERTAINLY THE INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT I ALSO THINK ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY, LIKE THE TREES INITIATIVE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HAVING ADEQUATE SHADE, YOU KNOW, AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, THRIVE AND PROSPER AS A CITY. SO THOSE ARE MY THREE PRIORITIES FAMILY FRIENDLY ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND REALLY LONGEVITY, WHICH ALSO, I WILL SAY, THINKING TO THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING TO I THINK A BIG THING WITH LONGEVITY IS ARE PEOPLE, OF

[02:55:02]

IF THAT'S SOMETHING WHERE Y'ALL ENVISION IT MORE THAT WAY. BUT YEAH, I, I'M, I, YOU KNOW, SPENT THE MAJORITY OF MY ADULT LIFE HERE WORKING AND NOW LIVING. THANKFULLY IN RICHARDSON, I WALK MY CHILDREN TO THEIR PRESCHOOL AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SUCH A UNIQUE PLACE. AND I WOULD LOVE TO SERVE TO EMBODY MORE OF THAT, THAT VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND, YOU KNOW, I TALK WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND, AND FELLOW MOMS, AND I JUST THINK THERE'S A LOT

[03:00:02]