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COUNCIL, OK, I'VE GOT SIX O'CLOCK, I WANT TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THE PRE VALENTINE'S DAY
[CALL TO ORDER/GENERAL COMMENTS]
EPISODE OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE BEDFORD CITY COUNCIL.IT'S TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022.
PRIVILEGE TO INVITE PASTOR ROBERT WHITE FROM FREEDOM CHURCH DFW TO GIVE OUR INVOCATION.
YOUR BEAUTIFUL CREATION AND TO ALSO BE INVOLVED IN THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY GOD TO LEAD AND TO GOVERN THIS CITY.
WE PRAY NOW, GOD, FOR YOUR WISDOM.
WE PRAY FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE. WE PRAY FOR UNITY.
WE PRAY FOR EQUITY. WE PRAY FOR JUSTICE.
WE PRAY GOD THAT WHATEVER IS NEEDED FOR THIS GREAT CITY TO CONTINUE TO FLOURISH AND BE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE INTENDED IT TO BE, THAT YOU WOULD MOVE ON THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THAT YOU MOVE ON1 THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE MEETING, THAT YOU WOULD GIVE YOUR WISDOM, YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR DIRECTION.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE OUTCOMES THAT WILL ALLOW THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY TO FLOURISH.
THEN IT WILL FLOW THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTY, OUR STATE AND OUR NATION.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR BLESSINGS ALREADY.
WE THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT YOU WILL DO.
IT IS IN YOUR DARLING SON, JESUS NAME THAT WE PRAY.
COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN WILL YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE? THANK YOU, PASTOR. YOU'RE AWESOME.
THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN.
[PRESENTATIONS]
OK, WE'VE GOT PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING.WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN EXCITING REPORT ON THE CITY OF BEDFORD CITIZEN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. SO SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I BELIEVE WE SPUN OFF KIND OF A SUBCOMMITTEE OF SEVERAL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.
MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL, COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES, COUNCIL MEMBER CULVER.
AND THEY WERE COMMISSIONED, QUOTE UNQUOTE, TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND SEE WHAT KIND OF EFFORTS WE CAN MAKE TO KIND OF REFINE AND REPURPOSE SOME OF THOSE GROUPS. SO I BELIEVE YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
MR. STEVES ARE YOU TAKING THE MIC? GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE MIC.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. LET'S SEE WHERE WE'RE AT HERE.
AS MAYOR SAID, MAYOR PRO TEM AMY SABOL AND COUNCIL MEMBER RUTH CULVER AND I WERE PUT ON THIS SUBCOMMITTEE BACK AT THE END OF NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
I LIKE TO THINK OF IT AS VOLUNTEERING.
RIGHT WE WERE VOLUN-TOLD NOT VOLUNTEER AND TAKE A LOOK AT ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND SEE IF WE CAN MODERNIZE THEM AND SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE TO BRING THEM UP TO DATE.
AND SO OUR PROCESS STARTED OUR STEPS THAT WE FOLLOWED BACK IN STARTED IN DECEMBER.
WE INTERVIEWED THE CITY MANAGER, THEN WE INTERVIEWED THE STAFF LIAISON, CITY COUNCIL LIAISONS, THE CHAIRS, AND WE SENT OUT A SURVEY TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE CURRENT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. WE GATHERED INFORMATION, WE EVALUATED IT AND WE'VE COME UP WITH A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS TO GET THE CONVERSATION STARTED.
WE HAVE BASICALLY TWO SEPARATE TYPES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WE HAVE THE QUASI JUDICIAL AND THE COMMUNITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
THE QUASI JUDICIAL ARE YOUR ANIMAL SHELTER, BUILDING AND STANDINGS, ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, THE ETHICS, THE PLANNING AND ZONING AND THE 4B STREET IMPROVEMENT.
AND WE THOUGHT THE PLANNING AND ZONING AND BUILDING AND STANDARD AND ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS WOULD BE TAKE OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY RIGHT NOW WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY. SO WE STARTED WITH THAT AND WE CAME UP WITH A NEW APPLICATION PROCESS.
AN APPLICATION FORM THAT IS, WE'RE GOING TO SEPARATE OUT, SEPARATE THE PLANNING AND ZONING APPLICATION FROM THE GENERAL CITY VOLUNTEER APPLICATION.
ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WAS CAME UP WAS TO COMBINE THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS WITH THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, AND I BELIEVE JIMMY, YOU'RE WORKING ON THAT NOW OR? AND THAT'S IN THE PROCESS, RIGHT? YES, SIR, SORRY. SO WE LOOKED AT THE COMMUNITY COMMISSIONS THAT WOULD BE THE
[00:05:07]
BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION, COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, CULTURAL AFFAIRS, THE LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD, PARKS AND REC AND THE TEEN COURT ADVISORY BOARD.TO DISTINGUISH COMMUNITY COMMISSIONS FROM THE QUASI JUDICIAL COMMISSIONS, WE THOUGHT IT'D BE BEST IF WE CHANGE THE THE NAMES ON SOME OF THEM TO WHERE IT WOULD BE ADVISORY BOARD.
SO IT'D BE PARKS AND REC ADVISORY OR THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS ADVISORY BOARD AS OPPOSED TO A COMMISSION. WE ALSO THOUGHT THAT THIS SHOULD BE WITH THE INPUT. WE THOUGHT THERE SHOULD BE TERM LIMITS ON THE CHAIRS FOR TWO TWO YEAR TERMS. STAFF LIAISON SHOULD CONDUCT THE MEETINGS AND EACH BOARD SHOULD HAVE A TRAINING SESSION PRIOR TO TAKING ON NEW MEMBERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
LIKE I SAID, HOW WE CAME UP WITH THIS IT WAS THROUGH INTERVIEWS WITH THE STAFF LIAISON AND JIMMY. ONE OF THE IDEAS WAS THAT BEAUTIFICATION AND PARKS AND REC SHOULD BE MERGED TOGETHER BECAUSE OF THE PARK MASTER PLAN AND THE LANDSCAPING NEEDS OF THE CITY.
WE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
WITH THE CULTURAL COMMISSION, WE THOUGHT THAT IT SEEMED THAT FIVE MEMBERS WERE IDEAL TOTAL FOR THAT COMMISSION.
WE'D ALSO FROM OUR INPUT, TALKING TO STAFF.
WE THOUGHT THAT THE TEEN COURT ACTUALLY SHOULD BE DISSOLVED, THE TEEN COURT BOARD AND NOT THE TEEN COURT ITSELF, THE TEEN COURT ITSELF WOULD STILL GO ON.
SOME OF THE AS FAR AS THE SECRETARY ON EACH BOARD THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE STAFF LIAISON, WHETHER IT WOULD BE A BOARD MEMBER OR THE STAFF TO TAKE THE MINUTES OF IT, SOMETIMES THE MINUTES TAKE A WHILE TO GET BACK.
AND IF IT WAS A STAFF LIAISON TAKING THE MINUTES, IT MAY SPEED UP THE ISSUANCE OF THE MINUTES. WE INTERVIEWED THE CHAIRS OF EACH COMMISSION IN BOARD, MOST AGREE THAT THERE SHOULD BE TERM LIMITS AND IT SEEMED TO BE TWO TWO YEAR TERMS SEEM TO BE THE IDEAL.
AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS EACH YEAR, WITH MOST AGREED ON SIX MEETINGS, WHICH SPECIAL MEETINGS AS A ASSIGNED EARLY IN THE FISCAL YEAR, SO THEY WOULD SET THE THE DATES FOR THEIR MEETINGS.
WITH BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION THEY HAD BEEN DOING A LOT OF MANUAL LABOR ON THEIR CLEANUP DAYS AND WE THOUGHT THAT SHOULD PROBABLY BE LIMITED TO JUST MORE OF AN ADVISORY ROLE ON THAT. WE'D LIKE TO SEE ALL BOARDS WORK TOGETHER ON PROJECTS.
OH, AND WHEN WE FILL OUT WHEN YOU WHEN A VOLUNTEER FILLS OUT AN APPLICATION TO BE ON THE BOARD, WE JUST DON'T WANT TO PLACE THEM ON A BOARD JUST TO FILL A SEAT SO THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME INTEREST IN THE BOARD ITSELF.
WOULD COUNCIL INTERVIEW [INAUDIBLE] WE'RE REALLY THE OVERALL THING IS DIRECTIONS NEEDED ON EACH COUNCIL.
I MEAN, ON EACH BOARD OR COMMISSION BY THE COUNCIL, MOST COUNCIL MEMBERS BELIEVE THAT THE LIAISON SHOULD RUN THE MEETING, THE STAFF LIAISON.
WE SENT OUT A SURVEY TO ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION MEMBERS.
WE GOT 20 PEOPLE RESPONDED OUT OF 36 CURRENT MEMBERS.
THIS IS SOME OF THE RESPONSES.
MOST 14 AGREED AT SIX MEETINGS A YEAR.
FIFTEEN WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS VOLUNTEERS.
SO, BUT LET ME GO BACK TO OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
[00:10:01]
SO THE MAIN THING WAS THE PARKS AND REC WE THOUGHT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO COMBINED WITH THE BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION AND WE CALL THE PARK WOULD BE NEW NAME PARKS AND BEAUTIFICATION ADVISORY BOARD.COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMISSION FROM STAFF WITH INFORMED US THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD BETTER HANDLE IT AND WE COULD DISSOLVE THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
ITS STAFF DRIVEN BECAUSE THE LAST BUSINESS TURNOUT WASN'T ALL THAT GREAT.
SO WE STAFF THOUGHT THEY COULD HANDLE THAT.
SO MAYOR PRO TEM YOU HAVE TO ADD OR? SURE. RUTH AND RICH AND I MET PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR TIMES, AND THEN WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THEY FELT SHOULD ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE WITH THESE COMMISSIONS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND AS A COUNCIL THAT TIMES CHANGE AND THE COMMISSIONS NEED TO CHANGE ALONG WITH IT.
SO FOR INSTANCE, WHEN THE CAC WAS CREATED AND THAT WOULD BE THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMISSION, THE CITY WAS KIND OF LOW ON INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, AND PEOPLE LIKE MOLLY HAD NOT JOINED US.
WE HAVE A DIFFERENT, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM, SO IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT WE THINK THAT THEY'VE GOT A FULL CAPABILITY OF THAT.
WE'RE PAYING THEM TO DO THIS WORK.
WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND STAFF TIME AND OUR BUDGET.
SO IT WAS OUR FEELING THAT THE CAC, NOW THAT THEY'RE DOWN TO ABOUT THREE MEMBERS, THAT THIS WOULD BE THE TIME TO COMPLETELY DO AWAY WITH THE CAC.
30 PERCENT. WE'VE ONLY GOT ABOUT 30 PERCENT THAT HAVE NOT.
THEIR TERMS HAVE NOT EXPIRED, 30 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, THIS WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO IT.
IT WOULDN'T BE THE TIME TO PULL BACK ON ALL THESE COMMISSIONS IF WE HAD A FULL BOARD AND ALL THESE CASES.
BUT WE'VE GOT 51 PLACES AND RIGHT NOW WE ONLY GOT THIRTY SIX FILLED AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE THE QUASI JUDICIAL BOARDS.
AND FOR OUR PURPOSES, WE JUST NAMED THE WE NAMED THE TWO DIFFERENTLY.
WE CALLED THOSE FIVE ARE QUASI JUDICIAL.
WE CALLED THE REST OF THEM THAT WERE MORE COMMUNITY ORIENTED COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GETTING THAT ON THE SLIDES OR NOT, AND WE REALLY DIRECTED MOST OF OUR EFFORTS TOWARD THE COMMUNITY COMMISSIONS BECAUSE WE FELT THAT THAT THOSE WERE THE ONES THAT WE'VE HEARD THE MOST COMPLAINTS ABOUT.
AND THEY ALL SCOLDED US ON NOT HAVING MEMBERS.
THEY SCOLDED US ON NOT, YOU KNOW, SUPPLYING THEM WITH VOLUNTEERS.
SEVERAL OF THEM SAID, WE NEED MORE.
WE NEED AN EASIER WAY FOR PEOPLE TO JOIN IN.
YOU KNOW, LIKE IT SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WAIT A WHOLE YEAR TO GET VOLUNTEERS FOR BEAUTIFICATION OR PARKS IF THERE'S AN OPEN SEAT.
THE MEETING SIX TIMES A YEAR CAME UP WITH US BECAUSE I THINK SOMETIMES THEY MEET AND THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO AND SOMETIMES THEY CAN'T EVEN GET QUORUM.
AND I DO THINK WITH THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED, PEOPLE ARE EXTREMELY BUSY AND THEY DON'T REALLY WANT TO COME TO A MEETING IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING REALLY CONDUCIVE TO TALK ABOUT.
THE STAFF LIAISONS WERE SORT OF INTERESTING WHEN WE HEARD FROM THEM.
THEY WERE THEY DIDN'T CARE WHICH WAY IT WENT.
THEY SAID THE CHAIRS COULD BE FINE OR THEY SAID THEY THEY COULD HOLD THE MEETINGS.
THE MEMBERS, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THOUGHT THE STAFF LIAISONS COULD PROBABLY KEEP THEM ON TRACK BETTER. YOU KNOW, LIKE THERE WOULDN'T BE SO MUCH GOING OFF TO THE SIDE AND CHANGING THE TOPIC AND TALKING ABOUT THE WEDDING THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK, SO THEY PREFERRED THE STAFF LIAISON TO DO IT.
THEY ALL FELT IT WAS SORT OF INTERESTING BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE STAFF LIAISON TO TAKE OVER THE MEETING, BUT THEY STILL WANTED A CHAIR AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING. BUT IN REALITY, WE KIND OF NEED THAT BECAUSE THE ETHICS COMMITTEE CALLS UPON EVERY CHAIR OF THE BOARDS TO SERVE AS THE ETHICS COMMITTEE.
BUT THEN WE DECIDED THAT THE CHAIR COULD PROBABLY, THAT HE, THE CHAIR OR HE OR SHE COULD FILTER THE INFORMATION IN THROUGH THE CHAIR.
THE MEMBERS COULD FILTER THE INFORMATION TO THE CHAIR AND THEN THE CHAIR, AND THE LIAISON COULD TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE.
AND I THINK HAVING SERVED ON A FEW COMMISSIONS BEFORE I JOINED COUNCIL, IT DID SEEM LIKE THERE'S LIKE SOME THINGS THAT ARE JUST THROWN OUT THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HOPE THAT IT GRABS UP.
BUT IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE IF WE HAD SOMEBODY LIKE THE STAFF THAT KNEW THAT MATCHED THE COUNCIL'S VISION, IF WE HAD BUDGET AND STAFF TIME TO TAKE CARE OF IT, IF IT FIT THE
[00:15:03]
CITY'S CALENDAR. SO THERE WERE A BUNCH OF REASONS THAT WE THOUGHT THE STAFF SHOULD PROBABLY HANDLE THE MAJORITY OF THE MEETING.AND THEN THE TEAM PART MR. STEVES MENTIONED, WE BROUGHT THE I GUESS IT'S MELISSA.
MINDY AND DOUG, AND THEY JUST SAID, PLEASE DO AWAY WITH IT.
AND THEY SAID IT WAS KIND OF LIKE A JUST A MERRY GO ROUND, YOU KNOW, THEY'D HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE COME IN AND THEN THEY'D SORT OF GET THEM ON BASE AND THEN THEY WOULDN'T SHOW UP BECAUSE REALLY, IN THE STATEMENT OF OUR ORDINANCE, IT SAYS THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE TO FUNDRAISE FOR THE TEEN COURT.
THREE CITIES. THREE SEPARATE CITIES.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO ASSIGN PEOPLE TO FUNDRAISE FOR ANYBODY.
SO THEY TOLD US TO PLEASE DO AWAY WITH THAT, SO WE WOULD LIKE TO ACCOMMODATE ON THEM.
AND I DON'T REALLY THINK THERE'S ANY DISAGREEMENT, EVEN WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE ASSIGNED THE LAST TIME. I THINK THAT THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMMARIZES WHAT I THINK, MRS. CULVER, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? AND AGAIN, I THINK THE MOST INTERESTING THING WAS IN SPEAKING WITH BOTH THE STAFF LIAISON, THE CHAIRS, HAVING THE SURVEY SENT OUT, IT WAS PRETTY INDICATIVE THAT EVERYBODY WAS ON THE SAME PAGE.
WE WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY IN FILLING THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
A LOT OF THAT WAS BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SPECIFICALLY SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD AN INTEREST IN THESE COMMISSIONS.
IN THE PAST, WE THREW AN APPLICATION OUT THERE, ASKED PEOPLE TO SELECT WHATEVER THEY WERE INTERESTED IN FOR A SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH.
SOME WOULD SAY ANY AND ALL, AND THEY REALLY DIDN'T BRING I THINK A LOT OF CREATIVITY AND INTEREST INTO THE COMMISSIONS THAT THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO.
SO BEING IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MORE SPECIFIC AND LOOK FOR PEOPLE OF INTEREST INTO THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I THINK IT'S VERY INTUITIVE ON OUR PART.
LIKE COUNCILWOMAN SABOL SAID WE NOW HAVE MOLLY AND ABBY AND SO MANY OTHERS THAT ARE TAKING OVER OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
IT'S AMAZING TO ME TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR US.
ANDREA IS HANDLING FROM THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIDE, THE BUSINESS ASPECT OF WHICH WAS HANDLED BY CAC IN THE PAST, AND THE RESIDENTIAL OUTREACH IS REALLY BEING HANDLED BY MOLLY AND HER STAFF.
THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THERE WON'T BE ACTIVITIES PRESENTED THROUGH THE CITY, SUCH AS MAYBE I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO CALL IT A BLOCK PARTY ANYMORE OR THOSE WERE VERY CREATIVE AND VERY EFFECTIVE.
I THINK THE GROUP DID A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH THOSE, BUT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING THAT MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WERE IN AGREEMENT AND THEY WERE ALL INTERVIEWED SEPARATELY.
I THINK THE MOST INTERESTING ONE FOR ME WAS MARTY GEER.
SHE SAID SHE WAS TIRED AND SO SHE WAS REALLY MORE THAN WILLING TO SEE AND EXCITED TO SEE BEAUTIFICATION BECOME A PART OF PARKS AND REC, AND FOR THAT GROUP TO BECOME MORE OF AN ADVISORY GROUP RATHER THAN AN ACTUAL CLEANUP WORK CREW, WHICH IS WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR SO MANY YEARS.
SO I THINK WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO VOLUNTEER AS RICH SAID, FOR ALL OF THE COMMISSIONS ARE ADVISORY GROUPS TO WORK TOGETHER.
IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT ANYBODY FROM BELONGING TO ONE GROUP OFFERING TO VOLUNTEER AND HELP WITH ANOTHER GROUP.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I KNOW THERE'LL BE SOME WORK TO BE DONE TO GET PEOPLE ON BOARD, GET NEW APPLICATIONS OUT AND GET THESE BOARDS FILLED BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG COMPLAINT TOWARDS THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ACTIVELY SEEKING PEOPLE REALLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO REORGANIZE AND RE STACK THE DECK ON THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. OK.
THAT IS THE PACKAGE PRESENTATION.
I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT.
TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHAT YOU GOT, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE YOU'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO ALL THE CURRENT MEMBERS WHO ARE VOLUNTEERING ON THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO SEEK THEIR INPUT ON HOW
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THE BOARD ARE DOING IN THE FUTURE AND THEIR FUTURE AND THEIR INTERESTS.I THINK THAT WAS A TREMENDOUS IDEA.
YOU ALSO SOUGHT OUT THE STAFF LIAISON.
YOU SOUGHT OUT OTHER STRATEGIC STAFF MEMBERS TO TALK TO THEM ABOUT THESE POSSIBILITIES.
I THINK THE WAY YOU ALL WENT ABOUT IT WAS FANTASTIC.
I LIKE SOME SIMPLIFICATION HERE AND Y'ALL KIND OF BREAKING THIS DOWN TWO WAYS BETWEEN QUASI JUDICIAL AND WHAT WE CALLING THE OTHER, COMMUNITY COMMISSIONS.
IT'S EVEN A NAME CHANGE, SO THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD. ADVISORY BOARD.
RIGHT. AND THAT AND LIKE, I THINK WE'VE EVEN TALKED RUTH AND RICH AND I TALKED ABOUT GIVING THE COMMISSION'S MORE OF A UPPER HAND AS FAR AS LIKE PLANNING AND ZONING, FOR INSTANCE. WE'VE SAID THAT PERHAPS WE NEED TO GIVE THEM MORE PANACHE BY GIVING THEM SHIRTS OR SOMETHING OR CARDS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT CARDS FOR THEM BECAUSE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT BOARD IN THE CITY.
AND I THINK WE ALL TALKED ABOUT HOW WE REALLY PREFER IF WE COULD FILL THESE QUASI JUDICIAL BOARDS BEFORE WE FILLED THE COMMUNITY ONES BECAUSE THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT AND WE'RE WALKING INTO SOME HUGE DEVELOPMENT COMING FORWARD AND THOSE POSITIONS NEED TO BE FILLED. AND WE'VE SUGGESTED THAT THEY NEED TO BE A GO FOR APPLICATION FIRST AND NOT ALTOGETHER LIKE IT SHOULDN'T.
THEY SHOULD ALL BE DONE SEPARATELY.
WHICH WAS RIGHT WHERE I WAS GOING.
[LAUGHTER] NO, YOU KNOW, I THINK I THINK THIS IS A I APPRECIATE HOW Y'ALL HAVE TAKEN AN APPROACH TO SIMPLIFY THIS CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A SIMPLE CONVERSATION THAT THERE'S MANY PIECES TO THIS CONVERSATION AND SOME OF THE STEPS THAT YOU'VE TAKEN BASED ON SOME OF THE INPUT, I THINK IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL HERE.
I WAS KIND OF INTERESTED IN KIND OF WALKING THROUGH THIS A LITTLE BIT FOR LACK OF A BETTER WAY TO DO THIS.
DO Y'ALL MIND IF WE KIND OF TAKE LET'S TAKE THE TWO DIVISIONS AND LET'S WALK THROUGH THOSE INDIVIDUALLY AND JUST GET INPUT? I THINK ULTIMATELY WE'VE GOT TO GIVE INPUT TO STAFF.
JIMMY, DO YOU BELIEVE THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO WALK THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION? NO, SIR.
I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I WANT TO PEEL AWAY THE LAYER A COUPLE OF LAYERS HERE, AND THEN THAT WILL IN THAT EFFORT, WE WILL GIVE YOU DIRECTION AS A RESULT OF OUR CONVERSATION.
PERFECT YES SIR. THANK YOU, SIR.
AND IT'S PROBABLY LET'S GO FOR THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE QUASI JUDICIAL STUFF? I THINK WE'VE PROBABLY GOT A LOT OF AGREEMENT ON THESE BOARDS, AND WE PROBABLY LOOK AT THINGS THE SAME WAY. SO THE QUASI JUDICIAL COMMISSIONS, QUOTE UNQUOTE, ESSENTIALLY ARE THERE BY EDICT.
I MEAN, THEY'RE THERE BY OBLIGATION, STATUTORY OBLIGATION TO HAVE THESE BOARDS CORRECT? A COUPLE OF THEM WE SEE SOME TWEAKING, WHICH WE MAY HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.
BUT ANIMAL SHELTER, WAS THERE ANYTHING THERE THAT YOU WERE ADVISING OR THAT YOU HAD YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS ON? WE'RE OBLIGATED TO HAVE THIS BOARD.
THEY'RE OBLIGATED TO MEET TWO TIMES A YEAR, THREE TIMES A YEAR.
YES. AND THESE BUTTONS NEED SOME WD 40 OR SOMETHING.
NO, WE DIDN'T REALLY DIVE TOO DEEPLY INTO THE ANIMAL SHELTER BOARD.
THOSE GUYS, YOU KNOW, DO A REALLY GOOD JOB, AND THEIR PURPOSE IS CLEARLY DEFINED BY STATUTE. EXACTLY.
THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS WE GO THROUGH THIS, THOUGH ONE THING THAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING IS AND THIS I THINK APPLIES TO BOTH THE QUASI AND THE COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER BOARDS IS THAT IN TALKING TO THESE INDIVIDUALS AND WE MENTIONED, ASK THEM IF THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE FOLLOWING COUNCIL'S VISION.
THEY WERE LIKE DEER IN HEADLIGHTS.
YEAH. LIKE WHAT IS COUNCIL'S VISION? SO. I ASK THAT EVERY MEETING.
SO I THINK THEY'RE AND HAVING SERVED ON PLANNING AND ZONING FOR MANY YEARS THERE, THERE IS AN IRON CURTAIN, IF YOU WILL, BETWEEN PLANNING AND ZONING AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE IN THE PAST HAD JOINT MEETINGS TO WHERE WE WOULD SIT AND DISCUSS WHAT WAS ON THE HORIZON AND WHAT WAS THE VISION FOR THE CITY.
AND I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF THAT.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE COLLECTIVE TRAINING AND WORK BETWEEN THE
[00:25:01]
ADVISORY BOARDS AND THE QUASI JUDICIAL.AND I. BOARDS. IT'S ALLOWABLE BY LAW.
I SUSPECT THIS CONVERSATION IS GOING TO EVOLVE BECAUSE WE'RE ALMOST WE'RE DELVING INTO TWO WORLDS HERE. ONE WORLD IS THE SHELL OF WHAT IS THE LAYOUT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOW WE'RE PROCEEDING WITH THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
WHAT YOU'RE TOUCHING ON IS THE UNDER UNDERNEATH THE WATER LEVEL, WHICH IS WHAT ARE THEY DOING AND WHY ARE THEY DOING IT? IT'S A MUCH DEEPER DIVE, SO I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO GLOSS OVER THE TOP LAYER FIRST AND THEN LET'S COME BACK BECAUSE IT'S THAT BOTTOM.
IT'S THAT SECONDARY LEVEL THAT WE'VE GOT TO GIVE STAFF SOME DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCEED.
AND THEN IT'S THAT IT'S THAT LAYER THAT I THINK IS OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE, WHICH IS HOW DO WE INJECT ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT INTO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND WE CAN'T DO IT BY THE STRUCTURAL. WE'VE GOT TO DO IT BY THE PURPOSE.
AND SO I THINK WE CAN TAKE STEPS AS A COUNCIL TO ENGAGE BETTER WITH THESE GROUPS.
WE CAN TAKE STEPS AS A COUNCIL TO ENSURE THE COOPERATION OF ALL THE BODIES WITH RESPECT TO THE QUASI JUDICIAL.
BUT WE CAN ALSO, WITH STAFF WORK ON HOW DO WE INJECT THIS ENERGY INTO THESE OTHER BOARDS AS WE REDESIGN KIND OF WHAT THIS VOLUNTEER KIND OF COMMUNITY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD? SO, YEAH, I'M TRYING TO MANEUVER THROUGH A CONVERSATION TO MAXIMIZE DIRECTION HERE. BUT I, YEAH, THAT MAKES ABSOLUTE SENSE.
I TOTALLY AGREE. AND GRANTED, I'M APPEALING TO YOU GUYS.
IF YOU HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO WORK THROUGH THIS, I DON'T MIND.
BUT THIS IS A COMPLICATED CONVERSATION WAY MORE THAN THAN I THINK SOME PEOPLE REALIZE.
SO WE DO AS A, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO NECESSARILY TAKE VOTES ON THIS KIND OF STUFF. BUT COMBINING BUILDING AND STANDARDS WITH ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, THAT IS A NO BRAINER TO ME.
IS THAT A NO BRAINER TO EVERYONE ELSE AND STAFF INCLUDED AND CITY ATTORNEY? SO LET ME AND THIS MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONTEMPLATED.
OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS JUST A POWERPOINT.
RIGHT. JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO WE CAN DO THIS, BUT WHAT YOU WOULD BE DOING IS STILL MAINTAINING TWO BOARD NAMES.
BUT THE ORDINANCE WOULD SIMPLY SAY THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT ARE HEREBY THE AUTOMATICALLY THE MEMBERS OF THE BUILDING STANDARDS.
ESSENTIALLY, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A FEW MONTHS THAT THEY'VE BEEN BACK SUPPORTING EACH OTHER, AND THAT SEEMS TO BE GOING WELL.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT A CORRECT ASSUMPTION? YES, SIR, IT IS.
OKAY, THANKS. IS THERE ANY REASON NOT TO COMBINE THE TWO? NO, SIR, IF YOU'RE ASKING ME.
BRYN IS THERE ANY STATUTORY REQUIREMENT HERE OR NOT? THERE'S NO THERE'S REALLY NO ISSUE AND MANY CITIES DO THIS.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S SOME CONVENIENCE AND THERE'S SOME OVERLAP IN THE DUTIES.
AND SO THE EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THE USE OF THE TERM QUASI JUDICIAL FOR PURPOSES OF CONVENIENCE FOR US TO SEPARATE THEM.
BUT WE'RE TRYING NOT TO GET INTO LAWYER SPEAK AND IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT WITH YOU UP HERE.
I'M SORRY. YEAH, YEAH, I'M SORRY ABOUT BEING A LAWYER.
YEAH. TECHNICALLY, YOU ONLY HAVE TRUE TWO TRULY LEGAL QUASI JUDICIAL BOARDS, AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE OFTEN COMBINED AND [INAUDIBLE].
ALL RIGHT. SO IF IF COUNCIL FEELS COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AND WE'VE ALREADY ESSENTIALLY DONE SOME OF THAT, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FURTHER TO SOLIDIFY THIS OR CODIFY THIS, YOU'VE GOT TO WORK IT THROUGH THE ORDINANCE, CORRECT? IT'S GOT TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL. WE'VE GOT TO FORMALLY APPROVE.
THAT'S RIGHT. OK. THAT'S RIGHT.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S A CHECK.
OK. ETHICS COMMISSION AS CURRENTLY CONSTRUED, WHAT DOES THE ETHICS COMMISSION DO MR. WELLS? WELL, REALLY, THEIR PRIMARY DUTY RIGHT NOW IS TO REVIEW ANY COUNCIL TRAVEL AND INVOICES AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND IF THERE'S EVER AN ETHICS COMPLAINT.
A STAFF MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBER, WHAT HAVE YOU THEN THEY WOULD NEED TO DISCUSS THAT, BUT IN MY TIME HERE, THEY'VE NEVER ACTUALLY DONE THAT.
WAS THERE NOT A PERIOD SEVERAL YEARS BACK WHERE THEY DIDN'T MEET FOR TWO OR THREE YEARS.
AT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF COUNCIL TRAVEL OR INVOICES BEING, OH OKAY, SO THAT'S THE REASON.
DO THEY ALSO APPROVE LIKE CITY MANAGER EXPENSE REPORTS OR REVIEW THAT? JUST COUNCIL, JUST COUNCIL.
AND CURRENTLY THE MEMBERSHIP IS COMPRISED OF THE CHAIR PEOPLE OF THE OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSION. THAT'S CORRECT. ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS? NOT ALL OF THEM.
[00:30:05]
I'M JUST LOOKING UP THEIR MEMBERSHIP HERE.NO, IT'S ONLY IT'S ONLY SEVEN OF THE BOARD, SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S I THINK IT'S ALL THE THE I SAY, IT'S ALL THE COMMUNITY ONES.
IT'S BEAUTIFICATION AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, CULTURAL LIBRARY, PARKS BOARD AND THEN PLANNING AND ZONING AND THEN ONE CITIZEN.
ONE CITIZEN. YES, SIR. GOT IT.
OK, SO BASED ON I KNOW YOU DIDN'T NECESSARILY SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS, YOU DON'T SEE ANY CHANGES TO ETHICS AS CURRENTLY DEFINED AS APPROACH.
OK PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DEFINED BY STATUTE, WE'RE OBLIGATING THOSE COMMITMENTS.
THE ONLY THING THAT WE WANTED TO HAVE DONE WITH THESE AS NUMBER ONE, IS TO GET THE APPLICATION OK STREET IMPROVEMENT ECONOMIC CORP.
THAT IS A MIX THAT IS A HODGEPODGE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS.
CORRECT? THAT IS A LEGAL CORPORATION.
THAT'S CORRECT. WHICH HAS ITS OWN BYLAWS.
YES, SIR. YES, SIR. I'M NOT HEARING ANY SENSE OF NEEDING CHANGE THAT.
BRYN, YOU ON THESE ITEMS, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE? I DON'T. I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL [INAUDIBLE].
COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI WANTS T-SHIRTS.
NO YOU CANNOT MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN YET.
OKAY. WELL, THINK ABOUT GOLF SHIRTS.
OK, SO WE ARE AS A BODY, WE ARE IN AGREEMENT ON THE STRUCTURE OF THESE QUASI JUDICIAL COMMISSIONS. WHAT WE KNOW RIGHT NOW IS THAT SOME OF THESE GROUPS ARE HURTING.
WE NEED TO OPEN UP THE PROCESS OF GETTING APPLICATIONS, BUT WE PROBABLY NEED TO MAKE A FEW TWEAKS TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
WERE WE WERE WE NOT DISCUSSING WELL STAFF DISCUSSING THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING SOME TWEAKS TO THE APPLICATION BEFORE WE OPEN THAT UP? YES, SIR. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE HAD TASKED US WITH, ESPECIALLY ON P&Z. OK.
AND WHAT KIND OF CHANGES TO THE APPLICATION WERE WE TALKING ABOUT? WOULD IT BE OK IF I ASKED ANDREA ROY TO COME FORWARD? SHE WAS THE MAIN LIAISON THAT WAS WORKING ON THAT.
ANDREA. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, SO WHAT WE ESSENTIALLY WERE DOING WAS BASICALLY JUST BEEFING THE APPLICATION UP A LITTLE BIT.
THERE WERE GOING TO BE MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT INTEREST AND DESIRES TO SERVE ON PARTICULARLY PLANNING AND ZONING SO THAT WE WERE JUST GOING TO LINE FOLKS CORRECTLY.
SO IT WAS JUST REALLY JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN EXTENSIVE APPLICATION.
SO WE'VE GOT ALIGNED MEMBERS WITH THE VISION.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THESE GROUPS THAT IT'S REAL, IT'S REAL POIGNANT THAT WE HAVE SOME DEGREE OF COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE BOARD.
DO YOU HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS GOING FORWARD OF THINGS THAT WE CAN PERHAPS DO DIFFERENTLY THAT WE CAN KIND OF FOCUS ON TO KIND OF IMPROVE THAT COMMUNICATION AND THAT SYNCHRONICITY OF THOUGHT? I THINK YOU'VE ACTUALLY TOUCHED ON THAT ALREADY THIS EVENING A LITTLE BIT THE FACT OF HAVING PERHAPS A COUPLE OF JOINT WORK SESSIONS.
WE ARE PROCEEDING WITH TACKLING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AMENDMENT, WHICH WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR BOTH GROUPS TO COLLABORATE ON THAT WITH A CONSULTANT.
SO I THINK REALLY THAT INTERACTION, PERHAPS A COUPLE OF JOINT WORK SESSIONS TO ENSURE THAT, LIKE YOU SAID, THAT GROUP UNDERSTANDS YOUR VISION CLEARLY.
AND THEN AS THEY'RE CONSIDERING CASES COMING THROUGH, THEY'VE GOT THAT IN THE BACK OF THEIR MIND. SO I THINK THE COMMUNICATION REALLY AND THE INTERACTION IS GOING TO IS GOING TO LEAD THEM TO THAT, THAT PATH.
AND I'LL JUST SAY IT TO SAY IT.
I THINK IN THE PAST THAT COUNCIL HAS DONE THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND IT'S BEEN MORE OF A GOOD OLD BOY PROCESS THAT WE HAVEN'T TAKEN THE TIME TO ASK ACTUALLY ASK QUESTIONS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS? YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU THINK WE'RE DOING THIS? AND IT COULD BE FROM THAT WE CAN FORM BETTER OPINIONS AS TO WHETHER WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE ON CERTAIN ISSUES OR NOT, SO WE CAN DO SOME THINGS KIND OF IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS TO AFFECT THAT AS WELL.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON KIND OF TWEAKS TO IMPROVE THIS RELATIONSHIP? NO, YOU ALREADY TOUCHED ON.
YOU GOOD. OK. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, JIMMY, ON THE QUASI JUDICIAL BOARDS? NO, SIR. IS THERE ANYTHING WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT ON EITHER LAYER HERE, THE TOP OR THE BOTTOM LAYER OF THIS? I DON'T THINK SO. I MEAN, I THINK THAT BY OVERHAULING THE APPLICATION, I THINK IT RAISES THE BAR AND THE EXPECTATIONS.
AND SO I THINK THAT GETS THE BALL ROLLING.
AND THEN IT'S BACK IN THE COUNCIL'S COURT IN TERMS OF THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND WHAT
[00:35:02]
HAVE YOU. BUT I THINK THIS DEFINITELY GETS US ON THE RIGHT TRACK.THERE'S A SENSE OF URGENCY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE CHAIRS FILLED WITH RESPECT TO THESE BODIES.
SO WHAT IS THE SCENARIO WHERE WE CAN OPEN UP THE APPLICATION PROCESS HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? LIKE TIME FRAME? YEAH. I, SINCE ANDREA IS DOING THE HEAVY LIFTING, I HATE TO SPEAK ON YOUR BEHALF, BUT DEFINITELY LIKE TWO OR THREE WEEKS, DO YOU THINK? IS THAT REALISTIC? AGAIN, WE'VE ALREADY GOT SOME DRAFTS GOING.
I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WE WERE REALLY WAITING FOR TONIGHT TO KIND OF BE THE FINAL FEEDBACK AND THEN WE CAN GO AHEAD, FULL STEAM AHEAD.
THE MAIN THING IS WE'VE AND WE'VE GOT THINGS RED LINED AND DRAFTED TOO ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATION OF BUILDING AND STANDARDS.
SO WE'RE LIKE I SAID, WE'RE REALLY.
CODIFYING THOSE CHANGES. WE'RE REALLY JUST WAITING FOR FEEDBACK TONIGHT AND THEN WE'RE READY TO GO. SO THERE REALLY ISN'T A TIME CONSTRAINT.
SO WITH RESPECT TO THESE BODIES, WHAT MORE DO YOU NEED FROM US, DIRECTION WISE? KEEP TALKING. I MEAN, REALLY, I THINK I'VE GOT DIRECTION AS FAR AS THOSE GO.
IF WE SAY AS A COUNCIL, WE'RE INTERESTED IN OPENING UP THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO THE QUASI JUDICIAL BODIES.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU CAN PULL THE TRIGGER ON? YES. YES.
THOUGHTS HERE. IF WE ARE INTERESTED AS A BODY IN MOVING FORWARD ON THAT, WHEN CAN THAT WINDOW BE OPENED FOR APPLICATIONS? I MEAN, I THINK THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD.
I MEAN, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE THE BUILDING STANDARDS CODIFIED AT THAT POINT.
WE KNOW WHAT SPOTS WE'RE FILLING, ET CETERA.
I MEAN, I THINK WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS WE CAN HAVE THINGS OUT, ANNOUNCEMENTS OUT, APPLICATION FINALIZED AND OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN. THIS IS AS MUCH A STATEMENT AS IT AS A QUESTION, ANDREA, BUT I HEAR THAT WE'VE HAD DIFFICULTY EVEN MEETING QUORUM IN THE PAST RECENT PAST.
SO IN THE PAST, MAYOR, I KNOW THAT WE ASK ALL MEMBERS TO REAPPLY. DO YOU FEEL THAT NECESSARY AT THIS TIME AND HOW MANY MEMBERS DO WE HAVE THAT THEIR TERMS WOULD BE COMING TO CLOSURE? I THINK IT'S EVERY SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER IS WHEN WE INSTITUTE NEW MEMBERSHIP, BUT THERE'S I KNOW THERE'S A ROTATING PROCESS JUST LIKE THERE IS HERE ON COUNCIL.
SO HOW MANY DO WE HAVE COMING UP TO BE REPLACED? AND OF THOSE, HOW MANY ARE ACTIVE RIGHT NOW IN THE.
DO YOU JUST WANT TO KEEP THAT P&Z OR DO YOU WANT THE OTHER ONE, ALL OF THEM. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT. SO I'M GOING TO LET MICHAEL ANSWER SOME OF THAT, I KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN DELAYED SOMEWHAT FROM WHEN A LOT OF THOSE TERMS EXPIRED, I'VE GOT SEVERAL THAT ARE UP AND I DO.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM CONCERN THAT OCCURS ON A REGULAR BASIS OF A MIX OF THOSE THAT ARE EXPIRED AND NOT EXPIRED.
SO IS IT FAIR THEN THAT WE ASK THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THESE COMMITTEES REAPPLY? WHAT'S THE PULSE FOR US DOING THAT? I SEE A NODDING.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THE BOARDS? YES. QUASI JUDICIAL AND COMMUNITY.
YES, BECAUSE THEY'RE HAVING DIFFICULTY MAKING A QUORUM, TOO.
AND IF THERE'S JUST NOT AN INTEREST ANYMORE, IF YOU KNOW, THEN.
IN THE PAST, A FEW OF US REMEMBER WHEN WE DID A HARD RESET.
I THINK THE THOUGHT HERE IS NOT TO DO A HARD RESET, CORRECT? WELL, YEAH.
WHEN YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO REAPPLY, IT IS A HARD RESET.
YEAH, BUT THE MAYOR IS RECALLING A TIME WHEN THAT WAS ASKED TO DO.
IT WAS KIND OF A POLITICAL NIGHTMARE BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE THEY WERE GETTING THROWN OFF.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR NEW PEOPLE, SO YOU NEED TO LEAVE SO WE CAN DECIDE IF WE WANT SOMEBODY BETTER THAN YOU. THAT'S NOT.
THAT'S NOT HOW I'M LOOKING AT IT.
HOW I'M LOOKING AT IT IS IN THE PAST WHEN WE WOULD ASK PEOPLE TO COME IN AND APPLY.
I DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS STATED EARLIER IS THAT WE WERE LIKE THROWING DARTS AT A DARTBOARD, YOU KNOW? OK, SO THIS BOARD IS FULL.
WE'RE GOING TO THROW YOU OVER HERE AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT YOU WITH BEAUTIFICATION.
WELL, THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN FOURTH ON THEIR LIST.
SO WHAT I FEEL LIKE IS THAT THIS GIVES THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN MISPLACED ON A COMMISSION OR, YOU KNOW, ADVISORY BOARD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REAPPLY FOR SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE REALLY MORE INTERESTED IN.
[00:40:01]
I MEAN, WE HAD A THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE INTERESTED IN THE LIBRARY BOARD.REMEMBER THAT, DAN, THERE WAS A LOT OF THEM AND WE HAD MORE THAN WHAT WE REALLY NEEDED AT THE TIME. WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT BOARD IS CONTINUALLY MAKING QUORUM AND EVERYBODY SHOWING UP. IF SOMEBODY HAS MOVED AND, YOU KNOW, KIND OF READJUSTED.
IT'S JUST IF THERE'S SOMEBODY THAT WANTS TO BE REPLACED, READJUSTED.
WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I NOTICED WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT ALL THIS, THERE'S SEVERAL THAT HAVE EXPIRED.
I'D SAY WE'VE HAVE 70 PERCENT OF THEM ARE EXPIRED AND 30 PERCENT HAVE NOT.
SO WE'RE OPERATING WITH A LARGE HOLDOVER GROUP RIGHT NOW, I KNOW THAT.
THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM, IF THEY'RE ALREADY IF TERMS HAVE ALREADY EXPIRED, THEY WOULD HAVE REAPPLIED ANYWAYS.
SO THAT'S WHERE I'M KIND OF THINKING IS THAT HAVE THEM REAPPLY BECAUSE AGAIN, THEIR TERMS, LIKE YOU SAID, HAVE BEEN EXPIRED.
I THINK THIS IS WHERE THERE'S A BENEFIT IN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION BETWEEN QUASI JUDICIAL AND COMMUNITY.
QUASI JUDICIAL IT'S CLEAR WHAT THEY DO.
THERE'S NO I DON'T LIKE IT THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT PRETTY COLORS.
THEY KNOW WHAT THEY GOT TO DO.
AND WHEN THEY VOLUNTEER FOR IT, IT'S CLEAR.
SO I THINK WE HAVE THE ABILITY JUST TO SIMPLIFY THE CONVERSATION.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO SAY, GO ON THESE GROUPS, THE OTHERS.
WE CAN OPEN UP THE FORUM TO PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE FACT THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION.
BEFORE WE OPEN UP THE DOORS ON THE COMMUNITY GROUPS, WE HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE A REASON TO WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR THOSE GROUPS.
THERE'S A REASON WHY WE WERE FORCING PEOPLE INTO SLOTS BECAUSE IT WASN'T INTERESTING AND IT WASN'T ENTERTAINING ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO BE ON CERTAIN BOARDS.
AND THAT'S WHERE I WONDER IF THIS IS A DEEPER CONVERSATION AT THOSE LEVELS.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF GROUPS STRUGGLING ON THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THERE'S A SIMPLE ANSWER TO THOSE BOARDS BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST, TO BE HONEST, SOME OF THEM ARE STALE IN THEIR MISSION STATEMENT.
SOME OF THEM ARE HAVE MATURE INDIVIDUALS ON THAT GROUP, AND THEY NEED AN INJECTION OF YOUTH. AND IN ORDER TO GET AN INJECTION OF YOUTH, WE HAVE TO CREATE ENERGY FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR THOSE BOARDS.
AND UNTIL WE ADDRESS THAT, WE'RE KIND OF GOING THROUGH THE SAME CYCLE IS MY CONCERN ON THOSE GROUPS, THOSE COMMUNITY GROUPS.
AND THAT'S JUST MY TWO CENTS WHAT I'M SEEING HERE.
BUT I THINK ON THE QUASI JUDICIAL.
I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT NO REASON NOT TO GO ON THESE GROUPS, AND THEY ARE THE ONES THAT WE ARE RELYING ON TO DO SOME HEAVY LIFTING.
IS THERE A SO THEN WE'RE BACK TO.
YOU'RE HAVING QUORUM ISSUES WITH PLANNING AND ZONING.
CORRECT. ARE YOU NOW HAVING QUORUM ISSUES WITH BUILDING AND STANDARDS AND ZBA? WE AREN'T CORRECT. WE AREN'T NOW THAT THE OTHER CAN HELP THE OTHER OUT.
YES, BUT THAT BOARD HAS BOTH OF THOSE HAVE REDUCED IN SIZE AS INDIVIDUALS HAVE MOVED ON AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE FOUR CURRENT PEOPLE ON PLANNING AND ZONING WHOSE TERMS ARE UP, AND THERE'S ONE OPEN POSITION WHOSE TERM IS UP AND THAT LEAVES.
TWO, THREE, FOUR PEOPLE WHOSE TERMS WOULD BE UP AND ONE OPEN SPOT, I'M SORRY, IN SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THIS YEAR.
SO ESSENTIALLY THE WHOLE GROUP BY SEPTEMBER.
HOW CONCERNED ARE WE ABOUT REAPPLYING WITH THAT GROUP? WELL, THIS IS THIS IS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS ON THE SURVEY OF THE MEMBERS TOO.
IT WAS INTERESTING THEY WERE WILLING TO SERVE ON OTHER COMMISSIONS.
SO MAYBE WE NEED TO LET THEM HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
YEAH. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A MISS AT IS WHEN WE INTERVIEW FOR THESE POSITIONS.
OFTENTIMES THE ONES THAT HAVE ALREADY SERVED DON'T HAVE TO RE-INTERVIEW.
THEY JUST GO, THEY'RE JUST ALLOWED TO CONTINUE, CONTINUE, CONTINUE.
WE DON'T REALLY SAY, COME BACK IN INTERVIEW.
AND SO THEN YOU DON'T YOU DON'T EVER GET TO MOVE AROUND UNLESS YOU PULL YOURSELF OFF AND THEN REAPPLY. BUT MAYBE, MAYBE WE JUST ASK THEM IF THEY'D LIKE TO REALIGN THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, AND INTERVIEW FOR ANOTHER POSITION.
SO DO WE HAVE A STICKING POINT ON EVERYONE RE-UPPING ON THE QUASI JUDICIAL BOARDS? YEP. MAYOR, CAN I BRING SOMETHING UP? AND BRYN HAD MENTIONED IT'S A GREAT POINT THAT LEGALLY ZBA MEMBERS CAN'T BE REMOVED.
I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT STATE CRITERIA.
AND THE ONLY REASON I MENTION THIS BECAUSE IF THERE ARE ZBA MEMBERS.
ONLY ZBA, WHAT ABOUT P&Z? THEY CAN BE REMOVED ANY TIME AND SO ZBA, THE REASON I MENTION IS BECAUSE IF Y'ALL APPOINT BACKWARDS, ZBA.
[00:45:03]
YES. ZBA MEMBERS AS BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION MEMBERS.BUT YET SOME OF THE ZBA MEMBERS AREN'T ARE GOING TO ROLL OFF.
I'M JUST SAYING TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION THAT UNLESS THEY VOLUNTARILY RESIGN, WE CAN'T. WE CAN'T MAKE THEM REAPPLY IF THEIR TERM ISN'T UP YET.
MICHAEL, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY ON ZBA? YES, IT'S BUILDING AND STANDARDS WHERE WE HAVE VERY FEW PEOPLE.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON WELL, ZBA IS DOWN ACTUALLY TWO REGULAR POSITIONS AND THEN ONE ALTERNATE POSITION.
BUT BUILDING STANDARDS THAT HAS, SORRY.
OH THERE ARE 10 POSITIONS, I MEAN, FIVE ARE ALTERNATES, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE TWO REGULAR MEMBERS RIGHT NOW.
TWO ON BUILDING AND STANDARDS.
OKAY, JIMMY. WHAT'S THE PATH HERE? I THINK IF THE COUNCIL IS ON BOARD WITH HAVING EVERYONE RE-UP, THEN WE MOVE FORWARD MINUS THE ZBA. YES, SIR.
AND THEN I WOULD I MEAN, MY RECOMMENDATION BASED ON YOUR QUESTION WOULD BE ANYONE THAT'S ON ZBA THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAVE TO RE-UP, APPOINT THEM TO BUILDING STANDARDS COMMISSION.
AND THEN WHEN THEIR TERM'S UP, THE COUNCIL CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR MEMBERSHIP ON EITHER OR BOTH BOARDS.
SO WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT NOW THAN WE WERE TWO YEARS AGO.
DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MARKET THIS STEP? ABSOLUTELY. OK.
GOOD ANSWER. YEAH, SHE JUST SMILES.
OK, WHAT DO Y'ALL THINK COUNCIL? JUST ONE QUESTION. COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES. THE PLANNING AND ZONING, THE NEW APPLICATION FOR THE PLANNING AND ZONING. IS THAT GOING TO ALSO COVER ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS OR IS THAT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE WERE MENTIONING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE SPECIFIC APPLICATION FOR P&Z.
SO WE WERE WE WERE ACTUALLY, I THINK WE WERE KIND OF GOING BACK AND FORTH ON THAT.
BUT ULTIMATELY, WE HAVE A PRETTY THOROUGH APPLICATION FOR ALL THE COURTS AND STANDARDS.
SO WE WERE SIMPLY GOING TO ADD ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THAT WHERE IF YOU WERE INTERESTED IN PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, YOU HAD TO ANSWER THESE THREE TO FOUR ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ON THAT APPLICATION.
SO IT REALLY WAS JUST A MERGING OF MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WHERE IF YOU SHOW AN INTEREST IN P&Z, YOU NEED TO FILL OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR INTERESTS AND HOW IT ALIGNS WITH THE WITH THE VISION OF THE OF THE P&Z.
AND THAT THAT RAISES WHAT ABOUT 4B? SAME THING? WE IF YOU'VE GOT SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON 4B, WE CAN DO THE SAME TYPE OF THING THAT WE COULD DO WITH PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
DO YOU OK, THE CHANGES YOU'RE MAKING THE APPLICATION IS THERE A NEED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL ON THOSE? I DON'T BELIEVE SO, I THINK AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO PICK SOME QUESTIONS THAT REALLY PULL OUT THE INDIVIDUAL'S INTEREST AND WHY THEY'RE LOOKING AT PLANNING AND ZONING. I'M NOT SURE IF THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS WOULD APPLY TO 4B AS WELL.
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO CATER IT TO WHERE THEY'RE THEY DO.
WHO'S WORKING ON THIS ON YOUR SIDE? SO WES AND I AND THEN MICHAEL IS.
OK. CAN Y'ALL SIT DOWN WITH THE WITH THE COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE AND WORK THROUGH THAT QUICKLY? ABSOLUTELY.
ANYTHING ELSE? OK? QUASI JUDICIAL.
WE HAVE WE HAVE A FEELING OF HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT CORRECT? ANYTHING WE'RE MISSING. I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION, AS IT WAS STATED IN THE PAST THAT USUALLY IF YOU'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD, YOU DON'T GET RE-INTERVIEWED.
LET'S START INTERVIEWING EVERYBODY.
INTERVIEW EVERYBODY. OK. AGREED.
OK. AND THEN SO WE'LL OPEN UP FOR APPLICATION PROCESS.
WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK. WE'RE GOING TO DO FORMAL INTERVIEWS.
4B ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON 4B? THAT'S A CORPORATION 4B HAS ONE OPENING RIGHT NOW.
IS THAT CORRECT? COUNCIL APPOINTS MEMBERS OF THIS BODY TO IT.
DO WE DO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS NEED TO REAPPLY IN SOME FORM OR FASHION BECAUSE I'M OUT.
OK. ALL RIGHT. OK, SO CLEAR DIRECTION ON QUASI JUDICIAL.
YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. LET'S DO COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, BOB. OK, SO LET'S GO.
NO, LET'S GO EASY. TEEN COURT ADVISORY BOARD DO WE HAVE A CLEAR DEFINITION OF OUR OPINIONS OF GOING FORWARD WITH TEEN ADVISORY? COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN.
BECAUSE IT'S A COOPERATION WITH ALL THREE CITIES.
DO WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THREE CITIES IN AGREEMENT TO DISSOLVE THIS? SO I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MAYORS OF OUR ADJOINING CITIES AND THEY LIKE THIS.
[00:50:04]
THERE WAS A TIME WHERE THEY LIKE THIS MOVE.I HAVEN'T NOT TALKED WITH THEM HERE LATELY, BUT.
OKAY. YES. ALL RIGHT. SO WE GET THEIR SIGN OFF.
AND YEAH, IF THEY DON'T AGREE WITH JUST POINT YOU TO IT.
OK, SO NO DISSENSION ON TEEN COURT ADVISORY BOARD, LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD.
THERE WAS NO SUGGESTIONS HERE.
WELL, NUMBER ONE, THEY ALSO SERVE QUITE A LONG TIME AND THEY RUN PRETTY SMOOTHLY, I THINK. DON'T YOU BOTH THINK THAT THAT'S THE CASE THEY RUN VERY SMOOTHLY? DEDICATED MANY OF OUR LIBRARIANS, SUPER EDUCATED INDIVIDUALS, AND THEY HAD SOME IDEAS, BUT MOST OF THEM DID UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WERE ADVISING BASICALLY MARIA WHEN SHE COMES IN FORTH WITH A POLICY.
THEY'RE THE ONES THAT VOTE TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC. SO WHETHER I THINK IT WAS, SHE BROUGHT UP WHAT HATE EVEN SAY IT.
BUT THE BANNING OF BOOKS, SO THEY HAVE A POLICY FOR DEALING WITH THAT NOW.
SO THE ADVISORY BOARD WOULD BE THE ONE TO SAY THAT POLICY SOUNDS FINE OR THIS POLICY NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
SO THEY DID UNDERSTAND THAT TO BE THE CHAIR THOUGHT THAT THEY SHOULD MAYBE BE EVOLVED A LITTLE BIT MORE.
BUT THEN WE EXPLAINED IT TO HER THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE REALLY FOR.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE GOT THE IDEA THAT PERHAPS ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE SOME TYPE OF ADVISORY BOARD.
SO. OK, SO NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD.
OK, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STRUCTURE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIMIT, WE'RE REDUCING THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS TO FIVE.
THAT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE STAFF LIAISON.
WHAT IS IT RIGHT NOW? SEVEN, NINE? 10, 11, 13, 15 17.
IT'S SEVEN RESIDENTS AND THEN TWO MEMBERS OF AN ARTS ORGANIZATION.
OK, GOT IT. SO THE ONLY REAL SUGGESTION THERE I KNOW WE HAVE SOME GENERAL SUGGESTIONS, BUT ONLY REAL SUGGESTION THERE IS REDUCING THE HEAD COUNT.
WELL, THE CHAIR CAME IN AND SHE SAID THAT IT WAS PRETTY FRUSTRATING FOR HER BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONLY BOARD THAT HAD A STRATEGIC PLAN AND SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE WOULD BE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THEM WHEN ALL THE REST OF THEM DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE ONE.
AND THEN SHE ALSO STATED THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A BUDGET AND EVERYBODY ELSE HAD A BUDGET.
EVERYBODY ELSE HAD MONEY, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO SPEND, SO IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS. I PUT THIS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF THE DUCK IS ABOVE WATER AND BELOW WATER, AND LET'S COME BACK TO THE BELOW WATER CONVERSATION BECAUSE THAT WELL, BECAUSE THE SPEAKERS] IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE TO ME.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I'M GLAD FOR YOU.
BUT YOU KNOW IT IS THURSDAY, SO YOU KNOW.
WELL, SO. SO HERE'S MY THOUGHT IS THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HAVING TO CREATE A REASON FOR PEOPLE TO WANT TO VOLUNTEER FOR THOSE BOARDS, THAT'S THAT CONVERSATION.
AND IF I THINK IF WE MODERNIZE THE DIRECTIVES OF THESE GROUPS AND THE PURPOSE OF THESE GROUPS, THAT THAT'S WHERE THAT CONVERSATION COMES INTO PLAY.
WELL, I WOULD SAY, BECAUSE NOW THAT WE HAVE A CULTURAL DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR OF CULTURE, I THINK IT HAS A DIRECTION NOW.
YOU KNOW, AND SHE HAS A DIRECTION THAT SHE WANTS TO WORK FOR TOWARDS AND.
BUT WE WILL NEED TO CODIFY THIS AND MARKET IT AND MARKET IT.
YEAH, I JUST THINK THAT SHE SHE'S GOT SHE'S GOT IN MIND WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO ADVISE, ADVISE IS WHAT COMES DOWN TO.
OK. SO FROM A STRUCTURAL STANDPOINT, WE TWEAK THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN THIS GROUP, AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE RECOMMENDATION STRUCTURALLY CORRECT.
IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMBER TOO, THOUGH.
THEY I THINK WE HEARD THAT THEY'RE REALLY WANTING PEOPLE AGAIN, HAVE THAT SPECIFIC INTEREST. YES.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING. AND I THINK IT DEPENDS, TOO.
THIS IS PUTTING A LOT ON MOLLY'S SHOULDERS, BUT THE WAY THAT THIS IS PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC AND THROUGH THE CULTURAL DIRECTORS DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES, THE THINGS THAT SHE WANTS TO DO WHEN THAT'S PUT OUT THERE, I THINK THAT'S GOING TO DRAW THOSE PEOPLE IN THAT HAVE THAT CREATIVE MIND, YOU KNOW, AND THAT REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING EXCITING AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE ARTS AND THE CULTURE.
ABSOLUTELY. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO WORK ON THE STRUCTURE THEY WANT SOMEBODY. WELL, TO ME THAT I AGREE THAT IT, BUT THAT IS ALSO THAT WE HAVE TO SIT HERE AND NOW SET STAFF LOOSE TO HOW DO WE MAKE THIS SEXY? AND THAT'S THE FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION TO THIS RIGHT HERE AND NOW MR.
[00:55:01]
GAGLIARDI'S INTERESTED FOR SOME REASON.I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW IF I THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE IT SEXY.
NO, I'M PUTTING THAT ON JIMMY STATHATOS TODAY.
BUT MY DEAL IS IS I THINK THAT BECAUSE OF KRISSI.
IT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
I'M MERELY TRYING TO GUIDE THE CONVERSATION SO THAT WE GIVE CLEAR.
WELL, I'M TRYING TO GUIDE IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
OK, THEN FEEL FREE TO DO THAT.
FEEL FREE TO DO THAT. IT'S REALLY ROB.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? I GET IT. BUT.
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT EVERYTHING HAS TO COME FROM US, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE SAID. I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
THE STAFF IS VERY WELL AWARE, VERY AWARE OF OUR VISION.
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. AND SO WE DON'T WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE THEM THAT DIRECTION BECAUSE THE STAFF ALREADY KNOWS THE DIRECTION AND THAT WOULD INVOLVE KRISSI. SHE WOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT TO DO, AND SHE'S VERY AWARE OF WHAT'S OUT.
WE'RE IN 100 PERCENT AGREEMENT.
OK. I'M JUST TRYING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN A MINUTE RATHER THAN RIGHT NOW.
DID YOU HAVE SOME? QUESTION ABOUT THE STRUCTURE.
YEAH. YEAH. SO INITIALLY WE HAVE TWO ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ON THERE.
I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE DOING AWAY WITH THAT REQUIREMENT, HAVING THE ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ON THERE OR WE'RE KEEPING THAT? SAY THAT AGAIN. AS OF RIGHT NOW ON THE CULTURAL COMMISSION, THERE NEEDS TO BE REPRESENTATION OF ARTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE WE KEEPING THAT AS PART OF THE STRUCTURE OR WE'RE DOING AWAY WITH THAT? WHAT WAS THE RECOMMENDATION? SEE, KRISSI ACTUALLY RECOMMENDED THAT WE HAVE INDEPENDENT PEOPLE, PEOPLE THAT WERE MORE INTERESTED IN THE ARTS THAN ACTUALLY PEOPLE PULLING OFF THE ARTS.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WAS SAID TO US IS THAT CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONS, THEY THEY SERVE ON THE BOARD TO PROMOTE THEMSELVES, AND WE CAN'T HAVE THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT IS STRICTLY TO PROMOTE THE CITY THINGS SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS BROUGHT UP. UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, THERE WERE ONLY TWO PEOPLE THAT EVEN ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS ON THE SURVEY. SO THAT'S ALL WE GOT OUT OF THAT GROUP.
AND THE CHAIR, THE CHAIR WAS FRUSTRATED, NO DOUBT, ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON THERE.
BUT SHE DID SAY THAT EVERYBODY THAT WAS SERVING WAS VERY, VERY HELPFUL, AND KRISSI SAID THEY WERE ALL VERY HELPFUL.
SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
OK, OK. ALL RIGHT. SO BIFURCATION, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MERGING, BEAUTIFICATION AND PARKS.
CORRECT. WAS THERE A FEELING THOSE THINGS WOULD JUST IN SOME FORM OR FASHION BE KIND OF CO-OPERATING BOARDS? HOW WERE YOU LOOKING AT THAT MAKEUP? WELL, SO BEAUTIFICATION WITH WHAT THEY DO PRESENTLY ALWAYS TAKES A LOT OF HELP, AND THEY FELT. BUT THEN WE WERE ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT THE FACT THAT STAFF BUDGET ALL THAT SORT OF THING NEEDS TO BE PART OF THE EQUATION, DON HANDLES BOTH GROUPS LIKE HE IS THE LIAISON FOR BOTH GROUPS. WE TALKED TO DON.
HE SAID THAT HE COULD HANDLE IT IN TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.
HE COULD EITHER HANDLE IT AS ONE BIG GROUP OR HE COULD HANDLE IT AS TWO SEGMENTS LIKE BEAUTIFICATION WOULD BE HANDLED IN ONE HOUR AND PARKS AND REC.
BUT IN THE HOPES THAT PARKS AND REC AND I THINK MR. STEVES DID A LOT OF THAT, HE WAS ALWAYS ON PARKS AND REC, BUT HE ALWAYS ATTENDED THE BEAUTIFICATION THINGS.
BUT WE WERE HOPING THAT THERE WOULD BE MORE OF A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO.
AND SO WHEN BEAUTIFICATION NEEDED HELP, THEY WOULD COME IN.
PARKS REALLY LIKES TO BE JUST ADVISORY.
IT'S APPARENT THEY DON'T REALLY LIKE THE LABOR.
AND THEN, LIKE RUTH SAID, MARTY COMMENTED THAT IT'S JUST IT'S VERY TIRING, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WOULD PREFER NOT TO HAVE TO SUPERVISE TEEN COURT PEOPLE.
THAT WAS ASKING A LOT OF THEM.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK MY OBSERVATION, I THINK YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS ARE OBSERVING THE EVOLUTION OF THE BOARD.
IT USED TO BE THAT THAT BOARD WAS YOUNGER, THAT IT WAS EASIER TO GET PEOPLE TO VOLUNTEER FOR THAT BOARD. BUT IT I'M NOT GOING TO DWELL ON, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE THE SEXINESS TO IT.
AND SO IT'S NOW CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTIVE, CONSTRUCTED WITH MATURE PEOPLE.
AND YEAH, THEY'RE DOING A LOT.
NO WONDER THEY'RE TIRED BECAUSE IT'S AN ACTUAL WORKING COMMISSION.
THEY'RE OUT THERE ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES AND DOING THINGS.
SO THAT'S A PRODUCT OF OVER THE YEARS THAT WE'VE JUST BEEN FORCING SOMEONE ON THOSE BOARDS AND THOSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE STAYING POWER.
AND IT JUST COMES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR YEARS.
SO IT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU GUYS OBSERVED IN YOUR SURVEYS.
SO I GUESS THE QUESTION, SO IS THIS AN APPROPRIATE QUESTION FOR US TO GIVE STAFF ABOUT HOW BEST TO MERGE THESE TWO AND TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY CHAIRS THERE ARE?
[01:00:01]
I MEAN, HOW MANY SEATS THERE ARE ON THIS COMBINED GROUP? YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATION WITH RESPECT TO HOW MANY BODIES? NO, WE DIDN'T REALLY.PERHAPS ONE GROUP IS MORE INTERESTED IN BEING ADVISORY AND THE OTHER GROUPS MORE INTERESTED IN ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES, SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY CONDUCIVE TO THEM WORKING IN THE SAME DIRT TOGETHER.
SO THIS WILL BE, I THINK PUTTING THESE TWO GROUPS TOGETHER WILL BE AN INTERESTING ADVENTURE FOR STAFF TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THOSE TO WORK SEAMLESSLY.
SO WE ALL WE ALL FEEL COMFORTABLE ABOUT THIS MOVE.
ALL RIGHT. THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMISSION.
SO NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING A HARD LEFT WITH THIS GROUP, CORRECT? YEP. OKAY. AND SO THE THOUGHT PROCESS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS THAT A LOT OF THE FUNCTIONS THAT COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMISSION WAS ENGAGING IN IS ARE THINGS THAT WHERE IN THE PAST WE DID NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE MANPOWER TO DO IT, NOR DID WE HAVE THE RIGHT PERSONNEL TO DO IN THE PAST.
SO THIS GROUP WAS DOING SOME OF THAT VISIONING WITH RESPECT TO BLOCK PARTIES, WITH RESPECT TO THE RESIDENTIAL ROUNDTABLES, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE THIS IN-HOUSE, IS THAT CORRECT, JIMMY, THAT WE HAVE THE APPROPRIATE STAFF TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE THIS OURSELVES? YES, SIR. OK. AND SO THAT'S THE GIST OF WHERE 'ALL ARE GOING WITH THIS, CORRECT? COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI. WELL, WELL, THANK YOU FOR CALLING ON ME, MAYOR.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO SPENT THE COUNTLESS HOURS PUTTING THE PRESENTATION TOGETHER AND GOING THROUGH ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
I STARTED ON THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMISSION ALONG WITH ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER, ALMENDAREZ. AND THROUGH MY YEARS ON THE CAC, WE DID A LOT OF A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS.
AND I HAD SOME, SOME SIDE DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE OF COURSE, COVID HAS SORT OF SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN.
AND SO SOME OF THE NEW STAFF WERE UNAWARE OF THE IMPACT THAT THE BLOCK PARTIES HAVE HAD AND HAVING TO DO A LOT OF THAT MANUAL LABOR OR AROUND THE MANUAL LABOR.
AND IT WAS IT WAS HUGELY IMPACTFUL.
WE DO BASICALLY WHAT THE BLOCK PARTY WAS IS WE WOULD UNDER THE DIRECTION OF AT THE TIME, CHAIRMAN CARUSO, HE WOULD, YOU WOULD FIND DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND WE WOULD HAVE LITERALLY HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS COME TO THESE BLOCK PARTIES.
AND THEN SO LET'S SAY WE HAD A BLOCK PARTY ON THE SOUTH SOUTHWEST SIDE OF TOWN.
WE WOULD PULL BUSINESSES FROM THE NORTH EAST SIDE OF TOWN.
AND SO SOME BUSINESSES THAT WOULDN'T NORMALLY GET ANY PENETRATION IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CITY WOULD SORT OF BE SEEN.
SO AND I, YOU KNOW, AND BEING A PART OF THOSE AND HONESTLY, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I'M SITTING HERE, RIGHT, IS BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND THE HAND IN HAND.
NOW, GRANTED, WE DID NOT HAVE THE STAFF THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TODAY, MOLLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND IF WE CAN PASS THAT ON AND WE DON'T LOSE IT BECAUSE I WOULD VERY MUCH HATE TO LOSE THE BLOCK PARTIES.
AND THAT INTERACTION, I THINK, WAS HUGE.
AND YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THE OTHER, THE BUSINESS AND RESIDENTIAL ROUNDTABLES, I MEAN THAT YOU COULD ARGUE THAT THE SAME 10 OR 15 PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THEM.
YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE AND I'VE SEEN IT.
SO IF THERE ARE WAYS TO STREAMLINE THAT AND WITH THE COMMUNICATION WHICH THE NEW STAFF IS DOING AND IT'S WONDERFUL AWARD WINNING, SOME WOULD SAY SO.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, I MEAN, IT SADDENS ME.
IT SADDENS ME TO SEE THAT THE CAC HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED TO BE DISSOLVED.
BUT JUST DON'T LOSE, PLEASE, LET'S NOT LOSE THE BLOCK PARTIES.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT MR. GAGLIARDI. SO IT'S OUR OPINION THAT WE DON'T LOSE ANYTHING BY THAT ALL THESE FUNCTIONS THAT THAT COMMUNITY AFFAIRS HAS BEEN ABLE TO WORK ON IN PAST YEARS HAD A HEAVY STAFF INVOLVEMENT AS WELL.
SO I GUESS THE ONLY QUESTION TO ME IS, ARE WE COMMITTED TO DOING THOSE THINGS GOING FORWARD WITHOUT A COMMUNITY AFFAIRS? ABSOLUTELY, AND THIS IS NOT TO TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM THE VOLUNTEERS OR ANY PRIOR EVENTS AT ALL. BUT IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE LIKE ANY OTHER CITY, BUT IT IS VERY COMMON FOR CITY STAFFS AND VOLUNTEERS TO CARRY OUT THE TYPE OF EVENTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO I THINK THE CONTINUITY OF STAFF, IN ADDITION TO VOLUNTEERS, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE
[01:05:02]
THAT ARE ON BOARDS OR NOT, IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE EVENT EVERY YEAR AND MULTIPLE EVENTS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS STATED IS Y'ALL WANT TO HAVE A LOT MORE EVENTS, A LOT MORE PUBLIC INTERACTION AND SINCE STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE LEGALLY FOR IMPLEMENTING THE COUNCIL'S VISION.JUST KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT.
AND IF ANY TIME, IF THERE'S SOMETHING Y'ALL LIKE TO SEE DIFFERENT.
BUT NO, THE BLOCK PARTIES ARE HERE TO STAY.
ABSOLUTELY. AND SO I SEE THIS AS A POSITIVE AND TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
I DON'T SEE IT AS A NO THANK YOU OR ANYTHING TO THE VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF THAT HAVE GOTTEN US TO THIS POINT. SO I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THE BLOCK PARTIES, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, [INAUDIBLE] THEY WERE.
THEY MADE A REALLY BIG IMPACT.
ABSOLUTELY. WHEN WE HAD A BLOCK PARTY AT MY KIDS SCHOOL A LONG TIME AGO AT SHADY BROOK, YEAH, THE KIDS WERE JUST SO EXCITED TO SEE POLICE THERE WITH THE SWAT AND THE TANK AND THE ANIMAL SHELTER WAS THERE AND SO MANY ANIMALS GOT ADOPTED.
SO I THINK IT WAS A REALLY GREAT OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO SHOWCASE WHAT WE HAVE AS THE CITY, BUT ALSO A LOT OF PEOPLE STARTED VISITING THE BUSINESSES THAT DID COME, SO IT GENERATED MORE BUSINESS.
AND YEAH, AND TO ME, THIS IN NO WAY IS MEANT TO DEMEAN THE EFFORT THAT WAS THAT WAS DONE FOR YEARS AND THE CONTRIBUTION THAT COMMUNITY AFFAIRS MADE.
I MEAN, CLEARLY, IT CONNECTED US TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT THERE WAS A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING. THERE WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK DONE BY THAT GROUP.
IT WAS A GREAT PARTY AND THEN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
BUT DIDN'T THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE BUSINESSES AND GIVE AWARDS AND HAVE GATHERINGS LIKE THAT TOO? I THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING GREAT THAT IF WE COULD STILL INCORPORATE.
IF ANYTHING, I GUESS MY TAKE OFF IN ELIMINATING THIS BOARD IS REALLY KIND OF A TESTIMONY TO HOW MUCH PROGRESS JIMMY HAS MADE AND STAFF HAS MADE WITH GETTING US CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE CAC REALLY WORKED TO BE PART OF THAT BRIDGE IN THE PAST.
BUT NOW WE'RE KIND OF LIVING IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT NOW WITH KIND OF THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'VE MADE TO MAKE US MORE RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IT'S KIND OF TESTIMONY TO THAT.
YEAH. ANY SO IS ARE WE IN AGREEMENT HERE? OKAY. SO LET'S THAT'S PARKS LIBRARY CULTURAL.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE A CLEAR FEELING ON HOW WE STAND ON THESE BOARDS? YES, SIR. SO THE NEXT STEP IS, DO WE FEEL LIKE THERE IS A NEED TO I KNOW THERE'S MORE DIRECTION IN YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS HERE WITH RESPECT TO STAFF LIAISONS KIND OF TAKING MORE CONTROL OF THESE THINGS IS THIS AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO HAND THIS OVER TO STAFF TO KIND OF TAKE SOME OF THESE SUGGESTIONS AND NOW INCORPORATE THEM INTO A CLEAR DIRECTIVE OF HOW THESE BOARDS OPERATE GOING FORWARD? IS THIS THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO SAY THAT, OR IS THERE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAT WE NEED HERE TO DO THAT? OK, THAT'S A YES.
OK. ARE YOU TAKING THIS AS A DIRECTIVE TO NOW THE BALL'S IN YOUR HANDS.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO NOW TAKE THIS NEW DIRECTION AND MODERNIZE THESE BOARDS WITH DIRECTION AND WITH RESPECT TO OUR VISION.
YES, SIR, ABSOLUTELY. AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE SIDEBAR I WAS TRYING TO CLARIFY.
OK, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON? I KNOW WE'RE DRAGGING HERE A LITTLE BIT.
OK, COUNCIL, ARE YOU OK WITH JUST MOVING FORWARD HERE? YOU WANT TO TAKE A BREAK? DO YOU REALLY WANT TO? OKAY. OK, THANK YOU, STAFF.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THIS I KNOW THE WORK ISN'T ENTIRELY DONE, BUT THAT WAS A LOT OF EFFORT THAT THE THREE OF Y'ALL DID.
[CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ITEMS BY CONSENT]
SO NOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO CONSIDER BY CONSENT.SO I'LL GIVE YOU A CITY MANAGER JIMMY STATHATOS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL, WE'VE GOT SEVERAL ITEMS, SO I'LL BE QUICK.
I'LL BE BRIEF, BUT I'LL BE THOROUGH.
I KNOW IT'S KIND OF AN OXYMORON.
BUT WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THE FIRST ITEM IS THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FOR THE JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH REGULAR MEETING.
THE NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT WITH HEB ISD FOR COOPERATIVE PURCHASING OF GOODS, PRODUCTS AND SERVICES.
BASICALLY, WE UTILIZE INTER LOCAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENTS AND IT'S AUTHORIZED BY CHAPTER 791 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.
AND WE HAVE THEM WITH SEVERAL AREA CITIES AND TARRANT COUNTY.
IN FACT, ONE OF THEM TONIGHT WITH THE CITY OF KELLER WILL BE REFERENCING.
[01:10:01]
AND SO THIS JUST WILL EXTEND THAT REGIONAL COOPERATION WITH HEB ISD.THE NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDER RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO UTILIZE THE CITY OF KELLER'S BULK MATERIALS AND HAUL OFF CONTRACT WITH LOWRY SAND AND GRAVEL INC.
IT IS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS THROUGH A MASTER INTER LOCAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASE AND AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF KELLER.
THE CITY OF KELLER HAS ENTERED INTO THIS CONTRACT WITH LOWRY SAND AND GRAVEL, AND WE'RE BASICALLY PIGGYBACKING ON THIS CONTRACT TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE BULK MATERIALS SUCH AS SAND, TOPSOIL AND ROCK AND TO PROVIDE HAUL OFF SERVICES.
THIS AGREEMENT WILL PROVIDE THE CITY OF BEDFORD WITH A RELIABLE SOURCE OF BULK MATERIALS AT BID PRICES THAT KELLER PERFORMED.
THE NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDERED A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE CHANGE ORDER NUMBER ONE WITH ATKINS BROTHERS EQUIPMENT CO.
IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE DOLLARS FOR THE FOREST RIDGE 12 INCH WATER LINE PROJECT.
THAT'S A SWIFT PROJECT THROUGH TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER LINE ON WALTER STREET.
ATKINS BROTHERS EQUIPMENT COMPANY WAS AWARDED THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT ON MAY [INAUDIBLE] MAY 25, 2021 FOR A 12 INCH WATER LINE AND THE SCOPE IS FROM BEDFORD ROAD TO HARWOOD ROAD. THE CHANGE ORDER IS IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SEVEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE DOLLARS AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER LINE IN WALTER STREET BETWEEN BEDFORD COURT EAST TO CHERYL AVENUE.
AND THIS WILL BE DONE PRIOR TO THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE STREET AS PART OF THE FORTY SEVENTH YEAR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.
WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING THE BEST VALUE FOR THE WATER LINE REPLACEMENT BY ADDING THE WORK TO AN EXISTING PROJECT INSTEAD OF CONTEMPLATING IT SEPARATELY AND POTENTIALLY INCREASING THE PRICE TO THE RESIDENTS.
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH BMB WRECKER SERVICES.
THEY'LL PROVIDE TOWING AND STORAGE FOR CITY INITIATED VEHICLE TOWS.
IN 1996, THE CITY OF BEDFORD BEGAN CONTRACTING FOR CITY INITIATED VEHICLE TOWS.
THE SCOPE OF THE CONTRACT WAS TO PROVIDE VEHICLE SERVICE.
I'M SORRY, VEHICLE WRECKER AND STORAGE SERVICES FOR CITY INITIATED TOWS.
AND I KEEP SAYING CITY INITIATED TOWS BECAUSE THAT'S VERY PARTICULAR AND I WANT TO NARROW THE SCOPE. THESE TOWS WOULD BE THE RESULT OF ABANDONED VEHICLES, JUNK MOTOR VEHICLES, AUTOMOBILE COLLISIONS, AND IT WOULD BE IN THE EVENT THE OWNER OR THE DRIVER OF A VEHICLE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT FAILS OR REFUSES TO DESIGNATE A WRECKER SERVICE.
FINALLY, WE'VE GOT AN ITEM TO CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SALE AND CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AT THE CITY OF BEDFORD SPECIAL EVENTS THAT ARE HELD AT OLD BEDFORD SCHOOL AND BARK PARK.
THE ITEM IS TO CONSIDER THE SALE AND CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL AT UPCOMING AND FUTURE CITY EVENTS HELD AT THESE VENUES.
MANY OF THE EVENTS THAT ARE HELD AT OLD BEDFORD SCHOOL AND BARK PARK WOULD BE ENHANCED BY THE ABILITY TO SELL AND CONSUME ALCOHOL.
THESE EVENTS HAVE MODEST ATTENDANCE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS IN SUPPORT OF THIS REQUEST ON A CONDITION THAT AN OFFICER BE ON SITE AND THAT WILL BE COMPLIED WITH.
OK COUNCIL MEMBER CULVER. JIMMY, IS THERE A REASON WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THE GENERATIONS PARK IN THIS? THE ONLY. WE COULD INCLUDE IT. THE ONLY REASON WE DIDN'T IS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT Y'ALL TO FEEL LIKE WE WERE JUST ASKING FOR A CARTE BLANCHE.
SINCE THE PARK WASN'T FINISHED YET, WE PLAN ON COMING BACK.
SO IS IT EASIER TO INCLUDE IT TONIGHT OR TO TO WAIT? CAN WE INCLUDE IT IF IT WASN'T NOTICED? IT MAY BE LEGALLY QUESTIONABLE, SINCE WE DIDN'T NOTICE IT FOR THE ADDITIONAL PARK JUST FROM [INAUDIBLE]. I APOLOGIZE.
WE WERE OPERATING KIND OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.
COUNCIL QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, MOTIONS.
OK. MOTION TO APPROVE MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL.
I GOT A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES.
WE'RE GOING TO BE VERBAL AGAIN. EVERYONE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
SEVEN ZERO. THAT'S ALREADY GOT YOU AS YES.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU COUNCIL THANK YOU STAFF.
MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM SEVEN, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER A REQUEST FOR
[7. Public hearing and consider a request for a Specific Use Permit to allow the expansion of a church property, legally described as Lot 2, Block 1 of the St. Vincent’s Addition, commonly known as 1717 Schumac Lane, Bedford, Texas, and consisting of 3.742 acres. The property is generally located on the north side of Schumac Lane, east of Forest Ridge Drive. (PZ-SUP-2021-0000092) (Item was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission by a vote of 5-0-0)]
A SPECIAL FOR A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT TO ALLOW THE EXPANSION OF A CHURCH PROPERTY LEGALLY DESCRIBED AS LOT TWO BLOCK ONE OF THE ST.VINCENT'S ADDITION, COMMONLY KNOWN AS 1717 SCHUMAC LANE, BEDFORD TEXAS AND CONSISTING OF 3.742 ACRES.
THE PROPERTY IS GENERALLY LOCATED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF SCHUMAC LANE, EAST OF FOREST RIDGE DRIVE.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE SUP REQUEST.
[01:15:02]
THANK YOU, SIR. A SUP THAT WAS APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL BACK IN 2015 FOR A RELIGIOUS FACILITY. THE PROPERTY OWNER IS REQUESTING TO CONSTRUCT A EIGHTY THREE HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT SANCTUARY AND A SEVENTY EIGHT HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT FELLOWSHIP HALL OFFICE BUILDING IN THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY THERE.DETAILED SITE PLAN WAS SUBMITTED WITH THE SUP, THE GREEN BAR THERE REPRESENTS THE 20 FOOT BUFFER THAT WAS APPROVED WITH THE 2015 SUP.
THE BLUE BOX THERE JUST SHOWS THE LOCATION OF THE PROPOSED SANCTUARY YELLOW BOX SHOWS THE PROPOSED OFFICE AND FELLOWSHIP HALL AREA, AND THEN THE SITE WAS DEVELOPED WITH THE SEVENTEEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT CURRENT FACILITY THAT'S ON THE PROPERTY TODAY. THIS IS THE ELEVATION OF THE BUILDING THEY PROPOSE, BE ATTACHED WITH THE WITH THE SITE PLAN.
SURROUNDING PROPERTY LAND USES, WE'VE GOT SINGLE FAMILY PRIMARILY SURROUNDING THE SITE.
THERE IS AN EXISTING CHURCH TO THE WEST AND THEN MULTIFAMILY TO THE NORTH.
JUST GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF ADJOINING BLOCK AND STREET CONTEXT, AND THEN AS Y'ALL KNOW, WE NOTICE FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
SIGN WAS PLACED ON THE PROPERTY.
THIRTY FIVE PROPERTY OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED AS WELL WITHIN THE 200 FOOT RADIUS.
WE RECEIVED ONE RESPONSE IN FAVOR OF THE REQUEST.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF FIVE TO ZERO.
AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
THANK YOU, MR. MORRISON. COUNCIL ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE PUBLIC HEARING? WERE THERE ANY CONCERNS BY PLANNING AND ZONING? NO. IN THEIR HEARING. OK.
KIND OF GLOSSED OVER THE PARKING ASPECT.
CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY SOMETHING PARKING SPACES.
THEY'RE ADDING 39 TO ACCOMMODATE THE ADDITION.
PRIMARY PARKING IS GOING TO BE THE ADDITION OF THE PARKING IS GOING TO BE BETWEEN THE PROPOSED BUILDINGS AND THEN TO THE NORTH BETWEEN THE MULTIFAMILY.
BUT THEY ARE MAINTAINING THAT 20 FOOT LANDSCAPED BUFFER BETWEEN THE PARKING AND THE MULTIFAMILY. THERE IS SOME ONE STEP FURTHER ON THE BUFFER IN THE 2015 SUP THAT WAS APPROVED THERE WAS A REQUIREMENT FOR SOME LANDSCAPING TREES ALONG THE PERIMETER OF THE SITE, AND SOME OF THOSE TREES HAVE DIED.
THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE THEM WITH THIS PROPOSED SUP.
OKAY. CAN YOU? HAMMER THIS THING.
CAN YOU ELABORATE ON EXACTLY THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SUP OF 2015 AND WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR TODAY? SURE. THE PRIMARY DIFFERENCES ARE GOING TO BE THE TWO PROPOSED BUILDINGS, THE SANCTUARY THERE IN THE BLUE AND THE PROPOSED OFFICE SPACE IN THE YELLOW.
THE REASON THAT THEY'RE COMING BACK FOR THE USE IS APPROVED ON THE SITE.
HOWEVER, OUR ZONING ORDINANCE SAYS THAT IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A BUILDING PERMIT FOR THE BUILDINGS THAT WERE SHOWN ON THE SITE PLAN WITHIN A YEAR OF THE APPROVED SUP, YOU'VE GOT TO COME BACK THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO THAT'S WHY THEY'RE COMING BACK THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
OK. ANYTHING ELSE WHERE WE GO TO PUBLIC HEARING? ALL GOOD. OK, I'M GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:19.
ANYONE INTERESTED IN COMING UP HERE AND MAKING COMMENTS OR ANYTHING ALONG THAT LINES MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME UP. WELCOME, SIR.
[INAUDIBLE] 1112 JOHN MCCAIN ROAD, COLLEYVILLE, TEXAS 76034.
WELCOME. I'M THE ARCHITECT OF RECORD, AND I'M HERE TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE FOR US.
THE CHURCH WAS APPROVED FOR SUP IN 2015, AND AS WAS SAID, WE THEY DIDN'T APPLY FOR THE BUILDING PERMITS. SO WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS ONE MORE TIME.
IN OUR DESIGN TODAY WE'RE VERY RESPECTFUL OF THE NEIGHBORS AND WE TRY TO MAINTAIN VERY GOOD PROPERTY.
NO COMPLAINTS WHATSOEVER FROM THE CHURCH.
ALL THOSE YEARS AND THE THE BLUE BUILDING IS ONE STORY ONLY.
SO WE TRY TO PUT THE ONE STORY TOWARDS THE NEIGHBORS.
AND THE YELLOW BUILDING IS A TWO STORY SUNDAY SCHOOL BUILDING AND SOME FELLOWSHIP HALL BELOW. SO WE TRY TO MAINTAIN VERY LOW LIGHT EMISSION AT THE BORDERLINE OF THE PROPERTY.
SO APPARENTLY THE LETTER THAT WAS RECEIVED BY THE CITY IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY EAST OF THE PROPERTY ADJACENT TO IT.
SO THAT SHOWS THAT THEY HAVE MAINTAINED A VERY GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD AND THEY WERE VERY
[01:20:03]
RESPECTFUL TO THE NEIGHBORS.WE ADDED IN THIS WE'RE REQUIRE PER THE SANCTUARY CAPACITY TO HAVE 133 CARS, SO THEY HAVE A LOT MORE THAN THAT TO ACCOMMODATE ANY WEDDING OR ANY EXTRA EVENTS, GOOD FRIDAY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THEY HAVE 58 MORE PARKING SPACES THAN THE CODE.
THE ONLY ITEM WE REALLY LIKE TO RESPECTFULLY ASK TO CONSIDER IS THE NEW ORDINANCE SAYS THAT THERE IS A MISSIONARY FENCE THAT IS SIX FOOT.
2015 ORDINANCE REQUESTED A SIX FOOT WOODEN FENCE, SO THE CHURCH WENT OVER AND ABOVE.
THEY DID EIGHT FOOT CEDAR FENCE AND THEY STAINED IT.
CONTINUE TO STAIN IT OVER THE YEARS.
IT LOOKS AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT WAS BUILT TODAY, SO WE REALLY LIKE TO LEAVE THAT FENCE ALONE. IT'S A DOUBLE FENCE ON THE EAST SIDE.
THE PEOPLE ON THOSE HOMES HAD ALREADY WOOD FENCE, SO WE ADDED ANOTHER FENCE ON OUR SIDE.
SO WE HAVE A DOUBLE FENCE AND TO TAKE THE WOOD FENCE DOWN THAT'S BEAUTIFULLY DONE AND BUILD A MASONRY FENCE IS A BIG CHUNK OF MONEY THAT MAY CAUSE THE PROJECT TO GO INTO SOME TROUBLE FINANCIAL TROUBLE BECAUSE THE MASONRY FENCE IS VERY EXPENSIVE, SO WE RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU LET THEM KEEP THE EIGHT FOOT WOOD FENCE SINCE IT'S IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.
OK, VERY GOOD, THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. WE APPRECIATE THAT.
ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD? OK, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:23.
MR. MORRISON, WHAT DID PLANNING AND ZONING DO WITH RESPECT TO THE MASONRY FENCE? THEY DID DISCUSS THE MASONRY FENCE.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS.
IT WAS ALREADY THE SIX FOOT [INAUDIBLE] THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED WITH THE PREVIOUS 15 SUP. SO THEY FOUND NO ISSUE.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE AND ALLOW THE WOODEN FENCE STAY THERE.
I WAS ON PLANNING AND ZONING WHEN YOU CAME BEFORE US AND ASKED FOR THAT.
OK, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS WRITTEN.
DID YOU HAVE? I WAS GONNA SECOND.
I'M GOING TO GIVE THE SECOND COUNCIL TO MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL.
I'LL GET YOU ON THE NEXT ONE, ROB.
OK, LET'S EVERYONE FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED. OK, THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT THERE.
YOU'RE CLEARLY TRYING TO ADDRESS ANY POTENTIAL CONCERNS.
AND THANK YOU COUNCIL THANK YOU STAFF.
ITEM EIGHT WE'VE GOT A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 1.2.B OF
[8. Public hearing and consider an ordinance amending Section 1.2.B of the Zoning Ordinance, entitled “Definitions” and Section 3.2.C of the Zoning Ordinance, entitled “Permitted Uses” as they pertain to the regulation of Short-Term Rental uses. (PZ-Zoning Amend-2021-50069) (Item was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission by a vote of 5-0-0)]
THE ZONING ORDINANCE, ENTITLED DEFINITIONS IN SECTION 3.2.C OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE ENTITLED PERMITTED USES AS THEY PERTAIN TO THE REGULATION OF SHORT TERM RENTAL USES.ONCE AGAIN TO GIVE YOU WES MORRISON.
THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THIS IS, AS YOU RECALL, BACK IN OCTOBER YOU ADOPTED THE REGULATIONS FOR SHORT TERM REGULATING SHORT TERM RENTALS.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE COMING BACK FORWARD WITH AN AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ALLOW THESE AS PERMITTED USES AND ADD THE USE OF THE DEFINITION.
WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE TAKEN THE DEFINITION STRAIGHT FROM THE SHORT TERM RENTAL REGULATION ORDINANCE AND ADDED IT TO THE DEFINITION SECTION OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE.
AND WE HAVE ALSO ADDED IN SHORT TERM RENTALS AS PERMITTED USE WITHIN THE SINGLE FAMILY ZONING CLASSIFICATIONS.
SO PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A VOTE OF FIVE TO ZERO.
REALLY, NO REAL CONVERSATION AT PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION.
THEY WERE ALL IN FAVOR. OK, THANK YOU WES, COUNCIL.
DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI, OK.
I'M SORRY, DID YOU [INAUDIBLE].
OH, IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING. I'LL SHOW MYSELF OUT.
YOU'RE CORRECT, SIR. I NEED OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THANK YOU FOR THAT, ROB. SO LET'S OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING 7:25.
ANYONE'S WELCOME TO COME UP WITH COMMENTS OR COMMENT ON WES'S SHOES.
LET'S CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING 7:25.
COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? OK, SO THAT'S THE A MOTION TO APPROVE, COUNCILMAN GAGLIARDI, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND FOR MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL.
LET'S VOTE EVERYONE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. ANYONE OPPOSED? OK, ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S UNANIMOUS.
THANK YOU, WES. THANK YOU STAFF.
ITEM NINE WE GOT A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 3.1 OF THE
[9. Public hearing and consider an ordinance amending Section 3.1 of the Zoning Ordinance, entitled “Schedule of Permitted Uses” specifically related to Group Homes. (PZ-Zoning Amend-2021-50071) (Item was recommended for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission by a vote of 5-0-0)]
ZONING ORDINANCE, ENTITLED SCHEDULE OF PERMITTED USES, SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO GROUP HOMES AND ONCE AGAIN, PLANNING MANAGER WES MORRISON.THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
[01:25:06]
WE'VE CURRENTLY OUR GROUP HOME USE IS REQUIRES ANY IN ANY OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USES OR DISTRICTS REQUIRES AN SUP IN CONSULTATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY AND REVIEWING OUR ZONING ORDINANCE.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING FAIR HOUSING RULES AND SO WE ARE PROPOSING AMENDMENT TO THE SCHEDULE OF USES TO ALLOW SINGLE GROUP HOMES IN ALL OF OUR SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL USES.
THE AND I THOUGHT I HAD, YEAH, THE DEFINITION JUST SO EVERYBODY'S CLEAR ON WHAT GROUP HOMES ARE. OUR ZONING ORDINANCE DEFINES IT AS A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE THAT IS LICENSED BY THE STATE AND IS OPERATING AS A SINGLE FAMILY UNIT.
IT INCLUDES USES SUCH AS HOMES FOR FOSTER HOMES, HOMES FOR PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY CHALLENGED INDIVIDUALS OR SOME TYPE OF CONGREGATE LIVING FACILITY.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE HOMES FOR ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT CENTERS, WORK RELEASE FACILITIES FOR CONVICTS OR EX-CONVICTS, OR HOUSING FACILITIES FOR ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES FOR INCARCERATION.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HELD THEIR PUBLIC HEARING, THEY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL BY A FIVE TO ZERO VOTE.
STAFF CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
COUNCIL QUESTIONS COMMENTS FOR, MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL.
WES SO, FOR INSTANCE, AN OXFORD HOUSE THAT IS FOR DRUG REHABILITATION, SO THAT WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN THIS? PER OUR DEFINITION THAT'S CORRECT.
AND THAT WOULD BE OUR. SO WE'RE MEETING ALL THE STATE RULES NOW.
DID I SAY SOMETHING BRYN'S SHAKING HIS HEAD, MAYBE I SAID SOMETHING WRONG.
SO AN OXFORD HOUSE REALLY ISN'T AN ACTIVE DRUG REHABILITATION CENTER.
IT IS OFFERED FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WANTING A FAMILIAL LIVING ENVIRONMENT WITH OTHER PEOPLE DEALING WITH PAST ADDICTION ISSUES.
BUT THERE IS NO MEDICAL TREATMENT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT INVOLVED, SO IT TRULY IS JUST A RESIDENCE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE ON A SHORT TERM BASIS.
SO IT WOULD FALL INTO THE GROUP HOME DEFINITION AND IT IS PROTECTED BY THE FAIR HOUSING ACT. OKAY, SO YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT IT WON'T IT WON'T BE A TREATMENT CENTER OF ANY KIND, IT'S JUST IT'S LIKE A PLACE TO GO AFTER YOU'RE SUPPOSEDLY FIXED.
CORRECT. THEY'RE STILL LIVING IN A SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE LIKE ANYBODY ELSE.
GOTCHA. THANK YOU MS. COUNCIL MEMBER CULVER. SO.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL COME BEFORE US IN THE PAST, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE STATE REGULATIONS REGARDING THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS LIVING IN A FACILITY VERSUS BEDROOMS, BATHROOMS, SQUARE FOOTAGE, THAT KIND OF THING.
SO WE'RE NOT GOVERNING THAT, WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT PLACEMENT OF WHERE ONE IS ALLOWED RIGHT, ALL OF THE REST OF THAT COMES THROUGH THE STATE.
SO ANY SORT OF OCCUPANCY CODE REQUIREMENTS, CONSTRUCTION CODE REQUIREMENTS OR ANY OTHER STATE OR FEDERAL RESTRICTIONS WOULD STILL APPLY.
THIS MERELY RELATES TO THE LAND USE AND THE ZONING ITSELF.
SO IS THERE OPPORTUNITY OR LACK THEREOF TO DISQUALIFY ONE OF THESE HOMES IN A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD? SO YES AND NO.
SO YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DISQUALIFY THEM ON ON THE BASIS OF ZONING.
YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY YOU'RE NOT A FAMILY BECAUSE YOU'RE ALL UNRELATED, SO YOU CAN'T LIVE HERE. SO YOU VIOLATE THE ZONING ORDINANCE BECAUSE UNDER FEDERAL LAW, A FAMILY CAN BE A NUMBER OF UNRELATED PEOPLE ALL LIVING TOGETHER.
BUT YOU COULD SAY UNDER THE BUILDING CODE, YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BEDROOMS OR WHAT HAVE YOU OR SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR THE NUMBER OF OCCUPANTS.
AND THAT'S THAT IS A NONSPECIFIC RULE THAT WOULD APPLY TO BE AN OXFORD HOUSE OF UNRELATED INDIVIDUALS LIVING TOGETHER OR A FAMILIAL SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE EVERYONE RELATED TO EACH OTHER. SO OCCUPANCY LEVELS, MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS, ANYTHING THAT WOULD APPLY TO YOUR FAMILY LIVING IN YOUR HOME WOULD EQUALLY APPLY TO AN OXFORD HOUSE SCENARIO.
AND IF THEY EXCEED IF THEY VIOLATE ANY CODE ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENTS OR BUILDING OR CONSTRUCTION CODE REQUIREMENTS THAT COULD EQUALLY APPLY TO YOU.
THOSE WOULD APPLY TO THEM AS WELL.
BUT YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY YOU VIOLATE THE ZONING ORDINANCE BECAUSE NONE OF YOU ARE BLOOD RELATIVES.
[01:30:02]
LOCATION. THEY WOULDN'T, SO LOCATION WOULD BE YOU ARE ALLOWED TO RESTRICT THEM TO ONLY PLACES WHERE YOU COULD LIVE.IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN SAY THE OXFORD HOUSE CANNOT LOCATE IN THE COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT BECAUSE IT IS A RESIDENTIAL USE BECAUSE THAT IS A RULE AND A RESTRICTION THAT YOU WOULD APPLY TO ANY FAMILY IN TOWN.
IF YOU HAD SOMEONE THAT WANTED TO OPEN A RESIDENTIAL HOME FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE, TRYING TO BE VERY CAREFUL HERE, BUT FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT THE COMMUNITY DEEMED A LITTLE BIT LESS DESIRABLE BECAUSE I AND WHEN I SAY DESIRABLE, I MEAN, BECAUSE OF MENTAL CAPACITY.
DESIRABLE, LIKE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
[INAUDIBLE] LIKE A [INAUDIBLE] ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SCHOOL.
SO WE HAD A SITUATION LIKE THAT, AND BECAUSE OF THE PROPOSED CLIENTELE, WE HAD AN AUDIENCE OUT HERE FULL.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THESE PEOPLE ROAMING THE STREETS, THE KIDS COMING FROM SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, SO WE COULDN'T.
SO IF IT'S JUST A RESIDENT, IF IT WAS JUST FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES, IT WOULD BE THE SAME AS SAYING, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO LIVE ACROSS THE STREET IF YOU HAVE A MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILD. RIGHT. SO YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
YOU CANNOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST A RESIDENTIAL USE ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY OR FAMILIAL STATUS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL FAIR HOUSING LAWS.
SO WHERE YOU DISTINGUISH IT IS IF IT IS A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS TYPE USE WHERE PEOPLE ARE DOING INPATIENT MEDICAL WORK AND THERE'RE DOCTORS ON STAFF AND ALL THE REST.
THAT'S A THAT'S A COMMERCIAL OPERATION.
THAT'S NOT A RESIDENTIAL OPERATION, BUT IF IT'S TRULY JUST RESIDENTIAL, THEN THE FACT THAT MOM AND DAD DON'T LIVE THERE ISN'T RELEVANT.
SO THEN REALLY THEN IT GOES BACK TO THE STATE TO OVERSEE AGAIN THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IN THE HOME, THE TYPE OF IN-HOME LIVING, RESIDENTIAL.
AND TYPICALLY IT WOULD BE THROUGH THE LICENSING PROCESS WHERE WE WOULD BE PREEMPTED IN THAT REGARD. WE'RE REALLY ONLY TALKING ABOUT ZONING HERE.
SO AS I SAID, ANY BUILDING REQUIREMENTS, PARKING REQUIREMENTS, CODE ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENTS, THOSE WOULD ALL APPLY, THEY WOULD ALL APPLY TO ALL OF US.
BUT IN TERMS OF WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT LAND USE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE SOMEWHAT UNSAVORY, WE'RE PREEMPTED IN THAT REGARD.
SO HAVE WE. I KNOW WE'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT ZONING.
HAVE WE TAKEN A REFRESHED LOOK AT THE OTHER CONDITIONS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OUR LANGUAGE IS APPROPRIATE? YEAH. SO THE OTHER CONDITION IS NOT AN ISSUE.
IT'S JUST AN ANNUAL REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT.
IT'S MINISTERIAL, SO THAT'S ABSOLUTELY APPROPRIATE.
SO JUST TO BE CLEAR FOR YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF OR PEOPLE AT HOME WHO ARE WONDERING, CAN OXFORD HOMES JUST TAKE OVER AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT BE ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SCHOOLS, DAYCARES? SO IF A HOME IS FOR SALE, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO ALERT ANYBODY IN ADVANCE WHEN THEY MAKE AN OFFER TO PURCHASE THE HOME AND BEGIN OCCUPYING IT AS AN OXFORD HOUSE AS LONG AS THE HOME IS LEGALLY ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL PURPOSES IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU MAY HAVE A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE IN A COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICT WHERE YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESIDE IN THAT STRUCTURE, EVEN IF IT IS A RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE.
I MEAN, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN FORT WORTH AND OTHER CITIES WHERE YOU'LL HAVE OLD RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES CONVERTED INTO LAW OFFICES OR THINGS LIKE THAT, OR ACCOUNTANT'S OFFICES.
THOSE ARE IN COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS, SO THEY CAN'T JUST SIMPLY BE PURCHASED AND MOVED INTO.
OK, SO THERE'S NOT. AND IS THERE NOT AN ACTUAL WAY WHERE THE RESIDENTS CAN BE ALERTED THAT? NO, THERE'S REALLY NO MECHANISM IN PLACE, I MEAN, WHEN YOU RETAIN A REALTOR AND YOU MAKE AN OFFER ON A REAL ESTATE, THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO DISCLOSE WHO THE CLIENT IS, FOR INSTANCE, THEY'RE ABLE TO PURCHASE IT AND THEN BEGIN USING IT AS A FOR A RESIDENTIAL
[01:35:03]
PURPOSE. OK.THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DO RECALL THAT THERE WAS A TIME IN OUR ORDINANCE THAT WITH THESE GROUP HOMES, THEY COULDN'T BE WITHIN A CERTAIN RADIUS OF EACH OTHER, I'M SURE THAT WE WERE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT.
SO THAT IS CORRECT THEN AND THIS WILL DO AWAY WITH THAT.
THAT'S RIGHT. AND I DON'T RECALL A SETBACK.
SO THAT MAY HAVE BEEN REPEALED PRIOR TO THIS.
THE ONLY RESTRICTIONS I KNOW OF ARE THE CURRENT SUP THAT WE'RE CONTEMPLATING REMOVING AND THEN THE ANNUAL REGISTRATION.
SO WE'RE JUST PROTECTING OURSELVES AND CLEARING THINGS UP.
YES, THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR RIPPING THAT BAND-AID OFF MR. COGAN. MAYOR PRO TEM SABOL.
MY QUESTION WAS EXACTLY THE SAME, BECAUSE I CAN REMEMBER THE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW THE CROW FLIES, CAN'T YOU, MAN? WE JUST. IT WAS PAINFUL BACK THEN.
BUT THIS ONE'S NOT SO OLD ITEM. THIS IS A PROBLEM. ITEM SIX WHERE WE ALLOW ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, OBS AND BARK PARK.
CAN WE DO THAT IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS? CAN WE AMEND THAT? OK.
OK, SO THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC HEARING, 7:37.
ANYONE HAS COMMENTS OR WANTS TO REHASH HISTORY HERE.
OK, I DON'T SEE ANYONE DASHING TO THE PODIUM, SO LET'S CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING 7:38.
OK, COUNCIL, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS OR DIRECTION? I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CULVER.
I ACTUALLY HEARD A SECOND FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI.
IS THAT HEAR THAT RIGHT? OK, LET'S VOTE EVERYONE FAVOR SAY AYE.
AYE. EVERYONE OPPOSED. WE HAVE ONE IN OPPOSITION, SO THAT'S SIX TO ONE.
THANK YOU, WES. THANK YOU, STAFF.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL. NEXT UP, WE'RE GOING HAVE A DISCUSSION ITEM 10 DISCUSSION TO RECEIVE
[10. Discussion and receive Council direction on calling an election to amend the City of Bedford Charter.]
COUNCIL DIRECTION ON CALLING AN ELECTION TO AMEND THE CITY OF BEDFORD CHARTER.AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION THAT'S BEEN MEETING FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND THEY'VE BEEN REVIEWING THE LANGUAGE OF THE CHARTER, LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO MODERNIZE SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE.
AND IN ORDER TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL HAVE TO GO OUT TO THE VOTERS AND THERE WILL BE AMENDMENTS TO OUR CHARTER, CORRECT? AND SO THEY CAME UP WITH A LIST.
WHICH I DON'T HAVE MY HANDS ON.
THEY CAME UP WITH A LIST OF ITEMS, SO I'M ASSUMING IT'S EASY, JUST LET'S JUST GO DOWN THE LIST. OK WITH THAT.
OK. THE FIRST ITEM THAT WAS THAT IS ON OUR FINAL APPROVAL LIST IS SECTION 2.03, ITS QUALIFICATIONS. THIS WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND THEIR LANGUAGE IS AS FOLLOWS.
OH, THANK YOU. THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SHALL BE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE CITY WHO HAVE BEEN RESIDENTS OF THE CITY FOR AT LEAST ONE CONTINUOUS YEAR PRIOR TO BEING ELECTED, AND SHALL HOLD NO OTHER PUBLIC OFFICE EXCEPT FOR THOSE ALLOWED BY THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION OR STATE LAW. IF A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL SHALL CEASE TO POSSESS ANY OF THESE QUALIFICATIONS OR SHALL BE CONVICTED OF A FELONY, THE OFFICE SHALL IMMEDIATELY BECOME VACANT.
SO THE CHANGE HERE WAS, THEY ADDED, CONTINUOUS YEAR PRIOR TO BEING ELECTED.
SO THOUGHTS ANYONE GROTESQUELY OPPOSED TO THAT.
OK, SO GENERAL, WE ARE WE'RE NOT PREPARED TO VOTE TONIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO BACK AND HAVE BRYN MASSAGE THESE THINGS.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
YES, SIR. OK. ALL RIGHT. GREAT.
SO I DON'T SEE ANY OBJECTION TO THAT.
DO YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE FROM? IS THIS GOOD TO WALK THROUGH IT LIKE THIS? OK.
JIMMY, DO YOU SEE US DOING THIS ANY DIFFERENT? I THINK THIS IS THE BEST WAY. OK, THANK YOU.
OK, SO THAT ITEM WE EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH.
THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE BY A VOTE OF NINE TO TWO, AND PREVIOUS LANGUAGE ON THIS ITEM STATED THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS SHALL SERVE WITHOUT PAY OR COMPENSATION PROVIDED, AND THE COMMISSION HAS CHANGED THAT NOW TO THE MAYOR OF BEDFORD SHALL RECEIVE A MONTHLY STIPEND IN THE AMOUNT OF $300 PER MONTH AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL RECEIVE A MONTHLY STIPEND IN THE AMOUNT OF $200 PER MONTH.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT OF NECESSARY EXPENSES INCURRED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES WHEN APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL.
[01:40:03]
SO THE KEY HERE IS STRIKING THE SERVE WITHOUT PAY AND THEN ADDING THE $300, $200.SO, MR. BRYN, CAN YOU THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AS TO WHY IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE GROUP TO CONSIDER THIS, WOULD YOU ELABORATE ON THAT? SURE, IT WAS. IT WASN'T NECESSARY, PER SAY.
IT WAS SIMPLY ADVISABLE FROM A LEGAL STANDPOINT.
THERE WAS ALSO A POLICY RECOMMENDATION ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE COMMISSION, BUT I'LL JUST COVER THE LEGAL ASPECT THAT TORT CLAIMS ACT, WHICH IS THE WAIVER OF IMMUNITY FOR TORTS THAT ARE COMMITTED BY PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN THE OFFICIAL SCOPE AND COURSE OF THEIR DUTY, WHERE YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE OPERATION OF A MOTOR DRIVEN VEHICLE BASICALLY PROVIDES THAT IF THE OFFICER EMPLOYEE IS SUED IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITY. BUT SUE PERSONALLY THAT YOU'RE ENTITLED TO AN IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL UPON THE FILING OF THE MOTION WITH THE COURT AND ESSENTIALLY THE PLAINTIFF HAS ANY SUIT AGAINST YOU IS A IS REQUIRED TO BE REFILED AS A SUIT AGAINST THE CITY ONLY.
SO EITHER WAY, IF THERE IS LIABILITY, THE CITY STILL PAYS WHAT DOESN'T INVOLVE YOU PERSONALLY BEING LIABLE IN TERMS OF FINANCIALLY SPEAKING, BUT IT REMOVES YOU AS A PERSONAL DEFENDANT FROM THE SUIT.
SO HOW DO YOU DEFINE PAY? IT REALLY DOESN'T.
THE STATUTE REALLY DOESN'T DEFINE IT.
MY RECOMMENDATION WAS MERELY IF WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS WITH A STRAIGHT FACE, WE WANT SOMETHING MORE THAN JUST NOMINAL COMPENSATION.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN A DOLLAR, FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH, SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE PAID EMPLOYEE.
IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THESE AMOUNTS, THOUGH THESE ARE THESE ARE EXAMPLE AMOUNTS.
CAN IT BE ON A PER MEETING BASIS? IT CAN BE ON A PER MEETING BASIS.
SO HAVING A LOT OF QUESTIONS TODAY, SO BRYN, BEFORE PERSON WE'RE GOING TO GO VOTE ON THESE ARE WE DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO JUSTIFY WHY WE'RE PUTTING IT THERE? RIGHT. SO I WOULD RECOMMEND SO THE CITY ITSELF NO PUBLIC FUNDS CAN BE USED TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST A MEASURE.
BUT YOU ALL EACH PERSONALLY ON YOUR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ON YOUR OWN TIME CAN CERTAINLY EXPLAIN THE BASIS FOR THIS AND THIS IS NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO.
SO LIKE ON A MACHINE BEFORE THEY GET TO SEE THE LANGUAGE.
WE CAN'T PUT ON THERE HEY THIS IS THIS IS.
SO NONE OF THAT WE JUST IT HAS TO BE JUST A LEGAL LANGUAGE.
IT HAS TO BE, AND. YOU CAN PUT OUT FACTUAL INFORMATION ONLY.
BUT YOU JUST CAN'T ADVOCATE IN FAVOR.
SO YOU CAN SAY THIS THE BASIS IS FOUNDED IN THE REQUIREMENT UNDER STATE LAW THAT YOU BE IN THE PAID EMPLOYEE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW, PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
I'M NOT ADVISING THAT, JUST MY CONCERN IS THAT I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC WILL UNDERSTAND AS TO WHY WE'RE PUTTING IT THERE.
I THINK IT'S CLEAR TO ALL OF US WHERE WE RAN FOR COUNCIL NOT TO GET RICH, RIGHT? AND WE REALIZE. WAIT WHAT? I KNOW, RIGHT? YOU DON'T GET PAID, MAYOR.
WASN'T GETTING ANY CHECK STUBS.
RIGHT? YEAH, BUT SO WE REALIZE THAT.
AND SO I FEEL LIKE IF WE PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT WITHOUT HAVING SOME SORT OF MEASURE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, NOW, OF COURSE, WE'LL DO OUR PART AS COUNCIL MEMBERS.
BUT GIVING THAT FACTUAL INFORMATION BEFORE THE VOTER CAN MAKE HIS OR HER DECISION WOULD BE BENEFICIAL BECAUSE WITHOUT IT, I TRULY FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD FAIL.
I AGREE. SO IN MY EXPERIENCE THIS PASSED IN ANOTHER ONE OF MY CLIENT CITIES, ONLY BECAUSE COUNCIL MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU'RE RIGHT JUST ON ITS FACE, IT MAY LOOK LIKE YOU'RE GIVING YOURSELF A RAISE FOR A CIVIC VOLUNTEER POSITION.
EXACTLY. AND SO, YEAH, I THINK I THINK THE INTERESTING PART TO ME IS THAT IS THAT LEGAL PROTECTION, OBVIOUSLY, WHICH IS INTERESTING TO I'M, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT THAT FOR ME, THAT IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT HERE IS PROTECTING US BASICALLY.
SURE. THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. MR. COGAN, ESQUIRE.
JIMMY STATHATOS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
ONE THING I'VE SEEN DONE IN CITIES AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S LEGAL, BUT
[01:45:01]
[INAUDIBLE] LITTLE DETAILS.YEAH, MY FRIEND HE LIVES IN HAZZARD COUNTY.
[LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE] BUT IF WE DID LIKE AN FAQ ON THE WEBSITE, BUT WE WOULD COORDINATE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS BEING DONE WITHOUT ADVOCATING.
AS LONG AS Y'ALL ARE OK WITH THAT, WE CAN DEFINITELY DO THAT IF Y'ALL CALL AN ELECTION.
SO AND OF COURSE, WE'D COORDINATE WITH BRYN, OBVIOUSLY.
CAN WE QUOTE BRYN ON THE WEBSITE? AS LONG AS I'M NOT ADVOCATING I THINK THAT'S FINE.
[LAUGHTER] COUNCIL MEMBER CULVER.
I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF THIS AT ALL.
I DO HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT THE LEGAL ASPECT OF IT.
AND SO IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL THAT WE DO NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, THE AMOUNTS NEED TO BE ABSOLUTELY MINIMAL AND ON A PER MEETING BASIS.
BUT IF THERE'S A LEGAL LIABILITY, I MEAN, I CERTAINLY WANT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US PROTECTED. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I'M GENERALLY NOT IN FAVOR OF IT.
SO THE TORT LIABILITY REMAINS EXCLUSIVE TO ELECTED OFFICIALS.
NO, SO IT WOULD APPLY TO SO THE TORT LIABILITY IS DIFFERENT THAN THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE, WHICH IS REQUIRING THAT THE DEFENDANT BE SUBSTITUTED.
THE CITY CAN STILL INCUR TORT LIABILITY IF A POLICE OFFICER OR A PUBLIC WORKS OFFICER STRIKES ANOTHER VEHICLE AND IS NEGLIGENT.
THEY'RE JUST ENTITLED TO AUTOMATIC DISMISSAL FROM THE LAWSUIT THE CITY STILL HAS TO PAY.
BUT IF YOU'RE FOUND LIABLE, THE CITY STILL PAYS THE DAMAGES THAT YOU INCURRED.
SO IT'S NOT PERSONAL LIABILITY, IT'S JUST THE INCONVENIENCE OF BEING THE DEFENDANT FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN A LAWSUIT.
COULD YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE? JUST SO WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON KIND OF A SITUATION THAT OR ANY KIND OF SITUATION THAT YOU'VE BEEN A PART OF. SURE.
WELL, I MEAN, TO JUST GIVE YOU A SITUATION WHERE WHAT WHAT IS SOMETIMES COMMON A LOT OF TIMES, OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBABLY THE LARGEST NUMBER OF TORT CLAIMS LAWSUITS I SEE INVOLVING MOTOR VEHICLES ARE PUBLIC WORKS VEHICLES AND POLICE VEHICLES.
OBVIOUSLY, IF POLICE VEHICLES ARE RUNNING WITH THEIR LIGHTS AND SIRENS, WHEN THEY'RE DRIVING AT AN ACCELERATING SPEED, IT'S FINE.
BUT OCCASIONALLY THE LAWSUITS I'VE SEEN IS PERHAPS A SUDDEN U-TURN BEFORE TURNING THE LIGHTS AND SIRENS ON AND STRIKING SOMEBODY OR DRIVING AN ACCELERATED SPEED WITHOUT TURNING THE LIGHTS AND SIRENS ON AND STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE.
THEN YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING PROPER PROTOCOL, AND THERE'S LIABILITY AND IMMUNITY FROM SUIT, IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY ARE WAIVED UNDER THE TORT CLAIMS ACT.
SO THE DAMAGES ARE CAPPED AT $250000, BUT THAT'S WHERE YOU SEE THE SUIT PROCEEDING RATHER THAN THE CITY JUST FILING A PLEA TO THE JURISDICTION ON IMMUNITY GROUNDS.
SO. IN YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE, IF YOU WERE PERFORMING SOME PUBLIC FUNCTION, DRIVING ON CITY BUSINESS AND YOU STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE, YOU DON'T YOU DON'T ENJOY THE BENEFIT OF US JUST BEING ABLE TO FILE SOMETHING AND SAYING YOU HAVE TO SUE THE CITY, YOU CAN'T SUE COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN DIRECTLY.
THAT BEING SAID, WOULD YOU HAVE TO BE IN A CITY VEHICLE IF YOU WERE IN OWN? IF YOU'RE ON CITY BUSINESS.
ANY OTHER EXCITING POSITIVE QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI.
SO IS IT JUST AUTOMOTIVE CLAIMS LIKE? IT'S, WELL, ANY ANY OPERATION OF MOTOR DRIVEN VEHICLE.
BUT I MEAN, THAT WOULD TYPICALLY I CAN'T THINK OF ANOTHER SCENARIO.
I MEAN, YOU ALL DON'T. SO I CAN'T OPERATE ANY MORE BULLDOZERS IN THE CITY IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY LET YOU DRIVE THE FIRE TRUCKS, OK, COUNCIL.
COUNCIL MEMBER ALMENDAREZ. SO BASED ON COUNCILWOMAN CULVER'S SCENARIO, IF WE'RE ONLY PAID PER MEETING, ARE WE ONLY PROTECTED ON THOSE DAYS? NO, NO, NO.
IT CAN STILL PROVIDE FOR A COMPENSATION PLAN.
YOU KNOW, DON'T MAKE IT A DOLLAR, A MEETING OR SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JUST A TOKEN. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY YOU'RE IN THE PAID EMPLOYEE FOR YOUR SERVICES.
SO WITH THAT NOTE, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION DID HIS OWN SURVEY OF
[01:50:02]
SOME AREA CITIES WITH RESPECT TO WHETHER THEY COMPENSATED OR NOT.HE CAME UP WITH A LIST OF 25 TO 30 CITIES.
I WANT TO SAY 20 TO 25 CITIES THAT DID COMPENSATE THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THOSE THAT DID COMPENSATE IN THE AREA.
THREE OF THEM ARE COMPENSATING BY MEETING.
THE REST HAS A MONTHLY STIPEND, AND IT RANGES FROM $15 TO FOUR FIGURES DEPENDING ON THE CITY. KELLER, EULESS, COLLEYVILLE, GRAPEVINE, CEDAR HILL, DO NOT COMPENSATE.
SO I'LL JUST ADD MY TWO CENTS.
I'M NOT EXCITED ABOUT THIS AT ALL.
IF I COULD SAY ZERO EASILY, I WOULD SAY ZERO.
I JUST I'M, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE PURITY OF WHAT WE DO, AND I DON'T WANT THAT HANGING OVER OUR HEAD, BUT I GET THE LIABILITY THING.
BUT IF BRYN'S GOING TO PAY FOR IT REGARDLESS, YOU KNOW, NO, I CAN'T GET EXCITED ABOUT IT.
I, THIS IS A DIFFICULT ITEM FOR ME TO REALLY BE PLEASED ABOUT.
IT JUST IT SEEMS LIKE SUCH A SMALL TIME THAT IT COULD BE USED, I MEAN, FROM MY HOUSE TO HERE IS ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND THEN GOING HOME FIVE MINUTES AND IS IT EVEN GOING HOME? I MEAN, BECAUSE I'M OFF DUTY, SO I'M NOT REALLY GOING.
BUT DO YOU SEE THAT? SO IS IT ONLY ONE DIRECTIONAL? AND THEN.
I DROVE BOTH WAYS TO SAN ANTONIO, SO I COULD SEE HOW WE'RE ALL THAT [INAUDIBLE].
THAT'S WHAT MICHAEL SAID ANYWAY.
IT WASN'T MANDATED. [LAUGHTER] I ARGUE WITH MANDATED.
IT'S FOLLOWING THE RULES. SO HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN IN EXISTENCE THIS LIABILITY? I'D HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THAT I'M AFRAID I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS ADOPTED BY THE LEGISLATURE. THEY MEET EVERY TWO YEARS AND CHANGE THE RULES ON US.
SO. YEAH, WELL WE KNOW ABOUT THAT.
HURST HAS GOT LIKE A MINIMAL I MEAN, LIKE THEY'RE $10.
YEAH, FIFTEEN DOLLARS A MONTH.
YEAH. SO YOU'RE ADVISING AGAINST THAT? NO, I'M ADVISING AGAINST ONE DOLLAR.
SO TWO DOLLARS AND THIRTY SEVEN CENTS.
WAGE. IT DOES NOT DEFINE HOW YOU PAY THAT, SO WE CAN DO IT ON A PER MEETING BASIS, RIGHT? HOW DO YOU DEFINE A MEETING? POSSIBLE QUORUM MEETINGS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE JUST KIND OF SORT OF COVERED, AT LEAST WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO, I MEAN, LIKE SO LIKE [INAUDIBLE] THE OLD BEDFORD SCHOOL.
HOME. THAT'S ALL I DO I DRIVE HOME.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S A RISK OR DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S TRIGGERED.
BUT IF THE CHARTER SAYS IT'S PROHIBITED FOR YOU TO RECEIVE ANY COMPENSATION THAT THEY CLEARLY CAN'T FIND THAT YOU'RE IN THE PAID EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY.
I DON'T. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT $15, I GUESS, IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
I MEAN, WE WANT TO WE WANT TO CHECK THE BOX SOMETHING MORE THAN NOMINAL, BUT YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET THE BENEFIT.
YOU BELIEVE $15 PASSES THE SMELL TEST.
I THINK IT'S FINE BECAUSE I THINK COURTS WANT TO FIND IN FAVOR OF IT.
THEY WANT TO DECIDE THAT THAT'S BEEN SATISFIED.
THEY UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE A PUBLIC SERVANT, VOLUNTEERS, RIGHT? AND THAT YOU SHOULD BE AFFORDED THAT PROTECTION.
THAT'S TYPICALLY HOW COURTS LOOK AT IT.
THE ONLY WAY THAT COURTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT IS IF THE PLAINTIFF IS ABLE TO SHOW WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS, WHICH IS, IT IS UNLAWFUL FOR YOU TO RECEIVE A DIME, WHICH IS WHAT YOUR CURRENT CHARTER SAYS.
DO WE? OK, WELL, LET ME ASK YOU THIS THEN WITH THE WAY THIS IS WRITTEN IN FOR US TO MAKE A CHARTER AMENDMENT, DO WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY A DOLLAR AMOUNT? I WOULD. WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU CAN SAY BASED ON AN ORDINANCE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL COMPENSATION BASED ON AN ORDINANCE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL.
BUT THAT'S TELLING THE VOTERS YOU WANT A BLANK CHECK RATHER THAN A SET AMOUNT.
[LAUGHTER] COULD YOU SAY THE CURRENT STATE MINIMUM WAGE?
[01:55:04]
YOU COULD.AND JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. BUT SO ACCOUNTING NIGHTMARE FOR STAFF TO JUST TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY MINUTES YOU'RE AT A COUNCIL MEETING.
OK. MAYOR PRO TEM .JIMMY, DO YOU HAVE ANY TRIPS PLANNED FOR US THAT WE NEED TO BE DRIVING? I MEAN, REALLY, IT'S JUST ONE TRIP LIKE EVERY FOUR.
I MEAN, WE DON'T WE DON'T TRAVEL, REALLY? [LAUGHTER] THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE]. WELL, WHAT IF ALL RIGHT.
SO IF WE WENT TO THE MUNICIPAL, WHATEVER TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, WE TOOK A CITY VEHICLE.
WE WOULD BE PROTECTED THAT WAY.
WOULD WE NOT? SO IT'S NOT AGAIN, IT'S NOT ABOUT LIABILITY.
IT'S ABOUT REMOVING YOU AS A DEFENDANT IN THE LAW.
I GOTCHA. OK. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DECLINE THE OFFER OF ANY TYPE OF PAYMENT.
I JUST I JUST FELT REMISS IF I DIDN'T RAISE IT TO THE COMMISSION.
OK, I'LL GET. I'M GONNA I'M NOT INTERESTED.
YOU HAVE SOME INTEREST POSSIBLE. I COULD LEAVE IT, I MEAN, I DON'T.
I THINK THESE AMOUNTS ARE TOO LARGE WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE.
SO YOU'D BE OK IF IT WAS 15 DOLLARS? YES. WELL, YEAH, YOU'RE AT THAT LEVEL, YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE PROTECTION, YOUR [INAUDIBLE].
SO THEN THE DEBATE IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.
IF IT'S GOING TO BE ON A PER MEETING BASIS.
THEN HOW DO YOU DETERMINE A MEETING? I MEAN, I THINK.
REGULAR DEFINITIONS. YEAH, I'M GOOD WITH REGULAR SCHEDULE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
RIGHT. I THINK I THINK THAT'S CLEAR ENOUGH.
WHATEVER MINIMUM, WHATEVER MINIMUM AMOUNT THAT WE FEEL THAT WE CAN BE COVERED, THAT'S THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
HAS TO BE VERY. YOU GOT TO TELL US WHERE YOU THINK YOU HAVE A.
YOU'RE HAVE A LAWYER, [EXPLETIVE], BE FIRM.
I'M NOT AN ACCOUNTANT, THOUGH.
SO I MEAN, I LIKE THE IDEA OF FIFTEEN DOLLARS AND IT'S COMPARABLE TO ANOTHER CITY AS AN EXAMPLE. SO THE HURST DEAL IS $15 PER MONTH.
FIFTEEN AND 10 PER MONTH, NOT PER MEETING.
I THINK THAT'S FINE. OK, SO GOING FORWARD, IF WE IF WE CODIFY THE $15 IN THE AMENDMENT FOR THE CHARTER, THE ONLY WAY TO CHANGE IT IS TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS AND ASK FOR MORE.
I KIND OF LIKE THAT AS WELL AS OPPOSED TO US AS OPPOSED TO COUNCIL JUST WILLINGLY CHANGE IT. IT HAS TO GO BACK TO THE VOTER TO CHANGE IT.
I MEAN, I DO LIKE THAT PROTECTION IN IT.
15 DOLLARS A MONTH. 15 A MONTH, I WILL MAKE THE CHANGE.
OH MY GOD, WE'RE GOING TO BE SO RICH.
OK, NEXT TIME UP WE HAVE NEW SECTION FORFEITURE OF OFFICE, SO THIS IS ENTIRELY NEW LANGUAGE. IT WAS APPROVED BY A VOTE OF 11 TO ZERO WITH ONE ABSTENTION.
IT IS WRITTEN AS FOLLOWS A COUNCIL PERSON SHALL FORFEIT THEIR OFFICE IF THEY A IS CONVICTED IN ANY COURT OF A CLASS A OR CLASS B MISDEMEANOR OR A CRIME INVOLVING MORAL TURPITUDE OR B FAILS TO ATTEND THREE CONSECUTIVE REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL WITHOUT FIRST BEING EXCUSED BY THE COUNCIL.
SO I GOT A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE, BUT I'M WILLING TO LET Y'ALL ASK Y'ALL QUESTIONS. COUNCIL MEMBER CULVER COGAN.
I'M HAVING TROUBLE WITH THIS MIC TOO.
SO YEAH, LIKE YOU MAYOR A LOT OF QUESTIONS HERE.
SO FIRST OFF, FAILS TO ATTEND THREE CONSECUTIVE REGULAR COUNCIL MEETINGS.
THAT WAS MY FIRST ONE WITHOUT FIRST BEING EXCUSED BY COUNCIL.
AND I ASK THAT IN HOW IS THAT GOING TO LOOK? AND THAT WAS MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS.
ALL RIGHT. SO NOW I HAVE TO TEXT EVERYBODY TO GET THEIR CONSENT THAT I'M TAKING OFF OR LIKE. HOW DOES? SO DO YOU NEED TO VIOLATE THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT? EXACTLY. THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE I'M GOING TO VIOLATE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IN ORDER TO DO THIS.
THAT IS MY CONCERN WITH WITH THIS ONE, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE REWORDED.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT I JUST IF WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING IT ON THERE, THAT COUNCIL IS GETTING PAID.
WE'RE NOT DOING PER MEETING, THOUGH AREN'T WE DOING PER MONTH?
[02:00:04]
PER MONTHS. YEAH.MEAN, TO DO AWAY WITH BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GETTING PAID.
MY THING IS DEFINITIONS DEFINE MORAL TURPITUDE.
IT INVOLVES AND THERE'S SORT OF A NON-EXHAUSTIVE LIST WE DID THIS IS FROM ANOTHER CITY.
IT REALLY IS MORE LIKE CRIMES OF PASSION OR THINGS THAT ARE INHERENTLY WRONG AND INHERENTLY A CRIME, RATHER THAN CRIMES THAT ARE ONLY PUNISHABLE BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE SAYS SO. SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN INSTANCE WHERE A COUNCIL MEMBER FORFEITED THEIR OFFICE AND IT WAS UPHELD BY THE SECOND COURT OF APPEALS IN FORT WORTH.
ASSAULT BY CONTACT, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHERE IT'S IT DOESN'T CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY INJURY, IS ACTUALLY JUST A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR FOR A MUNICIPAL COURT, RIGHT? YOU TOUCH SOMEBODY IN AN UNWANTED WAY.
AND THIS COUNCIL MEMBER THAT STRUCK HIS WIFE AT THE TIME BUT DID NOT CAUSE SERIOUS BODILY INJURY AND WAS JUST ISSUED A CITATION FOR MUNICIPAL COURT WENT TO TRIAL MUNICIPAL COURT.
THE JURY FOUND THAT HE VIOLATED THE STATE LAW FOR ASSAULT BY CONTACT, AND THE COUNCIL DECLARED THAT THE OFFICE WAS IMMEDIATELY VACANT.
THAT WAS A CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE.
IT WAS APPEALED TO THE COURT OF APPEALS AND THE COURT OF APPEALS UPHELD IT AND SAID WE AGREE THAT'S A CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE.
WE KNOW WHEN WE SEE IT AND YOU FORFEIT YOUR OFFICE.
SO THEFT, VIOLENCE, THINGS THAT YOU MIGHT I MEAN, NOT TO BE SOMEWHAT SILLY ABOUT THIS, BUT THE SORT OF BIBLICAL SINS, RIGHT? THOSE ARE CRIMES OF MORAL TURPITUDE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DEFINED.
WHO DEFINES THAT? IT DOES NOT. I MEAN IN YOUR EXAMPLE, WHO'S THE ONE THAT DEFINES MORE MORAL TURPITUDE? THE COUNCIL? THE COURT. OK, IT'S NOT A IT'S A IT'S A LIST OF CASES WHERE COURTS HAVE FOUND THAT CRIMES CONSTITUTE CRIMES OF MORAL TURPITUDE.
AND I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH A LIST OF INSTANCES WHERE COURTS HAVE FOUND THINGS TO BE CRIMES OF MORAL TURPITUDE.
NOW, TYPICALLY, THOSE AREN'T CLASS C MISDEMEANORS, WHICH MEANS IF YOU ADD THE CLASS A AND CLASS B MISDEMEANOR, YOU ALREADY HAVE FELONIES CONSTITUTING A FORFEITURE OF OFFICE.
YOU'RE REALLY JUST TALKING ABOUT A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF INSTANCES WHERE YOU HAVE A CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE, MAYBE PETTY THEFT, ASSAULT BY CONTACT THAT MIGHT CONSTITUTE A CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE THAT ISN'T ALSO OTHERWISE A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR CLASS B MISDEMEANOR OR A FELONY, WHICH IS SORT OF A DOUBLE OFFENSE, RIGHT, THAT YOU WOULD LOSE YOUR OFFICE FOR ANYWAY.
AND THEN WHO CARES WHETHER IT'S A CRIME OF MORAL TURPITUDE? HEY, ROB, I STILL HAVE A BRUISE IN MY ARM WHERE YOU HIT ME LAST WEEK.
YEAH, I GOT ISSUES WITH THIS MORAL TURPITUDE.
JUST BECAUSE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, MENTIONED THE FACT THAT IT'S BASED ON SOCIETY NORMS. RIGHT. WHAT IS WHAT IS SOCIETY DEEM AS YOU KNOW, MORAL? YOU KNOW, YOU GO BACK A FEW YEARS, MY MARRIAGE TO MY WIFE WOULD BE CONSIDERED IMMORAL.
TRUE. TRULY, WE'RE TWO DIFFERENT RACES.
SO THIS WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO MORAL TURPITUDE, I DON'T LIKE THAT DEFINITION ONLY FOR THE FACT THAT IT'S BASED ON SOCIETY NORMS AT THE TIME, AND TO ME, IT SEEMS LIKE A CATCHALL.
SEEMS LIKE, WELL, IF WE CAN'T GET THEM ON THIS, LET'S GET THEM ON THIS MORAL TURPITUDE GROUND, THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK THAT'S FINE AND WE CAN CERTAINLY STRIKE THAT.
THIS IS LANGUAGE THAT WAS NOT BASED ON ANY LEGAL ADVICE TO THE COMMISSION.
THIS WAS BORN OUT OF THE COMMISSION ITSELF.
SO THE, ARE YOU FINISHED? YEAH. SO I FEEL LIKE AND I DON'T MEAN TO BE, I DON'T MEAN TO BE NEGATIVE HERE, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE ITEM B IS A VERY NARROW ITEM.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S. I FEEL LIKE IT'S DIRECTED AT SPECIFIC PEOPLE OR SPECIFIC SITUATIONS.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT I WANT THE CITY CHARTER TO BE NARROW.
I THINK I WANT IT TO BE A LITTLE BIT WIDER.
IS THAT FAIR? I MEAN, THAT'S A VERY SPECIFIC THING, I MEAN, IT SEEMS KIND OF SHORT OF SAYING YOU'RE
[02:05:05]
GOING TO FORFEIT YOUR OFFICE IF YOU WEAR BLUE ON A TUESDAY I MEAN.WELL, SO THE LEGISLATURE HAS ALREADY CODIFIED THIS FOR GENERAL LAW CITIES.
IF YOU MISS THREE REGULAR MEETINGS AND YOU'RE A COMMISSIONER ON A GENERAL LAW CITY UNDER 5000. YEAH.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY YOUR CONSEQUENCE.
SO WHEN YOU SAY THEY'VE CODIFIED IT, WHAT ARE YOU REALLY SAYING? IT'S IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SO WE ARE ALREADY LIVING UNDER THIS CONDITION? NO, IT DOES NOT APPLY TO HOME RULE CITIES.
THE LEGISLATURE IS ONLY IMPOSE THIS ON GENERAL LAW CITIES, BUT A LOT OF HOME RULE CITIES HAVE DECIDED WE LIKE THAT RULE THAT THE LEGISLATURE CAME UP WITH FOR SMALLER CITIES, AND WE WANT IT FOR OURSELVES AS WELL, AND IT'S JUST AS VAGUE AS THIS.
THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT YOUR STATEMENT ISN'T FAIR.
I MEAN, IT'S REALLY UP TO YOU ALL DECIDE WHETHER IT'S PRUDENT OR NOT.
IT'S ALL I WANT TO ADD IS IT'S NOT IN WHOLLY UNPRECEDENTED.
THE SO RIGHT NOW TODAY I'M JUST GOING TO GET OUT THERE ON THIS ONE RIGHT NOW, TODAY, IF COUNCIL HAS A COUNCIL MEMBER, ONE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL THAT WERE UPSET THAT HE CONTINUES TO WEAR BLUE ON TUESDAYS.
WHAT IS THE COUNCIL'S RECOURSE TO REMOVE HIM? WELL, IT'S NOT MORAL TURPITUDE, AND IT'S ALSO NOT A CLASS A OR CLASS B MISDEMEANOR.
I THINK CERTAIN THINGS MIGHT BE PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT AS WELL.
SO ARE OTHER CITIES DO THEY HAVE LANGUAGE LIKE THIS? YES. THIS IS COMMON.
YEAH. AND THIS STATEWIDE IS NOT APPLICABLE TO US.
THAT'S RIGHT. THEN LET'S DON'T IMPOSE SOMETHING ON OURSELVES THAT IS NOT NECESSARY.
I THINK IF A COUNCIL MEMBER TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD REASON FOR HAVING DONE SO.
AND IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE CONSECUTIVE MEETINGS. I'M HOPING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REACHING OUT TO THAT PERSON AND SEEING HOW WE CAN HELP THEM.
YOU AUTOMATICALLY FORFEIT RATHER THAN SOMETHING IN BETWEEN.
NO, JUST THIS. I DON'T EVEN I DON'T LIKE IT, THOUGH.
OTHER THAN THE EXCUSE BY DAN AND THREE OF HIS COMPATRIOTS.
I'M IN AGREEMENT, I DON'T LIKE REALLY ANY OF IT.
ANY OF IT, ANY OF IT, QUITE FRANKLY.
AND I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THERE WAS A CERTAIN CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IN FORT WORTH WHO GOT A DUI AND YET WAS STILL ABLE TO SIT ON THAT ON THE DAIS.
AND SO LIKE YOU SAID, WHY ARE WE GOING TO BE THE ONES LIMITING OURSELVES TO THIS? SO WE WANT TO INCLUDE FORT WORTH IN OUR CITY CHARTER NO THAT WE CAN.
SO I JUST WANT TO BRING IT UP AS AN EXAMPLE.
YEAH, YEAH. SO IT'S OK TO HAVE A DRUNK ON YOUR DAIS? I MEAN, REALLY. WELL.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S IT'S A CONVICTION. SO.
OK, SO LET'S BREAK IT DOWN TWO WAYS THEN.
WHAT ABOUT THE THREE CONSECUTIVE ABSENCES? WHAT DO YOU FEEL ON THAT? I DON'T THINK COUNCILS SHOULD JUDGE IT.
IT HAS TO BE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT THEY MISS AND THEY'RE OUT OR WHATEVER.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT COUNCIL NEEDS TO BE THE JUDGE.
OH, SO YOU'D RATHER IT GO TO AN AUTOMATIC? WELL, YEAH, I MEAN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO.
KIND OF LIKE WHAT IT'S SAYING HERE.
YEAH, BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON FOR US TO JUDGE IT.
YOU EXCUSE? WHO'S WHO DO I HAVE TO CALL TO GET THE EXCUSE, DO I CALL ROB BECAUSE I KNOW HE'S GOING TO HOPEFULLY, EXCUSE ME? CLASS A AND CLASS B WITH THE WOULDN'T A DWI BE THE CLASS? IT SAYS CONVICTED. YEAH. SO IF THEY'RE CONVICTED, I CAN, I COULD UPHOLD THAT.
YEAH, THE SECOND PART, WE'RE ALL KIND OF OK WITH THAT.
CORRECT. ANYONE OBJECT TO A SO B IS THE REAL ISSUE.
WELL, WE HAVE THE MORAL TURPITUDE.
DISORDERLY CONDUCT, AND THERE'S A WIDE VARIETY OF OF OF INTERPRETATIONS OF DISORDERLY CONDUCT. YOU COULD BE THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME AT A PROTEST.
YEAH LIKE AT A COUNCIL MEETING RIGHT NOW.
FEELS LIKE A CONVICTION. SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE CONVICTING THEM, THIS IS BY A COURT.
SO AGAIN, LIKE DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
[02:10:03]
SO, RIGHT. SO GIANT QUESTION MARK.SO HOW BIG OF A HAND DID YOU HAVE IN THIS LANGUAGE BRYN? I DID NOT.
THIS IS. SO IF YOU WERE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, WOULD YOU REWRITE THIS OR WOULD YOU STRIKE ANY OF THIS AS NO? WOULD YOU SAY IT'S ALL A POSSIBILITY FOR REWRITTEN? I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE REWRITTEN IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE POLICY CONCEPTS BEHIND THIS. SO.
OK. ITEM A, YES, NO, MOVE FORWARD? NO, NO, NO, YES, MAYBE.
YES, I'M ACTUALLY KIND OF LEANING TOWARDS BEING IN FAVOR OF A.
BUT NOT THE NOT THE B ON A AND NOT B PERIOD, RIGHT? BUT IF A COURT CONVICTION.
YEAH. BUT THEN TWO, LIKE A TWO WOULD ALSO BE MORAL TURPITUDE.
I MEAN, IT WOULD BE A CONVICTED COURT OF MORAL TURPITUDE.
REGARDLESS, IT'S ALL CONVICTIONS.
OK, BUT THEN YOU'RE TALKING A CLASS C FOR.
THAT'S RIGHT. REALLY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE CLASS C'S AGAIN, YOU APPLY THAT INTERPRETATION TO IT.
SO TO ME, THE MORAL TURPITUDE [INAUDIBLE].
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I'M TRYING TO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FORFEITING AN OFFICE BY A COUNCIL MEMBER.
JUST BEING IN THE WRONG. EXACTLY.
YOU COULD BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME, BE CONVICTED.
AND THEN OF COURSE, YOU'RE LOSING YOUR THEY DEEMED IT MORALLY WRONG.
JUST AND A AND A B. [INAUDIBLE] CLASS B.
BUT DIDN'T DIDN'T YOU DESCRIBE IT AS A PETTY THEFT? YEAH. ANYTHING. THAT'S RIGHT.
ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE A TICKET-ABLE OFFENSE ONLY HAVE CRIMES OF MORAL TURPITUDE THAT ARE MORE EGREGIOUS THAN THAT.
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE THE REST, THE CLASS A AND CLASS B IN THERE, IT'S ALREADY COVERED THERE ANYWAY.
SO WHAT'S THE POSSIBILITY? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A CLASS C AND COUNCIL CAN TAKE ACTION ON ITSELF.
CLASS C THERE IS NO CLASS C, IT SAYS A AND B.
ANYTHING OTHER THAN A AND B COUNCIL TAKES ACTION.
IT DOESN'T RESULT IN AN IMMEDIATE FORFEIT THAT COUNCIL GETS TO.
I THINK THE BIG THING IS CONVICTED.
SO I'M THINKING IF YOU'RE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WHAT I MEAN. TOO BAD.
SO SAD. YOU KNOW, JUST YOU SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
DON'T GET CONVICTED. YEAH, I MEAN.
OK, CLASS A AND CLASS B, PERIOD.
IS THAT A YES, YES, YES, YES, YES.
I'M GOING TO GO SHOPLIFT AT DILLARD'S, ARE YOU GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT? NO, THE [INAUDIBLE].
[LAUGHTER] FORTY TWO SHORT. OK, SO A AS AMENDED B IS A NO.
B IS A NO. B IS A NO WITH A THUMBS UP.
I GOT TO KNOW. OK, WE GOT A MAJORITY IN [INAUDIBLE], SO WE GOT NO, NO, NO ON B.
GOT IT. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVING RIGHT ALONG SPEEDILY.
NEW SECTION PROCEDURE FOR EXPULSION.
WE JUST CAME OUT OF THAT CONVERSATION.
NOW WE CAN HAVE THIS. LET ME SAY THIS.
I I DO WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO TO THE ELECTION IN MAY. THIS CAN BE AN ITEM.
WE CAN DO THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS IN NOVEMBER IF WE CHOOSE.
THANK YOU. OK, SO SKIPPING OVER THIS ONE, THEN IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? I THINK THIS ONE'S A LITTLE TOO COMPLICATED, MAYOR.
WHAT ABOUT DIRECTING STAFF TO MASSAGE THIS AND WITH OUR CONCERN, STAFF PROBABLY KNOWS OUR CONCERNS. I WOULD IMAGINE AND STAFF CAN COME BACK AND MASSAGE THIS, AND SO WE DON'T FEEL COMPELLED TO HAVE TO GO TO A MAY ELECTION.
Y'ALL GOOD WITH THAT. SO THAT MEANS WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL SESSION NEXT WEEK.
ALL RIGHT. COULD I ASK JUST ONE BASIC QUESTION ON THAT ITEM? DO NOT BRING THE ROOM DOWN BRYN.
MY TAKEAWAY FROM OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCIL PRESENTLY AND IN THE PAST IS YOU WANT A PROCEDURE FOR THE ONE ITEM IN THE CHARTER INVOLVING INTERFERING WITH SUBORDINATES OF THE
[02:15:02]
CITY MANAGER ONLY.YEAH. BECAUSE WHAT'S THIS SECTION HERE, I THINK IT'S WELL-INTENDED, IT'S JUST IT BROADLY APPLIES TO ALL OTHER REMOVALS AND FORFEITURES AND ALL THE REST.
AND I THINK IN ORDER TO MASSAGE THIS, TO MEET YOUR GOALS, IT'S JUST TO COME UP WITH A PROCEDURE FOR THAT ONE SECTION.
IF THAT'S IF THAT'S A YES THEN THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
AND I THINK THE INTENT IS VALID ON THIS.
BUT IT IT IS IT HITS ON CERTAIN THINGS, BUT IT MISSES OTHER THINGS.
AND I THINK YOU'RE AWARE OF SCENARIOS HERE THAT WE'RE CONCERNED THAT WE NEED.
WE NEED GREATER GUIDANCE FROM THE CHARTER ON.
SO I HAVE FAITH IN YOUR ABILITY TO MASSAGE THIS LANGUAGE IF COUNCIL DOES AS WELL, SO.
THANK YOU. GOOD JOB, BRYN. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT ON.
SECTION 3.07 CITY ATTORNEY THIS WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
THE CITY ATTORNEY SHALL BE A PERSON ADMITTED TO THE PRACTICE OF LAW BY THE STATE OF TEXAS AND SHALL HAVE PRACTICE LAW FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS.
HOW LONG YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS? THREE AND A HALF. [LAUGHTER] [EXPLETIVE] IT.
THE CITY ATTORNEY SHALL BE THE CHIEF LEGAL ADVISER OF ALL OFFICERS, DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES AND OF ALL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY AND MATTERS RELATING TO THEIR OFFICIAL POWERS AND DUTIES.
THE CITY ATTORNEY SHALL REPRESENT THE CITY IN ALL LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE CITY ATTORNEY SHALL PERFORM ALL SERVICES INCIDENT TO THE POSITION AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY STATUTE BY THE CITY OF BEDFORD CHARTER OR BY ORDINANCE.
C THE CITY ATTORNEY SHALL BE APPOINTED TO OR REMOVED FROM OFFICE BY A MINIMUM OF FOUR AFFIRMATIVE VOTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
SO MY IMMEDIATE QUESTION IS THE SENTENCE THAT SAYS THE CITY ATTORNEY SHALL REPRESENT THE CITY IN ALL LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS THAT THE CASE NOW? IT NO, IT'S YOU HAVE RISK POOL WELL, IT IS NOT EVEN I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE INSURANCE COVERAGE, SO THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE A THIRD PARTY LEGAL FIRM WILL PROVIDE OUTSIDE.
THAT'S RIGHT. SO WOULD YOU ALTER THIS LANGUAGE? I DON'T. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
SO WHEN WHEN TML DOES PROVIDE COVERAGE, THE FIRM THAT'S ASSIGNED THE WORK WILL ALWAYS STILL COORDINATE WITH OUR OFFICE.
SO I THINK I THINK WE STILL CONNECT THE DOTS SUFFICIENTLY.
SO THE KEY TO THIS SECTION IS ADDING THAT YOU CAN BE APPOINTED OR REMOVED BY A MINIMUM OF FOUR AFFIRMATIVE VOTES.
SO I DON'T I DON'T SEE ANYTHING MAJOR ON THAT.
I THINK WE LOST ROB. ROB YOU STILL HERE? OK. SO ANYONE HAVE ANY REAL OBJECTIONS TO THIS ITEM? WAS IT BEFORE IT WAS A UNANIMOUS OR SOMETHING THAT WE GOT RID OF THE ATTORNEY? IT SAID BY A VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
I THINK THE COMMISSION WAS JUST WORRIED THAT THAT WAS AMBIGUOUS.
OK. I MEAN, I THINK IT'S IMPLIED THAT IT'S A MAJORITY, BUT I THINK THEY JUST WANTED THAT CLARITY. OKAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT? SECTION 8.02 MUNICIPAL JUDGE DESIGNATION, THIS WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
THE OLD LANGUAGE SAID THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE SHALL BE QUALIFIED VOTER OF THE CITY, WHO HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE CITY FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR, A COMPETENT PRACTICING LAWYER AND SHALL HOLD NO OTHER PUBLIC OFFICE, EXCEPT FOR THOSE ALLOWED BY THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION OR STATE LAW.
THAT HAS BEEN STRICKEN IN THIS NEW LANGUAGE, WHICH SAYS THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE SHALL BE A COMPETENT PRACTICING LAWYER WHO IS EITHER A QUALIFIED VOTER AND WHO HAS BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE CITY FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR, OR WHO MAINTAINS OR IS EMPLOYED AT A LAW OFFICE WITH A PHYSICAL STREET ADDRESS LOCATED IN TARRANT COUNTY.
ALSO, THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE SHALL HOLD NO OTHER PUBLIC OFFICE EXCEPT FOR THOSE ALLOWED BY THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION OR STATE LAW.
IF A MUNICIPAL JUDGE SHALL CEASE TO POSSESS ANY OF THESE QUALIFICATIONS OR SHALL BE CONVICTED OF A FELONY THE OFFICE SHALL IMMEDIATELY BECOME VACANT.
THE CITY COUNCIL MAY BY ORDINANCE PROVIDE THE SALARY OF THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW. THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE SHALL BE ELECTED OR APPOINTED AS DETERMINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. THE TERM IS FOR THREE YEARS IF ELECTED OR IF APPOINTED FOR A TERM DEFINED BY THE COUNCIL. IF APPOINTED, THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE SHALL SERVE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY COUNCIL MAY BE REMOVED AFTER NOTICE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD AT A PUBLIC HEARING. THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE IS LIMITED TO FOUR CONSECUTIVE FULL TERMS. ANY MUNICIPAL JUDGE WHO IS ELECTED TO FOUR CONSECUTIVE FULL TERMS WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RUN FOR OFFICE AFTER SITTING OUT ONE FULL TERM OF OFFICE.
OK. A FEW YEARS, IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
SO COUNCIL MEMBER CULVER IS WONDERING, HOW LONG HAS JUDGE MURPHREE BEEN? JUDGE MURPHREE. THIS IS WHAT MICHAEL PROVIDED TO ME, THIS IS THE HISTORY OF THE JUDGE.
[02:20:11]
HOW LONG DOES IT SAY? SO ANYWAY.SO A COUPLE OF ITEMS ON THIS MUST BE A PRACTICING COMPETENT LAWYER OR BEING A LAW FIRM IN TARRANT COUNTY. HAVE ANY OPINIONS ON THAT? NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. HOW DO YOU DEFINE A COMPETENT PRACTICING LAWYER? I NEED A.
THAT WAS IN THE OLD LANGUAGE, THOUGH IT WAS? IT IS, YES. AGAIN, HOW DO YOU DEFINE A COMPETENT PRACTICING? HASN'T BEEN DISBARRED. [LAUGHTER] OKAY, SO THE IDEA WITH THE MUST BE PRACTICING IN TARRANT COUNTY IS TO WIDEN THE SCOPE OF THE AVAILABLE POOL OF POTENTIAL JUDGES.
WE'RE LIVING IN A WORLD NOW THAT'S MORE STATIONARY.
YOU KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN HURST.
AND IT'S A SMALL GROUP OF PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES THAT DO IT ON A REGULAR BASIS AND JUST SORT OF LIMIT YOURSELF WITH THAT GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARY.
WHAT'S THE POINT OF EVEN SAYING THAT YOU LIVE IN THE CITY FOR ONE YEAR? WHAT'S THE POINT? STUPID STRIKE.
IS THAT JUST MATCHING IT WITH US? WELL, WE EVIDENTLY WE TRIED TO STRIKE IT AND THE VOTERS SAID, NO, THAT'S STAYING IN THERE. IT FAILED ONCE ALREADY IN A CHARTER ELECTION.
AND IT ALSO COULD BE I'M SORRY, I'M INTERRUPTING.
NO, IT'S OKAY, I SAID SOMETHING INAPPROPRIATE.
IT COULD ALSO BE IT COULD BE A BEDFORD RESIDENT WHOSE OFFICE IS IN DALLAS COUNTY.
AND SO I THINK THAT MAY BE WHY IT'S IN THERE AS WELL.
HAVE FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR OR WHO MAINTAINS OR IS EMPLOYED.
YOU CAN'T DO THE DALLAS COUNTY.
OKAY. AND THE THOUGHT HERE, TOO, WAS.
PUBLIC HEARING. YEAH, SO THE THOUGHT AS WELL WAS TO HAVE EVEN THOUGH THIS IS ALL IN ONE SECTION, THEY REALLY AREN'T COMPLETELY INTERRELATED TOPICS.
SO IT WAS TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT MEASURES AMENDING THIS SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOTE FOR ONE AND APPROVE BOTH OR.
THAT'S RIGHT. WHAT'S THE THOUGHT THERE? SO I MENTIONED THIS BRIEFLY AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT STATE LAW SAYS IS ONCE YOU APPOINT A MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE THEY CANNOT BE REMOVED EXCEPT FOR MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE UNLESS YOUR CHARTER PROVIDES FOR AN ALTERNATE METHOD FOR REMOVAL.
AND I GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JUDGE MURPHREE, BY THE WAY.
SO BUT WE HAD A CIRCUMSTANCE IN ANOTHER CITY WHERE A MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE AND THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES GOT INTO A FIGHT.
IT BECAME SORT OF PUBLICLY UGLY, AND THE COUNCIL JUST WANTED TO START OVER WITH A CLEAN SLATE AND REMOVE ALL OF THEM AND REAPPOINT.
AND I HAD TO ADVISE THEM, YOU DON'T HAVE A METHOD TO DO THAT.
YOU HAVE TO ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE TO REMAIN AS THE JUDGE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR TERM. SO IS THERE ANYTHING TO READ INTO THE LANGUAGE WHERE IT SAYS THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE IS LIMITED TO FOUR CONSECUTIVE FULL TERMS AND THE NEXT SENTENCE IS ANY MUNICIPAL JUDGE WHO IS ELECTED FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE FULL TERMS HAS TO SIT OUT OF TURN.
RIGHT, I MEAN, THAT MIGHT BEAR SOME CLARIFICATION CANDIDLY, BECAUSE THE THEY EITHER MEAN THE SAME THING OR WE HAVE ONE SENTENCE THAT APPLIES TO ELECTED JUDGES IN ONE SENTENCE THAT IS SILENT ON WHO IT APPLIES TO.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WAS ALSO FROM THE LAST CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WAS GOING TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR REMOVAL, BUT IT FAILED AT THE.
OH IN THE LAST ONE. YEAH, IT FAILED THE THE ELECTION.
SO YOU MIGHT NOTICE ON THE ON THE SHEET THAT MICHAEL PROVIDED, IT SORT OF LOOKS LIKE THE COUNCIL HAS DONE A DANCE WITH JUDGE MURPHREE AND WOULD DO THE APPOINTMENT FOR A FEW TIMES AND THEN WE DO THE ELECTION FOR A FEW TIMES AND THEN WE GO BACK TO APPOINTMENT TO TRY TO MAYBE DANCE AROUND THIS RULE A LITTLE BIT.
OK. SINCE WE ARE NOT NECESSARILY STRIVING TOWARDS A MAY ELECTION HERE, DO WE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR STAFF AND CITY ATTORNEY TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS?
[02:25:02]
IF IT'S ELECTION, IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTION, THE CHANCES ARE YOU COULD GET SOMEBODY THAT IS SUPPOSEDLY COMPETENT BUT HAS NEVER DONE A MUNICIPAL COURT BEFORE.WOULD IT BEHOOVE US TO JUST MAKE IT AN APPOINTED AND NEVER GO ELECTION? WELL, YOU HAVE DISCRETION PRESENTLY ON WHETHER TO THROW IT OUT THERE FOR AN ELECTION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
SO I MEAN, THAT GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THAT AND PREVENT THAT FROM HAPPENING. BUT OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU WANTED TO PREVENT FUTURE COUNCILORS FROM EVEN ENTERTAINING THAT OPTION, THEN YOU WOULD REMOVE IT.
BUT THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE COMPETENCY, THOUGH.
I'M STILL CHALLENGING THAT STATEMENT.
YEAH, SEE, THERE'S COMPETENCY IF WE ASSIGN IT, BUT COMPETENCY FOR ELECTION DOESN'T MATTER. I MEAN, I THINK THAT THE CHALLENGE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, LIKE WITH THE COUNCIL MEMBER PAY, IS IF YOU PUT SOMETHING OUT TO THE VOTERS REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT THAT SOMEONE BE COMPETENT, THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND THAT YOU'RE DOING THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT REALLY MEANS AND INSTEAD MIGHT THINK THAT THERE'S SOMETHING NEFARIOUS GOING ON. I'M PERSONALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORD COMPETENT.
I'M PRAYING FOR SO WHAT IF WE ASKED STAFF AND BRYN TO GO OUT THERE AND LET'S SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING WITH RESPECT TO THIS IS AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO MOVE ON THIS? YOU LIKE THAT IDEA, JIMMY? YES, SIR.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT. A SURVEY, WE GET A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
YES, SIR. AND WE CAN MAKE A COMPETENT DECISION.
SAME LEGAL EFFECT UPON THE ADOPTION OF A MASTER PLAN BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
NO SUBDIVISION, STREET, PARK OR ANY PUBLIC WAY, GROUND OR SPACE, PUBLIC BUILDING OR STRUCTURE OR PUBLIC UTILITY, WHETHER PUBLICLY OR PRIVATELY OWNED, WHICH IS IN CONFLICT WITH THE MASTER PLAN, SHALL BE CONSTRUCTED OR AUTHORIZED BY THE CITY UNTIL AND UNLESS THE LOCATION AND EXTENT THEREOF SHALL HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO AND APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION.
IN CASE OF DISAPPROVAL OF THE COMMISSION SHALL COMMUNICATE ITS REASONS TO THE COUNCIL, WHICH SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO OVERRULE SUCH DISAPPROVAL.
AND UPON SUCH OVERRULING, THE COUNCIL SHALL HAVE POWER TO PROCEED.
THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WAS STRICKEN THE WIDENING, NARROWING, RELOCATING, VACATING OR CHANGE IN THE USE OF ANY STREET ALLEY OR PUBLIC WAY OR GROUND OR THE SALE OF ANY PUBLIC BUILDING OR REAL PROPERTY SHALL BE SUBJECT TO SIMILAR SUBMISSION OR APPROVAL BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION AND FAILURE TO APPROVE MAY BE SIMILARLY OVERRULED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THIS JUST LOOKS LIKE CLEANING UP SOME DEAD EXCESS LANGUAGE HERE.
RIGHT. THIS IS NOT THE STATUTORY PURPOSE OF P&Z.
IS IT? IT JUST SEEMS SO IF YOU IF COUNCIL DECIDES TO SELL SOME, WELL, IT'S NOT REDUNDANT.
IT'S JUST IT ADDS A PROPRIETARY FUNCTION TO P&Z THAT THE LEGISLATURE NEVER CONTEMPLATED.
P&Z DOES PLANNING AND ZONING THINGS AND ASKING THEM WHETHER YOU CAN SELL A BUILDING OR NOT OR PUBLIC LAND IS JUST OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
OKAY. ANYONE HAVE ANY REAL APPETITE HERE? WE'RE GOOD. WE'RE GOOD.
HAVE WE MISSED ANYTHING HERE? STAFF, DO YOU NEED ANYTHING, ANY FURTHER DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL? NO, SIR. THANK YOU.
BRYN DO YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE FROM COUNCIL? NO, SIR. ALL RIGHT.
SO, NEXT UP, WE GOT MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS.
JIMMY DO YOU HAVE ANY? VERY BRIEFLY, I PROMISE.
[12. City Manager/Staff Reports]
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED THE RECENT TOWN HALL MEETING TO DISCUSS THE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS OF THE CENTER, SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE YMCA OPTION.
WE'RE WORKING ON A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SECTION THAT WILL GO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE'RE HAVING THE SECOND TOWN HALL MEETING AT CITY HALL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.
GET SOME FEEDBACK AND SHARE THAT WITH THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AS THEY LOOK AT ADOPTING A SCOPE IN ORDER TO SET THE ARCHITECTS LOOSE ON MOVING FORWARD.
AND THAT'LL BE NEXT THURSDAY, MARCH.
I MEAN, I'M SORRY, FEBRUARY 17TH AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THIS ROOM.
AND THEN WE'LL ALSO FOR PEOPLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK LATER ON IF THEY WANT THROUGH EMAIL OR WHAT HAVE YOU. THANK YOU.
I KNOW YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE 2022 SNOWPOCALYPSE EVENT.
HOW DID THE CITY DO? THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR SAVING ME.
THANK YOU. WE DID EXTREMELY WELL.
YOU KNOW, WE BASICALLY MADE OUR OWN BRINING MACHINE THAT WE USED ON THE ROADS IN ADVANCE, AND WE HAD STAFF THAT OBVIOUSLY WORKED VERY DILIGENTLY.
THEY WERE AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND WE HAD VERY, VERY MINIMAL POWER OUTAGES AT NO POINT WHERE THERE DOUBLE DIGIT OUTAGES AND THE ONES THAT WERE OUT WERE QUICKLY PUT BACK
[02:30:03]
ON OR RECONNECT AND THAT'S ENCORE.BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF COMMUNICATION.
WE, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT THE VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS WORKED VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER WHEN WE WERE ICING AND BRINING THE ROADS, WE FOCUSED ON THE HEAVILY TRAVELED ROADS AS WELL AS THE INTERSECTIONS.
AND SO WHEN THERE WERE AREAS THAT WERE PROBLEM AREAS, YOU KNOW, WE COULD GO OUT AND SAND THEM, BUT ALSO WE WOULD USE BARRICADES.
SO WE DIDN'T HAVE OFFICERS OUT THERE CONSTANTLY IN HARM'S WAY IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ROAD. BUT I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION AND THE EXECUTION OF THE PLAN WITH OUR NEW PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR CHERYL TAYLOR.
SHE HAD A VERY, VERY GOOD PLAN THAT WAS DEVISED MONTHS AGO FOR THIS EVENT, AND I FEEL LIKE IT WAS EXECUTED PERFECTLY.
YEAH, I KNOW I WAS ONE OF THE ONES I HAD TO GET OUT, BUT I SAW CITY TRUCKS OUT THERE WORKING THE STREETS. I MEAN, IT WAS IT WAS REALLY NEAT TO SEE.
SO I THINK Y'ALL DID A GREAT JOB.
AND JIM JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE UPDATES YOU'RE INUNDATING WITH US.
IT WAS ACTUALLY A GOOD THING AND KIND OF REALIZING THE STATUS OF OF HOW BEDFORD WAS DOING DURING THIS, THOSE KIND OF REALLY UNCERTAIN TIMES, ESPECIALLY GIVEN LAST YEAR.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION, THOUGH. SO FOR THIS NEW UPCOMING, YOU KNOW, THIS NEW SNOWSTORM, DID WE HAVE A DESIGNATED WARMING CENTER FOR THE CITY? YES, SIR. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE NICE COMMENTS AND I'LL SHARE THEM.
WAS IT HARVARD JUNIOR HIGH? I'M SORRY. CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH.
SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID GET FINALLY GIVE US KIND OF A GREEN LIGHT AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. YES, SIR. IT WAS THAT LAST MINUTE, BUT THEY THEY CAME THROUGH.
AND SO YES, SIR, WE DID HAVE THAT OPTION IF NECESSARY.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE NEXT YEAR, OBVIOUSLY THE CENTER AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT GOING FORWARD, WE HAVE THAT PLAN KIND OF IN PLACE WITH THE DISTRICT NOW JUST IN CASE, HEY, YOU KNOW. WELL, BUT REMEMBER, WE ALSO MADE PLANS FOR, WELL, THE CENTER.
THE CENTER. NOW THAT THE CENTER IS WE REALLY DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON, YOU KNOW, H-E-B ANYMORE. BUT HAVING THAT PLAN IN PLACE, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT GOING FORWARD BECAUSE I TEND TO THINK THAT THIS THIS KIND OF WEATHER IS GOING TO BE A YEARLY OCCURRENCE. YES, SIR.
YEAH, WE HAVE IT. THEY WANT US TO ALWAYS CHECK WITH THEM JUST TO, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE.
BUT I MEAN, WE HAVE A STANDING AGREEMENT, BUT WE AT ANY TIME THEY CAN REVOKE IT.
SO WE ALWAYS WANT TO KIND OF LIKE, OK, NO TAKE BACKS.
SO I JUST HOPE THAT THEY GET BACK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT QUICKER THAN LAST TIME.
THANK YOU, JIMMY. APPRECIATE IT. DO YOU HAVE ANY PULL WITH THE DISTRICT? YEAH, RIGHT. [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT, COMPETENT REPORT MR. STATHATOS THERE'S NO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
WE HAVE A SECOND. SECOND WAS COUNCIL MEMBER COGAN.
AYE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOLKS VERY MUCH.
IT'S 8:34.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.