Feb 10, 2026 City Council

MICROPHONE. ALL RIGHT, NOW, THERE WE GO. TIME IS NOW 6:30.

[CALL TO ORDER/GENERAL COMMENTS ]

[00:00:04]

I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE THAT IS IN THE AUDIENCE AND THOSE WHO MIGHT BE TUNING IN ONLINE.

SEE HERE. FIRST UP, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING AN INVOCATION BY VIRGIL KINCAID OF PENTECOSTAL CHURCH OF GOD.

SO IF VIRGIL IS IN THE AUDIENCE, YOU MIGHT COME TO THE PODIUM.

OKAY. DON'T SEE THAT PERSON. SO WE'LL NEED BACKUP.

GOOD THING WE HAVE BACKUP, BECAUSE I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES IS GOING TO BE DOING OUR PRAYER TODAY. AND FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE BEING LED TO US BY OUR MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS. SO IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE STAND.

HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE GATHER TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS OF BEDFORD, WE ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE.

FILL OUR HEARTS WITH HOPE AND OUR MINDS WITH CLARITY AS WE CONSIDER THE MATTERS BEFORE US.

GRANT US PATIENCE, UNITY, AND A SPIRIT OF SERVICE THAT OUR DECISIONS REFLECT YOUR GRACE.

IN GOD'S NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE TEXAS.

ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. ALL RIGHT ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER STEVES. THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS.

ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE WILL HAVE BEFORE I GO ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

[PUBLIC COMMENTS ]

SO THE SPEAKING TIME WILL BE THREE MINUTES. THERE WILL BE A TIMER UP ON THE BOARD THERE.

THERE WILL BE A WARNING AT TWO MINUTES, AND THEN AT THREE MINUTE MARK, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF. I REALLY DON'T LIKE DOING THAT.

AND SO DON'T TAKE OFFENSE, BUT I'M TRYING TO BE FAIR, SO I'LL HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF AT THREE MINUTES.

SO WITH THAT, THE FIRST PERSON UP WILL BE MISS DOROTHY MCWHORTER TO TALK TO US ON AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 6.

DOROTHY MCWHORTER, 1600 MARTHA DRIVE. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN OF THE SCHOOL.

GET UP, MAKE YOUR POINTS, SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN.

I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 6. WE TALK AND TALK BEFORE THIS BODY.

AND ALWAYS. YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE LAST WORD. TONIGHT YOU LISTEN.

AS AFFORDED BY YOUR ORDINANCE. ISSUE AT HAND HIS RECOMMENDATIONS BEFORE YOU FOR A CHARTER CHANGE, WHICH DEALS WITH CANDIDATES FILING FOR POSITIONS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

THIS CHANGE TO THE CITY CHARTER IS LONG OVERDUE, AS IT CONCERNS TAX DOLLARS.

TO HOLD CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS. SERVES TO DISCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS FROM FILING FOR OFFICE WHEN THEY ARE NOT SERIOUS CANDIDATES. I DO NOT EXPECT THIS ISSUE TO BE ON THE BALLOT.

SUGGEST THAT YOU KEEP YOUR PERSONAL STANCE ON THIS ISSUE FOR THE BALLOT BOX.

IF YOU HAVE SPENT MOST OF YOUR TIME IN A COCOON, YOU ARE NOT AWARE OF THE FACT VOTERS WANT A SAY IN THEIR GOVERNMENT. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY ALL THE BEDFORD 2000 SUCCESSFUL ELECTIONS WE HAVE HAD IN THIS CITY. ASK YOURSELF, WHAT ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS TO DETERMINE WHAT IS BEST FOR ME? PLACE THE ISSUE ON THE BALLOT AND I AND THE VOTERS WILL TELL YOU WHAT IS BEST FOR US.

WE VOTERS MAKE THAT DECISION, NOT YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS TAYKIN WRIGHT.

AGAIN GOING TO TALK TO US ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 6.

HELLO, ALL. HOW ARE Y'ALL DOING? GOOD, GOOD. HAVEN'T SEEN MANY OF YOU IN A LONG TIME, SO GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.

I AM VEHEMENTLY AGAINST WHAT IS BEING BROUGHT HERE TODAY.

AND THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH THIS MAY BE DONE IN GOOD FAITH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ATTACKED ME.

[00:05:04]

NOW, SAL DID SUGGEST SOME OTHER THINGS THAT MAY WORK IN ORDER FOR THIS TO WORK, BUT JUST MAKING IT TO WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO GET SIGNATURES OR HAVE TO DO A FILING FEE, I'M AGAINST THAT. THAT DISCOURAGES PEOPLE LIKE ME FROM RUNNING.

THAT DISCOURAGES COMPETITION, WHICH IS VERY NECESSARY FOR OUR CITY OF BEDFORD, AND THAT DISCOURAGES ANYBODY FROM REALLY WANTING TO CARE.

ONE THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO BEING IN THE CITY OF BEDFORD, IS UNDERSTANDING AND REALIZING THAT WE ARE THE CENTER.

WE ARE THE BEST FOR A REASON, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE CAN HAVE ELECTIONS WHERE ANYBODY ME, MAYOR DAN, COUNCILMAN FARCO, CAN COME IN HERE AND WE CAN MAKE OUR FOOTNOTE IN THIS.

THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. AND PUTTING THESE THINGS INTO PLACE, ALTHOUGH IT MAY HAVE BEEN WITH GOOD INTENTION, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SERVES OUR CITIZENS. SO I PRAY THAT THIS DOES NOT GO TO THE BALLOT, BUT IF IT DOES, I WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST LEADERS TO SAY NO FOR THIS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING NO MORE PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON WITH OUR AGENDA.

[ PRESENTATIONS]

THANK YOU MAYOR. GOOD EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT TO CARYN RIGGS FOR JUST A QUICK SECOND.

WE'VE GOT A LITTLE RECOGNITION ANNOUNCEMENT WE'D LIKE TO MAKE BEFORE BRADY JUMPS INTO HIS REPORTS.

OKAY. SORRY, BRADY. SURPRISE! YES. SURPRISE. SO, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

YES. SO WE JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ANNOUNCEMENT, AND I HOPE NOT TO EMBARRASS BRADY TOO MUCH, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE BRADY. BRADY TOOK A VERY CHALLENGING EXAM A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND WE JUST WANTED TO CELEBRATE HIM TONIGHT.

SO HE PASSED HIS PROPERTY TAX EXAM. AND SO HE IS NOW A PROPERTY TAX.

TEXAS REGISTERED TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR LEVEL IV.

SO THIS CERTIFICATION REQUIRES SPECIFIC EDUCATION AND EXAMS TO DEMONSTRATE COMPETENCY IN PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT, COLLECTION, TRUTH AND TAXATION, TAX RATE CALCULATION AND PROPERTY TAX LAW.

THERE ARE THREE CLASSES AND EXAMS THAT MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN 60 MONTHS, AND HE HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO ACHIEVE THIS CERTIFICATION.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY CELEBRATE THAT BECAUSE THAT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, EFFORT, AND WE ARE EXTREMELY HONORED TO HAVE SOMEBODY WITH THIS CERTIFICATION WORKING FOR THE CITY OF BEDFORD.

SO CONGRATULATIONS TO BRADY. [APPLAUSE] I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU EVERYONE. YEAH, THAT WILL HOPEFULLY BE MY LAST 4 HOUR 150 QUESTION TEST I EVER TAKE IN MY LIFE.

[LAUGHTER]. OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH YES, I NOTHING HIGHER. NOTHING HIGHER THAN THAT.

I HOPE THEY DO NOT CREATE SOMETHING HIGHER [LAUGHTER]. A LEVEL FIVE.

THAT'S 8 HOUR TEST. YES. I DO NOT WANT THAT. NO.

SO, SO TECHNICALLY YOU COULD BE OUR TAX ASSESSOR, COULDN'T YOU? I COULD BE, YES, I'M QUALIFIED TO DO THAT. OH OKAY.

THAT'S INTERESTING. ESPECIALLY WITH TAD DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. OKAY. [LAUGHTER]. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT BRADY I WON'T I, WON'T HOLD YOU UP ANYMORE.

ALL RIGHT. NO I APPRECIATE IT SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER A MONTH AGO WE STARTED OFF WITH ALL FUNDS, REVENUE, EXPENDITURES.

WE GENERALLY WANT REVENUE TO BE OVER EXPENDITURES.

SO WE ARE THAT AND MOST OF OUR FUNDS. THERE IS ONE QUIRK IN THE GENERAL FUND, OUR REVENUE IS A LITTLE LOWER THAN WE NORMALLY EXPECT IT TO BE.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE COUNTY TAX OFFICE COLLECTED, LIKE THE WAY THE HOLIDAY FELL, THEY DIDN'T GET US OUR MONEY UNTIL LIKE A DAY AFTER THE NEW. THE NEXT MONTH. SO WE'RE MISSING A BIG CHUNK OF PAYMENT THAT WE DID RECEIVE A COUPLE DAYS LATER, BUT IT'S NOT SHOWN IN THIS, THIS GRAPH THAT WE NORMALLY WILL SEE.

SALES TAX COLLECTIONS HAVE BEEN STRONG TO START THE YEAR IT HAD FLATTENED OUT A LITTLE BIT IN THE MIDDLE OF LAST YEAR, BUT THE LAST FEW MONTHS HAVE BEEN SHOWING POSITIVE SIGNS.

WE'RE HOPING THAT CONTINUES, BUT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR IT AND SEE WHAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.

SO THIS SHOWS THAT THE SALES TAX AVERAGE HAS FLATTENED A BIT, THOUGH.

WE'RE HOPING THAT IT CONTINUES TO TICK UP A LITTLE BIT GOING FORWARD. WATER AND SEWER CHARGES.

WE CONTINUE TO COLLECT A LITTLE BIT MORE EVERY YEAR THAN WE DID THE YEAR BEFORE.

THIS IS BECAUSE OUR COSTS WITH TRA DO JUST KEEP GOING UP.

SO WE HAVE TO RAISE A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY TO PAY FOR THAT.

HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX HAS BEEN FLAT, THOUGH. ONE OF OUR HOTELS HAS BEEN VACANT, WHICH EXPLAINS SOME OF THAT.

WE ARE HOPEFUL WHENEVER THAT HOTEL GETS UP AND RUNNING AGAIN, WE'LL SEE THAT NUMBER TICK UP HIGHER, MAYBE IN THAT 2023 RANGE AS OPPOSED TO HOW FLAT IT'S BEEN RECENTLY.

GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. SO THIS IS A FOURTH OF THE YEAR.

WE'RE GENERALLY HOPING EACH OF OUR DEPARTMENTS HAS SPENT ABOUT A FOURTH OF THEIR BUDGET OR LESS.

[00:10:05]

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FINANCIALS BEFORE WE GO TO THE INVESTMENT UPDATE? ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. GREAT. OUR PORTFOLIO IS A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN IT WAS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER.

THIS IS BECAUSE WE RECEIVED SOME PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.

WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF IT BUT NOT ALL OF IT.

WE'LL SEE THAT JUMP A LITTLE HIGHER GOING FORWARD.

WE ARE HAVING OUR RETURNS CONTINUE TO FALL AS THE MARKETS FALL AND AS INTEREST RATES HAVE BEEN CUT.

SO WE'RE STILL FAIRLY CLOSE TO WHERE WE WERE LAST QUARTER, STILL ABOVE 4% AT 4.17%.

AND THEN WE'VE TAKEN OVER A LITTLE BIT OVER $1.2 MILLION IN INTEREST INCOME SO FAR.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE AT 4.17%. AND ALL THE RELATIVE BENCHMARKS ARE MUCH LOWER THAN THAT.

SO WE ARE OUTPERFORMING OUR GENERAL MARKET RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A LONG TERM STRATEGY.

WE INVESTED IN THINGS 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO THAT ARE STILL HAVING THE HIGHER RETURNS.

SO THAT'S HELPING OUR PORTFOLIO AS A WHOLE. EVENTUALLY IT'LL EVEN OUT.

BUT THESE ARE THE NICE MONTHS WHENEVER THE MARKET DIPS AND WE'RE GOING TO DO BETTER THAN IT.

THE YIELD CURVE. SO YOU'LL NOTICE THE RED ONE.

THAT'S WHERE IT WAS THIS TIME LAST YEAR. EVERYTHING'S BEEN LOWERED SINCE THEN WITH INTEREST RATE CUTS.

IT WAS CUT RECENTLY DOWN TO 3.5%. THE FED THOUGHT PEOPLE THOUGHT THE FED MAY HOLD IT STEADY UNTIL THE NEW CHAIRMAN TAKES OVER.

BUT RECENT ECONOMIC NEWS OVER THE WEEKEND WAS A LITTLE BIT WORSE THAN THEY WERE HOPING FOR.

SO THERE IS A CHANCE THAT INTEREST RATES ARE CUT AGAIN BEFORE THAT POINT.

BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LONG TIME OF NEW DATA AND PEOPLE ADJUSTING TO NEW INFORMATION.

SO THESE ARE CURRENT INTEREST RATES. YOU'LL SEE THEY'RE KIND OF IN THAT GENERAL 3.5% RANGE.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GETTING AS WE'RE LOOKING TO INVEST NEW MONEY GOING FORWARD. INFLATION IS STILL A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN THE 2% GOAL OF THE FED. BUT THE JOB REPORT RECENTLY WAS A LITTLE BIT WORSE THAN THEY WERE HOPING FOR.

THE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN DECEMBER WAS NOT AS STRONG AS THEY WERE HOPING FOR.

SO THAT TENDS TO LEAD TO LOWER INTEREST RATES.

BUT THEY'LL JUST KEEP MONITORING IT AND MEETING REGULARLY.

SO WE'LL DO WHAT WE ALWAYS DO. WE'LL LADDER IT OUT.

WE'LL PUT OUR MONEY IN SAFE INVESTMENTS. WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE RETURN THAT WE CAN, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT THE CITIZENS OF BEDFORD MONEY IS SAFE AND VERY SECURE ASSETS.

ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR BRADY? NOW THAT I GOT HIM HERE I KNOW WHEN WE LOOK AT STRATEGY, THAT NEVER CHANGES.

[LAUGHTER]. WE'RE PRETTY MUCH KEEPING IT THE SAME, WHICH IS GOOD. AND MEANS THAT WE'RE BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE AND DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO LADDER THOSE INVESTMENTS AND MAKING SURE THE MATURITIES ARE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AND TAKING ADVANTAGE.

WE KNOW THAT INTEREST RATES ARE GOING TO BE COMING DOWN MORE THAN LIKELY, SO WE NEED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE WHILE WE CAN. SO I KNOW WE'RE DOING OUR BEST IN THAT IN THAT AVENUE. SO IT'S ALWAYS THE SAME STORY. BUT I DO WANT TO APPRECIATE AND SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO FOR THE CITY.

AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON YOUR ACHIEVEMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

GOOD JOB. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP WE HAVE CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ITEMS BY CONSENT.

[CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ITEMS BY CONSENT]

GOOD EVENING. I WILL START WITH ITEM NUMBER 1.

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FOLLOWING CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FROM JANUARY 27TH, 2026 OF OUR REGULAR MEETING.

ITEM NUMBER 2. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HER DESIGNEE TO PURCHASE MOBILE MOBILE VEHICLE LIFTS AND ASSOCIATED SUPPORT EQUIPMENT FOR FLEET SERVICES FROM O'REILLY AUTO PARTS THROUGH A MASTER INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH TARRANT COUNTY AND AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF $81,000.

$81,700. THE SUBJECT REQUEST WILL ALLOW OUR FLEET TECHNICIANS TO SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY PERFORM INSPECTIONS, REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE ON OUR HEAVY DUTY VEHICLES, INCLUDING FIRE TRUCKS, DUMP TRUCKS, AND OTHER LARGE VEHICLES IN LIEU OF CRAWLING UNDER THEM, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HAVE BEEN DOING. SO OBVIOUSLY MUCH MORE EFFICIENT AND SAFER FOR OUR FOLKS WORKING ON THOSE.

ESSENTIALLY IT DOES TALK ABOUT MOBILE LIFTS. THESE ARE COMBINED TO CREATE ONE MOBILE UNIT SO IT CAN BE ROLLED AROUND THE SHOP AND USED WHEREVER THEY NEED TO DO THAT.

SO IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A NICE DESIGN WHERE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE INSTALLED IN ONE PLACE.

FUNDING IS AVAILABLE THROUGH UTILIZATION OF ARPA INTEREST FOR THIS ITEM.

MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 3. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HER DESIGNEE TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A SHORT TERM LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF EULESS FOR TEMPORARY OCCUPANCY OF THE EXISTING EULESS ANIMAL SHELTER, LOCATED AT 201 WEST EULESS BOULEVARD,

[00:15:01]

THE PROPOSED LEASE TERM WILL RUN FROM MARCH 1ST THROUGH MARCH 31ST OF NEXT YEAR, WITH THE OPTION TO EXTEND UP TO THREE ADDITIONAL MONTHS THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 2027 IF ANY CONSTRUCTION DELAYS OCCUR. AGAIN, IF RENOVATIONS ARE COMPLETED SOONER, WHICH WE CERTAINLY HOPE THEY WILL BE.

THE CITY MAY TERMINATE THE LEASE WITH A 30 DAYS NOTICE TO THE CITY OF EULESS.

CURRENTLY, LEASE DETAILS ARE BEING FINALIZED AND ARE EXPECTED TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE EULESS CITY COUNCIL AT THEIR NEXT MEETING IN FEBRUARY.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY BEDFORD AND EULESS ANIMAL SERVICES STAFF HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER TO COORDINATE THIS TRANSITION.

THERE ARE A LOT OF MOVING PARTS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND HAVE TWO ANIMAL SERVICES GROUPS FUNCTIONING OUT OF ONE LOCATION FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BUT WE ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR EULESS' COOPERATION ON THIS EFFORT.

CONSTRUCTION BIDS FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER ITSELF.

THE RENOVATIONS WILL BE OPEN THIS WEEK. ONCE THOSE COSTS ARE CONFIRMED AND TO BE WITHIN BUDGET, PLANS WILL BE FINALIZED AND THE COMMUNITY WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE RELOCATION AND THE TIMELINE OF THOSE EFFORTS.

SO WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IS AWARDED, WHICH WE DO ANTICIPATE WILL HAPPEN AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING OR THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH, WE WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLANNED RENOVATIONS.

WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE NOTHING'S GOING TO MOVE AT THIS STAGE.

ONCE THE NUMBERS COME IN, WE EXPECT EVERYTHING TO BE SET IN STONE AND WE WILL AT THAT POINT SHOW PLANS AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU ALL.

OKAY. FUNDING FOR THE LEASE IS AVAILABLE FROM 2023-A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.

CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER PROJECT.

AND ITEM 4 CONSIDER RESOLUTION RATIFYING THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE #1 ANNUAL REPORTS FOR 2022, 2023 AND 2024. AND NUMBER 5. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE #1 ANNUAL REPORT.

AND AGAIN, I KNOW WE HAD MENTIONED FUND BALANCE OF THE TIRZ ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH WITH $258,181.

SINCE THE CREATION OF THE TIRZ, THERE HAVE BEEN NO EXPENSES PAID OUT OF OUT OF THE FUND SINCE THAT TIME, WITH THE GOAL OF ALLOWING THE FUNDS TO BUILD OVER TIME.

SO WHEN WE GET THE RIGHT PROJECT THAT COMES ALONG, WE'LL HAVE THOSE FUNDS AVAILABLE.

I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. FOR ITEM NUMBER 3, THE ANIMAL SHELTER.

I'M ASSUMING THAT WE'RE STILL IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT LEASE THE AMOUNTS WILL BE, AND I'M SURE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE TOO MUCH.

IT'S NOT HONESTLY, AT THIS STAGE, AND I DON'T WANT TO SHOW ALL OF OUR CARDS HERE, BUT IT SHOULD BE UNDER OUR $50,000 THRESHOLD, HONESTLY. BUT I DID WANT TO BRING IT TO YOU IN FULL TRANSPARENCY.

IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT OVER THAT, BUT I'M NOT EXPECTING THAT. SO MORE THAN LIKELY WE WILL PROBABLY NOT SEE THAT AGREEMENT. CORRECT, CORRECT. OKAY, GOOD. AND ALSO WITH THAT, WE WILL UPON COMPLETION OF THIS AND EXECUTION OF IT WE'LL LET THE PUBLIC KNOW ABOUT CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE NEW SHELTER.

I'M SURE PHONE NUMBERS WILL CHANGE. AND ANY OTHER.

ACTUALLY, NO. IT'S GOING TO BE QUITE A SEAMLESS.

THE BEAUTY OF TECHNOLOGY THESE DAYS IS YOU CAN FORWARD PHONES EVERYWHERE.

AND SO IT WILL. IT SHOULD BE QUITE SEAMLESS. BUT WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK WE WILL AGAIN WE'RE WAITING ON THOSE BIDS TO COME IN.

AND THAT WILL REALLY BE THE THE TRIGGER FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND GET THINGS OUT.

BUT WE'LL NOTIFY THE PUBLIC STARTING IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. ABOUT PLANS.

OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT COUNCIL, ANY QUESTIONS? ACTUALLY THANK YOU MAYOR. I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION. OH, OKAY. I KNOW, I KNOW, I KNOW WAS A TYPICAL. WE'RE PROVING IT, BUT 4. SO WE'RE RATIFYING SOMETHING FROM 2022, 23 AND 24.

CORRECT. ARE WE IN? ARE WE IN VIOLATION OF ANY LAWS OR? THE CONTROLLER'S REQUIREMENTS ARE THAT THAT IS DONE WITHIN 150 DAYS, THE END OF THE YEAR.

WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT. AND AGAIN, WE HAD SOME WE HAD SOME CHANGES WITH TIRZ CONSULTANTS ALONG THE WAY.

CONTROLLER'S AWARE OF WHERE WE'RE AT. OKAY SO THOSE ARE ALL NOW WRAPPED UP AND FINISHED. SO I THINK AS EARLY AS TOMORROW THOSE ARE GOING TO THE CONTROLLER.

SO.

NO. NO, NO, NO, WE'RE GOOD.

SO WE WANT TO GET IT OUT THERE AS SOON AS WE CAN.

WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WITH THIS THEN I'LL GO. I'D LIKE TO MOTION TO APPROVE.

MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER JOY DONOVAN BRANDON.

ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND VOTE. ALL RIGHT.

THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU COUNCIL. THANK YOU STAFF.

[00:20:02]

[6. Discussion regarding candidate application process change to the City Charter. (Item requested by Councilmember Farco)]

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AS YOU KNOW, I BROUGHT THIS UP JUST TO QUESTION.

LAST ELECTION, WE HAD TWO CANDIDATES THAT FILED LAST MINUTE.

AND IN THE PAST, OVER THE PAST 30 PLUS YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT.

TAXPAYING RESIDENT IN BEDFORD. WE'VE HAD CANDIDATES IN THE PAST THAT JUST THROW THEIR NAME IN LAST MINUTE.

THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING ANYTHING OR RUNNING AND I DIDN'T REALIZE.

BUT AFTER TALKING WITH THE CITY MANAGER, IT COST US OVER $20,000 TO RUN THAT ELECTION.

IT TIME FOR THE OUR STAFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I JUST FELT THAT A DISCUSSION WOULD BE IN ORDER.

WE ARE NOT CHANGING THE CHARTER. IT'S A DISCUSSION TO DECIDE IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANT TO BRING TO THE RESIDENTS TO VOTE FOR.

BUT SHOULD THERE BE A MINIMAL INVESTMENT ON ON BEHALF OF A CANDIDATE TO DO SOME DUE DILIGENCE ON RUNNING FOR THE CITY OF BEDFORD? WE HAD CANDIDATES THAT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS WERE.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT EARLY VOTING. THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP TO EARLY VOTING.

THEY SHOWED UP TO TWO CANDIDATE FORUMS WE HAD AND IT WAS GREAT.

AND I RAN AGAINST THEM, ONE OF THEM, AND THAT WAS FINE.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE REALIZE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A PART OF THIS GOVERNMENTAL PROCESS.

AND IT'S NOT A HOBBY. AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AFFECTS THE LIVES AND CHANGE OF ITS CITIZENS, ITS STAFF, AND IT'S AN INVESTMENT. AND THAT'S WHY THE QUESTION WAS BROUGHT TO ME BY SEVERAL CITIZENS.

MAYBE IF WE HAD SOMEONE HAVE TO GO OUT AND GET A PETITION WITH 100 VOTES, 100 SIGNATURES OR 50 SIGNATURES, THAT MIGHT SEEM A LOT, BUT YOU'RE ASKING FOR AT LEAST 1800 TO 2500 VOTES TO WIN AN ELECTION.

IT'S NOT A LOT. IT'S JUST AN INVESTMENT TO SEE HOW SERIOUS YOU ARE ABOUT BEING A PART OF THIS PROCESS.

AND IT'S NOT ONE THAT I THINK YOU SHOULD TAKE LIGHTLY AND JUST THROW YOUR NAME IN THERE FOR NO REASON.

SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO BRING UP THE DISCUSSION, TO TALK WITH COUNCIL, TO SEE IF WE WANTED TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, AND I'D LIKE TO GET Y'ALL'S INPUT ON THAT TOO.

EITHER WAY, WHATEVER THE VOTERS AND WHATEVER THE CITIZENS DECIDE IS THE WAY IT'S GOING TO GO.

BUT I REALLY WANTED THE TOPIC OUT THERE FOR OUR CITIZENS TO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT JUST OUT OF THE BLUE, 15 MINUTES BEFORE FILINGS OVER, THEY JUST THROW THEIR NAME IN THERE.

NO INTENTION OF RUNNING. THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING ANYTHING.

AND IT COSTS THE CITY NOT ONLY LAST TIME WAS ABOUT $20,000, BUT TIME AND EFFORT ON BEHALF OF OUR STAFF.

AND THAT'S WHY THIS DISCUSSION CAME UP TONIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. SO IF I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE A DISCUSSION HERE TODAY.

SEE IF WE ARE IN AGREEMENT ABOUT PUTTING THAT OUT THERE TO THE PUBLIC AND HAVING SOME SORT OF CRITERIA SO THAT IN A WAY, TO, IN YOUR WORDS, KIND OF LIKE WEED OUT THOSE WHO ARE NOT SERIOUS? WELL, IT'S NOT EVEN BEING SERIOUS IF SOMEBODY COMES OUT TO DO IT.

I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING ANYTHING.

IT'S NOT IT'S NOT EVEN YOU CAN'T EVEN CONSIDER IT SERIOUS.

IT'S LESS THAN THAT. IT'S JUST THROWING A JUST THROWING THEIR NAME IN FOR THEIR WELL-BEING AND NOT FOR THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CITIZENS. SO WE HAVE BEDFORD 101 PEOPLE CAN LEARN AND DO THAT.

THAT SHOULDN'T BE A REQUIREMENT. BUT BEING INVESTED AND BEING AN INFORMED VOTER IS SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD DO.

THE ONE GENTLEMAN THAT RAN AGAINST ME HAD NEVER VOTED IN AN ELECTION.

HOW SERIOUS OF A CANDIDATE IS THAT? ON ANY ON ANY.

ANYBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE. IT SHOULD BE THAT WAY.

BUT YOU SHOULD AT LEAST PUT SOME STAKE IN THE GAME SOMEHOW, SOME WAY.

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO YOUR NEIGHBORS IF THEY WANT YOU TO VOTE.

IF YOU CAN'T GET 25 OR 100 SIGNATURES FROM YOUR NEIGHBORS HOW ARE YOU GOING TO AFFECT CHANGE IN THE CITY? SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT.

AND WE'RE NOT THE ONLY CITY THAT. WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW CITIES THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY TYPE OF REQUIREMENT.

IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, WE HAVE OTHER CITIES THAT, THAT MAKE SOME TYPE OF REQUIREMENT.

AND SO YEAH, LAST MINUTE, IF THEY DON'T WANT TO GET 25 SIGNATURES, THEY I.

THE IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT MAYBE THEY COULD PUT A FILING FEE IN THAT.

[00:25:02]

BUT IT'S A JOB THAT WE TAKE SERIOUSLY, AND IT'S AN EFFORT THAT YOU'VE GOT TO PUT IN IF YOU'RE IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. AND LIKE I SAID, ANYBODY CAN RUN.

BUT WHY CAN'T THEY PUT A LITTLE BIT OF STAKE IN THE GAME TO SHOW HOW SERIOUS THEY ARE? AND THAT WAS JUST THE DISCUSSION I WAS WANTING TO BRING UP TONIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I DO. I'M GOING TO HAVE A LOT BEFORE WE GO INTO.

THERE COULD BE A LOT OF STRONG OPINIONS ON HERE, BUT BEFORE WE GET TO ANY OF THAT, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS THAT ARE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO BE ANSWERED BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF LOGISTICS AROUND THIS IN ADDITION TO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.

MY FIRST ONE WOULD BE THAT. IS IT IS IT TOO LATE TO CALL THIS FOR THE MAY ELECTION? IS IT TOO LATE? I'M SEEING. SO I'LL DEFER TO MICHAEL ON THIS SPECIFIC.

SO MICHAEL WELLS. OBVIOUSLY, IF WE'RE GOING TO PREPARE A CHARTER ITEM, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME.

CORRECT. THE DEADLINE TO CALL IT WOULD BE ACTUALLY THIS FRIDAY.

OKAY. [LAUGHTER] SO. YEAH. SO.

YES OKAY OKAY. SO THE DISCUSSION GOING FORWARD IS, IS, YOU KNOW, FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

OKAY. NEXT UP. SO LEGALLY. SO WHAT ARE THE OTHER QUALIFIERS THAT CAN BE USED IN ORDER TO HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE? SO WE KNOW 18 YEARS OLD YOU HAVE TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER, LIVE IN THE JURISDICTION CITY DISTRICT THAT YOU'RE APPLYING FOR.

FOR OURS WE HAVE IT FOR ONE CONTINUOUS YEAR OF RESIDENCY COMPONENT OF THAT, WHICH WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF.

NOT BEING CONVICTED OF A FELONY YOU MUST ALSO HAVE A PETITION ELEMENT TO IT. YOU CAN HAVE A PETITION ELEMENT, BUT IF YOU HAVE A FILING FEE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BOTH. SO AM I MISSING ANYTHING? NO. SO THE STATUTE IS A LITTLE VAGUE ON WHETHER YOU HAVE TO HAVE.

I'M SORRY MY MICROPHONE IS DOING SOMETHING I APOLOGIZE.

BUT SO THE TWO CITIES THAT WE REPRESENT THAT HAVE THAT PROCESS, HALTOM CITY AND NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, THEY BOTH HAVE ALTERNATE OPTIONS, A FILING FEE OR THE SIGNED PETITION.

AND SO THAT'S PRESCRIBED BY STATE LAW. IT'S SECTION 143.005 OF THE TEXAS ELECTION CODE.

AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE THAT WE CAN ADOPT AN APPLICATION FEE.

ALL OF THIS HAS TO BE DONE THROUGH THE CHARTER. IT DOESN'T ALL HAVE TO BE PRESCRIBED IN THE CHARTER, BUT THE CHARTER HAS TO ADOPT THE PROCESS.

AND THEN YOU CAN FOLLOW IT UP WITH AN ORDINANCE IF YOU PREFER TO DO IT THAT WAY. I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY.

BUT HERE'S THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK ESSENTIALLY, THAT YOU'RE WORKING IN. NUMBER ONE, THE FILING FEE CAN'T BE A TAX, SO IT CAN'T BE REVENUE GENERATING. SO WE CAN'T JUST SET IT AT SOME ARBITRARY AMOUNT TO TRY TO DISCOURAGE CERTAIN PEOPLE WITH LIMITED MEANS FROM RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

CORRECT WHAT THE STATUTE SAYS IS YOU HAVE TO SET IT AT THE GREATER OF 25 SIGNATURES OR ONE HALF OF 1% OF THE TOTAL VOTE RECEIVED IN THE CITY FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR IN THE LAST MAYORAL ELECTION.

SO MICHAEL WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SORT OF PROVIDE ME WITH THE INFORMATION. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE I'M NOT GREAT AT MATH, BUT I DID A LITTLE [LAUGHTER] BACK OF THE NAPKIN CALCULATION. THERE WERE 4163 VOTES IN THE LAST MAYORAL ELECTION.

ONE HALF OF 1% OF THAT IS 21 SIGNATURES. SO THE GREATER OF THE TWO IS 25.

OKAY. IN ORDER FOR IT TO REACH 100 SIGNATURES, YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE 20,000 PEOPLE VOTE FOR THE OFFICE OF MAYOR.

THAT IS A LITTLE OVER 60% OF YOUR TOTAL ELECTORATE THAT'S REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE CITY, ACCORDING TO THE TARRANT COUNTY VOTER DATABASE.

SO I THINK REALISTICALLY, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, AT LEAST IN THE NEAR FUTURE, UNLESS THERE'S A MASSIVE TURNOUT.

PERHAPS MAYBE ASSOCIATED WITH A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT 25 SIGNATURES JUST IN GENERAL.

OKAY THAT'S MINIMUM? THAT'S CORRECT. CORRECT. OKAY.

THAT'S RIGHT. SO THAT'S THE THAT'S THE FLOOR. AND THAT'S AND THAT'S HOW FOR INSTANCE, HALTOM CITY'S CHARTER PROVISION IS WRITTEN.

IT BASICALLY SAYS YOU CALCULATE THE NUMBER OF SIGNATURES YOU NEED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 143 OF THE ELECTION CODE, WHICH IS WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND BECAUSE THE ELECTION CODE ALMOST ENTIRELY PREEMPTS WHAT OUR OPTIONS ARE.

AND SO THAT'S THE FORMULA THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE WOULD INCLUDE IN THE CHARTER. YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT AN EXACT NUMBER, AND OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE IT CHANGES EACH TIME. BUT ACCORDING TO THAT, THAT NUMBER, IF WE HAD AN ELECTION TODAY AND OUR CHARTER PROVIDED FOR THIS MECHANISM.

[00:30:07]

ALL RIGHT. GOT IT. SO IT CANNOT BE REVENUE PRODUCING.

SO WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT COST IS AND WHAT THAT ROUGHLY AMOUNTS TO.

DO WE KNOW WHAT THE OTHER CITIES THAT AMOUNTS TO THOSE AMOUNTS ARE? PERHAPS ANDREA KNOWS. SO AGAIN, WE DID KIND OF A VERY PRELIMINARY LOOK AT SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORS IN NORTH RICHLAND HILLS WAS AT $150 AND HALTOM CITY WAS AT $50. SO A BIT OF A BIT OF A RANGE IN THOSE TWO CITIES, AGAIN, WHERE HALTOM CITY AND? NORTH RICHLAND HILLS.

AND THEN OKAY, $50 BUCKS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GO AROUND HERE BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE THE ONE THAT VERIFIES AND GOES THROUGH ALL OF THIS.

SO, FIRST OF ALL AFTER FILING IS FINISHED, WE GET ABOUT A MONTH FOR FILING.

WE START IN JANUARY FOR FILING LASTS ABOUT A MONTH.

AT WHAT POINT YOU NEED YOU NEED TO LET THEM KNOW THAT DAY AFTER FILING OF FILING AT 5:00, WHAT? WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT? FOR THE WE DO A DRAWING THE NEXT WEEK TO SEE WHAT THAT ORDER IS SO IT'S AFTER THAT PERIOD OF TIME, I NEED TO LET THEM KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT TO OKAY. SO IF A CANDIDATE WERE TO PROVIDE SIGNATURES THERE, YOU GOT A WEEK TO VERIFY THEM.

I BELIEVE THAT'S HOW IT WORKS.

YOU HAVEN'T HAD TO DO THIS BEFORE. WHAT WOULD THAT ENTAIL? WELL, IN THE PAST, WE'VE CONTRACTED ACTUALLY, WITH TARRANT COUNTY WHEN WE'VE DONE, LIKE, THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE PETITION.

THIS MAY BE IF IT'S ONLY, LIKE, 25 SIGNATURES, I MAY JUST BE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING FROM THE FROM TARRANT COUNTY THEMSELVES TO SEND ME SOMETHING SO I CAN VERIFY ON MY OWN END WHETHER THEY QUALIFY.

OKAY. IF IT'S MORE SUBSTANTIAL, LET'S SAY IT'S LIKE 100 PER CANDIDATE YOU GOT AND THEN YOU HAVE A VERY BIG ELECTION.

LET'S SAY YOU HAVE LIKE 600 SIGNATURES BECAUSE.

YEAH, I MIGHT CONTRACT OUT TO TURNER COUNTY TO CONTRACT WITH THEM.WAS JUST A FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS. OKAY. AND SO THERE'S SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S GOING TO BE A TIME LIMIT TO GETTING THOSE SIGNATURES AND GETTING THEM BACK TO YOU SO THAT WE CAN CONTRACT THEM OUT AND THEN AND THEN GO FROM THERE.

YES, SIR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. MICHAEL WELLS, HOW MUCH DOES THE ELECTION TYPICALLY HOW MUCH IS IT FOR A TYPICAL ELECTION? WELL, I MEAN, THEY CHANGE HOW THEY ARE DOING THEIR BILLING.

THEY WENT FROM A POLLING PLACE TO THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS, AND SO OUR COSTS ACTUALLY INCREASED.

SO THE LAST CONTRACT WITH TARRANT COUNTY WAS $20,000.

AND THEN THERE'S LIKE SOME ANCILLARY FEES FOR, LIKE DOING THE NOTICE AND THE NEWSPAPER.

THAT'S ABOUT $1,500. OKAY. AND THAT'S FOR THIS MOST RECENT ONE.

RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT YES. AND SO IN THE PAST, THOUGH, IT WAS? IT RANGED ANYWHERE BETWEEN LIKE $7000 TO $13,000.

OKAY. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS THINKING BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT OUR AT OUR BUDGETED AMOUNT IN THERE.

WE JUST WE BUDGETED ONLY $15,000 I THINK THIS YEAR FOR, FOR.

THEIR INITIAL ESTIMATE TO US FOR THIS LAST ELECTION WAS $15,000.

AND THEN WHEN WE GOT THE FINAL BILL, IT WAS A LOT MORE THAN THAT.

OKAY. AND ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT SO. WE WEREN'T THE ONLY CITY THAT WAS AFFECTED LIKE THAT THOUGH.

EULESS AND COLLEYVILLE, ALSO THEIR COSTS WENT REALLY HIGH.

OKAY. SO WHAT I MEAN, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THOSE FUNDS IF I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD TO PULL FROM SOMEWHERE TO, TO FUND IT BECAUSE ELECTIONS ARE ESSENTIAL. IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL, ESSENTIAL THING THAT WE MUST DO IN A BUDGET.

SO WHERE DO WE GET THOSE EXTRA FUNDS FROM? I WILL PUNT THAT TO OUR CFO.

[LAUGHTER]. WELL, JUST LIKE ANY BUDGET SITUATION, IF WE HAD TO DO A BUDGET AMENDMENT, IT WOULD COME AT A FUND BALANCE TO FUND THAT THIS YEAR.

OR IF WE WERE PLANNING THAT FOR NEXT YEAR, IT WOULD BE IN THE OPERATING BUDGET AS PART OF THE CITY SECRETARY'S BUDGET.

OKAY. SO WE WERE ABLE TO ABSORB THAT COST, SO TO SPEAK.

CORRECT. CORRECT THAT ADDITIONAL INCREASE. YES.

SO WE THE MONEY'S THERE TO BE ABLE TO ABSORB THESE TYPE OF COSTS.

[00:35:04]

[LAUGHTER] I SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED STANDING. YES YOU SHOULD. [LAUGHTER] YES. JUST LIKE ANYTHING ELSE IN YOUR BUDGET, ANYTHING THAT ISN'T SPENT GOES INTO ENDING FUND BALANCE.

THAT GETS ROLLED INTO THE NEXT YEAR. SO IF WE DON'T HAVE AN ELECTION AND THOSE FUNDS ARE NOT SPENT, THAT GETS ROLLED INTO FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. AND SO WHAT'S OUR OPERATING BUDGET? OH. [LAUGHTER] I DON'T HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

I CAN TELL YOU THE OVERALL BUDGET IS OVER $100 MILLION.

IT'S LIKE 100, 104. YES IS THE IS THE TOTAL BUDGET CORRECT. FOR THE CITY? CORRECT. AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS? ALL RIGHT. I ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT LET'S SAY WE HAVE AN ELECTION IN MAY, AND THEN WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WANT TO RUN FOR ANOTHER OFFICE AND THEY FALL OFF, AND THEN WE HAVE TO HOLD ANOTHER ELECTION.

ARE THOSE I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS, DOES THE PRICE DIFFERENT? MICHAEL WELLS, IF IT'S IN A NOVEMBER ELECTION OR IF IT'S MID-YEAR.

IF IT'S SPECIAL YEAR, MEMBERS LEAVE TO GO RUN FOR DIFFERENT OFFICES THAT COST THE CITY MUCH MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. AND IN NOVEMBER, IS IT MORE? IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW MANY ENTITIES ACTUALLY CONTRACT WITH TARRANT COUNTY.

THE MORE ENTITIES THAT PRICE GOES DOWN FOR EACH EACH CITY BUT.

SO WITH THE NOVEMBER MIDTERM ELECTION. THE ONLY, THE ONLY TIME WE, I THINK WE'VE HAD I MEAN, THE LAST TIME WE HAD A NOVEMBER ELECTION, IT WAS A TIME WHEN TARRANT COUNTY WAS ACTUALLY OFFERING TO DO ELECTIONS FOR A MINIMUM OF, LIKE, $75. WOW. SO I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK BACK, LIKE OUR BOND ELECTIONS, HOW MUCH WE COST FOR THOSE.

BUT I DON'T I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

OKAY. SO WOULD YOU SAY IT WOULD BE COST SAVINGS, OR WOULD YOU SAY IT WOULD BE MORE? AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY ENTITIES. HOW MANY ENTITIES.

I MEAN, I MEAN, IF IT'S A NOVEMBER, IT'S GOING TO BE.

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TAXING ENTITIES DEPENDING ON THAT, IT COULD BE DEFINITELY MORE THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY PAY.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT GIVES US A GOOD BASELINE OF HOW MUCH THIS ALL THIS ALL COSTS AND GOING FORWARD.

AT LEAST I WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE THAT THAT PUTTING IT OUT THERE THAT THIS WOULD COST, YOU KNOW, COST MORE MONEY. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. I'LL OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

COUNCIL MEMBER DAWKINS. THANKS, MR. MAYOR. SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS QUESTION IS FOR BRADY OR ANDREA.

THE ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. WHERE DOES IT GO TO A FUND BALANCE, OR IS IT JUST A FEE THAT GOES DIRECTLY OUT TO AN EXPENSE? I WOULD IMAGINE IT'S JUST IT GOES TO AN EXPENSE.

I MEAN, IT'S BROUGHT IN AND JUST ROLLS INTO THE BUDGET AS A REVENUE OPTION.

YEAH. I MEAN, IF THERE'S A FEE THAT WE CHARGED TO AN APPLICANT, IT WOULD JUST BE A REVENUE LINE ITEM WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET IT'S NOT SO LARGE THAT WE'RE EXPECTING REVENUE LIKE ADDITIONAL REVENUE IS JUST LIKE A FEE THAT WOULD JUST SIT THERE.

RIGHT, RIGHT. OKAY MAYOR KIND OF ANSWERED MY OTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE AVERAGE COST OF THE ELECTIONS, AND I THINK WITH MICHAEL WELLS BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT WE COULD INCUR ADDITIONAL COSTS WITH SIGNATURES BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE EITHER CONTRACTING OR JUST TIME TO VERIFY THE SIGNATURES FOR A PETITION.

IS THAT [LAUGHTER]. IS THAT A CORRECT ASSUMPTION? OKAY.

THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER DONOVAN BRANDON.

I THINK THIS IS ALL VERY INTERESTING, AND I'M REALLY ON THE FENCE, AND I REALLY HAVE QUESTIONS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW YET.

I CAN BE I CAN BE PUSHED EITHER WAY. ONE OF MY QUESTIONS, I THINK, IS FOR BRANDI I ALWAYS THOUGHT IF SOMEONE FILED, EVEN IF THEY WERE UNOPPOSED, YOU HAD TO HAVE AN ELECTION.

NO? THEY HAD TO HAVE ONE VOTE. RIGHT? SO IF EVERYONE'S UNOPPOSED, YOU CAN CANCEL THE ELECTION.

OKAY, OKAY. I WANTED TO STAND UP FOR THE LAST MINUTE FILERS BECAUSE I WAS ONE, AND IT HAD EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ME KNOWING

[00:40:03]

BECAUSE I WAS SERIOUS. AND THERE WAS SOMETHING I READ.

AND THIS MAY BE FOR MR. FARCO. WERE YOU SUGGESTING A REQUIREMENT ABOUT BEING ON COMMISSIONS, HAVING. NO MR. MAYOR.

THAT'S THAT'S. IT'D BE HARD TO.

YOU HAVE TO DO THAT. THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE THAT THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE CITY IN VERY MANY WAYS THAT THAT IT'S FINE TO.

I WAS THE LAST MINUTE FILER AND THAT'S IT'S NOT.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT DO IT FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN TO.

ON A WHIM. YEAH. ON A WHIM. YOU KNOW, THEY WOKE UP AND I JUST THINK I'LL DO THIS.

AND THEY'RE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT BEING A PART OF THE PROCESS OR EVEN MEETING THE CITIZENS.

THAT'S WHY. OKAY, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 25 PEOPLE TO GET TO, TO SIGN A PETITION.

OKAY. YOU DON'T WANT TO GET 25 PEOPLE. YOU PAY $150 TO DO THAT LAST MINUTE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO. MICHAEL DOESN'T HAVE TO VERIFY ANYBODY, BUT IT'S STAKE IN THE GAME THAT YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT BEING A PART OF THIS PROCESS AND BEING A PART OF YOUR CITY. AND YOU'RE TO ME, IT'S YOU'RE A SERIOUS CANDIDATE.

YOU'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO DO THE DUE DILIGENCE TO UNDERSTAND.

WE HAD WE HAD A CANDIDATE IN THE PAST THAT DIDN'T PUT ANY SIGNS OUT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS A VIOLATION OF OUR SIGN ORDINANCE.

HOW SERIOUS ARE YOU ABOUT RUNNING FOR AN ELECTION AND BEING PART OF THE CITY'S PROCESS TO.

IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THE TIME TO KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A PART OF THE ELECTION PROCESS.

OKAY. I READ I THOUGHT SOMEWHERE THAT WE WERE CONSIDERED.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF BEING TAKEN SERIOUSLY, AS IF YOU'D BEEN ON A COMMISSION OR BOARD.

AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE TURNED AWAY REALLY GOOD PEOPLE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SPOTS.

SO, OKAY, THAT I GUESS, IS NOT A CONSIDERATION.

I WISH WE HAD OTHER THINGS UNDER CONSIDERATION, LIKE THE PROOF OF WHERE THEY LIVE, BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT INTO QUESTION OF WHAT THE DEFINITION OF LIVE IS WITHIN THE CITY BOUNDARIES.

AND THAT'S A VERY TRICKY LEGAL STANDARD. I'LL BE PERFECTLY HONEST.

IT'S A SUBJECTIVE STANDARDS. IT'S NOT OBJECTIVE.

AND THE CITY SECRETARY HAS NO DISCRETION TO JUST DISQUALIFY SOMEONE BECAUSE SOMEONE PROVIDES THEM WITH SOME ANCILLARY EVIDENCE.

WELL, I'VE SEEN HIM SPEND THE WEEKENDS, YOU KNOW, OUT OF TOWN, OR HE'S RENOVATING HE OR HERS THEY'RE RENOVATING THEIR HOUSE AND THEY LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE. SO YOU'RE ENTITLED TO MAINTAIN YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE EVEN IF YOU'RE TEMPORARILY LIVING SOMEWHERE ELSE.

SO THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE TO PIN DOWN, UNFORTUNATELY, JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE LAW.

OKAY. AND I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION. LAST MINUTE REQUIREMENTS. I HATE TO TURN AWAY GOOD CANDIDATES, AND I HATE TO TURN AWAY ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE A PART OF THE GOVERNMENT.

SO WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, THOUGH, IS WHETHER TO LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE THIS, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT THE CHARTER IS ABOUT. THAT'S RIGHT THAT'S CORRECT. AND IF THIS WERE TO BE A BALLOT PROPOSITION.

NO PUBLIC FUNDS COULD BE USED TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST THE MEASURE.

OTHERWISE, IT'S A CRIMINAL OFFENSE AND YOU COULD INCUR PERSONAL CIVIL LIABILITY.

NO PUBLIC FUNDS? NO PUBLIC FUNDS TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST.

YOU CAN ONLY PUBLISH FACTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE BALLOT MEASURE.

INTERESTING THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CITY. THAT'S A CLASS A MISDEMEANOR.

AND YOU CAN BE FINED BY THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION FOR DOING THAT.

OKAY. AND I HAVE BEEN DOWN TO AUSTIN [LAUGHTER] TO SIT WITH THE CITY MANAGER IN THE PAST, AND IT'S NOT AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE.

[LAUGHTER] I BET IT'S NOT FUN. HERE'S ONE OF MY OTHER.

I THINK THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION, AND I DON'T THINK I THINK I KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER IS, BUT I WANT TO ASK WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT.

IT WAS MY OBSERVATION, AND I AM ALL IN FAVOR OF WHAT I CALL VOTING SEASON INSTEAD OF ONE DAY.

[00:45:05]

WE HAVE DAYS AND DAYS WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TRICKLE IN.

THERE'S NO WAY TO THE NUMBER OF DAYS WE VOTE FOR EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY THAT'S CORRECT. CORRECT. AND ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S WEBSITE, AND THEY PUBLISH IT IN ADVANCE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL ELECTIONS.

SO YOU KNOW WHERE ALL THE TARGET DATES ARE. AND THERE'S NO WAY FOR US TO CHANGE THAT.

I WANT TO GO ON RECORD SAYING IT'S TOO LONG AND IT'S THAT'S A WASTE OF MONEY.

[LAUGHTER]. OKAY. BUT I DO BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN ONE DAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT. OKAY. I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT IN THE FUTURE, THEY ARE GOING TO REMOVE THE PERIOD OF TIME BETWEEN EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY, AND EVERY EARLY VOTING LOCATION WILL ALSO HAVE TO SERVE AS ELECTION DAY POLLING LOCATION.

WOW. SO THEY'RE GOING TO SHIFT THE CALENDAR. THAT SHOULD I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO IT'S DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO AFFECT THIS ELECTION. PROBABLY NOT THE NEXT ELECTION BUT PROBABLY IN 2028. IN 2028. YEAH. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO IF I COULD SHARE JUST ONE YES, PLEASE. AS IT COMES PASSING THIS ALONG I SPOKE WITH SOMEONE WHO WAS IN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE IN NORTH RICHLAND HILLS.

AND BECAUSE THE AGE TO RUN FOR COUNCIL IS 18, THEY HAVE SORT OF A ROBUST YOUTH COUNCIL IN NORTH RICHLAND HILLS.

SO THEY HAVE HAD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ORDER TO HAVE SOMETHING ON THEIR RESUME FILE TO RUN FOR OFFICE.

AND SO YOU END UP HAVING TO FUND AN ELECTION RATHER THAN CANCEL IT.

BECAUSE YOU HAVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BOLSTERING THEIR RESUME.

COUNCILMAN GAGLIARDI. AS MUCH AS I HATE TO EXTEND THE MEETING.

IF WE REMEMBER ONE OF THE ELECTIONS FOR MAYOR BOYTER A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT FILED AND RAN AGAINST HIM, AND IT COST US, YOU KNOW, TEN PLUS THOUSAND DOLLARS, YOU KNOW? WELL, EVERYONE WAS CONTESTED THEN, THOUGH. OKAY.

SO EVEN IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

INCUMBENTS, YOU KNOW, THEY DIDN'T REALLY THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE THEIR COMMUNITY.

THEY DIDN'T. AND THEY LOST ACCORDINGLY. [LAUGHTER].

THEY SURE DID. THEY SURE DID. THEY SURE DID. BUT I DO BELIEVE THIS IS A GOOD DISCUSSION.

I MEAN, I WISH WE WEREN'T HAVING IT DURING MY CAMPAIGN SEASON, BUT [LAUGHTER] YOU KNOW SO I'M FOR THE FREEDOM OF EVERYONE IN THIS DEMOCRACY. GOD BLESS AMERICA. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT IT'S A BIG DEAL WHEN YOU HAVE THE FOLKS RUNNING AGAINST YOU AND COUNCILWOMAN SABOL HAD THE FOLKS RUN AGAINST HER. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THEY IT WASN'T REALLY, REALLY SERIOUS.

YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE CITY.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PULSE ON YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS GOING ON DEVELOPMENT WISE OR STAFFING WISE OR ANYTHING.

THEY JUST SORT OF THREW IT IN THERE BECAUSE THERE WAS A MAYBE ALLEGEDLY A GRUDGE, BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT THAT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, COST PEOPLE MONEY AND IT COSTS THE CITY MONEY AND IN TIME AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK I WOULD LOVE EVERYONE TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CITY AND I AND I PUSH IT.

I THINK THAT'S GREAT. YOU KNOW, COME TO COME TO MEETINGS, GET INVOLVED IN BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, DON'T. DON'T JUST JUST DO IT ON A WHIM.

I DON'T KNOW THE MECHANISM ON HOW WE WOULD DO THAT OR WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE PROBABLY SHOULD LOOK INTO.

AND MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

SO BASED ON THIS DISCUSSION IS THE NEXT STEPS REALLY TO GIVE STAFF DIRECTION.

SO I WANT EVERYONE TO SPEAK. BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, JUST TO KIND OF WRAP UP.

WHERE WE'RE LANDING.

STEVES. THANK YOU MAYOR. CITY ATTORNEY, YOU MENTIONED NORTH RICHLAND HILLS.

YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THE YOUNGER VOTERS THERE WE'RE JUST DOING IT TO PUT IT ON THEIR RESUME.

BUT YOU ALSO NOTICED THAT THEY HAD $150 FILING FEE.

WAS THAT PRIOR TO THE THAT? OR IS THAT HOW THE NORTH RICHMOND HILL TRIED DEALING WITH IT? IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THAT WAS PART OF THE IMPETUS FOR ADOPTING OR PROPOSING THAT CHARTER AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE THE FILING FEE.

AGAIN, I WOULD IF WE WANT TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THAT, PLEASE, PLEASE DO.

THIS IS JUST SOMETHING I'VE BEEN TOLD FROM SOMEONE WHO WAS IN THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

SO WE HAD MENTIONED THAT NORTH RICHLAND HILLS AND HALTOM CITY OR TWO.

HAVE WE LOOKED AT HOW MANY CITIES HAVE WE LOOKED AT THAT TOTAL, OR CAN WE DO A LITTLE MORE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH ON WHAT CITIES? ABSOLUTELY. WE'VE LOOKED AT AND MICHAEL, I WILL SAY WE BUT MICHAEL HAS LOOKED AT SEVEN.

SEVEN. SO TWO OUT OF THE SEVEN HAVE SOME SORT OF REQUIREMENT ON IT.

[00:50:01]

IS THERE A WAY WE COULD FIND OUT HOW THAT'S BEEN WORKING FOR THEM? IF YOU KNOW THE COMPLAINTS OR IF ANYBODY'S BEEN DISENFRANCHIZED OR PEOPLE AGREE WITH IT? CAN WE RESEARCH IT A LITTLE FURTHER? ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S THAT'S. YES, PLEASE. WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

AMENDMENT. ABSOLUTELY. I WAS GOING TO ADD TO THAT. SO.

WE'RE PROHIBITED FROM CALLING ANOTHER ONE FOR TWO YEARS.

AND WHEN I SAY TWO YEARS IT'S OFTEN MISCONSTRUED.

IT'S NOT IF IT'S MAY 15TH, IT'S NOT MAY 15TH.

TWO YEARS FROM NOW, IT'S 365 DAYS TIMES TWO. SO IF THE UNIFORM ELECTION DATE TWO YEARS FROM NOW IS NOT 365 DAYS TIMES TWO DAYS AWAY. THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE NOVEMBER DATE.

TWO YEARS. SO IT'S REALLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO CALL A CHARTER ELECTION, I WOULD CONSIDER REVIEWING THE CHARTER TO DETERMINE IF ANYTHING ELSE NEEDED TO BE AMENDED. WE NEED TO PUT A LOT MORE THOUGHT.

YES, SIR IS THAT PUTTING ONE THING ON, ON THE ELECTION THEN MAKES THE WHOLE ELECTION ABOUT THAT ONE THING.

WE ONLY GET TWO YEARS TO DO IT, SO MIGHT AS WELL LOOK, LOOK AT IT.

MY OTHER SUGGESTION IS THAT WE DON'T DO IT ON A NOVEMBER ELECTION BECAUSE THE CONSTITUENCIES ARE DIFFERENT IN A NOVEMBER ELECTION.

PLUS, AS MICHAEL WELLS TESTIFIED, IT PROBABLY IS GOING TO COST US MORE AS A CITY TO, TO DO SO IN THAT REGARD.

THAT BEING SAID SO SOME KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT I'M, THAT I'M SEEING HERE IS THAT THERE'S THIS CONCERN ABOUT.

ABOUT WASTED. WASTED FINANCES AND WASTED MONEY.

BUT THE THING IS, IS THAT THIS. THIS IS ONE OF THE BASIC THINGS THAT A CITY HAS TO BE BUDGETED FOR.

WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR ELECTIONS. WE HAVE AN OPERATING BUDGET OF $104 MILLION.

AND YOU'VE ALSO ALREADY HEARD THAT IF A COUNCIL MEMBER DROPS OUT AND HAS TO WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION.

GUESS WHAT? WE REALLOCATE FUNDS AND WE HAVE MONEY TO DO SO BECAUSE THAT'S OUR OBLIGATION.

SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT MONEY. BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A DROP IN THE BUCKET.

FOR ME I WELCOME THESE, THESE TYPES OF ELECTIONS.

I REALLY, I REALLY DO. IT'S HARD FOR ME. YOU MENTIONED THAT THE TWO GENTLEMEN WHO FILED LAST TIME THEY WEREN'T SERIOUS, BUT YET THEY ACTUALLY WENT TO FORUMS. THEY ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN FORUMS TO GET ELECTED.

I'M JUST SAYING. I'M JUST SAYING I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE. WOULD YOU LIKE THAT'S NOT OUR JOB. THAT IS THE JOB OF THE VOTERS.

AND AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, ANYBODY WHO IS CONSIDERED NOT SERIOUS, THEY LOST ACCORDINGLY BECAUSE THAT IS THE PROCESS.

THAT IS THE PROCESS OF A DEMOCRACY. IN ADDITION, THIS IS KIND OF VERY PERSONAL FOR ME BECAUSE THOSE OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW, BUT WHEN I FIRST RAN, I HAD NEVER BEEN TO A COUNCIL MEETING.

I WAS JUST A TEACHER. I TAUGHT FIFTH GRADE AT THE TIME.

DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY. I WATCHED ALL THE COUNCIL MEETINGS ONLINE FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, THOUGH. AND I THINK TRYING TO GET A SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT THAT'S A HURDLE THAT WOULD HAVE NOT, WOULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARDER TO OVERCOME.

SAME WITH THE FILING FEE. AND FOR THAT MATTER A LOT OF PEOPLE FILE AND THEN THEY MEET PEOPLE ALONG THE WAY AFTER THEY FILE, BECAUSE THEY'RE RUNNING AS A CANDIDATE AND THEY HAVE A MESSAGE THAT RESONATES WITH THE PEOPLE, AND THEN THEY START MEETING PEOPLE.

AND WE ALL KNOW THAT. THE REALITY IS THAT AFTER THAT ELECTION AGAIN, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYBODY, BUT I UNSEATED AN INCUMBENT, WHICH IS VERY HARD TO DO.

SO. SO IT CAN BE DONE. AND WE SHOULDN'T BE DISCOURAGING PEOPLE FROM RUNNING ACCORDINGLY.

WE SHOULD NOT BE DISCOURAGING THEM WITH A FILING FEE. WE SHOULDN'T BE DISCOURAGING THEM WITH.

WITH SIGNATURES, THE VOTERS WILL WEED OUT THOSE WHO ARE NOT SERIOUS BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS HAVE AND THEY ALWAYS WILL.

WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ISSUE WITH THAT. HONESTLY, WE SHOULD BE WELCOMING COMPETITION.

WE SHOULD BE WELCOMING COMPETITION TO ALL AND TO ANYBODY.

AND I DO AS WELL. I NOT ONLY WANT MY SUPPORTERS TO COME OUT AND VOTE FOR ME, BUT I WANT MY NAYSAYERS, THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE ME. I WANT THEM TO COME OUT TO VOTE TOO.

DO YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE AFTER I WIN, I KNOW I'VE EARNED IT.

AND I'VE EARNED MY SEAT UP HERE. SO WITH THIS IDEA OF FILING FEES.

[00:55:07]

IT'S NOT THE WAY WE SHOULD RUN A DEMOCRACY GOING FORWARD THERE SHOULDN'T.

WE SHOULD BE MAKING IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO RUN FOR OFFICE, NOT MAKE IT HARDER.

AND SO THAT IS MY TWO CENTS ON THE SUBJECT. WELL, THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY? COUNCIL MEMBER BRANDON.

LIKE I SAID, I'M ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS. AND I REALLY HAVE ENJOYED THIS DISCUSSION.

AND I AGREE WITH MOST OF EVERYTHING EVERYBODY SAID, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE OPPOSING VIEWS.

WHAT I'M WONDERING, THOUGH, IS IF BACK TO BRIN'S POINT, IF WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT OTHER THINGS TO PUT ON A CHARTER AMENDMENT IF WE CAN ONLY DO IT SO OFTEN.

I, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT THIS WAS BROUGHT UP.

BUT I HADN'T BEEN THINKING THIS WAY, AND I'M THINKING MAYBE I NEED TO DO SOME THINKING SO THAT WE CAN COMBINE THIS, THAT MAYBE THERE'S OTHER PRESSURE. PRESSING ISSUES WE NEED TO CONSIDER.

THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHTS. [INAUDIBLE] WE HAVE A HARDER LOOK AT THE CHARTER.

YEAH. OKAY. YEAH, AND I DON'T I THINK THERE WAS ONE DONE MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO.

I THINK WHEN I RAN, THERE WAS THE CHARTER VOTE, A VOTE ON FOR US TO GET PAID THE DOLLAR WE GET PAID.

THAT'S CORRECT. [LAUGHTER] FOR ALL OF YOU WHO THINK WE'RE PAID TO DO THIS, WE ARE.

WE GET A DOLLAR A MONTH. WHICH DOESN'T EVEN PAY FOR THE GAS.

SO THAT'S MY THOUGHT. IS THAT WE LOOK, TAKE A HARD LOOK, AND ALL OF US TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AT WHAT ELSE.

AND EVEN THE CITIZENS, IF CITIZENS HAVE OTHER THINGS THEY THINK WE NEED TO REVIEW BRING IT TO US.

I'M GOING TO GO TO MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS. THANKS, MR. MAYOR. SO I WAS PART OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION IN 2022, AND I THINK TRADITIONALLY THE CITY HAS DONE A CHARTER REVIEW EVERY TEN YEARS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S AN ORDINANCE TO DO IT, TEN YEARS.

AND SO MAYBE THAT IN LIGHT OF, LIKE US LOOKING AT OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, MAYBE WE CAN CONVENE ANOTHER CHARTER REVIEW BOARD TO LOOK AT GAPS LIKE THIS. SOON. SO AND I WILL ADDRESS COUNCILMAN JOY DONOVAN BRANDON'S IDEA OF LIKE GETTING MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED. I KNOW SERVING ON THE LAST BOARD, IT WAS TOO BIG.

AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WEREN'T REALLY CLEAR OF WHAT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION WAS SUPPOSED TO DO.

SO IF WE CAN KIND OF MAKE IT A SMALLER BOARD, BUT THAT'S A WAY FOR CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED AND GIVE FEEDBACK.

I THINK WITH THE LAST BOARD IT DID, WE DELAYED IN GETTING THE ACTUAL RESULTS ON THE BALLOT.

AND SO IF THIS IS SOMETHING ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS THAT WERE GAPS, IF WE'RE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT, I THINK WE CAN GET A GOOD PROCESS OUT OF IT. VERY GOOD, VERY GOOD.

COUNCIL MEMBER FARCO. YES THERE'S SOME NUANCE. THERE IS, THERE IS THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE THAT BASICALLY SAYS YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AT MINIMUM OF EVERY FIVE YEARS.

TO CONSIDER WHETHER TO CALL A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.

THAT'S RIGHT. BUT YOU CAN DO IT MORE FREQUENTLY, JUST NOT WITHIN A TWO YEAR PERIOD OF THE LAST ELECTION.

AND ISN'T THERE, MICHAEL? THIS WOULD BE FOR MICHAEL WELLS.

ISN'T THERE A SET AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ON THE ON THE REVIEW? YES, I WAS LOOKING THAT UP. I DO BELIEVE IT IS 15.

IT'S 15. YEAH. OKAY. AND REAL QUICK THIS IS FOR BRANDI.

WHEN IT COMES TO THESE CHARTER AMENDMENTS, DO WE HAVE A REVIEW COMMITTEE? COULD IT NOT BE COUNCIL DRIVEN TO. THESE ARE THE THINGS WE WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT AND X, Y, Z. AND THEN WE WANT TO ADD THESE TO THE BALLOT.

YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO APPOINT THE COMMISSION.

IT BASICALLY SAYS IF COUNCIL BELIEVES IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST TO APPOINT A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION THAN IT CAN.

SO I BELIEVE THAT'S BEEN THE PROCEDURE IN THE PAST, BUT IT'S NOT MANDATORY.

OKAY. ALTHOUGH I WASN'T A PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AND I THINK MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS CAN CONTEST TO IT BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT THERE WERE. IT LED TO LENGTHY, LENGTHY TIME TIME COMMITMENT FOR THAT.

[01:00:02]

AND THERE'S ONLY SEVEN OF US. WE DON'T NEED 14, 15 PEOPLE ARGUING ABOUT THESE THINGS.

SO, SO GO. I THINK WITH PREVIOUS COMMISSIONERS THERE MAYBE THEY WEREN'T GIVEN THE DIRECTION NEEDED.

NOW WE AS A COUNCIL CAN GIVE THEM BETTER DIRECTION.

BUT I DO BELIEVE WE. I MEAN, WE STILL NEED TO HAVE THE COMMISSION.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN APPOINT PEOPLE LIKE WE HAVE IN THE PAST, BUT GIVE THEM MORE AND BETTER DIRECTION, BECAUSE LAST TIME IT WAS I MEAN, SHE WAS ON IT.

IT WAS VAGUE AND I WAS ON I WAS ON COUNCIL. IT WAS VAGUE.

YEAH. I MEAN, I MEAN THAT'S WHAT LEADS TO TOO.

RIGHT. SO I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND SO I'M.

I'M OPEN. YEAH. I JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS. THERE WAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE LAST CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION. [LAUGHTER] AND SO I WOULD HATE TO REPEAT THOSE. OKAY.

OKAY. ANYONE LIKE TO CHIME IN ON ANY OF THAT? OKAY. SO WHAT I'M GETTING IS THAT WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHARTER OURSELVES, PROBABLY INDIVIDUALLY.

IT LOOKS LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI. YOU HAVE SOME HOMEWORK. AND THEN WE WILL FOLLOW IT.

TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHARTER TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD WANT AND IF WE WANT TO CALL AND MOVE FORWARD IN THE FUTURE.

I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN EXACT DATE ON THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE IF WE WANT TO CALL IT GOING TO DO THAT AND JUST BE READY FOR SOME. SO IF SOMEBODY WANT A SPECIFIC TIME OR.

I MEAN, TIMING WISE, I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE IN THE WINDOW SO WE CAN DO IT.

CORRECT. SO I MEAN, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF LOOKING AT THE CHARTER AND I SAY GIVE SOME, LIKE, MORE DIRECTION THAN WE GAVE TO THE PREVIOUS. AND SO MAYBE A COUNCILWOMAN OR MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS CAN GIVE US MAYBE MORE DETAIL ON HOW IT WAS ON THE INSIDE OF THAT COMMITTEE, BECAUSE, I MEAN, I MEAN, YOU HEARD STUFF, I HEARD STUFF, WE ALL HEARD STUFF. SO AND SO IT WOULD PROBABLY BE, YOU KNOW, ENLIGHTENING. MAYBE WE HEAR FROM HER.

MAYBE THE NEXT MEETING OR SO, SHE CAN GIVE US A NICE PRESENTATION AND.

AND THEN WE CAN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OFFERING.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT. I'M SORRY. [LAUGHTER] THERE WE GO. YEAH. OKAY. SO.

ALL RIGHT, SO WE SEE THAT GOING FORWARD. ALL RIGHT.

SO YOU EVERY VOTE TO THAT? ALL RIGHT. SO IN OUR NEXT MEETING, WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT OUR OPTIONS ON THE PROCESS AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO THERE.

AND, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOUGH, WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE DIRECTION, BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT IS TO JUST GET A BUNCH OF GROUP OF PEOPLE TOGETHER AND SAY, FIGURE IT OUT. BECAUSE THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT TOO WELL.

AND THEN AFTER IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE, WE DIDN'T END UP PUTTING IT TO A VOTE FOR YEARS AFTERWARDS, A COUPLE YEARS AFTER THAT. SO SO THIS IS THIS IS DEFINITELY A PROCESS.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. EVERYONE SATISFIED WITH THAT? ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S THAT? ALL RIGHT. SEEING THAT I'LL MOVE ON. SO MOVING ON TO REPORTS.

[7. Mayor/Council Member Reports]

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO MORNINGS WITH THE MAYOR.

THAT WAS WE HAD A GOOD SHOWING OF THOSE. I ALSO WANTED TO THANK JACQUELINE FROM THE YMCA FOR PROVIDING BREAKFAST FOR US.

THAT WAS THE FIRST. THAT WAS FUN. AND A BIG THANK YOU TO PJ'S FOR PROVIDING THE COFFEE.

SO I HOPE IT'S SOMETHING THAT I MEAN, THAT WAS THAT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED.

SO I DON'T HOPEFULLY WE DO IT AGAIN AT THE NEXT ONE.

I'M GETTING I'M GETTING A THUMBS UP. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

IF YOU FEED THEM, THEY WILL COME. THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD. SO.

SO. BUT NO, THANK YOU ALL FOR FOR DOING THAT.

AND ALSO ON SATURDAY, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING THE DADDY-DAUGHTER DANCE WITH THE CITY HOSTED JUST A PHENOMENAL TIME.

JUST JUST A GREAT TIME. ONE OF THE BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR PARKS AND REC TEAM FOR PUTTING ON JUST A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL NIGHT WE HAD. I THINK THE THEME WAS CHERRY.

SO THEY HAD SHIRLEY TEMPLES. THERE WAS MUSIC, THERE WAS BOUNCE HOUSES.

JUST JUST TONS AND TONS OF FUN THERE. AND OF COURSE LITTLE KIDS HOPPED UP ON SUGAR.

SO, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT? BUT NO, IN ALL IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, THANK YOU TO STAFF. YOU PROVIDED SUCH A MAGICAL NIGHT.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT. REPORTS. LET'S SEE HERE ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

[8. Report on most recent meeting of the following Boards]

[01:05:07]

HERE IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS. AND OTHER THAN THAT, NOTHING ELSE TO REPORT.

ALL RIGHT. VERY GOOD. BEAUTIFICATION ADVISORY BOARD.

THANKS, MR. MAYOR. SO BEAUTIFICATION WILL MEET ON FEBRUARY 16TH AT 6:30.

OKAY. VERY GOOD. LIBRARY ADVISORY BOARD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I HAVE OTHER THINGS TOO. I GOT INVITED, I THINK ALL OF YOU DID, TOO, TO THE POLAR PLUNGE, AND I SAID I WOULD BE THERE, BUT I WOULD NOT BE A PLUNGER.

AND I'M TELLING YOU, THOSE PEOPLE WERE EXCITED AND A LITTLE.

AND SO THEY HAD A GOOD TIME. AND THAT WAS AT THE Y ON SATURDAY.

AS FROM THE LIBRARY, I WANT TO REPORT THAT ATMOS ENERGY HAS GIVEN A $7,000 GRANT FOR A BOOK VENDING MACHINE, AND IT WILL BE OPEN TO THE CHILDREN WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE HEB READS.

IT'S NOT FOR MONEY, BUT YOU GET TOKENS. AND THIS IS COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION.

AND THANKS GOES TO FORMER MAYOR JIM GRIFFIN FOR HEADING THIS UP.

AND THEN I HAVE SHOW AND TELL. THE LIBRARY IS ALSO GIVING OUT FREE KALE THAT IS FROM THE HYDROPONIC UNIT. WE NEED TO THANK VOLUNTEER SUSAN LANGLEY, WHO HEADED THIS UP AND AT THE INFORMATION DESK. AS LONG AS SUPPLIES LAST, YOU TOO CAN GET KALE FOR YOUR SALADS AND BE HEALTHY.

AND THEN THE THIRD, THE FOURTH THING I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THAT THIS THURSDAY AT THE HEB CHAMBER LUNCHEON, DOCTOR MARJORIE HERRERA LEWIS WILL BE COMING TO TALK ABOUT THE PRO GLOBAL PRO FLAG FOOTBALL SUMMIT THAT IS COMING TO BEDFORD IN JULY. SO I'D ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE THERE AND HEAR ABOUT WHAT'S COMING TO BEDFORD AND FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN PARTICIPATE AND ENCOURAGE IT. THAT'S IT. ALL RIGHT.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT. PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD.

THANK YOU MAYOR. AT LAST THURSDAY'S PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD MEETING, CULTURAL ARTS SUPERVISOR DANIELLE TEAGARDEN GAVE A PRESENTATION ON THE PUBLIC ART SCULPTURES. SHE PROVIDED SOME PHOTO EXAMPLES OF THE SCULPTURES THAT ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION TO BE PLACED IN OUR PARKS, AND SHE SOLICITED THE INPUT FROM THE PARK BOARD.

I BELIEVE SHE'S GOING TO BE PRESENTING THAT INFORMATION TO COUNCIL HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

PARKS DIRECTOR MARK LONG AND PARK SUPERINTENDENT DON HENDERSON GAVE AN UPDATE ON THE BOARD TO THE BOARD IN REGARDS TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANS THAT ARE IN VARIOUS PARKS.

THE NEXT MEETING FOR THE PARKS AND RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD WILL BE THURSDAY, MARCH 5TH.

OKAY. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT. SENIOR ADVISORY BOARD. THANK YOU MAYOR.

WE MET LAST MONTH. WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME AVENUES TO WORK WITH HBISD TO MAYBE GO INTO THE LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND READ TO THE STUDENTS AND DIFFERENT AVENUES FOR SENIORS TO GET ENGAGED.

AND SO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, 26 LOOKS EXCITING AND WE'LL HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.

OKAY. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

ALL RIGHT. CITY MANAGER, STAFF REPORTS. MAYOR, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING THIS EVENING.

[9. City Manager/Staff Reports]

WE ARE DUE FOR THAT. SO TRYING TO TIME IT WHERE WE'VE GOT A LAND USE ITEM WHERE HE HAS TO BE HERE ANYWAY.

SO NEXT COUPLE MEETINGS, WE'LL HAVE A CODE UPDATE.

PROBABLY QUARTERLY, BUT LEANING MORE TOWARD A LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU KNOW, A PORTION OF THE YEAR AND GIVE YOU ALL A CODE UPDATE ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING.

BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE MOVING AHEAD ON THINGS. AND WE ARE FULLY STAFFED IN THAT DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. ALL RIGHT.

SEEING THAT THERE'S NO EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR TO ADJOURN.

MR. MAYOR, I'D LOVE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN PLEASE.

MOTION TO ADJOURN FROM COUNCIL MEMBER GAGLIARDI TO HAVE A SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM DAWKINS.

ALL IN FAVOR OF THE VERBAL VOTE OF AYE. AYE. THOSE OPPOSED? NO. ALL RIGHT. THAT MOTION PASSES. WE ADJOURNED AT 7:40.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.