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I STARTED IN THE MORNING.[00:18:22]
OH,[00:18:22]
THERE, IT'S, I GOT IT.THE TIME IS NOW 5:33 PM WELCOME TO THE HARLINGEN CITY COMMISSION MEETING, A SPECIAL MEETING THAT HAS BEEN POSTED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION AS EVERYONE IS PRESENT AT THIS TIME.
I WOULD ASK THAT FOR EVERYONE TO PLEASE RISE AS COMMISSIONER KINSLEY LEADS US IN OUR INVOCATION.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE COME TO YOU TODAY ASKING FOR YOUR GUIDANCE, WISDOM, AND SUPPORT.
AS WE BEGIN THIS MEETING, HELP US TO ENGAGE IN MEANINGFUL DISCUSSION.
ALLOW US TO GROW CLOSER AS A GROUP AND NURTURE THE BONDS OF COMMUNITY.
FILL US WITH YOUR GREAT, YOUR GRACE, LORD GOD, AS WE MAKE DECISIONS WILL AFFECT THE COMMUNITY OF HARLINGEN.
AND CONTINUE TO REMIND US THAT ALL WE DO HERE TODAY, ALL THAT WE ACCOMPLISH IS FOR THE PURSUIT OF TRUTH, FOR THE GREATER GLORY OF YOU AND FOR THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY.
WE ASK THESE THINGS IN YOUR NAME.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE DUE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UNDER STATE LAW, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS OF A COUNCIL MEMBER OR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THAT PERSON'S FAMILY HAS A QUALIFYING FINANCIAL INTEREST IN AN AGENDA ITEM.
MEMBERS WITH THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION NOR VOTE ON
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THE AGENDA ITEM.ARE THERE ANY KNOWN CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TO DISCLOSE AT THIS TIME? NONE.
MOVING ON TO CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
AT THIS TIME, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ADDRESS THE CITY COMMISSION AND SPEAK ON ANY MATTER NOT SPECIFICALLY LISTED FOR PUBLIC HEARING ELSEWHERE IN THIS AGENDA.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS MAY NOT RESPOND TO COMMENTS OR DELIBERATE ON TOPICS ADDRESSED.
MAYOR, WE DID HAVE A TOTAL OF SIX CITIZENS THAT SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
THREE OF THOSE ARE PERTAIN TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THREE OF THOSE PERTAIN TO, UH, PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, F FIRST ONE I DO SEE, UM, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, 'CAUSE WE DO HAVE BOTH AND, AND THAT WE'RE ALLOWING FOLKS TO SPEAK WHERE THEY WANNA WANNA SPEAK.
SO THE FIRST ONE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION IS ROBERT LEFTWICH.
DO YOU WANT CITIZEN COMMUNICATION OR IN THE PUBLIC HEARING? THE PUBLIC HEARING IS GONNA BE BEFORE OR AFTER Y'ALL TAKE ACTION.
WE CAN DELIBERATE THEN HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, SO THE WAY THAT THIS WILL GO FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN THE ROOM, IS THAT WE WILL HAVE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THERE WILL BE, UM, DISCUSSION WITH THE COMMISSION AND THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THEN WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING.
TODAY I SPEAK TO YOU NOT JUST AS MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, BUT AS A VOLUNTEER.
OUR VOLUNTEER BOARD MEMBERS COME FROM A DIVERSE BACKGROUND, BRINGING WITH THEM A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND PERSPECTIVES THAT ENRICH AND OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESSES.
WE DO THIS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN THE POTENTIAL OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO ITS GROWTH AND SUCCESS.
HOWEVER, RECENT REMARKS OF OUR INTEGRITY AND EFFORTS HAVE BEEN DEEPLY DISHEARTENING.
MY COMMENT HERE TODAY IS DIRECTED AT COMMISSIONER MESSMER AND COMMENTS MADE IN THE VALLEY.
MORNINGSTAR MESMER DID NOT WANT TO SPEAK BEFORE THE ISSUES, BEFORE THE ISSUES COME TO THE COMMISSION, HE SAID AS A PART OF A STATEMENT.
HOWEVER, MESMER SAID HE WILL BRING A VERBAL SHOTGUN TO THE MEETING END.
SIR, WE WE'RE ALLIES AND WHEN YOU USE WORDS LIKE THAT, YOU RAISE THEM AGAINST AN ENEMY, UM, NOT A COMMITTEE.
WHEN I READ THE UNDUE HOSTILITY, IT NOT ONLY DE DEMORALIZES OUR EFFORTS, YOU RISK UNDERMINING THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT THAT DRIVES PROGRESS.
MOREOVER, SUCH NEGATIVE BEHAVIOR DISCOURAGES FUTURE VOLUNTEERS FROM STEPPING FORWARD.
IF WE CREATE ENVIRONMENT, AN ENVIRONMENT WITH DISTRUST AND NEGATIVITY, WE'LL STRUGGLE TO ATTRACT QUALIFIED AND DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WILLING TO SERVE.
THIS WEAKENS THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY GOVERNMENTS.
IN CONCLUSION, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COMMISSIONERS FOR CONSIDERING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SUGGESTIONS.
UM, THE BOARD MADE, WE ALL SHARE THE SAME GOAL, AND THAT'S TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY BETTER.
YOURS IN SERVICE? I'M AMIKA CIO.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, I GUESS, OUR CEASE COMMUNICATION.
SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT TOPIC, WHICH IS PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AT THIS TIME, THE MAYOR WILL INVITE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE FILLED OUT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE, THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
HANG, HANG ON ONE SECOND, MELINDA, THAT'S NOT THE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO FIRST.
SO WE ARE, IT IS, UM, WELL, I GUESS YOU CAN READ THAT, BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PRESENTATION FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR PUBLIC HEARING SO YOU CAN READ THAT.
UM, AND THEN I'LL JUST QUALIFY HIM.
PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME, THE MAYOR WILL INVITE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE FILLED OUT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION FORM.
TO ADDRESS EACH ITEM LISTED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE TOPIC OF THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
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MORE THAN ONE PUBLIC HEARING IS BEING HELD, YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK DURING EACH TOPIC, PROVIDED YOU HAVE FILLED OUT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND CITIZEN COMMUNICATION FORM FOR THE APPROPRIATE TOPIC.IF YOU ARE SIGNED UP FOR TWO OR MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS, YOU WILL BE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES FOR ALL TOPICS.
SO NOW WE ARE AT ITEM ONE, THE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE HARLINGEN CITY CHARTER BY THE CITY OF HARLINGEN 2024 CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND SO FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUS, AGAIN, WELCOME TO EVERYONE.
I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW THAT JUST, JUST WALKED IN.
UM, DO WANNA REITERATE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT THE PROCEDURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN OUR OTHER MEETINGS.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE ARE GOING TO HEAR FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE THROUGH THE PERSON THAT THEY HAVE SELECTED TO BE THEIR SPOKESPERSON.
UM, WE ARE GOING TO ALLOW HER TO PRESENT, SHE WILL GO THROUGH EACH ITEM, UM, RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN SHE'LL ALSO PROVIDE, UM, WHATEVER IT IS THAT SHE IS GOING TO SPEAK ON THE SPECIFIC SECTION OF THE CHARTER.
UM, AND I, AND THAT'LL BE ON THE POWERPOINT.
UH, YES, THE POWERPOINT WILL HAVE SOME OF THE, WILL HAVE ALL THE CHANGES TO THE CHARTER, UH, THAT WERE ADDED.
UM, IN YOUR CHARTER, UH, PACKET, THE RED LINES, WERE NOT GONNA BE ON THE, UH, POWERPOINT ONLY THOSE THAT WERE, THAT WERE ADDED.
SO, YES, THAT'LL BE IN THE POWERPOINT.
SO I WILL ASK THE COMMISSION TO ALLOW MS, UH, DELIA TO SPEAK.
AND ONCE SHE'S FINISHED SPEAKING ON ASSERT THAT SECTION, THEN WE CAN OPEN IT UP FOR, UM, QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION, UM, WITH MS. DELIA.
AND THEN ONCE THE COMMISSION HAS FINISHED WITH THEIR QUESTIONS, THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND ITEM AND THEN THE THIRD.
AND THAT'S HOW WE WILL CONTINUE THE PROCESS.
AND THEN ONCE WE ARE DONE, THEN WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO, TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD WITH NUMBER ITEM NUMBER ONE, AND I WILL OPEN THE FLOOR TO MS. UH, DELIA.
UM, MAYOR, BEFORE SHE BEGINS HER, HER PRESENTATION, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MEMBERS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT WERE APPOINTED, UH, BEGINNING WITH DELIA AVILA, WHO WILL BE OUR SPOKESPERSON FOR TONIGHT.
UH, MELINDA WEAVER, CARLY BURNS, THOMAS, MICHAEL GARZA, VICTOR AL, DON RAY LEONARD, AND LIZ CHAVEZ.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE JUST STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, THANK Y'ALL FOR VOLUNTEERING.
AND WE, WE MET, UH, EIGHT TIMES, AND EACH MEETING WAS OVER TWO HOURS LONG.
UM, THE COMMITTEE, UH, NEVER COMPLAINED.
UH, THERE WERE 12 ARTICLES IN THE, UH, CHARTER, UM, 99 SECTIONS.
WE WENT OVER EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE, UM, IN NAUSEUM.
AND BY THE TIME WE WERE FINISHED, WE ENDED UP WITH 101 SECTIONS.
SO, UM, I SIMPLY WANT TO THANK THE, UH, THE COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE HAD CHOSEN, UH, DELIA AND LIZ TO BE THE SPOKESPERSON, UH, FOR THE COMMITTEE.
BUT LIZ, UM, CAME DOWN WITH, UH, SHE'S SICK, AND SO SHE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY, SO SHE SENT HER APOLOGIES.
SO DELIA WILL BE DOING THE, UH, PRESENTATION ON HER OWN, ALONG WITH HELP FROM JOSH AND MYSELF.
SO, WITH THAT, UH, DELIA, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE.
UM, YES, I AM DALIA AVILA, A COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THIS EVENING REPRESENTS, UH, THE CULMINATION OF MANY, MANY HOURS OF WORK.
UM, EIGHT HOURS, SOUNDS LIKE A SMALL NUMBER.
AND THAT REPRESENTS THE SERIOUSNESS IN WHICH EACH ONE OF US TOOK, UM, THIS ENDEAVOR.
WE WERE APPOINTED, UH, WE TO, TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMITTEE.
THE COMMISSION BROUGHT THIS COMMITTEE TOGETHER.
UH, I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR DOING SO.
UM, AND IT'S HAPPENS INFREQUENTLY.
THE LAST TIME THAT THE CITY OF HARLINGEN BROUGHT A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE TOGETHER WAS 2006, 18 YEARS AGO.
AND SO I WANNA THANK EACH OF YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE CHARTER, WHICH IS THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, AND PROVIDE OUR INPUT.
UM, IT WAS AN HONOR FOR EACH OF US.
AND, UH, WE CONDUCTED HOURS OF RESEARCH
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IN OUR OWN TIME OUTSIDE OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, TO CONSIDER WHAT WE, WHAT WE MIGHT THINK WOULD WORK FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.UM, OUR MINDSET WAS IN TERMS OF LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE, TO CONSIDER, UM, HOW THINGS STAND TODAY, UH, AND OBSERVE WHAT IS WORKING IN OTHER CITIES AND SEE IF THEY MIGHT BE ADOPTED FOR THE CITY OF HARLEEN.
UM, SO THIS EVENING WE'LL BE PRESENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, AS PROVIDED BY THE COMMITTEE.
I AM REPRESENTING THE COMMITTEE THIS EVENING.
UM, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER AS MUCH AS I CAN ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, AND WE'LL GET STARTED.
SO, FIRST SLIDE REPRESENTS ARTICLE ONE, ACTIVE INCORPORATION, CORPORATE NAME, AND GENERAL POWERS.
THERE ARE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THIS ARTICLE.
UH, DELIA, IF I, IF I COULD, I I DID TELL YOU THAT I WAS GOING TO MENTION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING THAT, UM, ANY CHANGE TO, UH, GRAMMAR, UH, ANY CHANGE TO PRONOUNS, UM, IN ANY ARCHAIC TERMS WILL NOT BE DISCUSSED TONIGHT.
THOSE ARE JUST TAKEN, UM, THAT WE, THAT WE MADE THEM IN THE CHARTER.
THEY'RE IN YOUR, IN YOUR CHARTER PACKET.
BUT WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THE OTHER ISSUES THAT, AND THE OTHER CHANGES THAT WE MADE.
AND GABE, OUR PACKET IS WHAT WAS SENT TO US BY JOSH.
AND HE'S, HE'S GOT COPIES FOR, CORRECT.
THERE WERE, UM, TYPOS THROUGHOUT THE CHARTER.
UM, SIMPLE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS THAT WILL BE MADE AND WILL NOT BE MENTIONED THIS EVENING.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THE TERM NO CHANGES, IT MEANS THERE WERE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THE ACTUAL.
SO MOVING ON TO ARTICLE THREE ELECTIONS.
THERE ARE TWO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES HERE.
SECTION TWO, ELECTION CONTROLLING LAWS.
THIS CHANGE, UH, INVOLVES, UH, UPDATING PROVIDING CITY ELECTION HOURS FOR EARLY VOTING ON THE RUNOFF ELECTIONS AND ON ELECTION DAY TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE CAM CAMERON COUNTY ELECTION HOURS FOR THOSE CORRESPONDING DAYS.
THE INTEREST IN PROPOSING THIS CHANGE WAS TO ENSURE THAT CITIES POLLING HOURS WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE ELECTIONS AND TO ENSURE THAT VOTERS HAD UNIFORM AND CONSISTENT, CONSISTENT POLLING HOURS.
THEN SAME ARTICLE THREE SECTION FOUR PUBLIC SPACES, NOTICE OF ELECTIONS.
THIS CHANGE INVOLVES PUBLICIZING NOTICES IN PUBLIC SPACES, UM, AS WELL AS BROADCAST MEDIA IN ADDITION TO PRINT MEDIA, WHICH IS ALREADY IN THE CHARTER.
THE INTEREST IN PROPOSING THIS CHANGE IS TO MODERNIZE THE WAY THAT THE CITY OF HARLAN AND NOTIFIES, UH, ITS RESIDENCE OF NOTICES BY USING, UH, MODERN FORUMS SUCH AS ONLINE PUBLIC SPACES, ARTICLE FOUR SCHOOL, GOVERNMENT BEFORE, BEFORE YOU MOVE ON.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND PAUSE AFTER EACH SLIDE AND SEE IF THE COMMISSION HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON ARTICLE THREE, SECTION TWO OR FOUR? OKAY.
OKAY, ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION TWO.
THIS CHANGE INVOLVES ENSURING THAT, UH, CLARIFI WE'RE PROVIDING CLARIFICATION ON THE TERM INDEBTED TO THE CITY, WHICH HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE CHARTER PER OUR PROPOSED CHANGE.
UM, THIS WOULD MEAN THAT WE'RE CLARIFYING THAT EACH CI CITIZEN MUST BE IN GOOD STANDING AND MAINTAIN A RESIDENCE IN THE CITY, AND IF APPLICABLE, UH, THE DISTRICT IN WHICH THEY REPRESENT.
UM, THE INTEREST HERE WAS THAT WE WERE PROVIDING CLARITY THROUGHOUT THE CHARTER.
UM, THESE WORDS STOOD OUT IN TERMS OF INDEBTED TO THE CITY.
IT WOULD BE CONFUSING TO CITIZENS TO CON TO
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CONSIDER THAT, UM, INDEBTED COULD BE MISINTERPRETED AS BEING A LITERAL DEBT TO THE CITY.AND SO THIS CHANGE SUGGESTS THAT, UM, IT IS NOT ABOUT BEING INDEBTED TO THE CITY, BUT ABOUT BEING IN GOOD STANDING.
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WE LOWERED THE AGE FROM 21 TO 18 FOR QUALIFICATION.
WE, WE WERE GOING TO RECOMMEND THAT, THAT WE LEAVE IT AT 21.
UM, THE, BASICALLY THE TEXAS LEG, THE, UH, TEXAS CODE PROVIDES WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, IT HAS 18.
IT DOES, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT HOME RULE CITIES AND PROVIDES THAT HOME RULE CITIES CAN ESTABLISH AN EGYPT 21.
ARE WE A HOME RULE CITY? YES, WE ARE.
HOME RULE CITY IS A CITY THAT'S GOVERNED BY CHARTER.
SO ARLINGTON IS A HOME RULE CITY.
SO, DALIA, WHEN, UM, WHEN THE DISCUSSION CAME UP WITHIN THE COMMITTEE, WAS THE DECISION TO CHANGE IT TO 18 BECAUSE, UH, YOU WANTED IT TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE REQUIREMENT, THE STATE LAW? OR WAS IT A DECISION TO CHANGE IT BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE WISHED TO CHANGE IT FROM 21 TO 18, IF YOU RECALL? MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THIS WAS TO, UH, ALIGN BETTER WITH STATE LAW.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IF YOU COULD JUST GO, DELI A LITTLE INDEBTED, AND I HAD THAT EXACT QUESTION WHEN I RAN RIGHT.
AND IN FACT, I THINK ONE OF MY FIRST CONVERSATIONS WITH MARK WHEN, BEFORE I EVEN ANNOUNCED MY CANDIDACY, WAS TO MAKE SURE I DID NOT OWE ANY DEBT TO THE CITY OUTSIDE OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR ANNUAL TAXES THAT YOU PAY WHAT IN FEBRUARY OR WHATNOT.
ISN'T THAT WHAT IT MEANS? OR IS, DO Y'ALL HAVE A SEPARATE INTERPRETATION OF INDEBTED? I, I, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS AT WHAT POINT I, I THINK THE ISSUE SHOULD BE ONE OF DELINQUENCY, NOT OF INDEBTEDNESS.
BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE, UH, RECEIVED A TRAFFIC TICKET MM-HMM.
IF SOMEONE OWED PROPERTY TAXES BUT WASN'T YET DELINQUENT ON THE PAYMENT, THEY THEY WOULD HAVE, THEY WOULD OWE MONEY TO THE CITY, BUT THERE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE A DELINQUENCY.
SO PERHAPS THE, THE PROPER ISSUE THE COMMISSION SHOULD ADDRESS IS ONE OF DELINQUENCY, NOT OF INDEBTEDNESS.
MARK, I WANNA CLARIFICATION REAL QUICK.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE JUST HEARING, UM, WHAT DELIA IS SAYING, AND THEN WE HAVE QUESTIONS OF THE CHARTER COMMITTEE.
WE ASK THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING IT.
LIKE IF WE WANT TO STAY, KEEP IT OR CHANGE IT OR WHAT, WE'RE NOT DOING THAT YET.
THESE ARE, UM, 'CAUSE WE WANT HER TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING AND HEAR WHAT SHE HAS AND NOT KEEP HER HERE TILL LIKE TWO IN THE MORNING.
AND I'M NOT, AND I'M NOT ADDRESSING ANY LEGAL ISSUES UNTIL WE DISCUSS IT.
SO THIS IS JUST CLARIFICATION.
WE WANNA KNOW WHAT THE COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, CAME UP WITH AND IT, YOU KNOW, AND THE REASONING BEHIND THAT.
AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK, WE'LL GIVE PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK.
AND IF THERE'S ITEMS THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH INDIVIDUALLY, WE'LL WE'LL DO THAT AND TALK AMONGST OURSELVES IF THAT'S, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO, TO DO DEPENDING ON HOW THE EVENING GOES.
AND SO MY TAKEAWAY FROM THIS IS THAT THE COMMITTEE MADE THIS CHANGE, UH, BASED ON, UH, A LEGAL OPINION THAT THERE WOULD BE A NEED TO CHANGE BECAUSE THE STATE REQUIRES 21.
UM, BUT NOW WE'VE, WE'VE LEARNED THAT BASED ON THE TYPE OF CITY THAT WE HAVE, THAT THE CITY, UH, HOME RULE CITIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH AN AGE OF 21.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS AFTER.
UM, BUT THE COMMITTEE, JUST TO BE CLEAR, DIDN'T GO OUTTA THEIR WAY TO CHANGE IT FROM 21 TO 18.
'CAUSE THEY WANT A WHOLE BUNCH OF 18 YEAR OLDS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, RIGHT? IS THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
ARTICLE FOUR, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SECTION FIVE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE MAYOR.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT WE PROVIDE THE MAYOR A VOTE AND TO MAKE MOTIONS AND SECOND MOTIONS.
SO BEFORE WE, I'M SORRY, WE MAY HAVE MISSED THIS.
UH, WE TALK ABOUT THE LAST ARTICLE, ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION THREE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS ON THE LAST SLIDE.
I KNOW I NOTICED THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A YEAH, THAT'S NOT ON THERE.
WAS THERE A, A REASON FOR THE CHANGE FROM SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR?
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AND MAYBE THAT'S A JOSH 'CAUSE WE PREPARED, HE PREPARED THIS FOR US.THAT'S A RESIDENCY, UH, REQUIREMENT.
BUT THAT WAS THE SAME RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT ON THE QUALIFICATIONS.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE PAIR THEM TOGETHER.
THAT'S THE SAME REQUIREMENT, LIKE A STATE REQUIREMENT? NO, BECAUSE HERE IT TALKS ABOUT IN SECTION TWO, IT TALKS ABOUT JUST BEING A RESIDENT OF THE CITY FOR ONE YEAR.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT SECTION THREE, IT TALKS ABOUT YOU HAVE TO BE LIVING YOUR DISTRICT FOR ONE YEAR BEFORE YOU CAN RUN IT, WHICH IS A DISTINCTION.
I JUST WANNA KNOW WHY THE INCREASE FROM SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR, DO YOU, UM, DE UM, IT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE MADE AS A WHOLE.
UM, I WOULD DEFER TO MARK OR, UH, GABE TO, UH, TO THE CITY MANAGER OR CITY ATTORNEY TOO.
THEY, THEY JUST DIDN'T WANT SOMEONE MOVING FROM ONE DISTRICT TO THE OTHER RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION AND THEN RUNNING FOR THAT DISTRICT.
SO THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE IN THAT DISTRICT, UM, BEFORE THEY RAN FOR THAT PARTICULAR OFFICE.
SO THAT WAS THE ONLY REASON THAT I GOT OUT OF THE, OUT OF THE DISCUSSIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE.
AND A HOME RULE CITY DOES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT.
AS LONG AS YOU DON'T EXCEED 12 MONTHS IN THE CITY, YOU, YOU CAN ESTABLISH YOUR OWN RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION.
SO THE COMMISSION CAN, HAVE WE EVER HAD THAT ISSUE BEFORE? JUST, UH, WELL, WE HAVEN'T HAD DISTRICTS FOR VERY LONG.
UH, BUT NOT THAT I CAN RECALL.
MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, SECRETARY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT NO, UH, WE'VE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE LIKE THAT, SIR.
WE'VE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE, UM, WHAT'S ON THE, ON THE CHARTER AND NOBODY HAS EVER, YOU KNOW, UH, TALKED OR, OR SAID ANYTHING DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, SO.
UH, THE ONLY THING TO KEEP IN MIND, OBVIOUSLY, IS WHEN WE HAVE TO REDISTRICT AND BECAUSE OF CENSUS DATA AND WE DO IT, AND YOU'RE OUT OF A DISTRICT ALL OF A SUDDEN.
SO YOU'VE GOTTA WAIT TO MEET THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT IF YOU'RE NO, THAT'S NOT TRUE.
THAT'S BECAUSE THEN DANIEL WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO RUN
NO, THAT WAS ONE OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS.
NO, I MEANT MARK, IF I COULD RUN.
SO, UM, AGAIN, IT, THERE WAS NOT A SLIDE, BUT THE, BASED ON GABE'S COMMENTS, IT'S, WAS THE COMMITTEE THE CONSENSUS OF THE COMMITTEE? MM-HMM.
THERE WAS A COMMITTEE THAT CAME UP WITH THAT.
SO MOVING ON TO, UH, ARTICLE FOUR, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SECTION FIVE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE MAYOR.
UM, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT WE PROVIDE THE MAYOR WITH, UH, A VOTE, UM, AS A MEMBER OF THE CITY COMMISSION AND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE MOTIONS AND SECOND MOTIONS.
OUR RECOMMENDATION IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT CITY OF HARLINGEN IS THE ONLY CITY IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY THAT DOES NOT ALLOW THE MAYOR TO VOTE.
UM, ALSO THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF OTHER CITIES, BOTH IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, WHO HAVE THE SAME SIZE COMMISSION AS HARLAN, AND STILL ALLOW THE MAYOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CITY OF, UH, SOUTH PADRE ISLAND HAS FIVE COMMISSIONERS AND ONE MAYOR, AND THE MAYOR CAN VOTE.
THE CITY OF WACO ALSO HAS FIVE COMMISSIONERS AND ONE MAYOR, AND THE MAYOR CAN VOTE THERE AS WELL.
UM, SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER, UH, IN TERMS OF WHY IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THE MAYOR TO VOTE IS ONE, UM, THE MAYOR, PARTICULARLY HERE IN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, IS THE ONLY REPRESENTATIVE, UH, ELECTED REPRESENTATIVE WHO, UM, REPRESENTS THE CITY AT LARGE.
UM, SO WITHOUT HAVING A MEMBER, UH, ON THE COMMISSION, UNABLE WITHOUT HAVING A MEMBER ON THE COMMISSION TO VOTE ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE, UH, WE'RE SHORTHAND, WE'RE SHORT, WE ARE, UM, DOING A DISSERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, ALSO, UH, THE MAYOR'S, UH, VOTE CAN BECOME PART OF THE VOTING RECORD AND CAN THEREFORE BE HELD MORE ACCOUNTABLE, UH, FOR THEIR VOTING RECORD.
UH, AND THEREBY GIVING MORE TRANSPARENCY, UM, AND POWER TO THE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE REPRESENTING THEM.
THOSE ARE GENERALLY THE REASONS FOR OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND LASTLY, I ALSO WANT TO STATE THAT
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THERE ARE, THERE IS LANGUAGE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CHARTER THAT REFER TO FOUR FIFTHS VOTE.AND THAT IF THE COMMISSION CHOOSES TO, UH, PROPOSE THIS CHANGE OR SUPPORT THIS CHANGE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER CHANGING THE LANGUAGE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CHARTER TO REFLECT SUPER MAJORITY INSTEAD OF FOUR FIFTHS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS SECTION? OKAY, MOVING ON.
NEXT SECTION IS ARTICLE FOUR, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION FOR CITY COMMISSION.
THIS, THE, THE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THIS CHANGE IS THAT, UM, WE ARE REMOVING THE ABILITY TO PLACE SOMEONE IN JAIL, UM, NOT EXCEEDING.
WE HAVE REMOVED THE VERBIAGE THAT STATES NOT EXCEEDING A FINE OF $100 AND THREE DAYS IN CITY JAIL.
UH, NO WITNESS SHALL BE EXCLUDED FROM TESTIFYING ABOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE MATTER UNDER INVESTIGATION AND ANY INQUIRY.
THE REASON WE'RE REMOVING, WE'RE PROPOSING TO REMOVE THAT LANGUAGE IS TO ALIGN BETTER WITH STATE LAW.
UM, SINCE, UH, WE CANNOT, WE CANNOT PUNISH BY, UH, OR RATHER WE WOULD REQUIRE, UM, WE WOULD REQUIRE OTHER MEANS TO, UH, TO PUNISH SOMEONE FOR, FOR NOT, UH, THE, THE, THIS LANGUAGE CAME FROM LEGAL COUNSEL.
SO, UM, THAT'S ACTUALLY, I HAVE, I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL SUGGESTION ON THIS ONE.
SO, SO MAYBE ON MOVING FORWARD, DELIA, IF THERE'S ANY, UM, ITEMS THAT WERE REALLY DIRECTED BY MARK, JUST LET US KNOW.
AND THAT MIGHT BE EASIER FOR US TO KIND OF GO RIGHT THROUGH THOSE AND MOVE ALONG.
AND THEN WE CAN GET, WE CAN CIRCLE BACK WITH MARK.
ARTICLE FOUR, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SECTION NINE, COMPENSATION OF MAYORS AND CITY COMMISSIONERS.
SO THE COMMITTEE, UM, DEBATED LONG AND HARD ON THIS, UH, PROPOSED CHANGE, AND AT THE END WE REACHED CONSENSUS THAT WE PROPOSE THAT, UM, WE, FIRST OF ALL, THAT WE REMOVE THE WORD SALARY FROM THE CHARTER AND THAT WE REPLACE IT WITH, UM, ANOTHER WORD.
RIGHT NOW, THE, THE PROPOSED CHANGE STATES SUM, UH, THAT WE PROVIDE AN EXACT SUM OF $15,000 FOR EACH COMMISSIONER AND $25,000 FOR THE MAYOR.
THIS IS, UH, AN UPDATE FROM THE CURRENT AMOUNTS OF 5,000 AND 3000, WHICH WERE DRAFTED, UM, AT THE, AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL CHARTER.
UH, AND MORE READILY REFLECTS TODAY'S ECONOMY, UM, AND ALSO PREVENTS ANY FLUCTUATION OF THE AMOUNT BY STATING THAT THIS IS THE EXACT SUM THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED.
UM, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A, THAT TO, TO SERVE AS A COMMISSIONER OR MAYOR IS A PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND SO WE'RE NOT DENYING THE FACT THAT PASSION, UM, AND, AND, UH, COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY IS NECESSARY.
BUT WE WANTED TO PRO TO PROVIDE SOMETHING TO OPEN THE DOORS FOR MORE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN CITY GOVERNMENT, UM, TO NOT HAVE, UH, A STIPEND, UH, TO SUPPORT ONESELF LIMITS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COULD POTENTIALLY, UH, RUN FOR OFFICE.
AND BY PROVIDING A, A LITTLE ADDITIONAL STIPEND, WE POTENTIALLY OPEN THE DOORS FOR MORE PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO, UH, RUN FOR, FOR OFFICE AND TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES, UH, DURING THEIR TERM.
THAT THAT SECTION ALSO PROVIDES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.
WE'RE GONNA ASK EVERYONE TO JUST, UM, LET'S BE RESPECTFUL.
AND SO WE, WE CAN HEAR OUR SPEAKER.
UM, WHERE DID YOU COME UP WITH THIS, THIS NUMBER, THESE NUMBERS WERE RECOMME, OR NOT YOU, SORRY, COMMITTEE.
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JUST TO BE CLEAR, COME UP WITH, WITH THIS, THIS FIGURE.UH, THE COMMITTEE WAS LOOKING AT FIGURES IN OTHER CITIES HERE IN THE GRAND GRANDE VALLEY.
UM, THE CITY OF BROWNSVILLE HAS HIGHER FIGURES, I BELIEVE IT'S $40,000, UM, AND $25,000 IN THE CITY OF BROWNSVILLE.
UM, WE CONSIDERED THE FACT THAT HARLINGEN IS SMALLER THAN BROWNSVILLE, AND WE ALSO HAD A VERY HEALTHY DEBATE INTERNALLY IN OUR COMMITTEE THAT WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN PROVIDING A FULL SALARY, UM, OR A, A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE STIPEND TO THE COMMISSION.
UH, HOWEVER, WE DO WANNA RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, OUR ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED AND THE EXISTING NUMBERS OF 3000 AND 1,500 IS TOO LOW, UM, TO, TO REALLY, UM, UH, EXPECT OUR COMMISSION, YOU KNOW, TO, TO, TO MANAGE EXPENSES DURING THE, THE COURSE OF THEIR TERM.
WE ALSO ARE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING, UH, A SMALL STIPEND IN THE OVERALL SCHEME OF THINGS.
THESE, THIS NUMBER IS STILL SMALL.
UM, IN THE INTEREST THAT THE COMMISSION, WE CAN BE MORE ACCESSIBLE DURING DAYTIME HOURS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO JUGGLE A FULL-TIME CAREER IN ADDITION TO ELECTED OFFICE.
AND BY PROVIDING SLIGHTLY HIGHER STIPENDS, UM, WE HOPE THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD BE ABLE TO BE MORE ACCESSIBLE DURING BUSINESS HOURS, UM, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND IS IT THE COMMITTEE'S, UM, RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE THIS PROPOSITION WITH BOTH OF BOTH ITEMS? 'CAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE, HAVE YOU HAVE MADE A CHANGE TO THE SALARY AND THEN YOU'VE ADDED LANGUAGE FOR THE CITY'S HEALTH INSURANCE? CORRECT.
SO THAT WOULD BE IN ONE, UM, IS THAT ONE RECOMMENDATION OR IS IT TWO? THEY ARE ULTIMATELY TWO SEPARATE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, BUT WE LEAVE IT TO THE COMMISSION TO DECIDE, UH, THE BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD.
HOWEVER, UM, WE CAN CONSIDER BOTH OF THESE AS TWO SEPARATE RECOMMENDATIONS.
ONE FOR A STIPEND AND ANOTHER FOR HEALTH INSURANCE.
UM, WE WOULD, WE DO, THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE, WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT BOTH BE OFFERED.
AND CAN YOU ELABORATE WHEN YOU SAY THAT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSION WILL HAVE CITY HEALTH INSURANCE, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? LIKE, IS THAT, UM, THEY, THEY GET TO BUY INTO THE CITY'S HEALTH INSURANCE.
IT'S PROVIDED JUST SOME, WHAT WAS THE DISCUSSION? THE DISCUSSION WAS THAT, UH, THE COMMISSION COULD OPT IN TO THIS HEALTH INSURANCE.
UM, THE, THE, I THINK THE COMMITTEE FELT THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD HAVE THE HEALTH INSURANCE WITHOUT HAVING TO BUY IT.
SO IT WOULD BE PROVIDED JUST LIKE WE DO TO THE EMPLOYEES.
UM, SO THAT WAS A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE, AND THAT WAS THE DIRECTION THAT WE, WE FELT THAT THEY, THAT THEY GAVE US.
IS THE HEALTH INSURANCE A MUST TAKE? NO, I THINK THE, THE, THE LANGUAGE THAT THE COMMITTEE SUGGESTED WAS TO OPT IN OKAY.
TO ALLOW COMMISSIONERS TO OPT IN.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION, UM, WHAT ABOUT 4 57 PLAN AND THE, UH, DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN THAT, THAT WAS NOT DISCUSSED? UH, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME UP WAS THAT THERE WAS, THIS WAS A STIPEND, UH, NOT A SALARY.
SO GENERALLY THOSE, THOSE DEDUCTIONS FOR, UH, TMRS AND FOUR 50 SEVENS, EVEN A 4 0 1 A PLAN WHEN WE HAD IT, WERE FOR SALARY DEDUCTIONS, SO THEY WOULDN'T APPLY.
AND SO THE REASON I ASKED THAT QUESTION IS KIND OF THE SAME AS, AS MIKE BECAUSE IT, IT'S, IT READS THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION WILL HAVE THE CITY'S HEALTH.
AND SO IT'S, IT, IT READS AS IF YOU WILL, LIKE, YOU HAVE TO SO MORE, WOULD THE COMMITTEE, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE FINE WITH CHANGING THAT LANGUAGE TO SAY THAT YOU CAN CHOOSE TO OR OPT TO NOT THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO? YES.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
ARTICLE FOUR, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, SECTION 11, CITY MANAGER.
UH, WE MADE A CHANGE TO, UH, LETTER I, I AND J ARE NEW,
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ARE NEW BULLETS TO THE LIST LETTER.I ALLOWS THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ATTEND CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS IN THEIR ABSENCE.
AND LETTER J SUGGESTS THAT NEITHER THE COMMISSION NOR ITS MEMBERS, UH, CAN, UM, BASICALLY HAVE POWER INSTRUCT OR REQUEST THE CITY MANAGER OR ANY OF THEIR SUBORDINATES TO APPROVE OR REMOVE FROM OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT, ANY PERSON, EXCEPT WITH RESPECT TO THOSE OFFICERS WHO ARE TO BE FILLED BY THE APPOINTMENT, APPOINTMENT BY COMMISSION.
UH, THE, THE SPIRIT BEHIND, UH, THE PROPOSED LETTER J CHANGE IS TO PROVIDE MORE CLARITY, UH, MORE, UH, CLEAR BOUNDARY BETWEEN, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CITY EMPLOYEES AS REFLECTED BY THE CITY'S ORGANIZATIONAL CHART.
ARTICLE FOUR, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SECTION 14, APPOINTED OFFICERS AND EMPLOYERS QUALIFICATIONS, SALARIES AND SERVICES IN GENERAL.
VERY SIMPLY, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY AUDITOR CAN BE HIRED OR FIRED BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE ENTIRE CITY COMMISSION.
THE PURPOSE BEHIND THIS WAS TO SUGGEST THAT IN ORDER TO, UH, UH, RE HIRE OR REMOVE SOMEONE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY OR CITY AUDITOR WOULD REQUIRE ALL COMMISSIONERS TO PARTICIPATE IN A VOTE.
AND CURRENTLY THE CHARTER STATES THAT THREE AFFIRMATIVE VOTES ARE REQUIRED.
SO THIS IS A CHANGE TO SUGGEST THAT ALL COMMISSIONERS HAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT VOTE.
SO THIS IS AN ALL OR NONE MAJORITY VOTE.
I THINK THAT I THINK WELL CURRENTLY IS A MAJORITY VOTE.
THE, I'M THE ONE WHO MADE THIS SUGGESTION.
THE THING, THE THING, THE REASONING BEHIND THIS IS WE HAD IT IN THE CHARTER AS RECOMMEND THE CITY MANAGER WOULD RECOMMEND CITY ATTORNEY AND, AND INTERNAL AUDITOR.
UH, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THE SHORT TIME THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, UH, AFTER, UH, MR. GONZALEZ TOOK OFFICE, THE, AT THAT TIME, THE INTERNAL AUDITOR RESIGNED WITHIN 30 DAYS, AND THEN WE HIRED ONE A YEAR LATER.
SO THAT WAS A LONG TIME TO TO, TO BE WITHOUT AN INTERNAL AUDITOR.
SO INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR A RECOMMENDATION, WE CAN REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS AND MAKE THE SUGGESTION AND PROCEED INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR 12 MONTHS.
UH, COMMISSIONER, THERE WAS NO INTERNAL AUDITOR WHEN I TOOK OFFICE.
THE INTERNAL AUDITOR WAS VACANT THAT POSITION WHEN I TOOK OFFICE.
SO INSTEAD OF 12 MONTHS, IT WAS 13 MONTHS.
NO, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE SOME TIME.
WE JUST COULDN'T FIND SOMEBODY QUALIFIED FOR THE POSITION.
SO, BUT THAT, THAT POSITION WAS ALREADY VACANT WHEN I TOOK OFFICE.
CURRENTLY, A MAJORITY CAN FIRE THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THESE TWO FELLOWS HERE FIRED THE LAST ATTORNEY.
UH, HOW DOES THIS LANGUAGE CHANGE THIS BEHAVIOR? IT GOES FROM RECOMMENDATION, NO, NO, EXCUSE ME.
I'M ASKING THE FINE LADY HERE.
HOW DOES IT CHANGE IT? I THINK THAT IT'S PROVIDING LANGUAGE THAT SUGGESTS THAT DEPENDING ON, REGARDLESS OF THE SIZE OF THE COM OF THE COMMISSION, UM, IT IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A MAJORITY VOTE BY THE ENTIRE COMMISSION IN ORDER TO HIRE A FIRE.
SO I JUST AM I, AND I, I CAN APPRECIATE THAT.
AND I THINK, UM, JUST SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE EXPLAINING THIS CORRECTLY IT HERE, AND I'M LOOKING AT THE OLD CHARTER, OR NOT THE OLD CHARTER, THE CHARTER AND THEN THE, THE CHANGE.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW DALIA OF YOUR FOLLOWING THAT BEFORE IT SAID, JUST LIKE COMMISSIONER MORALES SAID, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE INTERNAL AUDITOR ARE TO BE RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY MANAGER.
AND SO NOW IT WOULD NOT BE RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY MANAGER.
IT'S JUST THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY AUDIT AUDITOR CAN BE HIRED OR FIRED.
SO IT, IT REMOVES CITY MANAGER FROM MAKING THE RECOMME MAKE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND SO I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT, WAS THAT THE INTENT OF THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE? YES.
IT WAS THE INTENT OF THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
SO, SO YOU WANT TO WEAKEN THE POSITION OF THE CITY MANAGER AND TRANSFER POWER FROM THE CITY MANAGER TO THE, UM, TO THE COUNCIL, AND NOT HER
[01:00:01]
SPECIFICALLY THE THE COMMITTEE.THE COMMITTEE, LET'S, LET'S BE RESPECTFUL OF MS. MS. AVILA AND SAY THE COMMITTEE.
YOU, SO, AND THE ROYAL, YOU AND I JUST, I COULD SAY Y'ALL JUST A CLARITY, I WANTED TO FULLY UNDERSTAND IF THAT WAS THE INTENT.
WE'VE HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER MORALE THAT THAT WAS HIS INTENT, BUT IT WAS ALSO THE COMMITTEE'S AND IT WAS BECAUSE THE, TO CHANGE IT, UM, THE MAJORITY TO SAY MAJORITY OR THREE WITH THE CURRENT COMPOSITION OF THE COMMISSION IS THE SAME THING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THREE IS THE MAJORITY NOW, UM, AND I JUST, IF I, IF I MAY, I THINK I CAN CLARIFY IT.
WELL, IN ADDITION TO, TO TO THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THE COMMITTEE AND MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS IF THE COMMITTEE CONSIDERED THAT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CITY MANAGER IS JUST SOLELY A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, AND SO IT STILL COMES TO THE COMMISSION TO, TO HIRE OR, OR FIRE.
SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE, THAT IT, IT, THE, THE COMMISSION HAS TO HIRE OR FIRE WHAT'S RECOMMENDED BY THE CITY MANAGER.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION, IT WAS THE COMMITTEE WHO, UM, ARGUED AND VOTED IN FAVOR OF THIS CHANGE.
DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING, MARK? YEAH.
UH, THE, THE, THE SECTION THAT WAS CHANGED IN THE ORIGINAL CHARTER, IT SAYS, BUT HIRED OR FIRED BY THREE AFFIRMATIVE VOTES OF THE COMMISSION.
ONE OF THE OTHER MEASURES BEING CONSIDERED BY THE COMMISSION IS WHETHER THE MAYOR VOTES OR NOT.
RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE THREE VOTES AND YOU HAVE THE MAYOR VOTING, IT'S NO LONGER MAJORITY.
SO THE REASON FOR MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE WAS TO PROVIDE FOR A MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION AS OPPOSED TO THREE VOTES, BECAUSE WE DON'T, DIDN'T, DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT WHETHER THE COMMISSION WILL REFER THAT TO THE VOTERS FOR THE, THE MAYOR TO VOTE.
AND THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTOOD IT TOO.
SO THAT'S WHY I ASKED FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION.
BUT MS. AVILA IS SAYING THAT IS NOT THE CASE, AND IT WAS WITH INTENTION TO CHANGE THAT LANGUAGE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT LANGUAGE, TO REMOVE THE RECOMMENDATION FROM CITY MANAGER AND FOR IT JUST TO BE THE CITY, UH, COMMISSION AND THE, UM, THAT'S IT.
THE CITY COMMISSION TO HIRE OR FIRE, I JUST, FUNCTIONALITY WISE, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WOULD WORK.
BECAUSE AS A COMMISSION, WE DON'T RECEIVE APPLICATIONS.
WE RECEIVE, UM, FROM CITY MANAGER.
IF THE, THE POSITION WE WOULD, DID THE COMMITTEE THINK OR ENVISION THAT APPLICATIONS WOULD COME TO THE COMMISSION TO REVIEW UNDER THIS CHANGE? I WOULD BE, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE TO REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS AND THEN PICK PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW AND THEN GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AS OPPOSED TO THE CITY MANAGER.
RIGHT? I JUST DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THINGS.
I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, THOSE THINGS WERE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE MADE OUR ARGUMENTS.
BUT, UM, TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S POINT, WE DID ALSO DISCUSS THE FACT THAT, UH, THE SIZE OF THE COMMISSION POSSIBLY CH CHANGING, UH, OR RATHER, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION WHO COULD VOTE BY PROVIDING A VOTE TO THE MAYOR THAT MIGHT CHANGE, UH, WHAT MAJORITY WOULD MEAN.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS INCLUDED IN OUR CONVERSATIONS.
AND THAT, AND, AND I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE, UM, AT THE, ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, UH, IN REFERENCE TO CHANGING, UM, FOUR-FIFTHS TO A SUPER MAJORITY, WHICH WOULD MAKE SENSE TO SAY MAJORITY INSTEAD OF THREE, IF THAT WERE TO CHANGE AND IN THE FUTURE SHOULD, UM, AS THE CITY CONTINUES TO GROW 20 YEARS FROM NOW OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THERE'S, YOU ADD MORE DISTRICTS, MAYBE THERE'S SIX SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS OR SEVEN IN THE FUTURE, THEN THOSE THREE WILL, UH, NOW BE OUTDATED.
BUT IF YOU HAVE LANGUAGE OF MAJORITY, THEN AS THE CITY GROWS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE MAKING THAT CHANGE TO HAVE A NUMERICAL VALUE.
YOU JUST SAY A MAJORITY OR SUPER MAJORITY.
IS THAT PRETTY MUCH ACCURATE? OKAY.
SO, UM, ARE, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? NO, THIS HELPS CLARIFY.
OUR NEXT SUGGESTED CHANGE IS ARTICLE FOUR, MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT SECTION 17, PUBLIC NOTICES OF ELECTIONS.
UH, WE ARE SUGGESTING THROUGH THIS SECTION THAT ANY PUBLICATIONS ALSO
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BE INCLUDED ON IN PUBLIC SPACES, UH, WHICH INCLUDES THE CITY WEBPAGE, ALL SOCIAL, ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY, UM, AS WELL AS BROADCAST MEDIA, UH, TO INCLUDE CITY HALL AND PRINT MEDIA, OF COURSE, UH, WHICH IS ALREADY IN THE CHARTER WHEN AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH.UH, THE SPIRIT BEHIND THIS CHANGE IS BASICALLY SIMPLY TO MODERNIZE THE CHARTER TO, UM, TO RAISE THE EXPECTATION OF PUBLICATION BEYOND JUST PRINT MEDIA AND TO INCLUDE, UH, ONLINE, UH, SPACES SUCH AS SOCIAL MEDIA OR, AND ESPECIALLY THE CITY OF HARLAN JEN'S WEBSITE.
NEXT CHANGE IS ARTICLE FIVE, LEGISLATION, ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS.
SECTION ONE MEETING OF CITY COMMISSION.
WE ARE SUGGESTING RECOMMENDING THAT THE COMMISSION SCHEDULE ONE MEETING A MONTH AT 5:30 PM UH, THE SPIRIT BEHIND THIS RECOMMENDATION IS TO ALLOW, TO ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMMISSION, UH, PUBLIC WHO MIGHT BE, UH, OTHERWISE UNABLE TO ATTEND COMMISSION MEETINGS DURING DAYTIME HOURS TO BE ABLE TO ATTEND, UM, AT LEAST THE 5:30 PM MEETING.
DON'T WE ALREADY DO THAT? IS IT IN OUR CURRENT CHARTER? IT IS NOT CURRENTLY IN THE CHARTER.
OH, SO IT'S TRADITION NOT IN THE CHARTER.
IT IS NOT WRITTEN EXPLICITLY IN THE CHARTER.
WE HAD SOME HEALTHY DEBATE ABOUT THAT AND WE SUGGESTED THAT, UM, WE WOULD BE SIMPLY, UH, MAKING A REQUIREMENT, UM, SAFEGUARDING FOR THE FUTURE TO ENSURE GREATER ACCESS TO THE COMMISSION.
AND THEN HAVE YOU, UH, CONSIDERED EMERGENCIES, LET'S SAY THE BIG HURRICANE COMES THROUGH.
DID THE COMMITTEE, DID THE COMMITTEE, WHEN I SAY YOU, I MEAN THE COMMITTEE YES.
IT'S, I'M REPRESENTING THE COMMITTEE.
DID WE HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT, UH, NATURAL DISASTERS, HOW IT WOULD IMPACT THE SCHEDULE? NO, WE DID NOT.
UM, BUT UH, WE DIDN'T SPECIFY WHICH MEETING HAD TO BE AT FIVE 30 FOR THE WAY I'M, OKAY, SO SO YOU'RE ONLY CALLING FOR ONE MEETING AT FIVE 30? YES.
AND THEN WE COULD DO TRADITION OR HAVE AN EMERGENCY MEETING AS NECESSARY WHEN A BIG EVENT HAPPENS.
HERE IT SAYS, BUT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT CLEAR.
'CAUSE IT WOULD, BUT ONCE A MONTH THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET INSTEAD OF USING THE, AND IF THAT'S THE INTENT, BUT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH AND, AND SHALL MEET IF ONCE IS IT.
BUT IT WOULDN'T, YOU WOULDN'T USE AND YOU'D SAY YES, BUT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET AT 5 35.
AND I THINK THAT'S LANGUAGE THAT CAN BE CLEANED UP, BUT CORRECT.
THE INTENT FROM THE COMMITTEE IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO GET, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA RELY ON, ON MARK HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE IS CLEAR AND ACCURATE.
UM, BUT SO IT WAS NOT THE INTENT THAT ALL MEETINGS AT ALL TIMES BE AT FIVE 30? NO.
AND I THINK BY, OR DO WE HAVE IT BY ORDINANCE? YES.
THE ONLY TIME THAT THAT WOULD, UM, NOT MATTER IS IF THERE'S AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE SAYING THAT ALL MEETINGS HAVE TO BE AFTER FIVE O'CLOCK.
AND SO THEN, THEN IT WOULD NO MATTER WHAT THE CHARTER SAYS, THEY'D ALL HAVE TO BE AT.
AND THAT RAISES A GREAT POINT BECAUSE WE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE DEFER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, UM, TO CLEAN UP OUR LANGUAGE AS NEEDED.
LEAN ON SECTION FIVE, ENACTMENT OF ORDINANCES, RESOLUTIONS AND MOTIONS.
UH, WE ARE SUGGESTING, UH, THAT WE'RE SUGGESTING ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO BE ADOPTED.
AN ORDINANCE MUST BE PRESENTED AND APPROVED AT TWO SEPARATE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS.
AND THE ADDITION THAT WE'RE ADDING IN IS ACCEPT THE BUDGET, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS AND INTEREST IN SYNCING, WHICH MAY BE ADOPTED AT A SPECIAL MEETING.
THE PURPOSE OF ADDING IN THAT VERBIAGE IS TO SUGGEST THAT, UM, THAT THE COMMISSION HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO SCHEDULE SPECIAL MEETINGS WHEN IT COMES TO ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES, UH, BUDGET PLANNING OR SETTING OF A BUDGET, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN REMAIN IN COMPLIANCE.
[01:10:02]
OKAY.SO IF I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, THAT OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE, I'M SORRY.
NO, YOU CAN CALL A SPECIAL MEETING AND IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE ON THE REGULAR FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH.
IF THERE NEEDS TO BE A SPECIAL MEETING TO ADOPT OR TO HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS, WHICH IS WHAT WE, WE ALREADY DO, I THINK.
RIGHT? I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS YOUR QUESTION, MAYOR? WE ALREADY DO THIS.
SO IT SAYS TO BE ADOPT, TO BE ADOPTED, AN ORDINANCE MUST BE PRESENTED IN APPROVED AT TWO SEPARATE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS, EXCEPT THE BUDGET MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS INTEREST IN SYNCING, WHICH MAY BE ADOPTED AT A SPECIAL MEETING.
BECAUSE WE CURRENTLY HAVE SPECIAL MEETINGS ALREADY.
AND, UH, THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO REQUIRE THAT ALL ORDINANCES BE ADOPTED AT A REGULAR MEETING.
UH, THE CONCERN I HAD WAS THAT, UM, WHEN WE GET DOWN TO THE CRUNCH TIME, MM-HMM,
SO I ASKED TO CONSIDER, UM, EXEMPTING OUT THE BUDGET, THE M AND O AND THE INS RATES MM-HMM.
AND SO THEY, THEY CARVE THAT OUT OF THAT PARTICULAR SECTION ONLY TO ALLOW ORDINANCES THAT DEAL WITH THE BUDGET AND THOSE TWO ITEMS TO BE APPROVED AT A SPECIAL MEETING.
SO THE CURRENT CHARTER SAYS TO BE ADOPTED, AN ORDINANCE MUST BE PRESENTED AND APPROVED AT TWO SEPARATE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS.
SO THAT'S WHAT IT ALREADY SAYS IN THE CHARTER.
SO WHEN WE HAVE OUR SPECIAL MEETINGS, ARE WE SAYING THAT IT'S NOT, IT'S WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT? NO.
WE'RE, WE'RE, WE WANT THAT, THAT, UH, THAT ABILITY TO ACTUALLY DO THAT TO JOB, TO ADOPT ANYTHING DEALING WITH THE BUDGET AT A SPECIAL MEETING.
BUT, UH, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO DO THAT AT A SPECIAL MEETING IF THE NEED ARISES.
SO WE'RE CLARIFYING THE LANGUAGE AND WE'RE ADDING LANGUAGE.
WE'RE NOT REALLY TAKING AWAY ANYTHING.
BECAUSE WE, WE, UM, FOR INSTANCE, NOW WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING INTO, UH, ON THE 25TH WE'LL GET THE CERTIFIED TAX ROLLS FROM THE, FROM THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT.
AND SO WE WANNA BE ABLE TO HAVE AMPLE TIME THAT THE COMMISSION CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE SPECIAL PROJECTS THEY TALKED ABOUT.
AND IF WE GO BEYOND HAVING A REGULAR MEETING, WE CAN DO IT AT A SPECIAL MEETING.
AND THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THE, THE CHARTER IS STILL IN PLAY.
BUT, UM, SHOULD IT BE CHANGED, WE'D LIKE FOR THAT PROVISION TO BE IN IT.
THAT IN PREVIOUS YEARS, IT WAS ALWAYS EVERY WAITED UNTIL THERE WAS A SCHEDULED, A REGULARLY SCHEDULED CITY COMMISSION MEETING, EITHER THE FIRST OR THE THIRD WEDNESDAY TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
BUT, BUT IT, IT, IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE TIGHT TIMELINE, THEN THAT CAN POTENTIALLY IMPACT THAT.
AND SO THIS IS TO HELP, UM, WITH GOVERNANCE IN TERMS OF MORE FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ADOPT THE BUDGET AND, AND
AND, AND TOTALLY DEALING WITH THE BUDGET.
EVERYTHING ELSE STILL HAS TO BE DONE AT REGULAR MEETING.
WELL, NO, THIS IS BECOMING MORE RIGID.
SO IT IS INITIALLY, BUT THEN HE'S SAYING THAT IT'S NOT SECTION FIVE, IF YOU LOOK AT, IT SAYS TO BE ADOPTED, AN ORDINANCE MUST BE PRESENTED AND APPROVED AT TWO SEPARATE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS.
IT ALREADY SAYS THAT IN THE, THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTED FOR EVERYTHING.
THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS RIGHT NOW, UHHUH, THE LANGUAGE THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN THERE SAYS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING.
IT'S, UH, TWO SEPARATE THEN WHY ARE THEY ADDING THAT LANGUAGE? THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS AND YOU HAVE SPECIAL MEETINGS.
THEN WE ALREADY DO THIS, WE ALREADY DO THIS.
SO THIS LANGUAGE IS UNNECESSARY.
SO THE WAY THAT I, AND AND I, THIS IS THE CLARIFICATION I JUST GOT FROM, FROM YOU, WAS THAT THE REASON BEHIND THIS IS THAT IN THE PAST, EVERY YEAR UP IN, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE CHARTER, SINCE THIS HAS BEEN ON THE CHARTER, ON THE BOOKS, YOU HAVE ONLY ADOPTED A BUDGET ON THE FIRST OR THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH, NOT AT A SPECIAL MEETING.
AND SO THIS GIVES THEM THE FLEXIBILITY BASED ON WHAT THE CLARIFICATION FROM GABE THAT SHOULD, YOU NEED TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING, OBVIOUSLY YOU STILL COMPLY WITH, YOU KNOW, AND GIVE NOTICE AND ALL OF THAT.
AND WITH THIS, IT'S, YOU CAN'T NO BE, AND THIS IS THE DISTINCTION I'M DRAWING, IS THAT IN WHAT WE HAVE NOW DOESN'T MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETING.
WHAT THEY'RE ADDING IN THE LANGUAGE HERE DOESN'T MAKE A DISTINCTION OF BETWEEN REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETING, BUT FOR THE BUDGET.
BUT THE BUDGET CAN ALREADY BE APPROVED AT A SPECIAL MEETING IN THE LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE NOW.
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WE'VE DONE IT.DO YOU WE HAVE THE COMMITTEE WANTED ONLY FOR THE COMMISSION TO ADOPT ORDINANCES AT A REGULAR MEETING.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT IT SAYS IN HERE.
THEY, THEY WANTED TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
BUT EVEN IN THE, IN THE, THE ADDED LANGUAGE DOESN'T HAVE THAT IN HERE.
AND WELL, WHAT, WHAT THE, THE INTENT WAS THAT ANY ORDINANCE THAT WE HAD THAT HAD TO BE ADOPTED COULD ONLY BE ADOPTED ON THE FIRST OR THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
AND THEN SO, UM, WE WANTED AN EXEMPTION FOR THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TO ADOPT, UH, AN ORDINANCE FOR THE BUDGET, UH, IF THIS DOESN'T PASS.
SO WHAT SHOULD BE ADDED IN THE RED LANGUAGE IS TO BE ADOPTED.
AN ORDINANCE MUST BE PRESENTED AND APPROVED AT TWO SEPARATE REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS.
THAT'S WHAT SHOULD AND AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE COMMITTEE.
THE ONLY ONE AT ORDINANCE IS TO BE ADOPTED AT REGULAR MEETINGS.
BUT, AND THIS IS JUST REMIND ME PLEASE.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH LIKE SOME OF THE WATER WORK STUFF AND WE HAD THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD MEETING, LIKE THEY HAD US, WE NEEDED TO RUSH AND GET AN ORDINANCE DONE.
WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING IN THAT EXAMPLE, WE, IF WE WERE TO MAKE THIS CHANGE, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS.
THEY ONLY WANT YOU TO WORK ON REGULAR MEETINGS.
SO WE BETTER BE, SO NOW WE'RE GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THIS.
UM, SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, AND I WANT THE CLARIFICATION FROM MARK.
THE CURRENT CHARTER READS TO BE ADOPTED, AN ORDINANCE MUST BE PRESENTED AND APPROVED AT TWO SEPARATE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS.
THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS RIGHT NOW.
SO LISTENING TO DANIEL, IT THE, WE SHOULD READ THIS TO MEAN SEPARATE CITY COMMISSION, THAT CITY COMMISSION THAT THAT LANGUAGE MEANS ANY COMMISSION MEETING, WHETHER IT BE SPECIAL OR REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
IS THAT, IS THAT YOUR READING OF THAT? OR DOES THIS MEAN 'CAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THE CHARTER THAT IT IS AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET WELL, I, I HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING LISTENED TO THE CHARTER COMMITTEE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION.
BUT I WANNA KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS IN THE CHARTER.
I, I I THINK THE INTENT WAS TO HAVE THE COMMISSION ACTING ON PASSING ORDINANCES AT REGULAR MEETINGS BASED ON CURRENT CHARTER.
THAT WAS THE, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WAS SAYING.
AND I'M SAYING, AND THE EXCEPTION WAS BECAUSE IF WE GOT INTO A TIME CRUNCH ON THE BUDGET OR, OR SOMETHING ELSE LIKE THAT, THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET AT SPECIAL MEETINGS BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE STATUTORY TIME LIMITATIONS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE COMMISSIONER JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.
BECAUSE THAT, BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE ANY MEETING.
BUT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR INTERPRETATION OF WHAT WE'RE, HOW WE'RE READING IT.
'CAUSE MARK, YOU JUST SAID THAT THE CHARTER, UH, AND, AND SO DID YOU GABE, BUT NOW YOU'VE CHANGED TO BE, YOU KNOW, BASED ON WHAT, WHAT DANIEL SAID.
SO IT'S JUST, WE JUST WANT IT TO BE CLEAR.
I, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT VIOLATING OUR CHARTER.
AND SO IF IT SAYS HERE TWO SEPARATE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS, I READ THAT TO MEAN REGULAR MEETINGS BECAUSE THERE'S NO, UM, NO DESIGNATION BECAUSE YOU DON'T PUT REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
YOU JUST PUT CITY COMMISSION MEETING OR SPECIAL, SPECIAL MEETING.
SO IT'S, YOU DON'T, I THINK WE JUST HAVE TOO MANY LAWYERS.
BUT NOW, AND WHICH IS WHY WE WANNA RESPECT THE COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK I'VE BEEN CLEAR THAT WHATEVER THE COMMITTEE WANTS TO DO, WE SHOULD ADOPT.
BUT IT, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH LEGAL.
WELL, I, I, I THINK THE INTENT WAS TO HAVE REGULARLY SE SEPARATE MEETINGS.
BUT IF YOU'RE ASKING ME ABOUT THE LA THE LANGUAGE, WHAT'S PUT THERE TWO SEPARATE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS JUST MEANS TWO MEETINGS.
IT, IT COULD EITHER MEAN A REGULAR OR A SPECIAL MEETING.
BUT I THINK FROM THE DISCUSSION, FROM THE DISCUSSION THAT WAS HAD, I THINK THE INTENT, I THINK THE INTENT OF THE COMMITTEE WAS TO MAKE THE COMMISSION PASS ORDINANCES AT REGULAR MEETINGS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHAT'S PUT IN THERE.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD EVEN THINK THAT.
LIKE WHERE, WHERE, HOW DOES THAT COME UP? THAT WAS THE SUGGESTION, MAYOR.
IT JUST CAME OUTTA THE BLUE AT ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT THE COMMITTEE TO, I MEAN THE COMMISSION TO DO THAT.
AND SO I SAID, WELL IF YOU DO THAT, IF WE CAN ONLY ADOPT ORDINANCES AT FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY, THEN THAT'S KINDA MESSES UP FOR THE BUDGET.
WELL, WHAT'S THE POINT OF HAVING SPECIAL MEETINGS IF YOU CAN'T, IF YOU CAN'T, I MEAN, YOU BUDGET, I MEAN WORKSHOPS, THERE'S NO ACTION.
BUT YEAH, IF YOU, WE HAVE HAD, AND THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING, LIKE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN COMPLIANCE BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE'RE LIKE, WELL, WE NEED A HOLD OF SPECIAL MEETING BECAUSE OF LIKE EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.
[01:20:01]
WHENEVER YOU HAVE ISSUES DEALING WITH THE BUDGET, I MEAN IT'S, IT'S TIME CONSUMING BECAUSE IT'S A LARGE NUMBER.THIS YEAR'S BUDGET IS $111 MILLION.
SO IT TAKES MM-HMM
SO SOMETIMES IF WE DO WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS, WE'LL ONLY BE ABLE TO MEET THE FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
AND THAT'S GONNA MAKE IT AWFULLY DIFFICULT.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS.
SO CAN WE HEAR ONE MORE TIME FROM, UM, MS. AVILA? SO I THINK I NEED TO STATE AS WELL THAT OUR DISCUSSIONS AS A COMMITTEE INVOLVED WAS, WAS CENTERED ON RESPONDING TO THE COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION ON CHARTER REVISIONS.
AT THE START OF THE, OF, OF OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS, WE WERE GIVEN SOME COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER ONE OF THOSE COMMENTS INVOLVED CONSIDERING WHETHER TWO READINGS OF ORDINANCES WERE NECESSARY AS OPPOSED TO ONE.
SO WE DID DEBATE INTERNALLY, UH, THAT IDEA, AND WE DECIDED AS A COMMITTEE THAT WE WANTED TO KEEP, UM, TO KEEP IT TO TWO AS IS STATED IN THE CHARTER.
THAT'S COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.
AND SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
'CAUSE WE ALREADY DO THAT TOO, RIGHT? WE DID THIS, I'M TELLING YOU THE WAY WE'RE GOING, COMMISSIONER FAIR.
THIS IS GONNA SAY ONLY ONE LAWYER ON THE COMMISSION AT ONE TIME,
I'M ABOUT TO ADD, ADD IT TO THE, ADD IT TO THE CHARTER.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT US FOLLOWING THE RULES.
UM, SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, COMMITTEE WANTED TO STAY WITH TWO READINGS AND NOT HAVE, UM, JUST ONE READING OF AN ORDINANCE AND THEN IT BE ADOPTED.
AND IT WAS NOT A SPECIAL MEETING, REGULAR MEETING.
NO, THAT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THE COMMITTEE REALLY TRULY NOT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT, THE COMMITTEE ISN'T INVOLVED IN THE DAY, DAY OF, OF THE, OF THE GOVERNANCE OF THE CITY AND ALL THE COMMISSION MEETINGS TO MAKE THAT DESIGNATE THAT, THAT DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TWO.
SOME ARE, I KNOW THAT, I KNOW, UM, I SEE DON RAY LOOKING AT ME AND SO SHE'S, SHE COMES TO THE MEETING SO SHE KNOWS, BUT NOT, NOT, NOT EVERYONE RIGHT.
TO KNOW THAT WE CALL SPECIAL MEETINGS AND, AND, UM, CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS.
SO THAT MAKES ME FEEL A LITTLE BETTER.
'CAUSE WE WANNA RESPECT, UM, THE PROCESS, RIGHT, THE INTEGRITY OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT MAKING SURE THAT LEGAL AND NOT REALLY TYING THE, THE, THE HANDS OF THE COMMISSION TO BE ABLE TO DO THE, THE WORK THAT'S NEEDED.
YOU WOULD THINK THAT
UM, OKAY, SO WE'RE GOOD THERE AND WE'RE MOVING ON.
ARTICLE FIVE, LEGISLATION, ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTION.
SECTION SEVEN PUBLICATION OF ORDINANCES.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS A, UH, THIS IS ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO EXPAND PUBLICATION TO ONLINE, UH, FORUMS, PARTICULARLY THE CITY, CITY OF HARLINGEN WEBSITE, IN ADDITION TO WHAT IS ALREADY EXISTING IN A CHARTER AS A LOCAL NEWSPAPER.
AND AGAIN, THE SPIRIT BEHIND THIS PROPOSED CHANGE IS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO MODERNIZE, UH, WHERE WE PUBLICIZE NOTICES AND IN THIS CASE, PUBLICIZE ORDINANCES.
SO, UM, ONE, OKAY, I DIDN'T HAVE, THANK YOU.
I, I DID HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I ANSWERED MY OWN QUESTION.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? MOVING ON ARTICLE SIX, FINANCE SECTION TWO, TAXATION.
WE ARE INSERTING LANGUAGE, THIS SPECIFIC PHRASE, UM, THE CITY SHALL, EXCEPT TO THIS, EXCEPT TO THAT EXTENT, LIMITED BY THE TEXAS UTILITIES CODE TITLE TWO PUBLIC UTILITY REGULATORY ACT.
UM, THE INTEREST BE, UH, BEHIND, INCLUDING THIS LANGUAGE, IS TO ALIGN THE CHARTER WITH STATE LAW THAT CAME FROM LEGAL.
ARTICLE SEVEN, ACQUISITION AND OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY.
THERE ARE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THIS ARTICLE.
ARTICLE, A PERMANENT PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND PARKS SECTION SEVEN SANITARY SEWERS.
THIS CHANGE PROPOSES THAT ALL RESIDENTS WHO LIVE WITHIN 100 FEET OF A CITY SEWER WOULD BE REQUIRED TO CONNECT TO THE CITY SEWER SYSTEM.
THE INTEREST BEHIND THIS PROPOSED CHANGE IS TO REDUCE
[01:25:01]
THE NUMBER OF SEPTIC TANNIC IN HARLINGEN.SO CURRENTLY NO ONE IS REQUIRED TO CONNECT TO THE SEWAGE SYSTEM GRANDFATHER.
I THINK THAT THERE IS, UM, THERE'S SOME CHANGE HERE.
LOOKING AT THE, UH, AND I WAS LOOKING AT THE REGULAR CHARTER THAT IT SAYS BASICALLY, IF YOU ARE WITHIN CER, YOU KNOW, WITH PROXIMITY, THAT YOU HAVE TO CONNECT.
AND IF YOU DON'T CONNECT, THEN THE CITY WILL GO OUT THERE AND DO IT AND THEN PUT A LIEN ON YOUR PROPERTY.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S WHAT WAS TAKEN OFF.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? SO, SO BASICALLY IT'S ONE THING TO REQUIRE PEOPLE TO CONNECT TO THE SYSTEM.
IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SAY, OKAY, LOOK, WHAT I'M GONNA DO IS I'M GONNA, UH, GO ONTO YOUR PRI PROPERTY, PUT THE RESIDENTIAL PIPING IN THERE, GO INTO YOUR BACKYARD, DISCONNECT YOUR SEPTIC SYSTEM, AND THEN SLAP A LIEN ON YOUR PROPERTY, WHICH IS WHAT THE, THE, OR THE CHARTER SAYS RIGHT NOW.
SO, SO BASICALLY UNDER THIS, IT, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED, BUT IT WOULD REQUIRE THE CITY TO HAVE TO GO TO COURT IF IT WANTED TO DO THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THE CITY CAN'T JUST GO ON THE PRIVATE PROPERTY AND DO THIS.
SO THIS WOULD FORCE THE PEOPLE WITHIN A HUNDRED FEET TO CONNECT, IS THAT CORRECT? IT WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO CONNECT.
AND IF THEY DON'T, MARK, I, I, I THINK THAT'S ALREADY, THAT PART IS ALREADY IN THE CHARTER.
THE, THE PART THAT THAT'S BEING REMOVED IS THE SECTION ABOUT, UH, THE FACT THAT THE CITY WILL DO THE WORK AND THEN SLAP A LIEN ON YOUR PROPERTY.
WE, WE CAN'T, THAT, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TAKING OUT.
SO IF, IF THE CITY WANTED TO ENFORCE THIS, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO COURT AND GET AN ORDER FROM THE COURT TO, TO, TO HAVE IT DONE, WHICH WOULD BE THE MORE ORDERLY, PROPER WAY TO DO IT? I'M TRYING TO, I, YEAH, I THINK THAT THE, THAT THE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I READ, AND I'M TRYING TO FIND IT.
THAT THIS, IT'S ALREADY IN THE CHARTER THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO, AND THIS IS MAKING IT LESS BURDENSOME ON THE, IT'S MAKING LESS BURDENSOME ON THE CITIZENS VOTERS.
BECAUSE IF YOU, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHAT IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO, TO, TO DO THAT? YEAH.
BUT THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN THE CHARTER.
AND I THINK THAT WASN'T THIS A COMMISSION, UM, DISCUSSION AT SOME POINT, OR THAT WE, OR IT WAS A HARLING AND WATERWORKS DISCUSSION MEETING WHERE IT WAS, IT WAS BROUGHT UP BY ONE OF THE TRUSTEES OR SOMEBODY THAT ASKING, DO WE REALLY EVEN ENFORCE THIS? BECAUSE THAT WAS THE RE THE, THE, THE QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAME TO THE C COMMITTEE INSTANCE.
WE HAVE GOING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND DONE THIS.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER DONE IT.
AND SO THEN YOU GOTTA THINK IS, CAN YOU, CAN YOU EVEN DO THAT? RIGHT? LIKE, IS THERE, I'M SURE THERE'S SOME SAFEGUARDS BY THE STATE, AND SO THE STATE TRUMPS THE CHARTER.
AND SO MAYBE THIS NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP BY LEGAL.
IS IS, WAS THAT THE INTENTION OF THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW? YES.
AND TO NOT BE MORE, UM, PLACE THE BURDEN SO MUCH ON THE RESIDENT OR, OR WALK ME THROUGH IT.
IS IT, WAS IT THE COMMITTEE'S INTENT TO SAY EVERYBODY NEEDS TO MUST CONNECT TO THE SEWER? OUR INTENT WAS TO CLARIFY WHAT WAS ALREADY IN THE CHARTER, BUT TO ALSO ALIGN MORE ACCURATELY WITH THE LAW.
UM, AND TO SUGGEST, AS OUR CITY ATTORNEY WAS POINTING OUT THAT, UM, WE COULD NOT SIMPLY APPLY LIENS ON RESIDENCE.
THE SECTION TO REMOVE CAME FROM CAME FROM LEGAL.
SO IS THIS ONE THAT HE WOULD DEFER TO THE ATTORNEY? THE COMMITTEE IS DEFERRING TO, TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY.
DID YOU HAVE MOVING ON, MOVING ON ARTICLE NINE, MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.
THERE ARE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO THIS ARTICLE.
ARTICLE 10, PUBLIC UTILITIES, SECTION SEVEN UTILITY TRUSTEES.
THE COMMITTEE IS PROPOSING THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BE EXPANDED TO SEVEN APPOINTED MEMBERS, FIVE OF WHOM WOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONERS, AND TWO BY THE MAYOR.
AND ALSO EXPANDING THE EX-OFFICIO NON-VOTING MEMBER STATUS TO INCLUDE THE COMMISSIONERS.
OUR INTEREST IN PROPOSING THIS CHANGE WAS TO
[01:30:01]
PROVIDE GREATER OVERSIGHT OF THE BOARD, UH, BY THE COMMISSION, INCLUDING THE MAYOR, AND TO ALSO PERMIT THE COMMISSIONERS TO ATTEND, UH, MEETINGS, UM, AND TO, TO OBSERVE AS EX OFFICIO NON-VOTING MEMBERS.YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OH, OKAY.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. AVILA? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
ARTICLE 11, PEACE, GOOD ORDER AND GENERAL WELFARE CONTROL.
ARTICLE 12, GENERAL PROVISIONS, NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES.
AND THIS CONCLUDES THE LIST OF PROPOSED RECOMMENDATIONS BY OUR COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. AVILA.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT THE, I KNOW GABE MENTIONED, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR EFFORTS AND, UM, GOING THROUGH THE CHARTER LINE BY LINE AND MAKING THOSE, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, SO IF, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME FOR MS. AVILA OVER WHAT WE'VE DISCUSSED? OKAY.
SO I'LL JUST ASK FOR YOU TO STAY HERE JUST IN CASE.
UM, AND NOW WHAT WE CAN DO, MS. MELINDA, IS OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO FIRST IN LINE, WE HAVE MR. ROBERT DEWI.
SO AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS MR. LEFTWICH.
ROBERT LEWI, 9 0 9 EAST PARKWOOD.
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UH, I WANT TO THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS FOR THE, UH, COMMITTEE FOR WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND WHAT THEY'VE SAT THROUGH, WHAT THEY'VE LISTENED TO, WHAT THEY'VE CONTRIBUTED TO, AND, UH, THEIR VALUABLE TIME, UH, THEIR VOLUNTEER TIME.
AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, I, I FEEL LIKE THIS PROCESS HAS, HAS, UH, HAS GLARINGLY BEEN MISTEPPED.
FIRST OF ALL, IT STARTED OFF WITH THE, WHO COULD BE APPOINTED TO THE BOARD THAT I THINK IT WAS SAID AT ONE TIME, NO RENTERS, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE VOTERS IN HARM.
AND IF YOU WERE A RENTER, YOU COULDN'T BE ON THE BOARD.
THEN IT SAID A BUSINESS OWNER THAT, THAT WAS IN THE, IN THE CITY, BUT NOT LIVING IN THE CITY, PRESUMABLY COULDN'T VOTE IN THE CITY, COULD BE ON THE BOARD.
SO THAT STARTED OFF WITH A, WITH A BAD PROCESS.
THEN THE SECOND THING IS THAT NOW I, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE COMMISSION, AND I, I APPRECIATE THE LEGAL CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE, UH, INCORPORATED INTO THE, THE CHARTER.
'CAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE CLEARED UP.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT Y'ALL PROLIFERATED THE, THE, THE BOARD, THE COMMITTEE WITH YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND GLARINGLY, IT LOOKS LIKE A POWER PLAY FOR THE MAYOR, RIGHT? AND MONEY, MONEY AND POWER.
WE'RE, WE'RE ENHANCING THE POWER OF THE MAYOR.
THE FACT IS, THE PUBLIC SERVANT IS, THERE'S TWO TYPES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.
ONE IS A PUBLIC SERVANT, AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT THAT WILL CONSIDER THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
POLITICIANS THINK THEY NEED TO BE PAID TO SIT THERE AND REPRESENT YOU AND GO AROUND AND POLITIC, MAKE TRAVEL, DO TRAVEL, STAY IN LUXURY HOTELS OUTTA STATE.
THAT'S WHY IT'S BETTER THAT WE DON'T HAVE A COMPENSATION, BECAUSE FOR 110 YEARS, WE'VE PROGRESSED FAIRLY WELL THE WAY IT'S BEEN.
AND TO THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE, MAKE HARLINGEN ANY BETTER BY ADOPTING SOMETHING, JUST BECAUSE WE COMPARED IT TO BROWNSVILLE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER CITIES THAT DON'T PAY THAT, THAT ARE MUCH LARGER.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.
THAT'S NOT A BEST PRACTICE TO TAKE ONE COMPARISON.
IF THERE WAS OTHER COMPARISONS INVOLVED, THAT'S FINE.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS GLARINGLY, THERE'S, WHY ISN'T THERE SOMETHING ON THE TAXATION WHERE IT SAYS, LET'S PUT ON THE BALLOT THAT, THAT THE CITY OF HARLINGEN IS GONNA OFFER A HOMESTEAD DISCOUNT.
RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN DO A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, BUT THE CITY OF HARLINGEN DOES NOT GIVE YOU A DISCOUNT.
HOW ABOUT THAT? LET'S TALK, LET'S THINK ABOUT THE, THE RESIDENTS AND THE CITIZENS, NOT JUST THE MAYOR AND THE COMPENSATION FOR THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS THAT GLARINGLY THIS COMMITTEE HAS REGURGITATED.
BASICALLY WHAT Y'ALL HAVE SENT IT, AND GOD BLESS 'EM BECAUSE THEY'VE DEBATED IT.
BUT SOME OF THE LEGAL STUFF, THEY WOULD'VE BROUGHT THAT UP.
BUT I GUARANTEE THE MAYOR COMPENSATION AND THE MAYOR'S VOTE DID NOT COME FROM THE COMMITTEE.
MR. LEFTWICH, THE FACT OF THE MATTER.
[01:35:01]
ONE CITIZEN, OH, YOU ARE ATTENDED THE MEETING AND COMMENTED.UM, WHO'S NEXT? NEXT, WE HAVE RON LOZANO.
UM, THAT LAST COMMENT WAS GLARINGLY INCORRECT.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ONE CITIZEN THAT SHOWED UP, BUT AS IN THE INQUIRY MADE, THERE WAS NO CHAIRPERSON, BUT NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO SPEAK IN THIS PORTION OF AMERICA.
AND SO A LAZY HAPHAZARD REVIEW LEAVES US REGULAR VOTERS WITH NO CHANCE TO VOTE ON ANYTHING SUBSTANTIVE ON OUR CONSTITUTION, LIKE REFERENDUM OR RECALL.
THOSE ITEMS HAD BEEN IN THERE PRIOR TO THE 1960, AND IT TALKS ABOUT THAT EVERYONE ON THAT DAIS WITH ONE EXCEPTION IS RUNNING FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND SO TO GET THOSE TWO ITEMS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE 15% OF THE ENTIRE CITY.
BECAUSE THE FIRST SPEAKER TONIGHT TOLD YOU FROM HER HEART THAT SHE'D SPEND A SUBSTANTIVE AMOUNT OF TIME DELVING INTO THIS.
YET, AFTER SHE CAME HERE TONIGHT TO YOU, SHE ADMITTED SHE HAS NOT EVEN READ THE CHARTER.
THAT'S WHY I USE TERMS LIKE THIS WAS A VERY CHILDISH, JUST TO THAT EXTENT OF WHEN GABE GONZALEZ SHUT PEOPLE DOWN FROM SPEAKING AT THOSE EIGHT.
SO-CALLED MEETINGS, NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO SPEAK BECAUSE HE HAD DIRECTIVES TO NOT LET ANYONE SPEAK.
THERE WAS A COMMENDABLE THING TONIGHT BY THE MAYOR.
SHE FINALLY LET DUE PROCESS PROCEED RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMED THE WAY SHE SAID IT TONIGHT, EVEN, THAT Y'ALL WERE GONNA HAVE A FULL BODY DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUES, THEN WE WERE GONNA BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THIS COMMENT.
SO ULTIMATELY, WE'RE TREATED LIKE HO PALLO AND WHETHER WE HAVE A QUEEN BEE OR NOT.
DAN LOPEZ MADE A SIMPLE QUESTION, WHY FROM SIX MONTHS TO ONE YEAR, THEN THAT WAS TOO COMPLEX.
SO IT WAS DISTORTED BY GABE TO SHOW THAT A SNEAK CANDIDATE COULD GO IN INTO ANOTHER DISTRICT.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT DAN SIMPLY ASKED.
ALL HE SAID IS WHY FROM SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR, NEVER ANSWERED, NEVER IS GOING TO BE ANSWERED BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTIVES HE HAS.
THEREFORE, I WOULD ASK YOU TO SCRAP THIS, BECAUSE POSSIBLY ON THE ISSUE WHERE SHOTGUN SALVOS WERE GONNA BE RUMBLING, THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY MAY FINALLY ARISE.
THAT COLLABORATIVE TIME IS UP.
MR. LOZANO, THE COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT.
WE NEED SOMETHING TO HAVE LIKE A HOLY SPIRIT.
WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A COMPLETE CITY.
UM, WELL, THIS IS A VERY INTERESTING PRESENTATION.
UH, I MAY MYSELF, UH, AGREE WITH, UH, SOMETHING THAT, THAT MR. LEFTWARD SAID, UH, FOR JUST POLITICIANS AND, UH, PEOPLE DOING THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND SEEKING TO BE, UH, ELECTED.
I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH POLITICIANS GETTING PAID, BUT, YOU KNOW, TIMES ARE CHANGING.
AND THE WAY I LOOK AT THINGS, AND I USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, AND MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF HATERS ANYWAY, BUT I DEAL WITH IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN, UH, IN POLITICS OR WHATEVER YOU WANNA TERM YOU WANT TO USE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN OBLIGATION THERE.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A COMMITMENT AND YOU'RE GONNA, IN THEORY, GIVE IT YOUR BEST FOR THE BETTER GOOD OF THE CITIZEN AND THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
NOW, IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT EMPLOYEES FROM A BUSINESS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, BUT IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS OWNER, THEN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO STEP UP AND ANALYZE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GONNA BE COMMITTED TO THIS AND DOING IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
SO I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M GOOD FINANCIALLY, THAT I CAN AFFORD TO DO THIS.
I CAN TAKE ON THIS ENDEAVOR AND IT'S NOT GONNA HURT, YOU KNOW, MY FINANCIAL, MY DREAMS, MY GOALS FOR MY FAMILY, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I MEAN, I, I WAS SEMI-RETIRED AT 42.
[01:40:01]
'CAUSE I KNEW WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE.I KNEW WHERE I WANTED TO BE AND THE WAY MY KIDS WERE POPPING OUT GRAND BABIES, I KNEW I HAD TO DO SOMETHING.
SO BY 56, UH, I WAS SET UP FINANCIALLY TO DO THE THINGS, UH, THAT I WANTED TO DO, WHICH IS, I'VE BEEN A LOT AT THE MEETINGS AND I'M ADDRESSING OTHER THINGS.
AND, YOU KNOW, UM, SO DO I AGREE WITH, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE MAYOR GETTING PAID? I MEAN, THEY SHOULD GET SOME COMPENSATION.
YOU KNOW, I, I DEFINITELY DON'T SEE ABOUT THE INSURANCE ASPECT, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IF THEY DON'T HAVE INSURANCE OR LIKE, UH, MR. SMAR SAID, IS IT REQUIRED? DO THEY HAVE TO OPT IN? YOU KNOW? UM, BUT AGAIN, MY, MY THING IS ON THE WHOLE THING IN GENERAL IS THAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, THEY HAVE TO LOOK WITHIN THEMSELVES.
ARE THEY DOING THE BEST THING FOR THE COMMUNITY THEY'RE REPRESENTING AND FOR THE CITIZENS OF HAREN? BECAUSE IN THEORY, THAT'S WHY THE PEOPLE UP HERE WENT INTO THAT.
THEY TOOK ON THAT BURDEN TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, AS THINGS CHANGE, THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN.
'CAUSE I'M DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THAT PIT OF TRYING TO SORT OUT THINGS AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE AN INVESTMENT PERSON 'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE TALKING AND YAPPING.
BUT WHEN I SHOW UP, IT GIVES VERY QUIET BECAUSE I'M NOT THERE TO INVITE EVERYBODY FOR UL.
LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT KNOW ME, UH, I'M THERE 'CAUSE THERE'S A PROBLEM.
AND NOT THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM HERE, BUT WE JUST NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DO BEFORE WE DO IT AND DO IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
BUZZER GOT ME THIS TIME AGAIN.
SO NOT, NOT LIKE YESTERDAY, BUT, UH, YOU'ALL.
HAVE A GOOD EVENING AND HOPEFULLY LET, LET'S JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE MS. DON, RAY LEONARD, MS. LEONARD.
THESE ARE MY PERSONAL THOUGHTS, NOT NECESSARILY THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
A SERVANT'S HEART IS SELFLESS.
A PUBLIC SERVANT IS A BLESSING TO ALL ONE WHO POSSESSES THE COURAGE TO TAKE ON MONUMENTAL TASKS AND SOMETIMES MAKING THE UNPOPULAR DECISIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE MANY.
WHY DO WE RUN FOR OFFICE? WE RUN TO MAKE CHANGES THAT WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT, TO RIGHT THE WRONGS, TO LEAVE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER THAN WE FOUND IT.
IT'S ABOUT THOSE ENDLESS HOURS AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES TO PERFORM THE DUTIES.
WE VOTED THEM INTO OFFICE TO DO ENDLESS PHONE CALLS, MEETING AFTER MEETING, AFTER MEETING, PROMOTING SMALL BUSINESSES, RESEARCHING, CULTIVATING RELATIONSHIPS, LISTENING TO AND RESOLVING OUR PROBLEMS AND COMFORTING THOSE IN TIME OF NEED.
THERE ARE DEADLINES TO MEET AND CONSTANT DEMANDS OF THEIR TIME.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE MANY, BUT THEY TAKE ON EACH TASK AS A CHALLENGE FOR THE GOOD OF THE MANY WHEN NOT PROVIDING FOR THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR TIME IS CONSUMED.
TAKING CARE OF OUR FAMILIES TO DENY THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS COMPENSATION COULD BE CONSIDERED SELFISH.
WE OWE THEM A DEBT OF GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION.
THERE IS NO SHAME IN BEING COMPENSATED FOR SERVING ON THIS COMMISSION.
THEIR TIME IS JUST AS VALUABLE AS THE CONSTITUENTS THEY REPRESENT.
EACH ONE OF YOU IS SERVING WITH A PASSIONATE HEART, A SERVANT'S HEART.
AND I WILL LEAVE THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION IS NOT UNHEARD OF.
MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE VALLEY AND ACROSS OUR COUNTRY PROVIDE REASONABLE COMPENSATION FOR THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IT'S APPROPRIATE AND IN LINE WITH TODAY'S MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.
NOW TO BE CLEAR, THE RECOMMENDATION FOR COMPENSATION WAS SUBMITTED BY THE COMMISSION TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE DOLLAR FIGURE THEY OFFERED WAS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT THE CHARTER COMMITTEE HAS SETTLED ON.
NOW, THIS RECOMMENDATION COMES TO YOU, THE COMMISSION, TO DECIDE.
I WOULD PREFER AN AMENDMENT BE PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS TO DECIDE IN NOVEMBER.
TO THOSE OF YOU ON THE COMMISSION WHO STAND IN OPPOSITION TO THIS RECOMMENDATION, IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR.
I ASK THE PUBLIC TO CONSIDER THE QUESTION NEXT TIME YOU COMPEL, EXPECT, OBLIGATE OR REQUEST SOMETHING FROM YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE AND AS A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBER, I STAND BY MY VOTES.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE DESI MARTINEZ TIME.
DO I HAVE MADAM? THREE MINUTES.
[01:45:01]
THREE MINUTES? HOW MUCH? TALK FAST.HOW ARE YOU? THANKS TO THE COMMITTEE AND THANK YOU FOR ALL INPUT TO THE COMMITTEE OR WHATEVER IS GOING ON.
BUT THE FACT IS THIS, WE'RE A METRO CITY.
RECOGNIZE THAT SUCH BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THEN THE ONLY WAY TO GROW AND WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTED, WHICH I APPROVE, I RECOMMEND AS WELL, IS THAT YOU, WE HAVE A STIPEND FOR METRO CITY WORK OF DISTRICTS.
WE, I AM VERY PROUD TO HAVE BEEN PART OF THE PRO DEVELOPMENT OF THIS DISTRICT'S SYSTEM.
WE HAVE, AND I AGREE WITH THE COMMITTEE, YOU SHOULD HAVE A STIPEND 'CAUSE WE DEMAND MORE TIME.
YOU HAVE TO BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME VERY IMPORTANT PROBLEMS IN TOWN THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN.
NOT ONLY IN THE MACRO, BUT THEN THE MICRO LIBERTY STREET FLOODS BY THE ARROYO RIGHT THERE.
THAT'S THE, THE SYSTEM FLOODS BY THE ARROYO.
YOU NEED TO HAVE A STIPEND ONE BECAUSE MOST OF THE COMMITTEE, A BUNCH OF THEM WERE WOMEN AND WOMEN FOR THEM TO ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THIS ORGANIZATION OF OUR METRO GROWING SYSTEM NEED A STIPEND SO THEY CAN PARTICIPATE TO RUN FOR COMMISSIONER SO THEY CAN PAY FOR CHILDCARE TO COME TO ALL THESE MEETINGS.
AND JUST BEING THE MANAGERS AND ASSISTANT MANAGERS GOING TO ALL THESE MEETINGS, TO SAN ANTONIO, TO, UH, ALL THESE TRAINING MEETINGS.
IS IT, IT COSTS MONEY AND TIME.
NOW, MR.
I CHALLENGE YOU ON THAT, BUT YES, YOU NEED IT TO STIPEND.
BUT ON THE SAME HAND, INCREASE THE WAGES OF OUR EQUALS THAT SO THAT WORK OUT THERE IN THE PARKS AT THE BUILDINGS AS THAT PUBLIC WORKS AND INCREASE THEIR WAGES AS AN ECONOMIST OF THIS SOUTH TEXAS AREA FOR 52 YEARS.
IT'S EMBARRASSING THAT THE HOUSE GO HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF OUR FOLKS WORKING FOR HARLEEN ARE ON MEDICAID.
SO DO THAT, DO THAT, PUT IT OUT TO THE PEOPLE FOR A VOTE.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE BUDGET, YOU'RE MAKING MONEY OF FREE INTEREST OF 30 SOME MILLION.
SO I LOVE HAD SOME MORE TO SAY ON, ON THE UTILITIES, BUT I WILL WRITE IN THE PAPER 'CAUSE IT THREE MINUTES IS ENOUGH.
MARY, THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
MR. GUTIERREZ, I DID RECEIVE, UM, FROM AMANDA THAT YOU HAD CALLED TO SPEAK.
WELL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK? NO, THANK YOU.
I CAN SIGNED UP THE RIGHT WAY.
I WELL THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING.
IF WE, ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, WOULD YOU MIND TAKING A TWO MINUTE BREAK FOR A BATHROOM BEFORE WE GET INTO FULL DISCUSSION? SO, UM, THE MOTION, NO ONE ELSE, UH, SIGNED UP FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING? NO.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, HAVING NO ONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST.
AND HAVING SIGNED UP, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE WILL TAKE A SHORT RECESS OF FIVE MINUTES AND WE'LL RETURN TO OUR MEETING.
HOW HAVE Y'ALL GOT UP DURING THE MEETING? I NEVER GET OUT TALKING ABOUT A BATHROOM BREAK, GUYS,
[02:00:59]
[02:00:59]
YEAH,[02:01:00]
THEY CAN, THEY CAN DO IT.THE TIME IS NOW 7:16 PM AND WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
AND I AM GOING TO DO SOMETHING A LITTLE UNUSUAL.
I'LL ASK TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING 'CAUSE WE HAVE A GUEST WITH US THAT HAS NOT BEEN HERE BEFORE AND WAS NOT AWARE.
AND SO WE'RE GONNA ASK FOR HER TO, IF YOU WILL, PLEASE, UM, COME ON UP AND WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
AND SHE HAS BEEN ADMONISHED THAT IN THE FUTURE SHE WILL SIGN UP AND, AND, UH, COME TO ALL OF OUR MEETINGS FROM HERE ON OUT.
HELLO, MY NAME IS RACHEL ORRICK AND I'M HERE TO TODAY TO SUGGEST IDEAS FOR BOTH AT ROYAL PARK AND PENDLETON PARK.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD BE, BE, UH, TO PLANT MORE NATIVE TREES LIKE THE HISTORICAL MONTEZUMA CYPRESS TREE, WHICH HAS AN OUTSTANDING ROOT SYSTEM THAT HAS, THAT HELPS US, UH, STABILIZE RIVER BANKS AND PREVENT EROSIONS.
ANOTHER NATIVE IS THE WILL TREE, WHICH RESEARCHERS IN QUEBEC HAVE STUDIED THAT THE ROOT ROOT SYSTEM FILTERS THE HIGH LEVELS OF NITROGEN FOUND IN SEWAGE.
THESE TWO TREES CAN PROVIDE MANY ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS LIKE PROVIDING SHADE AND HOMES FOR WILDLIFE.
THE SECOND SUGGESTION WOULD BE WE COULD HAVE A BETTER URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE DESIGN THAT WILL HELP DEFINE OUR COMMUNITY AND STRENGTHEN OUR UNIQUE IDENTITY IN THE RGV AND THE RGV.
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD FOCUS ON ACHIEVING AESTHETICS IN A SUSTAINABLE URBAN ENVIRONMENT.
THE THIRD ONE IS THE AMENITIES, UM, THAT COMPLIMENT EACH PARK.
FOR INSTANCE, IN THE ARROYO PARK, UM, WE SHOULD CONSIDER, UH, BUILDING WATER MILLS KIND OF LIKE THE MIDDLE, UH, THE MIDDLE AGES OR MEDIEVAL TIMES, UM, TO CREATE A WATER FLOWAGE.
THE SECOND ONE IS TO CREATE A AESTHETICS, UH, WOODEN FOR STRUCTURE OR PLAYGROUND.
UM, ALSO TO CREATE A MANMADE, MANMADE WATERFALL AND ALSO ADD IN, UM, A NATURE SCIENCE CENTER.
UM, AND THEN FOR PENDLETON PARK, UM, AT A DOG PARK, UM, JUST BECAUSE OF THE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE PARK, I THINK, UH, ADDING A DOG PARK WOULD BE THE, A GOOD ADDITION TO THE PARK.
UM, ALSO WE CAN INVOLVE, UH, COMMUNITY ARTISTS AND TO CREATE SCULPTURES, ART PIECES, AND JUST A BETTER LANDSCAPE DESIGN, UM, PROVIDING NATURAL SHADES AROUND THE TRAILS.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NOW MOVE ON TO THE NEXT, UM, SESSION OF OUR MEETING.
SO, ITEM TWO, ITEM TWO, CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2024 HARLINGEN CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE AND DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION BY THE CITY COMMISSION TO APPROVE CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO VOTERS ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, SPECIAL ELECTION.
AND SO NOW, UH, NOW I'LL ASK JOSH, IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE FIRST, UM, CHANGE.
WE CAN SKIP THE FIRST THAT SAYS NO CHANGES, AND WE'LL START HERE AND OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION AND WE'LL PASS IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS.
ACTUALLY, I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON, UH, ARTICLE THREE, SECTION TWO.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY A GOOD THING THAT WE'RE CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE AND, AND IF AT THE CITY WANTS TO DO SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, THAT'S FINE, BUT I I, I DO HAVE A CONCERN WITH THE COUNTY, RIGHT? NOT THE STATE.
[02:05:01]
YEAH.WITH THE, I I DO HAVE A CONCERN THAT THE CITY SHOULDN'T BE RESTRICTING ITS HOURS OF ELECTION TO WHEN THE COUNTY'S HAVING THEIR ELECTION.
WHAT IF THE CITY WANTS ADDITIONAL, WANTS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL HOURS, DO SOMETHING THAT THE COUNT THAT'S INCONSISTENT WITH THE COUNTY, WE SHOULDN'T TIE OUR HANDS IN THE CHARTER TO THAT.
UM, YOU PERHAPS IF WE WANNA ADDRESS THE ISSUE, YOU KNOW, UH, WE COULD DO IT BY ORDINANCE, UH, AND WHERE IT'S, WHERE, WHERE WE STILL HAVE, UM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE ADDITIONAL HOURS IF WE NEED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL HOURS OR ADDITIONAL POLLING PLACES OR, OR ADDITIONAL DAYS.
UM, OR, OR WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TOO, WHAT WE CAN ALSO DO IS PUT THE MINIMUM OF WHAT CAMERON COUNTY IS DOING SO THAT WAY IT STILL STAYS THERE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THIS WAS THE SAME ARGUMENT THAT DANIEL BROUGHT UP, UM, AT ONE OF THE, UM, WHEN WE SPOKE ABOUT THIS, UM, THE PAST.
UM, AND I, I AGREE THAT WE SHOULDN'T, BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW HOW THE COUNTY'S GONNA GO, WHETHER IT'S GONNA GO UP OR DOWN.
BUT IF WE PUT AT LEAST THE MINIMUM OF CAMERON COUNTY, I THINK THAT GIVES US THE MORE, THE, THE FLEXIBILITY THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THE POLLS ARE GOING TO BE, EARLY VOTING IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE AT GREATER HOURS.
BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN FRANK AND I FIRST GOT ELECTED, WHEN YOU HAD THE EARLY VOTING FROM EIGHT TO FIVE, EIGHT TO FIVE, I FELT THAT THAT, UM, DID NOT ALLOW THE, THE, A LARGE GROUP OF WORKING RESIDENTS HERE IN HARINGTON TO ACTUALLY GO AND VOTE IN EARLY VOTING UNLESS THEY WANTED TO SKIP OUT THEIR LUNCH COMMISSIONER.
THAT'S EXACTLY MY CONCERN WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE.
I REMEMBER ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS, UM, CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THIS COMMISSION DID, UH, WAS TO OPEN UP MORE VOTING HOURS AND WANTED TO OPEN UP MORE POLLING PLACES.
AND IN THAT CASE, THEY HAD TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CONTRACT TO HAVE MORE.
SO I, I, IF THE CITY COMMISSION WANTS TO DO THINGS IN THE CONDUCT OF AN ELECTION TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION, I I I, I DON'T THINK THE CHARTER SHOULD BE RESTRICTING IT FROM DOING THAT.
THE ONLY THING, WELL, I LIKE, I WOULD SUGGEST JUST PUT AT LEAST THE MINIMUM OF CAMERON COUNTY.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT GIVES THE, THE, THE, UM, FLEXIBILITY THAT WE NEED TO NO, I AGREE WITH THAT.
YEAH, BECAUSE I, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T REALLY AGREE WITH THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE PART, UM, IT COULD CHANGE.
OKAY, THIS, I SEE THIS AS A SAFEGUARD.
UM, 'CAUSE IT'S IN THE CHART LIKE GABE IS, I'VE HEARD GABE MENTIONED BEFORE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ONCE IT'S IN THE CHARTER, I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO, TO CHANGE IT BECAUSE IT GOES TO THE PEOPLE.
AND I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING.
IT'S A SAFEGUARD FOR WHATEVER, MAYBE 10, 15 YEARS FROM NOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH THE CHART, WITH THE COMMISSION.
THERE MIGHT BE SOME PEOPLE THAT WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BRING BACK EARLY VOTING TO ONLY EIGHT TO FIVE.
AND I WOULD STRONGLY DISCOURAGE THAT.
SO I AGREE WITH MARK THAT WE SHOULD JUST PUT MAYBE A MINIMUM, UM, UH, WITH THE COUNTY THAT GIVES US FLEXIBILITY.
SO MARK, AFTER WE GO THROUGH ALL THIS, YOU'RE GOING TO ADJUST LANGUAGES? YEAH.
OR, OR SO SO, OR, OR WHAT WE VO OR ARE WE VOTING ON THIS LITTLE SECTION RIGHT HERE? ARE WE TAKING A VOTE ON EVERYTHING IN RED OTHER THAN, YEAH.
SO LET'S, LET'S HIS, HER, AND LET'S GET SOME CLARIFICATION HERE.
UM, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, TO THE COMMISSION, UH, SIMILAR TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
I, I, I THINK THAT WE COULD GO THROUGH THE SECTIONS, THROUGH THE ARTICLES ONE BY, AND IF THERE ARE, UM, CONCERNS AND, AND MAYBE NOT A CONSENSUS TO, UM, ADOPT AS IT'S BEEN PRESENTED BY THE COMMITTEE, THEN WE CAN TAKE THOSE ONE BY ONE.
UM, AND THE ONES THAT THIS COMMISSION FEELS COMFORTABLE WITH AND WOULD LIKE TO, UH, ADOPT FROM THE, THE COMMITTEE, THEN WE CAN, WE CAN, UH, PUT THAT TO, YOU KNOW, ENTERTAIN A VOTE FOR THAT SO THAT WAY WE CAN SAVE TIME AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH EACH ONE.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF ON HERE.
UH, AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE I IDEAL.
SO WE ALREADY KNOW THAT THIS ARTICLE, UM, ARTICLE THREE, SECTION TWO TWO IS GOING TO REQUIRE MORE DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSION AND, AND IT MIGHT NEED TO CHANGE THE LANGUAGE.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T RESPECT WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTS, BUT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, STILL WITH THEIR INTENTION OF RIGHT.
UM, PROVIDING MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE, BUT MAYBE THERE'S LANGUAGE NEEDED TO BE CHANGED.
AND SO IT'S NOT OKAY TO JUST KIND OF VOTE IT ON ON THAT WAY.
SO LET'S, LET'S DO THAT AND LET'S JUST GO THROUGH THESE REALLY QUICK.
AND, AND IT MAY, IT MAY BE THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, UH, AND THAT'S FINE.
BUT LET'S JUST TRY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.
SO ARTICLE THREE WILL, ARE WE, ARE WE VOTING ON ANYTHING? WE WILL VOTE ON ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT DO NOT NEED DISCUSSION FROM THE COMMISSION, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THE ONES THAT DO.
SO, SO WE HAVE TO SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING OR NO, NO, NO, NO.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TODAY? TODAY.
SO MARK INSERTS, UH, MINIMUM, RIGHT? WELL, WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO THAT.
SO THIS ONE WOULD NEED, UM, SOME TYPE OF CHANGE.
DOES EVERYBODY FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE YOU'RE GIVING ME THE LOOK? YEAH.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THESE AND WE KNOW THAT ARTICLE THREE, SECTION TWO IS GONNA NEED SOME CHANGING.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL COME BACK TO IT.
WHAT'S THE NEXT ONE? EXCUSE ME, MADAM MAYOR.
WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
[02:10:01]
NO, IT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.SO THAT WAY WE CAN BE EFFICIENT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE.
AND WE CAN GO THROUGH EACH ONE AND THAT WILL BE JUST FINE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS WHAT IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, 30 SECONDS OF YOUR TIME.
I WANT TO THANK THE COMMITTEE.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE.
UM, BUT AT THIS TIME, I'VE ALSO HEARD FROM CERTAIN, UM, CITIZENS, I DO REALIZE WE DID NOT GO, IN MY OPINION, PROVIDE ENOUGH, UM, CITIZEN PARTICIPATION BECAUSE WE ALL HAD 'EM HERE INSTEAD OF GOING ELSEWHERE, LIKE, UH, CAFETERIAS, DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND SO ON DOWN THE LINE.
SO THERE WAS TOO MANY QUESTIONS AND NOT ENOUGH INPUT FROM THE COM, FROM THE, FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SO BASICALLY WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS A MOTION TO POSTPONE ALL OF THIS TILL AFTER JANUARY 2ND AND PROVIDE REAL INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE THIS, BUT THAT'S MY MOTION.
IF WE DON'T WANNA DO IT FOR 2025, WE CAN POSTPONE IT TO 2026.
THERE'S TOO MANY QUESTIONS OUT THERE AND NOT ENOUGH INPUT FROM THEM.
I'M REQUESTING THAT FROM THEM.
THERE'S NO REQUEST FROM ANYBODY OUT THERE, BUT THAT'S WHAT I PICKED UP ON SOME OF THEIR DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW.
I, I'M NOT, I'M NOT FOLLOWING YOU COMMISSIONER.
AND IT'S MAKING A MOTION TO POSTPONE THIS TILL AFTER JANUARY 1ST, 2025.
IS THERE, IS THERE A SECOND TO THIS MOTION, RIGHT? THAT, OKAY.
UM, SO NOW WE ARE AT THE NEXT PAGE OR THE NEXT SLIDE.
SECTION FOUR, SORRY, SECTION FOUR IS, IS, IS IT OKAY TO ADOPT THE WAY THAT IT'S WRITTEN OR IS THE COMMISSION WANT? IT'S OKAY.
SO THIS SLIDE WE'LL COME BACK TO IN ITS ENTIRETY.
NEXT, UH, SECTION THREE WOULD ALSO BE WAIT, WAIT, UM, ONE THAT'S NOT ON THERE, SO OH, OKAY.
AND THEN SECTION FIVE, DISCUSSION.
WAIT, WAIT, YOU SAID SECTION FIVE DISCUSSION.
EVEN IF ONE COMMISSIONER WANTS DISCUSSION, WE NEED TO, I GOT IT.
YOU SAID SECTION EIGHT TWO, RIGHT? YEAH.
WHAT'S SECTION 14 FOR DISCUSSION? I SEE SECTION 17 FOR DISCUSSION AT THE, WE'RE GOING, LET'S JUST DISCUSS.
LIKE WHY WE JUST, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT NEED DISCUSSION? OKAY.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT WITH EVERYONE'S TIME, BUT YOU GET LAWYERS HERE AND THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS.
ALL RIGHT, SO THEN WE WILL GO BACK AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, COMMISSIONER, WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL VOTE, UM, AFTER THERE IS A DISCUSSION, AND THEN THE VOTE WILL BE TO ADOPT, UM, THE, THIS, UM, RECOMMENDATION WITH WHATEVER CHANGES A DISCUSSION ON EACH ITEM.
ON EACH ITEM OR ON TOTAL ITEM? NO, EACH ITEM.
AND THEN ONCE WE HAVE DONE THAT, THEN UM, WE OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT, UH, VOTING ON, OR Y'ALL ARE NOT VOTING ON THE ACTUAL LANGUAGE ON THE PROPOSITION, THEN YOU HAVE GIVEN GUIDANCE TO MARK THAT THESE ARE GONNA BE ON THE BALLOT, BUT THEN HE'S GONNA COME BACK WITH THE LANGUAGE IN THE FORM OF AN ORDINANCE SO THAT IT COULD BE ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION.
WHEN, UH, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
RIGHT? MARK, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED TO ACTUALLY GET THE PROPOSITION LANGUAGE READY? UM, IT DEPENDS HOW MUCH ALTERING WE DO TO WHAT'S HERE.
FIRST, I'VE, I'VE GOT THE ORDINANCE ALMOST READY TO GO.
SO PROB OUR FIRST MEETING IS AUGUST SEC SEVENTH OF NEXT MONTH.
WILL YOU BE GOOD BY THEN? OH, I'M GONNA BE OUT FOR ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE DAYS OF THAT FOR GETTING, HOW DARE YOU MARRIED? HE, HE'S GETTING MARRIED.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M, I'M PRETTY SURE I CAN FINISH MOST OF IT BY NEXT WEEK BEFORE.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS TIMELINE AND, AND GETTING ON THE BALLOT.
WHEN DO YOU NEED IT? I, UM, TO ME WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT I WILL, WHEN IS THE SECOND MEETING IN, IN AUGUST? THE LAST DAY TO CALL THE ELECTION IS AUGUST THE 19TH.
SO MAYBE WE NEED NO, I THINK I CAN, I THINK WE CAN GET IT DONE BY NEXT FRIDAY.
NEXT FRIDAY WOULD BE GOOD BECAUSE, UM, NEXT FRIDAY IS WHAT? NO, SATURDAY IS THE FIRST DAY TO FILE FOR OFFICE FISH, UM, THIS SATURDAY THE 20TH.
[02:15:01]
SATURDAY.BUT WHAT ABOUT, I THINK WE NEED, WE JUST NEED TO KNOW WHEN, BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO COME TO THE COMMISSION.
AND THEN THE COMMISSION MIGHT SAY, HEY, THIS DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT, OR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, MAYOR, THAT IF WE COULD GET IT AS FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST WOULD BE GREAT.
IN CASE, ARE YOU GONNA BE HERE FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST? YEAH, I'M COMING BACK ON TUESDAY.
SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING ON, ON A, OKAY.
SO THEN, SO, SO HOW ABOUT THIS, MARK? IF, IF WE CAN'T DO IT ON THE SEVENTH, THEN CAN WE HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON THE NINTH THAT FRIDAY? NO, I THINK WE SHOULD TRY TO GET IT DONE.
UM, IF YOU ON THE, ON THE, UM, THE SEVENTH, WHERE ARE WE HERE? AUGUST 7TH? YEAH, I THINK, YEAH, BECAUSE I'LL TRY, WE'RE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE JULY 18TH.
I CAN TRY TO GET YOU GUYS A DRAFT OF THIS BY THE 26TH.
SO THEN THE FIRST ON, OR BEFORE THE FIRST MEETING IN AUGUST.
ALL RIGHT, BECAUSE THE FOLLOWING WEEK, I'M, THAT'S WHEN I'M GONNA BE OUT.
SO I HAVE TO GET IT DONE BY THE 26TH.
YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE PROBLEMS BEFORE.
UH, THE NUPTIALS,
SO LET'S, LET'S UH, GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE AT.
AND SO, UM, COMMISSIONER BEEZ, I THINK I CUT YOU OFF.
WHAT WERE YOU SAYING? OH NO, I WAS SAYING THAT I WAS GREEN WITH MARK THAT ON THAT ONE WE SHOULD PUT AT LEAST I MIGHT AGREE THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE TIED TO THE CAM, TO THE CAMERON COUNTY ELECTION HOURS, BUT WE, THAT SHOULD BE AT LEAST A MINIMUM BECAUSE GENERALLY RIGHT NOW WHAT THE COUNTY DOES, IT DOES WHAT, WHAT 12 HOURS? I THINK 12 FOUR.
THEY DO IT SOME, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD PUT A MINIMUM OF CAMERON, UM, TO, WITH CAMERON COUNTY.
WELL, YEAH, I AGREE WITH THAT.
YEAH, I SAID WE VOTE ON IT AS YOU GO.
SO IN THIS SECTION, SORRY, I THOUGHT Y'ALL WERE GONNA TALK LONGER THAN THAT.
UM, I THINK THAT THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOTING AND SO THIS DOES THAT AND THIS GIVES YOU FLEXIBILITY TO HAVE EVEN MORE THAN THE COUNTY.
AND THINK THE COMMITTEE WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? YES.
SO IS THERE A MOTION, MOTION SECOND WITH WITH THE WORD MINIMUM, CORRECT? YES, CORRECT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL THE NON SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES, UM, THAT WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED THAT ARE ALREADY IN HERE THAT WE DIDN'T GO OVER, BUT IT'S JUST GRAMMATICAL AND ALL THAT STUFF THERE.
ARCHAIC TERMS, PRONOUNS, GRAMMATICAL, GRAMMATIC.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, ARTICLE THREE, SECTION ONE SAYS TWO ON ALL THAT STUFF'S APPROVED.
YOU DIDN'T LIKE THAT APPROVED? OKAY.
NO, NO, I'M SECOND I'M SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT GIVES IT SOME KIND OF, UM, OLD HISTORIC WAY OF READING.
HE WAS FIRST AND COMMISSIONER PETTY SECONDED.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE A AYE.
AND THEN NOW GOING TO SECTION FOUR PUBLIC SPACES.
NOTICE OF ELECTION IS, SO MY CONCERN HERE IS JUST THE LANGUAGE AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH WHAT THE COMMITTEE'S TRYING TO DO.
I THINK JUST IF YOU CAN CLEAN UP THE LANGUAGE MARK ON IT SAYS ALL SOCIAL PLATFORMS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY.
I DON'T WANT PEOPLE SAYING THAT WE HAVE TO USE EVERY SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OUT THERE 'CAUSE IT'S TECHNICALLY AVAILABLE.
RIGHT? I JUST WANNA SAY YEAH, WHATEVER.
EVERY PUBLIC SPACE, I MEAN LIKE ALL SOCIAL PLA PLATFORMS THAT THE CITY ALREADY USES USES, CORRECT.
THAT'S SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THEM.
AND THERE'LL BE SOME IN THE FUTURE THAT YEAH.
VINES AND, YOU KNOW, SNAPCHAT AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT STUFF.
NO, JUST WHATEVER THE CITY CURRENTLY USES UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
SPACES REGULAR, I CAN'T PRONOUNCE THE DAMN WORD.
OKAY, SO NOT REGULAR, WHATEVER, BUT THE ONES THAT THE, UH, THE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS UTILIZED BY THE CITY.
MAYOR, I DO HAVE A CLARIFICATION QUESTION FOR THE ATTORNEY.
UM, BROADCAST MEDIA, WOULD THAT INCLUDE RADIO AS WELL? YEAH, THAT WOULD, BECAUSE WE DON'T NORMALLY ADVERTISE FROM RADIO AND THAT WOULD BE AWFULLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO DO.
SO I WOULD WANT TO EXCLUDE RADIO FROM PUBLIC SPACES.
CAN I ASK DALIA WHAT? UM, I, I AM GLAD YOU'RE HERE.
WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY BROADCAST MEDIA? NO, WE LEFT IT OPEN-ENDED AND, UM, TO, TO THE COMMISSION'S POINT, UH, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE MIGHT SOME BE SOME MODIFICATION TO THE LANGUAGE.
SO WE DON'T ADVERTISE ON X OR TIKTOK OR SOMETHING.
UH, CAN SOMEBODY COME BACK AT US FOR VIOLATING THE CITY CHARTER? I'LL, I'LL CRAFT THE LANGUAGE OF THE CITY AS THE DISCRETION AS TO WHICH PLATFORMS TO USE.
BECAUSE IF WE INCLUDE EVERYTHING, THEN NEXT WEEK THERE'LL BE A NEW ONE.
[02:20:01]
COMMISSIONER LO LOPEZ PUT IN HIS SAFEGUARD, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.AND SO IT'S ONLY WHAT IS APPROVED AT THE TIME BY THE COMMISSION.
UM, YOU KNOW, OR WHAT THE CITY IS UTILIZING AT THE TIME.
SO LIKE RIGHT NOW I THINK THE CITY USES INSTAGRAM.
UM, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM.
WE DON'T HAVE VERY MANY WEBSITE.
SO, SO THE COMMISSION WOULD BE OKAY FOR US NOT NECESSARILY USING RADIO.
SO QUESTION, WHY DO WE USE RADIO? BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO GET AN ADVERTISEMENT ON THE RADIO FOR AN ORDINANCE YOU'D HAVE.
YEAH, YOU'D HAVE TO AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND SO SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, I THINK IS, UM, THE, THE INTENTION OF THE COMMITTEE, IF I'M NOT, IS TO USE THINGS THAT ARE FREE TO THE CITY.
WELL, WE, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR SOME, LIKE THE, THE ELECTION.
AND THOSE ARE REALLY EXPENSIVE, BY THE WAY.
SO YOU CAN'T PUT IT IN LIKE THE, THE WILL CHRONICLE OR SOMETHING LIKE
THAT'S WHAT WE DO FOR LIKE, UH, PROBATE CASES.
YOU CAN PUT 'EM IN LIKE, UH, YEAH.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY BE LIKE THE RAYMONDVILLE CHRONICLE.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS.
I KNOW, LOOK GABE, BUT ON, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT ON THE ONE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE YOU SAID LIKE FOR ALL ORDINANCES IT'D BE DIFFICULT, WE'RE, WE'RE USING PUBLIC SPACES TO BE UNIFORM ACROSS THE CHARTER.
ALL NOTICES FOR THE CITY SHALL BE PUBLICIZED ON PUBLIC SPACES.
PUBLIC SPACES THAT, DOES THAT INCLUDE TELEPHONE POLES, PARKS, HYPOTHETICALLY? CORRECT.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE PUBLIC SPACES? YEAH.
WHAT'S A PUBLIC SPACE SHALL DEFINE TO INCLUDE THE CITY'S WEBPAGE? CHECK ALL SOCIAL PA UH, PLATFORMS. WE WILL STRIKE AVAILABLE TO SAY UTILIZED.
AND WE ARE STRIKING THIS BROADCAST MEDIA UNLESS, UM, COMMISSIONER, I HAD A QUESTION ON THAT BECAUSE, 'CAUSE GABE YOU SAID ORDINANCES, BUT THIS IS JUST SPECIFICALLY THE ELECTIONS.
UM, EVEN THE ELECTIONS WE DON'T PUT ON THE RADIO.
WHY, UM, AMANDA, DO YOU KNOW WHY? WELL, WE'VE ALWAYS FOLLOWED THE STATE LAW, WHICH IS ONLY THE NEWSPAPER.
BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I DO PUT IT ON, ON, ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AS FAR AS THE NOTICE OF THE ELECTION.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALSO STATE PEOPLE STILL LISTEN TO THE RADIO WHEN THEY GO TO WORK.
I LISTEN TO THE RADIO WHEN THEY GO TO WORK.
THE, THE, THE THING IS THAT THERE'S SO MANY RADIO STATIONS OKAY.
AND THEN IF YOU PUT HOW MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DO YOU WANNA SPEND ADVERTISING ON RADIO? WHAT ABOUT PUTTING IT ON LIKE OUR, ON THE PEG CHANNEL THAT THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO LIMITATION.
THAT WOULD BE A PLATFORM AVAILABLE TO US.
YOU KNOW, ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO PROVIDE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COMMISSION WILL PROVIDE BY ORDINANCE, UH, MANNERS OF ADVERTISING THESE THINGS.
AND THEN SET FORTH SOCIAL MEDIA.
SO, SO IT GIVES THE CITY COMMISSION THE DISCRETION TO BE SPECIFIC.
AND THEN IT GIVES YOU THE FLEXIBILITY WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK AND HAVE A CHARTER AMENDMENT EVERY TIME YOU WANT TO CHANGE, UH, A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
WELL, I THINK THAT, THAT IT'S, IT'S SAFE BY SAYING, UM, WHAT DANIEL MENTIONED, LIKE NOT OPENING IT UP TO ALL OF 'EM.
AND SO IF AT SOME POINT THERE IS NO SOCIAL MEDIA UTILIZED BY THE, BY THE CITY, THEN THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY UTILIZED.
IT'S NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO, YOU'RE JUST BEEN APPROVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BROADCAST MEDIA.
I THINK THAT THAT JUST, IT'S SO BROAD IN TERMS OF, WELL, WOULD YOU PUT IT ON THAT? WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? UH, LIKE SATELLITE RADIO.
AND WHAT IS, UH, ONE MORE THING, MAYOR? UM, AS FAR AS ANOTHER PUBLIC NOTICE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO POST, YOU KNOW, ON ALL THE POLLING PLACES THAT ARE BEING USED.
SO, UM, COMING BACK TO THIS, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS, IS THERE A MOTION? AND, AND IF SO, WHAT IS IT? YEAH, SO I, JUST GOING BACK TO THE PUBLIC SPACES, UH, MAYOR, I KNOW YOU SAY THAT IT SHALL DEFINE TO INCLUDE, BUT INCLUDE MEANS IN ADDITION TO.
SO I WOULD WANNA CHANGE THE LANGUAGE.
PUBLIC SPACES SHALL BE THE CITY'S WEBPAGE.
ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE PLATFORMS, ALL THAT STUFF.
I, I UNDERSTOOD ALSO, IF, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, GABE, THAT PUBLIC SPACES WERE ALSO GOING TO BE PUBLIC.
SO ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS OUTSIDE THAT.
SO THEN WE GO BACK TO THE DEFINITION OF WHAT IS PUBLIC SPACES? YEAH.
DOES THAT INCLUDE ALL OUR PARKS? BECAUSE THAT WILL BE PUBLIC SPACE.
I THINK HAVING IT, IF YOU'RE GONNA SAY PUBLIC SPACES, YOU SHOULD DEFINE SPECIFIC WHAT YOU MEAN.
BECAUSE SOMEBODY COULD SAY, WELL THIS IS A PUBLIC SPACE AND THERE'S NO ADVERTISEMENT HERE.
CITY HALL WOULD BE THE LIBRARY.
SO, SO CITY, CITY HALL, CITY HALL.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO DO THAT ANYWAY, RIGHT? YEAH, I DO IT.
[02:25:01]
THAT LANGUAGE IN FOR WHICHEVER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS WE USE.UH, I THINK THE MAYOR SUGGESTED ALL SOCIAL PLATFORMS UTILIZE BY THIS.
THAT WORKS, RIGHT? WHAT WAS THAT? I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS UTILIZED BY THE CITY.
SO WE DON HAVE A CITY EMPLOYEE WHO HAS A WEBSITE AND WHAT'S NOT THERE.
AND I THINK THE CITY HAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CITY OF PARLIN DID THE CITY OFFICIAL.
AND I WOULD STRIKE BROADCAST MEDIA BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE TO PUT ADVERTISEMENTS ON TELEVISION.
IS IT THE LOCAL STATIONS OR WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CABLE? RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO ADVERTISE ON ESPN AND I WOULD MAYBE WOULD FOUND INCLUDING THE CITY'S PEG, UM, PEG CHANNEL.
AND SO LONG AS THE CITY HAS IT.
WELL IF WE, WE DON'T NEED TO INCLUDE IT TO JUST DO IT.
SO WE JUST LEAVE IT LIKE THAT.
WE JUST STRIKE THAT LANGUAGE IN THE FUTURE.
THAT'S, THAT'S TRUE FOR ALL SECTIONS WITHIN THIS CHARTER, PUBLIC SPACES SHALL BE CITY HALL, UH, THE CITY'S WEBPAGE, ALL SOCIAL PLATFORMS UTILIZED BY THE CITY AND ALL PUBLISHING EFFORTS SHALL BE MADE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
SO IS THAT A MOTION? YES MA'AM.
AND THEN FROM ARTICLE FOUR, UH, WE ARE ON QUALIFICATION COMMISSIONER QUALIFICATION.
IF I COULD JUST GO BACK TO THAT REAL QUICK.
SO ANYWHERE IN THE CHARTER WHERE PUBLIC SPACES ARE MENTIONED WILL BE THAT DEFINITION THAT WE JUST APPROVED.
AND THEN IF WE NEED TO CHANGE IT, WE CAN ADD PUBLIC SPACES AND, AND THEN WE PUT WHATEVER SPECIAL PLACE YOU WANT.
SO NEXT WE HAVE ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION TWO QUALIFICATIONS.
I THINK THE POINT OF CONTENTION HERE WAS THE AGE.
I MEAN, THAT'S HOW OLD YOU HAVE TO BE A STATE REP.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA BE A US REP, YOU HAVE TO BE 25.
IF YOU WANNA BE A SENATOR, YOU HAVE TO BE 29.
IF YOU HAVE TO WANNA BE PRESENT'S 35, YOU WANNA GO TO WAR, YOU CAN.
HOW DO YOU KNOW
SO I, I WOULD RECOMMEND GOING TO 21 BECAUSE PLUS I'M, AS YOU SAID, I'M A TEACHER AND I KNOW A LOT OF 18 YEAR OLDS.
AND WHILE SOME OF IT WOULD BE GREAT, SOME OF THEM NOT SO MUCH, A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPERIENCE, ME AND 25 STILL WOULD'VE BEEN TERRIBLE.
AS A MOM OF A 20-YEAR-OLD, UH, I'LL SAY I, I I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
BUT I, I WANNA JUST POINT OUT, UM, I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WATCHING FROM HOME.
WE WANT TO RESPECT, UM, THE COMMITTEE.
AND AFTER DISCUSSION, IT SEEMED THAT THEY, IT WAS BASED ON GUIDANCE FROM MARK AND THE STATE LAW, NOT SO MUCH THAT THEY WANTED A BUNCH OF 18 YEAR OLDS RUNNING, RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
SO IS IT JUST CHANGING IT BACK TO 21 YEARS OF AGE? THAT'S IT FOR THIS ONE.
AND THEN I WANT TO GO BACK AND INCLUDE THE DELINQUENCY LANGUAGE.
I THINK MARK, UH, I THINK I LIKE THE WAY HE CLEANED IT UP.
HOW ABOUT THE WORD DELINQUENCY IN, IN REGARD TO ANY INDEBTEDNESS TO THIS? CORRECT.
SO YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL, THE LAST TIME YOU COULD PAY IT IS JANUARY SOMETHING AND YOU'D GET YOUR NOTICE JANUARY 1ST.
AND YOU GET YOUR NOTICE OCTOBER 1ST.
SO UNLESS YOU PAY IT ON IMMEDIATELY, EVERYBODY'S DELINQUENT WHO'S RUNNING? NO, NO, NO.
YOU'RE IND DEBT NOT DELINQUENT.
BUT I MEAN, INDEBTED, YOU'RE INDEBTED, DELINQUENT.
THAT'S WHY I DON'T LIKE IN DEADNESS, I LIKE, OR YOU GET PULLED OVER 'CAUSE YOU ARE SPEEDING.
IS THAT A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD BE EXPRESSING SURE.
BUT I NOTICED THAT, UM, WHAT WAS STRIKED OUT IS BASICALLY THE SAME QUALIFICATIONS AS, UM, THE STATE.
YOU KNOW, THE STATE REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, UH, THE SAME THING THAT IS WRITTEN HERE.
SO BY STRIKING THIS OUT, WOULD THIS MEAN THAT, UH, WHAT WOULD BE THE OH, YOU STILL, THE STATE LAW STILL APPLIES.
SO I MEAN, THAT PART OF THAT MAY HAVE BEEN TO REMOVE THAT REDUNDANCY.
I HAD THAT EXACT QUESTION FROM MARK, AND MARK SENT ME THE STATUTE.
AND SO THE, THE COMMISSION DID, OR THE COMMITTEE DID A GREAT JOB, INCLUDING THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.
UH, THEY JUST STROKE STRUCK THE INDEBTEDNESS PART, AND I WANTED TO BRING THAT BACK FOR THE DELINQUENCY AT LEAST.
I'M MAKE A LAWYER OUT OF YOU, MAN.
SECOND, CAN, CAN YOU SAY THE MOTION, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UM, ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION TWO WITH THE AMENDMENTS, UH, GOING BACK TO 21 YEARS OF AGE, AND THEN KEEPING THE LANGUAGE ABOUT INDEBTEDNESS, BUT A CLARIFICATION WITH DELINQUENCY.
[02:30:01]
OPPOSED? QUESTION CARRIES.AND THEN THIS NEXT ONE, WE DON'T HAVE A SLIDE, BUT THERE WAS, UM, A CHANGE ON OUR PACKET.
SO CAN WE START WITH THAT? NO, WE JUST, WE APPROVED IT BECAUSE WE APPROVED IT LAST TIME.
SO, AND IF YOU LOOK AT ARTICLE TWO, UH, IT SAYS THE ONE YEAR.
SHOULD I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF HIS OR HER DISTRICT AT LEAST ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THE ELECTIONS? UH, SECTION THREE WAS JUST BEING CONSISTENT WITH WHAT SECTION TWO SAID.
SO DOES THIS NOT NEED A VOTE? I'M NOT GOING.
IT'S, YEAH, IT DOES NOT NEED A VOTE.
YEAH, I THINK WE'LL JUST VOTE ON IT RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANT.
SO IT'S ONE YEAR, RIGHT? YEAH.
MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE IT ONE YEAR.
AND THEN THIS ONE I NOTED THIS WOULD BE FOR MARK INVESTIGATIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
SECTION FIVE IS RIGHT BEFORE THAT.
IS THAT, DID I SKIP SOMETHING? YES, MA'AM.
DID WE JUMP AHEAD? WE CAN FORGET ABOUT THE MAYOR'S VOTE IF WE OH, DID I, I THINK YOU JUMPED AHEAD OF A, OH SHOOT.
LET'S DO, WELL I WROTE UP HERE, MARK.
SO, UM, ON HERE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? DON'T BE SHY.
I WAS, I WAS THINKING ABOUT, 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW, WE, WELL, I KNOW DANNY REMEMBERS, UH, BUT I THINK IT WAS THE LAST MEETING OR SOMETHING.
UM, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEING BOARDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
AND THEN I SAID, WHY WOULD YOU WANNA BE PART OF A, UH, BOARD IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A VOTE? AND THEN EVER SINCE I SAID THAT, I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT AND ABOUT WHETHER THE MAYOR SHOULD HAVE A VOTE OR NOT.
AND THEN I DID DO RESEARCH AS WELL.
I DID, UM, WHAT DELIA SAID, IT WAS CORRECT ABOUT WACO.
I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE SOUTH PADRE ISLAND.
UM, BUT I DID KNOW, I ALSO LOOKED IT UP.
AND I KNOW THAT, UM, ALL THE MAYORS DO VOTE.
AND I KNOW RESO, UM, WHERE I USED TO WORK, UM, ACTUALLY HAS, YOU KNOW, THE FIVE AND THE MAYOR DOES VOTE.
AND IT JUST CAME OUT IN THE PAPER HOW SOMETHING THAT HE WANTED WAS DEFEATED BY THE COMMISSION BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T, UM, GET ENOUGH VOTES FOR IT.
UM, SO, AND I ALSO, I, I DID RESEARCH ON THAT AND I, IN ALL HONESTLY, I ALSO SPOKE TO OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD EXPERIENCE DOING THAT JOB.
UM, AND I SPOKE TO THEM AND I ASKED THEIR OPINION ON IT, AND I LISTENED TO WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY.
AND I, YOU KNOW, AND ULTIMATELY I SAY, UM, I DID HAVE MY RESERVATIONS IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, UM, IT WAS ALWAYS THIS WAY.
BUT AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, I THINK THAT YES, THAT THE MAYOR SHOULD HAVE A VOTE.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE VOTE'S THREE THREE MOTION FAILS? FAILS? YEAH.
AND SO JUST, I WANTED TO KIND OF, I I BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I DID HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT, THAT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY HAPPEN.
AND SO, UM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT BEFORE THE CITY DID, DOES ANYTHING OR PLACES ON THE BALLOT FOR THE, FOR THE CITIZENS TO VOTE ON THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE WEREN'T CREATING ANY KIND OF PRECEDENT, RIGHT? AND SO YOU'VE GOT OTHER CITIES IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND ACROSS THE STATE THAT HAVE A COMMISSION THAT IS MADE UP JUST LIKE THIS.
AND SO WHAT I DID IS I CALLED PATRICK AT THE ISLAND AND I SAID, SO YOU'VE GOT FIVE CITY COMMISSIONERS AND YOU, AND YOU VOTE.
I SAID, HAVE YOU EVER HAD A TIE THAT, AND IT RESULTED IN A TIE AND SO IT FAILED? HE SAID, NEVER.
SO THEN I THOUGHT, OKAY, WELL LET ME LOOK AT WHAT WE DO HERE AT THE CITY.
AND SO, UM, I LOOKED UP ALL OF THE VOTES SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AND EVERYBODY THAT HAS BEEN HERE WITH ME, AND IN TOTAL, YOU GUYS WITHOUT THE MAYOR HAVE VOTED 871 TIMES.
AND OUT OF THOSE 871 TIMES, ONLY NINE TIMES DID YOU HAVE A THREE, TWO VOTE, WHICH WOULD HAVE ULTIMATELY IF, DEPENDING ON, AND THEN I ACTUALLY WENT TO, TO GO LOOK TO SEE WHAT THOSE VOTES WERE.
AND, UM, I THINK ONLY ONE OF THOSE WOULD, I WOULD HAVE, IT WOULD, IT WOULD'VE FAILED BECAUSE OF MY VOTE.
LIKE I WOULD HAVE VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE THREE THAT VOTED TO, TO PASS THIS.
AND SO THAT REPRESENTS, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL NUMBER 1.033% OF THE TIME, DOES THIS CITY COMMISSION VOTE THREE TO TWO? SO IT'S REALLY, THAT IS A A IS NOT IN MY VIEW, IN ARGUMENT TO SAY, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? SO YES, IT FAILS, BUT IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN MAYBE 1% OF THE TIME? AND
[02:35:01]
DO YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS VOTE? SO, AND THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT TOO.AND I THINK, UM, FOR ME PERSONALLY, UM, I SIT HERE AND I TELL YOU ALL WHAT I THINK, RIGHT? ANYWAY, SO ANYONE WATCHES THE MEETING AND YOU KNOW, WHERE I STAND ON AN ISSUE BECAUSE I'M VOCAL.
BUT I WOULD ASK THAT THIS COMMISSION NOT CONSIDER HOW THESE PROPOSITIONS IMPACT THEM PERSONALLY, UH, INDIVIDUALLY, BECAUSE THIS IS OUR CONSTITUTION AND IT IS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HARLINGEN AND THE FUTURE COMMISSIONS.
IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, IT'S NOT POLITICS, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, HOW IT IMPACTS EVERYONE INDIVIDUALLY.
IT'S WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.
AND SO IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU HAVE A MAYOR THAT SITS HERE AND DOES NOT GIVE YOU THEIR PERSPECTIVE, DOES NOT GIVE YOU THEIR OPINION OR WHAT THEIR VIEWS ARE ON THINGS, AND IS JUST SILENT AND ALLOWS THE REST OF THE COMMISSION TO VOTE, THEN AT ANY TIME WE, THIS MAYOR, WHOEVER SITS IN THIS SEAT, CAN SAY, WELL, I HAD NO PART IN THAT.
AND I HAD, AND YOU, YOU'RE SHIELDED FROM ANY KIND OF, UM, YOU KNOW, CRITICISM BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE VOTE.
AND I THINK DELIA MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING A RECORD OF VOTES.
AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT WHEN I VOTE FOR PEOPLE FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE OR FOR CONGRESS, UM, OR FOR OTHER OFFICES, I LOOK TO SEE HOW THEY VOTED ON ISSUES THAT MATTER TO ME.
AND THAT'S HOW I BASE MY VOTE.
THAT WAS A SELLING POINT FOR ME, THE ACCOUNTABILITY.
'CAUSE I'M VERY BIG ON ACCOUNTABILITY, AND I LIKE THE IDEA THAT THE MAYOR WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE RIGHT BY THE VOTE.
HAVING, DOES ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? NOPE.
I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT.
SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
UM, IS THERE A LOAD, THIS, THIS SECTION GAVE ME A LITTLE BIT HEARTBURN BECAUSE OKAY.
MAYOR WAS, IT WAS, NO, I HEARD A FIRST AND A SECOND.
I JUST WANTED TO LET THE RECORD REFLECT, REFLECT THAT COMMISSIONER LOPEZ VOTED NA
INVESTIGATIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION, IT, IT'S CERTAINLY A GOOD THING THAT THE CITY COMMISSION CAN INVESTIGATE THE FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE CITY AND ANY, UH, ACTS ACTIONS BY ANY EMPLOYEE.
WHAT WHAT GAVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN HERE WAS THE THROWING PEOPLE IN JAIL FOR THREE DAYS IF THEY DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION.
THE SUBPOENA, I DON'T, I DIDN'T WANT THE COMMISSION TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
UM, AND THAT, MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO MAKE THIS GO THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
I, AFTER A LITTLE MORE LOOKING INTO IT, I, I THINK THE BETTER WAY TO DO IT IS TO BASICALLY HAVE A PROVISION THAT SAYS THE CITY COMMISSION WILL HAVE THAT POWER, AND THEN WE'LL PROVIDE BY THE SPECIFIC PROCEDURE BY ORDINANCE.
AND, AND I'D LIKE TO READ TO YOU WHAT I, WHAT I PUT TOGETHER.
AND, UH, THE NEW PROPOSED SECTION EIGHT INVESTIGATIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD STATE IS FOLLOWED INVESTIGATIONS BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO INQUIRE INTO THE OFFICIAL CONDUCT OF ANY APPOINTED OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT, HEAD OR AGENCY OF THE CITY.
FOR THAT PURPOSE, THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO ADMINISTER OATH, SUBPOENA WITNESSES, AND COMPEL THE PRODUCTION OF BOOKS, PAPERS, OR OTHER EVIDENCE MATERIAL TO THE INQUIRY.
THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL PROVIDE BY ORDINANCE PROCEDURES IN THE CONDUCT OF INVESTIGATIONS, PENALTIES FOR CONTEMPT, FOR FAILING TO REFUSE TO AB OBEY SUCH A SUBPOENA, OR TO PRODUCE ANY SUCH BOOKS, PAPERS, OR OTHER EVIDENCE.
AND SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO PUNISH ANY SUCH CONTEMPT IN THE MANNER PROVIDED BY THE ORDINANCE AND OR THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO I THINK THAT W FIXES THE CONCERNS I HAVE ABOUT THE
SO THE, THE VERBIAGE WITH THE RED LINE THROUGH IT, THAT'S THE OLD VERBIAGE.
IT, IT WAS, YEAH, THAT WAS THE OLD VERSION.
AND SO THIS GIVES THE CITY COMMISSION THE RIGHT TO THROW PEOPLE IN JAIL? NO.
WELL, THE, WELL, THE WAY IT USED TO BE THIS, IF THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD HAVE THE POWER TO ISSUE A SUBPOENA, AND IF SOMEONE DIDN'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE, OR DISREGARDED THE SUBPOENA, THE CITY COMMISSION COULD THROW HIM IN JAIL FOR UP TO THREE DAYS.
I'M PROPOSING TAKING THAT OUT.
AND PROVIDING A LAWFUL PROCEDURE, UH, TO ENFORCE THE SUBPOENA, BUT DOING THAT BY ORDINANCE, WHICH
[02:40:01]
I THINK IS A MORE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO IT.UM, SOME OF THIS STUFF IN HERE IS A LITTLE MUCH, I KNOW.
UM, I, I, I WONDER, AND I JUST, AND THIS, I WANNA SAY FOR ALL OF THESE, UM, PROPOSITIONS THAT MAKE THE BALLOT, IF WE CAN HAVE SOME KIND OF, UM, EXPLANATION IN LAYMAN'S TERMS. LIKE, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THERE WILL BE A PROPOSAL MM-HMM.
AND THEN IT WILL HAVE THE, THE, THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE, THE ORIGINAL CHARTER LANGUAGE.
AND NEXT TO IT WILL HAVE THE REVISED PROPOSED REVISED CHARTER LANGUAGE.
SO EVERYBODY CAN CLEARLY SEE, UH, ON IF THEY READ THE ORDINANCE, WHAT THE, IN, IN PLAIN LANGUAGE.
SOMETIMES IN LIKE THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS THAT WE GET, UM, AT THE STATE.
EACH ONE WILL BE, THERE WILL BE A PROPOSAL ON THE BALLOT, AND THEN THEY HAVE LIKE A LITTLE THING, A LITTLE TINY SUMMARY THAT SAYS, THIS IS WHAT THIS MEANS.
I JUST FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES THE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE LIKE, WHAT AM I VOTING ON? I'LL, I'LL PUT, I'LL TRY TO PUT IT TOGETHER.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING REMY CAN, UH, BY NEXT TIME IT'S FINE.
NO, WE'D HAVE TO COME UP WITH THAT LANGUAGE.
AND THEN AMANDA'S GONNA NEED THAT TO GET IT TO THE, UH, UH, THE BOND, UH, THE BALLOT.
ONCE THE, UM, THE FILING DEADLINE IS OVER THERE, THEN WE DO THE DRAWING.
AND THEN ONCE WE DO THE DRAWING, I PREPARE THE DRAFT, UM, BALLOT.
AND THEN I INCLUDE, UH, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE TWO ELECTIONS.
ONE, ONE THE GENERAL AND, AND THE SPECIAL.
SO ALL THE AMENDMENTS WOULD BE ON THE SPECIAL ELECTION.
AND OF COURSE ALL THE PEOPLE RUNNING FOR, FOR OFFICE WILL BE ON THE GENERAL MM-HMM.
SO THEN I SENT THAT TO REMY, AND RAMMY DOES THE PROGRAMMING.
ONCE HE DOES THE PROGRAMMING, HE SENDS IT BACK TO ME SO THAT I MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO MISSPELLED WORDS OR ANYTHING OR, OR SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
BUT I GUESS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY IS THAT THERE CAN BE SOME KIND OF SUMMARY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT, WHAT IT IS THAT PEOPLE ARE VOTING ON, IF IT CAN BE, IF IT'S POSSIBLE.
AND IT CAN BE DONE IN, IN VERY FEW WORDS, JUST BECAUSE, UM, I WAS TALKING TO MAYOR, MAYOR NORI IN MISSION, AND THEY HAD LIKE A GAZILLION PROPOSITIONS AND THE VOTE, THE, THE PEOPLE, THE COMMUNITY AFTER, UM, SAID THEY HAD A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING, UNDERSTANDING WHAT EVERYTHING WAS.
AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN BETTER IF THEY HAD SOME KIND OF EXPLANATION.
OF COURSE, THEY DID ALL THE NOTICES AND DID, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND ALL OF THAT.
BUT THE FACT IS, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET EVERYBODY AT ONE OF THESE, UM, MEETINGS OR TO LOOK AT THE WEBSITE AND IF THEY CAN JUST SEE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS MEANS, AND THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY HELPFUL TO THE CITIZEN.
I DON'T WANT THEM THINKING, OH, LIKE, LIKE YOU JUST SAID, OH, THEY WANNA THROW US IN JAIL FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT.
SO JUST SOME CLARIFICATION I THINK WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS GREAT.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WHAT MARK SAID.
THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE I'D LIKE INCLUDED IN THERE.
SO I HAD THE QUESTION WITH MARK.
CAN A CITY ISSUE A SUBPOENA, WHICH GOT ME DOWN LIKE RABBIT HOLES AND FOUND ME, I CAME ACROSS A CASE, WHICH IS ALEJANDRO V BELL, AND IT TALKS ABOUT, AND AND I'LL GIVE THIS TO YOU, MARK.
THERE'S JUST A FEW MORE WORDS, SORT OF A LITTLE MORE IDEAS I WANNA PUT IN HERE.
BECAUSE WHAT WE THINK OF AS THE CITY COMMISSION IS WE THINK OF IT AS A LEGISLATIVE BOARD, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
BUT THE, LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THEY HAVE LEGISLATIVE POWERS, THEY HAVE EXECUTIVE POWERS, THEY HAVE JUDICIAL POWERS AND ALL THAT.
AND EACH OF THEM HAS A CERTAIN TYPE OF, UH, IMMUNITY ATTACHED TO IT.
LIKE THE BEST IMMUNITY THAT IS OUT THERE IS PROSECUTORIAL SLASH JUDICIAL IMMUNITY, WHICH IS ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY.
AND THE WAY YOU GET THAT, AND THE WAY WE WOULD PLUG THAT IN HERE, IS BY INSERTING CERTAIN, UH, POWERS OR AUTHORITIES THAT WE WOULD GIVE OURSELVES THROUGH THE CHARTER TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE IN FACT HAD TO UTILIZE A SUBPOENA AND SOMEONE WAS NOT COMPLIANT, WE WOULD BE, AND OUR PREDECESSOR SUCCESSORS WOULD BE FULLY PROTECTED LEGALLY.
RIGHT? AND SO THOSE SIX FACTORS ARE, I THINK IT'S JUST, IT'S, UH, THE POWER TO EXERCISE JUDGMENT AND DISCRETION, WHICH WE HAVE.
BUT I WANT TO JUST BE A LITTLE MORE, UH, DIRECT ABOUT IT.
THE POWER TO HEAR AND DETERMINE OR TO ASCERTAIN FACTS AND DECISIONS.
THE POWER TO MAKE BINDING ORDERS AND JUDGMENTS, THE POWER TO AFFECT THE PERSONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS OF PRIVATE CITIZENS, THE POWER TO, TO EXAMINE WITNESSES, TO COMPEL THE ATTENDANCE OF WITNESSES, AND TO HEAR LITIGATION OF ISSUES ON A HEARING.
AND THEN SIX IS THE POWER TO ENFORCE DECISIONS OR IMPOSE PENALTIES, WHICH WE HAVE UNDER, CAN YOU TEXAS LOCAL? I'M GONNA GIVE IT.
[02:45:01]
OKAY.I'LL, OR, AND THEN, WHICH WOULD FALL UNDER OUR POWERS UNDER THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE 54.001, WHICH SAYS THAT WE HAVE THE POWER TO ENFORCE EACH RULE ORDINANCE OR POLICE REGULATION, UH, AND OF THE MUNICIPALITY MAY PUNISH A VIOLATION OF A RULE ORDINANCE OR POLICE REGULATION.
AND THIS IS, CAN YOU GIMME THE CITATION OF THAT? YEAH.
AND I'LL GIVE, I'M GONNA GIVE THIS TO YOU, RIGHT.
BUT IT'S 54.001, RIGHT? NO, NO, NO.
AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE CASE AS WELL.
IT'S ALEJANDRO V BELL AND IT'S 84 SOUTHWEST THIRD EDITION, 3 8 3.
AND IT'S OUT OF, UH, THE 13TH COURT OF APPEALS.
AND SO CAN YOU FORWARD IT TO THE REST OF US WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE? YEAH.
AND I HIGHLIGHTED THE EXACT PORTION THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO WHAT ABOUT, UM, AMENDING THIS MOTION TO INCLUDE, I MEAN, I THINK IT INCLUDE THE SIX BILL FACTORS.
WELL, WELL, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO, TO DO THAT.
UM, AND I, AND I, I, I FULLY APPRECIATE, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT DOING SOMETHING YOU CAN'T DO.
AND THEN IF YOU DO DO THAT, THEN THERE'S PROTECTIONS, UM, IN PLACE.
BUT, UH, SO LONG AS MARK REVIEWS IT AND MAKES SURE THAT THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT, BUT YEAH.
BUT JUST ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, ONCE IT MAKES THE BALLOT, I'M GONNA SAY, I'M NOT GONNA SAY COMMISSIONER LOPEZ PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.
DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? JUST SO THAT WAY? YES.
THAT'S WHY IT'S GOT MARK ON HERE.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL LEGAL STUFF WENT THROUGH THE LEGAL GUY.
SO I'LL AMEND MY MOTION AND IT'LL BE TO ACCEPT THIS WITH THE LEGAL CHANGES THAT ATTORNEY MARCUS MADE, AND THE ADDITION OF THIS BELL CASE, UH, THAT LOPEZ HAS PROVIDED TO THE ATTORNEY.
COMPENSATION OF MAYORS AND CITY COMMISSIONERS CONVERSATION.
I DISAGREE WITH IT PERSONALLY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING AT PUBLIC WORKS IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
THAT'S HALF OF THEIR ANNUAL SALARY.
WE ONLY WORK 10, 12 HOURS A MONTH.
OUR JOB TITLE SAYS WE'RE CITY COMMISSIONERS AND WE ATTEND CITY MEETINGS AND WE VOTE YES OR NO.
HA, WE'RE NOT MANDATORY TO LIVE HERE.
WE DON'T TRAVEL WITH THE POLICE OR THE GARBAGE.
WE DON'T TELL ANY EMPLOYEE WHAT TO DO THAT'S ILLEGAL.
ONLY THE CITY MANAGER AND THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS CAN TELL EMPLOYEES WHAT TO DO.
AND WE DON'T HAVE TO SHOW UP AT AIRPORT OR WATER.
WE DON'T HAVE TO SHOW UP AT ANY MEETINGS ANY TIME AT ALL.
OTHER THAN OUR, UH, REQUIRED HERE AT CITY GOVERNMENT MEETINGS.
I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE, I AGREE WITH THE BEING AGAINST THIS.
I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I DON'T AGREE WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT, UM, THE TIME IT TAKES.
BECAUSE I KNOW FOR, I KNOW FOR A FACT MYSELF, I DO NOT SPEND THAT MUCH TIME.
BUT AGAIN, EACH COMMISSIONER BECOMES A COMMISSIONER THAT THEY WANNA BE, IF YOU WANNA BE LAID BACK AND NOT GO TO MEETINGS OR ANYTHING, THAT'S FULLY YOUR, YOUR, UM, PREROGATIVE.
BUT I, I, BUT I'M GONNA SAY THAT IT DOES TAKE A LOT OF TIME AND I, I'M ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK.
UM, I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO MAKE IT WORK, BUT, UM, I JUST WANT PEOPLE, 'CAUSE I KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THE SECTIONS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE, WERE WONDERING ABOUT.
AND I WANT TO CLEAR SOMETHING UP.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, UH, QUICK STORY, WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED, UM, I WAS, IT WAS A, I WAS TUTORING A STUDENT AND THEN THE PARENT GOT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND I HAD TO WALK THE STUDENT TO THE FRONT OF THE, OF THE SCHOOL.
AND THEN WHEN, AND HAD JUST, I JUST GOT ELECTED.
AND THEN I WENT TO THE FRONT AND I, YOU KNOW, I TOOK THE STUDENT TO THE, TO THE, TO HER MOM IN THE VEHICLE.
AND WHEN THE MOM WAS THERE, SHE'S LIKE, MR. PEREZ, YOU STILL WORK HERE.
WHY DO YOU STILL WORK HERE,
AND SHE'S LIKE, AREN'T YOU MAKING LIKE 80,000, $90,000
[02:50:01]
RIGHT NOW? LIKE, WHY WOULD YOU STILL WANNA DEAL WITH THESE KIDS? AND I'M JUST LIKE, OKAY.I WAS LIKE, AND THEN, SO I HAD TO TELL HER, I WAS LIKE, WELL, FIRST OFF, I LOVE WHAT I DO.
I LOVE TEACHING, SO I DON'T MIND, I WANNA DO THIS.
BUT THE SECOND TIME, I DO NOT GET PAID 75, $80,000.
I KNOW THE, THE, THE CHARTER SAYS $3,000, BUT I, I KNOW EVERY MONTH I GET A CHECK AND THE CHECK IS FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND AFTER TAXES, IT COMES UP TO $92 AND 35 CENTS
SO I JUST WANT THAT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE TO EVERYBODY ELSE, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M ON SOCIAL MEDIA A LOT AND I READ THINGS AND PEOPLE SAY, THINK THAT WE GET A HUGE SALARY, AND THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
AND I'M NOT COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WHAT I, THE REAL WHOLE REASON I RAN FOR THE CITY COMMISSION IS 'CAUSE I WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND THAT HONESTLY, IN THE THREE AND A HALF YEAR, THE ALMOST THREE AND A HALF YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN HERE, I, I FELT, I FEEL THAT I HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE AND I ENJOY WHAT I DO.
UM, UM, AND I, AND I KNEW WHAT I WAS GETTING INTO WHEN I, WHEN I FIRST GOT INTO IT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING PAID, UM, TRUCKLOADS OF MONEY.
AND ANOTHER THING TO WHAT MIKE SAID IS THAT I DO WANNA GIVE MY HATS OFF TO THE MAYOR.
AND I KNOW DANIEL FEELS THE SAME WAY.
'CAUSE HE PUT IT OUT IN THE PAPER, UM, LAST WEEK.
UH, IS THAT, I'M AMAZED AT WHAT, UH, THE MAYOR DOES.
I MEAN, YESTERDAY, UM, WAS IT YESTERDAY? WHEN WAS IT THAT WE WERE AT THE CHECK CEREMONY? YESTERDAY? YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY WE WERE AT, UH, I KNOW I WENT TO A CHECK CEREMONY WHERE WE WERE GIVING OUT, UM, SOME OF THE PROCEEDS TO CHARITIES.
AND WE WERE THERE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
I GOT THERE ABOUT EIGHT 30 AND WE WERE THERE WITH THE CEREMONY.
AND THEN THAT FINISHED AROUND, SAY AROUND 10.
AND THEN AFTER 10 WE HAD ANOTHER, THERE WAS ANOTHER MEETING THERE AT THE, UM, AT THE CONVENTION CENTER WITH, UM, SOME DEVELOPERS THAT WERE COMING IN AND TALKING ABOUT REGIONAL ECONOMIC STUFF AND ALL THAT.
AND I KNOW THE MAYOR WENT TO THAT AFTER THAT.
UM, WHEN THAT FINISHED AROUND 12 O'CLOCK, ONE O'CLOCK, ABOUT 12, GIVE OR TAKE, ABOUT 1230.
UM, WHEN THAT FINISHED, I WENT, I WENT HOME.
BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THE MAYOR DID NOT.
I KNOW SHE HAD SOMETHING ELSE AT TSCC.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, AGAIN, AT FIVE 30 WE HAD TO SHOW UP HERE TO THE MEETING.
AND WE WERE HERE TILL ABOUT, I GUESS WHAT, 8 39 O'CLOCK? UM, SO, UM, SEVEN 30, SIR.
THIS IS THE ONE TIME WE EVER GOT OUT EARLY.
BUT MY POINT IS THAT I, I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THIS IS NOT JUST, UH, SOMETHING WHERE, HOW MIKE SAID THAT WE JUST COME IN AND SAY YES AND NO.
BECAUSE IF YOU WANT BE THAT TYPE OF COMMISSIONER, FEEL FREE.
I'M NOT THAT TYPE OF COMMISSIONER.
I GO IN, I, I GO, I DO MY BI BI, UH, MONTHLY DRIVE AROUNDS AROUND MY DISTRICT WHERE I DRIVE ALL AROUND MY DISTRICT LOOK FOR POTHOLES AND STREETLIGHTS.
I KNOW DANIEL DOES THE SAME THING.
UM, I, WHENEVER A CONSTITUENT CALLS ME, I GO TO THEIR HOUSE AND I GO TALK TO THEM.
UM, I, I, I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
'CAUSE I LIKE TO SEE THINGS FOR MYSELF INSTEAD OF JUST, UM, ACTUALLY, UM, HEARING WHAT THEY SAY.
SO THIS WHOLE, UH, 10, 12 HOURS IS, I COMPLETELY DISAGREE WITH THAT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DO AGREE WITH MIKE ABOUT THE PAY.
UM, WHILE I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE, UM, TO GET PAID, UM, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, I DON'T THINK RIGHT NOW WOULD BE THE TIME TO DO IT.
UM, BUT I DO THINK MAYBE IN THE FUTURE, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE 10, 15 YEARS FROM NOW, MIGHT SOMETHING BE BROUGHT UP AGAIN.
BECAUSE, UM, THIS DOES TAKE TIME.
ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE YEARS AGO, CHINO AND NUMBER FOUR HERE, HE WANTED A PAY RAISE TO $200 A MONTH.
AND I DIDN'T REALIZE WE COULD MAKE UP TO $3,000 WHAT? IN A YEAR THAT'S YES.
I I SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET PAID A HUNDRED A MONTH AND I, AND I DO DO A LOT OF THINGS.
OH, I'M NOT SAYING YOU DON'T, YOU SAID THAT AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE COULD VOTE TO DOUBLE OUR, UH, OUR INCOME TO $200 A MONTH GIVEN INFLATION AND ALL THAT.
AND YOURS WOULD BE $300 A MONTH.
AND, AND WE ARE CITIZEN, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD STATESMAN, BUT, BUT WE ARE CITIZEN REPRESENTATIVES AND WE DON'T DO THIS FOR THE MONEY, BUT WE DO THIS FOR THE LOVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.
I THINK I VIEW THIS, YOU KNOW, IN COMMISSIONER PEREZ'S EYES LIKE A LABOR OF LOVE, RIGHT? THIS IS, WE DO IT BECAUSE WE, WE WANT OUR CITIES, OUR CITY TO DO WELL, OUR, OUR, OUR OUR KIDS.
I WANT THEM TO GROW UP IN A CITY THAT THEY CAN BE PROUD OF.
UM, SO I, AND I AGREE WITH, UH, FORD, RIGHT? IT'S, THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT YOU HAVE PEOPLE START DOING THIS FOR THAT SECOND INCOME.
AND THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHERE I GET WE'RE THE ONLY INCOME.
UM, SO THE ONE THING I WOULD SUGGEST THOUGH, UM, 'CAUSE THE PAY I'M AGAINST, I'M AGAINST THE PAY.
UM, BUT THE ONE THING I WOULD SUGGEST IS, UM, I'M LUCKY IN THIS WAY BECAUSE I'M A VETERAN AND I KNOW FORD IS TOO, AND I KNOW MIKE IS TOO.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
[02:55:01]
SYSTEM IS SET UP RIGHT NOW, THAT THE PEOPLE THAT USUALLY RUN FOR OFFICE, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M LIKE A, I'M KINDA LIKE BLACK SHEEP 'CAUSE I'M A TEACHER.BUT THE OTHER, THE MOST OF THEM ARE PROFESSIONAL.
WELL, I'M A PROFESSIONAL TOO, BUT WHAT I MEANT IS THEY'RE USUALLY PEOPLE THAT ARE REAL ESTATE AGENTS OR THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT ARE LAWYERS LIKE YOURSELVES THAT HAVE A LOT OF TIME AND A LOT OF TIMES, OR THEY'RE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
AND A LOT OF TIMES SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, UM, PAY A LOT FOR THEIR INSURANCE.
SO I THINK ADDING THE INSURANCE WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
THIS WOULD ENABLE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSIONERS THAT TO OPT INTO THE INSURANCE, I MEAN, THEY'RE STILL GONNA BE PAYING FOR IT, BUT AT LEAST THEY HAVE AN OPTION TO GET INSURANCE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY NEED.
UM, AND THAT WOULD HELP THEIR FAMILIES WHILE THEY'RE, UM, YOU KNOW, SERVING ON THE COMMISSION.
HOW MUCH WOULD IT COST, UH, THE CITY HYPOTHETICALLY, IF YOU WERE TO HAVE A COMMISSION WHERE EVERYONE GOT INSURANCE OR HOW MUCH DOES IT COST PER PERSON TO HAVE INSURANCE? UM, COMMISSIONER, I, I WOULD HAVE TO GET THAT NUMBER FROM FINANCE.
NOW, THE ONE THING THAT WE STILL HAVE TO DO, BECAUSE WE CHECK WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE, IS THAT THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD HAVE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE, UH, STATING THAT THE COMMISSIONERS ARE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE THE HEALTH INSURANCE.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT MAY GO AWAY.
UM, BUT, UH, THE AVERAGE COST FOR EMPLOYEE, I, I WOULD ESTIMATE IS ABOUT, UM, $1,100 PER EMPLOYEE.
PER WHAT? PER PERSON? PER PERSON? YES.
SO AGAIN, I, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IF YOU GUYS WANT TO DO THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST OPTING IN.
'CAUSE LIKE I WOULDN'T NEED IT.
I GET EVERYTHING FREE, UM, WITH THE VET, WITH THE VA AND I'M, I DUNNO IF FORD DOES 'EM.
NO, I GOT MEDICARE AND TRICARE FOR LIFE.
I'M PRETTY WELL, I'LL GET THERE EVENTUALLY.
SO, UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? 'CAUSE I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
UH, WELL SINCE YOU ASKED, UM,
YOU'RE JUST SAYING YOU GIVE YOU THE SCHOOL AT THE END OF THE DAY IS THIS, I DIDN'T SIGN UP TO BE A COMMISSIONER TO GET PAID.
MY OBJECTIVE SOLELY WAS TO DO BETTER FOR THE CITY AND IT'S CITIZENS.
WHETHER I GET A HUNDRED BUCKS OR ZERO, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME.
THAT'S THE REASON I GOT ELECTED.
AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE JOB.
AND BELIEVE ME, I DO 10 HOURS BECAUSE I JUST COME UP HERE AND STICK AROUND.
I DO A LOT MORE AND I TAKE A LOT MORE CALLS THAN PEOPLE REALIZE.
AND SOME PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE HEATED OVER THE PHONE, NO BIG DEALS, NO COMPLAINTS.
I'VE GOTTEN THAT MANY A TIMES.
SO WE WANT TO JUST THEN, OKAY, WELL I HAVE SOME COMMENTS FIRST.
UM, I WANT TO JUST KIND OF POINT OUT A FEW THINGS 'CAUSE I'M LISTENING TO EVERYONE AND I HAVE READ EVERYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYTHING, BUT THE BULK OF WHAT'S OUT THERE IN TERMS OF COMMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION, THERE'S THINGS OUT THERE SAYING THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO GIVE THEMSELVES A RAISE AND THAT THE MAYOR WANTS TO GIVE HERSELF A RAISE.
AND, AND ALL OF THAT IS FALSE, RIGHT? NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE THESE, THIS INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMISSION, I'M SORRY, TO THE COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE TOOK THEIR TIME, EIGHT OR NINE MEETINGS AND CAME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND THIS IS THEIR RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S NOT THE COMMISSION BECAUSE THE COMMISSION COULD HAVE DONE THAT.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE COMMISSION DID WHEN WE WERE NOT HERE.
EVERYBODY, THAT, AND NOT GIVE THEMSELVES A RAISE, BUT DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GONNA PUT THINGS ON THE BALLOT WITHOUT ANY COMMUNITY INPUT.
AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE THEY, IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THOSE PROPOSITION PASSED.
BUT THIS COMMISSION IS DIFFERENT THAN THE PRIOR COMMISSION AS A WHOLE.
THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS VALUED AND ALWAYS HAS VALUED.
I THINK SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, EVERYONE HERE, UM, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND HAVING TOWN HALLS AND LISTENING SESSIONS AND BEING ACCESSIBLE.
UM, AND, AND EIGHT TO 10 HOURS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S BEEN ONE MONTH THAT I'VE ONLY DONE EIGHT TO 10 HOURS FOR THE CITY, CITY COMMISSIONER.
CITY COMMISSIONER AT THESE MEETINGS.
AND THAT, AND THAT IS, THAT IS TRUE.
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO, IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS JOB, BECAUSE IT IS A JOB, IT IS A JOB, EVEN THOUGH IT'S PUBLIC SERVICE, IT, IT IS A JOB.
IF YOU'RE GONNA DO THIS JOB AND YOU'RE GONNA DO IT RIGHT, YOU NEED, YOU NEED TO BE A PERSON.
AND I'M, AND I HATE TO SAY IT THIS WAY, BUT YOU NEED TO BE A PERSON, LIKE EVERY SINGLE PERSON
[03:00:01]
THAT'S SITTING HERE AT THIS, ON THIS DIET, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY AND THE FLEXIBILITY.AND SO I DON'T NEED, UM, ANY ADDITIONAL STIPEND TO BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I, WHAT I'M DOING BECAUSE I'M IN A, AT A TIME IN MY LIFE WHERE I CAN TAKE A FINANCIAL HIT OR WHAT HAVE YOU, UM, AND STILL DO THIS JOB.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY TOO, BECAUSE I SEE THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT EVERYBODY DOES ON THIS COMMISSION.
BUT WHAT I KEEP HEARING IS, YOU KNOW, I, I KNOW I HEARD, UH, COMMISSIONER KINSLEY SAID, I'M A, I I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR THIS FOR A PAYCHECK, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE AND THIS IS WHY I DO IT.
AND YOU SAID SAME THING AND YOU SAID, I GOT ELECTED, RIGHT? BECAUSE I, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M DOING THIS FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS OR $0.
I DO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO SERVE HARLINGEN.
AND I SEE THAT YOU DO, AND YOU SAID THE SAME THING.
I'M A TEACHER, BUT I MAKE IT WORK.
UM, AND YOU MAKE IT WORK FOR WHATEVER REASON AND HOW YOU'RE ABLE TO DO IT.
BUT I DO SEE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE ALSO MY COMMISSIONER AND I EVEN BEFORE THIS, ALL THE, THE WORK THAT YOU PUT IN AND BEING ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
BUT I KEEP HEARING I AND I AND I, BUT I THINK IT'S GETTING LOST THAT THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME.
AND THIS ISN'T ABOUT FORD AND ISN'T ABOUT YOU OR YOU OR YOU.
THIS IS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HARLINGEN.
AND EVERY TIME WE HAVE A MEETING, I HEAR YOU COMMISSIONER MESMER SAY, WHEN WE HAVE CITY STAFF COME TO THE PODIUM AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS OR A COMMITTEE, LIKE WE HAD THE CDBG COME UP AND GIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND YOU SAID, WHY DO WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE? WHY DO WE HAVE THESE PEOPLE AND, AND TASK THEM WITH THIS IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITY TO PUT IN ALL THE WORK? THEY DO ALL THE WORK, THEY PRESENT IT, THEN THEY GIVE IT TO US, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CHANGE IT ALL.
AND SO YOU ALWAYS, ALWAYS ADVOCATE TO ADOPT WHAT IS PRESENTED TO US BECAUSE THEY'VE PUT IN THE WORK.
AND THIS COMMISSION DECIDED TO APPOINT A COMMITTEE AND EVERY PERSON HERE HAD AN APPOINTMENT ON THIS COMMITTEE AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT PARAMETERS.
'CAUSE WE HAD THAT DISCUSSION, LIKE, LET'S PUT PARAMETERS, WE ONLY WANT THEM TO, TO LOOK AT THIS.
AND IT WAS, WE WANT THESE SEVEN PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THE CHARTER FROM PAGE ONE TO THE VERY END AND TO TAKE THIS SERIOUS, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRESENT THEM TO US SO THAT ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE A, A GROUP THAT IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT I OR ME OR YOU OR ANYTHING.
AND SO NOW YOU'VE GOT THIS GROUP AND NOW YOU'RE TELLING THEM, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA PLACE THIS ON THE BALLOT TO, TO ALLOW THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS TO, TO, TO, TO PLAY OUT.
I'M GOING TO, I DON'T WANT THIS.
SO BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT, I'M GOING TO UNDERMINE THIS COMMITTEE AND DISMISS THIS PART OF WHAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE, AND THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM LIES.
IT'S NOT, YOU'RE NOT SAYING I AM GOING TO PLACE THIS ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE IT'S WHAT I WANT.
EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OPINIONS AND YOU CAN OPPOSE IT AND YOU CAN CAMPAIGN AGAINST IT.
YOU CAN EDUCATE THE PEOPLE IN YOUR DISTRICT TO VOTE AGAINST IT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU SO CHOOSE.
BUT TO SAY YOU'RE NOT GONNA PLACE IT ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT IT BECAUSE YOU FEEL THAT IT'S NOT NECESSARY BECAUSE YOU PUT IN ALL THIS WORK AND YOU DID IT FOR A REASON.
IT GOVERNS NOT JUST THIS COMMISSION, BUT EVERY COMMISSION IN THE FUTURE.
SO THEN YOU WILL HAVE COMMISSIONERS HERE THAT POTENTIALLY WE'LL DO THE BARE MINIMUM BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CHARTER IS, IS TELLING YOU TO DO.
AND I THINK THAT THIS COMMITTEE MADE IT CLEAR IN ALL OF THEIR, THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY WANT MORE PUBLIC ACCESS, MORE NOTICE, MORE ENGAGEMENT, MORE, MORE, MORE, MORE.
AND THIS IS WHERE IT CAME FROM.
SO EVEN THOUGH I PERSONALLY, THIS ISN'T GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR ME INDIVIDUALLY, I THINK WE HEARD FROM DELIA SAY, THIS MIGHT OPEN THE DOOR FOR OTHERS.
I THINK SOMEBODY SAID, MAYBE IT HELPS PAY FOR CHILDCARE.
I'M BLESSED MY KIDS DON'T NEED TO, TO GO TO CHILDCARE AND, AND I'M GOOD.
BUT MAYBE THERE IS A PERSON THAT NEEDS THAT.
AND SO WHILE I THINK THAT IT'S OKAY TO DISAGREE AND IT'S OKAY FOR YOU TO HAVE PERSONAL OPINIONS, I THINK YOU NEED TO KIND OF SEPARATE YOURSELVES FROM THAT.
AND IF WE ARE GOING TO ASK THEM TO SERVE AND FOR THEM TO PROVIDE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, I THINK IT'S INCUMBENT UPON US, UNLESS THERE'S A LEGAL CHALLENGE TO SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED, THAT IT GETS PLACED ON THE BALLOT.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE VOTERS DECIDE.
YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU SAID SOMETHING LIKE,
[03:05:01]
WE SHOULD POSTPONE ALL OF THIS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH, UM, PUBLIC INPUT, ENGAGEMENT, INPUT.SO THERE, THE MOST PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET AN INPUT IS THAT THE BALLOT.
SO IF YOU PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, THEN YOU'LL KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT.
SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THIS WOULD FAIL MISERABLY.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT NEEDS IT, IT'S ON THE BALLOT AND THEN THE PEOPLE HAVE A VOICE.
YOU GIVE THE PEOPLE A VOICE BY PUTTING THINGS ON THE BALLOT AND NOT HAVING FIVE MEN THAT ARE PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO SERVE WITHOUT HAVING A FINANCIAL BURDEN MAKING THAT DECISION INSTEAD OF PUTTING IT ON THE BALLOT FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE.
AND THAT'S PART OF MY AR MY, MY REASONING EARLIER.
WHY? BECAUSE WHAT'S THIS ELECTION? THIS IS A PRESIDENTIAL AND, AND, UH, THIS IS A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
NEXT YEAR IT'S A MAYOR AND THAT, SO THE WHOLE THING IS NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION WOULD CONCENTRATE MORE ON CITY BUSINESS.
AND THAT WOULD MAKE IT EVEN BETTER.
WHERE CITIZENS CAN DECIDE INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH THE BALLOT REAL FAST, BECAUSE WE HAVE A PRESIDENTIAL, WE HAVE SENATORS, WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA BE, UH, THERE'S GONNA BE ELECTION FOR PLENTY OF PEOPLE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO INUNDATE ONE MANY OF, MANY, UH, MANY OF CITIZENS WITH EXTRA MATERIAL.
NO, I, I, WHAT I SEE IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOVEMBER, YOU GUYS, I WAS IN HERE, YOU MOVE THE ELECTION FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER TO HAVE MORE VOTER TURNOUT.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE VOTER TURNOUT IN NOVEMBER BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE RUNNING TO THE POLLS TO VOTE FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WHICH MEANS MORE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN ARE GONNA BE OUT THERE VOTING.
AND MORE PEOPLE ARE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY NO OR TO SAY YES.
AND THEY GET TO DECIDE IF YOU PUT IT ON AN ELECTION IN 2025 WHEN I AM THERE AND THE REST OF US ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHERS THAT ARE GOING TO RUN, UM, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LESS VOTER TURNOUT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
SO THAT'S JUST COMMON SENSE I, IN, IN MY, IN MY VIEW.
SO IT'S NOT THAT I DON'T WANT, UM, TO, I, I THINK WE EVEN TALKED ABOUT THAT AT THE CHARTER.
BEFORE WE PUT THE CHARTER VIEW COMMITTEE.
WE, WE ENTERTAINED, OR AT LEAST I THINK WE HAD THE DISCUSSION TO SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME BECAUSE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MAKE THE APPOINTMENTS WITH ENOUGH TIME AND WE KIND OF PUSHED THIS ON THEM.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT POSTPONING IT AND THIS COMMISSION DECIDED NOT TO DO THAT.
SO WE'RE PAST THAT AND NOW HERE WE ARE.
I THINK THAT IF YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO, YOU, YOU KNOW, RESPECT THE PROCESS, YOU APPOINTED THIS COMMITTEE, YOU TOLD THEM THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK AT EVERYTHING, THEN I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD PLACE EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE ASKED YOU TO PLACE ON THE BALLOT UNLESS THERE'S A LEGAL REASON NOT TO.
AND IF YOU THINK OTHERWISE, THEN THAT'S FINE.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THIS.
SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ARE WE GOING TO, 'CAUSE I KNOW IN PREVIOUS, UM, DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD, UM, ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT CAME UP AND I'M, THE REASON I'M, THE ONLY REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP IS BECAUSE WE'RE TECHNICALLY IN THAT SECTION.
UM, ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT TOO.
'CAUSE I KNOW THE WHOLE POINT OF US MOVING THE ELECTION TO NOVEMBER WAS BECAUSE WE WANTED VOTER TURN TURNOUT.
HEY, WAIT, DUDE, DID WE EVEN MAKE THE, SO WE'RE NOT DOING THE HEALTH INSURANCE AT ALL.
UM, SO NO, NO HEALTH INSURANCE EITHER, MIKE.
SO IS THERE A SEPARATE MOTION FOR, OKAY, THOSE ARE TWO ITEMS. YES.
SO HEALTH INSURANCE WOULD COST $1,100 A MONTH THAT THE PERSON WOULD PAY.
CORRECT? AGAIN, I I, I'M GOOD.
I MEAN, EVEN IF WE BUMPED OUR PAY UP TO $3,000 A YEAR, YOU STILL HAVE A NET FINANCIAL LOSS.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR INDIVIDUAL INSURANCE.
FLOYD, I THINK THAT THE, IF I UNDERSTOOD THIS CORRECTLY, AND I COULD BE WRONG, IS, IS IT NOT THAT THE COMMISSION CAN OPT IN AND THEN THEY PAY FOR THE POLICY? IS THAT NOT RIGHT? THE NO, THE INTENT WAS THAT THE CITY WOULD PAY FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE.
NO, WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO IS THE, THE PERSON PAYS THE COMMISSION BECAUSE MAYBE THEY'RE PAY THAT MAYBE THE RATE THAT THEY WOULD GET HERE WITH THE CITY WOULD BE BE CHEAPER THAN THEY WOULD WITH THE
I I THINK THE COMMITTEE WANTED FOR THE CITY TO PROVIDE THE HEALTH INSURANCE TO THE COMMISSIONER.
NO, THAT, THAT GOES TO MY OTHER POINT THAT I WAS GONNA BRING
[03:10:01]
UP RIGHT NOW BEFORE I, THE HEALTH INSURANCE.I KNOW WE'RE DISCUSSING THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS AND WE'RE DISCUSSING ALL THE STUFF THAT THE CHARTER COMMITTEE CAME UP WITH.
BUT THEN I KNOW THERE WAS SOME OTHER STUFF THAT, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE THAT NEVER CAME, THAT DIDN'T COME UP WITH THE CHARTER COMMITTEE.
SO ARE WE GONNA BRING UP THOSE AS WELL WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH OH, WE'RE DONE.
YEAH, THEN YOU CAN, YOU CAN ADD, UM, NO, I THINK IT'S BEST TO DO IT NOW.
WHY, WHY THEN HAVE TO GO BACK TO PAGE THREE.
BUT UM, YOU MEAN IN THIS SECTION? YEAH, THERE WAS ONE ON THIS SECTION.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE DISCUSSED IT IN THE, IN THE PAST AND WE'RE, AND THE WHOLE REASON THAT THE ELECTION WAS MOVED OVER TO, WELL, ARE WE DONE WITH THE INSURANCE? LIKE, SO LET'S, SO JUST SO THAT IT CAN BE CLEAR, UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO DENY THE HEALTH INSURANCE TO IN WELL, I'M OKAY WITH SOMEBODY WANTING TO OPT IN, BUT I'M NOT REALLY ON BOARD WITH THE CITY.
I AGREE WITH, WITH FORD, THE CITY SHOULDN'T PAY FOR IT.
BUT IT SHOULD BE THE, THE PERSON THAT SERVES ON HERE, A TO PAY FOR, IF THEY WANT OPT IN, THEY CAN OPT IN.
BUT THE CITY SHOULD NOT PAY FOR IT.
BUT THE, THE PERSON SHOULD, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT HEY, IF THEY WANNA DO IT, THEY CAN DO IT.
SO THE ISSUE THOUGH, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I, MAN, I DON'T KNOW.
'CAUSE EVEN IF YOU PAY TO GET, LIKE TO OPT IN THAT 1100 BUCKS, IT CAN COST THE CITY A BUNCH OF MONEY DEPENDING ON WHO GETS PUT ON THE INSURANCE BASED ON PREEXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS.
AND, AND CLAIMS WHICH COULD JACK UP.
AND THEN EVERYBODY'S HURT THE WHOLE CITY.
WELL, UM, THE OTHER THING I WAS GONNA BRING UP, OKAY, SO LET'S JUST MAKE, I HAD A MOTION ON THE TABLE BY COMMISSIONER KINLEY.
THERE'S A MOTION ON THE TABLE TO ALLOW THE COMMISSIONERS TO, IF THEY WANNA HAVE IT, THEY WANNA OPT IN, BUT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE HEALTH INSURANCE.
WHO MADE THAT MOTION? WHO MADE THAT? I HAD THAT.
NO, I JUST SAID I
IS THERE A MOTION FOR, FOR THAT? WE'LL ERASE THAT AND THEN WE'LL PUT MOTION WASN'T MS, IT WASN'T A MOTION.
A MOTION IS THERE, THERE'S NOT A MOTION FOR THAT THEN.
BUT CAN WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO NOT PROVIDE HEALTH INSURANCE TO THE COMMISSION? 'CAUSE IT'S ON HERE AND I THINK OUR COMMISSION MS. MARTIN, BECAUSE YOU'RE PUTTING TWO TOGETHER.
SO BECAUSE YOU'RE PRESUMING, YOU'RE PRESUMING THAT ALL THIS STUFF'S GONNA GET APPROVED, RIGHT? SO IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE A MOTION TO REJECT IT.
JUST SOMEONE NEEDS TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT, THE LANGUAGE YOU PUT IN THERE.
AND IF NO ONE MAKES THAT MOTION, THEN WE JUST MOVE ON.
BUT WE ALREADY DEFEATED THIS ONE, SO THIS IS NOT EVEN GOING ON THE, OKAY.
I'M JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND DO IT AGAIN.
AND I WILL REITERATE, WE CAN VOTE OURSELVES PAY RAISES.
SO PLEASE CONSIDER THAT A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH IS CHU OF CHANGE.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU GUYS GOT PAID WAS $98, $92, $92 AND 30 CENTS.
I DON'T NEED MY MONEY BACK TO THE CITY.
SO LIKE, I WAS LIKE, SO IF YOU'RE GONNA DONATE THE MONEY BACK TO THE CITY, WHY WOULD YOU NOT HAVE THE, THE VOTERS DECIDE? I MEAN IT JUST, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
I THINK THEY SAID WE'LL SEND YOURS TO THE FOOD BANK AND SEND YOURS TO WHEREVER.
LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MOTION'S DEAD.
WELL, I THINK I RAN THE MEETING, SIR.
STILL, SO THAT WAS THE QUESTION, BUT IT JUST THAT'S THAT WAS WHAT I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THERE.
WHERE ARE WE AT? UM, NO, I WAS GOING TO SECTION, UH, WHAT ARE ARTICLE FOUR SECTION THREE? MM-HMM.
AND WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO WAS THE, 'CAUSE I KNOW WHEN WE MOVED THE ELECTIONS, UM, WE MOVED THEM TO NOVEMBER BECAUSE THE WHOLE POINT OF THAT WAS FOR VOTER TURNOUT.
WE WANTED TO HIRE VOTER TURNOUT AND GOD WILLING, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET THIS NOVEMBER.
UM, BUT I KNOW DAN HAD MENTIONED IT BEFORE THAT WHILE LIKE FRANK AND I AND MET, UH, FRANK, MYSELF AND, AND, UM, MIKE ARE GONNA GET THE HIGH VOTER TURNOUT, UH, BECAUSE IT'S A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR NEXT YEAR WHEN YOU GUYS GO UP FOR VOTE, YOU GUYS WILL NOT GET, WILL BENEFIT, WILL NOT BENEFIT FROM THAT HIGH VOTER TURNOUT.
SO WHAT WE WERE, WHAT, SO IT WAS, WE WERE THINKING, I KNOW IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT WE WERE THINKING ABOUT MAYBE AT LEAST DISCUSSING, UM, SWITCHING THE TERMS, UM, FOR THE CITY COMMISSIONERS.
'CAUSE I KNOW I THINK MCCALLAN, WAS IT MCCALLAN? I THINK MCCALLAN SWITCHED IT TO FROM THREE YEARS.
THEY MOVED IT TO FOUR YEARS, I THINK.
I'M NOT SURE IF BROWNSVILLE DID IT AS WELL.
UM, BUT I KNOW, I THINK I'M PRETTY SURE MCCALLEN DID IT.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE SPOKE AND EDENBERG DID IT TOO, DIDN'T IT? 'CAUSE I KNOW WE WERE SPEAKING TO THE MAYOR, RAMIRO, I THINK HE SAID IT WAS FOUR YEARS TOO.
I THINK THEY'VE ALWAYS HAD FOUR YEARS.
SO I KNOW OURS AND I THINK MOVING THE TERMS TO FOUR YEARS WOULD GO, WOULD PLAY ALONG WITH THAT.
WHERE ARE WE? SECTION THREE, ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION THREE.
[03:15:01]
THAT'S PAGE NINE.AND THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS OUT, BECAUSE I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF VOTER TURNOUT AND I THINK THAT IF WE WERE TO KEEP IT, UH, WE WOULD MOVE IT TO FOUR YEARS.
THAT THAT MEANS WE, WE'D, UH, ENSURE THAT EVERY ELECTION THAT WE HAVE FOR THE CITY COMMISSION OR THE MAYOR WOULD ALWAYS HAVE A HIGHER TURNOUT BECAUSE IT WOULD EITHER BE A PRESIDENTIAL ONE OR IT WOULD BE THE, THE ELECTION OF A GOVERNOR.
AND THIS IS ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION THREE.
SO LAST, SO LAST YEAR WAS CHANGED TERM LIMITS.
THREE THREE YEAR TERMS, CORRECT? FOUR.
I WAS TRYING TO GET IT LOWER, BUT I HAD TO COMPROMISE.
THREE YEAR TERMS. THREE YEAR TERMS. FOUR, THREE YEAR TERMS. FOUR, THREE.
SO THIS IS MAKING FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERMS. NO, I DON'T, I WANT, I WOULD WANNA KEEP THE AT 12 YEARS, SO IT'D BE THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS. THREE, FOUR YEAR.
THEY'RE LIKE, WE'RE NOT SWITCHING THE, THE 10, THE LENGTH YEAR TERMS. WE'RE JUST SWITCHING THE TERM THE, THE AMOUNT OF THE TERM.
UM, SO LIKE IN OTHER WORDS, INSTEAD OF, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS BEING ELECTED FOR THREE YEARS, THEY'LL BE ELECTED FOR FOUR YEARS.
AND THAT WOULD ENSURE THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS HAVE, UM, HIGH VOTER TURNOUT.
BECAUSE THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, LIKE FOR YOUR ELECTION, UM, I THINK NEXT YEAR IS ONLY GONNA BE A CONSTITUTIONAL ELECTION.
SO THAT MEANS HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY GO OUT AND VOTE FOR THAT.
IT'S GONNA BE VERY, VERY, OKAY.
BUT GENERALLY IF YOU LOOK AT ALL THE, THE, THE, THE VOTER, RIGHT? THE VOTER TURNOUT, IT'S VERY, VERY LOW.
AND I THINK, UH, IN A POSITION IN THE CITY FOR THE CITY COMMISSION, I THINK YOU ALWAYS WANT TO AIM FOR THE HIGHEST VOTER TURNOUT.
BECAUSE IN PREVIOUS ELECTIONS, AND I WOULD LOOK AT IT AND YOU WOULD SEE LIKE 200 PEOPLE VOTED, 300 PEOPLE VOTED.
AND IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT FOR A, FOR A CITY WITH A POPULATION OF CLOSE TO 80,000 PEOPLE, YOU HAVE LESS THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE VOTING.
IT'S NOT A TRUE, UH, REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THE, WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT.
SO IF WE MOVE IT TO EVERY PRESIDENTIAL AND EVERY GOVERNOR ELECTION, WE'RE GOING TO BE INSURED THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT.
AND THAT MEANS THE PEOPLE THAT WILL, THAT WOULD EXTEND US A YEAR.
AND THEN THERE, THERE IS PRECEDENT FOR THAT BECAUSE WHEN WE DID MOVE THE ELECTIONS, UM, UH, TO NOVEMBER, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THREE OF OUR TERMS. THEY GOT, THEY GOT EXTENDED FOR, UM, SIX MONTHS.
SO, AND THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THAT WOULD EX BE EXTENDED.
BUT THEN AFTER, AFTER THIS ELECTION, YOU GUYS WOULD GO UP FOR ELECTION IN 2026, YOU GUYS WOULD BE UP FOR, WELL I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THE NEXT ELECTION WOULD BE 2026.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE, AM I DOING MY MATH RIGHT? THE NEXT ELECTION WOULD BE 2028.
THE NUMBERS GUY ASKS MIKE, I DON'T KNOW.
THE NEXT GOVERNOR ELECTION WILL BE 2026 AND THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL WOULD BE IN 2028.
SO THIS ALWAYS ENSURES THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE HIGHER VOTER TURNOUT, UM, AT EVERY ELECTION FOR THE GUYS ON THE RIGHT.
AND, AND AND, AND YOUR OTHER, YOUR FORMERS PREDECESSORS.
THEY MOVED THE ELECTION TO NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.
THE ARGUMENT WAS, WELL HIS ARGUMENT WAS VOTER TURNOUT.
BUT THEN THE OTHER ELECTIONS, AND I FORGET THE MATHEMATICAL FORMULA, BUT THE OTHER ELECTIONS WOULD NOT OCCUR ON ELECTION YEARS
AND SO, AND THIS WOULD FIX THIS IN RED ABOUT CHANGING.
SO, UM, I I'M GONNA JUST ASK DELIA A QUESTION 'CAUSE YOU'RE STILL HERE.
UM, WHAT DID THE COMMITTEE SOME OF US HERE VALUE WITH THE COMMITTEE?
I, I TELL YOU WHAT THEY, I HAD TO JUST THROW THAT IN THERE.
ANYHOW, UM, THE, THE, THE COMMITTEE, THIS WAS, THIS PRESENTED.
UM, AND WHAT DID THE COMMITTEE CONSIDER IN TERMS OF WHY, WHY DON'T WE HAVE A SLIDE ON ON THIS? WE ACTUALLY DID CONSIDER THAT COMMENT FROM THE COMMISSION ON WHETHER TO MOVE TO FOUR YEAR TERMS, UH, OR STICK TO THREE YEAR TERMS. AND WE DEBATED IT INTERNALLY AND THE COMMITTEE DECIDED THAT, UH, BECAUSE THE VOTE WAS SO RECENT AND THE PUBLIC SELECTED FOUR, THREE YEAR TERMS, WE DECIDED TO LEAVE IT ALONE AS IS AND ALLOW THE COMMISSION TO, TO DETERMINE WHICH DIRECTION TO TAKE.
THAT BEING SAID, UH, WE AS A COMMITTEE ALSO WANTED TO COMMENT THAT IF THE COMMISSION IS GOING TO TAKE THIS TO A VOTE TO, UM, CHANGE THE, THE, THE YEARS OF TERMS, THEN THE COMMITTEE WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS. YEAH.
I THINK 'CAUSE ULTIMATELY I THINK THIS IS 'CAUSE EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING HERE RIGHT NOW, LIKE EVERY, ALL THESE VOTES THAT WE'RE TAKING, UM, I THINK PEOPLE, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY FOR THE PEOPLE AT HOME, OUR, OUR, OUR DECISION DECISION'S NOT FINAL BECAUSE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA HAVE THE ULTIMATE DECISION, IT'S GONNA BE NOVEMBER AND IT'S GONNA BE THE, THE, THE CITIZENS OF HARLINGEN, YOU PEOPLE AT HOME, THE YOU RESIDENTS AT HOME ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA DECIDE WHETHER YOU THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA OR WHETHER IT'S A BAD IDEA.
SO BY SWITCHING IT OVER HERE, MY OPINION IS THAT WE SHOULD SWITCH IT OVER TO FOUR YEAR TERMS, ENSURE HIGHER VOTER
[03:20:01]
TURNOUT IN EVERY, UH, MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION ELECTION.AND I WOULD HOPE THAT IN NOVEMBER THE PEOPLE WOULD VOTE FOR THAT AS WELL.
AND IF THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T.
I THINK IT'S A BAD IDEA TO EXTEND OUR TERMS. UM, THAT'S JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION BECAUSE WE WERE ELECTED FOR THREE YEAR TERMS AND THEN, UM, WE GOT THREE AND A HALF, THREE YEARS AND SIX MONTHS ON OUR TERMS. AND SO, AND THE VOTERS JUST VOTED FOR, FOR THAT.
AND IT'S NOT FOR THE, THE TERM THEY RIGHT.
THEY VOTED, THEY VOTED TO MOVE THE MOVE THE ELECTIONS NOVEMBER.
BUT THEY VOTED FOR TERM LIMITS, WHICH IS, WOULD STILL STAY IN EFFECT.
SO, BUT THEY DIDN'T VOTE TO KEEP US HERE FOR EIGHT YEARS.
THEY VOTED TO KEEP US HERE FOR SIX YEARS.
YEAH, BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T GIVEN, THEY WEREN'T GIVEN THE OPTION.
THIS GOES BACK TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER.
WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, GIVING THE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO VOTE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA VOTE.
THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T WANT IT, THEY DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT.
WHICH IS WHAT I SAID EARLIER, BUT THAT DIED.
BUT NOW IT'S HERE AND IT'S, IT'S DIFFERENT.
SO MATHEMATICALLY, YEAH, WITH THE TERM LIMITS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE.
THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD ALL HAVE TO RESIGN.
NO, THEY WOULDN'T, UH, UH, SIX MONTHS INTO THEIR THIRD TERM BECAUSE IF YOU'RE MOVING THE ELECTION BACK, HE'S, HE'S SUGGESTING CHANGING, WHICH I THINK IS GREAT IN TERMS OF, UM, IF, IF, IF THAT'S THE ROUTE YOU'RE GONNA DO IS PUT IT ON THE BALLOT, THEN IT ONLY MAKES SENSE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT AND TO PUT THE TERM LIMITS TO ALIGN WITH WHAT THE VOTERS APPROVED LAST TIME.
AND SO YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE MORE THAN 12 YEARS.
SO THEN THAT MEANS YOU COULD ONLY SERVE THREE TERMS IS WHAT YOU SAID.
RIGHT? SO, WELL, IT'S, IT'S 'CAUSE LIKE I KNOW WHAT MIKE IS SAYING, BUT, UM, LIKE IT'S, THE WAY WE DID IT, MIKE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THE WAY WE DID IT IS BECAUSE WE MADE IT, UM, NOT, NOT, NOT, UH, WE MADE IT.
THAT DID NOT, IT DID NOT TAKE INTO PLACE UNTIL THIS COMING ELECTION.
SO SAY FOR EXAMPLE, FOR YOU, YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR, WHAT, 10 YEARS? 15 YEARS? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE? I DON'T KNOW.
SO YOU'VE BEEN HERE THE LONGEST.
SO YOU'VE BEEN HERE TO SCORE THAT WAY IN LIFE.
SO YOU'VE BEEN HERE FOR ABOUT, WE, WE'LL EXAGGERATE MAYBE 12 YEARS.
SO THE WAY WE SET IT UP WAS, AND I KNOW THE, AT THE TIME, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE QUESTIONING BECAUSE OF THE, OF THE MAYOR BOSWELL.
AND WE, WE SPECIFICALLY SAID, IT DOESN'T, WHAT YOU DID BEFORE DOESN'T COUNT WHAT YOU DID.
DOES, UH, WHAT YOU DID BEFORE DOESN'T COUNT.
SO LIKE AS OF RIGHT NOW, SO YOU'VE BEEN HERE SAY 12 YEARS, YOU COULD STILL TECHNICALLY UNDER THE WAY IT'S SET UP RIGHT NOW, STILL SERVE FOR AN ADDITIONAL, UM, 12 YEARS.
AND THAT WOULD PUT YOU UP AT LIKE, AT 22.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESIGN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I'M ONLY RUNNING ONE MORE TIME.
WHAT, WHAT I'M SAYING FOR YOUR ARGUMENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE.
BUT AGAIN, THIS, THIS IS MY, THIS IS MY, UH, SUGGESTION.
UH, BECAUSE I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF VOTER TURNOUT AND I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA OF ONLY A FEW PEOPLE, UM, BEING ABLE TO VOTE.
UM, SO WHY DIDN'T Y'ALL FIX THAT WHEN YOU PUT IT ON THE BALLOT SO THAT WAY IT WOULD MAKE SENSE.
HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? HINDSIGHT'S 2020.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE.
YOU KNOW WHAT, IF I COULD GO BACK, I WOULD CHANGE IT TO THAT.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S WHAT MACALLAN DID.
UM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT WASN'T AT THE TIME MY, MY, I WAS FOCUSED AND MY FOCUS WAS TERM LIMITS.
I WAS TIRED OF PEOPLE BEING HERE FOR 20 YEARS PLUS AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF.
SO NOW THAT I LOOK BACK, DO I WISH I HAD MADE THAT CHANGE? YES, I DO.
BUT RIGHT NOW I'M JUST SEEING WHAT YOU GUYS THINK.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE DISCUSSING IT AND I'M THINKING ABOUT LIKE, THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT.
AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY MAJOR THING.
I WANT PEOPLE TO GO OUT THERE AND VOTE.
I I KNOW ARLINGTON'S PASSED WHERE WE HAVE VERY FEW VOTERS AND I'M PROUD TO THE FACT, AND I MENTIONED IT LAST TIME, I SPOKE TO ONE OF THE, I THINK THE MAYOR FROM EDINBURG IS THAT PRIOR TO OUR CHANGE WHERE, WHERE WE, WHERE WE, UM, OPENED UP THE ELECTIONS, UM, I REMEMBER WHEN REMY CAME, HE WAS TELLING US THAT, UM, HAREN HAD A HISTORIC, UH, YOU KNOW, WE AVERAGED ABOUT THREE TO 4% VOTER TURNOUT IN OUR, IN OUR CITY ELECTIONS.
AND THEN BECAUSE THE CHANGES THAT FRANK AND I MADE, UM, WHERE WE OPENED UP THE BALLOT BOX WE HAD, WE OPENED UP EARLY VOTING AND ALL THAT, WE JUMPED UP FROM THREE TO 4% TO 16%.
AND IS THAT WHERE WE WANT TO BE? NO, I WANT IT TO BE ME.
I WOULD WANT IT TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I KNOW IT'LL NEVER GET THERE, BUT I WANT IT TO BE HIGHER.
AND I THINK BY MOVING THIS WHERE THE ELECTIONS ARE HELD ON EITHER A PRESIDENTIAL OR A GOVERNOR ELECTION, THAT WILL INCREASE VOTER TURNOUTS.
I THINK THE WAY WE CAN DO IT, UM, MAYOR OR, 'CAUSE I HAVE THE SAME CONCERN NOW.
IT SEEMS LIKE I JUST KEEP EXTENDING MY TERM, EXTENDING MY TERM, EXTENDING MY TERM.
AND THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT WHAT I WANT.
WHAT WE CAN DO, AND IT WAS DONE WHEN THEY DRAFTED THIS CHARTER, IS THERE WERE CERTAIN MEMBERS THAT ONLY GOT A ONE YEAR TERM.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEN IT ROLLED IN.
SO WHAT WE COULD HAPPEN IS DURING OUR ELECTION, WE WOULD ONLY HAVE A, WE WOULD BE RUNNING, BUT HYPOTHETICALLY
[03:25:01]
THE THREE OF US FOR A ONE YEAR TERM.AND THEN THAT NEXT ONE, IT KICKS IN FOR FOUR YEARS SO THAT THEY WOULD STAY ON THE PRESIDENTIAL AND WE WOULD BE ON THE GOVERNOR RACE.
'CAUSE I THOUGHT, YOU DON'T WANT ALL SIX SLOTS ALL ON THE SAME ELECTION.
'CAUSE HYPOTHETICALLY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A WHOLE NEW SLATE AND THEN NO ONE KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO YOU WANT YES, THE FOUNDERS WERE SMART TO KEEP THEM STAGGERED.
AND THAT'S THE WAY, IF YOU DON'T WANNA DO IT THAT WAY, WHERE YOU EXTEND IT TO FOUR YEARS, WE RUN FOR A ONE YEAR, UH, UH, UH, ONE YEAR TERM, AND THEN IT KICKS INTO FOUR YEARS.
NO ONE WANTS TO RUN FOR ONE TERM.
I I, THE THING IS, I I DON'T YOU'RE EXTENDING IT FOR IT.
THIS IS, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.
I MEAN, THESE ARE EX EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO I DON'T SEE THE FOR ONE YEAR.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, WHO IS IT? I KNOW IT WAS VICTOR WHEN VICTOR WAS IN OFFICE, I KNOW HE SERVED A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN USUAL OR SHORTER, SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE I, SOMEBODY THAT HE WAS RUNNING FOR EITHER LEFT OR DID SOMETHING.
AND I KNOW HE CAME IN AT A WEIRD TIME.
UM, 'CAUSE I DID ALL HIS RESEARCH.
I DID RESEARCH ON HIM, BUT, UM, TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAT THAT'S YOUR AN UNEXPIRED TERM.
BUT SO THERE IS A, UH, YOU CAN TECHNICALLY SERVE LONGER, BUT THIS IS JUST THAT ONE TIME TO GET EVERYTHING SET IN STONE WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF VOTER TURNOUT, AND I WISH THAT YOU GUYS WOULD HAVE VISITED THAT WHEN YOU WERE PUTTING THE PROPOSITIONS ON THE BALLOT.
I THINK EVERYBODY THAT WAS VOTING, OR AT LEAST I, I, I SAW THAT LIKE, THIS IS NOT, THIS ISN'T SMART.
YOU SHOULD HAVE REACHED OUT TO YOUR COMMISSIONER.
AND ANYHOW, UM, I JUST, I HAVE A REAL, I HAVE A HARD, I HAVE A HARD TIME BECAUSE NONE OF THE OTHER, NONE OF THE OTHER, UM, PROPOSITIONS REALLY IMPACT US DIRECTLY.
RIGHT? EVEN THIS THING WITH THE, THE, THE, THE PAY.
YOU COULD HAVE SAID WHAT YOU SAID THERE, DANIEL, LIKE, THIS COMMISSION ISN'T GOING TO TAKE, IT WOULD BE FUTURE COMMISSIONS.
AND THEN THAT WOULD'VE BEEN FINE.
AND THAT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH, WITH THIS COMMISSION.
BUT THIS SPECIFIC CHANGE DOES IN FACT EXTEND OUR TERMS INDIVIDUALLY.
SO NOW I DO HAVE A PERSONAL, UM, GAIN FROM THIS SPECIFIC CHANGE.
AND I THINK THAT THE, THAT THE VOTERS VOTED FOR FOR THREE YEARS AND, UM, THEY DIDN'T HAVE VOTE FOR THREE YEARS.
I, HUH? THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR THREE YEARS.
THEY VOTED FOR TERM LIMITS FOR 12 YEARS.
NO, BUT THEY VOTED FOR US TO, TO BE IN OFFICE WITH FOR A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
NO, THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR 12 YEARS.
FOUR, THREE YEAR TERMS. THAT'S 12 YEARS.
THAT'S ASSUMING THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CONTINUE TO RUN IF YOU KEEP SERVING.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY ONLY RESERVATION.
BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, UM, Y'ALL'S DECISION.
BUT, UM, I'LL JUST POINT OUT THAT NOT ALL MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE FOUR YEAR TERMS TO DO IT, TO ALIGN WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND THE GOVERNOR'S ELECTION.
EDINBURGH SPECIFICALLY ARE ON OFF YEARS, AND THEY DO THAT SO THAT WAY THEY DON'T ALIGN.
SO THEY'RE FOUR YEARS, BUT THEY'RE ON THE ODD NUMBERS.
SO THAT WAY, UM, LIKE THEY, THEY'RE NOT ON THE BAT.
LIKE THIS YEAR, THE EDINBURGH DOESN'T HAVE ANYBODY RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
THEY HAVE PROPOSITIONS ON THE BALLOT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE ANYBODY RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
SO IT SEPARATES, WHICH IS I THINK WHAT YOU WERE A PROPONENT OF CITY GOVERNMENT STAFF AND, AND THE GENERAL ELECTION.
SO THE FOUR YEARS FOR THEM ISN'T FOR VOTER TURNOUT.
IT'S FOUR YEARS BECAUSE, UM, I WOULD IMAGINE THEY FEEL, WHICH IS A VALID POINT.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO SEE THINGS TO FRUITION.
AND THERE'S LOTS OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN FOUR YEARS.
UM, IT'S JUST FOR THIS ONE, I, I, I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA THIS WOULD INCREASE RUN FOR ONE, THIS WOULD INCREASE YOUR TERMS THE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS ON THIS CYCLE.
LIKE, IT'S JUST LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS.
LIKE WHEN IS SHE EVER GONNA BE OUT OF OFFICE? RIGHT.
YOU CAN ALWAYS NOT RUN FOR REELECTION.
THAT'S ONE OPTION RIGHT THERE.
I DON'T NEED YOU IN HERE, BUT, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS, I MEAN, YOU SEE MY POINT, THAT IS MY ONLY RESERVATION, BUT, UM, IT'S, I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU MAYOR.
MAYBE IT NEEDS TO BE IN THE 2025, SHOULD I AGREE.
BUT ANNETTE, YOU KNOW, TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THIS IS ALL HIS FAULT.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK, I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
THAT'S THE, THE WILL IN MY MIND.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WANTED, THE VOTERS.
AND THAT'S WHEN I WENT TO THE POLLS TO VOTE FOR THAT.
I PERSONALLY ALSO DIDN'T DO THE MATH.
'CAUSE I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, MY COMMISSIONERS SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
I THINK WE NEED TO GO THE FOUR YEARS.
I WAS SAYING TOO, I DON'T CARE WHERE WE GO FOUR AND I'M FINE DOING IT WHERE WE DO A ONE YEAR RUN AND THEN WE GO RUN FOR FOUR YEARS AFTER THAT.
[03:30:01]
BIG MISTAKE BECAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO, TO CAMPAIGN AND YOU, YOU KNOW, AND THEN TO BE IN OFFICE FOR ONE YEAR.WELL, I RAN THE MISOGYNIST, DESTROYED A WOMAN COMMISSIONER FOR ONE YEAR.
NO, I RAN, I SERVED SIX MONTHS AND HAD TO RUN AGAIN.
BUT YOU WERE FILLING SOMEBODY'S TERM.
YOU WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, UH, DANIEL IS SUGGESTING IS THAT WE RUN FOR A ONE YEAR TERM.
IT'S, AND THERE'S PRECEDENT 'CAUSE IT'S IN OUR CHARTER.
I THINK THAT'S LIKE, LIKE WHO WANTS TO WHO? I MEAN, THAT'S JUST, I EVEN THINK THAT THE STATE REPS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE RUNNING EVERY TWO YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT ONE YEAR THAT THEY ARE OUT THERE, UM, CAMPAIGNING, AND THEN ONE YEAR THEY'RE IN SESSION AND THEY'RE ALWAYS CAMPAIGNING.
AND I ALWAYS ASSU THINK, YOU KNOW, ARE ARE THE DECISIONS THAT THEY'RE MAKING, ARE THEY, BECAUSE OF THEY'RE ON, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ON IT'S ELECTION TIME BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS ELECTION TIME, YOU KNOW? AND SO YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THAT ONE YEAR.
HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO IN THE CITY IF ALL WE'RE DOING IS THAT WE'RE OUT THERE CAMPAIGNING FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE YEAR? I THINK THAT'S JUST, WELL, WE GOTTA PUT IN MORE THAN 12 HOURS THOUGH.
RIGHT? WELL, SHOOT MAN,
I JUST THINK THAT'S A BAD, A BAD WAY.
I'M SAYING THERE'S TWO WAYS, RIGHT? THAT'S THE WAY I'M LOOKING AT IT, BECAUSE IT LOOKS YOU'RE GOING THAT DIRECTION.
BECAUSE IT'S THE EXTENSION OF A, OF OUR TERMS. THAT'S DOESN'T, THAT'S NOT, BUT IT'S, AND THEN THE OTHER IS WE RUN ONE FOR ONE YEAR, AND THEN YOU GO FOR THE FOUR YEARS.
WELL, THE THIRD IS THE STATUS QUO, AND WE JUST RUN IN AN OFF YEAR.
IT MAY NOT BE AS MANY AS WOULD VOTE A, A GOVERNOR ELECTION OR A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, BUT IT DOESN'T DISRUPT THE KARMA.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING RUNS AS NORMAL.
BUT I, I THINK THAT LIKE WHEN PEOPLE, LIKE YOU SAID, WHEN PEOPLE WENT OUT AND VOTED AND THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT WHEN WE WERE VOTING, WHEN THEY WERE VOTING LAST ELECTION, THAT THEY WERE MOVING THE ELECTION TO NOVEMBER.
I THINK THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD, AND I'M SURE YOU DID TOO, THAT YOU, YOU UNDERSTOOD THAT THE WHOLE REASON WE'RE MOVING IT TO NOVEMBER, OF COURSE, IS BECAUSE OF VOTER TURNOUT.
AND I THINK WE NEED TO PUSH THAT.
I MEAN, I'M A, I'M, I'M REPEATING MYSELF, BUT I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF VOTER TURNOUT.
WE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE COME OUT AND VOTE.
AND, AND I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU MENTIONED EDINBURG, UM, HOW THEY PURPOSELY PUT THEIRS ON OFF YEARS.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT THEIR VOTER TURNOUT IS.
UM, BECAUSE I, WE NEED TO HAVE PEOPLE GO OUT THERE AND VOTE.
THE ONLY TIME THIS COMMISSION IS A TRUE REPRESENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY IS WHEN PEOPLE GO OUT THERE AND VOTE.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE 600, 500 PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE IN PREVIOUS ELECTIONS.
LIKE I WAS TALKING TO FRANK ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY, AND WHEN OUR ELECTION COMES IN NOVEMBER, I'M HOPING TO SEE IN THE, THE NUMBERS IN THE THOUSANDS.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I WOULD, I WOULD
WELL, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER FETIS OVER HERE SAYS THAT, THAT THERE WAS RECORD TURNOUT OF VOTING.
I THINK IT WAS THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE BALLOT THAT DROVE THE PEOPLE OUT TO VOTE
THAT WAS DEFINITELY THE TRUTH FOR DISTRICT TWO.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ANYWAY.
AND IF YOU DO TAKE CREDIT FOR THAT, YOU ALSO HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE PEOPLE WHO EXTENDED THE VOTING EARLY VOTING HOURS.
WELL, THERE WAS, THERE WERE NO PRESIDENT ON THAT, ON THAT BALLOT.
THERE WAS NO, IT WAS JUST THE GOVERNOR, RIGHT? NO, THERE WASN'T THE GOVERNOR.
SO IMAGINE IT'S 16% THEN RIGHT THERE.
ON YOUR IMAGINE WHAT IT COULD BE GOOD CANDIDATES AND THEY'LL BE GOOD, BUT LOOK AT WHAT THE OUTCOME WAS.
I'M THINKING
UM, BUT, BUT NO, BUT I CAN, I RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT, THAT I CAN, I CAN READ THE ROOM AND I SEE THAT THAT'S WHERE Y'ALL ARE GOING.
SO, UM, I, I WOULD HIGHLY DISCOURAGE THIS WHOLE ONE YEAR.
UM, IT'S JUST, IT'S TOO TAXING FOR, FOR ANYONE, UM, THAT IS WANTING TO, TO RUN.
AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE, WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHETHER YOU, YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKE TO RUN OR NOT RUN, AND HOW, HOW IT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO HAVE SOMEBODY RUN FOR ONE YEAR AND THEN HAVE TO DO, YOU KNOW, TO DO THAT AGAIN.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S GOOD FOR, UH, GOVERNANCE OF THE CITY.
DON'T, I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD DO THE, MY OPINION IS, I DON'T, AGAIN, THIS, THIS WOULD AFFECT YOU GUYS, NOT, NOT MY ELECTION.
BUT I, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU GUYS SHOULD, UM, DO THE ONE YEAR.
I THINK YOU GUYS SHOULD JUST DO THE, DO THE EXTENSION.
AND I THINK, UM, ULTIMATELY THE, THE PEOPLE, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU GUYS ARE NOT GONNA BE DECIDING.
IT'S GONNA BE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA DECIDE.
THEY'LL KNOW THAT, HEY, IF I VOTE FOR THIS GUY, UM, I'M GOING TO, IF I VOTE FOR THIS, IF I VOTE FOR THIS, THAT'S GONNA EXTEND THEIR TERM.
AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT PEOPLE WERE AWARE OF THAT
[03:35:01]
WHEN THEY VOTED.BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE DOING MOVING THE NOVEMBER, THE ELECTIONS, NOVEMBER, MAYOR BOSWELL SITTING WHERE YOU'RE AT RIGHT NOW, NORMA LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT, HEY, IF YOU VOTE FOR MOVING THE ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER, THESE GUYS, AND HE POINTED AT ALL OF US, UM, ARE GONNA BE EXTENDED SIX MONTHS.
SO THE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE AWARE OF IT.
YOU'RE MAKING PEOPLE AWARE OF IT RIGHT NOW.
BUT I THINK THE PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.
AND I DON'T THINK YOU GUYS, I AGREE WITH NORMA, THE ONE YEAR THING.
I DON'T THINK I, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
'CAUSE YOU WANT GIVE THE PEOPLE THE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WELL, NOT, NOT THAT IT'S NOT RIGHT, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT YOU SIGNED UP FOR.
BUT, UH, AT THE SAME TIME, I JUST THINK THE FOUR YEARS ARE NECESSARY FOR THE VOTER TURNOUT.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE THE ULTIMATE DECISION TO THE PEOPLE OF ORANGE.
SO IS THAT A MOTION OR WHAT? YES, I MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, CHANGE THE LENGTH OF TERM OF OFFICE FOR THE CITY COMMISSIONER AND THE MAYOR TO FOUR YEARS TO ALIGN WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL AND, UM, GOVERNOR ELECTIONS.
UM, UH, IN ORDER TO PROVE VOTER TURNOUT, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE ABOUT, UH, THAT THE TOTAL TERMS IS 12 YEARS ARE THE OH, YES.
AND THE TOTAL TERMS. TERM LIMITS WILL STAY IN EFFECT.
AND THE TOTAL TERMS, UM, WILL BE 12 YEARS TOTAL.
SO AGAIN, I HAVE THIS QUESTION TOTAL LENGTH, THIS QUESTION.
NOW, NOW THAT WE ARE, UM, ACTUALLY, OR YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY GONNA GO VOTE ON THIS, CAN YOU VOTE ON THOSE? CAN YOU, CAN THOSE, UM, CAN THAT BE IN ONE SINGLE PROPOSITION MARK? YEAH, I, YEAH, I, I THINK SO.
BECAUSE THE TERM OF OFFICE OF THE OBJECTION, TERM OF OFFICE OF THE COMMISSION, I WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S EVEN, OKAY.
DO YOU KNOW, DO YOU, YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE PROPOSITION.
IT'S GOING TO SAY TO CHANGE THE, UM, THE WHERE IS IT? CAN YOU, WHERE WHAT, WHAT CAN I NEED TO READ IT? UM, WELL, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CHANGING THE TERMS FROM THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS TO FOUR, THREE YEAR TERMS TO COINCIDE WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL AND THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION.
AND THEN, UM, YOU MIGHT HAVE A SEPARATE MEASURE FOR TERM LIMITS TO STAY IN EFFECT FOR 12.
BUT MAYOR, I THINK IT, SO RIGHT HERE, IT, IT, IT KIND OF DOESN'T, YOU HAVE TO DO IT IN ONE BECAUSE IF YOU ONE PASSES AND THE OTHER FAILS, THEN YOU'RE IN A PICKLE.
I KNOW, BUT HOW ARE YOU GONNA PUT THE LANGUAGE TO THAT, THAT THE, THAT THE LANGUAGE ON THE, WHERE DOES IT GO? THE WAY YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD MAKE IT SIMPLER.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND MY QUESTION? YOU PROVE THAT COMMISSIONERS CAN HAVE UP TO THREE, FOUR YEAR TERMS. THE THING IS, I, I THINK RIGHT NOW, MAYOR, WE JUST NEED TO VOTE ON WHAT IT IS YOU WANT TO HAVE DONE AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK, PROPOSED, COME UP WITH THE PROPOSITION LANGUAGE.
BUT MATHEMATICALLY THEN THEY WILL BE SERVING FOUR AND A HALF YEARS.
AND SO THEN WITH THE TERM LIMITS, THEY WILL HAVE TO RESIGN IN THEIR LAST TERM, ASSUMING THESE INDIVIDUALS RUN AGAIN AND RUN AGAIN BECAUSE YOU'RE LIMITING THEM TO 12 YEARS.
AND THE FIRST TERM IS 12 AND A HALF, I'LL BE RIGHT.
NO, THE TERM LIMITS WOULD GO IF YOU VOTED IT THAT WAY, THE TERM LIMITS WOULD GO INTO EFFECT AFTER THE TECHNICALLY THE TERMS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING IN RIGHT NOW, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING FROM PAGE NINE, DEPENDS HOW, IT DEPENDS HOW THE LANGUAGE IS WORDED ON THE BALLOT.
BUT YOU CAN WORD IT THAT WAY BECAUSE THE TERM LIMITS DON'T GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL OUR ELECTION.
SO OUR ELECTION IS WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY GO INTO EFFECT, OUR ELECTION RIGHT NOW IN NOVEMBER.
SO TECHNICALLY THE TERM LIMITS DON'T, THIS, THIS TERM THAT THEY'RE SERVING RIGHT NOW TECHNICALLY DOESN'T COUNT FOR THEM WHEN IT COMES TO THE TERM LIMITS, SO THAT THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO RESIGN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO THEN WHY, WHY, WHY DON'T WE JUST MAKE IT SIMPLE AND THEN LENGTHEN THE TERM TO FOUR YEARS INSTEAD OF THREE? OKAY.
I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE, I, I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT BEFORE YOU SAY THAT, THE, THE MOTION, OKAY, SO IT SAYS, UM, IN THE FIRST ELECTION, OKAY, TELL YOU THOUGHT I WAS JOKING ABOUT THE 2:00 AM RIGHT? THREE, THREE.
THREE COMMISSIONERS SHALL SERVE THREE YEAR TERMS THEREAFTER.
EACH COMMISSIONERS SHALL SERVE THREE YEAR TERMS. THAT'S WHERE THE CHANGE IS.
WE HAVEN'T EVEN STRETCHED YET.
WELL, THIS, THIS WHOLE LANGUAGE INTERMISSION WOULD'VE TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE, UM, IT WOULD BE THAT THERE WERE EXTENDING THE TERMS TO THREE, THREE YEAR TERMS. SO THEN HERE IT WOULD READ WITH WHICH THREE COMMISSIONERS SHALL SERVE FOUR YEAR TERMS THEREAFTER.
EACH COMMISSIONER SHALL SERVE FOUR, FOUR YEAR TERMS. IS THAT, I JUST DON'T KNOW.
WE, WE HAVE, THAT'S WHY WE LEAVE IT TO MARK.
MARK WOULD'VE TO FIGURE IT OUT.
I JUST, UM, OKAY, SO BECAUSE SOME WOULD BE SERVING FOUR AND A HALF YEAR TERMS LIKE COMMISSIONER MR. MOORE MENTIONED, CORRECT? YEAH.
BUT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT THAT LANGUAGE IN HERE.
MARK CAN OUT, IT GETS ELECTED IF, IF THIS GETS PASSED BY THE PEOPLE OF RNR.
[03:40:01]
EXTENDED ONLY FOR THE, THE HALF YEAR.AND, AND IF IT PASSES MARK AND FIGURE OUT THE LANGUAGE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO FIGURE THAT OUT TODAY.
RIGHT? JUST, JUST, UH, YEAH, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT AND I'LL, I'LL BRING YOU BACK SOMETHING THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
SO THE ONLY, OKAY, BUT IT HAS TO BE ONE.
I'M JUST TELLING YOU I BELIEVE SHOULD BE ONE, ONE.
BECAUSE THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A THING LIKE THAT BROWNSVILLE, REMEMBER BROWNSVILLE WAS LIKE PASS ONE, BUT YOU PASS ONE, YOU DON'T LIKE PASS THE OTHER AND IT BECAME CLUSTER AND NO ONE UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT MEANT.
THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THAT SECTION MAY NEED TO BE REWRITTEN COMPLETELY.
SO THAT WAY IT IT, BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN THE SAME, IN IN THE SAME, UM, PARAGRAPH.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M, THAT MAKE SENSE? OKAY.
BECAUSE YOU SAID EARLIER YOU WOULD SEE THE OLD LANGUAGE AND THE NEW LANGUAGE.
SO NOW YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TWO SECTIONS AND ONE MM-HMM.
THAT'S YOUR JOB, MARK, RIGHT? YES.
SO, OKAY, THE MOTION, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, TO CHANGE THE TERM LENGTHS OF THE CITY COMMISSIONER AND MAYOR TO FOUR YEARS, UM, UH, AND FOR THEM TO ALIGN WITH PRESIDENTIAL AND GOVERNOR ELECTIONS TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT.
AND, AND THE TERM LIMITS STILL STAY.
OH, AND TERM LIMITS WILL REMAIN THE SAME.
UM, WE'LL STILL BE, UM, 12 YEARS.
OKAY? WHY DON'T YOU DO EIGHT YEARS JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE.
CAN I SHOW UP FOR A SECOND? YOU GO TO EIGHT YEARS.
I, I MEAN, IF Y'ALL ARE ALL ABOUT TERM LIMITS, WHEN IT COMES TO TERM LIMITS, I'M THE DADDY.
I'M JUST SAYING, I MEAN, HERE'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY.
YOU LITERAL HAD TO THROW THAT WRINKLE IN LIKE LAST MINUTE APPARENT.
WELL, I MEAN, JUST SAYING THAT, THAT, THAT JUST, I'M DOWN FOR THAT.
IF YOU GUYS ARE, 'CAUSE REMEMBER, EVERYTHING GOES INTO, REMEMBER TERM LIMITS HAVE NOT GONE INTO EFFECT UNTIL THIS, AFTER THIS ELECTION.
SO THE, THE, THIS TERM THAT YOU GUYS ARE SERVING DOESN'T COUNT TOWARD THE TERM LIMITS, BUT JUST LIKE MINE AND FRANK'S TERM RIGHT NOW DOESN'T COUNT JOB OR MIKE'S
WHO'S, IS IT? THE LAWYERS ALWAYS MAKE IT COMPLICATED.
WELL, I'M JUST, YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, I WANT THE VOTERS TO FEEL LIKE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, OKAY, YOU'RE MAKING THIS CHANGE.
WELL, YOU BETTER, YOU, YOU REALLY, IT'S REALLY ABOUT TERM LIMITS.
AND SHOW ME IT'S ABOUT TERM LIMITS.
OKAY? 'CAUSE YOUR 16 YEAR TERM LIMIT, THAT'S RIDICULOUS.
EVEN 1212 IS A LONG TIME TO SERVE.
WHAT, WHAT I, OKAY, SO, SO YOU ALREADY HAVE A MOTION.
AND THE MOTION IS THE 12, THE, THE KEEP, THE TERM LIMITS THE SAME.
CORRECT? IS THERE, WELL, NO, I CAN RECTIFY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE INITIALLY DO YOU GUYS WANNA SWITCH IT TO EIGHT YEARS? SO ARE YOU AMENDING YOUR MOTION TO SAY, OKAY, AMEND THE MOTION, UM, AMENDING THE MOTION TO HAVE THE TURN THE, THE, THE LENGTH OF TERM FOR A CITY COMMISSIONER AND MAYOR TO BE FOUR YEARS, UM, TO BE FOUR YEARS FOR THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSION.
IN ORDER TO IMPROVE VOTER TURNOUTS, THEY HAVE TO LINE WITH THE GOVERNOR AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AND TERM LIMITS WILL BE FOR TWO FOUR YEAR TERMS. UM, FOR EIGHT TOTAL OF EIGHT YEARS.
AND CAN I JUST KIND OF JUST ADD A LITTLE MORE TO IT? AND I'M JUST SAYING, 'CAUSE I TALKED TO ALL THE MAYORS IN THE, IN THE, IN THE CITY ABOUT, UH, IN THE, IN THE REGION.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY WOULD BE A COMMISSIONER THAT SERVES, UM, AND MAY WANT TO SERVE, UH, EIGHT YEARS AS A COMMISSIONER AND THEN MAY WANNA SERVE AS THE MAYOR.
SO THEN YOUR CHURCH, THAT'S OUR, THAT WAS IN THAT ORIGINALLY, RIGHT? LIKE, IT DOESN'T COUNT.
YOUR COMMISSIONER DOESN'T COUNT TOWARD THE MAYOR.
SO, SO LONG AS ANYONE THAT WANTS TO RUN AFTER THEY'VE SERVED THEIR EIGHT YEARS THING IS YOU'RE MAKING IT REAL COMPLICATED.
IT'S GONNA BE REALLY, REALLY, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT, THAT, THAT RIGHT THERE IS WHAT, UM, THEY ARE FIXING IN EDINBURG RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY VOTED TO DO TERM LIMITS AND THEN IT, IT IMPACTED WHETHER TERM LIMITS FOR WHAT, LIKE, RIGHT.
SO I'M JUST SAYING AS LONG AS IT'S CLEAR FROM, AND MARK MAKES THAT CLEAR.
IT BE TERM LIMITS IN THE POSITION FOR WHICH YOU WERE ELECTED, RIGHT? YES.
COMMISSIONER THEN YOU CAN STILL DO, BECAUSE WE DID ORIGINALLY WHERE THE COMMISSIONER AND THEN YOU DO YOUR TERM LIMITS HERE.
AND IF YOU WANNA BE COMMISSIONER, UH, MAYOR, YOU CAN RUN FOR MAYOR AND IT'LL START ALL OVER AGAIN FOR MAYOR.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY TOLD ME WHEN I WAS RUNNING THAT I WAS DOING THE WRONG THING.
YOU CAN'T JUST JUMP IN TO BE MAYOR.
YOU GOTTA BE COMMISSIONER FIRST.
RIGHT? THAT'S THE, THOSE ARE THE RULES THAT I DIDN'T FOLLOW, BUT I'M JUST SAYING I WOULDN'T WANNA CUT THAT CLOSE THAT DOOR OFF.
PROBABLY DRINKING JABS ON EVERYONE.
I DIDN'T HAVE COFFEE UNTIL, KEEP THIS.
CAN WE GO BACK TO THE MAYOR? VOTE
I ASKED, I I DID ASK HER AND I THINK YOU STEPPED OUT AND THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO, TO, UM, DEFER TO THE, TO THE COMMISSION.
YEAH, BECAUSE I WANNA BE RESPECTFUL OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT THEY DIDN'T WANNA HAVE THIS DISCUSSION, I THINK IS PROBABLY WHAT HAPPENED ANYHOW.
[03:45:01]
IS YOUR MOTION.IS THERE A SECOND? I THINK IT WAS, THERE WAS ALREADY A SECOND.
SO HE HAS TO ACCEPT THE AMEND MOTION.
AND THIS IS THE ONLY REASON I THINK THE 12 IS AT TWO TERMS. YOU FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
OR ONE TERM YOU FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, THEN YOU HAVE TWO TERMS OF BEING EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE.
BUT DO I THINK SOMEONE SHOULD BE A COMMISSIONER FOR 12 YEARS? NO.
BECAUSE THERE SOME LOGIC THERE SOMEWHERE.
OKAY, SO, SO I'M I, OKAY, THERE IS ALREADY A MOTION.
IS THERE A SECOND? THERE'S FOR THAT ONE.
IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT FOR THE EIGHTH OR THE 12TH.
BUT YOU GUYS CAN, THE MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR, SO YOU NEED TO SEE IF THERE'S A SECOND OR IT DIES.
AND THEN YOU CAN BRING ANOTHER MOTION.
SO YOU WANNA REDO YOUR MOTION OR IS THERE TWO? WHAT DID YOU WANT? YOU HAVEN'T MENTIONED IT.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT? ARE YOU AGAINST THE FOUR YEAR TERMS? A THREE, TWO? I'M IN FAVOR OF KEEPING EVERYTHING AS IS THREE YEAR TERMS. BUT WHAT ABOUT VOTER TURNOUT? WELL, THE VOTER TURNOUT WILL, WILL BE COMING AROUND.
IT'S NOT AS THERE, THERE'LL BE, WHAT IS IT, TWO OUTTA FOUR YEARS.
WE'LL HAVE PLENTY OF PEOPLE COMING IN DURING THE GOVERNOR'S RACE AND DURING THE PRESIDENTIAL, I DIDN'T SEE THAT ONE COMING.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE OFF YEARS WHERE THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A VOTER TURNOUT.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE SHOULD HAVE CHANGES LIKE TO THE, UH, CHARTER.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
BUT IT'S A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, NOT AN OFF YEAR.
WHAT I, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THE BEST TIME TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE CHARTER AND CERTAIN AMENDMENTS THAT WE NEED FOR THE CHARTER.
ANYTHING ELSE THAT DEALS ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE CHARTER OR FOR THE CITY? IT'S BEST THAT WE DO THOSE CHANGES DURING THE OFF YEARS.
SO THE CITIZENS CAN CONCENTRATE ONLY AND, AND WE CAN PROMOTE IT VIA COMMUNITY, INVOLVE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE, THIS THE COMMISSION IS TRYING TO DO.
BUT THE THING IS, WE, UH, MEAN RIGHT NOW THE WHOLE THING IS WE ARE RUSHING THIS.
I DON'T THINK WE ARE RUSHING IT.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S SELECTION HERE AND STUFF, BUT THIS IS WHEN YOU WANT THE MOST PEOPLE TO GO OUT THERE AND ACTUALLY VOTE.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE MORE EFFECTIVE IF WE PROVIDE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, REAL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT WE WANT OR HERE'S WHAT WE SELECTED AND THEN THEY DECIDE.
BUT WHAT'S MORE POWERFUL? FRANK? FRANK, DIDN'T THIS ALREADY DIE ONCE? YEAH, WE ALREADY VOTED.
SO, SO YOU, YOU WERE AGAINST THE FOUR YEAR TERMS? PARDON? WERE YOU? NO.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE VOTED AGAINST YES, I WAS AGAINST THE FOUR YEAR TERM.
SO YOU HAVE THREE VOTES AGAINST, OKAY, SO IT'S DEAD.
NOW I THINK, UH, WE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK.
DID IT FAIL BECAUSE OF THAT OR DID IT FAIL BECAUSE OF THE TERM LIMIT? THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUTS.
LET'S KIND OF JUST, FRANK, LET'S BACK UP A LITTLE BIT AND THEN, SO WE CAN PUT THIS TO BED ALREADY 'CAUSE IT'S, WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
UM, I I THINK EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION APPRECIATES THE FACT THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS, UM, ON THE BALLOT.
THIS, THIS, THIS TIME AROUND BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT, UM, YOU WISHED THAT THERE HAD BEEN MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
KNOWLEDGE, HOWEVER, WE HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH SEVERAL, UM, ARTICLES AND PROPOSITIONS AND YOU VOTED ON EACH ONE OF THOSE BECAUSE THAT DIDN'T GET A SECOND.
AND SO NOW WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.
CORRECT? BUT HE ASKED ME HOW I VOTED AND I VOTED AGAINST THE FOUR YEAR TERM.
I VOTED AGAINST THE EIGHT YEAR TERM THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO I'M TRYING TO ANSWER HIS QUESTION AS TO WHY I VOTED.
SO I THINK THE QUESTION WAS THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER LOPEZ SAID THAT HE WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH EIGHT YEARS AND WOULD PREFER IT TO BE 12 YEARS.
AND SO WHAT WAS UNCLEAR WAS IF YOU DID NOT WANT TO REDUCE THE TERM LIMITS, ISN'T THAT, IS THAT, THAT THAT RIGHT.
[03:50:01]
DIDN'T WANNA REDUCE THE TERM LIMITS TO EIGHT AND INSTEAD YOU WANTED THEM TO STAY AT THE 12TH.AT THE 12TH, RIGHT? SO, OKAY, SO THERE'S THAT.
SO THEN YOU'RE FINE WITH IT, WITH THE MOTION IF IT, IF THE TERM LIMITS STAYED AT 12.
SO IF THE MOTION WAS THAT THEY WERE MOVING, LET'S, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN CLARIFY THIS.
FOR VOTER, FOR, FOR MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
THEN, THEN THAT'S, THAT, THAT ANSWERS THAT QUESTION.
AS FAR AS THE TERM LIMITS, WE LEAVE IT AS AT 12.
AND MIKE, YOURS WAS YOURS TOO, WAS YOU WERE AGAINST THE, THE FOUR YEAR TERMS, RIGHT? OR WERE YOU AGAINST THE TERM, THE TERM LIMIT PART OF IT? THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
I WAS, AGAIN, I WAS AGAINST EXTENDING IT TO FOUR YEARS.
THAT'S ALL WANTED BECAUSE THEIR TERM WILL BE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS AND THEY RAN FOR THREE YEARS AND THAT'S SORT OF A DECEPTION TO THE VOTERS.
AND SO, JUST SO YOU KNOW, UM,
'CAUSE YOU SERVED THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
YOU'RE TALKING TO WHOM TO YOU BECAUSE ALL THEY'RE DOING IS WHAT, WHAT ALL OF US DID.
I VOTED AGAINST YOUR PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE ELECTION TO NOVEMBER AND EXTEND OUR TERM THREE AND A HALF YEARS.
YOU DIDN'T WANT VOTER TURNOUT.
DON'T YOU PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH? SO LET'S JUST STAY ON TASK.
SO NO, THEY DON'T, THE ONLY THING, UM, I WILL JUST END WITH THIS COMMISSIONER MORALES, IS THAT, UM, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T GO BACK IN 2025 AND PUT ANYTHING ON THE BALLOT THAT IS A PROPOSITION.
SO DID THAT DIE OR WHAT? YES, IT'S DEAD.
CAN WE MOVE ON THEN? MM-HMM,
SO WE'RE GONNA GO TO SECTION 11.
YOU HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS ONE? YEAH.
SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS WEIRD THAT ON I COULD SHALL INSTEAD OF MAY.
SO IF WE CAN JUST CHANGE THAT, GABE? YES SIR.
WHEN YOU'RE ABSENT, DON'T WE HAVE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS STEP IN THE CHARTER? DOESN'T REALLY ALLOW THAT.
HE SOUND SICK AND THAT'S WHY HE CAN COME.
AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WAS JAY.
IT'S ALREADY, I THINK OUR ROLES ARE ALREADY CLEARLY DEFINED.
AND THIS IS MY QUESTION, IS THAT I, I ASK, YOU KNOW, I KNOW GABE'S BUSY, GABE'S WITH NORMAN, LIKE MPO MEETINGS OR HE IS WHEREVER.
AND SO I'LL ASK OSCAR LIKE, HEY OSCAR, WHAT'S THE STATUS ON X? OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, JOSH, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING ON WHATEVER? RIGHT? AND THE WAY I'M READING IT HERE IS I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ASK HIM THAT, THAT LIKE, EVERYTHING I DO WOULD BE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, UH, GABE.
SO IF, IF I ASK LUIS, LUIS, I NEED TO SEE THE DRAINAGE STUDY FOR WHATEVER, HE CAN'T GIVE THAT NOW.
'CAUSE THAT CAN BE CONSIDERED AN ORDER.
BUT, BUT THIS SAYS EXCEPT FOR THE PURPOSE OF INQUIRY AND INVESTIGATION.
SO THAT WOULD BE LIKE A INQUIRING ABOUT A REQUEST.
I SHOULDN'T A REQUEST A STATE MANAGER OF ANY GOING TO APPROVE OR YEAH.
IT'S JUST SAYING HERE, YOU CAN'T TELL 'EM, HEY, YOU GOTTA GO FIRE THIS PERSON.
THAT'S ALREADY AGAINST THE LAW AS IS.
WELL, BUT MIGHT WELL BEEN DOING IT.
WHY WAS, HUH? HE'S BEEN DOING IT.
I WAS GONNA ASK LIKE, DELIA, WHY DID YOU GUYS PUT THAT ONE IN THERE? THIS IS, UM, WE WERE RESEARCHING OTHER CHARTERS FROM OTHER CITIES AND THIS IS A, UH, CLAUSE THAT'S FOUND IN MANY OTHER CHARTERS.
SO WE THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD, WE PROPOSED IT TO THE COMMITTEE, AND THE COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE VOTED TO ACCEPT IT.
I MEAN, I SEE THAT IT, IT, IT FURTHER DEFINES THE ROLES OF THE COMMISSION AS BEING, IMPLEMENTING POLICY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY MANAGER, UM, IS THE, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HIRING AND THE FIRING OF HIS TEAM.
AND THAT THERE'S NO, UM, INFLUENCE OR PRESSURE FROM THE COMMISSION TO SAY, HEY, YOU NEED, WHICH I AGREE IS AGAINST THE LAW, BUT YOU, YOU NOT TO, UM, INSTRUCT HIM TO BE REMOVED FROM, FROM OFFICE OR YOU GO TO JOSH AND SAY, OR, OR
[03:55:02]
THERE'S JOSH.GO TO JOSH AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU NEED TO GET RID OF
THAT'S THE FIRST PART, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND FOR THE RECORD, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
HE'S DOING AN AMAZING JOB AND THINK, YOU KNOW, THESE LITTLE BITE PIECES,
UM, SO I DON'T SEE, I THINK THAT THAT'S GOOD.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT EXCEPT FOR THE REHEARSAL CHANGING THE FIRST FROM SHELL TO MATT.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING ON TO SECTION 14 ABOUT THE CITY ATTORNEY AND AUDITOR.
MY BIGGEST FEAR ON THIS IS THAT THOSE POSITIONS BECOME VERY POLITICAL.
AND I, I CANNOT GET ON BOARD WITH THAT BECAUSE NOW I'M GONNA PICK THE ATTORNEY THAT'S GONNA GO AND HE'S GONNA GIVE ME THE OPINIONS I WANT OR THE AUDITOR TO GIMME THE OPINIONS I WANT.
AND SO I LIKE THAT A NEUTRAL PARTY, WHICH WOULD BE THE CITY MANAGER, MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND THE WAY YOU DID IT, I REMEMBER EVEN WITH THE, THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE, YOU GAVE US THREE OR FOUR.
RIGHT? AND YOU SAY, THIS IS MY NUMBER ONE SELECTION, BUT THESE ARE THE OTHER PEOPLE GAVE US INFORMATION AND THEN YOU PROCEED.
THE OTHER THING IS PEOPLE GO TO COLLEGE AND GET A DEGREE IN HR AND THERE'S LAWS THAT THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW.
NO CITY COMMISSIONER IS IN HR.
AND YOU'RE OPENING YOURSELF AND THE CITY UP FOR MASSIVE LAWSUITS.
'CAUSE THEN YOU START JUST PICKING PEOPLE.
COMMISSIONERS, NOT THAT THIS COMMISSION WOULD, BUT OTHER COMMISSIONERS OR FUTURE COMMISSIONERS CAN START PICKING THEIR BUDDIES FOR CORRECT.
AND I JUST, THIS IS, LET ME GO THROUGH THIS ONE.
IT WAS A YEAR BEFORE WE, A RECOMMENDATION WAS MADE.
SO HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU WANT TO GIVE THE CITY MANAGER BEFORE HE MAKES A RECOMMENDATION? THAT'S AS MUCH TIME AS IT TAKES A YEAR.
PLUS AS MUCH TIME AS IT TAKES, THE CITY MANAGER RUNS THE CITY.
WE DON'T, SIR, DO WE NEED AN INTERNAL AUDITOR? YES OR NO? YES.
THEN WHY DO WE WANNA WAIT A FULL YEAR AND THEN HIRE SOMEBODY THAT'S APPLIED? SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED TO FIRE GABE.
NOT THAT WE'RE SAYING THAT AT ALL.
NO, WE NEED TO STOP DOING, WE NEED TO STOP DOING.
THAT'S GONNA BE ON THE FRONT NEWS FRONT PAGE.
I THINK THAT, UM, SO, UH, AS, AS FOR THE NEWSPAPER, THAT WAS FACE FACETIOUSNESS.
UM, THE, HOW DO YOU ENVISION THIS WORKING? UH, FRANK, WE, WE CAN PUT IT, GIVE IT A TIME LIMIT.
SO YOU PUT HERE THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY AUDITOR CAN BE HIRED OR FIRED BY A MAJORITY VOTE OF THE ENTIRE CITY COMMISSION.
SO THAT'S ALREADY WHAT HAPPENS HERE.
THIS, THE COMMISSION IS GOING TO HIRE AND FIRE.
THAT'S ALREADY PART OF THE CHARTER.
YOU HAVE CARVED OUT THE, THE CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDING TO THE COMMISSION.
SO OUR, HOW, YOU KNOW, HOW IS THIS GOING TO, TO WORK? YOU ARE GOING TO THE COM.
THE MAYOR IS GONNA RECEIVE, UM, APPLICATION.
SO NOW THEY'RE GONNA DO A POST THAT WE HAVE AN INTERNAL AUDITOR, UM, POSITION AVAILABLE.
AND THEN I'M GONNA GET THE, THE, THE RESUMES AND THEN I'M GONNA SHARE THEM WITH THE COMMISSION.
SO I CAN'T, WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT WITHOUT HIM.
LIKE HOW, HOW ARE YOU GONNA IMPLEMENT THIS? MY PROBLEM WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
BUT HOW ARE YOU, HOW ARE YOU IMPLEMENTING THIS? SO, SO I, I KNOW GABE, YOU SAYING, WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY.
I WAS WAITING FOR ANOTHER CANDIDATE THAT HAD MORE EXPERIENCE THAN THE ONE AUNT ULTIMATELY HIRED.
I WANTED SOMEBODY WITH AS MUCH EXPERIENCE AS THE PREVIOUS AUDITOR THAT HAD LEFT HAD.
AND AFTER A YEAR, I DIDN'T GET THAT CANDIDATE.
SO I HIRED THE MOST QUALIFIED THAT WAS THERE AT THE TIME.
BECAUSE, UH, I WOULD'VE KEPT WAITING JUST FOR THE RIGHT.
THAT THE FIRST, THAT HAD MORE EXPERIENCE.
LET ME ASK YOU, WHERE DID WE ADVERTISE FOR INTERNAL AUDITORS? WE ADVERTISED IN TML.
WE ADVERTISED, UH, HERE AT A WEBPAGE.
UH, AND I THINK HR MAY HAVE ADVERTISED IN SOME SORT OF OTHER PUBLICATION,
[04:00:01]
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WAS.WE ADVERTISED ALL OF OUR DIRECTOR POSITIONS GET SENT THERE.
AND THEN ON THE CITY'S WHAT PAGE, SEE THE, OKAY, BUT THAT'S ALL, THAT'S ALL OLD NEWS.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS NEED TO BE? LET'S GIVE IT A SIX MONTH, UH, WAITING PERIOD.
IF HE CAN'T COME UP WITH SOMETHING, WE GOTTA EXPEDITE AND TRY TO GET AN INTERNAL AUDITOR.
HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU DO THAT THOUGH? HOW DO YOU DO THAT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
HOW DO YOU DO IT? LET ME ASK YOU, IF WE DIDN'T HAVE AN, UH, A CITY ATTORNEY, DO WE WAIT A YEAR? THAT'S NOT THE YOU, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, IT'S LIKE YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO THE QUESTION.
THE QUESTION IS, OKAY, SO SAY THIS COMMISSION APPROVES IT.
YOU PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AND IT IS, AND IT AND IT AND IT, AND IT PASSES, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT SEEMS FINE.
CITY ATTORNEY, CITY AUDITOR CAN HIRE FIRE BY MAJORITY OF THE VOTE OF THE ENTIRE CITY COMMISSION.
BUT YOU HAVE SPECIFICALLY TAKEN OUT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CITY MANAGER.
SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT INTERVIEWING, HIRING, AND HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THAT? LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE IN YOUR MIND? WHAT DO WE DO WITH, UH, THE EDC? WE ENDED UP GETTING SOMEBODY TO COME IN AND DO THE INTERVIEWING AND THEN THEY MADE THE SELECTION.
ACTUALLY, THEY GAVE US OPTIONS AS TO WHOM WOULD, WOULD COME IN AS FAR AS AS, UH, CITY, UH, UH, UH, EDC DIRECTOR.
SAME THING IS GOING TO BE DONE WITH THE, WITH THE HARINGTON WATERWORKS.
SO THEY, THEY, THEY, THEY SEND THE APPLICATIONS TO THE CITY AND THEN THE, THEY JUST GIVE THEM TO US.
HR CAN GO THROUGH THEM AND SAY, THE, THESE PEOPLE ARE QUALIFIED.
WE HAVE 10 PEOPLE HERE THAT QUALIFY.
IT DOESN'T SAY HR, YOU'RE ACTING.
WE HAVE NO AUTHORITY OR KNOWLEDGE OF HR LAWS.
I MAKE A MOTION TO REJECT THIS, UH, THIS AMENDMENT.
NUMBER 17, IF WE COULD JUST TRACK THE LANGUAGE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THIS THING ABOUT THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AVAILABLE.
THIS IS THE DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCY.
UM, YOU'RE GONNA CHANGE THIS WORD HERE ON THE NEXT ONE TO AND SHALL MEET.
SO, BUT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, THE COMMISSION SHALL MEET AT 5:30 PM THE COMMISSION THE WORD, RIGHT? YEAH.
SO INSTEAD OF AND BUT THE COMMISSION OF STRIKE AND YES, SIR.
THE, OH, THIS WILL, YEAH, THIS IS THE ONE I SAY WE REJECT THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE WE WERE ALREADY DOING WHAT? I THINK IT LIMITS US.
MAKE A MOTION TO REJECT THIS PROPOSED LANGUAGE.
DIDN'T YOU SAY WE COULD JUST PASS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO YEAH, WE DID.
NEXT, UM, TO BE PRO PUBLISH PROMINENTLY ONLINE.
AND I THINK THIS IS MARK, WILL YOU END? YEAH, I WOULD LIKE THAT CHANGED, BUT I'D LIKE IT MOVED TO ARTICLE EIGHT.
FRANCHISES MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THAT.
IT SAYS WEBSITE AND PUBLIC SPACES.
PUBLIC SPACES, LIKE, I THINK YOU SAID MAYOR AS DEFINED WHEN WE SAID EARLIER.
OH, THIS WAS THAT ONE, RIGHT? THAT, UM, SO THIS IS ANOTHER MARK.
THIS, IT JUST, IT JUST TAKES OUT THE, THE SECTION ABOUT FIXING
[04:05:01]
THE LIEN, UM, AND MAKING THE, MAKING ENTERING ON THE PROPERTY AND MAKING THE CONNECTIONS THEMSELVES.SO THE REMEDY WOULD BE, WE WOULD GO TO COURT IF WE HAD TO DO THAT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT WHAT LAWYER MARK JUST SAID.
ON THIS ONE I WOULD WANTED TO MENTION SOMETHING.
UM, AND I, I THINK WE SHOULD ALIGN EVERYTHING.
UM, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW, I KNOW WITH THE EDC, UM, WE HAVE THE FINAL, YOU KNOW, THE, THEIR BOARD, THE EDC BOARD CAN EITHER, YOU KNOW, RECOMMEND THE HIRING OR THE FIRING OF SOMEONE AND WE HAVE TO APPROVE IT.
CORRECT? WITH EDC, YOU, YOU, UM, YOU APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR THE EDC.
AND I GUESS BY, BY VIRTUE OF APPROVING THE CONTRACT, DO YOU APPROVE THE HIRE? OKAY.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT ALSO FOR THE AIRPORT BOARD OR, UM, OR, AND THE WATERWORKS BOARD.
'CAUSE I, I, I, I THINK IN THE, IN THE GENERAL REALM OF THE PUBLIC, UM, LIKE RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT HAVE A, WE DO NOT HAVE A SAY OF THE HIRING AND FIRING OF WHETHER IT'S A, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE ON THE AIRPORT BOARD, THE, YOU KNOW, THE DIRECTOR OF THE AIRPORT BOARD, OR THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE WATERWORKS.
IT'S JUST THE BOARD AND THAT'S IT.
COMMISSIONER ACTUALLY, UH, FOR THE WATERWORKS BOARD, THE, THE CITY COMMISSION HAS THE RIGHT TO, UH, PROVIDE PRIOR APPROVAL AND CONSENT FOR THE HIRING AND PRIOR APPROVAL AND CONSENT FOR THE QUALIFICATIONS AND THE COMPENSATION.
'CAUSE WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THAT, WHO'S, I DUNNO WHO IT WAS, GABRIEL, I DUNNO WHO SOMEBODY TOLD, I ASKED ABOUT THAT AND THEY TOLD ME THAT.
OR WAS IT, I ASKED SOMEBODY AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT WE JUST GIVE THEM PERMISSION AND LOOK FOR SOMEBODY.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL INDIVIDUAL, WE DON'T, WE DON'T GET THAT.
THAT'S NOT THE WAY, THAT'S NOT THE WAY I READ THE CHART.
IT, IT SAYS THAT THE, UH, LEMME SEE WHAT I'M, FIND THE EXACT LANGUAGE FOR YOU.
BUT IT, THEY BASICALLY SAYS THE HAR AND WATER WORK SYSTEM HAS THE RIGHT TO EMPLOY A WATER OR SEWER.
UTILITIES MATTER, BUT ONLY WITH THE PRIOR APPROVAL AND CONSENT.
THE QUALIFICATIONS AND COMPENSATION OF THE ORDER AND SEWER UTILITIES MANAGER ALSO REQUIRE THE PRIOR APPROVAL AND CONSENT.
SO, I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT'S UP TO HOW THE COMMISSION INTERPRETS THAT.
I, I THINK IN THE PAST WHAT THEY'VE DONE, THEY JUST BROUGHT THEIR FINAL CANDIDATE TO US AND SAID, YEAH, BUT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE APPROVAL.
I I THINK MAYBE IF WE, IF WE TIED UP THAT LANGUAGE TO SAY, IN THE HIRING OF THE, THAT MEANS THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD'VE TO BE INVOLVED AS WELL IN THE, UH, IN THE SELECTION PROCESS TOO.
I MEAN, I THINK THE, THE, HOW WE, HOW WE IMPLEMENT THAT IS UP TO THE COMMISSION.
I THINK, UM, THE ONLY THING THAT IS MISSING HERE IS WHAT YOU'RE, IF YOU'RE WHAT FROM WHAT YOU'VE MENTIONED, IS THAT THE FIRING PART? THE COMMISSION HAVE? YEAH.
THE FING PART IS WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT.
BUT IS THAT, UM, WHAT DOES THE AIRPORT LOOK LIKE? DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THE, THAT'S NOT IN THE CHARTER.
THAT'S IN THE ORDINANCES, RIGHT? FOR THE AIRPORT? FOR THE AIRPORT? NO, I THINK IT'S IN THE CHARTER.
I DON'T, I DON'T IS THAT CHARTER? THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING AT THE CHARTER ABOUT THE AIRPORT.
IT'S IN THE AIRPORT SECTION HERE, RIGHT THERE.
SECTION NINE FOR ARTICLE NINE.
I DON'T THINK WE THERE, UH, TWO MEMBERS.
WHILE YOU'RE ALL PERUSING, I THINK THIS IS THE CITY TAKING TOO MUCH POWER.
UH, THE WATER AND SEWER IS AN INDEPENDENT COMPANY WITHIN THE CITY, BUT DOTTED LINES TO THE CITY, WE DON'T RUN THE WATER WORKS AND WE DON'T RUN THE AIRPORT.
THE FACT THAT, UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SEPARATE ENTITIES AND THEY SHOULD BE SEPARATE ENTITIES.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN IT COMES TO THE PUBLIC, UM, IF SOMEONE GETS HIRED OR FIRED SOMEONE AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE AIRPORT OR THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE WATERWORKS, WE'RE GONNA GONNA GET BLAMED FOR IT EITHER WAY.
BLAME DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T MATTER.
IT'S STILL, YES, IT DOES MATTER.
YOU COULD SAY WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
AGAIN, THAT GOES, I'M NOT GONNA GO THERE, BUT, OKAY.
MY, I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT THAT? I, I'M, I'M THROWING THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE OF RECENT EVENTS AND I, I DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO HIRING FI I LIKE TO GET IT ALIGNED LIKE IT IS WITH EDC, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST GOTTEN A HEADS UP AND EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON AT WATER.
THAT'S MY, THAT WAS MY MAIN CONCERN.
FINDING OUT ABOUT IT AFTER THE FACT.
I THINK IF Y'ALL ARE GOING TO DO THIS, IT SHOULD ALIGN HOW YOU MENTIONED WITH THE THREE,
[04:10:01]
UM, THE AIRPORT, THE, THE EDC AND, AND WATERWORKS FOR IT TO BE THE, TO BE THE SAME.UM, I JUST LOOK THROUGH THE CHARTER FOR THE AIRPORT AND THERE'S NO LANGUAGE.
UM, I, I, I AND I, I DON'T, DON'T KNOW.
UM, BUT I WOULD REALLY BE CONCERNED IF A, IF THE AIRPORT BOARD ON, YOU KNOW, ON THEIR OWN, UM, WOULD DECIDE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO REMOVE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE AVIATION DIRECTOR.
AND I THINK THAT ALSO AT THE WATERWORKS, IF THEY'RE GONNA MOVE TO REMOVE THE GENERAL MANAGER, I GET THAT WE DON'T RUN THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT MAKES COMPLETE SENSE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE, THE PUBLIC HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY ENTRUST THE COMMISSION TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ARM OF THE CITY IS RUNNING PROPERLY.
AND SO, UM, TO YOUR POINT, FORD ABOUT THE HEADS UP, YOU KNOW, I THINK IS, IS IMPORTANT.
AND SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT THE, THAT THE COMMISSION'S GONNA BE DOING.
THE HIRING AND THE FIRING IS JUST PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
AND, AND WELL MEAN WE, MAYBE WE WANTED TO DEFEND THE DECISION.
I MEAN, WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING OTHER THAN THOUGHT.
I THINK, I THINK THE LANGUAGE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR IS ADVISE AND CONSENT.
I MEAN, THEY WOULD ADVISE YOU AND OBTAIN YOUR CONSENT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT BEFORE NEED SOMETHING.
IT'S LIKE THE, LIKE, UM, AGAIN, THIS IS THE ANALOGY I'M BRINGING UP.
I DUNNO IF IT WORKS, BUT LIKE THE BUDGET, WE DON'T, WE DON'T MAKE THE BUDGET FOR THEM.
BUT AT LEAST IT COMES OVER HERE AND WE HAVE TO PROVE IT OR DENY IT.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE KIND OF THING I WANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO EITHER THE EITHER DIRECTORS OR THE, THE DIRECTOR OR THE GENERAL MANAGER.
LIKE, WE'RE NOT ACTUALLY GONNA BE RUNNING IT.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THAT MAKES SENSE.
I MEAN, YOU WANT, YOU WANNA BE ABLE TO BE INFORMED.
AND THE ONLY THING IS WHAT YOU'RE THE LANGUAGE OF THE EXOFFICIO, I THINK THEN YOU'D BE INFORMED.
I MEAN, WELL THE, THAT, THAT, I THINK BECAUSE THAT, I THINK, UM, JUST LIKE THE MAYOR AND, AND THE CITY MANAGER ARE EXOFFICIO MEMBERS, I THINK THE CITY COMMISSION WILL BE, 'CAUSE I, I WANT THIS ENSHRINED IN THE, IN THE CHARTER.
SO THAT WAY, UM, WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, WITH ONE OF OUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
AND, AND I KNOW THERE'S TIMES WHERE THEY KIND OF HESITATE TO LET US IN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S RIGHT BECAUSE ANY DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE ARE GONNA BE REFLECT, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO, UM, BLAME US FOR IT OR, OR HOLD US RESPONSIBLE.
AND WHAT MIKE SAID, LIKE, OH, JUST TOLD 'EM IT WASN'T, THAT'S NOT WHAT THE PEOPLE WANNA HEAR.
PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR THE TRUTH WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT.
SO, UM, I THINK OFF THE TRUTH, THE TRUTH IS PAINFUL.
CAN UM, CAN YOU CRAFT THAT IN A, IN A, IN A MOTION FOR MARK WHAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND TAKE IT STEP BY STEP? BECAUSE I THINK THOSE TWO ARE NOT THE SAME.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE, THE PEOPLE AT THE, UH, THOSE THAT WE ASSIGN OR PUT ON THE AS BOARD TRUSTEES AT BOTH THE AIRPORT, ARLINGTON WATERWORKS, EDC, I HAVE A LOT OF FAITH IN THOSE PEOPLE.
AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T WANNA MICROMANAGE THOSE GUYS BECAUSE I'M BUSY ENOUGH AS IT IS.
AND IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY STANDS OUT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO ATTEND.
I WAS TELLING HIM HE'S GOT A VERY NICE SHIRT ON TODAY.
SO GETTING BACK TO MY POINT HERE, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO DO ANYTHING.
THOSE PEOPLE ARE VERY COMPETENT AND THEY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING CORRECTLY.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MESS WITH THAT.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS NOT REALLY MESSING WITH IT.
THIS IS THE SAME THING THAT WE DO WITH THE BUDGET.
BOTH THE AIRPORT AND THE, AND THE WATERWORKS COME TO US TO, UM, APPROVE THE BUDGET.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE NUMBERS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, I, I, I'M, I'M VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TRYING TO MANAGE, UH, MICROMANAGE THOSE PEOPLE.
I THINK THE SITUATION WAS DIFFERENT THOUGH, IN THAT WE HAD JUST GONE THROUGH THIS MASSIVE REVAMP OF THEIR MASTER PLAN AND RATE INCREASES AND SO ON, AND A CASUAL, OH, BY THE WAY, WE'RE GETTING READY TO DUMP OUR GENERAL MANAGER, I THINK WOULD'VE BEEN VERY APPROPRIATE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
BUT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, DO WE SWITCH EVERYTHING AROUND OR DO WE SAY, HEY, NEXT TIME LET US KNOW AHEAD OF TIME.
AND THAT GOES TO ALL THREE BOARDS.
I THINK THEY WILL PROVIDE US WITH THAT COURTESY.
HE, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO CHANGE THE CHARTER FOR THAT.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, IT'S NOT GIVING YOU MICROMANAGING, UH, POWER.
IT'S JUST GIVING YOU, UM, WHAT FORD SAID, JUST AT LEAST THE COURTESY OF GIVING YOU THAT
[04:15:01]
INFORMATION.UM, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.
YOU'RE NOT, AND AND AGAIN, I KEEP SAYING THIS, BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU, UH, OR, OR ME OR THIS COMMISSION, UM, OR THE TRUSTEES THAT ARE THERE TODAY.
AND SO YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE, BUT BY PUTTING IN THAT SAFEGUARD, YOU CAN, AS YOU, YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN.
BECAUSE NOW WHILE THEY WILL DO THEIR INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS AND, UM, DISCUSS IT WITH THEIR BOARD PERSONNEL MATTERS BEFORE THEY PULL THE TRIGGER, THEY'RE GONNA COME AND, AND TELL THE COMMISSION, HEY, THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.
HE'S NOT SAYING THE COMMISSION IS, IS GOING TO UNILATERALLY GO IN THERE AND SAY, WE'RE GETTING RID OF THIS GUY.
OR, YOU KNOW, OR THAT'S NOT THE PURPOSE.
THE PURPOSE IS TO BE WELL INFORMED.
AND I KNOW YOU LIKE TO BE WELL INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN CITY HALL.
WE NEED TO MEET WELL INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH EVERY ARM OF THE CITY, BECAUSE THAT'S, IM, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S JUST HAVING THAT KNOWLEDGE.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING, ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
I WOULDN'T YOU AGREE? MAKE THE MOTION.
I THINK HE ALREADY MADE THE MOTION AND IT WAS SECOND CORRECT? I DIDN'T, THERE WAS NO QUESTION.
UM, SO, OH, I THINK I SAID TELL YOUR, TELL TELL MAR UH, MAR MARK.
I DO THAT ALL THE TIME BECAUSE I'VE HEARD A COUPLE DIFFERENT THINGS.
ONE IS, THERE'S THE POSSIBILITY OF THE HAR AND WATERWORKS SIMPLY ADVISING THE CITY COMMISSION BEFORE HIRING OR FIRING.
THE SECOND POSSIBILITY IS THE HAR AND WATERWORKS GETTING NOT ONLY ADVISING, BUT GETTING THE CONSENT OF THE CITY COMMISSION BEFORE MAKING A HIRING AND FIRING DECISION.
AND THEN THE THIRD PROPOSITION WAS HAVING THE INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION, ALL OF THEM SIT AS EX OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE HARLING AND WATER WORK SYSTEM BOARD.
THOSE ARE THREE DIFFERENT, THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
AND THE LAST ONE'S ALREADY ON HERE.
THIS IS THE, THE ISSUE, RIGHT? JUST THINKING ABOUT IT, PERSONNEL ISSUES.
MARK, AS YOU KNOW, IF WE GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PERSONNEL FOR WATERWORKS TO NOTIFY US, THEN THE PERSON WHO'S BEING TALKED ABOUT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION CAN THEN PULL THE WHOLE ISSUE OUT AND THAT BECOME A WHOLE THING.
DON'T KNOW EVERYONE IS THAT'S CORRECT.
WELL, I THINK THAT THAT'S OKAY.
AND I'VE SEEN THAT A COUPLE TIMES.
I THINK IT'S CRAZY THAT ANYBODY WOULD WANNA DO THAT IN OPEN SESSION, BUT THAT'S THEIR RIGHT.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S, I THINK THAT THAT'S FINE.
UM, I THINK THERE IS A A A YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S, IT'S, I DON'T, I MEAN, I THINK THE CONSENT PART AND THE ADVICE PART MAYBE IS SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL NEED TO REALLY KIND OF, UM, MAYBE TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.
BUT JUST BEING INFORMED I THINK IS, IS IMPORTANT.
I'M, I'M FOR, I'M JUST SAYING THREE.
I'M, I'M IN, I'M IN FAVOR OF THE ADVISING AND CONSENT.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT WE DO WITH THE, WITH THE EDC.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THE WATERWORKS.
SO BEFORE, UH, ANYONE WAS HIRED FOR THAT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION OR TERMINATED, THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIRST PROVIDE, ADVISE THE CITY COMMISSION OF THAT AND GET THEIR CONSENT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD ORDERING THEM TO TERMINATE ONE.
BUT IF THEY WANTED TO TERMINATE THE WATER, THE GENERAL MANAGER, THEY WOULD HAVE TO OBTAIN, HAVE THE CONSENT.
AND GABE, THIS WOULD BE A SPECIAL MEETING.
MORE THAN LIKELY IT PROBABLY WOULD BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ISSUE LIKE THAT.
IT MIGHT BE A JOINT MEETING IS WHAT WE DO WITH DDC.
BUT THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO ALL BE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SINCE IT'S HR INFO, IT'S A PERSONNEL MATTERS.
THE WAY THAT I SEE IT IS YOU WOULD HAVE, UM, THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OR, OR THE, OR THE LAWYER JUST TO KIND OF, NOT THE WHOLE COMMISSION, UH, OR THE WHOLE, UH, BOARD.
UH, THEY WOULD JUST COME AND THEY'D, THEY'D LET US KNOW WHAT'S, WHAT'S GOING ON.
THE SAME WAY THAT WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT RODELL WAS DEPARTING, THAT THE A DCI MEAN, THAT'S SAME THING.
LIKE THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY THAT WOULD WORK.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY ISSUE WITH THAT.
I DO THINK THERE'S A PROBLEM TO SAY, OKAY, THE COMMISSION HAS THE AUTHORITY TO HIRE AND, AND, AND FILE.
YOU DON'T WANNA DO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES THERE, UM, TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS.
BUT YOU WANT TO BE PART OF THAT.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I, THIS IS HOW YOU PROTECT YOURSELF, I THINK IN, IN, IN KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE DIFFERENT, AND THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN WHERE YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE NOT NOTIFIED.
I MEAN, I, UM, GABE AND I, BECAUSE WE'RE EX OFFICIO MEMBERS, WE'RE INVOLVED IN CONVERSATIONS.
[04:20:01]
YOUR, YOUR APPOINTEES SHOULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU.I DON'T KNOW IF THEY SHOULD HAVE OR SHOULD NOT HAVE, IF THAT WAS PRIVILEGED INFORMATION OR CONFIDENTIAL, BECAUSE IT WAS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE'S LIKE A WHOLE SLEW OF, OF THINGS.
AND ALSO WHEN THEY MADE THAT DECISION, IT WAS DURING THE CITY COMMISSION MEETING, SO NONE OF US COULD BE THERE.
SO THEY KIND OF DID IT ON THEIR OWN.
AND THEN LATER CALLED US AND SAID, OH, THIS IS WHAT WE DID.
SO DO YOU THINK THAT WAS COINCIDENCE? OR IT WAS PIRACY? NO, I DON'T THINK THEY DID ANYTHING.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY MALICE INVOLVED.
I THINK IT JUST, IT JUST KIND OF HAPPENED THAT WAY.
I THINK THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS, RIGHT.
BUT IT PROBABLY NEEDED TO TAKE ACTION AND, AND THEY DIDN'T WANT IT TO BE LINGERING, IS WHAT I WOULD IMAGINE.
SO WHERE ARE WE AT? ARE WE AT WITH ADVICE, ADVICE AND CONSENT? ARE WE DOING LIKE EDC? WE'RE AT 9:36 PM
SO, SO I'M LIKE, I'M TRYING TO GAUGE LIKE, IS THAT ADVICE AND CONSENT.
WHAT FORWARD WERE YOU ADVISED ANY CONSENT OR, OR WHAT YEAH, THE, I THINK THE FIRST CITY OFFERED UP YOUR FIRST OPTION TO ME.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST OPTION? ADVISE WAS BEFORE UHHUH.
WHERE WOULD THEY HAVE TO LET US KNOW? SO JUST, IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE, WHAT ABOUT YOU, DANIEL? WELL, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, AS IT STANDS, AND I CAN'T FIND IT, BUT I KNOW YOU, YOU JUST READ IT.
SO RIGHT NOW WHERE IT STANDS ON EDC, WHERE IT STANDS ON WATERWORKS RIGHT NOW, IF THEY'RE GONNA HIRE SOMEONE, ADVICE AND CONSENT, CORRECT.
THEN IF WE JUST DO THAT ADVICE, THEN YOU ARE SAYING THE COMMISSION NO LONGER HAS THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE WHOEVER THEY HIRED.
THEY'RE JUST GONNA TELL US, HEY, WE'RE HIRING JOE SIXPACK.
SHE'S GOT THAT IN THE CHARTER RIGHT NOW.
KICK IT BACK, OLD SCHOOL HIM AND THROW BACK FOR HER.
SO THEN, SO THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR ADVISING CONSENT.
I
SO I MAKE A MOTION FOR ADVISING CONSENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE WATER WORK.
AND IS IT JUST THE WATERWORKS WATERWORKS, ED, C AND AIRPORT? UN.
AND THEN YOU WOULD JUST ALLOW MARK TO FIGURE OUT THE LANGUAGE.
AND THEN, OKAY, SO THEN WE'LL MAKE A MOTION ON THAT.
BUT THEN MY NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU IS EX OFFICIO.
AND NOW THEN THE NEXT UH, UH, MOTION I'LL MAKE IS FOR THE C THE MAYOR, THE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER AND THE COMMISSION TO BE EX, UH, WHAT WAS IT? OFFICIO MEMBER NON-VOTING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC UTILITY BOARDS.
AND SO WELL DO, DO YOU WANT, WELL, SINCE WE'RE DOING ALL THREE, WE DO ALL THREE OR, YEAH.
SO I MOVE THAT THE CITY, UH, MANAGER, THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COMMISSION WILL BE EX OFFICIO MEMBERS, EXOFFICIO, NON-VOTING MEMBERS ON THE EDC, THE AIRPORT AND THE WATERWORKS BOARD.
I THINK YOU JUST NEED TO ADD THE CITY COMMISSION.
'CAUSE THE MAYOR AND I ALREADY EX-OFFICIAL.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO MENTION THEM 'CAUSE OF IT'S FINE.
IT'S JUST CLEAR THAT YOU WANT EVERYONE.
I MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, APPOINT THE CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, AND THE ENTIRE CITY COMMISSION AS NON-VOTING EXOFFICIO MEMBERS TO, OKAY.
TO THE EDC AIRPORT BOARD AND WATERWORKS,
NOW, ONE LAST THING WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UH, CONFORMITY AND, AND ON ALL OF THEM, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
SO ON THE UTILITY TRUSTEES WE'VE BEEN DOING WITH THE OTHER ONES IS OTHER BOARDS AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS THAT ALL OF THEIR TERMS RUN CONCURRENT WITH OUR APPOINTING COMMISSIONER AND OR MAYOR'S TERM.
SO WE WOULD NEED TO DO THAT FOR ALL THREE AS WELL.
DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THE MOTION? THE MOTION AND THEN ALSO THEIR TERM LIMITS RUN CONCURRENT WITH OURS AS WELL.
YOU MAKE THE MOTION, YOU BROUGHT IT UP.
SO YOU GUYS, UM, SKIPPED OVER GIVING THE MAYOR TWO APPOINT MEMBERS, OR DID YOU VOTE ON THAT AND I DIDN'T CATCH IT.
SO IN THAT SAME VEIN THAT YOU SAID, TAKING HIM ALL UNIFORMED, ALL THE OTHER BOARDS, THE EDC NOW HAS TWO APPOINTMENTS FOR THE MAYOR AS DOES, UM, THE AIRPORT BOARD, I DON'T SEE HOW THE UTILITY TRUSTEE WOULD BE ANY DIFFERENT.
I THINK PRIOR TO US BEING ON THE COMMISSION, THE MAYOR HAD ALL OF THE APPOINTMENTS ON THE AIRPORT BOARD.
AND IT WAS THE TRADE OFF FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, THAT
[04:25:01]
THE MAYOR HAD NINE APPOINTMENTS ON THE AIRPORT BOARD AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY ON THE EDC, DIDN'T HAVE ANY ON THE UTILITY.AND THAT WAS THE REASON FOR IT.
38, AS I UNDERSTAND FROM WHAT YOU TOLD ME, READING THE ORAL HISTORY, IS THAT THE REASON THE MAYOR GOT TWO WAS BECAUSE THE MAYOR DIDN'T HAVE A VOTE ON THE COMMISSION.
AND IF WE PROCEED FORWARD, UH, AT THIS COMMISSION PERIOD, PROCEEDS FORWARD, WE'RE GIVING THE MAYOR A VOTE ON THE COMMISSION.
THEREFORE, THE MAYOR SHOULD NO LONGER HAVE TWO BOARD APPOINTEES ON ANY OF THE BOARDS.
WHY WOULD THAT, WHY WOULD THAT BE THE CASE? THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE, THAT WAS THE COMPROMISE.
'CAUSE BEFORE IT WAS GONNA SAY, HEY, WE'RE ALL JUST GONNA GET ONE.
AND THEN AS I UNDERSTAND, THE ARGUMENT WAS THAT MAYOR BASEL MADE, HEY, I DON'T GET A VOTE ON THE COMMISSION HERE AS SUCH, I SHOULD GET TWO AT LEAST.
HA NOW EVERYONE'S GONNA BE MIKE, MARVIN,
BUT, UH, MIKE'S SAYING THAT'S ACCURATE.
WELL, THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK, UH, UH, AND A LOT OF CONVERSATION.
AND I ACTUALLY, I, I, I SAT HERE, UM, AND WAS IN THIS COMMISSION WHEN YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
AND I THINK THAT YOU WERE OPPOSED.
MAYOR BOSWELL WAS OPPOSED TO CHANGING THE AIRPORT BOARD.
UM, AND THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION THAT, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, YES, THE MAYOR HAS THIS ALL OF THE APPOINTMENTS BUT DOESN'T HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS ON THE UTILITY OR THE EDC.
AND THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION RIGHT HERE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, THE PERSON THAT WAS SITTING, SITTING HERE.
AND SO, UM, THAT WAS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR IT.
AND NOW WE ALREADY HAVE THE OTHER BOARDS THAT HAVE THOSE.
THE EDC IS CHANGED WITH THEIR, UM, THEIR BYLAWS.
AND THE AIRPORT IS IN THE CHARTER.
THAT WAS WHAT WAS VOTED ON TO GIVE THE MAYOR TWO MM-HMM.
SO HOW DO YOU ALIGN THEM ALL? IF THERE'S ALREADY IN THE CHARTER IT SAYS THAT THERE'S TWO OF MAYOR, SO WE CHANGE IT BACK ON ALL OF THEM IN THE CHARTER.
BECAUSE NOW THE MAYOR WILL HAVE A VOTE.
HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT THE MAYOR WILL HAVE A VOTE? WELL, IF THE MAYOR, IF THAT FAILS, THEN WE COULD RE READDRESS THIS ISSUE.
SO THE ONLY, THE ONLY MEMBER OF THIS GOVERNING BODY THAT IS ELECTED BY THE ENTIRE CITY DOES NOT GET A VOTE, UH, DOES NOT GET AN APPOINTMENT ON THE, ON THE UTILITY BOARD? OR ARE YOU SAYING SHE ONLY GETS ONE? NO, ONE NOT, NOT TWO.
BECAUSE NOW YOU, WHEN IT COMES TO VOTING, WE'RE ALL MENTE.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT, THAT I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT OKAY.
UM, JUST BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THE COMMISSION AND THEN ALSO HAVE TWO VOTES ON EVERY OTHER BOARD.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT IS AN ISSUE.
NO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT'S AN ISSUE.
WELL, AGAIN, WOULDN'T HAPPEN FIRST.
AND THEN WE CAN DO ANOTHER CHARTER REVIEW FOR TWO YEARS ANYWAY.
SO YEAH, I MEAN, IT ISN'T TO ME WHETHER IT, YOU KNOW, YOU DO ONE OR TWO HERE IS IS NOT THE ISSUE FOR ME.
WHAT'S TROUBLING IS NOT WANTING THE MAYOR TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT ALL, WHICH IS CONCERNING, I THINK.
NO, I THINK THE MAYOR SHOULD HAVE AN APPOINTMENT.
YOU SHOULD HAVE AN APPOINTMENT.
I THINK THAT, I THINK WE ALL AGREE THAT, THAT THEY SHOULD, BUT I THINK WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THAT NOW THAT IF YOU, YOU'LL GET THE VOTE, BUT IF YOU GET THE VOTE, THEN IT, THEN IT DOESN'T GO YOUR WAY.
THAT IS NOT, YEAH, BECAUSE THE WAY IT WAS FROM MY UNDERSTANDING BEFORE, NO KIDDING
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? BUT NOW IF YOU ONLY GET ONE POINT, IT'LL BE EVEN NUMBER, BUT IT'LL JUST KIND OF ECHO WHAT WE DO HERE.
'CAUSE IF IT'S A TIE, THEN IT'LL JUST FAIL.
AM I RIGHT? IS IT ALREADY GETTING NAMED? WELL, IT, IT, IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T MATTER TO ME.
I DO THINK THAT, UM, AND I KNOW ALL OF Y'ALL DO A GREAT JOB.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DON'T, BUT I, I CAN SIT HERE WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT, UM, CERTAINTY TO SAY THAT THE MAYOR, THE ROLE AND THE, THE, THE, THE DEMANDS OF THE MAYOR ARE MUCH MORE THAN ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SERVE THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO IF YOU HAVE TWO OUT OF SEVEN, YOU DON'T HAVE A MAJORITY.
SO IT, IT, I DON'T SEE THAT THAT'S, IT JUST GIVES IT MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE PEOPLE TO SERVE AND FOR THE MAYOR TO PICK TWO PEOPLE TO APPOINT FROM THE ENTIRE CITY.
SO I DON'T SEE THAT THAT BEING AN ISSUE.
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY LEVERAGE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TWO OUT OF SEVEN ON ANY BOARD.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A MAJORITY.
[04:30:01]
ANY DECISIONS.IT'D BE DIFFERENT IF THE, IF THE MAYOR WOULD SAY, OKAY, I AM GOING TO HAVE THE CHAIR OF EVERY BOARD BECAUSE YOU'RE THE MAYOR, THEN YES, YOU'RE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
BUT IN THIS CASE IT'S JUST TWO.
BUT EITHER WAY, IT, IT, IT REALLY DOESN'T, I MEAN, TO ME, I JUST, THE WHOLE NOT HAVING ONE AT ALL WAS I THOUGHT THE, THE BIGGER CONCERN.
SO NO, I THINK THE MAYOR SHOULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE ON EACH OF THE BOARDS THAT I AGREE WITH.
SO IS THAT A MOTION FOR ONE APPOINTMENT? OKAY.
SO THE ONLY THING, THE CONCERNING IS YOU'VE GOT A SEVEN MEMBER BORDER WORK SYSTEM BOARD.
SO HOW ARE YOU GONNA FILL THAT SEVENTH APPOINTMENT IF EVERYONE GETS ONE VOTE? NO.
SO YOU WANNA REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF, WE ONLY HAVE SIX, WE ONLY HAVE FIVE.
WE ONLY HAVE FIVE THAT WE'RE GONNA ADD.
SO NOW I GO UP TO SIX AND WITH THAT SIX APPOINTED BEING THE MAYORS, JUST SO I CAN UNDERSTAND IT.
SO THEN FOR THIS ONE, FOR THE UTILITY BOARD, IT'S GONNA BE A TOTAL OF SIX.
AND THE MAYOR, SO THE MAYOR CAN GET ONE PICK.
THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING.
SO WHAT IF ONE WINS, OR WHAT IF THAT WINS BIT HER GETTING A VOTE DOESN'T, THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY.
I'M, BUT NOBODY LISTENED
WHY WOULD YOU NOT HAVE ANY? THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT YOU GET ONE OR THE OTHER.
THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE THOUGHT.
RIGHT? YOU GET TWO AGAIN, AGAIN, AGAIN.
SO IT IS NOT, NORMA GETS TWO, IT'S THE MAYOR.
THAT GETS, THE MAYOR GETS TWO.
SO THE, THE PROBLEM WITH THE MAYOR HAVING TO APPOINTMENTS IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE IT SHOULD ALL BE FAIR THEN SHOULDN'T WE ALL RUN AT LARGE? AND THEN THAT WOULD BE REALLY FAIR.
DI DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY THAT YOU'RE OKAY WITH ONE, BUT YOU'RE ADVOCATING FOR TWO? I AM.
IT'S, IT'S, I'M, I'M, I'M, WHAT SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT IS IF, IF, IF THE VOTE FOR THE MAYOR DOESN'T PASS, RIGHT, THAT'S WHAT SHE'S WORRIED ABOUT.
BECAUSE SEE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I SAID.
BECAUSE IT SAID, OKAY, WELL THEN YOU HAVE TWO.
YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING, THE MAYOR IS GOING TO HAVE ONE.
BUT TO ME THAT LOGIC MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.
YOU'RE GONNA SIT HERE, HAVE NO VOICE.
'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT TWO APPOINTMENTS ON THE WATERWORKS.
WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING BEFORE US AND WE'RE PROVING A DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WATERWORKS, LIKE APPLES AND ORANGES.
RIGHT? LIKE THAT DOESN'T, THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
IT JUST, IT JUST DOESN'T, I MEAN, EXPLAIN IT TO ME.
HOW IS THAT THE TRADE OFF? I DON'T THINK THAT'S A TRADE OFF.
IMAGINE IF I TOLD YOU YOU'RE NOT GONNA VOTE HERE, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU FOUR.
BUT IF I'M THE MAYOR AND I GET ALL THE POWER OF THE MAYOR, WHAT I GET, LIKE THE PROCLAMATIONS, THE ORDERS REPRESENTING US AT THE NPO, ALL THAT STUFF, THE BULLY PULPIT, EVERYONE LOOKS AT ME.
'CAUSE I'M THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE CITY COMMISSION, THEN YES, THAT WOULD BE A FAIR TRADE OFF TO HAVE THE, TO HAVE ALL OF THE COURT APPOINTMENTS.
BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE ONLY THINKING OF IT AS JUST LIKE A SINGLE VOTE, BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL THE POWERS OF THE MAYORAL SEAT.
DON'T THINK OF IT AS JUST YOURSELF.
THINK OF IT AS EVERY MAYOR, ALL THE POWERS.
I I DON'T, I DON'T TOTALLY DISAGREE.
BUT YOU WOULD STILL WANT, I MEAN, AND WE'RE PAST THAT, BUT YOU WOULD STILL WANT THE MAYOR TO HAVE A VOTE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW WHERE THE MAYOR STANDS.
IT DOESN'T, WHAT'S THE POINT? IF YOU HAVE LIKE, THE WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO KIND OF PUT IT OUT THERE, THAT THE WAY THAT IT WAS BEFORE I WOULD SIT HERE IN THIS COMMISSION, UH, IN THIS TOWN HALL AND I'D WATCH THIS MEETING AND IT, YOU HAVE A MAYOR HERE, AND YOU HAD MY, MY FRIEND MIKE HERE AND THE REST OF THE COMMISSION.
AND THE MAYOR HAD NO POWER AT ALL.
HE, I MEAN, HE COULD SAY WHATEVER HE WANTED AND, AND THESE GUYS VOTED THE OPPOSITE.
LIKE I DON'T, SO I DON'T SEE HOW THAT IS THAT YOU HAVE ALL THIS POWER.
I DON'T, I I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL, EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO OUR REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY, I JUST THINK THAT THE MAYOR DOES JUST WORKS HARDER BECAUSE YOU HAVE A BIGGER, UM, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC.
YOU HAVE A BIGGER, UH, YOU HAVE THE WHOLE CITY AND YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DISTRICT TWO.
AND YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DISTRICT THREE, WHICH IS THE WAY THAT IT IS, THAT THE WAY THAT OUR GOVERNING BODY WORKS.
I DON'T THINK THAT, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE MAYOR SHOULD HAVE TWO APPOINTMENTS BECAUSE SHE, SHE OR HE NEEDS TO HAVE THOSE AND THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.
I GUESS THAT'S WHAT, THAT THAT'S MY, MY MY MY WAY OF SAYING IT.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING WE SHOULD NOT VOTE ON THIS AT ALL BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN
[04:35:01]
THE ELECTION.I, I, I JUST, DAN DANIEL FORGOT TO MENTION THE PARKING SPACE,
SOMEBODY JUST GIFTED AND GIFTED TO FORD.
I ASK 'CAUSE I I DO HAVE YOUR CONCERNS.
'CAUSE I DO WANT IT TO BE FAIR.
'CAUSE I AGREE WITH THE ONE APPOINTMENT FOR THE BOARDS BECAUSE SHE SHOULD BE REPRESENTED ON THE BOARD.
I DO AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I, I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERN THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT WHAT IF IT DOESN'T PASS? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO ASK MARK IF WE CAN PUT IT AS A, AS A CONDITION, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? THIS WILL PASS, BUT IF SHE DOESN'T GET THE VOTE, THEN IT'LL YEAH.
AND IN FACT, BROWNSVILLE, WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY DID THAT, IF YOU REMEMBER THEY HAD, UH, THEY VOTED ON THE UTIL FORMATION UTILITY DISTRICT, BUT THAT WOULD ONLY PASS.
OR, AND THEN THEY VOTED ON THE DISSOLUTION OF THEIR, UH, GBI C AND THEIR BCIC, BUT THAT THE DISSOLUTION OF THE GBI C AND BCIC WAS CONDITION CONDITIONAL ON THE VOTERS APPROVING UTILITY DISTRICT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANNA BE IN A POSITION WHERE THE VOTERS VOTED DOWN DOWN THE UTILITY DISTRICT AND THEN VOTED TO DISSOLVE THEIR TWO EDCS.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO PUT ON THE BALLOT, THE MAYOR WILL GET TWO APPOINTMENTS TO THE UTILITY BOARD.
UM, UH, IF THIS, IF THIS BAILS
UH, I, I MEAN YOU COULD DO THAT.
I'M, YEAH, I THINK, I MEAN, YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR MOTION FOR ONE APPOINTMENT.
IF IT'S WHY NOT JUST LEAVE IT THAT WAY? SO YOU WANT ONE APPOINTMENT ON THE UTILITY BOARD.
WITH ONE APPOINTMENT ON THE WATERWORKS BOARD.
WELL, SO WHO'S MAKING, OH, I MAKE THE MOTION.
I, I MAKE THE MOTION TO, UM, PROVIDE THE MAYOR WITH ONE APPOINTMENT ON THE WATERWORKS BOARD.
SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
AND, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE CHANGING THE MEMBERS TO SIX, RIGHT? I HOPE.
MARK, YOU HAD A CONCERN ABOUT THIS ON THE BILLING PERMIT.
AND THIS CHANGED FROM WHAT, ON SECTION TWO? WHY DO WE STILL HAVE A PUBLIC HOSPITAL LISTED? I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS GONNA BE ADDRESSED BY THE COMMITTEE, BUT THEY DIDN'T ADDRESS IT.
MY, MY CONCERN WAS WITH SECTION THREE.
SO THIS, THIS ONE SAYS THIS, THIS PROPOSITION SAYS THE CITY SHALL HAVE THE POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE FOR THE TIMELY AND COMPLETE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS FOR ERECTING ALL BUILDINGS.
UH, OBVIOUSLY TIMELY AND COMPLETE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO STRIVE FOR, BUT I I, I REALLY DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO PUT IT IN A CHARTER AND THEREBY CREATE A, A LEGAL DUTY ON THE CITY.
YOU KNOW, BASICALLY IT'D BE A SOURCE OF LITIGATION IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T THINK THEIR PERMIT WAS TIMELY OR COMPLETELY GRANTED.
UM, I MEAN, WHAT IF THERE'S A GOOD REASON THAT IT'S NOT GRANTED? AND WE'RE GONNA END UP IN THE COURTHOUSE, UH, OVER EVERY TIME SOMEBODY DOESN'T THINK THEIR PERMIT IS TIMELY AND COMPLETELY GRANTED.
I MEAN, OKAY, SO I'M MAKING, THERE'S GOOD REASON FOR THAT.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO STRIKE, UH, ARTICLE 11, SECTION THREE.
WELL, SO JUST STRIKE THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE.
AND THAT, SO DID YOU GUYS WANNA LOOK AT THAT? THIS, UM, THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CITY LIBRARY, PUBLIC HOSPITAL GENERAL WELFARE OR NOT? YEAH.
AS THERE ARE NO PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN THE UNITED STATES, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO STRIKE NU NUMBER THREE.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU MEAN PUBLIC HOSPITAL? THEY'RE ALL IS LIKE, ALGO COUNTY HAS VOTED FOR LIKE TO CREATE A, THEY'RE EITHER, THEY'RE EITHER CORPORATE OWNED OR THEY'RE 5 0 1 C OWNED.
BUT LIKE SAN BENITO HAD DOLLY VINCENT THAT WAS A PUBLIC HOSPITAL.
NO CITY CAN AFFORD TO RUN A HOSPITAL.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS, YOU CAN USE TAX TAXPAYER MONEY TO ESTABLISH A HOSPITAL OR TO ESTABLISH A
[04:40:01]
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, A CITY LIBRARY, UM, AND THE GENERAL WELFARE.WELFARE, BUT SO WELFARE CLAUSE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
SO, UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE CITY WAY BACK WHEN OWNED THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RIGHT.
THAT'S WHERE THEY WORKED TOGETHER WITH THE EDC.
WE, WELL, IN THE PAST WE HAD ISSUED BONDS FOR A HOSPITAL THAT WAS ABOUT, UH, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO.
AND HARLINGEN DID HAVE A HOSPITAL, AND PART OF IT'S AT THE, UH, MUSEUM.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
SO DO YOU WANNA LEAVE IT THERE OR YOU WANNA, YOU WANNA STRIKE IT? I WANNA STRIKE, UH, PUBLIC HOSPITAL.
IS THERE A SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WELL, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK MS. AVILA FOR STICKING AROUND AND, AND, AND, UM, ENGAGING AND, AND PROVIDING US WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR FEEDBACK OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VOLUNTEERING AND TO EVERYONE THAT SERVES.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.