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[Item 1 - Call to Order]
THANK YOU FOR BEING SO PATIENT.IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE A FULL HOUSE HERE.
WE INVITE YOU TO COME AND, UH, JOIN US IN OUR CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS ON THE FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
UM, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD, UH, UH, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION AS EVERYONE IS PRESENT, AND IT HAS BEEN DULY POSTED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
SO, UH, IF WE CAN BEGIN, IF EVERYONE COULD PLEASE STAND AND THANK YOU.
OH, HERE, IT'S AS I LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND TO DO THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE.
WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND YOUR WISDOM AS WE DO THE WORK OF THE COMMUNITY.
HERE AT OUR, OUR COMMISSION MEETING.
WE ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THOSE THAT CARE FOR OUR FAMILIES WHEN THEY ARE ILL, AND ALSO FOR ALL OF THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS CARE FOR AS WELL.
SO, AND IN YOUR, IN YOUR MIGHTY NAME, WE PRAY, AMEN.
LADIES, EXTEND THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TWO, WILLING FOR WHICH OF STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[Item 2 - Conflict of Interest]
STATE LAW, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS IF A COMMISSION MEMBER OR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THAT PERSON'S FAMILY HAS A QUALIFYING FINANCIAL INTEREST IN AN AGENDA ITEM, MEMBERS WITH A CONFLICT OF INTEREST CANNOT PARTICIPATE THE DISCUSSION NOR VOTE ON THE AGENDA ITEM.ARE THERE ANY KNOWN CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TO DISCLOSE AT THIS TIME? NONE.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE THAT PORTION OF 10 FI EMAILED YOU ABOUT AND, UH, NONE.
ITEM THREE ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO I, ITEMS NOT LISTED ELSEWHERE ON THIS AGENDA, THE CITY COMMISSION MAY REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST, INCLUDING ANNOUNCING COMMUNITY EVENTS, ANNOUNCING EMPLOYEE OR COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS.
[Item 3a - Mayor's Announcements]
ITEM THREE, A MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ANNOUNCE TODAY? I, I DON'T HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS.
[Item 3b - City Manager's Announcements]
OKAY.MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE B, CITY MANAGER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.
MR. GONZALEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO DISCLOSE? UH, YES, I DO.
UM, THE, UH, MARGARITA FESTIVAL THAT HAD BEEN CANCELED, UH, IS SCHEDULED FOR THIS SATURDAY, UH, FROM FIVE TO 10 AT LAUNCHY HILL.
AND ALSO, UM, WE'VE JUST COMPLETED THE RENOVATIONS FOR THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BUILDING, AND WE'LL HAVE A RIBBON CUTTING ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 15TH FROM TWO TO TWO 30.
THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE NEWLY REMODELED BUILDING.
[Item 3c - City Commission Member Announcements]
ITEM THREE C, CITY COMMISSION MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS.[Item 4 - Proclamation/Presentation of Awards]
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS.MAYOR, WE DID HAVE ONE PRESENTATION THAT, UM, WAS NOT ADDED TO THE AGENDAS, BUT THEY ARE HERE TO PRESENT.
AND THAT WOULD BE A PRESENTATION OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT BY MR. MENDEZ.
EXCITED FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COMMISSION.
UH, WE WANNA RECOGNIZE SOME VERY IMPORTANT, UH, PEOPLE TODAY.
UM, THESE KIDS, THEY PARTICIPATED IN OUR SUMMER PROGRAM, IN OUR SUMMER TRACK PROGRAM.
AND SO THEY COMPETED IN THE, UM, THE, THE TAF, WHICH IS THE TEXAS ATHLETIC AMATEUR FEDERATION, UH, PROGRAM.
AND IT WAS THE GAMES OF TEXAS, WHICH THEY HELD IN BROWNSTONE.
AND SO WE HAD, LET'S SEE, IT WAS SEVEN KIDS AT WON METALS.
AND SO WE WENT TO RECOGNIZE THEM.
THERE'S THREE OF THE SEVEN THAT ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, AND SO WE WENT TO CALL THEM UP AND, AND, UM, OF COURSE, RECOGNIZED BY THE, UH, CITY COMMISSION.
UH, WE ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE, UM, OUR HEAD COACH, WHICH IS RAMON ORTEGA AND OUR ATHLETIC SUPERVISOR, LUPE GONZALEZ, WHO OVERSEES THE PROGRAM.
UH, I'M GONNA START OFF WITH, UH, MIRANDA DE LA ROSA.
UH, SHE PARTICIPATED IN THE GIRLS 10 AND UNDER.
SHE WON THE, UM, 1500 METER, UH, RUN.
AND, UH, SHE GOT SECOND PLACE IN THE 800
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METER RUN.OKAY, THE NEXT ONE THAT WE HAVE IS HA HANNAH REON.
SHE PARTICIPATED IN THE GIRLS 18 AND UNDER AND SHE WON SECOND PLACE IN THE POLL VOTE COMPETITION.
THE NEXT ONE THAT WE HAVE HERE IS, UH, JOSIAH JO GALVAN.
HE PARTICIPATED IN THE BOYS 14 AND UNDER AND WON FIRST PLACE IN POLL VOTE.
THE LAST ONE WE HAVE THAT'S HERE IS JONATHAN W WRF.
SO HE PARTICIPATED IN THE BOYS 16 AND UNDER, AND HE GOT THIRD PLACE IN THE A HUNDRED METER DASH.
THE, THE THREE OTHER THAT DIDN'T, THAT DIDN'T, UH, WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND IS MIA ERDA.
SHE PARTICIPATED IN THE GIRLS 18 AND UNDER, SHE GOT SECOND PLACE IN THE 3,200 METER RUN.
AND THEN WE HAD DEL DELILAH MARTINEZ.
SHE PARTICIPATED IN THE GIRLS 16 AND UNDER.
SHE GOT SECOND PLACE IN THE 800 METER RUN.
AND THEN NOAH SILVESTRO, UH, BOYS 16 AND UNDER, AND ONE THIRD PLACE IN THE POLE VAULT WHEN WANNA CONGRATULATE, UH, ALL THE KIDS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE SUMMER PROGRAM AND THEN ESPECIALLY THE KIDS THAT, UH, WON MEDALS.
WELL, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE COMMISSION WOULD JOIN ME AND, UM, STANDING TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH THESE ATHLETES.
PARENTS, ANY OTHER PICTURES? YOU CAN COME UP IF YOU LIKE.
I'M GONNA TRY TO GET THIS ON THE VALLEY CENTRAL.
AND THANK YOU TO THE PARENTS ALSO FOR ALLOWING THE KIDS TO DO ALL THE PRACTICES, COMPETE AND TO REPRESENT HARLEY.
WE'RE SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR EFFORTS AS PARENTS AND VERY PROUD OF AND YEAH.
[Item 4a - Presentation of Award-Harlingen High School South "Hawks" Speech & Debate Team]
OKAY, MAYOR.NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF AWARD TO THE HARINGTON HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH HAWKS SPEECH AND DEBATE TEAM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.
IN THE HOUSE WE HAVE THE 2024 NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS FROM HARLINGEN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND BEFORE WE, UM, AWARD THEM WITH THEIR BEAUTIFUL AWARD, CALISTA HAREN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH HARLINGEN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH.
STEP ABOVE, RIGHT? I REMEMBER
OKAY,
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THEATER AND SPEECH AT HARLINGEN HIGH SCHOOL SOUTH.
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TODAY, WE HAVE FOUR OF OUR FIVE COMPETITORS WHO ATTENDED THE NSTA NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE TOURNAMENT IN DES MOINES, IOWA.UH, THIS JUNE, UH, THIS TOURNAMENT IS THE LARGEST INTERSCHOLASTIC TOURNAMENT OF ITS KIND.
UH, A FEW THOUSAND COMPETITORS, UH, MULTIPLE SCHOOLS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS IS BOTH PRIVATE SCHOOLS, UM, AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND WE HAD OUR STUDENTS SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT.
NOT ONLY WAS OUR PROGRAM, UH, NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 20 PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.
YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE AWARDS, UH, IN JUST A MINUTE.
BUT WE DID HAVE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS FINISHING IN THE TOP EIGHT AND ABOVE.
UM, WE HAD CJ HIGH SCHOOL, WHO WAS OUR FOUR TIME COMPETITOR.
HE QUALIFIED FOR THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT FOUR YEARS IN A ROW, WHICH IS NOT AN EASY FEAT PLACING EIGHTH PLACE IN POETRY.
WE HAD ADRIANA RODRIGUEZ, WHO PLAYS THIRD PLACE IN DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION.
IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS WERE NAMED NATIONAL CHAMPIONS IN DUO INTERPRETATION, UH, TWO YEARS PRIOR.
SO THEY'RE RETURNING NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AND JOINING THEM AS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, UH, IS RECENT GRADUATE SADIE JENSEN, WHO WAS NAMED THE NATIONAL CHAMPION IN PROSE READING AND STORYTELLING.
SO A DOUBLE NATIONAL CHAMPION.
AND WE ALSO HAD A NATIONAL CHAMPION IN DRAMATIC INTERPRETATION.
CARLA RIVERA AND A NATIONAL CHAMPION IN HUMOROUS INTERPRETATION.
GEORGE MATTHEW GUTIERREZ, OUR PROGRAM IN ONE NATIONAL SHOWING PICKED UP FOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, WHICH WAS UNPRECEDENTED AND HAD NEVER BEEN DONE AT THE NATIONAL SPEECH AND DEBATE ASSOCIATION.
SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR STUDENTS FOR NOT ONLY REPRESENTING OUR PROGRAM, BUT THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AT LARGE.
I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY EMPOWERING TO SEE STUDENTS WHO WERE SHARING STORIES PREDOMINANTLY ABOUT THE LATINX EXPERIENCE.
SO GETTING OUT THERE, TAKING A PLATFORM AND SHARING THEIR MESSAGES, IT REALLY IS INSPIRING AND WE'RE SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF THEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR STUDENTS' EFFORTS.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT Y'ALL, BUT I'M BLOWN AWAY BY WHAT WE JUST HEARD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
I WAS JUST AT THE, THE KICKOFF, UM, FOR H-C-I-S-D, AND I KNOW YOUR THEME IS, UH, CHAMPIONS CHOOSE H-C-I-S-D.
AND I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD BE THE ONE ON THE BILLBOARD TALKING ABOUT WHY CHAMPIONS CHOOSE H-C-I-S-D.
'CAUSE YOU SO ELOQUENTLY PUT IT, WE ARE SO PROUD OF THE KIDS.
AND IF YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD SO WE CAN DO OUR PRESENTATION OF AWARD.
SO I SAY YOU I WAS IN AWE OF, I WAS IN THE FRONT.
I GOT LIKE UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL AND YELLED ALL OF YOU.
LIKE I WAS JUST, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS THAT YOU WEREN'T CHILDREN, THAT YOU WEREN'T STUDENTS, THAT YOU WERE ADULTS.
AND THEY HIRED THIS HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION TO COME AS PUT ON THE SHOW, BUT NOW THEY'RE ALL STUDENTS.
ARE WE MISSING TWO AND THREE? ONE MORE.
CAN WE HAVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THESE PANS?
[Item 4b - Presentation of Proclamation recognizing the South Texas Emergency Care Foundation, d/b/a Harlingen Emergency Medical Service, for their service to the Citizens of Texas during Hurricane Beryl]
OKAY, MARY.NEXT WE HAVE A PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING THE SOUTH TEXAS EMERGENCY CARE FOUNDATION, DOING BUSINESS AS HARING AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE
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FOR, FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS DURING HURRICANE BOROUGH.SO BEFORE, UM, WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM STAT HERE TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION.
I WILL READ THE PROCLAMATION AS WHEREAS THE SOUTH TEXAS EMERGENCY CARE FOUNDATION DOING BUSINESS AS HARLINGEN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE IS A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS EMERGENCY MEDICAL TAX COURSE TO RESPOND TO DISASTERS WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS THE HARLINGEN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE WAS ACTIVATED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES TO RESPOND TO HURRICANE BARREL, WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF LIFE INJURIES AND INFANT STRUCTURE DAMAGED TO TOWNS, CITIES, COUNTIES, AND RURAL AREAS IN EAST TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS THE HARLINGEN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE DEPLOYED PERSONNEL SUPPLIES AND AMBULANCE VEHICLES TO HELP EVACUATE AND ALLEVIATE THE PAIN AND HUMAN SUFFERING OF CITIZENS OF HARRIS, FORT BEND AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES IN TEXAS.
AND WHEREAS THE HARLINGEN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PERSONNEL COMPLETED THEIR 10 DAY DEPLOYMENT SUCCESSFULLY AND HAVE RETURNED TO DUTY IN HARLINGEN.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, NORMA
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY YOUR OWN WORDS, GOOD AFTERNOON.
JUST TO, JUST TO GIVE A A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ON THE DEPLOYMENT FOR CHRIS AND, AND MR. ORNA.
UH, THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS, UH, WHEN I WAS CONTACTED BY THE STATE LOOKING IN THEIR NEED OF, UH, EMS SERVICES IN HOUSTON, THESE TWO GENTLEMEN, WITHOUT ANY DOUBT AND WITHOUT ANY HESITATION VOLUNTEERED.
NOW, THE INITIAL DEPLOYMENT WAS THREE TO FIVE DAYS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT I TOLD YOU GUYS, AND IT, AND IT ENDED UP BEING 10 DAYS.
SO THESE TYPE OF DEPLOYMENTS ARE, ARE PRETTY COMMON FOR US.
UM, WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TASK FORCE WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS, MAYBE ABOUT, UH, 18 TO 20 YEARS AGO, I WAS PART OF THAT TASK FORCE THAT THAT HELPED SET IT UP THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
AND, AND THAT IT WAS, IT WAS ALL ABOUT WHEN AN AREA OF TEXAS NEEDS HELP, YOU KNOW, THE RE YOU KNOW, ONE AREA OF TEXAS CAN HELP ANOTHER AREA.
AND BASICALLY THAT'S WHAT WHAT WE, WE DID IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE HURRICANE WASN'T GONNA HIT US.
AND SO WE HAD, UH, THE, UH, THE RESOURCES AND THE AVAILABILITY OF OUR CREWS TO GO IN AND, AND ASSIST.
SO THESE TWO GENTLEMEN, UH, VOLUNTEERED AND PROBABLY THE LONGEST 10 DAYS OF THEIR LIVES, BUT I TRULY APPRECIATE THEM GOING FORWARD.
I THINK INITIALLY ON THE FIRST DAY WHEN THEY GOT TO, UH, ESD, UH, 11, I BELIEVE WHEN YOU GOT THERE, THERE WAS 50 EMS CALLS PENDING.
THAT'S HOW, THAT'S HOW BUSY IT WAS.
AND IT WAS JUST OVERWHELMING FOR THE EMS SERVICE THERE AT, UH, IN, IN THE SPRING AREA.
AND SO THEY, THEY WERE PART OF THE TEAM THAT WENT OUT THERE FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND ASSISTED AND, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF BROUGHT, UH, A LITTLE MORE, UM, EASE, PARTICULARLY ON THE MEDICS THERE, BUT ALSO ON THE PATIENTS THAT WE SAW.
AND THEY HAD A VERY POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM THE PATIENTS THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED.
SO, GOING FORWARD, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE THESE FOLKS AND I, WE APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMISSION AND THE CITY OF HARMS AND RECOGNIZING, UH, UH, THE, THESE INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR SACRIFICE FOR THE, YOU KNOW, BEING AWAY FROM HOME FOR 10 DAYS IS, IS REALLY TOUGH.
PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY ONLY TELL YOU YOU'RE GONNA BE GONE FOR FIVE, RIGHT? SO IT, IT, IT, IT BECOMES, IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT.
SO I WANNA CONGRATULATE THESE FOLKS AND WE LIKE TO PRESENT THE, THE PROCLAMATION HERE TO YOU GUYS.
AND I ALSO WANNA WELCOME THEIR FAMILIES.
'CAUSE AGAIN, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT REALLY HAD TO ENDURE THAT WAS, WAS THEIR, THEIR FAMILY.
WE'LL, WE'LL CALL EVERYBODY UP SO WE CAN GET A PICTURE WITH EVERYBODY.
SO, UH, CHRIS AND, AND MR. ORNA FROM SOUTH TEXAS EMERGENCY CARE.
SO IF WE CAN GET THE COMMISSION TO, SO WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF, OF THE ENTIRE STEP TEAM, BUT ESPECIALLY FOR YOUR SYNDICATION, YOUR SERVICE, WHAT I THINK WAS LEFT OUT RE'S UM, COMMENTS WAS, I KNOW I TALKED TO BILL AND YOU MENTIONED THAT, UM, THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GET RELEASED AND TO COME BACK AND, AND FOR OTHERS TO TAKE YOUR PLACE.
AND YOU SAID, NO, WE WANNA CONTINUE TO SERVE.
AND TO THANK YOU TO THE, FOR ALLOWING THEM TO REPRESENT EVERYONE IN THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS, WE APPRECIATE YOU SO, SO VERY MUCH.
AND I'M GONNA LET YOU, YOU WANNA HOLD IT THERE? A
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TWO.AND DO YOU INVITE THE REST OF THIS TAKE? WE ALREADY GOT THAT.
WE ALREADY GOT THAT OFF HERE, BILL.
UH, AND THAT IS ALL CORRECT? YES.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR, UH, PROCLAMATION, PRESENTATION OF AWARDS MAYOR.
[Item 5 - Citizen Communication]
NEXT WE HAVE ITEM FIVE, 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 ANY TOPICS ADDRESSED.
MAYOR, WE DO HAVE TWO CITIZENS SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
FIRST UP IS MR. RAYMOND REYES.
OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COMMISSIONERS.
RAYMOND REYES, 7 0 6 NANTUCKET DRIVE.
UH, WELL, WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS GOING ON, AS ALWAYS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS GOOD.
UM, BUT OF COURSE, AS, AS ALWAYS, THERE'S ALWAYS, UH, ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
WE, WE TAKE IT AS, AS IT COMES.
UM, THERE WAS SOME, SOME THINGS THAT RECENTLY HAPPENED WITH THE BASS PRO, UH, UH, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN, I, I PERSONALLY HAD BROUGHT THAT UP SOME TIME BACK.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY IN SOME INSTANCES I KNOW MORE THAN I SHOULD, BUT I TRY TO KEEP CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS IN THE LOOP BEFORE IT BECOMES A MATALA NONSENSE.
BUT, UM, AGAIN, AS ALWAYS, AS LONG AS WE MAKE A POSITIVE PROGRESS AND, UH, TRY TO MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THINGS, UH, BEFORE IT BECOMES AN ISSUE.
YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING THAT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL IN AWE ABOUT IS THIS THING WITH THE, WITH THE WATER WORKS.
YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S STILL A BIG THING, UH, FOR BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS IN GENERAL.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A HUGE INFLUX FOR SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AND NOT NECESSARILY BUYING THIS COMMISSION.
BUT IN, IN PAST INSTANCES, IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT WASN'T GONNA GO AWAY.
IT'S JUST LIKE IN BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE CERTAIN PROBLEMS AND STUFF.
IF YOU DON'T ADJUST AND ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, IT'S GONNA GET WORSE.
AND WE JUST CAN'T WISH IT AWAY.
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, TACKLE IT, AND MOVE FORWARD.
UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, UH, HARING'S A GOOD CITY, OF COURSE, UH, IN, IN, IN MY HONEST OPINION, BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE SO LONG, I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT STAGNANT IN SOME INSTANCES, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO GAIN TRACTION, AND THERE'S NO REASON TO LET UP ON THAT TRACTION.
WE JUST GOTTA TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SITUATION, DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT WE GOT, AND MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE WISE DECISIONS BECAUSE IT'S THE RIGHT DECISION, NOT BECAUSE, WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA REMEMBER FOR THIS, THIS, AND THIS AND STUFF.
I THINK, UH, ANY POLITICIAN, ANY GOOD BUSINESSMAN, ONCE ALWAYS DO, OR BUSINESSWOMAN, I DON'T WANNA LEAVE THAT OUT.
UM, WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING FOR, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED GROWTH IN A, IN A POSITIVE ASPECT.
IN THIS INSTANCE, FOR THE COMMUNITY OF HARINGTON, ESPECIALLY THE CITIZENS OF HAGEN IN ALL THE DEPART, THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THE CITIZENS RECEIVE THE BEST SERVICE, THAT'S POSSIBLE.
BECAUSE IF NOT, IT'S GONNA END UP, YOU KNOW, BITING US, UH, IN THE LONG TERM.
AND, UH, THERE, THERE'S NO REASON TO GO THAT ROUTE, ESPECIALLY IF, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS.
SO, UH, ON THAT NOTE, I BEAT THE BUZZER AND I GOT SOME
[00:25:01]
PEOPLE WAITING FOR ME.I GOTTA BE OVER THERE AT SIX, SO I'M NOT GONNA SPEED OR ANYTHING, BUT I'M GONNA GET THERE SAFELY.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME, AND, UH, Y'ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL MEETING AND A GOOD EVENING.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE ROBERT LEWI.
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANTED TO START OFF REAL QUICK AND TALK ABOUT, UH, SOMETHING THAT I'VE ALREADY BROUGHT UP BEFORE, AND THAT'S THE, THE CITY TO OFFER A DISCOUNT ON THE, ON THE UPCOMING NOVEMBER BALLOT FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS FOR PEOPLE.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KNEW THERE WAS A LARGE EMPHASIS ON, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE COMPENSATION FOR THE COMMISSION AND THE MAYOR AND ADDING YEARS OF, YOU KNOW, TO THE TERM, TO YOUR TENURES AS ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UM, BUT I THINK IT'S TIME TO, TO CONSIDER THE CITIZENS OF HARLINGEN.
I THINK THAT Y'ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TONIGHT TO CHANGE THIS AND TO ADD THAT TO THE BALLOT.
WHY NOT ADD THAT TO THE BALLOT? YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU CAN DECLARE A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WITH THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE PORT OF HARLINGEN ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT GIVE A DISCOUNT.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING ANOTHER PROPOSED, UH, VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
Y'ALL ARE RAISING ANOTHER MILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS.
NOW, THE, YOU KNOW, FROM THE BASELINE MAYOR FROM WHEN YOU, YOU WERE FIRST ELECTED, I THINK THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE WAS $21 MILLION.
WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT, THAT THE COFFER, OR 266 DAYS WHEN THE, UH, THE EXTERNAL AUDITOR ALREADY SAID THAT THE GOAL, THE CITY'S GOAL WAS 60 TO 90 DAYS.
YOU GUYS ARE SPENDING ANOTHER, WHAT, EIGHT OR $9 MILLION IN CAPITAL OUTLAYS.
BUT YET WITH THE, WITH THE INCREASE IN PASSIVE INCOME FROM THE INVESTMENTS, FROM THE $35 MILLION FUND BALANCE, FROM THE SALES TAX INCREASES, FROM THE INFLATIONARY, UH, PRESSURES THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING, AND THEN THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASES THAT YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IMPOSING ON PEOPLE, YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE THE SAME FUND BALANCE AFTER SPENDING $8 MILLION IN CAPITAL OUTLAYS, YOU'RE BASICALLY GONNA HAVE THE SAME THING.
WHY DON'T WE GET THE TAXPAYERS A BREAK THIS YEAR AND CONSIDER THEM? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? ALL I'M ASKING IS THAT WHEN YOU GET TO THE AGENDA ITEM, THAT SOMEBODY MAKE A MOTION TO ADD THAT ON THERE AND SAY, LOOK, LET'S, LET'S START OFF WITH $10,000 DISCOUNT FOR PRO FOR A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION DECLARED PROPERTIES, OR 15,000.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHAT Y'ALL CAN DO FOR YOURSELVES AND ASK THE VOTERS TO GIVE YOU RAISES AND, AND FOUR YEAR TERMS, INSTEAD OF THREE YEAR TERMS OF VOTES.
UH, AND THAT WAS MISINFORMATION.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE ARE OTHER CITIES IN THE VALLEY THAT THE MAYOR DOES NOT VOTE.
AND WE WERE TOLD THE COMMITTEE WAS TOLD THAT THAT, WELL, THAT WE WERE THE ONLY CITY IN THE VALLEY THAT WAS MISINFORMATION.
AND WHY DO WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CAME FROM YOU GUYS.
UH, MAYOR, I, I THINK THERE WAS $40,000 WAS THROWN OUT THERE AND THE COMMIT KICKBACK 25.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT SINCE IT WAS UNANIMOUS AGAINST, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS YOUR PROPOSAL, YOU'VE TRAVELED 20 TIMES AND 25 MONTHS IN OFFICE, YOU'VE COST THE TAXPAYERS $30,000 ALMOST IN, IN TRAVEL EXPENSES.
I UNDERSTAND YOU PROBABLY WANT ANOTHER $40,000 SO THAT YOU CAN SPEND MONEY WHILE YOU'RE ON OUT ON TRAVEL.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION MAYOR.
[Item 6 - Approval of Minutes]
ON TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.APPROVAL OF MINUTES, REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 5TH, 2024.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER PETTIS.
[Item 7 - Consent Agenda]
CONSENT AGENDA.NO DISCUSSION IS ANTICIPATED ON ANY OF THE ITEMS IN THIS SECTION BECAUSE THEY ARE ROUTINE BUSINESS OR INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS OR HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AS A STAFF REPORT OR DISCUSSION ITEM.
THIS ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED COLLECTIVELY BY A SINGLE VOTE UNLESS A COMMISSION MEMBER REQUESTS AN ITEM BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? ITEM SEVEN A THROUGH F.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO ITEM EIGHT, STAFF REPORTS AND OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS. ITEMS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REQUIRE ACTION BY THE CITY COMMISSION AND ARE GENERALLY FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
HOWEVER, ANY ITEM LISTED IN THIS SECTION MAY BECOME AN ACTION ITEM WITH THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR OR AFTER THE REQUEST OF ANY TWO COMMISSION MEMBERS OR THE CITY MANAGER.
[Item 8a - City Manager's Report]
[00:30:02]
ITEM EIGHT, A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.[Item 8b - Staff Reports-Robert Rodriguez-(Finance Director)-Review of City of Harlingen's Investment Report quarter ending June 30, 2024 ]
ON TO ITEM EIGHT B STAFF REPORT.ROBERT RODRIGUEZ, FINANCE DIRECTOR REVIEW OF CITY OF HARING'S INVESTMENT REPORT QUARTER ENDING JUNE 30, 20, 24.
UH, THIS IS FOR THE PERIOD OF APRIL 1ST, 2024 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2024.
OUR PORTFOLIO SUM SUMMARY IS, UH, AT THE END OF JUNE, WE HAD A BOOK VALUE OF 81 MILLION FOR 85, 2 44.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR, OUR INTEREST EARNINGS IN THE MIDDLE, IN THE MIDDLE COLUMN, UH, INTEREST INCOME 957,001 12, AMORTIZATION OF 1 22, 1 70 87.
SO FOR THIS QUARTER WE MADE, UM, NET INCOME OF 1,000,079.
UH, AND FOR THE YEAR TO DATE, 3,000,236.
OUR PO PORTFOLIO, UH, RATE IS 5.266%.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE ALLOCATION OF, OF OUR, UH, DEPOSITS.
WE HAVE 3.65 IN BANK DEPOSITS, 78%, UH, IN A LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOL, AND 18% IN TREASURIES.
SO THESE ARE OUR RATINGS BY, BY DISTRIBUTION OF AAA, UH, FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT POOLS.
AND OUR, AND OUR FOUR, SO IT'S ABOUT 63 MILLION OR OR 2.9 MILLION ARE IN DEMAND DEPOSITS, 63.7 MILLION ARE IN AAA, AND 14.8 ARE AAA LONG TERM.
AND THAT'S THE, UH, BENCHMARK COMPARISON OF, UM, THE TREASURIES TO OUR DEPOSITS AND TAX POOL.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, IT STARTS OUT BACK IN 22 AT 1.37%, AND WE ENDED JUNE 30TH AT, UM, 5.27%.
THAT'S A SUMMARY FOR, FOR THE PERIOD.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? GREAT JOB.
APPRECIATE, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THANK YOU.
[Item 8c - Presentation by John Pearcy regarding Harlingen's Architectural History]
MOVING ON TO ITEM C, PRESENTATION BY JOHN PEARCY REGARDING HARLING JEN'S AR ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY.GOOD EVENING MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS STAFF.
UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU GUYS.
I'M A LIFELONG CITIZEN OF HARLINGEN.
UM, I'M A PARTNER AT A LOCAL ARCHITECTURE FIRM AND A HUGE FAN OF MID-CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURE.
UM, MOST OF US THAT GREW UP HERE DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS HERITAGE OR HAVE LITTLE, IF ANY, APPRECIATION OF IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE CUTTING EDGE ARCHITECTURE THAT WAS PRODUCED HERE IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES TO THIS DAY, CONTINUES TO DRAW DESIGN FANS FROM ALL OVER.
UM, AND A FEW MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS A GROUP OUT OF HOUSTON, PROBABLY ABOUT 50 OR 60 FOLKS CAME DOWN TO TOUR ARLINGTON, MISS CENTURY LANDMARKS.
UH, WE GOT ANOTHER ONE IN SEPTEMBER.
IT'LL BE ARCHITECTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE.
UM, AGAIN, THAT ONE'S PROBABLY 50 OR 60 FOLDS.
IT'S A, IT'S A BIT OF A DESTINATION FOR DESIGN FANS.
UM, AND IN THE INTEREST OF BREVITY, UM, I'M GONNA KIND OF FOCUS ON ONE OF THESE GUYS IN PARTICULAR, ONE OF THESE FAMOUS ARCHITECTS THAT, THAT MAKE UP OUR, UH, ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE.
AND, AND YOU KNOW, HERE'S AN EXCERPT OUT OF SOME, UH, PUBLICATIONS.
UH, THIS BOOK'S CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT, BUT YOU CAN SEE, UH, ARLINGTON IS LISTED THERE AS A PILGRIMAGE POINT FOR WHOLE DESIGN FANS.
UM, ALAN YAMATO UCCI, UH, BORN IN 1922 TO A FAMILY OF JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS, GREW UP ON A FARM IN CALIFORNIA.
UM, WHILE ATTENDING BERKELEY, HIS FAMILY WAS RIPPED FROM THEIR, UH, HOMESTEAD AND INTERNED IN CRYSTAL CITY, UH, DURING THE WAR.
UH, THIS DIFFICULT CHAPTER OF HIS, OF HIS LIFE HAS A WHOLE BOOK ABOUT IT.
IT'S CALLED THE, UH, TRAIN TO CRYSTAL CITY.
AFTER THE WAR WAS OVER, HE FINISHED UP COLLEGE AND THEN IT STARTED WORKING IN SAN FRANCISCO, DESIGNING THE EICHLER HOMES THAT SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF, UH, VERY FAMOUS, UH, GROUNDBREAKING, UH, SUBDIVISIONS.
BUT IN FI 1952, HE RELOCATED AND CAME DOWN TO HARLINGEN TO BUILD HIS PRACTICE.
UM, SOON AFTER HIS, UH, FAMILY AND SEVERAL OTHER, UH, JAPANESE FAMILIES RELOCATED, HIS FOLKS RELOCATED TO BLUE TOWN.
THERE WERE FARMERS THERE FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, WHILE HIS NOTEWORTHY RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS, UH, IN THE MODERN COMMUNITY OF LAUREL PARK, WHAT WE NOW CALL PARKWOOD, UH, HELPED BUILD HIS BRAND.
TANA GCI AND HIS FAMILY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO LIVE IN THE SUBDIVISION.
UM, THE DEED RESTRICTIONS THERE WE USED FOR RACIAL EXCLUSION.
SO HIS FAMILY HOME IS ACTUALLY BUILT ON 16TH STREET, WHICH IS RIGHT BEHIND EL PATTO, CURRENTLY EL PATTO.
UM, BUT, BUT HE BUILT HIS PRACTICE.
[00:35:01]
1961, HE JOINED UP WITH A GUY NAMED CHARLES CROFT.AND THAT FIRM QUICKLY GAINED NATIONAL RECOGNITION, UM, FOR THEIR EXPERIMENTATION WITH THIN SHELL, HYPERBOLIC, PARABOLOID, CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION, SPECIFICALLY, UH, CASA SOUL HERE IN HARLINGEN.
SOON AFTER THAT, HE GOT RECRUITED TO GO, UH, UH, TEACH AT UT AUSTIN.
HE EVENTUALLY BECAME THE DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AT UT AUSTIN.
UM, HIS FATHER STARTED A LITTLE, UH, PLACE UP THERE CALLED ZUCKER PARK.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF.
UM, SO WITHOUT CONTRACT OR SALARY, HE STARTED TO DEVELOP THAT.
AND, UH, IT IS WHAT IT IS TODAY.
UM, AFTER THAT, HE ACTUALLY GOT RECRUITED TO RICE, WHERE HE HEADED THAT ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL IN HOUSTON FOR MANY YEARS.
AFTER THE, AFTER THAT POINT IN HIS CAREER, UM, HE WENT BACK TO AUSTIN AND BUILT A FIRM CURRENTLY HELD, UH, CARRY, CARRIED ON BY HIS SON EVAN.
UM, AND SOME IMPORTANT THINGS THAT HE DID WAS THE, UH, TOWN LAKE MASTER PLAN, UM, AND OF COURSE, MANY OTHER IMPORTANT WORKS IN AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO THIS IS HIS FAMILY HOME, UM, ON 16TH STREET.
UM, EVAN'S ACTUALLY IN THAT TOP PHOTO.
SO TANA GUCCI AND CROFTS CASA SOUL WAS BUILT IN 1961.
IT BOASTS A RADIAL THIN SHELL CONCRETE ROOF THAT EVOKES THE DRESS OF A FOLK LOCO DANCER, UH, WHICH WAS LIKELY CREATED WITH HANGING FABRIC FORMS FLOATING ABOVE GLASS WALLS, ALL GLASS WALLS THAT BLURRED THE LINE BETWEEN EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR ACCIDENT WITH BRIGHTLY COLORED DOORS.
AND THE ORGANIC FORM CONTINUED ONTO THE SITE WITH THESE MESQUITE FIRED TO LOW FIRED, UH, MEXICAN BRICKS ON THE ALL THESE SITE SITE WALLS THAT CREATED A LOT OF EXTERIOR SPACES.
UM, THIS SEMINAL WORK EVOKED THE HIGH CONCRETE HYPERBOLIC PARAS BY THE RENOWNED MEXICAN ARCHITECT, FELIX CON.
UM, THIS HARLINGEN LANDMARK IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR VENUES THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.
UM, IT'S, IT'S LEASED OUT PROBABLY 80% OF THE YEAR.
UH, IT IMPARTS LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF HARLINGEN IMPRESSIONS ANNUALLY.
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PLACES.
IT'S HOSTED COUNTLESS QUINCEANERAS EVENTS, UM, IN ALL SORTS OF, UH, ALL SORTS OF EVENTS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY, UH, IT HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS, UM, ALL THE SIGNS OF CASO POINT TO A LOOMING THRESHOLD, UH, WHERE IT COULD BE LOST POTENTIALLY.
UM, IT, IT'S CRITICAL AT THIS JUNCTURE.
I THINK THAT, UH, IT GETS SOME ATTENTION PAID TO IT.
UM, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THE VALUE THAT THIS COMMISSION PLACES ON PROVIDING BEAUTIFUL AND AFFORDABLE VENUES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THIS IS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND SOME OF YOUR NORMAL MAINTENANCE AND UNDERSTANDING, YOU KNOW, NEW, NEW PROJECTS GET A LOT MORE PRESS, A LOT SEXIER, BUT, YOU KNOW, THESE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS ARE CRITICAL, ESPECIALLY FOR KEEPING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS IN HARLINGEN, UH, FUNCTIONAL AND POTENTIALLY EVEN BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL BEAUTY.
UM, AND, UH, THIS OVERHAUL AT THIS TIME COULD PRESERVE THIS LANDMARK FOR GENERATIONS TO COME AND ENHANCING THE BEST THAT HARLINGEN HAS TO OFFER.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, THIS IS A REALLY BRIEF KIND OF INTRODUCTION.
MY GOAL HERE IS TO RAISE AWARENESS, UH, FOR ALL OF US WHO GREW UP WITH THIS STUFF AND NEVER EVEN KNEW WHAT WE HAD.
UM, SOME ADDITIONAL, UM, RESOURCES ARE HERE FOR YOU.
I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE, UM, OUT ON THE BORDER, WHICH AGAIN, IS OUT OF THE PRINT, OUT TO PRINT CURRENTLY, BUT I CAN SHARE IT WITH ANYBODY.
UM, BUT YEAH, I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS.
WHEN DID THEY GET RID OF THE GLASS? LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I'VE SEEN PICTURES FROM THE EIGHTIES WHERE IT WAS ALREADY STUC OUT OVER, SO IT'S
WE LOST A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL MID-CENTURY BUILDINGS.
ANY ESTIMATE ON WHAT THE REPAIR COST WOULD BE? UH, YEAH, YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE THIS FOR YEARS.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE.
THIS BUILDING'S ABOUT 12,000 SQUARE FEET, 12, 200.
IF YOU WERE TO REPLACE IT, UM, IT'D BE UPWARDS OF $5 MILLION.
UM, WE'RE DOING SOME EVENT CENTERS IN, IN UP THE VALLEY IN MCALLEN THAT ARE MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
SO YOU CAN REPLACE IT FOR A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND IT PROBABLY WON'T BE THAT SAME QUALITY, RIGHT? AND WE'LL LOSE THIS LANDMARK, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO DO.
THERE ARE, I'VE DONE RENOVATION ES ESTIMATES FROM A MILLION, UM, WHICH IS SORT OF A BARE MINIMUM ALL THE WAY UP TO ABOUT 3 MILLION, WHICH COULD PROBABLY EXPAND THAT TO CAPTURE A LOT OF THAT ORIGINAL QUALITY.
BUT, UH, DEFINITELY WOULD BE A LOT LESS THAN REPLACING
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, YOU KNOW, SHARING THIS INFORMATION WITH US.
IT'D BE NICE IF WE CAN GET, UH, CITY STAFF TO KIND OF GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION PUT ON OUR WEBSITE SO WE CAN SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.
UM, I'LL TELL YOU THAT THIS COMMISSION IS COMMITTED TO PRESERVING THE, THE BUILDING.
AND WE'VE BEEN, WE HAD DISCUSSIONS JUST YESTERDAY.
UM, WE HAD A REPRESENTATIVE COME DOWN AND TALK TO US ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES, UM, FOR CBB TYPE OF, UH, PARTNERSHIPS.
[00:40:01]
OBVIOUSLY THE CITY PROBABLY HAVE TO TO TO DIP INTO SOME FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT TOO.BUT I THINK IT'S REMARKABLE TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE'LL, WE'LL FIND A WAY TO, TO GET IT DONE.
AND I HAD AM ONE OF THOSE THAT WENT TO A TON OF QUINCEANERAS IN THAT, IN THAT BUILDING.
AND WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I HAD NO CLUE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, YOU KNOW, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS A PLACE WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE QUINCEANERAS.
THAT THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT THAT WAS FOR.
UM, IT WASN'T UNTIL RECENTLY THAT I DISCOVERED, AND I'VE LIVED HERE MOST OF MY LIFE TOO.
SO I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE PROBABLY LIKE ME AND DON'T, AND AND DON'T APPRECIATE WHAT WE HAVE.
AND SO WE'D ALSO LIKE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AFTER HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR EFFORTS TO HAVE THOSE FOLKS COME DOWN TO OUR COMMUNITY AND BE ABLE TO BRING MORE AWARENESS TO THOSE TOURS FOR SURE.
AND YOU KNOW, FOR ME IT WAS, IT WAS AN ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL.
THERE WAS AN EVENING LECTURE AND THEN WE WOULD ALL GO TO, AND I WENT AND THIS GUY STARTED THROWING THESE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF PLACES THAT I KNEW AND THAT I'D BEEN IN TALKING ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THERE WERE.
AND, AND I SAW MY HOME THROUGH FRESH EYES.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THESE TOURS ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, PUBLIC IF ANYBODY'S INTERESTED, UM, JUST LET ME KNOW AND, UH, HAPPY TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU GUYS, HOPEFULLY GET IT OUT THERE.
[Item 8d - Presentation by Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP]
HAVE ITEM D, PRESENTATION BY LINEWORKER GOIN, BLAIR AND SAMSON, LLPI HOPE YOURS IS JUST AS INTERESTING.THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
ALONGSIDE WITH ME IS, UH, OUR MANAGING PARTNER, JEFFREY GARCIA.
UM, AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO REPORTS FOR YOU TONIGHT.
WE'VE GOT THE DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTION REPORT THAT SPANS FROM OCTOBER 1ST, 2022 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2024.
AND THEN I'M GONNA LET JEFFREY GET UP HERE AND PRESENT THE, UH, MUNICIPAL FEES AND FINES COLLECTION REPORT ON BEHALF OF, UH, THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.
SO, UM, HERE, YOU KNOW, AT LINEBERGER WE STRIVE TO COLLECT, UM, FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, UH, THROUGH A PROVEN COLLECTION PROCESS THAT, THAT WE HAVE MODELED.
UM, AND THAT IS REALLY BY, UM, REACHING OUT TO PROPERTY OWNERS, REACHING OUT TO TAXPAYERS THROUGH DIFFERENT AVENUES.
UM, ONE OF THE AVENUES THAT WE IMPLEMENT, OF COURSE, IS A MAILING PROCESS.
WE ALSO MAKE CONTACTS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGH THEIR, UH, OUTBOUND CALLS THAT WE PLACE.
THROUGH INBOUND CALLS THAT ARE RECEIVED IN OUR OFFICE, WE TRY LEAVING THE, UH, LITIGATION PROCESS, FILING A SUIT ON BEHALF OF THE DEL GOOD TAX COLLECTION THAT ARE OWED FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AS A LAST RESORT.
UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT DURING THIS TIMEFRAME, THIS IS, THESE ARE THE NUMBERS OF, UM, MAILINGS THAT WE DID ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.
WE ALSO, UM, EXECUTED SEVERAL TAX WARRANTS THAT GENERATED $116,801 ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.
AND WE ENTERED INTO 172 PAYMENT AGREEMENTS.
AS I SAID EARLIER, WE DO LEAVE THE, UM, LITIGATION PROCESS AS ONE OF THE LAST STEPS, BUT WE ACTUALLY DO FILE LAWSUITS AND WE HAVE FILED MANY LAWSUITS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HARINGTON FOR WHAT IS OWED.
DURING THIS TIMEFRAME, WE FILED 200 8298 LAWSUITS.
AND, UM, THESE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER NUMBERS THAT, UM, WERE PRESENTED.
99 JUDGMENTS THAT WERE TAKEN ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HARLEEN FOR WHAT WAS OWED.
AND WE CURRENTLY STILL HAVE ABOUT 199 PENDING LAWSUITS TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $401,000.
NOW, MOVING ON, WE'LL GET ON TO WHAT HAS ACTUALLY BEEN COLLECTED, UM, DURING THESE PRECEDING YEARS.
IF YOU'LL LOOK AT HERE, UH, DATING BACK TO OCTOBER, 2020, WE ACTUALLY HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR THAT YEAR.
WE HAD ABOUT 33% IN COLLECTIONS.
THERE WAS ACTUALLY A VERY LARGE, UH, COLLECTION THAT CAME IN FOR VIA VISTA MALL.
AND SINCE THEN WE HAVE HAD SOME SUBSEQUENT COLLECTIONS.
WE ARE VERY CONSISTENT WITH OUR COLLECTIONS.
AND IF YOU'LL LOOK AT ONE OF THE MAIN FACTORS HERE, THE ADJUSTED DELINQUENT TAX ROLL, UM, THERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT GRAPH, IF YOU'LL SEE BACK IN 2020, AT THE END OF 2021, THAT WAS AT 1.7 MILLION.
SINCE THEN, IT ACTUALLY HAS DECREASED.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY A VERY GOOD THING.
UM, EVERY YEAR ON JULY 1ST, WE GET WHAT'S CALLED A TURNOVER.
LAST YEAR'S PRECEDING TAXES GET TURNED OVER TO US AND WE REFER TO IT, UM, OR, OR WE LOOK AT IT AS A BUCKET OF MONEY THAT GETS TURNED OVER EVERY YEAR.
SO EVERY YEAR THAT BUCKET OF MONEY FROM THE DELINQUENT TAXES PREVIOUS YEARS GETS PUT INTO THAT.
SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE DECREASED THAT ADJUSTED DELINQUENT TAX ROLL SHOWS THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT WITH OUR
[00:45:01]
COLLECTIONS.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS GRAPH? AND THE, NOW IF YOU'LL SEE HERE, THIS IS ANOTHER GRAPH THAT SHOWS BASE TAX PER YEAR COLLECTED THE, UM, ADJUSTED TAX LEVY AS OF OCTOBER 1ST OF EVERY YEAR, AND WHAT THE TURNOVER IS USUALLY.
SO HARLEEN IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WHERE YOU GET ANYWHERE BETWEEN 95, 90 6% OF WHAT THE CURRENT TAXES GET COLLECTED.
SO THE TURNOVER, UM, THAT GETS BROUGHT OVER TO US.
YOU'LL SEE ONCE IT UM, GETS TURNED OVER ON JULY 1ST, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY COLLECT WHERE WE GET THAT ALMOST UP TO 99% THIS LAST YEAR.
WE STILL HAVE ABOUT 1, 2, 3, 4 MONTHS LEFT FOR COLLECTIONS.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 96% AND WE ARE TARGETED TO HOPEFULLY REACH THAT 99% COLLECTIONS AGAIN, AS WE'VE DONE IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS? SO MOVING ON DURING THIS TIMEFRAME, WE UM, ACTUALLY CONDUCTED 14 TAX SALES FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, WHERE WE PREPARED 47 PROPERTIES TO BE PLACED UP FOR SALE.
NOT ALL PROPERTIES GET PLACED FOR SALE.
WE MAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER SO THAT THEY CAN PAY THEIR TAXES OR ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT SO THAT PROPERTIES DO NOT GO FORWARD TO SELL.
BUT DURING THIS TIMEFRAME OF THE 47 PROPERTIES THAT WERE PREPARED, YOU CAN SEE THERE WE, UH, RECEIVED PAYMENT IN FULL FOR 13 PROPERTIES ENTERED INTO 11 AGREEMENTS AND ACTUALLY 23 PROPERTIES WERE SOLD.
I ALSO WANTED TO ADD SOME OF THE VALUE ADDED SERVICES THAT WE DO FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, UM, THAT ARE ACTUALLY AT NO COST TO THE CITY.
AND ACTUALLY WE RECEIVE NOTHING FROM THESE VALUE ADDED SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE.
AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS A NUISANCE ABATEMENT LINK COLLECTION.
UM, WHAT THIS IS, IS REALLY THE WEEDY LOTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
UM, WHEN WE ARE, UM, DOING OUR TITLE WORK AND THAT WE SEE THAT THERE IS A LIEN PLACED BY THE CITY OF HARLINGEN ON THAT PROPERTY, WE GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE THAT LIEN INTO OUR DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTION SUIT SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO COLLECT THAT FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.
AND WE HAVE COLLECTED, SO FAR $64,524 FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN THAT'S AT NO COST TO THE CITY.
AND THAT AT WE RECEIVE NOTHING FROM THIS AS WELL.
ALSO, WE MADE AN INITIATIVE TO COME FORWARD AND BEGIN, UM, PETITIONING THE COURT.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IS, UM, IF A PROPERTY IS SOLD AT IS TAX SALE AND THERE ARE ANY EXCESS PROCEEDS BY STATUTE, UM, TWO YEARS FROM THE DATE OF SALE, THE DISTRICT CLERK IS SUPPOSED TO, IF NO ONE HAS PETITIONED THE COURT FOR THESE EXCESS PROCEEDS, THE DISTRICT CLERK IS SUPPOSED TO, UM, REVERT ANY OF THOSE EXCESS PROCEEDS AND DISTRIBUTE TO EACH OF THE TAXING ENTITIES IN A PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF WHO ALL HAD AN INTEREST IN THE JUDGMENT.
WE MADE AN INITIATIVE TO COME FORWARD AT THAT TWO YEAR MARKER AND PETITION THE DISTRICT CLERK FOR THESE.
SO THIS IS ALL MONEY THAT, THAT THE CITY, UM, HAS NOW GENERATED, YOU KNOW, THAT THE CITY IS ABLE TO USE AND IT, IT, IT GOES BACK INTO THEIR FUNDS.
UM, TRUTH AND TAXATION ASSISTANCE, THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE PROVIDE, UM, AS AN ASSISTANCE TO THE CITY.
ANY QUESTIONS AND ANY LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, ANY CHANGES IN, IN TAXES OR ANY TAX RELATED QUESTIONS, THAT IS SOMETHING WE PROVIDE TO THE CITY AS WELL.
I'M NOT SURE IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE REPORT THAT THAT $64,000, THAT'S NOT OVER THIS YEAR ALONE, IS IT? NO, IT'S NOT.
IT'S, IT'S A, UH, COLLECTIVE FROM A COUPLE OF YEARS.
I, I WILL LET YOU KNOW EXACTLY I THINK IT WAS DATING BACK TO 2018 WHEN WE BEGAN THE INITIATIVE.
WE STARTED BASICALLY DOING THIS, UH, SERVICE FOR OUR CLIENTS RIGHT AROUND 20 18 20 19.
SO THAT'S THE TIMEFRAME FOR THAT AMOUNT.
SO MONICA, I HAVE A, ANOTHER KIND OF, UH, QUESTION.
I KNOW WE KEEP IN CONTACT WITH Y'ALL TO SEE WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF, UH, COLLECTIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND I JUST TO CLARIFY 'CAUSE THERE'S BEEN SOME SPECULATION THAT THE VIA VISTA MALL, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE ISSUES OUT THERE, BUT THERE ARE THEY BEHIND IN THEIR TAXES IN ANY FORM? NO.
ALL, ALL DELINQUENT TAXES REGARDING THE REAL PROPERTY ARE PAID AND CURRENT.
AND EVEN THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH INCLUDES THEIR BUSINESS, PERSONAL PROPERTY,
[00:50:01]
INVENTORY, FURNITURE, FIXTURES, AND EQUIPMENT, ALL OF THEIR TAXES, UM, ARE CURRENTLY PAID UP.JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM AND MAKE SURE.
AND I'LL PASS IT ALONG TO MR. GARCIA.
THANK YOU MONICA, FOR THAT IMPRESSIVE PRESENTATION ON THE DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTIONS FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.
UH, BEFORE I GET STARTED AND DIVE INTO THE MUNICIPAL COURT COLLECTIONS, UM, I JUST FIRST WANTED TO ACTUALLY CONGRATULATE MONICA SISE FOR BEING A RECENT GRADUATE OF THE CHAMBER'S, UH, LEADERSHIP HARLINGEN PROGRAM.
UH, AND SO CONGRATULATIONS, MONICA, THAT'S A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT AND WELCOME TO JEFF, BACK TO THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.
WE'RE SO HAPPY THAT YOU ARE HERE WITH US.
AS YOU HEARD, MONICA, UM, ELOQUENTLY STATE THE COLLECTIONS FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN ON PROPERTY TAXES.
WHEN WE MOVE INTO, UH, COLLECTIONS FOR YOU MUNICIPAL COURT, UM, I ALWAYS LIKE TO START THE PRESENTATIONS WITH THE CAVEAT, AND THAT IS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT MUNICIPAL COURT COLLECTIONS, WE LIKE TO USE THE TERM RESOLUTION.
AND THE REASON WHY I LIKE TO USE THE WORD RESOLUTION IS UNLIKE PROPERTY TAXES, WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH, UH, DELINQUENT CITATIONS FROM YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT, THERE ARE NON-MONETARY WAYS TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE A DELINQUENT TRAFFIC CITATION, UH, THROUGH YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT.
AND SO WE LIKE TO USE THE TERM RESOLUTION.
YOU WILL SEE THAT WORD, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION.
AND WE WILL ALSO USE THE WORD COLLECTED BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE DOLLARS COLLECTED ON YOUR DELINQUENT, UH, MUNICIPAL COURT COLLECTIONS.
THIS IS YOUR DEDICATED TEAM ON BEHALF OF THE LINEBERGER LAW FIRM.
UM, I PROUDLY TO SAY THAT THE THREE ATTORNEYS IN YOUR, IN OUR LOCAL BROWNSVILLE OFFICE FOR THE LINEBARGER FIRM ARE ACTUALLY THREE FORMER CAMERON COUNTY PROSECUTORS.
AND WE ARE THE ONLY LAW FIRM IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY THAT IS ABLE TO SAY THAT ALL THE ATTORNEYS IN OUR LOCAL BROWNSVILLE OFFICE ARE FORMER PROSECUTORS FOR CAMERON COUNTY.
ALSO ON THE TEAM IS TREVOR, UH, BALDERRAMA.
HE'S OUR, UH, CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR OFFICER WHO OVERSEES ALL THE FEES AND FINES OUTTA SAN ANTONIO.
NOW MOVING ON TO DEDICATED OFFICES FOR YOUR CITY COLLECTIONS FOR YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A LOCAL OFFICE IN BROWNSVILLE, UM, LOCATED AT 35 CIA COURT.
WE HAVE BEEN IN CAMERON COUNTY SINCE 1983.
WE HAVE THREE FULL-TIME ATTORNEYS AND 27 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
AND WE WORK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, EIGHT TO FIVE.
I'D LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE I KNOW THERE IS A LOCAL COMPETITOR WHO CAME INTO TOWN ROUGHLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WHO LIKES TO SAY THEY NOW HAVE AN OFFICE.
WELL, THAT'S NOT REALLY TRUE BECAUSE, UM, THAT COMPETITOR A DOESN'T HAVE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
THEY DO PART-TIME AND WE'RE PROUD TO SAY TO ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WE OFFER, UH, FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT ALONG WITH, UH, HEALTH BENEFITS AND RETIREMENT PLANS.
ANOTHER, UH, ONE OF OUR OFFICES THAT HELPS OUT WITH MUNICIPAL COLLECTIONS IS OUR SAN ANTONIO CALL CENTER.
WE HAVE OVER 100 BILINGUAL COLLECTORS WHO ARE THERE MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY PAST FIVE O'CLOCK THAT ARE ABLE TO HELP OUT, UM, ANY INDIVIDUAL THAT HAVE, UH, OUTSTANDING TRAFFIC CITATION WITH MUNICIPAL COURT.
AND THIRDLY, OUR SAN ANTONIO IT HEADQUARTERS, YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT WORKS ON A DAILY BASIS WITH OUR CONTRACT MANAGERS OUT OF THIS OFFICE, ALSO LOCATED IN SAN ANTONIO.
THE KEY POINT HERE IS THAT ALL OF THE CITY'S DATA WITH REGARD TO THE MUNICIPAL COURT STAYS HERE IN SOUTH TEXAS.
WE DO NOT FARM OUT ANYTHING TO ANY OTHER, UH, CONTRACTOR OUT THERE.
ALL THE, IN TODAY'S CLIMATE OF SECURITY DATA BREACHES, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL YOUR DATA STAYS HERE IN SOUTH TEXAS.
THIS IS THE COLLECTIONS PROCESS, UH, SLIDE THAT I HAVE FOR YOU.
I WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT WHEN IT COMES TO MUNICIPAL COLLECTIONS, EVERY SINGLE COMMUNICATION THAT WE REACH OUT TO THE DEBTORS THAT OWE SOMETHING TO YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT IS CLIENT APPROVED.
EVERY LETTER, EVERY PHONE CALL, EVERYTHING IS APPROVED BY YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT.
UH, THE LETTERS ARE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
UM, AND THE FREQUENCY DEPENDS ON, UM, HOW FAR, UH, AGE THE ACCOUNT IS.
AND ALWAYS OUR COMMUNICATIONS ARE AIMED AT ONE THING RESOLVING THE ACCOUNT.
AND THAT IS WHY OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS OUT OF ALL THESE LETTERS AND PHONE CALLS THAT WE DO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT DEBTOR, THAT DEFENDANT BEFORE YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT GOES BACK TO COURT AND GOES BEFORE THE JUDGE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE AND RESOLVE THEIR ACCOUNT.
UM, THERE IS A COMPETITOR WHO WILL RETURN ACCOUNTS BACK AFTER TWO YEARS.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO COLLECT ON, ON THE CITY'S BEHALF.
[00:55:01]
WE CONDUCT OVER 23 MILLION SKIP TRACES MONTHLY AND WE HAVE A 24 7 ONLINE PAYMENT PORTAL THAT THE CITY'S, UH, MUNICIPAL DEFENDANTS CAN, UH, AVAIL THEMSELVES TO.AND ALWAYS, WE NEVER CHARGE ANY ADDITIONAL CONVENIENCE FEES.
YOU WILL SEE THAT HERE, UM, COMPETITORS AND OTHER COMPANIES WILL LIKE TO CHARGE CREDIT CARD FEES AND ALL THAT, THAT, UM, WE IN FACT CREATED, UH, THROUGH OUR LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT THE STATUTE THAT ALLOWS FOR THE COLLECTIONS FOR MUNICIPAL COURT FEES AND FINES.
AND ONE THING THAT WAS VERY CLEAR WHEN WE WERE ESTABLISHING THAT LAW IS THAT THE AMOUNT THAT IS CHARGED AND STATUTE UNDER A CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, WHAT MEANT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THE EXPENSES IN COLLECTING THIS.
THEREFORE, WE FEEL THAT ANYTIME, UH, AN ENTITY CHARGES ADDITIONAL CREDIT CARD FEES IS JUST GOES CONTRARY TO THAT ORIGINAL STATUTE THAT WAS CREATED DURING THIS REPORTING PERIOD BY AT THE END OF THE MONTH OF JUNE, 2024, UH, DURING THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT.
DIGGING BACK TO APRIL, 2008, FOR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, WE HAVE MAILED OVER 264,000 LETTERS.
WE HAVE DONE OVER 637,000 OUTBOUND CALLS AND WE HAVE UPDATED ADDRESSES TO THE TUNE OF NEARLY 60,000 DURING THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT.
THERE WAS OVER 134,000 CASES ASSIGNED TO THE LINEBARGER FIRM.
THERE ARE ADJUSTMENTS AND CITATIONS, UH, 442,000 WERE COLLECTED, AND HOW MANY WERE RESOLVED? 107,000, ALMOST $34 MILLION RESOLVED AT NO COST TO THE CITY.
THIS IS THE STATUS OF THE ACCOUNTS THAT ARE TURNED OVER TO THE LINEBARGER FIRM.
YOU CAN SEE THERE, THERE'S ROUGHLY OVER 26,000 ACTIVE ACCOUNTS.
THERE ARE OTHER, UH, STATUS THERE.
YOU CAN SEE, UH, SOME OF THESE MAY BE INCARCERATED AND FOR EXAMPLE, THERE MAY BE OTHERS THAT ARE IN PAYMENT PLANS.
THIS IS THE STATUS OF ALL THE ACCOUNTS THAT ARE TURNED OVER TO THE LINEBARGER FIRM.
HERE IS A GRAPH OF GOING BACK.
YOU CAN SEE THERE $12.7 MILLION COLLECTED FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN OVER THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT, AGAIN, AT NO COST TO THE CITY.
HERE IS JUST A MORE CLEAR, UH, PICTURE OF THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
THE 12.7 IS ACTUALLY DOLLARS RECOVERED.
THAT IS HOW MUCH MONEY WAS BROUGHT BACK INTO THE CITY.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS $34 MILLION WAS RESOLVED BECAUSE THERE ARE NON-MONETARY WAYS OF RESOLVING DELINQUENT TRACK EXPECTATIONS.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THAT 76% RESOLUTION RATE IS THE HIGHEST IN CAMERON COUNTY AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST RESOLUTION RATES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
I HAVE WORKED IN OUR LINEBARGER OTHER OFFICES, UM, AND WE QUITE FRANKLY USE, UH, CITY OF HARLINGEN AS AN EXAMPLE THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WHEN WE ARE, UH, TALKING TO OTHER MUNICIPAL COURTS OUT THERE ON COLLECTION PROGRAMS, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I HAVE TO GIVE, UH, A SHOUT OUT TO YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT.
THEY ARE EXCELLENT, UH, IN PROVIDING US THE MONTHLY REPORTS THAT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO OUR WORK.
UM, AND YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT THE EFFORTS THAT YOUR MUNICIPAL COURT STAFF AND JUDGE GO THROUGH CLEARLY SHOWS IN THE RESULTS, UH, THAT ARE HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.
[Item 9 - Public Hearings]
TO ITEM NINE, 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.
IF MORE THAN ONE PUBLIC HEARING IS BEING HELD, YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK DURING EACH TOPIC, PROVIDED YOU HAVE FIELD DOUBT, 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.
WE DID HAVE ONE CITIZEN SIGN UP FOR A PUBLIC HEARING PERTAINING TO ITEM NINE C.
OKAY, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND JUST GO THROUGH THESE ANYHOW, JUST TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE ON THE RECORD.
UM, NINE, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR REZONING REQUESTS FROM LIGHT INDUSTRY DISTRICT AND OFFICE DISTRICT TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF EAST GRIMES AVENUE, APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET EAST OF NORTH 28TH STREET, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT ONE SKYLINE, PHASE TWO R-G-V-C-U SUBDIVISION.
AND AT THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, BUT HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, WE WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ITEM NINE B PUBLIC HEARING FOR REZONING REQUEST FROM LIGHT INDUSTRY DISTRICT TWO, GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR 10 POINT 13 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF GLOCK 19 CUNNINGHAM
[01:00:01]
SUBDIVISION LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF PRE MEADOW ROAD AND I 69 EAST EXPRESSWAY 77 FRONTAGE ROAD.WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME, BUT HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND ITEM C, PUBLIC HEARING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DISTRICT FOR 8.77 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF BLOCKS 43 AND 44 DIXIELAND HEIGHTS, NUMBER ONE SUBDIVISION LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF DIXIELAND AND GARRETT ROAD.
UM, AT THIS TIME WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ASK FOR MR. HERMAN MONTE IF YOU ARE PRESENT.
CAN YOU PLEASE APPROACH? THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
IF YOU CAN JUST STATE YOUR NAME, UH, THE DISTRICT THAT YOU LIVE IN, AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
UH, I'M AT 25 0 1 GARRETT ROAD.
I SPOKE LAST TIME WE HAD A, ANOTHER SUBDIVISION COME IN, BUT I REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF THE AREA THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SUBDIVISION THAT'S IT IS ALL HOUSES.
NEXT TO OUR HOUSE IS AROUND THE GARRETT AND DIXIELAND AREA.
UH, I'M, THEY'RE ALL SKEPTICAL ABOUT THESE SMALL DUPLEXES AND APARTMENTS THAT ARE ADDED ONTO THOSE, UH, SUBDIVISIONS.
MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY REASON WHY THEY CAN'T DO JUST A SUBDIVISION OF HOMES? UM, WHEN IT COMES, OH, SORRY.
UM, WHEN IT COMES TO THE SUBDIVISION, IT'S USUALLY UP TO THE DEVELOPER WHAT THEY WANNA DO BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES, UM, DEVELOPING THE LAND.
BUT IN THIS INSTANCE RIGHT HERE, 'CAUSE I REMEMBER FROM LAST TIME THAT WE HAD A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE OTHER SUBDIVISION, YOU GUYS WERE REALLY, REALLY WORRIED ABOUT APARTMENTS.
I CAN TELL YOU, UM, WITHOUT A DOUBT, BECAUSE I'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO THE DEVELOPER THAT HE PLANS TO MAKE NO APARTMENTS WHATSOEVER ON IN THIS, UM, DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT HE PLANS TO MAKE AND THEY'RE GONNA DO, UM, WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET TO IT, THEY'RE GONNA DO A LITTLE PRESENTATION 'CAUSE, AND I HOPE YOU STAY, THAT WE CAN SEE, UM, WHAT I'M REFERRING TO, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE BUILDING IS A GATED COMMUNITY, AN ASSISTED LIVING CENTER, AND KIND OF SORT OF LIKE WHAT'S LIKE A LITTLE PLAZA, UH, WITH MAYBE A BAKERY OR SOME TYPE OF, OF STORE OR, OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD ACTUALLY SERVICE YOUR, YOUR AREA OF THE, OF THE REGION.
SO THERE'S NO APARTMENTS IN THIS WHATSOEVER.
THE DEVELOPER KNOWS THAT, THAT HE REMEMBERS WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WHEN I SPOKE TO HIM, 'CAUSE HE CAME TO ME AND SPOKE TO ME ABOUT, UM, DOING THIS DEVELOPMENT AND I TOLD HIM, YOUR WORRIES, BECAUSE YOU LIVE THERE, YOU HAVE YOUR VALID CONCERNS AND HE HAS NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER MAKING APARTMENTS.
OKAY, WELL, TO SEE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO YES.
A, A A A BLUEPRINT OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, SO SHOW US SOMETHING NICE.
YOU KNOW? NO, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE PLAN TO DO AS SOON AS IT COMES UP.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES, UH, PEOPLE ARE NOT ACTIVE OR SPEAKING OUT FOR THEMSELVES, AND YOU DO THAT CONSISTENTLY.
AND, UH, ONE OTHER THING, MR. MONTE MAYO, I I I ALSO RECALL, UM, THE LAST, UM, SUBDIVISION THAT WAS PROPOSED IN, IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD COMING OUT.
AND SO I, WE, I ALSO SPOKE WITH THE, WITH THE DEVELOPER ON THIS PROPERTY.
AND HE'S, 'CAUSE HE'S ALSO DEVELOPING IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS OKAY, BUT WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS IT HERE IN JUST A BIT.
BUT I MENTIONED TO HIM THE CONCERNS, UH, FROM, FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND HE SAID HE WOULD ALSO BE AGREEABLE TO EVEN A NOTE ON THE PLAT THAT SAYS THAT HE'S COMMITTED TO NOT DEVELOPING ANY APARTMENTS AND THAT THERE'LL BE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO THAT WOULD PUT THE, THE FOLKS IN THAT AREA AT EASE KNOWING THAT IT'S ALREADY A COMMITMENT FROM, FROM HIM ON THE PLAID ITSELF.
THANK SO I JUST WANTED TO CONVEY THAT TO, TO YOU.
AND I'LL MENTION IT TO THE REST.
AND, AND PLEASE, LIKE COMMISSIONER BETA SAID YOU'RE WELCOME.
IS THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR, OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AT THIS TIME WE WILL NOW HAVING NO ONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE ON.
ITEM 10, ACTION ITEMS CITY COMMISSION WILL DISCUSS, CONSIDER, AND TAKE ANY ACTION DEEMED NECESSARY ON ITEMS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, INCLUDING THE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION OR AN ORDINANCE.
[Item 10a - Rezoning Request - Skyline Phase-II RGVCU Subdivision, Applicant: Andy Vigstol c/o Jose Sanchez]
A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM LIGHT INDUSTRY DISTRICT AND OFFICE DISTRICT TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF EAST GRIMES AVENUE, APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET EAST OF NORTH 28TH STREET, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT ONE SKYLINE.PHASE TWO ARE GVCU SUBDIVISION APPLICANT, ANDY VTO, CAR OF JOSE SANCHEZ, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MAYOR CITY COMMISSION.
THIS IS A DOWN ZONING, SO FROM THAT INDUSTRY TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR A PROPOSED APARTMENT COMPLEX.
[01:05:01]
SO IT'S A LESS, LESS INTENSE AS COMPARED TO INDUSTRIAL JAIL.SOUTH SIDE OF GRIMES, CLOSE TO 28TH STREET.
HERE'S THE AERIAL PHOTO OF THE, OF THE PROPERTY.
THE, IT'S A RECORDED SUBDIVISION IS A, IS A LOT OF RECORD.
UH, THIS WENT BEFORE PLANNING AND SONY COMMISSION.
NO ONE SPOKE IN OPPOSITION AND THE BOARD APPROVED IT UNANIMOUSLY.
UM, MARK IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN REZONING FROM LIGHT INDUSTRY, DISTRICT AND OFFICE DISTRICT, OR GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF EAST GRIMES AVENUE, APPROXIMATELY 80 FEET EAST OF NORTH 28TH STREET, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT ONE SKYLINE, PHASE TWO, R-G-V-C-U SUBDIVISION APPLICANT ANDY, BIG STALL CARE OF JOSE SANCHEZ.
[Item 10b - Rezoning Request - Cunningham Subdivision, Applicant: Moore Land Surveying, LLC c/o CJE Construction]
B, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM LIGHT INDUSTRY DISTRICT TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR 10 POINT 13 ACRES.OUT OF LAND, OUT OF LAND, OUT OF BLOCK 19 CUNNINGHAM SUBDIVISION, LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF PRIME MEADOW ROAD AND I 69 EAST EXPRESSWAY, 77 FRONTAGE ROAD.
APPLICANT MOORE LAND SURVEYING.
LLC CAR OF CJE, CONSTRUCTION PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MAYOR COMMISSION.
THIS IS ANOTHER DOWN ZONING FROM INDUSTRIAL TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT.
AND IT'S AT THE CORNER OF, UH, EXPRESSWAY THREE AND PRIMERA.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PROPERTY IS VACANT.
THERE'S A PROPOSED, UH, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT SURVEY IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
CALLS FOR INDUSTRIAL PHOTO OF THE PROPERTY.
IT'S A, IT'S A VERY GOOD INTERSECTION, SO IT, THERE'S IT'S PRIME FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, ANY QUESTIONS? MARK AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN REZONING FROM LIGHT INDUSTRY DISTRICT TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR 1013 ACRES OF LAND AT A BLOCK.
19 CUNNINGHAM SUBDIVISION, LOCATED AT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF PREMIER ROAD AND US 77 FRONTAGE ROAD APPLICANT.
MOORELAND SURVEYING, LLCC, UH, CARE OF, UH, CJE CONSTRUCTION.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER KINSLEY.
[Item 10c - Rezoning Request - Dixieland Heights No.1 Subdivision, Applicant: Moore Land Surveying , LLC c/o CJE Construction]
C, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DISTRICT FOUR, 8.77 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF BLOCKS 43 AND 44 DIXIELAND HEIGHTS, NUMBER ONE SUBDIVISION LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF DIXIELAND AND GARRETT ROADS APPLICANT.CONSTRUCTION PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
YES, THIS IS THE PROPERTY AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF GARRETT AND DXI LAND.
SO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DISTRICT IS NOT A DISTRICT THAT IS, UH, WE SEE VERY OFTEN.
UH, IT'S, UH, INTENDED TO BE COMMERCIAL FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO IT'S, UH, INTENDED TO BE A FOR BAKERY STORES, UH, BARBER SHOPS, UH, BUSINESSES THAT CATER TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT'S NOT INTENDED FOR BIG BOX RETAILERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THE SUBJECT PROPERTY HERE, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS USED FOR AGRICULTURAL SURVEY.
SO THIS IS WHAT'S PERMITTED BY RIGHT FOR THIS, UH, FOR THIS ZONING DISTRICT.
SO YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF, UH, BUSINESSES FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO IT'S AN EXTENSIVE LIST, BUT APARTMENTS ARE LISTED AS PERMITTED USE.
AND THEN SOME BUSINESSES ARE ALLOWED WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, BUT KIND OF LIMITED.
SO A RETAIL BUSINESS, LIKE A, LIKE A DOLLAR STORE, UH, WILL BE ALLOWED, BUT WITH A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.
SO THEY WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE, UH, PROCESS OF PUBLIC HEARINGS AND, AND, UH, LIKE WE DO FOR THE SPECIAL USE PERMIT CASES.
AND THOSE REQUIRE NOTIFICATION OF THE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN THE AREA, CORRECT? CORRECT, YES.
AND THEN YOU HAVE, UH, USERS THAT ARE PROHIBITED, UH, JUST PROHIBITED IN THIS, UH, DISTRICT.
UM, LIKE, UM, WELL, THIS IS P USE PERMIT.
SO PROHIBITED ARE LIKE BARS, UH, ADULT BUSINESSES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO SOME, SOME BUSINESS ARE JUST PROHIBITED.
[01:10:02]
SO IN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING CALLS FOR LOW DENSITY, UH, RESIDENTIAL, UH, STAFF FEELS THAT THE PROPERTY IS IN TRANSITION.AND BECAUSE DIXIELAND IS A FOUR LANE ROADWAY, STAFF BELIEVES THAT THE, UH, THE PROPERTY IS CONDUCIVE TO COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE PHOTOS OF THE PROPERTY, THE NOTICE THAT WAS SENT TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, WE DID GET A, A PETITION IN OPPOSITION.
THE PETITION CAME IN ONE DAY AFTER THE PLANNING AND SONY COMMISSION MEETING.
SO THE, THE PLANNING AND SONY COMMISSION DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THIS.
UH, SO BECAUSE NO ONE SHOWED UP IN OPPOSITION, THE PLANNING AND SONY COMMISSION, UH, RECOMMENDED APPROVAL UNANIMOUSLY.
THIS CAME IN ONE DAY AFTER THAT, AFTER, AFTER THE PLANNING AND SONY COMMISSION MEETING, UH, 22 PEOPLE SIGNED THE, THE PETITION.
SOME WITHIN 200 FEET, SOME OUTSIDE THE 200 FEET, BUT THEY DID GET 39% OF THE NOTIFICATION AREA.
SO THE REZONING WILL REQUIRE A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE
DID YOU, DID YOU HAVE PICTURES OF WHAT HE WAS GOING TO YES.
SO THE DEVELOPER PROVIDED, UH, SOME PHOTOS THAT ARE IN YOUR, IN YOUR MEETING PACKET OF WHAT HE'S PROPOSING TO, TO BUILDING THIS AT THE SITE.
SO HE'S PROPOSING AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY, LIKE THE, LIKE THE ONE IN THE PHOTO.
THIS IS PROPOSED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PROPERTY, A SINGLE FAMILY GATED COMMUNITY.
THIS, THIS IS PROPOSED IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE PROPERTY AND A COMMERCIAL PLAZA FACING DIXIELAND, UH, THAT WILL CATER TO THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THE BAKERY STORE, THE BARBER SHOP, S SALON TYPE, THOSE TYPE OF BUSINESSES.
AND THESE ARE THE, UH, PROPOSED HOMES FOR THE GATED SINGLE FAMILY, UH, PROPOSED SUBDIVISION JAVI, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE, WHAT A PLAID IS AND WHAT IT MEANS BY HIM PUTTING THAT HE WON'T HAVE ANY APARTMENTS ON THE PLAT? WHAT EXACTLY DOES THAT MEAN FOR THOSE PEOPLE AT HOME? AND IS THAT OKAY? I DIDN'T, I HAVEN'T ASKED YOU THAT WELL.
SO IN ZONINGS, WE, WE CANNOT PUT CONDITIONS ON ZONING, RIGHT? THE DEVELOPER IS, IS SAYING, I'M NOT PROPOSING TO BUILD APARTMENTS IN THIS PROPERTY AT ALL.
UH, SO, UH, IF YOU, YOU KNOW, THIS DEVELOPER, HE HAS DEVELOPED HERE ALREADY.
SO THIS IS A DEVELOPER THAT, THAT WE KNOW.
SO IF YOU TRUST WHAT HE'S, WHAT HE'S SAYING, THEN YOU CAN APPROVE THE REZONING, YOU KNOW, BY TAKING HIS WORTH THAT HE'S NOT PLANNING TO BUILD APARTMENTS AT THE SITE.
BUT WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO PLACE CONDITIONS ON, ON SONY ONLY, ONLY ON SPECIAL USE PERMITS AND PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
THIS IS A REGULAR, BUT HE CAN, HE CAN PUT THAT ON HIS PLA HIMSELF, RIGHT? YES.
WITHOUT US ASKING HIM TO DO THAT, THAT HE WILL NOT CORRECT.
AND SO HE'S EXPRESSED THAT HE YES.
IS WILLING TO DO THAT 'CAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE PLAN.
SO IF HE WANTS TO VOLUNTARILY PLACE THAT ON THE PLOT, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT HE CAN DO.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE, THE PETITION? OKAY.
SO, UM, IN THE PETITION THEY MENTIONED, UH, TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND APARTMENTS, BUT YEAH.
THE DEVELOPER IS NOW PROPOSING, YEAH, SO APARTMENTS.
SO I WAS LOOKING AT IT AND IT SEEMS THAT, UM, THE ISSUE IS PROBABLY THE SAME ISSUE AS THE PREVIOUS, UM, SUBDIVISION WHERE IT SAYS, AND I THINK IT'S ALMOST THE SAME, WHERE IT SAYS WITH MULTIFAMILY LOW INCOME, THERE'S A POSSIBILITY OF INCREASE OF CRIME IN THAT AREA.
SO THAT SEEMS TO BE THE, AND THEN THE PROPERTY VALUE EFFECT, ALL OF THOSE THINGS KIND OF GO IN, COINCIDE WITH, WITH THAT NOISE.
UM, AND SO THIS IS THE ONLY PETITION THAT YOU RECEIVED? CORRECT.
AND I, I JUST WANNA MENTION ALSO THAT I DID REACH OUT TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THE PETITION, MR. MAR AND I EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THE THE DEVELOPER HAS NO PLANS WHATSOEVER TO, UM, PUT APARTMENTS IN THIS AREA.
IT'S GONNA BE A NEIGHBOR, IT'S GONNA BE THE, UM, ASSISTED LIVING CENTER.
IT'S GOING TO BE A GATED COMMUNITY, AND IT'S GONNA BE THAT LITTLE PLAZA THAT'S GONNA HAVE, LIKE YOU SAID, LIKE EXAMPLES, BAKERIES, BARBERSHOP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
CAN YOU APPROACH, UM, MR. MONTE MAYO? CAN YOU, ON THE MIC, THANK YOU.
ON THE LAST, ON THE LAST FORM THAT I SAW, THE, THE APPROVAL OF, UH, MULTIFAMILY ON THAT FORM THAT YOU HAD YES.
[01:15:01]
I THAT'S IT'S CONFUSING.I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED.
UM, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE? UH, JAVIER WITH THE LIST, IT SAYS, UH, WHERE YOU CAN, WHAT YOU CAN DO YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOU'RE, IT SAID, UH, YOU HAVE ONE THAT SAYS PROHIBITED AND THEN, OH, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING.
THE ONES THAT ARE THAT WAY THERE, RIGHT THERE.
ONE FAMILY DWELLINGS, TWO FAMILY DWELLINGS, THREE FAMILY DWELLINGS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? MULTI-FAMILY AND APARTMENTS.
NO, WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE REASON HE CHOSE THIS, UM, ZONING DISTRICT WAS BECAUSE IT GAVE HIM MORE FLEXIBILITY UNDER THIS ZONING THAT IS TECHNICALLY, UM, ALLOWED.
BUT WE'VE ALREADY SPOKEN TO THE DEVELOPER, AND LIKE OUR CITY MANAGER HAS STATED, WE CAN'T FORCE HIM TO SAY, OH, YOU CAN'T DO THE DEPARTMENTS.
BUT WHAT HE CAN DO IS HE HIMSELF CAN PUT IT ON THE PLOT SAYING, HEY, I'M NOT GOING TO PUT APARTMENTS.
AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S AGREED TO DO, BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD, I, I BROUGHT YOUR CONCERNS BECAUSE I REMEMBERED FROM LAST TIME, AND I DID SEE THIS PETITION, AND I, AND I, I DID SPEAK TO HIM AND I EX I EXPRESSED, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR CONCERNS.
I TOLD HIM LIKE, UM, THESE PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED AND THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR FAMILIES.
THEY, THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE SAFE.
AND HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE ISSUES, UM, AND HE AGREED THAT WHEN HE DOES DO THE PLOT, HE'S GOING TO PUT THAT THERE'S NO, HE'S GONNA AGREE THAT THERE'S NO APARTMENTS.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT IT SAYS HERE THAT YES, THIS IS JUST TELLING YOU WHAT THAT ZONING ALLOWS, RIGHT? BUT WHAT THE DEVELOPER HIMSELF HAS STATED THAT IS THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO DO ANY APARTMENTS, PLUS HE HAS ALSO AGREED TO PUT IT ON THE PLA HIMSELF.
BUT IF THIS GETS APPROVED, UH, AFTER THE FACT, THE, THE, THE PLAQUE, YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE PLAQUE AND IT SHOWS THAT IT'S NOT ON THERE AND IT'S GONNA BE APPROVED, OR THIS IS APPROVED AND HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS.
HE'S ALREADY KIND OF COMMITTED TO DOING WHAT HE'S, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A DEVELOPER THAT, THAT WE DON'T KNOW NOTHING ABOUT, THAT WE DON'T TRUST.
THIS IS THE DEVELOPER THAT HE'S ALREADY WORKED ON SEVERAL, UM, UM, PROJECTS.
PROJECTS, IN FACT, RIGHT THERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE JACK IN THE BOX IS? YES.
AND RIGHT THERE WHERE JACK IN THE BOX AND GOLDEN CORRAL, THAT ENTIRE AREA IS ONE OF HIS DEVELOPMENTS AS WELL.
SO THIS IS, YEAH, I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT PROJECT.
YEAH, SO HE'S DOING A DEVELOPMENT, UH, DEVELOPMENT THERE.
SO THIS IS NOT SOME GUY THAT'S JUST COMING IN AND WE'RE JUST TAKING HIS WORD FOR IT AND LIKE, YEAH.
NO, HE'S, HE'S COME TO HARLINGEN, HE'S DONE DEVELOPMENTS HERE, AND HE'S ALREADY SPOKEN TO ME ABOUT OTHER DEVELOPMENTS THAT HE WANTS TO DO AROUND HARLINGEN.
SO THIS IS A GUY THAT'S COMING IN.
HE'S TRYING TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY BECAUSE HE SEES CITY, HE SEES HARLINGEN AS A PLACE TO BE RIGHT NOW, HARLINGEN IS GROWING.
UM, WE WE'RE BREAKING ALL THESE, UM, UM, RECORDS WHEN IT COMES TO PERMITS.
HARLING IS ON THE RISE, AND HE SEES THAT, AND HE WANTS TO BE A PART OF IT.
SO HE'S NOT GONNA BE ONE OF THOSE GUYS THAT'S GONNA GO BACK ON HIS WORD AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA DO THIS.
BECAUSE HE UNDERSTOOD HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT.
HE UNDERSTOOD HOW THE MAYOR FELT ABOUT IT, AND HE UNDERSTOOD HOW WE ALL FEEL ABOUT IT.
THAT OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT YOU, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THAT AREA, UM, FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH, WITH WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LIVING NEXT TO.
SO, UM, HE DID AGREE TO SIGN IT, AND IF HE'S, IF HE DOES NOT SIGN IT OR IF HE, UM, DOES NOT PUT SOME APARTMENTS, I'LL BE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU STANDING THERE AND LIKE COMPLAINING AND SAY, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? BECAUSE HE GAVE US HIS WORD.
AND SIR, ALSO, JUST TO KIND OF, UH, REINFORCE THIS IS JUST THE REZONING PART OF IT.
UH, AND, AND THEN AT, HE'S STILL GONNA HAVE TO COME UP FOR PERMITS.
I MEAN, THIS IS A, A, A PROCESS.
THE SUBDIVISION ALSO WILL COME FOR THE CITY COMMISSION.
SO THERE'S LOTS OF CHECKS AND BALANCE PROCESS BESIDES THIS.
THIS IS THE INITIAL, THERE'S NOT, THIS IS IT, THIS IS NOT
AND YOU'RE ALWAYS INVITED TO COME.
AND, AND REALLY THE DEVELOPER, I'M REALLY, UM, PROUD THAT HE'S COME TO CAMERON COUNTY AND TO, SPECIFICALLY TO HARLINGEN HAS DONE A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN THE UPPER VALLEY, AND WE JUST WANT YOUR AREA TO ALSO HAVE ADDITIONAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IN LINE WITH WHAT THE AREA ALREADY IS.
THOSE PICTURES WERE, THEY'RE FANTASTIC.
ALL THAT I SAW THAT I SAID, WOW, YOU KNOW, YES.
IT'S HARD SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE EASILY, UH, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, YOU CAN EASILY THINK THAT WITHOUT HAVING THE PHOTOS AND THE EXPLANATION THAT IT CAN GO IN THE OPPOSITE ROUTE, RIGHT.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
PEOPLE, UM, JUST ASSUMED, MAYBE GOT MIS GOT SOME MISINFORMATION OR NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS CAME FROM.
BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU, YOU FULLY UNDERSTOOD, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WAS COMING IN THAT AREA AND, AND THAT WHOLE AREA IS DEVELOPING.
AND SO I THINK THIS IS IN LINE WITH THAT.
YES, IT'LL GROW, IT'LL GROW, IT'LL GROW.
AND HOW NICE WOULD IT BE TO HAVE SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, A SMALL LITTLE RETAIL, LIKE A, A BAKERY THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
I MEAN, I SAW THAT, BLEW MY MIND, ALWAYS SAID, WOW.
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO SEE A BLUEPRINT LIKE THAT.
DON'T JUST SAY, WELL, WE'RE GONNA DO IT LIKE THAT.
AND JUST A PLAQUE WHERE YOU CAN'T SEE JUST LOT NUMBERS AND STUFF.
AND WE, AND WE KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE PROUD OF IT AS, AS WELL.
UM, AND I'M SURE THAT COMMISSIONER BEDS CAN REACH OUT TO Y'ALL TO INVITE YOU AS, AS THE DEVELOPMENT, I MEAN, AS SO LONG AS THE COMMISSION APPROVES IT, RIGHT.
AS THE DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES, UM,
[01:20:01]
YOU'RE HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT CONVERSATION.AND ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING, UM, AND CHECKING THIS AND GETTING THE FACTS FOR IT.
I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TALK TO THE REST OF THE PEOPLE.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS FOR JAVIER? NO.
UH, MARK IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN REZONING FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE DISTRICT TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES NS DISTRICT FOR 8.77 ACRES OF LAND AT, OF BLOCKS 43 44 OF HOWARD'S DIX LAND HEIGHTS NUMBER ONE SUBDIVISION, LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF DIXIELAND AND GARRETT ROADS.
APPLICANT MOORE LAND SURVEYING, LLC, UH, CO, UH, CJE CONSTRUCTION.
[Item 10d - Abandon and Vacate Easement, Villas at Palm Valley Subdivision, Applicant: Carter Biel ]
ITEM D CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING TO ABANDON AND VACATE THE WEST FIVE FEET OF A LANDSCAPE EASEMENT BEING 483.74 SQUARE FEET OF LAND OUT OF LOT 42 BLOCK ONE VILLAS AT PALM VALLEY SUBDIVISION, LOCATED AT 63 0 1 EL CAMINO REAL STREET.APPLICANT CARTER BE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS JUST A LANDSCAPE EASEMENT THAT IS, UH, AFFECTING THE CONSTRUCTION OF A HOUSE.
MARK, IN ORDINANCE, ABANDONING, ABANDONING AND VACATING THE WEST, UH, FIVE FEET OF THE EXISTING LANDSCAPE EASEMENT BEING A 483.74 SQUARE FEET OF LAND AT, OF BLOCK 42, BLOCK ONE VIA THIS PALM VALLEY SUBDIVISION LOCATED AT 63 0 1 EL CAMINO RIAL STREET.
IS THERE MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE.
[Item 10e - SUP - Bar/Lounge, Applicant: Karlos Esquivel]
E CONSIDERATION, POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ON SECOND AND FINAL READING FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW A BAR LOUNGE IN A GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT LOCATED AT 1105 SOUTH TAM LANE, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF THREE 3.47 40 ACRES OF OUT OF BLOCK 33 STEWART PLACE, SUBDIVISION 1 39 2 97 2 98.APPLICANT CARLOS ESQUIVEL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
WE JUST NEED THIS APPROVED IN SECOND READING, PLEASE.
DID YOU READ THE CAPTION? THE CAPTION MARK, SORRY.
IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SUP ISSUED TO CARLOS ESCOBEL TO ALLOW A BAR LOUNGE IN A GENERAL RETAIL GR DISTRICT LOCATED 1105 SOUTH TAM LANE, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 3.47 40 ACRES OUTTA BLOCK 33.
STEWART PLACE, SUBDIVISION, UH, 1 39 2 97, 2 98, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING.
OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING.
[Item 10f - Special Election on proposed amendments]
ITEM F, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARINGTON, TEXAS, ORDERING A SPECIAL ELECTION ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND POSTING OF NOTICE, PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE, TO THE NEW HOME RULE.CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN ELECTION SERVICES CONTRACT WITH CAMERON COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT, PROVIDING FOR THE DATES FOR EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE, PROVIDING FOR DEADLINE, FOR APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
CITY MANAGER READY? ME? DID YOU, UM, DO YOU WANT HIM TO, OKAY, GO AHEAD, MARK.
WELL, I GUESS WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE, THE, UH, POLLING PLACES FIRST MAYOR, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE, I THINK, CRITICAL YES.
TO, UH, GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I THINK IN THE, UH, ESTIMATES THAT WE PROVIDED, IN THE CONTRACT WE PROVIDED, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT THAN WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST WHEN WE PRESENT THESE ITEMS. THE FIRST OF WHICH IS THAT YOU'LL BE ENTERING INTO A JOINT ELECTION AGREEMENT WITH THE CAMERON COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S COURT VERSUS APPLYING, UM, UH, CONTRACTING WITH ME, THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR TO ADMINISTER YOUR INDIVIDUAL ELECTION.
UH, YOU'LL ACTUALLY PART OF THE NOVEMBER PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, UH, THE POLLING LOCATIONS, EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS, WILL, WILL ALL BE, UM, I GUESS DETERMINED, UH, THROUGH OBVIOUSLY CONVERSATIONS THAT AGREEMENT WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT IS
[01:25:01]
GONNA BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, UH, IS THAT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT RECENTLY APPLIED TO BECOME A PARTICIPANT IN THE STATE SECRETARY OF STATE'S, UH, COUNTYWIDE POLLING PLACE PROGRAM.AND ESSENTIALLY, IT'S A, IT'S ESSENTIALLY, IT'S, IT'S EARLY VOTING WHERE YOU GO TO ANY EARLY VOTING LOCATION, YOU FIND YOUR BALLOT ON ELECTION DAY, IT WOULD BE THE SAME PROCESS, AND MEANING THAT ANY VOTER COULD GO TO ANY OF THE APPROXIMATE 70 LOCATIONS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING OPENING FOR, UH, NOVEMBER 5TH.
UM, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO FIND YOUR BALLOTS, THEIR BALLOTS THERE.
UH, MEANING THAT IF A CITY OF HARLINGEN, UM, INDIVIDUAL WERE TO BE IN BROWSE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, REALIZE IT'S SIX 30 AND DECIDE THAT THEY, THEY NEED TO VOTE, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO ANY OF THE POLLING PLACES THAT WERE IN BROWS AND THEY'D STILL FIND THEIR BALLOT THERE FOR THEM, UM, TO CAST.
UM, IT IS, IT IS DIFFERENT, UH, IN A COUPLE OF WAYS.
UH, THE FIRST OF WHICH IS THAT IT, IT WOULD REMOVE THE LIMITATIONS OF THE PRECINCT BOUNDARIES, THE PRE THE VOTING PRECINCT BOUNDARIES FOR WHERE YOU WERE PUTTING LOCATIONS.
UM, ALSO, UM, IT WOULD REQUIRE THAT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAVE AT LEAST 65% OF OUR OVERALL, UH, UH, VOTING, UH, PRECINCTS, WHICH ARE 101.
THERE'S 101, UH, VOTING PRECINCTS, UM, IN HARLINGEN, OF COURSE, UH, THAT'S A SMALLER NUMBER.
UH, THERE ARE 24, UH, COUNTY ELECTION PRECINCTS WITHIN THE JURISDICTIONAL LIMITS OF HARLINGEN.
UM, AND IF YOU NOTICE IN THE CONTRACT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPENING UP 70, UH, POLLING PLACES.
AND SO, RATHER THAN THE 16 THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY SEE WITHIN YOUR JURISDICTION, UH, YOU'RE GONNA ACTUALLY HAVE 70, UH, POLLING LOCATIONS.
THAT, AND THAT COMES WITH BENEFITS.
AND IT, AND IT COMES WITH NEGATIVES.
UM, IT CHANGES THE WAY THAT WE ALLOCATE COSTS, UH, BECAUSE BEFORE YOU WERE ACTUALLY PAYING AT LEAST 50% OF THE COST FOR A POLLING PLACE WITHIN THE CITY OF HARDEN, UH, NOW YOU'LL BE PAYING JUST A PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL COSTS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS THAT YOU HAVE.
AND, UH, GIVEN THE NUMBER OF PRECINCTS THAT YOU HAVE, I I COULD IMAGINE THAT YOUR PERCENTAGE IS GONNA BE MUCH LOWER THAN 50%.
UH, CAMERON COUNTY WILL OBVIOUSLY BE TAKING THE LION'S SHARE OF THE COST.
SO I THINK THERE'S SOME ADVANTAGES, UH, TO THE COUNTYWIDE PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF HARINGTON.
ONE JUST FOR THE VOTERS, BUT THEN ALSO COST WISE, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE, UM, MORE, UH, EFFICIENT.
UM, I SHOULD MENTION THAT, UH, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS ALREADY ADOPTED THE EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS THAT IT'S PLANNING TO USE FOR THE NOVEMBER 5TH ELECTION.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO AMEND THAT AND INCREASE THE, THE POLLING LOCATIONS.
UM, IN YOUR PACKET YOU HAVE, UH, A LIST OF WHAT WAS PROPOSED, AND THEN ON THE LAST PAGE, THERE WERE THREE LOCATIONS THAT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WANTED TO ADD BECAUSE THEY FELT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE LARGE EVENT CENTER LOCATIONS THAT WOULD NOT ONLY BE USED DURING EARLY VOTING, BUT ALSO ELECTION DAY.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE, THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS MAINTAINING ALL THE EARLY VOTING SITES AS ELECTION DAY SITES, SO THAT IF PEOPLE, UH, KNEW THAT THERE WAS A POLLING PLACE, SAY HERE AT CITY HALL DURING EARLY VOTING, THEY WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO COME TO CITY HALL ON ELECTION DAY AND CAST THEIR BALLOTS.
UM, SO THERE, THERE WE HAVE A LOT MORE FLEXIBILITY WHERE OUR POLLING LOCATIONS ARE.
UH, THE ONLY REASON WHY I THINK THEY'RE NOT, UM, MORE FIRMED UP IS THAT ONE IS THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE HAS NOT, UH, AUTHORIZED US TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNTYWIDE PROGRAM YET.
WE EXPECT THAT, UH, TO BE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS IS WHEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY US THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
AND PART OF, UM, THAT PROCESS IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND WE'VE INVITED THE CITY, UH, TO PARTICIPATE ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THOSE COUNTYWIDE POLLING LOCATIONS, SPECIFICALLY THE ONES THAT WOULD BE HERE IN HARLING.
UM, WE KNOW THERE'S SOME, SOME CURRENT POLLING LOCATIONS THAT WE USE THAT, THAT REALLY, UH, DON'T LEND THEMSELVES BECAUSE THE BUILDING EITHER IS OUT OF USE OR NEEDS CONSTRUCTION.
AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT, UH, AS WE DETERMINE THE, THOSE POLLING LOCATIONS.
SO GETTING BACK TO THE EARLY VOTING, I KNOW THERE WAS DISCUSSION WITH RESPECT TO USING THE HARDEN EVENT CENTER.
UH, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT WANTS TO USE THE HARDEN EVENT CENTER.
THE PROBLEM WAS, IS THAT, UM, THERE ARE, UH, BOOKING ISSUES, UH, SPACE ALLOCATION, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, THIS PROCESS STARTED, UH, LATER FOR US.
AND, UH, OTHER PEOPLE HAD EVENTS PLANNED FURTHER OUT IN ADVANCE AND HAD OBLIGATED THE SPACE THERE AT THE EVENT CENTER.
SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, UM, WE, OUR LAST CONVERSATION WITH THE EVENT CENTER STAFF WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT THEY COULD ACCOMMODATE US FOR THE TWO WEEKS OF EARLY VOTING, WHICH WOULD BEGIN ON OCTOBER 21ST AND RUN THROUGH NOVEMBER 1ST, AND THEN HAVE THE SPACE STILL SECURED FOR THE ACTUAL, UH, ELECTION DAY OF NOVEMBER 5TH.
SO WE, WE HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM THEM.
UH, SHE WAS GOING TO BE LOOKING TO SEE WHETHER THERE WAS
[01:30:01]
SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD ARRANGE AND MOVE THINGS AROUND, BUT WE'RE STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THAT.AND THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT, I CAN TELL YOU, UM, UNLIKE IN OTHER ELECTIONS WHERE THE CITY HAS REQUESTED THANK YOU, HAS REQUESTED, UH, AT THE EVENT CENTER AS, AS AN EARLY VOTING SITE, UM, THE, THE FEELING WAS, IS THAT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE IN A NORMAL COUNTY LOCATION, THAT THE CITY WOULD PAY THE COST, THAT WOULDN'T BE THE CASE THIS TIME.
ALL, UH, SEVEN OR EIGHT ENTITIES THAT ARE CONTRACTING WITH THE COUNTY WOULD ACTUALLY BE SHARING THE COST OF THAT LOCATION.
UH, SO IT WOULDN'T BE JUST UPON THE CITY OF HARJO.
SO WHEN ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GET BACK TO YOU? IF THEY CAN MOVE THINGS AROUND TO ACCOMMODATE? UH, THEY HAD, THEY HAD TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD, THAT THEY WOULD JUST GET BACK TO ME.
UM, AND I HAVEN'T HEARD, I CAN REACH OUT TO, YOU CAN FOLLOW UP.
'CAUSE THIS, I, I THINK THE IDEA OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE, WITH THE, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT IS EXCELLENT.
I I WAS, I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A BARRIER THAT PEOPLE HAD TO GO ON THAT ON THEIR SPECIFIC, UM, POLLING PLACE TO GO VOTE ON ELECTION DAY.
AND THE FACT THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT ANYMORE IS THAT'S GREAT.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA ASK FOR THE HARINGTON CONVENTION CENTER, UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S A GREAT LOCATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT MAY BE WORKING IN THAT AREA, THEY CAN JUST GO REAL QUICK AND GO VOTE.
SO YEAH, I'M, I THINK THIS IS GREAT.
IT, IT WAS VERY POPULAR DURING THE, THE 2020 ELECTION.
AND I THINK THE ONLY REASON WHY IT HASN'T NECESSARILY MAINTAINED THAT, UH, ATTRACTION, SO TO SPEAK, AS A POLLING PLACE, IS BECAUSE IT'S, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CONSISTENTLY USE IT.
UM, AND I, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS ALSO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT'S INTENTION THAT THESE COUNTYWIDE POLLING PLACES WOULD BE USED CONSISTENTLY FOR EACH ELECTION.
UH, SO THAT, UH, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OF ELECTION, UH, THESE SITES WOULD BE THE SAME LOCATIONS PEOPLE WOULD BE GOING TO.
UM, EACH ELECTION CONSISTENCY, WE THINK HELPS.
UH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
IN YOUR PROPOSED PLAN, WE'RE GOING FROM A FEW DOZEN PRECINCTS TO 101.
HOW DOES THAT REDUCE OUR COST? WELL, THE, THE 16 LOCATIONS THAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY HAVE, UH, IN YOUR, WHAT WAS A MAY ELECTION, UM, WERE SHARED WITH THE CITY OF, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ESSENTIALLY, BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONLY TWO ENTITIES THAT WERE HOLDING ELECTIONS IN MAY.
UM, AND SO EACH OF THOSE 16 LOCATIONS, THE COST, UH, ON ELECTION DAY WAS ESSENTIALLY 50 50.
UM, WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS YOU'RE, YOU WON'T BE ACTUALLY GOING TO 101, YOU'LL ONLY BE GOING TO 70.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE, UH, THAT YOU WIND UP PAYING OVER THE OVERALL COST OF, OF AN ELECTION.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY, LIKE I SAID, WITH 24 PRECINCTS, IF IT'S, IF IT'S ANYTHING MORE THAN LIKE 5% OR 10% OF THE OVERALL COST, UH, OF THE ELECTION, UM, IT, IT WOULD, I'D BE SURPRISED BECAUSE IT, IT REALLY, THE COUNTY IS GONNA BE THE, WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION'S GONNA BE THE BEAR, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA TAKE 60 TO 70%.
UM, AND THE, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN, IN BROWNSVILLE, UH, HAS, UH, I THINK OH, CLOSE TO 80, UH, PRECINCTS THAT ARE WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE TAKING, UH, THE NEXT LARGEST SHARE OF THE OVERALL COST.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS VOTER FRAUD, DOES THIS OPEN UP MORE POTENTIAL OR LESS POTENTIAL FOR VOTER FRAUD? I, I WOULD THINK THAT THAT BASED ON THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, UM, BUT PEOPLE ARE STILL BEING QUALIFIED THE SAME WAY THEY'RE QUALIFIED IF IT WERE A PRECINCT BASED SYSTEM.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY MORE OR ANY LESS THAN WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY SUBJECT TO.
UM, YOU STILL HAVE TO PRESENT YOUR LICENSE REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU GO.
SO ALL THE, ALL THE SAFEGUARDS AND PROCEDURES THAT WE HAVE FOR EARLY VOTING ARE THE SAME ONES WE'LL BE HAVING ON ELECTION DAY.
AND THEN YOU BRING UP EARLY VOTING.
WILL THAT BE IN THE 70 SOME PRECINCTS, OR WILL THAT JUST BE IN HARLINGEN, UH, CITY LIMITS? UM, THERE, THERE ARE 22 AND HOPEFULLY 23 LOCATIONS, UH, WITH THE HEART AND EVENT CENTER BEING ADDED THAT CURRENTLY, WHERE YOU, THOSE, THOSE WOULD BE OPEN DURING THE EARLIER VOTING PERIOD.
UH, SO IT'S ONLY THOSE 23 LOCATIONS, THE MAJOR LOCATIONS WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE CITY BOUNDARIES? WELL, N NO, THE 23 LOCATIONS DURING EARLY VOTING WOULD BE COUNTYWIDE.
UM, AND WITH, UH, WITH THE, THE JOINT ELECTION AGREEMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD, WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE SEVERAL JOINT ELECTIONS.
THAT'S ALL PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.
UM, DURING MAY ELECTIONS, UH, IN YOUR PREVIOUS ELECTIONS, YOU'RE CORRECT.
IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO GO TO FIND A HARDING AND BALLOT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO ONE OF THE FOUR EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS, OR THE TWO OR THREE EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS THAT WERE IN HAREN.
NOW THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO ANYWHERE IN CAMERON COUNTY AND FIND THEIR BALLOTS.
SO I JUST WANNA JUST KIND OF CONFIRM WHAT I, WHAT I HEARD.
[01:35:01]
THERE'S GONNA BE MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO VOTE IN DIFFERENT AREAS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WAIT UNTIL ELECTION DAY.
AND HAVING WORKED IT, I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL GET THERE AND THEY'LL GET THERE AT THE LAST MINUTE AND THEY'RE IN THE WRONG LOCATION AND THEN THEY SPEED, OR IS IT CHIEF? RIGHT.
UM, SO I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS GREAT AND HOPEFULLY THE COUNTY'S SUCCESSFUL IN, IN, IN BEING ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, SO DID I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY, 'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S A GOOD, UH, PIECE OF INFORMATION TO HAVE THAT MOVING THE ELECTIONS, I GUESS FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER AND, AND 'CAUSE THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME I, YEAH.
THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THAT WE DO THAT.
IS IT, IT'S GONNA, IT'S GOING TO SAVE US MONEY IN PUTTING ON THE ELECTION EVEN THOUGH THERE'S MORE, UM, OPPORTUNITY.
BUT IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S MORE PEOPLE BUYING INTO NOT BUYING IN, BUT PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE, UH, TO THE COUNTY.
UM, I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT.
YOU KNOW, REMEMBER THAT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ARE HUGE.
AND THE MORE PEOPLE THAT COME TO VOTE MEANS MORE STAFF THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE.
BUT I WANTED TO TO MENTION, UM, OH, I'M SORRY.
YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING EARLIER.
UH, AND I WAS GONNA ADD TO THAT.
UH, BECAUSE THE IDEA, UH, ONE OF, ONE OF THE FRUSTRATIONS WE HAVE OF PEOPLE NOT KNOWING WHERE THEIR ACTUAL POLLING LOCATION IS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAY ELECTIONS VERSUS A NOVEMBER ELECTION OR A PRIMARY, UM, THEY GO TO THE WRONG LOCATION.
AND NOW EVEN IF THEY GO TO THE WRONG LOCATION, THEY'LL GET THEIR BALLOT MM-HMM.
UM, YOU'LL FIND YOUR BALLOT AT THAT WHEREVER YOU PULL UP.
AND EACH LOCATION WILL HAVE, UH, POSTED THE THREE NEAREST EARLY VOTING CENTER, I'M SORRY, UH, UH, VOTE CENTERS ON ELECTION DAY, SO THAT IF THEY DO COME INTO A LINE, THEY'LL IMMEDIATELY SEE THAT THERE'S THREE NEARBY, UH, VOTE CENTERS THAT THEY CAN GO TO.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY GONNA HELP, UH, UH, WITH THAT DISCOURAGED VOTER MM-HMM.
I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA COST US A LOT MORE, HONESTLY,
BUT, BUT, UM, I THINK AS OPPOSED TO WHEN YOU'RE ONLY DOING IT WITHIN THE SMALL AREA, SURE.
UM, YOU'RE LIKE YOUR EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE ONLY TWO OR THREE, THOSE ARE, YOU'RE ONLY SHARING THOSE COSTS WITH ONE ENTITY.
VERSUS, AND IT'S A 50 50 SPLIT ALMOST.
UM, NOW IT'LL BE SOME SMALL, MUCH SMALLER PERCENTAGE.
REMY, YOU JUST NEED TWO GALLERIES AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
WE NEED AN, UM, WE NEED ENOUGH ROOM, SO WHERE THE VOTERS CAN, CAN ACCESS IT.
UM, AND SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE NEED LIKE, ONE OF THE WHOLE BIG BALLROOMS LIKE WE DID IN 2020 WHERE WE ESSENTIALLY HAD THE WHOLE LOCATION BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE WAS, UM, WAS, WAS DOING ANYTHING AT THAT TIME.
UM, ONE CORRIDOR I THINK WE'VE DONE IT WITH, WHERE IT'S JUST ONE, I THINK THE, THE, THE, THE HARDEST PART FOR US IS, ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING, HOPING TO BE DOING, UH, DURING EARLY VOTE IS RATHER THAN USE THE BALLOT BOXES, UM, WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE THE, THE DS THREE HUNDREDS, UH, LIKE WE DO ON ELECTION DAY, WHERE THE VOTERS ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING THEIR BALLOTS INTO THE TABULATOR, UM, THE PRECINCT SCANNER.
UM, AND SO SECURING THAT, UH, LIKE YOU ALL USED TO HAVE TO DO HERE IN, IN CITY HALL OR IN, UM, AT THE HARLINGEN, UM, UH, IISD BUILDING, UM, IS THE TRICK IS MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT A SECURE LOCATION BECAUSE THAT TABULATOR WILL STAY AT THE LOCATION OVERNIGHT.
IT'LL BE SEALED, IT'LL BE TURNED OFF.
UH, ALL THOSE THINGS WILL BE THERE, BUT JUST MAKING SURE WE GOT A GOOD PLACE TO LOCK IT DOWN.
UM, OR THE ROOM ITSELF THAT WE'RE USING CAN BE CONTROLLED ACCESS.
BUT WE'LL BE GLAD TO GO LOOK AT THE SPACES AND SEE WHAT WE FEEL.
UH, WE'LL WORK, UM, THERE WAS, UM, UH, ONE ELECTION I THINK WE USED THE, UH, IF YOU WALKED INTO THE EVENT CENTER, THERE'S, ON THE LEFT THERE'S LIKE A, A PORTICO AREA AND AN AN ENTRANCE THERE THAT'S SORT OF ISOLATED, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE THEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO DO OTHER THINGS THERE.
THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S THE KINGFISHER.
SO JUST THAT LOCATION WOULD WORK FOR YOU? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
THAT OR THE ORLE? EITHER ONE OF THOSE TWO.
YEAH, I THINK THAT WOULD BE FINE.
THAT'S WHERE THE, BUT JUST NOT A, LIKE A CONFERENCE ROOM THAT THEY USE FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THE CHIEF DID THE, THE RUN, THE SI THE, WHAT WAS IT? THE HERO'S RUN? UM, IN, IN THAT, IN THAT SPACE ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.
SO, UM, I THINK FOR PURPOSES OF
[01:40:01]
YOUR, YOUR ACTION ITEM, UM, WITH RESPECT TO THE, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, UM, THE EARLY VOTING TIME WOULD BE OCTOBER 21ST, 2024 THROUGH, UH, 11, 1 20 24.UH, THE DEADLINE, UH, THE LAST DAY TO APPLY FOR A, UM, BALLOT BY MAIL WOULD BE OCTOBER 25TH, UH, 2024.
AND OF COURSE, THE LAST DATE OF REGISTERED TO VOTE IS THE 7TH OF OCTOBER.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? NOT FOR REMY? OH YEAH.
UM, MAYOR, I'M GONNA MAKE A SUGGESTION.
UH, THIS, THIS ORDINANCE IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SEPARATE, SEPARATE SECTIONS THAT WE THINK ABOUT IT.
THE OTHER ONE IS ON THE ORDINANCES RELATING TO THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY.
SO I'M GONNA SUGGEST THAT WE VOTE WHEN YOU DO DECIDE TO VOTE AFTER YOU DISCUSS THIS, THAT YOU VOTE ON THE PROPOSITION SEPARATELY.
I MEAN, YOU CAN VOTE ON, ON 'EM ALL ALTOGETHER, BUT VOTE ON THE PROPOSITIONS AND THEN VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE, WHICH CONTAINS THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY.
AND THIS WILL ENABLE EVERYBODY TO VOTE WHERE THEY CAN.
'CAUSE I'M, I SAW THAT THERE IS, UM, ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM WITH ANOTHER PROPOSED.
SO, UM, IS, SHOULD WE MOVE TO THAT TO SEE IF THAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED OR? WELL, THE, THE, THE WAY I DID THE ORDINANCE WAS TO INCLU BASICALLY TO INCLUDE, TO INCLUDE EVERYTHING.
I DIDN'T DO THE, SO ITEM N IS A MOTION TO RESCIND OR AMEND PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
AND SO THEN THAT WOULDN'T BE IN THERE IF WHEN WE GET TO THAT ITEM, I AM SORRY, NN LIKE NORMA, WE, WE'D HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK IF WE TAKE ACTION ON IT LATER.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.
SO YEAH, ITEM N COULD BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION ON THE PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
AND THEN I'D ASK THAT YOU VOTE SEPARATELY ON THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, DECIDE WHAT YOUR PROPOSITIONS ARE IN TERMS OF WHAT'S GONNA BE SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS.
REACH AN AGREEMENT ON THAT AND THEN VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE.
SO IF ANYONE HAS A CONFLICT AND THEY DON'T WANNA VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE BECAUSE OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY COMPONENT, RIGHT.
THEY CAN, THIS WAY WE CAN MAXIMIZE PARTICIPATION BY EACH MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION.
SO SHOULD WE JUMP TO ITEM N AND HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND THEN GO BACK TO THE PROPOSITIONS SINCE YES, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ON THERE MM-HMM.
SO WE COULDN'T DISCUSS IT SINCE IT'S NOT THERE.
AND THEN, UM, I KNOW THAT WE, COMMISSIONER LOPEZ, UH, ANNOUNCED THAT HE'D BE ABSTAINING FROM THAT SPECIFIC PART.
SO WE'LL SPLIT THAT UP SO THAT WAY, UM, YOU GUYS, UH, VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS AND THEN SEPARATELY YOU CAN ABSTAIN FROM THE ELECTION, UH, CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY CONTRACT.
CAN WE JUST APPROVE THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY NOW SINCE WE'RE ALREADY ON THAT ITEM AND THEN JUST TAKE UP I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN, I JUST, WE JUST NEED TO SEPARATE IT.
AND HOW DO YOU, WE JUST NEED TO SEPARATE IT WHEN WE GO.
THE QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU DO THAT? YOU NEED TO READ THE, THE, THE CAPTION FOR THAT OR NO, I GUESS THAT'S JUST THE RESOLUTION, CORRECT? WELL, THERE'S THE RESOLUTION WHICH INCLUDES THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY.
SO WE NEED TO BREAK IT UP, BUT YOU DON'T NEED TO, OH, WELL I GUESS YOU DON'T NEED TO READ ANYTHING, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S NOT, SO, SO WHAT I WOULD, WHAT I WOULD DO IS I TAKE UP A NUMBER N OKAY.
AND THEN I TAKE UP THE PROPOSITIONS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE VOTERS.
AND THEN IF YOU'D LIKE, AND THEN THE CONTRACT, UH, WE CAN VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE, WHICH ANYONE, UH, NEEDS TO ABSTAIN THEY CAN.
SO THE REASON WHY I WAS ASKING IS BECAUSE I DON'T SEE ANYWHERE WHERE IT SAYS THAT, WHERE IT SAYS WHAT, LIKE WHERE IT'S, OKAY, WE'RE JUST THE ORDINANCE.
SO WHERE YOU WILL HOLD, WILL BE CONTRACTING WITH YOU TO, TO ADMINISTER THE ELECTION.
IF, IF IT INCLUDES A GENERAL ELECTION AND THEN A SPECIAL ELECTION LANGUAGE ON THERE, THAT DOESN'T MATTER FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.
IT'S STRICTLY THE ONE AGREEMENT.
[01:45:01]
NOT A SEPARATE AGREEMENT FOR THE SPECIAL ELECTION, SO TO SPEAK.UM, IT'S JUST, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
YEAH, YOU, YOU, YOU TELL US WHAT YOU WANT ON THE BALLOT AND WE, WE PUT IT ON THERE.
MAYOR, I, I THINK IF WE WANTED TO, JUST FOR CLARITY, WE COULD JUST AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN ELECTION SERVICES CONTRACT WITH CAMERON COUNTY IN THE CURRENT ITEM THAT WE'RE IN G IN G, YES.
UH, IN, IN F BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE, UH, ITEMS. WELL THAT ONE WOULD BE IN ORDINANCE AND THAT WOULD, SO THE SECOND ONE IS WHAT REMY SAID, THAT WE COULD SAY THAT, UM, IN THIS, WE GIVE YOU THAT AUTHORIZATION AND THEN YOU CAN DO BOTH.
SO LET'S, LET'S, RIGHT, LET'S WHAT YOU SAID REMY? YES.
SO LET'S MOVE TO ITEM G, MELINDA.
[Item 10g - Consideration and possible action to approve a resolution calling and ordering the November 5, 2024, City of Harlingen General Election to elect three members for the position of City Commissioners for District 3, 4, and 5 to the Harlingen Governing Body]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION CALLING AND ORDERING THE NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 CITY OF HARLINGEN GENERAL ELECTION TO ELECT THREE MEMBERS FOR THE POSITION OF CITY COMMISSIONERS FOR DISTRICT THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE TO THE HARLINGEN GOVERNING BODY AND ANY, ANY OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE ELECTION.AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN ELECTION SERVICE CONTRACT WITH CAMERON COUNTY AND SO ON.
THIS IS, UM, THERE A MOTION TO ALLOW GABE TO DO THAT AND ALSO THE ELECTION ON THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS MOTION.
WAIT, WE'RE JUST VOTING ON G, CORRECT? CORRECT.
JUST TO GET, TO BE ABLE TO DO THE CONTRACT.
AND, UM, FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER LOPEZ IS ABSTAINING FROM THIS VOTE.
I THOUGHT IT WAS F UH, WELL, BOTH OF THEM.
WE'RE GONNA BREAK UP THE OTHER ONE.
THIS IS JUST FOR THE CONTRACT, WHICH IS G, CORRECT.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MESMER.
LET ME, SORRY, DID WE READ THE CAPTION? OKAY, WE THE MOTION, WELL THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO ORDINANCE HERE.
I BE YOUR PARDON? I BE YOUR PARDON.
AND I'M JUST FOLLOWING REMY'S LEAD.
UM, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
OKAY, SO NOW I'LL ASK THAT WE MOVE, UM, MELINDA AND COMMISSIONER LOPEZ ABSTAIN FROM AND YES.
AND SO LET'S MOVE TO ITEM N, MELINDA.
[Item 10n - Motion to rescind or amend proposed Charter amendments to Article IV, Section 3 of the Harlingen City Charter to be submitted to City of Harlingen voters on Special Election to be called on November 5, 2024]
ITEM N MOTION TO RE TO RESEND OR AMEND PROPOSED CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION THREE OF THE HARLINGEN CITY CHARTER TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE CITY OF HARLINGEN VOTERS ON SPECIAL ELECTION TO BE CALLED ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024.GENTLEMEN, EITHER OF YOU WANNA TAKE THIS COMMISSIONER.
SO THIS IS JUST CIRCLES BACK TO THE, THE AMOUNT OF YEARS WITHIN A SINGLE TERM.
UH, AGAIN, JUST URGING THE COMMISSION, IT WAS MY IMPRESSION AND I BELIEVE THE PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING THAT WHEN WE RAN, OR LAST YEAR OR THE LAST TIME THERE WAS AN ELECTION AND THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT TO MOVE THE ELECTIONS FROM NOVEMBER OR MAY TO NOVEMBER, THE BELIEF WAS THAT ALL FOLLOWING OR SUBSEQUENT, UH, ELECTIONS WOULD ALWAYS FALL ON A GOVERNOR'S, UH, ELECTION OR A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
AS SUCH, I WOULD ASK THAT THE COMMISSION JUST RECONSIDER ADDING AMENDMENT OR ADDING A PROPOSITION TO THE, UH, TO OUR PROPOSAL FOR THE VOTERS TO VOTE ON, ON WHETHER THEY WANT, THEY INTENDED TO KEEP US AT THREE YEARS, BUT JUST EVERY OTHER ELECTION BEING NOVEMBER, OR THEY INTENDED TO MOVE US TO ALWAYS BE ON EITHER THE PRESIDENTIAL OR GOVERNOR'S, UH, CYCLE.
FOR ME, I SEE THIS AS A, I MEAN, WE'RE DOING, THE COUNTY'S DOING WHAT THEIR PART IN ALLOWING, UM, YOU KNOW, VOTING, UH, EARLY, KIND OF LIKE EARLY VOTING ON ELECTION DAY WHERE YOU CAN VOTE AT ANY, AT ANY LOCATION.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'VE ALREADY DONE, THEY WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO HAVE VOTER TURNOUT.
AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY OF HARINGTON ALWAYS HAS HIGH VOTER TURNOUT.
BECAUSE IF WE HAVE ELECTIONS ON OFF YEARS, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS WHERE, UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A VERY LOW TURNOUT.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERY TIME THAT THE PEOPLE OF HARLINGEN GO OUT AND VOTE, IT IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A LARGE, UM, VOTER TURNOUT AND IT'S GONNA BE A BETTER REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT.
THERE SHOULD NEVER BE AN ELECTION HERE IN HARLINGEN WHERE WE ONLY HAVE TWO OR 3000 MAKING PEOPLE MAKING THE DECISION FOR ALL 80,000 PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE, GIVE OR TAKE.
SO I THINK BY MOVING IT TO EITHER A GOVERNOR ELECTION AND A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, THAT WILL ENSURE THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE A HIGH VOTER TURNOUT.
UH, LOPEZ, I WAS HERE FOR THAT.
UH, THEY, WHEN THESE TWO VOTED FOR IT, OH, PREVIOUSLY IT, IT WAS, IT WAS BROUGHT UP THAT SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS, AND I FORGET THE MATHEMATICAL FORMULA, BUT YOU'RE TALKING EVERY LIKE SECOND OR THIRD ELECTION WOULD BE ON A PRESIDENTIAL OR GOVERNOR RACE.
AND, UH, EVEN THOUGH THE ARGUMENT
[01:50:01]
WAS BROUGHT UP BY MYSELF AND THE FORMER MAYOR, THAT THAT WOULD, THIS IS ALL INCONSISTENT, BUT THE FOUR OF THEM WERE HAPPY TO VOTE FOR IT EXTENDING THIS TERM AN EXTRA SIX MONTHS TO NOVEMBER AND THREE YEARS IS CERTAINLY ENOUGH FOR SOMEONE TO PROVE THAT THEY'RE VALUABLE FOR REELECTION OR THEY'RE NOT.AND THERE'S A LEARNING CURVE IN DOING THIS, AND IT TAKES A GOOD YEAR, TWO OR THREE YEARS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND.
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE, IT STARTS TO PLATEAU, UH, UH, AS ONE GAINS KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING ON HOW ALL OF THIS WORKS IN THIS CITY.
SO THAT MATCHING THIS UP AS A MATHEMATICAL NIGHTMARE.
AND YOU'RE GOING TO CREATE, YOU THREE WERE VOTED IN FOR THREE YEARS.
WE WERE VOTED IN FOR THREE YEARS, BUT WE GOT MOVED TO THREE AND A HALF AGAINST MY VOTE.
AND SO THIS WOULD EXTEND YOU, WHAT, ANOTHER TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS, FOUR YEARS? NO, IT WOULD GIVE YOU WHAT, A 4, 5, 6 YEAR TERM? NO, I DON'T, NO.
WHAT WHAT WOULD BE THE MATHEMATICS OF THIS? IT'D BE A FOUR AND A HALF YEAR, A FOUR AND A HALF YEAR TERM.
I THINK THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE BEEN HAD OR MADE MORE PUBLIC.
I THINK, UH, I WOULDN'T HAVE THE CONCERN.
UH, MAYBE IT'S JUST LIKE MY, MY KNEE JUST TO HAVE THE FINAL ANSWER.
UM, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S BEST THAT WE GO THAT ROUTE.
BUT THIS IS THE OLD SLIPPERY SLOPE.
BUT I THINK ONCE IT'S DONE, IT'S DONE CORRECT.
IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE GONNA EXTEND IT TO SIX YEAR TERMS LIKE SENATORS OR, YOU KNOW.
LET, LET'S NOT EVEN HAVE A DISCUSSION.
MEXICO HAS A SIX YEAR, SO, YEAH, SO I, I'M IN FAVOR OF THREE YEAR TERMS. SO I JUST WANNA CLARIFY ONE THING.
UM, I THINK 'CAUSE WE WEREN'T, Y'ALL WERE HERE, WE WEREN'T HERE, BUT ON THE BALLOT IT WAS TO CHANGE FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER.
AND SO WHEN THEY VOTED THAT THAT DID THE THREE AND A HALF, UM, SO I THINK THAT THE VOTERS VOTED FOR A THREE AND A HALF YEAR TERM BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT WAS ON THE, ON THE BALLOT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU? BECAUSE THAT WAS WHAT WAS ON THE BALLOT.
IT WAS TO THE PROPOSITION TO MOVE FROM MAY TO NOVEMBER AND, AND WE WERE ALL ON THE BALLOT.
SO THEY IN ESSENCE VOTED FOR THAT ODD THREE AND A HALF YEAR TERM.
AND SO YOU, AS IT IS NOW, YOU THREE WILL HAVE A THREE AND A HALF YEAR TERM.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY VOTED ON AT THE, AT THE BALLOT.
UM, REMY, IF YOU DON'T MIND, UM, I'M JUST STILL KIND OF EXCITED THAT WE'RE GONNA PAY LESS PLACE STUDY
UM, YEAH, I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE MUCH MORE SO JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE THE EXPERT IN THIS.
SO THE 2025, UM, ELECTION WOULD BE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, UM, ELECTION.
AND SO WOULD WE, IS WHAT'S THE COST SAVINGS, IF ANY, BETWEEN UH, 2025 AND A 2026 ELECTION? UM, I THINK THE, THE COUNTY USUALLY REDUCES THE NUMBER OF POLLING LOCATIONS.
UH, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THE IDEA OF CONSISTENCY.
SO THE, THE A CO A COST SAVINGS BY REDUCING THAT NUMBER MIGHT BE, MIGHT NOT MATERIALIZE.
UH, THE DIFFERENCE WOULD BE WHO ELSE IS PARTICIPATING? WHAT OTHER ENTITIES, UH, ARE PARTICIPATING IN A, IN A, IN ON A CONSTITUTIONAL, I'M SORRY.
ON A CONSTITUTIONAL SPECIAL ELECTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE LARGEST ENTITY THAT MIGHT BE PARTICIPATING IS THE, UH, NORMA, IF YOU CAN HELP ME.
I THINK IS THE ONLY MAJOR ONE THAT ALWAYS FALLS ON THAT NOVEMBER, WHETHER IT'S A CONSTITUTIONAL OR THE PRESIDENTIAL.
UM, SO I MEAN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BIG.
UM, YEAH, I, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS, UH, AN IDEA OF THE, THE TURNOUT, UM, THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
IF YOU'RE GONNA INCREASE TURNOUT, YOU DO WANT TO BE ON THOSE EVEN NUMBERED YEARS VERSUS AN ODD NUMBERED YEAR.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA VERIFY, 'CAUSE EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID RIGHT NOW.
SO IF WE HAVE ELECTIONS ON A PRESIDENTIAL AND A, OR A GOVERNOR ELECTION YEAR, THE, THE VOTER TURNOUT WILL BE A LOT HIGHER THAN IF WE JUST HAD IT ON A REGULAR, UM, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ELECTION.
UM, I, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THAT THE 2020 ELECTION, WE HAD A HUNDRED THOUSAND VOTERS PARTICIPATE, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST WE'VE HAD, UH, IN A LONG TIME.
UM, THE LAST GUBERNATORIAL, I THINK IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000 PEOPLE VOTED COUNTYWIDE, UH, DURING
[01:55:01]
THE, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.IF WE BROKE 30,000, UH, I WOULD BE SURPRISED.
SO THERE'S LIKE A 70,000 DIFFERENT, UH, 70,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A PRESIDENTIAL AND A AND OUR, UH, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
AND ONE THING I WANNA POINT OUT, UH, MIKE, IS THAT THIS IS NOT US DECIDING IT, THIS WILL BE UP TO THE PEOPLE OF HARLINGEN DECIDING IT, JUST LIKE THEY VOTED FOR THE, TO MOVE IT TO NOVEMBER.
AND BACK THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, THE WHAT YOU WERE DEFENDING WAS NOT THE TERM LENGTH.
WHAT YOU WERE DEFENDING IS THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT MOVE THE ELECTION TO NOVEMBER.
YOU WANTED TO KEEP IT IN MAY WHERE THE LOW VOTER THAT WHERE, WHERE WE HAD LOW V VOTER TURNOUT.
SO WHAT, WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO ON, AGAIN, SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO NOW IS ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE OF HARLINGEN TO DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO HAVE, UM, THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS ELECTED BY A LARGER GROUP OF HARLINGEN RESIDENTS.
SO YOU DON'T WANNA VOTE, THAT'S FINE.
YOU, WHEN IT GOES TO THE BALLOT, YOU CAN VOTE AGAINST IT, BUT LET THE PEOPLE HAVE A VOICE.
UM, BUT I'LL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL
UM, WHAT, IN THAT VEIN, I JUST ONE QUESTION IN TERMS OF, UM, WHAT THE VOTERS VOTED FOR LAST TIME WILL WAS TERM LIMITS.
SO HOW WOULD YOU, UH, HOW WOULD YOU ENSURE THAT THE TERM LIMITS WOULDN'T EXTEND PAST WHAT THEY ALREADY VOTED? THE 12? IT WOULD STAY AT 12 YEARS.
'CAUSE THEN IT'D BE THREE, THREE TERMS AT FOUR YEARS, WHICH EQUALS 12.
OR FOUR TERMS OF THREE YEARS, WHICH EQUALS 12.
SO IT WOULD NOT BE 16, 12 YEARS WOULD STAY THE SAME.
SO WITH TERM LIMITS, WILL THE, SINCE YOU'RE, SHOULD THIS HAPPEN, YOUR TERM WILL BE FOUR AND A HALF YEARS THEN IN YOUR SECOND WELL, YEAH.
IN YOUR THIRD ELECTION, THEN A YEAR AND A HALF FROM THE END OF IT, WILL YOU ALL HAVE TO RESIGN? SO IT'S NOT TO VIOLATE NO.
FIVE, 12 YEARS? NO, BECAUSE THE, THIS TERM THAT THEY EXCUSE, EXCUSE ME.
LET ME ASK THE, UH, I APOLOGIZE.
WELL, LET ME JUST SAY ONE LITTLE THING BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING KIND OF FITS IN, IN OUR SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE THE TERM THAT WHEN WE VOTED TO, FOR THE TERM LIMITS, THE TERM THAT YOU FRANK AND I ARE SERVING, UM, IT DOESN'T, IT'S NOT RETROACTIVE.
SO THE TERM THAT THEY'RE SERVING RIGHT HERE WOULDN'T COUNT AGAINST THAT.
WHY ATTORNEY MR. MARK? WHY WOULDN'T IT COUNT? NO, I, I I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, IT WOULD APPLY TO PEOPLE ELECTED.
UM, IT WOULD BE THREE, WHAT, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 4 YEAR TERMS. YES.
THIS IS LIKE, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT US.
WHAT, WHAT WHATSOEVER IT DOESN'T.
THIS IS WHOEVER GET, WHOEVER WIN, WHOEVER GETS ELECTED IN NOVEMBER AND WHOEVER GETS ELECTED, UM, WHEN THE NEXT ELECTION IS, THAT'S WHO IT'S GOING TO AFFECT.
WELL, IF I, I WOULD JUST ASK IF YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DO THIS, UM, THAT MARK, IF THERE'S SOME LANGUAGE TO ENSURE THAT, UM, DANIEL, MYSELF AND FORD
BECAUSE THE TERM LIMITS WERE ALREADY VOTED ON AT THE PRIOR ELECTION.
SO I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT THIS GROUP HERE, I MEAN THE 12 YEARS IS THE 12 YEARS, IT DOESN'T RESET BECAUSE THIS TERM COUNTS TOWARDS, IS THAT CORRECT? NO.
JUDGE COMMISSIONER PETS IS SAYING IS THIS TERM DOES NOT COUNT.
THIS TERM DOES NOT COUNT THE WAY IT WAS.
NO, THE WAY IT WAS SET UP, BECAUSE IT HAD TO BE A COMPROMISE THE WAY IT WAS SET UP IS A TERM LIMITS DON'T KICK IN UNTIL THIS ELECTION RIGHT NOW.
SO, SO, SO BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ORDINANCE.
IT'S GOING TO BE PASSED AT THE NEXT ME, ME MEETING IF IT IS PASSED.
SO WHAT BASICALLY THE PURPOSE OF TODAY IS THE EVERYBODY, UH, VOTED ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO BE, RIGHT.
AND THEY GAVE THE ATTORNEY THE DIRECTION TO DRAFT PROPOSED LANGUAGE IN CONFORMITY WITH THEIR VOTE AND ALSO PROPOSED PROPOSITIONS, WHICH ARE BEFORE YOU TODAY.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IS PRESENT PRESENTING THOSE PROPOSED PROPOSITIONS AND THAT PROPOSED LANGUAGE, UH, YOU'RE GONNA CONSIDER IT TODAY, BUT I THINK THE FINAL VOTE ON THIS WILL BE AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO WE, WE STILL HAVE TIME TO, TO LOOK AT THIS AND MAKE SURE WE HAVE IT RIGHT.
AND IT'S CONSISTENT WITH, UH, THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION TO BE COMMITTED TO THE VOTERS.
I WAS JUST, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WHEN VOTERS WENT OUT AND VOTED IN FAVOR OF TERM LIMITS AT THE LAST ELECTION, THAT THE MAYOR AND DISTRICT ONE AND TWO WERE SUBJECT TO THE TERM LIMITS.
BE NOT, NOT THE FOLKS THAT WERE ALREADY ON, YOU KNOW, ON THE GOVERNING BODY.
BUT THERE I I WILL LOOK AT THAT.
YEAH, THAT WAS, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
BUT I, I JUST, AND SO WHATEVER THAT IS, IT SHOULD REMAIN
I, THIS IS THE FIRST THAT I'M HEARING.
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT AT THE LAST MEETING.
[02:00:01]
THOUGHT THAT IT WAS NO, IT'S IN THE CHARTER.IT SAYS SPECIFICALLY RETROACTIVE.
AND I'M SURE Y'ALL KNOW MORE THAN, THAN I DO.
AS YOU CONSIDER THESE PROPOSITIONS, UH, WORD ECONOMY WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
AND SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE WHATEVER ULTIMATELY IS APPROVED BY THIS COMMISSION.
BUT IT WOULD, IT MIGHT REQUIRE US TO GO TO A LARGER BALLOT IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, THE LANGUAGE OF IF, UH, IF WE'RE NOT E ECONOMICAL WITH IT.
IF YOU BEAR THAT IN MIND, I'M GLAD YOU, YOU, YOU MENTIONED THAT.
SO WE HAVE, UH, QUITE A FEW, UM, PROPOSITIONS THAT YOU'VE SEEN ALREADY IN TERMS OF YEAH.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THEM THAT ARE, THAT ARE REPETITIVE.
AND SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC NOTICE, RIGHT? LIKE NOW FOR, FOR, UM, ELECTIONS OR FOR ORDINANCE, ALL, ALL, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF, UM, WORK THAT THE COMMISSION DOES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, UH, AWARENESS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THERE'S A MOVE TO, UM, PUBLISH ON THE WEBSITE AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT IT'S LIKE TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT PROPOSITIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN DIFFERENT ARTICLES WITHIN THE CHARTER.
SO COULD WE HAVE ONE PROPOSITION TO CONSOLIDATE SINCE IT'S THE SAME LANGUAGE, EVEN THOUGH, UM, THEY IMPACT THREE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CHARTER? I, I, I THINK THAT'S A, A A TWO PART QUESTION.
ONE, UH, FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY.
UH, BY CONSOLIDATING SOME OF THOSE PARTICULAR NOTICE, UH, ITEMS. MM-HMM.
UH, AND THEN ALSO, UH, A POLITICAL, UH, QUESTION TO CONSIDER IS WHETHER THERE'S SOME COMPONENT IN THERE THAT MIGHT, UH, HAVE PEOPLE VOTE AGAINST IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T THINK CERTAIN TYPES OF NOTICES ARE REQUIRED FOR, SAY, CITY ORDINANCES OR FOR ELECTIONS.
YOU RUN THE RISK OF LOSING ALL OF 'EM.
ALTHOUGH I'M CERTAINLY ENCOURAGING THE CONSOLIDATION.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES.
UM, BECAUSE I, I, I THINK PUBLIC NOTICE PEOPLE ARE GONNA SUPPORT THAT, BUT I, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST.
NO, I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A POSITIVE MOVE.
IT GIVES MORE AWARENESS, MORE NOTICE, AND, UM, IF WE COULD, BUT THAT IS AN EXCELLENT POINT AND I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
SO THAT'S FOR, FOR MARK TO TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT FOR US.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION AS A NOVICE AT THIS? NOW, OBVIOUSLY THIS ELECTION, THE VOTER WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE A STRAIGHT TICKET, CORRECT.
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT? NO, NO, NO.
THEY'RE NO LONGER STRAIGHT, UH, TICKETS ALLOWED THEN, THEN MY QUESTION'S A MOOT POINT.
SO FOR ANN, WHAT I'M THINKING, 'CAUSE I THINK BOTH OF YOU GUYS BRING UP EXCELLENT POINTS, RIGHT? WE HAVE TO ANSWER, UH, COMMISSIONER MS. MARK'S QUESTION ABOUT THE THREE AND A HALF VERSUS THE FOUR AND A HALF.
AND I KNOW COMMISSIONER, UH, BETIS HAS PUT FORTH, UH, HIS RECOLLECTION OF IT.
BUT WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, AND I WOULD MAKE A MOTION, IS THAT WE APPROVE, WE DIRECT COMM, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY, UH, MARK CY, TO PROPOSE LANGUAGE TO GO TO THE FOUR YEARS AS WELL AS TO COME BACK WITH THE, THAT INFORMATION SO THAT WHEN, IF WE DO END UP, WHEN WE DO VOTE ON IT NEXT TIME, OUR NEXT MEETING, AT LEAST EVERYONE HAS ALL THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION SO THAT THERE IS NO, UM, MISUNDERSTANDINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, LEGAL QUESTION, UH, I MISS PERHAPS A REMY QUESTION.
UM, AT WHAT TIME, WHAT DATE DO WE HAVE TO GET THIS TO YOU TO PUT THIS STUFF ON THE BALLOT? UM, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY, UH, IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING BALLOTS, UM, RIGHT NOW.
UH, BUT, UH, AUGUST 19TH, I BELIEVE IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE, UH, TO ORDER THE ELECTION.
UH, SO WE STILL HAVE TIME, UM, I BELIEVE, UH, THE END OF AUGUST.
I WANNA SAY AUGUST 24TH IS THE LAST DAY THAT THE STATE CERTIFIES THE, UH, CANDIDATES ARE GONNA BE ON THERE.
SO THERE IS TIME FOR US TO WORK ON THE LANGUAGE.
OUR, YOU KNOW, GETTING THE ANCIENT SPANISH VERSION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IS BEST.
UM, AND OUR ABSOLUTE, YOU KNOW, DROP DEAD, YOU CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER THAN THIS IS THE 45 DEADLINE, 45 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION WHERE WE HAVE TO SEND OUT THE FPCA BALLOTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S A GOOD, UH, IDEA TO BRING IT BACK.
YOU NEED IT BEFORE? I THINK, UH, THE, THE, THE 19TH IS THE, TO ORDER THE, A SPECIAL ELECTION.
BUT UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL MEETING OR THEY'LL HAVE TO DO A SPECIAL MEETING THE END OF NEXT WEEK.
THE 15TH OR SIX I'LL BE OUT OF TOWN.
THE, I'M OUTTA TOWN A AND I COME BACK THE 14TH.
AND SO I'LL, WE COULD DO THE AFTERNOON OR THE, I'LL SAY THE 15TH
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'CAUSE IT'S A DRIVE FROM HOUSTON OR HOUSTON TRAFFIC.IF WE CAN HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON THE 15TH JUST TO DO THE, UM, UH, THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
CAN EVERYBODY CHECK THEIR CALENDARS FOR THE 15TH? SEE IF YOU'RE AVAILABLE.
WHAT DAY IS THAT? THAT'S A THURSDAY.
IT'S, UH, I'M HERE THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK.
THAT'S THE DATE YOU SUGGESTED COMMISSIONER? YES, SIR.
ALRIGHT, LAST TIME I DOUBLE BOOKED MYSELF AND MY
I WAS GONNA SAY, I'M OUT SO MUCH THIS MONTH.
MAYOR, I'M GONNA BE OUT, RIGHT? YOU ARE, YOU'RE ON A CONFERENCE.
YOU HAVE A CONFERENCE OUT OF TOWN CONFERENCE, THE 15 AND 16TH.
AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE CURIOUS FOR MY WORK, I HAVE TO A DAY JOB AND I'M GOING ON A WORK, WORK CONFERENCE.
UM, IS IT THAT, IS IT THOSE TWO DAYS? 15TH AND 16TH? MM-HMM.
UM, IF WE CAN PUSH IT BACK LATER, LET'S SAY TO LIKE SEVEN, 7:00 PM THAT'S WHEN WE GET TOGETHER.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE MAYBE LIKE TWO HOURS.
I WAS SURPRISED WITH MY LAST ONE.
THAT ONE TOOK LIKE THREE HOURS, THEN THREE.
THAT WHAT? THAT GETS ME TO 1:00 PM 1:00 PM THE FIVE HOURS.
WHAT ABOUT TUESDAY? THE 12TH? THE 13TH? I'LL BE GONE MONDAY, TUESDAY, AND WEDNESDAY.
SO IF WE MOVE IT JUST TO A LATER TIME ON THE 14TH, I CAN BE HERE.
I WAS GONNA SAY DON'T TRUST THE AIRLINES.
IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? AND IS THAT, IS THERE A CONSENSUS TO DO THAT? I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK IT WAS A LITTLE CONFUSING.
SO JUST SO WE CAN GET SOME CLARIFICATION TO, TO GIVE MARK GUIDANCE TO DRAFT PROPOSED LANGUAGE AND THEN GET US THE FACTUAL BACKGROUND ABOUT THE TERMS. THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS.
SO IS THAT, UH, ARE WE TABLING IT SO HE CAN DO THAT? OR IS IT A MOTION TO DO THAT? MOTION TO DIRECT HIM TO OKAY, GOT IT.
IS, AND SO THERE'S A, A MOTION ON THE TABLE.
AND SO THAT WEDNESDAY, IS IT GONNA BE A BRIEF MEETING? WELL, WE, WE PROBABLY CAN'T MEET HERE 'CAUSE THERE'S A P AND Z THAT DAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MEET SOMEPLACE ELSE.
OR MAYBE THEY CAN MEET SOMEWHERE ELSE.
WELL, I THINK THEY'VE ALREADY PUBLISHED THE NOTICES.
JAVI, WHERE'S JAVIER? HE'S GONE.
OKAY, SO IT'S GONNA BE WEDNESDAY, NEXT WEDNESDAY.
IF WE CAN DO IT AT 7:00 PM I'LL, I'LL HUSTLE DOWN HERE WITHIN THE SPEED LIMITS.
AND THEN I GOTTA BE IN AUSTIN ON THURSDAY.
WELL, YOU KNOW, LABOR OF LOVE, REMEMBER? OH, I DON'T KNOW,
AND I THOUGHT MAYBE THAT IF, IF I AM ON ZOOM, THEN UM, THEN THAT MEANS THEN YOU CAN'T DOES THE MAYOR PRO TEM VOTE IF I'M NOT PRESIDENT? NO.
AND THEN THE OTHER, UH, CONCERN I HAVE IS ON PROPOSITION SIX, THE MAYORAL VOTE.
UM, PROPOSITION SIX, IF WE LOOK AT PROPOSITION SIX, IS THAT IN THIS? YES, SIR.
ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE REVISED WITH THE LITTLE YEAH, THE ONE, THE PRINTOUT, THE ONE I HAVE THAT WAS ON MY DESK.
THE ONE WITH THE LITTLE, YEAH, THE THE LITTLE BLUE STAR.
UM, ON THIS ONE, I, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE DID.
I JUST THINK THAT AT THIS POINT, UH, I HAVE SOME CURRENTS ABOUT CONCERNS ABOUT THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES IF WE APPROVE IT, YOU KNOW, AS IS, UM, BECAUSE IT CREATES CONFUSION AND ISSUES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CHARTER.
UM, WHICH IT WOULD BE ARTICLE.
I'M JUST GONNA READ 'EM TO YOU GUYS AND THEN I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH THEM.
IT'D BE ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION FIVE, ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION TWO, ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION FIVE.
HEY, YOU DON'T HAVE, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CHARTER IN FRONT OF YOU, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO GO OVER THE CHARTER.
NOT, THIS IS JUST THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WITH THE PROPOSITION.
SO THE PROPOSITION IS PROPOSITION
[02:10:01]
SIX THAT I HAVE THE QUESTIONS ON OR CONCERNS ON.AND THEN IF, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD OBVIOUSLY ALSO TAKE UP ON WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY, WHENEVER WE, WE HAVE THIS MM-HMM,
SO I'M GONNA READ, START FROM THE BEGINNING.
ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION FIVE, ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION TWO, ARTICLE.
IT'S NOT THERE IS WHAT HE'S SAYING.
YOU GOTTA WRITE IT DOWN, THEN BACKTRACK IT.
AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD IT IN THE ACTUAL CHARTER.
SO JUST, I MEAN, UM, IS THIS BECAUSE OF THE MAJORITY AND THE THREE AND THE TWO AND ALL THAT STUFF? YES.
SO I REMEMBER, AND JUST SO THAT WAY WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS, UM, BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME CONCERN AND I, AND I TALKED TO, REMEMBER I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THAT, ABOUT THE THREE, I ACTUALLY, WE, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE BECAUSE DEPENDING ON HOW THE COMMISSION VOTES OR HOW THE VOTERS VOTE, RIGHT? WILL THREE VOTES BE A MAJORITY OR LESS THAN A MAJORITY? SO, AND, AND, AND THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE COMMISSION WANTS A MAJORITY OF THE ENTIRE COMMISSION, THE THE CHARTER COULD BE AMENDED TO SIMPLY SAY, WE WILL REQUIRE A VOTE OF A MAJORITY OF THE ENTIRE CITY COMMISSION AS OPPOSED TO A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF VOTES.
THIS WAY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THERE ARE FIVE OR SIX VOTES ON THE COMMISSION, IT THERE WON'T BE A CONFLICT.
AND THAT WAS WHAT THE CHARTER COMMITTEE, UM, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE WHEN THEY PRESENTED, SAID, UM, IN ALL PLACES WHERE THERE'S A NUMERICAL, UH, NUMBER ASSIGNED THAT IT SHOULD REFLECT EITHER MAJORITY OR SUPER MAJORITY.
AND SO THAT TAKES, UH, CARE OF WHETHER IF IT PASSES OR IT DOESN'T, IT STILL CLEANS UP THE LANGUAGE FOR IN THE FUTURE IF THERE'S MORE DISTRICTS ADDED OR WHAT HAVE YOU, BECAUSE THERE WILL NO LONGER BE AN ACTUAL NUMBER ASSIGNED.
SO THAT WOULD BE THROUGHOUT THE CHARTER.
BUT THERE'S NO PROPOSITION THAT'S STATE SUCH.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD ADD ONE, ADD PRO ONE TO DO THAT PROPOSITION WITH THAT.
SIMILAR TO THE, THE FIRST ONE WITH THE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS, UM, CORRECT PRONOUNS IN ARCHAIC TERMS, THERE COULD BE LANGUAGE THAT SAYS INSTEAD OF WHEREVER IT IS LISTED, A NUMBER VALUE FOR COMMISSIONERS, UM, SHOULD, INSTEAD OF THE THREE AND TWO, SHOULD, SHOULD READ A MAJORITY.
UM, THE ONLY THING I THINK IS GONNA BE UP TO MARK TO KIND OF COMB THROUGH IT TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME, UM, ARE A MAJORITY OF THE ENTIRE COMMISSION OR A MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION PRESENT IN CASE SOMEONE'S ABSENT JUST TO ENSURE THAT THE LANGUAGE IS RIGHT.
BUT, UM, SO IS THERE, UM, A MOTION TO HAVE MARK DO THAT? NO.
WELL, SO WHAT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I PUT ALL MY CONCERNS AND ON THE RECORD SO THAT, WELL, THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA THOUGH.
WELL, ACTUALLY IT IS BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE AGENDA, IT SAYS CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ORDERING SPECIAL ELECTIONS ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TALKING ABOUT 10 F CORRECT? MM-HMM.
UH, TO BE HELD RIGHT ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
IT'S AN ACTION ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT.
COMMISSIONER, THE PUBLIC HAS KNOWLEDGE THAT THE COMMISSION IS CONSIDERING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, AND THEREFORE THIS PUBLIC CERTAINLY HAS KNOWLEDGE.
IF THERE IS ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE, THEY CAN BE MADE AT THIS TIME.
I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS DON'T REQUIRE THE SPECIFICITY OF PLEADINGS JUST ENOUGH TO GIVE THE PUBLIC THE NOTICE OF WHAT'S GONNA BE DISCUSSED AND THE POTENTIAL ACTION THAT COULD BE TAKEN, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO IF THERE'S SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE, WE COULD CERTAINLY DO THOSE.
BUT NOT TO RESCIND A VOTE THAT HAS ALREADY PASSED EXCEPT FOR THE ONE THAT IS NOTED, WHICH IS THE TERMS FROM FOUR, CORRECT.
BUT SINCE THIS COMMISSION HAS ALREADY VOTED ON THE MAYORAL VOTE, THEN THAT IS, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON.
AND THERE'S NOT A MOTION TO RESCIND THAT.
BUT THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL PROPOSITION AND THERE WOULD NEED A MOTION TO DIRECT YOU TO ADD THAT LANGUAGE IF YOU WERE TO RECONSIDER AN ITEM THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN PASSED.
THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SPECIFICALLY, UH, PUT ON THE AGENDA TO RECEIVE WHICH SPECIFIC TOS RECEIVE, CORRECT.
BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, IS THAT CORRECT? IT'S CONFUSING, BUT NO, IT'S NOT.
UM, THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT AT ALL
THEN WHY WERE WE GIVING THIS, THAT THAT IS ALSO, BUT, UM, WHAT COMMISSIONER LO LOPEZ BROUGHT UP IS, IS NOT THAT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, THIS IS PARDON MY CONFUSION.
SO THERE WAS A MO THERE WAS, WE MOVED OVER TO ITEM N YES.
WHICH IS TO RESCIND THE MOTION.
UM, THAT WAS WHEN YOU ALL VOTED DOWN THE, THAT TERM.
SO THEN THAT IS WHAT, AND THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT IS UP FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
[02:15:01]
IF WE MOVE BACK TO THE PROPOSITIONS, THEN THAT'S GONNA BE F OKAY.SO WE'LL BE THERE, BUT WE WERE GIVEN THIS JUST AS THE MEETING STARTED, THAT THAT IS 10 F MM-HMM.
BUT WE WERE JUST GIVEN THIS JUST BEFORE THE MEETING STARTED.
AND THERE WAS, THERE'S NO TIME TO REVIEW THIS TO AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING.
THERE, THERE WERE JUST SOME GRAMMATICAL CHANGES THERE, SOME ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO THE PROPOSAL LANGUAGE.
SO THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS IN THE PACKET SLIGHTLY.
WELL THEN THIS IS BRAND NEW INFORMATION.
SO, SO, AND I, AND I TALKED TO MARK ABOUT THAT TODAY.
UM, AND, AND I ALSO REMY'S GONE.
BUT, UM, SO WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY IS, SO WE'RE NOTING ANY, WE'RE NOT VOTING TO APPROVE THAT TODAY.
SO WE COULD TAKE THIS HOME AND STUDY THIS.
SO IT, WE NEED TO DO THIS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO GET ON THE BALLOT.
AND THEN AT THE SECOND READING, WHICH WILL BE AT THE NEXT SPECIAL MEETING.
AT THAT TIME, THERE CAN BE, UM, AMENDMENTS TO IT.
SO IT'S NOT FINAL, IS THAT RIGHT? RIGHT.
THAT'S THE PURPOSE BEHIND TWO READINGS.
SO YOU, YOU, SO THE PUBLIC HAS NOTICED, AND SO ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL CHANGES CAN BE INCORPORATED.
SO THERE WERE SOME TYPOS AND SOME THINGS THAT IN HERE.
SO HE MADE SOME CHANGES TO SOME OF THE LANGUAGE, BUT YOU'RE NOT APPROVING IT TODAY.
UM, IT IS YOUR, IT'S THE FIRST READING, AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS WHERE YOU'LL CLEAN UP WHATEVER LANGUAGE WHICH WILL HAVE TO ADD WHATEVER THE DECISION IS MADE ON, WHICH IS, I THINK IT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO DO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I WAS TRYING TO SEE IF Y'ALL COULD VOTE ON N TO HAVE THE SECOND READING.
'CAUSE THEN YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A SECOND READING OF THAT SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.
SO THAT'S, AND, AND WE'RE, WE HAVE LIMITED TIME.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE CONCERN.
BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE, UH, IF WE DON'T DO THIS TODAY, THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AND WE HAVE TO HAVE TWO MORE MEETINGS, AND THEN WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE THE DEADLINE.
AND SO, MARTHA, YOU'RE, SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA PASS THIS ON FIRST READING AND THEN APPROVE IT ON A SECOND READING.
BUT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING HERE IS THAT YOUR INTERPRETATION OF THE WORD AMENDMENT FOR BIDS, A RESCISSION OF A, UH, PROPOSITION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON.
WHAT DID YOU SAY? SO, OO, OKAY.
SO LOOK AT THE WORD, LIKE IF YOU LOOK AT 10 F RIGHT? SECOND LINE SAYS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, RIGHT.
A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE.
YOU'RE SAYING THAT THIS LANGUAGE ON 10 F FORBIDS A RESCISSION OF A PROPOSITION THAT'S ALREADY BEEN VOTING ON.
SO WE HAVE ONE ISSUE THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED FOR RESCISSION, WHICH IS NUMBER N, CORRECT? RIGHT.
UM, WELL, NO, NOT RESCISSION, BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN A VOTE ON IT TO APPROVE IT.
SO RESCISSION IS TO REMOVE SOMETHING, RIGHT? RIGHT.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED MOTION TO RESCIND OR AMEND.
UM, BUT WHAT'S BEEN VOTED ON WAS THE, THE, THE, THE GENERAL, UH, IT WAS APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CHARTER COMMITTEE.
WE NEVER, WE'VE NEVER HAD A VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
SO ARE THERE PARTS OF THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU COULD CUT OUT AND PROCEED WITH THE REST OF THE ORDINANCE? WELL, THAT'S, I MEAN, WE'RE HERE ON FIRST READING.
SO, NO, I DON'T, I DON'T, I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT YOU'RE PHRASING THE QUESTION IS, IS A LITTLE, IS A LITTLE LEADING.
YOU'RE THE, WE AL THIS COMMISSION ALREADY WENT THROUGH EVERY SINGLE PROPOSITION AND VOTED YES OR NO.
THE ONE THAT FAILED YOU BROUGHT TO YOU RESCIND.
AND THAT IS TO RESCIND THAT VOTE AND TO BRING IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
BUT NOW WE'RE GOING OVER THE PROPOSED, WHICH I'VE ALREADY BEEN VOTED ON, AND NOW YOU'RE LOOKING TO RESCIND, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TO DO SO.
BUT I, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING IS CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE, WE CAN AMEND.
SO WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE? WE'VE AMENDED ORDINANCES IN THE, IN THE FACTS.
BUT ARE YOU, ARE YOU SAYING TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN AMENDING, RESCINDING AND AMENDING? THAT'S A WHOLLY DIFFERENT TERM.
WE CAN AMEND LANGUAGE BY REMOVING IT.
LIKE AMEND A CONTRACT OR, UH, YEAH.
MARK, YOU'RE GONNA AMEND BY REMOVING.
WE, THERE WAS A VOTE, RIGHT? AMEND MEANS THAT IT STILL EXISTS TO CHANGE IT.
SO THERE, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION
[02:20:01]
BY THE COMMISSION AND A VOTE BY THE COMMISSION ON PROPOSITION SIX.WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS YOU'VE POINTED OUT THREE SECTIONS OF THE CHARTER THAT SHOULD BE AMENDED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE PREVIOUS VOTE ON PROPOSITION SIX.
NO, THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE.
NO, WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IF WE APPROVE PROPOSITION SIX, IT WILL CREATE UNCERTAINTY IN FOUR OTHER SECTIONS.
FOUR I AND THE LAST ONE'S ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION ONE.
IT WOULD CREATE, UH, UH, CONFLICTION WITHIN THE REST OF THE CHARTER.
WELL, WELL, THE, THE CONFLICT WHICH WOULD BE CREATED IS YOU, YOU NEED A QUORUM AND YOU NEED A MAJORITY OF THE QUORUM.
SO IN ORDER TO AMEND THAT TO BE COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW, WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
OR WE COULD STOP THE PROPOSED CHANGE.
WELL, THAT WOULD BE VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU PREVIOUSLY VOTED ON, CORRECT? RIGHT.
THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS, I, I THINK, CLEAR AND OBVIOUS.
AND, AND ALL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THREE SECTIONS OF THE CHARTER THAT DEAL WITH A NUMBER.
AND, AND SINCE, AND THE, THE INTENT OF THAT CHARTER, CHARTER PROVISION, RIGHT, IS THAT THERE BE A MAJORITY OF THE, OF THE COMMISSION VOTING TO CARRY THE POINT, WHICH IS BASICALLY A STANDARD PROVISION.
YOU NEED A MAJORITY TO CARRY A VOTE.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST CLEANING UP LANGUAGE IN THE CHARTER TO, TO TO, TO BASICALLY MAKE IT PERFECTLY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.
I MEAN, RIGHT NOW YOU NEED A MAJORITY OF THE, OF THE ENTIRE COMM.
YOU NEED A MAJORITY, THREE PEOPLE IS A MAJORITY OF THE FIVE PERSON COMMISSION.
IF YOU ADD A VOTE, NOW YOU'RE GONNA NEED FOUR PEOPLE.
SO YOU STILL NEED A MAJORITY OF THE ENTIRE COMMISSION.
YOU'RE SIMPLY IN, IN THE EVENT THAT THE IN, IN THE EVENT THAT THE PEOPLE DECIDE TO APPROVE THAT CHARTER AMENDMENT, YOU'RE SIMPLY MAKING THAT, CHANGING THAT LANGUAGE.
SO IT'S CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.
WE'RE NOT, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING AT ALL.
BECAUSE ALL YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE SAYING, WE'RE SAYING LEAVING IT THE SAME, OR WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING AT ALL.
YOU'RE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING AT ALL.
BECAUSE IT, BECAUSE THE, THE INTENT IS TO HAVE A MAJORITY OF THE COMMISSION.
SO IF THREE, THREE IS A MAJORITY OF FIVE, AND FOUR IS A MAJORITY OF SIX.
SO SIM BY SIMPLY SAYING YOU HAVE A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE ENTIRE COMMISSION TO MAKE THE DECISION.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BASICALLY SAFEGUARDING IF THE, IF THE PEOPLE APPROVE PROPOSITION SIX OR NOT BY, SO IF, IF THEY DON'T APPROVE PROPOSITION SIX, NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE.
YOU'RE JUST SAYING A MAJORITY OF THE, OF THE COMMISSION THAT'S VOTING, RIGHT.
THE, THE MAJORITY OF THE, OF THE, OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE VOTING.
SO IT'S STILL GONNA REQUIRE A, A SIMPLE MAJORITY OF THE COM OF THE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, WHICH IS WHAT YOU HAVE NOW.
SO WE'RE NOT CHANGING ANYTHING, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST MAKING IT, WE'RE JUST CHANGING THE WORDING TO, TO, TO HAVE THE SAME EFFECT.
BUT THAT LANGUAGE IS NOT A PROPOSITION CURRENTLY BEFORE THE COMMISSION.
AND YOU POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS A CONFLICT.
AND SO WE WOULD GO BACK AND CHANGE THOSE LANGUAGES TO MAKE THAT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT'S BEEN VOTED BEFORE.
'CAUSE IF NOT, WE COULD BE HERE ALL DAY AND SAY, WELL, LET'S RESCIND ALL OF THEM.
WELL, SO A QUESTION, SO WE WERE PRESENTED WITH THE, THE, I EXAGGERATE IN, IN MY THICKNESS, BUT WE WERE PRESENTED WITH A THICK HERE.
HERE'S WHAT WE RECOMMENDED THAT YOU DO.
AND WE WENT THROUGH IT AND SAID, YES, NO, YES, NO, YES, NO.
AND SO NOW WE'RE PRESENTED, WE ALREADY WENT THROUGH IT ONCE.
ARE YOU SAYING WE HAVE TO AGREE ON EVERYTHING WE DID THE FIRST TIME? OR CAN WE CHANGE OUR MIND? YOU, YOU, YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND, BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA RESCIND SOMETHING, YOU NEED, IT NEEDS TO BE SO, SO BASICALLY, IF YOU'RE GONNA RESCIND OR AMEND SOMETHING THAT'S PREVIOUSLY BEEN ADOPTED, RIGHT.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH IT AND VOTED ON IT.
WELL LISTEN, YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE ADOPTED THE RECOMMENDATION.
RIGHT? YOU, BUT, BUT YOU, BUT YOU ADOPTED THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
YOU VOTED TO ADOPT AND APPROVE, ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
SO IS IT LEGAL FOR US TO CHANGE OUR MIND? OF COURSE.
IT'S OKAY IF, IF YOU, YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RIGHT PROCEDURE, BUT YES.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT NUMBER 10 F IS NOT THE RIGHT PROCEDURE.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE THE, IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE THE ORDINANCE TO REMOVE A PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE, WE COULD DO THAT ON 10 F IF YOU WANNA RESCIND SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED, YOU HAVE TO GET NOTICE OF.
LET'S, LET'S, UM, JUST 'CAUSE WE'RE WASTING A LOT OF TIME
[02:25:01]
HERE.HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS.
IF YOU'RE MO, IF YOU'RE MOVING TO RESCIND OR ADOPT RESCIND SOMETHING, YOU CAN DO IT WITH NOTICE OR YOU CAN DO IT WITHOUT NOTICE.
IF YOU DO IT WITH NOTICE, WHICH IS WHAT COMMISSIONER PETTI DID, AND YOU DID, IT REQUIRES A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
IF YOU DO IT WITHOUT NOTICE, YOU NEED A SUPER MAJORITY.
SO IT'S GONNA CHANGE YOUR VOTE.
YOU CAN DO IT, BUT IT'S GONNA CHANGE YOUR VOTE.
SO THEN WHAT WE CAN DO HERE IS ON 10 F FOR WEDNESDAY, WE CAN ADD RESCISSION LANGUAGE IN THAT ONE AND THAT AGENDA ITEM SO THAT WE CAN THEN REMOVE A, UH, A PROPOSITION.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO UNDER ROBERT'S RULES, THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON 10 F TO GIVE US THE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY FOR, UH, MARK TO GIVE US THE MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY ON CHANGING AMENDING RESCISSION OR RECEDING WHATEVER.
WELL, YOU'VE GOTTA, YOU, YOU HAVE TO GIVE SPECIFIC NOTICE.
RIGHT? AND, AND, AND SO WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS THAT WE WERE HERE AT THE LAST MEETING, AND IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE THAT VOTED AGAINST THE MAYOR, UH, OBTAIN GETTING A VOTE.
AND SO THE OPPORTUNITY, IF YOU WERE UNHAPPY WITH THAT, THEN THE OPPORTUNITY WOULD'VE BEEN TO PLACE ON THE AGENDA TO PROVIDE NOTICE THAT YOU WANTED TO RESCIND THAT.
AND NOW WITH ITEM F, YOU WANNA HOLD UP ALL THE OTHER PROPOSITIONS SO WE CAN COME BACK AND HAVE MARK READ THAT TO US AGAIN, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA NEED TWO MORE MEETINGS.
BECAUSE, UH, YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO ADOPT IT TODAY AND THEN, AND THEN BRING IT BACK AGAIN.
REMOVE, POTENTIALLY REMOVE, BECAUSE YOU'RE GONNA ADD ANOTHER PROVISION NEXT TIME YOU'RE GONNA ADD A WHOLE NEW PROPOSITION NEXT TIME.
SO THEN YOU CAN ADDED, REMOVE A, YOU CAN REMOVE A PROPOSITION, WHICH IS WHAT I SAID FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THAT YOU SHOULD VOTE ON THAT TODAY.
BECAUSE YOU'RE ONLY GONNA HAVE ONE READING OF THAT PROPOSITION, BECAUSE IT'S NOT HERE.
THAT'S, I, WE'RE GOING IN CIRCLES.
SO TODAY, IF YOU DO NOTHING AND YOU SAY, MARK, COME BACK AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER MEETING, THEN THAT'S THE FIRST READING, CORRECT? YES.
THAT'S IF, IF, IF THEY DON'T TAKE ACTION, IF THEY DON'T, IF, AND THEY SAY, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE YOU GUIDANCE TO COME BACK AND GIVE US BETTER LANGUAGE SO THAT WAY WE CAN, YOU KNOW, CHANGE THIS AROUND A LITTLE BIT, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR FIRST READING.
SO THEN THE NEXT MEETING, YOU'LL HAVE YOUR FIRST READING, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK THE NEXT TIME, WHICH WILL BE PAST THE DEADLINE TO HAVE YOUR SECOND READING.
AND THEN NOTHING GETS ON THE BALLOT.
SO, WHICH IS WHY I DON'T, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE GONNA PUT THIS ON THE, ON THE BALLOT, I NOT ON THE BALLOT, ON THE AGENDA, THEN MAYBE YOU NEED TO FLUSH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT.
THEN IT COMES BACK FOR THE FIRST READ, FOR THE SECOND READING.
'CAUSE IT CAN BE PART OF THIS, RIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU CAN AMEND IT TO INCLUDE THAT LANGUAGE IN F BUT THAT'D BE SUPPLEMENTING.
'CAUSE THAT'S NOT AMENDING FOR THOSE OF YOU AT HOME.
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE TOO MANY LAWYERS.
NOBODY'S TO WORK FOR LAWYERS ANYMORE.
SO IT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
AMENDING IS THE BEST LANGUAGE.
'CAUSE YOU CAN ADD THINGS, YOU CAN SUBTRACT THINGS.
NO, AMEND YOU CAN IS DOESN'T MEAN DO AWAY WITH AMEND MEANS YOU'RE CHANGING IT.
IF YOU STRIKE ONE, YOU'RE STILL AMENDING THE WHOLE ORDINANCE.
WE'VE DONE THAT IN THE PAST WHERE YOU STRIKE A PORTION OF IT, IT'S STILL IN AMENDMENT TO REMOVE SOME, TO REMOVE A SPECIFIC THING THAT WAS VOTED ON IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
YOU'RE MAKING IT SOUND LIKE, IT'S LIKE, OH, OKAY, INSTEAD OF A BUT LET'S USE OR, AND OR SOME OTHER.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, LET'S REMOVE, WE ALL VOTED ON THIS, LET'S STRIKE IT FROM THERE.
THAT'S NOT AN AMENDMENT YOU'RE REMOVING.
BUT WE WOULD, BUT WE WOULD BE VOTING ON THAT AMENDMENT.
BUT DIDN'T, BUT DIDN'T WE ALREADY DO? I MEAN, YES, THIS WAS PASSED BY A FOUR TO ONE VOTE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
AM I WRONG ON THAT? WHICH IS DUMB FOR IT TO EVEN COME BACK.
WHY ARE WE SPINNING OUR WHEELS ON IF MARK SAYS THAT THE CHANGE ON A MAJORITY SATISFIES THE THREE OR FOUR? I I I'M THE DUMB GUY HERE.
BUT THE REALITY IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THEM TO, TO THE, THE COMMISSION NEEDS TO VOTE ON IT TO HAVE A FIRST READING.
THE, THE COMMISSION SHOULD VOTE ON IT TO HAVE A FIRST READING.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S IF YOU, IF YOU AMEND IT, RESCIND OR AMEND WITHOUT NOTICE, IT WOULD REQUIRE A TWO THIRDS VOTE.
IF YOU RESCIND OR AMEND WITH NOTICE, IT WOULD REQUIRE A SIMPLE MAJORITY.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY'S BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
[02:30:01]
ON N THERE WAS DID YOU VOTE ON N IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.SO MAYBE YOU SHOULD AMEND THAT AND BRING IT BACK AND VOTE ON IT.
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TWO READINGS.
IF YOU WANT IT ON THE BALLOT, I MEAN, IT ALREADY DIED AND IT COULD DIE AGAIN.
BUT IF YOU VOTE ON IT, THEN THERE'S THAT OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE FIRST READING, BECAUSE IF NOT, MARK WILL BRING IT BACK AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR FIRST READING.
IT WON'T MAKE IT TO THE BALLOT TO REMOVE SOME LANGUAGE.
IF YOU, SO ITEM N HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, HAS BEEN, NO, BUT IT WASN'T APPROVED.
THEY APPROVED TO TELL MARK TO BRING IT BACK.
IT'S NOT THE LANGUAGE ON THE BALLOT.
SO IF YOU WANT IT, OKAY, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO WE CAN JUST VOTE ON END RIGHT NOW.
BECAUSE IF NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE TIME FOR TWO, THAT'S FINE.
I MEAN, NO, WE'RE BACKTRACKING.
THAT WAY WE CAN JUST KEEP GOING.
WELL, OR, OR WE COULD JUST STAY SILENT AND THEN IT DOESN'T MAKE IT, BUT THAT'S, NO, I MEAN, I WOULD RATHER VOTE.
WE CAN VOTE AND IF IT DIES, IT DIES.
THAT'S THE RULE OF THE COMMISSION.
I MEAN, IT, IT, I MEAN, I'M HOPING IT PASSES.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, I WANT VOTER TURNOUT TO STAY CONSISTENT.
BUT IF, YOU KNOW, LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE.
BUT I'M WILLING TO VOTE FOR IT.
SO, MARK, WAIT, WAIT, WE ALREADY VOTED.
THAT'S WHY I'M, DO WE HAVE TO UN VOTE, MARK? WELL, IF YOU ARE, I LIKE THAT TERM.
IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE SOMETHING YOU PREVIOUSLY ACCEPTED.
SO THEN WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN REVISIT THE AGENDA ITEM AND OPEN IT BACK UP.
YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN OPEN IT BACK UP.
AND HOW DO YOU DO THAT? IS IT A MOTION TO RECONSIDER YOU? YOU, YEAH, YOU CAN, YOU CAN FILE, YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE ITEM.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER ITEM N SECOND? DO YOU WANNA GIVE SOME LANGUAGE ON WHAT IT, BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE RECONSIDERING IT.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH, SO THERE'S THE FIRST AND A SECOND.
SO THIS, THIS IS JUST A VOTE TO RECONSIDER YES.
THIS IS JUST TO RECONSIDER TO FIX, PUT IT BACK ON THE TABLE AND THEN WE'LL DECIDE.
WE KEEP IF WE WANT TO KEEP IN OR NOT.
NOW IT IS NOW BACK ON, UH, ITEM N IS THERE DISCUSSION OR A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO, UM, EXTEND TO MAKE, I MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE ELECTIONS TO EXTEND THE TERM LENGTH OF FOUR TWO, AFTER THIS ELECTION TO EXTEND TERM LENGTH TO FOUR YEARS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT ALL CITY ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON A PRESIDENTIAL OR GOVERNOR ELECTION IN ORDER TO IMPROVE OR GUARANTEE HIGH VOTER TURNOUT.
SECOND, YOU ARE NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT TERM LIMITS THERE.
THE TERM LIMITS WILL STAY THE SAME, UM, AS THEY ARE CURRENTLY.
AND SO THERE'S A, A MOTION AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LOPEZ.
SO NOW WE DON'T HAVE RESCISSION LANGUAGE.
I HAVE A REQUEST IF WE CAN BRING UP THE NEXT ITEM TO Q 'CAUSE I HAVE A FEW LADIES FROM THE JUNIOR LEAGUE THAT ARE GIVING ME DEATH STARES.
Y'ALL DON'T LOVE LAWYER TALK? NO.
SO WE'LL DO THAT IS, UM, UH, MELINDA Q SORRY.
[Item 10q - Consideration and possible action to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Junior Service League of Harlingen and the City of Harlingen for improvements at the Harlingen Public Library ]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH JUNIOR LEAGUE, JUNIOR SERVICE LEAGUE OF HARLINGEN AND THE CITY OF HARLINGEN FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT THE HARLINGEN PUBLIC LIBRARY.IS THERE A MOTION? UM, MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST ASK THAT WE, UM, OKAY, UM, HANG ON, ON ON, UM, ON PAGE TWO.
MM-HMM,
IF THE CITY CHOOSES NOT TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, ALL DONATED FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE LEAGUE.
I I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT WE JUST STRIKE THAT LAST SENTENCE.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS MOU SUBJECT TO LEGAL AND THE CITY MANAGER.
I SECOND WHAT? I, I I WAS GONNA SECOND, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE WAS SOME ISSUES WITH THE JUNIOR LEAGUE AND I WANTED TO KNOW IF ANY OF 'EM WANT HAD ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ASKING US TO PROVIDE 32,000 TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
WE CAN DO THAT OUT OF THE FUND BALANCE.
UM, SO WE CAN GET THE FULL $152,000 ARE GONNA GIVE US 120,000 NOW.
[02:35:01]
AND, BUT FOR SOME REASON WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO COMPLETE THE ENTIRE PROJECT THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO US BY THE LIBRARY.I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO RETURN TO ANY OF THOSE FUNDS BACK TO THE JUNIOR LEAGUE BECAUSE WE RAN SHORT TO COMPLETE EVERYTHING.
BUT YOU DO WANT IT COMPLETE IT.
WELL, I'D LIKE TO, BUT IT MIGHT TAKE MORE MONEY FROM THE CITY BECAUSE OF INFLATION.
UH, THERE MAY BE ISSUES THAT WE CAN'T DO EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE SET IN HERE THAT WE WANNA DO BECAUSE OF THOSE ISSUES.
SO WE CAN'T COMPLETE EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING.
I DON'T WANNA RETURN ANY OF THE MONEY, BUT ALL THE MONIES WILL BE COMMITTED TO THE
EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE SPENT AT THE LIBRARY.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FINISH IT, BUT IF WE CAN'T BECAUSE OF COST ISSUES, I DON'T WANNA HAVE TO RETURN ANYTHING.
DONNA, DO YOU HAVE ANY? UM, NO, I I THINK YOU HAD JACKIE, YOU SAID THAT THERE WERE SOME AMENDMENTS THAT YOU HAD SENT OR HE'S, THAT'S WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
BUT IT DOESN'T, IT SAY IF THE CITY CHOOSES NOT TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, ALL DONATED FUNDS WILL BE RETURNED TO THE LEAGUE.
YEAH, BUT IT DOESN'T DEFINE HOW THE CITY CHOOSES NOT TO COMPLETE.
WHAT I, WHAT I WANT TO DO IS I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO SAY, LOOK, YOU DIDN'T COMPLETE IT, SO YOU GIVE US SOME MONEY BACK.
AND THAT THERE'S NO SCOPE OF YEAH, THERE IS.
IT'S, IT'S IN THE, THERE IS, AND I HAVE A, A PRESENTATION THAT I CAN SHOW YOU QUICKLY, UM, FOR THE PROJECT.
IT, IT'S UNDER THE MISSION, UH, THE FIRST PAGE.
SO THE, THE RENOVATION INCLUDES REPLACING THE STAFF SERVICE DESK, REMOVING THE SOFFITS ABOVE THE SERVICE DESK, CREATING A STAFF WORKSPACE, REPLACING THE CHILDREN'S AREA CARPET FILLING AND LEVELING THE CHILDREN'S AUDITORIUM AREA AND CREATING AN ENTRANCE TO THE CHILDREN'S LIBRARY.
AND SO THIS IS THE CURRENT, THE CURRENT ENTRANCE ON THE LEFT.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT IS THE SERVICE DESK.
IT MAKES A WEIRD KIND OF CURVY SHAPE NOW THAT ISN'T VERY SPACE SPACE EFFICIENT.
AND SO THEY'RE GONNA PULL ALL OF THAT OUT, PULL THE SOFFITS OUT, AND THEN THIS IS THE, THE PLAN.
UM, THE LEFT SIDE IS THE WAY IT CURRENTLY IS, THE RIGHT SIDE IS KIND OF STRAIGHTENING OUT THE, THE SERVICE DESK AND THEN ADDING, UM, A WORKPLACE FOR THE STAFF IN THE BACK.
THIS IS THE ENTRYWAY THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING.
UM, IT HAS A LITTLE HOUSE THAT KIDS CAN WALK THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE A SPECIAL LITTLE ENTRYWAY FOR THE, FOR THE CHILDREN.
UM, A DONATE A DONOR'S TREE AND THEN KIND OF A, THE SELF CHECKOUT WILL BE RIGHT OUTSIDE THE CHILDREN'S AREA.
THIS IS THE, THE CURRENT, UM, AUDITORIUM AREA THAT WILL ALSO GET FILLED IN.
AND THIS IS A, A SAFETY ISSUE FOR US RIGHT NOW.
AND THE PEOPLE FALL DOWN THE STAIRS.
UM, MORE PARENTS THAN CHILDREN UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, SO THIS WILL BE LEVELED OUT AND THIS IS WHERE THE PRETEEN AREA WILL GO, UNFORTUNATELY.
AND THEN THIS IS A GENERAL FLOOR PLAN.
WE HAVE, UM, THE INTERIOR DESIGNER, AMY MOONEY AND OUR, THE ARCHITECT FOR THE PROJECT, CHRIS CHRISTIA IS HERE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DESIGN, MY ONLY ATTORNEY IS DOING ALL THAT FOR 150, 2000 MAYBE KIND OF STRETCHING IT.
WELL, WE HAVE, WE ACTUALLY HAVE THE, THE CONTRACTOR THAT HAS GIVEN US, HE, HE'S WORKED WITH US TO KIND OF COME UP WITH THE BUDGET AND HE'S ACTUALLY GIVEN US A QUOTE FOR THIS EXACT AMOUNT.
I JUST WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF THAT LANGUAGE WAS STRICKEN.
SO THAT, I MEAN, EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE SPENT AT THE, AT THE, AT THE LIBRARY FOR THOSE PROJECTS.
I JUST, IF SOMETHING COMES UP THAT'S UNFORESEEN THAT ONCE YOU START REMOVING SOFFIT, UH, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE, I, I DON'T WANT TO BE HAVING TO GIVE ANY MONEY BACK.
SO I THINK, UM, WHAT A GOOD COMPROMISE WOULD BE, JUST SO THAT WAY IT'S, IT'S FAIR ON BOTH SIDES IS THE CITY'S GONNA BE PUTTING IN ADDITIONAL FUNDS RIGHT IN ADVANCE, BUT, UM, TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S LANGUAGE THAT'S SAYING THAT ALL FUNDS WILL BE COMMITTED TO THE LIBRARY.
SO THAT WAY 'CAUSE IT, BECAUSE IF NOT, THEN I GUESS IT READS MORE LIKE WE MIGHT NOT COMPLETE THE PROJECT AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE YOU YOUR MONEY BACK.
SO IF THEY CAN JUST READ THERE THAT ALL FUNDS PROVIDED BY THE JUNIOR LEAGUE WILL BE COMMITTED TO THE CHILDREN'S.
YEAH, I'M, I'M OKAY WITH LANGUAGE.
THAT'S, AND DO, DO YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? YEAH.
I'M, I'M BE WITH YOU IN THE MORNING, GABE.
YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT, I'M SURE THAT THAT'S AN ARE YOU GUYS OKAY? ARE YOU GUYS WITH THAT LANGUAGE? HEATHER SMITH, TREASURER ELECT FOR JUNIOR LEAGUE.
OUR ONLY CONCERN IS WHERE'S THE VERBIAGE THAT IF WE GIVE YOU $120,000 AND FOR SOME REASON YOU CHOOSE NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT, WE WANT OUR $120,000 BACK.
NO, I THINK THE MAYOR JUST SAID THAT WE'RE GONNA ADD LANGUAGE TO STATE THAT ALL THE MONEY WILL BE COMMITTED TO THE LIBRARY FOR THIS PROJECT.
AND WE, YOU'RE TAKING OUT THAT IF IT CANCELS FOR ANY REASON, WE CAN'T GET OUR $120,000 BACK.
'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT THE $120,000 TO GO TO THE LIBRARY TO BE USED FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
NO, IT'LL BE USED FOR THIS PROJECT.
NO, BUT IF THE YOU IT'S IN THE
[02:40:01]
CONTRACT.BUT IF YOU CANCEL THE VERBIAGE THAT YOU JUST SAID IS, IF YOU CANCEL THE PROJECT FOR ANY REASON, WE'RE WANTING OUR $120,000 BACK.
IF WE CANCEL THE PROJECT, I'M GONNA HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
IF I DON'T GET $120,000 BACK, I GOT A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO TO MY, MY, MY MEMBERSHIP.
I GET, I, I A HUNDRED PERCENT GET IT.
IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE LANGUAGE PROTECTS.
WE DON'T ANY OF THIS HAPPENING.
BUT YOU ALWAYS WANNA HAVE EVERYTHING IN WRITING.
SO I THINK IT'S, UM, TO, TO HAVE WE'LL CRAFT LANGUAGE OF MUTUAL OBLIGATION.
MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THE LANGUAGE REFLECTS THAT, UM, BOTH PARTIES, ALL OF THE MONEY THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE CITY WILL GO TO THE PROJECT DESIGNATED BY THE JUNIOR LEAGUE FOR THE CHILDREN'S CENTER AT THE LIBRARY.
HIS CONCERN, IF I'M, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY, IS THAT WHAT IF THE COST ARE, 'CAUSE WE ENCOUNTER THAT AND EVERYBODY ENCOUNTERS THAT, RIGHT? AND, AND
AND SO IF IT COSTS MORE TO COMPLETE THAN WHAT WAS PRESENTED, CHANGE ORDERS, ANY OTHER ISSUES, AND THERE, THERE'S, AND, AND IT CAN'T BE COMPLETE THE ENTIRE, UM, PROJECT, THEN IT, THE CITY DOESN'T WANT TO BE HAVING TO REFUND ALL OF THAT MONEY BECAUSE IT CAN'T COMPLETE IT IN ITS ENTIRE SCOPE BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WITH SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, COST OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT ALL OF THE MONEY WILL BE COMMITTED TO THE PROJECT AND WE ALL HOPE THAT THE, THE QUOTES AND EVERYTHING, UH, WITHSTAND THE TIME OF THE CONSTRUCTION AND, AND IT, AND IT GOES FORWARD.
YOU GOOD WITH THAT? SO, BUT, AND, AND, AND I, Y'ALL, Y'ALL SHARE THAT WITH THEM SO THEY CAN REVIEW THE BEFOREHAND.
THANK YOU SO MUCH BY THE WAY, FOR THE FUNDING FOR THE LIBRARY.
ANY OTHER YOU MADE DONNA VERY HAPPY.
WHAT'S THE TIME, DONNA? WHAT'S THE TIMEFRAME? UM, WELL WE'VE GOTTA CLEAR OUT THE CHILDREN'S AREA, START PULLING UP THE CARPET AND REMOVING THE SHELVING AND HOPEFULLY AS SOON AS WE COULD GET THE PO OPEN.
UM, I'M HOPING TO HAVE IT DONE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
AND WE ALLOCATED FUNDING, RIGHT? FOR MORE STUFF, WE'RE GONNA, WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH 32,000 JUST TO GET TO THE 1 52.
SO WE'RE GONNA COMMIT TO THAT.
THAT'S, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT THROUGH A BUDGET AMENDMENT LATER.
UH, AND THEN WE TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO GET SOME MORE SHELVING.
SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S FOR Y'ALL TO, TO HEAR 'CAUSE YOU WEREN'T HERE AT THAT MEETING THAT WAS VERY COLORFUL AND, AND AND FUN TO
SO, SO THAT WAY YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION IS COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT IT ALSO HAS THOSE, UM, YOU, YOU SAID THEY WERE SHELVES THAT WERE ANCIENT AND NEEDED TO BE RE RE RE YES.
AND, AND THIS, THIS REFLECTS THE NEW DESIGN THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT INCLUDES THE NEW FURNITURE.
SO IS THERE A MOTION, MOTION TO APPROVE? UH, YOU WANT TO, OR DANIEL OR SOMEONE WANT TO PROVIDE THE MOTION TO APPROVE SUBJECT TO LEGAL AND GABE, UH, MAKING THE, OH, YOU ALREADY HAD THE MOTION? YES.
MAKING THE, THE LANGUAGE AS AGREEABLE WITH JUNIOR LEAGUE.
THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
MAYOR, CAN, CAN WE JUMP TO ITEM? AYE.
UM, ARE THERE MORE FACES OUT THERE?
CAN YOU, UM, CAN WE READ I PLEASE YES.
[Item 10i - Presentation by Scott Gibbs on Employee Group Life Insurance]
BY SCOTT GIBBS ON EMPLOYEE GROUP LIFE INSURANCE.SORRY, YOU WERE HIDING BACK THERE.
UH, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, UH, CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU, UH, FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
UM, I, UH, WANTED TO, UH, COME AND PRESENT, UM, DO A CLAIMS UPDATE.
UM, ALSO, UM, UH, LOOK AT A SELF-FUNDED ANALYSIS.
WE DID ALSO LOOK AT THE RENEWAL, UM, WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE AND THEN ALSO, UM, LOOK AT THE RENEWAL ON THE, UH, DENTAL AND THE, UH, VISION, UM, AND THE LIFE PRODUCTS WITH UNUM.
SO, UM, RIGHT HERE, THIS, UH, IS, UM, HAD TO PULL MINE OUT 'CAUSE IT'S A LITTLE SMALLER UP THERE.
UH, SO THIS IS OUR CLAIMS ANALYSIS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
AND THIS IS, UH, WITH CLAIMS, UH, THROUGH MAY.
AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, CURRENTLY THIS YEAR OUR CLAIMS PER EMPLOYEE PER MONTH IS UP JUST ABOUT 3.3%.
UM, OUR LOSS RATIO, WHICH IS YOUR, UM, CLAIMS VERSUS THE DIVIDED BY, UM, THE PREMIUM, UH, IS WHAT THE CARRIER LOOKS AT.
[02:45:01]
AT ABOUT AN 85% LOSS RATIO.UM, MOST CARRIERS LOOK FOR, UM, ABOUT AN 87% LOSS RATIO.
SO, UM, AGAIN, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE RUNNING GOOD.
A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN, UM, A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN TREND.
UM, WHAT I DID WANT TO SHOW, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR CLAIMS BY BAND SUMMARY, SO THIS, UM, THIS IS WHAT I LOOK AT TOO, UM, AND WHAT, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AND TALKING ABOUT SELF-FUNDED, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IS, YOU KNOW, UM, ONE THING, UH, IS YOUR LARGE CLAIMANTS, UM, AND REGARDING, YOU KNOW, SECURING YOUR REINSURANCE, UM, IF YOU GO SELF-FUNDED, UM, WHICH IS THE, THE, THE INDIVIDUAL PROTECTION FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL CLAIM.
UM, I THINK WHAT YOU CAN SEE WITH THIS IS REALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT CLAIMS UNDER $10,000, THAT'S THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY MORE, YOU KNOW, OF YOUR, OF YOUR HEALTHY POPULATION.
AND YOU GUYS, FOR THE, FOR THE MAJORITY, THE MAJORITY OF YOUR CLAIMS ARE UNDER 10,000.
UM, THE CLAIMS THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE GET CONCERNED WITH AND WHAT UNDERWRITERS GET CONCERNED WITH ARE CLAIMS ABOVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE, UM, CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT NINE CLAIMANTS ABOVE THAT.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE CLAIMS THAT WE CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR, UM, AS WE GO FORWARD.
SO KINDA LOOKING AT THAT, UM, THIS WILL SHOW YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, UTILIZATION BY DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORY.
UM, NEOPLASMS IS, IS NUMBER ONE FOR US.
UM, WHICH AGAIN, UM, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, WITH CANCERS, UM, AGAIN, IT CAN BE KIND OF HARD TO SECURE REINSURANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT SELF-FUNDING.
BUT OVERALL, I THINK YOU CAN SEE, UM, AGAIN, OUR NEOPLASMS AND GINA TO URINARY SYMPTOMS, UM, ARE ARE ONE AND TWO.
AND THOSE ARE REALLY BEING KIND OF DICTATED BY, YOU KNOW, BY OUR HIGH CLAIMANTS.
WHAT ABOUT MENTAL DISORDERS? THAT'S PRETTY HIGH TOO, ISN'T IT? UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS FAR AS CLAIMANTS, BUT THE DIFFERENCE
UM, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE SEEN, UM, POST COVID, UH, IS, IS MENTAL DISORDERS HAVE, UM, HAVE REALLY KIND OF PEAKED IN THE TOP 10 OF MOST PEOPLE'S CLAIMS. NOW WHAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT TOO, UM, UH, THAT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE ANY, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE CLAIMS WHERE PEOPLE ARE IN RESIDENTIAL, UH, TREATMENT, EITHER INPATIENT OR OUTPATIENT RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE UP FOR, YOU KNOW, UP ON THAT, BUT THAT IS PROBABLY BEING DICTATED.
UM, I DIDN'T BRING MY HIGH CLAIM LISTING, BUT IT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY BEING DICTATED BY ONE OR TWO CLAIMANTS.
SO GI COULD INCLUDE PROSTATE CANCER AND OVARIAN CANCER.
IS THERE AN OVERLAP IN THAT OR THAT OR THERE ARE NO CANCERS IN THE GI I THINK THAT THE GI IS JUST GI, THERE'S NO CANCERS IN THE GI.
SO, UM, WHAT WE DID HERE ON THIS SLIDE, I APOLOGIZE FOR SOME REASON THIS SLIDE'S GONNA POP UP ABOUT THREE MORE TIMES.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED, BUT WHAT THIS IS, IS THIS IS KIND OF OUR WORKUP, UM, FOR WHAT WE WOULD ANTICIPATE THE FULLY INSURED RENEWAL WOULD COME BACK AT.
UM, SO WHAT WE DO IS WE LOOK AT THE, UM, WE, FROM AN UNDERWRITING STANDPOINT, LOOK AT THE MOST RECENT 12 MONTHS, WE ALSO LOOK AT THE PRIOR PERIOD, UM, ON A GROUP YOUR SIZE, YOU GUYS WOULD BE A HUNDRED PERCENT CREDIBLE.
SO OUR ANTICIPATION, UM, YOU KNOW, AND THE RENEWAL HAD BEEN WORKED BEFORE WE WERE ENGAGED, BUT, YOU KNOW, OUR ANTICIPATION WOULD, IT WOULD'VE PROBABLY HAVE BEEN COME OUT AS A SEVEN.
AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THEN, THEN THERE'S, YOU KNOW, KIND OF NEGOTIATION WITH THE CARRIER.
SO WHERE WE STAND TODAY, AND THEN I'M GONNA KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE SELF-FUNDED ANALYSIS.
SO WHERE WE STAND TODAY WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE IS, UM, THEY INITIALLY, THEY, THEY OFFERED A 12% INCREASE, UM, BUT UM, THEY CAME BACK AND OFFERED A 5% INCREASE CONTINGENT ON THE CITY, YOU KNOW, NOT MARKETING THE COVERAGE.
AND THIS COVERAGE IS EFFECTIVE.
UM, TEN ONE, UH, FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
SO WHERE WE SIT TODAY, UM, IS, UH, ON A FULLY INSURED BASIS IS WE SIT WITH A 5% RENEWAL, UM, FROM UHC, WHICH IS, WHICH YOU COULD TELL BY OUR WORKUP, IT, IT'S A FAIR RENEWAL.
IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD RENEWAL.
AND I, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I ASKED THE CITY MANAGER AND HE SAID THAT, UH, THAT THERE WAS 5% IN ON THE BUDGET.
[02:50:01]
SO THAT'S WHERE WE SIT TODAY.UM, WE CAME IN LATE, YOU KNOW, JUST A MONTH AGO.
UM, SO IT WAS NOT PUT OUT TO BID.
SO KIND OF, THIS IS WHERE WE SIT NOW, WE WERE ASKED TO PUT TOGETHER A SELF-FUNDED ANALYSIS, WHICH AGAIN, THESE ARE THE SLIDES.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY POPPED UP SO MANY TIMES.
SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO REAL QUICK IS JUST A COUPLE OF SLIDES ON SELF-FUNDING.
SO OBVIOUSLY WITH FULLY INSURED, WHAT WE DO TODAY IS WE PAY A PREMIUM, UM, WE PAY A PREMIUM.
UNITED HEALTHCARE, IF OUR CLAIMS RUN BETTER THAN THAT PREMIUM, THEY KEEP THE, THEY KEEP THE EXCESS.
IF OUR CLAIMS RUN WORSE, UM, THEY EAT THE LOSSES.
SO THIS JUST KIND OF SHOWS YOU DIFFERENT FUNDING OPTIONS.
SO WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT SELF-FUNDED, I'M REALLY TALKING ABOUT SELF-FUNDED, UM, A SO, WHICH IS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES ONLY WITH REINSURANCE.
SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENS WITH, UM, WITH A SO IS YOU GUYS, AND I'LL JUST KEEP IT SIMPLE, BUT IF WE WERE TO DO THIS WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE, FOR INSTANCE, SO UNITEDHEALTHCARE WOULD SET UP A BANK ACCOUNT WITH THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.
SO AS CLAIMS WOULD BE ADJUDICATED AND PAID, THEY WOULD, UM, THEY WOULD ON A WEEKLY BASIS DRAW FROM A BANK ACCOUNT THAT WAS SET UP WITH YOU.
SO THEY WOULD GET PAID FOR, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN, UM, IN, YOU KNOW, IN A FULLY INSURED ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SOMETIMES TAXES ARE INVOLVED AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THEY HAVE CARRIER PROFITS BUILT IN THERE.
SO WHAT ALSO, WHETHER YOU'RE SELF-FUNDED OR FULLY INSURED, YOU ARE GONNA HAVE WHAT WE CALL A LAYER OF REINSURANCE.
OKAY? SO IN THE FULLY INSURED WORLD, UM, WHEN YOU DO A WORKUP, THEY CALL IT A POOLING POINT.
SO BASICALLY THEY FORGIVE CLAIMS, THEY FORGIVE CLAIMS OVER A, A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
SO, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR, IN YOUR INSTANCE, IT WOULD PROBABLY ABOUT 150,000.
SO ANY CLAIMANTS THAT ARE ABOVE 150,000, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD FORGIVE THAT AND THEN THEY CHARGE A POOLING CHARGE FOR THAT.
WELL, WHEN YOU'RE SELF-FUNDED, WE CALL IT SPECIFIC REINSURANCE AND AGGREGATE REINSURANCE.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE WOULD GO TO THE OPEN MARKET.
I MEAN, IN MY EXAMPLE, UNITEDHEALTHCARE WOULD QUOTE TOO, BUT WE WOULD GO TO, TO OTHER OUTSIDE CARRIERS LIKE FOR INSTANCE, A VOYA OR A TOKYO MARINE, UM, TO PURCHASE THE, THE REINSURANCE.
AND WE WOULD, WE WOULD DO AN ANALYSIS TO SET KIND OF WHERE WE FELT LIKE THAT, UH, THAT REINSURANCE LEVEL WOULD BE FOR YOU GUYS WOULD PROBABLY BE ABOUT 150,000, UM, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE CLAIM.
SO YOU, THE CITY WOULD FUND UP TO THE FIRST 150,000 ON A CLAIM, AND THEN THE REINSURANCE CARRIER WOULD PAY THE AMOUNTS ABOVE THAT.
UM, NOW WHAT GETS A LITTLE TRICKY WITH REINSURANCE IS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RANCH INSURANCE CARRIER'S GONNA UNDERWRITE IT AND THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT OUR, LOOK AT OUR RISK, AND THEY'RE GONNA LOOK AT THE HIGH CLAIMS INVOLVED IN OUR RISK, AND THEN THEY'LL MAKE THE DETERMINATION OF, YES, WE'RE GONNA ASSUME EVERYBODY AT THE 150,000 DEDUCTIBLE, OR IF THERE CERTAIN HIGH DOLLAR CLAIMANTS THAT THEY KNOW ARE, THEY'RE GONNA PAY OUT CLAIMS ON PENDING TRANSPLANTS, BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THEN WHAT THEY'LL DO IS THEY'LL SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU $150,000 SPECIFIC FOR ALL YOUR EMPLOYEES EXCEPT EMPLOYEE TWO AND EMPLOYEE THREE.
WE'RE GONNA LASER THEIR, THEIR DEDUCTIBLE AT A DIFFERENT RATE COULD BE A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, THAT'S GONNA BE WHAT WHATEVER, WHEN THEY'RE DOING THE REVIEW, WHATEVER THEY FEEL LIKE, UM, IS THE RISK THAT'S OUT THERE, THAT IS THE KNOWN RISK ON THAT, UM, THAT THEY WILL LASER THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
NOW, WHEN WE GO OUT TO BID ON A REINSURANCE, YOU KNOW, WE WORK VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE IF POSSIBLE, WE GET NO LASERS, UM, ON, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THESE, UM, ON WITH OUR CLIENTS.
UH, THE ISSUE IS IN TODAY'S WORLD, YOU'RE, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF HIGH DOLLAR DRUGS THAT ARE OUT THERE, MILLION DOLLAR DRUGS, CHEMOTHERAPY DRUGS.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, REINSURANCE IS, IS AN AREA THAT AGAIN, WE, WE WORK HARD, YOU KNOW, ON THAT.
AND, AND HONESTLY MO YOU KNOW, I WOULD TELL YOU 70% OF OUR CLIENTS ARE, ARE PARTIALLY SELF-FUNDED.
SO THE MAJORITY OF THE LARGE GROUPS WE WORK WITH ARE PARTIALLY SELF-FUNDED.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU JUST HAVE YOUR GENERAL CLAIM COST, RIGHT? THAT'S WHERE THE CLAIM RUNS THROUGH.
THEY PAY IT AT THE BENEFIT LEVEL, WHAT DICTATES THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR NETWORK DISCOUNTS.
UM, AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS LOOK AT WHEN WE DO AN A**L, WHEN WE PUT IT OUT TO BID.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOK AT AS A NETWORK DISCOUNT ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE GETTING THE BEST DEALS.
[02:55:01]
UM, THERE'S A, A MARGIN THAT'S TYPICALLY ADDED ON.UM, IN THE FULLY INSURED WORLD, THERE'S A CLAIMS MARGIN.
THE PARTIALLY SELF-FUNDED WORLD, THERE'S NOT, NOT A CLAIM MARGIN.
UM, AND THEN YOUR REGULATORY COMPLIANCE THAT WHETHER YOU'RE FULLY INSURED, SELF, SELF-INSURED, YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE YOUR REGULATORY COMPLIANCE.
UM, YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING A A CITY, YOU GUYS ARE EXEMPT FROM ERISA, CERTAIN THINGS LIKE THAT.
MOST OF MY CLIENTS THAT ARE EXEMPT, THEY STILL FOLLOW ERISA, BUT THEY'RE NOT BEHOLDEN TO IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, PROS AND CONS, FULLY INSURED, IT'S A GUARANTEED PREMIUM TRANSFER OF RISK.
UM, STANDARD BENEFITS, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS KIND OF BUILT IN AND ULTIMATELY THE CARRIER IS A FIDUCIARY.
THE CONS ARE, THEY'RE HIGHER ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
THE CARRIERS DO BUILD MARGIN IN, UM, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, LIMITED RISK LAW OF LARGE NUMBERS.
BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE AT THE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT THE MERCY OF THE CARRIER.
UM, SELF-FUNDED THE PROS, UM, YOU DO, YOU SAVE ON YOUR, YOU KNOW, ON YOUR PREMIUM, IT'S LOWER ADMINISTRATIVE COST.
IT GIVES YOU ADDITIONAL CASH FLOW, YOU'RE PAYING AS YOU GO.
UM, THERE'S FLEXIBILITY IN PLAN DESIGN.
UM, YOU DO HAVE RISK MITIGATION THROUGH STOP-LOSS, LIKE I TALKED ABOUT, IS DEFINITELY LOWER MARGINS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE CONS ARE THE ASSUMPTION OF THE PLAN RISK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEXITY INTERNALLY FOR THE CITY, UM, WITHIN THE HR AND BENEFITS DEPARTMENT.
UM, THEIR EXPOSURE TO MARKET SWINGS.
UM, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THAT ON EITHER SIDE REALLY.
UM, AGAIN, FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY WOULD GO, YOU KNOW, WOULD GO TO THE CITY, UM, AND SOMETIMES COST FLUCTUATIONS OR CLAIM FLUCTUATIONS.
BUT A GROUP, THE CITY SIZE, THE, THE CITY SIZE, LIKE I SAID, IS CREDIBLE.
I MEAN, WE CAN LOOK BACK AT 36 MONTHS OF CLAIMS AND REALLY KIND OF MAKE, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT HOW THE CLAIMS ARE TRENDING.
SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE RAN, WE, WE, THIS IS OUR SELF-FUNDING ANALYSIS.
THIS COMES THROUGH OUR ACTUARIAL TOOL.
SO WHAT THIS IS BASICALLY SAYING IS, IN A PERFECT WORLD, IF, UM, WE LOOKED AT SELF-FUNDING, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT TAKING IN THE HIGH CLAIM RISK, UM, 'CAUSE WE, WE CAN'T DO THAT UNLESS WE ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO BID AND GOT QUOTES FROM REINSURANCE CARRIERS.
SO WHAT THIS SHOWS US IS THAT LOOKING, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THE MARGIN REALLY IS, IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, UM, 426,000, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR MODEL SHOWS THAT 75% OF THE TIME WE WOULD BEAT THE, THE FULLY INSURED THIS YEAR WITH THESE CLAIMS. NOW, MY CONCERN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT IT TOO, IS, YOU KNOW, THE, SOME OF THE LARGE CLAIMS THAT WE HAVE, I'M NOT SURE HOW THE REINSURANCE MARKET WOULD, WOULD LOOK AT IT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I, WHAT I, WHAT I REALLY, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, UM, AND AGAIN, I WORK FOR, I WORK FOR THE COMMISSION AND THE CITY IS, I THINK THE RENEWAL, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A TEN ONE, WE HAVE NOT MARKETED IT.
UM, WHICH IS A VERY QUICK TURNAROUND.
UM, YOU KNOW, TO GO OUT TO BID, GET A PLAN, IMPLEMENT THE PLAN, YOU KNOW, FOR TEN ONE, YOU KNOW, I, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO RENEW WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE.
I THINK THE 5% IS A VERY, IT'S A VERY GOOD FAVORABLE RENEWAL.
AND THEN, UM, MY, UH, YOU KNOW, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE, UH, IS FOR ME TO CONTINUE TO TRACK THE CLAIMS ON A MONTHLY BASIS AS IF WE WERE SELF-FUNDED VERSUS FULLY INSURED.
AND THEN IN MARCH, PUT TOGETHER A VERY GOOD COMPREHENSIVE RFP GO OUT TO MARKET AND REALLY LOOK AT, UH, LOOK AT THE MARKET AND LOOK AT SELF-FUNDING FOR 2025.
AND, UM, THAT'S MY, YOU KNOW, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE ON THE MEDICAL SIDE AS FAR AS THE DENTAL, THERE WAS A 5% INCREASE, UM, ON THE DENTAL RATES, WHICH IS A, WHICH IS VOLUNTARY.
AND THEN THE DAVIS VISION RENEWAL AND THE UNIT RENEWAL WORE BOTH 0% RENEWALS.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR GIVE YOU MY THOUGHTS.
SO I NEED TO DISCLOSE, I'M GROUP ONE LICENSED.
I HAVEN'T WRITTEN A HEALTH INSURANCE POLICY IN 30 YEARS.
UH, IN SELF-FUNDING, WHAT BUCKET OF MONEY WOULD WE NEED TO START SELF-FUNDING? SO YOU, YOU WOULDN'T, SO WHEN YOU WOULD START SELF-FUNDING FUNDING, I, I'M ALWAYS GONNA SHOW YOU, UM, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A, A FULL MATURE YEAR, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU START SELF-FUNDING
[03:00:01]
IS OBVIOUSLY THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS THERE'S WHAT WE CALL CLAIM LAG.OKAY? SO YOU WOULD SEE THE BENEFITS OF THE FIRST 60, PROBABLY 60 TO 70 DAYS AS CLAIMS ARE COMING IN.
BUT WHAT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO REMEMBER IS YOU, IF YOU LEAVE, YOU'VE GOTTA PAY THOSE FUNDS ON THE BACKSIDE.
SO WHAT WE ALWAYS DO IS WHENEVER WE WORK WITH OUR CLIENTS, WE SET IT UP AND WE, WE SET THE RATES UP AS IF THEY WERE FULLY INSURED ON A FULLY MATURE BASIS SO THAT YOU'RE FULLY FUNDED SO THAT IF YOU EVER SWITCH OR LEAVE ADMINISTRATORS, YOU HAVE THOSE FUNDS BUILT IN THERE TO PAY THE RUN OUT, UM, VERSUS WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, WHO YOU MOVE TO.
SO IT'S, UM, SO YOU WOULD SEE A BENEFIT OF CASH FLOW IN THE BEGINNING BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT PAYING YOUR FULLY INSURED PREMIUM, RIGHT? YOU'RE PAYING YOUR, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AND YOUR SPECIFIC PREMIUM, THAT PROBABLY IS GONNA BE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 15 TO 20% OF THE TOTAL COST, RIGHT? SO FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THAT'S WHAT YOU WOULD PAY.
AND THEN YOU'D FUND THE CLAIMS AS THEY COME IN.
PHARMACY CLAIMS IT'S PRETTY MUCH, THERE'S MAYBE A HALF MONTH LAG IN PHARMACY, SO PHARMACY'S GONNA BE PRETTY MUCH REAL TIME.
IT'S THE MEDICAL CLAIMS THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD LAG.
BUT IT'S, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THOUGH THAT WE WOULD NEED A BUCKET OF MONEY, UM, FOR A BUFFER.
JUST LIKE AN INSURANCE COMPANY HAS A, A BUCKET OF MONEY FOR EXCESSIVE CLAIMS AND WHAT IFS WELL, WE, WE WOULD ALWAYS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE GONNA WORK WITH OUR UNDERWRITERS AND ACTUARIES AND WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A A, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A CONSERVATIVE PROJECTION.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY I SAY, UM, WHAT, AND THAT'S WHY I SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN DO, UM, IF WE RENEW WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE IS THEN WE CAN TRACK AND I CAN COME TO YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, EVERY THREE MONTHS AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHERE WE ARE FULLY INSURED.
THIS IS HOW WE WOULD LOOK SELF-FUNDED, YOU KNOW, AND UM, AND THEN YOU CAN HOPEFULLY FEEL COMFORTABLE FROM A CONSERVATIVE STANDPOINT, FROM A FIDUCIARY, YOU KNOW, LIABILITY STANDPOINT.
I MEAN, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PUT A FEW MILLION DOLLARS INTO A BUCKET.
I DON'T, SO, BECAUSE IF WE NEVER SPEND IT RIGHT, THEN THAT'S CUSHIONED FOR THE NEXT YEAR, RIGHT.
SO, BUT WHAT'S YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THOUGH IS YOU'RE, THE PREMIUMS THAT YOU'RE PAYING RIGHT NOW FOR THOSE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS ARE LIKE HERE.
AND SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS YOU WOULD, YOUR PREMIUM SE YOUR SELF-FUNDED FEES WOULD BE HERE, BUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS STILL TAKE THAT MONEY THAT YOU WOULD'VE PAID FULLY INSURED IN A BUCKET AND PUT IT IN A BUCKET.
AND THAT'S CALL YOUR RESERVES, RIGHT? AND SO IT HAVE YOUR RESERVES, IT IT TAKES FISCAL PRUDENCE AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ON THE CITY'S BEHALF.
RIGHT? AND, AND SO THAT MONEY WOULD NOT BE COMMINGLE CANNOT NO, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ITS OWN SEPARATE BUCKET.
IT IS ITS OWN, IT'S, WE WOULD SET UP A CLAIM FUND, AND IT IS, SINCE IT IS EMPLOYEE AND CITY MONEY, THOSE FUNDS, YOU COULD NOT SEE IF YOU HAVE THIS MONEY OVER HERE, YOU CAN'T SAY, I'M GONNA DO A GENERAL TRANSFER, I'M GONNA TRANSFER X, Y, Z OUT OF IT TO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT'S, IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR, UH, IT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR CLAIMS AND EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEALTH PLAN.
AND, UM, YEAH, THE GOAL IS TO AVOID EN RUN.
THE, UM, UNITED HEALTHCARE WITH A 5% INCREASE CONSIDERING INFLATION IN THE COUNTRY, CONSIDERING MEDICAL INFLATION FOR PROCEDURES, HOSPITAL ROOMS, ET CETERA.
BUT LIKE STUFF LIKE, UH, WEGOVY IS UPBOUND.
AND I HAD ONE, THERE WILL BE A NOBEL PRIZE FOR THE GLP ONES.
I HAD ONE CITY AND THEY, BECAUSE THEY HAD A CLINIC ON SITE AND THE DOCTOR WAY BACK WHEN LIKED THE GLP ONES.
AND SO THEY WERE COVERING, THEY WERE COVERING IT FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT TOO, WHICH THE PROTOCOL LIKE UHC USES IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE TYPE I'M ALSO, I'M ALSO A RETIRED NURSE PRACTITIONER.
SO YOU GOT, SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TYPE TWO DI TYPE TWO DIAGNOSIS.
WELL, I'M TELLING YOU, THIS CITY WENT FROM, IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS, THEY WENT FROM PAYING $250,000 FOR GLP ONES TO 2 MILLION.
AND IT WOULD, IT'S, IT'S CRAZY.
BUT YET, TO YOUR POINT, IT IS.
I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK RIGHT NOW MEDICAL INFLATION IS PROBABLY FIVE TO SIX
[03:05:01]
MEDICAL TREND'S, PROBABLY FIVE TO 6%.UH, PHARMACY IS PROBABLY EIGHT TO 9% AT LEAST.
SO, UM, SO, SO I THINK THIS UNITED HEALTHCARE JUST 5%, THAT'S A, IT'S A LAYUP.
WELL, I ALSO THINK IT, IT PROVIDES, IT PROVIDES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, NEXT YEAR TO REALLY TO, TO LOOK AT SELF-FUNDING AND THEN NEXT YEAR TO POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, KNOW THAT HAVE SOME SAVINGS OR A MODERATE RENEWAL NEXT YEAR BY MOVING SELF-FUNDED.
I, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I, I UNDERSTAND.
SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS, UH, GOING WITH A FULLY FUNDED THIS YEAR AND START CONSIDERING, UH, UH, SELF-FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR? YES, SIR.
AND I, AND I WOULD, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT, I THINK THE PLAN WOULD BE, UNLESS THE NUMBERS TELL US NOT TO DO IT NEXT YEAR, I, I THINK WE WOULD, WE WOULD LOOK AT GOING DOWN THAT ROAD.
AND THEN ALSO TOO, IF WE WANTED TO LOOK, THERE ARE SOME OTHER, UM, CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT ARE KIND OF, THAT, THAT LIST I HAD.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SOME, SOME THINGS THAT LIKE LEVEL FUNDED, WHICH IS NOT, IT'S NOT TOTALLY SELF-FUNDED WITH REINSURANCE, AND IT'S NOT TOTALLY FULLY INSURED.
YOU BASICALLY, YOU PAY A PREMIUM AND THERE'S A, UM, THERE'S A, UH, CORRIDOR AND IF YOU, IF YOU RUN BETTER IN THE CORRIDOR, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GET MONEY BACK.
UM, SO THERE'S, THERE'S OTHER CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS TOO.
UM, BUT I DEFINITELY, I, I, I FEEL LIKE, UM, THE 5% IS GOOD.
AND THEN I THINK WE LOOK AT 2025 DO A REALLY, A GOOD, UH, COMPREHENSIVE RFP LOOKING AT PBM, WHICH IS PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGER, UH, YOUR PHARMACY ADMINISTRATOR, AND LOOKING AT YOUR MEDICAL ADMINISTRATION, UM, LOOKING AT CARRIERS AND THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATORS OKAY.
AND, AND FOR THOSE HERE WHO DON'T, MAY NOT UNDERSTAND, EXPLAIN REINSURANCE COMPANIES WELL, SO, SO YEAH.
SO THE REINSURANCE COMPANIES ARE GOING TO, LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE GONNA, WE WOULD PURCHASE SPECIFIC REINSURANCE.
SO WE, THAT WOULD BE ON A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL.
SO WE WOULD PAY, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST 150,000, ANYTHING ABOVE THAT.
AND THEN WE WOULD BUY AGGREGATE REINSURANCE, WHICH IS PROTECTION ON ALL YOUR CLAIMS. SO THEY'RE BASICALLY, THE REINSURANCE CARRIER WOULD SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE EXPECT THE CLAIMS TO BE.
IF YOU HAVE A TERRIBLE YEAR AND YOU RUN 25% OVER, THEN WE'RE GONNA PROTECT YOU FOR, FOR THE OVER AMOUNT.
UM, WHO'S GOING TO, I KNOW IT'S UNITED HEALTHCARE, UH, HEALTHCARE IS GONNA BE THERE.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE THE CARRIER, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
WHO'S THE AGENT? UM, I, THE AGENT THERE IS ZERO IN, THERE ARE ZERO COMMISSIONS ON THE UNITED HEALTHCARE PLAN RIGHT NOW.
WHO'S THE ONE THAT YOU'RE GONNA BUY THE UNITEDHEALTHCARE FROM? UH, JUST DIRECT WITH THEM.
SO THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A NO AGENT X, Y, Z THERE, ANYBODY? NO, THE, I THINK THE CURRENT ARRANGEMENT WITH THE EN THE ENROLLMENT FIRM IS THEY WILL ENROLL, UM, THEY'LL CONTINUE TO ENROLL IT, AND I THINK YOU GUYS PAY THEM A FEE SEPARATELY.
RIGHT? SALAZAR IS THE ONE THAT HELPS US, AND I THINK WE PAY THEM.
ERICA, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS THAT WE PAY? SALAZAR? HI.
UH, I DON'T HAVE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT THAT IS, UM, EXACTLY CORRECT.
WE PAY THEM A FEE FOR THE BROKERAGE, SO THEY DON'T HAVE ANY COMMISSIONS THAT COME OUT OF UNITED HEALTHCARE OR ANY CARRIER.
SO YOU'LL HAVE, WHAT'S THE NAME? SALAZAR, YOU SAID? YEAH.
THEY'RE OUT OF HEARTEN ENGINE.
UM, GETTING BACK TO, UH, THE DIAGNOSTIC CATEGORY.
I SEE, UH, THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM, YOU HAVE TWO TWENTY EIGHT HUNDRED AND FIVE CLAIMS, AND THAT'S, SO THO THAT'S GONNA BE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, THAT'LL BE ANYBODY.
SO WITH RESPIRATORY, THAT'S GONNA BE ANYBODY, ASTHMA ATTACKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, IS, IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE TRYING TO EDUCATE OUR EMPLOYEES IF THEY WANT TO STOP SMOKING? THE FIRST THING THAT I'M THINKING OF.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OUR EMPLOYEES TO AVOID THE, IF THEY CHOOSE TO, UH, STOP THE SMOKING OR STOP THE DRINK AND SLOW DOWN ON THAT? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE PROVIDING OR YOU'RE PROVIDING? I KNOW WE ARE, UM, THROUGH UNITEDHEALTHCARE, UM, WE DO HAVE THEIR RALLY, THEIR, UH, RALLY PLAN, WHICH IS THEIR, THEIR WELLNESS PROGRAM
[03:10:02]
THAT'S BAKED IN.AND MEMBERS, IF THEY DO CERTAIN THINGS, UM, THEY GET DOLLARS THAT THEY CAN GO, UM, TO A WEBSITE AND, UM, AND BUY, YOU KNOW, FITNESS THINGS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO THAT IS, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAD BEEN LAID BEFORE US.
BUT, UH, BUT I'M GLAD WHEN WE DO THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE PUT THE RFP TOGETHER, UM, I'M GLAD TO HAVE A WHOLE, I HAVE A WHOLE SECTION ON WELLNESS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE CARRIERS WILL BRING TO THE TABLE FROM A WELLNESS PLATFORM AND A, AND REALLY A DISEASE MANAGEMENT AND A CARE MANAGEMENT PLATFORM.
HOW MUCH IS THAT GONNA COST THE CITY? UM, WELL, WE WOULD JUST, IT, IT, IT, UM, AS FAR AS AS I'M CONCERNED THAT, NO, THAT'S PART OF MY
SO I HAVE, UH, CONNIE HERE AND SHE'S WITH THE UNITED HEALTHCARE, AND HE'S RIGHT.
WE DO HAVE A WELLNESS PROGRAM THROUGH, UM, UNITED UNITEDHEALTHCARE WITH RALLY.
UM, WE DID PRESENT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES LAST YEAR WITH EMPLOYEES.
WE LAUNCHED IT AT THE HEALTH FAIR.
UM, FORTUNATELY WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH PARTICIPATION, BUT CONNIE CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON, ON THE, ON THE WELLNESS PART OF IT, IT HAS BEEN ON THE MARKET.
WE DO HAVE A PROGRAM EMBEDDED IN, IN THE CITY'S PLAN, WHICH IS CALLED QUIT FOR LIFE.
SO THAT WOULD BE, UH, LIKE HOW MR. GIBBS MENTIONED GOING OUT TO MARKET.
WELL, YOU HAVE IT EMBEDDED RIGHT NOW, SO, AND THERE IS NO COST FOR THE MEMBER AND IT DIDN'T, HOW ARE YOU, THE PLANS, EXCUSE ME.
HOW ARE YOU PROMOTING THIS WITH THE, UH, WITH THE EMPLOYEES? I'VE COME OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES ON OPEN ENROLLMENTS, I BELIEVE I TAG TEAM WITH THE ENROLLERS AND I DO PROVIDE INFORMATION.
NOT EVERYBODY STOPS BY, BUT I DO HAVE MY LITTLE TABLE THERE, WHICH IS HERE.
ALSO, THE HEALTH FAIRS I DO AS WELL.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU DO THE HEALTH FAIRS? ONCE A YEAR.
THE HEALTH FIRST, ONCE A YEAR, AND WE'RE SCHEDULED TO HAVE IT THIS YEAR DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT.
WHEN IS OPEN ENROLLMENT? RIGHT BEFORE NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER.
IT'S, UH, WE'RE HAVING IT AT THE END OF THIS MONTH IN AUGUST.
AND SO THE VERY LAST DAY OF OPEN ENROLLMENT WE'RE HAVING THE HEALTH FAIR, UM, TO SEE IF WE CAN GAIN SOME MORE TRACTION, UH, WITH THE EMPLOYEES.
SINCE LAST YEAR I HAD IT, UH, SET ON A DIFFERENT DATE, AND SO I THOUGHT MAYBE THIS YEAR WE HAVE IT WITH OPEN ENROLLMENT, WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE PARTICIPATION.
LET ME ASK MR. RODRIGUEZ A QUESTION.
I PICKED THIS, UH, FROM, UH, THE HARING OF WATERWORKS MEETING.
CAN YOU PUT SOMETHING ON THEIR PAYCHECKS AS TO WHEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE THE OPEN ENROLLMENT AND TRY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET ON THE WELDERS PROGRAM? I, I COULD TRY WITH M-I-S-M-I-S IS THE ONE THAT CONTROLS WHAT COMES OUT ON THE, ON THE PAYCHECKS, BUT WE CAN, I CAN GET WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT WE CAN PRINT ON THERE.
DON'T THEY GET A DIRECT DEPOSIT? OH, THAT'S TRUE.
THEY DO GET DIRECT DEPOSIT, BUT THEY GET A REMITTANCE.
EVERYBODY'S A HUNDRED PERCENT DIRECT DEPOSIT, BUT THEY DO GET A REMITTANCE, UH, EVERY PAY PERIOD WE NEED, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT PROMOTED.
THERE IS A, THERE IS LIKE A WEB, THERE IS AN APP, LIKE EVERYBODY CAN GO ON THE APP AND YOU GET, YOU GET LIKE DOLLARS FOR LIKE DOING CERTAIN THINGS LIKE EXERCISING, UH, STEPS.
SO IF I WERE START ASKING EMPLOYEES TOMORROW OR RUN INTO THEM WHILE THEY'RE DOING, WORKING AT THE PARK TO WHATEVER, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO TELL ME, YES, I'M, THEY'RE AWARE OF THIS.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY'VE PROMOTED IT IN, IN THROUGH HR.
SO WE DO, SO WE, WE DO PROMOTE IT.
UM, CONNIE, UM, UHC DOES SEND US OVER INFORMATION ON A MONTHLY OR QUARTERLY BASIS, AND WE, UM, PUSH IT OUT TO ALL CITYWIDE.
UM, BUT IT HASN'T GAINED THAT MUCH TRACTION.
NOW IN MY PAST EXPERIENCE WITH ANOTHER CITY, UM, IT TOOK LIKE TWO OR THREE YEARS WITH THE SAME CARRIER AND US PUSHING AND PUSHING THE WELLNESS PROGRAM TO ACTUALLY SEE SOME MOVEMENT AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANTING TO DO STUFF.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WITH THE HEALTH, UH, HEALTH FAIR, LAST YEAR WE HAD BIOMETRICS, WHICH WE'RE DOING AGAIN THIS YEAR.
AND I EVEN TOLD THEM, IF YOU GO AND YOU SIGN UP, YOU GET $75 FOR JUST SHOWING UP.
AND SOME PEOPLE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT, OTHERS DID NOT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE KNOW PEOPLE SOMETIMES LIKE, WHY, WHY DO I WANT TO GO? I WANNA, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO I GET OUT OF IT OTHER THAN KNOWING YOUR GLUCOSE AND YOUR BMI AND ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF.
THEY WANT SOMETHING OUT OF IT.
AND SO, UM, WE'RE WE'RE, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT, THAT WE'VE HAD IT AND
[03:15:01]
WE, WE LAUNCHED IT, BUT WE, IT'S SLOWLY TURNING TO GET, YOU KNOW, THAT TRACTION FROM EMPLOYEES AND THE PARTICIPATION.AND THE COUNTY, WHAT WE DO IS THEY, THE, THE SERVICE PROVIDER WILL GIVE US MONEY OR GIVE THE COUNTY MONEY, AND THEN HR WILL THEN TURN AROUND AND BUY LIKE TVS AND, UH, AIR FRYERS AND ALL THAT.
AND IF YOU GO TO THIS EVENT, THEN THEY LIKE RAFFLE IT OFF TO GET, RIGHT.
SO WITH THE HEALTH FAIR, UM, ANYBODY WHO'S PARTICIPATING, WE'RE GONNA HAVE VENDORS AND ALL OF THAT, AND WE ASK THEM TO DONATE SOMETHING SO THAT WHEN THEY GO TO THE HEALTH FAIR, THEY GET SOME ITEMS THAT ARE BEING RAFFLED BY THE CARRIERS.
YOU KNOW? AND AS A LONG RETIRED NURSE PRACTITIONER, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, MOST PEOPLE DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEIR HEALTH.
THEY DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEIR DIET.
THEY, MOST PE MOST PATIENTS DON'T EVEN TAKE THEIR MEDICINES AS INSTRUCTED, AND MANY NEVER GET THEIR MEDICINES FILLED.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD LEAD A HORSE TO WATER, BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE THE HORSE DRINK.
AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS OFFER THINGS, BUT YOU, YOU'RE NOT A MIRACLE WORKER.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO, TO GET PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE AND KNOW ABOUT THE SMOKING PROGRAM, ABOUT THE WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM, ALL OF THAT GOOD STUFF, BUT NOT, NOT EVERYONE'S WILLING TO PARTICIPATE.
YOU KNOW? I MEAN, IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, WHETHER YOU'RE INTO IT OR YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S PEOPLE THAT ARE, HAVE ALREADY REDEEMED ALL THIS MONEY ON IT.
THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I REDEEMED $200.
AND I'M LIKE, OH, GOOD FOR YOU.
BUT OTHERS, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST OUR CULTURE DOWN HERE.
AND SO, NO, IT'S NOT THE CULTURE HERE, IT'S THE WORLD JUST EVERYWHERE.
THE WELL, I'LL, I'LL JUST, I JUST WANNA, UM, ALSO ADD THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE DOESN'T OPT INTO THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE NOT COMMITTED TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS, AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE.
UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD AND THEY HAVE A WHOLE PROGRAM AND, AND I DON'T PARTICIPATE IN, IN THE GYM BECAUSE THEY GIVE YOU A SPECIAL, IF YOU GO TO A CERTAIN GYM, THEY'LL GIVE YOU.
BUT I, I DON'T NEED TO DO THAT.
I THINK IT'S NOT A TRUE MEASURE OF THE HEALTH OF OUR, OF OUR STAFF, BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS FOR THEM.
THIS IS A BENEFIT FOR THOSE THAT MAYBE NEED, UH, OR, OR THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT JIVE WITH THEIR SCHEDULE OR SOME THINGS THAT THEY WANNA DO.
BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TO SAY IF THEY'RE NOT IN THIS, IF THEY'RE NOT, IF THEY'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT MEANS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T CARE.
THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THEIR HEALTH.
OR THAT THEY'RE NOT, SOME, THEY'RE NOT HEALTHY.
BUT I THINK WHAT WOULD BE GOOD TO KIND OF, FOR THE CONCERNS OF THE, OF, OF THE COMMISSIONER IS MAYBE HAVING AN UPDATE, UH, YOU KNOW, OF, OF WHO, YOU KNOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE IS PARTICIPATING SURE.
AND WHAT THINGS HAVE BEEN DONE TO PROMOTE IT.
SO THAT WAY WE HAVE THAT DATA, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOOD FOR US TO KNOW, TO SEE IF WE'RE ACTUALLY IMPROVING, UH, AND THEN HOW THAT CORRELATES RIGHT.
WITH, WITH, UH, ACTUAL CLAIMS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THEY THINK THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT NEXT, NEXT YEAR.
AND, AND WITH THAT, I WANTED TO ASK YOU, UM, SCOTT IS, SO THE, UH, SO IF THE WHOLE, UH, REVIEWING OF THIS YEAR AND KIND OF MONITORING TO SEE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, AND THEN COMING TO US TO SEE IF WE WANT TO CHANGE, UM, THE WAY THAT, THAT, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE OPERATING RIGHT NOW, AND IF THE COST BENEFIT IS THERE, UM, WILL WE GET THAT RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU WAY IN ADVANCE SO THAT WAY WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT YES.
SO WHAT TIMEFRAME ARE WE LOOKING AT? SO, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE TIMELINE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PUT TOGETHER WHAT I, WHAT I WOULD SAY WITH YOU GUYS BEING A 10, ONE IS, UM, I WOULD PROBABLY PROBABLY RECOMMEND PUTTING IT OUT IN MARCH, UM, FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, CLOSING IT, AND THEN IN APRIL, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO, YOU KNOW, IT'LL TAKE ME A WEEK OR SO TO DO OUR ANALYSIS AND THEN, UM, WORK WITH, UM, CITY STAFF.
UM, AND THEN WHAT I WOULD SAY TOO IS ESPECIALLY, UM, DEPENDING ON WHETHER WE SET UP A COMMITTEE OR WHAT, UM, I THINK WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE SOME FINALIST MEETINGS WITH AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THEM.
AND THEN MY, MY GOAL WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, PROBABLY BY EARLY SUMMER, BY JUNE, TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT IT TO YOU GUYS SO YOU HAVE IT FOR BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN THAT WAY TOO, IT WOULD GIVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, ERICA AND HER TEAM TIME TO, TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S IN PLACE BEFORE WE HIT THE TEN ONE.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE SET UP FOR SUCCESS, OR AT LEAST WE KNOW.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, THAT OPPORTUNITY.
IT SEEMS LIKE RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST, THAT'S NOT EVEN AN OPTION FOR US.
AND WE SHOULD TAKE THE RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE IT'S, OR JUST AROUND THE CORNER, WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SEAMLESS FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO.
[03:20:01]
CONTINUE WITH THESE SO WE CAN, WHILE THEY'RE HERE? YES, YES.I'LL JUST MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AND UNITED HEALTHCARE TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEE GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE.
ARE WE ON? OH, WE'RE ON, I WE'RE ON THE PRESENTATION.
SO WE NEED THE, I, THE, WE JUST FINISHED EITHER THOUGH.
THEY'RE KIND OF ALL ROLLED UP INTO CORRECT.
SO ARE WE GONNA COLLECTIVELY TAKE THESE J THROUGH M IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? ONE BY ONE.
SO THEN, UM, MELINDA WILL READ ITEM J, J
[Item 10j - Renewal agreement between the City of Harlingen and United Health Care]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RENEWAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARDEN AND UNITED HEALTHCARE TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEE GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE.[Item 10k - Renewal agreement between City of Harlingen and Aetna to provide Employee Group Dental Insurance.]
ITEM K CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RENEWAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HARDEN AND AETNA TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEE GROUP DENTAL INSURANCE.[Item 10l - Renewal agreement between City of Harlingen and Davis Vision to provide Employee Group Vision Insurance]
L, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RENEWAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HARLINGEN AND DAVIS VISION TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEE GROUP VISION INSURANCE.[Item 10m - Renewal agreement between City of Harlingen and Unum to provide Employee Group Life Insurance. ]
M, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE RENEWAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF HARINGTON AND UNUM TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEE GROUP LIFE INSURANCE MOTION.MOTION BY COMMISSIONER PEREZ, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LOPEZ.
OKAY, SO NOW WE GO BACK TO SANDY.
GO BACK H UM, GO BACK TO ITEM H.
YEAH, WE'RE NOT FINISHED WITH, SO YOU DON'T NEED TO READ ANYTHING, BUT WE WERE JUST, UM, WE MOVED BECAUSE OF THE JUNIOR OF THE JUNIOR LEAGUE AND ALL THAT GOT US.
UM,
SO THEN, UM, SO WHAT I WAS MENTIONING EARLIER IS THAT WE NEED TO, UM, CONSIDER THIS, HAVE THE ORDINANCE READ, UH, READ THE CAPTION BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THEN TAKE ACTION ON THIS.
SO THAT WAY IT'S YOUR FIRST READING, BUT NOT THE AMENDMENTS, BUT NOT THE, NO.
THE N THERE IS NO, THERE IS NONE.
ON F THERE, THERE'S TWO VOTES IN F.
WE SPLIT IT SO THAT WAY COMMISSIONER LOPEZ DIDN'T HAVE A CONFLICT INTO THE COUNTY.
SO IT'S JUST THAT THE CAPTION FOR THE ORDINANCE FOR THE PROPOSITION.
MARK WHAT? I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA READ THE CAPTION FOR THE ORDINANCE.
OR, OR, OR IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN ARE WE JUST VOTING ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS? WHY DON'T WE VOTE ON THE PROPOSED THE AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CHARTER AND THEN SEPARATELY VOTE ON THE, ON THE ORDINANCE ITSELF? I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THIS SO YOU CAN, I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
RIGHT? SO WE VOTE ON THE, THERE'S TWO VOTES AMENDMENTS.
VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS OPPOSITIONS, AND THEN YOU CAN DROP OUT WHEN WE VOTE ON THE ORDINANCE, WHICH INCLUDES, INCLUDES THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY AND ALL THAT.
I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
YEAH, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S STILL, IT'S THE ITEM IS ON THE AGENDA.
BOTH THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE ON THE AGENDA AND WE'RE JUST BREAKING IT IN HALF LANGUAGE ITSELF.
IT'S A HASSLE THE WAY THAT THE COUNTIES A PERSONAL VOTE SEPARATE.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT'S LIKE THE BUDGET, LIKE THEY HAVE TO VOTE LIKE ALL THE FINANCIAL CHANGES.
AND SO THEN ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS SAY I'M GONNA, UH, I VOTE TO APPROVE, BUT I ABSTAIN ON LINE ITEM 16, AND THAT'S THE ONE THING THEY ABSTAIN FROM.
SO I THINK WE COULD JUST VOTE ON F AND THEN I WOULD SAY EX I, BUT I'M ABSTAINING SPECIFICALLY AS TO THE CONTRACT OF THE COUNTY.
BECAUSE IF NOT, YOU CAN'T VOTE.
BECAUSE BECAUSE THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IT'S NOT ON HERE.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE.
YEAH, NO, NO, IT WAS JUST ONE.
I APPRECIATE THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING WITH ME ON THIS, BUT EVEN THOUGH IT COST A DOZEN HOURS SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UH, ONE, I THINK IT WAS TWO.
WELL, THE PROBLEM IS IT'S ALL IN ONE ORDINANCE, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
THE PROBLEM IS IS COMMISSIONER LOPEZ
SO SHALL I READ THIS WHOLE THING? YES.
IN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS, ORDERING A SPECIAL ELECTION ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND POSTING OF NOTICE, PROPOSING A PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
[03:25:01]
EXECUTE AN ELECTION SERVICES CONTRACT WITH CAMERON COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT PROVIDING FOR DATES FOR EARLY VOTING.BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE PROVIDING FOR A DEADLINE FOR APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT AND PROVIDING, FOR PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
IS THERE A MOTION I, HANG ON, I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA INJECT HERE AND, AND ASK FOR SOME SUGGESTED LANGUAGE.
BECAUSE THE, THE THING IS, IS THAT WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE CONTENT, BUT THERE ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE TWO CHANGES, WHICH WERE JUST BROUGHT UP BY THE COMMISSIONER IF WE'RE GONNA BE CONSISTENT.
RIGHT? AND ONE IS TO ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION TWO, LEGISLATIVE AND BUSINESS PROCEDURE, THE PROPOSED CHANGE TO ACCOMMODATE A FAVORABLE VOTE ON PROPOSITION SIX.
UH, WHERE IT CURRENTLY SAYS THREE CITY COMMISSIONERS AND A PRESIDING MAYOR OR MAYOR, PRO TEMPORE, PRO TEMPORE SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM.
WE WOULD CHANGE THAT TO A MAJORITY OF THE VOTING MEMBER OF THE CITY COMMISSION PRESENT WHO ARE PRESENT SHALL, SHALL MAJORITY OF THE VOTING MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM TO DO BUSINESS INSTEAD OF A NUMBER.
SO IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD AN ADDITIONAL BE AN ADDITIONAL PROPOSITION, JUST OFFER TO MAKE IT CONSISTENT WITH THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS, WHICH YOU ALREADY ACCEPTED FROM THE COMMITTEE.
AND THEN, UH, ARTICLE FIVE, SECTION FIVE, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT A MAJORITY OF TAKING THREE VOTES TO PASS AN ORDINANCE, WE WOULD CHANGE THAT TO A VOTE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION WHO MAY VOTE ON ANY RES ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION WILL BE REQUIRED TO APPROVE OR ADOPT, UH, AN ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION, UNLESS A GREATER AMOUNT IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, SUCH AS WHEN WE HAVE A PETITION MM-HMM.
SO I, I WOULD, IF YOU WANNA VOTE ON IT, AND THEN YOU WOULD WORK ON WITH THOSE TWO WORD ECONOMY AS THE COUNTY SUGGESTED.
THAT WHICH MAY IMPACT THE PROPOSITIONS.
NOT, NOT NON-SUBSTANTIVE, NON-SUBJECTIVE CHANGES TO ACCOMMODATE ECONOMY OF WORDS.
WHICH I THINK WOULD TO BE MOST CONCISE IS THROUGHOUT THE CHARTER.
IF THERE'S A NUMERICAL, UM, VALUE, UM, LISTED AS THE COMMISSION AS IN A NUMBER, THEN THAT SHOULD JUST BE CHANGED TO, AND, AND I'VE INCLUDED, WHEN WE'VE AMENDED A SECTION OF A CHARTER, I'VE INCLUDED THE ENTIRE SECTION.
SO SOMETIMES WE'RE, WE'RE CHANGING TWO, TWO SENTENCES.
AND I'VE INCLUDED THE WHOLE SECTION.
SO I'LL, I'LL GET WITH REMI TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN INCLUDE A SECTION OF A PORTION OF THAT.
AND SO THEN FOLKS WOULD GO AND READ THAT AND GET A FULL UNDERSTANDING SO YOU CAN HAVE ALL OF THAT THERE.
SO I DON'T, BUT HE'S STILL GIVEN, THERE'S SO MUCH ON THE BALLOT WANTS TO HAVE IT.
JUST AS, AS AS CONDENSED AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT LOSING RIGHT.
THE, UM, THE INTENTION OF, OF, OF, YOU KNOW, SUFFICIENT EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT IT'S RIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I WANT TO KILL EVERYTHING HERE.
AND NOW WAIT WITH AN ABSTENTION TO THE PORTION OF THE ORDINANCE THAT RELATES TO HAVING A CONTRACT WITH CAMERON COUNTY JUST FOR YOU.
OKAY, SO THAT'S ON THE RECORD.
SO THAT'S FI WANT IT TO BE THE BIGGEST FOOTNOTE THE CITY HAS EVER SEEN.
[Item 10h - One Year Action Plan FY-2024-2025 CDBG Program and FY-2024-2025 of the Home Investment Partnership Program]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE ONE YEAR ACTION PLAN.2025 OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM AND FISCAL YEAR 2024.
2025 OF THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
I THINK WE MAKE A MOTION AND JUST DID IT RIP YOU? SAME THING.
YOU DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING, RIGHT? OKAY.
NO, WE DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.
THIS IS JUST A RESOLUTION TO I'M GONNA STAY HERE TILL MIDNIGHT.
[Item 10o - Consideration and possible action to approve the City of Harlingen Investment Policy]
I, YES.O CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE CITY OF HARING AND
[03:30:01]
INVESTMENT POLICY FINANCE DEPARTMENT.THIS IS THERE A MOTION? THIS HASN'T CHANGED EITHER, RIGHT, ROBERT? NO, SAME ONE.
[Item 10p - Advanced Funding Agreement]
OKAY.ITEM P, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN IN TO SIGN AN ADVANCED FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND REPRESENT THE CITY OF HARINGTON IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE ARROYO, COLORADO TRAIL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, PARKS AND RECREATION MOTION.
IS IT GRANT? A GRANT, IS THIS THE ONE GOING WEST OR THE ONE GOING EAST? WELL, IT'S STARTING AT MCKELVY AND GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE WEST TO DIXIELAND.
THIS IS FOR LIGHTING, RIGHT? JAVIER? YES SIR.
THE ONE FOR LIGHTING AND THE SIGNED YEAH.
[Item 11 - Board Appointments]
ITEM 11, BOARD APPOINTMENTS.SPECIFICALLY APPOINTMENT OR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO HIDE, INCLUDE APPOINTMENT AND OR REMOVAL OF ANY POSITION SUBJECT TO APPOINTMENT OR REMOVAL BY STATUTE, ORDINANCE OR BYLAWS.
UM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD, LUPITA MUNI WOULD LIKE TO RESIGN AND I WOULD APPOINT MICHAEL MUNI AND THEN CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
COMMISSIONER NONE? IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION SECOND.
I THINK WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING FOR MRS. UNI.
SHE'S BEEN AN INSTITUTION ON THAT BOARD AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO, YEAH, SHE'S BEEN THERE, WHAT, LIKE 20, 30 YEARS SINCE IT'S INCEPTION? YEAH.
AND THE NEXT, UH, YEAH, UH, MEETING AT HER CONVENIENCE.
THE BIGGEST ONE YOU'VE EVER MADE.
I WANTED 30 INCHES FOR THE 30 YEARS SHE'S BEEN HERE.
[Item 12 - Executive Session]
ITEM 12, EXECUTIVE SESSION.[Item 13 - Action of Executive Session Items]
IN THIS SECTION WILL BE DELIBERATED IN CLOSED SESSION.MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT GENERALLY PERMITTED TO ATTEND A CLOSED SESSION.
EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS MAY BE CONSIDERED AS AN ACTION ITEM AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR, HOWEVER, CITY COMMISSION WILL NOT TAKE ANY ACTION.
SESSION ITEM 12, A CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0.071 TO RECEIVE A BRIEF, A BRIEFING FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING A MATTER WHERE THE LEGAL OPINION IS PROTECTED BY THE ATTORNEY.
CLIENT COMMUNICATION PRIVILEGE.
MAKE MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS IT? 9:09 PM AND WE'LL RETIRE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND BE OUT SHORTLY.
THE TIME IS NOW 9 39 18:00 PM AND WE ARE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE, UM, DON'T HAVE ANY ACTION ITEMS AND SO WE ARE ADJOURNED.