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EVERYONE.THE TIME IS NOW 5:37 PM WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
IT HAS BEEN DULY POSTED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
AT THIS TIME, I'LL ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE STAND AS COMMISSIONER.
UH, MORALES LEADS US IN THE INVOCATION, THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE SON, THE HOLY SPIRIT.
OUR FATHER, LORD, IN HEAVEN, HALL, BE THY NAME.
THY KINGDOM COME, TH WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.
GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD, AND FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WE TRESPASS AGAINST US.
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
I ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR, FOR OUR FORMER COMMISSIONER CHINO SANCHEZ.
NOW THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE OF CGI FLAG, THE UNITED STATES, AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC, WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION LIBERTY JUSTICE.
AND WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRE, UH, PRESENT HERE IN THE CITY COMMISSION TOWN HALL AS WE HAVE DISTRICT 1, 3, 4, AND FIVE.
AND WE HAVE COMMISSIONER LOPEZ, UM, ON ZOOM ALONG WITH CITY MANAGER.
AND MARK, IF YOU READ THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, PLEASE.
I UNDERSTOOD UNDER 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 IN THE DISCUSSION NOR VOTE ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
ARE THERE ANY KNOWN CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TO DISCLOSE AT THIS TIME? NONE.
ITEM THREE, 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 ON THIS AGENDA.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS MAY NOT RESPOND TO COMMENTS OR DELIBERATE ON TOPICS ADDRESSED.
WE HAD TWO CITIZENS THAT SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC.
WE HAVE TWO CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS.
IS HE OUT THERE? HE MIGHT BE ON THE PHONE, YEAH.
UH, GALLANT SAN BENITO CHOIR BOYS CHINO SANCHEZ HAD A DIGNITY THAT THIS BOARD SEEMINGLY FAILS TO GRASP EVEN.
HE KNEW THAT THE HARLINGEN CHARTER IS OUR CONSTITUTION, SO HE DID NOT CONDONE, OR B BLINDLY ACCEPT SHORT CHANGE IN OUR CITIZENRY BY DISALLOWING.
ANY COMMENTARY DURING THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE'S TRUNCATED AND CURSORY, LOOK AT OUR VENERATED DOCUMENT.
INSTEAD, WHAT WE GOT IS ONE REVIEW MEMBER STATING SHE HAD NEVER READ IT, AND SIX OF EIGHT GATHERINGS THAT WERE NEVER POSTED.
AND THE TWO THAT WERE DID NOT IN PERMIT INPUT FROM US BY ONE OF YOU EITHER HERE IN PERSON, AS THE MAYOR JUST INDICATED ABOUT MR. LEFTWICH ARE OUT THERE IN THE, UH, ZUMI.
INSTEAD, WHAT WE GOT WAS A DOG AND PONY SHOW WHEREBY WE WERE TREATED TO AN ABSURD PAY INCREASE.
NEGATION, WHICH LACKED ANY VERBAL FIREPOWER, REBUKE AS HAD BEEN PROMISED IN THE DAILY VALLEY MORNING STAR, AND INSTEAD WAS UTILIZED TO KEEP US FROM KICKING THE TIRES.
AT A MOMENT, SOMEONE IN CHARGE OF CONDUCTING OUR MEETINGS AND HAVING THE MOST APPOINTMENTS, ATTEMPTS TO SEIZE MORE POWER SO THAT THIS COMMISSION IS NEUTERED CLEAR.
A CLEAR VIOLATION OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS NOT RESOLVED BY A SINGLE REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
YOU ALL WERE NOT PART OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE.
YES, A SYCOPHANT PERCEPTIONIST, THAT IS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES FACTUAL TRUTH IS NOT AS RELEVANT AS IS A POLITICAL OPPORTUNITY, REGARDLESS OF WHOM IS HARMED, THE EASIER MANNER IS TO GLIDE TO A PERCEIVED REALITY.
HONEST PERSONS CANNOT LIVE LIKE THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY, IF YOU'RE IN THAT SPOT, PLEASE STEP BACK INTO THE LIGHT AS CHINO'S
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DEATH REMINDS US, THE HOUR IS GROWING LATE.TRUE HARLINGEN LEADERS MUST ARISE AND ACT SOON BEFORE FURTHER HAVOC ENSUES.
HAVING NO ONE ELSE SIGNED UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION WILL CLOSE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AT THIS TIME.
ITEM FOUR, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION DECLARING THE RESULTS OF NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024.
GENERAL ELECTION FOR CITY COMMISSIONERS FOR DISTRICTS THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE.
REMY GARZA, CAMERON COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MADAM MAYOR.
UM, THE ELECTION OF NOVEMBER 5TH, UM, HAS COMPLETED ITS, UH, ITS COURSE, UH, YESTERDAY, UH, THE, UH, BALLOT BOARD, EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD, ALSO KNOWN AS THE LATE BALLOT BOARD CONCLUDED ITS BUSINESS AND THE ACCEPTABLE PROVISIONAL BALLOTS.
UM, LATE ARRIVING BALLOT BY MAIL AND OVERSEAS AND MILITARY BALLOTS WERE PROCESSED AND INCLUDED IN THE, UH, ACCOUNTS FOR EACH OF, UM, THE RACES.
FOR, UM, THIS PARTICULAR RACE, THERE WERE 3000, I'M SORRY, 39,691, REGISTERED VOTERS THAT WERE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE.
OF THAT 25,536 BALLOTS WERE CAST, UM, A TOTAL OF TO VOTER OF VOTER TURNOUT FOR THE CITY OF HARINGTON RACES OF 64.34%, WHICH IS EXTREMELY, UH, HIGH NUMBER, UM, FOR COMMISSIONER DISTRICT THREE, UH, MIKE MEMER RECEIVED 1,201 VOTES.
STEVEN RITTER, UH, RECEIVED 875 VOTES.
R FRANK LASANO 1,109 VOTES, JENNIFER VASQUEZ, COLTON 1042 VOTES.
THE TOTAL VOTES CAST WERE 4,227.
FOR THE CANDIDATES, THERE WERE TWO OVER VOTES AND, UM, 935 UNDER VOTES.
COMMISSIONER DISTRICT FOUR, UM, THE VOTE FOR BT VARGAS WAS 378.
FRANK MORALES 1075 VALIO CHINO SANCHEZ 684, BETO PENA 567.
FOR TOTAL VOTES CAST FOR THE CANDIDATES OF 2,704.
THERE WERE TWO OVER VOTES AND THERE WERE 557 UNDER VOTES.
AND COMMISSIONER DISTRICT FIVE NETTE EZ RECEIVED 2054 VOTES.
UH, RUBEN DELAROSA 874 VOTES, NIKKI ALVAREZ, DANIELLE 1,459.
VOTES FOR TOTAL VOTES CAST FOR CANDIDATES OF 4,387.
UNDER VOTES WERE THREE, I'M SORRY, OVER VOTES WERE THREE UNDER VOTES WERE 1033.
UH, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE PRECINCT BY PRECINCT, I BELIEVE HAS BEEN MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH, THROUGH THE RESOLUTION TO YOU.
UH, AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND, UH, THE ADOPTION OF THIS CANVAS REPORT.
UM, WHAT WAS THE PERCENTAGE OF HAREN VOTING? AGAIN, THE HAREN VOTER TURNOUT FOR THE, UH, DISTRICT, UH, THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE WAS 64.34%.
AND I, I, I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD REMEMBER THE NUMBERS, BUT I THINK LAST ELECTION IT WAS LIKE 16% OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
DO YOU REMEMBER BY CHANCE? I, I, I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I DO KNOW THAT NORMAL, UH, CITYWIDE ELECTIONS ARE GENERALLY WITHIN THAT, UH, 1610 TO 15% IS A, A HIGH TURNOUT FOR A MAY ELECTION.
AND REMY, YOU UM, SAID THERE WERE HOW MANY REGISTERED VOTERS? 39,000 OR, YEAH, 39,691 THAT WERE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS ELECTION.
AND HOW MANY VOTED? UM, 25,536.
AND WHAT WAS THAT PERCENTAGE? 64.
WOULD YOU, UH, WOULD YOU, UH, EXPLAIN TO ME THE OVER VOTES, UNDER VOTES REAL QUICK? UH, YES.
UM, WHEN THE VOTERS ARE PRESENTED THEIR BALLOTS, UM, AND THEY'RE CHOOSING THEIR CANDIDATES, UH, OCCASIONALLY THEY WILL CHOOSE TWO CANDIDATES IN A GIVEN RACE, UH, EVEN THOUGH ONLY ONE IS, UH, IS ELIGIBLE, UH, TO BE CAST.
SO IN THAT CASE, IT RESULTS IN AN OVER VOTE.
AND SO THAT RACE DOESN'T, UH, COUNT FOR EITHER, EITHER THE CANDIDATES THAT THEY SELECTED, ESSENTIALLY IT, THE VOTER, UM, HAS OVER VOTED UNDER VOTES ARE THE OPPOSITE OF WHERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE A CANDIDATE, THEY LEAVE THE, THE RACE BLANK.
SO DO YOU THINK, UM, LIKE WITH THE UNDER, 'CAUSE I WAS NOTICING THE UNDER VOTES.
SO DO YOU THINK THE UNDER VOTES ARE PEOPLE THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST CAME IN, WANTED TO JUST VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AND THAT WAS IT? PRETTY MUCH.
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I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF, UH, EITHER STRONG CANDIDATE PREFERENCES IN SOME OF THE STATE, FEDERAL AND, AND, UH, COUNTY RACES.UM, AND SO SOME, WE DID SEE SOME PEOPLE THAT, THAT CAME IN, UH, AND ONLY VOTED IN THOSE RACES AND WOULD, YOU KNOW, IMMEDIATELY TURN IN THEIR BALLOTS.
UM, IN THIS SITUATION, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, IN THE, AT THE STATISTICS, THERE WERE ACTUALLY, UM, 1055 BLANK BALLOTS, MEANING THAT THEY RECEIVED THE BALLOTS FOR THE HARD AND GENERAL ELECTION, BUT THEY DIDN'T CHOOSE ANYTHING WHETHER CANDIDATE OR, UH, PROPOSITION.
UM, AND SO IT COULD BE, WELL, TWO THINGS.
UH, IT COULD BE THAT WHERE THEY CAME IN JUST TO VOTE FOR SPECIFIC PEOPLE, UH, OR IT COULD BE THE, THE VOTER FATIGUE OF, OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE FEDERAL RACES, THE STATE RACES, THE COUNTY RACES, AND THEN GETTING TO THE SECOND PAGE WITH THE HARLINGEN RACES ON IT.
UM, AND THEN, UM, WHEN IT CAME TO THE PROPOSITIONS, IT'LL DISCUSS THAT LATER.
UM, THEY JUST EITHER GIVE UP OR THEY, YOU KNOW, KNOW WHICH ONES THEY WANNA VOTE FOR OR, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST LOSE INTEREST IN THE BALLOT.
I GUESS IT'S KNOWN AS VOTER FATIGUE, WHICH I, I CAN SAY THAT ONE OF THE CONCERNS I'VE ALWAYS HAD ABOUT THE CONSOLIDATING OF ELECTION DAY TO ONE DAY A YEAR, I THINK CREATES THE SITUATION WHERE TOWARDS THE END OF THE BALLOT, YOU'RE GONNA START, YOU'RE GONNA START SEEING THE RESIDUALS OF THAT VOTER FATIGUE, THAT AS THEY'RE MOVING THROUGH THE BALLOT, THEY JUST HAVE BEEN THERE A LONG TIME AND THEY'RE READY TO, TO MOVE ON.
SO 1055, UM, BALLOTS WERE COMPLETELY BLANK, BUT THERE WAS ALSO 64% OF PEOPLE THAT, THAT VOTED.
AND WITHIN THAT 64% IS ALSO INCLUDED.
THE 1055 THAT DIDN'T VOTE, RIGHT? YES.
UH, IT'S STILL OVERWHELMINGLY, UM, YOU KNOW, INCREASE SINCE THE PRIOR PRIOR ELECTION.
THIS IS WHAT, THIS IS WHAT WE WANTED WHEN WE, WHEN WE PASSED THE, UM, THE, UH, THE CHARTER AMOUNTS, UH, BACK, WHAT, TWO YEARS AGO, IS THAT WE WANTED TO VOTE OR TURNOUT.
'CAUSE I REMEMBER WHEN YOU CAME IN, I REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY YOU WERE TELLING US HOW IN PREVIOUS ELECTIONS IT WAS LIKE, WE RANGE BETWEEN ON CITY ELECTIONS, WE RANGE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 4% TO LIKE 6% OF THE PEOPLE THAT COULD VOTE.
AND THEN THAT YEAR WHEN NORMA GOT ELECTED AND, AND FORD AND DANIEL THAT WENT UP TO, I THINK YOU SAID 16 OR 17% AND THEN GO TO GO FROM 16 TO 17% ALL THE WAY UP TO 64%, I THINK.
UM, I MEAN, A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ALWAYS HAS A HIGHER ENGAGEMENT WITH THE VOTERS.
BUT STILL, UM, I CONSIDERING THAT THE COUNTYWIDE, UH, VOTER TURNOUT PERCENTAGE WAS 49%, UH, CLEARLY THE HARLINGEN, UM, RESIDENTS WERE, WERE ENGAGED.
SO NOW, UM, IS THERE A MOTION TO TO ADOPT? MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND.
ITEM FIVE, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO PASS AN ORDER RESOLUTION PURSUANT TO TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE TITLE TWO, CHAPTER NINE, SECTION 9.001 ET.
SET CODE DECLARING THAT THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS APPROVED ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 SPECIAL ELECTION ARE ADOPTED, REMI GARZA.
UM, ALSO ON NOVEMBER 5TH, THE CITY OF HARINGTON HELD A SPECIAL ELECTION, UH, THAT WAS ADDRESSING CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
UM, AND WITH, WITH THE, THE TOTAL VOTES CAST, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHICH INCLUDED AREAS, UM, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT THREE, DISTRICT FOUR AND DISTRICT FIVE SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICTS.
UM, PROPOSITION A FOUR WAS 17,520 AGAINST 1,634 TOTAL VOTES CAST OF 19,000 154 7, UH, OVER VOTES.
AND 1,917 UNDER VOTES, UH, PROPOSITION B FOUR 17,155 AGAINST 1,876 TOTAL VOTES CAST FOR THE PROPOSITIONS WAS 19,031 OVER VOTES FOUR UNDER VOTES 2043.
EXCUSE ME, REAL QUICK, UH, MARK, DO WE, UH, HAVE TO READ EACH ONE? I THINK THE DOCUMENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF, AND I DON'T WANT REMY TO LOSE HIS VOICE 'CAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY PROPOSITIONS OR PROPOSALS.
IT, IT'S, THE DOCUMENT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
IT'S NOT NECESSARY FOR TO READ EACH ONE.
IT'S GONNA BE PART OF THE RECORD IF IT'S ACCEPTED BY THE CITY.
TRYING TO SAVE YOU SOME WORK OR ANYTHING.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
OH, YOU GOTTA READ THE ORDINANCE, CORRECT, MARK? NO, IT'S, UH, IT'S, IT'S A RESOLUTION.
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OKAY.UH, COMMISSIONER, BEFORE WE DO THAT, THE ONLY THING I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT IS THAT ALL THE PROPOSITIONS PASSED.
MM-HMM,
SO I THINK THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE TESTAMENT TO THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, SUPPORTING THE PROPOSITIONS AND SUPPORTING, UH, DEMOCRACY AND COMING OUT TO VOTE.
THANK YOU REMY, FOR FACILITATING.
UM, I'LL SAY BEFORE, THIS IS ADOPTED FOR FOLKS THAT ARE CURIOUS AS TO WHY THERE WERE SO MANY AMENDMENTS ON THE BALLOT.
UM, THE COMMISSION DISCUSSED THAT PUTTING TOGETHER THE CHARTER COMMITTEE AND THERE WERE, I THINK THE COMMISSION WAS DIVIDED IN TERMS OF, UM, IF WE WERE GONNA GIVE PARAMETERS TO THE, TO THE CHARTER COMMITTEE TO JUST FOCUS ON CERTAIN AREAS OF THE CHARTER, KNOWING THAT IF YOU OPEN IT UP TO PAGE ONE TO THE VERY END, THAT THERE WERE GONNA BE MANY RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WOULD RESULT IN A LOT OF AMENDMENTS.
AND THEN THAT COUPLED WITH HAVING IT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL WOULD POTENTIALLY END UP WITH WHAT WE SAW, WHICH WAS VOTER FATIGUE AND, AND HAVING THOSE ISSUES.
AND SO THERE WAS A, A, A SOLUTION TO THAT TO SAY, WELL, LET'S, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UM, LANGUAGE THAT NEEDED TO BE UPDATED IN TERMS OF COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BUT ULTIMATELY THE COMMISSION DECIDED TO ALLOW THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE ENTIRE CHARTER.
AND SO THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CAME FROM, FROM THEM.
AND THEN THERE ARE FEW, OBVIOUSLY FROM CITY ATTORNEY.
AND SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHY WE HAD SO MANY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THROUGHOUT THE REGION, UM, THERE WERE ALSO OTHER PROPOSITIONS THAT WERE, UH, PLACED ON THE BALLOT FOR OTHER CITIES.
AND WERE IN 20 TO 23 ALSO IN THOSE CITIES AS WELL.
BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS AND, AND BRING OUR CHARTER CURRENT.
SO WITH THAT, IT WAS THERE A MOTION? MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE.
ITEM SIX, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION ORDERING THE SPECIAL RUNOFF ELECTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING THREE COMMISSIONERS FOR DISTRICTS THREE, FOUR.
THIS IS THE RESOLUTION TO CALL THE SPECIAL RUNOFF ELECTION.
UM, THE, UH, ELECTION IS SET FOR DECEMBER THE 14TH, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
UH, THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE, UH, SETS THE RUNOFF DATES, UM, UH, BASED ON SOME CHANGES TO THE LAW.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE EARLY VOTING WILL BE HELD FROM DECEMBER THE SECOND TO DECEMBER THE 10TH.
UH, IN THE AGENDA YOU HAVE THE, UH, THE VOTING PLACES FOR THE EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS, AND THERE ARE, IT'S, UH, HARINGTON CITY HALL.
IT'S THE HARINGTON CONVENTION CENTER, THE CULTURE ARTS CENTER.
UM, AND THEN THE TIME WOULD BE MONDAY THROUGH, UM, SATURDAY, I BELIEVE IS, UM, LET'S SEE, FROM SEVEN TO 5:00 PM OH NINE? YES.
UH, NINE TO 7:00 PM ON SATURDAY.
IT IS FROM SEVEN, YEAH, 10 FROM 10.
UH, I'M SORRY, I I MESSED UP ON THAT ONE.
AND THEN, UH, HARLINGEN CONVENTION CENTER IS THE SAME TIME.
THE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER IS THE SAME TIME NOW FOR THE ELECTION DAY, OF COURSE, IT'S THE U-T-R-G-V CLINICAL CENTER, AND IT'S FROM 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM BOWIE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UH, 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM UM, AND THEN HARINGTON CONVENTION CENTER.
UM, ELECTION DAY 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM STEWART PLACE ELEMENTARY, SAME TIME 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM UM, MADAM MAYOR, UM, WE RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE HARINGTON CONVENTION CENTER THAT THERE ARE CONFLICTS ON THE, THE, THE DATES OF THE 4TH OF DECEMBER AND THE 5TH OF DECEMBER, WHERE THEY DO NOT HAVE, UH, SPACE AVAILABLE FOR US AT THAT LOCATION.
THIS, WE JUST RECEIVED THE INFORMATION AT FOUR 30 THIS AFTERNOON.
SO IS THERE A PROPOSED SITE OTHER THAN THE CONVENTION CENTER? CAN WE USE A COUNTY ANNEX? UM, FOR AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION? THERE WERE SOME, UH, THE JUDICIAL COURTS, THE JP COURTS WERE, HAD RESCHEDULED THE THINGS THAT, THAT HAPPENED DURING THE INITIAL ELECTION.
[00:20:01]
THE, THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE EITHER FOR, FOR EARLY VOTING.UM, THEN COULD WE HAVE ONE OF THE SCHOOLS, MAYBE AS EARLY VOTING LOCATION? UH, YOU, YOU COULD SET THAT UP.
UM, I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME CONFLICTS AS TO, UH, OCCUPYING THE SPACE FOR THE WEEK AND, UM, TWO DAYS THAT YOU WOULD, THAT YOU WOULD NEED IT.
UM, SO THE, THE DAYS AT THE CONVENTION CENTER THAT WERE NOT GOING THERE WAS TWO DAYS DURING EARLY VOTE.
AND GABE, THEY COULDN'T CARVE OUT, UM, THAT SPACE IN THE FRONT.
MAYOR, WHEN I HAD CHECKED WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER, THEY HAD TOLD US THAT THOSE DAYS WERE ALL AVAILABLE.
UH, THEY WERE GOING TO BE USING, I THINK THE KINGFISHER, UM, AS THOSE LOCATIONS.
I, I, THIS IS NEWS TO ME THAT THEY WON'T HAVE TWO DAYS AVAILABLE.
UM, REMY, IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE EARLY VOTING ASIDE FROM THE FOURTH AND FIFTH UNTIL WE CAN GET THAT FIGURED OUT AND THEN HAVE MAYBE ONE OF THE SCHOOLS HOLD IT DURING THE FOURTH AND FIFTH? OR IS THAT JUST TOO COMPLICATED? UM, I THINK THAT'LL CONFUSE VOTERS IF YOU HAVE, UM, YEAH, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE DISTRICT FIVE WOULD BE AT A DISADVANTAGE IF THERE IS NOT A ELECTION.
A SITE, UM, FOR EARLY VOTING IN THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE CONFUSING.
AND I KNOW HISTORICALLY, UM, PEOPLE IN DISTRICT FIVE AND I JUST, 'CAUSE I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE VOTE AT THE ANNEX, UM, IS THERE, THEY THEY ARE, THERE'S NO SPACE AT ALL THERE, THERE.
'CAUSE I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THEY WOULD NEED AS MUCH SPACE AS THE REGULAR ELECTION AT THE ANNEX.
UM, THAT IN THE PAST, UH, THE ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN HELD IN THE, THE, THE FRONT AREA IN FRONT OF THE COURTROOM, NOT ACTUALLY IN THE COURTROOM.
UM, I DON'T, UM, WE COULD TRY TO WORK WITH THE JUSTICE OF THE PIECE TO SEE IF WE COULD GET THAT SPACE AVAILABLE.
UM, WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, UM, IS THAT, UH, THE COUNTY ANNEX BE DESIGNATED AS AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION IF THE SPACE PERMITS MM-HMM.
I THINK THAT'S A SEVEN DAY WINDOW BEFORE THE ELECTION.
UM, AND THAT, OR YOU COULD AUTHORIZE THE CITY SECRETARY OR THE CITY MANAGER TO FIND A LOCATION WITHIN THE DISTRICT FIVE AREA, UH, TO BE OPENED AS AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE OF OPTIONS YOU CAN USE TO, TO, TO FIND A SPACE.
UM, THERE WERE SOME CHURCHES, UH, THAT WERE IN THAT GENERAL AREA.
UM, I BELIEVE IT'S THE, UM, I THINK IT WAS FAITH PLEASES GOD, UH, WHICH IS RIGHT THERE ON THE EXPRESSWAY.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S IN THE, THE CITY LIMITS, BUT I THINK THAT IT'S, THAT WOULD BE, UM, IT IS.
I WOULD THINK THAT MIGHT BE, IT'S, IT'S A BIG ENOUGH.
UH, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S OTHER LOCATIONS, UM, THAT WE COULD TRY TO LOCATE IN THAT HAVE BEEN USED AS AN EARLY VOTING LOCATION IN THAT, THAT AREA.
AND SO HAVE YOU YET SAID THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO WAY WE CAN DO IT AT THE CONVENTION CENTER? UM, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SPEAK WITH EITHER MS. ACETO OR, UM, OR I, I THINK MAYBE WE DID FINALLY GET TO TALK TO MS. ACETO.
SO, UH, AND I TRIED TO CALL, UH, JAVIER AND, AND, UM, HE, HE WASN'T ABLE, HE DIDN'T ANSWER HIS PHONE.
UM, LET'S DO THIS BEFORE WE KIND OF GO INTO SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT, IT'S NOT AVAILABLE.
WHY DON'T WE TRY TO TAKE A, JUST A, IF YOU WOULD INDULGE US A TWO MINUTE RECESS AND LET'S CALL JAVIER AND SEE, UM, IF WE CAN ENSURE THAT THAT'S THE CASE.
SO, WE'LL, WE'LL, AND WE'LL, WE WILL DO THAT.
SO THE TIME IS NOW 6:01 PM AND WE'LL TAKE A, A FIVE MINUTE RECESS THERE.
SO TIMING, SO, UH, TIMING, WE, WE DON'T, WE DO NOT NEED TO TAKE THE RECESS.
THANK YOU BABY JESUS, FOR ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS.
HI, I AM JAVIER SURA CONVENTION CENTER.
WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING THE EARLY VOTE LOCATIONS AND UM, REMY WAS SAYING THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO SECURE THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S THE CASE BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THEY'LL NEED A LARGE SPACE, BUT THEY DO NEED TO HAVE A SPACE.
UM, AND WE DON'T WANT TO DESIGNATE IT AS A LOCATION AND THEN IT'S NOT AVAILABLE FOR TWO DAYS.
IT'LL BE TOO CONFUSING FOR THE VOTERS.
AND THAT'S, AND, AND, UH, MADAM MAYOR, THAT'S A PROBLEM.
THE FOURTH AND THE FIFTH, I DON'T HAVE IT AVAILABLE.
[00:25:01]
FACILITY, EVEN THE ROOM IN THE FRONT.WELL THEN THAT MEANS THAT WE, YOU CAN'T USE THAT.
CAN I OFFER A HUMBLE SUGGESTION AND PUT YOU ON THE SPOT? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
UM, I THINK THE, THE OFFICE SPACE FOR THE CONVENTION CENTER IS A VERY NICE LOBBY AREA.
YOU COULD ACTUALLY HOLD THE POLLING LOCATION WITHIN THE OFFICES WHERE THE CONVENTION CENTER STAFF IS.
IF, UH, WE COULD MAKE SOME SLIDE ARRANGEMENTS TO THE, THE DESKS.
JUST SUGGESTING THAT IF, IF YOU WANT TO STAY THERE, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT KIND OF EVENT ARE YOU HAVING? IS THERE GONNA BE A PROBLEM WITH PARKING AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF? UM, JAVIER, NO, THAT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM.
WE DID ABOUT 8,000 PEOPLE TODAY.
WHAT HAPPENED? UH, 'CAUSE WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU LAST, IT WAS AVAILABLE THE ENTIRE TIME.
NO, THERE WAS, UH, GABE, WHENEVER I WAS GONNA GET BACK TO YOU BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME DATES THAT I WAS UNSURE OF.
EVENTS GOING ON, WERE TOLD AVAILABLE.
SO WE WENT AHEAD AND GAVE THAT TO THE COUNTY.
YEAH, NO, I WAS GONNA GET BACK TO YOU BECAUSE I NEEDED TO GET WITH JUDITH ON THE DATES THAT I KNEW WE HAD EVENTS GOING ON.
BUT IF, UH, REMY DOESN'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH USING MY OFFICE SPACE, I, I REALLY DON'T CARE.
WHAT ABOUT IN THE HOTEL? UH, LOBBY.
THERE'S THAT SMALL MEETING ROOM.
IS THAT BIG ENOUGH? THAT WOULD BE BIG ENOUGH.
I MEAN, 'CAUSE HE USES A VERY SMALL SPACE AT, UH, USING THE KINGFISHER OR THE OREO.
WHAT WOULD BE BEST REMY? WHAT? UM, I THINK THAT, THAT IN THE PAST, UH, DUE TO CONFLICTS LIKE THIS, WE HAVE SORT OF RELOCATED IT, UH, NEARBY.
SO WHERE AT LEAST IF PEOPLE CAME TO THE MAIN LOCATION, THEY COULD EASILY ACCESS THE ALTERNATE LOCATION FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
UM, I THINK EITHER HIS OFFICES WOULD, WOULD WORK FOR THE TWO DAYS.
UH, OR, UM, IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE, THE HOTELS SPACE, UH, EITHER FOR THOSE TWO DAYS OR FOR THE ENTIRE TIME, I, UM, SO SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT USING THE, THE REGULAR ROOM LIKE THAT WE USUALLY WOULD.
AND THEN JUST FIRST THOSE TWO DAYS USING MAYBE HIS OFFICES OR THE HOTEL ROOM? CORRECT? YES.
I I THINK THAT WOULD WORK AS LONG 'CAUSE WE COULD DIRECT THE VOTERS.
I WOULD SAY, UM, IT IS JUST OPINION.
I'D BE CONFUSED WITH THE HOTEL AND PEOPLE
I WOULD KEEP IT IN THE OFFICES.
SO IF IT'S THE CONVENTION CENTER AND THEN THOSE TWO DAYS IN YOUR OFFICES, 'CAUSE THEY DO A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH THE SIGNS AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF IN WE STUFF IT WAS SIGNAGE AND YEAH.
I, I THINK AND, AND THE FOOTPRINT'S MUCH SMALLER, UH, FOR THIS ELECTION THAN IT WOULD'VE BEEN FOR THE, THE GENERAL ELECTION.
SO THEN THE HILTON, UM, THE CONVENT, THE LITTLE MEETING ROOM CONVENTION CENTER? NO, THE CONVENTION CENTER.
HIS OFFICE IS OFFICE'S WHERE HAVE YET HAS HIS OFFICE.
IN OTHER WORDS, UH, COMMISSIONER, IT'LL BE THE SALES OFFICE SPACE FOR TWO DAYS AND THEN THE REST OF THE DAYS WILL BE WHERE HE'S NORMALLY AT.
AND YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? I'M GOOD WITH THAT.
AND HOW ABOUT YOU? THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION AND THE SPACE.
I, I THINK IT, THAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE VOTERS TO, TO KEEP IT WITHIN THE, THE FOOTPRINT OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
AND, AND YOUR SIGNS ARE STILL AT THE CONVENTION CENTER, SAY POLLING PLACE? UM, WE WILL, UH, ENDEAVOR TO GET THOSE TAKEN DOWN OR UPDATED TO, TO INDICATE THE, THE DATES OF THE OKAY.
AND, AND THEN I HAVE A QUESTION, UH, THAT WAS EARLY VOTING.
HAVE WE, UM, WELL, IT'S AVAILABLE ELECTION DAY.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, MR. LAZANO, IF YOU COULD HAVE A SEAT, PLEASE.
WELL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THANK, THANK YOU.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE HILTON GUY DOES NOT ALLOW POLITICAL PARAPHERNALIA ON THERE.
AND THAT'S GOING TO INTERFERE WITH WHAT REMY JUST INDICATED.
NO, THE, THEY'RE SAYING TO USE A SALES OFFICE NOT TO GO TO THE HILTON.
SO MAY I BE EXCUSED? NO, THINK THERE WAS A QUESTION, JOSH.
JUST WE WANNA MAKE SURE, UM, IS YES, I'M GOOD.
'CAUSE I WANNA KEEP IT AT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND KEEP IT IN ONE LOCATION.
AND IF IT'S JUST FOR THOSE TWO DAYS, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THE SIGNS TO TELL 'EM WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO, THEN THEY'RE GOOD.
'CAUSE THEY'RE STILL GONNA GO TO THE SAME PLACE.
AND AS LONG AS A COUNTY IS COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, THE CONVENTION CENTER IS ABLE TO, UM, ACCOMMODATE THEN I THINK THAT WE'RE GOOD FOR, FOR THAT.
AND THEN WE'LL, AND WE'LL ADD, GIVE THEM THE, THE KEY TO, TO THE OFFICE AND I'LL GET THE OTHER ONES TURNED IN.
THAT WAY ONLY HE HAS AC THAT HE HAS ACCESS TO THAT.
THAT'S WHY I WANTED JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FELT COMFORTABLE GIVEN THAT YOU NEED TO HAVE ACCESS AND, AND TO STORE, OR I GUESS YOU STILL HAVE TO GO E EVERY DAY, RIGHT? THEY GO AND DRIVE IT AND, AND, AND DROP OFF THE, THE BALLOTS.
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THE WAY THAT THAT WORKS? NO, THEY, THEY'RE STORED ON SITE.UM, BUT EVERYTHING IS SEALED UP, UH, OVERNIGHT.
XAVIER, THIS IS FOR JUST THIS, UH, FOR THIS.
'CAUSE YOU WANT, PROBABLY WANNA GO BACK RIGHT TO THE NEXT, TO THE PREVIOUS ITEM.
ONE OF THE ISSUES I WAS GONNA MENTION THE CANDIDATES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE ALL IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF, OF WHICH CANDIDATES WOULD'VE QUALIFIED FOR THE RUNOFFS BASED ON THE CANVAS REPORT.
THAT WAS THE COMMISSIONER'S QUESTION IF YOU WANNA ADDRESS.
SO, SO I GUESS I COULD, WE GOT A MEMO FROM OUR ATTORNEY HERE WITH, UH, AND FOR THE CANDIDATE CHINO, UM, SANCHEZ PASSING AWAY.
SO WHAT, EXPLAIN THIS IN ENGLISH, MARK.
UH, BASICALLY, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE CANVASSING THE VOTES, RIGHT? SO THERE, THERE WE DON'T HAVE NAMES ON THE BALLOT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT SECTION 1 4 5 0 0 2, UH, PROCEDURE FOR OMITTING A DECEASED CANDIDATE'S NAME FROM THE BALLOT, I FURNISHED THE CITY SECRETARY, UH, A CERTIFIED COPY OF A POLICE REPORT REFLECTING THAT MR. SANCHEZ HAD PASSED AWAY.
SO SHE HAS GOOD INFORMATION, GOOD RELIABLE INFORMATION TO SHOW THAT IS THE CASE.
SO HIS NAME WOULD NOT BE ON THE BALLOT.
AND, AND WE WOULD GO TO THE FIRST AND TO THE THIRD, UH, HIGHEST RANKED OKAY.
UH, YOU COULD ALSO FURTHER RELY ON 1 45 0.005 D, WHICH INDICATES THAT, UM, WHEN, UH, DETERMINING THE, THE, THE CANDIDATE'S ELIGIBLE FOR THE RUNOFF, IF THERE IS A DECEASED CANDIDATE, THOSE VOTES ARE, ARE DISREGARDED.
AND SO THEN YOU WOULD JUST GO TO THE NEXT, UH, CANDIDATE.
SO IN THIS CASE, THE CANDIDATE WOULD BE MR. PENA.
THE, THE CANDIDATES FOR DISTRICT THREE WOULD BE, UH, MR. MESMER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOUR.
UH, AND THEN, UM, UH, R FRANK LONO.
AND THEN FOR DISTRICT FOUR IT WOULD BE, UH, MR. MORALES AND BETHEL PENA.
AND THEN FOR DISTRICT FIVE IT WOULD BE NETTE BETIS AND, UH, NIKKI ALVAREZ.
HAS ANYONE INFORMED MR. PENA? NOT FROM OUR OFFICE, NOT YET, SIR.
BECAUSE WE WERE WAITING TO SEE AS FAR AS THE APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSION WANTS, LIKE TOMORROW I WILL GIVE HIM A CALL AND LET HIM KNOW.
BUT FOR NOW, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD'VE RECOMMENDED.
COMMISSIONER, THEY WILL WAIT TILL AFTER THE MEETING TO DO THAT? YES.
AND, AND I THINK JUST FOR, UH, FOR ANOTHER CLARIFICATION IS THAT THIS CIRCUMSTANCE OF, UM, MR. SANCHEZ'S PASSING BEFORE THE CANVAS WAS ADOPTED AND BEFORE THE RUNOFF ORDER WAS ELECTION OF WHICH CANDIDATES WOULD BE ON IT, UH, IS A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE THAN IF THERE HAD BEEN SOMEBODY AFTER THE, THE BALLOT, I'M SORRY, AFTER THE, THE CANDIDATE APPLICATIONS WERE SUBMITTED, UH, AND BEFORE BALLOT PREPARATION WAS HAPPENING.
UH, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME, THERE ARE OTHER RULES APPLY AS TO WHETHER OR NOT A NAME CAN BE REMOVED AND HOW IT IS HANDLED.
BUT IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE, I THINK BOTH THOSE SECTIONS THAT WERE CITED WOULD APPLY.
UH, AND, AND I WOULD ASK THAT THE COMMISSION ADOPT THIS RESOLUTION WITH AN AMENDMENT TO THAT SECTION, UH, REFLECTING THAT.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE THE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VOTES, WHICH, WHICH IF SOMEONE SIMPLY READ THE RESOLUTION, THEY WOULD TAKE THAT TO MEAN, UH, THE COMMISSIONER WHO, THE FORMER COMMISSIONER WHO PASSED AWAY.
SO WE, WE WOULD WANNA MAKE THAT CORRECTION ON THE RESOLUTION.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE SUBJECT TO LEGAL.
DID YOU CATCH THAT? YES, I DID.
WE HAVE A QUESTION? WAIT, YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION.
ON POLLING DAY, UH, ON ELECTION DAY RATHER, UH, WHY DOES DISTRICT FIVE HAVE TWO PLACES AND DISTRICT THREE AND FOUR HAVE ONE? WOULDN'T IT BE FAIR TO HAVE ONE FOR EACH DISTRICT? UM, I THINK THAT WHEN THE CITY OBVIOUSLY IS THE, THE, THE ONES THAT, THAT MADE THE PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATIONS ON THOSE.
BUT I THINK, UM, WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE GENERAL ELECTION, UM, THERE WAS ONLY ONE IN DISTRICT THREE, WHICH WAS THE U-T-R-G-V CENTER.
UH, AND BUOY ELEMENTARY WAS AN ELECTION DAY LOCATION FOR THE NOVEMBER 5TH ELECTION.
UM, AND I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE GEOGRAPHY OF DISTRICT FIVE, UM, IT IS SPREAD OUT MUCH FURTHER.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT HAVING THE TWO POLLING LOCATIONS, UH, AT EITHER END OF THAT, UH, JUSTIFIES HAVING TWO VERSUS, UH, TWO OF THE OTHER LOCATIONS, YOU KNOW, IF,
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IF THE CANDIDATES ARE GONNA BE HOLDING SIGNS, IT DEFIES PHYSICS TO BE IN TWO PLACES AT ONCE.I, I THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR DISTRICT FIVE WOULD BE THE PRIORITIZATION OF POLLING LOCATION.
SO YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT? YES.
AND, AND BARRETT, AND ALSO, I THINK I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT, UM, ALTHOUGH THE GENERAL ELECTION WAS HELD AS A COUNTYWIDE, WHICH WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, TRANSLATED AS A CITYWIDE TYPE OF AN ELECTION.
SO THE CITIZENS DURING EARLY VOTING COULD GO TO ANY OF THE, THE THREE LOCATIONS, BUT ON ELECTION DAY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THEIR SPECIFIC PRECINCT, UH, LOCATIONS.
SO I, I JUST WANNA UNDERSTAND, SO ON, UM, ON ELECTION DAY, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO, THEY CAN'T GO TO ANY OF THOSE? NO, THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE SPECIFIC ONE WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, DURING EARLY VOTING, THEY CAN GO TO ANY OF 'EM IN EARLY VOTING, THEY CAN GO TO ANY OF 'EM, WHICH I THINK IS WHY HAVING 'EM SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY IS A, IS A GOOD, UH, CHOICE.
AND ELECTION DAY STRICTLY DISTRICT FIVE.
ELECTION DAY POLLING PLACES FOR DISTRICT THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE ARE ALL OF THE LOCATIONS.
SO DISTRICT THREE CAN VOTE UTR GV, RIGHT? YEAH.
DISTRICT THREE WOULD VOTE AT U-T-R-G-V, UH, DISTRICT FOUR WOULD VOTE AT BOWIE AND DISTRICT FIVE WOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND STEWART PLACE ELEMENTARY.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING THAT THAT WAS, THEY HAD TO GO TO THEIR PRECINCT ON ELECTION DAY? ON ELECTION DAY ON, ON ELECTION DAY THEY DO.
SO ON ELECTION DAY, IF YOU'RE IN DISTRICT THREE, YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE CLINIC TO UTR GV ON DISTRICT FOUR, YOU HAVE TO GO TO BOWIE DISTRICT FIVE, YOU HAVE TO, YOU CAN EITHER GO TO CONVENTION CENTER OR STEWARD PLACE ON ELECTION DAY.
BUT EARLY VOTING YOU CAN GO WHEREVER TO CITY HALL CONVENTION CENTER? YES.
THANKS VERY, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.
IS THERE ANY OTHER, UH, DISCUSSION? NOPE.