* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] I NOW DECLARE THE PLAINTIFF CITY COUNCILS CONVENED AN OPEN SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MAYOR PRO TEM CASEY PRINCE. OUR FIRST ITEM THIS [1) Consideration of a Resolution to canvass the election returns of the General Election of May 8, 2023, for the election of four members of Council [Places 1, 3, 5 and 7] for a term of four years; declaring the results; and resolving other matters on the subject.] EVENING IS CANVASSING THE ELECTION RESULTS. LISA, PLEASE PROCEED. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL. BEFORE WE BEGIN THE CANVAS, LET ME REVIEW SOME INFORMATION RELATED TO THE MAY 6TH GENERAL ELECTION. THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE MAINTAINS THE FULL REPORTS USED IN THIS CANVAS. RESULTS ARE FROM BOTH COLLIN AND DENTON COUNTIES. EACH INCLUDES CERTIFICATION THAT THE COUNTIES HAVE CHECKED AND COMPARED ALL BALLOTS TABULATED FOR THE CITY OF PLANO GENERAL ELECTION. INCLUDED IN THE CANVASSING DOCUMENTS ARE A SUMMARY REPORT AND INDIVIDUAL REPORTS FROM EACH ENTITY. PLANO HAS 177,962 REGISTERED VOTERS AND A TOTAL OF 68 PRECINCTS WHEN YOU'RE REVIEWING THE REPORTS, THE TERM CONTEST TOTALS INDICATES THE NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS THAT CAST BALLOTS FOR THIS ELECTION. THAT WAS 20,327 OR 11.42% OF VOTERS. WHEN IT SAYS VOTE CAST, THIS INDICATES THE NUMBER OF VOTES ACTUALLY CAST IN EACH RACE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS ONLY VOTED IN ONE OF THE RACES AND DID NOT VOTE IN OTHERS. THESE UNCAST BALLOTS ARE REFLECTED BY TIMES BLANK VOTED OR UNDER VOTES. TIMES OVER VOTED INDICATES IF A VOTER SELECTED MORE THAN ONE CHOICE IN A RACE, IF THIS OCCURS, THE BALLOT BOARD REVIEWS ALL OVER BALLOT, OVER VOTED BALLOTS TO DETERMINE IF THEY CAN PROVE VOTER INTENT. IN THIS ELECTION, THERE WERE NO OVER VOTES. 287 INDIVIDUALS VOTED VIA MAIL OR ABSENTEE BALLOT. SEVEN PROVISIONAL BALLOTS WERE CAST, TWO OF WHICH WERE COUNTED. WE'LL NOW BEGIN CANVASING THE GENERAL ELECTION, A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PLANO, TEXAS CANVASSING THE ELECTION RETURNS FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION OF MAY 6TH, 2023 FOR THE ELECTION OF FOUR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL PLACES 1, 3, 5, AND SEVEN FOR A TERM OF FOUR YEARS. DECLARING THE RESULTS AND RESOLVING OTHER MATTERS ON THE SUBJECT. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VOTES CAST FOR EACH CANDIDATE FOR CITY COUNCIL IS AS FOLLOWS. PLACE NUMBER ONE, MARIA. TWO. UNOPPOSED RECEIVED 12,019 VOTES. PLACE NUMBER THREE, RICK HORN RECEIVED 10,334 VOTES. COLLEEN AGUILAR EPSTEIN RECEIVED 8,886 VOTES PLACE NUMBER FIVE, SHELBY WILLIAMS RECEIVED 10,332 VOTES. BRETT COOPER RECEIVED 8,782 VOTES. PLACE NUMBER SEVEN, JULIE HOMER. UNOPPOSED RECEIVED 12,356 VOTES. THIS CONCLUDES THE CANVAS OF THE GENERAL ELECTION. THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE CANVAS RESOLUTION AS PRESENTED? MOTION TO APPROVE AS A AS PRESENTED. AND SECOND. THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE CANVAS RESOLUTION. AND WE'RE GONNA RAISE OUR HANDS. ALL IN FAVOR. MOTION PASSES. SEVEN TO ZERO. IT WAS REALLY CLOSE. . WE'LL NOW HAVE THE [2) Oath of Office for Incoming Council Members] OATH OF OFFICE FOR INCOMING COUNCIL MEMBERS. MARIA? YES. ALL RIGHT. DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF OFFICE, PLANO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER ONE OF THE CITY OF PLANO, STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE AND THE CHARTER, AND THE ORDINANCES OF THIS CITY? AND FURTHERMORE, YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, OFFERED, PROMISED TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED NOR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY OR VALUABLE THING OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT AS A REWARD FOR GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH YOU WERE ELECTED. SO HELP YOU GOD. YES. . CONGRATULATIONS. [00:05:09] THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. OH YEAH. THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. PLACE THREE. RICK HORN. WOO. DO YOU SW SWALLOW, SWALLOW, SOLEMN? DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF OFFICE P PLANO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER THREE OF THE CITY OF PLANO, STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE AND THE CHARTER AND THE ORDINANCES OF THE CITY, AND THAT YOU FURTHERMORE, SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, OFFERED, PROMISED TO PAY CON CONTRIBUTED, NOR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY OR VALUABLE THING OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT AS A REWARD FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION AT WHICH YOU WERE ELECTED. SO HELP YOU GOD. I DO. CONGRATULATIONS, KAREN. YEAH. COME ON NOW. NOW I HAVE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TWO BOSSES, THIS BOSS. NOW I HAVE ANOTHER ONE. . PLACE FIVE. SHELBY WILLIAMS. WE'RE GOOD. YAY. YAY. COME ON DOWN. HUH? MY OLDEST DAUGHTER ISN'T HERE YET, SO, UH, I'D LIKE TO DEFER TO JULIE HOMER. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GONNA SLOW WALK THIS . WE'RE GONNA SLOW WALK THIS PLACE. SEVEN JULIE HOMER. YAY. READY? ALL RIGHT. DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF PLANO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE NUMBER SEVEN OF THE CITY OF PLANO, STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE AND THE CHARTER AND ORDINANCES OF THIS CITY? AND YOU, FURTHERMORE, SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, OFFERED, PROMISED TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED, NOR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY OR VALUABLE THING OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR UNEMPLOYMENT AS A REWARD FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION FOR WHICH YOU ARE ELECTED, SO HELP YOU GOD? YES. CONGRATULATIONS. [00:10:38] SURE. SLOW ROLL. A LITTLE. GOTTA HAVE THE PICTURE OF MY, I. YEAH, WE'RE SLOW. ROLLING, MAYOR. NO, YOU'RE FINE, YOU'RE FINE. WE GOT, WE GOT ALTERNATIVES. WE CAN DO IT. WHY DON'T WE DO, THAT'S THOUGH, IS THAT YOUR DAUGHTER OR YOUR WIFE? MY DAUGHTER, . OH YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. WE, UH, WE DO HAVE ONE [3) Remarks from Outgoing Council Members] OUTGOING COUNCIL MEMBER WHO HAS FINISHED THE RACE OF EIGHT YEARS. HE NO LONGER CAN CONSERVE ACCORDING TO OUR ORDINANCES, BUT HE HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB DURING THESE EIGHT YEARS, UH, FOR THE CITY OF PLANO. AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH, RICK. AND, UM, SO RATHER THAN HEAR FROM ME, I THINK EVERYONE WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU. AND, UH, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR, UH, YOUR THOUGHTS AS THIS IS, THIS IS YOUR MEETING. AND, UH, WE, WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF PLANO. WELL, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THIS WILL BE SORT OF A, UM, I'M GONNA SAY A BITTERSWEET, UM, UH, CONVERSATION. I WAS GONNA HAVE, UH, ANTHONY, UH, WRITE SOME REMARKS CUZ I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT IT. BUT AFTER HE GOT TO THE SIZE OF WAR IN PEACE, I DECIDED TO KNOW . I'LL GIVE YOU THE CLIFF NOTES VERSION. OKAY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. . UH, UM, FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT, THAT REALLY KNOW ME, UM, PROBABLY REALIZE THAT I HAVE A REALLY STRONG MILITARY BACKGROUND. UM, AND, AND I SPENT SIX YEARS, UM, ON ACTIVE DUTY, BUT I REALLY STARTED, UH, TECHNICALLY IN MY YOUTH WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD BECAUSE I GREW UP IN A MILITARY TOWN AND I JOINED THE AIR FORCE. UM, IT WAS THE AIR FORCE, UH, AUXILIARY CALLED CIVIL AIR PATROL, BUT STILL IT WAS A UNIFORM ON AN AIR BASE. UM, AND I ENJOYED IT, A GREAT DEAL. SO BY THE TIME THAT I WAS OUT OF COLLEGE, UM, AND IT WAS IN THE ARMY, UM, I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GO AND BE STATIONED, UM, OVERSEAS, UM, WITH A UNIT CALLED MILITARY SYSTEM COMMAND VIETNAM. UM, AND, UM, THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS WHILE WALKING THE HALLWAYS, I RAN INTO A GIANT STOCKY LIEUTENANT COLONEL, UM, WHO HAD A TEMPER FUSE. UH, VERY, A VERY SHORT, HE WAS THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF MCVIE AT THE TIME. UM, AND HIS NAME WAS NORMAN SCHWARTZKOFF . UM, AND HE TAUGHT ME SOMETHING THERE THAT STUCK WITH ME FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE IN ALL THE SERVICE THAT I'VE EVER DONE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND, AND WHAT HE SAID WAS THAT IT DOESN'T TAKE A HERO TO ORDER SOMEBODY IN BATTLE. IT TAKES A HERO TO BE ONE OF THOSE WHO GOES INTO BATTLE. UM, AND THAT STUCK WITH ME, UH, BECAUSE HIS LEADERSHIP STYLE WAS LEAD FROM THE FRONT AND NOT FROM BEHIND. HE CALLED THE BEHIND THE CESSPOOL. UM, AND HE DIDN'T EVER WANT TO BE THERE. SO, UM, I GOT TO KNOW HIM. UM, I, I WON'T SAY VERY WELL, HE WAS OBVIOUSLY THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND I WAS PRETTY LOW. UM, BUT HE, HE TAUGHT ME THE ROPES AND HE TAUGHT ME ABOUT WHERE I WAS GONNA BE FIRST STATION, WHICH WAS NORTH OF PLAKU AND WHAT WE CALLED TUCO, CENTRAL HIGHLANDS. UM, AND WHEN HE, UH, RETIRED, HE HAD A MESSAGE THAT WE CARRIED WHEN I WAS IN THE SERVICE, WHICH WAS WHEN THERE'S A CHANGE OF COMMAND, THERE'S THREE THINGS THAT THE COMMANDER HAS TO DO. UM, THE FIRST THING IS, IS HE NEEDS TO PREPARE THE COMMAND AND THE NEW COMMANDER. UM, THE SECOND THING THAT HE NEEDS TO DO IS [00:15:01] THANK THE COMMAND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. AND THE THIRD THING THAT HE NEEDS TO DO IS GET OUT OF THE WAY. UM, I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE PAST MANY DAYS, UM, TO PREPARE THE NEXT, UM, COMMANDER FOR THIS SEAT. UM, FORTUNATELY HE COMES TO THIS SEAT WITH A LOT LESS HAIR THAN I HAVE. UM, AND YOU'LL LOSE MORE . UM, SO BE PREPARED. UM, UM, BUT REALLY I WANTED TO SPEND SOME TIME JUST THANKING EVERYONE, UH, THAT, THAT HAS WORKED WITH ME AND FOR THIS COUNCIL. UM, OVER A PERIOD OF A VERY LONG TIME. UM, I SPENT, UM, SOMEWHERE NORTH OF 730 DAYS, UM, IN THE JUNGLES. UM, FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD A TOUGH TIME FIGHTING FOR THEIR OWN FREEDOM. UM, DURING THAT COURSE OF TIME, UH, I LOST AND WILL REMEMBER ON MEMORIAL DAY, UH, APROPO COMING UP, 105 MEN IN MY UNIT. UM, THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES FOR THE FREEDOM OF OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE PAST 18 YEARS, OR THREE TIMES LONGER THAN WHEN I WAS IN THE SERVICE. UM, I HAVE FOUGHT FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY. UM, 209,020 OF THOSE, OR FOUR TIMES MORE THAN I SPENT IN THE JUNGLE HAVE BEEN SITTING IN THIS SEAT TRYING TO HELP THE OTHER PEOPLE AROUND ME MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME. AND THEN GETTING OUT OF THE WAY AND LETTING THE CITIZENS HAVE THE CITY. UM, AND I SPENT, UM, SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO 12 YEARS, 10 YEARS ON, UM, PLANNING AND ZONING AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS DOING THE SAME THING. I, MY FEELING HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT OUR JOB HERE, AT LEAST MINE WHEN I LOOK AT IT, IS TO SERVE THE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T BE SERVED. THESE ARE THE HOMELESS, THE HUNGRY, THE HELPLESS, THE HAPLESS, THE NEGLECTED, THE OVERLOOKED, AND THE POORLY UNDERSTOOD. OTHER PEOPLE CAN FEND FOR THEMSELVES, BUT THESE PEOPLE CAN'T. THAT'S MY JOB. UM, AND SO I'M GOING TO GIVE THE COUNCIL AND EVERYONE MY OWN SELF-REFLECTIONS. UM, WHEN THERE IS A SPEAKER AT THE DIAS, UM, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME FOCUSING ON WHAT THE SPEAKER HAD TO SAY. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME TAKING NOTES AS TO WHAT THE SPEAKER WAS SAYING, AND THERE WAS A REASON FOR THAT. IT'S BECAUSE THAT AT THE MOMENT WAS WHAT WAS IMPORTANT AND I NEEDED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. I DIDN'T SPEND TIME TEXTING. I NEVER HAD MY PHONE OUT. I DIDN'T HAVE SIDEBAR CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE IT'S RUDE TO THE PERSON AT THE DIAS. I FOCUSED ALL MY DISCUSSIONS, EITHER ON THE PEOPLE THAT WERE AT THE DIAS OR WHEN WE WOULD HAVE CONVERSATIONS IN OUR DISCUSSIONS AROUND WITH OUR PEERS HERE. I FOCUSED ON THEM AND NOT THE AUDIENCE BECAUSE THE CONVERSATION WASN'T FROM ME TO THE AUDIENCE AT THAT TIME. IT IS TONIGHT, BUT IT WASN'T AT THAT TIME. THE DISCUSSION WAS HERE. AND SO MY OWN SELF-REFLECTIONS HAVE BEEN THE POLITENESS, UM, OF SPENT, OF SPENDING TIME REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ISSUE WAS, WHAT THE ISSUES WERE, AND HOW WE CAN SOLVE THEM. WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THE FIRST ONE WILL BE THE BUDGET. THE BUDGET WILL BE HUGE. MY ADVICE TO MY PEERS, THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WILL NOT WORK SIMPLE AS THAT. UM, IT IS SOMETHING WHERE OUR CITY NEEDS SOME HELP AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT VERY, VERY STRATEGICALLY. WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, ALMOST FIVE YEARS NOW, THAT HAS CAUSED THE EXPENSES TO CONTINUE TO RISE. THE REVENUE CONTINUED TO STAY FLAT. AND IF YOU RAN THAT AS A PRIVATE BUSINESS, YOU WOULD'VE GONE BROKE TWO YEARS AGO. IT CAN'T CONTINUE. UM, MY OWN INDIVIDUAL BELIEFS ALSO ARE THAT THERE ARE THOSE THAT HAVE VERY STRONG PASSIONS AND CONCERNS, AND THEY MAY SIT IN THE AUDIENCE, THERE MAY BE 50 OF 'EM OR 60 OF THEM, UM, AND THEY WILL RAISE THOSE CONCERNS VERY LOUDLY. BUT I THINK WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THERE'S 289,950 THAT ARE NOT SITTING HERE, AND THINGS SEEM TO BE FINE WITH MOST OF THEM. AND SO [00:20:01] WHAT WE HAVE TO DO AS A COUNCIL, WHAT I HAD TO DO AS MYSELF IS NOT BRING MY INDIVIDUAL BELIEFS, MY INDIVIDUAL, UM, POLITICAL STANDINGS TO THIS CHAIR. I HAD TO LOOK IN AND GET OUT OF MY OWN SHELL AND PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT WAS GOING ON AROUND ME AND GATHER THE INFORMATION THAT I NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION FOR THE OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES. IT DIDN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHETHER I AGREED WITH IT OR NOT. I NEEDED TO MAKE A DECISION THAT WAS BEST FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS CITY. WHETHER I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD DECISION FOR ME OR A BAD DECISION FOR ME WAS IRRELEVANT. AGAIN, IT CAME BACK FROM MY MILITARY DAYS. MY JOB WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT MY MEN GOT OUT OF THE FIELD ALIVE. AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT I SAT IN THIS SEAT. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND REALLY SAY A GREAT DEAL OF APPRECIATION TO A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HELPED ME OUT. UM, FIRST AND FOREMOST, DEEDEE, SHE HAS BEEN ON MY SIDE ALL THIS TIME AND SHE HAS BEEN MY RIGHT HAND PERSON AS I HAVE SPENT 2,920 DAYS ON THIS COUNCIL. AND I CAN'T THANK HER ENOUGH FOR MAKING SURE I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME WITH THE RIGHT THING TO SAY, THE RIGHT STUFF. UM, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE DID EVERY SINGLE DAY. I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST STEPPED ONTO COUNCIL AND SHE ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO CONTROL MY CALENDAR OR IF SHE WANTED TO CONTROL MY CALENDAR. AND I SAID, I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM CONTROLLING MY CALENDAR. SO I'VE DONE IT ALL MY LIFE. AND SO WITHIN FIVE DAYS, I HAD AN EVENT TO PLACE ON MY CALENDAR, UM, AND I PUT THE EVENT ON MY CALENDAR. IN, WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, DEEDEE CALLED AND SAID, DID YOU MEAN TO INVITE THE ENTIRE CITY STAFF TO THE EVENT ? AND I SAID, NO. UM, AND SHE SAID, THAT'S OKAY, I'LL FIX IT. AND FROM THAT POINT ON, I NEVER PUT ANOTHER THING ON MY CALENDAR EVER AGAIN, , I WANT TO THANK THE STAFF OF THIS CITY, ESPECIALLY THE LEADERSHIP TEAM. SOME OF 'EM ARE SITTING UP HERE, SOME OF 'EM ARE DOWN HERE, BUT, UM, LISA AND MARK AND PAIGE AND, AND ALL OF OUR CREW THAT USUALLY SITS OVER HERE ON THIS SIDE, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB THAT WE DO AND TALK ABOUT THE THINGS IF IT WASN'T FOR THESE PEOPLE FEEDING US THE INFORMATION. AND THEN, AND I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT REPORT TO THEM AS WELL, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO GO OUT, COLLECT ALL OF THIS STUFF AND FEED IT BACK TO US. I WANT TO THANK THE TEAMS THAT WE ALWAYS SEE, UM, TEAMS THAT WE NORMALLY SEE, LIKE OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OUR 9 1 1 OPERATORS. BUT THEN THE ONES THAT WE DON'T NORMALLY SEE. AND WE DON'T NORMALLY THINK OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, A CRITICAL DEPARTMENT LIKE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, LEAVE YOUR TRASH OUT TOO LONG, HAVE YOUR SEWER BACK UP. IT'S GOING TO BE A DISASTER. AND THERE ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES THAT PICK THAT UP EVERY SINGLE DAY. UM, THE ANIMAL SERVICES PEOPLE, THE LIBRARIES, UM, COUNTLESS OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE CITY THAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED AT TIMES, BUT THEY PROVIDE THE AMBIANCE THAT WE NEED AS A CITY. AND I THANK THEM FOR ALL OF THEIR WORK. I THANK MY PEERS AROUND THIS, THIS DIAS, UM, TO HELP ME AS I HAD QUESTIONS AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, HAVE CIVIL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ISSUES THAT WE MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE ON ENTIRELY. BUT AT LEAST WE UNDERSTOOD EACH OTHER. AND I'VE GROWN TO LIKE EACH OF THEM AS MY FRIEND OF VERY CLOSE FRIENDS. UM, AND I WILL MISS THAT TERRIBLY. UM, AND I HOPE TO KEEP IN CONTACT WITH THEM, BUT I MISS THAT KIND OF CONTACT THAT WE HAVE. UH, I THANK MY DAUGHTER FOR PUTTING UP WITH THIS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. UM, I THANK MY FRIENDS AND MY NEIGHBORS WHO TOOK CARE OF THE HOUSE WHEN I WENT ON FOUR AND FIVE DAY MISSIONS IN WASHINGTON, DC OR AUSTIN. UM, AND I THANK THE CITIZENS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME AS WELL. UM, AND REALLY, UM, REACHING OUT WHENEVER THEY HAD AN ISSUE. UM, MY NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET WHO WOULD COME OVER AND KNOCK ON MY DOOR AND SUNDAY AFTERNOON JUST TO TELL ME THAT THE STOP LIGHT DOWN ON THE CORNER IS NOT WORKING ANYMORE, . AND I JUST SIMPLY SAID, I'LL GET MY TOOL BELT AND GO AND FIX IT . UM, BUT FOR ALL OF THOSE THAT FEEL THAT I'M GOING TO STEP AWAY, UM, I'M NOT, I CAN'T, UM, I'VE GOT TOO MUCH HEART INVESTED IN THIS CITY AND TOO MUCH HEART INVESTED [00:25:01] IN THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS CITY THAT I CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY. SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU TWO PIECES OF INFORMATION. THE FIRST ONE IS MY EMAIL ADDRESS, RICK GRADY MSM.COM. WANNA GET CONTACT, SEND ME AN EMAIL, WANT TO TALK 2 1 4 7 2 8 2 2 7 4. GIVE ME A CALL. I DON'T CARE WHAT TIME IT IS. I'D JUST LIKE TO TALK AS FAR AS MY FUTURE IS CONCERNED, I'LL FIGURE THAT OUT STARTING TOMORROW. TODAY IS NOT THE DAY FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT THAT TODAY IS OUR NEWLY ELECTED COUNCIL MEMBER AND OUR REAPPOINTED COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, I CANNOT LET GO. I WILL NOT LET GO. I WILL NEVER GO. I WILL ALWAYS BE INVOLVED. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN STAY INVOLVED RIGHT NOW WITH THE BOARDS OF SIX NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. UM, I VOLUNTEER TO THE HEALTH AS MUCH AS I POSSIBLY CAN. I LOVE THIS CITY AND I LOVE THE CITIZENS WITHIN IT. UM, SO ALL I CAN SAY IS GOD BLESS YOU, GOD, KEEP YOU GOD SPEED TO YOU. UM, AND, UM, UH, I LOVE YOU ALL AND THERE AIN'T NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. THANK YOU, RICK. THIS IS JUST A SMALL TOKEN OF ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THE CITY OF PLANO. UH, WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. AND, AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, UH, FROM ALL OF US HERE ON COUNCIL, WE, WE ARE INSPIRED BY YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOUR WISDOM AND, AND JUST ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU GIVE US EACH TIME WE GET TOGETHER, IT'S, IT'S INVALUABLE AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. IT'S FROM MY HEAD, SHELBY WILLIAMS, PLACE FIVE. COME ON DOWN. ARE YOU READY? DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU'LL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF OFFICE OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE, PLANO CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, PLACE FIVE OF THE CITY OF PLANO, STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE AND THE CHARTER AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY. AND YOU FURTHERMORE, SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT YOU HAVE NOT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY PAID, OFFERED, PROMISED TO PAY, CONTRIBUTED NOR PROMISED TO CONTRIBUTE ANY MONEY OR VALUABLE THING OR PROMISED ANY PUBLIC OFFICE OR EMPLOYMENT AS A REWARD FOR THE GIVING OR WITHHOLDING OF A VOTE AT THE ELECTION FOR WHICH YOU WERE ELECTED. SO HELP YOU GOD. I DO. OKAY. FAMILY FIX. IT'S TIME TO TAKE A PICTURE OF YOU, [00:30:17] YOUR STUFF. CONGRATULATIONS, ALL OF THE NEW ELECTED. RICK, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO THE DI WOW. YOU KNOW HOW TO ADJUST THAT . I KNOW HOW TO ADJUST THIS, THAT WELCOME FROM ALL OF US. HAPPY FOR YOU HERE. AND WE, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU'RE YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST AND YOU'LL DO IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU C FELLOW COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU AUDIENCE FOR ATTENDING. I WANNA THANK THE CITIZENS OF PLANO FOR SUPPORTING ME AND VOTING ME IN THIS POSITION. I WANT TO THANK MY OPPONENT, COLLEEN AGUILAR EPSTEIN, WHO PROMISED TO RUN A CLEAN CAMPAIGN AND WE DID. I TRULY APPRECIATE THAT, COLLEEN AND I AND YOU'RE A SOLID PERSON AND I WISH YOU WELL IN THE FUTURE. OKAY. I THANK MY WIFE AND MY FAMILY FOR THE SUPPORT THAT THEY'VE GIVEN ME. UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ARE THE STRENGTH OF OUR FAMILIES, SO IT'S AN HONOR TO SERVE. IF I CAN DO HALF AS GOODEST JOB AS RICK GRADY DID, THEN I'VE SERVED THIS CITY WELL. SO THANK YOU ALL AND I LOOK FORWARD FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS. WE ARE ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.