[00:00:03]
[PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING]
CITY COUNCILS CONVENED AN OPEN SESSION THAT ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER ELLI.OH, HI, ANTHONY
THE COUNCIL WILL NOW RECESS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN TRAINING ROOM A TO HOLD THE CLOSED EXECUTIVE MEETING PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF VERNON'S TEXAS CODE'S ANNOTATED GOVERNMENT CODE CHAPTER 5 51.
THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AUTHORITY CONTAINED IN SECTION 5 51 0 71 TO CONSULT WITH THE ATTORNEY AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE AND DISCUSS LITIGATION.
INADEQUATE THE PLAINTIFF, CITY COUNCIL PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING IS RECONVENED IN AN OPEN SESSION.
ALL COUNSEL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COUNCIL MEMBER SHELBY WILLIAMS. COUNCIL MEMBER RICK ELLI WILL BE ON ZOOM.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ITEM ONE.
OUR FIRST ITEM IS PRELIMINARY AGENDAS, UH, CONSIDERATION AND ACTION RESULTING IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
NEXT ITEM IS APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE CULTURAL ARTS PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'M THE DOWNTOWN PLANO MANAGER.
SO, UM, LAST YEAR AROUND THIS TIME, THE COLLABORATIVE ARTS OF PLANO HAD A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT PRESENTED TO YOU ALL, UM, REGARDING AN ARTS PLAN FOR THE CITY.
AND THAT STARTED THE CONVERSATION, UM, THAT WE NEED A CITYWIDE ALL INCLUSIVE CULTURAL ARTS PLAN THAT WE CAN STRATEGICALLY BUILD OUR ARTS PROGRAM AROUND IN PLANO.
AND FUNDING WAS ADDED TO THE BUDGET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR A CONSULTANT.
AND WE'RE WORKING, UM, WITH PURCHASING CURRENTLY ON SECURING THAT CONSULTANT.
WE'LL BRING TO THAT TO YOU IN EARLY 2024.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE WANTED TO RECRUIT A DIVERSE GROUP OF OUR CITIZENS TO SERVE AS A CONSISTENT BOARD FOR THE CONSULTANT DURING THE WHOLE PROCESS OF CREATING THE CULTURAL ARTS PLAN.
SO THIS WOULD BE AN ADVISORY BOARD IN MAKING SURE THAT, UM, ALL OF OUR DIVERSE GROUPS ARE REPRESENTED ON THIS.
UH, IT WOULD BE, THEY WOULD MOST LIKELY MEET FOUR TO FIVE TIMES WITH THE CONSULTANT THROUGH THE CREATION OF THE PLAN.
UM, SO THEN WE STARTED TO GET AN APPLICATION.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THERE'D BE ABOUT 15 PEOPLE ON THIS, ON THIS COMMITTEE.
SO THEN WE STARTED RECRUITING FOR APPLICATIONS AND THEN MET WITH OUR COUNCIL LIAISONS, UH, DEPUTY MAYOR, PRO TIM TWO, AND COUNCIL PERSON HOMER TO NARROW DOWN THE SELECTION, UM, TO 17, WHICH YOU SEE IN THE MEMO THERE, THE CRITERIA WAS THAT THEY MUST BE A, A RESIDENT OF PLANO AND THAT THEY CAN'T BE SERVING ON ANY OTHER KIND OF BOARD CURRENTLY.
MAINLY BECAUSE OUR ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WILL HAVE THEIR SPECIFIC TIME WITH THE CONSULTANT.
SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING PLENTY OF PUBLIC INPUT.
SO WE'RE JUST COMING TONIGHT TO GET APPROVAL FOR THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MICHELLE? IS EVERYBODY, UH, CAN I GET A A, A NOD OR A, A HAND VOTE THAT YOU'RE OKAY MOVING FORWARD? ALL GOOD.
UH, COMPREHENSIVE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
I'M THE FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY, AND I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE COMPREHENSIVE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
THIS ACTUALLY IS GOING TO BE OUR YEAR END NUMBERS BECAUSE WE HAVE A FISCAL YEAR, END OF SEPTEMBER 30TH.
SO WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW PRELIMINARILY IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE DONE.
THE AUDIT ISN'T TOTALLY COMPLETE YET, BUT IT'S CLOSE.
SO THESE NUMBERS ARE GONNA BE VERY CLOSE.
THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS OUR REVENUES COMPARED TO BUDGET BY FUND.
THE GENERAL FUND HAS REVENUES OF 342.9 MILLION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
THIS REPRESENTS A HUNDRED 0.1% OF OUR TOTAL ANNUAL BUDGET.
THE WATER AND SEWER FUND HAS 212.7 MILLION IN REVENUES, AND THAT REPRESENTS 104% OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL BUDGET.
THIS SLIDE IS OUR EXPENDITURES COMPARED TO BUDGET BY FUND.
THE GENERAL FUND HAS EXPENDITURES OF 320.1 MILLION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
THIS REPRESENTS 99.5% OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL BUDGET.
SO WE DID KEEP THE EXPENDITURES UNDER THE TOTAL ANNUAL BUDGET FOR THE GENERAL FUND.
AND THE WATER AND SEWER FUND HAS EXPENDITURES OF 1 66 0.9 MILLION, AND THAT ALSO IS UNDER BUDGET.
IT'S AT 96.7% OF THE TOTAL ANNUAL.
THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS OUR NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE FOR THE
[00:05:01]
PAST THREE YEARS.IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, THE FUND BALANCE HAS DECREASED BY 12.3 MILLION.
THIS IS OVER $10 MILLION LOWER THAN WHERE WE WERE TRENDING IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR AT THIS TIME WHERE THE FUND BALANCE HAD ONLY DECREASED BY 3 MILLION.
THE WATER AND SEWER FUND BALANCE HAS INCREASED BY 13.6, UM, MILLION DOLLARS.
THIS IS BETTER THAN PRIOR YEAR WHERE WE HAD A FUND BALANCE INCREASE OF 12.2.
SO WE'RE DOING A LITTLE BETTER IN THE WATER AND SEWER FUND.
AND THEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL WASTE SERVICES FUND HAS DECREASED BY 200,000, AND THE MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE FUND HAS DECREASED BY 520,000.
OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUES ARE HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR YEAR.
BY 15.1 MILLION, THERE WAS A DECREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE OF $226,000.
THERE YOU'LL SEE AN OFFSETTING INCREASE IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.
SO OVERALL, OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUES ARE UP SLIGHTLY, BUT I DIDN'T WANNA MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THE PROPERTY TAXES OVERALL HAD DECREASED.
THE SALES TAX REVENUE HAS INCREASED BY 5.8 MILLION OVER THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR.
FRANCHISE FEE REVENUE HAS INCREASED BY 1 MILLION DUE TO INCREASED USAGE OF GAS AND ELECTRICITY AND INTEREST INCOME INCREASED BY 7.6 MILLION.
GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES ARE HIGHER THAN THE PRIOR YEAR BY 29.2 MILLION.
OF COURSE, A LOT OF THIS IS DRIVEN BY PERSONNEL COSTS THAT INCREASED BY 16.1 MILLION DUE TO A 3.5% SALARY INCREASE EFFECTIVE IN OCTOBER OF 2022.
COST FOR MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, OF COURSE, NOT SURPRISINGLY, THOSE HAVE INCREASED BY 901,000.
UM, AND THEN CONTRACTUAL AND PROFESSIONAL FEES INCREASED BY 6.9 MILLION, AND THAT'S DUE TO OUR INCREASED TRAVEL AND TRAINING AND MUNICIPAL GARAGE CHARGES.
SO OUR HEALTH CLAIMS FUND HAD A DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT 2.6 MILLION.
THIS IS MOSTLY DUE TO AN INCREASE IN HEALTHCARE EXPENSES AS WE KNOW THAT INDUSTRY.
THE HEALTHCARE EXPENDITURES ARE OUR CREASING.
WE HAD SEVERAL LARGE CLAIMANTS.
THIS FUND HAS A FUND BALANCE OF 4.1 MILLION AT YEAR END.
WE'RE INCREASING PREMIUMS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES BEGINNING IN JANUARY, AS WELL AS SOME PLAN DESIGN CHANGES THAT WE HOPE WILL PROVIDE SOME RELIEF TO THE FUND.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN JUNE, WERE AT 3.6% AND WENT UP SLIGHTLY TO 3.7% IN SEPTEMBER.
OUR SALES TAX FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER WERE UP COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR BY 3.84%.
OVERALL, OUR SALES TAX NUMBERS ARE LOOKING VERY GOOD.
THEY'RE CONTINUING TO HOLD STEADY AND GO UP SLIGHTLY HERE.
WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE REAL ESTATE MARKET RECAP, WE SEE THAT THE NUMBER OF DAYS ON THE MARKET WAS 19 DAYS IN JUNE.
THIS COMPARES TO 28 DAYS IN SEPTEMBER.
SO SEPTEMBER, THE HOUSING WAS ON THE MARKET JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
ASKING PRICE IN JUNE WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT IN THAT DECREASE TO 99% IN SEPTEMBER.
THE MEDIAN SELLING PRICE FOR A HOME IN PLANO WAS AT 542,000 IN JUNE, AND THEN THAT DECREASED TO 506,000 IN SEPTEMBER.
THE PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT IN JUNE WAS $224 COMPARED TO 225 IN SEPTEMBER.
OUR HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX IS UP BY 1.4 MILLION COMPARED TO THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR.
AND THEN THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS OUR EQUITY AND TREASURY POOL.
UM, IT'S OUR INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO.
AND HOW MUCH OF THE INVESTMENTS ARE OWNED BY EACH FUND.
AS ALWAYS, THE LARGEST PORTION OF THIS IS GOING TO BE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUND.
THAT'S 42% OF THE EQUITY IN THE MAJORITY.
THAT IS GONNA BE THE BOND PROCEEDS THAT ARE IN THAT FUND.
WE RECEIVE OUR BOND PROCEEDS IN JUNE, SO THERE'S ONLY BEEN A FEW MONTHS FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO START SPENDING THAT DOWN.
THIS IS OUR PORTFOLIO MATURITIES.
AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE A LOT OF LIQUIDITY.
THERE'S 49% IN THE ZERO TO ONE YEAR CATEGORY, BUT, UM, WE'LL BE TRYING TO, TO MOVE THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT SO THAT WE CAN CAPTURE SOME RETURN, A LITTLE MORE YIELD ON IT FOR THE LONGER TERM INVESTMENTS.
AND THEN THIS IS OUR DIVERSIFICATION.
YOU KNOW, AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY ONE, UM, ANY ONE INVESTMENT BE GREATER THAN 50% OF THE PORTFOLIO.
OUR LARGEST INVESTMENT CONTINUES TO BE MUNICIPAL BONDS BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME PRETTY DECENT YIELDS ON THOSE.
AND, UM, WE'RE VERY DIVERSIFIED, WHICH IS WHAT YOU WANNA SEE.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
[00:10:02]
THANK YOU.OUR NEXT ITEM IS ITEM FOUR PRESENTATION REGARDING POLICY GOVERNING REQUESTS FOR NEW AGENDA ITEMS. ANDREW? WELL, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ANDREW FORTUNE, DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.
UH, IF YOU WOULD RECALL, COUNCIL HAS DIRECTED STAFF TO BRING FORWARD, UM, A NEW POLICY GOVERNING, UH, REQUESTS FOR NEW AGENDA ITEMS, UH, FOR COUNCIL.
WE ALSO EXPANDED THAT TO OUR, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AS WELL.
UM, AND SO, UH, HAPPY TO SAY THAT, UH, WE'VE TAKEN YOUR FEEDBACK.
WE'VE DEVELOPED A PROCESS THAT WE THINK, UH, YOU'LL FIND SUITABLE.
I'D LIKE TO WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS, BUT FIRST I WANTED TO PROVIDE A COUPLE HIGH LEVEL UPDATES.
WE ARE WORKING WITH TECHNOLOGY SERVICES TO DIGITIZE THE PROCESS.
ALTHOUGH THAT MAY TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
WE'RE DEVELOPING A, UH, FORM BASED, UH, APPROACH THAT YOU COULD TO DO IN THE MEANTIME, ASSUMING THAT YOU PASSED THE RESOLUTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA THIS EVENING.
UM, OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AS I MENTIONED, WILL FOLLOW A SIMILAR PROCESS AND I'LL HIGHLIGHT, UH, THE SMALL DIFFERENCE, UH, THAT WILL BE OUTLINED THERE.
UH, I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE OUR LEGAL TEAM RIGHTLY POINTED OUT THAT OUR QUASI-JUDICIAL BOARDS, UH, WOULD BE EXEMPT FROM THIS PROCESS, IS THEY'RE GOVERNED BY A SEPARATE SET OF RULES.
UM, BUT FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, THIS WOULD BE A PROCESS THAT WOULD BE APPLICABLE.
AND SO, IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME, THIS IS A, UM, A EXCELLENT FLOW CHART THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.
BUT, UM, IT IS A VERY DETAILED PROCESS.
UM, SO THE THOUGHT BEHIND THIS IS IF ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD A NEW POLICY IDEA, UM, THEY WOULD, UH, PUT TOGETHER A, A MEMO, UM, ON THIS IDEA.
THEY'D, THEY'D ASK, UM, FOR FEEDBACK, UM, AND KINDA PRESENT THAT THEY'D ALSO TRADITIONAL TO OUR PROCESS WOULD RECEIVE A SECOND.
UM, THEY'D FIND ANOTHER, ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, WHO WOULD SECOND THAT.
AND WE WOULD AT THAT POINT DO A HIGH LEVEL STAFF REVIEW OF THE, UM, WORK, UH, REQUIRED TO RESPOND AT THAT REQUEST.
SO IF MAJOR STAFF TIME WAS DETERMINED, UH, REALLY IF IT'S GONNA BE MORE THAN AT A TWO HOUR KIND OF MEMO, UM, IN TERMS OF STAFF TIME, UH, THAT WOULD BE BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE COUNCIL TO VOTE ON AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND IF WE HAD A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL DIRECT, UH, STAFF THAT THAT WAS IN FACT SOMETHING THEY WANTED TO RESEARCH AND, AND REALLY INVESTIGATE FURTHER, UM, WE WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STAFF RESEARCH AT THAT TIME AND BRING FORWARD THAT ITEM AT A LATER DATE, UM, FOR COUNCIL DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION.
UM, NOW, UH, IF WE BACK UP IN THAT PROCESS, UM, IF, UH, THE COUNCIL DECLINES AND WE DON'T HAVE A MAJORITY VOTE, UM, THAT ITEM WOULD BE SHELVED FOR A SIX MONTH PERIOD BEFORE IT COULD BE BROUGHT FORWARD AGAIN FOR GREEK CONSIDERATION.
AND SO, UH, MOVING OFF OVER TO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, IT'S REALLY THE SAME PROCESS WITH SOME MINOR DIFFERENCES.
UM, WE'D HAVE A MEMBER OF OUR, OUR BOARD OF COMMISSION BRING FORWARD AN IDEA.
WE'D, UH, GET THROUGH THAT MEMO PROCESS.
THEY'D WANT A SECOND FROM, UH, THE SAME BOARD OF COMMISSION.
UM, AND AGAIN, IF MAJOR STAFF TIME WAS DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY, UH, TO ADDRESS THAT ITEM, THE MAJORITY OF THE BORDER COMMISSION WOULD VOTE AT THAT TIME ON WHETHER OR NOT TO ADVANCE THAT.
AND IF A MAJORITY VOTED TO ADVANCE IT, IT WOULD THEN COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AS A COUNCIL ITEM FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND NOW ANOTHER ITEM I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT A PART OF THE RESOLUTION, UH, THE MAYOR HAD APPOINTED AN AD HOC COMMITTEE.
WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING TODAY WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLI.
AND, UH, I'LL BE VISITING WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS AS WELL FOR FEEDBACK.
WE DO HAVE AN ESTABLISHED, UM, RULES AND PROCEDURES, UH, KIND OF OUTLINED FOR ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE TRAIN ON.
WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY A HIGH LEVEL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT, YOU KNOW, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND, UH, WHERE EACH, UH, MEMBER OF OUR ELECTED BODY AND APPOINTED BODY FIT INTO THE PROCESS.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
AND I LIKE HOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS WITH REGARDS TO, UM, UH, SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS THAT, THAT MAY BE IN THE THINKING IN OUR BRAINS MOVING FORWARD.
BUT ONE THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT FROM THIS PROCESS IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE OUR CITIZENS COME UP WHERE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEY ASK, THERE'S A PROBLEM THAT THEY HAVE, OKAY.
AND WE SAID THAT MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING FROM THAT, AFTER WE HAVE THAT DIALOGUE FROM THE PUBLIC COMMENT, THAT WE WANT TO BRING IT FORWARD FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION AS A FUTURE ITEM IN FRONT OF COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THAT INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS.
ARE WE STILL GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS WRITTEN PROCESS? SO COUNCILMAN THAT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD ALWAYS WANT TO DO IS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDED THAT THERE IS BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO PROVIDE COUNSEL
[00:15:01]
BEFORE DETERMINING THAT IT, IT WARRANTS, UH, A FULL BLOWN PRESENTATION.I, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS ADVISABLE FOR US TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE, THE COMPLAINT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE THAT FEEDBACK TO COUNSEL OF WHAT, UM, WHAT SOME ADDITIONAL DETAILS OR BACKSTORY MAY BE ON SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
SO THIS IN NO WAY PROHIBITS US FROM PROVIDING COUNSEL THAT INFORMATION AND THEN DECIDING WHETHER, UH, A PRESENTATION IS NEEDED AND JUST AGAIN, TO HELP THE CITIZEN WHO MM-HMM.
BROUGHT CITIZEN OR CITIZENS THAT BROUGHT THAT ISSUE TO US, RIGHT? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT FEEDBACK NOT ONLY AS INTERNAL TO COUNCIL, SO WE HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING PREPARE, BUT WHEN WE HAVE THAT COURSE OF THE MEETING THAT WE BRING IT TO THE CITIZENS.
AND, AND TYPICALLY IN THOSE, THOSE SORTS OF SITUATIONS WE'RE, UM, UH, GIVEN THAT INFORMATION, THE CONTACT INFORMATION OF THE CITIZEN, AND WE TYPICALLY FOLLOW BACK UP WITH THEM AS WELL ON, ON THOSE ISSUES.
UM, BUT WE'RE ALWAYS HAPPY TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CORRESPONDING WITH THEM IN A WAY THAT HELPS ANSWER QUESTIONS.
COUNCIL MEMBER PALMER, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
DO WE SUBMIT THE REQUEST TO THE CITY MANAGER OUTSIDE OF OUR PUBLIC MEETING? YEAH.
TRADITIONALLY THAT WOULD BE THE THOUGHT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAME UP WITH AN IDEA OF COUNCIL MEMBER AND YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD REALLY BE BENEFICIAL FOR NOT ONLY MY CONSTITUENTS, BUT THE CITY AS A WHOLE, YOU'D GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND HE WOULD HELP KIND OF GUIDE, YOU KNOW, IS THIS GONNA BE SOMETHING WE LOOK AT THIS PROCESS FOR? OR IS THIS SOMETHING MINOR THAT PERHAPS STAFF COULD ANSWER PRETTY QUICKLY FOR YOU? AND I, I APPRECIATE, I, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD POLICY.
MY ONLY CONCERN WITH THIS IS IF YOU NEED A SECOND BEFORE IT GOES TO THE CITY MANAGER BEING ABLE TO SECURE A SECOND WITHOUT VIOLATING THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, COULD WE JUST SEND IT TO THE CITY MANAGER AND HIM DISTRIBUTE IT TO THE COUNCIL TO SEE IF SOMEONE ELSE IS INTERESTED? ACTUALLY, THE, THE FIRST, THE FIRST ASPECT, AND I'M NOT GONNA GIVE LEGAL ADVICE 'CAUSE MY ATTORNEY ALWAYS TELLS ME NOT TO.
UM, BUT YOU'RE TWO MEMBERS DOES NOT, UH, CONSTITUTE AN OPEN MEETING.
SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABLE TO SOLICIT A SECOND, UM, EASILY.
SO WHAT IF THE SECOND SAYS NO, AND THEN THE THIRD SAYS NO, AND THEN THE FOURTH SAYS, NO
YOU CAN DO THAT EITHER AT ANY TIME.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO IT AT A COUNCIL MEETING.
YOU CAN DO THAT AT THAT TIME AS WELL.
I THINK SO YOU CAN DO IT AS PART OF THE MEETING AS WELL.
OH, AND, UH, UH, MR. MAYOR, I HAD, UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION AS WELL.
UH, I, I HAD, OH, THANK, THANK YOU, MAYOR.
I HAD, UH, LIKE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HORNE AND COUNCIL MEMBER HOMER.
IT'S A WONDERFUL WELL THOUGHT OUT POLICY.
I ALSO HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW SOME OF THE DETAILS WOULD PLAY OUT, AND I ASKED CITY MANAGER, ISRAEL, SEND THOSE QUESTIONS OVER EMAIL.
AND ONE THAT I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE FACT THAT, UH, SOMETIMES TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS MAY WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ON AN AGENDA THAT MAY NOT REQUIRE STAFF WORK OR STAFF PREPARATION.
UH, AND MAY MAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WANT TO PUT AN ITEM ON AN EXECUTIVE SESSION DISCUSSION WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO GO THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THESE BOXES THAT HAVE US HAVING A DISCUSSION IN, IN OUR OPEN MEETING AND PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING.
YOU KNOW, IF IT IS THE KIND OF MATTER THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY MANAGER CONFIRMED THAT THE INTENT IS STILL THE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD, COULD PUT THAT WHEREVER IT'S APPROPRIATE.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PRELIMINARY OPEN MEETING, COULD BE EXECUTIVE SESSION, COULD BE A WORK SESSION OR, OR RETREAT WHEREVER IT'S APPROPRIATE.
UM, THAT COULD GO, AND THAT THIS IS REALLY TARGETED TOWARD PROTECTING STAFF RESOURCES FROM BEING OVERUSED BY SOMETHING THAT MAY BE A PRIORITY FOR, FOR ONE OR TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT IS NOT A PRIORITY OF A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA AND I, I'M SUPPORTIVE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER RICK.
I THINK THIS IS VERY WELL I WOULDN'T HAVE EXPECTED ANY LESS FROM, FROM YOU, UH, THOUGHT OUT THE PROCESS.
MY ONLY CONCERN WITH IT IS, UH, AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE, WE DO REPRESENT, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS IN OUR CITY.
AND THE, THE PROCESS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE A CONCERN AND THEY BOTH EXPRESS THAT CONCERN AND THEY SUBMIT THE REQUEST TO THE CITY MANAGER, THEN IT'S ADDED TO THE AGENDA AND WE DISCUSS IT.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND BALANCING THAT WITH POTENTIAL TO USE HOURS AND HOURS OF STAFF, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES.
UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS MAY WE HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD THE OCCASION WHERE A REQUEST LIKE THAT HAS UTILIZED HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS OF, OF STAFF RESOURCE.
[00:20:01]
AGAIN, LOOKING NOT AT THIS COUNCIL BY ANY MEANS, BUT DOWN THE ROAD, UM, JUST FOR INSTANCE, LET'S SAY WE DIDN'T ALWAYS OR WON'T ALWAYS HAVE AS SO CO COHESIVE AND RESPECTFUL STAFF AS WE COUNCIL, AS WE HAVE NOW.AND MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THAT WERE THE CASE, YOU COULD HAVE SOMEBODY'S REPRESENTATION TOTALLY SHUT OUT BECAUSE COUNCIL WOULDN'T, WOULDN'T VOTE ON IT OR WOULD VOTE AGAINST IT AND NOT LET IT COME, UH, FOR DISCUSSIONS.
BUT THAT MAY BE OVERRIDDEN BY, IF I UNDERSTOOD CORRECTLY, WE WILL STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AT ITEM SIX COUNCIL ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION, UH, ACTION ON FUTURE AGENDAS TO ADD IT THERE WITHOUT THIS PROCESS.
IS THAT, AM I READING THAT OR UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY? SO COUNCILMAN THAT AND, AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT BECAUSE I, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING TO SOLIDIFY THE STAFF SIDE OF THINGS AS FAR AS STAFF RESOURCES.
AND THIS, THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US THAT WE'VE, UM, WE'VE GONE THROUGH SOME PERIODS OF, OF VISITING AND REVISITING AND REVISITING, UM, SOME TOPICS THAT HAVE TAKEN UP QUITE A BIT OF STAFF TIME.
AND THE CONCERN IS, IS, IS TAKING, UM, STAFF OFF OF COUNCIL PRIORITIES AND, AND KIND OF GOING DOWN, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS AGENDAS THAT MAY NOT BE SHARED BY THE ENTIRE COUNCIL.
SO WE DON'T WANT TO IN ANY WAY, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MINIMIZE THE NEED FOR, FOR EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER TO HAVE A VOICE, BUT WE THINK IT'S STILL STILL COMPLIES WITH THE TWO COUNCIL MEMBER RULE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S STILL THERE, AND YOU CAN DO THAT THROUGH MULTIPLE PROCESSES.
YOU CAN DO IT AT THE, THE COUNCIL DAIS, BUT WHEN IT GETS TO THE POINT OF ACTUALLY REDIRECTING COUNCIL, UM, OR STAFF RESOURCES, WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IF THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY ALIGNED WITH THE, THE BUDGET THAT WE'VE PASSED, THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE'VE PASSED, THAT WE GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THE REST OF COUNCIL, THAT Y'ALL WANT US TO REDIRECT RESOURCES AND MAKE THOSE THINGS HAPPEN AS A BODY.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY THE INTENT OF THIS.
SO IT'S IN, IN NO WAY MEANT TO, TO, UM, DENY ANY, ANY ABILITY TO, TO PUT THINGS ON THE AGENDA.
THE CHALLENGE, IT BECOMES THIS, THIS ASPECT OF, YOU KNOW, IF, IF COUNCIL'S GONNA CONTINUE TO ADD THINGS TO THE AGENDA, TIME OVER TIME, UM, THAT DELAY, UH, ESPECIALLY IF THE BODY HAS SAID NO, WE DON'T WANT TO DEDICATE RESOURCES TO THAT, IS GIVING A A, A COOLING OFF PERIOD, IF YOU WILL, OR A STAYING PERIOD, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF MONTHS THAT COUNSEL DOESN'T HAVE TO CONTINUE TO REVISIT THE EXACT SAME TOPIC OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND, AND AGAIN, MY CONCERN IS OBVIOUSLY NOT WITH THIS BODY AT AT ALL.
UM, AND I THINK WHEN IT WAS, IF IT IS PUT TOGETHER AND THIS, UH, WE, WE PUT THIS IN PLACE THAT, UH, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DISCUSS IT MM-HMM.
AND, AND IT MIGHT GET, GET VOTED DOWN IF ENOUGH COUNCIL MEMBERS THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY NOT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE WANNA LOOK AT, BUT AS AGAIN, AS LONG SO NOBODY GETS SHUT OUT, AS LONG AS WE HAVE SIX WHERE WE WILL STILL, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
IF WE THINK SOMETHING IMPORTANT, WE, THE TWO OF US BOTH SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADD THAT ON THE AGENDA, YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF THE TIME AND EFFORT IT'S GONNA TAKE.
SO, NO SIR, I THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO, I UNDERSTAND WE'RE TRYING TO DO, I THINK THAT'S GOOD THAT THIS GIVES US A CHANCE TO PUT IT IN, IN WRITING AND KIND OF SET OUT WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THE THOUGHT PATTERN IS, WHAT THE COUNCIL MEMBER WISHES TO ACCOMPLISH, AND THEN COUNCIL CAN DISCUSS IT.
AND IT, IT MAY VERY WELL BE THAT WHEN THE FEEDBACK COMES FROM YOUR OFFICE TO WHATEVER COUNCIL PERSON IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GONNA TAKE TWO DAYS OF SOMEBODY'S TIME AND, AND IT MAY, THEY MAY GO, OH, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE THAT.
SO AGAIN, I THINK AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE BALANCE RIGHT THAT WE HAVE HERE, I'M OKAY WITH IT.
BUT I JUST WANNA EXPRESS THAT CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE ROAD SURE IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE AN ISSUE.
WELL, AND COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE WAY THAT THIS IS, THIS IS A, A COUNCIL POLICY AND THOSE THINGS CAN AND, UH, DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE CHANGED IN THE FUTURE.
SO IF, IF THIS GETS TO THE POINT WHERE, UH, IT'S NOT WORKING, I'LL BE THE FIRST ONE TO BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL AND SAY, THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T WORKING IN A WAY THAT, UH, THAT MAKES SENSE FOR STAFF OR FOR COUNCIL.
SO, UH, OUR COMMITMENT IS TO GO DOWN THIS PATH AND WE THINK THIS ADDS SOME STRUCTURE AND SOME STABILITY TO, UH, HOW RESOURCES ARE USED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO, TO ALSO BRING THIS BACK AFTER A YEAR AND LET US REVISIT IT IN TOTAL AND SEE IF, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COUNCIL WANTS TO STICK WITH.
YEAH, I THINK ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I'VE SEEN WITH WHEN WE JUST, HE'S THE MAYOR SAYS ITEMS FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION AND SOMEBODY JUST THROWS SOMETHING UP AND THEN WE ALL LIKE, OH, SHOULD WE DO THAT? NONE OF THE REST OF US HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON IF WE, YOU KNOW, TO REALLY ANALYZE.
AND AT THAT POINT WE CAN'T REALLY DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IT'S AN ITEM FOR THE FUTURE AGENDA AND IT'S HARD FOR US TO MAKE A REALLY EDUCATED DECISION WITHOUT HAVING THE INFORMATION.
[00:25:01]
POLICY, IT WILL COME TO US WITH MORE INFORMATION, SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE A MORE EDUCATED DECISION ON IF THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANNA SPEND TIME DISCUSSING VERSUS JUST PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THROWING IDEAS OUT AND THEN US BEING AWKWARDLY LIKE, WELL, WE ARE SAYING, WELL, WE CAN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT IT.AND US BEING LIKE, WELL THEN I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD DO THIS OR NOT.
ITEM FIVE, CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDAS.
ANY ITEM, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE? OKAY.
ITEM SIX, COUNCIL ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION, ACTION.
ALRIGHT, WE WILL, UH, WE'LL TAKE A RECESS AND RETURN AT SEVEN O'CLOCK.