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UH, GOOD EVENING AS WE HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.
[Charter Review Commission on April 11, 2024.]
I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSIONED ORDER AT 6:34 PM ON THURSDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2024.UH, BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, THIS IS OUR FINAL MEETING.
WE STARTED THIS PROCESS, UM, WELL BACK IN THE, I GUESS IT WAS IN SEPTEMBER, WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR ME WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU.
UM, SOME OF YOU I KNEW OF, NOT NECESSARILY A WHOLE LOT ABOUT, BUT I HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT YOU.
I KNOW YOU'D BEEN, YOU KNOW, LEADERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY, SOME, SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND I CAN SEE WHY, UH, NOW THAT I'VE SPENT SOME TIME WITH YOU, OTHERS, YOU KNOW, I, I, I WONDER WHY HAVEN'T THEY BEEN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL? THEY, I JUST THINK THIS GROUP HAS BROUGHT SO MUCH, UH, PROFESSIONALISM AND KNOWLEDGE, SUBJECT MATTER KNOWLEDGE, UH, ESPECIALLY TO THE TABLE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND WE WORK SO COHESIVELY.
I THINK WE COULD PICK THIS GROUP UP AND PLUG IN SOMEWHERE ELSE AND FIX SOME OTHER PROBLEMS, RIGHT? SO, I'M, I'M JUST HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH ALL OF YOU, AND NONE OF THIS WOULD'VE BEEN POSSIBLE, UH, WITHOUT OUR GREAT STAFF.
AND, UH, I KNOW I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSION WHEN I SAY THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF, UH, JAKE, KERRY WILLOW, LAURA ANNA, WHO'S NOW IN INDIANA.
UH, MAYBE SHE STILL LISTENS IN 'CAUSE SHE'S JUST SO HARDCORE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR YOUR PREPARATION, YOUR HARD WORK BEHIND THE SCENES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST DON'T SEE HAPPENING.
UH, WE HAVE A, A CARD FOR YOU TONIGHT AND, UH, COMMISSIONER HUNT, UH, HAS A CAKE, UH, THAT SHE'LL BRING OUT.
AND AS WE OPEN UP THE, THE PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT PART OF IT, IF Y'ALL WANT TO TEAR INTO IT, PLEASE DO SO.
CARRIE, JAKE, LAURA WILLOW, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SO AMAZING TO WORK WITH, AND YOU'VE WORKED SO HARD FOR US.
YOU'VE WORKED SO LONG FOR US, AND IT'S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE.
WE WANT US TO TAKE JUST A COUPLE MINUTES AND GET YOU GUYS TO, TO CUT THE CAKE IF WE COULD, MR. CHAIR, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
UH, I MEAN, THEY CAN SEE THE BIG OH, OKAY.
WELL, I, AND MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD SAY ONE LAST THING.
WE ALSO HAVE AMAZING SECURITY GUARDS WHO'VE BEEN HERE.
WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO YOU, AND Y'ALL HAVE TO HAVE SOME CAKE TOO.
UM, SO WE'LL MOVE ON WITH OUR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
WE, UH, STRICTLY ENFORCE THE TIME, SO, UM, I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE TIME IS UP.
WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
AND THERE THE MICROPHONE, UH, I BELIEVE THERE'S A BUTTON IN FRONT OF YOU TO TURN ON.
DO YOU SEE IT THERE? OKAY, I'M ON.
WELL, UM, THANK YOU CHAIRMAN COMMISSION MEMBERS AND THE AUDIENCE.
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AUDIENCE, BUT IT'S AN AUDIENCE.AND, UH, MY NAME'S BOB BURNS AND WE'RE ALL SPENDING OUR TIME HERE TODAY 'CAUSE WE CARE ABOUT OUR CITY.
THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WE'RE HERE.
WELL'S TAKE A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO THESE CHALLENGES YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN FACING.
AND I'M HERE AT SUCH A LATE DATE, BUT I JUST WASN'T AWARE THIS WAS GOING ON.
ANYHOW, TALKING ABOUT RANK CHOICE VOTING.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD A LOT OF EDUCATED PEOPLE SAY A LOT OF THINGS.
SO ALL I'M GONNA SAY IS MY OPINION IS NO.
AND MY IDEA IS LEAVE THE CHARTER ALONE AND ADDRESS IT IN 10 YEARS WHEN MORE DATA IS AVAILABLE.
I KNOW THE STATE HASN'T APPROVED IT, BUT IN GENERAL, AUTOMATIC TRIGGERS AS PROPOSED ARE NEVER A GOOD IDEA BECAUSE NONE OF US KNOWS THE FUTURE.
AND IF WE PASS SOMETHING TO SAY, IF THIS HAPPENS, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS IN DALLAS.
THAT'S MAYBE NOT A WISE THING TO DO.
'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THE FUTURE ON INCLUSION AND SERVING ON BOARDS AT, UM, SOMETIME EVERYONE, SOMEONE IN OUR, EVERY SOMEONE IN ALL OF OUR FAMILIES HAVE MADE AN EFFORT, A BIG EFFORT TO BECOME A CITIZEN SO THAT THEY AND THEIR DESCENDANTS COULD VOTE AND HAVE A SAY IN OUR GOVERNMENT.
IT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE TO BE A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OUR VOICES CANNOT BE DERAN, DISENFRANCHISED, DILUTED, OR CANCELED BY ANYBODY.
UH, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE NOT LEARNED THE AMERICAN VALUES RELATING TO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERSHIP AND THE RULE OF LAW, I BELIEVE THE WORDING SHOULD REMAIN AS CITIZENS IN ALL CASES ON CITY COUNCIL SALARIES.
IF WE WERE HAPPY WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS IN DALLAS, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
AND I, I'M SURPRISED THERE'S NOT MORE PEOPLE HERE.
WE ELECT PEOPLE TO BE STEWARDS OF OUR CITY ASSETS AND OUR TAX DOLLARS.
OUR CITY COUNCIL, OUR ASSETS ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED ON A DAILY BASIS.
I KNOW THAT IF I DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF A PLANT, THAT I WASN'T GONNA GET MONEY FROM MY MANAGEMENT TO GO, GO AND RESCUE ME.
I HAD TO PLAN FOR THAT AND DO IT EVERY DAY, EVERY WEEK HERE WE HAVE A CRISIS.
AND THE ANSWER IS MORE BOND MONEY TO THE RESCUE, WHICH IS MORE DEBT, WHICH IS MORE TAXES TO US.
OUR CITY COUNCIL'S ALSO APPROVING A HALF A MILLION DOLLAR PAYOUT TO OUR OUTGOING CITY MANAGER.
THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE CITY MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE SHORT A THOUSAND POLICE OFFICERS AND WE'RE HAVING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ANSWER POLICE CALLS.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA GIMME A YOU'RE RIGHT.
UH, I WASN'T, WHY WASN'T THE ONE DOING THIS THE TIME? WELL, I, I SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF IT THAT I'D LET HIM KNOW WHEN THREE MINUTES EXPIRED.
CAN I SAY ONE LAST SENTENCE? WELL, SIR, ACTUALLY I CAN'T LET YOU DO THAT.
'CAUSE WE GOTTA HAVE THE SAME RULES THAT APPLY TO EVERYBODY TO BE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT AND FAIR.
SO I'LL MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR YOU.
I GOTTA DO IT FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
ALRIGHT, MS. IS REGINA AND BRIA SHE SHOW UP? NO.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE PRESENT WHO HASN'T SIGNED UP THAT'D LIKE TO ADDRESS, UH, THE COMMISSION AT THIS TIME? ANYBODY? OKAY, SIR.
AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR GATHERING TODAY.
I STAND BEFORE YOU OR SIT TO DISCUSS WHY IMPLEMENTING RANK CHOICE VOTING IN DALLAS IS NOT IN OUR BEST INTEREST.
FIRST RANK CHOICE VOTING COMPLICATES THE ELECTORAL PROCESS.
OUR CURRENT SYSTEM IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
THE CANDIDATE WITH THE MOST VOTES WINS.
RANK CHOICE, HOWEVER, REQUIRES VOTERS TO RANK CANDIDATES IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE, WHICH CAN BE CONFUSING AND LEAD TO HIGHER RATES OF BALLOT SPOILAGE.
THIS COMPLEXITY COULD DISCOURAGE VOTER PARTICIPATION UNDERMINING THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
SECOND, WHILE PROPONENTS CLAIM RANKED CHOICE VOTING ELIMINATES THE SPOILER EFFECT, IT CAN ACTUALLY LEAD TO LESS REPRESENTATIVE OUTCOMES IN CITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED THIS SYSTEM.
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CANDIDATES WHO WERE NOBODY'S FIRST CHOICE ENDED UP WINNING BECAUSE THEY WERE A MIDDLE CHOICE.THIS CAN ALLOW CANDIDATE, A CANDIDATE WITH LIMITED DIRECT SUPPORT TO SNEAK THROUGH THE MIDDLE HARDLY A DEMOCRATIC OUTCOME.
LASTLY, OUR CURRENT ELECTORAL SYSTEM PROMOTES CLEAR DECISIVE MANDATES.
CANDIDATES MUST APPEAL TO A BROAD CROSS SECTION OF THE ELECTORATE TO WIN OUTRIGHT RANK CHOICE.
HOWEVER, MUDDIES THIS CLARITY, IT'S A SYSTEM WHERE A TACTICAL, VOTING AND SECOND CHOICES CAN OVERRIDE STRONG PRI PRIMARY PREFERENCES.
THEREFORE, WHILE INNOVATION IN OUR VOTING SYSTEM IS ALWAYS WORTH DISCUSSION, ADOPTING RANK CHOICE VOTING IN DALLAS WOULD NOT SERVE OUR CITY'S BEST INTERESTS.
IT INTRODUCES UNNECESSARY COMPLEXITY, RISKS DISENFRANCHISING VOTERS, AND COULD RESULT IN LESS DEMOCRATIC OUTCOMES.
LET US INSTEAD FOCUS ON STRENGTHENING THE INTEGRITY AND SIMPLICITY OF OUR CURRENT VOTING PROCESS.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN, I BELIEVE, AT THREE OF OUR MEETINGS NOW.
I CAN TELL YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT THIS CITY, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I THINK, DID YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? SURE.
UM, JUST TO FINISH WHAT BOB BURNS WAS SAYING, UM, IN TERMS OF THE SALARIES THAT THE CITY COUNTS, IN TERMS OF THE SALARIES THAT THE CITY COUNCIL IS VOTING THEMSELVES, UM, TWO THINGS.
ONE, UH, THEY DID CALL FOR AN INFLATION PACKAGE THAT GOES ALONG WITH THEIR SALARY.
AS INFLATION GOES UP, THERE WILL BE AN ADDED AMOUNT ADDED TO THEIR SALARIES.
AND I'M WONDERING IF THE INFLATION INCREASE WILL THEN BE DECREASED.
IF INFLATION GOES DOWN, IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL PERPETUALLY BE IN AN INCREASE, INCREASE, INCREASE SITUATION.
SO I THINK YOU SHOULD REALLY TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THE INFLATION PART OF THEIR SALARY INCREASES THAT THEY'RE VOTING FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, AND WHAT BOB WAS GOING TO SAY WAS THAT IN GENERAL, SINCE MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT REAL HAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE RIGHT NOW, THAT THE CITIZENS, UM, ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN FAVOR OF 108% INCREASE IN THEIR SALARIES.
AND PERHAPS A 5%, UH, INCREASE WOULD BE BETTER AT, AT THE MOST FOR THESE PEOPLE.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THOUGH, IS THE POLICE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
THE DISCIPLINARY SYSTEM SHOULD REST WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE IF WE HAVE A COMPETENT CHIEF OF POLICE, NOT WITH AN OVERSIGHT BY THE CITY MANAGER OR THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE RELATIVELY NEW OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2019, HAS MORE TO DO WITH THE POLITICAL CLIMATE IN THE COUNTRY THAN IT HAS WITH ACTUAL POLICE MONITORING.
IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE REPRESENTING, UM, THE PUBLIC QUESTIONING POLICE ACTIONS WHO ARE REALLY NOT QUALIFIED.
SO IT SEEMS LIKE SOMEBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY A POLICE IN A POLICE POSITION OR HAS BEEN, SHOULD BE, WHO IS LOOKING AT POLICE ACTIVITY, REVIEWING AND SO FORTH, TO THE POINT WHERE THE VAST MAJORITY OF POLICE ARE BEING.
UM, IF THERE ARE INCIDENCES THAT THOSE POLICE OFFICERS ARE BEING LOOKED AT BY THEIR PEERS AND FORMER PEERS, UH, TO PUT IT IN THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WITH NO POLICE EXPERIENCE, AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST, POLICE ARE TRAINED IN A CERTAIN WAY THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC JUST DOESN'T UNDERSTAND OR KNOW.
AND SO THE, THE PUBLIC SHOULD FEEL CONFIDENT THAT POLICE OFFICERS FEEL LIKE SOMEONE HAS THEIR BACKS, THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE QUESTIONING THEIR ACTIONS ARE NOT PEOPLE WITH A POLITICAL AGENDA AND THAT THEY'RE BEING GIVEN A FAIR CHANCE.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN HIRE POLICE OFFICERS IF THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO CONSTANTLY BE QUESTIONED BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT THEIR TRAINING HAS BEEN OR UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH.
THEY NEED A, A PEER COUNSEL TO LOOK AT THEM.
SO IN MY OPINION, THE, THE, UH, COMMISSION SHOULD NOT BE WITH TAKING CARE OF POLICE, UM, ISSUES.
AND NEITHER SHOULD THE CITY COUNCIL.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF THEM HAVE POLICE EXPERIENCE.
OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS, UH, MOVING ON FROM THE PUBLIC SPEAKER PART IS TO
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APPROVE THE MINUTES, UH, FROM OUR APRIL 2ND MEETING.UH, DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION? SECOND DISCUSSION.
NEXT TOPIC IS, UH, CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
UH, TONIGHT WILL BE DIFFERENT THAN OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
UH, OUR ITEM, UH, A ON THE AGENDA HAS US REVISITING ONE AMENDMENT, THOUGH THAT WE ADVANCE FOR FINAL CONSIDERATION WITH THE CAVEAT THAT IT BE BROUGHT BACK WITH SOME AMENDED LANGUAGE.
UH, FOLLOWING THAT WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR FINAL REVIEW OF THE REPORT.
WE WILL SEND A CITY COUNCIL, AND WHEN WE DO THAT, UH, I'LL ASK THAT LAURA MORRISON AND WILLOW SANCHEZ OF THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE GIVE US A SHORT PRIMER OF HOW THAT WILL WORK PROCEDURALLY, BEFORE WE GO FORWARD WITH THAT.
SO WITH REGARDS TO AGENDA ITEM A, THAT WOULD ESTABLISH THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THE CITY CHARTER WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL BEING APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
WHO DO WE, UM, WE HAVE SOME, SOME INDIVIDUALS HERE TO SPEAK.
IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, IF THERE'S NOT ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS, I KNOW WE'VE LOOKED AT IT A LOT AND EVERYONE SAW, YOU KNOW, THE INFORMATION THAT CAME OUT BEFORE THE MEETING.
SO IF THERE'S NONE, THEN CAN I GET A MOTION ON THAT?
I MOVE TO, UH, INCLUDE SECOND DISCUSSION.
UM, THIS IS FOR FINAL REVIEW OF THE INCLUDED AMENDMENTS LIST AND APPROVAL OF THE COMMISSION'S FINAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AT THIS TIME, CAN, UH, GET LAURA AND WILLOW TO COME FORWARD AND, UH, DISCUSS THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURES FOR THIS PART OF THE MEETING? GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, WELCOME TO THE ITEM.
WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR APPROVAL OF THE FINAL REPORT THAT THE COMMISSION WILL FORWARD ONTO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WHAT JAKE ANDERSON IS HANDING OUT RIGHT NOW IS A SAMPLE MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS A MOTION, UH, TO APPROVE THE REPORT SUBJECT TO INCLUSION OF THE OIG LANGUAGE THAT THE COMMISSION JUST INCLUDED.
UM, SO THE CHAIR WILL OPEN THE FLOOR FOR A MOTION.
UM, SO YOU'VE GOT THE MAIN MOTION IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND THEN ONCE THE MOTION IS SECONDED, THE ITEM WILL BE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
AT ANY POINT WHEN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, YOU MAY MAKE A MOTION THAT AMENDS THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH WOULD BE SOMETHING TO AMEND, UH, THE REPORT.
UM, AND ONCE SOMEONE HAS MADE A MOTION TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION DISCUSSION THEN IS LIMITED TO JUST THAT AMENDMENT UNTIL THAT AMENDMENT IS DISPOSED OF, EITHER IT IS APPROVED OR DENIED.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO DISCUSSION ON THE MAIN MOTION.
UM, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIR.
I'D LIKE TO REC RECOGNIZE OR VICE CHAIR FOR A MOTION.
UH, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE 2024 CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION FINAL REPORT SUBJECT TO INCLUSION OF THE OFFICER,
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INSPECTOR OF INSPECTOR GENERAL LANGUAGE APPROVED EARLIER IN THE MEETING.UH, WE HAVE A SECOND DISCUSSION.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION, UH, DURING THE PROCESS.
AMENDMENTS ONE AND 94 WERE SIMILAR, BUT WE HAVE TAKEN THEM IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.
SO I WOULD MOVE TO AMEND A, UH, AMENDMENT 94 SUBMITTED BY COMMISSIONER STEWART CAMPBELL.
UH, A AMEND THE MAIN MOTION BY REQUIRING MEMBERS OF THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE, THE CITY PLAN COMMISSION, THE CITY, THE CIVIL SERVICE BOARD, AND THE, THE PARK AND RECREATION BOARD BE QUOTE, DALLAS RESIDENTS WHO ARE CITIZENS OR AUTHORIZED RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES END QUOTE, INSTEAD OF REGISTERED OR QUALIFIED VOTERS, WHICH IS WHAT THE CHARTER CURRENTLY STATES OR RESIDENTS, WHICH IS WHAT THE COMMISSION DECIDED AT ITS FEBRUARY 6TH MEETING IN REGARD TO AMENDMENT 94.
JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS JUST MAKES IT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE, WHAT WE AMENDED AMENDED AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING.
UH, AND, AND THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, AND OBVIOUSLY STAFF DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF PAIRING AMENDMENTS THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR.
I THINK BECAUSE AMENDMENT ONE NEEDED MORE TIME, UH, TO REALLY SORT OUT EVERY INSTANCE IN THE CHARTER AMENDMENT, 94 AND ONE WERE SEPARATED.
UH, FOR THINGS THAT ARE ARGUABLY MORE PRIVILEGES, UH, HIGHER STANDARDS OF SERVICE FOR THE CITY, UH, TO BE FOR CITY RESIDENTS WHO ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS OR AUTHORIZED RESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
UH, MY LOGIC BEING, I HAVE NO PERSONAL QUALMS WITH THE ORIGINAL RESIDENCE LANGUAGE.
I THINK MY DISTRICT, DISTRICT ONE SUPPORTS THAT.
BUT, UH, WE HAD AN ELECTION ON THIS JUST THREE YEARS AGO.
IN 2021, IT FAILED BY A 35 TO 65% MARGIN.
UH, I REALLY CREDIT COMMISSIONER LEMASTER WHO BROUGHT THIS UP AND HAD ME THINKING ABOUT IT FOR WEEKS.
AND I THOUGHT BRINGING IT TO THIS STANDARD OF, OF SOMETHING YOU ACTUALLY MENTIONED COMMISSIONER CAMPBELL, ALONG THE LINES OF IF YOU CAN GET A JOB WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, WHICH, WHICH AN AUTHORIZED RESIDENT CAN, OR ANY CITIZEN CAN, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SERVE ON THE PARKS BOARD.
AND WE HAVE A HIGHER STANDARD RIGHT NOW TO SERVE ON THE PARKS BOARD THAN TO GET A JOB WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
UM, SO THE LANGUAGE I'M PROVIDING IS GETTING IT TO THAT STANDARD, WHICH I THINK IS MORE SELLABLE TO THE, TO THE, TO DALLAS, TO DALLAS' VOTERS FOR UNDERSTANDING AS OPPOSED TO WHAT THEY REJECTED JUST THREE YEARS AGO.
AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS A MINUTE.
MY ONLY ISSUE, UM, IS WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, RESIDENTS, CITIZENS OF DALLAS, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A QUALM THAT YOU CAN BE A CITIZEN OF DALLAS, BUT, AND ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE, BUT YOU DON'T REGISTER TO VOTE.
SO WE HAVE UNREGISTERED PEOPLE WHO COULD QUALIFY TO BE REGISTERED WELL NOW QUALIFY TO SERVE ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NOT TAKEN THE TIME AND DONE THEIR CIVIC DUTY TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
MR. YOUNG, I WILL BE SUPPORTING COMMISSIONER DE LA PUENTE'S MOTION, BUT I I WANT TO GO ON RECORD THAT, UH, I DID NOT SUPPORT THE CHANGE FROM THE ORIGINAL CHARTER.
UH, I DO HOWEVER, THINK THAT WHATEVER CHANGES WERE GOING TO MAKE OUGHT TO BE CONSISTENT ACROSS THE CHARTER CREATED BOARDS.
AND THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS TODAY'S AMENDMENT DOES.
MR. TEAM, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MR. DE LAFONTE, A COMMISSIONER DE LAFONTE.
SO THIS, THIS MEANS THAT, UH, A PERSON WHO'S, SAY, BEEN INCARCERATED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND THEY, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE, BUT THEY'RE GOOD CITIZENS NOW.
SO THIS OPENS UP A DOOR FOR THEM TO SERVE ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
SO OUR CITIZENS, OUR AMERICAN CITIZENS WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS, WHO HAVE, UH, BEEN CONVICTED OF A FELONY, HAVE SERVED THEIR TIME IN PRISON, HAVE BEEN RELEASED, BUT ARE ON PROBATION OR PAROLE.
THEY ARE DENIED, UH, RE ENFRANCHISEMENT THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
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WOULD ALLOW THEM TO SERVE THE CITY, UH, THROUGH THE CITY OF DALLAS'S AUTHORITY TO DO SO WHILE THE STATE STILL DENIES THEM THEIR ABILITY TO REGISTER TO VOTE AGAIN.UM, I WILL SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THINGS LIKE THIS HELP WITH RECIDIVISM AND STOPPING PEOPLE FROM, UH, COMMITTING CRIMES IN THE FUTURE, RE REENTRY THROUGH SOCIETY, THROUGH THINGS LIKE THIS REALLY HELP WITH THAT.
UM, BUT THIS DOES ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM.
BUT THEY HAVE TO BE A CITIZEN AND A RESIDENT OF DALLAS.
A A CITIZEN OR AN AUTHORIZED RESIDENT.
AND THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
OKAY, MR. CHAIR, MR. MALES QUESTION, UH, WHAT IS, IS THERE A DEFINITION FOR AUTHORIZED RESIDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES? DO THE CITY ATTORNEYS HAVE A BETTER ANSWER THAN I CAN PROBABLY PROVIDE? SO THAT WOULD BE A LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT.
UM, THESE WOULD BE PEOPLE KNOWN TO HAVE A GREEN CARD.
THEY'RE AUTHORIZED, UM, TO RESIDE LAWFULLY IN THE UNITED STATES AND WORK IN THE UNITED STATES OR WORK VISAS, THINGS THAT MAKE THEM ELIGIBLE TO WORK.
MR. CAMPBELL? YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S MOST OF IT, BUT THERE'S ALSO DIFFERENT TYPES OF VISAS, RIGHT? SO THAT'S NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST.
UM, THERE COULD BE, THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF VISAS, RIGHT? ASYLEES U VISAS, VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING, VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC, ANYBODY WHO HAS ONE OF THESE VISAS OR TPS TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE, UH, PROTECTIVE STATUS, UH, THAT CAN LIVE HERE AND WORK HERE LAWFULLY IN THE UNITED STATES.
MR. STEIN, WHAT ABOUT EXCHANGE STUDENTS? WOULD THEY BE A AUTHORIZED RESIDENT? I DO NOT KNOW, MA'AM.
WE CAN RESEARCH, BUT I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF OUR HEAD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMMIGRATION STATUS AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH AN EXCHANGE STUDENT IS ALLOWED TO LAWFULLY RESIDE HERE.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? UH, OKAY.
WE WILL HAVE A VOTE ON THE MOTION TO AMEND.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO AMEND, SAY AYE.
SO WE WILL CONTINUE THEN WITH DISCUSSION ON THE, UH, MAIN MOTION, WHICH IS, UH, TO ADOPT THE, THE ITEMS, THE AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE, UM, OR THE AMENDMENTS RATHER, THAT WE'VE PUT FORTH SO FAR, UNLESS THERE'S ANY MORE AMENDMENTS OR MOTIONS TO AMEND MR. YOUNG.
I MOVE TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION BY ADDING THE WORD FORMATS TO THE LANGUAGE, EXPANDING THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS TO INCLUDE OTHER MEDIA OPTIONS IN ADDITION TO NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION IN CHAPTERS THREE.
SECTION 19 FOUR, SECTION 1311, SECTION THREE 15, SECTION FOUR 18, SECTION SEVEN AND 15 AND 22.
SECTION TWO TO READ DIGITAL AND PRINT FORMATS.
IF I HAVE A SECOND, I HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
UH, THIS IS THE GRAMMAR NAZI IN ME EMERGING.
UH, RIGHT NOW WE'VE SAID SHALL BE PUBLISHED IN DIGITAL AND PRINT.
UM, I KNOW WHAT PUBLISHING IN PRINT MEANS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT PUBLISHING IN DIGITAL MEANS.
UH, SO WE'VE ADDED THE WORD FORMAT AND, UH, MS. MORRISON HAS ADVISED ME SHE HAS NO OBJECTION.
UH, ANY DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIR? I JUST WANNA NOTE THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY INSTANCES OVER HOWEVER MANY YEARS THAT COMMISSIONER YOUNG HAS MADE MY GOOD WORK PRODUCT.
CAN WE GET A, WE'LL HAVE A VOTE ON IT.
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THAT MOTION TO AMEND CARRIES.UH, I BELIEVE THERE'S SOME MORE MOTIONS TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION.
MR. STEAM? WELL, I MAKE A MOTION, I MOVE TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION BY REMOVING THE RANK CHARGE VOTING FROM THE FINAL REPORT.
I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND TALKED ABOUT IT AND TALKED ABOUT, AND WE'VE HEARD FROM VERY MANY VOTERS, BUT I WANT IT TO BE ON RECORD, THE OPPOSITION TO RANK CHOICE VOTING.
I FEEL LIKE WE ARE DOING OUR COMMUNITY A DISSERVICE.
WE'RE GOING TO BE BRINGING A NUMBER OF MOTIONS BEFORE THE CITY TO VOTE ON IN NOVEMBER.
AND I THINK PUTTING THIS ON THE BALLOT IS ASKING FOR MORE OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENTS TO BE DEFEATED BECAUSE OF THE STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AMONG OUR CITIZENS.
I WOULD JUST ASK THIS COMMISSION TO THINK SERIOUSLY BEFORE GOING DOWN THIS ROUTE.
AT A TIME WHEN COMMISSIONERS FRANKLIN AND BERNARDINO, WHO WERE YES VOTES WERE UNABLE TO JOIN US TONIGHT, I THINK DISENFRANCHISING DISTRICTS FIVE AND EIGHT AND THEIR ABILITY TO VOTE ON THIS MATTER TONIGHT WHEN IT IS SPRUNG ON US WITH NO, UH, WARNING AT A TIME WHEN WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE TWO YES VOTES IS HIGHLY INAPPROPRIATE.
I THINK THIS IS PERHAPS THE WORST MESSAGE WE COULD SEND TO THE PUBLIC.
THAT THIS BODY STRATEGICALLY DOES THINGS LIKE THIS WHEN THEY KNOW THAT MEMBERS ARE NOT GONNA BE PUBLIC OR BE HERE TO VOTE.
WE KNOW THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS, THERE'S COMMISSIONER FRANKLIN.
HE WAS NOT HERE WHEN I STARTED AGAIN, THOUGH.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE 14 OF US HERE.
AGAIN, COMMISSIONER BERNARDINO WAS A YES VOTE.
UM, I THINK I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THE POSITIVE MERITS OF RING CHOICE VOTING, BUT I WOULD ASK JUST FOLKS, REMEMBER WE HAVE ONE YES.
VOTE WHO IS NOT HERE TONIGHT BEFORE WE GO DOWN THIS PATH, AND BEFORE ANYBODY ELSE SPEAKS, CAN I JUST REMIND EVERYONE, PLEASE SPEAK INTO YOUR MICROPHONES.
IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO HEAR TONIGHT.
UM, AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE HAVING TROUBLE HEARING MR. YOUNG, MR. CHAIR.
I HAVE BEEN ON THE PREVAILING SIDE OF A NUMBER OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT WE'VE CONSIDERED, AND I'VE BEEN ON THE LOSING SIDE OF A NUMBER.
UH, I DO NOT VIEW TONIGHT AS AN APPROPRIATE OCCASION TO RE FIGHT ALL THOSE BATTLES.
UM, I THINK WE HAD AN UPPER DOWN VOTE, FAIR AND SQUARE.
I WAS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE MARCH 26TH MEETING WHERE THIS WAS DECIDED UPON.
IF I HAD BEEN THERE, I WOULD'VE VOTED, UH, TO EXCLUDE.
BUT SINCE THE COMMISSION IN ITS WISDOM VOTED TO INCLUDE, AND SINCE I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE PURPOSE OF TONIGHT'S MEETING IS TO RE FIGHT OLD BATTLES, I WILL BE OPPOSING THE MOTION.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD ONE OTHER THINGS AND I I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS LEGAL IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, WE ARE ASKING THE VOTERS TO APPROVE SOMETHING THAT IS ILLEGAL.
WE ARE, I HAVE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF OUR STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS, I SEE NO OPPORTUNITY WITH THE CURRENT LEGISLATURE THAT WE HAVE THAT THIS IS GONNA CHANGE IN THE NEXT SESSION.
UM, I JUST THINK IF WE DON'T CHANGE THIS MOTION TONIGHT, WHICH I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ON THAT, I WOULD LIKE THOSE COMMENTS TO BE CARRIED OVER TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, SIR? MR. CHAIR? YES.
I I JUST WANT TO A AFFIRM WHAT COMMISSIONER CLAP HAS SAID, AND, UM, STATE THAT I, I BELIEVE THIS IS A BIG ENOUGH ISSUE WHERE IF WE DON'T, UM, MAKE THIS CHANGE, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A, A SITUATION WHERE I END UP HAVING TO VOTE AGAINST THE MAIN MOTION.
AND, UM, I JUST, I, I DON'T WANNA BE IN THAT SITUATION IF I CAN VENT IT.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THE, AND I NEED TO HAVE A RAISE OF HANDS ON THIS ONE MAY BE CLOSE.
SO JAKE CAN TALLY ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, SAY, AYE.
RAISE YOUR HAND, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
SO THE MOTION, THE MOTION IS TO GET, TO TAKE OUT RANK CHOICE VOTING, RIGHT.
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THE MOTION TO AMEND IS TO TAKE OUT RANK CHOICE VOTING.SO, ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION, SAY, AYE.
COUNT EIGHT AGAINST, HOW DID YOU VOTE? I DIDN'T VOTE.
UM, I'M, I'M, UH, I'M AGAINST.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER MORE MOTIONS TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION? MR. YOUNG, MR. CHAIR, I HAD UNDERSTOOD, UH, THAT, UH, THE ATTORNEYS HAD BEEN REQUESTED TO PREPARE A MOTION TO AMEND REGARDING THE COMMUNITY BOND COMMISSION.
UH, ITEM IS, UH, IS ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER PREPARED TO MAKE THAT MOTION? MR. MCGEE? MR. MCGEE? IS THAT YES, I CAN MAKE THAT MOTION.
IS NOW THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO DO SO? YES.
YOU RECOGNIZE TO MAKE THE MOTION.
UM, I'M READING FROM THE LANGUAGE THAT IS HOPEFULLY PASSED AROUND BY THE CITY ATTORNEYS.
UM, THE MOTION TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION IS AMEND.
I MOVE TO AMEND THE MAIN MOTION BY MAKING THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE COMMUNITY BOND COMMISSION WORDING IN CHAPTER 21, THAT THE MEMBERS' TERMS WILL END UPON APPROVAL BY COUNCIL OF THE ORDINANCE CALLING THE SPECIAL ELECTION THAT SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY CITY COUNCIL.
THAT MEMBERS MAY SERVE ON ANOTHER CITY BOARD OR COMMISSION CONCURRENTLY WITH THEIR SERVICE ON THE COMMUNITY BOND COMMISSION.
THAT THE COMMISSION SHALL FILE ITS FINAL REPORT UPON COMPLETION OF THE APPROVED RECOMMENDED PROJECT LIST, AND THAT THE MAYOR SHALL PRESENT THE FINAL REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIVING THE REPORT.
IS THERE DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION TO AMEND, SAY AYE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MOTIONS TO AMEND? OKAY.
SO WE'RE MOVING BACK TO THE TOPIC OF THE MAIN MOTION.
UH, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? OKAY.
UH, WE DISCUSSED LAST WEEK AND A LITTLE BIT, UH, I GUESS PRIOR TO THAT, PRIOR COMMISSIONS HAVE GIVEN, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, POSSIBLY DOING SOME OF THAT IN, IN OUR PRIOR DISCUSSIONS.
UM, I KNOW SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO COMMUNICATE SOME NON-CHARTER RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL.
SOME THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT THAT I THINK WE ALL THOUGHT MADE A LOT OF SENSE, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, FOR EXAMPLE, MAYBE WE THOUGHT IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT REALLY WAS CHARTER TERRITORY.
MAYBE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS, UH, SHOULD GO IN CITY CODE INSTEAD.
UM, SO THIS IS A TIME TO, UH, DISCUSS THAT THIS ISN'T A, A VOTING ITEM.
THIS IS JUST INPUT FROM EVERYONE ON, UH, TO HELP ME WHEN I FRAMED THAT LETTER, UH, TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ON THIS.
SO, I'LL OPEN THE MR. YOUNG, UH, MR. CHAIR.
UH, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD CONVEY TO THE COUNCIL, UM, THE VIEW THAT THE PROPOSED CREATION OF AN OBU, OH, EXCUSE ME, OMBUDSMAN POSITION.
UM, EITHER, UH, WELL, WHEREVER THE COUNCIL DEEMS IT APPROPRIATE TO CREATE THAT POSITION AND UNDER WHATEVER REPORTING STRUCTURE IS A, A GOOD IDEA THAT THE COUNCIL OUGHT TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER.
UM, I KNOW THE CITY COUNCIL SENDS LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES TO OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION IN THE STATE SENATE AND STATE HOUSE.
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SIMILAR TO WHEN AUSTIN PINK PASSED RANK CHOICE VOTING, IT'S GONNA BE, UH, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, UH, THAT IF OUR VOTERS APPROVE THIS IN NOVEMBER, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ASK OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO SUPPORT THE LEGISLATION THAT THE AUSTIN DELEGATION HAS DRAFTED, UH, TO CREATE A, UH, STATEWIDE PILOT PROGRAM FOR CITIES TO OPT INTO.ANYONE ELSE? I WOULD ECHO, UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.
I WOULD ECHO THAT OF COMMISSIONER DE LA FUENTES.
UH, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WHY I THINK SOME WE DIDN'T GET NOVEMBER ELECTIONS PASSED, UH, THROUGH THIS COMMISSION WAS BECAUSE OF THAT LEGALITY ISSUE WITH THE LEGISLATURE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE SPOKE TO MANY COMMISSIONERS ABOUT, UH, AND SOME CITY COUNCIL FOLKS IS, IS HAVING AN EFFORT AT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION COMING UP.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE THAT ALSO TO BE INCLUDED IN THE LETTER, EVEN THOUGH IT DIDN'T PASS THROUGH OUR BODY, UM, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL FOCUSED SOME OF THEIR EFFORTS IN THE SESSION ON ATTEMPTING TO GET NOVEMBER 8TH.
I'M SORRY, NOVEMBER ELECTIONS PASSED AS WELL.
MAY I ADDRESS THAT REAL QUICK? YES.
UM, KERRY ROGERS, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.
I THINK WE HAD NOTED THIS BEFORE WHEN IT HAD COME UP IN OUR DRAFT STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
RIGHT NOW, THERE IS A PLACEHOLDER ITEM FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD COME OUT OF THE CHARTER REVIEW PROCESS THAT WOULD REQUIRE A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE.
IT DOESN'T REFER TO ANY PARTICULAR ITEM, BUT IT'S JUST A, A CHARTER PLACEHOLDER ITEM.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ADVISE THE COUNCIL OR RECOMMENDED THE COUNCIL THAT THEY CHANGE THE PROCEDURE.
AM I TOO LOUD THERE FOR THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND THE DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, WHICH WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT.
ANYTHING ELSE, MS. LEMASTER? NO.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE, UH, FOR THE, THE BOARD TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON, UH, THE AMENDMENT THAT I PUT IN THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS CHOOSE BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONS THAT LIVE IN THE DISTRICT THEY REPRESENT.
AND THERE'S, UH, ALSO IN THAT SAME AMENDMENT, UH, A PLACE WHERE YOU COULD PLACE SOMEBODY ELSE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION IF YOU CAN'T FIND SOMEONE IN YOUR DISTRICT BECAUSE, UH, I THINK THIS BOARD HERE, I WAS TOLD, HAVE SIX OR SEVEN PEOPLE ON IT THAT DOESN'T LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.
SO THAT'S STACKING THE DECK RIGHT THERE.
SO I THINK IT, IF WE HAD PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN DISTRICTS, THEY REPRESENTING, WE WON'T HAVE SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND IT WAS A COMMENT MADE, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO REHASH DIFFERENT FIGHTS AND, UH, DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS.
BUT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING WHEN WE ASKING THE COUNCIL TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS.
WE ARE REHASHING, WE ARE REVISITING ITEMS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXCLUDED OR HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.
UH, MR. CHAIR, MS. LEMASTER, I'D LIKE TO ADD TO COMMISSIONER STEIN'S, UH, THOUGHTS THAT THE CITY MANAGER APPOINTEES TO THESE BOARDS ALSO, UH, BE, UH, URGE TO MAKE SELECTIONS FROM THE DISTRICT.
UM, MR. CHAIR, AS YOU FORMULATE THIS LETTER ON BEHALF OF THIS COMMISSION, I WOULD OFFER THAT I, I DO THINK IT WOULD BE UNPRODUCTIVE TO PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL, UM, IDEAS ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSION THAT WE DID REJECT DURING OUR CONVERSATIONS.
I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THEM FOR THEM TO SEE ONE DRAFT OF OUR ITEMS THAT WE VOTED ON AND DELIBERATED ON AND SUGGEST TO THEM.
AND THEN A SEPARATE DOCUMENT THAT SAYS, AND THINK ABOUT THIS TOO.
I, I HAD UNDERSTOOD PART OF THE POINT OF THE LETTER WAS TO IDENTIFY THOSE ITEMS THAT WE AS A COMMISSION DECIDED WERE NOT APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHARTER, BUT THAT WE THOUGHT WERE GOOD IDEAS FOR, UH, VARIOUS REASONS.
WE MIGHT HAVE HEARD FROM THE PUBLIC ON THESE ITEMS, BUT THEY WEREN'T APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHARTER.
WE MIGHT HAVE DISCUSSED THEM AMONG THE COMMISSION AND REALIZED UPON TALKING WITH OUR COUNCIL
[00:45:01]
THAT THEY WEREN'T QUITE APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHARTER.IT, IT'S MY OPINION THAT THAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO THE COUNCIL TO HEAR ABOUT THOSE ITEMS RATHER THAN CONFUSING THEM BY PRESENTING THEM WITH ITEMS WE'VE ALREADY DISCARDED AND NOT INCLUDED IN OUR CHARTER RECOMMENDATION.
I MEAN, THAT, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE AND I HAVE NO INTENTION OF, OF, YOU KNOW, GIVING THEM OUR CHARTER AMENDMENTS AND THEN A LETTER THAT SAYS, OH WAIT, WE'LL DO THIS OTHER STUFF INSTEAD.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE MORE, UM, REALLY LIMITED, I GUESS, IN, IN WHAT IT GOES INTO AND, AND REALLY SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT JUST WEREN'T PROPER DOMAIN FOR THE CHARTER.
UM, BUT NO, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE A CONFUSING OR COMPETING LETTER.
UH, YOU KNOW, AND AT, AT THE PRESENTATION, WHICH WILL BE MAY 1ST, UH, THE COUNCIL CAN ASK ME, YOU KNOW, WHY VOTES WERE YES OR NO ON, ON DIFFERENT ITEMS. AND SO IF THEY WANT TO ASK THEN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHY DIDN'T THIS PASS, UH, TO THE EXTENT I CAN REMEMBER AND IF I CAN, I KNOW OUR GREAT STAFF CAN, GIVEN ALL THE PRAISE WE GAVE THEM EARLIER.
WE'LL EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY IT DIDN'T PASS.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. STEIN, UH, WHO WOULD EXPLAIN TO HIM WHY CERTAIN THINGS PASSED? WELL, I, I'LL, I'LL BE THERE PRESENTING IT TO THEM AT, AT, AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON MAY 1ST.
STAFF WILL BE THERE WITH ME TOO, TO ASSIST ME IF THERE'S SOMETHING I CAN'T REMEMBER ON HOW A VOTE WENT DOWN OR WHY IT WENT THE WAY IT DID, THEN I'M GONNA CALL ON THEM TO HELP ME REMEMBER.
'CAUSE I CERTAINLY CAN'T REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED.
ALMOST EVERYTHING, BUT NOT QUITE PERFECT.
ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, HER NEXT ITEM IS AGENDA ITEM D.
UH, IT'S A BRIEFING BY MEMORANDUM.
IT'S OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM OF THE EVENING.
IT'S A BRIEFING REGARDING THE COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH DONE BY THE COMMISSION DURING THE COURSE OF OUR WORK OVER THESE PAST MANY MONTHS.
UH, DOES ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS, UH, FOR STAFF ON THIS ITEM? I DON'T SEE ANY.
MR. STEAM, I HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH IN OUTREACH.
I THINK WE DID A VERY POOR JOB OF REACHING COMMUNITIES AND HAVING MEETINGS AND PUTTING OUT, I I SEEN YOU PERSONALLY ON TELEVISION TALKING ABOUT THE CHARTER REVIEW BOARD.
THERE WAS VERY LITTLE, UH, ADVERTISEMENT ABOUT THESE MEETINGS THAT WE ARE HAVING.
AND THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME ONLINE OR, YOU KNOW, COMPUTER OR ZOOM MEETINGS.
BUT FAR AS REACHING THE COMMUNITY, I THINK WE DID A TERRIBLE JOB.
UH, SINCE THIS IS OUR LAST, UH, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, UH, WE WON'T HAVE ANOTHER MEETING WHERE WE CAN REVIEW AND ADOPT THE MINUTES.
SO I'M GONNA ASK, UH, THAT SOMEONE PLEASE MAKE A PROCEDURAL MOTION, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THIS MEETING SINCE THE COMMISSION WON'T MEET AGAIN.
AND BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I JUST, UH, WANNA SAY AGAIN, WHAT, WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT HAS BEEN WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WHEN I SAID EARLIER, I COULD SEE WHY SOME OF YOU SUCCEEDED IN IN PUBLIC OFFICE AND OTHERS, I'M LIKE, WHY HAVEN'T YOU BEEN IN PUBLIC OFFICE? I MEAN, THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THIS HAS, UH, BEEN A VERY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE ALL, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO JUGGLE A LOT OF THINGS.
WE'VE BEEN HERE, UH, LATE EVENING HOURS, UH, LONG HOURS.
UH, BUT IT'S REALLY, I DON'T KNOW.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT GROUP TO WORK WITH.
AND WHEN I SAID EARLIER, I FEEL LIKE WE COULD PLUCK THIS GROUP AND PLUG THEM IN SOMEWHERE ELSE TO FIX SOMETHING.
THIS IS THE GROUP FORWARD, BUT I, I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GREAT THINGS ABOUT Y'ALL.
AND WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS SOME SAKE.
OH, I WAS GONNA JUST, NO FINAL WORK QUESTION.
NO, I JUST, NO, I THINK THE SAME THING.
I, I KNOW, I DIDN'T KNOW IF Y'ALL DID IT EARLIER OR NOT, BUT USUALLY WHEN SOMETHING, WHEN WE END SOMETHING, WE ALL GET TO SAY SOMETHING.
BUT THAT'S, I'M JUST USED TO COUNSEL, BUT I JUST WANNA THANK, I'VE BEEN, IT'S BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH EVERYONE.
WE HAD SEPARATE CO PHONE CALLS, UH, OFFLINE, AND THIS TRULY HAS BEEN ONE OF, OF THE BEST BOARDS THAT I'VE EVER BEEN ON AS FAR AS WORKING TOGETHER AND REALLY LISTENING TO EACH OTHER.
YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT NOT AGREE AND, AND, AND WE, WE DIDN'T SOMETIMES, BUT, UH,
[00:50:01]
AND THEN I THINK ALSO SOMETIMES WE ALL HAD EACH OTHER'S BACK, WHICH I THINK WAS GREAT.SO YOU DON'T REALLY GET TO SEE THAT OFTEN.
AND I JUST APPRECIATED THAT ABOUT EVERYBODY.
AND I KNOW THAT MR. MCGEE AND ANZA KNOWS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE, WHEN YOU SERVE ON BOARDS AND AS IT CERTAINLY YOU, SIR.
UM, SO, UM, AGAIN, I ALSO WANNA THANK, UH, JAKE.
LAURA AND STAFF AND CARRIE FOR EVERYTHING.
UH, I CALLED THEM AND TEXT THEM ALL TIME, ALL TYPES OF EVENING.
AND, AND, AND I, AND THEY GOT BACK TO ME RIGHT AWAY.
SO I WANNA THANK Y'ALL FOR EVERYTHING.
I HOPE AND BELIEVE THAT I SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION IN EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR YOUR CONDUCT AND THAT OF VICE CHAIR MADANO IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS COMMISSION.
I THINK YOU'VE BEEN EFFICIENT.
I THINK YOU'VE BEEN EVEN HANDED, AND IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE TO SERVE UNDER YOU.
AND IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE SERVING WITH EVERYONE.
IT'S BEEN A REALLY GOOD PROCESS.
MS. LAMA, I WANNA THAT, I THOUGHT I TURNED THE DOWN.
CAN YOU HEAR ME BETTER NOW? BUT I WANNA TELL YOU PERSONAL PRIVILEGE HERE.
I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS HAS BEEN GREAT.
THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME, MS. MS. LAMA, WE'RE MARRIED.
SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE SAYING SOMETHING IMPORTANT, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
I SAID THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME, I'LL BE MARRIED AFTER 30 YEARS.
BEST, BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOUR, UH, SPOUSE TO BE ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE ADJOURN.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID.
I DO APPRECIATE THE BOARD AND THE CIVILITY THAT WE'VE ALL HAD, EVEN WHEN WE'VE BEEN DEBATING ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE SAME ISSUE.
UH, SOMETIMES WE VOTE TOGETHER AND SOMETIMES WE VOTE AGAINST EACH OTHER, BUT WE'VE ALL BEEN, UH, RESPECTFUL AND CIVILITY.
I, I THINK, UH, SHOULD GO FORWARD AND BE A MODEL, UH, TO OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS TO THE EXTENT THAT IT'S NOT.
AGAIN, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, YOU TWO HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE AND I APPRECIATE THE SERVANT UNDERNEATH, UNDER YOU ALL.
WELL, I THANK EVERYONE ON THE BOARD, THE COMMISSIONERS, BECAUSE STAFF AND MR. ANDERSON, MS. ROGERS, THEY HAVE BASICALLY TRAINED ME ABOUT POLITICS.
AND I LEARNED ONE KEY THING IN ALL OF THIS.
WE HAVE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENCE WHEN IT COME DOWN TO CULTURE, RACE, AND DIVERSITY.
AND WE GONNA HAVE TO START WORKING TOWARDS MENDING THAT BECAUSE TO SAY THAT WE DON'T, DON'T HAVE IT, WE DECEIVING OURSELVES NOW.
WE GOT A LOT ACCOMPLISHED AND SOME OF US GOT WHAT WE WANT, SOME OF US DIDN'T.
BUT IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND I THANK MY PERSONAL ATTORNEY, MS. LAURIE MORRISON, THAT LISTENED TO MY PHONE CALLS AND TEACHING ME AND HER AND JAKE.
AND I HOPE Y'ALL GET PLENTY OF CAKE.
'CAUSE Y'ALL, Y'ALL DESERVE IT.
AND I THANK EVERYONE ON HERE AND I THANK YOU FOR THE RESPECT THAT WE HAVE FOR EACH OTHER, BECAUSE THIS COULD GET UGLY REAL QUICK, BUT OUR REFEREE DID NOT LET IT HAPPEN.
ALRIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE ADJOURNED.