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OUR AUGUST 1ST, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION MEETING AT 6:00 PM THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
CAN WE DO THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? OKAY.
JUST SAY HERE, JUST STAY HERE QUICKLY HERE.
AND I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER GARZA WAS GONNA BE CALLING IN, SO LET'S GIVE HIM A MINUTE OR TWO AS WELL.
I'LL DOUBLE CHECK AND MAKE SURE HE'S NOT ON.
UM, COMMISSIONER BARIENTOS? HERE.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS HERE THIS EVENING? WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY.
GIMME ONE SECOND SO THAT SHE CAN UNMUTE HER MIC.
THANK YOU, MS. WANDA THOMAS, ARE YOU ABLE TO UNMUTE YOUR MIC? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES.
SO IF YOU COULD GO AHEAD AND TURN ON YOUR VIDEO.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ONCE YOU START SPEAKING.
GIMME JUST A SECOND HERE TO TURN ON MY VIDEO.
UM, I AM STILL HERE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
PLEASE MAKE NOTE THAT COMMISSIONER GARZA HAS JOINED US, NOT THANK YOU.
SORRY, I'M JUST HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE HERE ON VIDEO.
WE CAN ALSO COME BACK TO YOU BECAUSE I THINK WE HAVE A SECOND SPEAKER.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE SECOND SPEAKER.
WE HAVE A AMIA THOMAS, GIMME ONE SECOND TO UNMUTE YOU.
THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS, ARE YOU UNABLE? ARE YOU ABLE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF? I CAN SEE YOU'RE UNMUTED.
IF YOU COULD TURN ON YOUR VIDEO AS WELL.
MS. AMIA THOMAS, ARE YOU ABLE TO SPEAK? 'CAUSE WE'RE UNABLE TO
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HEAR YOU.CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
ARE YOU ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR VIDEO? I AM LOOKING FOR WHERE THAT IS LOCATED.
I, I'M USED TO JOINING, UM,
SO I'M JUST TRYING TO LOCATE WHERE THE VIDEO IS.
I DON'T, I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT OPTION IS.
LET ME SEE IF MAYBE MOVING YOU AS TO A PANELIST, IF IT'LL POP UP AT THE BOTTOM.
AND I TELL YOU WHAT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GO ON WITH THE AGENDA AND COME BACK TO THAT WHEN YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO TURN ON YOUR CAMERAS.
SO WE DEFINITELY HEAR FROM YOU.
SO STAY ON AND LET'S FIGURE THIS OUT.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GO ON WITH OUR MEETING AND JUST, UM, IF YOU COULD JUST MAKE A NOTE OKAY.
OR JUST RAISE YOUR HAND OR DO SOMETHING WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO, AND WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LOVE, UM, TO GO TO THE APPROVAL OF THE MONTHLY MINUTES.
YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED THE MINUTES VIA EMAIL, AND I HOPE YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM.
ARE THERE ANY EDITS NEEDED? THEN I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 6TH MINUTE MEETING.
ANY OPPOSED? MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
ANY LUCK WITH THOSE VIDEOS? NOT YET.
THEN LET'S MOVE ON TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION REPORT.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSION MEMBERS.
I AM SHA WILLIAMS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES, GRANTS DIVISION.
UH, GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE BACK AND DON WANNA SAY WELCOME BACK.
AND I ALSO, RIGHT BEFORE MY UPDATE, I WANT TO ALSO WELCOME OUR NEW, UH, COMM, OUR CDC COORDINATOR, VICTOR SALAZAR.
SO IF YOU GET VICTOR, TURN YOUR CAMERA ON AND JUST WAVE REAL QUICK.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE HIM ON BOARD AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME GREAT THINGS COMING UP WITH OUR COMMISSION JUST IN THE WAY OF A BRIEF UPDATE.
UM, AND A BRIEF UPDATE SINCE OUR LAST MEETING IN JUNE, UH, COUNCIL DID APPROVE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN BUDGET, WHICH INCLUDES ALL FOUR OF OUR GRANTS.
AND JUSTICE AND HIS TEAM HAVE BEEN WORKING TO FINISH THE ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, THE BUDGET FOR THE YEAR PLUS ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
BUT THIS YEAR WE WILL ALSO BE SUBMITTING OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN, WHICH IS THE CITY'S, UH, PLANNING DOCUMENT THAT COVERS THE, UH, PLANS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS BASED ON CURRENT DATA WE SHARE WITH HUD.
HUD REQUIRES THAT WE SUBMIT A PLAN THAT FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, THESE ARE THE NEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THE CITY.
SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND THEN THAT ANNUAL ACTION PLAN LAYS OUT WHAT THE CITY WILL BE DOING WITH THE FUNDS THAT WE RECEIVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024 THROUGH 25.
THAT IS EFFECTIVE ON OCTOBER ONE.
SO THAT DOCUMENT IS DUE TO HUD ON AUGUST THE 15TH.
SO JUSTICE AND HIS TEAM ARE WORKING TO GET THAT DONE, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT WORK.
SO TONIGHT YOUR AGENDA INCLUDES, UH, INFORMATION FROM OUR, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL DIVISION, UH, UH, CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER.
AND I WILL LET THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
AND FOLLOWING THAT WILL BE THE TRAINING ON OUR TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT WILL BE FROM OUR GENERAL COUNSEL FROM MY DALLAS CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO THAT COMPLETES MY UPDATE AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD.
AND STAFF WILL BE COMING UP TO PRESENT THE NEXT ITEM.
AND I WILL ALLOW THEM PLEASE TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
I CAN JUST ASK A QUESTION BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE IT BEFORE IT'S SENT IN OR JUST GET SOMETHING? IS THAT SOMETHING WE REVIEW OR WE JUST, WE WE WILL GET A COPY THOUGH, THEN THEY'LL GET A COPY.
AND WE'LL SEND A NOTICE ONCE IT'S SUBMITTED TO HUD, BUT IT INCLUDES THE BUDGET, THE, THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE APPROVED FOR BUDGETING.
AND THEN THE ACTION PLAN INCLUDES ALL THE HUD COMPONENTS.
LIKE IF WE HAVE CHILDCARE, HOW MANY DO WE PLAN TO SEE? AND THEN ALL OF THE HUD RULES THAT'S ATTACHED TO THAT.
SO WE KIND OF SAW THE BUDGET AND THEN THE ACTION PLAN PUTS IN ALL THE
I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR, FOR ALL OF US TO BE ABLE TO JUST SEE IT ONCE IT'S POSTED.
IF YOU JUST LET US KNOW WHEN IT'S POSTED.
A QUESTION FOR MS. WILLIAMS, THE FIVE YEAR PLAN AND THE ANNUAL PLAN BOTH ON AUGUST 15TH.
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AND WHAT WILL BE POSTED ONLINE JUST FOR EFFICIENCIES? UM, THE ACT, THE FIVE YEAR PLAN AGAIN, IS FIVE YEARS.SO THE WAY WE PRESENT IT IS THE ACTION PLAN FOR THAT YEAR IS INCLUDED.
SO IT'S ONE DOCUMENT, IT WILL BE A BIG DOCUMENT AND YOU'LL SEE FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND THEN INCLUDING A ONE YEAR ACTION PLAN.
SO AFTER THAT, IT'LL JUST BE ONE DOCUMENT AND IT'S NOT NEAR AS BIG.
WHEN DOES IT GO TO COUNCIL? IT'S ALREADY BEEN TO COUNCIL.
COUNCIL APPROVED IT ON JUNE 26TH.
THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE SAYING? YES.
WE STARTED, IT WAS, YEAH, WE STARTED WITH ALL THE PLANNING BACK IN OCTOBER OF 23.
AND THEN EACH MONTH WE ANOTHER STEP ON BUILDING OUT THAT FIVE-YEAR PLAN.
THEN, UH, THE ACTUAL BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PIECE STARTED IN JANUARY.
AND THEN THE, THE BUDGET AND THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN MOVED TOGETHER THROUGH THE PUBLIC, UH, PUBLIC REVIEW PERIOD, THEN TO COUNCIL.
AND THEN RIGHT BEFORE IN MAY, WE HAD A PUBLIC 30 DAY, ANOTHER 30 DAY FOR BOTH DOCUMENTS.
JUNE 26TH WAS THE LAST COUNCIL FINAL ADOPTION WAS JUNE 12TH.
SO WE'RE READY FOR THE NEXT PRESENTATION FROM, UM, MR. ELLISON, OUR CHIEF INTEGRITY OFFICER.
LET ME, UH, IF I CAN GET THIS PULLED UP FOR YOU.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING ABOUT NOW.
I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT ONE POINT OF INFORMATION.
UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, RUBEN, BEFORE WE BEGIN THE ETHICS TRAINING, UM, MIGHT WE CHECK IN WITH OUR, UM, ATTENDEES WHO ARE NEEDING TO MAKE PUBLIC STATEMENTS, SEE IF THEY'VE GOTTEN THEIR TECHNICAL THINGS SQUARED AWAY.
I'M SURE THEY'D LOVE TO HEAR AN ETHICS TRAINING, BUT, UM, I DID LOOK AND IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE THE VIDEO WAS ON, BUT I'M WRONG THAT THEY'RE WELCOME TO, TO SPEAK NOW.
MY NAME IS RWANDA THOMAS AND I AM A RESIDENT OF HAMILTON PARK.
UM, SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT, UM, ME AND MY NEIGHBOR SHARE WITH THE HAMILTON PARK AREA, DISTRICT 10 HAPPENS TO BE WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS AND ITS EMPLOYEES WHEN IT COMES TO SERVING THE NEED OF THAT AREA.
FOR INSTANCE, THERE'S A LOT OF SIDEWALKS AND STREETS THAT NEED TO BE REPAIRED.
UM, WHEN WE HAD JUST HAD THIS LAST, UM, STORM, IT HAS TAKEN AT LEAST NINE WEEKS TO PICK UP THE TREES.
AND WHEN THE TREES ARE PICKED UP, A LOT OF THE, THE RESIDUE OF THE TREES OR ANY, ALSO, LET ME JUST DOUBLE BACK.
WHEN THE EMPLOYEES COME TO THE HAMILTON PARK AREA, THEY DUMP THE RESIDUE IN THE ALLEY.
AND I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THAT IS AND WHY THAT IS HAPPENING IN HAMILTON PARK.
UM, PLENTY OF THE NEIGHBORS HAVE CALLED AND SPOKE WITH SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS, AND NO ONE IS REALLY GETTING BACK WITH A LOT OF THE OLDER RESIDENTS THERE.
UM, AND ALSO IN JANUARY, THERE WAS A, UH, SEWER LEAK THAT, IT WAS A MAJOR SEWER LEAK THAT WAS ROLLING DOWN OBERLIN AND, UM, NOT BELLA LAFONTE, BUT HOLI I DO BELIEVE.
AND THE SEWER LAKE WAS SO BAD IT WAS COMING DOWN THE STREET, DOWN THE SIDEWALK, UM, THROUGH SOME OF THE
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RESIDENTS TUBS AND COMMODES INTO THEIR HOMES.AND IT TOOK SEVERAL PHONE CALLS FOR US TO GET SOMEONE OUT TO THE HAMILTON PARK AREA.
AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN URGENCY OF HELPING THE RESIDENTS OF HAMILTON PARK.
AND THEN HERE RECENTLY, AS I MENTIONED WITH THE, THE, UM, THE STORM, THERE WERE TWO LARGE POWER LINES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
THIS, THAT'S JUST SIMPLY YELLOW TAPED AS IF LITTLE CHILDREN KNOW WHAT A YELLOW TAPE MEANS WHEN THEY'RE PLAYING IN THE STREETS.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD TELL THEM, BUT HOW CORRECT IS THAT, THAT YOU WILL LEAVE POWER LINES LAYING IN THE STREET WITH YELLOW TAPE? I'M SURE THERE'S A BETTER PROCEDURE.
AND IF WE WERE IN A DIFFERENT AREA, LIKE OUR SISTER CITIES LIKE, UM, RICHARDSON AND, UH, LAKE HIGHLAND, THAT WOULD NOT OCCUR.
SO AGAIN, THE CITY EMPLOYEES HAPHAZARDLY, UM, DOING THEIR JOB.
IN ADDITION, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PHONE CALLS OUT TO THE CITY OF DALLAS WHEN IT COMES TO THE POWER LINES AND THE TREES.
THERE'S SEVERAL TREES THAT NEED TO BE CUT AWAY FROM POWER LINES.
WHAT'S HAPPENING WHEN THERE ARE MAJOR STORMS IN DALLAS? THIS AREA, UM, YOUR, YOUR TIME IS UP.
IT'S AFFECTED, BUT WE WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO GET ON THAT IMMEDIATELY TO PRE TO PREVENT FIRES.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING YOUR TIME TO COME SHARE YOUR, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON.
AND WE WOULD REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO CALL 3 1 1 AND EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID FOR US.
WE THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT WITH US.
WE'LL CALL UPON OUR SECOND SPEAKER, MS. ISHA THOMAS AT THIS TIME.
ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
LET ME SEE IF YOUR VIDEO IS WORKING.
SO, UM, I'M REPRESENTING, UH, DISTRICT 10 AND THE HAMILTON PARK AREA AS WELL.
UH, AND A LOT, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I DO, UM, AT THIS POINT IS, UH, BASICALLY CONSIDERED SOCIAL ADVOCACY.
AND IT'S FOR A LOT OF THE INDIVIDUALS, UM, LIKE THE ELDERLY AND SOME OF THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES AND GETTING THE RESOLUTION THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, WE'RE BASICALLY, UH, SO LIKE WE'RE SUFFERING FROM MISREPRESENTATION AND BEING UNDERSERVED, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE REVITALIZATION AND THE REIN INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE DALLAS, UM, MARKET.
UM, AND, AND CONTINGENCY WITH THE ACTUAL BUILD OUT PLANS.
UM, I SEE A LOT OF THE FUNDING THAT'S BEING REDIRECTED TO THE SOUTHERN SECTOR.
UM, AND WHEN WE LOOK FOR ASSISTANCE, WE'RE BASICALLY TOLD THAT THIS AREA IS NOT A PRIORITY ON THE LIST.
UM, BECAUSE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SIT ON THE CHAIRS, UM, FOR THE, UM, THE ASSISTANCE, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BEING OFFERED, LIKE THE HIP PROGRAM, UM, FOR INSTANCE, FOR THE HOME REPAIR, UM, FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WE ARE SUFFERING WITH, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF PROPERTY TAXES STILL BEING DUE.
SO THAT, UM, AFFECTS THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS AREA ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE PROGRAMS. UM, IN ADDITION TO THIS AREA, UM, BASICALLY BEING LOOKED OVER, UM, THAT SAME PROGRAM DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS RECREATION CENTER IN THIS COMMUNITY NOR THE, UM, LOCAL LIBRARIES THAT ARE HAVING THE VIRTUAL AND THE IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS.
SO AGAIN, OUR INDIVIDUALS ARE BASICALLY BEING PASSED OVER WHEN IT COMES TO HOW THE ASSISTANCE IS BEING DELIVERED, UM, AND WHO IS SPEAKING UP FOR US, UM, IN ORDER TO GET THE HELP, UM, INTO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND SO BASICALLY THE SAME PROGRAMS THAT SAY THAT THEY'RE HELPING THE INDIVIDUALS, I DON'T SEE A TRANSPARENT WAY OF, UM, THE COMMUNITY EFFECTIVELY EDUCATING US, UH, SPECIFICALLY, AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK, UM, I, I FIND OTHER RESOURCES THAT MENTION THINGS LIKE THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTER THAT'S COMING TO DALLAS.
AS YOU ALL MENTIONED, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION SINCE LAST YEAR.
HOWEVER, WE ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
AND WE'RE RIGHT IN THE, THE METROPLEX.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET, UM, FROM THE MULTIPURPOSE CENTER.
AND SO JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT EFFORTS THE CITY OF DALLAS IS ACTUALLY TAKING TO EDUCATE THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND SHOWING THEM HOW TO UTILIZE THIS RESOURCES IN A WAY THAT WILL ACTUALLY BRING THE ALLEVIATION TO, UM, HAMILTON PARK, UM, WITH MORE URGENCY OUTSIDE OF US CALLING 3 1 1.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THAT WOULD BE OUR FIRST INSTANCE, UM, TO TAKE THOSE PROPER MEASURES.
AND THEN ONCE WE REALIZE WE'RE
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NOT BEING ADDRESSED, WE HAVE TO FIGURE SOMETHING ELSE OUT.AND SO, UM, AGAIN, A LOT OF THE TIMES I FIND MYSELF ADVOCATING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT GO TO THE MEETING, WHO CANNOT STAND IN BECAUSE THEY'RE SICK AND SHUTTING OR HAVE A LIMITED, UM, MOBILITY OR LIMITED ACCESS.
UM, SO AGAIN, JUST TRYING TO, UM, HAVE SOMETHING TO BRING BACK TO MY COMMUNITY, UM, FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS DIRECTLY IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOUR PLAN IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GETTING THE ASSISTANCE THAT WE NEED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ELEVATING THAT TO US.
UM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO FROM THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SIDE IS IN JANUARY WE CONDUCT A SERIES OF NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC MEETINGS AND WE MOVE THEM AROUND THE CITY OF WHERE THEY ARE.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK STAFF TO LOOK AT THE, THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A MEETING IN HAMILTON PARK SO THAT WE CAN INCREASE ACCESS TO YOUR VOICES AND THAT WE CAN HEAR MORE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, UM, STAFF, IF WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IF MAYBE LOCATING ONE OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS THERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, 'CAUSE WE REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE, AND WE WILL FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
AND WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT MEETING OR THAT COMMISSION? WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THAT? IT'S FROM THIS COMMISSION, THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION.
AND EVERY JANUARY WE CON CONDUCT SEVERAL NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND WE DO MOVE AROUND.
SO MAYBE IT'S TIME TO COME THERE TO, TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL.
SO WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN DO THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONNECT WITH YOU DIRECTLY, PLEASE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO STAY ON WITH US AND HEAR ABOUT OUR ETHICS TRAINING OR WE, WE, UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ANY OTHER TIME THAT'S GOOD FOR YOU.
BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
MR. ELIANA, ARE YOU AVAILABLE TO FINISH YOUR PRESENTATION? I AM.
IT SOUNDS LIKE, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
IT'S BEEN, UH, JUST RIGHT ON A YEAR SINCE I WAS HERE, UH, THE LAST TIME.
AND SO I KNOW FOR SOME OF YOU THAT MIGHT BE NEW, THIS WILL BE, UH, SOME NEW STUFF AND SOME OF THE REST OF YOU, IT'LL JUST BE A GOOD REFRESHER.
BUT I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL ARE UP DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN ALSO JUST SHOWING UP AND MAKING SPACE IN YOUR BUSY CALENDAR TO TALK ABOUT ETHICS TONIGHT.
SO, UM, LET'S, LET'S GET GOING.
THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
I'M LOOKING AT MY POWERPOINT AND IT'S FROZEN.
WHY
THERE'S, THERE, IT'S SLOWLY GOING.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ETHICS.
I'LL TRY, TRY A LITTLE BIT MORE.
THE SLIDES JUST AREN'T ADVANCING, IS TECHNOLOGY.
SO I'M JUST GONNA, WE'RE WE'RE GONNA WING IT.
I'M GONNA STICK TO THE 30 MINUTES.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE, ARE, UH, BUSY.
WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT THIS TECHNOLOGY RIGHT NOW.
UM, SO LET ME, WHY DO WE TALK ABOUT ETHICS? WHY DOES IT MATTER? WHY DOES IT MATTER FOR YOU AS, UH, COMMITTEE COMMISSION, WHETHER YOU'RE, UH, WHATEVER IT IS, CITY COUNCIL, AN EMPLOYEE, CITY OFFICIAL? WHY DOES ETHICS MATTER? WELL, UH, IT MATTERS BECAUSE, UH, WE WANT THE CITY OF DALLAS TO BE A GREAT PLACE TO WORK.
AND WE WANNA BE PROUD OF WHAT WE DO.
AND, AND, UM, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS, AND PARTICULARLY FOR EMPLOYEES, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND THEY'RE DEPENDING ON CITY OFFICIALS TO BE A PART OF THIS MOVEMENT OF, OF ETHICS IN THEIR LIFE.
AND SO IF POWERPOINT WAS WORKING, WE'D BE LOOKING AT A, AT A SLIDE OF A TRAFFIC JAM IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE DRIVING IN DALLAS.
I WAS DRIVING IN IT TONIGHT, GETTING HOME, AND IT, IT CAN BE PRETTY ROUGH AND IT CAN BE DANGEROUS AND IT CAN BE AGGRAVATING AND ALL THOSE THINGS.
BUT WHAT IF EVERYBODY THAT WAS DRIVING, UH, DECIDED THEY WERE GONNA LEARN THE RULES AND THEY WERE GONNA FOLLOW THE RULES AND THEY WERE GONNA SUPPORT THE RULES.
WHAT WOULD THAT BE LIKE? MAN, THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT FOR EVERYBODY THAT WORKS AT THE CITY, THAT SERVES AT THE CITY LIKE YOU DO FOR EVERYBODY THAT INTERSECTS WITH THE CITY.
THOSE TWO SPEAKERS JUST NOW AND THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE OVER IN HAMILTON WANT IT TO BE A GREAT TRIP, A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
SO WHAT I WANNA DO TODAY IS TALK ABOUT ETHICS TO, UH, IN A WAY THAT JUST RAISES YOUR AWARENESS OF WHAT IT IS, UH, IN THE SENSE OF TWO THINGS, SOME CONCEPTS THAT ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT, AND THEN SOME, UH, BASIC RULES JUST TO RUN THROUGH.
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AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I ADDRESS ANY RULES THAT ARE, UH, MAYBE PAIN POINTS FOR YOU ALL.SO DO ME A FAVOR, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE NOT GONNA BE TIED TO THIS POWERPOINT FOR THE NEXT 30 MINUTES.
UM, BEGIN THINKING ABOUT SOME AREAS WHERE YOU FIND THE CDC BUMP BUMPING INTO THE CODE OR YOU'VE WONDERED ABOUT IT.
AND I'LL, I'LL TRY AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
SO WE'RE GONNA DO SOME CONCEPTS.
UM, STAFF, WE HAVE YOUR POWERPOINT SO YOU CAN CONTINUE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GONNA PULL DOWN AND PROBABLY, UH, SHARE AND THEY'RE GONNA CATCH UP WITH YOU.
SO IF YOU SEE SOME CHANGES, IF YOU'D GIVE US THE SLIDE NUMBER, STAFF WILL KEEP CATCH UP WITH YOU AND WE'LL ADVANCE YOUR SLIDES FOR US.
SO THE SLIDE THAT WE SHOULD BE ON ABOUT NOW IN THE PRESENTATION HAS A, A PICTURE OF SPIDER-MAN ON IT.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
SO WHILE THEY'RE DOING THAT, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THEM, THEM DOING THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS, BUT, UM, WE'RE GONNA GO OVER SOME CONCEPTS AND WE'RE GONNA GO OVER SOME RULES.
AND SO NOW WE'RE ON THE NEXT, UH, SLIDE IN ALL OF THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONCEPTS THAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'VE GOT SOMETHING ABOUT TO PULL UP.
WE'VE DONE THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE IT A GREAT TRIP.
SPIDER SENSE, TWO PATHWAYS, TOOLS AND RULES.
SO THE IDEA WITH THE SPIDER SENSE IS YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY GO THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THE CODE TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY NOT IN 30 MINUTES.
BUT WHAT I CAN DO IS GIVE YOU ENOUGH CONCEPTS AND ENOUGH AND TOUCH ON THE RULES ENOUGH THAT YOU'RE GONNA KNOW WHEN YOU'RE BUMPING INTO THE CODE OF ETHICS AND YOU'RE GONNA KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT, AND YOU'RE GONNA KNOW WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
SO SKIP ON DOWN, UH, TWO SLIDES.
FENCES MAKE, DOES EVERYBODY KNOW WHAT THE, WHAT THE, HOW TO FINISH THIS? IT'S GOOD.
THIS HAS GOT SOME ANIMATIONS ON IT.
MANY OF YOU FROM LAST YEAR MIGHT REMEMBER THIS PICTURE OF FRITZ.
IF YOU CHECK OUT THOSE CLAWS AND I LIVE IN A DUPLEX AND I SHARE A BACKYARD WITH A LADY THAT HAS A GARDEN, YOU SEE A PROBLEM THERE? YES, OF COURSE.
GO AHEAD AND CLICK THE ANIMATION FOR SOME TEXT.
UH, BIG DOGS DIG UP GARDENS, RIGHT? SO WE PUT A FENCE AROUND THAT GARDEN.
AND THIS IS WHAT I, I TALK ABOUT WITH EMPLOYEES ALL THE TIME.
AND IT, AND IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING TO THE EMPLOYEES.
SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL BEHAVIOR.
IT KEEPS THE BAD DOGS LIKE FRITZ FROM DIGGING UP OUR GARDEN, GARDEN IS SOMETHING WE WANT NEXT.
SO WE WANT TO BE THE FENCE HERE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND WHY DO WE WANNA DO THAT? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE WANT IT TO BE A GREAT TRIP.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING HURT.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING, UH, POORLY TREATED OR CHEATED.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING FORGOTTEN.
THEY DON'T EVEN THINK THEY'RE BEING FORGOTTEN.
UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT, THAT WAS AN IMPRESSION THAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN HAMILTON HAD THAT SPOKE, THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST BEING FORGOTTEN.
UH, WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE DISCIPLINED, ABUSED, PASSED OVER ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
WE WANT DALLAS TO BE THE FANTASTIC PLACE THAT WE KNOW IT IS.
AND SO LET'S LOOK AT SOME CONCEPTS.
THIS ONE'S A HUMPTY DUMPTY PRINCIPLE.
Y'ALL KNOW WHAT THIS IS ALL IT IS, UH, 'CAUSE WE'VE ALL, UH, EXPERIENCED LIFE.
THAT LITTLE THINGS ADD UP TO BIG PROBLEMS. SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE A PICTURE THERE OF HUMPTY DUMPTY, AND I CALL IT THE HUMPTY DUMPTY PRINCIPLE.
'CAUSE WE ALL KNOW ABOUT HUMPTY DUMPTY.
BUT HE, HE HAD TO GET UP ON THAT WALL.
AND IN ORDER TO GET UP ON THAT WALL, HE HAD TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS.
LIKE, I WANT TO BE ON THAT WALL AND RATIONALIZE THAT DECISION AND FIND A TRELLIS AND CLIMB UP AND NOT HAVE ON ANY PPE OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU WANNA SAY.
ALL THESE LITTLE STEPS THAT GOT HIM UP HERE LED TO BIG PROBLEMS IN THE REAL WORLD.
UM, YOU CAN POINT TO ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN, IN THE NEWS, LIKE RIGHT NOW, BIG STORY, UH, TEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.
AND THEY'RE STILL LOOKING INTO IT AND THEY'RE STILL GIVING US BITS AND PIECES.
BUT ONE THING IS CLEAR, A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS WENT WRONG FOR THAT GUY TO BE ABLE TO GET UP THERE AND TAKE A SHOT LIKE THAT.
THAT'S HUMPTY DUMPTY PRINCIPLE.
UH, AN INFAMOUS ONE IN THE WORLD OF FRAUD AND CORRUPTION, RIGHT? IS RIGGS BANK.
THEY MADE A LOT OF LITTLE DECISIONS THAT LED TO SOME BIG FINANCIAL, UH, ISSUES THAT WERE HUGE.
BUT ONE OF THE LITTLE ONES THAT SLIPPED PAST WAS THEY WERE SENDING $3,000 STIPENDS TO
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EACH OF THE NINE 11 TERRORISTS.DID THEY MEAN TO DO THAT? WERE THEY TRYING TO? NO.
BUT THAT HUMPTY DUMPTY PRINCIPLE, LITTLE DECISIONS ADDED UP, ADDED UP, ADDED UP UNTIL BIG PROBLEMS HAPPENED.
WHAT'S THE POINT OF THAT? THE POINT IS, WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY, UH, AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE HEADING THAT DIRECTION, THEY'RE GONNA CUT SOME CORNERS ON THE CODE, CUT SOME CORNERS WITH ETHICS.
THAT'S WHAT THE BAD DOG TRIANGLE IS ALL ABOUT.
UH, HERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE OF FRETS.
I LEFT HOME WITH PEANUT BUTTER ON THE KITCHEN COUNTER.
UNSCREWED THE TOP AND ATE ON MY PEANUT BUTTER.
NOW WHY DOES HE DO THAT? IT'S CALLED CRESSEY'S TRIANGLE.
AND IT'S THE SAME THING FOR DOGS AS IT IS FOR PEOPLE.
GO AHEAD AND ANIMATE THIS SLIDE FOR ME.
UH, FIRST THING THAT COMES UP IS THEY SEE SOMETHING AND THEY NEED IT, OR THEY WANT IT, RIGHT? THE NEXT THING THAT COMES UP IS THERE'S, UH, OPPORTUNITY.
SO IF YOU'RE CLICKING, THERE SHOULD BE, YEAH, THEY SHOULD BE COMING UP.
UH, OF COURSE IN THIS CASE, I LEFT THE PEANUT BUTTER OUT.
BUT HERE'S THE ONE THAT YOU, YOU NEED TO BE WATCHING OUT FOR.
UH, AND IT'S THE RATIONALIZATION, RIGHT? AND THAT'S THE WAY, UH, PEOPLE AND BAD DOGS, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY RESPOND TO THE LOGIC OF THE MOMENT.
UH, AND THEY CONVINCE THEMSELVES THAT IT'S OKAY TO CROSS THAT LINE.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
I WONDER HOW MANY TIMES THEY'VE SAID THAT AT RIGGS BANK UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE.
NO ONE WILL NOTICE WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? HERE'S SOME THAT HAVE TO DO WITH CIVILITY.
I'M JUST SO PASSIONATE ABOUT IT.
THAT'S WHY I'M, I'M, UH, BEING, YOU KNOW, UN UNCIVIL IN THIS CASE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE AROUND HERE AND THAT KIND OF THING.
THOSE ARE RATIONALIZATIONS FOR CUTTING CORNERS OR JUST OUTRIGHT BREAKING THE CODE OF ETHICS.
SO WHEN YOU SEE THAT BAD DRUG TRIANGLE AND PEOPLE START OUTING THEMSELVES WITH THESE RATIONALIZATIONS, REMEMBER THE HUMPTY DUMPTY PRINCIPLE, STEP IN EARLY, NOT LATER.
STEP IN THERE AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
IF EVERYBODY DOES THAT, WE'RE SO MUCH BETTER.
HERE'S A COMMON RATIONALE ABOUT THE CODE OF ETHICS.
UH, THIS AUDIO'S, THERE'S NO WAY IT'S GONNA PLAY WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S FROM PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, THAT'S CAPTAIN BARBOSA.
SOMEBODY TRIES TO, UH, WAG THE, UH, PIRATE'S CODE OF ETHICS IN HIS PLACE FACE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAYS? GREAT RATIONALIZATION IN THE BAD DOG TRIANGLE.
HE SAYS THE CODE IS MORE LIKE GUIDELINES THAN ACTUAL RULES, RIGHT? A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IF THEY DON'T SAY IT, THEY DO IT, THEY MEAN IT IN THIS WAY.
OR THEY, THEY ACTUALIZE IT BY TAKING THE CODE AND THEY JUST THROW IT ON THE SHELF OR THEY FALL ASLEEP DURING TRAINING.
THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S GUIDELINES, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE CAN SEE THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR CODE, WHICH YOU CAN EMPHASIZE WITH PEOPLE.
UH, AND YOU CAN, WE, WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO CITIZENS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, UH, IT'S MORE THAN A GUIDELINE.
WHAT, WHAT DO THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY, THE RESIDENTS, THE CITIZENS EXPECT OF US, BOUNDARIES, HOW FAR IS TOO FAR? UM, SAFEGUARDS, WHAT ARE SOME THINGS IN PLACE IN TERMS OF REPORTING REQUIREMENTS THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW? AND FINALLY, ENFORCEMENT.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THINGS GO WRONG? SO, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO WHAT I WANNA DO IS I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT RED ROVER AND THEN WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET PAST THE COMMENTS AND GET INTO SOME RULES.
BUT, UH, I WANT TO GIVE THIS CONCEPT OF RED ROVER, DEVELOP YOUR RED ROVER SKILLS WHEN IT COMES TO THE CODE OF ETHICS.
IF YOU NEVER PLAYED RED ROVER, IT WAS A GREAT GAME WHEN YOU WERE A KID, YOU HAD TWO TEAMS ON EACH SIDE AND YOU'D, YOU'D LOCK ARMS, RIGHT? AND YOU'D CALL SOMEBODY OVER RED ROVER, RED ROVER, LET BARON COME OVER, AND THEN I'D RUN THROUGH AND TRY AND BREAK THROUGH YOUR WALL.
IF I COULDN'T BREAK THROUGH, NOW, I WAS ON YOUR WALL AND YOUR WALL BECAME STRONGER AND VICE VERSA.
HERE'S TWO THINGS THAT REALLY DO HAVE TO DO WITH US BEING THE FENCE, STANDING FOR ETHICS, UM, BY STRENGTHENING OUR, OUR RED ROVER SKILL.
SO YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT AND THE ONE ON THE RIGHT.
WHICH PERSON WOULD YOU RATHER CALL OVER? THE, THE LITTLE GIRL ON THE LEFT THAT'S MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW, 10 YEARS OLD, OR THE BIG GUY ON THE RIGHT.
OBVIOUSLY YOU WANNA CALL THE LITTLE GIRL 'CAUSE SHE'S SMALLER, RIGHT? SHE'S GONNA HAVE LESS OF A CHANCE TO BREAK THROUGH THE FENCE.
WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE, WHY DID I EVEN BRING THAT UP AGAIN? HUMPTY DUMPTY PRINCIPLE, STOP THIS STUFF EARLY.
EVEN IF, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE STANDING UP FOR SOMETHING IN THE CODE OF ETON, IT JUST SEEMS SILLY.
BUT WHEN YOU STOP THINGS THERE, THEY NEVER HUMPTY DUMPTY PRINCIPLE INTO THE BIG THINGS.
SO THAT'S RED RIVER LESSON NUMBER TWO.
RED ROVER LESSON NUMBER NUMBER ONE, EXCUSE ME, RED ROVER LESSON NUMBER TWO IS WHICH FENCE IS BETTER? SO YOU LOOK AT THE ONE ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT, THE ONE ON THE LEFT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT EVEN HOLDING HANDS.
[00:35:01]
LIKE TOUCHING HANDS.BUT THE ONE ON THE RIGHT, THAT WHOLE TEAM, THAT WHOLE WALL IS PLAYING THEIR, THEIR ARMS ARE CLASPED.
AND THAT GUY HAS COME THROUGH AND TRIED TO KNOCK THE WALL OUT OF THE WAY, AND HE'S JUST GETTING CLOSED LINED.
WHAT'S THE POINT? POINT IS YOU GOTTA STAND, YOU GOTTA STAND FIRM.
AND WHEN YOU SEE SOMEBODY ELSE STANDING, YOU STAND WITH THEM BECAUSE WE'RE BETTER TOGETHER, RIGHT? WE ARE BETTER AND STRONGER TOGETHER.
IF THERE'S JUST ONE PERSON THAT'S WILLING TO STAND UP AND SAY, WE ARE VIOLATING THE CODE, WE'RE CUTTING A CORNER.
THIS DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT AND NOBODY ELSE BACKS THEM UP, WE ALL LOSE, RIGHT? SO NEXT SLIDE.
THESE ARE THE KIND OF RED ROVER, UH, SKILLS I WANT YOU TO HAVE.
LIKE WILLIAM WALLACE, RIGHT? YOU'RE GONNA HOLD THAT LINE.
THE ENGLISH ARE NOT GETTING THROUGH THAT LINE.
SO WE'RE GONNA WRAP UP THE CONCEPTS HERE.
AGAIN, COMMIT TO BEING THE FENCE BECAUSE IT MAKES GOOD NEIGHBORS, FORCES US TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
REMEMBER THE HUMPTY DUMP DUMPTY PRINCIPLE? 'CAUSE LITTLE THINGS ADD UP, WHETHER IT'S HERE OR WHEREVER IT IS THAT YOU ALL WORK.
RESPOND TO THE BAD DOG TRIANGLE BEFORE THE PEANUT BUTTER IS GONE.
CATCH IT EARLY AND PLAY RED ROW LIKE WILLIAM WALLACE, RIGHT? WE HAVE GOT TO UP OUR GAME, ALL OF US.
I'VE GOTTA DO IT FOR YOU AND, AND I NEED YOU TO DO IT FOR ME.
SO THAT ETHICS BECOME SUCH A PART OF OUR CULTURE.
NOBODY WOULD DARE INTENTIONALLY VIOLATE THE CODE.
OKAY? ENOUGH WITH CONCEPTS, LET'S GET OVER TO THE RULES.
WE'RE GONNA RUN THROUGH THESE FAST.
AGAIN, ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS GIVE YOU THAT SPIDER SENSE SO THAT WHEN YOU BUMP INTO A RULE, YOU KNOW YOU'RE BUMPING INTO IT AND YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
WE'RE GONNA STICK WITH THE ANALOGY OF THE FENCE SO THAT YOU HAVE A, A LITTLE BIT OF A STRUCTURE ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION.
YOU CAN FILE THESE RULES AWAY.
SO THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OFFENSE, WHERE AM I GONNA PUT IT? IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE DOES THE CODE OF ETHICS APPLY? WHO DOES IT APPLY TO? IT APPLIES TO PEOPLE LIKE ME.
EMPLOYEES, WE IMPLEMENT POLICY.
IT APPLIES TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU ALL CITY OFFICIALS.
SO YOU MAKE IT, WE IMPLEMENT IT.
AND IT APPLIES TO PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
UH, IT ALSO APPLIES TO LOBBYISTS, BUT THE MAIN THREE ARE, UH, EMPLOYEES, OFFICIALS, PEOPLE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY.
YOU'LL SEE FRITZ SPINNING AROUND THERE.
WE GOTTA KEEP FRITZ OUT OF THE GARDEN.
WHEREVER YOU'RE WORKING, WHEREVER YOU'RE SERVING, THE FENCE IS ONLY AS AS STRONG AS WE ARE.
SO POSTS OF THE FENCE AND THE CODE OF ETHICS, UH, ARE THE, THE, THAT SHOWS YOU WHAT THE CODE COVERS.
NOW THE CODE COVERS A LOT OF TERRITORY.
IT HAS 11 ARTICLES IN IT, BUT YOU NEED TO WORRY PARTICULARLY ABOUT THREE.
THE FOURTH ONE IS IN, IS ARTICLE SIX ABOUT REPORTING.
IF YOU GET GIFTS, IF YOU GET DONATIONS, IF YOU TRAVEL FOR THE CITY.
BUT REALLY 95% OF WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS CONTAINED IN 25 RULES.
THAT'S ALL IN THE FIRST THREE ARTICLES OR CHAPTERS OF THE CODE OF ETHICS.
WHEN THIS IS OVER IN THE CHAT, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU LINKS TO ALL THESE THINGS.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE CODE COVERS.
THE NEXT PART OF THE FENCE IS WHAT I CALL THE BACKERS.
WHAT ARE BACKERS ON A FENCE? THOSE HORIZONTAL BOARDS, THEY GIVE STRENGTH AND STRUCTURE TO THE FENCE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN THE CODE? THESE ARE THE RULES THAT APPLY ALL THE TIME.
SO THEY'RE NOT IF THIS, THEN THAT RULES.
AND IF YOU CLICK TO THE NEXT SLIDE, THE FIRST ONE IS YOUR DUTY.
AND I'M SURE YOU ALL KNOW WHAT THIS IS UTMOST DUTY OF LOYALTY AND CARE.
IT'S TO THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO, YOU OWE THAT FIDUCIARY DUTY.
SO YOU, IT'S NOT THE DUTY LIKE YOU HAVE WITH THE USED CAR SALESMAN, RIGHT? WHERE YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S YOU AGAINST THEM.
THIS IS MORE LIKE THE DOCTOR TO YOU.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THIS PICTURE OF MY FRIEND.
I SAY, NICK, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU, RIGHT?
THERE'S A TINY, UH, ANIMATION IN THAT SLIDE.
CIVILITY MEANS TWO THINGS IN THE CODE.
THE FIRST THING IT MEANS IS WHAT WE ALL THINK OF JUST BEING RESPECTFUL.
I MEAN, THAT IS LACKING IN OUR CULTURE ACROSS THE BOARD.
UH, BUT WHEN IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND WE, THERE'S, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT, BUT WE CAN DO OUR PART IN THE SENSE OF WE CAN BE CIVIL HERE IN THE CITY.
WE CAN TREAT OTHERS WITH RESPECT AND ACCORD.
WE CAN TAKE THINGS PROFESSIONALLY, NOT PERSONALLY.
AND REALLY THIS, THIS ISSUE OF CIVILITY PERVADES THE ENTIRE CITY.
WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS IN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DIVISION ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
UM, AND IT CAN MAKE OR BREAK, UH, YOUR TIME
[00:40:01]
OF SERVICE OR EMPLOYMENT, YOUR CAREER AT THE CITY.WHETHER YOU'RE WORKING IN A PLACE WHERE CIVILITY, I I WORK IN THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
WE HONOR THIS PART OF THE CODE AND CIVILITY, IT'S A PLEASANT PLACE FOR ME TO WORK.
I DON'T GO INTO WORK WORRIED ABOUT GETTING MY HEAD, YOU KNOW, BITTEN OFF, UH, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IMAGINE THIS, SOME OF THE CITY EMPLOYEES, AND REMEMBER THIS, THIS ISSUE OF CIVILITY.
'CAUSE THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY SENSITIZED TO THIS WHEN THEY'RE DEALING WITH CITY OFFICIALS BECAUSE IN THEIR MIND'S EYE, UH, CITY OFFICIALS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE KIND OF TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.
AND WHEN THEY GET A, ANY KIND OF DEALINGS WITH, UH, CITY OFFICIALS, THEY'RE A LITTLE EXTRA TENDER.
WE CERTAINLY AREN'T GONNA DO THINGS THAT ARE ABUSIVE, BELLIGERENT, CRUDE, DEROGATORY AND PERTINENT.
AND IF SOMEBODY ELSE CALLS IT OUT, STAND WITH THEM.
NOW THE NEXT PART OF CIVILITY IS AN INTERESTING ONE.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, CONFUSION ABOUT THIS ONE.
AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN CITY OFFICIALS WHO MAKE POLICIES NEED TO INTERACT WITH, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES WHO IMPLEMENT POLICIES.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? CODE'S PRETTY CLEAR, UH, AT ALL.
I KNOW IT, UH, IT FROM THE CITY OFFICIALS PERSPECTIVE, THIS COULD BE KIND OF A BIT OF A PAIN, BUT IT IS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
YOU WANT TO TALK TO A CITY EMPLOYEE TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT A PROJECT OR SOME HELP WITH SOMETHING.
FIRST PERSON YOU TALK TO IS SOMEBODY WITH THE WORD BASICALLY CITY IN FRONT OF THEIR NAME.
CITY SECRETARY, AUDITOR ATTORNEY, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL CITY MANAGER.
YOU TALK TO THEM, YOU SAY, I NEED TO, I NEED TO GET WITH SOME EMPLOYEES.
AND THEN YOU TALK TO THE EMPLOYEES DIRECTOR AND THAT'S IT.
HERE'S WHAT I TELL THE EMPLOYEES.
I SAY, WHEN A CITY OFFICIAL WANTS TO TALK TO YOU AND, AND UH, GET INVOLVED IN A PROJECT IN SOME WAY, UH, GO AND TALK TO YOUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
IF THAT HASN'T HAPPENED, THEN GET YOUR DIRECTOR TO WORK THIS OUT.
'CAUSE THERE'S THE WAY THAT THE CODE OF ETHICS AND THAT, THAT CITY COUNCIL'S APPROVED, THEY WANT THIS INTERACTION TO HAPPEN.
SO JUST REMEMBER THAT IT'S TWO STEP PROCESS.
SOMEBODY WITH WORDS CITY IN FRONT OF THEIR NAME, THE EMPLOYEE'S, UH, DIRECTOR, AND YOU'RE OFF TO THE RACES.
OKAY? NEXT, WE PROTECT PEOPLE AT THE CITY.
IN OTHER WORDS, EVERYBODY GETS AN UMBRELLA.
WE DON'T LEAVE ANYBODY STAND OUT IN THE RAIN.
THAT'S WHAT THOSE PICTURES ARE ABOUT.
WE'RE PROTECTED FROM DISCRIMINATION.
THAT'S THE THIRD ONE THERE TO VIOLATE THE CODE.
YOU KNOW, SO I CAN'T SAY TO SOMEBODY, HEY, GO DO X, Y AND Z.
PEOPLE ARE WATCHING ME 'CAUSE I'M IN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S DIVISION.
IF THEY'RE NOT WATCHING YOU, SO YOU GO DO THIS.
WE PROTECT PEOPLE ALSO AGAINST RETALIATION.
YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND THIS KIND OF RETALIATION IS WHISTLEBLOWERS, RIGHT? AND SOMEBODY'S GONNA COOPERATE WITH THE CODE OF ETHICS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW SOMEBODY TO GO AFTER 'EM FOR COOPERATING AND DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
OKAY? FINAL SLIDE ON THE BACK OF RULES.
RULES THAT APPLY ALL THE TIME.
PUT THE DUCK BACK UP THERE AND THEN HIT THE ANIMATION ON THE DUCK.
IF IT WALKS, TALKS, QUACKS, SWIMS LIKE A DUCK.
WHAT IS IT? WHAT IS IT? IT'S A DUCK.
YOU DON'T WANNA BE A DEAD DUCK.
WHAT'S A DEAD DUCK? WELL, THAT'S A CITY OFFICIAL THAT, UM, PEOPLE START POINTING THE FINGER AT AND YOU MAKE IT IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS, RIGHT? YOU DON'T WANNA BE ONE OF THOSE, ESPECIALLY NOW.
'CAUSE THE NEWS CYCLES MOVED SO FAST THAT, UH, IT'S LONG GONE BY THE TIME EVERYBODY FIGURES OUT YOU REALLY DIDN'T DO IT.
THE ALLEGATION STICKS AND IT STICKS ON YOU.
WHAT DOES THE CODE SAY ABOUT THAT? CODE SAYS IN YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIONS.
PLEASE BE CONCERNED ABOUT, PLEASE WATCH APPEARANCE.
IF YOU THINK IT'S GONNA LOOK BAD, FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO DO IT.
IF IT LOOKS BAD BECAUSE YOU'RE INVOLVED, GET SOMEBODY ELSE TO DO IT.
IF YOU JUST NEED TO FESS UP AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS PERSON ON THE OTHER END OF THE DEAL IS MY BEST FRIEND.
IT'S NOT A CONFLICT, BUT YOU ALL NEED TO KNOW IT.
OKAY, THIS ONE IS THE LAST SLIDE IN THE BACK OF RULES.
IT HAS TO DO WITH THE TITANIC.
AND UH, YOU SEE THAT GUY ON THE LEFT THERE? THAT'S MR. FLEET.
HE WAS A LOOKOUT ON THE TITANIC.
YOU SEE SOME KEYS THERE? THEY NEVER MADE IT ON THE TITANIC.
THE PERSON THAT HAD THOSE KEYS WAS REPLACED, KEPT THE KEYS IN HIS POCKET.
THOSE KEYS CONTAINED, IF YOU READ, IF YOU CAN READ IT THERE ON YOUR SCREEN, THE KEYS TO THE BINOCULARS.
SO MR. FLEET WAS UP IN THE CROW'S NEST WITHOUT BINOCULARS LOOKING FOR ICEBERGS.
DO YOU SEE A PROBLEM THERE? OF COURSE.
WHAT DOES THIS REMIND YOU OF? THE HUMPTY DUMPTY PRINCIPLE, RIGHT? ALL THE LITTLE THINGS THAT WENT BAD ON THE TITANIC AND IT ENDS UP SINKING.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND HIT THE ANIMATION ON
[00:45:01]
THE SLIDE.WHAT'S THE POINT? THE POINT IS, YOU GET THE CODE OF ETHICS.
YOU DON'T READ THOSE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS OUT OF 11.
YOU DON'T GROW YOUR SPIDER SENSE.
YOU FORGET ABOUT WHAT I'M TELLING YOU.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A GUIDELINE.
THAT'S A STEP ON THAT HUMPTY DUMPTY TRAIL AND BAD THINGS HAPPEN.
IN THE CASE OF THE TITANIC AND THE CASE OF RIGS, BANK, PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES.
PROBABLY NOT GONNA HAPPEN HERE, BUT PEOPLE CAN LOSE THEIR JOBS, THEY CAN LOSE THEIR REPUTATIONS, THEY CAN LOSE THEIR CAREERS, OR THEY CAN HAVE A CAREER THAT THEY JUST DON'T ENJOY BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A CAUSTIC ENVIRONMENT OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THIS WHAT WE DO IN ALL OF OUR ROLES IN TERMS OF STANDING FOR ETHICS, ETHICS CHANGES LIVES.
SO PLEASE, UH, GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA START GOING THROUGH SOME RULES CALLED THAT I CALL PICKET RULES.
THESE ARE, IF THEN RULES GO ONTO THE NEXT SLIDE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CHECKLIST ON HERE.
UH, THESE, IF THEN RULES ARE NOT ROCKET SCIENCE, ESPECIALLY, UH, FOR, FOR CITY OFFICIALS.
I MEAN, NOT ONLY DID YOU LEARN THIS STUFF IN, UH, KINDERGARTEN, I MEAN YOU'RE JUST, YOU'RE SAVVY PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SITTING ON THESE, UH, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS.
GO AHEAD AND HIT THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO IF YOU'RE WORKING ON A DEAL AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DEAL IS, UH, A, A BUSINESS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE A CONFLICT.
SO WHAT'S THAT LIKE? IT'S LIKE THIS BIG PRINCIPLE RIGHT HERE.
IF YOU GET THIS, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND ALL OF THESE RULES.
YOU HAVE ACCESS TO MONEY, POWER, INFORMATION, RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITY THE PUBLIC IS PAYING FOR AND THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THAT.
SO WHEN DO PEOPLE GET IN TROUBLE? WHEN'S THE CLASSIC BLUNDER? WHEN YOU TAKE THAT ACCESS THAT YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN TO MONEY, POWER, AUTHORITY, INFORMATION, RESOURCES, AND USE IT FOR PERSONAL GAIN.
YOU DO THAT OR YOU SEE THAT HAPPENING, YOUR SPIDER SENSE SHOULD BE GOING OFF BECAUSE CHANCES ARE YOU'RE CROSSING AN ETHICAL LINE.
SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE HERE IS THAT CHECKLIST I ALREADY TOLD YOU ABOUT THE FIRST ONE, WHICH WAS IF, UH, OH, SORRY, MC HAMMER, PEOPLE LIKE MC HAMMER, HE IS GONNA BREAK DOWN SOME RULES.
YOU, UH, IF YOU HAVE A RELATIVE OR A BUSINESS THAT HAS AN INTEREST IN SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE MAKING A DECISION ABOUT, GUESS WHAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK? YOU'VE GOT A CONFLICT.
IF THE CITY'S DECIDING TO INVEST OR DIVEST IN A PROJECT AND YOU, YOU ARE A CITY OFFICIAL, YOU CAN'T INVEST OR DIVEST IN THAT AT LEAST FOR 12 MONTHS AFTER A DECISION.
'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT A CONFLICT THERE.
IF YOU WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY AND MAKE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY, YOU'VE GOT A CONFLICT.
A CONFLICT THAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE CITY CHARTER.
AND IF EMPLOYEES DO IT, THE ONLY REMEDY IS TERMINATION.
SO YOU CAN'T HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE CITY.
UH, YOU CAN'T, YOU KNOW, UH, SORT OF WORK IN EXCHANGE FOR ACTION BY YOU FOR A BENEFIT TO A RELATIVE OR A BUSINESS YOU OWN, OR A DEBTOR OR A CREDITOR.
NONE OF THIS IS ROCKET SCIENCE.
UH, BENEFITS TO PREVIOUS EMPLOYERS.
THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY FOR, UH, EMPLOYEES.
UH, SO THAT DOESN'T APPLY TO YOU.
AND OBVIOUSLY SHARING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION, YOU ALL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
YOU CAN'T GO OUT AND TALK ABOUT IT UNTIL IT ACTUALLY BECOMES PUBLIC.
SO THERE'S AN EASY CONFLICTS CHECKLIST.
LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT EMPLOYEES FACE THAT YOU CAN BE WATCHING OUT FOR, UH, USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES, RIGHT? I TELL FIREFIGHTERS, YOU CAN'T TAKE THE PUMPER TRUCK HOME AND HAVE A, AND MAKE A WATERPARK, YOU KNOW, IN, IN YOUR BACKYARD OR AT THE CHURCH.
OBVIOUSLY THE EQUIPMENT, THE PERSONNEL, THE EMAILS, THE, WHETHER IT'S DIGITAL OR PHYSICAL.
IF, IF IT BELONGS TO THE CITY, WE CAN'T USE IT LIKE IT'S ON.
WHEN WORK BECOMES A FAMILY REUNION, YOU KNOW, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES PARTICULARLY, THEY, THEY CAN'T, BUT OFFICIALS RUN INTO THIS TOO.
YOU CAN'T HELP, UH, SOMEONE, UH, UH, LIKE A RELATIVE GAIN AN APPOINTMENT OR GAIN EMPLOYMENT APPOINTMENT OR EMPLOYMENT.
NOW, UH, CITY STAFF CAN'T BE IN THE LINE OF SUPERVISION, BUT YOU ALL JUST CAN'T BE THE DIRECT SUPERVISOR OF, OF A RELATIVE.
SO THAT'S THE BASIC RULES OF NEPOTISM.
HIT THE ANIMATION AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT THE, THE RULE OF THUMB THERE.
GO AHEAD AND ANIMATE THAT SLIDE.
YOU CAN BE INVOLVED IN POLITICS, BUT THERE ARE RULES AND THERE'S YOUR SPIDER SENSE.
YOU WANNA GET INVOLVED IN THINGS.
YOU WANNA ADVOCATE FOR THINGS.
JUST REMEMBER THERE'S SOME RULES ABOUT THIS.
LET'S SKIP THIS ONE 'CAUSE IT'S GOT AN ANIMA A VIDEO IN IT.
UH, THAT'S RODNEY DANGERFIELD.
YOU KNOW, HE IS, UH, EVERYBODY REMEMBERS CADDY SHACK IF YOU'RE OF A CERTAIN AGE.
AND HERE HE GOES, HEY, KEEP IT FIT.
AND HE'S GIVING THIS JUDGE A HUNDRED BUCKS.
[00:50:01]
AND THE JUDGE SAYS, I CAN'T TAKE THAT.OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN'T TRADE FAVORS FOR OFFICIAL ACTION.
OKAY? THIS NEXT SECTION IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET INTO VIOLATIONS? WE'RE, WE'RE ABOUT TO WRAP THIS, UH, PRESENTATION UP.
UM, SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION THROUGH ALL THIS, BUT I'VE JUST SKIMMED THROUGH ALL THESE RULES.
NOW, LET'S SAY YOUR SPIDER SENSE GOES OFF AND THEN YOU GO READ THE RULES AND YOU'RE STILL NOT SURE WHAT TO DO.
THEN WHAT? THEN YOU CALL ME UP AND YOU GET AN ADVISORY OPINION.
WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S, IF YOU'VE GOT A DECISION TO MAKE ON A MATTER AND THE FUTURE, YOU TELL ME ALL THE FACTS.
NOBODY KNOWS YOU'RE EVEN ASKING.
IT'S CONFIDENTIAL UNTIL YOU DECIDE TO RELEASE IT.
IF YOU WANT TO, YOU GIVE ME ALL THE FACTS, YOU FOLLOW MY ADVICE.
IF IT'S WRONG, IT'S MY PROBLEM, NOT YOUR PROBLEM.
IT'S CALLED AN ADVISORY OPINION.
WE'RE GETTING, AND THE MORE TRAINING I DO, THE MORE AND MORE OF THESE THAT WE'RE GETTING, I WRITE 'EM.
UH, WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ASSISTANT ATTORNEY, KAITLYN, UH, BUFFET WRITES 'EM.
THEY GET REVIEWED BY SEVERAL ATTORNEYS IN THE FIRM TO PROTECT YOU.
THIS ONE HAS TO DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS IF YOUR SPIDER SENSE GOES OFF AND NOW YOU KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM.
L MC HAMMER THERE TELLS US YOU CAN'T TOUCH THIS.
AND IF YOU REMEMBER THAT SONG THAT'S PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND THAT WE CAN'T HEAR, IT'S CALLED RECUSAL.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? FROM THE MOMENT? HERE'S THE RULE.
FROM THE MOMENT YOU REALIZE YOU'VE GOT A CONFLICT'S LIKE PENCIL'S DOWN, HANDS UP, YOU STOP WORKING ON IT, YOU STOP TALKING ABOUT IT.
YOU JUST RAISE YOUR HAND AND YOU RAISE YOUR HAND IN TWO WAYS.
FIRST, YOU, UH, AS CITY OFFICIALS, YOU HAVE A FORM YOU FILL OUT WITH THE CITY SECRETARY.
AND THEN AS CITY OFFICIALS, YOU GOT TO INFORM YOUR COMMITTEE, COMMISSION THE PLACE WHERE YOU'RE WORKING.
THIS IS A COMPILATION OF EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS WHEN THINGS GO WRONG.
AND THE IMPORTANT ONE IS THE DUTY TO REPORT.
'CAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE REST OF THEM AND OR THEY MAKE PERFECT SENSE.
UM, BUT DID YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE AWARE THAT SOMEONE IS VIOLATING THE CODE, YOU HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT IT.
AND WHO DO YOU REPORT IT TO? YOU REPORT IT TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT AS WE WRAP THIS PRESENTATION UP.
BUT YOU HAVE A DUTY TO DO THAT.
NOW, YOU CAN MAKE THE REPORT IF YOU THINK THERE'S A VIOLATION, THAT'S A MAY.
BUT IF YOU KNOW THERE'S A VIOLATION AND YOU DON'T REPORT IT, NOW SOMEBODY'S DRAGGED YOU INTO THEIR MOUTH.
'CAUSE NOW YOU'RE VIOLATING THE CODE 'CAUSE YOU'VE GOT THIS DUTY.
SO LET'S GO ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
IT'S OUR CONFIDENTIAL HOTLINE.
IF YOU WANNA STAY ANONYMOUS, YOU CAN, IT GOES TO A THIRD PARTY.
IT DOESN'T GO TO CITY COUNCIL OR THE MAYOR, IT GOES TO A THIRD PARTY CALLED NX.
THEY SEND US A REPORT AND THEN OUR INVESTIGATORS TAKE OVER.
UM, THAT'S HOW YOU MAKE YOUR REPORT TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
IT'S GOT A LITTLE ANIMATION AND SOME MUSIC.
UH, OKAY, WHY REPORT VIOLATIONS TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL? YOU REMEMBER PROFESSOR FRITZ DIGGING UP THE GARDEN, HIT THE ANIMATION ONE MORE TIME.
GUESS WHAT? IT WASN'T FRITZ DIGGING UP THE GARDEN.
THE NEIGHBOR'S OWN DOG WAS DIGGING UP THE GARDEN.
I CAME HOME ONE DAY FROM WORK AND FOUND HER DOG IN THE GARDEN.
WHAT'S THE POINT? THE POINT IS, UH, WE'VE LOOKED AT OVER 800 CASES, UH, SO FAR SINCE THE DIVISION STARTED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, REALLY ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO.
AND, UH, A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE FIND OUT IS WHAT SOMEBODY THINKS WAS A VIOLATION, UH, WAS NOT A VIOLATION OR IT WASN'T THAT PERSON THAT MADE THE VIOLATION AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO WHAT? CLEAR SOMEBODY'S NAME.
IF YOU TELL SOMEBODY BESIDES THE INSPECTOR GENERAL, YOU LOSE THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THIS INVESTIGATION AND SOMEBODY, AND, AND THAT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND EMAIL EVERYTHING.
THE ONLY WAY TO PROTECT THAT IS TO GET IT TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
WE HAVE SOME AMAZING INVESTIGATORS.
THEY WILL FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE GOT A GUY AT THE SECRET SERVICE, THE TREASURY, RETIRED, UH, EVERYTHING.
I MEAN THEIR SECOND CAREER ACE IN THE HOLE, UH, INVESTIGATORS, THEY'LL FIGURE IT OUT AND THEY'LL CLEAR THE NAME OF A PERSON THAT DIDN'T DO IT RIGHT.
THAT'S WHY YOU REPORT TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
OKAY, I THINK WE'RE AT THE END.
OKAY, IN THIS POWERPOINT THERE'S A BUNCH MORE SLIDES FOR YOU AND CHARTS ABOUT GIFTS AND REPORTING AND ALL THAT STUFF.
IT'S JUST THERE FOR YOU AS A RESOURCE.
NOW ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'VE GOT MY CONTACT INFORMATION, I
[00:55:01]
BELIEVE.UH, BART'S OUR INSPECTOR GENERAL.
HIS FIRST NAME IS ACTUALLY KELLY.
YOU'VE GOT KAITLYN AND HI HIES WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE.
UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SPECIFIC RULE OR SOMETHING YOU WANT ME TO GO BACK, UH, TO REAL QUICK OR REAL, REAL SLOW? WHATEVER YOU WANT.
UM, THERE WAS A SLIDE IN THE DECK ABOUT, UM, POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND SUCH SINCE THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT? THERE'S NOT ONE IN THERE ABOUT POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT THERE IS ONE IN THERE ABOUT POLITICAL ACTIVITY.
AND THE SITE THAT YOU NEED IS 12 A 21.
OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING ABOUT CONTRIBUTIONS.
UH, YOU ALSO NEED TO BE AWARE OF, UH, WELL, IT, YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM.
SEE ALSO CITY CHARTER CHAPTER 16, SECTION 16.
THAT HAS TO DO WITH, UM, USING FUNDS.
UM, AND IF YOU'VE GOT A PARTICULAR QUESTION, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT HERE ONLINE, JUST EMAIL ME AND I CAN WRITE YOU AN ADVISORY OPINION ABOUT A SPECIFIC DECISION THAT, THAT YOU WANNA MAKE.
BUT THERE'S NOT MUCH IN THE CODE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
BUT THERE IS A LITTLE BIT IN THERE.
I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD 'CAUSE THAT, THAT QUESTION ACTUALLY HADN'T COME UP.
I JUST, IT'S UH, IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR.
JUST SAW THAT AND DIDN'T GET TO READ IT ALL.
YEAH, THE POLL POINT OF THAT SLIDE IS JUST BE AWARE THERE'S SOME RULES.
SO WHEN YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED, GO READ THOSE RULES.
AND IF IT'S, IF THAT DOESN'T COVER IT, UH, WRITE ME UP FOR AN ADVISORY OPINION, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
ANY OTHER, UH, THAT'S GREAT QUESTION THOUGH.
ONE THING TO KNOW ABOUT ELECTIONS IS THEY'RE ALSO COVERED BY STATE LAW.
AND SO IF IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE, UH, RUNNING FOR A POSITION OR SOMETHING, LIKE THERE'S SOME VERY SPECIFIC RULES THAT NEED TO BE FOLLOWED, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY, I DON'T HEAR ANYBODY ELSE.
I'M SO SORRY ABOUT ALL THESE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES I COULD HARDLY GET ON WEBEX.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS, BUT AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY AND LET'S STAND TOGETHER.
I'M GONNA STAND FOR YOU AND WITH YOU AND, AND I HOPE, UH, YOU'LL JOIN ME WHEN THESE THINGS COME UP.
AND LET'S, LET'S RAISE THE BAR.
NOW I THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET, UH, BRADY, UM, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TOMA.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT FOR YOU ALL.
SO NEXT WE HAVE A TRAINING ON THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
UM, BRADY, ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE YOUR SCREEN FOR THE PRESENTATION? YES.
SO I'M GONNA TRY TO SHARE, AND THEN IF I HAVE THE SAME ISSUES BARON HAD, AND WE'LL JUST DO WHAT WE JUST DID.
AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE SO YOU CAN PUT IT ON THERE.
SO, UM, LET'S SEE, HOW IS IT WORKING? IF I GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? IS IT GOING OR IS IT GOING SLOW? SO FAR SO GOOD.
WELL, UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
I AM AN ASSISTANT, UM, CITY ATTORNEY WITH THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND I'M GOING TO BE GOING OVER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO, UM, MOST OF MY PRESENTATION IS REALLY STRAIGHT FROM THE STATUTE, SAY STRAIGHT FROM THE LAW.
SO IT'S A LITTLE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD.
BARON'S GOT A LOT OF INFORMATION HE HAS TO COVER AND FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT THIS IS REALLY, IF YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF QUESTION, YOU CAN GO RIGHT TO THE SOURCE AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S JUST ONE PLACE, ONE LOCATION WHERE YOU'LL FIND THIS INFORMATION.
SO I'LL BE GOING THROUGH THAT, UM, TO TONIGHT.
SO, UM, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING STATUS? SO I ALSO, UM, EXCUSE ME, SORRY.
I ALSO WORK WITH, UM, THE TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
SO THOSE TWO KIND OF GO HAND IN HAND.
IT IS ESSENTIALLY PART OF THE, UM, TRANSPARENCY LAWS THAT TEXAS HAS SO THAT WE, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING OUR LAWS, MAKING OUR POLICIES, SPENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS, UM, THAT'S OUT IN THE PUBLIC.
WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR MONEY AND THERE'S NOTHING, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE SCENES, UNDER THE TABLE, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THE PURPOSE OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN A PUBLIC MEETING THAT HAS BEEN POSTED, DULY POSTED 72 HOURS BEFORE, UH, THE MEETING BEGAN.
AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE LIVING IT HERE.
SO, UM, THE PROVISIONS OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACTUALLY BE LIBERALLY CONSTRUED
[01:00:01]
TO AFFECT ITS PURPOSE.SO WHAT THIS MEANS ESSENTIALLY, IS THAT IF YOU EVER HAVE A QUESTION, YOU KNOW, DURING A MEETING OR PREPPING FOR A MEETING, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON THE AGENDA, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, IF YOU EVER HAVE A QUESTION, OH, I DON'T KNOW, SHOULD WE PUT THIS INFORMATION ON THE AGENDA? OR, UM, MAYBE WE SHOULD DISCUSS THIS OFFLINE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF GOES INTO HOW SHOULD WE INTERPRET THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT? SO IT SHOULD BE INTERPRETED LIBERALLY.
SO IF YOU'RE QUESTIONING, I DON'T KNOW, DOES THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT COVER THIS? JUST GO AHEAD AND ASSUME THAT IT DOES, AND THEN YOU'LL BE COVERED.
UM, IF YOU KNOW THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS THAT IT ISN'T COVERED OR IS NOT COVERED, SO GO AHEAD AND LIBERALLY CONSTRUE THE PURPOSE OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO I'M GONNA BE READING, UM, AND DISCUSSING THESE SLIDES.
SOME OF THEM ARE DIRECTLY FROM THE STATUTE AS I SET.
SO THIS FIRST ONE IS, UM, EVERY REGULAR SPECIAL, OR CALLED MEETING OR SESSION OF EVERY GOVERNMENTAL BODY SHALL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THAT IS DIRECTLY FROM THE LAW.
AND LIKE I SAID, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO THIS IS A REGULAR MEETING, AND, UM, IT'S OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
ANYONE CAN JOIN ON, JOIN IN, THEY CAN.
AS WE SAW THIS MORNING, WE, OR LAST MORNING EARLIER IN THE MEETING, WE HAVE A PUBLIC SPEAKER SECTION, AND THAT IS, WE'RE, LIKE I SAID, THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT THE TOKEN TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT IS ESSENTIALLY HOW WE CONDUCT OUR MEETINGS.
AND WHAT YOU'VE SEEN TODAY, AND I'M SURE ALL OF YOU ARE USED TO THIS SINCE, UH, THE PROGRESS COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, THERE MANDATORY, THERE'S NO GETTING AROUND IT.
AND, UM, THERE ARE ALSO SPECIAL RULES FOR, UM, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE CAN CREATE OUR OWN OPEN MEETINGS RULES AND THAT SORT OF THING.
I WILL DISCUSS ONE OR TWO OF THOSE LATER ON, AND WE'LL GET TO THAT.
HAVE I NOW FROZEN? I'M AFRAID I HAVE.
OKAY, SO WHO IS COVERED BY THE ACT? UH, GOVERNMENT BODIES, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS.
IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, THE CDC IS, YOU KNOW, HAS ANY INVOLVEMENT IN, THEN I WOULD REQUEST, I WOULD SUGGEST WORKING WITH, UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND LOOKING AT THE LGC BYLAWS.
SO THOSE ARE, THESE ARE THINGS LIKE, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UM, CORPORATION, HOUSING CORPORATION, THOSE SORT OF THINGS THAT THE CITY SETS UP.
AND THEN ONCE IT'S NO LONGER REALLY PART OF THE CITY THAT'S SEPARATE GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY.
SO THOSE, UM, LIKELY HAVE TO, UM, FOLLOW THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
BUT LIKE I SAID, LOOK TO THE BYLAWS AND THE ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION TO DETERMINE THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES REGARDING TOMA AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
SO WHAT IS MEETING? SO IT'S VERY CLEAR RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A MEETING.
HOWEVER, UM, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE ASSERTED THAT IT'S A MEETING.
SO A MEETING CAN BE THE DELIBERATION WHEN A, A DELIBERATION OCCURS, WHEN A QUORUM OF GOVERNMENTAL BODY DISCUSSES DEBATES OR CONSIDERS FORMAL ACTION, TAKES FORMAL ACTION OR GIVES OR RECEIVES INFORMATION.
AND THIS LAST POINT HERE, DELIBERATION CAN OCCUR VIA AN INTERMEDIARY.
I'LL GET TO THAT IN A MINUTE, BUT THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT I THINK MOST PEOPLE ARE REALLY INTERESTED TO LEARN ABOUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T ALWAYS TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE MEETING IS AND WHAT WHAT ISN'T A MEETING.
SO IT'S VERY OBVIOUS TODAY, THIS IS A MEETING WE HAD TO WAIT FOR A QUORUM TO BEGIN THE MEETING.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER INSTANCES WHEN YOU'RE DISCUSSING INFORMATION THAT IS, YOU KNOW, RELATED TO THE CITY OF DALLAS AND YOUR DUTIES AND YOUR POSITIONS.
IF YOU'RE DISCUSSING THOSE IN A QUORUM, YOU KNOW, OFFSITE OR TEXT MESSAGES OR IN AN EMAIL THREAD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU'VE, YOU'VE FORMED A MEETING.
SO, UM, WE HAVE AN ISSUE BECAUSE THAT MEETING WAS NOT DULY POSTED AND WE HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, POSTED IT DULY POSTED AN AGENDA SEVEN, TWO HOURS BEFORE.
SO YOU HAVE TO KEEP THAT IN MIND, UM, AND HOW A QUORUM CAN BE CREATED, BUT YOU KNOW, BY ACCIDENT, BY HAPPENSTANCE.
AND LIKE I SAID, THEY CAN ALSO INCLUDE TEXT MESSAGES OR EMAIL.
SO WHAT IS A QUORUM? UM, I THINK EVERYONE PROBABLY KNOWS THIS, BUT IT'S A MAJORITY.
SO 50% PLUS ONE OF THE MEMBERS, UM, OF THE BODY AND THEN A QUORUM NOT BE AS, NOT NEED, NOT BE ESTABLISHED IN REAL TIME.
SO THAT MAY BE KIND OF CONFUSING TO YOU.
SO, YOU KNOW, HERE TONIGHT, WE, WE ESTABLISHED IT IN REAL TIME.
WE MADE SURE WE HAD A QUORUM, AND IF WE LOSE IT, THEN WE LOSE QUORUM IN OUR MEETING.
HOWEVER, UM, A REPLY ALL, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN CREATE A QUORUM.
SO IF, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE SENDS OUT THE AGENDA OR JUST DECIDES TO REPLY ALL TO SOMETHING AND SAYS, I THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO, YOU KNOW, NOT SUPPORT THIS, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO
[01:05:01]
OUR NEXT MEETING RIGHT THERE, YOU'VE CREATED A QUORUM BECAUSE EVERYONE THERE, UM, IS CONSIDERED PART OF THAT MEETING.AND YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, YOU VIOLATED THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
SO I SAID I WOULD GET TO, UM, THIS EARLIER.
SO THIS IS A, THIS, I'M GONNA DISCUSS A WALKING QUORUM.
SO A WALKING QUORUM, UM, IS WHEN A GOVERNMENTAL BODY ATTEMPTS TO AVOID COMA COMPLIANCE BY DELIBERATING ABOUT PUBLIC BUSINESS WITHOUT A QUORUM BEING PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN ONE PLACE AND AT ONE TIME.
SO HERE TONIGHT WE'VE GOT A QUORUM.
UM, BUT WHAT THIS COULD MEAN IS, LET'S SAY PERSON A, UM, AND PERSON B ARE ON THE PHONE AND THEY'RE BOTH, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN APPOINTED TO THIS, THIS COMMITTEE, THEY HAVE, UM, JUST DECIDED TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, AN ISSUE THAT, UM, AT THE NEXT MEETING THEY'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER THIS ITEM OR ASK THESE QUESTIONS OF, UM, WHOMEVER.
SO LET'S SAY A AND B ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS, THIS, THIS, UM, SITUATION.
AND THEN B ENDS UP CALLING, UM, ANOTHER MEMBER C AND THEN C DECIDES TO, UM, CALL UP ANOTHER FRIEND, OR SORRY, ANOTHER, UH, MEMBER AND SAY, WELL, I TALKED TO THESE TWO PEOPLE AND THEN THIS PERSON.
AND YOU SEE HOW IT KIND OF JUST ESCALATES FROM THERE.
SO EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT ALL TALKING TO THE THAT PERSON, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE NOT A AND A, B AND C AND THEN C REACHES OUT TO THIS PERSON.
IT CAN JUST HAPPEN KIND OF DOMINO EFFECTS VERY SLOWLY.
SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO ALL BE IN PERSON AT THE SAME TIME.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S GROUP CHATS, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST TALKING SEPARATELY, ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER SIDE, OR YOU KNOW, ONE HALF TALKS TO ANOTHER HALF AT DIFFERENT TIMES, OR ONE PERSON FROM THAT GROUP TALKS TO ANOTHER PERSON FROM ANOTHER GROUP, YOU CAN CREATE A QUORUM THAT WAY.
SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO TAKE AWAY FROM TONIGHT.
UM, MEETING LOCATION MUST BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
SO THIS MEETING IS AT CITY HALL AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT MUST PROVIDE VISUAL OR AUDIO ACCOMMODATIONS IF REQUESTED IN ADVANCE.
UM, PROVIDE SPACE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND.
YOU KNOW, IT'S CITY HALL, SO SOMEONE CAN COME IF THEY WANT TO, AND THEY HAVE ACCESS TO COME TO THIS MEETING TONIGHT.
SO YOU CAN'T HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, AT A COUNTRY CLUB.
YOU CAN'T HAVE IT AT A PLACE WHERE IT REQUIRES, YOU KNOW, TO BE A MEMBER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD BE PROHIBITIVE OF, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC COMING TO THE MEETING.
UM, YOU ALSO CANNOT ADJOURN AND START THE MEETING AGAIN THE SAME DAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GO INTO RECESS, BUT YOU, EXCUSE ME, BUT YOU CAN'T ADJOURN THE MEETING.
UM, ANY VOTES MUST BE IN PUBLIC, NO ANONYMOUS OR SECRET BALLOTS.
AND THEN, UM, WHAT IF WE FORGOT TO POST AN ITEM? WELL, IT CAN'T BE DISCUSSED.
SO IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING AND YOU WERE REALLY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT IT WASN'T ON THE AGENDA, THEN YOU CAN'T DISCUSS IT.
SO THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE TEXAS OPA MEETINGS ACT.
SO, UM, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, WHAT YOU SAY IS WITH STAFF, PLEASE ADD THIS MATTER TO THE NEXT AGENDA AND THEN YOU CAN TALK ABOUT IT.
UM, AND THEN YOU ALSO MAY, AS WE SAW TONIGHT, YOU KNOW, POST LIMITS ON THE OPEN MICROPHONE.
WE SEE THIS EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY AT CITY COUNCIL OR, UM, YOU KNOW, WE PUT A TIME LIMIT, YOU KNOW, AT CITY COUNCIL.
THEY CAN'T DIRECTLY ATTACK A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YOU CAN DO THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU CAN KEEP CONTROL AND NOT, YOU KNOW, GO OFF THE RAILS, BUT STILL ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO, UM, YOU KNOW, VOICE THEIR OPINION AND VOICE THEIR CONCERNS TO THE CITY.
UM, AND THAT'S KINDA WHAT I WAS JUST SAYING RIGHT THERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SAY, WELL, WE'RE ONLY GONNA ALLOW PEOPLE IN FAVOR OF THIS ITEM TO SPEAK, OR NEXT WEEK WE'LL ALLOW THOSE OPPOSED, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
IT'S GOTTA BE, YOU KNOW, ALLOW EVERYONE, EVERYONE CAN SPEAK ON AN ITEM.
AND OF COURSE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE CITY MUST KEEP MINUTES OR A RECORDING OF THE MEETING AND THE MINUTES MUST STATE THE SUBJECT OF DELIBERATION INDICATING A VOTE AND BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE AND THE CITY MUST BROADCAST THE MEETING, WHICH I'M GLAD THEY ARE.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW.
I'M IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD, BUT I AM PHYSICALLY PRESENT, NOT PHYSICALLY, BUT I'M PRESENT AT THIS MEETING, UM, SINCE THIS IS BROADCAST ONLINE AND MY CAMERA IS ON, AND YOU GUYS CAN HEAR MY VOICE.
AND THAT IS WHAT'S REQUIRED, UM, IN ORDER TO BE, YOU KNOW, ABLE TO SPEAK AT THIS MEETING.
SO IF SOMEONE'S CAMERA'S NOT ON, IF I TURN MY CAMERA OFF, I CAN NO LONGER SPEAK.
UM, AND THEN THIS, I PROBABLY WON'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, BE RELEVANT TO Y'ALL.
BUT THE CITY COUNCIL, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE CAN WALK IN AND THEY CAN HAVE THEIR CAMERA AND THEY CAN JUST BE VIDEOING THE WHOLE THING OR MAKING AUDIO RECORDINGS.
UM, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS IT'S NOT DISRUPTIVE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, WHAT I'M GONNA SHOW YOU NOW, AND I USUALLY DO THIS, UM, WHEN
[01:10:01]
IT CAN GET PEOPLE'S, YOU KNOW, RESPONSE IN PERSON, BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY BEST IF I JUST DISCUSS WHAT THIS IS AND THEN I'LL SHOW YOU THE NEXT SLIDE.AND THEN AT THE END, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN COME BACK TO THIS, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A COPY OF IT.
SO, SO THIS IS AN AGENDA, A SAMPLE AGENDA, BUT THIS IS, UM, INCORRECT.
DO NOT TAKE THIS AS, YOU KNOW, WHAT AN AGENDA SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO THINKING ABOUT ALL THE THINGS I'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY.
SO, UM, LET'S START FROM THE TOP.
AND I'M NOT GONNA MENTION EVERY SINGLE THING THAT'S WRONG WITH THIS SAMPLE AGENDA, BUT FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ATLANTA CITY HALL ROOM TO BE DETERMINED.
IT HAS TO STAY WHERE THE MEETING'S GOING TO BE BECAUSE I KNOW THE PUBLIC WON'T BE ABLE TO COME TO THE MEETING BECAUSE THEY'LL SHOW UP AT CITY HALL AND IT'S NOT VERY, IT'S NOT ACCESSIBLE.
UM, AND THEN AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT SAME, IN THAT SAME VEIN VIDEO CONFERENCE ONLY ACCESSIBLE VIA PAID SUBSCRIPTION.
NO, EVERYONE CAN JOIN VIA WEBEX.
WE HAVE WEB VIA WEBEX, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, LET'S MOVE ON JUST A BIT.
SO LOOK, LOOK AT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO, PUBLIC SPEAKERS, 32ND LIMIT.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, THAT THAT'S PERFECTLY REASONABLE.
UM, ONE MINUTE LIMIT FOR SPEAKERS WHO SPEAK, SPEAK FAVORABLY ABOUT THE MAYOR.
UM, NUMBER THREE, CONSIDER, UH, SORRY, APPROVAL OF MINUTES IF TAKEN.
WELL, I SURE HOPE THEY WERE TAKEN BECAUSE THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE TAKEN.
AND THEN, UM, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I HAVE NOT REALLY DISCUSSED ABOUT, BUT THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT, IS WHAT GOES ON THE AGENDA AND HOW THOROUGH AND HOW CLEAR THE AGENDA SHOULD BE.
SO NUMBER FOUR, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF CONTRACT WITH ACME CORPORATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $1 MILLION.
NOW, AT FIRST GLANCE, THAT MAY SEEM FINE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU'RE VOTING ON A CONTRACT FOR A MILLION DOLLARS WITH THIS CORPORATION, BUT WHAT IS THIS CONTRACT FOR? WHAT ARE YOU DOING? UM, HOW LONG IS THE CONTRACT GONNA LAST? YOU KNOW, GIMME SOME MORE INFORMATION.
SO WHAT THIS IS WHAT MY, UM, POINT IS HERE IS THAT A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO THE CITY SECRETARY'S WEBSITE OR SHOW UP IN PERSON AT DALLAS CITY HALL AND SEE THE POSTED MEETINGS AND SEE DIFFERENT ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA AND HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT.
SO LIKE, NUMBER FIVE, TRANS AND COMMUNITY POLICING.
I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, OUR PUBLICLY POSTED AGENDAS, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE.
YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GOT AN ADDRESS, I MEAN, SORRY, IF IT'S A LOCATION, IT HAS AN ADDRESS.
SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAN BE BE ON NOTICE ABOUT IT AND THEY CAN GO SPEAK.
UM, AND THEN LET'S MOVE ON TO, UM, NUMBER SEVEN, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
NOTICE THE CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION MAYBE HELD FOR ANY OF THOSE AGENDA ITEMS. WELL, AND I'LL GET TO THIS IN A BIT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY CERTAIN, UM, ONLY A FEW EXCEPTIONS IN WHICH YOU CAN HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO WE CAN'T DO THAT FOR APPROVAL OF MINUTES OR PUBLIC SPEAKERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, GOING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, REACH OUT TO, UM, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WE CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE FOLLOWING COMA.
SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS ACTUALLY JUST GONNA BE SIDE BY SIDE.
SO, UM, I SUGGEST LOOKING AT THIS ON YOUR OWN.
YOU CAN KIND OF SEE BASED ON WHAT I'VE SAID TONIGHT, WHY THERE ARE CERTAIN CHANGES.
SO, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ITEM NUMBER SIX, APPROVAL OF A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THIS DATE, WITH AN EMAIL DATE OF THIS DATE.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT EMAIL IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT.
WHAT SETTLE, WHAT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE NUMBER SIX.
OKAY, SO HERE'S THE CAUSE NUMBER, HERE'S THE CASE NAME, AND IT JUST PUTS PEOPLE ON NOTICE SO THEY KNOW WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY.
BECAUSE LIKE I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING, ZACH.
SO AS PROMISED, HERE WE GO WITH EXECUTIVE SESSION.
SO, UM, IF A CLOSED MEETING IS ALLOWED UNDER ATONEMENT, A GOVERNMENTAL BODY MAY NOT CONDUCT, CONDUCT A CLOSED SESSION UNLESS, UM, A QUORUM FIRST CONVENES AN OPEN SESSION AND THE PRESIDING OFFICER PUBLICLY ANNOUNCES THAT A CLOSED MEETING WILL BE HELD AND IDENTIFIES THE TOMA SECTION UNDER WHICH THE CLOSED MEETING WILL BE HELD.
SO, EXCUSE ME, YOU, YOU CAN'T START IN A CLOSED SESSION.
YOU HAVE TO OPEN IN, YOU KNOW, REGULAR MEETING AND THEN YOU CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
AND THEN HERE'S, UH, JUST A SHORT LIST, AN EXAMPLE OF, YOU KNOW, THE REASONS THAT YOU CAN GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
LIKE I SAID, IF ANY OF THESE ARE, YOU KNOW, AT ISSUE, REACH OUT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND WE'LL WORK WITH Y'ALL TO COME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, IS THAT, IS IT APPROPRIATE? HOW CAN WE DO THIS IN A WAY THAT'S COMPLIANT WITH TOMA, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.
UM, THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS STILL APPLY, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL GOTTA GO ON THE AGENDA EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR, AND THEN YOU PUT ONE OF THESE REASONS FOR ATTORNEY CONSULTATION, SOMETHING, SOMETHING, SOMETHING.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT COMPLETELY, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC LIKE ABOUT,
[01:15:01]
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, UH, PERSONAL MATTERS.YOU'RE NOT GONNA PUT FOR THE DISCUSSION ABOUT X EMPLOYEE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND MAYBE YOU'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING A CERTAIN POINT, BUT I MEAN, THAT'S MOSTLY FOR CITY COUNCIL, BUT YOU KIND OF SEE WHAT I'M SAYING.
SO, UM, THIS IS KIND OF A SUMMARY OF WHAT I'VE SAID ABOUT EXECUTIVE SESSION NOW WHO MAY ATTEND EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ONLY A GOVERNMENTAL BODIES MEMBERS, BODIES MEMBERS HAVE A RIGHT TO ATTEND A CLOSED MEETING, SO NO ONE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY MAY ATTEND.
AND, UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY MUST ALSO ATTEND ONLY IF IT'S HELD UNDER ATTORNEY CONSULTATION EXCEPTION.
SO IF IT'S FOR ONE OF THOSE OTHER, UM, ENUMERATED REASONS, UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY, YOU KNOW, WILL NOT BE THERE.
AND THEN OTHERS MAY ATTEND ONLY IF THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO FACILITATING ATTORNEY-CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS.
SO THAT'S EXTREMELY RARE AND I WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.
AND THEN, UM, AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, CAN'T HAVE SOMEONE IN THERE WHO HOLDS AN INTEREST IN OPPOSITION TO THE CITY.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE HAVING SOMEONE IN THERE THAT OPPOSES WHAT THE CITY'S TRYING TO DO, THEN YOU'RE, THAT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK.
OPEN MEETINGS VIA VIDEO CONFERENCE MUST COMPLY WITH TOMA, WHICH THIS MEETING TONIGHT DOES.
UM, THE MEETING NOTICE MUST LIST THE LOCATION WHERE THE CHAIR WILL BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING OF THE MEETING LOCATION.
SO ONLY THE CHAIR HAS TO BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT AT THE PHYSICAL LOCATION, BUT EVERYONE ELSE CAN ATTEND VIRTUALLY AS WE, YOU KNOW, SEE TONIGHT.
AND I'M SURE SEE ON OTHER MEETINGS.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, I'VE ALREADY COVERED THIS, YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE BODY STAFF, WE'VE SEEN AN EXAMPLE OF ALL OF US TONIGHT, UM, MAY PARTICIPATE IF THE FACES ARE VISIBLE AND THE VOICES ARE AUDIBLE.
SO I HOPE YOU GUYS CAN HEAR ME AND SEE ME.
AND THEN, UM, LIKE I SAID, THE OPEN MEETING MAY CONTINUE ONLY IF A QUORUM IS PRESENT IN PERSON OR VIDEO CONFERENCE.
NOW, AN EMERGENCY MEETING, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS EXTREMELY RELEVANT TO Y'ALL, BUT, UM, CITY COUNCIL FOR SURE, AND JUST LOOK OVER THESE EXAMPLES OF WHEN AN EMERGENCY MEETING MIGHT BE RELEVANT.
UM, AND THE POPE, THE NOTICE REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT AS STRICT FOR EMERGENCY MEETINGS, BUT THEY HAVE TO FALL WITHIN ONE OF THESE EXAMPLES TO CONSTITUTE AN EMERGENCY MEETING.
AND HERE IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, AMENDED REQUIREMENT FOR NOTICE, UH, NOTICE PERIOD IS SHORT THE ONE HOUR, BUT WE'RE NOT MOST LIKELY IMMEDIATELY WITH THAT.
THIS, UM, THIS GROUP HERE NOW SOME EXCLUSION.
SO YOU MAY BE KIND OF WORRIED LIKE, OH NO, AM I GOING VIOLATE THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT BY DOING THIS OR DOING THAT? HERE'S SOME EXAMPLES OF WHEN YOU'RE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY.
SO A SOCIAL FUNCTION, MAYBE YOU ALL HAVE A LUNCH.
UM, AS LONG AS YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE CITY BUSINESS, YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE DUTIES OF YOUR POSITION, THAT'S FINE.
UM, A CONVENTION, A CEREMONY, PRESS CONFERENCE, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE VIOLATING TEXT OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND, UM, I THINK I SAID EARLIER, AND I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, GO BACK TO THIS JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR TO EVERYONE.
SO IF YOU'RE, YOU DO HAVE A GROUP CHAT OR YOU HAVE AN EMAIL THREAD, IF SOMEONE'S LIKE, LET'S SAY FOR EXAMPLE, YOU'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE MEALS PROVIDED TO YOU FOR YOUR MEETINGS.
SO, UM, IF YOU'RE SAYING, SHOULD WE HAVE ENCHILADAS THIS WEEK OR SHOULD WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS NOT DISCUSSING CITY BUSINESS? SO IF YOU ARE ALL TALKING ABOUT THAT ON AN EMAIL CHAIN OR IN A GROUP CHAT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU'RE NOT VIOLATING THE TEXT.
IT'S ONLY WHEN YOU'RE DISCUSSING CITY BUSINESS OR INFORMATION THAT'S, YOU KNOW, RELEVANT TO YOUR POSITION.
SO WHEN YOU DON'T VIOLATE, WHEN YOU SAY, WHEN YOU DO VIOLATE, VIOLATE TOMA, THERE ARE CERTAIN ENFORCEMENTS.
SO, UM, CERTAIN PERSONS MAY SUE FOR DAMAGES, ATTORNEY'S FEES AND EXEMPLARY DAMAGES.
SO JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THERE ARE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS FOR VIOLATING NATOMA.
AND I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
SO HOPE THAT WASN'T TOO QUICK, AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
DID I UNDERSTAND YOU TO SAY THAT IF WE LOSE A QUORUM, WE MUST STOP THE MEETING? SO IF YOU IT, IT'S NOT AS, IT'S OKAY.
SO IF YOU ARE DISCUSSING, IF YOU'RE VOTING ON AN ITEM OR YOU KNOW, DISCUSSING AN ITEM, IF YOU DO LOSE QUORUM, YES, YOU HAVE TO.
BUT, UM, THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, UNIQUE SITUATIONS WHERE IF YOU DO LOSE QUORUM YOU CAN CONTINUE, BUT YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE NOT VOTING ON AN ITEM OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S BEST PRACTICE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT EXACTLY CLEAR AS, AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, YOU KNOW, LIBERALLY, CONSTRUE THE TOMA.
UM, IF YOU LOSE QUORUM, IT'S BEST JUST TO STOP THE MEETING AND PAUSE, GO INTO RECESS UNTIL YOU CAN REGAIN A QUORUM.
AND I'M SURE THAT, AND I, AND SOME OF THE COMMITTEES AND, UM, BOARDS THAT I WORK ON, THAT HAPPENS A LOT FOR TECHNICAL ISSUES OR WHATEVER.
[01:20:01]
RESOLVE IT THAT WAY.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO MY CHAIR'S REPORT AND WANTED TO WELCOME A NEW COMMISSIONER WITH US, UM, GOLDSTEIN DAVIS SENIOR FROM DISTRICT ONE.
UM, NOT ALL OF OUR MEETINGS HAVE A LOT OF TRAINING IN IT, SO DON'T GO ANYWHERE
UM, BUT GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND WOULD LOVE YOU TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF IF YOU CAN TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO.
YEAH, LET ME SAY GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE.
UH, MY NAME IS GOLDSTEIN DAVIS SENIOR, UH, YOU CAN JUST CALL ME G DAVIS, UH, REPRESENTING DISTRICT, UH, ONE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING ALONGSIDE EACH OF YOU.
I ALSO WANNA ENCOURAGE COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED UP FOR COMMITTEES, PLEASE DO SO.
WE ARE IN A TIME OF TRANSITIONS.
SEVERAL COMMISSIONERS, UM, HAVE TIMED OUT OR THEY ARE WAITING FOR REAPPOINTMENTS OR THEY'RE BEING REPLACED.
SO, UM, THAT WE WILL, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL HAVE A FULL COMMISSION SOON ENOUGH, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, REALLY DO NEED PARTICIPATION ON COMMITTEES.
SO PLEASE DO, UM, GO AHEAD AND SIGN UP, UM, AS SOON AS YOU CAN.
I'M HAPPY TO DISCUSS COMMITTEES WITH ANYONE WHO'D LIKE, OR PLEASE GO AHEAD AND SIGN UP AS WELL AS IF YOU'D LIKE TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP POSITION ON THE COMMITTEES THAT ARE NEEDING NEW LEADERSHIP FOR BOTH CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR.
UM, THANK YOU AND WELCOME TO VICTOR.
HE'S BEEN VERY ACTIVE AND APPRECIATE, UM, GETTING US ALL IN GOOD SHAPE AND MOVING US ALONG.
WITH THAT, I WILL MOVE TO THE VICE-CHAIRS REPORT, UM, CHAIR BRIAN TOASTS.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? I DON'T JUST, I JUST WANNA AGAIN, ECHO AGAIN MY WELCOMES TO, UM, MR. VICTOR WHO IS JOINING US, HE'S ALREADY BEEN ON THE BALL AND GOT US GOING.
AND THEN ALSO TO, UM, OUR NEW COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER DAVIS, WELCOME TO THE COMMISSION.
I'M EAGER TO LOOK FORWARD TO, TO WORKING WITH YOU.
AND THEN ALSO, ONE LAST THING, AND I'M GUILTY OF THIS TOO, UH, JUST A LITTLE REMINDER, IF YOU HAVEN'T SET UP YOUR, YOUR CITY EMAIL, GO AHEAD AND DO SO SO STAFF CAN MOVE ALONG THINGS AND WHATNOT.
IF ANY OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS JOINED US, IT LOOKS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS IN THE CHAT.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? IS THERE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS WHAT I WOULD CALL NEW BUSINESS IF IT'S OFFICIAL COMMISSION BUSINESS? NO, THAT NEEDS TO BE ON THE AGENDA AS PER THE RULES FROM TONIGHT.
BUT IF IT'S AN ANNOUNCEMENT, UM, OKAY, WELL, I GUESS, UM, I WILL, UM, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ASK FOR AN UPDATE WITH RESPECT TO THE, UM, REVAMPING OF THE HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
UM, AND I'LL, I'LL FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT WITHIN COMPLIANCE WITH OUR TRAINING THIS EVENING.
UM, SO, UM, I DO ASK PEOPLE TO, UH, I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME, BUT UM, THE MAYOR'S BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR IS COMING UP.
SO I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO FIND THAT ON THE WEBSITE AND LET THOSE WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM SUCH A GREAT EVENT KNOW THAT, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT MAKE OUR CITY GREAT.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? VERY GOOD.
THEN I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN AND MOTION TO ADJOURN.
REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR PARTICIPATION.
AND WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7 25 AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL NEXT MONTH.