* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. ALL RIGHT. [00:00:01] GOOD MORNING. WE [CALL TO ORDER] HAVE A QUORUM. TODAY'S TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH, 2024 TIME'S 9:22 AM AND THEN I CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DALLAS CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER OUR INVOCATION. SPEAKER THIS MORNING IS NONE OTHER THAN OUR ESTEEMED COLLEAGUE, COUNCIL MEMBER ZAIN GRACIE, WHO HAILS FROM DISTRICT THREE. HE'S ALSO AN EXECUTIVE PASTOR AT THE CONCORD CHURCH, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO HIM AS HE MAKES HIS WAY TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE US OUR INVOCATION THIS MORNING. AND LOOK AT THAT STYLISH SWEATER. HE'S, HE'S MODELING FOR US TODAY. DID, DID THEY MAKE THAT AN ADULT SIZE ? UH, UH. IS THAT ONLY COMING THE KIDS OR WHAT? OKAY, GO AHEAD, PASTOR, YOU SAID SOMETHING. SIR. , UH, LET US PRAY. , HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE GATHER TO SERVE DALLAS TODAY, WE REMEMBER YOUR WORDS IN JOHN 15 AND 12. THIS IS MY COM COMMANDMENT THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, LORD, YOU SHOWED US PERFECT LOVE. GUIDE OUR CITY COUNCIL TO LEAD WITH THAT SAME SACRIFICIAL SPIRIT, PUTTING OTHERS' NEEDS BEFORE OUR OWN. JUST AS YOU PUT HUMANITY, SALVATION BEFORE ALL ELSE, HELP US LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS ACROSS DALLAS WITH THE UNCONDITIONAL GRACE THAT YOU'VE SHOWN US FROM THE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE MOST PROSPEROUS GRANT US WISDOM TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT REFLECT YOUR DIVINE LOVE, PATIENT KIND AND SELFLESS. MAY OUR SERVICE TODAY HONOR YOUR EXAMPLE OF PERFECT LOVE AND YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE RISE FOR OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES FLAG AND THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU EVERYONE. YOU MAY BE SEATED. OKAY. [Additional Item] WE HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION THIS MORNING, I'M TOLD. IS THAT RIGHT? UM, CHAIRMAN WEST, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO YOU FOR THAT. YES, YES IT IS, MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UM, WE ARE, I'M GONNA HAVE HELP FROM A COUPLE OF PHONE, A COUPLE FRIENDS HERE TO HELP ME OUT. UM, IN CELEBRATION OF VETERANS DAY, UH, WE ARE GOING TO, UM, DO A SPECIAL RECOGNITION IN MEMORIA, UM, AND IN CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF DR. KAT ROBINSON ROBERTSON, UH, I AM UNDERSTAND THAT HER SON MAY BE JOINING US ONLINE FROM COLORADO. NOT SURE IF HE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT YET, BUT HOPEFULLY HE CAN, HE CAN SIGN IN. UM, WE HAD OUR MEMBERS OF OUR VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION, UH, HAVE WORKED ON THE LANGUAGE FOR THE SPECIAL RECOGNITION, AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THEM HERE TODAY. AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE READING THAT HERE IN A SECOND WITH MY COLLEAGUE. BUT, UM, I'LL JUST, I GUESS RESERVE MY COMMENTS TILL THE END ON HER. GO AHEAD. I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND START READING THE SPECIAL RECOGNITION. WHEREAS DR. CATINA ROBERTSON WAS AN ESTEEMED MILITARY PROFESSIONAL OFFERING OVER 20 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE IN GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. DR. ROBERTSON WAS KNOWN FOR HER EX EXCEPTIONAL PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS, SOUND JUDGMENT, AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP. AND WHEREAS DR. CATINA ROBERTSON HELD A DOCTORATE OF BUSINESS IN HUMAN RESOURCES AND MASTER OF SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT, AND A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, WHICH HONED HER EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES, MAKING HER AN EXEMPLARY LEADER AND PROFESSIONAL. AND WHEREAS DR. CATINO ROBERTSON HONORABLY SERVED EIGHT ACTIVE DUTY YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES NAVY EMBODYING THE VALUES OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT, EARNING THE DISTINGUISHED MILITARY GRADUATE COMMENDATION EARLY IN HER CAREER. WHEREAS DR. KATINA ROBERTSON WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ESTABLISHING THE CITY OF DALLAS VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION, SERVING AS THE INAUGURAL APPOINTEE FOR DISTRICT THREE. HER LEADERSHIP WAS KEY IN ADVISING ON CRITICAL VETERAN ISSUES, RECOMMENDING IMPACTFUL PROGRAMS AND POLICIES, AND ENSURING THE EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION OF THE CITY'S MILITARY VETERANS. AND WHEREAS DR. KATINA ROBERTSON FOUNDED THE VETERAN EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP IN 2018, LEADING AND INSPIRING VETERAN EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS AS VERGES FIRST PRESIDENT AND LATER PRESIDENT EMERITUS, SHE LEFT A LASTING LEGACY OF SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVOCACY FOR VETERANS. AND WHEREAS DR. KATINA ROBERTSON WAS DEDICATED TO HELPING EX-OFFENDERS REINTEGRATE INTO SOCIETY BY ASSISTING THEM WITH EXPUNGEMENT AND PARDONS, AND BY AIDING THEM IN OBTAINING DRIVER'S LICENSES BEFORE THEY RELEASE, THUS FACILITATING THEIR PURSUIT OF GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT, EXTENDING AN AUTHENTIC SECOND CHANCE AT BEING LAW ABIDING CITIZENS. AND WHEREAS DR. KATINA ROBERTSON WAS A DEVOTED MOTHER, DAUGHTER, SISTER AND FRIEND, WHOSE LOVE FOR HER FAMILY WAS EVIDENT IN ALL THAT SHE DID, AND WHOSE MEMORY WILL BE CHERISHED BY HER SON, ANDREW WILSON JR. HER MOTHER, SWEETIE MA ROBERTSON, HER SIBLINGS AND ALL WHO BLE WHO WERE BLESSED TO KNOW HER. AND WHEREAS THE LEGACY OF DR. [00:05:01] CATINA ROBERTSON, UH, DE ROBERTSON'S DEDICATION TO THE UNITED STATES NAVY, HER OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO CITY GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, HER UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SERVICE AND HER PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF MANY WILL SERVE AS A GUIDANCE FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME. HER REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE AND BENEFIT THE CITY OF DALLAS. NOW, THEREFORE, IS ISAIAH AND GRACIE ON BEHALF OF MAYOR ERIC L. JOHNSON, MAYOR OF CITY OF DALLAS, TO HEREBY EXTEND SPECIAL RECOGNITION IN ME IN MEMO IN MEMORIA ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2024 TO DR. KATINA ROBERTSON. YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? YES. THANK YOU. AND, AND, AND WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO, AGAIN, YOU HEARD ALL OF THIS IN HER DEDICATION ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THE END. SHE'S REMAINED COMMITTED TO BOTH THE COMMUNITY AND ALL OF HER ROLES SERVING HER FAMILY, HER COMMUNITY, AND THE CITY OF DALLAS. AND SHE DID IT WELL. AND SHE WILL BE FOREVER REMEMBERED IN BOTH ESTABLISHING, UH, THIS, UH, THE, THE, THE EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUP, BUT ALSO JUST HER COMMITMENT. SHE WAS ONE OF THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT DIDN'T JUST DO HER JOB. SHE WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND TO SERVE. IF YOU CALLED, SHE WOULD ANSWER EVEN IF IT, WHETHER IT WAS HER DEPARTMENT OR NOT. AND SHE WAS JUST A TREMENDOUS EXAMPLE OF WHAT A TRUE SERVANT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS LOOKS LIKE. AND SHE WILL BE FOREVER REMEMBERED. AND MAYOR, UH, I WANTED TO JUST ALSO THANK YOU FOR MAKING VETERANS ISSUES A PRIORITY FOR THE CITY, UM, CREATING THE COMMISSION AND, UM, GETTING IT STAFFED UP. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHEN, AS WE HEAR A LOT OF TIMES, UM, IN, IN MEDIA, UH, WHEN PEOPLE ETS OUT OF THE MILITARY, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES LIFE ISN'T, IT'S NOT AN EASY TRANSITION FOR A LOT OF FOLKS. AND HAVING DR. ROBERTSON HERE AND, AND HER LEADERSHIP, UM, AND NOW HAVING THE COMMISSION TO LIVE ON PAST HER, I, I THINK IT'S JUST A REAL SPECIAL THING TO DO FOR THE CITY. SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. IT'S, IT IS A GREAT HONOR FOR YOU TO DO THIS IN THE VETERAN. I'VE BEEN KNOWN DR. ROBINSON FOR MANY, MANY YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. UH, AS SHE SERVED THE MILITARY, SHE SERVED THE CITY DALLAS THE SAME WAY SHE CARED ABOUT EVERYONE. YOU COULD CALL HER ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY, SHE'LL SHOW UP EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT HER DEPARTMENT, SHE WAS ALWAYS WILLING AND READY TO DO THE JOB. AND WE TALKING ABOUT A SERVANT, SHE WAS A SERVANT FOR THE CITY DOLLAR AS SHE WAS A SERVANT FOR THE MILITARY. SO, UM, I MISS HER. AND THIS IS SOMETHING, UH, MAYOR THAT WITH THE VETERAN FURTHER, YOU PUT AFFORD TO MAKE SURE THAT I VERY DO RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY AS SERVING THE, THE COUNTRY, BUT ALSO SERVING THE CITIZEN AS A EVERYDAY PERSON. AND SHE WAS A EVERYDAY PERSON WHO CARE ABOUT THE CITY OF DALLAS. THANK YOU. YES. SO YOU CAN COME DOWN AND WE CAN TAKE A PHOTO TOGETHER RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF THE, YOU CAN COME RIGHT INSIDE THOSE. OOPS. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES, I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS AND SAY THANK YOU, UH, FOR KEEPING VETERANS ISSUES AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR AGENDA. IT'S A CITY. AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE SOME OF OUR VETERANS, UH, COMMISSIONERS AS WELL, UM, HERE TO HONOR AS WELL. SO THANK YOU MAYOR. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU ALL. THANK ALL RIGHT. AS EVERYONE MAKES THEIR WAY BACK TO THEIR SEATS. MADAM SECRETARY, I'M GOING TO, [EXECUTIVE SESSION] UM, I'M GONNA CHANGE THE, UH, WELL NOT REALLY CHANGE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA, WE'RE JUST GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION BEFORE WE TAKE UP THESE AGENDA ITEMS. SO LET ME READ SOME STATUTORY LANGUAGE. FIRST. [00:10:01] IT IS 9:31 AM ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2024. THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING WILL NOW GO INTO CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTION 5 51 0.07, ONE OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON THE FOLLOWING MATTER DESCRIBED ON TODAY'S AGENDA, SEEKING THE ADVICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING ITEM NUMBER ONE AND UNDER SECTION 5 51 0.074 OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON THE FOLLOWING MATTER DESCRIBED ON TODAY'S AGENDA. ITEM NUMBER TWO. WITH THAT, WE ARE AT RECESS IN GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE WILL, UM, BE BACK AT 10:00 AM UM, MR. MAYOR? YES? YES, MS. BLACKMAN, WILL Y'ALL BE SENDING A LINK FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION? YEAH, WE JUST CHECKING. YEAH, THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT. YEAH. THANK YOU GUYS. WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA WORK ON THAT. WE, THEY, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT, SO HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE READY. THEY HAD ADVANCED NOTICE, SO THANK Y'ALL. GOOD TO SEE YOU. ALRIGHT, THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS COMPLETED. ITS CLOSED SESSION UNDER INTERSECTIONS 5 51 0.071 AND 5 51 0.074, THE TEXAS OPEN MEANS ACT AND AT 11:04 AM ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2024, WE'VE RETURNED TO OPEN SESSION. MADAM SECRETARY. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. WE'LL NOW GO TO YOUR FIRST VOTING ITEM. AGENDA ITEM ONE. [1. Receive the report of the Ad Hoc City Council Canvassing Committee and adopt a resolution and order accepting the canvassing committee's report declaring the results of the November 5, 2024 special election held within the City of Dallas - Financing: No cost consideration to the City] RECEIVE THE REPORT OF THE AD HOC CITY COUNCIL CANVASING COMMITTEE AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION AND ORDER ACCEPTING THE CANVASSING COMMITTEE'S REPORT DECLARING THE RESULTS OF THE NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024 SPECIAL ELECTION HELD WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS. THIS IS YOUR ITEM, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN MENDELSON, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR A MOTION. THANK YOU. I MOVE TO APPROVE THIS ITEM WITH THE FOLLOWING VOTE TOTALS PROPOSITION A RELATED TO THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT FUND, DALLAS COUNTY 4 230 2,426 AGAINST 103,337 COL COUNTY 9,687 AGAINST 6,372 DENTON COUNTY, 3,515 AGAINST 1,602 GIVING THE TOTAL 245,000 628 4 AND 111,311 AGAINST PROPOSITION B RELATED TO THE PREAMBLE, DALLAS COUNTY 4 250 2087 AGAINST 93,223 COL COUNTY 10,612 FOUR 6,418 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 4,000 306 96 4 1099 AGAINST GIVING US A TOTAL OF 267,000 95 4 100,740 AGAINST PROPOSITION C RELATED TO ANNUAL SALARY INCREASE PRO DALLAS COUNTY 4 140 8,637 AGAINST 200,469 COLLIN COUNTY FOUR 6,468 AGAINST 10,566 DENTON COUNTY, 1000 942 4 3,552 AGAINST GIVING US A TOTAL OF 157,000 47 4 200 14,587 AGAINST PROPOSITION D RELATED TO DELETING THE WORD MAY FROM THE ELECTION ORDERS DALLAS COUNTY 4 220 3,405 AGAINST 117,094 COLLIN COUNTY, FOUR 9,563 AGAINST 6,771 DENTON COUNTY, FOUR 3,159 AGAINST 2,111 FOR A TOTAL OF 236,000 127 4 AND 125,976 AGAINST PROPOSITION E ADDRESSING TERM LIMITS DALLAS COUNTY 4 240 1,437 AGAINST 106,951 COLLIN COUNTY FOUR 10,922 AGAINST 6,196 DENTON COUNTY FOUR 3,815 AGAINST 1,745 FOR A TOTAL OF 256,174 VOTES FOUR AND A HUNDRED FOURTEEN EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY TWO AGAINST PROPOSITION F RELATED TO STAFFING FOR THE CITY SECRETARY AND CITY AUDITOR IN DALLAS COUNTY. 4 220 9,710 AGAINST 107,680 COLLIN COUNTY, FOUR 9,145 [00:15:02] AGAINST 6,716 DENTON COUNTY FOUR 3,596 AGAINST 1,652 FOR A TOTAL OF 242,000 451 4 AND AGAINST 116 48 PROPOSITION G RELATED TO THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE REDISTRICTING COMMISSION, DALLAS COUNTY 239 584 90 6,984 AGAINST COLLIN COUNTY 10,005 FOUR 5,690 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 3000 675 4 1,478 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 253,000 188 4 100 4,152 AGAINST PROPOSITION H RELATED TO ELIMINATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR UM APPOINTMENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE REGISTERED VOTERS DALLAS COUNTY FOUR 180,627 AGAINST 161,980 COLLIN COUNTY 606,000 454 4 9,655 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 2000 335 4 DENTON COUNTY 2,962 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 189,000 416 4 AND 174,597 AGAINST PROPOSITION I RELATED TO THE VOTER REFERENDUM SPECIFICATIONS. DALLAS COUNTY FOR 185,493 AGAINST 150,929 COLLIN COUNTY, 7,000 149 4 8,651 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 2000 982 4 2,230 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 195,000 624 4 AND 161,810 AGAINST PROPOSITION JJ RELATED TO COUNCIL MEMBER BOARD AND COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS DALLAS COUNTY FOUR 205,598 AGAINST 126,969 COLLIN COUNTY FOUR 8,176 AGAINST 7,229 DENTON COUNTY FOUR 2,924 AGAINST 2,176 FOR TOTALS OF 216 6 9 8 VOTES FOUR AND 1030 6 3 74 AGAINST PROPOSITION L RELATED TO THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DALLAS COUNTY. 4 230 1,712. FOUR 99,208 AGAINST COL COUNTY 9,000 308 4 6,084 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 3000 597 4 1,475 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 244,000 617 4 AND 106,767 AGAINST PROPOSITION O RELATED TO MUNICIPAL JUDGES IN DALLAS COUNTY 267 496. FOUR 66,722 AGAINST COLLIN COUNTY 11,000 124 4 4,519 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 4,000 266 4 905 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 252,000 886 4 AND 72,146 AGAINST FOR PROPOSITION P RELATED TO THE CITY EMPLOYEE APPEAL PROCESS DALLAS COUNTY 4 180 3035 AGAINST 149,497 COLLIN COUNTY, 7,000 303 4 8,173 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 2000 703 4 2,425 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 190 3041 FOUR AND 160,095 AGAINST PROPOSITION Q, WHICH IS TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS DALLAS COUNTY 4 240 2,437 AGAINST 88,787 COLLIN COUNTY, 9,000 746 4 5,466 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY, 3000 945 4 1092 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 256,000 128 4 90 [00:20:01] 5,345 AGAINST PROPOSITION R RELATED TO MARIJUANA DALLAS COUNTY 4 230 3,521 115,987 AGAINST CALLING COUNTY 9,000 393 4 7,262 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 3000 987 4 1,533 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 246,000 901 4 AND 124,782 AGAINST PROPOSITION S RELATED TO PRE PREEMPTION DALLAS COUNTY 189,000 411 4 150 5,447 AGAINST COLLIN COUNTY, 8,204 7,987 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 3000 733 4 1,609 AGAINST FOR A TOTAL OF 201,000 344 4 AND A HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE FORTY THREE VOTES AGAINST PROPOSITION T RELATED TO UM, INTERIM CITY, I'M SORRY, TO CITY MANAGER PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS DALLAS COUNTY 454,515 AGAINST 191,366 COLLIN COUNTY, 6,000 437 4 9,595 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 2000 EIGHT HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE FOUR 2,382 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 163,000 821 4 AND 203,344 AGAINST PROPOSITIONS U RELATED TO BUDGETING AND POLICE STAFFING. DALLAS COUNTY 175,000 997 4 AND 170 3011 AGAINST COLLIN COUNTY, 7,000 863 4 8,448 AGAINST DENTON COUNTY 3085 FOUR 2,282 AGAINST FOR TOTALS OF 186,000 945 4 AND 183,741 AGAINST. AND THESE CHANGES INSERTING WHEREAS CLAUSES REFERENCING THE PETITION PROCESS FOR PROPOSITIONS RS AND U INDICATING A REQUIRED ROLE IN PLACING THE ITEM ON THE BALLOT PER STATE LAW. AND CLARIFYING THAT PROPOSITION R CONFLICTS WITH STATE LAW AND INSERTING A SECTION CLARIFYING THAT BECAUSE PROPOSITION R IS INCONSISTENT WITH AND PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW, IT SHALL NOT BE ENFORCED UNLESS AND UNTIL STATE LAW CHANGES SUCH THAT PROPOSITION R IS NO LONGER INCONSISTENT WITH OR PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM YOU RECOGNIZE FOR A MOTION? I'M SORRY, AM I ABLE TO SPEAK ON MY MOTION? UM, ACTUALLY ON THE PROCEDURAL MOTION. OKAY. UM, I MOVE TO SEPARATE THE QUESTION AND UM, TAKE UP THE CANVAS VOTE SEPARATE TO ANY ADDED LANGUAGE. SECOND. SECOND. IS THAT DEBATABLE MOTION? UM, NO. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. THE QUESTION IS NOW DIVIDED AND WILL TAKE UP THE FIRST PORTION OF THE MOTION THAT MS. MENDELSON MADE, WHICH DEALS WITH THE CANVAS ITSELF. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES, CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSSOHN ON THE CANVAS PORTION OF THE, YOUR MOTION. WELL, FIRST I WANNA THANK YOU FOR NOT ASKING ME TO REPEAT IT. I KIND OF THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO, UM, SO THE CANVASSING COMMITTEE MET PRIOR TO THIS MEETING AND RECOMMENDED APPROVAL TO THE FULL BODY. UM, I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS, WHICH I NOTED IN THE CANVASSING COMMITTEE THAT I WOULD BE ASKING HERE. AND I KNOW I'VE SHARED THEM WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN ADVANCE. SO IF I CAN GO THROUGH THEM. THE FIRST ONE IS, I'M HEARING THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS ON DAY ONE AND POSSIBLY DAY TWO OF EARLY VOTING WHERE VOTERS WERE GIVEN BALLOTS FOR THE WRONG CITY OR PRECINCT, MEANING SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN DALLAS BUT WAS PUT IN A PRECINCT OUTSIDE OF DALLAS SO THAT THE CITY PROPOSITIONS DIDN'T SHOW ON THEIR SCREEN. AND THEN SOME PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF DALLAS WERE PUT INTO PRECINCTS THAT WERE INSIDE DALLAS AND HAD THE PROPOSITIONS ON THEIR SCREEN IMPROPERLY. CAN YOU VERIFY THAT THERE ARE PROBLEMS AND EXPLAIN WHAT THEY WERE AND WHY THEY OCCURRED? I I BELIEVE MAYBE THE CITY SECRETARY WOULD BE ANSWERING THIS. UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL [00:25:01] MEMBER MENDELSON. I WANNA CONFIRM I DID HAVE ASKED, UM, THE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR HAIDA GARCIA. HE WAS ONLINE TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, BUT I I WILL ANSWER WHAT I I I KNOW OF. UM, AND THAT IS CORRECT. UM, BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION WE HAD ON, ON DAY ONE OF EARLY VOTING THAT DURING THAT, THAT DAY, IT WAS DISCOVERED BY THAT THE COUNTY AROUND NOON OR SO, THAT THAT ISSUE HAD HAPPENED WHERE, UM, AND THEY CATEGORIZED IT AS SYSTEM, UH, SYSTEM GLITCH THAT ALLOWED, UM, INDIVIDUALS TO GET, UM, NOT RECEIVE THEIR CORRECT BALLOT. AND, AND THE WAY YOU EXPLAINED IT, UM, A CITY OF DALLAS RESIDENT, UM, COULD HAVE RECEIVED ANOTHER, A BALLOT STYLE TO SOMEONE THAT WAS OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. AND THE SAME FOR THE OUT, THE, THE, THE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S A NON-CITY OF DALLAS RESIDENT RECEIVING A CITY OF DALLAS BALLOT. AND SO IN THOSE INSTANCES, WOULD THOSE ISSUES BE LIMIT? WOULD, WOULD ELECTION ISSUES BE LIMITED TO THE PROPOSITIONS OR IT COULD HAVE AFFECTED MAYBE WHO WAS ON THEIR BALLOT FOR STATE REP OR SOMETHING ELSE? IT WAS A, IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE BALLOT. SO IT WAS NOT LIMITED TO, UM, CITY OF DALLAS PROPOSITIONS. OKAY. UM, SO YOU MENTIONED THE WORD GLITCH. SO ARE YOU SAYING THE PROBLEM WAS NOT HUMAN? IT WAS TECHNOLOGICAL? I'M ONLY SPEAKING OF WHAT WAS WAS TOLD OF ME WHEN I HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH THE, UM, ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, THAT AT THE TIME IT WAS A SYSTEM GLITCH. OKAY. SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A HUMAN ELEMENT AND IF SO, UM, MY QUESTION WOULD'VE BEEN IF THEY CAN IDENTIFY WHICH ELECTION WORKERS MAYBE PUT THE WRONG PRECINCT NUMBERS IN THERE. UM, ARE YOU ABLE TO SHARE WITH US WHAT KIND OF TRAINING THE STAFF RECEIVED? I AM NOT. THAT WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO COME FROM THE EA. AND THEN IS, IS IT CORRECT THAT YOU ARE NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEM WAS, CORRECT? I AM NOT SURE THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. OKAY. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY BALLOTS WERE IMPACTED? I DO NOT. CAN THE COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE DETERMINE WHO HAD THE WRONG BALLOTS AND, AND MAKE ANY KIND OF CORRECTION THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ANSWERED BY THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR? IS IT POSSIBLE, AND THIS MAY BE THE CITY ATTORNEY ONE, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT ANY OF THE BALLOT PROPOSITIONS COULD BE CONTESTED DUE TO THESE CIRCUMSTANCES CONTESTED BY THE CITY OR CONTESTED IN GENERAL BY ANYONE? UH, A CONTEST ELECTION WOULD BE BY A REGISTERED VOTER IN, IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, OR I'M SORRY, IN THE COUNTY. I APOLOGIZE. OKAY. AND WHAT IS THE CURE IN THESE SITUATIONS WHEN YOU'VE HAD THESE KINDS OF, UM, PROBLEMS? PER THE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, THERE'S NO CURE FOR THESE TYPE OF, BUT FOR THIS ISSUE, DO YOU KNOW IF THE IRREGULARITIES HAPPENED IN ONE PRECINCT OR MULTIPLE PRECINCTS OR IF THEY WERE COMMON ACROSS ALL OF DALLAS COUNTY? FOR WHAT I'M TOLD THEY WERE IN MULTIPLE PRECINCTS AND IT WAS COMMON ACROSS, UM, THE COUNTY. COULD THE DISCREPANCIES INDICATE ANY POTENTIAL FRAUD OR MISCONDUCT THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE ANSWERED BY THE EA DALLAS COUNTY'S ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR? WHEN THE TOTAL BALLOTS ARE, UM, BEING CALCULATED, WHAT STEPS WERE TAKEN TO RECONCILE THE TOTALS? I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT. I MEAN, I, THE EA WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. WERE ANY OF, UM, THESE ITEMS, DID ANY OF THEM GO THROUGH A RECOUNT? I AM ONLY AWARE OF A RECOUNT, UH, BASED OFF THE NEWS REPORT THAT I ACTUALLY READ MYSELF, BUT I HAVE NOT SPOKEN WITH THE ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT A RECOUNT. OKAY. WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION YOU WERE ABLE TO SHARE. I DO THINK THERE'S CONTINUING QUESTIONS ABOUT, [00:30:01] UM, THAT, THAT WE NEED TO ASK DALLAS COUNTY. UM, I WOULD INTEND TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS THROUGH GENERAL INVESTIGATING. I'M JUST GONNA LET YOU KNOW BECAUSE WE, WE ARE DESERVE THESE ANSWERS AND I THINK THE PUBLIC'S DESERVE THESE ANSWERS. AND I THINK MORE THAN EVER, TRANSPARENCY AND ACCURACY IN REPORTING IN OUR ELECTIONS IS ESSENTIAL. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION. MS. WILLIS, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES WE ARE ON THE CANVAS ONLY PORTION OF ITEM ONE. RIGHT. AND THIS IS FOR THE CITY SECRETARY. SO THE CITY OF DALLAS COMPENSATES DALLAS COUNTY TO RUN THESE ELECTIONS. THAT IS CORRECT. SO WHAT ACTION ARE WE GOING TO TAKE GIVEN THAT THESE DISCREPANCIES HAPPENED NOT ONLY ON THE FIRST DAY, BUT ON THE SECOND DAY? BECAUSE I'M AWARE OF, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF DALLAS WHO HAD THE DALLAS CITY PROPOSITIONS ON THEIR BALLOT. SO THEY CAST VOTES ON THESE PROPOSITIONS THAT WILL BE COUNTED. AND NOW WE'VE CONFIRMED THERE'S NO CURE. AND I HAD TALKED TO THE ELECTION OFFICIAL AS WELL. THERE IS NO CURE FOR THIS. SO SOMEONE HAS VOTED ON CITY OF DALLAS PROPOSITIONS FOR OR AGAINST WHO DOES NOT LIVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO PAY THE BILL FOR THIS. SO CAN YOU TELL ME THE PROCESS ON THIS? WELL, THE PROCESS IS ONCE THE ELECTION IS, IT'S IT'S FINAL. ONCE THE CANVASSING HAPPENS, UM, THE DA DALLAS COUNTY, THEY PERFORM AN AUDIT AND THEN THEY PROVIDE US WITH THE FINAL ELECTION COST. UM, TRADITIONALLY I HAVE ASKED, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE ARE ISSUES AS SUCH, UH, FOR OUR INTERNAL, UM, AUDITOR TO, TO AUDIT THE, UM, THE RECORDS AND THAT GOES THROUGH ITS PROCESS AND THEN THEY PRESENT BACK WHAT THEY GIVE, THEY PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHAT, UM, THEY PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION TO MYSELF. AND I DO BRING IT BACK TO, UM, TO COUNSEL AND THE COMMITTEE. UM, HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO NOTE THAT WE DID THE CONTRACT THAT WE DID SIGN DOESN'T ADDRESS CERTAIN TYPE OF MATTERS. SO I I I HAVE TO SEE WHAT COMES BACK FROM IT. IT, IT DOESN'T ADDRESS PERFORMANCE. OKAY. SO IF IT COMES BACK TO PER, IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT COMES BACK FROM THE AUDIT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT IT DOES NOT, NOT ADDRESS PERFORMANCE. OKAY. WE'VE HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE. SO, UM, ONCE WE GET THERE, YOU KNOW, I'LL LET, I WILL KEEP YOU GUYS INFORMED, BUT I I, I DO UNDERSTAND I WE'VE HAD THESE TYPE, OR NOT THIS TYPE OF ISSUE, BUT WE'VE HAD ISSUES BEFORE. UM, WELL, DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF, IN THIS AUDIT, I MEAN, I KNOW, UH, A VOTER IS ALLOWED TO PROTEST IF SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH THEIR BALLOT, BUT THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED ARE BIZARRE. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR BALLOT OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S VERY STRANGE. AND SO I'M, I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN HOW THE, THE ISSUES MIGHT HAVE BEEN CAPTURED. AND, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY ON PAPER? ARE THEY SOMEWHERE WHERE AN AUDITOR WOULD EVEN KNOW? OR DO WE NEED TO MAKE A CALL TO THE PUBLIC TO SAY, DID YOU HAVE AN ISSUE AND CAN YOU ATTEST TO HAVING, UH, SOMETHING STRANGE WITH YOUR BALLOT? EITHER YOU DIDN'T GET THE PROPOSITIONS YOU HAD BEEN HEARING ABOUT, OR YOU DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY OF DALLAS AND YOU HAD DALLAS PROPOSITIONS SHOW UP ON YOUR BALLOT. SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE, OR YOU'RE TELLING ME WE'VE GOT A CONTRACT AND IT DOESN'T TIE TO PERFORMANCE AND THIS IS AN ELECTION AND PEOPLE ARE VOTING ON, YOU KNOW, VERY SERIOUS MATTERS, I'M JUST, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT HOW WE'RE EVEN GONNA BE ABLE TO GO RETRACE THOSE STEPS AND THEN AT THE VERY LEAST, NOT PAY FOR THE MISTAKE. I HEAR YOU. AND ONCE WE GO THROUGH THE AUDIT, I WILL BRING BACK THE INFORMATION ONCE DALLAS COUNTY PERFORMS THEIR AUDIT AND OUR, OUR INTERNAL AUDITOR PERFORMS THE AUDIT. BECAUSE I WILL BE ASKING FOR AN AUDIT, THEN I WILL, WE WILL HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AT THAT TIME TO SEE HOW TO PROCEED. AND THAT'S AS FAR AS THE, THE CONTRACT GOES. NOW, IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS, I AM TOLD THAT OUR, THE DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR, HEIDER GARCIA IS ONLINE IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. SURE. MR. HEIDER GARCIA CAN GOOD MORNING, CAN YOU, HI, THIS IS GAY WILLIS, UM, DALLAS CITY COUNCIL. SO WHEN, IF A VOTER SAW SOMETHING ON THERE, I, I'M SORRY, MR. GARCIA, CAN YOU PLEASE TURN YOUR VIDEO ON IF YOU DON'T MIND? [00:35:02] IT, IT, OKAY. UM, SORRY. IS THAT WORKING NOW? YES, WE CAN SEE YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I APOLOGIZE BACK AND FORTH. I'M ALSO SITTING WAITING FOR COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO COUNT THE ELECTION, SO I'M TRYING TO DO BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. SO MR. GARCIA, CONTINUE POINT OF ORDER. MAYOR, STATE YOUR POINT OF ORDER. I THINK WE'RE STEPPING OUT OF BOUNDS OF OUR JURISDICTION. THIS IS NOT A CHALLENGE OF AN ELECTION AND THIS IS BEYOND THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE AGENDA SAYS TO CANVAS THE ELECTION RESULTS. ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA CONSULT THE, UH, PARLIAMENTARIAN AND MAKE A RULING ON JUST ONE MOMENT, YOUR POINT OF ORDERS. RESPECTFULLY SUSTAINED. WE'RE GOING TO NEED YOU TO RESTRICT YOUR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, UM, TO THE MINISTERIAL DUTY THAT WE HAVE THAT BEFORE US ON THIS PORTER PORTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO CANVAS THE ELECTION. WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE UP ANOTHER TIME IF YOU WANT TO. THE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES RELATED TO THE CONTRACTS WITH DALLAS COUNTY PERFORMANCE AND THAT TYPE OF THING. THIS IS ABOUT, UM, CANVASSING THE ELECTION. IT'S, IF YOUR QUESTIONS RELATE TO THE VALIDITY OF THE VOTE COUNT FOR PURPOSES OF OUR MAKING A DECISION ABOUT CANVASSING TODAY. THAT'S ONE THING. ANYTHING BEYOND THAT I'LL HAVE TO RULE OUT OF BOUNDS FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION, NO MATTER HOW GOOD THE QUESTIONS MAY BE, . SO I'M GONNA SUSTAIN THE DEPUTY MAYOR PERMS POINT OF ORDER AND ASK YOU TO NARROW IT. OKAY. SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR MINISTERIAL DUTY AND, UM, WE HAD COUNTS READ INTO THE RECORD. HOWEVER, THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT THE CONFIDENCE IN THOSE NUMBERS BECAUSE OF SOME GLITCHES THAT OCCURRED. MR. GARCIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF A PERCENTAGE OF HOW MANY BALLOTS YOU HAD PROTESTED SO THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT A MARGIN MIGHT BE? UH, UM, WE DO, AND I JUST TAKING A LITTLE PAUSE HERE FOR PROTESTED, THERE'S NO FORMAL AS TO PROTEST THE BALLOT, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT. BUT I BELIEVE AT THE HEART OF YOUR QUESTION IS A MATTER OF HOW MANY PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN THE WRONG BALLOT BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED ON THE, THE SOFTWARE WITH THE POLL BOOKS. AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO QUANTIFY IS ABOUT 3,960, I BELIEVE IS, UH, NUMBER THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE IN ALL OVER DALLAS COUNTY THAT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER GOT A BALLOT THAT WAS NOT THE BALLOT FOR THEIR PRECINCT. AND WE CANNOT TRACE INDIVIDUAL BALLOTS. WE CANNOT TELL YOU, HEY, THIS IS THIS PERSON'S BALLOT. WHAT WE CAN TELL IS HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM A GIVEN PRECINCT VOTED WERE CHECKED IN ON THE POLL BOOK AND HOW MANY BALLOTS OF THAT PRECINCT WE COUNTED. AND BASED ON THAT, WE CAN ESTABLISH A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT TO FIND IN THOSE COUNTS AND WHAT WE'RE FINDING. RIGHT? SO THAT NUMBER IS ABOUT 3,900 PEOPLE ALL OVER DALLAS COUNTY. UM, I DON'T REMEMBER THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I'M SORRY I WASN'T EXPECTING TO BE HERE TODAY, BUT IT'S LESS THAN 2000 SOMETHING LIKE 1900 FOR WITHIN THE CITY OF DALLAS PRECINCT. SO THOSE ARE THE TWO. NOW I GIVE YOU AS A REFERENCE FOR IMPACT OF THIS. SO DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY IN THAT YOU SAID THERE'S NOT REALLY A PROCESS TO PROTEST YOUR BALLOT? THAT IS CORRECT. I MEAN, YOU USED THE WORD PROTEST, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT REFERS TO ANY, UM, SPECIFIC PROCESS IN THE LAW. YOU CAN'T PROTEST A BALLOT. IS THERE WORK BEING DONE TOWARD DEVELOPING A PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO PROTEST? MAY I POINT OF ORDER A BALLOT? STATE YOUR POINT OF ORDER. I STILL THINK WE'RE STEPPING OUT OF THE SCOPE OF, UH, OUR ACTUAL ACTION TO BE TAKEN HERE AT THIS BODY. SO MS. WILLIS, I'M GOING TO TRY TO, UM, SAY THIS IN A WAY I THINK MAKES SENSE TO EVERYBODY. IF IT'S AIMED AT, IF IT'S ULTIMATELY GETTING TO WHETHER OR NOT, UM, WE SHOULD CANVAS THIS ELECTION RESULT, THEN IT'S GONNA BE PERMISSIBLE. BUT IF IT DOESN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THE VALIDITY OF THE, OF THE VOTE AND THE, AND ACCEPTING THE REPORT OF THE CANVASSING COMMITTEE, I HAVE TO RULE IT, UM, AS OUT OF ORDER TODAY. SO I'M GONNA SUSTAIN THAT POINT OF ORDER AND ASK YOU TO REALLY WORK AT BEING EVEN MORE NARROWLY TAILORED TO, TO THAT NARROW QUESTION OF WHETHER WE SHOULD CANVAS THIS ELECTION RESULT BASED ON SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE HEARD OR THAT YOU MIGHT BE ASKING RIGHT NOW. WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I THINK WE'VE, UM, JUST HEARD ENOUGH TO BRING UP SOME OF THESE ISSUES AT A LATER TIME FOR CONSIDERATION GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR PROAM, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES ITEM ONE, THE CANVAS ONLY PORTION. THANK YOU. AND I DO [00:40:01] WANT TO THANK, UH, THE POINTS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP. I DO THINK THAT THERE'S, UH, A MORE APPROPRIATE AVENUE AND I ENCOURAGE OUR, UH, UH, RESIDENTS TO, UH, GET INVOLVED AND, UH, TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS, UH, THAT THEY FEEL IF THEY WERE, UH, IF THERE'S A FEELING OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT. HOWEVER, THAT'S NOT THE SUBJECT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE TODAY. I KNOW THAT THIS IS, THIS IS VERY PROCEDURAL. UM, I I'M READY FOR US TO, TO GET THE CANVAS, UM, UH, VOTED FOR, UM, APPROPRIATELY. BUT AGAIN, I DO WANNA SAY ON RECORD, I ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS TO USE THEIR VOICE AND TAKE THE AVENUES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO THEM TO, TO MAKE NECESSARY CHALLENGES AS THEY COME UP. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. I'M GOING TO MR. RIDLEY AND THEN CHAIRMAN ARVA. CHAIRMAN RIDLEY, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES. ITEM ONE, THE CANVAS PORTION. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. QUESTION FOR CITY ATTORNEY. UH, DOES THE COUNCIL HAVE THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DECLINE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ELECTION ON A PROPOSITION WHERE THE MARGIN OF, UM, THAT VOTE WAS LESS THAN 3,960 VOTES IN LIGHT OF THE TESTIMONY OF MR. GARCIA, THE ELECTION ADMINISTRATOR, THAT THERE WERE 3,960 QUESTIONABLE BALLOTS? THE ANSWER IS, THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO. THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHALLENGE, UM, THE, THE COUNT OF THE VOTES. UM, THEY DON'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY EITHER TO CONTEST THE RESULTS. THEIR, YOUR MINISTERIAL DUTY IS TO ACCEPT THE CANVASSING. UM, TODAY, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THE COUNT MAY NOT BE ACCURATE, IT'S NOT OUR JURISDICTION. YES, THANK YOU. I THINK THAT, MR. GARCIA, WERE YOU TRYING TO RAISE YOUR HAND TO MAKE A COMMENT? YES. I, I, I WANNA BE CAREFUL WITH THE WORDS THAT, THAT, THAT WE USE. UM, I UNDERSTAND IT'S OBVIOUS WE HAD AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, OUR, A SOFTWARE PROVIDER FOR THE POLL BOATS HAD AN ISSUE AND THAT CREATED A, A RIPPLE EFFECT IN MANY THINGS. BUT I DO WANNA BE CAREFUL WITH USING THE WORD THAT COUNTS NOT BEING ACCURATE. UM, THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH COUNTING THE BALLOTS. I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE SAYING. I'M NOT TRYING TO TO SIDE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOME PEOPLE GOT THE WRONG BALLOT. I JUST WANNA PRECISELY THOSE ARE ACCURATE, THAT ARE UNDER THE BUDGET, ACCURATELY COUNTED WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WHETHER PEOPLE GOT BALLOT OR NOT. AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE THOSE DISTINCTIONS RIGHT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ELECTION. ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN BLACKMAN'S DOG NOW TO MAKE, I'M JUST KIDDING. , WE'RE GONNA GO TO, I'M NOT, I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA SKIP YOU, CHAIRMAN, NOR VICE. GO AHEAD. YOU RE FOR FIVE MINUTES. YOU'RE NOT GONNA GO BEHIND PAULA AS A DOG. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND I, I WOULD LOVE TO GO AFTER PAULA'S POOCHIE POOP, POOCHIE LOUIE, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT A DULY ELECTED MEMBER OF THIS BODY, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT MAYBE NEXT ELECTION, UH, LOUIS WILL BE SO, UM, UM, UM, TO OUR ELECTION AS ADMINISTRATOR. UM, MR. GARCIA, UM, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW, UH, THERE'S PROBABLY A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WE ALL WANT TO ASK. I WOULD, I DEFINITELY WANT TO ASK. I ALSO WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOU GETTING ON THE PHONE WITH ME, UM, ON ELECTION DAY ONE, UM, WHEN WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND THESE PROBLEMS AND YOU WERE TRYING TO MITIGATE THEM, UM, YOU WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND ANSWERED EVERYTHING YOU COULD, THAT YOU POSSIBLY KNEW AT THAT TIME. UM, BUT I WILL SAY, UM, MR. MAYOR, I DEFINITELY DO AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE DO NEED TO HAVE, UM, MORE CONVERSATION ON THIS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. AND, UM, MR. GARCIA, I WILL, UM, SAY, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL YOUR HOMEWORK READY AND DONE BECAUSE I, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE ALREADY PREPARING BECAUSE AS A CLIENT, WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UM, ON WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT WENT DOWN. UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FEW BALLOTS THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME, IT STILL SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT IT'S STILL A FEW. AND THAT IT MAKES IT A LITTLE, JUST A LITTLE BIT HARDER FOR US TO CANVAS CORRECTLY, MR. MAYOR. BUT THIS IS THE CANVAS. THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN SENT, IT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO APPROVE. UM, BUT DEFINITELY WANNA KNOW HOW THESE THINGS WERE FIXED, HOW THESE WERE, UM, TAKEN CARE OF IN THE FUTURE. IT PROBABLY WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE HISTORY OF VOTING FOR US. BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS 'CAUSE IT'S 3,900 BALLOTS THAT WE JUST DON'T KNOW EXACTLY, UM, WHAT ELECTIONS PEOPLE VOTED IN, WHAT THEY DIDN'T, HOW THEY WOULD'VE VOTED, HOW THEY WOULDN'T HAVE. BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT EVEN IF THOSE FULL 3,900, WE COULD FIND THE PEOPLE AND HAVE THEM REDO THEIR BALLOT, IF THAT WAS EVEN A POSSIBILITY, WHICH IT'S NOT, [00:45:01] THAT IT WOULD NOT CHANGE THE OUTCOME OF ANY OF THESE, UM, ELECTIONS THAT WE OF A MINISTERIAL DUTY TO APPROVE MR. MAYOR. SO, UH, MR. GARCIA, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU, UM, HOPEFULLY HERE IN PERSON, UM, WHEN WE, UM, GET TO DISCUSS, UM, THAT IN A LATER DATE. UM, BUT FOR THE CANVASSING, MR. MAYOR, I WILL BE, UM, VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE BECAUSE IT IS MY MINISTERIAL DUTY TO DO SO. UM, JUST LIKE IT WAS MY MINISTERIAL DUTY TO PUT, UM, THE LAST FOUR ITEMS, R-S-T-N-U ON THE BALLOT, UM, EVEN THOUGH I MAY NOT HAVE LIKED HAVING TO PUT THEM ON THERE, BUT IT IS MY MINISTERIAL DUTY. IT'S OUR MINISTERIAL DUTY AS A BODY, UM, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT STATE LAW DICTATES. AND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US RAISED OUR HAND AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS TERM AND SAID THAT WE WOULD, UM, DEFEND AND PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF TEXAS AND ITS LAWS. WE MAY NOT LIKE ALL THOSE LAWS, AND WE MAY NOT EVEN LIKE ALL OF OUR OWN ORDINANCES, WHICH WE ALSO SAID WE WOULD DO, AND AS WELL AS THE US CONSTITUTION, BUT IT IS OUR MINISTERIAL DUTY. AND SO I WILL BE VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE FOR, UM, THE CANVASSING OF THIS ELECTION BECAUSE STATE LAW MANDATES THAT I DO. SO. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. CHAIRMAN GRACIE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES. ITEM ONE CANVAS ONLY PORTION. THANK, THANK YOU. NOT SURE WHO TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT I'M DOING THE MATH TOO, AND I THINK, UH, MR REALLY MAY HAVE ALREADY SAID IT, BUT 39, 3,960 WAS THE NUMBER. AND IF YOU LOOK AT, UM, YOU, THE SPREAD ON THAT IS 32 3,204. SO IF IT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT THE OUTCOME, DOES THAT, DOES THAT, IS THAT A FACTOR NOW, I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A CITY ATTORNEY QUESTION OR NOT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WE ARE BEING ASKED TO ANSWER TODAY. UM, YOU'RE JUST CANVASSING THE RESULTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU. UM, THERE IS A WAY TO CHALLENGE OR, UM, THE ELECTION RESULTS OR TO DEMAND A RECOUNT. AND THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC TEXAS ELECTION CODE PROCESS FOR THOSE TWO PATHS. AND THE CITY IS NOT ONE OF THOSE THAT CAN CHALLENGE AN ELECTION OR, UM, DEMAND A RECOUNT. OKAY. THANK YOU CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSOHN, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR THREE MINUTES. UH, THANK YOU. I SEE MR. GARCIA'S OFF AGAIN. UM, IF HE CAN HEAR, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW, I ASKED ABOUT A DOZEN QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU'RE ABLE TO JOIN. UM, I WILL CALL A SPECIAL MEETING AND ASK YOU TO ATTEND. WE'LL WORK ON A DATE THAT'S CONVENIENT FOR YOU SO THAT, UM, OUR COMMITTEE COULD ASK THESE QUESTIONS ON THE RECORD AND, AND JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHAT HAPPENED AND WHY AND WHAT THOSE IMPLICATIONS ARE. UM, THE, THE ONLY ONE I WANNA ASK IF YOU COULD SHARE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE CANVASSING, IS, UM, IF, I MEAN, YOU, YOU SAID YOU DON'T HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER OF BALLOTS THAT YOU THINK, UH, MAY HAVE BEEN IRREGULARLY DISTRIBUTED. IS THAT RIGHT? OR YOU DO HAVE THAT NUMBER? THAT IS, THAT IS CORRECT. POINT OF ORDER, RIGHT? POINT OF ORDER, MAYOR. 'CAUSE STATE YOUR POINT OF ORDER. I I I THINK THAT WE'RE, WE'RE REALLY CONFUSING WHAT THIS IS. THE COUNTS ARE WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE APPROVING. THE BALLOTS OR THE QUESTIONING OF THE VALIDITY OF THE BALLOTS IS NOT IN DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW. SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT SHOULD BE A LINE OF QUESTIONING. I'M GONNA SUSTAIN IT. UM, SO CITY ATTORNEY, MY UNDERSTANDING OF STATE LAW, SO OF THE ELECTION CODE, UM, TITLE 14 ELECTION CONTEXT, SUBTITLE B CONTEXT IN DISTRICT COURT, IT ACTUALLY DOES TALK ABOUT THE CANVASSING COMMITTEE BEING ABLE TO POSE A CHALLENGE AND IT WOULD BE AT THIS MEETING THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN. IS THAT CORRECT? LET ME CONSULT WITH, UH, ONE OF MY ATTORNEYS, BUT IF WE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AGAIN ON SOMETHING TO HAVE A LEGAL CONVERSATION. I ACTUALLY AM NOT LOOKING FOR LEGAL ADVICE, BUT I THINK THAT MY QUESTION IS ACTUALLY VALID GIVEN THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD WE DESIRE TO CHALLENGE IT, BUT WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. YEAH, LET ME, YOU, YOU, YOU READING OFF A PIECE OF PAPER THAT, THAT THE LAWYERS HAVEN'T LOOKED AT AND EVEN CAN TELL IF THAT'S WHAT THE ELECTION CODE EVEN SAYS AND LET ALONE WHAT IT MEANS IS NOT THE SAME THING AS THEM ADVISING US OF THAT, WHICH YOU COULD BE CORRECT ABOUT, BUT WE WOULD NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, I WOULD THINK AND, AND GET AN ANSWER TO THAT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT? ARE YOU GONNA MAKE A MOTION TO DO THAT? TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? PERHAPS WE COULD JUST PAUSE AND ALLOW THEM TO REVIEW IT. OKAY. IS THERE ANY OBJECTION TO ANY US TAKING THIS FIVE MINUTE RECESS HERE? FIVE MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GONNA STAND AT RECESS UNTIL 1148. [00:50:08] ALRIGHT, WE ARE BACK IN REGULAR SESSION. THANK YOU MEMBERS. UM, THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS, UH, AN ANSWER TO THE LEGAL QUESTION POSED BY CHAIRWOMAN MENDELSON RELATED TO THE STATE LAW AS IT RELATES TO A CANVAS, UH, OF A VOTE. AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AT, AT THIS MEETING. I'LL WITHDRAW THE QUESTION AND HOLD IT FROM MY GENERAL INVESTIGATING MEETING. THANK YOU WELL ENOUGH, MS. WILLIS, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES. SO I JUST WANTED TO, SORRY, THREE MINUTES, EXCUSE ME. FOLLOW UP ON, UH, A DISTINCTION HERE BECAUSE IT WAS SAID THAT IT WOULDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ANY OF THE PROPOSITIONS, BUT IT APPEARS THAT IT ACTUALLY COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE PROPOSITION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER GRACIE CALLED OUT. SO CITY ATTORNEY IS, YOU SAID THERE'S A PROCESS THAT WOULD BE FOLLOWED, UM, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO CHALLENGE THAT. SO IF YOU'RE ASKING ME WHO MAY PETITION A RECOUNT OF BALLOTS, IT'S THE CAMPAIGN TREASURER OF A SPECIFIC PURPOSE POLITICAL COMMITTEE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE ELECTION, OR 25 OR MORE PERSONS ACTING JOINTLY WHO WERE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THE ELECTION. THEY MAY PETITION FOR A RECOUNT. SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN ORGANIZED GROUP. THIS CAN JUST BE VOTERS, RESIDENTS OF THE CITY. OKAY. SO THE PEOPLE COULD, COULD CHALLENGE THIS. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, WANTS TO SPEAK ON, FOR OR AGAINST? UM, THIS IS ITEM ONE AND WE'RE ON THE CANVAS PORTION OF THAT. I DON'T SEE ANYONE REMOTE. I DON'T SEE ANYONE HERE. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AYE. THE AYES HAVE IT. WE ARE NOW ON TO THE, WHEREAS CLAUSES PORTION OF THE MOTION THAT MS. MENDELSSOHN ORIGINALLY MADE. THE QUESTION WAS DIVIDED. WE'LL START A NEW SET OF 5 3 1. UM, FOR PEOPLE WHO WANNA DISCUSS THIS, WHO WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE, WHEREAS CLAUSES, DEPUTY MAYOR PROTE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM ONE ON THE RAZ CLAUSES. THANK YOU MAYOR. UM, I, THE, THE, THE UNDERLINED WHEREAS CLAUSES IN THE RESOLUTION, THE ONES THAT DO NOT RELATE TO THE, UH, THE CAMPUS. YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR. UM, I, UH, I, I I THINK THAT ON ON SURFACE I, UM, APPRECIATE THE SPIRIT OF, UM, THIS, UH, AMENDMENT. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW IS STEPPING INTO A POLICY DISCUSSION AND IT'S A POLICY DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVE NOT YET HAD. WE HAVE NOT HAD IT POSTED IN A WAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONSIDER. UM, WE HAVE NOT YET HEARD FROM OUR PUBLIC. I THINK THIS WOULD BE, UM, PREMATURE FOR US AS A BODY TO MAKE POLICY DISCUSS, TO MAKE A POLICY DECISION ON A DAY THAT, UH, WE WERE MEANT TO TAKE ACTION, UM, FOR CLEARLY MINISTERIAL PURPOSES. UM, WHEN WE HEARD FROM THE VOTERS, UM, WITH A RESOUNDING 67% TO APPROVE PROPOSITION R, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THIS WAS ONE OF THE PROPOSITIONS THAT DIDN'T TOTE ON PARTISAN LINES. THIS WAS A CLEAR MANDATE. THIS IS NOT ONE THAT, UH, WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE HAVE ANY, UH, UH, LEGS TO STAND ON WITH A CHALLENGE. UM, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS BE PREPARED TO, UH, LEGALLY DEFEND, UH, 100%, BUT FOR US TO CONVOLUTE THIS ACTION WITH, UH, MAKING A POLICY DECISION RIGHT HERE ON THE FLOOR, TO ME IT JUST, UH, SPEAKS AGAINST THE PRECEDENTS AND THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURE THAT WE USUALLY, UH, OPERATE UNDER, UM, HERE AT CITY HALL, WHICH IS POLICY DISCUSSIONS, GO THROUGH COMMITTEES, UM, GO THROUGH FULL COUNCIL BRIEFINGS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IS POSTED IN A WAY THAT WE GET TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. WE GET TO HEAR FROM THOSE WHO MAY HAVE VOTED IN FAVOR OR AGAINST, BUT HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC, IT SHOULD BE WHAT GUIDES THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE HERE. HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC TWO WEEKS AGO THAT OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED THIS PROPOSITION AND TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BACK ROOM AT CITY HALL AND COME OUT HERE AND MAKE A VOTE THAT UNDOES THE RESOUNDING MANDATE THAT CAME FROM OUR VOTERS TO ME IS NOT WHAT WE WERE ELECTED TO DO. AND IT'S NOT THE PURPOSE OF THE CANVAS, UH, NEEDING TO BE DONE TODAY. SO I'M NOT HERE TO DEBATE THE MERIT OF WHAT THE AMENDMENT, UH, WAS MEANT TO BE. I THINK THAT THE SPIRIT IS, IS, IS IN A GOOD PLACE, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO AT LEAST HAVE THE AVENUE TO HAVE, UM, A, A LEGITIMATE POLICY DEBATE BEFORE TAKING SUCH ACTION AS A BODY. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR, CHAIRMAN WEST, YOU RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES ON, AND I WOULD JUST WANNA BE VERY CLEAR WHAT I'M SAYING WHEN I SAY THE WAREHOUSE CLAUSES IN THE UNDERLYING PORTION IN CASE PEOPLE AREN'T LOOKING AT THE SAME THING, THE [00:55:01] PORTIONS THAT DEAL WITH, UH, THE PROPOSITION ARE, UH, LANGUAGE HERE. SO GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THIS SECOND PORTION THAT YOU JUST REFERENCED, MAYOR, WAS THAT, UM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER HAD BASICALLY, UH, ADDED IN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE TO THE CANVASSING, UM, SPECIFICALLY FOR PROPOSITION R UM, STATING THAT PROPOSITION R WAS INCONSISTENT WITH AND PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW AND THEREFORE, UM, WE'RE NOT GONNA, WE WE WOULDN'T TAKE ACTION ON IT. IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING? IS THAT THE LEGAL I'LL YEAH, I'LL ANSWER THAT QUESTION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S, IT'S IT'S PROCEDURAL QUESTION FOR THE CHAIR. YES. WHAT I'M REFERRING TO AND WHAT, WHEN WE, WHEN YOU VOTED TO DIVIDE THE QUESTION, THE FIRST PORTION YOU TOOK UP WAS EVERYTHING RELATED TO THE MINISTERIAL DUTY OF CANVAS IN THE ELECTION. THE PORTION THAT'S REMAINING REALLY ARE THE PORTIONS THAT DEAL WITH, UH, PROPOSITION R BEING INCONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW. AND THAT BECAUSE IT'S INCONSISTENT AND PREEMPT, I'M SORRY, INCONSISTENT AND PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW. AND BECAUSE IT IS INCONSISTENT AND PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW, IT WOULD NOT BE ENFORCED. THAT LANGUAGE IS WHAT IS ON THE FLOOR NOW FOR YOU TO CONSIDER INCLUDING, OR NOT INCLUDING, BUT YOU'VE ALREADY VOTED TO IN TO CANVAS THE ELECTION. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. AND I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION. AND SO THE ONLY PROPOSITION THAT WAS SORT OF CALLED OUT IN THIS ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE WAS PROPOSITION R, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. THE, THE, THE LANGUAGE ONLY RELATES TO PROPOSITION R BEING INCONSISTENT WITH AND PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW, SPECIFICALLY TEXAS HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTION 4 81 0.121 IN TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION THREE 70.003. THANK YOU MAYOR. AND I, I THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THE ISSUE I HAVE, UH, THAT I SHARE WITH THIS, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BASIL DUA IS, IS JUST THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SHOW UP HERE, UM, TO ADVOCATE FOR PROPOSITION R FOR MARIJUANA, UH, REFORM. AND THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PERSON IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THIS WAS NOTICED. AND IT WAS NOTICED IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR MINISTERIAL DUTY TODAY, AS WE'VE HEARD. UM, IF THERE HAD BEEN NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE WOULD BE INSERTING, UM, LANGUAGE HERE, ESSENTIALLY STATING THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENFORCE THE WILL THE VOTERS, WE'D HAVE A PACKED ROOM RIGHT NOW, THEY WOULD BE OVERFLOWING INTO THE, INTO THE COURTYARD. AND, UM, AS IT IS, I AGREE WITH COUNCIL MEMBER ALUA THAT WE, WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO POST THIS. WE NEED TO HEAR PUBLIC COMMENTS IF WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING A POLICY CHANGE, WHICH I FRANKLY, UM, WOULD NOT AGREE WITH THIS. YOU KNOW, I WANNA SUPPORT THE VOTERS ON THIS AND 67% OF OUR CONSTITUENTS. UM, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND WE NEED, WE DON'T NEED TO BE MAKING THAT MOVE TODAY WITH, WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC INPUT. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. MINISTER, YOU RECOGNIZE FOR FIVE MINUTES ON ITEM ONE, THE WHEREAS RELATED TO CLAUSES RELATED TO PROPOSITION R. THANK YOU. UM, ONLY R WAS MENTIONED IN THE INSERTING CLAUSES BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT VIOLATES THE STATE LAW, MEANING S AND U DO NOT VIOLATE STATE LAW. THAT'S THE FIRST POINT. THE SECOND POINT IS THAT EARLIER WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING, UM, CANVASSING, THERE WAS A COMMENT MADE BY A COUNCIL MEMBER ABOUT THE OATH WE TOOK TO PROTECT AND DEFEND THE LAWS OF OUR LAND. FOUR OUNCES OF MARIJUANA IS ILLEGAL BOTH IN TEXAS AND THE UNITED STATES. WHEN WE HAD A PO WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT, WELL, WE DIDN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION. THERE WAS AN ITEM JUST THIS PAST WEDNESDAY ABOUT REMOVAL OF THE POLICE STAFFING ORDINANCE FROM 1988 REQUIRING THREE POLICE OFFICERS PER 1000 POPULATION. THAT ITEM DID NOT COME TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. THAT ITEM WAS NOT DISCUSSED AS A BIG POLICY ISSUE. I UNFORTUNATELY HAD A NUMBER OF TECHNICAL ISSUES, I'LL BE PETITIONING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE VOTED ON THAT, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A POLICY DISCUSSION. DO I NEED TO PAUSE FOR A QUORUM ISSUE? NO, NO, NO. OKAY. MS. BLACKMAN'S CAMERA JUST SWITCHED OFF FOR A SECOND, BUT SHE'S, SHE'S THERE. THANK YOU. WE JUST PASSED, UH, WE JUST ACCEPTED THE, THE VOTES THAT WERE AFFORDED TO US BY DALLAS COUNTY FOR PROPOSITION R AND IT IS CLEAR THAT THERE WAS A VERY LARGE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO VOTED TO APPROVE THIS MARIJUANA ORDINANCE. HOWEVER, IT WAS REGULARLY CHARACTERIZED AS A SMALL AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA. AND WHAT WE LEARNED HERE AT THE HORSESHOE IS THAT IT WAS NOT A SMALL AMOUNT AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA. AND IN FACT, POLICE CHIEF, FORMER POLICE CHIEF GARCIA REPEATEDLY TOLD US THIS IS A DEALER [01:00:01] AMOUNT OF MARIJUANA AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS PASSAGE AND THIS ORDINANCE WOULD LEAD TO HIGHER CRIME IN OUR CITY. I'M GONNA, SORRY. I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO STAY AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN TO THE MERITS OF INCLUDING IN THIS CANVASSING ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION, UM, THIS LANGUAGE RELATED TO NON-ENFORCEMENT AND NOT THE SUBSTANCE AND THE MERITS OF MARIJUANA POLICY TODAY. BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY THE, UH, APPROPRIATE SCOPE FOR TODAY'S DISCUSSION. THE CORE OF THIS IS THAT STATE LAW PREEMPTS OUR ABILITY TO ENFORCE THIS ORDINANCE, AND WE NEED TO RESPECT STATE LAW AND FOLLOW STATE LAW. AND IF NOT, WE'LL BE SEEING A LAWSUIT ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THANK YOU, MS. WILLIS. YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THIS MOTION BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WHILE THE VOTERS HAVE MADE A DECISION THAT, UH, THIS PROPOSITION WAS INCONSISTENT AND PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW, AND THAT IF THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THIS, UM, MAYBE SOME PEOPLE WEREN'T AWARE THAT THIS IS INCONSISTENT AND PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW, UM, BUT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THERE WAS A DISTINCTION AT FOUR OUNCES WITH REGARD TO OTHER DRUGS, FIREARMS AND CRIME. AND SO IF THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS ON MORE RADARS, THEN I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE IT. ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO TAKE A QUICK RECESS WHILE WE HAVE A QUICK QUORUM CALL TO MAKE SURE WE ARE AT NINE. SO WE'LL STAND AT RECESS FOR JUST A MINUTE. 1202. JESSE AND PAUL NEED TO PUT THEIR CAMERA. OKAY. WE'VE REESTABLISHED A QUORUM. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO SPEAK UP, CHAIRMAN OR ADVISE YOU RECOGNIZE IT FOR FIVE MINUTES? THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. AND, UM, I'LL BE, UM, RISING TO NOT PUT THIS, UM, TO VOTE AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT TO THE, UM, CANVASSING. I AGREE THAT WE ARE, UM, SUPPOSED TO BE JUST DOING THE CANVASSING AND NOT ADDING ANY POLICY, UM, TO IT. UM, I DO ALSO AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, UM, SOMETHING THAT WAS PREEMPTED. HOWEVER, IF WE ARE A TRUE DEMOCRACY, WHICH WE ARE IN THE, IN THE CITY AND THE STATE, THE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT DECIDE WHAT IS LAW AND ISN'T LAW. AND IF THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS VOTED 67% TO CHALLENGE A LAW, THEN UM, I THINK THAT IT'S OUR DUTY AS THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO, UM, STAND WITH THEM. AND 67% SAID THEY WANTED TO DO A CERTAIN THING THAT WAS OPPOSITE OF STATE LAW IN TEXAS. THEN WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE RESIDENTS OF DALLAS. THEY WERE THE VOTERS. THEY ARE THE ONES WHO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT. WHETHER YOU LIKED IT OR YOU DIDN'T. LIKE IT IS NOT OUR JOB AT THIS POINT BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO, UM, THIS ACTUAL ITEM, THE COUNTRY'S CHANGING AND IT'S, IT'S OVERWHELMINGLY CHANGING ACROSS THE STATE. AND WE MAY NOT LIKE IT AND YOU MAY LIKE IT, BUT REGARDLESS, THE PEOPLE VOTED, THEY DECIDED WHAT THEY WANTED. AND I THINK THAT IT IS, UM, NOT FAIR THAT WE WOULD BE DOING THIS. UM, WE ARE DOING IT IN THE LIGHT, BUT NOT IN THE CORRECT LIGHT WHERE WE COULD HAVE HAD SNEAKERS COME OUT, SHOW UP, UM, THEY WOULD'VE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS BECAUSE CANVASSING IS SUPPOSED TO BE LITERALLY A MINISTERIAL DUTY OF SAYING, YES, WE ACCEPT THE BALLOTS THAT WERE COUNTED AND THE WAY THE RESULTS CAME OUT, AND THAT'S ALL WE SHOULD BE DOING. AND SO FOR THAT, MR. MAYOR, UM, IF WE WANNA HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS LATER WHEN WE CAN HAVE MORE GENERAL PUBLIC HERE, MORE SPEAKERS, UM, MORE ACTUAL, UM, UM, PROFESSIONALS, UM, CONTENT EXPERTS ON THIS ENTIRE MATTER, THEN LET'S DO IT THEN AND DO IT IN A BETTER WAY. IN THE LIGHT WHERE, UH, RESIDENTS AND THE PEOPLE OF DALLAS AND ESPECIALLY THE VOTERS, THAT 67% THAT VOTED IN FAVOR AND THAT 33% THAT VOTED AGAINST CAN HAVE THEIR DAY AT CITY HALL IN FRONT OF US IN THE PUBLIC SO THAT WE CAN GET AN ACTUAL TRUE ANSWER TO WHETHER WE SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT ENFORCE THIS, UM, CHARTER AMENDMENT. BUT AS OF NOW, THIS IS WHAT THE PEOPLE WANTED AND WE SHOULD BE PUTTING IT ON THERE. UM, EXACTLY THE WAY THEY SAID WITH NO AMENDMENTS, NO CHANGES [01:05:01] UNTIL WE CAN ACTUALLY DO A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS PROPERLY IN FRONT OF EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC, WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE THERE. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ITEM ONE. MAYOR MOVE FOR RECORD. VOTE PLEASE. RECORD. VOTE BEEN REQUESTED. MADAM SECRETARY, CALL THE ROLL PLEASE. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR, WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE STATE YES IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR. NO. IF YOU OPPOSE COUNCIL MEMBER WEST. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER MORENO. IT'S ABSENT WHEN VOTE TAKEN. COUNCIL MEMBER GRACIE, NO. COUNCIL MEMBER ARNOLD IS ABSENT WHEN VOTE TAKEN OR ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER RESENDEZ IS ABSENT WHEN VOTE TAKEN. COUNCIL MEMBER VALEZ. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER BLACKMAN. NO. COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART IS ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER SCHULTZ IS ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER MENDELSON? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RIDLEY? NO. LET'S NO THANK YOU. DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BASIL IS ABSENT WHEN VOTE TAKEN. MAYOR PRO TEM MARK ATKINS. SNOW MAYOR JOHNSON? YES. THANK YOU. WITH THREE VOTING IN FAVOR. SIX OPPOSED? THREE ABSENT AND THREE ABSENT. VOTE TAKEN. THE MOTION FAILS MR. MAYOR. ALRIGHT THAT IS ITEM ONE. IT'S BEEN RESOLVED FULLY. NOW WE ARE ON TO MADAM SECRETARY. OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM PLEASE. I WOULD LIKE MR. MAYOR, THAT DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TIMM BASIL BEFORE THE VOTE WAS CLOSED. WANT TO REGISTER HIS VOTE AS NO THANK YOU. DULY NOTED. YOUR NEXT [2. Adoption of a resolution appointing _______ as Interim Inspector General, effective at the close of business on November 19, 2024, to serve until the City Council selects and appoints the Inspector General - Not to exceed $_____.00 - Financing: General Fund ] ITEM AGENDA. ITEM TWO. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPOINTING BLANK AS INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL EFFECTIVE AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON NOVEMBER 19TH, TWO, 2014 TO SERVE UNTIL THE CITY COUNCIL SELECTS AND APPOINTS THE, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL NOT TO EXCEED BLANK DOLLARS. THIS IS YOUR ITEM MR. MAYOR. IS THERE A MOTION ITEM TWO? YES. UM, I'LL MOVE TO APPOINT KELLY BART BEAVERS INTERIMS INSPECTOR GENERAL EFFECTI AT THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS TODAY TO SERVE UNTIL CITY CAN SELECT AND APPOINT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. AND DURING THIS INTERIM APPOINTMENT PERIOD, KELLY BART BEAVERS SHALL BE PAID AN ANNUAL BASED SERVE OF $190,550 WHILE SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY. SECOND. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED IN SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION MAYOR PRO TEM? NO. ANY DISCUSSION? A ONE. SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR? FAVOR, SAY AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. NEXT ITEM, MA'AM. SECRETARY. MR. MAYOR, THESE ARE YOUR ITEMS FOR THIS AGENDA. WONDERFUL. ALRIGHT, WELL, THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE I STATE COUNCIL TODAY. THE TIME IS 12:07 PM AND THIS SPECIAL CALL MEETING OF THE DALLAS STATE COUNCIL IS NOW ADJOURNED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.