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[Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs on January 6, 2025]
TODAY IS JANUARY 6TH, IT IS 1207, AND WE ARE READY TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE COMMITTEE HERE, AND OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS OUR MINUTES FROM THE AUGUST 27TH AD HOC COMMITTEE ON, AND I'M SORRY THAT AS POSTED THE WORDS LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS WERE, WERE CUT OFF, BUT OBVIOUSLY THIS IS THE COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, HAVING READ THE MINUTES, ARE THERE ANY, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOVE? SECOND, ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS OR CHANGES? HEARING NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
IT'S A UNANIMOUS VOTE AND THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
OUR FIRST BRIEFING ITEM IS A REVIEW OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REMOVAL, ADDITION OF ITEMS FOR CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.
SO AS WE HAD GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS PREVIOUSLY, THERE HAD BEEN A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS ASKING IF WE COULD BRING THIS BACK, UM, BASED ON BILLS THAT WERE FILED, BASED ON CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES OVER TIME.
AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE INTENT OF THIS IS, AND WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE TWO PRESENTERS.
UM, BUT I'LL SAY JAKE'S GONNA DO THE WHAT WAS APPROVED SINCE THAT WAS REALLY HANDLED, UH, MOSTLY THROUGH YOUR OFFICE.
BUT CLIFFORD'S HERE BECAUSE HE'S REALLY OUR GUIDE ON, UM, WHAT'S POSSIBLE, WHAT'S BECOME IMPOSSIBLE, WHAT IS MOVING FASTER THAN WE MIGHT'VE THOUGHT, AND, UM, ALL SORTS OF ITEMS LIKE THAT.
SO WITH THAT, JAKE, GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT AWAY.
WELL, GOOD, GOOD AFTERNOON, I GUESS.
UM, JAKE ANDERSON, UH, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UM, WITH CLIFFORD SPARKS CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UH, AND STATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF DALLAS.
WE'RE GONNA TAKE JUST A FEW MINUTES WHERE WE'RE GONNA KEEP THIS REALLY BRIEF BECAUSE I KNOW THIS NEEDS TO BE A REALLY A CONVERSATION AT YOUR LEVEL.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA JUST LOOK BACK AT THE STATE PRIORITIES THAT YOU ALL ADOPTED AS A, UH, FULL COUNSEL ON OCTOBER 8TH.
UM, TALK ABOUT THE, THE PROCESS AS FAR AS WHAT, WHAT WAS CONSIDERED AND WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, UM, TODAY AS YOU REVIEW THEM.
UM, AND THEN WE'LL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO TURN IT RIGHT BACK OVER TO YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
UM, WE TALKED, UM, THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PROCESS, THERE WERE REALLY FOUR THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON, UM, WHEN WE WERE DETERMINING STATE PRIORITY OR STATE PRIORITIES.
UM, SO YOU, YOU SEE THE LIST HERE.
WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES WERE OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, AT THE STATE LEVEL, SENATORS, UM, REPRESENTATIVES, ET CETERA.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE BALANCING THE ASKS SO WE KNEW, HEY, THESE ARE OUR, OUR TOP, TOP PRIORITIES VERSUS THESE ARE JUST THINGS THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE A POSITION ON, BUT MAYBE AREN'T THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO, TO GO FULL, FULL BORE ON.
UM, OF COURSE, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, AND I KNOW THAT CLIFFORD'S GOING, GOING TO GET INTO THAT.
UM, AS FAR AS WHERE WE STAND NOW THAT WE'RE PAST THE ELECTIONS, UM, AND THEN THE UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, OF COURSE, WE CAN'T FORESEE WHAT UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES MIGHT COME UP, BUT, UM, WE WANNA KEEP THAT IN MIND, CERTAINLY AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, THAT IF AND WHEN THINGS CHANGE, UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MAKE THOSE, UH, THOSE KIND OF CHANGES ON THE FLY.
SO, UM, I, I THINK CLIFFORD, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT NOW, OR IF YOU WANNA, OKAY.
UM, THEN I, WE WILL LOOK THROUGH THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AS IT WAS ADOPTED, AND THEN, UH, WE CAN, WE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IN AUSTIN.
UM, BUT AS YOU KNOW, WE WENT THROUGH OVER A YEAR OF, UH, RECEIVING THESE, THIS, THIS FEEDBACK FROM COMMITTEES, UM, TO, TO DO THIS LEGISLATIVE AD HOC COMMITTEE, UM, KIND OF REFINING THIS PROGRAM, THEN TAKING IT TO FULL COUNCIL, AND ULTIMATELY IT WAS APPROVED, UM, IN OCTOBER, UM, BY THE FULL COUNCIL.
AND WHAT YOU SEE HERE ARE KIND OF THE PRIORITIES.
AND YOU SEE UP AT THE TOP MAINTAIN LOCAL AUTHORITY TO RESPOND TO UNIQUE NEEDS OF THE DALLAS COMMUNITY.
THAT WILL ALWAYS BE OUR TOP PRIORITY.
UM, AS, AS WE GO INTO THIS STATE SESSION THIS YEAR, AND, UH, CERTAINLY IN FUTURE YEARS.
UM, AS PART OF THIS PROGRAM, THEY REFLECT OUR, UM, STANDING COUNCIL COMMITTEES AS WELL AS OUR PENSION COMMITTEE.
UH, THE FIRST PILLAR BEING THE PENSION.
AND THEN, UH, MOVING ON FROM THERE.
AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S AN OVERARCHING STATEMENT THAT KIND OF CAPTURES, UM, WHAT THE ITEMS BELOW THEM.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE KINDA HAVE THIS, THIS WATERFALL EFFECT WHERE YOU, WE'VE GOT THE OVERARCHING, UM, STATEMENT AND THEN THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT FALL UNDERNEATH THOSE.
SO AS YOU LOOK THROUGH, FOR EXAMPLE, ON PUBLIC SAFETY, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TOOLS FOR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO ENSURE PUBLIC SAFETY FOR DALLAS.
AND THEN THERE'S A, A FURTHER LIST OF WHAT THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE, GROWING AND RETAINING OUR PUBLIC SAFETY WORKFORCE.
MODERNIZING LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOLS TO INCLUDE SAFER TECHNOLOGIES AND INCREASING PROTECTIONS AND RESOURCES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS.
UM, THE, THIS IS THE DOCUMENT, UH, THAT WE'RE SHOWING LEGISLATORS WHEN, WHEN CLIFFORD'S IN THE MEETINGS, UH, THIS, THIS, THESE ARE OUR, OUR TOP PRIORITIES AS THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, AND AS YOU LOOK THROUGH YOU, YOU'LL SEE TWO OR THREE THINGS ON EVERY SINGLE COMMITTEE'S
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PRIORITIES.UM, BUT THEN IF, IF YOU TURN IN THE NEXT OR TWO, SLIDE NUMBER SIX, WE GET INTO THE APPENDIX AND THAT'S WHERE EVERYTHING, UM, LANDED EVERYTHING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL SAID, HEY, YEAH, WE WANT TO HAVE A POSITION ON THIS.
UM, WE HAVE A LIST OF THINGS WE'RE PURSUING.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS THE KIND OF STUFF THAT WE WE'RE GOING FULL FORCE ON.
UH, IT'S THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE'RE, WE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CITY OF DALLAS IS WEIGHING IN ON.
IT'S, IT'S HELPING DRAFT LEGISLATION.
UM, WE'RE SECURING AUTHORS AND, AND REALLY WORKING TO GET THESE PASSED.
AND SO AS YOU LOOK THROUGH THAT, YOU'LL SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, MAIN MAINTAINING LOCAL CONTROL BEING OUR NUMBER ONE, UH, PRIORITY ON THE PURSUIT.
AND IF YOU FLIP TO THE, TO THE END, IT'S ALSO OUR NUMBER ONE OPPOSITION.
WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO OPPOSE ANYTHING THAT WOULD ERODE THAT LOCAL CONTROL.
SO WE, WE'VE KIND OF GOT IT, GOT IT THERE MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT.
BUT AGAIN, AS YOU LOOK THROUGH, YOU'LL SEE, SEE SOME OF THESE PRIORITIES, UM, UNDER EVERY, EVERY SINGLE, UM, COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
SO I WON'T GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE.
YOU'VE, UM, YOU VOTED ON THEM ON OCTOBER 8TH, AND WE, WE HAD THE, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THEM IN SEPTEMBER AS WELL AT THE COUNCIL BRIEFING.
UM, SO AT THAT, AT THIS, I WANNA TURN IT BACK TO, TO CLIFFORD TO TALK THROUGH THE, THE STATE ENVIRONMENT.
AND CLIFFORD, JUST BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, UM, I LIKE THEM BY OUR IG TO COME UP.
I SEE, UM, UH, OUR DA ZO IS ALSO HERE.
IF YOU GUYS WANNA COME UP AND JUST GET SEATED, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA GO TO YOU NEXT, THAT'D BE GREAT.
AND AS THEY COME UP, UH, MY NAME IS CLIFFORD SPARK STATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR AT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND AS JAKE MENTIONED, UM, JUST WANNA GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WE'RE, UH, COMING INTO A HEADWIND.
AND I CALL IT A HEADWIND BECAUSE IT IS JUST THAT THE ELECTIONS ARE GOING TO WEIGH HEAVIER, UM, INTO WHAT IS POSSIBLE, UH, NOT JUST AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT ALSO AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.
WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF, UH, POLITICAL HEADWINDS THAT ARE ACTUALLY COMING OUR DIRECTION, UH, FROM THINGS THAT ARE DEALING WITH ELECTIONS, THINGS THAT ARE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, BORDER CONTROL THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY THINK AFFECT US, BUT THEY WILL.
UM, EVEN THE RECENT EVENTS IN NEW ORLEANS, THAT'S GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH HOW WE MOVE FORWARD IN THIS, UH, NEXT, UH, LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO, UM, THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM IS STILL HOLDING TIGHT.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONSIDER AND, AND LOOK AT, UH, BECAUSE THEY ARE STILL TRYING TO PICK A SPEAKER AMONGST THEMSELVES.
I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN ALL THE FANFARE ABOUT THEM STRUGGLING TO DO THAT.
UM, WHETHER THEY GET TO DO THAT OR NOT IS STILL ANYBODY'S GUESS.
BUT IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF DEALS ARE CUT BETWEEN NOW AND THE 14TH, UM, TO SEE IF THEY CAN COALESCE AROUND SOMETHING AND WHATEVER THEY COALESCE AROUND, THAT'S GONNA DRIVE A LOT OF WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT WE CAN'T DO.
SO JUST WANT Y'ALL TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE CHAIR, UH, TO COMPLETE THE PRESENTATION.
UM, SO WE'RE GONNA END UP WITH A CONVERSATION TALKING ABOUT, UM, THE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT ARE, UM, ON THE SLIDE.
SO THE NINE, UM, WATERFALL, UM, INFOGRAPHIC ITEMS, BUT THEN ALSO LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THE PURSUIT SUPPORT, UM, AND MONITOR ITEMS. BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE KNOW THERE'S A NEW ITEM THAT, UM, WE'VE BEEN ASKED TO CONSIDER.
AND SO IF WE COULD HAVE, UM, BART IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT PRESENTATION TO US SO THAT THAT CONVERSATION CAN HAPPEN.
BART BEAVER'S, INTERIM INSPECTOR GENERAL WITH THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.
THERE'S TWO REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN RELEASED IN THE LAST 11 MONTHS, ONE BY THE GAO AND ONE BY THE ASSOCIATION OF CERTIFIED FRAUD EXAMINERS.
THE A CFE HAS MEMBERS IN 138 COUNTRIES, AND IN THEIR ESTIMATE FRAUD ACCOUNTS FOR 5% OF REVENUE.
UH, THE GAO SUGGESTED THREE TO 7%.
THE MEDIAN LOSS PER CASE IS 145,000.
THE AVERAGE LOSS PER CASE IS 1.7 MILLION.
AND 48% OF ALL REPORTED CASES INCLUDE SOME COMPONENT OF CORRUPTION.
UH, ESSENTIALLY FRAUD AND CORRUPTION REQUIRE THE ATTENTION OF, OF PEOPLE THAT ADDRESS IT.
UH, INDEPENDENCE, LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS, AND CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.
CRIMINAL JURISDICTION WAS GRANTED DECEMBER 8TH, 2021, WHEN THE INVESTIGATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR OFFICE INCLUDED FRAUD AND CORRUPTION, WHICH ARE TERMS OF ART AND CONNOTE CRIMINAL OFFENSES.
UH, THE SECOND THING, INDEPENDENCE WAS OBTAINED ELECTION DAY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO WHEN THE VOTERS APPROVED THE INDEPENDENCE INITIATIVE ON THE BALLOT BY ALMOST 70%.
THE LAST AND THIRD THING THAT'S NEEDED IS LIMITED LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS.
UH, FRAUD AND CORRUPTION CAN'T BE INVESTIGATED WITHOUT THAT.
AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT LIMITED LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS, THERE'S TOOLS AND SYSTEMS AND POWERS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO ADDRESS IT.
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THE TOOL WOULD BE NCIC, THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION COMPUTER RUN BY THE FBI.UH, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU'RE INVESTIGATING SOMEBODY, YOU WANNA LOOK 'EM UP AND SAY, IS JOHN DOE THAT LIVES AT 1 2 3 MAIN STREET WHO'S NEVER HAD A PARKING TICKET? OR IS IT JOHN DOE WHO LIVES ACROSS TOWN THAT'S GOT 17 CONVICTIONS IN MARYLAND AND THREE IN KENTUCKY? YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE INVESTIGATING FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
THE SYSTEMS I'M REFERRING TO WOULD BE GRAND JURIES, JUDGES AND COURTS.
UH, I COULD CALL THE BASEMENT OF THE CROWLEY BUILDING RIGHT NOW AND ASK FOR GRAND JURY TIME NEXT WEEK OR WEEK AFTER, AND THEY WOULDN'T GIVE IT TO ME BECAUSE WE ARE NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I CANNOT GET IN FRONT OF A GRAND JURY WITHOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS.
THE POWERS I'M REFERRING TO WOULD BE CRIMINAL SUBPOENAS, SEARCH WARRANTS AND ARREST WARRANTS.
AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT COME WITH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS.
WHEN I SAID LIMITED LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS, I SAY THREE OF OUR FIVE INVESTIGATORS ARE INTERESTED IN, IN PARTICIPATING.
TWO OF THE FIVE, UH, HAVE CARRIED FIREARMS FOR YEARS AND DON'T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE BECAUSE IT COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY.
UM, THERE ARE PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO EVERY SO OFTEN.
EVERY SIX MONTHS YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE RANGE AND GET QUALIFIED WITH YOUR FIREARM.
UH, YOU'RE NEVER REALLY OFF DUTY.
'CAUSE IF YOU'RE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WHO'S OFF DUTY WITH A T-SHIRT AND BLUE JEANS ON, AND YOU'RE AT A MAVERICK'S GAME AND A FIGHT STARTS TO BREAK OUT IN FRONT OF YOU IN THE STANDS, YOU CANNOT IGNORE IT.
YOU MUST INSERT YOURSELF TO STOP A BREACH OF THE PEACE IN YOUR PRESENCE.
SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU IS TWO OF OUR FIVE INVESTIGATORS HAVE SAID, HEY, I, I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, GOT THE T-SHIRT, NOT INTERESTED IN DOING THAT ANYMORE.
I WANT TO CONTINUE INVESTIGATING, BUT I DON'T WANT TO CARRY A FIREARM.
UH, AND WHEN I TALK ABOUT FRAUD AND CORRUPTION, THERE'S CHAPTERS PRIMARILY SEVEN CHAPTERS BETWEEN 31 AND 39.
AND THE TEXAS PENAL CODE, UH, 31 IS THEFT, 32 IS FRAUD, COMPUTER CRIMES IS 33, MONEY LAUNDERING, BRIBERY AND CORRUPT INFLUENCE.
36 37 IS PERJURY AND OTHER FALSIFICATION.
SO THOSE ARE THE CHAPTERS THAT I THINK WE COULD EFFECTIVELY WORK AT.
UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS WOULD ENHANCE OUR ABILITY TO WORK WITH OTHER AGENCIES.
MOST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WILL TALK TO YOU BUT WON'T SHARE A LOT OF INFORMATION SIMPLY BECAUSE MOST OF THEM CANNOT.
SO LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS WOULD NOT ONLY DO ALL THE THINGS WE'VE MENTIONED, BUT WOULD OPEN THE WAY FOR TRUE JOINT INVESTIGATIONS AND INFORMATION SHARING BETWEEN US AND THOSE AGENCIES.
AND IT WOULD ALLOW US TO ATTEND TASK FORCE MEETINGS THAT WE'RE NOT INVITED TO NOW BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS.
AND FINALLY, UM, IT ALSO PROVIDES YOU THE ABILITY, IF YOU'RE A QUALIFYING AGENCY UNDER THE FEDERAL, LET'S SAY WE INVESTIGATE A CASE THAT GOES FEDERAL, UM, YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR THE EQUITABLE SHARING PROGRAM, WHICH GIVES YOU A SEAT AT THE TABLE WHEN THE CITY IS A VICTIM TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THE MONEY BACK.
AND IF THE CASE GOES STATE, THEN ARTICLE 42 TALKS ABOUT RESTITUTION LIENS WHERE YOU CAN HAVE RESTITUTION ORDERED AS A CONDITION OF PROBATION OR A CONDITION OF PAROLE DEPENDING ON WHAT THE DEFENDANT IS SENTENCED TO.
AND THOSE ARE THE, UH, MAIN POINTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE WITH YOU TODAY.
SO YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS.
UM, I DO SEE YOU HAVE DA CRUZO THERE.
I'M ASSUMING HE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE INPUT ON WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
DIDN'T TELL IF THAT LIGHT WAS ON OR NOT.
SO I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER PREVIOUSLY ABOUT THIS AND MY KIND OF HISTORY WITH ALL OF THIS GOES BACK TO BEING APPOINTED BY THEN MAYOR RON KIRK TO AN ETHICS COMMISSIONER TASK FORCE.
AND, UH, THAT REALLY CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF A LOT OF QUESTIONS THE CITIZENS HAD ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE GOING ON WITH MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OR APPOINTED MEMBERS OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
AND AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING THERE EXCEPT WE TOOK CARE OF IT.
AND WE EVOLVED INTO AN ETHICS, UM, UH, FRAMEWORK.
AND, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS NOTED BY ME THAT IT REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF ENFORCEMENT TO IT.
THAT IT WAS MORE ASPIRATIONAL THAN ANYTHING.
AND I THINK WE'VE COME TO THE POINT NOW WHERE THE WAY I AND OTHERS, MY PEERS AT THE TIME LOOKED AT IT.
I THINK THAT IF I HAD TO GO TO EACH OF THEM, UM, AND PRESENT WHAT IS HERE, THEY WOULD FEEL FULFILLED THAT THE WORK THAT WE STARTED IS NOW COME FULL CIRCLE IN A SENSE THAT IT'S BEING PUT IN A PLACE WHERE IF
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THERE REALLY IS CRIMINAL ACTIVITY INVOLVED BY A CITY OFFICIAL BEING ELECTED OR OTHERWISE, THAT IT COULD BE INVESTIGATED IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY.UM, I WILL HAVE YOU NOTE THAT MR. BEAVERS IS NOT ASKING TO HAVE FULL LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE ANYTHING THEY FEEL LIKE, BUT THINGS THAT, UH, COME UNDER THE, THE, I GUESS THE RUBRIC OF THE WORDS FRAUD AND CORRUPTION, AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING.
HE SAYS THAT THESE TOOLS AND APPROACHES ARE NECESSARY.
AND IN ORDER TO GIVE FULL EFFECT, THAT IF YOU ARE SAYING TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY, THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY, THAT WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE, THAT CITY GOVERNMENT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE IF THESE ISSUES COME UP AND YOU DON'T INCLUDE THESE KINDS OF POWERS, AND I'M NOT REALLY CERTAIN THAT YOU'RE, UH, REPRESENTING IT FULLY TO THEM, THAT, THAT THIS ENTITY, THIS OFFICE WHO REGARDLESS OF WHO THE PERSON IS, CAN REALLY INVESTIGATE A CASE.
AND IF THERE IS PROBABLE CAUSE, IF THERE IS WRONGDOING THAT VIOLATES THE LAW, NOT JUST SOMEBODY'S FEELINGS, BUT VIOLATES THE LAW, THAT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THESE POWERS TO GO FORWARD WITH IT, I'M NOT SURE THAT YOU'RE REALLY, REALLY BEING HONEST ABOUT, UH, THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
WE MAY HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL NEVER DO THINGS THAT VIOLATE THE LAW, BUT, UM, OUR INTENTIONS DON'T GO VERY FAR.
AND PEOPLE DO COME IN FROM TIME TO TIME, UH, THOSE WHO WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, THAT THEY EXIST AND THEY COME IN AND THEY DO THINGS THAT WE DON'T EXPECT.
AND I THINK THAT IT IS A RESPONSIBLE MANNER WHAT IS PROPOSED HERE TO RESPONSIBLE MANNER TO RESPOND TO IT AND TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO, WITH A STRAIGHT BASE THAT WE HAVE A STRUCTURE IN PLACE AND WE'RE GONNA DEAL WITH IT AND WE WILL HAVE AN ANSWER ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
SO THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M HERE TO COMMUNICATE.
WELL THAT'S A STRONG ENDORSEMENT.
FOR TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE AND SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH IT AND YOUR OPINION.
UM, SO I JUST WANNA ASK YOU PUBLICLY SOME QUESTIONS THAT I'VE PREVIOUSLY ASKED YOU, BART.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION WAS, COULDN'T YOU JUST HAND THIS OFF TO ANOTHER AGENCY? AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
AND HOW WILL THIS CHANGE, HOW WOULD THIS CHANGE IF, IF THE STATE PASSES THIS, UM, CHANGE TO THE TEXAS CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE? HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE WHAT YOU DO? IT WOULD CHANGE WHAT I DO TREMENDOUSLY BECAUSE WE WOULD FOCUS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT MORE TIME ON CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND NOT ADMINISTRATIVE ETHICS VIOLATIONS.
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT WHEN YOU SAY THAT, WHEN WE REFER THINGS TO MAYBE DPD OR ANOTHER EXTERNAL ENTITY, BE THAT OF COUNTY, STATE, OR FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, AND WE DO HAND THOSE OFF, WE ARE A SOURCE OF INFORMATION FOR THEM.
BUT THAT'S PRIMARILY A ONE-WAY STREET.
AND MOST OF THOSE FOLKS DON'T GIVE US A LOT OF INFORMATION SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT.
UM, BUT IT WOULD CHANGE THE WAY WE WORK BECAUSE I WOULD FOCUS OUR STAFF'S TIME ON THE CRIMINAL STUFF MUCH MORE THAN THE ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF.
AND THEN CAN YOU JUST ELABORATE ABOUT THE EQUITABLE SHARING? IS THAT ONLY IF THERE'S RESTITUTION AT THE STATE LEVEL OR IS THAT ALSO FEDERAL? UH, THAT'S A FEDERAL PROGRAM AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THERE'S A 35 PAGE DOCUMENT ONLINE.
I'D BE HAPPY TO EMAIL YOU IF YOU'D LIKE IT.
UH, IT EXPLAINS THAT WHAT THEY MEAN.
UH, WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS AND YOU'RE QUALIFIED AND YOUR NAME IS ON THERE, THEY WILL SEND MONEY.
MY LAST 12 MONTHS WORKING FOR THE DALLAS DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE PROVED 60 FEDERAL DECLINATION CASES AND GOT $10,000 PER CASE.
WE MADE $600,000 IN ONE 12 MONTH TIME PERIOD RIGHT BEFORE I LEFT BECAUSE WE TOOK CASES THAT WERE DECLINED.
THE POINT OF THAT STORY IS IF YOU'RE SIGNED UP AND YOU QUALIFY, UH, THE FEDS WILL PAY THE MONEY.
AND UH, ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE, UH, WELFARE FRAUD CASES.
WHEN I LEFT DALLAS IN 2004, THE DALLAS COUNTY DA'S OFFICE WAS MAKING FOUR TO 500,000 A YEAR JUST OFF FEDERAL WELFARE CASES THAT THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT I USED TO RUN WOULD SEND THEM.
UM, YOUR PRIMARY FUNCTION HAS TO BE IN THE INVESTIGATION, APPREHENSION OR PROSECUTION OF OFFENSES AGAINST CRIMINAL LAWS.
THEY GO ON TO DEFINE PRIMARY FUNCTION AS IT OCCUPIES A CLEAR MAJORITY OF THE AGENCY'S WORKING TIME OVER A TYPICAL WORK CYCLE AND IS PERFORMED ON A REGULAR AND RECURRING BASIS BY THE AGENCY IN A MAJORITY OF ITS OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS.
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YOU CAN MEET THOSE DEFINITIONS, THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.WHEN, WHEN MONEY'S HANDED OUT, I'LL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU THAT FRAUDSTERS DO SPEND MONEY PRETTY QUICK.
SO THERE'S SOMETIMES THERE'S NOT MONEY TO GET, BUT WHEN ASSETS ARE SEIZED AND BANK ACCOUNTS ARE FROZEN AND YACHTS ARE TAKEN, UH, THEN WHEN IT'S TIME TO DIVVY UP THE PROCEEDS, IF THE CITY'S THE VICTIM, IT'S NICE TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE.
ON THE STATE SIDE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT WITH THE ARTICLE TWO RESTITUTION LIENS.
UM, TYPICALLY, UH, AN AVERAGE FRAUD CASE COULD TAKE FOUR OR FIVE COURTROOM DAYS TO TRY WHEN THE CASE IS OVER.
IF YOU GET A GUILTY VERDICT, THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS SENTENCED.
AND, UH, BEFORE SENTENCING, I WOULD, OR SHORTLY AFTER SENTENCING, BECAUSE CRIMINAL DISTRICT COURTS IN TEXAS RETAIN PLENARY JURISDICTION FOR 30 DAYS.
SO 30 DAYS AFTER JUDGMENT IS IMPOSED, THE COURT STILL HAS POWER.
AND I WOULD ALWAYS FILE A MOTION TO DIRECT THE DEFENDANT TO MAKE RESTITUTION.
AND THAT INCLUDED VICTIMS MANNER OF PAYMENT, TIME OF PAYMENT AND PRIORITY.
IT'S NOT DISCHARGEABLE IN BANKRUPTCY.
AND SO WHEN SOMEBODY GETS PROBATION, UH, YOU CANNOT REVOKE THEIR PROBATION FOR FAILURE TO PAY RESTITUTION ALONE.
WHAT YOU CAN DO IS YOU CAN BRING 'EM BACK TO COURT AND SAY, HEY, I'M THE JUDGE.
I JUST GAVE YOU THREE YEARS OF PROBATION AND I HAVE WATCHED YOU THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
YOU HAVEN'T PAID A PENNY BACK TO THESE VICTIMS. I CAN'T THROW YOU IN PRISON TODAY FOR FAILURE TO PAY RESTITUTION ALONE, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I CAN DO? I CAN EXTEND YOUR PROBATION.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE ANOTHER SEVEN YEARS ON TOP OF THE THREE YOU ALREADY GOT? YOU WANT 10 YEARS OF PROBATION? 'CAUSE I CAN MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THOSE KIND OF CONVERSATIONS HAPPEN IN THE REAL COURTROOMS AND PEOPLE WILL SUDDENLY ALL OF A SUDDEN START FINDING SOME MONEY TO START PAYING VICTIMS BACK IF THEY GET PEN TIME.
UM, I WOULD ALWAYS SEND A CERTIFIED LETTER RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED TO THE BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES EXPLAINING THAT THIS IS NOT A DISCRETIONARY DEAL.
THIS IS MANDATORY THAT, UH, RESTITUTION BE ORDERED AS A CONDITION OF PAROLE.
SO THIS GUY GOT A 10 YEAR SENTENCE AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT LETTING HIM OUT AFTER TWO AND A HALF YEARS, THEN, UH, IF YOU'RE GONNA LET HIM OUT, YOU GOTTA MAKE THIS A CONDITION OF PAROLE.
AND, UH, SO THAT'S, AND THEN I WOULD SEND COPIES OF, OF THAT CORRESPONDENCE AND THE COURT'S ORDER TO ALL THE NAMED VICTIMS IN THE INDICTMENTS SO THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING EVEN AFTER THE CASE WAS OVER TO TRY TO HELP THEM.
BUT THOSE ARE THE GENERAL ASSESSMENTS OF HOW THOSE TWO WORK.
AND SO I JUST WANNA UM, MAKE CLEAR, UM, SOME OF YOU WERE NOT ON COUNCIL WHEN WE ACTUALLY STARTED THE INSPECTOR GENERAL POSITION, BUT PART OF THAT, UM, INCLUDED THE IDEA THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY RECEIVE RESTITUTION FOR SOME OF THE CASES AND THAT EVENTUALLY THIS DEPARTMENT WOULD ACTUALLY BE SELF-FUNDING BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE, UM, REVENUE WE WOULD RECEIVE FROM, UH, LOSSES.
UM, THE LAST THING I JUST WANNA SAY IS YOUR POINT ABOUT THE JOINT INVESTIGATIONS.
UM, YOU'VE REPORTED TO US MANY TIMES ABOUT THE CASES THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON AND HAVE LISTED THAT THEY HAVE BEEN, UM, SENT TO OTHER AGENCIES TO PURSUE.
AND SO WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM YOU IS THAT AS THEY HAVE PURSUED THOSE INVESTIGATIONS, THERE'S VERY LITTLE THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO SHARE WITH YOU.
AND SO IF THERE WAS INFORMATION THAT MIGHT HAVE COME TO LIGHT, YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR IT.
WHERE IF YOU WERE ABLE TO TALK BECAUSE YOU HAVE THIS POWER, THEN THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR INVESTIGATION.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THE EXPECTATION OF TIME IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED.
UM, TAKE YOUR TYPICAL FRAUD CASE, LET'S SAY MORE THAN ONE SUSPECT, MINIMUM OF TWO, TWO SUSPECTS MORE THAN ONE BANK ACCOUNT, TWO BANK ACCOUNTS.
THAT SITUATION RIGHT THERE, I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IS GONNA TAKE AT LEAST 18 MONTHS TO, TO FOLLOW THE MONEY BECAUSE YOU SEND OUT YOUR FIRST WAVE OF SUBPOENAS AND THE RECORDS COME BACK FOR THOSE TWO BANK ACCOUNTS AND THERE'S NINE BANK ACCOUNTS YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED.
SO YOU GOTTA SEND OUT A SECOND WAVE OF SUBPOENAS AND THEN YOU GOTTA WAIT FOR ALL OF THAT TO COME BACK.
AND THEN YOU START CONNECTING THE DOTS, TRACING THE MONEY, FOLLOWING THE MONEY.
AND AT SOME POINT YOU GOTTA SAY, STOP.
OKAY, YOU, YOU CAN SEND OUT SEVEN OR EIGHT WAVES OF SUBPOENAS.
AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO SAY, STOP, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH FOR THIS INDICTMENT.
THIS IS THE CHARGE, LET'S MOVE FORWARD AND SEND IT TO THE DA.
SO I'D LIKE TO ASK, UM, THE COMMITTEE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR BART ABOUT THIS PROPOSED ITEM? KATHY? I'M SORRY,
UM, SO THIS ALL SOUNDS GOOD AND UM, AND I THINK I'M FOLLOWING, UM, WHERE WE'RE, UM, WE'RE HEADED WITH THIS, BUT MY QUESTION IS ALWAYS TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT.
[00:25:01]
SO DO OTHER, UM, OFFICES OF IGS ALSO HAVE, DO THEY TYPICALLY HAVE THE PUBLIC SAFETY OR THE, EXCUSE ME, WHAT DO WE CALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT? EXCUSE ME.STATUS? THE ONES THAT I HAVE WORKED AT HAVE HAD LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS.
UH, I DO KNOW OTHER IG OFFICES THAT DON'T WHO FOCUS PRIMARILY ON SOMETHING ADMINISTRATIVE OR, UM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE OVER A CERTAIN PROGRAM.
LIKE IN SAN FRANCISCO THEY HAVE THE BART TRAIN, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE DART TRAIN.
SO, UH, IT DIFFERS FROM OFFICE TO OFFICE.
DO WE KNOW IF, FOR EXAMPLE, DOES FORT WORTH HAVE A IG NO MA'AM, THEY DO NOT.
SOME OF THE CITIES THAT WE COM COMPARE OURSELVES TO.
ONLY TWO CITY IGS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE HOUSTON AND DALLAS.
HOUSTON FOCUSES ON ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF.
SO THEY SEND THEIR CRIMINAL STUFF TO HOUSTON PD.
SO WE WOULD BE THE FIRST IN TEXAS TO ENGAGE IN, IN THIS, THE FIRST CITY IG OFFICE IN TEXAS TO DO THAT? YES, MA'AM.
THAT'S, THANK YOU COUNCILOR GRACE.
UM, TRYING TO MAKE SURE I PHRASE THIS RIGHT.
YOU, YOU SAID, SO AM I TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE, UM, I THINK YOU CALLED THEM RESTITUTIONS OR ANYTHING IF WE DON'T ENACT THIS OR WE WOULD.
SO IF WE DON'T, IF WE DON'T PUT THE LIMITED LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THERE, WE WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE.
'CAUSE IT, IT, IT SEEMED LIKE YOU WERE SAYING LIKE, BY DOING THIS, WE NOW PUT OURSELVES IN POSITION TO RECEIVE.
IS THAT WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING? IF THE CITY OF DALLAS IS A STATED VICTIM IN THE INDICTMENT AND THE CASE GOES STATEWIDE, YOU COULD GET THAT RIGHT NOW.
BUT MY QUESTION, MY QUESTION TO THAT IS, HOW MUCH ARE YOU GETTING RIGHT NOW? UH, WHEN, WHENEVER THE CITY'S A VICTIM AND THE CASE GOES CRIMINAL, IT ALWAYS HELPS TO HAVE SOME COMPONENT AROUND LIKE AN IG OFFICE WHO CAN CALL UP THE DA'S AND WORK WITH THE DA'S AND DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WHERE THAT KIND OF BECOMES SEAMLESS.
BUT YOU COULD GET A RESTITUTION LIEN TODAY WITHOUT GIVING US LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS IF THE CITY WAS A VICTIM.
BUT YOU, YOU PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER.
SO THAT'S WHY I WASN'T SURE IF THAT WAS A, A CAUSE AND EFFECT.
SO WE CAN GET IT NOW WITHOUT THAT.
OH, AND I THINK YOU, UM, SURE STEWART, SHE ASKED MY QUESTION.
IN TEXAS, HOUSTON AND DALLAS ARE THE ONLY ONES CURRENTLY TO DO THAT.
AND I THINK YOU AND I TALKED, YOU SAID IN CHICAGO, I THINK THEY HAVE, IS THAT THE OTHER ONE WHERE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE THE L THE LIMITED LAW EN UH, ENFORCEMENT? UH, DEBORAH WISBERG RUNS THAT OFFICE AND I HONESTLY CAN'T TELL YOU THEIR JURISDICTION.
I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S CRIMINAL.
SHE HAS OVER 220 EMPLOYEES, SO IT'S HARD TO REMEMBER ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THEY DO AND WHAT POWERS THEY HAVE.
WELL, I WAS JUST TRYING TO LIKE IDENTIFY ANOTHER CITY THAT HAS AN, AN, UH, INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT HAS THE LIMITED LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I WAS, I COULD CERTAINLY CALL AROUND AND GET YOU A LIST IF YOU'D LIKE.
AND BART, CAN YOU SHARE OTHER AGENCIES THAT HAVE THE LIMITED LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT HAVE IGS? YES, THANK YOU.
UM, THE OFFICE THAT, UH, THAT WE BUILT IN AUSTIN IN 2004, WE STARTED OUT WITHOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS.
SO AT THE STATE LEVEL LEVEL, THE IG OFFICES AT, FOR THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
AND IN 2009 WE WENT THROUGH THIS WHOLE THING AGAIN.
AND UH, SO IT WAS, IT WAS INTERESTING TO BE A PART OF THAT AND TO SEE HOW SAUSAGE IS MADE, OBVIOUSLY AT THE STATE LEVEL.
BUT WE DID OBTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT STATUS IN 2009.
UH, IT WAS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE, SO THERE WAS NO FISCAL NOTE AND SENATE BILL ONE TO ACTUALLY PAY FOR IT.
BUT WE MOVED SOME STUFF AROUND AND MADE IT HAPPEN ANYWAY.
AND HOW MANY IGS ARE THERE AT THE STATE LEVEL? DO YOU KNOW? APPROXIMATELY? MAYBE CLIFFORD DOES.
ARE YOU MEAN MUNICIPAL IGS OR STATE IGS STATE? I WOULDN'T ARGUE IF 15, IF THAT WAS THE NUMBER SOMEBODY TOLD YOU.
BUT I JUST HONESTLY HAVEN'T DONE THE RESEARCH.
SO A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS HAVE 'EM.
UM, YEAH, SO I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST CITIES THAT HAVE THAT.
[00:30:01]
SINCE WE TALKING ABOUT, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET APPLES TO APPLES KIND OF A COMPARISON THAT I, I UNDERSTAND THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.I WAS JUST TRYING TO, I I GUESS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR IT BECAUSE AGAIN, I I'VE, I'VE, I'VE LISTENED TO IT AND I CAN APPRECIATE IT.
UH, BUT THEN I ALSO HEARD, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD ALMOST, YOU WOULD ALMOST SHIFT TO A HUNDRED PERCENT CRIMINAL AND NO MORE OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF.
AND I'VE UNDERSTOOD, AND AGAIN, I, WE'VE HAD SOME SUCCESS ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, SIDE OF THINGS TOO.
SO I'M UNDER, DOES THAT MEAN IF THIS GETS IMPLEMENTED, NO MORE ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF OR WOULD YOU HAVE A PLAN TO DIVIDE THE TWO? I THINK THE PLAN WOULD BE TO DO AS MUCH CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE WORK AS WE COULD AND DO NOT IGNORE THE ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF.
THAT MIGHT MEAN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MORE MANAGEMENT REFERRALS OR REFERRALS TO OTHER AGENCIES ON ADMINISTRATIVE STUFF.
BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT IN THAT WORKING THE ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS IS IMPORTANT.
I JUST DON'T THINK THE REAL ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH APPROPRIATIONS BECAUSE HOW MUCH MONEY IN EMPLOYEES YOU GET TO ADDRESS THE WORK HAS EVERYTHING TO DO.
WHEN I LEFT HERE IN 2004, THE, I'M NOT GONNA SAY THIS, THERE WAS A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT THE US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WOULD TAKE A CASE AND IT WAS RIGHT HERE.
I CAME BACK THREE, FOUR YEARS LATER AND VISITED WITH, UH, FIVE OF THE GUYS THAT I'M GOOD FRIENDS WITH OVER THERE.
AND THAT NUMBER HAD JUMPED EXPONENTIALLY.
AND SO I OBVIOUSLY ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THEY SAID, HEY, WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFF FOR THAT.
WE HAD TO GET RID OF ALL OF OUR SECURITIES FRAUD PROSECUTORS.
AND THAT MEANS OUR THRESHOLD WENT FROM HERE TO HERE.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DIRECTLY, WHERE WE FOCUS STAFF ON WHAT TYPES OF CASES HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
UM, AND WE JUST MADE YOU OFFICIAL IN OCTOBER.
IS THAT WHEN IT WAS, OR NOVEMBER? JUST THIS PAST NOVEMBER.
SO I'LL JUST SAY IT, UH, FOR ME, I THINK I WANNA GIVE YOU SOME TIME, UM, HAVEN'T BEEN IN POSITION VERY LONG, SO I KIND OF WANNA WAIT, UH, TO KIND OF, LET'S LET YOU WORK THROUGH THE OFFICE FIRST BEFORE WE START PUTTING ALL OF THIS ON THERE.
'CAUSE I THINK WE HAVE EXPERIENCED, OBSESSIVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF THINGS.
UH, BUT THIS SEEMS VERY FAST TO ME, VERY RUSHED, UH, FROM THERE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY HESITATION IS RIGHT NOW, BUT I DO HAVE SOME, AND I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT MY FINGER ON IT.
IT'S NOT YOU OR ANYTHING, IT'S JUST THERE'S SOMETHING THERE THAT I'M, PERHAPS WE CAN SCHEDULE ANOTHER MEETING AND TALK ABOUT IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD BE MY POSITION ON THE LEGISLATIVE STUFF.
THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD ABOUT THAT WAS, I DON'T REMEMBER US SAYING THE, UM, UM, UH, RANK CHOICE VOTING AS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE EXPLORING.
I SAW THAT LISTED THERE WAS THAT ONE THAT WE WOULD BE, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT BEING A DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE, TO THIS, DID YOU, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT BART? YES.
I, SO, UM, I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TODAY BECAUSE I SEE THIS AS A STAIRCASE THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING STEPS UP ONE STEP AT A TIME.
AND I THINK SOME OF THE FRUSTRATIONS AND CONFUSION THAT PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED AROUND THIS ROLE HAS BEEN BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THIS COMPONENT.
AND SO IT'S FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES TO SEE A REPORT AND NOT HAVE SOME OUTCOMES.
AND IT'S 'CAUSE YOU CAN'T GET TO THAT OUTCOME BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE STATUS.
UM, I, I WILL ECHO WHAT WAS SHARED AROUND THE ETHICS SIDE OF THINGS, THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE OF THINGS.
I WOULDN'T WANNA SEE THAT DROP OFF AT ALL.
BUT YOU AND I HAVE ALSO TALKED ABOUT CAN THERE BE STRONGER SCREENING MEASURES TO TAKE AWAY THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN? YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE HAD AN ISSUE WITH DART OR PARKLAND OR THE COUNTY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THERE MAY BE A WAY TO KIND OF REDIRECT THEM BEFORE YOUR TEAM HAS TO GET IN AND, AND SPEND MUCH TIME ON THAT.
BUT THE POINTS ABOUT INFORMATION SHARING, THE DEPTH OF THE INFORMATION SHARED, BECAUSE THIS WOULD ALLOW A CREDIBILITY AND A STATUS AND A STANDING.
UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE LIKE TO, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE RECRUITING MONEY AND GETTING COMPENSATED AROUND HERE.
UH, THE REST RESTITUTION IS IMPORTANT AND THE EQUITABLE SHARING FOR COMPENSATION.
UM, WE'VE GOT A $5 BILLION BUDGET.
WE'VE GOT THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES AND VENDORS.
AND SO THERE'S PROBABLY SOMETHING GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, WE NEED THIS TOOL TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TO HELP US UNCOVER THAT AND SEE IT THROUGH AND HOPEFULLY BLUNT ANYBODY THINKING ABOUT DOING ANYTHING IMPROPER AGAINST THE CITY OF DALLAS AND OUR TAXPAYERS IN THE FUTURE.
SO I'M, I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE THIS.
AND, UH, THIS HAS BEEN THE STAIR STEP, YOU KNOW, GETTING IT,
[00:35:01]
UM, UH, UNDER THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THEN GETTING IT INDEPENDENT THANK YOU VOTERS OF DALLAS.AND THAT, UH, THERE'S BEEN KIND OF A LONG GAME AND THIS IS PART OF THAT EYE ON THE HORIZON.
AND SO, UM, I WOULD DEFINITELY SUPPORT SEEING US THROUGH, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT BENEFITS ALL OF US AND BENEFITS THE TAXPAYER.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING IT UP.
GO AHEAD JUDGE, IF I MAY, I'M JOHN ELLE AGAIN, JUST TO ADD SOME CONTEXT, BECAUSE I'M SITTING HERE LISTENING AND I HEAR YOU GRAPPLING AND I'VE HEARD BITS AND PIECES OF INFORMATION IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
OKAY? AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THIS IS, IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, OKAY? IF YOU'RE NOT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, IF YOU'RE NOT A PRACTICING CRIMINAL LAWYER, ALL OF THIS IS LIKE, WHAT ARE WE DOING? AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
IF YOU'RE RELYING ON SOME OTHER AGENCY TO DO YOUR INVESTIGATION, YOU'RE ALREADY ALREADY AT A DISADVANTAGE.
OKAY? FIRST OF ALL, YOU DON'T KNOW WHO IN THAT AGENCY IS GONNA DO THE INVESTIGATION.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE, WHAT THEIR SKILL LEVEL IS AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR INTEREST LEVEL IS, OKAY? IT MAY BE WAY DOWN AT THE BOTTOM AND YOU'RE RUNNING UP ON THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T HEARD A THING FROM 'EM.
WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE OTHER ENTITIES INVESTIGATE CASES FOR US AND SEVERAL MONTHS GO BY AND THEY'VE NEVER EVEN INTERVIEWED A WITNESS.
OKAY, WELL, IT'S GONNA BE HARD TO GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT INTERVIEWING A WITNESS, OKAY? AND I KNOW THAT 'CAUSE THERE'VE BEEN SOME SITUATIONS WHERE I'VE TAKEN SOME CRITICISM, BUT THE REASON I TOOK THE CASE OR GOT THE CASE BACK IN MY OFFICE AND DID WHATEVER IS BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING WHY IT WASN'T IMPORTANT TO THEM.
OKAY? WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, REVENUE SHARING AND, AND WHAT HAVE YOU, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T EVER HAVE TO DO THAT.
OKAY? RESTITUTION, LIENS, HOPEFULLY HE WON'T EVER HAVE TO STOP DOING ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS.
WHY? BECAUSE NOBODY WILL COMMIT A CRIME.
IN FACT, THAT'S PART OF WHY WE HAVE THIS RIGHT? TO DETER OTHER PEOPLE BY LETTING THEM KNOW THAT IF YOU DO, AND IF WE FIND OUT, WE'RE GONNA INVESTIGATE YOU, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA INVESTIGATE YOU IN A RESPONSIBLE AND COMPLETE MANNER.
AND ANYTIME, I'M JUST TELLING YOU NOW, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WHO DEALS WITH MANY MUNICIPALITIES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, IF YOU ARE RELYING ON THEM TO GET IT DONE, WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S RIGHT HERE IN HOUSE AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE THE SAME INTEREST IN IT, THAT YOU ARE AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN.
YOU ASKED ABOUT INSPECTOR GENERALS.
I WANT TO WANT YOU TO GO BACK IN YOUR MEMORY BANKS NOT TOO FAR AWAY IN TIME IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WHERE YOU'VE SEEN AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, BUT IT WASN'T FULLY FLESHED OUT.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
IT'S MORE LIKE WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.
OKAY? OVER IN THE JUVENILE DEPARTMENT, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE DETENTION FACILITY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE DETENTION FACILITY, SO WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, I KNOW 'CAUSE I READ IT IN THE PAPER WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT 102 PAGE REPORT, OKAY? THAT WAS AN INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WHO DID THAT.
OKAY? THE REASON THEY DID IT, UM, IF IT'S OKAY TO SAY THIS WAS WHAT WAS REPORTED IN THE NEWSPAPER IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, CAUGHT THEIR ATTENTION.
NOW THAT'S ABOUT AS BENIGN AS YOU CAN GET, RIGHT? YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S CORRECT.
BUT WENT IN ISSUED 102 PAGE REPORT, THAT ENTITY WAS LOOKING FOR ADMINISTRATIVE VIOLATIONS AND FOUND POTENTIALLY, AS YOU KNOW, FROM THE NEWS CRIMINAL VIOLATIONS.
NOW WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE? DO THEY SHIP, SHIP THOSE OFF TO SOMEBODY ELSE WHO HAS LESS INTEREST? IS NO, THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.
AND IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THAT, RIGHT BEFORE THE 102 PAGE REPORT CAME OUT, THEY ANNOUNCED THAT WHEN THEY HAD GONE THE LAST SIGN THERE THAT I KNOW OF, THEY FOUND MORE THINGS TO INVESTIGATE.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE OR CRIMINAL, I HAVE NO IDEA, BUT THAT'S AN EXAMPLE.
AND TO KIND OF GET YOU THE LIENS, THE EQUITABLE SHARING, THAT'S WAY DOWN THE, THAT'S SO FAR DOWN THE LINE, OKAY? IS IT, IS IT A REASON, THE MAIN REASON TO DO THIS? NO.
IS IT A REASON TO GIVE IT FULL POWER? YES.
HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T EVER NEED IT, RIGHT? HOPEFULLY YOU WON'T HAVE A CRIME.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS.
AND SO ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT.
THIS DOES GO ON, THAT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
THE TJJD OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THEIR ABILITY TO START
[00:40:01]
OFF LOOKING AT ADMINISTRATIVE THINGS AND COME TO FIND OUT, BANG, WAIT A MINUTE, WE HAVE SOME CRIMINAL PROBLEMS HERE.AND TO DO A FULL INVESTIGATION ON THAT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WRITING A REPORT AND GETTING IT PREPARED FOR POTENTIAL PROSECUTION WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT WILL BE.
BUT THAT'S A WHOLE SEPARATE ISSUE.
AND IF THEY HAD TO TURN IT OVER TO SOMEBODY ELSE, I GUARANTEE YOU THEY'RE NOT GONNA TAKE THE INTEREST IN IT THAT THEY WILL.
AND SO, EVEN THOUGH THE THEORETICALLY YOU COULD TURN SOMETHING OVER TO SOMEBODY ELSE, IS THAT REALLY THE BEST PRACTICE? AND I JUST WANT TO ADDRESS THIS REAL QUICKLY AND I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, OTHER CITIES AND THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER.
I THINK THE ONLY THING YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO IS IF THEY HAVE IT LIKE THIS, IS TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM IT.
BUT YOU CAN LEARN FROM TJJD AND OTHER STATE ENTITIES HOW THEY DO THIS.
UH, BUT THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T DO IT, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH I SHOULD WEIGH ON WHETHER THIS BODY SHOULD GO FORWARD AND SEEK THIS TYPE OF POWER FOR THIS ENTITY.
BECAUSE I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU MAY BE PROVIDING A MODEL FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, AN HONEST MODEL, OKAY? WE'RE SERIOUS.
OUR TAXPAYERS, OUR VOTERS ARE SERIOUS AND WE'RE GONNA PUT THIS IN AND WE'RE GONNA DO THE BEST WE CAN BASED ON WHAT'S OUT THERE, BEST PRACTICES, ET CETERA.
AND I BET YOU YOU'LL FIND OTHERS, WHETHER THEY ADOPT IT OR NOT, THEY'LL CERTAINLY BE LOOKING AT IT.
AND YOU WILL BE THE GUIDE AND YOU WILL BE THE, THE NORTH STAR, SO TO SPEAK, FOR THIS PERHAPS IN THE REST OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT CONTEXT TO IT.
AND FIRST OF ALL, I AGAIN, REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO BE DOWN HERE AND TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS.
YOU HAVE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE AND A LONG TIME PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT OTHER CITIES, I'LL HAVE TO SAY THERE AREN'T A LOT OF OTHER CITIES IN TEXAS THAT HAVE PUT AS MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UM, ASSOCIATED FOLKS IN JAIL.
THAT, AND THAT ISN'T THAT IMPORTANT.
AND THERE'S A REASON THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS TO GAIN TRUST OF OUR RESIDENTS AND THEY DESERVE IT.
UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING SORT OF THAT UNBIASED ARBITER OF THE VOICE OF THIS POTENTIAL, UM, ITEM ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
UM,
THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARITY AND, AND I CAN APPRECIATE WHAT THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL DOES.
AND AND TO YOUR LAST POINT, UH, DA YOU, YOU, IT WAS, THIS IS GONNA BE OUR FIRST CHANCE AT DOING THIS.
SO FOR ME, I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE RIGHT AND PERHAPS SOME OF MY HESITATION IS, I GUESS I'M JUST NOT REAL CLEAR ON IF A CASE COMES, AND I THINK I ASKED YOU DURING OUR ONE-ON-ONE, HOW DO YOU MANAGE THESE REPORTS WHEN SOMETIMES MAYBE THEY SEEM A LITTLE BIT OFF BALANCE.
AND I GUESS I JUST HAVE TO SAY IT, LIKE, FOR ME IT SEEMS LIKE IT MAY BE, IF IF IT'S BASED ON SOMEBODY REPORTING A CRIME OR SOME INTENT, THEN HOW DO WE MANAGE
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHERE I'M GOING? NO, I GOT IT.
BECAUSE IT HAPPENS TO ME ALL DAY EVERY DAY.
OKAY, LET ME TELL YOU, MOST OF WHAT WE GET IS NONSENSE.
OKAY? ANYBODY CAN FILE A COMPLAINT.
I HAVE SOMEBODY WHO EV UH, I DON'T KNOW WHO THESE PEOPLE ARE, IT'S JUST PHRASES.
IT'S SO OBVIOUSLY IT, IT'S NOTHING.
OKAY? THEY'RE GONNA BE THAT CATEGORY, THEN IT'S GONNA BE THE CATEGORY THAT MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE MERIT TO IT.
WELL, SOMEBODY'S GONNA HAVE TO LOOK INTO IT.
IT MAY BE SOMEBODY WHO'S REALLY TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN ARLINGTON, BUT SOMEHOW GOTTA CONFUSE THAT AS STATUS.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS MERIT, BUT IT DOESN'T.
AND THEN THEY'RE GONNA START STAIR STEPPING UP TO THINGS THAT APPEAR TO HAVE MERIT.
AND THEN YOU GET ALL THE WAY TO SOMEBODY WHO IS, UM, UH, UH, AN APPOINTED OR ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO HAS SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT SHE OR HE HAS SEEN OR HEARD OR THIS OR THAT OR THE OTHER.
THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA BE OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT INVESTIGATIVE INFORMATION.
IT MAY ALSO BE THAT SOMETHING LIKE I SAID ABOUT, UH, TJJD STARTS OFF ADMINISTRATIVE AND BANG, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THAT? HOW DID THIS GET TO BE THAT WAY? AND YOU START TALKING TO PEOPLE.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS PEOPLE FEEL FREE TO TALK TO YOU AND THEN THEY TELL YOU ABOUT ANOTHER PERSON AND ANOTHER PERSON AND ANOTHER PERSON.
OKAY, WELL, YOU THINK ABOUT THAT ONCE AGAIN, THAT QUESTION ABOUT CAN SOMEBODY ELSE DO THIS? YEAH, BUT ARE THEY GONNA DO IT? OKAY.
AND THEN WE TALK ABOUT, WELL, CAN DPD DO IT? I WANNA, I WANNA BRING SOMETHING TO MIND THAT I THINK YOU, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT.
YOU'RE ASKING DPD TO INVESTIGATE THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE ITS BUDGET
EH, YOU KNOW, FROM MY STANDPOINT, THAT'S A BIG ASK.
OKAY? AND YOU'RE GETTING YOURSELF INTO A LITTLE TROUBLE.
WHERE ARE YOU REALLY GONNA WIND UP THERE? OKAY.
[00:45:01]
AND THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, INFORMATION COMES FROM VER UH, VARIOUS SOURCES AND A VARIOUS QUALITY.
BUT I THINK SOMEONE WHO'S EXPERIENCED LIKE MR. BEAVERS IN DOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, HE CAN SORT THROUGH THAT.
IT WILL THERE BE SOME WASTE OF TIME.
AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF DEVELOPING THINGS AND SEEING THINGS PUT INTO PLACE, NOTHING ENDS UP THE WAY IT STARTS.
THERE WILL BE THINGS THAT HE AND YOU ALL WILL SEE THAT SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS DOESN'T WORK SO GOOD.
OR MAYBE WE CAN MAKE IT WORK BETTER.
OR MAYBE IT'S JUST PERFECT OR WHATEVER THINGS CHANGE.
BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT YOU HAVE THE IDEA, YOU HAVE THE ASPIRATION IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT.
AND THE ASPIRATION IS TO DO WHAT? BE RESPONSIBLE IN A, IN AN ACCOUNTABLE WAY TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY WHO HAVE VOTED THIS IN.
AND THERE WILL BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS, THERE'LL BE SOME CHANGES, SOME CHANGES.
THAT'S JUST THE WAY THE WORLD IS.
AND BUT THE POINT IS, IS THAT YOU'RE ASPIRING, YOU CONTINUE TO ASPIRE TO THAT BEST PLACE AND THE QUALITY OF INFORMATION WILL BE ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUT YOUR ASPIRATION IS WHAT GUIDES YOU AND WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU'RE GETTING.
COUNCILOR WILLIS? I'M SORRY, WAS
SO I BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR AN A MOTION AT THIS TIME.
MM-HMM
AND WOULD YOU PUT THAT UNDER PURSUE, SUPPORT OR MONITOR? UM, PURSUE.
IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT? THERE'S A SECOND.
UM, MR. ATKINS? UM, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
OH, I'M SORRY OMAR, WERE YOU TRYING TO SPEAK? I WAS TRYING TO SPEAK CHAIR.
HAVE THEIR HISTORIC CONSULTANT UP CONTRACTING AND STUFF, BUT I'M STILL LIKE WELL DON'T ADVERTISE FOR A JOB THAT YOU'VE ALREADY SET.
THE PERSON WHO TAKES IT UP TO HAVE A PROBLEM,
THE SCHOOLHOUSE NEEDS A TON OF WORK AND A LOT OF IT'S THE ROOF.
THE INTEGRATED GUTTERS ARE IN THAT METAL ROOF FOR 10 YEARS, BUT IT'S MET WITH MAKING THE SIDING GO OFF.
BUT THIS INITIAL RFP THERE IS CITY FUNDING FOR THE GEORGE HOUSE, WHICH IS A SHAMBLES AND ONE OF THE OFFICE HOUSES, THE ONE SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO KEEP IT BUT THEY'RE STILL FUNDING FOR IT.
IS EVERYBODY READY TO SNOW? DID YOU SEE THAT? WE HAVE.
I SWEAR I SAW SOMETHING SAID SEVEN INCHES THAT HAD TO BE RIGHT.
I DON'T HAVE TASK FORCE WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY WHEN THEY'RE TELLING US I WAS IN ALBUQUERQUE THEN.
BUT SMELL LIKE THAT DOWN HERE.
WELL I WAS GONNA TRY LIKE ACTUALLY SNOW, ICE, I DIDN'T BUT I MEAN CHARGE CHARGING IF THERE WAS.
I WON'T BE THERE UNTIL LIKE NINE.
OH GOSH,
WE DON'T SALT SALT LIKE THEY DID, RIGHT? IT'S JUST LIKE SAIL AND IT'S ONLY GONNA BE THE BRIDGE.
SO IF NOT, OKAY, SO YOU USED TO WINTER DRIVING, YOU CAN DO IT.
I'M GOOD THAT SEE OTHER PEOPLE, I'VE COULDN'T SEE ANYONE DO THAT BEFORE.
AND SO MY, MY PAUSE IS THAT IF WE ARE HAVEN'T STARTED WALKING YET WITH THIS DEPARTMENT IS HOW DO WE START TO LET IT RUN IF WE HAVEN'T PUT EVERYTHING IN PLACE YET? I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GOING TO WHERE THIS IS WANTING TO GO.
AND THE REASON THAT I DON'T TRUST IT YET IS BECAUSE WE DON'T, WE HAVEN'T APPOINTED A PERMANENT UM, INSPECTOR GENERAL YET.
WE HAVEN'T STARTED WALKING YET WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS THE ORIGINAL OFFICE THAT WE STARTED.
AND I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED A MORE TIME, I APPRECIATE UM, DA CRUZO COMING IN 'CAUSE I DO TRUST A LOT OF WHAT HE HAS TO SAY AND YOU KNOW, HE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND SO THANK YOU FOR TAKING YOUR TIME TO BE HERE JUDGE.
[00:50:01]
EVERY SINGLE STATEMENT THAT YOU MADE ABOUT THE INSPECTOR OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL.I JUST THINK THAT WE'RE A LITTLE CART BEFORE THE HORSE AT THIS TIME.
UM, BECAUSE OF WHAT WE'VE DONE, THE VOTERS LITERALLY JUST APPROVED FOR THIS TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT I WAS ONE WHO ACTUALLY WAS OPPOSED TO THAT AT THE BEGINNING.
AND THEN WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS AND COUNCIL MEMBER STEWART, UM, THEY HELPED ME GET TO A POINT WHERE I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU, THIS WILL WORK IF WE MAKE IT INDEPENDENT.
AND YOU KNOW, AND I HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I WANTED TO ADD INTO THAT FOR THE OFFICE SO THAT WHEN WE DO APPOINT A PERMANENT INSPECTOR GENERAL, I JUST THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE PAUSING JUST A LITTLE BIT.
LET'S GET THE BUDGET CORRECT, LET'S GET EVERYTHING IN IN ORDER AND THEN WE CAN START TO LOOK AT THE NEXT, UM, ITERATION AS I THINK UH, JUDGE CRUSO PUT IT WHICH WAS UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS UM, STAIR STEPPING AND I THINK UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS ALSO SAID IT AS WELL.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE ALL THE STAIR STEPS.
I'M JUST PERSONALLY NOT READY FOR IT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MA MADAM CHAIR.
OKAY, SO FIRST I THINK, CAN YOU TAKE, TURN YOUR PHONE OFF 'CAUSE I THINK YOU'RE STILL ON SPEAKER FOR THIS.
UM, AND SECOND, UH, SO WE'LL REGISTER YOU AS A A NO VOTE.
IS THAT CORRECT? FOR UM, ADDING IT TO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA THEN? UM, I WILL BE VOTING IN OPPOSITION TO IT FOR THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, YES.
OKAY, SO UM, THAT WOULD THEN PASS FOUR ONE AND UM, THE, IF WE CAN NOW TALK ABOUT THE, SO WE'RE GONNA ADD THAT ON UNDER PURSUE AND RECOMMEND THAT TO THE FULL COUNSEL TO ADOPT.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
UM, REALLY APPRECIATE IT JUDGE.
I KNOW IF YOU HAVE TO GO, I WANTED TO MAKE THAT EASY FOR YOU.
SO GOING BACK NOW TO THE EARLIER PRESENTATION THAT JAY GAVE, GOING THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM APPENDIX WHERE WE HAVE THE 46 TOTAL ITEMS OF WHICH EIGHT OF THEM ARE PURSUE, WE HAVE 18 THAT ARE SUPPORT 19 MONITOR AND THE ONE OPPOSE, UM, WE'RE PROPOSING TO THE FULL COUNSEL TO ADD IN ON THE PURSUE FOR THE IG ITEM.
UM, I'M WONDERING IF ANYBODY HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS ON ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO MODIFY AT THIS TIME.
AND I'M GONNA JUST GET IT STARTED.
I WAS REALLY TRYING TO GET US DONE AT ONE SO THAT CHAIRMAN ATKINS DOESN'T GET MAD AT ME.
UM,
AND I'D LIKE TO SUGGEST WE MOVE THAT FROM PURSUE TO SUPPORT.
AND I SAY THAT BASED ON, UM, CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH UM, FOLKS IN AUSTIN THAT THEY DON'T SEE THIS AS A VIABLE ITEM.
AND SO TO PUT IT AS ONE OF OUR PURSUE ITEMS SEEMS A LITTLE BIT OFF AS OPPOSED TO SUPPORT THAT IF IT CAN GET ANY KIND OF STEAM THEN UM, THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL IS TO DO SO.
MADAM CHAIR, I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAS COLLECTIVELY, I DON'T REMEMBER RANKED TOWARDS VOTING BEING ONE.
I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THAT BEING ONE THAT WE ALL AGREED ON.
IT WAS ONE THAT WE AGREED ON AND UH, YOU MAY RECALL WHEN UH, CHAIRMAN, UH, WEST REMOVED IT FROM A CHARTER CONSIDERATION.
HE ASKED FOR IT TO BE PART OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT DISCUSSION.
AND THEN THIS WAS PART OF WHAT WE APPROVED, UM, THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
YES, I SPOKE UH, CHAIRMAN VIS.
AND SO WHAT, SO YOU'RE ASKING FOR A CHANGE IN THE WORD WHAT, WHAT, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, IN YOUR OPINION AS FAR AS WHAT, 'CAUSE YOU'RE ASKING FOR THIS BETWEEN SUPPORT AND PURSUE, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? UH, OKAY, SO YOU SEE AT THE TOP WHERE IT SAYS PURSUE, IF WE CAN JUST GO ONE SLIDE FORWARD AND WE GET INTO ALL THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING, I JUST WANNA MOVE IT FROM THE LIST OF PURSUE TO THE LIST OF SUPPORT.
WHICH I THINK IS JUST ABOUT THE ACTIVITY LEVEL THAT WE WOULD BE ON.
WE'D BE LOOKING TO SEE IS ANYBODY BRINGING UP ANY ELECTION BILLS? IS THERE ANYBODY WHO'S LOOKING FOR MOVEMENT ON THAT? WE WILL JOIN THEM.
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M INTERPRETING SUPPORT TO ME AS OPPOSED TO PURSUE WHERE WE'RE KNOCKING ON DOORS SAYING WE NEED SOME HELP WITH SOMETHING.
SO PURSUE IT MEANS ACTIVELY ENGAGED TO SAY WE WANNA CHANGE THIS PENSION.
IF I CAN GET, UM, PURSUE IS LIKE WE GOTTA GET THIS DONE.
IF I CAN GET THAT FROM, UM, OUR YES, OUR LEADER DOWN THERE IN AUSTIN.
UH, UH, JUST AS THE CHAIR STATED PURSUE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ME AND THE LOBBY TEAM ARE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR A BILL TO BE FILED.
LIKE WE'RE PUSHING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS OUR MAIN AGENDA.
WE'RE SUPPORT, WE'RE SITTING BACK LOOKING AT LEGISLATION AS IT ARRIVES AND SAYING, HEY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GET BEHIND AND WORKING WITH THAT OFFICE TO, YOU KNOW, VERY GOOD.
[00:55:01]
AS AN EXAMPLE, LIKE WE HAVE PURSUE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CHANGING OUR DATE FOR THE ELECTION POSSIBLY DOESN'T MEAN THAT UM, 'CAUSE IT'S JUST US.THERE'S NOBODY ELSE THAT WOULD BE ASKING FOR US TO DO THAT.
AND UM, BUT WE DID SAY WE'RE NOT GONNA PUT THIS ON THE, UM, CHARTER REVIEW FOR THE UM, UM, RANK CHOICE BECAUSE YOU AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO WAS LIKE, I DON'T LIKE TRIGGER LANGUAGE AND UM, I STILL DON'T LIKE TRIGGER LANGUAGE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF IT, THAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RANK CHOICE VERSUS UM, UM, MOVING OUR DATE.
IS THAT, IS THAT FAIR? THAT'S FAIR.
I I'M, I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE WE HAD PURSUE VERSUS SUPPORT, UM, YOU KNOW, BAD ON ME FOR NOT REALIZING THAT, UM, 'CAUSE I, WE SHOULDN'T BE PURSUING, UM, THAT CHANGE ON OUR OWN UNLESS OTHER CITIES UM, WANTED TO JOIN IN ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND IF SO I'M ALL FOR IT ON RANKED CHOICE, BUT I'M NOT, UM, OUR VOTERS, WE DIDN'T SEND IT TO 'EM.
'CAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GO AFTER SOMETHING THAT IS GONNA TAKE A BIG OLD GIANT LAW CHANGE AND WE HAVE WAY BIGGER FISH TO FRY, I BELIEVE ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AMOUNT CHAIR.
UM, SO IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S GENERAL AGREEMENT ON THAT.
OKAY, SO THEN LOOKING ON PAGE EIGHT, WHICH IS THE SECOND PAGE OF SUPPORT.
I'M SORRY MADAM CHAIR, CAN I JUST CLARIFY THAT? YOU, YOU WANNA MOVE THE ENTIRE LANGUAGE, NOT JUST THE LANGUAGE ABOUT WEARING CHOICE VOTE.
YOU DON'T WANNA SPLIT IT INTO TWO ITEMS. YOU JUST WANNA MOVE THE ENTIRE THING.
MOVE IT FROM PURSUIT INTO THE SUPPORT LIST.
UM, AND SO LOOKING AT THE SUPPORT LIST ON THE SECOND PAGE, WHICH STARTS WITH NUMBER 12.
IT SAYS SUPPORT TRANSPARENCY AND UTILITY OPERATIONS AND GRID RELIABILITY.
I THINK WE ALL AGREE THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT, AND I THINK THIS WEEK WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT TO THE TEST.
UM, HOWEVER, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY STAFF TO SUPPORT THIS KIND OF ITEM.
UM, I THINK IT'S AN ITEM THAT, UM, WE'LL SEE OUR STATE REPS AND, AND SENATORS TALKING ABOUT AND FILING BILLS.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD DEFINITELY, UM, BE MONITORING IT.
BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE AT THE PLACE WHERE WE'RE SUPPORTING IT.
LIKE WE'RE NOT ACTIVELY WORKING ON GRID ISSUES AND UTILITY OPERATIONS ISSUES.
UM, WATER OF COURSE BEING THE EXCEPTION SINCE THAT'S ACTUALLY PART OF THE CITY.
BUT I WOULD THINK THAT NUMBER 12 FOR THAT ONE.
AND SAME THING FOR SUPPORT, UH, RAIL SAFETY LEGISLATION TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY.
AGAIN, I THINK THOSE PROBABLY BOTH NEED TO GO TO MONITOR AND THEN I'D SAY 17, PROMOTE PROPER MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL HEALTHCARE FOR ALL, INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN MEDICAID.
AGAIN, VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS, BUT MAYBE IT'S NOT A SUPPORT, IT'S PROBABLY MORE OF A MONITOR.
UM, AND THAT WAY WE CAN WEIGH IN AND WE CAN HAVE A POSITION.
UM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A LITTLE LESS ACTIVE THAN THE SUPPORT.
AND THEN THE LAST ONE, 18, SYNC CLARITY REGARDING CARD ROOMS. I WOULD ACTUALLY ELEVATE THAT ONE TO PURSUE.
WE'RE SPENDING, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF MONEY ON LEGAL FEES.
IT'S, IT IS THE DETERMINING QUESTION FOR, UM, SOME OF OUR ACTIVITIES.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ACTIVELY PURSUE HAVING SOMEBODY FILE A BILL TO GET THAT CLARITY.
SO, UM, THOSE ARE MY, UM, I HAVE ONE OTHER UNDER MONITOR NUMBER THREE, UM, ENHANCED SAFETY FOR RESIDENTS OF SENIOR FACILITIES.
I WOULD MOVE THAT ONE TO SUPPORT AND I THINK THAT THERE WILL BE, UM, BILLS FOR THAT AND WE'RE GONNA WANNA BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM AS OPPOSED TO A LITTLE BIT MORE PASSIVELY ON THE MONITOR SIDE.
SO THOSE, THAT'S MY INPUT FOR YOU.
ON, UH, MOVING ITEM 12, SUPPORT TRANSPARENCY AND UTILITY OPERATIONS AND GRID RELIABILITY.
IS THAT TRANSPARENCY IN, IN WHAT EXACTLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT, WHAT TRANSPARENCY ARE WE LOOKING FOR THERE? BECAUSE I DO KNOW OEQS IS, YOU KNOW, LOOKS AT, UM, WHAT OUR SOURCES OF ENERGY ARE.
AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD A CONVERSATION IN PTE THIS MORNING ABOUT THE NUCLEAR, UM, WHICH IS A BIG KETTLE OF FISH TO OPEN.
BUT, UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, DO WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE COULD SOMEONE INTERPRET THAT FOR ME, UM, AT THIS TIME, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD'VE TO GO BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT ON BECAUSE I, I WOULD AGREE WITH THE TRANSPARENCY.
HOW WOULD THAT RELATE TO US HERE AS A CITY, RIGHT? UM, BUT THE REST OF IT IN THE UTILITY OPERATIONS AND GRID RELIABILITY, I THINK THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, NO BRAINER AS FAR AS WHAT THAT MEANS.
BUT THE TRANSPARENCY PART IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN GET CLARITY ON.
AND, AND LET ME LET JUST ADD, UH, SHARING OUR BIAS.
IT, SO THIS, THIS CAME FROM THE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE INITIALLY.
I, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF YOU RECALL THE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT.
I, I DON'T RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, UH, WHAT THAT MEANS.
BUT, UH, TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE IS WHERE IT CAME FROM.
AND WE CAN PULL THAT FOR YOU TOO.
I PROBABLY SHOULD KNOW THAT THEN, BECAUSE I SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE
[01:00:02]
SO IF, IF WE COULD DO THAT, I, IF YOU SUPPORT THAT, UH, CHAIRMAN MENDELSON, I WOULD JUST LIKE SOME MORE INFORMATION BEFORE WE MOVE IT.AND, AND I'LL SAY, AND I DON'T THINK THERE REALLY WAS A HUGE CONVERSATION ON, ON THIS ONE, AND RIGHT NOW I'M HESITANT TO MOVE IT FROM SUPPORT TO OPPOSING UNTIL WE GET, UNTIL WE GET SOME MORE INFORMATION AND EXACTLY WHAT IT WOULD MEAN.
UM, AS FAR AS BEING SUPPORT TO OPPOSE, I MEAN, NOT OPPOSED SUPPORT TO MONITOR, UM, ON, ON, UH, ON THE, UH, THE GRID ONE AS WELL AS THE ONE ON RAIL, RAIL SAFETY.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY, WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE IN FAVOR OF SUPPORTING.
BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, LET'S JUST SEE WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS AND THEN, UM, 'CAUSE I DON'T REALLY RECALL IT BEING MUCH OF ONE.
AND, UM, LET'S FIND THE PERSON WHO, UM, EITHER ADDED IT ON THERE IF IT WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER OR IF IT WAS A, UM, UH, IF IT CAME FROM STAFF, LIKE, AND SO WE CAN GET THE ACTUAL, UM, MEANING BEHIND THOSE.
AND THEN I WILL SAY THAT, UM, UM, PURSUE CARD ROOMS, ABSOLUTELY.
I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THAT FROM SUPPORT TO PURSUE.
AND THEN, UM, THE ONE FOR THE SENIORS, ABSOLUTELY.
I'M IN, I'M, I'M IN, UM, UM, UM, SUPPORT OF MOVING THAT FROM MONITOR TO SUPPORT.
SO I THINK, I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THERE WERE THREE OR FIVE OF THEM.
SO THE OTHER ONE IS, IF YOU'LL LOOK AT NUMBER 13 AND NUMBER 17.
SO 13, I WAS SUGGESTING THAT, UM, THAT IT WAS PROBABLY PUT IN THE SUPPORT, UH, CATEGORY BECAUSE THE WORDING SAID SUPPORT.
UM, I THINK RAIL SAFETY IS A NO BRAINER.
WE HAVE A LOT OF RAIL IN DALLAS.
UM, BUT THAT IT'S PROBABLY UNDER THE MONITOR CATEGORY AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, A, A SLIGHTLY MORE ACTIVE SITE UNLESS WE HAVE A RAIL SAFETY ISSUE THAT I'M UNAWARE OF, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
UM, AND THEN NUMBER 17 WAS THE PROPER MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTHCARE, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T ACTUALLY OVERSEE THAT AREA.
UM, WE'RE GONNA STRUGGLE WITH WHAT STAFF MEMBER WE WOULD HAVE MONITORING THAT, TESTIFYING ON THAT.
BUT IT'S SUPER IMPORTANT TO ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO I DEFINITELY THINK IT NEEDS TO BE ON THE MONITOR SECTION AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MAY WANNA WEIGH IN AND I EXPECT THAT WE WILL ON VARIOUS THINGS.
YEAH, THAT WAS THE ONE THAT I WAS MISSING, WAS THE ONE ON MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE ON THAT ONE.
UM, AS FAR AS MAKING A CHANGE ON THAT ONE.
UM, SO I GUESS, UM, THE FIRST AND THE RAIL.
THE RAIL, THE RAIL, I, I WOULD LEAVE IT SUPPORT UNTIL WE HEAR MORE.
UM, THAT'S ME PERSONALLY JUST BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF DIFFERENT RAIL SAFETY ISSUES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP, UM, WHETHER IT WAS IN TRANSPORTATION OR IN FULL COUNSEL ON SOME OF THE RAIL THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN, UM, AND WORKING ON.
SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW I'D LIKE TO LEAVE THAT IN SUPPORT, UM, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, SO BASICALLY I'VE MET, UM, LEAVE THE FIRST ITEM YOU SAID, WHICH WAS ON THE GRID ALONE, LEAVE RAIL ALONE, UM, GET MORE INFORMATION ON THE MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, AND THEN DEFINITELY UM, MOVE CARD ROOMS TO PURSUE AND MOVE, UM, THE ONE ON THE SENIORS TO PURSUE.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER THING I'D SAY ON THE RAIL SAFETY ONE IS THAT IT JUST SEEMS THAT MOST OF THE RAIL LEGISLATION IS REALLY FEDERAL AND, UM, VERY LITTLE OF IT IS STATE.
UM, BUT, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL GO BACK TO THAT.
SO I'M NOT ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT I FIGURE THIS WOULD BE COMING MY WAY AT SOME POINT.
UM, I ON SUPPORT ON ITEM THREE.
UM, I KNOW ON THE TOPICS THAT WE GET TO BY ME MEMORANDUM IT MENTIONED, I'M, I'M TIED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, BUT THERE'S NOT ANYONE ASSIGNED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND I JUST THINK BETWEEN THE LABOR TRAFFICKING, THE SEX TRAFFICKING THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT IN THIS COMMUNITY AND THEN WHAT COMES FROM THE BORDER AND OTHER PLACES THAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOURS TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE HUMAN TRAFFICKING? CERTAINLY WE COULD DO THAT.
GOING BACK TO THE GRID, UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POINTS OF VIEW.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'D WANT THIS TO GO TO MONITOR 'CAUSE WE ALL EXPERIENCED, I MEAN WELL BEFORE MY TIME WINTER STORM URI, WE JUST HAD A WINDSTORM.
I THINK THAT VERSUS MONITORING, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO LEND VOICES AS A COUNCIL PERSON ON THE IMPACT ON OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL EXPERIENCED, UM, SENIORS AND OTHERS WHO, UH, HAD HEALTH IMPACTS BECAUSE THAT, AND SO JUST TO CLARIFY, MONITORING, WE STILL WOULD ABSOLUTELY DO THAT, BUT WHAT WE MIGHT NOT DO IS WORK ON THE TECHNICAL LEGISLATION OF IT.
AND I MEAN PERHAPS YOU HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE, BUT GENERALLY COUNCIL MEMBERS DON'T HAVE TECHNICAL UTILITY EXPERIENCE.
THAT'S WHY IT JUST SEEMS, WELL I WASN'T PROPOSING THAT I WOULD DO ANYTHING AROUND THE TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE, BUT WE DO HAVE OUR EMERGENCY PREP GROUP THAT, UH, IS TIED TO THIS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NOT HAVING STAFF SUPPORT, I'M JUST, I'M KIND OF ON THE BUBBLE ON THAT, BUT I'M SAYING THAT MAYBE THIS IS WHERE WE COULD GET SOME GUIDANCE ON MONITOR TO SUPPORT.
[01:05:01]
WE DON'T LEAVE THAT ON THE TABLE.'CAUSE WHEN IT BLOWS THROUGH, LITERALLY IT AFFECTS US ALL AND IT'S SOME VERY SCARY STORIES OUT THERE AND THREATENING SOME HELP.
THE LAST ONE IS AROUND MENTAL HEALTH ITEM 17, BECAUSE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT APPROACHES AND I, WHILE I REALIZE MEDICAID IS NOT NECESSARILY, UH, SOMETHING THAT WE ADDRESS AT THIS LEVEL, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THAT, THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT IS SIGNIFICANT.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO ON THE MENTAL HEALTH SIDE, HB 1538 THAT WAS INTRODUCED ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH DETENTION, WHICH WE MAY NEED TO REALLY LOOK INTO THAT WITH SOME OF THE SITUATIONS WE'VE GOT IN OUR CITY.
AND SO IT MAY BE UNORTHODOX, BUT CAN, IF WE DON'T HAVE A STAFFER HERE AND I KNOW THAT WE DON'T AROUND PUBLIC HEALTH, CAN WE JV THIS SORT OF THING WITH THE COUNTY THAT I WOULD HOPE WOULD BE PURSUING OR SUPPORTING AND MAYBE WE LOOK AT IT THAT WAY? OH YES, THEY ARE.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA TAKE ALL THOSE ITEMS. WE'RE GONNA GET SOME ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK.
WE'LL PROBABLY SEND IT BY MEMO AND WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER QUICK MEETING.
UM, 'CAUSE I AM TRYING TO WRAP THIS UP.
THE LAST ITEM IS THE MEMO, UH, SENT FRIDAY ABOUT THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WORKING ON SPECIFIC ISSUES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'VE INDIVIDUALLY TALKED TO EVERYBODY EXCEPT FOR ONE THAT DIDN'T REALLY WANNA HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
UM, I HAVE HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THE ITEMS THAT HAVE NO NAME NEXT TO THEM, UM, ABOUT THEIR INTEREST.
IS THERE ANY INPUT ON THIS? I MEAN, I FELT LIKE I WAS DOING SEATING AT A WEDDING, TRYING TO REALLY MATCH PEOPLE TO THEIR INTERESTS AND, AND WHAT THEY'VE BEEN SORT OF THE OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE ABOUT ALREADY.
AND I FEEL LIKE IT WENT A LITTLE BIT EASIER THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
I, I, I'LL JUST SAY, AND I APPRECIATED THE TEXT THAT YOU SENT, UM, WITH THE PLACES THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU SAW ME, UM, BEING THERE AND YOU KNOW, I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I LOOKED AT THE LIST, IT LOOKED FINE TO ME.
I FIGURED IF ANYBODY WAS LIKE, ADAMANTLY, NO, I DON'T WANNA DO THAT, THEY WOULD'VE TOLD YOU.
UM, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THOSE.
ANYTHING THAT'S EMPTY, UM, YOU KNOW, I AM O MORE THAN HAPPY TO GO DO WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE IF THERE'S STILL EMPTY, UM, IF NEEDED.
SO I HAVE, I WILL HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TIME, AMOUNT OF TIME THAN A LOT OF THANK YOU OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO JUST FYII CAN SPEAK AS LONG AS IT'S, UM, SOMETHING EITHER WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON OUR AGENDA THAT WE'RE OPPOSED TO OR WE'RE FAVOR OF.
I'VE, YOU KNOW, I WILL SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, SO WELL, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR, UM, ESPECIALLY OUR EXPERIENCED COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
ARE THERE ANY SUBJECTS THAT YOU FEEL LIKE WEREN'T LISTED? SO WE TRIED TO GO THROUGH, UM, ITEMS THAT WERE BOTH ON OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM AND THINGS THAT WEREN'T ON THE PROGRAM, BUT THAT WE KNOW ARE COMING ANYHOW.
UM, SO THAT WE HAD THE FULL BREATH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TO JAKE'S EARLIER COMMENT, UM, THIS, THIS IS AN UNUSUAL COMMITTEE, AN UNUSUAL EFFORT THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED WITH BECAUSE THINGS ARE ALWAYS CHANGING AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT ANYBODY MIGHT FILE AND HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT US AND HOW IT MIGHT CHANGE AS IT'S GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO IF YOU, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYBODY SAY, WOW, YOU MISSED THIS TOPIC.
SO IF THERE IS ONE, LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL TRY TO RECTIFY THAT, THAT, UM, AND YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, JUST AS, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIS SAID, OH, HUMAN TRAFFICKING NOT THERE, WELL LET'S JUST ADD THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, WHICH OF COURSE MAKES SENSE.
I, I'M, I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY WITH HOW THIS ALL SHAPED UP, SO.
WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND COOPERATION.
UM, IT'S GONNA BE A VERY WILD SESSION, I THINK.
AND I THINK WE USUALLY SAY THAT, BUT THIS MIGHT BE NEXT LEVEL.
UH, DPD, WE SEE YOU BACK THERE AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PRIORITIES AND I'M INTERESTED IN HELPING.
SO WITH THAT, IT IS ONE 16 AND THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.