Jul 28, 2022 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION

[00:00:20]

I THOUGHT CALL, WE'LL CALL THIS WORK SESSION.

[ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2022 5:30 P.M. HULLUM CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]

UH, WE ARE IN THE HARLEM CONFERENCE ROOM.

WE DO HAVE QUORUM.

UH, SO WE HAVE ONE ITEM TO DISCUSS.

[a. Discuss City Council's Rules of Procedures for governing public participation in the Council meetings.]

AND COUNCIL SEVEN, KICK THIS OFF.

I CAN KICK IT OFF.

IF YOU CAN KICK IT OFF.

YEAH.

SO, UM, SOMETIMES, UH, WE'RE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN OR NOT HAPPEN IN THE COUNCIL MEETING THAT REVEALS, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE OUR MEETINGS MORE EFFICIENT, LOT BETTER, REDUCE INTERRUPTIONS, ET CETERA.

AND, UH, DISCUSSING THIS, UH, SUBJECT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER PRESLEY, UH, WE THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHY OF, UH, HAVING AN OPEN DISCUSSION WITH YOU REGARDING SOME OF THE IDEAS THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED ON OUR OWN MEETINGS SIMILAR TO THOSE THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE HAVE GONE TO.

UH, IN MY LAST COMMUNITY, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT WAS CONSOLIDATED.

OF COURSE, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS, I AM NOT REFERRING TO PUBLIC HEARINGS, I'M JUST TALKING TO GENERAL COMMENTARY ON THE AGENDA WAS CONSOLIDATED TO A PORTION OF THE MEETING IN THE FRONT OF THE MEETING.

AND, AND CITIZENS COULD ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY SUBJECT WHETHER WAS RELATED TO THE CITY OR NOT.

IT COULD BE ABOUT THE, THE MOVIE THAT THEY SAW AT LEAST LAST WEEKEND.

IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER, BUT IT WAS CONSOLIDATED.

AND THEN THE ONLY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES CITIZENS HAD DURING THE MEETING TO INTERFACE WITH THE COUNCIL WOULD BE PUBLIC HEARINGS.

UH, WHICH WE WOULDN'T PROPOSE ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

UH, COURSE OBVIOUSLY TO CHANGE.

SO, UH, AN IDEA, UH, WANTED TO WHAT BY IS WHETHER YOU WOULD BE OPEN.

I THINK THE DISCUSSION DOESN'T NEED TO GO ANY FURTHER.

YOU'RE NOT OPEN TO THE IDEA OF, OF CONSOLIDATING CITIZEN COMMENT TO A SINGLE PERIOD.

SO IT ISN'T, YOU KNOW, ALL THROUGHOUT PEPPERED THROUGHOUT THE MEETING, IT'S CONSOLIDATED.

UH, AND CITIZENS ARE GIVEN A TIME TO ADDRESS ANY OF THE AGENDAS, THE ITEMS FOR A PERIOD OF THREE MINUTES.

AND WE ARE LEARNING MORE THAT ACTUALLY THEY PROBABLY DO NEED TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS NON AGENDIZED ITEMS IF THEY WOULD LIKE.

BUT YOU CAN REGULATE, THE STATE LAW ACTUALLY ALLOWS YOU TO REGULATE THAT TIME.

SO YOU CAN GIVE 'EM, YOU KNOW, A MINUTE.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH OF THAT GOING ON.

YOU WANNA STAY FOCUSED ON THE AGENDA AS THAT ITEM.

IS THAT RIGHT, SCOTT? THAT'S CORRECT.

BUT I'D ALSO ADD TO THAT, RICK, THAT, UM, EVEN THOUGH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, AND I'LL SAY THIS IS THE, UH, ATTORNEY GENERAL RULING, IT'S NOT WITHIN THE ACTUAL TEXT OF 5 51, BUT THIS IS HOW THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS INTERPRETED STATUTE.

AND, UH, WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS TOLD US IS THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. YOU CAN LIMIT THAT TIME TO SOMETHING LESS THAN THE THREE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEMS. BUT YOU MAY NOT INTERACT WITH THAT PERSON.

THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS SAY, WE'LL REFER IT TO ANOTHER MEETING.

WE'LL REFER IT TO A DEPARTMENT, BUT YOU CAN'T ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE FORMAT THAT WE FOLLOW RIGHT NOW.

THE DIFFERENCE WE'RE ASKING YOU IS ARE, ARE YOU OPEN TO CONSOLIDATING, UH, THAT PUBLIC COMMENT TO A A PERIOD OF TIME AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING? I, I DO KNOW OF ONE JURISDICTION THAT, UH, PUTS THEIR COMMENT AT THE END OF THE MEETING.

SO, UH, THAT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE BECAUSE AT THE END, BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING THE PEOPLE, WELL, WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WE JUST DID? YOU, YOU'RE NOT REALLY INTERESTED IN THEIR FEEDBACK.

UH, SO, UH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS BE PLACED AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN YOU HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

THREE MINUTES FOR AGENDIZED ITEMS, A MINUTE FOR NON AGENDIZED ITEMS. AND, UH, YOU MAY WANT TO ALSO CONSIDER, UH, A LIMIT TO THE, UH, ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TIME TO ANOTHER PERSON.

SO THERE'S A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME TO THAT TOO.

THESE ARE ALL IDEAS THAT I THINK, AND CHRIS, YOU CAN GO OFF FROM HERE, BUT COULD MAKE OUR MEETINGS, UH, UH, MORE DIGNIFIED, UH, FLOW BETTER AND, UH, ALLOW US TO MAKE BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENT USE OF THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.

NO, WE SAID MOST OF IT, IN MY OPINION, IT WOULD ELEVATE MEETINGS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, AND IT WOULD MAKE MORE PRODUCTIVE

[00:05:01]

IT WOULD MAKE THEM MORE EFFICIENT MEETINGS.

SO MUCH BUSINESS GOING ON, THESE MEETINGS WERE TRENDING TOWARDS LATER AND LATER AT NIGHT.

SO IT WOULD PAY FOR MORE EFFICIENT MEETINGS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT FOR THE CITIZENS THEMSELVES IF THEY'RE GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A COUPLE PUBLIC COMMENT, ONE OF THE FIRST VERY FIRST ITEMS, AND THEY CAN MAKE IT.

AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO SIT THROUGH TWO OR THREE HOURS OF A MEETING IF THEY DON'T WANT TO.

AND I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT FOR THEM IN THAT REGARD.

ALSO, WITH PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE FIRST OF THE MEETING, IT WOULD ACTUALLY ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONSIDER SOME OF WHAT WAS SAID BEFORE WE EVER GET TO THE AGENDA ITEM.

SO IT WOULD GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR SOME OF THAT TO MARINATE AND INSTEAD OF JUST REACTING TO IT OR NOT BEING ABLE TO THINK ABOUT IT WHEN IT'S SAID RIGHT THEN, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION.

SO I THINK IT WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT AND MORE PRODUCTIVE FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS AS WELL.

UM, SO NO, I'M, I'M CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF MOVING IT TO THE, THE FRONT END OF THE MEETINGS.

I MEAN, I'M OKAY WITH, WITH THE THREE MINUTES.

I, I WOULDN'T REALLY BE IN FAVOR OF PRODUCING THE TIME TO A MINUTE.

ALRIGHT, I, THAT'S, UNLESS COUNSEL FEELS OTHERWISE.

UM, SO THE, THE, THE ISD, THE NEIGHBORING ISD, THEY'RE PUBLIC END OF THE AGENDA.

I CERTAINLY AM NOT IN FAVOR.

UM, AND OF COURSE WOULD ALSO ASK COUNSEL TO CONSIDER THE, THE VIDEO FEEDS AND THE ZOOM.

SO BEFORE I WAS ON COUNCIL, I CAME DOWN TO COUNCIL MEETINGS AND I PROBABLY SPOKEN WITH PODIUM, I DON'T KNOW, TWO, THREE TIMES TOPS OVER TWO OR THREE OR FOUR YEARS.

AND, UH, THE CITIZENS, CITIZENS HAVE AN ISSUE, FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IT.

THEY WANT TO COME DOWN TO CITY HALL.

THEY, THEY WANT TO SPEAK.

AND, AND FRANKLY, MOST OF THEM, THE VAST MAJORITY, IT DOESN'T GET THAT FAR BECAUSE THEY'LL REACH OUT TO THE CITY MANAGER OR COUNCIL MEMBER OR MAYOR ABOUT ISSUES AS WELL.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER THE PANDEMIC'S OVER THE COLLEGE NO LONGER OFFERS THE ZOOM OPTION TO CALL IN AND, AND GIVE COMMENTARIES, OR COMMENTS.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I, I COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT BOTH.

AND LIKE I SAY, I'M, I'M HERE FOR A LIMITED TIME FOR FUTURE COUNSEL, NOT GENUINE OPINION.

THERE'S A SANCTITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

IT SHOULD BE RESPECTED AT ALL TIMES.

I TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

I KNOW BRANDON DOES.

AND WE ALL DO.

I BELIEVE IT WOULD ELEVATE THE MEETINGS FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD REALLY, REALLY, REALLY CONSIDER.

OKAY.

SO LET ME, UM, I WANNA SAY A FEW COMMENTS AND I WANT TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL.

UM, THE, THE ONE THING I, I WANT TO MAKE CLEAR, UM, I'LL GIVE A RECENT EXAMPLE.

I THINK MR. DUNN NAME SAMMY DUNN.

MM-HMM .

YES.

SO MR. DUNN, UM, YOU KNOW, HE CAME AND HE SPOKE FOR IN FRONT OF COUNSEL, WHICH, WHICH I WAS PERFECTLY FINE FOR, PREPARED FOR.

UM, BUT HE DID KIND OF FOLLOW THE, THE APPROPRIATE PROCESS FOR WHAT, UM, AT THE TIME WHEN I THINK THERE WAS SOME COUNCIL CHANGES DONE, I'M GONNA SAY 10, 10 YEARS AGO, UH, WHERE YOU REACHED OUT THERE REALLY IS A PROCESS.

LIKE YOU REACH OUT MAYBE, UH, TO, UH, THE CITY DEPARTMENT, THEN MAYBE YOU DON'T GET THE ANSWER YOU WANT OR MAYBE UNDERSTAND, YOU REACH OUT TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER, YOU REACH OUT TO YOUR MAYOR.

THERE'S, THERE WAS A PROCESS.

SO BEFORE THE IDEA WOULD BE, AND HE'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE, ALTHOUGH HE DOESN'T, OR HE MAY NOT LIKE THE, THE RESPONSE, BUT I, THERE WAS, THERE WAS KIND OF A, A CHAIN THAT HE FOLLOWED TO SAY, I BELIEVE I NEED TO GO AND VOICE MY ISSUE TO THE COUNSEL.

AND SO I I FOLLOW POLICE SUPPORT THAT, THAT, THAT IS, IS LIKE ITS OWN, THAT IS ITS OWN AREA.

THIS IS NOT, THE OTHER GENERAL COMMENTS IS THE CITY ATTORNEY SAID, KIND OF PRETTY MUCH COMMENT ON ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA OR, OR WHATEVER.

UM, THAT IS, THAT IS A, A VERY SPECIAL AREA.

I, I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THAT IN ANY WAY OR HINDER THAT WAY.

'CAUSE THAT IS A TRUE INTENTION, I THINK FOR SOMEONE CITIZEN TO HAVE AN ISSUE, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, A FOLLOW UP PROCESS.

UM, I THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE RIGHT, IT WAS ON, IT WAS ON THE RIGHT.

SO, UM, THAT'S THE PROCESS.

SO I WOULD LEAVE THAT SECTION ALONE.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS WHO WANT TO SPEAK ON VARIOUS AGENDA ITEMS, AGENDA ITEMS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF IT SHOULD BE A FREE FOR ALL.

BUT YOU KNOW, MANY, UH, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT IS WHAT THEY DO, THEY KNOW HAVE ALL THE COMMENT, UH, AHEAD OF TIME.

UH, I KNOW H-V-A-C-T-P-C, ALL THOSE ARE THE SAME THINGS.

[00:10:01]

I THINK THE ONLY DOWNFALL ON THAT, SOMETIMES MANY FOLKS COME HERE, THEY WANNA TALK ABOUT SOMETHING, UH, WE'LL ASK STAFF TO KIND OF GIVE A, A SUMMARY OF THE ISSUE.

AND SOMETIMES THAT SUMMARY ANSWERS THEIR QUESTION, THEY'RE FINE WITH IT.

BUT, UM, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THEY CAME HERE WITH A QUESTION OR A COMMENT AND OKAY, THAT'S ALL I NEED TO KNOW.

SO THEY MAY LOSE OUT A LITTLE BIT OF THAT, BUT THAT'S JUST MY COMMENT NOW.

BUT I WANT TO HEAR FROM Y'ALL TO KNOW MAYBE TO KIND OF PROVIDE DIRECTION TO, UM, EXPLORE ANY CHANGES OR NOT.

UM, I KNOW EARLY ON WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD, I DID ASK ABOUT THAT, WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION AT THE BEGINNING AND I WAS JUST FOCUSED THE WAY IT IS NOT HOW WE DO IT.

AND SO I WOULD BE OKAY WITH DOING IT THAT WAY.

UM, I WOULD NOT, AS LONG AS THERE'S ZOOM AVAILABLE, I WOULD STILL ALLOW THAT.

SO I WOULDN'T WANT TO DO AWAY WITH A RESIDENT WANTING TO CALL IN ON ZOOM AND, AND DO THEIR PART WITHIN THAT FIRST CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION.

UM, THEY COULD BE TRAVELING OTHER INSTANCES MAYBE IN PLAY, AND I DON'T WANNA TAKE THAT AWAY.

UM, AND THEN I THINK I WOULD JUST NEED CLARIFICATION, UM, AS Y'ALL WERE DESCRIBING THE ISSUES.

SO IT WOULD BE THE THREE MINUTES THAT WE NORMALLY ALLOW FOR AGENDA ITEMS. AND WERE YOU SAYING THERE WOULD BE, UH, LIKE A MINUTE OR ANY NODS? SO WITHIN THOSE THREE MINUTES, YOU WOULD EITHER VOICE YOUR OPINIONS ON ANY AGENDA ITEM AS WELL AS ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE AGENDA ITEM? CORRECT.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE WELL, WELL, I WOULD ASSUME.

I, I DON'T THINK WE DO.

I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF REDUCING THE THREE.

I THINK THIS IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TO CONVEY A MESSAGE IF YOU'RE PAYING A MESSAGE, BUT I'M NOT IN FAVOR FOR ONE MINUTE.

OKAY.

BUT I'M NOT SURE, YOU KNOW, DOES IT MAKE ANY SENSE SOMEBODY TO COME HERE AND TALK ABOUT AN ITEM? THERE'S, THERE MAY BE INFORMATION.

THEY COME HERE AND YOU CAN HAVE A A, UM, I GUESS WE'D SAY A BETTER PREPARED MESSAGE.

YOU'RE JUST GONNA COME HERE AND YOU GET THREE MINUTES TO SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT.

I'M NOT SURE WOULD FALL.

THEY HAVE UNDER, THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY UNDER CITIZENS' COMMUNICATION.

WELL, THERE'S A PROCESS TO IT TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS, PROVIDE EVIDENCE WHY.

SO THAT OPTION WOULD STILL BE THERE.

LORD, I'M NOT SURE.

JUST YOU COME IN AND YOU CAN TELL US ALL THE SCORES FROM LAST NIGHT OR SOMETHING.

YEAH.

AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.

AND SO, UM, I RIGHT NOW DON'T HAVE ANY HESITANCE IN NOT DOING IT.

UM, AND BECAUSE THERE IS A PROCESS, FOLKS, YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA FOLLOW THE PROCESS OF GOING TO THEIR COUNCIL FIRST OR WHATEVER.

SO I, I'M WONDERING IF, UM, THERE'S A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AS THEY'RE CHECKING, DID YOU GO TO YOUR, DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH THE CITY? HAVE YOU GONE TO YOUR COUNCIL REP TO DRIVE A, A REMEDY? UM, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO GET NOTIFIED? SO LET, LET'S SAY JOHNNY B COMES IN AND WANTS TO SIGN UP FOR AN ISSUE AND UM, HE PUTS THAT, NO, I DIDN'T GO TO MY COUNCIL PERSON.

WOULD UM, CITY CLERK'S OFFICE BE ABLE TO LIKE NOTIFY WHATEVER COUNCIL MEMBER? IT'S LIKE, HEY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A CITIZEN COME IN ABOUT SO AND SO ISSUE.

SO THAT IS PART OF THE PROCESS THAT WHEN THEY COME AND THEY SAY THEY WANNA SPEAK BEFORE COUNCIL, WE ACTUALLY ASK THEM, DID THEY GO THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT FIRST AND THEN GO THROUGH THE CHANNELS AND THE COUNCIL MEMBER IS THE LAST STEP BEFORE BE PUT ON THE AGENDA.

RIGHT? AND, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING, UM, JOHNNY B DID NOT FOLLOW THE PROCESS AND HE DOESN'T WANNA SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT HE STILL WANTS TO COME AND SPEAK.

SO THEY WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO.

YEAH, THEY WON'T GET, OR THERE'S, THERE'S TWO PARTS HERE.

THERE'S CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, WHICH WOULD BE A FIVE MINUTE, YOU COME IN, YOU TALK ABOUT YOU SIGN UP, YOU SIGN UP PRIOR, OR YOU CAN COME HERE ON A POSTED AGENDA.

YOU SIGN, YOU STILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SIGN UP FOR THAT ITEM TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.

UM, I'M ASSUMING THEY MAY HAVE TO PRINT EACH ITEM OUT.

AND SO THEY WOULD, THEY, THEY COULD TALK ABOUT THOSE POSTED ITEMS. I MEAN OBVIOUSLY WE WOULDN'T GET NOTIFIED OF THAT.

YEAH.

BUT OBVIOUS.

BUT, BUT FOR THE ING COMMUNICATION, BUT FIVE MINUTES, YES, WE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED ONLY BECAUSE THAT'S LEAST THE PROCESS FOR IT.

THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE.

AND IF THEY WANTED TO SPEAK ON SIX DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS, THEY WOULD HAVE TO PRIORITIZE THOSE THREE MINUTES.

OH, SO YOU'RE SAYING LIKE THEY GET ONE THREE MINUTE? NO, NO, I'M SAYING THREE MINUTES TOTAL.

LET'S SAY THEY WANTED TO SPEAK, THEY HAD ISSUES WITH SIX DIFFERENT AGENDA ITEMS. THEY WOULD, THEY WOULD NEED TO PRIORITIZE, THEY WANTED TO ALLOW WHAT? 30 SECONDS

[00:15:02]

MOST, MOST PEOPLE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, SIX OR FIVE OR 40 ITEMS EVERY MEETING MINUTES AGO.

SO THAT WAS, THAT'S, I HAVE A, I MEAN, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

IF SOMEBODY HAD MULTIPLE, BETWEEN MULTIPLE THINGS THEY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, WERE NOW, YOU KNOW, THEY GET THREE MINUTES PERIOD.

UM, SO I'D BE OPEN TO, TO INCREASING THAT.

UH, IF WE'RE GONNA DO ONE BIG CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION, UM, I KNOW THERE'S SOME OTHER CI I MEAN OTHERS DO LIKE FIVE, BUT YOU CAN ADDRESS AS MANY THINGS AS YOU WANT WITHIN THAT FIVE MINUTES.

BUT YOU CANNOT SPEAK FOR ME.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S TWO, THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THIS.

SINCE THESE COMMUNICATION, THAT'S A, I'M SORRY, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE, AND WE'RE GONNA CALL IT AGENDA CITIZEN COMMITTEE, OPEN COMMUNITY.

SO I THINK I'M, THAT'S THE ONE I'M TALKING ABOUT.

SO THREE MINUTES, WANT TO INCREASE IT.

'CAUSE IF SOMEONE HAS MULTIPLE THINGS, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW THEY CAN COME AND SPEAK ON MULTIPLE ITEMS ON EVERY ITEM, RIGHT? AND IT'S NOT MAY, BUT, BUT IF, IF, I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A COUPLE THINGS YOU LEGITIMATELY WANNA TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU NEED MORE MINUTES.

YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE TRYING TO HINDER THE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITIZENS.

SOMEONE MAY BE PASSIONATE ENOUGH TO SPEAK ON MULTIPLE ITEMS AND WE ARE GOING, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO HINDER THEM FROM DOING SO.

THOSE WHO ARE PASSIONATE AND LEGITIMATELY COMING IN, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO SPEAK ON THOSE ITEMS IF WE DECIDE TO GO THAT ROUTE AND NOT DO THAT.

HOW IS MOVING EVERYTHING TO THE FRONT OF THE COUNCIL MEETING GOING TO CUT DOWN ON THE TIME OF THE COUNCIL MEETING? NOW I'M DISAPPOINTED TO HEAR THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SHORTEN COUNCIL MEETINGS.

WHEN WE SIGNED UP FOR THIS, WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE GETTING INTO.

I ATTENDED COUNCIL MEETINGS.

SOME OF 'EM WENT LONG, SOME OF 'EM WERE SHORT.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO HURRY COUNCIL MEETINGS ALONE FOR THE BENEFIT OF US TO GET HOME EARLY OR FOR WHAT, WHATEVER THE REASON MAY BE.

IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A, UM, A DISCUSSION AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO TAKE US AS A COUNCIL, SERIOUSLY, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW THEM TO COME IN AND SPEAK.

THE ONE THING THAT I'M HEARING MOST ABOUT OUR COUNCIL IS PEOPLE ARE THINKING THAT WE ARE TRYING TO HINDER THEIR FREEDOM OF SPEECH BY COMING IN HERE.

THEY SAID THAT WHEN WE TRIED TO MOVE THE COUNCIL MEETINGS UP, NOW WE'RE GONNA TELL THEM, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE NOT GONNA CHANGE THE TIME OF COUNCIL MEETINGS, BUT YOU NEED TO BE HERE IN THE BEGINNING OF THE COUNCIL MEETING TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT MAY BE AT THE END.

AND IF THEY'RE PASSIONATE ENOUGH ABOUT IT, THOSE PEOPLE WILL COME AND SIT HERE AND, AND WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING.

I, I THINK WE CAN ALSO GET A LITTLE BIT, UM, CLUSTERED.

IF WE HAVE SIX ITEMS THAT PEOPLE SPEAK ON IN THE BEGINNING TALKING ABOUT BANDWIDTH, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TAKE NOTES ON EVERYTHING COMING BACK TO BACK.

AND THEN WHEN IT COMES DOWN AN HOUR LATER IN THE MEETING, BE ABLE TO REMEMBER WHAT THIS PERSON SAID AND HOW THEY FELT ABOUT IT.

I LIKE BEING ABLE TO HEAR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IN THAT MOMENT.

THEY MAY HAVE HEARD SOMETHING IN THE READING OR SOMETHING LIKE YOU SAID, WHERE THEIR QUESTION IS ANSWERED.

UM, I THINK WE SHOULD, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD TOUCH IT.

IF WE WANT TO TWEAK IT SOMEHOW, DON'T WE? WE SHOULDN'T BE TRYING TO SHORTEN TIME.

WE, I LIKE THAT YOU'VE BEEN MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING ARE ON SUBJECT.

WELL, I TRY.

YEAH.

I MEAN, I'M PRETTY LENIENT.

I AM.

WELL IN, INSTEAD OF TAKING THE SHOTGUN APPROACH AND PUNISHING EVERYONE, HOLD THEM TO STICK TO WHAT'S ON TOPIC OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE THIS ALONG.

UM, I THINK WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE GONNA BE, I THINK WE'RE OKAY WHERE WE ARE NOW, BUT PERCEPTION IS THEIR REALITY AND PEOPLE ARE GONNA PERCEIVE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT THEIR COMMUNICATION OR WE'RE, THIS IS GONNA BE THE SECOND ATTEMPT THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ON CHANGING THE FLOW OVER MEETING AND LOOKING AT THE PUBLIC.

THAT IS NOT A GOOD, THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK ON US TRYING TO CHANGE THE FLOW OVER MEETING THE WAY THAT WE HAVE.

THIS IS THE SECOND ATTEMPT AT IT IN WHAT, TWO MONTHS NOW? THREE MONTHS? WELL, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO SHORTEN THE MEETING TIME.

WHAT HE SAID WAS, I SAID EFFICIENCY AND LET ME EXPLAIN, LEMME CLARIFY HERE.

HERE'S HOW WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT.

SOMEONE SIGNS UP FOR SEVEN DIFFERENT ITEMS AND GETS THREE MINUTES.

THAT'S 21 MINUTES.

NOW HOW MANY TIMES HAS THAT HAPPENED? AND HOW MANY TIMES HAS THAT REALLY BEEN PRODUCTIVE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? I CAN'T THINK OF ONE TIME.

WELL, THAT IT'S HAPPENED AND BEEN PRODUCTIVE.

BOTH.

SO THAT'S HOW IT'D BE MORE EFFICIENT.

LET ME FINISH ALSO.

SO THEY DON'T, THEY HAVE TO BE HERE AT THE FIRST OF THE MEETING

[00:20:01]

SO THEY HAVE TO BE HERE BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS TO SIGN UP ON ANY AGENDA ITEM SO THAT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE.

YOU'RE SAYING, WELL, THEY MIGHT GET HERE LATE, THEY MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO BE HERE ON TIME.

THEY HAVE TO, DON'T THEY HAVE TO SIGN IF IF IT'S ITEM SIX B, DON'T THEY HAVE TO SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON IT BEFORE THE MEETING IS CALLED TO ORDER? THEY DO OR THEY CAN EMAIL.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO IF THEY DOESN'T CHANGE THAT CHARGE YOU EMAIL AHEAD OF TIME AND THEY'RE NOT HERE AT THE BEGINNING, THEY MISSED THEIR OPPORTUNITY.

SO GOING BACK, LET ME FINISH.

SO LET'S LOOK AT THIS.

YOU SAID THAT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED MUCH AND IF IT HASN'T HAPPENED MUCH, WHY ARE WE TRYING TO CHANGE IT? I SAID, IT HASN'T HAPPENED MUCH IN A PRODUCTIVE MANNER.

IT'S HAPPENED.

THAT'S YOUR OPINION OF IT BEING PRODUCTIVE.

BUT CITIZEN, THEM VOICING THEIR OPINION IS PRODUCTIVITY BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THAT AGENDA ITEM.

WE CAN'T, WE SHOULDN'T SIT UP HERE AND SAY IT'S NOT PRODUCTIVE BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK IT IS.

THEY THINK IT'S PRODUCTIVE BECAUSE THEY'RE TAKING THE TIME TO COME HERE AND SPEAK UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN.

OKAY, SO REAL QUICK, LET'S HOLD ON REAL QUICK.

SO, SO MS. JACKSON, CAN YOU EXPLAIN, UM, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING WHAT YOU EXPLAINED TO ME.

THAT THE WAY THE PROCEDURES READ, IT'S SET UP ALREADY, ALREADY.

IT IS ALREADY IN YOUR RULES AND PROCEDURE THAT THE ORDER FLOWS FROM.

IT STARTS WITH THE, THE CALL OF ORDER, THE, UM, ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE QUALMS, THEN IT GOES TO THE PLEDGE APPROVAL OF THE MEDICINE, THEN CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

THAT'S HOW IT'S ALREADY LINED UP.

RIGHT? BUT FOR CITIZEN, FOR CITIZEN COMMUNIC FIVE MINUTES.

BUT THE QUESTION WOULD BE, OR EITHER OR AND POST THE AGENDA ITEMS. SO THIS CAN SIGN UP, BUT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO WHAT EITHER ARE, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO ALL AT THE FRONT AT THE BEGINNING, BUT WE'VE NOT BEEN DOING THAT FOR WORK REASON.

EXACTLY.

AND HOW LONG HAVE, HOW LONG HAVE WE NOT BEEN DOING IT? I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL SIX GOING ON SEVEN DAYS, YEARS AND HASN'T BEEN DOING, I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE COME FROM MY DISTRICT THAT SPOKE DURING CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.

YEAH, BUT I'M SAYING THAT THE SAME HAPPENED AT THE, BUT WE'VE NOT DONE THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL AND I DON'T KNOW, I'VE SPOKE AT COUNCIL MEETINGS TWICE BEFORE I GOT ON COUNCIL AND IT WASN'T HANDLED THAT WAY.

YEAH, I WOULD SAY YES, WE PROBABLY NEVER PRACTICED THIS.

AM I, AS FAR AS I CAN, I DID HAVE DIFFERENT ERRORS.

OKAY.

I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY, THAT IS HOW IT'S SET UP.

YEAH, I, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT FOR US TO GO AND, AND I'M GOING TO SAY ENFORCE THAT SINCE IT IS SET UP, THE QUESTIONS ARE GONNA COME.

WHY ARE WE DOING IT? PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO LIMIT THEM IN, IN, IN, IN COMMUNICATING.

AND IF THEY CAN EMAIL AHEAD OF TIME AND COME TO THAT MEETING, LOOKING AT THE AGENDA SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT? I GOT SOME TIME WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO RUSH.

I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE OFF WORK EARLY.

I CAN COME A LITTLE BIT 30 MINUTES LATE AND STILL BE ON TIME TO MAKE MY COMMENTS.

I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT, THAT OPPORTUNITY AWAY FROM INDIVIDUALS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HEARING NOW.

JUST THE OPPOSITE.

WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE.

IT'S, IT'S UH, UH, ALMOST FARCE.

IT'S NOT THE OPPOSITE.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HEARING.

GOING BACK TO WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE TIME, ALL I HEARD WAS, AND YOU CAN EVEN READ IT ON FACEBOOK, WHY THEY DON'T WANT US TO COME DOWN THERE TO TALK.

THAT'S THE LAST THING THAT WE, THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE TYPE OF PERCEPTION WE DON'T NEED AS A COUNCIL.

SO I DISAGREE.

SO THIS IS A FOR DISCUSSION.

LET'S TRY TO KEEP IT INFORMED.

UM, SO WHILE WE'RE HEARING SO FAR IS A LITTLE MIXED, DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? PERFECT.

YES SIR.

PLEASE GO.

THANKS.

OKAY.

UM, I'LL JUMP IN ON CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS.

MY INTERPRETATION OF THAT IS, IS WHERE A CITIZEN COMES IN AND THEY HAVE AN ISSUE THEY WANT TO BRING TO OUR ATTENTION.

THAT'S THE THREE TO FIVE MINUTES WE ALLOW.

THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED WHEN WE SAY IT'S A NON AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE ON THE AGENDA TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK.

SO IT'S LISTED, THAT'S A PROCESS.

THAT ONE'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT, THAT'S CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

SO THAT'S A OPPOSED AGENDA ITEM.

YEAH.

SO I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM AND OTHER CITIZENS CAN SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON THAT ONE.

THAT ON ANY OTHER POST AGENDA ITEM'S BROUGHT OUT, YOU KNOW, MY GOOD GOOD BUDDY.

UM, YES, I REMEMBER.

YEAH, IT STILL IS ON THERE.

SO I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

'CAUSE IT GOES THROUGH A PROCESS.

WE'RE, WE'RE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUES BEFORE IT COMES TO US.

UM, I DON'T REALLY CONSIDER IT A CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION CATEGORY WHEN SOMEBODY SIGNS UP TO SPEAK ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.

'CAUSE THEY JUST WANNA HAVE INPUT.

AND I AGREE WITH CHARLES, SOME OF, SOME OF OUR AGENDAS ARE FAIRLY LENGTHY.

AND IF, IF YOU REQUIRE THEM TO HAVE THEIR SAY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER THAT ISSUE COMES UP, STAFF GETS UP, DOES THIS PRESENTATION, I'M SITTING THERE THINKING, WHAT DID THAT INDIVIDUAL SAY? WHAT WAS THEIR POINT?

[00:25:01]

SO WE HAVEN'T ACHIEVED ANYTHING.

'CAUSE THAT, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

UM, SO I, I LIKE GETTING THE CITIZENS COMMENTS AT THE BEGINNING AS USUAL, REQUIRE THEM, YOU KNOW, YOU GET UP, SAY IT FIRST AND THEN WE'LL DISCUSS IT.

'CAUSE THEN WE HAVE THAT IN OUR MINDS.

UM, I LIKE THE IDEA OF REDUCING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME THAT CAN BE CONTRIBUTED TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

MAYBE SIX MINUTES MAX OR SOMETHING.

'CAUSE SOME OF, THEY BRING IN 10 OR 15 PEOPLE THAT SIGN UP.

ALL THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS GIVE CALVIN 30 MINUTES TO TALK.

SO, AND, AND I AGREE WE CAN SHORTEN THAT DOWN.

THE, THE ZOOM ISSUES.

I, I'M KIND OF ON THE FENCE WITH THAT.

IT DOES PROVIDE ANOTHER AVENUE FOR CITIZENS SPEAK, BUT IT REALLY MAKES IT EASY FOR THE ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACKS TO JUST ZOOM IN.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A TIME COMMITMENT.

THEY DON'T HAVE HAVE AN EFFORT TO COME IN AND, AND SIT ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE THAT'S HERE THAT'S COMMITTED TO IT.

IT'S A CONVENIENCE THING.

BUT HOW CONVENIENT DO WE, AGAIN, I AGREE.

IF THEY'RE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY, THEY'LL COME DOWN.

AND ACTUALLY MOST OF THE TIME THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

'CAUSE AGAIN, THEY WANT TO BE HERE TO, TO FEEL IT.

SO THE ZOOM ISSUE, I'M KIND OF ON THE FENCE ON, I AGREE WITH SHUT, TRYING TO SHUT DOWN THE, HOW MUCH TIME CAN BE CONTRIBUTED.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I, I LIKE THE CURRENT PROCESS AND, AND I'VE BEEN, AND AS I'VE JOKED BEFORE, I'VE PROBABLY BEEN TO MORE COUNCIL MEETINGS THAN ANY COUNCIL MEMBER PERIOD OVER 32 YEARS AGO IN THE COUNCILS, THE, THE, THE AGENDA DRAGS ON OR IT GOES LATE BECAUSE OF THE AGENDA, NOT 'CAUSE CITIZENS.

SO I MEAN, YOU LUMP 'EM ALL TOGETHER AND YOU MIGHT HAVE 30 MINUTES OF CITIZENS COMMUNICATION IN A FOUR HOUR COUNCIL MEETING.

SO AGAIN, IT'S THE AGENDA ITEMS, IT'S THE WEIGHT OF THE AGENDA, NOT THE COUNT, NOT THE CITIZEN'S COMM COMMENTS.

SO I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD PROCESS FOR OUR CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.

SOMEBODY WANTS TO COME UP AND TALK ABOUT A NON-FUNCTIONAL AGENDA ITEM FOR COUNCIL.

THEY NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

IT NEEDS TO BE VETTED AND THEN THEY CAN COME SPEAK TO US.

I, I'M GOOD WITH THAT.

UM, BUT AS FAR AS SPEAKING ON EACH AGENDA ITEM, I, I LIKE THE, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS THE INDIVIDUALS CAN SIGN UP FOR IT.

WHEN THAT ITEM COMES UP, THEY GET UP AND SAY THEIR PIECE AND WE LISTEN TO IT AND THEN WE LISTEN TO STAFF AND THEN WE DISCUSS.

YOU'RE SAYING IF THEY'RE HERE IN PERSON OR YOU, OR I WOULD PREFER THEM TO BE IN PERSON.

I'M THE ZOOM ISSUE IS GETTING TO BE A LITTLE OUTTA HAND.

IT'S TOO, TO ME, IT'S LIKE, OH, I'M, I'M SITTING BACK HAVING AN ADULT BEVERAGE AND OH, LET ME CHIME IN.

I'VE SENT ANGELA A NOTE THAT I'M GONNA CHIME IN ON ZOOM ON THE NEXT MEETING AND I'LL SIT HERE AND MY, MY SHORTS AND ZOOM IN AND, AND Y YAK FOR THREE TO 5, 8, 8.

GET GET UP, COME DOWN AND, AND STAND AT THE PODIUM AND, AND DO, DO THAT.

SO, UH, AGAIN, THE ZOOM ISSUE CAME UP BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC ISSUES.

THAT'S GONE.

LET'S GO BACK TO, TO REAL LIFE.

YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? COME SAY IT TO ME.

SO, SO I WANNA SUMMARIZE WHAT, WHAT I HEARD FROM YOU HONOR, I, I THINK YOU MADE SOME GOOD POINTS.

UM, BUT WHAT, WHAT I DID HERE WOULD BE, UM, FOR ANY, WELL SAY FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN TO SPEAK OR IF OTHER TIME YIELDED TO, YOU'RE LOOKING TO GO AND SEND A MAX.

YES.

AND, AND SO SINCE EVERYTHING IS THREE MINUTES, SO IT'S EITHER GONNA, I'M ASSUMING EITHER A NINE OR 12 MINUTE.

YEAH, USUALLY NINE MINUTES IS ENOUGH FOR I WOULD SAY NINE MINUTES.

NOT THE LONG TO HEAR ONE PERSON IS NINE A SWEET SPOT AT LEAST.

YEAH, THAT'S, THAT'S TWO OTHER PEOPLE SAYING I I YIELD MY TIME TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.

SO THREE PEOPLE HAVE TO SHOW UP FOR COUNSEL.

THEY'RE TRYING TO GET A FEEL FOR IT.

YEAH, I THINK NINE MINUTES IS MORE THAN OKAY.

AND THEN ON THE ZOOM I WILL SAY I, I THINK THERE IS OPPORTUNITY, I DO BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT AN ITEM.

THEY DO COME HERE IN PERSON, BUT I DO LIKE THE ABILITY OF, UH, IN CERTAIN CASES SOMEBODY'S TRAVELING AND THEY ARE PASSIONATE, UM, TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO COME AND AMEND.

UM, BUT ON THE FLIP SIDE, I THINK MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE A MAX.

OKAY, THERE'S A PASSION ITEM.

MAYBE ONE OR TWO ITEMS NOT BEEN ON EVERY ITEM.

YOU HAVE THAT RIGHT TO, SO MAYBE, MAYBE LOOK, IT'S TRYING TO, TO, UH, TO MANAGE THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.

DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? WHERE WE KEEP THE ZOOM, BUT YOU CAN'T SIGN UP ON 27 ITEMS, LETTING THEM DO THAT IN PERSON.

WHY WOULDN'T YOU LET THEM DO THAT ON ZOOM? WELL, A LITTLE BIT OF CONCERN.

YEAH.

AND COUNSEL IF I MAY, UM, I THINK GENERALLY THE WAY THE COURTS AND ATTORNEY GENERAL HAVE INTERPRETED THE STATUTES IS IF YOU DO FOR ONE, YOU HAVE TO DO FOR ALL ON THE ZOOM.

OKAY? BUT I, I WOULD SUGGEST, AND WHAT I'VE SEEN WITH OTHER BODIES IS YOU HAVE A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME ABLE TO SPEAK ON TWO ITEMS IN SIX MINUTES, BUT YOU MAY BE LIMITED TO SIX MINUTES TOTAL.

SO IF YOU HAVE 27 ITEMS TO SPEAK ON, YOU STILL GET A MAXIMUM SIX, WHETHER IT'S TWO ITEMS OR 27.

[00:30:01]

SO THEN REGARDLESS IF IT'S IN PERSON OR I'M GONNA SAY ZOOM OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT IN THE FUTURE, A MAX OF NINE MINUTES.

IS THAT FAIR? ANY COMMENT ON ANY COMMENT? SIGN UP FOR 27 5 MINUTES.

WHAT YOU SPENDING IT ON IS WHAT YOU SPEND TIME LISTEN TO ONE PERSON LIST.

READY? OF COURSE.

READY WHEN YOU ARE.

IT'S YOUR TURN.

LET'S GO.

UM, I'M OKAY WITH KEEPING THE PROCESS THE WAY THAT IT'S BEEN.

I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF CHANGING IT AND I WOULD LIKE IT IF WE CAN.

SO WHAT WAS KIND OF DISCUSSED? I MEAN ANY KIND OF CAP AT ALL? I HAVE NO PREFERENCE.

DID WE TALK ABOUT THE CITIZEN'S PART, CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION OF THE MINUTE ONE, WHICH IS A POST-IT ITEM ON, ON REALLY SPEAKING ON IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM.

SO THERE IS AN ASPECT OF IT WHERE IT'S MEANT FOR THE CITIZENS OF BAYTOWN.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ENFORCE OR NOT? YOU MEAN LIKE BEING A, A CITIZEN OF WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS? WELL, THERE'S A FEW, WELL THERE'S A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE PEOPLE, UH, THEY MAY BE OPENING TRYING TO OPEN A BUSINESS HERE SO THEY DON'T YEAH, THEY MAY NOT RESIDE IN THE CITY.

THEY HAVE A STATE, THEY'RE A STAKEHOLDER.

THERE'RE A STAKEHOLDER.

SO LISTEN, LIKE, LIKE I SAY, I I'M, I THOUGHT IT WAS FOR YOU HAVE DISCUSSION.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A SPLIT DECISION.

I HEARD ONE THING FROM JACOB AND LAURA, I HEARD SOMETHING ELSE FROM CHARLESTON, MIKE AND HEATHER AND HEARD YOUR FINAL COMMENTS.

BUT TEAM PLAYER HERE, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHAT I PLAN ON DOING FROM HERE ON OUT, YOU'RE THE MAYOR AND YOU'RE THE RESIDING OFFICER.

AND I'M, I'M ASKING YOU AS THAT OFFICER AND THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKER OF THE COUNCIL MEETINGS, I PLAN ON CALLING A POINT OF ORDER EVERY TIME IT NEEDS TO BE CALLED.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT LONG AGO AND THIS DISCUSSION PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

BUT I SAY I, I TAKE SOME, I TAKE, I SHARE THE BLAME.

I TAKE SOME BLAME ON THAT.

WE'RE NOT CALLING PORN OF ORDER A LOT SOONER.

I BLAME ON CALLING EVERY SINGLE TIME JUSTIFIED QUESTIONS.

COPY.

I JUST JUST WANNA SAY THAT I THINK COUNCILMAN UH, PRESLEY, UM, IS CORRECT AND I AGREE AND I APPRECIATE HIM BRINGING THIS UP BECAUSE I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES, WHICH ADMITTEDLY I HAVE NOT DONE BEFORE.

AND THERE IS A LOT IN HERE THAT WE DO NOT DO.

SO IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS DOCUMENT THEN CALL IT OUR RULES AND PROCEDURES, WE AS A BODY AND IT'S A PRESIDING OFFICER, WE SHOULD START WHAT'S IN HERE.

I MEAN THAT WOULD, I'M SURE I WOULD TAKE CARE A LOT OF THE PROBLEM ACTUALLY.

OKAY.

THERE'S LIKE SHE SAID, YOU ADDRESS INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU ADDRESS THE BODY AS A WHOLE, STICK TO AGENDA ITEMS. YOU DON'T RAISE YOUR VOICE AND BECOME DISRESPECT.

THERE'S A LOT.

AND I THINK MAYBE WHAT, WHEN SOMEBODY DOES SIGN UP FOR ANY OF THIS, THIS IS LIKE, THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS HOW THIS IS GONNA, THIS IS HOW THIS IS GONNA PROCEED.

IF NOT, THEN IT DON'T MATTER.

YOU, YOU'RE NOT, SO IF WE HAVE A SERGEANT OF ARMS, I'M SURE YOU CAN EXERCISE THOSE NEEDS OR RESOURCES IF NEEDED.

SO, BUT WHAT'S SAID SO FAR AND OH YOU HAD SOME SPECIFIC QUESTION.

WHAT'S THE WHY? WHY, WHY ARE WE REQUIRING PEOPLE TO GIVE THEIR ADDRESS WHEN THEY GET UP TO SPEED AND THE RULES OF PROCEDURE? IT HAS TO BE DOCUMENTED FOR WHAT REASON? IT'S JUST WHEN YOUR RULES OF PROCEDURE.

OKAY.

AND I CAN CHIME INTO THAT.

IT'S TYPICALLY BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES, IT ALLOWS COUNSEL KNOW, ARE YOU A RESIDENT CONSTITUENT OR ARE YOU AN OUTSIDER? IT DOESN'T MEAN OUTSIDERS CAN'T SPEAK, BUT TO ME A RESIDENT OR A CONSTITUENT, THEIR VOICE CARRIES A LITTLE MORE WEIGHT.

NOW THE OTHER PERSON MIGHT BRING UP A GOOD POINT, MIGHT HAVE A GOOD CHALLENGE, THAT'S OKAY.

BUT WHEN A RESIDENT CITY GETS UP AND SAYS SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT SHOULD CARRY MORE WEIGHT WITH US.

SO WE SHOULD BE DOCUMENTING WHO'S IN THE CITY AND WHO'S NOT.

AGAIN, THOSE ARE THOSE IN THE CITY DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEIR VOICES AREN'T HEARD.

IT'S JUST THAT THOSE THAT ARE MORE WEIGHT, WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEONE IS INACCURATE AND GIVEN AN ADDRESS? I MEAN, LOGISTICALLY IT HELPS US TO ADDRESS MATTERS THAT MIGHT BE PROPERTY SPECIFIC TO OUR RESIDENT.

I I'M JUST SAYING THAT.

YEAH.

SO INSTEAD OF US HAVING TO TRACK THEM DOWN AND RUN OUT IN THE HALLWAY TO CATCH THEM OR WHATEVER, WE HAVE AN ADDRESS RIGHT FROM THE GET GO AND WE CAN GOTCHA.

YOU ADDRESS THEIR ISSUES.

THAT'S ONE LOGISTIC.

CAN SOMEONE REFUSE TO GIVE THEIR ADDRESS AND STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK AT A COUNCIL MEETING? THAT'S, THAT WOULD DEPEND ON THE PRESIDING OFFICER COGNIZE.

IT SHOULDN'T BE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE PEOPLE, I MEAN IF THEY TELL ME THEY LIVE AT, YOU

[00:35:01]

AND IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE THEM, THEY DON'T SPEAK.

I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU'RE ASKING ME TO VERIFY SOMEONE'S ADDRESS IN ORDER FOR THEM HAVE THE, I'M ASKING DO THEY HAVE TO GIVE THEIR ADDRESS? I WOULD HAVE TO ASK HIM.

SO I I WOULD SAY SETTING ASIDE OUR RULES, IF WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT STATUTORY LANGUAGE, IT SPEAKS IN TERMS OF MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, NOT CITIZENS AND NOT RESIDENTS.

OKAY.

SO, SO, SO DIRECTLY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IT WOULDN'T BE REQUIRED UNDER THE STATUTE.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE VALID IF WE ENFORCE THAT RULE, BUT I HAVE NEVER SEEN IT CHALLENGED.

OKAY.

AND I THINK THE ACCIDENT SAID THOUGH, IT IS PART OF OUR MOTION , SO I NEED TO REVIEW THESE.

I WOULD, I NEED TO REVIEW THESE, TRY TO ABIDE BY BY THEM IF THERE'S ANY OTHER CHANGES.

I DON'T, I CAN'T TELL EVERYTHING THAT'S IN HERE RIGHT NOW.

IF THERE'S ANY CHANGES EVEN BEYOND WHAT WE'RE SPEAKING TODAY, CONTACT ME COUNCIL, CONTACT TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS OR THE CITY MANAGER KNOW THAT, THAT YOU NOT TO PORTION SOME OTHER.

WELL, I DO AGREE, LIKE I SAID IN IN MY PREVIOUS COMMENTS, I THINK YOU'VE DONE A, A BETTER JOB AT HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE BY STICKING TO WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA.

AND LIKE CHRIS SAID, I THINK WE NEED TO BE STRICTER WITH IT.

WE, WE, WE, WE, WE NEED TO.

AND SO, AND SO IT'S A, IT IS A FINE BALANCE BECAUSE I, I DO ALLOW A LOT OF ABILITY TO, TO STAY WITHIN A TOPIC BECAUSE I, I, IN MY OPINION, IF I GO AND I SAY IF I MEANT BY THE LETTER, THE TRUE LETTER AND I USED TO, YOU KNOW, WIFE, KAREN OR WHOEVER ELSE AND THEY START WIGGLING, THEN I KNOW WE'RE PROBABLY TOO FAR TOPIC .

AND THE REASON WHY I DO BELIEVE IN, IN THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, REGARDLESS IF I AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE COMMENTS THAT ARE COMING OUTTA SOMEONE'S MOUTH, THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO VOICE WHATEVER IT IS, YOU MAY, WE MAY VALUE THAT, WE MAY NOT VALUE THAT, BUT THEY HAVE THEIR THREE MINUTES WHAT YOU DO WITH IT AND HOW YOU, HOW YOU, UM, WANNA RESPOND IF ANYTHING IS UP TO YOU.

I FEEL THEY HAVE THOSE THREE MINUTES.

NOW WE DO HAVE TO STAY WITHIN LEGAL LEGAL BOUNDS OF A, OF AGENDA ITEM, BUT I WILL BE SOMEWHAT BROAD IN THIS.

BUT WHEN YOU STRAY WAY OFF THE RESERVATION, THEN YES I WILL, I'LL PROBABLY DO A BETTER JOB OF REREAD THEM IN AND, OR WE'LL CUT THEIR MIC OFF AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED THAT WE HAVE A SERGEANT BARNES SOMETIMES, NOT ALL THE TIME , WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THEM HERE.

JUST THE CITY MANAGER, JUST SO YOU KNOW.

I THINK JUST, UH, I'D LIKE TO ALWAYS HAVE A, CAN YOU SUMMARIZE THOUGH WHERE WE AT? SO WE'RE SAYING I'M AT, I'VE HEARD SO FAR IT, IT IS A MIXED BAG, BUT, UH, I WILL, I WILL TELL YOU MY, MY OPINION FROM WHAT WAS EXPRESSED.

UH, BUT I DO APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S INPUT.

UM, YOU KNOW THE ZOOM, I DO THINK THERE'S VALUE IN IT, BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT OBVIOUSLY COULD BE ABUSED IN SOME CASES.

SO, UM, WHAT I HEARD THE CITY, THE CITY ATTORNEY SAY THAT WHATEVER YOU DO FOR, LET'S SAY SOMEONE WHO CALLS IN IT HAS TO BE APPLICABLE TO SOMEONE WHO COMES HERE.

UM, I THINK NINE MINUTES IS FOR MOST ITEMS, UM, NINE MINUTES IS USUALLY PLENTY OF TIME TO CONVEY A MESSAGE TO US.

IF NOT, IT'S JUST REPETITIVE.

AND, AND IF THERE IS REPETITIVE, THAT'S FINE.

THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT CAN SIGN UP AS YOU WANT, BUT YOU CAN ONLY YIELD, YOU KNOW, YOU ONLY CAN EITHER YIELD TO A MAX OF NINE MINUTES TOTAL.

SO THAT WOULD BE THAT PERSON'S THREE MINUTES PLUS TWO ADDITIONAL PEOPLE THAT I THINK THAT'S FAIR.

THAT'S NOT HINDERING.

UH, BUT UH, THAT'S JUST KIND OF JUST GIVING SOMEBODY AN, THEY GET AN OPPORTUNITY.

THE CONTRIBUTED TIME LIMIT AS WELL.

SO, SO IT'D BE NINE BOTH IN PERSON OR NOT.

UM, MOST PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.

SOMEONE VOTE IS JUST DIRECTION, IT'S CUMULATIVE.

SO IF THEY SPEAK ON FIVE DIFFERENT ITEMS, THEY GET A TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES, WHICH PUTS AN ONUS ON THE CLERK.

YEAH, WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP TRACK NOW.

NOW AGAIN, SO THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE SIGNED UP.

IT'S JUST WHAT I CALL SPECIFIC COMMUNICATION THAT'S POSTED.

AGENDA ITEM FIVE MINUTES IS, IS THE MAX AND, AND, AND OTHER PEOPLE CAN SIGN UP FOR THAT JUST LIKE ANY OTHER POSTED AGENDA ITEM.

IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW.

AND SO ALSO WHAT I'VE PRETTY MUCH, UM, GATHERED IF I HAD A FILL UP PULSE IS WE'RE NOT GONNA GO AND MOVE EVERYTHING UP, BUT WE'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND AND CONTINUE THE WAY WE'RE DOING, UH, AS ITEMS ARE ADDRESSED BY COUNSEL AND INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK AT THE TIME OF THE ITEM FROM THE COUNSEL ADDRESSES IT.

NOW, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.

WHAT

[00:40:01]

UM, DOES THAT PERSON SO HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK ON IT OR NOT? IF WE'RE GONNA TABLE IT SIGNED UP, I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE RULES OF PROCEDURES SAY, BUT IT COME UP RECENTLY HAPPENED.

I MEAN IT CAN HAPPEN FOR VARIOUS REASONS.

SO, UM, IF IT'S A TABLED ITEM, OUR, SO THERE'S, SO WE KNOW AND THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

ATTORNEY.

SO HOW DOES THAT WORK? I'M, I'M SORRY, I I WAS DISTRACTED HIM MY APOLOGIES.

AND YOU HAVE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION .

I WAS ALSO DISTRACTED BY ME.

TABLE ITEM.

SO IF THERE'S AN ITEM, LET'S SAY, LET'S JUST SAY WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA TABLE ITEM STAFF'S NOT READY, DOCUMENT'S NOT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, IT'S MADE AWARE, WE'RE MADE AWARE THAT THE ITEM SUSPENDED, WHATEVER WANNA CALL IT.

UM, BUT CITIZEN OR MOORE HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THAT.

DO THEY STILL HAVE THE ABILITY AND RIGHT TO SPEAK ON THAT BECAUSE THEY CAN WAIT UNTIL IT'S ACTUALLY, THERE'S GONNA BE A DISCUSSION, BUT THAT'S WHAT IS WHAT DIRECTION CAN WE GET THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS YES, IF IT IS A POSTED ITEM.

THAT'S RIGHT.

CITIZENS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK EVEN IF COUNSEL TAKES NO ACTION AT THAT MEETING.

OKAY.

WE ALWAYS MAKE OUR MOTIONS AFTER THE, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED.