Mar 09, 2023 CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION

[00:00:20]

SO

[ CITY OF BAYTOWN NOTICE OF MEETING CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2023 5:30 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBER, CITY HALL 2401 MARKET STREET, BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77520 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF QUORUM ]

IT'S THURSDAY, MARCH 9TH, IT'S 5:30 PM AND WE ARE IN BAYTOWN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS.

WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

OUR FIRST ITEM, UH, FOR

[a. Discuss the City of Baytown's Boards and Commissions process improvement plan and clarify the Citizen Communications component under the City Council Rules of Procedure, Section 6.2(e) "Citizen Communications." ]

UH, MS. JACKSON, MS. CUFF, AND MR. LAWAN.

YES.

SO COUNSEL AND MAYOR, UM, GABBY, MY CLERK ADMINISTRATOR, AS WELL AS, UM, SCOTT, WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU A PRESENTATION, UM, THAT WE, UM, PUT TOGETHER BECAUSE OF EITHER COMBINED QUESTIONS FROM EITHER YOU OR THE CITIZENS THAT WE RECEIVED.

WE JUST WANNA KIND OF GO OVER THAT WITH YOU TO CLARIFY A FEW THINGS AS WELL AS SEEK YOUR OPINION ON THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION COMPONENT.

UM, NOT TO MENTION HOW EXCITED WE ARE, UM, TO SHOW YOU HOW WE ARE GONNA SIMPLIFY AND STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS.

SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, GABBY, TAKE IT AWAY.

.

HELLO, COUNCIL AND MAYOR.

MY NAME'S GABBY.

UM, SO I'M GOING TO START THIS PRESENTATION WITH WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING TODAY.

SO FOR OUR TOPICS, WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING THE APPOINTMENTS AND APPLICATIONS AND ENHANCEMENTS MADE WITHIN THOSE.

WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE DISCUSSING THE LIFECYCLE OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, WITH THE CURRENT, THE CREATION AND SUNSET, AS WELL AS CITIZEN COMMUNICATION OPTIONS.

SO, I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF YOU'RE AWARE, BUT WE ACTUALLY CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 26 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, UM, WITH THE DATA WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THAT INCLUDES AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEES ADVISORY BOARDS.

ABOUT SEVEN OF THOSE ARE EITHER INACTIVE OR THEY HAVE NOT BEEN DISSOLVED.

MM-HMM.

UM, 26 DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A BIG NUMBER, BUT WHEN YOU THINK THERE'S 116 COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THOSE, THAT'S A BIG NUMBER.

AND THEN THEY ALL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.

THEY ALL APPLY, THEY ALL GO THROUGH THE SAME THING.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO STREAMLINE THIS PROCESS.

SO FOR THE APPOINTMENTS AND APPLICATIONS, I'M JUST GONNA EXPLAIN HOW YOU'LL BE RECEIVING YOUR APPLICATIONS AND WHY YOU'RE RECEIVING THEM THAT WAY.

SO, FOR THE DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS, AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT AT LARGE APPOINTMENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, IF MS. ALVARADO HAS AN APPOINTMENT ONLY, SHE WILL BE RECEIVING THOSE APPLICATIONS FOR HER DISTRICT.

UM, FOR AT LARGE APPOINTMENTS, EVERYONE WILL BE RECEIVING THOSE.

SO YOU'LL STILL SEE THE APPLICATIONS ON THE AGENDA FOR APPROVAL, BUT ONLY THE SPECIFIC BOARD WILL BE RECEIVING THEM.

UM, AND ALSO, SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THE DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS, THOSE ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO RESIDE WITHIN THAT COUNCIL DISTRICT.

AND THEN FOR THE DISTRICT AT LARGE APPOINTMENTS, THOSE ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO, UM, RESIDE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, BUT NOT SPECIFICALLY IN THAT DISTRICT.

AND THEN, UM, SO YOU ARE SOMETIMES GOING TO SEE APPOINTMENTS ON THE AGENDA THAT YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE APPLICATIONS FOR, AND THAT IS FOR THE MAYOR, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THOSE ARE THEIR SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS, NOT NECESSARILY YOUR SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS, BUT YOU'LL STILL SEE THE APPLICATIONS FOR APPROVAL ON THE AGENDA.

NOW, SOMETHING THAT IS SUPER EXCITING IS THE APPLICATION PROCESS BEING STAMPED.

SO WHEN YOU'RE RECEIVING THESE APPLICATIONS, THEY WILL NOW SAY STAMPED, UM, THEY'LL BE STAMPED THAT THEY MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS.

SO PREVIOUSLY, I KNOW WE DIDN'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHICH ONES DID, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT, WHAT THE QUALIFICATIONS WERE, BUT THEY WILL IN THE FUTURE.

UM, WE ARE ALSO KEEPING THE APPLICATIONS ON FILE FOR SIX MONTHS.

SO PREVIOUSLY WE KEPT THEM ON FILE FOR A YEAR.

SOMEONE COULD MOVE, SOMEONE COULD GET MARRIED, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE, DECIDE THEY NO LONGER WANNA DO THIS ON THEIR SPARE TIME.

SO SIX MONTHS TYPICALLY IS ABOUT A GOOD TIMEFRAME, AND WE'LL JUST LET THEM KNOW THEY CAN APPLY EVERY SIX MONTHS TO HAVE CURRENT APPLICATIONS ON FILE.

AND THEN, UM, LET'S SEE, FOR THE NOMINATIONS, YOU CAN JUST BRING THOSE NOMINATIONS UP TO YOUR MEETING.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO EMAIL US IF ANYTHING CHANGES, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, JUST DURING THE COUNCIL MEETING, LET US KNOW.

THIS IS WHO I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE FOR THESE APPOINTMENTS.

UM, LET'S SEE.

DURING YOUR SELECTION PROCESS, IF YOU COULD JUST, WHEN YOU'RE CALLING THESE APPLICANTS, JUST LET THEM KNOW, HEY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CURRENTLY INTERVIEWING.

THIS IS THE DATE SET AND WHAT THEY'RE INTERVIEWING FOR AND THE POSITION.

UM, AND THEN ON OUR END, WHENEVER WE RECEIVE WORD OR NOTIFICATION OF WHO YOU'VE APPOINTED, WE'RE GOING TO THE NEXT DAY, CALL THEM, CONGRATULATE THEM, UM, LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE GONNA START THE ONBOARDING PROCESS, SCHEDULE THAT, AND THEN FOR ANYONE WHO WASN'T APPROVED, WHICH, WHICH THIS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, WE'RE GONNA SEND THEM A THANK YOU AND JUST LET THEM KNOW THAT THEIR APPLICATION WILL BE ON FILE FOR SIX MONTHS.

NOW, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU, THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO CITIZENS, IMPORTANT TO US.

SO IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS, WE NEED

[00:05:01]

SO FOR APPLICATIONS THAT ARE, I MEAN, I'M SORRY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE MISSING MORE THAN ONE MEETING HERE OR THERE.

UM, AND WE ARE UNABLE TO HAVE A QUORUM.

OUR OFFICE WILL REACH OUT.

WE'LL JUST ASK FOR, UM, JUST, YOU KNOW, ANY REASON AS TO WHY THEY'RE MISSING THEM.

BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A RESPONSE OR WE'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO GET IN CONTACT, WE'RE GONNA REACH OUT TO YOU AS THE COMMITTEE MEMBER THAT APPOINTED THEM TO CONTACT THEM.

AND THEN LET US, LET US KNOW WHAT YOU WANNA DO.

AND THEN, SO THIS IS, THIS IS DIFFERENT.

SO FOR THE UPDATES THAT WE ARE DOING ON THE APPLICATIONS CURRENTLY, YOU GO IN, YOU APPLY, LET'S SAY FOR THE LIBRARY BOARD.

YOU DON'T KNOW THE QUALIFICATION UNLESS YOU GO INTO THE OVERVIEW AND READ IT.

WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS IS THE APPLICATION ITSELF.

WHEN YOU CLICK THE LIBRARY BOARD, FOR EXAMPLE, A DROPDOWN MENU WILL POP UP AND SAY, ARE YOU A REGISTERED VOTER? YES, NO.

IF THEY ARE, GREAT, THEY MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS.

IF THEY AREN'T, WE'RE STILL RECEIVING THOSE APPLICATIONS.

BUT THAT, THAT WAY IT MAKES IT EASIER.

YES OR NO.

UM, ETHNICITIES, DIFFERENT THINGS, DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS ON BOARDS.

UM, IN A SECOND I'M GOING TO GO OVER THE NEW OVERVIEW AND WE ARE WORKING ON, WE WILL SEND IT OVER TO YOU ONCE WE GET IT.

UM, A DIGITAL EXPERIENCE.

SO NOT JUST AN EXPERIENCE LIKE ANY OTHERS WHERE YOU JUST SEE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ONLINE.

WHAT THEY ARE, WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA TRY HAVING VIDEOS, EXPLAINING THE BOARDS, WELCOMING THEM, UM, FLIP BOOKS THAT EXPLAIN THE BOARDS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND ONE BIG COMPONENT IS GOING TO BE THE ONBOARDING WELCOME PACKET.

SO THAT IS GOING TO HAVE THE BOARD OVERVIEW, THE ATTENDANCE, A QUORUM.

WHAT IS A QUORUM, YOU KNOW, FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW, WHAT IS IT, WHAT MAKES IT, WHY IT'S IMPORTANT.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THAT WE GET ON THESE BOARDS, UM, AND THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THOSE LIAISONS DIRECTLY.

SO THAT WAY THEY HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED.

AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION THAT WE GET IS ACTUALLY FROM THEM, NOT JUST THINGS THAT WE DECIDED THAT SOUNDED WELL.

SO HERE YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE PREVIOUS OVERVIEW VERSUS A NEW VERSION.

THEY HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION.

ONE IS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, HARDER TO READ FOR JUST EVERYDAY CITIZENS.

UM, IT DOESN'T REALLY, IT'S NOT REALLY BROKEN DOWN AS WELL.

SO NOW THE NOTE, THE NEW OVERVIEW WILL HAVE THE PURPOSE.

SO WHAT THIS BOARD, THE PURPOSE IS BEHIND IT, SEE IF THEY'RE REALLY INTERESTED, UM, WHAT IT'S COMPOSED OF, HOW MANY RESIDENTS, ANY QUALIFICATIONS, SO THEY KNOW UPFRONT THIS ISN'T, YOU KNOW, HEY, DO I QUALIFY FOR THIS? YES, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS.

GREAT, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU.

UM, WHO'S APPOINTING YOU? YOUR TERMS OF OFFICE, IF THERE ARE TERM LIMITS, WHAT THOSE CONSIST OF SPECIFIC DUTIES TO THIS BOARD.

ALSO, UM, IF THERE'S ANY COMPENSATION, WHEN THE MEETINGS ARE.

SO WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE COMING AND BEING APPOINTED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WHO ARE INTERESTED, WHO CAN'T EVEN MAKE THE MEETING TIME.

SO THAT WAY THEY KNOW UP FRONT, UM, AS WELL AS THE RESOURCES AND THEIR CONTACT LIAISON.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS.

WE HOPE YOU'RE EXCITED FOR THIS.

OUR CITIZENS, I THINK, ARE GONNA BE EXCITED FOR THIS.

IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION, YOU KNOW, A CHANGE, BUT I THINK IT'S GONNA BE GREAT FOR EVERYONE.

AND THEN FROM THERE, UM, SCOTT IS GONNA GO OVER THE BOARD LIFECYCLE.

WHERE'S SCOTT? OH, THERE IS.

THANK YOU GABBY.

COUNSEL, I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, SOME OF OUR AD HOC BODIES.

UM, WE HAVE VARIOUS TYPES OF BODIES.

SOME ARE STATUTORY THAT WERE REQUIRED TO HAVE.

WE HAVE OTHER BODIES THAT ARE LISTED IN OUR CHARTER.

WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.

AND WE HAVE SOME THAT YOU ALL CREATE SORT OF ON AN AD HOC BASIS OR FOR A DISCREET PERIOD OF TIME OR FOR A DISCREET EVENT.

FOR THOSE TYPES OF BODIES IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO YOU THAT WE ENGAGE IN A MORE FORMAL PROCESS AND, UH, DESCRIBE THOSE BOARDS AT A COUNCIL MEETING AND HAVE A FOLLOW UP RESOLUTION DRAFTED BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UH, JUST SO THAT WE HAVE BETTER RECORDS OF WHAT WE HAVE AND HOW LONG WE INTEND FOR THEM TO EXIST.

UM, THERE WE GO.

AND WHEN WE ARE CREATING THESE BODIES, UH, WE'RE GONNA REQUEST OF YOU THAT, UH, WE HAVE A SPECIFIC MISSION DEFINED FOR THOSE BODIES, BOTH SO THAT, UH, STAFF KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE TO DO, AND SO THAT THE CITIZENS WHO ARE APPOINTED TO THE BODIES HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THEIR PURPOSE IS AND WHY THEY EXIST.

[00:10:01]

UH, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL, UH, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT, UH, SEEM TO HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR PURPOSE OR THEY HAVEN'T MET IN SEVERAL YEARS.

WE'D LIKE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF CLEANUP WITH THEM AND HAVE SOME SORT OF FORMAL TERMINATION PROCEDURE.

THAT MISSION WILL HELP US DETERMINE WHEN THAT BODY, UH, IS NO LONGER NECESSARY.

AND WE MIGHT HAVE SOME INSTRUCTIONS ON THERE, EITHER A DATE CERTAIN OR A DISCREET EVENT.

FOR INSTANCE, PREPARE A REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL BY SUCH AND SUCH A DATE.

AND THEN THAT BODY IS NO LONGER, UH, NECESSARY.

AND, AND IT'S FORMALLY DISSOLVED.

WE DO HAVE, AND, UH, I'M AWARE OF SOME CONFUSION ABOUT HOW THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT APPLIES TO THESE BODIES.

AT A HIGH LEVEL.

CITY COUNCIL, UH, ARE STATUTORILY CREATED BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND AUTHORITIES HAVE TO FOLLOW THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

SMALLER GROUPS SUCH AS COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITTEES TYPICALLY DO NOT, OR I SHOULD SAY MORE PROPERLY, ARE NOT REQUIRED TO UNDER THE LAW.

HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A RULE IN OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE THAT STATES THAT COMMITTEES AND SUBCOMMITTEES OF COUNCIL WILL FOLLOW THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

OTHER BODIES THAT YOU ALL ESTABLISH, UH, THAT ARE ESTABLISHED BY CHARTER, BY ORDINANCE IN OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES, UH, BECAUSE THEY ARE ADVISORY TO YOU, ARE NOT TECHNICALLY REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S BEEN A PR A PRACTICE HERE AT THE CITY THAT WE WANT THEM TO FOLLOW THAT ACT.

IN ADDITION TO OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, LYSOL, WE WANTED TO MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU ABOUT, UH, HOW TO HANDLE THESE MEETINGS, IN PARTICULAR FOR CITY COUNCIL.

BUT IT WOULD ALSO APPLY TO, UH, THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS AND AUTHORITIES THAT ARE FOLLOWING THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT.

I HAVE, UH, DRAFTED THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF, UH, CHANGES TO OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR YOU ALL TO CONSIDER.

OPTION ONE IS THE OPTION THAT INCLUDES, WELL, I'M, I SHOULD SAY CLARIFIES THAT CITIZENS MAY ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL ON ANY ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA.

THIS VERSION KEEPS THE CITIZENS' COMMUNICATIONS AGENDA ITEM ON THE AGENDA AS AN OFFICIAL PART OF THE AGENDA.

AND IT ALSO KEEPS THE NON AGENDA PARAGRAPH, WHICH WAS 6.3 K.

AND I THINK, UH, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION ABOUT WHEN A PERSON IS SPEAKING, UH, ON AN AGENDA ITEM, WHICH MEANS YOU CAN INTERACT WITH THEM, YOU CAN DELIBERATE ON THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

AND WHEN THEY'RE NOT SPEAKING ON AN AGENDA ITEM.

I THINK THIS FIRST OPTION, IT'S NOT MY FAVORITE BECAUSE I THINK IT KEEPS THAT CONFUSION IN THERE BY HAVING CITIZEN ADDRESS PART AND A CITIZEN COMMUNICATION PART, AND A NON-AG AGENDA ITEM PART.

SO YOU'VE GOT TWO DIFFERENT RULES.

YOU MAYBE EVEN THREE DIFFERENT RULES THAT YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER.

SO I'D LIKE TO, UH, REALLY PROPOSE THAT YOU CONSIDER ONE OF THE OTHER TWO OPTIONS TO GIVE A MORE BRIGHT LINE APPROACH TO INTERACTING WITH CITIZENS.

OPTION TWO CLARIFIES THAT CITIZENS MAY ADDRESS COUNSEL ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA, BUT THIS OPTION REMOVES THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, UH, AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS IN PARAGRAPH 6.3 E AND ALSO REMOVES THE NON-AG AGENDA ITEM, PARAGRAPH 6.3 K.

UM, IN ESSENCE, IT SIMPLY DOESN'T ADDRESS THE FACT THAT CITIZENS CAN COME IN HERE AND SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT ANY ITEM.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, BUT I THINK THE WAY THE CURRENT RULE IS READ, THAT KIND OF GETS LOST IN THE MIX.

THIS ITEM SIMPLY DOESN'T ADDRESS IT.

WE STILL HAVE TO ACCEPT THOSE COMMUNICATIONS BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF STATE LAW.

[00:15:01]

THE THIRD OPTION IS MY FAVORITE OPTION.

IT'S THE ONE THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU ADOPT.

AND IN THIS OPTION, WE, IT ALSO CLARIFIES THAT CITIZENS MAY ADDRESS COUNSEL ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA AS WELL, ON AS ANY ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

THAT IS THE NEW PARAGRAPH 6.3 J.

AND IT PROVIDES TWO RULES FOR INTERACTING WITH CITIZENS.

WHEN A CITIZEN IS SPEAKING ON UNDER PARAGRAPH 6.2 FOR AN ITEM THAT IS ON THE AGENDA, THEN YOU MAY FULLY ENGAGE WITH THAT CITIZEN.

THIS IS THE, UH, THREE MINUTE OPTION, UH, AND YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXTEND THAT.

UH, PEOPLE CAN, UH, GIVE THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER SPEAKER UP TO A TOTAL OF NINE MINUTES.

UH, THIS IS THE RULE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FOLLOWING, BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES FOR A BRIGHT LINE RULE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT, UH, SPEAKING ON NON AGENDA ITEMS. MAYBE THEY HAD A PERMIT THAT DIDN'T COME THROUGH.

MAYBE THEY HAD A COMMUNICATION WITH THE STAFF MEMBER AND THEY DIDN'T GET A COMPLETE ANSWER AND THEY JUST WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT.

THOSE ITEMS WOULD NOT APPEAR ON THE AGENDA, BUT THEY COULD COME AND THEY COULD ADDRESS YOU.

AND BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ON THE AGENDA, YOU WOULD NOT INTERACT WITH THEM.

YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO, UH, DELIBERATE THE ISSUES THAT THEY BRING BEFORE YOU, BUT YOU COULD SIMPLY DIRECT STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

OR IF IT IS SOMETHING OF A SERIOUS NATURE, YOU CAN ALWAYS PUT THAT ON A FOLLOWING AGENDA.

AND THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO, UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW LANGUAGE OR WHY I WOULD RECOMMEND ONE VERSION OF THE OTHER, I'M HAPPY TO, UH, SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THAT.

OKAY.

FIRST OFF, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL REGARDING THE PRESENTATION? IF YOU CAN, UH, MR. UH, CITY ATTORNEY, CAN YOU GO YES.

SHOW THE OPTION TWO AND THREE FOR FOLKS CAN SEE? SURE.

OPTION TWO ALLOWS CITIZENS TO ADDRESS COUNCIL ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA, BUT IT REMOVES CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS AS AN OFFICIAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS CURRENTLY THE WAY OUR RULES ARE STRUCTURED.

OPTION THREE ALSO CLARIFIES THAT CITIZENS MAY ADDRESS COUNSEL ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA, BUT IT PROVIDES A SEPARATE RULE FOR CITIZENS WHO WANT TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RULES, AND IT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO COME IN AND INTERACT WITH YOU ALL, EVEN FOR ITEMS THAT AREN'T ON AN AGENDA.

BUT THEY CAN ALSO GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY STAFF ONCE THEY'RE DONE ADDRESSING.

YOU.

MAY YOUR QUESTION.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, SO USUALLY WHEN THEY SIGN UP, UM, THEY'RE ASKED TO PUT WHAT AGENDA ITEM, ET CETERA.

SO IS THERE AN OPTION FOR JUST OPEN COMMUNICATION? UH, YOU'LL CREATE A SHEET FOR THAT.

YOU'LL CREATE A SHEET FOR THAT.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO, UH, LET YOU KNOW THAT THE CURRENT PRACTICE BY THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE OF ASKING FOLKS TO, UH, GO THROUGH ANY PARTICULAR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OR GO TO DEPARTMENT HEADS OR CITY ADMINISTRATION WILL STILL BE IN PLACE FOR ALL OF THESE OPTIONS.

THAT WILL STILL BE A WAY THAT WE CAN ADDRESS CITIZENS IN A DIRECT WAY AND TRY TO GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BEFORE THEY HAVE TO COME TO COUNCIL.

OKAY.

ANY DIFFERENT QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

DO YOU WANNA MAKE COMMENTS? YES, COMMENTS.

UM, I DID HAVE, UM, SOME OPINIONS.

SO ON THE DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS, I THINK GABBY SAID THAT THEY MUST BE FROM THAT DISTRICT, WHEREAS I BELIEVE THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN, IT'S YOUR APPOINTMENT, BUT YOU CAN APPOINT ANYBODY REGARDLESS OF IN THEIR DISTRICT.

SO CAN I GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON, ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO BE DISTRICT SPECIFIC RESIDENTS? SO THE, I I HATE TO GIVE YOU A LAWYER ANSWER, BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M GONNA DO THIS TIME.

YEAH, IT'S GONNA DEPEND ON THE PARTICULAR BODY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THEY ALL HAVE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT RULES.

SOME OF THE STATUTES SAY SUCH AND SUCH BOARD HAS TO BE CREATED IN THIS MANNER.

SOME OF THEM ARE CREATED BY

[00:20:01]

SO IT DEPENDS ON THE SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT WAS USED FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UH, BOARD OR COMMISSION.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A GENERAL ANSWER.

BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SPECIFIC BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WE DID GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

OKAY.

AND I DO HAVE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION HERE TONIGHT.

SO Y'ALL WILL LET US KNOW IF A BOARD REQUIRES A SPECIFIC, IT HAS TO BE DISTRICT FOUR VERSUS I CAN APPOINT ANYONE FOR MY DISTRICT FOUR APPOINTMENT.

YES.

Y'ALL WILL JUST LET US KNOW.

YES.

YES.

AND YOU WOULD SEE EITHER DISTRICT SPECIFIC OR EITHER USC DISTRICT AT LARGE, LARGE, AND AT LARGE.

IS ANYBODY WITHIN THE CITY.

NOW I UNDERSTOOD THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE TWO, BUT GABBY SAID DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENTS HAVE TO BE RESIDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT.

THAT IS CORRECT.

I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT DOING THAT.

AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR THAT THAT WOULD BE A CHANGE FOR US.

'CAUSE I THINK I HAVE A DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENT, NICK RICE, AND HE LIVES IN DISTRICT FIVE.

THAT BOARD MAY NOT BE, UM, DISTRICT SPECIFIC.

SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE WERE SAYING, SO WE ARE GONNA GIVE YOU ALL OF THAT INFORMATION ON WHICH BOARDS ARE AND WHICH BOARDS ARE NOT.

SO YOU WOULD CLEARLY SEE THAT.

OKAY, MAYOR, AND IT MAY BE, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

I'M, I'M GONNA ADD IN ON THAT 'CAUSE I'M, I'M IN THE SAME QUANDARY.

I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF, WELL, I HAVE ONE SPECIFIC BOARD, AND IN THE WRITEUP IT SAYS IT IS A DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENT.

THAT IS CORRECT.

YOUR INTERPRETATION IS THAT THEN THAT MEANS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I APPOINT MUST LIVE IN MY DISTRICT.

WHERE DOES THAT DEFINITION COME FROM? IT'S A DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENT.

IN OTHER WORDS, I GET TO PLACE SOMEONE ON THAT BOARD.

I WOULD LOVE TO DO IT FROM AN INDIVIDUAL WHO LIVES IN MY DISTRICT, BUT I'M IN A POSITION THAT I CAN'T FIND SOMEONE.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO APPOINT ANYONE.

THEY'RE STILL MY DISTRICT APPOINTEE.

SO THERE, THERE'S THE CRUX.

IF IT'S A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT THAT THAT INDIVIDUAL LIVE WITHIN THE DISTRICT, I GOT THAT.

IF IT'S THAT ONE, IT'S A DEFINITION ISSUE THAT'S BEING INTERPRETED.

THAT IT MUST BE, THAT'S A CO TOTALLY DIFFERENT ISSUE.

'CAUSE WE CAN ADJUST THAT.

YEAH, IT THAT'S TRUE.

YOU CAN, YOU CAN ADJUST THAT.

AND THERE ARE, UH, SOME BODIES THAT YOU ALL HAVE CREATED THAT ARE WHEN, AND I GUESS WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE DEFINITION OF DISTRICT SPECIFIC.

UM, I THINK IN THE CONTEXT THAT GABBY AND ANGIE ARE ADDRESSING YOU, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STRICT DEFINITION OF A, A PERSON WHO NEEDS TO RESIDE IN THE DISTRICT AS OPPOSED TO EACH OF YOU AS A COUNCIL MEMBER APPOINTING SOMEONE TO REPRESENT YOUR DISTRICT, EVEN IF THEY ARE AN AT LARGE APPOINTEE.

SO THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF APPOINTMENTS.

YOU AS, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, BY PRACTICE HAVE ESTABLISHED DISTRICT, UH, APPOINTMENTS.

BUT THEY, THOSE APPOINTMENTS ARE NOT ALWAYS LIMITED TO RESIDENTS IN YOUR DISTRICT.

THEY CAN STILL BE AT LARGE.

IN SOME CASES, THEY ARE BOTH YOUR DISTRICT APPOINTEE AND LIMITED TO THE RESIDENT OF YOUR DISTRICT.

AND, AND WHO CREATES THAT LIMIT? IT DEPENDS ON HOW THE BO BODY WAS CREATED.

IN SOME CASES, A STATUTORY, IN MOST OF THE CASES, IT'S YOU ALL.

OKAY.

SO WE COULD READDRESS THAT.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT'S THE QUESTION.

YES.

FIRST I'VE SEEN MS. GRAHAM'S HAND FIRST.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THE INCREASE IN CLARITY BECAUSE IT'S VERY OBVIOUS EVEN AFTER THE WONDERFUL PRESENTATION BY GABBY, THERE'S STILL SOME CONFUSION BECAUSE WHAT I HEARD IS THAT THERE ARE SOME BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT HAVE TO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT AND SOME THAT THE DISTRICT COUNCIL PERSON CAN APPOINT AT LARGE.

SO TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

CORRECT.

OKAY.

SO JUST MAKING SURE I'M, I'M HEARING THAT CORRECTLY.

AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO DIG IN AND REVAMP THIS PROCESS.

AND I, I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF BOTH OF THE PRESENTATIONS.

UM, AND I'M EXCITED AND THANKFUL BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO INVEST MORE INTO THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT.

UM, BUT DEFINITELY MORE CLARITY, UM, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, COMING IN NEW, AS I'VE SAID SEVERAL TIMES THE PAST THREE MONTHS, UM, WHEN WE WERE FIRST RECEIVING THOSE EMAILS, I, I MEAN, I WAS HYPER CONFUSED.

AND SO WE HAVE SEASONED, UM, COUNCIL PERSONS UP HERE AND, AND THEY'RE STILL HAVING QUESTIONS.

SO I JUST REALLY, UM, APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT Y'ALL ARE DIGGING INTO THIS AND HOPEFULLY WE GET THAT THE MORE CLARITY, UM, FOR, FOR EACH BOARD AND COMMISSION.

SO THANK YOU.

WELL, I'M GONNA SAY THAT'S GABBY AND ANGIE AND THEIR STAFF, THEY'VE BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB.

OKAY.

YES.

S UM, SO

[00:25:01]

I HAVE NEVER KNOWN THAT WE APPOINT OUTSIDE.

NOW THERE ARE SOME BOARDS AND COMMISSION THAT HAVE DISTRICT SPECIFIC AND AT LARGE ON THE SAME BOARD.

MM-HMM .

SO AT THAT POINT, ANY ONE OF US CAN HAVE EVEN TWO APPOINTEES, OUR RESIDENT WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND THEN AT LARGE.

SO I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF PICKING AND CHOOSING WHO YOU WANT, EVEN IF IT'S A DISTRICT SPECIFIC APPOINTMENT.

NOW, AT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, I KNOW WE HAD CDBG THAT HAS ETHNICITY REQUIREMENTS, AND COUNCIL MEMBER LESTER COULDN'T FIND SOMEONE TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.

SO WE AS A BOARD AT THAT TIME, DECIDED, OKAY, YOU CAN GO AT LARGE BECAUSE IT WAS, UH, A FEDERAL, UM, ETHNICITY REQUIREMENT.

BUT, UH, AGAIN, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, MAYOR, I HAVE NEVER KNOWN THAT WE CAN CHOOSE, UH, PICK AND CHOOSE WHOEVER WE WANT ACCORDING, YOU KNOW, IF IF IT'S DISTRICT SPECIFIC AT LARGE, YES, BUT NEVER DISTRICT SPECIFIC.

UM, THERE MAY BE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AS WE HAD WITH, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER LESTER.

UM, BUT THAT'S ALL I KNOW.

UM, BUT, UM, I, I ECHO THE SAME WORDS.

THANK YOU FOR REVAMPING THIS.

I WOULD LIKE TO ADD, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE, I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED IF WE'RE APPOINTING SOMEONE, CALL THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING APPOINTED.

BUT I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT IF YOU'RE SWITCHING SOMEONE OUT, WHICH IS YOUR PURVIEW, YOU CAN DO THAT AT ANY TIME.

NEW PEOPLE WHO COME IN MAY WANNA HAVE SOMEONE, UH, NEW, UM, THAT THEY WANNA APPOINT, THAT'S FINE.

BUT ALSO HAVE THE COURTESY TO LET SOMEONE KNOW THAT THEY'RE BEING REMOVED, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT HAVE SERVED SO LONG AND HAVE TAKEN SO MUCH TIME, UM, OUT OF THEIR PERSONAL SCHEDULES TO SERVE.

THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER ADDITION THAT I WOULD LIKE.

UM, I I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT, BUT IT'S AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, HEY, COURTESY, LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE BUMP, THEY'RE BEING BUMPED OFF AND, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THANK THEM FOR THE TIME, ET CETERA, WHATEVER.

AND, UM, I KNOW I ALWAYS APPRECIATE, UM, STAFF WHO HAS SENT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SENT NOTES TO THOSE THAT, THAT, UM, COME OFF AND WE GET TO SIGN THEM AND EVERYTHING, THANKING THEM FOR THEIR TIME.

AND SO I JUST WANNA CONTINUE THAT PRACTICE.

BUT, UM, IT, IT, THIS IS NEW TO ME TO LEARN THAT WE'RE APPOINTING DIFFERENT PEOPLE, UM, IN DISTRICT SPECIFIC BOARDS, BUT AGAIN, PERHAPS THERE WERE EXING EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES.

SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.

OKAY.

YES.

YES, SIR.

UM, JUST WANNA SAY THANK Y'ALL FOR PUTTING THAT PRESENTATION TOGETHER.

I DO THINK, UM, IT'S TIME FOR SOME, SOME UPDATES IN THIS PROCESS.

UM, I'M HAPPY TO SEE THE NEW OVERVIEWS.

I THINK THAT'LL DEFINITELY CLARIFY MEETING TIMES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT A BRAND NEW PERSON TO REALIZE THEY CAN'T COME TO ANY OF THE MEETINGS.

UM, SOMETHING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS I'D LIKE TO RECEIVE ALL, UM, APPLICANTS FROM DISTRICT FIVE, UH, EVEN IF THERE'S NOT AN OPENING IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, JUST SO I CAN THANK THEM FOR THEIR INTEREST IN SERVING THE CITY AND LET 'EM KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL BE CONSIDERED WHEN AN OPENING COMES UP.

UM, AND THEN A QUESTION ON THE, THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION PART, UM, ON THAT OPTION THREE, WHERE YOU KIND OF HAVE THE AGENDA ITEM AND THEN ANY OPEN ITEM, WOULD THOSE BE, UM, LIKE IF SOMEONE WANTED TO SPEAK ON AN AGENDA ITEM AND HAD SOME GENERAL COMMENTS, WOULD THEY HAVE LIKE A COMBINED TIME? WOULD WE COMBINE BASICALLY ALL OF THE COMMUNICATION AT ONE SPOT IN THE AGENDA? I, I DON'T THINK SO.

WHAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED IN THE PAST WAS THAT YOU ALL HAD A PREFERENCE FOR AGENDA SPEAKERS TO SPEAK AT THE TIME.

YOU ALL ARE DELIBERATING THOSE ITEMS. SO I THINK A INDIVIDUAL WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON AN AGENDA ITEM AND A NON AGENDA ITEM WOULD HAVE HIS OR HER THREE MINUTES DURING THAT ITEM'S DISCUSSION AND THEN WAIT UNTIL THE NON-AG AGENDA SPEAKERS ARE CALLED UP.

UM, TYPICALLY, UM, MOST GOVERNMENT BODIES IN TEXAS DO THAT AT THE END.

WHILE MAYBE I SHOULDN'T SAY MOST, I SHOULD SAY MANY, MANY GOVERNMENT BODIES HAVE THE NON-AG AGENDA SPEAKERS COME UP AT THE END OF THE MEETING, UH, SO THAT YOU GET THROUGH ALL OF THE BUSINESS PORTION FIRST.

BUT THAT'S TOTALLY UP TO YOU.

BUT I WOULD SAY IN THAT INSTANCE, THE PERSON WOULD SPEAK TWICE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

BUT THERE IS THE ABILITY TO MOVE ALL THE COMMUNICATION INTO ONE SPOT.

IT'S ALL DEPENDING ON WHAT COUNSEL WANTS TO DO ON, ON THE COMMUNICATION.

YES, MA'AM.

I THINK YOU ASKED FOR GUIDANCE ON TWO ISSUES.

ONE BEING THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.

[00:30:01]

UM, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT REQUIRED BY LAW, MY OPINION IS TO, UH, PRACTICE IT ANYWAYS.

UM, I ALWAYS FELT UNCOMFORTABLE THAT SOME COMMITTEES HAD TO DO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT REQUIREMENTS AND OTHERS DIDN'T.

I PREFER CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE BOARD.

THANK YOU.

AND THEN MY LAST COMMENT IS, UM, ON THE BOARD LIFECYCLE, UM, IF Y'ALL ARE GOING TO RECOMMEND RETIRING SOME BOARDS, I'D LIKE A ANOTHER SESSION OR DISCUSSION WHERE WE CAN DISCUSS THOSE BOARDS.

I WANNA UNDERSTAND THEIR ORIGINAL INTENT, THEIR HISTORY, WHY THEY HAVEN'T MET, AND THEN GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA BE RETIRED BEFORE YOU PUT IT ON AGENDA FOR VOTING.

THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

YEP.

YES.

ANYONE ELSE? WILL THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

I THINK HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE THE DIRECTION NEEDED.

I, I BELIEVE I USED THE TERM WHEN IT'S WHAT I CONSIDER A DISTRICT, AND WHEN I SAY DISTRICT SPECIFIC, I'M USING, I'M SAYING A DIRECT APPOINTMENT, MEANING IT'S MR. LESTER'S AS AN EXAMPLE, WOULD BE MR. LESTER'S APPOINTMENT, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE CITIZEN COMES FROM.

BUT IT'S HIS APPOINTMENT.

THAT'S WHAT I CONSIDER A DISTRICT SPECIFIC, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER.

AND YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT BY A RESIDENCY OF THE, LET'S SAY, PROPOSED APPOINTEE.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT WAS CONFUSING TO US.

SO WE'LL GET CLEAR CLARIFICATION ON THAT.

WE MAY NEED TO THINK OF SOME SORT OF NOMENCLATURE CHANGE.

WE WOULD, I CALL 'EM DIRECT APPOINTMENTS, PROTECTED APPOINTMENTS, WHATEVER YOU WANT.

MAYOR, THE, SO THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL WAS OKAY WITH OPTION THREE AS PROPOSED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY? I, YES, YES, YES.

OKAY.

AND WE WILL BRING, UH, THOSE BACK TO YOU FOR, UH, AT ANOTHER TIME FOR AN ACTUAL DISCUSSION AND VOTE.

OKAY.

YEP.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, IT IS 6 0 2, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM,

[b. Receive a presentation regarding Proposed Future Utility/Solid Waste Rates.]

MR. SIMINO.

ALL.

OKAY.

UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

UM, TONIGHT WE'RE SCHEDULED TO DISCUSS SOLID WASTE RATES AND A SANITATION FUND.

HOWEVER, UM, I'M NOT ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE PRESENTATION THAT I EXPECTED TO GIVE YOU.

UH, THAT IS BECAUSE YESTERDAY I FOUND OUT THAT, UM, I HAD SOME INCORRECT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SANITATION FUND AND THE, UH, SOLID WASTE RATES.

UM, AND I PASSED THAT INFORMATION ON TO YOU AS LATE AS, UM, LAST YEAR.

SO, UM, BEFORE I TELL YOU WHAT WAS INCORRECT, I DO WANT TO TELL YOU THAT, UH, THERE WAS NO ISSUES OR INCONSISTENCIES WITH THE AWARD OF THE BEST TRASH CONTRACT, NO ISSUES WITH THE BID, THE ALTERNATIVES OR THE OPTIONS OR WHAT WAS AWARDED.

SO, UH, COUNSEL AWARDED, UM, CONTRACT WITH BEST TRASH FOR $24 AND 10 CENTS PER HOUSEHOLD.

UM, AND THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.

SO, UH, WHAT IS INCORRECT IS THAT, UM, I TOLD YOU THAT THAT NEW BEST TRASH RATE WAS LOWER THAN THE EXISTING, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT RATE, AND THAT IS NOT TRUE.

SO THE WASTE MANAGEMENT PREVIOUS RATE WAS, UM, $22 AND 46 CENTS.

AND SO THE NEW RATE WITH BEST TRASH WENT TO $24 AND 10 CENTS.

SO THAT WAS AN INCREASE.

AND I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE PREVIOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT RATE WAS HIGHER AND WE WERE LOWERING IT BY GOING WITH BEST TRASH WASTE MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL.

ALL OF THEIR NEW PROPOSALS WERE WELL OVER $30, AND SO IT WOULD'VE BEEN A MUCH LARGER INCREASE.

UH, BUT WHAT WAS INCORRECT WAS THAT I THOUGHT, UM, THE RATE WAS DECREASING.

IT DID NOT DECREASE, IT INCREASED.

SO WE WERE SCHEDULED TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, UTILIZING SOME OF THE SAVINGS WITHIN THE SANITATION FUND.

AND UH, THAT'S REALLY NOT AN OPTION.

SO, UM, I DO HAVE KIND OF, UM, ONE CHART I WAS GONNA SHOW YOU AS TO, UH, I KNOW THERE WAS PREVIOUS CONFUSION ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND THE RATES FOR, UH, THE CONTRACT AND THEN THE RATE THAT THE CUSTOMER PAYS, AND I WANTED TO CLARIFY SOME OF THAT.

UM, SO I HAVE, UH, TWO CHARTS HERE.

THE CUSTOMER PAYS $30 PER MONTH AND, UH, WHEN WE WERE UNDER, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT PREVIOUSLY, UM, AS I SAID, THE RATE TO, UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT WAS $22 AND 46 CENTS.

UH, THE TOTAL BILL IS $30.

SO $5 AND 25 CENTS

[00:35:01]

UH, $2 AND 29 CENTS IS SALES TAX AND THAT GOES TO THE STATE.

UM, WE GET 2% BACK, BUT THAT WHEN IT COMES BACK, IT GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THE SANITATION FUND DOES NOT SEE THAT.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE, AFTER THIS IS THE, UM, UM, SCENARIO WE'RE UNDER NOW, WE ARE, WE'RE PAYING $24 AND 10 CENTS TO BEST TRASH.

UH, THE SANITATION FUND IS SEEING $3 AND 61 CENTS, AND THEN WE STILL PAY $2 29 CENTS SALES TAX.

SO, UM, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT SANITATION FUND IS NOT SEEING THE SAVINGS THAT I THOUGHT THEY WERE GONNA SEE.

AND SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CONFUSION.

UM, I'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

CAN I OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? I'LL, YES MA'AM.

UM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.

UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GO UP TO $30? YES, MA'AM.

AROUND $30.

SO, UM, I KNOW I'M KIND OF ECHOING BACK WHAT YOU JUST SAID, BUT IT'S IN, IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND.

SO EVEN THOUGH THE PRICE INCREASED, THERE WASN'T A SAVINGS FOR THE CUSTOMER, TECHNICALLY THE PRICE WOULD'VE INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY.

IT WOULD'VE UNDER WASTE MANAGEMENT.

YES MA'AM.

IT WOULD'VE.

SO IF WE WOULD'VE STAYED WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT, THE PRICE INCURRED BY THE CUSTOMER WOULD'VE BEEN MUCH GREATER, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? IT IT WOULD'VE BEEN AN INCREASE FOR CERTAIN AND, AND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE AS IT IS.

WE DID NOT CHANGE THE RATE TO THE CUSTOMER.

OKAY.

WHEN WE WENT WITH THE NEW CONTRACT.

OKAY.

WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE PIE CHART THAT I WAS GONNA, YES.

SO MY QUESTION IS, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE PIE CHART HERE AND IT SHOWS $5 AND 25 CENTS TO THE BRUSH AND GREEN CENTER BEFORE AND NOW $3 AND 61 CENTS, UM, HOW, HOW DO WE OFFSET THAT DEFICIT IF THE CUSTOMER HAS LESS OF THEIR BILL MONEY GOING TOWARDS THE GREEN CENTER MM-HMM .

HOW ARE WE FUNDING THE NEEDS OF THE GREEN CENTER? SO, SO RIGHT NOW IT, IT'S STABLE.

UM, I'D SAY THE FUND IS STABLE.

UM, WE LOOK AT IT EVERY YEAR DURING THE BUDGET CYCLE AS TO WHAT OUR EXPECTED, YOU KNOW, REVENUES AND EXPENSES AND, UM, ALL LET FINANCE TALK TO, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FY 24 YET, BUT WE WILL IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY IN THE FUND TO CARRY US OVER.

UM, I I ASSUME I'M GONNA BE ABLE TO SEE EXACT NUMBERS AT SOME POINT.

YES, MA'AM.

DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE'LL HAVE, BECAUSE TELLING YOU SOMETHING STABLE $380,000 RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S ENOUGH TO PURCHASE TWO VEHICLES IF WE NEED TO.

SO, OKAY.

THAT WAS ALL I HAD.

THANK YOU.

YES, MA'AM.

MAYOR.

YES, MA'AM.

UM, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT AND UM, I APPRECIATE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THE MISTAKE AND, AND BRINGING IT FORWARD TO US.

AND, UH, AGAIN, I JUST ECHO, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, GRAHAM, THAT ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T THE SAVINGS, UM, UH, I, I DO APPRECIATE THAT THE PROCESS WAS STILL FOLLOWED, UM, TO SELECT, UM, THE BEST, UM, CONTRACT, UM, AND ULTIMATELY STILL, UM, PROVIDING A LOWER PRICE TO THE CUSTOMERS, UM, IN REGARDS TO, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT.

UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO, TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE LIKE TO HEAR.

RIGHT.

UM, BUT UM, DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING IT FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

MM-HMM .

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, SIR.

AND I'LL, I'LL ECHO MY COLLEAGUES UP HERE.

FRANK, GOOD JOB.

I MEAN, YOU, YOU AND I HAVE HAD SOME, SOME PRE CONVERSATIONS ON, ON, ON THE ISSUE AND, AND, UH, I HAD THE SAME MISINFORMATION THAT YOU HAD, SO WE WERE BOTH GOING OFF OF INACCURATE INFORMATION.

SO, BUT GOOD JOB TO, TO KUDOS TO YOU FOR DIGGING IT UP, FINDING IT OUT AND COMING FORWARD AND SAYING, WELL, WE MADE A MISTAKE.

IT'S STILL NOT COSTING OUR CITIZENS OR CUSTOMERS ANYMORE.

WE'RE JUST, THERE JUST WASN'T A COST SAVINGS THERE.

SO I, I, WE APPRECIATE THAT.

UH, THANK YOU.

GOOD, GOOD JOB WITH THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANKS MAYOR.

YEAH, I THINK THAT'S VERY TRUE.

AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE HAD CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS DURING, DURING THE PRESENTATIONS WHEN IT, WHEN IT WAS COMING FOR THE SELECTION AND IT WAS, IT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION.

THERE'S NO DOUBT.

IN FACT, I'LL TELL YOU, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE THAT BEST TRASH HAS BEEN PROVIDING.

I MEAN, THEY, THEY'RE ON IT.

THEY'RE ON IT.

SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

RIGHT.

OKAY.

ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, SIR.

I JUST WANNA ECHO AS WELL TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY.

UM, HAD A LITTLE HICCUPS IN THE BEGINNING, BUT, UM, OVERALL THE, YOU KNOW, THE RESPONSE TO THOSE HICCUPS WERE, WAS VERY, VERY SWIFT AND,

[00:40:01]

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN.

ALRIGHT, ANY MORE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, IF NOT OF THOSE? UH, I GUESS WE ADDRESSED ALL POSTED AGENDA ITEMS FOR THIS WORK SESSION.

SO THIS MEETING'S NOW ADJOURNED TILL SIX 30.