* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] SO, AND I'LL CALL THIS MEETING, UH, THIS WORK SESSION OF THE BAYTOWN CITY COUNCIL ORDER. IT'S THURSDAY, JULY 23RD. IT IS 5:35 PM WE ARE IN BAYTOWN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, WE DO HAVE [1a. Discuss proposed amendments to the Baytown Animal Control Ordinance.] A QUORUM. AND WE HAVE ITEM ONE A, DISCUSS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BAYTOWN ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE. MR. GRAY. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. BEFORE WE BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE, UM, THE ANIMAL CONTROL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS. MOST OF YOU KNOW THEM TO MY RIGHT OVER HERE IS MR. RICHARD PARK. EVERYONE KNOWS THE CHIEF AND OH YEAH. UH, BEHIND ME IS, UH, MR. J GARRETT, UH, ALSO HAVE STAFF HERE. UH, BEHIND ME IS, UH, JAMES GARCIA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF HEALTH. AND, UH, NEXT TO, HI, HER NEXT TO HIM IS, UH, APRIL MOORE, OUR ANIMAL SERVICES MANAGER. UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA, UH, TALK ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON, UM, I'LL GO AHEAD AND, AND JUST SAY THAT MOST OF YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THIS, BUT THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS, UH, SOMEWHAT ANTIQUATED. THE MAJORITY OF IT WAS IMPLEMENTED BACK IN THE LATE SEVENTIES AND MID EIGHTIES. AND THIS AFTERNOON, UH, WE'RE JUST GONNA BRING SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND STAFF. UM, THIS IS INTENDED REALLY TO BE AN OVERVIEW AND AN UPDATE SINCE THE LAST TIME YOU SAW THIS ORDINANCE, WHICH HARD TO BELIEVE. IT'S, UH, ABOUT 16 MONTHS AGO, UH, MARCH, 2019 IS THE LAST TIME IT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU. AND AFTER THAT, WE MET COLLECTIVELY WITH THE COMMITTEE, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DATES, UH, FOUR TIMES AFTER THAT MARCH, 2019 MEETING. AND AT THAT TIME, WE REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED, UH, SOMETIMES DEBATED, UM, SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES AND COMMENTS FROM THAT MARCH, 2019 MEETING. AND SO, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO TONIGHT OR THIS AFTERNOON, IS, UM, GO OVER FIVE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT CAME OUT OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UH, MEETINGS AS WELL AS THE STAFF. AND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE THINK WILL IMPROVE THE CLARITY AND THE OPERATIONAL FUNCTION OF THE ORDINANCE. UM, WE THINK IT'S ALSO VERY, VERY, UH, IMPORTANT TO BRING THIS BEFORE YOU, BEFORE WE BRING THE ORDINANCE BACK. OUR PLAN IS TO BRING THE ORDINANCE TO YOU IN THREE WEEKS AT THE AUGUST 13TH COUNCIL MEETING. AND SO, UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LAY OUT THE MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BEFORE THAT MEETING SO WE CAN, UH, UH, DISCUSS AND HOPEFULLY, UH, GET YOUR SUPPORT ON THOSE. AND I'LL START WITH THE FIRST MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IS, UH, THE COUNCIL, AND I MEAN, I'M SORRY. THE, THE COMMITTEE AND THE STAFF RECOMMENDED TO REMOVE THE ANIMAL POINTS CALCULATION SECTION, UM, AND REPLACE THAT WITH A NEW SECTION CALLED LACK OF PROPER CARE. UH, WE THINK THAT THAT PROVIDES MORE CLARITY AND OPTIONS RATHER THAN TRYING TO COUNT ANIMALS. UH, AND IN THAT NEW SECTION, WE PROPOSE TO HAVE EXPANDED CONDITIONS THAT WILL ADDRESS ADEQUATE FOOD, WATER, SHELTER, PROTECTION FROM THE WEATHER, UH, AS WELL AS THE SIZE OF THE SIZE OF THE, UH, SHELTERS, DE DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF ANIMAL. WE ALSO WILL HAVE AN EXPANDED SANITARY LIVING CONDITION SECTION THAT'S REALLY INTENDED TO KEEP THE ANIMAL IN, IN A CLEAN, SANITARY ENVIRONMENT, UH, TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL NUISANCES SUCH AS FLIES, ODORS, AND PEST HARBORAGE, UM, THAT WE FEEL IS, UH, THIS IS A BETTER VERSION AND A BETTER TOOL IN THAT ORDINANCE. UM, WE THINK IT DEFINITELY PROVIDES MORE CLARITY AND MORE OPTIONS TO ADDRESS, UH, NUMEROUS POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS. THE SECOND CHANGE IS REALLY MORE OF A, UM, RESPONSE BACK TO A COMMENT AT THAT MARCH, 2019 MEETING. UH, IN REGARDS TO DOGS BARKING AT CATS, UH, DURING ALL TIMES OF THE DAY, UM, WE, WE, YOU GUYS WANTED US TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND WE, WE DEFINITELY TALKED ABOUT IT OVER THE PAST FOUR MEETINGS, A LOT OF DISCUSSION, A LOT OF IDEAS, A LOT OF, UH, DEBATE. AND WHAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS WE, WE WILL INVESTIGATE THE NOISE COMPLAINTS DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS, WHICH IS TYPICALLY EIGHT TO FIVE. ANY EVENING COMPLAINTS, UH, WILL BE INVESTIGATED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE CHALLENGE WITH ADDRESSING THE BARKING OF, OF A DOG OR MAKE OR SOMETHING MAKING A NOISE IS THAT THE, IF A DOG IS BARKING OUTSIDE, IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE BARKING AT A CAT, [00:05:01] A SQUIRREL, A POSSUM, A RACCOON, ANOTHER DOG OR A PERSON, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT DOGS BARK AT. UM, AND SO THE PERSON THAT REALLY HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP THE NOISE WOULD BE THE DOG'S OWNER BY SIMPLY BRINGING THE DOG INSIDE, AND THEN THE NOISE GOES AWAY. UM, THE, THE SECOND PART OF THAT, UH, CHALLENGE IS THAT THE CATS, UM, ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE CONFINED OR RESTRAINED TO THEIR PROPERTY. THEY'RE ALLOWED TO ROAM AT LARGE OR RUN AT LARGE, UNLIKE THE DOGS. AND SO, LOTS OF DISCUSSION ON THAT, UH, AND THAT, I THINK THE BEST STRATEGY THAT WE CAME UP WITH AS A GROUP IS TO, AFTER WE GET THE ORDINANCE PASSED, UM, WE COME BACK AND PROVIDE A PLAN FOR YOU TO REVIEW THAT WILL ADDRESS THE, WE CALL 'EM COMMUNITY CATS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. UH, SOME ARE DOMESTIC, SOME ARE NOT, SOME ARE FERAL. UH, BUT THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMITTEE AND, AND STAFF TO, TO TRY TO ADDRESS A, UM, A COMPLICATED ISSUE AT HAND, REALLY. UM, AND THAT WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SEE THAT BEFORE THE, UH, NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. THE THIRD CHANGE, UH, IF YOU RECALL, THERE WAS A MICROCHIPPING SECTION. UM, THERE WAS QUITE A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT HOW WOULD WE ENFORCE IT, HOW STRICT WOULD WE ENFORCE IT? UM, WHAT ABOUT THE CITIZENS, UH, PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THEM, THE VETERINARY, UH, COMMUNITY AS WELL. UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. UH, SO WE DECIDED, UH, TO LESSEN THE BURDEN TO THE CITIZENS AND REMOVE THE OVERALL BLANKET REQUIREMENT FOR ALL ANIMALS TO BE MICROCHIPPED, BUT INSTEAD REQUIRE THE ANIMALS THAT WE ADOPT FROM OUR SHELTER. WE WILL MICROCHIP ALL THE ONES THAT WE ADOPT OUT. UH, BUT WE ALSO INCLUDED, IF, IF WE CAPTURE A DOG, UH, RUNNING LOOSE OR RUNNING AT LARGE, UH, FOR THE SECOND TIME, THEY'LL BE REQUIRED TO MICROCHIP THE DOG. UM, THE FOURTH AND FIFTH CHANGES ARE ACTUALLY NEW ADDITIONS, UM, TO THE, TO THAT 2019 DRAFT. ONE IS JUST SIMPLY INCLUDING A TERM. UH, AS YOU CAN SEE THERE, THE TERM IS DESIGNATED CARETAKER, UM, BY BASICALLY THAT TERM WILL ALLOW US TO VACCINATE, UH, ANIMALS UPON INTAKE INTO THE SHELTER INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THEIR, UH, HOLD TIME TO PASS. UM, WE THINK THAT'S A BENEFIT. UH, WE HAVE SOME SURROUNDING AGENCIES, UH, HARRIS COUNTY, THE LARGEST BY FAR, THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS PARTICULAR TERM INTO THEIR, THEIR ORDER. SOME OF THE OTHER SURROUNDING AREAS ALSO HAVE IT AS PART OF THEIR, UH, REQUIREMENTS AS WELL. UH, THE FIFTH AND FINAL SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IS THE REDUCTION IN THE STRAY HOLE TIME, UM, FROM FIVE DAYS, WHICH IS CURRENTLY AT TO THREE DAYS. UH, WE THINK THAT THIS ALLOWS THE ANIMALS TO MOVE INTO, UH, PROSPECTIVE HOMES SOONER, AND, UH, ALSO POTENTIALLY REDUCES THE COST OF CARE, SAVE SOME SPACE IN THE FUTURE, AND ALSO, UH, ENABLES US TO PUT THE RESOURCES TO THE ANIMALS IN GREATEST NEED. UM, THAT, THAT IS THE MORE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. NOW, THERE ARE SOME MINOR, WE CALL MINOR CHANGES. THERE'S GONNA BE SOME, SOME DEFINITION, UM, TWEAKS. THERE'LL BE SOME JUST CLEANUP OF SOME THINGS. UM, BUT THESE BY FAR, ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT. AND WE JUST WANTED TO GET THIS BEFORE YOU, UH, AHEAD OF THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING SO THAT WE COULD, UH, ADDRESS ANY COMMENTS OR ANY CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE. BUT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR THE SUPPORT OF THAT. UH, YOU KNOW, THE GETTING THE ORDINANCE PASSED IS, UH, YOU KNOW, REALLY, UH, WE REALLY NEED TO DO THAT. ONCE WE DO THAT. UM, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AN END ALL ONCE WE PASS THE ORDINANCE, LIKE KIND OF WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST WE'RE WE WILL BRING YOU BACK REVISIONS FOR YOU TO REVIEW AND APPROVE. AS WE RUN INTO SITUATIONS AND WE MAKE CHANGES AND WE SEE WHAT WORKS OR DOESN'T WORK, UH, WE'LL BRING THINGS BACK AND WE'LL MODIFY IT AND WE REVISE. WE WILL REVISE THE ORDINANCE AS NEEDED. UM, I THINK IT'S, WE JUST NEED TO COMPLETE THE, THE DRAFT AND GET TO A, A NEW STARTING POINT, UM, WITH, WITH THE PROGRAM AND, UM, TRY TO GET AWAY FROM THE OLD AND, AND START ANEW WITH THIS ORDINANCE. AND SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO. THAT'S THE END GAME. UH, IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. UM, THE REVIEW OF IT, THE COMMITTEE IS, UM, I APPRECIATE THEIR PATIENCE. THEY WERE WORKING ON THIS BEFORE, UM, I BECAME [00:10:01] INVOLVED WITH IT. THEY WERE, AND SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING AND WORKING AND SO IT'S JUST TRYING TO GET TO THE END POINT AND COMPLETE THE, UH, THE OBJECTIVE. ALL RIGHT. SO IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING, UM, I GUESS WHAT MR. GRAY JUST, JUST AT LEAST, AT LEAST THE FIVE POINTS OR THERE, ANYTHING BEYOND THAT? I GOT ONE. YES, SIR. CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE FIRST SLIDE? THE FIRST, UH, DIRECT, I'M SORRY, THE FIRST SLIDE OR THE FIRST CHANGE? THAT'S NOT THE FIRST CHANGE. YEAH. SO HAVE, DID Y'ALL HAVE A DISCUSSION ON, UM, IT SEEMS LIKE THE OLD ACREAGE THING WAS VERY DEFINITIVE AND THE LACK OF PROPER CARE WOULD BE VERY SUBJECTIVE. IS THERE GONNA BE ANY ISSUES YOU SEE IN THE DEBATE THAT MIGHT START? NO, I'M PROVIDING PROPER CARE. NO, YOU'RE NOT. I MEAN, IF YOU DO ACREAGE AND YOU HAD, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ANIMALS, YOU, YOU, YOU GOT IT. IT'S, IT'S MATH. IT DON'T LIE. BUT IF THAT, IT SEEMS VERY, UH, REAL SUBJECTIVE, I WOULDN'T BY THERE, I MIGHT THINK THEY ARE GETTING PROPER CARE AND BOB MIGHT THINK THEY'RE NOT. SO, I KNOW Y'ALL DISCUSSED THIS AT LINK, BUT ARE WE OPENING UP A CAN OF WORMS THERE? I DON'T. SO, UM, THE, THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TYPICALLY BEEN INVOLVED WITH, WITH SOME OF THE EXISTING PROPERTIES WITH ANIMALS IS THE, THE NUISANCE PART OF IT. UM, THE LACK OF MAINTENANCE, UH, GENERATES FLIES. IT GENERATES ODORS, POTENTIAL MOSQUITO BREEDING. UM, WE CAN ADDRESS THE NUISANCE PART OF IT, UH, FOR LACK OF SANITARY CONDITIONS. AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE ANIMALS HAVE ENOUGH SPACE, HAVE ENOUGH SHELTER, HAVE THE PROPER SHELTER. UM, SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. YOU, YOU COULD HAVE ONE HORSE THAT'S NOT PROPERLY KEPT OR MAINTAINED AND CREATES A SMELL OR A NUISANCE WORSE THAN 10 HORSES THAT ARE, THAT ARE PROPERLY MAINTAINED. WELL, I, I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT, BUT WHO'S THE PERSON THAT SAYS, POINTS OUT THERE AND SAYS THAT'S LACK OF PROPER CARE AND, AND DROPS THE, THAT WOULD BE OUR ANIMAL SERVICES, UH, DIVISION. THEN HOW DID, WHAT IF SOMEBODY ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT HAS THAT HORSE SAYS, NO, I AM TAKING CARE OF THE, OF THE HORSE PROPERLY. AND THEN WHERE DO YOU GO AFTER THAT? WHERE, WHERE, WHERE DO THOSE TWO, TWO PEOPLE GO TO RESOLVE THAT? YEAH. AND HOW MUCH, HOW MUCH DOES THAT START? WELL, WE WOULD DOCUMENT IT AND, UH, POTENTIALLY IF IT'S, IF THEY'RE NOT PROVIDING WHAT WE CAN CONSIDER TO BE IMPROPER CARE, WE CAN PURSUE, UH, ANIMAL CRUELTY AND TAKE IT THAT ROUTE. UM, I, I JUST SEE IT BE GETTING REAL GRAY RIGHT THERE. DID OF Y'ALL SEE THAT? YEAH. MM-HMM . REAL GRAY. IT THE SAME, THE COURT WOULD DECIDE AT THAT POINT, MAN, LAST THING. YOU WANT TO PUT ALL THAT STUFF IN COURT. AND IF THEY'RE SHOWING CRITERIA ON WHAT LACK OF PROPER CARE IS, I MEAN, BECAUSE THEY HAVE IT THERE. YEAH, BUT IT STILL GETS REALLY SUBJECTIVE. I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A LIST A MILE LONG. SO THIS IS NOT UNLIKE THE, THE PROCESS WE FOLLOW WITH SUBSTANDARD HOUSING, THAT THAT'S ALSO A DETERMINATION THAT THAT'S MADE. WE DOCUMENT THAT AND THEN WE FORWARD THAT FOR DETERMINATION BY THE COURT. VERY SIMILAR. YES, SIR. I THINK, I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. 'CAUSE THE BEST EXAMPLE FOR THE APPLICATION ON THIS IS MARVIN ROAD, THE ACTUAL PLACE WHERE THAT, THAT OWNS THE HORSES AND THE COWS AND THE GOATS AND THE CHICKENS AND ALL THE OTHER MANY ANIMALS ON THAT SMALL PIECE OF PROPERTY. THEY'RE MAINTAINING THE, THE ANIMALS THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF THEM. BUT THERE'S NOT A BLADE OF GRASS ANYWHERE ON THAT PROPERTY. THE STENCH IS HORRIBLE. THE PEOPLE AROUND THERE ON MARVIN ROAD THAT ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE IS HORRIBLE. AND PART OF THIS POINTS CALCULATION WAS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. SO YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THE NUISANCE FROM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE. AND SO NOW YOU'RE TAKING THAT AWAY. WHAT ELSE CAN YOU APPLY? WHERE THE PEOPLE ON THE SIDE THAT'S TAKING CARE OF THE YARDS HAVE GREEN GRASS, BUT THEY HAVE A SMELL OF, AT ONE TIME THEY HAD A HORSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE THAT WAS DEAD FOR A DAY AND A HALF. WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP THAT INDIVIDUAL. THAT'S NOT DOING NOTHING. BUT WE'RE TAKING CARE AND PROTECTING THESE PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE THAT'S CAUSING THE NUISANCE. AND I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT THAT POINT CALCULATION FOR ACREAGE WAS TO TAKE CARE OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO TELL ME HOW WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THE PEOPLE ON MARVIN ROAD BY REMOVING THIS AND SAYING LACK OF PROPER CARE. 'CAUSE YOU WALK OUT THERE, ALL THOSE ANIMALS ARE CARRIED PROPERLY EXCEPT FOR THAT ONE DEAD HORSE THAT SAT OUT THERE FOR A DAY AND A HALF. SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM OUT? I GOT A, I GOT A QUICK CALL. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. LET HIM FINISH. OKAY. WE WOULD INVESTIGATE THE COMPLAINT AND TAKE ACTION AND GET 'EM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAS GONE NOWHERE FOR, FOR, FOR NINE YEARS NOW. THAT HAS GOTTEN US NOWHERE. WE ADDED THE POINTS OR TRIED TO DO SOMETHING WITH THIS SO WE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT PROPERTY THERE. AND IT'S GONE NOWHERE. AND THIS ISN'T [00:15:01] GONNA HELP. IT'S GONNA MAKE IT WORSE. 'CAUSE NOW YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO BACK YOU UP TO DO SOMETHING. 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GO THERE AND SEE THE ANIMALS ARE TAKEN CARE OF. ALL OBJECT POINT THAT COULDN'T YOU DO BOTH. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. LET HIM ANSWER THAT. I WANNA HEAR EVERYTHING ON THIS. 'CAUSE THIS IS IMPORTANT HERE. THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION. WE WOULD DOCUMENT IT. WE WOULD ISSUE A NOTICE. WE WOULD GO THROUGH THE PROCEDURE TO GET THEM TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY NOT ONLY IF WE INCLUDE THIS IN THIS ORDINANCE, WE ALSO HAVE A NUISANCE SECTION IN OUR CITY ORDINANCES THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF IT, WE CAN ACT AND ABATE AND GET RID OF THE NUISANCE. UM, THERE'S ALSO STATE CODE THAT ALLOWS THIS TO DO THE SAME THING ASSOCIATED WITH NUISANCES. WELL, THEN HOW COME WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT? WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY COMPLAINTS, SIR. WE, FOR NINE YEARS, THERE WAS A LOT OF COMPLAINTS THAT COME IN. AND THE PEOPLE ON MARVIN ROAD HAD GIVEN UP. WE, WE WILL GO OUT THERE. WE, WE WILL INVESTIGATE THE, I DO REMEMBER A COMPLAINT, UH, MAYBE THREE YEARS AGO, UH, WHEN WE WENT OUT. AND, UH, THEY WEREN'T, THEY WEREN'T MAINTAINING THE PROPERTY LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THEY WEREN'T CLEANING THE STALLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND SO WE GOT THEM TO CORRECT THAT. AND, UM, WE, WE DON'T ROUTINELY GO BY AND INSPECT IT AND INVESTIGATE. WE WILL INVESTIGATE ALL COMPLAINTS ON A PROPERTY. YEAH. WHY COULDN'T WE KEEP THE ACREAGE LIKE BOB WANTS AND ADD AND OR LACK OF PROPER CARE AND HAVE BOTH OF THEM. WHY COULDN'T YOU DO THAT? THEN? YOU, YOU, YOU CAN GET IT FROM HIS ANGLE AND YOU CAN ALSO GET IT FROM THE NEW ANGLE YOU NEED. MM-HMM . WHY CAN'T YOU DO BOTH? SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES TO GO ONTO SOMEONE'S PROPERTY IF THERE, IF THERE'S NOT A NUISANCE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, WE WOULD, AND, AND, UM, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE WOULD NEED TO OBTAIN SOME TYPE OF WARRANT TO JUST GO ONTO SOMEONE'S PROPERTY AND COUNT THE ANIMALS AND THEN PUT THE FORMULA IN. UM, AND SO THAT'S SOME OF THE HURDLES, SO TO SPEAK, WITH DOING IT THAT WAY. WHEREAS IF WE GET A COMPLAINT ON AN ODOR, WE CAN GO OUT THERE, WE CAN INVESTIGATE AND WE CAN LOOK AROUND AND WE CAN LOOK AND SAY, THIS IS NOT ENOUGH SHELTER SPACE. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM FOR THIS ANIMAL TO LIE DOWN. WE DON'T WANT IT LYING IN ITS OWN FILTH. WE CAN LOOK AT IT FROM THAT POINT. AND, AND IF THEY DON'T COMPLY, WE CAN PURSUE CRUELTY CHARGES. WELL, I SEE NO REASON TO REMOVE THE TOOL THOUGH. I MEAN, YOU COULD COUNT THE HORSES FROM THE SIDE OF MARVIN ROAD. YEAH. THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE MARVIN ROAD SIDE THAT WILL LET YOU ACCESS THEIR YARD TO COUNT. OR, UH, LLOYD'S ITCHING TO FLY HELICOPTER OVER THE TOP OF THAT PLACE. HE CAN COUNT 'EM FOR YOU. DRONE. DRONE, THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS YOU CAN DO. I, I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO GO AWAY. I THINK IT'S MOVING SOME OF THE MEAT BEHIND THE MATTER TO IT TO HAVE ENFORCEMENT TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE THAT ON MARVIN ROAD. YES, MA'AM. WELL, I'LL JUST START BY SAYING, UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG JOURNEY AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT AND YOUR COMMITTEE'S PUT INTO IT. I THINK WE'RE ALMOST THERE. UM, BEFORE WE GET TO THE COUNCIL MEETING, UH, TO VOTE ON THIS, I'D LIKE A COPY OF THE ORDINANCES WITH ALL THE RED LINE CHANGES. IT'S BEEN 16 MONTHS, AS YOU SAID. I, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S BEEN THAT LONG. TIME FLIES. I DIDN'T THINK IT HAD BEEN THAT LONG, BUT I HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT THE ORIGINAL CHANGES WERE. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT IN, IN HARD COPY AGAIN, IF YOU DON'T MIND. AND THEN, UM, WHETHER IT BE NOW OR AFTER, UH, COUNSEL HAS THEIR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN IT UP AND HEAR IF ANY OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE SOMETHING THEY'D LIKE TO SAY TO US TODAY, OR EVEN OUR SHELTER MANAGER IF, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO HEAR, UM, THEIR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, UM, AS WELL. YES, MA'AM. ABSOLUTELY. YOU WILL ALL RECEIVE A RED LINE VERSION. IT HAS BEEN, UH, QUITE A WHILE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO REFRESH OUR MEMORY AS WELL. AND, UM, ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED 2019 WAS A YEAR OF TRANSITION IN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND SO, UM, IT WENT BY EXTREMELY FAST AND WE'LL DEFINITELY WILL GET THE RED LINE VERSION TO EVERYONE. AND, UM, THANK YOU. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. WELL, FIRST I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL PUT IN AND THE TIME AND EFFORT. TWO QUESTIONS. WHERE DO WE STAND ON CATS BEING RELEASED BACK INTO NEIGHBORHOODS AFTER THEY'VE BEEN BROUGHT IN? BECAUSE I'M GETTING A LOT OF PHONE CALLS ABOUT THAT. UM, CATCH AND RELEASE. CATCH AND RELEASE, YES. AND THEN THE SECOND QUESTION IS, WE HAVE SOME RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT BRING THEIR DOGS IN. NOW THESE DOGS ARE KEPT OUTSIDE ON 10 FOOT CHAINS. HOW ARE WE GOING TO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY HERE. HOW ARE WE GOING [00:20:01] TO, UM, HANDLE THAT SITUATION WHEN WE SIT UP HERE AND WE'RE GOING TO ADVISE THEM TO BRING THE DOG IN BECAUSE THERE'S A LOOSE CAT RUNNING AROUND AT NIGHT OR A POSSUM AND THEY DON'T DO THAT NOW I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE FAIR TO DOG OWNERS WHO DON'T BRING THE WHO, WHO DO NOT HAVE HOUSE PETS. OKAY. I'LL LET APRIL, UH, SPEAK TO THAT. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR COUNSEL. UM, TO ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN, PART OF THE ROLE OF AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER WHEN THEY RESPOND TO A COMPLAINT IS TO TRY TO REALLY GET AT THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM AND CONNECT OUR PET OWNER WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO RESOLVE THAT, THAT CONCERN OR THAT PROBLEM FOR THE LONG TERM. AND SO WITH BARKING DOGS, IT CAN CERTAINLY BE A CHALLENGE. MM-HMM . UM, 'CAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S NOT ALWAYS JUST A ONE FIX THAT RESOLVES IT OVER TIME. UM, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THAT CAN BE REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR NEIGHBORS. IT CAN BE REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR PET OWNERS, AND IT'S ONE THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF WORK AND CONTACT FROM OUR OFFICE. MM-HMM . UM, YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT THE, WHAT IT DOES ALLOW US TO DO IS REALLY BUILD THOSE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND HELP OUR PET OWNERS BE STRONGER PET OWNERS AND MORE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS BY CONNECTING THEM TO THE RESOURCES AND CONNECTING THEM WITH THE INFORMATION THAT THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEIR ANIMAL IS BEHAVING IN THAT WAY. AND IT DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN BRING THE DOG IN, RIGHT? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO KEEP THEIR ANIMALS OUTSIDE 365 DAYS A YEAR. IF I KNOCK UP ON THE DOOR AND I SAY, HEY, YOUR DOG'S BARKING, OR HEY, WE HAVE FIREWORKS THIS WEEKEND, YOU NEED TO BRING YOUR DOG IN. MORE THAN LIKELY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT. MM-HMM . RIGHT? UM, IT'S SAME AS WHEN WE WERE KIDS AND WE HAD THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE FOOD PYRAMID AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO EAT SO MANY SERVINGS OF X, Y, AND Z. WELL, HOW MANY OF US STILL DO THAT? I KNOW, I DON'T. AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE CAPABLE OF DOING MM-HMM . TO HOPEFULLY RESOLVE THAT PROBLEM FOR THE LONG TERM. SO WHY WOULD WE HAVE THIS PUT IN AN ORDINANCE IF WE ARE REALLY NOT EXPECTING THEM TO CARRY THROUGH WITH IT? WELL, WHAT THE ORDINANCE DOES FOR US IS IT ALLOWS US TO GO OUT AND INVESTIGATE, INVESTIGATE, CONTINUE TO, TO MAKE THAT CONTACT AND THAT BARKING, UM, OR THAT NOISE COMPLAINT ALLOWS US, IT GIVES US ANOTHER TOOL TO REALLY SORT OF, UM, FORCE COMPLIANCE OR FORCE CHANGE. BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO FIRST IS TRY TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED WITH THE INFORM INFORMATION AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE COMPLIANT WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A PUNITIVE MEASURE. OKAY. WELL, I'M GOING BACK TO JUST THE PART THAT SAYS BRING THE DOG IN. DO WE NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE THAT IN THE ORDINANCE? NO. NO, NO. THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY IN THE ORDINANCE. THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE IN IT. NO, SIR. OKAY. THAT'S JUST GOING TO BE, ONCE WE MAKE A POINT OF CONTACT, THAT WILL BE SUGGESTED AS OKAY. YES, SIR. GOOD DEAL. SO WHAT ABOUT THE CATS BEING DROPPED BACK OFF ON THE CATCH AND RELEASE BACK INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, WHERE THERE BEING A NUISANCE? SURE. UH, AS TONY MENTIONED EARLIER, THE PLAN IS TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU ALL WITH A COMMUNITY CAT STRATEGY. MM-HMM . THAT IS, UM, THAT WILL OUTLINE A ROBUST PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THE FREE ROOM IN CATS IN BAYTOWN. OKAY. PERSONALLY, I, I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD BE FAIR TO THE DOG OWNERS IF WE DIDN'T, IF WE PUT AN ORDINANCE OUT THAT SPECIFICALLY IS GOING TO AFFECT THEM, BUT WE HAVEN'T COME UP WITH A SOLUTION FOR THE CATS. SURE. I THINK IT'D BE FAIR IF WE ROLLED THEM BOTH OUT AT THE SAME TIME. THAT'S ALL I HAVE. OKAY. OKAY. SO, UM, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. UM, I'M HAPPY WITH THE ADDITIONS, UM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ACREAGE BACK IN MM-HMM . UM, SO IF WE CAN DO IT CONJUNCT, UH, COLLECTIVELY AND HAVE BOTH OF THEM IN, THAT WOULD BE MY PREFERENCE AS WELL. BUT I, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE ADDITIONS. COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, IF I CAN ADDRESS JUST THE ONE COMMENT THAT YOU MADE ABOUT THE CATS. 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM MM-HMM . I KIND OF LOOK AT THIS, THE WAY WE DID THE UNIFIED LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, WHICH WAS SO LONG IN ARREARS THAT WHEN WE PASSED THE ULDC, WE SAID, WE KNOW IT'S NOT PERFECT, BUT WE GOTTA GET SOMETHING THAT'S MORE CURRENT. AND THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO. THE CAD ISSUE IS GONNA TAKE, IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHOLE LOT MORE WORK. AND YOU'RE JUST TALKING A WHOLE LOT MORE TIME BEFORE YOU GET SOMETHING MORE CURRENT ON THE BOOK TO ROLL THOSE OUT TOGETHER. JAY, YOU CAN TALK TO THAT IF YOU WANT. APRIL COULD TALK TO THAT IF YOU WANT, BUT I THINK THE CONCERN FROM THE COMMITTEE FROM APRIL FROM TONY IS WE NEED SOMETHING THAT'S MORE CURRENT THAT WE CAN WORK ON SOME OF THE STUFF. AND I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT CAD PIECE IS GONNA TAKE MORE TIME. OKAY. SO WILL, WHAT DOES THE ORDINANCE [00:25:01] SAY ABOUT BARKING DOGS BEING A NUISANCE NOW? HOW ARE WE HANDLING IT? IF I, IF I REMEMBER IT CORRECTLY, I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. UM, POTENTIALLY A NOISE MM-HMM . TO INVESTIGATE THE NOISE. I, I THINK IT'S MEOW, UM, BARK MAKE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NOISES. SO YOU, YOU WOULD INVESTIGATE IT THAT WAY. SO AT THAT POINT, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT, UM, THE ONLY THING THAT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT, WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING SOMETHING, SOMETHING OUT THERE THAT WE REALLY, IT'S JUST GONNA BE INVESTIGATED LIKE IT'S BEING INVESTIGATED NOW. SOMEONE'S GONNA CALL BETWEEN HOURS OF EIGHT AND FIVE AND SAY, HEY, THERE WAS A DOG BARKING LAST NIGHT. THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO UNLESS THEY HAVE VIDEO OR TAPE SHOWING THAT THE DOG WAS BARKING. AND I'M, I'M, I'M COMING FROM EXPERIENCE WITH THIS, HAVING TO DEAL WITH THIS WITH NEIGHBORS. THAT'S GONNA BE HARD TO PROVE. I UNDERSTAND BRINGING SOMETHING UP TO DATE, BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENFORCE THAT? AND THEN IF, IF YOU HAVE CATS, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M DEALING WITH, YOU HAVE CATS ROAMING AROUND AT NIGHT, YOU MAY EVEN HAVE A NEIGHBOR THAT'S ANTAGONIZING THE DOG, THEN WHAT? I, I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO THE DOG OWNERS WHO ARE BEING RESPONSIBLE, UM, WHEN THEY HAVE THINGS CROSSED INTO THEIR PROPERTY THAT BE, THAT WOULD BE PROVOKING IT. NO, I UNDERSTAND. THAT'S, AND THAT'S PART OF THE CHALLENGE OF THE DOGS. DOGS CAN BARK AT A, A VARIETY OF MM-HMM . ANIMALS OR, OR THINGS OR NOISES. AND SO THAT'S PART OF THE INVESTIGATION OF IT TO SEE WHAT IT WAS MM-HMM . THAT CAUSED THE BARKING. UM, AND SO THAT, I MEAN, LIKE I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE, THE PERSON THAT CAN STOP THE NOISE IS THE PERSON THAT OWNS THE DOG. IF THE DOG IS THE BARKING AND BARKING AND BARKING, UH, THE ANIMAL MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN LEFT THE PROPERTY, UH, OR MAYBE BARKING AT SOMETHING ELSE. YEAH. SO, YEAH, THAT'S, IT'S, IT IS A CHALLENGE. I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY. UM, AND SO TRYING TO FIX THE PART OF THE DOGS BARKING, CREATING THE NOISE, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE CATS, UH, THAT ARE ALLOWED TO ROAM, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO RUN AT LARGE. UM, AND THAT'S SO THAT YOU KIND OF AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF HAVING IT THAT WAY. YEAH. BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE, I THINK IN OUR OPINION, THE BEST WAY NOT TO RESTRICT THE MOVEMENT OF THE CATS AND CONFINE 'EM TO THEIR PROPERTY. UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA, THE PLAN IS TO COME UP. WE WILL BRING BACK A PLAN TO ADDRESS THE CATS. OKAY. WE'RE JUST NOT READY TO DISCUSS IT AT THIS POINT. OKAY. UM, I THINK THERE WAS ONE, YOU HAD AN ADDITIONAL COMMENT, COULD WE JUST OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SURE. SINCE THEY ARE HERE, IF THEY WANT TO SPEAK TO US, GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY. YES. AND THEN I THINK HE, A MORE COMMENT, I JUST WANTED A QUICK, QUICK COMMENT OFF OF, UH, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON'S. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ISSUES ON A LOT OF OUR ORDINANCES TO GET PEOPLE TO COMPLY. I MEAN, SO THIS IS NOT ANY DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE ISSUES WITH. AND SO I FEEL THAT BY AT LEAST HAVING IT DOCUMENTED THAT, HEY, THIS IS THE ORDINANCE, THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN. SO IF YOU END UP GETTING A TICKET OR, OR A FINE, WE HAVE SOMETHING TO BACK IT UP WITH MM-HMM . SO, UM, I I, I JUST PERSONALLY FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE OTHER ORDINANCES WE HAVE. AND SO I KNOW IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE TOUGH. I MEAN, IT'S GONNA TAKE OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF EDUCATION AS WE START DOING OUR, UM, RESPONSIBLE, UM, DOG OWNERS AND CAT OWNERS, UH, WORKSHOPS AND SESSIONS. BUT ULTIMATELY, I, I DON'T SEE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLIANCE ON THIS. OH YEAH. I'M NOT. AND SO, UM, I'M NOT EXPECTING A HUNDRED PERCENT COMPLIANCE, BUT I'M JUST EXPECTING US TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONCRETE. MM-HMM . UM, CAN WE GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE WHERE WE HAD THE HOURS THAT WE WOULD, WHICH, WHICH SLIDE? I'M SORRY. THIS IS IT. WE WILL INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINTS FROM EIGHT TO FIVE IF THE DOG IS BARKING OUTSIDE. AS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS RIGHT NOW, THEY DO. AND IT IS NOT FAIR FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT BRING THEIR DOGS IN NOW, TO TELL THEM TO GO OUT THERE AND TELL THEM, WELL, WE SUGGEST YOU BRING YOUR DOG IN. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA SAY NEXT, THAT'S NOT AN ORD ORDINANCE. AND NOW WE'RE GETTING INTO WHAT YOU TWO WERE GETTING INTO WITH THE ACREAGE AND THIS AND THAT. WHO'S TO SAY WHOSE FAULT IT IS AT THAT POINT? MM-HMM . YEAH. BUT I'LL WAIT AND SEE WHAT, WHAT YOU ALL COME UP WITH ON DEALING WITH THE CATS AND MAKE MY DECISION FROM THERE. YES, SIR. ALRIGHT. UM, LET'S, LET'S MOVE FORWARD A LITTLE BIT. UM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE JAKE GARRETT, IF YOU MIND, IF, IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS YOU HAVE ON WHAT'S PROPOSED, DR. . OH, I'M SORRY. WAS THERE, OKAY. ALRIGHT. [00:30:01] I, I APOLOGIZE. UH, EARLIER I DID NOT RECOGNIZE DR. LIPS. SHE'S ATTENDING ONLINE AND WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE SOME COMMENT AT THIS TIME. ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, FIRST OF ALL TO SAY IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM. YES, DR. LIPS. I CAN HEAR YOU AND IT'S GOOD. IT IS GOOD TO HEAR YOU. OKAY. SO WHAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS THE, UH, THE, THE ORDINANCE CHANGE WHERE YOU MADE THE, UH, CITY AS THE DESIGNATED CARETAKER FOR THE ANIMALS. I REALLY THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO VACCINATE THESE ANIMALS ON INTAKE. I REMEMBER A FEW YEARS AGO, ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE SHELTER WERE PUT TO SLEEP, UM, BECAUSE THE STEAMER WAS RUNNING THROUGH THE, THE SHELTER. AND IF WE VACCINATE THESE ANIMALS ON INTAKE, WE'LL CUT BACK A LOT ON THAT. SO I, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE Y'ALL, UH, EXCEPT THAT ONE. OKAY. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT ONE'S IMPORTANT. THANK YOU, DR. LIPSON. IT IS GOOD TO HEAR, UH, TO HEAR FROM YOU. UM, I GUESS, UH, IF I CAN, HAVE WE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANYBODY ELSE? UH, YES SIR. I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HAVE MR. PARK. OKAY. UM, COME UP AND THEN WE'LL HAVE, UH, JAY. OKAY. IT'S SIX ZERO. IT'S 6 0 6. SO WE'RE TRYING TO, TO, UH, TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF AS, AS TIMELY AS POSSIBLE. YES. THANK YOU MR. MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES. UH, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME THAT YOU ARE ALLOTTING TO US TO TALK ABOUT THIS AND REVIEW THIS ORDINANCE. UH, WHEN I WAS AT RICE, UH, ABOUT HALF A CENTURY AGO, I HAD A PROFESSOR TELL ME THAT WE HAD TO HAVE, UH, TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ANY VENTURE, WE HAD TO HAVE A STARTING POINT. WE FEEL THAT THIS ORDINANCE IS OUR STARTING POINT. UH, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HIRING A QUALIFIED DIRECTOR, WHICH WE HAVE NOT HAD FOR YEARS. AND WE THINK THAT SHE DESERVES THE COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE GONE OVER FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS AND PICKED IT APART, DISCUSSED AND CRITIQUED EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY SENTENCE IN THIS THING TO ADD INFINITUM. NO ORDINANCE IS GONNA BE SATISFACTORY FOR EVERYONE, BUT WE ALWAYS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE. UH, WE THINK THAT THIS IS A START THAT WE NEED. WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF HAVING A NEW FACILITY. UH, WE HAVE A NEW DIRECTOR, AND THIS ORDINANCE IS A MISSING PART OF WHAT WE NEED TO INFORM THE CITIZENS, WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, WHAT THE EMPLOYEES OF THE SHELTER ARE, AND OUR DIRECTOR. AND WE'RE URGING YOU, AND I'M URGING YOU WHEN YOU HAVE SOME INSOMNIA, INSOMNIA, INSOMNIA, UH, PICK UP THIS ORDINANCE, AND LOOK THROUGH IT. AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE GONNA BE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING. WE CAN E ACTUALLY EVEN HAVE A, A, UH, THREE RING NOTEBOOK ON THE DESK SO PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND LOOK AND SEE WITH PAPER. I DON'T HAVE TO GO, SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO USE, UH, UH, INTERNET AND STUFF, THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THEY CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THAT ON THE DESK AND SEE, OKAY, THIS IS WHY YOU'RE DOING THIS AND THIS IS WHY THIS IS HAPPENING TO YOU. SO, BUT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS AND, UH, OBVIOUSLY EVERY, EVERYBODY HAS QUESTIONS ABOUT IT. SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THIS, SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE CATS, SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE DOGS. BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A STARTING POINT TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL, UH, SHELTER. AND, UH, WE THINK THIS IS OUR POINT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. UH, MR. GARRETT, IF, IF YOU CAN JUST A FEW BRIEF COMMENTS, ANY ANY CONCERNS THAT YOU SEE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED OR NOT ADDRESSED PROPERLY? YEAH, SURE. THANK YOU. UM, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND COUNSEL THAT WE'VE BEEN BATTLING THIS ISSUE SINCE 2015 AND AS TONY MADE A REMARK EARLIER, ABOUT 70% OF OUR ORDINANCES ARE MORE THAN 30 YEARS OLD AS IT PERTAINS TO ANIMALS. SO IT'S BY FAR PAST THE POINT OF NEEDING AN UPDATED PLAYBOOK. SO WE NEED A NEW STARTING POINT. I MEAN, EVERYBODY'S BE BEAT IT OVER THE HEAD AT THIS POINT. WE NEED TO START FRESH. I IMA I KNOW THAT IT'S CHALLENGING FOR Y'ALL AS CITY COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO, TO TAKE THIS AND BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IT AND BE ABLE TO OFFICIALLY SIGN OFF ON SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE A RED LINE COPY, BUT IMAGINE THE STRUGGLE THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TRYING TO GO RED LINE COPY AFTER RED LINE COPY, [00:35:01] AFTER RED LINE COPY, AND, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MUD AT THIS POINT. WE NEED TO GET TO AN UPDATED VERSION THAT WE CAN WORK OFF OF. WE CAN SET STRATEGIC PROCEDURE AROUND, WE CAN UPDATE PROTOCOL AROUND, WE CAN UPDATE BUDGET AROUND, AND THEN MOVE TOWARDS THAT NEW SHELTER THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS. SO BACK IN 2015, AND MR. MAYOR, YOUR OWN COUNSEL, AT THAT TIME, WE PRESENTED A SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT BASED ON UPDATES THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE TO THE CITY OF BAYTOWN AS IT PERTAINED TO ANIMALS. AND WITHIN THAT SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT OF 2015, UPDATED ORDINANCES WAS A PRIORITY ITEM. AND WE'RE IN 2020 AND WE, WE STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO THAT POINT YET. SO AS RICHARD STATED, THIS IS NOT PERMANENT, IT'S NOT CONCRETE. WE NEED TO GET TO A POINT OF UPDATE SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROGRESS FROM THERE AND UPDATE FROM THERE. UM, THE COMMUNITY CA ISSUE, COUNCILMAN JOHNSON, I KNOW THAT'S A, AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN BATTLING FOR YEARS NOW. UH, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR, UM, I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR BECAUSE IT'S A PROBLEM AND IT'S A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE, UH, RESOLVED AND IT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED WITH ALL PARTIES PERTAINING TO THAT PROBLEM. IT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IN A COLLECTIVE MANNER WITH THE CITY OF BAYTOWN, UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE ISSUE IS, HAVING A PLAN IN PLACE. AND I THINK THAT WE'RE TO A POINT NOW TO WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPAND UPON THE ORDINANCES THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED TO CREATE A SOLID PLAN AND UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'RE AT AS A CITY. UM, AND AS IT PERTAINS TO THAT ISSUE AND HOW WE'RE GONNA GO ABOUT RESOLVING IT, HOW WE'RE GONNA GO ABOUT WORKING WITH MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE COMMUNITY, THEY'RE ADVOCATING FOR IT, HOW WE'RE GONNA GO ABOUT EDUCATING CITIZENS ABOUT THE ISSUE, WHAT RESOURCES WE'RE GONNA BE PROVIDING TO THOSE CITIZENS TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES, ET CETERA. AND TO, TO RICHARD'S POINT AS WELL, I DO WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR THE NEW SHELTER MANAGER AS WELL. THINGS HAVE, HAVE DRASTICALLY IMPROVED WITHIN THE SHELTER OPERATIONS, AND WE HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL IN PLACE THAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE FROM A MUNICIPAL PERSPECTIVE TO IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND TO PROVIDE Y'ALL WITH SOUND UNDERSTANDING AND REASONING BEHIND THOSE CHANGES. SO I HOPE THAT Y'ALL TAKE THIS RED LINE COPY. I HOPE THAT Y'ALL REVIEW IT AND, UM, I HOPE THAT YOU TRUST THAT WE'RE COMING FROM A POINT OF, UM, SOUND MIND. UH, AND WE'RE COMING FROM A PERSPECTIVE THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE UPON THE ORDINANCES THAT WE'RE, UH, PRESENTING TO Y'ALL FOR APPROVAL. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. SO THANK YOU, JAY, FOR, FOR YOUR COMMENTS. AND, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD, UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE 2015, OBVIOUSLY CONDITIONS AT THAT POINT AND THE ENVIRONMENT AT THAT POINT, BETWEEN THAT AND, AND WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, HOPEFULLY HERE IN THE COMING WEEKS, WE WILL HAVE A, YOU KNOW, AN ORDINANCE. WILL IT BE PERFECT? UH, MAYBE NOT, BUT IT WILL CERTAINLY BE LIGHT YEARS, UH, AHEAD OF, OF WHERE WE WERE AT. UM, I'M NOT SURE WE CAN CAPTURE EVERY SINGLE TYPE OF, OF ANIMAL SITUATION. YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE WANT TO CAPTURE SOME STUFF IN PARTICULAR FOR, FOR, FOR A VERY SPECIFIC PROPERTY. EITHER WAY, WE DO NEED TO GET ADDRESSED. IF WE CAN GET ADDRESSED TO ORDINANCE, WE WANT TO DO THAT. IF NOT, THEN WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE DO THAT. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE DO ORDINANCES, IT'S A CATCHALL, BUT SOMETIMES IT, IT, UH, THERE'S, THERE, THERE'S UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND JUST VICE VERSA. SOMETIMES THERE'S ORDINANCES. IT DOESN'T CATCH EVERYTHING. AND THAT MAY BE THE SITUATION TOO. UH, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE OBVIOUSLY THAT THAT, THAT ANY ANIMAL IS ALWAYS IN IS KEPT IN THE RIGHT CONDITIONS. UM, AND, UH, THAT WE HAVE A, A HEALTHY PROGRAM AND OBVIOUSLY AN ORDINANCE THAT CAN SUPPORT THAT. UM, WITH, WITH THE HELP OF, OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE WITH JAY AND HIS TEAM. UM, YOU KNOW, WE MADE A LOT OF HEADWAY WHEN IT COMES TO CATS. UH, I DON'T THINK WE COULD, I KNOW WE COULDN'T DO, DO IT WITHOUT YOU. AND THEN FOR MS. MOORE, I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO SIT DOWN AND, AND TALK TO YOU, BUT I'VE ONLY, I'VE ONLY HEARD ALL GOOD NEWS. I THINK THE SHELTER ANIMAL CONTROL PROGRAM ITSELF HAS, HAS REALLY PROGRESSED IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. UM, AND THEN WHEN YOU ADD ON TO THAT, THE ABILITY TO GO AND PROVIDE A NEW FACILITY, WE HAVE CERTAINLY OUTGROWN BOTH IN SIZE AND IN FUNCTION AND IN, AND REALLY IN CONDITION OF OUR CURRENT FACILITY. AND SO WE, WE, AT LEAST FROM WHAT I CAN TELL FROM COUNCIL, WE 100% SUPPORT THE NEW FACILITY. AND SO I THINK WHEN YOU COUPLE PROGRAM EDUCATION, UH, OBVIOUSLY ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND A NEW FACILITY, I THINK, I THINK WE ARE CERTAINLY, UM, POSITIONED WELL TO GO AND, AND ADDRESS ANIMALS HERE IN THE CITY OF BAYTOWN. SO WITH THAT CHIEF, I WAS GONNA SAY EXACTLY THAT, BUT SHORTER. OKAY. AND ALL I WAS GONNA, I DON'T BELIEVE IT UP. NO, DON'T, I, IT AIN'T SHORTER. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. BUT NO, EVERY OR EVERY ORDINANCE IS NOT GONNA FIX EVERY PROBLEM IS EXACTLY LIKE WHAT YOU SAID, BUT DOING THINGS THE SAME WAY OVER AND OVER YEAR AFTER YEAR AND NOT GETTING THE RESULTS THAT YOU ALL WANT IS NOT GONNA BE THE SOLUTION. I THINK THIS, UH, REWRITE, UH, WILL PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR MANY OF THE PROBLEMS THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING. AND, UM, WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD ON, [00:40:01] ON THE ORDINANCE AND, UH, A LOT OF WORK. I THINK IT'LL BE, UH, GREAT FOR THE NEW FACILITY AND GIVE THE TOOLS TO THE NEW MANAGER THAT THEY NEED TO DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. THAT'S IT. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. VERY SHORT . YES SIR. ANY CLOSING OF COMMENTS, MR. GRAY? NO, SIR. NO SIR. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND THE COMMENTS AND UH, WE'LL UH, WORK ON THE RED LINE VERSION AND, UH, MOVE FORWARD TO BRING, UH, YOU AN ORDINANCE IN THREE WEEKS. OKAY. ALRIGHT. WE'LL DO THAT. UH, WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM ONE B UNLESS THERE'S ANY OTHER COMMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE ON THAT. [1b. Discuss the City of Baytown Fiscal Year 2020-21 Proposed Budget.] OKAY. DISCUSS CITY BAY ON FISCAL YEAR 2021, PROPOSED BUDGET, MR. DAVIS. SO ALL WE EVER, UH, WE DO EACH YEAR IS MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK QUESTIONS. NOT JUST THE WORKSHOPS, BUT EVERY PRE-MEETING, UH, LEADING UP TO THE ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET. AND WE'RE HAPPY TO JUST ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE AT THIS TIME. OKAY. OR YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE AN, ANY OTHER COMMENTS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THE BUDGET? NO COUNSEL. OKAY. ALRIGHT. UH, WE HAVE ITEM ONE C. ANY ITEMS ON THE, UH, POSTED AGENDA ITEM FOR OUR REGULAR MEETING FOR THE FOR TONIGHT. UM, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ANY ITEMS AT THIS POINT? OKAY. WELL, UH, SEEING THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS ADDRESSED ALL POST AGENDA ITEMS FOR THIS WORK SESSION, THIS MEETING IS NOW ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.