[00:00:01]
GOOD MORNING COUNCIL, GOOD MORNING STAFF, AND OF COURSE,
[Call to Order]
GOOD MORNING TO ALL THOSE GALVESTON RESIDENTS THAT MAY BE VIEWING THIS TELECAST.IT IS 9:00 AM AND I'M GOING TO OFFICIALLY CALL THE THURSDAY FEBRUARY 25TH, 2021 CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING TO ORDER.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON, HE'S NOT JOINED US YET. COUNCIL MEMBER [INAUDIBLE].
>> COUNCIL MEMBER [INAUDIBLE].
>> COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNSON IS HERE.
THANK [NOISE] YOU FOR BEING HERE.
JUST FOR THE AUDIENCE, FOR THOSE LISTENING.
THIS IS OUR FIRST MEETING TO HAVE OUR REGULAR MEETING IN THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.
WE WILL HAVE WORKSHOP AS WE'RE IN NOW, AND THEN THIS AFTERNOON AT 5:00 PM, WE WILL START OUR REGULAR MEETINGS.
WELCOME TO ALL OF THOSE TO THE REGULAR MEETING THIS AFTERNOON.
GIVE TIME FOR THOSE TO GET OFF WORK AND JOIN US AT THE COUNCIL MEETING.
VERY GOOD. MOVING TO ITEM 3A PLEASE, CHANEL.
[3.A. Clarification Of Consent And Regular City Council Agenda Items - This Is An Opportunity For City Council To Ask Questions Of Staff On Consent And Regular Agenda Items]
>> 3A, CLARIFICATION THAT CONTENT AND REGULAR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY COUNCIL TO ASK QUESTIONS OF STAFF ON CONSENT AND REGULAR AGENDA ITEM.
>> ALREADY, AND WE'LL START IN REVERSE ORDER OF OUR COUNCIL SEATS.
MARIE, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>> YES, I STILL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON JACOBS ENGINEERING ON DRAINAGE PLAN.
PART OF MY ISSUE NOT BEING ABLE TO FOLLOW UP WITH BRANDON AND DANIEL WAS ONE, FIRST BEING SICK WITH COVID AND THEN THE ISLAND.
I THINK EVERYONE HAS BEEN VERY BUSY.
I CAN'T ASK SOME QUESTIONS NOW, BUT I'M STILL WANTING TO DEFER THAT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH ANSWERS.
BUT MY FIRST QUESTION THAT I WILL ASK BRANDON AND DANIEL, DID WE BID THIS OUT?
>> THIS IS A PRE-QUALIFICATION FOR A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.
IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING.
>> BRANDON, EXCUSE ME FOR INTERRUPTING, BUT FOR THE AUDIENCE THAT MAYBE LISTENING, THIS IS ITEM 9M, AS IN MARIE, THAT'S ON OUR REGULAR AGENDA ITEM AGENDA.
>> YEAH. THIS A WHO'S A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE FOR ENGINEERING SERVICES AND THE LIKE.
SO IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS.
YOU DON'T NECESSARILY GO AND HIRE A PROFESSIONAL JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE LOWEST RATE ON IT.
THERE'S THIS TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ACTUALLY DID A SAMPLE STUDY FOR US IN RELATION TO DRAINAGE ISSUES THAT WERE THERE.
SO THEY'RE INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACED WITH, AND EVERYONE ON THE TEAM, I'VE INCLUDED COPIES OF ALL THEIR RESUMES.
MOST OF THEM HAVE 20 PLUS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I EVEN SEEN ONE WITH UNDER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE RELATING TO DRAINAGE ISSUES, PUBLIC RELATION SKILLS.
I'VE READ THROUGH EVERYBODY'S RESUMES, BUT I STILL GO BACK TO MY COMMENT FROM THE PREVIOUS BIDDING IS THE FACT THAT, ARE YOU ON VIDEO? I KNOW I'VE THOSE EXTREMISTS OTHER TIMES, BUT IT'S SO MUCH BETTER TO TALK TO A PERSON FACE-TO-FACE.
BUT THEY DID THE PREVIOUS DRAINAGE STUDY AND YET WE KNOW WE HAVE TREMENDOUS DRAINAGE ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
THERE WERE ALSO TWO OR THREE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THE MEETING IN REFERENCE TO.
[00:05:01]
WELL, THERE IS ANOTHER EXPERT COMPANY THAT WILL BE SUBBING FOR THIS COMPANY, WHICH ONE, WILL INCREASE THE COST OF IT.BUT THE OTHER COMMENTS WERE IT'S GOOD THAT THEY WERE FRIENDS OF MIKE LOFTON AND YOURS.
I DON'T KNOW, THAT MAKES ME, NOT THAT PEOPLE DON'T WORK WITH THEIR FRIENDS BECAUSE THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
BUT THE TWO THINGS, ONE, WE STILL HAVE TREMENDOUS DRAINAGE ISSUES, AND ESPECIALLY IN DISTRICT 6.
TWO, WE'RE NOT BUILDING THIS OUT, ALTHOUGH WE HAD SO MANY ISSUES WITH THE FIRST DRAINAGE PLAN.
THREE, THAT WE'RE HAVING TO HAVE SO MANY SUBS INVOLVED WITH THEM.
I WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND DANIEL AND GO THROUGH AND COVER THE CONCERNS.
I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS AS WELL.
WITH WHAT WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH AND ALL THE ISSUES WE HAVE, I THINK IF WE DELAY IT ANOTHER 30 DAYS, IT'S NOT GOING TO SET US BACK BIG TIME BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE A WHOLE NEW SET OF DRAINAGE ISSUES.
I WAS DRIVING THROUGH MY DISTRICT YESTERDAY, AND DUE TO THE FREEZING AND WHATNOT.
WE HAVE A WHOLE LOAD OF EVEN DIFFERENT ISSUES THAN WE DID TWO WEEKS AGO.
AGAIN, I WOULD REQUEST AND I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T PLAN ON GETTING SICK, AND NOR DID I WANT TO MEET WITH ANYONE WHILE I WASN'T FEELING WELL, OR PUT ANYONE IN DANGER.
THEN WE'VE ALL BEEN WRAPPED UP FOR TWO WEEKS IN DEALING WITH GETTING OUR CITIZENS BACK UP OF WHICH I STILL HAVE QUITE A FEW THAT AREN'T.
I WOULD AGAIN, ASK THAT WE DEFER THIS SO WE CANT GET SOME MORE INFORMATION BECAUSE I KNOW I STILL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
>>ALL RIGHT, AND OF COURSE, MARIE WHEN WE GET TO THAT SUBJECT THIS AFTERNOON YOU CAN MAKE THAT.
IF YOU LIKE, MAKE THAT MOTION TO COUNCIL AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
BRANDON, DID YOU WANT TO SAY MORE COMMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO OTHER QUESTIONS COUNCILOR ROB ASKED.
>> JUST THE CLEAR UP, THE 2003 DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN WAS CONDUCTED BY DON AND BOM ENGINEERING AND THIS IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ENGINEERING FIRM, JACOBS ENGINEERING.
IT'S THE INTERNATIONAL FIRM AND SO. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I THOUGHT THAT YOU DID NOT CLARIFY THAT WHEN WE MET.
>> NO MA'AM. THAT WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ENGINEERING FIRM.
THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES ARE RELATED TO THAT LAST DRAINAGE PLAN.
I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP.
AS FAR AS THE SUBS WE HAVEN'T EVEN SCOPED OUT THAT SUBS.
IT'LL LIKELY BE A LOCAL SURVEY OR ANYBODY THAT'S GOING TO BE A SUB WILL PROBABLY JUST PERFORM QA, QC ANALYSIS ON THEIR H&H MODEL THAT THEY SUBMIT.
BUT EVERYONE THAT'S LISTED ON THAT TEAM IS PRETTY MUCH A PART OF THE JACOBS ENGINEERING TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE.
>> I THOUGHT OF SOME OF THE MODELING AND SO FORTH.
ACCORDING TO WHAT DANIEL WAS SAYING, MAYBE DANIEL CAN CHIME IN ON THE OTHER COMPANY THAT WAS GOING TO BE INVOLVED.
>> YEAH. AT THIS POINT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE, THE OTHER COMPANY IS GOING TO PERFORM QA, QC ON THE MODEL THAT JACOBS PUT IT TOGETHER SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING A GOOD QUALITY PRODUCT FROM AN UNBIASED THIRD PARTY.
>> ADDITIONALLY, AND WHAT YOU SUBMITTED IN THE POCKET OF LAST TIME AND THIS TIME, WHICH I THINK CAME FROM THEIR SAMPLE ANALYSIS.
SOME OF THE AREAS, AGAIN, I THINK WE'VE HAD DRAMATIC CHANGES OVER THIS PAST STORM.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THE PRELIMINARY IS AS VALID AS WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MAYBE LESS MAYBE, BUT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SUCH A MAJOR CHANGE AS WE ALL KNOW, FREEZING WHETHER PIPE MAIN DRAINS.
THAT MEAN SOME OF THE ISSUES I SAW ON ROADS AND DRAINAGE IN MY GESTURE
[00:10:02]
WERE A 100 PERCENT DIFFERENT THAN THEY WERE THREE WEEKS AGO.I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE A LITTLE MORE DISCUSSION ON THIS.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MARIE, AND ANY OTHER ITEMS YOU WANT IT ON THE AGENDA TO ADD.
>> YEAH. THE OTHER ITEM IS ON OUR AGENDA AND THIS IS ONE OF YOUR ITEMS MAYOR, THAT HAD TO DO WITH LIMITING OPEN RECORDS.
I WOULD LIKE YOU TO PROVIDE US A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
>> BY ALL MEANS. DON AM GOING TO LET YOU, THAT WAS ONE OF THE TOPICS I WAS GOING TO BRING UP FROM THE AGENDA.
DON, YOU WANT TO EXPAND ON THAT THEN I CAN TO.
>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. OPEN RECORDS ARE A COMPETENCE FRAME IN THE CITY.
THEY ARE PROCESSED BY JINELLE.
SHE CAME TO ME AND POINTED OUT THAT PLOTTER DEPARTMENTS WERE STARTING TO BUMP UP ON TIME BECAUSE I HADN'T BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT DATA BECAUSE OF THE STORM LAST WEEK.
THEN WE HAD ANOTHER OPEN RECORDS REQUEST THAT ASK FOR THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF EVERY HOUSE IN THE CITY THAT HAD WATER DISCONTINUED DUE TO THE STORM, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIT OF AN UNDERTAKING AND IT WAS DOUBTFUL.
WE COULD'VE DONE IT WITHIN THE 10 DAYS REQUIRED BY THE AIR.
THE OPEN RECORDS ACT HAS A PROVISION THAT IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY, BECAUSE OF THE EMERGENCY, THE POLITICAL SUBDIVISION CAN'T RESPOND WITHIN TIME.
THEY GET AN ADDITIONAL SEVEN DAYS BY FILING A FORM WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THAT ONLY GIVES THE CITY AN EXTRA SEVEN DAYS BY RESPONSES.
IF THE EMERGENCY CONTINUES, THEY CAN GIVE YOU A SECOND SEVEN-DAY RESPONSE TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'LL BE NECESSARY IN THIS CASE, BUT BASICALLY THIS BOUGHT US ANOTHER WEEK TO COMPLY WITH OPEN RECORDS DEADLINES.
AFTER THIS IT'LL GO AWAY ON ITS OWN.
>> WE ARE GOING TO PROVE THIS FEATURES.
OKAY. I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
I THINK RAN NEEDS TO SHUT HIS MIC OFF BECAUSE IT KEEPS JUMPING ON THE SCREEN.
BUT I AM PUTTING A DIFFERENT INFORMATION TOGETHER IN MY DISTRICT SO I COULD PROBABLY HELP WITH THAT SOMEWHERE.
I WANTED TO MENTION SINCE MY DISTRICT WAS PERHAPS THE MOST AFFECTED AND HAD THE MOST WATER SHUT OFF AT THE WATER MAINS.
WE WERE WORKING WITH TEAMS, THE CITIZENS, WE HAD A 100 SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE AND ORIGINALLY WE WERE TRYING TO TRACK EVERY ADDRESS THAT WAS SHUT OFF THEN IT LITERALLY BECAME IMPOSSIBLE WHEN YOU'RE SHUTTING OF THREE HOUSES EVERY 10 MINUTES OR PEOPLE OUT THERE DIGGING IN THE MUD.
ALTHOUGH WE TRIED TO TRACK THAT WHEN YOU'RE SHUTTING OFF.
WE'VE PERHAPS SHUT OFF 45,000 HOUSES.
>> TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT WE WERE SHUTTING OFF.
>> WHEN WE GOT THAT REQUEST, IT REALLY WAS THE NEEDLE THAT BROKE THE [INAUDIBLE] BACK AND.
>> YEAH. NO I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT DIDN'T APPLY TO EVERYTHING.
>> WHAT THIS WAS IS STAFF CAME TO ME YESTERDAY, MARIE, AND NEEDED THIS EXTRA TIME.
THIS WAS INITIATED BY JINELLE WHO MONITORS OBVIOUS AND MANAGES IT.
I WENT AHEAD AND SIGNED THAT ORDER.
THIS IS TO COUNCIL TO APPROVE THAT OR NOT TODAY.
IF IT DOES IT EXTENDS OUR TIME TO RESPOND TO THESE REQUESTS BY SEVEN DAYS.
>> OKAY. I KNOW I'M BEHIND THAT APPROVAL BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A LARGE NUMBER AND LIKE I SAID, IN MY DISTRICT.[NOISE].
[00:15:03]
WE WERE TRACKING WITHIN AN HOUR, IT'S LIKE THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.>>I UNDERSTAND. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS MARIE THAT YOU HAVE ON THE AGENDA?
>> THINK I'M GOOD. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THAT OPEN RECORDS REQUEST, BUT THAT ANSWERED MY QUESTION SO NO MORE QUESTIONS.
>> VERY GOOD. [INAUDIBLE] BE YOU.
>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AT THIS TIME.
>> I GOT MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
I WANTED TO ADDRESS BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES AND I THINK THEY HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED, SO I'M GOOD. THANKS.
>> YEAH. THAT WAS COUPLE OF MY QUESTIONS TOO SO APPRECIATE THAT, MARIE.
ALSO I NOTICE I HAVE A COUPLE WITH AA WITH OUR WINTERS EXTENSION, OR WINTER STORM EXTENSION, OR OUR EMERGENCY.
WE DISCUSS ITEMS PERTAINING TO THE WINTER STORM AT THIS TIME OR ARE THEY JUST SOLELY WITH THE DECLARATION?
>> IT'S MORE OF A DECLARATION TO EXTEND THAT WAY.
>> OKAY. BECAUSE I HAD SOME RESIDENTS ASKING AS FAR AS LIKE WATER UTILITY BILLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, HOW THE CITY WAS HANDLING BABY OUTRAGES, POTENTIAL OUTRAGES, UTILITY BILLS BECAUSE ANOTHER CITY OF HOUSTON AND LAKE CITY HAS DONE SOME PROGRAM OF PROLIFERATE, OR FORGIVENESS, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT NATURE.
THAT'S ALL IT'S GOING TO TOUCH ON.
THEN ADD ON H, C. I ASSUME THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE DISCOVERING FROM HURRICANE HIGH TIMES WITH OUR PUBLIC HOUSING BECAUSE IT'S A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
I WAS WONDERING WHAT THE DETAILS WERE BEHIND THAT.
>> MIKE , COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT ITEM H,C IS IN CAP.
PLEASE SIR IT'S ABOUT THE IMAGE OF THE OPERATING BUDGET.
THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT HAVING TO DO WITH PUBLIC HOUSING, BUT IT WAS TO TAKE CARE OF REPAIRS THAT WERE FINANCED WITH GRANTS FROM CDBG MONEY OWNED BY LOWER INCOME OR OTHERWISE INCOME ELIGIBLE HOMEOWNERS IN GALVESTON.
THIS IS THE ADMIN COST THAT WENT WITH THE PROGRAM THAT WAS INITIALLY ADMINISTERED BY CDM SMITH, THAT WE PAID THE SETTLEMENT ON A FEW YEARS BACK.
THIS WAS IN-HOUSE COST FOR OUR STAFF TO MONITOR WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE 600 HOMES IN THE PROGRAM.
[INAUDIBLE] WAS INVOLVED IN THIS.
SHE'S HERE IF YOU WANT TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT ANY OF THAT.
BUT WE BELIEVE THAT SOONER OR LATER WE WOULD GET REIMBURSED FOR ALL OF THAT ADMIN COST AND THE CITY HAS CARRIED A RECEIVABLE IN THIS BOOKS BASED ON THAT NOTION SINCE 2013.
WE THOUGHT AFTER THE CDM CASE WAS SETTLED, THAT THE CASE THAT THE CITY HAD AGAINST THE GLO WILL RECOVER SOME OR ALL OF THAT AND DON CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
IN FACT, IT TURNS OUT NOW AT THIS POINT WHEN WE GO AND LOOK AT IT, THE CHANCES OF RECOVERING ALL OF IT ARE VIRTUALLY NONE, NOT EVEN SLIM AND ABOUT THE BEST WE COULD HOPE FOR IT WOULD BE A $250,000 RECOVERY AGAINST WHAT IS A MILLION AND A HALF.
SO WHAT WE'RE LEFT WITH IS THE CHOICE OF EITHER TAKING THE RECEIVABLE OUT AND THEN TO AVOID HAVING A NEGATIVE BALANCE IN THAT FUND CHARGING IT BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND WHICH THERE'S REALLY NO OTHER PLACE TO CHARGE IT TO.
SO THIS REQUEST ASK COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE SET-ASIDE OF FUNDS FOR A BUDGET AGAINST WHICH TO CHARGE THAT LONG AGO COST. [OVERLAPPING]
RECOVERY OF THIS MONEY FROM THE GLO REQUIRES A BUNCH OF DOMINOES TO FOLLOW IN AN EXACT TYPE OF WAY.
RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT THE SUPREME COURT ASKING THEM TO COMPEL THE GLO TO SUBMIT TO A ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE.
IF THEY DO THAT WE'LL START THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING AFTER WE GO THROUGH THAT TRIAL AND IF WE WIN, THE LAW JUDGE CAN ALLOW US UP TO $250,000 , BUT WE'LL HAVE A FUNDING THAT WE WERE ENTITLED TO A X BILLION OR WHATEVER.
THEN WE WOULD GO TO THE LEGISLATURE AND ASK THEM TO FUND THE REST.
[00:20:01]
IF WE COULD GET THE VOTES FROM THE LEGISLATURE, WE WOULD BE MADE WHOLE.THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF F'S THAT IN TERMS OF PUTTING A RECEIVABLE ON THE BOOKS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD REASONABLE ANTICIPATION OF RECOVERY.
WITH ALL THESE WHAT F'S BEEN IN FRONT OF US I JUST DON'T THINK THIS MEETS THE THRESHOLD AND THE ADJUSTMENT NEEDED TO BE MADE.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANKS GUYS I APPRECIATE IT.
IS THIS FOR THE. [OVERLAPPING].
>> EXCUSE ME FOR INTERRUPTING.
I THINK COUNCIL WOMAN ROB HAD A QUESTION ON THAT ITEM.
>> ALL RIGHT, I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T SEE IT.
>> THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP BECAUSE I HAD QUESTIONS ON THAT.
WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WAS GOING THROUGH TODAY I'M GLAD YOU PROMPTED MY THOUGHT.
IT'S GOING TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
WHERE IN THE GENERAL FUND? FROM THE RESERVE, FROM?
>> YES. IT'LL COME FROM THE RESERVE, THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE, [INAUDIBLE] WHICH PART OF THE BUDGET BUT NOT APPROPRIATED IN WHOLE OR IN PART UNTIL COUNCIL DOES SO.
>> BUT IT'S COMING FROM THE 2020 RESERVE?
>> THEN IT'S BASICALLY WIPING OUT THE PORTION OF OUR RESERVE?
>> IT WAS THE LAW SUIT THAT DELAYED THIS OUT SO LONG?
>> YES, AGAIN, WE THOUGHT THE LITIGATION AGAINST THE GLO WOULD TURN UP SOME SORT OF RECOVERY, PREFERABLY THE WHOLE THING.
THE GRANT ITSELF, I THINK ALICE, COULD CONFIRM THIS.
BUT I THINK THE GRANT ITSELF IS LONG GONE.
THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIND OTHER FUNDS TO REIMBURSE US.
>> OKAY. WE'RE PULLING FROM THE RESERVE, IF I REMEMBER THE NUMBERS CORRECTLY, WILL BEST TAKE US DOWN BELOW OUR 90 DAY REQUIRED RESERVE?
>> NOT AT ALL. WE ENDED UP AT 4.2 MILLION, WHICH WAS 4.2 MILLION ABOVE THE 90 DAYS.
IF YOU GO LOOK AT OUR FOURTH QUARTER REPORT, AND THIS DROPS THAT EXCESS OVER THE 90 DAYS TO 2.7 MILLION.
>> OKAY. HOW MANY DAYS WILL THEY BE AT WHEN WE FINISH? WE ENDED UP AT 4.2 MILLION WE WERE ORIGINALLY AT LIKE TWO- POINT SOMETHING.
IN OUR FINAL NUMBERS ON THE RESERVES, WHAT DOES THIS TAKE US TO?
>> I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MATH IN ORDER TO ANSWER THAT COUNCIL MEMBER.
>> IT'S PROBABLY CLOSE, MARIE.
MIKE, I'M GUESSING HERE ABOUT A 110 DAYS MAYBE.
>> A 110 DAYS, SO WE ACTUALLY ENDED IN THE END OF HAVING A RESERVE OF OVER A 140 OR 150 DAYS? BECAUSE THIS IS LIKE 500 SOMETHING A DAY, OR I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THE EXACT NUMBER IS, OR 150 SOMETHING A DAY?
>> I'M SORRY. I DON'T HAVE THAT ANSWER RIGHT AT MY FINGERTIPS HERE.
YOU GIVE ME A MINUTE, I'LL HAVE THE ANSWER FOR YOU.
>> WELL, I'M JUST WONDERING IF WE ENDED, AND IT'S A LITTLE OFF THE SUBJECT.
BUT IF WE ENDED UP WITH THAT MUCH IN OUR RESERVES, AND WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE IN NEED RIGHT NOW.
ONE FROM THE PANDEMIC, AND TWO FROM BEING WIPED OUT FROM THE STORM.
IF WE CAN'T COME UP WITH A PLAN HOW WE CAN USE SOME OF THOSE FUNDS TO HELP PEOPLE GET BACK IN THEIR HOMES.
[INAUDIBLE] I KNOW THAT'S GOING OFF SUBJECT, BUT IF YOU CAN GET NUMBERS OVER TO US PERHAPS BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING.
I KNOW I CERTAINLY WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I'LL GET THAT.
>> I WOULD CAUTION EVERYBODY ON THAT.
WE HAVE NOT EVEN BEGUN TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET REIMBURSED FROM THIS WINTER EVENT, AND THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO COME FROM OUR RESERVES, AND THEN WE ROLL RIGHT INTO HURRICANE SEASON IN [OVERLAPPING].
>> YEAH, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY, BUT IT WOULD JUST BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE NUMBERS, SO WE CAN LOOK AT IT, TO SEE IF THERE ARE, IS ANY POSSIBILITY.
BECAUSE FROM WHEN WE HAD THE FINAL NUMBERS THE RESERVE ABOUT DOUBLED.
>> OKAY. IT IS OFF THE SUBJECT BUT MIKE YOU COULD [OVERLAPPING] GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
[00:25:01]
WILLIAM GO RIGHT AHEAD.JUST FOR CLARITY, FOR THE RESIDENTS OF NINE [INAUDIBLE] IS SOMETHING THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL LAST MONTH.
IT'S THE SOFTWARE FOR OUR MARSHAL TO BASICALLY DRIVE DOWN THE SEA WALL AND ISSUE TICKETS.
THAT IS TOWARDS NOT AS MUCH STOPPING, AND GETTING IT OUT, AND PULLING THE TRAFFIC.
IS THAT WHAT WE HAVE ON NINE, NINE?
THIS IS UNRELATED TO THE PARKING.
THIS HAS TO DO WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT IN THE RMS SOLUTION THAT IS ALSO USED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, COUNCIL MEMBER.
REVEREND JOHNSON, DISTRICT ONE, SIR.
>> I GOT IT. THANK YOU, MAYOR.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
THIS IS EQUIPMENT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO UPDATE FOR THE FOOTER MARSHAL'S OFFICE OR USE?
>> COUNCIL MEMBER CURRENTLY OUR MARSHAL'S STAFF DO NOT HAVE EQUIPMENT IN THEIR VEHICLES.
>> THIS WILL OUTFIT THEIR VEHICLES WITH THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT RIGHT NOW.
THEY HAVE TO RUN BACK AND FORTH.
ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ELECTRONICALLY, THEY HAVE TO PHYSICALLY GO BACK TO THE OFFICE AND SO FORTH.
>> OKAY. THIS EQUIPMENT NOT EVEN IN THE VEHICLE THAT IS [INAUDIBLE]
>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THE OTHER ITEM MAYOR I HAVE IS, T&A.
T&A EXPENDITURE OF 25,000 THAT THEY ACTUALLY NUDGE TO APPROVE FOR THESE DEFENSE OF THIS, I GUESS THE SUIT THAT WE HAVE WITH MR. [INAUDIBLE]
>> YES SIR, AND THIS IS ON OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM ALSO, REVEREND JOHNSON FOR US TO TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING ALSO.
>> I'M JUST CONCERNED WITH OF COURSE WITH THE AMOUNT, OF COURSE I READ THE MEMORANDUM THAT MR. [INAUDIBLE] SENT, AND SO I'M SEEING AT THIS POINT AND TIME, THAT EVERY TIME WE ARRIVE TO SOMETHING LIKE THIS WE HAVE THIS NUMBER 25,000 THAT JUST COMES UP.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY HAD ARRIVED AT THIS NUMBER FROM.
LAST TIME WE HAD A SITUATION IN 25,000, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE GETTING THIS PARTICULAR NUMBER FROM.
IF IT'S AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF MORE THAN WE HAD SPENT.
I DON'T KNOW IS SOMEONE CAN ANSWER THAT OR NOT?
>> I CAN. I SPOKE WITH THE LAW FIRM, AND THEY'VE ALREADY DONE THE BRIEFS.
THERE WAS AN INITIAL ACQUISITION OF $50,000, THEN ANOTHER 40,000, THIS ONE'S GOING TO BE 25.
THE [INAUDIBLE] BY THE FACT THAT THE COURT HAS ORDERED ON ORAL ARGUMENTS IN THE CASE.
WE'RE GOING TO PAY THE FIRM TO DO THE ORAL ARGUMENT.
SOMETIMES AND ALMOST ALWAYS, THERE ARE POST ORAL ARGUMENT MOTIONS BRIEFS THAT ARE FILED IN THE COURT.
I'M THINKING THE 25 GRAND WILL BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO COVER THIS.
I SPOKE WITH THE LAW FIRM AND THEY AGREED THAT THIS SHOULD BE ADEQUATE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS COVERED.
>> THEN, SO IN ESSENCE LIKE OF COURSE I KNOW THERE'S SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY THAT IS GOING ON DUE TO THE OUTCOME AND APPEALS AND ALL OF THAT.
THAT'S WHY I'M JUST GOING TO CONCERN YOU IS 25000, WILL BE ADEQUATE ENOUGH.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK THREE MONTHS FROM NOW AND WILL BE ANOTHER 25000 WE GET TO.
>>WELL, YOU KNOW SUPPOSE THE COURT OF APPEALS REVERSES IT AND SEND IT BACK TO TRIAL.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP A TRIAL BUDGET.
WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU AND DECIDE WHAT DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO.
WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE NUMBERS DOWN BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
WE COULDN'T REALLY ASSEMBLE THE FULL TRIAL BUDGET AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CASE BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE HAD JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES.
WE WERE HOPING MR. FLORES WOULD NOT APPEAL, BUT HE DID.
HE'S ADDER MENTION HIS POSITION LET'S SAY.
I'M HOPING THE COURT OF APPEALS WILL JUST AFFIRM OUR CASE AND THAT WILL BE IT.
WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.
>>OKAY, SO WE WON THE CASE IN, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING?
>>IN THE TRIAL IT WAS DISMISSED AND FLORES APPEALED THAT DISMISSAL.
[00:30:03]
>> OKAY. [NOISE] I HAVEN'T GET IT DONE OUT [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU MAYOR, THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
>> [NOISE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JOHNSON.
ALSO, WE JUST GOT A NOTIFICATION FROM MIKE LOFTEN WILLIAM, ON YOUR QUESTION IN MAREY, YOUR THOUGHTS TO.
WE WERE AT A 117 DAYS WITH OUR GENERAL RESERVE FUND AND THIS MOVES TO 107 DAYS.
MIKE LOFTEN JUST SENT THAT TO ALL OF US, FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE OF IT.
>>VERY GOOD. I HAVE TWO ITEMS, VERY QUICKLY.
NINE A. DAVID, I'M GOING TO CALL UPON YOU.
COUNSEL MAYBE THINKING WHY IS THE PART OF BOARD COMING TO US FOR APPROVAL OF A MAP FOR GOVERN OUR REPORT THAT THEY MANAGE.
JUST BRIEFLY, DAVID, COULD YOU [INAUDIBLE] COUNSEL ON WHY THAT IS?
>>YEAH. OUR INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT, UNDER WHICH THE PARK BOARD MANAGES.
OUR PARKS HAS TWO LIMITATIONS AND ONE IS MORE THAN A $125000 FOR REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE HAS TO COME TO COUNCIL.
ANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT ITEM ALSO HAS TO COME TO THE COUNCIL AND THIS IS AN $85000 THOUSAND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.
WE'RE GOING TO BE REBUILDING SOMETHINGS AND ADDING SOMETHINGS TO DOUBLE OUR PART TO MAKE IT MORE COMPETITIVE.
BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE RV FACILITIES GOING UP AROUND THAT AREA OF THE BEACH.
IT'S JUST THAT, THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO GIVE THIS FROM THE [INAUDIBLE] I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE APPROVE IT.
PARK BOARD HAS APPROVED IT, AND IT ADDS TO THE BOTTOM LINE FROM THE DERIVATIVE OF THE PARK.
THIS IS JUST UNDER OUR INNER LOCAL AGREEMENT.
THIS IS A FORMAL APPROVAL OF THEIR EXPENDITURE OF MONEY ON A CITY ASSET.
>> [NOISE] THANK YOU, DAVID. APPRECIATE IT.
ALSO, MY LAST ITEM NINE E IS AN EGG.
I'M GOING TO CALL ON YOU AGAIN, THAT'S FOR THE AWARD OF OUR 20 FINANCIAL ADVISORY SERVICES CONTRACT.
COULD YOU JUST UPDATE THE COUNCIL ON THAT, PLEASE, SIR.
>>THE ROLE OF THE FINANCIAL ADVISER INCLUDES THE SALE OF BONDS, BUT IT INCLUDES A LOT OF REVIEW IN BOND MARKET TYPE VIGILANCE AS FAR AS THE CITY PRESENTING ITS FINANCIAL SITUATION ACCURATELY IN THAT BROADER FINANCIAL WORLD OUT THERE.
THE CONTRACT AWARDED FIVE YEARS AGO WAS TO A FIRM CALLED [INAUDIBLE].
MANY OF YOU KNOW, [INAUDIBLE] HE WAS OUR LEAD FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
THAT CONTRACT WAS A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT AND IT RAN OUT IN SEPTEMBER.
WE DID A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.
WE MOUND THIS RECOMMENDATION OVER AND DECIDED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND RECOMMEND THAT HANNINGTON SECURITIES BE AWARDED THE CONTRACT THAT THEY ACQUIRED [INAUDIBLE] AND THIS WOULD KEEP [INAUDIBLE] IN THE SADDLE AS OUR LEAD FINANCIAL ADVISOR.
HE'S ALREADY GOT A COST SAVINGS, BOND REFINANCING READY THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND BRING THE COUNCIL SOMETHING ON NEXT MONTH.
HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY, HE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY'S FINANCIALS.
HE'S PARTICIPATED IN EVERY BOND SALE AS A BUYER, FINANCIAL ADVISOR IN SOME CAPACITY.
I THINK SINCE THE LATE 80S, EARLY 90S.
HE REALLY UNDERSTANDS OUR SITUATION AND IT'S VERY HELPFUL WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO ONE OF THE READY AGENCIES, OR TRYING TO GET AN OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE CITY'S FINANCES.
>>THANK YOU MIKE. I APPRECIATE THAT.[OVERLAPPING] EXCUSE ME.[OVERLAPPING].
I DO NOT. JIM, WELCOME, BUT I DO NOT HAVE QUESTIONS.
IF COUNCIL DOES, WE SURE COULD ENTERTAIN THOSE.
>>THANK YOU, JIM FOR BEING HERE.
[3.B. Presentation Of The Finalist Selections For A City Flag (Brown - 20 Minutes)]
THANK YOU, COUNCIL.NOW LET'S MOVE TO ITEM THREE B, PLEASE, [INAUDIBLE].
PRESENTATION AND THE FINAL SELECTIONS FOR CITY FLAG.
>>COUNCIL THIS IS A ITEM THAT IS BEING BROUGHT TO US BY THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION.
THEY HAVE PUT OUT A CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS OF POTENTIAL CITY FLAG DESIGNS.
THEY GOT BACK CLOSE TO A 100 RESPONSES ON THIS.
[00:35:01]
THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION HAS BEEN DILIGENTLY MEETING ON THESE.THEY CALLED THIS 100 DOWN TO ABOUT 25.
THEY MAY PUT THOSE OUT FOR QUITE A LONG PERIOD TO THE PUBLIC, TO GET THEIR INPUT ON THESE DESIGNS.
NOW, THEY HAVE SENT TO US, TAKING THE PUBLIC'S INPUT AND THE ANALYSIS OF THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION, THEY'RE SENDING US THREE DESIGNS FOR OUR EVALUATION.
THIS IS NOT A VOTING ITEM, OF COURSE, TODAY IT WILL BE IN PROBABLY OUR NEXT MEETING IN MARCH.
WE HAVE, I THINK NICK BARBIE WHOSE CHAIRPERSON MAY NOT BE WITH US, BUT [INAUDIBLE] I THINK, WHO IS THE CO-CHAIR OR THE ASSISTANT CHAIR ;VICE-CHAIR SHOULD SAY AND THAT COMMISSION IS WITH US.
[INAUDIBLE] ARE YOU ON THE LINE?
[INAUDIBLE] WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A THING TO COUNSEL BEFORE WE CONTINUE ON WITH THIS ITEM? NO, EXCEPT TO STRESS THE FACT THAT THIS HAS BEEN A RATHER LONG PROCEDURE THAT WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET AS MUCH INPUT AS POSSIBLE.
THE FLAGS DESIGNS THAT WERE SUBMITTED TO US WERE EXCELLENT.
THEY RAN A FULL GARMENT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF DESIGNS.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TRY AND FIND ONE.
IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE THE PUBLIC INPUT BECAUSE THAT REALLY HELPED US.
THERE'S THREE THAT WE HAVE SELECTED FOR A CONSIDERATION, ALL OF THEM WERE HIGHLY APPROVED BY THE PUBLIC INPUT AND THEY ALL MATCHED THE CRITERIA THAT WE HAD SET ORIGINALLY.
THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] I WANT TO THANK THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION.
THEY PUT IN A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.
I SEE DAVID'S HAND UP, BUT JUST ONE COMMENT BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCILMAN COLLINS.
WE HAVE THE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE DESIGNED EACH ONE OF THESE FLAGS SUBMISSIONS TO US ON THE LINE.
THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION HAD ASKED FOR EACH ONE OF THESE CANDIDATES TO GIVE A VERY SHORT THREE-MINUTE PRESENTATION ON A BACKGROUND ON WHAT DROVE THEM IN THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE DESIGNS THAT WERE PRESENTED WITH TODAY, COUNCILMAN COLLINS.
WELL, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO FORWARD WITH THAT MAYOR, WE CAN DO THAT BEFORE WE COME BACK TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION.
THAT'D BE GREAT. THANK YOU, DAVID.
OUR FIRST FLAG IS FLAG D IS IN DAVID, THAT IS IN THE PACKET OR THE MATERIAL THAT WAS SENT TO YOU.
ANNETTE ARE YOU ON THE LINE? MAYOR, I DON'T SEE HER ON THE LINE.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, JANELLE.
OUR SECOND FLAG IS FLAG F, AS IN FRANK, IT'S LABELED IN YOUR PACKET MATERIAL.
THAT IS A GENTLEMAN NAMED DAWSON [INAUDIBLE].
DAWSON, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? JANELLE, DO YOU SEE DAWSON ON THERE? YES, SIR, I DO.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO SHOW THE FLAG WHILE THE PERSON IS DISCUSSING IT, SO OUR STUDY SENSE COULD SEE TOO.
JANELLE, CAN YOU PUT THAT DESIGN OF DAWSON [INAUDIBLE] DAWSON ARE YOU ON THE LINE? LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE MUTED.
WE'RE GOING TO GET YOUR DESIGN PLACED UP FOR THE PUBLIC TO SEE IF POSSIBLE.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU, DAWSON, GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE AND [OVERLAPPING].
YOU'RE WELCOME. I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU ABOUT THREE MINUTES, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND, SIR, JUST A SECOND ONCE WE GET YOUR DESIGN UP, CAN WE GET THAT DESIGN UP, JANELLE? YES.
THERE WE ARE. DAWSON, GO AHEAD AND GIVE YOU JUST A SHORT TIME HERE.
WELL THIS FLAG AS IS THE MEDIATELY CLEAR FROM FIRST GLANCE WAS DESIGNED WITH A STRONG SPIRIT OF MINIMALISM.
THIS STYLE IS PARTICULARLY USEFUL WHEN DESIGNING FLAGS BECAUSE FLAGS AS PHYSICAL OBJECTS ARE RARELY HELD STRAIGHT AND FLAT.
MOST OFTEN THEY'RE ON FLAGPOLES,
[00:40:01]
SUBJECTED TO DISTORTION AND MANIPULATION BY THE WIND AND GRAVITY.AS SUCH, FLAG SHOULD IDEALLY HAVE SIMPLE DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT MAKE THEM EASILY RECOGNIZABLE IN ANY ORIENTATION.
THIS SIMPLICITY ALSO SERVES TO THE FLAGS MEMORABILITY.
AS WAS DISCUSSED BY THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION, ACCORDING TO THE NORTH AMERICAN ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS BOOKLET, GOOD FLAG, BAD FLAG, THE FIRST PRE-BASIC PRINCIPLE OF FLAG DESIGN IS TO KEEP IT SIMPLE SUCH THAT A CHILD COULD DRAW IT FROM MEMORY.
TALKING ABOUT THIS DESIGN SPECIFICALLY, I SETTLED ON WHITE AS A FITTING BACKGROUND COLOR BECAUSE GALVESTON HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN AN ISLAND SYNONYMOUS WITH PEACE AND CULTURAL UNITY.
FOR ONE EXAMPLE, THE EMANCIPATION OF SLAVES IN TEXAS BEGAN IN GALVESTON AT THE COMMAND OF UNION GENERAL GORDON GRANGER.
SECOND, DURING THE GALVESTON MOVEMENT ERA, OUR ISLAND BECAME A MAJOR IMMIGRATION PORT, PRIMARILY FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN JEWS FLEEING PERSECUTION IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES.
BUT STILL OUR PORT TOOK IN PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
GALVESTON HAS BEEN A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COME TOGETHER IN PEACE, AND I WANTED THAT REFLECTED IN OUR FLAG.
THE LIGHT BLUE, ALONG WITH THE WAVE FORM, IS MEANT TO REPRESENT THE NAUTICAL HISTORY OF GALVESTON.
GALVESTON WAS ESSENTIALLY FOUNDED ON THE SEA BEGINNING AS AUTOCRACY OF PIRATES USING THE ISLAND SHORES AS CENTERS FOR BOOTLEGGING AND IMPORTING CONTRABAND.
FROM THEN ON, GALVESTON'S ECONOMY HAS BEEN DEFINED BY ITS MARITIME ACTIVITIES.
AS TEXAS IS LARGEST NATURAL DEEP-WATER HARBOR, GALVESTON WAS THE DOMINANT TRADING PORT IN TEXAS, AND EVEN AFTER IT WAS UNSEATED BY THE 1900 STORM AND HOUSTON DREDGING OUT WITH SHIP CHANNEL.
GALVESTON REMAINS SIGNIFICANT TRADING PORT AND FROM THEN ON, A MAJOR DESTINATION FOR SEABORNE TOURISTS.
FINALLY, THE STAR PLACED MID-FIELD OF OFF THE WAVEFORM, IS THE LONE STAR OF TEXAS.
AS A TEXAN CITY, IT IS TO A DEGREE OUR PATRIOTIC DUTY TO INCLUDE THE LONE STAR, THOUGH IT'S MEANING ON THIS FLAG GOES DEEPER THAN THAT IN MY EYES.
A LARGE PART OF TEXAS HISTORY ESSENTIALLY REVOLVES AROUND GALVESTON ISLAND.
YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT ITS HISTORY, NOR ITS PEOPLE, NOR ITS BATTLES, WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT GALVESTON.
GALVESTON IN MANY WAYS DEFINED TEXAS.
THUS, THE LONE STAR ON THIS FLAG SAYS, "NOT JUST THAT WE ARE A PART OF TEXAS, BUT THAT WE ARE TEXAS." THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU DAWSON. I WANT TO RECOGNIZE DAWSON ALSO THIS ENTIRE PROJECT OF LOOKING AT AN OFFICIAL CITY FLAG WAS INITIATED BY DAWSON A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
HE'S A GRADUATE OF CONNELL HIGH SCHOOL.
DAWSON THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TOPIC FORWARD.
APPRECIATED. ALL RIGHT, COUNCIL.
JANELLE, WOULD YOU GO BACK AND WOULD YOU DISPLAY MS. CLARK'S FLAG DESIGN, PLEASE MAM.
>> HERE WE ARE. SINCE MS. CLARK IS NOT WITH US, PAT DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS DESIGN FROM COMMENTS FROM THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION AT ALL?
>> NO. THE ONLY THING THAT REALLY DISTINGUISHES THIS IS THAT IT'S THE ONLY ONE THAT CAME IN THAT HAD WILDLIFE ON IT.
THE PELICAN, AS YOU KNOW, IS A BIRD THAT HAS BEEN RESURRECTED ALONG THE COAST AND IS MORE OR LESS IDENTIFIED AS SOON AS YOU COME ACROSS THE CAUSEWAY.
THERE ARE THE PELICANS, THEY ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE, WHITE ONES, AND BROWN ONES.
AS A RESULT, THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF FONDNESS FOR IT, BUT IT ALSO MEETS THE CRITERIA.
>> THANK YOU PAT. MOVING TO A FLAG DESIGN G AS IN GRAIN, THAT WAS JEROME MACKLEMORE.
IF WE CAN DISPLAY THAT AND IS MR. MACKLEMORE ON THE LINE? MR. MACKLEMORE, CAN YOU HEAR US?
[00:45:01]
>> GOOD MORNING. GLAD TO HAVE YOU.
WE'VE ALLOCATED THREE MINUTES, SIR, TO THIS PRESENTATION AND BACKGROUND INTO YOUR FLAG DESIGN. GO RIGHT AHEAD, SIR.
>> GOOD MORNING. JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR OUT-PENDING FOR THIS PROCESS.
START BY THANKING YOU BY SAYING THAT GALVESTON HAS BEEN A GREAT IMPACT ON MY LIFE.
AND THAT BEING SAID, DESIGNING THIS FLAG IS AN HONOR.
MY DESIGN IN ITS SIMPLICITY IS BOTH DEEP IN MEANING AND SYMBOLISM.
THE WORD THAT DESCRIBES ALL THREE COLORS OF THE FLAG IS STRENGTH, WHICH IS THE ANCHOR OF MY DESIGN.
THE TAN COLOR SYMBOLIZES WARMTH, SECURITY, STABILITY, AND DEPENDABILITY.
BLUE BRINGS JOY, HAPPINESS, RELIABILITY, AND A CONSTANT CALM PRESENCE.
AND BURGUNDY STIMULATES THE POWER, COMFORT, AND LEGACY.
I WANTED TO USE THE STARS AND STRIPES MOTIF BECAUSE OF THE DEEP ROOTS GALVESTON HAS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE WORLD.
THE ICONIC LONE STAR STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WAVY STRIPES AND THE STRAITS ILLUSTRATES THE DYNAMIC MARK AND SKILL GALVESTON CONTINUES TO DISPLAY ACROSS THE GLOBE.
THE FIVE POINTS REPRESENTED IN THE STAR REPRESENTS HISTORY, CULTURE, ECONOMICS, ENTERTAINMENT, AND RELAXATION, SUPPORTED BY THE TWO STRIPES WHICH SYMBOLIZES STABILITY AND SAFETY.
TOGETHER, THE BURGUNDY STAR HOLDING THE WAVY TAN AND BLUE STRIPES COLLECTIVELY SHOWS THE STRENGTH OF THE CITY OF GALVESTON, THE ANCHOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF TEXAS, AND THE COUNTRY IT REPRESENTS, AND THE WORLD IT CALLS HOME.
AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS.
I USED OIL AND ACRYLIC ON PHOTO PAPER TO PAINT THE FLAG.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THESE ELEMENTS FOR A YEAR.
I USE THESE ELEMENTS BECAUSE THE CHEMICALS ON THE PHOTO PAPER WITH THE OILS AND THE PAINT KIND OF MAKE ITS OWN MESS AND JUST AS THE PAINT FORMS, IT IS ABLE TO USE AND CREATE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
I DECIDED TO DO THAT FOR THE FLAG BECAUSE ONE THING ABOUT GALVESTON, THROUGHOUT HISTORY, IT'S BEEN A HUGE STAPLE IN HISTORY, BUT GALVESTON HITS THE BRUNT OF WEATHER THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO THE ARK STATE AND IT ALWAYS COMES BACK TOGETHER NO MATTER HOW HARD THE STORM IS, OR HOW HARD THE ISSUE IS, THE CITY ALWAYS COMES BACK, AND IT'S A HUGE STAPLE IN OUR WORLD AND ESPECIALLY OUR STATE TODAY.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, MR. MACKLEMORE VERY MUCH.
I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THE ENTRIES, ALL OF THE ARTISTS AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE SUBMITTED FLAG DESIGNS.
THE THREE THAT HAD BEEN CHOSEN TO COME TO COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EXPERTISE AND YOUR ARTISTIC ABILITIES TO SUBMIT SUCH A WONDERFUL DESIGN.
THANKS SO MUCH. COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO NOW OPEN THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION HERE, COUNCILOR COLLINS.
>> I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS AND PUT THEIR EFFORT INTO CREATING THIS ART.
LET ME PLAY DEVIL'S ADVOCATE HERE FOR A MOMENT.
I'M KIND OF QUIZZICAL ABOUT WHY THIS DIDN'T COME TO COUNCIL AS A NEED BEFORE THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION WENT DOWN THIS ROAD, BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE HAD A CITY FLAG.
I LOOKED AT THE FLAGPOLE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL.
THERE'S A FLAG THERE IT SAYS, CITY OF GALVESTON TEXAS, 1839.
IT'S GOT THE ELISSA. IT'S OUR CITY SEAL FOR SURE.
SO I'M JUST A LITTLE CURIOUS AS TO HOW WE GOT TO THE NEED FOR THIS.
I KNOW THAT DAWSON BROUGHT FORWARD THIS, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE THAT CONVERSATION STARTED.
I JUST I WONDER HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT WITHOUT COUNCIL EVER SENDING THIS REQUIREMENT DOWN TO THE CULTURAL COMMISSION TO BEGIN WITH.
>> WELL, I CAN MAKE A COMMENT ON THAT, DAVID, AND MAYBE JENEL CAN GUIDE US ON THIS.
I THINK WE DID DISCUSS THIS MANY TIMES HERE AT COUNCIL.
I THINK THAT WE DID DISCUSS, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME RIGHT, WE HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT HAVING CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION COMING BACK WITH A SUBMISSION OF AN OFFICIAL FLAG.
I COULD BE WRONG ON THAT, BUT WE CAN RESEARCH THAT.
FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, FROM THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION,
[00:50:01]
THERE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL FLAG THIS DESIGNATED FOR THE CITY OF GALVESTON.THE ONE THAT FLIES NOW IS MORE AN UNOFFICIAL FLAG.
THAT'S WHY WE PUT OUT OUR CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION, I SHOULD SAY, PUT OUT THE CALL FOR FOR SUCH A THING.
PAT, DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON THAT AT ALL?
>> WELL, I CAME IN TO THE COMMISSION MID-FLAG, MORE OR LESS TO SPEAK, BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CITY SEAL AND THE CONCEPT OF A FLAG.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, [INAUDIBLE] , AND THE OTHER RESEARCH THAT WE'VE DONE HERE, THE ADVANTAGES OF A FLAG IS THAT IT IS SIMPLE AND CERTAINLY THE CITY SEAL AS BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS, IS NOT SIMPLE.
SO THAT PEOPLE CAN USE IT LIKE A BUTTON OR A PIN ON A T-SHIRT, SMALL OTHER ITEMS HERE TO DESIGNATE THE CITY PROPER, NOT TO TAKE AWAY ANYTHING FROM THE SEAL, I THINK THE SEAL IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] ANY OTHER EXPERIMENT?
>> YEAH. AGAIN, IF WE WERE TO GO FORWARD WITH THESE, I WOULD QUESTION WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO USE THESE AS A CONCERN FOR ONE OR ALL OF THEM IS CONCEPTUAL BASIS TO GO OUT TO A PROFESSIONAL DESIGN FIRM, TO COME BACK WITH A FINAL CITY FLAG DESIGN.
ARE WE CONTEMPLATING TAKING ONE OF THESE AS THEY WERE PRESENTED TODAY AND PUTTING THAT FORWARD AS THE CITY'S BANNER FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS?
>> THE LATTER. WE'RE NOT GOING OUT.
THERE'S BEEN NO DISCUSSION OF GOING OUT IN TRYING TO GET A DESIGN FIRM.
NO, WE'RE GOING WITH THE ONES THAT WE HAVE NOW.
IF THEY'D NEED TO HAVE SOME IMPROVEMENT OR MODIFICATION, WE WOULD WORK WITH THE ARTISTS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAD OUR CITIZENS SUBMIT DESIGNS.
I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAD OUR CITIZENS VOTE ON THE FLAG.
I THINK EVERY SUBMISSION WAS EXCELLENT AND DEPICTED SOME PART OF THE CITY.
IT WAS NICE THAT ALL KIND OF EVERYONE INCORPORATED THE BEACH SINCE WE KNOW AS A BARRIER ISLAND, THE BEACHES ARE BIG PART OF IT.
I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, MR. DOLSTINE'S EXPLANATION BECAUSE I'VE SEEN OVER THE UNITED STATES SOME STATE OR-AND CITY FLAGS OF WHICH PEOPLE ARE REALLY PROUD OF AND I JUST THINK THERE ARE HORRIBLE.
BUT I THINK THIS MENTIONED SOME WE'VE RECEIVED WERE ALL FABULOUS AND I THINK IT'S EXCITING TO USE OUR CITIZENS.
SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN SUBMITTING AS WELL AS VOTING.
>> WELL, YEAH, THERE WERE, I THINK ABOUT A 100 SUBMISSIONS.
HOW MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE VOTING?
>> OH, MY HEAVENS, [LAUGHTER] A LOT. [LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, I KNOW YOU CAN VOTE MORE THAN ONCE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS I KNOW YOU CAN. [OVERLAPPING].
>> YES, YOU COULD VOTE MORE THAN ONCE.
AS A RESULT, WE WENT THROUGH AND THOSE PEOPLE WHERE WE HAD, WE WERE ABLE TO TELL WHAT COMPUTERS WERE USED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CAST THE VOTES.
SOME OF THEM HAD MULTIPLE VOTES, BUT THEY COULDN'T BEEN LIKE FROM A SCHOOL ROOM OR FROM THE LIBRARY COMPUTERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
IF THE VOTES WERE ALL DIFFERENT FROM THE SAME COMPUTER, BUT THERE WERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF VOTES, WE ALLOWED THOSE IN.
IF IT WAS THE SAME VOTE OVER AND OVER AGAIN FROM THE SAME COMPUTER, WE DID NOT; WE JUST COUNTED IT AS ONE VOTE.
SO AS A RESULT, THE 1,000 OR SO THAT CAME IN, IT'S MORE THAN THAT, GOT WING DOWN TO A REASONABLE AMOUNT.
BUT WE GOT A VERY GOOD RESPONSE.
WE GOT LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF COMMENTS THAT GOING OVER,
[00:55:03]
THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA.YES, THE INPUT WAS GOOD, I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT STATISTICS.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY TOO BUT THANK YOU [INAUDIBLE] SORRY, DAVID.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT? REVEREND JOHNSON.
>> JUST THIS QUESTION OR CONCERN, OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT AN ACCOUNT OF THE TOP OF THREE OF THESE FLAGS.
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW. THEY CAME HERE WITH THE TOP ONE AND I'VE GOT MORE THAN ONE OR THE OTHER.
OF COURSE, THIS HAS BEEN A COURSE LOOKED AT AS FOR OUR CITIZENS AND OF COURSE, WE AS COUNSEL GOING TO, I GUESS SOMEWHERE TO PULL THIS AT SOME POINT ON TIME.
I THINK IT COULD BE MORE IF WE GOING TO DO THAT.
I THINK WE'LL BE MORE ALIGNED WITH THE CITIZENS HAVE SELECTED INSTEAD OF WE AS A GROUP OF INDIVIDUAL WHO REPRESENTS THE CITIZENS OF THIS COURSE OF GALVESTON.
BUT IN THIS INSTANCE, I WOULD THINK WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THAT TO BE ONCE AGAIN, GIVEN TO CITIZENS WHO HAD ALWAYS MADE ITS DECISION TO LOOK AT TO THE TIMELINE AND THE EFFORT TO GO THROUGH LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR FLAGS THAT WE'VE HAD BEFORE OR SO.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM APPROVING IT, BUT I JUST THINK THAT IF IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO ADAPT AS SYN FLAG AND THE CITIZEN HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE THEIR OPINION AND GO UP ON THESE TOP THREE, I THINK THAT WE HAD ALONG TO CITIZENS, AT LEAST TO CONTINUE HAVING A VOICE THIS AND TO ALLOW THEM TO SOMEWHERE COME TO A CONCLUSION OF WHAT WHICH ONE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS THEIR CITY FLAG, BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS TALKING ABOUT A FLAG THAT IS GOING TO REPRESENT GENERATION AND GENERATIONS THAT'S GOING TO COME BEHIND US.
THAT'S JUST MY POINT OR IDEA OF TRYING TO SELECT A FLAG IS UP TO COUNSEL TO DO THAT, BUT TO SELL MORE LAND NOT SALES WITH THE CITIZENS, OR WHAT DOES THE CITIZENS WANT IS MORE WHAT I'M CONCERNED WITH.
>> THE THREE THAT WERE SUBMITTED ALL CAME IN WITHIN THE TOP 10 OF THE VOTE SO THAT WE ONLY CONSIDERED FOR THE FINAL THREE, WE ONLY CONSIDERED THE TOP 10 VOTE GETTERS FROM THE PUBLIC INPUT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] BUT ONE DIDN'T GET MORE THAN THE OTHER.
>> CAREN, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THESE ARE NOT THE TOP VOTE GETTERS? THAT THESE ARE THE ONES THAT COMMITTEE SELECTED FROM THE TOP 10?
>> THIS IS NOT THE TOP VOTE GETTER FROM YOUR SURVEY?
>> I THINK THAT TWO OF THEM WERE THE TOP VOTE GETTERS HERE.
THE OTHERS THAT WERE CAME IN AS BEING NEAR THE TOP WERE NOT TAKEN OUT AS A RESULT OF SOME TYPE OF SETTING DETERMINATION BUT BECAUSE IN ONE CASE, THEY HAPPEN TO MIMIC THE FLAG OF THE SYMBOL FOR THE HOUSTON ASTROS.
WE DIDN'T THINK THAT THAT WAS QUITE APPROPRIATE FOR GALVESTON.
SO IT'S THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT MADE US ELIMINATE THE OTHER SEVEN, NOT ON ANY OTHER BUT BECAUSE THEY JUST DID NOT REPRESENT GALVESTON.
ALTHOUGH THEY MAY HAVE BEEN QUITE ATTRACTIVE, THEY HAD TOO MUCH RELATIONSHIP TO FLAGS FROM OTHER AREAS, AND THE IDEA IS TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS DISTINCTLY GALVESTON.
WE ALL THESE THREE CAME CLOSEST TO THAT WITHOUT MIMICKING OTHER FLAGS AND YET AT THE SAME TIME, EMBEDDING THE FLAG WITHIN THE CULTURAL SYMBOLISM OF TEXAS AS A WHOLE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WHAT THE REVEREND SAID, AND I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THE TOP THREE OUT AND DOT OUT, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THE TOP THREE VOTED ON BY OUR CITIZENS.
I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD JUST BE A VOTE OF THE COUNCIL.
I MEAN, WAY DOWN THE THREE WE KNOW WHAT WE WANT TO GET IT DOWN TO THREE AND TO PUT IT OUT TO LET OUR CITIZENS PICK THE NUMBER ONE I THINK IS A GOOD IDEA.
THOUGH I SECOND, AND EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT VOTING,
[01:00:02]
I AGREE WITH REVEREND 100 PERCENT.>> WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND ON THAT COUNCIL OF THIS NATURE APPROVAL AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT PURPORTING.
PET, COULD YOU TAKE THIS INFORMATION BACK TO THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION?
>> THE COUNCIL, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE AN INTEREST IN HAVING THE PUBLIC WEIGH IN ON THESE THREE CANDIDATES, AND THEN THEY COULD COME BACK.
COUNCIL WILL NEED TO VOTE ON THIS JUST TO OFFICIALLY DECLARE THE FLAG.
BUT WE COULD HAVE THEM UNLESS LEFT TO COUNT CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION WEIGH THAT INPUT AND SEE WHAT YOU THINK ON THAT IF YOU WOULD.
>> BE FINE, I'LL BE GLAD TO WE'RE MEETING NEXT, WELL, JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS, SO WE'LL TAKE THAT UP AGAIN.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THE FLAG? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I'LL JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT ON THE LIAISON FROM THE CULTURAL ARTS COMMISSION, SO I'VE SAT IN, NOT PARTICIPATED, I JUST SAT IN ON THEIR MEETINGS.
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN BAD WE ORIGINALLY HAD IN 23 THOUSAND RESPONSES ON VOTES ON THIS FLAG.
>> IT'S [INAUDIBLE] THOUSANDS.
BUT WE DID HAVE TO ELIMINATE THAT BECAUSE OF HAVING 100 FROM THE SAME COMPUTER VOTING FOR THE SAME PERSON.
IT WAS SORT OF A LITTLE TOO MUCH.
I WAS REALLY AMAZED WITH THE CITY STAFF AND HOW WELL THEY DID IN GIVING US THE INFORMATION SO THAT WE COULD ELIMINATE THOSE MULTIPLE WORLDS AND HAVE SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT SO WOBBLY AND THE REACTION TO IT.
SO I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT WITH THE VOTES THAT WERE EVENTUALLY COUNTED.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANKS AGAIN TO THE APPLICANTS.
NOW MOVING ON TO ITEM 3C SAME PLACE, SHOULD NOW?
[3.C. Discussion Of The Removal Of Appointees To Board And Commissions Pursuant To City Code Chapter 2, Art. II, Section 2-52 "Standards Of Conduct" And Section 2-61 "Removal Of Board, Commission Or Committee Member"]
>> ITEM 3C, DISCUSSION OF THE REMOVAL OF APPOINTEE TO BOARDS AND COMMISSION, PURSUANT TO CITY CODE CHAPTER 2, ARTICLE 2, SECTION 3, THAT'S 52, STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND SECTION 2, THAT'S 61, REMOVAL OF A BOARD COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE MEMBER,.
>> DON HAS SENT SOME PACK IN THERE TOO TO YOU CONCERNING THIS ITEM? THIS IS COUNCIL WOMAN ROB AND COUNCIL [INAUDIBLE] IS I DON'T KNOW, MURRAY WANT TO LEAD THE OTHER ONE THERE? YEAH, I PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE I HAVE TO SAY I WAS EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL WHEN THERE WAS A DISCUSSION OF A MEMBER OF THE BOARD SPOT THAT HAD HARASSED THE WOMAN OF HIGH STANDING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WAS BASICALLY JUST THIS MESSED.
IT OPENS SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT DOES COME DOWN TO GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL, IF HARASSING A PERSON, AND ESPECIALLY FROM SOMEONE THAT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF HARASSING, BOTH PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T FALL UNDER ETHICS COMMITTEE, IF THAT DOESN'T FALL UNDER AND I UNDERSTAND THE WORLD BOARD IS A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION.
BUT I'VE ALSO READ THROUGH THEIR CHARTER.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOMEONE WHO IS APPOINTED TO THE WORLD BOARD.
NOWHERE DOES IT INCLUDE BEING INVOLVED IN THE SHORT TERM OPERATIONS OF THE WORLD OR HARASSING PEOPLE OR THREATENING PEOPLE OR MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
THAT REALLY APPLIES TO ALL OUR BOARDS.
I GUESS THE QUESTION COMES TO ME IS, WHEN SOMEONE IS ACTING IN UNACCEPTABLE FASHION AND CERTAINLY HARASSING A WOMAN,
[01:05:01]
WHICH BY THE DOCUMENTS PROVIDED BY THE WORLD BOARD WAS CLEAR HEARD, HOW CAN WE JUST IGNORE THIS? JUST SPEAKING AS A WOMAN, NOT AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I WAS SO OFFENDED.ESPECIALLY OF THIS DAY AND TIME WHEN THE WORLD IS LOOKING AT HARASSMENT ISSUES, I FIND IT JUST SO DISTRESSING THAT A COUNCIL WOULD COMPLETELY BLOW IT OFF, AND DO NOTHING TO THAT INDIVIDUAL.
>> MURRAY, LET ME CLARIFY THIS TO THE COUNCIL.
I'D LIKE TO START WITH THE TOPIC AS ON OUR AGENDA HERE.
THIS IS ABOUT REMOVAL OF APPOINTEES AND CODES THAT GOVERN THAT HERE AT THE CITY.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT, AT THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM IS NOT NECESSARILY ABOUT ONE INDIVIDUAL CASE.
BUT I THINK COUNCIL ROB BRINGS UP SOME GOOD QUESTIONS ON THAT.
DON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO THEM?
>> WELL, THE WORLD BOARD, THEY HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF RULES.
THAT'S FINE, BUT THEY ARE UTILITY OF THE CITY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REMOVAL OF BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UNDER THE CITY CODE, THERE ARE TWO STANDARDS THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED.
ONE FOR CITY COMMITTEE, AS CITY CREATED COMMITTEES SUCH AS CULTURAL ARTS.
THOSE YOU CAN DISMISS ANYBODY FOR CAUSE.
A PROTECTION WAS ADDED IN THERE TO REQUIRE A VOTE OF FIVE, SO THAT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE STABILITY, I SUPPOSE.
THAT'S NOT FOR ME TO SAY, BUT FOR OTHER AREAS THAT ARE CREATED PURSUANT TO THE CHARTER OR STATE LAW, THERE'S A HIGHER THRESHOLD OF INEFFICIENCY, NEGLECT OF DUTY, AND I FORGET WHAT THE OTHER STANDARD IS RIGHT NOW.
THOSE ARE BASICALLY VAGUE TERMS BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING TO TRIGGER THEM IS GOING TO BE FACTS SPECIFIC DRIVEN.
THERE MAY BE SOME STANDARDS FOR REMOVAL FOR UNDER THE STATE LAW THAT WE'D HAVE TO DO.
BUT THAT'S THE GENERAL BLIND THAT THE CITY HAS CHOSEN TO PUT IN THE CITY CODE.
THERE IS A CODE OF ETHICS FOR ELECTED AND BOARD MEMBERS THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO THEM.
REMOVAL OF A COUNCIL PERSON, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THAT, BUT COMMITTEE MEMBERS CERTAINLY ARE SUBJECT TO REMOVAL WHEN ETHICS CHARGE.
WE ARE REVISING THE ETHICS CODE AS WE SPEAK TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE USER-FRIENDLY.
BUT THERE'S A SPECIFIC PROCEDURE THAT NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWED IN THERE.
THAT INCLUDES FILING OF A COMPLAINT WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE OCCURRENCE THAT IS SUBJECT TO THE GRIEVANCE.
I CAN REALLY ADD, I'VE PUT IT IN MY MEMO.
IF YOU WANT TO CHECK THOSE SESSIONS WE'LL BE BRINGING ETHICS TO YOU IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, I THINK.
WHETHER THERE WERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> YEAH, BECAUSE I'VE READ THROUGH ALL OF THE CURRENT CODES THAT EXIST FOR BOTH THE STANDARDS OF THE WORLD BOARD AND FOR THE STANDARDS OF THE CITY.
THERE WAS CLEARLY A BREACH OF WHAT IS WRITTEN IN OUR CHARTER IN REFERENCE TO BOTH CASES.
YET IN AND AGAIN, THIS ISN'T ABOUT A PARTICULAR CASE, BUT IT IS BECAUSE IT BRINGS THAT QUESTION UP TO EVERY BOARD WE HAVE.
BOARD MEMBERS ARE, THEY EVEN FOR COUNCIL FOR THAT MATTER, INTERFERING WITH OPERATIONS.
EVEN I MEAN, THERE ARE STANDARDS OF ETHICS AND IF WE'RE NOT WILLING TO FOLLOW IT, I MEAN, WHAT IS THIS SOMETHING IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE COULD BE PUT BACK ON
[01:10:01]
THE AGENDA OR BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL DECIDED TO DISMISS IT? IT'S A DONE DEAL.I MEAN, I THINK IT SETS A PRECEDENT THAT COULD LET ANY BOARD MEMBER OF ANY COMMITTEE, JUST RUN WILD AND BE DESTRUCTIVE WHICH ISN'T GOOD FOR OUR STUDY, PERIOD.
>> NOW, AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
CITY COUNCIL ALREADY ACTED AND THAT GETS NOT SUBJECT TO FURTHER RECONSIDERATION.
>> WELL, THAT'S A SHAME BECAUSE WE'VE SET A BAD PRECEDENT FOR THE CITY THAT ANY BOARD MEMBER NOW HAS THE FREEDOM TO ACT IN ANY WAY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE AND THERE WILL BE NOTHING DONE TO ADDRESS IT.
I JUST WANT TO GET ON THE RECORD, TO SAY, I FIND THAT QUITE DISAPPOINTING.
AS A WOMAN, I AM SO INSULTED AS ARE SO MANY OF THE WOMEN ON THE SIGN LINE THAT WE WOULD LET A HARASSMENT CASE GO.
I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR THE RECORD, [INAUDIBLE].
I WOULD LIKE US IN THIS DISCUSSIONS OF ETHICS AND OUR CODE HAVING TO DO WITH BOARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN BECAUSE THIS CONTINUES IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM.
I JUST FIND THAT SO DISTRESSING.
>> BILL, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
>> YEAH. I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WHEN WE START TO APPOINT PEOPLE ON THESE BOARDS, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER BACKGROUND CHECK.
I KNOW ONE TIME THAT THERE WAS A PERSON THAT WAS ELECTED AND HE WAS MOVED OFF AS A COUNCIL PERSON, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE THERE WAS A FELONY INVOLVED IN IT.
BUT IN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE BACKGROUNDS, I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF CERTAIN ITEMS BUT GIVEN DISMISS, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE FOUR, FIVE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED, IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT THAT WE PICK PEOPLE TO PUT ON BOARDS AND HAVE THESE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THEM.
I AGREE WITH WHAT MARIE SAYS THAT WE SET A BAD PRECEDENT.
EITHER WE'RE GOING TO EITHER GET ON THE POD, DO OUR BUSINESS OR GET OFF.
YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE THE DECISION.
EITHER WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES ARE WE'RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
ALL I CAN SAY IS I CONCUR WITH MS. ROB. I THINK SHE BRINGS AN EXCELLENT POINT UP IN THE REAL-WORLD.
TALKING ABOUT IN THE REAL SOCIETY WHERE YOU WORK IN A CORPORATION, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TOLERATED AND THE PERSON WOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED.
>> DON, YOU'LL BE REVIEWING THE CODE ON THE CODE OF ETHICS HERE.
YOU'LL BE BRINGING ANY POTENTIAL DISCUSSION ITEMS THAT ARE CONCERNING THAT TO COUNSEL HERE SHORTLY; IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YEAH. CHAPTER 2 IS UNDER REVIEW NOW.
WITHIN THE ETHICS PART, THERE IS ANOTHER PART OF CHAPTER 2 WE'RE DOING.
I THINK WE WERE GOING TO BICYCLES AND SOMETHING ELSE UP THERE.
SO CODE REVIEW IS AN ONGOING THING AND ETHICS IS IN THE PIPELINE.
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS THIS SIDE OR MORE INTENTLY AT THAT TIME WHEN YOU BRING THAT CODE OF ETHICS AND THE POTENTIAL CHANGES TO COUNCIL.
IF IT'S NOT UP THERE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, MAYBE WE COULD BRING THAT UP THERE.
SO THE COUNCIL COULD REVIEW THIS AND DISCUSS IT MORE AT THAT POINT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS, COUNCIL, ON THIS ITEM? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE MOVING TO ITEM 3D,
[3.D. Discussion Of The Process For Park Board And Planning Commission Appointments]
IF WE COULD PLEASE, JANELLE.DISCUSSION OF THE PROCESS FOR PARK BOARD AND PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENT.
>> COUNCIL, WE HAVE TWO OPENINGS, ONE ON THE PARK BOARD AND ONE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, THE COUNCIL WILL NEED TO FILL.
NOW WE HAVE A STANDING ORDER THAT COUNCIL HAS APPROVED IN THE PAST, THAT ALLOWS FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS.
ONE IS, IT ALLOWS FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, PARK BOARD AND THE WORK BOARD TO THOSE APPLICANTS TO
[01:15:01]
UNDERGO AN INTERVIEW PROCESS PRIOR TO COUNCIL MAKING THERE POINTS.WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, COUNCIL AMENDED THAT ORDER TO ALLOW INSTEAD OF INTERVIEWS TO ALLOW FOR THE SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS TO THESE CANDIDATES SO THAT THEY COULD ANSWER AND THOSE WOULD BE QUESTIONS SUBMITTED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
EACH CANDIDATE WOULD HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS TO RESPOND TO AND THEN WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO COUNCIL, FOR THEIR REVIEW PRIOR TO THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS.
ALSO IN THAT ORDER IS ALSO A PROCESS THAT IS SAYS THAT WE WILL RANK THESE CANDIDATES.
EACH COUNCIL MEMBER, ONCE YOU HAVE REVIEWED THEIR RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS OR AFTER THE INTERVIEWS, WOULD RANK THE CANDIDATES AND PRIORITY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO RANK THEM NUMERICALLY.
THEN JANELLE, SHE TALLIES THOSE SCORES AND THE CANDIDATE WITH THE HIGHEST RANKING SCORE IS THE FIRST NOMINEE.
IT DOES NOT MEAN THE COUNCIL HAS TO SUPPORT THAT.
COUNCIL CAN ELECT NOT TO SUPPORT THE FIRST NOMINEE, BUT THAT IS THE PRIORITY OF MAKING THOSE NOMINATIONS TO COUNCIL.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE UNDER AT THIS POINT.
I'D LIKE TO GET SOME DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL.
NUMBER 1, IF WE WANT TO DO INTERVIEWS OR IF WE WOULD WANT TO DO JUST THE QUESTIONS IN ANY OTHER THOUGHTS WE HAVE MARIE AND THEN DAVID. MARIE.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GO BACK TO INTERVIEWS.
I CERTAINLY THINK WITH THE ZOOM CAPABILITIES AND TECHNOLOGIES, BUT, I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE US EVEN TO GO BACK TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS.
SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WHEN YOU MEET A PERSON AND YOU TALK TO THEM EYE TO EYE AND YOU ASK THEM QUESTIONS.
I THINK IT'S JUST A LOT MORE EFFECTIVE.
SO MY VOTE WOULD BE TO GO BACK TO INTERVIEWS.
>> I WOULD TAKE THE OPPOSITE VIEW.
WHEN YOU HAVE 22 APPLICANTS, WHATEVER WE HAD THE LAST GO AROUND, THAT WOULD TAKE DAYS BECAUSE WE SAY IT'S GOING TO BE A 10 OR 15 MINUTE INTERVIEW, BUT IT TAKES 20-25 MINUTES TO GET A PERSON IN AND SIT DOWN, TALK TO HIM AND SO FORTH.
WHEN WE DID THAT BEFORE, IT WAS REALLY A LENGTHY PROCESS AND I'M NOT SURE I GOT MUCH MORE OUT OF THAT INTERVIEW.
I AGREE WITH MARIE IT WOULD BE NICE TO BE BACK IN THE ROOM TOGETHER, JUST FOR OUR OWN SITE.
THERE'S BETTER COMMUNICATION WHEN YOU'RE FACE-TO-FACE WITH SOMEBODY.
BUT MOST ESPECIALLY IN THE COVID WORLD, THE ZOOM WORLD.
I CAN'T SEE US TRYING TO DO INTERVIEWS WITH 20 PEOPLE.
I THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK TO THE WRITTEN STATEMENTS.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE WE NEED TO BE PROVIDING THEM WITH QUESTIONS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN RESEARCH WHAT WE'VE ASKED AND COME BACK WITH IT.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE'S FEELINGS ARE? WHAT THEY THINK THE JOB IS? HOW THEY SEE THIS? WHAT'S THEIR VISION FOR THE PARK BOARD? WHAT'S THEIR VISION FOR THE WORK BORDER? WHAT'S THEIR VISION FOR THE PLANNING OR THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THOSE BOARDS WORK? WHICH I THINK IS KEY BECAUSE EVEN IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS WE SOMETIMES HAVE HAD FOLKS SIT DOWN AND MAKE IT CLEAR THAT THEY DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY WERE BEING ASKED TO DO.
AS FOR THE PROCESS, I RE-READ THAT ORDINANCE AND I THINK IT GIVES US A GREAT DEAL OF LATITUDE HERE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE CHARTER REQUIRES THAT EVERY APPOINTEE BE NOMINATED AND THEN SELECTED BY FOUR AFFIRMATIVE VOTES ON THE PART OF COUNCIL.
SO THE RANKING, I'VE NEVER BEEN FOND TO THE RANKING SYSTEM, BUT THERE'S NOT REALLY A BETTER WAY TO DO IT RATHER THAN SOMEBODY FIRST PERSON THROWS THEIR HAND UP.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT CONSISTENT WITH THE CHARTER, CONSISTENT WITH THE ORDINANCE, WHAT WE COULD DO IS JUST WHEN WE HAVE 1,2,3 OPEN POSITIONS, WE TELL JANELLE IN WRITING WHAT OUR FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PREFERENCE FOR ORDER OF NOMINATION WOULD BE AND THEN SHE WOULD CORRELATE THAT AND BRING THAT BACK TO YOU MAYOR, TO SAY THIS IS THE ORDER OF THE COUNCIL WOULD PREFER TO SEE THESE FOLKS NOMINATED IN, THEN YOU WOULD NOMINATE THEM IN THAT ORDER, ONE AT A TIME.
WE WOULD VOTE THEM UP OR DOWN.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED IN THE PAST THAT COUNCIL'S DON'T KNOW HOW TO REJECT SOMEONE WITHOUT OFFENDING THEM.
I THINK THE SIMPLEST WAY TO DO IT IS IF THIS IS NOT THE PERSON YOU WANT, SIMPLY ABSTAIN, YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOTE.
[01:20:02]
NO, I DON'T LIKE THAT GUY OR GIVE THAT IMPRESSION. THAT THING.IF YOU HAVE TEN APPLICANTS, WE DON'T HAVE TO RANK ALL TEN OF THEM.
IF YOU HAVE 1, 2, OR 3 OPENINGS THAT YOU'RE FILLING, RANK THE TOP 1, 2 OR 3 THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE NOMINATED IN YOUR ORDER OF PREFERENCE.
THEN AS I SAY, MAYOR, YOU BRING THEM FORWARD.
IF YOU APPROVE OF THEM, THAT THE PERSON YOU WANT, YOU VOTE I.
OTHERWISE ABSTAIN AND WE MOVE TO THE NEXT CANDIDATE IF THEY DON'T GET FOUR AFFIRMATIVE VOTES.
SO I DON'T THINK WE NEEDED A PROCESS CHANGES.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED NEW CHANGES TO THE ORDINANCE.
THE MAJOR THING IS JUST TO DECIDE DO WE DO INTERVIEWS, DO WE DO THE CALLED ESSAYS, BUT THE WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND I'M THOROUGHLY IN FAVOR OF JUST GOING TO THE WRITTEN STATEMENTS THE WAY WE DID THE LAST ROUND IN SEPTEMBER.
>> JOHN, DID YOU HAVE YOUR QUICK HAND UP?
>> I DIDN'T BUT SINCE YOU CALLED ON ME, I'LL SPEAK.
[LAUGHTER] I CAN GO EITHER WAY WITH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO INTERVIEW ALL THESE PEOPLE.
FOR A COMPROMISE THERE, MAYBE WE LOOK AT THE TOP FEW PEOPLE THAT WE ALL WOULD WANT TO BRING IN TO INTERVIEW, AND WE JUST INTERVIEW THE TOP THREE OR SO.
THAT PROCESS MIGHT TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO MEET, HAVE OUR RANKINGS AND THEN SETUP INTERVIEW PROCESS, AND THEN COME BACK AND VOTE ON THAT APPLICANT.
THE PROCESS MIGHT GET EXTENDED A LITTLE BIT, BUT IF WE WANTED TO, IF WE THOUGHT INTERVIEWS ACTUALLY HELPED US CHOOSE THE BETTER PERSON FOR THE JOB THEN I'D BE MORE WILLING TO DO THAT.
LIKE I ALREADY SAID, IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO INTERVIEW ALL THESE PEOPLE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARILY, MAYBE WE JUST WHITTLE IT DOWN TO THE PEOPLE THAT WE REALLY WANT TO SEE.
ON THE POINT SYSTEM, I THINK IT'S A BIT RIGGED HOW WE DO IT.
SOME OF US JUST VOTE ON THE TOP COUPLE POSITIONS WE WANT TO SEE, WHICH REALLY SKEWS THE RESULTS WHEN OTHER PEOPLE VOTE ON EIGHT APPLICANTS, AND SO AGAIN, MAYBE WE JUST VOTE FOR OUR TOP PERSON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I THINK IT'S A LITTLE SKEWED, SOMETIMES, ON THE WAY WE DO IT. NOW, AGAIN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO VOTE FOR THAT PERSON WHEN THEY GET NOMINATED, BUT USUALLY, THE PERSON WHO GETS NOMINATED FIRST GETS VOTED IN.
I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF IMPROVEMENT THAT WE CAN DO IN THAT SYSTEM.
>> YEAH. REVEREND JOHNSON THEN MARIE, AND THEN BILL. REVEREND JOHNSON?
>> JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION MAYOR.
THE MAKEUP OF THESE PARTICULAR BOARD, OF COURSE, THIS PARTICULAR TOOL THAT WE HAVE NOW, IS THAT SOMEWHAT A BREAKDOWN OF THOSE BOARD? ONCE AGAIN, GOING BACK, AS YOU KEEP HEARING ME SAYING ABOUT CITIZENS BEING A PART OF THIS BOARD.
I KNOW THAT IT NEEDS TO BE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO NEEDS TO HAVE SOME KNOWLEDGE.
SOME OF THESE THINGS, LIKE THE PULP BOARD, AND PLANNING COMMISSION, YOU CAN HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS SOMEWHAT OF A BACKGROUND IN SOME OF THESE PARTICULAR BOARDS.
BUT ARE THERE A BREAKDOWN OF THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUAL IN THIS PARTICULAR BOARD? IN CASE THERE'S A VACANCY, THAT VACANCY DEALING WITH A PERSON WHO NEEDS TO HAVE EXPERTISE IN THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE OR IS IT JUST A ORDINARY CITIZEN THAT COULD BE A PART OF THIS BOARD? I DON'T KNOW HOW THE BOARDS ACTUALLY COMPILED TOGETHER.
IS IT ALL JUST OPEN CITIZENS? OR DO THEY HAVE A SEGMENT OF CITIZENS, SEGMENT OF BUILDING BACKGROUND? HOW IS THAT SETUP? AS WE NARROW IT DOWN, TO TRY AND MAKE A DECISION IF THERE'S AN OPENING ON THE BOARD LIKE WE HAVE NOW, AND TO NARROW THAT DECISION DOWN TO ONE INDIVIDUAL OR SEVERAL INDIVIDUAL TO PICK FROM.
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, REVEREND JOHNSON.
THE THREE TOP BOARDS QUOTE THAT WE CONSIDER THOSE FOR INTERVIEWS.
PLANNING COMMISSION, FOREST BOARD, AND PARK BOARD, DO NOT HAVE ANY SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR A PARTICULAR POSITION FOR THOSE BOARDS.
WE DO HAVE SOME COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS, SUCH AS LANDMARK COMMISSION, THAT HAS TO MEET CERTAIN CRITERIA.
EVEN THE CULTURE ARTS COMMISSION, TO A CERTAIN POINT, HAS CERTAIN CRITERIA TO MEET FOR SOME OF THEIR CANDIDATES.
BUT THE THREE, ESPECIALLY PLANNING COMMISSION AND WHARVES BOARD WE'RE DISCUSSING NOW, EXCUSE ME, ART BOARD AND PLANNING COMMISSION WE'RE DISCUSSING NOW, ARE OPEN NOMINATION [INAUDIBLE].
WE HAVE MARIE. I'M SORRY, REVEREND JOHNSON.
ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT SIR? ALL RIGHT. MARIE AND THEN BILL.
[01:25:01]
>> MY THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW, HEARING. I LIKE INTERVIEWS.
I UNDERSTAND COLLINS CONCERN ABOUT, IT CAN TAKE A LONG TIME, BUT I ALSO FEEL WHERE DEALING WITH OUR CITIZENS, WE SHOULD GIVE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE A CHANCE.
BUT THE IDEA THAT JOHN PAUL SAID, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH THEM, IS WE TAKE IT DOWN TO MAYBE, FOR EACH COMMITTEE, THE TOP THREE OR FOUR PEOPLE, AND THEN WE INTERVIEW THEM.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE VERY DOABLE, AND I THINK WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT.
I MYSELF DO NOT LIKE THE RANKING SYSTEM.
THAT CAN CREATE A LOT OF UNFAIR RESULTS.
PERHAPS WE CAN COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE TWO.
DO SOME SORT OF RANKING THE TOP QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, AND INTERVIEW THOSE.
>> BILL'S NEXT. I WOULD SAY, JUST TO INTERJECT COUNCIL.
SINCE I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, I'VE BEEN UNDER THREE DIFFERENT PROCESSES AND INTERVIEW QUESTION PROCESSES.
NONE OF THE PROCESSES ARE FOOLPROOF.
THEY ALL HAVE PROS AND CONS, AND I HAVEN'T RUN ACROSS ONE YET THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH.
IT IS COMPLETELY FAIR ALL THE WAY AROUND, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR. BILL?
>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS.
I LIKE TO HAVE IN-PERSON INTERVIEWS, EVEN THOUGH MR. COLLINS MENTIONS THAT SOMETIMES THERE'S 15 OR 20.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY QUESTIONS YOU'RE GOING TO ASK FOR EACH BOARD, BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SIT DOWN AT HOME AND READ ALL 20, WHERE I CAN SPECIFICALLY ASK AN INDIVIDUAL FOR THEIR INPUT.
WHEN YOU GET IT IN WRITING, YOU MAY SAY, "WELL, WHAT IS THIS PERSON MEAN? THEY MEAN THIS? OR HE OR SHE MEANS THAT? SO THAT BREAKS DOWN ON IT.
WE NEED TO CUT DOWN ON THE PROCESS, THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER 2, ON THESE THREE BOARDS, ARE MAIN BOARDS AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET ON THESE BOARDS.
TO ME THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF EXPERTISE ABOUT IT.
IF YOU WANTED TO GET ON THE PLANNING BOARD, YOU SHOULD KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT PLANNING.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE WHARVES, IF YOU NEED TO KNOW SOME ABOUT MARITIME.
THE SAME THING GOES FOR THE OTHER BOARD.
WE NEED TO BREAK IT DOWN, WHERE IT CAN'T BE, IN MY OPINION, CAN'T BE OPEN TO EVERYBODY.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WITH EXPERTISE IN IT.
I THINK THAT'S A LOT OF TIMES WE GO WRONG.
BUT IN SAYING THAT, WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT, I HATE TO SEE SOMEBODY THAT'S, LET'S SAY WORKS ON THE WHARVES AND WANTS TO BE ON WHARVES BOARD, THEY RETIRE IF THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTERESTS.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING YOU NEED LOOK AT.
BUT IN MY OPINION, I THINK WE NEED TO MAYBE REVIEW THE QUESTIONS FOR EACH BOARD, AND TRY TO PUT DOWN SOME CRITERIA OF THE EXPERTISE IN THAT PARTICULAR BOARD.
>> YEAH. I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH BEING THE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD ON THE BOARD, THAT PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO SERVE, BUT ECHOING JP, IF WE DIG IT INTO AN INTERVIEW PROCESS, AND WE NARROWED IT DOWN, I THINK IN 2021, WE CAN UTILIZE AS MUCH TECHNOLOGY AS POSSIBLE TO KNOW WHETHER IT BE RECORDED.
VIDEO WISE INTERVIEWS, AND PUSH THAT OUT TO COUNSEL TO MAYBE SHORTEN THAT PROCESS, ANY MEANS.
IF I CAN'T MAKE IT ONE DAY OR IF YOU CAN'T VOTE, WE HAVE IT RECORDED, YOU CAN SEND THAT OUT, AND IT'LL BE UP TO OUR DISCRETION TO KIND OF LOOK AT IT AND DO OUR HOMEWORK ON THAT CANDIDATE.
>> ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL I'VE GOT YOUR INPUT.
THIS IS WHAT I SURMISE FROM WHAT THE THOUGHTS ARE THAT YOU PRESENTED.
FIRST OF ALL, I'M GOING TO GET WITH JENELLE, WE'LL PUT OUT A CALL FOR APPLICANTS FOR THESE PLANNING COMMISSION, AND FOR THE PARK BOARD.
I'D LIKE TO PUT A DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS TO COME IN.
WE'LL WORK WITH THAT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE A FAST NOTICE TO THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN THESE APPLICATIONS COME IN.
PERSONALLY, I'M FINAL RANKING FOR INTERVIEWS.
I DO AGREE THAT HAVING THE TOP THREE MIGHT BE THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO FOR INTERVIEWS.
MY QUESTION TO COUNCIL IS, HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHO THOSE TOP RANKED INDIVIDUALS ARE FOR INTERVIEWS? YES BILL.
>> I GO RIGHT BACK TO THEIR PROFESSIONALISM.
WHAT BACKGROUND DO THEY HAVE IN EACH ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE WANT TO PICK?
[01:30:01]
YOU CAN'T PICK SOMEBODY THAT, LET'S SAY AN OPERATOR OF A LET'S SAY A SANDWICH SHOP, AND THEY WANT TO BE ON AND WHARVES MORE BECAUSE WE HAVE IT TOTALLY OPEN.THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME KIND OF KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND IN EACH ONE OF THESE THREE BOARDS.
I WOULD THINK IF YOU GOING TO PUT OUT AN APPLICATION THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND IN WHICHEVER BOARD THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN.
>> I UNDERSTAND BILL'S POINT OF VIEW BUT THE FACT IS JUST ON THESE THREE BOARDS ALONE, WE HAVE MORE THAN 20 POSITIONS AND THAT'S DIFFICULT.
IT'S HARD ENOUGH TO FIND QUALIFIED PEOPLE WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME AND EFFORT.
BUT IT ALSO ALLOWS CITIZEN INPUT TO THESE BOARDS.
I DON'T WANT THESE TO BECOME INDUSTRY HOTBEDS AS IT WERE, JUST INDUSTRY ADVISORY GROUPS.
BUT CHARLIE YOU SHOULD BE RUNNING A PARK BOARD, OR THAT SHIPPING MAGNATE SHOULD BE RUNNING THE WORKBOARD AND THAT SORT OF THING.
I WISH WE'D HAVE ALL DEVELOPERS ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
I THINK THERE'S CERTAINLY A PLACE TO HAVE THOSE EXPERTISE AND IF YOU HAVE A CANDIDATE WHO HAS THAT EXPERTISE, THAT'S GOING TO ELEVATE THEM IN MY MIND BUT WE'VE HAD TROUBLE IN THE PAST WHEN WE'VE PLACED RESTRICTIONS ON THESE BOARDS.
ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, IT'S A SIMPLE EXAMPLE, WE DON'T DO INTERVIEWS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BUT WE HAVE A DICKENS OF A TIME GETTING THOSE BOARD POSITIONS FILLED, AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE THAT SAME PROBLEM WITH LANDMARK SO THAT'S PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH A HUGE POOL OF APPLICANTS.
BUT I THINK TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, MAYOR, WAS HOW DO WE GET TO THE LIST OF NOMINEES AND AGAIN, I THINK RATHER THAN SAYING, GIVE THIS PERSON FIVE POINTS AND THIS PERSON TWO POINTS, WHATEVER.
JUST FOR IF THERE ARE THREE OPEN POSITIONS OR IN THIS CASE, ONE OPEN POSITION FOR PLANNING AND ONE OPEN POSITION FOR PARK BOARD, JUST SEND TO JENEL ONCE YOU SEE WHO THE APPLICANTS ARE.
SEND TO JENEL WHO YOU THINK THAT ONE PERSON OUGHT TO BE AND THEY'LL SURELY BE MULTIPLE PEOPLE BUT SHE CAN JUST GIVE THEM BACK TO YOU, AS I SAY, IN ORDER OF PREFERENCE EXPRESSED BY COUNCIL AND THEN WE'LL VOTE THEM UP OR DOWN IN THAT ORDER.
>> THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME, DAVID.
I WANT TO ECHO WHAT COUNCIL MCCOLLINS IS SAYING ALSO, IF YOU LOOK AT, I KNOW IT IS DEBATABLE COUNCIL, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS WE HAVE AND YOU LOOK AT THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT PROBABLY HAVE SERVED THE BEST AND ADDED MOST TO THE QUALITY OF THOSE BOARDS.
MANY TIMES IT'S NOT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WITH THAT INDUSTRY.
IT'S AN INTERESTING MIX AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO LOOK AT THAT.
THERE'S MEMBERS OF THAT PLANNING COMMISSION THAT DON'T HAVE DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF PLANNING ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS ONCE THEY GET IN AND EDUCATE THEMSELVES.
I THINK THE PRIMARY THING IS HAVING INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE A PASSION FOR THAT, HOPEFULLY HAVE EXPERTISE IN THAT AREA AND ALSO WANT TO MAKE THEIR COMMUNITY BETTER AS SERVING ON THESE BOARDS.
I GOT YOUR INPUT ON THIS COUNCIL.
I'M GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
I'VE TAKEN THAT IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL HAVE THE INTERVIEWS WITH THE RANKING OF THOSE INTERVIEWS, WE'LL PUT A DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS, GET THOSE APPLICATIONS TO EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE ON SELECTING THOSE THAT WE WANT TO INTERVIEW. YES. MARIE.
>> I HOPE JUST ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME WHEN WE DO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DISPLACED, THAT WE GIVE THEM AT LEAST THREE WEEKS OR SO FORTH.
BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE JUST FOCUSED ON GETTING BACK IN THEIR HOMES RIGHT NOW, THAT WE DON'T MAKE IT TOO SHORT A PERIOD OF TIME.
>> POINT WELL TAKEN. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
APPRECIATE THE INPUT, VERY VALUABLE.
[3.E. Discussion Of Scheduling A Special Meeting To Receive A Presentation From Vision Galveston]
>> ITEM 3E: DISCUSSION OF SCHEDULING A SPECIAL MEETING TO RECEIVE A PRESENTATION FROM VISION GALVESTON.
>> VISION GALVESTON COUNCIL HAS, AS YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY FOR YEARS NOW.
GATHERING DATA, VISITING WITH RESIDENTS, AND COMING UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
[01:35:01]
DIRECTLY CITY DEPARTMENTS IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THEM, SOME OF THEM ARE JUST COMPREHENSIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY.VISION GALVESTONE IS PRETTY WELL FOCUSING DOWN ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT AREAS RIGHT NOW.
THEY HAVE NOT PRESENTED TO COUNSEL IN A LONG TIME, TO GIVE COUNCIL AN UPDATE OF WHERE THEY ARE.
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE GUIDING COUNCIL, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE SETTING THE STANDARDS FOR COUNCIL FOR THE FUTURE.
WHAT IT DOES MEAN THOUGH, IS WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS PROVIDED AND SPENT A LOT OF TIME COMING UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHERE THEY THINK THIS COMMUNITY WOULD BE BETTER.
THEY WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT TO CITY COUNCIL HERE I AM IN FAVOR OF THAT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO TALK WITH COUNCIL ABOUT THAT; TO GIVE THEM AND YOU AS COUNCIL MEMBERS THE PROPER AMOUNT OF TIME TO ASK QUESTIONS AND TO DISCUSS ITEMS WITH THEM.
WE'RE CONTEMPLATING A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING FOR THAT.
INSTEAD OF OUR MARCH MEETING, WE WOULD HAVE ANOTHER MEETING IN MARCH OR APRIL FOR VISION GALVESTON TO MAKE A PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL.
IT WOULD ONLY BE THAT ONE PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM SO I'M LOOKING FOR COMMENTS AND I'M LOOKING FOR THOUGHTS ON TIMING ON THAT, COUNCIL MCCOLLINS.
>> I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU ON THIS MAYOR BECAUSE REMEMBER THAT MARCH IS MOST LIKELY TO ALSO BE A JOINT MEETING FOR THE FIRST HOUR OR SO OF WORKSHOP WITH THE PARK BOARD, SO TO TRY TO DO THAT INSIDE THAT SAME MEETING WOULD BE PRETTY TIME CONSUMING.
>> WELL, IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE PURPOSE OF HEARING FROM VISION GALVESTON, SHOULD WE ADD JUST ONE OTHER TOPIC ON THAT BECAUSE IT IS OF GREAT CONCERN TO OUR CITIZENS, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE EXCESS OF WATER BILLS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US ADDRESS THAT FIRST BECAUSE I KNOW I GET MULTIPLE QUESTIONS EVERY DAY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY [OVERLAPPING]
>> STAFF ALREADY HAS A PLAN FOR THAT AND WE WERE GOING TO BRING IT UP TO YOU GUYS AS SOON AS WE COULD SO WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT MARIE.
I THINK OUR PLAN IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A LOT BETTER THAN EVEN THE ONE HOUSTON HAS, SO I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.
>> CAN WE ADD THAT TO THAT AGENDA SINCE WE ARE [OVERLAPPING]
BECAUSE I BELIEVE TO DO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS GOING TO EXCEED MY LIMIT SO WE NEED TO BRING IT TO YOU GUYS ANYWAY.
>> MARIE, WILL GET THAT ON THE AGENDA WITH THE SPECIAL MEETING.
YES. DON HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT AND THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT THAT PROGRAM TO US THEN.
VERY GOOD. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS? ANY TIMES ON THE SPECIAL MEETINGS THAT IS GOOD OR BAD FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS OR WE COULD SEND OUT A CHOICE OF TIMES TO EACH COUNTY MEMBER AND JUST SEE WHAT MEETS EVERYBODY'S APPROVAL.
>> I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'LL HAVE THE TOPIC OF THE WATER ISSUE, DO IT SOONER THAN LATER.
BECAUSE I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LOOSING SLEEP AT NIGHT, THINKING THEY COULD BE FINANCIALLY WIPED OUT BY A WATER BILL.
>> JUST TO PUT EVERYBODY AT EASE ON THAT ONE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE'LL DISCUSS IT THEN BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
YOU'RE GOING TO END UP AS GOOD OR BETTER THAN YOU WERE BEFORE. WE'LL TAKE CARE THAT.
>> THIS HAS BEEN A TOPIC THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING HERE AT THE CITY.
I'M GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS, I HAD A MEETING YESTERDAY ON THIS, SO WE'LL HAVE SOMETHING FOR COUNCIL HERE VERY QUICKLY.
WILLIAM, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
>> NO, I AGREE WITH THE WATER BILL ISSUES AS WELL LIKE MARIE STATED.
I'M OPEN FOR WHENEVER TO HEAR FROM VISION GALVESTON SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR FROM THEM AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PRESENTATION.
WHEN THOSE DATES COME OUT, WE'LL JUST PICK A GOOD RANGE OR PICK A DATE THAT SUITS COUNCIL. I'M EXCITED TO HEAR THEM.
>> VERY GOOD. WE'LL WORK ON THAT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
APPRECIATE THAT. MOVING TO ITEM 3F,
[3.F. Discussion Of Continued State Of Emergency In The City Of Galveston Related To The Covid Pandemic And Related Emergency Orders]
IF WE COULD PLEASE.>> ITEM 3F: DISCUSSION OF CONTINUED STATE OF EMERGENCY IN THE CITY OF GALVESTON RELATED TO THE COVID PANDEMIC AND RELATED EMERGENCY ORDERS.
>> YES, SIR. THIS WAS PUT ON IT TO THE QUEST OF COUNCIL LAST MONTH,
[01:40:07]
THERE WAS AN OBSERVATION THAT IT WAS BEST TO DISCUSS THE SUB WORKSHOP.WE HAD BEEN UNDER DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY DUE TO COVID ALMOST FOR A YEAR.
WE HAVE THREE EMERGENCY ORDERS THAT WERE PASSED BY THE MAYOR, CONTINUED TO BE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
THE QUESTION GETS TO BE WHETHER YOU WANT TO EXTEND THOSE ORDERS.
THEY WILL EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH UNLESS IT IS AFFIRMATIVELY CONTINUED BY COUNCIL.
THE OTHER DAY LAST SUNDAY, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ISSUED A LETTER TO COUNTY JUDGE MARK HENRY NOTING THAT WITH A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZATIONS IN THIS AREA, WE COULD MOVE OCCUPANCY RATES BACKUP FROM 50 PERCENT TO 75 PERCENT AREA AND BECAUSE OF DECREASED HOSPITALIZATIONS [NOISE].
ONE, IF YOU RECALL, I NOTED LAST MONTH, I RECALL THAT THE VACCINE IS BEING DISTRIBUTED.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE THE PROGRESS ON WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE COUNTY HAS BEEN VACCINATED, SO THINGS ARE TURNING THE TIDE.
IT'S UP TO COUNCIL WHETHER TO CONTINUE THESE ORDERS.
THERE'S ONE FOR BUSINESSES THAT REQUIRE THEM TO REQUIRE THEIR CUSTOMERS TO WEAR FACE MASKS, HAVE A HEALTH PLAN ON HOW TO PROTECT CUSTOMERS IN THEIR BUSINESSES.
THE NEXT IS THE SPACING OF VIDEO GAMES, SO ELECTRONIC DEVICES IN STORES, AND THE LAST IS A RELAXATION OF FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS FOR PHI FOR THEIR OFFSHORE HELICOPTERS.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO CONTINUE THESE ORDERS, I WOULD SUGGEST THE ONE RELATED TO VIDEO GAMES IS PROBABLY UNNECESSARY.
IT'S NOT BEING ENFORCED BY MARSHAL, SAY THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO.
THE ONE AT PHI I THINK IS VERY BENEFICIAL TO THE OFFSHORE INDUSTRY.
THOSE GUYS, IF THEY GET SICK OFF SURE.
THAT THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM, SO ANYTHING THAT PROTECTS THEM, I THINK IS A GOOD THING.
IN TERMS OF THE EXTENSION OF THE STATE OF EMERGENCY, I'M NOT PARTICULARLY AWARE OF ANY FEDERAL FUNDING THAT RESULTING FROM THIS BIO.
MY OBSERVATION IS WE WOULD NOT WANT TO GIVE A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY TO THE CITIZENS THAT THE COVID THING IS OVER AND THEY SHOULD RELAX THEIR GUARD.
I THINK WE ALWAYS HAVE TO BE ON GUARD AND PROBABLY WILL HAVE TO BE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
I AM HOPEFUL THAT THE WHOLE COVID THING WILL GO AWAY SOMETIME THIS SPRING.
MAYBE THAT'S POLLYANNA SHOVED ME, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
I'LL TURN IT BACK TO YOU MAYOR, TO DECIDE.
THIS IS ON THE AGENDA FOR ACTION THIS AFTERNOON TO EXTEND THE ORDERS, AND THIS FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES.
>> IT IS ON OUR AGENDA THE EXTENDING THE ORDER IS NOT ONLY FOR THE COVID DISASTER DECLARATION BUT OF COURSE THE MINOR, AS WE DISCUSS DISASTER DECLARATION.
PERSONALLY, I'M NOT SURE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE THIS COVID DISASTER DECLARATION.
THE PHI PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE OR IS THAT STILL NEEDED IN TO ALLOW THE YOUNG TO DO THEIR TESTING AT THEIR SITE DOWN THERE?
>> THE TENT IS STILL SET UP AND I ACTUALLY SOME PEOPLE USING IT THE OTHER DAY WHEN I WAS OUT THERE CHECK IN ON ANOTHER PROJECT.
BUT, DON, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, COULDN'T WE HANDLE THAT UNDER A DIFFERENT DEAL OTHER THAN AN EMERGENCY ORDER?
>> YEAH. I THINK WE COULD IS BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE THING.
I THINK MIKE SHAHAN SAID THEY CAN GET RID OF THAT IN A DAY.
[01:45:04]
IT'S A FLOODPLAIN REGULATION THAT WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT, SO IF THERE WAS A HURRICANE COMING IN, IT SEEMS TO ME THEY COULD GET RID OF IT PRETTY QUICKLY.>> YEAH. I HAVE NOT BEEN THERE SINCE THE ICE STORM, SO I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE TENT SURVIVED [LAUGHTER].
I WAS OUT THERE FOR THE WATER DISTRIBUTION IN THE AIRPORT PUMP STATION, BUT I NEVER EVEN LOOKED OVER THERE.
THAT WAS NOT ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO LOOK AT.
>> I COULD DRIVE OVER THERE AND IT WAS THERE WHEN I DROVE.
>> BRIAN, LIKE, I SEE YOUR HAND, MURRAY.
IF COUNCIL ELECTS NOT TO CONTINUE THE EXTENSION OF THIS COVID DECLARATION.
I KNOW THIS [INAUDIBLE] FUNDING WE TALKED ABOUT IT YESTERDAY.
>> THEY HAVE CHANGED HOW THEY'RE ALLOCATING THAT MONEY THROUGH CARES ACT NOW, SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TIED, I DON'T BELIEVE, TO A FEDERAL DECLARATION ANYMORE.
I THINK THE STATE IS STILL UNDER DECLARED STATE OF EMERGENCY FOR THAT.
YOU'RE ALWAYS SAFE FOR KEEPING IT, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY REAL NEED TO.
THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE ON IT IS WE DO GET QUITE A BIT OF FEEDBACK UP HERE IN THE OFFICE FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT THANK US FOR HAVING A LOCAL ORDER ON THE MASKS.
THEY SAID IT REALLY HELPS THEM ENFORCE IT IN THEIR STORES.
THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER IS REALLY THE OVERARCHING ORDER ON THAT.
WE WOULD NEVER CARRY OURS OUT LONGER THAN WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS RECOMMENDING.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY FEEDBACK I HAVE GOTTEN FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THAT THEY DO APPRECIATE THAT.
OTHER SIGNS DO SAY IT'S BY LOCAL ORDER, BUT IT'S THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER, NOT OURS.
>> I PERSONALLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD DO AWAY WITH THIS EMERGENCY ORDER THAT WE'VE BEEN UNDER FOR A YEAR.
WITH THAT WENT TO EFFECT THE PHI OPERATIONS AND I WOULD THINK THERE WOULD BE A WAY AROUND THAT WITH SOME OTHER AMENDMENT TO SOMETHING.
STORES CAN HAVE THE OPTION OF ALLOWING PEOPLE IN WITHOUT A MASK OR NOT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THEY ARE WAY DOWN.
I TRACKED THEM ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS.
MOST PEOPLE ON THE ISLAND HAVE EITHER HAD VACCINES OR HAVE HAD COVID.
ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WAS OUR LARGEST AREA OF GROWTH.
THE MOST IN THAT POPULATION HAVE ALREADY HAD COVID.
CERTAINLY, WE ARE SO GLAD TO BE IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS UTMB.
BY BOTH THE WAY THE COUNTY HANDLED IT AND UTMB, WE ARE PROBABLY THE MOST PROACTIVE AREA IN THE COUNTRY FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM ALL OVER.
I AM IN SUPPORT OF NOT CONTINUING WITH THE COVID STATE OF EMERGENCY.
>> I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT WE WANT TO ELIMINATE THIS BEFORE THE GOVERNOR DOES.
I'D RATHER WE JUST FOLLOW THE STATE'S LEAD ON THIS.
BECAUSE TO SAY THAT ELIMINATING THE LOCAL REQUIREMENT WOULD GIVE STORES THE ABILITY TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES ISN'T REALLY TRUE.
WE HAVE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB, I THINK.
YOU CAN BE IN THE COUNTY AND NOT FIND A JOB AS MURRAY POINTS OUT, IN GETTING LOCALS VACCINATED.
WE'VE HAD A VERY GOOD RESPONSE.
WE'VE BEEN ONE OF THE TOP COUNTIES IN THE STATE FOR VACCINATION.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT PEOPLE WANT TO GET OUT THERE, COME INTO THE BEACH.
I'M TELLING YOU IT'S GOING TO BE A KILLER SUMMER.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE JUST SO MANY PEOPLE DOWN HERE AND SUMMER'S GOING TO START ABOUT THE TIME SPRING BREAK DOES.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SEVERAL MONTHS OF PEOPLE DOWN HERE NOT HATE TO JUST GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT COVID IS OVER IN GALVESTON.
WE CAN JUST LOOSEN UP UNTIL THE GOVERNOR DECIDES TO LIFT THE MASS ORDER.
I THINK IT SHOULD SAY IN PLACE.
[01:50:04]
>> YEAH. I DON'T THINK COVID IS GOING AWAY, BUT THE STATE OF DISASTER IS THERE TO GIVE THE MAYOR THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ON HIS OWN AND AT THIS POINT, I DON'T THINK THAT'S NECESSARY.
WE ARE ALL ABLE TO MEET, WE HAVE REGULAR MEETINGS.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE WITH THE DECLARATION.
IF WE NEED TO ORDER A MASK ORDINANCE, THEN LET'S PUT A MASK ORDINANCE IN PLACE.
IF WE NEED TO PUT SOME TYPE OF ORDINANCE FOR PHI, LET'S PUT THAT ONE IN REPLACE.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED THE STATE OF EMERGENCY DISASTER WERE THERE TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO PROTECT US AND OUR CITIZENS.
>> I WANT TO JUST CONCUR WITH JOHN SAID AND ALSO WITH MARIE(PHONETIC) I THINK WE DON'T LONGER NEED IT, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND PLACE LIKE HE SAID, AN ORDINANCE FOR THE MASKS FOR SOME OF THE BUSINESSES, BUT I THINK IT'S TIME TO OPEN UP THE [INAUDIBLE] JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
>> YEAH. BAD THING IS, AS A KIND OF APPROACH IN THIS MORE ON THE SAFER SIDE, JUST BECAUSE LAST WEEK THE COUNTY LOST A FULL WEEK OF TRACKING DATA AS FAR AS THE NUMBERS GO AND TESTING MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN OUT AS AVAILABLE.
THEN ALSO THE MONTH OF MARCH IS FULL OF HOLIDAYS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COLLEGES ARE DOING FOR SPRING BREAK, BUT I KNOW THE HIGH SCHOOLS STILL HAVE THEM.
IN THE WAY I THINK IT'S SET UP IS YOU MIGHT HAVE TWO DIFFERENT WEEKS OF SPRING BREAK.
BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE CALENDAR IS THIS YEAR.
SO THAT'S A CONCERN THAT I HAVE THERE AND I HAVE A QUESTION.
DOES THE DECLARATION PUT US IN A SITUATION TO WHERE WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET MORE VACCINES AT A GIVEN POINT OVER THAT AVAILABLE, NO? OKAY.
>> BRIAN OR ADAN(PHONETIC) YOU WANT TO ANSWER THAT?
>> I DON'T THINK THAT WILL AFFECT THE AVAILABILITY OF VACCINES AT ALL.
IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHAT CONTROL ISSUES ARE AVAILABLE TO THE CITY THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED BY THE DECLARATION.
BRIAN MIGHT HAVE SOME INFO ON VACCINES THOUGH.
>> NO, THAT'S ALLOCATED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND IT'S SOLELY BASED ON POPULATION IN THE HUBS SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR DECLARATION.
>> THANK YOU MAYOR. MY CONCERN, WE ARE FASTLY APPROACHING, TO TOURISM SEASON.
THERE'S GOING TO BE HIGH, A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL BE TRYING TO GET OUT.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A MIXED MESSAGE TO OUR CITIZENS.
IF THEY'RE STILL UNDER A STATE DISASTER DESIGNATION AND WE, AS A CITY, DECIDED WE DON'T WANT TO AND WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE HOURS.
YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE INDIVIDUALS A MIX OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME CONFUSION ON, WHO RULES? SHOULD WE FOLLOW WHO, WHO GUIDELINES ARE WE FOLLOWING UNDER?I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BECOME AN ISSUE FOR SOME OF THEM BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BUSINESSES, WHO WOULD ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO COME IN WITHOUT A MASK, BUT THEN IF YOU COUNT JUST THE GOVERNORS OR WHAT IT IS THAT ALL BUSINESSES REQUIRE AN INDIVIDUAL TO WEAR A MASK, THEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE WITH CONFLICT CAUSE WE'RE FAST APPROACHING THESE TIMES WHERE MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE TRYING TO GET OUT. THE WEATHER IS GOOD.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOWN HERE IN DALLAS.
I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A MIXED MESSAGE, BECAUSE THE CITIZENS OF GALVESTON HERE, WE DON'T HAVE THE DECLARATION OF ANY EMERGENCY. THAT'S GONE.
THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED AGAINST IT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO COME OUT IN THE NEWSPAPER.
THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT THEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE STILL UNDER A STATE EMERGENCY AND THEN IT BECOMES A CONFLICT.
WHO DO WE FOLLOW? WHO'S IN CONTROL? WHO HAS THE FINAL SAY IN THIS THING.
I DON'T WANT US TO GET INTO AN ISSUE WHERE THIS IS HOW TO DEAL WITH THAT PARTICULAR.I DON'T WANT.
IT'S NOT NECESSARY AND TO HELP THEM TO REGULATE THIS THING.
IF EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE TO ME, THAT'S MY VIEWPOINT OF IT AS FOR TRYING TO ELIMINATE IT.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT, BUT I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES LOCAL INFORMATION IS DISSEMINATED OUT MUCH QUICKLY AND THEN THEY FORGET THAT WE'RE STILL UNDER A STATE AND THEN, WE STILL MIGHT BE UNDER COUNTY MANDATE.
THEY'LL SAY, OH NO WE'RE CITIZENS IN GALVESTON, WE'RE IN GALVESTON, WE DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THOSE RULES.
THEY'LL SAY, THERE YOU GOT ISSUES, THEY CALL FOR OUR NECKS.
I DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY ISSUES FOR OUR BUSINESSES.
I DON'T WANT TO CREATE ANY ISSUES FOR OUR CITIZENS.I DON'T WANT TO GIVE A MIXED MESSAGE AND WE'VE GOT TO BE CONSISTENT IN ONE THING AND ONE AREA OR NOT.
I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S MY VIEWPOINT.
>> ALL RIGHT. LET'S GO AHEAD AND WRAP OUR DISCUSSION UP WITH ONE MORE COMMENT. MARIE?
[01:55:06]
>> GOING BACK,I THINK WHAT JOHN PAUL AND SHOOSTER (PHONETIC) SAID, WE COULD ELIMINATE THE STATE OF EMERGENCY BUT STILL HAVE A MASK ORDINANCE.
THE UNDERSTANDING IS THEN A STATE OF EMERGENCY, IT HAS TO DO WITH THE ULTIMATE POWER OF THE MAYOR VERSUS IF WE DO AN ORDINANCE THAT COVERS MASS.
CORRECT? THIS AGAIN, COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD VERY QUICKLY PUT ON THAT SPECIAL MEETING WHICH WOULD STILL ONLY BE THREE TOPICS, OR COULD WE DO IT AT THIS MEETING?
>> WE POSSIBLY COULD DO IT AT THIS MEETING, DON(PHONETIC) WOULD HAVE TO, DON?
>> WE COULDN'T CREATE AN ORDINANCE FOR FACE MASKS TODAY, WE CAN AMEND OUT SOME OF THE EMERGENCY ORDERS TODAY, PARTICULARLY THE GAME ONE, I WOULD SUGGEST.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> WE GOT TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON THE GAME ONE, BECAUSE EVEN REVEREND MENTIONED THAT THE LAST MEETING THAT NO ONE WAS FOLLOWING THAT ANYWAY.
IT AGAIN IS SOMETHING THAT'S HARD TO POLICE BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD BE SPENDING ALL THEIR TIME ON THAT, BUT TO ME, I WOULD LIKE US, IF WE AREN'T GOING TO DO SOMETHING TO ELIMINATE THE STATE OF EMERGENCY AND TO COVER IT ORDER EITHER BY AMENDMENT OR BY AN ORDER HAVING TO DO WITH THE MASKS [OVERLAPPING] AND TO TAKE [INAUDIBLE] OFF THE BUSINESS AND PUT IT ON THE INDIVIDUALS.
>> OKAY. THE MASK ORDER IS DEPENDENT ON THE DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY.
IF YOU WANTED AN INDIVIDUAL MASK ORDER AS AN ORDINANCE, WE COULD WRITE ONE UP AND TRY TO HAVE IT BACK NEXT MONTH.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. APPRECIATE IT.
WE'LL SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT AT OUR REGULAR MEETING.
VERY GOOD. LEANING TO ITEM THREE F, PLEASE JANELLE?(PHONETIC)
>> I THINK WE'RE ON THREE G, RIGHT?
>> THREE G EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY. YES.
[3.G. Council Operations]
>> THREE G. COUNCIL OPERATION, ONE IN-PERSON MEETING.
>> THIS IS BACK ON THE AGENDA COUNCIL IF THE REQUEST TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE STAFF ON THIS, EVEN MET WITH THEM YESTERDAY.
I LOSE TRACK OF TIME OR MAYBE THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY ON THIS.
BRIAN, DO YOU WANT TO GIVE SOME COMMENTS ON THIS?
>> NOW, WE'RE CHALLENGED A LITTLE BIT IN OUR SPACING AND OUR COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
THAT'S THE BIG ISSUE THAT WE HAVE WITH IN-PERSON MEETINGS HERE.
I GUESS THERE'S WAYS AROUND IT WHERE STAFF CAN ZOOM IN AND COUNCIL COULD BE PRESENT THERE AND WE CAN SPREAD YOU GUYS OUT AROUND THE ROOM.
A BIGGER CONCERN IS THE PUBLIC.
WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD WAY TO SEPARATE PEOPLE WHO WOULD ATTEND THE MEETINGS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A BIGGER CONCERN.
I THINK WE ALL ASSUME A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RISK NOT BEING HERE EVERY DAY AND DOING OUR JOBS HERE, BUT THAT'S MY ONLY THOUGHTS ON THAT, MAYOR.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, BRIAN, ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ON THIS?JUST FOR COUNCIL'S KNOWLEDGE, DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY WE TRIED TO POSITION, WE COULD PUT SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS.
SOME OF THEM WOULD HAVE TO SIT DOWN WHERE USUALLY THE MEDIA SITS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO GET EVERYONE DISTANCED PROPERLY BY POSITIONING THE CHAIRS TO GET ANY TYPE OF PUBLIC ATTENDANTS.I THINK THEY SAID WE CAN PROBABLY ONLY GET ABOUT 12 PEOPLE IN THERE AT THE MOST ON THAT.
THIS IS WHERE WE ARE IF WE WANT MOVING IN PERSON.
PERSONALLY, THEY HAD THIS [INAUDIBLE] DECIDED TO TALK ABOUT BUILDING PARTITIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT'S A WASTE OF TIME, ENERGY AND MONEY TRYING TO DO THAT AS WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS HOPEFULLY COMING OUT OF THIS COUNCIL NAMED COLUMNS.
>> COULD WE NOT CONDUCT THE REGULAR MEETINGS IN ROOM 204? FOR THE PUBLIC THAT'S WHERE YOU NORMALLY SEE US IN WORKSHOPS IN THE MORNING WHEN WE'RE IN CITY HALL, COULD WE NOT DO ALL OUR MEETINGS AT THAT LOCATION.
THERE SEEMS THERE'S ROOM TO SPREAD OUT.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD CHANGE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE PUT IN THE ROOM, BUT WE COULD, I THINK PROPERLY SOCIAL DISTANCE IN THERE.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME WAS THAT IF WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S INFECTED,
[02:00:06]
THAT WOULD DIRECTLY AFFECT BOTH REVEREND JOHNSON AND COUNCILMAN SHOOSTER BECAUSE THEY HAVE CONGREGATIONS, CLASSES THAT THEY DEAL WITH.THE REST OF US, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT WOULD DIRECTLY AFFECT ME ANYMORE THAN TODAY, IF WE HAD TO STEP BACK INTO QUARANTINE, I'D BE WORRIED MORE ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBERS JOHNSON AND SHOOSTER , BUT COULD WE NOT DO IT IN 204?
>> [BACKGROUND] I DON'T THINK 204 IS ANY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HARDER, ESPECIALLY WITH THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THE PURPOSE OF AN IN-PERSON MEETING IS NOT FOR US.
ITS PURPOSE WOULD BE TO HAVE THE PUBLIC INVOLVED.
>> IT'S NOT 100 PERCENT JUST ABOUT THE PUBLIC.
IT IS ABOUT US BEING TOGETHER.
I THINK WE'VE PRETTY MUCH ALL AGREED THAT SITTING AROUND THAT TABLE, FACING EACH OTHER ACROSS THE TABLE, EVEN FROM A PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE INTERACT AND HOW WE ARE ABLE TO CONDUCT CONVERSATIONS.
>> IF WE DID THAT, WE WOULD PROBABLY FOR THE SAKE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING, WANT TO HAVE STAFF PROBABLY ZOOM IN TO THOSE MEETINGS [OVERLAPPING] TO GET JANELLE AND BRIAN IN THERE AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS, IT WOULD JUST BE TOO MUCH AND DON. MARIE?
>> I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT DAVID JUST SAID.
MY THOUGHTS WERE THAT WE COULD ALWAYS GO TO 204.
WE HAVE ENOUGH TABLE THAT WE COULD SEPARATE PEOPLE.
I'M SOMEONE WHO ALREADY HAD IT AND I HAD MY FIRST VACCINE.
I'M LESS OF A THREAT MAYBE THAN OTHER PEOPLE EVEN THOUGH WE STILL HAVE SO MANY UNKNOWNS.
BUT TO ME, 204 WOULD BE EVEN MORE IDEAL THAN COUNCIL CHAMBERS AND PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED.
I CAN CERTAINLY APPRECIATE SHOOSTER BECAUSE HE'S AT SCHOOL AND DEALING WITH SO MANY KIDS AND SO FORTH, OR EVEN THE REVEREND BECAUSE HE'S AROUND HIS MEMBERS OF HIS CHURCH.
BUT I THINK 204 COULD BE SOMETHING THAT IS DOABLE.
I AGREE WITH DAVID THAT IT DEFINITELY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BEING TOGETHER IN PERSON THAN BEING ON ZOOM.
>> WE'LL LET STAFF LOOK AT IT.
I THINK WE HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF SEPARATING EVERYBODY IN CHAMBERS THAN GOING TO 204.
204 IS A THIRD OF THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, SO LET'S SEE IF WE COULD FIGURE IT OUT.
>> LET'S SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ON THAT AND IF COUNCIL DOESN'T FEEL AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME THAT HAVING THE PUBLIC ATTEND IS OF A HIGH PRIORITY ISSUE RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD MAKE IT MUCH EASIER TO WORK WITH THESE ROOMS OF COURSE.
THEN WE COULD HAVE STAFF THAT COULD ZOOM IN, DON AND BRIAN, AND ALL THOSE THAT NORMALLY ATTEND.
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO WORK THAT OUT IN ROOM 204, BUT I DO AGREE, I THINK COUNCIL CHAMBERS MIGHT BE OUR BEST BET.
WILLIAM, YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP.
>> YEAH, I THINK I'M LEANING TOWARDS THE HYBRID MODEL AS FAR AS HAVE YOU GUYS MEET IN PERSON, SPREADING OUT, AND THEN IF WE DO LET THE PUBLIC IN, IT'S LIMITED.
BUT MY CONCERN WITH THE PUBLIC COMING IN IS WE CAN BE SCREENED AND WE CAN BE TRACED, LIKE I WAS AROUND MARIE, I WAS AROUND REVEREND JOHNSON, BUT I CAN'T REALLY DO SO MUCH WITH THE PUBLIC AS FAR AS THAT, SO THAT CREATES AN ISSUE.
BUT IF WE GO HYBRID WHERE WE MEET IN PERSON, STAFF IS ZOOMED, NO DISCUSSING NOTES, STAFF IS ZOOMED, THE PUBLIC I THINK SHOULD STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO CALL IN LIVE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IF WE CAN SET THAT UP, THEN ZOOM IN LIVE IF THEY WANTED TO.
BUT ALSO COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THINK WITH THE HYBRID, IT'S GIVING THEM THE OPTION IF THEY WANT TO ZOOM AS WELL, BECAUSE IF I WAS IN A CLASS LAST WEEK I HAVE TO QUARANTINE FOR TWO WEEKS.
OR IF ONE OF US GOT IT, OR HAD TO QUARANTINE THEN WE STILL HAVE THE OPTION TO ZOOM IN BECAUSE I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE ZOOM OPTION AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE.
BUT I DO AGREE WITH COLLINS AND MARIE ABOUT GETTING US AT LEAST IN PERSON DISCUSSING BECAUSE IT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE WHEN YOU'RE IN THE ROOM.
BUT I STILL WANT TO TAKE THE SAFEST APPROACH AS FAR AS WITH OUR PUBLIC AND BEING ABLE TO SEE, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, ONE OF US GOT IT WE COULD QUARANTINE, BUT IT'S HARD TO DO THAT WITH THE PUBLIC IF YOU OPEN IT WIDE OPEN.
[02:05:01]
I'M ALL FOR OPENING IT UP AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC I THINK THERE IS AN OPTION AS FAR AS LIVE CALL-IN OR WHETHER IT BE LIVE ZOOM-IN AS WELL.>> WE DO HAVE A LIVE CALL-IN RIGHT NOW AND THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR MEETINGS FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW AND YOU EXPERIENCED IT THIS MORNING WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE MAKE PRESENTATIONS.
GOOD. WELL, I THINK WE HAVE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT COUNCIL. THANK YOU.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE IDEAS AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ON THAT.
>> SOUNDS GOOD. ITEM 3H, JANELLE?
[3.H. Report Of City Council's Park Board Representative]
>> ITEM 3H, SUPPORTIVE CITY COUNCIL PARK BOARD REPRESENTATIVE.
>> YEAH. THE PARKS FARED FAIRLY WELL DURING THE THREE YEARS EXCEPT THAT DELAMERE.
BUT OF COURSE, WE'RE ABOUT TO START THREE MODELS OUT THERE [LAUGHTER] SO IT LINES UP PRETTY WELL, LIKE EVERYBODY WE'RE LOOKING FOR PLUMBING SUPPLIES.
I SAW A GOLF GUARD FOLD PLUMBING SUPPLIES GOING DOWN THE STREET THE OTHER DAY.
I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO GET MUGGED.
BUT SO WE HAVE SOME PIPES BREAK DELAMERE.
THERE'S SOME WATER ON THE WALLS AND THE CEILING, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON.
BUT STEWARD BEACH AND EAST BEACH AND SEAWAY PART WILL PRETTY MUCH SHUT DOWN ANYWAY, AND SO WE DIDN'T SUSTAIN A GREAT DEAL OF DAMAGE THERE.
ALL IN ALL THE PARKS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU, DAVID. APPRECIATE IT.
WE'RE NOW MOVING TO ITEM 3I, PLEASE, JANELLE.
[3.I. Discussion Related To Procedures Involved In Redistricting City Council Precincts Following Receipt Of Census Data From The US Census Bureau]
DISCUSSION RELATED TO PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN REDISTRICTING CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING, FOLLOWING REPEATED CENSUS DATA FROM THE US CENSUS BUREAU.
>> AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL DON SENT OUT SOME INFORMATION TO YOU YESTERDAY OUTLINING A TIMELINE FOR THIS PROCESS.
DON, I'M GOING TO TURN THIS TOPIC OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU MAYOR. BY WITH HISTORY, YOU MAY RECALL LAST FALL, I HAD RECEIVED REDISTRICTING INFORMATION FROM MR. HEATH OF THE BIGGER STAFF LAW FIRM REGARDING REDISTRICTING SERVICES, THAT HIS FIRM HAS PERFORMED.
THEY'RE WELL-KNOWN IN GALVESTON COUNTY CITY COUNCIL ITSELF, THE SENTIMENT THEY WANT TO HEAR FROM HIM LATER.
REDISTRICTING IS A MATTER THAT FOLLOWS THE CENSUS.
IT'S A 10-YEAR DEAL WHERE WE REDRAW OUR LINES.
THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, REDISTRICTING RESULTS ARE DELAYED.
THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE IN THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT CASE THAT WILL HAVE SOME EFFECT.
YESTERDAY'S HANDOUT WAS SOMETHING MR. HEATH HAD SENT ME REGARDING A PROPOSED TIMELINE.
THERE WILL BE AN ELECTION FOR COUNCIL WHERE THE NEW DISTRICT LINES WOULD BE APPLICABLE.
WE WOULD WANT YOU TO GET THAT DONE PRETTY MUCH THIS CALENDAR YEAR.
WE HAD DONE REDISTRICTING IN THE COUNTY A NUMBER OF TIMES.
HE HAS THE BAKER STAFF LAW FIRM.
I WAS CO-COUNSEL WITH HIM IN AN ELECTION CASE.
MR. HEATH FOR THE CITY HAS DONE REDISTRICTING A NUMBER OF TIMES, SO HE'S WELL FAMILIAR WITH VARIOUS ISSUES OF THE CITY.
OUR PROPOSAL IS HE IS JUST HERE TO DO A PRESENTATION ON WHAT REDISTRICTING IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE THIS YEAR.
THEN I WOULD PROPOSE TO NEXT SPAWN SUBMIT AN ITEM TO RETAIN HIS FIRM TO TAKE CARE OF REDISTRICTING.
BUT WE'LL GET TO THAT NEXT MONTH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU TODAY AND WORK THIS WITH COUNCIL TODAY.
I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THE CITY IN 2001, 2011, ON THE REDISTRICTING.
AS YOU SAID, WE CERTAINLY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP THERE, AND SOME BACKGROUND KNOWING ABOUT THE CITY AND SOME OF THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS THAT HAVE COME UP IN REDISTRICTING.
WE SUBMITTED A TIMELINE WHICH I THINK YOU ALL HAVE AND IT IS DIFFERENT THAN WE NORMALLY USE OF THESE ORDERED DISTRICTING PROCESSES BECAUSE AS DON INDICATED,
[02:10:06]
THE CENSUS DATA IS GOING TO BE VERY LATE THIS YEAR, AND THAT RESULTS IN COMPRESSION OF THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR REDISTRICTING.TYPICALLY, REDISTRICTING DATA COMES OUT, FIRST THERE'S SOME PORTION OF THAT DATA WHICH IS STATEWIDE DATA.
IT'S THE INFORMATION THEY USE TO A PORTION CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AMONG THE SEVERAL STATES, SO THE TEXAS, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS ANTICIPATED TO RECEIVE THREE NEW CONGRESSIONAL SEATS ONCE THAT DAY DATA COMES OUT.
BUT THAT'S JUST STATEWIDE DATA, SO WE CAN'T REALLY USE IT FOR THE CITY OR COUNTY OR ANYBODY ELSE.
IT JUST GIVES US A SINGLE STATEWIDE NUMBER.
THAT TYPICALLY COMES OUT DECEMBER 31 OR THEREABOUT, IN THIS CASE, 2020, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
THE BASIC REASON, AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE REASONS, BUT THE BASIC REASON IS THE PANDEMIC HIT AT ESSENTIALLY THE TIME THE CENSUS WAS BEING TAKEN.
CENSUS DAY IS APRIL 1 OF YEARS ENDING IN ZERO.
OF COURSE THE PANDEMIC WAS ABOUT THAT TIME.
MOST PEOPLE COMPLETE THE CENSUS FORMS AND SUBMIT THEM ONLINE NOW, SOMETIMES BY PHONE OR BY MAIL.
ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE PEOPLE DO THAT, BUT THERE ARE ABOUT A THIRD THAT DON'T.
THOSE ARE THE ONES IF THE CENSUS GOES OUT DOOR TO DOOR, KNOCKS ON DOORS, FINDS OUT WHAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE HOUSEHOLD, SO FORTH, THAT GOT DELAYED BECAUSE THE COUNTRY WAS ESSENTIALLY SHUT DOWN AND YOU COULDN'T GO DOOR TO DOOR AT THAT TIME.
THE DATA THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO COME OUT AT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR OR DECEMBER 31 IS SCHEDULED TO BE RELEASED APRIL 1ST AND THE CENSUS BLOCK LEVEL DATA THAT WE'LL USE TO REDISTRICT IT GIVES US DATA, POPULATION DATA AT THE CITY BLOCK LEVEL, AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DRAW DISTRICTS.
THAT'S SUPPOSED TO COME OUT BY MARCH 31.
THE CENSUS BUREAU NOW ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO RELEASE THAT BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
WE'RE GOING TO BE SEVERAL MONTHS DELAYED IN BEING ABLE TO DO THE REDISTRICTING.
THE TIMELINE THAT I SENT IS KEY TO A CENSUS RELEASE BY SEPTEMBER 30TH OF 2021.
IN MANY CASES, WE MIGHT HAVE FINISHED REDISTRICTING BY THAT TIME.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO START IT AT THAT TIME.
WE'LL ACTUALLY START A LITTLE BEFORE THAT YOU'LL SEE ON THE TIMELINE IT TALKS ABOUT FROM PAULING CITY INFORMATION.
WE GET INFORMATION FROM THE CITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE IN REDISTRICTING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT BOUNDARIES THAT WE HAVE, THAT THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS MATCH UP.
IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY ANNEXATION OR CHANGES IN CITY BOUNDARIES, OR MAYBE THE CENSUS BUREAU DIDN'T QUITE GET IT RIGHT.
WE HAVE HAD CASES LIKE THAT THROUGHOUT THE DECADES WHERE IN A PARTICULAR CITY THE BOUNDARIES OF CENSUS BUREAU WAS USING, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WERE NOT EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE CITY BOUNDARIES.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO TAKE CARE OF THAT.
I'VE GOT STUFF WE CAN DO BEFORE THE CENSUS COMES OUT.
BUT ONCE THE CENSUS DATA COMES OUT, AND WE'RE ASSUMING SEPTEMBER 30TH, THAT'S THE LATEST THEY'VE SAID.
WHAT WE DO IN OUR FIRM AND FOR OUR CLIENTS IS PREPARE WHAT WE CALL AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT AND THAT IS THAT WE TAKE THE EXISTING DISTRICTS, IN THIS CASE IN GALVESTON, SIX DISTRICTS, AND WE APPLY THE NEW CENSUS DATA TO THE EXISTING DISTRICT LINES TO SEE IF THEY'RE IN BALANCE.
RIGHT NOW THE DISTRICTS THAT YOU HAVE, WILL CERTAINLY IMBALANCE WHEN THEY WERE DRAWN USING THE 2020 CENSUS, WITH EACH DISTRICT HAVING IDEALLY, A LITTLE UNDER 8,000 PERSONS.
[02:15:02]
SOME WERE LITTLE ABOVE, SOME WERE A LITTLE BELOW.WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE, AND AVOID LITIGATION ON THAT, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR DISTRICTS ARE BALANCED, AND TYPICALLY, THAT NEEDS TO BE WITHIN A 10 PERCENT MAXIMUM DEVIATION.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU TAKE THE LARGEST DISTRICT, AND YOU TAKE THE SMALLEST DISTRICT, AND YOU COMPARE THEM AND YOU SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS.
IF THE LARGEST DISTRICT IS TWO PERCENT ABOVE THE IDEAL, AND IN FACT, AT YOUR DISTRICTS THAT EXIST, DISTRICT 5 WAS 2.04 PERCENT ABOVE THE IDEAL.
THEN YOU TAKE THE SMALLEST DISTRICT, WHICH IN YOUR CASE WAS DISTRICT 1, WHICH WAS 1.89 PERCENT BELOW, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE IS 3.92 PERCENT.
ONE WAS ABOUT TWO PERCENT OVER.
THE SMALLEST WAS ABOUT TWO PERCENT UNDER.
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THOSE IS FOUR PERCENT, SO IT'S A FOUR PERCENT MAXIMUM DEVIATION, WELL WITHIN THE 10 PERCENT LIMIT THAT WE WANT TO BE IN.
NOW WHEN WE GET THE DATA FROM THE NEW CENSUS, THAT IS VERY LIKELY GOING TO CHANGE.
SOME DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO HAVE GROWN A LOT, OTHER DISTRICTS MAY BE SMALLER IN POPULATION.
IF THEY ARE OUTSIDE THAT 10 PERCENT LIMIT, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO NEED REDISTRICT OR OTHERWISE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUBJECT TO SUITE UNDER ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE REQUIREMENTS.
WE PRESENT THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT TO SEE IF YOU ARE IN BALANCE.
IF YOU ARE IN BALANCE, WE CAN ALL GO HOME, WHEN YOU STOP THE PROCESS.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING MORE UNLESS YOU WANT DO.
ALSO IN THAT, WE WILL GET INTO A RATHER DETAILED DISCUSSION OF WHAT REDISTRICTING LAW IS, WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE, WHAT THE PROCESS IS GOING TO BE.
THE DATA WILL ALSO SHOW THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISTRIBUTION OF THE CITY SO THEY WILL SEE WHERE THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION, OR THE SPANISH POPULATION, WHERE THE ASIAN POPULATION IS, ON A BLOCK-BY-BLOCK BASIS AND WHAT THAT IS IN EACH OF THE SIX DISTRICTS.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENS AFTER THE CENSUS IS RELEASED.
THEN WE WILL BE GETTING TOGETHER WITH THE COUNCIL AND PROBABLY IN ORDER TO AVOID OPEN MEETINGS, PROBLEMS AND QUESTIONS ABOUT WALKING QUORUMS. PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS THROUGH A WORK SESSION, MIGHT BE THROUGH SAYING WHATEVER.
BUT A WORK SESSION SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND WHAT AREAS MAYBE SHOULD BE OR SHOULDN'T BE IN A DISTRICT, OR THE VARIOUS THOUGHTS OF WHAT DISTRICT TEAM OUGHT TO BE LIKE, AND WE'LL TAKE THAT DATA AND ULTIMATELY PREPARE A DRAFT PLAN.
BUT BEFORE THAT, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO, IN THAT INITIAL MEETING, SUGGEST THAT YOU ADOPT CRITERIA FOR OUR DISTRICT TEAM.
THESE WILL BE THINGS LIKE SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO BE SURE THAT OUR DISTRICT LINES ARE RECOGNIZABLE, THAT THEY FOLLOW STREETS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR OTHER GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES SO PEOPLE CAN LOOK AT THE GROUND, AND TELL WHAT THE LINE IS.
PROBABLY, WE'LL SAY WE WANT TO PRESERVE NEIGHBORHOODS, AND WE'LL TRY TO AVOID SPLITTING NEIGHBORHOODS, TO PRESERVE COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WHERE THEY EXIST.
ONE CRITERION THAT IS OFTEN ADOPTED IS TO RECOGNIZE EXISTING REPRESENTATION TO AVOID PAIRING INCUMBENTS.
SOME CITY SAID, "NO. WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
WE WANT BE NEUTRAL", AS TO NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION TO WHERE THE INCUMBENTS ARE, AND THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DECIDE TO DO,
[02:20:02]
ALTHOUGH THAT MAY NOT.THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID FOR PRESERVING CONSTITUENT COUNCIL RELATIONSHIPS.
WE'RE GOING TO OBVIOUSLY COMPLY WITH ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE.
THAT WOULD BE ONE OF THE CRITERIA THAT WE WOULD SUGGEST THE CITY ADOPT TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT, TO MAKE SURE ALSO THAT WE COMPLY WITH STATE LAW, WE'LL SET UP THESE CRITERIA, SO WE DON'T HAVE TO PLAN.
THIS IS THE THING WE'RE GOING TO DO.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN HELP US LATER.
NUMBER 1, IT HELPS US GET A GOOD PLAN AND ONE THAT PEOPLE CAN BE HAPPY WITH, BUT ALSO IT CAN HELP IF THERE IS SUBSEQUENT LITIGATION, IF YOU SHOW THAT YOU FOLLOWED THESE TRADITIONAL PRINCIPLES OF THESE CRITERIA.
WE WOULD ALSO SUGGEST THAT THE TIME THAT YOU ADOPT RULES FOR DISTRICT AND FOR CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, BECAUSE YOU WON'T TO HAVE A PROCESS OR CITIZENS HAVE INPUT AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INPUT, BUT TO DO THAT EFFECTIVELY, IT HELPS TO HAVE CERTAIN RULES, LIKE ANY SUBMISSION NEEDS TO BE IN WRITING, EVEN IF WE HAVE ORAL PRESENTATIONS AND EVEN GIVE US SOME WRITTEN INDICATION OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
WE CAN HAVE THAT FOR THE RECORD AND WE'VE MORE EASILY ANALYZED THERE.
IF YOU WANT TO SUBMIT A PLAN, WE WELCOME CITIZEN PLANS, BUT WE WANT YOU TO SUBMIT A PLAN THAT REDISTRICTS THE ENTIRE CITY.
THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT SOMEBODY COULD SAY, WE OUGHT TO REDRAW THIS DISTRICT THIS WAY, AND YOU CAN DO THAT.
IN DOING THAT ONE DISTRICT, YOU MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRAW THE OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE CITY.
ONE TIME IN HOUSTON, WORKING WITH THEM, SOMEONE SUBMITTED A PLAN AND SAID, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN DRAW THIS PARTICULAR DISTRICT WHO WAS THE MAJORITY HISPANIC DISTRICT.
YES, YOU COULD DRAW THAT DISTRICT, BUT IT CUT MAYBE 30,000 PEOPLE, WHATEVER IT WAS, THEY COULD NOT BE ADDED TO ANY DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO HAVE ANYBODY THAT SUBMITS A PLAN, SUBMIT ONE FOR THE ENTIRE CITY, AND TO SHOW WHAT THE POPULATION, BUT THEY AREN'T BALANCED AND SO FORTH.
WE'LL LOOK AT ALL THOSE AND ANALYZE THOSE.
AT SOME POINT WE WILL SUBMIT AFTER GETTING INPUT FROM THE COUNCIL, AND INITIAL CLAIM OR DRAFT PLAN BECAUSE IT'S A LOT EASIER WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT THESE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT AND TO WORK FROM AND THEN MAY NOT BE IN PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE WHAT THE FINAL PLAN IS GOING TO BE, BUT IS THE STORMING POINT FOR THE COUNCIL, AND THE PUBLIC TO WORK HOME AND TO SAY WHAT THEY LIKE AND WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE, AND HOW IT OUGHT TO BE HANDLED OR CHANGED.
WE WOULD WALK THROUGH YOUR SUGGESTS THAT COUNCIL HAVE ONE OR MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THE PLAN, AND HOW THEY SUGGESTS THAT IT MIGHT BE CHANGED AND, FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING WE WOULD HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING, OR THE COUNCIL ULTIMATELY ADOPTS A FINAL PLAN NOW.
THERE MAY BE SOME INTERMEDIATE STEPS IN THERE.
IT MAY DEPEND ON HOW MANY PLANS WE NEED TO GO THROUGH TO GET TO ONE THAT IS THE FINAL, BUT ULTIMATELY WE WILL GET THAT FINAL PLAN, WHICH WE ANTICIPATE WOULD PROBABLY BE IN DECEMBER.
YOU WANT TO DO THAT BY THAT TIME, BECAUSE THE FILING FOR COUNCIL SEATS IN THE MAIL ELECTION WILL START ON JANUARY 19TH.
BY LAW, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE PLAN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE ADOPTED THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE ELECTION, MAY 7TH ELECTION.
[02:25:05]
I THINK THAT ENDS UP BEING FEBRUARY 7TH OR THERE ABOUT.WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO GET SOMETHING BEFORE FILING STARTS.
SO IF WE GET IT DONE BY THE END OF THE DECEMBER, WE'RE ON THAT SCHEDULED.
THE MAIN THINGS WE'LL LOOK AT IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS ARE NUMBER 1, DOES IT COMPLY WITH ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE? WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND HOW YOU BALANCE DISTRICTS AND DETERMINE IF THEY ARE WITHIN THE PERMISSIBLE DEVIATION.
SOME DEVIATION IS POSSIBLE, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO GET BEYOND THAT 10 PERCENT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMPLY WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
AS DONE INDICATING ONE OF THE BIG CHANGES IS THAT IN THE PAST, THE CITY IN EVERY JURISDICTION THE STATE OF TEXAS HAD TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 5 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WHICH MEANT THAT ONCE WE MAKE ANY CHANGE IN A VOTING STANDARD PRACTICE FOR PROCEDURE, AND OF COURSE, WERE DISTRICT PLAN IS SUCH A CHANGE, IT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED EITHER TO A THREE-JUDGE FEDERAL DISTRICT COURT IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, OR TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL, OR PRECLEARANCE.
AS PRACTICAL MATTER, MOSTLY EVERYONE SUBMIT IT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BECAUSE IT'S QUICKER, IT'S LESS EXPENSIVE, BUT [NOISE] IT DOES TAKE TIME.
[NOISE] IT DOES RUN THE RISK THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WILL NOW READ CLEAR THE PLAN.
WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT ANYMORE.
THAT TAKES AT LEAST TWO MONTHS OFF OF THE SCHEDULE, PROBABLY MORE THAN TWO MONTHS OFF THE SCHEDULE BECAUSE THEY HAD 60 DAYS TO REVIEW ANY PLAN.
THERE SHOWS ANOTHER STEP THAT WE DON'T HAVE, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 2 OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, WHICH BASICALLY SAYS YOU CANNOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST PROTECTED GROUPS, WHICH BASICALLY ARE GOING TO BE RACIAL OR LANGUAGE MINORITY BARRIERS.
IN TEXAS TYPICALLY, THAT'S GOING TO BE AFRICAN AMERICAN, OR HISPANIC.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE GROUPS HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS; TO ELECT CANDIDATES OF THEIR CHOICE AS THE COMMUNITY GENERALLY, AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE STANDARD.
WHAT WE TYPICALLY ARE GOING TO DO THERE TO MAKE SURE WE COMPLY IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO AVOID CRACKING OR PATCHING, WHICH ARE CONCEPTS THAT CRACKING WOULD BE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT SHE WOULD BE A REAL ISSUE IN GALVESTON, BUT IF YOU HAD A HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF A GROUP AND YOU SAY, WELL, LET'S SPLIT THAT GROUP AND TWO AND MOVE IT INTO TWO DISTRICTS, AND THEN THE GROUP WHICH WOULD BE DOMINANT IN ONE DISTRICT IS NOT ABLE TO DOMINATE EITHER DISTRICT.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'D CRACK, OR SPLIT, OR FRACTURE OF THEIR POLITICAL POWER. YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
THE OTHER THING IS PACKING, AND ACTUALLY THIS IS THE ONE THAT I THINK WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE A POTENTIAL ISSUE WHERE I THING THEY'RE ALL STOOD, THAT IS, IF YOU TAKE A GROUP AND YOU PUT SO MANY PEOPLE OF THAT GROUP SAY AFRICAN AMERICANS, SO THAT YOU HAVE LIKE A 90 PERCENT AFRICAN AMERICAN DISTRICT, THAT DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE ONE THAT'S VERY LIKELY GOING TO ELECT AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, BUT IF YOU ADDED 50 PERCENT OR 40 PERCENT OR 45, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, IT WOULD STILL BE ALIVE, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THOSE PERSONS TO HAVE INFLUENCE OVER ANOTHER DISTRICT.
THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE AVOID.
THE OTHER THING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS A CASE CALLED SHAW VERSUS RENO THAT CAME OUT IN THE EARLY 2000S, WHICH SAID, YOU CAN'T ENGAGE IN RACIAL REDISTRICTING; YOU CAN'T MAKE RACE BASED DECISION MAKING.
[02:30:02]
WELL, THAT PUTS THE CITY IN A REAL DIFFICULT POSITION, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO COMPILE WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER ALL RIGHTS.YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON RIGHTS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PARTICULAR RIGHT IS NOT DISCRIMINATED AGAINST, AND THE WAY YOU DO THAT IS YOU LOOK AT WHERE THEY LIVE; THAT PARTICULAR MEMBERS OF THAT GROUP LIVE, AND DESIGN YOUR DISTRICTS TO BE SURE THAT THEY ARE FAIR.
SO SORT OF BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE, YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER IT BUT YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TO PREDOMINANT FACTOR THAT YOU LOOK AT.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT CRITERIA ARE SO IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE YOU CAN USE THE CRITERIA TO SHOW THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING JUST AT WORK.
WE ARE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE PRESERVING NEIGHBORHOODS, PRESERVING COMMUNITIES OF INTERESTS, ETC.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO, I CAN GET INTO EXAMPLES OF HOW THAT HAS WORKED.
TO AVOID LITIGATION OR DEFEND AGAINST LITIGATION, WHERE PEOPLE SAY, WELL, YOU ENGAGE IN WORKSPACE REDISTRICTING.
>> WOULD YOU HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] THINK THAT WE'D HAVE TO ADOPT THOSE CRITERIA? MAY, JUNE, SOMEWHERE IN THAT AREA.
>> I WOULD DO IT WHEN WE COME OUT WITH THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT.
>> GENERALLY WHAT WE DO IN THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT, WHICH ENDS UP BEING, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER FROM LAST DECADE, ITS PROBABLY 20 OR 30 PAGES BUT MORE THAN WE HAVE SUGGESTED CRITERIA AND SUGGESTED RULES.
>> OKAY, THAT WAS IN SEPTEMBER.
>> AND THEN ONCE WE ADOPT A PLAN, THE FIRM WOULD SUBMIT ALL THE DATA TO THE COUNTY SO THAT THEY CAN USE IT TO UPDATE THEIR RECORDS.
>> SO THEY CAN ASSIGN VOTERS ON YOUR VOTING CARDS, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CITY OF GALVESTON DISTRICT 1 OR DISTRICT 5 OR DISTRICT 6 OR WHATEVER.
ALSO, YOU WOULD WANT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO CONSIDER THAT IN THE PROCESS OF DRAWING ELECTION PRECINCTS.
SO THAT THE COUNTY ELECTION PRECINCTS STUDENTS STAMP POSSIBLE CAN CONFORM TO THE CITY COUNCIL OR DISTRICTS.
IT'S USED TO THAT WAS A REQUIREMENT, IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT NOW BUT IT'S A GOOD THING THAT THEY CAN DO IT.
IT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE LIGHT SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE.
IN THE SAME LIGHT SCHEDULE THAT THE LEGISLATURE [INAUDIBLE] THAT I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF THE LEGISLATURE DOESN'T AMEND SOME LAWS TO CHANGE SOME OF THE DEADLINES INCLUDING THINGS LIKE FOR THE COUNTY TO DRAW ELECTION PRECINCTS.
SO THEN MOVES BACK LITTLE BECAUSE THE STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS ARE PROBABLY GOING TO BE ADOPTED MUCH LATER THAN USUAL.
IN FACT, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO BE ADOPTED IN THE SPECIAL SESSION BECAUSE THE DATA'S NOT EVEN WANT TO BE OUT DURING THE SESSION.
I WOULD NOTE TO COUNSEL THAT IT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION THAT AND TODAY AS AN EXAMPLE THAT WE HAVE NO EXECUTIVE SESSIONS BARRING LITIGATION TO TALK ABOUT REDISTRICTING BECAUSE IF IT IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC TO MANY AND IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE OUT IN THE OPEN.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING IT OUT IN THE OPEN TODAY.
ALSO, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MAYORAL DISTRICT WILL NOT REQUIRE ANY CHANGES WHATSOEVER.
>> YEAH. WELL, THE MAIN THING THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT, OF COURSE NO SECTION 5 AND IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPRESSED TIMELINE.
>> IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO.
>> WHAT I WANT TO REITERATE WHAT DON SAID ABOUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THIS IN OPEN SESSION.
SOME COMMUNITIES DO NOT BUT THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH OUR CITIZENS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
IF ANY QUESTIONS FOR DON OR [INAUDIBLE]
>> WHEN IT COMES TO REDISTRICTING, HOW DID WE ADDRESS MAYBE
[02:35:02]
THE POTENTIAL OF REGISTERING AND NOT THE PRIMARY RESIDENTS OF A HOME, WHEREBY A SECOND HOME OR A VACATION RENTAL OR WHATEVER IT IS.BUT HOW DO WE ADDRESS THAT CONCERN THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN GALVESTON?
>> WELL, WHAT WE WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO REDISTRICT ON THE BASIS OF BOTH THE CENSUS SHOW.
SO THE CENSUS IS GOING TO ASK WHAT'S YOUR PRIMARY RESIDENCE? AND I'VE HAD TO GO BACK AND LOOK TO SEE THE EXACT WORDING OF THE QUESTION.
BUT IF SOMEBODY, LET'S SAY HAS A HOME IN HOUSTON AND VACATION HOME OR WEEKEND HOME OR SOMETHING IN GALVESTON, PRESUMABLY, THEY'RE GOING TO BE COUNTED IN HOUSTON MORE THAN GALVESTON.
BUT IF THEY ARE COUNTED, BECAUSE THE CENSUS IS ALL WE HAVE TO GO ON.
SO WE'RE GOING TO BE HOW THEY'RE SHOWN IN THE CENSUS AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE PLACE OF PRIMARY RESIDENCE.
SO PROBABLY VACATION HOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SHOW IN THE CENSUS AS GALVESTON'S RESIDENTS.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. [INAUDIBLE].
I'M SURE WE'LL BE VISITING MORE AS WE GO ALONG.
>> OKAY AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT I FULLY AGREE THAT PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TRANSPARENCY IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
>> CORRECT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> APPRECIATE IT AND WE ARE DOWN AT THE END OF OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. IT IS NOW 11: 36,
[4. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
WE ARE NOW GOING TO RETIRE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.JANELLE (PHON), WE HAVE A SEPARATE LINK FOR THAT. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> SO COUNCIL, IF WE CAN TAKE NO MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES AND WE'LL RECONVENE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
>> MAYOR, IF I COULD JUST READ THE SECTION BEFORE WE-
>> OH, YES, MA'AM. GO RIGHT AHEAD.
>> PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071, CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.
AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WILL BE CONDUCTED TO DISCUSS AND RECEIVE LEGAL ADVICE CONCERNING PENDING LITIGATION AND OR A SETTLEMENT OFFER OR ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH THIS CHAPTER RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING: NUMBER 19-CV-2139 ALLEN FLORES ET AL VS CITY OF GALVESTON; 212 JUDICIAL COURT AND TEXAS RAILWAY EXCHANGE VERSUS CITY OF GALVESTON IN COUNTY COURT OF GALVESTON COUNTY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. WE WILL SEE EVERYONE IN FIVE MINUTES.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.