Jun 23, 2023 City Council on 2023-06-23 5:00 PM (City Council Retreat - Day 1)

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IF THREE OUT OF 9000 SHOW UP.

[After determining that a quorum is present, the City Council of the City of Denton, Texas will convene in a Retreat on Friday, June 23, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. in the Development Service Center Training Rooms 3, 4, and 5 at 401 N Elm Street, Denton, Texas at which the following item will be considered:]

[1. ITEM FOR DISCUSSION]

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IT'S THE MOST OF THE SPECIAL INTERESTS ARE ACTUALLY GOOD THINGS.

UNLESS YOUR LIBRARY DIRECTOR IS DIFFERENT THAN MOST LIBRARY DIRECTORS AND YOUR LIBRARY BOARD IS DIFFERENT THAN MOST LIBRARY BOARDS, THEY HAVE A STUDY SOMEWHERE THAT SAYS YOU OUGHT TO HAVE 114 BOOKS PER CAPITA IN YOUR LIBRARY.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE 114 BOOKS PER CAPITA, YOU JUST DON'T LOVE TO READ.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR JOB IS TO BE THE ADVOCATE FOR THAT NARROW THING THEY BELIEVE IN.

ONE OF THE GREATEST MISTAKES ELECTED OFFICIALS MAKE IS TO CONTINUE.

WHEN YOU STEP INTO OFFICE THAT SATURDAY NIGHT OR THE MONDAY MORNING, MONDAY NIGHT FOLLOWING, IS TO THINK YOUR JOB IS TO REPRESENT THE AMALGAMATION OF SPECIAL INTERESTS THAT GOT YOU ELECTED.

WHEN YOU'RE SITTING ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF WHAT MAY BE, MAYBE IT'S NOT THE LARGEST CORPORATION IN TOWN, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE IN THE TOP FIVE.

IF THIS IS A TYPICAL CITY, YOU'RE SITTING ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ONE OF THE FIVE LARGEST COMPANIES IN TOWN.

YOUR JOB IS NOT TO CATER TO THE SMALL SUBSET OF SLICE AND DICE SPECIAL INTERESTS THAT GOT YOU ELECTED.

YOUR JOB IS TO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF ALL OF THE CITIZENS, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT DON'T LIVE HERE YET.

THE GENERATION TO COME.

IF YOU CAN TACKLE ONE SINGLE THING AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, YOU LITERALLY WILL BE REMEMBERED WITH STATUES, AND THAT IS TO THINK MORE ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION THAN THE NEXT ELECTION.

AND I'M TELLING YOU THAT WHEN YOU START LISTENING TO THE SMALL GROUPS AND LETTING THEM HAVE A MEGAPHONE IN YOUR MIND BECAUSE I'VE NEVER I'VE NEVER SPOKEN TO SOMEBODY WHO WAS UP BEFORE COUNCIL THAT SAID TO COUNCIL.

HENSLEY. I APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME SPEAK.

YOU NEED TO KNOW I REALLY THINK I HAVE SOME VALUABLE STUFF TO SHARE, BUT I ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF.

IT'S NEVER THAT.

IT'S. YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE I REPRESENT ALL OF THESE PEOPLE.

AND YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO THEM.

OKAY. ANOTHER LITTLE A LITTLE KEY TO SUCCESS.

OUR HUMAN TENDENCY IS WHEN WE'RE GETTING THE CRAP BEAT OUT OF US.

BECAUSE I KNOW YOU DO.

I'M TELLING YOU, YOU'VE GOT ABOUT THE TOUGHEST JOB THERE IS BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.

IT IS THANKLESS.

IT IS BRUTAL.

IT CAUSES YOUR STOMACH TO GO INTO KNOTS AT TIMES.

AND YOU RAN BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO DO GOOD STUFF.

YOU CARED ABOUT THE COMMUNITY.

I DON'T MEAN YOU AGREE ON EVERYTHING.

WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN THE BATTLE COMES, WE TEND TO THINK BECAUSE OF OUR OWN HUMAN INSECURITIES, WE TEND TO THINK THAT THE VOICES TRULY REPRESENT EVERYBODY THEY CLAIM TO REPRESENT.

I WON'T MENTION WHICH CITY IT IS, BUT ANOTHER CITY I'VE WORKED WITH OR COUNCIL A LOT.

A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN THE BUSH TURNPIKE WAS JUST GETTING GETTING CLOSE TO GETTING STARTED IN THIS PARTICULAR I MEAN, GETTING GETTING CLOSE TO BEING FINISHED IN THIS PARTICULAR CITY, IT WAS EXTRAORDINARILY CONTROVERSIAL WHERE THE SERVICE ROADS WERE GOING TO GO.

AND FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, 80% OF ALL COMMENTS IN THE NEWSPAPER WERE ANTI HAVING A CONNECTION.

THEY WANTED THE SERVICE ROADS BASICALLY BARRICADED SO THEY WOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH THE CITY.

80% DID NOT WANT ANY INTERCONNECT BETWEEN A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE IN THE CITY AND THE SERVICE ROADS.

80% FOR THOSE SEVERAL MONTHS, 80% OF THE FACEBOOK POSTS WERE AGAINST IT.

80% OF THE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR WERE AGAINST IT.

ANY MEASURE YOU WANT TO USE, 80% OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE COUNCIL MEETINGS SPOKE AGAINST IT.

THE CITY DID A BRILLIANT THING.

THE MAYOR TOOK AND SAID, OKAY, LET'S GO INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS MOST AFFECTED AND WE'RE GOING TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO THEY GO INTO AT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, DO A TRADITIONAL ZONING KIND OF PRESENTATION.

STAFF GETS UP, DOES THE TECHNICAL PRESENTATION PEOPLE SPEAK FOR IT? PEOPLE SPEAK AGAINST IT.

ABOUT 80% OF THE SPEAKERS WERE AGAINST IT.

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YOU'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE MOST AFFECTED BY THIS BECAUSE THE THOROUGHFARE IS GOING TO COME THROUGH YOUR AREA, NOT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE.

IT'S GOING TO CONNECT. SO YOU'RE THE ONE MOST AFFECTED.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.

80% OF THE PEOPLE SAID WE WANT IT TO CONNECT.

SEE, REALITY WAS TOTALLY THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE LOUDEST VOICES CLAIMED REALITY TO BE.

AND THE 80% THAT SAID WE WANT TO DO IT WERE ACTUALLY THE 80% WHO WERE MOST AFFECTED BY IT.

BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WE TEND OUR HUMAN TENDENCY IS TO GET SO WEARY OF GETTING BEAT ABOUT THE HEAD AND SHOULDERS FROM FOLKS THAT ARE MAD AT US.

IS IT WE JUST GET GROUND DOWN.

AND SO WE START ENABLING MORE BAD BEHAVIOR BY FUELING THE FIRE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS ON THIS PART SO FAR? JUST TECHNICALLY, I WOULD LOVE TO UNDERSTAND BETTER WHAT THE CELL PHONE THING WAS.

OH YEAH, THERE'S THERE'S POLLING SOFTWARE AND WE ACTUALLY USE IT IN SOME COUNCIL RETREATS.

BUT LITERALLY YOU PUT IT UP, IT POPS UP ON THE SCREEN AND THE LITTLE QR CODE, EVERYBODY TAKES OUT THEIR SMARTPHONE, YOU USE THE QR CODE AND YOU GO TO A SURVEY. SO IT WAS THE SAME PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE ROOM.

YES. OKAY. AND IT'S USING THEIR OWN CELL PHONE.

SO IT'S NOT EVEN PASSING DEVICES OUT.

IT'S PERCENT OF THE SPEAKERS VERSUS 80% OF THE PEOPLE, 80% OF THE PEOPLE, AT LEAST EVERYBODY WHO WANTS TO VOTE, EVERYBODY THAT WANTS TO WEIGH IN.

AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND BRILLIANT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THE MORE POLARIZED AN ENVIRONMENT IS, THE MORE BRUTAL AND ENVIRONMENT IS, THE MORE ONLY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE POLARIZING AND BRUTAL WANT TO ENGAGE BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO TARGET PAINTED ON THEIR BACK. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO SO THE CHALLENGE OUR OUR HUMAN TENDENCY IS TO HUNKER DOWN AND LISTEN LESS WHEN OUR REAL CHALLENGE IS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN LISTENING, BETTER, TO ACTUALLY SAY WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF LISTENING TO EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE PEOPLE WITH THE MEGAPHONES.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THAT PART OR REACTIONS OR ROCKS? YES, SIR. MAYOR YEAH, I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT REINFORCE WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

IF THERE'S CONTRARY THOUGHTS TO WHAT YOU'VE LAID OUT THUS FAR OR IN WHATEVER SEGMENT, I MEAN, AGAIN, YOU'RE YOU'RE FREE TO RECOGNIZE WHOMEVER.

BUT AS FAR AS THAT GOES, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH YOU.

BUT IF THERE'S DISSENTING OPINIONS, WE NEED TO HAMMER THAT OUT NOW.

ABSOLUTELY. BECAUSE IT'S FOUNDATIONAL, RIGHT? YES, YES, YES, YES.

SO IF SPEAK NOW OR DON'T.

RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT'S A COMMON REFRAIN AFTER THESE EVENTS.

THERE'S YOU KNOW, AND SO I JUST RATHER US SET A GOOD FOUNDATION FOR IF THERE'S DISSENTING OPINIONS, LET'S GET THEM OUT THERE VERSUS SUFFERING SILENCE AND THEN RAISE IT ON MONDAY.

ABSOLUTELY. IN FACT, LET ME LEAN INTO THAT, MAYOR, BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE SO ON TARGET.

ONE OF THE TENDENCIES OF GOVERNING BODIES IS TO AVOID CONFLICT THINKING.

THAT'S THE SAME THING AS HEALTH REALITY IS IF YOU CREATE A HEALTHY GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT, YOU CAN HAVE REALLY VIBRANT DISAGREEMENT WITHOUT IT BECOMING UNHEALTHY.

YOU WANT VIBRANT DISAGREEMENT.

THE REALITY IS YOU MAKE BETTER DECISIONS WHEN YOU HAVE DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES OF EVERY IMAGINABLE TYPE OF THING COME TO THE TABLE.

YOU. IT'S NOT JUST THAT IT'S OKAY.

YOU WANT THAT VIBRANCY OF DISAGREEMENT BECAUSE THAT YIELDS IT PUTS IT THROUGH THE FIRE TO YIELD BETTER DECISIONS.

BUT LET ME TELL YOU, THE BEST CITY COUNCIL I EVER WORKED FOR IN MY CAREER WAS IN FARMERSVILLE, TEXAS.

AT THE TIME. IT WAS ABOUT 3000 POPULATION.

THE ENTIRE CITY HALL WOULD MORE OR LESS THAN FIT IN THIS ROOM.

AND WE MET IN A SMALL ROOM UPSTAIRS AND AROUND A SINGLE TABLE AND OH GOSH, IT WAS A LOW ROOF.

IT WAS PROBABLY AN EIGHT FOOT ROOM AND YOU FELT CRUNCHED AND ALL OF THAT THAT COUNCIL WOULD FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS AROUND THE TABLE FIGHTING FOR THEIR ISSUE.

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AND WHEN THE DECISION WAS MADE, EVEN IF THEY DISAGREE WITH IT, THEY COULD SUPPORT THE THE THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS THAT YIELDED THE DECISION.

NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENS AT THE DAIRY QUEEN.

THE TENDENCY IS TO GO TO THE DAIRY QUEEN WHERE THE CONSPIRACY THEORISTS HANG OUT AND THEY START WHIPPING YOU UP BECAUSE OF SUCH AND SUCH DECISION. AND THE TENDENCY IS TO THROW A FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBER UNDER THE BUS.

AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TEND TO SAY, WELL, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, VICKI ONLY VOTED FOR THAT BECAUSE SOME DEVELOPER HAS GIVEN HER MONEY AND AND JOE DOESN'T BELIEVE THAT, BUT HE'S NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE THE HEAT.

SO HE JUST KIND OF WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT AND THAT'S ALL HE DOES.

THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THAT BECAUSE WHAT THAT DOES IS ENABLES THE CONSPIRACIES BECAUSE THEY IN ANOTHER SETTING, THEY GO TO ROTARY CLUB AND THEY SAY, I WAS AT THE DAIRY QUEEN THIS MORNING AND I HAD COFFEE WITH JOE.

AND IN THAT CONVERSATION IT BECAME CLEAR THAT VICKI WAS TAKING MONEY FROM DEVELOPERS.

SEE? YOU SEE WHAT? YES, SIR. FIRST OF ALL, I'VE NEVER HAD SUCH A CONVERSATION AT ROSA RIOS, BUT I APPRECIATE THE MAYOR MAKING AN OPENING TO RESPOND. I THINK IT'S VERY EASY TO AGREE THAT IF IT WERE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A BETTER READ ON WHAT THE TRUE COMMUNITY OVERALL COMMUNITY SENTIMENT IS THAT YOU'D WANT TO BE INFLUENCED BY THAT.

I MEAN, THERE ARE CASES WHERE THERE'S MAYBE A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT ISSUE VERSUS A MAJORITY OPINION, BUT IF IT'S A MAJORITY OPINION THING, THE BETTER YOU CAN PERCEIVE IT, THE BETTER.

BUT WE HAVE WHAT ARE THE WAYS WE HAVE TO DISCERN THAT WE HAVE PUBLIC INPUT? YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE RIGHTS OF LETTERS.

SO IN THAT CASE, YOU HAD THE CELL PHONE THING.

YES. BUT WILL YOU BE SHARING WITH US SOME BETTER WAYS TO.

YEAH, LET'S GO ON THE BROADER.

THAT'S A COMMUNITY INPUT.

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, PAUL.

LET'S GO AHEAD AND KIND OF GO DOWN THAT PATH.

SO PART OF MY PREPARED SLIDES.

BUT LET'S LET'S GO THERE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GO WHEREVER, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THOUGHTS OCCUR TO YOU LATER FOR SETTING YOU UP FOR THAT.

SO LET ME GIVE YOU 2 OR 3 EXAMPLES.

IN ONE CASE, A CITY IN THE METROPLEX OVER ON THE FORT WORTH SIDE HAD A HUGE AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

THOSE JUST TEND TO BE THE ONES THAT MOST CONSISTENTLY GET WILD AND WOOLY AND THEY'VE HAD A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT GO SIDEWAYS AND THEY HAD CONCLUDED.

ACCURATELY THAT IT WAS LARGELY BECAUSE CITY STAFF HAD NOT DONE A GOOD JOB OF ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING BEING IN ALL OF THAT.

AND IT WASN'T A TRASHING THEM.

IT WAS THE SYSTEMS. THEY WERE 20 YEARS BEHIND THE TIMES IN THEIR SYSTEMS. AND SO WHAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD US DO WAS WE DID KIND OF LIKE A PLANNING CHARRETTE BUT AROUND COMMUNICATIONS.

AND WE IDENTIFIED THE THREE WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE THE THREE BEST COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONS IN CITIES IN THE STATE.

AND THEY CAME IN AND WE DID A CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP THAT WAS ALL ABOUT LISTENING, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T AND IT WASN'T ABOUT IT WASN'T A CONSULTANT COMING IN AND TRYING TO SELL YOU ON DOING THEIR STUFF.

IT WAS AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU, IT WAS THE CITY OF ROUND ROCK AND PLANO AND ONE OTHER.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO THE OTHER ONE WAS THAT REALLY HAD PRIMO AWARD WINNING COMMUNICATION SHOPS AND JUST LEARN FROM THEM AND GO, TELL US WHAT LET ME LET ME TELL YOU ONE OF THE THINGS THIS DID NOT COME OUT OF THAT PARTICULAR WORKSHOP, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MOST CITY COUNCILS ARE FRUSTRATED WITH BECAUSE THEY GET THE HECK BEAT OUT OF THEM ON FACEBOOK.

NOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE OPTIONS THAN JUST FACEBOOK TO BEAT YOU UP TODAY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, BUT FACEBOOK IS STILL THERE.

ONE CITY THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH, THEY ACTUALLY STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH SOLUTIONS.

WHAT THEY DISCOVERED IS THAT IF THE CITY OR THE ELECTED OFFICIAL, IF CITY STAFF OR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TRIED TO RESPOND TO MISINFORMATION. IT JUST FUELED THE FIRE BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME THE PEOPLE PUTTING MISINFORMATION OUT ARE DOING IT BECAUSE IT'S SATISFYING, NOT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IT.

SO WHAT THEY DISCOVERED IS THAT IF YOU TOOK AND PROVIDED FAQS ON SOMETHING AND

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HERE'S THE LINK. IF ANYBODY WANTS TO GO CHECK THESE OUT, HERE'S WHAT'S INTERESTING THAT THEY FOUND EVOLVED IS THAT CITIZENS STARTED RESPONDING AND STAFF OR COUNCIL DID NOT.

AND AS A GENERAL RULE, IF A FELLOW CITIZEN RESPONDS AND SAYS THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT, HERE'S THE LINK OVER ON THE FAQS WHERE ALL THE INFORMATION IS.

IT IS LITERALLY ABOUT 100 TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE THAN IF CITY STAFF RESPONDS AND IT'S ABOUT A THOUSAND TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE THAN AN ELECTED OFFICIAL RESPONSE.

CITY STAFF IS LESS LIKELY TO HAVE SOMEBODY JUST WANTING TO PICK A FIGHT.

CITY STAFF GETS ABUSED FOR BEING POINTY HEADED BUREAUCRATS AND ALL OF THAT.

ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO SET YOU UP BECAUSE THEY'RE WANTING TO RUN AGAINST YOU OR THEY'RE SUPPORTING SOMEBODY WHO'S THEY'RE BAITING YOU TO GET INTO A MUD FIGHT. OLD DEFINITION OF OR AN OLD ADVICE TO BUILDING INSPECTORS IS NEVER GET INTO A MUD FIGHT WITH A PIG BECAUSE PRETTY SOON YOU'RE BOTH GOING TO BE FILTHY AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIGURE OUT THAT THE PIGS ENJOY IT.

SEE, THE REALITY IS THE CONFLICT IS WHAT ANIMATES SOME OF THE FOLKS.

YOUR CHALLENGE IS TO FIGURE OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SOMEBODY WHO IS JUST WANTING TO DRIVE CONFLICT AND SOMEBODY WHO TRULY HOLDS A BELIEF DEEPLY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THOSE ARE TWO WAY DIFFERENT PLAYERS AND HOW YOU APPROACH THEM.

YOU ALWAYS WANT TO APPROACH ALL OF THEM WITH HONOR, DIGNITY AND RESPECT, NO MATTER WHAT.

BUT SO THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE IS FAQS ON THE STUFF SO THAT IT'S EASY FOR OTHER CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO REFER THEM TO THE CORRECT THINGS AND GO, WELL, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

ET CETERA. ANOTHER THING THAT I'LL I'LL USE THIS EXAMPLE FROM WAY BACK WHEN, WHEN I WAS IN PLANO, WHEN I WAS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER IN PLANO, AND I DIDN'T COME UP WITH IT, BUT IT WAS JUST BRILLIANT.

WHEN THEY DID BOND ELECTIONS, THEIR WHOLE STRATEGY WAS TO HAVE MORE CITIZENS INVOLVED ON BOND COMMITTEES THAN IT TOOK TO PASS THE ELECTION.

BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE AND IT WAS LIKE A MILITARY OPERATION FOR STAFF TO PULL IT OFF.

BUT BUT WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS WORKING ON THE SEWER PLANT KNEW HOW DEEPLY THEY HAD, HOW SERIOUSLY THEY HAD TAKEN THEIR TASK.

AND THEY ASSUMED THAT THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS WORKING ON THE PARK'S PLAN WAS DOING THE SAME THING.

AND THEY ASSUMED THE COMMITTEE THAT'S WORKING ON THE STREETS IS.

SO, IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS YOU WERE THEY WERE TRULY LEVERAGING THE ENGAGEMENT.

THEY WERE BUILDING CREDIBILITY BY NOT TRYING TO CONTROL IT TOO MUCH.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE NOW? IT YOU IT WILL BLOW YOU AWAY WHEN YOU ACTUALLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO HARNESS THE ENERGY OF THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

ANOTHER THING THAT THERE ARE SOME TOOLS OUT THERE.

I DON'T HAVE AN OPINION AT THIS POINT.

I HAVEN'T. I'VE SEEN ABOUT THEM.

I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM.

BUT THERE ARE SOME TOOLS.

THERE'S A COMPANY CALLED ZEN CITY, AND HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I THINK ABOUT IT, SO I'M NOT ADVOCATING.

BUT WHAT THEY DO IS THEY MONITOR ALL OF THE INTERNET TRAFFIC IN YOUR CITY TO TELL YOU WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT THE BUZZ IS.

AND IT'S NOT IT'S NOT SAYING THIS IS WHAT CHRIS IS SAYING.

IT'S IT'S IN THE AGGREGATE, BUT IT'S A REALLY OBJECTIVE WAY TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE HOT BUTTON ISSUES? WHERE ARE PEOPLE'S HEADS? WHAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THEM? ANOTHER THING THAT I FOUND EXTRAORDINARILY EFFECTIVE BACK WHEN I WAS CITY MANAGER IN GARLAND WAS THAT WE WENT AND DID NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS. WE DO THEM IN EACH COUNTY.

ARE Y'ALL IN DISTRICTS OR ARE YOU OKAY? WE WOULD DO EVERY YEAR.

WE'D DO ONE IN EVERY DISTRICT.

AND IT LITERALLY WAS A LISTENING SESSION, NOT A PRESENTATION SESSION.

AND WHAT WE DID IS WE HAD TABLES SET UP WITH EACH DEPARTMENT, AT LEAST EACH CITIZEN FACING DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAD A LIGHTED ON FIRE PRIORITY AT THE STAFF LEVEL THAT IF WE HAD THE STREET DEPARTMENT THERE AND WE DO THIS ON MONDAY NIGHT, NO LATER THAN

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WE WANTED THEM TO SEE BECAUSE THE STUFF YOU GET OUT OF THOSE ARE VERY SMALL THINGS.

SO BUT BUT IT SENT A DRAMATIC MESSAGE.

IT WAS EXTREMELY POPULAR WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO THEM AND AFFIRMATIVELY LISTENING RATHER THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

ANOTHER THIS IS NOT SO MUCH WITH THE CITY RELATIONSHIP, BUT THE CITY OF DE SOTO WON THE ALL AMERICAN CITY AWARD USING SOMETHING CALLED COMMUNITY DINNER TABLE AND THEIR WHOLE DEAL.

AND THEY WERE MORE FOCUSED ON RACIAL DYNAMICS.

BUT THIS COULD APPLY TO BROADER ISSUES, THEIR WHOLE DEAL.

DE SOTO AT THAT TIME WAS ABOUT 5050 AFRICAN, WELL, 50 ANGLO, 40 AFRICAN AMERICAN, 10% HISPANIC.

AND WHAT THEY DID IS THAT CITY HALL SIMPLY BECAME A DINNER MATCHMAKING SERVICE.

AND WHAT HAPPENED THEY HAD FOR EACH DINNER FOR COUPLES ONLY RULE IS YOU COULD NOT KNOW ANY OF THE COUPLES BEFOREHAND HAD TO BE TOTALLY NEW RELATIONSHIPS AND AND YOU YOU LITERALLY CALLED IN AND THE CITY HALL ARRANGED IT AT ONE OF THE FOUR HOMES BECAUSE IT WAS IT WAS ALL ABOUT IF YOU BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.

IT CHANGES THE DYNAMICS.

IT'S REALLY EASY FOR ME TO GO OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND RIP THE MAYOR TO SHREDS IF I DON'T KNOW HIM.

BUT IF I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN NEXT TO HIM ON THE PEW AT CHURCH SUNDAY MORNING, IT'S A LOT HARDER FOR ME TO GO DO, WHICH IS WHY SO MANY OF THEM BECOME ANONYMOUS.

YOU KNOW, THEY THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO FEEL BAD FOR WHAT THEY HOW THEY'VE ACTED IF PEOPLE KNOW WHO THEY ARE.

SO SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU DO IS THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU BEGIN TO LOOK, I'M CONVINCED WITH ALL MY HEART THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO HEAL THE NATION, IT'S NOT GOING TO COME OUT OF WASHINGTON.

IT DAMN SURE IT AIN'T GOING TO COME OUT OF AUSTIN.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AND IT'S GOING TO BE A PRODUCT OF HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

SO THE REALITY IS, THE MORE YOU BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, OFTEN NOT JUST BETWEEN YOU BUT IN THE COMMUNITY AND LOOK FOR THOSE THINGS, THE MORE YOU BUILD THE NEURAL NETWORK OF COMMUNICATIONS, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO YOU WANT YOU WANT THE COMMUNITY HIGHLY ENGAGED, HIGHLY INFORMED, BECAUSE THAT'S YOUR CONTROL FOR MISINFORMATION. AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE OUT ON THE FRINGE THAT ARE GENERATING INTENTIONAL MISINFORMATION, THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CREDIBILITY.

BUT IF YOU ENGAGE IN A MUD FIGHT WITH THEM, IT BECOMES THE SIDESHOW.

AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO I MEAN, IT'S LIKE RUBBERNECKING WHEN THE ACCIDENT.

HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM ARE RUBBERNECKERS WHEN THERE'S A CAR WRECK? YOU KNOW, THAT THAT CREATES ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS. IT CAN BE A LITTLE BITTY FENDER BENDER THAT'S ALREADY OFF THE ROAD AND TRAFFIC WILL BACK UP FOREVER BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTS TO SLOW DOWN AND GET A LOOK AT IT.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU GET INTO A MUD FIGHT WITH SOMEBODY ONLINE.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT'S LIKE.

AND SO EVERYBODY THAT DRAWS ATTENTION TO IT, THE MORE YOU CAN EQUIP THE COMMUNITY WITH GOOD, RELIABLE, OBJECTIVE INFORMATION, THE BETTER OFF YOU'LL BE. AND THERE'S PROBABLY SOME OTHER THINGS THAT SEAT OF MY PANTS.

I'M NOT THINKING OF OTHER OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THIS PART.

OKAY. CAN I? YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE ABOUT OUR ADMINISTRATION AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY AND THE THING THAT I LIKE PROBABLY THE MOST IS A PROGRAM CALLED ENGAGED, ENGAGED DENTIST.

AND IT HAS BEEN SO EFFECTIVE BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS HEARD COMMUNITY PEOPLE SAY, OH, THEY'LL COME RIGHT OUT.

YOU KNOW, I'M KIND OF CREEPING ON THAT, ON THAT LITTLE NEXT DOOR THING.

YOU GO TO THE ENGAGED AND THEY'LL COME RIGHT OUT AND TAKE CARE OF IT.

AND THE CITY DOES.

IT KEEPS UP WITH THE RESPONSE LEVEL THAT THE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR.

AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE DOING IT VERY SUCCESSFULLY BECAUSE I CAN SEE IT, YOU KNOW, AS I'M KIND OF PERUSING AROUND ON MY LITTLE AREA NEXT DOOR, PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE JUST, OH, CALL THE OH, YOU NEED TO GO GET ENGAGED.

AND THEY WILL COME RIGHT OUT.

AND IT'S SO POSITIVE.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I REALLY ABSOLUTELY.

I WANT TO GIVE HIGH KUDOS TO THAT.

SO SUGGESTION.

I'M GOING TO GO MEDDLING IN SARAH'S AREA HERE.

JUST A LITTLE BIT SUGGESTION.

WHEN YOU HAVE EXAMPLES OF THAT, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY, WHETHER THROUGH A RECOGNITION AT A COUNCIL MEETING OR A LETTER OR A CERTIFICATE.

THE LOWER YOU GO IN THE ORGANIZATION, THE MORE SIGNIFICANT, SIMPLE RECOGNITION.

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I GUARANTEE YOU THAT WILL BE FRAMED AND ON THEIR WALL.

IT IS PROFOUNDLY SIGNIFICANT.

AND AND IT ALSO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF TENDENCY AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.

I KNOW NOTHING.

I JUST KNOW UNIVERSALITY.

OKAY? THERE IS A TENDENCY AMONG ELECTED OFFICIALS, I'M GOING TO SHOCK YOU TO GRANDSTAND.

AND LOTS OF TIMES THAT GRANDSTANDING COMES AT THE EXPENSE OF EMPLOYEES.

AND IMPLICIT IN THAT IS THE IMPLICATION THAT EMPLOYEES DON'T HAVE FEELINGS AND THAT EMPLOYEES DON'T HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS AND THAT EMPLOYEES DON'T HAVE REPUTATIONS.

ET CETERA. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.

A CITY NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE, THEY HAD TO CRUISE OUT ON TWO STREETS IN THE MORNING, PAINTING FIRE HYDRANTS, DOING THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND. ONE OF THE CREWS FINISHED UP THEIR STREET A LITTLE BIT EARLY AND LITERALLY THERE WERE THREE MAN CREWS.

AND SO THESE THREE GUYS, THEY STOPPED.

THEY LOADED THEIR TRUCK UP AND SAID, HEY, LET'S RUN OVER TO OAK STREET AND SEE IF THEY'RE FINISHED YET.

AND IF THEY'RE NOT, LET'S GO HELP THEM GET FINISHED UP SO THEY CAN BREAK IN TIME FOR LUNCH.

SO THEY LITERALLY GO OVER, THEY SEE THE GUYS, THEY'RE STILL WORKING.

THEY GET OUT OF THEIR TRUCK AND THEY GO UP TO THEM AND LITERALLY THEY'RE STANDING AROUND THE FIRE HYDRANT AND THEY SAY, HEY, DO YOU GUYS NEED SOME HELP? WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU? GOOD CITIZEN IS DRIVING BY, SEES SIX CITY EMPLOYEES STANDING AROUND A FIRE HYDRANT, WHIPS OUT THEIR PHONE, SNAPS A PHOTO, TEXTS IT TO FOX FOUR NEWS.

ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER, ABOUT 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON, THE REPORTER CALLS CITY HALL, ASKS FOR A COMMENT ABOUT THE GOLDBRICKING CITY EMPLOYEES. WELL, ACTUALLY, THE CITY MANAGER IS OUT OF TOWN, OUT OF POCKET.

THE ACM SAYS, I DON'T KNOW.

LET ME FIND OUT.

LET ME LET ME CHECK AND I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.

LET ME FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THE REPORTER SAYS, I'VE GOT A 4:00 DEADLINE.

I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR YOU TO GO DO THAT.

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO GIVE ME A COMMENT OR NOT.

SO HE SAYS, I CAN'T GIVE YOU A COMMENT BASED ON NOTHING EXCEPT A PHOTO.

SO NOW I KNOW YOUR MAYOR IS BETTER THAN THIS.

OKAY, SO THIS IS NOT THIS IS NOT DIRECTED AT YOUR MAYOR, BUT FOX FOUR NEWS CALLS THE MAYOR.

AND WHAT THE MAYOR DOES IS SAYS, I PROMISE YOU WE WON'T HAVE ANY MORE OF THIS GOLDBRICKING.

LAZY, GOOD FOR NOTHING CITY EMPLOYEES.

THEY'RE GOING TO WORK FOR THEIR LIVING.

WE'RE GOING TO EXPECT THEM TO PERFORM.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE THAT KIND OF LAZY ACTIVITY IN OUR CITY.

I GUARANTEE YOU THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN.

SO SIX STREET MAINTENANCE LEVEL WORKERS END UP ON FOX FOUR NEWS WITH THE MAYOR CALLING THEM LAZY, GOOD FOR NOTHING, WORTHLESS, NOT DOING THEIR JOB.

ET CETERA. THEY WERE EVERYTHING THAT YOU WANTED AN EMPLOYEE TO BE.

THEY FINISHED THEIR PART OF THE JOB AND THEY SAID, LET'S GO SEE IF WE CAN HELP THE OTHER CREW GET FINISHED AS WELL.

THEY WERE EVERYTHING YOU WANTED AN EMPLOYEE TO BE ATTITUDINALLY AND PERFORMANCE WISE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ODDS ARE THEY'LL GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AGAIN? REMEMBER, SYSTEMS, PREDICTABLE INPUTS CREATE PREDICTABLE OUTCOMES.

IT'S VERY PREDICTABLE.

THEY WILL NEVER GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AGAIN.

YOU NOW HAVE A AUTOMATON.

AUTOMATON AS WORKERS THERE.

THEY WILL DO WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO TO GET BY.

THEY'RE NOT EVER GOING TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND AGAIN.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS TO REMEMBER IS THAT WORDS HAVE INCREDIBLE POWER.

HOW YOU COMMUNICATE AT THE DIAS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH STAFF HAS INCREDIBLE POWER.

WE WORKED WITH ONE CITY COUNCIL, TWO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

BOTH HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR YEARS.

LITERALLY HAD NOT SPOKEN TO EACH OTHER DIRECTLY IN THREE YEARS.

AND IT LITERALLY WAS A DYNAMIC WHERE BRIAN WOULD SAY, MAYOR, HERE'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT THIS WITH WHAT WHAT PAUL

[00:55:08]

WOULD YOU TELL HIM WHAT I THINK? AND THEN LITERALLY, PAUL WOULD GO, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THAT.

THERE MAY BE A FEW NUGGETS OF SOMETHING IN THERE WORTH IT, BUT I DON'T THINK I'M COMFORTABLE THAT DIRECTION.

WOULD YOU PLEASE LET BRIAN KNOW WHAT.

AND LITERALLY, THAT'S THE WAY THEY WERE.

THAT WAS AT THE DIAS IN THE MEETINGS WITH THE CAMERAS GOING.

AND THEY'D BEEN GOING THIS WAY FOR THREE YEARS.

AND IT WAS OVER SOMETHING THAT ONE OF THEM HAD SAID TO THE OTHER ONE AND HAD HURT HIS FEELINGS.

NOW, I'M NOT SAYING EVERYBODY'S THAT PETTY OR SMALL OR WHATEVER, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS HOW WE EXPRESS OURSELVES HAS IMPACT ON OTHER PEOPLE AND PREDICTABLE OUTCOMES AND INPUTS HAVE PREDICTABLE OUTCOMES.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? QUESTIONS. COMMENTS.

MORE ON THIS SECTION.

MAYOR. YEAH.

FULL DISCLOSURE, I DON'T TALK TO A TON OF MY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND IT'S JUST IT'S JUST TOO MANY GOTCHAS, RIGHT? AND SO I SOLICIT YOUR INPUT THERE.

BUT IT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, SAVING THE DETAILS.

BUT JUST TO SAY THAT'S MY FEELING, RIGHT? I CAN CONTROL THAT.

I FEEL THERE'S A GOTCHA AT THE END OF EVERY CONVERSATION OR A WEAPONIZING OF CONVERSATIONS AND THEY'RE NOT CURED MOTIVE.

SO I JUST AVOID THOSE CONFLICTS, RIGHT? JUST HEY, IF YOU THAT'S MY NATURAL DEFAULT, RIGHT? AND SO BUT TALK WHEN YOU HAVE TO.

I'M NOT GOING TO FOREGO THAT.

WE'RE JUST AS I TELL MY KIDS, WE CAN BE FRIENDLY.

WE'RE JUST NOT FRIENDS.

RIGHT. RIGHT. BECAUSE THERE HAS TO BE A HIERARCHY.

THERE HAS TO BE A SEPARATION.

AND I HAVE TO BE YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO GUARD MYSELF SO THAT I CAN PERFORM.

RIGHT. AND SO IT'S LIKE I AIRPORT.

ONE LAST THING. AIRPORT, RIGHT? YOU'RE YOU'RE ON AN AIRPLANE.

YOU HAVE A YOUNG CHILD WITH YOU PUT YOUR MASK ON FIRST AND THEN HELP YOUR KID BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SLUMPED OVER, YOU'RE NO GOOD TO THE KID.

SAME THING. I HAVE TO GUARD THESE CONVERSATIONS SO THAT I CAN FUNCTION AS INTENDED.

LET'S LET'S FOLLOW THAT THAT TRAIL, BECAUSE I WOULD RESPECTFULLY, STRONGLY DISAGREE.

CERTAINLY YOUR FIRST ROLE IS TO CHASE CHICKENS.

NO OFFENSE ME TO INTIMIDATE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, BUT.

BUT YOUR PRIMARY ROLE IS TO HELP THE COUNCIL ACCOMPLISH WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.

IT'S NOT EVEN YOUR AGENDA.

IT'S COLLECTIVELY WHAT THE AGENDA IS.

NOW, EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID TO ME IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT A LOT OF MAYORS EXPRESS.

YOUR CHALLENGE.

NOW, HERE'S A DYNAMIC.

IT IS IMPLIED POSSIBLE.

TO BE TRUSTED.

IF YOU DON'T TRUST.

NOW, THAT SAID, I'LL READILY SAY I TOTALLY BELIEVE THE GOTCHAS ARE REAL.

I'M NOT DISPUTING THAT ONE.

I'VE SEEN THAT TOO MANY TIMES PLAY OUT.

BUT WHAT YOUR ROLE IS, IS TO BE THE FIRST AND FOREMOST LISTENER FOR THE WHOLE COUNCIL, TRYING TO BRING THE COUNCIL TO A CONSENSUS ON WHERE WE'RE HEADED FOR THE FUTURE.

AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS, NUMBER ONE, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE REALLY THICK SKIN BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO FRUSTRATE THE CRAP OUT OF YOU. OKAY.

THEY JUST THEY JUST ARE.

SAME THING WITH THE CITY MANAGER.

THEY'RE GOING TO FRUSTRATE THE CRAP OUT OF YOU THAT COMES WITH THE JOB DESCRIPTION.

THAT'S JUST THAT'S JUST PART OF THE JOB DESCRIPTION.

SO YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO BE AT PEACE WITH THAT.

COUNCIL MY PREDICTION AND AGAIN, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO ANYBODY.

MY PREDICTION IS IT BECAUSE THE MAYOR DOESN'T TRUST YOU, YOU DON'T TRUST HIM OR HE DOESN'T TRUST YOU BECAUSE YOU DOESN'T MATTER WHICH WAY. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU DON'T REALLY FEEL A LOYALTY TO HIM AS THE LEADER.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS YOU DO GOTCHAS.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THE WAY TO GET BEYOND THIS, NUMBER ONE, IS YOU ARE ACTUALLY ONE TEAM.

THE SECOND WAY TO GET BEYOND THIS IS, MAYOR, YOU OUGHT TO BE AGGRESSIVELY LISTENING, REACHING OUT, CONNECTING AND LISTENING.

AND THE MORE WHOEVER IT IS, THE MORE THE PERSON IS THAT FRUSTRATES YOU, THE MORE YOU OUGHT TO BE LISTENING TO THEM.

DOESN'T MEAN JUST LISTENING ISN'T THE SAME THING AS AGREEING.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I MEAN, THOSE ARE TWO WAY DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT YOU NEED TO BE BUILDING THAT TRUST SO THAT THEY KNOW THEY'RE BEING HEARD.

[01:00:02]

THAT'S GOING TO SOUND LIKE A WEIRD ONE.

LBJ WAS A MASTER AT FIGURING OUT THE MUTUAL WIN AND LISTENING TO WHEN HE KNEW HE FIGURED OUT WHAT DID THEY WANT AND THEN HOW TO BRING THAT TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT HE COULD ADVANCE HIS AGENDA WHILE IT WAS ADVANCING THEIR AGENDA.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO READ IT FROM THAT RELATIONAL STANDPOINT.

AND WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THERE ARE TIMES I'M THINKING RIGHT NOW OF THE PHOTO WITH SAM RAYBURN WHEN HE WAS SPEAKER, A LITTLE SHORT BALD GUY AND LBJ, HUGE, TALL, SKINNY GUY LEANING OVER HIM, KISSING HIM ON HIS BALD HEAD.

PART OF THE WAY HE BUILT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH RAYBURN IS HE TREATED RAYBURN LIKE A FATHER.

RAYBURN WAS A CHILDLESS BACHELOR ALL OF HIS LIFE.

HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN.

AND LBJ CREATED AN AFFINITY WITH HIM AS A FATHER FIGURE THAT BUILT A RELATIONSHIP.

LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER STORY.

YEAH, I HAVEN'T READ THIS IN A HISTORY BOOK, BUT I'VE HEARD IT MULTIPLE PLACES, SO IT COULD BE APOCRYPHAL, BUT I DON'T THINK SO.

ROBERT BYRD, WHO WAS A US SENATOR AND LITERALLY WHILE A SENATOR, A MEMBER OF THE KKK.

WHEN LBJ WAS TRYING TO PASS THE VOTING RIGHTS LEGISLATION.

ROBERT BYRD VOTED FOR IT.

PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND BYRD'S RESPONSE WAS THAT IN 1959, I THINK IT WAS HIS DAUGHTER HAD DIED.

AND HE SAID.

LBJ WAS THE ONLY SENATOR THAT SHOWED UP AT HER FUNERAL.

SO HE NEEDED ME ON THIS VOTE AND YOU BET I WAS THERE.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE RELATIONSHIP WAS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE TOPIC.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WHAT HAPPENS IS IF YOU GET THE RELATIONSHIP RIGHT, GO BACK TO MY FARMERSVILLE CITY COUNCIL.

YOU CAN FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS AROUND THE TOPIC WITHOUT IT AFFECTING THE RELATIONSHIPS.

AND WHEN YOU CAN KEEP IT FROM AFFECTING THE RELATIONSHIPS, THAT'S WHEN YOU BEGIN TO REALLY FUNCTION AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS AS A COUNCIL, AS A GOVERNING BODY.

AND IT'S NOT ABOUT AGREEING.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AGREEING.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ARE WE TREATING EACH OTHER IN A MANNER WITH HONOR, DIGNITY AND RESPECT? AND IF THERE IS A DISTANCE BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL OR THE DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS IN WHICH YOU'RE NOT HONESTLY COMMUNICATING, YOU'RE NOT EVER GOING TO GET TO THAT HIGHER LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? FINAL QUESTION. SO THERE'S NO LEVEL OF DYSFUNCTION.

IF YOU AND I GO TO EAT TOGETHER AND I'M DYSFUNCTIONAL TO THE HILT.

AND SO IT'S A POOR REPRESENTATION OF YOU OR DISAGREEABLE WITH YOUR CORE BELIEFS.

THERE'S NO LEVEL THAT SAYS THAT'S GOING TO ALTER HOW YOU COMMUNICATE WITH ME.

NO. LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE FROM REAL, REAL LIFE EXAMPLE FROM MY LIFE.

WON'T MENTION THE CITY.

I HAD A MAYOR PRO TEM WHO WAS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE FBI FOR PUBLIC CORRUPTION.

HE WAS A POSTMAN AND THE POSTAL INSPECTORS WERE INVESTIGATING HIM FOR CREDIT CARD THEFT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU GO ONE, YOU GO ALL FOR CREDIT CARD THEFT ON THE POSTAL RATE.

THEY FINALLY CONFRONT HIM AND HE GOES OFF ON ME.

HE THOUGHT IN HIS WHACKED OUT WORLD, SOMEHOW I HAD CONTROL OVER THE POSTAL INSPECTORS AND HAD GOTTEN THEM TO GO INVESTIGATE.

I MEAN, IT WAS INSANITY.

BUT THAT WAS THAT WAS WHAT WENT ON.

WELL. HE LITERALLY HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT I KNEW THIS.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED, IT WAS SO EXTREME.

THE POSTAL INSPECTORS WERE CONCERNED THAT HE MIGHT SHOOT PEOPLE.

KILL PEOPLE. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.

TRY NOT TO BE DEROGATORY TOWARDS YOUR PROFESSION, BUT KILL, KILL PEOPLE.

AND I WAS THE PEOPLE.

AND LITERALLY THE FBI PROFILED HIM AT QUANTICO AND THEY CAME IN AND THEY SAID IT'S GOING TO BE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IN A DARK ALLEY.

IT'S GOING TO BE VERY PUBLIC.

IT'LL BE A SACRIFICIAL I CAN'T THINK OF THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR MARTYR SITUATION.

AND SO I WORE A BULLETPROOF VEST FOR A YEAR AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE FBI OVER MY MAYOR PRO TEM.

[01:05:03]

WAS PROBABLY THE SINGLE MOST RACIST ELECTED OFFICIAL I'VE EVER WORKED WITH.

UNBELIEVABLY SO.

AND YET HE REPRESENTED THE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK DISTRICT.

IT WAS JUST IT WAS THIS INSANE SORT OF DYNAMIC.

SO HE'S COMING HOME ONE NIGHT DRIVING DOWN HIS STREET AND THERE ARE SOME KIDS OUT PLAYING IN THE STREET, GETS A LITTLE FUZZY ON DETAILS, BUT BASICALLY HE BARRELED THROUGH THEM.

NOBODY GOT HURT, BUT THEY EITHER YELLED THINGS OR THREW ROCKS AT HIM, ONE OR THE OTHER.

HE POPS HIS VAN IN REVERSE, HOPS OUT OF THE VAN, AND THERE'S 4 OR 5 OF THE KIDS, WHICH LATER IN THE POLICE REPORT, WE FIND OUT THEY'RE FIFTH GRADERS AND HE IS DUKING IT OUT.

AND AS PER HIS STATEMENT TO THE POLICE, HE WAS HOLDING HIS OWN UNTIL ONE OF THE BIG BROTHERS CAME OUT.

I'LL TELL YOU, YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP.

SO SO LITERALLY, THE BIG BROTHER COMES OUT, BEATS HIM SO BADLY THAT HE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR OVER A WEEK.

BUT WHEN HE GETS BEAT UP, THEY ALL LEAVE AND HE LIVES ON THAT STREET DOWN AT THE END OF THE STREET.

BUT HE STUMBLES UP TO THE DOOR OF ONE OF THE HOUSES THERE AND ASKS TO USE THE PHONE.

AND THIS IS ABOUT 11:00 AT NIGHT.

HE DOESN'T CALL 911.

HE CALLS ME.

NOW I KNOW HOW BADLY HE HATES ME.

AND AND YET HE CALLS ME.

AND SO LATER, ABOUT LIKE SIX MONTHS LATER, I FINALLY SIT DOWN AND I SAID, VERNON, THIS IS KILLING ME.

YOU HATE MY GUTS.

YOU PUT A MOTION TO FIRE ME ON THE FLOOR OF MY SECOND COUNCIL MEETING.

YOU WOULD DO ANYTHING TO GET ME FIRED.

AND YET WHEN YOU WERE HURT SO BAD, YOU WERE IN THE HOSPITAL FOR X DAY FOR TEN DAYS.

YOU CALLED ME INSTEAD OF 911.

THIS IS MAKING ME INSANE.

TELL ME WHY I'LL NEVER FORGET, HE RESPONDED.

I MAY NOT LIKE YOU, BUT I TRUST YOU.

YOUR JOB MATTER AND WITH EACH OTHER IS TO BE TRUSTED, EVEN IF NOT LIKED OR AGREED TO.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT REALLY DOES.

YOU TREAT THE SAME, TREAT PEOPLE, BASICALLY.

AND THIS IS TRUE WHETHER IT'S COLLEAGUES OR WHETHER IT IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, TREAT PEOPLE BASED ON THE KIND OF LEADER YOU ASPIRE TO BE, NOT BASED ON WHAT THEY DESERVE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I'M NOT I'M NOT I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY DESERVE BETTER TREATMENT.

I'M SAYING THAT THE GREATEST LEADERS ARE GOING TO RISE ABOVE THAT AND SAY, I'M GOING TO TREAT YOU THE WAY I WANT TO IN A WAY THAT I WANT TO BE THE LEADER IN THAT WAY, NOT BASED ON WHAT YOU DESERVE.

AND IT'S HARD.

OH, IT'S FRUSTRATING.

IT CAN BE EXTREMELY, BUT YOU JUST KEEP COMING BACK.

OTHER QUESTIONS.

I DON'T WANT TO GET ALL BIBLE ON YOU, BUT THERE IS A VERSE THAT SAYS WHEN SOMEBODY IS MISTREATING YOU.

YOU COVER THEM IN KINDNESS AND IN SO DOING, YOU HEAP BURNING COALS ON THEIR HEAD.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU RISE ABOVE WHAT THEY DESERVE AND YOU REALLY WILL CAUSE THEM TO BEGIN TO CHANGE.

CHRIS, I'M GOING TO.

WHAT IS THE SUPREME COURT LANGUAGE? I'M GOING TO AGREE IN PART AND DISSENTING BECAUSE AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND AS A BASIC PRINCIPLE, I AGREE WITH IT.

BUT TO SAY TO THE QUESTION, IS THERE ANY LEVEL OF DYSFUNCTION THAT CAUSES YOU TO NOT TREAT SOMEONE POORLY, NOT TREAT SOMEONE DISRESPECTFULLY, BUT UNDERSTAND, OKAY, I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M TRUE TO MYSELF.

YOU TALK ABOUT AUTHENTICITY.

IF I'M TRUE TO MYSELF, AND THEREFORE, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTERACTING AS YOU NEED TO PROFESSIONALLY, BECAUSE LOOK, TO BE TRUSTED, YOU HAVE TO BE TRUSTWORTHY.

ALL RIGHT. YOU CAN'T I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY IS GOING TO LIE TO YOU, IF THEY'RE GOING TO NOT BE AUTHENTIC AND YOU SEE IT DIRECTLY, THERE JUST COMES A POINT WHERE YOU DO WHAT YOU DO AS THE BEST THAT YOU CAN, BUT YOU ALSO KNOW THAT, ALL RIGHT, I'VE ONLY GOT SO MUCH ENERGY.

HOW CAN I USE THIS ENERGY AND HOW EFFECTIVE IS IT GOING TO BE? AND THE REASON THE GUY CAN'T SEE THAT, THAT'S AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE, BUT I DON'T THINK YOU COULD ADDRESS THE THE QUESTION ON THE FLOOR BECAUSE IT TOOK YOU SIX MONTHS TO ASK HIM.

YOU'RE RIGHT. IT TOOK YOU SIX MONTHS TO SAY AND IT WASN'T EVEN YOU WERE TREATING HIM DIFFERENTLY.

[01:10:02]

AND HE JUST SIMPLY SAID, I TRUST YOU.

NOW, WHAT THAT MEANT TO HIM MAY HAVE BEEN A VERY DIFFERENT SET OF WORDS AND DEFINITIONS THAN IF YOU WERE TO SAY THAT TO ME.

CHRIS, I TRUST YOU.

SO I DON'T THINK IT'S AS CLEAR CUT.

I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONCEPTS THAT HAVE A LOT OF WE'RE ALL HEARING THESE THINGS IN OUR OWN WORDS AND IN OUR OWN KIND OF LENS THAT WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH.

SO I JUST I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE I AGREE WITH IT IN PRINCIPLE THAT YOU CERTAINLY WANT TO TRY TO FIRST OF ALL, YOU GIVE PEOPLE THE RESPECT THEY DESERVE IN THE PROFESSIONAL SPHERE AS COLLEAGUES.

BUT YET IF AFTER A WHILE YOU RECOGNIZE YOU'RE NOT IT'S NOT BEING RECIPROCATED BECAUSE OF BEHAVIORS, THERE COMES A POINT WHERE YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY, OKAY, AND SO, OKAY, SO LET'S, LET'S, LET'S GO THERE BECAUSE I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID WITH MAYBE A LITTLE NUANCE.

ONE OF THE QUOTES I TRY TO LIVE BY IS NEVER OFFEND ANYBODY ACCIDENTALLY.

IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS A TIME, BUT YOU CAN YOU CAN MAKE A FIRM STAND WITHOUT BEING A JERK.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND YOU CAN MAKE A FIRM STAND WITH INTEGRITY.

AND BY NOT RESPONDING IN KIND TO SOMEBODY WHO HAS LIED, WHO HAS NAME CALLED WHATEVER, LET ME LET ME IN FACT, LET ME USE AN EXAMPLE FOR ONE OF YOUR BEST WAYS TO TRANSFORM SOME DYNAMIC AT THE DIE IS.

THE NORMAL TENDENCY WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH A REALLY HOT ISSUE.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS BRIAN AND AND CHRIS ARE ON THE SAME TEAM ON THIS.

I'M GOING TO SAY DEVELOPMENT AGAIN BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT GET SO EMOTIONAL.

AND VICKI AND JOE ARE ON A TEAM.

AND WHAT HAPPENS, OUR HUMANITY IS THAT WHEN THEY COME IN AND THEY'RE ALL UPSET AND THEY'RE PUTTING PRESSURE ON.

BRIAN THE NORMAL POLITICAL MINDSET INSTEAD OF LEADERSHIP MINDSET IS FOR CHRIS TO COME TO HIS RESCUE.

IF YOU WANT TO TRANSFORM HOW YOU WORK AS A TEAM, THE REAL ANSWER IS THAT VICKI, WHO DISAGREES STRONGLY ON THIS ISSUE WITH BRIAN AND IT'S HER SUPPORTERS THAT ARE WEARING HIM OUT.

VICKI IS THE ONE WHO SAYS, MAYA, MAY I ADDRESS THE CROWD? FOLKS IN THE CROWD.

YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH YOU PASSIONATELY ABOUT THIS SUBJECT.

BUT WE AS A GOVERNING BODY HAVE CERTAIN STANDARDS THAT WE EXPECT OF EACH OTHER FOR HOW WE TREAT EACH OTHER.

I COULD NOT DISAGREE WITH BRIAN MORE ON THE SUBJECT OF THIS.

BUT IF YOU CONTINUE TO TREAT HIM THE WAY YOU'RE TREATING HIM, JOE AND I ARE GOING TO LEAVE.

AND YOU DON'T HAVE A QUORUM.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE A PARTY.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO WE DON'T WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH.

IN OTHER WORDS, SEIZE THE HIGH GROUND.

BEHAVIORALLY, WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHEN YOU DO THAT IS YOU'RE TRANSFORMING HOW THE TEAM WORKS.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? MORAL. MORAL HIGH GROUND ONLY OCCURS WHEN YOU'RE STANDING UP AGAINST YOUR OWN PEOPLE.

IT'S JUST POLITICS.

WHEN YOU STAND UP AGAINST THE OTHER SIDE.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? OTHER QUESTIONS. COMMENTS.

I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAID, CHRIS.

IT'S THE DISTINCTION I WOULD MAKE IS YOU CAN MAKE A HARD STAND AND DO IT WITH GRACE, OF COURSE, AND DIGNITY.

IT'S ABOUT THE IT'S ABOUT THE DYNAMIC, NOT THE SUBSTANCE.

MAYOR. IT'S NOT FOR TONIGHT, BUT TOMORROW.

BUT I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW, I THE WORD POLITICS DRIVES ME CRAZY.

JUST JUST FOR THE RECORD, EVERY TIME YOU SAY IT, IT MAKES ME WANT TO SCREAM.

IT'S NOT IT'S JUST NOT A REAL THING, RIGHT? IT'S. I THINK IT'S THAT THAT'S AN EXCUSE TO BE UNAUTHENTIC.

RIGHT? BECAUSE AND I LOVE THE EXAMPLE THAT CONGRESSWOMAN BETH VAN DYNE WAS SPEAKING TO SOMEONE AND THEY SAID, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ALWAYS HAVING A CAMPAIGN? BECAUSE IT'S TWO YEAR CYCLES.

SHE SAID, IF YOU MEAN BY CAMPAIGN, I HAVE TO GO OUT AND TALK TO MY CONSTITUENTS REGULARLY.

I LIKE IT, RIGHT? SO I THINK THERE'S A WAY TO SAY WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN A BETTER WAY.

BUT POLITICS, TO ME, I JUST HEARD IT TOO MUCH, RIGHT? IT'S JUST AT OUR LEVEL.

IT JUST SHOULD NOT BE A THING, RIGHT? IT SHOULD NOT. THERE'S NO LEVEL.

AND I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT TALKING WITH YOU OFFLINE, BUT THERE'S JUST NO LEVEL OF POLITICKING THAT SHOULD FALL AT THIS LEVEL.

RIGHT? IT'S ERODING FAST.

AND THAT'S THAT'S A THAT'S AN OLD, ANTIQUATED THOUGHT AS WE GO IN 2023.

[01:15:04]

SO POLITICS TO ME IS JUST IT'S A IT'S A SHELL OF A OF A KIND OF I IT'S, IT'S NEBULOUS, IT DOESN'T HAVE CLEAR DEFINITIONS.

EVERYONE SAYS IT MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS AND ALL OF IT LEADS TO, HEY, I WAS DISINGENUOUS BUT GOOD INTENTIONED.

YES, MA'AM. I'VE LOOKED UP THE DEFINITION OF POLITICS.

AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ABOUT POLITICS IS YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE THAT CAN BE MADE.

THIS IS WHY WE SEND THESE PEOPLE UP THERE TO WASHINGTON TO DEAL WITH THE OTHER SIDE.

AND THERE THEY'VE GOT TO COME TO PULL AND TAKE, PULL AND TAKE.

THIS IS WHY I STAY IN TROUBLE ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE THEY'VE GIVEN A LITTLE BIT AND THEN THEY HAVE TO GIVE UP SOMETHING AND THEY HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK.

THEN THEY BRING IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR YOU ALL.

I UNDERSTAND THAT DEFINITION OF POLITICS.

SOME OF US ARE GOOD AT IT.

SOME OF US ARE NOT.

BUT THE GOLDEN RULE IS, BY THE WAY, I'M A RETIRED TEACHER WITH A BUNCH OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS.

SO THE FIRST THING YOU DO IN YOUR CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT IS TO SET THAT BOUNDARY.

AND THE GOLDEN RULE IS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO TREAT THIS PERSON THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.

AND SO THAT IS WHAT HELPS ME.

I'M FRIENDLY BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO BE NICE TO ME, AND SO THAT HELPS THEM TO BE NICE TO ME BECAUSE I AM NICE TO THEM.

AND THAT'S GENUINE. THAT'S AUTHENTIC.

THAT'S WHO I AM.

I ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE GOLDEN, YOU KNOW, THE GOLDEN AND SILVER LINING.

AND SO AND IT'S AND IT'S A FOR REAL THING.

I DON'T AGREE WITH FOLKS ALL THE TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN MY HEAD, I MIGHT BE GIVING YOU THE WHOLE RATCHET STORY, YOU KNOW, IN MY HEAD.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT I NEED FOR YOU TO TREAT ME IN A CERTAIN KIND OF WAY, EVEN IF IT'S PERSONAL OUTSIDE, I'M GOING TO BRING THAT SAME ATTITUDE TOWARDS EVERYONE THAT I MEET PROFESSIONALLY.

OKAY. SO I THINK THAT IF WE COULD TRY SOME OF THAT, SOME OF US, SOME PEOPLE IN DENTON CAN TRY THAT, THEN WE MAY BE ABLE TO GET ALONG, GO FURTHER.

WE WERE HAVING A VOTE AT THE DAIS AND THE MOTION CAME IN NEGATIVELY AND I UNDERSTAND PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE SAID THAT MOTION SHOULD BE POSITIVE BECAUSE THE POSITIVE PART OF IT IS THAT WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING FORWARD.

EVERYTHING THAT WE DO ON THE DAY IS FOR THE FUTURE.

EVERY SINGLE THING.

AND SO WE'VE ALWAYS GOT TO GO AHEAD.

SO EVEN WITH ME SAYING POINT OF ORDER MOTION SHOULD BE POSITIVE, JUST READ WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN. AND IF WE DON'T LIKE IT, WE'LL VOTE IT DOWN OR WE MAY NOT EVEN PASS IT ON.

THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY KIND OF ANIMOSITY IN THAT BECAUSE I DIDN'T AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAID OR YOU DIDN'T AGREE WITH WHAT I SAID OR HOW I VOTED.

IT'S JUST WE HAVE TO THINK OF THE PEOPLE OUT THERE.

ALL THOSE PEOPLE ARE DEPENDING ON US TO GO TO THE FUTURE.

AND SO THAT IS WHAT I'M EXPECTING.

SO I WON'T HAVE TO HAVE A FEELING OF MISTRUST.

I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO ANYBODY.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT FEELING OF MISTRUST.

I WANT TO GO TO MY MAYOR AND HE TELL ME THE TRUTH AND WHAT I NEED TO DO.

I CALL MY MAYOR AND SAY, HEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? WHAT SHOULD I DO? AND HE TELLS ME WHAT TO DO AND HOW TO GO FORWARD.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE I THINK WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB.

UM. I DON'T MEAN TO BE LECHEROUS OR ANYTHING.

I KNOW, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M EXPECTING BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO WASTE MY TIME ON THE DAIS.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT MY CONSTITUENTS WANT ME TO WASTE MY TIME HERE.

THEY WANT ME TO MAKE DECISIONS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM IN THE FUTURE.

SO THAT'S MY I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO LET.

I DO NOT WANT ANYBODY TO FEEL LIKE I'M LEAVING YOU BEHIND.

BUT I AM ON THE FIRST SLIDE AND WE HAVE AN HOUR LEFT.

SO I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO PICK UP THE 30 MINUTES LEFT.

OKAY. I'M GOING TO PICK UP THE PACE QUITE A BIT.

BUT THIS HAS BEEN SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION SO FAR.

BACK TO THE UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES.

THESE THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE NATIONAL HEALTH CARE COUNCIL.

THIS WAS HOSPITAL BOARD CHAIRS.

SO THE EQUIVALENT OF THE MAYOR, THE TOP TEN GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES IDENTIFIED ENGAGING BOARD AND ITS QUALITY AND OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES, EFFECTIVE USE OF GOOD PEOPLE, FINDING EFFECTIVE STAFF LEADERS, CONFLICTS AND POINT OF VIEW AMONG BOARD STAKEHOLDERS AND MANAGEMENT.

[01:20:06]

CONCERN OVER SERVICE DELIVERY COSTS, MAINTAINING BOARD COMMITMENT, EDUCATION AND EFFICIENCY, BOARD UNDERSTANDING OF COMPLEX ISSUES, ESPECIALLY FINANCIAL ONES AND STAFF RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATION.

THOSE ARE PRETTY UNIVERSAL THINGS.

THOSE ARE THE EQUIVALENT OF THE MAYOR EXPRESSING THAT IT'S THE BOARD CHAIR OF THE HOSPITALS.

NOW, THE CEO'S IDENTIFIED BOARD MEMBERS WHO DON'T KNOW WHO THEY REPRESENT.

YOU DON'T REPRESENT A SUBSET.

YOU REPRESENT DENTON.

BORED, RELUCTANT TO HANDLE QUALITY ISSUES.

THAT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET LOST IN OTHER STUFF THAT IS POLITICAL AND YOU'RE NOT REALLY FOCUSING ON SOME OF THE CORE STUFF.

BORED. CONFUSED ABOUT ROLES.

BORED, TOO. INVOLVED IN DETAILS.

LET ME TELL YOU, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS THAT HAPPENS WITH BOARD MEMBERS OF ALL SORTS, BUT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR CAN BE PROCESSED TERRORISM.

PROCESSED TERRORISM IS LOOKING FOR CONSTANT WAYS TO WEAR DOWN EVERYBODY WITH THINGS LIKE PUBLIC INFORMATION, AND IT HAPPENS WITH THE CITIZENS AS WELL. PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS COMING IN AND GOING, I'M JUST GOING TO WEAR YOU DOWN.

I'M GOING TO COVER YOU UP.

THAT IS A UNIVERSAL ISSUE THAT FREQUENTLY HAPPENS AND IT IS A SIGN OF DYSFUNCTION BECAUSE THERE ARE WAYS EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER SHOULD GET ALL OF THE INFORMATION THEY REALLY WANT.

BUT THEY SHOULD BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE RESOURCES IT TAKES TO ACHIEVE THAT.

MOST OF THE TIME THE DYNAMIC IS SUCH WE MAKE BELIEVE THAT IT'S NOT DOESN'T USE A LOT OF RESOURCES, NEED FOR BETTER BOARD RECRUITMENT AND A LOWER TURNOVER RATE.

OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT APPLICABLE TO AN ELECTED POSITION.

BOARD CONFUSION OVER LOYALTY TO COMMUNITY OR THE ORGANIZATION.

YOU'RE ON THE FREAKING BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

UNFORTUNATELY, MOST ELECTED OFFICIALS IN AMERICA TODAY, MOST CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN AMERICA TODAY GOT ELECTED THROWING ROCKS AT THE ORGANIZATION.

THEY WANTED TO BE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF.

IF YOU WERE ASKED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF COCA COLA AND YOU IMMEDIATELY GO OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, TAKE A CAN OF PEPSI.

ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.

SAYING, MAN, COKE SUCKS, BUT PEPSI IS GREAT.

HOW LONG WOULD YOU GET TO STAY ON THAT FREAKING BOARD? NOT VERY LONG.

BUT THAT'S THE WAY MOST ELECTED OFFICIALS GET IT.

IT'S WHAT THE CITIZENS RESPOND TO.

YOU NEED TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN CAMPAIGNING AND GOVERNING.

THERE'S SOME THINGS YOU MAY DO TO GET ELECTED, BUT WHEN YOU GET ON THE COUNCIL, YOU NEED TO SHIFT INTO GOVERNING AND YOU NEED TO RECOGNIZE YOUR DUTY IS TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

AND AGAIN, NOT JUST THE ONES THAT ARE HERE TODAY, BUT THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE HERE GENERATIONS FROM NOW.

LACK OF BOARD MEMBER TIME TO PREPARE AND WORK AT GOVERNANCE.

CONTINUOUS NEED FOR BOARD EDUCATION.

BOARDS DON'T UNDERSTAND ECONOMIC AND BUDGET ISSUES.

COMPLEXITY OF ISSUES FACING BOARDS.

NEED MORE BIG THINKERS.

LET ME BACK UP THERE JUST A SECOND.

IN ONE CITY I WAS CITY MANAGER IN, I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO MASLOW.

THE NEED TO NOT LOOK STUPID.

ONE OF THE TEMPTATIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS IS TO BECOME OBSESSIVE AND MICROMANAGING OVER STUFF YOU REALLY UNDERSTAND. I HAD A COUNCIL MEMBER WHO WAS A LUBRICANT SALESMAN FOR MOBIL OIL.

IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE AGENDA ITEM WAS.

WE WERE GOING TO GET A QUESTION ABOUT LUBRICANTS.

WE COULD BE BUYING COPY PAPER AND WE WOULD GET SO GOOD BUREAUCRATS.

WHAT DID WE DO? WE STARTED DEVOTING CLOSE TO AN HOUR EVERY OTHER WEEK IN AGENDA PREP, GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE REMEMBER YOUR SEMI DIVINITY. ONCE YOU'RE ON COUNCIL, GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE AGENDA AND TRYING TO ANTICIPATE WHAT THE LUBRICANT QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE. I SWEAR TO YOU.

I SWEAR TO YOU.

AND WHY? BECAUSE ALL OF MY MASLOW CONVERSATION, WE DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK STUPID.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO GET UP AT THE DAIS OR GET UP AT THE LECTERN AND HAVE A QUESTION THAT WE COULDN'T ANSWER.

NOW, HERE'S WHERE COUNCIL MOST OFTEN PLAYS GOTCHA.

[01:25:04]

I LITERALLY HAD A MAYOR IN A CITY WHO WAS OUT TO GET THE FIRE CHIEF.

ASK IN A BUDGET HEARING HOW MANY FEET OF CERTIFIED ROPE ARE ON EVERY FIRE TRUCK? HE DIDN'T KNOW.

IF HE DID KNOW, HE WASN'T REALLY SPENDING HIS TIME DOING THE STUFF HE OUGHT TO BE DOING.

BUT THAT BECAME A HUGE THING BECAUSE HE STARTED PLAYING IT AS, LOOKIE HERE, LOOK HOW INCOMPETENT HE IS.

HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT HE'S DOING.

THAT'S A WAY OF PLAYING QUESTIONS OR A WAY OF PLAYING GOTCHA.

WHAT YOU'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND IS YOUR ROLE IS NOT TO PLAY GOTCHA.

EVEN IF YOU'RE GOING TO ASK A BRUTAL QUESTION FOR POLITICAL REASONS, CALL THE CITY MANAGER AND SAY, HEY, MY NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS TO KNOW THAT I'M PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE AND I'M GOING TO ASK ABOUT IT.

SO I NEED YOU TO BE PREPARED TO ANSWER IT OR HAVE STAFF PREPARED TO ANSWER IT.

THAT'S THE APPROACH. I'M NOT SAYING DON'T ASK QUESTIONS WHEN YOU NEED TO FOR THOSE DYNAMICS, BUT TELEGRAPH IT TO STAFF WHEN YOU ASK QUESTIONS THAT YOU DON'T LET THE CITY MANAGER AND HER TEAM KNOW IN ADVANCE, YOU'RE GOING TO ASK.

YOU'RE REALLY NOT INTERESTED IN INFORMATION YOU'RE PLAYING GOTCHA.

IT'S REALLY THAT SIMPLE.

OKAY, EFFECTIVE PERSONAL LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PICK THIS UP FAST.

NUMBER ONE IS KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW BEFORE ACTING LIKE YOU DO KNOW WHAT EVERYONE ELSE KNOWS YOU DON'T KNOW.

LET THAT SINK IN FOR A SECOND.

THERE IS NO SHAME IN STEPPING ONTO THE GOVERNING BODY OF A HOW MANY? WHAT SIZE BUDGET? 1.8 BILLION.

A $1.8 BILLION BUDGET.

AND ANYBODY WHO EXPECTS YOU TO BE AN EXPERT ON EVERYTHING IN THAT $1.8 BILLION BUDGET IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY AND THEY ARE WANTING YOU TO DO WHAT IS NOT YOUR JOB AND THEY ARE WANTING YOU NOT TO DO WHAT IS YOUR JOB? DON'T BE AFRAID TO OWN THAT.

YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING.

THAT'S NOT JUST OKAY.

IT'S ACTUALLY A SIGN OF GREAT LEADERSHIP.

KNOWING WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW AND BEING WILLING TO SAY THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW EVERYTHING.

YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW TO FIGURE OUT THE INFORMATION.

AND THAT FLOWS THROUGH THE LADY SITTING HERE NEXT TO THE MAYOR.

I DON'T CARE HOW WACKADOODLE THE QUESTION IS, SHE CAN GET THE ANSWER TO IT.

STRATEGY NUMBER TWO, I'LL KNOW WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW.

UNDERSTAND, WE'RE ALL IGNORANT ON DIFFERENT SUBJECTS, AND THAT'S OKAY.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR CAREERS ARE.

IF ONE OF YOURS IS AN INSURANCE SALESMAN, I COULDN'T COME TO YOUR COMPANY AND GO ON YOUR BOARD AND HELP TELL YOU HOW YOU OUGHT TO BE DOING INSURANCE SALES.

WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THAT YOU CAN COME ON THE CITY COUNCIL BOARD AND UNDERSTAND HOW THE SEWER PLANT OPERATES OVERNIGHT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT IGNORANCE IS ACTUALLY TRANSPARENT.

IF YOU TRY TO ACT LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU DON'T. YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE BEING FOOLED AND NOT REALIZE YOU'RE LOOKING FOOLISH.

AND THEN YOUR MEDIA AND THE MEDIA AND YOUR OPPONENT CAN DO FAR MORE DAMAGE TO YOU FOR TRYING TO ACT KNOWLEDGEABLE THAN FOR SAYING, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I KNOW WHERE TO FIND THE INFORMATION.

STRATEGY TWO IS TO WALK THE TALK OF A GENUINELY HUMBLE SPIRIT.

THIS IS A VARIATION ON THE FIRST.

ONE OF A QUOTE ACTUALLY, FROM WILL ROGERS.

IT WASN'T ABOUT BOARDS, BUT THE HARDEST PART OF MAKING A GOOD BOARD DECISION IS NOT OFFERING SOLUTIONS BEFORE YOU UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.

WE'RE IN A WORLD THAT PENALIZES COMPLEXITY AND DECISION MAKING.

WE'RE IN A WORLD THAT WANTS TO DRIVE LEMMINGS OVER THE CLIFF INTO THE DECISION THEY WANT MADE.

WE'RE IN A WORLD IN WHICH YOU HAVE SOME CONSTITUENTS WHO WANT YOU TO OBEY, NOT THINK.

YOU'VE GOT TO REALIZE THAT ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS IS TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE BEFORE YOU COME UP WITH THE ANSWER.

I LOVE THIS QUOTE FROM THAT GREAT BUSINESS CONSULTANT, BARNEY RUBBLE.

IT TAKES A SMART PERSON TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE STUPID.

NUMBER THREE IS KNOW YOURSELF, KNOW YOUR VALUES BEFORE THEY'RE CHALLENGED.

DON'T BE SEDUCED BY ENDS AND MEANS RATIONALIZATION.

THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON SELF SEDUCTIONS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT SAYS, WELL, I KNOW THIS ISN'T REALLY RIGHT TO SAY THIS OR ACT THAT WAY,

[01:30:08]

AND DON'T LET A RECENTLY SWELLED EGO CHANGE WHO YOU ARE.

CAN YOU ALL READ THAT FROM WHERE YOU ARE? OKAY, I'LL LET YOU ALL READ THIS JUST A SECOND.

CAN YOU GUESS IN THAT STORY WHO THE SHIP'S CAPTAIN IS AND WHO THE.

SIGNALMAN IS.

ONE OF THEM'S COUNSEL AND ONE OF THEM'S STAFF.

NOW, LET ME BACK UP HERE JUST A SECOND, THOUGH, AND I WISH WE HAD MORE STAFF HERE.

I'D PREACH TO ALL OF THEM, BUT I'LL PREACH THE ONES THAT ARE HERE.

COUNCIL YOUR EXPECTATION OF STAFF SHOULD BE THAT THEY GIVE YOU THEIR HONEST OPINION WITHOUT REGARD TO WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR.

IF YOU CAN PRESSURE THEM INTO GIVING YOU THE OPINION YOU WANT, SOMEBODY ELSE CAN PRESSURE THEM INTO GIVING THEM THE OPINION THEY WANT.

YOU WANT THEM TO TRULY GIVE YOU THEIR HONEST OPINION.

NOW, ONCE THEY'VE GIVEN IT THE MISTAKE THAT STAFF MOST COMMONLY MAKES IS TO GET EMOTIONALLY WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE.

IF THEY IF COUNCIL DOESN'T DO WHAT THEY RECOMMENDED.

COUNCIL HAS THE PREROGATIVE AND THE RIGHT TO DO DUMB.

IT'S YOUR AUTHORITY TO MAKE THE DECISION.

YOU'VE GOT THAT RIGHT.

AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER STAFF THINKS IT'S DUMB OR NOT.

IT'S YOUR DUTY TO MAKE THAT POLICY DECISION.

STAFF HAS GOT TO PUT THEIR BIG BOY AND BIG GIRL PANTS ON AND GO.

IT'S NOT MY JOB TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

IT'S MY JOB TO GIVE MY HONEST OPINION.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND WHEN STAFF WHEN THINGS GET TENSE IS USUALLY WHEN STAFF IS NOT LISTENED TO.

AND STAFF GETS WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE EMOTIONALLY BECAUSE THEY THINK COUNCIL IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING DUMB.

IT'S COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE TO DO DUMB.

IT'S THEIR FREEDOM TO MAKE THAT.

IT'S THEIR JOB TO MAKE TO TAKE THAT INPUT, MAKE THE DECISION THAT THEY THINK IS APPROPRIATE.

WHETHER STAFF THINKS IT'S DUMB OR NOT.

STAFF'S JOB THEN, IS TO CLOSE RANKS AND HELP MAKE IT A SUCCESS.

I'LL LET YOU DO THIS 1 TO 1 OF YOUR CORE DUTIES TO BE A GREAT COUNSEL IS ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS.

I'LL LET YOU READ THIS.

YOU CAN'T ASK GOOD QUESTIONS IF YOU'RE BUSY ASKING THEM QUESTIONS.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME.

THINK ABOUT WHAT AM I TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THESE QUESTIONS TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE THAT I'M MOVING THE BALL FORWARD ON WHAT I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH. BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT YOUR QUESTIONS.

KNOW THE STRUCTURE AND PROCESSES.

ONE OF THE MOST COMMON THINGS THAT HAPPENS TODAY IS NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS GET ELECTED AND I HONESTLY DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY NEW ONES HERE, BUT NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS GET ELECTED AND THEY SHOW UP AT THE COUNCIL MEETING WEARING A BASEBALL CAP AND CARRYING A CATCHER'S MITT.

AND THE REST OF THE COUNCIL ARE WEARING SHOULDER PADS AND CLEATS AND THEY GET THE FOOL BEAT OUT OF THEM ON THE ON THE PLAYING FIELD BECAUSE THEY SHOWED UP FOR THE WRONG GAME.

THEN INSTEAD OF GOING, WHOA, I NEED TO DO SOME HOMEWORK AND UNDERSTAND THE RULES OF THE GAME, THE TENDENCY IS TO GO, THERE'S A CONSPIRACY. THEY DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT THE RULES OF THE GAME WERE.

THEY'RE HIDING THE BALL.

THEY'RE SNEAKING AROUND.

WHEN IN REALITY, THAT ELECTED OFFICIAL DIDN'T DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND GO, OH, THIS IS A FOOTBALL GAME, NOT A BASEBALL GAME, I NEED TO COME EQUIPPED TO PLAY FOOTBALL. NUMBER SEVEN KNOW THE DYNAMICS INFLUENCING THE ISSUES.

ANY ISSUE YOU THINK ABOUT YOU REALLY THAT YOU DEAL WITH, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THINGS THAT ARE INFLUENCING IT.

AND I LOVE THIS QUOTE.

NEVER TRY TO WALK ACROSS A RIVER JUST BECAUSE IT HAS AN AVERAGE DEPTH OF FOUR FEET.

AND A LOT OF THE VOICES YOU HEAR IN THE COMMUNITY ARE GOING TO BE ARGUING IT ONLY HAS AN AVERAGE DEPTH OF FOUR FEET.

[01:35:04]

NUMBER EIGHT IS TO DEVELOP YOUR POSITION THOUGHTFULLY.

NUMBER NINE, DEVELOP YOUR POSITION WITH INTEGRITY.

INTEGRITY. DON'T CONFUSE SUPPORTERS.

GOALS. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A MINUTE AGO WITH THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

IT IS LEGITIMATE FOR EVERY SPECIAL INTEREST TO HAVE THEIR GOALS, THEIR PRIORITIES.

YOUR JOB IS TO MAINTAIN YOUR PRIORITIES AS THE PUBLIC INTEREST OVERALL.

DELIBERATE WITH INTEGRITY.

THAT FIRST ONE IS THE BIGGEST ONE.

AVOID SQUABBLES OVER ISSUES THAT DON'T MATTER AND THEN JUMP DOWN TO NEVER ATTRIBUTE TO MALICE THAT WHICH IS ADEQUATELY ASCRIBED TO STUPIDITY.

IN OTHER WORDS, IF SARA SAYS SOMETHING UNBELIEVABLY OFFENSIVE TO ME, AND I THINK SHE SAID IT BECAUSE SHE'S STUPID, I'M NOT GOING TO HATE HER OVER IT. AND THAT'S TRUE.

BUT IF SHE BUT IF SHE SAYS SOMETHING OFFENSIVE TO ME BECAUSE SHE IS MEAN TO ME AND DOESN'T LIKE ME AND IS TRYING TO HURT ME, IF SHE'S MALICIOUS, THAT'S GOING TO STICK WITH ME AND IT'S GOING TO DAMAGE TRUST.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? SO ONE OF THE ONE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF LIFE I TRY TO LIVE TO IS DON'T START WITH ATTRIBUTING MALICE TO INTENT, BUT TO STUPIDITY.

I'M GOING TO FORCE YOU TO PROVE TO ME THAT YOU REALLY INTENDED TO BE MALICIOUS.

NUMBER 11, COMMUNICATE YOUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES CLEARLY.

I'LL LET YOU READ THIS REAL QUICK.

THIS HAPPENS A LOT THAT WE GET WHAT WE ASK FOR.

AND THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.

YOU CERTAINLY DON'T GET WHAT YOU DON'T ASK FOR.

ABSOLUTELY. THE KEY IS TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ASKING FOR WHAT YOU REALLY WANT.

ACT WITH COURAGE.

I LOVE THIS QUOTE FROM JOHN D ROCKEFELLER.

LIVE YOUR LIFE SO YOU CAN LOOK ANY MAN, ANY MAN IN THE EYE AND TELL HIM TO GO TO HELL.

COURAGE IS A LITTLE BIT IN SHORT SUPPLY IN OUR WORLD RIGHT NOW.

IT IS EASY TO BE COWARDLY.

IT'S HARD TO BE COURAGEOUS.

BUT IF WE WANT TO BE GREAT LEADERS, WE NEED TO BE COURAGEOUS AND LOSE GRACEFULLY.

WHEN YOU'RE LOSING, LOSE GRACEFULLY AND WIN GRACEFULLY.

YOU KNOW, YOU TOO OFTEN IT'S I WANT TO RUB YOUR NOSE IN IT WHEN I BEAT YOU.

ALWAYS RECOGNIZE THAT THE FIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU ON THIS ISSUE IS ONE OF ABOUT 300 ISSUES YOU'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH THIS YEAR.

DON'T LET EVERY HILL BE THE ONE YOU'RE WILLING TO DIE.

THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE WORTH DYING ON.

BUT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THEM THAT REALLY ARE NOT.

AND THEN BUILD TRUST CONSTANTLY.

AND I'LL GIVE YOU THIS LITTLE EXAMPLE OF HOW OFTEN WE TRY TO BUILD TRUST, NOT SO EFFECTIVELY.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME, BUT I'VE GOT SOME REAL STORIES WITH PREVIOUS COUNCILS I CAN SHARE WITH YOU ON THAT VARIATION OF THAT.

BUT WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE TO ACTUALLY BECOME A TRUST BASED LEADER? NUMBER ONE IS BASED MY DECISIONS ON THE NEXT GENERATION MORE THAN THE NEXT ELECTION, COMMITTED TO THE IDEAL THAT MY LOYALTY MUST BE TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, BOTH NOW AND IN THE FUTURE, AND NOT MERELY TO THOSE WHO GOT ME ELECTED.

NUMBER TWO, FOCUS ON MISSION, VISION AND VALUES AS THE BENCHMARK FOR MY DECISIONS AND RECOGNIZE THAT MY RESPONSIBILITY IS THE PURSUIT OF THE GREATEST GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND NOT THE SATISFACTION OF ANY PARTICULAR GROUP'S AGENDA.

NUMBER THREE, MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON FACT BASED EVIDENCE AND NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE MANIPULATED INTO BAD DECISIONS FOR THE FUTURE BASED ON THE DECIBEL LEVEL OF CRITICS.

NUMBER FOUR, RECOGNIZE THAT IT TAKES A SMART PERSON TO KNOW WHERE THEY'RE STUPID AND HAVE THE WISDOM TO BE SMART.

ACCORDINGLY, I WILL VALUE THOSE WHO HAVE THE COURAGE TO TELL ME WHAT THEY REALLY THINK AND WILL LISTEN SINCERELY TO THOSE WHO DISAGREE WITH ME TO TRULY UNDERSTAND THEIR PERSPECTIVE.

RECOGNIZING THAT UNDERSTANDING OTHER PERSPECTIVES MAKES ME A BETTER LEADER.

GROWTH NEVER COMES FROM TALKING TO PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH ME.

JUST DONE. NUMBER FIVE, EMBRACE MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GOVERN RATHER THAN TO MANAGE.

RECOGNIZING THAT IF I'M DOING STAFF'S JOB, I'M NOT DOING MY JOB WHILE ALSO UNDERSTANDING AND EMBRACING, EMBRACING THE

[01:40:04]

NUMBER SIX PLACE A GREATER EMPHASIS ON SOLUTIONS THAN ON PROBLEMS WHILE REFUSING TO OFFER SOLUTIONS BEFORE I UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM.

NUMBER SEVEN UNDERSTAND THAT MUTUAL TRUST IS THE FOUNDATION FOR EVERYTHING AND THAT IF I REFUSE TO TRUST OTHERS, THEY WILL BE UNABLE TO TRUST ME.

PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROCESS MORE THAN THE RIGHTNESS OF MY POSITION.

I WILL FIGHT HARD FOR MY ISSUE, BUT THEN UNIFY BEHIND THE GOVERNING BODY WHEN THE DECISION IS MADE.

BECAUSE THE DECISION WAS MADE WITH INTEGRITY OF PROCESS.

EVEN IF I DISAGREE WITH THE OUTCOME, THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU SUDDENLY AGREE.

IT MEANS THAT YOU SUPPORT THAT THE DECISION WAS MADE WITH INTEGRITY.

AND THE MERE FACT THAT YOU THAT I DISAGREE WITH THE DECISION DOES NOT DILUTE THE INTEGRITY OF THE DECISION.

NUMBER EIGHT UNDERSTAND THAT MY DEEPLY HELD BELIEFS, VALUES AND POSITIONS WILL BE STRENGTHENED, NOT COMPROMISED BY COURTEOUS, RESPECTFUL AND CIVIL DISCOURSE. I WILL NOT TREAT SOMEONE AS THE ENEMY JUST BECAUSE WE DISAGREE.

NUMBER TEN TREAT EVERYONE WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT BECAUSE OF WHO I AM AS A LEADER, NOT BECAUSE OF HOW THEY TREAT ME OR WHAT I THINK ABOUT THEM.

BE A ROLE MODEL FOR CIVILITY.

I WILL NOT TREAT MY COLLEAGUES OR STAFF IN ANY WAY THAT I WOULD BE EMBARRASSED IF MY FIVE YEAR OLD CHILD TREATED SOMEONE THE SAME WAY.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY NEVER FORGET.

IT'S NOT ABOUT ME.

IT'S NOT ABOUT NOW.

AND IT NEVER IS.

IF WE CAN JUST GRAB THAT.

THAT'S REALLY THE ESSENCE OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP.

IT'S NOT ABOUT ME.

IT'S NOT ABOUT NOW. IF WE JUST CAN GRAB THAT PIECE OF IT, IT ENCOMPASSES ALMOST EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT GREAT LEADERSHIP AND GREAT GOVERNANCE DYNAMICS.

ANY QUESTIONS? WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF MINUTES LEFT HERE.

ANY THOUGHTS, PAUL? MORE LOOKING TOWARD TOMORROW.

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE RELEVANCE OF YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCE AND HOW WONDERFULLY YOU SHARE IT.

AND I ALSO APPRECIATE HAVING SEEN IT DONE IN DIFFERENT WAYS HERE THAT WE'RE DOING THE RETREAT SO SOON AFTER THE SEEDING OF THE NEW COUNCIL, AND THAT'S BEFORE THE BUDGET.

SO MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, IN THIS RETREAT, WHICH IS POSTED FOR KIND OF PROCESS ISSUES, BUT ALSO FOR SETTING POLICY PRIORITIES, HOW MUCH OF THE DAY TOMORROW WILL BE DEDICATED TO AGREEING ON HILARY IS GOING TO BE RUNNING TOMORROW.

SO YES, SO SO TONIGHT WAS SORT OF FOUNDATIONAL.

TONIGHT WAS KIND OF SETTING THE STAGE FOR WHAT DOES GOOD GOVERNANCE LOOK LIKE, NOT JUST IN CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT JUST KIND OF UNIVERSALLY TOMORROW, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE WILL START DELVING INTO SOME OF THE INFORMATION I GATHERED FROM EACH OF YOU INDEPENDENTLY IN OUR PRE INTERVIEWS SO THAT WE COULD LOOK AT LIKE TOPICS, THINGS THAT WERE PLAGUING THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE FOR DENTON SPECIFICALLY SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE REAL MEANINGFUL DIALOG RELATED TO THOSE SPECIFIC ISSUES.

AND THEN I'VE ALSO COME PREPARED AND IF ANYBODY HAS CHEATED AND LOOKED AHEAD WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR WAYS TO TIGHTEN UP YOUR GOVERNANCE POLICIES, TO GO A STEP FURTHER THAN WHAT IS PRESCRIBED IN YOUR PROTOCOL, SO THAT SO THAT YOU CAN BUILD A SYSTEM THAT EVERYONE CAN BE AGREEABLE TO, THAT CAN BE TRAINED TO FUTURE LEADERS WHO COME INTO THE ORGANIZATION. BUT THAT ALSO SETS THIS TRANSPARENCY FOR FOR THE PUBLIC IN THE WAY THAT MEETINGS, NOT NECESSARILY MEETINGS ARE CONDUCTED, BUT THE WAY GOVERNANCE IS CONDUCTED BY THE CITY OF DENTON. IT'S GOING TO BE A DISCUSSION, IT'S GOING TO BE A DIALOG SO THAT YOU ALL CAN HAVE YOUR INPUT ON WHAT YOU THINK WOULD BE A GOOD PRACTICE, WHAT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD PRACTICE. I CAME FROM THE CITY OF KILLEEN.

I WAS THERE FOR 20 YEARS AND OUR COUNCIL WAS PROUD TO BE DYSFUNCTIONAL.

THERE WAS NO DYSFUNCTIONAL.

THEY THOUGHT THAT LOOKED LIKE GOOD GOVERNANCE.

AND SO I HAVE APPROACHED THIS.

WE WENT THROUGH THE EXERCISE WITH THEM AND WITH SOME OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT I'VE WORKED WITH OF REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, IF IF DYSFUNCTION IS PART OF THE SYSTEM, THEN HOW CAN WE MAKE IT A MORE NORMALIZED PART OF THE SYSTEM SO THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT WE LIKE THIS PART BEING SOMEWHAT FRICTION BASED OR THAT WE LIKE THIS PROCESS AND WE'RE NOT WILLING TO CHANGE IT.

SO REALLY TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE ABOUT DELVING INTO THE SPECIFIC ISSUES YOU ALL HAVE ITEMIZED AND SEEING IF THERE ARE PLACES THAT YOU ALL AGREE CERTAIN POLICIES COULD BE PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE THE WHOLE THING MORE, MORE TRANSPARENT.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO EXPRESS MY OPINION.

I THINK IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO ADDRESS THIS SORT OF PROCESS FIRST.

BUT IF IT'S ENTIRELY TO THE EXCLUSION OF THE GROUP SETTING POLICY AREA PRIORITIES FOR THE YEAR, I

[01:45:02]

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, MEANING YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN? THAT'S A SEPARATE PROCESS.

WHEN I SENT THE EMAIL OUT JUNE THE 8TH AND I SAID THIS WAS NOT A STRATEGIC PRIORITY SETTING, THIS WAS GOVERNANCE, THAT WE WILL COME BACK AND DO STRATEGIC PRIORITIES IN A MEETING. WE'LL PROBABLY DO IT A WORK SESSION OR SEVERAL WORK SESSIONS.

BUT THIS IS MORE ABOUT GOVERNANCE, POLICY SETTING, HOW YOU WORK TOGETHER AND HOW MAYBE YOU CAN TIGHTEN UP SOME OF THOSE THINGS. I'D BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING WHEN THAT WILL BE.

AND LET ME JUST BIG PICTURE GENERICALLY, I ACTUALLY AM AN ADVOCATE THAT YOU OUGHT TO DO TWO OF THESE A YEAR.

ONE OF THEM IS IMMEDIATELY AFTER EVERY ELECTION TO REVISIT YOUR GOVERNANCE POLICIES AND BECOME THAT.

THERE'S OWNERSHIP OF EVEN ONE CHANGE IN PLAYER ON A COUNCIL CHANGES THE WHOLE DYNAMICS.

SO YOU OUGHT TO FOCUS ON GOVERNANCE.

IT'S BACK TO THE BASEBALL FOOTBALL THING.

YOU OUGHT TO, IMMEDIATELY AFTER AN ELECTION EVERY YEAR, COME TOGETHER AND DO A WORKSHOP THAT'S JUST ON GOVERNANCE.

THEN SEPARATELY, YOU OUGHT TO REALLY FOCUS ON THAT GOAL SETTING.

BOTH ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT, BUT IF YOU GIVE GOVERNANCE A SHORT SHRIFT, WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN YOU GET TO THE PRIORITY SETTING, IT COMES IT GOES OFF THE RAILS ON STUFF.

THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS ABOUT THIS EVENING OR TOMORROW? ALL RIGHT. WELL, LET ME JUST CLOSE BY SAYING KIND OF REFER TO SOMETHING THAT HILLARY JUST SAID THERE.

IT IS EASY TO WORK AND TO MAKE PROGRESS AND MAKE YOUR WHOLE SERVICE LESS PAINFUL AND MORE PRODUCTIVE IF YOU WANT TO BE YOUR BEST.

COUNCILS WHO ARE BROKEN AND PROUD OF IT, THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE DYSFUNCTIONAL AND I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE DYSFUNCTIONAL, BUT I'M SAYING IF YOU'RE DYSFUNCTIONAL AND PROUD OF IT, NOTHING YOU CAN DO IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

BUT IF YOU HAVE A GOVERNANCE ENVIRONMENT THAT SAYS WE REALLY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH STUFF, AND I AS AN INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBER, HAVE THINGS I WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, YOUR ODDS OF ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHING WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH AS A COUNCIL MEMBER ARE DRAMATICALLY HIGHER WITH A GOOD GOVERNANCE CULTURE.

THAT'S THE FOUNDATION THAT ACTUALLY LETS YOU.

NOW TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, VICKI, IT'S OFTEN COMPROMISES.

IT'S NOT I GOT TO DICTATE EXACTLY HOW I WANTED IT, BUT YOU WILL FIND IF YOU REALLY LEAN INTO GOOD GOVERNANCE AND YOU BUILD THE SYSTEMS AND YOU HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE, IT'S NOT THE CITY MANAGER'S JOB TO HOLD COUNCIL MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE.

IF YOU REALLY LEAN INTO IT, YOU ADOPT, YOU ADOPT POLICIES YOU BELIEVE IN, YOU LIVE UP TO THEM, AND YOU HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.

YOU WILL FIND YOU HAVE SO MUCH MORE FUN ON THE COUNCIL, YOU WILL FIND YOU ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU DO OTHERWISE.

AND YOU'LL FIND THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND CHILDREN AND DOG IS BETTER BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO GO HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY AFTER A MEETING AND NOT JUST BE GROUND DOWN.

SARA OR MAYOR.

ANY CLOSING COMMENTS? THOUGHTS? YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOU.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE'S THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO TOMORROW AND LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR, BOTH OF YOU AND YOUR YOUR EXPERIENCE AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT WHAT THAT RESULTS IN AND THE IMPACT IT'S GOING TO HAVE ON ME INDIVIDUALLY AS A AS A GROUP, YOU KNOW, WEAKEST LINK KIND OF APPROACH.

WE'RE ALL STRONGER.

THAT'S NOTHING BUT GREAT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

TOMORROW MORNING AT 830.

I THINK COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL HAVE SOME BREAKFAST HERE.

MADISON IS GOING TO DO A 15 MINUTE ETHICS TRAINING, AND THEN WE START AT 9:00 WITH THE RETREAT.

BUT THEN WE'LL HAVE LUNCH HERE AS WELL.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

AND IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A POTATO HOME OR ANYTHING, PLEASE DO, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT.

YEAH, JUST. JUST CLARITY.

EIGHT. YOU WANTED US HERE AT 830.

EIGHT 3830? YEAH. SLEEP IN A LITTLE.

AND IS OUR Y'ALL'S IS MY STUFF HERE.

SO I WOULD NOT LEAVE YOUR LAPTOP HERE.

BUT IF YOUR PAPERS ARE FINE BUT NOT YOUR LAPTOP OR PHONE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BUT YEAH.

[01:50:03]

AMEN, SIR.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.