A. Receive an update from the Denton Chamber of Commerce on fair chance hiring, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the proposed amendment for Chapter 14 of the Code of Ordinances (Non-Discrimination in Public Accommodations, Employment Practices, and Housing) to add a fair chance hiring provision. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes]

[A. Receive an update from the Denton Chamber of Commerce on fair chance hiring, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the proposed amendment for Chapter 14 of the Code of Ordinances (Non-Discrimination in Public Accommodations, Employment Practices, and Housing) to add a fair chance hiring provision. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes]]

FROM THE DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ON A FAIR CHANCE HIRING, HOLD A DISCUSSION AND GIVE STAFF DIRECTION REGARDING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO CHAPTER 14 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, KRISTY FOGEL, CHIEF OF STAFF, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO AARON WITH THE CHAMBER FOR HER PRESENTATION, I'LL JUST TAKE A MINUTE TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION, AT THE JANUARY 9TH COUNCIL MEETING, A FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCE WAS BEFORE YOU FOR A VOTE. AND COUNCIL MOVED TO POSTPONE THE ORDINANCE FOR 120 DAYS, PENDING A PROPOSAL FROM THE DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE ORDINANCE, THOSE 120 DAYS EXPIRED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. SO THE CHAMBER IS HERE TO REVIEW THEIR PROPOSAL WITH YOU ALL, DURING THIS WORK SESSION, I DO WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT ON THE INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION AGENDA TONIGHT, IS THE FAIR CHANCE HIRING ORDINANCE AS IT WAS PROPOSED BACK IN JANUARY. SO COUNCIL WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE CHAMBER'S PROPOSAL BEFORE ACTING ON THE ORDINANCE THIS EVENING. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO AARON WITH THE DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHTY THANK YOU CHRISTY. THANK YOU. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER AARON CARTER WITH THE DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. IT SEEMS LIKE I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU ALL IN A WHILE, SO I'M EXCITED TO BE BACK. USUALLY I SAY, GOOD EVENING. SO GOOD AFTERNOON. AS CHRISTY SAID, I APPRECIATE HER PARTNERSHIP ON THIS, BUT IT'S BEEN THROUGH A COUPLE STAFF MEMBERS, SO I WOULD BE REMISS IF I ALSO DIDN'T THANK RYAN ADAMS AND CHRISTINE TAYLOR. ALL RIGHT.

SO JUST A QUICK BACKGROUND IN BRIEF, WE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY OF DENTON ON LISTENING SESSIONS. THAT'S WHEN IT WAS WITH RYAN TO ADDRESS INITIAL CONCERNS REGARDING THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. AT THE TIME OF DISCUSSION, THE GENERAL FEEDBACK WAS GENERAL OPPOSITION FROM OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. FREQUENT CONCERNS ON THE IMPACT OF THE COMPETITIVE COMPETITIVENESS AND

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THE LACK OF CLARITY DEFINED NEEDED FOR AN ORDINANCE, AT THAT TIME, AFTER THOSE LISTENING SESSIONS, THE CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS ISSUED A LETTER OF OPPOSITION, INCLUDING A REQUEST FOR PARTNERSHIP AS OPPOSED TO AN ORDINANCE. OKAY, SO OUR PROPOSED PROGRAM AND OBVIOUSLY, THE BENEFIT OF DOING THIS IN WORK SESSION IS THAT WE CAN HAVE A CONTINUED CONVERSATION. SO AT ANY TIME, FEEL FREE TO STOP ME AND ASK ME QUESTIONS AND THEN WE CAN CONTINUE AFTER THOSE LISTENING SESSIONS. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS OF OUR OWN. THE DENTON CHAMBER PROPOSES THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES FOR JUSTICE. INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS SEEKING EMPLOYMENT IN DENTON, WE WOULD HOST TWO SECOND CHANCE HIRING QUARTERLY WORKSHOPS. SO TWO, BEFORE WE BRING YOU BACK INFORMATION, WE'D HOST THOSE QUARTERLY WORKSHOPS. WE COULD RECORD THEM VIRTUALLY. FOR THOSE INTERESTED, IF THE NEED WOULD BE TO ENGAGE, ENGAGE DENTON BUSINESSES IN OPPORTUNITIES TO UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS AND OR INCENTIVE INCENTIVES TO HIRE JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS. AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT TERMS USED BY DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. SOME USE JUSTICE INVOLVES SOME USE EX-FELONS. THAT'S THE TERM I USE. BUT I WILL YOU'LL SEE LATER ON THAT TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION DOES. SO KIND OF THROUGHOUT THIS I'LL JUST USE JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS TO KIND OF ENCOMPASS IT, TWO MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS IS FOCUS WILL INCLUDE RECOUPING WAGES THROUGH TAX CREDITS, THAT IS THROUGH THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT, WHICH IS A FEDERAL TAX CREDIT AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYERS FOR HIRING INDIVIDUALS FROM CERTAIN TARGETED GROUPS WHO HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY FACED WITH SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND THEN FIDELITY BONDING. AND I'LL GO THROUGH THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, MARKETING, WHICH WOULD BE AVAILABLE BASED ON THE EMPLOYERS NEEDS AND OR INTEREST THROUGH SECOND CHANCE HIRING FRIENDLY INITIATIVES AND OR LABELS, SHOULD THAT EMPLOYER BE INTERESTED, CLICK OKAY. SO THE BREAKDOWN OF THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT. AS YOU'LL SEE I PUT AN ARROW THIS IS WHAT TEXAS WORKFORCE LABELS EX-FELONS. THAT AGAIN IS NOT MY LABEL. THE TEXAS OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT PROGRAM OFFERS TAX CREDITS BASED ON EMPLOYEE RETENTION AND THEIR QUALIFIED WAGES DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF EMPLOYMENT. FOR PROFIT EMPLOYERS CAN RECEIVE A 25% CREDIT FOR 120 TO 399 HOURS WORKED, WHILE 40% CREDIT FOR 400 PLUS HOURS WORKED . NON PROFIT EMPLOYERS CAN RECEIVE 16.25% FOR 120 HOURS TO 399 HOURS WORKED, OR 26% FOR 400 PLUS HOURS. THIS IS ONE OF THE TARGETED GROUPS LIST. THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP, FOR VETERANS AND WHATNOT, BUT FOR THE SAKE OF SPACE, I JUST CAPPED OUT WHAT THE TARGETED GROUP WE WERE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, WHICH IS JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS THROUGH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, THE FIDELITY BONDING SERVICE CAN HELP JOB APPLICANTS WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAD A HARDER TIME KEEPING AND SEEKING JOBS. THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION OFFERS THIS FREE SERVICE TO COMPANIES TO MAKE THEM MORE COMFORTABLE WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY FACED CHALLENGES. BONDING IS LIKE AN INSURANCE POLICY. IT WORKS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT. THIS PROTECTS THE COMPANY. IF WORKER. IF THE WORKER DOES SOMETHING DISHONEST LIKE THEFT. THAT IS AN EXAMPLE FROM THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION. HOW THAT WORKS IS THE FIDELITY BOND IS FREE FOR SIX MONTHS. AFTER THAT SIX MONTHS, THE BONDING BECOMES THE COMPANY'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE COVERAGE IS TYPICALLY $5,000, BUT IT CAN BE MORE DEPENDS ON THE EMPLOYER. AGAIN, THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON WHAT EMPLOYER AND WHAT SPECIFIC TO THE JOB, BUT THERE IS NO DEDUCTIBLE TO PAY. THERE ARE NO FORMS TO FILL OUT AND NO LONG PROCESSING TIME. SO AGAIN, IF YOU OWN BUSINESS X, Y, AND Z AND YOU WANT TO COME WORK WITH US ON IT, IT'S A VERY EASY PROCESS TO GET INVOLVED. IT'S MOSTLY ABOUT ACCESS TO INFORMATION. THE COVERAGE CAN START ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, BUT WE AT THE DENTON CHAMBER WILL HELP THESE BUSINESSES WALK THROUGH THIS PROCESS. SHOULD THEY BE INTERESTED. BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AND ILLUMINATING OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER AND WORK WITH AMERICA'S HIDDEN WORKFORCE. AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK THEM, BECAUSE I SEE YOU MAY HAVE A QUESTION. YEAH, WE'LL JUST DO IT, PER HER REQUEST, WE'LL DO IT NOW. SO THE REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT FIVE. HOW DIFFICULT IS IT FOR A BUSINESS TO BE ABLE TO, SIGN UP FOR THIS? THEY GET ACCESS TO THIS. IT'S ALL GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON THE TYPE OF EMPLOYER, BECAUSE I'M NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION. I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE EXACT SPECIFICS OF IT, BUT, EACH BUSINESS IS GOING TO BE TREATED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY. IT'S GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON THE NATURE OF THE OF THE JOB AND THE NATURE OF THE EMPLOYER, BUT IDEALLY THIS IS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD A RECORD SEEK EMPLOYMENT. IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A HUGE BARRIER. IT'S SUPPOSED TO HELP EMPLOYERS OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR PREVIOUS JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS. SO THE BARRIER TO ENTRY IS NOT GREAT. BUT THERE MAY BE SOME JOBS. THIS ISN'T A FIT FOR SURE, AND I WILL ACCEPT I DON'T KNOW ON THIS QUESTION TOO. DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS PROCESS WOULD, IN THEORY, TAKE FOR. OKAY, I'LL ACCEPT THAT AS. YEAH, I'M SORRY. AGAIN, IT'S

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GOING TO BE DEPENDENT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE GOAL OF THIS, RIGHT? IS THAT YOU WOULD COME IF COUNCIL MEMBER IF IT WAS YOU IN YOUR BUSINESS, YOU WOULD COME AND MEET WITH US AT THE CHAMBER AND WE WOULD HELP YOU THROUGH THAT AS OPPOSED TO YOU. MAYBE NAVIGATING THIS PROCESS ALONE OR WORKING THROUGH IT OR FINDING OTHER ALTERNATIVES, OR LOOKING FOR A LARGER OPPORTUNITY JOB POOL, WE WOULD HELP TO DECREASE SOME OF THAT TIME WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE PAPERWORK.

SHOULD THERE BE ANY THAT WE COULD HELP YOU WITH? SHOULD THAT BE BASED ON TRUST AND YOUR INTEREST IN WORKING WITH US ON IT, BUT IT'S ALL GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON A CASE BY CASE SCENARIO. AND THAT'S KIND OF PART OF THIS, IS THAT WE CAN'T MAKE YOU A PROMISE. WE COULD NOT KEEP, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY START YOU ON THAT PROCESS AND HELP YOU SEE WHY THIS MAY BE A GOOD OPTION FOR YOUR BUSINESS. OKAY. AND LAST ONE, BASED OFF MY RESEARCH, I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT LET ME JUST ASK IT IN PUBLIC ANYWAY. THERE IS NO COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUSINESS THAT WANTS TO SIGN UP FOR CORRECT? OKAY CORRECT. THERE'S NO COST ASSOCIATED. JUST IF THEY CONTINUE THAT BOND, FOR EXAMPLE, PAST THAT FIRST INITIAL SIX MONTHS, THEN IT BECOMES THEIR COST. YEAH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. YOU KNOW THAT, THE TERM JUSTICE INVOLVED. AND WHAT WAS THE OTHER TERM FELONY, TEXAS WORKFORCE USES EX-FELON EX FELON, EX FELON, SO THAT MEANS YOU'RE NO LONGER A FELON. AND SO WHY ARE PEOPLE STILL LABELED AS AN EX-FELON? YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NO LONGER A FELON? I'M JUST GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS IN MY HEAD. I DON'T NEED THAT ANSWER THERE. BUT. SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE USING THE TERM, JUSTICE INVOLVED. I ELECTED JUSTICE INVOLVED, BECAUSE I THINK IF WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT SECOND CHANCES, THEN WE'RE GIVING EVERYBODY A SECOND CHANCE. HOWEVER, I DID NOT, DO DEEP ENOUGH RESEARCH INTO WHY TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION CHOOSES EX FELON, THAT'S JUST NOT A TERM THAT I'M GOING TO USE. SO I JUST HAVE ELECTED TO USE JUSTICE INVOLVED AND DOING MORE RESEARCH. THE UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE USES JUSTICE INVOLVED. THAT IS A BOARD I SIT ON. AND SO I FOLLOW THE SAME VERNACULAR. OKAY THANK YOU, AND YOU'LL BE USING THOSE TERMS. CORRECT. WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING WITH THE BUSINESSES. CORRECT THE OTHER THING, THE OTHER QUESTION, QUESTION NUMBER TWO, YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT SHOULD THEY BE INTERESTED. SO THIS IS RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST A VOLUNTARY ONBOARDING , AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE MEETING, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE HAVING TWO TRAININGS A YEAR, TWO TRAININGS BEFORE THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. OKAY OKAY. AND THEN SO IF WE ARE WANT TO FEEL LIKE WE'RE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING SOMETHING THROUGH, TO OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR BUSINESSES TO FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THE COMMUNITY, TO FEEL COMFORTABLE IN CITY COUNCIL, TO FEEL COMFORTABLE. WHAT IS A WHAT IS A GOOD PERCENTAGE RATE OF, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTANCE BY THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY? WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK? HAVE YOU ALL THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, 30% IS GOOD, 50, 70. WHAT ARE YOU WHAT'S YOUR GOAL? YOU HAVE A GOAL. I HAVE A GOAL FOR THE INITIAL WORKSHOPS, BUT I DON'T HAVE A GOAL FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY BECAUSE I WOULD RATHER DO INITIAL DATA COLLECTION AND THEN COME BACK WITH FEEDBACK.

THEN, SET UP TOO BROAD OF A GOAL AND NOT HAVE INTRODUCED THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO SOME OF THIS, IN TALKING TO OTHER CHAMBERS OF LIKE SIZED OURS IN MORE SIMILAR BUSINESS COMMUNITY MAKEUP TO OURS NOT THAT MANY ARE IN THIS SPACE. SO I DIDN'T HAVE A TON OF PEER COMPARISON TO BE ABLE TO DO, IN OUR PROPOSAL, OUT OF THE TWO WORKSHOPS, MY GOALS, MY GOAL WAS TO GET FOUR BUSINESSES TO WALK THROUGH THE PARTNERSHIP OF EITHER DOING FIDELITY BONDING OR THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT AND LOOK AT THEIR HIRING PROCESSES TO ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE MEANS OF LOOKING AT JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS AS A TRUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM AND SEEING THEM IN THEIR WORKPLACE. WILL THIS, CONCENTRATE ON OUR LARGER EMPLOYERS? IT WOULD BE OPEN TO ANY BUSINESS IN DENTON, AND IT WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE INCLUSIVE OF JUST MEMBERS OF THE DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. IT WOULD BE OPEN TO ANY BUSINESS THAT IS CURRENTLY IN BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF DENTON. OKAY. SO YOU SAID IN ENTRANCES. THANK YOU. THAT WAS MY QUESTION NUMBER THREE. WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS JUST FOR CHAMBER MEMBERS, AND THEN SO APPARENTLY I HAVE A QUESTION NUMBER FOUR BARRIERS TO ENTRY IS NOT GREAT. YOU MENTIONED THAT BARRIERS TO ENTRY IS NOT GREAT. SO THIS IS AN EASY ONBOARDING TASK. YES. FOR THE EMPLOYER OKAY. SO OUR ROLE IS TO OUR ROLE AT THE CHAMBER IS BEST SUITED WHEN WE PARTNER WITH THE EMPLOYERS AND THEN OUR ABILITY IS TO ENGAGE PROVIDE ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND INFORMATION FOR EMPLOYERS TO BEST EQUIP, DEVELOP

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AND RETAIN EMPLOYEES. SO OUR ROLE IN THIS IS THE EMPLOYER SIDE OF THE CONVERSATION. AND THOSE ARE THE ONLY QUESTIONS THAT I HAD. THANK YOU. OKAY. GREAT QUESTIONS OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR. THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS IS A TERRIFIC EXAMPLE OF BUSINESSES COMING TOGETHER AND GETTING THIS PROBLEM SOLVED MUCH BETTER THAN, THAN GOVERNMENT. THIS IS A REAL WORLD PROBLEM BEING SOLVED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE REAL WORLD. I THINK I THINK THE CHAMBER HAS GONE MUCH FURTHER THAN WHAT THE ORDINANCE PROPOSED. I THINK I THINK THIS IS I THINK THIS IS OUTSTANDING THING. AND I'M IMPRESSED THAT ANY BUSINESS CAN CAN AVAIL ITSELF OF THIS OPPORTUNITY. I WOULD I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE ORDINANCE WITHDRAWN IN LIGHT OF, OF THE OF THE FINE WORK WE'VE SEEN HERE FROM THE CHAMBER.

THANK YOU. I CAN I CAN CONTINUE I HAVE A FEW MORE SLIDES OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. SEEING NONE CALL ME. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO JUST JUST TO BE SURE THE ELIGIBILITY FOR THE FIDELITY BONDING INCLUDES PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, LIKE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED OR ON PROBATION OR HAVE A POLICE RECORD. THERE'S ADDITIONAL QUALIFIERS FOR ADDITIONAL LEVELS OF FIDELITY BONDING. AND I'VE EXPLAINED THOSE EXAMPLES BELOW, BUT FIDELITY BONDING HAS A WIDE VARIETY OF EXAMPLES, BUT FOR THE RECORD, PEOPLE WHO ARE SELF EMPLOYED ARE NOT COVERED BY THIS BOND, AND THE BOND ONLY APPLIES TO SPECIFIC EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS. THESE BONDS DO NOT GIVE COVERAGE FOR POOR WORK SKILLS, WORK INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS. SO AGAIN IT'S GOING TO BE AN EMPLOYER EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP, SPECIFIC TO EACH INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCE AND WHATNOT. BUT AGAIN, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO START THAT CONVERSATION AND CHANGING THE DYNAMIC IN THE WORKFORCE, SOME PEOPLE ARE VISUAL LEARNERS. SO HERE'S A GOOD VISUAL CHART OF HOW THIS WOULD WORK. WE HOLD A SECOND CHANCE HIRING WORKSHOP IN JULY, A SECOND CHANCE HIRING WORKSHOP IN SEPTEMBER WILL INCLUDE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ON THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT AND FIDELITY BONDING SYSTEM. WE'D HAVE BOTH OF THOSE, AS WELL AS A SECOND CHANCE HIRING RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITY WE'D IDENTIFY FOR BUSINESS PARTNERS. THE GOAL OF THAT IS THEIR BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY DOING THIS. SOME OF THEM ARE NOT OPENLY ADVERTISED DOING THAT. SO THE GOAL IS TO HAVE FOUR THAT WOULD COME TO THE FOREFRONT. BE WILLING TO SPEAK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AND STAKE THEIR NAME TO THE CLAIM. WE HAVE DATA COLLECTION AT MONTH ONE, MONTH ONE, MONTH TWO, AND MONTH THREE. UPON THE COMPLETION OF BOTH THE JULY WORKSHOP AND THE SEPTEMBER WORKSHOP IN THREE MONTHS THEREAFTER, WE WOULD PROVIDE A REPORT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND CITY COUNCIL, WE WOULD COLLECT EVERYTHING. THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE NOT SO GOOD, THE NOT SO BAD, AND KIND OF EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. WE HOPE THAT THROUGH ACCESS TO RESOURCES, WE CAN START TO CHANGE CERTAIN EMPLOYERS MINDS TO OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY EXIST TO OPEN THEIR, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO A DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC. BUT A HUGE PART OF THAT IS PROVIDING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WOULD START TO PROVIDE. OKAY, SO THE NEXT STEPS, THE DENTON CHAMBER WILL HOST TWO QUARTERLY WORKSHOPS JULY, SEPTEMBER, PRIOR TO THE FISCAL YEAR END WITH THE GOAL OF FOUR BUSINESSES PARTICIPATING IN SOME ASPECT OF SECOND CHANCE HIRING INITIATIVE. OBVIOUSLY, LIKE I SAID TO, COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE, WE WOULD MEET WITH EACH INDIVIDUALLY ONCE WE IDENTIFY AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THE BEST FIT FOR THEM. AFTER THAT THREE MONTH WINDOW PER WORKSHOP, WE WOULD PROVIDE DATA BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR CITY COUNCIL REPORT FOR ENGAGED BUSINESSES ON THE FOLLOWING ENGAGEMENT IN THE WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT OR FIDELITY BONDING. IF SELECTED, CHANGE IN HIRING METHODS, POLICIES OR PRACTICES WITH JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS AND EMPLOYEES IN MIND. INCREASE IN WILLINGNESS TO LIST SECOND CHANCE HIRING. FRIENDLY ON THE WEBSITE. IT'S KIND OF THE CONCEPT OF PEOPLE LIKE US DO THINGS LIKE THIS. WE'VE GOT TO GET SOME PEOPLE TO STAKE THEIR NAME TO THE CLAIM AND THEN ADD ALL RESOURCES, INFORMATION AND CURRENT APPLICABLE INCENTIVES FOR SECOND CHANCE HIRING ON THE DENTON CHAMBER WEBSITE, RECRUITMENT OF COMPANIES WITH ASSISTANCE OF TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION. OBVIOUSLY THEY WOULD BE A PARTNER ON THIS BECAUSE THEY WOULD BE HELPING TO OFFICIATE SOME OF THAT LOCAL, REGIONAL RELATIONSHIPS. AND THEN WE WOULD EVALUATE AND RETOOL AS WE GO. AND WE CAN ONLY DO THIS BEST IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LOCAL RESOURCES, WITH OUR BUSINESSES, AND ENSURING THAT THIS IS THE BEST FIT FOR THEM TO MAINTAIN BUSINESS IN DENTON, RETAIN BUSINESS IN DENTON AND CONTINUE TO GROW. AND AS I WORKED THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION AND MADE SURE THAT IT FIT THE NATURE OF THE CONVERSATION TODAY, THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TIME TO PILOT AND COLLECT DATA. YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD OF YOU. YOU CAN LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE AS PRESENTED, MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AS PRESENTED, OR ALLOW THE CHAMBER TIME TO PILOT AND COLLECT DATA. AND AT THIS POINT I AM DONE WITH MY PRESENTATION BUT WOULD OPEN QUESTIONS AND A FURTHER CONVERSATION. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT TWO. THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, AARON, ABSOLUTELY. WHEN I REVIEWED THAT IN THE BACK UP AND NOW IN THE IN THE, IN YOUR PRESENTATION, I GUESS THE ROLE FOR THE CITY IS AS A STAKEHOLDER FOR REPORTING, IS THAT IS THAT

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HOW I'M READING THE CITY'S ROLE IN, IN THIS PROPOSAL? OKAY, AND THAT, THAT YOU WERE ANTICIPATING, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THESE THESE ARE, THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE STATE AND THE IDEA WOULD BE TO HELP ON BOARD BUSINESSES TO THESE EXISTING PROGRAMS, CORRECT , AND THERE'S NO COST TO ENTRY, REGARDLESS OF THE ROLE OF THE CHAMBER. CHAMBER WOULD JUST BE FACILITATING. YES. WE'RE NOT GOING TO CHARGE SOMEONE FOR AN TO HELP THEM FIND EMPLOYEES OR GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE STATE PROCESS, CHARGE. NO. OKAY. I IT'S IT SOUNDS LIKE FROM I MEAN, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING PROPERLY, I DON'T SEE ANY BARRIER TO THE CHAMBER IMPLEMENTING THIS AT ALL, IT TO ENCOURAGE, BUSINESSES TO HAVE BETTER BEHAVIOR WITH REGARD TO, TO FAIR CHANCE HIRING AND, WHAT WAS YOUR NEW TERM? JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS. NOT YET.

I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A NEW TERM. I WANT TO I WANT TO TAKE CREDIT FOR THE CONVERSATION. YES. THANK YOU, SO I DON'T I DON'T, I DON'T THIS IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A SORT OF, ORTHOGONAL, UNRELATED TO ANY ACTIONS THE CITY MIGHT TAKE. WAIT A MINUTE. WE MIGHT NEED A DICTIONARY. ORTHOGONAL OKAY. YEAH. CAN WE IT UP RIGHT. THANK YOU. OKAY. EVERYONE HAS GOOGLE BY NOW. GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR. UNRELATED TO THE TWO ARE UNRELATED TO EACH OTHER, SO. SO I DON'T SEE ANY BARRIERS TO THE CHAMBER DOING THIS. AND I DON'T SEE ANY IMPACT FROM THE CITY IMPLEMENTING ITS ORDINANCE. IT SEEMS LIKE IF ONE IS PUSHING TO RETURN TO ZERO AND GET TO GOOD BEHAVIOR, THE OTHER COULD PULL AND THEY WOULD BE COMPLIMENTARY WITH EACH OTHER. NOT NOT OPPOSITIONAL. SO IN FACT, YOU KNOW, IF ONE PUSHED AND PEOPLE GROUSED, IT'S LIKE, WELL, THEN PULLING FROM THE OTHER SIDE WOULD SAY, LOOK, YOU CAN END UP IN FOLLOWING OUR LEAD AND DOING IT. THIS WAY AND GET $5,000 IN, IN BOND FOR YOUR EMPLOYEE. SO I, I, I THINK THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS IS DO BOTH LITERALLY TO HAVE TO BOTH ENFORCE THE FAIR CHANCE ORDINANCE AND SHOW PEOPLE HERE'S THE POSITIVE SIDE OF DOING IT A BETTER WAY. ONE APPLIES A CITYWIDE AND THE OTHER SHOWS FOLKS THAT YOU CAN DO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DO THAT, HERE'S THESE OPTIONS FOR YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE RESISTIVE. IT CAN ACTUALLY BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS. BOTH FROM AN EMPLOYER STANDPOINT, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT. AND THE INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE STANDPOINT. BUT BUT ALSO THIS, THIS, THESE MATERIALS YOU BROUGHT TO THE FORE. SO, MY DIRECTION, I DON'T KNOW THAT I NEED TO GIVE CHAMBER DIRECTION BECAUSE THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A ROLE FOR THE CITY IN THE CHAMBERS PROGRAM. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE A ROLE AND I DON'T SEE IT, MY DIRECTION WOULD BE DO BOTH. I THINK IF I CAN PROVIDE COMMENTARY BACK YOUR ROLE AND HOW WE WORK BEST TOGETHER, SOMETIMES WE AGREE TO DISAGREE. AND SO THAT'S PART OF OUR RELATIONSHIP. THE BEST ROLE WOULD BE, IN OUR OPINION, AS OUR BOARD CLEARLY STATED EARLIER ON IN THE CONVERSATION, IS, IS TO NOT, GO FORWARD WITH THE ORDINANCE. AND SO THAT WOULD BE OUR TAKE ON YOUR OPPORTUNITY TODAY. YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. I'M GOING TO STICK WITH MY, MY DIRECTION TO DO BOTH. YEAH. AND I RESPECT THAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT FIVE.

ORTHOGONAL MEANS OF AT OR INVOLVING. RIGHT ANGLES. SO YES, THAT'S WHAT ORTHOGONAL MEANS. DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH. I DO HAVE A QUESTION. APPRECIATE THAT. ALL RIGHT, YOU MENTIONED THE CITY'S ROLE COULD BE, FACILITATING WITH DATA COLLECTION. SAY MORE ABOUT THAT I DON'T THINK. IS THAT WHAT IT WAS? I THINK THAT'S MAYBE A LITTLE OUT OF CONTEXT. JUST THE FACT THAT WE WOULD COME BACK AND WE WOULD PROVIDE THE DATA TO THE CITY OF WHAT WE LEARNED, WHAT THE BUSINESSES ARE DOING, HOW WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM, AND WHEN A PILOT, IN MY OPINION, WHEN WE WOULD PILOT THIS, WE WOULD NEED TO DO WE NEED TO START. AND THEN ONCE WE START, IF THERE'S AN EVOLVING ROLE FOR ANYONE IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY , AND THAT'S WHEN WE WOULD ADD THEM TO THE TABLE, OUR FIRST GOAL IS TO GET FOUR BUSINESSES, AND THOSE BUSINESSES COULD HELP US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY NEED. MORE FROM THE CITY AND THIS PROCESS, WHAT THEY NEED MORE

[00:25:03]

FROM US IN THIS PROCESS, THE GOAL WOULD BE TO START WITH THE FOUR BUSINESSES AND FROM THERE REALLY EVOLVE. AND I DON'T WANT TO OVER DEDICATE CITY STAFF TIME OR OUR OWN TEAM'S TIME. AND SO I THINK THIS IS A VERY SMART, ACCESSIBLE, FEASIBLE WAY TO BEGIN THE PROCESS. AND THEN GROW IT AS THE NEED AND AS THE ATTAINABLE WAY THAT PEOPLE ARE REALIZING THAT AMERICA'S HIDDEN WORKFORCE IS A VIABLE WORKING POPULATION IN DENTON, THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. I DO AGREE. AND AARON, I THINK I'LL SAY IT PUBLICLY. I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. SO I APPRECIATE YOU FIRST BRINGING THIS TO ME, BACK IN JANUARY. AND I THINK LOOKING AT PRESENTATION, YOU'VE CLEARLY PUT A LOT OF EFFORT INTO, I APPRECIATE IT, IF I CAN ASK THE CITY MANAGER, DO YOU ENVISION ANY WAY THAT WE COULD HELP FACILITATE THIS? I WILL ACCEPT NO AS AN ANSWER OR I WILL ACCEPT. I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE. WELL, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THERE BE FACILITATING. I THINK IT WOULD BE STANDING BESIDE HIM, AND SORT OF OFFERING ANY ASSISTANCE WE NEED, BUT MAKING SURE THAT, THEY'RE DOING THIS AND THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT IT'S, AND REPORTING BACK ON THE. BLESS YOU, I CAN SEE IT THAT WAY. YES AND, YOU KNOW, GIVING FEEDBACK AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO ON A REGULAR BASIS, HOW WOULD POTENTIAL, HOW WOULD POTENTIAL FUNDS WORK SO A PERSON CAN GET SALARY REIMBURSEMENT? WOULD THAT GO GO FROM THE STATE DIRECTLY TO THE EMPLOYER, OR WOULD THE CHAMBER BE A CONDUIT FOR THAT AS WELL, NOT TOUCH FUNDS AT ALL. THAT GOES STRAIGHT BETWEEN THE THAT STRAIGHT BETWEEN TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION. WE WOULD JUST BE THAT KIND OF CONDUIT BETWEEN INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES. AND IN YOUR YOUR CONVERSATION WITH WITH DOCTOR BECK, YOU TALKED ABOUT THERE NOT BEING A COST BARRIER FOR EMPLOYER TO THE CHAMBER, WHAT ABOUT MEMBERSHIP? DOES A BUSINESS HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THIS ASSISTANCE? NO. SO IF ANY BUSINESS IN DENTON CAN IN FACT RECEIVE THIS HELP. YEAH HOW HOW BEST CAN YOU TO, DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION TO BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY MEMBERS OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE? SO WE WILL HAVE A SEPARATE TAB ON OUR WEBSITE THAT PROVIDES THEM WITH ALL THE RESOURCES RELATED TO SECOND CHANCE HIRING AND THEN THE DATES FOR THE WEB. THE DATES FOR THE WORKSHOPS IN JULY AND SEPTEMBER WILL BE MADE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. WE WOULD ASK IF THE CITY WOULD HELP US TO ADVERTISE MARKET, THAT THERE WILL BE NO COST TO PARTICIPATE, IT WILL BE OPEN TO ANYONE AND THEN MORE THAN LIKELY, IF THERE'S AN INCREASED INTEREST, WE WOULD PROVIDE THAT VIRTUALLY THEREAFTER. WORDS, BUT THERE WE DON'T THINK THAT MEMBERS IS AN INHIBITOR TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS. IF YOU NEED EMPLOYEES AND WE CAN BE A RESOURCE TO THAT. AND THIS IS SOMETHING EMPLOYERS ARE INTERESTED IN. LET US HELP THEM IN THAT INITIAL CONVERSATION. THEN I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A PLACE WHERE THE CITY COULD BE HELPFUL TO, TO CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE THAT THE CHAMBER PUTS A TAB ON THE WEBSITE TO HELP US TO MAKE SURE THAT SINCE OUR REACH AND THE CHAMBER'S REACH MIGHT IN FACT BE DIFFERENT, WE CAN AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE. I THINK THAT COULD BE A ROLE, AND WE WILL DO THAT. I'M LOOKING AT KAYLA RIGHT NOW, AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE POST IT AND THAT WE GET INFORMATION OUT ON OUR DTV THAT TALKS ABOUT THIS. OH YEAH. GREAT IDEA TO, MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD. NO, NO, I WAS GOING TO SAY I'M GOING TO LISTEN TO THE OTHER FOLKS BEFORE I GIVE DIRECTION. BUT YOU WANT TO. I WOULD SAY THAT'S THE GOAL IN HAVING THOSE FOR BUSINESSES, BECAUSE WE CAN DO OUR BEST JOB OF TELLING OUR STORY. BUT NO ONE CAN DO IT BETTER THAN A BUSINESS WHO IS ENGAGED IN THIS OPPORTUNITY. AND WHO HAS ACTUALLY SUCCESSFULLY HIRED SOMEONE THAT PREVIOUSLY THEY MAY HAVE BEEN CLOSE MINDED ABOUT.

AND THAT'S THE REAL GOAL HERE, IS HAVING A DENTON BUSINESS GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND BE ABLE TO TELL THIS STORY FOR US, BECAUSE WHILE WE APPRECIATE COUNCIL AND WHILE I HOPE YOU ALL APPRECIATE US, IF THERE'S A BUSINESS HERE, STANDING HERE TELLING US WHY THIS BENEFITED THEM, THAT WILL GO LEAPS AND BEYOND TO COMMUNICATING INTERNALLY TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SO THAT I WOULD JUST ADD, DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE. CORRECT? I AGREE, THE EMPLOYEE STILL HAS TO BE THE CENTER OF WHAT WE DO AGREE TO LISTEN TO. BEFORE I GIVE DIRECTION TO VERMONT REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT SIX. HI COUNCIL MEMBER JESTER HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON, I JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK A LOT OF THOUGHT WAS PUT INTO THIS. A LOT OF RESEARCH AND TIME. AND I'M IMPRESSED BY THE WAY THAT THE PARTNERING COMES TOGETHER. I THINK INCENTIVES ARE MUCH MORE HELPFUL AND ACCEPTABLE THAN, ORDERS, AND I THINK IS BETTER FOR ADVERTISING DENTON AS A BUSINESS FRIENDLY COMMUNITY, WHAT I HAVEN'T SEEN IS ANY RESULTS FROM SOMETHING LIKE A BAN THE BOX OR A FAIR CHANCE ORDINANCE. ANY RESULTS THAT I WAS ABLE TO FIND SAYING IT WORKS. AND HERE'S HOW MANY WERE HIRED. THIS SEEMS TO ME LIKE

[00:30:01]

SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE BETTER PARTICIPATION IS. AND MY CONCERN IS THAT WITH THE ORDINANCE, WE'VE GOT SO MANY EXCLUSIONS. WE'VE GOT THE CITY OF DENTON, WE'VE GOT OUR UNIVERSITIES, OUR STATE SCHOOL THAT ARE EXEMPTED. WE HAVE BANKS THAT ARE EXEMPTED. IF YOU HAVE LESS THAN 15 EMPLOYEES, IT'S EXEMPTED. I MEAN, IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A REALLY JUST A SWEET SPOT OF, BUSINESSES THAT ARE AFFECTED. AND IT KIND OF FEELS LIKE THEY'RE PICKED ON, AND THEN THE SOCIETY OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT SHOWED THAT SOMETHING LIKE AN ORDINANCE, AT LEAST THE RESEARCH THAT I HAVE FOUND ONLINE, WHICH DOES NOT MAKE ME AN EXPERT BY ANY MEANS, AND I AM LOOK FORWARD TO ANY OTHER, SURVEY RESULTS OR STUDIES. BUT WHAT I SAW WAS THEY SAID THAT IT ACTUALLY TENDED TO DECREASE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE JUSTICE INVOLVED, BECAUSE THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO GET A CALL IF THEY'RE SUSPECTED IN SOME WAY OF BEING PART OF A GROUP. AND I'M AND I MEAN, THIS IS BAD. DON'T GET ME WRONG, I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS GOOD, BUT IF THE GOAL IS TO TRY TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE JUSTICE INVOLVED, GET OPPORTUNITIES, I AM ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THIS IS THE WAY TO GO AND NOT SENDING DOWN FROM AN ON HIGH ORDINANCE THAT SPECIFIC GROUPS IN DENTON ARE ORDERED TO DO SO. AND I WORRY ABOUT THAT IN MY BUSINESS, AS WELL AS I, YOU KNOW, DAYCARES AND HVAC, YOU KNOW, THOSE AREN'T INCLUDED. I MEAN, IT'S A REALLY SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT THIS ACTUALLY APPLIES TO. HOWEVER, THIS THIS IS SOMETHING THAT BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SAYS WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND WE HAVE THE SAME GOALS. WE HAVE THE SAME, HEART IN WHAT WE WOULD TRY TO ACCOMPLISH. AND SO EVEN IF WE GIVE THIS, SAY, A YEAR AND LOOK AT THE RESULTS, I'M JUST, I'M VERY, I'M VERY HEARTENED BY THESE EFFORTS AND HOPEFULLY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE RESULTS. AND, AND, A PILOT PROGRAM THAT MAYBE OTHERS CAN ADOPT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT, A FEW COMMUNITY MEMBERS REACHED OUT TO ME TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, AND A FEW OF THEM SAID, YOU MUST NOT KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY THAT'S BEEN IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND THAT'S VERY FAR FROM REALITY. I DO I HAVE VERY CLOSE FAMILY MEMBERS TOO, ACTUALLY, THAT HAVE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AFTER LEAVING JAIL, LEAVING PRISON FOR SERIOUS CRIMES. AND SO IT'S NOT THAT IT DOESN'T PERSONALLY IMPACT ME. IT DOES. AND I THINK BECAUSE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS BECAUSE OUR WHOLE TEAM CARES ABOUT THIS, AND I KNOW THAT I JUST PUT THAT ON THE RECORD AND, BUT I DO THINK THAT WHEN THE COMMUNITY CALLED AND SAID, THIS MUST NOT MEAN ANYTHING TO THE CHAMBER, I TAKE OFFENSE TO THAT. THIS DOES MEAN SOMETHING TO THE CHAMBER. THIS MEANS SOMETHING VERY MUCH SO TO US, BECAUSE WE CARE VERY DEEPLY. I CARE VERY DEEPLY ABOUT THE LONG TERM SUSTAINABLE SUCCESS OF OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY. BUT I CARE ABOUT DOING SO IN A WAY THAT MAKES THE BEST SENSE FOR THE BUSINESSES REFLECTIVE IN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, SO I HOPE THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY WE CAN WORK THROUGH TOGETHER, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT OPPORTUNITY. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. I'M I'M JUST SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOU COMING IN AND EXPLAINING AND VERY THOROUGHLY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT WHAT OUR OPPORTUNITIES ARE, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO ACCEPT THE DATA THAT'S GOING TO COME OUT OF ALL OF THIS, DID WE DID YOU GET ARE WE DOING A YEAR? ARE WE WHAT ARE WE DOING? I PROPOSE TWO WORKSHOPS WITH TWO WORKSHOPS. AND THEN WHEN IS ALL OF THAT GOING TO TAKE PLACE? SO WE WOULD DO ONE IN JULY OKAY. ONE IN SEPTEMBER. I WOULD WANT A THREE MONTH PERIOD OF TIME THEREAFTER. SO JULY, JUNE, JULY, JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER. SO IDEALLY A REPORT BACK IN JANUARY OF 2020 5TH JANUARY. OKAY THANK YOU, AND THEN WE'LL SEE HOW HOW, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS ACCEPTING THIS. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REPORTING? BUT LIKE I SAID, WE WILL GET PEOPLE DO THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY, IF THEY ARE LOVING IT, IF THEY ARE NOT LIKING IT, IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING CHANGED, IF THEY WISH THERE WERE GREATER TAX CREDITS, IF THEY WISH THAT THE FIDELITY BONDING LAST LONGER. I MEAN, GOING INTO A LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THAT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE, RIGHT? THERE'S SO MANY AVENUES THIS CAN GO. GOT IT. YEAH. MY THING IS RIGHT NOW IN THIS REGARD, I CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE. AND WE ARE A CITY OF INCLUSION. I THINK I PROBABLY SAY THAT JUST ABOUT EVERY CITY COUNCIL MEETING , BECAUSE WE HAVE TO TACKLE THESE CULTURAL, THESE CULTURAL ISSUES. AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM, SO INCLUSIVITY CERTAINLY COMES IN EVERY SINGLE TIME, SO WHAT I AM APPRECIATE IS US GIVING THIS

[00:35:03]

A CHANCE, AND I WILL, OF COURSE, DIRECT US TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS, AND I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE, COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE , BRINGING THIS TO US, BECAUSE WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING ON PAPER, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE INCLUSIVE. WE ARE THE PLACE THAT I WOULD WANT TO BE. I WOULD WANT TO LIVE HERE. I WOULDN'T WANT TO RAISE MY CHILDREN HERE, BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IF I'M NOT GIVING EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE TYPE OF SUCCESS THAT I'VE HAD, THEN I'M MISSING SOMETHING. SO OPENING UP THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSES IS I WOULD HOPE AND HOPE TO OPEN MY OWN SMALL BUSINESS SOMEDAY. ALTHOUGH I DO HAVE TWO SMALL BUSINESSES. THERE'S ANOTHER ONE, YOU KNOW, IT'S ANOTHER ONE, AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS YOUNG MAN TO SEE HIS, PROPOSAL GOING FORWARD, THAT'S IMPORTANT TO HIM. AND SO WE'RE APPRECIATING HIM FOR THAT. SO, YES, I WOULD PREFER FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AND SEE HOW THIS WORKS OUT FOR US. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY.

ANYONE ELSE QUESTIONS OR DIRECTION, REPRESENTATIVE, JUST FOR, MAYOR. I'M I'M, I'M VERY, VERY IMPRESSED. AS I SAID, I'M VERY IMPRESSED WITH WHAT THE CHAMBER'S BROUGHT. BROUGHT TO US TODAY, AND I THINK WAS MUCH FURTHER THAN WHAT THE ORDINANCE SUGGESTS IN THE FIRST PLACE. I AM OPPOSED TO, TO THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE, ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK OR. NO. OR YOUR DIRECTION? YEAH, I DON'T HAVE IT WANTING TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS FIRST, BUT YEAH, YOU YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD. OKAY AND I THINK YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB. THIS IS PHENOMENAL, MY DIRECTION IS. YES. PLEASE MOVE FORWARD. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THOSE, THOSE QUARTERLY UPDATES AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, I TRUST THAT YOU'LL BE IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH WITH SARAH AND HER ACMS TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP AMPLIFY THE EFFORTS AND MAKE SURE, WE CAN HELP THE BUSINESSES AS THEY ENDEAVOR TO, TO TAKE CARE OF A POPULATION OF FOLKS THAT'S OFTEN FORGOT TO YOUR POINT IN YOUR IN YOUR EARLIER PRESENTATION. SO THANK YOU FOR THE CARE AND TIME WITH WHICH YOU SPEND ON THIS, AND VERY MUCH A THANKFUL AND APPRECIATIVE OF THE WORK. THANK YOU. OKAY. VERY GOOD THEN. YEAH, I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE CHAMBER'S, EFFORTS AS WELL. I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR BECAUSE WE'RE OVER TIME ALREADY AND, MISS CITY MANAGER, IF YOU CAN ADJUST THE PRESENTATION ACCORDINGLY, WE'LL RATIFY THAT TONIGHT AND BE ALL SET. ALL RIGHT, CHRISTY, WE'LL NEED TO GO BACK IN AND CHANGE THE IC ITEM, OKAY? OKAY. THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCIL QUESTION. YES. I'M UNCLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE CHANGING TONIGHT. SO, ON C ID 23-2407.

IT'S ADOPTION OF AN ORDINANCE, TO ADD FAIR CHANCE HIRING PROVISION TO A SECTION, THIS WOULD THIS WOULD BE WHAT WOULD BE ADOPTED BY COUNCIL, NOT THIS ITEM. THAT'S NUMBER C ON IC.

OKAY PERHAPS I NEED TO CHANGE MY DIRECTION THEN. I WAS UNCLEAR ON IT'S THIS OR THAT. I DIDN'T READ THAT ANYWHERE IN THE BACK UP. MATT. AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, I DON'T THINK COUNCIL WOULD BE SUBSTITUTING IN FOR THE ITEM TONIGHT. OKAY. WITH WHAT WAS JUST TALKED ABOUT BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THEY'RE STILL EITHER A VOTE TO TAKE THIS UP TONIGHT OR NOT. OKAY, TECHNICALLY IT'S TABLED. SO YOU COULD REMOVE IT FROM THE TABLE IF YOU WANT. IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO VOTE ON IT TONIGHT. OKAY. SO THESE THINGS ARE SEPARATE. THEY'RE SEPARATE ACTIONS. YES. SEPARATE YES. YEAH OKAY. SO MOVING FORWARD ON THIS HAS NO BEARING ON WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL VOTE ON THE ITEM TONIGHT. WELL THEN NO, NO, NO ONE'S GIVEN DIRECTION TO DO BOTH. BUT FOR THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM DISTRICT TWO. SO IF YOU WANT TO NOW FIRST MY QUESTION IS WE'VE MOVED ON FROM THIS. IN THEORY, I HADN'T CALLED THE NEXT ITEM, BUT I NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD TO GO BACK WITHIN YOUR DISCRETION. CHAIR. YEAH. YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO RUN THE MEETING. HOW YOU SEE FIT. IF YOU WANT TO GO BACK AND CLARIFY THIS, THAT'S UP TO YOU. BUT IF YOU WANT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD, THAT'S WITHIN YOUR ABILITY. TO DO IT SOONER OR LATER, YEAH. YOU YOU NEED THAT. SO I GUESS WE'LL JUST GO BACK AROUND AND IF YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE HAVE TOUCHED ON IT ALREADY, THOUGH, YOU'RE. I'LL JUST YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. I ABSOLUTELY THINK WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM ON TALKING. HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT AN ORDINANCE TONIGHT. I WASN'T INTENDING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT AN ORDINANCE NOW, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THIS ITEM. THIS ITEM WAS TO GIVE DIRECTION FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO SUPPORT THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TO STAND UP A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM. I AGREE

[00:40:03]

THAT WE SHOULD DO THAT. WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ORDINANCE TONIGHT, AS IS ON THE AGENDA. SO MY DIRECTION WAS SIMPLY ABOUT THIS ITEM. I'M NOT SURE. ARE WE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THE ORDINANCE TONIGHT BECAUSE THAT ITEM IS NOT BEFORE US RIGHT NOW? YEAH ON THE AGENDA IT READS AS YOU CAN GIVE STAFF DIRECTION RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN GIVE STAFF STAFF DIRECTION REGARDING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ORDINANCE, WHICH IS ON FOR TONIGHT. SO GIVING DIRECTION ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH THAT TONIGHT, WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS OF WHERE YOU STAND.

BUT DO YOU WANT TO MOVE IT FORWARD? DO YOU WOULD RATHER JUST NOT TAKE ACTION ON IT? THERE IS THE ABILITY TO GIVE THAT DIRECTION RIGHT NOW BASED ON HOW WE'RE POSTED FOR THIS ITEM RIGHT NOW. OKAY. I WANT TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION TONIGHT ABOUT AN ORDINANCE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO MORE THAN 120 DAYS AGO. I SEE THESE THINGS AS SEPARATE, AND I VERY MUCH HOPE, NO MATTER HOW WE DECIDE TO VOTE TONIGHT, WE CAN STILL HAVE THE CONVERSATION. WE OWE IT TO OURSELVES AND THE DIRECTION THAT WE GAVE A FEW MONTHS AGO, AND THE PUBLIC TO STILL HAVE THE CONVERSATION, WHETHER THAT BE VOTED UP OR DOWN. THESE THINGS IN MY MIND ARE WHILE THEY ARE INDELIBLY LINKED, THEY ARE SEPARATE. SO MY DIRECTION IS TO MOVE FORWARD ON THIS. AND THEN LET'S HAVE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT PROPOSED ORDINANCE AMONG US TONIGHT. ALL RIGHT, REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE, DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING ? I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH, MCGEE.

THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD. REPRESENTATIVE SIX, DISTRICT SIX. YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, I AM IN FAVOR OF, SUPPORTING THE CHAMBER AND ITS EFFORTS, BUT NOT THE ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME. OKAY AND JUST SO THE RECORD IS CLEAR, I DIDN'T I DIDN'T SEE HIM AS AS BOTH THAT THAT'S IN THE MIXED MESSAGES TO ME. SO THEN, AGAIN, WE'RE OVER TIME, BUT BUT I'M GOING TO GO INTO IT BECAUSE I HAVE TO, SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE ADVANCED NOTICE AND ARE. BECAUSE WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTIONS BEFORE ONE, THIS THE ORDINANCE HAS IS NOT FULLY BAKED. HERE'S WHY IT LISTS NOTHING ABOUT VIOLENT FELONS, IT LISTS NOTHING ABOUT A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD SEXUALLY ASSAULT SOMEONE AND THEN BE INVITED TO DENTON TO COME, YOU KNOW, EXPLORE YOUR JOB OPTIONS. IT HAS NO PROHIBITIONS. HAS NO. IT DOESN'T EVEN SPEAK TO IT TO SAY HOW WE FEEL AS A COMMUNITY. I CAN'T IN GOOD FAITH AS OUR COMMUNITY IS GROWING. SEND A MESSAGE BECAUSE WE DON'T GET TO CONTROL THAT MESSAGE. THE NEWSPAPER OR THE MESSAGE WILL BE DENTON HAS PASSED THIS THING.

AND IF YOU'RE SUBJECT TO THAT, I THINK WE HAVE A DUTY TO KEEP OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. TO ADD SOME BUMPER RAILS THERE. SO IT HAS NO , IT SPEAKS. IT DOESN'T. IT'S SILENT ON VIOLENT FELONIES VERSUS, OTHER THINGS THEN FROM A OPPOSITE FROM THE CHAMBER PERSPECTIVE, WHERE IT ACTUALLY HELPS AND ENGAGES AND WRAPS AROUND THESE SERVICES, THIS DOES NOT THE ORDINANCE, DOES NOT HAVE ANY SUPPORT TO IT. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE UNDERLYING ISSUE IS A DRUG ISSUE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. LET'S ADDRESS THAT. LET'S GET YOU WRAPAROUND SERVICES. LET'S SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HIRING, SO IT TO THAT DEGREE IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE. BUT THEN FURTHERMORE, IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE BECAUSE IF I AM IN THAT SITUATION AND I'M LOOKING FOR A JOB AND I HAVE THE OPTION TO ONE, EITHER GO TO SPECIFIC EMPLOYERS THAT I'M GUIDED TOWARDS TO THEN GO APPLY VERSUS THE WORLD IS YOUR OYSTER APPROACH. JUST GO TALK TO ANYONE IN DENTON. YOU KNOW I'D RATHER HAVE A GUIDED APPROACH THAT THEN IS GOING TO THEN HELP ME, WRAP AROUND AND HELP ME GET BETTER UP AND RUNNING. LASTLY, IT DOES NOTHING. AND THAT'S INTERESTING THAT THAT IT'S GAINED THE SUPPORT. IT DOES. BECAUSE WE JUST HAD RECENTLY HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THINGS THAT DON'T DO ANYTHING, IF YOU IF THIS THE CITIZENS, I'LL DIRECT YOU TO THE QUESTIONS I ASK IT BASICALLY MIRRORS FEDERAL LAW. SO IF YOU HAVE THE BOX ON YOUR APPLICATION CURRENTLY, THIS ORDINANCE DOESN'T MANDATE THAT YOU REMOVE IT. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE BOX ON YOUR APPLICATION.

CURRENTLY, THIS ORDINANCE DOES NOTHING. IT DOES. IT CHANGES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. IT ADDS NO SUPPORT. IT ADDS NO WRAPAROUND SERVICES. IT ADDS NO COMMUNITY AROUND YOU. IT ADDS ABSOLUTELY ZERO. WHAT IT DOES DO IS ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY THAT THE CITY IS NOT REQUIRED TO

[00:45:05]

FOLLOW. AND SO THAT TO ME IS A PROBLEM. SO WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE SAYING WE WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING. AND IT SOUNDS LIKE, IF THE QUESTION BEFORE ME IS, DO I WANT TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT PURPORTS TO DO SOMETHING THAT DOES NOTHING? NO. DO I WANT SOMETHING THAT INVITES POTENTIALLY VIOLENT FELONS TO THINK THAT THE CITY OF DENTON HAS SOME NEW LEVEL OF SAFETY, SECURITY FOR, YOU KNOW, SO I LIKE THE STRUCTURE OF THE CHAMBER, DOCUMENT AND THE ACTUAL ACTION ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THAT THEN WOULD INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY AND DOES NOT SEND A FALSE MESSAGE, SO THAT TO ME IS THE, THE REALLY THE KEY AND THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO BE LISTENING FOR TONIGHT. JUST SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT IT DOES.

BECAUSE IF I'M WRONG THEN POINT IT OUT. BUT IT DOES NOTHING. IT MIRRORS FEDERAL LAW. THE CITY IS NOT GETTING INVOLVED IN FEDERAL LAW, SO, SO. AGAIN, I'LL JUST LISTEN TONIGHT, BUT I WANT TO CLEARLY COMMUNICATE THAT THOSE ARE MY NOTES. THOSE ARE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM STAFF, NOT NOT MINE. SO SO, WE DON'T HAVE DIRECTION EITHER WAY. SO WE'LL JUST TAKE IT UP TONIGHT , OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THERE IS DIRECTION ON THE CHAMBER'S PROPOSAL. THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY.

NOT ON THE ORDINANCE. SO I'LL BE BACK TONIGHT TO PRESENT THAT. SO YEAH. THANK YOU. QUESTION FOR LEGAL THAT THAT WHAT THE CHAMBER IS PROPOSE IS NOT BEFORE US. WE DON'T NEED TO VOTE ON THAT. THAT

[B. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding proposals from the Board of Ethics to 1) repeal and replace Ethics Ordinance Sec. 2-273 (a) Conflicts of Interest, and 2) eliminate Sec. 2-281 (c) (4) Burden of Proof, including amending the Board of Ethics’ Rules of Procedure to adjust Evidentiary Hearing procedures to reflect the elimination of the requirement for the Complainant to testify at an evidentiary hearing. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 60 minutes]]

GOES FORWARD. THAT'S RIGHT. PERFECT OKAY. THANK YOU. TAKES US TO ITEM B. LET ME GET THERE.

BEGINNING WITH, PROPOSAL ONE, THE BOARD OF ETHICS IS PROPOSING THAT THE CURRENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST SECTION IN THE ORDINANCE BE REPEALED AND REPLACED TO EXPAND ITS APPLICABILITY. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE OTHER SECTIONS OF THE ETHICS ORDINANCES PROHIBITIONS SUCH AS GIFTS, IMPROPER INFLUENCE, ABUSE OF RESOURCES, ETC. WOULD NOT BE CHANGED BY THIS PROPOSAL. SPECIFICALLY, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT INCLUDES A GENERAL PROHIBITION AGAINST A CITY OFFICIAL USING THEIR OFFICIAL POSITION IN A WAY THAT WOULD RESULT IN A PERSONAL OR FINANCIAL BENEFIT FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR RELATIVES OR PERSONS OR ENTITIES WITH WHICH THEY, THEY OR THEIR SPOUSE HAVE A FINANCIAL OR BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP. THIS EXPANSION IS THE MAIN CHANGE AND IS ESSENTIALLY INTENDED TO CLARIFY THAT A CITY OFFICIAL IS PROHIBITED FROM USING THEIR POSITION FOR PERSONAL OR

[00:50:03]

FINANCIAL BENEFIT OFF THE DAIS, AS WELL AS ON IT, SPECIFICALLY, IT WOULD REMOVE THE CURRENT PENDING MATTER CONCEPT THAT IS DEFINED IN THE ORDINANCE AS IT IS TODAY, AND REPLACE IT WITH THE IDEA THAT, THE CITY OFFICIAL MAY NOT AT ANY TIME USE THEIR OFFICIAL POSITION FOR OR OFFICE TO CREATE A PERSONAL OR FINANCIAL BENEFIT FOR THEMSELVES THAT'S NOT SHARED WITH THE SUBSTANTIAL SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION, THE BOARD OF ETHICS BELIEVES THIS CHANGE WILL CLOSE, WHAT THEY SEE AS A LOOPHOLE IN THE CURRENT ETHICS ORDINANCE, WHICH THEY BELIEVE DOES NOT CLEARLY PROHIBIT THE CITY CITY OFFICIALS FROM TAKING ACTIONS PROHIBITED BY THE ORDINANCE WHEN THEY ARE NOT ON THE DAIS, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A CONFLICT OF INTEREST PROHIBITION IS NOT INTENDED TO PREVENT AN INDIVIDUAL FROM HAVING ANY SORTS OF RELATIONSHIPS ONLY TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HOW THE POWER OF THEIR POSITION CAN BENEFIT THEM BEYOND WHAT IS AVAILABLE TO MOST MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, SO THIS IS KIND OF THE MAIN PIECE OF THE OF THE PROPOSAL. THERE ARE OTHER PIECES THAT I'LL WALK THROUGH, BUT I HAVE A SUMMARY SLIDE AT THE END AS WELL, BUT DOES ANY CLARIFICATION ON THIS RIGHT NOW OR DO YOU WANT TO KEEP GOING? YEAH. I MEAN, JUST KEEP GOING. JUST KEEP GOING, OKAY. YEAH ALL RIGHT, SO NOW THAT WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW IT WILL CHANGE WHEN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST CAN OCCUR, UNDER THE PROPOSAL, THERE ARE TWO. UNDER THE NEW PROPOSAL, THERE ARE GENERALLY TWO TYPES OF BENEFITS THAT ARE PROHIBITED. FIRST IS A PERSONAL BENEFIT, WHICH IS GENERALLY CREATED BY AN ACTION, THAT FINANCIALLY BENEFITS SOMEONE WITH WHOM THE CITY OFFICIAL HAS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP OR CAN BE A REPUTATIONAL BENEFIT FOR THE CITY OFFICIAL THEMSELF. SO, FOR INSTANCE, AN EXAMPLE OF A PERSONAL BENEFIT WOULD BE APPROVING A PERMIT FOR YOUR UNCLE, OR WEARING A SHIRT PROMOTING YOUR EMPLOYER WHILE REPRESENTING THE CITY, IN PARTICULAR, MANY OF THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT ARE THE SAME AS THOSE IN THE CURRENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST SECTION, THE MAIN DIFFERENCE INCLUDES ADDING DOMESTIC PARTNERS, WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY CONCEIVED OF IN THE ORDINANCE, AS WELL AS FOSTER CHILDREN, AND ADDING HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS, OR BASICALLY ANY RELATIVES WHO LIVE IN THE CITY'S CITY OFFICIALS HOME THAT DO NOT PAY RENT, THE PROPOSAL WOULD ALSO REMOVE FIRST COUSINS, GREAT GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN FROM THE TYPES OF RELATIONSHIPS THAT CREATE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, IF A PERSONAL BENEFIT MIGHT BE RECEIVED. SO I'LL JUST KEEP GOING. THAT'S KIND OF THE PERSONAL AND PERSONAL BENEFIT SECTION. THE SECOND TYPE OF BENEFIT IS FINANCIAL BENEFITS, WHICH ARE GENERALLY CREATED BY AN ACTION THAT DIRECTLY FINANCIALLY BENEFITS THE CITY OFFICIAL OR BENEFITS ONE OF THE CITY OFFICIALS BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AWARDING A CONTRACT TO YOUR EMPLOYER OR GRANTING A PERMIT TO SOMEONE THAT YOU SELL GOODS OR SERVICES TO WOULD BE A FINANCIAL BENEFIT, THIS IS WHERE THE MOST CHANGES BEING PROPOSED. SO I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT, SOME THINGS WOULD REMAIN THE SAME, SPECIFIC. THE BOARD OF ETHICS IS PROPOSING THAT A CITY OFFICIAL, BEING AN OFFICER OR BOARD MEMBER FOR ANY TYPE OF ORGANIZATION, OR THE POTENTIAL OR ACTUAL RECEIPT OF AN OFFER OF EMPLOYMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO BE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST UNDER THE CURRENT. THE PROPOSAL, AND THEN WHILE THE CURRENT ORDINANCE DOES INCLUDE A CITY OFFICIAL OR THEIR SPOUSE'S EMPLOYER OR BUSINESS, THE PROPOSAL WOULD KIND OF EXPAND THOSE DEFINITIONS BY REMOVING, THE $600 OR 5% THRESHOLDS THAT ARE CURRENTLY REQUIRED TO BE MET, UNDER THE PROPOSAL, A CITY OFFICIALS EMPLOYER WOULD BE ANY PERSON OR BUSINESS THEY OR THEIR SPOUSE OR DOMESTIC PARTNER RECEIVE COMPENSATION FROM, EXCLUDING REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAVEL AND A CITY OFFICIAL BUSINESS WOULD BE ONE WITH WHICH THEY HAVE ANY OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN, WITH SOME FINANCIAL THRESHOLDS THAT MUST BE MET FOR PUBLIC CORPORATIONS. FURTHER, THE AMENDMENT WOULD ADD SUBSTANTIAL CLIENT OR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS AND SUBSTANTIAL DEBTOR OR CREDITOR RELATIONSHIPS TO THOSE THAT WOULD CAUSE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN BOTH CASES, A FINANCIAL THRESHOLD FOR SUBSTANTIAL IS NOT DEFINED EXACTLY, TO ALLOW FOR DIFFERENCES IN INDIVIDUAL SOCIOECONOMIC STATUSES AND FUTURE CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY, THOUGH THERE IS A SECTION IN THERE ABOUT THAT, A DEBTOR CREDITOR MUST AT LEAST MEET THE $10,000, BE AT LEAST $10,000.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD ALSO ADD RECEIPT OF MORE THAN $200 IN CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A PERSON OR ENTITY AS A FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP THAT WOULD CREATE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, SO, OKAY. AND THEN SO THOSE ARE KIND OF WHAT WHEN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WOULD HAPPEN. AND THEN THIS LAST PIECE TALKS ABOUT WHAT WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU COME ACROSS HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. SO, YOU'RE SIMILAR TO THE CURRENT ORDINANCE. YOU WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO RECUSE FROM PARTICIPATION OR WITHDRAW FROM WHAT YOU'RE DOING, YOU WOULD STILL HAVE TO FILE A DISCLOSURE WITH THE CITY AUDITOR, CURRENTLY, THAT'S THE AFFIDAVIT OF ABSTENTION, HOWEVER, THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE WOULD ALSO REQUIRE THE CITY OFFICIAL TO

[00:55:04]

VERBALLY NOTIFY A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BODY THEY ARE APPOINTED TO, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF A P AND Z COMMISSIONER HAD TO WITHDRAW FROM PARTICIPATION, THEY WOULD NOW ALSO BE REQUIRED TO INFORM THE CHAIR OF P AND Z, SO FOR EACH OF THOSE CHANGES, I HAVE SUMMARIZED, I HAVE PUT TOGETHER THIS KIND OF SUMMARY SLIDE TO SAY WHAT THE PROPOSED CHANGE, WHAT IS PROPOSED VERSUS WHAT CURRENTLY EXISTS, AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE BOARD OF ETHICS GOAL WAS WITH EACH OF THE CHANGES. THIS IS ALL FOR THE FIRST PROPOSAL. THERE IS A SECOND ONE. IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO UNDERSTAND OR A LITTLE LESS COMPLICATED, SO I'LL PAUSE HERE. THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE. FOR DIRECTION. SURE. OKAY OKAY, REGARDING PROPOSAL ONE, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, DIRECTIONS FOR STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT TWO. THANK THANKS FOR THAT. PAUSE. MADISON, SO I GUESS MAYBE I JUST DIDN'T MY SCREEN DIDN'T UPDATE OR SOMETHING, CAN YOU FLIP TO THE SLIDE? I GUESS IT'S SIX. THE ONE THAT'S DESCRIBING THE FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS. YES. IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN OUR BACKUP? IT DOES SEEM TO BE. YEAH. I NOTICED THAT IN THE ORDINANCE, THERE IS THIS $10,000 PIECE ABOUT DEBTORS AND CREDITORS, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S THE SAME. SO. AND THEN AND THEN I DID ADD THIS, SUMMARY SLIDE THAT WAS NOT IN YOUR BACKUP. IS IT, IS IT WAS IT THE BOARD'S INTENT THAT THE, A SUBSTANTIAL I NOTE IN OUR THE BACKUP I HAVE THAT THAT WAS LISTED AS UNDEFINED. AND YOU HAVE IT THERE TOO. IS IT THE INTENT THAT THE DEFINITION IS 10,000, OR. I'M. I GUESS I'M JUST ASKING FOR A LITTLE CLARITY ON THAT, I THINK SO WHAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD WAS THAT THE DEFINITION OF OUTSIDE EMPLOYER OR BUSINESS INCLUDES, THIS $10,000 THRESHOLD FOR SOMEONE THAT THE CITY OFFICIAL IS OWED OR OWES, MORE THAN $10,000 IN, IT DOESN'T EXACTLY LINE UP WITH DEBT OR CREDITOR AS ITS OWN, AS IT'S ALSO DEFINED LATER IN THE ORDINANCE. SO I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE INCONSISTENCY THERE THAT CAN BE CLEARED UP, SO JUST AS A HYPOTHETICAL IS THE RECOMMENDATION COMING BEFORE US, THAT CLIENT AND CUSTOMER ALSO FOLLOWS THAT. SO IF YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO USE A HYPOTHETICAL IF I BUY A $40,000 CAR FROM BILL UTTER, FORD AND BILL UTTER COMES BEFORE US ON AN ITEM AND ACTUALLY, IF ALL OF US HAPPEN TO HAVE BOUGHT FORDS THAT YEAR, WHAT HAPPENS? WELL, IF I BELIEVE THERE'S A SECTION IN THE ORDINANCE THAT IF YOU ALL HAVE STILL ALLOWED TO VOTE ON IT, SO THERE'S THAT PART, AND THEN, YES, I BELIEVE THAT. WELL, I THINK IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT WE CONSIDER SUBSTANTIAL, WHICH IS NOT I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S CLEARLY DEFINED CURRENTLY. OKAY. WELL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL STOP THERE ON THIS SECTION. I APPRECIATE THAT, REPRESENTATIVE SIX, THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, SO, HI.

IF I COULD GIVE YOU ANOTHER HYPOTHETICAL, SAY SOMEONE COMES IN TO, THE LAW FIRM WHERE I WORK AND HAS A CONSULTATION OR HIRES ONE OF THE OTHER ATTORNEYS TO DRAFT A WILL WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO IF THEY WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT COMES BEFORE COUNCIL ASKING FOR A VOTE ON SOMETHING NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO RECUSE MYSELF, BUT I CAN'T EVEN PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD MAKE IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR, BUSINESSES TO EVER, PARTICIPATE ON COUNCIL OR FREQUENT, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS BUSINESS, OR AM I MISSING SOMETHING? THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. I THINK THE INTENTION IS THAT IF YOU PERFORMED, IF YOU DID, THE WILL, THAT THEY WOULD BE YOUR CLIENT. AND SO YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE ON THAT, BUT IF OR PARTICIPATE, IT SAID. RIGHT, CORRECT. SO SOMEONE COULD POTENTIALLY WEAPONIZE THIS AND SAY, I DON'T THINK COUNCILWOMAN CHESTER IS GOING TO VOTE IN MY FAVOR. I'LL GO TO HER FIRM FOR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SMALL, MAYBE A TRANSACTION, AND THEN I KNOW FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, SHE IS UNABLE TO NOT ONLY VOTE, BUT PARTICIPATE. IN ANY, IN ANY MATTER BEFORE COUNCIL. I SUPPOSE THAT COULD HAPPEN. OKAY I'M REALLY, REALLY SCARED. OKAY, ANYONE REPRESENTING. DISTRICT FIVE? THANKS FOR THE PRESENTATION, MADISON, JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS, CAN YOU DEFINE

[01:00:01]

ENTITY FOR ME? I DON'T BELIEVE ENTITY IS DEFINED IN THE ORDINANCE, IS THAT A LEGAL QUESTION? NO. OKAY CAN YOU DEFINE WAS THERE ANY DISCUSSION AS TO WHAT SUBSTANTIAL MEANS THE BOARD DID DISCUSS THE WORD SUBSTANTIAL AND CHOSE NOT TO DEFINE IT. WHO WOULD DEFINE THAT ? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF AN ETHICS ORDINANCE WAS SUBMITTED, SORRY. IF AN ETHICS COMPLAINT WERE TO BE SUBMITTED, THAT WOULD BE A JUDGMENT DECISION MADE BY THE BOARD OF ETHICS. IF IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE THEY HAD HELD A HEARING ABOUT IT. OKAY ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MA'AM, I'M GOING TO LISTEN TO YOUR MIND BEFORE I. NO PROBLEM, REPRESENTATIVE IN DISTRICT SIX, SO I WAS ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT THE REP EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT. SO SAY SOMEONE RECEIVES AN AWARD FROM OUR DAILY BREAD OR UNITED WAY FROM DENTON COUNTY FOR SOME EFFORTS ON A PROJECT. WOULD THEY THEN BE EXCLUDED FROM FROM VOTING ON ANY POTENTIAL MATTERS WITH THOSE NONPROFITS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, IF THEY BENEFITED PERSONALLY, WITH THEIR PERSONAL REPUTATION FROM THAT GROUP? I THINK THAT WOULD BE A DECISION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAKE. AND THEN I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S NECESSARILY CLEAR, CLEAR CUT IN THE ORDINANCE. WHAT ADVICE I SHOULD GIVE YOU. THE ORDINANCE DOES ALLOW FOR, CITY OFFICIALS TO REQUEST ADVICE FROM THE BOARD OF ETHICS ON THE APPLICABLE APPLICABILITY OF THE ORDINANCE. SO IF YOU CAME TO ME WITH IN THAT SITUATION UNDER THIS CURRENT ORDINANCE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU GET ADVICE FROM THE BOARD. SO THE ANSWER IS WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW. I DO NOT KNOW. OKAY. SO WHAT ABOUT HAVING DINNER AT A RESTAURANT? IS THAT SOMETHING ONCE YOU'VE EXCHANGED THAT GOOD OR SERVICE THAT IF SOMEONE THAT WORKS THERE IS LATER PART OF A GROUP OR PART OF A DOWNTOWN MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT THEN THAT COUNCIL PERSON COULDN'T PARTICIPATE OR VOTE ON ANY MATTER WITH THEM BASED ON THE BOARD'S DISCUSSION. I DON'T THINK THAT IS THE INTENTION, AND THAT IS WHY THE SUBSTANTIAL WORDING IS IN THERE, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT DEFINED. OKAY AND SORRY, ONE MORE QUESTION. SO FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE WORN A SHIRT WITH MY LAW FIRM LOGO TO CITY EVENTS BEFORE. IF I'M NOT PRESENTING SOMETHING, BUT IF I'M JUST SHOWING UP TO DOG DAYS OF DENTON AND HAVE A MINOR IN JESTER SHIRT ON, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE. I'D BE IN, IN VIOLATION OF THE ETHICS ORDINANCE. I WOULD HAVE TO. I WOULD AGAIN ADVISE YOU TO REQUEST GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD.

I THINK WE NEED A LOT MORE DEFINITION ON ON ON THIS, I THINK, AND ARE THERE ANY ATTORNEYS ON THE BOARD OF ETHICS RIGHT NOW? NO, THAT'S NOT A THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT ANYMORE. OKAY. SO ARE THERE ANY, YOU KNOW, I'LL I'LL RESERVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT I AM A MEMBER OF A NONPROFIT GROUP. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT? YES, I CAN, AND THIS NONPROFIT GROUP WANTED TO. TO DO SOMETHING IN REGARDS TO, A CITY USING CITY FACILITY AND. AND I HAD TO COME IN FRONT OF THE BOARD OF ETHICS. I MEAN, IT WAS A VERY NATURAL THING TO COME TO THE BOARD OF ETHICS TO, HAVE THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT IS NOT ME AS, MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT THIS PARTICULAR GROUP THAT I HAPPEN TO BE A MEMBER OF. AND IT WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY SPECIFIC YOU KNOW, TYPE OF REQUEST. SO WHEN SHE WHEN SHE'S SAYING THAT, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO COME BEFORE THE BOARD OF ETHICS TO HASH OUT AND ASK THE QUESTIONS, THE PROPER QUESTIONS IN THAT REGARD. THEN AS A MEMBER OF THIS DAIS, AND I GUESS ANYBODY ELSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR JOB. NO, I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS THAT YOU COME BEFORE AND IT'S AND WE CAN ALL GO BEFORE THE BOARD OF ETHICS AND SAY, HERE'S THE SITUATION THAT I'M IN. HOW IS THIS GOING? WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? AND THAT'S OUR JOB IS TO

[01:05:02]

MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A BOARD OF ETHICS THAT CAN, ANSWER THAT, THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION. SO NOW IF IT COMES UP AGAIN, I'LL HAVE AN I'LL ALREADY HAVE SOME BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO WADE INTO OR NOT. BUT IF I DON'T KNOW, THAT'S WHAT MY BOARD OF ETHICS IS FOR, IS TO GO TO THEM AND CLEAN UP WHATEVER IT IS. AND I NEED TO CLEAN UP. SO BUT I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD AND, MAKE MY RECOMMENDATION. I WANT TO DO THE ADOPT AS RECOMMENDED.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE, REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER GESTURES COMMENT ABOUT, ONE ON ONE ESSENTIALLY HAS THE ABILITY TO GAG A COUNCIL MEMBER BY BY DOING BUSINESS WITH THAT COUNCIL MEMBER, FOR A TWO YEAR PERIOD. AND I ALSO THINK THAT IT ESSENTIALLY REQUIRES THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS BE PSYCHIC AND UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT'S GOING TO COME BEFORE THEM IF FOR TWO YEARS, I, I, I AM REJECTING THE AMENDMENT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT TWO I IF WE IF YOU GO THROUGH THE PARTS OF IT A LOT A LOT OF THEM ARE OF TWO, SEVEN, THREE ARE JUST CORRECTIVE. THEY'RE FINE. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM. I THE PART WE SEEM TO BE STUMBLING OVER IS, IS TWO, SEVEN, 3A1D, AND SO, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE WILL AGREE WITH ME, BUT, BUT BUT I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE POINT WAS, IS TO DEFINE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND PERHAPS THEY GOT TIED UP IN THE LANGUAGE WE GAVE THEM BEFORE. I DON'T KNOW, WE CAN ASK THE CHAIR THAT SHE'S HERE, BUT, IN IN SPEAKING WITH HER IN THE PAST ON THIS ISSUE, IT DOES SEEM LIKE MAYBE THAT'S THE CASE, THAT THEY WERE OVERLY TIED TO WORDSMITHING RATHER THAN CRAFTING. FOR THIS. AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MY DIRECTION WOULD BE TO, GO BACK IN AND DO WHOLESALE REPLACEMENT OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST SECTION FOR 2.7 A, ONE D AT LEAST IF NOT ALTOGETHER WHETHER THE REST OF IT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REPLACING CONSANGUINITY AND SOME OF THE TERMINOLOGY BUT ARE FINE. BUT THERE'S TOO MANY UNKNOWNS HERE.

I THINK WE DON'T HAVE TO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAMSTRING OURSELVES OR TIE OUR HANDS. BUT I THINK WE DO NEED A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICITY ON WHAT'S REGULAR BUSINESS. WHAT'S NOT REGULAR BUSINESS? WHAT'S A RELATIONSHIP, MY IMPRESSION HAD BEEN IN THE PAST. THAT WAS THE DIRECTION THAT WE GAVE, THE BOARD OF ETHICS. AND IF IT'S NOT, THEN. THEN THAT'S OUR FAILING FOR NOT BEING CLEAR TO THE BOARD OF ETHICS. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM CRAFT A SOLUTION TO CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND NOT GET TRAPPED BY WORDSMITHING THING ON SPECIFIC DOLLAR AMOUNTS. SO. SO, I CAN SUPPORT THE 2.73, CHANGES, BUT I WOULD NOT TWO BUT NOT 2.7 3A1. D, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO GO BACK TO THE BOARD TO GET, MORE CRAFTING. AND THEN OF COURSE, I'LL RESERVE DIRECTION ON, ON TWO, EIGHT, ONE UNTIL AFTER THAT PRESENTATION. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE WITH DIRECTION REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT FIVE. MAYOR CAN WE HEAR FROM THE CHAIR, PLEASE? YES. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR US, NOT. YES. IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, CERTAINLY. I'M JUST NOT GOING TO LET HER OPINE ON EVERYTHING. RIGHT. YOU HAVE TO HAVE HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT, YOU CAN COME ON UP AND THEN GIVE YOUR NAME, AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. YES. I DO HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR.

AND I WILL GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC ANSWER AS BEST I CAN. MAY I START BY SAYING, IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME I'M SORRY. MY NAME IS ANITA RAMSEY AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF ETHICS. I WOULD LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT I LOVE THE QUESTIONS YOU ARE ASKING, AND THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD OF ETHICS HAVE THE VERY SAME QUESTIONS. MAKE A POINT OF ORDER. YES, I NEED A SPECIFIC QUESTION. WELL, STATE YOUR STATE YOUR POINT OF ORDER. IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE HAD A QUESTION. YEAH, I WAS TRYING NOT TO. YEAH ONE SECOND. COUNCILMEMBER GRAY,

[01:10:08]

YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. YEAH I JUST I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT. THAT'S WHY. BUT, SO MY QUESTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DEFINITIONS OF SOME THINGS, ENTITY AND SUBSTANTIAL, MADISON SAID, Y'ALL HAD SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. DO YOU THINK THAT IF YOU TAKE ANOTHER STAB AT THIS, YOU CAN MORE CLEARLY DEFINE SOME OF THE AMBIGUOUS TERMINOLOGY? AND I WILL ACCEPT NO AS AN ANSWER? WELL I THINK THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THAT THIS CODE IS VERY WEAK. IT HAS BEEN WEAK FROM DAY ONE.

AND SO WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE BITS OF IT. AND SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE WITH THIS CONFLICT OF INTEREST PART, WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT, YOU'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OLDER PARTS OF THE CODE THAT YEAH, DON'T FIT WITH ANYTHING. AND SO THE CODE THAT WE HAVE IS VERY GEARED TOWARD, BUSINESS AND MONEY AND ETHICS ARE A MUCH BROADER CONFLICT THAN THAT. IT'S IT'S LIKE A HIGHER STANDARD OF THINGS. AND SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WE HAVE THIS BUSINESS AND MONEY CODE. WELL, LET ME SAY I READ CODES OF ETHICS FOR SPORT AND BECAUSE I GUESS I'M A NERD AND I DON'T SEE THIS KIND OF LANGUAGE IN THE OTHER CODES OF ETHICS FROM OTHER CITIES, EITHER FROM THE STATE OR FROM THE COUNTRY. I AM VERY IN LOVE WITH A MODEL CODE THAT WAS WRITTEN BY A MAN NAMED ROBERT WESCHLER, WHO WAS A LAWYER, WITH DEGREES FROM COLUMBIA AND HARVARD. SO OUR CODE IS JUST REALLY HARD TO DEAL WITH, AND IT'S ALMOST UNENFORCEABLE. SO THE BIGGEST THING THAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THAT IT'S NARROW BECAUSE THE LANGUAGE IS PENDING MATTER. SO IF YOU FOLLOW THAT LOGIC, PENDING AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE GLOSSARY TO SEE WHAT PENDING MEANS, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MEAN WHAT IS TYPICALLY MEANT IN LAW. I'LL JUST SAY THIS AND I'LL I'LL LET OTHERS HAVE IT, JUST BRING UP A GOOD POINT ABOUT RELATED SHIPS THAT WE ALL HAVE IN OUR NORMAL COURSE AS, AS CITIZENS. THIS DOES GIVE ME A BIT OF CAUSE FOR PAUSE IS UNDERSTANDING THAT. LET ME JUST LISTEN HER COMMENT THAT THIS CODE COULD BE WEAPONIZED IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. IT ALREADY HAS BEEN WEAPONIZED. WE DON'T LIKE THAT. WE THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET EVERYBODY TO A HIGHER STANDARD OF BEHAVIOR. SO YEAH. OKAY. WELL AND OKAY, LET ME LET ME SAY TOO, AND THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT MEDICINE. LET ME SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. SORRY.

SORRY TO INTERRUPT. OKAY ANY ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OKAY. GOT IT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE REPRESENTATIVE. SO IF YOU HAVE ANY ANYONE ELSE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD CHAIR.

REPRESENTATIVE SIX. HI. HELLO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU, I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT. WHY THIS? WHY I'M CONCERNED.

YEAH WITH SOME OF WHAT'S HERE, AM I PERHAPS MISUNDERSTAND THING? WOULD THERE ONLY BE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IF WHATEVER GOODS OR SERVICES HAVE BEEN EXCHANGED ARE AT ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL OR IT'S ANY GOOD, OR WAS THE INTENTION OF THE BOARD ANY GOODS OR SERVICES EXCHANGED AND IT SAYS ANY WITHIN A TWO YEAR PERIOD EXCLUDES YOU OR YOUR ENTITY FROM THAT PERSON OR THAT ENTITY. THEIR ENTITY. THAT HAS NOT BEEN TRUE, ALTHOUGH I CAN SEE THAT INTERPRETATION, I AM I SHARE THAT CONCERN. I WILL SAY THAT IT IT'S VERY EASY TO COME BEFORE A PANEL FOR AN OPINION ON WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING IS A PROBLEM, AS COUNCILWOMAN BIRD CAN CAN TESTIFY TO. AND THEN WE FIND A WAY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND FIGURE OUT IF THAT'S UNETHICAL. YEAH, IT'S JUST DIFFICULT FOR THOSE THAT GIVE SERVICES THAT HAVE 50 TO 100 TO KNOW. I KNOW 500. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS ABOUT THIS CODE THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO START SOMETIMES. SO WE PICKED THE TWO BIGGEST THINGS BECAUSE THE LAST TIME WE CAME HERE, WE PICKED LITTLE THINGS AND WE WERE ACCUSED OF WORDSMITHING. SO AND I BET IT WILL HELP WHEN WE GET YOU SOME HELP, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT AT FULL SPEED RIGHT NOW. I MEAN, I SAW THAT FOUR PEOPLE WERE

[01:15:02]

PRESENT FOR THIS MEETING WHERE THIS WAS VOTED ON. SO THAT'S ALSO KIND OF NOT NOT FAIR TO HAVE MORE HEADS IN THE ROOM. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANSWER AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. AND PLEASE, KNOW THAT I APPRECIATE YOU AND YOUR HEART AND THAT I HEAR THAT JUST THE WORDS THAT AND MY LIVELIHOOD THAT I'M AFRAID OF. THANK YOU. I UNDERSTAND, COUNCIL THANKS.

THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE BOARD CHAIR SEEING NONE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH I APPRECIATE IT, QUESTIONS FOR STAFF DIRECTION FOR STAFF. REPRESENTATIVE.

DISTRICT TWO. JUST FOR CLARITY, OR WE'RE STILL PARSING TWO, SEVEN, THREE FROM 281. IS THAT CORRECT? YOU HAVE. YES. NO ONE ELSE HAS. NO NO NO NO, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE PROPOSAL. YEAH.

PROPOSAL ONE LET'S SAY BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER YOU LIST. YOU LIST TWO. THERE'S ONE OTHER PROPOSAL.

YEAH YES. YEAH. SO THERE'S ONE OTHER PROPOSAL. SO YES. BECAUSE YOU, YOU BROKE IT OUT IN A WHATEVER THESE PARCELS ARE. NO ONE ELSE HAS BROKEN THAT OUT, YES. PROPOSAL ONE IS WHERE WE ARE. ANYONE ELSE? DIRECTION? I HAVE, MAYOR, REPRESENTATIVE, IF POSSIBLE, I'D REALLY LIKE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS BEFORE I GIVE DIRECTION. JUST SO I CAN KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, FLESH THIS OUT A LITTLE MORE. OKAY. MY QUESTIONS ARE THESE. IT TALKS ABOUT PERSONAL BENEFIT, AND THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. AND EVEN WITH THE AMBIGUITY, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMBIGUITY. BUT IT MAY EVEN BE A FAIR TRADE OFF. SO FOR PERSONAL BENEFIT, DO WE HAVE A DEFINITION OF THAT? YES OKAY. WHERE IS IT? CAN YOU HELP ME DIRECT ME TO THAT AND FORGIVE ME, THIS IS IT ON THE SLIDE HERE . OH, YEAH. YEAH. NO, I READ THAT. I GOT YOU. SO, THEN THEN I GUESS THEN MY QUESTION WOULD BE, LET ME FIND THE EXACT LANGUAGE THAT I WOULD ATTRIBUTE IT TO.

QUESTION TO. YES YES. SO AT THE VERY BEGINNING, AT THE VERY END, AND I QUOTE A PERSONAL INTEREST MEANS A RELATIONSHIP TO SOMETHING SUCH THAT A PERSON'S PERSONAL BENEFIT HAS BEEN, WILL BE, OR MIGHT BE OBTAINED BY CERTAIN ACTION INACTION WITH RESPECT TO IT. RIGHT AND THEN YOU. SO THAT'S THE SUBHEADING OF THAT. WE RATIFY ELECTION RESULTS. SO THAT IS A PENDING MATTER BECAUSE WE HAVE TO VOTE TO CALL THOSE ELECTIONS. WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE RESULTS OF THOSE ELECTIONS. SO IF ADOPTED, THIS PREVENT PEOPLE FROM ENDORSING EACH OTHER BECAUSE IT'S A PERSONAL YOU'RE PERSONALLY SAYING, I WOULD PREFER THIS PERSON TO WIN AN ELECTION THAT WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON AND WE'RE GOING TO CALL MAKING IT A PENDING ITEM, I WOULD AGAIN ADVISE THAT GO BEFORE THE BOARD FOR A OPINION, BUT JUST YOUR PLAIN READING OF THE LANGUAGE I DON'T THINK THAT YOU WOULD BE PREVENTED FROM VOTE DOING YOUR ADMINISTRATIVE DUTY TO VOTE ON RATIFYING THE ELECTION RESULTS. IS THAT YOUR. THAT'S NOT YOUR QUESTION, THOUGH. THAT IS THAT'S PART OF IT. THAT MAKES IT A PENDING MATTER. BUT THEN ALSO IT'S IT PROHIBITS PERSONAL INTEREST. RIGHT? I HAVE A PERSONAL INTEREST IN A INDIVIDUAL RIGHT OR WRONG. AND IF I'M WRONG, I'M WRONG. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER, I'M JUST A LITTLE CONFUSED. I'M SO IF I HAVE A PERSONAL INTEREST IN WHO SITS AT THE DAIS. RIGHT. AND I ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN THAT PROCESS IN PASSING THAT TO THE DEGREE I CAN FOR MY BENEFIT. RIGHT. LIKE IT IS MY BENEFIT THAT I'M SEEKING TO. HAVE A SAY IN. RIGHT. SO THAT'S AGAIN I IF I'M IF I'M ABSOLUTELY WRONG, I'M ABSOLUTELY WRONG. I DON'T HAVE A DOG IN HUNT. I'M JUST ASKING. IT'S NOT AGAINST THE CURRENT CODE FOR SURE, AND I AGAIN, I DON'T I THINK THAT WOULD BE IF THERE WAS AN ETHICS COMPLAINT SUBMITTED, THAT WOULD BE A DECISION THAT THE BOARD OF ETHICS WOULD HAVE TO MAKE IF IT GOT TO AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING. I DON'T I'M NOT A LAWYER. RIGHT. YEAH, BUT BUT THE AVERAGE PERSON, JUST A LAY PERSON, THOUGH, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO. I'M BIASED BECAUSE I'M ASKING A QUESTION. RIGHT. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET YOUR YOU DON'T HAVE A DOG IN THE HUNT. SO YOU'RE PLAYING READING OF THE LANGUAGE SAYS, AND I'M SORRY TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON I HAVE. THE, THE CHAIR VOTED ON IT. AND SO THERE'S YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE

[01:20:04]

THAT'S GENERALLY REMOVED FROM THE PROCESS TO JUST REPRESENT A SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT WAS THE BOARD'S INTENTION. OKAY WOULD BE TO PREVENT THAT, I COULD SEE THE BOARD GOING EITHER WAY ON IT, DEPENDING ON WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID AND DONE. OKAY. GOT IT, THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS FOR LEGAL, OBVIOUSLY THIS IS NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND IT FOR MY OWN UNDERSTANDING. WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT REMOVING THE CONSANGUINITY , ALL THOSE THINGS ADMITTEDLY CONFUSING, BUT IS THAT THE LEGAL TERM OF ART WHEN YOU WHEN YOU GO INTO WHEN YOU GO INTO A THAT'S KIND OF HAS A DOES IT HAVE A LEGAL DEFINITION? WHY DO WE USE THAT LANGUAGE VERSUS JUST THE COMMON LANGUAGE? IS THERE A REASON? NO, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC REASON. IT IS ACTUALLY I MEAN IT IS A VERY DEFINED TERM CONSANGUINITY. AND THIS THE, THE LEVELS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT, WHY WE USE IT NECESSARILY IN OUR CODE, I THINK IS JUST AN EASY WAY TO, TO DESCRIBE IT. THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS. BUT IF YOU WANT TO GET MORE SPECIFIC, OBVIOUSLY LIKE WE'RE PROPOSING HERE, IT LOOKS LIKE WE CAN JUST START NAMING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS. AND THAT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR EVERYBODY. OKAY, GOT IT. THANK YOU, YEAH. SO GENERALLY UNDERSTAND WHERE IT'S GOING, BUT I'M NOT SUPPORTIVE FOR THE REASONS THAT WERE MENTIONED. THE CHAIR IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. IT'S BEEN WEAPONIZED. BUT ALSO YOU KNOW I I'M NOT GOING TO I DON'T MY CHANCES OF GETTING REELECTED IN 26 ARE SLIM TO NONE. SO WE'RE JUST WE'RE FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY FREE OVER HERE. RIGHT. LIKE THIS IS SO I'M GOOD. BUT I WOULD JUST SAY MY CONCERN IS THE, THE IF WE HAVE AS A BODY, IF EVERY DECISION HAS TO GO TO THE ETHICS COMMISSION BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE A DECISION THAT'S NOT PRODUCTIVE EITHER. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR, BUT THERE'S SEVEN OF US. YOU'D HAVE TO ROUND EVERYONE UP EVERY TIME. I MEAN, WE'VE WE'VE LISTED 3 OR 4 EXAMPLES THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO NOW. AND SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE. SO I'M NOT A NO I'M JUST I NEED MORE INFORMATION I NEED EXAMPLES OF FOR AND I THINK THE KEY WOULD BE THERE WAS DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE HAD IN THE ROOM AND IF THOSE WERE BROUGHT FORWARD TO SAY, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS, THEN I CAN SYNC UP WITH WHAT THE BOARD'S MINDSET IS AND SEE IF IT ACHIEVES THAT, OR ADD DIRECTION TO MODIFY IT TO BETTER OBTAIN THAT THAT OUTCOME, BUT NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS OTHER THAN TO SAY IT'S TO REAL THINGS IN I, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO GET ON BOARD WITH IT AS IT'S WRITTEN, BECAUSE I ONLY GET ONE. WHEN PEOPLE LOOK IT UP. THEY DON'T LOOK AT CONTEXT TO SEE ANY THINGS. I SAID, RIGHT, BECAUSE THIS, THAT, THAT WE SOLIDIFIED THAT. SO WHAT'S GOING TO WHAT'S GOING TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LOOK UP IS YES OR NO. AND I CAN'T SAY YES AS IT'S CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTED. SO I HAVE TO SAY NO. BLESS YOU. BECAUSE IT'S MISSING SOME, SOME COMPONENTS. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M STUCK WITH BECAUSE AGAIN WHEN PEOPLE SEARCH THEY DON'T SEARCH FOR CONTEXT. THEY SEARCH FOR HOW DID HE VOTE ON THAT AND WHY DID YOU SUPPORT THAT. AND I CAN'T SUPPORT IT AS WRITTEN. I UNDERSTAND THE GOAL, SUPPORTIVE OF THE GOAL. JUST NEED MORE CLARITY HOW HOW WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE SO THAT I CAN THEN WORK TOWARDS THAT. SO FOR THOSE KEEPING SCORE PROPOSAL ONE, I'M NO BUT GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE WHERE THEY'RE GOING. JUST NEED MORE INFORMATION. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT SIX. SORRY SORRY. TWO MORE PIECES OF INPUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, FIRST, I THINK THAT, RECUSING THEMSELVES, IF SOMEONE DOES HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, ACCORDING TO THE CODE, IS, OF COURSE, COMPLETELY APPROPRIATE. HOWEVER, I DO QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE SOME INSIDE INFORMATION AND EVERYONE IS VERY CLEAR AND IT'S OUT IN THE OPEN THAT THERE IS A CONFLICT. HOWEVER, THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GIVE SOME INFORMATION THAT IS HELPFUL TO THE BODY BEFORE MAKING A DECISION. SO I WOULD MAYBE LIKE I, I'M NOT SAYING YES OR NO. I'M SAYING I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED. AND SECONDLY, MY, MY FEAR IS THAT THE DONATION AMOUNT OF 200, HAS THERE BEEN A DONATION AMOUNT BEFORE THAT SAYS IF SOMEONE DONATES TO YOU, YOU HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, AND IF THEY'RE INVOLVED IN AN ENTITY, YOU CAN'T PARTICIPATE OR VOTE? IS THIS NEW IN THE CURRENT ORDINANCE? YES. THERE'S NOT IN

[01:25:04]

THE CURRENT ORDINANCE THAT THERE IS NO CURRENT CLAUSE IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WOULD CREATE WOULD SAY THAT THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IF SOMEONE HAS DONATED TO A CAMPAIGN. OKAY.

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I'M SORRY. YEAH. OKAY. SO, I'VE NOT REALLY FLESHED THAT OUT YET, BUT I WILL SAY, I THINK 200 IS TOO LOW BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IN THIS DAY AND AGE, 200 BUYS A WOULD BUY A VOTE. BUT, MY CONCERN IS THAT THE PEOPLE THAT DO DONATE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY. AND THEY DO SEE. AND I FEEL LIKE IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL LIKE THEY CAN DONATE AND GET THEIR NAME, YOU KNOW, AS A SUPPORTER OF SOMEONE, AS OPPOSED TO SAYING, OH, I'M GOING TO ASK MY AUNT OUT OF TOWN TO DONATE INSTEAD, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST I'M JUST SAYING, I, I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED FURTHER. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF THE PROS AND CONS, OF A FEW OF THESE DECISIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? DIRECTION. ALL RIGHT. I DON'T. LET ME SEE. SO THERE'S ONE MORE PROPOSAL. YES BUT ON THIS ONE, I DON'T SEE THAT WE HAVE CONSENSUS. SEE CONSENSUS ON ANY OF THE PIECES. RIGHT. OKAY. GOT IT. IS THERE YOU ARE. YOU WERE WAITING, REPRESENTING DISTRICT FIVE. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, MAYOR? SINCE THERE IS NO CONSENSUS, WILL THE DIRECTION ULTIMATELY BE TO GO BACK AND TAKE ANOTHER STAB AT THE FIRST PROPOSAL, OR WILL IT JUST BE JUST BE DONE WITH IT HERE, OR DOES THAT NEED TO BE GIVEN DIRECTION? OR I PLAN TO TELL THE BOARD ABOUT THE CONVERSATION TODAY AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING IN AUGUST, AND THEY THERE'S NOTHING THAT PROHIBITS THEM FROM BRINGING IN THE ORDINANCE CURRENTLY THAT PROHIBITS THEM FROM BRINGING BACK SOMETHING SIMILAR. OKAY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER JESTER JUST DID, YOU COULD OTHER THAN CLEANING UP SOME OF THE AMBIGUITY, WHICH I'VE ALREADY SAID. SO I'M GOOD. THANK YOU. MADISON. AND I JUST TO BE CLEAR, BECAUSE I SEE THE GOALS ON THE SIDE. BUT FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL JUST TELL YOU, I GIVE YOU THE HARD SELL EVERY TIME I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU AGAIN. PLEASE PULL SOMEBODY IN THAT THAT INVITE SOMEONE IN THAT'S RUN FOR OFFICE. BECAUSE THAT THAT LAST NOTE AT THE BOTTOM, PERSONAL ENTITY FROM WHICH $200 IN A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION AND RECEIVED. YOU JUST PUSH EVERYTHING TO A PAC.

SO THEN IT DOESN'T COME UP AND THEN YOU'LL NEVER KNOW. RIGHT? YOU YOU WANT TO GET RID OF NO ONE WHO'S GIVEN MONEY. PASS THAT. SO IT'S I UNDERSTAND THE GOAL, BUT THE GOAL IS NOT GOING TO ACHIEVE THE OUTCOME YOU WANT. WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO IS PUSH EVERYTHING OFF THE RADAR AND BY THE TIME THE ELECTION IS OVER, YOU MAY GET THE FEEDBACK ON WHO'S INVOLVED IN THE PAC AND WHERE IT WENT, BUT IT'S ALL OVER. SO I MEAN, NOT THAT I'M TRYING TO SELL PEOPLE ON HOW TO FIND A LOOPHOLE, BUT THAT ONE IS A KNOWN COMMODITY. SO I UNDERSTAND THE GOALS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF SEE, YOU KNOW, SEE THOSE ARRANGED A LITTLE DIFFERENT DISCUSSION IS OR AND MAYBE THAT BECAUSE THAT ALLOWS ME TO GET FEEDBACK TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY'RE GOING. SO JUST FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, DISTRICT TWO REPRESENTATIVE, I COULDN'T AGREE WITH THE MAYOR MORE, I KNOW THAT THAT CAN BE ODD TO SAY SOMETIMES, BUT I COMPLETELY COSIGN WITH THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS JUST NOW, SO I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD AMEND OUR DIRECTION TO, TO, PROACTIVELY, NOT CASUALLY, BUT PROACTIVELY SEND THIS BACK TO THE BOARD OF ETHICS AND HAVE THEM, WORK, ON IT. GIVEN THESE COMMENTS, NOT NOT CASUALLY, BUT, MAYBE EVEN IF, I MEAN, I NORMALLY I KNOW JULY 4TH IS WHEN YOU MEET, WHICH IS WHY YOU CANCEL JULY, BUT MAYBE YOU COULD EVEN DO A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OR SOMETHING AND HAVE JULY IN THERE, RATHER THAN SKIP ALL THE WAY TO AUGUST SO THAT THESE ARE IN YOUR THESE COMMENTS ARE FRESH IN PEOPLE'S BRAINS, THAT THAT IS THAT IS UP TO YOU AND THE CHAIR. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE SCHEDULING, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HOPE THAT COUNCIL WOULD BE PROACTIVE IN THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO SEND THIS BACK TO THE BOARD OF ETHICS. AND AND MAKE THE DEFINITIVE CORRECTIONS THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE AND FEEL EMPOWERED TO DO THAT RATHER THAN AND ACHIEVE THE GOALS, NOT ANYTHING ELSE. SO I HOPE OTHERS WILL VOICE UP TO BE PROACTIVE. GOT IT. OKAY YEAH. AND I'M FINE WITH THAT. I WANT IT TO BE WELL THOUGHT OUT. WELL, HAVE A HEALTHY DISCUSSION, RIGHT? THERE'S NOT A HURRY TO COME BACK AS FAR AS JUST TO GET SOMETHING BACK BY A DEADLINE. BUT ONCE IT'S READY, CERTAINLY.

[01:30:01]

AND YOU'VE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND IT'S READY, I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT IT COMING BACK AS QUICKLY AS THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED. AND THE BOARD'S COMFORTABLE WITH IT BASED ON THE FEEDBACK, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. I MEAN, IT'S A WORTHY DISCUSSION. IT'S A WORTHY CONVERSATION, IT'S JUST THAT, I, I BELIEVE AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE JUST A, SOMEONE FROM ANOTHER BOARD SIT IN ON THOSE THINGS AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS, MAYBE, BUT BUT I, I, I BELIEVE IT'S FULLY BAKED OR CLOSE ENOUGH WHEN THERE'S ANSWERS TO THOSE GENERAL QUESTIONS LIKE, HEY, WHAT ABOUT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THAT? WHAT ABOUT THIS? AND IN THAT BOARD MEETING ENVIRONMENT, THERE'S ANSWERS. QUICK, QUICK AND READY COMES HERE. THERE'LL BE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS. YOU DIDN'T THINK ABOUT, BUT THERE WILL ALSO BE ANSWERS THAT ARE AT THE READY FOR THESE KIND OF GENERAL SCENARIOS, AND SO BUT YEAH, NO, BY ALL MEANS, WHENEVER IT CAN COME BACK, LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, ANYONE ELSE? DIRECTION ON THIS PROPOSAL. GREAT. OKAY OKAY. AND THEN THE SECOND PROPOSAL IS EASIER TO EXPLAIN. THE BOARD IS PROPOSING TO, I'M SORRY, ELIMINATE, THE CURRENT REQUIREMENT FOR A COMPLAINANT TO ATTEND AND TESTIFY AT AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING, SO THIS WOULD ESSENTIALLY ALLOW THE BOARD OF ETHICS TO CONTINUE PROCESSING AN ETHICS COMPLAINT. IF THE PERSON WHO SUBMITTED THE COMPLAINT FAILED TO ATTEND, THE EVIDENTIARY HEARING, IF IT GOT TO THAT, WHEN IT GOT TO THAT POINT, SO THERE'S A TABLE HERE THAT KIND OF SUMMARIZES HOW THAT WOULD CHANGE THE PROCEDURES, THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING, IF THAT OCCURRED. BUT THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE COMPLAINT OR THE SORRY, THE PROPOSED PROPOSAL TO.

OKAY. AND BEFORE WE GO, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT, YOUR SUMMARY SLIDE. WELL DONE ON THAT, BY THE WAY. I BELIEVE IS THERE WAS THERE TRULY AND THIS IS FOR THE FOR THE ENTIRE, COUNCIL. IS THERE TRACTION AROUND DOMESTIC PARTNER FOSTER CHILDREN SHARED THAT THAT CLEANUP IS THERE. IS THERE ANYONE THAT'S OPPOSED TO THAT? BECAUSE, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.

RIGHT. AND MY AND LEGAL ANSWERED MY ONLY CONCERN ABOUT IT. BUT IS THERE IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD HAVE. THAT'S THE SECOND COLUMN THERE. THIRD DEGREE CONSANGUINITY MAKES DEFINITION EASILY EASY TO UNDERSTAND. AND IT GOES INTO, YOU KNOW, IT READS SO. SO IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD DISAGREE WITH MAKING THAT ADJUSTMENT, REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. SHARED HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS. IS THAT CONNECTED TO THE FIRST COUSINS AND GREAT GRANDPARENTS AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, OR IS THAT JUST SOMEBODY DIFFERENT, LIKE YOUR GODDAUGHTER? IT'S INTENDED TO COVER A NON RELATIVE WHO ALSO LIVES IN THE CITY. OFFICIALS HOUSE, A NON RELATIVE THAT LIVES IN THE CITY OFFICIALS HOUSE. SO LIKE A GODDAUGHTER, IF THEY LIVED WITH YOU AND A GODDAUGHTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I MEAN THERE'S THEY CAN'T LIVE WITH ME. THEY CAN VISIT. WELL THEY ANYBODY THEY CAN LIVE WITH YOU. YOU JUST COULDN'T VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT INVOLVED THEM DIRECTLY, RIGHT? THANK YOU. YEAH. OKAY SO IS THERE ANYONE THAT'S A I GUESS THE QUESTION IS I NEED TO SEE THOSE THAT ARE IF YOU'RE AGAINST IT, THEN THEN VOICE THAT CONCERN. OTHERWISE I THINK THAT'S AN ADJUSTMENT THAT WE'LL SEE. I DON'T KNOW. OKAY I, I IS THAT THAT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD OKAY TO ME. BUT YOU ASKED FOR AGAINST. YEAH. IF YOU'RE AGAINST THEN. YEAH. SO WE ARE GOOD WITH THAT OKAY. SORRY. YEAH. SO YEAH. NO ONE'S AGAINST THEN WE'RE WE'RE GOOD I APOLOGIZE. NO, NO, I JUST DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT PART BECAUSE MY, MY CONCERN WAS ADDRESSED AND I DIDN'T HEAR ANY OTHER CONCERNS. AND I WANTED TO AT LEAST CLEAN THAT UP. OKAY BECAUSE THAT THAT IS THAT'S IMPORTANT WORK. SO THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. SORRY. OKAY QUESTIONS ON, THIS CHANGE CHANGE APPEARANCE AND TESTIFY ETC. ETC. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT SIX.

YEAH NO. IT'S GOOD, SO AND I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEONE ON THE BOARD TRYING TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THESE. AND THEY THEY SHARED SOME CONCERNS AS WELL. IF THE INTENT OR ONE OF THE GOALS IS TO DECREASE FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS, HOW WOULD NOT REQUIRING THE COMPLAINANT TO COME AND EXPLAIN THEIR COMPLAINT HELP THAT? I BELIEVE THE INTENTION OF THIS PROPOSAL AND

[01:35:02]

IF THE BOARD OF ETHICS CHAIR WOULD LIKE TO, I CERTAINLY, BUT I BELIEVE THE INTENTION IS TO, THIS PART, THIS PROPOSAL IS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT OTHERWISE CURRENTLY BE NOT ENCOURAGED DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING TO APPEAR OR BEING REPUTATIONALLY IMPACTED BY ATTENDING A HEARING, WHICH WOULD BE IS TO ALLOW THEM TO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I'M SORRY. YEAH, WELL, AND I'M OPEN FOR THE DISCUSSION AND CHANGING MY MIND, BUT WHAT I BELIEVE IS THAT IF SOMEONE COMES FORWARD AND SAYS THIS PERSON IS UNETHICAL, IF THEY'RE GOING TO ATTACK SOMEONE ELSE'S REPUTATION AND CHARACTER, THEY SHOULD SHOW UP. THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO SHOW UP AND EXPLAIN THAT, I, I, I, LIKE I SAID, I UNLESS I HEAR A DIFFERENT ARGUMENT THAT CONVINCES ME OTHERWISE. I THINK THAT WOULD ONLY INCREASE POTENTIAL FRIVOLOUS COMPLAINTS.

IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE CAN JUST KEEP THROWING OUT WEEK BY WEEK AND NOT EVER HAVE TO SHOW UP AND EXPLAIN IT, OR I KNOW THAT YOU'VE SAID SOMEONE ELSE CAN DO IT. THERE COULD BE ONE BAD ACTOR THAT JUST KEEPS SAYING, HEY, CAN I USE YOUR NAME ? I'LL KEEP GOING WEEK AFTER WEEK AND SHOW UP. JUST USING DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S NAMES AS DIFFERENT COMPLAINTS. SO I, I JUST DON'T SEE ENOUGH, ENOUGH OF A PRO TO OUTWEIGH THE CON OF NOT ASKING SOMEONE TO SHOW UP. AND IF THEY'RE SICK, WELL, THEY CAN COME THE NEXT TIME. BUT I THINK IT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL TO BRING A COMPLAINT. AND SO I THINK THE PERSON SHOULD NEED TO BE THERE TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES. BUT AGAIN, I AM I'M OPEN TO BEING SWAYED. THAT'S JUST MY INITIAL, INPUT. THANK YOU. OKAY THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE, THEN FOUR, THEN TWO. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU OR THE CHAIR, BASED OFF OF KIND OF THE CHAIR REFERENCED KIND OF STANDARD ETHICS CODES, WHERE IS THE BURDEN OF PROOF NORMALLY PUT? IS IT NORMALLY UPON THE COMPLAINANT. SO MOST ETHICS CODES UNLIKE THAT WE REVIEWED DO NOT HAVE A SECTION IN THEM THAT SPECIFICALLY CALLS OUT BURDEN OF PROOF. THEY DO GENERALLY REQUIRE THE COMPLAINANT TO ATTEND AND TESTIFY AT A HEARING IF IT GETS TO THAT STAGE. THERE IS A PROCESS BEFORE THAT WHERE THE SOMEBODY TYPICALLY IN OUR CODE, THE BOARD REVIEWS, IS THIS EVEN ACTUALLY A VIOLATION BEFORE IT GETS TO LET'S LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE ABOUT WHAT IS PRESENTED. SO I DON'T. SO DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? SURE. DO WE THAT THAT STEP YOU JUST REFERENCED. DO WE DO THAT. YES WE HAVE A THE AN ETHICS COMPLAINT CURRENTLY MUST BE, SUBMITTED ON A CERTAIN FORM NOTARIZED. I REVIEW IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FORM IS COMPLETE. THEN I CALL A PANEL OF THE BOARD OF. WELL, I WORK WITH THE CHAIR TO CALL A PANEL OF THE BOARD OF ETHICS. SO THREE MEMBERS WHO REVIEW THE COMPLAINT ITSELF AND SAY IF WHAT IS ON THIS COMPLAINT TRUE, WOULD IT ACTUALLY EVEN BE A VIOLATION OF THE ETHICS ORDINANCE IF THAT IS TRUE? OR DO THEY BELIEVE IT'S FRIVOLOUS, AND THEN IF THEY BELIEVE IT IS A VIOLATION, THEN THEY GET TO HAVING AN EVIDENTIARY HEARING, SO IT HAS GONE THROUGH A PROCESS BEFORE IT GETS TO THE HEARING, AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS ONE OF THE CONCERNS OF THE BOARD IS THAT IF THE COMPLAINANT DID NOT ATTEND, THERE IS A, THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT, EVEN IF THEY DID BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS AN ETHICS VIOLATION. SO WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IF THE COMPLAINANT DOESN'T SHOW UP, CAN'T MOVE FORWARD, CORRECT. EVEN IF THE BOARD IS REQUIRED CURRENTLY TO DISMISS A COMPLAINT IF THE COMPLAINANT DOES NOT ATTEND. SO THE REAL DIFFERENCE HERE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS THAT IF A COMPLAINANT SUBMITS A COMPLAINT AND YOU ALL THINK THAT THERE IS, EVIDENCE TO GO FORWARD WITH THE HEARING, BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON, SAID COMPLAINANT CAN'T SHOW UP, YOU WANT THE FREEDOM AND FLEXIBILITY TO STILL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD. THAT. IS THAT CORRECT? PART OF WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE BOARD WOULD LIKE. OKAY, IS THERE A, ARE WE JUST CLEANING THIS UP OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED? IS THERE SOME BACKGROUND ON HOW WE GOT HERE, OR ARE WE JUST CLEANING THIS UP IN GENERAL, THAT SITUATION HAS NOT OCCURRED TO MY KNOWLEDGE. SO I THINK IT'S CLEAN UP. OKAY THANK YOU. MADISON. I'M SORRY. YOU GO AND GIVE DIRECTION NOW. YES, SIR.

PLEASE. I'M FINE WITH THIS ONE. I'M FINE WITH THIS ONE, COUNCIL. SO, REPRESENTATIVE FROM BETTER SAID NUMBER DISTRICT FOUR. THANK YOU, AND TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE'S QUESTION. I WANT TO TOUCH ON THAT BEFORE I GET TO MY POINT, I THINK THERE'S A DISTINCTION BETWEEN CAN'T SHOW

[01:40:01]

UP AND DOESN'T WISH TO TESTIFY. YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY'S SICK, SOMEBODY'S IN A CAR ACCIDENT, THEY HAVE A FLAT TIRE ON THE WAY TO THE HEARING. I THINK THAT'S ONE THING. I JUST DON'T WANT TO APPEAR IN FRONT OF THE BOARD. I THINK THAT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MATTER AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED DIFFERENTLY. IN A PREVIOUS LIFE, I DEALT WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD HIRE ATTORNEYS OR ANOTHER QUALIFIED PERSON TO REPRESENT THEM, AND INVARIABLY THERE WOULD BE A QUESTION COME UP. SOMEBODY I WOULD ASK THE OTHER, THE OTHER SIDE WOULD ASK, WHAT ABOUT THIS? AND NOBODY KNEW EXCEPT THE PERSON THAT WAS THAT WAS INVOLVED. SO I THINK THE SAME THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

THE COMPLAINANT NEEDS TO BE THE, THE, THE FRONT AND CENTER. THEY, THEY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TELL EVERYBODY WHAT THEY SAW, WHAT THEY THINK THEY SAW AND, AND DEAL WITH IT. I CANNOT SUPPORT THIS. OKAY. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT TWO. MADISON, THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION DID NOT REQUIRE YOU TO PRESENT YOURSELF, WITH COMPLAINANT OR RESPONDENT DURING HEARING, DO THEY? I DO NOT KNOW. WELL, THE ANSWER IS THEY DON'T. OKAY, AND THE AND IN FACT, IN IN REVIEWING THIS MATERIAL, WHEN I WENT BACK THROUGH AND I HAD QUESTIONS AND I ALSO REVIEWED IT WITH THE CHAIR, TO FIND OUT THE BOARD'S THINKING IN GENERAL, ETHICS COMPLAINTS ARE SUBMITTED OF EVALUATED A PRELIMINARY OPINION IS MADE AND THEN THEY FOR THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION, AND THEN, IF NECESSARY, THEY GO TO A HEARING, DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES. SO IT FEELS SOMEWHAT OUT OF LINE FOR US TO NOT MIRROR OUR OWN STATE'S ETHICS COMMISSION ON, BEHAVIOR.

I THINK ALLOWING THE STAFF TO EVALUATE THAT IS, IS REASONABLE AND THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO REVIEW THAT THOSE MATERIALS AND FIND OUT IF THERE'S ANY THERE, THERE, AND IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, THEY CAN ASK THEM, IN THE BACK OF MATERIALS, I THINK IT WAS SAID SOMEWHERE THAT YOU, YOU WOULD BE AVAILABLE OR ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER TO, TO ANSWER PERTINENT QUESTIONS OR GET INFORMATION ON. SO, I MEAN, IT MAY IT MAY PROLONG THE PROCESS SLIGHTLY. IT MAY PROBABLY BIAS AGAINST THE, THE COMPLAINANT, TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, IF THERE'S THEY'RE NOT THERE TO HEAR THAT THAT'S THAT I COULD SEE THE BOARD. NOT BUT BUT TO NOT HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY. I THINK LIKE COUNCILOR MCGEE, THE ISSUE IS TO NOT HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO NOT CARRY FORWARD , EVEN IF IT'S BIASED AGAINST. FEELS LIKE A MISTAKE, SO I'M, I'M FOR, TO THE PROPOSAL TO.

OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? OH, YEAH. DISTRICT ONE REPRESENTATIVE. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL, I THINK THAT IF THERE IS SOMEONE THAT NEEDS TO COME BEFORE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL, YOU KNOW, DISTRICT TWO, THREE, THREE, FOUR, DISTRICT FOUR. SAID IT BEST FOR ME THAT, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE NEEDS TO HAVE SOME CLARIFICATION IN THE ROOM SOMEWHERE. AND IF THAT NEEDS TO HAVE SOMEONE TO COME IN TO DO THAT, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT TO HAPPEN SO WE CAN DO IT ONE TIME. OTHERWISE WE'LL HAVE TO KEEP REVISITING A SITUATION WHICH TAKES UP STAFF TIME AND THE BOARD'S TIME. BUT, YOU KNOW, HAVING THEM TO COME IN AND JUST SIMPLY ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE ANSWERED, THAT JUST SEEMS A BIT MORE, MORE INTELLIGENT TO ME. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO SO I'LL JUST TO BE CONSISTENT WITH MY FIGHT AGAINST RED LIGHT CAMERAS. THAT'S RELEVANT BECAUSE, THERE IS NO ONE TO SHOW UP. RIGHT? WHEN YOU FOUGHT THE RED LIGHT CAMERAS, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PERSON SHOW UP. THEY THEY JUST USED, YOU KNOW, I'M I'M BIASED. I'M GOING TO CALL ANECDOTAL DATA TO PROSECUTE YOU. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT WENT AWAY. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO FACE, THE I JUST I CAN'T I CAN'T GET BEHIND IT BECAUSE. PEOPLE THAT HAVE, ETHICS COMPLAINT THAT DON'T WANT TO BE MADE PRESENT. YOU HAVE A,

[01:45:08]

WE HAVE AN ANONYMOUS PROCESS TO REPORT THOSE CONCERNS. IS THAT RIGHT? WE HAVE AN ANONYMOUS REPORTING HOTLINE. IT AND TO SOME DEGREE, I HAVE A DUTY TO REPORT SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF THE ETHICS COMPLAINT TO THE BOARD THROUGH THAT, WE'VE NEVER HAD THAT SITUATION OCCUR, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD DO IT, BECAUSE THE ETHICS COMPLAINT PROCESS DOES REQUIRE THE COMPLAINT TO BE NOTARIZED AND ON A SPECIFIC FORM . SO I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE GRAY AREA THERE. BUT OKAY. BUT THOSE CONCERNS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, YOU COULD BRING THAT TO THE BODY. YOU COULD BRING THAT FORWARD TO SAY, HEY, HERE'S THIS COMPLAINT. WHAT DO WE DO? OR WE CAN PROCESS THROUGH THAT, TO SOME DEGREE, RIGHT? CORRECT. AND SO I FOR ME, THERE'S THERE IS A VEHICLE IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE PRESENT, BUT BUT FOR ME TO BE IN THE ROOM, TO HAVE TO BE IN THE ROOM. BETTER SAID, IF IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC IF THEY DON'T SHOW UP, AT AND I'M THERE, THEN NOTHING GOES FORWARD. IF THAT'S HOW IT IS LINED OUT, I'M ON BOARD. BUT IF IT'S SIMPLE, THEY SEND AN EMAIL AND THAT HAS THE SAME WEIGHT AS ME BEING THERE. THE PROBLEM IS, I CAN'T CROSS EXAMINE AN EMAIL. YOU KNOW, I CAN'T ASK THAT EMAIL QUESTIONS AND GET FOLLOW UP OR THAT SORT OF THING. SO, NO DIFFERENT THAN THERE'S BEEN. AND THEY WANT THE BOARD OF ETHICS WENT THE WENT AS FAR AS IT COULD GO. AND CALLING A ISSUE FRIVOLOUS BECAUSE SOMEONE DIDN'T HAVE THE DOCUMENT WITH THEM. IT HAPPENED. IT'S UNDENIABLE. IT HAPPENED. BUT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T BRING THE DOCUMENT TO THE HEARING, IT WAS LABELED FRIVOLOUS. SO AND I THINK THAT'S THAT'S FAIR. THAT'S THAT'S HOW THE RULES READ. AND THEY DID WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO DO. NO DIFFERENT THAN THE BOARD DID. AGREED WITH A FINDING, BUT MADE THAT FINDING BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE RULES READ. AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OPTION. SO I THINK THE BOARD IS DOING GREAT WORK AND OPERATING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF WHAT THEY'VE OUTLINED AS THE RULES AND SO OR WHAT THE RULES THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN TO WORK WITH, AND THEY'VE THEY'VE DONE THAT ON BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM. SO DOING GREAT WORK. I JUST CAN'T GET BEHIND THAT MAY BE PRESENT. IF THAT WERE TO CHANGE, TO SAY IF THEY'RE NOT PRESENT. SO I DON'T MIND SHOWING UP IF THE OTHER PERSON DOESN'T SHOW UP.

CASE DISMISSED. THAT'S IN JUSTICE OF THE PEACE COURT. THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH ALL LAYERS OF KIND OF LITIGATION. SO, TO, TO MAKE THIS DIFFERENT, I JUST CAN'T GET BEHIND THAT SO THAT THAT'S MY CONCERN, SO, THERE'S, THERE'S CONSENSUS THERE, AT NO, ANYTHING ELSE FOR PRESENTATION WISE? I HAVE. OKAY, GREAT. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. APPRECIATE IT, THAT TAKES US TO OUR NEXT WORK SESSION ITEM C.

[C. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and provide suggestions or recommendations regarding updates to the City of Denton Criteria Manuals. [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes]]

AND THAT'S ID 231855. RECEIVE REPORT, WHOLE DISCUSSION AND PROVIDE SUGGESTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING UPDATES TO THE CITY OF DENTON CRITERIA MANUALS. GOOD AFTERNOON , MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. I AM BRETT BOURGEOIS, THE CITY ENGINEER, AND WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS THE UPDATES TO THE CITY OF DENTON CRITERIA MANUALS, A QUICK OVERVIEW OF IT. WE HAVE TECHNICAL EXPERTS FROM ALL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTERS HERE ON STAFF TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AND GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS. WE WENT THROUGH SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CHANGES AND THEN WHAT THE NEXT STEPS WOULD BE. SO WE STARTED THESE UPDATES LAST YEAR. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE IDENTIFIED SOME STAKEHOLDERS AND WENT THROUGH SOME SIGNIFICANT UPDATES TO IT. AND WE DID A PRETTY EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY OUTREACH WHERE WE TALKED WITH THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPER TOWN HALLS, ENGINEERING SOCIETIES POSTED ON THE WEBSITE AND HAVE PRESENTED TO PLANNING AND ZONING AND PUB BEFORE WE CAME HERE TODAY, THE UPDATES WE'VE WE'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE DONE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF UPDATES ON A REGULAR BASIS. SO WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THAT. WE WANT TO SLOW DOWN OUR UPDATES GOING FORWARD, THIS YEAR WAS A PRETTY BIG UPDATE THAT WE DID WHERE WE USED TO HAVE FOUR DIFFERENT CRITERIA MANUALS, AND WE ADOPTED A FIFTH ONE IN NOVEMBER. THIS YEAR, WE TOOK AN EFFORT TO COMBINE ALL THOSE INTO A SINGLE DOCUMENT, SIMILAR TO THE DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE, AND HAVE A UNIFIED DOCUMENT FOR THE WHOLE CITY. SO IN TERMS OF THE

[01:50:02]

DIFFERENT GOVERNING DOCUMENTS THE CITY HAS, WE HAVE THE DEVELOPMENT CODE, WE HAVE THE CRITERIA MANUALS, WE HAVE OUR CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS AND OUR, STANDARD DETAILS THAT WE APPLY AND HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS. AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS FOR THE CITY. SO IN TERMS OF THE UPDATES THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR FOR THE STORMWATER, FOR THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING CRITERIA, MANUAL, MOST OF THE UPDATES WERE RELATED TO, ALLOWING FOR LARGER VEHICLES, STAFF SAFETY AND TO HAVE EASIER ACCESS TO ACCESS THE DIFFERENT WASTE CONTAINERS, AND ALSO CLARIFYING SOME OF THE DOCUMENTATION OR SOME OF THE TABLES WITHIN THE REPORT THAT WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON IN TERMS OF HOW TO ACTUALLY INTERPRET THE NUMBER OF CONTAINER ENCLOSURES REQUIRED FOR DIFFERENT MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS. FOR THE STORMWATER CRITERIA MANUAL, A LOT OF THESE CHANGES ARE REGULATORY REQUIRED, WE ARE GETTING MORE IN LINE WITH ISWIM, WHICH IS THE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT DOCUMENT GOVERNING DOCUMENT BY COG AND GETTING PREPARED FOR UPDATES FROM THE EPA THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING OUT ANYTIME. IT'S VERY THEIR MESSAGING IT, BUT WE'RE WAITING FOR IT. WE'RE GETTING POSITION TO ADOPT THOSE NEW REGULATIONS. AND AS PART OF THAT, WE'VE ALSO UPDATED, WE'RE REQUIRING SOME STORMWATER MAINTENANCE FACILITY AGREEMENTS. A LOT OF PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS BUILD PRIVATE DETENTION PONDS OR DIFFERENT OTHER OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES OR PRIVATE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN, OR WE GET NOTIFIED THAT THERE'S A FLOODING ISSUE THAT THEY WANT US TO COME MAINTAIN THEM. WE NEED TO SHOW A DOCUMENT SAYING, WELL, NO, THIS IS OWNED BY THE HOA, IS OWNED BY THE DEVELOPMENT. YOU GUYS NEED TO MAINTAIN IT. AND IT'S A WAY FOR US TO ENFORCE THE MAINTENANCE OF THOSE OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE ITEMS. AND ADDITIONALLY, WE HAD SOME OTHER CLARIFYING LANGUAGE TO CLARIFY SOME AREAS THAT WE GOT QUESTIONS ON AND SOME AMBIGUITY THROUGHOUT THE DOCUMENT. FOR THE TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA MANUAL, THIS WAS PREDOMINANTLY A ORGANIZATIONAL UPDATE WE HAD. THIS DOCUMENT WAS NOT VERY COHERENT IN THE WAY IT READ. WE RESTRUCTURED IT REORGANIZED IT, AND WE ALSO PROVIDED SOME IMPROVEMENTS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, FOR TURN LANE REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE ACCESS MANAGEMENT AND A BETTER WAY FOR, STACKING FOR DRIVE THRUS AND GATES AND STUFF LIKE THAT NATURE. SO SOME MINOR TECHNICAL UPDATES, MAINLY A RESTRUCTURE OR REORGANIZATION OF THE DOCUMENT. THE WATER WASTEWATER ONE CRITERIA MANUAL WE PUT IN SOME CLARIFYING REQUIREMENTS IN TERMS OF THE WAY THE WATER METERS ARE READ. WE HAD SOME CONFUSION ON HOW THOSE WERE INTERPRETED. WE ALSO PROVIDE SOME GUIDANCE IN PROVIDING NECESSARY SPACE AND DISTANCE FROM OUR STRUCTURES FOR MAINTENANCE AND FUTURE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE AROUND MANHOLES, AROUND PIPE CROSSINGS, AND LIMITING THE USAGE OF MANHOLES ON SIDEWALKS AND ACCESS ROUTES, WHICH IS PROHIBITED BY PROGUE AND ADA THAT WE WANT TO BE ALIGNMENT WITH THOSE AND ALSO FOR OUR CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS LIFT STATIONS. WE WANT THOSE TO BE ABLE TO BE ACCESSIBLE DURING A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD EVENT, AS OPPOSED TO THE 25 YEAR FLOOD EVENT. AND THEN, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE ACTUALLY ADOPTED THE CITY ADOPTED A STREETLIGHT CRITERIA MANUAL BACK IN NOVEMBER. WE ROLLED THAT DOCUMENT INTO THIS ONE. SO NOW IT'S ALL KIND OF COMBINED INTO ONE. THE DOCUMENT PROVIDES STANDARD LIGHTING FOR RESIDENTIAL ROADS, PROVIDES GUIDANCE FOR LIGHTING ON HIGHER CLASSIFICATION ROADS SUCH AS COLLECTORS ARTERIALS, AND ALSO PROVIDES STANDARD HARDWARE AND EQUIPMENT THAT THE CITY DMV PROVIDE OR HAS ON AVAILABLE FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS. OF THOSE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO ADDED THIS YEAR WAS A CHAPTER ON DESIGN DEVIATIONS. WE HAD A PROCESS BEFORE IT WAS NOT FORMALLY CUT OR CODIFIED, OR IF WE KNOW THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE WHAT THE CITY WANTS, BUT NOT ALL DEVELOPMENTS AND NOT ALL PROJECTS CAN MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN THIS. SO WE HAD A PROCESS BEFORE WHERE THEY COULD DEVIATE FROM THAT DESIGN REQUIREMENT WITH A STAFF APPROVAL. WE ACTUALLY JUST FORMALIZED AND ADOPTED THIS PROCESS. WE CODIFIED IT. WE HAVE A FORMAL PROCESS NOW WITH FORMAL PAPERWORK, A WAY FOR DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO REVIEW IT, PROVIDE COMMENTS AND GIVE DIRECTION WHEN THEY NEED TO DEVIATE FROM THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE DOCUMENT. SO NEXT STEPS IS THAT TONIGHT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TO PROPOSE THIS DOCUMENT FOR ADOPTION. AND WE'RE HERE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. EXCELLENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT TWO. YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DID A LOT OF WORK. IT'S A 220 PAGE CODE. CODE COMBINED DOCUMENT, AND BLESS YOU FOR THE RED LINE, BECAUSE IT GETS REALLY NOXIOUS TO READ ALL 220 PAGES OF THAT WITHOUT IT. SO I REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE RED LINE, AND, AND THAT ALLOWED

[01:55:03]

ME TO SKIP OVER ALMOST EVERYTHING AS JUST SORT OF DE FACTO. I DID HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER SEVEN, THE, THE ELECTRICAL, CHANGES, FOR LIGHTING AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE GIVEN DIRECTIONS TO ALLOW ACORN LIGHTS, BUT KIND OF DEPRECATE THEIR USE, BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF YOU LOOK AT TABLE SEVEN, TWO A AND YOU LOOK AT THE APPENDIX C, D AND, AND I THINK WHAT WAS THE OTHER SECTION , ABOUT OLD AND NEW RESIDENTIAL, WHICH WAS LET ME CHECK MY NOTES HERE. 723H, THEY, THEY SORT OF DISCUSS IT, BUT THEY BURY IT. IS IT, IS IT VERY CLEAR TO THE END USER? NOT NECESSARILY TO OUR STAFF, BUT TO THE, TO THE DEVELOPERS AND THE FOLKS APPLYING FOR PERMITS IS IT IS IT GOING TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT OWN THAT ACORN LIGHTS ARE OWNED BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DARK SKIES COMPLIANT. WE MAKE A BIG DEAL IN SEVEN, TWO, THREE H. IS IT IS IT GOING TO BE VERY CLEAR TO THEM THAT WE DON'T REALLY WANT YOU USING ACORN LIGHTS, OR THE FACT THAT WE PROMINENTLY SHOW THOSE PICTURES AND TALK ABOUT ACORN LIGHTS MEANS WE'RE GOING TO LEAD PEOPLE TO THE FALSE IDEA THAT WE SHOULD BE USING ACORN LIGHTS. I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I TOOK HOME FROM THOSE SECTIONS. ISN'T THAT THE WORDING WAS BAD, THE WORDING WAS CLEAR. BUT, YOU KNOW , I WORRY ABOUT A MISINTERPRETATION FROM THE PUBLIC SEEING THOSE EXAMPLES AND GOING, OH, I CAN BUILD AN ACORN LIGHTS. SO I CAN ANSWER. I THINK GENERALLY, DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND PROJECTS THAT ARE BUILT, IT'S A CONSTANT COMMUNICATION BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN CITY STAFF AND THE DEVELOPER AND THEIR ENGINEERS. WHEN THEY GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. SO WHEN THOSE QUESTIONS DO ARISE, WE'RE ABLE TO ANSWER THEM AND DIRECT APPROPRIATELY. AND YOU KNOW, SHOW GUIDANCE TO THE DOCUMENT AS WE CAN. WE DO HAVE A INTERNAL TRACKING WHERE WE CAN TRACK COMMENTS AND AREAS OF CONFUSION ON, LIKE THIS UPDATE HAD WE HAD SOME TABLES AND SOME AREAS THAT WE HAD CONFUSION AND OTHER SECTIONS THAT BASED ON THOSE FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE KEEP ANSWERING REPEATEDLY, WE GO BACK AND WE REVISE THOSE. SO THIS IS A NEWER DOCUMENT, THE STORM, THE STREET LIGHT ONE WAS ONLY ADOPTED IN NOVEMBER. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF COMMENTS ON THAT YET. IF THAT DOES OCCUR, WE WILL GO BACK AND LOOK AT HOW CAN WE MAKE IT MORE CLEAR OR ELIMINATE THOSE AREAS OF CONFUSION. I GUESS THAT'S THAT'S ALL WE CAN ASK. NO, I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? REPRESENTATIVES FROM DISTRICT FOUR. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SLIDE. SLIDE EIGHT, NINE AND TEN, PLEASE, FOR GATED ENTRANCES. IS THAT A GATE? LIKE A NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE A GATED NEIGHBORHOOD, OR IS THAT A, FOR EXAMPLE, A PARKING GARAGE? THAT'S THE ONLY OTHER EXAMPLE I CAN THINK OF. SO THE QUEUING ANALYSIS FOR THE DRIVE THROUGH IS I BELIEVE WE APPLIED IT TO WEBSTER HERE AS WELL, OUR CITY TRAFFIC ENGINEER CAN ANSWER CLARIFY IF I GET IT WRONG, THE QUEUING ANALYSIS IS LOOKING AT, WE DIDN'T HAVE A STANDARD REQUIRED OF HOW DRIVE THRUS WOULD BACK UP AND STACK FOR BUSINESSES BACK INTO CITY ROADWAYS, CITY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THERE WAS NO WAY FOR US TO REQUIRE THEM TO WRAP THE STACK IN AROUND THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY OR THROUGH THEIR PARKING LOT, I BELIEVE THIS ALSO APPLIES FOR LIKE DRIVEWAY ENTRANCES FOR, PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE A GATE LIKE AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AS A GATE THAT YOU DON'T WANT VEHICLES STACKING UP TO ENTER BACK INTO THE TRAVEL LANES OF THE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE, I SEE. OKAY, OKAY. AND THEN ON ON SLIDE NINE, MANHOLES THIS IS ALWAYS FASCINATED ME. WHY WHY ARE MANHOLES PUT ALWAYS WHERE I'M DRIVING? MANHOLES ARE TYPICALLY PLACED ANYWHERE. YOU HAVE A CHANGE IN DIRECTION OF PIPES. AND SO YOU HAVE A REQUIREMENT WHEN THE PIPE HAS TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION. YOUR PIPES ARE STRAIGHT. SO INSTEAD OF BENDING THEM YOU PUT A MANHOLE SO YOU CAN ACCESS THEM. YOU ALSO HAVE REQUIREMENTS OF MANHOLE SPACING A MINIMUM I BELIEVE 300FT. YOU HAVE A MANHOLE TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND ACCESS THE LINES UNDERNEATH THE ROADWAY AND CLEAN THEM OUT. COULD THEY NOT BE JUST AS WELL PLACED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHERE MY TIRES ARE NOT HITTING AS? OR DO YOU CHECK OUT HOW WIDE MY CAR IS AND THERE'S, I SEE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SLIDE. I DON'T HAVE IT IN THIS PRESENTATION. THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER THE ROADWAY THAT YOU DON'T SEE, I'M SURE. AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS LAID OUT. YOU HAVE WATER ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WATER LINES. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PHYSICAL SEPARATION TO THE SEWER LINES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM PHYSICALLY SEPARATED. AND THEN WITHIN THAT AREA YOU

[02:00:02]

HAVE TO ALSO FIT STORM DRAIN AND OTHER OTHER UTILITIES WITHIN THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY. SO IT GETS VERY CROWDED VERY QUICKLY. IS THERE ANY WIGGLE ROOM AS TO WHERE YOU DO PLACE A MANHOLE WHEN A PERSON WHOLE LOOK AT A CASE BY CASE BASIS? SORRY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT EACH ONE, EACH PROJECT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. OKAY AND THEN PLEASE ON ON SLIDE TEN, I FIND IT IRONIC THAT STREETLIGHTS ARE REQUIRED EVERY 250FT. IF THE SPEED IS 30 MILES AN HOUR OR LESS. YES. SO THAT IS A THERE'S A VERY CONVOLUTED, I WANT TO SAY WAY THAT IS INTERPRETED THE NATIONAL STANDARD BY ANSI SAYS THAT ANY ROADWAYS UNDER 30MPH, YOU CAN PLACE STREET LIGHTING AT A PREDETERMINED SEPARATION, 30 250FT. ANY ROADWAYS OF 30MPH OR GREATER. YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT'S CALLED A PHOTOMETRIC STUDY. UNFORTUNATELY, IN TEXT DATA TEXAS, THE PRIMA FACIA SPEED OF ALL RESIDENTIAL ROADS IS 30MPH. SO IN TALKING WITH OUR FOLKS OVER AT DME, THE INTENT WAS THAT RESIDENTIAL ROADS WOULD HAVE STREET LIGHTS PLACED EVERY 250FT AND NOT HAVE TO DO A PHOTOMETRIC STUDY ON EVERY SINGLE ROAD TO PLACE STREET LIGHTS. AND SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THIS, THE GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE, THE NATIONAL GUIDANCE WAS THE GUIDANCE WAS A REQUIREMENT. SO WE SAID, OKAY, WELL, LET'S SAY ANY ROADWAY THAT'S 30MPH, WHICH IS ALL OF OUR RESIDENTIAL STREETS, WE CAN PLACE THEM 250FT, ANY ROADWAY FASTER THAN THAT WHICH WOULD BE A HIGHER CLASSIFICATION OF ROADWAY. WE NEED TO DO A PHOTOMETRIC STUDY TO SEE THE APPROPRIATE STREETLIGHT PLACEMENT. OKAY WHICH MEANS THEY'RE THEY'RE LIKELY TO BE WIDER SPACED DEPENDING ON THE ROADWAY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE STUDY SAYS. SO I DON'T KNOW. I I'M NOT AN EXPERT IN PHOTOMETRIC. I DON'T KNOW IF JERRY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION BASED ON HIS EXPERIENCE. THIS IS OUR FOURTH ORIGINAL ORTHOGONAL ORTHOGONAL. BEG YOUR PARDON? JERRY FELDER, DME DIVISION ENGINEER. RPA, WHICH IS WHAT WE USE ON THOROUGHFARES, COLLECTORS, THE MAJOR ROADS, THAT'S KIND OF AN INDUSTRY STANDARD AND THAT IS BASED UPON A PHOTOMETRIC. SO A PHOTOMETRIC DESIGN. SO WHAT IT IS WITH THAT AND THIS IS WAY WE KIND OF LOOK AT IT FROM MY, MY SIMPLE TERMS IS WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A ROAD LIKE 380 OR UNIVERSITY, YOU HAVE PEOPLE ALONG THAT ROAD. AND SO YOU DON'T WANT TO TOTALLY RELY ON, ON THE, CARS TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE OR WALKING ALONG THE ROAD. SO YOU DO RPA, WHICH IS A HIGHER STANDARD, AND RPA MAKES SURE THAT THE ROAD IS ELIMINATED ENOUGH THAT THE HEADLIGHTS OF A CAR ARE NOT NECESSARILY THAT CONSEQUENTIAL TO, I GUESS, PROTECTION OF THE FOLKS THAT MAY BE COMING ON THERE. RESIDENTIAL STREETS ARE DIFFERENT AND RESIDENTIAL STREETS. IF WE DID AN RPA DESIGN ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS, IT WOULD BE BRIGHT. IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY BRIGHT, AND ORIGINALLY THE FIRST RULE WAS 300FT, AND THAT WAS CONSIDERED A LITTLE BIT TOO DARK. SO WHAT THE DECISION ON 250FT IS KIND OF A COMPROMISE FOR THAT, AND ALSO IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, YOU RELY ON HEADLIGHTS TO HELP YOU IDENTIFY WHO'S ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE OF THE WAY YOU APPROACH IT. AND THE CHANGE FROM 30MPH IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN 30MPH, WHICH IS MOST RESIDENTIAL STREETS, ALLOWS US TO NOT HAVE THIS, SUBDIVISIONS LIT UP SO BRIGHT THAT PEOPLE CAN'T SLEEP BUT STILL HAVE ENOUGH LIGHT WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION, TO PROVIDE THE SAFETY THAT THEY, THEY ANTICIPATE AND THEY WANT.

OKAY, OKAY, OKAY. FASTER SPEEDS LIKELY REQUIRE OR PERMIT WIDER SPACING, NO. AND THAT'S THE HARD THING BECAUSE AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON THE ROAD. THE ROAD HAS CURVES AND THERE'S SOME THAT SPACING IS GOING TO SHRINK DOWN BECAUSE THE RPA IS BASICALLY SAYING HOW MUCH LIGHT YOU'RE PUTTING ON THE ROAD. IF IT'S A STRAIGHT LINE LIKE UNIVERSITY, THEY MAY BE AT EVERY 300FT. THEY MAY BE FURTHER OUT. BUT IF UNIVERSITY STARTS TO BEND, IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A LOT SHORTER BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF LIGHTING ON THE STREET AND THAT PROTECTS THE CITY ALSO IN CASE SOMEBODY GETS HURT. WELL, IT'S LIT TO RPA, SO THAT'S ABOUT AS GOOD AS WE CAN GET. VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU MAYOR. SPEAKING OF CLARIFICATION. SO PRIMA FACIA, THAT MEANS THE, I KNOW IT'S THE ASSUMED PAY. I'M DOING IT AND NOT A GOOD JUSTICE.

BUT IF THERE'S NO SPEED, IF THERE'S NO SPEED LIMIT SIGN, YOU ASSUME 30MPH. THAT'S PRIMA FACIA SPEED. CORRECT. IT'S ON, ON THE FACE OF IT. SO IF YOU DON'T SEE A SPEED LIMIT, FOR THE STATE OF LAW, STATE OF TEXAS RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, YOU DON'T SEE A SPEED LIMIT SIGN. THE ASSUMPTION IS IT'S 30MPH UNLESS OTHERWISE POSTED. THERE'S A WHOLE SERIES OF ROADWAYS OF DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. OKAY. AND THEN IF YOU'RE SO 250FT, YES, IS 83 YARDS. SO THAT'S JUST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE 50 THAT WILL TAKE YOU TO ABOUT THE 25. THE OPPOSING

[02:05:04]

TEAM'S 25 YARD LINE. SO ACROSS THE 50 AND ALMOST TO THE 20 I THINK CLOSE. YES. BUT YEAH OKAY.

YEAH. YEAH I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE'S TRACKING ALONG WITH US. NOT JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T, MEASURE YOUR FEET REGULARLY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? OKAY. AND THEN, SO THIS IS JUST BEFORE US. YEAH. WE'LL BE, TONIGHT, WITH A PUBLIC HEARING AND TO PROPOSE THIS FOR ADOPTION. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. WELL DONE. OKAY, THE LAST THING BEFORE, LET'S, AND WE CAN TAKE A QUICK BREAK AFTER I CALL THIS, AND THEN WE'LL SET THE ROOM FOR

[4. Closed Meeting:]

CLOSE. THE CITY WILL NOW CONVENE AT 12:50 P.M, CONVENE IN CLOSED MEETING TO DELIBERATE THE CLOSED MEETING ITEM SET FORTH ON THE AGENDA, WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ITEM A ID 241196.

CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEYS UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071. AND I'LL TAKE IT'S WHAT TIME IS IT NOW? IT'S FOUR. OH, WHAT DID I SAY? OH, YEAH. SORRY, I DON'T KNOW WHY I GOT 1250 FROM. COUNTDOWN CLOCK. I HADN'T TURNED IT OFF. OH GOT IT OKAY. I WAS LIKE WHERE DID THAT COME FROM. GOT IT. YEAH. SO IT'S 408 LET'S SAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CORRECTION, SO LET'S, LET'S SIT BACK DOWN FOR 15 AND GO INTO THE CLOSED SESSION FOR CITY COUNCIL IS NOW AT 5:11 P.M. CONVENED FROM CLOSED SESSION. AND NO OFFICIAL ACTION WAS TAKEN. AND WE WILL BE ADJOURNED TILL 630 FOR OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING IN WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF THE

[AFTER DETERMINING THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT, THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE CITY OF DENTON CITY COUNCIL WILL CONVENE AT 6:30 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT CITY HALL, 215 E. MCKINNEY STREET, DENTON, TEXAS AT WHICH THE FOLLOWING ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED:]

DENTON CITY COUNCIL. TODAY IS JUNE THE 4TH, AND IT IS 6:30 P.M. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM, SO WE'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA IS PLEDGES TO THE UNITED STATES AND TEXAS FLAG. PLEASE STAND WITH ME IF YOU'RE ABLE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE, TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. OKAY. AND IF WE COULD, THEN, PLAY THE

[2. PRESENTATIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC]

PROCEDURE FOR ADDRESSING COUNCIL . THE DENTON CITY COUNCIL HAS ADOPTED RULES OF PROCEDURE, INCLUDING A CODE OF CONDUCT THAT APPLIES TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBERS. THESE RULES WERE ENACTED TO PROMOTE AN ORDERLY PROCESS AND TO PRESERVE DECORUM. SPEAKERS WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO GIVE A SCHEDULED REPORT AND FOUR MINUTES TO GIVE AN OPEN MIC REPORT. A BELL WILL RING WHEN TIME HAS EXPIRED. IF THE REMARKS ARE NOT CONCLUDED BY THAT TIME, THE SPEAKER WILL BE ASKED TO STOP SPEAKING. IF THE SPEAKER DOES NOT CEASE AND A SECOND REQUEST IS MADE, THE MAYOR MAY REQUEST TO HAVE THE SPEAKER REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBER. SPEAKERS SHOULD NOT APPROACH THE DAIS. IF A SPEAKER HAS MATERIALS FOR THE COUNCIL, PLEASE NOTIFY THE CITY SECRETARY IN ADVANCE FOR SCHEDULED REPORTS. THE COUNCIL MAY INITIATE DISCUSSION OR ASK QUESTIONS FOR NONSCHEDULED OPEN MIC REPORTS. THE COUNCIL MAY LISTEN, HOWEVER, BECAUSE NO NOTICE OF THE SUBJECT OF THE OPEN MIC REPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE, THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT PROHIBITS DISCUSSION OR DECISION BY THE COUNCIL ON NONSCHEDULED ITEMS. AS A RESULT, THE COUNCIL MAY ONLY PROCEED AS FOLLOWS ON NONSCHEDULED ITEMS PROPOSED TO PLACE THE ITEM ON A FUTURE AGENDA. MAKE A STATEMENT OF FACTUAL POLICY OR A RECITATION OF EXISTING POLICY. SPEAKERS ARE ASKED TO DIRECT ALL REMARKS AND QUESTIONS TO THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, AND NOT TO ANY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER. PLEASE PLEASE REFRAIN FROM MAKING ABUSIVE, PERSONAL, IMPOTENT, PROFANE OR SLANDEROUS REMARKS. ANYONE WHO VIOLATES THE COUNCIL RULES OF PROCEDURE MAY BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBER. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

COPIES OF THE RULES OF PROCEDURE ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE CITY SECRETARY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THE FIRST SPEAKER IS DANIEL COWART. IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR

[02:10:08]

MINUTES. HELLO MY NAME IS DANIEL COWART. I AM A JEWISH MAN WHO HAS BEEN ADVOCATING FOR PALESTINIAN RIGHTS FOR OVER A DECADE. AND I AM HERE TO ONCE AGAIN ASK MY LEADERS, MY CITY LEADERS, TO CALL FOR A CEASE FIRE RESOLUTION IN GAZA YET AGAIN. WE ARE IN THE WAKE OF ANOTHER ROUND OF BOMBINGS ON CIVILIAN DENSE AREAS, KILLING INNOCENT CIVILIANS. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY COUNCIL, AND THAT IS WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE WILL HOLD? WELL, I CAN SURELY TELL YOU, AND I THINK YOU KNOW, THAT MORE CIVILIANS WILL DIE. AND WHEN THE DEATH TOLL FINALLY STOPS, IT WILL ONLY BE AFTER A CEASE FIRE HAS OCCURRED. AND SINCE CEASE FIRES ARE ALWAYS INEVITABLE, KEEP THAT IN MIND. IN INEVITABLE. I AM YET AGAIN ASKING YOU TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO CALL FOR A CEASE FIRE, TO HAVE THE OBVIOUS FORESIGHT THAT THIS WILL ALWAYS END IN A CEASE FIRE. SO WHY NOT URGE FOR ONE SO WE CAN AVOID ALL OF THESE POINTLESS DEATHS AND TRAUMA AND STARVATION AND SO ON HAVE BEEN MADE TO WONDER, SINCE THERE IS NO DOUBT YOU ALL HAVE SEEN THE NEWS, YOU'VE HEARD US COME HERE AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT, AND WHETHER IT'S THE MANY OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE CONDEMNED ISRAEL'S ACTIONS OR THE UNITED NATIONS OR THE ICC OR ICJ, OR SCHOLARS OF GENOCIDE, HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS OR HUMANITARIAN AID GROUPS, ALL OF THESE GROUPS CONDEMNING ISRAEL'S ACTIONS. IT SEEMS THAT YOU, THE LEADERS OF THE CITY, STILL ARE EXHIBITING NO COURAGE. AND I HAVE TO WONDER WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOU? WHY BOTHER RUNNING IN THESE ELECTIONS TRYING TO GATHER VOTES ? JUST TO CHOOSE NOT TO BE LEADERS? IS THIS WHAT YOUR PURPOSE IS? IS THIS WHY YOU GOT INTO POLITICS JUST TO GAIN POWER, JUST SO YOU CAN SIT ON IT AND DO NOTHING? WE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND WE ARE COMING TO YOU WITH GENUINE, VALID CONCERNS AND YOU CHOOSE TO JUST REMAIN SILENT. AND WHAT WHAT IS ANYONE HERE WHO SHOWS UP HERE AND CARES ABOUT OUR CITY, WHO LIVE HERE AND LOVE IT AND ARE WILLING TO COME HERE TO TRY AND PLEAD WITH YOU? WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO THINK OF YOU? YOU DON'T EVEN SAY NO TO US. YOU DON'T ARGUE. YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR OR BELIEVE IN. AND THIS IS WHY YOU'RE IN POLITICS. TO DO NOTHING, TO OBSTRUCT AND TAKE UP THE SPOT OF MAYBE SOMEONE ELSE WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO TALK TO US. HAPPENS IN OTHER CITY COUNCILS. IS THIS JUST CEREMONIAL TO YOU? ONE OF THE ONLY WAYS YOUR CONSTITUENTS CAN EVEN TRY AND COMMUNICATE WITH YOU? AND WE SHOW UP AND WE DEMAND YOU TO SEE. MAYBE YOU DON'T SEE THE HUMANITY OF PALESTINIANS, BUT SEE THE HUMANITY OF YOUR OWN CONSTITUENTS. WE ARE BEGGING FOR A CONVERSATION. WE ARE LEFT TO WONDER WHY YOU WON'T SAY ANYTHING TO US. ARE YOU AFRAID OF BEING A LEADER? THEN WHY RUN FOR ELECTION? ARE YOU AFRAID OF USING ANY OF YOUR POLITICAL CAPITAL FOR SOMETHING THAT MIGHT COST YOU YOUR SEAT? WELL FIRST OF ALL, IT'S COWARDLY. BUT HEY, OVER TWO THIRDS OF AMERICANS HAVE BEEN WANTING A CEASEFIRE SINCE FEBRUARY. SO THAT'S WHAT YOU CARE ABOUT MORE THAN ANYTHING. THEN COME ON OUT AND CALL FOR A CEASEFIRE. TELL ME, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOU ALL BEING SILENT? AT LEAST SAY NO OR ARE YOU JUST GOING TO KEEP LETTING YOUR UNWILLINGNESS TO EVEN SPEAK TO US, TO WORK WITH US, SAY NO FOR YOU? IF US COMING HERE AND TALKING TO YOU IS JUST SOME SYMBOLIC MEASURE THAT DOESN'T MATTER TO YOU AT ALL, AND YOU ALL ARE JUST FORCED TO SHOW UP AND DEAL WITH US, THEN WHY NOT MAKE THIS SYMBOLIC GESTURE OF CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE? WHAT IS THE HARM? OR DO YOU ALL HAVE A VIEW AND YOU STAND BY YOUR SILENCE ON THIS SITUATION AS THE DEATH TOLL RISES? THANK YOU. NEXT IS RICHARD RICHARD HARRIS. RICHARD HARRIS. LOOK, WE HAD TO KEEP THE MEETING GOING, SO IF YOU COULD NOT, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BE HEARD. RICHARD HARRIS, ARE YOU HERE? NO. ALL RIGHT, THEN I. CARLY WOULD. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU TONIGHT. MY NAME IS CARLY WOOD, AND I LIVE AT 39 021 AND DRIVE. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN DENTON AND HAVE CHOSEN TO RAISE MY FAMILY HERE. CURRENTLY I'M EMPLOYED IN EDUCATION, BUT PREVIOUSLY I HAVE WORKED FOR THE CITY OF BRYAN, THE CITY OF GARLAND, AND THE CITY OF LAKE DALLAS. I KNOW THE INNER WORKINGS OF MUNICIPALITIES AND

[02:15:03]

THE PROCESSES AND EXPECTATIONS GIVEN TO ITS EMPLOYEES. MY HUSBAND HAS OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A CITY EMPLOYEE, AND HIS SOLE PURPOSE ON A DAILY BASIS IS TO REVIEW PLANS, COMPARE THEM TO INTERNATIONAL, FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL STANDARDS, AND APPROVE PERMITS FOR A CITY. NEEDLESS TO SAY, HE KNOWS CODES AND HOW THINGS WORK WITH CITY REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES TO. OUR CONTINUED ISSUE WITH THE CITY OCCURS WITH A NEW INFILL DEVELOPMENT THAT IS OCCURRING DIRECTLY BEHIND OUR HOUSE AT 4501 STATE SCHOOL ROAD. MY NEIGHBOR, DAVID CAMERON, BEGAN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS ON THE DESIGN OF THE DETENTION POND. BEGINNING ON MARCH 25TH, OUR INTERACTIONS WITH THE CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF ARE WELL DOCUMENTED AND HAVE BEEN SHARED WITH YOU VIA EMAIL AND IN SPEAKING IN FRONT OF THIS BODY.

WE NEED HELP REGARDING THE ILLEGAL DRAINING OF WATER FROM THE DETENTION POND ONTO OUR PROPERTIES, CAUSING FLOODING AND DAMAGE INSIDE OUR HOMES AND IN OUR YARDS. WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PROVIDE PATIENTS AS SOLUTIONS TAKE TIME. HOW PATIENT WOULD YOU BE WHEN YOU'VE BEEN ASKING FOR HELP SINCE MARCH 25TH, AND FLOODING HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN YOUR HOME SINCE APRIL EIGHTH? AT A MEETING YESTERDAY WITH CITY STAFF, THE HOME BUILDER, HOMEOWNER AND OUR GROUP WERE NOT . WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VALIDITY OF THE APPROVED DESIGN. WE WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO DISCUSS A CIVIL RESOLUTION BETWEEN THE PROPERTY OWNERS. IT WAS ALLUDED TO IN THAT MEETING THAT WE AND THE CAMERONS WOULD HAVE TO HELP PAY FINANCIALLY TO PROVIDE A RESOLUTION TO SOLVE THE FLOODING ISSUE. THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD CONTRIBUTE $5,000 TOWARDS A SOLUTION WHEN ZERO FLOODING ISSUES EXISTED. BEFORE THIS APPROVED PLAN, THE AMOUNT BEING OFFERED BY THE HOMEOWNER WOULD NOT EVEN COVER HALF THE COST NEEDED TO BUILD A FIVE FOOT BY 120 FOOT OPEN CONCRETE FLUME DOWN THE SIDE OF OUR PROPERTY. AT THE END OF THIS MEETING, CITY STAFF EVEN MADE THE COMMENT WE KNOW THE CURRENT DESIGN IS NOT WORKING. HOWEVER, THE CITY WAS ONLY HELPING TO MEDIATE, MEDIATE AND FACILITATE A SOLUTION CIVILLY, BUT WOULD GLADLY APPROVE SOMETHING QUICKLY TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE WITHIN REASON, CITY STAFF MEMBERS, ERRONEOUSLY AND IRRESPONSIBLY APPROVED A PLAN THAT ALLOWED A NEW DEVELOPMENT TO DRAIN DIRECTLY ONTO OUR PROPERTY THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED SINCE THE MID 80S AND HAS ADVERSELY AFFECTED AND REPEATEDLY FLOODED OUR PROPERTIES. ESSENTIALLY, ALL THE CODES RELATING TO THE ISSUE STATE THE HIGHER PROPERTY CANNOT INCREASE THE BURDEN ON THE LOWER PROPERTY BY DIVERTING OR IMPOUNDING THE NATURAL WATER FLOW. DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF IS TELLING YOU WHAT THEY HAVE APPROVED AS THE CODE, AND WE HAVE REPEATEDLY, OVER AND OVER SHOWN THAT THIS IS NOT ADHERING TO FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL STATUTES. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS AND FURTHER INQUIRE WHAT CITY STAFFERS ARE INFORMING YOU WITH THIS ISSUE. THE APRIL 8TH STORM SWEPT WATER AND SILT INTO OUR HOME, FLOODED OUR BEDROOM, OUR CLOSET. WE ARE WALKING ON CEMENT . OUR FURNITURE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HALLWAY. THERE'S BEEN 23 INSTANCES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS, OR FLASH FLOODS BETWEEN MARCH 21ST AND JUNE 2ND. EACH TIME WE ARE HAVING STRESS AND ANXIETY, WONDERING WHEN THE WATER IS COMING IN AND HOW MUCH IS COMING IN. SO SO I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL ASK THE PERTINENT QUESTIONS OF YOUR CITY STAFF AND HELP US WITH THE SOLUTION, BECAUSE WE NEED TO CORRECT THIS MISTAKE IMMEDIATELY. OKAY, JUST ONE SECOND. WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO, YES, GIVE GIVEN WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE US, AND IF I COULD SORT OF PARTIALLY BOUNCE THIS OFF OF BOTH YOU AND THE CITY MANAGER, I WAS I WAS WONDERING IF COUNCIL COULD GET A BRIEF REPORT ON ON THIS SO THAT WE COULD BE UPDATED ON, ON ITEMS SO THAT WE'RE, WE'RE HAVE MORE DETAIL. YES THE, SCOTT IS WORKING ON A LETTER THAT WILL GO TO THE HOMEOWNERS, THAT WILL REVIEW, CITY ATTORNEY WILL REVIEW, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING WITH THEM AND, THE FACTS ARE THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINEERING PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED AND STAMPED AND, AND IT MEETS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS. AND SO, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS SEND A LETTER BACK EXPLAINING THAT THE, THE DEVELOPER BEHIND THESE HOMES HAS OFFERED TO TRY TO ASSIST THE CITY, STEPPED IN TO TRY TO HELP MAKE IT WORK, BUT WE'LL BE PUTTING A LETTER OUT TO SORT OF WHAT WE'VE DONE AND WHAT WE'RE PLAN TO DO. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE COMMENT BACK OR NO, NO, I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT THEY HAD A QUESTION. IT'S MY MISTAKE. I THOUGHT THEY HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU. THAT'S FINE. OKAY. THANK YOU, JUSTIN WEISS, IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL. I WANTED TO START BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN COMING TO YOU FOR, LIKE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT, YOU ALL HAVE OUR EMAILS, SINCE WE SUBMIT FOR THIS

[02:20:02]

EVERY, EVERY OTHER WEEK, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP EXISTS TO BE ADVOCATES. SO IF YOU'RE, LIKE, STRUGGLING ON WHAT TO SAY, THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. SO I WANTED TO BEGIN BY COMMENDING COUNCIL MEMBER BECK ON BREAKING THE SILENCE ON THIS GENOCIDE, HIS FACEBOOK POST IN RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT FIRST STEP IN BUILDING TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU, AND LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER MCGHEE SAID, DURING THE CONCLUDING REMARKS OF THE LAST MEETING, THIS WAS A GREAT QUOTE, QUOTE. WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE BECAUSE WE SEE THE THINGS YOU ADVOCATE FOR. WE LISTEN TO THE THINGS YOU SAY, AND WE READ THE THINGS YOU PUT FORWARD ON SOCIAL MEDIA. THE COMMUNITY IS ABSOLUTELY NOTICING. SO, NOW, WHILE I COMMEND SAYING SOMETHING , I OF COURSE NEED TO ASK FOR MORE, AND AS YOU SAY IN THE POST, WE NEED TO QUOTE, ADVOCATE FOR DIALOG THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS. END QUOTE. SO THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN IF EVERYBODY CONTRIBUTES TO THAT DIALOG, IT'S NOT A DIALOG. IF WE KEEP JUST COMING HERE AND TELLING YOU WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW AND IF PEACEFUL RESOLUTION IS CONTINGENT ON PEOPLE SPEAKING UP AND ADDING THEIR VOICE, THEN STAYING SILENT IS ADVOCATING FOR VIOLENT RESOLUTION IN WHICH WE'VE SEEN REPEATEDLY FAIL AND DESTABILIZE THE MIDDLE EAST. RIGHT SO I, OF COURSE, WANT DENTON TO JOIN THE DIALOG TO PASS A CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION AND SAY THAT WE DO ADVOCATE FOR PEACE, THAT WE DON'T ABIDE INJUSTICE OR VIOLENCE AS A TOOL FOR PEOPLE TO GET WHAT THEY WANT. SO I UNDERSTAND CERTAIN PEOPLE'S RESERVATIONS ABOUT BRINGING THIS UP AS A COUNCIL ISSUE. WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT THEN SPEAK OUT AS AN INDIVIDUAL, SHOW SUPPORT FOR YOUR PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY IN DENTON. ADVOCATE FOR A CESSATION TO VIOLENCE. YOU CAN ALL DO THESE THINGS. I CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE THE POWER TO SPEAK ON A CITY'S BEHALF. SO IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DON'T EITHER, WE'RE JUST DOING WHAT WE CAN AND THAT'S ALL YOU CAN. SO EACH OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY, EITHER ON THE DAIS HERE OR TO THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME IN THE ROOM TO, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO THIS, AND WE REALLY HAVE TO IF YOU WANT PEACE, YOU HAVE TO SPEAK OUT BECAUSE NOBODY'S GOING TO DO IT FOR US. RIGHT? THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL NOT DO THIS FOR YOU AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT SURELY ISN'T TAKING A STANCE TOWARDS PEACE. SO IF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT HASN'T DONE THIS YET, THEN IT REALLY FALLS TO US AS INDIVIDUALS TO LIFT OUR VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE. SO YOU MUST SPEAK OUT AGAINST VIOLENCE AND THE GROWING HUMANITARIAN CATASTROPHE IN PALESTINE, BECAUSE THAT BURDEN FALLS ON YOU AND YOU ALONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AMARA RASUL.

IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES. YEAH FIRST I WANT TO ASK THE COUNCIL IF YOU WOULD, MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH ME WHILE I SPEAK TO YOU, PALESTINIANS HAVE BEEN CONTINUOUSLY DEHUMANIZED, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD MAKE ME FEEL A LITTLE MORE HUMAN AS I COME UP HERE, EVERY OTHER TUESDAY AND SPEAK TO YOU. SO, IT'S ONLY FOUR MINUTES OF YOUR TIME. I'M SURE YOU CAN LOOK UP FOR FOUR MINUTES. MY NAME IS AMIR RASUL. I'M A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN, AND I AM HERE TO URGE YOU TO STAND AS OUR LOCAL LEADERSHIP IN SUPPORT OF AN IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE, HUMANITARIAN AID, AND TO SUPPORT PALESTINIAN LIBERATION. TODAY MARKS DAY 241 OF ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS. AS I SAY, GENOCIDE, NOT WAR, BECAUSE THERE IS NO PALESTINIAN ARMY. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF CASUALTIES ARE CIVILIANS, WOMEN AND CHILDREN. IT IS AN AFFRONT TO JUSTICE AND HUMANITY TO CHARACTERIZE THIS AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT IT TRULY IS A GENOCIDE. THIS ATROCITY HAS CLAIMED THE LIVES OF AN ESTIMATED 40,000 PEOPLE IN JUST EIGHT MONTHS. THAT'S 166 MARTYRS EVERY SINGLE DAY. A LIFE'S EXTINGUISHED BY THE HANDS OF ISRAEL. BUT LET US NOT ABSOLVE OURSELVES OF RESPONSIBILITY. FOR THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS IS FUNDED BY THE UNITED STATES. ISRAEL IS THE LARGEST RECIPIENT OF US AID, RECEIVING 80 BILLION IN ECONOMIC AID AND 230 BILLION IN MILITARY AID SINCE 1946. IN FACT, 68 OF THE 78 WEAPONS USED BY THE ISRAELI OCCUPYING FORCE ARE MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES. IT SEEMS WE ARE SENDING OUR TAX DOLLARS TO ISRAEL SO THAT ISRAEL CAN RETURN AROUND AND PAY US FOR OUR WEAPONS. THIS EXPLAINS WHY OUR LEADERSHIP CLINGS SO TIGHTLY TO ISRAEL AS AN ALLY. THE SCALE OF DESTRUCTION AND WAR CRIMES IN GAZA AND RAFAH ARE DISGUSTING.

[02:25:05]

JUST THIS WEEK, RAFAH DEEMED TO BE A SAFE AREA WAS BOMBED. I HAVE SEEN THE CHARRED BODIES. I HAVE SEEN THE BEHEADED CHILD IN THE VIDEO THAT CIRCULATED SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE PAST WEEK OR SO.

THE AFTERMATH OF THIS ATTACK RESULTED IN 50 KILLED AND HUNDREDS WOUNDED, AND NETANYAHU HAD THE AUDACITY TO CHARACTERIZE THIS AIRSTRIKE AS A TRAGIC MISHAP. WHEN WE ALL KNOW THIS WAS ANOTHER PURPOSEFUL AND INTENTIONAL ACT OF GENOCIDE, THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE CONTINUED FLOW OF WEAPONS FROM THE US, DESPITE MASSIVE PROTESTS. AND DID YOU KNOW THE MONEY WE GIVE TO ISRAEL IS REQUIRED TO BE USED TO SPECIFICALLY BUY US MADE WEAPONS? THIS CORPORATE WELFARE BENEFITS NOT ONLY THE LARGEST WEAPON MANUFACTURERS LIKE LOCKHEED MARTIN, BOEING AND GENERAL DYNAMICS, BUT ALSO COMPANIES NOT TYPICALLY SEEN AS PART OF THE WEAPONS INDUSTRY LIKE FORD AND TOYOTA. IT IS TIME FOR US TO BREAK THIS CYCLE. WE MUST TAKE A STAND AGAINST THE ATROCITIES BEING COMMITTED WITH OUR MONEY. THE PEOPLE HOLD POWER TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE AND IF CHANGE DOES NOT COME, I WANT TO REMIND EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. YOU ARE LOCAL LEADERS. ARE MUCH CLOSER TO US THAN NETANYAHU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DONNA SMITH, DONNA SMITH, IF YOU CAN COME DOWN AND GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES.

GOOD EVENING. BOARD I'M DONNA SMITH. COUNCIL. SORRY. IT'S BEEN KIND OF A LONG COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR ME. I'VE BEEN A BUSY PERSON ON A ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I'VE HAD MY GRANDCHILDREN IN TOWN, SO IF I LOOK TIRED TO YOU, I AM. BUT. ANYWAY, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK TO YOU. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN KIND OF CONCERNING ME LATELY IS, KIND OF OUR TAX RATE. AND FOR ANYONE WHO'S PAYING TAXES ON YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS YOU'RE A RECIPIENT, YOU KNOW, OF, OF A TAX BILL. AND I, I'M MINDFUL OF THIS THAT AND YOU DON'T SET A LOT OF THINGS. BUT AS YOU YOU LISTEN TO THE CITIZENS COME AND TALK TO YOU. I WANT YOU TO KEEP IN MIND THAT COSTS HAVE GONE WAY UP AND IT'S HARDER TO MAKE ENDS MEET AT THE MOMENT BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION. SO SO A LOT OF TONIGHT'S MEETING IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT AIRBNB, VERBOSE, THOSE KIND OF THINGS. AND I THINK THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT SIDES, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE REALLY, TRULY GOING TO LOOK AT IT. SOME ARE IN FAVOR, SOME ARE, SOME ARE AGAINST. AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE TO LISTEN TO US TALK ON AND HOW TO NAVIGATE WHAT IS TO SOME PEOPLE, AN INCOME AND OTHERS DOESN'T SEEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BUT PART OF MY CONCERN, EVEN FOR BRINGING THAT UP NOW, IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE THINGS, AND CITIZENS DO NEED TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED. AND SO I'M GUILTY THERE AS WELL OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT AS INVOLVED AS WE SHOULD BE. AND SO WHATEVER THE DIFFERENCE, COUNCILMEN AND THE DIFFERENT AREAS CAN DO TO BRING MORE CITIZENS IN, TO HELP BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION, I THINK IT'S JUST WISDOM BECAUSE YOU'RE FOCUSED. A LOT OF YOU ARE ALSO EMPLOYED OR SELF-EMPLOYED AND WITHOUT MORE CITIZEN INTERACTION, IT'S HARD TO KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO. AND SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DO GET ON DIFFERENT COMMISSIONS AND DIFFERENT BOARDS AND WHATNOT IN TRYING TO AFFECT, EITHER CHANGE OR, OR BRING WHAT THEY THINK IS WISDOM INTO A PARTICULAR AREA. AND SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU THAT WHEN PEOPLE DO STEP OUT IN ATTEMPTS TO BE A PART OF A SOLUTION, THAT THEY MAY NOT ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS THAT MAYBE WE ALWAYS DO. BUT THAT'S OKAY. SOMETIMES DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

[02:30:01]

GIVE US GIVE US AN MOMENT OF A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS. AND SO, SO I, I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT. I'M A LONG TIME DENTON MOM AND GRANDMA AND I WANT MY DENTON TO BE DENTON. I DON'T WANT US TO BE LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE. I WANT US TO BE LIKE US. AND SO FOR OUR CITIZENS TO GET MORE INVOLVED CAN ONLY MAKE US LOOK MORE LIKE THE PEOPLE IN DENTON. AND I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF VALUE. WE HAVE A LOT OF SMART PEOPLE, AND YOU GUYS ARE SMART PEOPLE. AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE HERE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. THANK YOU, SO I THOUGHT ABOUT IT JUST SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS, IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE AGENDA, THE CONSENT AGENDA, ITEMS THAT WERE PULLED BECOME, ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION TO SPEAK ON, ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, YOU HAVE TO PULL FILL OUT A BLUE CARD BEFORE I CALL THAT ITEM. SO I WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT ITEM B, WHICH IS OUR OUR NOMINATION APPOINTMENTS. IF YOU LOOK IN CONSENT AGENDA ITEM B NOMINATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS, THAT ONE WAS PULLED FOR A SEPARATE VOTE. ITEM C CONSIDER APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DENTON CREATING A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE. THAT ONE WAS PULLED AND ITEM M U WHICH IS. CONSIDERED OPTION OF AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON DETERMINING A PUBLIC USE NEEDED AND NECESSARY FOR ACQUISITION. THAT'S A CONSENT AGENDA. U WAS PULLED AND THEN ALSO ITEM T, AS IN TOM WAS PULLED. AND THAT'S CONSIDERATION. ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS HOME RULE MUNICIPAL AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH A MODEST, MODEST, MODEST GROUP. SO YEAH. FOR C FOR OKAY. YEAH, YEAH. NO. SO THOSE ARE B C U AND T ARE THE ONES THAT, IF YOU CARE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THOSE THAT ARE LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, YOU NEED TO FILL OUT A BLUE CARD BEFORE I CALL THAT ITEM. SO JUST WANTED TO MAKE EVERYONE AWARE. ALL RIGHT. THAT TAKES. YEAH I HAVE TO I GOT, OKAY. THE NEXT SPEAKER IS MISS ANDREA NICHOLS. OR ANDREA NICHOLS. OH, SORRY TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW.

OKAY. OKAY, THEN. THAT TAKES US TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER, DANA ZELTNER. IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES. DANA ZELTNER. I DON'T I'M NOT GOING TO NEED FOUR MINUTES. LAST MEETING, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS CALLED FOR A POINT OF ORDER. AFTER MORE THAN ONE SPEAKER CHASTISED BY NAME, SEVERAL OF THE MEMBERS WHO VOTED AGAINST THE P AND Z NOMINATION BECAUSE THE COUNCIL MEMBER THOUGHT IT WAS NOT ALLOWED. IT'S IN BLACK AND WHITE ON YOUR WEBSITE NOT TO ADDRESS COUNCIL MEMBERS INDIVIDUALLY, AND I ALSO HEARD THE RESTRICTIONS JUST NOW WHEN YOU PLAYED THE AUDIO RULES. THEREFORE WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK IMPLIES THAT THE SUGGESTION IS ONLY APPLY IF IT'S CONVENIENT FOR THE POWERS THAT BE. I WILL CONTINUE TO ADHERE TO THE GUIDELINES UNLESS THEY DISAPPEAR FROM THE WEBSITE AND AUDIO DIRECTIVES IN THE FUTURE. THIS GOVERNMENTAL BODY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO BE CONSISTENT, ESPECIALLY WITH AN EXPECTATION THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR YEARS. OTHERWISE IT WILL BE A BLATANT DISPLAY OF PARTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE COUNCIL. DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT? OH, OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY. NEXT SPEAKER, MATT PANETTA. AND THAT'S OUR SEVENTH. MATT PANETTA . SO I DON'T KNOW. A COUPLE OF

[02:35:03]

MONTHS AGO, THERE WAS THIS, ITEM THAT CAME BEFORE YOU ALL IN A WORK SESSION AND STUFF, AND, IT KIND OF GOT KICKED DOWN THE ROAD . AND IT'S REALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN PEOPLE STALL AND WASTE TIME . YOU KNOW? SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. COULD HAVE BEEN DONE. IT WAS A SIMPLE THING ABOUT A WORK SESSION ON, HOW COUNCIL DEALS WITH DEVELOPERS. BUT IT WASN'T THE TIME TO DO IT THEN. SO I'VE BEEN WAITING. FOR A WHILE. WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD COME BACK AFTER THE ELECTION BECAUSE IT WAS A THING THAT WAS, I DON'T KNOW, ELECTION STUFF. IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS SINCE THEN, AND I NOTICED THAT IT HASN'T COME BACK. SO I GUESS WE'RE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO INTRODUCE THAT. FRUSTRATING TO HAVE TIME WASTED ON SOMETHING THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD IDEA. THE IRONIC THING WAS THAT EVERYBODY WAS REALLY QUICK TO SAY WHY THEY COULDN'T DO IT. AT THE TIME. BUT IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF WEEKS SINCE THE ELECTION, AND ALMOST TWO MONTHS SINCE THAT LAST ONE.

SO STILL WAITING. FOR THE WORK SESSION. ON HOW COUNCIL INTERACTS WITH DEVELOPERS. COULD HAVE BEEN DONE QUICK. BUT BUT NO . SO ANYWAY. I HAD A LOT MORE TO SAY. NOT REALLY SURE IT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE. BECAUSE I SAID A LOT LAST TIME AND IT DIDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO JUST HEAR. DROPPING THIS THING OUT ONE MORE TIME. IF WE COULD MAYBE AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, GET SOMEBODY TO BRING BACK THAT WORK SESSION ITEM. WELL, THAT'D BE KIND OF CARTWHEELS AND DAISIES FOR ME. IT WOULD MAKE ME REALLY HAPPY. BUT ALSO, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAPPY BECAUSE ULTIMATELY TRANSPARENCY IS A HUGE THING. AND ENCOURAGING COUNCIL MEMBERS TO, YOU KNOW, REVIEW HOW THEY INTERACT ON BUSINESS. AND AN ESPECIALLY PAINFUL TIME WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF GROWTH AND A LOT OF MONEY COMING IN IS A BIG DEAL. BUT ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. IF Y'ALL COULD BRING THAT WORK SESSION BACK, THAT WOULD BE SUPER COOL. ALL RIGHT.

[3. CONSENT AGENDA]

THANK YOU. THAT TAKES US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. SO THIS WILL BE EVERYTHING. BUT FOR WHAT WAS PULLED, I'LL TAKE A MOTION. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO, I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, ACCEPTING ITEMS. BCHT. AND YOU? OKAY REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT ONE, I'LL SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR EVERYTHING, BUT FOR BCC, Q AND T ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES 6 TO 0. THAT TAKES US TO OUR FIRST ITEM. ITEM B ID 24490. CONSIDER NOMINATIONS, APPOINTMENTS OF THE CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES. PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, THERE'S ONLY ONE. I'LL MOVE

[02:40:04]

APPROVAL, IS THERE A SECOND? WELL WE CAN JUST. THAT'S GOOD. OH, YEAH. THAT'LL WORK. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX. WE HAVE A SECOND BY THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM DISTRICT FOUR, DISCUSSION ON, I WILL JUST SAY. THAT THAT. THIS BOARD IS OPERATING, AT A DEFICIT RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE FILL FILL THIS SPACE, AND I ALSO, WANT TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THERE IS NO, IF YOU WILL, A VERSION OF A POLL TAX OR ANYTHING PEOPLE SERVE AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO SERVE. AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF SPEAKERS HERE.

SO BEFORE WE VOTE, WE'LL GET THOSE THOSE SPEAKERS. SO, JUST WANTED TO HAVE A MOTION IN PLACE AND KIND OF SET THE GROUNDWORK, AND THEN IN OUR WORK SESSION, IF YOU WATCH IT TODAY, I, I AGREE WITH THE QUOTE HERE. WE REPRESENT THE VOTERS. AND SO THE NOMINEE HAD HALF THE VOTE OF THE CITY OF DENTON TO BE AT THE DAIS, LET ALONE AT A BOARD THAT REPORTS UP TO US, SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOOD. AND I ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD TODAY, THAT THE TIMING THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SECOND CHANCES. SO IF THERE IS ANY ILL WILL OR, CONSTERNATION, WE TALKED ABOUT, THOSE UNFORTUNATE WE MAY HAVE, HAD LEGAL ISSUES OR RUN INS WITH THE LAW THAT RESULTED IN A FELONY CHARGE. WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WAYS TO AND WE APPROVED A PATH FORWARD FOR THEM TO GET GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND RECOVER FROM THAT. SO I THINK THAT'S THE SPIRIT OF DENTON. AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION BEFORE I GO TO THE BLUE CARDS SEEING NONE. FIRST SPEAKER IS MATT PANETTA. MATT PANETTA, JUST REAL QUICK, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STRUCK ME ABOUT THIS IS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE HAD A RECALL ELECTION, AND THAT RECALL ELECTION WAS BASED ON SOMEBODY SHARING A MEME ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AND MOST OF THE PEOPLE ON THE DAIS AT THE TIME OPPOSED IT, THE QUOTES THAT I PULLED FROM THE DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE WERE THAT IT WAS A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE PLAYING SHENANIGANS. IT WAS GAMESMANSHIP AND A FAIRY TALE. IT WAS ALL ABOUT GETTING CONTROL. IT WAS DENOUNCED, ONE MEMBER WHO ACTUALLY LIKED THAT MEME, STATED, THERE'S NO CORRUPTION, NO CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. THEY'RE CITING. THEY'RE CITING A MEME POST. AND WE KNOW THAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THEIR EXPLANATION AT ALL. I SIMPLY DON'T BELIEVE THEM. I THINK THIS IS A POLITICAL PLOY, AND I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT A FORMER COUNCILOR IS PLAYING THESE KINDS OF GAMES WITH DEMOCRACY IN THE CITY OF DENTON, SO IT'S IRONIC THAT RIGHT NOW, THE OPPOSITION THAT WE HEARD LAST WEEK WAS ABOUT SOMEBODY MAKING COMMENTS IN THE DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE, AND A LOT OF THINGS CAN BE EASILY TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT AND CHERRY PICKED. I PULLED A COUPLE OF THEM AND, ONE OF THEM WAS, AN ARTICLE, A PLOTTER FROM THE DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE THAT STATES IT'S GETTING EMBARRASSING TO LIVE HERE. IF WE HAVE A DOCUMENT CAMERA. OKAY, STATES IS GETTING EMBARRASSING TO LIVE HERE. THAT ARTICLE IS ACTUALLY ABOUT A WOMAN WALKING AROUND NAKED DOWNTOWN, REFUSING TO PUT HER CLOTHES ON UNLESS SOMEBODY GAVE HER A CIGARET, THE ARTICLE, THIS ONE THAT WAS QUOTED LAST BY A COUNCILOR LAST SESSION WAS DENTON GIVES ME THE ICK. THIS IS ABOUT A MAN EXPOSING HIMSELF TO A WOMAN AND STEALING A SEX TOY. I THINK WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE COUNCILORS CAN EXPECT THAT A WOMAN WOULD THINK THAT IS ICKY WITHOUT WANTING TO PUNISH HER FOR IT. I HOPE WE DO. I HOPE THAT WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT DENIGRATES DENTON IS ASSAILING, THE I GUESS, YOU KNOW, UNQUESTIONABLY DENTON ACT OF EXPOSING ONESELF AND FLAUNTING SEX TOYS. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? THAT PEOPLE CAN'T OBJECT TO THAT AND STILL SERVE ON A BOARD? THAT'S WEIRD. ANOTHER THING WAS, WHY DOES DENTON HAVE TO BE SO DETNY? THAT IS ACTUALLY A CRITICISM OF THE DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE, NOT THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, MISS GARLAND WAS GOING ON ABOUT RECORD CHRONICLES, LIBERAL AGENDA. I NORMALLY LIKE A LIBERAL AGENDA.

I KIND OF DO. I DON'T LIKE WHAT THE LIBERAL AGENDA IS DOING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE THE LIBERAL AGENDA RIGHT NOW SEEMS TO BE GOING AFTER PEOPLE FOR, SPECIOUS STATEMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR FREE SPEECH. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE BASICALLY PUNISHING FREE SPEECH AND RUNNING FOR OFFICE.

THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT A LIBERAL AGENDA. IT'S FAR FROM PROGRESSIVE. IT'S MORE

[02:45:04]

FASCISTIC. AND I'LL REPEAT THAT ONE MORE TIME. IF WE HAVE A COUNCIL THAT IS CHERRY PICKING LINES TO GO AFTER PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR FREE SPEECH AND THEIR PREVIOUS POLITICAL, YOU KNOW, ASPIRATIONS, THAT IS FUNDAMENTALLY FASCIST. AND I HOPE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WOULD KIND OF THINK ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW AND GO, HEY, I DON'T WANT TO BE A FASCIST. I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO PUNISH A WOMAN FOR NOT LIKING INDECENT EXPOSURE AND SEX TOYS IN PUBLIC, YOU KNOW? I MEAN, AND IF THAT'S THE THING, THAT'S IT. IF THIS IS THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR THAT WE THINK IS UNASSAILABLY DENTON, AWESOME. THEN PUNISH SOMEBODY AND KEEP THEM OFF A BOARD. BUT THIS IS NOT HOW WE DO IT. I DON'T BELIEVE ANYWAY, I HATE THE FACT THAT I KIND OF HAD TO BRING UP SEX TOYS AND INDECENT EXPOSURE, BUT I WANTED TO PUT SOME CONTEXT TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN USED. AND WHEN YOU CHERRY PICK, YOU DON'T GET THOSE. SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU. OKAY, I SUPPORT THE NOMINATION, BY THE WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND THEN THERE'S AMANDA WILTSHIRE. YEAH. IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR NAME YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. I'M AMANDA WILTSHIRE. MY NAME IS AMANDA WILTSHIRE. I'M A THIRD GENERATION MEMBER OF THE DENTON COMMUNITY, RAISING MY FAMILY IN A CITY I'M PROUD TO CALL MY HOME. MY FAMILY HAS PLAYED AN INTEGRAL PART IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND DENTON AND LIFE HERE TODAY AS WE KNOW IT. I'M A BUSINESS OWNER IN DENTON SINCE 2011 AND A HOME OWNER SINCE 2020. I'M HERE TODAY AS A CONCERNED CITIZEN. I KNOW A LOT OF YOU ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, INCLUDING ERICA. SOME COME TO FAMILY DINNER AND HAVE HELPED ME PERSONALLY IN MANY WAYS. AFTER WATCHING THE RECENT CITY COUNCIL ELECTION AND MOST RECENT MEETING, I AM SADDENED BY SOME OF THE BEHAVIOR I HAVE SEEN YOUR DECISION TO BLOCK ERIC GARLAND'S NOMINATION FOR PKNS SEEMS TO BE PERSONAL, AND THAT YOU'RE AFRAID SHE WILL RUN AGAIN AND WIN. YOU USED CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO PUT OUT A PAC THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO INCITE AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT AGAINST A SINGLE MOM FOR A NONPARTISAN ELECTION, WHICH RESURFACED A LOT OF OLD FEELINGS FOR ME. I HAVE VOTED A SUPPORTIVE FOR 90% OF YOU ON COUNCIL. HOWEVER, MY FEELINGS CHANGE THIS ELECTION. WHEN I SAW THE TEXT FROM THE PAC. I'M SOMEONE WHO HAS OVERCOME A NEGATIVE PAST AND CAN ATTEST THE SPREAD OF HATEFUL RHETORIC IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE FOR FEMALE CANDIDATES THAN IT IS MEN. IT IS ALSO MUCH MORE PERSONALLY AIMED AT WOMEN AND HAS NO BUSINESS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS. AGAIN, IT RUINS LIVES. WE ALL KNOW THAT WE KNOW EACH OTHER IN SOME WAY OR FORM ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. AND AFTER ALL THIS, WE HAVE TO GO ABOUT OUR DAILY LIVES AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED. THAT IS DOWNRIGHT HYPOCRITICAL TO A COMMUNITY THAT CLAIMS IT CARES. AS SOMEONE WHO CAME FROM BEING A SINGLE MOM WHO FELT UNSAFE ON THE DAILY, WHO USED TO STRUGGLE BUT WANTED TO MAKE CHANGE, BUT ALSO STRUGGLE WITH DRINKING PALMS AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. I USED TO PARTY EXCESSIVELY INSTEAD OF ADDRESSING THOSE AND DID AND SAID SOME NOT SO PROUD THINGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT I'M ALSO SOMEONE WHO USED LOCAL RESOURCES TO GET RECOVERY IN THIS TOWN AND SO MY PERSPECTIVE WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT OF SOMEONE'S PAST BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

SINCE WE WANT TO BRING UP PAST SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS, I THINK IT'S BEST TO REMIND THOSE ON COUNCIL THAT WE ALL SURROUND OURSELVES CLOSELY WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE A PAST, AND WE GIVE GRACE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE KEY WORD IS GRACE. DO WE ONLY GIVE GRACE FOR THOSE WE PITY? DO WE THINK WE NEED HELP THAT YOU ARE BELOW YOU OR WE ARE THE ONES THAT PICK THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY AND DESPAIR? ARE THEY NOT ENTITLED TO A SEAT AT THE TABLE? EVENTUALLY, I FIND THAT TO BLOCK HER FOR PAST COMMENTS YEARS AGO TO BE HYPOCRITICAL. WHEN YOU LIVE HERE A LONG TIME PARTICIPATING IN THE CULTURAL CULTURE, MAJORITY OF YOUR LIFE, MANY WILL ATTEST IT COMES WITH ITS FAIR SHARE OF ISSUES. IN THE PAST, SOME PARTS OF MY PAST AND MY PROUD OF. BUT HOWEVER SOME PARTS I AM AND I TURN MY LIFE AROUND. WHEN I REALIZED ROCK BOTTOM WAS THERE. BUT IT SEEMS TO BE THE CULTURE THAT WE PROMOTE. THIS SHOULD, HOWEVER, NOT MAKE MY VOICE ANY LESS IMPORTANT. IN FACT, I FEEL I CAN ADDRESS SOME TIMES. THE GOOD TIME IS ALL DENTON LIKES TO PROMOTE ITSELF AS AND FOR A LOT OF RESIDENTS, THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR THEM. IT'S NOT JUST FOOD TRUCKS, BARS AND MUSIC FESTIVALS, AS SOME OF US HAVE ROOTS HERE AND SOME OF US HAVE TRAUMA AND IT'S HARD TO NOT ADDRESS THE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN DENTON LIFE WE PROMOTE THAT CAN LEAD TO A LIFE OF ALCOHOLISM AND ADDICTION FOR MANY, WHICH LEADS TO MORE UNHOUSED ISSUES AND FINANCIAL STRUGGLES. THOSE THAT ALSO STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY ARE FORCED TO ADAPT DAILY, AND THEY ALSO HAVE DIFFERENT SAFETY CONCERNS THAN MOST OF YOU, OR A DIFFERENT VIEW OF DENTON. JUST IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE'VE SEEN IT CHANGE DRAMATICALLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THAT'S YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, NEXT IS, FOREIGN DOCTOR. GOOD EVENING. COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS FAWN DOSTER. I'M A LOCAL ATTORNEY.

I'VE OWNED DOSTER LAW GROUP PLC AND FAIR TEXAS TITLE SINCE 1994. MY COMPANY IS ON LOCUST IN THE HISTORIC DENTON HOSPITAL. I OWN TWO COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, A RENT HOUSE AND MY PERSONAL RESIDENCE IN DENTON. THE ONLY EXPERIENCE I'VE HAD WITH PSC IS TRYING TO GET MY 380 PROPERTY REZONED AS COMMERCIAL. IT'S PRESENTLY ARE TWO. IN SPITE OF THE 50,000 CAR COUNT DAILY AND 55MPH SPEED LIMIT IN FRONT OF MY BUILDINGS, WE NEED COMMON SENSE ON PSC. MY TRUE PASSION IS

[02:50:06]

HELPING WOMEN SUCCEED. I THINK DIVERSITY CREATES A DYNAMIC AND COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT. I'M PROUD TO HAVE FOUNDED THE DENTON WOMEN'S BAR ASSOCIATION TEN YEARS AGO, JUST PRIOR TO SERVING AS THE DENTON COUNTY BAR PRESIDENT, I PICKED DENTON AS THE PLACE TO GROW MY PRACTICE BECAUSE OF ITS DIVERSE HEART AND INCLUSIVE NATURE. WHEN YOU MEET ERICA, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERLOOK HER WORK ETHIC, HONESTY , THE FACT THAT SHE SPEAKS FROM HER HEART, AND OF COURSE, SHE'S LOVED DENTON ENOUGH TO STAY HERE AS A PROPERTY OWNER FOR 14 YEARS. SHE'S A SINGLE PARENT AND THAT'S A FOUR CHILDREN, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IN THIS SITUATION IS IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO QUIET HER VOICE. SHE SAYS THINGS IN A VERY UNCOMPLICATED, DIRECT MANNER, AND THIS IS WHAT EVERY MY CIRCLE OF PEOPLE LIKE ABOUT HER, THAT SHE SPEAKS UP. AND FRANKLY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED MORE OF RIGHT NOW. WE NEED LESS POLITICIANS AND MORE PEOPLE WHO SPEAK DIRECTLY. WE SHOULD BE CHEERING HER VOICE RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING TO QUIET IT. AND THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO DISCOURAGE HER FREE SPEECH. QUIET HER WOMEN, HER WOMAN VOICE. OR IS IT JUST AN ATTEMPT TO PREVENT HER FROM RESURFACING SO THAT SHE CAN'T BE RECOGNIZED AND PROPERLY PROFILED FOR THE NEXT ELECTION? I DON'T KNOW, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT SHE'S NEVER CLAIMED TO BE LIKE AN OLYMPIC DANCER. HAVE A MASTER'S IN POLI SCI, TALKED WITH H-E-B EXECUTIVES. NOR HAS SHE TENDERED THE CITY SEAL AS PART OF HER CAMPAIGN PROPAGANDA. THE IRONY HERE IS THAT NOT SIMPLY HERE IS NOT SIMPLY THAT SHE HAS BEEN DEMONIZED FOR OFFERING HER OPINION THAT WAS NOT OFFENSIVE OR OFF BASE, BY THE WAY. IT'S THAT THE PERSON WHO HAS BEEN THE MOST OFFENDED BY HER WORDS IS THE SAME PERSON WHO SUPPORTS ORGANIZATIONS THAT GIVE CRIMINALS A SECOND CHANCE.

BUT A WOMAN SPEAKING HER MIND? NO, NO, SHE DOESN'T GET A SECOND CHANCE. REFERENCES TO HER SPENDING TIME ON THE COUCH, WHICH WAS IN FACT THE TIME SHE SPENT WORKING AS A SINGLE MOM RAISING FOUR KIDS WHILE SHE'S A DENTON PROPERTY OWNER IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF A MISOGYNISTIC REMARK DRIPPING WITH TOXIC MASCULINITY I'VE EVER HEARD EXPRESSED. AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU'LL HEAR FROM MY MOUTH. NORMALLY, THIS IS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT TO SET, AND FRANKLY, I'M APPALLED THAT ANYONE WOULD WANT TO FOLLOW IT.

THIS INTOLERANT PATH OF TRYING TO SCARE HER AND POTENTIALLY OTHER WOMEN OUT OF RUNNING FOR ANY OFFICE IN THIS CITY, AND THIS IS GOING TO LEAD TO AT LEAST A NARROW PERSPECTIVE ON THE COUNCIL AND PRNS. I WANT TO MAKE A SPECIAL APPEAL. OH, I'M OUT OF TIME. IN SUMMARY, ATTEMPTING TO RUN ERICA INTO THE GROUND, PUBLISHING ON REDDIT THAT YOU CAN THINK OF NOTHING BETTER TO THAN FOR HER TO HEAR NO WEEK AFTER WEEK ON COUNCIL, HOPING SHE LOSES HER JOB IS JUST A BULLYING GAME, AND HOPING THAT SHE STEPS BACK FROM VOLUNTEERING. OR MAYBE LIFE.

IT'S NOT THE DENTON WAY. WE ARE A KIND, GENTLER TOWN AND THAT'S YOUR TIME TO EVERYONE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY. APPRECIATE IT. NEXT SPEAKER IS, LEE SHANKLIN BAKER. IF YOU GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU. HELLO. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR. MY NAME IS LEE SHANKLIN BAKER. I'M A 30 YEAR DENTON RESIDENT. I WAS A SINGLE WORKING MOM FOR 16 OF THOSE YEARS. I'M A FORMER COMMERCIAL LENDER AND BANKER, CURRENTLY A REALTOR, AND I WAS THE FIRST FEMALE BANKING CENTER PRESIDENT IN THE CITY OF DENTON. I'VE CLOCKED THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS SERVING MY COMMUNITY THROUGH DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND HELPING WITH DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS IN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA. MR. MCGEE, IF I WERE TO RUN FOR CITY COUNCIL IN THE NEXT ELECTION, WOULD YOU REFER TO ME AS FINALLY GETTING OFF THE COUCH AS YOU DID? ERIKA GARDNER? YOU KNEW GOOD AND WELL THAT SHE WAS WORKING FULL TIME AND RAISING FOUR CHILDREN FOR THE PAST 14 YEARS. YOUR WORDS ABOUT ERIKA GARLAND WERE BOTH SEXIST AND MISOGYNISTIC. YOU SAY THAT WORDS MATTER AND WORDS DO MATTER. YOUR LIES ABOUT HAVING A MASTER'S DEGREE FROM UNT MATTER WAS YOUR LIES ABOUT BEING AN ALTERNATE ICE DANCER IN THE OLYMPICS. THAT MATTERS. YET YOU ARE HELD TO A DIFFERENT STANDARD. WHY IS THAT? IS IT BECAUSE ERIKA IS A WOMAN? I WANT TO APPEAL TO MISS VICKI BYRD. I'VE WATCHED YOU OVER THE YEARS AND HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR YOU. YOU ARE A STRONG, INTELLIGENT AND INDEPENDENT WOMAN. YOU'RE MAKING YOUR DECISION AND SITTING IN JUDGMENT OF ANOTHER STRONG, INTELLIGENT AND INDEPENDENT WOMAN WHO WANTS TO SERVE HER COMMUNITY. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF YOU HAVE REACHED OUT TO ERIKA GARLAND, HAVE YOU ASKED HER AND WHAT CONTEXT SHE MADE HER COMMENTS HAVE YOU GIVEN HER A CHANCE TO EXPLAIN HER WORDS? DID YOU DO YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE BEFORE CASTING YOUR VOTE IN THE LAST CITY COUNCIL

[02:55:01]

MEETING? I'D LIKE TO ASK THE SAME OF MR. BECK AND MR. MELTZER. AS A DENTON CITIZEN, I'M ASKING COUNCIL MEMBERS BECK, MCGHEE, BYRD AND MELTZER TO REEVALUATE YOUR VOTE FOR ERIKA GARLAND. SHE DIDN'T LIE ABOUT HER EDUCATION. SHE DIDN'T LIE ABOUT HER CAREER. SHE DIDN'T LIE ABOUT SPEAKING TO CORPORATIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. SHE DIDN'T USE AN OFFICIAL SEAL WITHOUT AUTHORITY TO DO SO. SHE DOESN'T HAVE PROMISES TO SUPPORT AGENDA ITEMS, ONLY TO GO BACK ON HER WORD AND SHE DOESN'T VIOLATE LAWS WHILE REPRESENTING THE CITY. WHAT ERIKA GARLAND DOES DO IS WHAT I THINK AND HOPE EACH OF ONE OF YOU ULTIMATELY DOES AS WELL, SHE WANTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN DENTON AND MAKE DENTON A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. THE LAST CARD I HAVE IS BRANDI POPE. IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. HELLO. MY NAME IS BRANDI POPE. I'M A LIFELONG DENTON KNIGHT. I THINK IT'S A SAD DAY IN DENTON WHEN A FULL TIME WORKING SINGLE MOM IS HELD BACK FROM SERVING HER COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF A FEW CHERRY PICKED SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS FROM SEVERAL SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. THE REALITY IS SHE'S A STRONG, OUTSPOKEN WOMAN, AND SOME OF YOU DON'T ALIGN WITH HER PERSONAL POLITICAL BELIEFS. THE FACT THAT SHE DECIDED TO GET OFF THE COUCH AS MR. MCGEE SAID, AND STEP UP AND ADDRESS CONCERNS WITH OUR TOWN IS COMMENDABLE. AND IT'S A SHAME THAT SOME OF YOU ARE USING THAT TO DISPARAGE HER AND PREVENT HER FROM SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. THE HYPOCRISY HERE IS ASTONISHING THING, MR. MCGEE. YOU'VE MADE PLENTY OF ERRORS AS A SITTING COUNCIL MEMBER. I THINK I'M REPETITIVE FROM EVERYBODY ELSE. BUT YOU LIED ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND SPEAKING TO H-E-B AND THAT YOU WERE AN OLYMPIC ICE DANCER, WHICH, FRANKLY, IS BIZARRE. YOU ADVOCATE YOURSELF FOR TWO DIFFERENT SECOND CHANCE ORGANIZATIONS, BUT YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT SHE DESERVES A SECOND CHANCE BASED ON HER SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS. AND I'M INTERESTED IN YOUR LOGIC. IS IT BECAUSE SHE'S A WOMAN, OR IS IT BECAUSE YOU'RE THREATENED BY THE FACT THAT SHE NEARLY TOOK THAT SEAT YOU'RE SITTING IN RIGHT NOW? MR. MELTZER, YOU'VE MADE IF HE SEES THIS, HE'S MADE MISTAKES, TOO, MR. BECK, YOUR VOTE AGAINST CHANGING VERBIAGE IN THE IOFFE CEMETERY ISSUE WAS INCREDIBLY INSENSITIVE AND UNNECESSARY. WORDS MATTER.

RIGHT? MR. BYRD, YOU AND I HAVE HAD SOME PLEASANT CONVERSATIONS BEFORE, AND I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR YOU. I WAS ACTUALLY SURPRISED THE MOST BY YOUR VOTE AGAINST MISS GARLAND. YOU'RE KNOWN TO CHAMPION FOR AND EMPOWER WOMEN, AND YOU EVEN ENCOURAGED MISS GARLAND TO RUN FOR COUNCIL WHEN SHE FIRST ANNOUNCED. I HOPE YOU CAN BE OBJECTIVE AND DO THE RIGHT THING HERE. IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, WHICH IS WHY SO MANY OF YOUR SUPPORTERS HAVE TURNED AGAINST YOU. YOU SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS THAT THE REASON YOU DON'T WANT HER ON PENS IS FOR FUTURE POLITICAL POSITIONING. BUT THEN YOU ALL COME UP HERE AND TELL US IT'S BECAUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA STATEMENTS, AND THAT SHOULD SCARE EVERYBODY IN THIS TOWN. I KNOW ERICA PERSONALLY. SHE'S AN HONEST AND PASSIONATE MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND SHE'S MORE THAN QUALIFIED TO BE ON P AND Z, AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE USING YOUR MAJORITY ON COUNCIL TO BETTER POSITION YOURSELVES PERSONALLY, KNOW THAT WE SEE YOU AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO FORGET THIS DURING FUTURE ELECTION TIMES. YOU'RE SITTING IN SEATS BECAUSE YOU ARE TRUSTED TO ACT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF DENTON, NOT YOURSELVES. DO YOUR JOB. OKAY? THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND. WE'VE HAD DISCUSSION. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ? SEEING NONE. LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. AND THAT FAILS. THREE. THREE, THAT TAKES US TO ITEM C, WHICH IS ID 241158. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DENTON CREATING A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, SETTING FORTH THE CHARGES OF THE 2024 2025 CHARTER REVIEW. CAN YOU PULL THAT? COUNCIL MEMBER JESTER PULLED? OKAY I STAND CORRECTED. I, I, IT'S A LOT TO KEEP UP WITH. SO FOR THOSE THAT THAT ARE TRACKING ALONG, I MISSPOKE, SO A TIE COMES BACK NEXT WEEK. SO I THOUGHT YOU HAD TO HAVE FOUR TO BE AN AFFIRMATIVE, SOMETIMES THAT'S TRUE. RIGHT. OR NO. YEAH. SO, YEAH, THERE'S MOVING PARTS. SO ANYWAY, SEE Y'ALL NEXT WEEK. NO.

NOW, ITEM C, SO ID 241158, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DENTON

[03:00:02]

CREATING A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE AND SETTING FORTH THE CHARGES OF THE 2024 2025 CHARTER REVIEW AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. COUNCILMEMBER JESTER OKAY. AND IS THERE A BRIEF PRESENTATION? NO PRESENTATION. OKAY GOT IT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF? NO REPRESENTATIVE, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE WORDS BEFORE WE. OKAY, GREAT. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, COUNCILPERSON JESTER, IN LOOKING AT WHAT HAS BEEN PUT FORWARD FOR THE MAIN GOALS OF THIS CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, I DO NOT BELIEVE IT RISES TO THE NEED AT THIS TIME, CONSIDERING THE STAFF TIME, THE VOLUNTEER TIME, AND THE MONEY INVOLVED. WE HAD A CHARTER COMMITTEE SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND I, I DISAGREE WITH RAISING COUNCIL MEMBERS PAY. WE'RE ALREADY AT THE HIGH END OF OUR COMPARABLE CITIES, SAME WITH THE NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS. SAME WITH GETTING RID OF AT LARGE DISTRICTS WHERE EVERYONE GETS TO VOTE FOR AT LARGE, REPRESENTATION AS WELL AS THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. AND I DON'T THINK JUST NEIGHBORHOOD, DIVERSITY IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, AND SO WITH THAT, I THINK THERE ARE SOME VALID TASKS, FOR EXAMPLE, LENGTHENING THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE TERM, AND MAKING SURE ANY STATE LAWS ARE NOT IN CONFLICT. HOWEVER, I'VE NOT HEARD OF A SINGLE STATE LAW THAT WE'RE IN CONFLICT WITH, WITH THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE. AND IN MY OPINION, THIS IS UNNECESSARY AND A WASTE OF TAXPAYERS TIME AND MONEY AND STAFF MEMBERS TIME AND MONEY AND I DON'T THINK THAT THE CHARTER IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BE GOING BACK TO JUST EVERY FEW YEARS. WE'VE GONE DECADES WITHOUT, GOING BACK TO THE CHARTER. IN ADDITION, THIS COUNCIL DECIDED THAT THE CHARTER COMMITTEE, REVIEW COMMITTEE CAN JUST REVIEW ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE, WE'RE TALKING A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF, OF TIME AND MONEY PUT FORWARD TO CHANGE THE CHARTER WHEN I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS NECESSARY. AND I AM THE NEWEST ONE ON COUNCIL. SO I WAS NOT A PART OF CRAFTING THESE. HOWEVER, I DID NOT FEEL LIKE I COULD ALLOW IT TO BE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA WITHOUT GIVING MY INPUT, AND MY STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT IT. SO, I KNOW I'M LATE TO THE PARTY. HOWEVER, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT. I NEEDED TO VOTE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY. AND I DON'T THINK IT'S, THE CURRENT, CURRENT CRITERIA AND CURRENT GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD. AND I THINK THAT MOST OF THE MEAT WOULD BE A DETRIMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR. THANK YOU, I'D LIKE TO ECHO MEMBER JESTER'S OBSERVATIONS, PARTICULARLY ABOUT THE ELECTION MAKEUP. WE'RE A SEVEN MEMBER BODY, SEVEN MEMBERS, AND EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR FOUR OF THOSE MEMBERS. YOU GET TO VOTE FOR TWO AT LARGE MEMBERS. THE MAYOR RUNS AT LARGE AND THEN YOUR SINGLE MEMBER DISTRICT. SO THAT'S FOUR OF THE SEVEN. THE CITIZENS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE A REMARKABLE CONTROL OVER WHO SITS ON ON, ON THE CITY COUNCIL. AND, AND I AND I AGREE, I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE TAMPERED WITH. IT JUST JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DOESN'T MEAN WE NEED TO WORK ON IT. IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT. THANK YOU FOR THE TIME.

OKAY, REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. YEAH. WE, WE FLOATED THESE THROUGH WORK SESSIONS. THROUGH MULTIPLE WORK SESSIONS, THROUGH THROUGH, MANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PRIORITIES, ABOUT DIFFERENT CHAPTERS, TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WAS ANY, MEAT ON THE BONES, WHETHER WE NEEDED TO CARRY FORWARD AND ULTIMATELY, A CONSENSUS OF COUNCIL, CHOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CHARTER COMMITTEE. SO, IF THE RECOMMENDATION, WE'LL SEE WHAT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OUT OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE ARE, THEY THEY MAY HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, DON'T NECESSARILY BE, PERFECTLY ALIGNED WITH WHAT THEIR INPUTS ARE. THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THEY WHEN THEY DO A DEEP DIVE. AND COMPARE AND CONTRAST AND SEE WHAT'S NEEDED, THEY MAY FIND THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR ESTIMATION, WE'RE GOOD, OR THEY MAY FIND THAT. NO, YOU KNOW, TO MEET THE GOALS OF DENTON, WI AND, AND, AND OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS, WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PUT THIS TO THE VOTERS, ULTIMATELY, THOUGH, REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS, IT ULTIMATELY WILL BE THE VOTERS WHO, IF ANYTHING, DOES COME TO

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BALLOT AND AT THIS POINT, THAT'S THE DIRECTION WE WERE HEADED, ULTIMATELY, IT WILL BE THE VOTERS WHO DECIDE, WHETHER WE MAKE ANY CHANGES AT ALL. AND I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE, IF THE VOTERS CHOOSE TO MAKE NO CHANGES, THEN THE VOTERS CHOOSE TO MAKE NO CHANGES. SO I'LL DEFINITELY BE SUPPORTING THIS. AND IN FACT, I'D LOVE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO SUPPORT IT. OKAY.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANYONE ELSE? WE HAVE A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SO THAT'S FROM. YEAH.

REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE SECONDS, WE HAVE A MOTION. SECOND DISCUSSION. SEEING NONE.

THAT'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES FOUR TWO TAKES US TO OUR NEXT ITEM THAT WAS PULLED.

ITEM T. AND THAT IS ID 241093. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS.

HOME RULE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION AUTHORIZING CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE MARDESICH. I THINK GROUP, LLC, DBA DOING BUSINESS AS CIVIC BRAND FOR MISSION, VISION AND REBRANDING INITIATIVES, MISTER CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND, YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR. THANK YOU, I LIFTED THIS FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY TO CHANGE OUR LOGO, NOT JUST TO CHANGE OUR LOGO. SO NOW I SEE OUR LOGO VERY FREQUENTLY. I THINK IT'S LOVELY. I THINK IT SAYS WHAT IT NEEDS TO SAY. IT SAYS DENTON, AND I'M NOT POSITIVE THAT IT NEEDS TO SAY A GREAT DEAL MORE THAN THAT, I THINK THIS IS 80, $80,000, $80,000. THAT'S THAT MIGHT BE A POSITION, MAYBE A POSITION AND A HALF WORKING FOR THE CITY OF DENTON. I THINK WE CAN. AND HAS ANYBODY DRIVEN ON A STREET LATELY AND SEEN A POTHOLE, I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF PLACES THAT WE COULD SPEND $80,000. THAT'S NOT GOING TO GRACE THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF A RETURN ENVELOPE OR YOUR UTILITY BILL. AND IT'S GOING TO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE MY ID BADGE. I THINK I THINK THIS IS THIS IS SOMETHING THIS THIS IS A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM, I JUST DON'T I JUST DON'T SEE THE POINT. AND I THINK WE CAN SPEND OUR MONEY MORE WISELY. THANK YOU. SO, COUNCILMEMBER HOLLAND, A LITTLE A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION, THIS HAS BEEN IN THE BUDGET SINCE 2022. WE DID A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, THE ACTUAL PERSON THAT LEADS CIVIC BRANDS, A UNT GRADUATE, THIS IS NOT JUST TO LOOK AT THE LOGO. IT'S ALSO THE CITY GRAPHICS AND TALKED ABOUT IT LOOKS AT UNIFICATION ONE BRAND UNIFICATION. WE HAVE ALL DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS WITH DIFFERENT BRANDING. IT'S LOOKING AT OUR CITY'S MISSION AND VALUES AND THEN OUR STANDARDS AND OUR STYLE GUIDELINES. IT WILL HAVE COMMUNITY INPUT. THERE'LL BE COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS SO THE COMMUNITY CAN GET INVOLVED. AND THEN IT COMES TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL, BUT IT IT MAY NOT CHANGE THE LOGO. IT WILL GARNER INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'RE HAVING IS THE DIFFERENT BRANDS OUT THERE. THE DIFFERENT THINGS. PEOPLE, ARE YOU WITH THE CITY, ARE YOU NOT? AND THE OTHER THING IS LOOKING AT HOW WE HAVE A MISSION AND VISION AND VALUES FOR THE CITY THAT HASN'T BEEN UPDATED. AND THEN AGAIN, THE STANDARDS AND STYLES AGAIN, IT'S BEEN IN THE BUDGET FOR TWO YEARS AND THE SUB THAT THEY'VE HIRED IS A GROUP OUT OF DENTON SO THAT WE CAN STAY LOCAL. BUT THAT'S REALLY IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT IT IS. THANK YOU. AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I'M I BET THEY'RE QUALIFIED. I BET THEY ARE JAM UP. BUT BUT, EVERY TRUCK, EVERY BUSINESS CARD, EVERY INVOICE, EVERY ENVELOPE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE REDONE. MAYBE NOT IMMEDIATELY. WE I'M SURE WE CAN RUN THROUGH THIS, BUT IT'S JUST AN EXPENSE THAT I SIMPLY DON'T UNDERSTAND. I'M SURE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING IT ARE WELL QUALIFIED. AND I KNOW IT'S BEEN A BUDGET ITEM FOR TWO YEARS, BUT THAT'S 80 GRAND THAT I DON'T THINK WE CAN SPEND. I THINK WE COULD SPEND IN A MORE WISE, A WISE MANNER. AND I HOPE THIS I HOPE THIS IS DEFEATED. I'LL VOTE AGAINST IT. OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION, REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX, COUNCILPERSON JESTER, I JUST WANT TO SAY I HAD A LOT OF THE SAME QUESTIONS YOU DID, COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU PULLING THIS. SO WE GET A LITTLE MORE CONTEXT, BECAUSE THAT I KIND OF HAD THE SAME THOUGHTS. WHY NOT JUST HIRE SOMEONE AND HAVE SOMEONE DO THAT JOB, I'D LIKE TO PULL IN AS MUCH AS AS WE CAN AS A AS OPPOSED TO CONSULTANTS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE

[03:10:03]

QUITE THE SAME CONTROLS, HOWEVER, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, AS FAR AS THE EXPENDITURES, NOT JUST THIS INITIAL, PHASE, BUT IT WILL ENTAIL THE ENTIRE FLEET, ETCETERA, HOWEVER, I DO ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE DO HAVE SOME CONFLICT WITH DIFFERENT BRANDING, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THESE DAYS THAT IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. SO, I'M GOING TO BE VOTING IN FAVOR FOR IT, BUT I DO VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, COUNCIL MEMBER HOLLAND'S PULLING THIS SO WE CAN. WE GOT A LITTLE MORE, MEAT TO IT. THANK YOU. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. THANK YOU, YEAH, I APPRECIATE, COUNCILOR JESTER'S WORDS. THAT'S THIS IS THIS IS AN OVERALL MARKETING, AND IT GOES TO, OUR BRANDING IN NORTH TEXAS, OUR BRANDING TO POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS, OUR OUR COMMON PRESENCE, AND UNIFYING THAT UNDER UNDER ONE MISSIVE. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT NECESSARILY NEEDS TO ENTAIL, RELO GOING AT ALL, ALTHOUGH THAT MAY BE ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COMES OUT OF IT, I, YOU KNOW, IT IS MORE CAN WE GET ON THE SAME PAGE? AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT EFFORT FROM, FROM, THE CITY MANAGER TO, TO BRING US ALL UNDER ONE UMBRELLA, ALL ROWING IN THE SAME DIRECTION, WITH THE SAME GOALS AND THE SAME MISSIVE. SO I'LL BE SUPPORTING THIS.

OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I'LL JUST ADD I DID HAVE ONE MAYOR TELL ME THAT OUR LOGO IS A OR.

NO, OUR FLAG. HE SAID OUR FLAG IS A FLAG OF A FLAG BECAUSE OUR LOGO IS A FLAG. AND SO I NEVER PAID ATTENTION. SO, LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE ON TO SOMETHING. SO MAYBE, MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING SAID WE CAN WE CAN MAYBE CLEAN THAT UP LIKE, BUT ANYWAY, GOOD GOOD DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU ALL. ALL WE SO SOMEONE I, I NEED A MOTION, REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT TWO I MOVE APPROVAL. IS THERE A SECOND, REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT ONE? I'LL SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S VOTE ON THE BOARD. AND THAT PASSES 5 TO 1. AND THAT TAKES US TO OUR LAST ITEM. ITEM U IS AN UMBRELLA. AND THAT IS ID 24731. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON DETERMINING THE PUBLIC USE, NEED AND NECESSITY FOR ACQUISITION OF A PERMANENT ELECTRIC EASEMENT. GOOD EVENING, MARK ZIMMER WITH DMA ENGINEERING . I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT AND THE NEED FOR THE ELECTRIC EASEMENT. AND I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO DEANNA CODY WITH REAL ESTATE TO COMPLETE THE PRESENTATION, CURRENTLY DME OWNS A ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINE ON THE FASTENAL PARCEL SHOWN HERE, ALONG AIRPORT ROAD. TECH STOP PLANS TO WIDEN AIRPORT ROADS. WE HAVE RELOCATE THE TRANSMISSION LINE. THANKS OUT OF THEIR WAY. SO TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE, THE LINE FURTHER SOUTH, WHICH MEANS WE NEED ADDITIONAL EASEMENT FROM FASTENAL. HERE'S AN AERIAL VIEW OF THE PROPOSED ELECTRIC EASEMENT. AND NOW I'LL HAND IT OVER TO DEANNA CODY. DEANNA CODY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, REAL ESTATE, BASED ON THE DESCRIPTION THAT YOU'VE HEARD OF THE PROPERTY, THE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE ITEM, APPROVAL WILL AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TO ACQUIRE THE NECESSARY PROPERTY INTEREST FOR CONSTRUCTING THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROJECT.

THIS ALLOWS A FINAL OFFER LETTER TO BE SENT THE. THE CONSULTANT IS ALREADY NEGOTIATING FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THE EASEMENT. THE PROPERTY OWNER IS BEING RESPONSIVE. WE'RE JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THE PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDES SENDING A FINAL OFFER LETTER IN THE EVENT THERE'S A DELAY OR A NEGOTIATION. EFFORTS FAIL AND AN IMPASSE IS REACHED.

THE CITY ATTORNEY OR THEIR DESIGNEE MAY FILE EMINENT DOMAIN PROCEEDINGS TO ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY INTEREST IF NECESSARY, AND SO UPON THE READING OF A FAVORABLE MOTION, AND A SECOND WILL BEGIN DISPLAYING THE ACTUAL LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY. THAT'S GOING TO BE ACQUIRED. THANK YOU. IS THERE IS THERE A MOTION AND STAFF PROVIDED THAT LANGUAGE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR? I'LL MOVE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THIS ITEM O OF, I ID 24 731.

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I MOVE THAT THE CITY OF DENTON AFTER HAVING MADE OFFERS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, USE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN IF NEEDED, TO ACQUIRE PERMANENT ELECTRIC EASEMENT LOCATED GENERALLY AT 3833 AIRPORT ROAD, SITUATED IN THE WILLIAM NEIL SURVEY. ABSTRACT NUMBER 970. IN THE CITY AND COUNTY OF DENTON, TEXAS, AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE ATTACHED EXHIBIT A TO THE ORDINANCE NOW UNDER CONSIDERATION ON THE SCREEN. TO BE DISPLAYED TO THE AUDIENCE, ALL OF WHICH ARE FOR A VALID PUBLIC USE NECESSARY TO REBUILD, CONSTRUCT AND INSTALL ELECTRIC INFRASTRUCTURE. AS FAR AS THE DENTON WEST TO R.D. WELLS PROJECT NEEDED TO SERVE THE PUBLIC AND CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF DENTON, MR. MAYOR. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT ONE. I'LL SECOND. OKAY. SHE DON'T HAVE TO READ NO, NO, I HAVE TO READ. IT'S, WE HAVE A MOTION. SECOND. HAVE YOU? YOU'VE DISPLAYED IT READY FOR THE VOTE. OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES 6 TO 0.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR CONSENT AGENDA PORTION OF THE MEETING. TAKES US TO OUR FIRST PUBLIC

[A. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas repealing the Solid Waste and Recycling Criteria Manual, Stormwater Criteria Manual, Transportation Criteria Manual, Water and Wastewater Criteria Manual, and Streetlight Criteria Manual; combining such documents into the Denton Design Criteria Manual; approving the Denton Design Criteria Manual; providing for a Design Deviation Procedure; and providing for severability, a savings clause and an effective date.]

HEARING, WHICH IS ITEM A, FOUR A, IF YOU'RE TRACKING ALONG ID 231856, HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS, REPEALING THE SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLE RECYCLING CRITERIA. MANUAL STORMWATER CRITERIA. MANUAL TRANSPORTATION CRITERIA, MANUAL WATER AND WASTEWATER CRITERIA. MANUAL AND STREETLIGHT CRITERIA. MANUAL. COMBINING SUCH DOCUMENTS INTO ONE DENTON DESIGN CRITERIA CRITERIA MANUAL. MAYOR. COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT. I AM BRETT BOURGEOIS, THE CITY ENGINEER, AND I'M HERE TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE NEW DENTON CRITERIA MANUAL, OVER THE LAST YEAR, STAFF HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO COMBINE THE FIVE CRITERIA MANUAL. AS YOU DISCUSSED, INTO A SINGLE DOCUMENT AND MADE UPDATES. WE DID A SERIES OF PUBLIC OUTREACH WITH DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS, ENGINEERING COMMUNITY, POSTED ONLINE TO RECEIVE PUBLIC OUT INPUT. AND THEN WE ALSO PRESENTED TO, PLANNING AND ZONING, PUBLIC UTILITY BOARD, AND EARLIER TODAY TO THE COUNCIL AT THE WORK SESSION. SO THIS IS OUR OUTREACH PLAN THAT WE DID. AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THIS WITH AN EFFECTIVE DATE ON JULY 1ST. OKAY. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF. SEEING NONE, I'LL TAKE A MOTION, REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO, I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE CRITERION MANUAL. MANUAL AT A ITEM REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT ONE. I'LL SECOND. OKAY WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION, IT IS, BUT I DON'T HAVE. YEAH, SO LET ME DO THAT. SO IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING THOUGH. I'M BAD HABITS. SO, I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT. AND WHILE IT'S OPEN. SO THAT MEANS ANYONE CAN COME DOWN AND SPEAK. IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT WHILE YOU'RE THERE. BRETT, I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU, FOR THOSE SITTING IN AND LISTENING, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A WORK SESSION EARLIER. CAN YOU TOUCH ON SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OR THE WHAT IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED BY THIS? IT YEAH. SO THE CITY OF DENTON HAS MULTIPLE DOCUMENTS. IT HAS A DEVELOPMENT CODE. IT HAS WHICH SETS THE STANDARDS FOR PLANNING, ZONING, DEVELOPMENT. WE HAVE THE CRITERIA MANUALS WHICH SET THE DESIGN STANDARDS REQUIRED. WE HAVE THE SPECIFICATIONS AND THE CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION STANDARD DETAILS.

THE BEFORE THE CITY OF DENTON HAD FOUR ACTUALLY FIVE CRITERIA MANUALS FOR DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE. TRANSPORTATION SOLID WASTE, WATER, WASTEWATER, STORM DRAIN AND THEN LIGHTING.

WHAT THIS UPDATE, I MEAN, EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, EVERY YEAR OR SO, WE COME BACK AND WE MAKE CHANGES TO THOSE CRITERIA MANUALS TO UPDATE BASED ON CHANGES IN CONDITIONS, ENGINEERING STANDARDS, CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS. AND WE RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, OF ISSUES. WE MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENT. S, ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAD THIS YEAR WAS TO TAKE THOSE FIVE DOCUMENTS AND GET RID OF THEM AND COMBINE THEM INTO ONE SINGLE DOCUMENT AND CONSISTENT WITH THE DEVELOPMENT CODE. THAT WAY WE ONLY HAVE ONE DOCUMENT TO MAINTAIN AND TO UPDATE AND IT'S MORE UNIFORM WITH THE WAY THAT THE PROJECT DEVELOPS AND THEN THE CRITERIA MANUALS, A LOT OF THEM ARE REGULATORY CHANGES, EASE OF ACCESS CHANGES, CHANGES RELATED TO CONFUSION WITHIN THE OLDER DOCUMENTS. SO JUST KIND OF

[03:20:07]

ENHANCEMENTS TO THE DOCUMENTS OVER TIME, OKAY. AND IF YOU'RE IN THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY AND YOU DIDN'T RECEIVE NOTICE, HOW IS THAT NOTICE MADE. LIKE IF YOU'RE IF SOMEONE WASN'T AWARE WHEN YOU HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS BUT WANT TO WANTS TO BE PLUGGED IN OR RECEIVE NOTICES. WHAT'S THAT PROCESS. YEAH. SO WE HAVE A DEVELOPER DEVELOPER TOWN HALLS THAT ARE COORDINATED BY MISTER SCOTT MCDONALD THROUGH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES. OR REACH OUT TO THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY. ANY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT THAT COMES INTO THE CITY. ONCE WE HAVE THIS DOCUMENT PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE, PUBLIC FACING, WE HAVE EVERY DEVELOPMENT THAT CAME IN. WE DIRECTED THEM TO THAT SAID, ONCE THIS GETS ADOPTED, THIS IS THE CRITERIA GOING TO FOLLOW. WE WANT COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK. WE HAVE A LINK ON THE WEBSITE FOR THEM TO SUBMIT COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH AND MAKE REVISIONS OVER TIME. AND SO WE AND WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO AND PRESENTED TO THE ENGINEERING COMMUNITY THAT DOES A LOT OF ENGINEERING PROJECTS FOR THESE DEVELOPERS. AND MET WITH THEM AND SHOWED THEM ALL THE UPDATES AS WELL. AND WE SOLICITED FEEDBACK FROM THEM. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE THAT. THAT'S GOOD INFORMATION. OKAY. SO IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE CAN SPEAK IF YOU'D CARE TO SEEING NO SUDDEN MOVEMENTS. I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. LET'S VOTE ON THE SCREEN. THAT PASSES 6 TO 0. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[B. Hold a public hearing and consider adoption of an ordinance of the City of Denton, Texas amending the Denton Development Code, regarding short-term rental use regulations and definitions, specifically amendments to Section Table 5.2-A- Table of Allowed Uses, Section 5.3.1 Use-Specific Standards - Generally, Section 5.3.5: Commercial Use-Specific Standards, Table 7.9-I Parking, and Section 9.2: Definitions; providing for a penalty in the maximum amount of $2,000.00 for violations thereof; providing a severability clause and an effective date. The Planning and Zoning Commission voted [5-0] to recommend approval of the request. Motion for approval was made by Commissioner Villareal and seconded by Commissioner Pruett. (DCA23-0002g, Short-Term Rentals, Angie Manglaris)]

TAKES US TO ITEM BDCA23-0002. HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS. AMENDING THE DENTON DEVELOPMENT CODE REGARDING SHORT TERM RENTAL USE REGULATIONS AND DEFINITIONS. SPECIFICALLY AMENDMENTS TO SECTION TABLE 5.2 A TABLE OF ALLOWED USES SECTIONS. GO GOOD EVENING. MAYOR. COUNCIL. SCOTT MCDONALD, DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, I AM NOT ANGIE MANGLARES. SHE WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU SHORTLY. I JUST WANTED TO BRIEF YOU, ON SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED, THIS EVENING. SO YOU'VE RECEIVED A NUMBER OF EMAILS FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION, ETC, IN, IN COOPERATION WITH THEM, I'M GOING TO BE ASKING THAT WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, HEAR THE PRESENTATION, LISTEN TO PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THEN I'M GOING TO HUMBLY ASK THAT WE POSTPONE THIS TO A DATE CERTAIN OF JULY 23RD. WE HAVE A TENTATIVE DATE SCHEDULED WITH THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION AT OUR BUILDING FOR A PUBLIC MEETING. SO TO INCLUDE THE REALTORS AND ANY ANY OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES, ON JUNE THE 19TH TO KIND OF DISCUSS THIS A LITTLE FURTHER, I THINK OVERALL, WE'RE IN A VERY SIMILAR PLACE THERE IS SOME CONCERN WITH MAYBE SOME OF THE CAP NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE AND SOME OF THE DISTANCES. AND SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO TALK THROUGH AND MAKE SURE THAT THE GROUP HAS A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE CAME FROM WITH THIS, WHERE WE'RE GOING. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE PROVIDED NOTICE CITYWIDE ON THIS. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GIVE EVERYBODY AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY. AND THEN AGAIN, JUST POSTPONE TO A DATE CERTAIN. SO WE'RE NOT RE NOTICING, AND WE'LL KEEP THAT PUBLIC HEARING OPEN. GOT IT.

OKAY ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR MATT. DOES THAT IF GOING THROUGH THE COMMENTS TODAY, DOES THAT FORECLOSE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WHEN IT COMES BACK I CAN'T REMEMBER. NO. THEY CAN COME BACK AND SPEAK ON THE FUTURE DATE. GOT IT OKAY. GOT IT. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT I COULDN'T HEAR. THE ANSWER IS THEY CAN SPEAK AT BOTH INSTANCES. YEAH. WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE THE MEETING. WE JUST WANT TO POSTPONE. YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS THE CASE. THANK YOU. OKAY. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, ANGIE MANGLARES, DEVELOPMENT REVIEW MANAGER, HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU TODAY, DCA 23 0002G. THIS IS SHORT TERM RENTAL CODE AMENDMENTS, BEFORE WE DIVE RIGHT INTO WHAT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO DISCUSS WHAT THE CURRENT STATE OF SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE IN THE CITY OF DENTON. SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE CURRENTLY AN ALLOWED USE, AND THEY'RE PERMITTED IN ALL RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS AS WELL AS THE N ZONING DISTRICT. SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE DEFINED AS THE ENTIRE RENTAL OF IS THE ENTIRE DWELLING UNIT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME LESS THAN 30 CONSECUTIVE DAYS. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TODAY. LOCAL EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED TODAY. THERE IS NO REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE CAP AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX. REMITTANCE IS REQUIRED. A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON HOW WE GOT HERE TODAY. THIS CODE AMENDMENT PROCESS, THIS SPECIFIC ONE RELATED TO SHORT TERM RENTALS, REALLY BEGAN IN JANUARY OF 2023 WITH RULINGS OUT OF THE FIFTH CIRCUIT COURT THAT STATED THAT REQUIRING STR APPLICANTS DEMONSTRATE THAT THE STR IS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE WAS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. WE DID HAVE LANGUAGE WITHIN OUR EXISTING ORDINANCE THAT DID CONFLICT WITH THAT. THAT AMENDMENT HAS SINCE

[03:25:03]

BEEN ADDRESSED. HOWEVER, IN THIS PROCESS, WE IDENTIFIED SEVERAL AREAS THAT COULD STAND TO BE CLARIFIED AND CONSOLIDATED TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE SENSE. AND WE'RE ALSO CLOSELY WATCHING, LEGISLATION THAT WAS HAPPENING RELATED TO THE LAND USE, AS WELL AS HOW OTHER CITIES IN THE AREA HANDLE THIS LAND USE. FOLLOWING ALL OF THAT, WE DID A HEAVY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SURVEY. WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 220 INDIVIDUALS RESPOND TO A 20 QUESTION SURVEY THAT WAS SUBMITTED ONLINE, AND RESULTS WERE VARIED, BUT DID INDICATE THERE WAS A DESIRE TO PRESERVE THE INTEGRITY OF SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL HOMES, WHILE ALSO CONTEMPLATING HIGHER DENSITIES OF SHORT TERM RENTALS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY. HAVING SAID ALL THAT, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE, SO FIRST TABLE OF ALLOWED USES. THIS CONTEMPLATES EXPANDING WHERE SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE ALLOWED TO ALL ZONING DISTRICTS WHICH ALLOW FOR A RESIDENTIAL USE. SO THAT WOULD BE THE ADDITION OF THE MDM R, C, H, C AND GEO DISTRICTS, YOU SPECIFIC STANDARDS WERE MODIFIED TO SPECIFY THAT, SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE AN EXEMPT LAND USE FROM THAT REGULATION, CONSISTENT WITH RULINGS OF THE COURTS. SECTION ONE OF THE USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS HAS BEEN MODIFIED TO CLARIFY THAT A BEDROOM OR A UNIT MAY BE LISTED AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL. ALSO DOES A BETTER JOB AT CLARIFYING WHAT A LOCAL EMERGENCY CONTACT IS AND WHEN YOU'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE MANAGEMENT CONTACT INFORMATION, REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES IS A NEW AMENDMENT, THAT IS PROPOSED AS PART OF THESE REGULATIONS, AND I'LL KIND OF GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND NONRESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. SO IN RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS, A MAXIMUM OF 1000 SHORT TERM RENTAL REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES SHALL BE ISSUED PER CALENDAR YEAR, A MAXIMUM OF TWO SHORT TERM RENTAL REGISTRATION CERTIFICATES MAY BE ISSUED PER PARCEL, AND A SHORT TERM RENTAL UNIT CANNOT BE 100FT WITHIN AN EXISTING SHORT TERM RENTAL UNIT. MEASURED PROPERTY LINE TO PROPERTY LINE IN NONRESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICTS.

THOSE REGISTRATIONS DO NOT COUNT TOWARDS THE 1000 UNIT CAP, NOR ARE THEY SUBJECT TO THE 100 FOOT SEPARATION REQUIREMENT, IN ANY CASE OF A MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT, NO MORE THAN 10% OF ALL UNITS MAY BE LISTED AS A SHORT TERM RENTAL. SECTION FOUR WAS MODIFIED JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT SAFETY INFORMATION NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED TO GUESTS, AND THAT IT NEEDS TO BE PROVIDED IN WRITING. AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION. SECTION FIVE WAS MODIFIED TO SPECIFY WHEN THE CITY NOTIFIES OF A SHORT TERM RENTAL REGISTRATION AND WHAT INFORMATION IS SPECIFIED IN THAT REGISTRATION TERM. FEES AND REVOCATION WAS MODIFIED A LITTLE BIT AND ADDED PROVISIONS WHERE A PERMIT MAY BE REVOKED AND SPECIFIES THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THEN SUBSECTION SEVEN WAS MODIFIED TO SPECIFY AND CLARIFY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. UNDER WHICH A SHORT TERM RENTAL INSPECTION MAY OCCUR. FINALLY, IN A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WE FOUND OUR PARKING LANGUAGE WAS WRITTEN IN A WAY THAT WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. SO THAT HAS BEEN MODIFIED TO SPECIFY THAT THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF VEHICLES ALLOWED ON PREMISE FOR SHORT TERM RENTAL SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THOSE SPACES, AVAILABLE OFF STREET, MEANING IF YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE TWO CARS IN YOUR DRIVEWAY, THAT'S HOW MANY YOU ARE ALLOWED TO LIST AS YOUR SHORT TERM RENTAL, DEFINITIONS WERE MODIFIED TO SPECIFY SHORT TERM RENTALS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. IT INCLUDES A BEDROOM NOW, WHEREAS BEFORE IT ONLY CONTEMPLATED THE ENTIRE DWELLING UNIT AND SPECIFIES THE TIME PERIOD SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN 24 HOURS, NOR GREATER THAN 29 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, LOCAL EMERGENCY CONTACT DEFINITION WAS AMENDED TO CLARIFY AND CONSOLIDATE THE REQUIREMENTS.

MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND. AND THOSE ARE REALLY THE MAIN, CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED. AS PART OF THIS, I WILL POINT OUT, SINCE THE PNC MEETING ON THE 29TH, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO AREAS WE FOUND WE COULD BETTER CLARIFY. ONE IS A HOLDOVER THAT YOU SEE HERE, HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, NEEDS TO BE STRUCK. IT'S RELATING TO THE MAXIMUM TEN PERSONS, THAT THAT WAS ADDRESSED EARLIER IN THE USE SPECIFIC STANDARDS THAT SHORT TERM RENTALS ARE EXEMPT FROM THAT PROVISION. AND THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH RULINGS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE COURTS. IT JUST DIDN'T GET STRUCK IN THIS SPECIFIC SUBSECTION. AND THEN, FOR CONSIDERATION, THERE HAS BEEN CONCERN OF, INDIVIDUAL ROOMS THAT MAY BE EXISTING TODAY AND NOT REGISTERED. SECTION FIVE COULD BE MODIFIED THAT IN ORDER TO ALLOW THESE INDIVIDUALS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET REGISTERED BEFORE THE ORDINANCE GOES INTO EFFECT, WE COULD EXTEND OUR CURRENT REGULATIONS TO THEM, ALLOW THEM TO BE REGISTERED AND GAIN LEGAL, NONCONFORMING USE, HOPEFULLY AVOIDING ANY, ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT WOULD COME UP WITH THE ENFORCEMENT DATE. THIS DID GO TO PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, LAST WEEK, AND THEY DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL, WE ARE RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THESE AMENDMENTS AND, PER SCOTT'S EARLIER STATEMENT, FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, RECOMMENDING POSTPONEMENT UNTIL JULY 23RD. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME, JUST REAL QUICK. WELL, FIRST I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. DO YOU KNOW, WERE THERE ANY DISSENTING VOTES? WHAT WAS THE VOTE AT PLANNING AND ZONING? I'M SORRY. IT WAS, 5 TO 0

[03:30:05]

RECOMMENDING APPROVAL. OKAY GOT IT. OKAY. YEAH. SO I'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE HAVE SPEAKERS IF THERE, BUT THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR STAFF BEFORE WE GET TO THE SPEAKERS. SEEING SEEING NONE, FIRST SPEAKER. YEAH. FIRST SPEAKER IS DANA ZELTNER. IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. I REQUESTED TO HAVE THIS PUT ON THE SCREEN. OKAY. CAN WE GET THE DOCUMENT? THERE WE GO. OKAY. THIS IS. SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE TO SQUINT. SORRY. THIS IS FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T CARE TO LISTEN. AND THEY CAN READ THIS WHILE I'M TALKING. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF DENIGRATING SHORT TERM RENTAL BUSINESSES. HOWEVER

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

Jun 04, 2024 City Council on 2024-06-04 2:00 PM

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