OR GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THIS MEETING OF THE DENTON CITY 
          [WORK SESSION BEGINS AT 2:00 P.M. IN THE COUNCIL WORK SESSION ROOM]
          [00:00:09]
COUNCIL. TODAY IS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, 2024. IT IS 201. WE HAVE A QUORUM, SO I'LL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? SEEING NONE. THAT TAKES US TO OUR FIRST WORK SESSION. ITEM. LET ME GET THERE. I THINK I'VE GOT IT. AND THE FIRST ITEM IS. 
          [A. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding the City of Denton’s 89th State Legislative Program.
    [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 45 minutes]]
THREE A ID 242091. RECEIVE REPORT. WHOLE DISCUSSION. GIVE STAFF DIRECTION REGARDING THE CITY OF DENTON'S 89TH STATE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM. AND BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO MY FRIENDS THAT I MET TODAY FROM THE GERMAN EXCHANGE PROGRAM AT GUYER HIGH SCHOOL. SO THEY CAME AND VISITED TODAY. WE HAD A GOOD CONVERSATION, SO THEY GAVE ME THIS. I GOT TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON ALL THE THINGS, BUT THIS IS CALLED A BUDDY BEAR AND I'M LEARNING, SO I'M MY FRIENDS, MY 25 NEW FRIENDS. SO WITH THAT ITEM, A THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL. CHRISTIE FOGLE, CHIEF OF STAFF. TODAY I'LL BE PRESENTING THE PROPOSED LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR THE UPCOMING 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I'M ALSO JOINED BY LOGAN SPENCE WITH HANCE SCARBOROUGH OVER HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE UPCOMING SESSION. FROM HIS PERSPECTIVE. SO BEFORE WE DIG INTO THE PROPOSED PROGRAM, I'LL GO THROUGH SOME JUST BACKGROUND AND BASICS ON THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION. SO THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE IS MADE UP OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. THE SENATE IS LED IS 31 MEMBERS, LED BY THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, AND THE TEXAS HOUSE IS 150 MEMBERS, LED BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE IS A HOUSE MEMBER ELECTED BY HIS PEERS IN THE HOUSE TO SERVE AS SPEAKER. SO 2025, JANUARY THROUGH MAY. 
          WE'RE WE'RE SET TO BEGIN AND SPECIAL SESSIONS. ONLY THE GOVERNOR HAS THE ABILITY TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION. SPECIALS ARE CALLED 30 DAYS AT A TIME. AND THE LEGISLATURE CANNOT ADJOURN UNTIL THE BODY PASSES. ITEMS SET BY THE GOVERNOR FOR A SPECIAL. SOME LAST SESSION RECAP FOR YOU TO SET THE STAGE. LAST SESSION. THERE WERE SOME BIG BATTLES FOR CITIES WITH THE PASSAGE OF HB 2127, WHICH PREEMPTED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CITIES TYPICALLY DO, AS WELL AS SB 2038, WHICH ALLOWS FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN THE ETJ TO PETITION TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CITY'S ETJ. 
          THERE WAS BIG PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THAT PASSED THAT WAS FORCED THREE SPECIAL SESSIONS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE, AND THEN SOME OTHER BIG TICKET ITEMS THAT TOOK UP A LOT OF SPACE WERE PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS, SCHOOL SAFETY AND BORDER SECURITY. I ANTICIPATE THE CITY DID PASS SUCCESSFULLY PURSUE AND PASS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION LAST SESSION THAT WAS SPONSORED BY OUR DELEGATION MEMBERS. SB 569 BY SENATOR SPRINGER AND REPRESENTATIVE STUCKEY PASSED, AND IT WAS RELATED TO PAYMENT FOR THIRD PARTY SUBPOENAS AND DOCUMENT REQUESTS. AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE UPCOMING SESSION. THERE ARE A FEW KEY AREAS THAT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY SHAPE THE SESSION, AND SOME OF THESE ARE STILL UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME, INCLUDING THE SPEAKER'S RACE FOLLOWING LAST SESSION. THERE HAS BEEN SOME CRITICISM AND CRITICISM REGARDING SPEAKER DADE PHELAN, AND SO SINCE THEN, FIVE REPUBLICANS AND ONE DEMOCRAT HAD EXPRESSED INTENT TO RUN FOR SPEAKER ABOUT A MONTH AGO, A GROUP OF ABOUT 48 REPUBLICANS MET AND PLEDGED SUPPORT TO ONE OF THE FIVE REPUBLICANS THAT HAD DECLARED DAVID COOK OF MANSFIELD. THIS PLEDGE IS NON-BINDING, AND THE SPEAKER WILL STILL NEED A THE ELECTION. REPUBLICANS WILL MEET IN THEIR CAUCUS TO FORMALLY ENDORSE THEIR DESIRED CANDIDATE. 
          SO WE'LL BE MONITORING THAT AS WELL. SOME OF THE BIG ISSUES ON THE TOP OF THE SPEAKER'S RACE INCLUDE WHETHER OR NOT THERE SHOULD BE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRS AND PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS. THE GOVERNOR'S EMERGENCY ITEMS AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY SESSION, THE GOVERNOR ADDRESSES THE LEGISLATURE AND SETS WHAT ARE CALLED HIS EMERGENCY ITEMS. THESE ARE 
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EFFECTIVELY HIS PRIORITIES FOR THE SESSION. SOME OF THE EXPECTED EMERGENCY ITEMS INCLUDE PRIVATE SCHOOL VOUCHERS, BORDER SECURITY, AND POTENTIALLY MORE PROPERTY TAX REFORM. THOUGH WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT IN WHAT FORM THAT WILL TAKE YET. AND THEN THERE IS ALSO GOING TO BE ANOTHER BUDGET SURPLUS THIS SESSION. THE COMPTROLLER'S MOST RECENT ESTIMATES STATE THAT THE STATE IS LOOKING AT AN $18.29 BILLION SURPLUS, AS WELL AS THE ECONOMIC STABILIZATION FUND OR THE RAINY DAY FUND WILL BE CLOSE BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR, SO IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THEY DO WITH ALL OF THAT SURPLU. THIS SESSION, DENTON WILL HAVE SEVERAL NEWLY ELECTED STATE OFFICIALS, INCLUDING A NEW STATE SENATOR AND A NEW STATE REPRESENTATIVE. IT WILL BE CRITICAL FOR US TO WORK ON OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND STRENGTHEN THE ONES THAT WE HAVE WITH CURRENT MEMBERS, AND BE PROACTIVE IN ENGAGING THE NEW MEMBERS. WE WANT TO BE A RESOURCE FOR EVERY MEMBER OF OUR DELEGATION. WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THIS WORK BY REACHING OUT TO OFFICE STAFF AND ENGAGING OUR STATE CONSULTANT TO LEVERAGE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH MEMBERS AND STAFF. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LEVERAGE RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE WITH OUR LEGISLATURE. AND ONCE WE HAVE A FINAL LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS WITH OUR DELEGATION MEMBERS TO SHARE THE PROGRAM WITH THEM BEFORE THE SESSION STARTS. WE'LL ALSO BE PROMOTING THE CITY'S LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM IN AUSTIN BY BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH COORDINATING AND COMMUNICATING OUR EFFORTS WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS WILL BE FOCUSED ON INCREASING THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT OF BOTH COUNCIL AND STAFF DURING DURING THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS. YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE WEEKLY UPDATES FROM ME IN THE FRIDAY REPORT, AS WELL AS EMAILS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. HOPEFULLY, IF BY IF I'M DOING MY JOB BY THE END OF THE SESSION, YOU'LL BE REALLY TIRED OF ME. I'LL BE COORDINATING WITH COUNCIL AND STAFF TO PROVIDE WRITTEN AND ORAL TESTIMONY AS PRIORITY BILLS ARE HEARD IN COMMITTEE. WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE INDUSTRY EXPERTS HERE ON STAFF WITH US, AND SO LIFTING THEIR VOICES AND UTILIZING THEIR EXPERTISE WILL BE IMPORTANT THIS SESSION. AND THEN IT WILL ALSO BE CRITICAL TO BE STRATEGIC IN OUR ENGAGEMENT, RECOGNIZING WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR A MAYOR OR A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO TAKE LEAD ON AN ISSUE. VERSUS STAFF. SO NOW WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROPOSED PROGRAM SECTION BY SECTION. THERE'S A COMPILED VERSION OF THIS IN YOUR REALLY QUICK, STARTING WITH THE PURPOSE. SIMPLY SIGNALING POLICY AREAS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF DENTON. ALLOWING STAFF TO ACT QUICKLY TO PRIORITIZE ISSUES AND HELP BUILDING CONNECTIONS WITH OUR DELEGATION AND SETTING DENTON APART. AND THEN A LITTLE BIT ON THE PROCESS. THIS PROCESS STARTED BACK IN JULY WITH A SURVEY TO DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTORS TO PROVIDE DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC PRIORITIES. LIKE I SAID, MANY OF OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS ARE LEADERS IN THEIR INDUSTRY AND PART OF INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE THEIR EARS TO THE GROUND ON ISSUES RELATED TO THE LEGISLATURE. SO WE ASKED THEM WHAT BILLS FROM LAST SESSION THEY ANTICIPATED COMING BACK. WHAT ARE THE NEW ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE EMERGED SINCE LAST SESSION, AND HOW STATE LAWS IN GENERAL AFFECT THEIR DAILY WORK? WE ALSO REVIEWED WITH STAFF AND OUR STATE CONSULTANTS TO ASSURE ALIGNMENT WITH OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. FROM THAT, STAFF BUILT DIFFERENT THAN THE CITY'S PREVIOUS PROGRAMS. IT'S A ONE PAGER FRONT AND BACK WITH MID-LEVEL BULLET POINTED PRIORITIES. PREVIOUS PROGRAMS WERE RELATIVELY HIGH LEVEL AND INCLUDED MORE VALUE STATEMENTS THAN POLICY POSITIONS. MY GOAL WITH THIS NEW FORMAT IS TO BALANCE BEING SPECIFIC ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES, WHILE STILL GIVING US THE FLEXIBILITY TO REACT TO EVOLVING POLICY POSITIONS. ALL WHILE BEING AS BRIEF AS POSSIBLE. SESSION CAN BE VERY BUSY AND AS A RESULT, CAN GET FEEL A LITTLE TRANSACTIONAL. A DOCUMENT LIKE THIS ENSURES THAT NO MATTER WHO WE'RE HANDING IT TO, WHO WE'RE SHAKING HANDS WITH IN THE HALLWAY, THAT THIS DOCUMENT KNOWS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING THIS DOCUMENT KNOW EXACTLY WHAT DENTON IS IMPORTANT TO DENTON. ADDITIONALLY, THE DOCUMENT BEFORE YOU IS PLAIN TEXT FOLLOWING YOUR DIRECTION. TODAY WE WILL WORK WITH MARCUM TO HAVE THIS FORMATTED, SPRUCED UP AND INTO A FINAL DELIVERABLE FOR WHEN YOU VOTE ON TO THE PROGRAM. WHILE THE 
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PROGRAM PRIORITIES ARE NOT LISTED IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER, WE WANTED TO LIST THIS SECTION ON COMMUNITY FOCUS TO DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. THIS SECTION STATES THAT WE VALUE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY. ORGANIZATIONS LIKE DENTON ISD, DENTON COUNTY, OUR COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSITIES, AND DCTA TO DEMONSTRATE OUR COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE ENTIRE DENTON AREA. THE CITY SUPPORTS EXPANDING ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE MENTAL HEALTH CARE THROUGH LEGISLATION AND FUNDING SUPPORTING LEGISLATION AND FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. 
          PROTECTING THE AUTONOMY OF LOCAL OFFICIALS TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR COMMUNITY. INCREASING THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY'S BASIC ALLOTMENT AND FULLY FUNDING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT ENHANCES THE CITY'S VIBRANT COMMUNITY AND ECONOMY, INCLUDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS, TOURISM, PUBLIC SAFETY, AFFORDABLE HOUSING OF THE CITY, BUT INSTEAD IMPACTS OUR WHOLE COMMUNITY. THE NEXT SECTION IS CITY. SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES DEPARTMENTS LIKE ANIMAL SERVICES, PARKS AND REC. SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING AND LIBRARIES. SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT DESIGNATES ESSENTIAL CITY EMPLOYEES, LIKE SOLID WASTE WORKERS AND ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS AS FIRST RESPONDERS. 
          RECOGNIZING THEIR CRITICAL ROLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE SUPPORT LEGISLATION REQUIRING THE SALE OF ONLY HEALTHY ANIMALS AND RETAIL PET STORES. THIS WAS A BILL FILED BY REPRESENTATIVE JARED PATTERSON LAST SESSION THAT ALMOST MADE IT THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE THIS NEXT SESSION. SUPPORT LEGISLATION AND FUNDING FOR TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE LOCAL GRANTS PROGRAM. THIS IS A GRANT PROGRAM THAT ASSISTS WITH ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF PARKS, AND THE CITY WAS AWARDED A GRANT THROUGH THIS PROGRAM EARLIER THIS YEAR. OPPOSED LEGISLATION THAT LIMITS FRANCHISE FEE AUTHORITY FOR SOLID WASTE SERVICES, AND OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT RESTRICTS LIBRARIES AUTHORITY TO A RATING SYSTEM FOR PURCHASES OR PROHIBITS LIBRARIES FROM HOSTING COMMUNITY EVENTS. LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT WILL LIKELY BE A BIG TOPIC THIS NEXT SESSION. SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PROTECTS AND CLARIFIES CITY'S ROLES AND REQUESTING FOR REMOVAL FROM THEIR ETJ. SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PRESERVES THE CITY'S AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH LOT SIZES, PARKING REQUIREMENTS, DENSITY, ADU REQUIREMENTS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT RESTRICTS THE CITY'S AUTHORITY OVER DEVELOPMENT ISSUES, INCLUDING ANNEXATION, EMINENT DOMAIN ZONING, REGULATORY TAKINGS, BUILDING CODES, TREE PRESERVATION, SHORT TERM RENTALS, AND MANUFACTURED HOUSING. OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT DIMINISHES A CITY'S AUTHORITY TO MANAGE AND CONTROL ITS RIGHTS OF WAY, INCLUDING LIMITATIONS ON REQUIRING DEDICATIONS OR STUDIES AS A PART OF PLATS SUBMISSION THAT AMENDS EXTENDED TERM PROTECTIVE ORDERS TO INCLUDE OFFENSES AGAINST PREGNANT INDIVIDUALS AND THOSE INVOLVING STRANGULATION SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT CREATES A FUNDING MECHANISM FOR COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS, AND CLASS C MISDEMEANOR CASES. SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT EXPANDS VIRTUAL OR REMOTE ACCESS FOR DEFENDANTS IN MUNICIPAL COURT, AND OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT ELIMINATES THE USE OF ISSUING CLASS C WARRANTS FOR CLASS C MISDEMEANORS. TAXATION AND MUNICIPAL FINANCE IS ALSO EXPECTED TO BE A BIG TOPIC THIS SESSION. SUPPORT LEGISLATION ALLOWING MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITIES TO ISSUE DEBT AND PROTECTING DEBT ISSUANCES. SUPPORT INCREASING THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING THRESHOLD TO REFLECT RISING COSTS AND INFLATION, AND OPPOSE LEGISLATION LIMITING A CITY'S ABILITY TO ISSUE CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION. AND TRANSPORTATION AND AVIATION SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT INVESTS IN THE INCREASES FUNDING FOR GROWING URBAN AREAS. SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PROVIDES CITIES WITH GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO FUND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS, AND SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT INVESTS IN THE STATE'S AVIATION PROGRAM. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT. 
          AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE UTILITIES SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT INCREASES THE STATE GRANT 
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FUNDING TO THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE PRIORITIES OUTLINED IN THE STATE WATER PLAN. THE CITY WAS RECENTLY AWARDED A STATE WATER GRANT THROUGH THE SWIFT PROGRAM, AND THE STATE HAS MADE HISTORIC INVESTMENTS IN WATER. AND WE HOPE THAT THAT CONTINUES AND SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PROMOTES DIRECT POTABLE REUSE OR DPR AND OTHER WATER CONSERVATION INITIATIVES. THE FINAL FOUR HERE ARE RELATED TO DENTON MUNICIPAL ELECTRIC SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT CLEARLY DEFINES TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES CAPABLE OF MEETING THE GOALS OF THE DISPATCHABLE RELIABILITY RESERVE SERVICE SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT CLASSIFIES PROTECTIONS AS ENTITIES WITH PRIVATE PROPERTY. ACCESS TO NATURAL GAS DURING EMERGENCIES. 
          OPPOSE ANY LEGISLATION THAT RESTRICTS LARGE LOAD INTERCONNECTIONS TO THE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM. OF USE AND OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT CREATES UNFUNDED MANDATES ON USE. SO NEXT STEPS TODAY. COUNCIL CAN PROVIDE DIRECTION ON THE PROPOSED PROGRAM FROM THAT DIRECTION. THE FINAL PROGRAM. WILL BE ON THE NOVEMBER 19TH. CONSENT AGENDA FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL. AND I'M HAPPY TO. YIELD FOR QUESTIONS OR BRING UP LOGAN SPENCE WITH HANCE SCARBOROUGH FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX. HI COUNCILPERSON JESTER, AND I SURE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT EVERYONE HAS GONE TO. TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. I CAN'T IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT MUST HAVE BEEN INVOLVED BECAUSE IT'S VERY. WE HAVE SUCH A BROAD AREA TO COVER AS FAR AS WHAT MIGHT COME FORWARD AS FAR AS THE LEGISLATION. I HAVE THE SECTION CITY SERVICES. AND SECONDLY UNDER MUNICIPAL COURT. SO IF WE CAN START WITH CITY SERVICES, AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE WANT TO COMPLETE THAT, IF ANYONE ELSE HAS QUESTIONS, IF WE WANT TO GO ACCORDING TO THE ORDER HERE, OR IF YOU WANT ME JUST TO CONTINUE THROUGH. OKAY. I'LL CONTINUE THROUGH. SO CAN YOU TELL ME THE BULLET POINT THAT SAYS SUPPORT LEGISLATION REQUIRING THE SALE OF ONLY HEALTHY ANIMALS IN RETAIL PET STORES, AS OPPOSED TO WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? RIGHT. SO THERE AND THIS WAS THIS SPECIFICALLY RELATES TO A BILL THAT WAS FILED LAST SESSION BY REPRESENTATIVE PATTERSON. AND IT SPECIFICALLY REQUIRED THAT PET STORES SOURCE THEIR ANIMALS THROUGH SHELTERS AND ANIMAL RIGHTS OR ANIMAL SERVICES AGENCIES, AS OPPOSED TO FOR PROFIT. AGENCIES. AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF WHAT THE BILL WAS DIRECTED AT. THERE IS SOME THERE HAS BEEN IN RECENT SESSIONS. QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER HOW? WHAT DEFINES A HEALTHY PET AND THAT SORT OF THING. AND SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS BILL IS GETTING AT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. 
          OKAY. SO IF WE'RE CHAMPIONING, CHAMPIONING, CHAMPIONING THANK YOU. SO ANYONE ELSE THAT KNOWS SYLLABLES. THE SALE OF ONLY HEALTHY ANIMALS I THINK WE NEED THAT DEFINITION THEN DON'T WE? I MEAN, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OUR LEGISLATORS, IT WOULD IT WOULD BE IN THE BILL. OKAY. CAN WE CAN WE GET THAT? I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE SAYING. YEAH, I CAN ABSOLUTELY FIND THAT AT SOME POINT. NOT THIS SECOND, OF COURSE. THANK YOU. AND THEN UNDER MUNICIPAL COURT, THE SECOND BULLET POINT. AND I'M SORRY, I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY TAKING A NOTE ON THE FIRST THING IF WE GET TO MUNICIPAL COURT. IT SAYS SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT CREATES A FUNDING MECHANISM FOR COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS IN CLASS C MISDEMEANOR CASES. OF COURSE, CURRENTLY THERE'S ONLY COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS. IF THERE'S A POTENTIAL OF TAKING AWAY YOUR FREEDOM, SAY YOU'RE GOING TO BE JAILED OR YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO YOUR CHILDREN. THOSE ARE THE ONLY INSTANCES. SO WOULD THIS BE ATTORNEYS FOR THE SHOPLIFTERS. 
          THE YOU KNOW, THE I LOOKED UP CLASS C MISDEMEANOR TO MAKE SURE I KNEW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. 
          AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UNDER MAYBE $100 OR PUBLIC INTOXICATION. THIS KIND OF THING. CAN YOU KIND OF TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS AND CERTAINLY IF WE'RE GOING TO SUGGEST THE CITY FUND ATTORNEYS FOR EVERYONE. THAT IS SIGNIFICANT. AND SO I ALSO WANTED CLARIFICATION AS TO WHAT OUR INTENT WAS THERE. THANK YOU. 
          RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. SO RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO FUNDING MECHANISM FOR PROVIDING A COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEY. AND THE MUNICIPAL COURTS OFTEN SEE DEFENDANTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OR JUVENILES WHO ARE UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY REPRESENT THEMSELVES. AND SO THAT WAS THE INTENT BEHIND THIS ITEM. I DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD BE CITY FUNDING, AND WE DON'T HAVE A 
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SPECIFIC PROPOSAL ON THE TABLE FOR THIS ITEM. SO IT COULD THROUGH STATE FUNDING AS WELL. 
          OKAY, I THINK I COULD SAY I WOULD NEED A LOT MORE INFORMATION IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE PROPOSING THAT WE ADD TO OUR BUDGET OR IN OUR CITIZENS. ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT THE INTENT. OKAY. THEN I THINK THAT MAY BE MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO SPECIFY THAT ABSOLUTELY. CREATING A STATE FUNDED MECHANISM, SOMETHING THAT'S JUST MY $0.02. 
          AND THEN OPPOSE LEGISLATION THAT ELIMINATES THE OPTION OF ISSUING WARRANTS FOR CLASS C MISDEMEANORS. I MEAN, PUBLIC ORDER IS VERY IMPORTANT. WHAT WHAT ARE WE WHAT IS THE INTENT? WHY ARE WE WHY WOULD WE BE DOING THIS? SAYING SOMEONE SHOULDN'T BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE OR BROUGHT IN TO FACE THE JUDGE? ABSOLUTELY. THERE HAS BEEN AN EFFORT IN PAST SESSIONS TO ELIMINATE CLASS C WARRANTS FOR CLASS C MISDEMEANORS AND THE MUNICIPAL COURT'S STANCE ON THIS IS SIMPLY THAT THAT IS THEIR TOOL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. THAT THEY WILL NOT HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO HOLD THOSE PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR CLASS C MISDEMEANORS. OKAY. SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THERE IS CURRENTLY AN OPTION. SO IT'S NOT MANDATORY THAT A WARRANT IS ISSUED. BUT THEY HAVE THE OPTION CORRECT. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE MAINTAINING. I THINK MAYBE THAT NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED AS WELL BECAUSE I COULD READ IT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. SO MUCH FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. AND THEN FOR. HELLO. HI. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO LET THE AUDIENCE KNOW AND THE COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THE HTML MEETING THAT WE ATTENDED LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WAS VERY INSIGHTFUL. I APPRECIATE THE CITY ALLOWING ME TO GO AND LEARN A BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE STATE, SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THAT. I WANT TO GO BACK TO GOING BACK TO CITY WASTE WORKERS AND ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS. AND WE'RE USING THE TERM LIKE, IS THERE ROOM FOR ANY OTHER AREAS TO BE CONSIDERED AS EMERGENCY DESIGNATED ESSENTIAL CITY EMPLOYEES? I'M THINKING OF OUR UTILITIES PEOPLE, BUT WE HAVE TO BRING THEM OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, SOMETIMES ON EMERGENCIES. WOULD THEY ALSO BE CONSIDERED INTO THIS PARTICULAR LEGISLATION THAT WE LIKE FOR, FOR YOU ALL TO SUPPORT ALSO THE NEXT THING IS SUPPORT LEGISLATION REQUIRING THE SALE OF ONLY HEALTHY ANIMALS IN RETAIL PET STORES. MY INITIAL QUESTION WAS IN RIGHT NOW WE CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THE INSPECTIONS OF THOSE HEALTHY ANIMALS. YOU KNOW HOW DOES SOMETHING LIKE THAT GO ABOUT? SO I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER CHESTER AND I ARE KIND OF LEANING ON THE SAME DIRECTION FOR THAT. BUT AS SHE WAS SPEAKING, I WAS THINKING ABOUT THESE PARTICULAR KIND OF ANIMALS THAT ARE SOLD IN THOSE RETAIL PET STORES TEND TO LEAN ON AND PUREBRED ANIMALS, AS I UNDERSTAND, HAVE A TENDENCY TO HAVE CERTAIN DISEASES AND ILLNESSES THAT COME ALONG WITH THEIR BREED. SO MAYBE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD ALSO, YOU KNOW, BE EMBEDDED INTO THAT QUESTION. SO WE DO HAVE A, A STORE HERE THAT THAT IS HERE ON UNIVERSITY DRIVE. THAT IS A RETAIL PET STORE. AND I KNOW THAT OUR ANIMAL I DON'T KNOW ANIMAL CARE PEOPLE, NOT THE SHELTER, BUT OUR VOLUNTEER AND OUR INTERESTED COMMUNITY PEOPLE. WE MIGHT WANT TO CALL THEM OUR ANIMAL PEOPLE. SO WE HAVE ANIMAL PEOPLE, TREE PEOPLE, STREET PEOPLE. SO OUR ANIMAL PEOPLE WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT STORE BEING THERE JUST BECAUSE OF THIS TYPE OF CONNECTION HERE. SO BUT THAT GIVE THAT TO YOU. 
          THE OTHER THING I HAVE HERE, SUPPORT FOR TAXATION ALLOWING MUNICIPALITIES TO ISSUE DEBT AND PROTECTING DEBT ISSUANCE. THIS COULD DEFINITELY GO FORWARD AS EDUCATION TOOL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WHEN THEY ARE QUESTIONING WHY EVERYTHING AND WE KEEP ASKING FOR MONEY AND WHY EVERYTHING KEEPS GOING UP AND JUST EXPLAINING TO THEM. I LIKE FOR US TO DO A REALLY GOOD 
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EDUCATIONAL PIECE FOR OUR COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO WHAT IS DEBT? WHY DO WE KEEP ISSUING DEBT? AND THAT, OF COURSE HAS A REASON BEHIND IT. WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB. I THINK IN LETTING THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHY WE'RE ISSUING DEBT FOR A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD OR WHATEVER. WE'RE ISSUING DEBT FO. 
          THE OTHER THING IS DOWN HERE ON TRANSPORTATION AND AVIATION. SO EXCITED FOR OUR OUR AIRPORT. I MEAN, JUST UNBELIEVABLE. I LOVE THE IDEA OF OUR AIRPORT GROWING AND THE WAY THAT IT IS GROWING AND GIVING CREDENCE TO THE US. AND SO. BUT THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO UP TO SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT PROVIDES CITIES WITH GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO FUND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. I THE QUESTION IS WHAT TYPE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SPECIFICALLY LOOK TOWARDS? DOES THIS HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH OUR OUR OUR OUR. TRAINS AND OUR BUSSES, OR IS THIS DIRECTED TO ROADS? SO, YOU KNOW, HOW IS HOW DOES THAT LEGISLATION IS GOING TO HOW IS THAT LEGISLATION GOING TO LOOK FOR US. WHAT TYPE. SO OF COURSE I HAVE A COUPLE OF ROADS IN MIND AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH FUNDING RIGHT NOW TO GET IT DON, BUT THERE MIGHT BE CERTAIN TYPES OF FUNDING OUT THERE THAT COULD HELP GET IT DONE. SO I AM DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF THAT, BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS GOING TO LEAN MORE TOWARDS ROADS, OR IS THIS GOING TO LEAN MORE TOWARDS THE ACTUAL TRANSPORTATION PIECE? CAN YOU ANSWER TO BE BROAD, TO KIND OF ENCOMPASS BOTH MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND SUPPORTING OUR PARTNERS OVER AT DCTA ON WHATEVER THEY'RE WORKING ON. BUT COULD ALSO BE ENCOMPASSING OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS. WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC FUNDING SOURCES IDENTIFIED TODAY, BUT OUR STATE CONSULTANTS ARE LOOKING INTO THAT AND WILL BE MONITORING THAT AND BRINGING BACK INFORMATION FOR US FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN MIND. PROJECT ALSO DOWN HERE UNDER UTILITIES DISPATCHABLE 123. THIRD BULLET POINT DOWN. DISPATCHABLE RELIABILITY SERVICE. RESERVE SERVICE. THAT SOUNDS VERY IMPORTANT. CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A TONY WITH DME IS ACTUALLY HERE AS WELL. WHO CAN SPEAK MORE TO THAT? THANK YOU. TONY APPOINTED THE GENERAL MANAGER. COUNCIL MEMBER. 
          ON. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE ON THAT THERE. THIS IS NOW WILL BE THE SIXTH ANCILLARY SERVICE THAT R OFFERS. THEY HAD ANOTHER SERVICE THAT THEY PUT IN AFTER WINTER STORM YURI CALLED THE AKERS. BUT THIS PARTICULAR SERVICE, WHAT IT'S TARGETED TO DO IS TO HAVE TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES. GENERATION RESOURCES, POWER PLANTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE POWER WITHIN TWO HOURS, AND THEN FOR A DURATION OF FOUR HOURS. SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WITH THAT IS THAT IT WILL TAKE POTENTIALLY EXISTING RESOURCES OUT OF THE MARKET. AND SO THERE'S STILL SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT SHOULD THIS ONLY APPLY TO POWER PLANTS THAT ARE OFFLINE VERSUS OFFLINE AND ONLINE. AND SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ON THAT. IT ALSO DOES NOT INCLUDE BATTERIES. SO ANY BATTERIES THAT ARE OUT THERE WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS. AND THEN CERTAINLY ANY RENEWABLE RESOURCES WOULD ALSO NOT BE ELIGIBLE. AND SO THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT THAT'S HAPPENING THERE. AS YOU KNOW, WITH AND ERCOT TO ADVOCATE THAT AT LEAST SOME DEGREE OF THOSE RENEWABLES BE INCLUDED IN SOME OF THESE ANCILLARY SERVICE OFFERINGS. YOU KNOW, IN LAYPERSON'S TERMS, IN THE MIND'S EYE OF A PERSON THAT LIVES HERE AND DIDN'T WE CAN JUST HEAR MORE CONFUSION AND MORE MONEY. AND WHEN YOU USE IT, WHEN YOU SAY ERCOT, THAT'S WHAT RUNG UP IN MY HEAD. MORE CONFUSION, MORE MONEY. BUT I AM HOPEFUL THAT THIS PARTICULAR THING THAT WE HAVE HERE, THE RESERVE SERVICE, WILL SERVICE US BETTER. AND SO I'M JUST WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE TRUSTING THAT YOU'LL KEEP YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR EARS TO THE GROUND AND GIVE US THE BEST THAT YOU CAN IN THIS REGARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. MR. YES, MA'AM. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU. REPRESENTATIVE, DISTRICT FOUR. 
          [00:30:05]
THANK YOU. THE PET, THE HEALTHY PETS. AND THAT'S THE ONLY KIND OF PETS I LIKE. HEALTHY PETS. 
          JUST MAKE THAT BY THE STATE AND NOT BY THE CITY. CORRECT. OKAY. OKAY. SO HOW HOW DOES THAT HOW DOES THAT COME UNDER OUR PURVIEW? INSPECTION. IF THAT'S THE CASE. 
          RIGHT. SO I THINK IT'S SIMPLY THAT WE RUN WE WORK IN THE ANIMAL SERVICES INDUSTRY. RIGHT. 
          WE HAVE A PET STORE IN THE CITY OF DENTON THAT IS REGULATED BY THE STATE. AND WE HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN ANIMAL SERVICES IN THOSE PET STORES. BEING BEING SOURCED THROUGH HEALTHY PETS. 
          DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? I CERTAINLY HEARD YOU. IS THE EXCUSE ME, BUT IS THE REAL POINT HERE PUPPY MILLS? IT IS. SO LET'S CALL IT WHAT IT ANIMALS COMING IN FROM PUPPY MILLS, WHICH THEY DO COME FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, NOT JUST IN TEXAS. YOU DON'T KNOW THE HEALTH OF THE HEALTHY OUTCOME OF THESE ANIMALS, BECAUSE MANY OF THEM DO HAVE THEIR IN CAGES. THEY'RE BREEDING THE WOMEN, THE FEMALE DOGS ARE BRED ON A RECURRING BASIS. THE ANIMALS ARE THEN KEPT IN CAGES AND THEN SHIPPED TO PLACES FOR SELLING. AND SO IT IS REALLY THE TERM OF HEALTHY PETS IS RELATED TO THE UNHEALTHY CHARACTERISTICS OF ANIMALS THAT COME OUT OF PUPPY MILLS. AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE. COULD NOT AGREE MORE. MY QUESTION I GUESS IS IF A RETAIL PET STORE IS LICENSED BY THE STATE, ASSUMING THEY'VE GOT LICENSE IN HAND, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN THEY CAN TELL US TO GO POUND SAND, CAN'T THEY? ABSOLUTELY. UNLESS THE STATE LAW CHANGES, WHICH IS WHAT THAT THE BILL THAT THIS IS REFERENCING WOULD HAVE DONE OR WOULD DO. 
          OKAY OKAY OKAY. AND AND. COURT APPOINTED ATTORNEYS IN CLASS C MISDEMEANORS. I'VE NEVER HEARD ANY SUPPORT. I'VE NEVER HEARD ANY OUTCRY FOR THAT. I HAD A LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN THAT. AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE THAT COMES FROM. MY COLLEAGUES IN TRAINING THAT I DID FOR SOME TIME, I NEVER HEARD ONE MENTION OF THAT. WHERE IS THAT COMING FROM? IT CAME DIRECTLY FROM OUR MUNICIPAL COURT AND OUR MUNICIPAL JUDGE, AND I CAN REACH OUT TO HIM AND PROVIDE SOME MORE INFORMATION ON WHERE THAT CAME FROM. THANK YOU. I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT. 
          THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. I'M SORRY. THE. 
          I'M GOING TO. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE THE VOICE ON THE. WELL, LET ME LET ME START. LET ME LET ME GET THERE IN A SECOND. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY I REALLY LOVE THIS AS AN EXCELLENT LIST. 
          I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT A SHORT AND SWEET. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES. I REALLY THINK THIS IS A REMARKABLE STEP FORWARD COMPARED TO DO WE ALSO HAVE A SIMILAR CHEAT SHEET THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT FOR SORT OF THE UNIQUE FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF DENTON, SO THAT THEY HAVE OUR PRIORITIES AND OUR AND OUR CHARACTERISTICS AT THE SAME TIME. ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT IS WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED ON THIS DOCUMENT. BUT I'M WORKING WITH OUR MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM TO CREATE MAYBE POTENTIALLY LIKE A HALF PAGER HANDOUT THAT PARTNERS WITH WHATEVER OUR FINAL DOCUMENT IS THAT HAS OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL'S INFORMATION ON IT, AND THEN ALSO JUST SOME INFORMATION ABOUT DENTON AND WHAT MAKES DENTON UNIQUE. AND SOME OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS THE CITY. PERFECT. NO, THAT ALL SOUNDS EXCELLENT. I THINK THAT'LL HOPEFULLY REALLY HELP OUR ESPECIALLY ANY FRESHMEN DELEGATION MEMBERS. SO LET'S GO TO WHERE I WAS STARTING ON. AND THAT WAS I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO ALSO TALK ABOUT THE PETS AND I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY, I MEAN, I THINK YOU CAN HEAR THAT WE ALL THINK THIS ONE IS POTENTIAL NECESSITY IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER WE, WE WILL BE PRIORITIZING THE SOURCING AS AS ONE OF THE ISSUES. OKAY. IS THAT RIGHT? YES. ALL RIGHT. GOOD. BECAUSE I 
          [00:35:04]
THINK YOU'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, BROAD SUPPORT FOR MR. PATTERSON'S BILL. AND, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAD THAT IT DIDN'T TAKE OFF TWO YEARS AGO. AND THEN. SO I WON'T BELABOR THAT TOO MUCH MORE. LET'S GO TO UTILITIES FOR A SECOND. AND I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO PICK UP ON ON THE DRC LEGISLATION. I THINK THAT'S LIKE THE THIRD BULLET. I THINK COUNCILOR BYRD WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT IT AGAIN. I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER CRITICAL. ELEMENT. AND SO I THINK I HEARD TONY SAY, AND HE'S RIGHT THERE. COOL. THAT CURRENT POSITIONING BY THE STATE TECHNOLOGY THAT ARE DISPATCHABLE BUT ARE NOT CURRENTLY INCLUDED. ARE WE TAKING A STATEMENT ON THAT? SO YOU MENTIONED BATTERY. 
          THERE'S OTHER FORMS OF STORAGE. ARE WE TAKING A POSITION ON THAT IN OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA? YES, SIR. I THINK, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERING THAT WE ARE 100% RENEWABLE, WE HAVE A LOT OF RENEWABLE RESOURCES UNDER CONTRACT THAT CERTAINLY WE DEPEND ON. WE'RE CERTAINLY ADVOCATING BOTH AT THE ERCOT LEVEL AND ALSO AT THE PUC LEVEL TO COMMUNICATE TO THEM, YOU KNOW, HOW THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION MIGHT IMPACT OUR RATEPAYERS AND ENSURE THAT THAT IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THESE RESOURCES TO BE COUNTED, AT LEAST TO SOME EXTENT, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS. AND DOES IT ARE WE WE'RE MOSTLY FOCUSED ON ON THAT DISPATCHABLE QUALITY OR ARE WE ALSO ENCOURAGING MORE, MORE MODERN TECHNOLOGIES THAT YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT, LIKE VIRTUAL POWER PLANTS, DEMAND RESPONSE, OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE BUT WITHOUT ACTUALLY BEING IN THE CURRENT DEFINITION OF DRESS. SO YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF RESOURCES AND STRATEGIES THROUGH A DEMAND RESPONSE PROGRAM ARE ACTUALLY ALLOWED. NOW, DMS HAS BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE BOOKS, BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE'S CERTAINLY INTEREST, THERE'S CERTAINLY INTEREST ON ON OUR BEHALF AS WELL TO HAVE THOSE RESOURCES. SO THERE IS NO PROHIBITION. NOW, THOSE TYPES OF VIRTUAL POWER PLANTS DEMAND SIDE PROGRAMS HAVE NO IMPACT ON SOMETHING LIKE A DRESS. DOCTORS LARGE SCALE POWER PLANTS AND THOSE TYPES OF RESOURCES. THE DEMAND ON THOSE, AGAIN, IS THEY HAVE TO RESPOND WITHIN TWO HOURS. THEY HAVE TO STAY ON FOR AT LEAST FOUR HOURS, AND SO CERTAINLY EXCEEDS SOME OF THE BATTERY STORAGE, POTENTIALLY, THAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN SOME OF THESE HOME OR OR BUSINESS. OKAY. ALL RIGHT I APPRECIATE THAT. 
          THAT'S ALL FOR TONY. AND I DID HAVE ONE MORE THAT WASN'T SORT OF IN THE LIST. AND I'LL JUST THROW THIS OUT THERE. AND I GUESS IT WOULD BE UNDER CITY SERVICES. I'D LOVE TO SEE US. 
          YOU KNOW, AT LEAST EXPLORE THE IDEA OF IS LOOKING AT SWITCHING UNIFORM ELECTION DATES. BUT THAT WOULD THAT THAT WOULD THAT. THAT'S MY $0.02. WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER APPETITE FOR THAT. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT THREE? YEAH. BACK ON THE ANIMAL ONE WITH ALL DUE RESPECT. AND I'LL SEE IF YOU KNOW SPARKS ANYBODY ELSE'S MEMORY. THAT WASN'T THE AGREEMENT WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS. IT CAME FROM THE ANIMAL ADVISORY BOARD AS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE DO WHAT, YOU KNOW IS CHARACTERIZED AS THE SUBSTANCE OF JARED PATTERSON'S BILL, WHICH WAS DISALLOWING RETAILING PETS FROM FOR PROFIT STEERING PEOPLE TO ADOPTION. AND THEN WE CAME TO LEARN THAT THE STATE LAW DIDN'T ALLOW US TO REGULATE THAT. THERE ARE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT SOME ADVOCATED FOR HOW WE MIGHT DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT THE STATE DIDN'T, AT THAT TIME, ALLOW THAT. BUT THE AGREEMENT WHAT? WHAT? WHO SAID? YOU KNOW, IT'S AN AGREEMENT THAT. BUT THE WAY TO ADDRESS THAT IS TO PUT IT IN THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA. SO THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA SHOULD REFLECT OUR DESIRE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO REGULATE PET STORES. SO AND TO DISALLOW THEM TO SELL PETS, BASICALLY FROM PUPPY MILLS AND BUNNY MILLS. YOU KNOW, LIKE THE IDEA THAT A HEALTHY ANIMAL IS A PROXY FOR THAT. OKAY. THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE, BUT THAT WASN'T WHAT WE AGREED TO. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT CHANGED, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE AGREED TO. SO I THINK MAYOR PRO ■TEM, WHAT YOU'RE THERE'S KIND OF TWO 
          [00:40:09]
SEPARATE THINGS THAT HAPPENED LAST SESSION. THE CITY'S ABILITY TO REGULATE PET STORES OR ANY SALE OF PETS WAS WHICH WAS THE LARGE PREEMPTION BILL LAST SESSION. AND SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE'S NOT LIKELY APPETITE TO REVISIT THAT OR TO REVERSE THAT THIS NEXT SESSION. AND THAT'S WHY IT IS NOT IN THE PROPOSED PROGRAM. IF THERE'S COUNCIL DIRECTION TO DO SO, WE WILL ABSOLUTELY ADD THAT TO THE AGENDA. WELL, TO ME, WE ALREADY SAID, I MEAN, THAT THAT POINT OF VIEW WAS EXPRESSED AT THAT TIME. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS IS WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS. I'D BE FOR ADVOCATING WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS. IF THERE'S YOU KNOW, IF THAT COMES TO ZERO AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET THIS INDIRECT THING THAT WILL PROBABLY BE MISINTERPRETED WILDLY. OKAY. BUT I THINK WE SHOULD ASK FOR WHAT WE WANT. AND WE'VE ALREADY, YOU KNOW, AS A BODY GIVEN DIRECTION FOR WHAT WE WANT. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOT FROM ME JUST ASK, IS IT OUR INTENTION TO HAVE ANY KIND OF IN-PERSON DIALOG WITH OUR WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION ABOUT OUR AGENDA? ABSOLUTELY. SO ONCE WE HAVE THE FINAL AGENDA APPROVED ON NOVEMBER 19TH, I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND TO OUR DELEGATION TO SET UP IN-PERSON MEETINGS HERE IN DENTON BEFORE JANUARY. AND THEN ALSO BE LOOKING FORWARD TO OPPORTUNITIES TO POTENTIALLY BRING SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS AND SOME STAFF DOWN TO AUSTIN TO MEET WITH LEGISLATORS AND IN AUSTIN AS WELL. THAT ALL SOUNDS AMAZING AND VERY POSITIVE. I PERSONALLY SUPPORT HAVING, YOU KNOW, A WORK SESSION IN WHICH WE COULD SHARE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR AGENDA AND HAVE DIALOG THAT'S, I DON'T KNOW IF OTHERS WOULD SIGN ON TO THAT. I HAVEN'T SEEN IT AND BETTER LIKELIHOOD OF GETTING REPRESENTATION OF OUR INTERESTS. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL JUST SAY THIS TO CLOSE OUT. CAN YOU SPEAK TO ME UNDER THE HEADING OF. COMMUNITY FOCUS. I UNDERSTAND SUPPORTING OUR ENTITIES SUCH THAT WE HAVE CROSSOVER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CROSSOVER WITH THE CITY. SEPARATE THAT FROM THE ISSUE AT HAND. BUT WHAT'S THE CITY'S ROLE IN THE TO ALLOTMENT? WE'VE NOT ONE DAY TALKED ABOUT IT. NO WORK SESSIONS, NO COMMUNICATION, NO TALKS. JUST I UNDERSTAND IT'S AN ISSUE, BUT AS A COMMUNITY WE ALSO HAVE CHARTER SCHOOLS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WE HAVE A LOT. THIS IS A CITY ISSUE. ABSOLUTELY. SO REALLY THE INTENT BEHIND THAT WAS TO SERVE AS A COMMUNITY PARTNER AND RECOGNIZING THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM IS UNDER INTENSE SCRUTINY AND LOWER FUNDING THAN THEY CAN OPERATE ON. AND JUST TRYING TO KIND OF BE A GOOD COMMUNITY PARTNER AND ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS A SIGNIFICANT CREATOR OF JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OUR CITY. AND JUST BEING A PARTNER TO THEM DURING THEIR TIME IN NEED. SO PROCESSING, I HEARD MAYBE DO YOU DO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT ANSWER BEFORE I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ON IF. IF THAT ANSWER SUFFICES. BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT ANSWER. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU 
          [00:45:04]
SAID. I JUST DON'T. I NEED SOMEONE TO REALLY DIAL IN TO AGAIN, SEPARATE MY POSITION ON THE ISSUE FROM. I'M VERY PASSIONATE THAT THE CITY STAY IN ITS LANE AND WE FOCUS ON CITY ISSUES. AND I HEARD YOU SAY JOBS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT BRING JOBS TO THE CITY, SO THAT DOESN'T GET ME THERE. SO I NEED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY WE'RE TAKING UP THIS ISSUE. BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE IN A MEETING WITH A CHARTER SCHOOL PRESIDENT AND I, AND THEY'RE GOING TO READ THIS, AND I GOT TO HAVE AN ANSWER. SO AND THEY'RE THEY'RE ON OPPOSITE ENDS OF THAT THING. AND I DON'T WANT TO WADE INTO THAT FROM A CITY PERSPECTIVE. IF THERE'S NOT A DIRECT CITY ISSUE HERE AND SO SOMEBODY. I HEARD YOUR JOBS. WHAT ELSE? AND SPEAKING TO WHERE THE INTENT IS NOT TO BE WEIGHED INTO THE ISSUE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS. ET CETERA. IT IS SIMPLY JUST YOU OUR SCHOOLS INTO OUR CITIES AND IS A BIG ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. IF IT IS NOT THE COUNCIL'S WILL, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY REMOVE IT FROM THE AGENDA. SO I'LL TAKE THAT ANSWER AND RUN WITH IT. RIGHT. SO PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE FUNDED. 
          THOSE PARENTS HAVE FUNDING AND THAT'S THAT'S NOT AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR THE CITY. RIGHT. LIKE THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. LIKE I NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS THIS TAKING THIS POSITION IS UNIQUELY A CITY ISSUE. RIGHT. LIKE, NO, NO, ABSOLUTELY I UNDERSTAND. RIGHT. AND SO. I'M SITTING IN A MEETING. I'VE GOT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. I CAN'T JUST NOT LOOK RIGHT. LIKE I GOT TO. SO I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE HERE. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. UNLESS SOMEONE CAN GIVE ME AN ANSWER LATER. THEN. AND YOU HAVE ISSUE IS. WELL, I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT. YEAH, I'LL JUST LEAVE IT 
          [B. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction regarding a business inclusion program for the City’s procurement department.
    [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes]]
AT THAT. THAT'S GOOD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TAKES US TO ITEM B, ID 242094. RECEIVE REPORT WHOLE DISCUSSION. GIVE STAFF DIRECTION REGARDING A BUSINESS INCLUSION PROGRAM FOR THE CITY OF DENTON'S PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT. 
          GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR COUNCIL. CASSIE OGDEN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE CITY'S BUSINESS INCLUSION PROGRAM EFFORTS TO DATE. SO YOU MAY RECALL $400,000 TO THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT TO CONDUCT A DISPARITY STUDY. SO I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THAT. WE'VE KIND OF WE'VE RUN INTO SOME CHALLENGES. AND SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU SOME RECOMMENDATIONS AND SOLUTIONS TO MOVE FORWARD UNTIL WE CAN CONDUCT THE DISPARITY STUDY. SO WHY A DISPARITY STUDY. SO IT REALLY IS TO ENCOURAGE COMPETITION AND PROVEN COMPETITION. EXCUSE ME IMPROVE COMPETITION AND ENGAGE MORE LOCAL AND SMALL AND DIVERSE BUSINESSES TO COMPETE FOR CITY CONTRACTS. AND SO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES FOR THE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM, ALSO KNOWN AS BUSINESS INCLUSION PROGRAM. I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY. SO YOU MAY KNOW. MAY PURCHASES LESS THAN $50,000. WE HAVE A REQUIREMENT IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE TO CONTACT AT LEAST TWO HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES SO THIS CAN BE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING FROM ANYTHING AS LOW AS, YOU KNOW, $3,000, UP TO $50,000. WE HAVE TO CONTACT TWO HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES. AS NOTED IN THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS LISTED ON THEIR WEBSIT. SO THOSE ARE BUSINESSES THAT ARE 51% OWNED BY ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED GROUPS AND HAS ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE IN PLACE OF BUSINESS IN TEXAS FOR PURCHASES 
          [00:50:01]
MORE THAN $50,000. WE ARE REQUIRED TO COMPETITIVELY SOLICIT THOSE GOODS AND SERVICES. THERE IS A LOCAL PREFERENCE OPTION IN THE CODE THAT ALLOWS US TO GIVE PREFERENCE FOR BIDDERS IN DENTON, BUT THAT IS ONLY FOR INVITATION FOR BID, WHICH MEANS FOR LOW PRICE, LOWEST PRICE WINS. SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO COMPETE ON ANYTHING ELSE. BUT LOW PRICE. SO FOR PROCUREMENT, WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR US. SO BUY A LOT OF WIDGETS. WE BUY A LOT OF SERVICES. SO THE CITY OF DENTON HAS A LOT OF VENDORS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE OVER 2000 ACTIVE VENDORS IN OUR SYSTEM. THE ACTIVE VENDORS IN OUR JD EDWARDS, OUR FINANCIAL SOFTWARE ARE DIFFERENT THAN OUR P-CARD VENDORS. SO P-CARD VENDORS ARE VENDORS THAT WE JUST USE OUR OUR CITY ISSUED PURCHASE CARDS VERSUS THE VENDORS IN OUR SYSTEM HAVE LIKE A CONTRACT. AND WE'RE WE'RE DOING WE'RE ISSUING PURCHASE ORDERS FOR THOSE. SO YOU CAN SEE WE'VE DONE LAST YEAR. SO FY 24 AWARDED CONTRACTS $604 MILLION. SPEND ON PURCHASE ORDERS. SO WE ISSUE A PURCHASE ORDER FOR THAT, THAT EXPENSE 381 MILLION. AND THEN VIA P-CARD IS 5.4 MILLION. THE AMOUNT OF CONTRACTS AWARDED TO THOSE HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES ASSIGNED BY THE STATE IS ONLY ABOUT 4% RIGHT NOW OF OUR TOTAL CONTRACT AWARD GOES TO THOSE HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES. CURRENTLY, WE ADVERTISE ANY SOLICITATION OVER $50,000. WE HAVE AN ELECTRONIC BIDDING SYSTEM CALLED IRON WAVE. IF YOU GO TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE, YOU FIND PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY. SO REGISTER AS A SUPPLIER WHEN THEY REGISTER AS A SUPPLIER, THEY'RE NOTIFIED THEY CAN GO THROUGH AND CLICK WHICH ITEMS THEY WANT TO BE NOTIFIED OF. GOODS OR SERVICES THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. AND THEY WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL WHEN WE ARE GOING TO BID ON THOSE ITEMS. SO THEN IT GIVES THEM A DIRECT ACCESS TO BE ABLE TO BID. WE ALSO ADVERTISE BIDS IN OUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER. SO DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE AS WELL AS WE CONTACT SUPPLIERS OFF OF THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER CENTRALIZED MASTER BIDDERS LIST. WE DO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES FOR OR POTENTIAL BARRIERS FOR HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED PATIENCE CAN BE A BARRIER, ESPECIALLY IF THE BUSINESS IS A NEW STARTUP TYPE OF BUSINESS, BECAUSE WE'D USUALLY ASK FOR REFERENCES AND PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE. SOME OF THE BONDING REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION IS, YOU KNOW, REQUIRED, AND THEN RISK MANAGEMENT HAS SOME KIND OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS AS WELL. 
          WE SOME WE DO WE DO BUNDLE PROCUREMENT SOMETIMES. AND SO SOMETIMES IF A SUPPLIER CAN COMPETE IN ONE AREA BUT CAN'T PROVIDE ANOTHER, A DIFFERENT SERVICE THAT'S BUNDLED. AND THEN JUST INCUMBENT BIAS WHICH GOES THROUGH OUR EVALUATION PROCESS. WE TRY TO HAVE DIVERSE TEAMS EVALUATING FOR GOODS AND SERVICES ON OUR RFP AND SOLICITATIONS. SO A DISPARITY STUDY EXAMINES WHETHER THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE PERCENTAGE OF DOLLARS THAT MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS RECEIVE IN CONTRACTS DURING A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD, AND THE PERCENTAGE OF DOLLARS THAT THOSE BUSINESSES WOULD HAVE WOULD BE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE BASED ON THEIR AVAILABILITY TO PERFORM CONTRACTS. IT PROVIDES STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF DISPARITY AND THEN SETS GOALS TO KIND OF REACH SOME OF THOSE BUSINESSES. SO A DISPARITY STUDY IS REQUIRED FOR STATE AGENCIES, NOT FOR LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES, BUT IN ORDER TO BE KIND OF DEFENSIBLE. IT'S RECOMMENDED THAT A DISPARITY STUDY IS DONE BEFORE CREATING GOALS TO REACH SPECIFIC BUSINESS GROUPS. SO THE BAD NEWS UNFORTUNATELY, WE COUNCIL GAVE US THE FUNDING IN THE 24 BUDGET. HOWEVER, WHEN WE STARTED WRITING THE SCOPE TO GO OUT TO DO THE DISPARITY STUDY, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE NEEDED THREE YEARS OF HISTORY AND WE HAD SPECIFICALLY THREE YEARS OF HISTORY ON WHAT CONTRACTS WE'VE BEEN AWARDING, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE INFORMATION ON THE SUBCONTRACTORS, WHICH IS A REQUIREMENT FOR DISPARITY STUDIES AND SO WHAT WE ARE ASKING OF COUNCIL IS TO REALLOCATE TO PURCHASE STOCK SOFTWARE TO 
          [00:55:09]
ALLOW US TO START TRACKING THOSE SUBCONTRACTORS THROUGH THE AWARDS. AND IT'S WE'RE ESTIMATING ABOUT $50,000 WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THE PURCHASE. AND THEN WE WILL BUILD IT INTO THE PROCUREMENT BUDGET FOR THE ANNUAL COST OF THE MAINTENANCE OF THE SOFTWARE. BUT THIS WILL ALLOW US TO START TRACKING INFORMATION RELATED TO THE SUBCONTRACTORS THAT ARE BEING USED IN ORDER TO THEN PERFORM THE DISPARITY STUDY. SO IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE HIRED A CONSULTANT TO REVIEW OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT BEING MORE RESTRICTIVE AND WE ARE INCLUSIVE OF SMALL AND DIVERSE BUSINESSES. AND SHE IS ON BOARD AND WORKING RIGHT NOW TO REVIEW ALL OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO GIVE US A RECOMMENDATION. WE EXPECT HER REPORT IN NOVEMBER. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS OF CITY PROCUREMENT. SO I KNOW WE'VE ASK THEM TO DO A PROJECT FOR US TO LOOK AT KIND OF THE BARRIERS FOR WHAT THEY SEE AS BARRIERS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY. AND THEN WE ARE CONDUCTING ROUTINE TRAININGS ON OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESSES. WE HOSTED. WE'VE BEEN HOSTING ANNUAL VENDOR FAIRS WHERE WE INVITE BUSINESSES TO COME AND TELL OUR DEPARTMENTS WHAT THEY PROVIDE, WHAT GOODS AND SERVICES THEY CAN PROVIDE TO THE CITY, AND THEN WE WILL WE'RE GOING TO START ASSISTING IN HOW TO REGISTER WITH THE STATE. FOR THOSE BUSINESSES THAT AREN'T REGISTERED AS A HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS. AND THEN REALLY, THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT IS FOCUSING ON CONNECTING VENDORS WITH THE APPROPRIATE EMPLOYEES IN THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PURCHASING THOSE GOODS. AND SERVICES. SO REALLY TRYING TO BECOME A BETTER LIAISON. SO NEXT STEPS. WE ARE PLANNING IF COUNCIL GIVES DIRECTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SOFTWARE PURCHASE. WE WILL PURCHASE THE SOFTWARE. 
          YEARS OF DATA BEFORE WE CAN REALLY CONDUCT A GOOD DISPARITY STUDY. AND SO IT WILL BE A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE WE'RE ABLE TO CONDUCT THAT STUDY AND BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL. BUT WE'RE STILL PLANNING ON DOING THAT. AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE OUR VENDOR OUTREACH EFFORTS. AND THEN PROVIDE THE REPORT FROM OUR CONSULTANT BACK TO COUNCIL TO LET YOU KNOW OUR REVIEW AND OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO ALLOW FOR OUR DIVERSE SUPPLIER BASE. AND WITH THAT, I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. THEN SIX. THANK YOU. I LOVE WHENEVER WE PUT PUT METRICS TO THINGS AND RUBRICS TO THINGS BECAUSE I REALLY DO. I KNOW IT ADDS BUREAUCRACY, BUT IT REALLY HELPS STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND KEEP US ON TRACK BECAUSE WE VALUE WHAT WE MEASURE. SO A COUPLE OF THINGS. I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME CLARITY FOR MYSELF ON. OR AS I UNDERSTAND FROM WHAT YOU WERE DESCRIBING, IT'S GOING TO HELP US ASSESS WHAT BARRIERS EXIST. ARE WE ALSO GOING TO GET RECOMMENDATIONS FROM AND HOW TO OVERCOME THOSE BARRIERS? BECAUSE, I MEAN, ONE OF THOSE IS GOOD. BUT RECOMMENDATION ON HOW TO OVERCOME IT IS ALSO GOOD. YES. AND THAT THAT IS PART OF THE DISPARITY STUDY. I THINK WHAT I'M SUGGESTING AND WHAT THE CONSULTANT IS WORKING ON NOW, IS WHAT WE CAN DO NOW WITHOUT HAVING A DISPARITY STUDY. WHAT CAN WE CHANGE? WHAT CAN WE IMPROVE TO REDUCE THOSE BARRIERS? THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE DISPARITY STUDY GOES INTO MORE DATA ANALYSIS, MORE STATISTICAL INFORMATION THAN WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. NOW WE'RE WE'RE TALKING WE'RE JUST CONTACTING VENDORS AND SMALL BUSINESSES. NO, I THINK THAT'S GREAT. AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION IS, WHICH IS I IF WE'RE TO GET PROPER STATISTICS, IF WE'RE WAITING, WE DON'T WANT NOBODY WANTS TO KICK THE CAN. I CAN TELL FROM THE WAY YOU GAVE THE NARRATIVE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO KICK THE CAN FOR THREE THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE. THAT SHOULD BE LOW HANGING FRUIT TO YOU KNOW, EVEN WITHOUT THE ADDITIONAL DATA WE'LL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT AND OVERCOME SOME OF THESE BARRIERS. EXCUSE ME. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITH THE LEADERSHIP, DENTON PROJECT, IF THEY IF THEY CHOOSE OUR PROJECT, THAT WILL GIVE US A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION FROM OUR SMALL, OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES ON WHAT THE BARRIERS ARE. OBVIOUSLY, THE CONSULTANT IS GOING TO PUT TOGETHER HER REPORT, WHICH 
          [01:00:03]
INCLUDES CONTACTING SOME SMALL BUSINESSES IN TOWN AND DOING A SURVEY. AS WELL AS WE STARTED DOING VENDOR FAIRS LAST YEAR, WE GOT REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK FROM OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND SUPPLIERS IN THE IN THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE WORKING WITH MADISON, OUR AUDITOR. WE IN IN A PREVIOUS PROCUREMENT AUDIT, ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS LOOKING AT A THREE YEAR CUMULATIVE SPEND, WHICH REALLY RESTRICTS US IN USING LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES. BECAUSE THAT CUMULATIVE SPEND FOR A CITY, OUR WITH IT A LOT. WHERE PREVIOUSLY WE WERE GOING TO THE LOCAL, YOU KNOW, LANDSCAPING COMPANY AND PURCHASING VIA P CARD. SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL BEING COMPETITIVE AND SOLICITING WHEN WE NEED TO, BUT ALSO NOT HINDERING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, ESPECIALLY OUR LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES THAT COUNT ON THAT. NO, THAT ALL SOUNDS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. I APPRECIATE THAT THAT CLARITY. AND IN TERMS OF THE TRACKING SOFTWARE, MY DIRECTION IS ABSOLUTELY YES. CORRECT. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX. HI COUNCIL PERSON JESTER I WANT TO START OUT WITH KUDOS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN SEEN IN THE COMMUNITY. THE PUSH THAT YOU'VE YOU'VE PUT OUT AS FAR AS THE VENDOR FAIRS AND THE INFORMATION, AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER THAT I'M RECEIVING, AS WELL AS THE CITY AND STOKE AND T.W. WITH HOW TO GET CERTIFIED AS A HUB. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM GETTING FROM VARIOUS LOCALES INFORMATION ON WHAT YOU'RE DOING. DENTON WILL BE TAKING ON THIS PROJECT. SO YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF TYPE A SHARP, DIVERSE PEOPLE TRULY THAT ARE GOING TO SPEND THE GOOD PART OF A YEAR LOOKING AT THIS AND SO THAT THAT WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL TO HAVE ALL THAT FREE LABOR AS WELL. SO THAT'S APPRECIATED. MIKE, I WANTED ONE CLARIFICATION AND THEN I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OTHER QUESTIONS. SO THE 400,000 THAT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN ALLOCATED. SO THIS THIS NEW THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 50,000IN THE ANNUAL 30,000 FOR THE THREE YEARS. I MEAN, THAT'S NOT NEW MONEY, RIGHT? WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY IN THAT 400,000. SO YOU'RE NOT ASKING FOR NEW MONEY TODAY. YOU'RE ASKING SPECIFICALLY TO SAY, HEY, WILL YOU APPROVE THAT? WE ARE TAKING A PORTION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SET ASIDE AND VOTED ON TOWARDS THIS? IS THAT CORRECT? YES. THAT'S CORRECT. I'M NOT ASKING FOR NEW MONEY, JUST REALLOCATING THE EXISTING MONEY THAT WAS FOR THE DISPARITY STUDY. OKAY. AND THEN I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION THAT IS BEING TAKEN THAT THERE ARE POTENTIAL LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS. THERE'S LOTS OF DOES, YOU KNOW, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT SOME OF THE POSSIBLE BARRIERS AS FAR AS BONDING REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS, THE RISK MANAGEMENT. I MEAN, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN SAY THIS GROUP GETS TO HAVE THIS CRITERIA, BUT THIS GROUP HAS TO HAVE THIS CRITERIA. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE GLOBALLY. AND WE STILL HAVE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR FINANCES. SO I ALSO WANT TO PUT IN A PLUG FOR POTENTIALLY SOME OF THE FUNDS. IF NOT NEW FUNDS GOING TOWARDS AS OPPOSED TO THE BACK END ON THE FRONT END AND POTENTIALLY HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES WITH THEIR BONDING REQUIREMENT AND HOW TO GET THERE. WHAT IS IT? WHAT KIND OF TRACK RECORD DO YOU NEED TO START SETTING UP IMMEDIATELY? AND I'M NOT SAYING NECESSARILY THIS IS THE CITY, BUT I'M JUST SAYING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF HELPING ON THE FRONT END, WHAT KIND OF INSURANCE YOU NEED, WHAT KIND OF RISK MANAGEMENT FROM THE GET GO, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE CAN ALSO BE PARTNERED WITH THE CHAMBER ON OR TX OR UNT WITH STOKE WITH THESE OTHER AREAS. BUT I'M JUST SAYING I'M ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF WHETHER IT'S, LET'S LET'S ALSO START HERE AS OPPOSED TO JUST ON THE BACK END. THAT'S JUST MY $0.02. AND THEN I WAS CURIOUS WHO IS THE CONSULTANT AND HOW ARE THEY SELECTED? THAT'S SUCH A SPECIFIC NICHE. I'M INTERESTED IN. YEAH. SO IT WAS A IT'S CONSIDERED A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. AND SO SHE THE CONSULTANT THAT WE CHOSE HAS DONE DISPARITY STUDIES FOR SEVERAL OTHER TEXAS CITIES, LARGE TEXAS CITIES, FORT WORTH, I BELIEVE HOUSTON, ARLINGTON. AND SO SHE'S SHE'S KIND OF KNOWN AROUND THE STATE FOR DOING THIS WORK. OKAY. NOT THAT SHE'S DOING A DISPARITY STUDY AT THIS TIME. 
          SHE'S REALLY JUST REVIEWING OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND DOING KIND OF VENDOR INTERVIEWS TO GIVE US MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO NOW. GREAT. WELL, I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK AND THE EFFORT THAT'S GONE INTO THIS. MY DIRECTION IS THE SAME. I APPROVE THIS ALLOCATION SO THAT IT CAN MOVE FORWARD. AND IN THE MEANTIME, LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE 
          [01:05:04]
CITY AND OUR PARTNERS TO DO BUSINESS WITH US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE HARD WORK. I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY THAT IT TAKES TO KEEP UP WITH WITH US. I AM GOING TO JUST SAY OUTRIGHT THAT I'LL SUPPORT THE ALLOCATION. ALSO, I'M THINKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR SOME OF OUR PARTNERS. OR IS IT A PARTNER? STOKES. YOU KNOW, PLACES LIKE THAT, BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THAT. IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT LEADERSHIP IS GOING TO TAKE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. SO THOSE ALL OF THOSE SOUND VERY PROMISING. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE APPRECIATE THAT. I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE. SINCE THERE'S NO DISTRICT FIVE. 
          BUT SO QUESTION. THANK YOU. BY THE WAY LONG TIME RIGHT. THE DISPARITY STUDY. WE'RE LOOKING AT MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES WOMAN OWNED BUSINESSES. YES. GREAT. YES ON BOARD. WILL WE ALSO BE INCLUDING LGBTQ OWNED BUSINESSES AND VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES, WHICH WE KNOW NUMERICALLY, ARE OFTEN ALSO UNDERREPRESENTED IN GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS AT ALL LEVELS? ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY? I'M I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL WORK WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT OF DRAFTING THE SCOPE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO BE INCLUSIVE OF ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUSINESSES. BUT THERE ARE WE DO HAVE TO BE JUST COGNIZANT OF THE KIND OF LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS OF ANYTHING THAT WE DO IN THE DISPARITY STUDY, BECAUSE SO BUT YES, WHEN WE GET TO THAT POINT, WE WILL WE WILL DEFINITELY LOOK AT THAT. I WANT TO ALSO ENCOURAGE US TO INCLUDE REACHING OUT TO THE NORTH TEXAS LGBTQ CHAMBER. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR INCLUSION OF LEADERSHIP, DENTON. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE AND I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE A LOT TO ADD WITH RESPECT TO SMALL BUSINESSES, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE REACHING OUT TO EXPERTS. PARTICULARLY BLACK AND BROWN ORGANIZATIONS. WHEN WE'RE TALKING I'M NOT SURE THAT I DON'T KNOW THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF LEADERSHIP IN CLASS THIS YEAR, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GO TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THOSE FIELDS TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO GIVE ADVICE WITH AND HELP US DO A BETTER JOB THAN WE ARE. SO THANK YOU, CASSIE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER? ANYONE ELSE CARE TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE. I'LL JUST SAY THIS TO WRAP UP. OH, YEAH. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT THREE. THANKS, MAYOR. I JUST COUNTING NOSES. I'M SUPPORTIVE AND APPRECIATIVE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. 
          ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. THANK YOU. SO, TO WRAP UP QUESTION, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AGAIN, AS YOU'RE DOING REALLY BROAD. AND I'M CURIOUS IF WE CAN DIG DOWN A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THAT EXAMPLE. THERE ARE HUB BUSINESSES THAT ARE BILLION DOLLAR BUSINESSES THAT ARE UNDER CAPTURED UNDER THE HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES, BECAUSE OF THEIR MAKEUP, BECAUSE OF HOW THEY STARTED. BUT THAT THAT PROCESS IS NOT REEVALUATED. SO THEY MAINTAIN THAT CERTIFICATION, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE YOU KNOW, VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHEN THEY VERY FIRST STARTED. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S ALLOWED, WHAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO FROM A SIZING STANDPOINT TO, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING TO THOSE SMALLER HUB BUSINESSES. BUT ANY ANYTHING WE CAN DO AROUND THERE THAT THAT IS AGAIN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW. I WANT TO EXPLORE THAT. CAN YOU DO YOU HAVE A FEEL? I KNOW YOU SAID IT TAKES ABOUT NINE MONTHS, BUT DO WE KNOW IF THAT DATA ENTRY AND THAT MIGRATION TO THE SOFTWARE IS AUTOMATED? BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE RUN INTO THE ISSUES WHERE, OH, IT DIDN'T TRANSFER IS THAT OUR EXISTING CONTRACTS WE WOULD WE WOULD REQUEST THAT THEY FILL OUT THAT THE INFORMATION BEFORE THEY REQUEST A PAY APP SO THAT WE'RE WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING WE'RE COLLECTING THE INFORMATION. SO IT'S TIED TO THEIR THEIR PAYMENT. BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PHYSICALLY LOG INTO THE SYSTEM AND FILL OUT THE INFORMATION. SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY LEGACY DATA THAT CROSSES 
          [01:10:03]
OVER. IT WOULD BE A BRAND NEW DATABASE THAT THEY THEN THAT DO THE DATA. GREAT. AND THEN LASTLY I JUST WANT TO AS WE'RE GETTING FEEDBACK FROM ANYONE, BE IT THE CONSULTANT OR LEADERSHIP, IT MATTERS NOT. I WOULD ASK US TO HAVE A FILTER OF IF WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE REQUIRE, CONNECTING WITH LEGAL AND PROCUREMENT, AND SAY, WHY DO WE HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT? BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A SUGGESTION. GREAT, LIKE, HEY, YOU SHOULD RELAX THIS RULE. BUT IF OUR INTERNAL STAFF SAYS, HEY, WE CAN'T RELAX THIS RULE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, THEN I JUST, I WANT TO HAVE THAT MAYBE WE'RE MISSING SOMETHING, BUT LET'S DO THAT EARLY BEFORE WE COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS THAT AREN'T VETTED. AND THEN FROM THE DAIS, WE'RE HAVING TO VET THOSE OR CATCH BACK UP TO SAY AND REALLY, IT'S IN THE NEWS NOW AND IT'S I'M TRACKING ALONG WITH IT. BUT YOU LOOK AT THE DALLAS, WHAT IS IT? IT'S FAIR PARK. FIRST ISSUE. 
          RIGHT. AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE MONEY'S GONE AND THEY'RE BACK AT THE CITY'S DOOR LIKE, HEY, WE NEED $8 MILLION, RIGHT? SO THE WE NEED TO HAVE PROTECTIONS IN PLACE BECAUSE IT'S TAXPAYER MONEY. AND SO IF I'M ALL FOR RELAXING THINGS, BUT NOT TO THE DEGREE THAT IT EXPOSES US TO LOSE MONEY IN THAT EFFORT BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S A SMALLER BUSINESS. CAN THEY RECOUP. CAN THEY IF SOMETHING GOES BAD, CAN THEY DO THEY HAVE THE CASH FLOW TO, TO REPLACE WHAT'S MISSING? ET CETERA. ET CETERA. SO HAPPY TO I JUST WANT TO HAVE THAT VETTING PROCESS IN THAT. HEY, WE HAVE A SUGGESTION. RELAX THESE THINGS. OKAY. WHY DO WE HAVE THOSE THINGS IN PLACE? AND THEN IF WE CHANGE, THEN WHAT? AND ARE WE TO START THE PROCESS. SO THANK 
          [C. Receive information from staff, discuss, deliberate, and provide staff with direction on the proposed Complaint Review, Investigation, and Corrective Action against City Council Appointees Policy. 
    [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes]]
YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THAT CONCLUDES ITEM B TAKES US TO ITEM C. ID 241432. RECEIVE INFORMATION FROM STAFF, DISCUSS, DELIBERATE AND PROVIDE STAFF WITH DIRECTION ON THE PROPOSED COMPLAINT, REVIEW, INVESTIGATION AND CORRECTIVE ACTION AGAINST CITY COUNCIL APPOINTEE POLICY. 
          OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEGAN GILBREATH, DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES. 
          I'LL START THE PRESENTATION TODAY BY PROVIDING SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION, DISCUSSING OUR CURRENT POLICY ADMINISTRATION MODEL, REVIEWING THE PROPOSED POLICY AND POLICY STANDARDS, AND THEN WRAP UP WITH STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AND A REQUEST FOR DIRECTION. THE COMPLAINT REVIEW, INVESTIGATIONS AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CITY COUNCIL APPOINTEES FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE STAFF AND THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CITY COUNCIL FOR APPOINTEES. OUR APPOINTEES CITY MANAGER. THE INTERNAL AUDITOR AND THE MUNICIPAL JUDGE. 
          THE COMPLAINT REVIEW PROCESS FOR ACTIVE EMPLOYEES BEGINS WHEN A COMPLAINT IS FILED THROUGH THE HR DEPARTMENT. NEXT STEPS INCLUDE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR INVESTIGATIONS AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. GO THROUGH THE HR BUSINESS PARTNER AND ULTIMATELY TO THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR OR THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE. THE PHILOSOPHY AND GUIDELINES ARE ESTABLISHED THROUGH CURRENT CITY POLICY. THE COMPLAINT REVIEWS INVESTIGATIONS AND CORRECTIVE ACTION POLICY AND STANDARDS FOR APPOINTEES IS NOT INCLUDED IN CURRENT CITY POLICY. COUNCIL APPROVED THE REVISED POLICY ONE, WHICH IS OUR POLICY PROCEDURES AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVES, AS WELL AS THE PROCUREMENT OF LEXIPOL POLICY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM EARLIER THIS YEAR. WITH THESE ENHANCEMENTS, THE REVISED POLICY ADMINISTRATION MODEL WAS ADOPTED. THIS UPDATED MODEL WAS ESTABLISHED TO OR EXCUSE ME WAS DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH CONSISTENT DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICIES. THE INFORMATION BEING PRESENTED TODAY WILL COVER THE RECOMMENDED POLICY, WHICH COVERS WHAT AND WHY WE NEED TO DO THIS, AS WELL AS THE STANDARDS WHICH IDENTIFIES THE NECESSARY UNIFORMITIES IN APPLICATION. AFTER THE POLICY IS ADOPTED, POLICY STANDARDS ARE MANDATORY ACTIONS OR RULES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND CONFORM TO A POLICY, WHILE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION CANNOT CAPTURE EVERY POSSIBLE SCENARIO AND POTENTIAL RESOLUTION, IT IS INCLUDED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON STANDARD COMPLAINT TIER CLASSIFICATIONS AND POTENTIAL CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. JUSTIFICATION FOR CLASSIFICATIONS AND FINAL RESOLUTION WILL BE DOCUMENTED APPROPRIATELY THROUGH THE TIER DETERMINATION MEMO AND A SUMMARY REPORT, WHICH WE'LL DISCUSS SHORTLY. THE TIER WILL BE IDENTIFIED USING THE FOLLOWING CLASSIFICATIONS. SO YOUR TIER ONE CLASSIFICATION MAY INCLUDE INTERPERSONAL DISAGREEMENTS, WORK CULTURE CONFLICTS, SCHEDULING CONFLICTS, MISCOMMUNICATIONS, AND YOUR BASIC MANAGERIAL ISSUES. YOUR UNFOUNDED OR NOT SUSTAINED COMPLAINTS OR COMPLAINTS WHERE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION 
          [01:15:05]
TO CLASSIFY IT INTO ONE OF THE ALTERNATE TIER LEVELS WOULD ALSO BE CLASSIFIED AS A TIER ONE. 
          YOUR TIER TWO WILL INCLUDE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES OR TIER FOUR. TIER THREE WILL INCLUDE ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF FISCAL CITY POLICY AND VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL LAW, INCLUDING CITY ORDINANCE. WE'VE DEFINED FISCAL CITY POLICIES AS THOSE RELATING TO TAXATION, PUBLIC REVENUES OR PUBLIC DEBT, OR CONNECTED WITH THE USE, MANAGEMENT OR HANDLING OF CITY FUNDS, SERVICES OR PROPERTY. AND LASTLY, YOUR TIER FOUR INCLUDES ALLEGATIONS OF THE FOLLOWING POLICIES YOUR ETHICS POLICY. YOUR EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY, AS WELL AS VARIOUS STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR EMPLOYEE POLICIES. POTENTIAL RESOLUTIONS ARE BASED ON TIER AND OUTCOME, AND THEY MAY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING. YOU'VE GOT MEDIATION, COACHING, FOLLOW UP PROCEDURES, WORKPLACE ADJUSTMENTS. YOU COULD ULTIMATELY INCREASE THE TIER LEVEL, TAKE APPROPRIATE CORRECTIVE ACTION. OR IF IT'S A NOT SUSTAINED COMPLAINT, YOU MAY TAKE NO ACTION AT ALL. AS A REMINDER, THIS IS NOT AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST OF POTENTIAL RESOLUTIONS, BUT INTENDED TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON POTENTIAL CORRECTIVE ACTION. A POLICY IS INTENDED TO BE A ENHANCE THE CITY'S MISSION AND REDUCE ORGANIZATIONAL RISK POLICY. STATE REQUIRED ACTIONS AND MAY INCLUDE LINKS TO STANDARDS OR PROCEDURES. THE PROPOSED POLICY STATEMENT SERVES TO OUTLINE THE CITY'S INTENTION, OBJECTIVES, OR GOALS, OFFER A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CITY'S STANCE, AND BY DEFINING POLICIES, OUR ORGANIZATION CAN HOLD THESE INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR ADHERING TO THOSE ESTABLISHED GUIDELINES. THE PROPOSED POLICY STATEMENT AIMS TO ENSURE IMPARTIAL, EQUITABLE, AND A TRANSPARENT REVIEW OF THESE COMPLAINTS, AS WELL AS ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR THE REVIEW PROCESS OF COMPLAINTS. THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES WILL GO THROUGH THE SIX SECTIONS THAT WILL OUTLINE THE GUIDELINES OF THE PROPOSED POLICY. THE FIRST SECTION IS SPECIFIC TO THE COMPLAINT INTAK, REVIEW AND CLASSIFICATION. THE AIR DEPARTMENT HAS RECENTLY BEEN ENHANCED TO INCLUDE AN ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, WHO IS CERTIFIED AND EXPERIENCED IN THE HANDLING OF GENERAL EMPLOYEE RELATIONS THROUGH WORKPLACE INVESTIGATIONS. THIS ADDITION EQUIPS THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT TO EFFECTIVELY RECEIVE AND HANDLE MATTERS COMPLAINTS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING TO THE HR DIRECTOR OR THROUGH THE ANONYMOUS REPORTING SYSTEM. FOLLOWING THE REVIEW. THE COMPLAINT WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, WHO WILL CLASSIFY THE COMPLAINT INTO ONE OF THE ALLOCATED FOUR TIERS AND THEN ISSUE A TIER DETERMINATION MEMO, WHICH WILL SERVE AS THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION. OUTCOMES AND NOTIFICATIONS WILL COMPRISE OF SECTION. SECTION TWO NOTIFICATION TO THE NAMED APPOINTEE WILL OCCUR FOLLOWING THE RECEIPT OF THE COMPLAINT, UNLESS THERE IS A REASON THAT HR HAS DETERMINED TO DELAY THAT IS JUSTIFIED. TO DELAY THAT NOTIFICATION, THE COMPLAINANT AND THE NAMED APPOINTEE WOULD BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE TIER DETERMINATION MEMO IS ISSUED, AS WELL AS NEXT STEPS, AND THEN ULTIMATELY, THE HR DIRECTOR WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMPLAINANT. THE NAMED APPOINTEE AND THE CITY COUNCIL. AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN INITIATED COMPLAINT. THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS WILL BE DEFINED BY TIER. SO FOR YOUR TIER ONE COMPLAINTS AND THEN YOU'RE THOSE WOULD BE HANDLED BETWEEN THE HR DEPARTMENT, THE APPOINTEE AND THE COMPLAINANT. FOR YOUR TIER TWO. SUSTAINED OR EXONERATED COMPLAINTS THE HR DIRECTOR WILL HANDLE WITH THE APPOINTEE AND THE COMPLAINANT, BUT AN ADDITIONAL NOTIFICATION WOULD GO TO THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE NEXT REGULARLY ISSUED LEGAL STATUS REPORT FOR YOUR TIER THREE AND YOUR TIER FOUR. IF IT'S A NOT SUSTAINED OR AN UNFOUNDED COMPLAINT, THE HR DIRECTOR WILL DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO RESOLVE THE COMPLAINT AND THEN ULTIMATELY HANDLE IT. ACCORDING TO TIER TWO. YOUR SUSTAINED OR EXONERATED COMPLAINTS WOULD GO THROUGH A CLOSED SESSION PROCESS TO GET THE DIRECTION FROM CITY COUNCIL ON HOW TO PROCEED, AS WELL AS DISCUSS ANY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO MOVE FORWARD. IF FOR ANY REASON, THE APPOINTEE NEEDS TO BE PLACED ON LEAVE OR AN EMERGENCY MEETING IS NECESSARY, THE HR DIRECTOR WILL SEEK DIRECTION FROM CITY COUNCIL AND WORK INTERNALLY WITH THE APPROPRIATE PERSONNEL. IF AN EXTERNAL INVESTIGATION IS INITIATED FOLLOWING THE REVIEW OF A TIER THREE OR A TIER FOUR COMPLAINT, THE CITY RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION WILL BE REPORTED TO CITY COUNCIL AND THE NAMED APPOINTEE, AND THEN THE CITY COUNCIL WILL ULTIMATELY MAKE A DETERMINATION AND COMMUNICATE TO THE HR DIRECTION THEIR ACT HR DIRECTOR, THEIR ACTIONS AND THE CLOSURE OF 
          [01:20:06]
THE COMPLAINT WHEN NECESSARY. THE IF THERE'S A CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR A NAMED APPOINTEE, THOSE CONDITIONS WOULD BE APPLICABLE TO EACH OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS. A NAMED APPOINTEE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THE HR DIRECTOR FOR A COMPLAINT AT ANY TIME UP, INCLUDING UP TO AND INCLUDING DURING ANY POSTED AGENDA ITEM FOR THE REVIEW OR ACTION ON THE COMPLAINT BY CITY COUNCIL. AND OUR PROPOSED POLICY DOES NOT INCLUDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR APPEAL OF ANY DECISION BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE RELATIONS, THE HR DIRECTOR OR THE CITY COUNCIL BY THE INDIVIDUAL THAT SUBMITTED THE COMPLAINT OR FOR THE NAMED APPOINTEE, EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY LAW. SUBMITTED COMPLAINTS ARE CONSIDERED CONFIDENTIAL. 
          PERSONNEL. PERSONNEL COMPLAINTS, STATEMENTS AND INVESTIGATIONS ARE SUBJECT TO FEDERAL AND STATE RULES APPLICABLE TO THE DISCOVERY AND TEXAS PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT. 
          HOWEVER, NOTHING IN THIS POLICY IS INTENDED TO INTERFERE WITH THE CITY COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY AS WELL, AS IT'S NOT INTENDED TO REPEAL, REPLACE, OR CIRCUMVENT THE APPEALS PROCESS FOR JUDICIAL DECISIONS ON A SPECIFIC CASE. TODAY, I'M REQUESTING DIRECTION FROM CITY COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH NEXT STEPS. FIRST OPTION IS AGREEMENT TO PROCEED, AND THE POLICY WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD ON A FUTURE CONSENT AGENDA. OR YOU ALL MAY AGREE NOT TO PROCEED WITH THE POLICY AS WRITTEN AND REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR PROVIDE ALTERNATE DIRECTION. AND WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. QUESTIONS FOR STAFF. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. SO THANKS, MEGAN. I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID FOR ONE OF THE EARLIER PRESENTATIONS, I THINK IT'S REALLY CRITICAL TO PUT THE FRAMEWORK IN PLACE TO SOME DEGREE AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. THIS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE BRANCHES AND PUT THE LEAVES ON THE TREE LATER. IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. SO WE NEED TO ESTABLISH WHAT WE WANT THE FOUNDATION TO BE. SO LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, THE BRANCHES AND THEN THE PROCEDURAL ELEMENTS AND THE GUIDELINES WILL PUT BASICALLY AN SOP IN PLACE THAT DEFINES THE SPECIFIC TIMEFRAMES AND THE PARAMETERS AND ALL OF THAT. AFTER WE DETERMINE WHAT OUR POLICY FOUNDATION NEEDS TO BE AND, AND DO, WE HAVE A SORT OF CRUDE TIMELINE FOR HOW LONG THAT'S GOING TO TAKE TO DO WE HAVE A DRAFT ALREADY READY TO GO? WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS GOOD TO GO, AND THEN WE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PROCEDURE JUST AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. PERFECT. 
          THEN I ONLY HAD TWO QUESTIONS FOR FROM THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION. THE ADA ER OR THE HR DIRECTOR IS THE ONE THAT ASSIGNS INITIAL TIERS. YES, SIR. AND THEN CAN THE RESPONDENT OR COMPLAINANT ASK FOR AN ESCALATION? THE COMPLAINANT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ASK. YOU COMPLAINT AND TO DECIDE THAT WOULD BE. I MEAN, IF WE RECEIVE DIRECTION FROM COUNSEL OR IF FOR SOME REASON I LOOK AT IT IN COLLABORATION WITH COUNSEL, THEN WE COULD DETERMINE TO CHANGE THAT TIER LEVEL IF WARRANTED. BUT IT WOULDN'T BE THE COMPLAINANT THAT WE WOULD WANT TO DO THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I'M FOLLOWING WITH YOU. AND THEN AND AS I UNDERSTOOD THE NARRATIVE THAT YOU I'M JUST CONFIRMING, I THINK FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE ONLY COUNSEL WOULD ONLY BE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED FOR TIER THREE AND TIER FOUR. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT. AND THEN AN LSR FOR TIER TWO. GOTCHA. THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. 
          OH WELL, I GUESS I'LL GIVE DIRECTION THAT I LIKE THE FRAMEWORK. I THINK THAT'S IMPLICIT, BUT I, I LIKE HAVING THE FRAMEWORK. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT THREE? THANK YOU. IS IT INTELLIGENCE TEST? WHY IS THIS COMING ABOUT NOW? WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT THIS NOW? WE'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR OVERALL EMPLOYEE RELATIONS FUNCTION, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A FRAMEWORK IN PLACE. IN THE EVENT THAT THESE. 
          WE DON'T ACTIONS WHEN THEY DO COME ABOUT. SO IT'S BEEN IT'S PART OF A METHODICAL REVIEW OF OUR VARIOUS PROCESSES AND GAPS. I CAN'T SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME. SO IT'S PART OF A METHODICAL REVIEW OF OUR VARIOUS PROCESSES AND GAPS. SORT OF LIKE WE GOT TO THIS ONE SOMEWHAT. YES. BUT WE'VE ALSO I MEAN, WE'VE HAD LIMITED THINGS THAT HAVE COME FORWARD THAT HAVE KIND OF STEERED THIS BEHAVIOR, THAT HAVE OPENED AND MADE IT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PUT INTO PLACE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. OKAY. AND IF I MAY, WHAT ASPECTS OF WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE ARE NOVEL OR, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT THAN COMMON PRACTICE? ANY. SO I WOULD SAY WE ACTUALLY 
          [01:25:06]
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS POLICY WENT OUT AND SURVEYED A MULTITUDE OF CITIES IN THE AREA, AND MOST ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE FOR HOW THEY HANDLE THEIR APPOINTEES. MOST WERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST SAID THAT THEY HANDLED IT BASED CASE BY AND SO ACTUALLY, WE'RE ONE OF THE FIRST MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE PROPOSED TO PUT A POLICY OF THIS NATURE FORWARD. AND I THINK IT'S REALLY BENEFICIAL TO OUR ORGANIZATION TO HAVE THIS, TO SHOW THAT OUR APPOINTEES ARE HELD TO THE SAME STANDARDS AS THE REST OF OUR EMPLOYEES. OKAY. 
          GREAT. THANKS. I'M I'M SUPPORTIVE. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE? THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT COMES BACK. 
          THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. I'LL GO WITH THE RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU 
          [D. Receive a report, hold a discussion, and give staff direction on pending City Council requests for: 
1.)	Temporarily expanding the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee from seven members to eleven members for a single two-year term, suspending residency requirements, allowing any Council Member to nominate individuals for the additional positions, and increasing meeting frequency from quarterly to monthly.
2.)	Publishing all Council Member travel records and expenses on the City website and updating as necessary.
    [Estimated Presentation/Discussion Time: 30 minutes]]
VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM D ID 241495. RECEIVER PORTHOLE. DISCUSSION. 
          GIVE STAFF DIRECTION ON PENDING CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS. TEMPORARILY EXPANDING THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE FROM SEVEN MEMBERS AND THEN PUBLISHING ALL COUNCIL GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. CARLOTTA COWAN, ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER HERE TO PRESENT THE CITY COUNCIL. REQUEST FOR INFORMATIO. SO JUST A RECAP OF OUR PROCESS. 
          WE WILL PRESENT UP TO SEVEN REQUESTS PER COUNCIL MEETING, ONE PER COUNCIL MEMBER. DURING OUR NEW PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH. IF WE HAVE CONSENSUS TO UTILIZE CITY STAFF TIME TO RESPOND TO THE REQUESTS, STAFF WILL RESPOND WITH EITHER AN INFORMAL STAFF REPORT OR A LEGAL STAFF REPORT. AND TODAY WE HAVE TWO REQUESTS TO PRESENT. THE FIRST ONE IS TEMPORARILY EXPANDING THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE FROM SEVEN MEMBERS TO 11 MEMBERS FOR A SINGLE TWO YEAR TERM, SUSPENDING RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS AN INCREASING MEETING FREQUENCY FROM QUARTERLY TO MONTHLY. AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL MEMBER BECK. YEAH, OKAY. THANK. THANK YOU. SO I AGAIN, I'M GOING TO ASSUME THAT THAT EVERYONE READ THE PITCH. I APPRECIATE PEOPLE DOING THAT. AND SO I'M GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF MY TIME TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD SOME POTENTIAL ISSUES WHERE WE'VE HAD REVIEWS OF SHELTER PRACTICES UNDERWAY, GIVEN THE LOSS OF OUR SHELTER MANAGER AND OUR ASSISTANT MANAGER AND THE FACT THAT OUR DIRECTOR NEEDS TIME TO GAIN ADDITIONAL ANIMAL CARE EXPERTISE, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE REALLY PRUDENT TO BEEF UP THE AMOUNT OF ADVICE THAT THAT WE HAVE COMING INTO THE SHELTER. PARTICULARLY FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE THAT KIND OF EXPERTISE. SO I WAS PROPOSING FOUR ADDITIONAL MEMBERS. PRIMARILY FROM RESCUES AND OTHER DIRECTORS OF OTHER SHELTERS. BUT AND REESTABLISHING BONDS WITH EXISTING PARTNERS. IT PROVIDES A SOURCE OF THAT NEEDED EXPERTISE. 
          YOU KNOW, UNLIKE AN OVERSIGHT BOARD, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY TIE THE HANDS OF THE CITY MANAGER, THIS DOES NOT THIS. THIS STILL LETS THE CITY MANAGER HAVE HAVE FREEDOM TO DIRECT HER STAFF THE WAY SHE SHE NEEDS TO. AND THE TEMPORARY TERM ALLOWS FOR THAT EXPANSION TO SUNSET AS THE SHELTER RECOVERS FROM ITS CURRENT ISSUES. SO I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU'LL APPROVE GETTING AN LSR AND TAKING THIS TO A WORK SESSION. BUT YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S MY PITCH IS TO GET MORE EXPERIENCE AVAILABLE TO ADVISE THE ANIMAL SHELTER. ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX, COUNCILPERSON JESTER. FIRST, I WANT TO CONCUR WITH REPRESENTATIVE BECK REGARDING SOME REAL ATTENTION AND CHANGES NEED TO HAPPEN AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER. RECENTLY, I'VE MET WITH ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL BETWEEN RESCUES AND A CITY ANIMAL SHELTER THAT ALSO ACTS AS ANIMAL CONTROL. AND I'M NOT SAYING I PERSONALLY KNOW FOR 
          [01:30:02]
EVER FOR THIS PITCH. HOWEVER, I THINK THAT WITH THE AUDIT WE HAVE ALREADY SCHEDULED AND WITH THE INVESTIGATION ALREADY ON THE WAY, WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS HAVE ANY KIND OF KNEE JERK REACTION SAYING, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW. I WOULD RATHER WAIT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING VERY CAREFUL, DELIBERATE. AND I DO THINK THAT I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS AND COMPARABLES ARE WHEN THE AUDIT COMES IN. WE'VE GOT A GREAT INTERNAL AUDITOR THAT HAS COME BACK WITH SOME GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS. SO I WOULD PERSONALLY SAY I WANT TO WAIT AND GET MORE INFORMATION BEFORE WE MAKE THIS A DECISION, AS WELL AS THE FOUNDATION BOARD IS AGAINST IT. THANK YOU. BYE. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR? I'M OPPOSED TO THIS. I, I WE THINK WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT AS FAR AS AS FAR AS ALLOWING SUSPENDING THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT? I'M PARTICULARLY OPPOSED TO THAT. AND IF SOMEBODY HAS A GOOD IDEA, I THINK THEY NEED TO WRITE IT DOWN OR CALL SOMEBODY OR CALL A COUNCIL MEMBER AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S A SUGGESTION OF SOMETHING YOU COULD DO. WE'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO THAT. BUT BUT STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN. I'M OPPOSED TO THIS. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FIVE AND THEN THREE. I'M I'M A YES FOR THIS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE ANIMALS. IF THIS IS REALLY ABOUT ANIMAL CARE, THE ANIMALS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT. WHAT WE NEED ON THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS WE NEED, I'M SORRY, ON THE ANIMAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WE NEED EXPERTISE. 
          AND I'M OKAY WITH THIS BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? WE MIGHT HAVE EXPERTISE OUTSIDE THE CITY OF DENTON THAT COULD HELP OUR OUR ANIMAL FRIENDS. I THINK THIS IS A I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD IDEA. I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT BEING TEMPORARY BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THIS REALLY IN ORDER TO GET US ON THE RIGHT FOOT. I'M OKAY WITH THIS. WITH THIS BEING DONE THIS WAY. SO WE CAN MAKE SURE AND FIND THE VERY BEST EXPERTS IN THE AREA TO HELP US TURN OUR SHELTERS AROUND. I DON'T THINK THIS IS IN ANY WAY PROHIBITS US FROM ALSO MAKING THE POLICY CHANGES THAT WE NEED WITH THE ANIMAL SERVICE AUDIT AND ALSO THE OUTSIDE INVESTIGATOR COMING IN. SO YEAH, I'M. YES FOR THIS. WELL DONE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT THREE. YEAH. I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER CHESTER MAKES SOME GOOD POINTS ABOUT THE AUDIT BEING ON THE TRACK AND THE OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION BEING ON THE TRACK AND WHAT THIS THIS WOULD ONLY BE THIS AS FAR AS I AM AWARE, IT WOULD ONLY BE THE SECOND ITEM GOING THROUGH THE NEW PROCESS, WHICH IS ALL ABOUT GETTING INPUT ALONG THE WAY FROM RELEVANT GROUPS, ABOUT STAFF, GIVING POINT OF VIEW ON IT, ABOUT A RELEVANT BOARD KIND OF WEIGHING AND KICKING THE TIRES ON IT. AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT IS NOT INSTANT. AND I THINK IT MAY LINE UP VERY WELL AND OUGHT TO BE DONE WELL THE BODY WOULD BE AWARE OF. SO I SAY, LET'S TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT STEP AND TRY TO HAVE THE PIECES KNIT TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, MAYBE MAYBE THERE'S SOME PARTS THAT ARE GOOD AND SOME THAT WE WOULD CHANGE. BUT I THINK LET'S GET THE EVALUATION HAPPENING. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT ONE. I'M GOING TO OPPOSE THIS. REQUEST AS IT IS WRITTEN. BUT I DO WANT TO RESPECT THE LEGITIMACY OF KNOWING THAT OUR SHELTER DOES NEED SOME ASSISTANCE. AND WHAT'S REALLY TURNING ME OFF AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT AND HELPING ME TO OPPOSE IT, IS A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT. WE'RE ALREADY HAVING DIFFICULTY. YOU KNOW, FINDING FOLKS TO BE ON THESE BOARDS. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PART OF IT. SO THERE THERE COULD BE A POSSIBILITY OF TO THE POINT I'M GOING TO OBJECT TO IT AND WE'LL JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS FROM THERE. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM TWO. 
          OKAY. ITEM TWO IS TO PUBLISH ALL COUNCIL MEMBER TRAVEL RECORDS AND EXPENSES ON THE CITY WEBSITE AND UPDATING AS NECESSARY. WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT TO COUNCIL MEMBER MCGEE. THANK YOU. THIS IS THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, I'M GOING TO BE MAKING MULTIPLE PITCHES THAT ALL SURROUND AROUND 
          [01:35:04]
THAT ALL AROUND TRANSPARENCY. TRANSPARENCY IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING. THIS IS MERELY THE NEXT IN LINE. SO COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE TRAVEL TO GO TO CONFERENCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I BELIEVE THE TAXPAYERS HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING, WHAT WE'RE DOING, HOW MUCH IT'S COSTING THEM. HAVING ALREADY SPOKEN TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THAT, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE RELATIVELY EASY RESIDENTS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. TRANSPARENCY IS ALWAYS A GOOD THING, SO LET'S MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          ALL RIGHT. ANYONE ELSE? REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT SIX AND THREE. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. IS, IS THIS NOT ALREADY? I MEAN, IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. IT'S NOT A SECRET. I MEAN, IS, IS THAT RIGHT OR WRONG? WELL, HOLD ON. WELL, I APOLOGIZE. NO, I MEAN, THAT'S THAT'S THE THIS IS THE PROCESS. YOU GET ONE MINUTE AND WE DON'T GET TO ASK QUESTIONS. 
          AND MY APOLOGIES. YEAH. SO IT'S JUST I, I I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. YEAH. OKAY. SO MY DIRECTION WOULD BE IF IT'S ALREADY PUBLIC AND ACCESSIBLE, FINE. IF IT'S NOT I DON'T REALLY CARE. WE ALL GET A CERTAIN AMOUNT. IT'S A LOW AMOUNT. IT'S I THINK APPROPRIAT, BUT I DON'T REALLY FEEL STRONGLY EITHER WAY. HOWEVER, IF IT'S ALREADY SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN REQUEST AND GET, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S EXTRA WORK WE NEED TO DO. SO THAT'S WHERE I AM. OKAY. THANK YOU. REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT THREE. THINK THE YOU KNOW, THE THING I'M SUPPORTING FOR IS THAT IT'LL THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE AN ISR. AND SO WE'LL GET A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH INCREMENTAL WORK IF ANY, IT REQUIRES, IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S EXTREMELY STRAIGHTFORWARD. AND I DON'T SEE ANY DOWNSIDE TO IT. SO I'M INTERESTED IN GETTING TO THE ISR. ANYONE ELSE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT TWO. THANK YOU. YEAH I THINK WITH THE NEW PROCESS I'M I'M JUST GOING TO PRETTY MUCH BE SAYING YES TO ALL THE ISR BECAUSE THEN WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE IN-DEPTH REQUIREMENTS. SO YEAH, I'M SUPPORTIVE PARTICULARLY IT'S ALREADY PUBLIC MATTER. SO I'M IT SHOULD BE RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD TO PUT IT OUT THERE. SO I'M SUPPORTIVE. ANYONE ELSE REPRESENTATIVE FROM DISTRICT FOUR THEN. ONE IF THE INFORMATION IS ALREADY AVAILABLE I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR THE REDUNDANCY REPRESENTATIVE IN DISTRICT ONE. I'LL APPROVE SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? DID I MISS SOMEONE? MINUTE JUST TO SAY I WISH WE COULD HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH WITH STAFF. I THINK THERE'S LATITUDE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF BEFORE WE'RE ALL UNDER THE SHOT CLOCK, BEFORE WE CAN ALL ASK QUESTIONS. I JUST, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S THINKING OUT LOUD AND I'LL GET WITH THE CITY MANAGER, BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE A PROCESS BY WHICH THE, THE, THE PERSON MAKING THE PITCH CAN DO SOME DUE DILIGENCE. EMAIL THAT TO THE CITY MANAGER, MAYBE THE CITY MANAGER EMAILS THAT OUT. AND WE'RE NOT IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE WE'RE REGULARLY IN THIS SITUATION WHERE WE CAN'T SAY ANYTHING. THERE'S LOTS OF QUESTIONS. AND THOSE QUESTIONS MAY BE ANSWERED. WE JUST DON'T ALL HAVE THE SAME INFORMATION. AND SO THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME EQUALING OF LEVELING OF THE PLAYING FIELD VERSUS THIS, YOU KNOW, ONE MINUTE TO MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS WITHOUT ALL THE INFORMATION. SO HOPEFULLY THERE'S A WAY TO GET MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. YEAH. WHAT WAS THE DIRECTION OF THE. OF THE FIRST ITEM IN 1495. THERE IS NO DIRECTION. I SEE. THANK YOU. YEAH. OH, GOOD. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL 
          [1. Closed Meeting:]
RIGHT. SO THE CITY NOW WILL NOW AT 3:41 P.M, CONVENE IN CLOSED MEETING TO DELIBERATE CLOSED MEETING. ITEMS SET FORTH ON THE AGENDA, WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ITEM A ID 242028. 
          DELIBERATIONS REGARDING CERTAIN PUBLIC POWER UTILITIES. COMPETITIVE MATTERS UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.086. CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEYS UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071 AND ITEM B, ID 241882. DELIBERATIONS REGARDING CERTAIN PUBLIC POWER UTILITY COMPETITIVE MATTERS UNDER TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.086. CONSULTATION WITH 
          [01:40:03]
1.071. AND LET'S TAKE A QUICK FIVE MINUTE BREAK. WE'LL BE B
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.