* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [A. REGULAR SESSION AGENDA - CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:02] GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. IT IS 6:00 PM I'M MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR, AND I WANNA WELCOME YOU ALL TO OUR REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING. AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA ASK OUR CITY SECRETARY, MS. ALICIA THOMAS, TO GET US OPEN BY STARTING WITH A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MAYOR RACHEL PROCTOR. HERE, MAYOR PROAM. LETICIA HUGHES. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER PERT PARKER. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER NICOLE RAPHAEL. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDRE BIRD. HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER DIANA MARKS HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. THOMAS. WE'LL HAVE THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, PLEASE. FIRST, WE HAVE OUR INVOCATION BY PASTOR MIKE HO, WITH FAITH BIBLE CHURCH, FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY CHRISTOPHER DAVIS WITH DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL. IF EVERYONE CAN PLEASE STAND, PLEASE PRAY WITH ME. MOST GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, YOUR WORD SAYS THAT YOU ARE ENTHRALLED HIGH ABOVE THE HEAVENS. YOU ARE GOD ALONE. AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE LIKE YOU DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING, FROM ANCIENT TIMES, THINGS YET UNDONE. LORD, WE LOOK TO YOU FOR WISDOM. WE LOOK TO YOU FOR DISCRETION, LORD, ON A EVENING WHEN THERE'S AN ELECTION IN OUR COUNTRY, WHICH SEEMS SO DIVIDED, WE JUST ASK FOR PEACE. LORD, I PRAY FOR YOUR PROTECTION FOR EACH ONE OF THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS, LORD, THAT YOU WOULD JUST GUARD THEM, THAT YOU WOULD GUARD THEIR HEARTS. I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THEM WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT AS THEY GOVERN RIGHTEOUSLY. LORD, I PRAY MOST OF ALL THAT YOU WOULD RECEIVE ALL THE GLORY IN TONIGHT'S PROCEEDINGS. IT'S IN THE MOST PRECIOUS AND HOLY NAME OF JESUS. AMEN. AMEN. PLEASE JOIN ME. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 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 THE TEXAS HONOR, THE TEXAS FLAG, I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS ONE STATE UNDER GOD ONE. AND IN INVISIBLE, PLEASE BOW YOUR HEAD FOR THE MOMENT OF SILENCE. EVERYBODY MAY BE SEATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH, PASTOR HOPE FROM FAITH BIBLE CHURCH. AND THANK YOU TO OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR, MR. CHRISTOPHER DAVIS FROM DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL. LET'S GIVE HIM A GREAT BIG HAND CLAP. DIDN'T HE DO AN AMAZING JOB? I'M GONNA READ JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR STUDENT AMBASSADOR TONIGHT, AND THAT IS, AGAIN, CHRISTOPHER DAVIS FROM DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL, AND HE IS IN THE SIXTH GRADE. CHRISTOPHER DAVIS IS A DEDICATED SIXTH GRADE STUDENT AT DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL, WHERE HE HAS BEEN ENROLLED SINCE PRESCHOOL AT THE AGE OF THREE. AS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL JUNIOR BETA CLUB, CHRIS CONSISTENTLY ACHIEVES HONOR ROLL STATUS SHOWCASING HIS COMMITMENT TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. CHRIS HAS ONE BROTHER AND ONE SISTER, AND HIS BEST FRIEND. BEING LEVI, WE KNOW LEVI WELL KNOWN FOR HIS STRONG WORK ETHIC, DRIVE AND READINESS TO TACKLE ANY CHALLENGE. HE DESCRIBES HIMSELF AS OPEN, HONEST, AND ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND A HELPING HAND WITH CLEAR ASPIRATIONS FOR HIS FUTURE. CHRIS IS FOCUSED ON REACHING EACH MILESTONE ALONG THE WAY. WHILE CHRIS LOVES FOOTBALL AND HAS EARNED THE NICKNAME THE BUS ON THE FIELD, HE PRIORITIZES HIS EDUCATION ABOVE ALL HIS GOALS INCLUDE EXCELLING IN HIGH SCHOOL, SECURING A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP, EARNING A DEGREE IN SPORTS MEDICINE, AND ULTIMATELY BEING DRAFT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE NFL. REMEMBER THIS NAME, CHRISTOPHER DAVIS. LET'S GIVE OUR AMBASSADOR ONE THREE AND WE CERTAINLY WILL REMEMBER THAT NAME. UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT BODY AT DESOTO PRIVATE? UH, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE AND HAPPY THAT MY SCHOOL PICKED ME FOR AMBASSADOR. GREAT. ALRIGHT, WELL, GREAT. I'M GONNA COME DOWN AND WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PICTURE. WE HAVE SOME GOODIES FOR YOU. UM, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO, OUR AMBASSADOR IS GONNA HELP YOU OUT IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON ANY ITEM THAT'S ON OUR AGENDA. THEY WILL HELP YOU OUT AT THE TABLE OVER THERE WHERE MS. GREENLEY IS SITTING. UM, AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA COME DOWN AND WE'LL TAKE SOME PHOTOS, OKAY? YES, MA'AM. AND I DO SEE MS. LOWE IS HERE FROM DESOTO PRIVATE, OR IS MOM OR DAD HERE AS WELL? MR. DAVIS? OH, MY, MY GRANDMA IS RIGHT THERE. YOUR GRANDMA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME UP GRANDMA AND TAKE A PHOTO AS WELL? [00:05:13] OKAY. 1, 2, 3. YOU TWO THREE. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, AGAIN, LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR MR. CHRISTOPHER DAVIS FROM DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM [B. PRESENTATIONS] ON OUR AGENDA. NEXT MOVE INTO OUR PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING MUNICIPAL COURT WEEK. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MAYOR PROTE LETITIA HUGHES RECEIVING IS JUDGE SCOTT CURTH. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE. GOOD EVENING, DESOTO. HOW YOU DOING THIS EVENING, JUDGE? GOOD PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS MUNICIPAL COURTS WEEK IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE ESSENTIAL WORK OF OUR LOCAL COURTS AND RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE THESE COURTS AND THEIR PERSONAL PERSONNEL PLAY WITHIN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND OUR COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. AND WHEREAS MUNICIPAL COURTS ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY AND ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN TEXAS COMMUNITIES, ENSURING A HIGH LEVEL OF TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR OUR CITIZENS, AND WHEREAS MORE PEOPLE INTERACT WITH MUNICIPAL COURTS THAN WITH ALL OTHER TEXAS COURTS COMBINED, MEANING PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF THE TEXAS JUDICIAL SYSTEM ARE LARGELY SHAPED BY EXPERIENCES IN MUNICIPAL COURT. AND WHEREAS MUNICIPAL COURTS SERVE AS THE LOCAL JUSTICE CENTER FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF LOCAL ORDINANCES AND FIND ONLY STATE OFFENSES THAT UPHOLD THE PEACE AND DIGNITY OF OUR CITY. AND WHEREAS MUNICIPAL JUDGES, COURT CLERKS, AND OTHER COURT PERSONNEL ARE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING NEUTRALITY AND IMPARTIALITY, PROVIDING FAIR SERVICE TO ALL, THEY CONTINUALLY STRIVE TO IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE THROUGH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, SEMINARS, AND ANNUAL MEETINGS SUPPORTED BY THEIR STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. AND WHEREAS IT IS FITTING TO RECOGNIZE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF ALL TEXAS COURT MUNICIPAL COURTS AND TO HONOR THEIR CRITICAL ROLE IN PRESERVING PUBLIC SAFETY. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED. IRL PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER 4TH THROUGH THE EIGHTH, 2024 AS MUNICIPAL COURT WEEK IN THE CITY OF DESOTO AND ENCOURAGE ALL CITIZENS TO JOIN ME IN EXPRESSING OUR APPRECIATION TO OUR MUNICIPAL JUDGE SCOTT CURTH, AS WELL AS TO OUR COURT CLERKS AND COURT STAFF FOR THEIR ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND DEDICATED SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO TO BE AFFIXED THE FIFTH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2024. RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR ALICIA THOMAS, CITY SECRETARY. A TEST. LET'S GIVE HIM A HAND. DO YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? OKAY, PLEASE, WHY NOT? YES. SURE. UH, BEHALF OF THE MUNICIPAL COURT STAFF, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THIS RECOGNITION, MAYOR, AND IT IS OUR, IT HAS BEEN MY HIGHEST HONOR IN MY 42 YEARS OF THE LAW PRACTICE TO SERVE AS THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO. WE HAVE A, UM, WE HAVE A FORWARD THINKING MENTALITY. WE WERE THE FIRST COURT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS TO HOLD OPEN DOCKETS ON ZOOM LONG BEFORE COVID. UM, WE HAVE BEEN A, UH, BEACON OF LIGHT FOR MANY OF OUR CITIZENS SEEKING JUSTICE, AND WE ARE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DO EACH DAY BECAUSE WE ALL BELIEVE IN THIS COURT THAT WHAT WE DO MATTERS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN DESOTO. THANK YOU AGAIN, . THANK YOU MAYOR PRO TIM. THANK YOU JUDGE KIRTH. UM, AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS WILL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE HAVE PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING VETERANS DAY. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL CHISHOLM RECEIVING IS MR. ARTHUR HOBBS. [00:10:03] GOOD EVENING, DESOTO. GOOD EVENING. UM, JUST ONE CORRECTION. UM, OF COURSE, LIEUTENANT COLONEL, UM, UM, HOBBS IS HERE AS WELL, BUT I ALSO HAVE OTHER MEMBERS FROM THE DESOTO VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. WOULD YOU ALL PLEASE COME AS WELL? LET'S GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. THE VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF SEVEN INDIVIDUALS, ALL BUT ONE ARE VETERANS, AND THE ONE WHO, WHO'S NOT. SHE IS THE MOTHER OF A VETERAN AND THEY ARE TERRENCE STEVENS, KELVIN MOFFITT, DARREN DANIELS, ARTHUR HOBBS, JAMES HENDERSON, BETTY JENKINS, JEROME LACEY ARE THE MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE. SO I HAVE THE DISTINCT HONOR AND PLEASURE OF PRESENTING THE PROCLAMATION FOR VETERANS DAY, WHICH IS, UM, THIS UPCOMING MONDAY. HOWEVER, SINCE WE WILL NOT SEE EACH OTHER BEFORE THEN, WE ARE DOING IT TODAY. WHEREAS NOVEMBER, 1919, PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON PROCLAIMED NOVEMBER THE 11TH AS THE FIRST OBSER OBSERVANCE OF ARMISTICE DAY HONORING VETERANS OF WORLD WAR I IN 1938, FOLLOWING THE UNPRECEDENTED MOBILIZATION OF SOLDIERS, SAILORS, MARINES AND AIRMEN DURING WORLD WAR II. THE 83RD CONGRESS AMENDED THE ACT OF 1938, REPLACING THE WORD AMIST WITH VETERANS. THUS ON JUNE THE FIRST, 1954, NOVEMBER THE 11TH WAS ESTABLISHED AS A DAY DEDICATED TO PURSUANT OF WORLD PEACE AND TO HONOR VETERANS OF ALL WARS. AND WHEREAS THE THEME OF VETERANS DAY 2024 IS A LEGACY OF LOYALTY AND SERVICE REFLECTS OUR NATION'S DEEP GRATITUDE FOR THE STRENGTH, SACRIFICES, AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION OF OUR VETERANS WHOSE REMARKABLE CONTRIBUTIONS UPLIFT BOTH OUR CITY AND COUNTRY. WE HONOR THE COURAGEOUS MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY, WHOSE SELFLESS ACTIONS AND SACRIFICES ENSURE THAT OUR ARMED FORCES REMAIN THE FINEST IN THE COUNTRY. AND WHEREAS BRAVE VETERANS OF THE US ARMED FORCES HAVE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN PROTECTING OUR FREES AND THE WAY OF LIFE, THESE INDIVIDUALS ANSWERED THE CALL OF DUTY OFTEN AT THE GREAT PERSONAL RISK TO SAFEGUARD THE LIVES AND LIBERTIES OF OTHERS. AND WHEREAS LONG AFTER THEIR MILITARY SERVICES, MANY VETERANS CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR NATION AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, MENTORS PARENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, THEY ADD NEW PROUD CHAPTERS TO AMERICA'S STORY, NOT ONLY ON THE BATTLEFIELD, BUT WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES. THEIR UNWAVERING PATRIOTISM AND COMMITMENT TO THE PRINCIPLES ON WHICH OUR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON IT, ON FOUND IT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE US ALL. AND WHEREAS VETERANS DAY SERVES TO HIGHLIGHT THE NEEDS OF DESOTO VETERANS AND OFFERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROFOUND SACRIFICES THEY HAVE MADE. AND NOW, THEREFORE, I RACHEL L PROCTOR BY THE POWER VESTED IN ME AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS DALLAS COUNTY, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM NOVEMBER THE 11TH, 2024. AS VETERANS DAY IN THE CITY OF DESOTO, ENCOURAGE ALL AMERICANS TO RECOGNIZE THE VALOR AND SACRIFICE OF OUR VETERANS WITH APPRECIATE APPROPRIATE CEREMONIES, ACTIVITIES, AND PRAYERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES FLAG CODE. THE FLAGS FLOWN AT EVERY CITY OF DESOTO FACILITY WILL REMAIN AT FULL STAFF IN HONOR OF THESE VETERANS AND WITNESS THEREOF, WHEREOF, I HAVE SET MY HAND AND CAUSED THE S SEAL OF THE CITY OF DESOTO TO BE AFFIXED THIS FIFTH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2024. SIGNED RACHEL L PROCTOR, MAYOR ATTEST, ALICIA THOMAS, CITY SECRETARY. I HAVE, OF COURSE, A PROCLAMATION FOR EACH MEMBER AND I'LL ALLOW OUR CHAIR, UH, LIEUTENANT COLONEL, UH, HOBBS, UH, YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE WORDS. YOU'RE MORE , YOU'RE BEING VOLUNTOLD AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN CHISHOLM. CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO STAND OUT HERE, UM, TO, UH, THE MAYOR, TO COUNCILMAN CHISHOLM, TO THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, TO THE VETERANS, AND TO, UH, THE DESOTO COMMUNITY. UM, I AM TRULY HONORED AND [00:15:01] HUMBLED TO BE STANDING HERE TO RECOGNIZE OR TO REPRESENT THE VETERANS AND RECEIVE THIS PROCLAMATION ON BEHALF OF ALL VETERANS THAT ARE SERVING IN UNIFORM, WHEREVER THEY MAY BE, AND WHATEVER BRANCH OF SERVICE THEY MAY BE IN. NOW, THIS IZATION, UH, MEANS A LOT MORE, UH, THAN IT MAY SEEM, ESPECIALLY, UH, TO ME, BECAUSE, UH, MOST OF MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY IS EITHER SERVING IN THE MILITARY OR HAVE SERVED IN THE MILITARY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MY TWO GRANDKIDS AND MY YOUNGEST, UH, SON. BUT THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY. THEY JUST DON'T REALIZE IT YET. . UM, BUT FOR THE VETERANS, UH, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, THEY, THROUGHOUT THE GREATER, UM, UH, DESOTO COMMUNITY, THERE'S ONE THING THAT BINDS US TOGETHER. UH, WE COME, MAY COME FROM DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE, BUT ONE THING THAT, THAT BONDS US TOGETHER IS THE FACT THAT WE SERVE, WE SACRIFICE AND WE LOVE OUR COUNTRY AND OUR COMMUNITY. THIS PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZES THE FACT THAT WE HAVE PUT THIS, UH, SERVICE, UH, IN, IN UNIFORM ANYWHERE, UH, THAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO SO AND WE'VE DONE IT, AND WE'VE DONE IT, UH, AS PROUDLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. SO WE THANK YOU ALL. WE THANK THE MAYOR. WE THANK THE CITY COUNCILS. WE THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US AND FOR SUPPORTING VETERANS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. IT IS ONLY A SMALL TESTAMENT TO THE FACT THAT YOU ALL HAVE GREAT VALUES IN THIS CITY THAT MAKES THIS CITY THAT MUCH MORE SPECIAL. AND BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE GREATER CITY OF, OF DESOTO, WHICH IS THE BEST, UH, CITY IN THE COUNTRY, I WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE, UM, UM, WHEREVER IT IS THAT I CAN TO SUPPORT, UH, THE VETERANS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STORY CONTINUES TO GET TOLD. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, CERTAINLY APPRECIATE YOU, UH, AND APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU HONORED US WITH THIS. THANK YOU. WE WANNA SINCERELY THANK EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, UM, AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AND THE SACRIFICES, AND ALSO TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FAMILIES AND YOUR LOVED ONES, UH, FOR THEIR SACRIFICES AS WELL. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAPPY VETERANS DAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS. WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE [C. ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST] AGENDA, PLEASE. YES, MA'AM. NEXT WE MOVE TO OUR ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5 1 0.0415. THE CITY COUNCIL MAY REPORT ON THE FOLLOWING ITEMS, EXPRESSION OF THANKS, CONGRATULATIONS OR CONDOLENCES INFORMATION ABOUT HOLIDAY SCHEDULES, RECOGNITION OF INDIVIDUALS, REMINDERS ABOUT UPCOMING CITY COUNCIL EVENTS, INFORMATION ABOUT COMMUNITY EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS INVOLVING EMANATE THREATS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, AS WELL AS ANY LIAISON UPDATES. AND MAY, IF I MAY, TODAY IS A VERY IMPORTANT DAY. IT IS ELECTION DAY. IT IS YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT. PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO A VOTE CENTER LOCATION AND EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE. IN THE NOVEMBER 5TH ELECTION, POLLS ARE OPEN UNTIL 7:00 PM WHICH MEANS YOU HAVE ROUGHLY ABOUT A LITTLE UNDER 45 MINUTES. IF YOU ARE IN LINE BY 7:00 PM YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SHARE YOUR I VOTED STICKER ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH THE HASHTAG DESOTO VOTES. DESOTO VOTES CENTER LOCATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS, DISCIPLE CENTRAL COMMUNITY CHURCH, DESOTO, HOUSE OF PEACE, MOSQUE AND COMMUNITY CENTER, COCKRELL HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. RUBY YOUNG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DESOTO EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, CATHERINE JOHNSON, TECH MAGNET ACADEMY, THE MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL AND FAITH BIBLE CHURCH. ADDITIONAL VOTES CENTERS IN THE AREA INCLUDE MACALLEN MIDDLE SCHOOL, GLEN HEIGHTS FAMILY CENTER, AND FRANK D MOTES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MS. THOMAS. COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, MAYOR PRO TIM. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. IN KEEPING WITH THE TRADITION TONIGHT, HONORING OUR VETERANS, DESOTO HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE ITS ANNUAL VETERANS RECOGNITION DAY PROGRAM. IT'S THE COMMUNITY EVENT, AND THAT WILL BE THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8TH FROM NINE 30 TO 11 IN THE AUDITORIUM ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7TH AT 12 NOON ON BEHALF OF OUR DESOTO AREA CHAMBER, WHICH I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OUR PRESIDENT IS HERE. MS. COURTNEY BIARD. IS SHE STILL HERE OR DID SHE OH, THERE SHE IS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. UM, THERE IS A RIBBON. CUT IT. YOU'RE ALL INVITED ON BEHALF OF THE DENISE VALENTINE FOUNDATION. AND THAT WILL BE HELD AT THE, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OFFICE, 2021 NORTH HAMPTON ROAD, [00:20:01] SUITE 1 45. AND THERE WILL BE LIGHT REFRESHMENT SERVED AND PHOTOS WILL BE TAKEN. THEY LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR ATTENDANCE. AND THEN ON BEHALF OF OUR PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT, THE NEW GOLDEN VOICES CHOIR, THANKSGIVING, AS WE GATHER, CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING. OUR NOVEMBER 15TH, THEY'LL BE AT THE DESOTO CENTER ACTIVITY CENTER, AND YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO HEAR THAT CHOIR. OH MY GOD, THEY ARE AMAZING. AND THEY WILL BE PERFORMING BETWEEN NINE AND 10. AND THAT IS AT THE TWO OH AT 2 0 4 LION STREET. AND I BELIEVE OUR MAYOR IS, UH, ONE OF THE HONORARY MEMBERS Y'ALL SHOULD HEAR. THEN WE HAVE THE MURDER MYSTERY COPYCAT DINNER. AND THAT WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 23RD AT THE DESOTO CORNER THEATER AT 7:00 PM GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS ARE $40. VIP SEATS ARE $50 AND DINNER WILL BE INCLUDED. YOU MAY GET YOUR TICKETS ON EVENTBRITE ON NOVEMBER 23RD, ALSO BETWEEN 8:00 AM AND 12:00 PM AT ZIEGLER PARK. 4 0 5 EAGLE DRIVE WILL BE THE 5K FUN RUN OR WALK TURKEY TROT WALKER'S, RUNNERS PET OWNERS, YOU ARE ALL INVITED. THERE'LL BE A TURKEY GIFT BASKET, RAFFLE FREE T-SHIRT, LIVE, DJ AND AWARDS. YOU MAY REGISTER AT THE SOTO EVENTS. DO EVENTBRITE.COM. AND FINALLY, DESOTO ON ICE ICE SKATING RINK. DECEMBER 3RD THROUGH JANUARY 7TH. THE RINK WILL BE OPEN DAILY. THE TIMES ARE ON SUNDAY, 12 TO EIGHT 30. MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY, FOUR TO 8 45. FRIDAY FOUR TO 10. SATURDAY 12 TO 9 45, UH, CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS, IT'LL BE CLOSED. WE DEFINITELY WANNA SEE YOU OUT THERE. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. WHAT WAS THE DATE FOR THE TURKEY? THE DATE AND TIME FOR THE TURKEY TROT EVENT AGAIN? THE TURKEY TROT 5K RUN. MM-HMM. . THAT IS NOVEMBER 23RD. AND WHAT TIME DOES THAT START? 8:00 AM TO 12:00 PM. EIGHT TO 12. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL? SURE THING. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. UM, JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, CONGRATULATIONS, UH, FOR OUR, FOR THE CITY OF DESOTO, HONORING OUR MUNICIPAL JUDGE, UM, JUDGE KURT. AND WHAT HE DOES AND HIS TEAM DOES WITH THE MUNICIPAL CLERK'S OFFICE, WANTED TO JUST ALSO INCLUDE, AS A PART OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANNING THIS YEAR, ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT THE COUNCIL DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WAS TO STANDARDIZE COMMUNITY SERVICE AND HOW THAT INFORMATION IS SHARED OUT. SO I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY AS IT RELATES TO, AND THIS TO THE CITY COUNCIL, UM, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE CULTURAL ARTS FOUNDATION. THE MEETING WAS LAST NIGHT. THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE. THEY ARE WORKING ON, UM, UM, GETTING MOBILIZED FOR THEIR STRATEGIC PLANNING MEETING, UM, FOR, UH, THE COMING YEAR. AND SO THEY'LL DO THAT, UH, THE FIRST WEEK OR THE SECOND WEEKEND OF DECEMBER. SO I WANNA MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT. UM, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE, THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH IS, UM, LOCATING, FINDING AND APPLYING FOR GRANTS. AND SO THAT'S A PROCESS THAT'S BEING WORKED OUT. SO I APPRECIATE, UM, THE STRATEGIC PLAN OR THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AS IT RELATES TO GRANTS AND GRANT MAKING. UM, BUT THERE ARE SOME LITTLE DETAILS AND THIS IS THE CITY STAFF, UM, THAT JUST KIND OF NEED TO BE IRON OUT. AND SO IT WOULD BE GREAT IF SOMEBODY COULD ATTEND, UM, FROM THE STAFF, UM, HIGHER UP, UM, ATTEND THE MEETING IN DECEMBER. AND THEN AS IT RELATES TO THE COMMUNITY, UM, HAPPY ELECTION DAY. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU. COUNSELING. ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU, MAYOR. HAPPY ELECTION DAY, EVERYBODY. YAY. ALL RIGHT. SO MY FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT IS THE, UM, DESOTO VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AS WELL AS MYSELF. WE'LL BE HOSTING OUR FOURTH ANNUAL BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS THIS SATURDAY BETWEEN EIGHT AND 10:00 AM UM, I THINK WE ARE, UH, PRETTY ALMOST AT CAPACITY, IF NOT CLOSE TO IT. SO IF YOU HADN'T GOT YOUR TICKET YET, UH, TONIGHT WOULD BE A GREAT NIGHT TO GO DO SO. AND YOU CAN DO SO ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, UM, UNDER THE VETERAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEES TAB. UM, AND IN THAT, I DO WANNA BRING UP A CONVERSATION THAT THE VETERANS HAD OVER THE WEEK. OH, OVER THIS PAST WEEK. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. IT'S ACTUALLY GRANTS THAT WERE PRESENTED BY DR. ESTHER. UH, GRANTS RELATED TO FUNDING TO HELP VETERANS WITH, UM, UTILITIES, WITH, UM, FINANCIAL NEEDS AS WELL AS MENTAL HEALTH. UM, AND HELPING, UM, BUILD, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE HAVING, UM, FINANCIAL, UH, FINANCIAL, THEY'RE NEEDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO REPAIR THEIR HOME. SO THOSE GRANTS ARE BEING SUBMITTED. I HOPE TO HAVE GREAT NEWS IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT THOSE WILL GO THROUGH. WE, IF YOU DID NOT KNOW, DESOTO IS HOME TO OVER 3,500 VETERANS. SO THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT DEFINITELY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND USE THAT FUNDING, UM, IF WE GET THAT APPROVAL. SO SUPER AWESOME THINGS HAPPEN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. [00:25:01] THANK YOU DR. MARK. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS. EVERYWHERE I GO, IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS. IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE GIVE BACK AND WE BLESS THE CHILDREN OF DESOTO. THIS IS CALLED A PROGRAM THAT IS CALLED PHIL TUNDRA. IT'S A TOY DRIVE, AS YOU KNOW. IT IS A TOY DRIVE THAT'S DONE EVERY SINGLE YEAR WHERE WE PARTNER WITH, UH, SOUTH TOYOTA. BUT TO LET YOU KNOW, SOUTH TOYOTA HAS CHANGED ITS NAME. THE NAME IS LEGACY TOYOTA AT THIS POINT. SO THE GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO FILL 10 TUNDRA TRUCK BEDS. SO WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE. SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE START BRINGING THOSE TOYS SO THAT WE CAN FILL THOSE TRUCKS AND OF COURSE, BLESS OUR CHILDREN. THE CULMINATING EVENT FOR THE COLLECTION OF ALL OF THE TOYS WILL COMMENCE ON DECEMBER 14TH AT 10 O'CLOCK OVER AT LEGACY TOYOTA. LEGACY TOYOTA IS LOCATED AT 39 6 60 LBJ FREEWAY. AND TO MAKE IT MORE AT HOME FOR YOU AND FOR YOU TO IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHERE THAT IS, IS LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF HAMPTON AND 20, YOU MAY DROP YOUR TOYS OFF HERE AT, UM, CITY HALL. YOU MAY DROP IT AT DESOTO AREA CHAMBER, DESOTO FIRE STATION, DESOTO POLICE DEPARTMENT, DESOTO PRIVATE SCHOOL, FIVE POINTS NURSING HOME, NIA BAPTIST CHURCH, HAMPTON ROAD, BAPTIST CHURCH, STAR OF HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH, AND OF COURSE, SOUTH TOYOTA. AGAIN, THE CULMINATING EVENT FOR THE COLLECTION WILL BE ON DECEMBER 14TH. HOWEVER, THE DISTRIBUTION OF TOYS WILL TAKE PLACE ON DECEMBER 21ST. SO I WILL BE COMING BACK TO YOU ASKING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US DISTRIBUTE THOSE TOYS AND ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'VE COLLECTED TO, UH, GIVE OUT TO, UH, THE CHILDREN HERE IN OUR ALL AMERICA CITY OF DESOTO. THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE REQUIRING MORE INFORMATION, CERTAINLY YOU CAN CALL THIS, CALL THE CITY OR YOU CAN LOOK ONLINE AND OF COURSE, CALL ME ON MY CELL PHONE, WHICH IS (469) 744-0027. AGAIN, I THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH IN UH, ADVANCE FOR DOING THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT OUR CHILDREN REALLY, REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR. AGAIN, IF YOU'RE WANTING TO VOLUNTEER, REACH OUT TO ME. UH, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVENT, REACH OUT TO ME AS WELL. MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO ALLOW ME TO SHARE. I YIELD BACK. THANK YOU, DR. MARKS COUNSEL. ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD? YES, COUNCIL CHISHOLM, I'M SORRY, I APOLOGIZE. I FORGOT TO MENTION THERE IS A BLOOD DRIVE GOING ON AS WELL SATURDAY FROM EIGHT TO 10. SO IF YOU HAVE BLOOD THAT YOU'D BE FREE TO GIVE UP, UM, WE SURE THE RED CROSS WILL BE HERE TO TAKE IT. THANK YOU. WHERE IS THAT GONNA BE HELD AT? UM, THE PECAN ROOM. THE PEON ROOM? YES MA'AM. OKAY. 10 TO 12. SORRY. 10 TO 12. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. COUNCIL COUNCILMAN PARKER. UH, COUNCILMAN BYRD, ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? WELL, I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING 'CAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET BACK TO THE ELECTION, BUT WE WANT TO THANK, UH, THE, UH, DESOTO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR AN INCREDIBLE RETREAT. MR. UH, UM, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM IS ON TOP OF IT, SO WE'RE GEARING UP FOR A WONDERFUL, PROSPEROUS 2025 YEAR. SO THANK YOU, MADAM. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILMAN PARKER, ANYTHING? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. UM, I DO HAVE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS BEFORE WE WRAP UP. UM, I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE TONIGHT'S SEASON OPENER GAME. THE DESOTO, UH, GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM. THEY WILL BE PLAYING EVERMAN TONIGHT. UM, THAT GAME, THEY DID HAVE GAMES AT 5 6 15, AND THEN THE LAST GAME IS TONIGHT AT SEVEN 30, UM, AT THE CHRIS DYER GYM THERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL. SO IF YOU ARE AVAILABLE, UM, UH, TO STOP BY FOR THAT GAME, UH, THEY WILL BE, THAT WILL BE TAKING PLACE TONIGHT. AND IF THAT, AGAIN, IS THEIR SEASON OPENER. UM, I ALSO WANNA MAKE A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT TO GET EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION FOR THIS YEAR'S LIGHTUP DESOTO EVENT. UM, THIS IS AN EVENT THAT WE DO EACH AND EVERY YEAR TO, UM, HIGHLIGHT OUR HOLIDAY DISPLAYS WITHIN EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO THE LIGHT UP DESOTO COMPETITION IS GOING TO BE STARTING ON NOVEMBER 29TH THROUGH DECEMBER 1ST. THAT IS ACTUALLY WHEN THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MYSELF WILL BE GOING BY THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND JUDGING. SO KEEP YOUR LIGHTS ON FROM 6:00 PM TO 9:00 PM FOR JUDGING BY YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, I WILL BE JUDGING THE NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRYWAY. SO IF YOU HAVE AN HOA OR A NEIGHBORHOOD, I WILL BE JUDGING THE LIGHT, LIGHT LIGHT DISPLAYS IN THOSE, UH, ENTRYWAYS. AGAIN, THAT IS NOVEMBER 29TH THROUGH DECEMBER 1ST. I ALREADY SEE SOME LIGHTS GOING UP. UH, WE KNOW THAT, UH, MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY AND THEY GET THOSE LIGHTS UP FIRST THING NOVEMBER. AND SO WE WILL BE GIVING AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING HOLIDAY LIGHTING DISPLAYS. ALL RESIDENTS NEED TO DO IS DECORATE THEIR HOME AND HAVE THEIR LIGHTS ON DURING [00:30:01] THE WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 29TH THROUGH DECEMBER 1ST. DURING THE WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 29TH THROUGH DECEMBER 1ST, EACH COUNCIL MEMBER WILL DRIVE THEIR DISTRICT LOOKING FOR THEIR FAVORITE LIGHTING DISPLAY. AGAIN, I'M GOING TO CHOOSE THE MAYOR'S AWARD FOR THE BEST NEIGHBORHOOD ENTRY DISPLAY. THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE WINNERS RATHER, WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THE DECEMBER 3RD CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND THEY WILL RECEIVE A YARD SIGN THAT DESIGNATES THEM AS THE LIGHTUP DESOTO WINNER. AND SO THE SIGNS WILL REMAIN ON DISPLAY THROUGHOUT THE HOLIDAY SEASON. AGAIN, THEY WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT OUR DECEMBER 3RD MEETING. IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION ON THIS EVENT, THE NUMBER YOU CAN CALL IS (972) 230-7323. AGAIN, 9 7 2 2 3 0 7 3 2 3. AND BEFORE WE WRAP UP, UH, WE DO HAVE A BIRTHDAY THAT'S COMING UP NEXT WEEK. AND SO I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCIL MEMBER RAFAEL, WHOSE BIRTHDAY WILL BE ON NOVEMBER 10TH. LET'S GIVE HER A GREAT BIG HAND CLAP. AND AS CUSTOMARY, UH, WHENEVER A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS A BIRTHDAY, WE WANT TO ALLOW YOU TO CHOOSE, UH, THE COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL CHAMBER CHOIR WILL SING TO YOU, WHICHEVER YOU WOULD LIKE. THAT'S THE, UH, WHAT IS IT? THE ORIGINAL VERSION, THE TRADITIONAL VERSION, AND THE STEVIE WONDER VERSION. STEVIE, PLEASE. STEVIE, PLEASE. ALL RIGHT. ON THE COUNT OF THREE, UH, WE WILL SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HER TO WISH HER WELL ON HER BIRTHDAY. ONE, TWO, THREE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YA. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. GREAT. WE WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN ADVANCE, COUNCIL MEMBER RAFAEL, AND WE HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY NEXT WEEK AT THIS TIME. MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE MADAM MAYOR. YES. OH, PRIVILEGE. GO AHEAD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THIS WAS MY LAST BIRTHDAY. OH, YES. CELEBRATION WITH MY COUNCIL. SO THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. WOW. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, MS. THOMAS, [D. CITIZEN APPEARANCES] WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT WE MOVE INTO OUR CITIZEN APPEARANCES. THE CITY COUNCIL INVITES CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY TOPIC NOT ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING. CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD COMPLETE A CITIZEN COMMENT CARD AND PRESENT IT TO THE CITY SECRETARY OR RETURN TO THE AMBASSADOR'S TABLE PRIOR TO THE MEETING. AND ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE CITY COUNCIL CANNOT TAKE ACTION ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, YOUR CONCERNS MAY BE ADDRESSED BY CITY STAFF PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA OR RESPONDED TO BY SOME OTHER COURSE. ATTENDEES MAY SPEAK ON ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE AGENDA DURING THAT PORTION OF THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, FOR TOPICS NOT SCHEDULED, ATTENDEES WILL SPEAK DURING CITIZEN APPEARANCES. THE STANDARD TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER AND MAY BE MODIFIED AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT FLOW OF THE MEETING. COMMENT CARDS RELATED TO SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEMS ARE DUE PRIOR TO THE INTRODUCTION OF AN AGENDA ITEM. HOWEVER, COMMENT CARDS RELATED TO THE CITIZEN APPEARANCES PORTION OF THE AGENDA MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE AMBASSADOR'S TABLE PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING. AND MAYOR, I DO HAVE ONE, MS. BERNADINE HARRISON. GOOD EVENING. MS. HARRISON, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR CITY OF RESIDENCE FOR THE RECORD. POINT OF ORDER. POINT OF ORDER. MS. HARRISON, WE CAN CUT YOUR MICROPHONE. THANK YOU. NO PROBLEM. MY NAME IS BERNADINE HARRISON. I LIVE HERE IN DESOTO. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR, WHAT, 29 YEARS. AND I'VE WATCHED THIS CITY GO THROUGH SOME REAL CHANGES. I'VE BEEN VERY UNHAPPY WITH IT AND I'VE BECOME VERY INVOLVED HERE LATELY. AND I'VE SEEN THAT NOTHING HAS IMPROVED. UM, PERS MERE PROCTOR, UH, WHAT YOU DID IS JUST UNCONSCIONABLE IN TERMS OF AFTER DIANE MARKS WAS, UH, HE VOTED IN BY WE, THE PEOPLE YOU DECIDE TO CHANGE THAT. I THOUGHT THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY AWFUL. IT'S JUST THE TYPE OF THING THAT YOU DON'T DO. NOW, MAYOR SHERMAN, WHO IS AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE, I UNDERSTAND THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO BE RUNNING AGAIN. IT WAS GOING, WENT TO VOTE FOR HIM TONIGHT, BUT HE'S NOT RUNNING. UM, HE WAS HERE, MAYOR, AND I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE JUDGE. AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE MAYOR DID HELP ME IN THAT INSTANCE. I STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE JUDGE, WHICH I WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU A LITTLE LATER. ON THE OTHER HAND, I'M VERY, VERY DISTURBED, UH, THAT YOU HAD SOMEONE COME IN HERE AND TO TRY TO JUSTIFY THE, THE SITUATION WITH THE PRIVATE SCHOOL. NOW, THE ISSUE THERE NOT TO KNOCK ANY SCHOOL, I THINK ANY SCHOOL THAT IS DOING WELL IN DESOTO, THAT'S ALL WELL AND GOOD. THE ISSUE IS THAT, UM, MRS. HUGHES, SINCE YOUR GRANDCHILDREN ATTENDED THAT SCHOOL, I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE RECUSED YOURSELF AND NOT HAVE TAKEN PART BECAUSE IT SMELLS OF PARTIALITY [00:35:02] RELATIVE TO MRS. CHISHOLM. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF, UH, INTIMIDATING MEMBERS OF THE CITY HERE, CONSTITUENTS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. WELL, MY ATTITUDE IS YOU DON'T LIKE IT. WELL, I'M SORRY, BUT WE ARE GONNA TRY TO MAKE SOME REAL CHANGES HERE. I WENT TO THE POLLS TONIGHT AND I FOUND OUT THAT LAST TIME I WENT, WE HAD 90 PEOPLE THAT WERE THERE THIS TIME. WE DOUBLED THAT NUMBER. THE THING THAT'S SO TRAGIC ABOUT THAT IS ELECTIONS. THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTIONS ARE LOCAL ELECTIONS. AND I GET A LITTLE DISTURBED WHEN I COME DOWN HERE AND SEE SO FEW PEOPLE HERE AND TO SEE THAT THE REPRESENTATION THAT WE GET IS JUST TERRIBLE. WE HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY HERE WHO NEVER HAS A COMMENT ON ANYTHING. AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND MR. ATTORNEY WHY IT WAS THAT YOU DID NOT GIVE YOUR OPINION IN TERMS OF THE DIANE MARKS SITUATION. I WOULD THINK THAT YOU WOULD'VE CLARIFIED THAT SO THAT WE COULD ALL COULD GO HOME AND GO TO BED AND NOT CONTINUE THIS FOREST AS I SEE IT. I THINK THAT IF SHE WAS ELECTED BY WE, THE PEOPLE, WE DON'T GO AND CHANGE THAT ACCORDING TO ROBERT'S RULES OF LAW, OF, OF, UH, ORDER. AND I NOTICED SHE HAD NOTHING TO SAY IN THAT REGARD. THAT'S VERY DISTURBED BY THAT. OKAY? BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SOME CHANGES HERE. WE'RE GONNA GET RID OF FOUR OR FIVE OF YOU. TWO OR THREE ARE DOING A REALLY GOOD JOB. THE OTHERS, BASICALLY YOU'RE GONNA ALL VOTE ALIKE. OKAY? AND THEN THE DEMOCRACY, IF EVERYONE VOTES ALIKE, THEN IT'S HARD FOR THE PEW PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANT CHANGE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ANY CHANGES. OKAY? MY TIME IS UP BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT GONNA LET ME SPEAK A MINUTE OVER WHAT IS ALLOWED. YOU HAVE A GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. YOU AS WELL, MS. THOMAS. WE'LL TAKE THE NEXT ITEM [E. CONSENT AGENDA Items are listed on the Consent Agenda by the City Manager and are recommended to the City Council for single vote approval. An item( s) may be removed from the Consent Agenda for separate vote at the request of a Councilmember, the Mayor, or the City Manager. ] ON THE AGENDA, PLEASE. NEXT WE MOVE INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA. ITEMS ARE LISTED ON THE CONSENT AGENDA BY THE CITY MANAGER AND ARE RECOMMENDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR SINGLE VOTE APPROVAL. AN ITEM MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE VOTE AT THE REQUEST OF A COUNCIL MEMBER, THE MAYOR, OR THE CITY MANAGER FIRST, WE HAVE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR JULY 16TH. PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEM F1 HAS BEEN CORRECTED TO INCLUDE THE CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC HEARING VOTE. AND ITEM G ONE HAS BEEN CORRECTED TO INCLUDE THE NAY VOTE FOR THIS ITEM AS WELL AS AUGUST 6TH, 2024 AND SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2024, AS WELL AS RECOGNITION OF PROCLAMATION HONORING NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH, NATIONAL EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH, HONORING EXTRA MILE DAY TEXAS ARBOR DAY, AS WELL AS CONFIRMATION OF REAPPOINTMENT OF RTA, WASHINGTON MCCOY TO THE KEEP DESOTO BEAUTIFUL BOARD PLACE. TWO, CONFIRMATION OF APPOINTMENT OF DIANE HAWKINS TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION AND ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, AS WELL AS ISAAC RUBIO ALVIN DENTSON CULBERSON JR. TRACY AND TRACY NELSON TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION AND ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS, AS WELL AS CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE 2025 CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATES CALENDAR FOR REGULAR MEETINGS CONDUCTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. DESOTO CITY COUNCIL. CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH WHP TRAINING TOWERS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $674,174 AND 35 CENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A-M-O-D-X SERIES BURN TOWER. UTILIZING JHK SOURCE, WELL COOPERATIVE CONTRACT NUMBER 0 1 1 8 2 2. AND CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A PURCHASE CONTRACT WITH HYDRO PRO SOLUTIONS FOR THE PURCHASE OF 10 SMART MANHOLE COVERS IN THE AMOUNT OF $67,460, UTILIZING HGAC CONTRACT WM ZERO NINE DASH 20. THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS. UH, COUNCIL, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I ACTUALLY HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE, UH, COUNCIL MEETING, UH, DATES. AND I'D LIKE TO, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO PULL IT AS MUCH AS, I MEAN, 'CAUSE I HAVE QUESTIONS. JUST QUESTIONS FOR CLARIFICATION OR YOU WOULD LIKE FOR A SEPARATE VOTE? PROBABLY A SEPARATE VOTE, YEAH. OKAY. I CAN CUT, WE CAN PULL THAT ITEM. COUNSEL, ANY ADDITIONAL, WHAT ITEM IS THAT? COUNCIL? 10. I'M SORRY. IT'S, UH, F 10 10. F 10. SORRY. COUNSEL, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? RESOLUTION YES. F 10. F 10, CORRECT. FF 10, THE RESOLUTION FOR THE MEETING. OKAY. OKAY. ARE YOU REFERRING TO ME, DO YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL ITEM OR? I DO, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS IN REFERENCE TO THE COUNCIL MINUTES. UM, SO DO YOU WANNA PULL IT OR DO YOU WANT ME TO JUST ASK THE QUESTION? IF THEY'RE JUST CLARIFYING QUESTIONS, YOU CAN JUST ASK YOUR QUESTIONS. OKAY. WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D BE CLARIFICATION OR NOT, BUT THE FIRST QUESTION IS SEPTEMBER 20TH IS NOT THERE. UM, CAN YOU JUST TALK TO US AS TO WHY THAT'S NOT THERE? AND I DO RECALL THE LAST TIME, THE LAST TIME WE CAME TO THE MEETING, I ASKED IF WE HAD BEEN, IF THAT WAS, [00:40:01] IF WE WERE CATCHING UP. AND, UM, SO SEPTEMBER 20TH IS NOT THERE IN AUGUST? WAS THERE ONLY ONE MEETING? NO, THERE WAS NOT. OKAY. SO IT'S FORTHCOMING. OKAY. SO I GUESS WE'RE STILL LAGGING BEHIND BECAUSE IT'S NOVEMBER AND I'M, I'M JUST ASKING, IT'S NOVEMBER. OKAY. OKAY. SO IT'S FORTHCOMING. I'LL PROVIDE A RESPONSE TO YOU OFFLINE. DR. MARKS, DID YOU GET A RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION? YES. THAT IT'S FORTHCOMING. OKAY. THANK YOU. SHE, SHE SAID IT'S FORTHCOMING, BUT IT WASN'T REALLY, I THINK IT SHOULD BE SUCCINCT, UH, BECAUSE MINUTES I ASKED, UH, THE LAST TIME THAT WE WERE HERE, IF WE WERE CAUGHT UP, THE ANSWER WAS YES. SO I DID NOT EXPECT TO SEE SEPTEMBER 20TH, NOT THERE. I DID NOT EXPECT NOT TO SEE ALL, ALL OF THE MINUTES FOR OCTOBER THERE AND AUGUST. THAT'S MY WHOLE POINT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID, THAT WE WERE GONNA BE CAUGHT UP AND I'M JUST SURPRISED. SO SPECIFIC TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT BEING CAUGHT UP. MM-HMM. , WE WERE, I WAS UNDER THE INCEPTION THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING OF THE BACKLOG OF MINUTES SINCE THERE WERE SO MANY, BATCH NUMBER ONE, BATCH NUMBER TWO, WHICH WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL. AND SO TO YOUR QUESTION AT THAT TIME, MY ANSWER WAS YES. APPRECIATE THAT. BUT WITH THAT, THAT MEANS THAT WE ARE BACKING UP AGAIN. THAT'S THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE. IF WE DON'T GET IT CAUGHT UP. WELL, THE BACKLOG IS NOW COMPLETE, SO YOU'LL HAVE IT FORTHCOMING. OKAY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO, UH, BRING THAT OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT HAS BEEN PULLED. OH, EXCUSE ME. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. OH, SURE THING. I HAVE A QUESTION ON ITEM 12. THE, UH, WHAT IS THIS? THE SMART MANHOLE COVERS? I JUST WANT FOR CLARITY, IS THIS A DIFFERENT COMPANY IN MANHOLE COVERS? THIS IS NOT THE SAME THING AS OUR WATER METER COVERS. I JUST WANTED CLARITY ON THAT FOR MYSELF. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. MAYOR AND COUNSEL. UH, COUNCILMAN RAFAEL, YOUR FIRST QUESTION, YOU SAID, IS IT A DIFFERENT COMPANY MANHOLE COVERS? SO COULD YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT? I'M WONDERING IF, IS THIS THE COVER THAT, YOU KNOW, AT HOME WE HAVE OUR WATER METERS. IS IT THAT COVER, IS IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT? OKAY. AND THEN IF, IS IT A DIFFERENT COMPANY FROM WHATEVER WE'VE USED SINCE IT OR WHATEVER? RIGHT. SO NO MA'AM, THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THIS IS ACTUALLY A SANITARY SEWER MANHOLE COVER, NOT THE, UH, WATER, UM, MANHOLE COVERS. OKAY. SEWER. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. AND WE'VE USED THIS COMPANY BEFORE. WE HAVE NOT USED THIS COMPANY BEFORE. WE ACTUALLY PILOTED THIS PROGRAM STARTING BACK IN APRIL, UM, TO, WE HAVE A LOT OF MANHOLES THAT ARE LONG CREEK BEDS AND DIFFICULT TO ACCESS. SO WHAT THIS ALLOWS US TO DO IS GET REAL TIME INFORMATION, BE ABLE TO TRACK OUR INFLOW AND INFILTRATION. THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR WHEN WE TAKE ON A WASTEWATER COLLECTIONS MASTER PLAN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME DATA TO TURN OVER TO WHOEVER THE CONSULTANT THAT WE CHOOSE TO USE IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD IN THAT REGARD. SO, OKAY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT EXPLANATION. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WE DID AVOID THREE SANITARY SEWER OVERFLOWS BY USING THIS PROGRAM, SO IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM, WHILE YOU'RE HERE, WHILE YOU'RE STILL AT THE PODIUM, I DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU TOO. I RE I WROTE DOWN, UM, I HAD NOTICED THAT, UH, THERE WAS A 15 K DISCOUNT IN THE, IN THE CONTRACT. AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE IT, IT WASN'T IN OUR, UM, BUSINESS NOTES AS TO WHAT WE WERE DISCOUNTED FOR. I WAS JUST CURIOUS. 'CAUSE TO SAVE MONEY IS ALWAYS A GREAT THING. SO THAT DISCOUNT WAS ACTUALLY A TWO PART DISCOUNT BY ACTUALLY PURCHASING 10 OF THE MANHOLE COVERS. AS WELL AS, UH, ASSISTING WITH THE INSTALLATION, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, RELY SOME DISCOUNTS ON IT. OKAY. GOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COUNSEL. WE DO HAVE ONE ITEM THAT HAS BEEN PULLED FOR A SEPARATE VOTE. SO I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO VOTE ON THE REMAINING ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU, YOU SPECIFY, UM, THAT THAT ITEM HAS BEEN PULLED MATTER. MAYOR, I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA WITH PULLING ITEMS F TEN SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY DR. MARK, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. UM, AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. UH, WE DO HAVE ITEM F 10, [10. Consider a Resolution adopting the 2025 City Council Meeting dates calendar for regular meetings conducted by the DeSoto City Council] UH, FOR SEPARATE DISCUSSION AND VOTE. COUNCILMAN PARKER. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UH, THE REASON THAT I WANTED TO PULL THIS IS I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF WE AS A COUNCIL WOULD, UH, I, I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THAT WE MOVE INSTEAD OF MAKING, UM, COUNSELING SOME OF THESE MEETINGS THAT WE ACTUALLY MOVE THEM TO ANOTHER DAY. UH, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THERE'S A BACKLOG OF ITEMS THAT THE COUNCIL IS NEEDING TO REVIEW, AND ESPECIALLY THE MEETING IN JANUARY, WE'RE MOVING IT, AND I GET WHY WE'RE MOVING IT. UM, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THAT DAY, NOT JUST A HOLIDAY, BUT A LOT GOING ON THAT DAY. BUT, [00:45:01] UM, THERE ARE SOME ITEMS THAT REALLY DON'T NEED TO WAIT UNTIL FEBRUARY. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT WE AS A COUNCIL WOULD TAKE SOME TIME OUT AND SAY, YOU KNOW, WELL, MAYBE WE SHOULD MOVE THAT MEETING AND HAVE THAT MEETING EARLIER IN THE, IN THE MONTH. AND SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY GET TO SOME OF THE ITEMS ON THAT ARE IN OUR BACKLOG AS FAR AS AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE AS A COUNCIL NEED TO, UM, TO REVIEW, TALK ABOUT, DISCUSS. AND SO I MAKE A MOTION THAT, UM, WE MOVE THE, UM, JANUARY 20TH MEETING TO A EARLIER DATE IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY. AND THAT COULD BE A MONDAY, THAT COULD BE ANOTHER DAY, THAT COULD BE A WEDNESDAY, THAT COULD BE ANOTHER DAY. BUT I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WOULD WORK IF WE'VE EVER DONE THAT. COUNCILMAN PARK, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE DISCUSSION BEFORE WE HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. OKAY. OH, I'M SORRY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, COUNSEL, CAN YOU SPECIFY WHAT AGENDA ITEMS YOU'RE SPEAKING OF? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT SPECIFIC ITEMS YOU'RE, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SO WE CAN HAVE SOME CONTEXT FOR WHAT, FOR THE REASON OKAY. FOR YOUR REQUEST. SO THE CITY MANAGER, UH, WHILE ALBEIT HE'S NEW TO THE CITY OF DESOTO, THERE WAS A LIST OF AGENDA ITEMS THAT WERE NEEDING REVIEW AND, UH, PRESENTATION. AND THOSE ONLY TAKE PLACE ON A WORK SESSION. SO SINCE THE WORK SESSION FOR JANUARY WOULD BE REMOVED, THE ONE FOR DECEMBER WAS REMOVED BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS. SO WE DON'T GET DECEMBER AND THEN WE DON'T GET JA, UH, JANUARY. IT WOULD ALL BE MOVED TO TUESDAY. AND AT, I MEAN, UH, I'M SORRY, FEBRUARY. SO AT THIS PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, I CAN'T SPECIFY THE ONES THAT I'M SPEAKING OF. ALL I CAN SPECIFY IS THAT IF WE'RE LOSING DECEMBER AND WE'RE LOSING JANUARY, THE ITEMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT BEFORE WE GET TO FEBRUARY BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL. AND IN MY, YOU KNOW, HUMBLE OPINION, I'M JUST SAYING AS A COUNCIL, WE'RE WAITING TILL FEBRUARY TO EVEN TALK ABOUT IT. AND THEN THERE'S STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AFTER THAT AND THAT ONLY DELAYS US EVEN FURTHER. SO I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO ENTERTAIN MOVING THE MONDAY, UH, SESSION IN JANUARY TO A EARLIER DATE IN JANUARY SO THAT WE CAN GET TO SOME OF THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA REQUEST LIST THAT HAVE COME FROM THE COUNCIL. SO, SO COUNSEL, KEEP IN MIND, AND, AND YOU CAN MOVE THOSE DATES, THAT'S FINE. BUT ONE THING THAT HAS TO OCCUR PER YOUR CHARTER, UM, THE CHARTER REQUIRES OUR COUNCIL DATES TO BE SET BY BY RESOLUTION. WE'VE SET OUR, WE'VE SET OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED TUESDAYS, UH, THE FIRST AND THIRD TUESDAYS BY RESOLUTION. SO THE ONLY WAY TO CANCEL THOSE FIRST AND THIRD IS THROUGH A, IS THROUGH A VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. SO THAT'S WHAT, THIS WILL CANCEL THOSE ON THOSE PARTICULAR DATES. THEN WE CAN TURN AROUND AND MOVE IF NECESSARY THROUGH ANOTHER MOTION OR BRING IT, YOU KNOW, IF Y'ALL NEED TO DISCUSS WHAT DATES WORK BEST, WE CAN DO THAT ALSO, BUT WE UNDER, IF WE'RE GONNA CANCEL 'EM, WE NEED TO CANCEL IT THROUGH THIS PROCESS. UNDERSTOOD. BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY THE SPECIAL MEETING. THIS IS NOT THE TUESDAY MEETING. OKAY. THESE ARE ALL MONDAY. ASKING FOR THE MONDAY MEETING TO BE TO ANOTHER DAY. EXACTLY. OKAY. INSTEAD OF CANCELING IT. BECAUSE IF, IF WE DO THAT, THEN ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS WILL MOVE TO FEBRUARY AND THERE ARE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE REALLY NEED TO GET TO BEFORE FEBRUARY SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR YEARS STARTED OFF PROPERLY. I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR QUESTION BETTER NOW. OKAY. THANK YOU DR. MARKS. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. AND I THINK, UM, THANK YOU, UM, COUNCILWOMAN, UH, PARKER FOR BRINGING THAT FORTH BECAUSE I THINK THAT GOES BACK TO WHAT WE SOMEWHAT TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. A LOT OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA LIST, UH, WE ARE GOING BY DATES AS TO WHEN WE WILL PRESENT THOSE. BUT SOME OF THOSE, I THINK THE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER IN WHICH THEY WILL RECEIVE SHOULD BE DISMISSED SIMPLY BECAUSE SOME ARE MORE IMPORTANT AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THE IMPORTANCE OR THE URGENCY OF ANY GIVEN ITEM IS GONNA COME UP. SO I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN UNDER CONSIDERATION AND I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. I MIGHT SAY TODAY THAT THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE, WE CAN'T DELAY TALKING ABOUT IT IN FEBRUARY, THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE NOW WE NEED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. SO WHEN WE GET ITEMS LIKE THAT, WE NEED TO EXAMINE THE URGENCY, IF YOU WILL, OF THE ITEM RECEIVED AS TO WHERE IT BELONGS ON THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU. SO THE AGENDA ITEM THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING SPECIFICALLY IS REGARDING THE MOVEMENT OF THAT JANUARY 20TH DATE, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. CORRECT? CORRECT. THAT'S THE ONLY ONE IN, IN REFERENCE, CORRECT. WELL, IN THIS PARTICULAR REFERENCE, THE OTHER DATE THAT I WAS WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT IS THE OCTOBER NATIONAL NIGHT OUT DATE. EITHER THAT OR THE TUESDAY OCT UH, IN AUGUST, THE FIRST TUESDAY IN AUGUST. IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE SCHEDULING OUR MEETINGS AT THE EXACT SAME TIME THAT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, WHICH HELPS US OR, OR HINDERS US FROM BEING ABLE TO REALLY BE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AT A TIME WHEN IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE [00:50:01] COMMUNITY. SO I'M TRYING TO SEE, IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO AHEAD OF TIME IN PLANNING SO THAT WE DON'T GET INTO A SITUATION WHERE WE DID THIS LAST TIME. I COULDN'T GO TO ANY NEIGHBORHOOD THIS THIS LAST TIME BECAUSE WE GOT OUT TOO LATE AND I KNOW WHY WE GOT OUT, BUT I'M JUST SAYING IN GENERAL, IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT? SO THOSE ARE THE TWO ITEMS THAT I'M, I'M ASKING ABOUT. AND IN, IN REFERENCE TO THIS PAST ONE, WE, WE'VE NOTED THAT PROBABLY AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER IN TERMS OF THE CONFLICT THAT NATIONAL NIGHT OWL POSES WITH THAT FIRST TUESDAY MEETING, UM, THIS PAST YEAR, WE DID POLL THE COUNCIL ABOUT THAT AND IT WAS, IT WAS STATED BY THE MAJORITY TO CONTINUE WITH OUR MEETING AS SCHEDULED. SO THAT WAS THE REASON WHY WE DID NOT MOVE AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL STATED THEY WANTED TO KEEP THE MEETING AS POSTED. UM, SO I DO AGREE WITH YOU THAT WE NEED TO EITHER DECIDE NOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO SO THAT WE'RE NOT WAITING, UM, AND IF THE, YOU KNOW, AND DECIDE WHAT THE PRIORITY IS, RIGHT. OBVIOUSLY OUR MEETINGS ARE IMPORTANT AND THOSE ARE PRIORITY BECAUSE WE HAVE TO GET COUNCIL BUSINESS DONE. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THIS IS A ONE TIME A YEAR THING, UM, THAT, UH, IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, ALBEIT THAT IT IS NOT A COUNCIL EVENT. SO I WANNA MAKE, I WANNA SPECIFY THAT YES, THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT EVENTS ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS. THEY ARE ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY HELD FOR OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITIES. CORRECT. IT'S JUST BEEN A PRACTICE OF THE COUNCIL AND THE ISD AS WELL TO GO AND VISIT THOSE EVENTS. SO I THINK SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE PRESSURES TAKEN OFF OF COUNSEL TO NE TECHNICALLY BE THERE BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT OUR EVENT TO ENGAGE. HOWEVER, IT IS A GOOD, AND I THINK, I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US TO BE THERE. SO COUNSEL, UM, I THINK THE DISCUSSION, IT WARRANTS THE DISCUSSION. SHE HAS TWO ITEMS THAT SHE'S REQUESTING, UM, MOVING THE JANUARY 20TH MEETING TO ANOTHER DAY. UM, AND THEN ALSO LOOKING TO SEE IF, I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE SAYING TO COUNCIL THAT COUNCIL MEETING OR TO START IT EARLIER OR WHAT WOULD BE YOUR SUGGESTION? WELL, AND, AND JUST AS A MATTER OF CLARIFICATION FOR THIS PAST ONE, I, I DO REMEMBER THE POLLING, HOWEVER, THE AGENDA WAS BUILT IN A WAY IN WHICH EVEN THE, THE MOVEMENT WOULDN'T HAVE GIVEN US REALLY THAT MUCH TIME. SO WHAT I'M ASKING IS, IS WE SAY NOW, AND WE DON'T BUILD THE AGENDA THAT WAY BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE ALREADY ALL YEAR BUILT THE AGENDA TO BE READY FOR THAT. WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO MOVE, UH, UH, COUNCIL. IT COULD BE JUST ONE HOUR UP OR ONE HOUR SOMETHING TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR US TO BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY ON THAT NIGHT. UH, AND IT MAY ALSO BE, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. IT MAY ALSO BE, UM, IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO SPEAK WITH HOAS AND THE PD ABOUT THE TIMING THAT THEY GIVE THEM TO HOST THE EVENTS. MAYBE THAT IS ALSO A REQUEST, UM, THAT THE EVENTS BE HELD BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S USUALLY VERY HOT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE AUGUST ONE MM-HMM. . AND PEOPLE DON'T LIKE TO NECESSARILY BE OUT IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY. UM, THAT HAS ALSO BEEN SOMETHING. SO WHEN THEY HOST THE EARLIER EVENTS, IT MAKES IT, UM, A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE A LOT OF TIMES FOR THEM TO BE OUT THERE. SO MAYBE THE, THE REQUEST IS ALSO TALKING WITH PD AND TALKING WITH OUR HOAS ABOUT THE TIMEFRAME THAT THEY'RE HOSTING IT. AND THAT WOULD GIVE US TIME IF WE, EVEN IF WE PUSH OUR MEETING EARLIER, UM, TO GET, TO BUILD OUR AGENDA AS YOU MENTIONED, AND THEN GET OUT, GET OUT, AND THEN BE REWRITE ON TIME ESSENTIALLY TO, FOR THE START OF THOSE EVENTS, MAYBE 7:00 PM I DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M JUST KIND OF THINKING OF WAYS WE CAN KIND OF MAKE THINGS WORK WITHOUT US NECESSARILY, AGAIN, HAVING TO COUNSEL A MEETING ALTOGETHER. YES. AND REMEMBER IT'S ACTUALLY HOAS AND NON HOAS AND NON HOAS. JUST NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOODS, NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE WE GO. NEIGHBORHOODS. DR. MARKS, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? UH, WELL, I, I WAS JUST WAITING TO, I JUST KIND OF WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE PRIORITY PIECE IS, IS, IS ATTACKED T ON TO WHAT SHE'S SAYING, UH, BECAUSE WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER MEETING. POINT OF ORDER. WHAT'S YOUR POINT? THIS AGENDA ITEM IS TO, REGARDING THE DATES, REGARDING THE DAY, UH, PRIORITIZATION OF WHAT GOES ON THE AGENDA. MM-HMM. IS NOT THE CONVERSATION TOPIC. SURE. SO I'D LIKE US TO KEEP THE MAIN THING, THE MAIN THING AND JUST HAVE THE DISCUSSION AROUND ARE WE GOING TO MOVE JANUARY 20TH OR NOT? MM-HMM, . WELL I THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. BUT AS I'M SPEAKING, I'D LIKE FOR OUR MANAGER TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER ON THE FLOOR ORGANIZATION IS THERE. YOU HEAR IT. AND THAT'S WAY POINT OF I HAVE A POINT ORDER ON THE FLOOR. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. POINT WELL TAKEN. POINT GIVEN. THANK YOU. SO COUNSEL, WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE FLOOR. COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. SURE THING. UM, SO GIVEN THE VOLUME OF ITEMS THAT THE, THIS OF RELATED TO OUR CITY BUSINESS, UM, YOU KNOW, I REALLY HAVE BEEN OPPOSED TO TAKING OUT SO MANY OF THE MEETINGS. UM, SO FOR INSTANCE, UM, THIS DECEMBER, UM, WE DON'T HAVE A THIRD MEETING AND WE DO NOT HAVE A, UM, WORK SESSION, BUT WE ALSO DO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN HAPPEN. UM, UM, MY PROPOSAL FOR DECEMBER WOULD BE TO KEEP THE MINIMUM THE WORK SESSION BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESS THAT THAT CITY IS TAKING CARE OF. UM, YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING AT THE VOLUME OF, [00:55:01] OF, UM, REQUESTS AND, AND AS THOSE REQUESTS, YOU KNOW, HAVE COME IN AND COMPOUNDED, YOU KNOW, NOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE MOVED FROM HAVING A LIST, A, A GROUPING THAT WAS AT THE TOP OF THE YEAR THAT'S MOVED NOW TO THE BOTTOM OF THE YEAR. THAT'S NOW MOVED TO THE NEXT YEAR. AND SO, UM, UM, THAT'S MY PAUSE WITH TAKING OUT SO MANY OF THE MEETINGS. THE SUMMERTIME, SAME THING. UM, YOU KNOW, I CONTINUE TO GO BACK TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, A ISSUE OF, OF, UH, YOU KNOW, A, A, A PRIORITY ISSUE RELATED TO THE WATER AND WATER RATES AND, AND, UM, WHAT THE CITY HAD TO DO TO MITIGATE THAT IN THE MIDST OF, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A MEETING TO DISCUSS IT, IT HAD TO BE A PHONE CALL. AND SO, UM, MY PROPOSAL WOULD BE TO AT LEAST BRING BACK ONE OF THE SUMMER MEETINGS TO BRING BACK AT LEAST ONE OF, AT LEAST THE WORK SESSION FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, SURELY IF IT'S NOT NEEDED, YOU KNOW, IT CAN BE THE WORK SESSION CAN BE DROPPED OFF, YOU KNOW, BUT, UM, AND I, AND I WOULD SAY THAT FOR, FOR AT LEAST ONE OF THE SUMMER MONTHS. AND SO I'M JUST, I'M PUTTING THAT ON THE FLOOR FOR DISCUSSION JUST TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND, UM, THAT, THAT THE COUNCILS HAS TO DO AND STAFF HAS TO DO. AND IF ANYONE NEEDS TO TAKE OFF, YOU KNOW, NO ONE IS BEHOLDEN TO HAVE TO WORK WHEN THEY CAN'T, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN THEY NEED TO TAKE OFF, TAKE OFF WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, DO ACCORDING TO THEIR SCHEDULE, YOU KNOW, NOT ACCORDING TO THIS PROPOSED SCHEDULE. SO THAT'S MY COMMENTS. COUNCILMAN BUR, UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILWOMAN FOR AND, AND FOR THE DISCUSSION. I WILL SAY, UM, THAT I THINK I, I TRY TO MAKE ALL SCHEDULED MEETINGS. UH, I'M IN MEETINGS AT LEAST, I'M GOING TO SAY EIGHT TO 10 HOURS A WEEK REGARDING THE CITY. UM, I WAS IN MY FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WAS TAKEN UP THIS PAST WEEKEND WITH CITY BUSINESS AS IS MOST OF MY WEEKENDS. SO IF YOU ARE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION, IF YOU ARE ON THOSE THINGS, IF WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH HAMPTON ROAD, WE HAD A JOINT MEETING AND, AND THE, THE, UH, PNZ AND THE DDC ARE CALLING FOR MORE JOINT MEETINGS. UH, WE HAD A JOINT MEETING AND I BELIEVE ONLY, UM, NOT EVEN 50% OF THE COUNCIL SHOWED UP TO THAT JOINT MEETING. AND I'M NOT BERATING ANYBODY, BUT THERE ARE, THERE IS A HEAVY AGENDA ALREADY. SO I I, I REALLY DO LIKE BEING ABSENT EXCUSED. SO WHEN WE, WHEN WE TAKE DAYS OFF AND WE, WE, WE SCHEDULE THEM, THEN THAT MAKE ME KNOW THAT IN THE SUMMERTIME, I CAN SCHEDULE THIS WEEK WITH MY FAMILY, I CAN DO THIS WITH MY FAMILY BECAUSE QUITE HONESTLY, UM, UM, I CAN'T THINK OF A RECENT WEEK, A RECENT WEEK, UH, THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN IN A CITY SPONSORED MEETING. AND SO I WOULD, I, I WOULD REALLY, UH, LIKE FOR US TO THINK ABOUT BALANCE OF LIFE AS WE, AS WE GO FORWARD. AND AGAIN, AND, AND, AND TO YOUR POINT, WE CAN ALL MEET, MISS A MEETING. WE CAN, WE CAN ALL MISS A MEETING IF WE, IF WE NEED TO. HOWEVER, UM, I WOULD PREFER TO BE, UH, SCHEDULED AND APPROVED, UH, PRIOR BECAUSE, UM, THAT IS THE WAY THAT I, I WOULD CHOOSE TO ANSWER. THEN ON TOP OF, UM, UM, UM, THEN ON TOP OF THAT, UM, WE HAVE SUMMER RETREATS. WE HAVE A WINTER RETREAT, WHICH IS TWO OR THREE DAYS. AND, AND YOU KNOW, WE, WE SIGNED UP FOR IT. WE SIGNED UP FOR IT. AND SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, I AM, UM, I, I I, I, I, I, I CAN AGREE WITH MOVING THE DATE, UH, MAYBE FITTING THAT IN, IN OUR WINTER RETREAT, ADDING THE DATE ONTO THAT SINCE WE'RE GONNA BE HERE, AL ALREADY OR EXTENDING THE HOUR, I DON'T MIND WORKING LATE, BUT, UH, BUT THAT IS A NATIONAL HOLIDAYS, MARTIN LUTHER KING STAY. AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE US, UH, REQUIRE STAFF OR ANYBODY ELSE TO BE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO THINK EVERY TIME THAT WE MEET, THERE IS A WHOLE PLETHORA OF, OF STAFF THAT MUST SHOW, SHOW UP WITH US. SO JUST FOR BALANCE OF LIFE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DO WE NEED A RECESS OR WILL? OKAY. YES. UH, COUNCILMAN RAPHAEL? SURE THING, MADAM MAYOR. UM, I THINK, UM, AS IT RELATES TO BALANCE OF LIFE, I THINK THE HARD PART ABOUT HAVING THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE IS THAT LIFE DOESN'T HAPPEN ACCORDING TO A SCHEDULE. SO, UM, FOR ME, THE BALANCE OF LIFE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE THE TIME THAT'S NEEDED, UM, RELATED TO JOINT MEETINGS, UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OUR MEETINGS ARE IN THE EVENING, YOU KNOW, PRIMARILY, UM, I'M ASSUMING BECAUSE IT'S A WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY. UM, AND FOR THOSE OF US WHO WORK NINE TO FIVE, YOU KNOW, JOINT MEETINGS THAT ARE SCHEDULED IN THE DAYTIME ARE [01:00:01] JUST HARD, UM, RELATED TO, UM, JUST AGAIN, UM, JUST THE VOLUME OF, OF BUSINESS THAT THERE IS. YOU KNOW, THE MAIN THING THAT WE, EVERYBODY KNEW WHEN THEY TOOK THE ROLE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAME TO DO A JOB, WE CAME TO DO THE CITY'S BUSINESS, AND MAYBE IT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING OF NOT UNDERSTANDING THE VOLUME OF, OF THE, THE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS THAT THAT ARE OCCURRED. BUT AS IT RELATES TO THE CITY'S BUSINESS AND BALANCE OF LIFE, IN THAT FIRST YEAR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD MEETINGS JUST STRAIGHT THROUGH, OUR MEETINGS WERE NOT LONG. THEY STARTED TO GET ALONG BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT WERE COMING AND THEN THE WORDINESS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, MANY OF OUR MEETINGS NOW WITH THE VOLUME, AGAIN, OF, OF ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA AND THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT YOU NEED TO DO BEFOREHAND TO, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT VOLUME IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT YOU MAY BE DOING OR MEETINGS YOU MAY BE DOING AS RE AS IT RELATES TO, UM, THE CITY'S BUSINESS. UM, THAT, THAT'S THE PART THAT GETS A LITTLE HARD TO JUGGLE WHEN, SO TONIGHT WE HAVE ONE HEARING NEXT WEEK. I MEAN THE NEXT, THE THIRD MEETING, WE WILL PROBABLY, WE WILL LIKELY HAVE SEVERAL AND SEVERAL OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE NOT ON THIS MEETING BECAUSE IT WAS ACCOMMODATING THE ELECTIONS NIGHT. AND SO JUST TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE, THE ITEMS THAT COME BEFORE US STRETCH OUT AND TO GIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR WHEN THOSE SUDDEN THINGS HAPPEN AND STAFF NEED TO BRING THOSE TO COUNCIL. UM, 'CAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, BEFORE THAT JOINT MEETING WITH SOMEONE ELSE, IT IS THE CITY'S BUSINESS AS IT RELATES TO, UM, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING COMING BEFORE US FOR WATER, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, OR ANYTHING THAT DOES NEED TO BE TACKLED ONCE IT NEEDS TO BE TACKLED. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER. JUST ONE MORE, UH, PORT OF, UH, CLARIFICATION FOR THE ITEM FOR THE 20TH. UM, IT CERTAINLY IS NOT MY EXPECTATION THAT WE WORK ON THE 20TH. I ASSURE YOU THAT'S NOT MY EXPECTATION. I'M SAYING MOVE IT TO A DATE EARLIER SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO THE PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY, UM, IN THE LIST OF, OF PRESENTATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO COME TO COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY INSTEAD OF US WAITING TO FEBRUARY TO JUST START THAT LIST. LET'S GO AHEAD AND START THAT LIST. 'CAUSE THERE'S NO MORE MEETING. THERE'S ONE MORE MEETING AFTER THIS AND THAT MEETING DOESN'T HAVE ALL OF THE PRESENTATIONS. SO WE'LL LOSE JANUARY AND WE'LL LOSE DECEMBER IF WE COUNSEL BOTH OR IF WE COUNSEL THE JANUARY ONE. SO I'M NOT EXPECTING THE 20TH, AS I SAID BEFORE, UM, I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD GET TO A RESOLUTION THAT WE AS A COUNCIL CAN MEET, DO THE PRESENTATIONS AND HAVE IT IN JANUARY AS OPPOSED TO IN FEBRUARY. AND THEN JUST MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE. THANK YOU. I BELIEVE THAT IS, THAT IS THE GENERAL UNDERSTANDING CORRECT COUNSEL OF YOUR REQUEST, UM, TO MOVE IT. AND, AND I THINK COUNCILMAN BY MADE A SUGGESTION, UM, SINCE WE ALREADY HAVE THE WINTER RETREAT PLAN FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, MR. CITY MANAGER, IS THAT CORRECT? OUR WINTER RETREAT IS IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY. UH, I WANT TO VERIFY THAT WITH, OKAY. SO, UM, THAT MAY NOT WORK THEN IF THEY DON'T HAVE IT CONFIRMED FOR THAT, BUT I THINK THE SUGGESTION WAS TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL TIME TO OUR WINTER RETREAT TO MAKE UP FOR THE TIME THAT WE WOULD LOSE ON JANUARY, UH, 20TH. AND SO KEEPING IN, KEEPING IN MIND THAT GENERALLY THOSE TOPICAL WORK SESSIONS ARE BETWEEN ONE HOUR TO, TO AT THE MAX, SOMETIMES THREE HOURS. UM, SO LOOKING AT WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO, UM, COUNSEL, WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN VOTE ON IF EVERYBODY'S IN AGREEMENT WITH KEEPING THE JANUARY 20TH, KEEPING THE THIRD MEETING RATHER, AND THEN MOVING IT TO ANOTHER DAY. AND THEN WE WOULD, I WOULD, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE DO THAT OFFLINE AND BRING BACK SOME PROPOSED DATES FOR COUNCIL TO AGREE UPON IN TERMS OF WHAT DATE IN JANUARY WE MOVE IT TO FOR THE SAKE OF TIME FOR TONIGHT. COUNCIL, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU? I'M CURIOUS. SORRY. I HAD A COMPETING IDEA HAPPENING AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. IF YOU MIND, AS I WAS SPEAKING, CAN REPEAT. SOMEBODY WAS TALKING WHILE I WAS SPEAKING. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? SORRY ABOUT THAT. , THEY WERE NOT PAYING ATTENTION, SO I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN. UM, SO WHAT WE CAN VOTE ON TONIGHT IS TO KEEP THE THIRD, THE THIRD MEETING IN JANUARY. KEEP THAT WORK SESSION MEETING IN JANUARY. UM, AND WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN AGREE, UH, ON THAT. AND THEN WE WILL HAVE STAFF TO BRING US BACK PROPOSED DATES IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY TO MOVE IT TO RATHER THAN TRYING TO DECIDE THAT TONIGHT. IS THAT A, IS THAT YES. SATISFACTORY. OKAY. AT THIS TIME IS THERE A MOTION? AND YOU DID HAVE A MOTION ON THERE ON THE FLOOR ALREADY. YEAH, BUT THERE WAS NOT A SECOND. IS THERE A SECOND? OKAY, SECOND. ALRIGHT, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL TO, UH, KEEP THAT WORK SESSION AND MOVE IT TO A DATE TO BE DETERMINED AT A LATER DATE. UM, COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AND, AND JUST TO, YES, I'M SORRY. JUST TO CONFIRM, WE'RE CANCELING JUNE 3RD, UH, 2025, JUNE 3RD, JULY 1ST DECEMBER 15TH, AND DECEMBER 16TH WITH THIS MOTION IN KEEPING JANUARY 20TH. YES. NO, THIS MOTION [01:05:01] IS ONLY FOR THE JANUARY IN REGARD TO THE JANUARY 20TH MEETING BEFORE IT'S A RESOLUTION WITH ALL THESE DATES IN IT. SO WE WANNA WE TO SEE IF COUNSEL WANTS TO MOVE THAT ONE SPECIFIC MEETING MEETING AND THEN WE CAN, UNLESS COUNSEL HAS AN ADDITIONAL THOUGHT, TWO, TWO SEPARATE. SO IT'LL BE TWO SEPARATE VOTES THAT'S NOT ON THE, THE RESOLUTION THAT'S BEFORE US IS TO CANCEL THESE MEETINGS. SO WE HAVE TO DO IT IN RESOLUTION AND MAKE THAT AMENDMENT TO THAT DATE. CORRECT. AND THEN WE, BUT WE CAN MAKE THE MOTION TO WHERE WE CAN DETERMINE THE DATE AT ANOTHER TIME. CORRECT. OKAY. OKAY. NOW, COUNCIL MEMBER RAFI, I, I GUESS I, I GUESS I WAS A LITTLE BIT, I WAS TRYING TO COMPARTMENTALIZE IT, MR. CITY ATTORNEY AND, AND EXCUSE ME IF I WAS IN ERROR, BECAUSE WE DID HAVE ANOTHER COUNCIL MEMBER WITH ANOTHER, WITH ANOTHER SUGGESTION, UM, REGARDING DATES. UM, AND SO I DID KNOW IF COUNCIL WANTED TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON THAT BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM ALTOGETHER AND MOVE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA. OR WE JUST TABLE THIS AND BRING IT BACK WITH AN ALTERNATIVE DATE AT THE NEXT MEETING FOR THAT JANUARY 20TH. WE CAN TABLE IT. LET'S DO IT ALL. I THAT'LL BE CLEANER THAT WAY, SO IT'S CLEANER. YEP. SURE. OKAY, COUNSEL THAT YOU ALL GET THAT. SO HE'S SUGGESTING TO TABLE THIS ITEM AND BRING BACK THE DATE, THE ACTUAL DATE TO MOVE THE JANUARY 20TH MEETING TOO. AND THEN WE CAN JUST VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION WITH THE ACTUAL DATE THAT WE WILL HAVE NOVEMBER 19TH MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE TO THE NOVEMBER. THAT'LL BE, YEAH. SO THE NOVEMBER 19TH MEETING. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE, DOES SHE NEED TO RETRACT HER MOTION? CORRECT? 'CAUSE IT IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. CORRECT. OKAY. THERE IS A MOTION ON THE FLOOR SO YOU CAN RETRACT YOUR, UM, I RETRACT MY PREVIOUS MOTION TO CHANGE THAT DATE, UH, TO AN EARLIER DATE IN JANUARY. AND I FURTHER MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL NOVEMBER 19TH MEETING. OH, I'M SORRY. I DUNNO. I JUST ASKING BECAUSE IT'S OUT THERE. DON'T YOU HAVE, THERE WASN'T A SECOND THOUGH, BEFORE. YES, SHE DID. MM-HMM. DID HAVE A SECOND. YEAH. SO RETRACT YOUR MOTION FIRST AND THEN THE SECOND THE PERSON WHO'S SECONDED YOU, YOU NEED TO AGREE WITH THAT. AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ON, UH, RE RETRACTING THAT MOTION. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO RETRACT MY PREVIOUS MOTION TO CHANGE THAT DATE. SECOND. OKAY. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO RETRACT THE INITIAL MOTION. MAY COUNSEL ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, YOU'RE UP. I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE TABLE THIS AGENDA ITEM UNTIL THE NOVEMBER 19TH MEETING. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TIM HUGHES TO TABLE THIS ITEM UNTIL THE NOVEMBER 19TH MEETING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT COUNSEL WILL BE POLLED IN THE MEANTIME TO, UH, DECIDE ON AN ALTERNATE DATE. AND THEN WE WILL ADOPT THAT RESOLUTION CLEANLY AT THE NOVEMBER 19TH MEETING. COUNSEL AGAIN, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. A ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. COUNSEL. DID WE GET OUR, WE HAVE OUR, UM, WE VOTED ON OUR ORIGINAL CONSENT AGENDA, CORRECT? YES. OKAY. I IT IS BEEN A, IT IS BEEN A MINUTE, SO PLEASE HELP ME. I WANNA MAKE SURE WE ACKNOWLEDGE SEVERAL, UM, SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE APPOINTED OR REAPPOINTED TO SOME OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. WE HAVE RTA, WASHINGTON MCCOY, WHO WAS APPOINTED TO KEEP DESOTO BEAUTIFUL PLACE TOO. WE ALSO, AND IF YOU ARE HERE, PLEASE STAND SO THAT WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE YOU. WE HAVE APPOINTMENT OF DIANE HAWKINS TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION AND THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. IF SHE'S HERE, PLEASE STAND. UH, WE HAVE ISAAC RUBIO TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARD COMMISSION AND THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. WE ALSO HAVE ALVIN DENNISON CULVERSON JR. TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARD COMMISSION AND THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. IF YOU'RE HERE, PLEASE STAND. WE ALSO HAVE TRACY NELSON TO THE BUILDING AND STANDARDS COMMISSION AND ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE AND AN HONOR TO HAVE OUR RESIDENTS TO VOLUNTEER FOR THESE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS BECAUSE IT HELPS US, AGAIN, TO GET YOUR INPUT AND YOUR THOUGHTS, UM, TO HELP KEEP OUR CITY MOVING FORWARD. UM, AT THIS TIME, COUNCILWOMAN RAPHAEL, I DON'T WANT TO DISMISS, UM, DISMISS YOUR, I YOUR, YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT, UM, THE ADDITIONAL DATES AND, AND WHAT COUNCIL THINKS. AND SO I THINK IT STILL WILL BE VERY PRUDENT, UM, FOR COUNCIL TO WEIGH IN ON THAT BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS, UM, EVERYTHING WE DO MOVES FORWARD WITH THE COUNCIL DECISION. SO, UM, IT MAY BE NECESSARY IF WE, FOR OUR NEXT MEETING, UM, TO ADD THAT ON, OR EITHER WE CAN ADD IT ON TO OUR TOPICAL WORKS. WE DO HAVE A TOPICAL WORK SESSION ON NOVEMBER 18TH. SO, MR. CITY MANAGER, I'M, I'M GOING TO REQUEST ON BEHALF OF COUNCIL MEMBER RAFAEL, TO HER POINT SO THAT IT DOES NOT, UM, GET LOST IN TRANSLATION IN TERMS OF HER QUESTIONS AND HER REQUEST OF COUNSEL TO, UM, PLACE THAT ITEM ON OUR WORK SESSION SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS ANY ADDITIONAL DATES, UM, THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE MOVED, UH, FOR THE CA FOR THE, UH, FOR THE [01:10:01] RESOLUTION. WHAT I WOULD ALSO ASK IS IF WE COULD MAKE THAT DISCUSSION PRIOR TO ADOPTING, WELL IT WOULD BE ANYWAY 'CAUSE WE'LL BE DOING THAT ON THE 19TH, BUT MAKING THAT SO WE CAN DISCUSS THAT. SO IF THERE NEEDS TO BE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOLUTION, THEN WE CAN DO THAT BEFORE WE VOTE ON IT FOR THE FINAL TIME. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT, COUNSEL. UM, AT THIS TIME, [1. Conduct a Public Hearing and consider an Ordinance amending the Code of Ordinances by amending Chapter 13 “Utilities” by repealing Article 13.600 “Municipal Drainage Utility System” in its entirety and replacing it with a new Article 13.600 "Municipal Drainage Utility System" and amending Appendix A “Fee Schedule” by repealing Article 23.000 “Municipal Drainage Utility System Fees” in its entirety and replacing it with a new Article 23.000 "Municipal Drainage Utility System Fees" in order to establish new Drainage Utility Fees in the city of DeSoto] MS. THOMAS, WE'LL HAVE THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. YES, MA'AM. WE MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS. ATTENDEES MAY SPEAK ON ANY ITEM LISTED ON THE AGENDA DURING THAT PORTION OF THE AGENDA. HOWEVER, FOR TOPICS NOT SCHEDULED, ATTENDEES WILL SPEAK DURING CITIZEN APPEARANCES. THE STANDARD TIME LIMIT IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER. IT MAY BE MODIFIED AT THE MAYOR'S DISCRETION. TO MAINTAIN AN EFFICIENT FLOW OF THE MEETING WE HAVE CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE, THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER 13, UTILITIES BY REPEALING ARTICLE 13.600 MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE UTILITY SYSTEM IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND REPLACING IT WITH A NEW ARTICLE, 13.600 MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE UTILITY SYSTEM AND AMENDING APPENDIX A FEE SCHEDULE BY REPEALING ARTICLE 23.000 MUNICIPAL DRAINING UTILITY SYSTEM FEES IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND REPLACING IT WITH A NEW ARTICLE, 23.00 MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE UTILITY SYSTEM FEES IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH NEW DRAINAGE UTILITY FEES IN THE CITY OF DESOTO. MAKING THAT PRESENTATION IS MD HASSAN CITY ENGINEER. GOOD EVENING, MR. HASSAN. GOOD EVENING, HONOR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER. NEXT SLIDE. UH OH. YES, THANK YOU. SORRY. THIS SLIDE PROVIDES YOU, UH, THE MAIN SUMMARIZED BACKGROUND ON THE EXISTING DE UTILITY FEE. AS IT SHOWS THE CURRENT DE UTILITY FEE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2001, AND THE CURRENT FEE IS TAX IS IN PLACE SINCE 2004. HOWEVER, IN LAST TWO DECADES, THERE HAVE BEEN INCREASED AMOUNT OF DERATED CONCERN AND ISSUES, AND ALSO A SERIOUS, UM, INCREASED LEVEL OF NECESSITY FOR DENNIS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. TEXAS LOCAL DEVELOP, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT COURT 5 52 ESTABLISHED UNDER MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE UTILITY SYSTEM. AND IT PROVIDES CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS AND ONE OF THE REQUIREMENT IS THE P MUST BE NON-DISCRIMINATORY, REASONABLE AND EQUITABLE. AS YOU ARE VERY WELL AWARE THAT CURRENT FISH TAX ARE IS A PLATE RATE AND IT IS $6 PER RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNT WITH A $3 50 CENTS DISCOUNT FOR SENIOR CITIZENS, WHICH MAKES THE RATE FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AS $2 50 CENTS. AND FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, IT IS TWO $4 PER ACCOUNT PER MONTH. SO AFTER DOING ALL THE ANALYSIS MODELING AND ALSO, UH, DOING MULTIPLE PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND FOLLOWING THE FEEDBACK, WE HAVE DEVELOPED THIS, UH, PH TAX IN THIS FISH TAX. THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED INTO THREE DIFFERENT TIER BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER WITHIN THOSE RESIDENTIAL LOT IN, UH, TIER ONE, WHICH IS, UH, THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER IS LESS THAN 2,800 SQUARE FEET. THAT MONTHLY TOTAL FEE WOULD BE $6 FOR TIER TWO, WHICH IMPERVIOUS COVER WITHIN THAT LOT. 2,801 IS SQUARE FEET TO 3,799 SQUARE FEET. THE MONTHLY TOTAL FEE WOULD BE $9. AND FOR RESIDENTIAL P THREE, WHICH IS FOR ANY RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY CONTAINING MORE THAN 3,800 IS SQUARE FEET IMPERVIOUS COVER. THE MONTHLY FEE IS PROPOSED AS $12 FOR ALL COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. UH, THE FEE WILL VARY BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF IMPERVIOUS COVER WITHIN THAT COMMERCIAL PARTICULAR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. UH, SENIOR CREDIT, UH, WE IN OUR CURRENT DE UH, FEE IS TAX. WE HAVE A SENIOR CARRIED, WHICH IS, UH, THE CITY IS PROVIDING $3 50 CENTS DISCOUNT. WE ARE PROPOSING TO KEEP THE, THAT AMOUNT OF DISCOUNT, UH, IN THIS, UH, NEW PH TAX AS WELL. SO FOR DEFINED SIZE OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, AS YOU SEE ON THIS TABLE, THAT WE ARE STILL PROPOSING TO GIVE THAT $3 50 CENTS DISCOUNT. AND AFTER PROVIDING THAT [01:15:01] DISCOUNT FOR DEFINED, THE FEE WOULD BE $2 50 CENTS, $5 50 CENTS, AND $8 50 CENTS FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. UM, BASED ON YOUR SUGGESTION, WE ARE PROPOSING A THREE YEAR INCREMENTAL INCREASE OF THE P AND THAT INCREASE OVER THREE YEAR WOULD BE AN EQUAL AMOUNT. AND THOSE ARE THE PROPOSED DATES OF IMPLEMENTATION IN, IN THE THREE FISCAL YEAR. SO FOR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF, UH, IN QP WOULD BE ON JANUARY 1ST, 2025. FOR FISCAL YEAR 26, THAT WOULD BE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 AND FISCAL YEAR 26, UH, WE ARE PROPOSING THE FIRST DAY OF THAT FISCAL ERROR, WHICH IS OCTOBER 1ST, 2026. HERE IS A VERY QUICK EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT INCREMENT WOULD HAPPEN FOR NON-RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY SHOWN IN PINK ON THE LEFT SIDE, UH, LET US ASSUME THAT IS A, THAT PROPERTY HAS 20,000 SQUARE FEET IN PREVIOUS COVER AS WE KNOW CURRENTLY IT IS A PLOT RATE. THAT MEANS THAT PROPERTY IS PAYING $24 PER MONTH. NOW, WE ARE GOING TO DO A QUICK CALCULATION HOW MUCH, ACTUALLY THE P SHOULD BE IN THIS PROPOSED MODEL OR CALCULATION. AND IT IS BASED ON EQUIVALENT RESIDENTIAL UNIT IS FOR CITY OF DESOTO IS 3,400 SQUARE FEET. SO WE ARE DIVIDING 20,000 BY 3,400, AND WE GOT 5.88. AND THE POLICY IS THAT WE WOULD, UH, MOVE IT TO THE NEAREST UPPER POOL DIGIT NUMBERS. SO 5.88 WOULD BECOME SIX, AND THEN WE'LL USE THE FORMULA AND USING THAT FORMULA, THE AMOUNT COMES AS $44. SO FOR A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OF 20,000 IS SQUARE FEET THAT IS CURRENTLY PAYING $24, BUT IT SHOULD BE PAYING, OR IT WOULD BE PAYING $44. SO THAT MEANS THERE IS A TOTAL $20 INCREASE FROM 24, IT'LL BECOME 44. HOWEVER, WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT WE WILL INCREASE THAT $20 AT ONE TIME, RATHER, WE WILL DIVIDE THAT $20 OVER THREE YEAR PERIOD AND WILL INCREASE SIX, THAT $6.67 IN EVERY YEAR. SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE CALCULATION ACTUALLY IS SHOWN ON THIS SLIDE JUST TO, UH, CLEARLY UNDERSTAND HOW IT'LL BE IMPLEMENTED. I'M SORRY. YES. COULD YOU, I'M SORRY, I MISSED, WHAT DOES DUF STAND FOR? DUF RATE? OH, GEN S UTILITY FEE RATE. IS THAT A VARIABLE OR IS THAT A, IS THAT A FIXED, THE DAMAGE UTILITY FEE, FEE RATE IS $7 IS A, IS, UH, A STANDARD, UH, SAME NUMBER FOR ALL PROPERTIES. THANK YOU. NOW, UH, OUR, WITH REGARDS TO DAMAGES, UTILITY FEE EXEMPTIONS, THE ORDINANCE THAT IS, UH, IN FRONT OF YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND ACTION. UH, THERE ARE FEW EXEMPTIONS ARE PROPOSED, SO SOME OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY STATE MANDATED THAT WE MUST HAVE TO PROVIDE. AND THEY ARE UNDEVELOPED PROPERTY, PROPERTY WITH NO IMPACT TO CITY'S GENERAL SYSTEM IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, SUBDIVIDED LOT UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND EAST STREET PROPERTY. AND THERE ARE CERTAIN PROPERTIES, UH, THAT CITY HAS THE AUTHORITY OR ABILITY TO GIVE EXEMPTIONS. AND THESE ARE THE PROPERTIES THAT WE INCLUDED IN THE OR PROPOSED ORDINANCE THAT CAN BE EXEMPTED. AND THOSE ARE CITY OF THIS SORT OF PROPERTY, DALLAS COUNTY PROPERTY AND SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTIES. AND THESE ARE COVERED BY THE SECTIONS OF CODE LISTED ON THIS SLIDE HERE IS A VERY QUICK SNAP, UH, SHORT OF THE PAST, RECENT PAST ACTIVITIES AS WE DID PRESENTATION IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, UH, JULY, AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER ACTUALLY. THEN WE ALSO PUBLISHED A NOTIFICATION IN, UH, FOCUS DAILY NEWSPAPER ON SEPTEMBER 29, OCTOBER 6TH, AND OCTOBER 13, AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE LAW, THREE CONSECUTIVE SUNDAY PUBLICATIONS. WE HAD PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS. WE DEVELOPED A WEBSITE FOR IT WHO IS CONTENTS ALL INFORMATION PRESENTATION MANAGEMENT REPORT. IT ALSO [01:20:01] CONTAINS A CITY MAP. AND IN THAT MAP IT'S AN INTERACTIVE MAP. ANYONE CAN GO AND ACTUALLY, UH, GO TO THEIR PROPERTY. AND ON EACH OF THE PROPERTY, IT IS ACTUALLY SHOWING WHAT IS THE PROPOSED FEE, PUT THAT RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. SO TODAY IS NOVEMBER 5TH. UH, WE ARE DOING THIS PUBLIC HEARING, UH, FOR COUNCIL VOTE TO ADD UP THE UPDATED DE UTILITY RATES. AND THIS SLIDE ALSO SHOWS WHAT ARE THE PLAN FOR THE MONTH OF, UH, REMAINING PART OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. AND WE ARE PROPOSING THIS, UH, OR NEW FEE BE EFFECTIVE WITH REGARDS TO IMPLEMENTATION ON JANUARY 1ST. THAT MEANS, UH, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WOULD RECEIVE THIS NEW, UH, FEE IN THE, WITH THEIR BILL IN FEBRUARY. SO WITH THAT, UH, UB COMMENTS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONDUCT THIS PUBLIC HEARING AND BY MOTION APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AS PRESENTED WITH THE DATE OF JANUARY 1ST, 2025 AS THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE FOR THE NEW MUNICIPAL UTILITY PIECE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. HOSAN. COUNSEL. AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO OPEN OUR PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL, SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? SAME. SAME. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW OPEN. MS. THOMAS, DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENT CARDS? WE HAVE NO COMMENT CARDS FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO SPEAK. SO AT THIS TIME, COUNSEL, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CLOSE OUR PUBLIC HEARING. SO MOVED. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER RAPHAEL. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. COUNSEL, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. A ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COUNSEL, IS THERE A MOTION BEFORE WE BEGIN DISCUSSION? MADAM MAYOR, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND. THANK YOU. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BYRD TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNSEL, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES, I, COUNCIL MEMBER CHISHOLM. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, I, I KNOW M UH, MR. MDA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO, UM, HAVE YOU BEFORE US. UM, I KNOW THIS IS ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IS A NEED TO HAPPEN, BUT MY QUESTION IS, DOES IT NEED TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR? UM, MOST RECENTLY WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF INCREASES AND I WAS JUST WONDERING, WAS THIS ONE THAT JUST WAS THIS ONE, WAS THERE A REASON WHY WE NEEDED TO PUSH THIS ONE ALONG WITH THE OTHERS? JUST FOR, YOU KNOW, THE SAKE OF, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE ASKING, HEY, WHY, WHY IS EVERY, WHAT'S, WHY, WHY DO, WHAT'S THE URGENCY? UM, THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. AS, UM, WE MENTIONED IN DEFINED PRESENTATION, ALSO IN THIS PRESENTATION THAT THIS CURRENT FISH STRUCTURE HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR TWO DECADES, SINCE 2004. AND THERE HAS BEEN A, UH, VERY HIGH LEVEL OF INCREASING, UH, RATED CONCERN ISSUES. AND WE FOUND, UM, NECESSITY OF, UH, DOING MORE DE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT INCLUDES ALL DIFFERENT KIND OF DE PROJECTS, UH, SUCH AS NEIGHBORHOOD FLOODING OR EASTERN BANK OCEAN. UH, SO THERE IS DEFINITELY THAT NEED. THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES UNITED FORM, THESE DE UTILITY FEE IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO, UM, ADDRESS, UH, THE DE RELATED OPERATIONS, UH, THE STAFF AND THE MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS, UH, EQUIPMENTS, ET CETERA. AND, UM, WELL, MR. MDA, AND YOU'D WRITE, YOU DID BRING THAT UP IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT I GUESS WHAT, HOW WOULD THIS SLOW DOWN THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE TODAY? WOULD YOU HAVE, LIKE LET'S SAY YOU SAY YOU WAIT TILL NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WOULD THAT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND LET'S SETTLE LIKE WITH WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, WOULD THAT TOTALLY DISRUPT WHAT YOU HAVE GOING TODAY? I'M JUST CURIOUS. UM, IF I MAY, UH, HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, EVERY MONTH WE DELAY, WE, WE STAY AT STATUS QUO. WE HAVE 44 MILES, ALMOST 44 MILES OF CREEKS AND TRIBUTARIES IN THE CITY. AND WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THOSE, UH, DELAYS ON SOME OF THEM WOULD DELAY US FROM HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE MORE FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, THOSE CREEKS. UH, AND SO, UH, I MEAN OBVIOUSLY IT'S THE WILL OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THAT WOULDN'T BE MY RECOMMENDATION, BUT IF, IF THAT'S, THAT'S THE CHOICE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I MEAN, IT'S UP TO YOU TO SET THE TIME. UH, BUT EACH MONTH THAT WE DON'T ADOPT THIS, UH, WE LOSE [01:25:01] ABOUT $64,000 IN REVENUES AND THERE IS A LOT OF PROJECTS, THOSE PROJECTS MAY BE DELAYED AS WELL. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. UM, I DID WANT TO MAKE TWO POINTS TO YOU, UH, MR. HUSAM, BUT I WANNA FIRST ADDRESS WHAT I JUST HEARD. LET ME, LET ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT $64,000 REVENUE DIFFERENCE, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT REFERRING TO? THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE, THE NEW RATE, UH, THAT THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE ESTABLISHED AND THE EXISTING RATE? YES. SO IN OTHER WORDS, LET'S SAY IN CURRENT FISH TAX, WE ARE RECEIVING A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH MONTH. BUT WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NEW PH TAX IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, AT THE END OF MONTH OF JANUARY, WE WILL BE ACTUALLY RECEIVING 164,000. SO THAT'S THAT $64,000 INCREASED REVENUE, UH, IN THE DENNIS FUND. UM, WE WILL RECEIVE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NEW PIECE THAT, OKAY. AND JUST AS A, UH, MATTER, AND THANK AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. AND I DO REMEMBER THE PREVIOUS PRESENTATION. I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED WHY WE WERE HAVING THIS AGAIN, I THOUGHT WE HAD ALREADY, UH, APPROVED IT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BUT MAYBE I MISSED IT. I MISSED THE, WHAT WE WERE ACTUALLY DOING BEFORE. AND SO WITH THAT, I WANT TO ASK, DID WE MAKE CERTAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, BASED ON MY, UH, COLLEAGUES, UH, QUESTION ABOUT MOVING IT OUT, DID WE ACTUALLY SAY WHY WE HAD TO DO IT NOW? I MEAN, IT'S GREAT AND FINE FOR YOU TO HAVE THE REVENUE, BUT DID WE SAY WHY WE COULDN'T MOVE IT OUT? DID WE SAY THAT C CAN YOU CLARIFY IT? 'CAUSE I'M, WELL, SHE WAS ASKING, AND, AND I THINK I ASKED AT ONE POINT, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR? AND I KNOW YOU SAID IT'S A REVENUE SITUATION, BUT I'M SAYING, DID WE ANSWER WHY WE COULDN'T JUST GO AHEAD AND MOVE IT AND HAVE IT AT A DIFFERENT TIME? I THINK AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S YOU. OKAY. SORRY. UH, RE SHANKS FREEZING NICHOLS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, MD AND, UH, YOUR TEAM ON THIS. JUST TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. IT'S A GOOD QUESTION, UH, MS. CHISHOLM, ABOUT WHY YOU CAN'T DELAY. THE REALITY IS Y'ALL, Y'ALL MADE GREAT STRIDES BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE EXISTING FEE FOR 20 YEARS. THE REALITY IS YOUR CURRENT, UH, REVENUE DOESN'T COVER YOUR CURRENT COSTS. SO IF YOU DID DECIDE YOU WANTED TO DELAY, WHAT IT WOULD NOW REQUIRE IS YOU'VE HAD TO CUT SERVICES. SO YOU HAVE TO LOWER YOUR STANDARD OF SERVICE YOU'RE PROVIDING. UM, SO YOU'VE NOW GOTTEN, SO NOW YOU'RE DRAWING DOWN ON YOUR, BASICALLY YOUR SAVINGS AND THERE'S A FINITE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU COULD DO THAT. THAT IT? OKAY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR BEING HERE. UM, AT THIS TIME, WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. YES. AEL. I APOLOGIZE. SO THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AGAIN. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THIS, WELL, WHAT WAS MENTIONED WAS THE 44 MILES OF CREEKS AND TRIBUTARIES. AND SO THAT WOULD BE A LOT OF THE WORK THAT HAPPENS UNDER OUR BRIDGES, ALONG OUR CREEKS AS WELL. SO, SO WE'RE ABOUT TO DO THIS AND SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE OUR NEEDS. AND SO FOR THE RESIDENTS, LIKE WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THEM? UM, NOT JUST ON THE OPERATION SIDE, YOU KNOW, BUT WHAT DOES THIS TANGIBLY MEAN FOR THE RESIDENT? THAT'S MY ONE QUESTION. MY SECOND QUESTION IS, HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED IN PERSON, THE, THE PUB, THE PUBLIC MEET INFORMATION SESSIONS, UM, ON THOSE. AND THEN THREE, WHAT IS OUR PLAN TO MAKE CERTAIN, TO BRING THIS TO, TO THE RESIDENTS LEVEL, TO MAKE THIS REALLY SIMPLE? I SEE THE PLACES WHERE THE INFORMATION WILL BE, BUT PART OF MY CONCERN IS WHAT, UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT IN ATTENDANCE, AND AGAIN, I LIVE IN, I'LL STOP RIGHT THERE. I HAVE A LOT OF WORDS TO SAY, BUT I, I'LL START RIGHT THERE. UH, SO THE, THE FIRST QUESTIONS ABOUT IT WAS ABOUT, UH, THE IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE EC. SO WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING TWO THINGS AT THIS TIME, AND WE WILL ACTUALLY DO ANOTHER THING VERY SOON. SO THE FIRST THING WE ARE DOING IS, AS YOU APPROVE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE DEMAND TO COMPLETE A DANS MASTER PLAN, THAT PLAN IS ACTUALLY I IDENTIFYING THE NECESSITY OF POSTEX. AND, UM, THEY ARE LISTING ALL THE POSTEX THAT ARE NECESSARY TO BE COMPLETED IN CITY OF DESOTO WITH THE RANKING AND APPROXIMATE COST ESTIMATES. UH, SO THAT, UH, REPORT, WHEN WE RECEIVE THAT REPORT OF DENNIS'S [01:30:01] MASTER PLAN FROM THE CONSULTANT, IT'LL ACTUALLY IDENTIFY ALL THOSE ECS THAT WILL GIVE US A IDEA, UH, OF THE LOCATIONS WHERE WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. IT IT CAN BE A SMALL, MIDDLE, MEDIUM OR OSI. ANOTHER ONE IS, UH, WE ARE DEVELOPING, UH, WE ARE DOING RESEARCH. AND VERY SOON, UH, IF CITY MANAGER WANTS AND WHEN HE WANTS, WE WILL PRESENT INFORMATION TO YOU ABOUT THE EROSION ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING, UH, MOST COMMONLY IN THE BACKYARD OF PRIVATE PROPERTIES ALONG THE CREEK. SO WE ARE IDENTIFYING THOSE LOCATIONS AND HOW THOSE CAN BE ADDRESSED. ADDITIONALLY, OVER THE YEARS, WE RECEIVED, UH, SOME COMPLAINTS, UH, DEMONSTRATED COMPLAINTS FROM RESIDENTS WHO IS THEY SUBMITTED EITHER BY PHONE OR EMAIL OR GO GO UP OUR ONLINE SUBMISSION SYSTEM. SO WE ALSO HAVE ALL THOSE LISTED. SO WE WILL LOOK INTO ALL OF THESE, UH, FORMAL HOLISTIC APPROACH, COMPREHENSIVE AND BASED ON OUR, UH, FINANCIAL CAPABILITY. SO AT THIS TIME, IT IS ACTUALLY VERY DIFFICULT, UH, TO SAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ALL OF THIS, BUT DEFINITELY OUR ABILITY WOULD BE, UH, IMPROVED BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE REVENUE. AND, UH, AS OUR CONSULTANT ACTUALLY SAID THAT CURRENTLY, UH, TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBER, CURRENTLY WE GET ANNUALLY $1.6 MILLION, BUT THERE IS A SOLID NEED. THE MINIMUM NECESSITY IS ACTUALLY APPROXIMATELY $2.2 MILLION. SO EVERY YEAR WE ARE ACTUALLY IN A SHORT OF $600,000 ALREADY. SO, BUT WITH THIS INCREASED REVENUE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT SHORTFALL AND MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING MORE, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARDS TO SOME DES MAINTENANCE, MINOR MAINTENANCE AND OTHER THINGS, UH, INCLUDING, UH, PROCESSING DERATED EQUIPMENTS AND IMPROVE OUR DES OPERATIONS. THAT WAS, UH, I THINK QUESTION NUMBER ONE. COULD I ANSWER IT? YOU DID. OKAY. UH, THE SECOND ONE IS ABOUT THE MEETINGS. SO WE ACTUALLY, I WOULD SAY DID THREE MEETINGS. SO THE FIRST MEETING WAS ACTUALLY, WE TOOK THE ADVANTAGE OF MILLS 360 MEETING, AND IN THAT MEETING WE ACTUALLY DID A PRESENTATION ON THE UTILITY FEE. AND THERE ARE LARGE AMOUNT OF PARTICIPANT IN THAT MEETING. UM, AND, UH, THEY UNDERSTOOD THEY, ACTUALLY, NONE OF THEM, THEY HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT NONE OF THEM HAD EXPRESSED ANY CONCERN ABOUT THIS NEW FEE. UM, IN THAT MEETING, IN OUR FIRST PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING ON, UM, OCTOBER 23RD, UNFORTUNATE WE DID. UM, I BELIEVE WE DID SUFFICIENT PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS BEFORE THE MEETING. HOWEVER, WE DID NOT HAVE ANY ATTENDEE EXCEPT ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, AND IN OUR, UH, PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING, THE SECOND MEETING ON OCTOBER 30, WE HAD TWO RESIDENT IN PERSON AND FIVE, UM, RESIDENT AND JOINED US ONLINE. AND O ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY WAS A COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, SO THOSE ARE THE, UM, PARTICIPATION LEVEL. UH, HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN CONTINUOUSLY EVERY DAY IT IS AUTO SCHEDULED ON SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING. AND EVEN FOR THIS PUBLIC MEETING, WE HAVE BEEN PUBLISHING A, A PUBLIC HEARING ALERT SINCE LAST THURSDAY. UM, AND WE HAVE INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE, UM, INCLUDING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, AND WE HAVE MORE ACTIVITIES TO DO THAT IF YOU APPROVE THIS. WE WILL ACTUALLY SEND, UH, INFORMATION VIA, UH, UTILITY BILL INSIGHTS IN, IN THE MONTH OF, WITH THE BILL OF, OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. AND ALSO IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, WE'LL ACTUALLY SEND A, UM, TEST BILL, UH, THAT WOULD CLEARLY RETURN THAT THIS IS A TEST BILL. UH, BUT THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN, UH, IN THE NEXT MONTH. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. UM, I DON'T REMEMBER IF I SAW IT OR READ IT, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WE'RE CONNECTING WITH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY THROUGH THE BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL. YES. SO I, UH, WE ACTUALLY, UH, TOOK HELP FROM OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OKAY. UH, UH, DEPARTMENT, AND THEY SHARED ALL THIS INFORMATION [01:35:01] WITH DECEMBER OF COMMERCE AND, UM, A BUSINESS COMMUNITY OR THEIR EMAIL LIST AND ALSO DEVELOPERS. OKAY. UH, HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY, ANY COMMUNICATION FROM THEM. OKAY. ALRIGHT. ENGAGEMENT IS HUGE FOR ME. SO WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY IS, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I NEED TO DO MY PART, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH. I DO SUPPORT THIS BECAUSE, UM, YOU MADE IT PLAIN WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CREEK'S EROSION BECAUSE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I'VE GOTTEN CALLS ABOUT, BUT THAT'S HOW SIMPLE WE NEED TO MAKE THIS SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM. THANK YOU. UH, COUNCIL MEMBER. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR AND THANK YOU MR. HOSAN FOR THE PRESENTATION. JUST A QUICK QUESTION, AND I KNOW THAT YOU GAVE US THIS INFORMATION, BUT I COULD NOT FIND IT. IT APPEARS THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO, AND, AND JUST TO SIMPLIFY IT, THOSE WHO LIVE IN A RESIDENCE THAT'S UNDER 2,800 SQUARE FEET, THIS DOESN'T AFFECT THEM AT ALL. IS THAT CORRECT? UH, BECAUSE THEY ARE IN TIER ONE. YES. UH, SO, OKAY. SO THEIR, THEIR, THEIR FEES ARE FLAT. YES. AND THOSE WHO WHO GO INTO 28 0 1 TO ALMOST 3,800, IT AFFECTS THEM BY $3 A MONTH. YES. AND THOSE WHO ARE, WHO, UH, LIVE OVER 3,800, IT AFFECTS THEM, UH, REALLY BY, BY $6 ADDITIONALLY. YES, THAT IS CORRECT. SO THE HEAVY LIFTING, IF YOU WOULD, IS BEING DONE IN OUR, UH, COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES WITH THE PARKING LOT. SO THE, THE, THE THOUGHT IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF USE. SO THE COST THAT IS OCCURRED IS BEING MORE FAIRLY DISTRIBUTED TO THOSE WHO ARE MOST, UM, WHO, WHO BETTER USE IT, WHO MOST WHO, WHO USE IT, WHO USE THE PRODUCT THE MOST. AND, AND SO I JUST WANTED TO GET, UM, I WOULD, UM, I I'M IN FAVOR OF THIS. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO KNOW JUST AGAIN, WHAT PERCENTAGE, BECAUSE AT ONE, ONE OF THE PRESENTATIONS YOU GUYS ACTUALLY GAVE US THE, THE PRESENTATION OF THOSE WHO WERE IN TIER ONE YES. AND TIER ONE. SO WHAT, WHAT, WHAT GOT ME, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH FOR, IN, IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, FOR MAKING SURE THAT IT DID NOT, UH, AFFECT THOSE WHO IT DID NOT HAVE TO AFFECT. SO I WOULD, I WOULD VENTURE TO GUESS, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THE MAJORITY OF THE CI CITIZENS OF DESOTO WAS TIER ONE. UH, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A PERCENTAGE. NO, SIR. UM, I REMEMBER, I, I BELIEVE I REMEMBER THE NUMBER. UH, IT IS, THE TIER ONE IS ACTUALLY 10%. UH, WHAT IS IT? ONLY 10%. 10% OF THE RESIDENTIAL ACCOUNTS, THEY ACTUALLY ARE HOMES WITH LESS THAN 2,800 IS SQUARE FEET. SO IT IS ACTUALLY 10%. THOSE 10% RESIDENTS WOULD NOT SEE ANY INCREASE, ANY INCREASE TO THEIR, UH, DENTIST UTILITY FEE. TIER TWO IS 40%. RIGHT. SO THESE 40% RESIDENTS WOULD SEE AN INCREASE OF $3. OKAY. AND TIER THREE IS ACTUALLY THE REMAINING 50%, THEY WOULD SEE AN INCREASE OF $6. WOW. SO 50% OF OUR HOMES ARE OVER 3,800, UH, 3,800 SQUARE FEET IN THIS GREAT CITY OF DESOTO. SOUND LIKE A PROSPEROUS PLACE TO ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE YOUR INFORMATION. YES. AND I WILL JUST SAY ONE SENTENCE, UH, FOR, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. SO THERE IS ONE LEGAL, AND ANOTHER ONE IS A TECHNICAL TERM. THE STATE LAW, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CALLED 5 52 REQUIRES DISSONANCE. UTILITY FEE HAS TO BE EQUITABLE. SO EQUITABLE, BASICALLY, WHEN WE, UH, TRANSLATE THAT IN ENGINEER TERMS MEANS BASED ON THEIR FOOTPRINT, BASED ON THEIR IMPACT AND MORE IMPACT COVERS, X IS MORE RUNUP. SO THAT COMES TO CITY'S DE SYSTEM THAT GETS MORE POTENTIAL FLOODING ISSUES. SO THAT'S HOW ALL THESE ARE CONNECTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER. UM, PARKER. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU. AND I ACTUALLY DID, UH, I ACTUALLY DID GET, THIS ONE IS CONFUSED WITH ANOTHER ONE, BUT THANK YOU. I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR, I WAS THE ONE WHO ATTENDED THE MEETING ON THE 23RD, AND I WAS ALSO THE PERSON WHO ATTENDED THE LAST MEETING ONLINE BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION, THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT AVAILABLE. UM, AND ALSO MAKING THE FAQS AVAILABLE BECAUSE THOSE WEREN'T AVAILABLE IN THE BEGINNING. AND I KIND OF HOPED, UH, WHEN WE WERE TALKING IN TERMS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY PUT THOSE KINDS OF THINGS OUT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN BE ABLE TO PICK THEM UP AND HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, OR GET SOME OF THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED WITHOUT HAVING TO ACTUALLY ASK. BUT I DID ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT WE HAVE A, UH, COMMUNITY CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO DO WITH YOU ALL. UH, HOPEFULLY THAT YOU, YOU'LL COME OUT AND GIVE SOME MORE OF THIS INFORMATION TO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT THAT ENGAGEMENT CAN TAKE PLACE. SO THANK YOU. AND, UH, I YIELD BACK. [01:40:01] THANK YOU, COUNSEL. WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, UM, AND WE DO HAVE AN ORDINANCE TO BE READ. UH, MS. THOMAS, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DESOTO, TEXAS, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER 13, UTILITIES BY REPEALING ARTICLE 13.600 MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE UTILITY SYSTEM IN ITS ENTIRETY. AND REPLACING IT WITH A NEW ARTICLE, 13.600, AN AMENDING APPENDIX, A FEE SCHEDULED BY A REPEALING ARTICLE 23.000 MUNICIPAL DRAINAGE UTILITY SYSTEM FEES IN ITS ENTIRETY, AND REPLACING IT WITH A NEW ARTICLE, 23.000, ESTABLISHING DRAINAGE UTILITY FEES, PROVIDING A REPEALING CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE, PROVIDING A PENALTY CLAUSE OF FINE, NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF $2,000 IN PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU, MS. THOMAS. AT THIS TIME, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PROTE HUGHES, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BY TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED COUNSEL, UM, PLEASE USE YOUR VOTING PADS. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU, COUNSEL. THAT CONCLUDES ALL ITEMS ON OUR AGENDA AT THIS TIME. UH, WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED BY MAYOR PRO TEM HUGHES. SECOND BY COUNCIL MEMBER PARKER TO ADJOURN. COUNSEL. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. A ALL OPPOSED, SAME SIGN. THAT MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU COUNSEL. EVERYONE. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.