[Town Hall Meeting]
[00:00:16]
THANKS, MAYOR, LIKE YOU SAID, MY NAME IS BEN WEBBER.
A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF THE CITY, UH, WITH ME IS, UH, KEN SMITH.
WE, I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE CHARTER COMMISSION.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE GRADY, UH, CITY ATTORNEY HERE.
SO OUR AGENDA FOR THE EVENING, UH, KEN AND I ARE GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF KIND OF OVERVIEW AND PRESENTATION OF THE HIGH-LEVEL CONCEPTS TO KIND OF SET THE STAGE TO OFFER YOU GUYS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND ASK QUESTIONS OVER THE PROCESS.
UH, WE'VE GOT CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE.
WE'VE GOT CHARTER COMMISSION MEMBERS HERE.
UH, SO AFTER THE OPEN Q A Q AND A WE'LL BE HANGING AROUND.
IF YOU WANT TO ASK MORE DETAILED, PERSONAL QUESTIONS TO ANY OF US INDIVIDUALLY, UM, WE DO EXPECT THAT YOU HAVE READ THE CHARTER.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO READ THROUGH THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO HIGHLIGHT EVERYTHING.
WE LEAVE OUT, UM, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TIME.
SO IF YOU HAVE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE, UH, FOR MORE PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS AND, UH, ANY OF THE CHARTER MEMBERS MOVE, WE ALL LIVE IN THE CITY.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME ASK US A FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, UH, KEN CAN KICK US OFF.
I HAVEN'T DONE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKING SINCE, AT LEAST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
SO THIS IS ALL NEW EXPERIENCE AGAIN, RIGHT? SO, UH, WELCOME.
I'M UH, MY WIFE AND I ARE 22 YEAR RESIDENTS OF MEADOWS PLACE.
MY PARENTS, MY, MY WIFE'S FAMILY LIVE HERE.
I'D LIKE TO SAY I'VE NEVER HELD OFFICE.
I'VE NEVER BEEN AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY OR PARTICIPATE, PARTICIPATED MUCH IN, IN GOVERNMENT.
BUT I WAS VERY INTERESTED WHEN I WAS APPROACHED IN OCTOBER OF 2020 TO JOIN A MEETING ABOUT HOME RULE.
I READ A LOT ABOUT HOME RULE AND DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WOULD BE THE RIGHT THING FOR MEADOWS PLACE.
15 OTHER RESIDENTS ALSO DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO LEARN MORE.
MOST OF US DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER OR MAYBE HAD SEEN EACH OTHER AROUND THE CITY OR COMMUNITY FUNCTIONS, OR MAYBE READ EACH OTHER'S POSTS ON FACEBOOK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT THE 16 OF US CAME TOGETHER AND BEGAN MEETING IN THE EVENINGS.
FIRST, WE WERE LEARNING ABOUT HOME RULE, WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT COULD BE A GOOD THING FOR THE CITY.
AND THEN NEXT WORKING THROUGH LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE WANTED THE GOVERNMENT SET UP AND THEN FINALLY EDITING EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE THAT YOU SEE IN THE CHARTER, ENSURING THAT IT CORRECTLY REFLECTED OUR VISION OF HOW METIS PLACE SHOULD BE GOVERNED.
SO AGAIN, EVERY SINGLE SENTENCE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE TIME SPENT ON THE DOCUMENT.
SINCE WE BEGAN MEETING IN OCTOBER OF 2020, THE COMMISSION HAS SPENT OVER 600 HOURS TOGETHER WORKING TO CREATE THE CHARTER.
LOTS OF OTHER TIME WAS SPENT READING, DISCERNING AND PREPARING FOR DISCUSSIONS ON THE SUBJECT FOR EVERY MEETING.
SO WE HAD BASICALLY HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS BEFORE EVERY MEETING TO READ UP, LEARN ABOUT IT, UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT AND THEN DISCUSS IT.
WE ALL AGREED THAT WE WERE DOING THIS FOR THE FUTURE OF MEADOWS PLACE.
WE WEREN'T DOING IT FOR THE MAYOR WE WEREN'T DOING FOR THE CITY COUNCIL.
IN FACT, EXCEPT FOR A FEW TIMES THAT THE MAYOR SHOWED UP TO SAY, THANKS AND GREET EVERYBODY AT THE BEGINNING OF A MEETING, NEITHER HE NOR ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HAD ANY SAY ON OUR DECISIONS.
OKAY, I'M SURE THE MAYOR WAS KEPT ABREAST OF THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING.
BUT AGAIN, THE DECISIONS WERE OUR OWN.
AND THIS CHARTER IS OUR OWN, ALL OF THE 16 PEOPLE THAT SIGNED THAT CHARTER THAT YOU SEE ON THE FIRST PAGE, WE ALL AGREED THAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD DOCUMENT AND IT WAS GOOD FOR THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE.
ONE IMPORTANT THING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WAS OUR ABILITY TO STOP THE PROCESS AT ANY TIME.
IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PUBLICLY POSTED AGENDAS ON THE WEBSITE, EVERY SINGLE AGENDA HAD A LINE ITEM THAT WE, THAT IF ANY MEMBER DECIDED THEY WANTED TO DISCUSS, STOPPING THAT THIS WASN'T A GOOD IDEA.
EVERY SINGLE MEETING, WE HAD A CHANCE TO DO THAT.
AND IN THE END, WE GOT EVERY SINGLE SIGNATURE ON THERE THAT PEOPLE BELIEVE THIS WAS A GOOD DOCUMENT.
SO WE ALL FELT, AND WE STILL FEEL TODAY THAT ADOPTING THE CHARTER IN NOVEMBER IS THE BEST POSSIBLE THING FOR OUR CITY.
SO NOT MANY OF US ARE LAWYERS EXCEPT FOR BEN, BUT, OR EVEN KNEW A LOT ABOUT THE INS AND OUTS OF GOVERNMENT.
SO HOW DO WE GET HERE? WE DIDN'T CREATE THE CHARTER OUT OF THIN AIR, RIGHT?
[00:05:01]
WE HAD A LOT OF HELP IN THE FORM OF DOCUMENTATION FROM SEVERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, AS WELL AS EXPERTS IN THE FIELD OF GOVERNMENT MANAGEMENT AND CREATION.SO FIRST OFF THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE, THIS IS A DOCUMENT THAT'S CALLED THE GUIDE FOR CHARTER COMMISSIONS.
WHAT HELPED US UNDERSTAND THE HIGH LEVEL PROCESS AND WHAT THE CHARTER WAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THESE ARE ALL DOCUMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE FOR FREE, AND YOU CAN SEARCH FOR THEM OR CONTACT ME AND I'LL GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH THEM.
THE SECOND DOCUMENT WAS THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE GENERATED SOMETHING CALLED THE HOME RULE CHARTER SURVEY.
THIS WAS THOSE HUNDREDS OF QUESTIONS THAT I TOLD YOU THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
THIS WAS CAME MOSTLY FROM THIS DOCUMENT AND IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO SET UP OUR AGENDAS FOR EACH OF THE MEETINGS.
BECAUSE AS A, AS A CITY COMMISSION, WE HAD TO CREATE OUR AGENDAS, STICK TO THEM AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT WEEK.
SO THAT WAS ANOTHER GREAT DOCUMENT.
THE NATIONAL CIVIC LEAGUE ALSO CREATED A MODEL CITY CHARTER.
AND THAT WAS A DOCUMENT THAT GOES THROUGH BASICALLY A TON OF THE DIFFERENT PERMUTATIONS THAT A CHARTER COULD LOOK LIKE FOR A CITY.
IF YOU MADE DECISIONS BASED ON THIS HOME RULE SURVEY, AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT, YOU COULD GO TO THE HOME RULE CHARTER, OR SORRY, THE MODEL CITY CHARTER, AND LOOK AT HOW KIND OF, SOME OF THE WORDING IS THERE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT WAS ANOTHER GREAT DOCUMENT.
I DIDN'T PRINT THAT OUT BECAUSE WAS 180 PAGES WORTH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE JUST LOOKED AT IT ONLINE A LOT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE LOOKED AT A TON OF OTHER CITY CHARTERS AS WELL, LIKE MISSOURI CITY FULCHER, MONT BELVIEU, ROSENBERG, KATIE SUGARLAND, STAFFORD, AND A BUNCH MORE.
AND WE GOT MATRICES OF WHAT DID THEY DO? WHAT, WHAT DID THEY FIND SUCCESSFUL WITHIN THEIR CITY? THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WE ALSO JUST READ THROUGH THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTS THAT HAD BEEN CREATED BEFORE.
AND LASTLY, WE USED A DOCUMENT BY SOMEONE NAMED TERRELL BLODGETT WHO CREATED THE TEXAS HOME RULE CHARTERS BOOK, AGAIN, 150 PAGES OR MORE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH MOST OF IT, IF NOT ALL OF IT, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANTED AND WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS OUT THERE, WHAT WORKS, WHAT WON'T WORK, THINGS LIKE THAT.
HE WORKS FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND HAS A TON OF EXPERIENCE WITH HOME RULE CITIES.
HE'S BEEN AN A, HE'S BEEN A CONSULTANT FOR MANY, MANY CITIES THAT WERE CREATING HOME RULE CHARTERS.
AND, AND THEN WE HAD OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, COURTNEY RUTHERFORD, AND NICK KB.
THEY HELPED COORDINATE OUR MEETINGS AND KEEP THINGS MOVING AND FLOWING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAD THE LUCK TO HAVE THE COUNCIL OF GRADY RANDALL, IN MY OPINION, ONE OF THE MOST EXPERIENCED LAWYERS IN TEXAS AT THIS TIME ON HOME RULE CHARTERS, HE'S DONE HE'S, HE'S WORKED WITH TONS OF OTHER CITIES ON THEIR CHARTERS AND WAS JUST, JUST SUCH A GREAT RESOURCE FOR US TO HAVE.
WHEN WE ASK QUESTIONS, HE GAVE US, HE GAVE US GREAT ANSWERS.
I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT GRADING NICK AND COURTNEY ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, THEY WERE VERY FAITHFUL IN THEIR CALL TO REMAIN PARTIAL IMPARTIAL.
THEY WERE ALWAYS VERY CAREFUL TO GIVE US FACTUAL, NEUTRAL ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS AND NOT GUIDE US IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE PREFERENCES AND THOSE THINGS TOO, THEY GAVE US, THEY GAVE US FACTUAL ANSWERS.
THEY GAVE US BOTH SIDES OF AN ANSWER, AND THEY SAID, YOU, YOU FIGURE IT OUT.
SO AS A GROUP, WE DUG THROUGH ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT I SHOWED YOU.
WE THOUGHT ABOUT EACH SENTENCE.
WE TOOK VOTES WHEN NECESSARY TO IRON OUT DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.
UM, WE BUILT A CHARTER YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU PIECE BY PIECE.
SO BEFORE WE GET DEEP INTO THE DOCUMENT, I WANTED TO DISCUSS AT HIGH LEVEL WHAT HOME RULE IS AND WHY IT EXISTS.
UM, IN 1913, THE STATE OF TEXAS PASSED THE ABILITY FOR CITIES TO CREATE A CHARGER WITH MANY FREEDOMS ASSOCIATED WITH IT SO MUCH.
SO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ADVISORY COMMISSION ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS, WHOEVER THEY ARE, UM, THEY SAY THAT TEXAS CITIES HAVE MORE FREEDOM OF GOVERNMENT, TEXAS HOME RULE CITIES HAVE MORE FREEDOM OF GOVERNMENT THAN CITIES IN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE NATION.
WHAT IS HOME RULE VERSUS GENERAL LAW? SO THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF CITIES IN TEXAS GENERAL LAW CITIES AND HOME RULE CITIES BY DEFAULT, ALL CITIES THAT HAVE NOT UNDERTAKEN THE PROCESS OF DECLARING HOME ROLE
[00:10:02]
AND, AND VOTING TO APPROVE A CHARTER ARE CONSIDERED GENERAL LAW CITIES, CITY OF MEADOWS, PLACES, CURRENTLY A GENERAL LAW CITY.AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE STATE ONLY GIVES CERTAIN POWERS OF GOVERNMENT TO THE CITY.
ON THE OTHER HAND, HOME RULE CITIES SUCH AS MONT BELVIEU ROSENBERG, SCHERGER LAND, AND 350 OTHER CITIES ACROSS TEXAS HAVE TAKEN ACTION TO GAIN MORE CONTROL OVER THEIR ABILITY TO FORM AND CHANGE THEIR GOVERNMENT.
THESE HOMO CITIES CAN PASS ANY ORDINANCE UNLESS IT IS SPECIFICALLY RESTRICTED BY THE STATE, WHICH IS LEGALLY CALLED PREEMPTION.
SO THE STATE CAN CREATE A LAW THAT PREEMPTS ANY ABILITY FOR HOME RULE CITIES TO PASS THESE LAWS.
AS SOMEONE I SPOKE WITH RECENTLY, SIMPLY PUT IT IN A GENERAL LAW CITY.
THE STATE TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO IN A HOME RULE CITY.
THE STATE CAN ONLY STOP YOU FROM DOING WHAT YOU WANT BY PASSING A PREEMPTIVE LAW.
SO I HOPE THAT THAT HELPS A LITTLE BIT IN, IN KIND OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE RESTRICTIVENESS OF GOVERNMENT OR THE FREEDOM OF GOVERNMENT THERE.
UM, SO LET'S, UH, LET'S GO THROUGH A QUICK EXAMPLE TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ORDINANCE FROM, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO.
I THINK EVERYONE KIND OF UNDERSTANDS THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT CHILD SAFETY ZONES IN THE CITY, AND AS IT PERTAINS TO, TO PEOPLE ON SEX OFFENDER REGISTRIES, RIGHT? SO THE STATE OF TEXAS SET IN PLACE A THOUSAND FOOT MAXIMUM LIMIT ON THE EXCLUSION ZONE AROUND SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES AND OTHER PLACES THAT CHILDREN MAY GATHER, UM, MEANING THAT GENERAL LAW CITIES CAN EXCLUDE REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS FROM LIVING UP TO A THOUSAND FEET FROM CHURCHES IN SCHOOLS.
UH, THE LAW WAS CALLED SECTION 3 41, 9 0 6, UH, LIMITATIONS ON REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS IN GENERAL LAW MUNICIPALITIES.
SO NOTICE THAT END PART, THAT MEANS THE RULE ONLY APPLIED TO GENERAL LAW CITIES.
A HOME RULE CITY COULD TAKE ADDITIONAL STEPS TO INCREASE THE MAXIMUM LIMIT, BUT GENERAL LAW CITIES COULD NOT BY CONTRAST TAKE ANOTHER RULE THAT THE TEXAS HAS IN PLACE.
TWO, TWO, NINE.ZERO, ZERO ONE, FIREARMS, AIR GUNS, KNIVES, AND EXPLOSIVES, RIGHT? THIS BASICALLY SAYS A MUNICIPALITY MAY NOT ADOPT REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE TRANSFER POSSESSION, WEARING CARRYING OWNERSHIP, STORAGE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH OF FIREARMS OR AIR GUNS AND OTHER THINGS.
UM, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF PREEMPTION THAT I SPOKE OF BEFORE TEXAS IS SAYING THAT NO CITY, EITHER HOME RULE OR GENERAL LAW MAY CHANGE THE RULES ON FIREARM POSSESSIONS.
THEY BELIEVE THOSE ARE RULES THAT THE STATE SHOULD SET IN IN AN A CITY CAN'T CHANGE THOSE.
UM, THERE ARE RULES FOR GOVERNOR GENERAL LAW CITIES THAT DON'T APPLY TO HOME RULE CITIES.
A HOME ROLE GIVES CITIES THE ABILITY TO CUSTOMIZE THEIR GOVERNMENT TO FIT THEIR RESIDENTS.
AND ALL OF US HERE ARE GOING TO BE VOTING ON THAT.
AND, AND THE RESIDENTS WERE THE PEOPLE THAT CREATED THIS CHARTER.
SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO FOLLOW UP DURING Q AND A, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO DISCUSS HOME RULE VERSUS GENERAL LAW.
WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER SOME OTHER STUFF AND YEAH, AND THEN WE'LL SET SOME Q AND A, SORRY IF I TOOK A LONG TIME THERE, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT WAS SOME ENLIGHTENING INFORMATION.
SO THE, THE, THE NEXT PORTION OF THIS, I WANT TO GO OVER KIND OF THREE HIGH-LEVEL ITEMS THAT WE DRAFTED INTO OUR PROPOSED CHARTER THAT ARE DIFFERENT AND UNIQUE THAN THE, THE, THE FORMER ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THE MEADOWS.
THE FIRST, UH, WE'VE ADOPTED A COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT AND THE EXISTING SYSTEM WE'VE GOT IN MEADOWS PLACE.
WE HAVE A MANAGER, UH, WE HAVE A MAYORAL COUNCIL ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNMENT WHERE THE MAYOR RUNS THE OFFICE.
THE MAYOR TAKES CARE OF ALL THE BUSINESS IN AND OUTS OF THE, UH, CITY HALL.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL MAKES ALL THE DECISIONS FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ELSE.
UH, WHAT WE'VE CODIFIED NOW IS WE'VE ESTABLISHED THAT THE CITY MANAGER, THE PROFESSIONAL WE HIRE, UH, RUNS THE OFFICE, RUNS THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY AND THE CITY COUNCIL MAKES ALL DECISIONS, DECISIONS.
THIS IS THE, THIS IS FUNCTIONALLY HOW THE CITY WORKS CURRENTLY.
THIS IS HOW A CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
WHAT WE'VE DONE NOW IS WE'VE CODIFIED THAT INTO A FORMAL ORGANIZATION.
UH, ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE CHANGED THE, THE WAY THE MAYOR FUNCTIONS IN CITY COUNCIL.
SO IN THE CURRENT STRUCTURE, THE MAYOR DOES NOT HAVE A VOTE IN THE NEW STRUCTURE.
THE MAYOR WILL HAVE A VOTE AS A MEMBER OF CITY COUNCIL.
WE'VE ALSO CHANGED THE TERM LIMITS AND THE, THE, UH, NUMBER OF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED ON EACH YEAR.
SO THE TERM LIMITS HAVE BEEN EXTENDED TO THREE YEARS AND TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE VOTED ON EACH YEAR.
WE DID THIS WITH THE EXPRESS PURPOSE TO RETAIN
[00:15:01]
CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT, UH, ELECTIONS.WE DIDN'T, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS WE'VE GOT A SYSTEM WHERE I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT FOUR ELECTED ONE YEAR AND TWO THE NEXT YEAR.
SO WE GET ON A LOPSIDED, UH, UM, UH, ELECTION CYCLE WHERE I THINK TOO MANY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE ELECTED IN A SINGLE YEAR.
UH, WE CAN OVERRUN THE GOVERNMENT THAT WAY, FLIP OPINIONS.
AND I THINK, UH, WORST CASE, WE END UP WITH A LAME DUCK YEAR OR TWO, WHEN WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL WHO CANNOT MAKE DECISIONS AND CAN'T, UH, MAKE CHANGES AT ALL AND WON'T PASS ANYTHING.
SO KEEPING CONTINUITY OF GOVERNMENT WITH TWO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ELECTED EACH YEAR, UH, PROVIDES FOR A MORE STRUCTURED BASIS, UM, IN THAT CITY COUNCIL.
SO THE NEXT ISSUE, UH, INITIATIVE, REFERENCE REFERENDUM, AND RECALL ARTICLE EIGHT, ARTICLE SEVEN OF THE CHARTER.
THIS IS UNIQUE TO, UH, HOME RULE CHARTERS, UH, GENERAL LAW CITIES DO NOT HAVE THIS ABILITY.
THE, SO THE FIRST ONE INITIATIVE INITIATIVE IS WHERE THE CITIZENS CAN PROPOSE AS A GROUP TO PUT SOMETHING, UH, INTO A CITY ORDINANCE.
SO THERE'S A PROCEDURE IN THE CITY CHARTER OF HOW TO GAIN ENOUGH VOTES TO GET THE NEW ORDINANCE ON A BALLOT.
THEN THAT WOULD GO TO A GENERAL ELECTION.
AND WE, AS A CITIZENS CAN DECIDE ORDINANCES THAT WE WANT TO PASS.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF CITY COUNCIL DECIDE, DECIDES NOT TO VOTE OR DOESN'T SEEK ANY, UM, ANY PROCESS AT SAY, A SMOKING BAN IN RESTAURANTS, WE, AS CITIZENS COULD PULL TOGETHER AND SAY, WE WANT A SMOKING BAN IN RESTAURANTS.
SO WE FORM AN INITIATIVE, WE PUT IT ON ELECTION.
WE PASS AS A, AS A GROUP, AS THE CITIZENS, WE PASS MORE THAN ONCE TO GO INTO THE, UM, THE, THE CODE OF ORDINANCES THAT TO BAN, UM, SMOKING IN RESTAURANTS.
THE SECOND IS REFERENDUM, WHICH IS KIND OF THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.
IF CITY COUNCIL PASSES, LET'S SAY CITY COUNCIL PASSES A SMOKING ORDINANCE, AND WE ALL DECIDE WE DON'T WANT THAT ORDINANCE.
WE CAN DRAFT A REFORMATION REFERENDUM, PUT IT ON A BALLOT AND VOTE TO GET THAT ORDINANCE TAKEN OUT OF THE, UM, THE, THE CITY ORDINANCES.
THESE ARE TWO VERY SUBSTANTIAL ADDITIONS TO OUR AUTHORITY AS CITIZENS IN THE S IN THE CITY, NOT HAVING TO RELY ON CITY COUNCIL TO PASS OR REJECT, UH, ORDINANCES.
SO IT GIVES US GREATER CONTROL AS, UM, AS CITIZENS.
THE THIRD IS RECALL THIS DEALS WITH, IF WE HAVE A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WHO WE THINK IS POTENTIALLY NOT DOING WHAT WE WANTED THEM TO DO, MAYBE, UH, NOT PERFORMING THE WAY THEY PROMISED THEY WOULD PERFORM DURING ELECTIONS.
WE COULD RECALL THEM AND GET THEM BOOTED OFF OF CITY COUNCIL.
UH, AGAIN, ALL THREE POWERS VESTED IN THIS, THE CITIZENS THAT ARE NOT A PART OF THE GENERAL RA LAW STRUCTURE, UH, THE ONLY THE OTHER HIGH LEVEL ITEM, WE HAVE WRITTEN A SECTION 8.07 EVERY FIVE YEARS.
UH, WE HAVE TO FORM ANOTHER CHARTER COMMISSION AND REVIEW THE CHARTER.
IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY AND FORCES OUR HAND TO LOOK BACK ON THIS CHARTER TO MAKE SURE IT'S FUNCTIONING WELL FOR US.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN CHANGE THIS.
WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE AS A CITY AND AS CITIZENS WANT, AND WE'RE, WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT EVERY FIVE YEARS.
WE CAN DO IT EARLIER THAN THAT.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, UH, WE, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
IF YOU WILL MAKE A LINE AT THE PODIUM AND SPEAK CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE, WE HAVE PEOPLE ONLINE WATCHING, AND WE'RE RECORDING THIS.
SO IN ORDER TO HEAR, WE, WE NEED YOU TO SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC.
HI, MY NAME IS ANNE GREEN AND I LIVE ON HOLGERT.
I'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE LAST COMMENT YOU MADE, WHERE YOU SAID THE CHARTER CAN BE MODIFIED EVERY FIVE YEARS AND WHO IS MODIFYING IT.
IS IT GOING TO BE ANOTHER SELECTION OF PEOPLE? DO WE VOTE ON, WHO'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THIS? HOW HAS THAT DONE? SO SIMILAR TO THE PROCESS WE DID THIS TIME, THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD NOMINATE 15 PEOPLE TO FORM A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THEY WOULD REVIEW THE CHARTER DRAFT, ANY CHANGES THAT GROUP, UH, THOUGHT NEEDED TO BE DRAFTED IN, AND THEN IT WOULD GO UP FOR A VOTE, UH, FOR THE, SO THE CITY OF MEADOWS COULD VOTE ON THIS AND IT'S NOT GOING TO.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THE 15 PEOPLE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE CHOSEN BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CITY OF MEADOWS, HOPEFULLY IT'S DIVERSE ENOUGH, BUT THE CITY CAN VOTE ON THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT? ANY CHANGES THAT ARE GOING TO BE MODIFIED IN THE CHARTER? THAT'S CORRECT.
[00:20:01]
HEARD A LOT IN LOOKING AT THIS ON HOW IT WILL FUNCTION, BUT I'M NOT SEEING OTHER THAN A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES THAT YOU GAVE ONE ON SEX OFFENDERS, AND HOPEFULLY WE'VE NEVER HAD THAT MANY PROBLEMS WITH SEX OFFENDERS, BUT BESIDES THE SEX OFFENDERS, WHICH IS A HOT ISSUE, OBVIOUSLY WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS THIS CHARTER HOME RULE GOING TO DO FOR MEADOWS? IF I COULD ANSWER THAT, THE ONE THING FOR ME, IF, IF NOT, FOR ANYTHING ELSE IS IRR INITIATIVE, REFERENDUM, AND RECALL THESE ARE RIGHTS THAT, THAT CANNOT BE GIVEN TO CITIZENS IN A GENERAL LAW CITY.TH THAT, THAT IS TO ME, THE, THE OVERWHELMING POSITION THAT I HAVE ON HOMEROOM, BEING ABLE TO GET TOGETHER AS CITIZENS AND TELL THE COUNCIL, WE WANT THIS, AND YOU MUST GO FORWARD WITH THIS OR GETTING TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER CITIZENS AND SAYING, WE DON'T WANT THIS.
OR IN A THIRD PLACE, FINDING SOMEONE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THOUGHT THEY WANTED TO BE ON COUNCIL.
AND REALLY, YOU KNOW, AREN'T, AREN'T DOING A VERY GOOD JOB AS CITIZENS WE CAN GET TOGETHER.
AND WE CAN SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DON'T THINK THAT PERSON SHOULD BE ON COUNCIL RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE NONE OF THOSE AS, AS CITIZENS.
AND I THINK THAT'S, TO ME, THAT'S HUGE.
AND IT'S THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION OTHER THAN THIS PARTICULAR MEETING, GOING TO BE MORE OPEN OR GIVEN MORE READILY, BECAUSE EVERYTHING I'VE SEEN IS I DON'T MEAN TO BE NEGATIVE, BUT IT'S BEEN KIND OF GENERIC.
AND WE, I THINK AS CITIZENS WANT SOMETHING, I, I WANT SOMETHING MORE SPECIFIC OUT FOR NOT JUST ME, BUT MY NEIGHBORS, NOT JUST THIS MEETING, BUT IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO GET THAT INFO OUT? WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS, THIS IS THE START OF, I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT A CAMPAIGN BECAUSE IT'S NOT, THIS IS THE START OF GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT TO, TO THE CITIZENS, TELLING THEM, YOU KNOW, WHY ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY HARD ON PUTTING TOGETHER A CHARTER, AND NOW IT'S ON, IT'S ON THE BALLOT.
AND NOW'S THE TIME TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO EXACTLY.
I CAN SEE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THIS.
SO I FELT SURE THERE HAD TO BE A SPECIFIC REASON THAT THIS WAS BEING DONE BECAUSE OVERALL, OTHER THAN THE INITIATIVE RECALL, WHICH WAS EXCELLENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THERE ARE CHANGES HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, ON THE DAY, HOPEFULLY THE DAY THAT THIS PASSES THERE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE HUGE SWEEPING CHANGES TO HOW OUR GOVERNMENT WORKS.
WE DIDN'T THINK THAT WE NEEDED A HUGE OVERHAUL IN THE WAY THAT OUR GOVERNMENT WORKS.
NOW, THERE ARE SMALL TWEAKS AND THERE ARE SMALL THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART COURTNEY'S JOB, NICK'S JOB, THE MAYOR'S JOB, THE COUNCIL'S JOB ARE GOING TO BE VERY CLOSE TO THE SAME.
IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO GO TO THE VOTERS OF MEADOWS PLACE TO CHANGE THE CHARTER.
THIS CHARTER IS YOUR CONSTITUTION AND THE LEGISLATURE CAN'T CHANGE IT.
THE LEGISLATURE OR CITY COUNCIL CAN PROPOSE CHANGES TO YOU.
AND IF YOU AGREE, THEN IT'S CHANGED.
IF YOU REJECT, IT'S NOT CHANGED, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BRINGING THE POWER DOWN TO THE CITIZENS.
AND, UH, AS FAR AS WHERE THERE YOU ARE, UM, THE GENERIC PORTION OF IT, THAT'S MY FAULT BECAUSE YOU CANNOT USE TAXPAYERS MONEY, YOUR MONEY TO ADVOCATE FOR A PASSAGE OF THE CHARTER OR A PASSAGE OF ANY TYPE OF BILL YOU CAN EDUCATE.
AND SO IT MAY, YOU KNOW, BE TEPID LUKEWARM WATER INSTEAD OF BARLING HOT DRINK, BUT THAT'S JUST ME SAYING, NO, THAT'S TOO MUCH ADVOCACY.
IT HAS TO BE JUST EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY IT'S BEING ROLLED OUT THIS WAY.
THERE'S NO, UH, TAXPAYER DOLLARS BEING SPENT ON SAYING VOTE FOR THE CHARTER.
THERE MAY BE PRIVATE FUNDS DOING THAT, BUT THAT'S FREEDOM, BUT, UH, SO BLAME BORING VANILLA ON ME.
I HAVE HUGE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.
BUT THE MAIN THING THAT I WANTED TO SAY RIGHT NOW IS I THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
WE'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE, THE CHARTER ITSELF, PROBABLY
[00:25:01]
AS MUCH WORK AS YOU HAVE DONE.I WOULD BE MORE INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO THE ATTORNEY, TO THE EXPERTS THAT YOU CONSULTED.
BUT THE MAIN CONCERN THAT I HAVE IS THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT FORMAT, NOT DURING COVID.
I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO BE HERE TODAY.
THEY'RE TRYING TO STREAM, BUT THERE IS NO INTERACTION WHEN YOU'RE STREAMING AND THERE IS NO FORUM ONLINE.
I NOTICED TODAY, THIS IS POPPING UP ON MEADOWS PLACE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND THAT IS NOT THE FORUM FOR IT EITHER.
SO I THINK YOU GUYS ARE THE CITY.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO MAKE THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE FORUM ONLINE.
SO WE CAN NOT ASK QUESTIONS, TALK TO EACH OTHER.
AND I WOULD LIKE, AS A PERSON LIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF, TO HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS THAT YOU HEARD FROM, I KNOW YOU SAY, YOU'RE JUST LIKE ME.
I'VE BEEN IN THE MEADOWS FOR WHAT? 35 YEARS.
I COULD ALSO GOOGLE AND READ, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO LISTEN TO SOMEBODY THAT REALLY UNDERSTANDS HOW THIS WORKS.
AND AGAIN, THIS SHOULD BE DONE WITH AVAILABILITY ONLINE.
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE ARE OLDER, SOME PEOPLE HAVE KIDS AND I'M NOT EXTREMELY COMFORTABLE HERE RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHY YOU HEAR ME LIKE THIS MUFFLED.
UM, TERRY HENLEY, 1, 2, 2 0 3 ALLSTON DRIVE, WHEREBY I KNOW WHO I AM OR I DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN THE YO MY CREDENTIALS.
ARE WE GOOD? I'LL BE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN THEM.
I SET UP ON COUNCIL WITH 32 YEARS AND BEYOND THAT L T M L BOARD.
AND IT GOES ON AND ON, BUT I GUESS, AND WE GOT INTO THE ATTORNEY THAT KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING.
WHEN IT COMES TO HOME, RURAL CITIES, HE'S DONE A NUMBER OF THEM AND HE'S PUT TOGETHER A PRETTY GOOD PACKAGE.
I'M STANDING UP HERE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH ADVANTAGES IT'S GOING TO GIVE THE CITY OR HOW MUCH DISADVANTAGES IT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
CITY COUNCIL PASSED A BUDGET IN 2020 TO SET ASIDE $50,000 TO PUT TOGETHER THIS DOCUMENT, TO USE THE ATTORNEYS, WHICH WE NEED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'VE DONE IT RIGHT.
SO UP FRONT, WE START OFF WITH $50,000.
AND MOST OF IT HAS PROBABLY BEEN SPENT THE ELECTION OF NOVEMBER'S GOING TO COST US LIKE SEVEN OR $8,000.
WE HAVE A DOCUMENT NOW THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF AND MAKE SURE IT'S CORRECT.
MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO IT AND HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER, UH, A CHARTER COMMISSION IN FIVE YEARS TO REVIEW IT.
AND IF CHANGES ARE MADE, IT GOES BACK TO THE VOTER.
SO THERE IS COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMMON, A HOME RULE CITY PERIOD, UH, LIKE, UH, KEN SAID, THERE'S WHAT 350 HOME RULE, SUSAN, THE STATE THERE'S OVER 900 GENERAL OFFSET IS TWO.
AND ALL THE, UH, THE DOCUMENT AND WHAT IT SAYS WE CAN'T AND CAN'T DO IS FINE, BUT THE STATE CAN PASS, UM, LEGISLATION EVERY YEAR THAT THAT WILL CIRCUMVENT WHAT THE DOCUMENT SAYS.
AND IT TAKES PRECEDENCE OVER, YOU KNOW, OUR CHARTER, THE ELECTION OF VOTERS THAT ADMINISTRATORS, AND LIKE Y'ALL SAID, IT REALLY DOESN'T CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF THE CITY VERY MUCH AT ALL.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND A, THE CURRENT GENERAL LAW CITY IS CAN, CAN, UH, PASS ORDINANCES, UH, INSTRUCTING HIM ON WHAT HIS DUTIES ARE.
AND, UH, BASICALLY HE REPORTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR CURRENTLY ONLY VOLTS IN CASE OF A TIE WITH A NEW CHARTER.
EVERYBODY VOTES IS THAT MUCH OF A CHANGE DON'T KNOW.
I DO KNOW FROM A GENERAL LAW CITY STANDPOINT, THE MAX TAX, RIGHT, A GENERAL LAW CITY CAN IMPOSE ON YOU AS CITIZENS IS A DOLLAR 50 PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS VALUATION ON A HOME RULE CITY THAT GOES UP ANOTHER DOLLAR.
AND I CAN GO UP TO TWO 50 FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS VALUATION.
AND IT'S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE, IS THAT GOOD OR BAD? I DON'T KNOW.
I'M TRYING TO REMAIN NEUTRAL HERE.
THERE, IT IS GOOD FROM A PETITION FOR AN INITIATIVE, UH, TO, UH, BE ABLE TO HAVE A RECALL SPECIFICALLY IN A RECALL SECTION HERE ABOUT RECALLING A COUNCIL MEMBER,
[00:30:01]
YOU HAVE TO HAVE 30% OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS.SO IN ORDER TO RECALL A ELECTED OFFICIAL, IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, THAT'S GOING TO BE OVER A THOUSAND SIGNATURES TO, UH, JUST TO DO THAT.
UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD AN ISSUE HERE IN THE CITY, BUT SOME CITIES HAVE HAD THAT ISSUE.
SO ARE WE GOING TO, WE DON'T KNOW.
THERE WAS A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS IN HERE THAT WE NEED TO MODIFY.
ONE IS A SECTION 8.02, PARAGRAPH C AND ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIAL, WHO IS CONVICTED OF AN OFFENSE UNDER SECTION 3600, 2 OF THE TEXAS PENAL CODE SHALL BE PERMANENTLY INELIGIBLE OR ELECTION OR A PULLMAN TO ANY OFFICE, A CITY.
I THINK WE NEED TO INSERT SHALL BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM OFFICE AND PERMANENTLY INELIGIBLE TO VOTE.
SO IT SAYS IF THEY GET CONVICTED OF WHATEVER CRIME IT IS, THEY CAN CHANGE TO SERVE AS AN OFFICIAL OR ELECTED OFFICIAL, UH, UNTIL THE NEXT ELECTION THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY.
ON PAGE 16, SECTION 8 0 7, I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS.
PARAGRAPH D SECTION 8 0 7, DON'T PAY THE 16, UH, PARAGRAPH D UH, IT SAYS, UH, THE CITY SHALL RECEIVE AND PUBLISH THE CITY'S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER ON THE CHARTER.
NOW, WHEN WE MAKE TODAY, THAT'S CORRECT.
IF I HAVE MY WAY IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, IT WON'T BE A NEWSPAPER.
AND THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING THAT THAT OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER MIGHT GET HER APPROVED MEDIA BECAUSE WE WON'T BE USING NEWSPAPERS IN THE NEXT FIVE OR 10 YEARS, HOPEFULLY BEFORE I DIE.
ANYWAY, I'VE BEEN CARRYING THAT BILL TO AUSTIN FOR OVER 10 YEARS, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO CARRY IT UNTIL WE GET OPTIONS USES SOCIAL MEDIA OR INTERNET, OR SOME OTHER METHODS OF ADVERTISING, RATHER THAN USING THE NEWSPAPERS.
THE NEWSPAPERS ARE CURRENTLY COSTING.
WE, THE TAXPAYERS AND ALL PUBLIC ENTITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, $100 MILLION A YEAR, I'M TALKING ABOUT CITIES, I'M TALKING ABOUT COUNTIES, I'M TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
I'LL TALK ABOUT MUD AND ALL THE SPECIAL DISTRICTS, AND WE'VE GOTTEN FURTHER THIS YEAR THAN EVER.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT, UH, MAYBE THAT ALL UNDER, UH, ARTICLE FOR CITY ADMINISTRATOR, UH, ARE YOU REALLY, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SHALL, UH, THEY S UH, PARAGRAPH B CITY MANAGER SHALL HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT FOR THE CITY, SHOULD HE, OR SHOULDN'T HE WOULD WE SAY MAY, BECAUSE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE A CONTRACT DEAL TO WORK AS A CITY MANAGER OR CITY ADMINISTRATOR, AN EMPLOYEE DOESN'T HAVE TO HAVE A CONTRACT AND WE BECOME MORE RESTRICTIVE AS A COUNCIL.
IF WE SIT, SET UP A CONTRACT AND NOW WE HAVE TROUBLE MAKING CHANGES, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, MAYBE, UH, REMOVE THAT PERSON.
IF HE'S NOT PERFORMING THEM DOING A GOOD JOB, I'M JUST SAYING THAT MAYBE THAT NEEDS TO BE, IT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE.
AND I'M REALLY SPEAKING THE OLD GRADY'S FAMILIAR WITH ALL THIS.
AND HE COULD, YOU KNOW, UH, IF I'M ALL WET GRADY, TELL ME YOU'RE THERE.
AS A COMMENT, CITY ATTORNEYS ARE HERE TO ADVISE US ON WHAT WE SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T DO, AND TRY TO STEER US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, CITY ATTORNEYS, AREN'T, AREN'T HERE TO TELL US WHAT TO DO.
LIKE HE SAID, HE'S ADVISING US.
AND WE DECIDED WHAT WE WANTED TO DO.
AND IF WE GET IN TROUBLE, A CITY ATTORNEY IS SUPPOSED TO GET US OUT OF TROUBLE.
I'M JUST THINKING IN BROAD TERMS, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND HE UNDERSTANDS THAT, BUT YOU KNOW, UH, A LOT OF TIMES, IF YOU LISTEN TO AN ATTORNEY, YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING.
I WORKED AT TEXAS INSTRUMENTS FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS, AND THERE ATTORNEYS THERE, AND MANY MEETINGS I'VE BEEN IN TOMMY, IF YOU WOULD, UH, PREVENT FROM CREATING ANY LIABILITY ISSUES, YOU WOULD WIND UP DOING NOTHING.
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN LEAVE YOUR OFFICE.
THOSE EVERY TIME YOU WALK OUT OF YOUR OFFICE AND DO SOMETHING IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC, YOU CAN CREATE SOME LIABILITY ISSUES.
[00:35:01]
THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE, UNLESS I'VE PROBABLY SAID ENOUGH.BOBBY, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS TO THANKS.
SO A FEW COMMENTS, UM, BEFORE THE NEXT QUESTION, UM, UH, YES, I THINK IT GIVES A REASONABLE TO ASSUME THERE WOULD BE COSTS AND THE CHARTER REVIEW, UH, THERE'S COSTS OF RUNNING GOVERNMENT.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THOSE COSTS ARE GOING TO BE NEARLY WHAT WE'VE EXPENDED SO FAR TO DRAFT IT.
UM, THAT WOULD, SHOULD BE A REVIEW PROCESS, WHICH SHOULD BE SHORTER.
AND I THINK THE CONCEPT HERE IS WE AS A CITY, GET MORE CONTROL OVER OUR GOVERNMENT, RATHER THAN SOMEBODY IN AUSTIN TELLING US WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, 30% OF REGISTERED VOTERS, COURTNEY, HOW MANY REGISTERED VOTERS DO WE HAVE IN THE CITY? WE HAVE 3,347.
YEAH, WE DID DRAFT IN CRITERIA IN THE, UH, INITIATIVE, RECALL AND REFERENDUM SECTIONS IN ORDER TO HAVE A SUBSTANTIALLY ENOUGH HIGH BAR THAT, UH, WE CAN'T GET, WE DON'T ENTERTAIN FLIPPANT, UH, OBJECTIONS OR PROBLEMS IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE FUNDS OF THE CITY.
SO WE'RE NOT CONSTANTLY RESPONDING TO THOSE.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK INTO THE MIC.
HE ASKED WHY IF, UM, ALL OF THE OTHER ISSUES ARE 20%.
WHY NOT ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WELL? YEAH.
UM, I MEAN, UH, AGAIN, UH, WE DISCUSSED IT AS A, AS A GROUP.
WE AGREED THAT 30% ON, UM, SOMEONE THAT, THAT COULD, YOU KNOW, THAT REMOVING SOMEONE FROM OFFICE WAS A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND THAT A 30% SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE, UH, THE CORRECT NUMBER.
SO AS YOU KNOW, UH, 16 PEOPLE GOT TOGETHER AND TALKED THROUGH IT.
THAT WAS THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE.
ARE YOU READY FOR MY QUESTIONS? YEAH, GO AHEAD.
I'M JONATHAN MARK, INTEL 1, 1 6 1 8, BROOK MEADOWS.
UM, FIRST OFF, I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THIS REQUIREMENT IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, THAT WE HAVE 5,000 RESIDENTS WHEN THE 2020 CENSUS SHOWS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE 5,000 RESIDENTS.
WHERE DID WE MAKE UP 300 AND CHANGE RESIDENTS.
SO TEXAS CONSTITUTION SAYS A CITY THAT HAS 5,000 CAN BECOME A HOME RULE CITY.
UH, THE 2020 CENSUS HAS NOT BEEN PUBLISHED ON A MUNICIPAL LEVEL.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE 47 NUMBER COMES FROM.
I KNOW THE 2010 CENSUS HAD 46 AND SOME CHANGE, BUT FROM A PROCEDURAL STANDPOINT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STATE RULES VERSUS A FEDERAL NUMBER AND A GUESSTIMATE ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
THE PROCEDURE IN TEXAS IS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO CERTIFY THE NUMBER OF CITIZENS WE HAVE IN THE CITY.
SO CITY COUNCIL CAN SAY WE HAVE 50,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE AND BACK FLIES.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS, PLUS MAYOR, MAYOR VOTES.
IF THERE'S A TIE ON AN ISSUE TO MAKE SIX VOTES TOTAL, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S THREE AND THREE? WHO BREAKS THE TIE? YEAH, IT FAILS.
WE NEED CONSENSUS IN THE COUNCIL.
AND WE TOOK THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
UM, A THREE TO THREE VOTE WILL FAIL.
ANY MEASURE, NEEDS, FOUR VOTES TO PASS.
UM, ALSO, AND SECTION FOUR, YOU HAVE THE LIST OF ALL THE, UM, CITY COUNCIL, UH, CITY EMPLOYEES, THE ACTING CITY MANAGER, ACTING CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, UM, CITY.
ARE WE NO LONGER GOING TO HAVE A CITY PROSECUTOR? NO, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A CITY PROSECUTOR THAT THE LIST IS NOT EXHAUSTIVE.
YOU WILL NEED TO PUT JUST THE TOP OFFICERS.
I WAS JUST, I SAW THAT THAT WAS A GLARING EMISSION IN MY MIND.
THAT'S WHY I WAS MAKING SURE THAT, THAT, THAT THERE WASN'T SOMETHING WEIRD GOING ON THAT WE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS, BUT NOT ALL.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF THEY WERE USING THE CITY ATTORNEY AS THE, AS THE PROSECUTOR AS WELL.
UH, HE RAISED A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMENTS
[00:40:01]
TERRY HANDLING ONE HAS TO DO WITH AN YOU'VE DEALT WITH TIM ALLEN.AND THE QUESTION I PUT THAT TML, ALL THEIR ATTORNEYS AND I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH FOR OVER 20 YEARS IS THE TOP REASON WOULD YOU WANT TO BECOME A HOME RULE CITY? AND THE REASON HAS ALWAYS BEEN FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AND EXCESSION CAPABILITIES, WHICH WE CANNOT DO.
AND YEAH, THERE ARE SOME OTHER REASONS, BUT THAT WAS THE TOP REASON THAT A LOT OF THESE 350 CITIES BECAME HOME RULE CITIES, ANNEXATION, WHICH AGAIN, WE CANNOT DO.
AND THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION CONCERNING 5,000, WHICH YOU BROUGHT UP THE STATE SAYS YOU HAD TO HAVE, NEED TO HAVE 5,000 TO BECOME A HOME RULE CITY, BUT THERE'S NO PENALTY.
IF YOU CAN CONVINCE THE POWERS THAT BE TO GO AHEAD AND FORMER CHARTER AND TRY TO BECOME HOME RULE CITY.
AND THOSE SAYS, YOU HAVE, HAVE TO BE OUR PENALTY ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
BUT, UH, THE INTENT WAS TO BE AS CLOSE TO 5,000 AS POSSIBLE.
SO ARE WE BREAKING ANY LAWS? NOT REALLY, BUT THERE WAS A REASON FOR HAVING A 5,000 AND THERE WERE SOME CITIES THAT AREN'T 5,000, BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT THERE.
AND, UH, AGAIN, IF A, THE CITIZENS SOUL CHOSE CHOOSE TO BECOME A HOME RURAL CITY, THEN SO BID OTHERS REALLY KNOW, YOU KNOW, PENALTIES FOR, YOU KNOW, BEING LESS THAN FIVE.
SO LET ME JUMP INTO THAT FOR JUST A SECOND.
THE CENSUS, THE US CENSUS IS A NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO COUNT PEOPLE AS OF APRIL 1ST, RIGHT? IT IS NOT THE ONLY DATA POINT OUT THERE TO THE POPULATION.
SO CITY COUNCIL CAN GO IN AND DO A SURVEY OR SAMPLE OR COUNT OF UTAH.
UH, FAVORITE, UH, ASPECT IS TO DO UTILITY CONNECTIONS, RIGHT? WELL, HOW MANY UTILITY CONNECTIONS DO YOU HAVE VERSUS WATCH YOUR AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD NUMBER KIDS COUNT TOWARDS THE, THE 5,000.
SO THIS IS A, A CALL OF CITY COUNCIL, CORRECT.
AND MEGAN, CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS AGREED.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT.
AND IT'S ALL SUBJECT TO JUDICIAL REVIEW.
SO IF SOMEONE SAYS A LOT, I DON'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE 5,000.
OKAY, WELL, PROVE IT, YOU KNOW, EITHER CONVINCE A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL THAT THAT NUMBER WAS WRONG, OR GO DOWN AND FILE A LAWSUIT AND SAY THE NUMBER'S WRONG.
AND THEN THE JURY IN RICHMOND OF FORT BEND COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL DETERMINE WHETHER MEADOWS REALLY HAS, UH, HAS THAT NUMBER OR NOT.
ANNEXATION WAS THE MAIN REASON TO GO HOME REAL LONG TIME AGO, BUT Y'ALL ARE ONE SQUARE MILE OF LOVE AS IT WERE.
AND YOU'RE SURROUNDED BY CITIES AND YOU CANNOT ANNEX.
AND BESIDES THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE HAS COME IN AND PREEMPTED AND CHANGED ALL THE ANNEXATION LAWS.
SO THERE IS NO MORE INVOLUNTARY ANNEXATION IN TEXAS, MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
THAT'S TRUE, MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.
WELL, THIS DOES GIVE YOU, AND I'M A LITIGATOR BY TRAINING.
SO I ALWAYS LIKED VISUAL LIGHTS.
THIS IS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
IF YOU DON'T, IF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS NOT FOUND IN THIS BOOK, YOU CAN'T DO IT, PERIOD.
IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE, RIGHT? THAT'S THE GENERAL WALLS WHERE YOU GET THE NAME.
OR MOST OF IT, THERE'S SOME THAT ARE OUT.
THIS SAYS YOU, YOU ARE AS POWERFUL AS THE STATE LEGISLATURE ON A LOCAL LEVEL.
AND YOU CAN DO, UH, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO, EXCEPT IF THE STATE SAYS YOU CAN'T DO IT.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, PAPER OR PLASTIC, WHO IS GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE THE LAST SEVEN DAYS, COME ON.
DID YOU USE PAPER OR PLASTIC? PLASTIC.
WELL, SOME OF YOU USE PLASTIC AND EVERYBODY THINKS PLASTIC BAGS WERE, UH, SOMEHOW, UH, GOT IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF THE TREE, HUGGING ENVIRONMENTALIST.
IT WAS NOT, IT WAS THE FEED LOT OPERATORS IN WEST TEXAS BECAUSE THE PLASTIC BAGS FROM THE GROCERY STORES
[00:45:01]
WOULD BLOW BECAUSE THERE'S WIND IN WEST, TEXAS INTO THE FEED LOTS AND THE CATTLE WOULD CHOKE AND DIE.SO THEY WANTED TO BAN PLASTIC BAGS IN GROCERY STORES IN WEST TEXAS, AND THE CITIES ACCOMMODATED THEM.
THE HOME RULE CITIES ACCOMMODATE THEM BECAUSE I GUARANTEE YOU, THIS DOES NOT HAVE THE WORD OR PHRASE PLASTIC BAG IN IT.
IT DOES NOW BECAUSE THE STATE CAME IN AND PREEMPTED THAT AREA AND SAYS, CITIES CANNOT REGULATE PLASTIC BAGS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT'S POLITICS UP AT AUSTIN LEVEL.
I GUESS THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY WAS STRONGER THAN THE CATTLE INDUSTRY, BUT IT'S THAT TYPE OF RULE WHERE AS A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, YOU'RE CLOSER TO THE, ARE THE PEOPLE UP HERE ARE CLOSER TO YOU TO SAY, IF YOU DON'T WANT PLASTIC BAGS OR SECONDHAND SMOKE IN A RESTAURANT, YOU CAN PASS THAT LAW.
OTHERWISE, IF YOU'RE A GENERAL LAW, YOU CANNOT.
SO THAT'S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO ASK PERMISSION.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE DOES.
IF THEY WANT TO COME IN AND SAY, NO, NO MORE PLASTIC BAG BANNING IN TEXAS.
AND THERE IS SO YOU CAN USE, YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN BAG, YOU CAN GET PAPER AND YOU CAN GET PLASTIC.
SCOTT HOLLAND, 1, 2, 2, 2, 6 MEADOWS.
KIND OF WANNA GO BACK, UH, TO THE 5,000, UH, POPULATION QUESTION, UM, MAYBE IN THE MINORITY HERE, BUT I DO WANT TO BRING THIS UP BECAUSE I THINK IT IS VERY CRITICAL.
UH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS SAY YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO SAY WE'RE OVER 5,000.
NO, BUT YOU ARE SAYING WE ARE OVER 5,000 IN ORDER TO DO THIS.
WHAT ARE, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION THEN? I SAID, CITY COUNCIL HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH CAMP PSYCHOLOGIZE.
UH, IT ALSO EARLIER, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU FIRST SPOKE ABOUT THE OVERVIEW, ALL OF THIS, YOU SAID THAT YOU LOOKED AT A LOT OF OTHER CITIES WHEN PROPOSING WHAT YOU WANTED TO COME UP WITH.
UH, AND I DO WANT TO UNDERSTAND ALSO, ACCORDING TO ARTICLE, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S 11 SECTION FIVE, THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION.
IT DOES SAY THAT CITIES HAVING MORE THAN 5,000 HABITANTS MAY BY MAJOR VOTE OF ITS QUALIFIED VOTERS HAVE SAID CITY AT AN ELECTION HELD FOR PURPOSE, ADOPTED MEN, THEIR CHARTERS.
SO THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING, RIGHT, THAT, THAT THERE'S SOMEWHERE IN, IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION THAT SAYS THAT IN ORDER TO DO THIS, YOU NEED 5,000.
AND YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT DATA POINTS TO GET, YOU KNOW, YOUR NUMBERS AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT I WOULD ASSUME THAT USING THE U S CENSUS WOULD BE A PRIMARY ONE.
OTHERWISE, WHY ELSE DO WE TAKE IT? AND, AND ACCORDING TO THE U S BUREAU CENSUS, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE AT 4, 7, 6, 7.
NOW YOU MAY SAY THAT'S NOT OFFICIAL YET, BUT, AND YOU SAY, IF WE HAD TO GO TO THE PROCESS OF PROVING IT, WE HAVE TO GO TO COURT AND DO ALL THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KIND OF CHALLENGE THAT RIGHT NOW.
AND 2010, SINCE THIS, WHICH IS OF COURSE BEEN FINALIZED WE'RE AT 4,660 RESIDENTS, ACCORDING TO THE 20, 20 WE'RE AT FOUR, OR PARDON ME, OR 7 67.
SO THAT'S ONLY A DIFFERENCE OF 107, BUT IN THAT 10 YEAR SPAN, THAT'S ONLY A 2.2 GAIN IN OUR, IN OUR POPULATION.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS FROM 2020 TO 2021, WE'VE GONE FROM THE 4, 7 67 TO OVER 5,000.
THAT IS A PERCENTAGE OF 4.7, 1% GROWTH IN ONE YEAR.
SO THAT'S A DOUBLE WHAT WE ONLY DID IN 10 YEARS, I WOULD PROPOSE THAT SAYING THAT WE GOT TO 5,000, DOESN'T MAKE THE MATH IS NOT CORRECT.
AND SO WHAT I'M SAYING IS, I THINK IF YOU WANT TO GO FORWARD, I'M NOT SAYING THIS IS A BAD THING, BUT I THINK WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THIS WITHOUT LOOKING AT A REAL NUMBERS.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD AT LEAST FIND OUT WHAT OUR REAL POPULATION IS BEFORE YOU REALLY WANT TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
SO I'LL COMMENT ON YOUR GROWTH NUMBERS.
WE'RE NOT SAYING WE GREW BY SOME EXPONENTIAL NUMBER IN THE LAST YEAR.
COUNCIL CERTIFIED THAT NUMBER IN 2020 IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER OF 2020.
THAT'S THE PROCESS THE STATE HAS ESTABLISHED FOR, UH, FOR SETTING YOUR, UH, POPULATION NUMBERS.
THIS IS A STATE PROCEDURE UNDER THE STATE CONSTITUTION, THE CENSUS AS A U S DATA POINT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THOSE ARE NOT THE SAME ORGANIZATIONS AND THEY'RE NOT USED FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.
CAN WE LET ASSISTANCE SAY, CAN YOU SHOW US WHERE YOU'RE GETTING IT, THOSE NUMBERS EXACTLY.
AND PROVIDE, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE CENSUS DATA
[00:50:01]
AND SEE HOW THEY ASKED TO MATE.THAT'S WHAT I SHOULDN'T GRANTS.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR COMMENTS.
I WOULD ASK THAT WE DISCUSSED THE SUBSTANTIVE, UH, ISSUES OF THE CHARTER.
CAUSE WE'RE, WE'RE DISCUSSING THE POPULATION NUMBERS, WHICH DOESN'T GET TO THE, THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CHARTER.
AND IF YOU HAVE AN OPPOSITION TO OUR CITY HAVING MORE CONTROL OVER OURSELVES, THEN LET'S DEAL WITH THAT.
WELL, MY SH MY REBUTTAL TO THAT WOULD BE, IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO FUDGE NUMBERS TO GET WHAT YOU WANT, AND YOU WANT EVERYONE TO GO ON BOARD WITH IT, THAT SEEMS IN MY OPINION, THAT MAKES IT LESS FOR ME TO WANT TO SAY, THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK OUR CITY NEEDS, BECAUSE IF, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE WILLING TO OVERLOOK OR BEND A RULE, THEN WHERE DOES THAT STOP? BUT WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT OVERLOOKING OR BENDING THE RULES OR USING THE PROCEDURES ESTABLISHED BY THE, BY THE STATE COUNCIL.
UM, SO I DEFINITELY THINK WE ARE, YOU YOU'VE BEEN, YOU'VE BEEN IN THE CITY FOR A WHILE, RIGHT? IT'S GOT 24 YEARS.
SO YOU AROUND WITH THE SEX OFFENDER ISSUE SO THAT THE SEX OFFENDER ISSUE 2006 EIGHT THERE AGAIN, THAT'S NOT MY ARGUMENT.
SO PERSONALLY THAT ISSUE, THAT ONE FRUSTRATED ME, THAT WE, AS A CITY, DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OVER OURSELVES.
AND IT FELT LIKE WE COULDN'T CONTROL, UH, OUR OWN SAFETY.
I HAD A SEX OFFENDER LIVING NEXT STORE ILLEGALLY, UH, WHILE I WAS LIVING IN THE CITY.
AND FOR ME ESTABLISHING THIS CHARTER GIVES US THE CONTROL TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE THE WAY WE WANT TO PROTECT THEM.
SO I KNOW YOU KEEP USING THE LANGUAGE YOU, YOU, YOU, THIS IS FOR US.
AND THE IDEA HERE IS THAT WE GET CONTROL OF OUR CITY, NOT SOMEBODY ELSE IN AUSTIN.
THERE AGAIN, IT STILL HAS TO GO THROUGH THE GUIDELINES, WHAT IT IS.
IF WE'RE NOT AT THAT 5,000, THEN WE MAY NEED TO RE-LOOK AT THAT.
AND THEY'RE GETTING LIKE, SAY, I KNOW I'M IN THE MINORITY ON THIS, BUT THE THING IS, IF YOU'RE WANTING SOMETHING SO BAD THAT IF IT SAYS THIS, BUT YOU'RE WILLING TO DO THIS, I NOT WILLING TO LET GOVERNMENT HAVE THAT MUCH CONTROL, BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE EVERYONE, YOU HAVE LEADERS THAT WANT SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN THAT'S ALWAYS IN EVERYONE'S BEST INTEREST.
THAT PARTICULAR, UH, ABOUT 600.
THERE'S NO ARGUMENT ON THAT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, RAISING TAXES, UH, PUTTING IN STUFF IN THEIR CITY THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY OR MAY NOT WANT.
OTHER THAN THAT, THAT, THAT THE CITIZENS HERE MAY NOT WANT.
AND THEN THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE A WAY TO SAY NO AGAINST IT.
I UNDERSTAND THE RECALL, BUT GETTING A THOUSAND PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND VOTE ON SOMETHING IS A TOUGH DEAL TO DO.
LET ME ADDRESS SOMETHING ON THE TAX ISSUE.
IT DOES NOT GIVE YOU ANY MORE POWER OR IT DOESN'T GIVE THE CITY COUNCIL ANY MORE POWER TO RAISE TAXES THAN NEW YORK.
AS A GENERAL LAW CITY, TEXAS IS OBVIOUSLY PREEMPTED BLOCK.
THIS IS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE.
THERE IS A TEXAS TAX CODE AND THEY W UH, CHANGED IT IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO NO NEW REVENUE.
AND SO IT IS TIGHTLY, TIGHTLY CONTROLLED BY AUSTIN ON WHAT CITIES OR HOW FAST CITIES CAN RAISE TAXES.
NOW, AS AN ASIDE, THEY'RE NOT ADDRESSING THE APPRAISAL, WHICH IS A REAL PROBLEM BECAUSE HOUSES ARE GOING UP.
BUT AS FAR AS THE CHARTER GOES, THE COUNCIL HAS NO MORE POWER THAN IT DOES AS A GENERAL LAW CITY.
BECAUSE UNDER THE TAX CODE, YOU, UH, ARE VERY RESTRICTED ON WHAT CITY COUNCIL CAN DO AS TO RAISING TAXES PERIOD.
SO, UH, SYLVIA ROMANA 1, 1 9, 2, 3 BLOOMINGTON LANE.
UM, MY, MY QUESTION INITIALLY IS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ANNEXATION AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS AN ANNEXATION POSSIBILITY, BUT THERE IS A CLAUSE ABOUT THE ANNEXATION.
AND I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE YOU THE MEANING OF THE POWER OF THE ANNEXATION IN THE CITY OF MEDALS? WHAT WAS THE IDEA OF HAVING THIS DE ANNEXATION CLASS? SO ANNEXATION IS BRINGING, IS EXPANDING.
AND I KNOW, I KNOW THE CONCEPT.
I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DMX SAY FROM THE CITY OF MEDALS? LIKE, OKAY.
HOW ARE YOU SAY THE CHARGING STATION IS SHRINKING THE CITY? I KNOW THE CONCEPT.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN SPECIFICALLY? WHAT IS THE IDEA? WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DNX SAY FROM THE CITY OF MEADOWS? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WHY DO YOU HAVE IT? WHY DO YOU ADD A CLAUSE OF THE ANNEXATION TO SPECIFICALLY GRANT THAT POWER
[00:55:01]
TO THE CITY? IF THEY WANTED, SAY, FOR INSTANCE, YOU WANTED TO TRADE A LITTLE BIT WITH STAFFORD AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE ME THIS LITTLE SLIVER OF LAND AND I'LL GIVE YOU THIS LITTLE SLIVER OF LAND ANNEXATION.THEY DON'T OWN IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, SO THE CITIES COULD FINE TUNE THE LINES SO WE CAN CONTROL THE PARKING LOT OR THE WATER MAIN OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
AND SO WE SPECIFICALLY PUT THE ANNEXATION, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ANNEXATION, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT STREETS, HOUSES, EH, W WHAT EXACTLY SHE LAND WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS ANY LAND WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.
AND HOW WOULD WE LIKE, OKAY, IF YOU DECIDED TO DNX, ANYTHING IS GOING TO BE A BOATING IS GOING TO BE, WHAT DO YOU SAY? THERE HAS TO BE PUBLIC HEARINGS AND NOTICES SENT TO, UH, THE VARIOUS LANDOWNERS.
AND, UH, IT'S A VERY LABOR, INTENSIVE PROCESS WITH LOTS AND LOTS OF NOTICE.
AND THEN IT, UH, ENDS UP AS A VOTE OF CITY COUNCIL, WHETHER TO DNX.
AND IS SEE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND WHAT IT WAS BEFORE OR WHERE WE HAVE DOW AS A GENERAL CITY.
I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND YOU THAT THE MAC IS MUFFLING FROM WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
IT DOESN'T AFFECT IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BECAUSE THE STATE HAS PREEMPTED THAT AREA OF LAW, AND THEY HAVE A VERY ROBUST PROCEDURAL RULES TO ANNEX AND TO DNX AS A COMMERCIAL, YOU COULD GO TO MY WEBSITE AND YOU'LL SEE AN ARTICLE CALLED TRAIL OF TEARS, UH, WHICH TALKS ABOUT THE CHANGE IN THE TEXAS LAW FOR, FOR ANNEXATION.
BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER IT'S HOME RULE OR GENERAL LAW, THAT'S CONTROLLED BY STATE LAW.
AND NOW, LIKE SHELL, SHE HAS GOING TOWARDS, UH, THE OTHER COMMENT.
EH, I THINK THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE A, WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE 5,000 PEOPLE, WE CANNOT, WE SHOULDN'T STATE THAT WE HAVE, OH, WE WILL HAVE IN TWO MONTHS, FIVE YEARS, BECAUSE IT IS, UM, I UNDERSTAND SPECIFIC THINGS, LIKE YOU SAID, SEX OFFENDERS IS REALLY A CONCERN.
I THINK THAT THE CITY WAS VERY CREATIVE, PUT PUTTING DEFENDANT, PARKS ALL OVER THE PLACES TO HELP US WITH THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT WHEN WE DECIDED TO DO A CHARTER, WE NEED TO SEE A LITTLE WITH THE BIG PICTURE AND NOT JUST A SPECIFIC THING, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A BIG CHANGE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE, NOT OKAY.
I WANT TO GET RID OF THE SEX OFFENDERS, LIKE WITH ALL THE RESPECT, LIKE NO SMOKING IN BARS.
I, I THINK THAT VAN IS ALREADY THERE ALL OVER THE PLACES.
UM, SO I UNDERSTAND MAYBE THERE IS ANOTHER WAY TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE WITH THE SEX OFFENDERS, BUT I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD JUMP INTO SOMETHING BIG AND CHEAT THE SYSTEM SAYING THAT WE ARE MORE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE JUST BECAUSE WE, WHEN I GET RID OF SOMETHING, THAT'S SORT OF THE IMPRESSION THAT I HAVE.
AND I'M SORRY IF I'M WRONG, BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR PASSION.
BUT I THINK THAT THE BIG PICTURE IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT.
AND WHEN WE TAKE A BIG DECISION LIKE THIS, THANK YOU.
UH, LET ME, LET ME JUST GIVE MY OPINION HERE.
WE'VE WE'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAYING FUDGING CHEATING, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE.
THEY DID RESEARCH THAT CAME UP WITH A NUMBER ABOVE 5,000.
AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
MA'AM I CAN'T, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND.
YEAH, I'D SAY IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL CERTIFICATION OF, UH, UH, POPULATION, UH, CHECK THE PUBLIC RECORD FROM LAST OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, OR JUST ASK CITY COUNCIL.
UH, MY NAME'S JESSE RODRIGUEZ TIME RESIDENT OVER 30 YEARS.
THE, BASICALLY THE HOME RULE WAS BROUGHT IN, IN EFFECT BECAUSE OUR CITY COUNCIL DOES NOT HAVE TOTAL CONTROL OF WHAT YOU THINK THE MAJOR CONSTITUENTS WANT IN THE CITY, BECAUSE WE'RE A GENERAL RULE CITY.
[01:00:01]
THE LAWS OF TEXAS.AND FROM WHAT I HEARD, BEN, IS THAT YOUR NAME THAT MAYBE WE DIDN'T LIKE THE FOOTAGE OF THE SEX OFFENDERS.
WE, IF WE WERE A HOME RULE CITY, NOW THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER LAWS THAT WE COULD ENACT OR AN ACT D DEACT WITH WITH THIS HOME RULE POLICY.
BUT WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING, AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE KNOW BETTER HOW TO RUN OUR CITY THAN AUSTIN POLITICIANS.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE DO, OR IF WE DON'T, I KNOW THE 15 PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE PROBABLY WORKED REALLY HARD.
WELL, DID WORK REALLY HARD FOR WHAT YOU SAID ON GETTING THIS CHARTER TOGETHER.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THE REASONING FOR IT.
WE HAVE A UNIQUE LITTLE ONE MILE SQUARE CITY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE SIX PEOPLE THAT CONTINUOUSLY WILL BE UP THERE THAT ARE ANY SMARTER OR ANY LESS SMART THAN THE POLITICIANS IN AUSTIN.
I KNOW THAT WE ARE A GOOD PEOPLE.
WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND WE HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, SEX OFFENDERS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, I RAISED TWO DAUGHTERS WHILE I DIDN'T, MY WIFE DID.
I WAS JUST AROUND DOING WHAT SHE SAID, BUT WE, WE, YOU KNOW, I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WENT TO LIKE EVERYBODY.
SO MAKING LAWS STRICTER, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO PROTECT YOUR KIDS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IS IT RIGHT? I MEAN, WE HAVE CERTAIN RULES THAT THE TEXAS LEGISLATOR HAS GIVEN TO US.
AND, AND I DON'T JUST AGREE WITH ALL OF THEM.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ALL OF THEM, BUT I WOULD NEVER SAY IF I WAS SITTING IN THAT CHAIR, I KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR 3000 OR 4,600 PEOPLE.
AND WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST BETTER THAN WHAT AUSTIN WOULD THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
AND SO I, I'M NOT AGAINST THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'M FOR IT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S BEEN GOOD PLACE TO LIVE FOR 38.
HOW MANY YEARS? 40 YEARS HAVE WE BEEN OUR OWN? YEAH.
SO WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE MANAGED TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD PLACE TO LIVE AND THE WORLD HAS CHANGED ALL AROUND US.
AND WE STILL MANAGED TO HAVE A PRETTY GOOD PLACE TO LIVE.
WILL THIS MAKE IT BETTER? I'M NOT SURE.
WILL IT MAKE IT WORSE? PROBABLY NOT.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND I JUST, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW.
I WOULD SAY DON'T, DON'T GET HUNG UP ON SEX OFFENDERS.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT IS, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE PAST.
IF, IF YOU WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ON THIS, I SAID IT BEFORE, IT'S, IT'S IRR, IT'S OUR CITIZENS BEING ABLE TO TAKE CONTROL AND SAY, WE WANT SOMETHING.
AND Y'ALL ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS IN THIS THING.
IF I DON'T LIKE SOMETHING I WOULD NEED FOR GENERAL LAW, 20% OF THE POPULATION FOR A REFERENDUM TO EITHER, AND IN 30% FOR SOMEBODY TO BE REMOVED FROM.
AND I, I DON'T EVER SEE THAT BEING NECESSARY.
AND ANOTHER QUESTION IS YOU SAID THAT WE VOTE FOR CITY COUNCILS EVERY TWO YEARS.
AND THE MAYOR RIGHT NOW, EVERY TWO YEARS TO THE CURRENT STRUCTURE IS EVERYBODY HAS A TWO YEAR TERM.
SO THE CHARTER, YOU SAID CHANGES THAT WHY CAN IT NOT BE CHANGED WITHOUT THE CHARTER? NO.
SO THE YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE TEXAS STATE LAW HAS DESIGNATED THAT GENERAL RULE CITIES HAVE TO HAVE ELECTIONS EVERY TWO YEARS FOR ALL.
THEY SAID TWO YEAR TERMS, TWO YEARS TERM, YOU USED, WE HAVE EVEN NUMBER COUNCIL POSITIONS ON
[01:05:01]
EVEN NUMBER YEARS AND ODD NUMBERS ON THE ODD NUMBER YEAR.SO YOU'RE VOTING EVERY YEAR, IF YOU HAVE AN ELECTION, BUT THE MAXIMUM TERM IS TWO YEARS WITH THE CHARTER.
YOU COULD GO UP TO FOUR, NO ONE DOES THAT.
AND DOES THE CHARTER PUT LIMITS ON THESE? NO.
NO, BUT YOU COULD IN THE FUTURE, IF YOU WANTED TERM LIMITS ON OUR REFERENDUM.
NOW, IS THAT A 20% OR 30% THAT WOULDN'T BE, AND THAT WOULD BE A CHANGE TO THE CHARTER.
SO THAT WOULD BE IN THE REVIEW.
I SHOULD HAVE TO BE AN ORDINANCE.
OH, YOU CAN DO AN INITIATIVE TO, AND THAT WOULD BE ONLY 20% OF THE POPULATION.
LET ME GIVE YOU A VERY HIGH LEVEL PROCEDURAL, YOU GET 20% OF THE REGISTERED VOTERS TO SIGN A PETITION THAT SAYS WE WANT TERM LIMITS.
AND THE PROPOSED FORM OF THE LEGISLATION.
SO IT WOULD BE AN ORDINANCE THAT SAYS IT'S IT'S THREE, THREE YEAR TERMS. I'M PULLING NUMBERS OUT OF PARTIAL TERMS. DON'T COUNT, UH, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO WHEN THAT COMES TO THE CITY, THE CITY SECRETARY VERIFIES THE SIGNATURES TO MAKE SURE IT'S ENOUGH.
AND THEN YOU HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE PUBLIC HEARING.
THEY CAN PASS THE ORDINANCE AND IT'S DONE.
I MEAN, THE, THE ORDINANCE IS ADOPTED OR IT GOES TO AN ELECTION WHERE THEY CALL ON THE ELECTION.
SO THAT'S, UH, ONE OF THE BENEFITS, BENEFITS OF HOME RULE IS THAT YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR CHARTER.
WE SET IT AT EVERY FIVE YEARS TO TAKE A LOOK.
I'VE BEEN ON A COUPLE ON ONE CITY, IT TOOK TWO MEETINGS AND IT WAS DONE AND NO CHANGE.
THE OTHER CITY IT'S PLOTTING THROUGH EVERY MONTH.
SO THAT'S A LITTLE MORE EXPENSIVE.
THE CONSTITUTION SAYS YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE CHARTER MORE OFTEN THAN EVERY TWO YEARS.
SO YOU'VE GOT LOCKED STEP CHARTER.
SO IF THIS PASSES, THEN IT WOULD BE FROZEN FOR TWO YEARS AND THEN YOU CAN START AN AMENDMENT PROCESS OR AN INITIATIVE PROCESS.
SORRY, THIS ANNE GREEN AGAIN ON HOGGARD.
AND I WANTED SOME CLARIFICATION LEGALLY.
YOU SAID THAT THE TAX CODE, WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT UP ON THE MAXIMUM TAX RATE THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WHICH IS 1.5 AND THAT THE HOME THAT THE CHARTER MIGHT PROVIDE A 2.5, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE TAX CODE HAS, UM, UH, KIND OF, UH, REGULATIONS OR A SAFETY NET FORCE ON THAT.
COULD YOU CLARIFY THAT FOR, SO TERRY SAID THAT I DIDN'T, YEAH.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW THAT WORKS.
HOW WOULD YOU RAISE, HOW WOULD OUR TAXES BE RAISED UNDER THE NEW CHARTER? HOW WOULD THAT HAPPEN? DIFFERENT THAN UNDER GENERAL LAW? YOU GO THROUGH A PROCEDURE, YOU HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS, YOU HAVE A RECORDED VOTE, WHICH EVERY VOTE HAS.
EVERYBODY HAS TO RAISE THEIR HAND.
YOU'RE IN A, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME, A PUBLIC BOAT OF HOME CITY COUNCIL.
SO CITY COUNCIL COULD RAISE OUR TAXES WITHOUT AN, AS THEY DO NOW.
CORRECT? RIGHT? NO DIFFERENCE IN GENERAL LAW, EXCEPT THE RATE IS RAISED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THE PERCENTAGE HAS RAISED WELL, THAT'S WHAT THE NO NEW REVENUE AND THE NEW TAX CODE, WHICH IT'S A THREE ADVIL DAY WHEN I HAVE TO READ THE TAX CODE, BUT IT'S BETTER.
YOU CAN ONLY ASSERT YOU CAN ONLY RAISE IT A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE, BUT THE PERCENTAGE HAS BEEN INCREASED UNDER THE CHARTER, RIGHT? NO, THE CHARTER DOES NOT ADDRESS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WHERE DOES THE 2.5 CONFERENCE? YES, SURE.
I'M USUALLY THE TAX GURU HERE.
SO UNDER STATE LAW, CURRENT STATE LAW, YOU CAN ONLY RAISE UP TO 300, 3.5% NEW REVENUE.
IF YOU GO ABOVE THAT POINT, YOU HAVE TO GO CALL AN ELECTION OF THE VOTERS.
SO IT USED TO BE, YOU COULD GO 8% BEFORE THAT ELECTION CRITERIA KICKED IN.
IT'S NOW BEEN LOWERED TO THREE AND A HALF PERCENT.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU, WHAT, WHAT'S YOUR VERSION? OKAY.
[01:10:01]
AND, UH, SO I MEAN, YOU KNOW, TERRY AND I APPARENTLY HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION, BUT YOU CAN GO TO THE STATE CODE AND IT IS, IF YOU GO LOOK AT OUR, UH, PROPOSED BUDGET ON THE WEBSITE, IT'S GOT THE INFORMATION ON THERE ABOUT WHAT THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE IS.AND WHAT WERE THE OTHER ONES, THE DIMINIMOUS RATE, WHICH UNDER THE DIMINIMOUS WE COULD HAVE ACTUALLY GONE UP TO 0.9, 4% RATHER THAN THE 0.8, THREE, NOBODY ON COUNCIL WAS INTERESTED IN THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN REALLY DISCUSS IT.
WE KEPT IT AT THE 0.83832, WHICH IS A 1.6, 6% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S REVENUE.
UM, YOU, IT WAS A FAIRLY TIGHT BUDGET, BUT YOU KNOW, IT UNDER STATE LAW, IF WE CRACK OVER A CERTAIN PERCENT, IT HAS TO GO TO THE VOTERS FOR, FOR APPROVAL.
SO, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHETHER WE'RE HOME RULE OR GENERAL LAW.
MOST OF WHAT RICK SAID IS CORRECT.
WHAT WE HAVE IS A, UH, THE 3%, WHICH A STATE PASS THAT YOU'RE LIMITED TO TWO AND A HALF TO 3% AS FAR AS REVENUE.
AND THAT IS FOR ALL CITIES ABOVE 30,000.
IF YOU'RE BELOW 30,000, YOU STILL HAVE THE REVENUE RATE OF NO MORE THAN 8% WITHOUT KEN A PETITION TO HAVE THE CITIZENS COME AND ASK YOU TO CHANGE THE BUDGET, SIR.
NOW, THE DIMINIMOUS IS, HAS TO DO WITH 500,000 ABOVE REVENUE THAT YOU HAD FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, AND THAT WILL AUTOMATICALLY KEY AN AUTOMATIC ELECTION.
IF YOU GO EXCEED THAT NOW OUR BUDGETS WAT MAYBE A MILLION OR MILLION AND A HALF ON THE AD VALOREM TAX SHARE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ADMIRAL ARM TAX.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ALL THE REVENUE WE BRING IN TO RUN THE CITY SIDE OF ALARM TAX.
SO IF, AGAIN, IF YOU'RE BELOW 30,000, YOU CAN STILL GO UP TO THE 8%, UH, ADDITIONAL REVENUE WITHOUT CREATING AN ISSUE FOR, UH, THE PETITION AND, AND ASKING FOR A REDUCTION IN THE BUDGET.
AND 2019, THE COUNCIL RAISED THE RATE A LITTLE OVER 8% AND 2020.
THEY RAISED AT 12 AND A HALF PERCENT.
AND IN 2021, IT WAS LIKE RICK SAID, 1.6, 6% AND THE ONE AND A HALF AND TWO AND A HALF.
IF YOU ARE A GENERAL LAW CITY, THE MAX TAX RATE PER HUNDRED DOLLARS OF VALUATION IS ONE, A DOLLAR AND 50 PER 100 AS A HOME RULE CITY, YOU CAN GO UP TO $2 AND 50 CENTS FOR 100 EVALUATION.
SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY RAISE THE RIGHT TO CITIZENS.
ANOTHER DOLLAR PER HUNDRED DOLLARS VALUATION.
WHEN YOU ARE A HOME RULE CITY, WE ARE AT 8 3, 2 RIGHT NOW, 0.8, THREE, TWO PER A HUNDRED.
I MEAN, HOPEFULLY WE NEVER GET TO WHERE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO, I MEAN, I STARTED TO ASK YOU TO DO MATH, BUT HOW MANY YEARS WOULD IT TAKE TO RAISE IT AT THE MAXIMUM PERCENT IN ORDER TO GET FROM A DOLLAR 50 TO TWO 50? I MEAN, WELL,
IF WE WEREN'T RIDING NOW THAT OUT EVERY SINGLE YEAR AT 8 3, 2, AND WE CAN GO TO 1.5.
SO WE'RE ABOUT HALF WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY WIND UP OVER THE YEARS.
IF WE STAY A GENERAL OFFICE, IT'S NOT AN ISSUE FROM A STANDPOINT OF CITIES, USUALLY WHERE THERE'S HOME RULER, GENERAL LAW, THE REAL ISSUES ON TAX RATE IS BECOME AN ISSUE AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
I JUST DON'T WANT ANYBODY HERE TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE PASS THIS AND WE GO FROM A DOLLAR 50 D TO TWO 50, THE NEXT GOD AS YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN'T DO THAT TAKE YEARS AND YEARS, IF WE WERE TO RAISE IT, THAT WILL GENERATE ANOTHER $500,000 IN REVENUE FOR AVALARA WOULD AUTOMATICALLY HAVE A ELECTION, WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTION TO VOTE ON IT.
AND THAT WOULD PROBABLY SOMEWHERE IN LIKE A NINE TWO, OR IT'D BE LESS THAN A DOLLAR.
THAT WOULD PUT US AT THAT 500,000 RYAN.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO, SORRY.
[01:15:01]
I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.THAT'S NOT, IT, THAT'S NOT IN THE CHARTER.
DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CHARTER.
THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL ASK ABOUT THE TAX RATE AND THAT'S, I WAS TRYING TO CLARIFY THAT'S ALL.
HELLO, EVERYONE, SHARON LEON, 1, 2 0 1, 5 MEADOWDALE DRY.
AND, UM, I DO WANT TO, UM, SAY THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE CHARTER COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME.
AND IT WAS A LOT OF THEM OUT HERE AS WELL THAT HAVE PUT INTO IT.
UM, TODAY HAS ANSWERED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND CREATED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND I GUESS THAT IS THE WHOLE CENSUS OF THIS.
AND I KIND OF JUST WANT TO RECAP BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD TONS OF PEOPLE ASK ME AND I TOLD HIM, I REALLY JUST DIDN'T HAVE ANY TRUE ANSWERS BECAUSE I NEEDED TO HEAR SOME OF THIS.
AND, UH, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG IS THAT, UM, THE NEW CHARTER WOULD JUST BASICALLY THIS, AS YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN SAYING, IT'S KIND OF LIKE OUR TEXAS CONSTITUTION FOR THE METIS PLACE.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING TO GO BY THE THICK BOOK OF THE CODE GUIDELINE, WHICH WAS OUR OWN GUIDELINE, THIS WOULD BE THE NEW ONE.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO GO BY THE OTHER ONE.
WHAT CODE GUIDELINE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? NO, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CODE BOOK AND STUFF.
THAT, THAT WAS WHERE THE GENERAL LAW.
WELL, THERE ARE SOME LAWS THAT APPLY TO BOTH HOME RULE AND GENERAL LAW CITIES.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS CON IS UNLESS IT'S IN HERE, GENERAL LAWS, CAN'T DO IT IN HOME RULE.
YOU GET PERMISSION TO DO EVERYTHING, EXCEPT IF THERE IT'S PROHIBITED IN HERE.
SO THERE ARE LIKE TAX RULES, ANNEXATION RULES THAT STILL APPLY.
AND, UM, SO THEN THE OTHER QUESTION WAS AS WELL, AND WE'VE GONE OVER THE TAX THING, SO I DON'T THINK WE NEED.
UM, AND, UH, IS THE GUIDELINES FOR THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS PRETTY MUCH SET, CORRECT? THIS IS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON.
ANYTHING THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO CHANGE.
YOU VOTE ON IT AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
AND IF THEY WANT SOMETHING CHANGED, THEY HAVE TO PUT IN A WHAT TO DO THAT.
IF THEY WANTED SOMETHING CHANGED ON HERE.
WE VOTE YAY OR NAY ON THIS DOCUMENT.
THERE'S NO DEVIATIONS ARE NEGOTIATED ON THE DOCUMENT, RIGHT? WE'VE, WE'VE GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
IF CHANGES ARE NEEDED OR WANTED AFTER THIS GOES INTO EFFECT, EITHER AN INITIATIVE CAN BE DRAFTED OR WE WAIT UNTIL THE REVIEW TIME AND WE DRAFT THE CHANGES THEN.
SO AFTER TWO YEARS, EITHER THE PEOPLE CAN, CAN INITIATE IT.
IF IT'S FOLDED IN, AFTER TWO YEARS, THE PEOPLE CAN INITIATE A CHANGE.
OUR COUNCIL CAN INITIATE A CHANGE, THEN IT GOES TO AN ELECTION.
SO IF IT IS VOTED DOWN AND THEN RE BROUGHT UP HOW LONG BEFORE THAT COMES UP TO AN ELECTION CYCLE, OR IS IT A SPECIAL ELECTION? THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS.
THERE, THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS.
IT COULD BE BROUGHT UP WHENEVER SOMEBODY BRINGS IT UP AGAIN.
AND, UM, YOU ALSO MENTIONED THAT IT WOULD BE A THREE, THREE VOTE WHEN IT CAME UP THERE AND, YOU KNOW, FIT WAS A TIE IN THE THREE, THREE OF THE SIX VOTED.
AND NAY THAT, UH, WHATEVER WAS COMING UP FOR THE VOTE WOULD JUST BE A, UH, FAILED.
WHEN WOULD, UM, THE CHARTER BE BROUGHT UP FOR VOTES BECAUSE BASICALLY THIS IS YOUR GUIDELINE.
AND THEN EVERYTHING IS LIFT IN PLAY FOR CITY COUNCIL TO STILL DO WHAT CITY COUNCIL NORMALLY DOES.
AND, UM, SO DOES THAT, WHEN, WHEN WOULD THERE BE A SITUATION THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CHARTER HAS TO COME UP AND VOTE? SO THE CHARTER IS VOTED ON BY THE CITIZENS AND OUR GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
THE THREE-THREE IS REFERRING TO THE CITY COUNCIL VOTES ON A REGULAR MEETINGS.
SO IT'S NOT ON THE CHARTER, NOT ON THE CHARTER.
AND THEN, UH, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH THE GUIDELINES OF THE 5,000, THAT'S ACTUALLY TO BE BROUGHT UP WITH CITY COUNCIL, NOT WITH THE CHARTER, RIGHT.
THE CHARTER COMMISSION DIDN'T MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.
CAUSE I KNOW THEY KEPT SAYING YOU GUYS, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY NOT YOU THAT MADE THE DECISION.
[01:20:02]
UH, SOUTH KIRKWOOD.UM, I WAS WONDERING SINCE THIS IS AN OFF YEAR ELECTION, THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING EVERYBODY IN MEADOWS PLACE VOTE IS PRACTICALLY NIL, BUT HOW MANY VOTES WILL IT TAKE TO PASS THE CHARTER AND HOW MANY VOTES WOULD IT TAKE TO PASS A, LIKE A RECALL ELECTION? UM, MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST WOULD ADOPT THE CHORE VOTES CAST AND A MAJORITY OF THE VOTES CAST TO RECALL.
SO WE ARE A COUPLE OF MINUTES AHEAD OF TIME.
SO IF ANYBODY HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THEY WANT TO POSE TO EITHER THE CHARTER COMMISSION MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE OR THERE ARE A FEW CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE, I THINK WE'LL BE HANGING OUT FOR A FEW MINUTES.
UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE, UH, QUESTIONS, UH, NEXT STEPS ON THIS.
WE'VE GOT THE FALL FESTIVAL ON OCTOBER 16TH.
THE CHARTER COMMISSION WILL HAVE A TABLE SET UP AND WE'LL BE WALKING AROUND AT THAT, UH, FESTIVAL TO ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, WE ALL LIVE IN THE CITY, SO YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME ADDRESS US DIRECTLY.
THERE WAS A LARGE CONTINGENT OF PEOPLE FROM HOGGARD.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO WALK DOWN AND TALK TO ME AT THE END OF THE STREET.
UM, I CAN ANSWER MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE AND, UH, WHAT OUR MOTIVATION OR OUR, UH, JUSTIFICATION WAS THAT GIVING THESE FEEL FREE TO ADDRESS US AT EIGHT POINT UCS, UH, EARLY VOTING STARTS OCTOBER 18TH AND ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 2ND.
BEN WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS ONE THING CAME UP.
I FORGET WHO BROUGHT IT UP, BUT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SOME SORT OF ONLINE, UH, OPEN MEETING.
AND I'VE TALKED WITH NICK, UH, BAKER WHO IS OVER HERE, UH, BROUGHT IT UP AND HAS CHAMPIONED IT.
AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE CAN DO IT.
NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW THE PROCESS WILL WORK, BUT, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A LEGAL HURDLE OR QUESTION THAT, UH, OUR CITY ATTORNEY IS CHECKING ON FOR US.
SO IF IT'S LEGALLY POSSIBLE AND WE WILL TECHNOLOGICALLY WORK THROUGH IT, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO OFFER EVERYBODY, UH, THE, UH, THE ABILITY TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THEY WANT.
AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE SOMEWHAT UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE GROUP, STILL MORE AND FARMED OR CAN'T LEAVE THEIR KIDS, ET CETERA.
WE WANT TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE IF WE CAN.
SO JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY THAT WANTED TO BE HERE AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO THEY'RE ELDERLY OR THEY'VE BEEN SICK.
A LOT OF THEM HAVE KIDS AT HOME AND IT'S HONESTLY, IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT MUCH TECHNOLOGY.
YOU CAN DO IT AS A CHAT WINDOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE VERBAL, BUT A WAY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE COMING HERE, WEARING THE MASK AND FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE AND LEAVING PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE PROCESS.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, AS, AS BEN SAID, WE'RE A VERY OPEN TO SPEAKING.
I THINK ANYONE ON THE, ON THE COUNT THE COMMISSION HAS SAID THAT THEY WOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, WOULD LOVE TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE FACE TO FACE.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR WAS ALLUDING TO, WE DO HAVE SOME, UH, LEGAL ISSUES WITH QUORUMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, BUT I MEAN, FEEL FREE TO START DISCUSSIONS AND DISCUSS, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH PEOPLE CALL ME, UH, SEND ME AN EMAIL I'M DEFINITELY AVAILABLE, BUT YOU KNOW, AS A CITIZEN, YOU CAN, YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY CREATE THAT, UH, THAT FORUM AND TALK WITH PEOPLE.
UH, AND WE'D LOVE TO HELP OUT WHERE WE CAN THERE, YOU KNOW, UNLESS THERE ARE LEGAL ISSUES THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, RESTRICT US FROM DOING THAT.
UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE ARE, THERE ARE LEGAL ISSUES MA'AM AND, AND SOMETIMES, UH, IT'S JUST, YEP.
AND ANY QUESTION THAT COMES TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE ON THE COMMISSION, UM,
[01:25:01]
THEY WILL FIND AN ANSWER AND THEY'LL GET IT BACK TO YOU.