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WAS THREE AND A HALF YEARS OLD.[City Council Meeting]
EVERYONE.WELL, I'M NOT SURPRISED THAT THERE'S THIS MANY HERE TO SAY GET OUT OF TOWN.
I DO WANT TO SAY THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL MEETING 'CAUSE IT SAYS SO RIGHT UP HERE, MEADOWS PLACE, CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA.
I SEE A LOT OF FOLKS AND FRIENDS THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN FOR A LONG TIME AND I APPRECIATE IT A LOT.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE HERE TO WELCOME IN A NEW MAYOR AND WE SHOULD, BUT WE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF FIRST.
UH, THIS IS A SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING AT CITY OF PLA MEADOWS PLACE.
IT'S HELD TUESDAY, THIS IS MAY 14TH.
IT IS 6 31 AT MEADOWS PLACE, CITY HALL.
AND ALL AGENDA ITEMS ARE SUBJECT TO ACTION.
ITEM NUMBER A IS CALLED TO ORDER AND ANNOUNCE A QUORUM IS PRESENT.
WE HAVE A FULL COUNCIL THIS EVENING.
AND BY THE WAY, HMM? OH, KELLY'S NOT HERE.
HOWEVER, UM, THIS COUNCIL IS, UH, I'M VERY PROUD TO SIT WITH THIS COUNCIL.
I ALSO SEE SOME PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS IN HERE.
AND I SEE, UH, WELL, I'M GONNA TAKE A MOMENT TO MENTION THAT I, I HAD THE PLEASURE AND HONOR OF SITTING WITH FORMER ALDERMAN CLYDE LITTLE, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT KNEW CLYDE.
AND I'VE HAD A COUPLE PEOPLE COMMENT ON HIM.
UH, HE WAS JUST A WONDERFUL PERSON.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CARED ANYMORE ABOUT THIS CITY THAN CLYDE DID.
HE AND HIS WIFE, UH, ZELLA LIVED OVER THERE ON DORRANCE AND DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO, UH, HELP THE CITY, INCLUDING SIT, SIT ON COUNCIL.
SO WITH THAT, I'M JUST GONNA TAKE REQUEST EVERYBODY A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I'LL BRING US BACK IN A MOMENT, BUT PLEASE PRAY FOR CLYDE AND HIS FAMILY.
MEMORIES OF CLYDE ARE GOING THROUGH MY MIND.
UH, DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER B IS DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 2024 DASH 16 AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH HDR ENGINEERING FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES, THE DORRANCE LANE PROJECT PHASE TWO.
COUNSEL, YOU'VE ALL GOT YOUR PACKET.
OKAY, SO THERE'S ANY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON COUNCIL.
UH, JUST AS A REMINDER TO COUNSEL, WE DO HAVE THE FORT BEND COUNTY MOBILITY MONEY COMING FROM FORT BEND AND THAT'S GONNA PAY THIS.
WE MIGHT FRONT SOME MONEY, BUT IT WILL BE PAID FOR OUT OF THE BOND FUND.
IT WON'T BE COMING OUTTA GENERAL FUND.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM C, DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION AUTHORIZING HDR ENGINEERING TO BID FOR THE DOOR AND SLAIN RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT PHASE TWO.
AGAIN, COUNSEL, WE'VE ALL BEEN MOVING FORWARD ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION BY KURT? SECOND? SECOND BY TIA? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
ITEM D, DISCUSSION, CONSIDERATION TO RESCHEDULE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN MAY TO MAY 21ST.
SECOND BY TO ALL IN FAVOR? AYE.
UM, DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF AN ORDINANCE 2024 DASH
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24 CANVASSING THE RETURNS, THAT'S SOME KIND OF OFFICIAL WORD.UH, AND DECLARING THE RESULTS OF THE GENERAL ELECTION OR MUNICIPAL ELECTION HELD ON MAY 4TH, 2024 FOR THE PURPOSE OF ELECTING A MAYOR ALDERMAN.
PLACE ONE ALDERMAN, PLACE TWO AND ALDERMAN PLACE THREE IN THE CITY OF MIDDLES PLACE.
I'M GONNA READ ALL THE TOTALS FROM THE PRECINCT REPORT ALOUD.
DAVE DYER AND I'VE GOTTA READ 'EM ALL.
OKAY, I'M JUST READING THE TOTALS.
UH, DAVE DYER GOT US 177 VOTES.
GERMAINE, WHO'S SITTING HERE? VICTOR? IT'S GOT 371.
WHAT ARE YOU GRINNING ABOUT? THESE ARE NUMBERS WE'VE GOT
THESE ARE THE OFFICIAL, THESE ARE THE OFFICIAL, THE NUMBERS THAT WERE POSTED WERE UNOFFICIAL.
THESE ARE THE OFFICIAL NUMBERS.
DOES THAT MEAN I WAS RIGHT AND RICK QUESTIONED ME AND I WAS RIGHT.
IT TOOK WHAT, 18 YEARS, RICK TO DO THAT?
THE OFFICIAL CANVAS OF THE RETURN TO THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD ON MAY 4TH REFLECTS THAT THE FOLLOWING PERSONS WERE DULY ELECTED TO THE REPRESENTATIVE POSITIONS.
GERMAINE ALDERMAN PLACE ONE DAVID MERTON SR.
ALDERMAN PLACE TWO TIA BAKER ALDERMAN PLACE THREE.
MR. RICK STALEY NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 2024.
ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THIS CONCLUDES THE CANVAS OF THE GENERAL ELECTION HELD ON MAY 4TH, 2024 FOR THE CITY MEADOWS PLACE WITH A TOTAL OF 567 VOTERS.
NOW IT SAYS MOVE ON TO READ ITEM F.
THIS IS THE ISSUANCE OF THE C-C-C-C-C CERTIFIC THE CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION AND ADMINISTER THE OATH OF ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE ALDERMAN FIRST.
IF WE DO Y'ALL WANT TO KEEP YOUR SEATS? YOU WANT TO GO OVER THERE BY THE JUDGE? CITY SECRETARY WOULD LIKE YOU TO GO BACK DOWN BY THE JUDGE.
AND THEN YOUR, UM, POST AND STATEMENTS ARE HERE TO SIGN AFTER YOU SWEAR.
AH, AUDREY, YOU GOT ABOUT 13 SECONDS TO RUN.
OFFICE, OFFICE OF BALDMAN MEADOWS.
BEST OF ABILITY, BEST OF MY ABILITY.
PROTECT, DEFEND, PROTECT AND DEFEND CONSTITUTION AND LAWS, CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND STATES AND OF THIS STATE.
CAN I HAVE, UH, BE, BEFORE WE SWEAR IN OUR NEW MAYOR, COULD I GET ANY MAYORS IN THE ROOM TO RAISE THEIR HAND? I KNOW ALLEN.
WE'VE GOT MY MENTOR AND THE GUY THAT STUCK ME WITH THIS 20 YEARS AGO.
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MATTHEWS MAYOR LARRY BITNER FROM THE VILLAGE OF PLE, WHO BY THE WAY, HAS WON THE HOUSTON RODEO BARBECUE.JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT OUT THERE.
ONE
ALAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE ALSO HAVE BILLY BY IN HERE.
HE AND HIS FAMILY, THEY OWNED THE PROPERTY, THEY BOUGHT IT, THEY DEVELOPED IT, AND HE'S STILL HANGING AROUND IT.
AND BILLY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
NOW WE'RE READY FOR AUDREY ST.
AND IT'S NOT OFFICIAL TILL YOU SIGN, SO SIGN IT.
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN NOW IS I'M GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT I'M OLD AND TIRED AND I'M SITTING DOWN AND I'M GOING TO HAVE A FEW OUTGOING COMMENTS AND THEN ASK THE INCOMING MAYOR ST.
JERMAINE TO COME UP AND DO THE SAME.
UM, IT JUST TICKLES ME TO DEATH TO SEE THIS ROOM, THIS FULL WITHOUT SOMEBODY BEING MAD AND THROWING SOMETHING.
IT HAS BEEN A TIME SINCE MARK AND I WERE AS MAYOR AND COUNCIL TOGETHER.
AND, UM, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT CHANGE SINCE THAT TIME.
CITY MEADOWS PLACE IS VERY WELL POSITIONED, PARTLY THANKS TO MARK AND THE WATER.
AND I GOT TO TAKE CREDIT, BUT THANK YOU
BUT WE'VE HAD A TON OF CHANGE IN OUR PARKS AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ARE ALL VERY STRONG.
THIS COUNCIL IS SITTING HERE, IS MAGNIFICENT.
WE HAVE SO MUCH EXPERIENCE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO, UH, HAVE INFORMATION AND INPUT BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILL SETS THAT THEY BRING.
UM, WE'VE GOT TWO PEOPLE THAT IF IT'S NOT IN A BOX, WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD.
AND THEN THERE'S SOME THAT JUST OUT THERE.
MS. TIA IS THE BEST, UH, REPRESENTATIVE FOR CITY OF METALS PLACE THAT WE COULD EVER ASK FOR.
SHE GETS OUT THERE AND IS TRULY AN AMBASSADOR FOR OUR CITY ALL OVER THE COUNTY.
WE SEE OUR JUDICIAL SEGMENT OVER HERE.
WE'VE GOT OUR PROSECUTOR HERE AND SHE HAS BEEN DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND OUR BROTHER WAS A PROSECUTOR BEFORE THAT, BUT HE'S DOING SOMETHING ELSE NOW.
UH, MAYBE HE'S A DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
OUR POLICE CHIEF HAS BEEN HERE.
HOW LONG CHIEF? A LITTLE OVER 30 YEARS.
GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE.
SO THAT'S WHY WHEN PEOPLE SAY, GEE, MAYOR, YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB.
AND ALL I'VE DONE IS GET OUTTA PEOPLE'S WAY.
BUT I APPRECIATE IT AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
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TO SIT BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING AS MAYOR.AND IT WAS, UH, A LONG TIME AGO, I GUESS LOOKING AT MARK'S GRAY HAIR NOW, UM, THAT, UH, I SAT DOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME NOT KNOWING WHAT I WAS DOING THEN.
BUT I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, IT HAS BEEN A BLESSING FOR ME.
IT'S REALLY HELPED ME TO FOCUS MY LIFE ON LOOKING AFTER AND SERVING THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE.
I CAN'T THINK OF A GREATER THING TO DO FOR ME THAN TO SERVE THIS CITY AND TO SERVE BESIDE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THAT ARE UP HERE.
I'VE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO DEVELOP A LOT OF FRIENDSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH THESE FOLKS AND, AND PEOPLE ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND I'M JUST ASTOUNDED AT, AT THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT'S IN THIS CITY, AND THE PEOPLE THAT BRING SO MUCH TO THE TABLE IN THIS CITY THAT MAKE US THE LITTLE ONE SQUARE MILE OF WONDERFUL THAT WE ARE.
WITH THAT, I JUST WANT TO SAY I WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE, THE RESIDENTS, THE STAFF, AND THIS COUNCIL, AND OF COURSE OUR NEW MAYOR, AUDREY ST.
AUDREY, IT'S YOUR TURN BUTTON.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TONIGHT AND TAKING TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO BE HERE WITH US.
UM, I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE VERY MANY COMMENTS, UH, TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING FAITH IN ME.
I WILL, I WILL ENDEAVOR TO, TO DESERVE IT TO MR. JESSUP.
I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS FOR MR. JESSUP.
UM, EARNING YOUR TRUST WILL BE ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS OF MY LIFE.
YOUR, UM, UNWAVERING SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE GROUNDED ME THESE LAST FEW MONTHS.
I, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND YOUR WISDOM AS I TRY TO FILL IMPOSSIBLY LARGE SHOES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE AND FOR LOVING THIS CITY.
SO, SO WELL, BEFORE I GET TO ADJOURN US INTO THE HALLWAY FOR REFRESHMENTS, UM, THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND THE MICROPHONE TO ANYBODY IN HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY.
UM, OH, FIRST BEFORE I GET TO THAT, I'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
UM, WE HAVE, WE HAVE A PRO PROCLAMATION FOR YOU, MR. JESSUP, THAT TIA BAKER IS GOING TO READ FOR US.
SO I WAS GOING TO READ IT AND I WOULD BE HONORED TO READ IT.
UH, BUT I WOULD LIKE FOR RICK TO READ IT FOR YOU.
AND I AM TELLING YOU HE HAS TO READ IT, BY THE WAY.
SO YOU HAVE TO READ ALL THE WORDS.
SHE'S SAYING THIS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO SHRINK THE PAPER TO GET IT ONTO THE, THE PLAQUE
IT'S ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT SIX FONT
WHEREAS CHARLES D JESSUP IV, THE PILLAR OF OUR COMMUNITY, HAS BEEN AN INTEGRAL PART OF MEADOW'S PLACE SINCE THE ARRIVAL OF HIS FAMILY IN 1986, DEDICATING HIMSELF TO THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CITY.
AND WHEREAS HIS DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY SERVICE BEGAN WITH HIS INVOLVEMENT IN VARIOUS BOARDS, INCLUDING SOCCER, BASEBALL, AND SWIM TEAM.
AND WHEREAS HIS LEADERSHIP QUALITIES WERE RECOGNIZED BY THE RESIDENTS OF MEADOWS PLACE, WHO ELECTED HIM ALDERMAN PLACE, ONE ON MAY 4TH, 2002, MARKING THE BEGINNING OF A DISTINGUISHED JOURNEY IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
AND WHEREAS HIS EXCEPTIONAL, EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION AND COMMITMENT LED TO HIS APPOINTMENT AS MAYOR ON NOVEMBER 27TH, 2007, A TESTAMENT TO HIS VISION, LEADERSHIP, AND STEADFAST DEVOTION TO MEADOWS PLACE.
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AND WHEREAS MAYOR JESSUP'S VISION, LEADERSHIP, AND LEADERSHIP PLAYED PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE CREATION OF OUR AWARD-WINNING LAKE, UTILIZING RECLAIMED WATER TO IRRIGATE CITY PARKS, THUS EXEMPLIFYING AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.AND WHEREAS UNDER HIS STEWARDSHIP, MAYOR JESSOP HAS CONSISTENTLY RAISED HIS, THE STANDARDS OF MEADOWS PLACE ADVOCATING FOR PARK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES THAT FOSTERED UNITY AND BROUGHT THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN SHARED SPACES OF JOY AND FRIENDSHIP.
WHEREAS HIS SELFLESS SERVICE EXTENDS BEYOND THE BORDERS OF MEADOWS PLACE AS EVIDENCED BY HIS TENURE AS ON FORT BEND COUNTY MAYOR AND COUNCIL ASSOCIATION CHAIRMAN, WHERE HE CHAMPIONSHIP THE INTEREST OF SMALL CITIES AND CHALLENGE LEGISLATURE.
BARRIERS EMBODYING THE ESSENCE OF CIVIL RESPONSIBILITY AND ADVOCACY.
AND WHEREAS MAYOR JESSOP'S LEGACY AND DEDICATION, INTEGRITY AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THE WELFARE OF MEADOWS PLACE SHALL FOREVER BE ETCHED IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY, INSPIRING FUTURE GENERATIONS TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS AND UPHOLD THE VALUES OF SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT ON THIS DAY WE, THE CITY COUNCIL, STAFF, AND CITIZENS OF MEADOWS PLACE DO HEREBY EXTEND OUR HELPFUL GRATITUDE AND DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO CHARLES D JESSUP, THE FOURTH FOR HIS SELFLESS DEDICATION, VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, AND UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO MEADOWS PLACE, ONE SQUARE MILE OF WONDERFUL.
OKAY, NOW, BEFORE I GET TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING TO THE REFRESHMENTS IN THE HALLWAY, UM, THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND THE MICROPHONE TO ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THOUGHTS, SENTIMENTS, AND GRATITUDE TO MR. TO MR. JESSOP.
UH, UH, MY ONLY ASK IS THAT, UH, YOU BE MINDFUL OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM AND KEEP YOUR, KEEP YOUR THOUGHTS, SENTIMENTS AND GRATITUDE UNDER THREE MINUTES AND SHORT AND SWEET.
MAYOR GIEP, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEING SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AND I LOOKED UP TO HIM FOR A QUITE A FEW THINGS.
YOU ARE THE PERSON I AM I'VE BEEN LOOKING UP TO AND STILL I WILL BE LOOKING UP TO.
AND STILL I WILL GET YOUR, THAT SO NICE ADVICE THAT YOU'VE BEEN GIVING ME.
AND I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.
YOU LET THE CITY IN SUCH A FORM, THEN MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN HERE IS VERY HAPPY ABOUT YOU.
AND THEY'RE ALL I CAN SEE, THEY'RE ALL LITTLE BIT EMOTIONAL TOO.
LIKE ME MAYOR, WHO IS GOING TO GIMME THE RIDE
YOU KNOW? SO I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU, SIR.
AND YOU ARE MY MAYOR UP UP UNTIL MY END OF MY LIFE.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THAT'S, UH, MAYOR KEN MATTHEWS, CITY OF STAFFORD.
I'M, UH, COUNCILWOMAN WITH THE CITY OF STAFFORD.
AND IT HAS BEEN JUST SUCH A PLEASURE TO KNOW.
AND OUR, UM, LATE BELOVED MAYOR LEONARD SCARCELLA AND MAYOR JESSUP WORKED SO WELL TOGETHER.
THERE WERE, UH, A PARTNERSHIP THAT COULDN'T BE PULLED APART UNDER ANY MEANS.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF STAFFORD, THANK YOU
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FOR ALL OF THE LEADERSHIP, ESPECIALLY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL.YOU, UH, DROVE US TO NEW HEIGHTS, YOU DEFENDED US.
UH, YOU FOUGHT FOR OUR CAUSE BECAUSE, UH, UNITED, AS WE HAVE POINTED OUT SEVERAL TIMES, WE BECOME STRONGER.
AND THROUGH THE, UH, UNITING OF ALL THE CITIES, WHICH HE WAS THE CHAIR, WE MADE AMAZING CHANGES.
UM, IT, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS COME TO FRUITION, BUT WE WERE A VOICE.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE FOR, UH, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL FOR ALL OF, FOR BEND COUNTY MEADOWS PLACE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW MAYOR AND, UH, THE, UH, NEW OR RE RETURNING
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU AT, UH, THE NEXT MAYOR COUNCIL DINNER AND CONGRATULATIONS.
MY NAME IS ALICE CHEN STAFFORD CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.
I'M THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN WOMAN, WAS ELECTED AS CITY COUNCIL FOR STAFFORD SINCE 2019.
YOU UNDERSTAND, I'M THE FIRST ONE, FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN WOMAN.
SO WHEN I IN THE COUNCIL, I'M VERY NERVOUS, VERY SCARED.
NOBODY TEACH ME HOW TO BE A CITY COUNCIL, BUT I HAVE A PASSION TO SERVE.
AND I ALSO HAVE A VERY GOOD MENTOR, MAYOR ELLA, WHICH IS OUR MAYOR FOR 50 YEARS IN STAFFORD.
HE TAUGHT ME A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT THE CITY.
HE ACTUALLY ASKED ME TO RUN THE CITY COUNCIL LIKE 12 YEARS AGO.
I SAID, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO WAY.
BUT SOMEHOW IN 2019 I DECIDE TO RUN AND I WON THE ELECTION.
BUT THERE IS SO MANY, SO MANY THINGS HAPPEN IN OUR CITY.
YOU UNDERSTAND? MY MAYOR, LA MAYOR SCOTT PASSED AWAY IN 2020 WHEN HE PASSED THAT DAY.
I CALL OUR MAYOR JESS, BECAUSE I KNOW YOUR GOOD FRIEND OF MY, MY MAYOR, ALSO ANOTHER, ANOTHER MAYOR, GOOD FRIEND IS MAYOR ALLEN ING RIGHT HERE.
MAYOR ALLEN ING, MR. CITY, FORMER MAYOR.
ALL OF YOU COME TO, YOU KNOW, LIKE, TELL ME ALICE, WE'RE GONNA COME TO THE MAYOR FUNERAL BECAUSE MAYOR DECIDE TO HAVE A, THEIR FAMILY DECIDE TO HAVE A FUNERAL THREE DAYS AFTER HE PASSED.
SO ALL THE MAYOR FROM FOR BEND COUNTY ATTENDING HIS FUNERAL.
BUT ANOTHER THING, I WANNA SAY THIS, ALL THESE YEARS, SILVER CITY COUNCIL, WE HAVE SO MANY CHALLENGE IN OUR CITY.
YOU KNOW, BUDGET, PUBLIC WORK, PUBLIC SAFETY, ALL THESE, ALL THIS ISSUE, WHATEVER YOU HAVE IN THE CITY, WE HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
SO DO I NEED, DO I KNOW HOW TO CALL? I CALL YOU, I CALL MAYOR ALLEN OWING ALL THESE FORMER, FORMER, NOW YOU'RE A FORMER MAYOR, RIGHT? YOU'RE GONNA, I'M GONNA CALL YOU, OKAY? YES, SOMEBODY GOT
I JUST WANNA SHARE WITH YOU MY DEEP, UH, GRATITUDE TO YOU.
AND YOU ALSO EMAILED ME LAST WEEK AFTER I RUN MY THIRD TURN AS A CITY COUNCIL FOR STAFFORD.
SO HE, YOU EMAILED ME, ENCOURAGED ME.
AND ALSO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE TO NOT JUST YOUR CITY TO ENTIRE FOR BEND COUNTY.
AND FIRST I GOTTA SAY TO MAYOR MCGRATH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO START THAT JOURNEY BACK IN OH FOUR AND TO MAYOR JESSUP, NOT ONLY PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST MEN I'VE EVER MET, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF HIS UNDYING DEDICATION TO THE CITY BECAUSE I CAME AND LIVED HERE FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS IN LAW SCHOOL.
AND WHAT I'VE SEEN THE TRANSITION AND THE GROWTH AND THE PROSPERITY HERE AND THE FAMILY THAT THIS HAS BECOME, THAT'S WHAT I'M MOST PROUD OF.
AND I KNOW MAYOR AND I PRETTY MUCH EYE TO EYE ON EVERYTHING.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE HIS FAITH, HIS DEDICATION, NOT ONLY TO HIS FAMILY, BUT TO THE CITY AND TO GOD.
HE AND I WOULD, I WOULD LEAVE AND I'D SAY, MY WIFE WOULD SAY, WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG? WELL, I SAW TALK WITH THE MAYOR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS WE LEARNED IN THE MAGE OR THE, THE JEWISH BIBLE.
AND HE HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO ME TO WORK HARD.
HE'S AN INSPIRATION TO EVERYBODY.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT EVERYBODY REALIZES HOW FORTUNATE YOU WERE TO HAVE HIM RUN IN THIS CITY FOR SO LONG.
CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU TOO FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSISTENTLY COME BACK HERE EVERY TWO YEARS TO SERVE
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AS YOUR JUDGE.BUT MAYOR JESSUP, IT'S A SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP EVERYBODY ELSE ENJOYS WITH YOU.
AND I FEEL HONORED THAT YOU AND I CROSSED PATHS AND BECAME FRIENDS OVER ALL THESE YEARS.
AND MAYOR, I'LL ONLY TAKE TWO MINUTES 'CAUSE YOU WERE NICE ENOUGH THE LAST TIME I APPEARED TO TELL ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CITY OF THE MEADOWS.
BUT HEARING WHAT THE LAST SPEAKER JUST SAID, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE 1400 ACRES WAS ACQUIRED BY SHAR IN THE LATE SIXTIES, THEY WERE SURROUNDED BY THE CITY OF STAFFORD, CITY OF SUGAR LAND CITY OF HOUSTON, AND THE CITY OF, OF MISSOURI CITY, UH, TONY JIA, ALTHOUGH SCAR, ONCE ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF THIS CITY, AND BECAUSE WE HAD TO PULL TOGETHER FROM TRANSPORTATION, UTILITIES, AND EVERYTHING, BUT WHAT THE CITY OF THE MEADOWS HAD WAS THE BEGINNING OF A SPECIAL CITY, A SPECIAL PEOPLE.
AND THEY STARTED THEIR OWN FROM AN OKRA PATCH.
YOU DIDN'T START FROM WHAT, WHAT ALL THIS OTHERS DID.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU COME FROM THE ROOTS OF SOMETHING AND YOU COME FROM SOMETHING SO REAL TO PEOPLE COMING IN HERE AND THEY'RE OUTSIDERS, BUT YET THEY'RE INSIDERS.
I'VE KNOWN ALL THE MAYORS THROUGH THE YEARS AND YOU KNOW, THEY GET, EACH MAYOR GETS BETTER BECAUSE HE LEARNS FROM THE MISTAKES OF THE OTHER MAYOR
WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE YOU, THE PARTICIPANTS AND ALL OF THE, IN THIS COMMUNITY, YOU STAND TALL AND REMEMBER, OLD MAYORS NEVER REALLY DIE.
BUT ALL RIGHT, CHARLIE, YOU KNEW I'D HAVE TO BE HERE.
YOU KNOW, I, I WAS AFRAID CHARLIE WAS GONNA TRY TO OUTDO MY 32 YEARS IN OFFICE, BUT HE STOPPED
WELL, LEMME JUST TELL YOU WHAT YOU KNOW, I CHAIRED THE FORT BEND MAYOR AND COUNCIL ASSOCIATION FOR 24 YEARS, AND WHEN I GOT OUT OF OFFICE, THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON THAT I KNEW COULD HANDLE THAT JOB.
AND HE'S SITTING, SITTING RIGHT THERE, AND HE IS DONE A GREAT JOB WITH IT.
Y'ALL DO KNOW HE IS A MINISTER.
NO, YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, DID YOU? YEAH.
ARE YOU STILL A CERTIFIED MINISTER? YEAH,
YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, DID YOU? YEAH.
ANYWAY, CHARLIE, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE FOR ME TO HAVE BEEN YOUR FRIEND AND WORKED WITH YOU OVER THE YEARS AND GO INTO ALL THE MAYOR FUNCTIONS AND DOING THAT.
YOU'VE DONE AN EXEMPLARY JOB IN THE CITY OF THIS ONE SQUARE MILE.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I HEARD THAT CITY OF MEADOWS PLAYED ONE SQUARE MILE?
OKAY, BUT I TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S, IT'S A GREAT ONE SQUARE MILE.
AND THIS CITY IS GONNA MISS YOUR LEADERSHIP.
I'M NOT GONNA MISS YOUR FRIENDSHIP BECAUSE, UH, WE'RE GONNA STAY FRIENDS AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THINGS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S LIFE AFTER POLITICS.
THERE'S LA THERE'S LIFE AFTER BEING A MAYOR.
I HAVE FOUND THAT OUT AND OTHERS HAVE TOO, AND YOU WILL TOO.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU MAYOR.
HE'LL GIVE YOU MY TELEPHONE NUMBER.
UM, MY NAME'S MARK, MARK MCGRATH AND I LIVE ON BRIGHTON, UM,
I'VE KNOWN CHARLIE JESSOP FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
WE, UH, WE FIRST, UH, MET EACH OTHER AT MEADOWS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE OUR KIDS ATTENDED TOGETHER AND WE ALSO PARTICIPATED IN MEADOWS ALL PLAY BASEBALL.
CHARLIE WAS A COACH AND LIKE EVERYTHING CHARLIE DID, HE PUT A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM INTO COACHING TO THE POINT THAT LEGEND HAS IT THAT CHARLIE'S WIFE, ELAINE WOULD KNOW WHEN BASEBALL PRACTICE WAS OVER WHEN SHE COULDN'T HEAR CHARLIE YELLING FROM THE FIELD ANYMORE.
BUT THAT, THAT'S JUST ALLEGED, RIGHT?
UH, AND, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THANKS FOR THE COMMENTS TO BOTH YOU AND THE JUDGE AND, UH, SAY CONGRATULATIONS.
AND, AND THANK YOU BECAUSE CHARLIE, WITH THAT ENTHUSIASM HAS ALWAYS BEEN AND WILL ALWAYS
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BE THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER THIS CITY HAS EVER KNOWN OR EVER WILL KNOW.AND FOR THAT, SIR, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
THIS I AM PROUD, PROUD TO LIVE IN THE CITY OF MEADOWS PLACE AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT TO DO WITH THAT PEACE.
HELLO, COUNSEL, NICK AND COURTNEY, JUDGE, MAYOR JESS.
THIS MAN RIGHT HERE, UM, HAS IMPARTED IN ME SO MUCH.
UM, HE HAD FAITH IN ME WHEN I DID IT.
HE ENCOURAGED ME WHEN I NEEDED IT AND PRAYED FOR ME.
UM, OH LORD, I BET Y'ALL MISS THIS, RIGHT?
UM, MAYOR, YOU'VE BEEN A LIGHT IN MY LIFE AND I APPRECIATE YOU VERY MUCH.
AND MAYOR, I'VE ONLY WORKED WITH YOU FOR 22 YEARS, SO WE'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME MOUNTAINS TOGETHER AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND IT WAS WELL SAID EARLIER ABOUT YOU BEING THE BIGGEST CHEERLEADER FOR THIS CITY.
THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT EVERYBODY IN FORT BEND COUNTY KNOWS YOU EVERYWHERE I GO, HOW'S YOUR MAYOR? HOW'S MAYOR JESSUP? AND THAT'S AN HONOR AND PRIVILEGE WHEN I'M OUT THERE SERVING WITH THESE OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND CHIEFS.
UH, YOU DID SAY EARLIER YOU HAD SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL.
BUT YOU'LL HAVE GREAT SUPPORT FROM THIS GREAT TEAM HERE AND THIS COUNCIL.
MAYOR, I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL THAT YOU'VE DONE HERE FOR ME PERSONALLY AS WELL.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ALMOST.
I'M WAY TOO EMOTIONAL RIGHT NOW.
YOU TRULY ARE A LIGHT IN OUR LIVES AND WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO WORK WITH YOU AND KNOW YOU AND ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
PRAY FOR US, PRAY WITH US, AND JUST GREAT LEADERSHIP.
WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO THAT WE FOUND OUR WAY TO MEADOW'S PLACE.
I THANK GOD FOR BRINGING ME HERE, FOR KNOWING YOU AND LETTING ME BECOME A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.
THAT BEING SAID, YOU COULDN'T HAVE DONE ALL YOU DID WITHOUT THAT WOMAN BY YOUR SIDE,
WE ALL, WE ALL KNOW, YOU PUT IN WAY OVER 40 HOURS UP HERE A WEEK ON YOUR WEEKENDS, ON VACATION.
AND ELAINE, WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE FOR STAFF AND THE CITIZENS MEADOWS PLACE AND ALL THAT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY DID TO HELP HIM BE THE AMAZING MAYOR HE WAS.
AND WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
LET'S GO ENJOY THE REFRESHMENTS IN THE HALLWAY.