Jun 18, 2025 Special City Council

>> COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD? AYE.

>> COUNCILMEMBER CLARK? NO AND COUNCILMEMBER KOLAR?

[5.1. Recognition of outgoing Councilmember Amberley Kolar. ]

>> YES. >> MOTION PASSES, 6-0. UP NEXT, 5.1, RECOGNITION OF OUTGOING COUNCILMEMBER AMBERLEY KOLAR.

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS MATT JANOWSKI, I AM THE ACTING CITY MANAGER WHILE OUR MANAGER IS OUT. WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUTGOING COUNCILMEMBER AMBERLEY KOLAR. COULD YOU JUST REMIND EVERYONE WHAT BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OR WHATEVER BOARDS YOU SERVED ON DURING YOUR TIME AS A COUNCILMEMBER? THAT YOU

RECALL? >> THAT I RECALL? ALSO SERVED ON TURNER'S NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS THE MEGA SITE, AND NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS THE CO-OP. I AM HOPING TO CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THOSE BOARDS, THE LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE BOARDS TO MAINTAIN A QUORUM, AND JUST WITH THE EXPERIENCE OF THAT, PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY, AS WE ARE GROWING, SO THAT WE CAN -- SORRY, I'M GETTING DISTRACTED, HERE. BUT, SO, I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THOSE BOARDS, AND I WAS THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD LIAISON WHEN I FIRST GOT STARTED. IT WAS GREAT, WHENEVER THE PARKS ADVISORY BOARD TOOK THAT LEAP OF FAITH TO INVEST IN FRUITS PARK AND THE RENOVATIONS, THERE. SO, IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE BOARD KIND OF STEPPED OUT AND WANT TO DO THESE THINGS, BECAUSE IT WAS KIND OF HELD BACK FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND THEY PUSHED IT TO COUNCIL, IT WAS APPROVED, AND NOW IT IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND MOVING

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FORWARD. SO, HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR, OR NEXT YEAR, TIMELINE, IT WILL BE DONE, RENOVATED, AND BEAUTIFUL. SO,

THANK YOU. >> SO, I HAVE A STATEMENT HERE I WOULD LIKE TO READ. WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMEMBER KOLAR FOR HER DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HUTTO, SHE SERVED OUR CITY WITH THE LAST THREE YEARS WITH INTEGRITY, AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO DOING WHAT IS BEST FOR HUTTO. YOU HAVE BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE, A COLLABORATIVE PARTNER, AND A STEADY PRESENCE THROUGH A TIME OF MEANINGFUL GROWTH AND CHANGE. YOUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, COLLABORATION, AND PROGRESS HAS LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY, SO ON BEHALF OF THE CITY STAFF, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE. WE WISH YOU THE VERY BEST IN YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVORS AND KNOW THAT YOUR LEGACY WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE THOSE WHO SERVE AFTER YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR OUTSTANDING

CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY. >> THANK YOU.

>> PICTURE, AND SOME FLOWERS, AS WELL, WHEN YOU GET YOUR NAMEPLATE. SO, WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE AT THE PLAQUE.

>> AND -- DO I READ? A GRATEFUL APPRECIATION FOR YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE RESIDENCE OF HUTTO, THANK YOU ALL, SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. I JUST WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS. I WISH THE BEST FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL. GOOD LUCK, IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS. IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE SERVING THE RESIDENTS OF HUTTO. OH, I'M GETTING EMOTIONAL, SO -- BUT, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR TRUSTING ME FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD. I WILL STILL BE A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR OUR FACILITIES IN THE CITY. OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT NEED FACILITIES, DESPERATELY. I WILL CONTINUE TO BE A VOICE AND AN ADVOCATE FOR THAT. WE HAVE A GREAT POLICE DEPARTMENT.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THE GREAT WORK THEY DO IN THIS COMMUNITY. ALSO, OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, A LOT OF THAT IS A SIGHT UNSEEN.

IT IS LITERALLY WHAT IS IN THE GROUND -- THE WATER, THE WASTEWATER, THE ROADS. EVERYBODY ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THE ROADS. BUT, IF YOU JUST FORGET ABOUT THE ROADS FOR A SECOND, THAT IS YOUR WATER AND YOUR WASTEWATER. THEY ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THIS COMMUNITY, AND SO I WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THE PD AND THE PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY. ALSO, ONE OF OUR -- WHENEVER I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, THERE WERE THREE WOMEN, THEN THE NEXT YEAR, TWO WOMEN, THEN FINALLY, MYSELF. AND NOW, ZERO. SO, IF YOU ARE A WOMAN IN THIS COMMUNITY, YOU ARE AMAZING, YOU HAVE THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, I ASK THAT YOU STEP UP. I WILL HELP YOU, I WILL ADVOCATE FOR YOU IN THE FUTURE, AND I WANT YOU TO STEP UP AND ADVOCATE FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, IN THIS COMMUNITY, FOR YOUR FAMILY, FOR THE FUTURE, AND JUST REACH OUT TO ME. MY PHONE NUMBER IS ON MY WEBSITE, ON MY FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK MESSAGE ME. BUT, PLEASE, JUST REACH OUT, AND I WILL SUPPORT YOU IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN. THANK YOU.

>> DOING THIS, I GOT TO KNOW AMBERLEY PROBABLY MORE IN THE PAST MONTH AND A HALF, TWO MONTHS, AND REALLY GOT TO KNOW HER ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, REALLY LEARNED A LOT ABOUT HER, ALWAYS HAD A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HER. IF I STEPPED OUT OF LINE, SHE HAD NO PROBLEM, PULLED ME TO THE SIDE, AND SHARED WITH ME HOW SHE FELT. I ALWAYS APPRECIATED THAT. SO, I DO HOPE SHE STAYS INVOLVED, BECAUSE I'M GOING TO MISS WORKING WITH HER AND NOW THAT I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW HER AND HER HUSBAND BETTER, I HOPE I CAN STILL MEET WITH THEM. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL MOVE ON

[5.2. Conduct Oath of Office for Councilmember Place 3 and Councilmember Place 6. (Judge Wilson)]

TO ITEM 5.2. CONDUCT OATH OF OFFICE FOR COUNCILMEMBER PLACE 3

AND COUNCILMEMBER PLACE 6. >> COUNCIL MEMBERS?

>> HE WANTS TO MOVE HERE? >> JIM CAME RUNNING UP HERE. I

DROPPED MY -- >> TO MY LEFT.

>> ALL RIGHT. >> YES, SIR.

>> ALL RIGHT, READY? >> YES, SIR.

[00:10:01]

>> WILL YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME?

I, STATE YOUR NAME -- >> I, JIM MORRIS --

>> DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR -- >> DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR --

>> THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES --

>> I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES --

>> OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER PLACE 3 --

>> FOR THE CITY OF HUTTO -- >> FOR THE CITY OF HUTTO --

>> AND FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS --

>> AND FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS -- >> AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY

ABILITY -- >> IT WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY

ABILITY -- >> PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND

-- >> PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND

-- >> THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS --

>> THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS --

>> OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE --

>> SO HELP ME GOD. >> TO HELP ME GOD.

>> JIM, DO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS?

>> I GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL, AND I DO APPRECIATE MS. KOLAR'S DEDICATION. IT TAKES A FAMILY TO SUPPORT THAT, AND MR. CLARK, WHO IS NOT HERE. I GUESS THAT IS THE ELECTION ENGINEERING SEAT? I DON'T KNOW. BUT, ANYWAY, THIS MEANS A LOT TO ME, AND IT ALSO MEANS A LOT TO SEE PEOPLE OUT HERE, AND THE PEOPLE I HAVE MET SPECIFICALLY SINCE THIS ELECTION CYCLE, BUT OVER -- YOU KNOW, MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 2008, AND I DO NOT TAKE THIS LIGHTLY. THIS MEANS SOMETHING TO ME. AND MY -- I ALWAYS LEARNED IN MY CAREER, YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR BOSSES, YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR CUSTOMERS, AND Y'ALL ARE MY BOSSES AND Y'ALL ARE MY CUSTOMERS. AND I WANT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS I POSSIBLY CAN.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY ABOUT HOLDING PEOPLE, OR COUNCIL, OR ENTITIES ACCOUNTABLE -- THAT DOESN'T MATTER. I WANT Y'ALL TO HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE. I AM STILL USING A CAMPAIGN EMAIL RIGHT NOW, JIMMORRISPLACE3@GMAIL .COM, BUT I MIGHT NEED TO CHANGE SOME THINGS BECAUSE I AM ON THE DAIS, I AM ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

AND I JUST WANT TO REPEAT, HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE, THAT IS THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE GREEN. WHATEVER Y'ALL THINK, I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. I CAN'T ADVOCATE FOR ANY INDIVIDUALS, NECESSARILY, BUT I CAN TRY TO STEER YOU TO MY 13 YEARS VOLUNTEERING WITH NUMEROUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND GROWING UP REALLY JUST 24 MILES FROM HERE. SPENT MY ENTIRE ADOLESCENCE, AND GROWING UP IN COLLEGE YEARS, MOST OF MY CAREER, HERE IN NORTH AUSTIN. AGAIN, I CAN'T -- I AM OVERWHELMED. THIS MEANS SOMETHING TO ME. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME, AND I WILL NOT TAKE THIS LIGHTLY. I HAVEN'T BEEN, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU. >> I HAD YOU ON A TWO MINUTE --

>> I KNOW.

>> PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME. I, STATE

YOUR NAME -- >> I, AARON KANE --

>> DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR -- >> DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR --

>> THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES --

>> OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER PLACE 6 --

>> OF THE OFFICE OF COUNCILMEMBER PLACE 6 --

>> FOR THE CITY OF HUTTO -- >> FOR THE CITY OF HUTTO --

>> AND FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS --

>> AND THE STATE OF TEXAS -- >> AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY

ABILITY -- >> WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY -- PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND --

>> PRESERVE, PROTECT, AND DEFEND --

>> THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS --

>> OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE --

>> SO HELP ME GOD. >> SO HELP ME GOD.

>> CONGRATULATIONS, SIR. >>

>> WOW, I'M SPEECHLESS. I ECHO WHAT JIM JUST SAID. I DON'T TAKE THIS POSITION LIGHTLY. AND I THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU, FOR YOUR SUPPORT. AMBERLEY, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR

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THE CITY, AND I HOPE THAT I CAN DO IT, AS WELL. THANK YOU, FOR THE PRAYERS THAT I HAVE RECEIVED FROM MY FAMILY OF FAITH. I THANK YOU FOR THE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT. I LOOK AT DOING WHAT I CAN WITH WORKING IN HARMONY WITH THE DAIS, TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITIZENS, FOR THE RESIDENCE OF HUTTO. SO, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING ALL OF

YOU. THANK YOU. >>

[6.1. Consideration and possible action regarding possible appointments, re-appointments and/or removals to City Boards, Commissions, Task Forces, Economic Development Corporations, Local Government Corporations and Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone Boards, and Area Government appointments.]

>> ALL RIGHT, NEXT, THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM 6.1, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING POSSIBLE APPOINTMENTS, REAPPOINTMENTS, AND/OR REMOVALS TO CITY BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, TASK FORCES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS AND TAX INCREMENT REINVESTMENT ZONE BOARDS, AND AREA GOVERNMENT REAPPOINTMENTS.

>> MAYOR, WE HAVE NO UPDATES TO THIS TIME, THAT I AM AWARE OF.

OTHER THAN, I WILL SAY, BECAUSE THIS ELECTION, WE HAVE HAD SOME CHANGES, SO AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE PERSON UP HERE THAT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT HE WAS, PREVIOUSLY. SO, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO ONLINE AND FIND WHICH ONES -- WE DO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF AVAILABILITY FOR YOU TO SERVE -- AND WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU, SO GET YOUR APPLICATIONS IN AND WE WILL REACH OUT. THAT IS ALL I HAVE RIGHT NOW, MAYOR.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU. IF THERE IS NO OBJECTIONS, I WILL ASK TO MOVE ITEM 7.16 UP, NEXT. HEARING ON, WE WILL GO TO ITEM 7.16.

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE FORMATION OF THE EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION. SO, I ASKED THAT THIS ITEM BE ON THE AGENDA -- I HEARD FROM A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC THAT WANTED TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE -- HAVE THEIR CONCERNS MORE BETTER ADDRESSED, AND THE IDEA OF AN COMMISSION THAT CAME UP SO THEY CAN GIVE IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF HOW WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB BUDGETING SOME OF THE THINGS, EFFICIENCIES THAT ARE HAPPENING -- OR MAYBE INEFFICIENCIES THAT ARE HAPPENING, THAT YOU SEE -- SO, LOOKING FOR DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL. IF THERE IS OBJECTIONS, TO CREATING SOME FOR OF ORDER OR COMMISSION, LIKE WE HAVE WITH THE OTHER ONES, SO WE CAN TASK THEM WITH EITHER GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET, LOOKING AT CERTAIN THINGS, LOOKING AT PROJECTS THAT WE HAD. A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES THAT COME TO THE TOP OF MY MIND THAT MAY BE A LITTLE INEFFICIENT, A 200 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS STOCK BID IN AT COTTONWOOD, THAT IS ONLY GOOD FOR ANOTHER THREE, FOUR MONTHS BEFORE WE TEAR IT DOWN AND PUT ANOTHER ONE IN AND SOME CALL THAT INEFFICIENT. WE HAVE SOME SORT OF AFTER COMPLETION DEAL WE NEED TO LOOK AT, WHEN IT COMES TO 1660 AND LUMBER. THAT PROJECT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMPLETED. I THINK THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE SAID SEPTEMBER, AND WE ARE NINE MONTHS PAST THE ALREADY DEADLINE. SO, WITH ALL OF THESE INEFFICIENCIES, WHAT I AM HEARING FROM PEOPLE IS, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME, THEY WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT IT, THEY WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH STAFF, THEY WOULD LIKE TO DIG INTO THAT STUFF AND BRING BACK RECOMMENDATIONS TO US, TO HELP DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER ON WAYS THAT MAYBE SOME OF THESE PROJECTS CAN GET DONE QUICKER, WAYS THAT THINGS CAN GET DONE MORE EFFICIENTLY. SO, THAT IS REALLY WHY I BROUGHT THIS ITEM UP FOR DISCUSSION.

>> SINCE MY NAME IS ON THERE, DO I GET TO SPEAK WITHOUT A MOTION? GUESS THE THIRD WORD, "ACCOUNTABILITY," GETTING THE PUBLIC INVOLVED IN WHAT WE ARE DOING. THE BOARDS COMMISSIONS ARE A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. THEY ARE A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN WHAT WE DO, HERE AT THE CITY. WHAT YOUR COUNCIL DOES, WHAT STAFF DOES, WHAT IS GOING ON, HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED, AND HOW YOU CAN HELP SHAPE THAT, IN FACT. SO, FOR ME, THE EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION IS JUST THAT. IT IS A COMMISSION -- WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, ANYWAY, I SUPPOSE WE WOULD HAVE TO FORM IT BEFORE WE DIAL IT IN -- BUT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PUBLIC GET INVOLVED. YOU KNOW, KEEP ACCOUNTABILITY NOT ONLY FOR STAFF, BUT FOR COUNCIL. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR PENCILS SHARP AND OUR BELTS TIGHT. SO, MY ASK IS THAT IF WE FORM THIS, THAT YOU WOULD BE INVOLVED. SO, LIKE MAYOR SAID,

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YOU WOULD BE INVOLVED IN YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE ARE DOING. "WHY IS THIS NOT GET IT DONE? WHY IS THIS GETTING DONE? ARE THERE THINGS WE HAVE LEARNED POSITIVELY FROM, INEFFICIENCIES? HOW CAN YOU HOLD US, AS A COUNCIL, MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, AS WELL?" SO, FOR ME, IT IS JUST GETTING THE PUBLIC INVOLVED, GETTING THEM -- I AM GOING TO USE THE WORD NOBODY LIKES -- GETTING THEM MORE INTO THE WEEDS, BECAUSE YOU WILL HAVE TO KEEP TABS ON US, TOO. SO, THAT IS REALLY KIND OF WHAT I AM HOPING TO SEE FROM THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM THAT, IF WE WERE TO FORM THIS COMMISSION TONIGHT.

>> ALL RIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? OR, MOTIONS?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO -- WHATEVER THE WORDING NEEDS TO BE -- MAKE A MOTION FOR THE FORMATION OF THE EFFICIENCY AND

ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION. >> I WILL SECOND THAT.

>> DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? >> SO, ON THE ACTION ON THIS, I WOULD ASSUME WE WOULD BE DIRECTING STAFF TO CUT OUT, LOOK AT WHAT THE PARAMETERS WOULD BE, BRING RECOMMENDATIONS BACK TO COUNCIL, ON HOW MANY MEMBERS, HOW LONG THEY WOULD SERVE? I ASSUME IT WOULD BE A SEVEN MEMBER --

>> YEAH, IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO OUR OTHER COMMISSIONS. YES, YOUR

HONOR. >> AND THEN, STAFF COULD JUST BRING US BACK TO RECOMMENDATION AND WE CAN TWEAK IT FROM THERE?

>> IF WE NEED TO ADD THAT LANGUAGE TO THE MOTION.

>> YEAH, I LIKE THE IDEA. I THINK THE MORE THAT CITIZENS CAN GET INVOLVED OUTSIDE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ACTUALLY WORK, I THINK IS AWESOME. I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, TO WHERE CITIZENS CAN THEN JUST JUMP IN AND REALLY KIND OF SEE -- THEY CAN SEE HOW THE SAUSAGE IS MADE, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE TRY TO DO THAT, SOMETIMES, UP HERE ON THE DAIS. I DON'T KNOW IF I AGREE WITH THAT ALL THE TIME. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO -- COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD'S COMMENT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IS WHAT THE CITIZENS NEED TO DO IS GET INTO THOSE MEATS AND FIGURE OUT, HEY, HERE ARE SOME THINGS WE SEE, THAT COULD BE DONE DIFFERENTLY. I LIKE IT. YEAH. THAT'S GREAT.

>> OTHER DISCUSSION? >> YES, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER GORDON. HOW ARE WE DEFINING THE VISION, DIRECTION? ALL THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS HAVE A SORT OF DIRECTION. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS THE RIGHT WAY TO SORT OF FRIEND THAT POINT ON PAR. BUT, I MEAN, IS THAT GOING TO BE DONE -- IS THERE A MOTION TO DO THAT? OR --

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK -- I MEAN, MAYOR, UNLESS -- CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, OR CITY ATTORNEY -- BUT, I THINK WE, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO, WHO? THE CITY ATTORNEY? JUST SAY, "HERE ARE SOME IDEAS I HAVE, OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE INCORPORATED?" WOULD THAT BE APPROPRIATE?

>> TYPICALLY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION, THAT IS CREATED BY STATE LAW SO THEY HAVE DEFINED DUTIES. THESE WOULD BE DEFINED DUTIES BY THE CITY COUNCIL, AND YOU WOULD THINK OF AN OVERALL VISION OR CHARGE FOR THIS COMMITTEE. YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS, EACH COUNCILMEMBER A POINT A MEMBER, CITY STAFF WILL BRING BACK SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.

I WOULD RECOMMEND FORMING THIS BY RESOLUTION. SO, IF YOU EVER DECIDE TO SUNSET IT, IT WOULD BE EASIER THAN FORMING IT BY AN

ORDINANCE. >> YEAH, IT'S -- THAT'S A GREAT POINT. I LIKE THE RESOLUTION IDEA, I LIKE THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNCILMEMBER -- I DON'T ANTICIPATE THIS TO BE AN ITEM -- WHEN I TALKED TO MATT AND DOTTIE ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT ARE ON HERE, I'M NOT EXPECTING A DECISION TO BE MADE TODAY. WHAT I'M EXPECTING OR HOPING FOR IS A DECISION TO MOVE THE DISCUSSION FORWARD TO WHERE WITHIN A MONTH OR TWO, WE ARE GOING TO SEE, HOPEFULLY, A COUPLE OF DRAFTS OF WHERE STAFF IS LIKE -- YOU KNOW, STAFF KNOWS IS A LOT BETTER THAN THEY THINK THEY KNOW US. I SAID, "MATT, ARE YOU SURPRISED BY ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA?" HE SAID, "NOT REALLY, BASED ON DISCUSSIONS YOU HAVE HAD ON THE DAIS." SO, I THINK IT STARTS WITH WHAT STAFF SEES AND WE CAN ADJUST THAT FOR A LITTLE BIT. FOR A COUPLE YEARS -- I HAVE BROUGHT IT UP FOR YEARS -- THAT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF AUDITOR POSITION AND MAYBE THIS COMMISSION COULD EVEN HANDLE SOME OF THAT, TO WHERE SOMEBODY COULD GO THROUGH AND CHECK FOR -- INSTEAD OF A COUNCILMEMBER OR A MAYOR SAYING, "I WOULD LIKE TO SEE EVERYBODY'S EXPENSE REPORTS," THAT BECOMES PERSONAL, POLITICAL. BUT, IF THE ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION IS LIKE, "HEY, WE WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THESE TWICE A YEAR TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS FOLLOWING

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THE RULES," THAT SAVES US A POSITION AND MAYBE THERE IS A LITTLE FEAR IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND WHEN I GO OUT AND TRY TO SPEND MONEY -- AM I SPENDING IT IN A WAY THAT THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND EFFICIENCY COMMISSION IS GOING TO APPROVE OF? AND SO, I AM JUST LOOKING AT SOME THINGS LIKE THAT. WHETHER -- I'M OPEN TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS. AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A GOOD CHANCE FOR THE PUBLIC TO ALSO SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT? HERE'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, ALSO." AND YOU CAN COMMUNICATE THAT, AS WELL, SO IT IS NOT A MY THING, HOW ARE THINGS IN TERMS OF THE COUNCIL, IT IS AN HOUR THING IN TERMS OF THE COMMUNITY. ONE OF THE FIRST -- I WAS ASKED TODAY, DO I KNOW ANY OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS? AND I DON'T. THE OTHER THING I SAID IS, I DON'T WANTED TO BE LIKE WHAT THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS A WASTE OF TIME AND THAT IS MORE POLITICAL. I AM LOOKING FOR REAL CHANGE, AND REAL COLLABORATION -- CHANGES BEING MADE THROUGH COLLABORATION, NOT JUST BASED ON SOME SIMPLE IDEOLOGY, BUT SOMETHING THAT IS ALL SOMETHING WE AGREE ON, MOVING FORWARD. A COUPLE REVISIONS, THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING.

>> YEAH, AND I THINK WITH THAT CONTEXT, THIS GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR. I DO LIKE BE HAVING SOME CITIZEN INPUT ON, HOW CAN WE DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT BETTER? WHERE WE ARE LACKING, POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE SEEING SOME BLIND SPOTS? SO, I DO LIKE THE FORMATION OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO, YOU KNOW, HELP US OUT WITH EFFICIENCY ON PROJECTS, AND EFFICIENCY ON OTHER ENTITIES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE THE PARAMETERS THAT STAFF WOULD COME BACK WITH AN KIND OF RAIN THAT WAS IN, BUT I THINK ON THE OUTSET, THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. SO, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.

>> ALL RIGHT, HERE NO OTHER DISCUSSION, PLEASE CALL THE

VOTE? >> COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON?

>> AYE. >> COUNCIL MEMBER MORRIS?

>> AYE. >> MAYOR PRO TEM GORDON ?

[7.1. Discussion and possible action on a Resolution for the 2025/2026 budget year as a No New Revenue budget focusing on infrastructure. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

>> AYE. >> MOTION PASSES, 7-0. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA 7.1, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE RESOLUTION FOR THE 2025-2026 BUDGET YEAR AS A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, FOCUSING ON THEM FOR STRUCTURE. I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO START RATHER THAN STAFF WORKING ALL SUMMER, NOT KNOWING THE DIRECTION, WE HAD THE DISCUSSION AT THE BUDGET CYCLE SO WE ARE NOT ARGUING IN SEPTEMBER SO WE CAN SPEND OUR SUMMER CONSTRUCTIVELY AGAIN COLLABORATING ON BUDGET FOR THE CITY, TAXING THE RESIDENCE, AND APPROPRIATING THE MONEY THE WAY

WE NEED TO. >> YEAH, I WOULD AGREE. I THINK WHAT WOULD HELP IN THE FUTURE, FOR EFFICIENCY, FOR EFFICIENCY SAKE, IS TO GIVE THE CITY MANAGER CLEAR DIRECTION AHEAD OF TIME. WE DON'T NEED TO SPIN OUR WHEELS AND WASTE TIME. WE NEED TO BE EFFICIENT AND GET THINGS DONE. YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THE MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL WOULD AGREE WITH ME ON REVENUE, BUT I CERTAINLY DO. I THINK THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO START. I AM NOT SAYING WE ARE GOING TO BE THERE EVERY YEAR, OR THAT WE NEED TO BE. BUT, I DEFINITELY THINK WE NEED TO START OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND GIVE CITY MANAGER SOMETHING TO FOCUS ON, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD, AS QUICKLY AND CONCISELY AS POSSIBLE.

>> YEAH, I WON'T BE VOTING FOR THIS. I THINK WITHOUT A BUDGET IN FRONT OF US AND WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING, FROM THE CITY MANAGER, WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE CITY ARE, HOW MUCH THOSE NEEDS ARE GOING TO COST, THIS IS EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE, TO BE DECIDING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, NOW. SO, THOSE ARE MY THOUGHTS, I JUST WON'T BE VOTING FOR THIS.

>> IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS, BEFORE WE ENTERTAIN A MOTION? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THIS ITEM.

>> MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION FOR THE 2025-2026 BUDGET YEAR AS A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, FOCUSING ON THEM FOR STRUCTURE.

>> DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND.

>> SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER KING, I MIGHT HAVE TO CALL YOU BY THE FIRST NAME FOR A WHILE. ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION?

>> YEAH, SO, I UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE VOTING ON IS TO HAVE STAFF BRING BACK A RESOLUTION, AND THEN THE RESOLUTION WOULD HAVE KIND OF THE WORDING OF, YOU KNOW -- WHAT WOULD THE WORDING BE? THAT WE ARE DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO CREATE A BUDGET THAT IS BASED OFF NO NEW REVENUE? IS THAT THE ASK?

>> I THINK IT IS MORE OF, WHEN YOU HAVE MY RESOLUTION, YOU ARE MAKING A STATEMENT OF POLICY ORDINANCES OR STATEMENTS OF LAW.

SO, THIS ONE WOULD BE A POLICY STATEMENT. I DON'T THINK IT IS MEANT TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER. I THINK IT IS YOUR OVERALL POLICY STATEMENT, YOUR GOAL IN THE BUDGET, NO NEW

[00:30:02]

REVENUE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN, IF NEEDS COME UP DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS AND CITY MANAGER HAS AN ITEM WERE COUNCIL FEELS IT IS JUSTIFIED, YOU ARE STILL WITHIN YOUR STATE LAW RIGHTS TO KNOW YOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF REVENUES.

>> OKAY, SO, THE RESOLUTION IS COUNCIL, OR TELEGRAPHING, OR MESSAGING TO YOU, CITY MANAGER, THAT WE WANT YOU TO START

DEFAULT AT NEW REVENUE?" >> THE POLICY IS, NO NEW REVENUE, FOCUSING ON INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S HELPFUL.

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY. I DON'T THINK "RESOLUTIONS" IS ANYTHING MORE THAN STATEMENTS OF THE COUNCIL, AND AFTER THE STATEMENT IS MADE, THINGS CAN COME UP, WE CAN CHANGE OUR MIND. WE CAN SEE OTHER THINGS WE NEEDED TO DO.

THERE IS A LOT OF AVENUES. BUT, I LOOK AT IT AS JUST A STATEMENT

TO GET STARTED ON THE PATH. >> ALL RIGHT.

>> YEP, FOR ME, AT LEAST FOR NOW, I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS. I MEAN, I AM JUST CONCERNED THAT WE ARE LIMITING THE CITY MANAGER, TELLING HIM, BASICALLY, "HEY, WE EXPECT NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET," EVEN IF HE -- I MEAN, AS LONG AS HE HAS THE FREEDOM TO SAY, "HEY, I BUILT A NO REVENUE BUDGET, BUT HERE'S THE CONCERNS I HAVE, HERE'S THE GAPS YOU GOT," I GUESS THAT WOULD BE

OKAY. >> RIGHT, HE STILL HAS HIS -- IN THE MEMO THAT I GAVE YOU, HE STILL HAS HIS DUTIES IN THE CHARTER BUDGET FOR THE CITY. THE CHARGER DOES NOT RESTRICT HIM TO NO NEW REVENUE. SO, THAT IS MAKING A POLICY STATEMENT.

>> OKAY, THAT IS HELPFUL. THANK YOU. AND JUST TO BE CLARIFYING, I AM NOT AGAINST A NO NEW REVENUE BUDGET, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE. I HAVE VOTED FOR NO NEW REVENUE BUDGETS AND I HAVE VOTED NOT FOR NO NEW REVENUE BUDGETS DURING MY TENURE ON CITY COUNCIL, BUT IT IS JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE RESTRICTED APPROACHES I AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED WITH.

>> ALL RIGHT, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

>> COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON? >> NAY.

>> MAYOR PRO TEM GORDON? >> NAY.

>> WAS THAT A NAY OR A AYE. FIVE?

>> IT WAS A YES, CAN AFFIRMATIVE.

>> WAS THERE A PARTICULAR AGENDA YOU WANTED THIS ON?

>> NO, I WOULD SAY THE NEXT MONTH OR TWO. MY ASSUMPTION WAS

[7.2. Discussion and possible action on adding Resolutions to the City of Hutto’s website. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

STAFF UNDERSTANDS. SO -- >> HOPEFULLY, JULY?

>> YEAH. NEXT ITEM, 7.2, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION OF ADDING RESOLUTIONS TO THE CITY OF HUTTO'S WEBSITE.

>> ARE YOU DONE READING, OR NO? >> YEAH.

>> SO, FOR ME, THIS IS FOR TRANSPARENCY. WE PUT RESOLUTIONS OUT ON THE WEBSITE, BUT I FEEL LIKE THEY NEED TO BE OUT THERE SOONER. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, BUT WHATEVER THE PROCESS NEEDS TO BE, IN MY OPINION -- IDEALLY, ONCE THE MAYOR SIGNS IT, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD SCAN IT IN AND HAVE IT UP ON THE WEBSITE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT, SO MAYBE 24, 48 HOURS, WHATEVER THAT NEEDS TO BE. SO, I JUST NEED TO SEE THAT ON THE WEBSITE A LOT SOONER, SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO IT A LOT SOONER. MAYBE THEY MISSED THE MEETING, SO THEY CAN GO TO THE WEBSITE AND JUST GET A QUICK UPDATE ON WHAT WE HAVE GOT.

>> YEAH, I TALKED TO MATT ABOUT THIS. IT HAS KIND OF MORPHED A LITTLE BIT. WE PLACED A LINK, I THINK. BUT, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS SEE IF THE COUNCIL IS OKAY, PUSHING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY TO BUDGET, TO BEEF UP OUR WEBSITE, TO WHERE WE PUT RESOLUTIONS ON HER, THAT WOULD HELP EVERYTHING. RESOLUTIONS THAT CAN VERY EASILY BE FOUND BY THE PUBLIC. IF WE ARE MAKING MAYBE 150, 200 RESOLUTIONS PER YEAR, AND IT IS VERY TOUGH TO FIND THEM, EVEN WITH THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, THEY ARE NOT ALWAYS SHOWING UP, AND I THINK A PART OF THAT IS MAYBE WE ARE USING SOME ANTIQUATED -- ANTIQUATED SOFTWARE. SO, I THINK SOME UPDATES, BYPASSING THIS, MAYBE THIS CITY MANAGER CAN COME BACK WITH STAFF OPINION ON, OKAY, IF YOU GUYS WANT THINGS TO LOOK LIKE THE EXAMPLE YOU USED ON THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S WEBSITE, YOU CAN COME IN AND LOOK AT EVERY AG, YOU CAN SEARCH BY OPINION NUMBER, AND THEN YOU CAN EVEN HAVE A WORD SEARCH, BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE RESOLUTIONS WERE DIRECTING STAFF

[00:35:01]

TO GO A CERTAIN DIRECTION, OR MAKE A CERTAIN STATEMENT. A LOT OF TIMES, I GET ASKED, AND I CAN'T FIND THEM. ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP GET IT MORE OUT THERE AND QUICKER.

>> SO, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT -- OH, SORRY, WAS THERE A MOTION

MADE ON THIS ONE, ALREADY? >> NO, WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY? ALL RIGHT, I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> SO, I WILL MAKE A MOTION. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO EITHER DEVELOP OR ENHANCE OUR WEBSITE, TO BE ABLE TO HOST RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES TO THE CITY OF

HUTTO'S WEBSITE. >> SECOND.

>> AND HERE IS WHY I ADDED THE ORDINANCES.

>> WE ALREADY DO ORDINANCES, YOU ARE REQUIRED BY OUR CHARTER.

>> SO, ORDINANCES -- CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, HERE IS MY UNDERSTANDING. I HAVE TRIED TO FIND SOME ORDINANCES I COULDN'T FIND IN THE CODE OF ORDINANCES WEBSITE, SO I WAS TOLD AT ONE TIME THAT NOT ALL ORDINANCES GET PUT TO THE CODE OF ORDINANCES WEBSITE, JUST MOST OF THEM. ISN'T THAT RIGHT?

>> SINCE WE HAD THE CHARTER CHANGED, EVERY TIME THEY DO AN ORDINANCE, IT IS PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE.

>> RIGHT, BUT HE IS REFERRING SPECIFICALLY TO THE COMPETITION ONLINE FOR THE CODE OF ORDINANCES. SO, YES, YOU ARE RIGHT, NOT EVERY ORDINANCE THAT IS PASSED GOES THROUGH THE CODIFICATION, BUT YES, THAT IS CORRECT, EVERY ORDINANCE WE

PASSED IS ON THE WEBSITE. >> SO, THEY ARE ALREADY THERE? SO, MAYBE I WOULD LIKE A CLARIFICATION TO WHEN WE REVAMP THIS, IT IS A LOT EASY TO FIND THOSE? BECAUSE I HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING THOSE. I HAVE DONE THAT, I HAVE LOOKING FOR ORDINANCES, LIKE "I KNOW WE PASSED IT, WHERE IS IT?" BUT IT IS NOT CODIFIED, IT IS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ORDINANCE, AND THAT IS WHERE THE FRUSTRATION LIES. SO --

>> AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS -- I SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING TO JAMES AND MATT OVER THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF. I THINK STAFF, OVERALL, DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB AT TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT SEVERAL PEOPLE'S MINDS ARE THINKING. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS, I HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR JAMES OVER THE LAST MONTH WITH MATT IS, I WANT TO SPEND THIS LAST YEAR REALLY PUTTING DIRECTION LIKE, "HEY, THIS IS WHAT WE ARE WANTING TO SEE AND WE ARE NOT THE PROFESSIONALS THAT KNOW HOW TO DO THIS." RIGHT? WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO RUN THE WEBSITE OR DO ANY OF THAT. BUT, I FIGURE IF WE CAN TELL STAFF, LIKE YOU ARE SAYING -- I WANT SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AN ORDINANCE, LIKE THAT. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET THAT DONE? AND STAFF CAN COME BACK AND SAY, "WELL, IT WILL COST YOU $65,000, AND WE WILL HAVE TO DO SOME REVAMPING, BUT IT CAN BE DONE, AND HERE IS YOUR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST, AND THEN WE CAN MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHERE WE WANT TO SPEND MONEY," OR WE CAN ASK THEM TO SPEND LESS. SO, THIS IS WHAT I AM SAYING, I THINK WITH A LOT OF THESE, WE ARE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF -- I HOPE TO SEE A LOT OF UNISON ON OUR VOTING, IN TERMS OF IF IT IS NOT ASKING FOR BIG THINGS, AGAIN, WHAT REALLY BROUGHT THIS UP, WE HAD A PERSON ASKING FOR -- THEY SAID, "HEY, I THINK YOU GUYS PASSED SOMETHING ON CHILDCARE FACILITIES GETTING A TAX BREAK." I WAS LIKE, "I KNOW WE DID," BUT I COULDN'T FIND IT." AND I DON'T WANT TO BUG STAFF WITH IT, BUT IF IT IS REALLY DONE IN A MANNER, WE COULD SPEND SOME MONEY UP FRONT AND THEN FREE UP OUR STAFF AND ATTORNEYS ON ALL OF THIS INFORMATION THEY ARE HAVING TO PROVIDE, IT MAY WORK OUT TO BE

MORE COST-EFFECTIVE. BUT -- >> QUESTION FOR STAFF. IS THERE A CURRENT POLICY OR DIRECTION ON TIMEFRAME? HOW QUICKLY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO ADD THOSE? LIKE, ORDINANCES RIGHT NOW, ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET THOSE ON THERE WITHIN A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME, OR?

>> WE ARE SHOOTING FOR A WEEK. >> A WEEK? OKAY.

>> BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, EVEN THOUGH THE MAYOR SIGNS IT, THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT COMPLETE, THERE ARE ATTACHMENTS THAT NEED TO GO WITH IT, AND SOMETIMES THOSE ATTACHMENTS REQUIRE ATTAINING OTHER INFORMATION THAT MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME.

>> OKAY. >> SO, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION TO INCLUDE OUR PROCLAMATIONS. I THINK WE HAD, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING THINGS OUT TO THE PUBLIC IN A QUICKER MANNER, WE APPROVE ALL OF THESE PROCLAMATIONS EVERY SINGLE -- WHAT SEEMS LIKE EVERY SINGLE MEETING, AND WE CAN'T FIND THEM. SO, AS FAR AS UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE CITY OF HUTTO STANDS FOR, WHAT WE SUPPORT, WHAT WE DON'T -- IT IS NOT SIMPLE TO FIND THOSE. SO, I WOULD MAKE THAT AMENDMENT, TO INCLUDE OUR PROCLAMATIONS THAT

WE READ AND APPROVED. >> I AM GOOD TO ADD THAT INTO MY

ORIGINAL MOTION. YEAH. >> THAT'S GOOD. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

[7.3. Discussion and possible action regarding revisions to the Finance policy including but not limited to reimbursement on expenses. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield) ]

>> MOTION PASSES, 7-0. >> 7.3, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE REVISIONS TO THE FINANCE POLICY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REIMBURSEMENT ON EXPENSES. BRING THIS ONE UP A WHILE BACK -- WE PASSED A DEAL -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS AN ORDINANCE OR A RESOLUTION -- BUT, WE PASSED A THING THAT SAYS IF A COUNCIL MEMBER HAS AN EXPENSE, IT HAS TO COME ON THE ASCENT AGENDA FOR US TO APPROVE IT.

[00:40:06]

>> THAT SOUNDS RIGHT, YEAH. >> SO, THAT WAS YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE ITEM COME BEFORE US. I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL'S EMPLOYERS ARE -- AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON, MAYBE WE ARE JUST NOT FOLLOWING IT, OR MAYBE, THERE NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF REVISION. BUT, AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT, THE HIGHEST-RANKING PERSON ALWAYS HAS TO PAY FOR WHATEVER THEY ARE NOT DOING. THAT WAY, WE CAN'T GO OUT AND LIVE IT UP LARGE -- NOT THAT ANYBODY IS DOING THAT -- BUT, LIVE IT UP LARGE, AND MY BOSS APPROVES AN EXPENDITURE WHENEVER MY BOSS IS THERE, SO MY BOSS WOULD HAVE TO PAY. SO, IT IS MORE OF A -- I THINK WE NEED REVISIONS, ONLY BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SEEING ANY EXPENSES COMING THROUGH AND PART OF THE CITY MANAGER'S CONTRACT IS ANY TIME HE IS OUT ON -- I FORGOT THAT CONFERENCE. WAS IT TSMA? WE PAY FOR HIS EXPENSES.

>> CORRECT. >> BUT, WE DON'T SEE THESE, SO I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS, WE MAYBE NEED TO COME BACK, REVISIT THE POLICY, VERIFY, ARE WE FOLLOWING IT? DO WE NEED A REFRESHER, HEY, WE REALLY NEED TO BE FOLLOWING IT? AND IF WE ARE FOLLOWING IT, WE HAVE ALL OF THESE EXPENSES COMING THROUGH, DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, IN TERMS OF WHAT A LOT OF COMPANIES I THINK DO? WHICH IS THE HIGHEST, MOST SENIOR PERSON, I THINK YOU WOULD SAY, PAYS FOR WHATEVER THE EXPENSE IS, AND THEN IT WOULD COME BACK TO US. BUT, THAT IS KIND OF WHY I

BROUGHT THAT UP. >> SO, THERE IS A QUESTION ON, DO WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE POLICY TO CHANGE IT? OR, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT IT IS NOT JUST BEING FOLLOWED? THAT IS KIND OF BOTH IN THE MOTION, RIGHT? LOOKING AT BOTH WHETHER THE POLICY NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED, AND ALSO LOOKING AT WHETHER IT IS BEING FOLLOWED, OR

NOT? >> I DO KNOW WE DO NOT REQUIRE THE MOST SENIOR PERSON TO PAY FOR THE EXPENSE.

>> OH, SO THAT WOULD BE AN ADJUSTMENT?

>> THAT WOULD BE AN ADJUSTMENT. BUT I THINK PART OF THAT, WE WOULD ALSO LOOK AND SAY, HEY, NOT LOOKING AT ANYBODY, BUT LET'S MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THIS THE RIGHT WAY. ESPECIALLY IF WE END UP HAVING THE FINANCE ACCOUNTABILITY AND EFFICIENCY COMMISSION. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST WE CENTER OUR FINANCE POLICY. I THINK WE NEED TO COME UP AND DO IT YEARLY, DO WE NOT, ANYWAY? I THINK EVERY SUMMER, WE SEND IN A BUDGET

TIME. >> WE AMENDED IT LAST BUDGET

YEAR. >> YEAH, SO, IT'S JUST MORE OF A -- YEAH. SO, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO BRING BACK THE FINANCE POLICY FOR REVIEW, WITH POSSIBLE CHANGES, BASED ON COUNCILS

DISCUSSION. >> SECOND.

>> ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS?

>> YEAH, I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION, OR CLARIFICATION. DOES ANYTHING IN THE HR POLICY COVER REIMBURSEMENT AND EXPENSES? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH HR POLICIES, OR ANYTHING.

>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. >> THE HR POLICY JUST APPLIES TO THE HUTTO EMPLOYEES. THE PERSONNEL POLICY.

>> OKAY. SO, THIS WOULDN'T PERTAIN TO THE CITY MANAGER?

>> THE CITY MANAGER, YES. BUT, ALSO, HE HAS HIS CONTRACT, TOO.

SO -- >> SO, MAY BE AMENDED -- AMEND IT TO BRING BACK BOTH? IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING?

>> NO, I JUST -- I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THESE. I JUST -- BUT, I CAN SEE HOW IN MY EXPERIENCE, SOMETIMES HR POLICY OVERLAPS WITH FINANCE POLICY. I'M JUST SAYING WE DOUBLE CHECK THAT. I CAN'T SAY WHAT SHOULD BE DONE EITHER WAY, JUST SAYING, IF WE ARE LOOKING FOR THAT -- THAT IS ALL I AM SUGGESTING.

>> WE WILL BRING BOTH BACK. >> THAT'S A GOOD THOUGHT. ALL

RIGHT. PLEASE CALL THE VOTE. >> MAYOR SNYDER?

>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER KING?

>> COUNCILMEMBER KING -- AYE. >> I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP 7.9.

[7.9. Discussion and possible action on revisions to the City of Hutto personnel policy including but not limited to, remote work, time off request policy, comp time, City Manager ability to change HR policies prior to City Council approval, employee promotions without City Council approval, requirements for City Hall's hours of operation, Virtual City Hall updates. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

ANY OBLIGATIONS? DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE STATUS OF HUTTO'S A-2 TEAM AND THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF SUCH,

[00:45:07]

FOR OPERATION APPROVAL. AND MOTIONS WITHOUT CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL, REQUIREMENTS FOR HOURS OF OPERATION, AND VIRTUAL CITY HALL UPDATES. ALL RIGHT, THERE IS A LOT TO UNPACK, HERE. I WILL JUST START WITH CONCERNS THAT I HAVE HAD OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SPECIFICALLY IT SEEMS TO BE BUILDING, AND PRIMARILY WHERE THIS COMES FROM, I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC THINKS WE ARE GETTING ANYTHING DONE AT THE CITY, AND I THINK THEY ARE FRUSTRATED WITH THE PERCEPTION THAT WHEN THEY CALL, PEOPLE AREN'T ANSWERING THE PHONE, WHEN THE EMAIL, PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING RESPONSES BACK, AND THEY COME UP HERE IN PERSON, PEOPLE AREN'T HERE. I THINK SOME OF THAT, THERE IS SOME VALIDITY TO, AT TIMES.

SOMETIMES, PEOPLE CALL AND EXPECT SOMEONE TO ANSWER THE PHONE IN 30 MINUTES AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN, SO WE CAN'T DROP EVERYTHING TO CALL EVERYBODY BACK, IMMEDIATELY.

BUT, FOR REMOTE WORK, I WAS NOT A FAN OF ALLOWING REMOTE WORK, JUST AS A BLANKET DEAL. I HAVE ADVOCATED, IN THE PAST, FOR, SAY, A PLAN REVIEWER THAT IS IN A RUST BELT STATE THAT HAS A LOWER COST OF LIVING. IT WILL BE HIGHER THAN, AND THEY WORK REMOTELY, AND WE ARE PAYING THEM NOT AN AUSTIN CITY WAGE, WE ARE PAYING THEM MAYBE HALF OF THAT, AND THEY ARE DOING THE SAME WORK FOR ACCOUNTANTS. BUT, OUR PERSONAL OPINION IS, THE HIGHER UP YOU GO, THE DIRECTOR LEVELS AND ABOVE, REALLY, I THINK NEED TO BE AT WORK THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN MANAGE TEAMS OR PROJECTS REMOTELY. AND I THINK SOME OF THE REASONS DEADLINES GET MISSED OR THINGS GET MISSED, IS THERE IS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION, AND A LOT OF COMPANIES, I THINK, ARE STARTING TO FIGURE OUT IT IS ACTUALLY MORE EFFICIENT TO HAVE PEOPLE HERE. THE TIME OFF REQUEST POLICY -- I WILL BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, EXACTLY.

BUT, SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE LAST YEAR, WE WILL GET AN EMAIL AT 7:30 AT NIGHT ON A TUESDAY, THAT SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE THE REST OF THE WEEK OFF DUE TO A CONFERENCE, OR SOMETHING. AND THERE ARE TIMES, LIKE ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, I HAVE THINGS TO ADDRESS THAT THE PUBLIC HAS BROUGHT TO ME, THAT NOW I HAVE TO TELL THEM I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK, AND THE NEXT WEEK IS A FIGHT WEEK MONTH, AND THEN IT IS A FIVE WEEK MONTH, WE ARE NOT MEETING TODAY, THEN I TELL PEOPLE I NEED ANOTHER WEEK, AND I AM TRYING TO BE EFFICIENT WITH MY TIME. I HAVE PLANNED THINGS FOR THESE DAYS AND I KNOW AT MY WORK I CAN'T JUST TAKE A WEEK OFF, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY THE RULES OUGHT TO BE, BUT WE DO HAVE ONE EMPLOYEE, AND I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE THAT WE ARE NOTIFIED IN A TIME THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO DO AT WORK. AND ALSO, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO TIME OFF REQUESTS, MY OPINION IS, HOLIDAYS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A MANAGER, CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ON DUTY. AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS APPROPRIATE TO HAVE YOUR CITY MANAGER TAKE OFF THREE, FOUR WEEKS IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. A LOT IS GOING ON. AND I THINK IF WE CHANGE SOME POLICIES, OR LOOK AT SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE -- AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE HAVE ALWAYS APPROVED OF PERSONNEL POLICY AND WE HAVE DEBATED SOME OF THESE CHANGES, AND HERE WE ARE, A YEAR LATER. AND I'M JUST SAYING, I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY ARE ALL WORKING THE WAY THAT WE HOPED THEY WOULD. SO, I WANT TO LOOK, AGAIN, TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY THINGS YOU CAN TIGHTEN UP A LITTLE BIT, SOME GUARDRAILS.

SAME WITH COMP TIME. I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAS BEEN WORKING.

BUT, LAST YEAR, WE INSTITUTED THAT THE CITY MANAGER OR EMPLOYEE WORKS ANY MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS A DAY OR 40 HOURS IN A WEEK, THEY CAN USE COMP TIME. THERE ARE A LOT OF TIMES IN COUNCIL MEETINGS -- I DON'T KNOW IF I CALL IT FIREPOWER, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED ALL THOSE PEOPLE HERE FOR THAT MEETING -- WE WILL HAVE THE CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC OPERATIONS, AND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE -- WE DON'T NEED EVERYBODY HERE. SO, I DON'T -- I DON'T WANT PEOPLE WORKING TOO MUCH TO BURN OUT, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANT US SETTING UP TO WHERE -- I WOULD ABUSE IT, IF IT WAS ME, BECAUSE I WOULD WORK EXTRA ON MONDAY, TUESDAY, THURSDAY, AND HAVE A THREE-DAY WEEK. I'M NOT SAYING THAT HAPPENS. BUT, I THINK IT'S GOOD TO LOOK BACK ON SOME MAJOR CHANGES WE MADE. I ALSO AM NOT A FAN AND HAVE NOT BEEN A FAN OF THE CITY MANAGER'S ABILITY TO CHANGE ANY HR POLICY THAT HE OR SHE DEEMS TO CHANGE WITHOUT COUNCIL APPROVAL. BECAUSE WE APPROVED THE PERSONNEL POLICY, AND THEN, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE ALLOWED A MEASURE IN THERE TO WHERE THE CITY MANAGER IS ALLOWED TO CHANGE ANY THING IN THERE FOR UP TO 60 DAYS AND BRING IT BACK TO US TO SAY NAY OR AYE. FIVE. IF WE ARE LOOKING AT PERSONNEL POLICY, I DON'T KNOW WHY WE GIVE THAT KIND OF LATITUDE BECAUSE WE ARE THE BAD GUY WHEN WE TAKE SOMETHING AWAY,

[00:50:02]

AND I THINK COUNCILMEMBER THORNTON HAD A -- I CAN'T EVER SAY IT. BUT, HE HAD THE THING ABOUT A PUPPY, YOU GET A PUPPY, AND THEN YOU TAKE IT AWAY. BUT, THE EMPLOYEE PROMOTIONS THROUGHOUT CITY APPROVAL -- I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WORKS, I HAVE TALKED TO MATT ABOUT THIS. I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WORKS. WE APPROVE A BUDGET WITH, SAY, 10 EMPLOYEES AND HALF $1 MILLION BUDGET AND WE WILL HIRE THREE EMPLOYEES AND MAKE A $650,000 BUDGET. AND IN THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, MIDWAY THROUGH THE YEAR, WE START PROMOTING PEOPLE TO POSITIONS THAT DIDN'T EXIST WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET, AND THAT COMES WITH MORE MONEY, AND WE ARE NOT HIRING ONE OF THOSE OPENINGS, AND WE ARE USING THAT MONEY, WHICH IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO USE THAT MONEY WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT, BUT IF YOU SAY YOU NEED THREE POSITIONS, I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD HIRE THREE POSITIONS. WE SHOULDN'T SAY WE NEED THREE POSITIONS AND AN "WELL, I DIDN'T USE ONE OF THEM, SO I WILL ACTUALLY USE THAT MONEY FOR PROMOTIONS." AND NOW, NEXT YEAR, I NEED ANOTHER POSITION, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE DOING THE SAME JOB, WITH A DIFFERENT TITLE, WITH MORE MONEY. SO, TO ME, OUR PRACTICE REALLY OUGHT TO BE, HOWEVER WE CAN SET IT UP, IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES THIS, WHEN WE SET A BUDGET, 225 FTES, THESE ARE THE JOB TITLES, THESE ARE THE PAY STRUCTURES, AND THAT IS IT, UNTIL THE COUNCIL APPROVES OTHERWISE, BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE APPROVE A PROMOTION TO A NEW POSITION WITH NEW PAY, THAT IS AN INCREASED COST AT PERPETUITY.

AND I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD HOW THAT HAPPENS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT GREW THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. WE HAVEN'T DONE IT THIS YEAR, YET. AND THEN, CITY HALL'S HOURS OF OPERATION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR HOURS ARE, BUT IF WE ARE NOT:00 TO 5:00, WE NEED TO BE OPEN ON A CLOCK TO 5:00, SO SOMEONE CAN VISIT WITH A CONSTITUENT. THEY PAY TAXES, THEY PAY OUR SALARIES, THEY PUT US UP IN THESE SEATS. THEN, THEY COME AND THEY ARE TOLD "THERE IS NOBODY HERE, YOU CAN COME BACK ANOTHER DAY." I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL PEOPLE, THEN. I JUST DON'T KNOW. SO, TO ME, IF YOU HAVE A CITY HALL, NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE AT THE CITY HALL, SO THAT IF SOMEONE COMES IN WITH AN ISSUE, WE CAN TELL THAT PERSON, WE HAVE A USE OR AN APP FOR YOUR ISSUE -- NOT EVERYBODY IS COMFORTABLE USING THAT, IS WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO. THE LAST THING, VIRTUAL HALL, CITY HALL DEBATES, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. I LEARNED THAT WHEN I WAS SITTING OUTSIDE. THERE IS A THING CALLED VIRTUAL CITY HALL. I JUST WANT TO KNOW, WHAT IS VIRTUAL CITY HALL? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT, THE PUBLIC DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. SO, THAT IS REALLY -- WHAT I AM REALLY ASKING HERE, IS FOR US TO BRING BACK THE PERSONNEL POLICY, US AS A COUNCIL REVIEW IT, AND GO, "ARE WE OKAY WITH ANYTHING? DO WE NEED TO TWEAK ANYTHING?" WE MADE A LOT OF CHANGES LAST YEAR, JUST LOOK BACK, THAT IS ALL I AM ASKING FOR. I HAVE BEEN OUTVOTED AND I CAN BE OUTVOTED AGAIN. YEAH.

>> YEAH, FOR ME, IT'S JUST -- IT IS A LOT TO UNPACK. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ALL OF THAT ON EACH DEAL. BUT, THE WAY I LOOK AT IT IS, IS IF OUR ONLY EMPLOYEE IS THE CITY MANAGER, THEN BY LAW, BASED ON WHAT THIS COUNCIL DOES, WHAT ARE WE ALLOWED TO DO? AND WHAT CAN WE DO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS -- NOT SAYING HE'S NOT -- I'M JUST SAYING, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE WE ARE BEING -- THAT WE ARE USING OUR RESOURCES APPROPRIATELY? ARE WE -- IS REMOTE WORK THE MOST EFFICIENT USE OF OUR TIME? IS THAT THE BEST FOR THE PUBLIC? THE TIME OFF REQUEST POLICY -- PERSONALLY, I JUST DON'T -- I DON'T HAVE A SINGLE EMPLOYEE IN MY JOB NOR AM I ALLOWED TO EMAIL AND SAY, "I AM TAKING OFF TOMORROW, I'M TAKING OFF NEXT WEEK," I HAVE TO ASK PERMISSION. THAT IS HOW IT WORKS. SO, I DON'T KNOW HOW THE LEGAL IS FOR THAT. IF THAT IS A CONTRACT DEAL, THAT IS A WHOLE OTHER CAN OF WORMS, I'M SURE. BUT, FOR ME, IT'S JUST -- THE CITY MANAGER SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO HIS JOB. BUT, OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE HE IS DOING IT, AND MAKE SURE HE IS DOING IT WELL. AND IT IS JUST -- FOR ME, I WILL KEEP USING THE WORD, "ACCOUNTABILITY. " EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

WHAT CAN WE DO, AS A COUNCIL, TO HOLD THE CITY MANAGER ACCOUNTABLE? MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING THE THINGS WE SHOULD BE DOING, AND WE ARE NOT TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, DO ANYTHING EXTRA, OR DO ANYTHING MORE, OR SNEAK AROUND AND DO SOMETHING, BECAUSE WE CAN MOVE MONEY HERE FOR THIS, THAT, AND WHATEVER. LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LEGAL PROCEEDING IS. BUT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SEE US TIGHTEN UP. AND THAT IS NOT -- THAT IS GOING TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE TO PEOPLE, BUT WE NEED TO TIGHTEN UP. SO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THAT. I THINK THERE IS A LOT IN THIS ONE. IT IS PROBABLY SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS WE WILL HAVE TO LOOK AT AND DO, BUT I AGREE, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE STAFF BRING BACK -- I NEED MORE INFORMATION. I HAVE DUG THROUGH THE CHARTER. IT'S -- I'M NOT A LAWYER. I'M NOT TRYING TO

[00:55:02]

DECIPHER ALL OF THAT STUFF. YOU KNOW, I CAN MAKE SOME ASSUMPTIONS, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BREAK THE LAW. BUT I AM GOING TO ASK, WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO TIGHTEN UP? THAT IS WHERE I

STAND ON IT. >> YEAH, I THINK COMING BACK WITH THE PERSONNEL POLICY, UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS IN IT -- LIKE IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DID REVIEW IT LAST YEAR. I THINK LOOKING AT IT, MAKING SURE THAT THINGS ARE BUTTONED UP IN IT, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED IN THIS ITEM, I THINK IT IS SOMETHING BETWEEN THE CITY MANAGER AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

SO, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, HOLDING THE CITY MANAGER ACCOUNTABLE -- YES. BUT, NOT GETTING IN THE DAY TO DAY, NOT INTERFERING IN HIS -- WHAT WE HAVE CHARGED HIM WITH DOING.

THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I AM LOOKING AT DOING. BUT, DEFINITELY LOOKING AT THE PERSONNEL POLICY, MAKING SURE THINGS ARE BUTTONED UP IN THERE, MAKING SURE THE CITY MANAGER IS OKAY WITH WHAT HE IS ENFORCING IN THE PERSONNEL POLICY, IS SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO GET CLARITY ON. BUT, LIKE I SAID, GOING AFTER SPECIFIC THINGS, I WOULD LEAVE THAT TO THE CITY

MANAGER TO RUN HIS ORGANIZATION. >> DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER

QUESTIONS FOR THIS ITEM? >> YES.

>> YEAH, I AM LOOKING AT THE PERSONNEL POLICY, 6.3, REMOTE WORK -- IT IS ABOUT THE THIRD PARAGRAPH. I WILL KIND OF PARAPHRASE, BUT THE TREND TO WILL ALLOW REMOTE WORK AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES WHEN IT BENEFITS THE ORGANIZATION, MEETS ALL NEEDS. BASICALLY, IT SAYS IT IS UP TO THE DIRECTOR TO TAKE CARE OF THAT. BUT, IT SAYS ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS -- THIS IS VERBATIM -- THE CITY MANAGER MAY ALLOW A LONG-TERM REMOTE WORK SCHEDULE WITH A WRITTEN REQUEST FROM THE EMPLOYEE, TO BEGIN -- INCLUDE BEGINNING AND ENDING DATES FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION. THE EMPLOYEE WILL SUBMIT THE WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR FOR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION. MY QUESTION IS, IS THIS BEING FOLLOWED?

>> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

>> AND I'M NOT SAYING IT HAS TO BE --

>> I JUST TOOK OVER A WEEK AGO.

>> THAT'S OKAY. I WILL JUST SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE. MY APPROACH TO THIS EVENING'S MEETING IS REALLY TO LISTEN, AND LEARN, AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE COUNCIL'S WILL IS. WE WILL RESPOND AND REACT, AS COUNCIL DIRECTS. BUT, THE STAFF, REALLY, WE WANT TO FOLLOW COUNCIL DIRECTION, SO THE MORE FOR GAS AND DIRECTION YOU CAN GIVE US IN THIS MEETING, THE BETTER, THE MORE SPECIFIC YOU CAN BE, THE BETTER WE UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS, AND WHAT YOUR END GOAL IS, THE BETTER WE CAN COME BACK AND ADDRESS ALL OF THOSE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE WILL COME BACK WITH THAT ITEM ANSWER, AND IF WE HAVEN'T HAD TIME, WE WILL LET

THE COUNCIL KNOW WHAT IT IS. >> AND I AM PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT, IS THERE SOMETHING BROKE IN THE POLICIES? ARE WE JUST NOT FOLLOWING THEM? OR, DO WE NOT UNDERSTAND THEM? I THINK BEFORE WE GO MAKING WHOLESALE CHANGES, WE NEED TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. I'M NOT HERE TO ANSWER THEM, NOR AM I EXPECTING ANSWERS TO THEM. THANK

YOU. >> AND I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE GOING BACK AND REMEMBERING IT, THAT HAS SOME POTENTIAL GUARDRAILS ON IT, AND I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT. ARE WE FOLLOWING THOSE? ARE PEOPLE FILLING THEM OUT? BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE CITY MANAGER AND SAY, "HEY, I THINK YOU ARE BEING A LITTLE BIT TOO LENIENT, BECAUSE WHY ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE NOT WORKING HERE?" BECAUSE WHAT YOU READ JUST TELLS ME NOT EVERYBODY CAN HAVE REMOTE WORK, IT IS A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, YOU NEED TO GIVE A START DATE AND END DATE. YEAH, THAT IS SOMETHING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION AND I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS IT IS IMPORTANT TO BRING IT BACK, JUST TO LOOK AT. THEN, WE CAN ALL READ IT, AND REMEMBER IT THAT WAY. MATT, CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME INFORMATION ON THIS? AND THEN, THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK IS, WHEN WE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS, IF YOU GUYS COULD JUST START MAKING A HABIT TO RESPOND TO ALL OF US.

NOT LIKE, "HEY, MIKE HAD A QUESTION, HERE IS THE ANSWER." BUT, THE QUESTION CAME UP -- THAT WAY, WE ARE GETTING THE SAME INFORMATION, SO I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ACTIONS FOR THIS ITEM?

>> SO, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING BACK THE HUTTO, CITY OF HUTTO POLICY FOR REVIEW BY THE CITY COUNCIL. DOES

THAT COVER EVERYTHING? >> SECOND.

>> SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION? HERE NONE, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE

[7.4. Discussion and possible action on a Resolution regarding an Economic Development policy focusing on road and water infrastructure, grocery store and other amenity items as may deemed to focus on. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield) ]

>> MOTION PASSES, 7-0. THIS BRINGS US TO 7.4, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A RESOLUTION REGARDING AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY FOCUSING ON ROAD AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, GROCERY STORE, AND OTHER AMENITY ITEMS AS MAY DEEMED TO FOCUS ON.

[01:00:02]

>> MAYOR, WITH THIS ITEM -- YOU KNOW, WITH ALL BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, AND SOMETHING I ACTUALLY LEARNED IN MY FIRST BOARD AND COMMISSION WORKSHOP -- I GUESS THAT IS WHAT I WILL CALL IT, ALL OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS CAME TOGETHER, SORT OF A ROUNDTABLE WHERE EVERYBODY GOT TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS. ONE OF THE THINGS WAS CLEAR AND CONCISE DIRECTION FROM THE COUNCIL. SO, I THINK AS OUR CITY GROWS, THE EDC IS OBVIOUSLY A VITAL PART OF THAT, SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT HONING THEM IN, AND GIVING THEM THAT CLEAR AND CONCISE DIRECTION, FOR WHAT -- YOU KNOW, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM DO.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>> SO, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO COME BACK TO THE RESOLUTION THAT SETS OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY THIS NEXT YEAR THAT FOCUSES ON ROAD AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE, AND GROCERY STORE AS BEING OUR PRIMARY FOCUS.

>> SECOND. >> SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD. I'M SAYING THAT IS NOT THE ONLY THING WE FOCUS ON BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEND A MESSAGE OUT. I TRIED TO SAY THIS WHEN I WAS ON EDC, TO SEND A MESSAGE OUT TO DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY, TO OUR RESIDENTS, THAT WE ARE FOCUSING, WE HAVE GOT ROAD AND WATER AND WE NEED A SECOND GROCERY STORE AND THE WORD CAN GET OUT TO WHATEVER PUBLICATIONS ARE OUT THERE, TO JUST ADOPT IT, THEY ARE FOCUSED ON A GROCERY STORE -- WHO HAS GROCERIES IN THE CITY OF HUTTO AND HOW CAN WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN? AND IF OTHER THINGS HAPPEN, I AM NOT AGAINST IT. I JUST WANT US TO SOMEHOW DIAL IN A LITTLE BIT.

>> SO, IN YOUR MOTION, YOU DIDN'T SAY THE OTHER AMENITY ITEMS DEEMED US TO FOCUS ON, DID YOU INTEND TO LEAVE THAT OFF

YOUR MOTION? >> YEAH, I JUST HAD THAT ON THERE, IN CASE COUNCIL HAD OTHER ITEMS THEY WANTED TO PUT IN

THERE. >> OH, I SEE.

>> SO, I DIDN'T WANT US TO BE RESTRICTED -- I WANTED IT TO BE

AN "US" THING. >> SO, I WOULD URGE COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT THE EDC DEVELOPED LAST MONTH.

THEY DEVELOPED THAT IN THEIR MEETING, AND ALSO PUT THAT ON THEIR WEBSITE. SO, THAT MAY LEND SOME INSIGHT INTO THE DIRECTION THAT THIS COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE TO THE EDC. ALSO, I THINK THAT WE SET THE FOCUS FOR THE EDC DURING OUR QUARTERLY MEETINGS, WHENEVER WE MEET WITH THEM. SO, YOU KNOW, I AM HOPING THAT WHATEVER IS COMING FROM US, TO THE EDC, IS ALSO DISCUSSED IN OUR NEXT QUARTERLY MEETING, SINCE WE DO HOLD THOSE REGULARLY. BUT, OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT ITEM TO GET EVERYONE ON THE SAME PAGE. I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THIS COUNCIL TO LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AT THE EDC TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY REDUNDANCIES THAT CAN BE ELIMINATED.

>> ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS?

>> YEAH, JUST A QUESTION ON CLARIFICATION. SO, IS IT TYPICAL TO HAVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S FOCUS ON ROAD AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, AS OPPOSED TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? I MEAN, IS THAT KIND OF TYPICAL IN THE REGION, THE AREA, THE STATE? I MEAN, WHY ARE WE ASKING THEM TO TAKE ON ROAD AND WATER? INFRASTRUCTURE, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING THE CITY DO IT, THEN THEY CAN FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY BASED ON A COUPLE THINGS. ONE, WE WENT THROUGH A SALES TAX TRAINING AND THE FIRST THING THE GENTLEMAN SAID IS THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, A LOT OF EDCS FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE. IF WE TAKE THE MEGA SITE, WE SAID, WE NEEDED TO BUILD ROAD AND WASTEWATER TO GET THAT READY TO GO, FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SO TAXPAYERS, WE RAISE THEIR TAXES, WE RAISE THEIR WATER BILLS TO FUND ALL OF THIS, SO THEY ARE NOT SEEING THE BENEFIT OF THAT, AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO, TO FOCUS ON, IS TO TELL EDC -- IT IS LIKE WHAT I SAID TO THAT ONE QUARTERLY, IT IS NOT THE MOST ENJOYABLE THING TO WORRY ABOUT WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO PUT A WASTEWATER LINE, BUT WITHOUT WATER, AND WASTEWATER, AND ROADS, YOU WILL NOT HAVE NEW DEVELOPMENT. I JUST DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE PAYING FOR GROWTH. I THINK IF WE WANT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, IS TO HAVE WATER AND WASTEWATER IN A ROW THERE, AND THEN YOU WILL SEE GROWTH COME. BUT, IF WE DO IT THROUGH

[01:05:03]

EDC, IT IS NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TAXPAYER, IT IS AT THE BENEFIT OF THE TAXPAYER. AND I THINK THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE MAYBE LOST OUR WAY AND GONE A LITTLE ASTRAY, IS THAT THE PUBLIC IS FUNDING ALL OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WORK FOR THE GROWTH, AND IT CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. AND IF WE FLIP IT, AND WE SAY, "OKAY, GOING FORWARD, THE EDC IS GOING TO HANDLE THAT PART," THEY CAN STILL -- AND IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE THE EDC. WE HAVE OUR OWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, IT IS LIKE FIVE EMPLOYEES. THEY CAN WORK WITH EVERYBODY, "HEY, WHEN A DEVELOPER COMES IN, WE CAN DEVELOP IT, BUT WE CAN'T FUND YOUR ROAD WATER, WASTEWATER EXTENSIONS, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO SOME OF THAT," AND THEY CAN WORK THAT OUT. AND AGAIN, TO ME, IT IS A RESOLUTION TO WHERE IT IS A STATEMENT. IT DOESN'T MEAN SOMETHING CAN'T COME TO US AND WE SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT IS A BANG UP DEAL AND WE WILL PUT THE ROAD AND WATER IN IF WE CAN GET THAT PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT." IT IS MORE A STATEMENT FROM THE COUNCIL, THAT WE NEED TO START FOCUSING ON WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO NOT RAISE PEOPLE'S WATERS BILLS ONE MORE TIME.

>> OKAY, THAT IS HELPFUL. SO, IT SOUNDS LIKE WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY -- AND CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG -- THAT THE ROAD AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD BE ENCOURAGING THEM TO FOCUS ON WOULD BE ROADS AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD REALLY BE NEEDED BECAUSE EITHER ECONOMIC GROWTH IS HAPPENING, OR WE WANT IT TO HAPPEN? IT IS FOCUSED NOT JUST ON THE DAY TO

DAY ROAD REPAIR? >> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> THAT IS HELPFUL. >> EXAMPLE, FRONTAGE ROAD ON 130. YOU PUT THAT FRONTAGE ROAD IN, I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WILL HELP BLOW UP THAT AREA. BUT, I WOULD RATHER IT BE DONE IN A MANNER THAT DOESN'T COST US TO HAVE TO DEBATE HOW WE ARE GOING TO RAISE PEOPLE'S TAXES.

>> OKAY, THAT MAKES SENSE. >> ALL RIGHT, PLEASE CALL THE

VOTE. >> COUNCILMEMBER THORNTON?

>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER KING

>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS

>> >> AYE.

>> COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON >> AYE.

>> COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD >> AYE.

[7.5. Discussion and possible action on Outside Agency Funding policy. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

>> MAYOR SNYDER >> AYE.

>> MOTION PASSES, 7-0. NEXT, WE HAVE 7.8, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING FUNDING POLICY. IN TALKING TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE -- I THINK THE OVERALL SENTIMENT, WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM DIFFERENT GROUPS, IS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE US IN A WORKSHOP ADOPT TO WE ARE GIVING MONEY TO AND WHO WE ARE NOT. I DON'T KNOW THAT THE WAY WE HAVE BEEN DOING IT AND THE WAY LAST YEAR COULD HAVE BEEN AN ABNORMAL YEAR. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS WORKING THE WAY WE HOPED IT WOULD. SO, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GO BACK, AND ADOPT -- AND MAYBE IT IS NOT THE FUNDING POLICY, MAYBE IT IS IN THE PROTOCOLS. I THINK HOW WE DO IT, AND WHAT WE ARE DOING -- I THINK WE GAVE MONEY THAT WAS CONTRARY TO WHAT OUR POLICY SAID, SO, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE POLICY AGAIN, IF THIS IS WORKING FOR US. BECAUSE IF I REMEMBER THE POLICY, IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDING FULL-TIME POSITIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FUNDING, LIKE -- I FORGET WHERE IT WAS. NEEDS, TYPES PASTE. WE WERE HAVING DISCUSSIONS ON BASEBALL EQUIPMENT AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT REALLY WERE CONTRARY TO THE POLICY. SO, TO ME, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PROPONENT OF, I DON'T LIKE BREAKING THE RULES, I LIKE ADJUSTING THE RULES TO GET WHAT WE WANT. IF WE WANT TO DO THINGS AND OPEN IT UP, I THINK WE NEED TO ADJUST THE RULES. IF WE ARE NOT GOING TO OPEN IT UP, THEN AT SOME POINT, WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER ON THIS POLICY AND BE ABLE TO SAY, "I'M SORRY, BUT WE ARE NOT FUNDING FULL-TIME POSITIONS," OR I FORGET HOW IT IS WORDED. BUT, MORE OF A REVIEW, IF WE REVIEW IT NOW, PRIOR TO US APPROVING OUTSIDE AGENCY FUNDING, I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO WORK ON IT NOW, INSTEAD OF HAVING A DISCUSSION IN THE

MIDDLE OF BUDGET. >> SO, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A POLICY REVIEW, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WORKS FOR EVERYONE?

>> YES, SIR. >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE -- OR, TO HAVE STAFF BRING THE POLICY BACK TO US TO

MAKE MANY CHANGES. >> DO WE HAVE A SECOND?

>> I WILL SECOND. >> MOTION BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON, SECONDED BY MAYOR PRO TEM GORDON. ANY DISCUSSION ON

THE MOTION? >> I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF KNOWS THE ANSWER TO THIS, YOU MAY HAVE TO COME BACK TO US. SO, WE ARE WRAPPING UP THE APPLICATIONS RIGHT NOW, I THINK THE DEADLINE EITHER JUST PASSED OR IT IS COMING UP, FOR APPLICATIONS?

>> I DON'T KNOW OF THE EXACT TIMELINE, BUT WE CAN SHARE THAT

BACK WITH COUNCIL IN AN EMAIL. >> OKAY, IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS JUNE. SO, THIS ONE -- I WOULD RECOMMEND, IF WE COULD, MAYBE PRIORITIZE THIS ONE, LIKE THE FIRST MEETING IN JULY? KIND OF PUT THIS ONE UP, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE APPLIED.

SO, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE ARE KIND OF ON THE CLOCK AGAIN.

>> THAT'S GOOD. ALL RIGHT, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

[01:10:01]

>> MAYOR PRO TEM GORDON? >>

>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON

>> AYE. COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD?

>> >> AYE.

[7.6. Discussion and possible action regarding the appointment of a Hutto City Charter Commission. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

>> AND MAYOR SNYDER? >>

>> AYE. PASSES, 7-0. POSSIBLE APPOINTMENT OF A HUTTO CHARTER COMMISSION. I THINK THIS LOOKS PRETTY SELF-EVIDENT. WHAT WE DID THE LAST TIME, IT FELT LIKE WE RUSHED A WHOLE REVIEW, IN TWO, 2 1/2 MONTHS, AND THEN THREW IT OUT TO THE VOTERS, AND WE ARE ABOUT 12 TO 15 MONTHS AWAY FROM NEEDING TO HAVE THIS ALL DONE.

SO, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE US DO, IS TO POINT THE PEOPLE TO THIS, AND HAVE IT MEET QUARTERLY, AND WE CAN SORT OF GET INTO THIS AND HAVE MORE FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE ARE DOING, INSTEAD OF MAYBE -- I DON'T KNOW IF "RUSH JOB," IS THE RIGHT WORD, BUT THIS WAS DOWN TO THE WIRE LAST TIME AND WE ARE A YEAR AND A HALF AWAY FROM THIS BEING A DEAL, SO THIS IS MORE FORWARD

THINKING. >> SO, WE RECEIVED A MEMO ON JUNE 13TH, SAYING THAT WE CAN'T HAVE A CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE UNTIL TWO YEARS. IS THAT CORRECT?

>> NO, IT IS YOU CAN'T HAVE THE ELECTION NEXT MAY. YOU HAVE TO WAIT TWO FULL YEARS BETWEEN CHARTER AMENDMENT ELECTIONS.

>> OKAY. >> IT DOESN'T PREVENT YOU FROM

STARTING WORK ON YOUR CHARTER. >> OKAY, THANK YOU FOR THAT

CLARIFICATION. >> AND THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY WOULD BE THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

>> AND THAT IS NOVEMBER 26TH? >> NOVEMBER 26, AND THEN MAY 27TH. AND THE LEGISLATURE DID ALTER YOUR ELECTION DATES.

>> NOT YET. >>

>> SO, THE THOUGHT IS YOU ARE THINKING TO FORM IT SOON IN THE NEXT COUPLE MONTHS, AND LET THEM MEET FOR A YEAR, GIVE THEM A YEAR TO JUST DIG DEEP INTO IT, BUT MEET LESS OFTEN? IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HAD TO MEET LIKE REALLY OFTEN, BECAUSE THE TIMELINE WAS SO CRUNCHED, SO IT IS KIND OF GIVING THEM A LOT MORE TIME, BUT THEN JUST DOING HOMEWORK IN BETWEEN THE MEETINGS

AND THAT KIND OF STUFF. >> LAST TIME COUNCIL MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS, LIKE AS WE WENT THROUGH THE YEARS, WE HAD NOTED IN THE CHARTER, THINGS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE CHANGED. SO, COUNCIL GAVE THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THEM TO STUDY, AND THEN THEY ALSO WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH THEIR OWN. BUT, YES, IT WAS -- YOU KNOW, WE WERE AMENDING THE PROPOSITIONS THE DAY BEFORE WE HAD TO TURN THEM IN.

ACTION? >> YES. AGAIN, I AM NOT FAMILIAR, BUT HOW ARE CHARTER COMMISSION MEMBERS APPOINTED? IS

THAT -- >> ACTION, WHEN THAT COMES BACK.

>> IT'S IN THE CHARTER. >> I BELIEVE EACH COUNCIL MEMBER

APPOINTED A MEMBER. >> THAT'S WHAT WE DID LAST TIME. I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THAT GOING TO BE LOOKED AT, OR MODIFIED? OR, IS THAT NOT IN QUESTION?

>> THAT IS UP TO COUNCIL. >> YEAH, MY ASSUMPTION WOULD BE WHEN THIS COMES BACK, THAT IS WHEN WE WILL HAVE THAT DISCUSSION, IN TERMS OF -- AND HOW WE DID IT LAST TIME, WORKED OUT. CAN WE CHANGE IT? IF IT IS A CHARTER, BY LAW, SOME OF THIS

STUFF, I DON'T KNOW, EXACTLY. >> I THINK THERE IS A FLEXIBILITY WITH A NUMBER IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THE SEVEN PEOPLE LIMIT, MAYBE 15.

>> THAT WAS MY NEXT QUESTION. IS THAT WE CAN HAVE A LETTER

CHARTER COMMISSION? >> CORRECT.

>> THE NEXT THING IS THAT -- IS THIS -- AS PART OF THIS A POTENTIAL PURPOSE? OR, MAYBE THIS COULD BE LOOKED AT? DO WE WANT TO CREATE A RUNNING LIST THAT -- IN OTHER WORDS, LET'S SAY WE ARE 24 MONTHS AWAY, JUST HYPOTHETICALLY, FROM AN ELECTION, DO WE WANT TO HAVE A RUNNING LIST -- NOT APPROVED BY COUNCIL -- BUT CREATE A RUNNING LIST OF CHARTER AMENDMENTS? AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT LOOKS, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT. BUT, IS THERE A RUNNING LIST OF CHARTER AMENDMENTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO KEEP IN A LIBRARY OR AN ARCHIVE? AND ONCE WE GET TO THE ELECTION, WHENEVER THE APPROPRIATE ELECTION DATE IS, THEN THAT GOES BEFORE COUNCIL, AND WE CAN MAKE THE DECISION TO

PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT? >> I WOULD THINK THAT RIGHT NOW, WE KIND OF DO THAT TOO, "OH, YEAH, THAT'S A PROBLEM, WE NEED TO FIX THAT." BUT I THINK IN THIS SCENARIO, YOU KIND OF HAVE A -- WHAT IS THAT COMMISSION THAT MEETS LIKE, ONCE A QUARTER? IT IS A -- HAS GOTTEN REALLY GOOD. BUT WHEN SOMEONE MET QUARTERLY WHEN THEY COME UP, THEY COULD BE --

>> I THINK LIBRARY WAS QUARTERLY.

[01:15:01]

>> LIBRARY, MAYBE. >> OR AN APPELLATE PROCESS?

>> THEY COULD MEET QUARTERLY, AS NEEDED, TO WHERE AS THINGS COME UP, IN MY MIND, INSTEAD OF FIRING IT UP TWO MONTHS BEFORE YOU HAVE TO, IT IS JUST IN A MORE ORDERLY FASHION.

>> I LIKE THAT. >> I HAVE A RING TO THROW IN THE

WORKS. >> THE FIRST THING EVERYBODY DOES IS LOOK AT WHAT THE LEGISLATOR DID, IF CITY LAWS WILL PREVENT THE CHARTER AND THEN SOME CITIES WILL ADOPT A SCHEDULE, LIKE TO THE CHARTER COMMISSION, REVIEW ARTICLES ONE THROUGH FIVE AND REPORT BACK TO COUNCIL YOUR RECOMMENDED CHANGES SO THAT YOU ARE NOT DOING IT ALTOGETHER, ALL AT ONCE. AND STAFF ALWAYS LOOKS AT PARTICULAR RECOMMENDATIONS AND CHANGES.

>> SO, I AM LOOKING AT THE CHARTER, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, IT DOES SAY IT IS SEVEN CITIZENS, SO I GUESS WE WOULD NEED CLARIFICATION FROM BEAGLE ON WHETHER --

>> THAT WOULD BE A PROPOSITION THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO CHANGE.

>> OKAY. >> AND ALSO UNDER TERM OF OFFICE IT SAYS THE TERM OF OFFICE IS SIX MONTHS AND NO LONGER, THAT IF THEY TAKE LONGER THAN SIX MONTHS, THEY ARE DISBANDED.

>> IS AS "DISBANDED?" >> WELL, NO, IT SAYS THE CHARTER TERM SHALL BE SIX MONTHS OR THE CHARTER SHALL EXPIRE SOONER IF A REPORT IS PROVIDED TO CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE END OF THE TERM OF OFFICE. IF NO REPORTS TO CITY COUNCIL, ALL RECORDS OF THE PROCEEDINGS SHALL BE FILED WITH THE PERSON PERFORMING THE DUTIES OF SECRETARY. SO, THE WAY I READ IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE IT IS A MAX

OF SIX, SO WE WOULD NEED TO -- >> DOES THAT MEAN IT NEEDS TO BE REAPPOINTED EACH TIME, OR IT JUST NEEDS TO BE SIX?

>> YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT YOU FROM GIVING ANOTHER

SIX-MONTH TERM. >> I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT. IF THERE IS A WAY TO DO IT AND STILL FOLLOW THE CHARTER --

>> I WOULD AMEND THAT. >> BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST TYING

THE CITY'S HANDS, YOU KNOW? >> YEAH, RIGHT.

>> TO ME, THE SPIRIT OF THE CHARTER COMMISSION -- AND NOT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS -- YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS, OR AT LEAST REVIEW AMENDMENTS, AND MAKE PROPOSALS AND HAVE COUNCIL BACK AND FORTH. CAN IT BE FINALIZED? FINALIZED IN THE SPIRIT, NOT IN THE WORDING. AND THEN, THAT KIND OF ARCHIVE OR LIBRARY IS THERE. IT IS A LIVING DOCUMENT. WE CAN ALWAYS GO BACK AND REVIEW THAT. BUT, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE DOING SECTION 134, OR WHATEVER, THEN WE GO THROUGH THAT, AND WE GO GIVE POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS, THEN WE MOVE ONTO THE NEXT ONE, BUT THEN WE COULD ALWAYS GO BACK AND SAY, "OH, LEGISLATURE JUST CAME UP WITH THIS ONE, OR ALREADY

APPROVED IT." SO -- >> YEAH, BECAUSE WE ARE -- WHAT? 17 MONTHS AWAY FROM BEING ABLE TO ENACT ANY CHANGES.

>> SO, YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR PROPOSITIONS IN AT LEAST 78 DAYS

OR 72 DAYS BEFORE -- >> SO YOU CAN BACK THAT UP?

>> YES, SO YOU CAN BACK THAT UP. AND THEN, IF THEY MEET FOR SIX MONTHS AND PRESENT A REPORT, I DON'T SEE A PROHIBITION WHERE THE COUNCIL MIGHT RECEIVE THE REPORT AND THEN GIVE THAT

ANOTHER CHARGE FOR SIX MONTHS. >> LIKE, THE FIRST CHARGE IS, GIVE US SECTIONS 1 THROUGH FOUR? AND THEN, WE COME BACK, WE DISCUSS IT, OKAY, COME BACK, MEET ANOTHER CHARTER, FIVE

THROUGH 10, OR WHATEVER. >> YEAH, WE WOULD HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A SCHEDULE, AGAIN, KEEP WITHIN THE SIX MONTHS, AND THEN DELIVER A REPORT. AND THEN, COUNCIL GIVING THEM A NEW CHARGE

IN A NEW SIX-MONTH PERIOD. >> OKAY.

>> AND DOTTIE, I WOULD ASK YOU TO LOOK AT PARAGRAPH B, TWO.

BECAUSE IT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THE ISSUE THE REVIEW, THEY ISSUE THE REPORT, AND THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE COUNCIL NEEDS TO ACT ON THAT REPORT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU MAY NOT WANT TO, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WILL SAY, "WE WILL JUST HOLD ONTO IT," SO IF YOU COULD JUST REVIEW THE LEGALITIES OF WHAT WE CAN DO.

>> YEAH, IT SAYS, "ANY REPORTS." IT DOESN'T SAY WHEN YOU HAVE TO PUBLISH IT. WHAT WE DID LAST TIME IS WE PUBLISHED IT BEFORE

THE ELECTION. >> OKAY.

>> THERE WAS SOME STATE LAW -- IT SAID WE HAD TO PUBLISH AT A CERTAIN TIME. WE WILL GET OUT WHAT WE DID LAST TIME AND CREATE

[01:20:05]

A SCHEDULE. >> OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR

ACTIONS FOR THIS ITEM? >> SO, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING BACK A RECOMMENDATION ON THE APPOINTMENT OF A HUTTO CITY CHARTER COMMISSION. WORKING WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE EXISTING CHARTER REQUIREMENTS,

FOR APPOINTING THE COMMISSION. >> IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND. >> YOU GUYS SOUND A LOT OF LIKE

SO THAT WILL BE FUN. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING

NONE, PLEASE CALL THE VOTE. >> IS THERE A TIMELINE FOR THAT

ONE? >> NO, I DON'T THINK SO.

>> WE ARE NOT UNDER THE GUN, ARE WE?

[7.7. Discussion and possible action on a joint meeting/workshop with the Hutto Ethics Commission to discuss proposed changes to Hutto's ethics policy and direction of the board. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

>> COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS? A >> AYE.

>> COUNCILMEMBER GORDON? >> AYE.

>> MOTION PASSES, 7-0. NEXT, WE HAVE 7.7, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A JOINT MEETING WORKSHOP WITH THE HUTTO ETHICS COMMISSION TO DISCUSS PROPOSED CHANGES TO HUTTO'S ETHICS POLICY AND DIRECTION OF THE BOARD.

>> SO, ON THIS ONE, MAYOR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO, I GUESS. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE JOINT WORKSHOPS WITH OTHER BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ONE CLEAR AND CONCISE DIRECTION. PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TEETH. IN THEIR DUTIES, AND WHAT THEY CAN DO, TO HELP HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THAT MEANS.

LIKE TO SEE A WORKSHOP, TO DISCUSS WITH THEM AND, YOU KNOW, THERE DIRECTION. LET'S LOOK AT THE HUTTO ETHICS POLICY. IS THAT SOMETHING WE CAN ALLOW THEM TO REVIEW? OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER NEEDS TO HAPPEN, THERE. BUT, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE OUR ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION BE A LITTLE BIT STRONGER, AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WEIGHT TO THE CITY WITH A LITTLE BIT MORE

ACTION BEHIND IT. >> YEAH. I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS PUBLICLY. COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS, CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THE ONLY THING THE ETHICS COMMISSION CAN REALLY REVIEW OR GO OVER IS, DID YOU TURN IN A FINANCIAL REPORT?

>> NO, THE SCOPE IS THE VIOLATION OF AN ORDINANCE. SO, IF THERE IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, OR -- SO, I THINK THE TERMS THAT WE CAN REVIEW ANYTHING, THAT IS VIOLATION OF

AN ORDINANCE. >> BUT, WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCE REPORTS AND STUFF IT IS JUST IF THEY GOT TURNED IN OR NOT, NOT DID THEY DO A GOOD JOB, DID THEY DO A GOOD EFFORT?

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN REVIEWING IS JUST, ONE, ALIGNING DEFINITIONS. WHAT IS A "GIFT?" SO, IN SOME OF THEM, THE SPIRIT IS CLOSE, BUT THE WORDING MAY BE OFF AND THERE IS PROBABLY ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE PLACES THAT TALK ABOUT "GIFTS," AS "SOMETHING WE RECEIVED." AND THE TEXAS ETHICS COMMISSION IS JUST ELECTIONS, REALLY. BUT, WE HAVE THE CHARTER, WE HAVE THE ORDINANCE, AND THEN WE HAVE KIND OF THE STRUCTURE OF -- I GUESS, THE BYLAWS. BUT, THE RULES AND DEFINITIONS THAT ARE SIGNED FOR THE HUTTO -- I MEAN, FOR THE ETHICS GROUP, ITSELF. DO THOSE ALIGNED? LIKE, HAVE AN ACTION ITEM OUTSTANDING LOOKING AT THOSE. THE -- I'M SORRY, I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. I'M SORRY POINT YOU NECK IT'S ALL RIGHT. MY OVERALL ASK ON THIS IS, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, WE REVIEW THIS AND WE LOOK TO PUT SOME TEETH INTO THE ETHICS COMMISSION TO WHERE -- YOU GUYS JUST STARTED MEETING RECENTLY, AND IN SIX WEEKS OF BEING UP HERE, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYBODY MEET FOR FIVE, SIX YEARS. THAT IS PRETTY UNETHICAL STUFF. BUT, NONE OF IT BROKE OUR ETHICS POLICY. AND I THINK AT SOME POINT, WE NEED TO LOOK AT IT AND GO, "DO WE HAVE AN ETHICS POLICY TO SAY WE HAVE AN ETHICS POLICY? OR, DO WE HAVE AN ETHICS POLICY THAT HAS BEEN DRAFTED AND APPROVED TO WHERE THE COMMISSION HAS GOT SOME TEETH, TO WHERE IF WE ARE NOT DOING SOMETHING, WE ARE THINKING, HEY, MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT, OR I SHOULDN'T BE DOING THAT,

[01:25:02]

BECAUSE THE ETHICS COMMISSION SHOULDN'T BE LOOKING IN." I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM LOOK MORE INTO CONFLICT OF INTERESTS. I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE HAVE DONE AND WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. IT MIGHT NOT BE A CONFLICT BY THE STATE STATUTE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, LEGALLY, CAN WE DIAL THAT IN A LITTLE BIT MORE? IF YOU ARE MARRIED -- I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU SAY THE WORD, BUT -- HOW DO YOU SAY THAT WORD, WHEN YOU

ARE MARRIED? >> AFFINITY, IS MARRIAGE.

>> I CAN SEE THAT ONE, WHAT IS THE OTHER ONE.

>> CONSANGUINITY. >> CAN'T SAY IT, BUT I KNOW WHAT IT IS. BUT, IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IT TOGETHER, AND THEY ARE SHARING A SPACE, BUT THEY ARE NOT MARRIED, TIMES HAVE CHANGED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, LEGALLY, WHILE THE STATE LAW -- WHICH WE REFER TO IT A LOT -- THESE CONFLICTS, THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD PERCEIVE AS A CONFLICT, IS THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO? AND I DON'T KNOW THAT, EXACTLY. BUT, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW FAR WE CAN GO, HOW FAR DO WE WANT TO GO, AND WHAT DO WE WANT TO CHARGE WITH THE ETHICS COMMISSION, IN TERMS OF REVIEWING AND BEING INVOLVED? AND I AM NOT LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE ETHICS COMPLAINTS ON THEM. BUT, IN SIX YEARS, I THINK WE HAVE HAD ONE. IF NOTHING ELSE, THAT WILL FALL INSIDE THE LINES OF BEING AGAINST OUR ETHICS POLICY. SO, THAT IS MORE -- AGAIN, IT IS MORE OF A WORKSHOP, TALK ABOUT GROUP, TO DISCUSS ISSUES, THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, AND THEN FROM THERE, SEE LEGALLY, WHAT WE CAN DO, IF WE NEED TO CHANGE AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE WHAT WE WANT TO DO LEGALLY, IF WE CAN. WE CHANGE IT, IF WE WANT TO. OTHERWISE, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AN ETHICAL ISSUE, AND WHAT ISN'T.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION, REGARDING THAT. IF THERE WAS SOMETHING WITHIN THE ETHICS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP, WHO HOLDS THE ETHICS COMMITTEE ACCOUNTABLE TO ENFORCING A VIOLATION?

>> THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION TO TALK ABOUT. HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER HAD ONE EVER GET PAST THE

-- >> WE HAVEN'T HAD A --

>> THE LAST FILING WAS LIKE MAY OF '19, MAYO '19 WAS THE LAST

ONE THAT I KNOW OF. >> I AM A -- WELL, WAS A MEMBER OF THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION, AND WE WERE ALL WORKING WITH LEGAL COUNSEL, WHICH, REALLY, WE HAVE REALLY NEVER HAD, SEPARATE LEGAL COUNSEL. WHICH, I THINK OUR CHARTER BRINGS UP. BUT, I BELIEVE THAT -- AND I'M SPEAKING ONLY FOR MYSELF, NOT FOR THE ENTIRE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION -- BUT, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, WE JUST HIGHLIGHT AN INFRACTION, COME UP WITH A DISPOSITION OF NAY OR AYE TYPE THING, IT GOES TO LEGAL COUNSEL -- WHICH IS IN THERE FOR GUIDANCE, IT IS THERE FOR REVIEWING OUR OPINION, OUR STATEMENT -- ABOUT THIS COMPLAINT, WHICH IS EITHER ENTIRELY GENERATED FROM THE COMMISSION OR BY AN OUTSIDE CITIZEN. BUT, IT IS NOT A -- IT IS NOT A DISCIPLINARY SCOPE. OR, IT IS KIND OF JUST A DOCUMENT, THAT SOMETHING IS -- SOMETHING IS OF CONCERN. IS THIS CONCERN VIABLE, OR NOT? AND IF NOT, WE DON'T DO ANYTHING. IF IT IS, WE SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL ON OUR OPINION, AND THAT OPINION IS DOCUMENTED AND PUT IN OFFICIAL NOTICE. BUT, THERE IS NO "PENALTY PHASE." OR, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, HOLDING ANYONE ACCOUNTABLE TO IT. IT IS JUST A DOCUMENTED INFRACTION, OR "A CONFLICT HAS OCCURRED." WE HAVE OUR CHAIR, HERE.

>> SO -- >> I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.

>> SO, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE CITY MANAGER. THE ETHICS COMMISSION HAS ITS OWN LEGAL COUNSEL?

>> SO, WE HAVE ALWAYS RECOMMENDED INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL, BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE SPEAKS TO IT. I BELIEVE -- ARE YOU HAVING INTERVIEWS NEXT MONDAY, TO SAY BUT WILL SELECT AN INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL, AND RECOMMENDED THAT TO THE CITY

COUNCIL? >> I THINK THAT IS ON MY

SCHEDULE FOR NEXT MONDAY. >> OKAY.

>> ETHICS -- >> YES?

>> I AM THE STAFF LIAISON FOR THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.

NEXT MONDAY ON THE SCHEDULE IS TO INTERVIEW POTENTIAL LAW FIRMS FOR INDEPENDENT COUNSEL REPRESENTATION. AND THEN, FROM THAT INTERVIEW, THE COMMISSION WILL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL TO MAKE THAT APPOINTMENT PURRED

>> OKAY, SO, THEY DON'T HAVE LEGAL COUNSEL RIGHT NOW?

>> CORRECT. >> NO, THEY DO HAVE ALAN PORTIS TO HELP THEM, BECAUSE IN OUR FIRM, HE DOES A LOT OF THE ETHICS COORDINATES IS AROUND THE STATE AND HE IS KNOWN AS AN ETHICS EXPERT. ATTACHED TO THE MEMO I PROVIDED, WERE HIS RECOMMENDED CHANGES. SO, THE ORDINANCE IS CLEAR THAT THE

[01:30:03]

ETHICS COMMISSION HAS INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL. SO, YOU CAN SAY, WHEN YOU SELECT THE INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL, THEY WORK WITH THE ETHICS COMMISSION TO MODIFY THE ORDINANCE, BRING IT TO COUNCIL, OR YOU CAN STILL HAVE ALAN RK IN A JOINT MEETING AND POINT OUT SOME ISSUES. THE INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNCIL GENERALLY DO THE COMPLAINTS AND THE ADVISORY

COMMITTEE OPINIONS. >> WHEN DID THAT COME BEFORE US,

TO APPROVE THAT? >> TO APPROVE THE --

>> TO APPROVE UTILIZING ALAN FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION AS LEGAL?

>> IT WAS A REQUEST BY THE CITY MANAGER.

>> PROBABLY YEARS AGO. >> IT WAS IN THE LAST -- HE DID

SOME TRAINING. >> OH, IT WAS RECENTLY?

>> WAS THAT LIKE, ON A CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE APPROVED IT?

>> NO, HE JUST PROVIDED TRAINING TO THE COMMISSION THAT ONE OF

OUR FIRST MEETINGS. >> SO, WE DON'T PAY FOR LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION?

>> WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY -- >> YOU HAVEN'T APPOINTED AN ATTORNEY TO BE SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION.

DURING THE INTERIM TIME, THE ASSISTANCE THAT IS NEEDED FOR TRAINING OR ORGANIZATION, A LAW FIRM HAS BEEN PROVIDED. I DON'T DO IT, BUT ALAN BJORKES DOES IT.

>> IS THAT BILL TO US AS A CITY COUNCIL?

>> THAT IS PART OF THE BILL, BECAUSE THAT WAS PART OF THE

CITY MANAGER REQUEST. >> INTERESTING. OKAY.

>> BUT, THAT'S NOT UNUSUAL, THAT THE CITY ATTORNEY HELPS THE COUNCIL WITH THE ETHICS ORDINANCE. THE WAY THAT YOUR ORDINANCE IS SET UP, IT COULD BE READ TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.

INDEPENDENT COUNSEL JUST FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION TO DO THE COMPLAINT AND THE ADVISORY CUT OPINIONS, OR AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL TO HELP THE ETHICS COMMISSION COME UP WITH RECOMMENDATIONS. IT WILL BE COUNCIL'S CHOICE. ONCE THEY INTERVIEW AND MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THEIR SCOPE OF SERVICES, YOU WOULD DETERMINE WHAT YOU WANT THAT PERSON TO DO.

>> SO, BUT, ETHIC COMMISSIONS LEGAL IS ROLLED UP INTO OUR WORK

BILL WITH BJORKES, FIRST CITY? >> YEAH, IF REQUESTED.

>> OKAY, AND THE ETHICS COMMISSION CAN MAKE THAT

REQUEST, TO HAVE LEGAL THERE? >> I THINK CITY MANAGER REQUESTED JUST TO HAVE SOMEBODY THERE TO HELP THEM ORGANIZE AND TELL THEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEIR DUTIES ARE, AND WHAT A TYPICAL

ETHICS COMMISSION DOES. >> OKAY.

>> IT'S JUST A GENERAL TRAINING SESSION.

>> OKAY. >> YEAH, I DON'T MIND IF IT IS BJORKES LAW FIRM HELPING US GET TO A POINT, AS LONG AS IT IS AN INDEPENDENT, BECAUSE HYPOTHETICALLY, YOU COULD GET AN ETHICS COMPLAINT, AND THEN THAT WOULD PUT BJORKES LAW FIRM IN A

PICKLE. >> IF WE GOT AN ETHICS COMPLAINT, WE WOULD BRING IT TO COUNCIL AND SAY, YOU NEED TO APPOINT SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR THIS.

>> YEAH, THAT IS MY POINT, I THINK IT IS GREAT IF BJORKES IS HELPING US, BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THE CHARTER MORE AND ALL OF THAT. BUT, I THINK THAT IS WHERE IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THIS JOINT WORKSHOP, TO WHERE WE CAN SAY, HERE IS EVERYBODY'S FEELING, AND MAYBE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A DIFFERENT GROUP, OR WE DO WANT TO HAVE A DIFFERENT ONE. THAT WAY, WE CAN CALL TOGETHER TO KIND OF GET EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM. I DON'T KNOW EVEN WHO ALL IS ON ETHICS COMMISSION AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE TWO PEOPLE, AND ONE OF THEM, I THINK HE IS RESIGNING TODAY.

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ACTION FOR THIS ONE?

>> DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION, IF WE ARE JUST GOING TO HAVE A

WORKSHOP? >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO HAVE A WORKSHOP ON THE ETHICS COMMISSION.

>> DO I HAVE A SECOND? >> I WILL SECOND.

>> MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER THOMPSON, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE, NOT ONLY LOOKING AT THE ETHICS ORDINANCE, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT THE CHARTER, BECAUSE THE CHARTER ALSO ADDRESSES THE ETHICS COMMISSION, AND IT APPEARS TO LIMIT THEIR AUTHORITY, SO IT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE THE ATTORNEYS, YOU KNOW, TELL US IF THAT IS A LIMITATION, OR NOT. THE WAY IT READS, IT SAYS, "INDEPENDENT BOARD OF ETHICS IS ESTABLISHED TO ADMINISTER AND ENFORCE THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE ORDINANCES." SO, IT CALLS OUT THOSE TWO, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY SAY YOU ARE LIMITED TO THIS. SO, IT IS POSSIBLE WE COULD EXPAND IT WITHOUT BREAKING THE CHARTER.

>> WE COULD JUST EXPAND THOSE POLICIES.

>> YEAH. >> ALL RIGHT, PLEASE CALL THE

VOTE. >> MAYOR PRO TEM GORDON?

>> AYE.. >> COUNCILMEMBER KING?

[7.8. Discussion and possible action regarding status of Hutto's A-2 team and the continued operation of such. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

>> AYE.. >> ITEM PASSES, 7-0. POSSIBLE DISCUSSION OF HUTTO'S A-2 TEAM AND THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF SUCH. I KNOW THERE IS SOME CONCERN, CAN WE TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO? THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. IT IS MORE -- AND TELL ME IF I AM WRONG -- I AM ABOUT TO READ SOMETHING. IF I READ IT AND THE COUNCIL SAYS, "WE DON'T LIKE THAT," AGAIN, WE CAN ALWAYS DO A RESOLUTION SAYING, "WE DON'T LIKE THIS." SO, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE A-2 TEAM, BUT WE DISLIKE THE ACTION OF IT. IS THAT RIGHT? WITHOUT BREAKING ANY KINDS OF LAWS OR RULES?

[01:35:02]

>> IT DEPENDS, ON WHAT YOUR RESOLUTION WOULD SAY. BECAUSE IT IS CLEAR, IN THE CHARTER, YOU CANNOT INTERFERE WITH THE MANAGER'S DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. YOU KNOW, YOU ACT THROUGH YOUR BUDGET IF YOU DON'T LIKE THESE CERTAIN POSITIONS. THAT IS, YOU KNOW, HOW YOU WOULD ADDRESS IT.

>> SO, HERE IS MY ISSUE WITH A-2. IT'S NOT THE POSITIONS, IT'S THE PROCESS. AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE A-2 CAME FROM, BUT HERE'S WHAT WE TELL PROSPECTIVE PEOPLE. WHILE WE ARE RECRUITING, THIS ONE IS FOR THOSE BEGINNING THEIR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION CAREER. BUDGETING. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN A PIPELINE DESIGNED TO OFFER EXPERIENCE TO THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BECOME LEADERS IN ORGANIZATIONS, WHO SIT IN THE "BIG CHAIR" SOMEDAY. BUDGET ANALYSTS ARE TYPICALLY GRADUATES OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION UNDERGRAD PROGRAMS OR ARE LOOKING TO TRANSITION CAREERS INTO CITY MANAGEMENT. THE BUDGET ANALYST WILL SPEND TWO YEARS GAINING EXPERIENCE IN BUDGET AND FINANCE WHILE WORKING A CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AS A KEY MEMBER OF THE A-2 TEAM. AT THE END OF TWO YEARS, THE BUDGET ANALYST WILL BE PROMOTED TO MANAGEMENT ANALYST, SPENDING THE NEXT TWO YEARS FOCUSED ON HR, IN ADDITION TO THEIR CMO, A-2 DUTIES. THEN, FINALLY, THE BUDGET ANALYST WILL BE PROMOTED TO THE ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER, WHERE THEY WILL WORK THROUGH VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND PROJECTS, PREPARING FOR THE BEST OUTCOME TO BECOME A DEPARTMENT HEAD, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, OR CITY MANAGER. IF YOU WANT A CAREER IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THIS IS A POSITION CUSTOMIZED "WILL"TO OFFER YOU THE MOST WELL-ROUNDED EXPERIENCE FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS. MY BIGGEST BEEF WITH THIS IS "WILL," AND "WILL." I DON'T CREATE A POSITION FOR SOMEONE, THEY GET PROMOTED WHEN THEY DESERVED IT, AND IT IS OPEN, AND YOU COULD HAVE A REALLY GOOD -- IN MY OPINION -- YOU COULD HAVE A REALLY GOOD BUDGET ANALYST, BUT IF THERE IS NOT A POSITION OR MANAGEMENT ANALYST -- WHATEVER THE FIRST ONE WAS -- IF THERE IS NOT A REALLY GOOD POSITION FROM THAT, THEN YOU STAY AS A BUDGET ANALYST. AND WHEN THIS FIRST CAME OUT, I TOLD JAMES, I SAID, "I HAVE A BIG-TIME ISSUE WITH THIS, BECAUSE YOU ARE TELLING PEOPLE ONE YEAR, A PERSON OUT OF SCHOOL, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THEIR BUDGET, THEY SPEND ONE YEAR DOING IT, WHEN YOU'RE DOING IT RIGHT, THEN THEY ARE GONE." THEY START DOING HR FOR A YEAR, THEY GET GOOD AT IT, THEN THEY ARE GONE TO A DIFFERENT POSITION. I FEEL LIKE WE ARE TRAINING PEOPLE FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. THIS IS GREAT, IF YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION OF 500 PEOPLE, WHERE YOU CONSTANTLY HAVE SOME TURNOVER. AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PUT THIS OUT MORE.

BUT, I GUESS BY ME VOICING IT, AND WE DO NOTHING, AND IT BEING KNOWN THAT COME BUDGET TIME, I WILL BE A LOUDER VOICE. BUT, I DON'T WANT TO STOP PEOPLE FROM PROMOTING WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, BUT I DON'T LIKE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS GUARANTEEING PEOPLE -- WE ARE GUARANTEEING PROMOTIONS WHEN WE SAY, "WILL BE PROMOTED." AND SO, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO STOP THIS.

I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE HAD TO WHERE WE CAN ONLY HAVE SO MANY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS AND ONLY SO MANY ASSISTANTS, SO WE HAVE CREATED OTHER POSITION NAMES, THAT THEN I SAY -- I TOLD MATT, "THIS PERSON, THEY DO THE SAME THING AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, WHY DON'T WE JUST CALL THEM WHAT THEY ARE DOING?" SO, IF EVERY TWO YEARS, WE WILL HAVE A NEW ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER, I THINK THERE ARE 17 DIRECTOR HAD, AM I RIGHT ON THAT, MATT, RIGHT NOW? ROUGHLY, SOMEWHERE IN THERE? 200 AND --

>> IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU CONSIDER A DEPARTMENT HEAD.

>> TITLE MAYBE ISN'T ALWAYS EVERYTHING. BUT, MOSTLY 10% OF OUR STAFF IS UP FOR MANAGEMENT. AND I DON'T KNOW -- WE ARE GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER AT THE TOP, AND I'M USED TO, I GUESS, A PYRAMID, WHERE THE TOP IS SMALL AND THE BOTTOM IS BIG, AND IF EVERY TWO YEARS WE ARE PROMOTING SOMEBODY -- SO, IT MAY JUST BE MORE OF A RAMP, "HEY, GET READY FOR A BUDGET," BECAUSE

[01:40:04]

WHILE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO WRITE A RESOLUTION THAT SAYS, "HEY, WE REALLY DON'T LIKE THIS PRACTICE," I CAN SAY IT, AND COME BUDGET TIME -- I AM NOT LOOKING AT DEFUNDING ANY POSITIONS, I AM NOT LOOKING AT FIRING ANYBODY. WHAT I AM LOOKING AT, IS US BEING HONEST WITH THE PEOPLE WE HIRED, WITH THE EXPECTATIONS IN EVERY BUDDY COMES IN AND KNOWS, I MAY BE A BUDGET ANALYST IN THE CITY OF HUTTO FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A GREAT CITY THAT NOBODY EVER QUITS, AND IF I AM OKAY WITH THAT, FINE. IF NOT, THEY LEAVE. BUT RIGHT NOW, HAVING A PERSON IN A POSITION FOR TWO YEARS I THINK IS ZERO

BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC. >> WELL, YOU MAY -- BECAUSE I THINK USING THE WORD "WILL," RUNS AFOUL OF YOUR POLICY, SO EVERYBODY BELIEVES YOU ARE NOT GUARANTEED A POSITION. SO, YOU COULD CONSIDER A MOTION FOR THE "WILL," TO BE CHANGED TO "MAY,"

IN THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM. >> I WILL MAKE THAT MOTION. I MAKE A MOTION TO RELOOK AT THE HUTTO A-2 TEAM'S STRUCTURE, AND POTENTIALLY STRIKE THE WORDING, "WELL," AND SUBSTITUTE THAT FOR THE WORDING, "MAY," BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF.

>> SECOND? >> SECOND.

>> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT ONE?

>> AND SO, IS THIS A WRECK IN ADDITION TO THE CITY MANAGER TO

CHANGE THAT? >> RIGHT, THAT IS WHAT I SAID, BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF STAFF.

>> THANK YOU. >> PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

[7.10. Discussion and possible action on Personal Financial Disclosures Ordinance No. 0- 2023-024, including but not limited to revision on due dates of reports, posting of reports online and other matters. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

>> MOTION PASSES, 7-0. NEXT UP, ITEM 7.10, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PERSONAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES ORDINANCE NUMBER O-2023-024 INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REVISION ON DUE DATES OF REPORTS, POSTING UP REPORTS ONLINE AND OTHER MATTERS. BEFORE PEOPLE GET FIRED UP, I TALKED TO A SMART GUY -- I WON'T SAY HIS NAME -- BUT, WE ALL KNOW I LIKE TO SEE THESE POSTED ONLINE, SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO THROW OUT THERE -- ONE REVISION OF THE DUE DATES, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO POST HOURS UNTIL APRIL 30TH, WHICH IS A FULL FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE PERIOD ENDS. BY THE TIME APRIL COMES AROUND, I HEAVILY FORGOTTEN WHAT I HAVE DONE IN DECEMBER, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT MAYBE TUESDAY DECEMBER 31ST OR DECEMBER 28TH.

BUT, POSTING ONLINE, I WOULD ALMOST LIKE TO LOOK AT THIS AS A BROADER THING, BUT LET'S START WITH THIS FINANCIAL STRUCTURE.

WHAT IF WE HAVE -- WE DON'T CHANGE THE REQUIREMENTS WE FOLLOW AS A CITY. AND JIM, FOLLOW ALONG BECAUSE THIS WILL AFFECT YOU. WHAT IF, INSTEAD, WE HAVE A PARALLEL SYSTEM, THAT YOU GIVE YOUR I.D., YOU CREATE A USERNAME AND PASSWORD, AND YOU GET ACCESS TO A SEPARATE PART OF THE WEBSITE THAT HAS ALL OF THE REDACTED DOCUMENTS RIGHT THERE, FROM PERSONAL FINANCE, TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE. YOU CAN STILL FIND IT AND GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, BUT HERE IS A PROCESS TO WHERE EVERY TIME WE TURN A DOCUMENT IN, ASSISTANT SECRETARY UPLOADS IT, AND THEN BASED ON IT BEING IN THERE, WE KNOW -- BECAUSE WE HAD A LOG -- WE KNOW EVERY TIME SOMEONE ACCESSES THOSE DOCUMENTS. WE HAVE AN ELECTRONIC LOG THAT "JOHN SMITH ACCESS TO THIS DOCUMENT." BECAUSE WHAT I UNDERSTOOD THE ISSUE BEING, WE DON'T KNOW WHO IS DOING IT, WE WANT A LOG, WE WANT SOME KIND OF SECURITY, BUT WE DON'T MIND GETTING THE DOCUMENT OUT, WE ARE JUST TRYING TO CONTROL BEING ONLINE -- SO, MY THINKING IS, ONCE YOU GIVE IT TO AN INDIVIDUAL, THEY CAN POST IT ALL OVER ONLINE, SO IS THERE A MIDDLE WAY THAT WE CAN, THROUGH TECHNOLOGY, KNOW THAT -- AND THIS DOESN'T JUST GO FOR FINANCIAL, BUT EVERYTHING WE DO, TO HER HOPEFULLY, ONE DAY, YOU DON'T HAVE REQUESTS ANYMORE BECAUSE EVERY DOCUMENT WE DO GOES IN THERE AND PEOPLE JUST SIGN ON, GIVE THEIR INFORMATION, THEY DON'T WANT BIG BROTHER KNOWING THEY DID IT, THEN THEY CAN GO TO THE FOYA ROUTE, WHICH TAKES SEVEN OR 14 DAYS, OR WHATEVER TO GET A RESPONSE BACK.

BUT, DO THOSE TWO THINGS, ONE IS THE DATE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DATE CHANGED. TWO, IS THERE SOME WAY WE COULD PROTECT YOUR INTEREST IN SOME WAY WHERE YOU COULD SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WHY IS THIS INDIVIDUAL ACCESSING MY DOCUMENT 16 TIMES, WHILE SOMEONE IS TRYING TO OPEN A DOCUMENT AT WELLS FARGO?

>> YEAH, I LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS A WAY FOR THE CITIZENS

[01:45:02]

TO BE ABLE TO COME AND EASILY ACCESS WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCESS.

IT PREVENTS IT FROM JUST LIKE, GOING ONLINE AND BEING OUT THERE IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE. LIKE WE SAID, YOU KNOW, FOR ACTORS TO TRY TO USE YOUR INFORMATION. I REALLY LIKE THE DATE CHANGE, BECAUSE BY THE TIME APRIL COMES AROUND, I AM LIKE, "WHAT AM I DOING?" DECEMBER?" EXACTLY. I HAD TO REMEMBER WHAT I WAS DOING FOUR MONTHS BEFORE. SO, YEAH. I LIKE BOTH OF THOSE.

>> WERE YOU SURPRISED? >> YEAH.

>> WE ARE NOT DOING -- YOU HAVE TO BE NICE. JIM IS GOING TO SAY,

GRR.. >> GRR..

>> ALL RIGHT, WE WILL MAKE A MOTION TO DIRECT STAFF TO BRING BACK THE PERSONAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES WITH THOSE TWO PROPOSED CHANGES, BUT THEN ALSO STAFF TO REVIEW WHAT IT WOULD ENTAIL TO CREATE A SYSTEM LIKE THAT IN THE CITY TO HAVE BETTER

SECURITY LIKE THAT. >> ARE WE GIVING THEM A DATE TO

CHANGE IT TO? DID WE SAY THAT? >> NO, MATT IS EAGER, SO I AM THINKING, START WORKING ON IT, THEN DAVID CAN WORK ON IT. I IMAGINE IS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

>> IS THERE A SECOND? >> SECOND.

>> ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING ON. PLEASE

CALL THE VOTE. >> COUNCILMEMBER KING?

>> AYE. >> MAYOR SNYDER?

>> AYE. >> MOTION PASSES, 7-0.

>> YEAH, I'M NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT IT, I ASKED CITY STAFF, I SAID, "SO, HOW MANY REQUESTS HAVE BEEN MADE AGAINST ME IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS?" AND IT WAS ZERO. SO, NOBODY MUST BE TOO

[7.11. Discussion and possible action regarding revisions to the City Council protocols, including but not limited to: City Manager/City Council one-on-ones, cell phones in executive session, boards and commission revisions, Council and staff relationships, agenda posting deadlines, signing of Ordinances and Resolutions as they are approved followed by immediate release to the public. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

INTERESTED IN MY FINANCES.

GOING TO SAY, I DIDN'T GET ONE. AYE. THREE

>> 7.11 DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING REVISIONS TO THE CITY COUNCIL PROTOCOLS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CITY MANAGER CITY COUNCIL ONE ON ONES, CELL PHONES IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, BOARDS AND COMMISSION REVISIONS, COUNCIL AND STAFF RELATIONSHIPS, AGENDA POSTING DEADLINES, CITING OF ORDINANCES AS THEY ARE APPROVED FOLLOWED BY IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC.

SOME REVISIONS WENT OUT, I SAW THE LEGAL MEMO -- I JUST WANTED TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE THINGS. BUT, I STARTED TALKING TO JAMES ABOUT THIS, AND THEN ALSO MET, THAT COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, WE ARE GOING TO START HAVING MEETINGS ENDING SOONER. AND I WANT THIS -- I MIGHT BE STATING THIS DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT I TOLD YOU. BUT, I FEEL LIKE PART OF OUR ISSUE IS, WE GET AN AGENDA, WE START ASKING QUESTIONS THAT ARE ONES-ON-ONES, MATT IS ASKING ONE SIDE OF THE QUESTION -- OR, I AM ASKING ONE SIDE OF THE QUESTION, HE ANSWERS IT TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITY, YOU ASK A QUESTION, HE ANSWERS IT, WE COME UP WITH TWO DIFFERENT MEANINGS. WE COME UP HERE WITH PREDETERMINED DECISIONS, BASED ON OUR CONVERSATIONS, AND THEN WE ARE DUG IN BEFORE WE HAVE EVEN HEARD THE PRESENTATION. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO, IS AS WE ARE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS, A LITTLE BIT OF WORK ON YOUR PART, THAT YOU SHARE, AT THE END OF THE WEDNESDAY WITH THE COUNCIL, "HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP, REGARDING AGENDA ITEMS AND HERE IS KIND OF WHAT WE SAID." AND TO ME, THAT KIND OF KEEPS US ALL SOMEWHAT ON THE SAME PAGE, BECAUSE I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS, I GET ONE -- HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE BEEN UP HERE, HEARD THE SAME PRESENTATION, YOU GOT ONE MEANING, AND I GOT ANOTHER?

>> I DON'T KNOW. >> WE HAVE BEEN ARGUING FOR SIX

YEARS OVER DIFFERENCES, SO -- >> I DON'T KNOW IF OUR DIFFERENCES ARE BECAUSE OF THAT, THOUGH.

>> WELL, SOME OF THEM. THE POINT IS, WE COULD ALL BE MORE EFFICIENT IF WE ARE GETTING THE SAME INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME. JUST AGENDA ITEMS. BECAUSE THE IDEA IS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE STAFF GIVE MORE ROBUST PRESENTATIONS, A ZONING PRESENTATION IN OTHER CITIES, MAY BE A 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION.

HERE, IT IS LIKE TWO HOURS. PRIMARILY, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY ASKED THE QUESTIONS BEFORE THE MEETING HAPPENED, INDEPENDENTLY. SO, THAT IS REALLY WHAT THAT IS. NOT TO STOP YOU FROM, "HEY, I NEED TO BE SITTING IN THERE," OR, "WHAT ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT?" WE ARE TALKING AGENDA ITEMS. CELL PHONES IN EXECUTIVE SESSION -- THE IDEA IS THERE, WE STOP USING THEM IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. PEOPLE ARE ON THEM, INCLUDING STAFF, AND TAKE THEM WITH YOU, PUT THEM IN YOUR POCKET, AND THE PROTOCOL IS FOR STAFF BUT I AM SURE IF CITY COUNCIL IS HAVING TO DO IT, STAFF CAN GET THE PICTURE. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE ARE COVERING MILLION-DOLLAR ITEMS THAT OUGHT TO BE ON OUR CELL PHONES, COUNCIL AND STAFF RELATIONSHIPS -- I THINK THIS IS

[01:50:09]

ANOTHER ONE I HAVE TALKED TO MATT AND JAMES ABOUT. I THINK WE ARE A REALLY LITTLE TOO FRIENDLY WITH STAFF, TO THE POINT WHERE I DON'T KNOW THAT LINES ARE NOT BEING CROSSED. NOT IN THE DIRECTION, BUT THERE IS ALSO A DEAL THAT THERE ARE INTERACTIONS WITH STAFF ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO GO THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER UNLESS WE HAVE PARTICULAR QUESTIONS. AND THERE ARE TIMES SOME OF IT HAS GONE AWAY BECAUSE WE HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME CHANGES, BUT I THINK THERE ARE INSTANCES WHERE WE ARE CROSSING FROM THE PROFESSIONAL LINE TO THE PERSONAL LINE, THEN WE START CHALLENGING WHAT A STAFF MEMBER SAYS, SOME PEOPLE GET UPSET AND I THINK THE REASON SOME COUNCILMEMBERS TAKE THAT PERSONALLY AT TIMES AS THEY NOW HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, AND YOU ARE NOT AGREEING WITH MY FRIEND. "I LIKE THIS PERSON, AND I THINK WE NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL OF STAFF," BUT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THEY ARE NOT OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY ARE OUR EMPLOYEES' EMPLOYEE AND WHEN WE CROSS THAT LINE AND BECOME FRIENDLY TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE DOING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES WITH THEM THAT, IN TURN, I THINK IS CREATING AN ISSUE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO CONTROL, BECAUSE WE HAVE STAFF MEMBERS RIGHT NOW WHO WILL GO TO COUNCILMEMBERS TO TRY TO GET THEIR ITEM PASSED, OR THEY START KIND OF GIVING A LITTLE, "HEY, THIS IS WHAT I AM THINKING." I DON'T THINK THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD GO. I THINK ALL THAT INFORMATION SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE CITY MANAGER, AND OUR CONTACT WITH STAFF SHOULD BE AT THE PODIUM, THROUGH AN EMAIL WITH THE CITY MANAGER, OR HONESTLY IF IT IS AN AGENDA SPECIFIC ITEM. SO, I AM JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX THAT, MORE OF A, I THINK WE ARE GETTING THERE. AND THEN, AGENDA POSTING DEADLINES IS IN THERE -- THAT IS EXPLANATORY. AND THEN, SIGNING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- I THINK IF WE COME UP WITH A DATE, WITHIN SAY, A WEEK, THIS ISN'T FOR YOU, THIS IS MORE FOR US. BUT, THAT IS KIND OF A SOME OF --

>> YEAH, THAT PRETTY MUCH SUMS IT UP, IT IS ANOTHER ONE THAT IS A LOT TO UNPACK. YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST ONCE FOR ME WERE, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE PROTOCOLS. THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, PROTOCOLS IS HOW COUNCIL IS TO ASK, HOW WE ARE TO GOVERN OUR ACTIONS, AND POLICE OURSELVES. SO, SOME OF THAT, THE PROCESSES WERE A LITTLE BIT CONVOLUTED, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BOARD AND COMMISSIONERS' REVISIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT DIAL DOWN. I KNOW THERE IS A LOT IN THERE AND I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT SMOOTHER AND CLEANER. I AGREE WITH SOME OF THE THINGS YOU SAID, AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, HOW WE INTERACT WITH STAFF AND UNDERSTANDING OUR ROLES AND RELATIONSHIPS. YEAH.

CELL PHONES, FOR ME, IS A BIG ONE. I GO INTO MEETINGS AT WORK, AND CELL PHONES ARE NOT ALLOWED. WE ARE DOING SOME DEALS, AND ABSOLUTELY NOT SAYING THAT SOMEONE IS, YOU KNOW, TEXTING SOMEONE THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE, AND TELLING THEM INFORMATION -- THAT IS NOT WHAT I'M SAYING AND I DO NOT THINK THIS COUNCIL WOULD DO THAT. HOWEVER, BEING ON THE PHONE AND BEING DISTRACTED IS -- FOR ME, IT IS KIND OF A THING. AND I DON'T CALL MYSELF BECAUSE IT IS LIKE, "HEY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS." LIKE, "HEY, PUT THE PHONE DOWN." THAT IS NOT FOR ME TO FIND. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GREAT STAFF -- I DON'T NEED TO BE THE GUY FOR THAT. SO, THAT WAS A BIG ONE FOR ME. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS, LIKE WE SAID, AS THEY ARE APPROVED, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE OUT, RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC A LOT FASTER, IF THAT IS POSSIBLE.

THAT WEEK DEADLINE IS WHAT IT IS. BUT, FOR ME, IT IS JUST CLEANING UP THE PROTOCOLS, GETTING MORE EFFICIENT. MAKING IT LESS CONVOLUTED, AND ALLOWING US TO DO OUR JOBS MORE BETTER.

>> MORE BETTER? >> YES, SIR.

>> SO, WITH THAT, EVERYBODY HAS THE -- I GUESS, THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS. THAT HAVE NOT -- I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF HAS REVIEWED THEM, OR NOT. BUT, TRIED TO GET THOSE OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO YOU GUYS COULD LOOK AT THOSE. THERE IS QUITE A FEW CHANGES. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO DISCUSS THAT. YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO, THERE?

>> QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? >> YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION REGARDING THE ONES-ON-ONES. MATT, MAYBE YOU COULD HELP ME OUT ON THIS. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE FOR THE ONES-ON-ONES? MY CONCERN IS, EACH PERSON -- LIKE THE MAYOR SAID -- IS GOING TO HEAR

[01:55:02]

SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW, WE ARE GOING TO FILTER IT DIFFERENTLY. SO, WHY DO THE ONES-ON-ONES? WHY NOT DO IT CORPORATELY, SO WE ARE ALL HEARING THE SAME THING, AND NOT

INTERPRETING WHAT IS BEING SAID? >> SO, THIS WAS STARTED BY THE CITY MANAGER, NOT MYSELF. BUT, MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE ONE ON ONE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AGENDA, TO BE ABLE TO SUPPLY THOSE ANSWERS TO COUNCIL AHEAD OF THE MEETING, IF THEY WOULD LIKE. HOWEVER, THOSE ONE ON ONES ARE ALSO OPPORTUNITIES FOR ONE-ON-ONE TIME WITH THE COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER TO BRING UP ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE TO GAIN UNDERSTANDING IN WHATEVER THE COUNCILMEMBER NEEDS. YEAH. ANYTIME THERE IS MORE THAN FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TOGETHER, YOU HAVE TO CALL A MEETING FOR THAT.

THAT IS WHY THERE IS A TYPE OF MEETING WITH ALL OF COUNCIL, AHEAD OF A COUNCIL MEETING, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> YES, THANK YOU. >> I SPEND MY TIME DRIVING FOR

AN HOUR. >> I DON'T NEED TO MEET WITH YOU. I WILL ASK, HERE.

THAT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE IF THERE WASN'T INTEREST IN MAJORITY OF COUNCIL DOING THAT, SO I KIND OF DROPPED THAT IDEA.

BUT, I -- I AM THE FIRST OF THE DAY, I'M ON:00 A.M., RIGHT? I ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE I HAVE READ THE PACKET, I AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IT, I'M TRYING TO DIGEST IT, SO I WILL ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO THE CITY MANAGER. SOME OF THEM, HE WILL KNOW THE ANSWER AND HE WILL GIVE IT TO ME, SOME OF THEM HE IS LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW, AND I WILL ASK STAFF," AND THAT HE IS PINGING STAFF AND THEN I WILL USUALLY GET A RESPONSE BACK LATER IN THE DAY, "HERE IS THAT ANSWER I GOT FOR YOU." I LOVE, SEND IT TO COUNCIL AT THE END OF THE DAY, RATHER THAN, I NEED TO REMEMBER TO ASK THIS QUESTION, AND ASK THIS QUESTION, AND JUST COLLECT THEM ALL AND AT THE END OF THE DAY WEDNESDAY -- HERE IS ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT WERE ASKED, AND HERE ARE ALL THE ANSWERS. I THINK THAT IS GREAT. I LOVE THAT. BECAUSE AGAIN, EVERYONE HERE IS WHAT I HEARD, AND IT IS ALL CONSISTENT. SO, I THINK THAT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION.

>> YEAH, AND YOU ASKED A QUESTION I DIDN'T THINK TO ASK, SO THAT GETS ME STARTING THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING I HADN'T CONSIDERED OR AN ANGLE I HADN'T LOOKED AT BEFORE.

>> YES. >> HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT BRINGING BACK THAT OPTION TO MEET, SAY, ONE WEEK AHEAD OF TIME, WHEN WE ARE ALL IN ONE ROOM TOGETHER, TALKING ABOUT IT, WE ARE ALL HEARING THE SAME THING. WOULD YOU BE OPEN TO

THAT? >> I WOULD LOVE IT. I HAVE

ALWAYS WANTED TO DO THAT. >> I WILL KIND OF GIVE YOU MY IDEAS OF WHAT I THOUGHT IT COULD BE LIKE AND WHAT IT SHOULD BE

LIKE. >> I TALKED TO CRAIG MORGAN, HE SHARED THAT WITH ME AND I THOUGHT, WOW, THAT IS A

FANTASTIC IDEA. >> I HAVE A QUESTION ON WHEN WE HAVE MEETINGS, SO, STAFF IS GOING TO DISCUSS AGENDA ITEMS TO ANSWER QUESTIONS BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS ANYONE MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL CAN CREATE AN AGENDA ITEM, SO IF THAT IS ON THE AGENDA, WHY WOULD I ASKED STAFF WHAT COUNCILMEMBER THORNTON DID FOR AN AGENDA ITEM? STAFF IS NOT GOING TO KNOW, AND COUNCILMEMBER THORNTON AND I DISCUSSED THIS ON OUR ONE-ON-ONE TODAY, I DON'T WANT STAFF ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT INTENTIONS SOME OTHER COUNCILMEMBER HAS FOR PUTTING AN AGENDA ITEM ON. ONE, THAT IS NOT THE PROPER PERSON. BUT ALSO, IT IS KIND OF LIKE -- I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT AGENDA ITEMS OUTSIDE OF THE DAIS, PERIOD. IT'S A PERSONAL THING.

I AM LEARNING ALL OF THIS. SO, I DON'T KNOW -- I'M NOT SAYING ANY LINES HAVE BEEN CROSSED, I AM JUST BEING CAUTIOUS ON WHAT LINES DO I HAVE THAT I AM NOT AWARE OF? TALKING TO ANY COUNCILMEMBER, WHETHER IT IS ONE-ON-ONE WITH STAFF ABOUT ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM OR ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER ABOUT ANOTHER AGENDA ITEM, I DON'T THINK THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO DO AT LEAST IN THIS STAGE OF MY TENURE. I AM NOT SAYING IT IS APPROPRIATE IF ANYONE HAS DONE ANYTHING, BUT I MEAN, IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, A STAFF FACILITATED DISCUSSION OF AGENDA

[02:00:05]

ITEMS, MY QUESTION WOULD BE, COUNCILMEMBER GORDON, WHY DID YOU PUT THIS AGENDA ITEM? MAYOR SNYDER, WHY DID YOU PUT THIS AGENDA ITEM? I'M NOT SAYING IT IS WRONG, I JUST WANT CLARIFICATIONS. AND TO ME, THAT IS WHAT AN AGENDA MEETING WOULD BE, PRIOR TO THIS MEETING IN THE COUNCIL, OR IN THE COUNCIL

MEETING. >> I THINK THEY ARE MORE REFERRING TO STAFF ITEMS PUT ON, LIKE THIS REZONING ITEM. I DID HAVE A QUESTION. ON THE MESSAGE BOARD, CITY MANAGER CAN RESPOND

TO US ON MESSAGE BOARD, RIGHT? >> A GREAT QUESTION. I AM NOT SURE I HAVE EVER SEEN HIM RESPOND ON THERE, BUT WE WILL

FIND OUT AND LET YOU KNOW. >> SO, MY STAFF HAS A QUICK THURSDAY MEETING, THEY HAVE A SIX HOUR MEETING, THEY HAVE A 2 1/2 HOUR MEETING BECAUSE THEY HAD A THREE AND HALF HOUR MEETING DURING THE DAY, SO IT IS SAVINGS TIME FOR ME AND I WILL BE HONEST, I AM NOT COMFORTABLE TAKING TIME AWAY FROM STAFF DURING THE DAY BECAUSE I WOULD RATHER THAN BE MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC THAT IS COMING OUT AND WORKING ON THAT. WHAT I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US DO IS TRY TO TRY OUT IF WE HAVE ISSUES, QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA, THE MESSAGE BOARD HAS EVERY MEETING, REGULAR MEETING, I BELIEVE -- THEY HAVE IT ON THERE, IF THE CITY MANAGER CAN RESPOND, WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS, HE CAN RESPOND, OR ONE OF HIS DESIGNEES AND WE CAN TRY THAT OUT. BECAUSE I AM REALLY TRYING TO GET LESS MEETINGS AND MORE PRODUCTIVITY OUT OF STAFF AND THE MORE WE BOG THEM DOWN THE MORE -- BUT, SOME CITIES DO THAT. PERSONALLY, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR ANOTHER MEETING, BECAUSE THIS IS ALREADY STARTING TO FEEL LIKE A FULL-TIME JOB WITH ALL OF THE OTHER MEETINGS. BUT, IT IS SOMETHING WE COULD FIND OUT, TALK ABOUT THAT, AND --

>> I WANTED TO SORT OF ANSWER GINS QUESTION, TOO. SORRY,

COUNCILMEMBER, SORRY. >> LIKE, IN MY REVIEW, WITH THE CITY MANAGER, WE WOULD COMPLETELY SKIP ANY ITEM THAT IS PUT ON BY A COUNCILMEMBER. WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE HE IS NOT GOING TO KNOW. HE IS LIKE, "I DON'T KNOW, THAT IS THEIR DEAL, THAT IS THERE ITEM." SO, I THINK I WOULD AGREE THAT THOSE ITEMS DEFINITELY USE THE MESSAGE BOARD. "HEY, COUNCILMEMBER GORDON, YOU PUT AN ITEM ON HERE TO DISCUSS THIS, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER INFORMATION IN THE PACKET," OR, "I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT INFORMATION YOU SHARED IN THE PACKET," AND THAT IS WHERE WE CAN DISCUSS OUR STUFF, MAYBE? AND IT CAN BE A

MIXER, TOO? >> THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION.

AGAIN, I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE NUANCES, YET.

>> ARE YOU NEW? >> NO, NO. AYE. THREE

>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? >> YEAH, JUST TO -- I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW SCOPE OF ANY ACTION WE ARE DOING HERE, BUT ON THIS REVISED DOCUMENT, TBD, I MEAN, THERE WAS ONE THING THAT I THOUGHT I HEARD, AND THEN I SEE IT STRUCK OUT, THIS IS IN THE ETHICS OF THIS PARTICULAR KEEPING A LOG OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO REVIEW OR INSPECT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. I THOUGHT WE WERE SAYING THAT WE WANTED TO KEEP A LOG. YET, THIS IS SECTION 4 ETHICS AND FINANCES.

>> ITEM FIVE, THAT IS REDLINED OUT.

>> OR, IS NUMBER FOUR, YOU SAID C?

>> I THINK SO. C, FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES. ITEM FIVE.

>> HERE WE GO. >> AND IT IS REDLINED, ABOUT KEEPING ALONG. SO, I THOUGHT WE HEARD THAT WE WERE GOING TO KEEP A LOG. SO AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE A DECISION ON THE NUANCES, OR THE DETAILS OF THIS. BUT, I THOUGHT THIS WAS IN CONTRADICTION TO WHAT WE SAID ON COUNCIL.

>> THIS, AS I READ IT, IT SAYS THE CITY SECRETARY MAINTAINING

STATEMENTS AND KEEPING A LOG. >> NOT ABOUT THE FINANCIAL

DISCLOSURES? >> WELL, I THINK THE CONCEPT IS, WE ARE TAKING THAT AWAY FROM THE CITY SECRETARY, IT IS BECOMING ELECTRONIC, TO WHERE THE LOG IS --

>> THE LOG EXIST, BUT NOT UNDER --

>> RIGHT. SO, SECRETARY WILL BE THE MONEY MAINTAINING IT, IT IS

JUST THERE. >> RIGHT.

>> AGAIN, FREEING UP TECHNOLOGY TO FREE UP WHAT WE ARE DOING,

MANUALLY. >> YEAH. SORRY TO GET INTO THE

WEEDS. >> BELIEVE ME, I LIKE THE WEED WORK. I THINK THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO THIS WOULD BE BOARDS AND

[02:05:01]

COMMISSIONS. I KNOW THERE IS AN IDEA TO GET THE -- I KNOW MAYOR IS TRYING TO STACK THE BOARD AND I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH PEOPLE TO STACK THE BOARD. I THINK THE INTENT -- AND THIS IS NOT SPEAKING FOR YOU, BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD'S DEAL IS, WE USED TO BE -- WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL, WE SELECTED PEOPLE FOR OUR POSITION. SO, I THINK MAYOR WAS LIKE, PLACE SEVEN. OR, I FORGET WHAT IT WAS. OR, WAS IT? YEAH, YEAH, IT WAS SEVEN. SO, I HAD TO PICK EVERYBODY FOR MINE, AND PLACE 5 HAD TO PUT ALL OF THEIRS AND AT SOME POINT WE SWITCHED, SO WE SAID, THAT IS NOT DOING A GOOD JOB, SO WHY DON'T WE PICK WHOEVER? AND THEN, EVERYBODY PICK TO EVER, BUT THEN THERE WERE LIKE FOUR PEOPLE IN THIS COMMITTEE, WE NEED TO BRING SOMEBODY UP. WELL, WE NEVER HAD ANYBODY TO BRING UP. THIS YEAR, EVEN GROUP WILL DO IT, AND WILL GO THROUGH AN INTERVIEW PROCESS. I THINK WHAT IS ASKED A LITTLE BIT HERE, BECAUSE WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS, WE DO AWAY WITH THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, BECAUSE WHAT ARE WE REALLY INTERVIEWING? BECAUSE IF A PERSON WANTS TO SERVE ON A LIBRARY BOARD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT QUESTIONS WE ARE ASKING THEM. AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS LATELY HAD GOTTEN A LITTLE MORE PERSONAL AND POLITICAL, NOT U.S. LIBRARY BOARD. INSTEAD, IT WAS, "WHO DO YOU ALIGN WITH?" SO, MAYBE THE IDEA OF THE INTERVIEW WAS A GOOD IDEA, BUT MAYBE THAT WAS TOO FAR, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS FOR STAFF AND IT CHANGES PERSON BY PERSON, SO WE PICK UP THE QUESTIONS, WE BRING IN APPLICATIONS, WE REVIEW THEM IN A WORKSHOP. WE DON'T MANDATE THAT THE BOARD CHAIR HAS TO BE THERE, BECAUSE THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE, WHERE THE BOARD CHAIR CAN COME SOMETIMES, SOMETIMES IT CAN'T. SO, WE ARE JUST GOING TO SAY, WHATEVER -- I FORGET WHAT IT WAS -- QUARTERLY WORKSHOPS TO REVIEW APPLICATIONS, OR AS NEEDED. AND WE LOOK AT THEM, AND WE JUST NAY OR AYE AND WE READ THEM AND I WOULD LIKE TO GO A STEP FURTHER AND REDACT NAMES, ADDRESSES, AND JUST QUALIFICATIONS, BECAUSE AGAIN, WHETHER IT BE A WORLD THING OR A CITY THING, WE ARE GETTING INTO, THIS PERSON NEEDS TO BE ALIGNED WITH THIS PERSON. SO, IF WE JUST LOOK AT WHO IS QUALIFIED AND WHO WANTS TO DO IT AND ALWAYS HE IS YES OR NO, I THINK THAT IS UP FOR THE CITY SECRETARY TO DETERMINE THEY ARE IN FACT ELIGIBLE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD, IF SHE SAYS "YES," THEN WE OUGHT TO BE DONE. AND IF WE HAVE A LINE OF PEOPLE WANTING TO SERVE ON THE BOARD -- WHICH I HAVEN'T HAD SINCE I HAVE BEEN UP HERE -- THEN WE CAN DIAL DOWN. RIGHT NOW, I AM JUST IN FAVOR OF, IF YOU WANT TO SERVE ON A BOARD, YOU CAN SHOW UP, FOLLOW THE RULES, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU. AND I THINK THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS A REAL QUICK PROCESS WITH A COUNCIL VOTE. IS THAT

KIND OF SUM IT UP? >> YEAH, THAT KIND OF SUMS IT UP. IT IS MORE OF A -- JUST A MORE STREAMLINED PROCESS. FIRST OFF, I DON'T EVEN BELIEVE WE SHOULD HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE FOR THIS. IT TAKES A MAJORITY VOTE OF COUNCIL, ALL SEVEN OF US ARE KIND OF GOING OFF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THREE PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, I CAN'T EVEN -- I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE REST OF COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, HAS EVEN REVIEWED THE APPLICATION. I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE A NAME AND ADDRESS ON THERE, TO AN EXTENT, BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY LIVE IN THE AREA AS A APPLIED FOR WHATEVER COMMISSION THEY ARE APPLYING FOR. BUT, THE BIGGEST THING IS TO MAKE THE PROCESS STREAMLINED. YOU KNOW, ARE YOU WILLING TO SERVE? DO YOU HAVE THAT DESIRE? MAYBE THEY ARE NOT A TEACHER, BUT THEY LOVE TO READ AND THEY JUST HAVE A PASSION ABOUT THE LIBRARY, FOR SOME REASON. LET'S GET THEM ON THE LIBRARY BOARD. THEY HAVE A PASSION, LET'S USE IT. DO THEY LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS? GREAT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO BRING THAT TO COUNCIL SO WE CAN GET THAT QUICKER AND BRING THOSE. YOU KNOW, THE LAST SUBCOMMITTEE, BEFORE I GOT ON, YOU KNOW, THEY DID -- THEY WORKED HARD. I AM SURE PETER SPENT A LOT OF HOURS GETTING MEETINGS SET UP, AND INTERVIEWS, AND WHATEVER, TO GET THOSE POSITIONS BUILT, AND THAT WAS IMPORTANT. I JUST FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO TAKE IT ONE STEP FURTHER. I THINK ALL APPLICANTS NEED TO BE REVIEWED BY ALL OF CITY COUNCIL. AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS JUST SEVEN OF US, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T TAKE A VOTE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, ANYWAY.

AND THEN, THERE WERE A COUPLE OTHER, LITTLE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WITH -- I JUST SCROLLED UP, SO I LOST IT. YOU KNOW, WE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WERE SERVING ON A LOT OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. SO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE FRESH IDEAS

[02:10:06]

AND, YOU KNOW, DIVERSE THOUGHT. SO, IF YOU HAVE ONE PERSON SERVING ON TWO, THREE, FOUR BOARDS, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY REALLY PASSIONATE, OR ARE THEY BORED? THAT IS MY OPINION. SO, I PUT ON THERE THAT THEY CAN SERVE ON MULTIPLE BOARDS, BUT NO MORE THAN TWO. BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE -- AND AGAIN, THIS GOES ALONG WITH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF GETTING PEOPLE TO SERVE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE PEOPLE SERVE. AND SO, THERE WAS A LOT OF CHANGES WITH THAT, ON -- YEAH, JUST STREAMLINING THE PROCESS, MAN.

MAKING IT EASIER. LET'S GET SOME PEOPLE ON THERE. THERE'S A LOT OF TIME WASTED WITH INTERVIEWS, IF I'M BEING HONEST. AND WON'T GET INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT, BUT THERE IS JUST A LOT OF TIME WASTED, OKAY? WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO GET THE APPLICATION, TAKE A LOOK AT IT, DO THEY QUALIFY? DO THEY WANT TO SERVE? PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION GET INVOLVED AND MAKE SURE -- WE DID HAVE SOME APPLICANTS FROM, YOU KNOW, WISCONSIN OR SOMEWHERE GOOFY BECAUSE IT IS LIKE A JOB APPLICATION AND YOU FILL IT OUT, SO THEY ARE PUTTING IN THEY WANT TO GET PAID $150,000 A YEAR TO SERVE ON THE EDC, WE ARE NOT FLYING YOU IN FOR THAT INTERVIEW. SO, REALLY, THAT IS ALL IT WAS, STREAMLINING THAT PROCESS AND GETTING IT TO WHERE WE CAN GET PEOPLE APPOINTED, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO REALLY JUMP THROUGH HOOPS TO DO IT.

>> SO, MY THOUGHTS ON IT ARE, ALMOST THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE.

LAUGHTER ] I THINK THIS IS A PROCESS THAT WE SHOULDN'T STREAMLINE. AND MY REASONING BEHIND THIS IS, MAYOR AND HIGH I WERE HERE DURING THE DAYS WHERE IT WAS FREE FOR ALL, YOU JUST SAID YOUR NAME AND EVERYBODY IS LIKE, "ALL RIGHT." I HAD ONE WHERE NOMINATED SOMEBODY IN SEVERAL MEMBERS OF COUNCIL CAME TO ME AND SAID, "ARE YOU NUTS? WHAT DID YOU NOMINATE THAT PERSON?" AND I SAID, "YOU VOTED FOR HIM. WHAT?" AYE. THREE SO, IT WAS JUST CRAZY. PART OF THE REASON I'M REALLY IN FAVOR OF AN INTERVIEW, WHAT I HAVE NOTICED, THE DIFFERENCE IS IT REALLY RAISES THE CALIBER OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS -- IT SHOWS THAT THEY ARE SERIOUS. IF THEY ARE WILLING TO COME, SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW, COME IN PERSON, MEET, ALMOST PLEAD THEIR CASE AND SAY, "HERE IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO PICK ME, I REALLY WANT THIS POSITION." BEFORE IT WAS, "YEAH, I'LL DO IT. PETER CALLED ME, I KNOW HIM. YOU WANT TO BE ON THE BOARD? SURE." NOW, IT IS MORE LIKE, WILL YOU -- AND THE QUESTIONS THAT SHOULD BE ASKED -- THORNTON CAN KEEP ME STRAIGHT HERE, ARE QUESTIONS LIKE, "WHY DO YOU FEEL QUALIFIED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD? WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? ARE YOU WILLING TO COMMIT TO 10 MEETINGS? THE DATES ARE ON THIS TIME, THIS DAY, EVERY MONTH . ARE YOU WILLING TO COME CONSISTENTLY? ARE YOU WILLING TO PARTICIPATE AND REALLY KIND OF GAUGE MORE OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE ORDER OF COMMISSION. AND FROM THAT SINCE I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE THAT DID IT LAST YEAR, IT WAS SOME WORK, IT TOOK SOME, YOU KNOW, DEDICATED TIME TO DO IT. BUT, BOY, THE CALIBER OF PEOPLE THAT I THINK WE GOT, WHO APPLIED, AND INTERVIEWED, AND WERE APPOINTED LAST YEAR, WAS PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, THE HIGHEST CALIBER OF PEOPLE THAT I HAVE SEEN SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON COUNCIL, JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE TAKING IT MORE SERIOUS, WE WERE KIND OF TAKING IT MORE SERIOUS, AND THEN THAT IN PERSON INTERVIEW KIND OF MAKES A DIFFERENCE. SO, THAT HAS JUST KIND OF BEEN MY EXPERIENCE, SO I WAS HOPING I COULD KIND OF HEAR FROM COUNCILMEMBER THORNTON, BECAUSE HE WAS PART OF THE PROCESS LAST YEAR, IF YOU WOULD BE KIND OF WILLING TO SHARE SOME OF HIS THOUGHTS ON THAT. AND THEN, COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS, BECAUSE YOU PARTICIPATED ON THE OTHER END OF IT. YOU WERE AN INTERVIEWEE. YOU WERE INTERVIEWED. JUST TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON YOUR PERCEPTION OF THE PROCESS, AND KIND OF HOW YOU FELT IT WORKED.

>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAD LAST YEAR WAS MULTIPLE OCCASIONS IN MULTIPLE BOARDS WHERE WE HAD MULTIPLE APPLICANTS FOR OPEN SPOTS, SO THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME DISCUSSING, HOW DO WE SELECT, HOW WILL WE FIND SOMEBODY WHO WILL BRING SOMETHING TO THIS BOARD? OR, IS IT SOMEBODY -- COUNCILMEMBER MORRIS WAS REJECTED FROM THE BOARD, PARTIALLY BECAUSE HE WAS ALREADY ON MULTIPLE OTHER BOARDS, AND WE HAD OTHER PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO JOIN, WHO WERE QUALIFIED. SO, HE WASN'T SELECTED FOR THAT BOARD AT THAT TIME AND THAT WAS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD, WAS HE IS ALREADY ON MULTIPLE BOARDS, BUT WE HAVE NEW PEOPLE, SO LET'S FIND WHO IS AVAILABLE AND

[02:15:03]

ABLE TO DO THIS. SO, SOME OF THAT, IF YOU -- I UNDERSTAND NOT NECESSARILY WANTING A SUBCOMMITTEE IN SOME WAYS, BUT THEN YOU WILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT WILL HAVE TO COME UP HERE, AND WE WILL HAVE TO HASH OUT WHY PERSON A IS BETTER THAN PERSON B FOR THE BOARD AND THAT IS FINE FOR US TO DO THAT, BUT THAT ALSO MAY CAUSE SOME PEOPLE TO NOT WANT TO APPLY, AND KIND OF AIR IT A LITTLE BIT MORE PUBLICLY. SO, THERE IS NOT A PERFECT SYSTEM. I DON'T MIND LOOKING AT IT, TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER. BUT, I DON'T KNOW THAT JUST ELIMINATING THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS THE BEST ANSWER, HERE. SO, IT WOULD BE BETTER, IF ALL OF COUNCIL ACTUALLY REVIEWED ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS, INSTEAD OF -- YOU KNOW, AND SOME OF THAT, TOO, IS WE DIDN'T KNOW WHO IS BEING NOMINATED, SO AT LEAST HAVING A NAME AND SAYING, "THAT PERSON IS NOMINATED, I CAN LOOK AT THEIR APPLICATION AND

SEE." >> AND INVITING THE PERSON TO COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS, TO BE HERE IN PERSON.

>> EXACTLY. >> MORRIS?

>> YES? >> MORE THAN TWO MINUTES. A

COUPLE NOTES, HERE. >> 2:15 --

>> OKAY, I LIKE THE IDEA STREAMLINING THAT PROCESS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I'M NOT SAYING, I KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS OR I'M NOT SAYING OTHER PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT I AM JUST CURIOUS. I DO LIKE BROADER COUNCIL REVIEW, AND EARLIER IN THE PROCESS. PART OF THAT COULD BE LIGHTENING THE LOAD, PART OF IT COULD BE LIKE COUNCILMEMBER THORNTON SAYS, WE WANT TO GET TO KNOW A PERSON BEFORE WE GET TO KNOW A PERSON. AND THEN, I AM NOT SPEAKING ABOUT MY INTERVIEW, BUT I THINK IN GENERAL, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMEMBER GORDON, ABOUT YOU CAN RAISE THE BAR. BUT IT IS NOT SO MUCH A BAR, IT SETS A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF COMMITMENT.

WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE COMING IN AND SPENDING THAT TIME. I DON'T KNOW. THE OTHER THING IS THAT, I DO NOT WANT -- I THINK WE ARE AT A TIME MAY BE IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF AGENCIES. THE REASON I GOT PNC IT WAS THERE WAS ONLY TWO QUORUMS. SO, SOME OF THAT, WHEN I REQUESTED LIBRARY ADVISORY, BECAUSE IT HAD TWO VACANCIES, IT MEANS QUARTERLY. I HAVE BEEN TO THOSE MEETINGS. NOT TO SAY THEY ARE LIGHT DUTY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT COMPARED TO MY LOAD, WHAT I HAD, IT WASN'T A BIG INCREASE. I WAS BETTER OFF FOR IT, NO PROBLEM. BUT, I DON'T WANT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VIABLE CANDIDATES BY MORE HOOPS -- I MEAN, THE JOB INTERVIEW OR JOB PLACEMENT FROM MINNESOTA, OR WHATEVER, THAT DOESN'T NEED TO GO TO ETHICS TO REVIEW THIS IS A MISMATCH, THAT IS JUST AN HR THING. IT TALKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, REVIEWING ELIGIBILITY AND THEN FINDING CONFLICTS. I AM NOT LOOKING FOR ANSWERS NOW, BUT DO WE HAVE ANY VIOLATIONS? DO WE HAVE ANY HISTORY OF VIOLATIONS OR CONFLICTS? OR, PROBLEMS THAT WERE REDEEMED AND ELIGIBLE, OR WERE REMOVED FROM SOME TYPE OF CONFLICT THAT WOULD BE ETHICS RELATED? I MEAN, IT IS KIND OF LIKE WE ARE TRYING TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT THERE, UNLESS IT IS? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW. BUT, I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT REDUCES THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS, BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE IN -- AND TOM CAN ATTEST TO IT -- WE HAVE MOST OF THE BOARD VACANCIES FILLED OUTSIDE OF THE NEW APPLICANTS, FROM TURNOVER THIS CYCLE. BUT, OTHER THAN THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN IN A GOOD POSITION FOR THE LAST YEAR. SO, I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THAT MOMENTUM. AS SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE PHASED IN. BUT, IT MAY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE JUST WANTING TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE BEFORE THEY HAVE EVEN STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE. I THINK THAT WE WOULD BE REMISS ON THAT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS. I'M JUST SAYING, THAT IS A CONCERN WE HAVE ABOUT THAT. BUT -- AGAIN, TO GO BACK -- I'M NOT SAYING WE REMOVE A SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT I DO LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL, AS A WHOLE, AND INDIVIDUALLY, AS A WHOLE, STARTING THE REVIEW PROCESS -- NOT INTERVIEW -- BUT REVIEW PROCESS OF CANDIDATES AND APPLICATIONS, THE EARLIER IN THE PROCESS, THE BETTER FOR ME. THAT'S IT.

>> 4:37. >> MAYBE WE BRING THIS BACK TO

[02:20:04]

NEXT MEETING, AND PEOPLE PUT SOME POTENTIAL CHANGES. I THINK IT IS ARGUABLE IF WE HAVE CURRENT CONFLICTS. SOME MAY THINK WE DO, SOME MAY THINK WE DON'T. I DON'T KNOW. AND I DON'T KNOW IF THERE COULD BE MORE? I DON'T EVEN KNOW, BECAUSE REALLY, WE ARE JUST KIND OF APPOINTING PEOPLE THAT THEY GO THROUGH AN INTERVIEW -- AND I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE TOLD "NO" TO OVER THE LAST YEAR, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THREE, OR 30? MY GUESS IS THAT IT IS SINGLE DIGITS, SO I DON'T KNOW WE HAVE ENOUGH APPLICANTS COMING IN THAT WE NEED A ROBUST SYSTEM TO GO THROUGH THEM ALL. THAT COULD CHANGE. I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM THEN COME BACK A YEAR LATER AND GO, "OH, MY GOD, THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO." BUT, HAVING BEEN UP HERE SIX YEARS, I HAVE YET TO YEAR HAVE A YEAR WHERE THERE WERE SO MANY APPLICANTS THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH. I THINK THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT SERVE ON MULTIPLE BOARDS, IS THE LACK OF APPLICANTS. SO, I DO THINK IT SHOWS SOME OF A COMMITMENT TO HAVE AN INTERVIEW. BUT, A LOT OF INTERVIEWS HAVE BEEN ON TEAMS, THEY ARE NOT EVEN DONE IN PERSON. SO, WE CAN'T EVEN GET OUR THREE COUNCILMEMBERS ON WITH THE BOARD CHAIR AND THE APPLICANT ALL ON THE SAME DATE, ALL IN PERSON. AND SO, I WOULD SAY, THAT IS A LACK OF COMMITMENT BECAUSE I AM MORE OF AN IN PERSON ON EVERYTHING. I JUST HATE TEAMS. BUT, MAYBE WE PUT SOME MORE THOUGHT, SEE IF THERE IS MORE CHANGES WE CAN DO, SOME TWEAKS, MAYBE SOME SPENT SOME TIME ON A MESSAGE BOARD. I WOULD LIKE TO USE THAT MORE THIS YEAR, SO I HOPE THAT YOU TWO GUYS KNOW HOW TO GET ON THERE, BECAUSE BY LAW, WE CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING WE WANT, SAY DANG NEAR ANYTHING WE WANT -- CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG -- ALL OF THE MESSAGE BOARD IS JUST ONE CARVEOUT TO WHERE SEVEN PEOPLE CAN GO BACK AND FORTH AND HASH OUT SOMETHING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COUNCIL. AND I THINK THE MORE WE DO THAT ON THINGS LIKE THIS, WE CAN HEAR WHAT PEOPLE'S OPINIONS ARE, GO TO THE MESSAGE BOARD, HASH THEM OUT, BRING THEM BACK FOR A VOTE AND TWEAK THEM.

>> I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD, IF WE COULD DO THAT. AND MAYBE THERE IS SOME KIND OF HYBRID THING, TO MAYBE WHEN WE GET THE APPLICATIONS, THEY ALL GET SENT TO COUNCIL, REDACTED NAMES, SO YOU DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS. AND THEN, THE FULL COUNCIL GIVES THE SUBCOMMITTEE A RANKING. HERE IS HOW I WOULD RANK THEM, BASED ON NOT KNOWING WHO THEY ARE, BUT QUALIFICATIONS ALONE, HERE WOULD BE MY RANKING. SO THEN, A SUBCOMMITTEE COMES IN WITH THAT PRE-KNOWLEDGE OF, YEAH, THIS PERSON REALLY FLOATED TO THE TOP ON PAPER. SO, MAYBE, MAYBE NOT? BECAUSE IF YOU GO BY PAPER ALONE, IT CAN BE VERY DIFFERENT.

I MEAN, WE EXPERIENCED THAT WITH OUR FIRST -- DO YOU REMEMBER OUR FIRST INTERIM CITY MANAGER? WE ALL THOUGHT THERE WAS ONE CANDIDATE WHO WAS THE CANDIDATE, AND WHEN WE INTERVIEWED, IT WAS NOT. AND THAT PERSON WAS NOT SELECTED.

>> AND WE PICKED THE PERSON THAT HAD THE LEAST -- PROBABLY THE WORST RANKING, OR CLOSE TO THE BOTTOM IN TERMS OF FAVORITES. SO

-- >> SO, ON THIS, THERE IS STILL AVAILABILITY TO INTERVIEW. THE INTERVIEW PROCESS IS NOT REMOVED

FROM THIS PROTOCOL. >> THAT IS A GOOD POINT. I FORGOT ABOUT THAT. WE HAVEN'T TAKEN OUT, IT'S JUST -- SO, THAT IS A GOOD POINT. I REMEMBER THAT CONVERSATION. WE SET IT UP TO WHERE IF YOU HAVE TWO OPENINGS AND ONE PERSON APPLIED, YOU CAN SKIP THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND APPOINT THEM. IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE PEOPLE -- 10 PEOPLE FOR TWO POSITIONS -- YOU CAN THEN GO THROUGH THE INTERVIEW -- MY OPINION IS, WE TAKE OUT ALL OF THE WHEELS AND CHALLENGES, AND INSTEAD PUT NAYS AND CANS BECAUSE FLEX ABILITY MOVES FASTER.

>> YEAH. I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO INTERVIEW. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MAKE IT A WILL OR A SHOW. IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE A NEED ALL THE TIME. AND THEN, DAN, MY THING WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A VOTE OF SEVEN COUNCILMEMBERS. WE ARE NOT ENOUGH -- A BIG ENOUGH BOARD TO HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE, IN MY OPINION, ON ANY SITUATION. AND I AM A "LESS MEETINGS ARE BETTER" GUY. IF WE HAD A -- AND AGAIN, I'M JUST THINKING OUT LOUD, HERE. YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD IT TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE DID A WORKSHOP, AND WE HAD INTERVIEWS, THE REST COULD BE DISCUSSED, WITHOUT NAMES, ON THE MESSAGING BOARD. MAYBE. RIGHT? "APPLICANT A." I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN'T DO THAT. BUT, AGAIN, I'M THINKING OUT LOUD. FOR ME, I'M

[02:25:01]

JUST TRYING TO -- YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO STREAMLINE THIS, SO WE CAN ALL BE AWARE, AT THE SAME TIME, OF WHAT IS GOING ON? EVEN IN THE INTERVIEW PROCESS, WE CAN ALL BE THERE, AND YOU KNOW, MAKE IT A PART OF OUR REGULAR THING. I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, I'M GOOD -- I ACTUALLY WOULD LIKE TO -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROPER PROCESS IS FOR THIS, TO HAVE A WORKSHOP DISCUSSION, MESSAGING BOARD DISCUSSION, OR IF STAFF NEEDS TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BRING THAT BACK -- I DON'T KNOW. BUT, I DEFINITELY WANT TO GET IT NAILED DOWN SOONER THAN LATER. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO

DO. AS I AM OFTEN REMINDED. >> WELL, IF THERE IS NO OBJECTIONS, WHY DON'T WE JUST BRING IT BACK AT THE -- WE ONLY

DID 26? JULY 10TH? >> AND DO IT AS THE 6:00 WORK SESSION, OR IN COUNCIL MEETING, ARE YOU SAYING?

>> I SAY, WE DO IT ON THE MESSAGE BOARD.

>> SO, DO WHAT WE CAN ON THE MESSAGE BOARD AHEAD OF THE 10TH,

TO KIND OF HASH IT OUT? >> IT'S STILL AN OPEN

DISCUSSION, RIGHT? >> YES.

>> I WILL SAY, HAVING INTERVIEWS AND WORKSHOP MIGHT BE A GOOD THING. LIKE, YEAH, THAT PROBABLY WORKS BETTER.

>> INTERVIEW THE CANDIDATE? >> YEAH, IN THE WORKSHOP.

>> OH, I LIKE THAT. >> BECAUSE AGAIN --

>> IT IS JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS INTENSE.

>> HAVE IT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, STILL, THOUGH?

>> WELL, IT IS. BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU SEE AT THE WORKSHOPS, VERSUS THE FULL MEETINGS? IT IS A LITTLE

DIFFERENT EXPOSURE. >> YEAH, AND THEY WILL BE IN A PUBLIC MEETING IF THEY ARE ON THE BOARD.

>> RIGHT, YEAH. ALL RIGHT, SO, BRING THAT BACK ON JULY 10TH AND

[7.12. Discussion and possible action on a Resolution limiting the hiring of additional staff until the new budget is approved. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

WE WILL UTILIZE THE MESSAGE BOARD BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. ANY OBJECTIONS TO THAT? ALL RIGHT. ITEM 7.12, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A RESOLUTION LIMITING THE HIRING OF ADDITIONAL STAFF UNTIL THE NEW BUDGET IS APPROVED. THIS IS PROBABLY BETTER THROUGH A BUDGET AMENDMENT?

>> YOU CAN DO IT THROUGH A BUDGET AMENDMENT, BUT I BELIEVE YOU COULD ALSO PASS A RESOLUTION FOR A HIRING FREEZE.

>> ALL RIGHT, AND HERE IS MY THINKING. LAST YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME, WE HAVE ABOUT 20 OPEN POSITIONS AND I SAID, "OH, DANG, THIS WILL BE EASY." FIGURED OUT WE HAVEN'T NEEDED SOME OF THESE POSITIONS WE NEEDED IN Q1 AND WE ARE IN Q4, AND WHAT HAVE WE FOUND? AND I TOLD MATT, I SAID, "IT FELT LIKE IT, MAYBE IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, " IT FELT LIKE THE NEXT MEETING, OR TWO MEETINGS LATER, THERE WERE LIKE TWO HIRES AND ALL THE POSITIONS WERE FILLED. AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WELL, WE JUST SPENT ALL YEAR. AND WE KIND OF GOT -- HOW MANY OPEN POSITIONS DO WE HAVE NOW? I AM NOT SAYING EMERGENCY PERSONNEL. I AM SAYING A JOB WHERE WE SAY, "THAT WOULD BE REALLY NICE TO HAVE." WE GO NINE MONTHS WITHOUT THAT JOB I'M SAYING, LET'S NOT HIRE THAT POSITION AND MAKE A PUSH FOR IT. LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS, BECAUSE MAYBE THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR IN THE LAST THREE THAT WE HAVEN'T REORGANIZED THE CITY SIX MONTHS IN WITH ALL NEW POSITION TITLES, AND WE GOT THE THING WITH THE POSITION TITLES -- I CAN'T EVEN TRACK PEOPLE'S POSITIONS, LIKE HOW THEY HAVE INCREASED IN PAY OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, BECAUSE THIS ONE ENDED, THIS ONE STARTED. THEN THIS ONE ENDED AND THIS ONE STARTED. AND I AM LIKE, IT IS EXTREMELY CONFUSING TO ME TO SEE, HOW ARE WE PROGRESSING, AS A CITY, IN TERMS OF POSITIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT? SO, IN MY MIND, WE ARE GETTING READY TO START A BUDGET, WE HAVE THREE MONTHS TO GO. SOME DAYS, WE HAVE DONE WITHOUT. I DON'T WANT TO AFFECT POLICE HIRING, OR THOSE POSITIONS WE HAVE GONE NINE MONTHS WITHOUT. I AM LIKE, WHY WOULD WE HURRY UP TO RUSH AND FILL IT, JUST BECAUSE IT WAS A BUDGETED ITEM? IS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RE-EVALUATE, DO WE REALLY NEED THAT POSITION AFTER NINE MONTHS? HOW DO WE DO WITHOUT IT? WHAT GOT LOST? WHAT DIDN'T GET LOST? MAYBE WE DIDN'T NEED THAT POSITION LIKE WE THOUGHT WE DID. THAT IS REALLY WHAT THIS IS. WHAT THIS

KIND OF COMES TO. >> SO, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT POSITIONS THAT WERE AUTHORIZED IN THE CURRENT BUDGET? SO, I GUESS, IT WOULD BE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES. SO, LET'S SAY WE AUTHORIZE A POSITION IN THE CURRENT BUDGET, BUT THEN THEY GOT NEVER FILLED FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHETHER THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH CANDIDATES, OR NOT ENOUGH APPLICATIONS FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND THEN THERE IS ALSO ATTRITION, RIGHT? SOMEBODY RESIGNS. SO, THEY POST IT FOR THAT POSITION AND THE ASSUMPTION

[02:30:13]

IS THEY ARE NEEDED. ARE YOU SAYING THOSE, AS WELL? OR, ARE YOU JUST SAYING, IT HAS BEEN NINE MONTHS, WE AUTHORIZED LAST SEPTEMBER FOR YOU TO HIRE THESE FOUR POSITIONS, WE FILLED TWO OF THEM, TWO OF THEM HAVE SAT EMPTY FOR NINE REALLY NEEDED? OR, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LIKE, SOMEBODY QUITS IN A DEPARTMENT, IN STREETS AND MAINTENANCE, AND THEY NEED ANOTHER PERSON AND WE ARE SAYING, "NO, YOU CAN'T FILL

THAT?" >> KNOW, I THINK THE BIGGEST FOCUS ARE ON THE ONES WE APPROVED BUT NEVER GOT FILLED, BUT I THINK IF SOMEONE QUIT NINE MONTHS AGO AND WE HAVEN'T FILLED IT YET, WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES, DO WE NEED THAT?

>> WHAT IF THEY QUIT TWO WEEKS AGO.

>> I WOULD NOT WANT TO HAMSTRING THAT.

>> OKAY. >> AND IT MAY BE MORE OF A -- AGAIN, MORE OF A DISCUSSION, NOT THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO DO IT MY WAY, BUT IN MY MIND, DON'T GO FILL A BUNCH OF POSITIONS. MY DAD WORKED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND ONE THING HE TOLD ME IS, IF YOU DON'T USE THE MONEY THIS YEAR, YOU USE IT NEXT. SO, WHAT THEY DID AT THE END OF THE YEAR, AS THEY SPENT EVERY NICKEL THEY HAD, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT CUTTING OUR BUDGET.

I'M NOT SAYING WE ARE DOING THAT HERE, BUT I DISTINCTLY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH JAMES LAST YEAR AND I'M LIKE, DO WE NEED THOSE 24 POSITIONS? IF YOU MOVE SOME STUFF AROUND, WE WON'T HAVE TO ADD ANY FTES AND THEN THE BUDGET CAME OUT, THEY WERE ALL FILLED UP AND WE NEEDED LIKE 20 MORE AND I WAS LIKE, DUDE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED ALL OF THESE. SO, MAYBE IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE AN ACTION, BUT REALLY, I THINK IT OUGHT TO BE LIKE, HOW DID WE MAKE DO FOR NINE MONTHS? IT IS ONE THING WE TALKED TO LAWRENCE WITH ABOUT PLANNING, MAYBE WE SAY, LOOK, WE DON'T NEED TO TURN STUFF AROUND IN 10 DAYS, WE WILL MAKE HEART 14 DAYS THE HARD-TO-FIND OR 21 DAYS AND WE WILL SPEND TIME COMMUNICATING DAILY WITH PEOPLE NOT SO MUCH ON THE QUICK TURNAROUND, MAYBE IT IS SOME OTHER DEPARTMENT THAT IS, HEY, WE CAN EXTEND THIS OUT AND ALLOW US TO FREE UP MORE TIME THIS WAY, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT THE FIX IS ALWAYS ANOTHER BODY.

I HAVE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THIS AND I TALKED TO JIM ABOUT THIS, TOO. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE? THE MEDIA PEOPLE DO A GREAT JOB TAKING PICTURES, VIDEO TAPING EVERYTHING, THEY ARE VERY PROFESSIONALLY DONE. I REMEMBER LAST YEAR IT WAS LIKE, YOU GUYS DO TOO MANY EVENTS, WE NEED MORE STAFF I WAS LIKE, IS THAT REALLY A PROBLEM? MAYBE WE JUST NEED LESS EVENTS WE ARE COVERING, SO WHATEVER WE HAVE DONE FOR NINE MONTHS, MAYBE WE JUST MAKE A NOTE THAT, DO WE REALLY NEED THAT? BECAUSE IF WE COME UP AND WE FILL THAT POSITION AND THEN YOU ASK FOR ANOTHER ONE HERE -- I GUESS THAT IS ANOTHER PROBLEM, IF YOU HAVE GONE NINE MONTHS AND YOU FILLED A POSITION, AND THEN YOU COME TO THE BUDGET THREE MONTHS LATER AND YOU SAY, WE HAD SUCH A HARD YEAR, I NEED EVEN MORE STAFF, BUT YOU JUST HIRED THE STAFF THAT FILL THAT NEED, SO MAYBE YOU NEED TO WAIT AND SEE HOW THAT ALL WORKS. I DON'T KNOW THE BEST WAY TO DO IT. I JUST DON'T WANT TO RUSH AT THE END TO FILL A BUNCH OF PETITIONS BECAUSE THERE WERE NOT BUDGETED. SO, I WOULD LIKE THERE TO JUST BE A DISCUSSION, BUT THIS IS JUST MAYOR VENTING AND IF NOBODY HAS AN ISSUE, MAYBE WE JUST BE COGNIZANT OF THAT.

LOW VOLUME ] >> KNOW. I WOULD JUST BE HESITANT TO VOTE FOR A RESOLUTION THAT DOESN'T BLANKET HIRING. I THINK THERE IS NUANCE TO IT, I DON'T THINK THE CITY MANAGER FILLED A BUNCH OF POSITIONS AT THE LAST MINUTE BECAUSE HE JUST NEEDED TO SPEND THE MONEY. YOU KNOW, WHEN I HAVE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT THE OPEN POSITIONS AND THAT, IT IS FINDING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE, AND I KNOW THERE IS ONE POSITION -- I WON'T SAY WHAT IT WAS -- BUT, IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO FEEL THAT BECAUSE THEY WENT THROUGH AN ENTIRE ROUND OF INTERVIEWS AND THEY SAID, "NONE OF THESE CANDIDATES ARE WHAT WE WANT." SO, THEY HAD TO START ALL OVER AGAIN AND GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AGAIN, SO SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES A LONG TIME TO FILL IT.

SO, YEAH. BUT, I MEAN, I THINK IT IS WORTH BRINGING UP, JUST TO SAY, "HEY, HAS THIS POSITIONED REALLY BEEN OPENED? DO YOU REALLY NEED IT? WHAT IS THE REASON IT IS NOT BEING FILLED? IS IT NOT BEING FILLED BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED IT? IS IT NOT BEING FILLED BECAUSE YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND THE RIGHT CANDIDATE? IS IT BECAUSE THE PAY IS OFF AND NOBODY IS APPLYING?" BECAUSE IT IS NOT SCALED RIGHT. I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF NUANCE

TO IT. >> SO, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO ASK STAFF TO COME BACK WITH THE REPORT OF ALL POSITIONS THAT ARE BUDGETED FOR AT LEAST THE PAST SIX MONTHS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED, OR HAVE BEEN VACANT FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS, WITHOUT

BEING FILLED. >> I SECOND.

>> THAT WAY, WE HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT THAT MEANS SOMETHING.

>> THAT'S CORRECT. >> YEAH, I SECOND THAT. I MEAN, TO ME, THIS IS REALLY ALMOST A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL POSITION, REQUIREMENTS, AND THE

[02:35:04]

HISTORY OF TRYING TO HIRE SOMEONE. I WOULD FEEL -- WELL, I WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE DOING SOME KIND OF A BLANKET FREEZE.

BUT, I SECOND. >> ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? HEARING ON. PLEASE CALL THE VOTE.

[7.13. Discussion and possible action on revisions to Ordinance No. 0-2024-040 regarding changes to Section 2.05.046 Public access to statements; retention. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

>> MOTION PASSES, 7-0. NEXT, WE HAVE ITEM 7.13, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON REVISIONS TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O-2023-040, REGARDING CHANGES TO PUBLIC ACCESS STATEMENTS AND RETENTION.

>> YES, MAYOR, I BROUGHT THIS ONE UP, BECAUSE I FELT THAT WE WERE MAYBE NOT -- OR, WE ARE DEFINITELY FOLLOWING IT, BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY PERSONALLY LIKE HOW WE FOLLOW IT. IT SAYS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS MADE ON THIS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

FILES WILL BE IN A MANNER THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AFTER OFFICE HOURS. REDACTED BEFORE A FINANCIAL STATEMENT IS PROVIDED, PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC AT REQUEST AND HE GOES ON TO TALK ABOUT FAMILY MEMBERS. SO, IT SAYS "ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC DURING REGULAR OFFICE HOURS." I WOULD --

>> CAN YOU REFERENCE THE PAGE AND DOCUMENT?

>> I'M SORRY, THIS IS CITY ORDINANCES.

>> ORDINANCES? OKAY. >> IT IS THE ORDINANCE, TO .0 5.046. I JUST SEARCHED IT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE.

>> THAT'S FINE. >> ANYWAY, SO, ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC DURING REGULAR OFFICE HOURS -- I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THE LAW STATES, OR THAT IS WHAT WE

DECIDED TO DO. >> IF YOU --

>> IS THAT WHAT THE LAW STATES WE HAVE TO DO? OR, IS THAT JUST WHAT HUTTO DECIDED TO DO ABOUT THE ORDINANCE?

>> YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO -- CITIES OVER 100,000 ARE REQUIRED UNDER STATE LAW, SO YOUR REQUIREMENTS ARE ALL THREE ORDINANCES, WHERE THE COUNCIL ELECTED THOSE PROVISIONS.

>> OKAY, SO UNTIL WE HIT 100,000, WE ARE NOT ACTUALLY

REQUIRED? >> CORRECT.

>> YEAH, JUST ME, PERSONALLY, IN THE SPIRIT OF TRANSPARENCY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGED. YOU KNOW? IF THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN ADD TO THAT ONLINE IDEA, WITH A LOGIN TYPE DEAL. BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF PUBLIC, UNLESS THEY ARE TAKING OFF WORK, IT IS HARD FOR THEM TO GET HERE DURING REGULAR OFFICE HOURS, BECAUSE THEY ARE WORKING DURING REGULAR OFFICE HOURS. AND SO, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE A BETTER WAY FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION. PERSONALLY.

>> CAN'T STAY STILL GET IT, THROUGH AN OPEN MEETINGS REQUEST, WHERE THEY JUST EMAIL AND SAY, "I WANT A COPY," AND GET IT THAT WAY? I THOUGHT WE CHANGE THAT -- WE HAD IT PRETTY RESTRICTED FOR A LITTLE WHILE, FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS, AND THEN

WE OPENED IT BACK UP. >> RIGHT.

>> AND THE CITY SECRETARY KEEPS THE LOG.

>> YEAH. BUT, I THOUGHT I HAD ASKED YOU A QUESTION ONCE, AFTER IT, SAYING -- SO, FOR PERSONAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THEY CAN EITHER COME AND GET A COPY FROM CITY HALL, OR THEY CAN GO THROUGH PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST AND HAVE IT EMAILED TO THEM, CAN THEY NOT? I THOUGHT WE CHANGE THAT?

>> WELL, THEY -- I DON'T KNOW. I'M READING THE ORDINANCE. IT JUST SAYS, "ACCESSIBLE TO PUBLIC DURING REGULAR OFFICE HOURS," THEN IT TALKS ABOUT REDUCTIONS.

>> YEAH, I DON'T -- >> IT DOESN'T SAY THEY CAN

REQUEST IT ANY OTHER WAY. >> YEAH, I DON'T --

>> YEAH, AND I AM OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS. I JUST DON'T LIKE THAT YOU HAVE TO LIKE, TAKE OFF WORK TO COME DO IT, YOU KNOW

WHAT I MEAN? >> I LIKE THE MAYOR'S SUGGESTION, DO IT LIKE A LOGIN, YOU PUT IN YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER, AND CLICK, THERE YOU GO, THERE IT IS.

>> MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO BRING THIS BACK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THAT SYSTEM, AND THEN CLEAN THIS UP, THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE OTHER -- BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE OTHER ONE IS GOING TO

GO AS WELL AS IT DID. >>

>> OKAY, WELL, WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT? BECAUSE THEN I WOULD

JUST SAY, "SO MOVED." >> WE CAN. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT, BECAUSE IT IS THE OTHER ONE WENT THROUGH THAT IS GOING

[7.14. Discussion and possible action regarding a policy on the use of electronic signatures like Docusign. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

TO TRUMP IT. I WOULD SAY WE HAVE TO FIX THIS IF THE OTHER ONE

GETS DONE. >> CORRECT. YES.

>> ALL RIGHT, THEN, THAT'S FINE.

>> OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT. NEXT ONE IS ITEM 7.14, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING A POLICY ON THE USE OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES, LIKE DOCUSIGN.

>> SO, IN DISCUSSING THIS ONE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POLICY IS

[02:40:09]

MY RANT, SIR. >> YEAH.

>> 49, I STILL READ A PAPER NEWSPAPER EVERY MORNING. MY ISSUE WITH ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES IS, WE HAVE ALREADY HAD ISSUES WITH INK, PEOPLE SAYING, "I DID NOT SIGN THAT DOCUMENT." WE HAD AN ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. SO, THEY SAID IT WAS KIND OF -- WELL, DOCUSIGN IS ONLY AS GOOD AS SOMEONE'S USERNAME AND PASSWORD, AND THE MINUTE -- NOT SAYING IT HAPPENS HERE -- BUT, IT IS HAPPENED AT A PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT I KNOW. WHERE IT IS LIKE, "HEY, HERE'S MY LOGIN, JUST HIT IT, AND I DON'T LIKE USING IT AT WORK." AND SO, IT IS NOT SECURE. AND SO, IF WE GO TO COURT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS, IF SOMEONE EVER GETS A PERSON'S PASSWORD AND USERNAME AND THEY ARE LIKE, "I DIDN'T SIGN THAT." "IT'S THAT YOU SIGNED IT." OKAY I DIDN'T SIGN IT." YOU SAID YOU DID." AND THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED, MATT WAS ON THAT EMAIL, WE HAD A LETTER GO OUT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE HEY, WE UNDERSTAND YOUR GUYS' CONCERNS AND HERE IS WHAT WE ARE DOING. IT WAS THE MOST IMPERSONAL LETTER I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE, BECAUSE IF YOU ARE ADDRESSING SOMEONE WITH, "I HEAR THAT YOU HAVE CONCERNS, HERE IS WHAT WE ARE DOING," AND YOU DOCUSIGN IT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL SEND AN EMAIL. WHY WOULD YOU DO ANYTHING OTHER? SO, TO ME, WE ARE NOT SIGNING -- I SIGN ANYWHERE FROM 20 -- WHAT DO I SIGN, LAUREN? MAYBE 20 THINGS PER NIGHT? IT IS ACTUALLY PRETTY QUICK. IF PEOPLE ARE HERE -- AND I WOULD SAY THIS, THE PERSON THAT IS DOING THE JOB, THAT HAS TO SIGN, SHOULD BE HERE EVERY DAY. SHORT OF BUSINESS. AND SO, UNLESS THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, I DON'T -- I THINK WE NEED -- HERE IS WHAT I THINK WE NEED, WE NEED A POLICY ON WHEN TO USE IT, AND WHEN NOT TO. EMERGENCY ISSUES. SOMETHING COMES THROUGH, YOU ARE ON VACATION, I GET ALL OF THAT, BUT JUST EVERY DAY COURSE OF BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY WRITING LETTERS TO NEIGHBORHOODS, I JUST -- YOU KNOW, AND I PROBABLY NEED TO GET OVER THAT, BUT IT REALLY DRIVES ME CRAZY, WHEN -- THAT PART. SO, FOR ME, IT IS NOT THAT HARD TO SIGN. NOW, AGAIN, WE MAY COME BACK AND WE SIGN 500 ITEMS A WEEK. I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF YOU SAID THAT, BUT I WOULD UNDERSTAND DOCUSIGN. BUT, IF YOU ARE DOING DOCUSIGN, HERE IS THE OTHER THING, OR PEOPLE READING IT? BECAUSE WE JUST HAD A CLASS AT WORK AND SOMEBODY IS LIKE, "LOOK AT THIS, YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR PHONE AND SIGN IT," AND I AM LIKE, "YOU ARE READING IT? 64 PAGES?" SO, IF IT IS IN WRITING, TO ME, YOU ARE MORE APT TO READ IT AND FIND IT AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SECURITY. BUT, I DON'T KNOW.

>> I AM ALSO READING PAPER NEWSPAPERS, STILL. SO, I DON'T KNOW. IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY NOW, TO GET A PAPER TO COME TO

YOUR HOUSE. >> LET ME TELL YOU.

>> BUT, I THINK THAT ONE IS PROBABLY MORE JUST A RENT THAN

AN ITEM. >> WELL, I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE BRING BACK -- STAFF COMES UP WITH A POLICY THAT THEY RECOMMEND, WHEN IT CAN AND CAN'T USE DOCUSIGN. AND THEN, WE CAN SAY, "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT." OR, WE COULD SAY, "THAT

WORKS." >> SECOND.

>> ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION?

>> NO, I AM MORE COMFORTABLE WITH DOCUSIGN, MAYBE, JUST BECAUSE I USE IT MORE. AND YOU ARE RIGHT -- I MEAN, IT IS ONLY AS SECURE AS YOUR LOGIN, AS YOU PROTECT YOUR LOGIN. WHICH, I KNOW I.T. IS STRESSING A LOT, "YOU DON'T SHARE YOUR LOGINS, BE SURE TO LOG OUT." THERE IS A PUNISHMENT THAT HAPPENS AT DELL, WHERE IF THERE IS -- MANAGERS GOES AROUND, AND IF THEY SEE THAT SOMEBODY'S NOTEBOOK IS OPEN AND THEY WALKED AWAY FROM THEIR DESK, AND IT IS STILL LOGGED IN, THEY WILL TYPE AN EMAIL TO THE ENTIRE

[02:45:02]

DEPARTMENT, "I LIKE SQUIRRELS." AND IT HAS JUST BECOME A RUNNING JOKE. BUT, NOW, YOU KNOW WHO IS NOT LOCKING THEIR COMPUTER. IT IS KIND OF MEAN.

LAUGHTER ] >> YEAH, IF YOU WORK FOR A NICE ORGANIZATION, IT WOULD NOT SAY, "I LIKE SQUIRRELS."

>> YEAH. BUT, ALL THAT TO BE SAID IS, YEAH, DOCUSIGN IS AS SECURE AS YOU MAKE IT. AND, YOU KNOW, I CAN SEE THAT IT IS MAY BE A CONVENIENCE THING, BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRINT OUT AN 80 PAGE DOCUMENT, THEN DELIVER IT TO SOMEBODY, THEN THEY SIGN IT -- AND I GUESS YOU ONLY HAVE TO SCAN IT FOR ONE PAGE, I GUESS YOU COULD SCAN THE ONE PAGE. BUT, STILL, IT'S -- ANYWAY, I DON'T MIND LOOKING AT A POLICY, JUST TO SEE, CAN WE LIMIT WHEN

WE DO IT? THAT MAKE SENSE. >> ALL RIGHT, PLEASE CALL THE

[7.15. Discussion and possible action regarding Hutto's water restriction policies. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

VOTE. >> COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD?

>> AYE. >> MAYOR SNYDER?

>> AYE. >> COUNCILMEMBER KING?

>> AYE. >> MOTION PASSES, 7-0. NEXT, ITEM 7.1 VIEW, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING HUTTO'S WATER RESTRICTION POLICIES. I WOULD LIKE US TO REVIEW THIS -- JAMES TOLD ME, AND MAYBE I AM WRONG ON THIS -- THAT WITHOUT COUNCIL GIVING DIRECTION, YOU ARE ABLE TO JUST DO WHAT YOU THINK IS BEST. ONE OF THE ITEMS -- ASSUMING THAT IS CORRECT, YOU MIGHT TELL ME IN A MINUTE THAT IS NOT CORRECT -- BUT, ASSUMING ONE OF OUR POLICIES IN STAGE THREE OR STAGE FOUR -- I CAN'T REMEMBER. BUT, YOU GET TO A STAGE THREE OR A STAGE FOUR, YOU HAVE SOME VERY SERIOUS WATER ISSUES, AND RESTAURANTS ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO VOLUNTARILY OFFER PEOPLE GLASSES OF WATER. AND I AM NOT REAL BIG ON RULES YOU CAN'T ENFORCE, OR THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME ENFORCING. SO, WHEN THIS FIRST CAME OUT -- ACTUALLY, LAST SUMMER, A RESTAURANT CALLED ME AND THEY WERE LIKE, "BRO, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? I CAN'T OFFER WATER?" AND I WAS LIKE, APPARENTLY, WATER IS SUCH A BAD ISSUE RIGHT NOW, THAT 12 OUNCES YOU WILL BE WASTING IS GOING TO AFFECT OUR SITUATION. AND THEY ARE LIKE, "HOW DO YOU EVEN KNOW?" AND I ASKED. SO, I AM LIKE, I LIKE TO SEE THAT GOING, AND MAYBE JUST MORE OF A REVIEW OF COUNCIL LIKE, HEY -- BECAUSE WHEN THE CITY MANAGER IMPLEMENTS THESE POLICIES, IF HE DOESN'T CATCH IT, WE CATCH IT. AND SO, I AM LOOKING MORE FOR -- THAT IS ONE OF MY ISSUES, BUT LET'S JUST LOOK AT IT, MAKE SURE WE ARE OKAY WITH EVERYTHING, AND I WILL ASK YOU, AM I RIGHT, IN THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE A SET POLICY WE HAVE PASSED, THEN IT IS KIND OF WHATEVER YOU GUYS COME UP WITH, IS THAT SAFETY SAY?

>> I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. I DON'T KNOW THAT, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I JUST KNOW THAT ALL CITIES HAVE STAGE ONE, TWO, THREE, AND FOUR. I HAVE NEVER LOOKED BEHIND THE LEGAL

REQUIREMENTS. >> YEAH.

>> IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING EVERYBODY HAS DONE.

>> SO, I'M NOT SAYING WE DON'T WANT POLICY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WHAT YOU HAVE -- I KNOW PEOPLE COMPLAIN, "OH, MY GOSH, YOU ARE LETTING CAR WASHES GO?" WELL, THEY ARE ALL USING WATER RECLAMATION PROCESSES. SO, JUST KIND OF REVIEW IT. THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, WE MAY NEED THIS. SO, THAT IS ALL I AM KIND OF LOOKING FOR. SO, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO BRING BACK THE WATER RESTRICTION POLICY FOR REVIEW BY CITY COUNCIL.

>> SECOND. >> SECOND BY COUNCILMEMBER PORTERFIELD. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? HEARING ON.

PLEASE CALL THE VOTE. >> COUNCILMEMBER KING?

[7.17. Discussion and possible action regarding the City of Hutto's policy on Early Voting and Election Day polling sites. (Mayor Snyder/Councilmember Porterfield)]

>> AYE. >> MAYOR SNYDER?