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AND I'LL SPEAK INTO THE MIC[Town Hall on April 20, 2022.]
THAT PROBABLY WILL HELP TOO.RIGHT? SO THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.
UH, THIS IS ONE OF TWO TOWN HALLS, UH, TO TALK ABOUT THE, WHAT THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION DID, WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED TO BE ON THE BALLOT.
AND SO WE'VE GOT GRADY AND JUDITH FROM RANDALL OFFICE, THERE ARE A CITY ATTORNEY, AND SO THEY WERE PART OF THIS PROCESS.
SO AS THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE, WE WENT LINE BY LINE THROUGH HOWEVER MANY PAGES.
THAT THING IS, AND THERE WERE COMMENTS THERE WERE EDITS OR QUESTIONS.
AND SO AGAIN, WE WERE GUIDED THROUGH THAT.
UH, SOME OF THAT IS, UH, WE MADE CHANGES BASED OFF OF STATE LAW.
SOME OF ITS, UH, CHANGES BASED OFF OF WHAT THE COUNCIL WANTED TO DO.
AND THERE WERE THINGS THAT, UH, ORIGINALLY WERE ON FOR DISCUSSION AND THE COUNCIL DECIDED TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.
UM, BUT I REALLY THINK THIS IS KIND OF A COMPREHENSIVE CLEANUP, UH, OF OUR, OUR FOUNDING PRINCIPLES OF HOW WE OPERATE.
AND SO, UM, IT'S UP TO Y'ALL AS THE VOTERS, UH, TO DECIDE WHETHER TO APPROVE OR NOT.
UM, I WOULD THINK IF THEY DON'T GET APPROVED, THEN WE'LL BE BACK IN TWO YEARS DOING ANOTHER CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AND THEY'LL GO ON A BALLOT AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, UH, BECAUSE WE THINK THEY'RE THINGS THAT NEED TO GET DONE.
AND IN TWO YEARS, WHATEVER THAT COUNCIL MAKEUP IS, WE'LL DECIDE WHAT MAY GO BACK ON.
OR AGAIN, WE MAY HAVE OTHER, UH, STATE LAW CHANGES THAT WILL CAUSE US TO LOOK AT THE CHARTER AND LOOK AT THE WORDING AND WHAT WE PUT IN THE CHARTER.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO BE HERE FOR AN HOUR.
UH, AGAIN, WE'LL BE HERE THURSDAY NIGHT, UH, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, UH, OR ENTERTAIN COMMENTS.
UM, BUT REALLY THERE'S NO CHANGES AT THIS POINT.
IT'S GOING TO THE BALLOT, UH, JOEL, YOU'VE GOT THE HANDOUT THERE.
UH, AND SO YOU'LL YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE.
IT'S A, UH, ANGLETON RESIDENT WILL GET TO VOTE, UH, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO GRADY.
I'LL SHOW YOU AGREE, RECORD ONE ORDER.
UM, IT'S THOUGH ALL REQUIRED THIS, UM, ALL REQUIRES A ROOM TOGETHER.
SO IT'S 80, 81 EFFORT QUESTIONS FOR FALSE STATE LAWMAKERS, THE CHARTER COMMISSION AND MORE AND COUNCILS, UH, 81.
AND SO THAT'S WHY, UH, THERE'S 81 ON THE BALLOT.
YOUR CHARTER RUNS FROM THE MID DELIGHTS.
I HEARD IT'S BEEN NIBBLING AROUND THE EDGES FOR AT MANY YEARS, 40 PLUS 20.
SO 60 YEARS, THIS WAS A COMPREHENSIVE TOP TO BOTTOM.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CAR WITH 50,000 MILE MAINTENANCE.
THAT'S A THOROUGH, EVERYTHING GETS LOOKED AT IN THAT SPOT.
I WENT TO THE SPEECH TO THE HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
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THE PHONE WAS NAMED JOHNNY HOLMES.THIS IS EIGHTIES OR NINETIES, AND HE DIDN'T REALLY PREPARE SPEECHES.
HE GOT UP AND SAID, EVERYBODY WANTS TO ASK ME QUESTIONS.
AND SO I CAN GIVE YOU A BIG, LONG DRAWN OUT PROCEDURAL SPEECH ON HOW THIS IS AND WHAT THIS IS, BUT IT REALLY IS A UPDATE OF THE CHARTER, NOT A MODERNIZATION.
IT'S NOTHING THAT IT'S JUST BRINGING THE CHARTER INTO THE 21ST CENTURY WHERE STATE LAW HAS PREEMPTED OR TAKEN OVER A LOT OF STUFF THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS USED TO DO.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, THE CHARTER SAID YOU HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR THE BUDGET.
SO NOW IT'S STATE LAW DOES SAY YOU HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY A DAYS NOTICE OF A HEARING TO DO A BUDGET.
WELL, WHY HAVE IT IN THE CHARTER IF IT'S ALREADY IN STATE LAW? SO WE WORKED UNDER THE THEORY, LESS IS MORE, THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION IS THE SECOND LONGEST CONSTITUTION IN THE NATION.
THERE ARE MORE WORDS IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION.
THEN THERE ARE IN TOLKIEN'S LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY.
JUST THINK ABOUT THAT A TRILOGY VERSUS THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION.
SO WE COULD DRAFT THE CHARTER MEN, THE CHARTER TO GO FOR MORE.
OUR, WE COULD DO LAST LIKE THE U S CONSTITUTION AND YOU HAVE 24 AMENDMENTS AS OPPOSED TO THE 444 AMENDMENTS THAT THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION HAS.
SO THAT WAS THE PHILOSOPHY THAT THE CHARTER COMMISSION WENT IN.
UH, SO THAT'S THE BIG 30,000 FOOT VIEW.
I'M READY TO DIVE INTO THE TALL GRASS.
SO RAISE YOUR HANDS AND SHOUT IT OUT.
AND I'LL ASK YOU QUESTIONS OR I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND I MIGHT EVEN ASK YOU A QUESTION WHO KNOWS, BUT WHO WILL BE THE BRAVE FIRST ONE TO GO? YES.
WELL, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE QUESTION ANYWAY, JUST TO BE SURE WE HAVE YOUR KIDS.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCH IT ONLINE.
WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU TOO.
SO CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY.
SO MY QUESTION IS REGARDING RECALL AND, UH, I THINK, I THINK IT'S PRETTY MUCH BEEN ANSWERED NOW A BIT EARLIER.
AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS I HAD WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, YOU DON'T ACTUALLY PUT ON HERE, WHAT, WHAT IS GOING TO NOW BE OKAY, BECAUSE YOU CAN, SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE, BECAUSE RECALL IS LIKE ONE OF THE LAST METHODS WE HAVE.
SO, UH, WHEN I WAS GOING BACK AND WATCHING SOME OF THE AGENDA MEETINGS, UM, I HEARD A COUPLE OF TIMES, TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES.
AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I'M FAMILIAR WITH TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODES.
WHY ARE WE LOOKING AT TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE? OR WE'RE MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT.
AND SO IT CONCERNED ME WHEN I SAW THAT.
UM, IF, IF IT WASN'T IN THE CHARTER, IT DIDN'T MATTER.
WE HAVE TO HAVE IT IN THE CHARTER.
BUT I SEE THAT Y'ALL HAVE, NOW THAT I CAN GET THIS RIGHT, I CAN SEE THAT IT'S IN THE CHARTER, BUT I WANT TO MAKE 100% SURE THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO LOSE ANY OF OUR RIGHTS TO A RECALL.
SHOULD WE NEED ONE? DON'T EXPECT TO EVER HAVE ONE, BUT IF YOU EVER WANT IT AND YOU DON'T GOT IT.
SO DO YOU HAVE THE, AND I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, BUT DO YOU HAVE THIS SPECIFIC QUESTION? WELL, IT'S, IT WAS ON, IT WAS THE WHOLE, IT'S THE WORDING.
IT IS THE WORDING THAT Y'ALL HAVE TO USE.
I'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE LOOKING, IF THAT'S OKAY.
SO WE DID NOT REMOVE RECALL FROM THE, UH, CHARTER RECALL IS RICK CARLING, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, UH, THAT IS PECULIAR TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ONLY.
AND ONLY IF YOU ARE A HOME RULE CITY, YOU'RE A HOME RULE CITY BECAUSE YOU'RE OVER AT 5,000, YOU HAD AN ELECTION IN THE SIXTIES AND YOU HAVE A CHARTER.
SO, UH, WE CLEARED UP AND TIGHTENED UP SOME OF THE PROCEDURAL ASPECTS OF RECALL, BUT RECALL IS IN THERE AS WELL AS INITIATIVE.
IF THE VOTERS WANTED TO INITIATE LEGISLATION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL, OR IF THEY WANTED A REFERENDUM
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ON SOMETHING, THE CITY COUNCIL, UH, ADOPTED, YOU COULD TRY TO REPEAL IT.THEN ALL OF THE FELL SAFE IS THE RECALL.
AND IF SOMEBODY JUST, WELL, HERE'S A FOR INSTANCE, IN, UH, METAL'S PLACE, TEXAS, THE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS IN JAIL, BUT HE HAS NOT RESIGNED HIS POSITION.
THERE'S NO WAY TO RECALL HIM ON THE STATE LEVEL.
HE CANNOT PERFORM HIS JOB BECAUSE HE'S IN THE POKEY.
SO IF YOUR CITY COUNCILMAN IS IN JAIL, YOU CAN RECALL HIM AND GET A NEW ONE, A PORN.
IT, SO IT VERY DEFINITELY IS IN THERE.
THIS WHITE PART TRIES TO EXPLAIN IN PLAIN ENGLISH WHAT THE BALLOT MEASURE IS.
AND JUDITH, IF YOU WANT TO JUMP IN ON ANYTHING, FEEL FREE.
IF YOU ASK, DID YOU PICK UP THIS ONE RIGHT HERE? I TOLD A LIE.
SO THAT'S NOT THE CHANGE YOU THERE.
AND BASICALLY THE CHANGE IS THAT NOW, UM, THE METHODOLOGY, HOW YOU DO IT HAS BEEN SPELLED OUT.
YOU SEE THAT? SO A DOUBLE AGE, DOUBLE I AND DOUBLE J'S REFERENDUM.
SO, UM, ALTHOUGH THE ONLY CHANGES THAT THAT REALLY WERE MADE OR SETTING OUT IS THE BIG PROCESS OR YOUR INTENT EFFICIENT AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WITH THAT INTENTION.
BUT ON THE RIGHTS OF PREFERENCE, RECALL THAT THERE ALSO THERE IS STILL SOMETHING.
YEAH, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS, IT WAS THE WORDING ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TELL YOU WHAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT TO.
AND THEN WHEN IT MADE THE COMMENT THAT IT SAID TEXAS LAW OR TEXAS CONSTITUTION, YOU KNOW, SUPERSEDES IT AND I'M GOING, DON'T HAVE IN TEXAS, YOU SHOWN HIM MORE THAN ANYBODY THAT TEXAS LAW AND THE CONSTITUTION TEXAS DOESN'T HAVE RECALL.
SO IF WE, IF WE, IF IT'S GOT A SUPERSEDED, WE DON'T HAVE IT, BUT SINCE YOU SPELLED IT OUT, WHICH YOU DON'T SEE ON THE BALLOT SINCE YOU SPELLED IT OUT AND IT WILL BE AN ARTICLE IN OUR CHART, SO I'M GOOD.
AND THEN ON THE LANGUAGE, ON THE BALLOT LANGUAGE, THAT'S WHY IT'S, OR, OR, OR IF WE HAD A SPECIFIC REASON FOR EACH THING, I WOULD STILL BE WORKING OUT FAIRLY I'M SURE CITIES.
WE WORK ON THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, THE TEXAS LAWS THAT PREEMPT OR TAKE OVER AN AREA OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THEN YOUR CITY CHARTER, AND THEN YOUR CITY OR MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES.
SO WHEN WE SAY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, THAT'S JUST THE CODE, THE LEGISLATURE PUT ALL THE LAWS THAT AFFECT CITIES AND COUNTIES.
SO IT'S STILL OUT THERE, BUT ARE YOUR CHARTER.
AND IT'S, IT'S NOT REAL CLEAR BECAUSE LAWYERS WOULD BE OUT OF A JOB IF IT WAS REAL CLEAR.
SO IT'S JUST A, THEY SUPPOSED TO WORK TOGETHER AND MESH WELL, WILL YOU HAVE THIS ON THE COM ON YOUR COMPUTER SOMEWHERE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO IN AND TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT IT.
SO, AND I THINK THE OTHER COMPONENT IS, IS THAT PERHAPS NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS OR KNOWS THAT WE HAVE THE ENTIRE CODE OF ORDINANCES AND THE CITY CHARTER AS IT IS RIGHT NOW ON THE INTERNET.
SO ON THE ELECTIONS, MAY, JOBY A LINK THAT TAKES YOU TO ANOTHER WEBSITE, WHICH IS BASICALLY A COMPANY THAT THE CITY PAYS TO PUT EVERYTHING ON THE INTERNET SO THAT ANYBODY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD WWW CAN LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE ORDINANCES ARE THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED AND IMPLEMENTED IN THE CITY AND AS WELL AS YOUR EXISTING CHARTER.
SO THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO SOME PEOPLE, IT MAY NOT, BUT CERTAINLY WITH WHAT YOU PICKED UP NOW, YOU CAN LOOK, OKAY, WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
THESE ARE THE CHANGES, AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE.
I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO PUT ON THE ELECTION SPACE, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE.
THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE IN THE PUBLIC ALL THE TIME, 24, 7 ELECTIONS, LIKE THE CITY WEBSITE OF THE CITY WEBSITE.
SO I DON'T WANT TO PUSH YOU, BUT WE GOT 45 MINUTES.
I WANT TO BE SURE I GET EVERYBODY'S AND GET TO EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS.
DID I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? MA'AM YES.
WELL, WHEN I GOT HERE AND GOT THIS AND CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT WAS IN THE CHARTER, I WAS FINE.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THE, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE THESE THINGS A LITTLE BIT CLEARER ON THE WEBSITE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, LIKE,
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YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEARS WHEN I'VE NEEDED TO FIND OUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A CITIZEN IS CITIBANK AND, YOU KNOW, SPENDING THREE HOURS TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, DIG THROUGH WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S GOT POSTED ON THE WEBSITE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST TOO TIME CONSUMING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BREAK IT UP TO MAKE IT BETTER.YOU KNOW, I DON'T NORMALLY SAY THINGS UNLESS I'VE GOTTEN A SOLUTION OR I'VE GOT A SUGGESTION TO MAKE IT BETTER, BUT LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, THE VALID, I MEAN, I GET FACEBOOK'S PAGE THAT SAYS, HEY, ARE YOU GONNA HAVE A MEETING? AND I'M LIKE, OKAY, WHAT'S THIS MEETING ABOUT, I LOOK AND I'M RIGHT ON THE BALLOT.
AND I STARTED READING IT AND YEAH, 81, UH, QUESTIONS IS GOING TO TAKE AN HOUR OR SO TO READ.
SO I'M SITTING HERE THINKING, OKAY, MY FELLOW CITIZENS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO INTO THE VOTING BOOTH.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND AN HOUR AN HOUR AND A HALF.
I KNOW NOBODY'S GONNA DO READING EACH ONE OF THESE ITEMS. AND DON'T, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CLUE WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I STARTED LOOKING FOR WHAT, WHAT THE ANSWER WAS, AND I COULDN'T FIND IT.
AND NOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE JUST FOUND OUT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB OF PUTTING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE FOR US WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE POP, THE TOP POPPED OFF FOR THIS, THE CITY SECTOR, IF IT IS SO IT'S NOT.
NO, IT'S REALLY JUST A COMMENT THAT THIS ANSWERS A 100% OF MY QUESTIONS.
AND LIKE HE SAID, IF IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE EARLIER, IT WOULD HAVE MAYBE SAVED US FROM COMING HERE.
WE, WE FOUND OUT AS POLL WORKERS THAT, OH, THERE'S GOING TO BE 81.
AND YOU KNOW, IN OUR EYEBALLS CAME OUT AND AT LEAST NOW I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE 81 IS ABOUT.
THERE'S SO MANY QUESTIONS THAT WE COULDN'T HAVE A JOINT ELECTION WITH THE COUNTY.
SO THE VOTE ON THIS IS IN THE CITY OF ANGLETON PERIOD.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER POINT IS THAT BEEN BROADCAST SUFFICIENTLY? BECAUSE AGAIN, I FOUND OUT JUST AS A POLL WORKER THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BE HERE TO VOTE.
AND JUST WITH THE ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TO PUSH OUT TO THE, UM, CITIZENS, I FELT LIKE IT NEEDED TO BE A STEP ONE, STEP TWO, STEP THREE.
SO STEP ONE WAS REALLY JUST GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT WE'RE HAVING A TOWN HALL MEETING ABOUT THESE AMENDMENTS.
AND THEN STEP TWO WILL BE OKAY.
NOW THAT YOU KNOW ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS, HERE'S ALL THE OTHER INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, BECAUSE THOSE ARE SPECIFIC DETAILS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT.
IF YOU DON'T GO TO THE RIGHT LOCATION, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO VOTE FOR A CITY OF ANGLETON, UM, ELECTIONS.
SO WE FELT THAT IT WAS GOING TO GET LOST AMONGST ALL THESE 81 AMENDMENTS.
SO THAT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE COMMUNICATING WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.
SO YOU SAY YOU'RE GOING TO BE HERE THIRSTY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE WITH REGARD TO THIS SAME TIME, SAME PLACE, SAME TIME, SAME PLACE.
I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BE HERE THURSDAY DUE TO FLIPPING AND CAN I JUST ALSO MENTION, IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN EMAIL YOUR COURT.
IF YOU HAVE TIME AND OPPORTUNITY, YOU CAN EMAIL THEM TO THE CITY SECRETARY AND BRING THOSE TO THE MEETING.
I'M SORRY TO VOLUNTEER YOU, BUT IT MIGHT
I JUST, IT'S JUST A CURIOSITY QUESTION ACTUALLY.
UM, WHY ARE WE, IS OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT STILL VOLUNTEER? THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS THAT, UM, IT IS MOSTLY VOLUNTEER OR WHEN YOU DO HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES, BUT THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS, IS THAT YOUR CITY IS CHANGING AND GROWING.
AND, UM, AS THE CHARTER IS RIGHT NOW, YOU WOULD BE BOUND TO HAVE ONLY A VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO THE CHANGES TO THE CHARTER ARE VERY SIMPLE.
WE CHANGED THE CHARTER PROVISION TO TOTALLY REFLECT WHAT STATE LAW SAYS ON A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UM, YOUR FIRE CHIEF EXPLICITLY AND SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED THAT, UH, I'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT.
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JUST CURIOUS, LIKE I SAID, WHY, UM, BUT I, I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE, UH, AND I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE ABOUT THE, UH, GOING TO A COUNCIL CITY MANAGER, BUT I WAS WONDERING, UH, IS THE MAYOR GOING TO CONTINUE BEING A FIGURE HEAD, OR IT, ARE YOU GOING TO INCORPORATE THE MAYOR INTO JUST THE COUNCIL? WE GET THE VOTING RIGHTS OR WHAT EXACTLY.I WOULD NEVER CALL JASON A FIGURE HEAD OR AT LEAST TO ADVICE.
SO TECHNICALLY YES, BECAUSE THE CEO OF THE CITY IS THE CITY MANAGER.
YOUR CHARTER HAD SOMETHING THAT WASN'T IN STATE LAW.
I CALLED IT THE NUMBER ONE OR TWO.
HE CALLED IT A CITY MANAGER, ADMINISTRATOR AND MAYOR, OR COUNCIL OR MAYOR, ADMINISTRATOR GOVERNMENT.
AND THEN IT TALKED ABOUT COUNCIL MANAGER.
SO WE GOT RID OF THIS, UH, LANGUAGE THAT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE OF A CITY OF A, UH, COUNCIL MAYOR ADMINISTRATOR, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A CITY MANAGER IS WHAT YOU HAVE.
AND THAT IT IS A TRUE CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT IT MEANT, BUT USE THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR IS FOR A NON-HOME RULE CITY.
THAT'S UNDER 5,000 THAT THEY ACT LOCKEY CITY MANAGER, BUT THEY DON'T QUITE HAVE ALL THE POWER BACKING THEM FROM A CHARTER.
SO IT'S CLEANING UP THAT TOP OF LANGUAGE AND MAKING IT CLEAR.
THIS IS A CITY MANAGER, FORMER GOVERNMENT, UH, THE MAYOR IS RUNS THE MEETINGS.
HE'S THE CEREMONIAL HEAD OF THE MEETINGS HE CONSIDER.
HE'S THE, UH, AGENT OF THE GOVERNOR IN CASE YOU HAVE TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW, OR, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A HURRICANE IN, YOU'VE GOT ALL THE EMERGENCY POWERS THAT FLOWS TO THE MAYOR, NOT TO A CITY MANAGER.
SO, SO I'M CLEAR WHEN WE ELECT AND, AND I I'M JUST ASKING QUESTIONS.
SO WHEN WE ELECT OUR ELECT, OUR OFFICIALS, THEY WILL, THEY STILL HAVE TO APPROVE BECAUSE WHAT HE'LL DO, HE'S, UH, HE'S THE CITY MANAGER.
HE, HE THAT'S HIS JOB TO GO AND KIND OF COORDINATE EVERYTHING.
DOES HE BRING IT TO THEM FOR THE VOTE? OKAY.
SO THEY SET POLICY MAYOR AND COUNCIL SETS, POLICY MANAGER IMPLEMENTS THAT POLICY.
SO HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS AT THE CITY.
THOSE TWO GENTLEMEN THAT ARE ON COUNCIL NOW ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SETTING THE POLICY.
I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WE ELECT TO REPRESENT US ARE DOING THAT.
I JUST WANT PEOPLE, WELL, AND ALSO THIS, ALL THIS LANGUAGE ALSO JIVES WITH OTHER PORTIONS OF YOUR CHARTER ON THAT YOUR MAYOR HAS THE RIGHT TO VOTE AS IT'S EQUALLY THE SAME AS YOUR, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO THAT'S WHY IT SEEMS LIKE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT BY REMOVING THAT WORD, SOMEHOW, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE MAKING AGAIN.
BUT IF YOU LOOK IN THE CHARTER LATER ON, YOU SEE THERE'S A LOT OF PROVISION, UH, FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
SO THIS PROVISION PROBABLY DATES BACK 60 YEARS.
SO THE CHANGE REFLECTS WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW, IT'S SPRING AGAIN INTO WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY PRACTICING.
NOW EVERYBODY HAS TO ASK ONE QUESTION, MAYOR, THE MAYOR IS A VOTING MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MA'AM, WHICH IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE IN HOME RULE CITIES.
SOME OF THEM, THEY, THE MAYOR DOESN'T VOTE EXCEPT IN THE TOP.
SO HE HAS MORE POWER THAN JUST CEREMONIAL CAUSE HE COULD HAVE, YEAH, I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF IT WAS TAKING POWER AWAY AND I DID NOT WANT THAT LABEL ON IT.
SO JUST A REMINDER, THE COMMISSION CAME UP WITH THE CHANGES, BUT IT WENT TO CITY.
WE WOULD ONLY BE GOING TO AN ELECTION ON THESE THINGS IF IT WAS APPROVED BY YOUR CITY COUNCIL.
WELL, I ALSO WANTED TO THANK EVERYBODY BECAUSE WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO THANK YOU ABOUT IS THAT YOU ACTUALLY PUT SOME CITIZENS ON THE COMMITTEE.
I KNOW Y'ALL PROBABLY ALWAYS DO, BUT I DO KNOW HOW LIVED IN OTHER CITIES.
AND I KNOW SOMETIMES THAT DON'T REALLY HAPPEN.
THEY'RE HAND PICKED THEY'RE HAND, YOU KNOW? SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
WELL, I'LL JUST CURIOUS IF ANYONE, IF ANY, ONE OF THEM WAS A BUSINESS PERSON WHERE THEY GOT BUSINESS ON JACKSON.
WELL ROUNDED AND FRANKLY, UH, NONE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS CAME TO THE MEETING BECAUSE THEY WANTED,
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THEY WANT THE ELECTED TO FEEL, SHE JUST WANTED THE COMMISSION TO DO THEIR JOB WITHOUT ANY INFLUENCE OR PROTECT MY SEAT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.WELL, I NOTICED THAT CAUSE I, I WATCHED A LOT OF THEM TODAY.
AND WE WERE SCREAMING, BUT AT ONE OFF NETFLIX, IT JUST GOING TO START COMING BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO DO THEM ONCE.
WELL, IT'S STILL LOVE AND WELL, I MADE A GOOD POINT THAT FOR ANYBODY UNDER THIS LISTENING, THE MEETINGS ARE ON THE WEBSITE, ON THE AGENDA PAGE.
SO IF ANYBODY ELSE IS THINKING, WOW, I WISH I HAD GONE TO THAT MEETING FOR.
I WISH I HAD SEEN THESE ON THE COMMISSION.
THAT OPPORTUNITY STILL IS THERE.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW I MISSED IT.
I USUALLY STAY REALLY FOCUSED WITH, YOU KNOW, I'LL TAKE SOME CITY AND I, I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS LAST NIGHT AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT? THAT'S WHAT I'M SITTING THERE SCRAMBLING IN 60 MINUTES.
A LOT OF MONTHS WE STARTED BACK IN AUGUST.
SO THIS WEBSITE, LET ME, LET ME COMPARE YOU TO ANOTHER CITY.
I REPRESENT BELLEVUE AND CHAMBERS COUNTY.
THEY ADOPTED THEIR CHARTER IN 2016, NOT 1960.
IT WAS TIME FOR THEIR SECOND REVIEW.
SO THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION SAYS YOU CANNOT CHANGE YOUR CHARTER.
I USE THIS WORD FROM 1888 OFTEN, OR THEY WILL, THAT'S THE MINIMUM.
YOU CAN CHANGE IT EVERY TWO YEARS.
YOUR CHARTER SAYS YOU GOT TO REVIEW IT.
EVERY USUALLY IT'S LIKE EVERY FIVE YEARS, MONT BELVIEU SAYS FOR SOME REASON, EVERY SIX YEARS THAT MAYOR WANTED IT DONE IN THE DAY IN THE DAY.
AND WE MET ON A SATURDAY AT NINE AND GOT IT DONE BY TWO.
AND HE WAS CONSTANTLY SITTING THERE LOOKING AT ME, GOING, KEEP IT GOING, KEEP THEM GOING.
BUT THAT WAS A MORE MODERN CHARTER THAT HAD GONE THROUGH ONE REVIEW AND HAD NO AMENDMENTS.
AND THE SECOND REVIEW REVIEW HAD NO AMENDMENTS, BUT THAT'S THE 2016 CHARTER AS OPPOSED TO THE 1960 CHARTER.
SO THIS TOOK MONTHS TO GO THROUGH AND EVERYBODY WAS VERY DILIGENT ABOUT IT.
AND THEN THEY DECIDED IT WAS NOT ANYBODY FROM HOUSTON WEARING THEIR WING TIPS SAYING, THIS IS THE WAY YOU OUGHT TO DO IT.
SO HOW DO YOU THINK VOTERS WILL APPROACH 81 QUESTIONS IN DEVOTING? I JUST CAN'T SEE ANYBODY SEE THEM VOTING.
NO, I SEE HIM COMING IN AND VOTING, BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, MY BIGGEST WORRY IS SOMEBODY JUST WALKING IN AND GOING THROUGH IT WITHOUT ACTUALLY I'M LOOKING AT IT.
SO HOUSTON HAD A FIREFIGHTER INITIATIVE ON THEIR CHARTER TO BRING THEIR COMPARABLE PIOUS OF POLICE.
THAT THING WENT ON FOR FIVE PAGES.
I'M A LAWYER I'M IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
I DIDN'T EVEN READ THE FIVE PAGES OF THAT, FRANKLY.
IF I HAVE TO READ FIVE PAGES, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR HIM.
WELL, WILL THESE BE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL CAN DO IT, LIKE STICK IT IN YOUR WATER BILL OR YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY COULD GO AND LOOK AT THE WEBSITE AND THEN THEY COULD MAKE THIS LITTLE CHEAT SHEET HERE AND CARRY IT WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY WOULD ALREADY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT.
SO WILL THE POLL WORKER ALLOW YOU TO BRING A CHEAT SHEET IN? OKAY.
SO YOU CAN MARK THAT UP AND TAKE IT INTO THE VOTING BOOTH WITH YOU.
IT'S GETTING, IT'S GETTING THESE IN THE HANDS OF THE BOAT.
YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE ON THE ELECTIONS PAGE AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT ANYONE WILL HAVE COPIES HERE.
WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO PUT IT IN SENIOR CITIZENS.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE REASON I JUST ASKED IF YOU COULD STEP IN, IF YOU COULD STEP IN, IN LIKE YOUR, UM, YOUR WATER BILL IS GOING TO GO TO THE PEOPLE IN ABLETON AND, UM, AN ENEMY Y'ALL SEND OUT MARKET DAY STUFF AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MARKETING UNDER THE ELECTIONS CODE CITIES.
CAN'T SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PASSAGE OF THIS.
WE CAN'T, YOU CAN'T SPEND TAX PAYERS, DAUGHTER SAYING YOU VOTE FOR THIS CAN EDUCATE, BUT YOU CAN'T ADVOCATE.
SO I MEAN, WE WALKED A FINE LINE ON WHAT THE CITY CAN DO.
IT'S JUST, I'M TRYING TO THINK OF HOW TO GIVE SOMEBODY THE OPPORTUNITY WITHOUT MAKING YOUR LIFE MISERABLE, HOW TO GET THEM, SOMETHING LIKE THIS
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SO THAT THEY WOULD GIVE IT WELL, WE DEFER TO THE CITY ON THAT.I MEAN, CERTAINLY WE CAN HAVE THE PARENTS IN THE HALL AND HAVE SOMEONE PUT A BLAST OUT AND WHOEVER COMES TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING NEXT WEEK, HAVE THEM AVAILABLE.
I JUST WONDERED IF FOR THE MODERN CHARTERS, UH, FOR THE MODERN CHARTERS, LIKE MOUNT BELLVIEW STUFF, DO THEY USE A TEMPLATE OR ARE ALL MODERN CHARTERS? LIKE THE PRECEDING CHARTERS? UM, THEY'RE ALL BASICALLY CUSTOM.
THEY'RE ALL CUSTOMER, ALL CUSTOMER, BECAUSE EACH CITY HAS ITS OWN PERSONALITY.
I DIDN'T DRAW MONT BELVIEU CHARTER.
I REVIEWED IT, BUT I USED IT AS A TEMPLATE TO DRAW A FULL-SERVICE CHARTER.
AND THEN I HAD FULL SHERMONT BELLEVUE CHARTER AND A COUPLE OTHERS.
AND THEN I HAD DONE A SPREADSHEET OF ALL THE CHARTERS IN FORT BEND COUNTY.
I ASKED THE COMMISSIONER IF THEY WANTED IT FOR BRAZORIA COUNTY, THEY SAID HE DIDN'T CARE WHAT ANY OTHER CITY DID.
BUT WE DID IT TO COMPARE PROVISIONS AND YOU SEE, SOME OF THEM ARE PRETTY SUBTLE THE DIFFERENCES, BUT SOME OF THEM LOCK, UM, MONT BELVIEU, MAYOR VOTES, ANGLETON MAYOR, BOAT'S FULL SHIRTS.
UM, ROSENBERG MAYOR DOES VOTE.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST DEPENDS ON IF YOU LOCK A CHEVY OR A FORD, YOU GET, YOU KNOW, IT'S CUSTOM, THEY'RE A LOT SHORTER THAN THIS ONE, BUT THAT'S JUST THE STYLE OF ROTTING IN THE 21ST CENTURY.
I MEAN, I'LL USE IT AS AN EXAMPLE, A SMILE, THE CHARTER REFERRED TO THE, UH, ANGLETON SECRET POLICE.
I'VE NEVER SEEN A MUNICIPAL SECRET POLICEMEN.
THEY'RE SECRET, THEY'RE SACRED.
THERE'S NO BUDGET FOR SECRET PLACE AND NEVER HAVE BEEN SECRET POLICE, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT, BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WAS IN THERE, BUT OKAY.
I GREW UP IN NORTH TEXAS, WE HAVE POSSES, BUT THAT'S JUST THE CUTTING HORSE AND ROPING COMPETITION BACK WHEN I WORE BOOTS INSTEAD OF WINGTIPS.
BUT NEXT QUESTION AND ONE OF THE WRESTLING EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GO HOME AND READ THE ANYONE CHANGES.
UM, AFTER THIS BEINGS ARE WITH ARE HOW SOON WILL THOSE LINKS BE UP? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT HAVE SEEN THIS AND THEY'RE KIND OF INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON.
I WOULD SAY EXTRA LATE TONIGHT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DONE.
I MEAN, I CAN FEEL FOR THE NEXT 25 MINUTES, IF YOU WANT TO JUST HOP AND SKIP THROUGH THE WATT PART OF THIS AND EXPLAIN IT, GENERAL POWERS LIKE ARTICLE TWO, 2.01, THE OLD CHARTER LISTED OUT YOUR GENERAL POWERS.
WHY DO YOU NEED TO LIST OUT GENERAL POWERS? YOU HAVE ALL THE POWERS OF THE STATE EXCEPT WHERE THE STATE SAYS YOU DON'T, UH, THAT'S WHY THAT'S IN THERE.
UM, SO IF YOU HAVE THAT WHITE WINE, YOU WILL NOTICE WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A LOT OF IT IS ABBREVIATING.
SO A LOT OF THE CHANGES WE PUT IN ONE SENTENCE, WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY IN THREE PARAGRAPHS.
SO, YOU KNOW, TO SOME DEGREE, UM, I, I WOULD SAY 70% OF THE CHANGES ARE MAKING A DOCUMENT THAT WAS INCREDIBLY LONG WITH A LOT OF WORDS, SOMETHING THAT IS MORE CONCISE.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT A MINIMUM NUMBER, J PROPOSED CHANGES, VACANCY, A LOT OF THAT'S CONTROLLED BY STATE LAW NOW AND THE ELECTIONS CODE.
SO IF YOU LOOK, WE PUT IN B AND IT'S A DISASTER CLAUSE.
UH, THE GUY THAT WROTE MY BELLEVUE CHARTER DID A CHARTER IN SOUTHWEST TEXAS.
AND THE CITY HALL WAS LITERALLY NEXT TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS.
THE TRAIN WOULD COME BY DURING THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING
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AND SHAKE THE BUILDING.SO IF THERE WAS A DERAILMENT AND CITY COUNCIL WAS MEETING AND EVERYBODY WAS KILLED AND YOU DON'T HAVE A QUORUM OF YOUR CITY COUNCIL, WHAT HAPPENS? WHO'S IN CHARGE.
SO ALL DAYS YOU TELEGRAPH THE GOVERNOR AND ASKED HIM, TRY TO APPOINT SOMEBODY NOW WITH THIS, IF B IS ADOPTED, YOU CAN JUST GO TO THE COUNTY JUDGE.
THEY WOULD APPOINT A TEMPORARY CITY COUNCIL.
SO YOU COULD CONDUCT BUSINESS AND YOU CAN CALL AN ELECTION AND THEN YOU CAN REPLACE YOUR NOW YOUR, UH, THE SAFE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I MEAN, TORNADOES IN NORTH, TEXAS HURRICANES DOWN HERE.
UH, SO THAT'S, UH, ONE OF THOSE CHANGES IN THERE.
UM, THEY DID A, UH, ON, UH, M RULES OF PROCEDURE.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ALL RIGHT, SO YOU HAVE SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS, RIGHT? SIX, SIX COUNCIL MEMBERS.
PLUS THE MAYOR IS SEVEN TOTAL OF SIX.
SO YOU, HALF OF THAT IS A HALF.
THIS ONE MAKES SURE THAT IT'S THE FULL CITY COUNCIL THAT HAS TO VOTE.
SO IT'S THE QUORUM OF THE FULL NUMBER, NOT JUST WHOEVER SHOWS UP.
SO IF YOU HAD A FIVE MEMBER, COUNCIL, THREE WOULD BE A QUORUM, THEN TWO COULD CARRY THE VOTE.
THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT HAD TO BE THREE OF THE, ALL OF THE COUNCILS.
SO IF ONLY THREE SHOW UP, YOU HAD TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE.
SO THAT MAKES SURE NOTHING SLIPS BY OUR, YOU HAVE ONE OF THE THINGS PLANNED.
UM, THAT'S ALSO THE PROVISION WHERE WE SPELL OUT THAT THE MAYOR IS A VOTING MEMBER AS A CITY COUNCIL.
THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS HAPPENING BEFORE, BUT NOW IT'S EXPLICITLY IN THE NEW LANGUAGE.
UH, THIS C UH, YOU CAN HAVE DEPARTMENTS CALLED OUT IN THE CHARTER, BUT WHY DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE A VOTE? IF YOU WANT TO DO A COMBINED DEPARTMENTS, THEN YOU CREATE THE APARTMENTS BY ORDINANCE.
AND SO IF YOU WANTED TO COMBINE PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING, YOU COULD WITH JUST THE CHANGE OF AN ORDINANCE OR THE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET, OR AN ARD CHARTER APPROVAL, AS OPPOSED TO HAVING AN ELECTION, THOSE ELECTIONS, THIS ELECTION IS GOING TO COST SIX TO 10,000.
SO WE TRIED NOT TO HAVE AS MANY ELECTIONS, UH, AND FILL IN THOSE VACANCIES.
WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THE LENGTH OF TERM, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN TWO YEARS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTION TO FILL A VACANCY.
SO A THREE-YEAR TERM YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTION IF A TWO YEAR TERM COUNCIL COULD APPOINT.
SO IF YOU STREAMED THE MEETINGS, YOU CAN SEE, SEE THAT DEBATE AND HOW THEY ARRIVED AT IT.
YOU HAVE TO SAY YOU'RE A MAJORITY VOTE, WHICH IS KIND OF STRANGE.
WELL, HOW DO I KNOW YOU'RE, UH, A DEMOCRACY THE AG WANTED, NEEDED TO APPROVE A BOND AND SOME NEW AEG, ASSISTANT AG, LAWYER EAGER BEAVER WAS GOING WELL, HOW DO WE KNOW YOU'RE A DEMOCRACY? I'M NOT FOUGHT WITH OUR MONARCHY DOWN HERE NOW.
I MEAN, HOW DO YOU PREDICT THAT? WELL, THERE'S ACTUALLY A SECTION IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE THAT SAYS MAJORITY RULES IN THE MEETING OF THREE OR MORE.
SO YOU CAN HAVE A PLURALITY VOTE.
WHICH JUST MEANS IF YOU HAVE, UH, EIGHT PEOPLE RUNNING FOR ONE POSITION, IT'S THE TOP VOTE GETTER, WHETHER THAT PERSON GOT 51% OF THE VENDOR, BUT HERE IT'S MAJORITY.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN 50%.
UH, WE DID RECALL INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM JUST CLEANED UP THEIR PROCEDURE TO MAKE IT FLOW BETTER.
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TRYING TO FIND THAT PARTICULAR SECTION.I THINK, I THINK THE, THE ONES THAT WERE TAKEN OUT WERE THE TERM LIMITS.
UM, THE, WELL, WAS IT THE, UH, THE END POWER OF THE CITY MANAGER TO, UM, TO FIRE DIRECTORS? I THINK DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS WITHOUT CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.
AND THERE WAS, WAS THERE ONE OTHER THING I KNOW IT WAS THOSE TWO, BUT YEAH.
WELL, I KNOW THOSE ARE THE TWO, UH, THAT CITY COUNCIL SPOKE TO, THERE WERE A FEW OTHERS THAT WERE RENEWED BASICALLY.
UH, IT'S THE RISK OF MISUNDERSTANDING IF YOU READ THAT TO THE COUNSELOR AND SAID, JUST BECAUSE WE TO, TO CHANGE ON THOSE, THAT DECISION, BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO THAT THE SAME COUNSELOR SAYS, NO, WE'RE NOT READY FOR THOSE TO GO TO.
BECAUSE WE WANTED THEM TO STAND ALONE APART FROM THE 80 SOME ODD.
SO THIS BRINGS UP A GOOD POINT IN TWO YEARS, AND THAT'S TWO FULL YEARS.
THAT'S NOT THE CAUSE THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION CHANGES USUALLY FROM THE SECOND TO THE EIGHT.
IT FLOATS WHEREVER THAT THE FIRST TUESDAY OF MAY IS IT HAS TO BE 2, 4, 365 DAY YEARS.
SO WHATEVER 365 TIMES TWO IS THAT'S WHEN YOU CAN HAVE ANOTHER ELECTION AND COUNCIL CAN IMPANEL ANOTHER CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS, AND THEY CAN BRING THOSE UP THAT WEREN'T READY THIS TIME, OUR COUNCIL CAN JUST CALL FOR A CHARTER AMENDMENT AND TAKE IT TO THE VOTERS, BUT THERE WAS QUITE A DEBATE OVER, UH, THE TERM, IF YOU WANTED TO HEAR THREE YEARS OR FOUR YEARS, UH, THERE'S A PROPOSAL FLOATING AROUND, AROUND GALVESTON TO MAKE THE MAYOR FOUR YEARS.
THE AT-LARGE IS THREE YEARS IN THE DISTRICTS TWO YEARS.
THAT'S A LOT OF BALLS IN THE AIR.
I WILL SAY THAT THE CHARTER COMMISSION THOUGHT THEIR, THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS WAS THAT ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD HAVE A SIX YEAR BLOCK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT THEN THE DEBATE WAS TWO TO TWO OR THREE YEARS IN THREE YEARS.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT GENERALLY, THE NOTION THAT THEY HAD WAS THAT THEY FELT THAT A TIP OF YOUR TOE FOR A NEWLY ELECTED OFFICIAL TO GET THEIR BEARINGS AND THEIR FEET UNDERNEATH THEM.
UM, AND TO GET THE EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BUDGET AND THAT THEY THOUGHT THAT THAT SIX YEAR BLOCK WAS APPROPRIATE FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER.
IF YOU GO TO A PROPOSAL AMENDMENT, DOUBLE S MUNICIPAL FINANCE, ALL THAT'S REGULATED BY THE STATE AND THE TAX CODE.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE IF THIS WAS, IF YOU SAW MY WORKING COPY READ, IT WOULD BE LIKE, I BLED ON IT.
YOU JUST WHOLESALE WHACK AWAY AT THIS STUFF BECAUSE STATE LAW IS GOING TO TELL YOU, WATCH YOUR TAX RATE CAN BE, THEY GET DOWN TO THE WORDING.
YOU HAVE TO USE, THEY GET DOWN TO, IT HAS TO BE A ROLL CALL, VOTE THE STATES VERY MUCH UP IN THE CITY SPACES ON HOW YOU DO YOUR BUDGET AND YOUR TAX, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHY THAT CHANGES THERE.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOSEY GOOSEY ON THE BUDGET.
WE'RE JUST FOLLOWING STATE LAW AND, AND LARD DOWN THE CHARTER WITH STUFF THAT THE STATE'S GOING TO CHANGE EVERY TWO YEARS.
ANYWAY, UH, THAT'S MUNICIPAL FINANCE.
THERE'S A LOT OF MUNICIPAL FINANCE.
I REMEMBER THE LIGHTING, ALL THAT STUFF.
NOW TAX LANES, THAT'S CONTROLLED BY STATE LAW.
UM, SO, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT SECTION 8.28, THAT IS AMENDMENT TRIPLE N.
[00:45:01]
THE END.LIKE JUDITH WAS SPEAKING TO OF THREE PARAGRAPHS REDUCED TO ONE SENTENCE.
THE CITY OF ANGLETON SHALL HAVE THE POWER TO ISSUE BONDS AND LEVY ATTACK TO SUPPORT THE ISSUE FOR PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS AND ALL OTHER LAWFUL PURPOSES PERIOD.
SO TEXAS LAW, WE CALL THEM TEXAS STATUTES AND MUNICIPAL ORDINANCES.
SO TEXAS STATUTES OR CODES, UH, REGULATE HOW YOU ISSUE BONDS.
AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE AN ELECTION AND THE PEOPLE WILL HAVE A SAY IN IT, BUT YOU DON'T NEED THREE PARAGRAPHS TO SAY WHAT YOU CAN SAY IN ONE SENTENCE.
UM, NO ONE CARES ABOUT FRANCHISES.
YOU CAN HAVE FRANCHISES, UH, WHICH JUST MEANS WHO CAN USE THE CITY RIGHT AWAY TO BRING POWER, GAS, WATER, UH, GARBAGE PICKUP IN THE CITIES, GET A LITTLE REVENUE OFF OF THAT.
UM, UH, AMENDMENT, TRIPLE YI, PUBLIC RECORDS.
THIS IS ALL CONTROLLED BY THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT.
YOU'VE HEARD THAT WORD BEFORE.
UH, SO WE'RE JUST FOLLOWING STATE LAW.
YOU, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS MAKE A WRITTEN REQUEST TO FRANCIS THAT SAYS I WON'T AND THEN FILL IN THE BLIND.
AND THEN WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF RESPONDING OR SEEING HOW BIG IT IS, AND, UH, ALL THAT YOU DON'T NEED TWO ARTICLES IN YOUR CHARTER SAYING THE RECORDS ARE PUBLIC STATE LAW SAYS THEY'RE PUBLIC.
UM, WE DO HAVE A OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER STATE LAW REQUIRES US TO HAPPEN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER.
SO, UH, WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE AN OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER, UH, BUT IT'S STATE LAW, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENT TRIPLE W HERE'S THE 19TH TALKING ABOUT THE YEAR, 1966.
THIS IS YOUR TRANSITION PROVISIONS WHERE, UM, YOU WENT FROM GENERAL LAW TO HOME RULE AND THEY WERE SAYING THE BUDGET REMAINS THE SAME.
WELL, IT'S KIND OF IRRELEVANT.
IN 2022, THE 1966 BUDGET HAD ALREADY TRANSITIONED.
SO WE, UH, WOULD GET RID OF THAT.
UH, LET'S SEE, SAME THING ON EXISTING LAWS, SAME THING FOR, UH, THE EMPLOYEES.
UH, WE PUT IN A 10 POINT 13 NEXT TO THE LAST PAGE, NON SUBSTANTIVE REVISIONS.
WE'VE LEARNED TO PUT THAT IN THAT'S AMENDMENT NUMBER, TRIPLE Z.
SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HIS SPELLING, PUNCTUATION AND GRAMMAR.
IF THERE IS A MISTAKE THAT WE, IF WE DROPPED THE OXFORD COMMA, OH, MY ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH TEACHER WOULD BE SO PROUD OF ME RIGHT NOW.
BUT IF WE NEEDED THAT OX, OXFORD COMMA IN THERE, OR A SEMI-COLON R WE USED R R UH, WHAT IS IT, PLURAL, UH, OUR, UH, DIDN'T MATCH.
THEN YOU CAN MAKE THOSE CHANGES BY AN ORDINANCE WITHOUT HAVING TO HAVE AN EXPENSIVE ELECTION, UH, MONT BELVIEU CHARTER.
HE SENT THE DRAFT COPY UP, SO IT HAS DRAFT THROUGH IT.
SO WE WOULD LOCK TO REALLY DELAYED ALL THAT AND MAKE IT PROPER, NICE AND CLEAN.
BUT IT'S JUST NOT BEEN WORTH AN ELECTION, A $10,000 ELECTION TO DELETE THE WORD DROUGHT.
SO IF THIS PROVISION HAD BEEN IN THERE, THEN YOU COULD SIMPLY HAVE DONE THAT.
SO WE PUT THAT IN THERE FOR THAT, UM, LOCK FOR INSTANCE, 10 POINT 14, IF YOU HAD THAT PROVISION NON SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES, THEY CALL IT SEPARABILITY CLAUSE.
THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERABILITY CLAUSE.
SO WE COULD HAVE MADE THAT CHANGE WITHOUT, UH, HAVING AN ELECTION, BUT, OKAY.
WE'LL HAVE AN ELECTION TO SUBSTITUTE THE WORD WHEN YOU HAVE 81, WHAT'S DIFFERENT, ONE MORE, RIGHT.
AND, UH, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
WE ADDED IN, UH, EVERY FIVE YEARS UNDER 10.15, AND, UH,
[00:50:02]
SUBMISSION OF THE CHARTER TO VOTERS.THAT'S IRRELEVANT BECAUSE THAT WAS FOR THE 1967 ELECTION.
SO THAT'S IT GOING AT LIGHT SPEED OR WARP SPEED ON 81 QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? FINAL CALL, THANK YOU ALL FOR READING THIS, CARING ENOUGH TO COME OUT AND LEARNING ABOUT IT.
LIKE I HEARD A TV COMMENTATOR COMPARING, UH, OUR WESTERN DEMOCRACIES TO THE, UH, EAST AND THE, UH, RUSSIANS.
YOU ASK QUESTIONS KEEPS EVERYBODY'S ON THEIR TOES.
WE'VE GOT FIVE MORE MINUTES, NOTHING.
TALK ABOUT IT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.
SO I'D LOOK AT THE FILM OR ART.
WELL, I DON'T WANT TO ADVOCATE UP HERE, BUT THEN I WILL EDUCATE AND SAY THE INTENT WAS TO UPDATE, NOT MAKE WHOLESALE CHANGES.
AND IF YOU'RE IN FOR A PENNY, GO IN FOR A POUND, GO BIG OR GO HOME, OR ALL THOSE CORNY SAYINGS I CAN COME UP WITH.
LET'S JUST GET HER DONE IN ONE ELECTION AND BE DONE WITH IT.
CAUSE YOU DIDN'T WANT HALF A MODERN CHARTER BECAUSE WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY TO DO IT.
OTHER THAN HAVING A MASS MEETING OR HAVING A COMMITTEE OF 17 THAT WOULD REPEAL THE WHOLE CHARTER AND DO IT ANYWAY.
AND THAT GETS A LITTLE DICEY, NEVER BEEN TO A MASS MEETING IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
SINCE WE SHOULD DO THIS MORE OFTEN, OR MAYBE THAT'LL BE THE HEADLINE IN THE FACTS IF MORE OFTEN OR SO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO 81.