* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Special Commission Meeting on December 27, 2023. ] [00:00:07] TIME IS, UH, 5 33 AND, UH, NOTICE OF THE SPECIAL MEETING JOINT WITH THE CITY OF SANTO CITY COMMISSION AND THE SEMIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, INC. BOARD MEMBERS DECEMBER 7TH, 2023. TIME IS, UH, 5 33. UH, WE'RE IN A SEMI NX BUILDING. NUMBER TWO, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY, UH, SOMEBODY WHO DOES HAVE A QUORUM. EDC MM-HMM. CHAIRPERSON. WE DO. IT LOOKS LIKE IT. OKAY. OKAY. JUST WANNA MAKE SURE. OKAY. . JUST SO THAT, UH, THEY CAN WRITE IT DOWN. OKAY. SO EDC DOES HAVE A QUORUM. OKAY. UM, NUMBER TWO, ITEM NUMBER TWO, PUBLIC COMMENTS. RUTH, ANYBODY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO. MAYOR. OKAY. A D, C, DOES Y'ALL HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO. NO, WE DON'T. OKAY. OKAY. UM, OKAY, THEN WE'LL GO TO TWO. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT, OKAY. THEN WE GO TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, DISCUSSION ON AL. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, UH, CORPORATION INC. BOARD OF, UH, DIRECTORS ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES. MR. SAND. THANK YOU, MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS, UH, BOARD MEMBERS. WELCOME. UH, FIRST ITEM IS JUST, UH, DISCUSS THE, UH, THE, UH, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. WE HAVE SOME NEW MEMBERS ON THE EDC BOARD AND THOUGHT IT'D BE, UH, A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME THEM, UH, TO THE BOARD, AND ALSO, UM, I GUESS INCLUDE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. UM, I KNOW THAT THEY GO TO A LOT OF THE MEETINGS AND, AND THEY'RE PRETTY WELL AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, JUST TO GET A GOOD, GOOD FEEL, YOU KNOW, PUT A FACE TO A NAME AND, AND, UH, HOPEFULLY GET THINGS GOING TOGETHER AND, AND, AND START WORKING, YOU KNOW, TOWARD THE SAME, UH, SAME GOALS. AND WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE AN AGENDA FOR THAT, OBVIOUSLY. IT WAS MORE OF A, WANTED TO JUST, UH, ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO MAYBE COMMENT. UH, ALSO BOARD MEMBERS, IF Y'ALL HAD ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY KIND OF CONCERNS, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS WOULD BE A, A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE AN OPEN SESSION, SO , UH, WE'RE GONNA, WE, WE NEED TO REMIND, WE, WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT. SO, UH, WITH THAT, MAYOR, I'D, I'D OPEN IT UP TO YOU IF YOU'VE GOT ANY YES. ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY, AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE. UM, I KNOW THAT, UH, WE'VE BEEN HAVING, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN ITEMS OR, UH, THINGS, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU. UH, AS YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, UM, I DON'T THINK I EVEN BROUGHT ANYBODY HAVE THE BYLAWS. I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE 'EM SOMEWHERE. BUT ANYWAY, I AGREE. IF THINK WE HAVE THE UPDATED, THE UPDATED ONES, THOSE ARE THE, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW APPROVAL. OKAY. BUT THAT'S THE ONE. THAT'S THAT WE HAVE A VALID RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE COPIES. WE CAN GET 'EM OUT. DO Y'ALL NEED ANY? ANYBODY NEED SOME THOUGH? YEAH. NO, THAT'S FINE. OKAY. JUST TO BE READY. WE'LL GET 'EM. THAT'S THE NEXT ITEM, THOUGH. OKAY. ITEM THIS FOR ITEM THREE. THREE. YEAH. SO WE CAN WAIT ON THAT ONE. OKAY. SO WE CAN WAIT ON IT. OKAY. SO YOUR ROLES AND AND RESPONSIBILITIES. I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS AND EVEN WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH ONE OF OUR, OUR, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, EXECUTIVE SESSION THAT WE HAD, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS PRETTY, PRETTY INTENSE WHAT WE HAD ON THE CITY SIDE. OKAY. TRYING TO MAKE HER DETECTIVE, TRYING TO MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THEY, UH, I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE THROWN AT US AND WE THROW IT BACK ON YOU GUYS. AND, UH, YOU GUYS, WE APPOINT YOU. OKAY? WE APPOINT YOU GUYS. OKAY? EACH BOARD MEMBER, EACH ONE OF US HAS SOMETHING IN THERE, OKAY? AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, CALLING US, YOU KNOW, OR LACK OF NOT BEING CALLED, OR, OR IF YOU NEED SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED TO, MAYBE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, MAYBE WHAT THE CITY'S TRYING TO DO OR MOVE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE NOT TALK, UH, CALLING US OR TALKING TO US, WELL, YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE ANYBODY A ROBOT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I WAS TOLD. YOU HAVE YOUR OWN MIND. BUT LIKE, IN THE PAST AT THE, THE SITUATION THERE WAS, I GIVE YOU, UH, I WAS GIVING YOU INFORMATION. I GIVE YOU INFORMATION THAT, UH, MINE STICKER. IT WAS FRONT BACK, I WONDER [00:05:02] FRONT. SO, UH, THERE WAS GIVEN SOME INFORMATION, AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT, AND, UH, UH, IT'S STILL, UH, WHAT, YOU KNOW, GOT ME RILED UP WAS THAT NO MATTER WHAT I SAID, IT WAS STILL, YOU KNOW, IT WAS NOT, UH, ENOUGH IGNORED OR WHATEVER. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD. THAT'S THE MAIN THING. BUT UNDERSTAND THAT WE DO HAVE A VOICE ALSO, THE CITY. OKAY. ACTUALLY ULTIMATELY HAVE THE VOICE, AND WE HAVE THE ULTIMATE. SO JUST ABOUT ALMOST ANY DECISION THAT YOU ALL MAKE AS FAR AS MOVING EDC FORWARD HAS TO COME TO US. OKAY? THERE'S NOT GONNA BE, WELL, CAN WE, THE, HEY, GO, SIR. DOES IT GO TO THE CITY? JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING GOES TO THE CITY. OKAY? WE APPROVE IT. AND THAT'S WHAT THE, I THINK, UH, ONE OF THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT, THAT WE, I MEAN, WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND. IT STILL COMES TO US TO GET THE FINAL APPROVAL. OKAY? UM, IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL, YES, MA'AM. IS I GUESS THIS, THIS SUSTAIN LIKE THE CDBG WHERE WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. WE, WE AGREE ON THE RECOMMENDATION, THEN IT GOES BEFORE THE EXCUSE ADMISSION. EXCUSE ME. CAN, CAN YOU, SO CAN YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF SO THAT, UH, OH, I'M SORRY. . I'M S AND I'M WITH THE EDC BOARD. OKAY. AND I'M, I'M NEW TO THE EDC BOARD. SO, UM, SO MY QUESTION IS, IF THIS IS THE SAME THING, 'CAUSE I AM ON THE CDBG BOARD. AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION, WE VOTE ON IT, AND THEN, UH, THE PERSON, THE ADMINISTRATOR, THEN PRESENTS IT TO THE COMMISSION. IS THIS THE SAME THING? YES. SIMILAR, BECAUSE THAT CDBG IS AN ADVISORY BOARD. YES. ADVISORY, YES. WE'RE LIKE AN ADVISORY BOARD. YES. YEAH. OKAY. SO, BUT IT'S THE SAME, IT'S THE SAME THING, ISN'T IT? UP TO AN EXTENT. UH, CDBG, UH, IS AN ADVISORY BOARD WHERE AN ACTUAL BOARD COMMISSION DOES HAVE FINAL SAY OVER WHAT EEDC SAYS. UM, MR. MORALE, I'M SORRY, IN YOUR, SORRY. JOSE MORALE. C, D, C BOARD MEMBER. YES. TALK INTO, UH, ULTIMATELY THEY, THEY HAVE THE FINAL SAY, BUT, UM, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS ON, ON ACTUAL BOARD. DECOMMISSION TOTALLY HAS TO, UM, TO PROVE, APPROVE IT. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADVISORY BOARD AND A BOARD. I THINK. MAYOR, IF I MAY, I, I, YES. DID A SERIES OF QUESTIONS. AND THIS IS FOR MY BENEFIT, AND HOPEFULLY FOR THE REST OF THE COMMISSION AND BOARD'S BENEFIT, I THINK IT'LL ANSWER A LOT OF OUR QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE CONCERNING, YES, YOU ARE FAIRLY NEW, BUT YOU JUMPED INTO IT KNOWING WHAT THE RESPONSIBILITIES WERE. SO I JUST LIKE TO FIND OUT, GET SOME FEEDBACK INTO HOW FAR Y'ALL HAVE GONE INTO DOING WHAT A BOARD'S, UH, MEMBER'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE. SO JUST BY A SHOW OF HANDS, UH, WHEN I ASK THE QUESTIONS, UM, BYLAWS, HOW MANY OF Y'ALL HAVE READ YOURS BYLAWS IN ITS ENTIRETY AND IT'S ENTIRETY? OKAY. AND NOW THIS WAS JUST RECENT, OR WAS IT ONCE YOU GOT A BOARD WITHIN 30, 60, 90 DAYS? YES. UM, THOMAS , UH, ONE OF THE EDC BOARD MEMBERS. SO WHEN I WAS APPOINTED TO THE BOARD, AND I WENT WITH RUTH, AND WE DID OUR THING, UM, MR. ALMAN AND MS. JULIA SCHEDULED A LITTLE WORKSHOP WITH ME, PUT TOGETHER A BINDER SIMILAR TO THIS, AND WE WENT THROUGH IT. AND THEN FROM THERE, I KIND OF DUG IN, READ THE BYLAWS, AND SAID, HEY, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT CONTRACTS DO WE HAVE? SO, PERSONALLY, THAT'S WHAT I DID. AND, AND WE DID. WE WERE AT LEAST HANDHELD TO GET THAT OPPORTUNITY. THEN JUST FYI. OKAY. AND SO THE REST THOUGH, UM, AFTER ALEX, I KNOW JOHN'S FAIRLY NEW. SAME THING. SO ALEX SALINA, A DC BOARD, SAME THING. SO WHEN I GOT APPOINTED BY MS. MCGINNIS, I MET WITH MR. LAMAN AND HE GAVE ME THE BINDER. AND THROUGHOUT THE NEXT MONTHS AND WEEKS, WE WERE ABLE TO GO INTO IN DEPTH. UH, BUT I HAVE SEEN IT, AND I'VE BEEN REVISITING IT EVER SINCE. WE'VE GONE TO THE WHOLE MOTIONS OF REVISITING THE BYLAWS. SO, YES, MA'AM. OKAY. IN THE LAST WEEKS. AND SO I, I'LL BE HONEST, I PROBABLY HAVEN'T DUG IN, BUT JUST I HAVE READ 'EM. WHEN I FIRST GOT A APPOINT, MA'AM, JOSH JOSHUA GONZALEZ, UH, EDC BOARD MEMBER, UM, PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING THAT THE OTHER GENTLEMAN WERE SAYING. UH, WHEN I WAS, UM, APPOINTED AFTER MS. MCGINNIS, UH, SWORE ME IN, UH, SHE TOLD ME TO GO OVER TO THE EDC BUILDING WHERE MR. ALEMAN, UH, THE FORMER EDC DIRECTOR GAVE US A BINDER. UM, AND HE PRETTY MUCH TOLD US WHAT THE ROLES AND RE RESPONSIBILITIES WERE, GAVE US A COPY OF THE, THE BYLAWS AND SUCH. AND SO I DID READ THE WHOLE THING IN ITS ENTIRETY WHEN I FIRST, UH, CAME INTO, UH, INTO THIS BOARD. UH, SINCE THEN, SINCE WE'VE, YOU KNOW, MADE SOME AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, UH, WE DO REVISIT IT, UH, EVERY NOW AND THEN. BUT RECENTLY, I HAVEN'T READ THE WHOLE THING, UM, YOU [00:10:01] KNOW, RECENTLY, BUT WHEN I FIRST WAS APPOINTED, YES, MR. BOSWELL, UM, SAM BOSWELL, EDC BOARD MEMBER, SIMILAR TO EVERYBODY ELSE'S STORY, WHEN I WAS APPOINTED, UM, AND AFTER I WAS SWORN IN, MR. LAMAN HAD AN ONBOARDING SESSION WITH ME. I GOT THE SAME BINDER I GUESS, THAT EVERYBODY ELSE GOT WITH THE BYLAWS AND OTHER, UH, RELEVANT INFORMATION FOR THE, FOR THE BOARD. UH, AND I DID READ THROUGH THE BYLAWS AND, UH, AT THAT TIME IN ENTIRETY. AND, UH, AGAIN, WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN SINCE WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE BYLAWS. UH, ALTHOUGH THAT PART WAS PROBABLY MORE FOCUSED ON SPECIFIC PARTS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, THE VIS TRYING TO ADJUST OR CHANGE MR. MORALES. YEAH. I REMEMBER ASKING MR. TO GET THEM BINDERS TOGETHER TO PUT ALL THE CONTRACTS IN THERE TO CATCH THIS BOARD UP TO SPEED. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYBODY GOT IT UNDER ORIENTATION WITH THEM, BECAUSE I KNOW HE HAD A SLIDE PRESENTATION. BUT I, I, I KNOW IN OUR FIRST MEETING AFTER ASKED, UM, LOOK AT THE MIC ASKED TO BE PRESIDENT, THAT I HAD ASKED THEM TO PUT THAT TOGETHER FOR EVERY BOARD MEMBER HERE TO MAKE SURE THEY CAUGHT UP THE SPEED. I ASKED THE BOARD TO REVISE EVERYTHING SO THEY COULD CATCH THEMSELVES AT THE SPEED. 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S A NEW ROAD TO EVERYBODY, AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT EVERYBODY DID. SO J JUST FOR THE RECORD, I, I KNOW ALEMAN DIDN'T GIVE 'EM TO ANYBODY ON THE, IN, IN THEIR ORIENTATION. HE GAVE 'EM TO HIM IN THE BOARD. WELL, ON THE TWO US ONCE HE DID TOO. YEAH. BUT, BUT I'M REALLY, REALLY GLAD THAT YOU GUYS HAD IT OR GOT IT. AND IF HE DID GIVE IT TO AN ORIENTATION, THAT'S GREAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU GUYS FOR, FOR, FOR TAKING IT SERIOUS BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA MAKE SOME CRITICAL DECISIONS. WE CAN MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD. UH, AND WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING. WE, WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT ARE A OR B AND WHAT DOES A AND B STAND FOR, AND EDCS TO KNOW OUR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. SO I APPLAUD YOU ALL FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, TO DO SO. AND I ENCOURAGE THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO DO THE SAME. AND I'M, I KNOW YOU RAISED YOUR HAND THAT YOU'VE ALREADY READ IT, SO KUDOS TO YOU. YOU MEAN THAT? THANK YOU, JOHN. I'M SURE YOU'RE GETTING TO IT OR HALF, I MEAN, ALREADY READ IT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT TOO. YOU KNOW, AND LIKE I SAID, I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO COME BACK AND REFRESH EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. THAT'S WHAT IT'S THERE FOR. IT'S LIKE A, A, A BIBLE OR DICTIONARY, WHAT ALWAYS REFER TO IT, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S GOOD TO HAVE THE NEXT THING. I'M GONNA COMBINE THEM TOGETHER. UH, THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT THAT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT, I KNOW THAT NONE OF YOU HAD HAD IT PRIOR BECAUSE I ASKED MS. JULIA IF THAT HAD BEEN IN THE, NOT ON, ON JULIA. THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ON THE DIRECTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY IN GETTING Y ON BOARD THAT INFORMATION. UM, PRIOR TO Y'ALL'S LAST MEETING, UM, HAD ANY OF Y'ALL HAD THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT, THE SALES TAX WORKSHOP CERTIFICATION? I DON'T THINK I HAVE THE LAST ONE. NONE. RIGHT? SO AS OF TODAY THOUGH, BECAUSE I KNOW JULIA DID SEND OUT AN EMAIL, HOW MANY HAVE TAKEN IT? I TOOK THEM. GOOD. OKAY. I'M IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING MINE. SO YES, I'M TRYING TO FIND, UH, THE, THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AND THE PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT. HOWEVER, I DID NOT SEND ANYTHING OUT FOR THE, UM, SALES PACKAGE. YEAH. BECAUSE THAT WHEN WE, YOU, YOU PASSED THE DEADLINE OF DECEMBER 1ST WOULD'VE BEEN THE DEADLINE FOR THE REGISTRATION. SO THAT'S ALREADY DONE FOR THE YEAR. UM, ANOTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, DO WE KNOW THAT WHICH TYPE WE ARE A OR B. B, THANK YOU, BOWELL. YES. AND THIS ONE, I THINK THIS ONE'S A CRUCIAL ONE. 'CAUSE I THINK THIS IS WHAT DISCUSSION IS. UH, WE'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS OVER YOUR VARCO CONTRACT AIMING A SHOW OF HANDS, HOW MANY HAVE READ THAT CONTRACT AND THE AMENDMENTS, AND IT'S, I I'M BEING SPECIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY. AND MY QUESTION THAT AT THAT POINT, THANK YOU FOR RAISING A THANK YOU, SHARZA. WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS ON CONTRACTS AND YOU'RE VOTING ON THEM, IT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON. AND I THINK THAT'S BEEN A CONCERN OF THE COMMISSION, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT YOU'RE VOTING ON SOMETHING WHEN YOU HAVEN'T EVEN READ UP ON IT. SO HOW CAN YOU BASE A DECISION, AN EDUCATED DECISION ON SOMETHING YOU HAVEN'T READ? SO THOSE ARE CONCERNS THAT AS COMMISSION, WE HAVE AS BOARD MEMBERS TO DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE. IT'S NOT ABOUT BEING ON EDC BOARD, RAISING UP YOUR COLLAR SAYING, I'M ON EDC BOARD. YOU'RE GONNA DO THE BIT. WE, THAT'S WHAT WE EXPECT OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL, THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, YOUR DECISIONS DON'T JUST REFLECT ON YOU, IT REFLECTS ON US AND ULTIMATELY REFLECTS ON OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE GOTTA ANSWER TO. WE ALL SHUT. SO, MAYOR, YES. UM, MR. SANDOVAL, UM, YES, SIR. IS THIS THE TIME, TIME WHERE MAYBE WE CAN, UH, PUT AN EXHIBIT SESSION ABOUT THE, UH, UH, NEXT DOOR TO THE RESTAURANT? UM, THAT I'D PREFER WE DISCUSS THAT? [00:15:01] OKAY. NO. OKAY. UH, OH, MAYOR, IF I MAY, REAL QUICK. SO AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE THIS MEETING MR. ALVA AND MAYOR, BUT I ALSO WANNA POINT OUT THAT SOME OF THE MAJORITY OF THE GROUP IS NEW, INCLUDING MYSELF, EVEN THOUGH I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST A YEAR. BUT WE ALSO DO TRUST ON OUR LEGAL COUNSEL AND WE CONFIDE IN HIM TO HELP US WITH THESE DECISIONS. AND YES, WE'VE READ THE, WE READ EVERYTHING. MS. MORALES, JUST LIKE YOU DO, OUR EXECUTIVE SESSIONS HAVE BEEN LONGER THAN WE WOULD LIKE, BECAUSE FOR THAT SAME PURPOSE, A LOT OF DISCUSSION GOES ON. SO WE ARE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE. WE ARE HEARING THE MAYOR'S, UH, OPINION AND WHATNOT. SO EVERY DECISION WE MAKE, WE GO WITH WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US, AND WE SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL AS WELL. AND THEN WE ASK OUR BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT AT THE TIME. SO, YES, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE TAKING THIS. AT LEAST WE ARE, AT LEAST I AM VERY SERIOUS. AND OF COURSE, MAYOR'S THERE AS WELL. AND OUR MEETINGS HAVE GONE LONG ENOUGH BECAUSE OF THAT SAME PURPOSE. YES. SO WE CONTINUE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO THAT. AND, AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. AND MS. LANDRUM DID SEND US THOSE, UH, CERTIFICATIONS, MS. MORALES. SO IT IS GONNA BE OUR YES, I SEE IN THE EMAIL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO FOLLOW THROUGH ON OUR END TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE TOO, MA'AM. YES. BECAUSE MY CONCERN WAS, SEE ON THAT OPEN MEETINGS ACT, YOU WOULD'VE LEARNED A LOT OF INFORMATION. AGAIN, NOT DUE TO Y'ALL'S FAULT, BUT DURING THAT, THERE WAS CONCERN OF BRINGING A SUBJECT UP INTO Y'ALL'S AGENDA AND OR WAS PUSHED BACK BECAUSE, OH, WELL, WHY DID THIS PERSON COME TO US AND SAY THIS AND THAT? HAD Y'ALL DONE THAT OPEN MEETINGS ACT, YOU WOULD'VE FOUND OUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT. IT'S WALKING QUORUM. SO THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT I'M ASKING FOR PURPOSE. YOU WOULD'VE KNOWN THAT AND THAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN SWITCHED WHERE THAT WOULD'VE NEVER BEEN SAID, BECAUSE YOU WOULD'VE KNOWN YOUR RIGHTS, YOUR DUES AND YOUR DON'TS IS WHAT MY CONCERN IS AS YOU AS BOARD MEMBERS. SO THESE CERTIFICATIONS, WE NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. YES. THEY ARE IMPORTANT. I KNOW SITTING HERE, I'VE TAKEN IT PROBABLY THREE TIMES, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. I GOT, WHEN I GOT ON THAT BOARD, THIS IS MY BOOK, I STILL HAVE IT. YES. I STILL REFLECT BACK ON IT BECAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL'S DECISIONS ARE GONNA COME TO US. THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT I TAKE IT. MM-HMM. . AND AGAIN, NO, NO FAULT TO YOUR OWN AS YOUR PAST DIRECTOR THAT IT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO DO THAT. 'CAUSE I KNOW WHEN I GOT ON BOARD, I ASKED, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? AND I WAS NEW TO IT TOO. THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME ON EDC. SO I, IT'S JUST, IT'S CONCERNS THAT WE'RE BRINGING UP TO Y'ALL'S ATTENTION. AND I'M GLAD THAT Y'ALL CAME. UM, AND WE'RE ADDRESSING THE ISSUES THAT WE FEEL THAT ARE CONCERNS TO US. UM, THOMAS GARZA, AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, EXCUSE ME. MM-HMM. . AND, UH, JUST, I DO WANT TO TELL YOU THAT WE DO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. AND, AND I PERSONALLY TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. IT'S A, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE TAXPAYERS, WE'RE A LONG TIME HOMEOWNERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, AND I WANT TO SEE THE COMMUNITY PROSPER. I MEAN, WE KNOW MANY OF ALL OF US, RIGHT? WE'RE A COMMUNITY. WE'RE A SMALL KNIT FAMILY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE OPINIONS AND DIFFERENT VIEWS AND WE WANNA PUSH THE COMMUNITY FORWARD TOGETHER, BUT ALSO GET ALONG AND COME TOGETHER. YEAH. AND I DO, UM, COMMEND OUR BOARD. 'CAUSE WE'RE ALL HERE. MM-HMM. . AND I THINK THAT SHOWS HOW SERIOUS WE ARE TAKING OH NO, I, I, I COMMEND YOU AS WELL. FOR SURE. AND PLEASE, WE NEED THE OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND THE FEEDBACK. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY COME WE WANTED TO HAVE THIS TOGETHER. THAT WAY. THE COMMUNICATION'S THERE. I KNOW THAT THE COMMISSIONER MORALES AT THE, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION AND SAID, LOOK, WE NEED TO, I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE RIGHT. WE HAVE TO GET THE JOINT MEETING WITH THE, WITH THE EDC OURSELVES SO THAT WE CAN BE MORE ALIGNED WELL WITH THE, HOW THE CITY AND, UH, NEEDS TO, IS MOVING AND HOW WE, WE NEED TO MOVE THAT WAY THAT, UH, WE CAN MOVE TOGETHER STRONGER, WE CAN MOVE TOGETHER. OKAY. AND THAT'S, THAT WAS ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS MEETING WAS, WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WAS PUT ON THERE. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, TEMPERA MORALE, LIKE I SAID, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU KNOW, SOME, SOMETIMES WE WE'RE TOO BUSY. LOOK, I'M TOO BUSY LOOKING AT THE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT EVERYBODY THAT'S CALLING ME AND FOR THE LITTLE THINGS THAT I FORGET, THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, WHAT THE CITY NEEDS TO DO OR HAS TO DO. SO COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU THIS, WELL, JOSE, MORALE, MORALE, AGAIN FOR THE RECORD BOARD LEVEL, THE EDC GUYS, I WANT TO COMMEND Y'ALL ONCE AGAIN ON DOING THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT. 'CAUSE MAYBE YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY CERTAIN THINGS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE THEN. ALL Y'ALL QUESTIONED CERTAIN THINGS. I WAS ACTUALLY INSULTED BY A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE THINKING THAT I WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING UNDERHANDED WHEN I WASN'T. YOU JUST GOTTA FOLLOW THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT. YOU HAVE TO BRING IT TO THE BOARD IN A, IN THE BOARD SETTING, NOT INDIVIDUALLY. AND, AND WE GOTTA BE VERY CAREFUL WITH WALKING IN QUORUM, GUYS. 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S EASY TO GET TRAPPED INTO IT, TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THE OUT OF IT, BUT I JUST APPRECIATE THAT ALL OF Y'ALL DOING IT. AND I HOPE THAT Y'ALL HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY CERTAIN THINGS CAN'T BE SAID AND EXECUTIVE SESSION, HOW IMPORTANT EXECUTIVE SESSION IS, AND NOT TO DISCUSS THINGS THAT GO OUT OF IT WHEN THEY'RE DEAL BREAKERS. I MEAN, AND, AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS SALES TAX AND YOU GO THROUGH ALL THIS TRAINING, IT'LL, IT, IT'LL BRING YOU UP TO PAR. SO, ONCE AGAIN, I APPLAUD Y'ALL AND NEW BOARD MEMBERS. ONCE AGAIN, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IT. SO, YOU KNOW, THE DO'S AND DON'TS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN PERFORM BETTER AS A TEAM, LIKE EVERYBODY'S SUGGESTING HERE AS A TEAM, AS A ONE UNIT, BECAUSE [00:20:01] WE'RE ALL ONE VOICE. BUT TOGETHER, COLLECTIVELY, WE MAKE GREAT DECISIONS, HOPEFULLY. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND WE KEEP ON MOVING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DISAGREE AND WE, WE HAVE TO AGREE TO DISAGREE. WE GOTTA KEEP ON MOVING. 'CAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'RE HERE FOR THIS COMMUNITY. LIKE SOME OF Y'ALL STATED. AND I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT Y'ALL GUYS TAKE IT SERIOUS. SO DO I, AND I MIGHT TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, OF BEING SERIOUS. BECAUSE I DO ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY BOARD THAT I'M, I I CHOOSE TO, TO BE APPOINTED ON. 'CAUSE WE HAVE THAT CHOICE TOO, TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OR NOT SERVE ON THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, TO GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE. AND I, I, I THINK WITH ALL THIS EDUCATION AND INFORMATION YOU'RE GONNA GET GOING THROUGH THESE MODULES, IT'S GONNA MAKE YOU A MORE EFFECTIVE BOARD MEMBER. I KNOW IT WELL, OKAY. 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS AND, AND, AND JOSH'S HEART'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE. OKAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, MAN. 'CAUSE I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE BOARD. YEAH. OKAY. MAYOR PROAM OR ANY OF THE CITY COMMISSION, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A FEW. I HAD A FEW COMMENTS. OKAY. UM, SO THE, THE WAY THE EDCS RUN, I, WHEN I FIRST CAME ON BOARD AS CITY COMMISSIONER, I SELF NOMINATED MYSELF TO THE EDC, WHICH IS COMPLETELY ALLOWED. YOU CAN PUT UP TO FOUR, UH, CITY COMMISSIONERS ON THE EDC. AND I DID THAT 'CAUSE I WANTED TO LEARN ABOUT THE ENTITY BEFORE I PUT SOMEONE IN THERE AND TRY TO DIRECT 'EM AND WHAT DIRECTION I WANTED IT TO GO. SO NOW I'M HERE AND I HAVE THOMAS GAR APPOINTED THOMAS GARZA. YOU KNOW, HE IS A BUSINESS OWNER. AND I WANTED SOMEONE WITH THAT MINDSET, BUSINESS MINDSET, SMALL BUSINESS MINDED. UM, BUT A FEW THINGS THAT I'VE NOTICED, UM, THERE'S A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE EDC. AND I THINK THE WAY WE MEND THAT IS THAT THE BOARD, THE APPOINTEES NEED TO HAVE MORE OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR, WITH YOUR POINTER. UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE, I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO MR. SANDOVAL CITY MANAGER, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DIRECTOR, WHOEVER IT MAY BE THE INTERIM OR THE CURRENT DIRECTOR, GO TO THE, UH, DEPARTMENT HEAD MEETINGS. BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CITY OR WHERE THE CITY'S GROWING, AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO ASK THAT QUESTION AGAIN. AND KIND OF, THEY, THEY ARE AN EXTENSION OF THE CITY. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE 'EM JOIN THOSE MEETINGS. RUN MR. F SANDOVAL ABOUT AN HOUR OR 2, 3 5 . I, UH, AND HOW OFTEN ARE THEY? THEY'RE USUALLY, UM, THE WEEK BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETING. AND THEY'LL LAST DEPENDING ON THE, ON THE AGENDA, 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR AT THE MOST. SO IT'S MAINLY A DEBRIEFING OF THE CURRENT AGENDA COMING UP. BUT IT KEEPS THE DIRECTOR ON THE EDC SIDE IN THE LOOP. 'CAUSE THAT'LL SHOW YOU WHERE THE CITY'S GROWING, WHERE THE 200 400 HOMES ARE COMING. AND THAT'S, THOSE ARE ALL GOOD BUSINESS INSIGHTS TO HAVE WHEN A BUSINESS, A NEW CIRCLE K IS POPPING UP, WELL, THEY'RE POPPING UP BECAUSE YOU HAVE 200 DUPLEXES POPPING UP THAT'S GONNA BE 700 RESIDENTS RIGHT BEHIND IN THAT BUSINESS. SO THEY'RE STRATEGICALLY LOOKING. UM, ANOTHER THING I SAW WAS HEALTH BENEFITS. WHEN THIS EDC CAME TO US AND THEY ASKED US FOR COMPLETE HEALTH BENEFITS, THAT THREW ME OFF. THAT KIND OF, THAT OFFENDED ME BECAUSE OF OUR EMPLOYEES WEREN'T GETTING FULL HEALTH BENEFITS. THEY WERE JUST GETTING A PERCENTAGE AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING DENTAL AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING VISION. MM-HMM. . BUT THEN THE EDC AND THE EMPLOYEES WANTED EVERYTHING PAID FOR. THAT DIDN'T SEEM FAIR IF WE WEREN'T DOING IT AT CITY HALL, BUT NOW WE ARE DOING IT AT CITY HALL. SO THAT'S IT. IT'S, IT'S OKAY FOR THE EDC TO HAVE IT AND CITY HALL HAS THAT. NOW WE HAVE FULL HEALTH BENEFIT, RIGHT. UH, DIRECTORS LIKE THAT. CORRECT. SO THAT, THAT'S NICE TO HAVE. BUT WHEN YOU GIVE IT TO ONE ENTITY AND NOT THE OTHER, IT KIND OF, IT MAKES US, IT MAKES IT LOOK BAD TO AN EXTENT. I HAVE 200 EMPLOYEES OVER HERE, UH, GIVE OR TAKE. AND I'M GLAD WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT TO THEM NOW WITH THE NEW DIRECTION OF THE NEW COMMISSION. SO THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD. UM, ONE THING THAT I'LL, THAT YOU ARE AN A, MAINLY YOU ARE YOUR OWN ENTITY, UM, MORE THAN JUST AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF AUTONOMOUS DECISIONS. BUT IF THERE'S ANY PROJECTS, UM, SUCH AS ONE, UM, GIVING AWAY A BUILDING OR, OR IN INCENTIVIZING VARCO THAT DOES HAVE TO COME TO THE COMMISSION FOR APPRO APPROVAL. AND IF THERE'S ANY BUDGET AMENDMENTS THAT HAS TO COME TO THE COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL. SO IT'S MAINLY JUST TWO FACTORS. MAJOR PROJECTS OR BUDGET AMENDMENTS. IF SOMETHING'S ALREADY IN YOUR BUDGET FOR A A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EDC DIRECTOR, I DON'T CARE WHO IT IS, THEY JUST HAVE TO BE QUALIFIED, UH, PER THE STANDARDS ON YOUR BYLAWS. AND I THINK THE BYLAWS DO NEED TO BE REVIEWED BECAUSE THEY'VE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS AND THE CEO OVERSIGHT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE O OFFICER, UH, TERM AFTER TERM, AFTER TERM, I DON'T CARE WHAT IT READS IT, I THINK THERE WAS JUST A LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY OF WHAT THAT ROLE ACTUALLY WAS. AND THE ED C'S ALWAYS GONNA BE AN ARM OF THE CITY. YOU, WE TAKE 75 CENTS, YOU GUYS TAKE A QUARTER, BUT WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER IN ORDER TO GROW THE TOWN IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. SO FRED HAS TO BE INVOLVED WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT, WHETHER HE GETS PAID OR NOT. SO HE IS GONNA BE INVOLVED. 'CAUSE THAT'S THE DIRECTION THE COMMISSION, OR AT LEAST MYSELF IS GONNA GIVE HIM. AND YOU GUYS HAVE TO SUPPORT HIM AS WELL. AND WE'RE GONNA SUPPORT [00:25:01] YOU GUYS BACK. BUT WE HAVE TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE. A, D, C, ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I HAVE, I HAVE A COMMENT TO THAT. AND I DO APPRECIATE PETE BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN VERY OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE. 'CAUSE I DO REACH OUT TO HIM AND I SAY, HEY, THIS IS WHAT I'M THINKING. AND HE SAYS, HEY, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT, OR I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS, BUT I APPRECIATE THE DISAGREEMENT AND STILL RESPECT AND THE FACT THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE THE COMMENTS OF, WE PUT YOU ON THE BOARD, BUT WE CAN REMOVE YOU. DOESN'T GIVE ME A HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT. THE COMMENTS OF, MAN, I THINK YOU'RE A GOOD HUMAN BEING AND I PUT YOU ON THE BOARD BECAUSE I SEE YOU MAKING GOOD LIFESTYLE DECISIONS AND YOU WANT WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT MAKES ME WANNA SERVE WITH A PASSION AND HELP YOU AND BRING NOT JUST YOUR VISION, BUT MY VISION AND THE REST OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS' VISION TO, YOU KNOW, ENHANCE THE, UH, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SIDE OF THINGS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE CITY HAS A LOT GOING ON. WE'RE, WE'RE ONE STRONG SEGMENT OF IT. SO WE DO NEED YOUR SUPPORT TOO. AND MAYOR, I'VE ASKED YOU ALSO IN MEETINGS, AND YOU'VE BEEN GREAT, I MEAN, VERY GRACIOUS, BUT I HAVE SAID, HEY, BEAR WITH US. GIVE US A CHANCE TO WORK TOGETHER. LIKE, WE'RE ON THE SAME, WE'RE ON THE SAME TEAM. SO IN GOOD FAITH, I EXTEND TO ALL OF BRANDS TOO. CALL ME, ASK FOR MY NUMBER. UM, YOU KNOW, PETE CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT, HEY, I'VE CALLED HIM, I'VE ASKED HIM QUESTIONS. SOMETIMES WE'D SEE A LITTLE DIFFERENT EYE TO EYE, BUT I RESPECT HIM AND HE RESPECTS ME. AND I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT. AND I HAVE FELT THAT FROM MY, UH, THE COMMISSIONER WHO APPOINTED ME, THAT HE AT LEAST ALLOWS ME TO PERFORM AUTONOMOUSLY AT THE SAME TIME. HE MAY HAVE A SUGGESTION OR TWO. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. YEP. ALRIGHT. AND THEN, UH, AND THE GENTLEMAN, UH, EDC BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT WORKS BOTH WAYS. YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANT ME TO CALL YOU? CALL ME. I'M ACCESSIBLE. I DO MY BEST AND I DO MY BEST TO CALL EVERYBODY AS SOON AS I CAN. UH, I GOT MEETINGS, I'M GONNA HAVE MEETINGS LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE RIGHT NOW, BUT, UH, I DO CALL BACK. IT MIGHT BE TONIGHT, BUT I DO CALL YOU BACK. UM, AND YOU ANSWER ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING. OKAY? YEAH. I ONLY ONE PERSON. NOT, NOT NOBODY ELSE. I WON'T DO IT AGAIN. OKAY. AND SIX, YEAH, ONE IN SIX. BUT, UH, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I DO MY BEST TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, LET, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON. BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE HERE IN THE CITY SIDE HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT YOU GUYS HEAR. OKAY? AND THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES TRYING TO BE LIKE, UH, MR. MORALE SAYS, BEING A PASSIONATE AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN GIVING YOU SOME INFORMATION, WELL, IT'S BECAUSE SOME INFORMATION THAT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO, OR I HEAR, I CAN'T GIVE YOU EVERYTHING ON IT, BUT I ONLY EXPECT FOR YOU TO LISTEN WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA MAKE A, HOPEFULLY A RIGHT DECISION. AND SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I DON'T WANNA, UH, WHAT THE INFORMATION COMES IN IS VERY CRUCIAL. BUT I CAN'T GIVE IT OUT BECAUSE IT, THE PUBLIC OR ANYBODY ELSE, OR EVEN THE, THE BUSINESS ITSELF FINDS OUT, THEN, YOU KNOW, I'M IN TROUBLE. YOU GUYS WILL BE IN TROUBLE TOO. SO AGAIN, IT WORKS BOTH WAYS. I'M AT THE, YOU KNOW, GET MY PHONE CALL. I'M GETTING MY PHONE NUMBER, I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU, MY PERSONAL CITY NUMBER. AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, I'M HERE. I DO MY BEST TO ANSWER EVERYBODY AND TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I DO MY BEST TO BE AT EVERY SINGLE MINUTE THAT THERE IS. AND, UH, I THINK GIVEN A, YOU CAN GIVE AN EXAMPLE ABOUT, UH, WHEN, WHEN A BOARD AND THE CITY DIDN'T AGREE, THE CDBG BOARD HAD MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO GIVE THE LEFTOVER MONIES, WHICH WAS 20 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE CITY TO USE FOR THE CITY'S BEST INTERESTS, UM, WITHOUT ANY RESTRICTIONS. AND THE CITY TURNED DOWN THAT RECOMMENDATION. I WAS ALL FOR IT. 'CAUSE I WANTED TO PUT IT IN PARKS. BUT TYPICALLY THAT LEFTOVER MONEY GOES TO NONPROFITS. AND THAT WAS GONNA, THAT WAS KIND OF GONNA LEAVE THE NONPROFITS THAT WE SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY CRIPPLED, BECAUSE THEY KIND OF RELY ON THAT MONEY TO SUPPORT ANOTHER STAFFER OR EMPLOYEE. AND THIS GOES TO KIDS, IT GOES FOR THE KIDS ALSO, UM, MAGGIE'S HOUSE, FOR EXAMPLE. SO THE COMMISSION CAME BACK ON THE NEXT GO AROUND, SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? IT WASN'T A GOOD IDEA. WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GIVE THOSE MONEY TO THE NONPROFITS. WE'LL WAIT TILL THE FOLLOWING YEAR WHEN THAT MONEY WILL BE FULLY, FULLY AVAILABLE. SO, AND THAT HAPPENED BECAUSE SOME BOARD MEMBERS STARTED CALLING BACK AND FORTH TO THE ADVISORY BOARD AND SAYING, HEY, WHY'D YOU DO THIS? AND, AND THAT'S HOW THAT COMMUNICATION HAPPENS. AND WE VOTED ONE WAY AND WE REPEALED AND AMENDED IT. I MEAN, THAT HAPPENS. UM, AND I'M, I'M COMPLETELY FINE WITH THAT. OF COURSE, I, I WANTED IT FOR THE PARKS. BUT THEN WHEN I START DISCUSSING IT, AND THEN WE START THROWING THE DISCUSSION OUT FOR THE OPEN PUBLIC, WE START HEARING OUT THE OTHER COMMISSIONER'S CONCERNS AND WE CHANGED OUR MINDS. AND THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT, HEARING EACH OTHER OUT. IF YOU'RE GOING IN WITH ONE, ONE THING ON YOUR MIND, AND YOU DON'T WANNA LISTEN TO ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, I'VE CHANGED MY MIND ON THE TABLE, UH, HERE, JUST RIGHT IN THE NET LAST MINUTE. AND IT HAPPENS. JUST, I JUST GO WITH WHAT I FEEL. I DON'T GO WITH ANYBODY TELLS ME. UM, IF YOU START GOING WITH WHAT THE PEOPLE TELL YOU, YOU GUYS ARE [00:30:01] GONNA GET IN TROUBLE REAL QUICK. EVEN IF YOU GO WITH, UM, YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL, YOUR DIRECTOR, SURE THERE'S TRUST, BUT YOU GUYS GOTTA, YOU GUYS GOTTA DO YOUR OWN READING, AND THEN YOU GOTTA INTERPRET THAT FROM YOUR COUNSEL AND YOUR DIRECTOR. BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR OWN OPINION BEFOREHAND, YOU'RE GONNA GET IN TROUBLE REAL FAST. AND, UH, YOU'LL FIND OUT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE HERE, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE EXTENSION OF US IN THE EDC, UH, ONCE YOU GET OUT IN THE PUBLIC, YOU'LL FIND OUT THEY'LL, THEY'RE HAMMERING YOU FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING, EVEN TRYING TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. BUT THE PEOPLE OUT THERE, THEY'RE REALLY, I MEAN, I'VE GOTTEN PHONE CALLS LIKE CRAZY AND, UH, APPROACH ABOUT EVERYTHING. BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE MAIN THE MAIN THING IS THAT, UH, WE TRY, WE TRY TO MAKE EVERYTHING RIGHT, NOT FOR ONE PERSON OR ONE ENTITY, BUT AT LEAST FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, LET IT BE EQUAL THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION THAT WE HAVE. SO, UH, WITH THAT IN MIND, UH, ANYBODY ELSE, COMMISSIONER? NOTHING. UH, NO, I JUST WANTED TO, NOTHING. THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO COMMENT ON, MAYOR, AND, AND I APPRECIATE MAYOR PRO TE'S COMMENTS AND, AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS PARTICIPATION, EITHER ME AT THE EDC OR THE EDC HERE WITH THE DEPARTMENT HEADS, I MEAN, I, I WELCOME THAT. UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, UH, AGAIN, WANTED TO HAVE THIS MEETING WITH Y'ALL SO WE COULD KIND OF ESTABLISH THAT AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S IN AGREEMENT WITH IT. UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE YOUR OWN ENTITY AND, UH, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST OVERSTEP AND SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, UH, JULIA NEEDS TO SHOW UP TO MY MEETINGS. SHE DOESN'T WORK FOR ME. SHE WORKS FOR YOU ALL. UM, SO IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, MAYOR, MAYOR PRO TEM. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ASIDE FROM JUST AGENDA ITEMS AND YOU KNOW, WHAT'S COMING UP AND WHAT SUBDIVISIONS ARE COMING, I MEAN, THERE'S OTHER ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSS, OBVIOUSLY, PROTOCOL, UM, CUSTOMER SERVICE COMPLAINTS, ALL KINDS OF STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY WOULD FALL ON EDC AS WELL. I MEAN, WE EXPECT, UH, OUR E-D-E-D-C EMPLOYEES TO FOLLOW THE SAME MINDSET, AND WE WANNA CREATE THE SAME CULTURE AT THE EDC THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE HERE, WHICH IS CUSTOMER SERVICE IS NUMBER ONE. UM, THAT IS MY PRIMARY CONCERN WITH CITY GOVERNMENT. I KNOW EVERYBODY HERE HAS BEEN TREATED, UM, BADLY AT A GOVERNMENT OF, UH, A FACILITY, UH, NOT JUST CITY HALL, UH, GETTING YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE RENEWED, WHATEVER, GOING TO THE COUNTY TO PAY YOUR TAXES. IRS WHATEVER. UM, WE WE'RE TRYING TO BREAK, I WANNA BREAK THE MOLD HERE. I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR, TO OUR TAXPAYERS, TO OUR BUSINESS OWNERS. UM, BUT ALSO, I DON'T WANNA EXPOSE MY STAFF AND I WOULD INCLUDE JULIA AND, AND ANYBODY THAT WORKS THERE. UH, I I, I WON'T STAND FOR THEM TO GET BROW, BROW BEATEN OR ABUSED VERBALLY. BUT, UH, SOMETIMES THAT YOU GOTTA TAKE A LITTLE BIT WITH THAT, THAT COMES WITH A TERRITORY. UM, GETTING FOLKS BOUNCED AROUND. THEY MAY, SHE MAY GET A CALL. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EDC IS. THEY GET AHOLD OF HER AND SAYS, I DON'T HAVE WATER. OR, YOU KNOW WHAT, NO, I'VE GOT A DEAD DOG IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. . UH, THE MINDSET IS DON'T JUST BOUNCE 'EM AROUND. HELP 'EM FIGURE IT OUT. FIGURE IT OUT. GIVE THEM AN ANSWER. DON'T LET THESE FOLKS SIT AROUND AND GET BOUNCED TO ANOTHER PHONE. GET ANOTHER CALL. WELL, YOU NEED TO GO TO THIS BUILDING. I DON'T KNOW. THAT'S NOT MY JOB. THAT'S MY WORST, THE WORST RESPONSE. OKAY, THAT'S A BIT HAPPY. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO. I MEAN, JUST HAD A COUNCIL MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE GOT, WE GOT, UH, ADDRESSED BY A, A, A TAXPAYER THAT SAID THAT HE GOT MM-HMM. BOUNCED AROUND. AND I WAS SQUIRMING IN MY CHAIR BECAUSE THAT WAS THE FIRST THING I TOLD THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WHEN I MET WITH THEM. THE LAST THING I WANT IS FOR SOMEBODY TO NOT GIVE A, A TAXPAYER AN ANSWER AND SAY, UH, NOT MY DEPARTMENT, SORRY, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. GO DOWN THE STREET. THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK FOR ME. SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE CULTURE PIECE THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE I THINK THE TAXPAYERS DESERVE IT. I THINK WE'RE ALL HERE FOR THE SAME REASON. I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT. BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE BUSINESS OWNERS THEMSELVES, UH, REACHED OUT TO A BUNCH OF 'EM, HAD FOLKS CALL ME, HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON? WE'VE HAD A WATER METER THAT WAS CONNECTED IN A VERY INTERESTING WAY. AND I WENT OUT THERE AND COMMISSIONER MORALES POINTED IT OUT TO ME AND WE'RE, WE FINALLY GOT IT SPOTTED. IT WASN'T A, AN EMERGENCY, BUT WE'RE GETTING IT DONE. WE'RE AT THEIR MERCY. BUT, UH, THE WATER METER [00:35:01] WAS IN THE STREET. THEY RAN A SUPPLY LINE UP THE BUILDING ACROSS THE OTHER BUILDING OVER THE ROOF, AND THEN BACK DOWN TO SUPPLY A BUILDING THAT WAS THREE, THREE BUILDINGS DOWN. NOW, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU ALL, BUT I CAME UP THROUGH UTILITIES. THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU CONNECTED A WATER METER, BUT HE WAS DEALING WITH IT. THAT WATER METER, THAT LINE BURSTS EVERYBODY'S UNDER WATER AND HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY WAY, ANY WAY TO ACCESS IT. SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT, UH, THEY MAY SEEM TRIVIAL, THEY MAY SEEM LITTLE, BUT FOR THAT PERSON IS, IT'S IMPORTANT. AND, UH, THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE SHARE. AND I TRY TO IMPART TO MY DEPARTMENT HEADS. AND I WOULD, I WOULD EXPECT THE SAME FROM THE EDC STAFF BECAUSE, UH, ULTIMATELY WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. UH, AND THE SAME WOULD GO FOR US. I MEAN, IF IT'S AN EDC QUESTION, I WOULD WANT SOME OF MY STAFF, UH, ANY DEPARTMENT HEAD, ANYBODY, UH, IN, IN, IN A, IN A POSITION TO ANSWER THAT, AT LEAST TO HAVE SOME SORT OF AN ANSWER. UM, NOT JUST SAY, WELL, WRONG DEPARTMENT, YOU NEED TO CALL JULIA. GOOD LUCK. THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK. SO IT GOES BOTH WAYS. AND WE EXPECT THAT. AND THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD THAT, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD, UH, I HAVE A PRESENCE IN THE CITY. I'M, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME. I, I EXPECT A LOT FROM MY EMPLOYEES, AND I HOPE THEY EXPECT A LOT FROM ME. UM, BUT THE SAME THING GOES FOR MY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND MY BOARD MEMBERS. I'M HERE TO SERVE YOU ALL TOO. SO NOT JUST THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR, PRO TEM, ANY ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS. Y'ALL HAVE MY, MY PHONE NUMBER. IF I HAD JULIA SHARE Y'ALL'S WITH ME, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR PRESIDENT. UH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR. I WANNA BE ABLE TO BE A RESOURCE. I, I'VE BEEN, I'VE, I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN DO TO TOGETHER. UH, AND REALLY, UH, THERE'S A LOT THAT WE CAN'T DO WITHOUT EACH OTHER. SO WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER. UM, AND I'VE GOT SOME THINGS TO SHARE WITH Y'ALL IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL GET PAST ALL OF THIS AND EVERYBODY, UH, EVERYBODY WILL BE, UH, IN A HAPPIER PLACE. YEP. THANK YOU. I WILL SAY THIS, MR. SANDAL. MARY, IF I MAY. UH, I KNOW THAT IN THE COUPLE OF COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, WE HAD A TRAINING WITH EITHER CAMERON COUNTY, MS. LANDRUM, OR WITH U-T-R-G-V, WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE. SO WE INVITED OUR BUSINESSES TO COME AND PARTAKE IN THAT. AND I BELIEVE SOME OF YOUR DEPARTMENTS ATTENDED, OR WE WERE LOOKING INTO PERHAPS HAVING SOME OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ATTEND THE NEXT ONE. MR. SAND. MM-HMM. . SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S THE TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER. LOVE IT. WHERE WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S FOR THE CITY AND IT'S FOR THE BUSINESSES. IT'S FOR ALL OF US. YES, SIR. SO I THINK EVEN, UH, MYSELF, I WAS GONNA PLAN TO ATTEND THE NEXT ONE. 'CAUSE WE COULD ALWAYS IMPROVE ON CUSTOMER SERVICE. RIGHT? FOR SURE. SO AGAIN, MISS LANDON, IF YOU COULD JUST WITH, UH, WITH, WITH MS. MCGINNIS OR WHOEVER IT IS, OR MS. , MAYBE PERHAPS LOOK INTO THAT TO HAVE THE NEXT TRAINING TO INCLUDE OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS. THAT'D BE GREAT. WELCOME. WE DID ENCOURAGE THEM ALL DEPARTMENT. YES, WE DID. I'M SORRY. WE, WE MADE IT A PRIORITY REQUESTING THAT WE WANTED AS MANY AS THE EMPLOYEES DIRECTORS FOR SURE TO ATTEND. AND I THINK WE ONLY HAD, WHAT, SEVEN, JULIA. IT WAS, UH, JULIA MAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. UH, SO IT WAS WORKFORCE SOLUTION CAMERON AT, AT EVENT HELD AT OUR FACILITY. LUNCH WAS PROVIDED. WE ENCOURAGED ALL EMPLOYEES, UH, FROM THE CITY AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO ATTEND EDC STAFF TOOK THE TRAINING AS WELL. UM, SO IF WE CAN ORGANIZE, UH, ANOTHER ONE, ENCOURAGE IF THAT BUILDING'S NOT BIG ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW, ACCOMMODATE, MAYBE WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SITUATE SOMETHING ELSE. BUT YEAH, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT THAT SEVEN, I THINK IT WAS SEVEN UHHUH AND, UH, WE PROBABLY HAD ABOUT 25, UH, PEOPLE TURN OUT, SO, OKAY. OKAY. WELL THAT WAS, UH, COMMISSIONER THAT WAS PF PRE-READ . SO I WANNA, WE'LL HAVE FULL ATTENDANCE. I, ONE MORE THING. UM, WE'RE, WE TALKED, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS AND UM, I, I REMEMBER THAT WHEN I WAS SITTING ON ONE OF THOSE SEATS, WELL, THOMAS'S SEAT SPECIFICALLY, UH, UH, I HAD RECOMMENDED THAT THE EDC JUMP ON BOARD WITH THE CITY WITH HEALTH BENEFITS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE CHEAPER FOR Y'ALL. AND THAT WAS THROWN OUT OF THE QUESTION I'VE HEARD BACK AND FORTH THAT IT'S POSSIBLE, NOT POSSIBLE. AND I, I, I HATE HEARING THAT BECAUSE I HATE THAT WE'RE EACH DOING OUR OWN THING. AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER ARGUMENT ABOUT WHO'S GONNA CUT THE GRASS AT THE EDC BUILDING. THE PARK BELONGS TO THE CITY. AND THEN THE PART OF THE LAND BEHIND THE EDC WE WERE USING, THE CITY WAS USING IT FOR FESTIVALS. AND THEN WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION, IT SAID, OH, OH. AND THEN WE MOVED THE FESTIVAL BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO START SHARING. IT'S, IT'S A, JUST, WHO CARES? THE C AND THE CITY JUST CUT IT. WE CAN CUT THE GRASS. IT'S RIGHT THERE. YES, PLEASE. EVERY EVENT WE'VE BEEN, OR [00:40:01] UNTIL THIS LAST COUPLE, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ASKED BY PARKS, CAN WE USE YOUR PARKING LOT? AND THEY USE YOUR PARKING LOT. YEAH. ALWAYS AGAIN, CHARGE THEM. NO. SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIGHT THAT I WANT TO END. LIKE, HEY, YOU'RE GONNA CUT MY GRASS. I AGREE. AND YOU CAN USE MY PARKING LOT, UHHUH, , YOU KNOW, LIKE, JUST LIKE MY NEIGHBOR, I'LL CUT YOUR GRASS IF YOU LET ME USE YOUR BOAT. NO, THAT DOESN'T, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN. BUT I WANT TO HEAR THAT. I WANT TO HEAR THAT MORE. I WANT TO HEAR THAT MORE. WELL, MR. VINNO, THAT NOTE, IF WE DID DISCUSS VENDORS FOR CUTTING OUR GRASS, IT'S BECAUSE WE FOUND OUT THAT THE CITY HAS THEIR OWN AGENDA OR THEIR OWN COST. THEY WERE GONNA CHARGE $215, WE'RE GONNA CHARGE MORE THAN WHAT IT WAS THE CITY. SO IT WASN'T THAT WE WANTED TO REACH OUT TO SOMETHING ELSE. IT WAS LIKE IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO GO THAT ROUTE. WELL, THINGS WILL ABSOLUTELY, THINGS WILL BE DIFFERENT, WE HOPE. UH, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP HEARING THAT. THERE HAS TO BE A WAY. THANK YOU. AGREED. THE WAY IS JUST CUT IT. YOU'RE CUTTING THE GRASS ANYWAY, AT THE HAVEN. YEAH. I LIKE TO SEE IT CLEAN ALL AT ONCE TOGETHER. EXACTLY. ON ANOTHER NOTE THOUGH, I DO WANT IT, IT'S CRUCIAL BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE HAD PHONE CALLS ON IT AND I BELIEVE THE MAYOR HAS TWO AS WELL. IT'S AN EIGHT TO FIVE JOB. SOMETIMES THE PHONES AREN'T BEING PICKED UP AT EIGHT O'CLOCK. YOU'RE GETTING THERE AT 8 0 6, 8 10. UM, I KNOW I'VE PASSED BY, SOMETIMES IT'S FOUR O'CLOCK AND THERE'S NO VEHICLES THERE. WE NEED TO STAY THERE, NOT HAVE A SKELETON CREW. IF WE'RE DO, WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS EIGHT TO FIVE, NOT 4 45, ANYTHING LIKE THAT. WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE STAFF THAT'S THERE. UM, LIKE YOU SAID, WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. SOMEBODY'S GONNA CALL AT FOUR FORTY FIVE AND NOBODY'S THERE TO ANSWER THE PHONE. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA GET THEM CALLS ANYMORE. I KNOW THE MAYOR DOESN'T WANNA GET THEM CALLS ANYMORE BECAUSE THAT PUTS US IN A SPOT. IT SEEMED LIKE AFTER THE PANDEMIC THAT HAPPENED, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WERE CLOSING LIKE AN HOUR BEFORE CLOSINGS. OH, I, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MY PLACE, WE, WE LEAVE THAT DRIVE THROUGH OPEN UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE. MY TEAM VERY IS UPSET WITH ME ABOUT IT, BUT WE GOTTA DO IT. YEAH. THE DRIVE THROUGH STAYS OPEN UNTIL THE LAST MINUTELY. YES. AND I WILL KINDLY REMIND AGAIN, WE DO HAVE A STAFF OF TWO NOW. SO I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES, UH, AND ONE OF THOSE STAFF IS STAFF. STAFF, YEAH. RIGHT. SO I KNOW THAT, AND I SAY THIS RESPECTFULLY BECAUSE I KNOW, UH, ANGEL MAY NOT BE THERE EIGHT TO FIVE 'CAUSE HE, HE CAN'T. RIGHT. AND THEN MS. RUMMM DOES STEP OUT FOR WHATEVER REASON. SO IF YOU DO DRIVE OR ANYBODY DRIVES BY AND THERE'S NOBODY THERE, PERHAPS MS. LANDRUM AT THE TIME IS OUT DOING BUSINESS. SO JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT ALWAYS GONNA BE A CAR FROM EIGHT TO FIVE, UNFORTUNATELY. RIGHT. BECAUSE THERE'S ONLY ONE AND A HALF. I'VE SEEN SOME CITIES WHERE THEY'LL PUT THE EDC IN CITY HALL. I MEAN, THAT'S MAYBE ANOTHER OPTION. OH YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN DISCUSS LATER. BUT I'M SAYING LIKE FOR NOW, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DO HAVE A STAFF OF ONE AND A HALF. YEAH. WE DID PROMOTE, WE ARE PROMOTING THE OTHER ONE AND OF COURSE OUR DIRECTOR. BUT UNTIL THEN, MS. MORALES, IF THERE'S A PHONE CALL, MS. LANDRUM HAS, UH, IT REITERATED TO ME THAT SHE'S ANSWERING IT OR IF SHE DOESN'T ANSWER, PUT FRED'S NUMBER ON THE DOOR IF YOU STEP OUT, . BUT WHEN WE, WHEN WE NO PROBLEM AND DID STEP OUT WHEN IT HAPPENED, WE'VE BEEN PUTTING UP A SIGN. HOWEVER, I'M ENSURING WITH ANGEL'S SCHEDULE, AND HE IS PART-TIME HAS A LIMIT OF 30 HOURS PER WEEK. BUT WHEN, IF IN THE PAST, YOU KNOW, WEEK OR TWO, UM, WE ARE STAYING ON THE SAME PAGE SO THAT IF I DO NEED TO SCHEDULE A MEETING OR STEP OUT OF THE OFFICE, WE'RE GONNA MAKE SURE THAT HE'S THERE IF, AND MAKE EVERY EFFORT POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT HE'S IN THE OFFICE WHILE I'M AWAY. VICE VERSA, CHECK REQUISITIONS MEETINGS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. AND THEN, UM, THE PHONE NOW A HUNDRED PERCENT ROLLS OVER TO OUR CELL PHONE. MY CELL PHONE. SO EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT THERE, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ANSWERING. I KNOW IN THE PAST WHEN I WAS ON THAT BOARD AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A DIRECTOR, UM, YOU KNOW, AND ANGEL WAS THE ONLY ONE THERE, UM, HE HELPED THE A, DC, YOU KNOW, FAIRLY WELL. UM, WHAT HE WOULD DO TOO, THE PRESIDENT TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY TOO OF HEY HELPING HIM OUT AND ANSWERING THEM PHONE CALLS. IF THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, A HEY, I NEED TO STEP OUT. THAT WAY SOMEBODY IS ANSWERING THAT PHONE CALL NO MATTER WHAT. SO THE PRESIDENT AT THAT TIME, HE TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ADDRESSING ANY CONCERNS OR HEY, TAKING MESSAGES. WELL DIRECTIONS, JUST REMEMBER THAT, UH, JULIA ANSWERS TO YOU ALL. OKAY. BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HEAR AGAIN THAT I'VE HEARD IT BEFORE. UH, THE, OUR PAST, THE PASTOR, THAT THAT WAS THERE, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, HE LEFT TO, HE CAME WHENEVER HE WANTED AND LEFT WHENEVER HE WANTED. OH, OKAY. YEAH, THE DIRECTOR, IT'S YOU GUYS, YOU GUYS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HER TO DO HER JOB ALSO. YES. OKAY. AND SHE NEEDS TO DO WHAT YOU GUYS, YOU ALL HAVE ASKED. OKAY. SO YOU ALL, THAT'S WHY SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO IT THAT THEN YEAH. YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME. YEAH. WE TO REPLACE BECAUSE SHE'S NOT GOING TO DO, OR THE PERSON THAT DID BEFORE DO WHATEVER THE HECK SHE, THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, COME IN WHATEVER THEY WANT AND TAKE OFF AND NOT EVEN DO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING. WELL, AGAIN, YOU GUYS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HER AND SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU TO GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THAT YOU ALL NEED AND EXPECT. AND THAT WAS WHAT THE MAIN THING WAS. OKAY. AND I EXPECT FROM YOU ON, ON AIS ONCE [00:45:01] AGAIN, I JUST WANNA MAKE A COMMENT. WE, I USED TO WORK, AND I'M TALKING OUT OF EXPERIENCE, WE HAD A VERY SMALL SKELETON CREW ALSO, BUT WE COORDINATED EACH OTHER WITH OUR SCHEDULE. WE WERE, WE WOULD SCHEDULE OURSELVES WHEN WE WERE OUT AND WE KNEW SOMEBODY WAS GONNA BE THERE. SO I GUESS THAT'S WHAT SHE WILL NEED TO DO, IS TO SCHEDULE HERSELF WITH, WITH, UH, WITH MR. AVILA. AND, AND SO THAT IT'S NOT SO HER APPOINTMENTS ARE DONE WHEN HE'S THERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE'S THERE AND NOT SCHEDULE SOMETHING WHEN HE'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE. SO I'M SURE SHE CAN WORK THAT OUT. I'M SURE THAT SHE CAN. YEAH, SHE CAN WORK THAT OUT. AND I, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT A SKELETON CURVE 'CAUSE IT GOT DOWN TO ONE . OKAY. UM, SO I, I KNOW SOMETHING ELSE THAT I MENTIONED TO JULIA THAT I THOUGHT WOULD HELP THE BRIDGE THE GAP IS, YOU KNOW, WE WERE GETTING A WEEKLY UPDATE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE EDC BOARD MEMBERS, RIGHT. EMAILS. AND I, I BELIEVE SHE SAID SHE WAS GONNA START TO DO THAT AGAIN, RETROACTIVE. I SAYS, WHY DON'T WE INCLUDE THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSIONERS OR THE CITY MANAGER ON THAT EMAIL SO HE KNOWS WHAT WE'RE DOING TOO. RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU GUYS MAY NOT KNOW, AND WHEN YOU DO GET THAT CALL, YOU CAN SAY, HEY, ACTUALLY SHE WAS HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE AND HERE. YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? RIGHT. SO, AND THAT'S WHY I TRY TO GO TO THE MEETINGS ALL THE TIME TOO. KNOW A IF THEM QUESTIONS ARE ASKED. SURE. BUT HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD HELP YOU GUYS AS WELL. YEAH, SURE. SHARE THAT. ANYTHING'S HELPFUL. MAY I JUST, AND, AND, AND JILL'S DEFENSE. I, I DON'T THINK JILLIAN HAS, UH, I THINK SHE'S GOT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT SHE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ACCOUNTABILITY AS A PAST DIRECTOR DOES, YOU MEAN? YEAH. I I THINK SHE'S DOING THE BIT SHE GONNA DO IT TO THE BEST OF HER ABILITY. YEAH. YEAH. I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT ISSUE. YEAH, NO, THAT'S GOOD. IT WAS JUST, IT WAS JUST LIKE, LIKE I SAID, A LITTLE SMALL COMMENT THAT THEY DON'T, YOU GUYS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HER AND SHE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR YOU ALL JUST TO BRING IT OUT THAT THEY, YOU CAN. AND HONESTLY, I, I'D ALSO LIKE TO MAKE THE COMMENT, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING INTO THE OFFICE THE PAST COUPLE DAYS BECAUSE THEY ASSUME THAT WE'RE THE PLACE TO PICK UP THEIR PARADE PACKET. WE'RE AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY AND AND THERE FOR, FOR EVERYBODY. THEY'RE INQUIRING ABOUT ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS TO NEW BUSINESS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE. AND THEN DIRECTING THEM WHERE THEY NEED TO GO. NOT JUST, OH, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO, OR A SUGGESTION WOULD BE, GET HER THE PACKET, HAVE 'EM THERE. THAT WAY SHE CAN DIRECT THEM AFTER YOU FILL IT OUT, TAKE IT OVER HERE VERSUS PASSING THE BUCK. LIKE WE, LIKE YOU WERE SAYING, BRIDGE THAT GAP. IN OTHER WORDS. BUT BOTTOM LINE, I DO WANNA SAY THAT WE ARE GONNA, WE TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUS PHONE CALLS. I MEAN, IT'S A POTENTIAL CLIENT THAT MIGHT, MAY WANT TO DO BUSINESS SANTO. WE DON'T WANNA LOSE THAT. EXACTLY. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER IT IS, ROUTING NUMBERS OR SCHEDULING CREW, WE, WE'LL MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND I DO WANNA THANK YOU 'CAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO SPEAK AT THE COMMISSION. UH, BUT I DO WANNA NOW THANK YOU FOR ENTRUSTING MS. LANDRUM AND APPROVING THAT. SO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, WE DO THANK YOU ON THAT. WE DO FEEL CONFIDENT IN HER ABILITY. SO THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THAT. OKAY. SO, UH, THOMAS MENTIONED, UH, THE UPDATES. SO THE BYLAWS ACTUALLY STATE THAT A QUARTERLY UPDATE BE SENT TO THE COMMISSION. MM-HMM. . SO JUST SO YOUR, FOR YOUR REFERENCE AND I THINK THAT'LL HELP US, KEEP US IN LINE. 'CAUSE WHEN PEOPLE ASK WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE EDC, WELL YOU KNOW WHAT, I NEED TO REACH OUT TO THOMAS AND HE NEEDS TO REACH OUT TO ME MORE OFTEN BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE THIS DISCONNECT. SO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR BOARD MEMBERS AND THAT QUARTERLY UPDATE WILL HELP OR WHATEVER, HOWEVER OFTEN YOU LIKE. PERFECT. THANK YOU. WE DO, WE DO. JUST ONE OTHER COMMENT, MAYOR AND MR. PRESIDENT, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW, THE STAFFING SITUATION, JUST FROM A HUMAN CAPITAL STANDPOINT, COULDN'T WE JUST UP ANGEL'S HOURS? I MEAN, HE GOES TO SCHOOL. I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF HIS SCHEDULE, SIR. HE GOES TO SCHOOL. OH, OKAY. HE, HE, YEAH. WELL I TRIED. YEAH, I KNOW. ABSOLUTELY. NO, WE'VE ASKED, WE'VE ASKED. I WANTED TO HIRE HIM FULL TIME IF IT WAS POSSIBLE, BUT HE'S NOT THERE YET. OH, OKAY. OH, THAT'S FINE. YEAH. I ASKED . ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONERS, YOU SEE ANYTHING? UH, I'D LIKE TO GIVE, UH, STEPHANIE, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING MAYBE YOU WANNA BRING UP ALSO? NO, NOT REALLY. JUST, UM, I NEED THE MIC PLEASE. SORRY. STEPHANIE SAR HERNANDEZ, FINANCE DIRECTOR WITH THE CITY OF SANTO. I ALSO DO THE FINANCES FOR EDC. UM, THIS COUPLE OF DAYS, MS. JULIA HAS BEEN REALLY ACCESSIBLE TO ME. 'CAUSE I KNOW THE CHANGE IN DIRECTORS KINDA LIKE MAKES A LITTLE BIT OF A NOISE WHEN IT COMES TO DAILY OPERATIONS. BUT SHE'S BEEN ACCESSIBLE. I'VE BEEN CALLING HER, COME HELP ME OUT WITH THIS SIGN, THIS TURN IN THIS, UM, HER AND ANGEL, I HAVE BEEN ACCESSIBLE AND I WOULD SAY IT GOES BOTH WAYS. UM, SO, SO I THINK, I THINK IT'S, IT'S FOR THE, FOR THE BEST OF, OF THE CITY AND THE A DC, UH, THAT MISS JULIA WAS SELECTED, UH, FOR NOW AT LEAST TO BE THE, THE NEW INTERIM. THE INTERIM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND FOR THE RECORD, I'M SORRY, YOUR LAST NAME, CAN YOU SAY FOR EVERYBODY SO THEY COULD UNDERSTAND SARAIA SARAIA BECAUSE WE STILL CALL YOU STEPHANIE SAY THAT THREE TIMES. THAT'S WHY I SAY STEPHANIE, MISS STEPHANIE, I GO BY [00:50:01] STEPHANIE. UM, AT, AT THE CITY. MANY PEOPLE CALL ME SAD BECAUSE THEY CAN DO DOUBLE RS, . SO, BUT IT'S . JUST SAY IF ANYBODY WANTS TO GO ALL THE WAY READY, READ A THOUSAND TIMES. BUT I'M GLAD THAT SHE'S OKAY WITH US CALLING HER MS. STEPHANIE BECAUSE AGAIN, I, I I LIKE TO, THAT'S BE PROFESSIONAL AND I LIKE TO GIVE HER LAST NAME, BUT IN THIS CASE, WITHOUT DUE RESPECT, MS. STEPHANIE. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I SAID. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? NO, SIR. NONE. COMMISSIONERS ANYTHING ELSE? THAT'S IT. AC BOARD. ANYTHING ELSE? NOPE. NO. OKAY. THEN UH, WE'LL GO TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, EXECUTIVE SESSION. UM, CONSULT WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY PURSUANT TO THE, UH, THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 2 0.1071 TO DISCUSS PRIVILEGE COMMUNICATION PROTECTED BY ATTORNEY-CLIENT, UH, PRIVILEGE. AND THE TIME IS, UH, 6 23. WE'RE GOING TO EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH, UH, EDC, ALSO SEVEN 30. WE BACK FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION. UH, LET ME GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER THREE. I KNOW THAT, UH, WE, WE HAVE IT HERE, BUT WE NEVER, UH, DISCUSS IT. BUT, UH, WE HAVE TO SPEAK ANY ACTION BECAUSE, UH, APPARENTLY THEY'RE GONNA BE, UM, THEY'RE BEING VISED OR THEY'RE BE VISED ON IT. SO I MOTION THE TABLE. OKAY. I GOT A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER, UH, UH, MAYOR . DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND. MORALE. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY NAYS? MOTION PASSES. TABLE. OKAY. AND ITEM NUMBER. I KNOW THAT THE, UH, ON THE EXHIBIT POSITION, WOULD THE ACTION COME FROM, FROM OUR, OUR PRESIDENT TO LET MR. SANDON MOVE FORWARD AND WE CAN COMMISSION IT WOULD'VE TO BE THROUGH THEM, RIGHT? YEAH, IT'S GONNA THROUGH THEM BECAUSE IT IS YOUR MM-HMM. . SO, UH, ON THE, UH, UH, ALLOWING THE, UH, OUR TO GO FORWARD A MOTION TO MOVE THAT WE MOVE PROCEED AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. PERFECT. PERFECT. SECOND. OKAY. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. ANY NAYS? MOTION PASSES. . OKAY. SO NOW, UM, SO WAS THERE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER ITEM THAT WE TAKE? ACTION ITEM? NO. NO SIR. NOPE. OKAY, THEN GOT A LEAD BUTTON NOW. OKAY. AND THE TIMING IS CENTER THROUGH THE WINDOW AND WE'RE READY. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.