* 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. [00:00:05] [Commission Workshop on August 07, 2025] THE GOVERNANCE ION AUGUST 7TH, FIVE. THE TIME IS, UH, 5 39. ALL SUBMISSION COMMISS IS, UH, PRESENT WITH FOUR ITEM NUMBER ONE. COUPLE. NO, SIR. NO, UH, THAT'S IT. OKAY. ALL ALL. ALRIGHT. IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU ALL, CAN, CAN I JUST KIND OF STAND HERE IN THE FRONT AS THE SOCIAL PODIUM TO KIND OF MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BETTER? I'M GONNA PASS OUT THE PRESENTATION, BUT I'M GONNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO KIND OF TAKE THIS HOME AND LOOK AT IT AFTER AND KIND OF THROW WITH ME THROUGH, THROUGH, UH, THROUGH MY PRESENTATION. I THINK IT'LL BE A LITTLE MORE INTUITIVE AND I THINK THAT YOU'LL GET A LITTLE MORE FROM IT THAN JUST READING THE SLIDES FOR THE FIRST TIME. UM, SO I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND P TO MEET YOU ALL BEFORE. MY NAME'S RAMIREZ AND I AM A CITY ATTORNEY. UH, I KNOW ERIC WORKS HERE WITH YOU ALL CLOSELY, THE CITIES ICO. UM, BUT I DO, I WORK FOR THOSE CITIES ACROSS THE STATE. AND GOVERNANCE IS ALWAYS ONE OF THE BIG TOPICS, UM, THAT WE TRY TO AT LEAST ADDRESS TO OUR CITIES ONCE A YEAR. SO, WHEN ERIC ASKED IF WE CAN KIND OF HELP WITH THIS, I WAS REALLY EXCITED BECAUSE WE'VE WORKED ON THIS TOPIC FOR A FEW YEARS ALREADY, SINCE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH CITIES AND TOGETHER WITH TML AND A GROUP OF OTHER CITY MANAGERS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH AND ALSO SOME OTHER MAYORS. I KIND OF TRY TO STRIKE THE BALANCE BETWEEN THIS PRESENTATION. OFTENTIMES, THERE'S ALWAYS SOME GOALS BEHIND THESE PRESENTATIONS WHERE IT'S EITHER THE COUNCIL WANTING TO GET MAD AT THE CITY MANAGER OR THE CITY MANAGER WANTING TO GET MAD AT THE COUNCIL. SO WHAT I, I'M TRYING TO DO HERE IS TRY NOT TO GET AT ANYBODY, POINT FINGERS TO ANYBODY, BUT FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ROLE OF EACH ONE OF US IS, RIGHT? THE COUNCIL HAS A ROLE, THE MAYOR HAS A ROLE. CITY SECRETARY HAS A ROLE, I HAVE A ROLE. EVERYBODY HERE HAS A ROLE IN THE CITY. AND SO, BUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY IS THE CITY COUNCIL ROLE, OKAY? AND SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT WHO YOU ARE, RIGHT? YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY A COMMUNITY MEMBER, BUT YOU'RE ALSO AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. UM, UNBEKNOWNST TO YOU, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW, YOU ARE ALSO A REGULATOR. YOU'RE A FINANCIER, YOU'RE AN EMPLOYER, YOU'RE A BUYER, AND YOU'RE A CITY LEGISLATOR. AND SO WITH THAT, THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU COULD DO. WOULD YOU RATHER AM I USE A MICROPHONE? I, I I CAN OFF IT. NO PICTURE. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. UM, AND SO WHAT CAN YOU DO AS CITY COUNCIL, RIGHT? WHAT ARE YOUR A AUTHORITIES? YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF AUTHORITY THAT STRIKES, THAT COMES TO YOU FROM YOUR CITY CHARTER. THERE COMES AUTHORITY FROM THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AND FROM THE COURTS TO WHAT WE KNOW IS COMMON LAW. BUT THOSE CAN BE SUMMED UP IN A NUTSHELL, RIGHT? YOU ESTABLISH ORDINANCE AND POLICIES, YOU CREATE POLICIES, YOU SET BUDGETS, YOU PLAN SUBDIVISIONS, ANNEXATION, CITY SERVICES, AND YOU HIRE AND MANAGE A CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? OR CITY SUPERVISOR IN YOUR CASE, YOU HAVE A CITY MANAGER SET UP HERE. AND SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT. AND BUT BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT THAT, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY GOVERNANCE MATTERS, RIGHT? THE WAY YOU GOVERN IS HOW YOU TRANSITION, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO IN EVERY DAY HERE IN THIS, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE CALLING THE BOARDROOM, ULTIMATELY YOU'RE SET UP IN A CORPORATE FASHION, RIGHT? THIS IS A BOARDROOM WHERE YOU MAKE DECISIONS. IT'S COUNCIL, BUT IT'S A CORPORATE BOARDROOM UNDER TEXAS, UH, GOVERNANCE AND TEXAS STRUCTURE. AND SO THE TAKEAWAY FROM HERE, RIGHT, IS THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO EXERCISE EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE THESE WALLS THROUGH WHAT GOES ON IN THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE. EVERY TIME YOUR HAND GOES UP, EVERY TIME YOUR HAND IS DOWN, WHEN YOU TAKE A VOTE ON SOMETHING, WHETHER THAT'S FACING CITY LIGHTS, WHETHER THAT'S PUBLIC SERVICE, WHETHER THAT'S, UH, TAKING CARE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS, WHETHER THAT'S FIXING STREETS, WHATEVER IT IS, IT ALL STARTS AND ENDS RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM WITH THIS GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THE DAIS RIGHT NOW. AND SO YOUR POLICY, RIGHT? AND WHAT YOU DO HERE IS DIRECTED TO WHAT THE GOVERNANCE FORMAT IS. AND IF WE LOOK AT THE GOVERNANCE FORMAT AND WHAT COURTS HAVE SAID IT IS, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU BEING A CORPORATE BODY, IT'S BECAUSE YOU AS A COUNCIL, RIGHT? YOU ARE THE STRUCTURE THAT GUIDES THE POLICIES THAT SET FORTH IN THE CITY. YOU ARE NOT THE ADMINISTRATORS THE WAY YOUR COUNCIL SET UP. NOW, WHY DO I SAY YOUR COUNCIL SET UP? BECAUSE YES, THERE ARE SOME CITY STRUCTURES WHERE A LOT OF THE AUTHORITIES ARRIVED FROM THE COUNCILS. YOU HAVE SOME CITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, HOUSTON, WHERE THE MAYOR IS THE ACTUAL CITY DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATOR. BUT HERE IN SANTO, THE WAY YOUR CITY SET UP, THE COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ARE NOT THE DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATORS. THE DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATOR IS YOUR CITY MANAGER. AND SO WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THESE ROLES AND WE'RE GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT IS. UM, ULTIMATELY IT BOILS DOWN TO YOUR CERTAIN MISSION AND GOALS, RIGHT? WHERE [00:05:01] YOU GO FROM HERE, HOW YOU CREATE SOMETHING EQUAL HAS TO BE REFLECTED IN THIS ROOM AND WHAT YOU REFLECT TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING. AND SO REMEMBER THAT HOLDING EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE BY THE COMMISSION IS NOT NECESSARILY HOW IT WORKS. THE COMMISSION HOLDS THE CITY MANAGER ACCOUNTABLE. THE CITY MANAGER HOLDS THE EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE. AND SO THAT'S A REAL BIG DISTINCTION. 'CAUSE OFTENTIMES WE COME INTO A SCENARIO WHERE THE COUNCIL FEELS FLUSTERED, FRUSTRATED, MAYBE AT A POLICE CHIEF, AT A FIRE CHIEF, AT MAYBE A HIGH RANKING OFFICIAL. AND IT'S EASY TO SAY AND FEEL THAT, HEY, YOU GOTTA FIX THIS. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT WHEN THOSE FRUSTRATIONS COME IN ABOUT WHO YOU'RE DIRECTING, RIGHT? IF YOU'RE FRUSTRATED AT YOUR POLICE CHIEF, IF YOU'RE FRUSTRATED AT YOUR FIRE CHIEF OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL IN THIS, IN THIS BUREAUCRACY, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE. BUREAUCRACY OF YOUR CITY. THE PERSON YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT WITNESS SITTING RIGHT HERE ON THE ICE WITH YOU. 'CAUSE THEY ARE THE INDIVIDUAL YOU HOLD RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CITY. AND SO I MENTIONED THAT YOU WERE A COMMUNITY MEMBER, RIGHT? AND THAT MEANS YOU LIVE IN SAN JUANITO, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ELECTED HERE. YOU EXPERIENCE SANTO, RIGHT? EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE THROUGH A POTHOLE, EVERY TIME YOU SEE A A, A, A STREET LIGHT NOT WORKING, EVERY TIME THAT YOU'RE RUNNING IN A PARK, YOU'RE EXPERIENCING THE DAILY LIFE OF SANCO, RIGHT? YOU VOTE HERE, YOU PAY TAXES HERE, YOU SHOP HERE, YOU DINE HERE. AND ALL THAT IS EXCELLENT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT GIVES YOU THE EXPERIENCE AND THAT'S WHY YOU ARE HERE, RIGHT? IF WE LOOK AT THE BASIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT, YOU ARE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU DO ALL THESE THINGS, RIGHT? BECAUSE LIVING HERE QUALIFIES YOU TO BE ON THE SEAT BECAUSE YOUR EXPERIENCE IN SANTO GIVES YOU THE AUTHORITY TO TALK ON THE ISSUE BECAUSE YOU BOTH IN SANTO GIVES YOU THE AUTHORITY TO SELL A TAX BECAUSE YOU PAY TAXES, GIVES YOU THE AUTHORITY TO TALK ABOUT WHERE YOU PUT THAT MONEY IN. BECAUSE YOU SHOP HERE, YOU GET TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF RESTAURANTS AND DEVELOPMENT YOU WANT TO SEE HAPPEN HERE BECAUSE YOU DYING HERE AND YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY HERE, YOU GET TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF QUALITY OF LIFE YOU GET TO HAVE. AND THAT STARTS 'CAUSE YOU'RE FIRST COMMUNITY MEMBER, BUT YOU'RE ALSO AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. AND WHEN YOU'RE AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, THAT MEANS THAT YOU ARE ALSO A REGULATOR OF THE CITY. IT MEANS YOU'RE A FAN, FINANCIER, AN EMPLOYER, AN EMPLOYEE, EMPLOYER, NOT EMPLOYEE. YOU'RE A BUYER AND YOU'RE A LEGISLATURE. AND SO WHAT DO I MEAN WHEN I SAY YOU'RE A REGULATOR, RIGHT? THE COUNCIL REGULATES REGULAR POWERS OVER THE CONDUCT OF PROPERTY AND CITIZENS. IT HAS THE POWER TO DECLARE CERTAIN CONDUCT TO BE CRIMINAL, TO REQUIRE THAT THE CERTAIN BUSINESSES AND ACTIVITIES BE LICENSED AND TO TELL PROPERTY OWNERS HOW AND FOR WHAT PURPOSES THEY MAY USE THEIR PROPERTY. SO YOU GET TO REGULATE THE DAILY LIFE OF SANTO. YOU GET TO PASS ORDINANCES THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T DO THIS, YOU MUST DO THAT. YOU MUST TAKE CARE OF THIS. THIS IS WHAT YOU PAY FOR THAT. THIS IS WHAT WE WANT OUR CITY TO GROW. THIS IS THE KIND OF BUSINESS WE WANT. THIS IS WHERE WE WANT YOU TO PUT YOUR BUSINESS AT, RIGHT? YOU ALSO GET TO ENFORCE SOME THINGS THROUGH REGULATION SUCH AS DEED RESTRICTIONS FOR EXAMPLE. SO ANYTIME THERE IS PROPERTY THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED HERE THAT HAS DEED RESTRICTIONS, IF YOU KNOW THAT YOU THE COUNCIL GET TO ENFORCE THOSE RESTRICTIONS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE IS A PIECE OF PROPERTY IN THE CITY THAT WAS SOLD A HUNDRED YEARS AGO AND THE DEED RESTRICTION WAS THAT THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY HAD TO ALWAYS BE FOR A PARK AND SOMEONE BUYS IT AND WANTS TO GO TO CHURCH, GUESS WHAT? YOU GET TO ENFORCE THE PARK THERE. 'CAUSE YOU GET TO REGULATE THAT THROUGH POLICIES BUT ALSO THROUGH DEEP RESTRICTIONS THAT COME THROUGH THE PROPERTY. AND SO THAT'S WHY I SAY YOU'RE A REGULATOR, RIGHT? THAT'S PART OF THE ACTIONS YOU TAKE AND THE THINGS YOU DO. BUT YOU'RE ALSO A FINANCIER PERSON, RIGHT? THE COUNCIL MUST LEVY TAXES, ASSESS FEES AND AND CHARGES SELL BONDS IN ORDER TO FINANCE THE MANY FUNCTIONS OF YOUR CITY GOVERNMENT. THE COUNCIL ALSO HAS TO BUDGET THE EXPENDITURE OF CITY FUNDS AND EXPLAIN TO THE PEOPLE WHY CITY GOVERNMENT IS A BARGAIN COMPARED TO THE PRICE OF RAMPANT CRIME, FIRES, DISEASE, AND ALL OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT FLOURISH IF YOU WEREN'T ACTUALLY PROPERLY FUNCTION CITY, RIGHT? AND SO WHEN I SAY YOU'RE A FINANCIER, IT'S BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? EVERY PERMIT THAT COMES IN HERE TO BE APPLIED FOR AND THEY PAY A FEE, YOU'RE ALLOWING THAT FEE TO EXIST. EVERY TAXI LEVY, EVERY PENNY YOU INCREASE OR DECREASE. YOU ARE THE ONES HERE. THIS GROUP RIGHT HERE IS TELLING EVERYONE OUTSIDE THESE WALLS, GIVE ME YOUR MONEY SO WE CAN HELP YOU LIVE BETTER. IF YOU GIVE ME YOUR MONEY, I WILL ENSURE IT GOES TO POLICE, FIRE, ROADS, LIGHTS, ET CETERA. AND IT SOUNDS QUITE LITERAL AND IT SOUNDS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASKING 'EM TO GIVE ME THEIR MONEY, BUT YOU ARE IN THE POSITION INHERENTLY THAT YOU HOLD BY VIRTUE [00:10:01] OF SITTING THERE. YOU DO ASK EVERY YEAR FOR PEOPLE TO GIVE YOUR MONEY. IN FACT, YOU ASK IT SO MUCH, YOU HIRE A FIRM TO GO SUE THEM AND TAKE THEIR PROPERTY IF THEY DON'T PAY THOSE TAXES. AND SO WHEN YOU SEE IT THAT WAY, YOU REALIZE THAT THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE DOING, RIGHT? WHEN YOU SIT HERE, YOU TELL EVERYBODY, HERE, GIVE ME YOUR MONEY SO I CAN MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NO RAMPANT CRIME. GIVE ME YOUR MONEY SO I CAN MAKE SURE HOUSES DON'T BURN DOWN AN ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN WE HAVE A FIRE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOME HEALTH THAT WE CAN VACCINATE DOGS AND PETS AND SPRAY MOSQUITOES AND THINGS COME IN TO AVOID PANDEMICS AND WHATEVER IT IS, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS BEING PART OF THE FINANCIER HAT THAT YOU WEAR SOMETIMES. BUT YOU'RE ALSO AN EMPLOYER. BUT INTERESTING ENOUGH, YOU'RE ONLY AN EMPLOYER OF ONE PERSON AND THAT'S YOUR CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? SO YOU OVERSEE THE CITY MANAGER AND WHO OVERSEES ALL THE EMPLOYEES. THE WAY THAT THE CITY STRUCTURE IS WRITTEN IN TEXAS LAW, IN THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, YOU CHOSE, NOT YOU, BUT PREVIOUS COUNCILS BEFORE YOU, WHEN IT WAS INCEPTED. IT WAS THAT IT WAS THE FORMAT OF CITY AND GOVERNMENT THAT YOU DELEGATE THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS TO SOMEONE THAT YOU PAID A SALARY TOO. AND THAT YOU'RE JUST HERE AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY TO DIRECT AND OVERSEEING. AND THAT'S WHAT I MEANT EARLIER WHEN I SAID, IF YOU'RE AS A COUNCIL FRUSTRATED ABOUT THINGS HAPPENING IN THE OUTSIDE, THIS IS THE PERSON WHO YOU NEED TO BE ADDRESSING THAT TO. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHO YOU NEED TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THROUGH THE WHAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. THAT BEING SAID, RIGHT? IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR THE CITY WHO GET PAID BY THE CITY, WHO GET PAID BY WHAT? BY THE MONEY YOU ASK THE PEOPLE TO GIVE YOU. RIGHT? AND SO YOU GET TO SELECT THINGS LIKE MAYBE SALARY SCALES, FRINGE BENEFITS AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS FOR EVERYBODY WHO WORKS HERE. BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU PROVIDE THOSE, UH, BENEFITS AND THOSE SALARIES TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS, DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET TO DIRECT THEM. DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET TO DICTATE THEM, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THE ONLY PERSON YOU DO THAT TO IS YOUR CITY MANAGER. CONCURRENT TO THE WAY YOUR CITY GOVERNMENT IS FORMATTED. YOU'RE ALSO A BUYER. WHY ARE YOU A BUYER? OKAY? YOU BUY WHAT? YOU BUY TIRES. YOU BUY GASOLINE, YOU BUY OIL, YOU BUY PAPER, YOU BUY TOILET PAPER, YOU MIGHT NOT REALIZE IT, RIGHT? YOU BUY EVERYTHING YOU SEE IN THIS ROOM. YOU BUY THESE TABLES, YOU BUY THAT CAMERA, RIGHT? AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS 'CAUSE SOMETIMES CITY COUNCILS DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU APPROVE A BUDGET OR YOU APPROVE SOMETHING, IT IS YOU BUYING THAT IN TRUST FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY TO WHICH IT REPRESENTS, RIGHT? IF YOU LOOK AT THE WAY, SOMETIMES COURTS ADDRESS COUNCIL MEMBERS, THEY CALL THEM TRUSTEES. AND YOU SEE THAT WORD BEING USED FOR SCHOOL BOARD SOMETIMES AND OTHER CORPORATE BODIES, TRUSTEES. WHY? BECAUSE YOU ARE IN TRUST HOLDING THIS VALUE IN THIS CHANNEL FOR THE PEOPLE OF SANTO. AND SO WHEN YOU APPROVE A BUDGET THAT APPROVES A PURCHASE OF TOILET PAPER, YOU ARE A BUYER. YOU ARE BUYING THAT FOR CITY SERVICES. WHEN YOU BUY HOSES FOR YOUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AND YOU BUY VESTS FOR YOUR POLICEMEN, WHEN YOU BUY GUNS, WHEN YOU BUY ALL THOSE THINGS, YES, YOU ARE BUYING GUNS. LET'S COUNSEL THIS 'CAUSE YOU APPROPRIATE THE MONEY AFTER YOU TOLD EVERYBODY OUTSIDE HERE TO GIVE YOU THEIR MONEY TO BUY THAT. SO YOU ASK THEM FOR MONEY TO BUY GUNS, TO PROTECT THEM FROM RATHER CRIME, RIGHT? AND IT SOUNDS MAYBE LIKE I'M TALKING, UH, VERY ARCHAIC AND VERY KIND OF AN APPLES AND BANANAS, RIGHT? I'M NOT TRYING TO INSULT ANYONE WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT LIKE THIS, BUT SOMETIMES WHAT I FOUND IS THAT WE GET SO WRAPPED UP IN THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING THAT ARE VERY BIG ISSUES, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES. BUT THOSE ISSUES ARE ROOTED IN BASIC CONCEPTS. THE ONE I'M TALKING ABOUT. AND THAT'S WHY I LIKE TO ARTICULATE IT IN THIS MATTER, RIGHT? WHY ARE YOU ALSO A LEGISLATURE? THIS IS YOUR PRIMARY JOB. WE'LL GO BACK TO BUYER FOR JUST A SECOND. SURE. ABSOLUTELY. I I I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR ON THAT ONE. UH, 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO OUT AND PURCHASE ALL THIS STUFF. SO WE HAVE A PROCESS OF COURSE. UM, PROCUREMENT, WE HAVE A WHOLE PROCUREMENT POLICY YEAH. THAT WE GO THROUGH. SO WE ADHERE TO, SO, OKAY. YEAH. I I JUST, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TOO THAT PROBABLY BE ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO BE CLEAR ON MONDAY TOO, IS JUST WHAT OUR PROCUREMENT POLICY IS. THAT, THAT, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT. AND, AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHY I REFERENCE IT THE WAY I DID. BUT I'LL ADD TO YOUR POINT, WHICH IS VALID, RIGHT? I SURE YOU'RE NOT THE ONES WHO DIRECTLY GO TO WALMART TO BUY ANYTHING, RIGHT? YOU SHOULDN'T, YOU SHOULD NEVER DO THAT, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT YOUR MORAL AS A CITY COUNCIL. [00:15:01] BUT THE REASON I SAY YOU'RE A BUYER, RIGHT? IS BECAUSE WHEN YOU TELL, WHEN YOU SAY WE HAVE A PROCUREMENT PROCESS, WE HAVE A WAY OF PURCHASING, THERE ARE LAWS WE GOTTA FOLLOW ON HOW TO BUY THINGS, RIGHT? YOU OR THE CITY OR COUNCIL OVERSEE THE CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? AND IF THAT PROCUREMENT POLICY OR POLICIES ARE NOT HAPPENING THE WAY THE LAW DICTATES THEM OR YOUR POLICY DICTATES THEM, YOU ARE HERE TO ENFORCE THAT ON YOUR CITY MANAGER. AND SO THE REASON I SAY YOU ARE THE BUYER IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE BUT STOPS ULTIMATELY, RIGHT? IT IS. SURE. YOU'RE NOT THE ONE SWIPING THE CREDIT CARD AND COSTCO TO GO BUY ANY OF THESE THINGS, BUT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THAT CREDIT CARD WERE SWIPED THE PROCUREMENT POLICY WAS IN PLACE. YOU ARE, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THAT PROCUREMENT POLICY IS VIOLATED, VIOLATED, YOU HOLD THE CITY MANAGER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT. AND SO THAT'S WHY I PHRASED THE WAY I DO. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE ARE POLICIES, INTERNAL CITY POLICIES AND ALSO STATE LAW IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AND TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE THAT TALK ABOUT HOW YOU PROCURE THESE THINGS. YES. AND THE CITY SHOULD FOLLOW THOSE. AND AS BUYERS, AS A COUNCIL, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE BEING ENFORCED AND BEING PUT INTO PLACE. THERE YOU GO. LEGISLATURE, THIS IS THE BIGGEST ONE, RIGHT? AND THIS IS THE ONE WHERE I TELL COUNCILS ALL THE TIME, YOU GUYS CAN DO SO MUCH AND EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO ADDRESS YOU CAN'T ADDRESS. YOU JUST GOTTA ADDRESS IT THROUGH THE PROPER WAY. AND THAT'S YOUR ORDINANCES, GUYS, AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY, YOU AS A COUNCIL GET TO VOTE ON THESE ORDINANCES. YOU GET TO ENFORCE THESE ORDINANCES. YOU GET TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR CITY MANAGER ABOUT WHAT ORDINANCES AND POLICIES SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED BEFORE THE COUNCIL. AND SO WHEN THERE ARE THINGS YOU WANT TO ADDRESS AND YOU DON'T KNOW HOW, AND ORDINANCES AND ORDINANCE IS ALWAYS THE WAY TO GO TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THROUGH AN ORDINANCE. YOU CAN DIRECT A NAME CHANGE OF THE STREET THROUGH AN ORDINANCE. YOU CAN DIRECT, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE COLORS OF THE BUILDINGS YOU'RE PURCHASING SOMETIMES RIGHT? THROUGH AN ORDINANCE. YOU CAN DIRECT YOUR CITY MANAGER, OKAY? THROUGH AN ORDINANCE. YOU CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS. AND SO THE BEST WAY I CAN DESCRIBE ORDINANCES IN A VERY, YOU KNOW, SIMPLE WAY, IT'S, IT'S YOU SAYING WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND EXPECTING YOUR CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ON THAT. THAT'S WHAT IT ULTIMATELY IS. AND SO YOU GET TO DO THAT. AND GUESS WHAT? YOU DON'T GET TO DELEGATE THAT TO ANYBODY ELSE. THE LAW DOESN'T LET YOU SAY, HEY, WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THIS OR GIVE IT TO THEM. THAT'S ALSO WHY SOMETIMES YOU SEE THINGS THAT COME TO YOU AND YOU ASK QUESTIONS LIKE THE PLANNING AND ZONING IMPROVEMENTS, WHY IT STILL HAS TO BECOME AND APPROVED BY YOU. THAT'S THE WAY IT'S SET UP. THAT'S WHERE THE BUT STOPS IS IN THIS ROOM RIGHT HERE. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO, RIGHT? YOU CAN IDENTIFY COMMUNITY NEEDS, CREATE ORDINANCES AND POLICIES TO ADDRESS NEEDS YOU'VE IDENTIFIED. AND THIS GOES BACK TO THE VERY FIRST THING I TALKED ABOUT, WHICH WAS, YOU ARE A COMMUNITY MEMBER. YOU LIVE HERE, YOU VOTE HERE, YOU DINE HERE, YOU PAY TAXES. HERE YOU ARE THE ONES WHO KNOW FIRSTHAND. WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN SANTO? OKAY? I HAD A A, A, A CITY COUNCILMAN ONE TIME, TELL ME, AND I'LL CALL THEM OUT, A CITY OF PALM VIEW. THEY HAD A BIG DISASTER WITH ROADS AND STUFF. AND THAT DANG ROAD 4 85 IS STILL LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER. WE DRIVE BY IT BETWEEN THE HOMELAND BENSON AND THE CITY COUNCILMAN IS LIKE, I'M TIRED OF THIS ROAD, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. WE NEVER FIXED IT. AND I'M LIKE, WELL PUT MONEY FOR IT, YOU KNOW, WELL HOW DO I DO THAT? I'M LIKE, MAKE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. SUGGEST AN ORDINANCE TO REPAY THE THE ROAD. AND THEY WERE LIKE, CAN I DO THAT? I'M LIKE, YES. YOU SET THE MONEY, YOU SET WHERE IT IS, YOU BRING IT FORWARD, YOU DIRECT YOUR CITY MANAGER, YOU SET THE EXPECTATION. AND THEN THEY WERE LIKE ALL SHOCKED THEN. BUT WAIT, RIGHT? NEXT WEEK LATER, THEY SENT AN AGENDA ITEM REQUEST TO THE MAYOR SAYING, MAYOR, I WANT TO PUT YOU THE REPAVING OF THIS ROAD. CITY MANAGER. GOT ON TOP OF IT'S ALL THIS, GOT QUOTES, GOT THIS BROUGHT TO THE COUNCIL. AND THE COUNCIL WAS LIKE, ALL, IT'S GONNA BE THIS MUCH MONEY. AND THEN IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE. AND THEY'RE LIKE, OH NO, WE CAN'T DO THAT. IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE. ALL. AND THEN THE GUY WHO PUT IT ON THERE VOTED AGAINST IT BECAUSE THAT VOTE BE REPAID IN ABOUT TWO YEARS BY, BY THE, BY THE STATES. AND THEN HE VOTED AGAINST THE ITEM HE REQUESTED, RIGHT? BUT MY POINT WAS WE SAW THE PROCESS DEVELOP AND EVOLVE. HE SAW AND IDENTIFIED A NEED, HE BROUGHT IT TO THE MAYOR. MAYOR ADDED IT TO THE AGENDA. THE CITY MANAGER DID THE DUE DILIGENCE, WENT OUT, GOT QUOTES, GOT UH, GOT ESTIMATES FOR WHAT IT IS, BROUGHT IT FORWARD, SHOWED THEM WHAT THE NUMBERS WERE, WHERE THE IMPACT WAS EXPLAINED TO THEM, THE FUTURE PAVEMENT, PAVING OF THAT ROAD BY TDOT. AND [00:20:01] THEN THE COUNCIL HAD ALL THE INFORMATION TO WHAT PASS OR DENIED THAT ORDINANCE. AND SO THAT'S THE PROCESS. THAT'S THE POWER YOU ALL HAVE. IS IT A FAST PROCESS? NO. IS IT LENGTHY? YES. DOES IT SUCK SOMETIMES? YES. BUT THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT, IT'S, RIGHT? YOU ALSO CAN ESTABLISH OPERATING POLICIES, RIGHT? SO THROUGH AN ORDINANCE OR DIRECTLY TECHNICAL ORDINANCE RIGHT NOW, THE CITY COUNCIL CAN CREATE GUARD RAILS THAT AFFECT THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS BY ISSUING OPERATING POLICIES AS A CORPORATE BODY THAT AFFECT THE INTERNAL WORKINGS OF THE CITY. THESE HOWEVER, HAVE TO BE MADE THROUGH THE COUNCIL AND NOT THROUGH INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS. NOW WHAT DO I MEAN BY THIS? RIGHT? EARLIER I SAID YOU CANNOT DO THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY THAT BELONGS TO YOUR CITY MANAGER. BUT GUESS WHAT? YOU GET TO CREATE THESE GUARDRAILS ON HOW ADMINISTRATION CAN OPERATE ON THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT OF THE CITY. SO LEMME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. I HAD A CITY UP IN NORTH TEXAS WHO THE CITY MANAGER TOOK IT UPON SUB TO SAY, WE ARE NOT GONNA HAVE A ONE HOUR LUNCH. WE'RE GONNA HAVE A TWO HOUR LUNCH, RIGHT? AND WE'RE GONNA CLOSE CITY HALL FOR THOSE TWO HOURS. OKAY? AND SO THE CITY MANAGER WAS ARGUING TO ME SAYING, THAT'S DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATION. THAT IS DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATION. AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IS, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT KIND OF IS HE'S CHOOSING, HE'S ADMINISTERING THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATION OF THE CITY BY CHOOSING WHAT BUSINESS HOURS, CITY HALL'S GONNA BE OPEN. AND AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WHAT PHONE CALLS STARTED COMING INTO THE COUNCIL, THAT'S WHEN I GO PAY MY TICKETS. THAT'S WHEN I CAN GO IN DURING MY LUNCH TIME. NOBODY'S THERE, YOU'RE CLOSED FOR TWO HOURS, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. ALL THESE THINGS. THE COUNCIL WAS UP IN ARMS AND THEY'RE LIKE, WELL HOW ARE WE GONNA FIX THIS? WELL, THROUGH GUARDRAILS YOU CAN DECIDE HOW TO OPERATE. FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN PASS AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE BUSINESS HOURS OF THE CITY, RIGHT? AND SO THE COUNCIL DID THAT. THE COUNCIL SAID THE BUSINESS HOURS OF THE CITY ARE MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, RIGHT? AND WHAT THEY DID THERE TO GIVE SOME, SOME HELP TO PUT COVERAGE AND STUFF, YOU KNOW, THEY SORT NINE TO FOUR, RIGHT? AND THEY COULD NOT LEAVE THE BUILDING EMPTY DURING LUNCH. IT HAD TO BE OPERATED. NOW THERE WAS A GUARDRAIL FOR ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE DAY TO DAY OPERATION WAS STILL WITHIN THE CITY MANAGER'S JOB, BUT THEY WERE OPERATING WITHIN THE GUARDS OF THE ORDINANCE. YOU SEE MY POINT? HOW YOU CAN AFFECT THIS, BUT YOU CAN ONLY DO IT THROUGH AN ORDINANCE, RIGHT? THE MAYOR COULDN'T CALL THE STATE MANAGER DIRECTLY. NOBODY COULD CALL AND SAY, HEY, OPEN UP CITY HOT FOR MICRO WATER, BUT OR SOMETHING. NO, THERE'S A WAY TO DO THIS. YOU HAVE AS A COUNCIL A LOT OF POWER, RIGHT? BUT IT'S HOW YOU EXERCISE IT, RIGHT? TO LET THEM KNOW HOW THEY CAN DO IT. NOW, THAT'S SHORT OF SAYING, RIGHT, I WANT THIS PERSON IN THIS OFFICE AND I WANT THIS PERSON TO ANSWER THE PHONE. THAT'S, THAT'S STATE, THAT'S NOT YOUR JOB. THAT IS HIS JOB RIGHT THERE. OR HER JOB, WHOEVER'S THE CITY MANAGER, RIGHT? AND SO JUST THINK ABOUT THAT OR OPERATING POLICIES THAT YOU AS A COUNCIL CAN DO. THE ONE BIG THING YOU DO IS OBVIOUSLY SET THE BUDGETS RIGHT. HOW DO YOU SET THE BUDGETS AFTER YOU GO ASK EVERYBODY OUTSIDE, YOU NEED YOUR MONEY, YOU COUNT THE MONEY, WE HAVE THIS MUCH MONEY. HOW ARE WE DIVVY IT UP? LET'S GIVE SO MUCH TO FIRE, SO MUCH TO POLICE, SO MUCH FOR HERE. AND IT SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE I SAID CRAZY, LIKE I'M SAYING IT THIS WAY. SO THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU'RE SAYING GIMME YOUR MONEY, LET ME COUNT IT AND THEN HOW DO I DIVVY IT UP? YOU COUNSEL TO PROVE THIS HOW IT'S APPROVED. AND SO THAT'S A REALLY BIG, BIG, UH, THING YOU HAVE. BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WHEN THERE ISN'T ENOUGH MONEY FOR SOMETHING, IT'S 'CAUSE YOU DIDN'T APP, YOU DIDN'T APPROPRIATE IT, NOT YOUR CITY MANAGER. YOU DIDN'T APPROPRIATE IT. YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR MORE. YOU DIDN'T STRIKE SOMEWHERE HERE. YOU DIDN'T ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. AND SO I HEAR COUNSEL SOMETIMES TELLING ME, NO, IT'S 'CAUSE THE CITY MANAGER DIDN'T INCLUDE BUDGET FOR THIS. I'M LIKE, WELL, YOU HAD THE BUDGET, YOU SAW THAT LINE OF ITEMS YOU COULD HAVE QUESTIONED. WHY WASN'T THERE MONEY ALLOWED TO THIS TELL YOU THAT'S WHAT'S WHAT IT IS, RIGHT? AND THEN I HAVE AFTER THE FACT COUNCIL INDIVIDUALS COME IN AND SAY, WELL IT'S 'CAUSE I DIDN'T SEE THIS WAS THERE LIKE YOU HAD THE BUDGETS, RIGHT? ONE YEAR I HAD A COUNCIL TELL ME, WELL, I DIDN'T GET THE BUDGET TILL THE DAY OF. AND I SAID, AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT? THE CITY MANAGER? I'M LIKE, NO, IT'S YOUR FAULT. LIKE WHY IS IT MY FAULT? I DON'T PREPARE IT. IT'S YOUR FAULT FOR NOT ASKING FOR IT BEFORE. IF YOU ARE THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU SET THE EXPECTATION. IF YOU WANNA SEE YOUR BUDGET, GUESS WHAT YOU CALL YOUR MAYOR AND TELL YOUR MAYOR, HEY, CAN WE SET A BUDGET WORKSHOP A MONTH BEFORE OUR BUDGET APPROVAL? AND THAT SETS THE EXPECTATION FOR THE CITY MANAGER AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR IT. BUT IF ALL YEAR LONG YOU DON'T ASK ABOUT THIS, IF ALL YEAR LONG YOU IGNORE IT. IF ALL YEAR LONG YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING, IT TELL THE CITY MANAGERS PROBABLY GOT YOU THE BUDGET, THE LEGAL APPROVAL. IF YOU DIDN'T ASK FOR IT BEFORE, SET THE EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT YOU EXPECT COUNCIL. [00:25:01] AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA GET. PLANNING SUBDIVISION ANNEXATION. ANNEXATION NOWADAYS IS KIND OF GOING OUT THE WINDOW WITH THE WAY TEXAS, UH, HAS SET UP. ANNEXATION, YOU STILL CAN ANNEX, BUT NOW IT'S VOLUNTARY. PEOPLE HAVE TO WANT TO BE PART OF YOU AND ALL THESE THINGS CON CONTINUOUS PROPERTY, SO ON AND SO FORTH. THE POINT IS YOU CAN DO ANNEXATION IS NOT THE WAY YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO DO, RIGHT? UH, SO UNFORTUNATELY FOR CITIES LIKE SANTO, WHICH ARE THE MAJORITY OF TEXAS CITIES, THEY ARE PROBABLY NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GO TO BE HOUSTON IN A HUNDRED YEARS, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE LAWS JUST HAVE NOT ALIGNED THAT WAY. UNLESS YOU, ESPECIALLY UNLESS YOU START TAKING OVER ALL THE EMPTY TRACKS AROUND YOU, THEN THE OWNERS WANT TO COME IN WITH YOU. BUT IT'S NOT THE WAY HOUSTON GOT GOT AWAY WITH IT, WHICH WAS BY DECLARING A BIG AREA AND THEN SAYING IT TO THE VOTERS AND NOT TELLING ANYBODY CERTAIN VOTERS VOTE FOR IT OR RAMOS, THEY DOUBLE THEIR CITY, RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY ANYMORE. BUT YOU DO GET TO DO PLANNING, YOU DO GET, GET SUBDIVISIONS. AND ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF PLANNING THAT I ALWAYS BRING UP IS THIS ONE, YOU'RE DRIVING TO HOUSTON, OKAY? AND YOU'RE PASSING PARTICULAR PART SNA. WHAT STRIKES OUT FROM SLAN THE MOST DO Y'ALL CAN THINK OF WHEN YOU'RE ON THESE FIRST SWING AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT NU WHAT? NO, IT'S WHARTON INFRASTRUCTURE, THE CONCRETE EXPRESSWAY SO THAT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE WHEN YOU DRIVE UP, I WANT YOU TO PICK IT. I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT IT IS. BUT TAKE A LOOK FOR, TAKE A LOOK AT IT. BUSINESSES LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE BUILDING OFF THE EXPRESSWAY, UH, LIMESTONE. THEY HAVE THE EXACT SAME BRICK. WHY IS THAT? DO YOU THINK ALL THESE DEVELOPERS GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, HEY, WE WANT THE SAME BRICK AND ALL THOSE ARCHITECTS DECIDED TO CHOOSE THE SAME BRICK? NO, THEY HAVE AN ORDINANCE THAT IDENTIFIED THE BRICK NUMBER AND COLOR THAT YOU CAN USE FOR THAT ZONE. THAT IS THE LEVEL OF PLANNING YOU GET TO DO AS A ZONE. AND YOU DON'T REALIZE THAT THAT'S HOW INTENSE YOU CAN GET. WOODLAND IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, RIGHT? WOOD. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR OTHER, OTHER AREAS FOR, FOR OTHER PURPOSES. BUT YES. RIGHT? WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT YOU, YOU HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF POWER TO DECIDE HOW EVERY NEW DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING AND SUBDIVISION GETS ADDED TO YOUR CITY. AND HOW YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A AREA FOR A SIDEWALK THAT HAS TWO TREES FOR EVERY 50 FEET. PUT IT AN ORANGE THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO HAVE A SIDEWALK WITH TWO TREES FOR 50 FEET AND THEY'LL HAVE TO BUILD THAT WHEN THEY'RE BUILDING. THAT'S A CONDITION TOO. I USE IT OBVIOUSLY. IT'S A VERY INTENSE EXAMPLE TO SAY YOU'RE CHOOSING THE BRICK COLOR. YOU DO, RIGHT? BUT THAT'S THE WAY, THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN DO WHEN YOU DRIVE TO HOUSTON AND YOU'RE DRIVING INTO SUGARLAND, THIS THING OF THE BRICK AND LOOK, AND EVERY BUILDING HAS THE SAME COLOR AS STYLE OF BRICKS. SIGNAGE IS OFF OF SOMETHING. THAT SIGNAGE IS ANOTHER ONE. IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE SIGNAGES, THEY HAVE NO COLOR. THEY'RE ALL WHITE WITH THE WHITE WITH THE BACK, WHITE LIGHT IN THERE. THERE'S NO, YOU ARE LOOKING EVEN AT THE STARBUCKS SIGN, IT'S NOT GREEN, IT'S THAT WHITE KIND OF SILVER COLOR. THAT'S HOW INTENSE YOU GET TO DESIGN YOUR CITY. BUT IT'S A MATTER OF WANTING TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, RIGHT? I HAD A A A ANOTHER CITY WHO TEXT, I WAS BUILDING THE ROAD AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A MEDIUM THERE. AND THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, IT'S BECAUSE I I, I WANT THERE TO BE FLOWERS AND I WANT THERE TO BE THIS ON THE MEDIAN AND TREES AND STUFF. AND THEY'RE LIKE IN TEXT. I SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA BUDGET FOR THAT, RIGHT? WE'RE NOT GONNA BUDGET FOR IT. THEY'RE LIKE, BUT YOU DID IT IN THIS CITY OVER HERE. WHY NOT THERE? GUESS WHAT? THAT CITY HAD AN ORDINANCE THAT SAID THAT IF WE HAVE A DIVIDED ROAD, THAT THE, THAT THE, UH, MEDIAN HAD HAD FORAGE IN THAT CONCRETE. SO BECAUSE TECH STOCK WAS COMING IN AND THERE WAS ALREADY AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE, TEXT HAD TO ADHERE TO THE ORDINANCE OF FOLIAGE IN THE MEDIAN AND THEY HAD TO BUDGET FOR IT WHEN THEY WERE GONNA DO IT. ANYWAYS, JUST GIVING YOU EXAMPLES OF HOW INTENSE YOUR PLANNING CAN GET, RIGHT? AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS, BUT THAT'S THE LEVEL THAT YOU CAN DO, RIGHT? HOW YOU'RE GONNA SUPERVISE CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGERS, YOUR ONLY EMPLOYEE GUYS. YOUR ONLY EMPLOYEE, OKAY? NOBODY ELSE. YOU HOLD 'EM ACCOUNTABLE, YOU EVALUATE THEM, YOU PAY THEM, YOU ASK THEM QUESTIONS, YOU SET THE EXPECTATION, YOU TELL THEM WHAT YOU WANT. I'VE FOUND THAT THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GOVERNMENT MODELS IS WHEN YOU'RE CLEAR TO YOUR CITY MANAGEMENT ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT. THAT LETS THEM ACT UP. LETS THEM, UH, EXECUTES IS WHEN YOU HAVE THIS HERE AND THAT HERE AND THIS HERE AND SO AND SO CALLED ME AND SO AND SO SAID THIS, THAT THEY MONEY LIKE, LIKE THIS. THAT'S POOR GOVERNANCE, OKAY? DIRECT GOVERNANCE, YOUR CITY MANAGER IS A WAY TO DO IT, OKAY? AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SET UP AS. THAT'S WHAT YOU, YOUR CITY IS FORMED AS, RIGHT? AND THAT'S WHAT THE LAW SAYS YOUR GOVERNANCE MODEL IS. SO AS ACT AS THE [00:30:01] STATE REPRESENTATIVES, YOU ARE ALSO AMBASSADORS. WHEN YOU GO OUT THERE AND YOU DO SOMETHING, YOU SAY SOMETHING, YOU WEAR SOMETHING, YOU BEHAVE A CERTAIN WAY THAT'S GONNA SAY, WHO THIS? OKAY? AND WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME. WE DO IT, YOU DO IT RIGHT? I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT IF I SAY SOMETHING ABOUT I'M, I'M GONNA, I LOVE 'EM, THEY'RE MY CLIENT AND THEY'RE GREAT IN LOCK ON WOOD, RIGHT? I SAY PROGRESSIVE, WHAT'S THE PERSON'S GONNA COME TO YOUR MIND? THE THING THIS HAPPENED, GUYS. YES. SO THE SAME THING IS TRUE FOR YOU. BELIEVE IT OR NOT. THE SAME THING IS TRUE FOR . AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT CARRIES AND RESONATES TO DEVELOPERS. IT CARRIES AND RESONATES TO INVESTORS AND THERE'S A DYSFUNCTIONAL COUNCIL. GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE NOT GONNA WANT TO GO WORK THERE BECAUSE THERE'S NO STABILITY ON THE PROJECT THAT'S GONNA TAKE THEM SIX YEARS TO DO. AND SO THE TONE YOU SET FOR THAT IS GONNA BE IMPORTANT FOR YOUR OWN GROWTH AS A CITY. SO THIS IS THE WAY I LIKE TO FIGURE OUT THE SPHERE OF POWER FOR, UH, OUR CITIES. WE TALK ABOUT MANAGEMENT, RIGHT? CITY MANAGER HAS MORE OF THE POWER. THAT'S WHY THEY HAVE A BIGGER CHUNK IN THAT MANAGEMENT BLOCK. YOU SEE THE RED LINE, IT'S FURTHER TO TO UH, TO THE LEFT. 'CAUSE THE CITY MATTER HAS A BIGGER CHUNK OF THAT. YOUR ONLY JOB IS TO EVALUATE CITY MANAGER, DIRECT THEM, TELL 'EM WHERE YOU WANT TO DO, TELL 'EM WHAT YOU WANT TO GO SET YOUR GOALS. BUT THEY DO THE DAY-TO-DAY MANAGEMENT TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, RIGHT? CITY MANAGER EXECUTES DAY-TO-DAY STUFF, BUT YOU PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND SUPERVIS, OKAY? HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO POLICY, GUESS WHAT? YOU SET THE POLICY. THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A BIGGER CHUNK OF THAT SQUARE. AND YOUR CITY MANAGERS LIMITED TO RECOMMENDING THESE POLICIES. AND THEN OF COURSE, YOUR MISSION, YOUR VISION, YOUR, YOUR CITY. THAT'S GONNA BE ALL YOU. YOU WANNA WEAR A BRICK IN EVERY NEW DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S YOU. THAT'S YOUR VISION. IF YOU WANT TO PICTURE A RED SANTO, RIGHT? THAT'S YOUR VISION. YOU GET TO DO THAT. BRICK, BRICKS, BRICK, BRICK, WHATEVER Y'ALL WANNA DECIDE ALL PURPLE. I THOSE GREEN GOLD. YOU SAY GOLD, RIGHT? GOLD AMERICA, I, I I I DO IT LIKE THIS SO Y'ALL CAN KIND OF SEE, RIGHT? THE, THE HOT POTATO. WE BELONG TO DIFFERENT AREAS AT A DIFFERENT TIMES. AND SO OVERVIEW OF WHAT YOU CAN DO. YOU REGULATE CITY AFFAIRS, YOU ESTABLISH ORDINANCE, YOU CREATE OPERATING POLICIES, YOU SET CITY BUDGET, YOU ESTABLISH CITY BOUNDARIES. YOU HIRE, UH, THE CITY, THE SUPERVISOR AND I MEAN THE CITY MANAGER AND SUPERVISING YOU ACT THE REPRESENTATIVES OF YOUR COMMUNITY, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S A QUICK SHORT KIND OF REMINDER OF EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW YOU ALL ALREADY KNOW, RIGHT? UM, BUT IT HELPS SOMETIMES HEAR IT ONCE IN A WHILE. MAYBE HEAR FROM DIFFERENT PEOPLE YOU DIDN'T HEAR IT FROM BEFORE, RIGHT? I HOPE THAT THIS IS THIS, UH, THIS JUST KIND OF REMINDS YOU, RIGHT? AND IT KIND OF REFOCUSED AND CENTERS YOU. THAT'S WHAT I TRY TO DO. ALL THE COUNSELORS PRESENT TO. UH, I DON'T LIKE TO TRY TO OVERWHELM YOU BECAUSE IT'S NOT OVERWHELMING. IT'S VERY EASY. GOVERNANCE IS VERY EASY, RIGHT? IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR PART IS TO IT, OKAY? AND THAT'S WHAT I, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY JUST HAVE A . ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING? NO QUESTIONS. GREAT. UH, GREAT OVERVIEW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT. MY OPINION. I APPRECIATE THAT. I ALWAYS NEED REMINDERS. A MECHANIC CANNOT DEAL WITH YOU OR SHOULD NOT DO. MAYOR, I HAVE A QUESTION. YOU TALKED ABOUT HAVING THE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT BRICK COLOR AND THE COLORS CERTAIN AREAS OF THE TOWN, BUT IS THERE LIMITATIONS ON REGULATIONS OF WHAT TYPE OF BUSINESS AND WHAT TYPE OF MATERIAL TO USE? IS THERE SOMETHING IN LEGISLATION THAT SAYS WE CAN'T DO THAT? IS THAT I FEEL LIKE, UH, THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT HAS KIND OF HAS OVER THE FEW LAST FEW YEARS KIND OF SUPPRESSED LOCAL GOVERNMENTS POWERS. SO YOU'RE RIGHT. THEY HAVE SUPPRESSED GLOBAL GOVERNMENT'S POWERS BY ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT EXPLICITLY SAYS THINGS YOU CAN'T DO. RIGHT? ONE OF THOSE IS THE PLASTIC BAN. YOU CAN'T BAN PLASTIC BAGS IN YOUR CITY, RIGHT? THAT'S WHY. BUT YOU SEE IN SOME TOWNS WHERE WAS THAT AUSTIN AND THEY, THEY STILL REQUIRE, OR YOU WANNA BUY A, YOU GONNA BUY THE BROWN BAG. HOW ARE THEY DOING IT DIFFERENT BUT WE COULDN'T DO IT. OR ARE THOSE CITIES JUST GOING ROGUE ? SO NO. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE ARE STILL INDIVIDUALS WHO DESPITE A PLASTIC BAG BAN, DON'T WANT PLASTIC BAGS, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE PLASTIC BAG AVAILABLE. BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T CHARGE WITH A PAPER ONE. IT JUST MEANS YOU CANNOT NOT HAVE A PLASTIC ONE. BUT TO YOUR POINT ABOUT ARE THERE REGULATIONS [00:35:01] ABOUT HOW FAR YOU CAN GO? YEAH, THERE ARE SOME, RIGHT? BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, NO. YOU HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN THAT. IF YOU WANT A SPECIFIC AREA OF YOUR CITY TO NOT HAVE ANY ALUMINUM OR STEEL BUILDINGS, YOU CAN DO THAT. YOU CAN SAY EVERY BUILDING IN HERE HAS TO ADHERE TO THE OLD STYLE OF DOWNTOWN SANTO WITH BRICK AND MORTAR AND HAVE BRICK FACADES. YOU CAN DO THAT. I HEAR OF ALSO THINGS LIKE, UH, BUSINESSES OVER A CERTAIN NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OR WASTE, BUT THEY CAN REQUIRE THE COMPANY TO RECYCLE OR REQUIRE THE COMPANY TO GET RID OF FOOD WASTE THROUGH AN ORGANIC WAY. THAT'S RIGHT. YES. SO YOU, YOU HAVE A RECYCLING PROGRAM IN YOUR CITY AND YOU'RE PROVIDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO DO SO. YOU CAN DECIDE HOW THEY, UH, DIS DISPOSE OF SPECIFIC MATTERS. AND YOU DO THIS IN SIMPLE WAYS. YOU, I THINK ABOUT IT, YOU REQUIRE GREASE TRAPS FOR SOME, UH, RESTAURANTS. THAT'S A WAY OF DICTATING HOW YOU DISPOSE OF GREASE. BUT YOU CAN TAKE IT BEYOND RECENT. MY POINT. YES. QUESTION TAYLOR IN A, IN A SMALL EMERGENCY STATE, UH, NOTHING MAKE 9 1 1 THING A MAJOR WATER RIDE BUS. MM-HMM MY POINT OF CONTACT . MM-HMM GETTING CALLS FROM MY THIS IS GOING CAN'T GET HOLD OF RIGHT. MY NEXT CALL. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO LET ME START BY SAYING THAT BEING A CITY MANAGER IS A 24 7 JOB. IT'S NOT A HOW LONG? 24 7 7 DAYS WEEK. YES. SO IT IS RIGHT THERE IS A SOMETHING MAJOR THAT HAPPENS. I'M NOT BOTHERING HIM AT ANY TIME OF THE HOUR. I MEAN ASSUMING YOU'RE GIVING A CALL 'CAUSE IT'S A CALL ABOUT AN EMERGENCY THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE. RIGHT. BUT IF YOU'RE CALLING AT 11 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT JUST TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HEY WHAT KIND OF BREAK ARE WE CHOOSING? THAT'S DIFFERENT. RIGHT? BUT WHAT I MEAN BY A 24 7 JOB IS OBVIOUSLY IF THERE'S A MAJOR DISASTER IN THE CITY, THE CITY MANAGER HAS SOME UM, , UM, ONE I WAS GONNA USE A DIFFERENT ONE, HAS SOME SORT OF INHERENT DUTY TO ADDRESS THE EMERGENCY. I'LL USE THAT. RIGHT? AND SO IF YOU CAN'T GET AHOLD OF 'EM AND IT'S THAT BAD, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH ME CALLING YOU POLICE, RIGHT? OR YOUR FIRE CHIEF SAY, HEY, THIS IS HAPPENING. I TRIED CALLING. SAME MATTER DIDN'T ANSWER. RIGHT? YOU CAN SEND A TEXT. NO VIOLENCE. THIS HAPPENED. I WASN'T ABLE TO GET AHOLD OF YOU RIGHT NOW, BUT I JUST LETTING YOU KNOW I CAUGHT CHIEF ON THIS. PERFECT. ENTIRELY FINE. IT'S NOT INAPPROPRIATE THAT THAT, YEAH. ALRIGHT, WELL UM, I'M HAPPY TO FOR YOU, I GAVE YOU THE SLIDES, CHECK THEM OUT. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, EMAIL ME, CALL ME. I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO CARRY THIS CONVERSATION WITH OTHER EXAMPLES IN OTHER WAYS. YES SIR. EZ? YES. WONDERFUL. PRESENT. UH, PRESENTATION, LECTURE, PRESENT. PRESENT EDUCATION. ALRIGHT, WELL APPRECIATE IT. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. NOW YOU JUST GAVE ME MORE WORK AND OUR CITY MANAGER MORE WORK. UH OH THANK. SOUNDS GOOD. WELL I UH, WOULD LIKE TO SEE, I MEAN I KNOW THAT WE DID THIS WHAT, A YEAR AGO OR SOMETHING, UH, WITH OTHERS. UH, I THINK THAT IN ORDER FOR US TO CONTINUE TO WORK MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER, ALL OF US, IT WOULD BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE KINDS OF EDUCATIONAL THINGS AND WORKSHOPS CAN BE HELPFUL. WE GOT COMING UP AS WELL, MR. G, WE GOOGLE TL ALL YEAR, SPEND SOME TIME TOGETHER GETTING THAT THROUGH THE JOINT. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. THAT'S A GOOD POINT TO SEE THAT MR. AS WELL. THIS WOULD BE GREAT. NO, LEMME LOOK AT MY CALENDAR. YOU'RE RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU GUYS ARE SO FUN TO HANG OUT WITH MOSTLY, HOPEFULLY, UH, WILL BE THE, UH, GETTING, I'LL BE TALKING CORRECT TO GET THE, A LOT OF THE UH, THE DIRECTOR ALSO ALSO TO GO OUT THERE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PERMISSION. WE DON'T GET A CHANCE, I DON'T GET A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE UH, CLASS THAT'S OUT THERE. THERE'S NO WAY I CAN DO THAT. AND WE EVEN, YEAH, WE GUYS PUT EACH OTHER UP TO GO TO THE TEAM. I THINK THERE'S SOME, YEAH. SO REALLY COOL STUFF OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU GO TO TL AND YOU SEE SOMETHING REALLY COOL THAT YOU WENT TO AND YOU ARRESTED THE COUNSELOR DIDN'T GO TO LET US KNOW. WE CAN ALWAYS HELP FACILITATE THE REST OF THAT PRESENTATION BACK HERE. OKAY? YEAH. AWESOME. COOL. GABE? IT'S AN INVESTMENT BUT IT'S WORTH, I THINK OUR DIRECTORS TOO SHOULD GO AS WELL TOO. DO WE HAVE ANY DIRECTOR GOING THIS YEAR, BRETT? WE'RE WORKING ON, WE NEED TO LEAVE SOME TO WORK, BUT UH, WE'RE GONNA TRACK ROTATING ON THAT PROBABLY A FEW DAYS. WE FEEL BETTER EDUCATED. WE CAN REVIEW IT IN THE BUDGET. YES, THAT'S CORRECT. THERE HAS TO BE TRAINING WITH [00:40:01] ITEM. YOU HEARD THE MAN, FRIEND, YOU STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. I GOT A FEW THINGS I NEED TO SHOW YOU THIS AFTERNOON SO YOU'RE NOT GOING HOME ALREADY. THIS IS BROKE. WHAT'S YOUR, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOT GOOD. NO. GOOD. OKAY. UH, THEN IF THAT'S IT, TIME IS, UH, SIX 19 THEN WILL YOU AUR. * 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.