[CALL TO ORDER]
          [00:00:08]
          OCTOBER 10TH. TODAY'S INVOCATION WILL BE GIVEN BY REVEREND JAMES PEVEHOUSE. SAINT MARK'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONE. AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, PLEASE STAND AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. LET US PRAY. 
          ALMIGHTY AND LOVING GOD, IT IS FROM YOUR HAND THAT MERCY AND GRACE COME TO COME NEW TO US. 
          EACH DAY I GIVE YOU THANKS FOR THE GIFT AND CALL OF SERVICE TO OTHERS, EMBODIED TODAY BY OUR MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY STAFF AS THEY HAVE GATHERED TODAY TO MEET ABUNDANTLY. GRANT THEM YOUR GRACE AND WISDOM, SO THAT IN THEIR DELIBERATIONS THEY MAY SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER BEFORE BEING UNDERSTOOD, AND BE EMPOWERED TO SEE AND HEAR EACH OTHER WELL BEFORE THEY SPEAK. IN DOING SO, MAY THEIR DISCUSSIONS AND POSSIBLE DISAGREEMENTS TAKE PLACE IN THE CONTEXT OF A SHARED HUMANITY, WITH AS GENEROUS ASSUMPTIONS OF EACH OTHER AS POSSIBLE. IF DISCUSSION BECOMES SPIRITED, MAY THEY AND WE NOT LOSE SIGHT OF OUR SHARED DESIRE FOR A BETTER BEAUMONT, A CITY WE ALL LOVE. THESE PETITIONS I RAISE TO YOU FOR THE EDIFICATION OF ALL OF OUR LEADERS, AND TO YOUR GREATER GLORY. AMEN. AMEN. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MAY I HAVE ROLL CALL, PLEASE? WEST. PRESIDENT, MAYOR PRO TEM TURNER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. SAWYER HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER. HILLIARD HERE. COUNCILMEMBER. WILLIAMS. COUNCILMEMBER SHERWOOD AND COUNCILMEMBER CRENSHAW HERE. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. I'M GLAD TO SEE EVERYBODY HERE. AND BEFORE WE ENTER PUBLIC COMMENTS, I WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY WHO'S REACHED OUT THIS WEEK IN SUPPORT. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK AND ACCUSATIONS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND MUCH OF IT DIRECTED AT ME. THAT'S PART OF BEING YOUR MAYOR. BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS OF BEAUMONT THAT HAVE CALLED AND TEXTED AND SENT MESSAGES TO ME THAT BELIEVE IN THIS CITY, THAT BELIEVE IN MY LEADERSHIP AND WANT THIS CITY TO THRIVE. FOR THAT, I'M GRATEFUL. NOW I WANT TO ADDRESS DIRECTLY SOME OF THE CONFUSION AND MISCONCEPTIONS SURROUNDING THIS MEETING AND THE PROPOSED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THIS IS MADE UP OF RESPECTED RESIDENTS AND LEADERS. LET'S GET ONE THING STRAIGHT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO SECRETS HERE. TODAY. OUR CITY COUNCIL, THIS COUNCIL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK TO REMOVE ANY OF THE PROPOSED NAMES AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOSE NEW NAMES FOR THIS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. WHAT I DID WAS NOT INAPPROPRIATE OR DECEPTIVE. AS YOUR MAYOR, I HAD AUTHORITY TO DO IT THE WAY I DID. I DID NOT WRITE THE CITY CHARTER, BUT I DO FOLLOW IT. EVERY SINGLE PERSON THAT I HAVE PROPOSED FOR THE BOND COMMITTEE HAS MADE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS CITY. THEY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT BEAUMONT'S FUTURE, JUST LIKE YOU AND I DO. THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP WE NEED AT THE TABLE. 
          PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP, NOT JUST SPEAK UP. THE PROPOSED PEOPLE ARE VOLUNTEERING TIME, WHICH THEY HAVE VERY LITTLE OF FOR A CITY THAT THEY CARE AND LOVE. AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN SAYING 
          [00:05:07]
THAT WE SHOULD DELAY THIS PROCESS, THAT IS YOUR OPINION. BUT LET'S BE HONEST, IF WE WAITED ANOTHER YEAR, THE SAME VOICES WOULD BE ACCUSING US OF DRAGGING OUR FEET. YOU CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE AND THAT'S NOT OUR GOAL. THIS IS BEAUMONT'S FIRST BOND ELECTION IN 43 YEARS. 
          WHETHER IT PASSES OR FAILS, THE SIMPLE FACT THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION SHOWS WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD. I WOULD ASK THAT WE STOP THE COMPARISONS TO TO BESIDES BOND ELECTION, THIS BOND PROPOSITION UP FOR ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. OUR DUTY IS TO INFORM, TO LISTEN AND TO LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE. NOW TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. MANY PEOPLE KNOW WHERE SOME OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS STAND ON THE TONE AND RHETORIC USED IN THIS CHAMBER AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA. 
          BUT I'LL REMIND YOU, YOUR WARD IS NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THIS CITY. EVERY CORNER OF THIS CITY DESERVES A VOICE. WE WERE ALL RECENTLY ELECTED OR REELECTED TO LEAD THIS CITY. WE ARE HERE TO LEAD THIS CITY TODAY. AND ALSO EQUALLY IMPORTANT, TO HELP LEAD THIS CITY, OUR CITY, TO A BETTER TOMORROW. AND IT TAKES VISION. AS MAYOR, I'VE LEARNED TO TAKE THE PRAISE AND THE CRITICISM BOTH COME WITH THE OFFICE. THIS JOB IS ONE OF THE GREATEST HONORS OF MY FIVE DECADES PROFESSIONAL CAREER THAT HAS SPANNED LAW ENFORCEMENT, MINISTRY AND BUSINESS. BUT I'LL TELL YOU THIS WE CAN'T LEAD EFFECTIVELY WHEN DISAGREEMENTS TURN INTO FACEBOOK POSTS INSTEAD OF PHONE CALLS. IF YOU'VE GOT AN ISSUE, BE DIRECT. WE OWE THAT LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM TO THE PEOPLE WHO PUT US HERE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WANTS WHAT'S BEST FOR BEAUMONT. WE MAY DIFFER ON THE HOW, BUT IT'S THE VOTERS, NOT US, WHO WILL DECIDE THE DIRECTION OF THIS BOND, WHETHER IT PASSES OR FAILS. LET'S KEEP THE MAIN THING, THE MAIN THING. LET'S SET ASIDE PERSONAL POLITICS. STOP CHASING HEADLINES AND FOCUS ON PROGRESS OF THIS CITY. BECAUSE WHEN WE RISE ABOVE THE NOISE AND COME TOGETHER FOR THE BETTERMENT OF BEAUMONT, THAT IS WHEN WE WILL TRULY LEAD. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT INDULGENCE. 
          [PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA/CONSENT]
AND AT THIS POINT I WILL CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. MIGHT GET 7950 IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS. TWO YEARS AGO TODAY. BEAUMONT LOST ONE OF THE KINDEST PEOPLE THAT HAVE EVER LIVED HERE. JEFFERSON COUNTY LOST ONE OF THE BEST PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT IT EVER HAD. I'D LIKE TO JUST ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HER MEMORY. THANK YOU. FOR THE RECORD, I'M TALKING ABOUT ALLISON GOETZ. SO IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO HIRE GAP STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE A BOND ELECTION FOR THIS NOVEMBER. SUPPOSEDLY, THE CITY REQUESTED PROPOSALS FROM FIRMS INTERESTED IN BOND FACILITATION AND SENT OUT 234 INVITATIONS. BUT ONLY ONE RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED FROM 
          [00:10:09]
GAP STRATEGIES. I WAS THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER TO VOTE AGAINST IT, AND DOING SO, I SAID. THE PROCESS WAS RUSHED. I RECOMMENDED THIS COUNCIL WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE MAY ELECTIONS WERE DECIDED WHETHER OR NOT TO HIRE THIS FIRM, BECAUSE NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE INCLUDED IN DECIDING WHETHER TO GO FORWARD FOR NOVEMBER ELECTION OR FOR A LATER DATE. IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, AFTER BEING THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER TO VOTE AGAINST THE HIRING OF GAP STRATEGIES, THE COUNCIL WAS ADVISED THAT THE BOND PROCESS WAS ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE. NEVERTHELESS, AN ORDINANCE WAS PROPOSED TO CONSIDER AMENDING THE BUDGET TO PAY GAP STRATEGIES $153,000 TO ACT AS BOND FACILITATOR. I VOTED AGAINST IT AND ONCE AGAIN I SAID, WE ARE MOVING TOO FAST. MY EXACT WORDS WERE I FEEL WE ARE TRYING TO SHOEHORN TOO MUCH IN TOO FAST. IT HAS BEEN 42 YEARS SINCE WE HAD A BOND ELECTION, AND WE'VE JUST BEEN TOLD THAT WE'RE BEHIND SCHEDULE. I DON'T SEE REALISTICALLY HOW THIS IS A GREAT IDEA TO TRY AND COMPRESS THIS AND FORCE IT ALL IN FOR A NOVEMBER ELECTION, I SAID MAY OF 2026 WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER FIT. WELL, HERE WE ARE AND EXACTLY WHAT I FEARED WOULD HAPPEN HAS HAPPENED. THE PROCESS HAS BEEN RUSHED, DISORGANIZED AND LACKS TRANSPARENCY. CITIZENS HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD OF THE LOCATION OF A PROPOSED NEW FIRE STATION, OR A $50 MILLION SPORTS COMPLEX. 
          CITIZENS HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD WHAT EVERY RESTROOM IN THE CITY NEEDS TO BE RECONSTRUCTED. AS FOR GAP STRATEGIES, I SENT IN A PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT REQUEST LAST MONTH ASKING FOR A LIST OF THE 234 VENDORS THAT WERE SOLICITED TO FACILITATE THE BOND. YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RESPONSIVE DOCUMENTS TO MY REQUEST. Y'ALL BETTER PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT HAPPENED. OVER IN HAYS COUNTY, A DISTRICT JUDGE OVERTURNED A $440 MILLION BOND ELECTION THAT WAS HELD IN NOVEMBER OF 2024 BECAUSE IT VIOLATED THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT. WAS CONFUSING AND MISLEADING. OH, THE FACILITATOR OF THAT BOND ELECTION. GAP STRATEGIES. THANK YOU. MISTER ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MAY WE HAVE THE READING OF ITEM NUMBER ONE? YES, 
          [1. Council to consider the creation and the appointment of members to a Bond Oversight Committee.]
SIR. GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THE FIRST AND ONLY ITEM ON TODAY'S AGENDA IS A RESOLUTION TO CONSIDER THE CREATION AND THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO A BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. YOU SHOULD HAVE A HANDOUT IN FRONT OF YOU WITH THE PROPOSED MEMBERS ON THE COMMITTEE. I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT ON THE LIST, I THINK THERE'S A NAME, TINA CASTILLON, BUT I THINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST IS TANYA CASTILLON. SO THAT'S THE CORRECT REFERENCE. 
          THE ITEM COMES TO YOU WITHOUT A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT IT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE WE CALL FOR A MOTION. SO AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE FOR ANY DISCUSSION ON CONCERNS OF THE PROPOSED BOND COMMITTEE THAT PEOPLE MAY WANT TO REMOVE. AND IF THEY HAVE A LIST OF NAMES THAT OR THEY HAVE ANY NAMES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, I WOULD WE CAN HEAR THAT AND THEN GO FROM THERE. YES. COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS YEAH. YOU KNOW, I'M WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY IS NOT AN INDICTMENT ON ANYBODY ON THE LIST. THERE'S PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT THAT I KNOW ARE GOOD PEOPLE. THERE'S PEOPLE ON HERE THAT I DON'T KNOW, BUT BUT I'VE, I'VE HEARD ABOUT THEM AND, AND AND I TRUST THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHT IN PICKING THEM. MY CONCERN IS THE PROCESS. AND THAT'S NOT AN INDICTMENT OF YOU. 
          I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE 
          [00:15:02]
HIT SEVERAL FORKS IN THE ROAD SINCE WE'VE BEEN A PART OF THIS AND BEFORE, WHERE IT'S MY OPINION THAT WE'VE MADE THE WRONG DECISION. AND I THINK IT CONTINUES TO BUILD THE PUBLIC'S DESCENT AGAINST THE PROCESS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW, I'M DON'T KNOW IF I NEED TO MAKE A MOTION OR WHAT, BUT I'M, I WOULD I WOULD THE ONLY ITEM WE CAN DISCUSS TODAY IS THE APPOINTING WELL OF THE BOND. OKAY. WELL, IT'S MY OPINION THAT I WOULD PREFER TO SEE THIS TAKE PLACE POST-ELECTION, TO KEEP IT CLEAR TO NOT COME OFF THAT WE ARE. 
          AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S TRUE, BUT NOT TO COME ACROSS AS WE ARE LOOKING FOR CHEERLEADERS. I MEAN, I SENT AN EMAIL TO SHERRY EARLIER THIS WEEK WITH CONCERN THAT ARE WE WALKING IN A GRAY AREA WHERE JUST THE FORMATION OF A COMMITTEE PRIOR TO THE ELECTION COULD BE CONSIDERED ADVOCACY IN SOME FORM? AND SHE ASSURED ME WE WEREN'T, BUT IT WAS STILL A CONCERN I HAD. SO THAT'S MY $0.02. WELL, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND TO LET YOU HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF THE THINKING BEHIND THAT IS THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. HAVING AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED BY MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE PROCESS. AND I HAD HAD PEOPLE ASK WHO WAS GOING TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE, BECAUSE FOR THE SAME REASON THAT YOU'RE SAYING WE'RE MAKING AN ASSUMPTION, I CAN ASSURE YOU ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE TOO BUSY TO. I WASN'T ASKING THEM TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE BOND IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN WHATEVER PART OF THAT BOND PASSES. WOULD THEY HELP OVERSEE? THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS SO THAT THE VOTERS BEFOREHAND, SO THAT WE WOULDN'T BE ACCUSED OF NOT BEING TRANSPARENT ON WHO WOULD BE ON THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AFTER THE ELECTION OCCURRED. SO I THINK THAT WAS THE REASON I DID IT. AND, YOU KNOW, AND I STAND BY IT. BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE SAID, AND I'M NOT I IT'S YEAH, THERE'S THERE'S TWO, YOU KNOW, TRAINS OF THOUGHT THERE. AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S TO ME MY PERCEPTION IT COULD JUST AS EASILY BE PERCEIVED THE OTHER WAY. I'M NOT SAYING IT'S TRUE, BUT I JUST AND IN MY MIND I'M GOING, WHAT IS THE RUSH? THROUGH CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH CITIZENS, WITH PEOPLE, AND I'M NOT POKING ANYBODY. I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING LIKE THAT GOING ON. I JUST IN MY MIND AND I'VE THOUGHT ABOUT IT LONG AND HARD AND AND THAT'S WHY I REACHED OUT TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND, AND ASKED, THAT'S JUST KIND OF THE WAY I TAKE IT. AND, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE YOU EXPLAINING YOUR YOUR THOUGHTS. THANK YOU. MAYOR. I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE THE EMAIL AND THE THE CONCERN WAS REFERENCED, I WANT TO KIND OF GIVE SOME CONTEXT BEHIND IT. MY FULL RESPONSE TO COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS WAS THAT THE CREATION OF THE BOARD, IT WOULD NOT BE A FORM OF ADVOCACY AS LONG AS THE THE PURPOSE WAS NOT TO SOLICIT OR PERSUADE ANYONE TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE BOND. BY THE MERE CREATION OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO BOLSTER ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT AFTER, IF ANY OF IT PASSES, THAT THAT COMMITTEE WOULD BE IN SIGHT. SO IT'S NOT OR IT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A. AS A SUPPORT MECHANISM FOR THE ELECTION. HENCE IT IS WORDED THAT IF ANY, ANY PART OF IT PASSES, THERE ARE NO CITY RESOURCES BEING USED IN THE CREATION OF THE BORN BEFOREHAND, MEANING THE BOARD OR SORRY, THE COMMITTEE. MAKE SURE I USE THE RIGHT WORDS. THE COMMITTEE WON'T MEET UNTIL AFTER THE BOND OR IF ANY PORTION OF THE BOND PASSES. SO THE COMMITTEE IS PROHIBITED FROM MEETING, GATHERING OR RECEIVING ANY INSTRUCTION FROM THE CITY PRIOR TO THE ELECTION. THANK YOU. YES. 
          COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. I DO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE OTHER COMMITTEES AND BOARDS WITH THE CITY THAT THE MAYOR IN THE PAST HAS BEEN ABLE TO FULLY APPOINT. I GET THAT THAT HAPPENS. I JUST THINK ON SOMETHING AS SIGNIFICANT AS THIS AND NO SLIGHT TO THE BOARDS THAT THE MAYOR HAS IN THE PAST BEEN ABLE TO APPOINT. BUT THIS IS SUCH A BIG DEAL. 
          [00:20:04]
AND SO IN HINDSIGHT, MY PREFERENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT EACH COUNCIL MEMBER BE ABLE TO SUBMIT 2 OR 3 NAMES. AND THEN WE HAVE THIS MEETING, WHETHER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BEFORE THE ELECTION OR AFTER THE ELECTION. YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S VALID REASONS ON BOTH SIDES FOR WHY WE SHOULD HAVE NAMED THIS COMMITTEE BEFORE AND AFTER THE ELECTION. BUT EITHER WAY, MY PREFERENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN THAT BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE THAT WE ALL WOULD HAVE HAD INPUT. I LEARNED THAT A COMMITTEE HAD BEEN NAMED. BY PHONE CALLS THAT I STARTED GETTING FROM PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN CONTACTED, AND AGAIN, THEY WEREN'T CALLING TO TELL ME, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR'S CONSIDERING ME FOR THE COMMITTEE. IT WAS THE MAYOR PUT ME ON THE COMMITTEE, AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I THOUGHT, YOU'RE WELCOME. THIS IS NEWS TO ME. AND IT JUST YOU KNOW, IT IT JUST, IN MY OPINION, WAS NOT IDEAL. AND IT CONTRIBUTED TO, TO TO THE, TO THE CONFUSION THAT SAID, LOOK, WE WE GOT TO DO THIS AND WE GOT TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I THINK IT ADDS TO WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT IN YOUR OPENING COMMENTS, MR. MAYOR, US BUILDING DIVISION, FOR ME TO TELL YOU NAMES ON THIS LIST, WHICH I NOW UNDERSTAND HAVE BEEN REVISED DOWN TO 13 NAMES. YES, I THINK IT WOULD ONLY CREATE DIVISION FOR ME TO TELL YOU PEOPLE I WANT YOU TO TAKE OFF. SO I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. HONESTLY, I DON'T SEE A NAME ON HERE. I WOULD WANT TO TAKE OFF. 
          THERE'S SOME NAMES ON HERE THAT ARE ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL PEOPLE. AND AND I THINK THEY'D BE GREAT TO SERVE IF WE WOULD HAVE DONE THIS THE WAY THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD DO ALL COMMITTEES IN THE FUTURE WHERE EVERYONE HAS INPUT PRIOR TO THE DECISION BEING MADE, IN AN ORDINANCE BEING WRITTEN, I WOULD HAVE SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING NAMES. PAT. PARSONS. GIGI SOTOLONGO MAZOLA, LASHAWN PROCTOR, FRANK MESSINA, AND ANDREW EDWARDS. THOSE ARE JUST FIVE PEOPLE THAT, SINCE THIS ALL CAME ABOUT THIS WEEK THAT I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TALK TO, THAT HAVE INDICATED A WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. AND THOSE WOULD BE THE NAMES THAT I WOULD SUBMIT. BUT AGAIN, I THINK IT WOULD BE TERRIBLE PRECEDENT AND BAD MANNERS FOR FOR US TO REMOVE ANY OF THE 13. SO AS WE GO THROUGH AND EVERYONE MAKES THEIR COMMENTS AND I ASSUME OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ADD, MAYBE WE'LL JUST HAVE ONE GIANT COMMITTEE, I DON'T KNOW, BUT BUT THOSE ARE, I THINK, GREAT PEOPLE THAT WOULD ADD TO YOUR NOW 13 NAMES. AND THERE IS, AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, NOT ONE OF THE 13 OF THE NEW REVISED LIST THAT I HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH WHATSOEVER. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WELCOME THEM. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILMAN TURNER, I THINK ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS IS KIND OF WHAT EVERYBODY HAS SAID, THE SENTIMENT OF. AND MAYOR, WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS IT'S ALMOST YOU DARNED IF YOU DO. YOU'RE DARNED IF YOU DON'T. BECAUSE REGARDLESS TO HOW IT TAKES PLACE, PEOPLE WILL HAVE THEIR OPINIONS AND IT CAN BE WELL RECEIVED BEING ADVANCED JUST AS IT CAN BE RECEIVED AFTER THE FACT. SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW SAID EARLIER. ON, ONE OF MY BIGGEST STRUGGLES IS I AGREE, I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH THE LIST AND COMMITTEES AS IMPORTANT AS THIS. 
          I'M NOT THAT OPPOSED TO A SIZE. I'M A FIRM BELIEVER OF. I DON'T BELIEVE IN DICTATORSHIP. I BELIEVE IN PARTNERSHIPS, SO I DON'T SUPPORT TELLING YOU AND YOUR CAPACITY AS YOUR POWER'S MAYOR WHAT YOU CAN AND CAN'T DO. I KIND OF FEEL LIKE IF ANY OF US WANTED TO DO THAT, WE SHOULD HAVE RAN FOR MAYOR. BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS. IT'S THINGS THE MAYOR CAN DO. IT'S MEETINGS. YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP AT ALL THE RIBBONS. IT'S A LOT MORE RESPONSIBILITY ON YOU THAN IT IS ON US. EQUALLY AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, EVEN THOUGH WE SHOW UP TO JUST AS MANY THINGS. BUT PEOPLE EXPECT TO SEE THE MAYOR FOR MOST OF THE WELCOMES, THE RIBBON CUTTINGS AND THE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS. SO, YOU KNOW, I DO UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE LIST. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM 
          [00:25:01]
WITH PEOPLE ADDING PEOPLE TO THE LIST. I'M JUST A FIRM BELIEVER OF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE EVERYDAY FOLKS THAT I SEE ON THE INTERNET, WHETHER IT BE IN SUPPORT OR OPPOSITION, I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE A VOICE AT THIS TABLE. ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT COMES TO MY MIND IS, YOU KNOW, TERRY ROY. AND THE REASON I SAY THAT NAME IS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE POSITIONS. SOMETIMES I'M MORE SO CONCERNED OF THE PEOPLE WHO YOU TOUCH EVERY DAY AND WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY OUT THERE SPEAKING. SO I'M A FIRM BELIEVER OF I WELCOME ADVERSITY AS LONG AS WE RESPECT EACH OTHER, DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, AND BE IN OUR WORDS AND IN OUR WORDS. I WELCOME ADVERSITY. WE JUST GOT TO BE REAL WITH EACH OTHER. WHAT I'VE SEEN TAKE PLACE IN COUNCILS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE PAST, SIMILAR TO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID. WE DON'T PICK UP THE PHONE AND TALK. WE JUST GET TO ATTACKING. AND I'M TELLING YOU, ANYTIME WE ATTACK WHO'S BEING ATTACKED, A WHOLE DAY GOES UP AND WE WON'T MOVE FORWARD. WE WON'T MAKE PROGRESS BECAUSE WE'RE ATTACKING EACH OTHER. AND THAT'S NOT OKAY. AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT THIS COUNCIL IS MADE OF. THAT'S WHAT HAS BEEN A LOT OF PRESSURE IS ON THE COUNCIL. I RESPECT WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER GETZ SAID EARLIER, BUT WE STARTED THE SHIRT WORKSHOP WAY IN 2021 ABOUT WHERE WE WERE GOING TO GO AND HOW WE WERE GOING TO GET THERE. SOME OF THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR QUITE SOME TIME ABOUT VISION. I REMEMBER FIRST GETTING ON COUNCIL AND I ASKED, WHAT'S THE FIVE YEAR PLAN? WHAT'S THE TEN YEAR PLAN? WHAT'S THE 15 YEAR PLAN? AND I WAS TOLD WE HAVE A CAPITAL PROJECT THING THAT WE GO BY EVERY YEAR. BUT THAT WASN'T VISION OF WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO GO IN THE FUTURE. THE COUNCIL SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO LAY THE VISION, AND STAFF SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO EXECUTE THE VISION OF THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, WHETHER IT BE NEW OR OLD. YOU CAN'T PUT A PAUSE ON GOVERNMENT OF WHAT'S COMING IN. IN MY OPINION, YOU HAVE TO KEEP MOVING. IT WILL COME A TIME WHEN I MIGHT NOT BE ON THE COUNCIL ANYMORE, BUT IT'S MY JOB WHILE I'M UP HERE TO DO THE JOB I WAS PUT HERE TO DO AND MOVE FORWARD. I CAN'T HIT A PAUSE AND WAIT ON OTHER PEOPLE TO COME. THAT'S ONE OF THE TOUGHEST THINGS ABOUT LEADERSHIP. LIKE YOU'RE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY, YOU ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS. PEOPLE DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE OUT TO DINNER WITH YOUR WIFE AND YOUR KIDS. THEY DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE IN THE GROCERY STORE. THEY DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE AT A BALL GAME. YOUR ELECTED OFFICIAL. WE DON'T GET TO PICK THE TIME WE GET TO BE ELECTED OFFICIALS. IT'S UNFORTUNATE, BUT THAT'S WHAT WE ALL SIGNED UP FOR. AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM ADDING TO THE LIST. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE WEEDS OF HOW IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FORMED, BECAUSE THE MAYOR IN HIS SEAT HAS THE POWER TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING AND MOVE FORWARD AND EXPLAIN TO THE CONSTITUENTS AND THE PEOPLE OF WHY HE CHOSE TO DO SO. SO IT'S ONLY ONE NAME THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OR BE CONSIDERED. AND BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THIS LIST IS ALREADY A PRETTY GOOD LIST ON TOP OF NAMES I HEARD EARLIER, I HAVE NO OPPOSITION TO THAT. I JUST ASK THAT WE ALL ARE OPEN MINDED TO PUTTING A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT REALLY WANT TO, THAT WE KNOW WILL DO A GOOD JOB OVERSEEING SOMETHING THAT MAY NOT EVEN BE A REASON TO OVERSEE. IT'S A POSSIBILITY. IF NOTHING PASSES. WE DON'T EVEN GET INTO THIS. SO I LOOK AT THE PROACTIVE APPROACH AND I UNDERSTAND IT. I ALSO UNDERSTAND YOU'LL BE ATTACKED IF IT'S A REACTIVE APPROACH. SO IT'S IT'S NO WINNING. SO I RESPECT YOUR DECISION AS MAYOR. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN TURNER, CAN YOU SAY THE NAME AGAIN? TERRY. PRESTON. ROY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. I JUST I WANT TO GO BACK TO I'M NOT ATTACKING THE NAMES, BUT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, I THINK OPTICALLY APPROVING THIS COMMITTEE BEFORE THE ELECTION IS ANOTHER MISSTEP. I'M JUST I THINK THAT WE'RE AT ANOTHER FORK IN THE ROAD AND WE WERE GOING THE WRONG DIRECTION. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE NAMES AT ALL. I DON'T REALISTICALLY EVEN HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU USING YOUR ABILITY AS MAYOR TO SELECT THESE NAMES. I REALLY DON'T. I MEAN, THAT'S WITHIN YOUR POWER. YOU'RE THE MAYOR. 
          YOU CAN DO THAT. MY ISSUE IS THE TIMING. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILWOMAN 
          [00:30:02]
SHERWOOD. THE BOND IS GOING TO GO OUT FOR ELECTION. IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE, RIGHT. IT'S A BALLOT THAT'S OUT WITH A BOND OPTION ON IT. IF IT PASSES, THERE'LL BE A COMMITTEE. IF IT FAILS, THERE'LL BE NO COMMITTEE. IS THAT RIGHT? YES. ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME LIKE YOU EXPECT ME TO SAY SOMETHING? MAYOR, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE LIST. THEY DO. BUT YOU CERTAINLY DON'T HAVE. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE LIST. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SIZE OF THE LIST. I'M LIKE, THE MORE THE MERRIER. AND I THINK US PREPARING THIS LIST NOW IS BEING PROACTIVE. I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT AT ALL. BECAUSE IF IF IT DOESN'T PASS, JUST THIS JUST GOES AWAY. SO ALSO THOUGH JUST I DON'T KNOW THE ORDINANCE AS IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT HERE, IT STILL HAS A RESOLUTION. OKAY. THE RESOLUTION DOES. CAN WE VOTE ON THIS RESOLUTION WITH THESE NAMES ON IT. THAT'S NO LONGER ON THE LIST. SO THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. WHAT WILL NEED TO HAPPEN IS WHOEVER DOES A MOTION WILL NEED TO MAKE A MOTION AND LIST ALL NAMES THAT SHALL BE APPOINTED. OKAY. AND I'M ASSUMING THE MAYOR WILL KEEP HIS HIS APPOINTED CHAIR. 
          SO UNLESS THERE'S A MOTION AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CHAIR, THEN THE MAYOR WILL, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY NEED TO MAKE A A SECOND MOTION, POST THE VOTE TO APPOINT A DIFFERENT CHAIR. IF THE THE THE LIST DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CHAIR, THE PROPOSED CHAIR'S NAME, BUT ALL THINGS THE SAME. IF THE THE CHAIR'S NAME IS READ AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL NAMES ARE READ. 
          THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD. SO WHOEVER'S NAME IS LEFT OFF THE LIST WILL OBVIOUSLY NOT BE APPOINTED. WHATEVER NAMES ARE ADDED TO THE LIST, WE WOULD UPDATE THE RESOLUTION TO REFLECT THOSE NAMES. ALL RIGHT. AND MISS BRUCE, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD, I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO TALK NOW THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS. SO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH MIKE AND WITH COREY. 
          IT'S THE OPTICS. I THINK WE WE WE ALL GET IN GOVERNMENT AND WE FORGET WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE OUTSIDE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE START WITH $100,000, WHICH IF WE TAKE IT OUT OF THE BOND WITH INTEREST, IS GOING TO END UP COSTING US LIKE 150,000 THAT WE'RE PAYING GAP STRATEGY, WHICH I HAVE NO IDEA WHY WE PAY THEM. BUT SO FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, YOU SEE THIS AND YOU SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, GOVERNMENT IS NOT HANDLING OUR MONEY, RIGHT? AND WE DON'T MAKE A GOOD EFFORT TO TRY TO EDUCATE THEM AS TO WHY IT WAS DONE. IN FACT, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE DID IT. WE HAVE CAPABLE STAFF AND I WENT TO EVERY TOWN HALL AND WE WERE ALL THERE. THE ALL THE DEPARTMENT HEADS WERE THERE, YOU WERE THERE, EVERYBODY WAS THERE. WE ANSWERED EVERY QUESTION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. AND IN A COUPLE OF INSTANCES, WE ASKED SOME OF THE PEOPLE THE GAP STRATEGY, AND THEY POINTED US TO THE OWNER OF GAP STRATEGY. 
          THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION. SO, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE ROLL INTO THIS COMMITTEE, WHICH FOR RECORD, I THINK THESE ARE GREAT PEOPLE. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO DO A FANTASTIC JOB. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT SOME REALLY, REALLY GOOD PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY THAT DO A LOT OF GOOD THINGS FOR ME, OPTIC WISE, I REALIZE THAT IT'S IN YOUR POWER TO DO THIS, BUT FROM A NONPOLITICAL PERSON, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH THE FULL COUNCIL BECAUSE IT'S HALF $1 BILLION. IT'S NOT LIKE A VETERANS COMMITTEE OR A BOND BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS. WE'RE OVERSEEING HALF $1 MILLION. AND SO BEING TRANSPARENT AND GIVING THE REST OF US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO PUT GOOD PEOPLE THAT WE KNOW FROM OUR WARD, FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY ON ON THIS LIST. AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE TOO BIG. I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN TURNER. I THINK THE MORE THE MERRIER AND THE MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE EYES ON THIS, THE SAFER THE PEOPLE WILL FEEL ABOUT THE THE VOTE. AND SO THAT WAS MY CONCERN IS IT'S ALL ABOUT THE OPTICS AND THE WAY MY WARD AND AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S WARD, PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS, THE WAY THEY'RE PERCEIVING, THE WAY THE THINGS ARE, ARE TRANSGRESSING. 
          AND SO I, I WILL JUMP IN WITH MIKE AND ALSO SAY THAT I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD WAIT TILL AFTER THE ELECTION. AND IF WE DO HAVE A BOND, THEN WE FORM THE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO AND WE GIVE IT SOME TIME. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S REALLY IT. AND YOU KNOW, I, I JUST. I FEEL 
          [00:35:09]
LIKE 26,000 PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT DIDN'T HAVE A VOICE UNTIL RIGHT NOW. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I AGAIN, I THINK EVERYBODY ON HERE IS GOOD. AND THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE ANOTHER COMMENT BEFORE WE MAKE WELL. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN HILLIARD AND TO. AND TO CLARIFY, I'M FINE WITH ADDING NAMES AGAIN. I DON'T THINK IT IS TOO BIG. AND THE IDEA OF AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE FOR CLARITY. AND BECAUSE I HEAR SOME THINGS THAT I FIND A LITTLE DISTURBING. YOU KNOW, LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS AGO, PEOPLE ELECTED US AS CITY LEADERS BECAUSE THEY HAD TRUST IN US. AND PEOPLE HAVE THEIR LIVES THAT THEY GO ABOUT EVERY DAY. AND OFTENTIMES THEY'RE JUST GETTING THEIR INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL MEDIA. SADLY, THEY'RE NOT GETTING IT FROM OTHER NEWS SOURCES, WHICH OFTENTIMES IS INACCURATE. SO. 
          YOU KNOW, AS OTHERS HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT IT BEING RUSHED AGAIN, THERE'S BEEN HOW MANY COUNCILS IN THIS PAST 43 YEARS THAT DIDN'T TAKE ANY ACTION. NOW, PERHAPS THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY. BUT WE LIVE IN A CITY THAT HAS ONLY DECLINED, AND I DIDN'T RUN WHEN I RAN FOR MAYOR OF BEAUMONT FOR A DECLINING CITY, I RAN FOR A GROWING CITY. AND THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE VOTED FOR ME FOR, IS THEY WANT TO SEE GROWTH. THEY WANT TO SEE SUCCESS IN THAT. 
          AND THAT'S GOING TO MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS. AND THEY'RE NOT ALL GOING TO BE POPULAR. BUT THE WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THIS IS THE PEOPLE VOTE ON IT JUST AS THEY VOTE FOR US. SO WHEN THEY WHEN YOU IMPLY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SAY IN IT, THE PEOPLE HAVE COMPLETE SAY IN IT, AS OUR COUNCIL DOES TODAY. SO, YOU KNOW, IN ULTIMATELY THE AUTHORITY AND THE DECISIONS THAT WILL BE MADE WILL REST SOLELY ON THIS COUNCIL. ANY MONEY THAT IS EXPENDED, THIS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, THE IDEA BEHIND THIS BONDS, THEY'RE PUBLIC INFORMATION. SO PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO REQUEST IT. BUT IF ANY BONDS PASS, THESE BONDS WOULD HAVE A STAFF MEMBER ASSIGNED TO THEM, AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM THE INFORMATION SO THAT THEY COULD REVIEW IT AND THEN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IF THEY ASKED REQUEST. THE REASON THAT THE NAMES WERE SELECTED. AS I FELT THESE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY WELL KNOWN IN THE COMMUNITY AND I'M HAPPY ADDING OTHER NAMES. AND THEY HAVE INDEPENDENT VOICES. THEY HAVE EARNED RESPECT ACROSS THE COMMUNITY SO THAT IF THEY HAD CONCERNS, THEY WOULD FEEL FREE TO VOICE THOSE CONCERNS AND HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE AS IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE. SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH NOT AGREEING WITH THE WAY I DID IT. I'M PERFECTLY FINE WITH THAT. I WOULD PREFER PHONE CALLS RATHER THAN FACEBOOK POSTS AND AND EXPLANATIONS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK, NOT BECAUSE OF ATTACKS ON ME. I CAN TAKE THAT. IT'S THIS IS ABOUT A BETTER BEAUMONT. THIS IS ABOUT MAKING BEAUMONT MORE ATTRACTIVE. AND WHEN OUR COUNCIL GETS ON FACEBOOK AND STARTS TEARING DOWN THE VERY CITY THEY WERE ELECTED TO SERVE, I AM. AND AGAIN, THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT. AND I AM ONE PERSON. 
          BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS EVERYBODY ON THIS DAIS HAS A VOICE. THEY CAN PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL ME. THEY CAN PICK UP AND CALL ANYBODY ON THE ADMINISTRATION AND EXPRESS CONCERNS. AND AND I WOULD HOPE WE WOULD DO THAT. AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE CAN CONTINUE TO DO AS THEY WISH. AND BUT I JUST FELT IT NECESSARY FOR ME, NOT FOR MY SAKE. AGAIN, IF THAT MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY, DO IT. BUT I DON'T THINK IT ENHANCES THIS CITY. I DON'T THINK IT MAKES THIS CITY BETTER. SO THAT IS MY CONCERN. AND ONE THING I WANTED TO MAKE PERFECTLY CLEAR I AM. AND I WILL GET TO YOU, COUNCILMAN TURNER. YOU KNOW, IF EVERYBODY'S OKAY WITH THOSE NAMES, THE NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED, I'M HAPPY WITH 
          [00:40:02]
ADDING TO THE LIST AS WELL AND HAVE THAT ALL A PART OF THE MOTION. AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IS WOULD BE A PROBLEM. SO WITH THAT, I'LL GO TO COUNCILMAN TURNER. 
          COUNCILMEMBER CRENSHAW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I WROTE THE NAMES YOU SAID DOWN. IF YOU DON'T MIND, CAN YOU REPEAT THEM AGAIN? SURE. YES, SIR, I SURE CAN. PAT PARSONS, GIGI SOTOLONGO MAZOLA, LASHAWN PROCTOR, FRANK MESSINA AND ANDREW EDWARDS. I THINK HIS FIRST NAME IS ACTUALLY JAMES, BUT HE GOES BY ANDREW AND EDWARDS. AND THEN YOUR NAME OBVIOUSLY WAS TERRY ROY. SO MY CALCULATION IS A TOTAL OF 19 NAMES. AND YOU SAID, GIGI, I KNOW OF, BUT YOU SPELL IT FOR ME. YEAH. GIGI. OKAY. I'VE SENT THEIR NAMES, PHONE NUMBERS, EMAIL ADDRESSES, ADDRESSES TO THE CITY ATTORNEY. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. SO JUST IN AN EFFORT TO. KIND OF DISPEL SOME MYTHS ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS. WE BROUGHT UP THIS HUNDRED K AND THE OPTICS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT WE COULD HAVE OR SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN OR DID NOT GET FOR THAT MONEY. I IMAGINE THAT GAP STRATEGIES TURNED IN AN INVOICE WITH ITEMIZED SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDED, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE. FOR WHAT THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE, WHETHER WE AGREE ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE OR THEY COULD HAVE DONE MORE, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE. BUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, IS FISCALLY FAKENESS ABOUT 100 K WHEN MONEY BEING SPENT FOR ATTORNEY FEES THAT ACTUALLY AMOUNT TO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WAS NO BIG DEAL. SO I KIND OF GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT. WHEN WE KEEP THROWING THAT AROUND, WHEN WE'RE OKAY WITH SPENDING 100 K IN CERTAIN PLACES VERSUS OTHER PLACES, NOT THAT THAT MATTERS AT THIS POINT. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS MEETING RIGHT HERE, IF WE CONVENE THIS COMMITTEE AFTER THE BOND, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? SO WE JUST KEEP THESE NAMES AND DON'T TURN THEM IN UNTIL AFTER THE BOND OR WHAT? WHAT DO WE HOW WHAT DOES WAITING TO CONVENE THIS COMMITTEE AFTER THE BOND ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE? SO BECAUSE IT'S A BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE YOU CAN'T. AND MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY. IF YOU WAITED TO FORM THE COMMITTEE POST BOND, IT'D BE THERE'D BE NO DIFFERENT. BUT FORMING THE REASON THE COMMITTEE CAN'T MEET UNTIL AFTER THE BOND IS PASSED IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE COMMITTEE IS TO OVERSEE PROPOSITIONS THAT PASS. I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT I GOT THIS RIGHT, BECAUSE IT'S SOME TALK THAT WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE BOND WILL. IT'S NOTHING GOING TO HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER THE BOND. SO THE NAMES WILL JUST SIT IN WHEREVER UNTIL NOVEMBER 5TH. 
          RIGHT. SO I MEAN, WHAT WHAT WOULD WE BE WAITING ON RIGHT NOW? I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND. 
          MAYBE I'M MISSING SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE KEEP SAYING OVER AND OVER UP HERE. MAYBE IT'S A RHETORICAL QUESTION, SO MAYBE I DON'T NEED TO ANSWER IT. BUT WHETHER YOU FORM THE COMMITTEE TODAY OR YOU FORM THE COMMITTEE ON, ON, ON NOVEMBER 4TH AFTER THE OR WHATEVER FOLLOWING THE ELECTION, WHATEVER THE NEXT COUNCIL DATE, THE COMMITTEE CANNOT BE ACTIVE ON UP UNTIL THE BOND OR A PROPOSITION ON THE BOND PASSES. THAT'S ALL. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I GOT THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN DARIA, I DON'T KNOW WHO CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT AS FAR AS THE GAP STRATEGIES, THEY'RE STILL WORKING FOR WHAT WE PAY FOR. THEY'RE NOT FINISHED YET, RIGHT? NO, SIR. THEY'RE STILL WORKING. SO THEY'RE STILL DOING THINGS? YES, SIR. FOR THAT MONEY. OKAY. AND ALSO ON THE THE THE AMOUNT OF THE BOND, I KEEP HEARING THAT HEARING THAT WHEN WE PAY IT BACK, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PAY BACK LIKE A HALF, A HALF $1 BILLION, LIKE $500,000. SO DOES THAT MEAN I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT? BECAUSE THE INTEREST RATE IS CERTAINLY NOT 100%, IS IT? I DON'T LOOK AT ME. I DON'T DO MATH. YEAH, THIS IS ALL NEW TO 
          [00:45:01]
ME. I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN TERMS OF WHAT THE TOTAL COST WILL BE WITH INTEREST. I, WE WOULD HAVE TO FOLLOW UP WITH COUNCIL ON THAT. BUT SITTING HERE I DON'T HAVE THAT EXACT NUMBER. SO THE CITY DOES HAVE BOND COUNCIL. AND OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE PACKAGE IT TOGETHER IT'S WHEN WE GO OUT FOR MARKET. THERE'S A THERE'S A PERCENTAGE RATE. SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT WILL BE AVAILABLE. I WANT TO BELIEVE THAT IT MAY HAVE EVEN BEEN INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE THAT WE APPROVED. AGAIN, MATH IS NOT MY STRONG SUIT, BUT WHEN WE CALCULATED IT AND WE HAVE TO CALCULATE HOW MUCH IS GOING TO BE PAID BACK, THAT NUMBER IS INCLUDED. SO I CAN DEFINITELY PULL THE ORDINANCE FOR YOU TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. THE THE CITY'S WEBSITE SAYS 478 MILLION WILL BE PAID BACK, ASSUMING IT'S A 25 YEAR REPAYMENT. I THINK WE CAN. I THINK THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY ON HOW QUICKLY IT CAN BE PAID BACK, BUT I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THE CITY'S WEBSITE GIVES A FIGURE. ASSUMING A 25 YEAR REPAYMENT, IT WOULD BE 478 MILLION. AND IT'S NOT THAT THE INTEREST RATES THAT HIGH, IT'S THAT THAT WHATEVER IT IS, 4 OR 5% A YEAR, IT'S YOU KNOW, IT'S OBVIOUSLY COMPOUNDED OVER 25 YEARS. AND IT ALSO FACTORS INTO THE ENTIRE BOND PACKAGE. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAY, THAT'S ASSUMING THAT ALL THE TOTAL IS NOT. THAT'S ASSUMING THE TITLE BOND PASSES IT ALSO. THAT I'M GLAD YOU BRING THAT THAT CALCULATION BECAUSE WE HAD TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. THAT CALCULATION ALSO EQUATES FOR PREDICTED INFLATION. SO IF THE COST BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO KIND OF BUILT INTO THE BOND. SO IF THAT MONEY DOESN'T GET SPENT OR THAT MONEY IS SPENT, WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THAT MONEY. WE CAN ROLL THAT MONEY INTO OTHER APPROVED PROJECTS. OR WE COULD JUST NOT BORROW THAT MONEY. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN TURNER, DID YOU HAVE ONE MORE? NO. THAT WAS. I JUST WANT TO STRESS BEFORE WE START THROWING THOSE NUMBERS OUT THERE, THAT'S IF EVERYTHING IS APPROVED. SO I WANT THAT TO BE CLEAR. CRYSTAL CLEAR. BECAUSE AGAIN, IT CAN GET VERY CONFUSING. SO I WANT IT TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. THAT'S IF EVERYTHING PASSES IT ISN'T GUARANTEED. MR. COUNCILMAN, I JUST I WAS PREPARED TO MAKE A MOTION. OKAY. THE QUESTION SO WAS I. OH, OKAY. YEAH. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THE FORMATION OF THIS COMMITTEE TO A MEETING IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ELECTION. I'D SECOND THAT. THERE IS A MOTION TO TABLE IT WITH A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION ON THAT? SO A TABLE WOULD BE THE MOTION WAS TO TABLE IT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE ELECTION. SO THAT WOULD BE DECEMBER NOVEMBER 18TH. THANK YOU NOVEMBER 18TH. SO THE ITEM WOULD COME BACK TO YOU WITH THE NAMES THAT WERE PROPOSED TODAY ON NOVEMBER 18TH. NOW, WILL WE WHAT IF WE NAMES ARE ADDED ONCE WE LEAVE HERE AND THERE'S OTHER COUNCILMEN AND WOMEN THAT PEOPLE APPROACH THEM AND SAY, HEY, I WOULD LOVE TO HELP AND SERVE THIS TABLE, THIS TABLE SO WE CAN SO WE COULD ADD. YEAH. IF, IF THE TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, IF THE ITEM IS TABLED AGAIN, THE ITEM IN ITS ENTIRETY, ALL WE DO IS TAKE THE ITEM AND MOVE IT DIRECTLY. SO AT THAT MEETING THIS PROCESS WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN APPROACHED, WHO WANTED TO AMEND OR CHANGE THE NAMES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO DO THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF TABLING THIS UNTIL NOVEMBER 18TH, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I AYE THOSE OPPOSED. NO. NAY. NO. WERE YOU ABLE TO GET A COUNT AS BRUCE HART. ALL RIGHT. SO SO THAT FAILED. THAT FAILED. OKAY. MR. MAYOR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ESTABLISH A BOND FACILITATION COMMITTEE. AND THE NAMES FOR THE COMMITTEE I IS NUMBER ONE GUY GOODSON, WHICH I BELIEVE THE MAYOR IS PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED, WOULD BE THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE. DOCTOR JAMIE TAYLOR. BRAD BROWN. OH. OH, JAIME. OH, MY APOLOGIES, DOCTOR JAIME TAYLOR, BRAD BROWN, DOCTOR. JOHN. ADOLPH. DOCTOR. SID. VALENTINE, DAYLAN. TURNER, FRED. ZINO, DON. KING, JUSTIN. DOSS, ROY. STEINHAGEN, ARTHUR. LEWIS, JOHN. EUGENE. IS THAT TANYA? TANYA. TANYA. CASTELLAN, PAT. PARSONS. GIGI. SOTOLONGO. MAZOLA. LASHAWN. PROCTOR. FRANK. 
          MESSINA, ANDREW. EDWARDS AND TERRY. ROY. ALL RIGHT. THERE'S BEEN A MOTION MADE. IS THERE A 
          [00:50:07]
SECOND? SECOND MAYOR? BECAUSE THERE WAS A MOTION TO ESTABLISH A BOND FACILITATION COMMITTEE, AND THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS FOR THE PROPOSAL FOR A BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THERE WOULD NEED TO BE TWO VOTES. THE FIRST IS TO CHANGE THE NAME. THE SECOND VOTE WILL BE TO APPROVE THE MEMBERS. THANK YOU. FAIR ENOUGH. SO WE NEED A MOTION FOR THAT. NO, NO, YOU DON'T NEED A MOTION. YOU JUST NEED TO. THE FIRST VOTE WILL BE TO CHANGE THE NAME FOR THE. 
          BECAUSE IT'S ALL ONE MOTION. THE MOTION IS CORRECT. THE FIRST VOTE WOULD BE TO CHANGE THE NAME FROM BOND OVERSIGHT TO TO BOND FACILITATION COMMITTEE. AND THEN THE SECOND VOTE WOULD BE TO APPOINT THE NAMES. ALL RIGHT. SO OUR FIRST VOTE WILL BE ON CHANGING THE NAME FROM BOND FACILITATOR FROM BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO BOND FACILITATION COMMITTEE. OKAY. 
          COUNCILMAN. QUESTION. YES. DOES CHANGING THE NAME BY ANY WAY CHANGE WHAT THE COMMITTEE WILL BE ABLE TO DO OR THEIR DUTIES? NO, IT'S STILL REMAINS THE SAME AS THE WHAT WAS PROPOSED THAT MR. BOONE READ TO FOSTER TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND PROMOTE COMMUNITY TRUST. 
          OKAY. WELL, I'M MOTION TO CHANGE THE NAME TO BOND FACILITATOR. YOU HAVE TO VOTE MOTION. WE JUST NEED A VOTE. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF CHANGING THE NAME, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? THE MOTION IS CARRIED AND YOU HAVE THE CORRECT NAME NOW, IS THAT CORRECT, MISS BROUSSARD? EXCUSE ME. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL HAVE A VOTE ON THE NAMES ON THE LIST. YES, SIR. AS READ BY COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. YES. A TOTAL OF 19 NAMES. TOTAL OF 19 NAMES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF APPROVING. PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. 
          AYE. ANY OPPOSED? OPPOSED. OPPOSED. THE MOTION CARRIES. AND WITH THAT, WE WILL GO TO 
          [COUNCIL COMMENTS]
COUNCILMAN COMMENTS. AND I BELIEVE I STARTED WITH COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW LAST TIME, SO I'LL GO WITH YOU, COUNCILMAN DURYEA. COMMENT. THANK YOU. NO COMMENT, NO COMMENT. YEAH. I'M JUST GOING TO REITERATE WHAT I SAID. MY VOTE AGAINST WASN'T AN INDICTMENT ON ANY OF THESE NAMES THAT WERE ON THERE WHEN WE WALKED IN OR OR THE NAMES THAT THAT WERE ADDED. I THINK IT'S JUST A TIMING AND, AND OPTICS DEAL. AND I THINK WE CHOSE THE WRONG PATH AGAIN. SO THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN. COUNCILWOMAN SHERWOOD, COUNCILMAN CRENSHAW. 
          NO COMMENT. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY. NOTHING. MAYOR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR DOING THIS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.