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[1. CALL TO ORDER]
START WITH THE SPECIAL, UM, SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.WELL, UM, CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER NOW WE'LL HAVE A ROLL CALL.
MAYOR PRO TEM COUNCIL MEMBER, KLAUSER, HOUSE NUMBER STERLING COUNCIL MEMBER BONEY, COS NUMBER EMORY.
NOW WE'LL GO HEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL FOR CITY STAFF TO THE MANAGER OF OLDEST JONES.
SINCE WE CITY MANAGER, BILL ATKINSON AND CITY MANAGER OF LANDMARK TONE, CITY ATTORNEY ENJOYS JAMO, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION, STACY WALKER, DIRECTOR OF FINANCIAL SERVICES, ATLANTA QUARTERS, PURCHASING AND RISK MANAGER, SHANNON PLEASANT, ANYONE WHOSE NAME HAS NOT BEEN CALLED.
PLEASE ANNOUNCE YOURSELF AND STATE YOUR NAME.
[2. CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION]
NUMBER TWO WAS A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION.WE ARE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ITEMS. SO WE'LL JUMP TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, DISCUSS
[(a) Discuss returning to in-person City Council meetings. (Proposed presenter: Assistant City Manager Bill Atkinson)]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEM FOUR EIGHT, DISCUSS THE RETURNING IN PERSON CITY COUNCIL MEETING.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, BILL ATKINSON, MARIN COUNCIL.
THIS ITEM WAS PRESENTED TO YOU PREVIOUSLY AND YOU HAD REQUESTED AT THAT TIME THAT THE, UH, I'D BE BROUGHT BACK TO YOU TONIGHT TO DISCUSS WHETHER TO CONTINUE TO UTILIZE TELEPHONIC CAN TELL US OUR VIDEO CONFERENCING MEETINGS TO AVOID CONGREGATE SETTINGS AND PHYSICAL LOCATIONS DUE TO COVID-19 AT THE MARCH MEETING.
AGAIN, YOU DID REQUEST THAT THIS BE BROUGHT BACK TO YOU FOR DISCUSSION.
SO WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
YEAH, SO THE, UM, UM, MARIA, IF I MAY, IF THE LAST MEETING THERE WAS A MOTION MADE AND A SECOND AND VOTED FOR A POSSIBLE DATE, RIGHT.
WHICH WAS THE FIRST MONTH FIRST MEETING IN MAY 1ST MEETING AND MAINTENANCE.
WE'LL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS MEETING, UH, GIVEN THE FACT THAT MATH AND SOCIAL DISTANCE.
SO WE HAVE TO BE SET UP IN THE, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER WITH, UH, SOCIAL SPACING AND, UH, ALL I WAS PUT IN PLACE, WE DO HAVE EVERYTHING SET UP FROM AN IT STANDPOINT, UH, THAT COULD, UH, SELL, TAKE ME IN PUBLIC, WILL PUBLIC BE ABLE TO ATTEND THIS.
I CAN, AND THERE WILL BE SEATING AND SOCIAL DISTANCING AND TEMPERATURE CHECK AND ALL OF THAT.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME WHEN WAS THE LATEST RENEWAL OF THE DECLARATION OF DISASTER BY THE GOVERNOR? HI, I APOLOGIZE.
UH, WE WILL SEE IF WE CAN FIND THAT REAL QUICK.
I HAVE WAS LAST WEEK DECLARING THAT IS STILL A DISASTER IN ALL COUNTIES OF TEXAS.
SO IT'S MY OPINION THAT WE REMAIN BIRDSVILLE OR THE OPTION OF GETTING THROUGH THAT ELECTED OFFICIAL TO COME IN IN PERSON OR REMAIN VIRTUAL.
BUT WE'VE PROVEN THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS VIRTUALLY DURING A PANDEMIC.
SO THAT IS MY, UM, OPINION AND WHERE I STAND, BECAUSE IF THAT IS DECLARATION OF DISASTER IS STILL DECLARED BY THE GOVERNOR AS OF APRIL THE FIFTH.
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UM, WE AS COUNSELORS HAVE HAD FIRE STATION GROUNDBREAKINGS AND OTHER PUBLIC EVENTS WHERE WE'VE HOSTED OR PARTICIPATED IN COFFEE WITH A COP AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS.AND I BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, BASED OFF OF THE FACT THAT BILL JUST INDICATED THAT IT IS SAFE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THE SETUP BEING CONCERNED WITH PROPER COVID-19 PROTOCOLS BEING IN PLACE, THAT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR US TO STRONGLY CONSIDER RECONVENING, YOU KNOW, FACE-TO-FACE MEETING JUST TO ADD A LITTLE CLARITY.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED SEVERAL EVENTS THAT JUST TOOK PLACE.
THOSE EVENTS, NOT EXTENSIVE HOURS.
THAT'S BEEN SPANNED WITH OUR COUNCIL MEETINGS AS WELL AS MOST OF THOSE EVENTS WERE OUTSIDE OUTDOORS WITH, UM, AIR CIRCULATING AND ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS POSTED A NEWER FACILITY.
SO IT'S JUST MY OPINION THAT WE STILL BE SAFE.
OR IF THAT'S THE DISCRETION OF THAT COUNCIL MEMBER THAT'S ELECTED TO DO THEIR JOB AND THEIR OPINIONS THAT COME IN OR NOT THE WOMAN'S STERLING.
BUT ALSO BE LIKE, I LIKE TO ASK QUESTION, UH, WHAT IS THE CAPACITY AND WHAT WOULD BE THE LIMITATION FOR PEOPLE COMING IN? SO WE WOULD DO THE TEMPERATURE SHAFTS AS WELL AS, UH, YOU HAVEN'T SEEN, I DON'T HAVE IN FRONT OF ME, THEY SEEN, UH, CAPACITY.
UH, AND IF, UH, STAFF MEMBERS ON IT DOES KNOW THAT AND, UH, I WOULD DEFER TO THEM.
BUT I WASN'T LIKE THAT BEFORE WE MAKE A DECISION.
WHAT'S THE CAPACITY OF WHAT WOULD BE THE LIMITATION OF PEOPLE CAUSE THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN ONE MORE QUESTION I HAVE, UM, SINCE WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS DOCTOR DR.
ELIZONDO, I MEAN, I THOUGHT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A BRIGHT IDEA FOR HIM TO BE ON THE CALL.
HE HAD ANY QUESTIONS AS OPPOSED TO YOU ANSWERING.
SO HE IS AWARE OF THE, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION AND REVIEWED THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER.
UH, I WAS GOING TO SAY THIS COUNSELOR AND BONY AGAIN, WE RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION THROUGH A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CITY COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT THAT INDICATED THAT THE COUNTY RECENTLY LOWERED THE COVID-19 RISK LEVEL FROM A MODERATE, SIGNIFICANT ORANGE TO LOW MODERATE YELLOW, AND A IN THAT PRESS RELEASE.
IT STATED THAT PER DOCTOR, AS A DOULA COVID-19 CASES, CONTINUE TO DECLINE AND HOSPITALIZATIONS APPEAR TO BE DECLINING, BOTH STATE RUN AND LOCALLY IN THAT CASE, FATALITY AND FATALITY RATES OR REMAIN FLAT.
AND SO I WANT TO SAY MANAGER PLEASE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
THAT AT A, A MEETING THAT TOOK PLACE, UH, PREVIOUSLY, THAT IT WAS, UH, RECOMMENDED, UH, OR, UH, I GUESS, AUTHORIZED THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY RETURN TO ALL OUR MEETINGS, SAFETY BY THE DOCTOR.
I GO BACK TO MY COMMENTS IN THE LAST MEETING.
IF WE'RE ASKING OUR EMPLOYEES TO GO TO WORK, THEN WE SHOULD BE THAT EXAMPLE AND GO TO WORK AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THE STAFF HAS DONE A GOOD JOB, MAKING SURE THAT OUR ENVIRONMENT SAFE, UM, ESPECIALLY GOING INTO THE COMMUNITY CENTER.
UM, TEXAS IS OPEN AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE THAT ARE GOING BACK TO THEIR OFFICE.
AND AGAIN, I BELIEVE WE SHOULD BE THE EXAMPLE.
WE ARE EXPECTING OUR CD STAFF TO BE AT WORK.
AND I AM IN TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH COMING BACK.
IN FACT, A COUPLE OF US HAVE ALREADY STARTED COMING BACK IN PERSON.
IF WE ARE TAKING THE PRECAUTIONS, I THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE.
AND I VOTE IN FAVOR OF US RETURNING TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS,
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ESPECIALLY SINCE MANY OF US GO TO WORK, WE ATTEND COMMUNITY EVENTS.UM, I DEFINITELY AM IN RECOMMENDATION OF US.
UH, DID THE ATTORNEY, AND DO WE HAVE THAT THE, THE, UH, QUESTION OF COUNCIL MEMBER EDWARDS HAD ASKED ABOUT THE GOVERNOR, THE GOVERNOR ATTENDED THE ORDER ON APRIL NINE, 2021.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY EXTENDING? IT CONTINUED TO BE DISASTER DECLARATION.
AND IS THAT A FACT THAT PORTMAN CONNIE LOWERED THEIR, UH, UH, LEVEL FROM THE RED TO ORANGE OR HAPPENED? THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, BUT I BELIEVE THAT PARTLY THAT ON THE LINES THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BETTER, UM, CONFIRM THAT, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? YES, SIR.
THE LEVEL WAS DROPPED TO A YELLOW, WHICH IS A SECOND TO THE LOWEST SORT OF JUST FULLY OPENING FOR THE TOWN FOR THE SATURDAY.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSIONS? NO, I JUST LIKE TO REITERATE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE CAPACITY AS WELL AS LIMITATION.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT, UH, MAKING SURE IT'S NOT WE'RE TO EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT TYPE OF REGULATIONS THAT THEY ABIDE BY, WITHIN THEIR LIVES, AS FAR AS THEIR HEALTH CONDITIONS, WHATEVER THEY TAKE FOR THEIR FAMILY.
UM, ALTHOUGH WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO CONDUCT CITY BUSINESS FROM A YEAR, A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AT THIS POINT, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE UP TO THE COUNCIL'S DISCRETION, WHETHER THEY DECIDE TO COME IN OR NOT STILL BEING ABLE TO CONDUCT BUSINESS VIRTUALLY PRETTY MUCH, EVEN THOUGH THE THREAT LEVEL HAS LOWER, WE'RE STILL BEING IMPACTED BY IT.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
I REMEMBER WHEN THE WINTER STORM DID AN ASSESSMENT ON COVID TO ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT CAPACITY AND ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHAT THE CAPACITY WOULD BE.
SO WE DID A, AN ASSESSMENT, UH, AS WE WERE CONSIDERING THE WARMING CENTER FOR THAT FACILITY.
UM, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME.
IT WAS A DIFFERENT ANALYSIS THAT THEY PERFORMED FOR, UH, SHELTERS.
UH, SO I WOULD NEED THEM TO GO, UH, PROBABLY DO THAT, UM, OR, OR CONFIRM THAT NUMBER BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THE SHELTER SITUATION OR THE WARM IN CENTER.
UH, BUT I WANT TO SAY, UM, UH, I DON'T WANT TO GUESS AT IT, UH, LET ME GET THE NUMBER FOR YOU PLEASE.
AND THIS IS COUNCILWOMAN STERLING'S CHIEF PATINA, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, UH, IF THERE ARE LIMITATIONS, UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL WE BE ABLE TO LIMIT IN THAT FACILITY AS WELL? YES, MA'AM WE SURE WILL.
I BELIEVE THIS PERTAINS TO YOU.
UM, DOES THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER SUPERSEDES CITY ORDERS OR HAVE WE CONDUCT OURSELVES, UM, THE GOVERNOR ORDERED DOES THAT PRECLUDE IN PERSON MEETING, BUT IF THERE WAS A CONFLICT, A CONFLICT THAT GOVERNOR'S ORDER WOULD SUPERSEDE NOT A CONFLICT PROCLAMATION DECLARATION.
SO THERE WAS NOT AN ACTUAL CONFLICT MAYOR.
MARIA PULLED UP A MINUTE FOR ME HERE.
SO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON MARCH TWO TODAY IS APRIL, 1920 21 AT TWO RETURN ON MAYFAIR.
[00:15:01]
MEETINGS WILL RETURN.IS THERE ANY OTHER STAFF MEMBER THAT CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION ABOUT THE CAPACITY OR YES, SIR.
YOU HAVE ANY CONFIRMATION NUMBER, JOSIE? UH, MAYOR.
UM, AND MAYBE ALSO YOU AS WELL, UM, SINCE THAT VOTE WAS ALREADY TAKEN IN A MOTION AND SECOND WAS ALREADY MADE AND CONVERTED ON, UH, PREVIOUSLY, AND WE'RE DOING AN ASSESSMENT BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER MOTION TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER.
IS, IS IT, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH AND JUST PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO COUNCIL AS FAR AS WHAT THE CAPACITY WOULD BE? YES, SIR.
THIS IS COUNCILWOMAN AND I UNDERSTAND MOVING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE TO RESERVE MY VOTE UNTIL I HAVE AT LEAST THE CAPACITY AND AS WELL AS THE LIMITATIONS IN THE FACILITY.
NO, WHAT I'M ASKING IS, AND MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE MADE MYSELF CLEAR OR MAYBE I DIDN'T GET THE RIGHT ASK THE RIGHT QUESTION.
DID WE ALREADY VOTE AS A COUNCIL TO HAVE OUR MEETINGS RETURNED? MAY THE THIRD.
SO THERE IS NO VOTE THAT'S NEEDED ANY FURTHER.
SO I'M ASKING MAYOR IF YOU WOULD, IF WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AGENDA AND THAT COUNCIL WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH THE DETAILS THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED RELATIVE TO CAPACITY AND LIMITATIONS.
I'M JUST, I'M STILL WAITING ON THAT.
I LIKE TO KNOW LIKE ABOUT THE, BE OF THAT, UM, THE ROOM SHE CHECKING.
FEEDBACK REGARDING THAT OPPORTUNITY AT THEIR DISCRETION, CONSIDERING THE DECLARATION BENEFIT, CAN SOMEONE PLEASE PROVIDE ME FEEDBACK REGARDING THAT AFTER THEM, AFTER THE COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE THE, UH, I MEAN THE NUMBERS OF THE CAPACITY TO PARTITA MARIST AND JUST FOLLOW UP WITH THAT NUMBER AS A COUNSELOR SUGGESTED THAT WE WOULD RETURN TO HIM? YEAH, I THINK IT'S TIME TO VOTE.
SO NOW WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF MAYOR CITY MANAGER.
GENERALLY THE RULE OF THUMB FOR LIMITATION HAS BEEN 50% OF THE CAPACITY AS A RANGE.
UH, OBVIOUSLY THE, UH, CHIEF MARSHALL HAD TO HAVE A FILE RULE IN WHICH HE HAS ALREADY ON THAT.
I BELIEVE THAT NUMBER IS 125 TO 150 PEOPLE IN A ROOM BECAUSE THAT ROOM HAS THE CAPACITY TO DO IT 300 FEET.
THERE ARE NO OTHER DISCUSSIONS WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
SO THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON MAY 3RD AT THE COMMUNITY.
GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE FOLLOWED UP, UM,
[(b) Discuss the selection of the City’s newspaper of record. (Proposed presenter: Purchasing/Risk Manager Shannon Pleasant)]
WENT ON TO ITEM FOUR B,[00:20:02]
DISCUSS THE SELECTION OF THE CITY'S NEWSPAPER RECORDS.WE HAVE A PRESENTATION BY PURCHASING RISK MANAGER, SHANNON.
I'M GOING TO PRESENT ON THE CITY'S OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR LEGAL AND ADVERTISING SERVICES.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY? YES.
TO FIRST GIVE YOU A HISTORY OF THE, UM, SERVICES FROM FORT BEN INDEPENDENT.
UM, FOR BEN INDEPENDENCE, INITIAL CONTRACT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCIL OF FEBRUARY, 2014 AND EXPIRED DECEMBER, 2018.
THE TOTAL COST FOR THAT CONTRACT WAS 64,277 FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2019 TO FEBRUARY, 2021.
THE COST WAS 23,917 FOR THESE LEGAL NOTICES AND ADVERTISEMENT SERVICES.
AT THAT TIME, THE CITY DID NOT HAVE A CONTRACT IN PLACE.
SO THESE SERVICES AS EACH WAS A SEPARATE EXPENSE AND ALTHOUGH THE SERVICES THEY WERE BEING PROVIDED BY FORT BEN PENDANT, WE, WE DID NOT HAVE A CONTRACT.
SO INCLUDING THE CONTRACTED TERM AND THE, UM, NOT CONTRACTED TERM, ALL THE EXPENSES TOTAL WERE 88,194, FEBRUARY, 2014.
AND TO THE RIGHT, IT SHOWS THE PAYMENT HISTORY FOR EACH CALENDAR YEAR OF HOW MUCH, UH, FORT BEEN INDEPENDENT WAS PAID FOR THESE SERVICES.
NEXT SLIDE FOR THE INVITATION FOR BID OR A NEW CONTRACT, UM, PURCHASING PUBLISHED IFB TWO ZERO DASH ZERO ZERO THREE IN DEMAND STAR, THE BIDDING, UH, THE CITIES BIDDING SITE INSPIRED ON MARCH OF 2020.
SO NO ONE WAS SELECTED FOR THAT BID ISSUED THE DID IN JUNE OF 20, JUNE 29TH, 2020 WAS IN DEMAND STAR.
WE PUBLISHED THE APRIL NOTICE FOR 14 DAYS IN FORT BEND, INDEPENDENT AND, UH, COPIES OF THE IFB WAS ALSO SENT TO OTHER VARIOUS PUBLICATIONS.
THE BID CLOSED ON JULY 21ST, 2020, AND THE CITY RECEIVED TWO BIDS FROM FORT BEN INDEPENDENT AND FORT BEN STAR.
THAT BID ALSO EXPIRED OCTOBER 19TH, 2020.
NEXT SLIDE HERE IS A, UM, IMAGE OF THE BID TABULATION OR PORT BEEN INDEPENDENT IN FORT BEN STAR.
THIS IS THE SECOND HALF OF THE SAME DAY TABULATION.
THE IMAGE WASN'T ABLE TO FIT ON ON ONE SLIDE.
SO THE CONTRACT TERMS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS WITH FORT BRYNN STAR.
IT WAS SELECTED AS THE CONTRACTOR IN OCTOBER OF 2020, UH, CONTRACT TWO ZERO DASH TWO TWO WITH FORT BEN STAR WAS EXECUTED FEBRUARY 3RD, 2021.
THE INITIAL TERM IS FOR ONE YEAR WITH THE MUTUAL OPTION TO RENEW ANNUALLY FOR AN ADDITIONAL THREE ONE-YEAR TERMS. THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT IS NOT TO EXCEED $49,000.
UH, THE FORT BEN STAR IS NOT EXCLUSIVE THE CITY AND THE FORT BEN STAR ALSO RESERVED THE RIGHT TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT WITHOUT CAUSE UPON WRITTEN NOTICE WITHIN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE TERMINATION DATE.
AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT REQUIRED IN FEED, HAD AN ISSUE TO AN INITIAL BID WHERE THEN INDEPENDENT WAS NOTIFIED OF THE AWARD ON APRIL 5TH, 2021.
BUT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? YES, THIS IS COUNSEL.
I HAVE A COURSE AND THIS MAY BE FOR THE MAYOR CITY MANAGER.
MAYBE SOMEONE COULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION, BUT WHY IS IT THERE? IS THIS
[00:25:01]
NOT OPERATIONAL OR I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHY IS IT PART OF OUR AGENDA? YEAH, I THINK COUNCIL MEMBER, UM, FAIRLY, IF I'M NOT SURE THAT IF YOU RECEIVED THE EMAIL FROM ORBAN INDEPENDENT YEAH.KUMAR ASKING ABOUT THE PROCESS.
UM, AND I THINK WE HAD AN, ALMOST OF A WALK AND QUORUM CAUSE WE WERE ALL RESPONDING BACK AND FORTH TO, UH, WITH QUESTIONS ON THE EMAIL.
SO, UM, AND I, AND I'M NOT SPEAKING FOR THE CITY MANAGER, I LET HIM SPEAK.
AND I MEAN, I THINK IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY OF BACK AND FORTH, WHICH HE HAD MADE THE DECISION TO HAVE THIS ITEM AS A DISCUSSION ITEM TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE THAT MAY HAVE.
SO THIS WAY WE DON'T END UP OURSELVES INTO A WALKING QUORUM AS CITY MANAGER, THIS IS A ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM, UH, SEWING HER SON AGENDA BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REQUESTED TO BE ON THE AGENDA.
UM, MARIA, I BELIEVE YOU SAID THE MAYOR REQUESTED WHO REQUESTED THE JOYS AND THE PURPOSE OF IT WAS, UH, TO BULLYING WALKING HORN.
SO MAYOR REQUESTED THE ITEM ON AGENDA FOR JUST TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAVE RELATED TO IT.
UH, BUT THIS IS AN ITEM THAT IS AN ADMINISTRATOR OF A CONTRACT ITEM NOW THAT WE DO EVERY DAY.
THAT'S AGAIN HERE AGAIN, AS WE ALWAYS DON'T WANT TO DIG TOO FAR BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS OPERATIONAL.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE MAYOR WILL BRING IT UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, BEFORE I BELIEVE, BUT OKAY.
CAN WE GO BACK TO THE COMPARISON SLIDE REAL QUICK? I WENT A LITTLE BIT TOO FAST.
I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO TOO DETAILED, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE GOT A BETTER DEAL WITH THE INDEPENDENT, WITH BETTER COVERAGE.
UM, HOW TO ANSWER, ASK THE QUESTION.
WHY, WHY, HOW DID WE GO WITH YOU? THE QUESTION, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER OR LIST, UM, ACTUALLY WHAT YOU TAKE THE ENTIRETY, BOTH SLACK, THIS SLIDE, AS WELL AS THE NEXT LACK AND SUCH THE NEXT SLIDE.
UH, WHEN CAN TAKE BOTH OF THOSE.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THIS BID TABULATION WAS ONE DOCUMENT, BUT BECAUSE THIS WAS AN MAC WAS UNABLE TO GET ON WI-FI.
SO THAT'S WHY SHE GOT ON TO SEVERAL SLIDES.
BUT WHEN YOU TAKE THE ENTIRE BIG TABULATION IN CONTEXT, UM, THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GO WITH THE STAR BECAUSE, UH, WE FELT THAT IT WAS JUST A BETTER DEAL FOR THE SAME, UH, WHEN YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ADVERTISING COSTS AND THE OTHER SLIDE, IF YOU FLIP BACK UP TO THE OTHER SIDE, GOT IT'S HAPPY GOING BACK AND FORTH, BUT THE ADVERTISING COSTS WHILE THE, WHILE THE LEGAL NOTICES REVISION, IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS ABOUT A BUCK 75 LESS THEN, UH, BEFORE BEN STAR, THE ADVERTISING, UH, UH, COMPONENT OF IT, UH, FOR BOTH A DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENT, AS WELL AS THE PUBLICATION RATE, UH, THE DISPLAY ADVERTISEMENT, UH, WAS, UH, $2 AND 50 CENT CHEAPER TO GO WITH THE STAR.
AND THEN THE PUBLICATION RATE WAS $3 CHEAPER TO GO WITH THE STAR.
AND, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION THAT I GOT, UH, PROVIDED TO ME AT THE TIME, UH, WAS THAT, UH, WHEN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE AS WELL, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OVERALL EXPOSURE, UH, THEY FELT THAT YOU, THEY GOT A BETTER, A BETTER SERVICE FROM AN EXPOSURE STANDPOINT ALSO TO, UM, HERE, UH, THE WAY THAT THE FORT BEEN INDEPENDENT, UH, LISTED, UH, THEY, THEY DID NOT AUDIT THEIR CIRCULATION WHERE SUPPORT MEDSTAR DID.
UH, SO THAT WAS SOME LEVEL CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, THE RELIANCE OF ONE.
AND, UH, AND, UH, SO THE REASON FOR IT WAS,
[00:30:01]
YOU KNOW, STAFF BELIEVE THAT THE BEST SERVICES AT THE TIME WAS FOR JUST MORE SCOPE AT START.UM, NOW, UH, AS, UH, SHANNON INCLUDED IN HER PRESENTATION, IT'S NOT EXCLUSIVE.
UH, SO, UH, THE WAY WE SORT OF VIEW THIS IS, UH, JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM THAT MEAN WE CAN, WE CAN'T USE, UH, THE OTHER AS WELL, BUT WE, WE MADE A DECISION THAT, UH, FOR THIS INSTEAD OF SITTING, AND THIS IS THE BEST ROUTE TO GO BASED OFF OF BUSINESS PLAN AND EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE DOING, UM, ON THE COMMUNICATION SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
SO ADVERTISING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
UM, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I ACTUALLY AM IN THIS BUSINESS.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION TWO OH FIVE.
UH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT STOOD OUT TO ME ABOUT THIS IS BECAUSE I REALLY HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, IT SAYS PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS WITH DELIVERY ADDRESSES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF MISSOURI CITY.
UH, HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO VERIFY THAT NOW WITH THEM BEING THE PAPER'S RECORD NEWSPAPER BROKER, THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE DISTRIBUTION IN MISSOURI CITY? HOW WERE YOU ABLE TO VERIFY THAT, WHAT REFERENCE, SO THAT REFERENCES FACTORS, YOU MENTIONED, COUNCIL MEMBER, I JUST, YOU SAID, NO, I WAS, I WAS, I WAS, IT SAYS THAT THE, OF COURSE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS GOING TO GET TO IS 25% OF WHAT BEING STARS PAPER IS FOR GENERAL INTEREST ITEMS. AND THAT IS THE STATUTE, BUT 75% IS ADVERTISING.
AND SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM A, FROM A NEWSPAPER STANDPOINT, ALL OF THAT IS THEY MEET THAT REQUIREMENT.
WHAT WAS THE DETERMINING FACTOR? AND I ALSO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THE CIRCULATION IN MISSOURI CITY FOR FOOD BEING SPOILED IS AND HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT.
UM, W WE WE'RE, WE'RE UTILIZING THE MATERIAL WE RECEIVED WITH RESPECT TO RESPONSE AND FAIR.
UM, STACY ARE Y'ALL ALIVE, UM, BEFORE STACY, UH, YOU KNOW, ANSWER SOME OF THAT, SOME OF THAT QUESTION ABOUT WHY WE DETERMINED IT WAS, WE JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST DEAL FOR A CITY.
I MEAN, YOU MENTIONED A STATE OF THE STATE STATUE.
I, I, I, I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE'S YOU REFERENCING A STATUE OF RESPECT IF YOU GO BACK TO THE, BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, OKAY.
IF YOU LOAD, IF YOU NOTICE DOWN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM, IT SAYS DEVOTES NOT LESS THAN 25% TO TOTAL COLUMN LINEAGES, TO ITEMS OF GENERAL INTEREST, THAT IS A PART OF THE STATE CODE.
BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS ONLY 25% IS COMMUNITY NEWS AND 75% IS ADVERTISING.
I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, DID THAT PLAY A FACTOR INTO YOUR DECISION AS TO WHAT KIND OF GENERAL INTEREST IN CONTENT BEING INDEPENDENT VERSUS THE FORBIDDEN STAR AND THE, THE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAD ON TOP OF THE ONE, RELATIVE TO HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO VERIFY THE CIRCULATION FOR THE FORT FOUR STAR IN THE BEEN INDEPENDENT BASED ON, I MEAN, OTHER THAN WHAT THEY SUBMITTED, UH, IS, UH, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WENT OUT FOR BID AND IT WAS STATED FOR BEING INDEPENDENT WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD RESPONDED.
AND THEN IT WAS PUT BACK OUT FOR BID.
WHY DID HE GET PUT BACK OUT FOR THOSE ARE MY THREE QUESTIONS.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO THE BUSINESS CASE AS TO WHY WE CHOSE, UH, THE FORT BEND STAR BASED OFF THE EVALUATION OF THE STAFF AND STACY, IF YOU CAN JUST GO THROUGH THAT DETAIL REAL QUICKLY, WE JUST DETERMINED THAT.
AND BASED OFF THE BUSINESS PLAN IN THE CITY WITH REGARDS TO ADVERTISING EVERYTHING, WE JUST DETERMINED THAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST DEAL FOR A CITY.
BUT NOW I SAY IT BY SAYING, THIS IS NOT AN EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT.
SO NOTHING WOULD PROHIBIT US, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM, UH, USING THE FORBIDDEN INDEPENDENT FOR LEGAL NOTICES PURPOSES WHEN WE HAVE LEGAL NOTICES.
UM, AND THEN WE STILL CAN UTILIZE, UH, THE STAR FOREVER TYSON PURPOSES.
UH, BUT, UH, SO THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THAT.
[00:35:01]
UM, STACY, YOU MIGHT WANT TO, CAN I JUST GIVE A BRIEF REAL QUICK ON THE BUSINESS CASE WHEN YOU WERE EVALUATING SIDE-BY-SIDE ANALYSIS? YES, SIR.UH, SPECIFIC TO YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE INDUSTRY.
I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE BID PROCESS.
HOWEVER, I WAS ASKED IF THERE WERE DAILY PAPERS BEYOND THE INDEPENDENT IN THE FORT BEN HERALD THAT REACH OUT TO AS PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND SO I SHARED THAT MARIA, THE HOUSTON FORWARD TIME, QUANTICO, HOUSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, THE VOICE OF ASIA AND THE HOUSTON DEFENDER.
UM, BEYOND THAT, I WAS NOT A PART OF THE DISCUSSION OR THE DECISION.
HOWEVER, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS BID TABULATION SHEET, MY RECOMMENDATION WAS BASED ON THE OUTLINE FINAL TABULATION THAT THE STAR PRESENTED THE OVERALL BEST VALUE, PRIMARILY BASED ON THE SCOPE OF SERVICES WE COULD PROVIDE, AS IT RELATES TO LEGAL ADVERTISEMENTS, EDITORIAL COVERAGE, AND COMPETITIVE MARKETING AND ADVERTISING RATES FOR BOTH BLACK AND WHITE.
UM, THE STAR ALSO HAS A BROADER DIGITAL REACH THROUGH ITS WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS AND THROUGH PLACEMENT OF NEWSPAPERS, BOTH IN MISSOURI CITY AND THROUGHOUT THE BROADER FORT BEND COUNTY REGION.
SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH WHERE THEY PLACE IT.
THEY PLACED IT IN ABOUT 8,000, 9,000 HOMES.
AND I PRIMARILY KNOW THAT BASED ON THE MARKETING THAT WE'VE DONE FOR EVENTS LIKE COMMUNITY NIGHT OUT, JULY 4TH AND OTHER STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.
UM, AND THEN THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF THEIR DISPLAY ADVERTISING AND PUBLICATION RATES ARE LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS PAPER OF RECORD, WHICH PROVIDES THE CITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO MORE EFFECTIVELY UTILIZE BUDGET DOLLARS FOR BUSINESS PLANS, UH, PROGRAMS AND MARKETING AND PROMOTING EVENTS ACROSS ALL DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING THE AMENITIES, AND THEN THEIR PAGE COUNT.
UM, TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE THEY HAVE A 16 ABOUT A 16 PAGE COUNT, THE INDEPENDENT HAS HALF OF THAT.
SO, UM, THEY'VE PROVIDED MORE OVERALL COVERAGE OF CITY EVENTS AND PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ON THEIR CHALLENGER PAGE, UM, JUST BY DISTINCTION THAT THEY HAVE A LARGER PAGE COUNT.
AND THEN, UM, AS YOU KNOW, UM, THE EDITORIAL POINT SIZE AND THE CIRCULATION AUDIT IS A TREND, UH, OR A FOCAL POINT IN THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY.
AND HAVING A DOCUMENTED AUDIT EXTENDS THE CITY'S REACH FOR STRATEGIC OPERATIONAL MESSAGES AND HELPS US IMPROVE OUR BRAND.
NOW, I DID NOT SEE THE AUDIT DOCUMENTS, BUT JUST BY VIRTUE OF SEEING THAT, UM, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT, UM, METRIC OR BENCHMARK OR LITMUS TEST IN THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT MR. JONES I'VE SHARED WITH MR. JOHNSON.
AND MY LAST QUESTION, UH, IF, IF, UH, SHANNON COULD SPEAK TO WHY IT WAS PUT BACK OUT FOR BID AFTER, UH, THE BID, UH, DATE HAD CLOSED AND ONLY ONE, UH, BUSINESS HAD RESPONDED TO THAT PARTICULAR RFP, WHY WAS THAT PERSON OR THAT ENTITY NOT AWARDED THE CONTRACT VERSUS IT, VERSUS IT BEING PUT BACK OUT FOR BID? IS THAT A PART OF THE PURCHASING? UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS OUR POLICY IS CONCERNED, I MEAN, I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DETERMINES WHEN WE CHOOSE TO PUT STUFF BACK OUT FOR BID AFTER WE CLOSE A BID, IF Y'ALL COULD SPEAK TO THE PURCHASING POLICY ON THAT.
UM, YES, THE BID, WHAT HAS A 90 DAY EXPIRATION? SO IF A VENDOR IS NOT SELECTED WITHIN 90 DAYS, THEN THE BID DOES EXPIRE.
UM, DURING THAT TIME I HAD A, A, UM, DIFFERENT CONTRACTS, SENIOR CONTRACTS ANALYST, AND SHE WAS WORKING WITH, UM, THE CITY SECRETARY'S OFFICE TO GET THAT BID, UH, TO, TO GET THAT BID PUBLISHED AND TO EXECUTE THAT CONTRACT.
I CAN'T SPEAK AS TO WHY IT WAS, IT WAS EXPIRED BECAUSE THAT PERSON IS NO LONGER HERE.
UM, WHEN I WAS HAD ACCESS TO HER EMAILS, I WAS ABLE TO SEE THAT, UM, SHE HAD HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, WITH THE CITY SECRETARY THAT THE, THE BID HAD EXPIRED CAUSE ONE HADN'T A VENDOR HADN'T BEEN SELECTED.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE PUBLISHED IT AGAIN IN JUNE.
SO, SO JUST, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR.
SO AS FAR AS OUR POLICY IS CONCERNED, RELATIVE TO PURCHASING 90 DAYS FROM WHEN THE BID CLOSES, IF A VENDOR IS NOT SELECTED, THEN IT, IT CAN BE PUT BACK OUT.
SO BE IT, OR IT IS AUTOMATICALLY PUT BACK OUT FOR BID.
[00:40:01]
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR WITH WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IT, IT CAN BE PUT OUT FOR BID, BUT THAT 90 DAYS IS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND PURCHASING.SOMETIMES WE CAN DO IT FOR LONGER THAN THAT.
IF WE FEEL THAT THE DECISION TIME IS GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER, UM, JUST FOR EXAMPLE, THE LAST RFP WE HAD FOR, UH, THE EXECUTIVE FROM SEARCH FOR THE NEW CITY MANAGER, WE, I ACTUALLY HAD THAT FOR 180 DAYS.
SO THE 90 DAYS IS NOT DETERMINED BY THE POLICY, BUT JUST BY THE, UH, DEPARTMENT AND PURCHASING.
BUT WITHIN THAT TIME, WE DO POST IT ON OUR BID OR ANY KIND OF SOLICITATION THAT WITHIN THIS AMOUNT OF TIME, A, UM, A VENDOR HAS TO BE SELECTED.
AND IF NOT, THEN IT WILL GO BACK OUT FOR BID.
SO RELATIVE TO THAT, IF ONLY ONE VENDOR HAS RESPONDED, WHY WOULDN'T THEY HAVE BEEN, I KNOW THAT THE PERSON'S NO LONGER HERE, BUT YOU KNOW, IT, IT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE OVERSEEING THIS.
WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT WOULD PREVENT THE CITY FROM MOVING FORWARD WITH SELECTING A VENDOR WHO QUALIFIES IF THEY'RE THE ONLY, UH, VENDOR THAT HAS RESPONDED TO THE RFP? WELL, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD MAKE THAT DETERMINATION.
IF THE VENDOR DID ACTUALLY QUALIFY, IF THERE WERE SOME ITEMS MISSING, OR IF THE DEPARTMENT FELT THAT THEY DIDN'T QUALIFY, THEN THEY WOULD WANT TO GO OUT FOR BID.
WE DO RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT.
THAT'S IN THE, THE BID SOLICITATION THAT THE CITY RESERVES THE RIGHT, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CONTRACT IS, IS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CITY.
SO IT'S A DEPARTMENT DECISION.
I THINK AGAIN IS HOW THE CITY AUTHORIZING ORDINANCE, WE ARE, AGAIN, DIPPING INTO OPERATIONAL STANDARDS.
I FEEL AS IF THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER, UM, NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION COMPANY TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY AND CENTERS ON US, HAVING 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PARTICULAR NEWSPAPER.
AND THEY CONTINUE TO BE, UM, ABLE TO PRETTY MUCH PUT OUT ERRONEOUS INFORMATION.
UM, THAT'S TAKEN THE NARRATIVE OF PAST CURRENT AND, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS BASICALLY.
AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE NEED A, A ORGANIZATION OR NEWSPAPER ORGANIZATION.
THAT'S GONNA PRETTY MUCH BE UNBIASED AND POST OUT FACTUAL INFORMATION.
SO I'M HAPPY THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A NEW, UM, COMPANY THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT THEY WILL BRING TO THE COMPANY.
I'M SORRY TO THE CITY, THIS COUNCIL MEMBER BONY.
I KNOW I SAID I HAD A FINAL QUESTION FOR SHANNON, BUT BASED OFF OF HER RESPONSE, SHE MENTIONED THAT PER PROTOCOL, I GUESS THE DEPARTMENTS MAKE THE DETERMINATION, UH, CAUSE MY, MY CONCERN HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PAPERS THEMSELVES.
I MEAN, THERE ARE PAPERS THAT AREN'T PROVIDING A SERVICE TO THE CITY, INTO THE COUNTY, UH, INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE, UH, YOU KNOW, READERS, MY QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PROCESS AND OUR PROTOCOLS.
I'M JUST TRYING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF ONE VENDOR RESPONDED AND I JUST HEARD THAT DEPARTMENTS HAVE THE DISCRETION TO, UH, TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE RESPONSE OF THOSE VENDORS, THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME.
AND SO I WAS TRYING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND, I MEAN, I GUESS FROM STACY, YOU KNOW, UH, PER SE IT WAS A DEPARTMENT DECISION.
CAN YOU TELL US WHY YOU, UH, WHY THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE SOLE RESPONDER TO THE RFP THAT HAD RESPONDED IN A TIMELY FASHION, UM, COUNCIL MEMBER, BONNIE, THIS IS STACY COMMUNICATIONS, DID NOT HAVE A ROLE IN THE DECISION FOR THE PAPER OF RECORD.
WE WEREN'T A PART OF THE PROCESS OTHER THAN PROVIDING A LIST OF PAPERS THAT QUALIFIED TO BE REACHED OUT TO FOR THE BID.
AND I SHARED THAT LIST WITH YOU ALL JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO AND CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THOSE NEWSPAPERS BEYOND THAT, WE DID NOT HAVE A DECISION.
[00:45:04]
I'M SORRY, HOLD ON ONE SECOND CITY MANAGER, SHANNON SHARED WITH PURVIEW.IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH SELECTING A VENDOR IN THAT.
SO AGAIN, I'M JUST SPEAKING ABOUT THE PROCESSES AND I'M NOT TRYING TO GET INTO THE WEEDS, BUT I AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A POLICY COMMONPLACE WITHIN MISSOURI CITY AS TO HOW WE HANDLE VENDORS.
IF WE PUT AN RFP OUT AND THEY RESPOND REGARDLESS, IF THIS HAPPENS TO BE THE NEWSPAPER RECORD, BUT ANY, ANY VENDOR WHO RESPONDS ADHERE TO THE RFP DEADLINES AND REQUIREMENTS AND THEY RESPOND AND THEY HAPPEN TO BE THE SOLE VENDOR THAT HAS SUBMITTED THEIR RESPONSE, DETERMINED THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SELECT THEM.
IF THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES THAT RESPOND, AS YOU MENTIONED TO, UH, TO, UH, SELECT A VENDOR, UH, RESPOND, HOWEVER IT COULD BE ON OTHER ITEMS AS WELL.
AND CERTAINLY THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE THE COUNCIL AND WHERE, ALTHOUGH SOMEONE MAY RECEIVE A BETTER SCORE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTALITY OF THE COUNCIL RESERVES AWARDING, UH, I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THAT POINT.
I WAS MORE SO ASKING THE QUESTION IS MY UNDERSTANDING ORIGINALLY PUT OUT ONE VENDOR RESPONDED TO THAT THAT VENDOR WAS NOT SELECTED VENDOR, WHEREBY VENDOR WOULD BE DENIED THE CONTRACT PURCHASING.
NO, I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, UM, THIS BID WAS EXPIRED.
UH, THERE WAS A DECISION MADE TO GO WITH THE STAR BECAUSE, UH, IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, BEST VALUE BASIS.
UH, THERE WASN'T A REQUIREMENT TO GO OUT AND REVISIT THIS BECAUSE IT WAS CONTRACTUAL SERVICES, THE LEGAL ADVICE THAT WE RECEIVE AND ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDING OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AS THEY APPLY, NOT ONLY TO THIS ISSUE, BUT ALSO OTHER PROCUREMENT ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
I JUST LIKED THE COMMUNITY DEPARTMENT BECAUSE OF WORKING OPERATIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THEY MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS.
YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND, UM, WE APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE IT'S CLEARLY IN.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT POINT.
UM, SO I HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE ON HERE TOO.
UM, THE COMMENT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING JUST DOESN'T ADD UP THE FACT THAT WE HAD
[00:50:01]
A BID OUT THERE AND OUR RESPECTIVE NEWSPAPER IN THE COMMUNITY RESPONDED TO THAT FIT AND THAT BIDDING ALLOCATION WAS ENDED.AND INSTEAD OF A WARNING THAT IF THAT PERSON DID QUALIFY WITHIN THOSE, WE WENT OUT THERE AND REBID IT, AND THEN WE GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY, UH, W THAT'S THROWING ONLY 4,000 TO THE HOMES.
WELL, WE HAVE 24, 25,000 HOMES IN MISSOURI CITY.
AND IF I'M REMEMBER CORRECTLY, AND THIS IS WHY I ASKED THE QUESTION BACK IN 2014, WHEN WE HAD THIS ISSUE, I DO RECALL VOTING ON US.
THERE WAS A, UH, IT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL AND THAT WAS INVOKED.
THAT WAS CHAT SAID TO GIVE IT TO WHOEVER THAT NEWSPAPER WAS.
I MEAN, APPARENTLY IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS FOR BEN INDEPENDENCE.
SO, WELL, I'M JUST TRYING TO, I THINK THE ISSUE HERE IS IT'S NOT THAT TAKING AWAY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY OR WHAT HAVE YOU, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS OUR POLICY THAT, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THIS ONE INCIDENT AND THIS INCIDENT THAT CAME BEFORE COUNCIL IS BECAUSE ONE OF THESE NEWSPAPERS WHO BID IT REACHED OUT TO NOT JUST TO ME, REACHED OUT TO THE ENTIRE COUNCIL AND JUNCTION WITH WHAT JUST TRANSPIRED.
SO THIS IS WHY THIS ITEM WAS ADDED TO THIS, TO THAT THE TWO EYES, LIKE, WHAT IS OUR PROCESS? WHAT IS A POLICY MOVING FORWARD? NOW I WOULD ASK THE CITY MANAGER TO RELOOK AT THIS.
AND WHILE I'M NOT HERE TO DICTATE TO YOU AS TO WHAT YOU SHOULD DO, BUT TO LOOK AT THIS AND KIND OF SAY THAT, I MEAN, THIS IS NOT, TO ME.
THIS IS NOT THE BEST OF PRACTICE, UH, TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF PRACTICE THAT WOULD ALLOW.
UH, SO WE DON'T END UP IN AN ISSUE LIKE SIMILAR TO THIS, JUST MOVING FORWARD, YOU KNOW, WITH DIFFERENT VENDORS WHO KNOWS WHO'S COMING IN AND THEY MIGHT ALL HAVE THESE TYPE OF ISSUES.
I UNDERSTAND THE CITY STAFF'S VALUE SYSTEM, HOW YOU PLACE THE VALUE ON WHOEVER THE VENDOR IS, WHETHER IT'S NEWSPAPER OR WHETHER IT'S, WHATEVER IT IS.
UH, BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF SOMETHING IN THE POLICY WHERE WE DON'T KNOW, WE PUT OUT THERE FOR OUR FEE AND ONLY ONE RESPONDENT AND, AND THEY, AND THEY QUANTIFY.
AND JUST BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE ONE RESPONDENT THAT WE'D GO OUT AND REBUILD IT AGAIN, AND THEN WE GET ANOTHER ONE, SO WE CAN GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE IS IT'S JUST A PROCESS THAT I'M LOOKING AT, BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT $49,000 UNDER $400,000 IS WHY IT CAME TO YOUR OFFICE, WHEREAS THAT HASN'T GONE BACK OUT TO COUNCIL AND WE'RE DOING IT A YEAR, I GUESS, ONE YEAR FOR PER YEAR, PER A YEAR.
IS THAT THE RENEWAL? YES, SIR.
UM, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T MIND GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT IT, I MEAN, BUT, UM, JUST WANT TO SAY THE STATE, OH, IT WAS THIS CONTRACT THAT WENT TO FORT BEND, STARTED THE PROCESS WE DID WAS LEGAL, INAPPROPRIATE BASED OFF THE ADVICE RECEIVED.
UH, AND, UH, BUT I'LL GO BACK.
YOU GUYS WANT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT IT.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
UM, UM, SO IS THERE ANY OTHER FURTHER BUSINESS HEARING, NONE THIS MEETING AS A JOURNAL BREAKING MAN, THAT STOMACH.