[1. CALL TO ORDER ]
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TODAY IS MONDAY, MAY 6TH, 2024.
I WILL NOT CALL THE CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING TO ORDER AT 6:20 PM ITEM NUMBER TWO, OUR ROLL CALL.
WE DO HAVE A QUORUM OF COUNSEL.
[3. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
ITEM NUMBER THREE ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS.DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES, MR. MAYOR? WE DO.
MR. SERS, YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND PLEASE ADHERE TO THE THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I'M A REGISTERED VOTER IN MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS.
OVER THE PAST WEEK, I ASKED MYSELF, WHY DO I CHOOSE TO LIVE IN MISSOURI CITY, TEXAS? I KNOW THAT'S A DEEPLY PERSONAL QUESTION FOR A LOT OF US IN OUR ROOM.
SOME OF US HAVE MOVED TO MISSOURI CITY FROM PLACES LIKE HOUSTON, CHICAGO, NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO.
WHILE OTHERS CHOSE TO LEAVE A FOREIGN COUNTRY THIS EVENING, I FELT COMPELLED TO LET EVERYONE IN THE ROOM KNOW, AND I KNOW IT'S A FULL HOUSE, THAT THERE'S NEW DOMINOES THAT ARE ABOUT TO FALL TO SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGE MISSOURI CITY AND THE CONSTITUTION THAT DRIVES THE EVERYDAY OPERATIONS OF WHY WE LOVE TO LIVE HERE.
AND A FEW YOU'LL HEAR, UH, CITY COUNCIL, UM, REVIEW SOME OF THE CHARTER TO REVIEW COMMISSION'S, PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE HOME ROUTE, HOME RULE CHARTER, WHICH IS A CONSTITUTION FOR THE CITY.
THERE'S SOME ASPECTS THAT I CONSIDER GOOD, SOME ARE BAD, AND FRANKLY, SOME ARE UGLY.
AND WHEN I SAY UGLY, I'LL HIGHLIGHT THOSE IN A MOMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY TOWN HALL MEETINGS OCCURRING IN THE CITY OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS ABOUT THIS TOPIC BEING THE CONSTITUTION.
I HAVE FAITH THAT WE CAN DO BETTER.
AND AS WE'LL SEE SHORTLY, I BELIEVE WE'LL PROBABLY SEE A PRESENTATION.
THERE'S FOUR THINGS THAT I BELIEVE, UM, MAKE ME PAUSE AND VOTE AGAINST AND BE AN ADVOCATE AGAINST THESE PROPOSED CHANGES.
NUMBER ONE IS CITY COUNCIL SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE ON A COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR THEMSELVES, SUCH AS $150,000 PLUS SALARY, BONUS, ET CETERA, WITH NO WAITING PERIOD OR LOCKOUT PERIOD.
THE CITY MANAGER RUNS THE DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS OF, OF THE CITY, NOT CITY COUNCIL.
AS A NEW CHANGE IN 2023, I REALIZE THE CITY MANAGER NOW HAS THE HELP OF A DEPUTY CITY MANAGER AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, NUMBER ONE, AND ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
NUMBER TWO, AS A RECURRING THEME, I HEAR MANY REGISTERED VOTERS SAY THAT THEY DON'T WANT MISSOURI CITY TO BE LIKE HOUSTON.
THEY VIEW THAT CITY COUNCIL AND OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS IN IN THE AREA ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
THEY'RE NOT DAY-TO-DAY MANAGERS.
UM, AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD BE AT A DISTANCE ALSO THERE.
THE CLAUSE THAT HAS TO DO WITH A COOL OFF PERIOD FOR AN EX CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO BECOME A CITY MANAGER OR ACTING CITY MANAGER IS CURRENTLY TWO YEARS.
THAT SHOULD NOT BE REDUCED TO ONE YEAR.
ALSO, TRANSPARENCY MATTERS IN MY MIND AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I TALK WITH.
UM, EVERYONE IN THE ROOM IS PROBABLY WELL FAMILIAR WITH THE CITY'S TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS SINCE THE 2018 ELECTION.
KEEPING THE WORDING ABOUT THE CALLY INTERESTED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY NOT ALLOWING THE CITY COUNCIL OR OTHER OFFICERS OF THE CITY TO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST WHERE THEY'RE MONETARY, INVOLVING MONETARY MONEY OR NOT, SHOULD NOT BE REVISED.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR, THE HOME RULE, HOME RULE GOVERNMENT WAS IN PLACE SINCE PROBABLY THE 1970S.
IT'S WORKED PRETTY WELL SINCE THEN.
MR. SIR, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
ANYONE ELSE, MR. MAYOR, THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENTS.
[(a) Presentation and Discussion - Receive the 2024 Charter Review Commissi...]
ITEM FOUR, A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION, PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION.RECEIVED THE 2024 CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION FINAL REPORT, AND IF NECESSARY, AUTHORIZED STAFF TO TAKE ACTIONS.
WE HAVE A, UH, PROPOSED PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.
UM, I'M GONNA QUICKLY GO OVER A PRESENTATION FOR THE, UH, CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION FOR 2024.
I WAS THE CHAIRMAN FOR THIS YEAR.
SO, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL'S STRATEGIC STRATEGIC GOALS THAT WE, UH, COVERED DURING THIS, UH, UH, REVIEW COMMISSION WAS TO CREATE A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, MAINTAIN A FINANCIALLY SOUND CITY GOVERNMENT, DEVELOP A HIGH PERFORMANCE CITY TEAM.
SO, UH, OBJECTIVE OF THIS PRESENTATION, UH, IS TO SUBMIT A CHARTER COMMISSION FINAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL.
I'M ALSO GONNA GO OVER THE DUTIES OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AND, UH, ALSO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE COMMISSION, UH, THAT WE RECOMMEND TO BE PUT ON THE BALLOT AND THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT WE DON'T RECOMMEND.
SO, THE DUTIES OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION, I'LL RUN THROUGH THIS REALLY QUICKLY, UM, IS TO INQUIRE INTO
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THE OPERATION OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT UNDER THE CHARTER PROVISIONS AND DETERMINE, UH, WHETHER ANY SUCH PROVISIONS REQUIRE REVISION, UH, PROPOSED ANY RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY DEEM DESIRABLE TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CHARTER BY THE SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS OF THE CITY GOVERNMENT PROPOSE IF IT SEEMS DESIRABLE AMENDMENTS TO THE CHARTER TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF THE CHARTER TO CURRENT CONDITIONS AND REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND PRESENT ITS, UH, PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, IF ANY, TO THE COUNCIL.THUS, THE LIST OF OUR MEMBERS, UH, FOR THIS YEAR'S.
AND THESE WERE THE FOUR MEETINGS THAT WE, UH, HAD THIS PAST YEAR.
SO I'M GONNA START NAMING OFF THE POTENTIAL.
SO I'M GONNA RUN THROUGH THESE PRETTY QUICKLY.
SO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE, UH, THIS IS FOR SECTION 3.03.
UH, IT ADDS LANGUAGE QUALIFYING THAT, UH, COUNCIL'S DETERMINATION, UH, ON THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ITS MEMBERS ARE AS SUBJECT TO STATE LAW.
UH, CONSIDERATION HERE WAS, UH, IT REMOVES THE PERCEIVED AMBIGUITY BETWEEN STATE LAW AND CITY CHARTER.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO, UH, DELETES THE LANGUAGE, UH, REQUIRING AN ELECTION IN SIX MONTH WAIT PERIOD FOR CITY COUNCIL.
COMPENSATION CHANGES, UH, CONSIDERATIONS ARE THAT IT ALLOWS AN EXISTING COUNCIL TO CONTROL ITS OWN COMPENSATION.
SUCH A CHANGE WOULD STILL NEED TO BE SUBJECT TO AVAILABLE FUNDING IN THE BUDGET.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE, UH, CHANGES TO THE TIMELINE, UH, CHANGES THE TIMELINE FOR ELECTING THE MAYOR PROTO FROM NOVEMBER 15TH, BUT NOT EARLIER THAN THE DATE OF A GENERAL ELECTION, IF ANY, UH, FOR A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL TO DECEMBER 31ST OF EACH YEAR.
UH, THE CONSIDERATIONS HERE ARE, UH, IN THE EVENT THERE IS NOT A CITYWIDE ELECTION, THIS COULD PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITY AND WOULD ALLOW THE COUNCIL TO VOTE FOR A PROTE EARLIER.
IN THE EVENT THAT THERE IS ONLY A SINGLE MEETING DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES OR CHANGES TO THE RULES, THIS AMENDMENT WILL PROVIDE THE COUNCIL WITH MORE FLEXIBILITY.
AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE, UH, ADDS LANGUAGE QUALIFYING THAT THE COUNCIL'S DETERMINATION ON THE QUALIFICATIONS OF ITS MEMBERS IS SUBJECT TO STATE LAW.
UM, AND THAT'S GOES ALONG WITH AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE.
AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE, UH, ADDS LANGUAGE.
CLARIFYING THE APPOINTMENT CAN ONLY OCCUR IF 12 MONTHS OR LESS REMAINS IN AN UNEXPIRED TERM.
UH, THE CONSIDERATION HERE IS THAT IT'S A CLEANUP OR CLARIFICATION OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
THREE YEAR TERMS WERE ADOPTED DURING THE LAST CHARTER REVIEW.
UH, AND STATE LAW REQUIRES AN ELECTION FOR VACANCIES FOR WHICH, UH, 12 MONTHS OR MORE REMAIN IN AN UN UNEXPIRED IN AN UNEXPIRED TERM.
AMENDMENT NUMBER SIX REQUIRES THE COUNCIL TO HOLD AT LEAST TWO CITY COUNT COUNCIL MEETINGS PER MONTH IN A, IN 10 MONTH, UH, 10 CALENDAR MONTHS EACH YEAR.
UH, CONSIDERATIONS IS THAT IT PROVIDES MORE FLEXIBILITY FOR COUNSEL AND MANAGEMENT, UH, BASICALLY FOR HOLIDAYS AND OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
AMENDMENT NUMBER SEVEN DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF MEMBERS NEEDED FOR QUORUM IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, SO THIS BASICALLY CLARIFIES, UH, THAT FOUR MEMBERS ARE NOT REQUIRED, WHERE STATE LAW ALLOWS FOR LESS MEMBERS FOR A QUORUM.
NUMBER EIGHT, UH, INCREASES THE NUMBER OF COUNCIL MEMBERS REQUIRED TO REQUEST AN ORDINANCE FROM ONE TO TWO.
AND THIS PROVIDES GREATER EFFICIENCY WITH PERSONNEL RESOURCES AMENDMENT NUMBER NINE.
SO THIS ONE UPDATES THE REIFICATION REQUIREMENT IN LIGHT OF, OF TECHNO TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT ALLOW ELECTRONIC CODIFICATION ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS.
UH, THE CONSIDERATION FOR THIS IS, UH, THAT IT PROVIDES GREATER EFFICIENCY WITH RESOURCES.
CURRENT ELECTRONIC METHODS, UM, PROVIDES TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY.
AMENDMENT NUMBER 10 REQUIRES COUNSEL CONSULTATION IN LIEU OF, UH, COUNSEL CONSENT FOR THE APPOINTMENT SUSPENSION AND REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS.
THE CONSIDERATIONS, UH, ARE THAT CURRENT PROVISION IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THIS, UH, COUNSEL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
UH, IT'S A CONSTANT POINT OF INTEREST WITH THE, UH, CITY'S, UH, CITY MANAGERS.
NUMBER 11, UH, DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF TIME REQUIRED FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER TO WAIT TO SERVE AS A CITY MANAGER OR ACTING CITY MANAGER AFTER BEING AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.
UH, THE CONSIDERATIONS WOULD BE, UH, THE CHANGE WILL BE CONSISTENT WITH A ONE YEAR WAITING PERIOD REQUIREMENT IN SECTION 3.08 A.
UH, THE TIMEFRAME IS CONSISTENT WITH THE, UH, WAITING PERIOD FOR STATE EMPLOYEES
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TO CONTRACT WITH STATE AGENCIES AFTER EMPLOYMENT AMENDMENT NUMBER 12.THIS AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE PERSONNEL RULES WITH COUNCIL CONSULTATION INSTEAD OF COUNCIL ADOPTION.
UM, CONSIDERATIONS HERE ARE THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
ALL EMPLOYEES OTHER THAN THE CITY MANAGER, CITY ATTORNEY, AND CITY SECRETARY ARE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY MANAGER.
NUMBER 13, UH, THIS ONE ADDS A SUBSECTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO SET BUDGET POLICY BY REQUIRING COUNCIL ADOPTION FOR THE CITY'S PLA UH, PAY PLAN.
UH, THE CONSIDERATIONS ARE THAT IT ALLOWS COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO SET POLICY PRIORITIES THROUGH BUDGETING ALREADY IN, IN THE EXISTING CHARTER.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE COMPENSATION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM AMENDMENT NUMBER 14.
UH, THIS REQUIRES THE CITY SECRETARY TO VERIFY THE RESIDENCE RESIDENCY OF CANDIDATES BY VIEWING A TEXAS DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IDENTIFICATION CARD.
UM, QUESTIONS HAVE COME UP IN THE PAST, UH, RELATED TO CANDIDATE CANDIDATE RESIDENCY.
UM, ANOTHER CONSIDERATION IS THAT, UH, FINAL DETERMINATION OF RESIDENCY IS A STATE DISTRICT COURT AMENDMENT NUMBER 15, UH, REMOVES THE REQUIREMENT FOR MAYOR'S SIGNATURE ON CHECKS, VOUCHERS, ET CETERA, AND REQUIRES THE SIGNATURE OF THE CITY MANAGER.
UH, THE CONSIDERATIONS HERE IS THAT IT'S, UH, ADMINISTRATIVELY BENEFICIAL.
IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE COUNCIL MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT.
AND, UH, THE CITY MANAGER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAILY OPERATIONS OF A CITY, AND IT'S CONSISTENT WITH OTHER CITIES IN THE AREA.
THIS DEFERS TO STATE LAW FOR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
THE CONSIDERATIONS ARE THAT IT INCORPORATES THE STATE, STATE LAW.
IT PROMOTES INCLUSION FOR POTENTIAL BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
AND, UH, IT REQUIRES THE DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS.
AND SO THESE WERE SOME PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT WERE NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMISSION.
UH, AMENDMENT NUMBER 17 IS TO ELIMINATE THE COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
UH, THE, WE CHOSE AGAINST THAT BECAUSE IT, IT AVOIDED A, WE WANTED TO AVOID A LACK OF REPRESENTATION FOR EACH DISTRICT.
UH, AMENDMENT NUMBER 18 WASN'T, WASN'T RECOMMENDED BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY ADDRESSED BY THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER 10, AMENDMENT NUMBER 19 TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TIME IN BETWEEN CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSIONS FROM FOUR TO SEVEN YEARS.
UH, WE DIDN'T RECOMMEND THAT BECAUSE THIS ALLOWS THE CITY TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE CURRENT POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT.
UH, I'M GONNA GO TO, I'VE SEEN, UH, COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON, ON THE QUEUE.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU JEREMY, UH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
I KNOW, UH, THOSE FOUR MEETINGS AS WELL AS ALL OF THE PREPARATION FORUM, UH, WAS A LOT TO ASK OF YOU.
UH, I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR CITY SECRETARY AND, UH, CITY, UH, ATTORNEY, UH, ALL RESIDENTS WERE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THIS OR APPLY TO SERVE ON THIS COMMISSION, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
HOW WAS THAT COMMUNICATED BY E-BLAST OR ON THE WEBSITE OR? WE DID USE OUR, ALL OF OUR COMMUNICATION TOOLS, SUCH AS, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WEBSITE TO PROMOTE, UM, THE VACANCIES FOR THIS, UH, PARTICULAR, AND IF I MAY, WE ACTUALLY EXTENDED THE DEADLINE TWICE.
AND THE OTHER, UH, QUESTION THAT I HAVE, OR KIND OF TWO QUESTIONS, AND ONE IS, UH, ALL OF THE MEETINGS WERE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO ANYONE THAT IS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF MISSOURI CITY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND HEAR WHAT THE, UH, CHARTER COMMISSION, UH, WAS, WAS, UH, DELIBERATING AS WELL AS DID THEY ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS AND OR ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
THEY DID HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEAK AND WE DID POST, ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
AND DID ANYONE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, UH, BEING ABLE TO SPEAK AT, WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE ONE SPEAKER AT THE LAST MEETING.
UH, A YOUNG LADY SPOKE ABOUT THE NEED FOR SIT DOWN RESTAURANTS.
ALRIGHT, BUT EVERYONE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, THAT IS CORRECT.
RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER RILEY.
I WANNA SAY THANK YOU, JEREMY, TO YOU AND THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THAT DID SUCH AN OUTSTANDING JOB.
UM, I KNOW YOU GUYS SPEND A LOT OF HOURS WITH THAT.
MY, I REALLY JUST HAVE ONE, UH, ONE QUESTION FOR YOU.
WHEN YOU GUYS WERE LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THESE AMENDMENTS, WHERE DID THAT SOLICITATION COME FROM? WAS IT FROM THE PUBLIC? WAS IT FROM COUNCIL? WAS IT FROM THE STAFF? JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THIS DIDN'T JUST COME FROM THE COUNCIL, IT CAME FROM WHERE, YEAH, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT WAS, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM STAFF.
UH, THERE WAS SOME FROM COUNCIL, AND THEN I BELIEVE THERE WERE SOME FROM THE PUBLIC AS WELL, UH, AND ALSO FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.
AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION, UH, CITY SECRETARY, UM, IN THE PAST, DON'T YOU GUYS DO A NOTARY, UH, WHEN THEY SIGN
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FOR, FOR CANDIDACY IN THE CITY? DON'T YOU VERIFY WITH THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE AT THAT TIME? UH, WE DO VERIFY VOTER REGISTRATION, AND THAT'S ACCORDING TO STATE LAW.RECOGNIZING COUNCIL MEMBER BROWN MARSHALL.
UM, JEREMY, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU'VE PROVIDED HERE ON TONIGHT.
I'LL JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION IN OPEN SESSION.
AS A MASS, VAST MAJORITY OF MY QUESTIONS PROBABLY NEED TO BE ANSWERED IN A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT AT THIS POINT, WE CAN ONLY ADJUST THE, UH, CHARTER EVERY FOUR YEARS.
SO, UH, PURSUANT TO STATE LAW, YOU CAN ACTUALLY ADJUST THE CHARTER TWO YEARS AFTER THE LAST TIME THE CHARTER WAS ADJUSTED.
HOWEVER, IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR CHARTER, WE HAVE A CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION AT LEAST EVERY FOUR YEARS AT, AT THE VERY LEAST.
SO IN THE EVENT THAT WE CHOSE TO ADOPT OR TO MOVE FORWARD WITH WHAT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED ON TONIGHT, UM, THE NEXT TIME WE COULD HAVE SOME TYPE OF SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS TO THIS, AGAIN, WOULD BE IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS FROM THE TIME THAT IT'S VOTED UPON BY THE CITIZENS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, AND MAYBE THIS, UH, WILL, UH, NEED SOME CLARIFICATION BY, UH, BY LEGAL, BUT I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE, UH, AGENDA ITEM OR ONE OF THE ITEMS WAS, UH, TO CHANGE THE, UH, UH, NUMBER OF, OF, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAD TO BE AVAILABLE FOR A QUORUM FROM FOUR TO THREE.
AND I GUESS THE STATE HAS A REQUIREMENT FOR AT LEAST THREE.
WELL, MY QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS OR CAN WE, YOU KNOW, AS AN INDEPENDENT GROUP, SAY THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE WITH FOUR AS A QUORUM? SO WE WOULD HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE STATE'S LAW, UH, STATE LAW, REGARDLESS.
BUT THE PROPOSED CHANGE IS TO CLARIFY THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, THE BOARD COULD MEET IN LESS THAN A QUORUM.
RIGHT? NOW, YOU, PURSUANT TO OUR CHARTER, WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE, UH, FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AT EVERY MEETING.
HOWEVER, FOR CERTAIN STATE LAW PURPOSES, ONLY TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED.
SO THIS PROPOSED CHANGE ONLY STATES THAT IN THOSE INSTANCES IN WHICH THE STATE ALLOWS LESS THAN THE PRESCRIBED QUORUM NUMBER HERE, THE COUNCIL CAN HAVE THOSE TWO MEMBERS.
IT'S REALLY JUST A CLARIFICATION BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE KIND OF QUESTION, UH, THE QUESTION COMES UP, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST DEFERRING TO STATE LAW FOR THOSE INSTANCES IN WHICH LESS THAN A QUORUM IS REQUIRED.
DO WE HAVE ANY FUEL, UH, AS TO WHAT THOSE STATE ISSUES MIGHT BE? IT'S REALLY JUST CANVASSING ELECTIONS.
STATE LAW ALLOWS TWO PEOPLE, UH, TO BE PRESENT FOR THE CANVASSING OF AN ELECTION.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST THAT INSTANCE.
SO BOTTOM LINE IS, IF WE WOULD GO ALONG WITH THE RECOMMENDED, UM, CHANGE TO THE, TO THE CHARTER, WE WOULD STILL, AS A COUNCIL, REQUIRE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO EQUATE TO A, TO A QUORUM.
EXCEPT IN THOSE SITUATIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE DEFINED BY THE STATE.
SO BY, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY SAYING, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT REALLY SAYING THAT WE'RE CUTTING ON OUR QUORUM ACROSS THE BOARD FROM FOUR TO THREE.
UM, I JUST WANT TO GO BACK AND ASK ONE THING TO CITY ATTORNEY.
BASED ON WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER BONY WAS TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THESE 19 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS THAT'S BEFORE US, WHETHER WE CHOSE TO, WHAT IS THE COUNCIL'S ROLE ON THESE 19 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS? DO WE HAVE TO PUT ALL OF 'EM OR DO WE REMOVE CERTAIN THINGS OUT? OR, OR HOW DOES IT, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? AND THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
SO AS THE COUNCIL, YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO DETERMINE WHICH, IF ANY, AMENDMENTS YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT TO THE VOTERS.
SO YOU CAN PICK 1, 5, 10, OR NONE.
IF YOU ALL WOULD LIKE, YOU CAN ADD, UH, AMENDMENTS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS, UH, YOU CAN CHANGE AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED BY THE COMMISSION.
THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT I WILL SAY THEY, THEY'RE, THEY WERE A GREAT GROUP, UH, TO WORK WITH.
THEY WERE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND THEY DID CONSIDER, UH, THEIR, THEIR PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.
AND THAT IS WHAT THEY'VE SUBMITTED TO YOU ALL.
BUT YOU ALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY AND THE JURISDICTION TO CHANGE, UH, WHATEVER THEY'VE SUBMITTED.
LET ME ASK YOU A FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
I THINK IMPORTANT FOR PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND
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WHETHER WE MOVE, IF WE DON'T, IF WE DECIDED NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY OF THIS, IT DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE BALLOT.IF WE MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR EXAMPLE, ONE, FIVE OR NINE OR 10, IT GOES BEFORE THE CITIZENS OF MISSOURI CITY.
ON ANYTHING, ON ANY OF THE 10 OR 19 ITEMS THAT WE MOVE FORWARD TO.
YOU ALL DECIDE WHICH ITEMS, IF ANY, WOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC FOR A VOTE.
AND THEN THE PUBLIC DECIDES WHICH ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE CHARTER.
THE LAST CHARTER REVIEW WAS WHEN? 2020.
SO THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT JUST CAME ABOUT.
SO JEREMY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT, AND TO ALL THE MEMBERS THAT YOU HAVE, AND I KNOW THIS IS VOLUNTEER TIME THAT YOU TAKE AND YOUR MEMBERS TO COME UP WITH SOME OF THIS, I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS COME TO A FRUITION.
AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND LOOK AT SOME OF THIS.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, TODAY THAT WE MAKE THE FINAL DECISION, BUT WE GOTTA UNDERSTAND SOME OF THIS AND WE MAY HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BACK AND FORTH DOING SO.
BUT I, I, I COMMEND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER BONY FOR ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CHARTER REVIEW AND HOW DOES ONE GETS ON THAT CHARTER REVIEW AND WHERE THE MEETINGS ARE OPEN TO PUBLIC OR NOT.
AND THE TRANS BASICALLY THE TRANSPARENCY PROCESS OF THE CHARTER REVIEW.
SO AS PUBLIC, WHEN YOU COME UP AND MAKE THESE COMMENTS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE ASK OUR CITY MANAGERS, CITY ATTORNEY, CITY SECRETARY, THESE QUESTIONS, RATHER THAN COMING UP HERE NOT HAVING HALF INFORMATION AND TO PROVIDE IT SEEMED LIKE THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO, UH, TO YOUR CITY ATTORNEY IN THIS PROCESS, SINCE YOU STARTED THIS PROCESS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY TIME THAT, THAT ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, ANY OF YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS MIGRATED INTO THESE MEETINGS AND, AND SUGGEST ANYTHING? UH, NO SIR.
DID THEY ATTEND AT ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS? NO, SIR.
HAVE THEY EMAILED YOU ABOUT ANY OF THOSE MEETINGS? NO, SIR.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER, MAYOR, REAL, REAL QUICKLY, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT TO WHAT, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE LAST TIME WE DELIBERATED AND HAD RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION.
UH, WE MADE AN EDIT TO ONE OF THOSE, WHICH WAS, UH, THEY RECOMMENDED FOUR YEAR TERMS AND WE HAD DELIBERATED AND ACTUALLY INITIALLY HAD DONE, UM, I THINK IT WAS THREE, NO, NO, WE DID FOUR, AND THEN WE CAME BACK AND, AND MODIFIED IT TO DO THREE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY DO WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING, BUT IT IS JUST A RECOMMENDATION.
LAST THING I WAS GONNA SAY IS, UH, WE DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO VOTE ON THESE ITEMS JUST AS A RESIDENT, RIGHT.
THERE'S A CLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RECESS THIS MEETING AT 6:43 PM SO WE CAN GET TO A REGULAR MEETING.