[00:00:01] GOOD EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. THE TIME IS 6:30. THIS WILL BEGIN THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON. TODAY IS MARCH 13TH, 2023. WE WILL BEGIN WITH ROLL CALL. MYSELF BRIANNA CHACON IS PRESENT. WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE. IF YOU'LL PLEASE STAND WITH ME. [PUBLIC APPEARANCE] ALL RIGHT, THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR PUBLIC APPEARANCE. SPEAKERS ARE ALLOWED THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. THE COUNCIL IS UNABLE TO RESPOND TO OR DISCUSS ANY ISSUES THAT ARE BROUGHT UP DURING THE SECTION THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA OTHER THAN TO MAKE STATEMENTS OF SPECIFIC FACTUAL INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO A SPEAKER'S INQUIRY OR TO RECITE EXISTING POLICY IN RESPONSE TO THE INQUIRY. TONIGHT, I HAVE MR. DANNY BAKER. IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. THERE'S A BUTTON ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE TO TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON. THERE YOU GO. PAUSE ME FOR MY CRIPPLED LEG HERE. I'M STILL WORKING WITH IT. MY NAME IS DANNY BAKER. I LIVE AT 902 EVERGREEN STREET IN PRINCETON, ACTUALLY RIGHT BEHIND LOWE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON THE CORNER OF EVERGREEN AND HICKORY. TONIGHT, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL. I WANTED TO ADDRESS A SITUATION THAT I SEE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE MAKING SINCE THE SCHOOL OPENED AND IS CONTINUING TO BE A PROBLEM. WE ARE HAVING A CROSSWALK AT THE CORNER OF HICKORY AND EVERGREEN AND EVERY MORNING CHILDREN ARE TAKING THEIR LIVES IN THEIR HANDS TO CROSS THIS CROSSWALK, EVEN WITH THE CROSSING GUARD THERE. THEY HAVE BEEN ALMOST HIT 2 OR 3 TIMES, WITNESSED BY MYSELF AND MY WIFE AND BY OTHER PEOPLE. IN THE AFTERNOON THEY HAVE WHAT THEY CALL THE EVERGREEN WALKERS. THEY HAVE FIVE TEACHERS OUT THERE TRYING TO PROTECT THE KIDS FROM CARS RUNNING DOWN THROUGH EVERGREEN, EXCESSIVE SPEED AND NOBODY STOPPING FOR THE CROSSWALK. THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH OR WE CAN THINK OF IS TO PUT A STOP SIGN ALLOWING PEOPLE TO CROSS AT THAT CROSSWALK. THE STOP SIGN WOULD GO ON THE EAST AND THE WEST SIDE OF EVERGREEN STREET AT HICKORY STREET, WHICH WOULD ALLOW STUDENTS, KIDS AND PEOPLE AFTER SCHOOL HOURS TO CROSS THAT CROSSWALK AND GO TO THE SCHOOL, THE PLAYGROUND AND A FIELD BACK THERE. ALSO, WE WERE THINKING THAT POSSIBLY IF WE COULD REDUCE THE SPEED NEXT TO THIS SCHOOL, IT MIGHT BE A GOOD THING BECAUSE THERE IS EXCESSIVE SPEEDING DOWN THROUGH THERE. CURRENTLY, IT IS 30 MILES AN HOUR THROUGH THERE DURING NORMAL TIMES, AND THAT IS DEFINITELY NOT OBEYED BY. I NOTICED THAT CYPRESS BEND HAS 25 DOWN THROUGH IT AND IT HAS NO HOUSES OR CARS PARKED ON IT AND NO DRIVEWAYS, WHEREAS THE 809 HUNDRED BLOCK OF EVERGREEN HAS CARS PARKED ON IT AND DRIVEWAYS AT CARS BACKING AND ENTERING THEIR DRIVEWAYS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS ONE KID HAS ALREADY BEEN CLOSE CALL OF GETTING HIT ON EVERGREEN. SO IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT I WOULD TRY TO SAY TO YOU TO AVOID. I DON'T THINK IT'S IF SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN, I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET HIT. SOMEBODY COULD POSSIBLY GET KILLED, ALL BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF POSSIBLY TWO STOP SIGNS OR REDUCING THE SPEED. BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES WOULD HELP THE SITUATION, BUT I FEAR MORE FOR THE CHILDREN MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. SO I APPRECIATE YOUR OPPORTUNITY FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TODD BODEY. MIC] NOPE. OKAY, HOW ARE WE NOW? HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, SENIOR STAFF AND THOSE HERE WHO MAKE THIS CITY HOME. I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR THE FINE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND THE PROGRESSIVE NATURE IN BRINGING SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE TOGETHER. HOWEVER, I CAME TO THE LAST MEETING TO OFFER A PRAYER FOR YOU AND DECIDED TO REMAIN TO WATCH THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY. [00:05:03] AS I SAT THROUGH THE THREE PITCHES GIVEN BY DEI CONSULTANT GROUPS TO WIN A CITY CONTRACT, I BECAME VERY CONCERNED. THIS SPURRED ME TO COME HERE AND TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS. I AM WELL ACQUAINTED WITH DEI AS ITS PRINCIPLES WERE INSTALLED INCREASINGLY 30 YEARS AGO IN MY LONGTIME DENOMINATION OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH DISCIPLES OF CHRIST. AS SUCH, AT FIRST WE BECAME THE FOREMOST PRO RECONCILIATION ANTI-RACISM CHURCH MOVEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY. LEADING NEW CHURCH STARTS AT THE YEAR 2000 OVER EVERY OTHER DENOMINATION. HOWEVER, OVER TIME, THIS MOVEMENT INCREMENTALLY GUTTED OUR CHURCH INSTITUTIONS BY REPLACING ORIGINAL SIN OF REBELLION AGAINST GOD WITH EMPHASIS ON RECOGNIZING AND REPENTING OF UNCONSCIOUS RACISM. THAT NEW ORIGINAL SIN IN TURN, WAS REPLACED LATER ON WITH THE SIN OF REPRESSING THOSE WHO PROCLAIMED AN ALTERNATE FORM OF SEXUAL IDENTIFICATION. APOLOGIZING TO A GROWING CADRE OF NEW GROUPS VYING FOR THE TITLE OF THE MOST OPPRESSED BECAME AN OBSESSION IN OUR CHURCH. THE GOAL OF DEI WITH MINISTERS WAS TO GET THEM AND THEIR CONGREGATION TO RECOGNIZE PEOPLE PRIMARILY FOR THEIR COLOR OF THEIR SKIN AND UNFORTUNATELY TO SAY THEIR PACKAGE AND THEIR VICTIMIZATION STATUS AS THEY WALKED IN THE DOOR, INSTEAD OF VIEWING THEM AS ALL OF GOD'S PEOPLE MADE IN THE LORD'S IMAGE AND THEREFORE CARRYING EQUAL STANDING AMONG HUMANITY AS DEEMED BY THEIR CREATOR. I ALSO HAVE CLOSE FRIENDS WHO HAVE SERVED IN THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HAVE MADE MANY OBSERVATIONS FROM DEI THERE. THEY EVEN HAVE AN EQUITY OFFICE WHICH OFTEN RESULTS AFTER YOU HAVE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR DEI. IN AUSTIN, WE HAVE WITNESSED THE SLOW DESTRUCTION OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SOARING CRIME RATES AROUND AROUND THE COUNTRY IN OTHER CITIES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THESE PRINCIPLES. IN AUSTIN, THEY JUST HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF EARLY RETIREMENTS THIS PAST MONTH BECAUSE MANY OF THE OFFICERS ARE DEMORALIZED BY BEING THE BRUNT OF BAD CITY POLICIES. THEY ARE UNDERSTAFFED BY ALMOST 50%, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME HAVING TO LOWER THE RECRUITING STANDARDS TO ATTRACT ANY CANDIDATES TO BE PUT IN A NO WIN SITUATION. IS THAT MY TIMER? THAT IS YOUR TIMER. THANK YOU, SIR. I HAVE MANY OTHER THINGS TO SHARE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO TALK TO ME AFTERWARDS. I'LL BE AROUND. THANK YOU, MR. KUSTERBECK. AGAIN, IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. JOHN KUSTERBECK 103 FOREST GROVE, SOUTH. UNFORTUNATELY, CHARLIZE COULDN'T MAKE IT HERE. SHE HAD SOME ISSUES, SOME ISSUES SHE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS. SHE EMAILED ALL YOU GUYS. I HAVE A FEW OF MY OWN ABOUT THE RENTAL COMMUNITY CENTER. SO CHASE HAD SENT OVER A DOCUMENT ENTITLED PRINCETON MUNICIPAL CODE, SECTION 56 FACILITY AND PROGRAM OPERATION THAT HE WANTS SIGNED AND RETURNED, A COUPLE OF ISSUES WITH THIS. WHEN WAS THIS REQUIREMENT PUT INTO PLACE? WE HAVE RENTED THE COMMUNITY CENTER THREE PREVIOUS TIMES AND NOT ONCE HAVE WE RECEIVED IT OR BEEN ASKED TO SIGN IT. DOES EVERYONE WHO RENT THE COMMUNITY CENTER HAVE TO SIGN IT OR JUST US? IN THE DOCUMENT THERE ARE REFERENCES TO THE SPECIAL EVENT PERMITS, YET ON APRIL 25TH OF LAST YEAR, THE CITY ATTORNEY SPECIFICALLY SAYS AT 37 MINUTES AND 6 SECONDS INTO THE MEETING THAT THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS NOT GOVERNED BY THE SPECIAL EVENT ORDINANCE. SO ALL REFERENCES NEED TO BE REMOVED. ALSO, WHEN CHASE SPOKE TO CHARLIZE ON THE PHONE, HE MENTIONED THAT WE NEEDED TO SIGN IT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURPOSE THAT THERE WILL BE NO INDECENT LANGUAGE SPOKEN SPOKEN IN THE BUILDING. IS THE CITY NOW GOING TO POLICE PEOPLE'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH DURING PRIVATE EVENTS IN THE BUILDING? IF SO, A, IS THAT LEGAL? B WHO IS THE PERSON THAT WILL EITHER BE IN THE BUILDING OR LISTENING TO THE ENTIRE EVENT? AND C, IS THAT FOR ALL EVENTS TAKING PLACE THERE OR JUST OURS? INDECENT IS SUCH A BROAD TERM. IF WE COULD GET A DEFINITION OF THAT, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL TO ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY. ALSO IN AN EMAIL, CHASE SAID THAT WE HAVE TO RENT THE ENTIRE BUILDING BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF CARS THAT WILL BE IN THE PARKING LOT. WHERE IN THE REGULATIONS DOES IT SAY THAT FACILITY RENTAL SPACE IS DETERMINED BY THE NUMBER OF CARS IN THE PARKING LOT? THERE ARE 65 TOTAL PARKING SPACES. THE BIG ROOM OCCUPANCY IS RATED AT LIKE 86 PEOPLE. SO IF THERE'S A WEDDING RECEPTION AND 86 PEOPLE SHOW UP AND FILL THE ROOM AND EACH PERSON DRIVES THEMSELVES, DO THEY HAVE TO RENT THE ENTIRE BUILDING OR JUST THAT ROOM? [00:10:09] LAST TIME WE RENTED THE COMMUNITY CENTER, CHIEF WATERS HAD SPOKEN TO HIM AND SAID THAT THE CITY WAS NICE ENOUGH TO BLOCK OFF THE ENTIRE BUILDING SO WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING. AND WE TOOK THAT TO MEAN WE COULD USE ALL THE ROOMS AVAILABLE. SO PEOPLE SET UP LIKE THE WASHINGTON POST SET UP IN ONE OF THE ROOMS TO DO SOME INTERVIEWS. SO IF WE HAD KNOWN THAT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT, WE WOULDN'T HAVE STEPPED FOOT IN ANY ROOM OR ANY OF THE OTHER ROOMS. NOW, CHASE IS SAYING THAT SINCE WE DID LAST TIME, WE HAVE TO RENT THE ENTIRE BUILDING THIS TIME WE JUST PLANNED ON RENTING TWO ROOMS FOR OUR EVENT, BUT WE'RE TOLD WE HAVE TO DO THE ENTIRE BUILDING. IS THE COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS BEING EVALUATED BASED ON PREVIOUS USAGE FOR EVERYONE? IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE WE'RE BEING TARGETED YET AGAIN FOR NOTHING. THANKS. THANK YOU, SIR. WES BROWN, AND AGAIN, IF YOU'LL STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE TURN YOUR MIC ON ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. THERE WE GO. THANK YOU. I'M WES BROWN, PASTOR OF CALVARY CHURCH OF COLLIN COUNTY AT 2800 FM 3364 PRINCETON, TEXAS. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK HERE TONIGHT. I WANT TO SHARE THAT THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES ON MAY THE 5TH, 2014 RULED THAT CITY COUNCILS AND OTHER PUBLIC BOARDS ARE FREE TO OPEN THEIR MEETINGS WITH EXPLICITLY CHRISTIAN PRAYER RULING THAT JUDGES MAY NOT ACT AS CENSORS OF RELIGIOUS SPEECH SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PRAYERS REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE DOMINANT FAITH. THE MINISTER [INAUDIBLE] OF PRINCETON IS ASKING THAT YOU PLEASE PUT PUBLIC PRAYER BACK ON THE AGENDA OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN SAID IF WE EVER FORGET THAT WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, THEN WE WILL BE A NATION GONE UNDER, AND I'D LIKE TO SPEND THE REST OF MY TIME LEADING US IN PRAYER. ALL MOST KIND AND GRACIOUS HEAVENLY FATHER, PLEASE FORGIVE US FOR NOT PUTTING YOU FIRST. YOUR WORD IN, MATTHEW 6:33 SAYS TO SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS , AND THEN ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. FATHER, I PRAY FOR OUR MAYOR AND OUR CITY COUNCIL THAT THEY WOULD NOT GIVE IN TO DEI, THAT THEY WOULD BE BOLD FOR YOU, THAT THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW THE WOKE AGENDA TO INFILTRATE THE GOVERNMENT OF PRINCETON, TEXAS. I PRAY FOR WISDOM FOR OUR CITY LEADERS AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT OUR CHURCHES, BUSINESSES AND ALL OF OUR CITIZENS. YOUR WORD SAYS THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS EXALTS A NATION, BUT SIN IS A REPROACH TO ANY PEOPLE, AND WE ARE SADDENED BY EVIL IN THE WORLD, BUT WE REJOICE WITH THE TRUTH BECAUSE IT ALWAYS PROTECTS, ALWAYS TRUSTS, ALWAYS HOPES, ALWAYS PERSEVERES. LOVE NEVER FAILS, AND NOW THESE THREE REMAIN FAITH, HOPE AND LOVE, BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE. I PRAY FOR THE FAMILY OF ALEX THOMAS, A SOPHOMORE AT PRINCETON HIGH SCHOOL. HE DIED FROM AN ACCIDENT LAST TUESDAY EVENING. POLICE SURROUND THAT FAMILY WITH YOUR COMFORT BECAUSE YOU ARE THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT, AND PLEASE BE WITH THE STUDENTS WHO KNEW ALEX AND HIS FAMILY. I THANK YOU FOR THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO KEEPS US SAFE WHILE WE SLEEP. PLEASE PROTECT THESE BRAVE FIRST RESPONDERS AND THEIR FAMILIES. FATHER, WE NEED YOU IN OUR CITY, OUR CHURCHES, OUR SCHOOLS, AND EVERYWHERE ALL OVER. I ASK THIS IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST, OUR SAVIOR. AMEN. STEVE MOLINA. HELLO, MY NAME IS STEVE MOLINA. I AM THE PASTOR OF MI CASA HISPANIC CHURCH, ALSO KNOWN AS THE BEAUTIFUL AND HANDSOME MEXICAN, IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT. I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU GUYS. YOU GUYS HAVE A HARD JOB AND UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE, AND SO WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT OUR CHURCH, OUR CONGREGATION ON A DAILY BASIS, WE PRAY FOR YOU GUYS. WE ASK YOU. WE'RE ASKING GOD TO GIVE YOU WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. IT JUST APPEARS TO HERE LATELY COMMON SENSE HAS GONE OUT THE WINDOW, AND SO WE'RE ASKING THAT GOD GIVES YOU THE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING TO LEAD THE CITY IN A WAY THAT IT WILL BE A BLESSING FOR EVERYBODY. ONE OF THE REASONS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING TO PRINCETON IS BECAUSE IT'S A WELCOMING CITY AND WE ARE A VERY DIVERSE CITY. AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW I DON'T WANT TO BE PUT INTO A CATEGORY BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO BE [00:15:04] RACIST AND AND WE DON'T WANT TO TREAT PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY. I DON'T WANT TO BE CATEGORIZED. I'M A HUMAN BEING. I'M A CHILD OF GOD JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, AND ALL I'M ASKING YOU IS TO BE WISE IN YOUR DECISIONS. LOOK AT THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO VOTE. LOOK AT THE TRACK RECORD THAT IT HAS. IF IT'S A BLESSING IN OTHER CITIES, AND THIS BRINGS YOU UNITY AND BLESSING TO THE CITIES, BY ALL MEANS, YOU HAVE MY VOTE, BUT IF IT DOESN'T, IF IT'S CAUSED DIVISION AND IF IT CAUSED BUSINESSES TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CITY AND IT CAUSED THE CITY TO BE SPLIT BECAUSE OF RACIAL TENSION, THEN PLEASE DON'T VOTE THAT WAY. I'LL LEAVE IT IN YOUR HANDS. MY PRAYERS FOR YOU GUYS, AND I ASK GOD TO GIVE YOU THE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. JUST REMEMBER YOU REPRESENT EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS CITY AND WHEN YOU TRY TO FOCUS IN ONE GROUP, YOU ELIMINATE EVERYBODY ELSE. SO JUST FOCUS ON ALL OF US. WE'RE JUST ONE BIG GROUP, ONE BIG CITY FOR HERE, FOR GOD AND FOR YOU GUYS. GOD BLESS YOU. DOES ANYONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK TONIGHT FOR PUBLIC APPEARANCE? NO OKAY, IF NOT, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD FROM MAYOR'S COMMENTS. [MAYORS COMMENTS] THE ONLY THING THAT I DO HAVE TO ADD TONIGHT IS AN APOLOGY. LAST MEETING WE HAD DURING MAYOR'S COMMENTS, I ACKNOWLEDGED SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO, IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH, HAD PAVED THE WAY HERE IN OUR CITY AND DONE SOME INCREDIBLE THINGS, AND I FORGOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR VERY FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN DIRECTOR, WHICH WOULD BE MISS TENISHEA TURNER. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE SHE GOT THE RECOGNITION THAT SHE DESERVES. SO I APOLOGIZE THAT I DID NOT DO IT LAST TIME. THANK YOU, MISS TURNER [APPLAUSE]. ALL RIGHT, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE. SO WE'LL MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CONSENT AGENDA. [CONSENT AGENDA] CONSENT AGENDA. ALL ITEMS LISTED ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION. THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSIONS OF THESE ITEMS UNLESS COUNCIL MEMBERS SO REQUESTS, IN WHICH EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED IN ITS NORMAL SEQUENCE ON THE AGENDA. TONIGHT WE HAVE OUR MINUTES AND THEN ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-03-13-01 AMENDING THE CITY'S BUSINESS REGULATIONS. GENTLEMEN, IF THERE'S NOTHING TONIGHT THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED, IF I COULD GO AHEAD AND HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. YOUR HONOR, I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. MOTION CARRIES FIVE ZERO FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA. THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR REGULAR AGENDA TONIGHT. [REGULAR AGENDA] WE WILL BEGIN WITH AGENDA ITEM 2023-046 FOR SIREN TESTING, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE SIREN TESTING REQUESTED BY MAYOR CHACON. IS THERE ANYONE HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE THE UPDATE? YES. WELL, THERE'S THREE OF US HERE THIS EVENING, MAYOR. THANK YOU, AND SO WE'RE OPEN TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AND OPEN FOR DISCUSSION. ABSOLUTELY. SO I GUESS I SHOULD PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF TALK AMONGST THE COMMUNITY ABOUT DURING BAD WEATHER EVENTS, PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR THE SIRENS. HOWEVER, THIS LAST WEATHER EVENT THAT WE HAD ACTUALLY HAD OVERWHELMING RESPONSE OF PEOPLE SAYING THAT THEY DID HEAR IT, AND I THINK THERE WAS SOME MISCOMMUNICATION. A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAR THOSE SIRENS WHILE YOU ARE IN YOUR HOME VERSUS THE IMPORTANCE OF THOSE SIRENS SHOULD BE WHEN YOU ARE OUTSIDE TO HEAR THOSE. HOWEVER, I KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS PRIMARILY FOR OUR COMMUNITY JUST TO HAVE AN UPDATE TO SEE HOW OFTEN WE DO SERVICE THOSE SIRENS, HOW OFTEN WE TEST THEM AND JUST GIVE OUR PUBLIC AN UPDATE ON THEM, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY SAY I THINK THIS LAST WEATHER EVENT WAS AMAZING AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE. YOUR HONOR, IF I MAY CHIME IN ON THAT, THE STORM SIRENS, I WAS ACTUALLY PROBABLY KIND OF INSTRUMENTAL WHENEVER THEY FIRST CAME HERE, AND WE ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF THEM. NOW WE'VE GOT, I THINK 4 OR 5, 6 SIRENS NOW I LOSE COUNT SOMETIMES ANYWAY, BUT THEY ARE OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS. THEY'RE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTDOORS. THEY'RE NOT FOR IF YOU'RE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE, AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY FROM FROM DAY ONE BECAUSE WITH THE NOISE OF A STORM, THINGS GOING ON IN YOUR HOUSE, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HEAR IT ANYWAY WITH THE WIND BLOWING. I MEAN, YOU'RE VERY BE VERY LUCKY TO HEAR IT. THAT'S THE REASON WHY I ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS HAVE SEVERAL WAYS TO RECEIVE THE WEATHER, ONE OF THEM BEING A NOAH, ALL HAZARDS WEATHER RADIO. THEY'RE JUST LIKE A SMOKE DETECTOR. THEY JUST GO OFF WHENEVER YOU WHENEVER IT NEEDS TO, AND YOU JUST GOT A THING CALLED THE SAME TECHNOLOGY WHICH YOU CAN ACTUALLY PROGRAM IT. [00:20:01] SO IT'LL JUST RECEIVE COLLIN COUNTY. NOW THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DEVELOP OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO DO IT. THEY CAN ACTUALLY DIVIDE THE COUNTY UP ON THAT SAME TECHNOLOGY AND AND BE MORE SPECIFIC FOR THE WARNING AREA, BUT THAT IS THE VERY BEST WAY, AND PLUS ALSO AN AM RADIO WBAP RADIO AM RADIO IS THE STATE SET BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS THE ONE THAT GETS THE EMERGENCY ALERTS. AND WHERE THEY DO IT, THEY SEND IT OUT AND IT GOES TO ALL THE OTHER RADIO STATIONS IN THE DFW AREA AND THEN THEY REBROADCAST IT FROM THERE, BUT WE NORMALLY TEST OUR STORM SIRENS, WEATHER PERMITTING. IF IT'S NOT STORMY OR LOOKS BAD, WE DO IT ON THE FIRST WEDNESDAY OF EACH MONTH AT NOON TIME, AND IT JUST SO HAPPENS THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, THEY TEST THEIR STORM SIRENS OR THE NOAH WEATHER RADIO EVERY WEDNESDAY AT NOON TIME AND ALSO AT 6 P.M. , AND SO BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A FEW ISSUES WITH SOME OF THE SIRENS, BUT THAT'S SEEMS LIKE IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHENEVER YOU START DEALING WITH ELECTRONICS, IT HURTS. WE DO. THE OTHER NIGHT, ONE OF THE STORM SIRENS SET OFF. CAPTAIN HARPS SET THEM OFF FIRST FROM HIS HOUSE WITH HIS COMPUTER, AND THEN HE LOST POWER. SO HE LOST INTERNET. I WAS AT MY HOUSE. I DIDN'T LOSE POWER, BUT I'M ISSUED A HANDHELD RADIO THAT I CAN ACTUALLY SET THE STORM SIRENS OFF WITH THAT RADIO IN WHICH I DID THE SUBSEQUENT SETTING OFF THE SIRENS, AND WE DID SET THEM OFF, I THINK 4 OR 5 TIMES, YOU KNOW, DURING THE EVENT. THEN WHENEVER I ALSO LOOKED AT THE RADAR AND WHENEVER I CAN SEE THE THE EVENTS ABOUT TO MOVE OUT AND PROBABLY I'M A HAM RADIO OPERATOR, A PART OF SKYWARN, SO I MONITOR THE HAM RADIO OPERATORS AS THEY THEY'RE GIVING GROUND TRUTH, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND TELLING THINGS. WE SET THE ALARMS OFF WHENEVER THE STORM SPOTTERS WERE ACTUALLY IN MCKINNEY AND REPORTING POWER FLASHES. SO THAT'S WHENEVER WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND SET OUR SIRENS OFF BECAUSE THE STORM WAS MOVING OUR DIRECTION, BUT THEY WORKED LIKE A CHAMP THE OTHER DAY, I THINK, EXCEPT WE HAD ONE STORM SIREN THAT WAS ACTUALLY DOWN AND IT'S IN. IT'S GOING TO BE GETTING REPAIRED HERE JUST PRETTY QUICK. SO ANYWAY. WELL, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE THIS LAST STORM EVENT DID SHOW HOW GREAT YOU GUYS ARE AND EVERYBODY WAS VERY WELL INFORMED. SO THANK YOU. JUST FOR THE PUBLIC, IF ANYONE NEEDS TO KNOW. I LOOKED IT UP REALLY QUICK. YOU CAN GO TO PRINCETONTEXAS.GOV AT THE VERY TOP ON THE DASHBOARD, HIT DEPARTMENTS. SCROLL DOWN JUST A LITTLE BIT. YOU CAN SEE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. IF YOU GO TO THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PAGE, YOU CAN EASILY THERE SIGN UP FOR TEXT NOTIF ICATIONS. OR YOU CAN ALSO DOWNLOAD THE APP FOR BOTH AN ANDROID AND AN APPLE. SO AGAIN, OUR SIRENS ARE PREDOMINANTLY FOR OUTSIDE. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE, YOU NEED TO BE FOREWARNED THERE, BUT IF YOU ARE INSIDE AND NEED NOTIFICATION, PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THOSE ALERTS. MAYOR IF I COULD IF I COULD ADD JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, IT'S NOT WIDELY KNOWN OR MAYBE MISUNDERSTOOD. THE SIRENS ARE NOT AUTOMATIC. THEY REQUIRE SOMEONE TO MAKE A JUDGMENT CALL WHEN WHEN THE STORM IS APPROACHING, AND AT WHAT POINT DO YOU ALERT THE PUBLIC. SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE MADE VERY CAUTIOUSLY TO NOT NOT INADVERTENTLY, YOU KNOW, INSTILL PANIC IN PEOPLE, BUT THEY ARE MADE THEY ARE THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE WHEN IT BECOMES IMMINENT, AND WE BELIEVE. NOW, I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THOSE MECHANISMS ARE THEY'RE NOT PERFECT. THEY THEY DO STORMS INTERRUPT SIGNALS, AND SO SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE ONE SIREN MAY NOT RECEIVE A SIGNAL AND IT DOESN'T GO OFF. IT'S JUST INHERENT OF THAT SYSTEM. WE TRY CONSTANTLY TO KEEP THE SIRENS IN A GREAT STATE OF REPAIR, ALTHOUGH LATELY THERE HAS BEEN SOME DELAY IN SOME PARTS WHEN THEY THEY NEED TO BE ORDERED. WE JUST RECEIVED SOME MOTOR BRUSHES FOR A SIREN LAST WEEK AND THOSE WILL BE INSTALLED THIS WEEK, BUT BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE'RE VERY DILIGENT ABOUT THAT AND IT'S THE VERY FIRST THING ON OUR MIND WHEN STORMS ARE APPROACHING. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GENTLEMEN, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NOPE. NOPE. OKAY, IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON. THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-047 PUBLIC HEARING FOR ANNEXATION FOR PROPERTY CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING A REQUEST RECEIVED FROM OSAMA ABOUL [00:25:04] FETTOUH FOR THE VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION OF A PROPERTY BEING A TRACT OF LAND SITUATED IN COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS. BEING PART OF THE DAVID CHERRY SURVEY ABSTRACT NUMBER 166 BEING PART OF A CALLED 97.419 ACRE TRACT AS DESCRIBED IN A WARRANTY DEED WITH THE VENDOR'S LIEN FOR MARCEL K JONES TO T MEREDITH HARD, AKA THOMAS MEREDITH HARD AND WIFE NANCY J. HARD, AS RECORDED IN VOLUME 3537, PAGE 97 LAND RECORDS OF COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS, AND BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS 41.73 ACRES OF LAND, MORE OR LESS. THE TIME IS 6:57 P.M. THIS WILL BEGIN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THAT, PLEASE COME FORWARD. STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. OSAMA ABOUL FETTOUH, AND MY ADDRESS 6803 GREENHILL COURT PARKER, TEXAS, AND I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF YOU. IT'S THIS LAND WOULD LIKE TO ANNEX TO THE CITY JUST TO BENEFIT FROM THE UTILITIES AND THE SERVICE OF THE CITY. PRINCETON CITY IS GROWING UP AND WE WOULD LIKE TO BE PART OF THE CITY, PART OF THE FAMILY OF PRINCETON. SO WE HOPE THAT YOU ACCEPT OUR APPLICATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. ANYONE ELSE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING. OKAY, IF NOT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE IT. THE TIME IS 6:58 P.M. THIS WILL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-048 FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-03-13 VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PRINCETON, TEXAS, ANNEXING ADJACENT AND CONTIGUOUS TERRITORY TO THE CITY OF PRINCETON, TEXAS, BEING APPROXIMATELY 41.73 ACRES. MAYOR COUNCIL. THIS IS A VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION. THIS IS A 41 ACRE TRACT OF LAND THAT'S RIGHT HERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF 456 AND FM 1377. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD, AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, BUT THIS IS A VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION, AND I THINK MISS AMBER HAS HAS PULLED UP A LITTLE EXHIBIT FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE LOCATION OF IT. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, GENTLEMEN. YOUR HONOR, THERE'S NO QUESTIONS. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2023-048 ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-03-13 VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION. OKAY, DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. 3-048 ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-03-13 FOR VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION. WELCOME TO THE CITY OF PRINCETON. COME ON. OF COURSE. WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE. ALL RIGHT, THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-049, RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-03-13-R01 FOR SPECIAL EVENT FEES, CONSIDERATION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-03-13-R01 TO REPEAL CERTAIN EXISTING USER FEES FOR CITY SPONSORED SPECIAL EVENTS AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO CALCULATE AND ASSESS INDIVIDUAL USER FEES FOR FUTURE EVENTS SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF LEGAL FORM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. SO THE RESOLUTION BEFORE YOU IS A RELATIVELY SIMPLE, JUST KIND OF HOUSECLEANING MATTER, SO TO SPEAK. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, A RESOLUTION WAS PASSED TO ESTABLISH A PARKING FEE OF $10 FOR THE JULY 4TH CELEBRATION. THAT ENACTMENT DID NOT SPECIFY WHAT YEAR, JULY 4TH. SO IT HAD THE EFFECT OF DOING THAT INTO PERPETUITY. THAT IS NOT WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD THE CITY COUNCIL'S INTENTION TO BE, AND IT'S GOING TO PROVE INCONVENIENT NOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO POTENTIALLY SCHEME OUR USER FEES FOR THAT EVENT AND SIMILAR EVENTS IN A DIFFERENT MANNER THAN JUST HAVING A FLAT PARKING FEE. SO THIS RESOLUTION CLEANS UP ANY EXISTING RESOLUTIONS JUST BY BROAD CATEGORY. IF WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS SETTING USER FEES FOR PARTICULAR EVENTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THOSE ALL BE SET ON AN EVENT BY EVENT BASIS BY THE CITY MANAGER, AND IT GIVES HIM AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH THOSE USER FEES, WHICH ARE FEES PAID BY THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE SERVICE. SO PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTENDING THE EVENT RATHER THAN ALL THE CITIZENS IN THE CITY BEARING THE COST OF THIS. WHILE WE CAN'T NECESSARILY EXPECT 100% REIMBURSEMENT, SO WE GET TO REVENUE NEUTRAL SPECIAL EVENTS, AT THE VERY LEAST, WE CAN OFFSET SOME OF THE COSTS TO THE [00:30:01] CITY AT LARGE BY HAVING THE USERS WHO MAKE USE OF THESE FUNCTIONS AND ATTEND PAY SOME OF THE COSTS. IT IS ALSO EXPRESSLY CONFORMING TO THE THE LAW ON THIS QUESTION, WHICH IS ABOUT USER FEES WHERE THEY CAN'T BE USED TO JUST RAISE GENERAL FUNDING. WE CAN'T CHARGE $100 A SEAT OR A TICKET FOR A MOVIE IN THE PARK IN ORDER TO PAY FOR POLICE CARS. SO THESE HAVE TO BE SCALED TO BASED ON THE ANTICIPATED COSTS OF COVERING THE EVENT AND PROPORTIONATE TO THAT, AND IT CAN'T BE USED FOR GENERATING CITY REVENUES FOR OTHER PURPOSES. SO RIGHT NOW, WE'VE ALREADY GOT IN OUR ORDINANCES A PROVISION THAT ALLOWS USER FEES TO BE SET FOR VARIOUS PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES, BUT THAT'S SPECIFIC TO JUST THE PARKS AND REC FACILITIES. SO THIS ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY OF THIS RESOLUTION WOULD APPLY TO OTHER CITY FACILITIES OR CITY SPONSORED EVENTS THAT WERE CONDUCTED ON AT PLACES THAT WERE NOT PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITY PROPERTY. SO WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MIGHT HAVE, BUT STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. GENTLEMEN, ANY QUESTIONS? YOUR HONOR, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. IF NO ONE ELSE DOES. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2023-049 RESOLUTION NUMBER 202 3-03-13-R01 SPECIAL EVENT FEES. I'LL SECOND. OKAY WITH THAT WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. FOR THE APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 2023-049 RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-03-13-R01 FOR SPECIAL EVENT FEES. THIS WILL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-050 DEI RFP DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING DEI PRESENTATIONS FROM QUALIFYING SUBMISSIONS. MISS WALKER. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR. DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS ITEM HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK AT YOUR REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION AND DEI RFP CANDIDATE SELECTION. THE CANDIDATES WERE OBLITA LLC, DEI CONSULTANTS LLC AND ETHOS TALENT. THANK YOU, MA'AM. GENTLEMEN, HAVE YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THOSE AFTER WE MET THE PRESENTATIONS THAT WE HAD? YOUR HONOR, I HAVE, BUT I'VE GOT. I'VE JUST GOT ONE QUESTION. THE DEI ARE WE GOING TO. IS THIS FOR THE CITY TO USE FOR HIRING PRACTICES? WHAT DO YOU MEAN FOR. FOR CITY IN OUR. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CITY STAFF OR RESIDENTS? FOR CITY STAFF. HOWEVER, THERE'S NO WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO CHANGE HUMAN RESOURCES, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GETTING AT, OR HIRING PROCESSES. THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE I DID JUST A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH. I KNOW THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ANY STATE FACILITIES OR STATE EMPLOYMENT OR STATE SCHOOLS CANNOT USE THE DEI IT'S A VIOLATION OF LAW. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DIDN'T GET INTO ANYTHING THAT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REGRETTED IN THE FUTURE. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SEE US HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE PURPOSE WAS ACTUALLY FOR THIS IS IT FOR THE CITY FOR US TO PUT IN IN PLACE FOR US. SO IF WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE ORIGINAL CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD REGARDING DEI AND OUR INITIATIVES FOR DEI, IT WAS PRIMARILY RESIDENT BASED TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING SERVICES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS THAT WERE EQUITABLE FOR EVERYONE. MS. MISS WALKER DID A FANTASTIC PRESENTATION TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EQUALITY AND EQUITY, AND WE HAD ALL DECIDED AT THAT TIME THAT WE DID WANT OUR CITIZENS TO HAVE AN EQUITABLE EXPERIENCE WHILE THEY WERE HERE. IN ORDER FOR US TO INSTITUTE THOSE AS A CITY, TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT WE ARE BRINGING PARKS AND REC SERVICES OR WE ARE BRINGING DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE EQUITABLE. THERE HAS TO BE AN EDUCATION PIECE TO EMPLOYEES THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. SO WE'RE NOT SAYING WE'RE HIRING ONLY SPECIFIC PEOPLE OR EMPLOYING ONLY SPECIFIC FACTORS OR PEOPLE, GROUPS, WHATEVER THAT IS. THAT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING. THAT'S NEVER ANYTHING THAT WE'VE EVER DISCUSSED. THIS IS AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE TO SAY, HEY, WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER TO MAKE FOR SURE WE ARE BEING EQUITABLE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS? SO IT'S AN EDUCATIONAL THING. [00:35:03] DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE. YOU KNOW, EVEN HERE AS A COUNCIL, WE HAD TO HAVE AN ENTIRE PRESENTATION TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EQUALITY AND EQUITY. AND I THINK THERE'S A VERY NEGATIVE CONNOTATION ON WHAT THAT MEANS. THERE'S A VERY POLITICALLY DRIVEN CONNOTATION ON WHAT THAT MEANS, AND THAT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT WE'RE HERE FOR SURE. ABSOLUTELY. IF I MAY, MADAM MAYOR, A LOT OF THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT ARE THAT IT'S SOME TYPE OF NEW AGE, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AND OR CRITICAL RACE THEORY. THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. IT'S NOT ABOUT BLACK, WHITE, HISPANIC. IT'S NOT ABOUT GAY STRAIGHT. IT'S ABOUT LITERALLY JUST ENSURING THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE HERE, WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT, SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY CAN BE PROSPEROUS TOGETHER. YEAH, AND IT REALLY HELPS US TO SEE AREAS THAT WE MAY HAVE OVERLOOKED THAT WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE, THAT WE SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE HAVE A HUGE PARK BOND COMING UP. ARE WE MAKING FOR SURE OUR BONDS OR OUR PARKS ARE ACCESSIBLE TO WHEELCHAIR BOUND CHILDREN WHEN WE'RE REDOING OUR WEBSITES, ARE WE MAKING FOR SURE THAT THEY'RE ADA COMPLIANT, WHEN WE'RE DOING ANY TYPE OF STRUCTURE HERE. DOES IT IS IT ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY? THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT FACETS TO DEI THAT, AS MISS WALKER SAID, THEY'RE NOT SPECIFIC TO ANY PEOPLE GROUP, THEY'RE SPECIFIC TO EVERY PEOPLE GROUP. SO I JUST I REALLY WANT TO MAKE FOR SURE YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND THAT, DON'T WE HAVE THAT ALREADY? DO WE HAVE A PARK THAT IS WHEELCHAIR COMPLIANT THAT A KID CAN GO PLAY AT? BUT DO WE NOT OR ARE PEOPLE THAT GO AND DO PLACES TO BE HIRED OR ARE THEY NOT ALSO TREATED WITH RESPECT AND KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THAT JOB. THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS DISCUSSION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CITY SERVICES. WE DON'T EMPLOY OTHER BUSINESSES HERE. QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT WAS THE PRICE RANGE ON THAT AGAIN? HOW MUCH WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THE CITY WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. SO IT DEPENDED UPON EACH PRESENTATION, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT PRICE CAN PAY A PLAY A FACTOR. IT WAS BETWEEN $24,000 AND $138,000 WASN'T IT, THAT'S WHAT I HEARD LAST TIME. THAT'S CORRECT. THAT WAS ON THE LOW END. WELL, PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SPEND MONEY. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND THE CITY'S MONEY, BUT I LIKE TO SPEND ON SOMETHING THAT I CAN SEE TANGIBLE THAT IS GOING TO BE HELPING ALL THE CITIZENS IN THE CITY. FOR INSTANCE, THE OTHER DAY YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN PRINCETON BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING. THIS WOULD BE JUST PROBABLY A DROP IN THE BUCKET, BUT IT WOULD HELP A LOT FOR THAT THAT PROGRAM REPAIR THE STREETS DOWNTOWN. A LOT OF THE STREETS NEED TO BE REPAIRING 1 OR 2 OR GRAVEL. GRAVEL IN 2023 WE HAVE GRAVEL STREETS DOWNTOWN. AND I THINK THEY ALREADY HAVE. OR THEY'RE WORKING. NO, THEY'RE NOT. THE STREET I DROVE DOWN TODAY, THEY'RE NOT WORKING ON IT. IT HASN'T BEEN WORKED ON. IT'S NOT ACTUALLY IN PROGRESS, BUT THEY DO HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT AREA. YEAH, AND I ACTUALLY THINK YOU MAKE A FANTASTIC POINT IN THAT IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN. SO HANG ON JUST FOR A MOMENT. WELL, IF WE'RE DISCUSSING REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN AND WE WANT THAT TO BE AN AREA THAT ALL OF OUR CITIZENS CAN COME TO AND HAVE EVENTS AND TURN IT BACK INTO A MAIN STREET MARKET AREA, HAVE BUSINESSES THRIVING DOWN THERE. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ON THE CURBS THE STOPPING PLACES WHERE SOMEBODY THAT'S BLIND KNOWS TO STOP. OKAY, WHICH I WOULD ADDRESS BECAUSE IT POINTS OUT THOSE FALLACIES. WELL, I'M TALKING ABOUT SPENDING THE MONEY ELSEWHERE. FOR INSTANCE, ADDING MORE AMENITIES TO THE RECREATION CENTER THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET. THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT BUCKETS OF MONEY, THOUGH, HUH? THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT. WELL, WE CAN MOVE MONEY AROUND. YOU KNOW WE CAN. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY WE. HOW ABOUT THE ANIMAL CONTROL? WE COULD HAVE IT [INAUDIBLE] DON'T HAVE STRAY DOGS RUNNING AROUND MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. I SEE IT ALL THE TIME. NOW WE RELY ON COLLIN COUNTY. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT THERE'S A LOT OF. IT'S A CHUNK OF CHANGE HERE. $135, $38,000. WELL, WE HAVEN'T DECIDED ON THAT ONE. EXCUSE ME? WE HAVEN'T DECIDED ON THAT PARTICULAR ONE. WELL, I KNOW, BUT THAT'S THE LIMIT IS FOR $24,000 $138,000. SO WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT THAT RANGE. I CAN SEE SPENDING MONEY. I BELIEVE THE CITY COULD PROBABLY FIND A BETTER USAGE OF SPENDING THAT MONEY. MAYOR YES. [00:40:01] IF I COULD BACK ON THE DEI PART OF IT. FOR HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO LAST? I MEAN, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO LAST FOREVER? IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN IF WE DECIDE WE WANT TO VOTE ON IT, THAT WE SAY, OKAY, WE PUT A TIME LIMIT ON IT AND SEE WHAT EFFECTS IT HAS, SEE WHAT SEE WHAT THE OUTCOME IS, AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE GIVE THEM A YEAR TO DO IT OR SIX MONTHS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE, AND THEN THEN IF IT WORKS OUT AND DOES WHAT WE YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADDRESS HOW THE PROGRAM WOULD WORK? SO ONCE AWARDED THE SELECTION, THE CANDIDATE SELECTED WOULD NEED TO BEGIN THE PROCESS WITHIN SIX WEEKS. MOST OF THE TIMELINES RANGE BETWEEN SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR TO CREATE THE AD HOC BOARD AND GET THEM UP AND RUNNING. THEY WOULD ALSO DO SOME TRAINING, AS MADAM MAYOR SAID, WITH OUR STAFF HERE, AS TO WHAT DEI ENTAILED SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THESE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT REALLY IS. AND I THINK THAT ALSO DOING THAT, IT SHOWS OUR CITY RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO DEI AND WHAT IT ENTAILS AND THE PROCESS OF IT. SO IT'S A GENUINE EFFORT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY. WELL, WHAT I WANT WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SEE, I DON'T WANT TO SEE AN AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT'S FORMED THAT COMES IN AND DECIDES THEY'RE GOING TO COME IN AND CHANGE CITY POLICY. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I THINK THAT WOULD STILL BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD VOTE ON, THOUGH. MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY. OH, MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY, THE FORMATION OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR DEI SERVICES WOULD NOT HAVE A BINDING EFFECT ON THE CITY. IT WOULD BE AN ADVISORY BOARD THAT WOULD COME UP WITH A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS OR PROPOSALS FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY EITHER THE CITY OR ITS BOARDS OR OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES IN THE COMMUNITY. FRANKLY, THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE LIMITING THEIR SCOPE OF THEIR MISSION TO WHILE WE WANT THEM TO BE FOCUSED ON THE CITY AFFAIRS AND THE CITY EVENTS. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO BE LIMITED TO THAT, BUT THEY WOULD NOT BE GIVEN THE AUTHORITY BY THE AWARD OF THIS BID TO ONE OF THESE TO ONE OF THESE VENDORS OF THE THE CONSULTING SERVICES THAT WOULD NOT BE GIVING THE DEI BOARD ANY AUTHORITY TO CHANGE CITY POLICY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE CITY POLICIES WOULD STILL BE THE ONES THAT ARE ADOPTED BY THIS BOARD VIA ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTION OR WHICH ARE CREATED BY THE CITY MANAGER UNDER THE AUTHORITY THAT'S BEEN DELEGATED TO HIM UNDER THE UNDER THE CHARTER AND THOSE ORDINANCES. ANYTHING ELSE ANYONE HAS TO ADD? MADAM MAYOR, I THINK SOME OF THE THE CONNOTATION ALSO COMES IN. MISS WALKER, MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS, BECAUSE I READ THROUGH THOSE THOSE THREE PROPOSALS AS WELL, AND THERE WAS ONE IN THERE THAT STUCK OUT TO ME A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THE OTHERS BECAUSE I NOTICED IN THE PROPOSAL THE FIRST THING IT DID IS HAD PRONOUNS BESIDE EVERYBODY'S NAME. SO I THINK IT IS, IT IS THAT IS KIND OF THE CONNOTATION THAT COMES WITH THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE IMMEDIATELY THINKING LIKE, HERE WE GO. AS I READ THROUGH THESE, I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THEM BASED IN TEXAS. I SAW FLORIDA AND A COUPLE OF OTHER STATES. I THINK THE APPREHENSION OF EVERYBODY IS COMING COMING ON BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE IT'S OUTSIDERS COMING IN THAT ARE GOING TO START TO TELL US HOW TO SPEAK, HOW TO TALK, YOU KNOW, HOW WE SHOULD DO BUSINESS. SO I THINK THAT THAT KIND OF BECAUSE THAT CAUGHT ME RIGHT OFF GUARD AS SOON AS I SAW IT. I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO. I SPEAK THE WAY I SPEAK, I DON'T PRESCRIBE TO ANYBODY ELSE'S WAY OF SPEAKING. THIS IS THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS TALKED. I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE IT TODAY, TOMORROW, OR NEXT YEAR. IT JUST IS THE WAY IT IS. SO I UNDERSTAND THE APPREHENSION OF THESE TWO GENTLEMEN. AS FAR AS ARE THEY GOING TO CHANGE THIS, MAKE THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO AFFECT OUR CITY OVERALL OR OUR EMPLOYEES, OUR EMPLOYEES NOW GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, BLACK MARKED OR PUT DOWN IF THEY DON'T USE PROPER PRONOUNS AND ALL THIS KIND OF STUFF, AND IF IT DOESN'T PERTAIN TO THOSE THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT ISSUE. YOU KNOW, IT MAKES ME A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE THING. IT WAS JUST WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CONNOTATION, WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, I THINK SOME OF THESE CONNOTATIONS ARE COMING FROM FROM THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SENT TO US AS WELL. JUST AS YOU READ OVER IT, IT KIND OF JUMPS OUT AT YOU, PUTS YOU ON THE DEFENSIVE RIGHT FROM THE GET GO. ABSOLUTELY, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND AND I ALSO RESPECT THAT. I THINK WITH THE WAY WE MOVE FORWARD WITH DEI IS TO DO IT WITH INTENTION , AND THE INTENTION HERE IS, AS WE SAID, TO BRING EVERYONE TO EQUAL MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE FIGHTING CHANCE, RIGHT? [00:45:08] SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE STRICT RULES. YOU HAVE TO HAVE STRICT GUIDELINES AS TO WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT, WHAT WE WON'T TOLERATE IN OUR DEI PROGRAM. THERE ARE CERTAIN FACETS OF IT THAT, YES, CAN COME INTO PLAY, SUCH AS THE PRONOUNS. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR HERE. SO WITH CONTROLLING THAT NARRATIVE AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD, WE CAN SEE A SUCCESSFUL DEI PROGRAM THAT WILL NOT TURN INTO HE OR SHE BLACK, WHITE, THIS GROUP VERSUS THAT GROUP. IT'S JUST ABOUT HOW YOU PROCEED, AND ONCE YOU MAKE THAT KNOWN TO WHOEVER YOU SELECT TO RUN THIS CAMPAIGN FOR US, IT IS WHAT IT IS. WE PUT THOSE NARRATIVES IN PLACE FROM THE BEGINNING, AND THAT IS HOW YOU CONTROL IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. ABSOLUTELY. I DO HAVE A QUESTION I WANTED YOU TO SPEAK TO. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF BUSINESSES, RIGHT, WHENEVER THEY ARE DOING THEIR MARKET RESEARCH AND SO FORTH, THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY ASK. RIGHT. IS, DO YOU HAVE A COMMITTEE? DO YOU. RIGHT. WHAT'S YOUR WHAT'S YOUR POSITION? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR YOUR CITY? RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT IS A THAT COULD BE A A A DECIDING FACTOR. RIGHT. ON WHETHER THEY DEVELOP IN YOUR CITY OR WHETHER THEY COME TO YOUR CITY. SO COULD YOU SPEAK TO THAT A LITTLE BIT? COMPANIES DO OFTEN WANT TO KNOW WHAT DEI INITIATIVES YOU HAVE IN PLACE, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THAT IS A POINT FOR THEM. WE WANT TO COME INTO YOUR COMMUNITY AND WE WANT TO POUR INTO YOUR COMMUNITY. NOT ONLY DEI INITIATIVES, BUT OTHER COMMUNITY INITIATIVES. SO THAT DOES PLAY A HUGE ROLE. I MEAN, IF YOU GO TO ANY LARGE COMPANY, PEPSI, TOYOTA, YOU KNOW, COMPANIES OF THAT SIZE, YOU WILL IMMEDIATELY SEE A LINK FOR THEIR DEI INITIATIVES. THEY DO WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE IN PLACE AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY, AND THAT IS A WAY THAT YOU DO HELP YOUR COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING CERTAIN RESOURCES TO THEM. SO, YES, THEY DO WANT TO SEE THAT. A LOT OF COMPANIES. WITH THAT BEING SAID, DOES THE CITY OF FRISCO AND CITY OF PLANO HAVE THEY ADOPTED A DEI? THE CITY OF PLANO AND FRISCO. I AM NOT SURE I KNOW LITTLE ELM DOES HAVE ONE. I KNOW MCKINNEY HAS. I KNOW, BUT PEPSI. PEPSI AND TOYOTA ARE BOTH IN IN COLLIN COUNTY OR FRISCO, AND I CAN'T I TRULY CANNOT SPEAK AND SAY WHETHER OR NOT PLANO HAS DEI INITIATIVES, BUT I'D BE WILLING TO BET THAT THEY MORE THAN LIKELY DO. IT'D BE INTERESTING TO KNOW THAT, I COULD GOOGLE IT, BUT I DON'T HAVE MY PHONE UP HERE, AND WHO ELSE IN COLLIN COUNTY MAY HAVE IT? OR WHICH OTHER CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS HAVE IT. IF YOU'D LIKE, I COULD BRING THAT BACK TO YOU. YOU KNOW THAT THAT'D BE REALLY INTERESTING TO FIND OUT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS IS THE, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF THE OF THE OF THE DEI THINGS THEY FOCUSED AROUND CHICAGO. WELL, LOOK HOW CHICAGO IS RUNNING AND HOW MANY SHOOTINGS AND HOW MANY THINGS THEY HAVE AND THEIR POLICE AND STUFF. AND I SURE DON'T WANT TO BE MODELED AFTER CHICAGO. I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY MORE OF A CULTURE ISSUE AND NOT EVEN JUST CULTURE, JUST A CHICAGO ISSUE, BUT THOSE ISSUES ARE EVERYWHERE, AND NOT JUST IN CHICAGO. THEY'RE HIGHLIGHTED BECAUSE THEY'RE SO PROMINENT AND THEY'RE SO MANY OF THEM, BUT THOSE ISSUES ARE EVERYWHERE, AND I DON'T THINK THAT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO DEI INITIATIVES. YEAH. I WAS GOING TO SAY, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, BY ADOPTING THIS OR HAVING THIS, THAT IT'S GOING TO LEAD TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. RIGHT, AND WITH WHAT MR. KLEIBER SAID, AS FAR AS THE MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ON IT, IT WOULD IT WOULD BE NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER EXPERTISE THAT WE GO OUT AND GET RIGHT FOR ANYTHING THAT WE DO, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, AN ENGINEERING FIRM OR, YOU KNOW, A CONSTRUCTION PIECE OR WHATEVER. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO END UP PAYING FOR EXPERTISE TO DECIDE WHICH DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO. SO I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF WE DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD THAT THOSE WOULD BE THAT THAT WOULD BE A FACTOR OR SOMETHING THAT WE'D HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT. LIKE MR. OBERA SAID, ULTIMATELY. RIGHT. WE STILL AS THE GOVERNING BODY. RIGHT. WE STILL HAVE TO VOTE AND MAKE THE DECISIONS ON WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING. SO BY ADOPTING THIS, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE TURNING OVER THE FIBER OF OUR CITY TO SOMEONE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. [00:50:07] SO I THINK THAT THAT'S PART OF THE MISCONCEPTION TOO, IS JUST THE THOUGHT OF IT. MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT. IT'S SOMETHING NEW I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND, AND BUT, YOU KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE BE ABLE TO DICTATE OR TAKE A LOOK BEFORE THEIR PLANNING, BEFORE THEY PUT IT INTO ACTION, BEFORE THEY CHOOSE THE COMMITTEE ON WHAT ALL THAT'S GOING TO DO AND WHAT ALL IT'S GOING TO ENTAIL. LIKE I SAID, I DON'T WANT IT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE CITY WHERE THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN COME IN AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO OUR HIRING PRACTICES BASED ON DEI BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS HAS OUTLAWED IT AND MADE IT ILLEGAL FOR STATE INSTITUTIONS TO HIRE. I DON'T THINK IT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO NEED TO DO IF IT'S IF IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE THAT , BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT I'M SAYING. IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP OUR THUMB ON IT. YEAH. WHAT ARE YOU WHAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IS MORE GOVERNMENTAL LEVEL POLICY RELATED ISSUES IN REGARDS TO AND I THINK YOU'RE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HUMAN RESOURCES AND HIRING PRACTICES, THAT DEI DOESN'T DO THAT AT THE MOST. DEI IS EDUCATION. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT PRINCETON HAS CHANGED. PRINCETON IS DIVERSE. PRINCETON HAS A POPULATION THAT REPRESENTS A LOT OF GROUPS. WE NEED TO BE EDUCATED ON HOW TO BETTER GOVERN, THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CHANGE OUR WAY OF THINKING OR OUR WAY OF GOVERNING THE CITY. WE STILL HAVE TO VOTE ON HOW, YOU KNOW, BASED ON OUR CITIZENS, HOW WE WANT THE CITY TO GO. HOWEVER, THIS IS AN EDUCATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE TO OUR STAFF ON BETTER FACILITATING THESE DECISIONS AND THESE RESOURCES FOR OUR CITY. TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT BRYAN SAYS, IF THAT MAKES US A BETTER CANDIDATE TO BRING IN BUSINESSES TO PRINCETON BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A DEI INITIATIVE, WE ARE CONCERNED WITH IT AND WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE USING BEST PRACTICES TO RUN OUR CITY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE APPREHENSION OF IT. WE STILL HAVE THE SAY AS A GOVERNING BODY AS TO WHAT ORDINANCES AND WHAT WAY DIRECTION WE WANT OUR CITY TO GO. I UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT BUT IT'S JUST I'M JUST BY CURIOSITY, YOU KNOW, WANT TO KNOW IF PLANO AND FRISCO FRISCO HAS BEEN BRINGING LOTS OF BUSINESSES, IF THEY'RE DEI, BECAUSE YOU SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED TOYOTA AND PEPSI, THAT THEY HAVE THAT AS A QUESTIONNAIRE. THEY USE THAT, AND IT WOULD JUST BE KIND OF IF IF THEY'RE NOT, FRISCO HAS BEEN BREAKING IN AN AWFUL LOT OF BUSINESSES CHECK. IS THAT WOULD THAT BE A CORRECT TERM BUT NOT DO THAT AND NOT LET IT INTERFERE WITH OUR CITY BUSINESS AND OUR EVERYDAY BUSINESS THAT WE DO. YOU KEEP MENTIONING TOYOTA AND BEST BELIEVE BEFORE TOYOTA BROUGHT THEIR BUSINESS THERE, THEY HAD SOME EDUCATION ON JAPANESE CULTURE. I PROMISE YOU THAT JAPANESE JAPAN WOULDN'T HAVE BROUGHT A TOYOTA FACILITY THERE IF IF THEIR CULTURE WASN'T UNDERSTOOD. THERE HAD TO BE SOME SORT OF EDUCATIONAL PIECE AROUND THAT. UNDERSTAND, AND I'VE DEALT WITH THEM OVER THERE FOR DIFFERENT THINGS AND ALSO PEPSI AND FRITO-LAY, BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST. I WAS JUST CURIOUS WHETHER THEY CAME IN BECAUSE OF THAT OR NOT. YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THEY DID. THEY DID THEIR HOMEWORK, ABSOLUTELY. SO I'LL SAY THIS, STEVE. I MEAN, I ATTEND NUMEROUS EDC CONFERENCES OR PANELS EVENTS ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE MAJOR ORGANIZATIONS COMING IN. MAJOR BUSINESSES COMING IN TO SPEAK. BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING IN ALONG THE 121 CORRIDOR. BIG BUSINESSES. TOYOTA WAS ACTUALLY AT ONE OF THEM, AND JUST RECENTLY WE WERE AT ONE AND THERE WAS A PANEL THERE AND THE PANELIST, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE MCKINNEY EDC WAS ASKED, WHAT IS THE NUMBER ONE QUESTION THAT BUSINESSES ASK WHEN COMING TO MCKINNEY FOR INFORMATION? AND IT WAS, WHAT IS YOUR DEI PROGRAM? AND AGAIN, THESE ARE MAJOR BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING IN, AND EVERY SINGLE EVENT THAT I GO TO DEI IS BROUGHT UP EVERY SINGLE TIME AS A DRIVING FACTOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. MADAM MAYOR, IF I MAY. I'VE WAS ABLE TO FIND THAT THE CITY OF MCKINNEY HAD IN 2021 TO 2022 ADOPTED A ONE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY INCLUSION AND HAD DEVELOPED AND ADOPTED A STATEMENT AND COMPANION LEXICON OF TERMS IN LATE THAT YEAR. PLANO HAS A MULTICULTURAL OUTREACH COMMISSION THAT MEETS ON THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH THAT I BELIEVE PERFORMS THESE ANALOGOUS [00:55:03] FUNCTIONS AS A DEI AD HOC COMMITTEE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT THEY'RE AVOIDING USING THAT TERM. I WASN'T ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING SPECIFIC TO THE CITY OF FRISCO. YEAH. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING FOR FRISCO EITHER FOR THE CITY, JUST THE ISD. NOW, MISS WALKER, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT, AND CLARIFY THAT FOR ME. THAT COST THAT COST COULDN'T BE CONSIDERED IN MAKING THIS DECISION. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THAT FOR ME? I'LL JUST. I'LL JUST SAY THAT THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. IT'S LIKE HIRING AN ENGINEER, AND SO WHEN YOU HIRE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, YOU'RE TECHNICALLY NOT ALLOWED TO USE BIDDING PRACTICE WITHIN STYLE, AND SO THIS IS MORE OF A RFQ QUALIFICATIONS, AND YOU RECOMMENDED TO MAKE YOUR DECISION BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS RATHER THAN THE COST. I THINK ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THAT IS THAT IN THIS CONTEXT, IT IS A BEST VALUE CALCULATION RATHER THAN JUST AN ABSOLUTE COST. YOU DON'T YOU'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO ACCEPT THE LOWEST DOLLAR VALUE BID BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE OFFERING EXACTLY THE SAME STYLE OF SERVICES OR YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET EXACTLY THE SAME THING FROM THEM, AND SO YOU'RE ALLOWED TO MAKE AN INDEPENDENT JUDGMENT ON WHICHEVER OF THESE QUALIFIED CANDIDATES YOU BELIEVE REPRESENTS THE BEST VALUE TO THE CITY. AND MR. BORG CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE FACT OF HAVING A DEI COMMITTEE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED AND VOTED ON AND APPROVED THAT THAT'S NOT THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT. TONIGHT IS DISCUSSING THE RFP AND WHO WE ARE CHOOSING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. THE COUNCIL DID VOTE AT PREVIOUS MEETING TO PROCEED WITH A RFQ FOR DEVELOPING A DEI COMMITTEE FOR, LET ME REPHRASE THAT, FOR HIRING AN ORGANIZATION TO FORMULATE THE DEI COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY, AND SO, YEAH, THAT WAS ALREADY VOTED ON. THIS IS THIS IS THE FOLLOW UP. THEY'VE DONE THEIR THEY'VE DONE THEIR RFQS, THEY'VE SUBMITTED THEIR RFQS, AND THEN AT THIS AT THIS JUNCTURE, IT'S PURELY A DECISION FROM THE COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ONE OR NOT AT ALL. OKAY, THANK YOU. WELL, AGAIN, GENTLEMEN, AFTER LOOKING AT THE SUBMISSIONS THAT WERE SENT IN AND THE PRESENTATIONS, DID ANY OF THOSE STICK OUT TO YOU IN PARTICULAR? I WILL SAY FOR ME PERSONALLY, I DID PREFER THE LAST PRESENTATION. YES. ETHOS, AND THEY WERE LOCAL, CORRECT? YES, MADAM MAYOR. OKAY, YEAH, I JUST THINK THAT BASED ON EVERYTHING THAT WAS PRESENTED, I THINK OUT OF THE THREE, THAT ETHOS WAS THE ONE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS THE MOST IMPRESSIVE, AT LEAST FOR ME. WELL, GENTLEMEN, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO MAKE A MOTION. WELL, I JUST MUST SAY THAT THE VERY LAST ONE, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAMES OF THEM, BUT THE VERY LAST ONE WAS. THAT WAS ETHOS [INAUDIBLE]. SHE IMPRESSED ME. THERE'S THE OTHER ONES WERE NOT TOTALLY PREPARED. YEAH, NO, I AGREE, BUT YEAH, IT WAS HONESTLY, I FELT A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED IN SOME OF THE PRESENTATIONS. WELL, I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT ETHOS RFP FOR THE PROGRAM HERE IN PRINCETON. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THAT. OKAY, WITH THAT, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE [INAUDIBLE]. YES, THAT'S THE LAST ONE. ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. APPROVAL OF ETHOS TO BE THE DEI COMPANY. WHAT IS THE WORD I NEED TO USE FOR THAT? REPRESENTATIVE WE'LL GO WITH THAT. AGENDA ITEM 2023-050 FOR DEI RFP. THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA 2023-051 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE REQUEST FOR ITEMS TO BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA AND NOT FOR DISCUSSION OF THESE REQUESTS. [01:00:02] GENTLEMEN, ANYTHING TONIGHT THAT YOU NEED TO PLACE ON A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? NOPE. I'D LIKE TO LOOK INTO THE CROSSWALK THAT CITIZEN WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER. OKAY, YES. YEAH. CAN WE LOOK AT THE WHOLE SPECTRUM? SPEED LIMIT, STOP SIGNS, EVERYTHING THAT WAS MENTIONED ON THAT. AND I GUESS IF CHIEF WATERS WOULDN'T MIND GIVING A PRESENTATION ON THAT, I KNOW THAT WE HAD SPENT SOME TIME LOOKING INTO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND DOING SOME OVERVIEW ON THAT. SO JUST TO KIND OF GET A FOOTHOLD ON WHERE WE ARE THERE. ANYTHING ELSE, GENTLEMEN? YES, MADAM MAYOR, I REMEMBER A FEW COUNCIL MEMBER, A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, A FEW COUNCIL MEETINGS BACK. WE TALKED ABOUT A IN WHITE WING, I BELIEVE THEY WERE GOING TO BE SOME A STEALTH CELL TOWER THAT WAS GOING TO GO UP. I KNOW EARLIER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE STORM AND AND POWER OUTAGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I'M ONE OF THOSE FOLKS THAT WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT AND I DON'T HAVE WI-FI, WE GET NOTHING ON OUR ON OUR TELEPHONE, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER THE TIMEFRAME ON THAT. OR DO WE KNOW WHICH CARRIERS ARE COMING TO THAT STEALTH TOWER? WE CAN BRING YOU BACK A PRESENTATION ON THAT, SIR. YOU BET. THANK YOU. I THINK THAT WOULD HELP A LOT DURING THE THOSE TIMES BECAUSE. OH, ABSOLUTELY. THE APP THAT THE MADAM MAYOR PULLED UP, I THINK IT WAS CALLED CIVIC READY. YEAH. THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU CAN'T HEAR THOSE STORMS, FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE INSIDE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET SERVICE TO MAKE SURE WE CAN DO IT. DID I HEAR YOU? SOME INFORMATION ON CIVIC READY? IS THAT. NO, NO. SHE PULLED IT UP. I UNDERSTAND. THAT'S THE I UNDERSTAND. THAT'S THE APP, BUT THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING ABOUT THE CELL SERVICE, BECAUSE THE APP WON'T WORK IF WE DON'T GET GET THE SERVICE. SO I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CODE RED. YEAH. YEAH, AND THEN I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER UPDATE ON BEECHAM STREETLIGHTS STILL AREN'T ON ON A GOOD SECTION OF BEACHUM. YES, MA'AM. ANYTHING ELSE? ALL RIGHT, THAT'LL TAKE US TO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER TERMS OF CHAPTER 551 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE. THE CITY COUNCIL MAY ENTER INTO A CLOSED SESSION OR EXECUTIVE SESSION. EXECUTIVE SESSION TO DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING. SECTION 551.0712 TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY ON A MATTER IN WHICH THE DUTY OF THE ATTORNEY TO THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY UNDER THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF THE STATE BAR OF TEXAS, CLEARLY CONFLICTS WITH THIS CHAPTER ON ANY POSTED AGENDA ITEMS. THERE IS NOTHING TO GO INTO AN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THIS EVENING THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR REPORT AGENDA, AND THAT'S ALL YOU, MR. [REPORT AGENDA] BORG. THANK YOU. WE GOT A LOT TO LOT TO BRIEF EVERYBODY ON, STARTING WITH THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING HERE ON MARCH 27TH AT 6:30. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, MEALS ON WHEELS, MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS FROM 10 TO 1 AT THE STEPHEN AND JUDY DEFFIBAUGH COMMUNITY CENTER, CPR AND AED FIRE EDUCATION TRAINING CLASSES ARE HELD ON THE THIRD THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 6 TO 9 AT THE STEPHEN AND JUDY DEFFIBAUGH COMMUNITY CENTER. ON MARCH 18TH, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER MOVIE IN THE PARK SPONSORED BY THE COMMUNITY EVENTS AT LOIS NELSON LIBRARY. THAT EVENT STARTS AT 6:30 AND THE MOVIE STARTS AT 7:30. PRINCETON AT THE RIGHT HERE AT THE PRINCETON CENTER. THE MOVIE IS LYLE LYLE, CROCODILE FREE FOOD AND YARD GAMES. APRIL 1ST, FROM 10 TO 12:30 IS EASTER EGG HUNT. WE'LL HAVE EGG HUNT, ARTS AND CRAFTS, PETTING ZOO AND A BOUNCE HOUSE. APRIL 1ST FROM 1:30 TO 4:30 IS THE COMMUNITY CENTER OR THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS SENSORY SENSITIVE, SENSITIVE EGG HUNT. THERE WILL BE NO MORE THAN 20 KIDS PER HUNT, SO PARENTS WILL NEED TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT ONLINE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. VENDOR APPRECIATION FOR JULY SPECTACULAR IS NOW OPEN. THE LINK CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE OR ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE, THE PET EVENT ON FEBRUARY 25TH RESULTS. THE OPERATION KINDNESS MICROCHIP 32 PETS AND VACCINATED 148 PETS. 2 DOGS FROM COLLIN COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICE WERE FOUND THEIR NEW FULL EVER HOMES FOREVER HOMES. STACY'S COUNTRY CUTS BEAUTIFIED AROUND 80 PETS AND THANK YOU TO BAD DOG COOKIE COMPANY AND BLUE BUFFALO FOR BEING AT AT THE EVENT AND THEN IF I COULD REMIND THE COUNCIL TO MENTION IN THEIR COUNCIL REPORT THAT [01:05:03] THE 1ST OF APRIL ON THAT SATURDAY IS OUR CLEAN SWEEP OR OUR GREEN GREEN EVENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR CITY COUNCIL REPORT AGENDA CITY COUNCIL REPORTS ABOUT ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST REGARDING WHICH NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. [CC REPORT AGENDA] WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY, LET ME PULL THIS UP REAL QUICK AGAIN ON FRIDAY, MARCH 24TH, FROM 9 TO 10:30 AT ORIGIN CHIROPRACTIC. THAT'S GOING TO BE DOWNTOWN AT 310 NORTH MAIN STREET. THEY ARE SPONSORING COFFEE WITH A COP. SO THANK YOU ORIGIN CHIROPRACTIC FOR ORGANIZING THAT. PLEASE COME IN, SAY HI TO OUR PD AND GET TO KNOW THEM AND JUST TELL THEM THANK YOU FOR WHAT THEY DO. ALSO, STEPHANIE, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A HUGE THANK YOU FOR ORGANIZING THE SENSORY EVENT FOR THE EGG HUNT. AS A MAMA THAT HAD A KIDDO WITH SENSORY ISSUES THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC FOR HIM WHEN HE WAS LITTLE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF OUR KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUTSTANDING. ANYTHING ELSE, GENTLEMEN? ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT IF I CAN JUST GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN. YOUR HONOR, I'LL MAKE THAT MOTION TO ADJOURN. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE, AYE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR COMING. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.