[00:00:05]
>> GOOD EVENING. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
[CALL TO ORDER ]
THE TIME IS 6:35 PM.THIS WILL BEGIN TO CITY COUNCIL MEETING FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE ROLL CALL, MYSELF, BRIAN AND CHACON IS PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
IF YOU'LL PLEASE STAND WITH ME.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO OUR PUBLIC APPEARANCE.
[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 THIS SECTION THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA OTHER THAN TO MAKE STATEMENTS OF SPECIFIC FACTUAL INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO A SPEAKERS INQUIRY OR TO RECITE EXISTING POLICY IN RESPONSE TO THE INQUIRY.
IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE TONIGHT THAT IS HERE TO SPEAK ON ANY SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT ONE OF THESE FORMS, YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO DO SO AND GET THAT TURNED IN.
THIS WILL BE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
AS I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE COME UP TO THE PODIUM, MAKE SURE THAT YOU TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON, STATE YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
AGAIN, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I WOULD PLEASE REMIND YOU THAT WE DO HAVE CHILDREN HERE TONIGHT SO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU SAY DOES NEED TO BE RESPECTFUL AND POLITE.
GIVEN THE NATURE OF THESE ITEMS, I NEED EVERYONE TO ACT ACCORDINGLY OR I WILL BE ASKING YOU TO LEAVE.
TONIGHT, WE WILL BEGIN WITH MR. KELLY CARR.
>> HELLO. KELLY CARR AND PASTOR AT NEW HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH.
I LIVE HERE IN PRINCETON ON JUNIPER STREET.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK VERY RESPECTFULLY TO YOU ON THE ISSUE OF DEI, I BELIEVE IT'S COMING UP LATER IN THE AGENDA.
BUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSIVITY.
BUT I KNOW THAT RECENTLY THERE WAS A VOTE ON THIS TO CREATE AN ADVISORY BOARD.
I REALLY RESPECTFULLY WOULD ASK YOU TO RECONSIDER THAT AND FOR SEVERAL REASONS, I BELIEVE THAT EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE THINGS IN THERE AND MAYBE SOME OF THE INITIAL THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO IN THERE, SOME OF THEIR GOALS MIGHT BE GOOD.
THE END PRODUCT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THAT WAY.
EVEN THOUGH IT TALKS ABOUT INCLUSIVENESS, IT TENDS TO BE WHAT I SEE OTHER PLACES IS DIVISIVENESS.
IT TENDS TO PUT PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS AND THEN THEY'RE ALL PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER.
RECENTLY AT STANFORD, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT BY PEOPLE THERE WHO HAD BEEN IN ONE OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
THEY HAPPEN TO BE SOME JEWISH MEN WHO WERE CLASSIFIED AS JUST BEING AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAD PROMOTED SLAVERY IN THIS COUNTRY, WHICH OF COURSE THEY WERE NOT AND THAT WAS AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER SITUATIONS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
EQUITY, I BELIEVE EVEN THOUGH YOU FIND THE TERM IN THE BIBLE, IT DOESN'T MEAN THE SAME THING IN THE BIBLE.
IT MEANS FAIRNESS AND IT MEANS JUDGING WITHOUT PARTIALITY.
HOWEVER, HERE IT TENDS TO MEAN SOMETHING MUCH DIFFERENT.
IT MEANS HAVING A SYSTEM WHERE EVERYTHING, THE OUTCOME IS ALL SUPPOSED TO BE EQUAL.
THE OUTCOME IS SUPPOSED TO BE EQUAL, NOT A FAIRNESS IN HOW THINGS BEGUN OR A FAIRNESS IN HOW PEOPLE ARE RESPECTED, BUT RATHER EVERYBODY IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THE SAME OUTCOME.
[00:05:04]
HOW WOULD THAT WORK OUT IN TERMS OF SALARIES, EVEN FOR THINGS LIKE THAT? BUT I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO REALLY RESPECTFULLY RECONSIDER SOME OF THESE THINGS.I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO TURN OUT WELL FOR OUR CITY.
I'M AFRAID IT WILL END UP PITTING GROUPS AGAINST EACH OTHER.
WHEN I CAME HERE TO THE CITY, THERE WAS SUCH GREAT CAMARADERIE OVER SO MANY THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING. I LIVE AT 1402 TULIP DRIVE AND IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE SAME SUBJECT DEI.
JUST WANT TO EXPRESS, I THINK IT'S A DEI ADVISORY BOARD THAT YOU MAY RECONSIDER HAVING.
I JUST THINK THAT RESOURCES THAT THE CITY HAS SHOULD BE SPENT ON OTHER THINGS.
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY, A GROWING CITY RIGHT NOW, THAT WE HAVE AND I SPOKE ON THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AS WELL.
MY EXPERIENCE PERSONALLY WORKING FOR [INAUDIBLE] HARRIS AND ALL THE DEI TRAINING THAT WE'VE HAD.
FROM MY STANDPOINT, I THINK MOST OF THE PEOPLE JUST DO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST AFRAID OF EITHER LOSING THEIR JOBS OR THEY JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH IT.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE WHERE WE WORK, WE TREAT EACH OTHER RESPECTFULLY, REGARDLESS OF COLOR OR SKIN OR ABILITY OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT HOPEFULLY THAT YOU RECONSIDER SPENDING RESOURCES ON MORE USEFUL THINGS THAN DEI. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS STEVE MORGAN.
I LIVE AT 2,800 COUNTY ROAD 494, AND I AM JUST HERE.
WHEN WE SAID THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SOMETHING JUST POPPED OUT IN MY HEAD WHERE IT SAYS, LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WITHOUT LIBERTY, WE CAN'T HAVE JUSTICE FOR ALL, AND WITHOUT JUSTICE WE CAN'T HAVE LIBERTY.
WE CAN'T SEPARATE ONE FROM THE OTHER.
SO I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL TO PLEASE CONSIDER THIS.
I'M HERE ABOUT THE DEI ALSO, BUT I ALSO WANT TO OFFER UP A PRAYER.
I WOULD LIKE TO PRAY AT THIS TIME.
LORD, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FATHER FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU GIVE ME, TO LIVE IN THIS GREAT CITY OF PRINCETON.
I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE AND JOY THAT'S IN THIS CITY.
FATHER THAT I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE SINCE 1986, AND SINCE 1986, I'VE FELT THE LOVE AND UNITY OF THIS PLACE.
BY YOU PLACING ME HERE AND GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE HERE, I KNOW FATHER THAT I HAVE SPIRITUAL STEWARDSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY OVER THIS TOWN.
I JUST WANT TO ASK FOR YOUR WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU MAY GIVE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING TO THIS BOARD, TO THE MAYOR.
THAT THEY DO YOUR WILL AND WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY, AND NOT OUR OWN PURPOSES.
THAT WE MAY GIVE YOU GLORY AND HONOR IN EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND I ASK ALL OF THIS IN JESUS NAME, MY SAVIOR AND LORD. AMEN.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD, MEMBERS, MAYOR.
I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT I PRAY FOR WISDOM FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANTED TO SAY, WE PLEDGE ONE NATION UNDER GOD.
OUR MONEY SAYS IN GOD WE TRUST.
BUT WE ARE MOVING FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY FROM, "IN GOD WE TRUST''.
IT STARTS SMALL LIKE MOVING PRAYER OUT OF EVENTS, SCHOOLS.
WE KNOW THAT LYING IS NOT RIGHT.
[00:10:03]
WE KNOW THAT STEALING IS NOT RIGHT.WE KNOW THAT IMMORALITY IS NOT RIGHT.
BUT WHY ARE WE EMBRACING IT WITH DEI? THE MEANINGS THEY HAVE BECOME, DEI: D FOR DECEPTION AND DIVISION, E FOR EXCLUSION AND EMBRACING IMMORALITY, I, AN INSULT TO GOD FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE.
IF WE SAY WE ARE CHRISTIANS, WE LOVE GOD, AND IF WE LOVE GOD, WE KNOW THAT HE IS TRUTH.
THE BIBLE IS GOD'S LOVE LETTER OF TRUTH.
GOD THE FATHER LIKE PARENTS, GIVES US DO'S AND DON'TS, NOT TO BE A KILL JOY, BUT TO PROTECT US AS WE JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE.
IF WE'RE UNSTOPPABLE FOR JESUS, THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS TRUTH.
IF WE'RE UNSTOPPABLE FOR OUR OWN SELFISH GOALS, THEN THAT LIGHT IS A TRAIN BECAUSE WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.
SO HAS THERE BEEN MORE PEACEFUL, MORAL ATMOSPHERE SINCE MANY CORPORATES AND CITIES HAVE GONE WOKE WITH DEI AND CRITICAL RACE THEORY? NO. THERE'S BEEN MORE CONFUSION, DISRUPTION, RACE DIVISION, IMMORALITY, ANGER, VIOLENCE, SHOOTING AND SUICIDES ARE ON THE RISE.
THE MEDIA TRIES TO BLAME THE RISE IN VIOLENCE AND SHOOTINGS TO MENTAL ILLNESS.
COULD IT BE MENTAL CONFUSION CAUSED BY A LACK OF FAITH AND HOPE IN SOMEONE GREATER THAN THEMSELVES.
I AM REMINDED OF A BIBLE STORY, BIBLICAL STORY THAT WAS MENTIONED AT THE CITY COUNCIL SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
IT WAS ABOUT A WOMAN WHO IS CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF ADULTERY AND WAS SENTENCED TO BE STONED TO DEATH.
WHEN JESUS WAS ASKED ABOUT THIS, HE SAID, " HE WHO HAS NOT SINNED, TOSS THE FIRST STONE." WELL, THEY ALL LEFT AND THERE THE WOMAN STOOD ALL ALONE.
JESUS ASKED HER, "WHERE ARE YOUR ACCUSERS? HAS NO ONE CONDEMNED YOU?" SHE SAID NO.
JESUS, KNOWING HER BROKEN HEART AND LOST SOUL SAID, "NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU." UNFORTUNATELY, AT THAT COUNCIL MEETING THE STORY WAS NOT COMPLETED.
JESUS ALSO GAVE HER A COMMAND, "GO AND SIN NO MORE." HE DID NOT CONDEMN HER, BUT HE DID NOT CONDONE HERSELF.
>> HELLO, AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TO COME SPEAK TO YOU TONIGHT.
MY NAME IS MICHAEL KEATING AND MY ADDRESS IS 705 RAWHIDE WAY.
>> I JUST WANTED TO TALK TONIGHT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF DEI, THE WAY I SEE THEM.
I WORKED FOR A COMPANY THAT IMPLEMENTED THE DEI PROGRAM SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AND I'VE READ ARTICLES ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A DEI PROGRAM.
PARTICULARLY, THERE'S FINANCIAL BENEFITS TO PLACES, OR BUSINESSES THAT ADOPT DEI.
FINANCIAL BENEFITS, ECONOMIC BENEFITS TEND TO FAVOR THOSE PLACES OR BUSINESSES THAT ADOPT THOSE COMPANIES.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A RISK IF YOU CHOOSE TO IGNORE THE NOT ADOPTING DEI.
WE'RE A SMALL CITY AND WE'RE BECOMING LARGER.
I KNOW THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS A BOND MEASURE COMING IN AND THEY'RE TRYING TO ADOPT A BOND POLICY AND HERE ON THE CITY SIDE THERE'S A DEI PROGRAM THAT'S BEING QUESTIONED BY SOME CITIZENS AND SOME OF US FAVOR IT.
I THINK IF WE WERE TO ADOPT IT WE WOULD PROBABLY SEE MORE GROWTH, MORE PEOPLE WOULD MOVE HERE, AND THAT'S MY POINT OF VIEW ON IT.
I THINK YOU WOULD SEE MORE PEOPLE MOVE HERE AND MIGHT FAVOR IT, AND MIGHT SEE THE CITY GROW.
YEAH, THAT'S CLOSE TO THREE MINUTES.
I THINK YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT ADOPTED.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. ALSO WE'VE HAD SOME OTHERS COME IN THAT WERE LAST MINUTE.
IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON AN AGENDA ITEM TONIGHT IN THE PUBLIC APPEARANCE, I DO NEED YOU TO FILL OUT A FORM IN THE VERY BACK AND BRING IT UP HERE TO OUR CITY SECRETARY.
[00:15:05]
ALSO, I WOULD ASK IN-BETWEEN SPEAKERS, IF YOU WILL PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL THE VERY END OF THE PUBLIC APPEARANCE, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.THAT'S GOING TO HELP US TO CONTINUE TO MOVE OUR MEETING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND WE'RE NOT HAVING TO PAUSE AFTER EVERY SINGLE SPEAKER. THANK YOU.
DONNA PETREE 445 OVERLAND DRIVE.
I'M A VETERAN AND A FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT DEI IS THE ONSET OF COMMUNISM AND MARXISM.
I SPENT ONE YEAR IN HAVANA, CUBA, AND EQUITY THERE MEANS A DOCTOR LIVES IN A THREE-ROOM APARTMENT WITH HIS ELDERLY MOTHER ON THE FIFTH FLOOR WITH NO ELEVATOR IN THE HEAT, A CONCRETE BUILDING.
EQUITY TO THEM IS YOU DO WHAT WE SAY, YOU GO WHERE WE GO, IF YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T WORK, YOU DON'T EAT.
THERE WERE RATIONS OF FOOD SOURCES, MILK WAS ONLY GRANTED TO BABIES UNDER THREE YEARS OLD AND ADULTS OVER 65.
I SAW CHILDREN WITH RICKETS BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK OF VITAMINS.
ELECTRICITY WAS RATIONED IN AN HOURLY BASIS, NOT ALWAYS 24 HOURS.
BLACK-SKINNED PEOPLE WERE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.
I KNOW THIS PERSONALLY BECAUSE MY COWORKER WAS BLACK AND HE WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN I'D EVER KNOWN.
EVERY TIME WE WENT DOWNTOWN, HE WAS STOPPED AND HARASSED UNTIL HE SHOWED HIS DIPLOMATIC ID.
I DIDN'T SEE A WHOLE LOT OF MULTI-SKINNED, HIGH-RANKING COMMUNIST INDIVIDUALS.
AND THE GAY PEOPLE, LESBIANS, AND GAY MEN, WERE ALLOWED ONE PLACE TO GO, THE MALECON.
NOWHERE ELSE. THEIR JOBS WERE MINIMAL.
THEY WERE TOLD WHAT TO DO, WHERE TO GO.
THERE WERE SNITCHES IN EVERY COMMUNITY.
THAT'S COMMUNISM AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT CRT AND DEI WILL REPRESENT IF WE ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AS FAR AS DIVERSITY AND BEING A FORMER VETERAN, DIVERSITY TO ME WAS WE WORK TOGETHER FOR THE SAME GOAL AND THAT WAS FOR PEACE AND LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL AMERICANS.
IT DOESN'T MATTER YOUR SKIN COLOR, DOESN'T MATTER YOUR RACE, WHAT NATIONALITY YOU CAME FROM, YOU SEE A DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE ALL AROUND HERE, AND WE LIVE IN PEACE BECAUSE OF OUR GOALS.
[APPLAUSE] DID YOU ALL NOT HEAR? LAQUITA JAMES.
TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON, PLEASE.
IT'S A BUTTON ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE. THERE YOU GO.
>> GOOD EVENING, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS LAQUITA JAMES OF SEVENTH STREET, A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF PRINCETON.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO VOTE AGAINST DEI LEGISLATION.
A VOTE AGAINST THIS PROPOSAL ISN'T A VOTE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS OF VARIOUS DEMOGRAPHICS, IT COULD BE A VOTE THAT THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
WHAT DEI PROPOSES SOUNDS VERY NOBLE, BUT ITS EXECUTION IS WRONG.
IT ACTUALLY WILL EXACERBATE THE VERY DIVISIVENESS IT PROPOSES TO DISSOLVE.
THIS IS A SOCIAL PROGRAM AND A POLITICAL PLATFORM AND SHOULD REMAIN IN THAT REALM AND NOT IN THE REALM OF LAW.
PEOPLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE TO SUPPORT IT THROUGH WORKS AND MONEY.
MAKING IT A LAW MEANS TAKING AWAY YOUR CITIZENS' RIGHT TO CHOOSE TO GIVE TO THE CAUSES AND CHARITIES THEY WANT TO SUPPORT.
[00:20:02]
PLEASE REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND VOTE THIS DOWN SO THAT THE CITIZENS WHO SUPPORT THIS CAN DO SO THROUGH THEIR OWN EFFORTS.THEN RE-PURPOSE THOSE PUBLIC FUNDS FOR STREETS OR ENCOURAGING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OR ONE OF THE OTHER MANY ISSUES THAT THE CITIZENS OF PRINCETON ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT. THANK YOU.
>> THERE, WE GOOD. I HAD ASKED TO SPEAK DURING THE AGENDA TIME, IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR NOTES? ARE WE ALL LUMPED TOGETHER?
>> NO, IT'S HERE, THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON.
YOU CAN SPEAK ON ANYTHING YOU WANT TO.
>> OKAY, I'VE THOUGHT MAYBE DURING THE TIME OF THE AGENDA.
I'M TODD BODDY AND I'M A PASTOR AT FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH AT 212 MCKINNEY AVENUE HERE IN PRINCETON, TEXAS.
THE PRINCIPLES OF DEI, THE SUBJECT OF MUCH CRITICISM TODAY, EVEN BY OUR LEADING COMEDIANS LIKE DAVE CHAPPELLE AND BILL MAHER.
THEY HAVE DOUBLED DOWN IN SPEAKING AGAINST IT BECAUSE ONE OF THE EFFECTS IS THAT DEI ATTEMPTS TO REWRITE OUR LANGUAGE AND TO STIFLE FREE SPEECH.
IT MAY SOUND LIKE HATE SPEECH AT TIME, BUT WE MUST HAVE THAT FREE SPEECH TO ENABLE THE LIBERTY THAT WE ARE SO FOND OF IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AN ACQUAINTANCE OF MINE WAS RECENTLY GOING THROUGH DEI TRAINING, HE WORKED FOR A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY AND HE ASKED AFTER A GRUELING HOUR OF GOING THROUGH EVERYBODY TRYING TO CONSIDER WHAT THEIR NEW PRONOUNS WOULD BE, HE ASKED, "COULD WE TAKE A 15-MINUTE BREAK AND STRETCH OUR LEGS?" TO THAT HE WAS INQUISITIONED BY A WOMAN WHO SAID, "HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMETHING SO OFFENSIVE AS STRETCHING OUR LEGS? THERE COULD BE SOMEBODY IN HERE WHO IS LAME OR IS MISSING A LIMB." THAT'S WHERE DEI GOES, BUT SOMETIMES IT GOES FARTHER THAN THAT.
IT STARTS OUT WITH CONSULTING, BUT OFTEN, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTRY, IT GOES TO WHERE YOU END UP HAVING AN OFFICE OF EQUITY THAT AT SOME POINT WILL HAVE MORE STANDING AND WEIGHT THAN YOUR CITY ATTORNEY OR YOUR CITY MANAGER.
EVERYTHING WILL HAVE TO BE FILTERED THROUGH THEM.
LASTLY, DEI HAS BEGUN TO BE BANISHED FROM TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, STATE UNIVERSITIES, AND STATE AGENCIES FOR THE SIMPLE REASON THAT DEI CREATES THE BREAKING OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT BY HELPING DISCRIMINATE PEOPLE BY COLOR, RELIGION, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
IF YOU READ THE LITERATURE AND THE HISTORY OF DEI, IT IS FOR DIVERSITY, AND AD HOC GROUPS FROM DIFFERENT COLORS AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION ARE PUT TOGETHER, BUT OFTEN THE END RESULT IS HOMOGENEOUS THINKING.
YOU CAN HAVE DIVERSITY AND THE EXTERNALS, BUT THINKING MUST BE CONTROLLED AND POLICED.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL CITY WE NEED TO KEEP FREEDOM OF THOUGHT.
>> HI, MY NAME IS BENJAMIN LONG.
I LIVE ON JADE COURT HERE IN PRINCETON.
I'M JUST HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO KEEP OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE.
I LIKE TO SEE OUR TAX MONEY SPENT APPROPRIATELY ON PEOPLE LIKE THE POLICE, THE ROADS, THE PARKS.
I DON'T WANT OUR MONEY SPENT ON UNNECESSARY GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, ANYTHING THAT IS NOT NEEDED IN BASIC LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY AND YOU GUYS UP THERE THAT ARE IN CHARGE OF OUR MONEY AND WHERE IT GOES, THAT IT GOES TO THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE, AND EVERYTHING I UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM THAT YOU'RE STARTING WITH, DEI, IS THAT IT BRINGS NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS TO THE CITIES THAT IS INCLUDED INTO.
FOLKS THAT TRIED TO BE PROPONENTS OF IT, THEY STRUGGLE EVEN COMING UP WITH GOOD IDEAS OF WHY IT DOES WELL FOR THEM.
COMPANIES STRUGGLE WITH IT WHEN THEY USE IT.
THEREFORE, I CAN'T IMAGINE GOVERNMENT CAN DO ANY BETTER WITH IT.
SO I ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS AS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO FOLLOW THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT SUPPORT THIS DIVERSITY,
[00:25:01]
EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.PRETTY MUCH THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY.
>> THIS NEXT, GENTLEMEN, I'M NOT FOR CERTAIN WHAT THE LAST NAME IS, MARTY [INAUDIBLE]?
>> I THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS AND GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND SPEAK.
FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT IT WAS MY HONOR TO BE A DALLAS POLICE OFFICER FOR 26 AND-A-HALF YEARS.
IT WAS A GREAT JOB TO HAVE, BUT IT WASN'T ALL FIGHTING CRIME AND SUPPRESSING EVIL AND MAKING BAD GUYS WET THEIR PANTS.
I ALSO GOT A CHANCE TO WORK WITH INNER CITY KIDS AND I LOOK FOR SOMETHING TO DO WITH THOSE INNER CITY KIDS THAT WOULD GET THEM AWAY FROM DRUGS AND GANGS.
I FOUND OUT THAT THE BOY SCOUTS WAS A PERFECT FIT FOR THAT.
SO I STARTED A BOY SCOUT TROOP AND WE ENDED UP WITH EAGLE SCOUTS AND THAT TRUE.
I WOULD GO TO THE SCHOOLS AND THE TEACHERS WERE TELLING ME ABOUT SOME OF MY SCOUTS, HOW GOOD THEY WERE DOING AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY WERE SEEING WITH THESE BOY SCOUTS IN SCHOOL.
IT BROKE MY HEART WHEN I SAW WHAT ORGANIZATION LIKE DEI DID TO BOY SCOUTS, IT WOUNDED.
IT WAS DOING THE SAME THING WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND HINDERED POLICE OFFICERS FROM BEING ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB THE WAY THEY WERE TRAINED TO DO IT.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THEY DID IT THE WAY THEY WERE TRAINED, THEY WERE PUNISHED FOR DOING SO.
I BELIEVE FROM EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD HERE TODAY AND FOR WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT DEI, THAT IT'S BAD AND IT WILL GROW LIKE A CANCER.
I BELIEVE THAT IT'S LIKE A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.
YOU THINK IT'S ONE THING AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT TOO LATE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE AND WE'VE HEARD WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK THAT IT IS.
I WAS GOING TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT THE BEST THING TO DO WITH DEI IS TO REFER TO THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE IT'S JUST GARBAGE.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT.
DEI IS THE GOVERNMENT'S WAY TO GO IN AND TAKE SMALL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT LIKE THIS AND BRIBE IT TO DO WHAT BIG GOVERNMENT WANT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO SEE HERE IN PRINCETON.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE SERVING US AND DOING THE JOB THAT YOU DO.
BUT WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL REPRESENT US AND NOT DEI.
>> JOHN KOSTERBACK 103 FOREST GROVE SOUTH.
ON MARCH 30TH I HAD AN EVENT, COUNCIL MEMBER CLEVER SAID THAT WE DON'T WANT DEI.
THEN SPEAKING ON THE VOTE FOR ETHOS TO FORM THE COMMITTEE, HE SAID, WE WERE PUSHED INTO IT IN A WAY WE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH INFORMATION.
WHAT INFORMATION DID YOU NOT GET? THE PROCESS STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO.
EVERYONE WAS PRESENT ON MARCH 28TH OF LAST YEAR WHEN MS. WALKER DID THE INITIAL PRESENTATION ON DEI AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU VOTED YES TO PROCEED WITH THE RFP FOR FINDING A COMPANY TO HELP START THE COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY.
THEN AGAIN, ON JUNE 27TH OF LAST YEAR WHEN RECONNECT CAME IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL WITH THEIR PRESENTATION IN RESPONSE TO THE RFP, NOT ONLY DID COUNCIL MEMBER CLEVER VOTE YES FOR THEM, BUT HE'S SECONDED THE MOTION TO ACCEPT THEM.
IF DEI IS SO DESTRUCTIVE AND EVIL, LIKE HIS POST FROM LAST MONTH ON THE 15TH STATES, THEN WHY WOULD HE VOTE TWICE FOR IT PREVIOUSLY? ALSO, WHERE WAS THE COMMUNITY OUTRAGE AGAINST IT PREVIOUSLY AS WELL? FOR THE PAST YEAR, NO ONE HAS SHOWN UP TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT.
IT WASN'T UNTIL ETHOS WAS SELECTED THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY SHOWED UP TO SPREAD FALSE INFORMATION.
TALKING POINTS, DEI IS NOT RACIST, IS NOT COMMUNISM.
THIS COMMITTEE IS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.
[NOISE] DOES COUNCIL MEMBER CLEVER UNDERWOOD AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO'VE COME TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST IT NOT WANT TO SEE THE CITY PROGRESS WITH
[00:30:03]
THINGS LIKE CURB CUTS WITH BUMPS OR BLISTERS ON PATHS TO WARN PEOPLE WITH LIMITED VISION OR MOBILITY THAT THEY ARE LEAVING THE SIDEWALK AND ENTERING A STREET? DO THEY NOT WANT EVENTS HERE LIKE THE SENSORY SENSITIVE EASTER EGG HUNT.THINGS LIKE THOSE ARE A TYPE OF RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE COMMITTEE COULD MAKE TO THE CITY.
ALSO, AT THE LAST MEETING, ONE PERSON DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS SPOKE ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE RECEIVED DEI TRAINING AT THEIR COMPANY, L3 HARRIS AND HOW IT'S ALL QUOTAS FOR HIRING.
I WORKED FOR SAME COMPANY TOO AND HE MUST NOT HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO ANYTHING THE COMPANY HAS SAID.
EVEN TODAY, COMPANY-WIDE EMAIL WAS SENT OUT SAYING THAT L3 WILL PARTICIPATE IN DAYS OF UNDERSTANDING.
DEDICATED WEEK LONG EVENT WHERE LEADERS AND EMPLOYEES CONTRIBUTE TO WORKPLACE DEI THROUGH OPEN AND MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE.
MY COMPANY IS ONE OF OVER 2,400 ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CEO ACTION FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION COALITION.
THESE COMPANIES HAVE PLEDGED TO CULTIVATE WORKPLACES.
THAT'S PART OPEN DIALOGUE ON COMPLEX AND SOMETIMES DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, AND EXPAND UNCONSCIOUS BIAS EDUCATION.
AS THE MAYOR AND MS. WALKER HAVE SAID PREVIOUSLY, CORPORATIONS LOOK AT AND TAKE DEI SERIOUSLY.
IF YOU WANT COMPANIES TO COME TO PRINCETON, THEN HAVING THE COMMITTEE WILL HELP WITH THAT.
IF YOU DON T THINK SO, TALK TO THE CITY OF FRISCO AND ASK WHY THEY HAVEN'T AD HOC INCLUSION COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU, MR. KOSTERBACK. TERRENCE GILMORE.
>> MY NAME IS TERRENCE GILMORE.
[NOISE] I TOO AM A VETERAN LIKE WHAT I HEARD SOMEBODY ELSE SAY.
I AND MANY OF US FOUGHT FOR THIS COUNTRY AND WE FOUGHT FOR RIGHTS FOR EVERYBODY.
WHAT I SEE WITH DEI AND WITH CRT, IS I SEE SOMETIMES THERE ARE PEOPLE, FOR INSTANCE, IN SCHOOLS NOW THEY'VE ACTUALLY TAKEN WHERE THEY HAVE BLACK CLASSROOMS AND WHITE CLASSROOMS IN SOME OF THEM.
I LIVED THROUGH THE '60S AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS DONE AWAY WITH.
IF WE LET THIS GO ON, AGAIN, IT'S THE SOFT START OF SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DRAG AS THE COMMUNISM.
I AGREE WITH THAT. I'VE SEEN COMMUNISM MYSELF AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE IT ANYWHERE AROUND HERE.
I PRAY THAT YOU WILL ALL TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY AND UNDERSTAND WE'RE NOT TRYING TO GO AGAINST ANYBODY OR ANYTHING.
I LOVE EVERYBODY AND I TRULY DO.
I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY DO, WHERE THEY GO, WHO THEY SEE, OR ANYTHING. THAT'S THEIR DECISION.
BUT I DON'T WANT THINGS TO BE PUSHED ON.
THE CITY AND SOMETIMES THE SCHOOLS THAT ACTUALLY SEPARATES US DOESN'T BRING US TOGETHER AND THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE TO SAY.
MY NAME IS MELISSA NED, I RESIDE AT 2137 SHADY GLEN TRAIL.
LIKE MANY OTHERS HERE, I ALSO AM IN OPPOSITION OF USING OUR TAXPAYER FUNDS FOR THE DEI.
ON APRIL 10TH, I EXCHANGED AN EMAIL WITH THE MAYOR.
I ASKED WHY WE WERE INQUIRING ON A DEI TRAINING OR ADVISORY BOARD THE GOAL IF WE HAD ISSUES CURRENTLY.
SHE STATED THAT SHE WAS, "HESITANT" TO SAY THAT THERE WERE ISSUES WITHIN THE WORKPLACE AND THAT, "EVERY FUNCTIONAL ORGANIZATION HAS WORKPLACE TRAINING." WHILE THAT MAY BE TRUE, NOT ALL BIG BUSINESSES OR BIG MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE BIGGER THAN OURS HAVE DEI TRAINING.
FRANKLY IT REALLY JUST SEEMS LIKE A $25,000 PLUS SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE VIRTUE SIGNAL.
AT THE APRIL 7TH COUNCIL MEETING, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION OF A $7 MILLION BOND TO UPGRADE OUR CITY, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.
BUT THAT LEAVES ME SCRATCHING MY HEAD WONDERING WHY WE'RE SPENDING TAXPAYER MONEY ON A DEI ADVISORY BOARD.
BECAUSE IF WE DID HAVE THOSE TYPES OF ISSUES AMONG THE CITY OFFICIALS, THAT PERSON CAUSING IT SHOULD PROBABLY BE FIRED.
DEI INSIGHTS RACISM AND BIAS ALL ON ITS OWN.
[00:35:02]
IT PUTS RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER, SEXUAL PREFERENCE FIRST AND ABOVE ALL ELSE, WHEN THIS COUNTRY DOES ALREADY HAVE CIVIL RIGHTS IN PLACE THAT DISALLOWS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON THOSE ITEMS. I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT SPEND THOUSANDS OF OUR DOLLARS ON A DEI AGENDA AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE SIGNED IT UP TOO, SO JUST REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.I LIVE AT 476 DEER CANYON WAY IN PRINCETON.
I AM A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, A DAUGHTER, A SISTER, A MOTHER, A GRANDMOTHER, A RETIRED PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR AND TEACHER WITH 37 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THAT FIELD, AND A RESIDENT OF PRINCETON.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT URGING YOU NOT TO ENGAGE THE SERVICES OF ANY DEI CONSULTANT NOR TO FORMALIZE TENANTS OF DEI INTO THE CITY OF PRINCETON'S POLICIES.
CONSIDERED AS INDIVIDUAL CONCEPTS, DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION CAN BE VIEWED AS GOOD, MAYBE EVEN NOBLE.
BUT BUNDLED TOGETHER THOSE CONCEPTS HAVE BECOME DEI, A PACKAGE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THIS COUNCIL, A PACKAGE THAT TRADES ONE SET OF BIAS AND DISCRIMINATION FOR ANOTHER, BECAUSE WHEN DIVERSITY IS FORCED TO ENSURE REPRESENTATION OF SPECIFIC UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION, IT FOLLOWS THE DISCRIMINATION OF SOME SORT IS LIKELY TO OCCUR AGAINST THE GROUPS THAT DON'T FALL INTO THOSE CATEGORIES.
IT'S A PACKAGE THAT LIMITS DIVERSITY TO CHARACTERISTICS IDENTIFIED BY A CHECKMARK NEXT TO A DEMOGRAPHIC BOX ON A FORM.
AS DEI POLICIES FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON IMMUTABLE CHARACTERISTICS, SUCH AS RACE AND ETHNICITY AND OFTEN IGNORE CHARACTERISTICS OVER WHICH INDIVIDUALS HAVE CONTROL SUCH AS EXPERIENCE, PERSPECTIVE, AND COMPETENCE.
AS A SCHOOL LEADER, IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS IN MY SCHOOL RECEIVED THE QUALITY EDUCATION AND WE'RE PROVIDED WITH EQUAL, AND I MEAN EQUAL, NOT EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO THRIVE AND ACHIEVE REGARDLESS OF HOW DIVERSE ARE HOMOGENEOUS, THAT STUDENT POPULATION WAS.
FAVORING ONE STUDENT GROUPS NEEDS [NOISE] WHETHER THOSE NEEDS AROSE FROM NATURAL LEARNING DIFFERENCES OR SYSTEMIC FAILURES AFFECTING THAT STUDENT GROUP MORE THAN OTHERS, MEANT THAT THE NEEDS OF ANOTHER STUDENT GROUP WENT UNADDRESSED AND THAT ONE STUDENT GROUP EXPERIENCED FAVOR AT THE DISCRIMINATION OF ANOTHER.
DEI OPERATES ALONG THE SAME LINES UNFORTUNATELY.
CERTAIN GROUPS ARE FAVORED AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS.
MANY MAY ARGUE THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE IN THIS COUNTRY AND THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO CHANGE IT I WOULD AGREE.
HOWEVER, DEI IS NOT THAT SOMETHING AS IT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AND LOCATIONS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY DEI DOES NOT END THOSE PRACTICES.
THAT IS ONLY ONE OF THE REASONS WHY NUMEROUS COMPANIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AGENCIES AND CITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY HAVE PULLED BACK ON THEIR DEI POLICIES.
DEI SIMPLY REVERSES THE POSITIONS OF THE GROUPS AND CONTINUES DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.
I THEREFORE URGE YOU TO VOTE NO TO THE DEI CONTRACT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
>> I'M WEST BROWN, PASTOR OF CALVARY CHURCH OF COLLIN COUNTY 2,800 IF M33 64 PRINCETON.
MADAM MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TONIGHT AGAINST DEI.
DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION DEI DOES NOT WORK IN TAXPAYER, SHOULDN'T PAY FOR IT.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION PROGRAMS IRONICALLY ENOUGH, DON'T MAKE PEOPLE MORE TOLERANT OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES.
A GROWING VOLUME OF RESEARCH DEMONSTRATES THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND THEIR TRAININGS AND DEI ARE ABJECT FAILURES.
STATE LAWMAKERS SHOULD ENSURE THAT NO TEACHER OR STUDENT HAS COMPELLED TO PROFESS OR BELIEVED ANY IDEA, ESPECIALLY IDEAS THAT VIOLATE THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTS OF 1964.
WHY DID WE NOT JUST FOCUSED ON MERIT, ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO DO THEIR VERY BEST AND REWARD THOSE WHO EXCEL REGARDLESS OF COLOR, RACE, OR ETC.
STRESS AN ENVIRONMENT THAT FOSTERS KINDNESS AND COMMUNITY.
TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE, OR WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.
EMPHASIZED THAT WE ALL BELIEVE THE SAME AS THE SONG SAYS.
[00:40:02]
IT IS HARD TO CHANGE SELFISH BEHAVIOR UNLESS YOU CHANGE HEARTS.DEI ENCOURAGES DIVISION, WHICH IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IS PURPORTED TO ACCOMPLISH.
THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS WHY DIVERSITY TRAINING REMAINS INCONSEQUENTIAL AND PROMOTING INCLUSION AND IN THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO CAN DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
QUICK TRAINING HITS DON'T CHANGE LONG-TERM BEHAVIORS AND BIASES RESEARCH SHOWS AND MAY EVEN REINFORCE STEREOTYPES.
EDEN KING AN INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR AT RICE UNIVERSITY IN HOUSTON, TEXAS AGREES WITH THESE CONCLUSIONS.
HE SAID, AND I QUOTE, TRAINING SESSIONS ON THESE TOPICS CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN INCREASING KNOWLEDGE, BUT THEY DO NOT TEND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF CHANGING LONG-TERM BEHAVIORS SAYS KING, WHO'S BEEN STUDYING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE FOR 20 YEARS.
ON AVERAGE, THE TYPICAL, ALL HANDS ON DECK, EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE DIVERSITY TRAINING, THAT TYPICAL FORMAT IN BIG COMPANIES DOESN'T HAVE ANY POSITIVE EFFECTS ON ANY HISTORICAL ON THE REPRESENTATIVE GROUPS LIKE BLACK MEN OR WOMEN, HISPANIC MEN OR WOMEN, ASIAN-AMERICAN MEN OR WOMEN OR WHITE WOMEN'S SAYS HARVARD UNIVERSITY'S SOCIOLOGY PROFESSOR AND DIVERSITY RESEARCH FRANK DOBBIN.
ADDITIONALLY, WHEN EMPLOYEES FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING CONTROLLED, SAYS DOBBIN.
ORGANIZATIONAL STUDIES SHOW THAT THEY TEND TO REACT NEGATIVELY.
IN DIVERSITY TRAINING IS DESIGNATED AS MANDATORY, WHICH DOBBINS RESEARCH FOUND WAS THE CASE AT 80% OF THE CORPORATION IN THE UNITED STATES.
EMPLOYEES CAN PROCEED THE ASSASSINS, BUT IT'S LESS PALATABLE THAN IF THEY WERE VOLUNTARY.
I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO REVERSE THE DECISION AND VOTE NO TO DEI THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME ALAN TERRY.
I LIVE ON COUNTY ROAD 1078 IN PRINCETON.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN IS PRINCETON GROWING? I'M HERE TO SPEAK AGAINST DEI BECAUSE PRINCETON IS GROWING.
PRINCETON IS NOT IN A STALEMATE.
PRINCETON IS NOT SMALL ANYMORE IT IS GROWING.
IMPLEMENTATION OF DEI WILL LEAD YOU DOWN THE ROAD YOU HAVEN'T EVEN IMAGINED YET.
CAN YOU IMAGINE HIRING SOMEONE BASED OFF OF THEIR CREDENTIALS, THEIR ABILITY TO DO A JOB? THAT'S HOW YOU SHOULD DO IT, DEI PREVENTS THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO MEET A QUOTA.
THE CITY OF PRINCETON NEEDS TO GROW.
IF YOU WILL, TURN FROM THIS, THE CITY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND IT'LL BE A BETTER PRINCETON.
SPEND THE MONEY ON THE ROADS, SPEND THE MONEY ON THE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I'VE DONE THAT JOB TRUST ME, THEY NEED MORE MONEY.
I PUT ON A BADGE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1989.
I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE A POLICE OFFICER ANYMORE BECAUSE I CAN'T FEED MY FAMILY THAT WAY.
>> CLINTON LAWRENCE,1304 EAST COLLEGE.
EVERY TIME I READ ABOUT DEI, WHAT COMES TO MY MIND IS DON'T SHOW US WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING FROM THE STEVE MARTIN FILM TITLED THE JERK, BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY THE MESSAGE BEING SENT TO MINORITY GROUPS.
FOR CERTAIN, THIS MESSAGING IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE AND WE WILL NOT ACHIEVE A BEAR SOCIETY.
THE TERM RACIAL JUSTICE IS A TRIGGER USING THE DEI MINISTRY TO KEEP THE WOKE MOB RELEVANT.
RACIAL JUSTICE IS JUST SIMPLY JUSTICE.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD RATIO IN FRONT OF JUSTICE THEN IT BECOMES MORE PERSONAL FOR MORE PEOPLE.
THIS TERM IS USED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR, ENCOURAGED AND EMOTIONAL REACTION FROM THE MOB THAT WOULD USE A RESULT AND PREDICTABLE POLICY CHANGES.
FOR EXAMPLE REDUCING LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENTS OPERATING BUDGETS, OR MINIMIZING THE CONSEQUENCES FOR HIGH CRIMES COMMITTED.
THESE SHORTSIGHTED POLICY CIRCUMVENT THE LAW TO CREATE UNNECESSARY CHAOS BY ENCOURAGING REPEAT OFFENDERS, AND BOTH ARE DONE IN THE NAME OF WHAT'S FAIR AND JUST.
BEING FAIR AND JUST IS NOT ALWAYS A POSITIVE IT DEPENDS ON THE PERSPECTIVE.
THE SATANIC TEMPLE HAS UNHEALTHY OBSESSION WITH WEST PHARYNGITIS, EVEN CODIFY NO TENANTS SO DON'T BE FOOLED.
[00:45:01]
EVIL INTENTIONS ARE IN PLAY, IN SIGHT AND WILL NOT REST UNTIL HE DEVISED AND CONQUERS.WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER NEEDS AND BETTER WAYS TO UNITING OUR COMMUNITY FOR EXAMPLE REALLOCATE THESE FUNDS AND ASK THEM TO START TO ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT THAT WILL SERVE IN UNIFORM OR COMMUNITY BETTER THAN PROPPING UP AND OTHER FALSE IDOL THAT WILL ONLY EMBRACE FEAR AND RESENTMENT.
WE DO NOT NEED A BUREAUCRATIC COMMITTEE TELLING US HOW WE SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY.
WHAT WE NEED IS TO LEAVE GRUDGES AND RESENTMENT BEHIND AND MOVE FORWARD WITH FORGIVENESS AND KINDNESS.
>> ROBIN WILLIAMS, COUNTY ROAD 463.
THIS IS JUST ANOTHER WAY OF DIVIDING US AND PITTING US AGAINST EACH OTHER.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THE REASON, DIVISION IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL.
JESUS PRAYED WE WOULD ALL UNITE, NOT DIVIDE.
OUR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON THESE PRINCIPLES.
EQUITY SAYS THAT EVERYONE SHOULD WIND UP IN THE SAME PLACE, STRIPS US OF OUR DESIRES TO BE DRIVEN, MAKING HARD WORK POINTLESS, [NOISE] AND GIVING EVERYONE A PARTICIPATION TROPHY AND NOT HONORING MERIT IS SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM AT ITS FINEST.
SOUNDS GREAT ON THE SURFACE, BUT IN REALITY, IT MEANS GIVING UP YOUR CORE BELIEFS, VALUES, AND PRINCIPLES.
MY FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE LATE 1800S.
AS A MOTHER, AND MY SON GRADUATED HERE LAST YEAR, I BELIEVE IT STARTS IN OUR INNER CITY AND THEN GOES INTO OUR SCHOOLS.
WE NEED TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN HOW TO FAIL WELL, BECAUSE IN REAL LIFE NOT EVERYONE'S GOING TO WIN.
[NOISE] THAT'S THE REAL REWARD.
TEACHING OUR CHILDREN ACCOUNTABILITY, PERSEVERANCE.
WE ARE ALL EQUAL IN GOD'S EYES, BUT WE'RE ALL HERE FOR A DIFFERENT PURPOSE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOHN CAMPBELL AND I LIVE AT 1506 MONTE CARLO BOULEVARD, PRINCETON, TEXAS.
I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD FIRST OF ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
I KNOW YOU HAD A HARD JOB IN YOUR HAND.
WHAT COMES TO MY MIND IS THAT GOD SAY DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
YOUR FACE PUT A CHALLENGE TODAY, TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT.
THE BIBLE ALSO SAYS HE THAT KNOWTH TO DO IT RIGHT AND DOES IT NOT, TO HIM IT IS SIN.
REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU MAKE A DECISION, BECAUSE GOD SAYS IF YOU KNOW TO DO RIGHT AND YOU DON'T DO IT, THAT IS SIN.
FIRST OF ALL, I FIND THAT AMERICA HAS A PROBLEM, WE HAVE A PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S A HARD PROBLEM. IT'S SAYING THAT LIES AT THE DOOR OF A HEART THAT'S CAUSING ALL THIS PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING TODAY.
DEI, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION.
TODAY WE'RE FACED WITH A SITUATION WHERE WE COME TO A RED LIGHT.
BUT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING THEM DIVERSITY IT'S NOT RED.
PRIME EXAMPLE THAT IS, [NOISE] WE GOT MEN TODAY THAT DRESSES UP AS WOMEN, AND WE AREN'T SUPPOSED TO SAY, THAT IS A WOMAN.
GOD CREATED MAN AND HE CREATED WOMAN.
THAT'S WHAT DIVERSITY WILL TELL YOU.
[00:50:03]
THEY WILL TELL YOU IT'S SOMETHING ELSE.NOW THAT YOUR EYES TELL YOU THE LIGHT IS RED AND YOU'RE SAYING STOP, BUT THE DIVERSITY IS TELLING YOU DON'T WORRY ABOUT STOPPING, MOVE ON.
YOU'RE IN A PROCESS OF DOING A DANGEROUS THING FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
THE CITY OF PRINCETON IS ABOUT TO DO A DANGEROUS THING, AND YOU MEN HERE AND WOMEN ARE GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT OR CARRY THE CITY OF PRINCETON DOWN.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION.
MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME WHEN I WAS JUST A LITTLE BOY.
SHE'S ASSIGNED AS A MAN AND AS A WOMAN, THERE IS BLACK AND THERE IS WHITE AND THERE'S NOTHING ELSE.
>> TONY CLIVER, I LIVE AT 1706 WHITE MOUNTAIN WAY.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S REALLY MUCH I CAN SAY, ANYTHING BETTER THAN WHAT THESE MEN AND WOMEN HAVE SAID BEFORE ME.
I DON'T SEE WHERE THE CITY OF PRINCETON NEEDS.
LOOK AT YOUR BOARD, LOOK AT YOUR CITY COUNCIL.
YOU'VE GOT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION RIGHT THERE.
AS SOMEONE SAID BEFORE, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE CITY THAT ARE CAUSING PROBLEMS IN THE CITY, THEN THOSE PEOPLE NEED TO BE DEALT WITH.
WE DON'T NEED TO USE OUR TAX DOLLARS TO MAKE RULES THAT PEOPLE SHOULD TREAT EACH OTHER FAIRLY AND KINDLY.
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MISS THAT EQUITY AND EQUALITY ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
EQUALITY IS THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
WE ALREADY HAVE LAWS IN OUR COUNTRY AGAINST DISCRIMINATION.
WE'VE HAD THEM FOR YEARS, AND HERE WE STILL SIT, THE MEDIA WANTS YOU TO THINK, THE GOVERNMENT WANTS YOU TO THINK THAT RACISM IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.
I HAVE A MULTIRACIAL FAMILY, I HAVE MULTIRACIAL GRANDCHILDREN.
I DON'T SEE THAT IT'S AS BIG OF A PROBLEM, AND I THINK YOU WANTING TO SPEND $25,000 OF OUR TAX MONEY ONLY SHOWS THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS A PROBLEM.
WE DON'T WANT EVERYBODY AROUND TO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND MONEY TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS IN THE RIGHT WAY.
AS I SAID, EQUALITY IS EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
EQUITY IS EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME OUTCOME.
THAT IS MARXISM, THAT IS COMMUNISM.
WE DON'T WANT THAT IN OUR CITY.
>> THANK YOU OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MAYOR.
THANK YOU FOR A CHANCE TO SPEAK TO YOU AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
I WILL START WITH A QUOTE FROM ERIC METAXAS BOOK LETTER TO THE AMERICAN CHURCH.
"SILENCE IN THE FACE OF EVIL IS EVIL ITSELF.
GOD WILL NOT HOLD US GUILTLESS." GENTLEMAN, MAYOR, COURAGE IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO TAKE.
IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, I'VE SEEN PRAYER REMOVED FROM THESE MEETINGS.
WE HAVE SEEN THE LEADERSHIP ALLOW MEN DRESSED AS WOMEN, GROOMING CHILDREN, AND OUR CURRENT MAYOR TELLS US NOTHING INAPPROPRIATE HAPPENED.
DON'T LET MY LYING EYES FOOL ME.
DON'T LET MY LYING EARS DECEIVE ME.
[00:55:01]
NOW OUR CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO IMPLEMENT DEI INTO OUR COMMUNITY.COUNCIL MEMBERS, I ASK FOR YOU TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP AGAINST THIS CANCER, AND REVERSE THIS DECISION TO IMPLEMENT DEI.
TWO MEMBERS VOTED AGAINST IT LAST MONTH, AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR ALL OF YOU TO STAND AGAINST THIS DIVISIVE IDEOLOGY AND VOTE IT OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY ONCE AND FOR ALL.
AGAIN, SILENCE IN THE FACE OF EVIL IS EVIL ITSELF.
NOT TO SPEAK IS TO SPEAK, NOT TO ACT IS TO ACT.
GOD WILL NOT HOLD US GUILTLESS.
>> MY NAME IS GERRY MYNONY AND I LIVE AT 105 373 STREET LANE. CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WHEN I WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS, I TRAINED EVERYBODY.
WHETHER YOU'RE BLACK, WHITE, POLISH, HISPANIC, I DON'T CARE.
I TRAINED YOU TO LOAD YOUR RIFLE THE SAME WAY.
I TRAINED YOU TO THROW A WEAPON OR A GRENADE THE SAME WAY.
WHEN I WAS IN A BATTLEFIELD, ALL COLORS ON BOTH SIDES ARMY, WE FOUGHT TOGETHER AND I VOTE AGAINST DEI, BECAUSE NONE OF THAT WAS AROUND WHEN I WAS IN THE MILITARY.
ALL THE HERE UP ARE SPEAKING FREELY BECAUSE WE FOUGHT FOR OUR COUNTRY.
I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT DIED FOR OUR COUNTRY AND I VOTE AGAINST DEI.
>> IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE THIS EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO. WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE ON.
FOR MAYOR'S COMMENTS, I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO SAVE HER COMMENTS UNTIL WE GET TO THIS SECTION ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING.
WITH THAT, THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
I'M SORRY, ALL CONSENT ITEMS LISTED ARE CONSIDERED TO BE RETAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF THESE ITEMS UNLESS THE 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.
DID RICKY ELMORE SPEAK THIS EVENING? DID YOU SPEAK?
I LIVE AT CARNIVAL ROUTE 93 PRINCETON TEXAS.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TODAY.
I JUST WANT LET YOU KNOW I WAS RAISED FROM A FAMILY THAT RACIST AND PREJUDICE WAS NOT ALLOWED.
WE WERE IN A DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE HELPED EACH OTHER, AND THAT'S HOW WE MADE IT.
I WAS LUCKY, I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT RACIST UNTIL I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND I DIDN'T CARE TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT.
BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I BELIEVE THE CORE OF THIS REALLY LIES ON THE PARENTS AND THE PASTORS THAT WE NEED TO GET IN WITH THEM, GET OUR KIDS TO KNOW THE TRUTH, THE WAY JESUS TAUGHT IT, AND NOT THE WAY THAT THE ADMINISTRATION THAT'S AN OFFICE NOW IT'S TRYING TO TEACH US OR ANYTHING ELSE AND HOW TO BE HATEFUL AGAINST EACH OTHERS THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.
WHAT AN EXAMPLE TO SET? WE ALL HAVE TO SET EXAMPLES TO THE NEXT-GENERATION.
YOU HAVE TO SHOW THEM DAY BY DAY, HOW THIS IS RIGHT AND HOW THIS IS WRONG AND THEY SHOULD BE TAUGHT THAT AND IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT, THEN YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.
I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ME IF I DIDN'T DO RIGHT, MY DAD WOULD LECTURE ME.
THE FIRST THING HE'D SAY IS DON'T PUT YOUR HANDS BACK THERE AND I LEARNED.
[LAUGHTER] BUT ANYWAY, I HAD A ARTICLE HERE I WANTED TO READ.
IT WAS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, WHICH I SWORE WHEN I WENT IN THE MILITARY AND I WOULD UPHOLD AND I'LL UPLOAD IT TODAY.
STILL WOULD LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR MY FELLOW MAN.
[01:00:03]
I WOULDN'T CHECK OUT YOUR COLOR OR WHATEVER IT IS BEFORE I DECIDED TO HELP YOU.THAT'S NOT THE WAY I WAS RAISED.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I BELIEVE WE CAN HANDLE THIS OUR SELF AS PARENTS.
WE NEED TO HAVE MAYBE SOME INSTRUCTIONAL CLASSES FOR PARENTS HAD TO WHATEVER THE LESS, THE GOVERNMENT OR WHATEVER HAS TO DO WITH MY LIFE, THE BETTER OFF I MAKE BETTER DECISIONS THAN WHAT THEY'RE DOING NOW.
BUT PRAY TO GOD THAT WE WILL HAVE SOMEBODY IN THERE THAT WILL BE BETTER HERE IN THE FUTURE AND TEACH HIS COUNTRY HOW TO GET TOGETHER AND SETTLE THINGS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE DONE WITH THE FAMILY.
BUT I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE SETTLED IN THE CORE OF THE FAMILY AND NOT TO BE INTRUDED UPON IN SAYING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND THAT I WASN'T RAISED WITH ANY PARTICULAR THINGS BECAUSE I WAS WHITE.
THAT I'M SPECIAL BECAUSE I'M WHITE OR THIS GUY IS MORE SPECIAL THAN ME BECAUSE HE'S THAT OR WHATEVER.
IT WAS UP TO ME TO DEMONSTRATE TO OTHERS WHAT I'M CAPABLE OF DOING AND CAPABLE OF THINKING OF HOW THEY WOULD THINK OF ME AND I CHOSE TO DO THE WAY I WAS RAISED AND THAT'S THE WAY I WOULD DIE, DOING THE WAY I WAS RAISED AND MY KIDS WILL KNOW THAT WHETHER THEY DO IT OR NOT, THAT'S UP TO THEM.
BUT I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING, WHEN I LEAVE THIS WORLD AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.
I NEED TO PUT AN INPUT IN HERE, AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE FAMILY.
[CONSENT AGENDA ]
>> THAT'S GOING TO TAKE US BACK TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS. ALL ITEMS LISTED ARE CONSIDERED TO BE RETAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND WILL BE ENACTED BY ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSIONS OF THESE ITEMS UNLESS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS SO REQUEST IN WHICH EVENT THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERING ITS NORMAL SEQUENCE ON THE AGENDA.
SALES OF CITY-OWNED PROPERTY, FP 2020-052, PL2 023-0859, PRELIMINARY PLAT RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-04-24-R, AND RESOLUTION NUMBER 2023-04-24-RO1.
GENTLEMEN, IF THERE'S NOTHING ON HERE THAT NEEDS FURTHER DISCUSSION OR TO BE REMOVED, IF I COULD GET A MOTION, PLEASE.
>> I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS IT IS.
>> I'LL DO A ROLL CALL THOUGH. MR. DEFFIBAUGH.
>> MOTION CARRIES 5-0 FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA.
THAT'LL TAKE US INTO OUR REGULAR AGENDA TONIGHT.
[REGULAR AGENDA ]
WE WILL BEGIN WITH AGENDA ITEM 2023-068 FOR PROCLAMATION FOR MUNICIPAL CLERK'S WEEK.PROCLAMATION HONORING MUNICIPAL CLERK WEEK'S APRIL 30TH THROUGH MAY 6 OF 2023.
WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION TO READ TONIGHT, AS WELL AS HONORING SOME INDIVIDUALS.
WHEREAS THE OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK, A TIME HONORED AND VITAL PART OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXISTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND WHEREAS THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK IS THE OLDEST AMONG PUBLIC SERVANTS AND WHEREAS THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK PROVIDES A PROFESSIONAL LINK BETWEEN THE CITIZENS, THE LOCAL GOVERNING BODY AND AGENCIES OF GOVERNMENT AT OTHER LEVELS AND WHEREAS MUNICIPAL CLERKS HAVE PLEDGED TO BE EVER MINDFUL OF THEIR NEUTRALITY AND IMPARTIALITY, RENDERING EQUAL SERVICE TO ALL.
WHEREAS THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK SERVES AS THE INFORMATION CENTER ON FUNCTIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND COMMUNITY.
WHEREAS PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK IS CONTINUALLY STRIVE TO IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE AFFAIRS OF THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, AND THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THEIR STATE, PROVINCIAL, COUNTY AND INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS.
WHEREAS IS MOST APPROPRIATE, THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE OFFICE OF THE PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERK.
NOW I THEREFORE, I, BRIANNA CHACON MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON, DO RECOGNIZE THE WEEK OF APRIL THE 30TH, 2023 THROUGH 6 2023 AS PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS WEEK AND FURTHER EXTEND APPRECIATION TO OUR PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS AMBER ANDERSON AND GABRIELLE SUTTON, AND TO OUR PROFESSIONAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS FOR THE VITAL SERVICES THEY PERFORM AND THEIR EXEMPLARY DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY REPRESENT.
MS. ANDERSON AND MS. SUTTON, IF YOU'LL PLEASE COME UP, WE WOULD LOVE TO HONOR YOU THIS EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY.
WE COULD NOT FUNCTION WITHOUT YOU, I PROMISE YOU THAT SO WE THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR IT.
GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'LL JOIN ME, PLEASE.
[01:05:33]
>> THAT IS GOING TO TAKE US TO OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM, 2023-069 PROCLAMATION FOR BUILDING SAFETY MONTH.
PROCLAMATION HONORING BUILDING SAFETY MONTH FROM MAY 2023.
OR AS HER CITY OF PRINCETON, TEXAS IS COMMITTED TO RECOGNIZING THAT OUR GROWTH AND STRENGTH DEPENDS ON THE SAFETY AND ESSENTIAL ROLES OF OUR HOMES, BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLAY BOTH IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND WHEN DISASTERS STRIKE.
WHEREAS OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE RESILIENCE OF THESE BUILDINGS THAT MAKE UP OUR COMMUNITY IS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE DEVOTION OF VIGILANT GUARDIANS, BUILDING SAFETY, AND FIRE PREVENTION OFFICIALS, ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, BUILDERS, TRADESPEOPLE, DESIGN PROFESSIONALS, LABORERS, PLUMBERS AND OTHERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WHO WORK YEAR ROUND TO ENSURE THE SAFE CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS.
WHEREAS THESE GUARDIANS ARE DEDICATED MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL, A NON-PROFIT THAT BRINGS TOGETHER LOCAL, STATE, TERRITORIAL, TRIBAL AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT TO CREATE AND IMPLEMENT THE HIGHEST-QUALITY CODES TO PROTECT US IN THE BUILDINGS WHERE WE LIVE, LEARN, WORK, AND PLAY.
WHEREAS THESE MODERN BUILDING CODES INCLUDE SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM HAZARDS SUCH AS HURRICANES, SNOWSTORMS, TORNADOES, WILDLAND FIRES, FLOODS AND EARTHQUAKES.
AND WHEREAS BUILDING SAFETY MONTH IS SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CODE COUNCIL TO REMIND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE CRITICAL ROLE OF OUR COMMUNITIES, LARGE UNKNOWN PROTECTORS OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
OUR LOCAL CODE OFFICIALS WHO ASSURE US OF SAFE, SUSTAINABLE, AND AFFORDABLE BUILDINGS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR PROSPERITY.
AND WHEREAS IT STARTS WITH YOU, THE THEME FOR BUILDING SAFETY MONTH 2023 ENCOURAGES ALL TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT BUILDING SAFETY ON A PERSONAL, LOCAL, AND GLOBAL SCALE.
WHEREAS EACH YEAR IN OBSERVANCE OF BUILDING SAFETY MONTH, PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE ASKED TO CONSIDER THE COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE BUILDING SAFETY, RESILIENCE, AND ECONOMIC INVESTMENT AT HOME AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ESSENTIAL SERVICE PROVIDED TO ALL OF US BY LOCAL AND STATE BUILDING DEPARTMENTS, FIRE PREVENTION BUREAUS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES AND PROTECTING LIVES AND PROPERTY.
NOW THEREFORE, I BRIAN AND CHICON MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PRINCETON, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY 2023 AS BUILDING SAFETY MONTH.
ACCORDINGLY, I ENCOURAGE OUR CITIZENS TO JOIN US AS WE PARTICIPATE IN BUILDING SAFETY MONTH ACTIVITIES.
AND MR. FORD, IS HE OVER THERE?
>> I HAD HOPED OR BUILDING OFFICIAL WAS GOING TO BE HERE TO RECEIVE THIS BUT-.
>> NO, BUT SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE VITAL IN THAT YOU AND I HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS BACK-AND-FORTH ABOUT THAT, SO WE APPRECIATE YOU IMMENSELY.
COME ON DOWN AND GET YOUR PICTURES.
>> AND I DID WANT TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO WORK WITH MS. TURNER AND WE'RE GOING TO BE POSTING SOME STUFF THROUGHOUT THE MONTHS AND SOME HELPFUL INFORMATION FOR THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYTHING.
KEEP AN EYE ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS AND STUFF.
THERE'LL BE SOME INFORMATION WE'LL PUT OUT THE WHOLE MONTH.
>> THAT'LL BE GOOD. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, MS. TURNER.
[01:10:51]
[APPLAUSE].THIS TIME WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK RECESS ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES, SO I'LL BE BACK AT 07:52 AND WE WILL RESUME. THANK YOU.THIS IS GOING TO PUT US BACK INTO OUR REGULAR SESSION.
WE WILL GO BACK TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-070 FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04-24 FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES AMENDMENT, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04-24 TO AMENDED AND UPDATE THE CITY'S RATES FOR PROVISION OF WATER AND WASTEWATER UTILITIES, SERVICES.
AS YOU KNOW, FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN A WATER WASTEWATER STUDY TO DETERMINE THE FUTURE RATES FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON AND MS. MECKY SCHAEFER FROM NEW GEN STRATEGIES IS HERE TO PRESENT THE FINDINGS AND THEN WE'LL ASK FOR A VOTE AT THE END ON EITHER TO ACCEPT OR DENY THE ORDINANCE. THANK YOU.
>> NOW I'M ON. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME BACK HERE AGAIN.
SOME OF WHAT I'LL TALK ABOUT TONIGHT WILL BE A QUICK RECAP OF SOME OF THE THINGS WE MENTIONED IN DECEMBER THAT ARE BEING INCLUDED IN THE ORDINANCE.
YOU'VE ALREADY HEARD ABOUT SOME OF THE STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS AND GIVEN YOUR APPROVAL AND NOW WE HAVE IT ENCAPSULATED IN THE ORDINANCE.
YOU CAN GO IN TO THE FIRST, THERE WE GO.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS AS WELL THOUGH, SO I'LL COVER THOSE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN STOP ME ALONG THE WAY.
OTHERWISE, I'LL JUST KEEP IT MOVING.
AMBER'S MY SIDEKICK TONIGHT, I'VE GOT TO POKE TO HER.
IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS, WE HAVE FOUND IN THE WORLD OF FINANCE AND THE ECONOMY THAT THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE AND IN PARTICULAR, SOME OF THAT CHANGE HAS IMPACTED OUR PROJECTIONS HERE IN THE CITY OF PRINCETON IN THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT INFLATION BEING MUCH GREATER THAN IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
WE'VE BACKED OFF ON SOME OF THE GROWTH PROJECTIONS AND HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT OF TENTATIVELY ADDITIONAL RATE FORECASTING NEWS FROM NORTH TEXAS.
WE'VE PUT ALL THAT IN AND THE GOOD NEWS, SO GO ONTO THE NEXT ONE, PLEASE.
DESPITE RISING WHOLESALE COSTS, YOU STILL HAVE STRONG CUSTOMER GROWTH AND GO AHEAD AND BRING THEM. I'M GOING TO MOVE QUICK.
A LOT IS THE OUTCOME OF THE STORY IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
BUT I WANTED TO POINT OUT WHAT HAS CHANGED.
WITH COST OF WATER PURCHASED ON A WHOLESALE BASIS FROM NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, THAT GREEN LINE THAT SAYS PRIOR, WE WERE ANTICIPATING THAT THIS YEAR WE WOULD BE PAYING $3.21 AND NEXT YEAR ANTICIPATE FIVE PERCENT INCREASE THAT AND A FIVE PERCENT INCREASE THE NEXT YEAR THAT BOTTOM LINE.
HOWEVER, LAST YEAR, THE REVISED FORECAST FROM NORTH TEXAS CAME OUT, SO WE FIND NOW THAT THE WHOLESALE COST PER THOUSAND GALLONS IS $3.39.
LAST YEAR, THEY ANTICIPATED AN 11 PERCENT INCREASE IN 2024 AND A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE IN 2025.
AS OF LAST WEEK, WHAT WE'RE HEARING IS THAT THOSE 11 PERCENT AND SEVEN PERCENT INCREASES WILL PROBABLY BE MORE LIKE 15 PERCENT.
WE DID GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD A LITTLE BIT IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT.
[01:15:05]
WE DON'T HAVE ANY NEW ADVISEMENT OR GUIDANCE AT THIS POINT IN TIME ON THE WASTEWATER SIDE FROM NORTH TEXAS, SO WE DIDN'T CHANGE THAT NUMBER.THIS IS THE SAME SLIDE ESSENTIALLY THAT WE LOOKED AT IN DECEMBER.
AS PART OF THIS STUDY, WE WANT TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE OPERATING COSTS.
OF COURSE, THE COST OF WHOLESALE WATER IS A VERY LARGE FACTOR IN THE BUDGET, BUT AS A GROWING CITY YOU HAVE A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE AND CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
SO WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE ESTIMATED COSTS ARE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AND BUILT THAT IN.
WHEN YOU PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER IN A BAR CHART, FOR SOME REASON THAT BAR ON THE BOTTOM WAS BLUE IN MY BOOK, BUT IT'S GRAY HERE.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT LOWER BAR, WHICH REPRESENTS THE PORTION OF THE TOTAL COST OF SERVICE THAT IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE PAYMENT TO NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT FOR WATER AND WASTEWATER.
HOW THAT GROWS IN TIME FROM 4.4 MILLION IN 2022 UP TO 13.5 MILLION IN 2027 AND REALLY IS THE DRIVER THAT PUSHES THAT TOTAL COST OF SERVICE UP OVER TIME.
WE NEED TO BE BUILDING IN ADJUSTMENTS TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT PORTION OF THE BUDGET IN PARTICULAR AND COVER ALL THE OTHER BASIS.
HOWEVER, YOU'RE IN GOOD SHAPE FINANCIALLY, FUND BALANCE WISE.
AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE TALKED AT THE LAST MEETING ABOUT HOW THIS IS AN IDEAL TIME TO IMPLEMENT SOME STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND HOPEFULLY NOT DO AN INCREASE HERE.
WE DIDN'T HAVE AN INCREASE IN WATER AND WASTEWATER COSTS FOR THIS YEAR, FISCAL '23, NOR HAVE YOU HAD ONE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE'RE NOT FORECASTING AN INCREASE AS BEING NECESSARY IN OCTOBER FOR FISCAL YEAR '24 EITHER.
HOWEVER, YOU'LL BE DRAWING DOWN SOME FUN BALANCE OVER THIS YEAR, NEXT YEAR, AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SO WE WANT TO START TO FIND THAT BALANCE AGAIN AND RECOMMEND THAT YOU IMPLEMENT A LONG-TERM ORDINANCE AS YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST, WITH THE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE GOING TO RECAP HERE IN A MOMENT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN DECEMBER, AND THEN 5% ADJUSTMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD IN 2025, 2026, AND 2027.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD, OF COURSE, WE'LL BE RE-EVALUATING AND YOU'LL BE LOOKING AT YOUR PACE OF GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT AND HOW THAT'S AFFECTING YOUR COSTS AND YOUR REVENUES AS WELL AS WHAT NORTH TEXAS IS DOING, AS WELL AS YOUR COST OF CAPITAL WHEN YOU'RE CHANGING CIP PLAN.
BUT IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A ROAD MAP THAT YOU CAN ADJUST TO THAN TO START FROM SCRATCH EVERY TIME.
THE 5% SHOULD, AS FAR AS EVERYTHING LOOKS NOW BE GOOD INFLATION PROTECTION AND KEEP YOU FROM GOING BELOW A MINIMUM FUND BALANCED TARGET OF 90 DAYS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE RESERVES BOTH ON THE CAPITAL SIDE AND THE OPERATING SIDE, AND WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A SECOND.
DON'T SWITCH IT JUST YET, I KNEW THAT ONE FINGER WAS GOING TO TIP YOU OFF.
I'M GOING TO JUST RECAP WHAT THOSE STRUCTURAL CHANGES ARE BECAUSE THEY ARE INCORPORATED INTO THIS ORDINANCE.
THE FIRST ONE IS GOING TO BE THE METER EQUIVALENCY WHERE LARGER METERS WE TRIED TO KEEP THEIR BASE CHARGE IN STEP WITH THE RATIO OF A LARGER METER EQUIVALENCIES FROM THE AMERICAN WATERWORKS ASSOCIATION BECAUSE THEY PUT A GREATER DEMAND ON THE SYSTEM FOR CAPACITY, AND WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT ASKEW FROM THOSE, SO WE'RE GOING TO CORRECT THAT OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
THAT WILL BEGIN CHANGING IN OCTOBER, NOT A YEAR FROM OCTOBER.
THE MAJOR CHANGE OF INTEREST IS PROBABLY GOING TO A WINTER AVERAGE WASTEWATER, BILLING ARRANGEMENT FOR YOUR RESIDENTIAL RATE PAYERS WHO RECEIVE BOTH WATER AND SEWER SERVICE FROM THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN MORE DETAIL.
IF YOU ARE A SEWER ONLY RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER FOR THE CITY OF PRINCETON, THE UTILITY BILLING GROUP DOESN'T HAVE YOUR WATER CONSUMPTION INFORMATION TO USE IN ORDER TO CALCULATE WHAT YOUR WINTER AVERAGE IS.
IT'S ALSO AN ISSUE FOR WHAT WE'RE CALLING
[01:20:02]
THE NON-STANDARD ACCOUNTS OR THOSE SEWER ONLY CUSTOMERS IN CULLEOKA SPACE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WORK REQUIRED AT THIS POINT IN TIME BETWEEN BOTH UTILITY BILLING GROUPS AT CULLEOKA AND AT PRINCETON TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO EXPEDIENTLY DO THE REPORTING OF WATER CONSUMPTION BY CULLEOKA CUSTOMERS TO GET THAT INFORMATION OVER TO PRINCETON TO CALCULATE SEWER BASED ON WATER CONSUMPTION.WE'RE GOING TO ELIMINATE THAT PIN POINT THERE FOR BOTH ENTITIES AND GO TO A FLAT RATE SEWER CHARGE FOR THOSE SEWER ONLY CUSTOMERS OF PRINCETON THAT IS BASED ON THE WINTER AVERAGE OF CITY OF PRINCETON RESIDENTS.
WE'VE DONE THE ANALYSIS ON THAT DATA, IT'S ABOUT 4,000 GALLONS A MONTH.
OUTSIDE NON-STANDARD SEWER ONLY CUSTOMERS RESIDENTIAL, WOULD BE BUILD THE EQUIVALENT OF THE WINTER AVERAGE PRINCETON RATE PAYERS CHARGED WITH THAT 50% BUMP FOR OUTSIDE CUSTOMERS.
THAT'S ALL IN THE ORDINANCE. NOW WE CAN MOVE.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS IN GREAT DETAIL BY ANY MEANS, ALL I WANTED TO POINT OUT, AND I CAN'T POINT THAT FAR.
[NOISE] IF YOU LOOK IN THIS FIRST COLUMN HERE, YOU'VE GOT THE METER SIZE.
THIS IS THE EQUIVALENCY FACTOR FROM THE AMERICAN WATERWORKS ASSOCIATION.
THE CURRENT MINIMUM CHARGE IS $25.17 FOR YOUR SMALLEST METER.
NOW THERE WILL BE A CHANGE OF $0.03 TO THAT CHARGE IN OCTOBER BECAUSE WE'RE ROUNDING EVERYTHING TO HOLD FIVE AND 10 CENT INCREMENTS.
BUT THIS IS WHAT THE EQUIVALENCY WOULD BE TODAY.
WELL, NO, YOU GOT TO GO FOR ONE MORE THING.
RATHER THAN MAKE YOUR METER EQUIVALENCY GEARED TOWARDS TODAY'S RATES AND THEN PHASE IT IN OVER THREE YEARS AND THEN BE OUT OF STEP AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD THREE YEARS TO WHAT YOUR METER CHARGES WILL BE IN BUILDING THE EQUIVALENCY OFF OF THOSE FISCAL YEAR '26 CHARGES.
IN FISCAL YEAR '26, THE BASE CHARGE WILL BE $27.80 FOR THE SMALLEST METER AND OVER TIME, THE NEXT THREE YEARS WE'RE GOING TO STEP THOSE LARGER METER COST UP TO WHERE THEY'RE AT 100% EQUIVALENCY WHEREAS RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ONLY AT LIKE 50 AND 58 AND 39 EQUIVALENCY FACTORS.
MORE THAN YOU NEED TO KNOW OR WANT TO KNOW, BUT IT'S A VERY EQUITABLE WAY TO ASSESS THOSE LARGER METERS.
THIS AGAIN, NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS, YOU DON'T NEED TO READ THIS.
GLANCE UP THERE AND SEE ALL OF THE CITIES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN.
THOSE ARE ALL OF THE SURROUNDING CITIES THAT ALREADY USE A WINTER AVERAGE, POINT BEING THAT IT'S A VERY COMMON PRACTICE THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
WE DID A LITTLE HOMEWORK JUST TO SEE WHAT MONTHS THEY USE AND WHAT THEIR METHODOLOGY WAS AND USE THAT AS A GUIDE TO DEVELOP YOURS.
CURRENTLY YOUR RESIDENTIAL WASTEWATER CHARGES ARE BASED ON WATER USAGE AND THEY ARE KEPT AT 10,000 GALLONS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE WATER USAGE OVER HERE IN THE BUILDING FOR SEWER, THERE ARE NOT VERY MANY CUSTOMERS THAT ACTUALLY ARE ASSESSED SEWER IN EXCESS WOULD BE ASSESSED MORE THAN 10,000 GALLONS EVEN IF YOU DID CHARGE FOR THAT PORTION ABOVE 10,000.
HOWEVER, THE WINTER AVERAGE LOOKS AT YOUR USAGE DURING THE WINTER MONTHS: DECEMBER, JANUARY, FEBRUARY, WHEN YOU'RE NOT FILLING YOUR POOLS, WASHING YOUR CAR, WATERING YOUR LAWN AND SAYS, "OKAY, THAT'S YOUR INDOOR USAGE AND IT'S ONLY THE DOMESTIC WATER USAGE THAT GETS RETURNED TO THE SANITARY SEWER." WE WILL BUILD RESIDENTIAL RATE PAYERS SEWER BASED ON THAT WINTER AVERAGE.
NOT EVERYONE WILL SEE A DIFFERENCE, BUT SOME PEOPLE WILL, AND THERE WILL STILL BE AT 10,000 GALLON CAP.
AS I SAID, IT'S ABOUT 4,000 GALLONS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA, AND I ALREADY TALKED ABOUT HOW THE NON-STANDARD RATE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
NEXT. ALREADY TALKED ABOUT MOST OF THIS TWO.
[01:25:01]
RATE PAYERS DO HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER THEIR SEWER CHARGES AS WELL.BE MINDFUL IN THE WINTER MONTHS OF YOUR WATER USAGE OUTSIDE.
IF IT IS A WARM DAY, MAYBE YOU GO TO A CAR WASH INSTEAD OF WASHING THE CAR IN YOUR DRIVEWAY THAT DAY.
DURING THOSE THREE WINTER MONTHS, THAT'S WHEN THE WINTER AVERAGE FOR THE APRIL THROUGH MARCH OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR WILL BE BUILD EVERY SINGLE MONTH. NEXT.
JUST A COUPLE OF WRAP-UP NOTES HERE, WHEN WE LOOK AT ALL OF THIS AND AS YOU KNOW, IT'S TAKEN SOME TIME, WE ALSO LOOKED AT YOUR FUND BALANCE POLICIES AND YOU DO HAVE A UTILITY CAPITAL RESERVES ACCOUNT, AND WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT THAT PRACTICE OF FUNDING THAT ACCOUNT OCCUR.
WHAT IS SO UNIQUE TO WHAT UTILITIES AND THE REVENUE STREAM FROM A WATER AND SEWER UTILITY IS THE VARIABILITY AND THE FACTORS THAT ARE COMPLETELY OUTSIDE YOUR CONTROL, THE WEATHER, AND THE INCREASES FROM YOUR WHOLESALE PROVIDER AND BUYER BEHAVIOR AND SO FORTH.
SOME YEARS YOU WILL EXCEED THE REVENUE FORECAST, AND SOME YEARS YOU FALL SHORT, AND WHEN YOU EXCEED THE REVENUE FORECAST, THAT'S A ONETIME EVENT AND IT'S LIKE THE RAINY DAY FUND.
PUT THAT ASIDE INTO YOUR CAPITAL FUND TO HELP PAY FOR A LOT OF YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS WHEN YOU CAN ON A PAY-AS-YOU-GO BASIS RATHER THAN ISSUING NEW DEBT.
NEXT. THIS IS A POLICY THAT'S ENDORSED VERY STRONGLY BY THE AMERICAN WATERWORKS ASSOCIATION AND GFOA AND ALL OF THE ENTITIES THAT WE LOOK TO FOR GUIDANCE IN OUR STUDIES.
NEXT. AGAIN, LOT OF NUMBERS NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT.
THIS IS THE NUMERIC REPRESENTATION OF WHAT I'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO.
I DID WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO AN INCREASE THIS YEAR AND IN OUR FORECAST INDICATES YOU COULD BE DRAWING DOWN FUND BALANCE, BUT DO YOU HAVE ADEQUATE FUND BALANCE.
FOR THE NEXT FEW YEAR YOU MAY STILL BE DRAWING DOWN FUND BALANCE.
THAT'S WHY WE DO NEED TO START IMPLEMENTING THESE ADJUSTMENTS, AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK OUR WAY TOWARDS MAINTAINING A MINIMUM GOAL OF 90 DAYS OF FUND BALANCE.
THEN DOWN ON THE BOTTOM HERE, THE CAPITAL RESERVE, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS LESS PAY-AS-YOU-GO CAPITAL RESERVE DRAWS, THOSE ARE PAYING FOR CAPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS OVER TIME WITHOUT HAVING TO ISSUE NEW DEBT ALL THE TIME.
THE VERY BOTTOM PART IS THE PORTION OF NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT EXPENSES AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE OPERATING BUDGET OR THE TOTAL BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE IT'S QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.
FINALLY, THE IMPACT ON RATE PAYERS.
IN 2024 YOUR AVERAGE RESIDENTIAL RATE PAYER MAY VERY LIKELY SEE A REDUCTION IN THEIR WASTEWATER BILL, BUT BECAUSE THAT VARIES BY INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD, WE STILL DID OUR COMPARISON TO THE STRAIGHT 5,000 GALLONS WATER AND 5,000 GALLONS WASTEWATER.
THERE IS THAT $0.3 VARIANTS AS WE ROUNDED UP FROM THE 2017 OR WHATEVER THAT WAS.
BUT THAT'S THE ONLY IMPACT FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, AND THEN EACH OF THOSE 5% INCREASES WILL HAVE A TOTAL WATER AND WASTEWATER INCREASE EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT $3 PER MONTH IN THE SUCCESS OF YEARS WITH THAT 5% PLAN.
NEXT. THE QUESTION IS NEXT, HOW DO YOUR CURRENT RATE STACK UP? THERE WAS A DAY WAY BACK WHEN YOU WERE AT THE HIGH SIDE OF THIS CHART, FOR YOUR AVERAGE RATE PAYER OF 5,000 GALLONS WATER AND SEWER, YOU ARE SITTING RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE HERE, AND THIS LEFT SIDE OVER HERE IS WATER AND THE RIGHT SIDE IS SEWER, AND WHILE WE HAVE OTHER CHARTS TO SHOW, AGAIN, BEAR IN MIND THAT IF YOU GO TO THE 10,000 ONE, RESIDENTS RECEIVING BOTH WATER AND WASTEWATER SERVICE FROM PRINCETON MAY SEE A DECLINE ON THE WASTEWATER PORTION BECAUSE OF THEIR WINTER AVERAGE.
THESE ARE USEFUL FOR LIMITED COMPARISONS.
NEXT, NOW THIS SAYS 20,000 WASTEWATER FOR RESIDENTIAL.
NOT A LOT OF RESIDENTS USE 20,000 GALLONS OF WATER.
YOUR RATES ARE ACTUALLY THE SAME FOR COMMERCIAL.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THIS IS ASSUMING A THREE-QUARTER INCH METER, BUT YOU COULD STILL HAVE A COMMERCIAL ENTITY WITH THAT.
AGAIN, EVEN ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, YOU'RE ON THE LOWER PORTION OF THE MIDDLE.
NEXT. WHAT WE'D LIKE TO ASK TONIGHT IS FOR YOUR APPROVAL AND ADOPTION OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE RATE ORDINANCE AND THE FEE EXHIBIT THAT INCORPORATES ALL OF THESE CHANGES, AS WELL AS THE MULTIYEAR RATE PLAN. ANY QUESTIONS?
[01:30:04]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
>> VERY THOROUGH AND MAKES ME HAPPY THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE THOSE INCREASES THIS YEAR AND FALL IN THE FUTURE.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SAY THE SAME THING FOR NOW, THANK YOU.
>> GENTLEMEN. DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE THAT YOU KEPT MENTIONING.
THIS FUND BALANCE, DOES THAT INCLUDE ANY RESERVE OR ANYTHING THAT WE MAY NEED FOR AN EVENT LIKE THE WINTER STORM WHICH CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE SO THAT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE RESERVE FOR THOSE EXPENSES.
>> YEAH, WELL, THE FUND BALANCE ITSELF, THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO SET AT LEAST A BOTTOM THRESHOLD OF 90 DAYS, AND THE HIGHER IT IS, ACTUALLY, THE MORE PROTECTION YOU HAVE BECAUSE OF THE VARIABILITY OF THE REVENUE STREAM.
HAVING THE CAPITAL RESERVE AS WELL, YOU WANT TO KEEP THOSE HEALTHY BECAUSE HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HAVE ANOTHER WINTER STORM, BUT YES, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE REDUNDANCY AND THE ABILITY TO RESPOND AND MAINTAIN THAT QUALITY OF SERVICE 24-7.
THE WAY WE'VE APPROACHED IT IN THIS STUDY IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THRESHOLDS, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF THE CAPITAL RESERVE FUND AND THE NEED TO KEEP IT REPLENISHED AND ALSO TO INCREASE THE CAPITAL OUTLAYS FOR EQUIPMENT IN THE FORECAST SO THAT YOU CAN STOP THOSE ITEMS.
>> GENTLEMEN, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOW, IF I GO AHEAD AND GET A MOTION, PLEASE.
>> YOUR HONOR, I WOULD LIKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 2023 070 ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023 0424, WATER AND WASTEWATER RATES ADMITTED.
>> THANK YOU. DO HAVE A SECOND.
>> WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. MR. DEFFIBAUGH?
>> MOTION CARRIES 5-0 FOR THE APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 2023- 070 FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04-24.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-071, ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04-24-01 FOR FETSKO ANNEXATION, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PRINCETON, TEXAS ANNEXATION ADJACENT AND CONTIGUOUS TERRITORY TO THE CITY OF PRINCETON, TEXAS BEING APPROXIMATELY 41.733 ACRES.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, YOU HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING THIS PROPOSED ANNEXATION AT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING.
THIS IS A VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION OF A PIECE OF PROPERTY HERE AT THE INTERSECTION OF 458 AND FM1377.
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD AND CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
AGAIN, IT'S A VOLUNTARY ANNEXATION.
>> GENTLEMEN, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AGENDA ITEM 2023-071 FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04-24-01 FOR THE FOUR TOWER ANNEXATION.
>> OKAY, WITH I WILL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. MR. DEFFIBAUGH?
>> MOTION CARRIES 5-0 FOR THE 3-071 FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04-24-01 FOR THE FETSKO ANNEXATION.
YOU ARE THE PARTICULAR FAMILY FOR THIS ANNEXATION, IS THAT CORRECT? YES?
>> I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU I WATCHED YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOU GUYS SPEAK DURING THE P&Z MEETING AND YOU'RE DOING THIS FOR YOUR SON, CORRECT?
ONE DOING BEAM AND THE OTHER ONE DERMATOLOGY, SKIN CANCER.
>> WELL, IT WAS BEAUTIFUL AND JUST AS A MOM TO A MOM, TO A FAMILY
>> IT WAS HEARTWARMING TO SEE THE LOVE THAT YOU HAVE FOR YOUR FAMILY AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING FOR THEM.
[OVERLAPPING] I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
>> ALL RIGHT. THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-072 FOR PUBLIC HEARING, THOROUGHFARE PLAN UPDATE CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARING ALLOWING FOR TESTIMONY REGARDING THE THOROUGHFARE PLAN AMENDMENT.
THE TIME IS 8:18, THIS WILL BEGIN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
IF YOU ARE HERE FOR THAT, PLEASE GO AHEAD AND COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
SINCE NO ONE IS HERE FOR THAT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THAT OUT.
THAT WILL TAKE US BACK TO OUR REGULAR SESSION.
THAT'LL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-073 FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04-24-02 FOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN UPDATE, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING AMENDMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, UPDATING THE THOROUGHFARE PLAN.
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AS I BELIEVE YOU ALL AWARE,
[01:35:02]
THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS BEEN WORKING ON A ROUTE STUDY FOR LIMITED ACCESS ROADWAY THROUGH PRINCETON.THAT STUDY IS NEARING COMPLETION OR IS OVER IN THE ROUTE OF THE LIMITED ACCESS ROADWAY THROUGH PRINCETON HAS BEEN SAID.
THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THE UPDATE OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SO THAT WE CAN UPDATE OUR PLANNING DOCUMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE FEATURE LAND USES AND THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE SURROUNDED ALONG THIS THOROUGHFARE.
AT THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING, YOU APPROVED THE IPO THAT'S GOING TO START THAT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE.
THIS IS THE OTHER FIRST STEP OF THAT WHOLE PROCESS, IS ADOPTING THIS THOROUGHFARE PLAN.
IT WILL ASSIST STAFF IN WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS AND EVERYTHING AND MAKING SURE THE RIGHT THINGS ARE IMPLEMENTED WHERE DEVELOPMENT OCCURS ALONG THIS ROUTE.
WITH THAT, I'LL TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THIS EVENING? IF NOT, WE CAN GO AND GET A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, PLEASE.
>> YOUR HONOR, I MAKE A MOTION FOR 2023-073 ORDINATES NUMBER 2023-04-24-02 THOROUGHFARE PLAN UPDATE.
>> THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND?
>> THAT WILL DO ROLL-CALL VOTE. MR. DEFFIBAUGH.
>> MOTION CARRIES 5-0 FOR THE APPROVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 2023-073.
FOR ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04-24-02 FOR THOROUGHFARE PLAN UPDATE.
TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-074 FOR DEI, DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE CITY OF PRINCETON'S DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION DEI INITIATIVE AND THE ASSOCIATED PROPOSED AGREEMENT FOR SERVICES WITH AT THOSE TALENT LLC REQUESTED BY COUNCIL MEMBER CLEVER.
I DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND OPEN THIS UP AND DISCUSS SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE DURING OUR PUBLIC APPEARANCE, JUST SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE TONIGHT AS WE DISCUSSED THIS AGENDA ITEM.
I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A GREAT MISUNDERSTANDING ON WHAT THE INTENT AND THE PURPOSE OF THE COUNCIL WAS A YEAR AGO WHEN WE HAD DECIDED TO FORMULATE A DEI COMMITTEE.
WITH THAT, I WANT TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT YOU ARE FULLY AWARE AND UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR INTENT WAS.
ONE YEAR AGO, WE HAD DISCUSSED THE IDEA OF HAVING AN AD HOC COMMITTEE.
THIS WOULD BE A COMMITTEE THAT COUNCIL WOULD NOT BE A PART OF.
WE DID NOT WANT TO TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SELECTING MEMBERS.
THAT WAS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO DO.
WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A CLEANER PROCESS, A BETTER PROCESS IF AN OUTSIDE ENTITY SELECTED THOSE INDIVIDUALS TO SERVE ON AN AD HOC COMMITTEE.
THE VERY SAME THING WAS DONE PRIOR TO THAT WHEN WE HAD DECIDED TO GO WITH A HOME RULE CHARTER COMMITTEE, WE TRIED DIFFERENT IDEAS OF SELECTION OF PEOPLE BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY THOSE PROCESSES GET VERY MESSY.
DURING THIS TIME, WE DECIDED TO STEP BACK, HAVE AN OUTSIDE ENTITY COME IN TO HELP PULL A SELECTION OF PEOPLE THAT AGAIN, WE WOULD NOT HAVE A PART OF.
COUNCIL DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE THAT.
SO WE DECIDED, WE WILL GO FORWARD WITH A DEI INITIATIVE COMPANY THAT IS WHAT THEY SPECIALIZE IN, IS DEI, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR US.
THIS WOULD BE A SELECTION OF PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE, ALL INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE INDIVIDUALS AND RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF PRINCETON.
THEY'RE NOT PEOPLE WITHIN THE COMPANY.
THEY ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF YOU.
ONCE WE HAD AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, THE DEI COMPANY WOULD COME IN AND ACTUALLY TALK TO THEM NOT ON A NATIONAL SCALE OF WHAT DEI IS.
NOT TALKING POINTS THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT ON THE NEWS.
WHAT THEY PLAN TO COME IN TO DO WAS TALK ABOUT BYLAWS THAT WE, AS A COUNCIL, HAD DECIDED.
THAT WE AS A COUNCIL WOULD SAY, THESE ARE INITIATIVES THAT WE WANT TO SEE WITHIN OUR CITY.
THESE ARE GOALS THAT WE WANT FOR OUR CITY.
THIS WAS NEVER DRIVEN BY A COMPANY.
THIS WAS NEVER DRIVEN BY ANYBODY OTHER THAN US.
WITH THE HELP OF OUR CITY ATTORNEY, WE ARE WRITING BYLAWS TO HAVE A COMPANY COME IN TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE AS A CITY ARE LOOKING FOR.
WE'VE HEARD FROM ALL OF YOU TONIGHT, WE KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR.
THAT WAS NEVER AN AGENDA OF OURS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
I THINK IT'S SAD THAT A HUGE GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN MISSED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE THAT WAS OUR OBJECTIVE.
OUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY THAT HAD FINANCIAL BARRIERS,
[01:40:02]
COULD HAVE PROGRAMS AND GROUPS COME IN THAT WOULD HELP THEM HERE.PEOPLE THAT HAD DISABILITIES, WHETHER A PHYSICAL DISABILITY, A MENTAL DISABILITY, THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE POPULATIONS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT THEY ARE BEING SERVED HERE.
TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT IF WE HAD INDIVIDUALS THAT MAYBE HAVE CHILDREN THAT BEFOREHAND COULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN EGG HUNTS HERE BECAUSE THEY WERE SENSORY OVERLOAD.
THAT WE ARE MORE SENSITIVE TO THOSE ISSUES.
THAT WE DO HAVE MORE PROGRAMS FOR THEM.
THAT WE DO HAVE PARKS THAT ARE INCLUSIVE OF DISABLED CHILDREN.
THAT OUR WEBSITE IS ADA COMPLIANT, WHICH UP UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO WAS NOT.
IT WAS TO LOOK AT INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT THEY HAD THE NEEDS THAT EVERYONE ELSE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS.
THIS COUNCIL ELECTED TO HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHICH ARE RESIDENTS ADVISORS.
ONCE WE HEARD THE ADVICE OF THOSE RESIDENTS, TAKE THEM INTO CONSIDERATION.
WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT ANYONE HERE ON THIS COUNCIL SHOULD ALWAYS BE DOING ANYWAY, IS LISTENING TO OUR RESIDENTS.
THAT WAS THE ENTIRE OBJECTIVE FOR A DEI COMMITTEE, WAS TO LISTEN TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, TO MAKE FOR SURE THERE WERE NO GAPS, AND TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT EVERYONE WAS SERVED CORRECTLY.
HEARING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TONIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU COMING FORWARD WITH THAT, DOES NOT AT ALL LINE UP WITH WHAT OUR OBJECTIVE WAS.
I'VE HEARD TONIGHT DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT CRT.
WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF CRT WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE'VE HEARD TONIGHT ABOUT TRAINING IN THE WORKPLACE OR SELECTION CRITERIA ON WHICH EMPLOYEES WOULD BE HIRED.
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ON THE JOB ANYTHING.
THIS IS NOTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH STAFF WITHIN OUR CITY.
THIS IS LITERALLY US LOOKING AT NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY, WHICH IS WHAT WE WERE ALL ELECTED TO DO TO BEGIN WITH.
WE'VE HEARD ABOUT WE DON'T NEED A COMPANY COMING IN TO TELL US WHAT TO DO.
WE DON'T. I AGREE WITH YOU 100% ON THAT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY COMPANY COMING IN TELLING US WHAT TO DO.
WE HAVE A COMPANY COMING IN TRAINING A GROUP OF PEOPLE ON HOW TO RUN AN ADVISORY BOARD UNDER THE PARAMETERS ON WHAT WE SET.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WERE LISTENING TO ARE RESIDENTS.
WE ARE NOT LISTENING TO A COMPANY.
BEING FEARFUL OF A DEI COMPANY COMING IN AND IMPLEMENTING ANYTHING IS SOMETHING THAT'S NON-EXISTENT.
I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO THE REST OF YOU FOR DISCUSSION.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT ALL OF YOU FULLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE NOT IMPLEMENTING ANYTHING.
WE'RE LOOKING TO UNDERSERVED PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE A PLACE HERE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT THERE ARE PROGRAMS SET ASIDE FOR OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY.
TO MAKE FOR SURE WHEN WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD AND MOVING WITH A REC CENTER, THAT IT DOES HAVE ACTIVITIES AND SERVICES FOR OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY BECAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO ONE.
THERE IS NOT ONE CITY STAFF MEMBER THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.
I DON'T HAVE ANYONE ON CITY OF STAFF THAT CAN GO AND DO THAT.
WHILE IT SOUNDS GREAT TO SAY, WELL, LET'S JUST IDENTIFY IT AND DO IT, THERE IS NO ONE ON STAFF TO DO IT.
WE EITHER PAY A ONETIME FEE FOR A COMMITTEE OR WE PAY A STAFF MEMBER TO COME IN THAT WE PAY YEAR AFTER YEAR.
YES, WE DID DECIDE AS A COUNCIL TO LOOK AT MONEY AS A ONETIME EXPENSE, TO COME IN TO HELP FORMULATE A COMMITTEE, THAT ALL THEY DO IS REPRESENT PEOPLE TO TALK TO US.
AGAIN, WITH THAT, GENTLEMEN, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT?
>> I'D LIKE SAY SOMETHING, PLEASE.
[NOISE] FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE THAT SHOWED UP TO NOT POINTING YOU VOTED FOR IT.
IF YOU VOTED AGAINST DEI OR AGAINST IT, EITHER ONE DOESN'T MATTER, JUST THAT YOU SHOWED UP AND SHOW THAT THIS IS HOW CITY GOVERNMENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE RAN.
YOU COME AND YOU STATE WHAT YOU WANT TO STATE, AND THEN WE DECIDE ON OUR VOTING ON HOW WE GO.
BETWEEN LAST MEETING AND THIS MEETING, THERE WERE 30 PEOPLE THAT VOTED OR THAT SPOKE UP AGAINST DEI.
GENTLEMEN, WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT CITY AND THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY.
[01:45:01]
IF THEY ARE AGAINST DEI, AND WE VOTE FOR DEI, WE'RE VOTING ACTUALLY AGAINST THE CITIZENS THAT WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT.[BACKGROUND] IF WE VOTE FOR DEI, THEN WE'RE VOTING AGAINST WHAT THEY WANT.
I'LL JUST ASK YOU TO VOTE AGAINST DEI, THAT'S WHAT THE CITIZENS WANT AND SO WE SHOULD REPRESENT THEM. THANK YOU.
>> MADAM MAYOR, I DO WANT TO BRING ONE THING UP.
AS I SAID, THE LAST TIME THAT THE DEI ISSUE CAME UP, ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS WAS THAT THE PACKAGE THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY ETHOS, THE FIRST THING I NOTICED IS WE WENT THROUGH THE THREE DIFFERENT COMPANIES, IS THAT THIS PARTICULAR COMPANY RIGHT BESIDE THEIR NAMES IS THEY INTRODUCED THEIR STAFF.
WE HAD PRONOUNS ON THE SIDE AND THAT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT I ABSOLUTELY I'M NOT STANDING FOR.
ALSO TOO, I NOTICED THAT ON OUR SOCIAL SITES, YOU CAN ALREADY SEE THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMENTING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I KNOW WE SAID THERE'S SOME MISUNDERSTANDING AND I JUST THINK THERE'S MISUNDERSTANDING ON BOTH SIDES BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY COMMENTING, SAYING THEY WANT THE COUNCILMAN TAKEN OUT.
IT'S COUNCILMEMBER, NOT COUNCILMAN.
I THINK THAT THIS IS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OUT OF HAND.
I FEEL LIKE IT MIGHT BE TAKEN WRONG.
IT CAN BE RUN IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
PERSONALLY, LAST TIME I VOTED NO, AND MY VOTE STILL STANDS.
>> YOUR HONOR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.
AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW PROBABLY LAST TIME I DID VOTE FOR IT.
BUT SINCE THAT TIME I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH, A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING ALL ON MY OWN AND WITHOUT ANY OUTSIDE SOURCES AND PULLING THIS UP AND KNOWING WHAT THE INTENT WAS AND THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO, THERE'S OTHER WAYS WE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT DOING DEI.
IF WE WANT MAKE SURE WE HAVE HANDICAP PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE THE POWER AS A COUNCIL TO SAY, MR. BRIAN, GIVE US THE INFORMATION ON THAT, WHAT IT WOULD COST AND DO IT BECAUSE WE KNOW AS CITIZENS AND AS PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS, WE LOOK AT THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT, THE CDC TAKES CARE OF THAT.
IF IT'S BROUGHT UP THAT WE NEED THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, WE NEED TO DO IT.
IF WE NEED MORE HANDICAP CROSSINGS, WE TAKE CARE OF THAT.
WE DO THAT FOR THIS CITY AND WE DON'T NEED AN OUTSIDE SOURCE, AND WE REALLY DON'T NEED A COMMUNITY.
NOW, AND I KEPT THINK OF THE TERM, BUT WE'VE DONE IT IN THE PAST, WHERE WE HAVE THESE TOWN HALL MEETING TYPE OF THINGS WHERE PEOPLE COME IN AND WE HAVE THE ENGINEERS AND WE HAVE PEOPLE AND THEY PUT UP A MAP AND THEY SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO HAVE.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE WE'RE WORKING TOWARD A REC CENTER IS BECAUSE THE CITIZENS SPOKE TO THAT, THEY WANTED THAT AND THEY PUT THAT UP ON THE BOARD.
WE WERE TRYING TO WORK WHAT THE CITIZENS WANTED, THAT WE HAD OPPORTUNITY, I FORGET HOW MANY MEETINGS AHEAD, WITH PEOPLE GATHERED AND ACTUALLY WROTE ON A LITTLE STICKIES, THAT THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT.
WE NEED MORE PARKS AND THE CDC AND THE CITY HAS LISTENED TO THAT ON PARKS AND IMPROVING OUR PARKS AND MAKING PARKS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
WITH THAT, I THINK THERE'S OTHER WAYS WE COULD DO THAT OTHER THAN DOING THIS DEI AS A GROUP HERE AND EVERYTHING.
I RESPECT EVERYONE UP HERE, I REALLY DO.
IN EVERYONE'S OPINION, I RESPECT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT LIKE YOU MR. DEFFIBAUGH, I RESPECT EVERYONE'S OPINION HERE.
I THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INTENT WAS.
THE INTENT WAS NEVER TO CAUSE DIVISION.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL OF THE PANIC AND THOUGHTS OF EVIL, I DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL OF THAT IS COMING FROM ALL OF A SUDDEN.
[01:50:04]
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR OVER A YEAR AND WE LOOKED AT VARIOUS THINGS.WE HAD THREE DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS, WE WENT WITH ONE THAT WE THOUGHT WOULD BE THE BEST.
WE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS THE BEST CHOICE.
I HEARD A GENTLEMAN EARLIER SAY THAT PRINCETON IS GROWING AND HE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, PRINCETON IS GROWING.
WHEN YOU HAVE A CITY THAT IS GROWING, LIKE PRINCETON IS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO DO IS BE AS PROACTIVE AS POSSIBLE.
QUITE HONESTLY, I KNOW FOR ME, THAT WAS REALLY MY INTENTION WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, AS A COUNCIL WERE AS PROACTIVE AS POSSIBLE IN IDENTIFYING ANY GAPS THAT WE MAY HAVE.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A CITY THAT'S GROWING SO RAPIDLY, THINGS CHANGING, NEW PEOPLE OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE COMING TO YOUR COMMUNITY.
ALL OF US LIVE DAY TO DAY, LOOKING AT THINGS FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AND FROM OUR LIVES AND THROUGH OUR LENS.
THERE MAY BE GAPS THAT WERE UNAWARE OF AND THAT WAS ALL THE INTENT WAS, WAS TO HELP IDENTIFY THOSE GAPS.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO IMPLEMENT ANYTHING, CONTROL ANYONE, THAT WASN'T THE INTENTION AT ALL.
THAT'S NEVER MY INTENTION WITH ANYTHING BECAUSE I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY, RESPECT EVERYONE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLEAR TO EVERYONE AND THAT ULTIMATELY, WHATEVER THE AD HOC COMMITTEE CAME UP WITH, THE COUNCIL WOULD STILL HAVE TO APPROVE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN FROM THERE.
WE STILL HAVE A GOVERNING BODY THAT WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION.
WE WEREN'T TRYING TO IMPLEMENT SOME CONTROL OVER ANYBODY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BECAUSE I HEARD A LOT OF THAT IN THE COMMENTS TONIGHT, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLEAR AS FAR AS DEI CONCERN.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION? I UNDERSTAND YOUR INTENT IS GOOD IN THE SURFACE.
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND COMING UP AND SPEAKING JUST BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU.
I KNOW YOUR INTENT IS GOOD, AND I I THINK ALL OF US APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT MY QUESTION WOULD BE, ESPECIALLY FROM ETHOS WHO IS ALSO A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR WHO TRAINED SOME OF THE GOVERNMENT PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'VE TOLD YOU.
BUT THE UNDERLYING INTENT IS TO DIVIDE US.
IF YOU LOOK AT ALMOST EVERY CITY WHO HAS ACCEPTED AND RECEIVE THIS TRAINING, THEY'RE WORSE THAN THEY EVER WERE.
THERE'S MORE DIVISION, RACIAL DIVISION, AND GENDER DIVISION, AND FIGHTING AND KILLING.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT IN PRINCETON.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE RIOTS.
I DON'T WANT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOUNG COUPLE WHO IS INTERRACIAL COUPLE IN CHICAGO, WAS ATTACKED BECAUSE A BLACK MAN LOVED A WHITE WOMAN AND A WHITE WOMAN LOVED A BLACK MEN AND THEY WERE MARRIED.
IF YOU TALK TO THEM AGAIN, ASKING THE UNDERLYING, LOOK AT THEIR CURRICULUM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE GIVING YOU.
BECAUSE THE CURRICULUM UNDERNEATH, EVEN THOUGH CRT IS NOT IN OUR SCHOOL, IT IS IN-PART, PART OF THE DIVERSITY SECTION OF DEI.
I APPRECIATE ALL YOU'VE DONE AND I KNOW THAT YOU MEAN WELL.
THANK YOU FOR JUST LISTENING TO US.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] GENTLEMEN, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO. ACTUALLY I WANTED TO SAY, IF NOT, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ENTER INTO MAKING A MOTION.
IF THERE'S ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I WOULD JUST DIRECT YOU TO PLEASE EMAIL US.
YOU HAVE ALL OF OUR EMAIL ADDRESSES ARE CARTS ARE GOING TO BE UP FRONT.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO RESPOND BACK TO THOSE.
BUT JUST GO AHEAD AND DROP THOSE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS THAT WAY.
BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THIS EVENING, IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND GET A MOTION, PLEASE.
[01:55:01]
>> YOUR HONOR, IN REGARDS TO ITEM 2023-074, DEI AND I BELIEVE THERE'S CERTAINLY A DIFFERENT WAY WE CAN GO ABOUT ACCOMPLISHING WHAT WE NEED TO DO IN THIS CITY.
I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE DENY, I GUESS I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT WORDS I NEED TO MAKE THE MOTION, BUT TO DENY THE DEI OR TO NOT DO IT.
>> MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE YOUR COURSE OF ACTION ON THE DEI INITIATIVE, THE MOTION COULD BE TO CANCEL THE DEI PROGRAM AND DO NOT EXECUTE THE CONTRACT WITH THE ETHOS.
>> YOUR HONOR, I'M LIKE MOTION THEN TO CANCEL THE DEI PROGRAM FROM SENIOR [LAUGHTER] PRINCETON AND TO CANCEL THE CONTRACT. [APPLAUSE]
>> WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL VOTE. MR. DEFFIBAUGH.
>> AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, I VOUCH IN MY CAMPAIGN TO VOTE FOR WHATEVER THE PEOPLE WANTED EVEN IF IT GOES AGAINST MY OWN INTERESTS.
THIS ISSUE HERE HAS DIVIDED ME IN WAYS THAT I DON'T THINK YOU CAN IMAGINE.
AS A BLACK MAN I DO SEE AN ISSUE WITH DIVERSITY, NOT NECESSARILY IN PRINCETON, BUT JUST THROUGHOUT MY LIFE.
EVEN THOUGH I'VE ACCOMPLISHED GREAT THING IN MY LIFE, I ATTEST TO GOD, MY FAMILY, AND MY MILITARY TRAINING, I DID VILE TO THIS COMMUNITY THAT I WOULD LISTEN TO ALL CITIZENS, ALL WALKS OF LIFE, REGARDLESS OF IF IT GOES AGAINST MY OWN INTERESTS.
I STILL STAND BESIDE THE INTENT THAT THE COUNCIL HAD IN TERMS OF EVEN ENTERING THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION FOR DEI.
BUT AS A PART OF WHAT I PROMISED THAT I WILL LISTEN TO OUR CITIZENS AND WITH THE NUMBER THEY HAVE SHOWN THEIR SUPPORT, I WOULD HAVE TO VOTE. YES. [APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE] MOTION CARRIES 4-1 FOR THE REMOVAL OF AGENDA ITEM 2023-074 FOR DEI AS WELL AS REMOVING THE CONTRACT FOR ETHOS TALENT LLC.
THAT WILL TAKE US TO AGENDA ITEM 2023-075 FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE REQUESTS FOR ITEMS BE PLACED ON A FUTURE AGENDA AND NOT FOR DISCUSSIONS OF THESE REQUESTS.
GENTLEMEN, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TONIGHT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDED TO A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM?
>> YOUR HONOR, I HAVE A COUPLE.
I'D LIKE TO GET AN UPDATE ON THE BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME, WIDENING YOUR 380, WHEN THAT MAY TAKE PLACE AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GONE BECAUSE OF THE NEW THOROUGH PLAN.
AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO DECIDED NOT TO WIDEN 380 JUST BECAUSE OF THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
IF WE GET AN UPDATE ON THAT AND ALSO MAYBE ON SECOND STREET ON HOW WE'RE COMING WITH THAT AND WHEN THAT HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE DONE BY THIS SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST, THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, MAYBE IT'LL BE DONE BY THEN, I DON'T KNOW.
JUST FADES OFF IT RAINS LIKE YES.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THE NUISANCE LAWS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
I KNOW YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE INCIDENCE IN BRING IT BACK NEXT WEEK OR TWO WEEKS.
>> ANYTHING ELSE, GENTLEMEN? I'D LIKE TO ADD FOR A FUTURE DISCUSSION IN REGARDS TO ADDING POTENTIAL CONVERSATION OF HAVING A CONSULTING FIRM COME IN TO DO AN OVERVIEW OF OUR CITY STAFFING AND DEPARTMENTALLY.
THIS IS JUST A PROACTIVE MEASURE TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TALENTS AND THE RIGHT DEPARTMENTS AND TO MEASURE ANY GAPS THAT WE MAY HAVE TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT THE CULTURE OF THE CITY IS WHAT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DISCUSSED WITH OTHER SEVERAL MAYORS THAT THEY HAVE DONE IN THEIR CITIES AS THEY'RE
[02:00:01]
GROWING TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND TO BE PROACTIVE VERSUS REACTIVE.IF YOU WILL ADD THAT ONTO THE AGENDA, PLEASE?
>> THAT WILL TAKE US TO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THERE'S NOTHING IN TONIGHT'S AGENDA TO DISCUSS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, SO THEREFORE, THERE IS NO ACTION TO BE TAKEN.
[REPORT AGENDA ]
THIS WILL TAKE US TO OUR REPORT AGENDA, WHICH IS ALL YOU, MR. BURKE.>> THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
YOUR NEXT MEETING IS ON MONDAY, MAY 8TH, HERE AT 06:30.
REMINDER THE MEALS ON WHEELS, MONDAYS, TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS, 10:00 -1:00 AT THE STEPHEN AND JUDY DIFF COMMUNITY CENTER.
CPRAED, AND FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION TRAINING CLASSES ARE HELD ON THE THIRD THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 6:00 PM TO 9:00 AT THE SAME COMMUNITY CENTER, VENDOR APPLICATIONS FOR JULY SPECTACULAR ARE NOW OPEN.
THE LINK CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE OR THE FACEBOOK PAGE.
APRIL'S BEAUTIFICATION MONTH, TAKE TIME TO BE ON FIRE HOME INSIDE NOW.
WE ENCOURAGED BUSINESSES ARE BEAUTIFYING THE PROPERTIES AS WELL.
UNLIMITED GARAGE SALES DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL ALSO.
OUR FIRST CITIZEN FIRE ACADEMY STARTED ON APRIL 13TH AND WE'LL RUN THROUGH MAY 18.
THERE WE DID RECEIVE A VIDEO WALL DONATION FROM THE ARLINGTON EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DIVISION FOR OUR EOC.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT AND SEEING WHAT AND IF WE ARE ABLE TO GET THAT CONNECTED TO OUR SYSTEM.
LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A VERY GENEROUS DONATION.
WE WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU THE FINANCIAL REPORT HERE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS, THERE'S BEEN ILLNESS IN THE FAMILY OF ONE OF OUR AUDITORS AND THEY HAVE GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT BEHIND.
WE WOULD HAVE HAD IT AT THIS MEETING.
HOWEVER, IT'S RUNNING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT THAT'S COMING UP.
CUTTER BLOOD CARE WILL HOST A BLOOD DRIVE ON MAY 4TH, FROM 1:00 -6:00, AT THIS MUNICIPAL CENTER AND THE SIGN-UPS CAN BE FOUND ON THE WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGES.
>> THANK YOU. THAT'LL TAKE US TO OUR CITY COUNCIL REPORT AGENDA CITY,
[CC REPORT AGENDA ]
COUNCIL REPORTS ABOUT ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOU KNOW, ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.ANYTHING TO REPORT TONIGHT, GUYS?
>> YOUR HONOR, I'D JUST LIKE TO COMMENT AND THANK OUR PARKS AND RICK AND STEPHANIE FOR PUTTING ON THE FISHING PHRASE, THE ELBOW WOULDN'T HEAR.
I'VE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN HERE, BUT MY GRANDCHILDREN TOOK PLACE IN IT AND ENOUGH THAT MY GRANDSON GO BACK OUT TO OUR LITTLE LAKE HERE IN FISH.
IT'S A COMPLETE SUCCESS FROM MY UNDERSTANDING.
VERY GOOD. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HOW TO HANDLE THAT OR CITY STAFF.
IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO MAKE FOR SURE THAT WE HAVE EVENTS THAT SERVE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.
ALSO HUGE SHOUT OUT TO MARY ABERCROMBIE WHO ORGANIZED OUR EARTH DAY EVENT.
THAT WAS ALSO THAT SAME NIGHT.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL. I GOT AMAZING FEEDBACK ON THAT.
IT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR OUR EVENTS, MAKING SURE WE'RE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY.
>> I HAVE SOMETHING THIS IS IN REGARDS TO AN EVENT ON MAY 6TH, VETERANS IMPACTING PRINCETON.
EVENT THAT THEY'RE HOSTING IT'S GOING TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE AROUND OUR CITY.
THAT'S GOING TO BE VARIOUS THINGS GOING ON AND IT SAYS HERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME HEALTH SCREENINGS, BLOOD DRIVES, HAIRCUTS, CAREER, SOME CAREER RESOURCES, AND THEY'RE NEEDING VOLUNTEERS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S THROUGHOUT LOCAL V OF W AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
IF YOU DO HAVE TIME ON MAY 6TH FROM MANNER THREE, PLEASE VOLUNTEER.
>> BEAUTIFUL. ANYTHING ELSE? F NOT, THEN GO AND GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN, PLEASE.
>> YOUR HONOR, I MAKE THE MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> ON FAVOR TO EVERYONE SAY AYE?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.