[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:03]
SO WE'RE GOING TO GET ROLLING HERE.
MY NAME IS LOUIS, SO BARRON I'M CHAIR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.
AND I CALL THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION TO ORDER IT'S AUGUST 24TH, 2022.
WE WERE AT CITY HALL AND THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION ROOM, WHICH IS ROOM NUMBER, UH, 1101 AT 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS SEVEN EIGHT SEVEN ZERO ONE.
I'M GOING TO CALL THE ROLE, UM, FOR THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE HERE VIRTUALLY, IF YOU COULD, UH, MAKE SURE YOUR CAMERA'S ON AND UNMUTE YOURSELF TO SAY PRESENT OR HERE AND THEN MUTE YOURSELF AGAIN.
SO STARTING FROM THE TOP OF MY ROLL CALL, COMMISSIONER TENANT, YUCA COMMISSIONER MCCORMICK, PRESENT CHAIR.
SO BRONZE PRESENT COMMISSIONER DANBURG HERE.
LEVIN'S PRESENT SECRETARY STANTON HERE.
HELLO? COMMISSIONER LAURIE HERE.
UM, WE HAVE COMMISSIONERS DANBURG STANTON, LAURIE ANTENNA, YUCA, UH, APPEARING VIRTUALLY.
[PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL]
UM, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC COMMUNICATION, WHICH LAUNCHES US RIGHT INTO OUR AGENDA.SO WE'RE GOING TO GO TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER
[1. Approval of a statement and/or video of what the Commission does & how the public can use the Commission and/or a Statement on Equity, Access, and the need for reform by the Working Group on Race, Identity and Equity.]
ONE, THAT IS GOING TO BE APPROVAL OF A STATEMENT AND OR VIDEO OF WHAT THE COMMISSION DOES AND HOW THE PUBLIC CAN USE THE COMMISSION.KALE'S, UH, PROJECT THAT SHE HAS WORKED FOR A LONG TIME ON.
I AM GOING TO HAND IT OFF TO YOU TO GIVE US A FULL, A FULL UPDATE OF WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WORKING ON.
AND SO COMMISSIONERS, LAURIE AND MCCORMICK FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN AS WELL BECAUSE WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING ON IT.
UM, SO THE FEEDBACK WE GOT WAS THAT WE WANTED SOMETHING SHORT AND SWEET AND MORE OF JUST A ONE-PAGE.
ALTHOUGH THERE WAS SOME SENTIMENT THAT WE'D LIKE A LITTLE MORE OF A THOROUGH, A LITTLE DEEPER DIVE, I GUESS YOU'D SAY.
AND SO WE HAVE FOUR VERSIONS, BUT I THINK WE CAN WEED OUT A COUPLE OF THESE PRETTY QUICKLY.
I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THE ONE I'M GOING TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ONE THAT'S THAT THAT WOULD GO IN THE GRAPHIC FORMAT OF WHAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN PRODUCES.
DONNA BETH IS HOLDING IT UP FOR ME.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME Y'ALL HAVE HAD TO LOOK AT THESE, BUT I WELCOME YOUR FEEDBACK ON THEM.
UM, AND UM, IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THEM OR NOT, AND WHAT YOU THINK GOING FORWARD ON THESE? YES, I HAVE BRED THEM ALL MORE THAN ONCE, BUT THIS, THE ONE PAGER WITH THE HIGHLIGHTS IS REALLY OF, I THINK THE ONE WE NEED TO GO WITH BECAUSE THIS OTHER ONE GETS IN THE WEEDS.
IT'S JUST AN INFORMATION PAGE.
ANYONE ELSE? I RECOMMEND IT MYSELF.
AND AS IT TURNS OUT, I AM STARTING MY THESIS THIS SEMESTER AND IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE 40 PAGES.
UM, SO ANYWAY, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS? I LIKE THIS GRAPHIC ONE.
UM, WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH IT? DID WE DECIDE ON THAT? WELL, THAT W THAT'S KIND OF BEEN LOST IN THE SHUFFLE A LITTLE BIT.
SO I THINK THE IDEA WAS TO, WE WANT TO GET IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC, WHETHER THAT'S IN UTILITY BILLS, WHETHER THAT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, HEART, UH, E THAT WOULD BE SOME KIND OF HARD COPY OR MAKE IT LIKE A PRESS RELEASE.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD WORK OUT WITH, UH, THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE MEDIA PEOPLE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER AVENUE WHERE WE WELCOMED THE FEEDBACK AND THE EXPERTISE OF CITY STAFF.
AND THIS QUESTION, DO WE NEED TO INCLUDE OTHER SECTIONS OF CODE THAT ARE CITED ON THE COMPLAINT FORM THE, UM, LOBBYING ONE, MAYBE ISN'T THAT A SEPARATE SECTION
[00:05:05]
THAT WE HAVE? SO IN PURVIEW, YES.UM, BUT WE, UH, IT'S THAT JURISDICTION IS ESTABLISHED IN TWO DASH SEVEN, TWO DASH SEVEN, SAYS YOUR JURISDICTION INCLUDES THESE THINGS AND THE LOBBYING STUFF.
SO I UNDERSTAND THEN WE CAN JUST SKIP.
AND IF YOU'LL NOTICE THE SECOND ITEM ON THERE, UH, REFERENCES, LOBBYING AND FRACTIONS.
SO I TRIED TO COVER IT ALL WITH AS FEW WORDS AS POSSIBLE.
UH, I'LL JUST ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS FOR JOINING US.
I'LL ACKNOWLEDGE MS. PRESIDENT.
UM, AND I'LL ALSO SECOND, THE GRATITUDE FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS VICE-CHAIR KALE.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME TO PULL IT TOGETHER, BUT I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE FEEDBACK AND WE WANT TO SEND THE RIGHT MESSAGE AND WE WANT TO SEND IT WELL.
UM, SO I THINK THEN, UM, UH, I'M ALSO SCANNING FOR OUR VIRTUAL, UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, IF THEY HAVE ANY SPECIFIC FEEDBACK ON ANY OF THESE VERSIONS.
UM, I'LL MY 2 CENTS ARE THAT I ALSO LIKE THE GRAPHIC VERSION.
UM, AND IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD GO WELL ON OUR WEBSITE, ON OUR LANDING PAGE AS, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE FIRST HYPERLINKS, BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO SCAN FOR OUR VIRTUAL COMMISSION MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE ANY THING TO ADD, OKAY, GO AHEAD.
WELL, WITH THIS, IT'S A SHORTER VERSION, BUT IT HAS INFORMATION BULLET POINT INFORMATION, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
WE DON'T NEED TO GO INTO A DISSERTATION OR THESIS, RIGHT.
BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER BULLET POINTS.
SO WHAT I'M OH, COMMISSIONER DANBURG HAS HER HAND UP COMMISSIONER, GO AHEAD.
IT'S MY DEAR HOPE THAT THIS GIVES PEOPLE A BIT MORE OF A HANDLE SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE COMPLAINTS FOR WHICH WE HAVE TO DISAPPOINT PEOPLE AND TELL THEM WE DON'T HAVE JURISDICTION.
UH, AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW OR CAN'T REALLY SEND THEM WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT.
AND I THINK ONE HOPE THAT I HAVE IS THAT, UH, THIS WILL, UH, SEND ENOUGH PEOPLE TO THE RIGHT PLACES.
UM, ON OCCASION I WILL GET AN EMAIL, UH, TO MY OWN EMAIL ASKING ME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE COMMISSION CAN AND CAN'T DO.
AND SOMETIMES, UH, THEY RELATE TO SPECIFIC COMPLAINTS AND I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING RIGHT.
AND I ENDED UP HAVING TO FORWARD THEM TO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
UM, SO, UH, I THINK SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IF AT THE VERY TOP THEY SEE WHAT CAN THE COMMISSION DO? WHAT'S IT ABOUT, UM, HOPEFULLY IT DIRECTS TRAFFIC THE RIGHT WAY.
UM, I THINK THEN, OH, GO AHEAD.
SO HERE'S WHAT I'M GOING TO PROPOSE I DO IS, UM, FOR THE NEXT MEETING, GET RID OF THESE LITTLE EDITS I THREW IN THERE SOME QUESTIONS I HAD IRON OUT, THE 3, 1, 1 PROCESS FOR THIS.
THAT WAS SOMETHING I WAS TALKING TO LYNN CARTER ABOUT WHILE SHE TRANSITIONED INTO NOT BEING WITH THE CITY ANYMORE.
AND SO GET A FINAL VERSION FOR Y'ALL FOR NEXT MONTH THAT WE CAN OFFICIALLY TAKE A VOTE ON THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO SUGGEST.
COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE JUST MOVING RIGHT ALONG, UM, AGENDA ITEM
[2. Approve the creation of a working group or other action plan for review of lobbyist registration thresholds in City Code Section 4-8-3.]
NUMBER TWO, UH, IS TO DISCUSS AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE APPROVAL OR CREATION OF A WORKING GROUP OR OTHER ACTION PLAN TO REVIEW THE LOBBYIST REGISTRATION THRESHOLDS IN CITY CODE FOUR DASH EIGHT DASH THREE.UM, I WILL SAY, UH, WE ALSO HAVE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS VERY RELATED, UM, WHICH IS THE APPROVAL AND CREATION OF A WORKING GROUP OR OTHER ACTION PLAN FOR PREPARATION COVERING GENERAL LOBBYING ISSUES.
UM, LET'S START WITH, IF WE WANT TO WORK IN GROUPS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LOBBYING THRESHOLDS, UM, THAT IS OUR AGENDA ITEM.
THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
UM, SO I HAVE A QUESTION WHERE DID THIS AGENDA ITEM COME? DID SOMEBODY BRING IT UP AT A MEETING? I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER.
[00:10:01]
CODE, UH, ACTUALLY TELLS US ON A SEMI-REGULAR BASIS.I THINK IT WAS ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS.
UM, THE CITY, THERE'S A PROVISION OF CITY CODE, ACTUALLY IT'S RIGHT THERE, A FOUR DASH EIGHT DASH THREE, UM, THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO REVIEW THESE THRESHOLDS REGULARLY.
UM, AND I THINK IT WAS STAFF THAT SUGGESTED THAT THIS BE PUT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, LAST TIME WE OPTED TO NOT TAKE ACTION ON IT QUITE YET BECAUSE, UH, THERE WAS, UM, UH, SOME COMMISSIONERS THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE TO HAVE A WORKING GROUP, NOT JUST LOOK AT THIS, BUT LOOK AT LOBBYING ISSUES GENERALLY.
UM, SO THAT IS WHERE IT COMES FROM COMMISSIONER GREENBERG.
UM, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO COMBINE THOSE TWO INTO ONE WORKING GROUP.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, FEWER VOLUN TEARS ARE NEEDED FOR ONE WORKING GROUP INSTEAD OF TWO, BUT SECOND OF ALL, THEY'RE REALLY RELATED.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK I'M, MIGHT'VE HAD A WORD ABOUT THE, UM, GENERAL LOBBYING ISSUES BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE NUMERICAL VALUE.
IT'S KIND OF THE WAY IT'S CALCULATED, WHICH ISN'T IN CODE TO LOOK AT, BUT IT MAKES SENSE TO LOOK AT IT ANYWAY.
CAUSE I THINK IT MAY, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT IT MIGHT BE A THRESHOLD QUARTERLY AND MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT THING.
UM, CAUSE YOU COULD EASILY MANIPULATE YOUR, UM, FEES SO THAT IT STAYS UNDER THE THRESHOLD.
SO I THINK TWO AND THREE SHOULD BE COMBINED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF IT'S ALL RIGHT, UM, THEN, UH, I THINK WHAT I MIGHT DO A FORMERLY FOR THE SAKE OF THE AGENDA WITHOUT OBJECTION, MOVE ON TO THAT AGENDA ITEM SO THAT WE COULD DISCUSS A WORKING GROUP THAT IS COVERS LOBBYING ISSUES GENERALLY.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT WORKING GROUP WOULD HAVE THE PURVIEW TO TALK ABOUT LOBBYING THRESHOLDS.
UM, IF THAT IS OKAY, I'M GOING TO GET YOU TO DO A QUICK SCAN THEN I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
THEN WITHOUT OBJECTION, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT LOBBYING WORK GROUP, UM,
[3. Approve the creation of a working group or other action plan for preparation of covering general Lobbying issues.]
GENERAL LOBBYING ISSUES ON OUR NEXT AGENDA.DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SPECIFIC COMMENTS OR DO WE HAVE ANY VOLUNTEERS? OH, COMMISSIONER DANBURG AND THEN COMMISSIONER TENDER YUCA.
I'M NOT VOLUNTEERING, BUT I AM, UH, WEIGHING IN ON A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS, I REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF COMBINING IT BECAUSE BACK WHEN I CHAIRED THE HOUSE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE DECADES AGO, UM, WE FOUND THAT IF WE DIDN'T COMBINE A BUNCH OF BILLS THAT CAME TO US OR A BUNCH OF THINGS AROUND ONE PARTICULAR PORTION OF WHAT WE WERE OVERSEEING, THAT THE NUMBERING AND THE ABILITY TO FIND THEM IN A, IN A THOUGHTFUL QUICK WAY WAS HINDERED THINGS DIDN'T QUITE MATCH UP.
UH, SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING I JUST WANTED TO SAY IS WHILE THERE ARE DEFINITIONS IN OUR CODE OF LOBBYING, I THINK THAT WE'VE FOUND THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER TIME AND, AND RECENTLY THAT WHAT DEFINITIONS ARE, THERE ARE REALLY NOT CLEAR ENOUGH FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE DEALING WITH SOMEONE WHO'S A LOBBYIST OR SOMEONE WHO'S A GOVERNMENT, UH, REPRESENTATIVE SPOKESPERSON OR THE VARIOUS, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENTAL, UH, DIFF DIFFER LAYERS OF WHAT IT IS TO BE LOBBYING VERSUS PROVIDING INFORMATION, ANSWERING QUESTIONS, THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, COMMISSIONER ATTENDANT, YUCA, YOU ALSO HAD YOUR HAND UP.
MINE'S MORE OF A QUESTION CLARIFICATION.
I JUST, UM, WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING COMBINING TWO AND THREE TOGETHER, BUT ALSO I HAVE A QUESTION.
HAS, DO WE HAVE A LIST? CAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN CREATING A LOT OF WORK GROUPS LATELY.
AND JUST CURIOUS IF THERE'S A RUNNING LIST SOMEWHERE OF HOW MANY THERE ARE AND WHO ARE ON BEACH.
WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN PAIRING DOWNWARD GROUPS.
UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY WORK GROUP, UM, THAT IS CURRENTLY MOVING, UH, I THOUGHT WE WEREN'T DOING THE KITCHEN SINK
[00:15:01]
ANYMORE.RIGHT? SO KITCHEN SINK WORK GROUP, IT'S NO LONGER A THING.
UM, PART OF THIS IS ON THE ADVICE OF A CITY STAFF THAT, UH, SAID SORT OF STANDING PERPETUAL WORK IN GROUPS IS NOT BEST PRACTICE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE FORMALLY TOOK ACTION TO, UH, SAY THAT THE WORK GROUP ON EQUITY WAS NO LONGER FORMALLY A WORK GROUP.
UM, BUT THEY HA THAT THAT WORK GROUP HASN'T APPEARED ON THE AGENDA.
UM, THE PAST COUPLE OF TIMES SINCE WE'VE HAD OUR AGENDA REFORM.
UM, UH, I THINK THAT CAROLINE WEBSTER, YES.
UH, I'M ONLY JUST GOING TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF THE WORK GROUP YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HAS GIVEN ITS FINAL RECOMMENDATION ON CITY CODE.
ONCE A WORK GROUP GIVES FINAL RECOMMENDATION, IT'S AUTOMATICALLY DISSOLVED.
SO I'M JUST, I'M JUST THROWING THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I'VE ONLY JUST KIND OF RECENTLY JOINING, BUT IF THAT'S WERE GIVEN A RECOMMENDATION, THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AUTOMATICALLY DISSOLVED UNDER THE CITY CODE.
MAYBE THE KITCHEN SINK NEEDS TO GIVE A RECOMMENDATION A FINAL.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD THOUGHT.
UM, BUT TO FORMALLY CLOSE SHOP, UM, FAIR POINT THEN I THEN, UH, MAYBE WHEN WE GET TO FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS WILL, UH, INCLUDE AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FROM BOTH OF THOSE GROUPS OR JUST, UH, MAYBE FINAL STATEMENT TO FORMALLY CLOSE THEM OUT.
UM, BUT IT WAS A GOOD QUESTION.
UM, THOSE ARE WHAT I THINK I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY IS THAT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF WORK IN GROUPS THAT ARE WINDING DOWN.
UM, AND THEN, UH, ON TODAY'S AGENDA, I THINK A COUPLE OF WORKING GROUPS THAT ARE ON THEIR WAY UP, WE DID HAVE A WORKING GROUP THAT WAS ALSO CREATED IN THE JULY MEETING THAT I THINK WAS SPECIFIC TO, UH, POTENTIALLY CREATING A CALENDAR OF COMMISSION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
UM, SO I GUESS BY MY ACCOUNT, WE HAVE TO WORK IN GROUPS THAT ARE ON THEIR WAY OUT, SO TO SPEAK IN ONE WORKING GROUP THAT WE CREATED RECENTLY TO CONSIDER TALKING ABOUT A CALENDAR FOR THE COMMISSION TO FOLLOW, UH, AND THAT THAT WORKING GROUP IS SECRETARY STANTON AND COMMISSIONER TENENT, YUCA THAT CALENDAR WORKING GROUP.
UH, I GUESS IT, CAN WE GET A LIST OF MAYBE WHAT THE KITCHEN SINK IS KIND OF LETTING GO AND WHAT'S DEVELOPING OUT OF THAT IS, DO WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION YET? ARE WE STILL KIND OF IN DEVELOPMENT? UM, THAT WILL BE, I THINK FOR NEXT MONTH.
UH, I THINK IN THE MEANTIME KITCHEN SINK WORKING GROUP, UH, MEANING, UH, YOU, ME SECRETARY STANTON AND COMMISSIONER GREENBERG, UM, CAN HAVE ONE MORE MAKE THAT LIST.
ONE MORE GET TOGETHER TO HAVE LIKE, UH, TO PRESENT THAT KIND OF FINAL, UH, HERE ARE THINGS THAT DESERVE ATTENTION SORT OF STATEMENT TO CLOSE OUT THE WORKING GROUP.
UM, BUT NO, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THAT READY RIGHT NOW.
UH, COMMISSIONER, LEVIN'S ASSUMING, UH, I'M ASSUMING THAT THIS IS THE FOURTH YEAR IN WHICH WE SHOULD BE MAKING THIS REVIEW OF THE LOBBYING REGULATION THRESHOLDS.
THIS IS, UH, IT MAY ACTUALLY BE THE FIFTH YEAR, BUT YES WE DO.
SO WE'RE OBLIGATED TO DO THIS NOW WHETHER BY WORKING GROUP OR WE'RE OBLIGATED TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS WHETHER THROUGH WORKING GROUP OR OTHERWISE.
WE'RE AT LEAST OBLIGATED TO REVIEW.
UM, IT COULD IN THE PAST, WHEN WE'VE BEEN CALLED ON TO REVIEW, FOR EXAMPLE, THE CAMPAIGN FINANCE THRESHOLDS, UM, SOMETIMES IT HAS BEEN AS SIMPLE AS YEAH.
AS HAVING THE, UM, IT IS AN AGENDA ITEM AND THE COMMISSIONERS LOOK AROUND AND SAY EVERYONE.
UM, BUT YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS LOBBYING ISSUES WORKING GROUP THEN I THINK, UM, OH, GO AHEAD.
I WAS GOING TO SAY LET'S I MOVE THAT WE CREATE A WORKING GROUP, UM, FOR PREPARING, FOR PREPARING OF COVERING THAT CONSIDERS THE GENERAL LOBBYING REGULATIONS, INCLUDING THRESHOLDS.
I SECOND THAT WE HAVE A MOTION TO CREATE THE WORKING GROUP IN A SECOND.
[00:20:04]
I'M GOING TO ASK CITY, UH, FIRST, UH, IF YOU'RE NOT SPEAKING, COULD YOU TURN OFF YOUR MICROPHONE TO PREVENT FEEDBACK? I APPRECIATE IT.UM, I WAS GOING TO ASK CITY STAFF BRIEFLY BEFORE WE JUMP INTO THE DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION, WHETHER, UH, WE NEEDED TO HAVE MEMBERS LINED UP TO CREATE THE WORKING GROUP, OR IF WE CAN CREATE THE WORKING GROUP AND THEN TACK ON MEMBERS.
WELL, A WORKING GROUP IS DEFINED AS, AS CONSISTING OF LESS THAN MAJORITY OF COMMISSION MEMBERS.
I THINK I WOULD SAY THE WORKING GROUP IS NOT FULLY FORMED UNTIL YOU'VE NAMED THE MEMBERS.
WE WANT TO CREATE THIS WORKING GROUP, BUT DOESN'T EXIST IN FACT, UNTIL YOU'VE NAMED MEMBERS.
UM, OKAY, WELL THEN LET'S HAVE THE VOTE THEN OR DISCUSSION ON WHETHER TO CREATE THE WORKING GROUP.
AND THEN, UM, I AM HAPPY TO, UH, I THINK YOU SHOULD ASK, IS THERE ANYBODY WHO WOULD JOIN SUCH WORK? OKAY.
I'LL TAKE, I'LL TAKE THAT ON ADVISEMENT FROM A PARLIAMENTARIAN.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO JOIN THE WORKING GROUP? YES, GO AHEAD.
AND WOULD IT BE, I FEEL LIKE IT WOULD BE BETTER TO POSSIBLY CREATE THAT LIST OF WHAT ALL WORKING GROUPS THERE WILL BE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN DECIDE WHICH GROUPS THEY'D LIKE TO BE ON.
UM, IF, IF WE COULD JUST SO THAT THERE'S NOT, OH, A DIFFERENT WORKING GROUPS COMING UP LATER OUT OF THE KITCHEN STATE GROUP THAT MAYBE THEY MIGHT PREFER TO WORK ON THAT GROUP AND NOT THIS ONE, BUT IT'S JUST A SUGGESTION SO THAT 'CAUSE, I'M NOT SURE WHAT WORKING GROUPS MIGHT COME, MIGHT SPRING OUT OF THE KITCHEN SINK, WORKING GROUP PER SE.
UM, I THINK THAT WHAT'S LIKELY GONNA COME FROM THAT WORKING GROUP IS A LIST OF TOPICS AND ISSUES THAT DESERVE ATTENTION THAT, UM, WE COULD TAKE UP AND WORK IN GROUPS LATER.
UM, CAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT LIST IS GOING TO BE.
I WOULD, I WOULD PREFER NOT TO, UH, SAY THAT THAT IS, UH, THAT THE RECOMMENDATION IS THAT EACH ONE BE A NEW WORKING GROUP.
UH, COMMISSIONER DANBURG, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THE PREVIOUS QUESTION THAT WE CREATE THE WORKING GROUP WITH THE PARAMETERS THAT COMMISSIONER GREENBERG SAID.
THE PREVIOUS QUESTION HAS BEEN MOVED.
UM, THEN I'M GOING TO GO DOWN MY ROLL CALL.
UH, AND IF YOU'RE VIRTUAL, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF TO SAY YOUR VOTE CLEARLY IN THE NEUTRAL SELF.
AGAIN, SAME GOES FOR US WITH THE MICROPHONES STARTING FROM THE TOP.
AND THIS QUESTION AGAIN IS ON THE CREATION OF A WORKING GROUP TO REVIEW LOBBYING ISSUES GENERALLY.
SO STARTING THE ROLE COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. I SUPPORT THE MOTION.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS WHO WANTS TO BE IN A WORKING GROUP ON LOVING ISSUES, ANTICLIMACTIC WORKING GROUP WORKING GROUP OF C C COMMISSIONER GREENBERG IS IN OUR WORKING GROUP.
IF I GET ELECTED, LET'S SEE ANY OTHER TAKERS? I THINK WE NEED COMMISSIONER DANBURG SURE.
COMMISSIONER DANBURG WOULD YOU BE, UH, CONSIDERING YOUR, YOUR DEPTH OF EXPERIENCE WITH LOBBYING ISSUES? WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TAKE A LOOK AT LABBING ISSUES AT THE CITY LEVEL? OH, GOOD GRIEF.
I'VE AVOIDED EVERY WORKING GROUP, BUT YEAH.
[00:25:01]
THANK YOU.UM, THEN WE'LL SAY THAT THAT IS OUR WORKING GROUP.
DO WE HAVE TO, UH, MS. WEBSTER, DO WE HAVE TO TAKE A, ANOTHER VOTE TO CONFIRM THE MEMBERSHIP? UH, I WOULD CAUSE YOU, YOU TOOK AN F A FORMAL VOTE TO DECIDE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A WORKING GROUP GROUP WOULD BE OFFICIALLY FORMED WITH THOSE MEMBERS ONCE YOU TAKE THAT NEXT.
THEN WE ARE ELECTING, UH, COMMISSIONERS GREENBERG AND DANBURG TO THE WORKING GROUP TO LOOK AT LOBBYING ISSUES.
GENERALLY, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ROLL CALL AGAIN, STARTING AT THE TOP COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. I SUPPORT THE MOTION AS AN HI AS A SUPPORT COMMISSIONER ATTENDANT, YUCA.
I SUPPORT GREAT COMMISSIONER MCCORMICK CHAIR SOBER ON YES.
COMMISSIONER DANBURG ALL SHIPS.
GREAT UNANIMOUS CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW WORKING GROUP ON LOBBYING ISSUES.
UM, AND UH, I THINK FOR CLARITY, UM, ON, BECAUSE TAKE A FORMAL MOTION TO TAKE THAT VOTE.
LET'S SAY I MADE THE MOTION IF THAT HELPS OUR MINUTES WRITING.
UM, WE, WHO, WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE GIVEN, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE RETROACTIVE SECONDING.
SO SPEAKING OF WORKING GROUPS, UM, ITEM
[4. Approve the creation of a working group or other action plan for preparation of covering possible revision to relevant city code governing complaints.]
NUMBER FOUR IS THE CREATION OF A WORKING GROUP OR OTHER ACTION PLAN FOR, UM, WE'LL ADDRESS THE WORDING OF THAT, OF COVERING POSSIBLE REVISION, RELEVANT CITY CODE AND GOVERNING COMPLAINTS.UM, SO THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING THAT I BROUGHT UP AT OUR LAST MEETING AND YES.
SO I, BY DEFAULT, I THINK I AM VOLUNTEERING, UM, FOR IT.
UH, BUT THE, THE GENERAL THOUGHT HERE IS TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT THE PROVISIONS OF CODE THAT DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENS TO CERTAIN KINDS OF COMPLAINTS.
UM, THE, THE LANGUAGE IS ADMITTEDLY A LITTLE BIT BROAD AND THAT'S FOR A REASON BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE WORKING GROUP TO THINK ABOUT A NUMBER OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
UM, SO THAT, AND NOT KITCHEN SINK.
I HEARD, I HEARD THAT, UM, MADDY KITCHEN SINK WORKING GROUP, BUT SPECIFICALLY, UH, THE, THE KINDS OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COULD COME UP ARE INSTANCES WHERE A COMPLAINANT, UM, DECIDES TO, UH, STOP PURSUING A COMPLAINT IN CERTAIN CASES, UM, THE CITY AUDITOR'S OFFICE, FOR EXAMPLE, DOESN'T JUST DECIDE TO STOP DOING THE COMPLAINT.
AND IT'S STRANGE IN ETHICS CASES, IF THAT WERE TO BE THE CASE OF THE PRIVATE CITIZEN PRODUCT UP MORE CONCERNING TO ME IS THE PROVISION OF OUR CITY CODE THAT SAYS THAT THE COMPLAINT CAN BE BROUGHT, UM, BY THE COMMISSION OR ON THE COMMISSION'S OWN INITIATIVE WITH NO RULES OF HOW EXACTLY THAT WORKS OUT.
IT SEEMS STRANGE TO HAVE, UH, A PROVISION IN CODE THAT IMPLY THAT IMPLIES THAT OUR COMMISSION CAN BE, UM, PROSECUTOR, INVESTIGATOR, JUDGE, AND JURY, AND EXECUTIONER, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, I THINK, UH, HAVING, HAVING A VERY THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN THE COMPLAINT GENERATION PROCESS AS WELL IS WORTHWHILE.
UM, THAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND MY WORKING GROUP AND WHY I THINK IT SHOULD BE FORMED.
I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THE FLOOR WIDE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION, OR VOLUNTEERS.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO JOIN ME DOWN THIS PHILOSOPHICAL RABBIT HOLE OF WHAT TO DO WITH THE COMMISSION THAT, UH, CAN START ITS OWN COMPLAINTS, WHETHER THAT'S EVEN A GOOD THING.
AND I'LL EVEN GO OUT ON THE LIMB AND SAY, I'D VOLUNTEER TO BE ON THIS WORKING GROUP.
UM, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, DISCUSSIONS, COMMENTS?
[00:30:01]
IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM PROBLEMATIC THAT WE HAVE THE POWER, SO TO SPEAK, TO, TO BRING A COMPLAINT AGAINST SOMEBODY WHEN WE'RE THE ONES EVALUATING IT.ANY OTHER DISCUSSION THEN? I'M HAPPY.
UH, IT FEELS WEIRD MAKING THE MOTION TO PUT MYSELF IN A WORKING GROUP, BUT I'M HAPPY TO DO IT.
UM, SO I MOVED THAT WE HAVE A WORKING GROUP THAT GENERALLY DISCUSSES HOW COMPLAINTS WORK, UH, THAT IS COMPRISED OF MYSELF COMMISSIONER LEVIN'S.
I'M LOOKING AROUND TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO JUMP ON BOARD GOING ONCE, TWICE SOLD THAT'S OUR WORKING GROUP.
THANK YOU, SECRETARY STANTON FOR THE SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE I START THE ROLL CALL.
THEN I'LL START THE ROLL CALL STARTING AT THE TOP SEC.
COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. I SUPPORT THE MOTION.
[5. Staff briefing regarding anticipated updates to the City Council Candidate Forum Planning and foreign language interpretation services.]
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS A STAFF BRIEFING REGARDING ANTICIPATED UPDATES TO CITY COUNCIL, CANDIDATE, FORUM, PLANNING, AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION SERVICES.I BELIEVE WE'VE GOT, UM, A BRIEF BRIEFING AND UPDATE FROM CAROLINE WEBSTER WHO IS WITH US REMOTELY, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, FEEL FREE TO START BRIEFING US.
UH, LAST MEETING, THERE HAD BEEN A QUESTION ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER THAT WAS, UH, THAT IS PUT OUT BY AUSTIN UTILITIES, AUSTIN ENERGY, AUSTIN MOTOR IT'S KIND OF A NEWSLETTER THAT GOES OUT TO ITS CUSTOMERS WITH THEIR BILL.
AND WE'D HAD A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, IN THE MOST RECENT NEWSLETTER THAT THEY SENT OUT, WHICH DID INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE VARIOUS CANDIDATE FORUMS THAT WERE GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE, WHETHER THAT NEWSLETTER WAS ALSO DISTRIBUTED IN SPANISH.
AND SO I INQUIRED ABOUT THAT AND I DETERMINED THAT IT IS NOT AUTOMATICALLY SENT OUT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH TO EVERY INDIVIDUAL, UH, WHO HAS AN ACCOUNT WITH THE AUSTIN UTILITIES, BUT THERE IS BASICALLY A NUMBER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE NEWSLETTER THAT SOMEONE CAN CALL AND REACH OUT TO SOMEONE TO REQUEST THAT THEY RECEIVE THAT NEWSLETTER IN SPANISH.
ONCE THEY'VE MADE THAT REQUEST, THEY ONLY HAVE TO MAKE IT ONCE.
AND THEN THE NEWSLETTER IS PROVIDED TO THEM, UH, IN SPANISH, UH, MOVING FORWARD THAT IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY LANGUAGE THAT THEY OFFER AS FAR AS DUAL LANGUAGE IS CONCERNED.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY AUTOMATICALLY SEND IT OUT IN BOTH LANGUAGES, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT KIND OF WANTS YOU GET ON THE LIST.
YOU DO RECEIVE IT IN SPANISH ON A REGULAR BASIS GOING FORWARD.
UH, SO I KNOW THAT WAS A CONCERN THAT HAD BEEN EXPRESSED LAST TIME OR A QUESTION THAT HAD BEEN EXPRESSED LAST TIME.
AND, UH, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO UPDATE YOU ALL ON AS FAR AS THE CANDIDATE FORMS, ET CETERA, IS THAT AS YOU ALL KNOW, I'M SURE THE FILING DEADLINE FOR A PLACE ON THE BALLOT FOR THE UPCOMING NOVEMBER ELECTION WAS THIS LAST MONDAY, THE 22ND, UH, IN YOUR PACKET, YOU DID RECEIVE A LISTING OF ALL THE CANDIDATES THAT FILED FOR THE POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN.
UH, THE LIST YOU RECEIVED IS INVALID ORDER BECAUSE THEY CONDUCTED THE DRAWING AFTER THE FILING PERIOD HAD ENDED.
SO THEY CONDUCTED THAT DRAWING YESTERDAY.
SO YOU HAVE THAT LIST OF CANDIDATES THAT'S REALLY ONLY INCLUDED FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
SO YOU KNOW WHO THE LETTER IS GOING OUT TO.
YOU ALSO HAVE IN YOUR PACKET, THE ACTUAL STANDARD, UH, THE LETTER THAT IS PRETTY STANDARD FROM YEAR TO YEAR, THAT INFORMS ALL THE CANDIDATES, UH, THAT OF THE VARIOUS FORUMS THAT YOU ALL HAVE AGREED UPON.
UH, THERE'S THE STATEMENT THAT THEY HAVE TO GIVE THERE'S THE ACTUAL CANDIDATE FORUM, WHICH IS LIKE A DEBATE THAT THEY ATTEND.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S ONE OTHER, SORRY, IT'S JUST GONE OUT OF MY HEAD THIS MOMENT, BUT YOU HAVE THE LETTER THERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
THAT'S THE DRAFT OF THE LETTER THAT WE ARE INTENDING OR, UH, THAT IS INTENDED TO BE SENT OUT IF YOU ALL ARE OKAY WITH THAT, UH, YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE CONTENTS OF THAT LETTER.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S VERY STANDARD.
IT JUST INFORMS ALL THE CANDIDATES THAT HAVE FILED FOR PLACE ON THE BALLOT.
WHO'VE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR A PLACE ON THE BALLOT.
[00:35:01]
THAT ARE COMING UP, IT DOES POINT OUT SPECIFICALLY THAT FOR THOSE CANDIDATES WHO HAVE SIGNED ONTO THE CONTRACT FOR THE FAIR CON FAIR CAMPAIGN FINANCE FUND, THAT THEY MUST ATTEND, UH, THE FORUMS AS IT'S DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER ITSELF, IT ALSO ENCOURAGES ALL OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES TO ATTEND THOSE SAME FORUMS, TO COMPLETE ALL THE FORMS. THE GOAL OF THAT IS OF COURSE, CAUSE WE WANT VOTERS TO HAVE THE MOST INFORMATION POSSIBLE.WE WANT THE CANDIDATES TO BE ABLE TO, TO COME TO ALL OF THE DEBATES, ET CETERA, THAT ARE SET UP THE VARIOUS DISTRICTS.
SO REALLY THAT'S THE ONLY UPDATE I HAVE THAT THAT IS THE BIRTH, THE LETTER THAT'S INTENDED TO GO OUT, WHAT YOU HAVE.
THERE IS STILL IN DRAFT FORM IN THE SENSE THAT I BELIEVE THE LETTER, THE DATE OF THE TOP OF IT SAYS AUGUST 23RD, THAT WILL BE UPDATED TO AUGUST 25TH.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME RED UNDERLINING ON THE LAST PARAGRAPH THAT THE LETTER THAT SHOWS SOME LANGUAGE THAT WAS ADDED, ACTUALLY I ADDED THAT LANGUAGE FOR CLARITY SAKE.
SO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WE'LL FINALIZE THAT, UH, WE'LL DO FORMATTING AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE LETTER THAT WILL GO OUT TOMORROW TO ALL OF THE CANDIDATES WHO'VE BEEN ACCEPTED FOR A PLACE ON THE BALLOT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH ALL OF THOSE CANDIDATE FORUMS AND GET THAT INFORMATION OUT TO THE CANDIDATES AND TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.
AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAD, UH, AS UPDATE SINCE THE LAST MEETING.
UM, COMMISSIONER MCCORMICK AND THEN COMMISSIONER DANBURG SINCE I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG TIME, MAINLY I WAS THE COMMITTEE OF ONE FOR YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE MORE CANDIDATES THIS YEAR FOR EVERY OFFICE.
THEN WE'VE EVER HAD ONE, UH, DISTRICT LAST TIME WE HAD LIKE 15 CANDIDATES, BUT FOR RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UH, EVERY DISTRICT HAS SEVERAL CANDIDATES.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE, UM, PROBABLY BIG CROWDS.
I BROUGHT WHAT IS AN ELECTRIC BILL ALSO BROUGHT THE NEWSPAPER THAT HAS AN ARTICLE AND PICTURES AND SOMETHING ABOUT EVERYBODY.
THE ONE THING THAT I TRIED TO DO, AND MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE MADE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE FORUMS BECAUSE I WAS THE COMMITTEE AND ENCOURAGED ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION TO GO TO YOUR COUNCIL DISTRICT.
MINE'S NOT UP, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE, UH, WE'VE HAD PRETTY GOOD CROWDS.
SOME OF THEM, SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN A LITTLE CONTENTIOUS WITH SOME OF THE CANDIDATES.
AND IN FACT, UH, ONE OF THEM REQUESTED THAT WE HAVE POLICE THERE AND IT GOT OKAY UNTIL THERE WERE ABOUT 15 CANDIDATES UNTIL SOMEBODY STARTED YELLING AT EACH OTHER.
SO THE POLICEMAN WHO I WAS TALKING TO WENT TO THE FRONT, BUT IT GETS TO BE A LITTLE INTERESTING SOMETIMES.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY ON THE COMMISSION TO DO, GO TO THEIR DISTRICT AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON SINCE I AGREE, WE APPRECIATE THE ENCOURAGEMENT, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER DANBURG.
UM, ACTUALLY I WAS, I WAS GOING TO COMMENT ON CAROLINE WEBSTER'S PRESENTATION, UH, WHEN WE, WHO ARE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY, GET SOME OF OUR PREPARATORY MATERIALS, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
I HAVE NOT FOUND A WAY TO DO IT YET TO OPEN SOME OF THE ATTACHMENTS.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ATTENDING IN PERSON WHO HAVE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WERE JUST REFERRING TO.
UM, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING, THIS, THIS IS MORE, MORE THAN JUST THIS ISSUE, BUT IF THERE'S SOME WAY THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY PICK UP THE PHYSICAL DOCUMENTS, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE PARTICIPATING REMOTELY THE AFTERNOON OF WHEN EVERYTHING IS READY, UH, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
CAUSE I, I HAVE NOT SEEN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LISTING OF ALL THE CANDIDATES AND SO ON.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO TRY TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY ARE BEING ABLE TO SEE THIS, BUT I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT GOES INTO IT.
[00:40:01]
I DO WANT TO BE INFORMED TO EVEN BETTER APPRECIATED.UM, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU CAN GET THE STATESMEN ONLINE, BUT IT NAMES ALL THE CANDIDATES RIGHT HERE.
UM, WE GET THE NEWSPAPER, UM, UH, I THINK, I THINK CITY STAFF WILL TAKE UNDER ADVISEMENT, UM, MAKING THE, UH, PREP, THE BACKUP MATERIALS AVAILABLE FOR PICKUP POTENTIALLY FOR THOSE WHO PLAN ON ATTENDING VIRTUALLY COMMISSIONER GREENBURG.
I THINK HAVING THE BACKUP AVAILABLE, UM, TO PICK UP IS A GOOD IDEA.
I MEAN, IT'S A LOT OF PAPER, BUT THEY'RE PRINTING IT ANYWAY.
SO THE, AND IF IT'S ON THE, UH, THE EMAIL OR WHATEVER, CAUSE WHENEVER I WAS ON REMOTELY LAST TIME I PULLED UP STUFF THAT WAS ON THE EMAIL TRAVELING, RIGHT? SO, UM, IF I APPRECIATE THIS DISCUSSION AND I THINK THAT WE CAN TALK TO OUR STAFF LIAISON AND CAROLINE WEBSTER ABOUT, UH, ACCESSING THOSE MATERIALS A LITTLE MORE EASILY.
UM, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CANDIDATE FORUMS UNDER THIS AGENDA ITEM.
SO I WANT TO KEEP US A LITTLE BIT FOCUSED ON THAT.
UH, GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER GREENBERG, UM, THAT THE TWO RACES THAT ARE THE MOST CROWDED ARE THE MAYOR'S RACE WITH SEVEN CANDIDATES AND DISTRICT NINE, WHICH IS HAVING EIGHT CANDIDATES.
UM, SO 15, UM, YEAH, AND THOSE TWO FORMS ARE BACK TO BACK ON ONE NIGHT, UM, WHICH IS KIND OF UNFORTUNATE.
I PRESUME THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS EASILY CHANGED INTO TWO FORMS INSTEAD OF ONE.
UM, IF IT WERE, THAT WOULD BE A WISH, BUT THERE'S 15 CANDIDATES INVOLVED.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY HARD TO DO.
UM, AND I, I WOULDN'T PREDICT THE FUTURE IF I WERE ABLE TO, I'D SAY BOTH HERE IN FOUR YEARS, DON'T DO THAT AGAIN, BUT WHO KNOWS IT COULD BE TWO CANDIDATES, UM, IN THOSE RACES, IT'S THE SAME PLACE THOUGH.
AND I THINK WE'VE HAD THAT BEFORE TOO.
CAUSE WE'VE HAD A, I'M JUST SAYING TO TALK TO THAT MANY PEOPLE THERE, THEY'RE BACK TO BACK AN HOUR AND A HALF FOR SEVEN PEOPLE AND ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF FOR EIGHT PEOPLE.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST NOT MUCH TIME FOR EACH CANDIDATE, BUT I GUESS ALL OF THE FORMS ARE AN HOUR AND A HALF ANYWAY, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THERE'S TWO CANDIDATES OR 20 CANDIDATES.
SO IF THERE'S A FIXED TIME, THEN THEY WORK IT OUT.
SO IT'S NICE TO HAVE POLITICIANS TALK LESS AND I'M THE PRODUCT OF JEN AND I'M USUALLY I'VE BEEN A TIMEKEEPER A LOT TOO, SO YOU CAN WORK IT OUT.
IF THEY CAN'T SAY WHY THEY'RE RUNNING IN 10 MINUTES, THEY DON'T NEED TO BE RUNNING THAT'S FAIR.
ELEVATOR PITCHES ARE IMPORTANT.
UM, I THINK THOUGH THAT IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT POINT.
UM, I THINK IT SEEMS TO BE A FUNCTION OF HOW WE SCHEDULE THESE IN THE FIRST PLACE WHERE WE SET THE TIMES FOR THE VARIOUS DISTRICT, UH, FORUMS, MONTHS IN ADVANCE, RIGHT IN ADVANCE BEFORE THE FILING DEADLINE, BEFORE WE EVEN KNOW, I GUESS I WOULD SAY REGARDLESS, THERE'S MORE VOTERS WHO MAY BE INTERESTED IN THE MAYOR'S RACE AND THAT, THAT ONE DESERVES ITS OWN NIGHT.
THAT I THINK THAT'S A GREAT, I THINK, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S MUCH TO BE DONE ABOUT IT THIS CYCLE, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, BUT FOR SURE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, I THINK THAT'S ACTUALLY A REALLY GREAT IDEA.
UM, THE MAYOR'S GOING TO RUN AGAIN IN TWO YEARS.
AND, UH, IT IS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITIONALLY, MORE PEOPLE HAVE A SAY, SO YEAH, I HEAR IT.
UM, WELL THANK YOU MS. WEBSTER FOR THE UPDATED.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION COMMISSIONERS ON FORUM PLANNING? UM, GREAT.
I, I THINK, UH, ONE THOUGHT THAT I HAVE JUST TO KIND OF CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM IS, UH, I FOUND IT INTERESTING THE SWEATER WHEN YOU WERE SAYING THAT, UH, IT IS, IT'S A PHONE CALL TO OPT INTO THE SPANISH LANGUAGE NEWSLETTER.
UM, I THINK THAT IS, UH, MAYBE I'LL MAYBE I'LL SAVE THIS FOR FUTURE ITEMS, UM, TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT TALK ABOUT THIS IN THE FUTURE, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING I'M INTERESTED IN.
[00:45:01]
I THINK THAT CAN TAKE US INTO THE NEXT BIT OF OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS APPROVAL[6. Approve the minutes of the Ethics Review Commission Regular Meeting on June 22, 2022.]
[7. Approve the minutes of the Ethics Review Commission Regular Meeting on July 27, 2022.]
OF MINUTES.THERE ARE TWO SETS OF MINUTES THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US.
UM, THIS IS WHERE I'VE TAKEN TWO TURNING THINGS OVER TO SECRETARY STANTON TO SEE IF SHE HAD ANY SPECIFIC CORRECTIONS ON MINUTES, SECRETARY STANTON.
UM, W HAVE YOU HAD TIME TO REVIEW? GO AHEAD.
I DON'T HAVE TODAY'S AGENDA AND IN FRONT OF ME, UM, CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT MINUTE OR IT WAS ON THE AGENDA FOR APPROVAL TODAY? SURE.
I HAVE NOT READ JULY 27TH MINUTES.
SO I ASK THAT WE TABLE THAT FOR THE NEXT TIME.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, BUT I AM PREPARED TO EXCUSE ME TO COMMENTS ON THE JUNE 22ND MINUTES.
SO THERE ARE, UM, A FEW CORRECTIONS, UH, JUST REALLY WANTING TO BE IN FOUR, FIVE, UM, FIVE CORRECTIONS THAT I'M RECOMMENDING.
SO THIS IS THE JUNE 22ND MINUTES ON PAGE ONE WITH THE LIST OF COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE.
AGAIN, IT'S JUST A, TO BE ACCURATE WITH THE TITLE SO THAT INSTEAD OF COMMISSIONER STANTON, IT SHOULD READ SECRETARY STANTON.
COULD YOU, COULD YOU SAY ONE MORE TIME WHERE THAT IS ON PAGE ONE? YES, IT IS THE THIRD PARAGRAPH THAT TALKS ABOUT COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE.
AND THEN THE LAST SENTENCE WHERE IT SAYS COMMISSIONER STANTON JOINED THE MEETING NEAR THE BEGINNING OF DISCUSSION OF ITEM ONE C JUST TO CHANGE THAT TITLE COMMISSIONER TO SECRETARY.
UH, I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A LAST MINUTE WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THE PRINTED VERSION AND THAT CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE ALREADY.
UM, IT WAS A LAST MINUTE REVISION.
UH, IT SEEMS OH, BUT THANK YOU FOR, YEAH.
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT ONE OUT.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE ON PAGE.
WHAT, WHAT I'M SHOWING IS PAGE THREE AND IT IS UNDER A WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS.
NUMBER EIGHT, FIRST CHANGE AGAIN IS TITLE COMMISSIONERS WHERE IT SAYS COMMISSIONERS, GREENBERG, STANTON, AND TENANT YUCA.
UM, PUTTING THE TITLE, SECRETARY STANTON, MAYBE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN MADE AS WELL.
UH, THAT ONE IS NOT, SO WE'VE GOT THAT ONE NOTED.
THEN THE SENTENCE TALKING ABOUT COMMISSIONERS ARE ENDING UP TALKING ABOUT THE TERMS FOR MANY COMMISSIONERS IS IN THE SAME BULLET POINT.
NUMBER EIGHT, MANY COMMISSIONERS ARE ENDING IN FEBRUARY.
UH, JUST RECOMMEND THAT WE ADD THE YEAR FOR CLARITY SAKE.
THE NEXT BULLET, UM, ITEM NUMBER NINE, A TITLE CHANGE FOR KALE.
SO INSTEAD OF COMMISSIONERS, KALE AND LORI VICE CHAIR KALE.
SO THAT WOULD, I THINK THAT WOULD READ VICE-CHAIR KALE AND COMMISSIONER LAURIE THEN.
AND THE LAST ITEM, UH, LAST COMMENT IS UNDER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, BULLET POINT NUMBER 14, WHICH IS THE LAST ONE IN THAT CATEGORY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UM, RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMISSION AD COUNCIL ASSIGN E R C TO REVIEW, I FEEL LIKE IT'S MISSING SOME INFORMATION THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE COMPREHENSION OF, OF THE STATEMENT.
SO ADDING REVIEW, WHAT, AND I THINK THIS HAS TO DO WITH LOBBYING THRESHOLDS, LOBBYISTS THRESHOLDS, AND THEN, UM, UNLESS IT CONTRADICTS, UM, CITY CLERK TEMPLATE, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE PUT THAT TITLE OR THAT PHRASE IN QUOTATION MARKS.
SO WE'RE, SO NUMBER 14 UNDER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE ADD THE TOPIC OF COUNSEL ASSIGNED E R C TO REVIEW
[00:50:01]
LOBBYISTS THRESHOLDS OR LOBBYIST REGULATIONS, WHATEVER MAKES THAT STATEMENT ACCURATE AND THEN END QUOTES.DOES IT MAKE SENSE WHAT I'M SUGGESTING? UH, I THINK SO.
UM, I MEAN, I I'LL I'LL AGREE THAT IT'S, UH, IT'S NOT THE CLEAREST SYNTAX MAYBE IN THAT LINE.
UM, JUST TAKING A MOMENT TO READ IT AGAIN.
SO IT MIGHT HELP BREAK IT INTO, INTO TWO PARTS.
FIRST IS WHAT IS THE, WHAT ARE, WHAT DID WE RECOMMEND? I'M SORRY, WHAT DID MS. CARTER RECOMMEND THAT THE COMMISSION ADD? RIGHT.
SHE RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMISSION AD COUNCIL ASSIGNED ERC TO REVIEW REVIEW, WHAT WAS OUR AGENDA ITEM TWO THIS TIME, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT SHE WANTED US TO DO.
UM, OH, TO REVIEW FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR NO, NO.
UH, SO I THINK, UM, WHAT I MIGHT SUGGEST, UM, IS, UH, THAT NUMBER 14 THERE RE LYNN CARTER EXECUTIVE COMMISSION LIAISON AND ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY RECOMMENDED THAT THE COMMISSION ADD STRIKE COUNSEL ASSIGNED TO YOUR CEDAR REVIEW AD AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM TO DISCUSS.
AND THEN THAT SENTENCE CONTINUES A STRIKE EVERY FOURTH YEAR TO SAY, DISCUSS THE THRESHOLD FOR LOBBYISTS REGULATIONS OF SO TAKING OUT, UH, SOME, A FEW WORDS, MAKING THAT SENTENCE, A COMPLETE SENTENCE.
UM, AND I THINK THAT CAPTURES WHAT LYNN CARTER WAS RECOMMENDING FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
I THINK THAT'S AN EXCELLENT REVISION CHAIR.
SO JUST TO RESTATE THAT ONE MORE TIME ON 14, THAT SECOND LINE STRIKING THE WORDS, COUNSEL ASSIGNED ERC TO REVIEW THAT THIRD LINE STRIKING THE PERIOD, AND THEN THE WORDS EVERY FOURTH YEAR.
AND I BELIEVE THAT MAKES A COMPLETE SENTENCE.
UM, UH, WHAT ABOUT THE, THE, THE VERB ADDRESSES AFTER? SO DISCUSS THE THRESHOLD FOR LOBBYISTS REGULATIONS OF CITY CODE SECTION FOUR DASH EIGHT DASH THREE, OR CHAPTER FOUR DASH EIGHT.
SHOULD THAT BE ADDRESSING REGULATIONS FOR CITY LOBBYISTS? UH, YEAH.
WHICH ADDRESSES OR ADDRESSING? UM, I THINK ADDRESSING WORKS.
WE CAN CHANGE ADDRESSES TO ADDRESSING.
MAY I MAKE A MOTION? I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE JUNE 22ND TO 2022 MEETING.
UM, MINUTES, MINUTES FOR THAT MEETING INCORPORATING THE AMENDMENT AMENDMENTS AS DISCUSSED.
I WILL RUN DOWN A ROLL CALL TO GET THOSE MINUTES APPROVED, STARTING FROM THE TOP COMMISSIONER WILLIAMS. I SUPPORT THE MOTION YOU COMMISSIONER
COMMISSIONER DANBURG THANKFULLY.
THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED AND WE WILL TACKLE THE JULY MINUTES AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
LAST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.UM, I THINK, UH, THE FIRST THING THAT I'LL MENTION IS THAT, UM, UH, YOU'VE ALL RECEIVED AND WE'VE KIND OF HAD NOTICED ABOUT THIS COMPLAINT THAT WAS FILED A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK NOW.
UM, UH, THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE PRELIMINARY HEARING, BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SECURE THE ATTENDANCE, THE PARTIES.
[00:55:01]
THAT WE ARE ABLE TO GET THEIR ATTENDANCE AT OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING.SO THAT IS FUTURE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE, A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
NUMBER TWO THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, IS MAYBE A STAFF BRIEFING ON, UH, WHETHER THERE IS WHETHER THERE IS A SIMPLER WAY FOR, UH, CITIZENS TO RECEIVE THAT NEWSLETTER IN SPANISH OTHER THAN HAVING TO CALL IN.
UM, IT WOULD SEEM THAT MAYBE IF THEY'RE ALREADY ACCESSING THEIR UTILITY INFORMATION IN SPANISH POTENTIALLY ONLINE, MAYBE, MAYBE THERE'S AN EASIER WAY TO DO THAT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TECHNICALLY WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.
UM, BUT GIVEN THAT THE NEWSLETTER THAT WE, UH, DESIGN, UM, IN THEORY THAT KIND OF BROADCAST THE CANDIDATE FORUMS GOES OUT.
UM, I THINK I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MAYBE ABOUT THAT PERSONALLY.
UM, BUT, UH, I THINK, UH, AS OPPOSED TO JUST IMPOSING MY PREROGATIVE THERE I'LL TAKE, IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO HEAR ABOUT IT TOO, WE CAN DO THAT, DO IT THAT WAY, WHERE IT TAKES TWO TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.
ANYONE ELSE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THAT? JUST ME.
UM, I SAW THAT I GOT, I GOT CHAIRWOMAN DANBURG AND VICE-CHAIR KALE.
UM, CAN I CALL YOU CHAIRWOMAN? MADAM CHAIR? UM, GREAT.
I AM ON PAPER, A LOBBYIST AT THE STATE.
UM, TECHNICALLY THEN, UM, I THINK THEN, UH, THE LAST IS ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS, UH, AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ANNOUNCE OOP COMMISSIONER DANBURG YES, NO, NO, GO, GO AHEAD.
UH, THERE'S NOT, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ANYTHING SUPER SIGNIFICANT.
UM, OTHER THAN I WAS JUST GONNA LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT, UH, BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR, I'M GOING TO LEAVE THE COMMISSION.
UM, I, UH, AM REALIZING A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE THAT, UH, UH, IT IS, I HAVE A, I HAVE A YOUNG LITTLE DAUGHTER THAT IS VERY MOBILE.
UM, AND, UH, ON TOP OF A TODDLER, IT'S KIND OF HARD SOMETIMES THESE EVENINGS TO MANAGE THAT ALONE, UH, COMBINED WITH THE WORK SCHEDULE, THAT'S GOING TO GET ONLY BUSIER FROM HERE.
UM, UH, IT IS, UH, I THINK TIME FOR ME, IT'S A COP OUT IT'S IT'S, UH, YEAH, YOU HEAR, I MEAN, WE ALL HEAR POLITICIANS ALL THE TIME.
WE NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY.
UM, AND NORMALLY THAT'S CODE FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
UH, BUT, UH, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, UM, UH, I ALSO JUST THINK IT'S, UH, I'VE HAD A GOOD FIVE YEARS ON THE COMMISSION AND, UM, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO I THINK COULD SERVE JUSTICE CAPABLY, IF NOT MORE SO, UM, SO I DON'T HAVE A FIRM END MEETING YET, BUT, UH, BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, SO IF ANYONE ELSE IS INTERESTED IN WORKING GROUP YEAH.
THAT WORKING GROUP IS GOING TO, I MEAN, COMMISSIONER LEVINSON AND I ARE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO BE COOKING WITH GAS IN OUR WORKING GROUP, UM, TO HAVE SOMETHING, UH, TO SHOW FOR IT.
UM, ALL THAT TO SAY, IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN BEING CHAIR, UM, THERE MAY BE AN OPENING SOON.
UH, ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS DISCUSSION FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, COMMISSIONER DANBURG FIRST I WANT TO, AS WE DID IT, THE LAST MEETING WHEN SHE HAD TO BE AWAY, UH, EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES TO COMMISSIONER KALE ABOUT HER BROTHER-IN-LAW'S PASSING.
OH, IT WAS, IT WAS MY FATHER-IN-LAW.
AND I KNEW YOU HAD, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.
I KNEW YOU HAD UNDERSTOOD THAT.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THAT ON THIS LOBBY RELATED SUB COMMITTEE, I'M GOING TO REALLY NEED SOME STAFF HELP BECAUSE MY CODE I CODE GOES BACK A NUMBER OF YEARS AND I DON'T HAVE EVERY
[01:00:01]
CURRENT RELATED CODE PROVISIONS.SO CAROLINE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP WITH THAT SO THAT I CAN BE RELEVANT AT MY WORK ON THIS.
WELL, I'M SURE THAT CITY STAFF WOULD BE HAPPY TO FURNISH YOU WITH A, TO UP-TO-DATE COPY OF A FOUR DASH EIGHT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT CODE FOR THAT WORKING GROUP.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, THEN I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S TIME AND ATTENTION AND WORK, AND I WILL SEE YOU ALL IN SEPTEMBER AT THE EARLIEST WITH THAT, THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING IS ADJOURNED.