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I'M MARY KALE, VICE CHAIR OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN, ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION.
[CALL TO ORDER]
REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING TO ORDER.IT IS APRIL 24TH, 2024, AND IT IS 6:13 PM WE ARE AT CITY HALL IN THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
ROOM NUMBER 1 1 0 1 3 0 1 WEST SECOND STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS, SEVEN EIGHT SEVEN TWO THREE.
AND, UM, PART OF THAT IS WELCOMING OUR NEW, ONE OF OUR NEW COMMISSIONERS, JACOB LEAR.
AND I WILL JUST CALL OUT HIS NAME WITH THE REST OF Y'ALL.
COMMISSIONER ROSS HUMPHREY HERE.
WHO DID I NOT CALL? THAT'S HERE TONIGHT.
SO THERE'S 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY ATTENDING VIRTUALLY.
UM, NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS.
I DON'T SEE THAT WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS TONIGHT.
SO ARE THERE ANY RECUSALS? IF THERE ARE, THEY WOULD BE ON THE SIGN IN SHEET.
I DIDN'T SEE ANY, ANYBODY RECUSING TONIGHT FROM ANYTHING? OKAY.
UM, WE DON'T HAVE A CLOSED SESSION TONIGHT.
UM, IT'S A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD AGENDA TONIGHT, YOU GUYS.
OKAY, THAT'S THE CLOSED SESSION AGENDA.
SO I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH THE AGENDA THAT I'VE BEEN GIVEN AND, UM, MS. HASLET JUST LET ME KNOW IF I GO OFF SCRIPT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA JUST GO THROUGH, OKAY.
[1. Vote to approve the 2024 Candidate and Officeholder Campaign Finance Brochure, as updated to reflect current campaign contribution limits and revisions to City Code Chapter 2-2 (Campaign Finance).]
ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS VOTE TO APPROVE THE 2024 CANDIDATE AND OFFICE HOLDER CAMPAIGN FINANCE BROCHURE AS UPDATED TO REFLECT CURRENT CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMITS AND REVISIONS TO CITY CODE CHAPTER TWO DASH TWO, CAMPAIGN FINANCE.AND MS. HASLET, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO JUST SORT OF GIVE US A, A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHY WE'RE DOING THAT AND HOW WE GO ABOUT IT.
UM, SO EVERY, EVERY ELECTION CYCLE, THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROVING THE FINANCE BROCHURE THAT GOES OUT TO THE CANDIDATES.
UM, AS FAR AS CAMPAIGN, UM, FINANCE GOES.
AND SO STATE LAW AND CITY CODE HAVE JUST BEEN UPDATED.
AND SO IT HAS TO BE UPDATED AS WELL IN YOUR PACKETS THAT LIZETTE SENT TO YOU AND THAT YOU HAVE PRINTED.
THERE'S THE REGULAR VERSION AND THEN THE RED LINE EDITS THAT, UM, CAROLINE WEBSTER HAD WORKED ON.
AND THE RED LINE EDITS REALLY ARE JUST TO SHOW YOU, YOU KNOW, WHAT WAS CHANGED.
IT'S JUST TO PROVE THEM, UM, BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE JUST WHAT'S CURRENTLY REFLECTED IN THE LAW AS OPPOSED TO THE LAST TIME THESE WERE UPDATED.
SO MY, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY JUST REFLECT THOSE UPDATES IN STATE LAW.
BUT, UM, I WOULD SAY QUICKLY GO THROUGH IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON.
SO I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RED LINE VERSION AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE FIVE, THE OLD LANGUAGE SAYS REFERENCES A CANDIDATE WHO WISHES TO SIGN THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
AND THEN THE LANGUAGE THAT'S ADDED SAYS THAT A CANDIDATE MUST SUBMIT A PERSONALLY SIGNED CONTRACT AND IT USE, USES THE WORD MUST.
UM, TWO TWO DASH 11 OR TWO DASH TWO DASH 11 MIGHT BE A BIT CONFUSING IN THAT IT SAYS IT'S VOLUNTARY, BUT THEN SECTION B DOES SAY A CANDIDATE MUST PERSONALLY SIGN THE CONTRACT.
IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT I THINK THE PROPER READING OF THAT IS THAT OF TWO DASH TWO DASH 11 B IS THAT IT'S BASICALLY, IF YOU'RE GONNA SIGN IT, THEN YOU HAVE TO SIGN IT.
YOU MUST SIGN IT BY THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
UM, AND IF SOMEONE KNOWS THAT MY INTERPRETATION IS INCORRECT,
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UH, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.'CAUSE THAT'S AN ENTIRE, THAT'S A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY.
UM, BUT SO THE, THE CHANGE, THE ADDED LANGUAGE ON THE BOTTOM OF PAGE FIVE OF THE RED LINE MAKES IT APPEAR AS IF IT IS THE VOLUNTARY CONTRACT IS NOT ACTUALLY VOLUNTARY.
SO, SO I THINK THAT, UM, AGAIN, I WAS NOT THE ONE WHO DID THESE RED LINES OR ANYTHING, BUT I THINK THAT BECAUSE THIS IS JUST A BROCHURE, RIGHT? THIS ISN'T A COPY AND PASTE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT OF CITY CODE.
THIS IS JUST THIS, UM, THIS IS UN THIS FALLS UNDER THE HEADLINE OF VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
AND SO RIGHT ABOVE IT, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW IT'S VOLUNTARY, LIKE THE FIRST BULLET RIGHT ON PAGE FIVE, WELL, NOT THE FIRST BULLET, BUT THE FIRST ONE UNDER AUSTIN FAIR CAMPAIGN CHAPTER IS VOLUNTARY CONTRACT.
AND SO THEN I THINK THAT THE TIME FOR SIGNING THIS CAMPAIGN CONTRACT, WHICH IS VOLUNTARY, IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, IT MUST BE DONE BY THIS TIME.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS WHY THE LANGUAGE FROM THE PRIOR VERSION THAT SAYS A CANDIDATE WHO WISHES TO SIGN AND SO FORTH, WHY THAT'S BEING REMOVED.
I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY JUST TO, IN, AGAIN, I'M NOT THE, THE EDITOR OF THIS, SO I DON'T KNOW, BUT FAIR, PROBABLY IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE IT MORE CLEAR AND BE LESS WORDY AND, YOU KNOW, SORT OF ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE WOULD UNDERSTAND THIS IS ABOUT VOLUNTARY.
THIS, THIS SUBHEADING, RIGHT, THIS AUSTIN FAIR CAMPAIGN CHAPTER IS VOLUNTARY.
AND SO YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE SUBSECTION OF IT IS ABOUT A VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
AND THEN THAT IS THE DAY IT MUST HAPPEN.
SO TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE, THE CHANGE IS NOT IN RESPONSE TO A CHANGE IN THE CODE ITSELF.
I THINK THAT THAT'S CORRECT, BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY.
UH, COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS AND THEN COMMISSIONER HUMPHREY.
UM, I SUPPORT COMMISSIONER LEVINS, UM, SEEKING CLARIFICATION.
CAN Y'ALL HEAR ME? IS THIS OKAY? YEAH.
AND UM, I, I AGREE WITH THAT POINT IN, IN FACT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IT REINSTATE THE CLAUSE SO THAT IT READS IN THE RED LINE IN THE, UM, NEW VERSION, A CANDIDATE WHO WISHES TO SIGN THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT MUST SUBMIT A PERSONALLY SIGNED, UH, CAMPAIGN CONTRACT AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.
I, I, I THINK THAT THAT MAINTAINS THE CLARITY.
'CAUSE I, I THINK THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT MISS WHEN WE TAKE OUT CANDIDATE WHO WISHES, WISHES TO SIGN THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
UM, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER PUMPHREY, AND THEN COMMISSIONER LOWE.
UM, I AGREE YOUR EXPLANATION WAS GOOD AND TECHNICALLY THIS IS ALL CORRECT, BUT I THINK IT'S ONE OF THOSE LITTLE NUANCES THAT PEOPLE IS READING IS READING FAST.
AND IF NOTHING ELSE, IF YOU PUT THE OTHER LANGUAGE BACK IN, YOU'LL PROBABLY SAVE YOURSELF SOME PHONE CALLS OF WHAT DO I DO? RIGHT? COMMISSIONER LOWE? YEAH.
I WOULD SUGGEST ADDING THE LANGUAGE TO THE BULLETS BECAUSE THE BOLD UNDERLINE IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE GONNA SEE.
SO MAYBE IT SHOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE, TIME FOR SIGNING A VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
SO THEN IT CLEARLY REFERENCES THE BULLET BEFORE THAT SAYS VOLUNTARY CONTRACT.
THAT WAS GOING TO EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GONNA SAY.
UM, MS. HASLETT, IF WE WANNA MAKE ONE OF THESE CHANGES, DOES IT REQUIRE A MOTION AND A VOTE AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF? OR, OR JUST DO WE RECOMMEND THESE? SO, SO IT WOULD JUST BE A RECOMMENDED CHANGE.
AND SO I THINK THAT IF YOU WERE GOING TO VOTE TO APPROVE THE BROCHURE, IT WOULD BE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION.
COMM COMMISSIONER LOWE, UH, I HAVE SOMETHING ABOUT PARAGRAPH, UH, PAGE NINE I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE.
ARE WE ON THAT YET? UM, LET'S STICK WITH THIS ONE AND JUST SORT OF FINALIZE WHAT WE WANNA SAY ON THIS ONE.
AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PAGE NINE.
UM, WELL, I WILL MOVE THAT WE RECOMMEND THE CHANGE OF REINSERTING, THAT PHRASE ABOUT A CANDIDATE WHO WISHES TO ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY, SO NOBODY ELSE HAS ANY OTHER COMMENTS ABOUT THE ONE ON THE PAGE FIVE ONE, ANY OTHER CHANGES OR ANYTHING? BECAUSE WE CAN TAKE COMMISSIONER LOWE'S COMMENTS AND THEN SEE YEAH, WE'LL DO ALL OF 'EM.
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IF THERE ARE OTHER EDITS THAT YOU ALL RECOMMEND, WE CAN DO ALL THAT TOGETHER.AND I DON'T SEE WHY WE COULDN'T PUT IN THE WORD VOLUNTARY IN THE BULLET POINT AND RETAIN THE LANGUAGE.
A CANDIDATE WHO WISHES TO SIGN THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, MUST SUBMIT A PERSONALLY SIGNED CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
I WAS GONNA SUGGEST THE SAME THING.
AND SO HOW, WAIT, I'M READING THE ROOM AND I'M SEEING APPROVAL FOR THAT RECOMMENDATION.
SO BEFORE WE DO SOME VOTING, UH, LET'S GO TO PAGE NINE.
BUT I THINK IN TERMS OF THE PROCEDURE, PROCEDURALLY, I THINK YOU NEED TO TABLE YOUR MOTION OR REMOVE IT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT? WE DIDN'T EVEN, WE NOBODY VOTED ON Y NO, WE HAVEN'T VOTED ON ANYTHING, SO.
THEN I HAVE ONE ON IF YOU WANT TO GO IN ORDER.
I HAVE, IF WE'D LIKE TO GO IN ORDER, I HAVE A COMMENT ON PAGE SIX.
OKAY, LET'S, LET'S GO IN ORDER.
UNDER THE SECTION OF AVAILABLE FUNDING ITEM THREE, IT CHANGES FORUM TO DEBATE.
UH, I'VE BEEN TO MANY OF THESE.
I, I THINK THE, UH, THE DEFINITION OF DEBATE IS THAT PEOPLE TEND TO DEBATE EACH OTHER, AND THAT'S NOT USUALLY HOW THESE THINGS ARE PRESENTED.
THEY'RE USUALLY FORUMS. UM, I NOTICED THAT WE CHANGED THIS FROM FORUMS TO EVENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE, OF THE, UH, OF THE, UH, BROCHURE.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE.
BUT FOR THIS, SPECIFICALLY FOR A CANDIDATE WHO HAS, WHO IS NEW TO THIS AND DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, HAS NEVER BEEN TO ONE OF THESE, THEY MAY NOT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE IN FOR.
AND IF THEY EXPECT THAT THEY'RE GONNA COME IN GUNS BLAZING, LIKE BIDEN AND TRUMP ONE-ON-ONE, AND REALIZE THAT THEY'RE IN A ROOM WHERE IT'S FOUR PEOPLE WITH VERY NICE GLASS OF WATER IN FRONT OF THEM IN A SENIOR CENTER
SO I, I ACTUALLY THINK IN THIS INSTANCE THAT FORUM, THE, THE, THE ORIGINAL TEXT MAY BE A BIT MORE APPROPRIATE, BUT ONLY IN THAT SPOT NUMBER THREE OR ABOVE WHERE IT SAYS AVAILABLE FUNDING AND IT CHANGED IT FROM FORUMS TO EVENTS.
NO, I THINK EVENTS IS, IS, IS FINE.
BECAUSE WITH THE, THE THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED ARE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS AND THEY'RE NOT ALL THE SAME.
ONE IS A SPEECH AT AT A TXN, UH, ONE IS A STATEMENT THAT'S WRITTEN AND ANOTHER ONE IS A FORUM.
SO I THINK IN THIS SENSE, EVENTS MAKE SENSE BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY IT WAS WRITTEN THAT THERE WERE THREE FORUMS AND IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WOULD BE THREE DEBATES, PARDON ME,
IN THIS SENSE, I THINK EVENTS MAKE SENSE, BUT DOWN HERE WHERE IT'S FORMED TO DEBATE, I THINK IS MAYBE NOT ACTUALLY ACCURATE.
ANY OTHER, DID SOMEBODY ELSE LOOK AT THAT ONE? I LIKE THAT SUGGESTION.
SO WHAT IS THE OTHER FEEDBACK ON THAT? YES, COMMISSIONER.
UM, COMMISSIONER LOWE, PAGE NINE, RIGHT? YES.
TOP OF PAGE NINE SAYS, GENERALLY SPEAKING, A CANDIDATE MAY, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT, UH, I THINK THAT'S CONFUSING ACTUALLY, BECAUSE IF YOU SAY GENERALLY SPEAKING, THAT MEANS THERE IS SOME PARTICULAR CASE THAT ISN'T PART OF GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHICH IS NOT CORRECT.
AND IT USED TO BE A CANDIDATE MAY ONLY, SO I, I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT WASN'T INSERTED.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT'S HELPFUL AT ALL.
I WONDER IF IT'S THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IS ENCAPSULATING THE PART OF CANDIDATES WHO CHOOSE TO SUBMIT THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT OR FURTHER LIMITED TO RAISE FUNDS DURING THE VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN CONTRACT PERIOD.
SO I THINK THAT'S, I WONDER IF THE, BY SAYING GENERALLY SPEAKING, THEY'RE ALLOWING FOR THAT POSSIBILITY.
WELL, IT'S THE SAME POSSIBILITY IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE WORDS GENERALLY SPEAKING.
I JUST, I I PERSONALLY THINK IT'S CONFUSING BECAUSE IF YOU SAY GENERALLY SPEAKING, THERE'S SOME EXCEPTION.
THIS PARTICULAR THAT'S NOT THIS MM-HMM.
WASN'T ONE OF THE CHANGES FROM THE RECENT, UM, I DON'T, WHAT DO WE CALL IT? THE LAWSUIT OR THE, UM, THE DECISION WAS THAT THEY COULD RAISE, THE CANDIDATES
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COULD RAISE MONEY AT ANY TIME.NOW, THEORETICALLY, CONCEIVABLY LIKE RAISE MONEY NOW FOR A, IN A RACE IN 2028 IF THEY WANTED TO.
I, I THOUGHT THAT CAME UP AT OUR MEETING IN WHENEVER WHAT THE MEETING WE HAD UP AT THE, UM, AT THE NORTHERN LOCATION.
I MEAN, I COULDN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
WE DISCUSSED THIS, I THINK IT WAS DECEMBER AT THE DELCO.
AND, AND WE DID DISCUSS THIS PARTICULAR PROVISION AND CAROLYN WEBSTER WAS WITH US THAT TIME.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, IF SHE MADE ANY CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THEN.
BUT WE CERTAINLY DID DISCUSS THIS THOUGH.
IT DOES SAY LATER IN THE PASSAGE AT THE END, THE VOLUNTARY COMPA CAMPAIGN CONTRACT FOR A GENERAL ELECTION BEGINS WHEN THE CANDIDATE SUBMITS THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
SO THAT SEEMS TO CONFLICT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND I, I THINK THE CONFUSION IS NOT NECESSARILY IN THE LANGUAGE, BUT IT'S IN, IN THE DECISION THAT CAME FROM THE COURT.
IF MONEY CAN BE RAISED AT ANY TIME, CAN WE RESTRICT FUNDRAISING TO A CERTAIN PERIOD UNDER THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT? IT SOUNDS LIKE WE CAN.
I WOULD SAY YES, BECAUSE IT IS A VOLUNTARY MM-HMM.
YOU KNOW, UH, WE CANNOT REQUIRE YOU TO SIGN UP FOR THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT PERIOD, BUT IT IS A THING YOU CAN SIGN UP FOR.
AND BECAUSE YOU VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE TO DO THAT, YOU CAN, YOU CAN CHOOSE TO, YOU KNOW, LIMIT YOUR RIGHT, ESSENTIALLY.
SO ACTUALLY IT LOOKS LIKE ALL THIS LANGUAGE IS FINE EXCEPT FOR MAYBE THOSE FIRST TWO WORDS.
BECAUSE I, WELL, I WAS LOOKING AT THE END OF THAT PARAGRAPH OR LATE IN THE PARAGRAPH WHERE IT CITES CITY CODE TWO DASH TWO DASH TWO, UH, 24.
MY COPY OF THIS, THERE IS NO 24, IT STOPS AT 23
UM, SO EITHER MY COPY IS MISSING SOMETHING.
UM, SO I GUESS WE JUST NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THIS PARAGRAPH, WELL CERTAINLY THAT LAST SENTENCE NEEDS TO BE CLARIFIED, UM, TO REFLECT WHATEVER IS THE MOST CURRENT CITY CODE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT AFFECTS THE FIRST PART OF THE PARAGRAPH.
AND THAT'S REALLY NOT EVEN A COMPLETE SENTENCE.
IT JUST SAYS, IT JUST SAYS THE NUMBER OF CITY CODE WITH A PERIOD.
SO I DON'T REALLY EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT'S TRYING TO SAY.
OH, WELL, NO, IT'S JUST REFERENCING THAT, UM, DOES HAVE AN AS AMENDED ON THERE.
SO WE CAN DEFINITELY, I I THINK IT MIGHT BE A TYPO.
I THINK 24 MIGHT BE PART FOUR.
TWO, UH, SECTION 2 2 2 PART FOUR REFERS TO THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD, WHICH THEN REFERS TO THE CITY CHARTER.
WHICH THEN REFERS YOU TO A CAMPAIGN LAWYER,
SO AM ABSENT THE ABILITY TO PULL TOGETHER ALL THESE DISPARATE PIECES OF INFORMATION THAT WE KNOW TO BE THE MOST RECENT.
I'M GONNA SUGGEST WE RECOMMEND, UH, A REVIEW OF THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH.
UM, THAT DOESN'T RESOLVE WHAT COMMISSIONER LOWE BROUGHT UP ABOUT THE TERM, GENERALLY SPEAKING.
UM, BUT, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESOLVE THAT BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM LIKE IT ACCOUNTS FOR SOME EXCEPTIONS TO IT, UM, INCLUDING THE, THE VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN CONTRACT PERIOD, WHICH WOULD BE AN
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EXCEPTION TO THAT.SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT Y'ALL WANNA DO ABOUT THAT.
SO I DO THINK THAT IT IS A TYPO.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S TALKING ABOUT THE VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN CONTRACT PERIOD FOR A GENERAL ELECTION BEGINS WHEN THE CANDIDATE SUBMITS THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
AND THEN THAT CITING CITY CODE, I THINK IT SHOULD BE TWO DASH TWO DASH TWO PER FOUR, WHICH IS CAMPAIGN PERIOD.
UM, IT MEANS THE TIME PERIOD ALLOWED IN CITY CHARTER ARTICLE THREE, SECTION EIGHT, AND THAT'S LIMITS ON CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES.
AND THEN IT TALKS ABOUT TWO DASH TWO DASH SEVEN AS AMENDED.
SO AGAIN, TWO DASH TWO DASH SEVEN IS THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE CAMPAIGN PERIOD.
SO I THINK THERE WAS JUST AN EXTRA TWO IN THAT ONE FROM THAT FIRST PARENT.
IT SHOULD BE FOUR, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL TALKING ABOUT CAMPAIGN PERIODS.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE JUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT THAT'S A TYPO.
GETTING BACK TO WHAT COMMISSIONER LOWE SUGGESTED, UM, IS THERE A CONSENSUS IF WE WANNA TAKE OUT THE WORD GENERALLY SPEAKING OR THE WORDS GENERALLY SPEAKING? UH, COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS? YES.
I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED.
SO THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS OR THERE ARE TO THE STATEMENT.
A CANDIDATE MAY ONLY RAISE FUNDS FOR AN ELECTION DURING AN AUTHORIZED CAMPAIGN PERIOD.
I'M, I'M READING THIS AS THE EXCEPTION THEY'RE REFERRING TO ARE CANDIDATES WHO CHOOSE TO SUBMIT THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT DURING THE VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN CONTRACT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M READING AS THE EXCEPTION.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SAYING GENERALLY SPEAKING, I MEAN, ONE WAY TO RESOLVE THAT WOULD BE TO SAY A CANDIDATE WHO IS NOT SUBMITTING THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT MAY ONLY RAISE FUNDS FOR AN ELECTION.
I MEAN, SO WE COULD TAKE OUT THE, GENERALLY SPEAKING AND PUT THAT IN, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S, IF I'M READING THIS CORRECTLY OR NOT.
SO I DON'T, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT COMFORTABLE THAT THAT'S, THAT WOULD BE ACCURATE.
COMMISSIONER LOWE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY THE TWO, TWO SCENARIOS.
ONE, YOU SIGN THE CONTRACT AND YOU COMPLY WITH ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE VOLUNTARY, UH, FUNDING.
UM, AND THEN TWO, YOU DON'T, SO YOU'RE NOT COMPELLED TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD BE IF YOU SIGNED THE CONTRACT.
I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO SAY ONE IS AN EXCEPTION.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS YOU CAN DO.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE GENERALLY A EXCEPT FOR B, RIGHT.
SO JUST SAY THESE ARE THE TWO THINGS,
IT, IT ALMOST SEEMS AS IF THE TWO WORDS GENERALLY SPEAKING ARE TO SUBSTITUTE A SECTION ON THOSE WHO SUBSTITUTE WRITING AN ENTIRE SECTION ON THOSE WHO ARE, ARE NOT TAKING THIS ON.
AND, AND I, I, I SYMPATHIZE WITH THAT BECAUSE THIS STUFF'S NOT EASY TO WRITE AND TO NOT EASY TO WRITE CONCISELY.
BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT MOST CAMPAIGN VIOLATIONS, NOT ALL, BUT MOST HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
AND USUALLY BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND A CODE OR THEY MAY BE CONFUSED BY SOMETHING.
SO IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN HELP CLAR ADD SOME TO THIS, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
AND WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO WRITE A WHOLE SECTION ON PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA FOREGO THIS, BECAUSE I THINK THOSE WHO ARE GONNA FOREGO IT ARE PROBABLY FAMILIAR WITH THAT, JUST PROBABLY WHY THEY WOULD DO IT.
UM, BUT EVEN JUST OMITTING THESE TWO WORDS, COULD I THINK, ADD, MAKE, MAKE THIS A BIT MORE DEFINITIVE, COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS, AND THEN MAYBE WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF RECOMMENDATION.
SO THAT IS TRUTH THAT A CANDIDATE MAY ONLY RAISE FUNDS FOR AN ELECTION DURING AN AUTHORIZED CAMPAIGN PERIOD.
AND IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT CANDIDATES WHO CHOOSE TO SUBMIT THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT OR FURTHER, SO, SO IF YOU, SO THE FIRST STATEMENT IS THAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO SUBMIT THE CAMPAIGN CONTRACT, OR NO, THAT APPLIES TO YOU REGARDLESS.
UH, IS IT AN IF THEN, I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT ARE THE TWO? 'CAUSE I'M, I'M HEARING YOUR POINT ABOUT, WELL, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT DECISION TREE? WHAT IS THAT QUESTION?
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ARE YOU SUBMITTING FOR A CAMPAIGN CONTRACT? YES.OR IS IT? NO, WHETHER YOU SUBMIT OR NOT, YOU, YOU ARE BOUND BY, YOU CAN ONLY RAISE FUNDS FOR AN ELECTION DURING AN AUTHORIZED PERIOD.
AND THEN, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, IF YOU CHOOSE TO SUBMIT A CAMPAIGN, THEN YOU HAVE FURTHER RESTRICTIONS.
YOU'RE LIMITED TO RAISE FUNDS DURING THE VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN CONTRACT PERIOD.
I, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY OF DESCRIBING THE DILEMMA.
AND I'M, I'M NO EXPERT ON THIS DECISION TREE, AND I DON'T, I'M, I'M GONNA SUGGEST, EXCUSE ME.
WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION GOING FORWARD THAT WHOEVER FINALIZES THIS TEXT CLARIFIES IT ALONG THE LINES WE ARE SUGGESTING HERE TONIGHT.
COMMISSIONER LEVINS, UM, I FEEL LIKE I'M GONNA BE TYPO GUY TONIGHT, UM, IN THE BOLDED PART THAT CITES CITY CODE TWO DASH TWO DASH SEVEN B, I'M WITH IT ON THAT.
AND THEN IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S ACTUALLY OLD LANGUAGE AND CAPITAL G WELL, 2, 2 7 ONLY GOES TO D AS IN DOG.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THEN THAT HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED, UM, IN YOUR PAPER COPY.
UM, BECAUSE TWO DASH TWO DASH SEVEN COMMENCEMENT OF CAMPAIGN PERIOD ON MUNI CODE DOES GO UP TO G.
UM, SO IT WOULD'VE BEEN, I, AND I CANNOT TELL YOU WHEN, WHEN IT WAS UPDATED.
SO THERE WAS ADDITIONS IN 2024, NOVEMBER OF 2023.
AND SO WE PROBABLY JUST NEED TO GO THROUGH IN YOUR BINDERS AND GET A U HAVE G YOU HAVE A JUNIORS.
SO I THINK THAT SOME OF THESE ARE PROBABLY A GOOD NOTE THAT, THAT THE BINDERS PROBABLY NEED TO BE UPDATED AND LOOKED AT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YEAH, SO COMMISSIONER LA ALSO REFLECTS A G BUT I DON'T, SO WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT ALL OPERATING WITH THE SAME INFORMATION.
AND SO THAT'S AN OBVIOUSLY A, UH, A RECOMMENDATION FOR OUR COMMISSION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ALL THAT.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA GET BACK TO, UM, GIVEN THAT WE'RE NOT ALL OPERATING WITH THE SAME INFORMATION AND CURRENT INFORMATION, UM, THAT GOING FORWARD, THEY CLARIFY THIS PARAGRAPH.
SO COMMISSIONER PUMPHREY, WERE YOU GONNA SAY SOMETHING? WELL, I WAS GONNA ASK, IS THERE A TIME SENSITIVITY THAT INDICATES WE MUST APPROVE WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TONIGHT? OR IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY AVAILABLE TO RECEIVE CLARIFICATIONS AT A MEETING NEXT MONTH? THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I WAS WONDERING THE SAME THING.
LET'S SEE WHAT THIS SAYS ON, I WILL NEED A MINUTE TO LOOK AT THAT.
SO YEAH, IT JUST SAYS VOTE TO APPROVE IT.
UM, IT DOESN'T, I MEAN, HOW MANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE CLARIFICATION ON THAT BEFORE YOU'RE READY TO VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT? UH, I'M SEEING 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
SO I AM, AS THE PERSON PRESIDING OVER THE MEETING, I'M GONNA SAY WE'RE NOT PREPARED TO MAKE A VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT.
AND WE ASK FOR CLARIFICATION OF THAT PARTICULAR PARAGRAPH.
AND, UM, IF WE, IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION OF MORE TIME, I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND THE RECOMMENDATIONS WE'RE PUTTING FORWARD, SO, BUT WE WON'T, WE WON'T GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON IT TONIGHT.
WE'LL, WE'LL ASK FOR MORE TIME.
COMMISSIONER ESPINOSA, I, I BELIEVE THERE'S IN THE CODE, I THINK I MAY HAVE SEEN IT HERE A MOMENT AGO ABOUT WHEN THE CANDIDATE HANDBOOK IS SUPPOSED TO BE AVAILABLE TO CANDIDATES, AND THAT MAY BE THE DEADLINE THAT WE'RE UP AGAINST IS, IS WHATEVER THAT DATA IS.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION.
MANY HAVE DECLARED AND STARTED RAISING MONEY FOR THIS UPCOMING ELECTION, BUT THIS, THIS, UH, TIME RESTRICTION, THE, THE 30 DAY LANGUAGE HASN'T BEEN CODIFIED YET.
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AND I KNOW THAT THAT WAS KIND OF A STICKY SITUATION IN THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE FOR SOME CANDIDATES.SO PERHAPS THERE'S A PRECEDENT THAT THEY'RE, THEY'VE BEEN MADE AWARE OF AND THE RISK OF JUMPING INTO THE RACE EARLY, WAS THE RISK THEY TOOK OR IS THERE, DOES, DOES THE CLOCK FOR THEM START WHEN THE CODE IS UPDATED? THESE MAY BE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS, BY THE WAY,
IT IS, IT IS JUST THE INFORMATIONAL BROCHURE THAT GOES OUT TO THE CANDIDATES EXPLAINING WHAT IS IN THE CODE ALREADY.
NO, THAT, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
IT'S NOT CODE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, THEY'RE TIPS SO TO SPEAK.
BUT THAT, YEAH, THAT ANSWERS, THAT TAKES CARE OF IT.
BUT GOING BACK TO MY FIRST POINT ON, WHEN, WHEN IS THE, UH, IS THERE A WINDOW WHEN THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AVAILABLE? THAT KIND OF LETS US KNOW WHEN WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION BY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER HUMPHREY.
UM, IN THAT REGARD, IF THIS REQUIRES OUR APPROVAL, AND IF YOU DISCOVER THERE'S TIME SENSITIVITY, MAYBE WE SHOULD ARTICULATE A MOTION THAT SAYS I'M GONNA MAKE A FUNNY VERSION OF IT, BUT IF WE HAVE NO CHOICE, WE APPROVE WITH THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
UH, IF IT IS NOT TIME SENSITIVE REGARDING THIS MEETING, THEN WE, WE'D LIKE TO GET CLARIFICATION.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? 'CAUSE MAYBE WE HAVE TO, MAYBE WE HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING.
UM, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WANTED TO SEE IF ANYBODY ELSE IN LOOKING AT THE RED LINE VERSION, AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION FOR MOTION IN LOOKING AT THE RED LINE VERSION.
DID YOU SEE ANY OTHER ITEMS WE NEED TO DISCUSS? YES.
COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS. I JUST WANNA ASK, SO OVERALL, IS IT, AND I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE DATA FILE COMPLETELY GOT GOING AWAY, RIGHT? IS THAT WHY ALL REFERENCES TO DATA FILE HAVE BEEN STRICKEN? I REMEMBER SOMETHING ABOUT THAT IN THE LAST, THE LAST TIME WE DISCUSSED IT.
IT SEEMS LIKE THAT IS THE LOGIC BEHIND ALL LIKE THREE INSTANCES OF DATA FILE.
AND, AND THEY'RE KIND OF, SOME OF THEM ARE LENGTHY, HAVE, HAVE BEEN, UH, REMOVED.
SO I JUST WANT TO CHECK MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT IS WHY THAT NO LONGER REQUIRED.
SO THE FIRST, THE FIRST INSTANCE IS ON PAGE TWO, AND IT'S, UH, THE ONE IN READ AND IMPOSES A REQUIREMENT FOR FILING A STRUCTURED DATA FILE FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT.
AND THEN I NOTICE ALSO THEN ON, UM, WHERE IS IT? OKAY, HOLD ON JUST A SECOND HERE.
DID YOU SEE IT? PAGE 11 AT THE BOTTOM OF ONE OF THOSE LISTS? I'M LIKE, I, WHERE DID I, RIGHT? YES, YES, YES.
11 THE BULLET AS WELL AS THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THE, I GUESS THE RE THE REPORT.
I HAVE A VAGUE MEMORY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS MAYBE IN DECEMBER, AND MAYBE THIS HAD TO DO WITH THE PHYSICAL DELIVERY OF SOMETHING VERSUS DOING SOMETHING ONLINE, BUT I'M JUST TAKING A WILD GUESS THERE.
COMMISSIONER ESPINOSA, SORRY, THIS IS TO A PREVIOUS ITEM.
I CAN HOLD IT UNTIL WE'VE GOTTEN PAST THIS ITEM.
[00:35:01]
IT LOOKS LIKE THAT REQUIREMENT HAS JUST BEEN COMPLETELY ELIMINATED THOUGH, RIGHT? IT REFERENCES CODE TWO DASH TWO DASH 26 MM-HMM,FILING OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT DATA.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO RESOLVE IF IT'S STILL, STILL IN CITY CODE.
BUT HERE IT'S BEEN REMOVED THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE WE WOULD NEED TO, TO PUT IN THE DELVE INTO PILE.
COMMISSIONER ESPINOSA, YOU WANNA GO BACK TO THE ONE YOU WERE LOOKING AT? UH, YEAH, THE, THE QUESTION WAS, IS THERE A CERTAIN DATE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE OUR RESOLUTION TO THE CHANGES? AND I DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING IN THE NOTEBOOK, BUT I DID FIND SOMETHING ON THE CITY OF AUSTIN WEBPAGE UNDER THE NOVEMBER, 2024 ELECTION.
UH, IT SAYS THE 2024 CANDIDATE PACKET WILL BE RELEASED MAY 2ND, 2024.
THAT'S PRETTY QUICK, RIGHT? YEAH.
BUT, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S CODE OR IF THAT'S, UH, ASPIR
UM, BUT I FOUND, I, I DON'T, UH, LET'S SEE, WHAT SECTION IS THIS? HOW DO WE GET TO, IT'S PROBABLY UNDER ONE OF THE ELECTIONS SECTIONS.
IT JUST SAYS NOVEMBER, 2024, ELECTION SECTION OF THE CITY WEBPAGE.
WELL, SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT IS, UM, MAYBE THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION TO LOOK INTO.
WHETHER IT'S WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS READY BY MAY 2ND OR WHETHER IT IS A, A GUIDELINE THAT CAN BE PUSHED.
BUT I, I TEND TO THINK THAT IF WE SAY ON THE WEBSITE THAT THAT'S THE DATE WE'RE GONNA BE RELEASING THESE DOCUMENTS, THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD STICK TO.
UM, WHICH GETS BACK TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION OF, UM, OR DO WE MAKE A MOTION SAYING, IF YOU COULD RESTATE IT FOR ME, COMMISSIONER HUMPTEY, NOW I HAVE TO IT SERIOUSLY.
UM, UM, I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE WHAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS BEING TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IF WE MUST APPROVE AT THIS MEETING.
BUT THAT OTHERWISE WE BE GIVEN A CHANCE THE NEXT MEETING TO GET A RESPONSE AND CLARIFICATION TO OUR QUESTIONS.
IN OTHER WORDS, THAT'S A MOTION.
I DON'T WANNA RUSH THIS ALONG, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANNA BELABOR IT IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO VOTE ON IT.
SECONDED THAT, I'LL SECOND THAT.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? OKAY.
SEEING NO DISCUSSION, I WILL TAKE, LET'S JUST, UH, UM, I'LL JUST GO DOWN THE, I'LL JUST GO DOWN MY LIST.
SECRETARY STANTON ADAMS. MY APOLOGIES.
COULD YOU REPEAT THE MOTION
I THINK, I THINK I KNOW WHAT IT IS, BUT
AND IF WE HAVE, IF THE OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING, THEN WE REQUEST CLARIFICATION IN RESPONSE TO OUR QUESTIONS.
SO IF WE HAVE TO PROVE TODAY, THEN WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT SAYING YES WITH RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE STAND ON THAT.
UM, WE MAY GET MORE TIME OR WE, OR WE MAY NOT, BUT I, I APPRECIATE MS. HASLET TAKING DOWN ALL THOSE NOTES AND SEEING THEM GO INTO THE BROCHURE WE PUT OUT.
[00:40:01]
THANK Y'ALL FOR ALL THAT GREAT INPUT.MOVING RIGHT ALONG THROUGH TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
[2. Conduct Annual Election of Officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Parliamentarian). ]
NEED TO DO IS CONDUCT THE ANNUAL ELECTION OF OFFICERS, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, SECRETARY, AND PARLIAMENTARIAN.UM, AND HONESTLY, I DON'T, I THINK COMMISSIONER GREENBERG WAS OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN WHEN SHE WAS ON THE COMMISSION, AND I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PARLIAMENTARIAN RIGHT NOW.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT MY DEEP OFFENSE 'CAUSE I AM THE PARLIAMENTARIAN
AND, AND YOU SHOULD BE OFFENDED.
THE REASON YOU FORGOT IS BECAUSE THAT ROLE HAS BEEN IMPLICATED EXACTLY ZERO TIMES SINCE I WAS YES.
UH, I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY, I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE OFFICER POSITIONS.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE THAT IN OUR STUFF, AND IT'S SORT OF, AND, AND YOU SHOULD BE OFFENDED.
AND I OFFICIALLY ON THE RECORD, APOLOGIZE.
WELL, AND I MIGHT, I MIGHT REVISE EDIT THE MINUTES TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAS THE ADJECTIVE.
I'M NOT FEELING SO BAD ANYMORE.
UM, SO WITH RESPECT TO YOUR HOLDING THAT OFFICE, UH, WE CAN DECIDE IF WE WANT TO HAVE A PARLIAMENTARIAN IN ADDITION TO THOSE THREE OFFICES OFFICERS.
UM, SINCE IT'S NEVER BEEN REQUIRED, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO, AND WE ALWAYS HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, ROBERT'S RULES, WE HAVE MS. HAZLET, WE HAVE, UM, WONDERFUL MS. BENITA THAT HELP US WITH THESE DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.
AND SO, UM, I'M GONNA KEEP IT SIMPLE.
SO HOW DOES THAT SOUND, EVERYBODY? OKAY.
SO GETTING BACK TO THE MATTER AT HAND, UM, LET'S JUST GO THROUGH THIS AND, UH, I KNOW LAST MEETING WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO NOMINATE THEMSELVES, NOMINATE THEIR COLLEAGUES ON THE COMMISSION.
SO LET'S JUST START WITH THE FIRST ONE, UM, WHICH IS CHAIR.
WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S INTERESTED IN BEING THE CHAIR AND HAVING BEEN THE CHAIR, I WILL TELL YOU, I, I READ ROBERT'S RULES RIGHT BEFORE I BECAME THE CHAIR.
AND THE MAIN GOALS ARE TO KEEP THE MEETING GOING WHILE ALSO TRYING TO GIVE EVERYONE, UM, THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK UP, BUT ULTIMATELY TRYING TO GUIDE IT TO SOME KIND OF CONCLUSION.
SO IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS YOU, UM, I'VE ENJOYED IT.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY SOME FRESH VOICES AND FRESH WAYS OF DOING IT ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.
SO WOULD EITHER COMMISSIONER LEVINS OR COMMISSIONER LO BE INTERESTED? I THINK YOU BOTH WOULD BE STELLAR IN THAT ROLE.
I WILL CONSIDER IT IN 2025 THOUGH.
I I WOULD, I WOULD BE WILLING TO DO IT, BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY WE DO HAVE SOMEONE WHO'S EXPERIENCED AS THE CHAIR HERE.
UM, AND IF, IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN DOING IT, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO DEFER TO YOU.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S MY VIEW.
I AM, MY TIME IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY, UM, UH, COMMITTED DUE TO FAMILY MATTERS.
SO IN THE INTEREST OF THAT, I'M GOING TO SORT OF ROLL OUT OF THIS ROLE.
I WILL SAY THIS, FOR WHOEVER'S THE CHAIR, YOUR PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE STAYING IN TOUCH WITH STAFF TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK BEFORE THE MEETING TO APPROVE THE AGENDA, TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, UH, SOMETHING FALLS WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION.
UM, THOSE ARE THE MAIN THINGS.
AND TO RUN THE MEETING ONCE YOU GET HERE.
AND THEN IF YOU CAN'T, WELL YOUR VICE CHAIR STEPS IN FOR YOU.
AND, UM, THE VICE CHAIR, IN MY EXPERIENCE, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A TREMENDOUS, UH, AMOUNT OF HELP.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S REALLY A, A TEAM.
IT'S A, IT'S A TEAMWORK IT THING.
SO WOULD COMMISSIONER LOWE BE INTERESTED IN SERVING AS VICE CHAIR IN THE RUN UP TO, WAS IT 2026 YOU SAID YOU'D BE INTERESTED IN? I DON'T KNOW IF, IF I'M GETTING,
[00:45:01]
WE HAVEN'T HAD THE VICE CHAIR CONVERSATION, SO I DUNNO IF THERE'S ANYBODY ELSE THAT'S THAT'S INTERESTED BUT NO, UH, 20, WELL, ELECTIONS WE DO IN APRIL OR DO WE DO THEM IN MAY? USUALLY? WHAT, WHAT IS OUR, WE DO THEM THIS TIME OF YEAR.THIS IS, WE DO 'EM IN IN THE SPRING.
WELL, I, I HAD MEANT ABOUT THIS TIME, 2025 FORWARD.
UM, BUT, UM, IT COULD BE AFTER THAT TOO.
I DO NOT KNOW WHOSE TERMS END IN 2025, BUT PERHAPS THAT WOULD BE A, A CONSIDERATION.
AND WHO SHOULD BE DOING IT NEXT? I THINK MINE, I THINK MINE ENDS IN 25.
UM, AND THE WAY IT'S WORKED IN THE PAST, WHEN SOMEBODY'S TERM IS COMING TO AN END, UM, THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF WHEN EXACTLY THEY ROLL OFF AND, UM, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE REAPPOINTED THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, WHETHER OR NOT THE PERSON WHO APPOINTED YOU IS REELECTED.
SO IT'S NOT MY EXPERIENCE ANYWAY HAS BEEN THAT IT'S NOT LIKE THIS, THIS ABRUPT CUTOFF POINT.
THERE'S FLEXIBILITY WITHIN THAT.
I, I MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT YOU WOULD, YOU WERE STAYING ON AS VICE CHAIR
YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CONTINUE.
UM, AH, IT'S JUST MY PARENTS ARE EXTREMELY, UH, ELDERLY AT THIS POINT, SO.
I APPRECIATE THAT LEVEL OF TRUST.
IT'S FUNNY YOU GUYS, UH, I'D LOVE TO MAKE A NOMINATION.
UH, I NOMINATE COMMISSIONER LEVINS FOR THE OFFICE OF CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER AND MAYBE A SEPARATE MOTION THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER LOWE BE VICE CHAIR A SECOND.
SO, UM, PARLIAMENTARIAN, I THINK WE CAN DO THOSE
CAN WE DO THAT IN ONE MOTION OR DO STEPPING STONE? DO WE NEED SEPARATE MOTION STEPPING? IT'S NOT THAT EASY TO DIG YOUR WAY OUT OF MY OFFENSE.
SO I, I'M GONNA OVERRIDE, I'M GONNA SAY, LET'S JUST DO THESE IN ONE MOTION.
THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING ABOUT VICE-CHAIR, SO I WAS HOPING WE COULD DO IT JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT.
SO LET'S, IF YOU COULD RESTATE THAT MOTION.
UM, I NOMINATE, UM, COMMISSIONER LOVENS TO, UM, TO ASSUME THE OFFICE OF CHAIR.
ANY DISCUSSION? UM, ARE Y'ALL AGREEABLE TO THAT? OKAY.
UH, ASKING THE TWO PEOPLE WHO AGREEABLE.
I'LL JUST GO DOWN THE LIST AGAIN.
DON'T WANNA VOLUNT TELL YOU TO DO SOMETHING.
UH, LET'S FIND MY, MY LIST AGAIN.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF PAPER AND I KEEP PUSHING IT AROUND.
SECRETARY? UH, COMMISSIONER CASTO? YES.
CONGRATULATIONS AS A SQUEAKER.
OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
AND NOW I NOMINATE COMMISSIONER LOWE TO, UM, ASSUME THE OFFICE OF VICE CHAIR.
SEEING NONE, UH, LET'S JUST DO A, WE'LL JUST INSTEAD OF GOING THROUGH EACH NAME, LET'S JUST RAISE HANDS AT THIS POINT AND GO AROUND THE ROOM.
EVERYBODY PRESENT VOTED IN SUPPORT OF THAT, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
AND NEXT OFFICER IS THE SECRETARY THAT'S BEEN ABLY DONE BY COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS. UM, DO YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN CONTINUING WITH THAT OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, SORT OF TURN IT OVER TO SOMEONE? I AM INDIFFERENT AND NOT BECAUSE I DON'T CARE, BUT IT IS JUST THAT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO
[00:50:01]
CONTINUE, BUT I'M ALSO JUST AS HAPPY TO GIVE SOMEONE ELSE THE OPPORTUNITY.AND I, I MEAN THAT WITH ALL SINCERITY.
CAN YOU BRIEFLY STATE WHAT YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE? AH, GOOD.
UM, I'M, I'M THE ENGLISH TEACHER NOW.
SHE'S GOING TO REVIEW AND CREDIT, YOU KNOW, EDIT EVERYTHING THAT COMES ACROSS THOUGH I REVIEW THE MINUTES AND, UM, LIZETTE HAS BEEN SO, UM, PATIENT WITH ME AND SHE'LL, YOU KNOW, SHE'S VERY GOOD ABOUT LIKE SENDING ME A TEXT AND SAYING, HEY, UM, LOOK FOR THE MINUTES.
UH, CAN YOU GET THE FEEDBACK TO ME BACK, YOU KNOW, IN A FEW DAYS OR LIKE THAT.
SO MY JOB REALLY AS SECRETARY HAS BEEN VERY, VERY EASY.
AND IT'S PROBABLY, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, PROBABLY THE LEAST INTENSE AS FAR AS, UM, DUTIES ON THE COMMISSION.
AND FOR MY SCHEDULE IT WORKED OUT BEST.
SO JUST REVIEW THE MINUTES AND THEN PROVIDE FEEDBACK IF, UM, AND I HAD BEEN DOING IT WHERE, 'CAUSE I JUST HATE THE CONCEPT OF HOMEWORK, SO I'D BE LIKE, I'LL JUST REVIEW THE MINUTES, LIKE AT THE MEETING.
BUT IT DOES, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN, IF YOU CAN REVIEW THE MINUTES AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN ADVANCE, UH, LIZETTE CAN POST IT AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALWAYS BETTER.
AND THEN THE VOTING ON THE MINUTES GOES A LOT FASTER AS WELL.
JUST REVIEWING THE MINUTES AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ACCURATE.
ANYBODY, CAN I ADD SOMETHING? SURE.
IN THE INSTANCE THAT THE CHAIR AND BOTH THE VICE CHAIR ARE OUT, THE SECRETARY WOULD ALSO STEP INTO THE ROLE OF THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ANYONE INTERESTED? IT'S PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
COMMISSIONER LOWE? YES, I WOULD LIKE TO REELECT OR RENOMINATE
ANY DISCUSSION AROUND THAT? YOU'VE DONE A VERY THOROUGH JOB.
SO I, AND YOU, YOU SEEM INTERESTED IN CONTINUING IF, IF YOU'RE ASKED TO, SO, OKAY, WELL, LET'S JUST TAKE A HAND VOTE AGAIN.
THAT PASSED WITH EVERYBODY PRESENT.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
TO THAT, WE HAVE THREE SETS OF MINUTES.WE HAVE TO APPROVE
SEPTEMBER MINUTES, UM, DECEMBER MINUTES AND FEBRUARY MINUTES.
UM, SO DID ANYBODY DISCOVER ANYTHING THAT THEY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, CHANGE, ET CETERA? YES.
SO MY QUESTIONS ACTUALLY FOR CITY STAFF.
UM, I WAS IN ATTENDANCE AT THE FEBRUARY MEETING, BUT I'M LISTED UNDER ABSENT WITH A NOTE THAT SAYS THOUGH I WAS PRESENT REMOTELY, BUT BECAUSE I DIDN'T SIGN THE, UH, THE FORM THAT I'LL BE COUNTED AS ABSENT.
DOES THAT REINSTATE MY VOTES? AND THEN, THEN NOT COUNT ME AS ABSENT ON THIS? UNFORTUNATELY NOT FOR THAT MEETING.
BUT ALL VOTES FOR THIS CURRENT MEETING WOULD BE COUNTED.
SO JUST A, A CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE, UH, ATTENDING ANY MEETING REMOTELY, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO, TO SIGN IN AND SIGN FORMS. AND THAT HAS TO BE DONE BEFORE THE MEETING STARTS.
SO BEFORE IT'S CALLED BY THE CHAIR.
SO IF YOU'RE, IF YOU ARE RUNNING LATE, SAY, AND YOU KNOW, THE MEETING STARTS AND YOU HAVEN'T SUBMITTED IT YET, BUT YOU SUBMIT IT BEFORE YOU LOG ON, YOU'RE STILL NOT GONNA BE TECHNICALLY PRESENT.
AND SO YOUR VOTE WOULDN'T COUNT.
SO WE, WE INADVERTENTLY DIDN'T REALIZE YOU HADN'T SUBMITTED THAT.
AND SO THEN YOU WENT AHEAD AND VOTED AND THAT WE, WE BARELY HAD QUORUM THAT NIGHT.
AND SO, UM,
WE HAD ENOUGH FOR QUORUM FOR THE MEETING.
BUT BECAUSE I THINK SOMEBODY ABSTAINED OR I, I IT'S PROBABLY IN THERE, BUT THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE WAS A RECUSAL AND AN ABSTENTION ON A COUPLE OF THOSE ITEMS. AND, AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER NOTE.
AND THE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR COMMISSIONER LAYER TOO, YOU'RE, YOU'RE NEW THAT, UM, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT THE MEETING TO VOTE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES BECAUSE YOU'RE BASICALLY JUST LOOKING THAT OVER AND SAYING, OKAY, YES, THAT SEEMS ACCURATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALSO, IF YOU SO CHOOSE, RE WATCH THE MEETING THAT YOU WERE NOT PRESENT AT.
UM, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE BEEN PRESENT AT A MEETING TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THAT MEETING.
[00:55:04]
UH, COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS, COULD WE ADDRESS THESE THREE MINUTES INDIVIDUALLY? ABSOLUTELY.DID YOU, DID YOU HAVE SOME COMMENT YOU WANTED TO MAKE ON 'EM? UH, NO.
SO LOOKING AT SEPTEMBER MM-HMM.
AND THIS IS ONE WHERE I WAS ABSENT, SO I WOULD BE ABSTAINING FROM APPROVAL OF THE SEPTEMBER, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANNA OPEN IT UP TO ANYBODY ELSE IF THEY HAD ANY COMMENTS ABOUT SEPTEMBER.
ANY COMMENTS ON SEPTEMBER? MEETING MINUTES.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER MINUTES? I'LL MOVE TO APPROVE SEPTEMBER MINUTES.
COMMISSIONER CASTO, MOVE TO APPROVE.
OH, I'LL LET COMMISSIONER WHO, WHO DID I HEAR FIRST? ESPOSA? IT WAS A TIE.
I'M GIVING IT TO, I'M GIVING IT TO ESPINOSA.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE SEPTEMBER MINUTES? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, LET'S DO A HAND VOTE ON THAT.
UH, IF YOU, UH, APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER MINUTES.
AND WE HAD ONE RECUSAL ON THAT.
UM, COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS RECUSED, BUT WE DID HAVE SEVEN VOTES IN FAVOR.
MOVING ALONG TO DECEMBER MINUTE, EXCUSE ME, THE DECEMBER MINUTES.
UM, TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE, SEE IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN TERMS OF THE LANGUAGE FOR BOTH OF THOSE MINUTES.
COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS. UM, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE DECEMBER 13TH, 2023 MEETING.
COMMISSIONER CASTO SECONDED THAT.
ANY DISCUSSION ON THE DECEMBER 20, 23RD MINUTES? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, EVERYBODY RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU'RE APPROVE.
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 8 IN ATTENDANCE.
OKAY, NOW WE'RE DOWN TO FEBRUARY 28TH.
COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS IS THAT I DO HAVE SOME, UM, EDITS TO RECOMMEND.
SO THE THIRD SENTENCE WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT COMMISSIONERS IN ATTENDANCE, UM, WERE PRESENT AT AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS.
AND IT NEEDS TO BE AT CITY HALL, RIGHT? 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE OH, RIGHT, THAT'S WHERE THE MEETING WAS CONVENED.
AND I WAS LIKE, I DON'T THINK WE MET THERE.
SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? SURE.
SO IN THAT THIRD, UM, PARAGRAPH WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT, UH, AND WILLIAM ROSS HUMPHREY WERE PRESENT AT AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS.
THAT WAS A, IT SHOULD BE CITY HALL, RIGHT? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO LET THAT CORRECTION AND UNDER FUTURE AGENDA
[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]
ITEMS, I WAS LOOKING AT MY NOTES AND I THOUGHT WE HAD THREE OTHER FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, NAMELY ANNUAL REVIEW, OFFICER ELECTION AND BYLAW REVIEW.AND I, AND WHAT I WANNA MAKE SURE IS, IS THE ANNUAL REVIEW THE SAME AS THE BYLAW REVIEW? AND I THINK THE BYLAW WAS SOMETHING MAYBE, UH, COMMISSIONER PUMPHREY, MAYBE YOU HAD BROUGHT THAT UP RIGHT.
BUT I HAVE, I HAVE THOSE THREE TOPICS AS FUTURE FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
I CANNOT RECALL EXACTLY, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS JUST BROUGHT UP IN DISCUSSION.
BUT NOT ACTUALLY LISTED AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
NOT, NOT A, IT WAS NOT ASKED, ACTUALLY LISTED AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE? WHAT I REMEMBER ABOUT ME MANAGING THE BYLAWS WAS THAT THE CHAIR AGREED THAT WAS SOMETHING WORTH DOING, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT TAKES TO CORRECT IT.
IT WAS A DISCUSSION AND HE DID AGREE THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
[01:00:01]
BUT AGAIN, TO MY RECOLLECTION, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY OKAY.UH, AN ITEM LISTED FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
I BELIEVE IT WAS PART OF THE DISCUSSION FOR ACTION ITEM ONE WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THE WORKING GROUPS AND COMMITTEES.
UM, WELL NOT KNOWN COMMITTEES, BUT THE WORKING GROUPS AND, UM, DISCUSSING, YOU KNOW, IF, IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE ADDRESSED LATER, BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANY, YOU KNOW, CONCRETE THING ON THAT SPECIFIC STUFF.
BUT IT WAS DURING THAT ITEM THERE.
'CAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ONES THAT ALREADY EXIST AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I DO RECALL A LITTLE BIT OF THAT AND, UM, I WILL DEFER TO Y'ALL, UM, ON THAT.
AND SO MY, MY EDIT WOULD BE JUST TO CORRECT THE LOCATION FROM AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS TO CITY HALL.
AND I WAS THE ATTORNEY IN ATTENDANCE AS WELL, NOT CAROLINE.
NO, IT TOOK ME UNTIL YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT FEBRUARY WHEN WE WERE HERE AND I WAS LIKE, RIGHT.
LIKE WHAT? PRETTY SURE I WAS HERE FOR A MEETING THIS YEAR.
SO WITH, WITH THOSE TWO CORRECTIONS, AND I'M READY TO MAKE THE MOTION, I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, MINUTES FROM FEBRUARY 28TH, 2024 WITH THE TWO CORRECTIONS OF THE LOCATION AND, UM, THE PERSONNEL THAT WAS IN ATTENDANCE ATTORNEY THAT WAS IN ATTENDANCE.
COMMISSIONER CASTO SECOND IT, UH, ANY DISCUSSION AND THANKS FOR LOOKING OVER THIS IN SUCH DETAIL.
AND, UH, MS. BONITA, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK TYPING THESE UP, WE APPRECIATE IT.
SO RAISE YOUR HANDS IF YOU ARE, IF YOU SUPPORT THE MOTION, EVERYBODY IN ATTENDANCE SUPPORTED THE MOTION.
SO MOVING RIGHT ALONG THROUGH THE AGENDA.
THE NEXT ITEM IS, UH, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. YES.
WHICH WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.
YES, WE DID HAVE QUITE A DISCUSSION, BUT I GUESS WE DIDN'T MAKE ANY PARTICULAR DECISIONS OR DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE WORK OF ANY PARTICULAR WORKING GROUP OTHER THAN TO SAY WE STARTED WORKING ON THINGS.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, CERTAINLY THE ONE THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WAS REVIEWING THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS.
UM, IT WAS AT ONE TIME CHAIR SOBER ON AND, UM, COMMISSIONER LOVENS AND ME.
UH, SO, UM, WE CAN INVITE OTHERS TO JOIN.
UH, I MEAN, HOWEVER YOU WANNA DO THAT, BUT JUST AS AN AGENDA ITEM FOR SOMETHING TO, TO ADDRESS.
I THINK, UM, I THINK WHAT WE'D NEED TO DO IS PROCEDURALLY IS PUT IT AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
AND THAT'LL GIVE Y'ALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA BE ON THAT WORKING GROUP AND OTHER WORKING GROUPS.
SO DOES IT TAKE A FORMAL ACTION BY THIS BODY IN ORDER TO ADD SOMEONE TO THE WORKING GROUP? LET ME LOOK AT THAT.
UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, CHAIR SILVER ON IS NO LONGER IN COMMISSION AND THEREFORE NO LONGER ON THE WORKING GROUP.
BUT, UM, SO I GUESS BY OPERATION HE JUST IS NO LONGER ON IT.
IF WE WANT TO INCLUDE SOMEONE ELSE.
DOES THAT TAKE AN ACTION? IT IT, ACCORDING TO THE BYLAWS, PAGE FIVE, UNDER WORKING GROUPS, AND THIS IS, UH, TAB 12 IN YOUR FOLDERS WORKING GROUPS, MIDDLE OF PAGE FIVE, YOU CAN DETERMINE THE SIZE AS LONG AS IT'S UNDER THE QUORUM, WHICH IS OF COURSE SIX PEOPLE.
SO YOU CAN ADD PEOPLE ALL YOU WANT.
IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE WE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS STAFF SUPPORT IS NOT REQUIRED.
YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO POST YOUR MEETINGS IN ACCORDANCE WITH, YOU KNOW, OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
UM, SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY AS LONG AS YOU STAY UNDER THE QUORUM.
SO IT'S SORT OF BEEN JUST A PRACTICE THAT WE'VE AS A GROUP DECIDED WHO WILL BE ON THE COMMITTEE.
BUT THE WORKING GROUP, I THINK THAT'S JUST, THAT'S BEEN A PRACTICE.
AND WE, WE, WE DID VOTE I THINK TO ADD OR TAKE AWAY AT THE LAST MEETING.
BUT AGAIN, YES, I THINK IT IS, IT'S,
[01:05:01]
IT'S MORE OF A PRACTICE.IT'S JUST WHAT'S BEEN DONE, BUT IT'S NOT REQUIRED.
SO WE HAVE A DEFINED UNIVERSE OF COMMISSIONERS WHO'S ON IT.
JUST, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO AGENDA IN A GENERAL YEAH.
IN A VERY GENERAL SENSE TO BE ON THE AGENDA AND ADD, THEN WE CAN JUST ADD WHEREVER.
MAY I ADD, AND VICTORIA CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IN ORDER TO ADD A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM, I DO BELIEVE IT NEEDS TWO SPONSORS OR THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION CAN ADD THAT ITEM AND IT WOULD BE ON THE NEXT AGENDA AS WELL.
UM, I THINK THAT'S, I WILL CO-SPONSOR THAT WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER LOWE.
AND SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UH, SECRETARY STANTON ADAMS, WHAT IS THE, WHAT IS THE PROTOCOL FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE FEBRUARY MEETING WE HAD, UM, WE SAID THAT A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM WOULD BE ELECTION MATERIALS IN VIETNAMESE AND CANDIDATE FORUM, UH, UPDATE REGARDING THE PRIOR CANDIDATE FORUM SURROUNDING THE AUSTIN DEMOGRAPHICS AND ELECTION MATERIALS IN VIETNAMESE.
DOES JUST, DOES THAT JUST MEAN AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WE WANT TO DISCUSS THIS SO WE DON'T LOSE IT? IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE ARE OBLIGATED TO DISCUSS IT AT THE VERY NEXT MEETING.
I'M STILL DOING RESEARCH TO FIND THOSE THINGS.
SO THAT'S WHY IT WASN'T ADDED AS AN AGENDA ITEM.
IT DOES, YOU DON'T JUST BE, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAPPEN AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO I THINK PART OF THIS TOO, UM, IT WILL LIKELY BE ON THE FUTURE AGENDA.
I THINK THAT, UM, CITY, THE CITY CLERK STAFF IS GOING TO COME AND DISCUSS THE CANDIDATE FORUMS, UM, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE ONES WHO WILL HELP YOU ALL WITH THE SCHEDULING AND ALL OF THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
AND SO THAT WILL BE OBVIOUSLY ON THE AGENDA FOR THEN.
AND SO, I MEAN, SOMETIMES IT IS TO JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN CITY STAFF AND WHEN THINGS CAN HAPPEN, RIGHT.
DO WE, WHAT IS THE MECHANISM THAT WE HAVE FOR KEEPING TRACK OF THESE TOPICS THAT WE AGREE IS GOING TO BE A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM SO THAT IT DOESN'T GET LOST.
I TYPICALLY JUST MAKE A NOTE AND ADD IT TO A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
THAT WAY IT'S LISTED AS A BULLET POINT AND IT DOESN'T GET LOST.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M CONFUSED BECAUSE IT IS A BULLET AS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM.
BUT WE DIDN'T DISCUSS IT TODAY.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS, WELL THEN HOW ARE WE GOING TO REMEMBER THAT IT'S STILL THERE? BECAUSE I, I TOTALLY GET THAT.
UM, THAT IT DEPENDS AND IT REQUIRES TIME TO GET, YOU KNOW, GET MORE INFORMATION AND COORDINATE THAT.
I JUST DON'T, DON'T WANT IT TO BE LOST.
AND YET I ALSO REMEMBER THERE'S SOME STRICT GUIDELINE WITH, FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE ABOUT THE FORMAT AND WHAT APPEARS ON THE AGENDA.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN EVEN KEEP LIKE A TALLY OF, OH, HERE ARE THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS AND WE, WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED THAT.
SO WE'RE GONNA CARRY IT FORWARD OR WE HAVE AND WE CAN CHECK IT OFF.
I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP IT ON THERE BECAUSE WE CANNOT KEEP STANDING ITEMS ON THERE.
BUT I DO MAKE NOTE OF IT ON MY END IN JUNE.
SO IT, IT BEING KEPT TRACK OF.
UH, COMMISSIONER PUMPHREY, I'M ALMOST AFRAID TO ASK THIS 'CAUSE I'M AFRAID I'VE MISSED SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
UNDER ARTICLE EIGHT COMMITTEES A SAYS THE ETHICS REVIEW COMMISSION WILL HAVE NO COMMITTEES AND THEN IT PROCEEDS TO EXPLAIN HOW WE CAN HAVE COMMITTEES
WELL,
SO, SO I THINK PROBABLY, AND AGAIN, THIS CAN GO TOWARDS A FUTURE AGENDA ITEM IF YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO AS AMENDING YOUR BYLAWS, BUT THE BYLAWS TYPICALLY COME I THINK FROM A TEMPLATE.
AND SO THEN PROBABLY THE, NORMALLY IT'S, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME, BECAUSE SOME OTHER, UM, COMMISSIONS DO HAVE COMMITTEES AND UM, PROBABLY YOUR SOVEREIGN BOARDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT THIS SPECIFIC ONE DOESN'T.
AND SO THEN B THROUGH THE END OF ARTICLE A PROBABLY JUST WAS NOT DELETED ON THIS ONE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE A BYLAW AMENDMENT FOR ANOTHER DATE IF YOU SO CHOOSE
AND WE AGENDIZE THAT RIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE BYLAWS NEXT TIME.
[01:10:01]
I THOUGHT THAT WAS TO, FOR THE, THE WORKING GROUP THAT COMMISSIONER LOW AND COMMISSIONER LEVINS ARE ON TO DISCUSS THAT WORKING GROUP PROCESS.SO I PROPOSE THAT WE DISCUSS THE FORMATION OF A WORKING GROUP TO LOOK INTO THE BYLAWS AND TO CLEAN UP SOME OF THIS, SOME OF THESE INCONSISTENCIES WE SEE.
I MOVE THAT WE DO THAT AND WE AGENDIZE THAT FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
AND YOU, WELL, AND YOU'RE THE CHAIR AS WELL, SO YOU HAVE CHOSEN RIGHT.
AND THAT DOESN'T SAY THAT WE HAVE TO FORM A WORKING GROUP OR THAT NEXT TIME WE'RE ABSOLUTELY GONNA DECIDE THAT WE ARE AND, AND SO ON.
IT'S JUST THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT THAT OUT THERE AND DISCUSS IT.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING NEW, BUT FOR CLARIFICATION, DOES THIS MEAN WE NO LONGER HAVE THE RACE IDENTITY EQUITY WORKING GROUP? WE DO HAVE THE ONE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE COMPLAINTS PROCESS.
UM, WE DO STILL HAVE THE CALENDAR ONE, OR IS THAT, I THINK WE DO ONLY SECRETARY STANTON ADAMS NAME IS UNDER THAT.
SO DOES THAT ONE STILL EXIST? MM-HMM.
AND THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A THIRD ONE NOW FOR BYLAWS.
IS THAT, IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBLE FORMATION OF ONE TO LOOK INTO THE BYLAWS? MM-HMM.
BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AS WORKING GROUPS.
MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THE FIRST WORKING GROUP WAS DISSOLVED BECAUSE WE PUBLISHED OUR LITTLE SPIEL AND, AND MOVED ON FROM THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU GUYS FOR THE FUTURE? AND YOU, YOU KNOW, IT DOES SAY IF YOU WANT TO PUT SOMETHING ON THE AGENDA, YOU HAVE TO DO IT AT LEAST FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE MEETING.
SO IF YOU AND ANOTHER COMMISSIONER COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SEE US TALK ABOUT NEXT TIME, JUST DO IT FIVE DAYS BEFORE.
AND, UM, YES, COMMISSIONER STANTON ADAMS. I JUST WANTED TO, UM, GIVE PRAISE AND APPRECIATION TO, UM, COMMISSIONER EY WHO, UH, BEING ONE OF THE NEW COMMISSIONERS REALLY JUMPED INTO, UM, THE WORK WITH PREPARING THAT CALENDAR OF COMMISSION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND I HAVE BEEN VERY TARDY WITH REVIEWING WHAT HE HAS SENT, LIKE VERY SOON AFTER THE LAST MEETING.
SO IT WAS VERY SOON AFTER THE FEBRUARY MEETING AND HE JUST REALLY GOT ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE BALL WITH THAT.
ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE, UH, WE ADJOURN TONIGHT? OKAY.
IF THERE IS NO OBJECTION, THE MEETING IS ADJOURNED.
THE TIME IS 7:26 PM THANKS A BUNCH EVERYBODY.