[Special Commissioners Court on November 10, 2020]
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AT THIS TOWER.WE WANTED TO MEET HERE INSTEAD OF THE COMMISSION, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SURE HOW TO COMPETE IN CRUMB.
AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD PLENTY OF ROOM IS OBVIOUSLY VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO ACCOMMODATE
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU IF WE TAKE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, WE HERE THE REPORT FROM CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
AND THE FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO START OFF WITH IS THE PEOPLE WHO WERE APPOINTED TO THIS COMMISSION AND PROXIES LIKE THIS.
EACH COMMISSIONER APPOINTED THREE MEMBERS.
AND I REMEMBER FROM THE COUNTY, AND THIS IS I'M GOING TO READ FROM A LETTER THAT I SENT TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
THE COMMISSION WILL GATHER INPUT FROM RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTY.
MY OFFICE AND DEBBIE'S OFFICE WILL FACILITATE MEETING SPACE AND DIVIDE THE COMMISSION TO THE EMAIL ADDRESS.
AND MAILING ADDRESS DID PROCEED SO THAT THE JOB OF THE COMMISSION WAS, WAS TO GATHER THE INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS.
AND I WANT TO IT OVER TO OUR CO-CHAIRS.
I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE THAT SERVED.
I DIDN'T REALLY EXPECT THAT Y'ALL WOULD HAVE SO MANY MEETINGS.
UH, BUT I THINK I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK, BUT I MAY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED EXACTLY WHAT THEY PROMISE AND THAT IS GIVE EVERYBODY WHO WANTED TO PROVIDE THEIR INPUT, GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
SO I'M NOT GOING TO RECOGNIZE THE CONDITIONED INDIVIDUAL PAY THAT BILL BARD IN JC JACKSON, WHO SERVED AS CO-CHAIRS, BOTH OF THESE GENTLEMEN ARE VETERANS BY THE WAY.
SO I'M FACING THE PATIENT TOMORROW.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR CO-CHAIRS TO COME FORWARD AND DELIVER YOUR REPORT.
WHY DON'T YOU STAY HERE IN AMERICA? IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL STAND OVER THERE SO WE CAN HEAR YOU.
I MAY READ SOME OF IT TOO, SO I DON'T GET ANY SOUND TO WAKE UP AND BE ON THE COAST.
UH, THE CO-CHAIRMAN STACEY JACKSON, ALONG WITH OUR SECRETARY VITOR HINDER SAYS SACRED GROVE THERE.
AND I WOULDN'T FIND THE COURT FROM SELECTING THESE MEMBERS TO THE MONUMENT INFORMATION.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO 300 NAMES BY PRECINCT, PRECINCT, NUMBER ONES, ALPHABETICAL ORDER JAMES HENDERSON, ALISON NOVAK, JAMES MICHAEL SMITH, KIM THOMPSON.
ARE YOU SAYING TO PATRICIA DAILIES, BILL HART, NEVAN BARFY STOPPED WRITING PRECINCT THREE, CHRISTINA, BASICALLY JACKSON JOY.
WE RECEIVED FOR THE ENA DRAYA, BILLY HENDERSON STEPHENS.
AND THIS IS, WOULD IT BE CORRECT? THAT'S THAT'S, THAT'S THE PEOPLE FROM THOSE RECEIPTS, NOT NECESSARILY APPOINTING, UH, THAT PERSON.
UH, WE ALSO WANT TO THANK THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS FOR HOSTING OUR BEADS, UH, OF CHURCH CHRIST,
UH, DON'T WANT TO FORGET THE TEAM SUPPORT FROM JERRY DEAN AND AVAIL.
DOES THIS, THE COMMISSION WAS TASKED WITH THE PROJECT WITH TAKING THE WRITTEN AND ORAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE MONUMENT.
WE ESTABLISHED PUBLIC SPEAKING AT FOUR COUNTY WIDE MEETINGS AND EIGHT PRECINCT MEETINGS, APPROXIMATELY 25 HOURS OF SPEECHES AND SAT THROUGH ALL SURVEYS CONTAINED SENSITIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION.
SINCE THESE SURVEYS WERE OBTAINED OUTSIDE OF THE PUBLIC MEETING REQUEST, THIS INFORMATION NOT BEING GIVEN OUT.
UM, BILLY HENDERSON DID A GREAT JOB KEEPING TRACK OF THE DATA FROM THE MAKER SURVEYS AND EMAIL EMAIL ACCOUNT.
WE HAD A TOTAL SURVEY COUNT ON KAUFMAN
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COUNTY RESIDENTS OF 544 OF THOSE SURVEY, 339 62% WITH THE MONUMENT TO STAY AS HE IS 205 OR 38% WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MONUMENT REMOVED FROM THE COURTHOUSE.UH, THERE WAS AN UNOFFICIAL SURVEY ON FACEBOOK, ABOUT 2000 RESPONSES.
WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THOSE SITES OR CONSIDER THEM, UH, BUT THE COUNTY'S TOTAL POPULATION OF 136,000, (150) 400-4500 44 RESPONSES IS LESS THAN 1% OF THE TOTAL POPULATION.
UH, THE COMMUNITY SPEAKERS PEOPLE WE HEARD FROM AS WELL AS INFORMATION STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS ISSUE PUT ON SOME KIND OF BALLOT, POSSIBLY A REFERENDUM IN A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES.
THEY CAN DO THAT, COMPILE THAT DATA AND SEE WHAT COMES OUT OF THERE.
UH, BUT DO THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WE HAD PERFORMED THIS FAST, SMALL AMOUNT OF DATA AND COMMISSION COULD NOT ARRIVE AT A CONSISTENT TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AS TO THE DISPOSITION OF THE MONUMENT.
MONETARY COSTS WERE NOT CONSIDERED.
SO THERE WAS NO RECOMMENDATIONS.
YOU RELOCATE THE MONUMENT, ANY QUESTIONS
UH, WHAT'D HE SAY TO THAT THERE WAS NO RECOMMENDATION.
I KNOW THAT YOU DUG INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE COMMISSION'S REPORT REPORT.
I THOUGHT WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT HAVING DOLLAR MATH.
WELL, THEY DID SOME RESEARCH INTO THAT, BUT I THINK BILL'S, UM, THIS, THIS IS NOT A PART OF THE COMMISSION I WANT TO GET THAT UNDERSTOOD THAT I WAS THINKING THAT WE POSSIBLY WOULD COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION AND THAT RECOMMENDATION WAS TO REMOVE THE PAIN AND WE NEED SOME KIND OF COST EVALUATION ON IT.
AND THEN I CONTACTED THE TWO CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES.
UH, ONE CAME BACK WITH A, A MALE AND THE OTHER WAS SUPPOSED TO SEND ME SOMETHING THIS MORNING, BUT I HAVEN'T GOTTEN IT YET.
UM, THAT AMANDA'S 430, $1,000 TO RELOCATE STATUE FROM WHERE HE IS TO THE, UH, VETERANS MEMORIAL 400.
BUT YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE POPE FROM THE OTHER.
THE TROUBLE IS FINDING SOMEBODY TO MOVE THE TAXI.
UH, HE WOULD SAY THAT THROUGH THE PEOPLE THAT MOVED THESE STATUES HAVE BEEN THREATENED AND WHATNOT.
SO THEY'RE KIND OF PURE ABOUT YOUR INFORMATION AND WHATNOT.
HE'S HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE GETTING SOME OF THE DATA WAS JUST TAKING A LITTLE BIT, BUT HE'S STILL WORKING ON IT.
UH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THE CALLS FROM STACKING REALLY WHAT WE CAN APPROACH THAT WILL MAKE THAT DECISION.
I THINK WE DISCUSSED IT BEFORE.
SO WE DIDN'T, WE LOOKED TO THE POINT OF STEP IT UP.
I APPRECIATE HIM DOING THAT TO GET THAT QUOTE CROSSOVER, WE MOVE WHAT I'M SURE THAT THE COMMISSION COURT, YOUR PRODUCT CAN SHOP AROUND AND GET DIFFERENT.
IF A MEDIA JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THAT UP, YOU CAN STAND THERE.
IF YOU WANT TO CARRY BAGS, CURIOUS THAT THE CHIEF CIVIL WE'VE DONE GOING BACK A NUMBER OF WEEKS AGO, WE DID SOME RESEARCH AS THE QUESTION THAT KEPT COMING UP ABOUT DOING, ABOUT PUTTING THIS TO THE BOAT CARRIER.
IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND STANDING A SWAYING, UM, EXPLAINING WHAT THE RESULTS OF YOUR RESEARCH.
SO BASICALLY, CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? SO BASICALLY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT CAN ONLY ACT UNDER THE CONSTITUTIONAL OR STATUTORY AUTHORITY IS GIVEN TO THE COURT.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL DUTIES OR OBLIGATIONS ON THE ONE THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY GIVEN BY THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION STATUTES.
SO COMMISSIONERS COURTS CAN ORDER ELECTIONS FOR LIKE REVERSE SALE, CERTAIN KINDS OF TEXAS TO, UM, DEVELOP HOSPITAL DISTRICTS, EMERGENCY DISTRICTS, BUT THERE IS NO SPECIFIC AUTHORITY FOR COMMISSIONER'S REPORT TO PUT A GENERAL ISSUE ON THE BALLOT, LIKE A GENERAL QUESTION ON THE BACK.
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HAVE HEARD, OR SOME COUNTIES THAT HAVE A POPULATION OF LESS THAN 40,000, WHERE THEY DO HAVE THOSE READMISSIONS COURTS DO HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PUT WHAT'S CALLED A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT.AND THAT BALLOT IS ON IN PORTUGAL ELECTION DAY.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THOSE SMALL COUNTIES WHERE THEY HAVE THAT AUTHORITY, IT, SINCE IT'S A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM, IT REALLY ONLY HAS MEANING AS FAR AS WHAT'S THE PUBLIC OPINION, THAT'S STILL ISSUE WOULD STILL COME BACK.
EVEN IN THOSE COUNTIES THAT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO JUST HAVE IT ON A REFERENDUM WOULD STILL COME BACK TO THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO MAKE THE BINDING DECISION, BECAUSE REALLY ONLY THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT CAN MAKE A DECISION REGARDING THE COUNTY PROPERTY.
AND SO THERE, THERE REALLY JUST IS NO AUTHORITY FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WHICH IS WHY YOU DON'T SEE IT IN ANY REALLY ANY OF THE COUNTIES.
AND I'M NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH, UM, ANY COUNTY, EVEN OTHER 40,000.
THAT'S ACTUALLY GONE AHEAD AND PUT A NON-BINDING REFERENDUM ON THIS ISSUE ON THE ELECTION.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU MENTIONED ABOUT, UM, THE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC PARTIES COULD LET DOWN THEIR PRIMARY, AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT THAT PROCESS, TO BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE THAT KIND OF AUTHORITY OR NOT, BUT, UM, BUT I KNOW THAT THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT DOES NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF HILARY OR THE SIZE OF OUR COUNTY TO PUT SOME, A QUESTION LIKE THE STATUTE ON THE, ON BALLOT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE LEGAL STANDPOINT, WHAT OTHER CHALLENGES WOULD YOU HAVE HAD WITH THE CANDIDATE THEY SIDE WITH, UH, YOU GO INTO YOUR STATEMENT AS W WHAT, WHAT COURSE DID YOU HAVE THERE'S WATER TO PUT IT ON THE REFERENDUM UP ABOUT IT.
YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A CHOICE OF GETTING AN ON A REFERENDUM JUST FOR KAUFMAN COUNTY BALLOT.
THE ONLY WAY THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD GET ON THE BALLOT WOULD HAVE TO BE AT A STATE LEVEL WHEN THE LEGISLATURE PUT IT ON THE BALLOT.
AND THAT'S A WHOLE PROCESS THAT YOU GO THROUGH, AND THEN IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T MAYBE NECESSARILY PERTAINING TO CALL THEM HOLLY, OR MAYBE IT WOULD, BUT BASICALLY, UM, IT'S AN INITIATIVE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH ON THE STATE LEVEL.
AND USUALLY THAT ONLY APPLIES TO STATE LAW QUESTIONS ARE REALLY TRYING TO, AND THEN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT THE OTHER, BUT LET ME SORT OF BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, THE OTHER PATHWAY, AND I THINK MAYBE THIS IS MORE LIKE YOU'RE THINKING IS THROUGH SOME KIND OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGE.
SO THAT'S WHERE LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES LIKE IN OUR STATE SENATOR BOTTLE HALL AND OUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE KEITH BELL, UM, AND THEY CAN ALWAYS TRY TO HAVE SOME KIND OF LEGISLATIVE CHANGE.
AND THEN THE 2021 SEASON IS ALLEGED PLAY 20, 20 FALL, 2021.
SO THEY COULD, YOU KNOW, FIND LEGISLATION THAT PERMISSION TO PUT THAT ON THE BALLOT WOULD HAVE TO BE A LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
DOES THAT WHAT YOU IMAGINE THEY DON'T REALLY WANT TO DO THAT?
I ASKED HER, I ASKED HER AND THEY BOTH SAID THE SAME THING BASICALLY SAID THAT THEY DON'T ALLOW THAT BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE 586 DIFFERENT FUNDS.
EVERY SINGLE BANK JUST ALLOWED US TO PUT.
AND SO MY LOOK LIKE THIS UPTIGHT TO THEIR TOOTHPASTE OR WHATEVER, I MEAN, MAYBE STUPID BY THE CONSTITUTION, BUT THE LAW.
AND THEY SAID, BOY, THAT'S A TOUGH THING TO GET TENURE.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S AN UPHILL BATTLE TO GET SOMETHING FOR THEM.
AND THEY ALLOWED THE COUNTIES SMALL, RARE, SMALL, COMPLEX, THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THEY WERE PLANNING TO MAKE
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UH, UH, IT'S IT'S, UH, OUR PRACTICE HAS BEEN ALWAYS AT THIS ALL FOR THE PUBLIC, THE CHANGE, THE SPEED, UH, OUR POLICY OF OUR MEETINGS IS THAT WE ASKED PEOPLE, WE ARE SPEAKING TO LIVE IN THREE MINUTES AND ONE PERSON WE'VE SUBMITTED SOMETHING TO THAT IS, UH, MS. BERLINSO EVERYBODY OVER HERE, JUDGE RICHARDS AND COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE CENOTAPH REMAINING IN HIS CURRENT LOCATION.
THIS MONUMENT REPRESENTS THE HISTORY OF TEXAS AND A KAUFMAN COUNTY, ITS RESIDENTS ERECTED THIS PIECE WITH DONATIONS UPON DONATION, TO PLACE FOR MEMORIAL, TO THEIR FATHER, THEIR GRANDFATHER THERE, THOUGHTS, UM, WHO FOUGHT FOR THEIR BELIEFS.
IN FACT, AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY PLACED IN 1911 AND EVEN PREDATES THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT, WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING.
THEY WORKED WITH ARTISTS, THEY HAD IT APPROVED BY COUNTY OFFICIALS, AND THEN THEY DEDICATED THE MONUMENT.
WHAT AN AMAZING FEAT FOR WOMEN BACK IN 1911, OPPOSE THAT IF WE ALL DID PLACE MARKERS AND MARKERS MONUMENTS, THOSE TYPES OF, OF EFFIGIES.
IF WE ONLY DO THAT, FOR THINGS THAT ARE POPULAR, THAT MY DAD, IT WAS A WORLD WAR II, KOREA AND VIETNAM VETERAN WOULD NOT HAVE MORE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THE VIETNAM WAR WAS NOT A POPULAR THING TOMORROW AND SATURN'S DAY.
MY DAD IS NOT HERE ANY LONGER ON THIS EARTH, AND I WOULD WISH TO DEAL WITH TELL HIM, THANK YOU FOR HIS SERVICE, BECAUSE HE FALLEN ON ALL THREE OF THOSE.
AND I'VE EVER HAD TELLING STORIES ABOUT BOMBING AROUND AFTER VIETNAM.
PEOPLE DID NOT APPRECIATE HIS SERVICE.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN THE SOUTH AFTER OUR CONFEDERATE ANCESTORS OF WHICH SOME OF THEM, THEIR BLOOD RUNS THROUGH ME.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR THEM? SO JUST LIKE REMOVING THIS MONUMENT WOULD BE TO A CONFEDERATE VETERAN WHO BY THE WAY, HAPPENED TO BE NOTED BY PALMERS TWICE THAT THEY ARE AMERICAN VETERANS, TEXAS LIVED IN BOUGHT OVER SIX FLAGS, NOT FOUGHT, BUT UNDERSTOOD.
LET'S NOT ALLOW TO REMEMBRANCES TO THOSE WHO FOUGHT UNDER ONE FLAG.
HAD THAT BE HARDEST TO REMOVE, LET MONUMENTS LIKE THIS START DISCUSSIONS AND DIALOGUES ABOUT ITS HISTORY, ABOUT NOT TO REPEAT IT.
UM, JUST A QUICK NOTE, THE TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION MET TWO WEEKS AGO AND OF WHICH I WAS ONE OF THE WITNESSES THAT, UH, THAT TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE MONUMENTS.
THEY UNSHAPED, THEY LEFT UNCHANGED IN THEIR CURRENT LOCATIONS, THREE MARKERS, ONE IN AUSTIN, ONE IN GEORGETOWN, AND ONE IN NEARBY LANCASTER, GREGG COUNTY PARKER COUNTY OF HARRISON COUNTY HAVE ALL VOTED TO LEAVE THEIR MONUMENTS ON THEIR FOUR OUNCE PROPERTIES.
AND THERE'S ALSO A COUNTY IN THE PANHANDLE THAT HAS ACTUALLY GONE THROUGH AND APPROVED THAT HAVE A MONUMENT PLACE ON THEIR COURTHOUSE SQUARE.
AND I'M KIND OF REFERENCING A LITTLE BIT OF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY BACK IN 2020 IS IT WAS A PRIMARY PLATFORM NOTE, UM, THAT THE REPUBLICAN REPUBLICANS OVERWHELMINGLY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, ONE OF THEIR MONUMENTS TO REMAIN AS IS, BUT HERE'S WHAT I THINK WE HAVE A MONUMENT HERE.
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY LIVING IN 2020, WHICH HAS BEEN SUCH A CRAZY YEAR.
I THINK WE'D ALL AGREE ON THAT.
NO MATTER WHICH SIDE WE ARE ON THE MONUMENT ISSUE, BUT WE CONVINCED THE AMMONIA HAS BEEN A CONCERN ABOUT SLAVERY, BUT WE NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.
WE NEED TO BE CONSIDERED, UH, CONSIDERED A MODERN DAY SLAVERY.
UH, OUR, UH, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL HAD PASSED THAT SAID THAT CURRENTLY AT THE STATE OF TEXAS, WE HAVE OVER 234,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER HUMAN TRAFFICKING, INCLUDING 79,000 CHILDREN.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO PUT OUR EFFORTS.
THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO PUT OUR MONIES.
UM, IF YOU'VE DONE CONSIDERATIONS THROUGH THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, I APPLAUD YOU FOR THAT.
IF YOU'VE DONE ANY, IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE ANY CONSIDERATIONS FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING, MODERN DAY SLAVERY, PLEASE, I EMPOWER YOU TO DO THAT.
KEEP THE MONUMENT WHERE IT'S AT, LET IT BE A DIALOGUE TO NOT REPEATING HISTORY.
ANYBODY, LET ME JUST ASK YOU TO CODE, CURIOUS FOR CLARIFICATION.
THEN THE COMMITTEE ITSELF WAS EITHER, DID NOT, OR WILL UNABLE TO COME TO THE CONSENSUS, WHICH WE DID NOT COME TO
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A RECOMMENDATION.THE RECOMMENDATION WE MADE WAS TO NOT MAKE A WRITTEN
WE GOT 544 PEOPLE TOTAL THAT WOULD INTEREST
SO 500 OR 300 PAPERS A WEEK FOR 20,000 FEET TOOK CONSIDERATION OF WHAT THAT'S LESS THAN 1% OF THE POPULATION, WHICH WAY WOULD YOU HAVE WAIT AND BUILD? SO PAID HER BIG POINT.
AND I THINK SHE EXPLAINED IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY BECAUSE THE PHONE WILL COME DOWN TO THE COMMISSION.
YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TO MAKE DIFFERENCES, SO WE'LL MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU MADE AN AFFIRMATIVE DECISION, MAKE A RECOMMENDATION BASED ON BASICALLY YOUR SMALL SAMPLES.
IS THAT, IS THAT ACCURATE? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE THING, UH, COMMITTEE, UH, I HEARD NOTHING BUT GOOD, UH, FROM FOLKS THAT ATTENDED THOSE MEETINGS.
UH, ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE CLEAR TO FOLKS THIS, OKAY, SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE EMAILED ME COMMENT AND WHATEVER THAT THE COMMISSIONER WAS FOR WAS TRYING TO MAKE SOMEONE ELSE, MAKE OUR DECISION FOR US.
AND THAT WAS NEVER OUR INTENT OR IDEA BEHIND THIS.
WE WANTED TO GIVE THIS ENTIRE COUNTY, UH, POPULIST AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THEIR MIND ABOUT THIS.
AND APPARENTLY THERE AREN'T, AS MANY PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT IT AS ORIGINALLY APPEARED, UH, GOOD OR BAD ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, BUT AT NO TIME, ARE WE GOING TO LET SOMEONE MAKE A DECISION FOR US? WE KNOW IT'S OUR DECISION, BUT WE WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THEIR MIND ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK WE GAVE HER BY THAT OPPORTUNITY AND I'M SORRY, YOU KNOW, MORE PEOPLE TURNED OUT, BUT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT A BUNCH OF DO ABOUT NOTHING, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE DO HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
AND WE'LL GET THIS THING RESOLVED AS FAR AS THE ISSUE GOES IN MY MIND.
AND, UH, I THINK EVERYBODY'S HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY AND, UH, I APPRECIATE THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE GIVEN US THREE TO RECEIVE, UH, QUITE A FEW EMAILS, LETTERS, CALLS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT INPUT THAT I RECEIVED PERSONALLY, DID SOMEONE HAVE A QUESTION BACK THERE? I KNOW THE QUESTION OF DISCIPLINE TO DO EVERYTHING HE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING WITH THE COMMITTEE, WE WERE TASKED WITH ADDING INFORMATION.
IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE OUR DECISION, WHAT SHOULD NOT BE DONE.
WE WERE ONLY TO GATHER, WE DID GET OUT AND TRY TO BRING PEOPLE LAND, GIVE THEIR OPINIONS, BUT WE NEVER REQUIRED OR ASKED, DO YOU THINK THIS SHOULD HAPPEN? BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK, I THINK IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN CLEAR TO ME AND I BELIEVE ALL OF US THAT WHERE, WHERE ARE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES? AND IT IS, YOU KNOW, IT IS ON US TO MAKE THAT DECISION OF WHICH DIRECTION THE COUNTY MOVES AT.
AND I ALSO HOPE THAT WE'LL WRAP THAT, THAT PROCESS OF SOON.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TO MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN MY PRECINCT THAT CONTACTED ME BOTH IN PERSON.
UH, I RECEIVED, UH, I WOULD SAY APPROACHING A HUNDRED EMAILS, UH, PROBABLY 10 OR 12, MAYBE 15, UH, FAIRLY DETAILED, UH, LETTERS OR POSTCARDS.
SO, UH, UH, WE CERTAINLY DO HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY THAT, THAT, UH, CONTRIBUTED AND REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS, UH, UH, A MEANINGFUL, UH, UH, EFFORT.
AND, UH, I JUST LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE
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PEOPLE, UH, THAT TOOK THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO THEIR COMMISSIONER.THEY'RE NOT ME, BUT BREAKING NEWS.
I MEAN, IF YOU ALL FOLLOW THAT, THAT WAS IN THE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT KEEP THAT, BUT THAT SHOULD REALLY BE CONSIDERED THAT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THAT FACEBOOK PAGE, BUT DID YOU ALL SEE THE NUMBERS ON THAT? THAT SHOULD BE THE SECRETARY.
I'M SORRY, I DON'T WANT HIM TO GIVE AN OPINION MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION BECAUSE I AM A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION, BUT I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYBODY TO LOOK AT EVERYBODY ELSE IN THIS ROOM AND SEE WHO YOU SEE.
I WAS NOT BORN HERE IN KAUFMAN COUNTY, BORN IN TEXAS.
THAT WILL GO TO ALL THE, UH, UH, I CAN SAY THAT I SPENT A LOT OF MY SUMMERS AS A KID RUNNING THE RED PLAYS STREETS OF CARROLL, TEXAS AS A CHILD.
AND COMING BACK TO THIS COUNTY TO RETIRE, I CHOSE THAT COMING OUT OF KANSAS CITY IN A VERY LUCRATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, UM, RETIRING FROM GENERAL MOTORS.
AND I LOOK AROUND ME AND I LOOK AT THE PEOPLE THAT I SEE AND I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO BE EMOTIONAL.
I VOLUNTEERED FOR THIS JOB BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE THE NOTE.
I WANTED TO SEE WHAT MY FRIENDS THAT I FISH WITH AND PARTY WITH AND I GARDEN WITH.
AND I WANTED TO SEE IF THEY WOULD GIVE ME THEIR HONEST OPINION, UH, ABOUT, UH, A KIND OF CREEPED STATUTE.
AND MOST OF THEM DID AS I'M SURE OTHERS, THAT THOSE HONEST OPINIONS, WE ARE A CHANGING DEMOGRAPHIC IN THIS COUNTY.
I THINK WE GOT THIS FAR BECAUSE OF OUTSIDERS WHO PROMPTED US TO GET TO THIS EVENT AND THOSE OUTSIDERS AREN'T GOING TO LET US REST IN PEACE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT COLOR YOU ARE.
I DON'T CARE WHAT SIDE YOU ON THEY'RE COMING.
AND WE MUST BE PREPARED IN OUR DISCUSSION AND OUR DECISION AS TO HOW WE WANT TO APPROACH THOSE THAT ARE COMING ON BOTH SIDES.
SO I LEAVE WITH THAT THOUGHT, AS YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION, IT IS A BIG DEAL.
UH, IT'S A BIG DEAL WITH US, LIKE YOU SAY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING.
WE'RE DOING, BUT IT'S ALSO A BIG DISCUSSION WITH THOSE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO STEP INTO BOUNDARIES.
[00:30:01]
SO WE MUST CONSIDER IN MY OPINION, JUST MY OPINION, UH, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE HISTORIC HISTORICALLY FIGHTING US AS WELL AS THOSE THINGS THAT ARE CHANGING OUR HISTORY AS WE MOVE FORWARD.I JUST LIKED THE WAKE UP, UH, CLOSING REMARKS.
I'VE DONE THIS COMMISSION, BUT I WANTED TO THANK BILL FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS COMMISSION AND THANK ALL OF THEM.
THANK ALL THE PEOPLE WHO'VE SERVED ON THE COMMISSION.
YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE CAME UNDER SCRUTINY AND SOME PEOPLE, WHEN DOES DOD, UH, ME PERSONALLY, I DIDN'T THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE WENT THROUGH WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH.
AND THE DAY WE ALL TOLD, THANK YOU GUYS FOR GIVING THE PUBLIC A CHAINS TO VOICE THEIR OPINION ON WHAT'S GOING ON.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY KNOW THAT WE THINK THIS COMMISSION ESPECIALLY DID A LOT OF WORK.
SO AGAIN, WE THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, PUTTING INFORMATION TOGETHER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE HIP YOU'RE MUCH, IT'S STILL GOING TO BE BACK WHEN YOU GUYS WILL HAVE TO MAKE IT.
WHEN DID Y'ALL ACCOMPLISH THE GOAL THAT WE SAID, CAN YOU GIVE EVERYBODY WANTED TO EXPRESS HER OPINION? WE THANK YOU THAT LITTLE.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE FOR, FOR YOUR KEEPSAKE, FOR YOUR TAKE HOME ITEMS? IT'S ONLY A COLLABORATION OF OUR MINUTES FOR EACH MEETING LISTING OF HER TOWN HALLS, UH, AS WELL AS OUR PURPOSE.
SO, UM, HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR, YOUR READINGS.
THIS WILL GO INTO THE COUNTY RECORDS.
ANYBODY ELSE? YOU HAD ANYTHING TO SAY, MAKE A MOTION.
SECOND, DISCUSSION THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.