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Special Council Meeting 4/17/21
Sat, 4/17 10:00AM • 2:14:25
SPEAKERS
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk), Linda Lipka (Ward 1), Toni Burrow (Ward 2), Heather Robinett (Ward 2), Fran Griffin (Ward 3), Ella Jones (Mayor), Stephen Garrett (Ward 1)
Ella Jones (Mayor) 02:47
I don’t think Byron is going to attend.
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk) 02:53
No he called us that he went back to calm and I was letting you know that everyone else looks like they are.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 02:56
Okay, great, great, and good morning everyone and welcome to the council special meeting. The meeting is now called to order. I take it, would you please call the roll.
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk) 03:14
Councilman Fry absent.
Councilman Griffin.
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 03:17
Here.
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk) 03:20
Councilmember Burrow.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2)
Here.
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk)
Councilmember Robinett
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 03:24
here.
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk) 03:25
Mayor Jones.
Ella Jones (Mayor)
Here.
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk) 03:28
Linda Lipka.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1)
Here.
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk)
Stephen Garrett.
Stephen Garrett (Ward 1) 03:31
Here.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 03:39
Quorum is present. The first item on the agenda, and the only item on the agenda is to the discussion regarding the task force. So who would like to be first.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 03:57
This is Toni Burrow. Since I called for the meeting. I’ll take the first comment.
And the title to discuss mirrors transfers for discussion this morning, is that we need to have. And I’m saying a we as I’m including the city of Ferguson and need to have an understanding of what that test was actually is. Just got last week. Notice what the task force is in its written form.
And as I went through the task force, several things on the task force that if we went to the section sections of the Charter. If we looked at the sunshine law. Several things on the taskforce are illegal.
If we went through a process of procedures, and the standard operating procedures of the city. Several things are out of place.
A main thing that I’m concerned about the concerns me about the transparency, is that there was prior to that writing of the task force. No Council person knew about it. As far as I know, I didn’t know anything about I was not contacted prior to it being written. When I heard about it was when I had COVID and was listening in to the council. And at that time, I didn’t know what was involved, and just until a week ago when I dissected it.
There needs to be Council involvement. There needs to be city involvement. And it’s not to say that a mayor cannot have a task force a committee of whatever it is to say that we have to have it done legally, and we have to do it with the citizens in mind, and some input from council.
I would also like to say that with the council not being involved. The way the task force reads right now. We don’t need the city manager. We don’t need a council that was elected by the citizens of the city. We don’t need a city manager, all of that becomes moot. I would like to look at this is the dawning of a new day. And that we need to scale back and do things decent and in order and do things according to algebra, broad spectrum, but to the finite. I think of too, the people that come to the polls.
And I’m sorry if my, if my voice is a little staggered back now I’m dealing with kidney problems right now today, and it’s an excruciating pain. So I just want everybody to know that I’m taking my time because of being ill today.
I would like to hear from you. My fellow council members. Now given a statement after each one of them had had an opportunity to speak as to where I think we are with standard operating procedures, not being in place might be the reason why we have this situation that we find ourselves in today.
So I don’t know if we want to go in alphabetical order, or how the next person wants to speak up from Heather is the next person, that it would be Linda, and it would be, Ella. And as far as, I don’t know how, Fran. And I don’t say Byron. So I’m sorry, I skipped over. Sorry about that skipped over to Steven Garrett. So in that on his way I have it. And in the person that called me out, I’ll make a list at the end. So, the next person.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 09:02
I will, if somebody has, I’m still formulating some thoughts based on your opening statements so if anybody is ready to speak. Go right ahead. And I’ll catch up.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 09:17
Thank you so much.
Stephen Garrett (Ward 1) 09:21
I can speak. Going through the document that was presented to me, and going through the web site that was built out and reviewing timelines. If this taskforce is a functioning entity and doing business with and be on behalf of the city. We, it has to function marking to a board or commission, where there are minute notes and agendas and that’s the big talking point that I have is that this is not operating within like standard government transparency.
And when trying to work together and establish what this taskforce is doing and how it relates to the 2040 plan that holistic view is not available to the city, and it’s not available to staff and it’s not available to council in order to move things along and actually accomplish anything that is set out to do. That is my core point on what this task force is and how it relates, going forward, in its actions and its plans and how those are approved and how that, how the goals are being accomplished from this task force how it relates to the city business how staff is instructed to act on behalf of the task force, and those situations, give me great concern.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 10:46
Next,
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 10:51
okay well I’m going to go ahead and go, can you hear me okay. All right, so there’s a variety of things that I want to address the first thing I want to address is the language, so the language and the definition. Definition of task force. If there is no definition of a task force within our city charter.
The only person who has the definition of a task force or creating a task force is in the charter within the statutes of responsibilities regarding planning director. Actually I have that information in front of me. Just a moment. Yeah and section 2.371, the Director of Planning and Development. That is the only place that the definition of taskforce is actually used in our city charter.
So if we’re going with special committee. And we’re just calling it a taskforce if we’re actually treating this as a special committee, then that comes under our city council charter. In the section. Section two, in special committees are section, 2.31, and that is defined in there to reflect a process of assessing needs of a specific task or a specific project within the scope of council. For instance, when we had a CRB board created when we had the 501 Plaza created when we purchased or designed the community center the police department, the fire department there were special committees that were created within Council, and each council member had the opportunity to appoint people to that special committee, along with the mayor. So, we have a situation where special committees, it currently says all special committees shall be appointed by the mayor unless otherwise ordered by a majority of the council. So I mean, a special committee can definitely be appointed by Ella Jones that’s not a problem, it’s in the charter, but historically since 1993 The four past mayors, never did that in a, in a vacuum, They always included their city council, they always involve those people, and the special committee had a defined and finite reason for existing with a beginning and an end date and a responsibility of accountability to present their results to the city to the citizens and to the Council for the next step in those processes.
That being said, if this is a special committee that I think it has some great aspects to it. So good, in fact, that we’re already doing them so good in fact that we already have boards and commissions that are set up to do these things, so good in fact that we already have the ultimate Taskforce, which was elected by the citizens of Ferguson and that’s called City Council. If there is gaps that need to be identified that are very important to the mayor, that she would like to create input from the citizens to address them by all means, let’s do that together. Let’s look at these things. Let’s look at where we can utilize the 2040 plan.
In regards to the current boards and commissions so you know I see the mayor’s intention or I’m going to rephrase that. My view of the mayor’s intention I don’t want to assume I know what the mayor’s thinking are doing, because that’s not fair. What I see is that she has a grand desire to truly affect different areas of the city within the three years that she’s here and she wants the most people helping her with the most potential to help. And that is admirable, there’s nothing wrong with that. What I would say is we have to be completely transparent, we have to have that cohesion that you talk about because currently honestly we don’t have it here is there is an us and then there’s the task force and then there’s city there’s the task force and then there’s Council, there’s the task force and so forth, until we, we don’t have a cohesion, and I go back to what Councilman Garrett said, we don’t have a cohesion because we don’t have meeting notes, we don’t have meeting times we don’t have meeting locations, we don’t have meeting agendas. There have been sunshine requests that have not been answered. So, from citizens, they, they forward it to me.
But getting back to what we’re what’s going on, what I would wreck, what I suggest is that taking these goals. Take them and go to each board and commission, and say, Hey, this is your specialty as a board and commission, this is the part of the 2040 plan that I see that I want to make some impact on how do we work with this board and commission okay planning and zoning, you can do this great can you work with FNIP on this. FYI, you’re doing this, this is what 2040 plan has this is what we need from that.
So, so that to me is where you utilize what you already have instead of creating a parallel universe, and instead of recreating the wheel. And that is where you actually develop the most impactful cooperation collusion and collaboration of citizens who are sitting on these boards and commissions, waiting to be utilized, waiting to be activated. And in the areas that these boards and commissions are not fill, where there’s positions available. That’s where you put people in there, get them filled up, get them going, we, we know this is not an easy task. We’ve been trying to do this for a long time, but if this is the priority of the mayor, along with the agreement of the council, then this can be become the priority of getting these boards filled.
Now, in getting back to my original beginning the language. So Task Force is not defined in the charter. Special Committee is defined in the charter. And by definition, can also be especially can many can be ended by majority of council vote in the paperwork, and in the video of the Town Hall, which I went through very detailed oriented I’ve got plenty of notes is referred to when the composition of the task force is described, and referred to. It’s referred to by, as a board, a board of advisors, a board of advisories, a board of stakeholders, you’d only have a board of people, when you have a board or commission. So I go back to language, is this a board, is this a commission. Is this a special committee.
Because if it is a board and commission, again, I refer back to the Sunshine laws that are not being followed. The fact that there is no ordinance or resolution creating a board or commission that currently, as this stands, it is a mayoral or old order everything that has happened in this particular creation has happened under the auspice of what the mayor has requested. It has not happened under the request of counsel in, in collaboration. It has not happened with the participation of citizens of Ferguson overall citizens have been appointed to this board, but no citizen, knew of an appointment process, nor did they have the opportunity to apply.
So I have concerns there where we show that the board, the task force, its competence, let’s see. The elements of the task force to empower the community equity and proportionality building mutual trust. That’s something we need to work on providing clear accessible information quality of listening impact accountability, identifying appropriate resources and cultural relevance. These are all beautiful terms that are very generalized and have no definition. We cannot have a task force that does not have a definition. These are generalities, these are goals, these are aspirations. This is not a defined uniquely identified process with a established timeline, and an established result required.
So, there are issues there when you talk when I go through on I break it all down. Economic inequity addressing jobs and development opportunities. These are things that our city staff does our city staff is directed to identify these areas through the request of counsel can request through the city manager, who then establishes goals and projects for the city staff, this is what they do, not a task force, not us, economic development, we have that that is Elliot leaps in that is our planning and development department that is our public works department that is our planning and zoning department. Neighborhood Improvement, you have that you have that through initiatives including the property restoration program, the vacant home program, the vacant lot program, you have that with utilizing FNIP, and the planning and zoning committees. And FYI serving the community in the, in the areas of youth engagement. You have youth engagement addressed through the partnerships that we already have with different Sunforce in school district, the Riverview school district pays with school district. All of these things are already there, environmental and energy sustainability constant safety crime youth services. These are all listed in the town hall by miss church Tracy Jeffries who is the senior adviser to the task force to Mayor Jones in that area again environment. Environment and Energy Sustainability, that’s part of section 2.4 of the charter, that’s part of the city charter, that’s part of the city staff responsibility, it is addressed already in the establishment and creation of our city and our public works department, and the constant safety and crime that is within the scope of our police department that’s not within the scope of our fire department that is not in the scope of a taskforce of citizens, outside of those expertise. When you have a services for you. We have awesome services in Ferguson, we have the FYI, we have community partners in Emerson YMCA, and the Urban League and the Boys and Girls Club, we’ve got our community parks and recreation department that is their job, you’ve got the Parks and Rec board that is their job. You also have health services that are established being established as we speak, with the cardinal Glennon facility on per shell for youth health. So, I mean, I have lots of notes here. My point is this. In regards to the establish the, the taskforce summary. This summary, could also be taken the word summary can be taken out test for summary and you could say City Council. this.
We have a city council, these are our responsibilities. We do not need a task force to do our job for us. If we need input from the city citizens and town halls and community forums. This council will establish those. If we need input from the city or the citizens, and we want to do it through a survey format, then that would be something that the city council determines is necessary, and then if there’s organizations within our community that can can assist in those areas, that’s when we go to FNIP and say hey can you run with this, that’s when we go to FYI to talk to the youth, hey can you run with this, we do not need a shadow government, or a parallel universe to do these things. Now, do these things need to be revitalized, have a little kick in the butt, so to speak. Absolutely. And if that’s what Mayor Jones wants, then then working with the council can establish that. But, to continue with this situation. You know I have a concern about that. And I would ask to Elliott did you actually have, is there any part in the charter that you actually found creates task forces and if so, where is that
Ella Jones (Mayor) 24:31
it’s not a, it’s a special committee that is named a task force, I put a name to the special committee and I named it the task force is the ad hoc committee and section 231 And I just named it a task force that’s all.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 24:50
Okay, what about the creating of a board, because a special committee doesn’t define a board but boards and commissions do so when your special committee. If you’re calling this a special committee, then wouldn’t it, but what is its finite. What is its finite goal what is because you have a, you have a variety of things that go all different directions, what’s a finite one line one lane goal, that this committee is tasked to improve, and you mentioned in the grants that you applied for, in the name of your task force in the name of the city of Ferguson, that you had a one year timeline of January 1 2021 to December 1 2021 But in your summary, you mentioned that the task force positions can last one year to three years. So, what is the time existence of the special committee called Task Force,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 25:54
it’s only one year with an option to go more than one year. That’s why that was put in there. The need for them to look at different areas in service in in North County, and if they go beyond one year that’s an option.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 26:17
So, if you are saying it’s one year and there’s a, what is the finite goal because I would say that as a special committee and as input from this council member that I would request that you have a finite goal with a finite timeline, and one year being fine at one year points that goal is either established or it is not established, and at that point, re discussion could occur. To determine if there is a need to continue, but to have an open ended, opportunity to go three years, does not accomplish the necessity and the emergent immediacy of whatever goal you’re working on. So, you know, pick one of these things what in your, in your capacity, and knowing that you’re the resources at hand, as a mayor and as a city council, you already know the resources at hand, you know the resources of your staff, you know the resources of the departments, you know the resources of the boards and commissions available outside of those boards and commissions and not overlapping them at all. With any goal from a task or special committee. What is the goal that you feel is most necessary, that can be accomplished within a year by a group of people, to us, to assist. What is that,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 27:48
just revealing the opportunity and possibility of bettering our community, just use an outside independent experts who can just look at it and come up with some additional information to better our community. It may take a year, and I left it open, it’s an open ended, at the end of the similar 20 December 2021 They will meet and see if they accomplish what I asked him to accomplish if so is fine in some of the way, if they feel like they need to go another two or three months, that’s why it’s open ended, but we always in a possibility of meeting. I say, Tibet, our community, we are not living in a silo. And if we can ask experts to take a panoramic view of what we do and then
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 28:53
no one I hear you I mean I absolutely hear you. And what I would point out to you is that we’ve done that, you’ve been part of that process already we have done that we have spent good money on it. We’ve hired experts we’ve taken a panoramic view we’ve in, it took about a year to do, and the and you sat on the board for it. So you were you and Fran both sat on the board and represented the City Council properly and brought that information back to us the information was created through forums and community engagement and surveys and so forth and it’s actually called the 2040 plan. This has been done. So, again, I ask what the resources that we already have the 2040 plan, the boards and commissions that can take a page out of that 2040 plan that aligns with their expertise and and reason for existence. You take that 2040 plan you take out those sections and you say okay, fair housing, how can we do this, let’s go talk to FNIP, let’s go talk to planning and zoning, let’s these community these entities are already established okay there, go to that. And then you take the different sections and you hand them out to the existing boards and commissions that are designed by city charter state law. Community abuse county law. Outside of those already established things. You then take when you take that approach. There is a lot less that the task force slash special committee has to do. And with that being said they no longer have to do environmental sustainability, that’s part of the city counts, I mean that’s part of the city staff, that’s part of Parks and Rec. That’s part of planning and zoning, that part of public works, they no longer have to do fair housing, that’s part of planning and zoning, that’s part of Elliott, that’s part of FNIP, all these things can be taken, taken out, place where they should be placed. What is left. What is left. What is necessary because to me that’s what becomes your task force’s focus. And that then aligns itself to a one year possibility it aligns itself to bringing in information that’s not already been brought in and aligns itself to answering a gap and in our community’s needs that you may or at Jones have identified, and then can assign a group of people to work on. The other thing I would say to you is that the definition and the, the response you gave me just now is still, I apologize, it is still way too vague you have not identified anything specific that is not that can be understood in a clear and concise manner. For instance, when a special committee was required for the FIBA one Plaza, that was specific. It was a special committee for 501. It was a special committee for the development of the fire department. It was a special committee for the development of the police department, and that special committee did the tasks of communicating with the citizens, and having forums taking information in aligning that information with with the concerns of the citizens and the concerns of the council, making a presentation on a recommendation, and then the council made a decision based on the information they were provided from the special committee. It had a finite design. It had a beginning and it had an end. I’m not hearing that, in this taskforce, I don’t hear it. And what I do see is something that, quite honestly, 99% of this is already being done. So again, my question to you is outside of that 99% that’s already been done, what is it that you think is left, that is not being addressed. Currently, already, that you feel is unnecessary, and necessity.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 33:20
Well, basically housing everything, just getting expert opinions about a house. That’s what it is. And when they have they are working in subcommittees as soon as they finish these subcommittees and bring the report up, then everybody will have it.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 33:41
So, you already have subcommittees, those are your boards and commissions. You already have these things, and I’m, I want to
Ella Jones (Mayor) 33:52
touch on what you just said, a lot of the boards and commissions have not functioning
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 33:58
well that is a function that is something that can be addressed. That is something that gets
Ella Jones (Mayor) 34:02
an address and is being addressed. So, creating a taskforce that has a parallel existence to boards and commissions that are already established is not the answer. It is the answer. And I’m not saying it’s a parallel universe, either. They are designed to take an expert opinion from whether they are non political.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 34:28
All of these words are Commission’s or non political ELA, there is nothing analytical about
Ella Jones (Mayor) 34:32
it, so they can answer the various questions, and look at the 2040 plan to see exactly what was in there and give their opinion.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 34:46
So, Again, I want to touch on something you said, you know, when I first heard about Merrill taskforce was on March 12 During the Bernie Hays interview, prior to your election. Yep, march 12 2020 Bernie Hayes interview. And then, we learned about your Taskforce, in September, on September 24 So we go from June to September, with absolutely no conversation with anybody, but yet in September, it is presented with a full list of recommendations, a full list of goals and aspirations, a full board of corporate advisors that have already been contacted have already agreed, according to the presentation. A full list of community representatives from small, small businesses, from business corridors from all three wards that were appointed, all of these things are presented on September 24 these things create meetings. These things cannot be created without collaboration and conversation which none of that happened with the citizens of Ferguson, nor the council. And then in September, 24. We went from then that timeframe where it was, you said at the end of the town hall that you would be introducing your task force to the City Council at the next council meeting which was October 13 Which. That was the council meeting, I did not get to attend because that was my mother’s 80th birthday, but I did watch the council meeting and there was no introduction of any task force members. And then we fast forward to January 26 When we’re having a council meeting, and our interim City Council I’m sorry let me back up. December 22 There was a application for a grant to the National League of Cities that was made by the, by you on city letterhead. And then the grant itself talked in depth in depth in depth about the task force, even using the word that they were elected. And in that is in the grant. So the task force was not elected by the city of Ferguson, and that particular grant application, as much as it would have, I mean, I don’t think he would have had any denial to do it. Had it been brought to council as all grant writing is supposed to be done, city council members and the mayor do not write grants. We may find grants. We may recommend grants to the city manager and ask the city manager to go to a department that that grant falls within, and ask them to write the grant but we don’t write grants for the city, because writing a grant for the city is doing city administrative business which is against the charter. And also, when you, when we are. So when we think we have the ability to do something like that what we’re missing is one, we may be not nullifying ourselves from an established brand that is currently working because it may have a clash that has not been properly investigated to. We have not studied with the council, the output of time and money because most brands have some portion of matching. And even if the grant doesn’t have a portion of matching which I don’t think this one did, you would still have the outlay of time and cost of city staff and city resources, which has to be approved by the council. None of this was, which was done. So that was in December. Then we have January 26 The council meeting, when interim city manager Jeffrey bloom mentioned that he had met with the task force on Friday January 22. And in that conversation he made, he was asked to make a presentation by the mayor to the task force, Regarding the financial status of the city and the future forecast of the city, which he shared with the city and he had already shared during the town hall so it was nothing new to the public information that he felt that the most effective way for us to save our budget was to create a Fire Protection District. And this was. And his comment was that when he presented this to the task force. They asked smart questions they got on board with it and they understood the need. And then at that point when myself and Councilwoman Tony burrow question this meeting. And that is when you stepped in mayor, and you said that the meeting was recorded and it would be put on the city website so that nobody could call you a liar and I’m not doing that now either but I’m saying that I have looked on the city website, there is no recording of that meeting, and I don’t know where it is.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 39:59
You also said he was sent to our tagging to put on the website, that it is. It shouldn’t be on the website, if it didn’t get on a website that maybe was corrupt, and we need to send her another recording but it was sent to be put on the website.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 40:18
Okay, well, if you go to archives, and you look up meetings and so forth, it’s not out there, that’s all I can say.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 40:29
The other thing I will solve Kate the task for the recording for when Jeff blue spoke to
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk) 40:37
me I don’t have that
Ella Jones (Mayor) 40:40
Taylor did not send you a recording,
Octavia Spencer (City Clerk) 40:42
I don’t have a recording No ma’am.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 40:45
Well he was supposed to send you a recording. I was the one who recorded it.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 40:53
Who is that
Ella Jones (Mayor) 40:55
tell is part of the task force.
40:58
Okay, so.
41:00
So again,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 41:01
I made certain that the recording is to you because I was under the impression that he sent you the recording from the task force
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 41:11
that Jeffrey Blum had spoken that this is funny, bro. Let me just interrupt for a second. And thank you so much for what it’s called fortunate for me and thank you for following what we said we would do as far as this and that and trying to get proof and all of that. That’s not what this meeting is about. I’m not looking for that to happen. What I’m just looking for is to happen, is just the facts being stated, calling on Octavia at this time, to verify. I would appreciate it if we wouldn’t do that. Because, actually, if, if I said something to Octavia, Octavia could verify this, I always check back to make sure that she has what I said she was going to give an expression for I know that the citizens are going to want to heaven. I have done that, every time, and also a power carrier can verify that when I send something to him I’m asking them something, I come back and clarify. So, let’s not get into this because I didn’t want to interrupt every time to their site, where are we, oh, with that said it would be there, it’s not there, I checked myself, it has never been there, so please let’s not get into that because we have a lack of coverage. I appreciate your patience with us.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 42:32
Thank you very much, I’m so getting back to the conversation on January 26 at the council meeting when the topic came up that there had been a meeting regarding the financial aspects of the city with the task force, you know, again, we have the same issues. The meeting was not publicized the meeting was not public was not invited. There was no agenda, all these things that are imperative to proper transparency of any organization or committee. And also, these are not topics of conversation that need to be held one on one with any organization or special committee, because these topics can these issues can be found otherwise. So, it was also mentioned that the next maiming meeting would be in late February and March and the council would be invited. We are now on April 17, and none of us have been invited to any meeting, nor do we know when they are, or any, anything along those lines. It was also stated by you Ella that the minutes of the meeting would be posted on the website within a week. What actually happened was within a week, on February 2 The Task Force summary, was posted on the website but it wasn’t posted on the homepage where it would be easy for people to access, you have to click four times into the website to find it.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 44:03
So,
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 44:05
you know, my concern is that this taskforce has implied powers that it has does not. It hasn’t earned that it doesn’t shouldn’t get. It has an overreaching scope that overlaps boards and commissions, the city manager, the city staff, and the council boards and commissions that are established by city charter boards and commissions that are established by state law. It overlaps the city staff in regards of saying that it can give input to the city staff, you can’t do that, no orders and commissions, no special committee, not even City Council can give input to the staff on their, on how to do their jobs. The only entity, defined by the charter that can have any contact with city staff is council members to the city manager, You know this as well as any of us, allowing or implying that an organization, a special committee has other has powers otherwise is not acceptable. It’s not acceptable, it’s not acceptable and it’s not fair to the citizens of this community. So, my concerns are that the, as it is standing right now, it has way too much overlap. It has illegal overlap it is dangerously breaking the laws of the charter, and I want very much to work with you, Ella, to get some of these things, identified to get these things aligned with the proper boards and commissions that can make use of it. And then, you know, get on us as council members we need to get on each other, we need to get in, get in there. And I’m not saying any of us are perfect. But if, if we are the council representative of a taskforce that has an imperative part of what is the overall goal of the council in the mayor, then it’s our responsibility to get those meetings, get those notes and report them back to the city council and the citizens, utilizing what we have is what we need to do, allowing this particular format as it’s defined in this summary and presented in the town hall to allow it to remain, I think is detrimental, and I think it’s dangerously close to being illegal, and I don’t want that for any of us. I want us to utilize and I want to work with the mayor and I want to identify any area that is not currently, or does not currently have the opportunity to be addressed by what we have in place. And I don’t think I think I’ve covered everything I will just say that you have the best taskforce ever, and that is called your city council, and we already have our objectives, that is called the city charter, and we already have our subcommittees and our committees, and that is called the city staff, the board’s and the Commission’s. And I think that if we go anywhere outside of what we’ve established by law and by charter. We are actually allowing a shadow government to be established. Thank you.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 47:26
I appreciate that, probably the one thing that we did not explore is what most of the citizens has been making phone calls to us. And they wanted a list of the tests for us. We’ll give that to them, as well as a member list of a task force members remember they’ve had people calling ask them for that. And at the time we didn’t know where the task force list was, but we’ll get that.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 47:53
I can answer that for you right now, Of course. Yeah, according to the presentation. The task force, corporate advisors include David J Rabee Chris Bray, Rodney Krim law, Mark Lombardi, Kevin Taylor Captain Ron Johnson, Kimberly back to Keyshia Lovelace, Tracy Jeffries who is the Senior Advisor to the mayor and her official title is Senior Advisor to the mayor Ella Jones city of Ferguson and the mayoral Task Force, Shira truites Paula Carey more Taylor Brown, which I guess is the guy that was supposed to have turned in the recording and didn’t. And Sharon Jackson, and then your residents that were appointed to represent each ward by the mayor in Ward one is Dr. Jackie Lewis Harris, Monica Abby and Deborah Moore Ward two is Orlando sharp and Dr Sheree eigenes ward three is Amanda kanaday and Nikita Noah. And then she said, during the town hall that they were still looking for youth advisors from age groups of 16 to 23 and 18 to 25 their representation from sports, the small business community was Beatrice Covington, with Covington connections. Toady Amanda lino who his sole reason for being there was to represent Hispanics, they were still looking for a business representative from the West Florissant corridor and the hall spirit corridor, they were still looking for senior citizens, to be part of the senior advisors group. Yeah, that’s what I have from the town hall.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 49:44
Okay, thank you so much. Still, the person who attended for this discussion. Mystery and I don’t sure if Miss Fran is available to miss Frank wanted to speak at this time.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 49:57
Well, Heather has her hand up
Ella Jones (Mayor) 49:59
a hand up.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 50:01
Okay, I’m sorry, I’m not on that frame so I didn’t see anybody.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 50:05
That’s okay, Tony, so. So I have my original notes based on Task Force and, you know, kind of incorporating what everybody else is put out there. I mean, as far as a task force goes, I created a task force to form the Farmers Market commission and formed a task force to do the technology board, and as a result, then we presented our recommendations to council, and it’s up to anybody is allowed to form a task force period so I’m just laying out table stakes right now. So, with this particular task force and ELA, this is, this isn’t any surprise I mean, we were surprised when we heard about it on the townhall because none of us had been addressed, about it or allowed to provide input. And so, since it was presented, seven months have passed, and, you know, it’s supposed to meet every two months, and we’ve never seen any minutes or subcommittee minutes or recordings or anything, nothing’s been brought before council about, what, what has been done and what has been taught talked about or established or recommended so I feel like that is, I think Steven brought that up the transparency of, what, what we’re providing our residents. There seems to be a disconnect with what’s been going on with what’s being presented to the for the greater good. The other concern I had in reading through who’s on board and who’s part of the taskforce that, again, we had no input into. Now, Nikita, Noah who is going to be sworn in next Tuesday is part of that task force, and I would recommend that she be removed because no other council member is on that task force. And, and I’m just, I’m giving you my, my thoughts and my notes and you can respond as soon as I’m finished. So, getting back to the transparencies and Steven brought up. You know this taskforce came at us. We were all cut blind. And so it’s hard to get around, or to back something that, number one, we had no input to and number two we aren’t getting any updates about, so I’m giving you that as constructive feedback to how you want this taskforce to go forward. And again, one of the points that Linda brought up that I think is very salient. Is that a task force should have a specific goal, and it shouldn’t be open ended because when you are no longer mayor, you know, is this task force going to be part of, like, it just continues with who sets the next or. I think we need a more narrow focus for this task force, and Tony, the processes and procedures that go along with those that she brought up, are again very poignant point of what should be discussed. I think and one of the things that came out too is the language of the task force that has like language board is in there. And that’s, that’s a, that’s a stretch for, for what you’re doing, from a task force, specific goal. And you know that they’re so I I’m not trying to upset the applecart and throw away the board or the Taskforce. What I would like is to redefine the scope of the task force, I mean there. I think Linda mentioned a lot of subcommittees are focused that are already included in some of our boards and commissions. But I think that it would be wise to redefine the scope of this task force. I don’t want it to be abolished, but I would like for it to actually be what the citizens need, you know there are topics and I think I even I talked to you about one of them I mean like the schools, that’s, that’s an overreach first city, the city of Ferguson because that’s not in our purview, the schools are separate from our city government. So, I, I would just like to see this. Maybe redesigned and with more input from city council, so that’s, those are my thoughts and please respond.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 55:30
Okay. Um, as far as the Queen and no nor and Amanda candidate they have never served, they were asked to serve, and they declined, and that has not been taken off, but they have never served. Oh, now the word board, I can agree with you, it shouldn’t be in there, it should be committed, commit a committee. So, I will look back through that and get some of the language change. No, is it’s the mayor’s Task Force subcommittee is not the council task force. So, there it is. Okay, but I do understand what you’re saying. So, the language needs to be revisited and redesigned, okay. Phrase.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 56:30
This is Tony again. The purpose of this meeting today is not to redefine the test was that you’ve put forth. So, I don’t want to. I don’t want you to think ello the test what’s happening here it is not. So, if we there is a lot more to be to be done to this document that you have, I’m going to call it a document, because there’s so little of fop there, and I’ll go ahead and say that standard of operation procedures have not been taken into consideration when this document was formed, and I don’t I really don’t know who are really I don’t care who put it together that is not important here, but what is important that as Linda pointed out, pointed out, there’s so much that shouldn’t even be there that we need to, to start a skeleton. I’m not in favor of telling people what they can and cannot do. As far as when it comes to freedom of speech, I’m not in favor of that. But what I am in favor of is that we do this right, that we do it for the people that we raised our hands and said, We made these files that we will do everything possible to get that benefit the city in the in the in the citizens here, I will tell you this, as far as education is concerned and you’ve know this, there is a two plus two program. I am the liaison for that. And that’s how we get to the education that’s how we said it’s a school district that’s the path that we go to get into Hazelwood, that’s the path that we go to Riverview, so you already know that. So that question even been there. As a matter of fact, I’ve just reported, most recently, that Dr. Davis and I are having meetings regarding what’s going on between the city and how we can come together on the economic development. So, that has already been stated, and that was happening before this, this document, came into existence. So a lot of things that’s in the documents shouldn’t even be there as Linda pointed out, if we were to start over. If we were to start over and not abolish this today, we start over with a clean sheet, we give that to students when they make a mistake we give them a clean sheet. You need a clean sheet Allah, I’m willing to give you a clean sheet. I’m willing to sit down as a council, and say, let’s do this and let’s do chicken right and kind of we’ll be proud I’m talking Kentucky further. But I’m pleased to get my drift. We want to do what is right for the citizens of Ferguson. A lot of these people that are on that test was that Linda just mentioned that probably wonderful people, I don’t know. I would know if I saw. Is that the right thing for us really think on that for a second just think on it. I’m not bringing anybody’s reputation into question. That’s not what I do. But, we’re gonna have somebody that’s gonna be telling me what to do with my tax dollars. I want to know. I want to know from themselves and when you talk about expert. When you talk about bringing people in to tell us how to do it right, we’ve been there I’ve done that I’m an expert, you are expert in something we all have some expertise, but the bottom line is, Who’s gonna pay for that, we’re already looking at a budget that’s tight. We’re not grow, but we pull when you bring in X, subject experts. When you bring them in. Very few are gonna come in pro bono. And why would we do it, and we already got a 2040 plan. What is in that document. And I don’t mean to reiterate what the what the two council people have said. But what’s in that document. We’re already doing, Freya was the liaison, of the 2014 She knows that like the back of her hand. I don’t know what she would let asked what needed to be in that document, but I would have thought that, I mean, that was another person that labor was on that board if you open up the first page that tells you who I was there for the 2040 plan, I don’t see these people represented in that document. More of those folks that that have told you we are already doing it. Two plus two. You can look at my campaign and see we are already doing some of that, we are going to be doing that, and it has nothing to do with the plan. I would say to you, and I would say to the citizens. We need a clean sheet, and we need to stop doing things that we’re already doing, why would we, I mean, if you’re talking about improvement, that’s one thing. Everybody knows when you do a SMART goal. The first thing you have is an ending, and not an action to go for two or three of however many months, turn into years is not an option when you do a SMART goal, which is for the children in the fourth grade now. We as a council should already know, if you’re going to start something you want to have an ending to it. So everything that’s in that document say we got to do. We got to do. When, for how long it was the end day, we need a clean sheet. I’m preaching, clean sheet today. I would be willing to not abolish this task, what, and I remember I got the date when I asked you at a at a neighborhood meeting. Which one is using as both of them. Now today, he says one. So, we need to be on the same page, every time. Get it straight. If you say is this today, that it’d be that tomorrow, where we’re putting together some fantastic things with the neighborhood associations, we’re going to have citizens, knocking down the door. What can I do, what can I do, I think the kind of citizens that we have in the city. They want to do.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:02:41
I would also. I would also like to add, you know I before we go any further, and it gets too far down the road, the comment that you just made, Mayor Jones that this is not a council task force this is the mayor’s Task Force. Well, I have a problem with that comment because this is what we’re trying to get at this needs to not be one person’s taskforce this needs to be, all of us. This needs to be all inclusive of the council, because we all represent the citizens. So in essence, this needs to be, what the citizens need, and, and I understand that there’s identity there’s things that are identified in there, which the citizens do need, which is why we have the boards and commissions established I reiterate the fact that we need to utilize those boards and commissions if they’re not filled up, and then it’s our responsibility to get it filled up so that we can get it working so that we can get it moving forward. These are the steps that need to be taken that have already been created so that we’re not wasting time on, we’re not wasting time creating something that’s already been created. We are using that time to revitalize what’s already been created to get the wheels turning so that we can move forward as you have said many times, we can move the city forward, utilizing what we have, and then identifying if there’s any gap where we need to fill that gap with a committee, or, or with another board if so be it. And if there is a need for another board, then there needs to be an ordinance and a resolution that comes before the council, you know, right now, if you, you know, if you want to look you know, if you want to look at people who have input into the city’s financial aspects. We need to talk to Otis and Clark, we need to talk to people that have already made Commercial Investments, you know, and in regards to this isn’t the council task force this is the mayor’s task force that hit wrong that hit wrong. And that’s something that, If that is the mentality of this whole process. That is a problem. I would say if you want to truly impact, the things that the community has requested a need for, we need to have a taskforce on traffic calming, we need to have a taskforce on speed, speeding throughout our community. We need to have a taskforce that can make recommendations and and research areas of unique possibilities and utilize the knowledge that our police force has and utilize the knowledge that our planning and zoning has and utilize the knowledge of our public works.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 1:05:33
There’s we had as a traffic commission
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:05:37
for that, and that traffic Commission has not met since 2016
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:05:45
Well, there you go,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:05:46
you got a perfect opportunity to establish comms you’re talking about the boards and commission and the importance. I know how important they are, because when I first came on council on 2015 I mean, I’ve been working to feel the boards and commissions, so they are important, but if the coal Council is not working together to engage people to take an active interest in the boards and commissions that are going to continue to be my car.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:06:28
Well, then that would be the, the objective. I would assume, if I if I were in your shoes. That would be the objective is to get a buy in from the council to get the boards and commissions filled and active. That would be the objective not creating a whole nother parallel process.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:06:51
It’s not a parallel process advisory committee to me. Number two, but when you become when you be elected on the council, the boards and commission becomes your responsibility to help continue to keep it vital and keep it feel, you shouldn’t have to be looking for a buy in from the council. When counsel nobody told me I needed some buy in on filling the boards and commissions, I knew that was my responsibility, and I work and continue to work to do
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:07:33
that. Let me just say something about the just at the last Council meeting. You had an opportunity to appoint a person to the library board. This is an example. You had the information, a month prior, when I asked you about it you said, I will do it next time. That was a let me just finish that let the last one. And that time came I reminded you of it in open forum. And you said you hadn’t had a ton of chance to talk to that person. And you said that you wanted that person on in that position, and that you would call that person back right now, I believe that it has been maybe three weeks I don’t know the time I could look good or that I don’t know if you’ve contacted that person or not I don’t check up behind you. However, if that person had been appointed. I should have known that because I’m the liaison for that board. When it comes to boards and commissions, we have been trying to sit down and discuss that. Since you were in on June. The last conversation you had about that was, we’re gonna put that out too late. Now if you understand that what we’re trying to do here, That’s what changes now and I believe you. Then the time to put that aside, is now, and I will tell you something about parallel shadowing. That is, which is task force that you have assigned yourself with all those people, and that document that you’ve got. I just want to be honest about it, the shadowing. And if you need all those people to be. You’re looking for the word
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:09:33
advisor.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:09:37
I heard herd of say advice I don’t want to say your posse or anything like that because it’s too serious, but what comes to mind is, we got a council that the citizens said they wanted to do that. And if you need an expert opinion on that. You might want to read think, which the here, I’m just giving you some advice I’m trying to help you. I would love to. I would love to be able to turn my head, do what I’m doing and not have to keep an eye steadier everything that happens from out of your seat. I would love to be able to say hey call me anytime day or night. Don’t time is too early no time is too late. That’s what I tell my clients because I’ve seen that, and I’m telling that you’ve now, when you were elected I said I’d love to serve you. I told you that I need it now. I’d love to serve you. I can’t serve somebody that I can truly trust to do what you say you’re going to do. So I’m going to tell you not to serve you. I’d love for us to work as one. You need a clean sheet. I’m willing to give a clean sheet, but I can’t give a clean sheet document that has no respect to the citizen is supposed to be certain the document does not speak to what the citizens have said that they wanted, and that’s this council. As I read the document element councils out of Council. We are, as city manager rent, pal. You already know that the document counselor, councils out the city manager councils out everything that we’ve done so far. It feels like I’ve worked hard. These last few years on this council. And I’ve got some more work in me to do. I want to do expertise. So what I would like to do is a friend’s got her hand up. Thank you, Fred. So, I would like to for us to think about as we finish up tonight. I like to listen, think about a clean sheet. I’m sorry for Thank you. Go ahead. Can you let it back.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:12:18
We came here and your friend
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:12:22
can hear me. Yeah We Can anyone hear me.
1:12:25
Yeah, we can do.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:12:28
We can’t see you, though.
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:12:29
So, yeah, he probably, He probably won’t. Good morning, everyone. I’ve been students for about. I’ve been sitting here for about an hour and 13 minutes just to say good morning to everyone, and also to be able to listen to the purpose of this meeting, as well as have an opportunity to listen to everyone in the things that you all have brought up. So I appreciate you all giving me that opportunity to listen to everyone before, have an opinion or have a insight because I’ve won I needed
1:13:36
is the meeting over with.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:13:39
I don’t think so. I’m hanging. That’s not good.
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:15:20
I understand what the purpose of the meeting was I thought it was too. We should have a brick breaking broken down, you shouldn’t be waiting for this master, So p these are things that we should be that we could be as legislators actually implementing and putting it. These are small one at a time so we can get it done versus trying to collectively agree on one big piece like, I just don’t see that happening, but I do hear your point and I do see the need is well, I want to say to somebody cars like college with a person, this special committees. I think those conversations that we shouldn’t have outside of it, I noticed a discussion regarding the committee so I was, I would encourage us to stay focused on that specifically. The word age. Yes, it needs to be better defined, but I don’t see that will be anything that will be difficult to do in terms of overlapping. I know we have an IT department but we also have IT committee. And so, I do know when you have a lack of at times you need to you need to be able to have some assistance we talked about how stretched, the staff is. When did she go. Did we lose her.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 1:19:04
Thanks so,
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:19:08
can you hear me. Yeah.
1:19:11
So you stopped went out on
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:19:15
the overlapping. So that’s happening, I do see the point about having committees do work, and I think as an advisory special committee. And that’s something that I’m sure Mayor Jones today, but as an advisory committee, like, just looking at the comprehensive plan, you would need to have as much information as possible so that you will be able to prove that to those committee so I see this like, as I get connected to it. I see this special committee, and whatever findings come out of it. I see that as like a leader, into what you’re describing Linda, as far as the process for the, for the different boards and commissions, that’s what I see. It is special coming together.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:20:23
Can you say that again. What do you.
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:20:26
Whenever you’re organizing, and if it’s just for me just if you’re organizing. The first thing you do is, is gather all the information and then once you’ve gathered all the information if there is a network to be able to, to, to use it. Then you take the information and give it to the appropriate like the appropriate networks, and then it function correctly this is a special committee and advisory special committee. So the function is not served the purpose of the boards or commissions, the function is to be able to advise and collect the information so that it can be disseminated throughout. I would be the end that’s just me. I’m not saying that that’s what it is. I’m just looking, I’m just looking at, you know, from an organizers perspective, that’s what this special committee would do, and only the mayor can can speak to that because this is her special committee. I think I’m willing to give the space to be able to collect that information. If that’s what’s needed. I want to know at all. I also want to hear from the resident, and I’m sure. I’m sure there’s going to be a process for that. Do I know it specifically only the Americans speak to that. So,
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:21:57
I’m dressed up.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 1:22:01
Go ahead.
1:22:02
No, go ahead.
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:22:07
i That’s pretty. That’s pretty much it for me. I’ve got a lot of different. I couldn’t comment on every different thing. I’m just overall for listening to, for a whole hour and a half to what everybody was saying, that’s just what I come up with and that’s what I hear. And so I think if we got through that first just simply getting that to a point where we got to understand what is it that we, you know, I definitely feel like everybody needed to be able to express themselves. And I’m willing to hear everybody. I want to learn more about it as well. But I also want to be able to provide the space and I am one of those type of folks where I feel like, you know, just saying that this is, this is always how was done. I hear the legality, the legal question to that. Kenny, can it be done if it cannot be done. Then, there, there should be wordage within there this fails data. If it doesn’t spell it out, then it leaves it open and that’s legal. That’s legal, when you’re, when you’re looking at laws and policies and things of that nature and I do think we need to overall look at how we function as a, you know, as a, as a community, and how we really put into practice and wordage what it means to be community to build an empowered community because this is a democracy and so I think that needs to be represented in within the laws that we are regulated by, and I want to help contribute to that eventually that is a whole nother subject. But what I want to give the mayor. Special Committee, the space to be able to do it, I want, I want I interested in learning more, which is our election and we haven’t even had a square in at this point, So it’s like I hear what you’re saying. I think everything that you said was valid concerns to be brought up, but I am also open to trying to figure this out, I will be resolved together, clean slate. If those are the powers that the man was given a vehicle to do it, unless it says that you can’t do it. You got them worded you’re saying, I mean, you could say sleep all day but if you want to stay late and only I am definitely for those.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:24:53
Thanks Fran I certainly do appreciate you for summing it up, and also for giving me your opinion. One of the things that I do want to talk about, you know how I feel about the SLP, you know, if you will. We have the mayor and even the city manager to give their insight on what could happen, or what they could do to help enhance the SLPs, and we were not waiting on a big package to be put together as specific specifically we can go back to those notes as specifically x Mirror knows what can you do right now.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:25:41
Mayor Jones
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:25:42
as specifically as mayor knows what could, what could you do to, I’m not talking about mare Jones I’m talking about their nose.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 1:25:53
Okay,
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:25:53
thank you. I specifically XY nose, what could you do to help us when it comes to communications and speaking to the people about what we’re doing. He agreed. We did have a lack in the SLPs, and that we needed to do, standard. Can you hear me.
1:26:19
Yes.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:26:20
Okay. and he agreed. I that’s the same thing again, of marriage jobs. What could we do about communications. She said she’d get back to me. That was in the first session, the second working session we had on the standard operating procedures. Now all this time. She said she had nothing, and she would get back to us. She had been formulating the special committee, but did not share it, when she had the opportunity. I asked again, right, and I’ve got notes, and, and they’re all recorded in these, these zoom calls. If you look at the timeframe. Cloak and Dagger. All of these things had to been in process, but not shared with the council and Fran I totally get it about these things about the gala tea. And that’s why we pay the attorney so much money. When he’s president at these meetings, and he tells us what can be done and what cannot be done. And we have to go back constantly to figure out what to do, that’s okay with me because we want to do it legal. But if you have to, and I will take you back to the, to the fact that we do the end dates. Otherwise, we will just be out there floundering, year after year after year, it’s common sense to have an end to a beginning, so that that has to be done. We can’t walk away from this meeting today, dollar bills can’t say to us. We’re gonna take a different look, a different. We’re going to take a look at what has been done. It’s not illegal, some of the things she’s done, but it’s certainly not courteous. It’s certainly not with the best interest of the council is certainly not in the best interest of the way we have every city government set up. It may not be illegal. Some of these things, most of them are better, and I’ve got that free and I’ll be more than happy to put that together for you, and not just for you but for all of us to know what is legal, what is not legal, I think we owe that to the citizens. But I will tell you this, that there ought to be a certain amount of compassion, there are a certain amount of integrity. I can name 100 words to say that we shouldn’t be guessing what the person is sitting in the seat is doing, or will do for that matter. So, that’s my big concern. That’s my reason for being here today. I asked her and that was when it comes to the economic economic development, sales tax, I said, I need a need to have carte blanche into putting those people in place, she said okay, she said No problem. I’m going to hold her to that. And so those are the things that need to happen when we can have a conversation. And don’t come back. Oh, that’s, that’s what it meant there but it means something different today. I need somebody I can trust what I say, I’m going to give you a cliche. And I’m talking about all the folks that came to the poll just last week and said they wanted me to represent him that I’m speaking for those people. And I want to say, if you got if you got to get a clean sheet, we got it. You can’t tell us again. I’m gonna think about it because that’s what you’ve been doing about the SLP. I’ll get back to you. It’s time to cough it up, it’s time to say what we were gonna do, so we will know today
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:30:21
what when you asked me about the SLP I told you I didn’t have anything to input in it because I feel like if you gone to spearhead the SLP did you come up with joy, is it presented to us. I don’t have any ideas to put in your sob. That’s not what you say they’ll say I don’t have any ideas at this time.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:30:44
You said I will get back to you. That’s what you said.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:30:48
I will get back to you. You asked me again, and I told you I didn’t have anything to offer at this time.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:30:55
And we explore explain to you what SLP was and we this city, I know what a SLP is
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:31:03
that I used to work in.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:31:05
I don’t want to I don’t want to be a competition when you’re talking. And so, I want you to do for me when I get to you. When I’m talking. So we’ve all been in competition. If we wanted to pull that up, I can pull that up exactly what you said. But what I’m telling you what I’m saying to you is that we are without standard operating procedures. You knew it, I knew it and everybody on this council knows we are without it and if you don’t have anything to add toward that. What do you do with this document. That’s exactly what you’re trying to do. Think on it. I’m trying to help you think on it. So that, that’s what I’m looking for is for some commitment to the citizens. And certainly, you’re doing a job for many people. And I want to do the right thing. I want to give a clean sheet. I can’t do it, if, If we go on back and I don’t have anything, because you’ve got a whole document, full of stuff, full of stuff that shouldn’t Linda brought it out beautiful piece by piece and there’s more, and I appreciate Fran, because I like the way she summarized it. I appreciate that. I would, I would definitely want each person to give their final view on where they are from what we’ve done today, and I see Linda, you got to hear that so you can
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:32:37
actually Steven had his hand up before. So,
Stephen Garrett (Ward 1) 1:32:43
thanks. It’s more or less moot, but the language in the documentation is implementing actionable, where the task force is acting on behalf of the ideas and plans that the task force is creating with the mayor, that, that is my core issue is that there is perceived actionable power that can be utilized within the, the single document that we have. And that is sprinkled throughout this document, implement community engagement, creating long term visions of the community and stakeholders. Yes, and these develop actual implementable plan to be employed by the city and the task force, these are this is the kind of language that is concerning because it is creating a workaround for actionable items, exclusively done within the city and the task force, that is the issue.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:33:49
And I wouldn’t. I would agree with what you just said.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:33:53
And I would add to that that you know, language is powerful language is the most powerful thing we have in this world. And the language of this document, always adds her the mayor appointed per the mayor removed her the mayor timeline designed her the mayor committees assigned tasks for the mayor. And I would I would remind everyone that we are not a mayor and city, we are a city manager ran city was seven people who have an equal vote. And, and I would ask that this be that we walk away from today, with the request of a clean sheet in free and I want to address directly, I love the way you summarized everything for a woman who’s been sitting there for an hour and a half, you definitely would have been listening and awesome. I apologize for the hour and a half, but you know you said that there is no timeline in the charter if we’re going to state charter and we’re going to state law, we need to be clear, you’re absolutely right. And there is no timeline stated in the category of section 2.31 regarding special committees, but I would, I would add to that that is where with council, communication, these things are established. And I would also use the example that when mayor’s in the past of Crete utilize this part of the charter and created special committees. It’s, they did it with the council. They created objectives with their counsel, then cluded their counsels opinion and selections for people on the committee. And, and I would stay to that. If this is not clarified this becomes part of the SLP process that we are so desperately needing to define these things for future, but right now the definition of a special committee and its goal and its timeline
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:36:03
would have been
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:36:05
transparent and communicated. Had this been involving city council members from day one, this is never involved city council, It didn’t involve you, Fran, it didn’t involve me it didn’t involve anybody on city council, and we all proudly represent our citizens and proudly would have had commentary to help create something that would, in essence, impact the city in a positive manner and support. A common objectives for the council and the mayor for all seven that establish an impact for the community as a whole and Fran, you know, you represent ward three beautifully, You know what your citizens want you, you have a very impressive grasp of what your ward is looking for. And I think picture. And I will say, your voice wasn’t included either. And the special committee needs to include all of our voices. And at this moment, it does not. It simply includes the voices of people that our mayor handpicked that in some way, can be advantageous to her, either through their position, or their friendship with her. And we need citizens, we need to be doing the work of the city you do this, we all do this, we need to be doing the work of the citizens, not the whim of the mayor.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:37:50
Well, let me say this and I apologize. A couple of people have to leave and I was supposed to be at cancer, even at seven o’clock. So, but anyway, just want to share with you the taskforce has broken down its subcommittees. Each subcommittee, as a member, a citizen present, they are collecting all the information, and they put the Quiddity flooding in it together, and we’ll turn it in to me to give it to Octavia. I want to hear their voice, their side what they see what they have experienced first before you all start abolishing anything because the work that they have done is critical. Each one of these people are donating their time, no one has eggs for $1 a dime on any, all of them, or donate me time because they wanted to be on a advisory committee with me, and to give their opinion. So before you all think you want to do BOC D demolish or polish or whatever you want to do. I need to get all the information from a subcommittee meetings and compiled and give it to you so you can see their report. That’s it.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 1:39:19
So Ella, like back to the initial charter or the initial what you put out for your test scores, under other community engagement, engagement approach, social media, it says the task force will use social media, consisting of Twitter, Instagram and Facebook keeps community, the community abreast of information. I don’t think that that has actually been done. The second one, the second part of that is surveys community surveys will be created to allow the community to give feedback and I don’t think that that has been done. And then the last one is measurement. The task force measurement for success is tangible and visible. And I heard SMART goals being bantered around in conversation and and so for those of you that don’t know what smart goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. Those are SMART goals that, you know, like those of us in industry have to create for ourselves for what we’re going to do in the year and then we’re measured against that. I don’t know that anything has been actually put up against my goals, or has any. Well, again, and I’m blind to what has already been done, as we all are. So, I’m, I’m not here to abolish or dismantle the task force. I’m asking that you look at the language that was written into the mayor’s community test for summary and redefine and refocus and be more inclusive, with council and the community, and that’s my ask,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:41:26
okay, that’s, that’s no problem. And let me apologize for this. I really thought that till ahead send the recording to obtain and had it uploaded. So I will get with him and see where the ball dropped that apologize for but we’ll look into, and they are meeting, and they have come up with some information but hmm, all of it has to be compiled, and once it’s compiled, I will personally put it in a table. So you can see the work that they have been doing as subcommittees. And that’s the only thing I could share at this time.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:42:18
Mayor Jones I am so sorry. I am so sorry, but what you just said, completely breaks the Sunshine laws, having meetings, creating that created subcommittees that then subcommittees are having meetings that have representation by citizens that nobody knows who they are. And there’s no agenda and there’s no public notice and there’s no minutes. Everything you just said, in all of its intention of well being is completely unacceptable by Sunshine Law.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:42:56
And I would imagine, times and minutes and everything made doesn’t matter if
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:43:01
you didn’t do it in the proper process of the law, you did not do it in the proper process of the law you did not make it public to the community. I appreciate the intention, I appreciate the hard work, and I’m not even saying it needs to go wayside, I’m saying it can go on hope. And this whole process needs a clean sheet. I am asking that everything that has been created is the taskforce objectives, the processes of engagement, the terms of limit, all of that be wiped away everything from scratch, starts over with the council involvement in public with the citizens engagement, any meetings, any, any group created becomes promote published on the city website when they meet, just like the library board just like the CRB, just like FNIP, just like anything else, if this is a special committee that men, the objective of that special committee be created for a finite as Councilman Robinett said a finite SMART goal with a timeline, and start date and an end date. I request that what we currently have is not acceptable, is not legal, and needs to stop today, but all of the work that you have all the people that you have do not need to go away. They do not need to be disqualified. They are absolutely doing this out of the goodness of their heart, and I would encourage them to stay on in some capacity, as this is redesigned to be more transparent for the community, but as it stands today I would ask that we start over
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:44:48
with a clean sheet. If they are pleased to members. Then, and they are citizens of Ferguson, they can join us for this because they can join as a taskforce they can join the neighborhood associations they can join the boards and commissions there’s place for. I’m sorry friends are here. Sorry. Right. Um, I was just
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:45:23
I was just going to say, in terms of the wordage a Linda just stated about the SMART goals and stuff like that. Don’t, those are things that you would have to, if that’s what you like it best what as a, as a council is the representative of the community if you like, then you need to put their word EJ create the word submitted out and get a vote from the council to change it, because as it stands right now, this Marco, that you mentioned, although I think is a very good idea, but it’s not in the charter that finite specific wordage that you just mentioned, it’s not in the charter. And still, I think when we talk about, I hear what you’re saying, as legislators, that’s the only thing that I would suggest, and
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 1:46:22
we lost her again. Darn it. Well and now, while she’s trying to get back in, I mean markings don’t have to be part of it but it’s industry best practices, I mean it’s just best practices, overall, so yeah,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:46:41
we live with experts who are really expert OSHA
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 1:46:48
brand, go ahead.
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:46:49
Alright, okay. Yeah, so I definitely understand, whatever that is, I’m hearing everyone’s point, but I’m also making a point as well and coming with some takeaways out of this, this conversation and so is that is, if that is you know our intentions to create, you know wordage and language within our ordinances that actually spell out what we would like to see as the city then I would suggest us to do that. And that will be a totally different day but should I be in small pieces like that, so that we can start creating that change so I’m just willing to work with everybody and I appreciate everybody for expressing themselves, because I think some things just need to be streamlined.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:47:47
I just want to tell you thank you so much. This is not in the children. It is mentioned this is a this is a process, if you are a subject matter expert in the industry, you’re going to use a SMART goal to get to your, your bottom line. So, talking to Ella mentioning, people that she would get outset experts, I’m going to tell you now, Any expert will come with, that’s my goal before they make a decision, especially to put the floor at group of people in the numbers of 10s of 1000s, they would have to use it, otherwise somebody like me would think, where is it. So, this might go even though it’s not shorter. Trust me on this one, it will be used if you bring in an outside expert. So that sums it up for today where we are. Bella, can we hear from you, From what you’ve heard from us, what your next step is going to be what your next step is going to be
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:49:00
the only thing I could share with you at this point is
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:49:04
you’ve got off the bids, you’ve got somebody
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:49:13
on thing I can share with you at this point is, they are just about closing up as a subcommittee and putting all the findings together, and I want to see that. And I’m want to share that. So that’s where I am.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:49:31
Can you give me a timeframe when you say that they’re putting, to be
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:49:35
honest with you, we worked on a dude on the 29th, but something has. Well, Monday. Monday, everything will be explained. So, it will probably be, probably by May 20 And then we look at,
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:49:52
Monday, what is Monday, he said Monday or
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:49:54
Tuesday Tuesday I’m sorry.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:49:59
Tuesday, everything will be explained in which council meetings, the first one or the second one.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:50:05
Number two.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:50:07
Why can’t it be explained in the first one.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:50:11
It doesn’t make a difference. Because
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:50:16
let me tell you something, let me tell you something. Yes it does. It makes a lot of difference. It could be the tipping point, it makes a difference. And I’m gonna say this. If you’re bringing an explanation to this to this council, then I would say, you would have to be in the first meeting, and you know what, that that’s where we got to make decisions from this council. So if you’re planning on with this because this is going to make the decision right now today, of which way we go. Is it going to be in the first minute is going to be the second, I would suggest, it’d be in the first week. And if you can’t make that happen, that we need to make a decision today or what we’re going to do. So can you tell me now.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:50:54
It’s gonna be in the first the first council, and it will be made 20th
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:51:01
know, I request that you have an update for the council in the first council meeting of April 20/20 to this current sitting Council. That is my request, I make a motion that we request that we have some information and update and and details of what is going on in the first council meeting of April 20, that is.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:51:27
I second. And so we’re clear.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:51:37
I have not called for a vote.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:51:40
Okay. Okay,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:51:41
are there any questions. Are you ready to vote yes, our team and do we need a roll call or just a voice vote. Voice bot will work. Okay, and voice will work. That’s no problem. On the 20th you get a basic summary of what the subcommittee’s have been working on, so that’s no problem.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:52:09
Okay. When you say basic, and I am nitpicking because it’s going to be serious now. I’m sorry. Am I missing something here.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:52:23
No, I apologize I was yelling at my dog.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:52:26
Okay, thank you. I think that, so that we have plenty of time. We might need to do a scrub, of what our county council meeting is going to be on that day. For that first meeting, and well. Another thing is this, I get something. I have not been given a lot of attention, but I want to bring this up this about that meeting is only having a face to face and we’ve not been having face to face, we’ve been doing zoom, and I thought we should have had a vote on whether we’re coming back into the Council for face to face, rather than we just say, for this particular world we’re going to have one. Can we can we clear that up.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:53:17
Well you have to decide whether or not if you want to be face to face or not. That’s why
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:53:23
now has me, this was something that was me, as the council, coming into the council. And so if we get an occurrence for what we are what that was about and I gotta tell you, I gotta tell you I did not read it completely. I just glanced over it. Do we have that cleared from, from the SRP, that the point is what you’re doing, is that you’re
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:53:47
cheating and then the COVID
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:53:52
chief Hampton has looked at it and talked about it every day, He’s and on all the.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:54:03
They improvement here COVID is already
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:54:08
proven to send the email out and team and not approved it.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:54:13
Just yesterday we, we got reports of a spike just yesterday, is when I got the notice. So I meant we’re looking at, we’re still looking at this on a daily basis. So, I’m just looking, I’m just wanting to know. So, I’m just saying we might have to scroll. I don’t want it to come up later that we had too much on the agenda. So I’m just asking you to take a look at the agenda in the event that we have to scrub the agenda was gonna
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:54:47
go, I was actually gonna ask, because, you know, if we want to get the, we want to get some type of update by the first meeting, I would actually be curious to find out from the mayor, as to which information she believes she can provide. By that time, because what I don’t want is for us to set a goal, and for whatever reason, that goal isn’t mad because maybe they haven’t mad or whatever the case may be, but at least if we have a clear understanding as to what she can provide by the first meeting, then we can at least go from there
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:55:27
and hit the question or answer question. Basically,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:55:35
I will get with the subcommittee and subcommittee leaders, and get a report.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:55:48
So I guess what I’m looking for and what I’d like to see I’m not asking you to have a final report. I’m asking you to give us what you have at this point, though, I want. I understand what I want to know is who are the team leaders who are the direct subcommittee, you know, is there an overall director over subcommittees, who are the leaders of each subcommittee, who are the members of the subcommittee’s, what are the subcommittee titles and duties. These are all things that we would like to know because these are things we don’t know. And this needs to be brought to the council. And in regards to meeting in person for the meeting. I would really love to do that but unfortunately, I don’t think it’s beneficial to us to do that because we have not opened up the council meetings as a whole, you know we are in a different portion of the COVID protocols, but you know we weren’t able to do it for the mayor, we weren’t able to do it for appointments for Mr Garrett. We’re still under COVID protocols. So, my recommendation is that we, we do it, you know if you have the people want to be in chamber with a tea or you know however I don’t know. I know, Ella was in chamber when she got installed. But I don’t
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:57:19
either. Each new person, their family will be in a staging area,
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:57:27
and the staging area. What do you mean by that are they going to be off to the right hand side of the chambers the left hand side is
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:57:32
going to be in a separate room. And then it’s time for them to be installed that family will come out and witness stuff Oh, for that new person in leave. Then the second family will come and witness that home. And then the third person coming in every family will be in a different role.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:57:58
Okay. And I understand
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 1:58:01
that. Sorry. Can we go back to the business. Go back to the dealership where they work, because I’m not coming to that. So that’s one, just one candidate that you don’t have to worry about. And I’m thinking that the proven first reading. Then I’m gonna do it by zoom and I’ll send you that information out on my opinion. Can we go back to this motion that we can take a dress. Thank you.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:58:32
So my motion ready to vote is that not correct, on Tiger and missing did not need a roll call vote, we could just say, I,
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:58:42
I would like my motion to include the details that I asked for the department had named many names before many times and the committee member names as well as the committee objectives.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:58:51
There’s no problem, so that I can you restate your motion for me please.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:58:56
Yes, ma’am. Not a problem. I make a motion that on the first meeting of April 20 that we have an update of the business that has been done to this point of the subcommittee’s on this task force with the information of who was on the subcommittee’s who is, who is the subcommittee leader. And what is each committee’s objective and title. And that, in that update should probably, you know, obviously it’s an update so
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:59:36
you have a motion on the floor. Is there a second.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 1:59:40
So it was already seconded.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:59:46
Okay. Are you ready to vote. All in favor.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 1:59:52
Aye.
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 1:59:53
Any opposed.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 1:59:57
Okay,
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 2:00:02
so I’m gonna just.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 2:00:05
Did you all. Did you want. Tony for us to go around and make our final statements.
2:00:14
Well,
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 2:00:15
I’m at, Tony,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 2:00:18
I have to leave. Go ahead,
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 2:00:20
the world.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:00:20
Thank you. I’ll be last.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 2:00:24
Alright, the statement that I would like to make in a nutshell, is that I, I hear you, Mayor Jones, constantly in all of your press bites and sound bites and opportunities at the diocese to talk about working in collaboration with the council. And I, I truly believe you have not met lifted one finger, in regards to what has happened up to this point, to do that with us. And it saddens me because it misrepresents the community in that, in those actions, and I for one do want to work with you. I do want to utilize the current boards and commissions that we have. I do not want to overlap our city staff and department heads and objectives. And I would ask that you seriously consider starting over, renaming this and working in creating the objectives, creating the format creating the recruitment process, creating the timeline with your fellow council members in council meetings, because then we would see True, true. Working together, we would see true collaboration, and the citizens which see true efforts being made in those areas. Right now it seems to be behind closed doors.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:01:59
Dropped off, or,
2:02:02
no, no, I’m here.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:02:03
Thank you, me, yes man.
Fran Griffin (Ward 3) 2:02:05
Nah,
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 2:02:07
free, everyone bringing their concerns to the table. In the spirit of working together with counsel, I’m open to whatever I definitely want us to start organizing and getting things in place so that we can continue to grow. And so, you know, I actually am okay with having tough conversations, myself, things that may not make us comfortable with expressing but I think when we get down to the bottom of it all, and we really believe by the words that we’re saying, versus just saying that because they sound good. Like, I think that we’ll we’ll, we’ll be okay and so I just, I’m looking forward to really starting to address some issues and actually find ways that we can take our differences and figure out what’s best.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:03:12
So I’m looking forward to it. Thank you for a statement.
Stephen Garrett (Ward 1) 2:03:18
We just need to be acting in in transparency, not exclusively with counsel, but with the community at large, this whole conversation is stemming from the lack of awareness and lack of presentation to this particular committee. And there is potential in it. And if it’s following its own doctrine, there’s concerns but if that’s been modified to function as it’s deemed necessary and appropriate within the charter, it is fine. And so moving towards that goal is in the best interest of the citizens and the task force it’s
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:04:01
appreciated thank you.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 2:04:05
So, like I echo the transparency. We haven’t had that since September when it was revealed to to currently and I’m looking forward to the April 20 meeting when we get a readout of what’s actually being done. You know I don’t want to abolish a task force that has a legal right to exist. But, though, the language within that task force that has been put out there needs to be modified and we need to make sure that, that we’re not stepping on or stepping around other boards and commissions or what the council is actually here to do so. I am giving. I mean I’m giving, it’s not a clean sheet, I’m giving Bayer Jones, the opportunity to rectify what those parameters are going forward, And then if it comes back that we don’t agree, then we’ll have a different conversation but I think what’s been vetted here today is important, I think that there are a lot of good points brought up, There are a lot of, I think it keeps going back to communication, communication, communication, and we don’t have enough of that going around, and we’re gonna have two new council members come on Tuesday, and Steven, I think you’ll actually get to sit in your seat for the first time as your outgoing. Like, I will miss you. But I want to make sure that we’re not walking into a new council that we’re at odds are at war with each other. Mayor Jones I think you’ve heard all of us today and I hope you can appreciate the points that have been brought up, and you take them to heart.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:06:15
Please. I just want to say thank you to our audience who, on such short notice, came to hear what we have been saying to mouth, especially thank the Council for taking into consideration, and I think is a serious issue. Thank you very much. I do believe that she says he really believes in nurses. So, what I don’t believe in, is to go along to get along. I definitely think that we have made progress here today, inclusivity is a word that I use all the time. And it means to be including, I ran a race three years ago on working together to serve together, I come back this time to finish what I started. We will work together. We have to serve together. I want us to be very clear, outside entities, trying to run for reason city will not be accepted. I want us to get to the point where every citizen knows what is happening from the government’s city. We need to give the citizens what they deserve. And this lack of communication has got to come to an end. So thank you so much for being present. Please do not miss the next council meeting, we want to welcome our new folks with open arms. We want to celebrate what Gary has done for us in the last, last year that he’s been on, it’s been wonderful working with your statement I appreciate it. I’ve learned about Google. Thank you everybody for being on board. If you have any comments, I’m talking to the audience and the council as well. Please let me know, because our next at our next council meeting. I’m going to take everything that comes to me and put it together, and this is gonna be my deciding factor over I think we should go. So I thank you very much, all of you. Listen, I
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 2:08:43
also, can I also reiterate, if anybody in this group has comments or they talk to their friends and their neighbors and they have comments that they want to share. You can also email all of us council members and we will forward that information to Tony to help with her preparation.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:09:00
I appreciate the legend, thank you. I realize that you have had to go play for an extra day in this hotel that I’m not going to be, because I’ll state my state, but that’s okay because this is important. Thank you very much, Everybody have a good rest. Have a good weekend.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 2:09:20
Wait a minute I got to join the meeting,
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:09:22
I gotta go. Okay, go ahead and go I
Ella Jones (Mayor) 2:09:29
just want to say I did hear everything. Everyone said, How ever. I’m gonna say. If you want to work together, you got to be invited just as much as I have been invited to you when I call you, not answered my telephone call, or whatever you want to speak to me, okay like cannot say that I’m not working on trying to work with you collectively. If someone called you it’s common courtesy to return the telephone call. I can’t make you work with me. So it’s not a one way street. It’s both ways. So if people want communication. You got to be receptive to the communication, even if you don’t like the communication. It’s okay to be disagree, you. I don’t have no problems with anyone disagree with me, but being disagreeable is another thing. And if you want to work together, everybody has to make, to work together and just don’t say, well, the man. but it’s, I’m often reminded by all of you is seven, instead of one in the majority rules, which is democracy, but everyone must be willing to work together, it’s not just one person, it’s everyone. So at this point,
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 2:11:05
I can respond to that for just a quick second, in regards if you’re referring to me and phone calls I return your phone calls if you’re referring to me and emails I return your email so let’s be clear there. And
2:11:19
then I let me finish.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:11:22
This, again, because tell you, if you have somebody that has done those things you need to call them, because I have not called you back. So, three people on this phone, don’t know who you’re talking about. So, I was the last one to speak. And so it could be anybody that isn’t in the window that we don’t need. We don’t need that I’m trying to give you a clean sheet. I’ve always called you back I call you just to say hello. So don’t let people think that we have these people that don’t connect with you, please, I’m trying to give you a screen sheet, please.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 2:12:02
And I would also say this when I’m talking about working together. I’m not talking about communication, outside of the public
2:12:11
eye.
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 2:12:13
I’m talking about. None of these things have been bought to the city council meetings, none of these things came to city council to be discussed and collaborated on. Not once. Not once. So if they’re so let’s not confuse the issue. We don’t you’ve made it clear in the past. We’re not friends but we work together. And in you text me. I answer when you call, I call back when you email I respond. I respond quicker than a lot. And I also respond with full sentences, not one words. But I will say this, what I am referring to is not private communication, or one on one communication. I am referring to the lack of communication with the city with the council as a whole at council meetings in front of the citizens to discuss these objectives, that is the that is the defining problem. So, let’s be clear, because I didn’t want to want to end this meeting. On that note,
Ella Jones (Mayor) 2:13:24
it’s always a two way street.
Toni Burrow (Ward 2) 2:13:27
Absolutely, always a two way street.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 2:13:31
After this point can we have a motion in a second to a joy.
Heather Robinett (Ward 2) 2:13:38
Summer
Stephen Garrett (Ward 1) 2:13:38
motion. Second.
Ella Jones (Mayor) 2:13:40
Okay, it’s been properly moved and seconded. All in favor say, Aye. The eyes have it we are a join everyone have a good weekend the rest of the weekend and I’ll see you on the 20th
Linda Lipka (Ward 1) 2:14:06
Sammy Did you just wake up
2:14:09
now.