1 00:06:20,140 --> 00:06:24,560 Please come to order. Members will please rise while Councilwoman Berka leads us in prayer 2 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:25,580 this morning. 3 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:32,400 Good morning. Thank you for being with us today and guiding us all here safely. This is a special 4 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:38,560 week for our city and we just pray that you will watch over it and keep us all safe, help 5 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:43,520 everyone make good decisions while they're out there having fun. And just bless us in 6 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:50,860 this meeting as we meet every other week, Lord, to make decisions for the city and 7 00:06:50,860 --> 00:06:54,540 for the people of and I pray you'll give us wisdom and guidance and help us do 8 00:06:54,540 --> 00:06:59,780 what's best for everyone and help us to know what that is just watch over 9 00:06:59,780 --> 00:07:03,600 everyone today keep them safe as we leave here and as everyone runs around 10 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:07,500 the city and bring those people who are coming in safe and as everyone goes 11 00:07:07,500 --> 00:07:10,620 home keep them safe as well just watch over it and let it be a good safe 12 00:07:10,620 --> 00:07:16,060 time in Jesus name I pray amen thank you so much council member over 13 00:07:16,060 --> 00:07:17,200 We're sure you would please let us in the pledge. 14 00:07:19,190 --> 00:07:22,450 To the flag of the United States of America 15 00:07:22,930 --> 00:07:25,490 and to the Republic for which it stands 16 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:30,740 to take. 17 00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:33,960 Nikki, will you please call the roll? 18 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:38,860 Annie. 19 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:40,440 Berka. 20 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:41,860 Burton. 21 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:45,600 Separately excused. 22 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:45,960 Cook. 23 00:07:46,980 --> 00:07:47,580 Begrie. 24 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:48,760 Feral. 25 00:07:51,460 --> 00:07:52,660 Giannola excused. 26 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:53,640 Haas. 27 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:56,400 Hoover excused. 28 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:56,720 Jenkins. 29 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:01,900 John's. Kerns excused King. 30 00:08:02,660 --> 00:08:06,060 Minority. More. Overstreet. 31 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:11,320 Pepper. Bar. Robinson. Rubio 32 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:13,600 excused. Selango. 33 00:08:25,300 --> 00:08:26,700 Excused 34 00:08:27,340 --> 00:08:30,480 Clerk, please read the journal, Mr. Chairman. 35 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:34,680 I request unanimous consent that the reading of the journal be dispensed with. 36 00:08:34,680 --> 00:08:39,620 It's been a motion on floor dispensed with the reading of the journal. Hearing and seeing no objections, the reading of the journal is now dispensed with. 37 00:08:39,700 --> 00:08:44,580 We have one public speaker this morning, Rachel Rubin. Rachel? 38 00:08:48,990 --> 00:08:50,790 Is there a time limit that I need to respect? 39 00:08:54,160 --> 00:08:56,760 I think just two or three minutes, if that's okay with you, Rachel. 40 00:08:57,020 --> 00:08:57,260 Be great. 41 00:08:57,740 --> 00:08:58,600 Yes ma'am, thank you so much. 42 00:08:59,980 --> 00:09:05,640 Hi, y'all. I'm Rachel Rubin. I'm a tenant. I've lived in Charleston for three years. I've been in West Virginia for six. 43 00:09:05,980 --> 00:09:12,760 I work at the Chicanoa County Public Defender's Office. This is now the second year in a row that, in order to have its big party, 44 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:19,120 that the city has undertaken an entire effort to disappear anyone that they don't want to see ahead of their gata. 45 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,480 Over 25 people were booked at South Central on Thursday. 46 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:28,600 Over the course of the last couple of days, 16 people have been charged for sleeping in a public park. 47 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,080 Eleven are being held on nothing else. 48 00:09:31,300 --> 00:09:36,500 So that means it's coming out of the city's jail bill in order to incarcerate these people for six days. 49 00:09:37,260 --> 00:09:38,120 Let me go over that. 50 00:09:40,540 --> 00:09:46,700 The city's discretion was used in order to sweep people out of public parks, go on an entire war and sweep. 51 00:09:46,700 --> 00:09:51,700 There are 11 people who are being held for nothing else but being in a public park after hours 52 00:09:51,700 --> 00:09:54,760 That's 1425 for the finance boys in the room 53 00:09:56,180 --> 00:09:58,580 4825 per day per person 54 00:09:58,580 --> 00:10:02,940 So that's excess of $4500 strictly for the city's jail bill 55 00:10:02,940 --> 00:10:07,000 In order to disappear people that the city did not want to be part of the regatta 56 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,940 I wonder what that line item is going to be for next year's regatta 57 00:10:10,940 --> 00:10:14,680 How you will describe how you are spending that money in order to disappear 58 00:10:14,680 --> 00:10:16,560 here, my friends and my neighbors. 59 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:19,240 For the technocrats in the room, 60 00:10:19,380 --> 00:10:21,740 whom I think the legal procedures work itself out, 61 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:22,580 two things. 62 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:25,380 People are technically entitled to a PR bond 63 00:10:25,380 --> 00:10:28,380 for nonviolent charges and violation of city ordinances. 64 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,680 And city judge Matt Smith canceled court on Wednesday. 65 00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:34,300 I can promise you the public defenders 66 00:10:34,300 --> 00:10:37,040 filed bond motions for every single one of those folks 67 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:38,860 that were arrested and the latest of those 68 00:10:38,860 --> 00:10:40,980 was filed before 3 p.m. on Friday. 69 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,000 So it is the city judge's discretion 70 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:45,040 to not have ruled on those bond motions. 71 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:46,660 Those people don't have a prayer 72 00:10:46,660 --> 00:10:48,660 of getting out of jail before Thursday. 73 00:10:50,660 --> 00:10:52,140 Corporal Cooper and Corporal Harper 74 00:10:52,140 --> 00:10:54,140 have been the foot soldiers of this operation, 75 00:10:54,300 --> 00:10:55,140 but I want y'all to know 76 00:10:55,140 --> 00:10:57,360 that they're carrying out your wishes. 77 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,300 You have the control and the discretion to direct CPD. 78 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:02,880 I guess the last thing I'll say 79 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:04,340 is that I'm a young person 80 00:11:04,340 --> 00:11:06,300 who's raised in another state. 81 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:07,660 I went to college in another state. 82 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:08,960 I decided to move here. 83 00:11:09,060 --> 00:11:10,340 I brought friends of mine here. 84 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:12,740 And what the city has decided to do 85 00:11:12,740 --> 00:11:17,560 in my name just disappear an entire generation of people who they don't care about is embarrassing. 86 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:18,320 For 87 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,940 your comments this morning, that will be it for our public speakers. 88 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,380 The clerk will now please read the claims against the city. 89 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,760 A claim of Terry Natsen alleges damage to property. 90 00:11:32,340 --> 00:11:35,120 A claim of Nikki D. Robinson alleges personal injury. 91 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:38,020 A claim of Patricia Thacker alleges loss of property. 92 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:40,020 Thank you. Please refer to the city's solicitor. 93 00:11:40,340 --> 00:11:43,560 The clerk will now please read the committee report in resolution 841-23. 94 00:11:43,560 --> 00:11:49,720 3. Your committee on finance has had under consideration resolution number 841-23, authorizing 95 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:56,200 the mayor as city manager to purchase 2023 Ford police interceptor SUVs from Thorne Hill 96 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:02,440 Ford Lincoln in the amount of $848,980 or the purchase price was determined through 97 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,400 a competitively sourced statewide contract and reports seem to cancel with the recommendation 98 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:08,700 that the committee report be adopted. Mr. Chairman. 99 00:12:08,700 --> 00:12:14,440 Thank you Madam Mayor. Recently in the past couple of years, essentially beginning with 100 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:19,720 the pandemic, there's been a shortage and a delay on obtaining from Ford the police 101 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:27,960 interceptor SUVs. Through happenstance, Thornhill Ford Lincoln had ordered about 50 or so of 102 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:31,760 these for the state police but they came in the wrong color and so the state police 103 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:38,540 declined to take delivery, thus making many of these SUVs available for purchase 104 00:12:38,540 --> 00:12:44,640 from other law enforcement agencies. We are able to purchase 20 of these, which is great 105 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:50,160 because we recently purchased 16, and we may not even get all those, and they're still delayed. 106 00:12:51,660 --> 00:12:59,000 Possibly only get seven of those, and so the replacement schedule for CPD, particularly 107 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:04,200 the patrol cars, is behind schedule. And so, therefore, your finance committee recommends 108 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:05,500 the approval of this purchase. 109 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,160 Thank you. The floor is up for discussion on the resolution. The question is the adoption 110 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:18,520 of the resolution on favor of vote aye. Opposed vote nay. I declare resolution 841-23 as adopted. 111 00:13:19,140 --> 00:13:22,460 Before we close out, just want to say a couple quick things. First of all, we have a very 112 00:13:22,460 --> 00:13:28,020 special guest in the room, Nora Wood is here with us today. Nora, we are so happy 113 00:13:28,020 --> 00:13:33,560 to have you here at Council, honey. She's been very helpful earlier this morning. Thank 114 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:37,160 Thank you to Chairman Jenkins for bringing coffee and donuts for those of us who slept 115 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:41,420 two hours and those of us who just like donuts, so we appreciate you very, very much. 116 00:13:42,460 --> 00:13:50,020 Let me also just say thanks to council members who have volunteered or showed up to haul 117 00:13:50,020 --> 00:13:57,060 ice or water or sit at one of the booths and work, but especially to our refuse streets, 118 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:01,160 traffic, police, fire, EMS, they're doing a wonderful job. 119 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:07,600 Last night we had a little burst of weather that popped up pretty quickly when it's when 120 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:11,720 you're working in event with a meteorologist you get those things in real time so the winds 121 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:19,080 picked up to about a burst of 40 49 miles per hour and one small burst so it felt like 122 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:23,800 it I'll say that it felt like it Matthew Sutton grabbed a tent from out of the air 123 00:14:25,100 --> 00:14:29,060 So it was amazing, but thanks. 124 00:14:29,460 --> 00:14:36,040 You know, we take for granted sometimes when we have those things in town and our streets, 125 00:14:36,300 --> 00:14:39,020 especially our refuse department, they work really hard. 126 00:14:39,100 --> 00:14:42,100 It's been really hot and they work extremely hard. 127 00:14:42,580 --> 00:14:44,380 It's a running joke now we see them. 128 00:14:44,500 --> 00:14:47,480 The first folks we get up in the morning and the last folks we see at night. 129 00:14:48,060 --> 00:14:52,320 Our streets and our refuse department are doing such an amazing job. 130 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:56,740 So I do want to give a big shout out and say thanks to them before we close out 131 00:14:56,740 --> 00:14:59,180 Are there any remarks by any members of council this morning? 132 00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:05,100 Councilmember Solomon, do you have any announcements or remarks? 133 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:25,800 Thank you, Mayor. I just want to comment on what Ms. Rubin said. We had 16 people charged with parks after dark or parks after hours. 134 00:15:25,800 --> 00:15:29,080 years, and we had, 135 00:15:31,310 --> 00:15:35,170 I mean, there's only five of those people had warrants, so we're sweeping 136 00:15:35,610 --> 00:15:41,670 two additional people for every warrant served, and before June 29th, only, that charge was 137 00:15:41,670 --> 00:15:46,470 only used seven times in the last seven years, and it was, it's kind of a, like, what, just, 138 00:15:46,870 --> 00:15:52,790 why did we just reinvent a prosecutable offense that is going to put people in jail for 139 00:15:52,790 --> 00:15:53,190 six days? 140 00:15:53,930 --> 00:16:01,790 I think I've asked questions I've not received answers and we can debate that but it's it's 141 00:16:01,790 --> 00:16:07,930 something that we're there we're hearing a lot from folks that are concerned about it and it's 142 00:16:07,930 --> 00:16:14,270 just not looking good it's not a good no not good optics when we have 25 people arrested on one 143 00:16:14,270 --> 00:16:28,050 day, the day before Regatta starts. It's primarily on house folks and it's just not a good look 144 00:16:28,050 --> 00:16:28,950 for the city. Thank you. 145 00:16:35,380 --> 00:16:42,960 Thank you Mayor Goodwin. I would echo the speaker's concerns and questions 146 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:47,340 questions, as well as Councilmember Steelehammer's concerns and questions. 147 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:57,900 I spent some time with others visiting parks and the monomial parking lot on Saturday, 148 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,120 a regatta day, and just listening and trying to learn more about what was going on. 149 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:10,600 And one person told me, I overheard one person share, either all my friends just 150 00:17:10,600 --> 00:17:17,560 died or they've been swept away to jail. And I don't think they all just died. And that 151 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:25,880 just really, really resonated. I think the numbers are also so far. We're trying to learn 152 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:32,960 more. We're the of concern. But one area where it seems like we could reduce the harm 153 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:38,060 of the arrests that have been made since court has been closed since last Thursday 154 00:17:38,060 --> 00:17:47,480 is to ask Judge Smith to return to the bench before Thursday, today, Tuesday, Wednesday, 155 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:54,460 and help clear out some of these cases. I don't really know how to do that, but if anyone 156 00:17:54,460 --> 00:17:59,840 has any advice or suggestions or relationships with Judge Smith to ask if he might return 157 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:04,600 to the bench, that would be much appreciated. I'm happy to work with you on that. Thank 158 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:04,780 you. 159 00:18:04,780 --> 00:18:10,860 Yes sir thank you council thank you councilmember Solomon councilmember King 160 00:18:10,860 --> 00:18:15,860 and I'll think I see any other hands yes sir I just like to that say thank you to 161 00:18:15,860 --> 00:18:20,040 our law enforcement agency for doing their jobs all year round not just right 162 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:25,430 before we got it thank you any other comments where we close out tonight 163 00:18:25,430 --> 00:18:30,210 Mr. I'm gonna call you the ice man now since you've been doing ice is that 164 00:18:30,210 --> 00:18:36,390 okay with you slinger slinger hey there a couple of us have been out there 165 00:18:36,390 --> 00:18:41,590 each morning slinging ice and helping the vendors and the mayor mentioned some 166 00:18:41,590 --> 00:18:46,590 things about all the hard workers of the regatta but I want to recognize the 167 00:18:46,590 --> 00:18:52,970 administration these the individuals sitting up front are here at daylight 168 00:18:53,830 --> 00:18:59,110 they're here till dark they're here till two in the morning they're jumping in 169 00:18:59,110 --> 00:19:03,670 they're doing everything starting from Jane Bostic to the regatta commission 170 00:19:03,670 --> 00:19:11,310 to Mayor Goodwin, to Matt Sutton, and I'ma miss the people. Tina, all of them. Andrew, you know, 171 00:19:11,950 --> 00:19:19,150 they're all out there riding in carts. They're all out there slinging ice, taking the vendors, 172 00:19:19,350 --> 00:19:25,530 making sure the vendors orders are taken care of, making sure all the behind the scenes, 173 00:19:25,530 --> 00:19:36,210 means I listen to the radios. They won't give me a radio by the way. But there's a lot that 174 00:19:36,210 --> 00:19:43,350 goes into this regatta. And until I started working with Bruce and riding around the 175 00:19:43,350 --> 00:19:50,390 cart with Matt, I didn't recognize what goes into an event like this. I put on a lot of 176 00:19:50,390 --> 00:19:58,710 myself but nothing to this that stage- but it there's a lot of people doing a 177 00:19:58,710 --> 00:20:02,390 lot of things behind the scenes and they should deserve the credit they deserve 178 00:20:02,390 --> 00:20:06,110 so I just want to recognize those people sitting up front and those that are 179 00:20:06,110 --> 00:20:10,890 not here and out there working now the refuse and the fire the police that 180 00:20:10,890 --> 00:20:15,090 I mean they're out there we did get to see the new officers the officers 181 00:20:15,090 --> 00:20:19,510 new shorts this weekend so they were pretty sure that so I just want to 182 00:20:19,510 --> 00:20:25,190 make that recognition. Thank you councilmember Robinson we appreciate it 183 00:20:25,190 --> 00:20:29,870 and it's not just during regatta we care about our work all the time we care 184 00:20:29,870 --> 00:20:33,210 about our work and we care about every single person that lives in this city 185 00:20:33,210 --> 00:20:38,630 every single person if you own a business if you live here if you work 186 00:20:38,630 --> 00:20:44,090 here if you are just here we care about you we have amazing teams plural 187 00:20:44,090 --> 00:20:48,970 not just in the in the mayor's office or the city manager's office we have 188 00:20:48,970 --> 00:20:53,510 lots of different departments that were here before we got here, and departments that we 189 00:20:53,510 --> 00:21:00,850 created to make sure that we're doing the best that we can for the most that we, for 190 00:21:00,850 --> 00:21:06,170 all, for everyone. So we don't always get it, we don't always get it right, but our 191 00:21:06,170 --> 00:21:09,930 heads and our hearts are certainly in the, certainly in the right place. Thank you 192 00:21:09,930 --> 00:21:11,490 so much. The clerk will now please call the roll. 193 00:21:11,490 --> 00:21:17,450 Annie, Berka, Burton, Seferly, Cook, 194 00:21:18,170 --> 00:21:21,470 Bagree, Barrel, Giannola, Haas, 195 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:27,040 Hoover, 196 00:21:27,700 --> 00:21:31,060 Jenkins, Jones, Kearns, King, 197 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:39,140 Minority, Moore, Overstreet, Pepper, 198 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:43,180 Farr, Robinson, Rubio, Solango, 199 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:59,140 I am here. Thank you so much. Mr. Chairman, most adjourned until Monday July 17th at 7 p.m. There's a motion to adjourn until July 17th. Thanks everybody.