[0:00] make sure

[0:46] uh uh

[3:22] ,do

[3:34] .

[3:37] Mm hmm.

[3:48] Charlotte city council's

[3:51] mayoral vacancy and candidate

[3:51] forum.

[3:54] It's JUNE the 15th and it's at

[3:55] 2:00 and I think we have almost

[3:58] everyone I know we have and I

[3:58] believe we're going to go

[4:01] around and introduce our staff

[4:04] as well as our council members.

[4:04] All right.

[4:06] MISS Billy.

[4:09] Billy towns, deputy city clerk

[4:09] .

[4:12] Good afternoon, general o'mara.

[4:13] At-large.

[4:15] Good afternoon.

[4:16] I'm victoria watlington and I

[4:17] have the pleasure of serving

[4:18] you as a member at large.

[4:21] >> good afternoon, joy mayo

[4:23] representing district three.

[4:24] Oh really?

[4:26] Owen's representing district

[4:27] six and driggs district seven.

[4:29] >> now from gram district to

[4:31] lorna mayfield serving at large

[4:31] jd MS..

[4:32] What asked district five?

[4:34] Good afternoon.

[4:35] >> I'm renee johnson and I have

[4:37] the honor of representing

[4:37] district four.

[4:39] Welcome and congratulations to

[4:41] all the candidates.

[4:43] So I want to say thank you and

[4:45] it is a pleasure to have you

[4:46] here this afternoon.

[4:47] So many of you who are

[4:49] beginning to participate in

[4:51] what I think is one of the most

[4:51] important things that we do

[4:54] which is to have a city that we

[4:56] can work with all things that

[4:58] we can do for all of the

[4:59] communities that we have and to

[5:00] make sure it works.

[5:03] So I'm just going to say I'm

[5:03] going to call up we have called

[5:05] a meeting to order and we

[5:08] understand that we have all of

[5:08] our appointments, all of the

[5:11] people that are joining us.

[5:14] So let's go down into what we

[5:14] are going to try to do for our

[5:17] candidate forum.

[5:17] The candidates will appear in

[5:20] alphabetical order by last

[5:21] name.

[5:23] Each candidate has been

[5:26] assigned a number candidates

[5:27] will be called by their name

[5:30] and number to the lectern which

[5:30] is right up here with our city

[5:33] attorney here.

[5:35] And when it is their turn each

[5:36] one will be given two minutes

[5:38] to provide a statement to

[5:39] council.

[5:39] There will be no questions

[5:42] during the forum.

[5:42] However, MISS Mayfield has

[5:44] asked to be recognized and I

[5:47] want to do that with her.

[5:49] MS. Mayfield thank you, MADAM

[5:49] Mayor.

[5:51] So colleagues, as today we are

[5:53] just hearing from the

[5:55] candidates.

[5:56] According to this most updated

[5:58] list we have about 49

[6:00] individuals I had mentioned

[6:01] previously that we have

[6:03] opportunity when we look at

[6:05] what we identify through the

[6:09] process of trying to narrow

[6:11] down potential the strongest

[6:14] candidates that potentially MAY

[6:14] have five or more I believe we

[6:16] have the opportunity to create

[6:17] the survey again.

[6:20] So today is basically we had

[6:21] the opportunity this being part

[6:24] one of a two part process where

[6:29] we then narrowed it down to a

[6:30] number where we could see where

[6:31] they MAY MAY be consensus

[6:33] amongst council five or more.

[6:36] And then we had the opportunity

[6:36] to invite those individuals

[6:39] back and actually ask the

[6:40] questions that we can that come

[6:42] together and decide on some

[6:42] questions.

[6:43] I definitely want to also

[6:45] acknowledge mayor louse for

[6:48] agreeing to stick around a

[6:48] little bit longer.

[6:51] Thank you.

[6:51] And not leaving at the initial

[6:54] JUNE date to give us time to

[6:57] make sure that to the best of

[6:57] our ability based on the

[6:59] applications that we identify

[7:00] the appropriate candidate to

[7:02] fill out these 17 months.

[7:03] But I do think council should

[7:05] have the opportunity to have

[7:08] discussions around the

[7:08] candidates in order for and the

[7:12] opportunity for us to be able

[7:13] to ask questions of the

[7:15] candidates after we get through

[7:15] today.

[7:17] Mayor my question is do I need

[7:18] to put that in the form of a

[7:21] motion to see if we can get

[7:23] support to so if that is the

[7:26] case I would like to make a

[7:28] motion that part two of this

[7:30] initial mail appointment

[7:33] process we will have the

[7:36] ability for council to then

[7:37] work with staff to identify

[7:40] survey and from that survey

[7:42] narrow it down in order to

[7:42] actually have the opportunity

[7:45] for us to ask questions of the

[7:46] candidates.

[7:47] Yeah they're going to get a

[7:47] second or not because we don't

[7:50] have a process at the listening

[7:51] in supporting our people today.

[7:53] So this is the recommended

[7:56] process that I am suggesting.

[7:56] >> all right.

[8:00] this MAY feel and has has a

[8:02] makes has made the motion so if

[8:02] we don't get this back in.

[8:03] All right.

[8:04] We have a motion and a second

[8:07] any further conversation?

[8:07] All right.

[8:07] Yes, sir.

[8:10] MADAM Mayor, I appreciate the

[8:10] opportunity and I.

[8:11] I will speak on behalf of the

[8:13] motion.

[8:13] I am inclined towards that but

[8:14] I would ask for a friendly

[8:15] amendment to add in the ability

[8:18] for individual council members

[8:19] to assess folks who do not show

[8:21] up today in person.

[8:22] I did vote and we were

[8:24] unanimous in that but I think

[8:25] the manner in which we

[8:27] disclosed the date that it

[8:27] would be and the lack of

[8:30] flexibility has led to some

[8:30] folks who are quite honestly

[8:33] part of this community who do

[8:35] have supporters and detractors

[8:36] both but folks who are not here

[8:38] and it delegitimizes our

[8:42] process to not be able to have

[8:42] an option.

[8:43] So what I would like is for

[8:45] those of us who do not see

[8:45] somebody here today to still be

[8:47] allowed in our process to

[8:48] consider them even though they

[8:50] did not show up here today.

[8:53] So as the motion maker I do not

[8:54] accept that friendly amendment

[8:58] because at this point we have

[8:58] 49 individuals here.

[9:01] To my understanding there was

[9:01] one individual who could not be

[9:04] in attendance for today.

[9:06] We do not have a virtual

[9:07] option.

[9:10] You can't phone in being a

[9:10] mayor.

[9:13] I don't think that for me we

[9:14] have 49 individuals.

[9:17] i am not interested in change

[9:18] in a process for one individual

[9:20] whoever that individual is.

[9:23] If they were not able to be in

[9:23] person.

[9:23] >> all right.

[9:26] Matt, I have to substitute

[9:26] motion.

[9:27] You can certainly procedurally

[9:30] you can offer a substitute

[9:30] motion.

[9:32] However, before before this

[9:35] moves forward this presentation

[9:35] that I was getting ready to

[9:38] share provides some context for

[9:39] the process that might be

[9:41] helpful to this discussion.

[9:42] So MADAM Mayor and

[9:44] councilmember mayfield, if you

[9:46] would be so inclined to give me

[9:46] about five minutes to run

[9:48] through this this MAY inform

[9:49] this discussion and then you

[9:49] can pick back up.

[9:52] It MAY inform where you are.

[9:53] >> MADAM Mayor I am fine with a

[9:55] pause so that our city attorney

[9:58] can present MISS Kimberly

[9:58] council.

[10:00] >> I am I am as well.

[10:01] MS..

[10:03] Watlington okay, so let's I'm

[10:06] you know it's always better to

[10:06] know what we're talking about

[10:08] with the attorney standing in.

[10:11] >> thank you, MADAM Mayor.

[10:14] Good afternoon, council mayor

[10:14] and council.

[10:17] This presentation will walk you

[10:19] briefly through the appointment

[10:20] process as we stand here today

[10:23] and how we could possibly move

[10:25] forward.

[10:25] As a reminder for council and

[10:28] as well for the public any

[10:30] vacancy including the mayor's

[10:31] vacancy shall be appointed be

[10:33] filled by appointment of the

[10:33] city council.

[10:34] And cities like charlotte and

[10:36] whole partizan elections the

[10:37] interim mayor must belong to

[10:39] the same political party as the

[10:42] individual being replaced and

[10:45] must be to 21 years of age and

[10:47] reside within the city of

[10:48] charlotte city limits.

[10:50] The municipal elections the

[10:54] primary will occur on SEPTEMBER

[10:55] the 14th 2027 and the general

[10:56] election will occur on NOVEMBER

[10:56] the 2nd.

[10:59] So when we talk about the

[11:01] selection phase options, there

[11:01] are two options that I outlined

[11:03] for you in memo form back on

[11:06] MAY 7th that and that includes

[11:07] a motion second and vote as an

[11:07] option.

[11:10] Also a nomination and ballot

[11:12] process with the nomination and

[11:14] ballot process which is what

[11:15] council has historically used

[11:18] as a means of selecting for a

[11:18] vacancy.

[11:21] You would have to options

[11:21] everyone who has filled out an

[11:24] application and adhere to the

[11:25] requirements of the application

[11:27] could be considered a nominee

[11:29] or each council member could

[11:30] receive could be offered the

[11:32] opportunity to provide one

[11:33] nomination and then close

[11:35] nominations thereafter.

[11:37] Now I'll pause here and say

[11:38] this discussion that you're

[11:40] having now could could increase

[11:41] that number.

[11:41] But the option that I've given

[11:43] is that council members would

[11:44] have options for providing a

[11:47] nomination versus everyone

[11:50] who's submitted an application

[11:51] having the opportunity to be

[11:55] considered in that process and

[11:56] each council member would go

[11:58] around the diocese and have the

[11:59] opportunity to provide a

[12:02] nomination for candidate a, b

[12:05] or c even the clerk would

[12:05] record the nomination and

[12:07] ballots would be created and

[12:08] voting would occur later in the

[12:08] meeting.

[12:11] So this would happen all in

[12:13] person.

[12:13] All of the nominations would

[12:16] occur in person and all of the

[12:18] voting would occur in person

[12:18] with the balloting process.

[12:22] Each council member would cast

[12:22] one vote.

[12:24] Votes as I said, will be

[12:24] publicly announced and

[12:25] recorded.

[12:27] The appointment would require

[12:30] six votes if no candidate

[12:30] receives six votes.

[12:33] You would proceed to subsequent

[12:36] ballots.

[12:36] The recommendation the city

[12:38] attorney's office would make at

[12:41] this point would be in order

[12:43] for a candidate to move forward

[12:46] they must have at least three

[12:48] votes.

[12:51] >> this outlines the

[12:52] elimination and tie procedures

[12:55] or it's a recommended for that

[12:55] after each ballot the lowest

[12:57] vote getter would be

[12:58] eliminated.

[13:00] The remaining candidates would

[13:03] continue if there is a tie the

[13:07] advancement threshold would be

[13:08] still three.

[13:10] And if you have two candidates

[13:11] who receive at least three

[13:14] votes in this example then a, b

[13:17] and c would advance if you have

[13:18] a tie of the lowest vote

[13:22] getters again a receiving for b

[13:23] receiving two and c receiving

[13:27] two both b and c would advance

[13:28] .

[13:30] So for today I have three

[13:32] buckets of decision points.

[13:33] Number one motion motion or

[13:35] nomination and ballot method.

[13:37] number two the number of

[13:38] nominations allotted to each

[13:41] council member and number three

[13:41] the number of votes required to

[13:44] proceed to subsequent ballots

[13:45] and obviously now at this point

[13:47] at this juncture would there be

[13:49] an additional line of

[13:50] questioning and or elimination

[13:52] that would narrow, narrow the

[13:52] field?

[13:54] And so those are the points

[13:55] that you all would need to

[13:56] decide today as you move

[13:58] forward through the process to

[14:00] streamline the 22nd vote.

[14:02] >> thank you very much.

[14:05] I know that all of us can see

[14:06] this and I know that we had two

[14:08] people that wanted to speak to

[14:09] this right away.

[14:11] So I'm going to start again

[14:11] MISS Kimberly.

[14:12] Council member kimberly and

[14:14] followed by council member

[14:14] watlington.

[14:16] If I could defer to

[14:17] councilmember watlington I've

[14:19] already spoken on the issue and

[14:20] want to defer to my colleague

[14:22] who's not yet our opportunity

[14:22] but thank you.

[14:23] >> thank you for that

[14:23] councilmember.

[14:25] A couple of quick things.

[14:29] Firstly, as it relates to the

[14:31] question of whether or not

[14:34] council members can reach out

[14:37] so I don't think my assumption

[14:38] is that any council member can

[14:40] speak to anyone at any time.

[14:41] I just want to make sure that

[14:43] that was clear even if that

[14:44] doesn't go forward in a motion,

[14:45] I don't want folks to feel as

[14:46] though that they can not have a

[14:48] conversation with any of the

[14:49] candidates as they so please.

[14:51] And then the second thing in

[14:54] regards to narrowing it down, i

[14:57] do support the three rather

[14:58] than five because we would

[15:01] essentially have voted by that

[15:01] time.

[15:04] For those reasons I'm wondering

[15:07] if there's a need to have an

[15:08] additional step to whittle down

[15:10] to ask questions given that

[15:11] that can happen off line at any

[15:13] time.

[15:17] I also wanted to add we talked

[15:18] about this earlier but I just

[15:19] wanted to be clear about the

[15:20] fact that no one is being

[15:22] eliminated because they're not

[15:23] here today.

[15:26] Now they MAY be that MAY be a

[15:26] factor for an individual

[15:28] council member, which is

[15:28] certainly their prerogative.

[15:31] But for those watching, if you

[15:33] are not here today, you are not

[15:34] automatically eliminated from

[15:36] this process.

[15:37] So that being said, I think

[15:39] there's plenty of opportunities

[15:40] still to have conversations

[15:45] going forward with that.

[15:45] I don't want to jump over

[15:47] council member mayfield's

[15:48] motion but I do wonder if it is

[15:50] well I would imagine it's in

[15:51] order because of what's been

[15:51] presented to us but I would

[15:53] like to go ahead and move to

[15:56] use the ballot method to

[15:56] address the first decision

[15:58] point here very very well.

[16:02] >> but MAY I answer the other

[16:03] questions, DR. Watlington that

[16:04] you posted up opposed excuse

[16:04] me.

[16:07] First legally certainly council

[16:10] members can reach out to

[16:11] individual candidates and have

[16:13] outline conversations.

[16:13] What we would want to avoid

[16:15] certainly is a quorum of this

[16:16] body conferring with a

[16:19] particular candidate but

[16:19] barring barring that certainly

[16:22] conversations could occur as it

[16:24] relates to your your comment

[16:27] about the nominees or the

[16:28] candidates that have been

[16:29] brought forward.

[16:30] >> all of the candidates who

[16:33] met the legal threshold for

[16:35] requirements were provided in

[16:36] your binders in the eligible

[16:39] candidates category I.E. The

[16:39] those who did not obviously

[16:42] were in the non eligible and so

[16:42] they would be that is the

[16:43] threshold question for the

[16:45] application process that you

[16:51] adopted on MAY 26th and so that

[16:51] checks that off.

[16:54] And then lastly the nominations

[16:55] piece of it certainly you could

[16:57] you could address the number

[16:58] that you feel is appropriate

[17:00] but again recognizing that the

[17:01] threshold needs to be set in

[17:03] advance of the meeting so that

[17:04] the roles aren't changed in the

[17:04] middle of voting.

[17:06] So then with that, MADAM Mayor,

[17:07] if I MAY if I MAY just to get a

[17:09] motion on the floor for

[17:09] discussion I will amend there's

[17:12] there's a motion in I'm sorry I

[17:13] thought you were withdraw for.

[17:13] Forgive me.

[17:17] Go ahead.

[17:17] I'm next.

[17:20] Thank you.

[17:23] >> no, I think no, I don't

[17:24] think I had raised my hand

[17:26] after listening.

[17:26] Okay.

[17:28] Yes.

[17:31] So I appreciate MS..

[17:34] Mayfield's I guess recognition

[17:35] that the way we were going we

[17:37] were going to have two minutes

[17:40] here and then and we have this

[17:40] and without any further

[17:43] engagement we were going to

[17:44] move to our selection.

[17:46] >> so I absolutely agree that I

[17:49] think there's a step missing

[17:50] here where we get a closer look

[17:52] at the contenders and I'd like

[17:55] to understand better besides

[17:57] the fight.

[18:00] >> city attorney yes are making

[18:00] .

[18:00] Can you back up a little bit?

[18:03] I'd like to know a timeline for

[18:04] the steps and understand better

[18:06] how these steps occur.

[18:09] Are we talking about an online

[18:11] ballot or are we talking about

[18:14] going to the next meeting and

[18:15] all of these events occur at

[18:17] the next meeting?

[18:17] >> so all of these events would

[18:20] happen at the next meeting in

[18:22] an open session and so the

[18:23] nominations process would

[18:26] happen at the very top of the

[18:28] meeting and again go around the

[18:31] dais it's the clerk's office

[18:31] staff will be standing by to

[18:35] create a ballot based upon the

[18:37] nominations that are made on

[18:37] the floor.

[18:38] Again, this keeps everything in

[18:40] the open and allows for the

[18:43] public to hear when those

[18:43] nominations are made.

[18:45] It still means that at one

[18:45] meeting we move from here to

[18:48] the selection.

[18:49] That's correct, sir.

[18:51] And I don't know what others

[18:51] think.

[18:53] That for me is a challenge.

[18:54] There are some people here that

[18:56] I don't know that well and I

[18:57] don't feel that in two minutes

[18:59] and based on this submission

[19:01] I'd be able to give them a fair

[19:02] shake.

[19:04] And that's why on one basis or

[19:05] another I like what you're

[19:08] suggesting which is we have an

[19:11] elimination in round where it

[19:13] takes support from some council

[19:14] members for us to identify

[19:16] finalists and then we spend a

[19:17] little more time with the

[19:18] finalists which I think is what

[19:19] I understood you to suggest.

[19:20] Thank you.

[19:22] And I think that's included in

[19:23] your motion.

[19:23] MS..

[19:26] Mayfield MR. Graham, I mean MR.

[19:28] Mayor.

[19:28] Yes.

[19:31] Thank you.

[19:33] So I agree with councilmember

[19:36] lyons.

[19:37] >> previously we did not

[19:39] eliminate someone just because

[19:40] they could not attend a meeting

[19:43] and this we adopted an express

[19:45] timeline and where people had

[19:48] for our commitments.

[19:49] So I agree with councilmember

[19:49] owens.

[19:51] I don't think we need to

[19:53] eliminate someone obviously

[19:53] individual council members can

[19:56] eliminate someone but from the

[19:59] process perspective our for me

[19:59] I would consider everyone

[20:02] regardless of whether they

[20:04] attend the public forum or not

[20:07] just from the consistent

[20:11] perspective I can you go back

[20:13] to the slide where you have the

[20:18] three options as to yes.

[20:24] So we in the past we had use

[20:25] ballot method.

[20:27] So I think from consistency

[20:28] perspective we can continue

[20:30] with that in terms of number of

[20:33] nominations that will be

[20:33] allotted to each council

[20:38] members, how many are we

[20:39] looking at?

[20:39] >> do you have any

[20:43] recommendations or trying?

[20:46] I don't I don't it could be as

[20:48] low as one obviously or as many

[20:48] as council sees fit.

[20:51] However, obviously the more

[20:52] nominations each council member

[20:54] has the the longer the process

[20:55] will take and the more involved

[20:59] it MAY be.

[21:02] So you recommended a candidate

[21:03] getting at least three to get

[21:05] to this subsidy subsequent

[21:05] round.

[21:08] I agree with that so that we

[21:12] can meet our expedited timeline

[21:15] of JUNE 22nd.

[21:15] But this also gives council

[21:18] members an opportunity to have

[21:21] one on one with candidates.

[21:23] So I would like us to continue

[21:26] with the adopted timeline that

[21:27] the council had adopted a few

[21:30] weeks ago which is JUNE 22nd

[21:32] being the final decision.

[21:37] So after the discussion is over

[21:38] I would I can make a motion if

[21:40] needed in terms of the number

[21:43] of nominations and number of

[21:46] votes required to proceed to

[21:46] the second round.

[21:47] And that's all I have.

[21:48] Thank you.

[21:51] All right, MR. Graham.

[21:54] Thank you, MADAM Chair.

[21:57] >> one of the things I wish we

[21:59] had than that we decide that we

[22:00] did not want to do was send it

[22:03] to a committee to flesh out the

[22:04] process.

[22:05] And so we're debating and

[22:10] creating the process on the fly

[22:12] once again.

[22:13] Given that I think MS..

[22:18] Mayfield motion makes sense for

[22:19] me.

[22:23] I am not married to a JUNE 22nd

[22:24] timeline.

[22:26] I think we are to make a

[22:27] thoughtful decision as long as

[22:32] it takes because this is really

[22:35] a term that we're selecting

[22:38] someone for and the interim

[22:40] thing is just quote unquote

[22:41] it's the mayor, right?

[22:44] And so I think we ought to make

[22:46] a a thoughtful decision based

[22:47] on all the information that we

[22:49] have in front of us through a

[22:52] process that we all understand

[22:55] and can interpret versus

[22:55] getting one today.

[22:58] I'm just I think in process

[23:00] steps that there are a number

[23:03] of questions that I have.

[23:03] Notwithstanding that, I think

[23:06] it's pretty simplistic but I

[23:09] would want it more time to

[23:12] really have some dialog with

[23:14] folks around the time the days

[23:14] in reference to those process

[23:18] steps to see if they make sense

[23:20] for us based on the

[23:21] recommendation of the attorney.

[23:25] So I, I just hope that we would

[23:29] be very thoughtful about how we

[23:31] process the work and the 20s

[23:31] next week.

[23:32] Right?

[23:34] Right.

[23:37] So I again I think we've I just

[23:40] hope that we can thoughtfully

[23:43] consider what we're doing.

[23:45] The process matters being very

[23:48] transparent matters and

[23:51] certainly the final decision

[23:51] matters even more.

[23:54] Thank you MR. Graham.

[23:54] Thank you very much.

[23:59] I really recall that we turned

[24:00] this over as a process to the

[24:03] city attorney and that MAY have

[24:05] been more legal than what it

[24:08] would be personal or the

[24:09] opportunities that we want to

[24:12] have as a community or city.

[24:12] And I think that that is

[24:15] warrant it.

[24:16] I think that we do need some

[24:17] time.

[24:18] Now that's not to say no, I'm

[24:20] not on a clock so you know,

[24:21] nobody has to send me a dollar.

[24:23] So I want to say that if that

[24:26] is what we need to do then I

[24:28] think the council as a whole

[24:31] needs to make a decision of how

[24:32] they how you want and choose

[24:34] what you want to do.

[24:34] I think that's the most

[24:37] important thing about doing

[24:39] this is to get everyone to

[24:42] actually think about what you

[24:43] want to do and what you want to

[24:45] achieve and so with that I'm

[24:45] going to turn it over.

[24:48] Kimberly again sorry.

[24:48] Thank you, MADAM.

[24:53] And yes I'm sorry MR. I'm sorry

[24:53] .

[24:53] >> go ahead.

[24:54] Thank you, MADAM Mayor and

[24:56] thank you councilmember owens

[24:56] and thank you councilmember

[24:58] mayfield.

[24:59] City attorney MAY I ask you

[25:02] what the original motion was

[25:02] made?

[25:05] Well, in terms of that

[25:07] in-person requirement and

[25:07] whether because to my

[25:09] understanding and I might be

[25:10] remembering this wrong the

[25:13] in-person requirement was

[25:15] mandatory to be considered for

[25:18] an attendance here at the

[25:18] candidates forum.

[25:20] The in-person requirement was

[25:21] mandatory to be consider moving

[25:23] forward.

[25:24] Is that right?

[25:24] That's correct.

[25:27] So does that mean and I want to

[25:29] defer to MADAM Clerk because I

[25:30] don't have that motion in front

[25:30] of me.

[25:31] I don't they can pull it up.

[25:32] I can pull it up while we're

[25:36] talking from the 26th.

[25:36] Let's make sure we read the

[25:39] motion correctly while that is

[25:41] look there because I know DR.

[25:42] Watlington brought up the point

[25:44] whether somebody is eliminated

[25:48] or not but I believe that the

[25:48] motion that was voted on and

[25:50] that we all unanimously

[25:51] approved was that if they're

[25:53] not here in person there are

[25:53] eliminated from further

[25:54] consideration.

[25:59] And early on trying to confirm

[26:01] that that was that that's yeah

[26:02] they are in the eligible

[26:04] candidates.

[26:05] That's correct and now I will

[26:05] say that the application and

[26:07] that's why we need to look at

[26:09] the motion the application

[26:10] specifically stated that people

[26:11] needed to attend in person.

[26:15] Okay.

[26:15] But we'll look at the motion.

[26:16] Let's follow the motion.

[26:17] Okay.

[26:18] So while that is being looked

[26:20] up thank you MADAM Clerk for

[26:22] looking that up.

[26:25] I do want to say that I agree

[26:26] with councilmember mayfield and

[26:28] the majority of my colleagues

[26:31] around the dais when it comes

[26:34] to that additional step.

[26:37] I do feel uncomfortable not

[26:37] having that additional step

[26:42] collectively with quorum and in

[26:45] and in comparison leave and

[26:45] rather to leaving it to

[26:48] individual conversation with

[26:48] council members.

[26:49] That is not to say that there

[26:50] are special interests at play

[26:51] right but there are folks on

[26:53] this list that I have personal

[26:54] relationships with that a lot

[26:56] of folks have personal

[26:57] relationships with and I don't

[26:59] think it would be fair to any

[27:02] candidate that we held that

[27:05] those conversations offline not

[27:06] to say that we can't have those

[27:08] conversations offline but that

[27:08] we should level set by adding

[27:11] that additional step of you

[27:14] know, finalizing the final list

[27:16] to MR. Drinks pointed to

[27:17] earlier and us collectively

[27:19] asking those questions to those

[27:22] candidates that we have you

[27:25] know individually but as a

[27:26] collective come to agree to

[27:28] interview with rather than

[27:30] having a step in the process

[27:31] that is not open to the public.

[27:34] I mean it could be open to the

[27:34] public.

[27:34] They can follow requests the

[27:36] phone calls and text messages

[27:39] and emails but that it's very

[27:40] proactive transparency rather

[27:42] than reactive transparency.

[27:47] And then I had another point we

[27:48] can you go to the decision

[27:50] points?

[27:51] MADAM Attorney, please.

[27:53] Yes, sir.

[27:55] And I'll make this quick

[27:56] because I do want to be

[27:56] respectful of the candidates

[28:02] times so could you again

[28:03] explain to me the difference

[28:06] between the motion or nominee

[28:08] motion and then the nomination

[28:09] ballot method?

[28:09] Yes, sir.

[28:12] So the motion method would be

[28:15] one motion on the floor at a

[28:16] time.

[28:18] So would be motion for

[28:18] candidate a second vote.

[28:21] It could be a substitute motion

[28:22] and on and so forth.

[28:24] You'd have to you would really

[28:27] have to know pretty precisely

[28:30] where you were leaning, where

[28:30] the body was leaning.

[28:32] Otherwise it would be a series

[28:33] of substitute motions and or

[28:36] process as the nomination

[28:37] method is where you would open

[28:39] the floor up and you would have

[28:42] one nomination but at least one

[28:42] nomination potentially per

[28:44] council member and you would

[28:45] close the nominations at the

[28:47] conclusion of that and the

[28:47] ballot would be created

[28:50] therefrom and voting occur

[28:50] thereafter.

[28:53] >> thank you goodness GOD knows

[28:53] already get confused with all

[28:55] the motions on the floor so I

[28:58] do defer to the ballot method

[28:59] and then I also agree with

[29:02] council member graham that we

[29:04] need to get the process right

[29:05] and needs to be fair.

[29:07] It needs to be transparent.

[29:08] We also need to honor the

[29:10] office of the mayor to ensure

[29:11] that we are selecting the best

[29:13] candidate for it.

[29:14] And that being said, I also

[29:16] agree with councilmember

[29:16] mayfield's motion of an

[29:19] additional step where we as a

[29:22] council interview the finalists

[29:22] rather than having offline

[29:25] conversations which again not

[29:25] to say that we can't have

[29:28] offline conversations but that

[29:30] there is a nother open

[29:30] transparent part to the

[29:31] process.

[29:32] Thank you.

[29:35] I'm all right.

[29:38] And some woman kimberly I'm so

[29:41] thank you MADAM Mayor and

[29:41] colleagues.

[29:42] I just I will say one of the

[29:44] reasons that I wanted to

[29:45] supplement the motion that I do

[29:47] support by councilmember

[29:50] mayfield is because the way

[29:51] that this process has played

[29:53] out and the certainty with

[29:56] which we went to the community

[29:57] with our date and the lack of

[29:59] ability for folks to rejigger

[30:00] their lives and the good

[30:01] intentions and goodwill that

[30:02] has been evidenced by the work

[30:04] that has gone into this I would

[30:05] like to be removed from a

[30:08] constraint of not considering

[30:08] somebody solely because they

[30:11] were not here of individual

[30:11] council members feel strongly.

[30:12] I think that's still within

[30:14] their within their remit to not

[30:16] consider someone because of

[30:17] their failure to be here today.

[30:19] I personally am uncomfortable

[30:20] with that because of the way

[30:22] that we communicated it.

[30:22] Another aspect of this that I

[30:25] would like to put into the room

[30:25] and then I'm going to suggest

[30:28] that perhaps this be removed to

[30:28] our committee that's where I

[30:30] originally had hoped that we

[30:31] would be able to sort some

[30:33] processes around this.

[30:33] But this other element that I'd

[30:36] like to add is I have heard

[30:39] from the community a lot of

[30:39] consternation around the

[30:42] conflict of interest of mayor

[30:43] pro tem being a part of the

[30:45] early rounds of this process

[30:46] and I'd like us to explore the

[30:48] precedent for that and how we

[30:51] all feel about that and perhaps

[30:51] if there is a motion method we

[30:54] would go out with an early

[30:56] motion on him if we did not

[30:57] have the requisite votes for

[31:00] him then we would then he would

[31:00] be re-injected into the

[31:00] process.

[31:03] But there's a lot of folks who

[31:03] are speaking in our communities

[31:05] now about a perception of

[31:06] unfairness and I don't think

[31:08] that we should set set up any

[31:11] interim mayor for failure by

[31:12] having this process look like

[31:14] it's less than transparent and

[31:15] less than fair.

[31:17] So I just would like for us to

[31:18] respect the time of the folks

[31:20] in the room have them go ahead

[31:20] and get started and perhaps we

[31:23] defer this to bgr so that we

[31:26] can develop a process along the

[31:26] lines of what you suggested in

[31:28] line with the motion brought by

[31:29] councilmember mayfield and in

[31:32] line with my own suggestion

[31:32] that individual members still

[31:35] be allowed to select someone

[31:35] and advance them even if they

[31:38] are not here today.

[31:38] >> thank you.

[31:40] There are two motion I've

[31:42] already had a substitute motion

[31:43] but I don't know how we want to

[31:45] go forward.

[31:47] I think we have to decide those

[31:48] two motions before we put

[31:50] another motion into the room so

[31:50] I'm not doing a motion.

[31:50] So what?

[31:51] I'm sorry.

[31:53] What is the substitute motion

[31:54] then?

[31:55] And it's on the floor right now

[31:55] .

[31:56] Mine was to supplement and she

[31:58] rejected it so there's not a

[31:58] substitute motion.

[32:01] So are you making a substitute

[32:01] motion?

[32:03] So could I make a substitute

[32:04] motion?

[32:04] You can make a substitute

[32:06] motion if you operate a

[32:09] friendly amendment to that was

[32:10] reject was rejected you can

[32:12] offer a substitute motion.

[32:12] So then I would offer a

[32:14] substitute motion that builds

[32:15] on the motion that was raised

[32:17] by councilmember mayfield adds

[32:20] the ability for council members

[32:20] to not discount someone solely

[32:23] for their failure to attend

[32:24] today and then defers this

[32:27] entire matter to bgea and we go

[32:29] ahead and start the forum right

[32:29] now in deference to the people

[32:32] who are in the room who thought

[32:32] they were going to be speaking

[32:33] it to.

[32:35] So I guess the motion is to put

[32:37] it at bgr.

[32:38] all right.

[32:38] So I think MS..

[32:40] Watling told us so we could

[32:43] discuss it and be able to just

[32:44] with this discussion.

[32:45] MS. Watlington go ahead if you

[32:46] have a motion well, I don't

[32:48] have a motion but I got a

[32:49] couple of questions.

[32:51] I'm hoping the clerk or someone

[32:52] can tell us what the original

[32:53] motion was because then we'll

[32:54] know whether or not it's

[32:56] necessary to add special

[32:57] permission.

[33:00] >> so I can tell you what my

[33:00] notes have but these minutes

[33:02] have not been transcribed so I

[33:03] would have to go back in look

[33:05] at this a little bit further

[33:07] but the original motion from

[33:12] you had an amendment to it if I

[33:12] could just read what I had from

[33:16] that 2020 staff from 22nd.

[33:19] So the original motion was

[33:19] edgemere and watlington

[33:22] seconded and it was a motion to

[33:25] adopt option b invite both

[33:25] external and internal

[33:27] candidates have a public

[33:28] candidate forum do not send

[33:31] back to committee application

[33:33] question will include mandatory

[33:36] in-person interview question if

[33:37] intention of running and

[33:39] strikethrough on JUNE first.

[33:40] However it was amended shortly

[33:40] after that.

[33:42] MISS Mayfield second by johnson

[33:46] that the application process be

[33:48] in person and then there was

[33:49] another motion so I would have

[33:51] to go through more notes to see

[33:54] what the final motion was but

[33:55] that's how it started.

[33:58] So at no point did someone say

[33:59] you would be eliminated if you

[34:00] did not attend.

[34:01] >> so it sounds like there's

[34:01] not clarity.

[34:07] there is what it sounds like.

[34:07] So I understand it's on the

[34:07] application but that's to me

[34:09] very different than that that

[34:12] eliminates you from so I, I say

[34:15] that to say that I do think it

[34:18] makes sense to go and spend

[34:20] more time on this process.

[34:21] I'm not sure that that's

[34:23] exactly was reflected in this

[34:23] motion and it sounded like

[34:26] there was a compound piece of

[34:26] the motion.

[34:28] So councilmember owens, I just

[34:29] want to make sure I understand

[34:31] there's this component of

[34:34] sitting to budget.

[34:36] Yes, ma'am.

[34:37] There's a component of setting

[34:37] this to begin.

[34:41] Are there is a component of

[34:42] adding an additional round you

[34:44] said building off a council

[34:44] member mayfield and then

[34:48] there's a component it of in

[34:50] some way dealing with a

[34:52] potential conflict of interest

[34:53] .

[34:56] Yeah okay I think I think for

[34:58] me what it results in we need

[34:59] to get the forum started today

[35:01] and we need to have a meeting

[35:02] and I believe it should be bgr

[35:04] but I am open to other

[35:05] possibilities of who should be

[35:05] making that decision but I

[35:07] think there's enough queries at

[35:10] this dyess today that we need

[35:10] to address so that we can have

[35:13] an intentional process that

[35:13] follows up after today.

[35:15] Okay.

[35:16] So the only other thing that I

[35:18] will say in regards to that is

[35:20] who is on the bigger committee

[35:21] .

[35:24] Raise your hand if you are

[35:26] three and one two, three, four

[35:26] .

[35:26] Exactly.

[35:29] so well so take it.

[35:33] But I like it so I say that to

[35:36] say I hope that there's some

[35:36] thought and care taken to that

[35:38] given that this motion doesn't

[35:39] provide for one side or the

[35:41] other opposition but just be

[35:44] mindful that if it goes to bgr

[35:47] that's now already addressed by

[35:47] implicating up another

[35:50] component of what your motion

[35:50] was.

[35:53] >> so point taken I am open to

[35:53] any amendment to a motion that

[35:55] it be another committee.

[35:58] I think it's just another

[36:01] committee or another person in

[36:02] the committee which just so I

[36:04] do think I chair the committee

[36:07] and so either to the chair

[36:07] either that the member recused

[36:10] himself from the meeting and we

[36:14] still have four or we get

[36:15] another council member to sit

[36:15] in and is that right?

[36:18] I think the four of us with the

[36:21] city attorney and staff could

[36:24] really flesh out all the

[36:27] process issues and which is

[36:29] almost 90% done and and give us

[36:31] something that the council can

[36:33] react to relatively quickly

[36:37] even meeting this week right

[36:38] for the urgency of what we need

[36:41] to do so that I'm open and just

[36:43] to finish up then and I promise

[36:44] I'm done fine whether or not

[36:46] this council member chooses to

[36:46] recuse himself is going to

[36:49] impact my vote and support for

[36:51] this motion.

[36:54] So I, I think MS..

[36:56] I mean she I'm sorry.

[36:58] >> so I just have a question

[37:02] because I'm unclear as to I

[37:04] heard your motion,

[37:05] councilmember owens but I'm

[37:08] still unclear as to what would

[37:10] the committee actually be

[37:11] discussing and bringing forth.

[37:13] i just need clarity on what the

[37:16] outputs are of this motion.

[37:17] So what would what would the

[37:19] committee be doing?

[37:20] >> I would hope at least MAY I

[37:22] respond?

[37:22] >> yes.

[37:23] So my understanding and the

[37:25] reason I put this into the room

[37:25] I believe that a lot of the

[37:27] questions that have been raised

[37:30] here in addition the motion by

[37:31] councilmember mayfield around

[37:32] how we would engage more

[37:33] publicly and more collectively

[37:36] with candidates I personally

[37:37] have been reaching out to

[37:37] candidates individually.

[37:39] I'm assuming my colleagues have

[37:39] as well.

[37:41] But I am moved by the comment

[37:42] that it should perhaps be a

[37:44] little bit more deliberate a

[37:45] process.

[37:47] And so I think that the

[37:48] committee would be discussing

[37:48] these issues that we're raising

[37:51] around the dais today and as as

[37:53] the chair has indicated, I

[37:53] think that that meeting can

[37:56] happen very quickly this week

[37:57] so we can give some clarity but

[37:57] I don't think we're going to

[37:59] get there right now.

[38:00] And again, I'm sensitive to the

[38:02] time of the candidates in the

[38:02] room.

[38:03] Okay.

[38:04] If I can just finish up here.

[38:07] I also want to share that I

[38:10] have heard from several

[38:13] community members around this

[38:13] potential conflict of interest

[38:16] of having a council member

[38:19] participate in this process and

[38:22] effectively have a vote up

[38:22] against everyone else.

[38:25] And I know that I've shared it

[38:25] with the city attorney.

[38:27] I've asked her others have have

[38:28] shared it with me as well.

[38:30] But I'm hearing that from

[38:33] community members many, many

[38:33] times.

[38:34] So I think we need to address

[38:35] it in some shape or form.

[38:38] And if I can if I can answer or

[38:39] speak to the the question about

[38:43] a conflict of interest so 168

[38:46] dash 75 contemplates a

[38:49] responsibility for council

[38:52] members to vote unless there is

[38:52] a statutory purpose or reason I

[38:55] should say for why they should

[38:58] not be participating in a vote.

[38:59] For instance, if there's a

[39:01] financial interest under 14

[39:03] dash 234 or a conflict of

[39:06] interest under 160 d and so

[39:09] based upon that there is not a

[39:11] legal reason why council member

[39:14] a sitting council member could

[39:15] not vote for him or herself if

[39:16] they are part of the candidate

[39:17] pool in terms of precedence

[39:20] this has occurred previously.

[39:23] Mayor patsy kinzie did vote for

[39:25] herself prior vote in

[39:28] contemplation of her

[39:28] appointment and so this is not

[39:30] unprecedented nor is it a legal

[39:33] prohibition for a council

[39:34] member to to vote for him or

[39:34] herself.

[39:37] So so the attorney just a

[39:39] follow up to that.

[39:40] The interim mayor will be

[39:43] receive ing the salary of the

[39:45] mayor and transitioning from a

[39:48] council member to interim mayor

[39:51] is an increase in salary, is it

[39:51] not?

[39:53] It is so with that in turn give

[39:57] a different layer here someone

[39:59] I have the ability to vote for

[40:00] myself for a salary increase is

[40:02] that is that not against that

[40:05] line of conflict of interest

[40:09] 160 d excuse me 160 a 75 a does

[40:12] contemplate a salary component

[40:12] at council members voting for

[40:15] salaries as as well as other

[40:18] pieces of of an end analysis

[40:20] and that is permissible.

[40:21] It is a distinction you're

[40:24] correct, councilmember anderson

[40:26] that it is an increase but that

[40:26] would be that would be in line

[40:29] I would argue with council

[40:32] voting to increase that salary

[40:32] more more broadly like you

[40:34] would in a budget similar in

[40:38] fashion MISS A before I want to

[40:41] say MR. Arias, thank you, MADAM

[40:41] Mayor.

[40:44] >> right as we did I guess you

[40:46] just forgotten.

[40:49] Yeah, I'm here.

[40:49] Right?

[40:49] Well, I'm I just I'm really

[40:50] trying hard now.

[40:52] It would be very helpful if you

[40:53] actually took a number and tell

[40:54] me when.

[40:55] But right now I'm trying to get

[40:57] it around the table because

[40:58] we're going this way.

[41:01] So if that's against the law I

[41:02] mean, I didn't want kids

[41:03] council member okay.

[41:04] >> thank you very much.

[41:06] Let's go ahead please.

[41:07] >> thank you, MADAM Mayor.

[41:09] I do want to be clear.

[41:13] I think we voted on a timeline

[41:13] ,right.

[41:14] We didn't vote on a pay raise

[41:18] or appointing a colleague of

[41:19] ours to be enter mayor

[41:19] immediately.

[41:22] We voted on a timeline and a

[41:22] process that opened up the

[41:25] candidates for him.

[41:26] So I want that to be very clear

[41:28] that there is no gray area

[41:28] there.

[41:31] By the way, we did just vote on

[41:32] a budget that gave all council

[41:34] members and the mayor a pay

[41:34] increase.

[41:35] right.

[41:37] So that itself I mean if we're

[41:39] going to go through those

[41:42] definitions so be a you know,

[41:45] standard but that being said, I

[41:50] think it is 2:42 P.M. We are

[41:53] wasting these people's time by

[41:56] having a conversation about a

[41:56] process we should have had

[41:59] weeks ago.

[42:04] I think mayor we all as a

[42:05] council need to defer this to

[42:07] the budget committee and

[42:07] because we're just going to

[42:08] keep having questions and

[42:10] questions and questions and

[42:13] we're about to go up in our

[42:14] having cut into the candidates

[42:16] form that we all voted to have

[42:19] today to dedicate time for

[42:21] people to tell us their vision

[42:21] and seeking that interim

[42:23] position.

[42:24] >> all right.

[42:26] Thank you, MISS Johnson.

[42:27] Thank you.

[42:27] I'll support going to the

[42:29] budget committee but I will say

[42:31] that on MAY 7th when you

[42:32] submitted your resignation, I

[42:34] suggested we talk about this

[42:35] also I called a meeting last

[42:37] week council members to talk

[42:37] about this.

[42:40] So I apologize on behalf of

[42:40] council that this is the

[42:43] process that we're at today.

[42:43] >> thank you.

[42:46] I agree with you.

[42:47] We should have had a process

[42:49] but obviously that did not work

[42:52] and the right way and I think

[42:52] it's just another opportunity

[42:55] for us to understand that there

[42:55] are things that we need to do

[42:56] more.

[42:56] All right.

[42:58] With that, we have a motion on

[43:00] this mayor.

[43:03] I did not get an opportunity to

[43:06] speak or comment.

[43:06] I agree with councilmember

[43:08] johnson's.

[43:09] Had this been referred by you,

[43:11] mayor, several weeks ago we

[43:13] wouldn't be here where we are

[43:14] today.

[43:17] So I think all the candidates I

[43:18] agree with councilmember messer

[43:20] are yes, we are wasting their

[43:20] time.

[43:23] We should proceed in and then

[43:25] we can continue this

[43:26] conversation after the public

[43:28] hearing has ended to value

[43:31] their time so I would like I

[43:32] would like to make a very

[43:33] simple motion is to continue

[43:36] with the public hearing.

[43:39] As I mentioned, we have a

[43:40] motion we already have a motion

[43:42] on the floor because I think

[43:43] there is a lot of lot of

[43:45] questions around your motion

[43:46] and I think that we are not

[43:48] going to I will withdraw the

[43:50] motion if I MAY.

[43:50] I'm going to withdraw the

[43:53] motion for clarity in the room

[43:53] and allow council member

[43:56] whoever to go forward with some

[43:58] better motion display

[43:58] application.

[44:01] >> you have an amendment or a

[44:02] substitution to my motion

[44:04] that's on that's on the floor.

[44:04] >> okay.

[44:07] My substitute motion is to just

[44:08] proceed with a public forum and

[44:10] we will come back to all the

[44:11] questions and address it at the

[44:13] end.

[44:13] Second, second second, second

[44:15] is that a motion to table?

[44:16] >> is that a motion second

[44:18] motion to table right so we

[44:19] have a motion on the floor any

[44:21] further discussion hearing on

[44:24] all in favor.

[44:24] >> let's continue this.

[44:25] all right.

[44:27] So that's unanimous.

[44:29] I don't think we have it so so

[44:32] I think one of the questions

[44:33] that we're talking about is how

[44:35] are we going to get this motion

[44:38] and begin with this?

[44:41] So I've asked the city clerk's

[44:43] office if you billy would make

[44:44] sure everybody has the

[44:46] information that we all have

[44:48] the same list of people and

[44:49] then we can go ahead and begin

[44:51] the forum.

[44:54] All right, council members, any

[44:54] objection, any objection to

[44:57] starting right now?

[44:57] All right.

[44:57] Let's go.

[44:58] All right.

[44:59] Thank you, billy.

[45:02] Let's go for this.

[45:03] >> MADAM Mayor, would you like

[45:05] me to read the no, go ahead.

[45:05] Okay.

[45:08] So the first person to speak is

[45:11] john basham and I'm sorry if

[45:12] I'm saying your last name or

[45:15] whatever that one more time is

[45:17] that I was saying if you would

[45:19] just come it's it's still the

[45:21] process of two minutes.

[45:22] I know we MAY have taken a lot

[45:24] more for our own but if you

[45:24] would just stand in that middle

[45:27] case I don't know your be on tv

[45:30] tonight if all of the people in

[45:31] the news room are here today so

[45:32] thankful.

[45:33] That is fantastic.

[45:33] Thank you very much.

[45:35] So happy to be here.

[45:37] So happy to be going first.

[45:38] Yeah.

[45:40] So thank you very much.

[45:42] And my name's john apicella.

[45:45] I'm here as a mayoral candidate

[45:45] .

[45:47] >> I moved here 13 years ago.

[45:47] City adopted me.

[45:50] i love it here.

[45:51] I think it's the greatest one

[45:51] of the greatest cities in the

[45:53] country and this is just an

[45:56] amazing opportunity to help the

[45:59] city grow cities growing fast

[46:02] furious and I'd like to be able

[46:07] to help assure it in to a new a

[46:10] new age some things that I

[46:12] believe in tax the rich feed

[46:15] and house the poor.

[46:16] >> I think that's pretty basic

[46:18] and I think that I think that's

[46:23] that's I think taxing the rich

[46:26] to feed and house the poor is

[46:31] just basic human compassion,

[46:32] justice and equality for all.

[46:35] There are our systems are

[46:35] flawed.

[46:37] They've been that way since the

[46:42] inception and needs to be fixed

[46:45] more parks, less parking lots.

[46:48] >> our society is way too car

[46:48] centric in my opinion.

[46:51] The city has pockets of areas

[46:54] in which you don't need a car

[46:54] to survive.

[46:57] There should be more of those

[47:00] cameras on traffic lights.

[47:01] I've lived in a lot of cities.

[47:03] I've been in a lot of places

[47:06] nowhere else that I've been do

[47:09] people hit the gas pedal on a

[47:09] yellow light as much as they do

[47:10] in charlotte?

[47:15] It's dangerous in dc when I

[47:15] lived there they had cars on

[47:17] cameras on traffic lights.

[47:20] It raised a lot of money for

[47:23] the city and I think that's a

[47:25] pretty passive way to do that

[47:29] and to keep this brief them

[47:31] very very low on the list of

[47:34] priorities is I don't really

[47:35] see any other way in my life

[47:37] that I can meet my mom.

[47:37] >> donny and I would really

[47:38] like to do that.

[47:40] That's tom.

[47:40] Thank you.

[47:45] and you're a much our next our

[47:48] next speaker the next sorry the

[47:50] next speaker is out yeara I'll

[48:01] be your apology at the see you

[48:06] again next see to mary lyles is

[48:07] my time started my name is

[48:10] sarah I'll be area I currently

[48:10] serve as a senior district

[48:12] liaison for congresswoman adams

[48:13] where I have the privilege of

[48:15] helping our boss vulnerable

[48:15] constituents through their most

[48:18] challenging times prior to that

[48:18] I worked for the international

[48:21] organization for migration

[48:22] highlighting the stories of our

[48:23] vulnerable communities

[48:26] worldwide as a proud 40 niner

[48:29] I've seen charlotte grow into

[48:29] one of the fastest growing

[48:32] cities in america but with

[48:34] growth comes tremendous bond

[48:34] stability.

[48:37] We must ensure our city remains

[48:38] affordable, accessible, safe

[48:41] and full of opportunity for all

[48:41] of our residents.

[48:44] I've worked with constituents

[48:46] directly for years.

[48:47] I've helped them navigate

[48:49] issues from housing instability

[48:52] to immigration issues to vet

[48:55] delayed benefits.

[48:56] What I've learned from those

[48:58] experiences is that leadership

[48:59] is not about having all the

[48:59] answers.

[49:01] It's about listening showing up

[49:02] for your communities and

[49:04] honestly just doing your best

[49:07] to lend an ear when it's needed

[49:07] .

[49:07] As a daughter of immigrants and

[49:11] a muslim woman of color, I know

[49:13] better than ever that many of

[49:13] our residents experience the

[49:16] city differently and in times

[49:16] of uncertainty a lot of our

[49:19] residents felt immense fear

[49:21] when ice filled our communities

[49:21] .

[49:24] And honestly I felt a alongside

[49:28] them that that experience

[49:28] reinforced my belief that

[49:30] charlotte must remain a city

[49:32] that is welcoming and

[49:35] accessible and full of support

[49:36] for all of its residents.

[49:39] Everyone deserves to feel seen

[49:39] ,heard and safe where they

[49:42] call home.

[49:43] An interim mayor is not being

[49:45] asked to serve charlotte for

[49:45] the next decade.

[49:47] They're being asked to serve as

[49:50] a steward during a transitional

[49:51] period and much like you would

[49:53] trust someone to watch your

[49:54] home while you're away you

[49:57] would expect the city of

[49:57] charlotte to be in responsible

[49:59] hands.

[50:01] Now local government is one of

[50:01] the most influential and

[50:04] impactful forms of government.

[50:04] >> okay.

[50:05] Thank you.

[50:05] All right.

[50:11] You all right?

[50:32] Next we have ryan arriola.

[50:35] >> afternoon council.

[50:38] I am ryan mckenzie arioli I'm

[50:38] seeking the opportunity to

[50:41] serve as the next mayor of

[50:42] charlotte.

[50:44] Little bit about me I come from

[50:44] a working class family.

[50:47] I'm proud to be a first

[50:50] generation college grad and

[50:50] what those experiences have

[50:54] instilled in me and has taught

[50:55] me throughout my career is that

[50:56] when you work hard you have

[50:59] accountability and you you

[51:01] service these principles can

[51:02] really help you through your

[51:04] career and help you in

[51:05] leadership because it's all

[51:07] about that.

[51:08] and today I serve as the vice

[51:10] PRESIDENT Of marketing and

[51:12] development for a american

[51:13] manufacturing company.

[51:15] Here I lead innovation strategy

[51:15] .

[51:16] I work with cross-functional

[51:18] teams.

[51:19] And before that I worked as a

[51:21] scientist where, you know, I

[51:22] developed deep appreciation for

[51:24] facts, critical thinking and

[51:26] the ability to solve complex

[51:27] problems.

[51:27] I've also had the privilege of

[51:30] coaching middle school and high

[51:32] school soccer which has taught

[51:33] me a lot about leadership is

[51:35] more than an x's and o's.

[51:36] It's about helping these people

[51:38] be the best people they can be

[51:39] on and off the field.

[51:42] It's about developing a team

[51:42] around a common goal and

[51:44] focusing on developing

[51:44] individual people.

[51:47] And my belief is that good

[51:48] leaders create more leaders.

[51:50] They don't create followers.

[51:53] So it's always been something

[51:54] of my personal belief is that

[51:56] if I'm doing a good job more

[51:57] people are going to step up and

[51:59] be leaders and less people are

[52:00] going to be followers.

[52:02] >> and as an author I've had

[52:02] the opportunity to explore

[52:04] ideas around leadership and

[52:06] community and our shared

[52:07] responsibility to one another.

[52:09] >> writing has taught me the

[52:10] most important thing is

[52:12] listening and communicating and

[52:12] being clear in your

[52:12] communications.

[52:15] And it's also about bringing

[52:15] people together around a common

[52:18] idea and common values that we

[52:22] share and also I saw public

[52:24] office back in 2020 and i

[52:25] gained an even deeper

[52:27] appreciation of the importance

[52:28] of civic engagement in public

[52:30] service campaigning taught me

[52:32] that leadership begins with

[52:33] listening.

[52:33] It also taught me how to engage

[52:35] with people from different

[52:36] backgrounds perspectives and

[52:38] that's time.

[52:38] Thank you.

[52:46] Thank you.

[53:00] Next we have neul from neul.

[53:01] He did sony's all right last

[53:03] name is o y a al where are you?

[53:05] Last name address and he said

[53:08] it was same and the last thing

[53:10] I was doing the first thing

[53:10] thank you.

[53:19] There is no this is a $10,000

[53:19] bill.

[53:21] Exactly how much of a salary

[53:24] decrease I will take if I'm

[53:24] elected mayor.

[53:27] It it's not about the money for

[53:30] me is by integrity is about

[53:30] letting a mayoral official he

[53:32] knows exactly what he's doing

[53:32] and doesn't.

[53:33] I'm born and raised in

[53:36] charlotte, north carolina.

[53:36] I've seen the grow ups and

[53:38] developed when I was 2015 I

[53:41] wasn't on an scholars program

[53:41] and I had to attend a city

[53:43] planning class where they

[53:44] showed solid growth rate in

[53:45] comparison to all the other

[53:47] cities major cities in the

[53:47] south.

[53:49] So all this growth rate is

[53:50] unprecedented in comparison to

[53:53] any other city in america is

[53:55] exponentially growing and the

[53:56] problems is having it are not

[54:00] being solved that for instance

[54:01] if you use the equation p

[54:05] equals 810,000 does want 1.222

[54:09] power to where t is any every

[54:10] year past 2015 when I first in

[54:14] that class it went from 2015

[54:18] population 800,000 to over 1

[54:19] million almost is going way too

[54:21] high which first and the

[54:22] infrastructure that I saw that

[54:24] was originally built for was

[54:26] only built for 500,000 people.

[54:28] So we are way past massive

[54:29] capacity and we need to make

[54:31] sure we we absorb the

[54:34] surrounding communities and

[54:34] increase wages for everybody.

[54:37] So this is livable and

[54:39] sustainable right now I know I

[54:40] don't have too much experience

[54:42] in politics.

[54:43] I do have a long service career

[54:45] with the post office working

[54:46] for the federal government so I

[54:48] do have a loves in that way and

[54:51] I appreciate you so much and

[54:52] grateful for the opportunity to

[54:52] be your man.

[55:01] Thank you, governor and next is

[55:12] barrett berry.

[55:12] I wrote remarks to keep me to

[55:13] two minutes.

[55:15] I've been a pastor so have much

[55:18] time.

[55:18] Thank you for the opportunity

[55:20] to be considered for the

[55:23] position of interim mayor of

[55:24] city of charlotte my name is

[55:25] barrett berry.

[55:26] I'm a former white house staff

[55:28] member small business owner,

[55:28] educator, nonprofit executive

[55:31] pastor and community leader for

[55:31] nearly a decade I've called

[55:33] shawn home and dedicated my

[55:34] professional, civic and faith

[55:37] based leadership to serving the

[55:37] people and neighborhoods of

[55:39] this great city.

[55:40] I came to charlotte in 2016

[55:41] with only one filming here in

[55:43] the city of charlotte through

[55:44] service relationship building

[55:46] and community engagement I have

[55:47] had the privilege of working

[55:49] alongside residents business

[55:50] leaders, educators, health care

[55:52] providers, nonprofit

[55:53] organizations, faith leaders

[55:55] and public officials throughout

[55:56] mecklenburg county.

[55:58] I've been appointed to serve to

[55:59] serve on leadership positions

[56:01] by the clinton white house to

[56:02] multiple senior roles by the

[56:04] governor of massachusetts is

[56:05] deval patrick and senior roles

[56:07] I've been appointed by governor

[56:08] roy cooper to serve on a

[56:10] statewide board.

[56:11] I've been appointed by the

[56:13] mecklenburg county board of

[56:13] commissioners to serve as a

[56:16] board and now I'm ready to be

[56:16] appointed by charlotte city

[56:18] council.

[56:18] So only place I haven't served

[56:21] in some capacity in leadership

[56:24] in government is city level.

[56:26] I'm graduated morse from

[56:26] college with two degrees in

[56:27] political science africana

[56:29] studies and graduate harvard

[56:31] university and is also in a

[56:32] fellow in the harvard center

[56:34] for public leadership where the

[56:37] current with a former mayor

[56:37] anthony fox now the director

[56:40] and so I'm very familiar with

[56:41] prepare to be a leader here in

[56:43] the city of charlotte I

[56:46] systematically approach being a

[56:47] mayor of a city city of south

[56:49] bend where I ran against people

[56:49] to judge.

[56:49] He became PRESIDENT.

[56:52] I became pastor but I did that

[56:54] strategically my education, my

[56:55] leadership roles and the like.

[56:58] I've been a speechwriter at the

[56:58] highest levels of government

[57:01] I've been a senior advisor to

[57:01] small business administration.

[57:03] I've been by small businesses

[57:04] throughout the country.

[57:06] i've been in government and

[57:08] politics over 30 years.

[57:09] I've been a PRESIDENT's

[57:10] surrogate speaker across the

[57:11] country for two presidential

[57:13] candidates and I've served I'm

[57:16] ready to serve here in the city

[57:16] of charlotte.

[57:20] >> I do.

[57:28] Next is janey caldwell.

[57:28] MS..

[57:36] Caldwell announced in JUNE on

[57:39] caldwell janey caldwell all

[57:39] right.

[57:42] I'll continue to go through the

[57:43] list and if she comes we can go

[57:44] back.

[57:49] The next person is dear jerry

[57:50] clarida.

[58:00] Clarida greetings city council

[58:01] in charlotte residence I'm

[58:03] going to open up with my quote

[58:06] by quote of my favorite author

[58:06] toni morrison somebody has to

[58:09] take responsibility for being a

[58:09] leader.

[58:12] Items are declared a license

[58:12] social work practitioner and

[58:15] ph.D. Candidate and a native of

[58:15] north carolina born in a

[58:18] piedmont triad area and raised

[58:18] between the triad area and

[58:21] charlotte, north carolina

[58:22] specifically on the west side

[58:24] west boulevard as an alumnus

[58:27] party university high school a

[58:27] first generation college

[58:28] graduate of north carolina

[58:29] state university with a

[58:30] bachelor's degree in social

[58:32] work a master's degree in

[58:34] social work from the university

[58:35] at illinois-chicago with a

[58:38] specialization and organization

[58:39] and community practice and a

[58:41] current ph.D. Candidate in the

[58:41] school of social work at morgan

[58:43] state university.

[58:44] I'm interested in interested in

[58:46] serving as interim mayor due to

[58:49] my commitment to serve as

[58:50] leadership and prioritizing the

[58:52] needs of our charlotte

[58:52] constituents who I continue in

[58:55] a seamless transition focused

[58:57] on the city's core priorities

[59:00] and the governing body's focus

[59:01] areas for the city charlotte

[59:03] including affordable housing,

[59:03] transportation, mobility,

[59:06] community safety and more.

[59:06] With my experiences in

[59:10] diversity and non nonprofit

[59:10] community based agencies health

[59:12] care and higher education

[59:15] working with individuals,

[59:16] families, organizations and

[59:16] communities throughout the

[59:18] charlotte community and large

[59:21] urban cities I have developed a

[59:21] wealth of knowledge and

[59:22] experience prioritized

[59:24] underneath a people essential

[59:25] to my personal professional

[59:27] goal as serving as interim

[59:27] mayor.

[59:29] The message is clear to serve

[59:30] lee and provide special

[59:33] attention to the concerns of

[59:34] the community.

[59:36] Thank you all for your time and

[59:40] support and consideration.

[59:56] Nathan clark what's up

[59:56] everybody?

[59:57] Another beautiful day in the

[59:59] best city in america.

[1:00:02] My name is nathan clark.

[1:00:03] I was born in fayetteville,

[1:00:03] north carolina.

[1:00:07] I grew up in noda from 98 until

[1:00:08] about 2006.

[1:00:08] Then I lived in west charlotte

[1:00:10] after that.

[1:00:12] Then I graduated from lincoln

[1:00:12] charter and I'm the first man

[1:00:15] in my college or my in my

[1:00:15] family to graduate from

[1:00:15] college.

[1:00:17] I graduated from you in S.C.

[1:00:18] With a double major in policy

[1:00:20] in history during that I

[1:00:23] interned for congressman

[1:00:25] patrick mchenry so I got my

[1:00:25] first foot in the door with

[1:00:26] politics.

[1:00:29] Then and it was pretty eye

[1:00:31] opening to say the least

[1:00:31] because when you work for

[1:00:34] somebody you don't agree with,

[1:00:34] you see all the ways that they

[1:00:37] don't work for the people that

[1:00:39] they you know, voted them in.

[1:00:43] So in the meantime I have been

[1:00:46] driving uber so I've spoken

[1:00:46] with a lot of people that live

[1:00:49] in charlotte across all I would

[1:00:52] say spectrums of the socio

[1:00:55] economic platform and we got a

[1:00:56] lot of problems here that

[1:00:57] aren't getting met specifically

[1:00:58] at the lower end of the

[1:01:00] spectrum we've had thousands

[1:01:03] and thousands of people kicked

[1:01:04] out of their houses

[1:01:06] grandparents because they

[1:01:06] couldn't afford to pay the

[1:01:08] taxes because the property

[1:01:11] valuations so my goal if I were

[1:01:14] to lead would be to rewrite tax

[1:01:17] code for the locals and see how

[1:01:19] we can get equity across the

[1:01:22] board for our lower you know,

[1:01:23] people on the lower end of the

[1:01:25] socio economic spectrum and

[1:01:28] definitely do something about

[1:01:28] traffic because it's bananas

[1:01:29] out there.

[1:01:32] It's like a grand theft auto

[1:01:34] server seriously like I don't I

[1:01:34] don't know what people are

[1:01:35] doing when they're driving

[1:01:37] anymore but we we got a lot of

[1:01:38] work to do especially as far as

[1:01:40] the infrastructure goes and I'm

[1:01:42] a big believer in changing the

[1:01:45] infrastructure and putting more

[1:01:47] money into education because

[1:01:48] the kids are going to be the

[1:01:50] next you know they come after

[1:01:50] us.

[1:01:53] so more money for education,

[1:01:54] more money for infrastructure

[1:01:56] and that's my time.

[1:02:03] Yeah, that clay wall clay will

[1:02:18] colleges stress stress?

[1:02:20] >> that's a great thank you at

[1:02:21] the microphone.

[1:02:23] >> oh sure.

[1:02:26] >> great honorable city council

[1:02:26] members, distinguished guests

[1:02:29] and MADAM Mayor, thank you for

[1:02:29] your time.

[1:02:32] Hi, I'm zack.

[1:02:32] Nice to meet you.

[1:02:34] I'm running for interim mayor

[1:02:35] of charlotte, north carolina

[1:02:37] because I love the queen city

[1:02:40] and I want to make a brighter

[1:02:41] future for all charlatans and

[1:02:44] also I really need a job.

[1:02:46] I have like many in our

[1:02:47] community who've been affected

[1:02:48] by corporate layoffs recently

[1:02:49] and according to linkedin, this

[1:02:52] is the only available job in

[1:02:52] the city.

[1:02:57] So that's where I'm here.

[1:02:59] I know you're thinking you know

[1:03:00] yeah, this guy looks like the

[1:03:02] riddler if he was into urban

[1:03:03] planning.

[1:03:06] Okay, I get that I know that I

[1:03:07] was just on the internet saying

[1:03:10] I would drink 964,000 beers one

[1:03:13] for every charlatan I did.

[1:03:14] Those could disqualify me.

[1:03:16] But I know that I could rise to

[1:03:16] this occasion.

[1:03:19] Yes, I know that the mayor of

[1:03:22] charlotte has the 13th or 14th

[1:03:22] most powerful person in the

[1:03:25] city has immense pressure on

[1:03:27] them and I can be there for

[1:03:27] that.

[1:03:31] I know that I'm hilarious,

[1:03:31] handsome and heroic who wrote

[1:03:34] this but I don't have the

[1:03:37] government experience of the

[1:03:37] esteemed panel before me.

[1:03:40] But what I do have are big

[1:03:40] ideas.

[1:03:42] I'm here for one big idea and

[1:03:42] one big idea only.

[1:03:44] We need to make to 77 of river.

[1:03:48] That's right.

[1:03:48] We need to cap the freeway and

[1:03:51] turn it into a linear park and

[1:03:51] we need to have beautiful

[1:03:55] waterways encircled the queen

[1:03:55] city.

[1:03:55] I mean imagine it.

[1:03:57] We could be the venice of the

[1:03:58] south.

[1:04:00] We could be having a lazy river

[1:04:01] by panther stadium instead of

[1:04:04] dodging ultimate or mellow ball

[1:04:08] on the highway.

[1:04:11] >> how am I doing on time now

[1:04:11] you're saying well what about

[1:04:11] traffic?

[1:04:14] I answer that question the way

[1:04:15] I answer every question that's

[1:04:17] ever been asked of me trains we

[1:04:17] need more trains.

[1:04:18] I want to see trains to the

[1:04:20] airport.

[1:04:21] I want to see trains to atlanta

[1:04:23] trains to gastonia and rock

[1:04:24] hill.

[1:04:24] I want trains to john g's

[1:04:27] barbecues so I don't have a dui

[1:04:27] if I drink a beer at georgie's

[1:04:29] barbecue.

[1:04:29] Okay.

[1:04:30] I want trains everywhere except

[1:04:32] matthews.

[1:04:33] >> those people hate trains.

[1:04:35] I don't know why.

[1:04:35] Thank you for your time and

[1:04:36] thank you for your service.

[1:04:38] Thank you for the opportunity

[1:04:40] to get a good laugh.

[1:04:46] You can point I know harold

[1:04:46] card.

[1:04:49] That's not funny and I don't

[1:04:51] think harold cocktail it's okay

[1:04:59] to I just got to say that's a

[1:05:02] hard act to follow utterly

[1:05:05] impossible MADAM Mayor, members

[1:05:11] of council of a applicants for

[1:05:11] the appointment position and

[1:05:12] other stakeholders in the

[1:05:13] community city staff thank you

[1:05:14] for this opportunity to be here

[1:05:16] today.

[1:05:19] I my name is harold cocktail

[1:05:20] and I'm humbled to be entrusted

[1:05:22] with the privilege to once

[1:05:23] again serve the people of this

[1:05:26] incredible crown jewel of a

[1:05:26] community if this board so

[1:05:29] chooses to give me that

[1:05:31] opportunity I would like to

[1:05:33] take the time today to speak to

[1:05:34] this board about three very

[1:05:36] important considerations that I

[1:05:39] hope this board would consider

[1:05:39] to take into consideration.

[1:05:44] My and my apologies as those

[1:05:45] three things are experienced

[1:05:45] motivation and governing

[1:05:47] philosophy one experience I

[1:05:50] have served at the dyess that

[1:05:53] you said I have served as a

[1:05:53] council member and

[1:05:54] commissioner.

[1:05:54] I have served as CHAIRMAN And

[1:05:56] vice CHAIRMAN Of the

[1:05:56] mecklenburg county board of

[1:05:58] commissioners, CHAIRMAN Of the

[1:05:59] charlotte housing authority and

[1:06:01] in my capacity as CHAIRMAN Of

[1:06:02] mecklenburg county commission,

[1:06:04] CHAIRMAN Of the metropolitan

[1:06:05] transit commission, I have had

[1:06:07] the I've been humbled to have

[1:06:10] the opportunity to serve this

[1:06:10] community in many fashions have

[1:06:12] been both on board of advisors

[1:06:13] for the charlotte chamber as

[1:06:15] well as a lifetime member of

[1:06:16] the charlotte-mecklenburg black

[1:06:18] political caucus.

[1:06:21] I've had many, many discussion

[1:06:22] ins policy discussions,

[1:06:24] budgetary meetings and

[1:06:24] impromptu discussions about

[1:06:28] policy on both the 11th and

[1:06:30] 15th floor in this building.

[1:06:30] >> it is something that i

[1:06:32] believe that that experience

[1:06:34] will give me the opportunity to

[1:06:35] begin day one to serve this

[1:06:38] board and serve this community.

[1:06:40] But experience is one thing.

[1:06:42] Motivation is another.

[1:06:43] I have no future political

[1:06:46] aspirations.

[1:06:48] I've been enormously blessed to

[1:06:51] quote shirley chisholm services

[1:06:52] the rent we pay for the

[1:06:52] privilege of living on this

[1:06:54] earth.

[1:06:54] I fully recognize and I'm ever

[1:06:57] mindful that we have

[1:07:00] experienced great prosperity in

[1:07:00] this community but so many in

[1:07:03] this community have also been

[1:07:06] left behind in the wow that was

[1:07:06] really fast.

[1:07:16] Thank you for thank you to this

[1:07:27] daniel conner journalist good

[1:07:29] afternoon and thank you for

[1:07:29] having me today.

[1:07:31] >> my name is daniel conner.

[1:07:34] I am a native of the charlotte

[1:07:35] area, was originally born in

[1:07:39] salisbury but moved here in

[1:07:39] 1984.

[1:07:41] My dad has always worked in

[1:07:42] this area well actually in the

[1:07:45] city he was an architect with j

[1:07:47] and p's and associates when

[1:07:48] they were on independence

[1:07:51] boulevard and he loves this

[1:07:56] city and he's always been very

[1:07:56] invested in charlotte's growth

[1:07:59] and development and he's passed

[1:08:01] that passion on to me and it's

[1:08:02] something that I am very

[1:08:04] interested in being a part of

[1:08:05] as well.

[1:08:08] Before I get into that though,

[1:08:08] I'd like to talk about the role

[1:08:10] of interim mayor.

[1:08:13] You know the mayoral position

[1:08:16] has been one of benevolent

[1:08:17] tillery ever since anthony fox

[1:08:20] left to be the secretary of

[1:08:23] transportation and I don't

[1:08:23] blame him.

[1:08:24] It's a great job.

[1:08:26] It's an amazing opportunity.

[1:08:29] But as interim mayor I want to

[1:08:32] establish myself as someone who

[1:08:32] provides a steady, stable and

[1:08:35] consistent presence in the

[1:08:37] office of mayor while

[1:08:41] dedicating myself to working to

[1:08:42] reduce and even eliminate the

[1:08:44] political polarity we've

[1:08:47] experienced for the last ten

[1:08:50] years or so in charlotte and of

[1:08:52] course nationwide.

[1:08:55] If I'm chosen to be the interim

[1:08:57] mayor I want to work towards

[1:08:59] something I call the charlotte

[1:09:03] vision for 2040 which is a

[1:09:03] bold, aggressive and consistent

[1:09:08] concept for growth in charlotte

[1:09:11] that addresses jobs.

[1:09:14] It addresses affordable

[1:09:14] housing, it addresses

[1:09:17] infrastructure and it would

[1:09:20] actually culminate with

[1:09:20] charlotte being able to host

[1:09:25] the 2040 summer olympics while

[1:09:26] diversifying our strengths as a

[1:09:28] city.

[1:09:28] The immediate impact for

[1:09:31] implementing this plan calls

[1:09:32] for significant expansion and

[1:09:34] upgrades in our public

[1:09:36] transportation particularly

[1:09:37] light rail and possibly high

[1:09:40] speed rail and that's my time.

[1:09:40] >> thank you.

[1:09:55] Thank you jerry kirk good

[1:09:58] afternoon mayor and members of

[1:09:58] council.

[1:10:01] I'm carrie cook and I'm proud

[1:10:01] to stand before you today to

[1:10:02] request your support for the

[1:10:04] interim charlotte mayor role.

[1:10:07] I was raised in charlotte,

[1:10:07] attended cmf schools and I'm

[1:10:09] still firmly rooted here with

[1:10:10] my children and family long

[1:10:12] before I served in executive

[1:10:13] leadership roles I serve the

[1:10:15] people of charlotte without a

[1:10:16] title.

[1:10:18] Charlotte is in a unique moment

[1:10:18] .

[1:10:19] We have incredible momentum to

[1:10:22] continue building a world class

[1:10:24] city and with that there

[1:10:24] remains opportunity.

[1:10:27] We have families who cannot

[1:10:28] afford to stay in the

[1:10:30] neighborhoods they built.

[1:10:30] We have residents who need to

[1:10:33] feel safer in their communities

[1:10:34] and we have growth that that

[1:10:36] demands intentional planning

[1:10:37] with community.

[1:10:39] >> I have spent my career

[1:10:40] working inside these very

[1:10:42] issues listening, building

[1:10:42] coalitions and advancing

[1:10:45] solutions.

[1:10:46] I did I did much of that work

[1:10:48] together with you all and I

[1:10:49] thank you for your leadership

[1:10:51] at the federal reserve.

[1:10:51] I help drive capital investment

[1:10:54] towards under-resourced

[1:10:54] communities.

[1:10:55] Before that I built greenlight

[1:10:57] fund charlotte from the ground

[1:11:00] up because our city deserves a

[1:11:00] model that supports economic

[1:11:03] mobility for residents with

[1:11:03] real results.

[1:11:05] We did just that with

[1:11:06] collaborative investments in

[1:11:09] safety neighborhoods and

[1:11:10] workforce development and we

[1:11:12] did it together with you.

[1:11:12] So thank you for your work at

[1:11:15] the charlotte regional business

[1:11:15] alliance.

[1:11:17] I galvanize advocacy campaigns

[1:11:18] for streets housing schools

[1:11:21] because quality of life should

[1:11:23] not depend on your zip code.

[1:11:24] And I sat at the table where

[1:11:26] business government, community

[1:11:27] and other partners had to find

[1:11:29] yes together even when they did

[1:11:32] not initially agree.

[1:11:32] That's an important role for

[1:11:34] the mayor to play to bring

[1:11:35] together different perspectives

[1:11:37] and power council to hear

[1:11:38] resident voices and make

[1:11:40] decisions to advance its

[1:11:40] priorities.

[1:11:41] The development of your

[1:11:43] priorities made it clear that

[1:11:44] trust, transparency and

[1:11:46] execution are critical in this

[1:11:49] moment and in this moment you

[1:11:52] must have the right experience

[1:11:52] .

[1:11:52] So this is what I'm offering to

[1:11:54] you the moment we're in right

[1:11:55] now demands someone who is

[1:11:57] working to address these issues

[1:11:58] today.

[1:11:58] >> thank you so much for your

[1:12:03] support.

[1:12:19] Jeremy decarlo thank you so

[1:12:22] much for having me today.

[1:12:22] My name is jeremy de carlos.

[1:12:24] I will not take up too much of

[1:12:25] your time as far as experience

[1:12:27] goes I have not run for any

[1:12:30] public office nor have I been

[1:12:33] in a community leader position

[1:12:33] of this sort.

[1:12:36] What I am is a performer and I

[1:12:39] am a carolina boy and what I

[1:12:42] could bring to this job is

[1:12:45] communication and ear to listen

[1:12:45] and the opportunity to work

[1:12:48] with city leaders to make a

[1:12:51] difference for the people that

[1:12:52] live in this city at the

[1:12:54] position that I am in on the

[1:12:55] ground floor I hear lots of

[1:12:59] discussion and I hear lots of

[1:13:02] special feelings about what it

[1:13:03] is like to live in this city

[1:13:05] and in a position of

[1:13:06] leadership.

[1:13:08] What I would hope to do is to

[1:13:11] level the playing field for

[1:13:14] those who are lower income and

[1:13:19] to make a better equitable and

[1:13:20] a better running city in the

[1:13:22] interim.

[1:13:27] >> thank you very much michael

[1:13:53] evans MADAM Mayor, members of

[1:13:56] council ladies and gentlemen, I

[1:13:58] am mike evans.

[1:13:59] I appreciate the opportunity to

[1:14:01] address you this afternoon.

[1:14:04] There are several applicants

[1:14:06] among the applicant pool who

[1:14:07] could serve in this role.

[1:14:10] Your challenge in my opinion is

[1:14:12] to decide who has the

[1:14:13] combination of skills

[1:14:15] experience and personal

[1:14:18] qualities to work

[1:14:20] collaboratively with you over

[1:14:20] the next 18 months to make

[1:14:22] charlotte a better place for

[1:14:25] all charlotte teens?

[1:14:26] I'm confident that we can work

[1:14:28] together a effectively to

[1:14:31] achieve this goal.

[1:14:33] I arrived in charlotte in 1980.

[1:14:35] Charlotte opened up its arms

[1:14:36] and provided me with

[1:14:36] opportunities to grow

[1:14:39] personally and professionally.

[1:14:42] I've had the opportunity to

[1:14:45] lead in politics, education and

[1:14:45] business.

[1:14:46] I owned a financial planning

[1:14:48] firm for 27 years.

[1:14:51] I also served as a professor of

[1:14:52] finance and went through and

[1:14:54] chair of the department of

[1:14:55] business administration at

[1:14:56] johnson c smith university.

[1:15:00] I've remained engaged by

[1:15:00] serving on a host of boards

[1:15:03] including serving as treasurer

[1:15:06] of the united way chair of tvi,

[1:15:09] PRESIDENT Of leadership

[1:15:09] charlotte serving on the c p,

[1:15:12] c, c and a b c boards most

[1:15:15] recently I served on the board

[1:15:18] the c r va serving two years as

[1:15:18] chair.

[1:15:22] It has been my ongoing mission

[1:15:24] to give back to the city that i

[1:15:24] love.

[1:15:27] It is the limited term of this

[1:15:30] opportunity that so appealing

[1:15:30] to me.

[1:15:31] I will be fully committed to

[1:15:33] being the best mayor that I can

[1:15:36] be without the challenge of

[1:15:39] simultaneously managing a

[1:15:41] career if selected it is my

[1:15:42] place to give the city

[1:15:44] everything I've got for the

[1:15:45] next 18 months.

[1:15:48] There is absolutely no scenario

[1:15:51] in which I will seek this or

[1:15:53] any other seat in 20 27.

[1:15:55] >> thank you you.

[1:16:26] >> gregory fagan good afternoon

[1:16:26] .

[1:16:29] Thank you for the opportunity

[1:16:30] for me to talk with you today.

[1:16:33] My name is greg fagan and a

[1:16:35] brief summary of my background

[1:16:35] .

[1:16:36] I have a B.A. In political

[1:16:38] science from chapel hill, a

[1:16:40] master's degree with a

[1:16:41] concentration in finance from

[1:16:43] the university of alabama, a

[1:16:46] juris doctorate degree law

[1:16:47] degree if you will, from the

[1:16:49] university of alabama in

[1:16:49] tuscaloosa.

[1:16:52] After law school I practiced

[1:16:53] law in alabama for a couple of

[1:16:55] years and then in the mid 80s

[1:16:58] returned to charlotte where I

[1:16:58] worked for a new york stock

[1:17:01] exchange company for 20 years

[1:17:02] and then started my own law

[1:17:04] firm.

[1:17:04] >> the mayor of charlotte has

[1:17:07] the unique opportunity to make

[1:17:10] the lives better for every

[1:17:12] citizen in charlotte.

[1:17:13] >> how does the mayor do that?

[1:17:15] Simply make charlotte the best

[1:17:18] place in the country for for

[1:17:18] people to live.

[1:17:21] Well, how does the mayor do

[1:17:21] that?

[1:17:22] let me touch on a couple of

[1:17:24] things that come to mind.

[1:17:26] >> focus on affordability, not

[1:17:29] just the cost of goods in

[1:17:30] charlotte but the actual cost

[1:17:32] of living in charlotte.

[1:17:35] >> economic development

[1:17:38] opportunities for souls for

[1:17:42] sole proprietors small business

[1:17:44] up to 4500 companies.

[1:17:48] >> environmental concerns in

[1:17:48] order to be the best city you

[1:17:51] have to have the best drinking

[1:17:51] water.

[1:17:53] You have to have the best air

[1:17:53] to breathe.

[1:17:56] What about infrastructure?

[1:17:57] It's been mentioned before can

[1:17:59] we simply get traffic moving in

[1:18:00] charlotte and can we provide

[1:18:03] public transportation to make

[1:18:04] it easier for the citizens of

[1:18:06] charlotte to get around?

[1:18:08] >> and what about safety?

[1:18:09] >> you cannot be the best city

[1:18:11] to live in if you're not one of

[1:18:14] the safest cities to live in.

[1:18:17] And furthermore education in

[1:18:18] order to be a great city you

[1:18:19] have to have one of the

[1:18:22] greatest educational programs

[1:18:22] in the country.

[1:18:24] >> I have the background,

[1:18:25] education and experience to

[1:18:28] address these issues.

[1:18:33] >> thank you very much.

[1:18:53] Jacob fulk and fallon sebastian

[1:18:56] sekulic specialist.

[1:19:06] Thank you.

[1:19:06] Good afternoon.

[1:19:09] Council members.

[1:19:10] My name is sebastian fetzer.

[1:19:12] I'm a representative of the

[1:19:12] ironworkers union.

[1:19:15] I am also one of the vice

[1:19:15] presidents of the charlotte

[1:19:17] metro line central labor

[1:19:17] council.

[1:19:20] We represent over 30,000

[1:19:23] different workers in the city

[1:19:23] in different industry both

[1:19:26] public and private sector folks

[1:19:28] from bus drivers, communication

[1:19:31] workers, construction workers.

[1:19:32] And basically our job is to

[1:19:35] understand our issue of discuss

[1:19:37] it with elected officials and

[1:19:40] fight for the different

[1:19:40] problems that they MAY have in

[1:19:41] the city.

[1:19:44] I'm also one of the vice

[1:19:44] presidents of the north

[1:19:46] carolina afl-cio, the labor

[1:19:47] federation of north carolina

[1:19:48] alongside one of our four

[1:19:50] former council members and one

[1:19:53] of additional backgrounds.

[1:19:55] I have lived here for about 20

[1:19:56] years now on and off a little

[1:19:58] bit but mostly in the city of

[1:19:58] charlotte.

[1:19:59] I do have a degree in economics

[1:20:01] from you and charlotte as well

[1:20:01] as political science.

[1:20:04] I wanted to place my name for

[1:20:07] the consideration because I do

[1:20:07] believe that the position of

[1:20:09] the interim mayor can do so

[1:20:13] much more to continue our

[1:20:15] support for the many workers

[1:20:16] who live in the city.

[1:20:18] We'll continue to struggle.

[1:20:19] That's one of the biggest

[1:20:21] problems we continue to hear

[1:20:21] about.

[1:20:22] You know, it's not fair that so

[1:20:24] many of our workers you know,

[1:20:27] they do what they're supposed

[1:20:27] to do.

[1:20:28] They work to 40 hours or

[1:20:29] overtime and they still

[1:20:30] struggle to afford a standard

[1:20:32] of living here in the city of

[1:20:33] charlotte.

[1:20:35] I want to continue to find

[1:20:37] solutions to support them

[1:20:38] whether it's through affordable

[1:20:40] housing which is the number one

[1:20:41] issue that we continue to hear

[1:20:41] about.

[1:20:44] i feel like we do bring in some

[1:20:46] band-aids and support but

[1:20:47] there's so much more that we

[1:20:48] can do.

[1:20:51] Things like we do appreciate

[1:20:52] things like the transportation

[1:20:52] referendum.

[1:20:54] It did actually create so many

[1:20:57] more jobs good union jobs for

[1:20:58] charlotte workers.

[1:21:01] We have construction workers

[1:21:01] building out parts of the light

[1:21:02] rail now and hopefully

[1:21:04] hopefully the future expansions

[1:21:07] we have more access for more

[1:21:09] bus drivers.

[1:21:09] And we're looking forward to

[1:21:12] the continued investments in

[1:21:12] infrastructure such as that.

[1:21:15] It'd be nice to see maybe some

[1:21:17] sort of public plan for the

[1:21:18] gateway project.

[1:21:20] I think a lot of folks are

[1:21:21] looking forward to that.

[1:21:23] But thank you so much for the

[1:21:24] consideration.

[1:21:26] Hopefully you can consider me

[1:21:26] for supporting workers in

[1:21:31] charlotte.

[1:21:54] Derek foresman coby foster and

[1:21:54] .

[1:21:55] >> good afternoon.

[1:21:58] My name is coby foster and I

[1:22:00] live in councilmember owens

[1:22:00] district.

[1:22:01] >> I want to begin with a

[1:22:01] simple point.

[1:22:03] I'm not here to replace your

[1:22:04] vision of charlotte.

[1:22:06] I'm helped to hear I'm here to

[1:22:08] help you execute it in a

[1:22:09] campaign.

[1:22:11] Candidates run on their own

[1:22:11] vision.

[1:22:12] And in a campaign it would be

[1:22:14] appropriate to cast that

[1:22:14] vision.

[1:22:17] Casting a vision is a privilege

[1:22:18] and is a privilege that neither

[1:22:20] I nor any other candidate today

[1:22:20] have earned.

[1:22:22] You have though voters chose

[1:22:22] you.

[1:22:25] And what I offer is not a

[1:22:26] competing agenda.

[1:22:28] But what I offer is the ability

[1:22:29] to help turn your agenda into

[1:22:29] action.

[1:22:32] I'm a businessman through and

[1:22:34] through and over the last 20

[1:22:34] years I've worked in a number

[1:22:36] of industries and just passed

[1:22:37] my seven year mark in aerospace

[1:22:40] and advanced manufacturing.

[1:22:41] In my world big ideas do not

[1:22:43] leave the ground because

[1:22:43] someone gave a good speech.

[1:22:46] They leave the ground because a

[1:22:46] team defines a mission, builds

[1:22:49] a plan, manages risk, assigns

[1:22:51] responsibility, traps tracks

[1:22:52] progress and communicates

[1:22:55] clearly when things change.

[1:22:55] You would think that building

[1:22:57] airplanes is hard but I've

[1:22:58] heard politics might be even

[1:23:00] harder.

[1:23:01] >> but the same principles

[1:23:02] apply.

[1:23:03] Be clear about a goal.

[1:23:05] Respect the people doing the

[1:23:05] work.

[1:23:05] Keep meetings organized.

[1:23:08] Measure progress.

[1:23:09] And do not let ego get in the

[1:23:11] way of execution.

[1:23:13] >> the role that I that I

[1:23:14] believe an interim mayor should

[1:23:14] play.

[1:23:17] Not the star of the show.

[1:23:17] Not the 12th member.

[1:23:18] Not the 12th council member.

[1:23:20] Not a future opponent.

[1:23:20] A facilitator.

[1:23:23] A steady hand and a bridge

[1:23:26] between council and its goals

[1:23:26] to its constituents.

[1:23:29] The prior priorities are

[1:23:29] already in front of us.

[1:23:31] Great neighborhoods safe

[1:23:31] communities.

[1:23:32] Transportation and planning.

[1:23:34] Well-managed government.

[1:23:35] And a workforce and business

[1:23:37] development.

[1:23:37] If selected I would meet with

[1:23:40] each of you understand your

[1:23:42] priorities help organize work,

[1:23:43] communicate clearly and support

[1:23:46] the goals voters entrusted you

[1:23:46] to lead.

[1:23:49] I am not asking council to

[1:23:49] follow me.

[1:23:50] I'm asking for the opportunity

[1:23:51] to help charlotte follow

[1:23:54] through on its promises.

[1:24:07] >> thank you sara freeman for

[1:24:15] ebony givens.

[1:24:28] Good.

[1:24:31] >> good afternoon MADAM Mayor

[1:24:31] and members of the council.

[1:24:34] Thank you for the opportunity

[1:24:35] to be here today.

[1:24:37] My name is ebony givens.

[1:24:39] I am a small business owner, a

[1:24:42] community advocate, a mother

[1:24:43] and a proud resident who

[1:24:45] believes deeply in the power of

[1:24:48] service the through owning and

[1:24:49] operate in london dee's cafe

[1:24:51] and london dee's catering.

[1:24:51] I've had the privilege of

[1:24:54] creating jobs, supporting local

[1:24:56] families and working alongside

[1:24:57] organizations that are making a

[1:24:59] difference in our community.

[1:25:02] I am seeking the opportunity to

[1:25:03] serve as interim mayor because

[1:25:04] I believe local government

[1:25:05] should be focused on people.

[1:25:09] Our city is the strongest where

[1:25:11] families feel supported,

[1:25:12] businesses can grow and

[1:25:14] residents have access to

[1:25:15] resources they need to succeed.

[1:25:17] One of my greatest passions is

[1:25:20] support in our youth.

[1:25:20] I believe we must do more to

[1:25:23] address mental health as it is

[1:25:25] challenging to our community.

[1:25:28] every young person deserves to

[1:25:29] feel seeing supported and

[1:25:29] empowered.

[1:25:32] I believe leadership begins

[1:25:32] with listening.

[1:25:34] It means bringing people

[1:25:37] together, finding solutions and

[1:25:37] serving with integrity,

[1:25:40] compassion and accountability.

[1:25:41] I am not seeking this position

[1:25:43] for recognition.

[1:25:44] I am seeking it because I care

[1:25:46] deeply about our community and

[1:25:46] its future.

[1:25:49] Thank you for your time and

[1:25:49] consideration and I look

[1:25:51] forward for the opportunity to

[1:25:52] serve and help guide charlotte

[1:25:54] mecklenburg county and make

[1:25:55] this community healthier.

[1:25:58] >> ensuring growth.

[1:26:03] >> thank you.

[1:26:18] All right, gordon.

[1:26:21] >> hello my name is mike

[1:26:21] gordon.

[1:26:21] I live in charlotte here with

[1:26:24] my wife but I grew up just

[1:26:24] north of here in hyattsville.

[1:26:27] Since I was five so I've been

[1:26:29] here 25 years and seen the city

[1:26:29] grow and continue to grow and

[1:26:32] so it was a great place to buy

[1:26:33] a house and settle down here

[1:26:35] with my wife.

[1:26:38] I have no political experience

[1:26:38] as you can tell from my

[1:26:38] background.

[1:26:40] I own a small business.

[1:26:41] I'm a freelance video

[1:26:43] production and photo

[1:26:43] photographer.

[1:26:46] But in that job I've gotten to

[1:26:47] meet a ton of people through

[1:26:49] the city of charlotte and all

[1:26:52] different backgrounds and get

[1:26:55] to tell their stories and that

[1:26:55] is what is what makes

[1:26:55] charlotte.

[1:26:57] Charlotte is just the people

[1:27:00] and the community that we have

[1:27:03] here.

[1:27:06] I think as the interim mayor

[1:27:06] like I said earlier, it's not

[1:27:09] my job to come in here and have

[1:27:09] a bunch of different ideas but

[1:27:12] I think it's to be approachable

[1:27:12] ,be a mayor that people can

[1:27:15] come up to you at scale an

[1:27:16] amphitheater, start life games

[1:27:18] and you can tell me about

[1:27:20] what's going on and why you

[1:27:21] think we should have more

[1:27:22] trains or better walkable

[1:27:24] cities or whatever's on your

[1:27:24] mind.

[1:27:27] We are just like all of us

[1:27:27] here.

[1:27:28] I think charlotte's a great

[1:27:29] city.

[1:27:31] It should be one of the best

[1:27:34] places to live, work, start

[1:27:34] small businesses, be a part of

[1:27:35] big business and grow your

[1:27:37] family.

[1:27:40] I think one last point I guess

[1:27:40] I do have one thing to put on

[1:27:44] my agenda is that two rob

[1:27:44] manfred and will be

[1:27:45] commissioner charlotte is the

[1:27:47] best place to bring a new

[1:27:48] expansion and we'll be a team.

[1:27:54] Thank you for your time.

[1:28:12] So being grow we're.

[1:28:15] Good afternoon everyone.

[1:28:15] Afternoon.

[1:28:18] My name is sabine goodyear and

[1:28:21] I am honored to be in front of

[1:28:24] you today as a candidate for

[1:28:27] the interim mayor for the city.

[1:28:30] I proudly like I love

[1:28:31] charlotte.

[1:28:33] >> 20 2023 years ago I moved to

[1:28:36] charlotte from new york in

[1:28:38] search for opportunity and

[1:28:41] better life better future for

[1:28:44] my family.

[1:28:47] But I got was it community a

[1:28:52] home, a place where I can shape

[1:28:56] my future rooted in purpose and

[1:28:58] service?

[1:29:01] over the years I've had the

[1:29:04] opportunity to serve others

[1:29:05] through my professional career

[1:29:09] and nonprofit leadership.

[1:29:13] For the past nearly three

[1:29:13] decades in the financial

[1:29:18] industry, I've led global teams

[1:29:22] manage complex the challenge is

[1:29:25] and also help organize asians

[1:29:27] navigate change.

[1:29:30] And for the past 16 years I

[1:29:35] have led a nonprofit dedicated

[1:29:35] to improving lives and

[1:29:38] strengthening communities

[1:29:41] through service, passion and

[1:29:44] compassion as well as

[1:29:47] partnership.

[1:29:50] >> these experiences have

[1:29:53] reinforced a lesson that I

[1:29:53] carry every day.

[1:29:56] Leadership is not about

[1:29:58] authority.

[1:30:01] It is about responsibility.

[1:30:01] Listening and bringing people

[1:30:04] together.

[1:30:07] It's about solving problems and

[1:30:07] ensuring that you put others

[1:30:12] people's needs first.

[1:30:15] As an interim mayor.

[1:30:18] I will bring steady leadership

[1:30:20] always and passion for the job.

[1:30:23] >> thank you.

[1:30:34] On guilford delta.

[1:30:37] Delta.

[1:30:44] U.N. Human.

[1:30:45] >> good afternoon.

[1:30:47] Delta gwen.

[1:30:50] Good afternoon, mayor council

[1:30:53] members and fellow residents

[1:30:53] thank you for the opportunity

[1:30:54] to speak here today.

[1:30:56] You'll see me reading from my

[1:30:57] phone simply because I won't be

[1:30:59] given two minutes.

[1:31:00] I want to make sure I don't

[1:31:00] MISS Anything.

[1:31:02] You'll also see I'm wearing a

[1:31:02] hat that says delta for the

[1:31:05] people and that's because

[1:31:05] that's my main message.

[1:31:06] I'm for other people.

[1:31:08] As many of you know, I

[1:31:09] previously ran for mayor in

[1:31:10] 2025 because I believe in the

[1:31:13] city and I believe in the

[1:31:13] people who call it home.

[1:31:15] I was born baptized and raised

[1:31:16] right here in charlotte.

[1:31:18] This is the city that helped

[1:31:19] shape me who I am today.

[1:31:21] Charlotte is not just where I

[1:31:21] live.

[1:31:22] It's a part of my family's

[1:31:24] stories across generations that

[1:31:26] have worked worship and served

[1:31:27] in the armed forces here

[1:31:29] working my entire adulthood

[1:31:30] life and this banking town and

[1:31:32] some of the largest financial

[1:31:33] institutions such as bank of

[1:31:35] america and wells fargo has

[1:31:35] taught me how to conduct

[1:31:38] meetings in boardrooms, closed

[1:31:38] business deals and managed

[1:31:41] billion dollar budgets.

[1:31:42] >> one of the strengths I bring

[1:31:42] to this position is that I am

[1:31:44] not a career politician.

[1:31:44] I did not come with years of

[1:31:47] alliances or any political

[1:31:47] debts.

[1:31:50] I have no preexisting

[1:31:50] relationships with any of city

[1:31:52] council which would influence

[1:31:53] my decisions or cloud my

[1:31:53] judgment.

[1:31:56] My relationships would start

[1:31:56] with a clean slate based on

[1:31:59] respect, transparency and a

[1:32:01] shared commitment to serving

[1:32:01] the public.

[1:32:02] Today's also an opportunity to

[1:32:04] send a powerful message to the

[1:32:05] status quo by selecting the

[1:32:07] interim mayor that leadership

[1:32:08] and appointments are not

[1:32:10] reserved only for those already

[1:32:11] in elected office or in

[1:32:13] political circles but is open

[1:32:15] to all citizens as I believe

[1:32:16] ordinary citizens can make

[1:32:18] extraordinary differences when

[1:32:19] they step forward to serve

[1:32:21] their community.

[1:32:22] I respectfully ask for your

[1:32:22] support as we move forward

[1:32:24] together to build a stronger

[1:32:24] charlotte.

[1:32:27] MAY GOD bless you this

[1:32:27] beautiful city and its great

[1:32:28] nation.

[1:32:34] Thank you.

[1:32:45] Jaylen hall.

[1:32:50] Kevin hall.

[1:32:52] >> samir.

[1:33:12] Good afternoon.

[1:33:13] City council.

[1:33:16] MADAM Mayor.

[1:33:16] My name is samir.

[1:33:19] I'm a charlotte native local

[1:33:21] businessman, a community

[1:33:23] builder, a husband and a father

[1:33:23] of three.

[1:33:27] I'm not standing here because I

[1:33:27] think that charlotte is broken.

[1:33:29] Quite the opposite actually.

[1:33:30] I get butterflies when I drive

[1:33:32] through uptown.

[1:33:33] I believe charlotte is already

[1:33:34] the best city in america.

[1:33:36] And I believe each of you are

[1:33:36] already doing the difficult

[1:33:38] work of leading it.

[1:33:41] >> my role as mayor would not

[1:33:41] be to reinvent charlotte.

[1:33:44] My role will be to align what

[1:33:45] already exists accelerate what

[1:33:47] already works and I'm not

[1:33:50] coming to you with any answers

[1:33:50] .

[1:33:51] I'm coming to you as a partner,

[1:33:53] a collaborator.

[1:33:53] >> my commitment is to help

[1:33:55] this council fulfill its

[1:33:56] intentions with greater

[1:33:59] velocity alignment and

[1:33:59] accountability.

[1:34:01] >> charlotte already has

[1:34:02] world-class leadership.

[1:34:04] we already have incredible

[1:34:05] neighborhoods businesses,

[1:34:07] institutions and community

[1:34:08] organizations.

[1:34:11] My job as mayor would be to

[1:34:11] look for what's wanted, what's

[1:34:13] needed and what's missing.

[1:34:17] And help find and fill the

[1:34:17] gaps.

[1:34:19] To ask questions that matter.

[1:34:20] What future are we creating?

[1:34:22] What are we standing for?

[1:34:23] How do we ensure every resident

[1:34:26] feels valued, welcomed and

[1:34:28] included in charlotte success.

[1:34:30] There's one there's one issue

[1:34:31] that will have my unwavering

[1:34:33] attention and that's

[1:34:33] opportunity.

[1:34:36] And I stand that in the next 18

[1:34:38] months we will have moved

[1:34:40] charlotte from 38th to 25th in

[1:34:41] upward mobility.

[1:34:44] I will work alongside each of

[1:34:45] you to expand opportunity,

[1:34:46] strengthen economic growth and

[1:34:49] create pathways for residents

[1:34:50] to rise no matter their zip

[1:34:52] code.

[1:34:52] I believe that leadership can

[1:34:55] bring people together to do

[1:34:55] extraordinary things.

[1:34:57] And I'm not here to change who

[1:34:58] charlotte is.

[1:34:58] I'm here to amplify what's

[1:35:01] already working to close the

[1:35:03] gaps where they exist and to

[1:35:04] help move our city forward.

[1:35:08] My request today is that all 11

[1:35:09] of you align on me as the next

[1:35:11] interim mayor of charlotte.

[1:35:14] Let's discover together what it

[1:35:14] would look like to close the

[1:35:17] gap and go from 38th to 25th.

[1:35:27] >> thank you, robert herrington

[1:35:27] .

[1:35:36] Robert.

[1:35:37] >> good afternoon, mayor lyles.

[1:35:40] Members of the city council rob

[1:35:42] harrington I came to charlotte

[1:35:43] nearly 30 years ago.

[1:35:46] My wife sharon and I raised our

[1:35:48] son here in public schools o

[1:35:48] this city a lot.

[1:35:50] >> and I'm determined to pay

[1:35:51] that forward.

[1:35:53] >> I've I've committed not to

[1:35:54] run for public office.

[1:35:57] I won't run for public office

[1:35:57] haven't done in the past and I

[1:35:59] will not run for mayor of

[1:36:02] course in the next election

[1:36:02] cycle.

[1:36:03] So the question is why now and

[1:36:05] why me?

[1:36:06] We're going to transition over

[1:36:08] the next 18 months.

[1:36:09] We have a committed council.

[1:36:11] We have a community looking to

[1:36:14] make sure their voices are

[1:36:14] heard.

[1:36:17] We have serious issues to work

[1:36:18] with, work on with and through

[1:36:20] the legislature in raleigh,

[1:36:22] chair of the mecklenburg

[1:36:23] library system board.

[1:36:25] I've worked with three

[1:36:26] charlotte and I have a devoted

[1:36:28] member of friendship missionary

[1:36:28] baptist church.

[1:36:31] >> and for the last year I've

[1:36:31] traveled the state as PRESIDENT

[1:36:33] Of the north carolina bar

[1:36:34] association.

[1:36:34] I've worked with people from

[1:36:37] across the state to find

[1:36:39] consensus on difficult issues.

[1:36:42] >> and what have I learned?

[1:36:43] What is the vital issue?

[1:36:46] What are the vital issues here

[1:36:46] now?

[1:36:48] Consistent involvement over

[1:36:49] many years matters.

[1:36:52] Listening to people matters.

[1:36:55] Engaging across the city and

[1:36:57] across the state matter

[1:36:57] preparation and hunger to

[1:36:57] learn.

[1:37:00] Matter and equity and equality

[1:37:03] of opportunity are required for

[1:37:06] the success of this community.

[1:37:08] If we follow these principles

[1:37:09] of collaboration, preparation,

[1:37:12] organization and respect and

[1:37:15] maybe even a little grace for

[1:37:15] each other, we will thrive as a

[1:37:18] city for all of our residents.

[1:37:20] I look forward to working with

[1:37:21] and supporting council in each

[1:37:23] of its members as we grow this

[1:37:27] city and we grow opportunities

[1:37:27] here for charlotte teams across

[1:37:29] its great reach making sure

[1:37:32] that we have and use the

[1:37:32] organizations within the

[1:37:35] organization and structure with

[1:37:36] our reach to make reasoned

[1:37:38] decisions.

[1:37:41] >> for all these reasons I ask

[1:37:42] that you appoint me as the

[1:37:42] interim mayor.

[1:37:46] Thank you.

[1:37:54] Michael henderson.

[1:38:14] Robert hillman.

[1:38:14] Good afternoon.

[1:38:17] Thank you for having me.

[1:38:17] MADAM Mayor city council and

[1:38:18] guests.

[1:38:20] My name is robert hillman and

[1:38:23] I'm seeking the appointment as

[1:38:23] the interim mayor of the city

[1:38:24] of charlotte.

[1:38:26] I'm like everybody in this room

[1:38:27] first and foremost.

[1:38:29] I must say I love the city of

[1:38:29] charlotte has provided me the

[1:38:32] great opportunity to come here,

[1:38:34] live here, play here and make a

[1:38:35] decent amount of money here and

[1:38:37] give a decent amount of time.

[1:38:40] I've been able to work to be

[1:38:40] and have been able to engage

[1:38:43] and enjoy my life as an

[1:38:43] engineer, as a finance

[1:38:46] executive, as an investment

[1:38:46] advisor, as a not for profit

[1:38:49] leader and as a public servant.

[1:38:51] Along the way I've served on

[1:38:52] the public transit advisory

[1:38:54] committee of the business

[1:38:55] advisory committee the central

[1:38:57] economic development committee,

[1:39:00] the north carolina supplemental

[1:39:02] retirement board and currently

[1:39:03] I'm the PRESIDENT And ceo of

[1:39:06] queen city robotics alliance,

[1:39:06] an organization that's

[1:39:09] responsible for getting kids

[1:39:09] engaged and involved in

[1:39:12] building robots as a

[1:39:12] competitive sport.

[1:39:15] Think of it as aew or robotics

[1:39:15] and it's really basically it's

[1:39:17] a workforce development to

[1:39:20] offer preparing the future.

[1:39:21] >> those experiences has given

[1:39:23] me the opportunity to work with

[1:39:24] people from all walks of life

[1:39:26] and most importantly to listen

[1:39:26] through those conversations.

[1:39:27] I've come to believe that

[1:39:29] charlotte's future can be

[1:39:32] guided by three principles of

[1:39:32] growing together, moving

[1:39:35] together and safer together

[1:39:35] what growing together means.

[1:39:36] It's really about workforce

[1:39:37] development, economic

[1:39:38] development and making sure

[1:39:40] that as you develop the economy

[1:39:41] you don't leave people behind.

[1:39:44] We have we we know from the

[1:39:46] chetty study and certainly from

[1:39:46] the work that I've done with

[1:39:49] robotics that if we can train

[1:39:51] our young people in the skill

[1:39:52] and give them the skills that

[1:39:54] are for the future, our city's

[1:39:58] future is bright.

[1:39:58] If we don't they won't be

[1:40:00] moving together.

[1:40:01] What about transportation

[1:40:01] systems and putting together

[1:40:03] transit systems that work for

[1:40:04] people to get people to

[1:40:04] opportunity?

[1:40:06] So it's not about rails, not

[1:40:06] about busses.

[1:40:07] It's about giving them the

[1:40:09] opportunity safer together it's

[1:40:12] about, you know, keeping people

[1:40:12] safe in the city a thriving

[1:40:13] city as a safe city.

[1:40:15] Public safety requires strong

[1:40:15] partnerships between law

[1:40:17] enforcement.

[1:40:18] >> I'm honored to give each of

[1:40:20] your votes as ever.

[1:40:21] Manager ingram mayor.

[1:40:22] Thank you.

[1:40:25] >> thank you.

[1:40:38] Hayden key.

[1:40:54] Christopher love james mitchell

[1:40:54] .

[1:40:54] >> good evening.

[1:40:57] Colleagues six months ago you

[1:41:00] blessed me with opportune to

[1:41:01] serve you as mayor pro tem

[1:41:03] together we embrace a simple

[1:41:05] but a powerful slogan team

[1:41:08] together everyone to accomplish

[1:41:09] more.

[1:41:11] Since then we have demonstrated

[1:41:12] what teamwork can accomplish.

[1:41:14] >> we have held a very

[1:41:15] successful annual retreat

[1:41:17] session in MARCH and recently

[1:41:18] approved our budget.

[1:41:20] >> as I ask for your support as

[1:41:23] interim mayor, I believe three

[1:41:25] things matters most leadership

[1:41:28] relationships and results.

[1:41:31] Leadership is about bringing

[1:41:31] people together to move our

[1:41:32] city forward.

[1:41:35] Throughout my career I've been

[1:41:37] blessed to help lead transform

[1:41:38] projects and initiatives

[1:41:40] include a north lake mall

[1:41:42] eastland yard see term for 14

[1:41:45] years and a new cba program.

[1:41:48] Relationships the best

[1:41:49] solutions come when we work

[1:41:51] together.

[1:41:51] We're seeing through

[1:41:52] partnerships between the city

[1:41:54] and county.

[1:41:54] We can preserve historic

[1:41:56] excelsior club through the

[1:41:57] collaboration with the city.

[1:42:00] it seems.

[1:42:02] We can create a teacher village

[1:42:02] council members.

[1:42:06] If I'm honored to earn your

[1:42:08] vote on JUNE 26th, I'll be

[1:42:10] ready to lead on day one with a

[1:42:13] clear vision and an action plan

[1:42:14] built around four c's.

[1:42:19] The first c collaboration.

[1:42:20] I will meet with each and every

[1:42:21] one of you to receive your

[1:42:23] input.

[1:42:26] Secondly committees I want to

[1:42:26] empower five standing

[1:42:29] committees to do the more the

[1:42:30] more important policy work

[1:42:31] before us.

[1:42:34] Third communication we must be

[1:42:36] proactive, engage and share our

[1:42:39] results.

[1:42:39] And the fourth c the most

[1:42:42] important c is our citizens.

[1:42:45] Every decision we make should

[1:42:47] focus on improving the quality

[1:42:48] the lives of our residents.

[1:42:52] We've confidence after 18

[1:42:55] months we will make charlotte a

[1:42:55] better city.

[1:43:00] >> thank you all.

[1:43:19] Eva or aviva moody thank you

[1:43:22] council for having me today.

[1:43:25] Thank you MADAM For having me

[1:43:25] today.

[1:43:28] MADAM Mayor.

[1:43:28] Excuse me.

[1:43:30] I had a speech planned for

[1:43:31] today but I guess I will let

[1:43:33] that one go because I want to

[1:43:35] be open and honest and

[1:43:37] transparent.

[1:43:38] >> so I came here to charlotte

[1:43:40] because my mom said no.

[1:43:41] So I said I must go.

[1:43:44] I came here when I was 15 years

[1:43:44] old.

[1:43:46] I found employment.

[1:43:49] I gained employment by the age

[1:43:49] of 18.

[1:43:49] I was attending union cc.

[1:43:52] I did not get my degree.

[1:43:54] however I joined many, many

[1:43:57] jobs and many many businesses

[1:43:57] around the area I worked.

[1:44:00] >> I was able to purchase my

[1:44:03] first home through people that

[1:44:03] I met here in charlotte.

[1:44:06] >> they gave me the education

[1:44:09] and show me the direction on

[1:44:10] what to do to get there and I

[1:44:11] got there.

[1:44:14] Now I am a single mom in

[1:44:15] charlotte with two adult

[1:44:18] children and a grandchild that

[1:44:20] I too want to see be able to

[1:44:23] buy their own houses, be able

[1:44:24] to raise their own children

[1:44:26] safely in charlotte and I do

[1:44:27] believe charlotte is safe.

[1:44:31] I always feel safe in charlotte

[1:44:31] .

[1:44:34] >> I just want to make sure

[1:44:36] that I am able to serve this

[1:44:40] community and be able to make

[1:44:43] my ancestors happy that I

[1:44:45] follow.

[1:44:48] I believe that they gave birth

[1:44:56] to me for so I thank you.

[1:45:12] Sebastian nice works.

[1:45:12] >> hi everyone.

[1:45:14] My name is sebastian.

[1:45:15] Nice sweats.

[1:45:15] I appreciate your time today.

[1:45:17] I especially appreciate

[1:45:18] everyone who is in the

[1:45:20] candidate pool.

[1:45:21] I feel like a lot of us can

[1:45:23] agree on what the issues are

[1:45:23] but maybe not necessarily on

[1:45:26] how to get them done.

[1:45:29] And I'm here to speak about

[1:45:29] efficiency.

[1:45:30] I got here at about 215.

[1:45:33] I had a meeting at 1 P.M. At my

[1:45:35] job where I was leading about

[1:45:35] 30 people.

[1:45:37] It went to full time to 2:00,

[1:45:38] ran over here literally and

[1:45:41] then was worried that I was

[1:45:42] going to be late but was not.

[1:45:43] The council was still

[1:45:44] deliberating on the procedure

[1:45:44] which was great.

[1:45:46] >> however that went a little

[1:45:49] bit long so I had to go back to

[1:45:49] my job at 3:00 for another

[1:45:52] meeting where I presented and

[1:45:55] then fired up youtube found out

[1:45:55] I wasn't too late to come back

[1:45:57] which is great.

[1:45:58] So ran back over here.

[1:46:00] Now I'm here but I care deeply

[1:46:02] about this city.

[1:46:04] I've worked in my past to help

[1:46:05] first generation college

[1:46:07] students get to college.

[1:46:07] First ones in their family

[1:46:09] helped teachers save for

[1:46:10] retirement.

[1:46:10] My mom's a teacher.

[1:46:13] Just help them in their lives.

[1:46:13] I work in project management.

[1:46:15] I'm great with timelines and

[1:46:18] deadlines and I want to be

[1:46:19] someone who represents all

[1:46:20] people not just some people

[1:46:21] within charlotte.

[1:46:23] So we need someone who can

[1:46:24] represent this city in the best

[1:46:27] way possible not just for the

[1:46:29] next 18 months but for the next

[1:46:29] 18 years.

[1:46:31] And I'd be honored for your

[1:46:31] consideration.

[1:46:37] >> thank you.

[1:46:40] >> james reese just met billy

[1:46:43] for a moment and I just I just

[1:46:43] ask the mayor for a point of

[1:46:45] personal privilege.

[1:46:46] I do not have an application

[1:46:48] for the gentleman who just

[1:46:48] spoke.

[1:46:51] Can someone clarify that you

[1:46:51] don't have an application?

[1:46:54] None of us have an application

[1:46:54] for the gentleman who just

[1:46:55] spoke.

[1:46:56] You know if we can follow up

[1:46:57] after the forum.

[1:46:59] Thank you.

[1:46:59] Yeah, we'll pass.

[1:47:01] good it, pastor apologies.

[1:47:04] We'll we'll get that to you.

[1:47:04] All right.

[1:47:04] Thank you.

[1:47:07] I this is james reese.

[1:47:09] >> yeah.

[1:47:09] Good afternoon.

[1:47:12] Council members mayor lyles, I

[1:47:15] appreciate the time I moved to

[1:47:20] charlotte time flies back in

[1:47:22] 2014 and as a die hard durham

[1:47:26] native it took me a while to

[1:47:26] get used to charlotte.

[1:47:28] The driving people will rather

[1:47:31] running off the road and let

[1:47:31] you merge over but this is home

[1:47:33] now.

[1:47:35] I have a wife, two small

[1:47:35] children.

[1:47:37] My son actually asked me you

[1:47:38] know dad are you going to be

[1:47:38] the mayor?

[1:47:40] Kind of like mayor goodway they

[1:47:40] think everything is part

[1:47:43] control related but if you have

[1:47:43] kids you get it.

[1:47:48] But I say that to say charlotte

[1:47:49] is home for me now and I plan

[1:47:52] on being here for a long time.

[1:47:54] So this cause is important to

[1:47:55] me right now.

[1:47:57] I think the biggest thing that

[1:47:58] we're dealing with is cost of

[1:48:00] living.

[1:48:00] We're fortunate enough to have

[1:48:03] the means to to make things

[1:48:04] work but at the same time I

[1:48:06] know people for an is fortunate

[1:48:09] on the way in here you know you

[1:48:09] see the homeless encampments

[1:48:12] right and I think it's as nice

[1:48:13] and as beautiful as the city

[1:48:15] charlotte is.

[1:48:16] I feel like there's something

[1:48:17] that could be done about that

[1:48:20] to make sure that that's not

[1:48:21] the first thing someone sees

[1:48:22] when they're getting off 77

[1:48:22] going to a panthers game and I

[1:48:25] think as interim mayor that's

[1:48:25] one of the things that I would

[1:48:27] like to approach mayor lyles

[1:48:28] you've done a great job and my

[1:48:31] goal as interim mayor is not

[1:48:32] not to mess things up.

[1:48:34] You know, you have, you know, a

[1:48:36] 21 point lead in football.

[1:48:37] You come in, your quarterbacks

[1:48:39] went out, he got hurt.

[1:48:39] Just don't mess it up.

[1:48:40] Don't lose the lead.

[1:48:42] So as interim mayor that's what

[1:48:43] I want to focus on and I

[1:48:45] appreciate your vote and thank

[1:49:10] you clayton seeley alan smith

[1:49:13] all right.

[1:49:14] Good afternoon.

[1:49:14] Mayor lyles.

[1:49:17] Council members fellow

[1:49:17] charlatans my name is alan

[1:49:20] smith.

[1:49:21] I'm a father of two daughters

[1:49:23] long time charlotte resident

[1:49:25] and somebody who spent much of

[1:49:26] my life participating in and

[1:49:31] serving communities.

[1:49:31] Over the years I've addressed

[1:49:32] city councils, county

[1:49:34] commissions, state agencies run

[1:49:36] for public office and

[1:49:37] volunteered in schools in my

[1:49:39] professional career I've led

[1:49:40] nonprofit initiatives.

[1:49:43] >> I've supported public sector

[1:49:43] organizations and I've helped

[1:49:46] lead communities through

[1:49:47] moments of uncertainty by

[1:49:49] bringing together people with

[1:49:49] different backgrounds,

[1:49:52] different perspectives and

[1:49:55] different priorities.

[1:49:56] Now while those experiences MAY

[1:49:57] sound different on the surface

[1:49:58] they all taught me one thing.

[1:50:01] Communities are strongest when

[1:50:04] people feel heard, included and

[1:50:06] connected to the decisions that

[1:50:07] affect their lives.

[1:50:10] Charlotte is a city with

[1:50:12] tremendous opportunity.

[1:50:13] we're growing, we're

[1:50:15] innovating, we're attracting

[1:50:18] new people every single day.

[1:50:18] But that kind of growth creates

[1:50:21] new challenges and it magnifies

[1:50:21] the challenges that we've been

[1:50:24] wrestling with for years around

[1:50:24] things like transportation and

[1:50:27] housing and basic affordability

[1:50:29] and maintaining that sense of

[1:50:30] community that makes people

[1:50:32] want to build their lives here

[1:50:33] in the first place.

[1:50:35] I'm seeking appointment as

[1:50:36] interim mayor because I believe

[1:50:38] good leadership is ultimately

[1:50:40] about stewardship.

[1:50:42] It's about listening carefully

[1:50:46] and communicating honestly and

[1:50:46] helping people work together

[1:50:48] toward shared goals.

[1:50:49] >> so I don't come before you

[1:50:52] as somebody who believes I have

[1:50:54] all the answers I come before

[1:50:55] you as somebody who has spent a

[1:50:58] career bringing people together

[1:51:00] in the midst of complexity and

[1:51:03] change to solve problems and

[1:51:03] build trust and move forward

[1:51:06] together.

[1:51:06] >> if appointed I would work

[1:51:08] collaboratively with city

[1:51:09] council, city staff, community

[1:51:12] organizations, businesses and

[1:51:13] residents alike to ensure that

[1:51:15] charlotte continues to move

[1:51:17] forward together.

[1:51:23] >> thank you for your time and

[1:51:23] fun.

[1:51:33] Southern crystal stanton jacob

[1:51:41] swinton hey look through dose

[1:51:56] and it was isolated from.

[1:51:59] >> hello MADAM Mayor council

[1:51:59] members thank you for the

[1:52:01] opportunity to be here today.

[1:52:02] I love charlotte but every

[1:52:05] politician says that they love

[1:52:05] charlotte.

[1:52:07] Serving as mayor requires more

[1:52:08] than affection for the city.

[1:52:11] it requires judgment,

[1:52:12] steadiness, the ability to

[1:52:14] bring people together and to

[1:52:14] stop pretending that every

[1:52:16] problem is small.

[1:52:17] That's why I applied to become

[1:52:19] the interim mayor.

[1:52:20] I'm not applying to come in

[1:52:22] with a sweeping new agenda or

[1:52:23] to use an interim role to

[1:52:26] reinvent the city in 18 months.

[1:52:28] This is a unique responsibility

[1:52:28] .

[1:52:29] The next mayor should respect

[1:52:31] the work already underway

[1:52:32] support the procedures of the

[1:52:34] councils and help the city move

[1:52:37] through this period with focus

[1:52:37] and stability.

[1:52:38] Each member of the body brings

[1:52:40] different priorities a

[1:52:40] different community, different

[1:52:43] perspectives to the table.

[1:52:44] The role of an interim mayor is

[1:52:46] not to flatten those

[1:52:48] differences and to pretend that

[1:52:48] one person has all the answers.

[1:52:51] I also understand the work of

[1:52:52] the city depends on staff

[1:52:54] relationships and knowing how

[1:52:55] the institution actually moves.

[1:52:57] Whether it's serving as chair

[1:52:58] of the charlotte equitable

[1:53:00] development commission working

[1:53:03] with cherry and sherry and

[1:53:05] knowing sara when she was a

[1:53:06] fellow and now chief of staff

[1:53:08] or folks like pam weideman and

[1:53:11] folks that have oftentimes left

[1:53:14] the city, those experience has

[1:53:14] taught me how to navigate city

[1:53:16] government respected

[1:53:17] professionals doing the work

[1:53:20] and help move things without

[1:53:20] unnecessary confusion.

[1:53:23] I can be especially useful with

[1:53:23] charlotte's relationship with

[1:53:24] raleigh.

[1:53:26] The next 18 months will serve

[1:53:29] with serious conversations

[1:53:29] whether it's the airport, the

[1:53:31] pay for act and pta

[1:53:32] infrastructure data centers.

[1:53:35] Those conversations should not

[1:53:35] happen in silos.

[1:53:36] I love serving in the north

[1:53:38] carolina senate but charlotte

[1:53:40] is home right now.

[1:53:41] Our city needs someone who can

[1:53:44] connect the city, who can

[1:53:44] connect to raleigh, the general

[1:53:47] assembly, our neighborhoods to

[1:53:47] city staff and the residents

[1:53:49] who feel decisions should be

[1:53:50] made with them being invited.

[1:53:52] I'm applying because I believe

[1:53:53] that through strong

[1:53:55] relationships the council can

[1:53:56] steady and move the city

[1:53:56] forward.

[1:53:58] Move with urgency and keep the

[1:53:59] well-being of all residents

[1:54:00] here.

[1:54:24] >> thank you blake van leer.

[1:54:26] Good afternoon.

[1:54:27] Good afternoon.

[1:54:30] And thank you for the council

[1:54:33] and MADAM Mayor for being here

[1:54:35] giving us space and wow.

[1:54:38] We've got a lot of talent here

[1:54:38] so I think that just shows you

[1:54:41] how much charlotte's grown and

[1:54:43] and what we have to offer.

[1:54:46] I'll get into a little bit of

[1:54:46] my background.

[1:54:49] An entrepreneur ran for county

[1:54:52] commissioner at large and a

[1:54:55] proud resident of charlotte of

[1:54:55] course and a proud dad.

[1:54:58] Spent most of my career doing

[1:55:01] turnarounds and usually on like

[1:55:04] a 3 to 6 month sprint.

[1:55:05] >> so I'll work with a company

[1:55:07] for about three years and will

[1:55:11] grow it from 3 million in rev

[1:55:11] to a billion.

[1:55:14] So it's a quick turnaround.

[1:55:17] And I just wanted to lead with

[1:55:17] that.

[1:55:17] I work with the board.

[1:55:21] i work with the city council at

[1:55:23] the company.

[1:55:23] It's very similar path just

[1:55:26] making sure we all aligned

[1:55:29] together and we get what we

[1:55:31] need to get done.

[1:55:35] And I'll I'm going to pause for

[1:55:35] a second.

[1:55:35] I'm also going to throw this

[1:55:37] out here.

[1:55:39] What I would like to do is

[1:55:42] forgo the salary and we put

[1:55:42] that to work within your

[1:55:42] districts.

[1:55:45] However you guys think that

[1:55:47] could be most impactful to

[1:55:50] people.

[1:55:53] And I'm not claiming to have

[1:55:54] all the answers.

[1:55:56] You know I'm here to serve and

[1:55:56] listen.

[1:55:57] I find that every company I

[1:55:59] work with or a community or

[1:56:00] organization it's about

[1:56:05] listening to people and then

[1:56:08] getting results done.

[1:56:08] Charlotte's giving me just a

[1:56:10] tremendous opportunity and I'm

[1:56:13] just happy to be here and be of

[1:56:13] service.

[1:56:25] >> thank christopher walters,

[1:56:41] douglas weldon.

[1:56:44] >> hi everyone.

[1:56:47] My name is douglas welton and I

[1:56:47] currently serve as the CHAIRMAN

[1:56:48] Of the charlotte-mecklenburg

[1:56:49] planning commission.

[1:56:51] I have been the CHAIRMAN For

[1:56:52] three years and the last week I

[1:56:54] was elected for an

[1:56:56] unprecedented fourth term.

[1:56:58] Since I joined the commission

[1:57:00] in 2018 I've reviewed and

[1:57:05] recommended 1000 rezonings the

[1:57:05] charlotte 2040 plan the unified

[1:57:08] development ordinance, my

[1:57:11] experience and land use is a

[1:57:14] complement to my strong

[1:57:14] background in software and

[1:57:16] technology.

[1:57:19] community relations broadcast

[1:57:22] media arts and entertainment

[1:57:24] and nonprofit organizations a

[1:57:25] wide variety of experience and

[1:57:25] knowledge gives me the

[1:57:27] advantage of being able to

[1:57:30] quickly create insightful and

[1:57:31] innovative solutions when

[1:57:33] problems come up.

[1:57:34] I've led a lot of professional

[1:57:36] and volunteer teams and I

[1:57:38] understand the value of

[1:57:39] aligning individual motivation

[1:57:41] with the organizational

[1:57:41] purpose.

[1:57:44] A team is not just a group of

[1:57:44] people.

[1:57:45] It's a group of people that

[1:57:47] trust one another.

[1:57:49] >> the unique value of having

[1:57:50] me as mayor is that I bring

[1:57:53] principled leadership,

[1:57:55] innovative problem solving, a

[1:57:58] future focus, excellent

[1:58:00] communication skills and a

[1:58:03] sense of fun.

[1:58:10] Thank you very much.

[1:58:15] Graydon zacher john paul's

[1:58:25] eloquent.

[1:58:28] >> good afternoon and good

[1:58:29] afternoon.

[1:58:31] >> I know we're all excited for

[1:58:32] me to be the last person to go

[1:58:35] today.

[1:58:37] So I you heard staying sticking

[1:58:37] with us.

[1:58:40] My name is john paul volcker.

[1:58:44] I am a proud charlotte native.

[1:58:44] I was born down the street at

[1:58:49] cmc maine a few decades ago and

[1:58:51] I am also a proud k through 12

[1:58:51] product of cms schools.

[1:58:54] Graduated from providence high

[1:58:54] school.

[1:58:57] I am I went to the university

[1:59:00] of north carolina at chapel

[1:59:01] hill and I got a degree in

[1:59:03] music and then studied

[1:59:05] accounting after that.

[1:59:06] So I currently holds a license

[1:59:08] as an active certified public

[1:59:09] accountant here in north

[1:59:09] carolina.

[1:59:13] I work for eei ernst and young

[1:59:15] llp and I work as a third party

[1:59:16] risk management consultant.

[1:59:18] So my team and I we help the

[1:59:21] largest public and private

[1:59:21] companies in the world manage

[1:59:25] risk that's introduced to their

[1:59:26] businesses through their third

[1:59:27] party relationships.

[1:59:30] So vendors, suppliers, business

[1:59:30] associates and I think that's

[1:59:33] some great background and an

[1:59:36] experience that I can bring

[1:59:36] forward to the city of

[1:59:38] charlotte.

[1:59:41] I am really excited about the

[1:59:41] next 18 months.

[1:59:44] I think that like some of the

[1:59:45] other candidates have said

[1:59:50] focusing on executing per the

[1:59:50] vision that's already been set

[1:59:52] for I think our key five focus

[1:59:54] areas are the right focus areas

[1:59:54] .

[1:59:58] >> I think you know we have our

[2:00:00] fy 27 budget set already as of

[2:00:00] a couple of weeks ago.

[2:00:01] So I think that you know,

[2:00:03] making sure that we can show

[2:00:06] for our resources being used

[2:00:08] well and make progress using

[2:00:11] our strategic progress tracker

[2:00:12] tool, I think that will be a

[2:00:14] great way to show that we have

[2:00:17] served the constituents of the

[2:00:17] city of charlotte well over the

[2:00:19] next 18 months.

[2:00:20] So I thank you so much for your

[2:00:22] consideration and yeah,

[2:00:25] appreciate all that you do for

[2:00:33] the city so I want to say

[2:00:35] thanks to all of you.

[2:00:38] This is really an important

[2:00:38] opportunity for all of us and I

[2:00:41] think that you've done it so

[2:00:44] very, very well that we're very

[2:00:46] proud to have each of you and

[2:00:46] hope that one of you will

[2:00:49] become the person that's going

[2:00:53] to be possible to take us into

[2:00:55] the next generation.

[2:00:55] I want to say thank you to

[2:00:58] billy, our clerk who has to do

[2:01:00] all of this like well, you we

[2:01:01] all have to a sheet of paper.

[2:01:04] I've got to like a notebook

[2:01:06] full of everything else.

[2:01:09] And with that I want to just

[2:01:10] ask the council if there were

[2:01:10] any comments that they would

[2:01:13] like to make before we close

[2:01:15] out.

[2:01:15] We need to resume the

[2:01:16] conversation.

[2:01:18] I'm sorry.

[2:01:19] We need to assume the

[2:01:21] conversation that we have.

[2:01:23] MADAM Attorney right.

[2:01:24] So we have to come back to our

[2:01:25] do we have what's necessary for

[2:01:31] us to have our face to be legal

[2:01:31] ?

[2:01:34] I don't think we've said any

[2:01:34] motions.

[2:01:35] Our next step.

[2:01:35] Okay.

[2:01:37] Okay okay.

[2:01:37] >> from kimberly nicole

[2:01:39] regarding my motion I know we

[2:01:40] have the motion and those

[2:01:43] things that we're talking about

[2:01:46] now as her motion what is what

[2:01:59] here we automatically and as I

[2:01:59] was approaching the lectern I

[2:02:02] overheard a motion is there a

[2:02:02] motion on the floor that we

[2:02:03] need to adjourn?

[2:02:04] I think that this yes we did

[2:02:07] have MISS Mayfield had a motion

[2:02:07] that we did not vote or

[2:02:08] completely vote on.

[2:02:10] I think that there was some

[2:02:13] discussion but not any action.

[2:02:14] So this MAY feel in my saying

[2:02:21] that correctly if at if I MAY

[2:02:23] quickly I was speaking of

[2:02:24] another motion I thought i

[2:02:26] heard as I was approaching the

[2:02:27] lectern.

[2:02:29] Is there something else on the

[2:02:29] floor we just need to address

[2:02:30] procedurally or was there just

[2:02:31] a point of order?

[2:02:32] I think what happened is that

[2:02:34] there was a motion for process

[2:02:37] to table and that was yeah but

[2:02:38] so right and so councilmember

[2:02:40] mayfield had an original motion

[2:02:41] that we did not vote on because

[2:02:43] there was a substitute which

[2:02:43] was withdrawn.

[2:02:46] Thank you.

[2:02:47] Rather point of order if I can.

[2:02:49] So there was a joke a motion

[2:02:51] was made and then there was a

[2:02:54] second which I it so that's the

[2:02:55] one I think that needs to be

[2:02:57] resolved when I heard some

[2:02:57] withdrawn I read through it.

[2:03:00] Okay okay it's growing okay and

[2:03:03] we just need to make sure billy

[2:03:03] knows right.

[2:03:04] All right.

[2:03:06] All right.

[2:03:06] >> set it pretty loud.

[2:03:07] All right.

[2:03:08] We squared away on this.

[2:03:09] So, MADAM Mayor MS..

[2:03:11] Mayfield.

[2:03:12] MADAM Mayor, I just wanted

[2:03:14] someone to repeat the motion so

[2:03:14] we can.

[2:03:15] >> okay.

[2:03:16] Thank you.

[2:03:17] Billy.

[2:03:19] Do you want to repeat my

[2:03:20] initial motion?

[2:03:23] So do we have it for the record

[2:03:23] for councilmember anderson?

[2:03:23] Yes.

[2:03:26] So the original motion was

[2:03:26] motion by MS..

[2:03:29] Mayfield second by MR. Driggs.

[2:03:30] It was part two of the mayoral

[2:03:34] process will include council

[2:03:37] will work with staff based on

[2:03:39] the survey results and then ask

[2:03:42] questions to those candidates

[2:03:44] that selected and MADAM Mayor,

[2:03:45] if I MAY, councilmember

[2:03:48] anderson, prior to that motion

[2:03:54] that I made I said we had 49

[2:03:54] names on here.

[2:03:57] Council has not had a chance to

[2:04:00] actually have a discussion

[2:04:00] regarding this process.

[2:04:03] What my motion is a reference

[2:04:05] to was a part two to today were

[2:04:07] we actually come together and

[2:04:08] have conversations because as

[2:04:10] of today we heard two minutes

[2:04:13] but we didn't have a chance to

[2:04:13] actually ask any questions that

[2:04:16] would give us similar to the

[2:04:18] empty conversation give us the

[2:04:21] ability to actually possibly

[2:04:24] have a survey, identify which

[2:04:25] of these candidates have enough

[2:04:29] support to basically have a

[2:04:30] part two to this discussion

[2:04:32] since our mayor did announce

[2:04:35] that she will stay around until

[2:04:37] we identify councilmember

[2:04:38] graham had mentioned earlier

[2:04:41] also giving us the opportunity

[2:04:44] not to rush this I'm with you a

[2:04:47] follow just the question, MS.

[2:04:49] Mayfield, when you say give us

[2:04:50] the opportunity to have the

[2:04:52] conversation you mean the full

[2:04:53] council the full council

[2:04:55] together not in a committee but

[2:04:58] by some members that we

[2:04:58] individually had the

[2:05:00] opportunity to reach out to

[2:05:03] candidates?

[2:05:04] Personally I have not because

[2:05:07] we have a process so I was

[2:05:08] waiting for us to get through

[2:05:11] today's process I think as a

[2:05:12] collective and not one off

[2:05:14] conversations we have the

[2:05:15] opportunity to actually come

[2:05:17] together and have a discussion

[2:05:17] as well as identify if there

[2:05:20] are some individuals in here

[2:05:20] that we would like to have

[2:05:22] further conversation with.

[2:05:23] MS. Mayfield I want to make

[2:05:25] sure MR. That we one time said

[2:05:28] we would go to the committee

[2:05:28] process.

[2:05:29] Is that still so different

[2:05:31] conversations, different times

[2:05:32] have anything to what we're not

[2:05:34] doing with your motion right?

[2:05:36] But MR. Graham supported the

[2:05:37] idea of getting the bgr

[2:05:40] committee together and working

[2:05:40] through that and I guess what I

[2:05:42] want to make sure is that once

[2:05:45] we do that we know that

[2:05:46] everyone has understood why and

[2:05:48] what and the what.

[2:05:49] So I don't know if you need

[2:05:51] some time, MR. Graham to do

[2:05:51] that but I think that we want

[2:05:54] to make sure that it's done in

[2:05:56] a way that everybody has an

[2:05:57] opportunity to understand what

[2:06:00] the next step from the bgr

[2:06:03] committee well again I would do

[2:06:06] the pleasure of the council

[2:06:07] right I think from an

[2:06:09] efficiency perspective that

[2:06:12] might work right it kind of

[2:06:14] coalesce the conversation to

[2:06:15] answer the three questions

[2:06:17] that's up there to talk of some

[2:06:20] other questions that were

[2:06:20] thrown out about the the

[2:06:23] ability of the mayor pro tem to

[2:06:24] participate or not participate.

[2:06:25] And so those questions but

[2:06:28] again I will I will do whatever

[2:06:29] the council wants to do.

[2:06:29] >> all right.

[2:06:32] So I see that MISS Watlington

[2:06:34] has a request.

[2:06:37] Yeah, I would offer that we do

[2:06:40] a couple of things today.

[2:06:41] I think we settle the question

[2:06:43] of recusal today and then we'll

[2:06:46] know how to move forward.

[2:06:48] I think the second thing that

[2:06:48] we can do if I'm looking at

[2:06:51] this when we talk about

[2:06:54] narrowing down as a body not

[2:06:54] within a committee that's the

[2:06:56] ballot process, right?

[2:06:57] Each council member submits a

[2:06:59] nomination.

[2:07:02] Whoever gets the threshold gets

[2:07:02] moved to a subsequent

[2:07:05] subsequent round if we were to

[2:07:07] follow the ballot method and if

[2:07:08] you're trying to introduce an

[2:07:10] extra step the top 3 to 5

[2:07:11] candidates we can decide that

[2:07:14] then get specific questions

[2:07:16] asked of them to get additional

[2:07:19] information.

[2:07:19] We could do that between now

[2:07:22] and next week or we could do

[2:07:23] that on next monday.

[2:07:24] We can talk about that but I

[2:07:25] think the ballot method

[2:07:27] addresses the the narrowing

[2:07:29] down concern.

[2:07:30] I don't think it needs to go to

[2:07:30] committee.

[2:07:31] I don't think it needs to be a

[2:07:32] separate process.

[2:07:33] I think we adopt the ballot

[2:07:36] method and we determine how

[2:07:39] many of the nominees will get

[2:07:42] through to interview and we

[2:07:43] either handle that be a special

[2:07:45] meeting later on in the week or

[2:07:47] we handle that next monday.

[2:07:48] So I think we do two things we

[2:07:49] address the conversation of

[2:07:51] whether or not we want to we

[2:07:53] want to excuse the council

[2:07:56] member from this process today

[2:07:58] and then I think we adopt the

[2:08:01] ballot method and determine how

[2:08:04] many folks will be interviewed

[2:08:05] and we either conduct that

[2:08:05] interview session later on this

[2:08:07] week or we do it as a part of

[2:08:10] next monday that enables us to

[2:08:12] stay on the 22nd for oh, sorry

[2:08:12] .

[2:08:13] And you talk to her and I think

[2:08:16] it would probably be if we had

[2:08:18] to have the understanding of

[2:08:19] what it is so it's just a

[2:08:21] little bit slower.

[2:08:21] >> sure.

[2:08:21] Sure.

[2:08:22] I think the clerk can keep up

[2:08:24] with us.

[2:08:25] >> sure.

[2:08:25] Sure.

[2:08:25] Okay.

[2:08:29] So the first I'll do I'll do

[2:08:30] one motion and we'll address

[2:08:31] the second piece.

[2:08:31] So I'll make an amendment today

[2:08:34] to my motion however you'd like

[2:08:34] it to show up.

[2:08:36] All right.

[2:08:38] Well let me ask a question,

[2:08:39] MADAM Attorney, because one of

[2:08:42] them is about the process for

[2:08:43] me and one of them is about the

[2:08:45] the path forward here.

[2:08:47] One of them I think is germane

[2:08:50] or related to council member

[2:08:52] mayfield's motion in which case

[2:08:53] it could show up as a

[2:08:53] substitute.

[2:08:54] But then the other the matter

[2:08:58] of of excusal I think is

[2:08:59] separate and apart.

[2:08:59] So I don't think either one of

[2:09:01] them should show up as I don't

[2:09:01] think that one should show up

[2:09:02] as a substitute to her motion

[2:09:04] do you follow what I'm saying?

[2:09:05] I would agree.

[2:09:05] I would agree before you move

[2:09:07] forward and I really do want to

[2:09:08] respond to your earlier

[2:09:10] question of with respect to

[2:09:10] eligibility because that's your

[2:09:12] main to this conversation about

[2:09:15] who's being considered.

[2:09:16] So we looked back at our notes

[2:09:18] and I just for counsel's

[2:09:19] reference this is in regards to

[2:09:22] the email that I sent on MAY

[2:09:22] 29th outlining what your

[2:09:25] requirements were based on the

[2:09:27] discussion from your MAY 26th

[2:09:28] meeting.

[2:09:32] >> so you required any one

[2:09:35] participating in the candidate

[2:09:35] form to do so in person.

[2:09:38] That was the requirement.

[2:09:41] Now with respect to eligibility

[2:09:41] you have you have an

[2:09:44] eligibility section in your

[2:09:44] note but with respect to age

[2:09:47] 21, all of the criteria that I

[2:09:48] mentioned before irrespective

[2:09:50] of parties debating in the form

[2:09:53] right what I would like in

[2:09:56] participation in person today

[2:09:59] just as attaching a resume

[2:09:59] or

[2:10:02] failing to answer a question in

[2:10:02] your packet like all of that is

[2:10:05] part of what could be

[2:10:05] considered by this council as

[2:10:08] you decide to login or vote

[2:10:10] upon your nominations or submit

[2:10:13] them but it did not render a

[2:10:15] person ineligible from being

[2:10:16] considered.

[2:10:19] Now that's how your motion was

[2:10:19] structured.

[2:10:19] That's how it of how it

[2:10:21] appeared that's and again

[2:10:22] that's how it's in the notebook

[2:10:24] but if there's something to

[2:10:26] substitute your process going

[2:10:27] forward you would need to work

[2:10:27] through that.

[2:10:28] Thank you MADAM Attorney.

[2:10:30] So that tells me, councilmember

[2:10:30] owens, your concern sounds like

[2:10:32] it was addressed.

[2:10:34] So then back to the two things

[2:10:37] how what's the best way to

[2:10:37] proceed addressing the recusal

[2:10:40] question and addressing how we

[2:10:43] move forward in terms of the

[2:10:43] ballot should that show up as a

[2:10:45] substitute or do we need to how

[2:10:46] do we address council member

[2:10:49] mayfield's motion if we need to

[2:10:52] do that before we address a

[2:10:54] path forward?

[2:10:57] So the recusal that would that

[2:10:59] would have to be a request

[2:11:02] first and foremost for for a

[2:11:02] recusal.

[2:11:05] And again I'm I'm harkening

[2:11:07] back to 168 dash 72 and the

[2:11:10] concept that there is a duty to

[2:11:11] vote unless there's a conflict

[2:11:12] a statutory conflict that we

[2:11:13] can point out.

[2:11:16] Okay.

[2:11:17] So what I'd like to do then is

[2:11:17] let's take care of this.

[2:11:19] I will submit a substitute to

[2:11:20] councilmember mayfield's motion

[2:11:22] unless you want to accept a

[2:11:24] friendly amendment, what is the

[2:11:25] amendment?

[2:11:25] Yeah.

[2:11:27] So the amendment is adopt the

[2:11:31] ballot method rather than the

[2:11:32] one by one motion method.

[2:11:33] That's number one.

[2:11:36] I would I would offer one

[2:11:36] nomination per councilmember

[2:11:39] that's consistent with our

[2:11:41] vacancies in board we're work.

[2:11:44] And then thirdly I would say

[2:11:49] the top three top five

[2:11:51] candidates that I'm open to

[2:11:52] what that looks like but I'll

[2:11:53] say for the purposes of getting

[2:11:54] it on the table top five

[2:11:57] candidates to move forward to

[2:11:58] an interview that will take

[2:12:00] place either later this week or

[2:12:00] next monday.

[2:12:03] That's that's the package I'm

[2:12:03] offering up.

[2:12:04] So that's basically what I see

[2:12:06] it.

[2:12:07] But what do you take out

[2:12:09] because the attorney had not

[2:12:11] actually had the chance since I

[2:12:12] made my motion at the beginning

[2:12:15] to actually give us what those

[2:12:15] numbers were.

[2:12:18] But that's the motion that I

[2:12:18] made as well to have an

[2:12:20] additional step where we

[2:12:20] actually have discussion and

[2:12:23] have an opportunity.

[2:12:24] so are you accepting a friendly

[2:12:26] amendment with the attorney

[2:12:29] because she basically just

[2:12:32] restated my motion with your

[2:12:32] actual timeline.

[2:12:34] So is that an amendment or is

[2:12:35] that still just the original

[2:12:35] motion?

[2:12:38] I, I think it's in the same

[2:12:38] vein.

[2:12:40] So I would I would characterize

[2:12:41] it as a friendly amendment, not

[2:12:42] a substitute but let's do that

[2:12:43] it all right.

[2:12:44] >> so you accepted the friendly

[2:12:44] mimicry.

[2:12:50] I before I meet well it was an

[2:12:51] for the friendly I mean that

[2:12:51] was more clear there was

[2:12:53] another piece of clarification

[2:12:55] on my motion with the friendly

[2:12:56] amendment.

[2:12:58] So so that I'm clear the way we

[2:13:01] have the normal nomination

[2:13:04] process, the challenge with

[2:13:09] that this is not a normal

[2:13:09] process.

[2:13:12] We are getting ready to

[2:13:13] identify an interim mayor I'm

[2:13:13] clear is stepping in?

[2:13:15] Yes.

[2:13:16] So for this interim mayor role,

[2:13:18] the concern that I have with

[2:13:21] trying to utilize that process

[2:13:24] is out of the 50 people that we

[2:13:26] just heard from to say we're

[2:13:30] only going to do one vote per

[2:13:31] candidate, one nomination a

[2:13:33] nominee right.

[2:13:33] >> one nomination because then

[2:13:36] you'll be able to vote on on

[2:13:38] the close nominations and one

[2:13:40] nomination out of these 50

[2:13:42] something if there very well

[2:13:46] MAY have that's 11 want to make

[2:13:48] into candidates we're given

[2:13:51] each other the opportunity to

[2:13:54] have due diligence in this

[2:13:57] process to say out of those who

[2:14:03] have presented to us as well as

[2:14:05] submitted information that we

[2:14:06] have the opportunity to bring

[2:14:09] in those who have that next

[2:14:12] step of conversation and where

[2:14:13] we do get to edit.

[2:14:13] >> sure.

[2:14:15] So when I say and well let me

[2:14:16] just be clear in the process

[2:14:18] right here so are you asking

[2:14:19] this question to determine if

[2:14:20] you want to accept a friendly

[2:14:20] amendment?

[2:14:21] >> that's what I'm trying to

[2:14:21] okay.

[2:14:21] Yes.

[2:14:23] I'm trying to determine if that

[2:14:24] one but I think also

[2:14:26] councilmember graham was you

[2:14:27] asking the question for

[2:14:29] clarification?

[2:14:30] Well, I just need to know if

[2:14:31] you accept the friendly

[2:14:32] amendment otherwise I'll make a

[2:14:33] substitute motion and if your

[2:14:35] question is around exactly what

[2:14:37] I mean by that what I'm saying

[2:14:39] is if each council member

[2:14:41] nominates one, that's up to 11

[2:14:42] candidates that could be in the

[2:14:45] in the queue if you will.

[2:14:48] So let's up the friendly okay

[2:14:51] friendly amendment okay the

[2:14:53] friendly amendment is there a

[2:14:56] second is a second oh so a

[2:14:56] second going to MISS Ojt MS.

[2:14:59] Bailey you had second.

[2:14:59] >> thank you.

[2:15:02] All right MS. Mayor.

[2:15:03] >> thank you MADAM Mayor.

[2:15:05] Is it possible for us to be

[2:15:06] able to nominate three so that

[2:15:07] the clerk can kind of put them

[2:15:09] in order?

[2:15:10] I mean I understand that at

[2:15:11] most there will be 11 but I

[2:15:11] think that quite a few people

[2:15:14] in here probably like some of

[2:15:14] the same people.

[2:15:16] So I just oh yeah.

[2:15:16] >> okay.

[2:15:19] i personally would would be

[2:15:21] more of a fan of us doing three

[2:15:23] and maybe we just doing the top

[2:15:26] five are asked to have another

[2:15:29] interview self-declare

[2:15:29] application.

[2:15:30] What we're talking about is the

[2:15:32] process.

[2:15:32] Okay so for clarification of

[2:15:35] this we hadn't gotten down to

[2:15:38] that number yet but this

[2:15:38] process would help us get to

[2:15:38] number.

[2:15:41] Are you identifying a number

[2:15:41] right now?

[2:15:42] >> oh, this is what this is

[2:15:44] what I'm here this is what I

[2:15:47] think if there are if each

[2:15:49] person has one nomination, ten

[2:15:50] people might choose the same

[2:15:52] person they could every single

[2:15:52] person might pick somebody

[2:15:52] else.

[2:15:55] So two other people might

[2:15:56] choose the other three people

[2:15:56] you were looking at.

[2:15:57] They're still in the pool.

[2:15:59] Yeah.

[2:16:01] So whether it's three well each

[2:16:03] council member or if it's one

[2:16:05] by each council member I think

[2:16:08] that the the balance of the

[2:16:09] group will float to the top.

[2:16:12] Yes I'm saying so so so to

[2:16:14] clarify yeah I think you talked

[2:16:15] about two different things one

[2:16:17] nomination top five folks is

[2:16:19] what you're talking about are

[2:16:20] three I said nominate three

[2:16:23] people the top five people.

[2:16:24] Oh I mean I'm how is your is

[2:16:25] your motion.

[2:16:28] >> yeah that's I think I we

[2:16:28] should try to follow out what

[2:16:31] each person is trying to

[2:16:32] indicate that they would like

[2:16:35] to have as a motion and I think

[2:16:37] I and I caught up with you

[2:16:40] after the fact apologies MADAM

[2:16:40] Mayor.

[2:16:41] so I'm I'm understanding you

[2:16:43] now, joy.

[2:16:45] You want to give each council

[2:16:45] member up to three so that

[2:16:48] would be since I accept the

[2:16:51] friendly amend meant that would

[2:16:52] be an amendment to the

[2:16:54] amendment if we were to have a

[2:16:56] discussion about you know and

[2:16:59] that would be if you now if not

[2:17:02] the wellington, if you yeah

[2:17:03] that's what I was just saying

[2:17:05] you're friendly amendment I

[2:17:05] would accept that I'm totally

[2:17:07] fine I think that would be a

[2:17:08] great opportunity for all of

[2:17:08] us.

[2:17:10] Yeah I think that's fine.

[2:17:11] >> up to three.

[2:17:11] Yes.

[2:17:11] All right.

[2:17:13] So with that a friendly

[2:17:16] amendment so we're clear on

[2:17:16] clarity for the MADAM Clerk.

[2:17:18] Let's clarify.

[2:17:19] I just want to make sure

[2:17:20] there's a lot of discussion and

[2:17:22] as well I want to make sure the

[2:17:25] back of the the chair of this

[2:17:29] is traffic conversation I know

[2:17:32] but it so okay so council

[2:17:34] member mayo has asked for three

[2:17:36] nominations rather than one and

[2:17:39] councilmember mayfield has

[2:17:40] accepted that friendly

[2:17:42] amendment so the motion on the

[2:17:45] floor is for three nominations

[2:17:46] for each council up to I'm

[2:17:48] sorry excuse me up to three

[2:17:48] nominations from each council

[2:17:50] member and we have a second

[2:17:53] motion to remove letter a

[2:17:54] second.

[2:17:54] So we're good.

[2:17:56] We're ready for the vote.

[2:17:57] Maxwell just I just want to be

[2:17:57] clear.

[2:17:58] I'm sorry.

[2:18:00] This third bucket the number of

[2:18:03] votes required well, I don't

[2:18:03] even want to phrase it as

[2:18:04] number of votes required.

[2:18:06] I'd rather phrase it as top top

[2:18:06] nominations.

[2:18:08] Top five, top three whatever

[2:18:10] the will of the group is top

[2:18:10] five.

[2:18:10] Use it up.

[2:18:10] Yeah.

[2:18:12] Okay.

[2:18:13] So so it's a point of clarity

[2:18:15] if I MAY.

[2:18:16] Item three really is when you

[2:18:19] get to vote right you all are

[2:18:21] in this quasi interim space

[2:18:21] between 2 and 3 when you go

[2:18:24] into your interviews and all of

[2:18:24] that.

[2:18:26] So we're not quite till 32

[2:18:26] number three which is the

[2:18:29] number of votes required for

[2:18:29] subsequent ballot that makes

[2:18:30] sense to me.

[2:18:31] >> that's more of yes,

[2:18:32] absolutely.

[2:18:37] So so from an american point of

[2:18:39] of information I'm sorry we so

[2:18:42] we have 49 folks listed here

[2:18:44] right.

[2:18:46] And out of the 4917 individuals

[2:18:48] were a no show.

[2:18:51] So that then reduces the field

[2:18:52] down to 32 folks who can be

[2:18:54] nominated.

[2:18:55] >> is that correct?

[2:18:55] Yeah.

[2:18:55] No, no.

[2:19:00] Some people that because we

[2:19:01] didn't say there is not an

[2:19:03] elimination based you can you

[2:19:04] can yourself individually

[2:19:06] decide not to nominate that

[2:19:07] person but they're not

[2:19:08] ineligible due to not

[2:19:09] participating in person today.

[2:19:12] That's why this second part of

[2:19:14] so we have that chance and we

[2:19:16] can pick up to three and we

[2:19:16] have a chance collectively to

[2:19:19] have a conversation.

[2:19:20] my apologies MADAM Mayor.

[2:19:20] I know councilmember johnson

[2:19:24] had a thank thank you MADAM

[2:19:24] Mayor.

[2:19:26] So if we're choosing three are

[2:19:28] we ranking them when you talk

[2:19:29] about top five, are we ranking

[2:19:31] them or just so you just saying

[2:19:34] that folks how many are in all

[2:19:35] good that comes out there okay

[2:19:37] thank you.

[2:19:37] All right.

[2:19:38] So everybody's got to have the

[2:19:40] vote just the timeline.

[2:19:42] What's the time like the motion

[2:19:51] maker was this so okay, let's

[2:19:55] figure out if we were the first

[2:19:55] yeah.

[2:19:55] Clarifying what the attorney

[2:19:57] the initial information we sent

[2:20:01] out so the community had that

[2:20:04] JUNE 22nd date correct yet the

[2:20:07] reality is as councilmember

[2:20:10] graham had mentioned, we do not

[2:20:12] need to rush this process

[2:20:13] because this is a very

[2:20:13] important process for us.

[2:20:18] I did not state a specific

[2:20:20] timeline for me the first

[2:20:21] question is how soon can we get

[2:20:26] that meeting on the books for

[2:20:26] us to actually come together

[2:20:27] and be able to have this

[2:20:29] conversation.

[2:20:30] >> we also know according to

[2:20:33] our rules and state legislation

[2:20:36] we need to give at least five

[2:20:38] days notice to community for

[2:20:39] that to give them the

[2:20:41] opportunity for the ones that

[2:20:44] get to move to the next process

[2:20:45] so that we can actually have

[2:20:47] the chance to have the

[2:20:47] conversation with them.

[2:20:50] >> we can go on to JULY

[2:20:50] realistically because that's

[2:20:53] when council is on break.

[2:20:54] I'm not I'm pulling up the

[2:20:56] calendar right now just to try

[2:20:58] to be as specific as possible.

[2:21:02] >> today's the 15th we do not

[2:21:06] have a meeting on the 29th.

[2:21:09] That is our monday off because

[2:21:11] that's the fifth monday of the

[2:21:11] month.

[2:21:15] The question will be is if

[2:21:15] there seems to be an

[2:21:17] opportunity and an appetite if

[2:21:18] people don't already have

[2:21:20] travel plans for us to be able

[2:21:23] to schedule the meeting on that

[2:21:24] wet day that way we don't have

[2:21:27] anything else on that day and

[2:21:32] that will give us a week to not

[2:21:33] only give staff time to create

[2:21:35] the survey, give us the time to

[2:21:38] go through and identify and do

[2:21:40] our voting and give the

[2:21:41] community the time to have the

[2:21:43] conversation.

[2:21:44] I'm saying the 29th for

[2:21:47] decision is that of the 22nd

[2:21:49] and we try to figure out a date

[2:21:50] to come in and have this

[2:21:52] conversation based on council's

[2:21:54] calendar.

[2:21:55] And can I just ask a question

[2:21:56] of clarity?

[2:21:58] I just want to make sure I

[2:21:58] understand in my mind I thought

[2:22:00] what we were doing was we were

[2:22:01] doing we were going and

[2:22:03] selecting our ballots and those

[2:22:04] are the folks that were going

[2:22:04] to get interviews.

[2:22:05] So we were trying to schedule

[2:22:05] the interview that's that's

[2:22:06] what I'm saying.

[2:22:06] Oh when you say conversation

[2:22:09] that sounds like I did well,

[2:22:09] the interview is the

[2:22:10] conversation because they're

[2:22:12] not going to come in and just

[2:22:13] speak to us for two minutes.

[2:22:13] We're going to actually just

[2:22:15] say be empty.

[2:22:17] Yeah, a process difference and

[2:22:18] actually having a conversation

[2:22:20] that's happening via the ballot

[2:22:21] and that's part right and but

[2:22:23] it's the piece where instead of

[2:22:23] the individual council

[2:22:26] collectively sits and want to

[2:22:29] gather and hear from and ask

[2:22:30] questions of the candidate just

[2:22:32] as a just as a reminder the

[2:22:35] statutory requirement for

[2:22:36] special meeting notices is 48

[2:22:37] hours.

[2:22:39] >> so it's not just just say

[2:22:40] you know in terms of your

[2:22:40] planning you don't need that.

[2:22:43] So we can actually have if it's

[2:22:45] at the pleasure of council we

[2:22:46] can have there but have the

[2:22:48] ability to have that discussion

[2:22:49] earlier.

[2:22:49] I just want to be respectful of

[2:22:52] the fact that staff has to

[2:22:54] actually create the survey and

[2:22:57] yeah, I things that can happen

[2:22:59] next to even we can say that

[2:23:02] but we need to make sure that

[2:23:03] staff is doing just that come

[2:23:06] around with so so it doesn't

[2:23:06] spell correctly or wouldn't

[2:23:08] matter that's like yes ma'am

[2:23:10] you had another question all

[2:23:11] right.

[2:23:11] >> yes, please.

[2:23:13] Thank you, MADAM Mayor.

[2:23:14] >> colleagues, I think that we

[2:23:17] you know, I agree with my

[2:23:19] colleague councilmember graham

[2:23:20] and councilmember MAY feel that

[2:23:22] we shouldn't rush the process

[2:23:25] but we did vote on a timeline

[2:23:27] and we adopted it and now we

[2:23:28] are doing this amendment which

[2:23:30] council member MAY feel

[2:23:31] accepted the friendly amendment

[2:23:33] from councilmember wallington.

[2:23:36] So I think our due diligence

[2:23:36] right as council members

[2:23:39] serving our constituents is to

[2:23:40] follow through with the

[2:23:45] timeline and to add that extra

[2:23:48] step and to that point find a

[2:23:49] which I think is can be a

[2:23:51] conversation and perhaps

[2:23:54] offline that that middle spot

[2:23:55] of when we would schedule that

[2:23:57] special meeting at that

[2:24:01] midpoint that allows us the

[2:24:03] flexibility to still follow

[2:24:04] through with the timeline but

[2:24:06] as well as make the necessary

[2:24:06] adjustments that we're talking

[2:24:08] about today.

[2:24:11] Yes, ma'am.

[2:24:11] >> thank you so much.

[2:24:14] Is it possible to make a motion

[2:24:17] to have a special meeting on

[2:24:17] the 18th for council?

[2:24:20] No, there's a motion on the

[2:24:20] floor.

[2:24:20] We haven't voted for this

[2:24:22] otherwise voted for unless

[2:24:25] unless well unless council

[2:24:25] member mayfield, the motion

[2:24:25] maker.

[2:24:28] If you want to accept as part

[2:24:28] of your friendly amendment I'm

[2:24:31] not accepting that interview as

[2:24:31] we need to close this down.

[2:24:34] The only issue is that this

[2:24:36] okay we're going to beginning

[2:24:39] to get off line and we will

[2:24:39] thank you.

[2:24:39] I appreciate that.

[2:24:42] MS. As mira we've got the staff

[2:24:45] a little bit and we've been

[2:24:45] doing a lot of like this is

[2:24:48] this and this is that but we

[2:24:48] are not getting enough

[2:24:50] information for us to all

[2:24:51] understand.

[2:24:54] I mean I look around and I

[2:24:54] don't see I see especially I'm

[2:24:56] worried about the bgr committee

[2:24:59] because we haven't seen

[2:25:02] anything we want to I'm sorry.

[2:25:02] That's just what I said.

[2:25:03] You don't have to say it.

[2:25:05] I just said it.

[2:25:08] Okay, so this is what I said

[2:25:08] and I think what we're trying

[2:25:11] to do is to get some sense of

[2:25:13] what everyone agrees to do and

[2:25:16] that just takes a little bit

[2:25:16] more time.

[2:25:18] And if we skip people over you

[2:25:21] know, it's just it's taken us

[2:25:22] too much time to do this

[2:25:24] without working through it.

[2:25:25] So what I would like to suggest

[2:25:28] is that we actually ask each

[2:25:30] council member what their what

[2:25:33] you have what you think is

[2:25:34] happening and then let's see if

[2:25:36] we're all in accord if that's

[2:25:37] okay.

[2:25:39] >> I would say you've got a

[2:25:39] motion MADAM Mayor you know but

[2:25:42] with the smoke if I have people

[2:25:44] or what if I just MAY yeah your

[2:25:46] motion as I understand it is

[2:25:47] it's to receive nominations

[2:25:50] from each council member up to

[2:25:50] three.

[2:25:52] You don't have to give three

[2:25:54] but up to three close the

[2:25:54] nominations.

[2:25:58] MADAM Clerk will be tallying

[2:25:58] those those nominations to

[2:26:01] determine you got that to

[2:26:04] determine the top five I

[2:26:05] believe the top five.

[2:26:06] Right.

[2:26:06] And those candidates will

[2:26:09] proceed to a set of interviews

[2:26:12] to be conducted based on a

[2:26:13] special meeting later schedule

[2:26:15] later.

[2:26:15] >> right.

[2:26:18] So now we will work on that.

[2:26:21] I I hear you.

[2:26:21] All right.

[2:26:21] MISS Johnson.

[2:26:23] MS..

[2:26:24] Johnson did not hear you so

[2:26:26] let's have her hear us now.

[2:26:29] So we have a screen is there

[2:26:29] anybody they can type the

[2:26:30] motion so that it's clear as

[2:26:32] these changes are made a

[2:26:33] powerpoint this is a

[2:26:33] powerpoint.

[2:26:35] >> but I can just type it out

[2:26:36] and then everyone could read it

[2:26:38] because there is a lot of

[2:26:38] chatter.

[2:26:41] So if I mean I think we

[2:26:43] understand but just so are just

[2:26:43] so everyone's on the same page

[2:26:46] and we can see what the motion

[2:26:46] is and clarify there.

[2:26:48] >> thank you.

[2:26:49] >> would that be helpful to do

[2:26:51] by tomorrow because I don't

[2:26:52] think everything right now okay

[2:26:55] we do not have everyone in this

[2:26:57] room to do more things.

[2:26:59] >> yeah three, four, five, six

[2:26:59] seven, eight nine.

[2:27:00] Okay.

[2:27:00] Yeah.

[2:27:02] Is he supposed to sit there

[2:27:03] because of what he's doing

[2:27:03] today at work?

[2:27:05] >> yeah, we are good to go

[2:27:06] because we got we can vote.

[2:27:08] >> yeah we can vote everybody's

[2:27:08] got that.

[2:27:09] Everybody's comfortable with

[2:27:09] that.

[2:27:11] Yes.

[2:27:12] >> all right, give it we wait a

[2:27:14] minute.

[2:27:14] MISS Out on me.

[2:27:15] I'm just since councilmember

[2:27:17] johnson wanted to actually see

[2:27:19] it in writing, I'm just asking

[2:27:22] if we could just take less than

[2:27:22] a minute.

[2:27:23] Yeah, we're just being

[2:27:23] tightened up.

[2:27:25] Yeah, but we I think we all are

[2:27:27] on the same page as far as what

[2:27:30] it is and I appreciate you all

[2:27:31] for supporting a motion and us

[2:27:34] figuring out again so that we

[2:27:36] can be intentional about this

[2:27:36] process because we've got

[2:27:39] elections next year.

[2:27:40] Yeah people that want to run

[2:27:40] for it go in front of the

[2:27:42] community, get a community

[2:27:43] support but if we're going to

[2:27:44] make an appointment we haven't

[2:27:45] had a chance to have a

[2:27:48] conversation session about what

[2:27:54] are the opportunities that we

[2:27:56] see in this role of 17 months

[2:27:58] knowing that we'd passed our

[2:28:02] priority areas, we've had our

[2:28:04] budget retreat, we just passed

[2:28:05] the budget.

[2:28:05] We already know that we're

[2:28:09] going to have the housing bond

[2:28:12] on the ballot in NOVEMBER and

[2:28:13] what that looks like, what are

[2:28:15] the skill sets that we are

[2:28:16] looking for?

[2:28:18] That's what I was hoping that

[2:28:19] we might add in this additional

[2:28:21] step.

[2:28:23] It gives us not one off

[2:28:24] conversations with individuals

[2:28:26] because again I've tried not to

[2:28:29] engage any body unless the

[2:28:29] calls slip through but I've

[2:28:32] made no commitments to anyone

[2:28:33] because I don't make them as

[2:28:35] anyone so regardless of the

[2:28:35] media thinking we got on top

[2:28:37] for to my understanding we have

[2:28:40] not figured that out.

[2:28:41] So this gives us the

[2:28:43] opportunity to have the

[2:28:44] discussion we need to have.

[2:28:45] I was doing all that just

[2:28:49] talking to you got it right now

[2:28:50] read and I'm sure I have to

[2:28:52] clean it up is that I was

[2:28:52] trying to help you out.

[2:28:54] I appreciate it for that.

[2:28:57] >> I honestly we enjoy all of

[2:29:00] this but I think councilmember

[2:29:02] and have you spoken and then

[2:29:05] kimberly wanted to speak as

[2:29:05] well.

[2:29:07] >> kimberly, a question I agree

[2:29:10] with this.

[2:29:11] I want to know at what point in

[2:29:13] time each thing occurs.

[2:29:14] >> that's why I'm asking and

[2:29:19] we're never been in wait I'm

[2:29:19] sorry.

[2:29:19] >> can I speak?

[2:29:21] i don't feel it's a particular

[2:29:23] hardship if we don't get it all

[2:29:24] done by the 22nd nobody suffers

[2:29:27] if we don't we have the

[2:29:29] absolute obligation possibility

[2:29:33] of say on the 22nd conducting

[2:29:36] this meeting with with an eye

[2:29:37] towards processing the

[2:29:40] interviews and other

[2:29:42] discussions that we have in the

[2:29:44] 22nd for a vote on the 29th.

[2:29:47] So I just want to know if if we

[2:29:50] do this and we try to vote on

[2:29:50] the 22nd when were the ballots

[2:29:52] be due?

[2:29:53] When will we get back because

[2:29:55] that's a tight timeline.

[2:29:56] >> I just want to know what

[2:29:58] happens when and I think that

[2:29:58] we are trying to do that.

[2:30:01] I mean the city attorney I

[2:30:03] thought in terms of preparing I

[2:30:04] thought it was going to be the

[2:30:07] committee but now I think it's

[2:30:09] going to move into the offices

[2:30:09] that what you're thinking what

[2:30:12] is the council that I motorcar

[2:30:15] questions I'm oh she has a

[2:30:16] question councilmember so just

[2:30:18] just for clarity sake I want to

[2:30:18] make sure that I've appreciated

[2:30:21] and I want the audience and the

[2:30:21] viewers to understand when we

[2:30:24] say each councilmember will

[2:30:25] receive up to three nominations

[2:30:27] each councilmember is inclusive

[2:30:27] of mayor pro tem at this point

[2:30:29] in time, correct?

[2:30:30] At this point in time we're

[2:30:32] going to deal with that shortly

[2:30:32] .

[2:30:33] Thank you.

[2:30:35] Yes.

[2:30:36] Yeah.

[2:30:38] And the timeline will come next

[2:30:40] week.

[2:30:41] Okay.

[2:30:43] So be ready to vote.

[2:30:45] I think so I I am still trying

[2:30:48] to figure out where this leads

[2:30:51] to the vote and I think it's

[2:30:53] basically around the interview

[2:30:56] process and for participation

[2:30:59] and the five candidates to be

[2:31:01] invited to participate and

[2:31:01] that's five for each council

[2:31:04] member no ma'am or just it's

[2:31:08] time for council member all

[2:31:10] right, here we go process

[2:31:11] whoever ends up being the top

[2:31:11] five.

[2:31:11] Okay?

[2:31:13] Yeah.

[2:31:13] >> all right.

[2:31:16] So is everybody ready to vote,

[2:31:16] MS..

[2:31:19] Mayfield?

[2:31:19] We are.

[2:31:20] I was just going to ask the

[2:31:21] clerk you have it.

[2:31:24] But do I need to repeat it for

[2:31:26] the minutes for accuracy if you

[2:31:27] want.

[2:31:27] I just need to know what you

[2:31:29] need in order for you to have

[2:31:30] because we have it.

[2:31:32] If you have it then I'm good if

[2:31:35] you need me to repeat it this

[2:31:35] way then I will do whatever you

[2:31:36] need me to do.

[2:31:38] For the record and I'm asking

[2:31:38] is it this if I need to change

[2:31:41] it was on the screen.

[2:31:41] No, this is good.

[2:31:41] Okay.

[2:31:44] This is what we discussed.

[2:31:44] Okay.

[2:31:47] I know as long as you keep

[2:31:47] saying the full council.

[2:31:49] Yes, we'll be okay.

[2:31:49] >> all right.

[2:31:50] So you have a motion on the

[2:31:52] floor all in favor of the

[2:31:52] motion?

[2:31:55] >> please raise your hand.

[2:31:58] Anyone different than anyone?

[2:31:59] That's not a vote that anyone

[2:31:59] oppose.

[2:31:59] Sorry.

[2:32:01] Anyone oppose?

[2:32:04] >> all right, so thank you all

[2:32:04] .

[2:32:04] Thank you very much, my man.

[2:32:07] We got a yeah, we got a couple

[2:32:07] more motions and we I'm going

[2:32:09] to tie those just just for the

[2:32:10] record so that everybody is on

[2:32:12] the same page if just vote and

[2:32:14] we are where we are.

[2:32:17] I move to have this interview

[2:32:23] on this thursday the 18th

[2:32:27] second on yeah yeah yeah yes

[2:32:31] before I go so we can check out

[2:32:31] everything I have to do my

[2:32:36] calendar almost every time so

[2:32:39] this is because let's let's see

[2:32:42] if we can get through this.

[2:32:42] Okay.

[2:32:43] I guess I'm going on those.

[2:32:44] All right.

[2:32:45] All right.

[2:32:47] Does everybody have that time

[2:32:47] frame on there?

[2:32:48] I need a second.

[2:32:50] What time on thursday?

[2:32:53] Well, I just signed up morning

[2:32:55] or afternoon.

[2:32:56] >> that's just so when are the

[2:32:58] ballots to when are the ballots

[2:33:01] do one of the ballots do yeah I

[2:33:02] mean I'm up and when home would

[2:33:04] you when do you need them do

[2:33:05] you know I'm just saying that's

[2:33:06] the 18th is when we're having

[2:33:06] that meeting prior to that time

[2:33:09] there has to been a deadline

[2:33:09] for the council.

[2:33:10] >> that's a good point.

[2:33:12] That's a good point.

[2:33:12] Okay.

[2:33:12] We can work backwards.

[2:33:15] So then I'm not tied to the

[2:33:18] JULY 22nd now I understand are

[2:33:19] we send in three names?

[2:33:19] >> are we waiting on a ballot?

[2:33:22] We're waiting on a ballot if

[2:33:24] you do not council if you do

[2:33:27] not proceed with the 22nd you

[2:33:30] will need to amend your prior

[2:33:34] schedule because you adopted

[2:33:34] that as part of your problem.

[2:33:35] Okay so I'd like to offer this

[2:33:37] then as part of my motion staff

[2:33:40] and I'm looking at you MS.

[2:33:40] Towns because it's the clerk's

[2:33:43] office if you can get us

[2:33:45] ballots today and we have those

[2:33:48] ballots back to you by tomorrow

[2:33:48] 48 hours ahead of a thursday

[2:33:54] afternoon meeting then we can

[2:33:55] press them, then we can proceed

[2:33:57] as our folks comfortable with

[2:33:57] that?

[2:34:00] Yeah, I'm very uncomfortable

[2:34:00] with that.

[2:34:03] I don't know how we voted on

[2:34:03] the timeline in meetings.

[2:34:04] Okay.

[2:34:05] Yeah.

[2:34:06] Well then the opportunity to do

[2:34:09] that I don't know what I'll do

[2:34:09] without that's the motion.

[2:34:11] >> if there's a second we'll

[2:34:11] vote it up or down.

[2:34:13] If it goes down then we'll just

[2:34:16] figure something else out and

[2:34:18] see what we'll figure that out

[2:34:22] and so everybody would get

[2:34:22] their information.

[2:34:22] Yeah.

[2:34:25] Before they leave tonight.

[2:34:25] Yes.

[2:34:27] Okay.

[2:34:29] All right.

[2:34:30] So just to be clear to make

[2:34:33] sure I understand so you want a

[2:34:34] ballot with the 49 people?

[2:34:35] Yes, ma'am.

[2:34:37] By the end of before we leave

[2:34:41] here so we don't all the

[2:34:41] eligible and the eligible

[2:34:41] people.

[2:34:43] Yeah, actually eligible.

[2:34:43] Okay.

[2:34:44] Yeah.

[2:34:46] All the so if we can have a

[2:34:48] ballot to night before we leave

[2:34:48] for all of the eligible

[2:34:51] candidates and council will

[2:34:54] return our ballots to you by

[2:34:55] tomorrow afternoon which gives

[2:34:56] 48 hours time for notice to

[2:34:58] those selected candidates.

[2:34:59] Then we can conduct the

[2:35:01] interview on thursday

[2:35:02] afternoon.

[2:35:04] And are you going to do photos

[2:35:04] and all of those or what are

[2:35:07] the expectations for the

[2:35:08] sending the information to the

[2:35:11] clerk besides just a letter or

[2:35:13] a list like we have here?

[2:35:13] Yeah.

[2:35:14] So we just we just can return

[2:35:16] our lists or like we typically

[2:35:17] do via email and just respond

[2:35:19] with your names etc. What about

[2:35:22] the kimberly your ballots would

[2:35:23] be your balance that would be

[2:35:25] received tomorrow or I can I

[2:35:28] had a I had a question but I

[2:35:29] think that it has been

[2:35:30] clarified so thank you all

[2:35:31] right.

[2:35:31] Thank you.

[2:35:32] And I just want to make a point

[2:35:33] of clarification.

[2:35:37] It's not the 48 people to 49 is

[2:35:40] eligible candidates all the

[2:35:40] eligible including those who

[2:35:42] did not attend the first be

[2:35:44] eligible can motion for

[2:35:44] correct?

[2:35:45] Correct.

[2:35:45] Okay.

[2:35:47] Okay.

[2:35:47] All right.

[2:35:50] MADAM Clerk MADAM Clerk, are

[2:35:50] you good?

[2:35:53] Oh, is our attorney good as

[2:35:53] anybody on the council?

[2:35:55] Good.

[2:35:56] >> I have a question, MADAM

[2:35:59] Clerk would it be easier for

[2:35:59] people just to write it in like

[2:36:02] their their top three instead

[2:36:04] of your having to like type all

[2:36:05] of those names in?

[2:36:07] I mean we all have the lists

[2:36:08] like yeah there's everybody i

[2:36:10] feel like that MAY be more

[2:36:11] efficient of your time this

[2:36:13] evening so we can make the

[2:36:16] turnaround a bit faster I mean

[2:36:17] just a write in if you want to

[2:36:19] do that.

[2:36:20] >> if I stop you I can make

[2:36:20] that motion.

[2:36:20] Okay.

[2:36:22] Can can can I can I do a

[2:36:24] friendly amendment that instead

[2:36:27] of y'all writing down all the

[2:36:30] people we all have the list is

[2:36:30] not hard for them.

[2:36:30] >> yeah that's.

[2:36:33] Oh okay well whatever have list

[2:36:35] so are we doing a friendly

[2:36:35] amendment?

[2:36:35] Okay.

[2:36:38] No amendments.

[2:36:38] >> right.

[2:36:38] Okay.

[2:36:39] All right.

[2:36:43] So we're voting on the motion

[2:36:43] right there.

[2:36:45] >> so this is a two part motion

[2:36:45] to have the interviews be

[2:36:49] conducted on JUNE 18th and also

[2:36:51] to have a ballot complete with

[2:36:54] all eligible candidates by end

[2:36:54] of day today you receive I

[2:36:57] don't you want to put a no is

[2:36:58] due to no but she received the

[2:37:00] ballot today I received about

[2:37:02] 24 hours press yeah and council

[2:37:03] members will turn it in by

[2:37:05] tomorrow.

[2:37:06] Close of business the clerk

[2:37:06] yes.

[2:37:11] Positive.

[2:37:11] Okay.

[2:37:13] So are we comfortable with

[2:37:14] where we are?

[2:37:14] MS. Mayfield are you

[2:37:16] comfortable where you are?

[2:37:17] Not even a slightest.

[2:37:17] Okay.

[2:37:19] So if it is slightly space I

[2:37:22] want us to be realistic and

[2:37:26] responsive.

[2:37:27] so we have our medians have

[2:37:30] been running to 910 later to

[2:37:33] say that our clerk's office is

[2:37:36] supposed to get this

[2:37:36] information to us and we are

[2:37:39] going to be responsible enough

[2:37:42] to get this done back tomorrow

[2:37:45] is very aspirational versus at

[2:37:50] least I'm trying my best y'all

[2:37:53] at least be realistic enough

[2:37:55] instead of saying ballot for

[2:37:56] all the eligible candidates by

[2:37:59] end of day by end of tomorrow

[2:38:02] to give enough time for our

[2:38:02] staff to do what they need to

[2:38:06] do when we still have meeting

[2:38:09] in 20 minutes and we have been

[2:38:13] getting out of here at 910,

[2:38:13] 1030 11 and thinking that

[2:38:16] people won't get up and get

[2:38:19] through this by tomorrow let's

[2:38:25] at least be gentle enough where

[2:38:26] ourselves is there to at least

[2:38:30] give them tuesday the 16 to get

[2:38:30] this out.

[2:38:35] That's the gives us a window to

[2:38:35] get the ballots done and get

[2:38:38] them back in because they still

[2:38:41] have to go in and calculate it

[2:38:44] I don't think is reasonable all

[2:38:46] at 20 minutes to five to say

[2:38:48] that the closed office should

[2:38:49] be able to get this information

[2:38:51] to us by tonight.

[2:38:54] >> so a couple of things.

[2:38:55] >> I appreciate what you're

[2:38:55] saying.

[2:38:57] The spreadsheet is right here.

[2:38:58] I will like it already exists.

[2:39:01] We have meant to respond but

[2:39:03] the meat of your question

[2:39:04] though because then the meat of

[2:39:06] your question though I just

[2:39:07] want to make sure the reason

[2:39:09] that I've said to the people

[2:39:10] are talking at the same time

[2:39:12] the reason I said tuesday

[2:39:13] tomorrow is because of the 48

[2:39:13] hours.

[2:39:15] So the question is can staff

[2:39:15] can you still notice the

[2:39:19] meeting before or you know

[2:39:21] which candidates are invited

[2:39:24] you you can notice the purpose.

[2:39:24] Yes, we yes let me tell you.

[2:39:24] Okay.

[2:39:27] Well then cool I'll accept that

[2:39:27] friendly amendment you want to

[2:39:27] use.

[2:39:29] You said the end of tuesday so

[2:39:30] that's a matter of hours

[2:39:30] difference.

[2:39:33] It's those hours make a

[2:39:34] difference and I'm about 16 and

[2:39:35] to also in light of the

[2:39:38] conversation would there be an

[2:39:41] eligible virtual option excuse

[2:39:43] me available to those because

[2:39:44] it is such a short notice.

[2:39:46] >> I mean I think that's I'm

[2:39:49] for sure now why do you want to

[2:39:52] start something I mean it's all

[2:39:54] about getting it.

[2:39:55] >> we are talking about 48

[2:39:55] hours notice.

[2:39:58] I just want to yeah, again I'm

[2:39:58] not pushing that.

[2:40:01] Don't 22nd date is not I felt

[2:40:01] like we could have made

[2:40:04] somebody good made a motion for

[2:40:06] us to amend that because this

[2:40:06] is too important of a

[2:40:09] conversation we have this isn't

[2:40:09] the five months that anthony

[2:40:12] fox had when he was that moved

[2:40:14] into a position.

[2:40:15] So the idea of us trying to

[2:40:17] rush through this process I

[2:40:20] have a concern about I got you

[2:40:21] for you to get it on record as

[2:40:23] far as the virtual option, I'm

[2:40:25] I'm I'm not opposed to virtual

[2:40:26] but certainly if that's going

[2:40:28] to be a part of this motion,

[2:40:34] folks should know about it.

[2:40:34] I'm willing to adjust the

[2:40:35] motion for the will of the

[2:40:37] group if they do not have the

[2:40:38] opportunity to do a virtual

[2:40:39] them.

[2:40:40] i think that saying that you

[2:40:43] want you but you know if you

[2:40:45] can't figure out how to get in

[2:40:50] I'm sure and mayor I just want

[2:40:56] us to so I appreciate both

[2:40:59] perspectives here I also though

[2:41:00] want to talk about and maybe

[2:41:01] we're going to do it now we

[2:41:02] have to do it at some point but

[2:41:04] talk about the structure of

[2:41:07] these meetings because I think

[2:41:08] it has to we have to have a

[2:41:10] structure has that have some

[2:41:12] uniformity to it.

[2:41:15] I can imagine if ten of us have

[2:41:18] questions that's a long time.

[2:41:18] Right?

[2:41:18] Just one question.

[2:41:21] So we got to talk about the

[2:41:21] structure on that.

[2:41:24] >> yeah, maybe you I'm saying

[2:41:26] maybe you could suggest I mean

[2:41:27] I'm yes.

[2:41:29] Someone that could do that.

[2:41:30] >> yeah, somebody has got to do

[2:41:34] some work exactly right and and

[2:41:37] I think that like okay I think

[2:41:37] that what we accomplished was

[2:41:40] that the committee chair would

[2:41:43] have that opportunity to work

[2:41:43] through some of that and nobody

[2:41:46] has suggested but it does need

[2:41:49] to happen so far and mean so

[2:41:51] I'll volunteer myself since

[2:41:51] this is difficult I think it

[2:41:54] would be no, I think so.

[2:41:56] Well what I'm saying is is to I

[2:41:57] agree that those that can be

[2:41:59] worked offline if you have

[2:42:00] questions that you want ash

[2:42:03] simply cinnamon an email to

[2:42:03] everybody and we can compile

[2:42:06] the questions list these things

[2:42:08] are not difficult policy it's a

[2:42:09] question that it's not about

[2:42:11] being difficult policy question

[2:42:14] is how we process our work.

[2:42:17] >> it's how we and it's killing

[2:42:22] us if we make it to the end for

[2:42:22] sure.

[2:42:25] but there has to be process

[2:42:28] steps that there's agree in the

[2:42:31] poem if we don't have hope, if

[2:42:34] we don't respect our committee

[2:42:34] structure, why do we have

[2:42:36] committees?

[2:42:39] It's just it's and so all of

[2:42:40] this stuff should have been

[2:42:44] sent to committee weeks ago,

[2:42:47] three weeks ago that there is

[2:42:50] is a artificial timeline that

[2:42:51] we're dealing with.

[2:42:53] There's nothing magical about

[2:42:55] the 22nd we got 18 months not

[2:42:57] for an interim mayor but for

[2:42:58] the mayor of the city.

[2:43:00] I think that deserves a little

[2:43:03] bit of thoughtfulness versus

[2:43:03] making the sausage around the

[2:43:06] dice where we're supposed to be

[2:43:08] listening to candidates not

[2:43:09] making policy decisions.

[2:43:12] It's just for me it's how we

[2:43:12] process our work that's

[2:43:14] frustrating.

[2:43:15] Are you making a substitute

[2:43:18] much I make a substitution that

[2:43:19] we send this to committee so we

[2:43:25] have a second and a second and

[2:43:26] put it up or down and and and

[2:43:28] when we say substitute motion

[2:43:31] to send to committee does that

[2:43:32] include the inclusiveness of

[2:43:35] the fact the the things that we

[2:43:37] all up and then we come on to

[2:43:39] achieve all the things that we

[2:43:40] want to achieve the timelines,

[2:43:43] the structure there's the

[2:43:45] process questions that

[2:43:45] councilmember anderson talked

[2:43:48] about in terms of making sure

[2:43:48] that just on uniformity there

[2:43:51] has to be we just can't make it

[2:43:51] up on the fly.

[2:43:54] The recusal question all those

[2:43:55] things are legitimate questions

[2:43:57] that we just sit and kind of

[2:43:59] make the sausage at the table

[2:44:00] so we have you can put it up or

[2:44:02] down but I just think you have

[2:44:05] to we have a motion and and

[2:44:08] second all right as I'm just

[2:44:09] about to attempt jd tell me

[2:44:11] thank you MADAM Mayor.

[2:44:14] I think I feel like how to do

[2:44:14] that song.

[2:44:16] >> what's going on?

[2:44:17] Yeah.

[2:44:19] Mm hmm.

[2:44:20] >> are the candidates still in

[2:44:22] the room?

[2:44:23] >> really want to take this up?

[2:44:24] I do.

[2:44:25] I want to.

[2:44:28] This is just more trying to not

[2:44:31] to encourage more frustration

[2:44:33] among my colleagues.

[2:44:34] I just really want to ask this

[2:44:37] question because I'm out of

[2:44:37] curiosity.

[2:44:37] Okay.

[2:44:39] We sent this to committee,

[2:44:39] right.

[2:44:42] And they will come back to a

[2:44:45] full council for a discussion

[2:44:46] on something that was a process

[2:44:48] that should be inclusive of a

[2:44:51] full council to be then

[2:44:54] discussed from a process I was

[2:44:54] made from a committee which I

[2:44:56] respect the committee.

[2:44:57] Right.

[2:44:57] I respect the committee and I

[2:44:59] respect committee structure but

[2:45:02] I guess I'm trying to

[2:45:05] understand the reasoning of

[2:45:08] sending it to committee just

[2:45:09] for it to come back again to a

[2:45:09] full council when we're

[2:45:11] discussing it now this MAY feel

[2:45:13] would like to reply to that.

[2:45:17] So what I am understanding

[2:45:17] because again we got the first

[2:45:20] part done by sending it to

[2:45:20] committee committee can then

[2:45:22] have the conversation on the

[2:45:23] actual structure that we're

[2:45:25] talking about committee in

[2:45:26] committee it would be the

[2:45:28] discussion regarding recusal,

[2:45:31] it would be discussion on the

[2:45:34] timeline, it will be discussion

[2:45:37] although what we recommended is

[2:45:37] each of us has up to three

[2:45:40] committee were be able to do to

[2:45:41] structure around the act or

[2:45:43] survey and that timeline that's

[2:45:46] where committee will be able to

[2:45:46] come in and do that piece so

[2:45:48] that when we invite those

[2:45:52] individuals who make it through

[2:45:53] back we are all on the same

[2:45:55] page of understanding what it

[2:45:58] is that we're looking at and

[2:45:58] then we have that opportunity

[2:46:00] of submitting some questions to

[2:46:03] a committee and no duplications

[2:46:06] and there's no duplication and

[2:46:08] that will finally put us in a

[2:46:09] position to have a structure

[2:46:12] moving forward because even

[2:46:14] though we have done this eight

[2:46:16] times unfortunately we are

[2:46:17] doing this more often than what

[2:46:19] was done previously.

[2:46:20] So this way we actually get a

[2:46:22] full structure but it answers

[2:46:25] the actual questions that have

[2:46:25] been asked by it going to

[2:46:27] committee is that my

[2:46:28] understanding?

[2:46:30] That's what I'm understanding

[2:46:31] why it would come to committee.

[2:46:33] >> I think you are correct.

[2:46:34] Thank you.

[2:46:35] So just just a point of

[2:46:36] information.

[2:46:39] This would have to be a special

[2:46:39] committee meeting because

[2:46:41] there's not a committee meeting

[2:46:42] until AUGUST.

[2:46:45] >> yeah, there you can do a

[2:46:48] special the chair can share and

[2:46:50] call it in and say something

[2:46:53] same notice, same legal notice

[2:46:55] requirements but it can't be

[2:46:55] called okay.

[2:46:55] >> yes.

[2:46:58] Thank you MADAM Chair

[2:47:00] city attorney.

[2:47:03] i have a question, sir.

[2:47:06] So if this is if if the ayes

[2:47:08] have it right then we would

[2:47:11] have to then introduce a new

[2:47:14] motion to amend the adopted

[2:47:17] timeline that we voted for

[2:47:17] previously, correct?

[2:47:20] >> that is correct because you

[2:47:22] won't be able to adhere to the

[2:47:22] 22nd deadline I think timeline

[2:47:27] I should say all the questions

[2:47:27] .

[2:47:27] All right.

[2:47:28] We have a call the question on

[2:47:33] the table so I'll take anyone.

[2:47:33] All right.

[2:47:35] So let's go ahead all in favor

[2:47:36] of this please.

[2:47:39] Right of which we're talking

[2:47:41] about what's on the substitute

[2:47:42] motion on a substitute motion

[2:47:45] for the motion and the JUNE

[2:47:45] 18th and those areas right

[2:47:47] there.

[2:47:50] And if not, yes, we'll keep

[2:47:50] going.

[2:47:50] Okay.

[2:47:51] All right.

[2:47:53] We're ready.

[2:47:55] Who's some who all in favor?

[2:47:59] One, two, three, four.

[2:48:01] >> all against.

[2:48:05] Do we have anybody else all

[2:48:09] oppose for one, two, three,

[2:48:11] four, five, six.

[2:48:11] All right.

[2:48:14] I think we go back to that

[2:48:16] because we don't have anything

[2:48:16] .

[2:48:17] We go back to your motion.

[2:48:19] Yeah, right.

[2:48:20] >> all right.

[2:48:22] You're back to this motion here

[2:48:22] .

[2:48:25] Okay, so the question all

[2:48:25] right.

[2:48:26] We have a question on the

[2:48:28] motion that you see on the

[2:48:31] screen right now.

[2:48:34] So all in favor one, two, three

[2:48:39] ,four, five, six, seven, eight

[2:48:39] to the 16.

[2:48:41] Well, can I well, obviously

[2:48:44] this is passing so is there

[2:48:47] anyone opposed the right that

[2:48:49] you have?

[2:48:50] Yeah I didn't catch that so it

[2:48:55] goes to the 16th and then later

[2:48:57] on certainly amendment you had

[2:48:59] one oppose one oppose all right

[2:49:03] and that closes out this all I

[2:49:03] were wrong then how many years

[2:49:05] was it not about matthew.

[2:49:08] >> all right so we have a

[2:49:08] zoning meeting.

[2:49:10] >> I know that I can arrange a

[2:49:13] meeting so you guys would have

[2:49:17] subject would what we have now

[2:49:21] I think we're going to yes.

[2:49:23] That's what you want to do?

[2:49:25] >> yes, but there is a motion

[2:49:26] and a second on the floor to

[2:49:28] adjourn.

[2:49:29] >> you can't have the ballot

[2:49:31] motion on the floor to only to

[2:49:32] talk about it up but then do

[2:49:34] back at that's what I was

[2:49:34] asking.

[2:49:37] >> okay all those in favor of

[2:49:37] the motion to adjourn because

[2:49:40] the convener I know michelle

[2:49:42] she moved the ballots do back

[2:49:43] it says I think we're going to

[2:49:44] have to you know yeah I know I

[2:49:45] was looking at that too is it

[2:49:47] the ballot should be back by

[2:49:49] the end of day on the 16th not

[2:49:50] the close of business.

[2:49:54] That was logan is debate 20

[2:49:54] friendly amendment so what the

[2:49:56] ballots do out same day right

[2:49:59] yeah same day yeah luana I

[2:50:00] wanted to give staff until

[2:50:02] tomorrow to get it out to us

[2:50:03] instead of giving it to us

[2:50:05] tonight tomorrow tomorrow for

[2:50:08] the ballots to be distributed.

[2:50:08] Yeah.

[2:50:08] Hear you.

[2:50:08] Period.

[2:50:11] after the ballots are

[2:50:12] distributed until they come

[2:50:12] back.

[2:50:15] Yeah.

[2:50:16] Now what it says is end of day

[2:50:16] on JUNE 16th for that yeah

[2:50:17] yeah, yeah.

[2:50:20] >> no we can you can you change

[2:50:22] that 1st JUNE can you use mike

[2:50:22] to the 15.

[2:50:24] What it is saying is that

[2:50:25] there's no period in there to

[2:50:26] actually give the ballot right

[2:50:28] received them so we would have

[2:50:30] to have like noon on the 16th

[2:50:30] for the circulation of the

[2:50:33] ballots and end of day on the

[2:50:33] 16th for the return of the

[2:50:35] ballots.

[2:50:36] That's doable for the clerk's

[2:50:38] office.

[2:50:38] So we just need an update on

[2:50:39] the board so that people are

[2:50:40] clear.

[2:50:41] >> let's talk about it because

[2:50:44] we have to vote on a german.

[2:50:46] No, we yes.

[2:50:46] Well time out.

[2:50:49] We need to vote on adjournment

[2:50:49] .

[2:50:50] >> yes, MADAM Mayor.

[2:50:50] Right.

[2:50:52] We have a motion for adjourn.

[2:50:53] That all in favor please raise

[2:50:55] your hands.

[2:50:57] Okay, so just one, two, three.

[2:50:58] >> not a major.

[2:51:02] He turned around on all opposed

[2:51:02] .

[2:51:02] All right.

[2:51:05] I think that the nays and okay.

[2:51:06] All right then you have it.

[2:51:08] All right so now the next item

[2:51:11] on the agenda is what's on the

[2:51:14] agenda now upstairs what I was

[2:51:14] slightly sorry what is right in

[2:51:17] the eating and okay, bill is

[2:51:19] this right, MISS Watlington?

[2:51:22] >> so I was just commenting

[2:51:22] that the other topic that was

[2:51:25] brought up at the beginning of

[2:51:28] this meeting was the recusal.

[2:51:28] So I was I was under the

[2:51:30] impression that we were going

[2:51:31] to deal with that today that

[2:51:34] that we just had that come up.

[2:51:36] It says charge recuse or

[2:51:37] timeline number of nominations

[2:51:40] but that that that substitute

[2:51:40] motion failed I can't mark it

[2:51:43] out right now but it fails I

[2:51:45] just need to talk about recusal

[2:51:46] .

[2:51:46] Okay.

[2:51:46] Yeah.

[2:51:49] So you need to entertain a

[2:51:51] motion right now which I don't

[2:51:51] .

[2:51:51] >> let's go ahead.

[2:51:52] We need to have a motion for

[2:52:00] recusal all MR. Driggs, could

[2:52:00] the attorney please clarify my

[2:52:03] understanding was that a member

[2:52:05] who has a financial or other

[2:52:08] conflict must recuse themselves

[2:52:09] or if they have a concern about

[2:52:12] an appearance of impropriety

[2:52:14] they MAY ask the council to

[2:52:15] excuse them which would then

[2:52:17] require a majority vote to be

[2:52:18] excused.

[2:52:20] Those are two different things

[2:52:22] you just told us it's not a

[2:52:25] recusal situation even though

[2:52:25] he gets more money.

[2:52:28] So then it's a question of

[2:52:29] whether he chooses to ask to be

[2:52:31] excused and we agree with him

[2:52:32] then because of the appearance

[2:52:35] of impropriety by a majority

[2:52:37] vote he is excused.

[2:52:37] That is correct.

[2:52:39] Those are the two issues.

[2:52:40] So that means that you would

[2:52:42] have to ask to be excused since

[2:52:44] you can't recuse yourself since

[2:52:45] the attorney advises that you

[2:52:48] don't have a financial

[2:52:48] contribution.

[2:52:51] So it's up to you it can you

[2:52:51] speaking to the microphone

[2:52:54] please for the record?

[2:52:55] >> yeah, we have we have the

[2:53:06] room that today I tried I tried

[2:53:11] it's oh oh case and I think she

[2:53:12] wants you to repeat it.

[2:53:14] >> yeah I won't repeat

[2:53:15] everything I just said he is

[2:53:17] not eligible for a recusal

[2:53:18] because the city attorney

[2:53:20] advised us that his increased

[2:53:23] income doesn't qualify as a

[2:53:26] grounds for recusal under state

[2:53:26] law.

[2:53:28] Therefore he MAY ask to be

[2:53:29] excused based on a concern

[2:53:31] about the appearance of

[2:53:32] impropriety.

[2:53:35] And it takes a majority vote of

[2:53:37] counsel to excuse him.

[2:53:40] So that does require that you

[2:53:41] would in order for that vote to

[2:53:43] take place you would have to

[2:53:43] ask to be excused.

[2:53:46] And I would suggest that for as

[2:53:46] long as councilmember mitchell

[2:53:49] is in the pool of people like

[2:53:52] if he's not among the final

[2:53:54] five then he could participate

[2:53:56] in the selection among the five

[2:53:58] if he is among the final five

[2:54:01] in my opinion there is an issue

[2:54:04] a question about conflict and

[2:54:05] then but it is up to you to ask

[2:54:07] to be excused.

[2:54:07] >> we can't do it.

[2:54:08] We don't do it.

[2:54:10] Did everybody hear what it

[2:54:10] said?

[2:54:11] Is that right?

[2:54:14] And I agree with correct I feel

[2:54:16] thank you, MADAM Mayor.

[2:54:18] And the clerk mentioned it.

[2:54:19] But I think what we also have

[2:54:24] to remember when council when

[2:54:27] former mayor fox took his

[2:54:29] appointment and then council

[2:54:32] appointed councilmember percy

[2:54:35] kinzie, she did not recuse

[2:54:35] herself.

[2:54:39] you whatever the mayor has

[2:54:40] always owned more than council

[2:54:44] whether was 5000 more 7000 or

[2:54:44] more it doesn't matter what the

[2:54:44] amount was.

[2:54:47] The mayor has always earned

[2:54:47] more than council.

[2:54:48] Council member can say he did

[2:54:50] not recuse herself.

[2:54:50] Yes she voted for herself just

[2:54:53] like when we have elections I

[2:54:53] hope you actually vote for

[2:54:56] yourself when you go in to vote

[2:54:59] so that I want us to keep in

[2:55:02] mind the idea of this recusal.

[2:55:02] Yes.

[2:55:04] COUNCILMAN Mitchell will have

[2:55:06] to make the motion himself but

[2:55:09] we already do have precedent on

[2:55:10] that.

[2:55:10] That's correct.

[2:55:12] And that precedent is the

[2:55:15] sitting council member that

[2:55:16] ended up being put into the

[2:55:20] position of mayor for that

[2:55:21] eventual period did vote for

[2:55:23] themselves.

[2:55:24] There was no recusal.

[2:55:26] I don't know why the

[2:55:27] conversation of compensation

[2:55:29] came into this particular

[2:55:32] conversation for the simple

[2:55:32] fact the mayor will always make

[2:55:35] more than council whatever that

[2:55:37] amount is I'll give as 2000

[2:55:37] more.

[2:55:38] The mayor is always going to

[2:55:40] make more than council so

[2:55:40] whoever the mayor is they are

[2:55:43] going to make more than council

[2:55:43] with that.

[2:55:46] So the recusal piece that's a

[2:55:49] kisi as a sitting council

[2:55:51] member who served 28 years as a

[2:55:54] district when she was appointed

[2:55:57] to fill out mayor anthony

[2:56:00] parks's seat she was not asked

[2:56:00] to recuse.

[2:56:02] She did vote.

[2:56:06] I don't understand why we're i

[2:56:09] understand why we're having a

[2:56:10] conversation now but I want us

[2:56:12] to make sure for transparency.

[2:56:15] That was not something that was

[2:56:17] a prerequisite.

[2:56:20] But again, even though we just

[2:56:21] voted it down, had it gone to

[2:56:23] committee, that's what the

[2:56:24] discussion and an actual

[2:56:26] process could have been put in

[2:56:26] place.

[2:56:26] We chose not to do that but I

[2:56:29] just want to make sure everyone

[2:56:30] does understand we had a

[2:56:33] councilmember who stepped into

[2:56:33] the role.

[2:56:35] No they did not recuse

[2:56:35] themselves.

[2:56:38] Yes, they voted if he chooses

[2:56:40] to that is his choice.

[2:56:41] >> we do not get to do that.

[2:56:44] All right, MISS Allen.

[2:56:46] >> thank you, MADAM Mayor.

[2:56:47] I just want to speak very

[2:56:49] briefly to my impression of why

[2:56:50] we are where we are.

[2:56:52] I tried to bring this issue

[2:56:52] into the room because I've had

[2:56:53] a lot of engagement with

[2:56:55] constituents over the weekend

[2:56:58] particularly who have asked me

[2:56:59] about what they perceive to be

[2:57:01] the unfairness of a situation

[2:57:01] where there is competition

[2:57:04] between a member of council and

[2:57:07] other members of the community

[2:57:07] .

[2:57:08] Those members of the community

[2:57:09] need to get to six this member

[2:57:09] of council would only need to

[2:57:11] get to five presumably voting

[2:57:11] done for himself.

[2:57:14] So I wanted to put that into

[2:57:14] the room out of just an

[2:57:16] abundance of transparency

[2:57:19] around what our process is.

[2:57:20] I believe there to be a

[2:57:20] conflict of interest and I

[2:57:23] believe there is an appearance

[2:57:23] of impropriety to have mayor

[2:57:25] pro tem vote in the same way as

[2:57:28] he would if he were not

[2:57:28] running.

[2:57:29] I think to the point made by

[2:57:31] councilmember driggs, there is

[2:57:32] a difference in my mind of

[2:57:34] getting us to a point where we

[2:57:36] have a small group if he is on

[2:57:37] that small group then I would

[2:57:39] contend that he should not

[2:57:39] continue to participate in the

[2:57:42] same way that he would if he

[2:57:43] were not our mayor pro tem so

[2:57:45] that is my personal point of

[2:57:46] view.

[2:57:46] That is why the issues in the

[2:57:48] room is there a motion on the

[2:57:48] table?

[2:57:50] I don't believe.

[2:57:51] >> did you make a motion?

[2:57:51] I did not.

[2:57:54] I'd like to comment when it's

[2:57:54] my turn.

[2:57:54] >> thank you.

[2:57:54] All right.

[2:57:57] So why don't we go has his

[2:57:58] hand?

[2:57:59] I do want okay, go.

[2:58:00] >> I just wanted to point out

[2:58:02] it was possible that 4 or 5 of

[2:58:04] us applied for this.

[2:58:05] Where would we have been if

[2:58:07] everybody had been disqualified

[2:58:07] ?

[2:58:10] I so I think the fact that

[2:58:11] mitchell has served the way he

[2:58:11] has all this time shouldn't

[2:58:14] work to his detriment as it

[2:58:15] were.

[2:58:17] He's entitled to his voice in

[2:58:18] this process as the mayor pro

[2:58:20] tem so personally I clarified

[2:58:23] as I did just to make sure we

[2:58:23] understand the situation it's

[2:58:25] up to him.

[2:58:26] I personally wouldn't put a

[2:58:29] burden on him to ask to be

[2:58:31] excused which is what we're

[2:58:31] talking about.

[2:58:33] >> I'm not mayor jd thank you

[2:58:36] madam mayor.

[2:58:37] Yeah I would agree with my

[2:58:37] colleagues.

[2:58:39] Council member MAY feel and

[2:58:40] council member driggs and also

[2:58:42] appreciative of councilmember

[2:58:45] owens point however I really do

[2:58:45] think for me when I think about

[2:58:47] it I think about the democratic

[2:58:48] process right?

[2:58:51] We are elected by less than 5%

[2:58:53] of the city's population and

[2:58:54] why are we going to vote on

[2:58:57] whether somebody has the right

[2:58:57] to run or to seek a position of

[2:58:59] elected office?

[2:59:02] We all raised our hands to run

[2:59:02] for elected office and we all

[2:59:05] went in front of the community

[2:59:05] .

[2:59:06] >> right?

[2:59:06] Everybody has the right to run

[2:59:09] for office and be true to that

[2:59:12] same standard like we're

[2:59:14] putting on the same standard

[2:59:15] for all of the candidates that

[2:59:17] we've heard from today and that

[2:59:18] have applied for this role

[2:59:20] today that being said, you know

[2:59:21] and I'll I'll just for

[2:59:23] appreciation I will say this

[2:59:24] that's why I also agree with

[2:59:26] councilmember owens when it

[2:59:27] comes to the physical virtual

[2:59:29] option.

[2:59:29] Right.

[2:59:32] We need to be equalizers and

[2:59:32] ensure that everybody has a

[2:59:35] fair shot, an opportunity and I

[2:59:36] as I brought it up before and

[2:59:38] I'll bring it up today I'm

[2:59:39] unsure with this financial

[2:59:42] compensation part of the

[2:59:45] discussion came apart because

[2:59:45] we did just vote as a city

[2:59:48] council to give ourselves a

[2:59:48] raise.

[2:59:48] Right?

[2:59:50] That's part of the budget city

[2:59:53] council members and the mayor

[2:59:56] got a pay bump and the f y 2027

[2:59:56] budget right.

[2:59:59] And so that conversation and

[3:00:02] financial compensation feels

[3:00:05] very obscure to me to be had in

[3:00:08] this in this room right now and

[3:00:10] right right and she and she

[3:00:11] would have disallowed that

[3:00:11] exactly.

[3:00:13] MR. Drake so thank you so much

[3:00:13] and I.

[3:00:14] >> I concur.

[3:00:16] All right.

[3:00:16] And let's go.

[3:00:19] We're going around this way.

[3:00:19] >> thank you, MADAM Mayor.

[3:00:22] Just question for the city

[3:00:24] attorney here.

[3:00:27] We were mentioning when patsy

[3:00:28] kinzie was appointed to be the

[3:00:30] interim mayor was there a

[3:00:33] public forum with that process

[3:00:35] or was she simply voted by her

[3:00:39] colleagues to be to take that

[3:00:39] seat?

[3:00:41] Because I think if it wasn't a

[3:00:42] public forum I don't believe

[3:00:44] there was this is a different

[3:00:45] structure here and I'll be a

[3:00:45] little prescribed with our

[3:00:47] language.

[3:00:48] We not a public forum but not a

[3:00:50] candidate forum there were no

[3:00:50] there was not external

[3:00:51] competition.

[3:00:53] It was strictly internal to

[3:00:53] your point councilmember

[3:00:56] anderson only council members

[3:00:56] participated in that, correct.

[3:00:58] And that's why I brought that

[3:00:59] up because you know, before we

[3:01:02] advance to a public process we

[3:01:04] had the opportunity to

[3:01:07] potentially appoint any of us.

[3:01:08] So it's not about a particular

[3:01:10] individual but we voted to make

[3:01:13] this a public process in

[3:01:14] advance in this public forum.

[3:01:16] So we've had 49 people to sign

[3:01:19] up to come down to speak.

[3:01:20] people have taken the time to

[3:01:22] fill out applications.

[3:01:23] You know, it's not just a small

[3:01:26] a small thing we've asked them

[3:01:26] to do and it's a very different

[3:01:30] process than when patsy kinzie,

[3:01:31] who was a district one

[3:01:33] resident, was appointed interim

[3:01:36] mayor very different.

[3:01:36] All right.

[3:01:39] Male thank you, MADAM Mayor.

[3:01:39] >> I would agree with

[3:01:42] councilmember briggs.

[3:01:44] I don't believe that mayor pro

[3:01:45] tem should have to recuse

[3:01:47] himself.

[3:01:48] I think that you know, as a

[3:01:50] sitting council member he

[3:01:51] should have the same vote as

[3:01:53] everyone else on council.

[3:01:56] So I just wanted to put that

[3:01:56] out there.

[3:01:58] >> I mean that I guess would be

[3:01:59] a decision that he makes and or

[3:02:01] we would make potentially.

[3:02:04] But I, I don't think that's

[3:02:07] necessary personally for you.

[3:02:09] It's not up to us.

[3:02:10] You know it's it's like you

[3:02:12] said then what attorney just

[3:02:15] say no we can't vote.

[3:02:15] Right.

[3:02:15] Okay.

[3:02:17] All right.

[3:02:18] Anyone else?

[3:02:21] MR. Watlington all right.

[3:02:23] MRS. Mira all right then.

[3:02:29] MR. Johnson oh, all right.

[3:02:31] >> I'll just add that it's like

[3:02:34] we're arguing about not arguing

[3:02:37] or debating about assumption or

[3:02:39] some preconceived guarantee

[3:02:42] when there's not a guarantee.

[3:02:42] Right.

[3:02:45] There is as much possibility

[3:02:49] for the mayor pro tem to become

[3:02:50] one of the top five candidates

[3:02:51] as well as to not become one

[3:02:52] and top five candidates.

[3:02:52] Right.

[3:02:54] and so I just want to put that

[3:02:55] out there that in to the public

[3:02:57] and I want to be put on the

[3:02:59] record there is not a guarantee

[3:03:02] on who gets appointed interim

[3:03:05] mayor that is point blank

[3:03:05] period.

[3:03:06] Right.

[3:03:08] Like we all have as we voted on

[3:03:12] the right to nominate up to

[3:03:15] three people in this process

[3:03:18] and that those chances of

[3:03:20] whether mayor pro tem is one of

[3:03:21] those top three people that's

[3:03:23] not guaranteed and it's not

[3:03:23] written.

[3:03:24] We just heard from excellent

[3:03:25] candidates.

[3:03:26] Right.

[3:03:26] And I hope that we all have the

[3:03:29] due diligence to listen to

[3:03:32] those candidates and really

[3:03:32] nominate the best candidates.

[3:03:35] We think aligned with the

[3:03:35] priorities and the future of

[3:03:37] this city.

[3:03:38] So I just want to make that

[3:03:40] very clear that when we are

[3:03:42] having this discussion about

[3:03:43] excluding or taking someone's

[3:03:46] right to vote, there's not a

[3:03:48] guarantee that any of us would

[3:03:49] be appointed mayor if we did

[3:03:52] applied.

[3:03:52] >> so thank you.

[3:03:52] All right.

[3:03:54] Thank you, don.

[3:03:55] I think do need to the motion

[3:03:57] to adjourn.

[3:03:59] >> so I think I think well she

[3:04:04] and the other things okay.

[3:04:05] >> MADAM Mayor, just quickly

[3:04:07] before we leave out, I just

[3:04:08] want to make sure everyone

[3:04:10] remembers that on JUNE the

[3:04:13] monday, JUNE 22nd that starting

[3:04:14] at 2:00 we had a city clerk's

[3:04:16] evaluation.

[3:04:17] So that was one of the other

[3:04:19] reasons the motion went the way

[3:04:20] it went.

[3:04:22] But while we are doing these

[3:04:25] dates out I want to make sure

[3:04:27] that we remember the 22nd we

[3:04:29] already have the close

[3:04:31] evaluation that's scheduled

[3:04:34] from 2 to 6 and we're public

[3:04:34] form.

[3:04:37] >> so on ramp I think maybe we

[3:04:38] are as it's maybe a day in the

[3:04:40] life of council.

[3:04:43] I mean we choose violence on a

[3:04:46] daily basis around this dais.

[3:04:49] >> so thank you.

[3:04:49] Okay.

[3:04:52] So I've got to motion to

[3:04:54] adjourn we defer we defer her

[3:04:54] motion to adjourn.

[3:04:58] How many of you are at the you

[3:05:00] adjourn for thursday but you're

City Council Special Meeting on 2026-06-15 2:00 PM - Interim Mayor Candidate Forum

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