make sure
uh uh
,do
.
Mm hmm.
Charlotte city council's
mayoral vacancy and candidate
forum.
It's JUNE the 15th and it's at
2:00 and I think we have almost
everyone I know we have and I
believe we're going to go
around and introduce our staff
as well as our council members.
All right.
MISS Billy.
Billy towns, deputy city clerk
.
Good afternoon, general o'mara.
At-large.
Good afternoon.
I'm victoria watlington and I
have the pleasure of serving
you as a member at large.
>> good afternoon, joy mayo
representing district three.
Oh really?
Owen's representing district
six and driggs district seven.
>> now from gram district to
lorna mayfield serving at large
jd MS..
What asked district five?
Good afternoon.
>> I'm renee johnson and I have
the honor of representing
district four.
Welcome and congratulations to
all the candidates.
So I want to say thank you and
it is a pleasure to have you
here this afternoon.
So many of you who are
beginning to participate in
what I think is one of the most
important things that we do
which is to have a city that we
can work with all things that
we can do for all of the
communities that we have and to
make sure it works.
So I'm just going to say I'm
going to call up we have called
a meeting to order and we
understand that we have all of
our appointments, all of the
people that are joining us.
So let's go down into what we
are going to try to do for our
candidate forum.
The candidates will appear in
alphabetical order by last
name.
Each candidate has been
assigned a number candidates
will be called by their name
and number to the lectern which
is right up here with our city
attorney here.
And when it is their turn each
one will be given two minutes
to provide a statement to
council.
There will be no questions
during the forum.
However, MISS Mayfield has
asked to be recognized and I
want to do that with her.
MS. Mayfield thank you, MADAM
Mayor.
So colleagues, as today we are
just hearing from the
candidates.
According to this most updated
list we have about 49
individuals I had mentioned
previously that we have
opportunity when we look at
what we identify through the
process of trying to narrow
down potential the strongest
candidates that potentially MAY
have five or more I believe we
have the opportunity to create
the survey again.
So today is basically we had
the opportunity this being part
one of a two part process where
we then narrowed it down to a
number where we could see where
they MAY MAY be consensus
amongst council five or more.
And then we had the opportunity
to invite those individuals
back and actually ask the
questions that we can that come
together and decide on some
questions.
I definitely want to also
acknowledge mayor louse for
agreeing to stick around a
little bit longer.
Thank you.
And not leaving at the initial
JUNE date to give us time to
make sure that to the best of
our ability based on the
applications that we identify
the appropriate candidate to
fill out these 17 months.
But I do think council should
have the opportunity to have
discussions around the
candidates in order for and the
opportunity for us to be able
to ask questions of the
candidates after we get through
today.
Mayor my question is do I need
to put that in the form of a
motion to see if we can get
support to so if that is the
case I would like to make a
motion that part two of this
initial mail appointment
process we will have the
ability for council to then
work with staff to identify
survey and from that survey
narrow it down in order to
actually have the opportunity
for us to ask questions of the
candidates.
Yeah they're going to get a
second or not because we don't
have a process at the listening
in supporting our people today.
So this is the recommended
process that I am suggesting.
>> all right.
this MAY feel and has has a
makes has made the motion so if
we don't get this back in.
All right.
We have a motion and a second
any further conversation?
All right.
Yes, sir.
MADAM Mayor, I appreciate the
opportunity and I.
I will speak on behalf of the
motion.
I am inclined towards that but
I would ask for a friendly
amendment to add in the ability
for individual council members
to assess folks who do not show
up today in person.
I did vote and we were
unanimous in that but I think
the manner in which we
disclosed the date that it
would be and the lack of
flexibility has led to some
folks who are quite honestly
part of this community who do
have supporters and detractors
both but folks who are not here
and it delegitimizes our
process to not be able to have
an option.
So what I would like is for
those of us who do not see
somebody here today to still be
allowed in our process to
consider them even though they
did not show up here today.
So as the motion maker I do not
accept that friendly amendment
because at this point we have
49 individuals here.
To my understanding there was
one individual who could not be
in attendance for today.
We do not have a virtual
option.
You can't phone in being a
mayor.
I don't think that for me we
have 49 individuals.
i am not interested in change
in a process for one individual
whoever that individual is.
If they were not able to be in
person.
>> all right.
Matt, I have to substitute
motion.
You can certainly procedurally
you can offer a substitute
motion.
However, before before this
moves forward this presentation
that I was getting ready to
share provides some context for
the process that might be
helpful to this discussion.
So MADAM Mayor and
councilmember mayfield, if you
would be so inclined to give me
about five minutes to run
through this this MAY inform
this discussion and then you
can pick back up.
It MAY inform where you are.
>> MADAM Mayor I am fine with a
pause so that our city attorney
can present MISS Kimberly
council.
>> I am I am as well.
MS..
Watlington okay, so let's I'm
you know it's always better to
know what we're talking about
with the attorney standing in.
>> thank you, MADAM Mayor.
Good afternoon, council mayor
and council.
This presentation will walk you
briefly through the appointment
process as we stand here today
and how we could possibly move
forward.
As a reminder for council and
as well for the public any
vacancy including the mayor's
vacancy shall be appointed be
filled by appointment of the
city council.
And cities like charlotte and
whole partizan elections the
interim mayor must belong to
the same political party as the
individual being replaced and
must be to 21 years of age and
reside within the city of
charlotte city limits.
The municipal elections the
primary will occur on SEPTEMBER
the 14th 2027 and the general
election will occur on NOVEMBER
the 2nd.
So when we talk about the
selection phase options, there
are two options that I outlined
for you in memo form back on
MAY 7th that and that includes
a motion second and vote as an
option.
Also a nomination and ballot
process with the nomination and
ballot process which is what
council has historically used
as a means of selecting for a
vacancy.
You would have to options
everyone who has filled out an
application and adhere to the
requirements of the application
could be considered a nominee
or each council member could
receive could be offered the
opportunity to provide one
nomination and then close
nominations thereafter.
Now I'll pause here and say
this discussion that you're
having now could could increase
that number.
But the option that I've given
is that council members would
have options for providing a
nomination versus everyone
who's submitted an application
having the opportunity to be
considered in that process and
each council member would go
around the diocese and have the
opportunity to provide a
nomination for candidate a, b
or c even the clerk would
record the nomination and
ballots would be created and
voting would occur later in the
meeting.
So this would happen all in
person.
All of the nominations would
occur in person and all of the
voting would occur in person
with the balloting process.
Each council member would cast
one vote.
Votes as I said, will be
publicly announced and
recorded.
The appointment would require
six votes if no candidate
receives six votes.
You would proceed to subsequent
ballots.
The recommendation the city
attorney's office would make at
this point would be in order
for a candidate to move forward
they must have at least three
votes.
>> this outlines the
elimination and tie procedures
or it's a recommended for that
after each ballot the lowest
vote getter would be
eliminated.
The remaining candidates would
continue if there is a tie the
advancement threshold would be
still three.
And if you have two candidates
who receive at least three
votes in this example then a, b
and c would advance if you have
a tie of the lowest vote
getters again a receiving for b
receiving two and c receiving
two both b and c would advance
.
So for today I have three
buckets of decision points.
Number one motion motion or
nomination and ballot method.
number two the number of
nominations allotted to each
council member and number three
the number of votes required to
proceed to subsequent ballots
and obviously now at this point
at this juncture would there be
an additional line of
questioning and or elimination
that would narrow, narrow the
field?
And so those are the points
that you all would need to
decide today as you move
forward through the process to
streamline the 22nd vote.
>> thank you very much.
I know that all of us can see
this and I know that we had two
people that wanted to speak to
this right away.
So I'm going to start again
MISS Kimberly.
Council member kimberly and
followed by council member
watlington.
If I could defer to
councilmember watlington I've
already spoken on the issue and
want to defer to my colleague
who's not yet our opportunity
but thank you.
>> thank you for that
councilmember.
A couple of quick things.
Firstly, as it relates to the
question of whether or not
council members can reach out
so I don't think my assumption
is that any council member can
speak to anyone at any time.
I just want to make sure that
that was clear even if that
doesn't go forward in a motion,
I don't want folks to feel as
though that they can not have a
conversation with any of the
candidates as they so please.
And then the second thing in
regards to narrowing it down, i
do support the three rather
than five because we would
essentially have voted by that
time.
For those reasons I'm wondering
if there's a need to have an
additional step to whittle down
to ask questions given that
that can happen off line at any
time.
I also wanted to add we talked
about this earlier but I just
wanted to be clear about the
fact that no one is being
eliminated because they're not
here today.
Now they MAY be that MAY be a
factor for an individual
council member, which is
certainly their prerogative.
But for those watching, if you
are not here today, you are not
automatically eliminated from
this process.
So that being said, I think
there's plenty of opportunities
still to have conversations
going forward with that.
I don't want to jump over
council member mayfield's
motion but I do wonder if it is
well I would imagine it's in
order because of what's been
presented to us but I would
like to go ahead and move to
use the ballot method to
address the first decision
point here very very well.
>> but MAY I answer the other
questions, DR. Watlington that
you posted up opposed excuse
me.
First legally certainly council
members can reach out to
individual candidates and have
outline conversations.
What we would want to avoid
certainly is a quorum of this
body conferring with a
particular candidate but
barring barring that certainly
conversations could occur as it
relates to your your comment
about the nominees or the
candidates that have been
brought forward.
>> all of the candidates who
met the legal threshold for
requirements were provided in
your binders in the eligible
candidates category I.E. The
those who did not obviously
were in the non eligible and so
they would be that is the
threshold question for the
application process that you
adopted on MAY 26th and so that
checks that off.
And then lastly the nominations
piece of it certainly you could
you could address the number
that you feel is appropriate
but again recognizing that the
threshold needs to be set in
advance of the meeting so that
the roles aren't changed in the
middle of voting.
So then with that, MADAM Mayor,
if I MAY if I MAY just to get a
motion on the floor for
discussion I will amend there's
there's a motion in I'm sorry I
thought you were withdraw for.
Forgive me.
Go ahead.
I'm next.
Thank you.
>> no, I think no, I don't
think I had raised my hand
after listening.
Okay.
Yes.
So I appreciate MS..
Mayfield's I guess recognition
that the way we were going we
were going to have two minutes
here and then and we have this
and without any further
engagement we were going to
move to our selection.
>> so I absolutely agree that I
think there's a step missing
here where we get a closer look
at the contenders and I'd like
to understand better besides
the fight.
>> city attorney yes are making
.
Can you back up a little bit?
I'd like to know a timeline for
the steps and understand better
how these steps occur.
Are we talking about an online
ballot or are we talking about
going to the next meeting and
all of these events occur at
the next meeting?
>> so all of these events would
happen at the next meeting in
an open session and so the
nominations process would
happen at the very top of the
meeting and again go around the
dais it's the clerk's office
staff will be standing by to
create a ballot based upon the
nominations that are made on
the floor.
Again, this keeps everything in
the open and allows for the
public to hear when those
nominations are made.
It still means that at one
meeting we move from here to
the selection.
That's correct, sir.
And I don't know what others
think.
That for me is a challenge.
There are some people here that
I don't know that well and I
don't feel that in two minutes
and based on this submission
I'd be able to give them a fair
shake.
And that's why on one basis or
another I like what you're
suggesting which is we have an
elimination in round where it
takes support from some council
members for us to identify
finalists and then we spend a
little more time with the
finalists which I think is what
I understood you to suggest.
Thank you.
And I think that's included in
your motion.
MS..
Mayfield MR. Graham, I mean MR.
Mayor.
Yes.
Thank you.
So I agree with councilmember
lyons.
>> previously we did not
eliminate someone just because
they could not attend a meeting
and this we adopted an express
timeline and where people had
for our commitments.
So I agree with councilmember
owens.
I don't think we need to
eliminate someone obviously
individual council members can
eliminate someone but from the
process perspective our for me
I would consider everyone
regardless of whether they
attend the public forum or not
just from the consistent
perspective I can you go back
to the slide where you have the
three options as to yes.
So we in the past we had use
ballot method.
So I think from consistency
perspective we can continue
with that in terms of number of
nominations that will be
allotted to each council
members, how many are we
looking at?
>> do you have any
recommendations or trying?
I don't I don't it could be as
low as one obviously or as many
as council sees fit.
However, obviously the more
nominations each council member
has the the longer the process
will take and the more involved
it MAY be.
So you recommended a candidate
getting at least three to get
to this subsidy subsequent
round.
I agree with that so that we
can meet our expedited timeline
of JUNE 22nd.
But this also gives council
members an opportunity to have
one on one with candidates.
So I would like us to continue
with the adopted timeline that
the council had adopted a few
weeks ago which is JUNE 22nd
being the final decision.
So after the discussion is over
I would I can make a motion if
needed in terms of the number
of nominations and number of
votes required to proceed to
the second round.
And that's all I have.
Thank you.
All right, MR. Graham.
Thank you, MADAM Chair.
>> one of the things I wish we
had than that we decide that we
did not want to do was send it
to a committee to flesh out the
process.
And so we're debating and
creating the process on the fly
once again.
Given that I think MS..
Mayfield motion makes sense for
me.
I am not married to a JUNE 22nd
timeline.
I think we are to make a
thoughtful decision as long as
it takes because this is really
a term that we're selecting
someone for and the interim
thing is just quote unquote
it's the mayor, right?
And so I think we ought to make
a a thoughtful decision based
on all the information that we
have in front of us through a
process that we all understand
and can interpret versus
getting one today.
I'm just I think in process
steps that there are a number
of questions that I have.
Notwithstanding that, I think
it's pretty simplistic but I
would want it more time to
really have some dialog with
folks around the time the days
in reference to those process
steps to see if they make sense
for us based on the
recommendation of the attorney.
So I, I just hope that we would
be very thoughtful about how we
process the work and the 20s
next week.
Right?
Right.
So I again I think we've I just
hope that we can thoughtfully
consider what we're doing.
The process matters being very
transparent matters and
certainly the final decision
matters even more.
Thank you MR. Graham.
Thank you very much.
I really recall that we turned
this over as a process to the
city attorney and that MAY have
been more legal than what it
would be personal or the
opportunities that we want to
have as a community or city.
And I think that that is
warrant it.
I think that we do need some
time.
Now that's not to say no, I'm
not on a clock so you know,
nobody has to send me a dollar.
So I want to say that if that
is what we need to do then I
think the council as a whole
needs to make a decision of how
they how you want and choose
what you want to do.
I think that's the most
important thing about doing
this is to get everyone to
actually think about what you
want to do and what you want to
achieve and so with that I'm
going to turn it over.
Kimberly again sorry.
Thank you, MADAM.
And yes I'm sorry MR. I'm sorry
.
>> go ahead.
Thank you, MADAM Mayor and
thank you councilmember owens
and thank you councilmember
mayfield.
City attorney MAY I ask you
what the original motion was
made?
Well, in terms of that
in-person requirement and
whether because to my
understanding and I might be
remembering this wrong the
in-person requirement was
mandatory to be considered for
an attendance here at the
candidates forum.
The in-person requirement was
mandatory to be consider moving
forward.
Is that right?
That's correct.
So does that mean and I want to
defer to MADAM Clerk because I
don't have that motion in front
of me.
I don't they can pull it up.
I can pull it up while we're
talking from the 26th.
Let's make sure we read the
motion correctly while that is
look there because I know DR.
Watlington brought up the point
whether somebody is eliminated
or not but I believe that the
motion that was voted on and
that we all unanimously
approved was that if they're
not here in person there are
eliminated from further
consideration.
And early on trying to confirm
that that was that that's yeah
they are in the eligible
candidates.
That's correct and now I will
say that the application and
that's why we need to look at
the motion the application
specifically stated that people
needed to attend in person.
Okay.
But we'll look at the motion.
Let's follow the motion.
Okay.
So while that is being looked
up thank you MADAM Clerk for
looking that up.
I do want to say that I agree
with councilmember mayfield and
the majority of my colleagues
around the dais when it comes
to that additional step.
I do feel uncomfortable not
having that additional step
collectively with quorum and in
and in comparison leave and
rather to leaving it to
individual conversation with
council members.
That is not to say that there
are special interests at play
right but there are folks on
this list that I have personal
relationships with that a lot
of folks have personal
relationships with and I don't
think it would be fair to any
candidate that we held that
those conversations offline not
to say that we can't have those
conversations offline but that
we should level set by adding
that additional step of you
know, finalizing the final list
to MR. Drinks pointed to
earlier and us collectively
asking those questions to those
candidates that we have you
know individually but as a
collective come to agree to
interview with rather than
having a step in the process
that is not open to the public.
I mean it could be open to the
public.
They can follow requests the
phone calls and text messages
and emails but that it's very
proactive transparency rather
than reactive transparency.
And then I had another point we
can you go to the decision
points?
MADAM Attorney, please.
Yes, sir.
And I'll make this quick
because I do want to be
respectful of the candidates
times so could you again
explain to me the difference
between the motion or nominee
motion and then the nomination
ballot method?
Yes, sir.
So the motion method would be
one motion on the floor at a
time.
So would be motion for
candidate a second vote.
It could be a substitute motion
and on and so forth.
You'd have to you would really
have to know pretty precisely
where you were leaning, where
the body was leaning.
Otherwise it would be a series
of substitute motions and or
process as the nomination
method is where you would open
the floor up and you would have
one nomination but at least one
nomination potentially per
council member and you would
close the nominations at the
conclusion of that and the
ballot would be created
therefrom and voting occur
thereafter.
>> thank you goodness GOD knows
already get confused with all
the motions on the floor so I
do defer to the ballot method
and then I also agree with
council member graham that we
need to get the process right
and needs to be fair.
It needs to be transparent.
We also need to honor the
office of the mayor to ensure
that we are selecting the best
candidate for it.
And that being said, I also
agree with councilmember
mayfield's motion of an
additional step where we as a
council interview the finalists
rather than having offline
conversations which again not
to say that we can't have
offline conversations but that
there is a nother open
transparent part to the
process.
Thank you.
I'm all right.
And some woman kimberly I'm so
thank you MADAM Mayor and
colleagues.
I just I will say one of the
reasons that I wanted to
supplement the motion that I do
support by councilmember
mayfield is because the way
that this process has played
out and the certainty with
which we went to the community
with our date and the lack of
ability for folks to rejigger
their lives and the good
intentions and goodwill that
has been evidenced by the work
that has gone into this I would
like to be removed from a
constraint of not considering
somebody solely because they
were not here of individual
council members feel strongly.
I think that's still within
their within their remit to not
consider someone because of
their failure to be here today.
I personally am uncomfortable
with that because of the way
that we communicated it.
Another aspect of this that I
would like to put into the room
and then I'm going to suggest
that perhaps this be removed to
our committee that's where I
originally had hoped that we
would be able to sort some
processes around this.
But this other element that I'd
like to add is I have heard
from the community a lot of
consternation around the
conflict of interest of mayor
pro tem being a part of the
early rounds of this process
and I'd like us to explore the
precedent for that and how we
all feel about that and perhaps
if there is a motion method we
would go out with an early
motion on him if we did not
have the requisite votes for
him then we would then he would
be re-injected into the
process.
But there's a lot of folks who
are speaking in our communities
now about a perception of
unfairness and I don't think
that we should set set up any
interim mayor for failure by
having this process look like
it's less than transparent and
less than fair.
So I just would like for us to
respect the time of the folks
in the room have them go ahead
and get started and perhaps we
defer this to bgr so that we
can develop a process along the
lines of what you suggested in
line with the motion brought by
councilmember mayfield and in
line with my own suggestion
that individual members still
be allowed to select someone
and advance them even if they
are not here today.
>> thank you.
There are two motion I've
already had a substitute motion
but I don't know how we want to
go forward.
I think we have to decide those
two motions before we put
another motion into the room so
I'm not doing a motion.
So what?
I'm sorry.
What is the substitute motion
then?
And it's on the floor right now
.
Mine was to supplement and she
rejected it so there's not a
substitute motion.
So are you making a substitute
motion?
So could I make a substitute
motion?
You can make a substitute
motion if you operate a
friendly amendment to that was
reject was rejected you can
offer a substitute motion.
So then I would offer a
substitute motion that builds
on the motion that was raised
by councilmember mayfield adds
the ability for council members
to not discount someone solely
for their failure to attend
today and then defers this
entire matter to bgea and we go
ahead and start the forum right
now in deference to the people
who are in the room who thought
they were going to be speaking
it to.
So I guess the motion is to put
it at bgr.
all right.
So I think MS..
Watling told us so we could
discuss it and be able to just
with this discussion.
MS. Watlington go ahead if you
have a motion well, I don't
have a motion but I got a
couple of questions.
I'm hoping the clerk or someone
can tell us what the original
motion was because then we'll
know whether or not it's
necessary to add special
permission.
>> so I can tell you what my
notes have but these minutes
have not been transcribed so I
would have to go back in look
at this a little bit further
but the original motion from
you had an amendment to it if I
could just read what I had from
that 2020 staff from 22nd.
So the original motion was
edgemere and watlington
seconded and it was a motion to
adopt option b invite both
external and internal
candidates have a public
candidate forum do not send
back to committee application
question will include mandatory
in-person interview question if
intention of running and
strikethrough on JUNE first.
However it was amended shortly
after that.
MISS Mayfield second by johnson
that the application process be
in person and then there was
another motion so I would have
to go through more notes to see
what the final motion was but
that's how it started.
So at no point did someone say
you would be eliminated if you
did not attend.
>> so it sounds like there's
not clarity.
there is what it sounds like.
So I understand it's on the
application but that's to me
very different than that that
eliminates you from so I, I say
that to say that I do think it
makes sense to go and spend
more time on this process.
I'm not sure that that's
exactly was reflected in this
motion and it sounded like
there was a compound piece of
the motion.
So councilmember owens, I just
want to make sure I understand
there's this component of
sitting to budget.
Yes, ma'am.
There's a component of setting
this to begin.
Are there is a component of
adding an additional round you
said building off a council
member mayfield and then
there's a component it of in
some way dealing with a
potential conflict of interest
.
Yeah okay I think I think for
me what it results in we need
to get the forum started today
and we need to have a meeting
and I believe it should be bgr
but I am open to other
possibilities of who should be
making that decision but I
think there's enough queries at
this dyess today that we need
to address so that we can have
an intentional process that
follows up after today.
Okay.
So the only other thing that I
will say in regards to that is
who is on the bigger committee
.
Raise your hand if you are
three and one two, three, four
.
Exactly.
so well so take it.
But I like it so I say that to
say I hope that there's some
thought and care taken to that
given that this motion doesn't
provide for one side or the
other opposition but just be
mindful that if it goes to bgr
that's now already addressed by
implicating up another
component of what your motion
was.
>> so point taken I am open to
any amendment to a motion that
it be another committee.
I think it's just another
committee or another person in
the committee which just so I
do think I chair the committee
and so either to the chair
either that the member recused
himself from the meeting and we
still have four or we get
another council member to sit
in and is that right?
I think the four of us with the
city attorney and staff could
really flesh out all the
process issues and which is
almost 90% done and and give us
something that the council can
react to relatively quickly
even meeting this week right
for the urgency of what we need
to do so that I'm open and just
to finish up then and I promise
I'm done fine whether or not
this council member chooses to
recuse himself is going to
impact my vote and support for
this motion.
So I, I think MS..
I mean she I'm sorry.
>> so I just have a question
because I'm unclear as to I
heard your motion,
councilmember owens but I'm
still unclear as to what would
the committee actually be
discussing and bringing forth.
i just need clarity on what the
outputs are of this motion.
So what would what would the
committee be doing?
>> I would hope at least MAY I
respond?
>> yes.
So my understanding and the
reason I put this into the room
I believe that a lot of the
questions that have been raised
here in addition the motion by
councilmember mayfield around
how we would engage more
publicly and more collectively
with candidates I personally
have been reaching out to
candidates individually.
I'm assuming my colleagues have
as well.
But I am moved by the comment
that it should perhaps be a
little bit more deliberate a
process.
And so I think that the
committee would be discussing
these issues that we're raising
around the dais today and as as
the chair has indicated, I
think that that meeting can
happen very quickly this week
so we can give some clarity but
I don't think we're going to
get there right now.
And again, I'm sensitive to the
time of the candidates in the
room.
Okay.
If I can just finish up here.
I also want to share that I
have heard from several
community members around this
potential conflict of interest
of having a council member
participate in this process and
effectively have a vote up
against everyone else.
And I know that I've shared it
with the city attorney.
I've asked her others have have
shared it with me as well.
But I'm hearing that from
community members many, many
times.
So I think we need to address
it in some shape or form.
And if I can if I can answer or
speak to the the question about
a conflict of interest so 168
dash 75 contemplates a
responsibility for council
members to vote unless there is
a statutory purpose or reason I
should say for why they should
not be participating in a vote.
For instance, if there's a
financial interest under 14
dash 234 or a conflict of
interest under 160 d and so
based upon that there is not a
legal reason why council member
a sitting council member could
not vote for him or herself if
they are part of the candidate
pool in terms of precedence
this has occurred previously.
Mayor patsy kinzie did vote for
herself prior vote in
contemplation of her
appointment and so this is not
unprecedented nor is it a legal
prohibition for a council
member to to vote for him or
herself.
So so the attorney just a
follow up to that.
The interim mayor will be
receive ing the salary of the
mayor and transitioning from a
council member to interim mayor
is an increase in salary, is it
not?
It is so with that in turn give
a different layer here someone
I have the ability to vote for
myself for a salary increase is
that is that not against that
line of conflict of interest
160 d excuse me 160 a 75 a does
contemplate a salary component
at council members voting for
salaries as as well as other
pieces of of an end analysis
and that is permissible.
It is a distinction you're
correct, councilmember anderson
that it is an increase but that
would be that would be in line
I would argue with council
voting to increase that salary
more more broadly like you
would in a budget similar in
fashion MISS A before I want to
say MR. Arias, thank you, MADAM
Mayor.
>> right as we did I guess you
just forgotten.
Yeah, I'm here.
Right?
Well, I'm I just I'm really
trying hard now.
It would be very helpful if you
actually took a number and tell
me when.
But right now I'm trying to get
it around the table because
we're going this way.
So if that's against the law I
mean, I didn't want kids
council member okay.
>> thank you very much.
Let's go ahead please.
>> thank you, MADAM Mayor.
I do want to be clear.
I think we voted on a timeline
,right.
We didn't vote on a pay raise
or appointing a colleague of
ours to be enter mayor
immediately.
We voted on a timeline and a
process that opened up the
candidates for him.
So I want that to be very clear
that there is no gray area
there.
By the way, we did just vote on
a budget that gave all council
members and the mayor a pay
increase.
right.
So that itself I mean if we're
going to go through those
definitions so be a you know,
standard but that being said, I
think it is 2:42 P.M. We are
wasting these people's time by
having a conversation about a
process we should have had
weeks ago.
I think mayor we all as a
council need to defer this to
the budget committee and
because we're just going to
keep having questions and
questions and questions and
we're about to go up in our
having cut into the candidates
form that we all voted to have
today to dedicate time for
people to tell us their vision
and seeking that interim
position.
>> all right.
Thank you, MISS Johnson.
Thank you.
I'll support going to the
budget committee but I will say
that on MAY 7th when you
submitted your resignation, I
suggested we talk about this
also I called a meeting last
week council members to talk
about this.
So I apologize on behalf of
council that this is the
process that we're at today.
>> thank you.
I agree with you.
We should have had a process
but obviously that did not work
and the right way and I think
it's just another opportunity
for us to understand that there
are things that we need to do
more.
All right.
With that, we have a motion on
this mayor.
I did not get an opportunity to
speak or comment.
I agree with councilmember
johnson's.
Had this been referred by you,
mayor, several weeks ago we
wouldn't be here where we are
today.
So I think all the candidates I
agree with councilmember messer
are yes, we are wasting their
time.
We should proceed in and then
we can continue this
conversation after the public
hearing has ended to value
their time so I would like I
would like to make a very
simple motion is to continue
with the public hearing.
As I mentioned, we have a
motion we already have a motion
on the floor because I think
there is a lot of lot of
questions around your motion
and I think that we are not
going to I will withdraw the
motion if I MAY.
I'm going to withdraw the
motion for clarity in the room
and allow council member
whoever to go forward with some
better motion display
application.
>> you have an amendment or a
substitution to my motion
that's on that's on the floor.
>> okay.
My substitute motion is to just
proceed with a public forum and
we will come back to all the
questions and address it at the
end.
Second, second second, second
is that a motion to table?
>> is that a motion second
motion to table right so we
have a motion on the floor any
further discussion hearing on
all in favor.
>> let's continue this.
all right.
So that's unanimous.
I don't think we have it so so
I think one of the questions
that we're talking about is how
are we going to get this motion
and begin with this?
So I've asked the city clerk's
office if you billy would make
sure everybody has the
information that we all have
the same list of people and
then we can go ahead and begin
the forum.
All right, council members, any
objection, any objection to
starting right now?
All right.
Let's go.
All right.
Thank you, billy.
Let's go for this.
>> MADAM Mayor, would you like
me to read the no, go ahead.
Okay.
So the first person to speak is
john basham and I'm sorry if
I'm saying your last name or
whatever that one more time is
that I was saying if you would
just come it's it's still the
process of two minutes.
I know we MAY have taken a lot
more for our own but if you
would just stand in that middle
case I don't know your be on tv
tonight if all of the people in
the news room are here today so
thankful.
That is fantastic.
Thank you very much.
So happy to be here.
So happy to be going first.
Yeah.
So thank you very much.
And my name's john apicella.
I'm here as a mayoral candidate
.
>> I moved here 13 years ago.
City adopted me.
i love it here.
I think it's the greatest one
of the greatest cities in the
country and this is just an
amazing opportunity to help the
city grow cities growing fast
furious and I'd like to be able
to help assure it in to a new a
new age some things that I
believe in tax the rich feed
and house the poor.
>> I think that's pretty basic
and I think that I think that's
that's I think taxing the rich
to feed and house the poor is
just basic human compassion,
justice and equality for all.
There are our systems are
flawed.
They've been that way since the
inception and needs to be fixed
more parks, less parking lots.
>> our society is way too car
centric in my opinion.
The city has pockets of areas
in which you don't need a car
to survive.
There should be more of those
cameras on traffic lights.
I've lived in a lot of cities.
I've been in a lot of places
nowhere else that I've been do
people hit the gas pedal on a
yellow light as much as they do
in charlotte?
It's dangerous in dc when I
lived there they had cars on
cameras on traffic lights.
It raised a lot of money for
the city and I think that's a
pretty passive way to do that
and to keep this brief them
very very low on the list of
priorities is I don't really
see any other way in my life
that I can meet my mom.
>> donny and I would really
like to do that.
That's tom.
Thank you.
and you're a much our next our
next speaker the next sorry the
next speaker is out yeara I'll
be your apology at the see you
again next see to mary lyles is
my time started my name is
sarah I'll be area I currently
serve as a senior district
liaison for congresswoman adams
where I have the privilege of
helping our boss vulnerable
constituents through their most
challenging times prior to that
I worked for the international
organization for migration
highlighting the stories of our
vulnerable communities
worldwide as a proud 40 niner
I've seen charlotte grow into
one of the fastest growing
cities in america but with
growth comes tremendous bond
stability.
We must ensure our city remains
affordable, accessible, safe
and full of opportunity for all
of our residents.
I've worked with constituents
directly for years.
I've helped them navigate
issues from housing instability
to immigration issues to vet
delayed benefits.
What I've learned from those
experiences is that leadership
is not about having all the
answers.
It's about listening showing up
for your communities and
honestly just doing your best
to lend an ear when it's needed
.
As a daughter of immigrants and
a muslim woman of color, I know
better than ever that many of
our residents experience the
city differently and in times
of uncertainty a lot of our
residents felt immense fear
when ice filled our communities
.
And honestly I felt a alongside
them that that experience
reinforced my belief that
charlotte must remain a city
that is welcoming and
accessible and full of support
for all of its residents.
Everyone deserves to feel seen
,heard and safe where they
call home.
An interim mayor is not being
asked to serve charlotte for
the next decade.
They're being asked to serve as
a steward during a transitional
period and much like you would
trust someone to watch your
home while you're away you
would expect the city of
charlotte to be in responsible
hands.
Now local government is one of
the most influential and
impactful forms of government.
>> okay.
Thank you.
All right.
You all right?
Next we have ryan arriola.
>> afternoon council.
I am ryan mckenzie arioli I'm
seeking the opportunity to
serve as the next mayor of
charlotte.
Little bit about me I come from
a working class family.
I'm proud to be a first
generation college grad and
what those experiences have
instilled in me and has taught
me throughout my career is that
when you work hard you have
accountability and you you
service these principles can
really help you through your
career and help you in
leadership because it's all
about that.
and today I serve as the vice
PRESIDENT Of marketing and
development for a american
manufacturing company.
Here I lead innovation strategy
.
I work with cross-functional
teams.
And before that I worked as a
scientist where, you know, I
developed deep appreciation for
facts, critical thinking and
the ability to solve complex
problems.
I've also had the privilege of
coaching middle school and high
school soccer which has taught
me a lot about leadership is
more than an x's and o's.
It's about helping these people
be the best people they can be
on and off the field.
It's about developing a team
around a common goal and
focusing on developing
individual people.
And my belief is that good
leaders create more leaders.
They don't create followers.
So it's always been something
of my personal belief is that
if I'm doing a good job more
people are going to step up and
be leaders and less people are
going to be followers.
>> and as an author I've had
the opportunity to explore
ideas around leadership and
community and our shared
responsibility to one another.
>> writing has taught me the
most important thing is
listening and communicating and
being clear in your
communications.
And it's also about bringing
people together around a common
idea and common values that we
share and also I saw public
office back in 2020 and i
gained an even deeper
appreciation of the importance
of civic engagement in public
service campaigning taught me
that leadership begins with
listening.
It also taught me how to engage
with people from different
backgrounds perspectives and
that's time.
Thank you.
Next we have neul from neul.
He did sony's all right last
name is o y a al where are you?
Last name address and he said
it was same and the last thing
I was doing the first thing
thank you.
There is no this is a $10,000
bill.
Exactly how much of a salary
decrease I will take if I'm
elected mayor.
It it's not about the money for
me is by integrity is about
letting a mayoral official he
knows exactly what he's doing
and doesn't.
I'm born and raised in
charlotte, north carolina.
I've seen the grow ups and
developed when I was 2015 I
wasn't on an scholars program
and I had to attend a city
planning class where they
showed solid growth rate in
comparison to all the other
cities major cities in the
south.
So all this growth rate is
unprecedented in comparison to
any other city in america is
exponentially growing and the
problems is having it are not
being solved that for instance
if you use the equation p
equals 810,000 does want 1.222
power to where t is any every
year past 2015 when I first in
that class it went from 2015
population 800,000 to over 1
million almost is going way too
high which first and the
infrastructure that I saw that
was originally built for was
only built for 500,000 people.
So we are way past massive
capacity and we need to make
sure we we absorb the
surrounding communities and
increase wages for everybody.
So this is livable and
sustainable right now I know I
don't have too much experience
in politics.
I do have a long service career
with the post office working
for the federal government so I
do have a loves in that way and
I appreciate you so much and
grateful for the opportunity to
be your man.
Thank you, governor and next is
barrett berry.
I wrote remarks to keep me to
two minutes.
I've been a pastor so have much
time.
Thank you for the opportunity
to be considered for the
position of interim mayor of
city of charlotte my name is
barrett berry.
I'm a former white house staff
member small business owner,
educator, nonprofit executive
pastor and community leader for
nearly a decade I've called
shawn home and dedicated my
professional, civic and faith
based leadership to serving the
people and neighborhoods of
this great city.
I came to charlotte in 2016
with only one filming here in
the city of charlotte through
service relationship building
and community engagement I have
had the privilege of working
alongside residents business
leaders, educators, health care
providers, nonprofit
organizations, faith leaders
and public officials throughout
mecklenburg county.
I've been appointed to serve to
serve on leadership positions
by the clinton white house to
multiple senior roles by the
governor of massachusetts is
deval patrick and senior roles
I've been appointed by governor
roy cooper to serve on a
statewide board.
I've been appointed by the
mecklenburg county board of
commissioners to serve as a
board and now I'm ready to be
appointed by charlotte city
council.
So only place I haven't served
in some capacity in leadership
in government is city level.
I'm graduated morse from
college with two degrees in
political science africana
studies and graduate harvard
university and is also in a
fellow in the harvard center
for public leadership where the
current with a former mayor
anthony fox now the director
and so I'm very familiar with
prepare to be a leader here in
the city of charlotte I
systematically approach being a
mayor of a city city of south
bend where I ran against people
to judge.
He became PRESIDENT.
I became pastor but I did that
strategically my education, my
leadership roles and the like.
I've been a speechwriter at the
highest levels of government
I've been a senior advisor to
small business administration.
I've been by small businesses
throughout the country.
i've been in government and
politics over 30 years.
I've been a PRESIDENT's
surrogate speaker across the
country for two presidential
candidates and I've served I'm
ready to serve here in the city
of charlotte.
>> I do.
Next is janey caldwell.
MS..
Caldwell announced in JUNE on
caldwell janey caldwell all
right.
I'll continue to go through the
list and if she comes we can go
back.
The next person is dear jerry
clarida.
Clarida greetings city council
in charlotte residence I'm
going to open up with my quote
by quote of my favorite author
toni morrison somebody has to
take responsibility for being a
leader.
Items are declared a license
social work practitioner and
ph.D. Candidate and a native of
north carolina born in a
piedmont triad area and raised
between the triad area and
charlotte, north carolina
specifically on the west side
west boulevard as an alumnus
party university high school a
first generation college
graduate of north carolina
state university with a
bachelor's degree in social
work a master's degree in
social work from the university
at illinois-chicago with a
specialization and organization
and community practice and a
current ph.D. Candidate in the
school of social work at morgan
state university.
I'm interested in interested in
serving as interim mayor due to
my commitment to serve as
leadership and prioritizing the
needs of our charlotte
constituents who I continue in
a seamless transition focused
on the city's core priorities
and the governing body's focus
areas for the city charlotte
including affordable housing,
transportation, mobility,
community safety and more.
With my experiences in
diversity and non nonprofit
community based agencies health
care and higher education
working with individuals,
families, organizations and
communities throughout the
charlotte community and large
urban cities I have developed a
wealth of knowledge and
experience prioritized
underneath a people essential
to my personal professional
goal as serving as interim
mayor.
The message is clear to serve
lee and provide special
attention to the concerns of
the community.
Thank you all for your time and
support and consideration.
Nathan clark what's up
everybody?
Another beautiful day in the
best city in america.
My name is nathan clark.
I was born in fayetteville,
north carolina.
I grew up in noda from 98 until
about 2006.
Then I lived in west charlotte
after that.
Then I graduated from lincoln
charter and I'm the first man
in my college or my in my
family to graduate from
college.
I graduated from you in S.C.
With a double major in policy
in history during that I
interned for congressman
patrick mchenry so I got my
first foot in the door with
politics.
Then and it was pretty eye
opening to say the least
because when you work for
somebody you don't agree with,
you see all the ways that they
don't work for the people that
they you know, voted them in.
So in the meantime I have been
driving uber so I've spoken
with a lot of people that live
in charlotte across all I would
say spectrums of the socio
economic platform and we got a
lot of problems here that
aren't getting met specifically
at the lower end of the
spectrum we've had thousands
and thousands of people kicked
out of their houses
grandparents because they
couldn't afford to pay the
taxes because the property
valuations so my goal if I were
to lead would be to rewrite tax
code for the locals and see how
we can get equity across the
board for our lower you know,
people on the lower end of the
socio economic spectrum and
definitely do something about
traffic because it's bananas
out there.
It's like a grand theft auto
server seriously like I don't I
don't know what people are
doing when they're driving
anymore but we we got a lot of
work to do especially as far as
the infrastructure goes and I'm
a big believer in changing the
infrastructure and putting more
money into education because
the kids are going to be the
next you know they come after
us.
so more money for education,
more money for infrastructure
and that's my time.
Yeah, that clay wall clay will
colleges stress stress?
>> that's a great thank you at
the microphone.
>> oh sure.
>> great honorable city council
members, distinguished guests
and MADAM Mayor, thank you for
your time.
Hi, I'm zack.
Nice to meet you.
I'm running for interim mayor
of charlotte, north carolina
because I love the queen city
and I want to make a brighter
future for all charlatans and
also I really need a job.
I have like many in our
community who've been affected
by corporate layoffs recently
and according to linkedin, this
is the only available job in
the city.
So that's where I'm here.
I know you're thinking you know
yeah, this guy looks like the
riddler if he was into urban
planning.
Okay, I get that I know that I
was just on the internet saying
I would drink 964,000 beers one
for every charlatan I did.
Those could disqualify me.
But I know that I could rise to
this occasion.
Yes, I know that the mayor of
charlotte has the 13th or 14th
most powerful person in the
city has immense pressure on
them and I can be there for
that.
I know that I'm hilarious,
handsome and heroic who wrote
this but I don't have the
government experience of the
esteemed panel before me.
But what I do have are big
ideas.
I'm here for one big idea and
one big idea only.
We need to make to 77 of river.
That's right.
We need to cap the freeway and
turn it into a linear park and
we need to have beautiful
waterways encircled the queen
city.
I mean imagine it.
We could be the venice of the
south.
We could be having a lazy river
by panther stadium instead of
dodging ultimate or mellow ball
on the highway.
>> how am I doing on time now
you're saying well what about
traffic?
I answer that question the way
I answer every question that's
ever been asked of me trains we
need more trains.
I want to see trains to the
airport.
I want to see trains to atlanta
trains to gastonia and rock
hill.
I want trains to john g's
barbecues so I don't have a dui
if I drink a beer at georgie's
barbecue.
Okay.
I want trains everywhere except
matthews.
>> those people hate trains.
I don't know why.
Thank you for your time and
thank you for your service.
Thank you for the opportunity
to get a good laugh.
You can point I know harold
card.
That's not funny and I don't
think harold cocktail it's okay
to I just got to say that's a
hard act to follow utterly
impossible MADAM Mayor, members
of council of a applicants for
the appointment position and
other stakeholders in the
community city staff thank you
for this opportunity to be here
today.
I my name is harold cocktail
and I'm humbled to be entrusted
with the privilege to once
again serve the people of this
incredible crown jewel of a
community if this board so
chooses to give me that
opportunity I would like to
take the time today to speak to
this board about three very
important considerations that I
hope this board would consider
to take into consideration.
My and my apologies as those
three things are experienced
motivation and governing
philosophy one experience I
have served at the dyess that
you said I have served as a
council member and
commissioner.
I have served as CHAIRMAN And
vice CHAIRMAN Of the
mecklenburg county board of
commissioners, CHAIRMAN Of the
charlotte housing authority and
in my capacity as CHAIRMAN Of
mecklenburg county commission,
CHAIRMAN Of the metropolitan
transit commission, I have had
the I've been humbled to have
the opportunity to serve this
community in many fashions have
been both on board of advisors
for the charlotte chamber as
well as a lifetime member of
the charlotte-mecklenburg black
political caucus.
I've had many, many discussion
ins policy discussions,
budgetary meetings and
impromptu discussions about
policy on both the 11th and
15th floor in this building.
>> it is something that i
believe that that experience
will give me the opportunity to
begin day one to serve this
board and serve this community.
But experience is one thing.
Motivation is another.
I have no future political
aspirations.
I've been enormously blessed to
quote shirley chisholm services
the rent we pay for the
privilege of living on this
earth.
I fully recognize and I'm ever
mindful that we have
experienced great prosperity in
this community but so many in
this community have also been
left behind in the wow that was
really fast.
Thank you for thank you to this
daniel conner journalist good
afternoon and thank you for
having me today.
>> my name is daniel conner.
I am a native of the charlotte
area, was originally born in
salisbury but moved here in
1984.
My dad has always worked in
this area well actually in the
city he was an architect with j
and p's and associates when
they were on independence
boulevard and he loves this
city and he's always been very
invested in charlotte's growth
and development and he's passed
that passion on to me and it's
something that I am very
interested in being a part of
as well.
Before I get into that though,
I'd like to talk about the role
of interim mayor.
You know the mayoral position
has been one of benevolent
tillery ever since anthony fox
left to be the secretary of
transportation and I don't
blame him.
It's a great job.
It's an amazing opportunity.
But as interim mayor I want to
establish myself as someone who
provides a steady, stable and
consistent presence in the
office of mayor while
dedicating myself to working to
reduce and even eliminate the
political polarity we've
experienced for the last ten
years or so in charlotte and of
course nationwide.
If I'm chosen to be the interim
mayor I want to work towards
something I call the charlotte
vision for 2040 which is a
bold, aggressive and consistent
concept for growth in charlotte
that addresses jobs.
It addresses affordable
housing, it addresses
infrastructure and it would
actually culminate with
charlotte being able to host
the 2040 summer olympics while
diversifying our strengths as a
city.
The immediate impact for
implementing this plan calls
for significant expansion and
upgrades in our public
transportation particularly
light rail and possibly high
speed rail and that's my time.
>> thank you.
Thank you jerry kirk good
afternoon mayor and members of
council.
I'm carrie cook and I'm proud
to stand before you today to
request your support for the
interim charlotte mayor role.
I was raised in charlotte,
attended cmf schools and I'm
still firmly rooted here with
my children and family long
before I served in executive
leadership roles I serve the
people of charlotte without a
title.
Charlotte is in a unique moment
.
We have incredible momentum to
continue building a world class
city and with that there
remains opportunity.
We have families who cannot
afford to stay in the
neighborhoods they built.
We have residents who need to
feel safer in their communities
and we have growth that that
demands intentional planning
with community.
>> I have spent my career
working inside these very
issues listening, building
coalitions and advancing
solutions.
I did I did much of that work
together with you all and I
thank you for your leadership
at the federal reserve.
I help drive capital investment
towards under-resourced
communities.
Before that I built greenlight
fund charlotte from the ground
up because our city deserves a
model that supports economic
mobility for residents with
real results.
We did just that with
collaborative investments in
safety neighborhoods and
workforce development and we
did it together with you.
So thank you for your work at
the charlotte regional business
alliance.
I galvanize advocacy campaigns
for streets housing schools
because quality of life should
not depend on your zip code.
And I sat at the table where
business government, community
and other partners had to find
yes together even when they did
not initially agree.
That's an important role for
the mayor to play to bring
together different perspectives
and power council to hear
resident voices and make
decisions to advance its
priorities.
The development of your
priorities made it clear that
trust, transparency and
execution are critical in this
moment and in this moment you
must have the right experience
.
So this is what I'm offering to
you the moment we're in right
now demands someone who is
working to address these issues
today.
>> thank you so much for your
support.
Jeremy decarlo thank you so
much for having me today.
My name is jeremy de carlos.
I will not take up too much of
your time as far as experience
goes I have not run for any
public office nor have I been
in a community leader position
of this sort.
What I am is a performer and I
am a carolina boy and what I
could bring to this job is
communication and ear to listen
and the opportunity to work
with city leaders to make a
difference for the people that
live in this city at the
position that I am in on the
ground floor I hear lots of
discussion and I hear lots of
special feelings about what it
is like to live in this city
and in a position of
leadership.
What I would hope to do is to
level the playing field for
those who are lower income and
to make a better equitable and
a better running city in the
interim.
>> thank you very much michael
evans MADAM Mayor, members of
council ladies and gentlemen, I
am mike evans.
I appreciate the opportunity to
address you this afternoon.
There are several applicants
among the applicant pool who
could serve in this role.
Your challenge in my opinion is
to decide who has the
combination of skills
experience and personal
qualities to work
collaboratively with you over
the next 18 months to make
charlotte a better place for
all charlotte teens?
I'm confident that we can work
together a effectively to
achieve this goal.
I arrived in charlotte in 1980.
Charlotte opened up its arms
and provided me with
opportunities to grow
personally and professionally.
I've had the opportunity to
lead in politics, education and
business.
I owned a financial planning
firm for 27 years.
I also served as a professor of
finance and went through and
chair of the department of
business administration at
johnson c smith university.
I've remained engaged by
serving on a host of boards
including serving as treasurer
of the united way chair of tvi,
PRESIDENT Of leadership
charlotte serving on the c p,
c, c and a b c boards most
recently I served on the board
the c r va serving two years as
chair.
It has been my ongoing mission
to give back to the city that i
love.
It is the limited term of this
opportunity that so appealing
to me.
I will be fully committed to
being the best mayor that I can
be without the challenge of
simultaneously managing a
career if selected it is my
place to give the city
everything I've got for the
next 18 months.
There is absolutely no scenario
in which I will seek this or
any other seat in 20 27.
>> thank you you.
>> gregory fagan good afternoon
.
Thank you for the opportunity
for me to talk with you today.
My name is greg fagan and a
brief summary of my background
.
I have a B.A. In political
science from chapel hill, a
master's degree with a
concentration in finance from
the university of alabama, a
juris doctorate degree law
degree if you will, from the
university of alabama in
tuscaloosa.
After law school I practiced
law in alabama for a couple of
years and then in the mid 80s
returned to charlotte where I
worked for a new york stock
exchange company for 20 years
and then started my own law
firm.
>> the mayor of charlotte has
the unique opportunity to make
the lives better for every
citizen in charlotte.
>> how does the mayor do that?
Simply make charlotte the best
place in the country for for
people to live.
Well, how does the mayor do
that?
let me touch on a couple of
things that come to mind.
>> focus on affordability, not
just the cost of goods in
charlotte but the actual cost
of living in charlotte.
>> economic development
opportunities for souls for
sole proprietors small business
up to 4500 companies.
>> environmental concerns in
order to be the best city you
have to have the best drinking
water.
You have to have the best air
to breathe.
What about infrastructure?
It's been mentioned before can
we simply get traffic moving in
charlotte and can we provide
public transportation to make
it easier for the citizens of
charlotte to get around?
>> and what about safety?
>> you cannot be the best city
to live in if you're not one of
the safest cities to live in.
And furthermore education in
order to be a great city you
have to have one of the
greatest educational programs
in the country.
>> I have the background,
education and experience to
address these issues.
>> thank you very much.
Jacob fulk and fallon sebastian
sekulic specialist.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
Council members.
My name is sebastian fetzer.
I'm a representative of the
ironworkers union.
I am also one of the vice
presidents of the charlotte
metro line central labor
council.
We represent over 30,000
different workers in the city
in different industry both
public and private sector folks
from bus drivers, communication
workers, construction workers.
And basically our job is to
understand our issue of discuss
it with elected officials and
fight for the different
problems that they MAY have in
the city.
I'm also one of the vice
presidents of the north
carolina afl-cio, the labor
federation of north carolina
alongside one of our four
former council members and one
of additional backgrounds.
I have lived here for about 20
years now on and off a little
bit but mostly in the city of
charlotte.
I do have a degree in economics
from you and charlotte as well
as political science.
I wanted to place my name for
the consideration because I do
believe that the position of
the interim mayor can do so
much more to continue our
support for the many workers
who live in the city.
We'll continue to struggle.
That's one of the biggest
problems we continue to hear
about.
You know, it's not fair that so
many of our workers you know,
they do what they're supposed
to do.
They work to 40 hours or
overtime and they still
struggle to afford a standard
of living here in the city of
charlotte.
I want to continue to find
solutions to support them
whether it's through affordable
housing which is the number one
issue that we continue to hear
about.
i feel like we do bring in some
band-aids and support but
there's so much more that we
can do.
Things like we do appreciate
things like the transportation
referendum.
It did actually create so many
more jobs good union jobs for
charlotte workers.
We have construction workers
building out parts of the light
rail now and hopefully
hopefully the future expansions
we have more access for more
bus drivers.
And we're looking forward to
the continued investments in
infrastructure such as that.
It'd be nice to see maybe some
sort of public plan for the
gateway project.
I think a lot of folks are
looking forward to that.
But thank you so much for the
consideration.
Hopefully you can consider me
for supporting workers in
charlotte.
Derek foresman coby foster and
.
>> good afternoon.
My name is coby foster and I
live in councilmember owens
district.
>> I want to begin with a
simple point.
I'm not here to replace your
vision of charlotte.
I'm helped to hear I'm here to
help you execute it in a
campaign.
Candidates run on their own
vision.
And in a campaign it would be
appropriate to cast that
vision.
Casting a vision is a privilege
and is a privilege that neither
I nor any other candidate today
have earned.
You have though voters chose
you.
And what I offer is not a
competing agenda.
But what I offer is the ability
to help turn your agenda into
action.
I'm a businessman through and
through and over the last 20
years I've worked in a number
of industries and just passed
my seven year mark in aerospace
and advanced manufacturing.
In my world big ideas do not
leave the ground because
someone gave a good speech.
They leave the ground because a
team defines a mission, builds
a plan, manages risk, assigns
responsibility, traps tracks
progress and communicates
clearly when things change.
You would think that building
airplanes is hard but I've
heard politics might be even
harder.
>> but the same principles
apply.
Be clear about a goal.
Respect the people doing the
work.
Keep meetings organized.
Measure progress.
And do not let ego get in the
way of execution.
>> the role that I that I
believe an interim mayor should
play.
Not the star of the show.
Not the 12th member.
Not the 12th council member.
Not a future opponent.
A facilitator.
A steady hand and a bridge
between council and its goals
to its constituents.
The prior priorities are
already in front of us.
Great neighborhoods safe
communities.
Transportation and planning.
Well-managed government.
And a workforce and business
development.
If selected I would meet with
each of you understand your
priorities help organize work,
communicate clearly and support
the goals voters entrusted you
to lead.
I am not asking council to
follow me.
I'm asking for the opportunity
to help charlotte follow
through on its promises.
>> thank you sara freeman for
ebony givens.
Good.
>> good afternoon MADAM Mayor
and members of the council.
Thank you for the opportunity
to be here today.
My name is ebony givens.
I am a small business owner, a
community advocate, a mother
and a proud resident who
believes deeply in the power of
service the through owning and
operate in london dee's cafe
and london dee's catering.
I've had the privilege of
creating jobs, supporting local
families and working alongside
organizations that are making a
difference in our community.
I am seeking the opportunity to
serve as interim mayor because
I believe local government
should be focused on people.
Our city is the strongest where
families feel supported,
businesses can grow and
residents have access to
resources they need to succeed.
One of my greatest passions is
support in our youth.
I believe we must do more to
address mental health as it is
challenging to our community.
every young person deserves to
feel seeing supported and
empowered.
I believe leadership begins
with listening.
It means bringing people
together, finding solutions and
serving with integrity,
compassion and accountability.
I am not seeking this position
for recognition.
I am seeking it because I care
deeply about our community and
its future.
Thank you for your time and
consideration and I look
forward for the opportunity to
serve and help guide charlotte
mecklenburg county and make
this community healthier.
>> ensuring growth.
>> thank you.
All right, gordon.
>> hello my name is mike
gordon.
I live in charlotte here with
my wife but I grew up just
north of here in hyattsville.
Since I was five so I've been
here 25 years and seen the city
grow and continue to grow and
so it was a great place to buy
a house and settle down here
with my wife.
I have no political experience
as you can tell from my
background.
I own a small business.
I'm a freelance video
production and photo
photographer.
But in that job I've gotten to
meet a ton of people through
the city of charlotte and all
different backgrounds and get
to tell their stories and that
is what is what makes
charlotte.
Charlotte is just the people
and the community that we have
here.
I think as the interim mayor
like I said earlier, it's not
my job to come in here and have
a bunch of different ideas but
I think it's to be approachable
,be a mayor that people can
come up to you at scale an
amphitheater, start life games
and you can tell me about
what's going on and why you
think we should have more
trains or better walkable
cities or whatever's on your
mind.
We are just like all of us
here.
I think charlotte's a great
city.
It should be one of the best
places to live, work, start
small businesses, be a part of
big business and grow your
family.
I think one last point I guess
I do have one thing to put on
my agenda is that two rob
manfred and will be
commissioner charlotte is the
best place to bring a new
expansion and we'll be a team.
Thank you for your time.
So being grow we're.
Good afternoon everyone.
Afternoon.
My name is sabine goodyear and
I am honored to be in front of
you today as a candidate for
the interim mayor for the city.
I proudly like I love
charlotte.
>> 20 2023 years ago I moved to
charlotte from new york in
search for opportunity and
better life better future for
my family.
But I got was it community a
home, a place where I can shape
my future rooted in purpose and
service?
over the years I've had the
opportunity to serve others
through my professional career
and nonprofit leadership.
For the past nearly three
decades in the financial
industry, I've led global teams
manage complex the challenge is
and also help organize asians
navigate change.
And for the past 16 years I
have led a nonprofit dedicated
to improving lives and
strengthening communities
through service, passion and
compassion as well as
partnership.
>> these experiences have
reinforced a lesson that I
carry every day.
Leadership is not about
authority.
It is about responsibility.
Listening and bringing people
together.
It's about solving problems and
ensuring that you put others
people's needs first.
As an interim mayor.
I will bring steady leadership
always and passion for the job.
>> thank you.
On guilford delta.
Delta.
U.N. Human.
>> good afternoon.
Delta gwen.
Good afternoon, mayor council
members and fellow residents
thank you for the opportunity
to speak here today.
You'll see me reading from my
phone simply because I won't be
given two minutes.
I want to make sure I don't
MISS Anything.
You'll also see I'm wearing a
hat that says delta for the
people and that's because
that's my main message.
I'm for other people.
As many of you know, I
previously ran for mayor in
2025 because I believe in the
city and I believe in the
people who call it home.
I was born baptized and raised
right here in charlotte.
This is the city that helped
shape me who I am today.
Charlotte is not just where I
live.
It's a part of my family's
stories across generations that
have worked worship and served
in the armed forces here
working my entire adulthood
life and this banking town and
some of the largest financial
institutions such as bank of
america and wells fargo has
taught me how to conduct
meetings in boardrooms, closed
business deals and managed
billion dollar budgets.
>> one of the strengths I bring
to this position is that I am
not a career politician.
I did not come with years of
alliances or any political
debts.
I have no preexisting
relationships with any of city
council which would influence
my decisions or cloud my
judgment.
My relationships would start
with a clean slate based on
respect, transparency and a
shared commitment to serving
the public.
Today's also an opportunity to
send a powerful message to the
status quo by selecting the
interim mayor that leadership
and appointments are not
reserved only for those already
in elected office or in
political circles but is open
to all citizens as I believe
ordinary citizens can make
extraordinary differences when
they step forward to serve
their community.
I respectfully ask for your
support as we move forward
together to build a stronger
charlotte.
MAY GOD bless you this
beautiful city and its great
nation.
Thank you.
Jaylen hall.
Kevin hall.
>> samir.
Good afternoon.
City council.
MADAM Mayor.
My name is samir.
I'm a charlotte native local
businessman, a community
builder, a husband and a father
of three.
I'm not standing here because I
think that charlotte is broken.
Quite the opposite actually.
I get butterflies when I drive
through uptown.
I believe charlotte is already
the best city in america.
And I believe each of you are
already doing the difficult
work of leading it.
>> my role as mayor would not
be to reinvent charlotte.
My role will be to align what
already exists accelerate what
already works and I'm not
coming to you with any answers
.
I'm coming to you as a partner,
a collaborator.
>> my commitment is to help
this council fulfill its
intentions with greater
velocity alignment and
accountability.
>> charlotte already has
world-class leadership.
we already have incredible
neighborhoods businesses,
institutions and community
organizations.
My job as mayor would be to
look for what's wanted, what's
needed and what's missing.
And help find and fill the
gaps.
To ask questions that matter.
What future are we creating?
What are we standing for?
How do we ensure every resident
feels valued, welcomed and
included in charlotte success.
There's one there's one issue
that will have my unwavering
attention and that's
opportunity.
And I stand that in the next 18
months we will have moved
charlotte from 38th to 25th in
upward mobility.
I will work alongside each of
you to expand opportunity,
strengthen economic growth and
create pathways for residents
to rise no matter their zip
code.
I believe that leadership can
bring people together to do
extraordinary things.
And I'm not here to change who
charlotte is.
I'm here to amplify what's
already working to close the
gaps where they exist and to
help move our city forward.
My request today is that all 11
of you align on me as the next
interim mayor of charlotte.
Let's discover together what it
would look like to close the
gap and go from 38th to 25th.
>> thank you, robert herrington
.
Robert.
>> good afternoon, mayor lyles.
Members of the city council rob
harrington I came to charlotte
nearly 30 years ago.
My wife sharon and I raised our
son here in public schools o
this city a lot.
>> and I'm determined to pay
that forward.
>> I've I've committed not to
run for public office.
I won't run for public office
haven't done in the past and I
will not run for mayor of
course in the next election
cycle.
So the question is why now and
why me?
We're going to transition over
the next 18 months.
We have a committed council.
We have a community looking to
make sure their voices are
heard.
We have serious issues to work
with, work on with and through
the legislature in raleigh,
chair of the mecklenburg
library system board.
I've worked with three
charlotte and I have a devoted
member of friendship missionary
baptist church.
>> and for the last year I've
traveled the state as PRESIDENT
Of the north carolina bar
association.
I've worked with people from
across the state to find
consensus on difficult issues.
>> and what have I learned?
What is the vital issue?
What are the vital issues here
now?
Consistent involvement over
many years matters.
Listening to people matters.
Engaging across the city and
across the state matter
preparation and hunger to
learn.
Matter and equity and equality
of opportunity are required for
the success of this community.
If we follow these principles
of collaboration, preparation,
organization and respect and
maybe even a little grace for
each other, we will thrive as a
city for all of our residents.
I look forward to working with
and supporting council in each
of its members as we grow this
city and we grow opportunities
here for charlotte teams across
its great reach making sure
that we have and use the
organizations within the
organization and structure with
our reach to make reasoned
decisions.
>> for all these reasons I ask
that you appoint me as the
interim mayor.
Thank you.
Michael henderson.
Robert hillman.
Good afternoon.
Thank you for having me.
MADAM Mayor city council and
guests.
My name is robert hillman and
I'm seeking the appointment as
the interim mayor of the city
of charlotte.
I'm like everybody in this room
first and foremost.
I must say I love the city of
charlotte has provided me the
great opportunity to come here,
live here, play here and make a
decent amount of money here and
give a decent amount of time.
I've been able to work to be
and have been able to engage
and enjoy my life as an
engineer, as a finance
executive, as an investment
advisor, as a not for profit
leader and as a public servant.
Along the way I've served on
the public transit advisory
committee of the business
advisory committee the central
economic development committee,
the north carolina supplemental
retirement board and currently
I'm the PRESIDENT And ceo of
queen city robotics alliance,
an organization that's
responsible for getting kids
engaged and involved in
building robots as a
competitive sport.
Think of it as aew or robotics
and it's really basically it's
a workforce development to
offer preparing the future.
>> those experiences has given
me the opportunity to work with
people from all walks of life
and most importantly to listen
through those conversations.
I've come to believe that
charlotte's future can be
guided by three principles of
growing together, moving
together and safer together
what growing together means.
It's really about workforce
development, economic
development and making sure
that as you develop the economy
you don't leave people behind.
We have we we know from the
chetty study and certainly from
the work that I've done with
robotics that if we can train
our young people in the skill
and give them the skills that
are for the future, our city's
future is bright.
If we don't they won't be
moving together.
What about transportation
systems and putting together
transit systems that work for
people to get people to
opportunity?
So it's not about rails, not
about busses.
It's about giving them the
opportunity safer together it's
about, you know, keeping people
safe in the city a thriving
city as a safe city.
Public safety requires strong
partnerships between law
enforcement.
>> I'm honored to give each of
your votes as ever.
Manager ingram mayor.
Thank you.
>> thank you.
Hayden key.
Christopher love james mitchell
.
>> good evening.
Colleagues six months ago you
blessed me with opportune to
serve you as mayor pro tem
together we embrace a simple
but a powerful slogan team
together everyone to accomplish
more.
Since then we have demonstrated
what teamwork can accomplish.
>> we have held a very
successful annual retreat
session in MARCH and recently
approved our budget.
>> as I ask for your support as
interim mayor, I believe three
things matters most leadership
relationships and results.
Leadership is about bringing
people together to move our
city forward.
Throughout my career I've been
blessed to help lead transform
projects and initiatives
include a north lake mall
eastland yard see term for 14
years and a new cba program.
Relationships the best
solutions come when we work
together.
We're seeing through
partnerships between the city
and county.
We can preserve historic
excelsior club through the
collaboration with the city.
it seems.
We can create a teacher village
council members.
If I'm honored to earn your
vote on JUNE 26th, I'll be
ready to lead on day one with a
clear vision and an action plan
built around four c's.
The first c collaboration.
I will meet with each and every
one of you to receive your
input.
Secondly committees I want to
empower five standing
committees to do the more the
more important policy work
before us.
Third communication we must be
proactive, engage and share our
results.
And the fourth c the most
important c is our citizens.
Every decision we make should
focus on improving the quality
the lives of our residents.
We've confidence after 18
months we will make charlotte a
better city.
>> thank you all.
Eva or aviva moody thank you
council for having me today.
Thank you MADAM For having me
today.
MADAM Mayor.
Excuse me.
I had a speech planned for
today but I guess I will let
that one go because I want to
be open and honest and
transparent.
>> so I came here to charlotte
because my mom said no.
So I said I must go.
I came here when I was 15 years
old.
I found employment.
I gained employment by the age
of 18.
I was attending union cc.
I did not get my degree.
however I joined many, many
jobs and many many businesses
around the area I worked.
>> I was able to purchase my
first home through people that
I met here in charlotte.
>> they gave me the education
and show me the direction on
what to do to get there and I
got there.
Now I am a single mom in
charlotte with two adult
children and a grandchild that
I too want to see be able to
buy their own houses, be able
to raise their own children
safely in charlotte and I do
believe charlotte is safe.
I always feel safe in charlotte
.
>> I just want to make sure
that I am able to serve this
community and be able to make
my ancestors happy that I
follow.
I believe that they gave birth
to me for so I thank you.
Sebastian nice works.
>> hi everyone.
My name is sebastian.
Nice sweats.
I appreciate your time today.
I especially appreciate
everyone who is in the
candidate pool.
I feel like a lot of us can
agree on what the issues are
but maybe not necessarily on
how to get them done.
And I'm here to speak about
efficiency.
I got here at about 215.
I had a meeting at 1 P.M. At my
job where I was leading about
30 people.
It went to full time to 2:00,
ran over here literally and
then was worried that I was
going to be late but was not.
The council was still
deliberating on the procedure
which was great.
>> however that went a little
bit long so I had to go back to
my job at 3:00 for another
meeting where I presented and
then fired up youtube found out
I wasn't too late to come back
which is great.
So ran back over here.
Now I'm here but I care deeply
about this city.
I've worked in my past to help
first generation college
students get to college.
First ones in their family
helped teachers save for
retirement.
My mom's a teacher.
Just help them in their lives.
I work in project management.
I'm great with timelines and
deadlines and I want to be
someone who represents all
people not just some people
within charlotte.
So we need someone who can
represent this city in the best
way possible not just for the
next 18 months but for the next
18 years.
And I'd be honored for your
consideration.
>> thank you.
>> james reese just met billy
for a moment and I just I just
ask the mayor for a point of
personal privilege.
I do not have an application
for the gentleman who just
spoke.
Can someone clarify that you
don't have an application?
None of us have an application
for the gentleman who just
spoke.
You know if we can follow up
after the forum.
Thank you.
Yeah, we'll pass.
good it, pastor apologies.
We'll we'll get that to you.
All right.
Thank you.
I this is james reese.
>> yeah.
Good afternoon.
Council members mayor lyles, I
appreciate the time I moved to
charlotte time flies back in
2014 and as a die hard durham
native it took me a while to
get used to charlotte.
The driving people will rather
running off the road and let
you merge over but this is home
now.
I have a wife, two small
children.
My son actually asked me you
know dad are you going to be
the mayor?
Kind of like mayor goodway they
think everything is part
control related but if you have
kids you get it.
But I say that to say charlotte
is home for me now and I plan
on being here for a long time.
So this cause is important to
me right now.
I think the biggest thing that
we're dealing with is cost of
living.
We're fortunate enough to have
the means to to make things
work but at the same time I
know people for an is fortunate
on the way in here you know you
see the homeless encampments
right and I think it's as nice
and as beautiful as the city
charlotte is.
I feel like there's something
that could be done about that
to make sure that that's not
the first thing someone sees
when they're getting off 77
going to a panthers game and I
think as interim mayor that's
one of the things that I would
like to approach mayor lyles
you've done a great job and my
goal as interim mayor is not
not to mess things up.
You know, you have, you know, a
21 point lead in football.
You come in, your quarterbacks
went out, he got hurt.
Just don't mess it up.
Don't lose the lead.
So as interim mayor that's what
I want to focus on and I
appreciate your vote and thank
you clayton seeley alan smith
all right.
Good afternoon.
Mayor lyles.
Council members fellow
charlatans my name is alan
smith.
I'm a father of two daughters
long time charlotte resident
and somebody who spent much of
my life participating in and
serving communities.
Over the years I've addressed
city councils, county
commissions, state agencies run
for public office and
volunteered in schools in my
professional career I've led
nonprofit initiatives.
>> I've supported public sector
organizations and I've helped
lead communities through
moments of uncertainty by
bringing together people with
different backgrounds,
different perspectives and
different priorities.
Now while those experiences MAY
sound different on the surface
they all taught me one thing.
Communities are strongest when
people feel heard, included and
connected to the decisions that
affect their lives.
Charlotte is a city with
tremendous opportunity.
we're growing, we're
innovating, we're attracting
new people every single day.
But that kind of growth creates
new challenges and it magnifies
the challenges that we've been
wrestling with for years around
things like transportation and
housing and basic affordability
and maintaining that sense of
community that makes people
want to build their lives here
in the first place.
I'm seeking appointment as
interim mayor because I believe
good leadership is ultimately
about stewardship.
It's about listening carefully
and communicating honestly and
helping people work together
toward shared goals.
>> so I don't come before you
as somebody who believes I have
all the answers I come before
you as somebody who has spent a
career bringing people together
in the midst of complexity and
change to solve problems and
build trust and move forward
together.
>> if appointed I would work
collaboratively with city
council, city staff, community
organizations, businesses and
residents alike to ensure that
charlotte continues to move
forward together.
>> thank you for your time and
fun.
Southern crystal stanton jacob
swinton hey look through dose
and it was isolated from.
>> hello MADAM Mayor council
members thank you for the
opportunity to be here today.
I love charlotte but every
politician says that they love
charlotte.
Serving as mayor requires more
than affection for the city.
it requires judgment,
steadiness, the ability to
bring people together and to
stop pretending that every
problem is small.
That's why I applied to become
the interim mayor.
I'm not applying to come in
with a sweeping new agenda or
to use an interim role to
reinvent the city in 18 months.
This is a unique responsibility
.
The next mayor should respect
the work already underway
support the procedures of the
councils and help the city move
through this period with focus
and stability.
Each member of the body brings
different priorities a
different community, different
perspectives to the table.
The role of an interim mayor is
not to flatten those
differences and to pretend that
one person has all the answers.
I also understand the work of
the city depends on staff
relationships and knowing how
the institution actually moves.
Whether it's serving as chair
of the charlotte equitable
development commission working
with cherry and sherry and
knowing sara when she was a
fellow and now chief of staff
or folks like pam weideman and
folks that have oftentimes left
the city, those experience has
taught me how to navigate city
government respected
professionals doing the work
and help move things without
unnecessary confusion.
I can be especially useful with
charlotte's relationship with
raleigh.
The next 18 months will serve
with serious conversations
whether it's the airport, the
pay for act and pta
infrastructure data centers.
Those conversations should not
happen in silos.
I love serving in the north
carolina senate but charlotte
is home right now.
Our city needs someone who can
connect the city, who can
connect to raleigh, the general
assembly, our neighborhoods to
city staff and the residents
who feel decisions should be
made with them being invited.
I'm applying because I believe
that through strong
relationships the council can
steady and move the city
forward.
Move with urgency and keep the
well-being of all residents
here.
>> thank you blake van leer.
Good afternoon.
And thank you for the council
and MADAM Mayor for being here
giving us space and wow.
We've got a lot of talent here
so I think that just shows you
how much charlotte's grown and
and what we have to offer.
I'll get into a little bit of
my background.
An entrepreneur ran for county
commissioner at large and a
proud resident of charlotte of
course and a proud dad.
Spent most of my career doing
turnarounds and usually on like
a 3 to 6 month sprint.
>> so I'll work with a company
for about three years and will
grow it from 3 million in rev
to a billion.
So it's a quick turnaround.
And I just wanted to lead with
that.
I work with the board.
i work with the city council at
the company.
It's very similar path just
making sure we all aligned
together and we get what we
need to get done.
And I'll I'm going to pause for
a second.
I'm also going to throw this
out here.
What I would like to do is
forgo the salary and we put
that to work within your
districts.
However you guys think that
could be most impactful to
people.
And I'm not claiming to have
all the answers.
You know I'm here to serve and
listen.
I find that every company I
work with or a community or
organization it's about
listening to people and then
getting results done.
Charlotte's giving me just a
tremendous opportunity and I'm
just happy to be here and be of
service.
>> thank christopher walters,
douglas weldon.
>> hi everyone.
My name is douglas welton and I
currently serve as the CHAIRMAN
Of the charlotte-mecklenburg
planning commission.
I have been the CHAIRMAN For
three years and the last week I
was elected for an
unprecedented fourth term.
Since I joined the commission
in 2018 I've reviewed and
recommended 1000 rezonings the
charlotte 2040 plan the unified
development ordinance, my
experience and land use is a
complement to my strong
background in software and
technology.
community relations broadcast
media arts and entertainment
and nonprofit organizations a
wide variety of experience and
knowledge gives me the
advantage of being able to
quickly create insightful and
innovative solutions when
problems come up.
I've led a lot of professional
and volunteer teams and I
understand the value of
aligning individual motivation
with the organizational
purpose.
A team is not just a group of
people.
It's a group of people that
trust one another.
>> the unique value of having
me as mayor is that I bring
principled leadership,
innovative problem solving, a
future focus, excellent
communication skills and a
sense of fun.
Thank you very much.
Graydon zacher john paul's
eloquent.
>> good afternoon and good
afternoon.
>> I know we're all excited for
me to be the last person to go
today.
So I you heard staying sticking
with us.
My name is john paul volcker.
I am a proud charlotte native.
I was born down the street at
cmc maine a few decades ago and
I am also a proud k through 12
product of cms schools.
Graduated from providence high
school.
I am I went to the university
of north carolina at chapel
hill and I got a degree in
music and then studied
accounting after that.
So I currently holds a license
as an active certified public
accountant here in north
carolina.
I work for eei ernst and young
llp and I work as a third party
risk management consultant.
So my team and I we help the
largest public and private
companies in the world manage
risk that's introduced to their
businesses through their third
party relationships.
So vendors, suppliers, business
associates and I think that's
some great background and an
experience that I can bring
forward to the city of
charlotte.
I am really excited about the
next 18 months.
I think that like some of the
other candidates have said
focusing on executing per the
vision that's already been set
for I think our key five focus
areas are the right focus areas
.
>> I think you know we have our
fy 27 budget set already as of
a couple of weeks ago.
So I think that you know,
making sure that we can show
for our resources being used
well and make progress using
our strategic progress tracker
tool, I think that will be a
great way to show that we have
served the constituents of the
city of charlotte well over the
next 18 months.
So I thank you so much for your
consideration and yeah,
appreciate all that you do for
the city so I want to say
thanks to all of you.
This is really an important
opportunity for all of us and I
think that you've done it so
very, very well that we're very
proud to have each of you and
hope that one of you will
become the person that's going
to be possible to take us into
the next generation.
I want to say thank you to
billy, our clerk who has to do
all of this like well, you we
all have to a sheet of paper.
I've got to like a notebook
full of everything else.
And with that I want to just
ask the council if there were
any comments that they would
like to make before we close
out.
We need to resume the
conversation.
I'm sorry.
We need to assume the
conversation that we have.
MADAM Attorney right.
So we have to come back to our
do we have what's necessary for
us to have our face to be legal
?
I don't think we've said any
motions.
Our next step.
Okay.
Okay okay.
>> from kimberly nicole
regarding my motion I know we
have the motion and those
things that we're talking about
now as her motion what is what
here we automatically and as I
was approaching the lectern I
overheard a motion is there a
motion on the floor that we
need to adjourn?
I think that this yes we did
have MISS Mayfield had a motion
that we did not vote or
completely vote on.
I think that there was some
discussion but not any action.
So this MAY feel in my saying
that correctly if at if I MAY
quickly I was speaking of
another motion I thought i
heard as I was approaching the
lectern.
Is there something else on the
floor we just need to address
procedurally or was there just
a point of order?
I think what happened is that
there was a motion for process
to table and that was yeah but
so right and so councilmember
mayfield had an original motion
that we did not vote on because
there was a substitute which
was withdrawn.
Thank you.
Rather point of order if I can.
So there was a joke a motion
was made and then there was a
second which I it so that's the
one I think that needs to be
resolved when I heard some
withdrawn I read through it.
Okay okay it's growing okay and
we just need to make sure billy
knows right.
All right.
>> set it pretty loud.
All right.
We squared away on this.
So, MADAM Mayor MS..
Mayfield.
MADAM Mayor, I just wanted
someone to repeat the motion so
we can.
>> okay.
Thank you.
Billy.
Do you want to repeat my
initial motion?
So do we have it for the record
for councilmember anderson?
Yes.
So the original motion was
motion by MS..
Mayfield second by MR. Driggs.
It was part two of the mayoral
process will include council
will work with staff based on
the survey results and then ask
questions to those candidates
that selected and MADAM Mayor,
if I MAY, councilmember
anderson, prior to that motion
that I made I said we had 49
names on here.
Council has not had a chance to
actually have a discussion
regarding this process.
What my motion is a reference
to was a part two to today were
we actually come together and
have conversations because as
of today we heard two minutes
but we didn't have a chance to
actually ask any questions that
would give us similar to the
empty conversation give us the
ability to actually possibly
have a survey, identify which
of these candidates have enough
support to basically have a
part two to this discussion
since our mayor did announce
that she will stay around until
we identify councilmember
graham had mentioned earlier
also giving us the opportunity
not to rush this I'm with you a
follow just the question, MS.
Mayfield, when you say give us
the opportunity to have the
conversation you mean the full
council the full council
together not in a committee but
by some members that we
individually had the
opportunity to reach out to
candidates?
Personally I have not because
we have a process so I was
waiting for us to get through
today's process I think as a
collective and not one off
conversations we have the
opportunity to actually come
together and have a discussion
as well as identify if there
are some individuals in here
that we would like to have
further conversation with.
MS. Mayfield I want to make
sure MR. That we one time said
we would go to the committee
process.
Is that still so different
conversations, different times
have anything to what we're not
doing with your motion right?
But MR. Graham supported the
idea of getting the bgr
committee together and working
through that and I guess what I
want to make sure is that once
we do that we know that
everyone has understood why and
what and the what.
So I don't know if you need
some time, MR. Graham to do
that but I think that we want
to make sure that it's done in
a way that everybody has an
opportunity to understand what
the next step from the bgr
committee well again I would do
the pleasure of the council
right I think from an
efficiency perspective that
might work right it kind of
coalesce the conversation to
answer the three questions
that's up there to talk of some
other questions that were
thrown out about the the
ability of the mayor pro tem to
participate or not participate.
And so those questions but
again I will I will do whatever
the council wants to do.
>> all right.
So I see that MISS Watlington
has a request.
Yeah, I would offer that we do
a couple of things today.
I think we settle the question
of recusal today and then we'll
know how to move forward.
I think the second thing that
we can do if I'm looking at
this when we talk about
narrowing down as a body not
within a committee that's the
ballot process, right?
Each council member submits a
nomination.
Whoever gets the threshold gets
moved to a subsequent
subsequent round if we were to
follow the ballot method and if
you're trying to introduce an
extra step the top 3 to 5
candidates we can decide that
then get specific questions
asked of them to get additional
information.
We could do that between now
and next week or we could do
that on next monday.
We can talk about that but I
think the ballot method
addresses the the narrowing
down concern.
I don't think it needs to go to
committee.
I don't think it needs to be a
separate process.
I think we adopt the ballot
method and we determine how
many of the nominees will get
through to interview and we
either handle that be a special
meeting later on in the week or
we handle that next monday.
So I think we do two things we
address the conversation of
whether or not we want to we
want to excuse the council
member from this process today
and then I think we adopt the
ballot method and determine how
many folks will be interviewed
and we either conduct that
interview session later on this
week or we do it as a part of
next monday that enables us to
stay on the 22nd for oh, sorry
.
And you talk to her and I think
it would probably be if we had
to have the understanding of
what it is so it's just a
little bit slower.
>> sure.
Sure.
I think the clerk can keep up
with us.
>> sure.
Sure.
Okay.
So the first I'll do I'll do
one motion and we'll address
the second piece.
So I'll make an amendment today
to my motion however you'd like
it to show up.
All right.
Well let me ask a question,
MADAM Attorney, because one of
them is about the process for
me and one of them is about the
the path forward here.
One of them I think is germane
or related to council member
mayfield's motion in which case
it could show up as a
substitute.
But then the other the matter
of of excusal I think is
separate and apart.
So I don't think either one of
them should show up as I don't
think that one should show up
as a substitute to her motion
do you follow what I'm saying?
I would agree.
I would agree before you move
forward and I really do want to
respond to your earlier
question of with respect to
eligibility because that's your
main to this conversation about
who's being considered.
So we looked back at our notes
and I just for counsel's
reference this is in regards to
the email that I sent on MAY
29th outlining what your
requirements were based on the
discussion from your MAY 26th
meeting.
>> so you required any one
participating in the candidate
form to do so in person.
That was the requirement.
Now with respect to eligibility
you have you have an
eligibility section in your
note but with respect to age
21, all of the criteria that I
mentioned before irrespective
of parties debating in the form
right what I would like in
participation in person today
just as attaching a resume
or
failing to answer a question in
your packet like all of that is
part of what could be
considered by this council as
you decide to login or vote
upon your nominations or submit
them but it did not render a
person ineligible from being
considered.
Now that's how your motion was
structured.
That's how it of how it
appeared that's and again
that's how it's in the notebook
but if there's something to
substitute your process going
forward you would need to work
through that.
Thank you MADAM Attorney.
So that tells me, councilmember
owens, your concern sounds like
it was addressed.
So then back to the two things
how what's the best way to
proceed addressing the recusal
question and addressing how we
move forward in terms of the
ballot should that show up as a
substitute or do we need to how
do we address council member
mayfield's motion if we need to
do that before we address a
path forward?
So the recusal that would that
would have to be a request
first and foremost for for a
recusal.
And again I'm I'm harkening
back to 168 dash 72 and the
concept that there is a duty to
vote unless there's a conflict
a statutory conflict that we
can point out.
Okay.
So what I'd like to do then is
let's take care of this.
I will submit a substitute to
councilmember mayfield's motion
unless you want to accept a
friendly amendment, what is the
amendment?
Yeah.
So the amendment is adopt the
ballot method rather than the
one by one motion method.
That's number one.
I would I would offer one
nomination per councilmember
that's consistent with our
vacancies in board we're work.
And then thirdly I would say
the top three top five
candidates that I'm open to
what that looks like but I'll
say for the purposes of getting
it on the table top five
candidates to move forward to
an interview that will take
place either later this week or
next monday.
That's that's the package I'm
offering up.
So that's basically what I see
it.
But what do you take out
because the attorney had not
actually had the chance since I
made my motion at the beginning
to actually give us what those
numbers were.
But that's the motion that I
made as well to have an
additional step where we
actually have discussion and
have an opportunity.
so are you accepting a friendly
amendment with the attorney
because she basically just
restated my motion with your
actual timeline.
So is that an amendment or is
that still just the original
motion?
I, I think it's in the same
vein.
So I would I would characterize
it as a friendly amendment, not
a substitute but let's do that
it all right.
>> so you accepted the friendly
mimicry.
I before I meet well it was an
for the friendly I mean that
was more clear there was
another piece of clarification
on my motion with the friendly
amendment.
So so that I'm clear the way we
have the normal nomination
process, the challenge with
that this is not a normal
process.
We are getting ready to
identify an interim mayor I'm
clear is stepping in?
Yes.
So for this interim mayor role,
the concern that I have with
trying to utilize that process
is out of the 50 people that we
just heard from to say we're
only going to do one vote per
candidate, one nomination a
nominee right.
>> one nomination because then
you'll be able to vote on on
the close nominations and one
nomination out of these 50
something if there very well
MAY have that's 11 want to make
into candidates we're given
each other the opportunity to
have due diligence in this
process to say out of those who
have presented to us as well as
submitted information that we
have the opportunity to bring
in those who have that next
step of conversation and where
we do get to edit.
>> sure.
So when I say and well let me
just be clear in the process
right here so are you asking
this question to determine if
you want to accept a friendly
amendment?
>> that's what I'm trying to
okay.
Yes.
I'm trying to determine if that
one but I think also
councilmember graham was you
asking the question for
clarification?
Well, I just need to know if
you accept the friendly
amendment otherwise I'll make a
substitute motion and if your
question is around exactly what
I mean by that what I'm saying
is if each council member
nominates one, that's up to 11
candidates that could be in the
in the queue if you will.
So let's up the friendly okay
friendly amendment okay the
friendly amendment is there a
second is a second oh so a
second going to MISS Ojt MS.
Bailey you had second.
>> thank you.
All right MS. Mayor.
>> thank you MADAM Mayor.
Is it possible for us to be
able to nominate three so that
the clerk can kind of put them
in order?
I mean I understand that at
most there will be 11 but I
think that quite a few people
in here probably like some of
the same people.
So I just oh yeah.
>> okay.
i personally would would be
more of a fan of us doing three
and maybe we just doing the top
five are asked to have another
interview self-declare
application.
What we're talking about is the
process.
Okay so for clarification of
this we hadn't gotten down to
that number yet but this
process would help us get to
number.
Are you identifying a number
right now?
>> oh, this is what this is
what I'm here this is what I
think if there are if each
person has one nomination, ten
people might choose the same
person they could every single
person might pick somebody
else.
So two other people might
choose the other three people
you were looking at.
They're still in the pool.
Yeah.
So whether it's three well each
council member or if it's one
by each council member I think
that the the balance of the
group will float to the top.
Yes I'm saying so so so to
clarify yeah I think you talked
about two different things one
nomination top five folks is
what you're talking about are
three I said nominate three
people the top five people.
Oh I mean I'm how is your is
your motion.
>> yeah that's I think I we
should try to follow out what
each person is trying to
indicate that they would like
to have as a motion and I think
I and I caught up with you
after the fact apologies MADAM
Mayor.
so I'm I'm understanding you
now, joy.
You want to give each council
member up to three so that
would be since I accept the
friendly amend meant that would
be an amendment to the
amendment if we were to have a
discussion about you know and
that would be if you now if not
the wellington, if you yeah
that's what I was just saying
you're friendly amendment I
would accept that I'm totally
fine I think that would be a
great opportunity for all of
us.
Yeah I think that's fine.
>> up to three.
Yes.
All right.
So with that a friendly
amendment so we're clear on
clarity for the MADAM Clerk.
Let's clarify.
I just want to make sure
there's a lot of discussion and
as well I want to make sure the
back of the the chair of this
is traffic conversation I know
but it so okay so council
member mayo has asked for three
nominations rather than one and
councilmember mayfield has
accepted that friendly
amendment so the motion on the
floor is for three nominations
for each council up to I'm
sorry excuse me up to three
nominations from each council
member and we have a second
motion to remove letter a
second.
So we're good.
We're ready for the vote.
Maxwell just I just want to be
clear.
I'm sorry.
This third bucket the number of
votes required well, I don't
even want to phrase it as
number of votes required.
I'd rather phrase it as top top
nominations.
Top five, top three whatever
the will of the group is top
five.
Use it up.
Yeah.
Okay.
So so it's a point of clarity
if I MAY.
Item three really is when you
get to vote right you all are
in this quasi interim space
between 2 and 3 when you go
into your interviews and all of
that.
So we're not quite till 32
number three which is the
number of votes required for
subsequent ballot that makes
sense to me.
>> that's more of yes,
absolutely.
So so from an american point of
of information I'm sorry we so
we have 49 folks listed here
right.
And out of the 4917 individuals
were a no show.
So that then reduces the field
down to 32 folks who can be
nominated.
>> is that correct?
Yeah.
No, no.
Some people that because we
didn't say there is not an
elimination based you can you
can yourself individually
decide not to nominate that
person but they're not
ineligible due to not
participating in person today.
That's why this second part of
so we have that chance and we
can pick up to three and we
have a chance collectively to
have a conversation.
my apologies MADAM Mayor.
I know councilmember johnson
had a thank thank you MADAM
Mayor.
So if we're choosing three are
we ranking them when you talk
about top five, are we ranking
them or just so you just saying
that folks how many are in all
good that comes out there okay
thank you.
All right.
So everybody's got to have the
vote just the timeline.
What's the time like the motion
maker was this so okay, let's
figure out if we were the first
yeah.
Clarifying what the attorney
the initial information we sent
out so the community had that
JUNE 22nd date correct yet the
reality is as councilmember
graham had mentioned, we do not
need to rush this process
because this is a very
important process for us.
I did not state a specific
timeline for me the first
question is how soon can we get
that meeting on the books for
us to actually come together
and be able to have this
conversation.
>> we also know according to
our rules and state legislation
we need to give at least five
days notice to community for
that to give them the
opportunity for the ones that
get to move to the next process
so that we can actually have
the chance to have the
conversation with them.
>> we can go on to JULY
realistically because that's
when council is on break.
I'm not I'm pulling up the
calendar right now just to try
to be as specific as possible.
>> today's the 15th we do not
have a meeting on the 29th.
That is our monday off because
that's the fifth monday of the
month.
The question will be is if
there seems to be an
opportunity and an appetite if
people don't already have
travel plans for us to be able
to schedule the meeting on that
wet day that way we don't have
anything else on that day and
that will give us a week to not
only give staff time to create
the survey, give us the time to
go through and identify and do
our voting and give the
community the time to have the
conversation.
I'm saying the 29th for
decision is that of the 22nd
and we try to figure out a date
to come in and have this
conversation based on council's
calendar.
And can I just ask a question
of clarity?
I just want to make sure I
understand in my mind I thought
what we were doing was we were
doing we were going and
selecting our ballots and those
are the folks that were going
to get interviews.
So we were trying to schedule
the interview that's that's
what I'm saying.
Oh when you say conversation
that sounds like I did well,
the interview is the
conversation because they're
not going to come in and just
speak to us for two minutes.
We're going to actually just
say be empty.
Yeah, a process difference and
actually having a conversation
that's happening via the ballot
and that's part right and but
it's the piece where instead of
the individual council
collectively sits and want to
gather and hear from and ask
questions of the candidate just
as a just as a reminder the
statutory requirement for
special meeting notices is 48
hours.
>> so it's not just just say
you know in terms of your
planning you don't need that.
So we can actually have if it's
at the pleasure of council we
can have there but have the
ability to have that discussion
earlier.
I just want to be respectful of
the fact that staff has to
actually create the survey and
yeah, I things that can happen
next to even we can say that
but we need to make sure that
staff is doing just that come
around with so so it doesn't
spell correctly or wouldn't
matter that's like yes ma'am
you had another question all
right.
>> yes, please.
Thank you, MADAM Mayor.
>> colleagues, I think that we
you know, I agree with my
colleague councilmember graham
and councilmember MAY feel that
we shouldn't rush the process
but we did vote on a timeline
and we adopted it and now we
are doing this amendment which
council member MAY feel
accepted the friendly amendment
from councilmember wallington.
So I think our due diligence
right as council members
serving our constituents is to
follow through with the
timeline and to add that extra
step and to that point find a
which I think is can be a
conversation and perhaps
offline that that middle spot
of when we would schedule that
special meeting at that
midpoint that allows us the
flexibility to still follow
through with the timeline but
as well as make the necessary
adjustments that we're talking
about today.
Yes, ma'am.
>> thank you so much.
Is it possible to make a motion
to have a special meeting on
the 18th for council?
No, there's a motion on the
floor.
We haven't voted for this
otherwise voted for unless
unless well unless council
member mayfield, the motion
maker.
If you want to accept as part
of your friendly amendment I'm
not accepting that interview as
we need to close this down.
The only issue is that this
okay we're going to beginning
to get off line and we will
thank you.
I appreciate that.
MS. As mira we've got the staff
a little bit and we've been
doing a lot of like this is
this and this is that but we
are not getting enough
information for us to all
understand.
I mean I look around and I
don't see I see especially I'm
worried about the bgr committee
because we haven't seen
anything we want to I'm sorry.
That's just what I said.
You don't have to say it.
I just said it.
Okay, so this is what I said
and I think what we're trying
to do is to get some sense of
what everyone agrees to do and
that just takes a little bit
more time.
And if we skip people over you
know, it's just it's taken us
too much time to do this
without working through it.
So what I would like to suggest
is that we actually ask each
council member what their what
you have what you think is
happening and then let's see if
we're all in accord if that's
okay.
>> I would say you've got a
motion MADAM Mayor you know but
with the smoke if I have people
or what if I just MAY yeah your
motion as I understand it is
it's to receive nominations
from each council member up to
three.
You don't have to give three
but up to three close the
nominations.
MADAM Clerk will be tallying
those those nominations to
determine you got that to
determine the top five I
believe the top five.
Right.
And those candidates will
proceed to a set of interviews
to be conducted based on a
special meeting later schedule
later.
>> right.
So now we will work on that.
I I hear you.
All right.
MISS Johnson.
MS..
Johnson did not hear you so
let's have her hear us now.
So we have a screen is there
anybody they can type the
motion so that it's clear as
these changes are made a
powerpoint this is a
powerpoint.
>> but I can just type it out
and then everyone could read it
because there is a lot of
chatter.
So if I mean I think we
understand but just so are just
so everyone's on the same page
and we can see what the motion
is and clarify there.
>> thank you.
>> would that be helpful to do
by tomorrow because I don't
think everything right now okay
we do not have everyone in this
room to do more things.
>> yeah three, four, five, six
seven, eight nine.
Okay.
Yeah.
Is he supposed to sit there
because of what he's doing
today at work?
>> yeah, we are good to go
because we got we can vote.
>> yeah we can vote everybody's
got that.
Everybody's comfortable with
that.
Yes.
>> all right, give it we wait a
minute.
MISS Out on me.
I'm just since councilmember
johnson wanted to actually see
it in writing, I'm just asking
if we could just take less than
a minute.
Yeah, we're just being
tightened up.
Yeah, but we I think we all are
on the same page as far as what
it is and I appreciate you all
for supporting a motion and us
figuring out again so that we
can be intentional about this
process because we've got
elections next year.
Yeah people that want to run
for it go in front of the
community, get a community
support but if we're going to
make an appointment we haven't
had a chance to have a
conversation session about what
are the opportunities that we
see in this role of 17 months
knowing that we'd passed our
priority areas, we've had our
budget retreat, we just passed
the budget.
We already know that we're
going to have the housing bond
on the ballot in NOVEMBER and
what that looks like, what are
the skill sets that we are
looking for?
That's what I was hoping that
we might add in this additional
step.
It gives us not one off
conversations with individuals
because again I've tried not to
engage any body unless the
calls slip through but I've
made no commitments to anyone
because I don't make them as
anyone so regardless of the
media thinking we got on top
for to my understanding we have
not figured that out.
So this gives us the
opportunity to have the
discussion we need to have.
I was doing all that just
talking to you got it right now
read and I'm sure I have to
clean it up is that I was
trying to help you out.
I appreciate it for that.
>> I honestly we enjoy all of
this but I think councilmember
and have you spoken and then
kimberly wanted to speak as
well.
>> kimberly, a question I agree
with this.
I want to know at what point in
time each thing occurs.
>> that's why I'm asking and
we're never been in wait I'm
sorry.
>> can I speak?
i don't feel it's a particular
hardship if we don't get it all
done by the 22nd nobody suffers
if we don't we have the
absolute obligation possibility
of say on the 22nd conducting
this meeting with with an eye
towards processing the
interviews and other
discussions that we have in the
22nd for a vote on the 29th.
So I just want to know if if we
do this and we try to vote on
the 22nd when were the ballots
be due?
When will we get back because
that's a tight timeline.
>> I just want to know what
happens when and I think that
we are trying to do that.
I mean the city attorney I
thought in terms of preparing I
thought it was going to be the
committee but now I think it's
going to move into the offices
that what you're thinking what
is the council that I motorcar
questions I'm oh she has a
question councilmember so just
just for clarity sake I want to
make sure that I've appreciated
and I want the audience and the
viewers to understand when we
say each councilmember will
receive up to three nominations
each councilmember is inclusive
of mayor pro tem at this point
in time, correct?
At this point in time we're
going to deal with that shortly
.
Thank you.
Yes.
Yeah.
And the timeline will come next
week.
Okay.
So be ready to vote.
I think so I I am still trying
to figure out where this leads
to the vote and I think it's
basically around the interview
process and for participation
and the five candidates to be
invited to participate and
that's five for each council
member no ma'am or just it's
time for council member all
right, here we go process
whoever ends up being the top
five.
Okay?
Yeah.
>> all right.
So is everybody ready to vote,
MS..
Mayfield?
We are.
I was just going to ask the
clerk you have it.
But do I need to repeat it for
the minutes for accuracy if you
want.
I just need to know what you
need in order for you to have
because we have it.
If you have it then I'm good if
you need me to repeat it this
way then I will do whatever you
need me to do.
For the record and I'm asking
is it this if I need to change
it was on the screen.
No, this is good.
Okay.
This is what we discussed.
Okay.
I know as long as you keep
saying the full council.
Yes, we'll be okay.
>> all right.
So you have a motion on the
floor all in favor of the
motion?
>> please raise your hand.
Anyone different than anyone?
That's not a vote that anyone
oppose.
Sorry.
Anyone oppose?
>> all right, so thank you all
.
Thank you very much, my man.
We got a yeah, we got a couple
more motions and we I'm going
to tie those just just for the
record so that everybody is on
the same page if just vote and
we are where we are.
I move to have this interview
on this thursday the 18th
second on yeah yeah yeah yes
before I go so we can check out
everything I have to do my
calendar almost every time so
this is because let's let's see
if we can get through this.
Okay.
I guess I'm going on those.
All right.
Does everybody have that time
frame on there?
I need a second.
What time on thursday?
Well, I just signed up morning
or afternoon.
>> that's just so when are the
ballots to when are the ballots
do one of the ballots do yeah I
mean I'm up and when home would
you when do you need them do
you know I'm just saying that's
the 18th is when we're having
that meeting prior to that time
there has to been a deadline
for the council.
>> that's a good point.
That's a good point.
Okay.
We can work backwards.
So then I'm not tied to the
JULY 22nd now I understand are
we send in three names?
>> are we waiting on a ballot?
We're waiting on a ballot if
you do not council if you do
not proceed with the 22nd you
will need to amend your prior
schedule because you adopted
that as part of your problem.
Okay so I'd like to offer this
then as part of my motion staff
and I'm looking at you MS.
Towns because it's the clerk's
office if you can get us
ballots today and we have those
ballots back to you by tomorrow
48 hours ahead of a thursday
afternoon meeting then we can
press them, then we can proceed
as our folks comfortable with
that?
Yeah, I'm very uncomfortable
with that.
I don't know how we voted on
the timeline in meetings.
Okay.
Yeah.
Well then the opportunity to do
that I don't know what I'll do
without that's the motion.
>> if there's a second we'll
vote it up or down.
If it goes down then we'll just
figure something else out and
see what we'll figure that out
and so everybody would get
their information.
Yeah.
Before they leave tonight.
Yes.
Okay.
All right.
So just to be clear to make
sure I understand so you want a
ballot with the 49 people?
Yes, ma'am.
By the end of before we leave
here so we don't all the
eligible and the eligible
people.
Yeah, actually eligible.
Okay.
Yeah.
All the so if we can have a
ballot to night before we leave
for all of the eligible
candidates and council will
return our ballots to you by
tomorrow afternoon which gives
48 hours time for notice to
those selected candidates.
Then we can conduct the
interview on thursday
afternoon.
And are you going to do photos
and all of those or what are
the expectations for the
sending the information to the
clerk besides just a letter or
a list like we have here?
Yeah.
So we just we just can return
our lists or like we typically
do via email and just respond
with your names etc. What about
the kimberly your ballots would
be your balance that would be
received tomorrow or I can I
had a I had a question but I
think that it has been
clarified so thank you all
right.
Thank you.
And I just want to make a point
of clarification.
It's not the 48 people to 49 is
eligible candidates all the
eligible including those who
did not attend the first be
eligible can motion for
correct?
Correct.
Okay.
All right.
MADAM Clerk MADAM Clerk, are
you good?
Oh, is our attorney good as
anybody on the council?
Good.
>> I have a question, MADAM
Clerk would it be easier for
people just to write it in like
their their top three instead
of your having to like type all
of those names in?
I mean we all have the lists
like yeah there's everybody i
feel like that MAY be more
efficient of your time this
evening so we can make the
turnaround a bit faster I mean
just a write in if you want to
do that.
>> if I stop you I can make
that motion.
Okay.
Can can can I can I do a
friendly amendment that instead
of y'all writing down all the
people we all have the list is
not hard for them.
>> yeah that's.
Oh okay well whatever have list
so are we doing a friendly
amendment?
Okay.
No amendments.
>> right.
Okay.
All right.
So we're voting on the motion
right there.
>> so this is a two part motion
to have the interviews be
conducted on JUNE 18th and also
to have a ballot complete with
all eligible candidates by end
of day today you receive I
don't you want to put a no is
due to no but she received the
ballot today I received about
24 hours press yeah and council
members will turn it in by
tomorrow.
Close of business the clerk
yes.
Positive.
Okay.
So are we comfortable with
where we are?
MS. Mayfield are you
comfortable where you are?
Not even a slightest.
Okay.
So if it is slightly space I
want us to be realistic and
responsive.
so we have our medians have
been running to 910 later to
say that our clerk's office is
supposed to get this
information to us and we are
going to be responsible enough
to get this done back tomorrow
is very aspirational versus at
least I'm trying my best y'all
at least be realistic enough
instead of saying ballot for
all the eligible candidates by
end of day by end of tomorrow
to give enough time for our
staff to do what they need to
do when we still have meeting
in 20 minutes and we have been
getting out of here at 910,
1030 11 and thinking that
people won't get up and get
through this by tomorrow let's
at least be gentle enough where
ourselves is there to at least
give them tuesday the 16 to get
this out.
That's the gives us a window to
get the ballots done and get
them back in because they still
have to go in and calculate it
I don't think is reasonable all
at 20 minutes to five to say
that the closed office should
be able to get this information
to us by tonight.
>> so a couple of things.
>> I appreciate what you're
saying.
The spreadsheet is right here.
I will like it already exists.
We have meant to respond but
the meat of your question
though because then the meat of
your question though I just
want to make sure the reason
that I've said to the people
are talking at the same time
the reason I said tuesday
tomorrow is because of the 48
hours.
So the question is can staff
can you still notice the
meeting before or you know
which candidates are invited
you you can notice the purpose.
Yes, we yes let me tell you.
Okay.
Well then cool I'll accept that
friendly amendment you want to
use.
You said the end of tuesday so
that's a matter of hours
difference.
It's those hours make a
difference and I'm about 16 and
to also in light of the
conversation would there be an
eligible virtual option excuse
me available to those because
it is such a short notice.
>> I mean I think that's I'm
for sure now why do you want to
start something I mean it's all
about getting it.
>> we are talking about 48
hours notice.
I just want to yeah, again I'm
not pushing that.
Don't 22nd date is not I felt
like we could have made
somebody good made a motion for
us to amend that because this
is too important of a
conversation we have this isn't
the five months that anthony
fox had when he was that moved
into a position.
So the idea of us trying to
rush through this process I
have a concern about I got you
for you to get it on record as
far as the virtual option, I'm
I'm I'm not opposed to virtual
but certainly if that's going
to be a part of this motion,
folks should know about it.
I'm willing to adjust the
motion for the will of the
group if they do not have the
opportunity to do a virtual
them.
i think that saying that you
want you but you know if you
can't figure out how to get in
I'm sure and mayor I just want
us to so I appreciate both
perspectives here I also though
want to talk about and maybe
we're going to do it now we
have to do it at some point but
talk about the structure of
these meetings because I think
it has to we have to have a
structure has that have some
uniformity to it.
I can imagine if ten of us have
questions that's a long time.
Right?
Just one question.
So we got to talk about the
structure on that.
>> yeah, maybe you I'm saying
maybe you could suggest I mean
I'm yes.
Someone that could do that.
>> yeah, somebody has got to do
some work exactly right and and
I think that like okay I think
that what we accomplished was
that the committee chair would
have that opportunity to work
through some of that and nobody
has suggested but it does need
to happen so far and mean so
I'll volunteer myself since
this is difficult I think it
would be no, I think so.
Well what I'm saying is is to I
agree that those that can be
worked offline if you have
questions that you want ash
simply cinnamon an email to
everybody and we can compile
the questions list these things
are not difficult policy it's a
question that it's not about
being difficult policy question
is how we process our work.
>> it's how we and it's killing
us if we make it to the end for
sure.
but there has to be process
steps that there's agree in the
poem if we don't have hope, if
we don't respect our committee
structure, why do we have
committees?
It's just it's and so all of
this stuff should have been
sent to committee weeks ago,
three weeks ago that there is
is a artificial timeline that
we're dealing with.
There's nothing magical about
the 22nd we got 18 months not
for an interim mayor but for
the mayor of the city.
I think that deserves a little
bit of thoughtfulness versus
making the sausage around the
dice where we're supposed to be
listening to candidates not
making policy decisions.
It's just for me it's how we
process our work that's
frustrating.
Are you making a substitute
much I make a substitution that
we send this to committee so we
have a second and a second and
put it up or down and and and
when we say substitute motion
to send to committee does that
include the inclusiveness of
the fact the the things that we
all up and then we come on to
achieve all the things that we
want to achieve the timelines,
the structure there's the
process questions that
councilmember anderson talked
about in terms of making sure
that just on uniformity there
has to be we just can't make it
up on the fly.
The recusal question all those
things are legitimate questions
that we just sit and kind of
make the sausage at the table
so we have you can put it up or
down but I just think you have
to we have a motion and and
second all right as I'm just
about to attempt jd tell me
thank you MADAM Mayor.
I think I feel like how to do
that song.
>> what's going on?
Yeah.
Mm hmm.
>> are the candidates still in
the room?
>> really want to take this up?
I do.
I want to.
This is just more trying to not
to encourage more frustration
among my colleagues.
I just really want to ask this
question because I'm out of
curiosity.
Okay.
We sent this to committee,
right.
And they will come back to a
full council for a discussion
on something that was a process
that should be inclusive of a
full council to be then
discussed from a process I was
made from a committee which I
respect the committee.
Right.
I respect the committee and I
respect committee structure but
I guess I'm trying to
understand the reasoning of
sending it to committee just
for it to come back again to a
full council when we're
discussing it now this MAY feel
would like to reply to that.
So what I am understanding
because again we got the first
part done by sending it to
committee committee can then
have the conversation on the
actual structure that we're
talking about committee in
committee it would be the
discussion regarding recusal,
it would be discussion on the
timeline, it will be discussion
although what we recommended is
each of us has up to three
committee were be able to do to
structure around the act or
survey and that timeline that's
where committee will be able to
come in and do that piece so
that when we invite those
individuals who make it through
back we are all on the same
page of understanding what it
is that we're looking at and
then we have that opportunity
of submitting some questions to
a committee and no duplications
and there's no duplication and
that will finally put us in a
position to have a structure
moving forward because even
though we have done this eight
times unfortunately we are
doing this more often than what
was done previously.
So this way we actually get a
full structure but it answers
the actual questions that have
been asked by it going to
committee is that my
understanding?
That's what I'm understanding
why it would come to committee.
>> I think you are correct.
Thank you.
So just just a point of
information.
This would have to be a special
committee meeting because
there's not a committee meeting
until AUGUST.
>> yeah, there you can do a
special the chair can share and
call it in and say something
same notice, same legal notice
requirements but it can't be
called okay.
>> yes.
Thank you MADAM Chair
city attorney.
i have a question, sir.
So if this is if if the ayes
have it right then we would
have to then introduce a new
motion to amend the adopted
timeline that we voted for
previously, correct?
>> that is correct because you
won't be able to adhere to the
22nd deadline I think timeline
I should say all the questions
.
All right.
We have a call the question on
the table so I'll take anyone.
All right.
So let's go ahead all in favor
of this please.
Right of which we're talking
about what's on the substitute
motion on a substitute motion
for the motion and the JUNE
18th and those areas right
there.
And if not, yes, we'll keep
going.
Okay.
All right.
We're ready.
Who's some who all in favor?
One, two, three, four.
>> all against.
Do we have anybody else all
oppose for one, two, three,
four, five, six.
All right.
I think we go back to that
because we don't have anything
.
We go back to your motion.
Yeah, right.
>> all right.
You're back to this motion here
.
Okay, so the question all
right.
We have a question on the
motion that you see on the
screen right now.
So all in favor one, two, three
,four, five, six, seven, eight
to the 16.
Well, can I well, obviously
this is passing so is there
anyone opposed the right that
you have?
Yeah I didn't catch that so it
goes to the 16th and then later
on certainly amendment you had
one oppose one oppose all right
and that closes out this all I
were wrong then how many years
was it not about matthew.
>> all right so we have a
zoning meeting.
>> I know that I can arrange a
meeting so you guys would have
subject would what we have now
I think we're going to yes.
That's what you want to do?
>> yes, but there is a motion
and a second on the floor to
adjourn.
>> you can't have the ballot
motion on the floor to only to
talk about it up but then do
back at that's what I was
asking.
>> okay all those in favor of
the motion to adjourn because
the convener I know michelle
she moved the ballots do back
it says I think we're going to
have to you know yeah I know I
was looking at that too is it
the ballot should be back by
the end of day on the 16th not
the close of business.
That was logan is debate 20
friendly amendment so what the
ballots do out same day right
yeah same day yeah luana I
wanted to give staff until
tomorrow to get it out to us
instead of giving it to us
tonight tomorrow tomorrow for
the ballots to be distributed.
Yeah.
Hear you.
Period.
after the ballots are
distributed until they come
back.
Yeah.
Now what it says is end of day
on JUNE 16th for that yeah
yeah, yeah.
>> no we can you can you change
that 1st JUNE can you use mike
to the 15.
What it is saying is that
there's no period in there to
actually give the ballot right
received them so we would have
to have like noon on the 16th
for the circulation of the
ballots and end of day on the
16th for the return of the
ballots.
That's doable for the clerk's
office.
So we just need an update on
the board so that people are
clear.
>> let's talk about it because
we have to vote on a german.
No, we yes.
Well time out.
We need to vote on adjournment
.
>> yes, MADAM Mayor.
Right.
We have a motion for adjourn.
That all in favor please raise
your hands.
Okay, so just one, two, three.
>> not a major.
He turned around on all opposed
.
All right.
I think that the nays and okay.
All right then you have it.
All right so now the next item
on the agenda is what's on the
agenda now upstairs what I was
slightly sorry what is right in
the eating and okay, bill is
this right, MISS Watlington?
>> so I was just commenting
that the other topic that was
brought up at the beginning of
this meeting was the recusal.
So I was I was under the
impression that we were going
to deal with that today that
that we just had that come up.
It says charge recuse or
timeline number of nominations
but that that that substitute
motion failed I can't mark it
out right now but it fails I
just need to talk about recusal
.
Okay.
Yeah.
So you need to entertain a
motion right now which I don't
.
>> let's go ahead.
We need to have a motion for
recusal all MR. Driggs, could
the attorney please clarify my
understanding was that a member
who has a financial or other
conflict must recuse themselves
or if they have a concern about
an appearance of impropriety
they MAY ask the council to
excuse them which would then
require a majority vote to be
excused.
Those are two different things
you just told us it's not a
recusal situation even though
he gets more money.
So then it's a question of
whether he chooses to ask to be
excused and we agree with him
then because of the appearance
of impropriety by a majority
vote he is excused.
That is correct.
Those are the two issues.
So that means that you would
have to ask to be excused since
you can't recuse yourself since
the attorney advises that you
don't have a financial
contribution.
So it's up to you it can you
speaking to the microphone
please for the record?
>> yeah, we have we have the
room that today I tried I tried
it's oh oh case and I think she
wants you to repeat it.
>> yeah I won't repeat
everything I just said he is
not eligible for a recusal
because the city attorney
advised us that his increased
income doesn't qualify as a
grounds for recusal under state
law.
Therefore he MAY ask to be
excused based on a concern
about the appearance of
impropriety.
And it takes a majority vote of
counsel to excuse him.
So that does require that you
would in order for that vote to
take place you would have to
ask to be excused.
And I would suggest that for as
long as councilmember mitchell
is in the pool of people like
if he's not among the final
five then he could participate
in the selection among the five
if he is among the final five
in my opinion there is an issue
a question about conflict and
then but it is up to you to ask
to be excused.
>> we can't do it.
We don't do it.
Did everybody hear what it
said?
Is that right?
And I agree with correct I feel
thank you, MADAM Mayor.
And the clerk mentioned it.
But I think what we also have
to remember when council when
former mayor fox took his
appointment and then council
appointed councilmember percy
kinzie, she did not recuse
herself.
you whatever the mayor has
always owned more than council
whether was 5000 more 7000 or
more it doesn't matter what the
amount was.
The mayor has always earned
more than council.
Council member can say he did
not recuse herself.
Yes she voted for herself just
like when we have elections I
hope you actually vote for
yourself when you go in to vote
so that I want us to keep in
mind the idea of this recusal.
Yes.
COUNCILMAN Mitchell will have
to make the motion himself but
we already do have precedent on
that.
That's correct.
And that precedent is the
sitting council member that
ended up being put into the
position of mayor for that
eventual period did vote for
themselves.
There was no recusal.
I don't know why the
conversation of compensation
came into this particular
conversation for the simple
fact the mayor will always make
more than council whatever that
amount is I'll give as 2000
more.
The mayor is always going to
make more than council so
whoever the mayor is they are
going to make more than council
with that.
So the recusal piece that's a
kisi as a sitting council
member who served 28 years as a
district when she was appointed
to fill out mayor anthony
parks's seat she was not asked
to recuse.
She did vote.
I don't understand why we're i
understand why we're having a
conversation now but I want us
to make sure for transparency.
That was not something that was
a prerequisite.
But again, even though we just
voted it down, had it gone to
committee, that's what the
discussion and an actual
process could have been put in
place.
We chose not to do that but I
just want to make sure everyone
does understand we had a
councilmember who stepped into
the role.
No they did not recuse
themselves.
Yes, they voted if he chooses
to that is his choice.
>> we do not get to do that.
All right, MISS Allen.
>> thank you, MADAM Mayor.
I just want to speak very
briefly to my impression of why
we are where we are.
I tried to bring this issue
into the room because I've had
a lot of engagement with
constituents over the weekend
particularly who have asked me
about what they perceive to be
the unfairness of a situation
where there is competition
between a member of council and
other members of the community
.
Those members of the community
need to get to six this member
of council would only need to
get to five presumably voting
done for himself.
So I wanted to put that into
the room out of just an
abundance of transparency
around what our process is.
I believe there to be a
conflict of interest and I
believe there is an appearance
of impropriety to have mayor
pro tem vote in the same way as
he would if he were not
running.
I think to the point made by
councilmember driggs, there is
a difference in my mind of
getting us to a point where we
have a small group if he is on
that small group then I would
contend that he should not
continue to participate in the
same way that he would if he
were not our mayor pro tem so
that is my personal point of
view.
That is why the issues in the
room is there a motion on the
table?
I don't believe.
>> did you make a motion?
I did not.
I'd like to comment when it's
my turn.
>> thank you.
All right.
So why don't we go has his
hand?
I do want okay, go.
>> I just wanted to point out
it was possible that 4 or 5 of
us applied for this.
Where would we have been if
everybody had been disqualified
?
I so I think the fact that
mitchell has served the way he
has all this time shouldn't
work to his detriment as it
were.
He's entitled to his voice in
this process as the mayor pro
tem so personally I clarified
as I did just to make sure we
understand the situation it's
up to him.
I personally wouldn't put a
burden on him to ask to be
excused which is what we're
talking about.
>> I'm not mayor jd thank you
madam mayor.
Yeah I would agree with my
colleagues.
Council member MAY feel and
council member driggs and also
appreciative of councilmember
owens point however I really do
think for me when I think about
it I think about the democratic
process right?
We are elected by less than 5%
of the city's population and
why are we going to vote on
whether somebody has the right
to run or to seek a position of
elected office?
We all raised our hands to run
for elected office and we all
went in front of the community
.
>> right?
Everybody has the right to run
for office and be true to that
same standard like we're
putting on the same standard
for all of the candidates that
we've heard from today and that
have applied for this role
today that being said, you know
and I'll I'll just for
appreciation I will say this
that's why I also agree with
councilmember owens when it
comes to the physical virtual
option.
Right.
We need to be equalizers and
ensure that everybody has a
fair shot, an opportunity and I
as I brought it up before and
I'll bring it up today I'm
unsure with this financial
compensation part of the
discussion came apart because
we did just vote as a city
council to give ourselves a
raise.
Right?
That's part of the budget city
council members and the mayor
got a pay bump and the f y 2027
budget right.
And so that conversation and
financial compensation feels
very obscure to me to be had in
this in this room right now and
right right and she and she
would have disallowed that
exactly.
MR. Drake so thank you so much
and I.
>> I concur.
All right.
And let's go.
We're going around this way.
>> thank you, MADAM Mayor.
Just question for the city
attorney here.
We were mentioning when patsy
kinzie was appointed to be the
interim mayor was there a
public forum with that process
or was she simply voted by her
colleagues to be to take that
seat?
Because I think if it wasn't a
public forum I don't believe
there was this is a different
structure here and I'll be a
little prescribed with our
language.
We not a public forum but not a
candidate forum there were no
there was not external
competition.
It was strictly internal to
your point councilmember
anderson only council members
participated in that, correct.
And that's why I brought that
up because you know, before we
advance to a public process we
had the opportunity to
potentially appoint any of us.
So it's not about a particular
individual but we voted to make
this a public process in
advance in this public forum.
So we've had 49 people to sign
up to come down to speak.
people have taken the time to
fill out applications.
You know, it's not just a small
a small thing we've asked them
to do and it's a very different
process than when patsy kinzie,
who was a district one
resident, was appointed interim
mayor very different.
All right.
Male thank you, MADAM Mayor.
>> I would agree with
councilmember briggs.
I don't believe that mayor pro
tem should have to recuse
himself.
I think that you know, as a
sitting council member he
should have the same vote as
everyone else on council.
So I just wanted to put that
out there.
>> I mean that I guess would be
a decision that he makes and or
we would make potentially.
But I, I don't think that's
necessary personally for you.
It's not up to us.
You know it's it's like you
said then what attorney just
say no we can't vote.
Right.
Okay.
All right.
Anyone else?
MR. Watlington all right.
MRS. Mira all right then.
MR. Johnson oh, all right.
>> I'll just add that it's like
we're arguing about not arguing
or debating about assumption or
some preconceived guarantee
when there's not a guarantee.
Right.
There is as much possibility
for the mayor pro tem to become
one of the top five candidates
as well as to not become one
and top five candidates.
Right.
and so I just want to put that
out there that in to the public
and I want to be put on the
record there is not a guarantee
on who gets appointed interim
mayor that is point blank
period.
Right.
Like we all have as we voted on
the right to nominate up to
three people in this process
and that those chances of
whether mayor pro tem is one of
those top three people that's
not guaranteed and it's not
written.
We just heard from excellent
candidates.
Right.
And I hope that we all have the
due diligence to listen to
those candidates and really
nominate the best candidates.
We think aligned with the
priorities and the future of
this city.
So I just want to make that
very clear that when we are
having this discussion about
excluding or taking someone's
right to vote, there's not a
guarantee that any of us would
be appointed mayor if we did
applied.
>> so thank you.
All right.
Thank you, don.
I think do need to the motion
to adjourn.
>> so I think I think well she
and the other things okay.
>> MADAM Mayor, just quickly
before we leave out, I just
want to make sure everyone
remembers that on JUNE the
monday, JUNE 22nd that starting
at 2:00 we had a city clerk's
evaluation.
So that was one of the other
reasons the motion went the way
it went.
But while we are doing these
dates out I want to make sure
that we remember the 22nd we
already have the close
evaluation that's scheduled
from 2 to 6 and we're public
form.
>> so on ramp I think maybe we
are as it's maybe a day in the
life of council.
I mean we choose violence on a
daily basis around this dais.
>> so thank you.
Okay.
So I've got to motion to
adjourn we defer we defer her
motion to adjourn.
How many of you are at the you
adjourn for thursday but you're