[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:02]
I CALL THE MEETING THE ORDER LIVE WEBCASTS.
THE MEETING MAY BE VIEWED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND THE NOTICE AGENDA AND INFORMATION ON THE CITY OF NASHVILLE CITY'S WEBSITE INFORMS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY MAY SUBMIT A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT OR A PUBLIC COMMENT ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, EITHER IN PERSON BY SUBMITTING ONE OF THE SALMON COLORED SLIPS, THEY'RE AVAILABLE AT THE BACK OR EMAILING NO LATER THAN FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE MEETING.
ALL WRITTEN COMMENTS RECEIVED WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND PUBLISHED ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE IF RECEIVED BY THE DEADLINE.
COULD WE HAVE ROLL CALL PLEASE? GOOD AFTERNOON.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER RODRIGUEZ AS, UH, VICE MAYOR MOLINA PRESENT.
WE HAVE A QUORUM AND WE WILL NOTE THAT UH, COUNCIL MEMBER YAMANI AND COUNCIL MEMBER BUSH ARE ABSENT.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE STAND IF WE CAN.
I'LL ASK, UH, MR. MOLINA, IF YOU WOULD LEAD US PLEASE IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
READY? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LIE THE UNITED STATES, STATES OF AMERICA AND TO, TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN WITH, WITH LIBERTY AND ALL.
[4. PUBLIC COMMENT (Public Comment will be restricted to Agenda Items only)]
OKAY.WE NOW HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THIS AGENDA.
UM, AND DO WE HAVE ANY REQUESTS FOR ON ZOOM? NO, WE DO NOT.
AND UH, SO WE HAVE ON THREE NUMBERS.
SO WE HAVE NO REQUEST FOR EITHER ON FIVE ONE OR FIVE TWO, BUT FIVE THREE AND FIVE FOUR.
UM, AND IT HAS TO BE SPECIFIC TO THAT INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEM.
WITH THAT, UH, WE'LL GO ON FIVE THREE FIRST, WHICH IS, UH, PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT AND ON POSITION FOR CITY MANAGER AND, UH, LUISA, FOLLOWED BY MCCALL.
SO WE'RE DOING 5.3, CORRECT? 5.3, YES.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT BOTH GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC TRUST.
THE ROLES OF A CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY ARE CRITICAL NOT ONLY FOR MANAGING OPERATIONS AND ENSURING LEGAL COMPLIANCE, BUT ALSO FOR SAFEGUARDING THE PUBLIC FROM WASTE, ABUSE AND FRAUD.
THESE POSITIONS EXIST TO UPHOLD ACCOUNTABILITY AND MAKE SURE THE CITY FOLLOWS ITS OWN RULES.
THAT'S WHY CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS IN THIS CHAMBER MATTER.
I'VE PERSONALLY OBSERVED INSTANCES WHERE PUBLIC COMMENT HAS BEEN LIMITED OR INTERRUPTED TO INCLUDE MY OWN EXPERIENCE.
PUBLIC COMMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST DIRECT WAYS RESIDENTS AND TAXPAYERS PARTICIPATE IN THEIR GOVERNMENT.
WHEN RULES APPEAR TO BE APPLIED INCONSISTENTLY, IT CAN UNDERMINE CONFIDENCE AND RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE COUNCIL AND THE PROFESSIONALS WHO ADVISE AND SUPPORT IT ENSURE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT POLICIES ARE APPLIED EVENLY, RESPECTFULLY, AND IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS THE PUBLIC'S ABILITY TO BE HEARD.
STRONG LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY ATTORNEY ROLES SHOULD REINFORCE THESE PRINCIPLES AND HELP MAINTAIN TRUST BETWEEN THE CITY ITS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE CITY MANAGER'S POSITION.
UM, I KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS SPENT OVER $50,000 IN A NATIONWIDE, UH, SURGE FOR THE NEW CITY MANAGER.
AND NOW, UH, WE SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE PUT, UM, HERNANDEZ IN IT IN ITS PLACE TEMPORARILY, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A $10 MILLION LAWSUIT ON THAT SEXUAL HARASSMENT.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT WHATEVER CITY MANAGER YOUR CONTEMPLATING TO PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THIS PERSON IS UNBIASED, IMPARTIAL, SO THAT THE EFFICIENCY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RUNNING OF THIS CITY IS PROTECTED.
UH, THE ONLY WAY TO BRING REFORM AND EFFICIENCY AND FAIRNESS TO THE CITY OF NATIONAL CITY IS TO HAVE, UH, THE EXIT OF, UM, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS OF RON MORRISON, IN ORDER FOR THIS TO CHANGE.
OTHERWISE, IT'S NOT GONNA CHANGE.
[00:05:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, BY REVIEWING THE THE LAST RECORDS, UH, YOU KNOW, HE WAS CAUGHT ISSUING ILLEGAL VARIANCES, UH, TO THE PROJECT, UH, LYING UNDER, LYING UNDER OATH ABOUT THE PUBLIC RECORDS.AND TO ME IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET, MAKE SURE THAT THIS CITY MANAGER IS NOT UNDER THE THUMB OF RON, UH, THAT WAY WE MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS RUN WITHOUT ANY SPECIAL FAVORS TO DEVELOPERS OR TO THEIR FRIENDS OR TO ANYBODY.
WE HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE BROWN ACT.
IF WE KNOW BETTER, WE DO BETTER.
AND OBVIOUSLY RON KNOWS BETTER AND HE CHOOSES TO NOT DO BETTER.
AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE AND THAT'S WHY I KEEP COMING BACK AND I'M GONNA KEEP COMING BACK OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
DEMANDING TRANSPARENCY AND DEMANDING CHANGE FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY.
JUST GO AHEAD AND STAY ON UP THERE FOR FIVE, FOUR.
UNDER THE CITY ATTORNEYS, UM, UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, RON HAS BEEN PULLING A LOT OF STRINGS IN MANY PLACES WITHIN NATIONAL CITY IN WHICH, UH, HE HAS INSERTED HIMSELF IN PROJECTS THAT DID NOT REQUIRE HIS INVOLVEMENT, UH, WORSE, UH, TAKEN IT UPON HIMSELF TO OBSTRUCT THE CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER OF THE CITY, OF NATIONAL CITY, WHICH IS THE CITY ATTORNEY'S ROLE.
TO HAVE INTERFERED, INTERFERED WITH HIS ABILITY TO INVESTIGATE AND ENFORCE CITY LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND, UH, SPECIFICALLY OBSTRUCTED THE CITY'S ATTORNEY'S ABILITY TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE YOUR ASSISTANT.
UH, YOU HAVE PRESSURED THE CITY ATTORNEY NOT TO SUPPORT THE CITY, UH, FORMER CITY MANAGER TO DO HIS JOB.
AND YOU'VE ALSO ATTEMPTED TO PRESSURE THE CITY ATTORNEY NOT TO ENFORCE THE OPEN MEETING LAWS AND THE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW.
AND THAT IS, UH, TO ME THAT'S APPALLING BECAUSE A CITY ATTORNEY IS A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE FOR OUR CITY.
WITHOUT OUR CITY ATTORNEYS BEING IMPARTIAL, WE REALLY CAN'T DO OUR JOB PROPERLY WITHOUT THE CITY ATTORNEY LOOKING OUT TO PROTECTING ALL OF US, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T MOVE FORWARD.
WE HAVE TO BE IMPARTIAL, WE HAVE TO BE UNBIASED, WE HAVE TO BE FAIR.
AND THAT IS WHY I KEEP COMING BACK OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND I'M GONNA KEEP COMING BACK UNTIL I SEE CHANGE.
AND IF NO CHANGE APPEARS IN FRONT OF ALL IN FRONT OF ME AND OUR LEADERSHIP, I'M GONNA KEEP COMING BACK AND I'M GONNA KEEP EXPOSING IT OVER AND OVER AND, AND I DON'T CARE WHERE I EXPOSE IT AND HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO COME HERE.
WE HAVE THE POTENTIALITY TO DO BETTER AS HUMAN BEINGS.
WE DESERVE THAT AND OUR CITIZENS DESERVE THAT.
SO I'M GONNA BE COMING BACK OVER AND OVER DEMANDING CHANGE.
OKAY, NEXT WE HAVE, UH, LUISA.
THE ROLE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY IS CRITICAL IN PROTECTING THE CITY FROM WASTE, ABUSE, AND FRAUD.
THIS POSITION IS NOT JUST ADVISORY, IT'S A, IT'S A SAFEGUARD FOR THE PUBLIC TRUST.
THAT MEANS WHEN CONCERNS ARISE, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT COULD EXPOSE THE CITY TO LEGAL RISK, THERE MUST BE A TIMELY AND INDEPENDENT GUIDANCE.
HOLDING MEMBERS OF COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR ACCOUNTABLE IS NOT OPTIONAL.
ACCOUNTABILITY SHOULD NEVER BE VIEWED AS AN OPPOSITION.
WHEN THE CITY ATTORNEY FULFILLS THEIR ROLE WITH INTEGRITY AND COURAGE, IT STRAIGHTENS, IT STRENGTHENS GOVERNANCE, PROTECTS TAXPAYERS DOLLARS AND BUILDS PUBLIC CONFIDENCE.
NATIONAL CITY DESERVES TRANSPARENCY, SOUND LEGAL COUNSEL AND LEADERSHIP THAT PRIORITIZES PREVENTION OVER DAMAGE CONTROL.
THERE ARE SO MANY NUMEROUS LAWSUITS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE YOU WHEN CERTAIN DEPARTMENT HITS COULD HAVE DONE AND SHOULD HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING.
WHY? WHY WHEN YOU HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY HERE PRESENT WHEN THE MAYOR IS OUT OF ORDER, BUT YET TELLS OTHERS THAT THEY'RE OUT OF ORDER CLEARLY IN THE 34 YEARS, MAYBE NOT GOING TO COLLEGE,
[00:10:01]
UH, HURT HIM BY NOT KNOWING HOW TO READ THOROUGHLY THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS CREATED FOR THE CITY TO ALLOW PUBLIC COMMENTS.FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO BE HEARD WITHOUT INTERRUPTION OR HIS FRIVOLOUS REASONING.
ALRIGHT, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE ON PUBLIC COMMENT.
[5. CLOSED SESSION]
WE DO HAVE FOUR ITEMS FOR CLOSED SESSION AND I'LL LEAVE IT TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO INTRODUCE US INTO CLOSED SESSION.WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS THAT ARE ON FOR CLOSED SESSION.
LET ME JUST GET IT PULLED UP HERE.
THAT'S WHY I'M READING IT CORRECTLY.
UM, THE FIRST ITEM 5.1 IS INITIATION OF LITIGATION PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH FOUR, SUBDIVISION D OF SECTION 5 4 9 5 6, UH, 0.9.
THERE'S ONE CASE THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED.
5.2 IS THE THREAT TO PUBLIC SERVICES OR FACILITIES PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION A ONE OF SECTION 5 4 9 5 7.
UM, AND THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE THE NATIONAL CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UNDER 5.3 WE'RE DISCUSSING PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 7 B ONE.
THE POSITION IS THE CITY MANAGER AND 5.4 ALSO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT UNDER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 7 B ONE IS THE POSITION OF CITY ATTORNEY TO BE DISCUSSED.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT WE WILL GO INTO CLOSE SESSION.
WE WILL BE REPORTING OUT AFTERWARDS AND TO CLOSE THE MEETING.
AND THEN WE WILL REPORT OUT, UH, FINDINGS OUT OF THE CLOSED SESSION AT THE END OF COUNCIL MEETING.
I'M GONNA CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER WITH ALL MEMBERS SILENT, UH, ROLL CALL OF ALL MEMBERS AT THE DAAS.
UH, WE ARE COMING OUT OF CLOSED SESSION AND UH, SO WE'LL BE ADJOURNING THE CLOSED SESSION MEETING.
UH, GIVE US A FEW MINUTES TO GET OUR BOOKS TOGETHER AND EVERYTHING AND THEN WE WILL START THE REGULAR MEETING.
SO WITH THAT, OUR CLOSED SESSION IS ADJOURNED.
WE'LL BE REPORTING OUT AT THE END OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.