[3. Resolution: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on Canvassing the Returns and Declaring the Results of the General Election Held in the City of Abilene on May 6, 2023]

YES. OH, YEAH, YEAH.

I'LL GIVE LYNN HIS. I WAS WORTHY.

THANK YOU. IT'S THE WHOLE DOLLAR BLAZE.

WHOLE DOLLAR. BUT IT'S AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO SEE IF YOU EARNED IT.

OKAY. MAYOR AND COUNCIL SHAUNA ATKINSON, CITY SECRETARY.

WE ARE HERE TODAY TO CANVASS THE ELECTION RESULTS OF THE MAY 6TH, 2023 GENERAL ELECTION FOR PLACES THREE FOUR AND MAYOR.

SO THERE WERE 30 PRECINCTS AND 28 VOTE CENTERS AND WE HAVE OFFICIAL RESULTS FOR PLACE.

THREE BLAZE REAGAN.

REAGAN, EXCUSE ME, RECEIVED 55.85% OF THE VOTES FOR PLACE.

FOUR. BRIAN YATES RECEIVED 64.73% OF THE VOTES.

AND FOR MAYOR WELDON HURT RECEIVED 66.12% OF THE VOTES.

SO ALL THREE ARE DULY ELECTED WITH NO RUNOFF.

SO WITH THAT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. COUNCIL HAVE ANY COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING? THANK YOU, SHAUNA.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM? IF SO, PLEASE BEFORE TO GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

SEEING NO ONE.

I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

COUNCIL I'LL ACCEPT FOR THE LAST TIME A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVE. WE HAVE A MOTION BY THE COUNCIL MEMBER DONNA ALVES.

GO AHEAD. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND BY SOON TO BE MAYOR WALDEN HEARD.

ANY DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.

DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM ALBIS.

YES. MAYOR PRO TEM HERT.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER MCALLISTER.

ARE Y'ALL SURE YOU WANT THIS? YES. COUNCIL MEMBER.

CRAVER. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER.

PRICE. YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BEARD IS ABSENT.

AND MAYOR WILLIAMS. YES.

MOTION CARRIES. WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE OUR DULY

[4. Recognition of Outgoing Councilmembers]

ELECTED DYNAMIC THREE.

[00:05:05]

COME JOIN ME. DONNA.

GIVE DONNA AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY SOME THINGS AND THEN I'LL SAY SOME THINGS AND THEN WE'LL MAKE THIS TRANSITION OFFICIAL.

JUST LIKE THAT.

HE HANDS ME THE MICROPHONE.

I SEE MEMBERS OF MY KITCHEN CABINET HERE.

WOULD Y'ALL HOLD UP YOUR HANDS AND BE RECOGNIZED? THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT NOT ONLY ONCE BUT TWICE ALLOWED ME TO SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY.

ALONG WITH THE VOTES OF THE COMMUNITY.

AND HOW.

WHAT A PLEASURE IT'S BEEN.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME MOMENTS, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REAL MOMENTS.

I THOUGHT I KNEW WHAT WENT ON IN CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT I WAS SO MISTAKEN.

SO MUCH GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENE THAT AS A CITIZEN, WE HAVE NO AWARENESS.

IT IS A WELL-OILED MACHINE.

AND THANK YOU, ROBERT HANNAH, FOR YOUR WORK AND ALL THESE FABULOUS EMPLOYEES THAT GIVE AND GIVE AND GIVE.

AND I'M JUST AM PLEASED THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE A COMMUNITY I'VE LOVED SINCE 1968, AND IT'S EXCITING TO KNOW I'M NOW ALMOST ACCEPTED.

ABILENE IS SUCH A GREAT COMMUNITY, A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.

AND ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT ABSENT FROM SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CREATE SCHISM AND DIVISION THAT WE SEE IN OUR NATION, WE DO IT BETTER HERE IN ABILENE BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND TO BRIAN AND TO BLAZE AND TO MY FRIEND WELDON.

I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.

SO ON THE FRONT LINE, TO READ SOCIAL MEDIA AND AND STILL GO FORWARD.

ABILENE IS GREAT BECAUSE OF THAT SORT OF SPIRIT.

AND I'M JUST SO THANKFUL THAT FOR THE LAST 22 YEARS, I'VE HAD A CHANCE TO SERVE.

THIS IS INDEED A GREAT PLACE TO BE.

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE THIS PLACE ANYWHERE AROUND THIS PLACE.

SO GODSPEED TO ALL MY NEIGHBORS.

AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE OUR EXIT.

BUT BEFORE WE DO, WE'RE GOING TO RECOGNIZE DONNA.

AND OF COURSE, I LOVE PHOTO OPS.

I ASKED BLAZE TO COME UP.

RAN A VERY EFFECTIVE RACE.

BLAZE AND THIS IS YOUR CERTIFICATE AND WANT YOU TO GET IN THE MIDDLE.

SO A GOOD PHOTO OP AND THEN ALLOW YOU TO RECOGNIZE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT TO SAY TODAY.

WELL, LOOK, IT'S MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU'RE IN THE PICTURE, DONNA.

UM, NO, I THINK I'VE SPOKEN ENOUGH ON THE CAMPAIGN THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M READY TO LEARN AND I'M READY TO WORK.

AND I'VE GOT A GREAT EXAMPLE.

FOLLOWING IN DONNA'S FOOTSTEPS.

AND I JUST HOPE TO DO JUST AS GOOD A JOB AS HER.

THANK YOU. THAT'S VERY APPROPRIATE HISTORICALLY.

SO PLACE THREE FOR 16 YEARS.

FOR SIX YEARS. AND SO IT'S JUST A.

AND BRIAN YATES.

DID YOU WANT THEM TO TAKE THEIR SEAT OR TAKE YOUR SEAT? LOOK, IT'S OFFICIAL NOW. THERE IS NO HAVE TO DO THE OATH TO BE SWORN IN.

LOOK, SHAWN ALWAYS TAKES CARE OF BUSINESS, SO WE'LL JUST GET YOU TO SIT THERE AND WE'LL SIGN IT.

AT FIRST, YOU WON'T DO THEM ALL OR JUST INDIVIDUALLY.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? I'M GOING TO DO THEM SEPARATELY.

LET'S DO THEM SEPARATELY. WE CAN MOVE.

[5. Issue the Following to Councilmember-Elect Blaise Regan - Place 3]

IF YOU WILL RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME.

I STATE YOUR NAME.

I BLAZE REAGAN.

DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.

THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES.

THE ABILENE CITY COUNCIL PLACE THREE OF THE ABILENE CITY COUNCIL PLACE THREE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND.

CONSTITUTION AND LAWS.

THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE.

SO HELP ME GOD. SO HELP ME GOD.

CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU.

[6. Issue the Following to Councilmember-Elect Brian Yates- Place 4]

NOW, BRIAN YATES.

CONGRATULATIONS, BRIAN.

RAN A SOLID RACE.

ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE ON THIS MORNING? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'M HUMBLED AND HONORED TO HAVE BEEN SELECTED.

AND I WOULD NEVER GET HERE THE END OF IT, IF I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE, STACY, WHO GAVE ME PERMISSION TO

[00:10:09]

RUN AND THEN SUPPORTED ME WHOLEHEARTEDLY THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE RACE.

AND I THINK SHE WAS ACTUALLY MY SECRET WEAPON BECAUSE SHE KNOWS A LOT OF PEOPLE.

EVERYBODY LOVES STACY, SO I'M EXCITED TO START THIS ADVENTURE AND DO GOOD FOR THE CITIZENS OF ABILENE AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

THE PHOTO BEFORE HE GETS SWORN IN.

SURE. OH, THEY WANT YOU IN IT.

SHE'S. YOUR FIRST.

YEAH. YEAH.

HARDEN MY STANCE.

IT'S BETTER WITH MUSIC.

OKAY. IF YOU WILL RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME.

SORRY, I STATE YOUR NAME.

HI, BRIAN. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.

DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES.

I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTY OF THE ABILENE CITY COUNCIL PLACE FOR ABILENE CITY COUNCIL PLACE FOUR.

AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THE STATE AND OF THIS STATE.

SO HELP ME GOD. SO HELP ME GOD.

CONGRATULATIONS. AND

[7. Issue the Following to Councilmember-Elect Weldon Hurt- Mayor]

NOW YOU'RE A NEW MAYOR.

WELL DONE. HURT.

I'M EXCITED FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

WELDON IS GOING TO DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB, AND I'LL BE BRIEF BECAUSE I CAN BE LONG.

WELDON IS SUCH A GOOD MAN.

AND DEBBIE, I JUST PRAYING BLESSINGS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AS YOU LEAD US.

WELDON I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED THE LAST SIX YEARS, AND I JUST SO APPRECIATE YOU AND THE TYPE OF MAN YOU ARE AND MORE EXCITED ABOUT THE MAYOR THAT YOU WILL BECOME. THANK YOU.

I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY FAMILY, MY WIFE, DEBBIE, WHO'S BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE.

MY OLDEST SON, BRYSON, IS HERE.

SAMANTHA COULDN'T BE HERE.

HIS SONS ARE OR HAD TO BE IN SCHOOL.

BRODY AND BROOKS, MY YOUNGEST SON, BRANSON AND KEELY.

AND ADDIE.

AND BRIGHAM AND MY MOTHER.

MY MOTHER'S NEVER ATTENDED ONE OF THESE SWEARING INS.

AND IT'S SO GOOD TO HAVE HER.

ALL MY FRIENDS, MY ELECTION TEAM, MY CAMPAIGN MANAGER, TRACY HALL, WAS MY TREASURER.

SO MANY FRIENDS THAT HELPED OUT ON THIS.

IT'S BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

MY PESTPATROL FAMILY, THAT THAT GIVES ME THE TIME TO DO THIS.

AND I'M SO APPRECIATIVE AND SUCH CLOSE FRIENDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS AGO WE WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT THIS WAS HAPPENING.

BUT BUT JUST LOOK FORWARD TO SERVING THIS COMMUNITY, TO GIVE BACK.

THIS COMMUNITY HAS GIVEN ME SO MUCH AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GIVING BACK.

YOU'RE GOING TO MISS ME.

OKAY. ARE YOU READY? READY.

YOU'LL RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME.

I STATE YOUR NAME.

HI. HURT. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.

DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR.

THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES.

THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE ABILENE MAYOR OF THE ABILENE MAYOR FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.

FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.

WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.

PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND.

PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS.

THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF THIS STATE.

SO HELP ME GOD. SO HELP ME GOD.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THAT'S A RETIREMENT. YES.

[00:15:22]

NEXT. BEFORE WE MOVE TO ITEM EIGHT, I'M GOING TO ALLOW THE OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL TO GIVE ANY REMARKS FOR THE OUTGOING POSITIONS.

WELL, DONNA, I'LL START WITH YOU.

SIX YEARS AND WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT.

WE WE FOUGHT FOR THE GLASS RECYCLER THAT WE DIDN'T GET.

BUT THERE WERE MANY THINGS THAT WE FOUGHT FOR AND WE DID GET.

AND YOUR HEART FOR THIS COMMUNITY, YOUR SERVICE MINDSET, YOUR DESIRE TO SEE THINGS BETTER WITH KEEP ABILENE BEAUTIFUL, KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL.

AND JUST WHAT AN EXAMPLE YOU ARE TO ME AND HOW I APPRECIATE YOU AND BEING ABLE TO SERVE ALONGSIDE YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR YEARS OF SERVICE TO THIS CITY.

NOT JUST THE SIX YEARS ON THE COUNCIL, BUT THE MANY YEARS SINCE 1968 THAT YOU HAVE BRIGHTENED UP THIS CITY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND ANTHONY, MY BROTHER.

WOW. 22 YEARS.

ON THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR.

15 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SERVE AS A COLLEAGUE WITH YOU.

WHENEVER WE DISAGREED ON SOMETHING, I WAS WRONG.

AS YOU POINTED OUT.

BUT WE HAD MANY TALKS NOT ONLY ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER IN THE CITY, BUT DO IT IN A WAY THAT GLORIFIES OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HEART OF SERVICE, YOUR LOVE FOR THE LORD JESUS, AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO MAKE THAT VERY EVIDENT. AND WHAT YOU SAID AND WHAT YOU DID AND YOUR LEADERSHIP DURING COVID WAS A SOLID ROCK. THERE WERE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS, AND YOU WERE CONSISTENT IN PRESENTING A MESSAGE THAT WAS POSITIVE AND PROTECTIVE.

AND I JUST THERE ARE JUST SO MANY THINGS I COULD POINT TO, BUT SO APPRECIATE YOU, BROTHER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR MANY YEARS OF SERVICE.

TELL. WELL, I'LL REVERSE.

I'LL START WITH ANTHONY.

YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME I SEE NORM, I CALL HIM MAYOR STILL.

AND SO I'M GOING TO DO THE SAME THING WITH YOU JUST BUT IF YOU ALL IN THE SAME ROOM, I'LL HAVE TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE TWO.

ANTHONY, I.

TRAVIS AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS.

I HATE GOODBYES.

I REALLY I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO LOVES THEM, BUT I DON'T LIKE THEM.

SO I'M NOT GOING TO SAY GOODBYE.

I'M GOING TO SAY I'LL JUST SEE YOU AT WALMART OR SOMEPLACE OR.

OR MCMURRY. YEAH.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE WE'VE HAD OUR GOOD TIMES AND WE'VE HAD SOME ROUGH PATCHES AS A COUNCIL, BUT WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH THEM.

AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR HEART AND YOUR SERVANT LEADERSHIP HERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER A LOT AT WORK AND YOU ALWAYS GIVE THEM A HUG.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

AND YOU HAVE MEANT A LOT TO TO TO US AS A FAMILY AND US AS A COMMUNITY.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU NEXT.

BUT WE STILL WANT RIBS, SO WHENEVER YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THAT.

THANK YOU, ANTHONY, YOU HAVE BEEN A GOOD GUY OR A GOOD MENTOR IN THIS POSITION.

WE THANK YOU. DONNA.

WELL, HOW DO YOU DO? A SENIOR SUPERLATIVE FOR DONNA.

I WILL NEVER FORGET WHEN YOU SHOWED UP IN YOUR.

PAJAMAS AND ROLLERS BECAUSE WE HAD AN EARLY MORNING MEETING.

OR MAYBE THAT WAS TRAVIS. NO, THAT WAS YOU.

THAT WAS YOU AND.

AND DONNA. I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED, YOU KNOW, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE JUST GO TO LUNCH AND TALK ABOUT ANYTHING BUT CITY COUNCIL.

AND THAT'S THAT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.

AND IT'S BEEN SUCH A SPECIAL PART OF MY LIFE.

AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT GOODBYE BECAUSE WE'LL STILL SEE YOU AROUND.

AND I STILL WANT TO GO OUR LUNCHES.

BUT THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS HAVING, UH, THIS CITY'S INTERESTS IN YOUR HEART AND ALWAYS BEING WILLING TO STAND UP FOR THINGS THAT MAY NOT BE THE MOST POPULAR IDEAS, BUT.

BUT, MAN, I RESPECT YOU BEYOND BELIEF.

AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU CAME TO ABILENE WHEN I WAS ONE YEAR OLD.

SO THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT.

SO THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.

UM. I'LL START WITH MAYOR WILLIAMS. I THINK I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THIS.

[00:20:03]

I'VE SHARED IT A COUPLE OF TIMES.

UM, THERE WAS THIS KID WHO WAS NEWLY GRADUATED AND WANTED TO FIGURE OUT WAYS IN WHICH HE COULD MAKE AN IMPACT IN SOCIETY AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE CITY.

UM, ONE OF THE DEAREST FRIENDS OF MINE, LAURA MOORE, WAS LIKE, I KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD BE AN INCREDIBLE LISTENING EAR AND MENTOR AND PERSON WHO WOULD POUR INTO YOU AND JUST HELP GUIDE YOU AND KIND OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE LORD'S DOING IN YOUR HEART.

AND THAT WAS MAYOR WILLIAMS AT THE TIME.

HE WAS A COUNCILMAN, AND HE WAS SOMEONE WHO DEVOTED MORNINGS TO A PERSON WHO JUST WAS THIRSTY AND CURIOUS FOR A WAY TO BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF CHRIST AND IN ABILENE, AND DIDN'T REALLY KNOW A WAY TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND DO THAT IN AN EFFECTIVE MANNER. AND THROUGH A LOT OF GUIDANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT, YOU REALLY HAVE BEEN A MENTOR.

SO TO ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING TO.

US OR TO ANYONE WHO'S LOOKING TO MAKE AN IMPACT.

IT TAKES PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO TO NOT BE AT AN IVORY TOWER LOOKING DOWN.

BUT IT TAKES PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE IN LEADERSHIP ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE SERVANTS AND SERVANTS ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO BE SIDE BY SIDE AND IN THE TRENCHES WITH YOU. AND YOU KNOW, THE WAY THAT YOU'VE LED, THE WAY THAT YOU'VE POURED INTO ME WHEN I WAS.

COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO WHAT IT MEANT TO SERVE A COMMUNITY WILL FOREVER BE IMPACTFUL FOR ME IN MY LIFE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

LITTLE WOULD WE KNOW MANY YEARS LATER WE WOULD SERVE TOGETHER ON COUNCIL, AND IT'S BEEN THE GREATEST HONOR, I THINK, OF YOUR LEADERSHIP.

THERE'S A MILLION THINGS I COULD SHARE ABOUT THE WAY THAT YOU LEAD AND THE WAY THAT I JUST OBSERVE AND AND APPRECIATE AND HAVE HONED AND TRIED TO EMULATE IN MY OWN LIFE. BUT I THINK OF JOHN PAUL.

I LOVE TO READ ANYONE THAT KNOWS ME KNOWS THAT.

AND I'M ALWAYS CONNECTING PEOPLE TO AUTHORS BECAUSE THAT'S JUST WHAT I DO.

AND THE WAY THAT I THINK OF YOU AND THE WAY THAT YOU LEAD IS ANYONE WHO'S NOT ROWING THE BOAT HAS TIME TO ROCK IT.

AND YOU'RE A PERSON WHO'S ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO ROW THAT BOAT DOESN'T MEAN AN IDEA IS SAMENESS, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD AND PUSH US FORWARD.

AND SO I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

THE QUEEN, THE QUEEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE THAT KID WHO WAS CURIOUS ABOUT SERVING AND TRYING TO DO SOMETHING IN THE CITY. THAT KID WAS PRECEDED BY SOMEONE WHO GREW UP IN GOOD OLD EAST TEXAS AND THE MOST IMPACTFUL PEOPLE IN HIS LIFE WHO MADE HIM A CURIOUS PERSON, WHO MADE HIM UNDERSTAND WHO JESUS WAS, WHO HE WAS IN THIS WORLD WAS HIS GRANDMOTHER. MY GRANDMOTHER HAS BEEN THE MOST IMPACTFUL PERSON IN MY LIFE AS FAR AS SPIRITUALITY AND ALL THE THINGS.

SO I'VE ALWAYS HAD AN AFFINITY FOR BEAUTIFUL OLDER WOMEN.

DONNA. DONNA IS, YOU KNOW, WHARTON SAYS A WAY TO BE THE LIGHT IS TO BE THE CANDLE OR TO BE A MIRROR THAT REFLECTS IT.

AND YOU ABSOLUTELY ARE A MIRROR THAT REFLECTS BEAUTY AND GRACE AND INTELLIGENCE.

AND YOU ARE CAPABLE, YOU ARE KIND.

YOU ARE SO MANY THINGS AND MANY WAYS.

WHEN I DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE, YOU WOULD LOVINGLY.

SHARE WITH ME.

EDUCATE ME. GUIDE ME.

BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY, TELL ME THAT I WAS HERE BECAUSE I WAS MORE THAN CAPABLE AND PEOPLE TRUSTED ME TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION.

SO THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME WHEN I DIDN'T BELIEVE IN MYSELF.

THANK YOU FOR EXUDING CONFIDENCE AND THANK YOU MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR SEEING ME AND LOVING ME AND HAVING AN AUTHENTIC FRIENDSHIP WITH ME.

SO I'M GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU MEAN TO ME AND I WILL CONSISTENTLY HAVE THAT VOICE TO LEAN ONTO AS I MOVE FORWARD ON COUNSEL.

SO I'M GOING TO MISS YOU BOTH A WHOLE, WHOLE LOT.

SO THANK YOU, MAYOR HIRT, FOR GIVING US THE CHANCE TO SPEAK.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS LAST NIGHT, BUT DONNA, I'LL START WITH YOU AGAIN.

NOW, STAFF IS REALLY WORRIED AND THEY'VE BEEN QUESTIONING OF WHO'S GOING TO BE THE BEST DRESSED OR BEST DRESSED FOR HOLIDAYS AND WHATNOT.

I MEAN, KYLE IS PRETTY GOOD AT CHRISTMAS, BUT SO WE'RE ALL WONDERING WHO'S GOING TO FILL THOSE SHOES AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO.

[00:25:03]

WELL, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN DUPLICATE IT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.

UM, I'VE I'VE KNOWN YOU JUST ABOUT AS LONG AS ANYONE IN THIS ROOM.

I MOVED TO ABILENE IN 1986, AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN GOOD TO ME.

YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN HONEST WITH ME.

YOU'VE HAD NO PROBLEM TELLING ME WHEN I WAS NOT DOING THINGS RIGHT OR COULD DO BETTER.

AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE DO GET BETTER.

WE STARTED OUR POLITICAL CAREER AT THE SAME TIME IN 2017, SIX SHORT YEARS.

AND DONNA, SHE WAS A ONE AND DONE.

BUT SHE GAVE US SHE GAVE US TWO TERMS. SHE'S A REMARKABLE VOICE ON THIS COUNCIL.

SHE'S AN OUTSTANDING VOICE FOR THIS CITY.

SHE IS ABILENE.

AND YES, ABILENE HAS ACCEPTED YOU OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

AND WE'RE APPRECIATIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, MAYOR WILLIAMS. YOU KNOW, GOOD PEOPLE FLOCK TO GOOD PEOPLE.

GOOD PEOPLE WANT TO BE AROUND YOU.

YOU'VE MENTORED MY CHILDREN AND MY FAMILY.

THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER.

IT IS COMMUNITY.

AND YOU'VE DONE SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB BRINGING IT TOGETHER.

GOOD PEOPLE WANT TO SERVE UNDER YOU.

GOOD PEOPLE WANT TO PLAY DOMINOES WITH YOU.

EAT YOUR RIBS.

AMEN. BUT.

YOU HAVE SET A PRECEDENCE OF EVERYONE HAS A VOICE AND THAT WE GET THE BEST PEOPLE AND THE BEST POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO FOLLOW GOOD PEOPLE.

AND YOU HAVE JUST SET A GREAT STANDARD.

I APPRECIATE YOU'VE MENTORED ME.

YOU HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM TELLING ME WHEN I NEEDED TO CHANGE A LITTLE BIT EITHER, AND I'M APPRECIATIVE OF THAT, TOO.

I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS CONTINUATION OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE FOR OUR CITY AND JUST WISH YOU THE BEST.

GODSPEED. ALL RIGHT.

WE WILL NOW MOVE TO ITEM EIGHT ON OUR AGENDA.

[8. Oral Resolution: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on Appointing a Mayor Pro-tem & Deputy Mayor Pro-tem]

UH, I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF THE MAYOR PRO TEM AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM.

AND I THINK TRADITIONALLY THOSE POSITIONS WOULD BE MAYOR PRO TEM SHANE PRICE AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM WOULD BE LYNN BEARD.

DO WE NEED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FIRST ON THE AGENDA? WE DO. OKAY.

SO BEFORE THE MOTION, WE NEED TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.

OKAY. SO BEFORE THE MOTION.

I WILL NOW OPEN UP A PUBLIC HEARING IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST THIS AGENDA ITEM, PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.

SEEING. NO ONE CAN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I WILL NOW ACCEPT A MOTION TO MOVE.

SECOND HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PRICE, A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN CRAVER.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. COUNCIL MEMBER PRICE.

YES. COUNCIL MEMBER BEARD IS ABSENT.

COUNCIL MEMBER. REAGAN.