Oct 08, 2026 City Council

[00:00:01]

GOOD MORNING. 8:30 A.M.. I CALL THIS MEETING OF ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER.

[ CALL TO ORDER]

BUT FIRST I'M GOING TO ASK COUNCILMAN KRIEGER TO LEAD US IN OUR INVOCATION.

PLEASE PRAY WITH ME. MOST GRACIOUS AND HEAVENLY FATHER GOD, WE GATHER HERE, POSSIBLY WITH DIFFERENT CONVICTIONS.

GOD, BUT MORE SO WITH THE SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.

GOD TO SEEK THE GOOD OF THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO CALL IT HOME.

GOD GRANT US THAT WISDOM TO SEE BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE HUMILITY.

GOD TO RECOGNIZE MAYBE WHAT WE POSSIBLY DON'T EVEN KNOW, AND THE COURAGE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT, NOT MERELY WHAT IS EASY OR OFTEN POPULAR. FATHER GOD, LET US LISTEN TO, UNDERSTAND, POSSIBLY DISAGREE WITHOUT DIMINISHING ONE ANOTHER AND REMEMBERING THAT BEHIND EVERY PROPOSAL, EVERY BUDGET, MAYBE EVEN EVERY VOTE, ARE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES ARE TOUCHED BY OUR DECISIONS.

AND SO, FATHER GOD, MAY OUR STEWARDSHIP BE FAITHFUL IN OUR DELIBERATIONS, BE HONEST.

AND OUR LEADERSHIP HERE ON COUNCIL BE WORTHY OF THE TRUST PLACED IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.

GOD. TEACH US TO MEASURE PROGRESS NOT ONLY BY WHAT IS VOTED ON, BUT MORE SO BY WHERE WE'RE HEADED.

IT'S IN YOUR MOST HOLY AND PRECIOUS NAME. AMEN.

AMEN. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN. TODAY I HAVE A CREW FROM BONHAM ELEMENTARY THAT WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HERE TODAY, AND THEY'RE EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY. I HAVE DAMON, DAMON, RAISE YOUR HAND.

AND HIS PARENTS, CHAD AND RACHEL, ARE HERE. THERE THEY ARE IN THE BACK.

I HAVE MILIANA AND HER PARENTS, STEVEN, SAMANTHA, AND MARLIN ARE HERE.

AND I HAVE SONYA AND HER MOTHER MARY AND SISTER CHARLIE ARE HERE TODAY, AND THEY ARE GOING TO LEAD US IN OUR PLEDGES.

SO Y'ALL TURN AROUND RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE AT. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG.

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.

I'LL HAVE YOU TURN RIGHT BACK AROUND. THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. TAKE A PICTURE OF MAYOR. COME RIGHT OVER HERE.

GET YOUR PICTURE. EVERYBODY COME ON IN. THANKS, TOMMY.

TOMMY! GOOD LOOKING CREW.

SO HERE'S YOUR GIFTS RIGHT HERE. WATCH YOUR STEP.

WATCH YOUR STEP. AND IT'S ALL FRIDAY, SO YOU'RE WELCOME.

GOOD VIDEOS. NO. OKAY. COUNCILMAN PATTERSON, YOU HAVE A PROCLAMATION.

[2. Proclamations:

• Disability Awareness Month
• Physical Therapy Month

FIRST. ANYONE FROM THE DISABILITY BOARD LESLIE.

ANYONE FROM THE DISABILITY BOARD IF YOU WANT TO COME FORWARD. I SEE JOANNE, JOANNE HERE.

HEY, HELEN. HI. HOW ARE YOU? YOU'RE GOOD. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE HERE. NOW, THE CITY OF ABILENE, TEXAS.

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR. GREETINGS. NO. THIS PROCLAMATION IS PRESENTED TO HONOR DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH.

WHEREAS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE VALUED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, CONTRIBUTING IN COUNTLESS WAYS TO THE SOCIAL,

[00:05:01]

AND WHEREAS PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES FACE MANY BARRIERS, INCLUDING PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, AND ATTITUDE CHALLENGES THAT PREVENT FULL PARTICIPATION IN EVERYDAY LIFE. AND WHEREAS, DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES AND TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EQUAL ACCESS, OPPORTUNITY AND RIGHTS.

AND WHEREAS THE OBSERVANCE OF DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH ENCOURAGES INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS TO TAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TOWARDS ACCESSIBILITY, INCLUSIVITY AND ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION.

AND NOW, THEREFORE, AS MAYOR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I AM PLEASED TO PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2026 IN THE CITY OF ABILENE DISABILITY DISABILITY AWARENESS MONTH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I AM THE LIAISON TO THE MAYOR'S BOARD FOR DISABILITY AND HAVE REALLY ENJOYED THE YEARS THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH THEM.

THERE'S A LOT OF WONDERFUL THINGS THAT THEY HELP GUIDE STAFF IN THE DIRECTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO AND THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT IN THE FUTURE.

I'VE GOT FOUR DISABILITY BOARD MEMBERS HERE WITH ME.

JOANNE IS OUR CHAIR. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW THINGS? GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOANNE FLUKE, AND LIKE LESLIE SAID, I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO BE THE CHAIRPERSON OF THIS BOARD FROM THE BEGINNING.

AND THAT WAS ALMOST NINE YEARS AGO. SO I WILL HAVE TO SAY TO SEE ABILENE COME FROM WHERE WE STARTED.

ABILENE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD. WE STARTED WITH GOING THROUGH THE CITY BUILDINGS AND REALIZING THAT THERE WERE MANY THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE. WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THOSE THINGS, BUT ONE OF THE FIRST PLACES THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS THE CONVENTION CENTER. AND AS YOU HAVE NOTICED, THERE HAS BEEN CHANGES DONE THERE.

ALSO, WE LOOKED AT PARKS AND REC. AND AS YOU'VE NOTICED, WE HAVE MORE ALL INCLUSIVE PARKS THAN WE DID NINE YEARS AGO. SO I THINK THAT THE LEADERSHIP OF ABILENE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF THAT.

I WILL SAY THAT WITH ABILENE GROWING, THAT ALSO MEANS THAT THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY IS GOING TO GROW.

SO I WOULD JUST ASK THAT AS A COMMUNITY, WE THINK ABOUT THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD THERE.

AND ALSO THE LEADERSHIP OF ABILENE TO THINK ABOUT THAT.

I KNOW THAT OUR LEADERSHIP IS WORKING REALLY HARD TO KEEP THAT COMMUNICATION WORKING BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND OUR LEADERSHIP.

SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO KEEP ENCOURAGING THE LEADERSHIP TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THEY DO WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

AND OUR BOARD WANTS TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE PEOPLE IN THEIR LIVES WITH DISABILITIES. WE MEET EVERY OTHER MONTH. THE SECOND TUESDAY AT 3:00 RIGHT HERE.

SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME OUT AND USE YOUR VOICE.

THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO POSE FOR A PICTURE REAL QUICK OUT THERE. GOOD SPOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. NEXT. DO WE HAVE FROM HARDIN-SIMMONS? HOW'S IT GOING? GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING TO YOU. GOOD MORNING.

THE CITY OF ABILENE, TEXAS. OFFICE OF THE MAYOR.

GREETINGS. NO. THIS PROCLAMATION IS PRESENTED TO HONOR PHYSICAL THERAPY MONTH.

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AND WHEREAS, THE AMERICAN PHYSICAL THERAPY ASSOCIATION HAS DESIGNATED OCTOBER AS NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY MONTH TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE MANY WAYS PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE AND TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THESE ESSENTIAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

AND WHEREAS WE ARE HONORED TO HAVE THE HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY PHYSICAL THERAPY HERE IN ABILENE, TEXAS, WHERE THEY LEAD THE PACK IN TRAINING, THE NEXT GENERATION OF COMPASSIONATE, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONALS SERVING BOTH THE BIG COUNTRY AND COMMUNITIES FAR BEYOND.

AND NOW, THEREFORE, AS MAYOR IN BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL, I AM PLEASED TO PROCLAIM IN THE CITY OF ABILENE THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2026 AS PHYSICAL THERAPY MONTH. I JUST WANTED TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE ON BEHALF OF HARDIN-SIMMONS PHYSICAL THERAPY.

WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 95. IF YOU DON'T KNOW.

SO WE'RE WE'RE OVER 30 YEARS OLD, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE OLDER PROGRAMS IN TEXAS.

AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO SHARE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ABILENE AND BECAUSE ABILENE IS CONSISTENTLY A VERY FRIENDLY PLACE FOR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS TO COME AND FIND THEIR HOME AND HAVE JOBS AND EMPLOYMENT. AND ON A SIDE NOTE, WE'RE ALSO VERY PROUD TO TO KNOW THAT OUR CITY INVESTS SO DEEPLY AND GRATEFULLY INTO THE COMMUNITY THAT IS WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT AS WELL TO SHARE THAT WITH THEM.

SO THANK YOU. AND WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE CITY.

YEAH. THANKS. THANK YOU.

[3. Recognition:

• City Attorney's Office - Merit Certification in Municipal Law from TCAA

VERY GOOD. IT'S NOT EASY DEFENDING A CITY, BUT THIS TEAM DOES.

SO I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE TEXAS CITY ATTORNEY'S ASSOCIATION TO ALL WHOM IT PRESENTS.

I'M GREETING BE KNOWN THAT IN RECOGNITION OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE MUNICIPAL LAW PROFESSION, CITY OF ABILENE HAS SATISFIED THE REQUIREMENTS.

MERIT CERTIFICATION IN MUNICIPAL LAW. SIGNED JUNE 24TH, 2026.

JULIE FORTH, THE PRESIDENT, TEXAS CITY ATTORNEYS ASSOCIATION.

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO BEHIND THE SCENES, AND ESPECIALLY THE ADVICE THAT YOU GIVE ALL OF US TO KEEP US SAFE AND IN ORDER. SO, STANLEY, FOR YOUR TEAM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? SURE. PLEASE. JUST REAL BRIEFLY, I APPRECIATE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT THE. THE CITY ATTORNEYS AND THE STAFF GET TO BE RECOGNIZED.

WE WE TRY TO STAY BEHIND THE SCENES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

THAT'S OUR JOB. BUT I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.

AND TO RECEIVE THE CERTIFICATION, WE, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAD RECEIVED IT IN 2011.

AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS TIME WITH A NEW CITY ATTORNEY AND NEW STAFF, MOSTLY A NEW GROUP TO SEEK IT AGAIN.

SO WE'RE THANKFUL THAT WE WERE AWARDED THE CERTIFICATION THIS SUMMER.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE FIRST ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY KELLY MESSER, WHO RECEIVED A MERIT CERTIFICATION IN MUNICIPAL LAW FOR HERSELF INDIVIDUALLY.

SO I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE HER AS WELL. THANK YOU.

SORRY. YEAH.

[ CONSENT AGENDA AND PUBLIC COMMENTS]

THESE ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED WITH ONE MOTION.

THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION UNLESS A COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS SEPARATE DISCUSSION.

[00:15:03]

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WILL WILL ONLY ALLOW MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PRESENT IDEAS AND INFORMATION TO CITY OFFICIALS AND STAFF.

PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE THE NAME AND THE CITY YOU RESIDE IN. FOR THE RECORD, THERE WILL BE A THREE MINUTE LIMIT AND WE WILL START WITH CARDS.

CAN I MAKE A COMMENT REAL QUICK? I HAD TO TALK WITH STANLEY ABOUT THIS ON ITEM NINE IS A PROCEDURAL MOTION THAT IT'S SIMILAR TO REMOVING FROM THE TABLE. AND WHEN WE DO A PROCEDURAL MOTION, THERE'S NOT A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

AND SO IF YOU'RE WANTING TO TALK ABOUT THE THE MOTION TO RECONSIDER PUBLIC COMMENT IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE A DESIGNATED TIME DURING AN ITEM NINE UNLESS IT'S APPROVED. IF THE RECONSIDERATION IS APPROVED BY COUNCIL, THEN WE'LL HAVE A PRESENTATION AND THE DISCUSSION AND PUBLIC COMMENT AND EVERYTHING.

BUT IF IT'S NOT APPROVED AT THAT POINT, THEN WE'LL JUST MOVE ON TO ITEM TEN WITH NO PUBLIC COMMENT.

SO I JUST WANTED EVERYONE TO BE AWARE OF THAT BEFORE WE GO INTO THAT PERIOD, BECAUSE I HAVE TO CLARIFY THAT WITH STANLEY MYSELF.

I WASN'T SURE HOW THAT WORKED. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PRESS CARDS.

EDDIE PUGH SO A HOUSEKEEPING NOTE FROM THE INTERPRETERS ONLINE.

THERE IS NO VIDEO ACCESS FROM THIS SIDE GUIDE ON ZOOM.

IT'S OKAY, BUT WE GOT TO GO. I'M SORRY, MR. PUGH.

I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT BEFORE.

WE CAN PROCEED, MR. PUGH. LOOK AT ALL THAT EXTRA TIME.

RIGHT? YEAH. SO. NO, NO, I WANTED TO COME TODAY, AND I APOLOGIZE.

THERE IS NO AUDIO ACCESS. I WAS UP ALL NIGHT LONG AND.

ARE WE STARTING? WELL, YEAH. GO AHEAD. SORRY.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP IT RUNNING, SO. OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO START OVER.

OKAY. YOU'RE GOOD. I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU GUYS FACE TO FACE.

GOT TO THE DA'S OFFICE FOR PREVIOUS INTERACTIONS.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW THE SYSTEM WORKED. I KNEW THERE WAS AN ISSUE THAT I WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT, AND I WENT ABOUT IT THE WAY I DID. AND THEN THAT KIND OF GREW INTO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GOING TO JUMP INTO A LAWSUIT WITH A MULTI-PARTY COMPLEX CASE, KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE LAW AND THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BLACK AND WHITE.

I'M GOING TO GO AND READ THE LAW TO THE PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, LET THE JUDGE KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE THINKING. AND THAT'S WHEN I FOUND OUT, YOU KNOW, WALKING INTO 91 A MOTION, IF ANYONE KNOWS WHAT A 91 A IS, IT'S NOT A GOOD THING WHEN YOU'RE AGAINST A REALLY GOOD COUNSEL.

BUT SOMEHOW, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I KEPT MAKING IT THROUGH THE PROCEDURAL BARRIERS AND GOT TO A POSITION TO WHERE I TOOK IT UP TO THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS. AND I REALIZED THAT YOU GUYS ARE LIMITED ON SOME OF THE DECISIONS YOU CAN MAKE, BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT REACHES WAY DOWN TO AUSTIN ALL THE WAY UP TO WASHINGTON, D.C., AND ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

AND I DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS DO. SO YEAH, I WANTED TO COME TO APOLOGIZE.

AND ALSO OBVIOUSLY I'M GOING THROUGH A LOT OF STUFF RIGHT NOW.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S POLITICAL BACKLASH, WHICH I GET.

THAT'S ONE THING I'VE LEARNED WITH THE GOVERNMENT IS IF YOU OVERSTEP AS A CITIZEN, THERE CAN BE CONSEQUENCES.

SO I'VE REACHED OUT TO SOME SENATORS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO MITIGATE OR KIND OF, YOU KNOW, MEDIATE FOR US BETWEEN THE PARTIES THAT ARE INVOLVED.

I DON'T KNOW THE OTHER SIDE. I JUST KNOW THAT OUR HOME IS BEING FORECLOSED ON AND IT SHOULDN'T BE.

AND IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME, ONLY IT AFFECTS THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD. I FEEL LIKE IT'S PROBABLY PASSED.

WE'VE ALREADY GOT ANOTHER HOME. WE WERE IN A SITUATION BACK IN 2004 WHERE WE WERE IN A POSITION WE HAD TO FILE FOR CHAPTER SEVEN BANKRUPTCY. WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE.

AND WE REBUILT OUR CREDIT BECAUSE WE'D ALWAYS PAID OUR BILLS ON TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, THIS CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. I WAS GETTING READY TO STUDY FOR EIGHT WEEKS FOR THE LSAT, WHICH I'D TAKEN TWO DAYS FOR FROM NOW ON FRIDAY.

NO SATURDAY MORNING. I'M SORRY. SO LUCKILY YOU CAN TAKE THAT FIVE TIMES.

SO BUT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT TO FLORIDA AND MEET WITH THE LAW SCHOOL AND IT WENT REALLY WELL.

BUT I'VE GOT THIS HANGING OVER MY HEAD. I WANT TO PUT EVERYTHING BEHIND ME, AND I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT CAN SIT DOWN WITH ANYONE I WANT IN.

YOU KNOW, THE DA'S OFFICE. YOU GUYS SHAKE YOUR HAND, APOLOGIZE.

I THINK IF I'M WRONG ON SOMETHING, I'LL ADMIT IT.

YOU KNOW, AND OWN IT. SO JUST WANTED TO COME AND APOLOGIZE AND LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT GOT NOTHING AGAINST THE CITY.

[00:20:07]

NEXT COURT, SUSAN PERRY. GOOD MORNING. I'M SUSAN PERRY FROM ABILENE. AND IF YOU DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT WHAT IS SAID TODAY AND BY A LOT OF US PLEASE, I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THE MOTION AT NUMBER NINE, AGENDA NINE, AND TO TAKE ALL THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS DOWN AND CANCEL ALL THE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THAT. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME DECEPTION GOING ON.

MAYBE I'M WRONG. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY THERE WOULD BE, BUT THIS IS THIS WHOLE ISSUE IS ABUSIVE OF OUR FOURTH AMENDMENT CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. AND THIS IS THE CONSTITUTION.

IT'S NOT JUST SOME ORDINANCE SOMEWHERE, AND IT CAN'T BE TAMPERED WITH.

IT CANNOT BE TOUCHED. OUR RIGHTS WERE GIVEN TO US BY GOD.

YOU CANNOT TAKE THEM AWAY. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS, AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT US.

THESE USE USING OF THESE CAMERAS IS VERY INEFFECTIVE.

NOW, WE LENT YOU OUR. THE VOTERS LENT YOU POWER.

THE SEATS IN AN. YOU KNOW, THE NEXT ELECTION COMES AROUND AND WE COULD ELECT SOMEBODY ELSE.

WE WANT TO FIND STRONG LEADERS WHO WILL STAND UP AND STAND STRONG FOR US.

WE DESERVE THAT. MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE HERE. BUT AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING, MOST OF THEM ARE WORKING.

IF YOU HAD THEM IN THE MEETINGS IN THE EVENINGS, IT WOULD BE MORE AT OUR CONVENIENCE.

THE WORKING PEOPLE'S CONVENIENCE. REMEMBER, YOU WORK FOR US.

THESE CAMERAS ARE NOT FOR OUR SAFETY. IT'S ABUSIVE TO US AND OUR PRIVACY.

THIS WOULD. THIS COULD VERY WELL INVOLVE A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE.

WITH DAIS BEING SO CLOSE HERE. AND MAYBE THEY'VE TALKED TO YOU, AND I'M SURPRISED THAT THE OWNERS OF THE DATA CENTERS AREN'T YELLING ABOUT THIS.

WITH ALL THE NDAS THAT THEY THROW AROUND, THESE CAMERAS ARE NOT NECESSARY.

THEY ONLY CAUSE TROUBLE AS WELL AS THAT IS WELL DOCUMENTED.

APD DOES A GOOD JOB FOR OUR SIZE CITY. THIS WILL NOT FIGHT CRIME.

IT PROBABLY WILL MAKE THINGS WORSE, INCLUDING LAWSUITS AND WORSE.

IT'S ANOTHER USE OF Y'ALL DIDN'T ASK US FIRST AND IT'S GOING VERY BADLY.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO. I DON'T WANT THIS TO TURN ABILENE INTO A COMMUNIST CHINESE TOTALITARIAN, AUTHORITARIAN POLICE STATE. AND LIKE THE THE MAN SAID BEFORE, ABILENE IS FRIENDLY.

BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO KEEP ABILENE FRIENDLY. SO PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

KEEP ABILENE FREE. THANK YOU. RILEY RODRIGUEZ.

HOW Y'ALL DOING, FELLAS? RILEY FROM ABILENE. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GOING AHEAD AND PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

I KNOW IT'S A KIND OF A TIMELY MANNER, AND Y'ALL DID THIS PRETTY QUICK, SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT FIRST.

I USUALLY COME HERE TO GRIPE AT Y'ALL, BUT I WANTED TO APPRECIATE, I WANT TO TELL YOU I APPRECIATE THE QUICK ACTION ON ON GETTING THIS BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE TO BE IMMEDIATELY IN THE NEXT MEETING. I SUPPORT THIS MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE SURVEILLANCE TECH THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN OUR CITY.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK THAT AFTER THIS PORTION FINISHES, MUCH LIKE THE THE LAST ONE, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE PROBABLY FEEL THE SAME.

MANY OF US SHOWED UP EARLY TO SPEAK ABOUT FLOCK, AND THEN WE ALL WENT TO WORK, AND THEN MORE FLOCK TYPE STUFF PASSED BECAUSE IT HAS A DIFFERENT NAME AND A DIFFERENT BRAND, AND IT'S CONNECTED TO A DIFFERENT ITEM. WE WOULD APPRECIATE THE USE OF THE CONTEXT CLUES WHEN WE COME TO SPEAK ABOUT SURVEILLANCE TECH. JUST BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE SAME BRAND DOESN'T MEAN WE WANT IT.

SO WHEN WE DO LEAVE HERE TODAY, I DO HOPE THAT THERE'S NOT MORE STUFF ON THE AGENDA.

AFTER EVERYBODY WHO'S COME TO SPEAK HAS SPOKEN, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING THAT IDEOLOGY FORWARD AND GOING.

ALRIGHT. BODY CAMERA IS ONE THING. DASH CAMERAS.

ONE THING. INTERVIEW CAMERAS IN A IN A IN A DETECTIVE INTERVIEW ROOM IS ONE THING.

BUT AGAIN, IT IS A WE, WE FEEL VIOLATED AS CITIZENS IN THIS COMMUNITY.

SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER AFTER THAT, RIGHT? OUR TAXES PAY FOR THOSE POLICE. OUR TAXES PAY FOR ALL OF OUR PUBLIC SERVICES.

WE DON'T WANT THEM GOING TO THAT. SO IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER ON THE ON ANYTHING ELSE.

WE DON'T FEEL SAFE. WE DON'T FEEL LIKE IT MAKES US ANY BETTER.

THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL BETWEEN NOW BETWEEN THE LAST MEETING AND THIS ONE, THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANOTHER SEVERAL FALSE ARRESTS FROM PEOPLE GETTING PULLED OVER ON THE HIGHWAY WITH BAD READS OR SPEEDING TICKETS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR GETTING THROWN IN JAIL.

[00:25:06]

WE DON'T WANT IT. AND WHEN I LEAVE HERE, THERE'S ABOUT 46 OTHER COMPANIES THAT ALSO HAVE THESE.

AND I'M JUST GOING TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR WE DON'T WANT THOSE EITHER.

WE DON'T WANT THOSE. I DON'T CARE. MOST OF US HERE DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT.

WE WANT OUR POLICE TO BE ABLE TO, TO HAVE THEIR BODY CAMS AND HAVE THEIR DASH CAMS. THAT'S IMPORTANT. BUT WE DON'T NEED PEOPLE PICKING AND CHOOSING OFF OF A FLOCK CAMERA OR AN AXON CAMERA, OR A CAMERA ON A RURAL HIGHWAY ONE DAY AND WE GET A TICKET IN THE MAIL AND WE DON'T EVEN WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S FOR REAL OR NOT.

OKAY. SO I APPRECIATE Y'ALL DOING THIS. I'M SUPPORTING THIS MOTION TO RECONSIDER.

AND I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR AS WELL. IT IS THE, IT IS THE SURVEILLANCE TECH THAT GOES OUTSIDE OF THE BODY CAMS, DASH CAMS AND INTERVIEW CAMS THAT WE ARE AGAINST.

WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE ALL OF THAT, BUT I'M BETTING SOME OF THAT MONEY, A PORTION OF THAT MONEY COULD PROBABLY GO TO SOMETHING BETTER IN THIS CITY. THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

MY NAME IS SPENCER BUTCHER OF ABILENE, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.

DATA DRIVEN GOVERNANCE AND THE RECENT $8.7 MILLION ALLOCATION FOR NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOLS, INCLUDING THE EXXON LPR'S. EVERY YEAR, THE APD PUTS OUT A COMPREHENSIVE CRIME REPORT.

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THEIR OWN DATA, IT TELLS A VERY CLEAR AND REASSURING STORY FOR ABILENE.

THE REPORTS SHOW A SIGNIFICANT DOWNWARD TREND IN CRIME, FROM OVER 4400 IN 2021 TO JUST 3600 IN 2025.

SO WHY DO WE NEED MORE SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT? YEAR AFTER YEAR, OUR COMMUNITY HAS BECOME MORE SAFE.

THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S OWN METRICS SHOW THAT VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIMES ARE DROPPING.

OUR OFFICERS AND OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS ARE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB WITH THE RESOURCES THEY ALREADY HAVE.

FURTHERMORE, ABILENE IS NOT A HIGH CRIME CITY.

WHEN YOU COMPARE OURSELVES TO OTHER TOWNS THIS SIZE AND DEMOGRAPHIC, ABILENE MAINTAINS A LOWER CRIME RATE.

WE'RE NOT FACING PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS. WE'RE NOT EXPERIENCING A SUDDEN SURGE IN LAWLESSNESS.

BY ALL MEASURABLE STANDARDS, ABILENE IS A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE, GO TO CHURCH AND RAISE A FAMILY, AND WE LIKE THAT. THIS BRINGS ME TO THE CORE QUESTION IF OUR CRIME RATES ARE STEADILY DECLINING, AND IF WE ALREADY HAVE SAFER AND WE ARE SAFER THAN OTHER COMPARABLE CITIES, WHY DID THE COUNCIL APPROVE $8.7 MILLION FOR AN AGGRESSIVE NEW SURVEILLANCE TOOLS LIKE THE EXXON LPR'S? THIS MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR OTHER PROGRAMS. GOOD GOVERNANCE MEANS ALIGNING OUR SPENDING WITH ACTUAL DATA, BUYING EXPENSIVE, INVASIVE TECHNOLOGY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS THAT THE DATA ALREADY SHOWS IS SHRINKING IS THE MISMATCH OF PRIORITIES. SHOOT, BY THE TIME APD ACTUALLY GETS THIS EQUIPMENT, IT'LL PROBABLY BE OBSOLETE. I URGE THE COUNCIL THEN TO RECONSIDER THE SCOPE OF THE ALLOCATION.

LET'S FOCUS OUR FISCAL RESOURCES ON PROVEN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND LESS CONTROVERSIAL SAFETY MEASURES.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OTHER CARDS I HAVE ARE ON THE REGULAR AGENDA STILL IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? COME FORWARD PLEASE. YEAH, I'M MICHAEL GASTON.

I DON'T LIVE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS, BUT I LIVE REAL CLOSE.

I LIVE ON BELL PLAINS ROAD. AND I DIDN'T PREPARE FOR THIS, BUT ONCE I GOT HERE, I FELT LIKE I REALLY NEEDED TO SAY SOME THINGS. HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY HERE IS FAMILIAR WITH.

BEN FRANKLIN'S QUOTE GOES SOMETHING LIKE, THOSE WHO WILL GIVE UP THEIR FREEDOM FOR SECURITY DESERVE NEITHER. AND WE ARE DOING THAT REAL FAST. THE NICE LADY THAT CAME UP HERE FIRST SAID THAT IT'S THAT OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS CAN'T BE TOUCHED.

WELL, THEY'RE BEING TOUCHED ALL OVER THE PLACE.

SOMEBODY HAS TO STOP IT. AND THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO STOP IT AREN'T STEPPING IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS VERY ABLE, AND I DON'T KNOW OF A LOT OF UNSOLVED MAJOR CRIMES HAPPENING ALL THE TIME AROUND HERE. I DON'T SEE WHY WE WOULD WANT THIS STUFF.

[00:30:02]

THAT'S ALL I'VE GOT. I WOULD HAVE DONE BETTER. BUT I, LIKE I SAY, I DIDN'T PREPARE AT ALL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MELISSA WEAVER AND I'M AN ABILENE RESIDENT.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M ASKING YOU TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CAMERAS, BUT AXON FUZES CAN CONNECT BODY CAMERAS, VEHICLE CAMERAS, ALPR, DRONES, SENSORS, PUBLIC CAMERAS, AND POTENTIALLY PRIVATELY OWNED CAMERAS INTO ONE SYSTEM.

SO THE QUESTION ISN'T JUST WHAT CAMERAS ARE WE BUYING? THE QUESTION IS WHAT NETWORK ARE WE CREATING? AND THEN THERE'S AI. AXON IS PUTTING AI INTO THE OFFICER'S WORKFLOW WHERE IT CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES. DURING FIELD ENCOUNTERS, AN OFFICER COULD BE INTERACTING WITH A CITIZEN WHILE BODY CAMERAS ARE RECORDING.

AN AI IS PROVIDING INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME FROM THEIR FROM THEIR BODY CAMS. THEY CAN ASK, HEY, IS THIS POLICY? OH YEAH, THAT'S OUR POLICY.

YEAH. I'M ASKING I'M NOT SAYING TECHNOLOGY HAS NO PLACE IN POLICING.

I'M ASKING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TECHNOLOGY GOES WRONG.

AI CAN MISUNDERSTAND CONTEXT, PROVIDE INCOMPLETE INFORMATION, OR GIVE CONFIDENT ANSWERS THAT ARE STILL INCORRECT.

SO WHO'S RESPONSIBLE? WILL OFFICERS HAVE TO VERIFY IT? WILL AI INTERACTIONS BE RECORDED? WILL THERE BE AN AUDIT TRAIL? WILL CITIZENS AND ATTORNEYS BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED? THOSE QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED BEFORE DEPLOYMENT, NOT AFTER SOMETHING GOES WRONG.

BUT I ALSO WANT US TO THINK BEYOND TODAY. AI IS ADVANCING INCREDIBLY FAST, LIKE IN IN WEEKS.

AND NOT NOT EVEN YEARS, BUT IN WEEKS. IT'S IT'S IT'S IT'S JUST INCREDIBLY FAST.

WHAT DOES THE SYSTEM LOOK LIKE IN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW? WHAT ABOUT TEN YEARS? WHAT CAPABILITIES WILL EXIST WHEN THEN THAT WE CAN'T SOMETHING WE CAN'T EVEN ANTICIPATE TODAY.

WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO COME OUT WITH NEXT. THEY ARE ALREADY WORKING. EXXON IS ALREADY WORKING ON FACIAL RECOGNITION. THEY HAD THEY HAD DISCONTINUED IT. THEY'RE BACK ON IT. AND ONCE WE CONNECT ALL THIS INFORMATION TOGETHER, HOW MUCH EASIER DOES IT BECOME TO ADD THE NEXT TECHNOLOGY? THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL. IF THIS BRINGS MORE INFORMATION TOGETHER, AI CAN THEN SEARCH AND ANALYZE INFORMATION IN WAYS THAT MANY NOT WE MAY NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND. THAT MEANS WE'RE NOT SIMPLY PURCHASING CAMERAS.

WE'RE BUILDING AN INFRASTRUCTURE. BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.

WE NEED SOME ANSWERS, SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

FIRST, HAS THIS TECHNOLOGY BEEN INDEPENDENTLY TESTED FOR ACCURACY, BIAS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY.

CIVIL LIBERTY IMPACTS? SECOND, WHAT IS WRITTEN LIMIT WHAT WRITTEN LIMITS.

CONTROL INFORMATION SHARING WITH OTHER AGENCIES, PRIVATE COMPANIES AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES.

THIRD, IF SERIOUS LEGAL, PRIVACY, CONSTITUTIONAL OR SECURITY PROBLEMS ARISE.

WHAT'S OUR EXIT PLAN? UNDOING A SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AFTER IT'S CONNECTED AND FILLED WITH DATA IS MUCH HARDER.

SO I'M ASKING COUNCIL TO SLOW DOWN, REQUIRE WRITTEN SAFEGUARDS AND MEANINGFUL PUBLIC INPUT, AND VOTE NO ON THE AXON CONTRACT AS IT'S WRITTEN.

I THINK WE SHOULD VOTE NO. PERIOD. BUT I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THIS.

DON'T BUILD THE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND AND FIGURE OUT THE RULES LATER.

WE NEED TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY WE'RE WILLING TO LIVE WITH TOMORROW BEFORE WE CAN CONNECT IT TO OUR COMMUNITY TODAY.

THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

MY NAME IS SAMUEL GARCIA. I LIVE AT 2734 BRENTWOOD HERE IN ABILENE.

SO THIS IS THIS IS ACTUALLY VERY SIMPLE FOR ME.

EVERYTHING IS JUST GRADED ON. YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S RELATIVE ON THIS.

AS FAR AS HOW FAR ARE WE GOING TO KEEP GOING? ALL RIGHT. EVERY TIME YOU TAKE A STEP IN TRYING TO LOOK OVER SOMEBODY'S SHOULDER OR HAVING SURVEILLANCE OUT THERE, AT WHAT POINT DOES IT STOP? BECAUSE THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL IS GOING TO SAY, WELL, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS, AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO THE NEXT THING. I'M SITTING THERE PICTURING ONE DAY AND BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD SAY, OH, SAM, YOU'RE THIS IS CRAZY, BUT ARE WE GOING TO START ASKING PEOPLE TO START CARRYING CHIPS ON THEM THAT WE CAN MONITOR THEM? WELL, THAT'LL REALLY KEEP UP WITH IT WHERE EVERYBODY'S AT AND WHAT EVERYBODY'S DOING. AT WHAT POINT DOES THIS END? IT DOESN'T.

SO YOU JUST KEEP GOING DOWN THIS. IT'S NOT WE'RE ALREADY GOING DOWN THE SLIPPERY SLOPE, BUT YOU JUST KEEP GOING DOWN THAT SAME DIRECTION.

SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO KEEP US FROM THAT, EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE BASED OFF OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN ABILENE.

EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE NEEDS TO BE BASED OFF OF THAT.

DOES THIS ADD TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF ABILENE? NO, I DON'T THINK IT DOES. BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THE REACTION THAT YOU WOULD BE HAVING IF IT DOES.

BECAUSE IF YOU'RE SITTING THERE LOOKING UP AND YOU SEE A CAMERA AS A CITIZEN, YOU'RE GOING,

[00:35:01]

SO THIS IDEA THAT EVERY LITTLE PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO MAKE OUR QUALITY OF LIFE BETTER IS LUDICROUS.

THERE'S TIMES WHEN QUALITY TECHNOLOGY CAN ACTUALLY MAKE US NOT GOOD.

THE ONE THING YOU'VE NEVER HEARD ME, YOU'VE SEEN ME UP THERE A MILLION TIMES TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT ISSUES, BUT THE ONE THING YOU'VE NEVER HEARD ME EVER TALK ABOUT OR BE AGAINST IS A CITY PARK. IF THE CITY COUNCIL CAME AND SAID, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS ON CITY PARKS, YOU WOULD NOT HEAR A PEEP OUT OF ME. IN FACT, I'D BE THE FIRST PERSON GOING OVER. WHY? BECAUSE IT ADDS TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF EVERYDAY FAMILIES, FAMILIES THAT CAN GO OUT AND DO THINGS FOR THEM.

WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THAT, RATHER THAN WORRYING ABOUT SOME TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY.

THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION AND NOT IF YOU WANT TO.

INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY THAT USES AI ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, LET'S WORK ON REAL INTELLIGENCE FROM ACTUAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THE PEOPLE. LET'S HIRE MORE. OKAY, LET'S TRY TO PAY THE ONES THAT WE HAVE MORE.

I WOULD RATHER SEE MONEY INVESTED ON REAL INTELLIGENCE THAN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE OTHER LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION BEFORE I SIT DOWN IS WE'VE GOT AN ELECTION COMING UP NEXT MONTH, NOVEMBER THE 3RD. AND IF I CAN'T LEAVE HERE WITHOUT ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE FIREMEN'S PROPOSALS, BOTH A AND B ON THERE, PLEASE VOTE FOR THOSE.

OUR FIREMEN NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A VOICE AND TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A MECHANISM BY WHICH THEY CAN ACTUALLY GET A GOOD PAY AND HAVE A REASONABLE PAY. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERY CITIZEN TO VOTE NOVEMBER 3RD, BUT ALSO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THOSE FIREMAN PROPOSALS THAT ARE ON THE BALLOT.

THANK YOU. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? Y'ALL JUST COME UP WHEN IT'S WHEN YOU'RE READY, SIR.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JERRY. I'VE LIVED IN ABILENE ALMOST 50 YEARS, AND I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THE TIME FOR MORE INPUT ABOUT THE FLOCK CAMERAS. I'M NEITHER FOR OR AGAINST THE CAMERAS.

I'M JUST GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. WHEN I ARRIVED IN ABILENE ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO, ABILENE WAS QUITE DIFFERENT. THE RIDE FROM THE AIRPORT TO DYESS AIR FORCE BASE SEEMINGLY TOOK FOREVER.

A STOP SIGN ON THE LOOP IN SOUTH TREADWAY, ACROSS FROM SAM'S, AN ESSO STATION ON BUFFALO GAP ROAD WHERE THE MALL WAS RUMORED TO BE BUILT.

COULD WE HAVE USED FLOCK CAMERAS THEN? MAYBE THE TECHNOLOGY FOR FLOCK CAMERAS WAS AVAILABLE.

THE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FIRST LUNAR LANDING WASN'T ALWAYS AROUND EITHER.

TODAY, THAT TECHNOLOGY IS IN EVERYONE'S POCKET.

OUR CELL PHONE. THE SALESMAN FOR THE FLOCK CAMERA WAS REALLY CONVINCING.

I WAS GOING TO ASK FOR A FEW MYSELF. HE ASSURED US THAT THE INFORMATION IN THE CAMERAS WAS TO BE AVAILABLE ONLY TO APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES.

ARE WE SO NAIVE TO BELIEVE THAT THE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S SO SENSITIVE TODAY WILL NOT BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE TOMORROW? IS ANYONE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES? I WAS STATIONED AT A SMALL TOP SECURITY BASE IN THE UK.

WE WERE WARNED CONSTANTLY ABOUT BAD ACTORS IN THE COMMUNITY TRYING TO PUMP US FOR INFORMATION.

NOW NO PUMPING WILL BE NECESSARY. THE CAMERAS CAN DO IT ALL.

A FEW B-1 PILOTS MISSING FROM THEIR NORMAL ROUTES.

SOME C-130 GROUPS GETTING TOGETHER. SOMEONE WILL FIGURE OUT THE TECHNOLOGY AND BREAK THE SECRET OF THE FLOCK CAMERAS.

I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR THE POLICE WHO PROTECT US AND ARE IN CONSTANT DANGER.

I CAN SEE HOW THE CAMERAS COULD HELP SOLVE CRIMES.

THE POLICE CHIEF HAD CONVINCING ARGUMENTS FOR SOLVING CRIMES USING THE CAMERAS, BUT ALL THE ABUSE I'VE HEARD OR READ ABOUT IS BY LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY. WHY DID GOVERNOR ABBOTT BLOCK STATE FUNDING AND INSTALLATION OF FLOCK CAMERAS? MAYBE HE KNEW SOMETHING WE DON'T. HAS ANYONE READ THE NOVEL 1984 BY GEORGE ORWELL? MAYBE HE KNEW SOMETHING WE DON'T. IN IT, HE PORTRAYS A VERY DISMAL PICTURE OF LIFE WITH CAMERAS.

THEY WERE EVERYWHERE. BIG BROTHER WAS ALWAYS WATCHING.

EVERYTHING. EVERYWHERE. ALL THE TIME. ONCE WE HAVE CAMERAS LIKE TAXES, THEY WILL NEVER GO AWAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MA'AM, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK FURTHER? HELLO. ELLEN GAST IN ABILENE, TEXAS. THANK YOU ALL FOR HEARING US TODAY.

[00:40:03]

THAT'S JUST THE BOTTOM LINE. NOTHING NEEDS TO BE SAID BEYOND THAT.

I AM CONCERNED, THOUGH, THAT I GOT A. JURY SUMMONS FOR A MAN THAT NEVER LIVED AT MY HOUSE. THIS WAS A JUNE. WHAT WAS IT? JUNE 15TH.

YEAH. JUNE 15TH. AND I CALLED THE COURT AND SAID, WHAT? WHY AM I GETTING THIS? THIS MAN'S GOING TO MISS JURY DUTY.

SHE SAID, WELL, WE UPDATED THE SYSTEM, IT'S BEEN FIXED AND HUNG UP.

AND I GOT TO RESEARCHING THE MAN THAT OUR ELECTIONS COMMISSION HAS PUT AS OUR ELECTION HEAD, DANIEL MURRAY. HE HAS SOME PRETTY LEFT WING VIEWS, WHICH IS FINE.

EVERYBODY'S ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR VIEWS, BUT THEY'RE VERY FAR LEFT WING.

I RESEARCHED HIS FAMILY, I RESEARCHED HIM, AND HE'S ALL ABOUT GAY PRIDE.

I DON'T HATE GAY PEOPLE. SOME OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE ARE GAY, ACTUALLY.

BUT I FIND IT ODD THAT I BELIEVE THE COMMISSION, AND I'M NOT SURE ARE ALL REPUBLICANS.

IT WAS A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO PUT HIM ON THE ELECTIONS BOARD, AND IT'S VERY ODD THAT HE IS THAT FAR LEFT, AND NOBODY VETTED THAT. AND HE IS IN CHARGE OF OUR ELECTIONS.

AND I'M GETTING A VOTER REGISTRATION FOR SOMEONE.

WE'VE LIVED THERE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS. SO I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY OF OUR ELECTIONS AND WHY HE WASN'T VETTED MORE THOROUGHLY, BECAUSE JUST A FACEBOOK SEARCH CAN SHOW THAT HE'S VERY FAR LEFT.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR ELECTIONS ARE SECURE.

THAT'S I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I WASN'T PREPARED BECAUSE THE GENTLEMAN THAT SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT HOW AI IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER.

I HAD PREPARED NOTES, BUT MY COMPUTER UPDATED TO THE NEW AI SYSTEM, AND I CAN'T PRINT ANYTHING NOW OR DO ANYTHING ON MY COMPUTER.

Y'ALL PROBABLY KNOW IT. Y'ALL PROBABLY BEEN THROUGH THIS YOURSELVES, BUT I'M JUST WANTING TO KNOW HOW A FULLY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE CAN ELECT SOMEONE TO CONDUCT OUR ELECTIONS THAT IS THAT FAR INTO PRIDE MONTH.

I JUST DON'T GET IT. THAT'S PAGAN. THANK YOU.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS CHRISTOPHER DELEON. I LIVED IN ABILENE FOR 35 YEARS.

I WAS HERE LAST WEEK. IT'S PRETTY DOPE THAT YOU GUYS ARE ACTUALLY CONSIDERING RECONSIDERING THE POLICE BUDGET FOR EXTRA EQUIPMENT, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. I'M NOT. I HOPE I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR.

EVERYBODY HERE SEEMS TO DISAGREE WITH FLOCK EXCEPT FOR THE POLICE CHIEF AND THEN THEIR SALES REPRESENTATIVE OR WHOEVER WAS HERE.

I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE SHOWING UP AND HEARING THEIR LIES LIKE I DID LAST WEEK, SO I CAME IN LATE.

THIS IS GOING TO BE SHORT. COUNCIL, PLEASE DO NOT EXPAND THIS NETWORK.

VOTE NO ON THE AXON PACKAGE AS PRESENTED. DIRECT STAFF TO SHUT DOWN AND REMOVE ABILENE'S FLOCK READERS IF OTHER POLICE EQUIPMENT NEEDS REPLACING, BRING BACK A PURCHASE WITHOUT STREET LICENSE PLATE READERS.

THE PEOPLE WHO GREW UP HERE, LIVE HERE AND VISIT HERE DESERVE SAFETY AND THE FREEDOM TO MOVE AROUND WITHOUT BEING ENTERED INTO A GOVERNMENT DATABASE.

GOOD MORNING. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WOULD ANYONE ELSE.

GOOD MORNING. JACK HEARD 1241 SALES BOULEVARD.

I'M JUST HERE AS A CITIZEN WITH A RIGHT TO SPEAK ON A JURY OR EXCUSE ME, WITH A RIGHT TO SIT ON A JURY.

AND WHEN WE SIT ON JURIES, WE HAVE THE POWER TO SAY NOT GUILTY.

AND SO IF SOME CITIZEN DECIDES TO TAKE REAL ACTION, REAL POLITICAL ACTION AGAINST THESE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS, CAMERAS, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY NOT GUILTY.

THAT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'VE GOT A PICTURE OF SOMEONE'S LICENSE PLATE OR A PICTURE OF THEIR FACE OR A VIDEO OF THEM DAMAGING A SURVEILLANCE CAMERA.

WE HAVE THE POWER TO SAY NOT GUILTY. THANK YOU.

WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS JOSH RADER. I'M A CITIZEN OF ABILENE.

MY QUESTION WITH ALL THIS IS JUST. IF WE HAD A TIME MACHINE.

[00:45:07]

I MEAN, AND NOT CHOOSE TO START GIVING UP SOME OF THOSE TRACKING AND SURVEILLANCE RIGHTS WHENEVER IT COMES TO MY CELL PHONE.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WITH.

WELL, THERE'S A CELL PHONE IN YOUR POCKET. IT'S TRACKING YOU ALL THE TIME. WHAT DOES IT MATTER IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING GOING ON, SOME CAMERAS ON A POLE. IT'S JUST SEEMS LIKE WHY, WHY EVEN BEGIN TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION? LIKE WHY, WHY ARE WE TAKING THIS NEXT STEP OVER GETTING, JUST GIVING UP SOME MORE OF OUR RIGHTS AND PRIVACY? A LOT OF THE THINGS ON THE PURCHASE ORDER SEEM REASONABLE.

YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING ALL OF THEM DON'T LIKE, I KNOW THE POLICE FORCE NEEDS A LOT OF UPDATES AND A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND I COMPLETELY SUPPORT THAT. BUT WHY START ADDING IN THESE EXTRA THINGS JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE SENSE OF SECURITY? I TRULY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? CHRIS FROM ABILENE. I AM ASKING YOU ALL TO RECONSIDER THIS AND VOTE, THEN TO REMOVE THE AXON CAMERAS AND THE CCTV CAMERAS FROM IT.

I WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS VERY IT'S NOT VERY OFTEN THAT YOU SEE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, EVERYBODY IN BETWEEN COMING TOGETHER FOR AN ISSUE.

THAT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK Y'ALL SHOULD TAKE NOTICE OF. THIS IS A BIPARTISAN THING.

WE HEARD THE DEMOCRAT CHAIR JUST A MINUTE AGO SPEAK AGAINST IT.

THE REPUBLICAN CHAIR COULDN'T BE HERE, BUT HE EMAILED ALL OF YOU AND SAID TO GET RID OF THE AXON OUTPOST CAMERAS.

THE APD ALREADY HAS 13 FLOCK CAMERAS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN 28 MORE CAMERAS, 50 CCTV CAMERAS, AND UP TO 250 SOFTWARE FOR PRIVATE CAMERAS. THAT'S A ANOTHER NETWORK OF 350 CAMERAS.

THAT'S 1,237% INCREASE. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM LAST WEEK TALKED ABOUT THERE'S A LINE WE DON'T WANT TO GO TOO FAR.

THAT'S TOO FAR. COUNCILMAN ESPINOSA HAD SAID HE WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF A CAMERA.

ON EVERY STREET CORNER, YOU HAVE 350 NEW CAMERAS.

THAT'S ON EVERY STREET CORNER. COUNCILMAN BAILEY HAD SAID, WHAT IS OVERREACH? BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALREADY THERE. WELL, OVERREACH IS 350 NEW CAMERAS.

SO ONCE AGAIN, I JUST ASK Y'ALL TO RECONSIDER.

AND THIS IS A BIPARTISAN, IT'S A 9010 ISSUE, I BELIEVE.

THE CITIZENS DON'T WANT THESE, THE REST OF THE STUFF THAT'S IN THE PACKAGE THAT MAKES SENSE.

BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CAMERA, AXON OUTPOST CAMERAS AND THE CCTV CAMERAS, AND THEN THE SOFTWARE THAT CAN GIVE THEM ANOTHER 250 CAMERAS.

YOU'LL LITERALLY BE ABLE TO GO NOWHERE WITHOUT BEING ON CAMERA AND A P D YOU KNOW, DID, DID THIS WITHOUT THESE CAMERAS FOR LIKE 180 YEARS. I'M SURE THEY CAN DO IT AGAIN.

SO THAT'S ALL I GOT.

W HARWELL 1420 NORTH WILLIS I THINK WE'VE CLEARLY HEARD THE PEOPLE HERE AND I'M JUST ASKING FOR, FOR Y'ALL TO REALLY CONSIDER WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE VOTED FOR YOU ALL AND PUT YOU ALL IN A POSITION OF POWER.

I DIDN'T COME HERE PREPARED. I DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, ANY STATS FOR FLOCK CAMERAS OR STUFF.

BUT YEAH, I REALLY, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT IT'S REALLY NOT IN OUR BEST INTEREST AGAIN.

OUR PD DOES A GOOD JOB. OUR CRIME RATE HAS BEEN LOWERED AND CONTINUES TO LOWER.

SO YEAH. JUST PLEASE, PLEASE DO WHAT Y'ALL WERE ELECTED TO DO AND REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF ABILENE, AND THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE. AND MY NAME IS JESSE MULLINS.

I LIVE IN ABILENE AT 817 ELMWOOD. I WANT TO SAY THAT THE CONTRACTORS FOR AXON MIGHT HAVE SAID THAT THESE SYSTEMS DON'T READ FACES,

[00:50:06]

THEY ARE DOING IT SO THEY CAN FIND THE PERSON WHO DRIVES IT.

AND THAT INFORMATION CAN BE CONNECTED. SO IT MIGHT AS WELL BE READING FACES.

SECONDLY, I WAS GETTING OFF. I WAS IN GALVESTON LAST YEAR, GETTING OFF A CRUISE SHIP AND WALKING DOWN THE GANGPLANK, AND THERE WAS A LADY AT CUSTOMS SAYING, YOU DON'T NEED YOUR PASSPORT.

YOUR FACE IS YOUR PASSPORT. BUT MY FACE IS NOT MY PASSPORT.

AND I HAVE OR SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO TO PRESENT OR TO WITHHOLD MY IDENTITY.

IT DOESN'T. I WAS NOT ASKED IF THEY COULD SCAN THAT IN AND PUT IT IN A DATABASE.

SO THESE INTRUSIONS KEEP PILING UP. SO I HOPE YOU'LL PLEASE REJECT THIS PROPOSAL.

THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? HI, I AM ANI A N E DAVIS, AND I AM FROM DYESS.

SINCE FLOCK HAS BEEN COMING AROUND, I'VE HAD TO CARRY MY PASSPORT WITH ME.

IN CASE YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW, THIS ICE IS A THING.

ICE IS GOING AROUND. THEY ARE CONNECTING THEMSELVES TO FLOCK CAMERAS.

I'M AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, BUT I'M BROWN, AND I DON'T HAVE AN AMERICAN SOUNDING NAME.

I'M SCARED. MY KIDS ARE MIXED. I AM SCARED FOR THEM.

THESE PEOPLE UP HERE, THEY'VE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN I HAVE BEEN. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE YEARS. THERE'S A GENTLEMAN UP HERE WHO SAID CRIME RATES GOING DOWN.

THERE'S ANOTHER COUPLE OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING THEY.

THE ABILENE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING THEIR JOB.

I AM STILL SCARED. AND YOU GUYS ARE TELLING ME I SHOULD BE OKAY WITH THE FLOCK CAMERAS COMING UP? NO, THERE CAN BE SOMEBODY WHO SEES ME AND JUST SAYS, I DON'T LIKE HER.

I CAN SHOW THEM MY PASSPORT, MY BIRTH CERTIFICATE, MY SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, AND I'M SUPPOSED TO BE FINE.

NOT ACCORDING TO THESE FLOCK CAMERAS. YOU'RE ALSO PUTTING KIDS IN DANGER.

IN CASE YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW, THERE WERE FLOCK CAMERAS POINTED AT A KIDS SPLASH PAD.

NOT HERE IN TEXAS, BUT THEY WERE. WHY ARE THEY FACING THAT? WHY? THAT'S NOT OKAY. ARE YOU GUYS MONITORING WHERE THESE FLOCK CAMERAS ARE GETTING PUT UP? ARE YOU GOING TO PROTECT THE KIDS, YOUR PEOPLE? THE PEOPLE WHO ELECTED YOU? THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NO ONE. I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

THANK YOU. I'LL NOW ASK FOR A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA CONSISTING OF ITEMS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN.

SO MOVED. I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BAILEY, SECOND.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN PRICE. AND FURTHER DISCUSSION.

READY TO VOTE. OH. YESES. MOTION CARRIES. CARRIES.

[8. Resolution: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on Accepting and Adopting the Accessibility Plan (Lesli Andrews)]

GOOD MORNING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. LESLIE ANDREWS, DIRECTOR DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION.

I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE BEFORE YOU TODAY. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, BUT I ALSO IN THE LIAISON TO THE MAYOR'S BOARD FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AS WELL AS OVER THE FACILITIES DIVISION FOR THE CITY OF ABILENE.

SO THAT IS A LOT OF WHY I AM STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY PRESENTING THIS ITEM.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY OF ABILENE HAS BECOME AWARE OF IS ALL CITIES WITH MORE THAN 50 EMPLOYEES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE HAVING TO GO THROUGH WHAT IS CALLED AN ACCESSIBILITY PLAN, WHICH LEADS THEM INTO A SELF EVALUATION AND TRANSITION PLAN.

WHAT I HAVE BEFORE YOU TODAY IS THE REQUEST TO ADOPT THE ACCESSIBILITY PLAN FOR THE CITY OF ABILENE, AND THEN START THE PROCESS MOVING IN TOWARDS THE SELF EVALUATION AND TRANSITION PLAN.

AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES THIS VERY IMPORTANT IS IT KEEPS US VIABLE TO RECEIVE FUNDING.

AND IF WE DO NOT HAVE THESE ITEMS EITHER ADOPTED OR IN THE PROCESS OF EVALUATING THEM, IT COULD JEOPARDIZE FEDERAL FUNDING.

AND THE CITY OF ABILENE DOES RECEIVE QUITE A BIT OF THAT.

AND SO THIS WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT. THIS ACCESSIBILITY PLAN IS A STOP GAP.

BASICALLY, IT IS A LOOK AT A POINT IN TIME ON WHERE THE CITY OF ABILENE IS TODAY AND HELPING US, HELPING DIRECT US ON WHERE WE WANT TO BE IN THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS.

[00:55:04]

WE DID HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION AT THAT MEETING, AND THEY WERE ALSO GIVEN THIS PLAN IN ADVANCE.

SO THEY COULD ALSO EMAIL IN RECOMMENDATIONS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS, THINGS THAT THEY HAD.

AND THEY DID DO THAT. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THIS PLAN, AND I'M VERY THANKFUL TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS FOR THAT.

I BECAME INVOLVED IN THIS PROBABLY ABOUT GIVE OR TAKE ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, ALSO ABOUT THE TIME THAT THE BUDGET WAS STARTING.

SO WE DID REQUEST IN THE PROCESS, NOT REALLY KNOWING WHAT WE WERE GETTING INTO $100,000 TO START THIS NEXT LEVEL OF EVALUATION, EVALUATION FOR SELF, THE SELF EVALUATION AND TRANSITION PLAN THAT WAS APPROVED ON SEPTEMBER 10TH WITH CITY COUNCIL.

SO THE FUNDING IS THERE FOR US TO MAKE THESE NEXT STEPS.

BUT PART OF DOING THAT IS DOING AN RFP TO GET A CONSULTANT ON BOARD TO HELP US AS WE START MOVING TOWARDS THAT.

SOME OF THE AREAS THAT THE ACCESSIBILITY PLAN HELPS HELPS US ESTABLISH AREAS OF WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR WEBSITE.

PROGRAM SERVICES, ACTIVITIES, PROCEDURES AND POLICIES.

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES, RIGHT OF WAYS, PEDESTRIAN ROUTES, BUS STOPS, DESIGN STANDARDS.

ADA COMPLIANCE FOR TITLE ONE AND TITLE TWO. PROPER LANGUAGE ON LEASE AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS, EMERGENCY PLANS. AND THE LANGUAGE IN OUR EMERGENCY PLANS AS WELL AS EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES, GRIEVANCE PRACTICES.

ANY REALLY, THERE IS NOT A DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY OF ABILENE THAT WILL NOT BE TOUCHED IN SOME LEVEL BY THE SELF EVALUATION AND THE TRANSITION PLAN.

SOME OF THE AREAS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS MOST AT RISK ONE BEING THE WEBSITE.

I WILL SAY WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THAT WITH THE WCAG SUPPOSED TO BE ADOPTED IN EARLIER 2026, THAT HAS BEEN POSTPONED, BUT WE WERE WELL ON OUR WAY OF MAKING ALL OF THOSE ACCOMMODATIONS AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME.

AND SO WE HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PROGRESS ON PROGRAMS, EVALUATIONS, CONTRACTS.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL ALSO NEED TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, MAKING SURE THAT WE DO HAVE THE PROPER LANGUAGE IN ALL OF THOSE CONTRACTS, AND THAT WHAT WE ARE PUTTING ON OUR WEBSITE IS ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL FACILITIES.

THE WE HAVE OVER 500 FACILITIES THAT OUR RISK DEPARTMENT MANAGES.

THE FOCUS IS MORE ON THE BUILDINGS THAT THE PUBLIC ACCESSES OR THAT.

AND THEN THE NEXT LEVEL IS THAT STAFF IS IN. BUT MAYBE THEY'RE NOT PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE MAINTENANCE, BUILDING, STORAGE BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, THINGS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

EVENTUALLY THEY MAY BE EVALUATED, BUT THAT IS NOT WHERE THE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE INITIALLY.

RIGHT OF WAYS. SIDEWALKS ACCESSIBILITY. THAT IS A KEY AREA THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT.

EVEN THOUGH THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REQUIRED AND HAS BEEN A LAW FOR, FOR A LONG TIME, THERE IS A REALIZATION YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING AT ALL AT ONE TIME. SO THE TIMELINE OF WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS WE DID TAKE THIS PLAN TO THE MAYOR'S BOARD FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ON SEPTEMBER 8TH.

WE'RE BRINGING IT TO COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 8TH WITH THE ADOPTION OF THIS PLAN.

WE PLAN TO RELEASE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR A CONSULTANT TO HELP US WITH THE SELF EVALUATION AND TRANSITION PLAN.

MOVING FORWARD. THE CITY DOES PLAN ON TAKING A MULTI-PHASE MULTI-YEAR APPROACH.

I WILL BE REAL, I WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU. IF WE WERE GOING TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE AND THE FUNDING WAS NO OBJECT, AND IF WE HAD PLENTY OF MONEY THIS WOULD BE PROBABLY A 2 TO 3 YEAR PROCESS AND $2.5 MILLION PLUS TO BE ABLE TO FULLY ESTABLISH A SELF EVALUATION AND TRANSITION PLAN THAT IS NOT REALISTIC FOR US TO BE ABLE TO DO.

SO THE PLAN IS FOR THIS TO BE A MULTI YEAR PROCESS.

WE DO HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.

APPROXIMATELY ONCE A QUARTER, THEY SEND US A SURVEY ASKING SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON WHERE WE ARE IN CERTAIN AREAS AND WE'RE GIVEN ROUGHLY A WEEK TO TWO WEEKS TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE IN THOSE SURVEYS THAT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS TO REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR, FOR FUNDING. SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE STAY ON TOP OF THAT.

[01:00:01]

PUT A PLAN IN PLACE OVER THE NEXT 3 TO 5 YEARS OF HOW WE DO THE FULL SELF EVALUATION AND TRANSITION PLAN.

AND THEN ONCE THAT IS, ONCE WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE PROCESS ONE TIME AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN EVALUATED ONE TIME, THEN WE'RE BASICALLY MORE ON A MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE.

EVERY 3 TO 5 YEARS. WE EVALUATE WHERE WE'VE BEEN.

IT IS A LIVING DOCUMENT. AND, BUT WE EVALUATE WHERE WE'VE BEEN.

AND IT'S MUCH SMALLER STEPS ONCE WE MOVE FORWARD.

BUT THIS INITIAL PUTTING THIS TRANSITION PLAN INTO PLACE IS GOING TO BE A GREAT DEAL OF TIME ON CITY STAFF. THERE WILL, THERE IS A COMMITTEE WHILE I WAS NAMED TO THE ADA COORDINATOR BECAUSE OF MY POSITION, THERE IS A COMMITTEE WITH THE CITY. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT ONE PERSON PUTTING ALL OF THIS TOGETHER.

I DO HAVE STEVE HAYNES WITH ME AND WITH COLE ASSOCIATES.

HE IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S REGULATIONS FOR THE STATE AND WHAT TO ABILENE NEEDS TO EXPECT IN THE COMING YEARS. SO IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT WHAT THIS MAY NEED TO LOOK LIKE, HE IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

LESLIE. SO WHAT WE'RE APPROVING TODAY IS THE ACCESSIBILITY PLAN THAT THEY DEVELOPED FOR US AND WITH US.

AND THAT WILL BE REPLACED BY THE TRANSITION PLAN.

YES, SIR. I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY. YES, SIR.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE RFP IS FOR IS THIS SELF-EVALUATION TRANSITION PLAN.

SO THAT WILL COME BACK TO US AS A SEPARATE ITEM AT SOME POINT TO APPROVE A CONTRACT WITH AN ENTITY THAT WILL DO THE NEXT STEP.

YES, SIR. RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE $100,000 ALLOCATED, AND WE ONLY BRING THINGS FORWARD THAT ARE OVER $100,000.

SO THE COMPANY MAY THE CONTRACT FOR THE COMPANY MAY NOT COME TO YOU AT AT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

BUT AS THIS EVOLVES, IT WILL HAVE EVERYTHING WILL HAVE TO COME BEFORE CITY COUNCIL.

THANK YOU. OTHER QUESTIONS? PLEASE. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM EIGHT? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. RILEY RODRIGUEZ, ABILENE RESIDENT. I KEEP THIS SHORT.

I THINK I GOT A GOOD IDEA FOR WHERE THAT POLE THAT THOSE LPR MONEY SHOULD GO IS TO THIS ISSUE RIGHT HERE.

I THINK WE CAN DO SOMETHING WELL WITH THAT. SO I HOPE THAT MAYBE WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. THANK Y'ALL. THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM EIGHT. WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL? IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION IN A SECOND. SO MOVED.

I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN ESPINOZA. SECOND.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN PATERSON. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? READY TO VOTE. YESES. MOTION CARRIES.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM NINE. THIS ITEM REQUIRES A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED AT THE SEPTEMBER 24TH CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

[9. Motion to Reconsider Resolution: Upon Approval of Reconsideration, Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion, and Public Hearing, and Take Action to Approve a Contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc. for the replacement of Body-Worn, In-Car Cameras and Evidence Management (Rondell Seratte)]

MAYOR, I MOVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL RECONSIDER ITS ACTIONS TAKEN ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2026, REGARDING THE AGENDA ITEM SIX AND THE CONTRACT RENEWAL BETWEEN THE CITY OF ABILENE AND AXON ENTERPRISE.

HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PATTERSON. THE PRESSURE BUTTON.

I'LL SECOND. I HAVE A SECOND BY COUNCILMAN PRICE.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE.

THERE ARE FOUR NO'S FROM COUNCILMEMBER BEARD.

MAYOR HURT, COUNCIL MEMBER BAILEY AND COUNCILMEMBER ESPINOSA.

THREE YESES FROM COUNCIL MEMBER PATTERSON, COUNCIL MEMBER CRAVER AND COUNCILMEMBER PRICE. SO NOES HAVE IT.

SO MOTION FAILS. MOTION TO RECONSIDER FAILS. NOW MOVE TO ITEM TEN.

NO, SIR. NO, SIR. AND WE'D LIKE TO KNOW THE VOTE, PLEASE.

I'M SORRY. WAS IT POSTED? IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN.

IT'S POSTED. THANK YOU. I'M APOLOGIZE, I APOLOGIZE.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO ITEM TEN AND I'LL ASK DON GREEN, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, TO PRESENT THIS ITEM.

[10. Ordinance (Final Reading):  Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action to Amend the Fee Ordinance 83-2026 and Approve a new Airport Security Badge Fees (Don Green)]

EXCUSE ME. THIS IS THE FINAL READING FOR AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE.

[01:05:02]

HOWEVER, WE DID NOT GET THIS INFORMATION IN TIME FROM THE TSA TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION ON THEM RAISING OUR FEES TO PROCESS BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR BADGE HOLDERS OUT OF THE AIRPORT. SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT, THAT INCONVENIENCE OF HAVING TO RECONSIDER THIS, BUT WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE INFORMATION IN TIME.

BUT WE HAVE ON THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR THE AIRPORT ARE OUR BADGING FEES.

AND WE DO CHARGE FOR THE BADGE MATERIAL ITSELF THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE FEE, BUT ALSO IS THE BACKGROUND CHECK.

SO IN PARTICULAR, THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART OF THAT IS THE FINGERPRINT BASED BACKGROUND CHECK.

THAT GOES TO A CLEARINGHOUSE THAT PROCESSES THOSE THROUGH THE FBI.

AND THEN TSA ACCEPTS THAT. SO WE HAVE OUR STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW WITH TSA.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO DO A SECURITY THREAT ASSESSMENT FOR ALL BADGES.

BUT THE THE BACKGROUND FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND CHECK IS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE BADGES THAT ARE FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE OPERATING ON THE AIRLINE OPERATING AREA AROUND THE TERMINAL, AND THEN THOSE WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF ISSUING BADGES FOR THEIR COMPANY, ALSO ON THE AIRPORT, BUT ON OTHER PARTS OF THE AIRPORT.

SO THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE BACKGROUND CHECK AS WELL. SO WE HAVE PROPOSED TO RAISE OUR FEES AND ALSO JUST ADJUST HOW WE, WE SHOW THOSE ON THE FEE SCHEDULE TO SCHEDULED TO REFLECT REALLY HOW WE'RE DOING BUSINESS TODAY.

SO CHANGING THE FEES FOR A NEW NON-SIGHTED BADGE, A NON-SIGHTED BADGES FOR MOST OF THE AREA OF THE AIRPORT FOR THOSE WHO DON'T WORK IN THE AIRLINES RELATED AREA THAT GOES FROM $15 TO $25.

THE NEW NON SIGHTED RENEWAL BADGE. A BADGE FEE THAT GOES FROM $12 TO $22.

AND THE NON SIGHTED BADGES ARE GOOD FOR THREE YEARS.

SO A PERSON WOULD PAY THAT AND THEY'RE GOOD FOR THREE YEARS.

THE NEW SIGHTED BADGE FEE WILL GO FROM $55 TO $65.

AND THEN THE BADGE SIDE OF BADGE RENEWAL FEE IS GOES FROM $15 TO, I'M SORRY, $12 TO $25.

THE SIDE OF BADGE THAT IS THE ONE THAT'S OPERATES FOR PEOPLE WHO OPERATE AROUND THE AIRLINE AIRCRAFT IS A ONE YEAR BADGE.

SO YOU WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DILIGENT ON MAKING SURE THAT THOSE ARE REVIEWED EVERY YEAR.

SO WE ARE PROPOSING TO INCREASE OUR FEES TO THOSE LEVELS.

THIS IS THE FIRST INCREASE WE'VE ASKED FOR IN OVER TEN YEARS.

WHEN WE HAD TO GO TO THE $55 FOR THE THE FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND CHECK WENT UP ON US AT THAT POINT OVER TEN YEARS AGO.

AGAIN, THIS WAS UNEXPECTED UNTIL ABOUT SIX WEEKS OR SO AGO.

SO JUST WANTED TO. EXPLAIN THAT A LITTLE BIT.

BUT QUESTION TO DON JUST REAL QUICK ON THE THE NEW BADGE, THE, THE BACKGROUND CHECK IS BUILT INTO THAT PRICE.

THAT'S WHY THE PRICE IS HIGHER. SO ON THE RENEWAL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANOTHER BACKGROUND CHECK. YOU HAVE TO DO THE FINGERPRINT BACKGROUND ON FOR. WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THE BACKGROUND CHECK.

AS FOR THE FINGERPRINT BASED BACKGROUND CHECK. ONCE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, IT'S GOOD.

WE DO HAVE TO DO A SECURITY THREAT ASSESSMENT.

CHECK THROUGH THE TSA FOR EVERY TIME WE DO A BADGE RENEWAL.

BUT THAT'S JUST A QUICK QUERY SO WE DON'T NEED TO THE COSTS DON'T NEED TO COVER SOME ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL COSTS.

RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE NOT SINCE WE HAVEN'T RAISED OUR OUR FEES FOR THIS IN WELL OVER TEN YEARS, OUR MATERIALS HAVE GONE UP FOR BADGES. WE ALSO ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE IN MATERIAL COST WITH THE NEW BADGE SYSTEM ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM THAT'S COMING ON WITH THE TERMINAL PROJECT. SO WE DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND CAPTURE ALL OF THAT AT ONE TIME.

NOW, RATHER THAN COMING BACK TO YOU NEXT YEAR TO CAPTURE NEW MATERIALS COSTS FOR THE NEW BADGE SYSTEM, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE WEREN'T EXTERNAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RENEWAL THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE.

I MEAN, THERE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR AIRPORT EMPLOYEES, BUT BUT WE'RE WE'RE CAPTURING THOSE AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN IN THESE FEES.

GREAT. THANKS, TOM. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU.

DON. ALL RIGHT. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM TEN? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. SEEING NONE.

I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION AND A SECOND. SECOND, HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PRICE.

[01:10:02]

NOW MOVE TO ITEM 11, AND I'LL ASK TIM LITTLEJOHN, DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, TO PRESENT THIS ITEM.

[11. Ordinance (Final Reading) CUP-2026-13: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on a Request from The Owner to Apply a Conditional Use Permit to Approximately 6.89 Acres Zoned General Retail (GR) To Allow for Outside Storage and sales. Located At 2554 Barrow St. (Tim Littlejohn)]

THE OWNER OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL. THE AGENT IS JERRY MASH.

THE. A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW FOR RETAIL SALES.

OUTDOORS. NON-VEHICLE AND GENERAL RETAIL ZONING IS WHAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS MORNING.

LOCATED AT 2554 BARREL STREET. HERE'S THE LOCATION MAP.

HERE'S THE CURRENT ZONING. HERE ARE THE PROPERTY VALUES IN THE NEIGHBORING VIEWS.

HERE'S THE CONCEPTUAL PLAN AS SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT AREAS. WE HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT SCREENING.

THERE IS SCREENING REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE FOR THESE TWO AREAS IF THEY'RE IN PUBLIC VIEW.

THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO BE SCREENED. THAT'LL ALL BE DETERMINED AND REQUIRED IN THE SITE PLAN REVIEW PROCESS THAT, THAT WILL FOLLOW THIS STEP IF APPROVED. AND THEN WE ALSO HAD SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT ACCESS FROM WHAT STAFF'S INTERPRETATION OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE RECEIVE. THE, THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY DOWN HERE, THEY DO HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR BUILDING, BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEE OF WHICH SIDE IT'S.

BASICALLY, THEY'LL HAVE ACCESS THROUGH THE EXISTING PARKING LOT TO GET TO THEIR PROPERTY.

WE COULDN'T DETERMINE IF IT WAS IF IT GUARANTEED THEM SOME SPACE FOR A DRIVE THROUGH LANE OR NOT.

BUT FROM THE DOCUMENTS THAT STAFF HAS READ, IT WAS NOT DETERMINED TO HAVE THAT IN THAT DOCUMENT.

IT'S JUST TO GAIN ACCESS TO THAT PARCEL. HERE'S THE PLAN OF OPERATION BOMGAARS, WHICH IS TO OPEN AND OPERATE A RETAIL FARM AND SUPPLY RANCH STORE.

50,000 ITEMS. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A TRACTOR SUPPLY.

IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT LOCATION. THE JUST SELLING.

THEY NEEDED THAT AREA FOR TO STORE THEIR GATES.

KIND OF LIKE TRACTOR SUPPLY DOES AND SOME OTHER SOME OTHER STORES IN TOWN.

NOTIFICATIONS WERE SENT OUT. WE DID RECEIVE THREE IN FAVOR AND THREE OPPOSED, RESULTING IN 11.89% IN OPPOSITION.

THIS MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL WITHIN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.

THE PNC DID HEAR THIS CASE. THEY DO RECOMMEND TO YOUR APPROVAL WITH THE.

WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS OF THE CONCEPT, PLAN AND PLAN OF OPERATION.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. SO THE THE.

IT WAS THE LIQUOR STORE DRIVE THROUGH. SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE AFFECTED. IS THAT CORRECT? SO IF I BELIEVE THAT'S ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

BUT IT'S THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT COMING AROUND THE BACK.

AROUND THE RIGHT, THE NORTH SIDE TO BE ABLE TO COME AND LOOP AROUND.

ONCE WE GET THE SITE PLAN, WE CAN KIND OF LOOK AT HOW THAT SPECIFIC AREA IS GOING TO BE LAID OUT.

BUT ACCORDING TO THE ACCESS AGREEMENT, IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE THAT THIS HAS TO BE PROTECTED.

THEY JUST HAVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT PARCEL.

BUT NO ISSUES. AS FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED. THERE'S NO ISSUES AS FAR AS STAFF'S CONCERNED.

QUESTIONS. TIM AND I HAD ASKED MY EMAIL ABOUT THE FENCING AND THE SCREENING REQUIREMENT WITHIN THE FENCING.

AND WHAT YOU HAD SENT WAS IT'S REQUIRED BY THE LDC WHERE IT FACES A PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, NOT JUST FACES OF PUBLIC.

AND SO THERE WAS SOME QUESTION ABOUT IF IT'S NECESSARILY IT'S KIND OF NOT A 100% CLEAR THAT IT'S REQUIRED ALL THE WAY AROUND.

THERE'S THREE SIDES THAT FOR SURE IS REQUIRED, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ALL THE WAY AROUND.

SO WHEN WE GET TO THE POINT OF A MOTION, I'D LIKE US TO CONSIDER CLARIFYING THE SCREENING IS ALL THE WAY AROUND.

THAT WAY THERE'S NO, YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO GET INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH THE PROPONENT ON, OKAY, WELL, WE DON'T NEED IT ON THIS SIDE OR THIS AREA OR WHATEVER.

JUST CLEAN IT UP FOR Y'ALL AND HAVE A CLEAR DIRECTION THAT SCREENING IS REQUIRED.

YES, SIR. ANYONE ELSE? THANK YOU. TIM. AT THIS TIME, I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 11? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS JERRY JERRY MARSH. I'M WITH THE REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT.

I DO RESIDE IN ABILENE. OUR OFFICE IS AT 2500 SOUTH WILLIS.

I REPRESENT THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY AND HAVE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PROPOSED TENANT.

DURING THAT DISCUSSION, WE TALKED ABOUT THE SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.

THEY'RE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AND AT LEAST 180 LOCATIONS.

THEY PLAN TO BUILD A SIX FOOT CHAIN LINK FENCE AROUND THE STRUCTURE.

[01:15:02]

SO THAT SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE. WE'RE ALSO IN DISCUSSIONS WITH WHERE WE MIGHT PUT THE GREENHOUSE ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING TO ACCOMMODATE OUR NEIGHBOR. THE NEIGHBOR HAS THAT LITTLE OWNS THAT LITTLE RECTANGLE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, AND WE COMPLETELY SURROUND THAT PROPERTY. ON ALL FOUR SIDES, THE ONE WHERE THEY RECENTLY GOT A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT FOR THE CELL PHONE TOWER.

SO WE SURROUND THAT ALL THE WAY AROUND. SO WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.

MY, MY PROPERTY OWNER SAID, TELL EVERYBODY WE WANT TO BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO THESE PEOPLE.

WE WANT TO TRY TO MAKE IT WORK. AND IF THE TENANT CAN MAKE IT WORK FOR HIS GREENHOUSE TO SET BACK.

THAT'S WHAT WE WE'RE OKAY WITH IT. WE I DID SEND A RENDERING TO THE TENANT LAST LATE LAST WEEK MOVING IT BACK 75FT OR 72FT, I BELIEVE. AND I HAVEN'T HEARD A RESPONSE, IF THAT'LL STILL WORK TOWARD THEIR PLAN.

THIS WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS BOOST TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THAT PROPERTY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND GETTING A TENANT IS TO SAY.

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. TO GET A TENANT OF THIS QUALITY IS A MIRACLE.

THIS WILL HELP EVERY COMMERCIAL OWNER IN THAT AREA.

NOW TO THE SOUTH. THEY'VE HAD THE SAME DIFFICULTIES. THEY HAVE LARGE SPACES. IT'S HARD TO GET A LARGE TENANT IN.

WE'VE EVEN LOOKED AT DIVIDING OUR SPACE UP AS A MULTI-TENANT SPACE.

AND IT'S, IT'S IT'S EXPENSIVE AND DAUNTING. THE.

TENANT AND THE OWNER HAVE INDICATED WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH THE STABLE TENANT, THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO IMPROVE THE PROPERTY. WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENT.

CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU, BUT WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS.

THE NEW TENANT WILL IMPROVE THE BUILDING. SO IT'S A WIN FOR THE CITY.

IT'S A WIN FOR THE NEIGHBORS. IT'S IT'S A STRONG, STRONG TENANT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. JERRY. STILL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 11.

WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION IN A SECOND. I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE WITH THE CLARIFICATION THAT SCREEN FENCING IS REQUIRED AROUND ALL OUTDOOR AREAS.

HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PRICE. SECOND. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BEARD.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL YESES.

MOTION CARRIES. MOTION CARRIES. NOW MOVES TO ITEM 12.

[12. Ordinance (Final Reading) OAM-2026-01: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on a Request from the City Of Abilene to Amend the Comprehensive Plan, More Specifically the Future Land Use Map. (Tim Littlejohn)]

THANK YOU, MAYOR COUNCIL, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. AS THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT 2026-01, WHICH.

WHAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS MORNING IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MATRIX LOCATED WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

HERE'S THE CURRENT LAND USE MAP. FUTURE LAND USE MAP AS SHOWN.

BASICALLY ON THE NORTH SIDE OF TOWN. NORTH SIDE OF THE LOOP AROUND PAIN AND THE LOOP AND INTERSTATE 20.

THIS IS WHAT IT SHOWS TODAY. IT'S REALLY NOT FITTING WHAT OUR ALL OF OUR STAFF'S REQUESTS ARE FOR AS FAR AS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THIS AREA.

SO WE'RE LOOKING TO AMEND THAT, AMEND THAT TO ACCOMMODATE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO IS REPLACE IT AND PUT SOME MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL WITHIN THAT AREA AND LEAVING THE HIGHWAY COMMERCIAL AROUND THE EDGE.

ALL THE DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS THAT STAFF HAS HAD IS THEY'RE LOOKING AT MORE OF A SINGLE FAMILY AND MEDIUM DENSITY TYPE OF DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THIS AREA. IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT'S OUT THERE NOW. STAFF DOESN'T REALLY FEEL LIKE IT'S EVER GOING TO DEVELOP INTO A COMMERCIAL TYPE, INDUSTRIAL TYPE AREA WITH ALL THE REQUEST. AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE SUPPORT FROM COUNCIL THIS MORNING TO SEE ABOUT THIS AMENDMENT TO THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP. HERE'S THE COMPATIBLE ZONING DISTRICTS WITHIN MEDIUM DENSITY.

THIS IS HOW IT WILL CHANGE.

BNZ DID HEAR THIS CASE, AND THEY DO RECOMMEND TO APPROVAL THIS MORNING AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

QUESTIONS TO TIM. I'M JUST CURIOUS ON THE MAP OF THE PROPOSED CHANGE, IF YOU CAN GO TO THAT REAL QUICK.

THAT GREEN ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE, IS THAT LIKE IN A FLOODWAY OR FLOODPLAIN OR SOMETHING? THAT'S WHY WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANYTHING THAT'S FLOOD RELATED IS AUTOMATICALLY PUT INTO PARKS AND OPEN SPACE.

[01:20:02]

YEAH, IT WAS IT WAS SOME TWEAKS THAT NEEDED TO BE MADE.

I KNOW STAFF'S GOING TO LOOK AT THIS DOCUMENT AS A WHOLE AFTER WE GET DONE WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SOME MINOR TWEAKS HERE AND THERE WITH THE SAME COMMITTEE THAT WE'RE USING NOW FOR THE FOR THE.

QUESTIONS. TIM ANYONE. THANK YOU, TIM. THANK YOU.

THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 12? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. NO ONE.

I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION. AND A SECOND. SO MOVED.

HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN PATTERSON. SECOND.

SECOND. COUNCILMAN BAILEY, FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. VOTE. THIS IS NOT ON THE VOTE SCREEN.

IT'S NOT ON THE VOTE SCREEN. MOTION TO VOTE ON MINE.

IT'LL BE DOWN FOR A YES. OKAY. THAT'S. I DON'T KNOW WHY WOULD DO THAT.

I'M SORRY. YEAH, I SEE IF YOU ARE. YES. THEN THAT IS ALL.

YESES. MOTION CARRIES. MOTION CARRIES. DISCONNECTED.

TRYING TO RECONNECT. GESTURES. THE REST OF THEM ARE OKAY.

IT JUST POPPED UP. DISCONNECTED. TRYING TO RECONNECT. IT WENT AWAY.

IT'S OKAY. I CAN DO IT VERY WELL. IT DOESN'T COME BACK UP.

WE WILL NEED TO DO ROLL CALL VOTES FOR CONSISTENCY.

THANK YOU. NOW MOVE TO ITEM 13 AND TIM LITTLEJOHN WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.

[13. Ordinance (Final Reading) Z-2026-50: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on a Request from the Owner to Change the Zoning of Approximately 10.15 Acres from Planned Development District (PDD-37) to Multi-Family (MF). Located at Property ID 986701. (Tim Littlejohn)]

THE AGENTS JEFF HATCHER OWNER IS WYLIE METHODIST CHURCH.

THE REQUEST FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IS CHANGE THE ZONING OF APPROXIMATELY 10.15 ACRES FROM A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT 37 TO MULTIFAMILY, LOCATED AT PROPERTY ID 986701. HERE'S THE LOCATION MAP.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S OFF OF BUFFALO GAP ROAD JUST NORTH OF WAGONWHEEL.

HERE'S THE CURRENT ZONING MAP. HERE'S THE PROPERTY VIEWS AND NEIGHBORING PROPERTY VIEWS.

HERE ARE THE REQUESTED ALLOWABLE USES WITHIN THE REQUESTED MULTIFAMILY ZONING DISTRICT.

NOTIFICATIONS WERE SENT OUT. WE DIDN'T RECEIVE ANY IN RETURN.

THIS MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL WITHIN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE P AND Z.

IN THIS CASE, THEY DO RECOMMEND TO APPROVAL THIS MORNING.

I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. RIGHT SOUTH OF THAT PROPERTY TIM.

IT'S NOW ACTUALLY MEDIUM DENSITY THAT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

SO IT GOES FROM MEDIUM DENSITY TO SINGLE FAMILY.

SO THERE IS A BUFFER ALREADY. YES, SIR. THAT'S FOR THE MULTIFAMILY QUESTIONS, TIM.

THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 13? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME. SEEING NO ONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION. AND A SECOND. SO MOVED.

I HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN CRAVER. SECOND.

SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BEARD. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL YESES. MOTION CARRIES.

NOW MOVE TO ITEM 14, AND TIM LITTLEJOHN WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.

[14. Ordinance (Final Reading) Z-2026-51: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on a Request from the Owner to Change the Zoning of Approximately 0.23 Acres from Mixed Use (MX) to General Commercial (GC) zoning. Located at 1642 N 19th St. (Tim Littlejohn)]

THE OWNER IS LISA AND RAY TILLER. THE AGENT IS CHAD CHANEY.

THE REQUEST FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IS TO REZONE APPROXIMATELY 0.23 ACRES FROM A MIXED USE TO A GENERAL COMMERCIAL DISTRICT LOCATED AT 1642 NORTH 19TH STREET. HERE'S THE LOCATION MAP. HERE'S THE CURRENT ZONING MAP.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S SOME GENERAL COMMERCIAL JUST TO THE WEST OF THIS ADDRESS.

HERE'S SOME PROPERTY VIEWS. NOTIFICATIONS WORSE THAN OUT.

WE DID RECEIVE ONE IN FAVOR AND ZERO IN OPPOSITION.

HERE ARE THE ALLOWABLE USES WITHIN MIXED ZONING.

MIXED USE ZONING. HERE'S THE REQUESTED GENERAL COMMERCIAL ZONING.

THIS MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL WITHIN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE P AND Z.

DID HEAR THIS CASE AND THEY DO RECOMMEND TO YOUR APPROVAL THIS MORNING.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS OF TIM.

TIM. THIS TIME I WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 14? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. NO ONE.

I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION AND A SECOND. MOVE FOR APPROVAL.

MOTION BY COUNCILMAN BEARD. I THINK I GOT IT.

COUNCILMAN BAILEY, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN BEARD.

[01:25:03]

WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL YESES EXCEPT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER PATERSON, WHO IS ABSENT.

SO MOTION CARRIES. MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE FINAL ITEM.

[15. Ordinance (Final Reading) Z-2026-53: Receive a Report, Hold a Discussion and Public Hearing, and Take Action on a Request from the Owner to Change the Zoning of Approximately 22.67 Acres from Agricultural Open (AO) to Multi-Family (MF). Located at the south-east corner of Musgrave Bl and East Lake Rd. (Tim Littlejohn)]

THANK YOU MAYOR. COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION. IS ZONING CASE 2026-53.

THE AGENT IS PAPE AND PAPE DAWSON. THE OWNER IS HORN ABILENE, LLC.

THE REQUEST FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IS TO CHANGE THE ZONING OF 22.67 ACRES FROM AGRICULTURAL OPEN SPACE TO MULTIFAMILY, LOCATED AT PROPERTY ID 110630. HERE'S THE LOCATION MAP.

AND JUST. HERE'S THE CURRENT ZONING. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S SOME MULTIFAMILY THAT'S DEVELOPING OUT THERE CURRENTLY.

HERE ARE THE PROPERTY VIEWS. HERE, THE CURRENT ALLOWABLE USES WITHIN AGRICULTURAL OPEN SPACE AND THE.

THE REQUEST USES WITHIN MULTIFAMILY NOTIFICATIONS WERE SENT OUT.

WE DID RECEIVE ONE IN FAVOR AND ZERO IN OPPOSITION MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA FOR APPROVAL WITHIN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE P AND Z DID HEAR THIS CASE.

THEY DO RECOMMEND TO APPROVAL THIS MORNING AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

QUESTIONS ATTEND TIM. THIS TIME I'LL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IS THERE ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST ITEM 15? PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. SEEING NO ONE, I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.

IF NOT, I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO MOVED.

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

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE'RE READY TO VOTE. ALL YESES.

MOTION CARRIES. MOTION CARRIES. IT IS NOW 9:56 A.M..

[ EXECUTIVE SESSION]

SECTION 551.072 DELIBERATIONS ABOUT REAL PROPERTY.

SECTION FIVE FIVE. 1.073 DELIBERATIONS ABOUT GIFTS AND DONATIONS.

SECTION 551.074 PERSONNEL MATTERS. SECTION 551.076 DELIBERATIONS ABOUT SECURITY DEVICES.

SECTION 551.087 DELIBERATIONS ABOUT BUSINESS PROSPECTS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE'LL BE BACK. TO YOU.

IT IS NOW 10:37 A.M. AND WE RECONVENE TO OPEN SESSION.

[ RECONVENE]

IT IS NOW 10:37 A.M., AND THIS MEETING OF THE ABILENE CITY COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED. HEY, MARI.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.