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[1. Call the meeting to order.]

[00:00:08]

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

TODAY IS OCTOBER 10TH, 2023.

I WANNA OFFICIALLY CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

I HAVE 6:30 PM THIS IS THE REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE BRIEFING SESSION.

I DO HAVE A FULL QUORUM OF CITY COUNCIL PRESENT.

[2. City Manager Reports: City Council Calendar/Upcoming Events City Operations Conduct a briefing to discuss items for the 7:00 p.m. regular meeting]

AND WITH THAT NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CITY MANAGER REPORT.

MR. GREG PORTER, HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY, SIR? I AM FINE, MAYOR.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, IT IS GREAT TO SEE YOU.

UM, WE HAVE AN ABBREVIATED BRIEFING SESSION, SO I'M GONNA MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY.

BUT I WANT TO BEGIN WITH JUST A SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS TO EACH OF YOU WHO'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, UH, ON WEEKENDS AND ON EVENINGS, COVERING ALL THE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE GOING ON WITH THE CITY, INCLUDING SOME OF THE SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, UH, THE PARADES THEY'VE BEEN HAVING, THE SPECIAL EVENTS, A LOT OF H O A AND NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.

AND I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, UH, WE APPRECIATE YOUR STEWARDSHIP AND HARD WORK.

UH, ON THAT NOTE, WE WERE AT, UH, WE WERE AT A FUNCTION ON FRIDAY NIGHT, UH, HELD BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

UM, AND THEY HANDED OUT A COUPLE OF AWARDS, UH, ONE OF WHICH WAS GIVEN TO SOMEBODY WHO WAS NOT IN THE ROOM BECAUSE THEY WERE IN SAN FRANCISCO GIVING A FOOTBALL, UH, STRATEGIC FOOTBALL ADVICE, UH, TO THE DALLAS COWBOYS.

I'M NOT GONNA TALK ABOUT HOW WELL THAT WENT, BUT I WOULD LIKE OUR POLICE CHIEF TO COME UP SO THAT I CAN PRESENT HIM WITH THE PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR AWARD GIVEN BY THE CEDAR HILL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT THEIR ANNUAL, UH, GALA.

CHIEF.

THANK YOU, SIR.

AS YOU KNOW, THAT IS A, UH, MUCH COVETED AWARD AND VERY WELL DESERVED BY OUR CHIEF WHO HAS TAKEN ENGAGEMENT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.

CHIEF, YOU WANT, WELL, I WASN'T EXPECTING TO DO THIS, SO, UM, NO, I, I APPRECIATE THIS.

WHEN I GOT, UH, A COUPLE OF TEXT MESSAGES ON FRIDAY NIGHT, IT CAME TO A SURPRISE AS TO ME.

UM, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATED IT.

JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, MY TEAM, UH, WE'VE DONE A LOT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO STEP UP OUR LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT, OUR COMMUNITY, UM, AND ALSO WE ALL INCLUDED, UH, MAKING, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WALKS.

AND I THINK THAT, UH, WE'RE SETTING, UH, THE STAGE FOR THE EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE CITIES AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS ON, AND I'LL ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF MY TEAM.

SO, THANKS.

THANK YOU, CHIEF.

THANKS.

ALL RIGHT.

I WANNA COVER THE CALENDAR VERY QUICKLY THEN.

A QUICK ORIENTATION TO THE AGENDA, UH, THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, THERE'S ABOUT A HALF DOZEN MEETINGS GOING ON AROUND THE CITY.

SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE, UH, BEEN, UH, ASKED BY THE MAYOR TO COVER CERTAIN THINGS.

UH, BUT FIRST, UH, THERE IS A SPECIAL TOUR OF THE, OF THE, UH, BRAND NEW, UH, TRAFFICKING HICKMAN LIBRARY AND, UH, SIGNATURE PARK AT NINE 30.

FROM NINE 30 TO 11:30 AM UH, YOU'VE BEEN ASKED TO WEAR TO, UH, CLOSED TOWED SHOES, UH, AND ATTIRE APPROPRIATE TO AN ACTIVE CONSTRUCTION SITE.

AND SO PLEASE MEET UP AT THE CONSTRUCTION TRAILER AT FOUR 50 PIONEER TRAIL AT NINE 30 FOR, UH, THAT WALKING TOUR.

UH, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PID MEETINGS THAT EVENING AS WELL AS A, UH, THE MAYOR'S, UH, COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION IS ALSO MEETING THAT NIGHT.

SO, UH, WE'LL BE, UH, UH, COVERING ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS, UH, AS WE CAN.

OF COURSE, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY IS THE, THE BIG WEEKEND OF THE YEAR FOR THE COMMUNITY.

OUR ANNUAL COUNTRY DAY CELEBRATION.

I THINK WE'RE IN THE EIGHTIES OR THE NINETIES OF, UH, THE AMOUNT, THE NUMBER OF YEARS WE'VE BEEN DOING THAT.

UH, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13TH, BEGINNING AT 5:00 PM IS THE OLD SETTLERS REUNION.

SO COME OUT FOR, UH, BEANS, CORNBREAD, AND BEO, AND THE OFFICIAL CROWNING OF THE KING AND QUEEN OF COUNTRY DAY, UH, FOR THAT YEAR.

AND THEN SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14TH IS COUNTRY DAY ITSELF.

IT BEGINS AT NINE AND ENDS AT SIX.

UH, ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE BEEN REQUESTED, UH, TO ATTEND OPENING CEREMONIES AT THE MAIN STAGE.

THEY'RE IN THE SQUARE AND BE AT, BE AT THE STAGE BY ABOUT, UH, 8 45, SO THEY CAN BEGIN PROMPTLY.

AND THEN, UH, THE COUNCIL WILL THEN BE TRANSPORTED TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PARADE FOR THE COUNTRY DAY PARADE, WHICH, UH, BEGINS AROUND 10.

UH, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, UH, WE WILL BE IN TOUCH, INCLUDING, UH, PLACES TO PARK, ET CETERA.

ALRIGHT, TUESDAY, UH, OCTOBER 17TH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL BE HOSTING ANOTHER INFORMATION SESSION ON THEIR PROPOSED, UH, VOTER APPROVED TAX RATIFICATION ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

THIS ONE WILL BE HELD AT SEVEN, FROM SEVEN TO 8:00 PM AT AT 1846 COFFEE SHOP DOWNTOWN ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21ST.

UH, OUR, UH, CITY IS WORKING, UH, WITH, UH, OUR, OUR NEW PARTNERS, UH, WITH, UM, UH, THE VETERAN SERVICES GROUP FROM EIGHT TO 2:00 PM THEY'RE HOLDING A VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR AT THE

[00:05:01]

ALLEN SIMS RECREATION CENTER FROM EIGHT TO TWO.

UH, ALSO ON THAT, UH, SAME DAY FROM 10 TO FOUR, OUR PARTNERS AT SIERRA STATE PARK WILL BE HOSTING A HARVEST HERITAGE FESTIVAL.

AND THEN, UH, OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL BE HOSTING THEIR ANNUAL AWARDS BAN FROM FIVE TO 7:00 PM UH, AT THE MIDIAN CONFERENCE CENTER.

SO THEY HAVE ASKED FOR R SVPS.

SO IF YOU'VE NOT DONE SO, PLEASE REACH OUT TO, UH, BELINDA AND LET HER KNOW IF YOU, UH, CAN ATTEND THAT EVENT, UH, TO CELEBRATE THE, THE, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF OUR, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THEIR GRAND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THIS YEAR.

UH, ALSO, WE HAVE A, UH, RIBBON CUTTING EVENT ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24TH.

SO THIS IS RELATED TO, UH, T H R'S, UH, BREEZE HEALTH URGENT CARE CENTER ON PLEASANT RUN ROAD.

UH, A GOOD TURNOUT THERE WOULD BE, UH, MUCH APPRECIATED.

AND ALSO, UH, IT'S GOOD TO BE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT ADDITIONAL NEW, UH, ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, UH, FACILITIES AND DOCTORS IN OUR, UH, IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IF, UH, JUST REAL QUICKLY ON, ON TEXAS HEALTH, BREATHE, I'VE, I'VE BEEN THERE A COUPLE TIMES NOW AND UTILIZED THE FACILITY.

MM-HMM.

, IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THERE, IF YOU NEED EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE, PRO, YOU KNOW, QUICK CARE, ACCESS TO CARE, UM, THERE IS NO OTHER FACILITY LIKE THE, THE TEXAS HEALTH BREEZE FACILITY BECAUSE IN, IN CEDAR HILL, 'CAUSE YOU, WHEN YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TIME, THAT IS YOUR TIME.

YOU GO IN, YOU GO TO YOUR ROOM, YOU DON'T WAIT IN A WAITING ROOM.

UM, THEY COME AND THEY DO EVERYTHING IN THE ROOM.

AND THEN ONCE YOU LEAVE, UM, MOST OF YOUR MEDICATIONS, THEY PRESCRIBE ACTUALLY REMOTELY IN A DISPENSARY THERE ON SITE THROUGH, THROUGH AN AUTOMATED PROCESS.

YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY O OVER THE TELEPHONE AND THEY HAVE A MACHINE THAT WILL DISPENSE THE MEDICATION.

SO EVEN IF IT'S LIKE LATE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT, UM, YOU CAN GO HOME WITH YOUR MEDICINE THAT NIGHT.

SO ANYWAY, IT'S A GREAT FACILITY.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE RIBBON CUTTING.

YEAH, I WILL BE AS WELL.

THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.

ON SATURDAY OCTOBER, UH, 28TH, THE ALLEN EAST SIMS RECREATION CENTER TEAM WILL BE HOSTING THEIR ANNUAL CELEBRATION PARTY FROM NINE TO 1:00 PM THERE AT THE REC CENTER, FROM NINE TO ONE IN DOWNTOWN CEDAR HILL IS THE VERY LAST FARMER'S MARKET FOR THE SEASON.

IT'S BEEN A BIG SEASON FOR THE, THE CHAMBER.

IN THAT EVENT, IT'S BROUGHT A LOT OF FOLKS INTO DOWNTOWN.

AND THEN THE BIG EVENT OF THE WEEKEND FROM SIX TO 8:00 PM ALSO DOWNTOWN ON THE SQUARE IS OUR ANNUAL SCARE ON THE SQUARE EVENT, UH, WITH TRUNKS AND TREATS AND, UH, VARIOUS VENDORS THERE ON SITE.

UH, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT, OBVIOUSLY LET US KNOW.

OTHERWISE, IT'S A GRAND TIME TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN, UH, IN DOWNTOWN CEDAR HILL.

UM, ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2ND, OUR CURRENT, UH, CLASS OF ASSISTANCE POLICE ACADEMY WILL BE GRADUATING.

SO ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND CELEBRATE THAT GROUP.

UH, AND THEY'RE, UH, NEWLY EDUCATED STEWARDSHIP OF OUR COMMUNITY.

AND OUR WEB OF SAFETY SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH IS THE ANNUAL LAKE RIDGE CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT, AS WELL AS THE NEXT CITYWIDE CLEANUP HERE IN CEDAR HILL FROM EIGHT TO 11.

THAT WILL ALSO BE HELD AT THE ALLEY SIMS RECREATION CENTER AND THE C H I S D EDUCATION FOUNDATION.

ALSO, IN NOVEMBER THE FOURTH WILL BE HOSTING THEIR ANNUAL PURPOSES, UH, WITH A PURPOSE FROM SIX TO 10, ALSO AT THE ALLEN E SIMS RECREATION CENTER, RECREATION CENTERS, GETTING A GOOD WORKOUT, UH, THIS FALL, UH, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9TH, FROM 10 TO 12, OUR NEWEST BUSINESS IN TOWN, PRAT INDUSTRIES WILL BE HOSTING A RIBBON CUTTING.

AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING TOURS, UH, FOR THE ATTENDEES OF THEIR BRAND NEW MILLION SQUARE FOOT REGIONAL INNOVATION, UH, AND MANUFACTURING CENTER.

IT'S QUITE IMPRESSIVE.

I THINK YOU'LL VERY MUCH ENJOY THAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND THEN ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12TH, FROM SIX 30 TO NINE, UH, THE, OUR PARTNERS WITH THE ZULA B WILEY PUBLIC, UH, LIBRARY FRIENDS GROUP, WILL, UH, BE HOSTING A WINE AND, UH, WORDS, UH, EVENT HERE AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTER.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CALENDAR? WHAT, WHAT WAS THAT LAST, THAT LAST ONE? UH, WHINING WORDS, SIX 30 TO NINE ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER THE 10TH HERE AT THE GOVERNMENT CENTER.

OKAY.

YEAH, I MISSED THE DATE.

AND THIS IS ALL ON THE CALENDAR.

THAT'S IN, UM, YOUR, UH, F Y I PACKET.

BUT OBVIOUSLY, IF YOU HAVE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR INFORMATION ON DETAILS, WE CAN DEFINITELY GET THAT, UH, TO YOU, UH, AFTER THE MEETING.

AND WE SHOULDN'T FORGET, NOVEMBER 7TH IS ELECTION DAY.

UH, YES, SIR.

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

EARLY VOTING FOR, UH, THE NOVEMBER 7TH ELECTION BEGINS ON OCTOBER THE 23RD, AND WE'LL RUN THROUGH NOVEMBER 3RD.

AND THEN THE ELECTION DAY IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER THE SEVENTH.

THANK YOU FOR THAT PLUG.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE CALENDAR? ALL RIGHT, VERY QUICKLY.

ORIENTATION, UH, TO THE AGENDA.

WE HAVE ONE BRIEFING PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

IT IS FROM, UH, BOBBY, UH, SPENCE AND MARIE WATTS, WHO ADMINISTER OUR MUNICIPAL COURT, UH, DISCUSS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A MUNICIPAL COURT OF RECORD.

UH, OUR, UH, RELATIVELY BRIEF, UH, REGULAR AGENDA INCLUDE SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS, UM, A ONE PUBLIC HEARING ASSOCIATED WITH AN AX THROWING AND, UH,

[00:10:01]

HOOKAH, UH, ENTERTAINMENT ESTABLISHMENT, UH, AT THE OLD RANCH, UH, UH, DEVELOPMENT.

AND THEN A NUMBER OF ITEMS IN CONSENT AGENDA.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE? AND IF NOT, MAYOR, THAT'S MY REPORT.

THANK YOU, MR. CITY MANAGER.

ANY ITEMS ON THE CONSENT TO BE PULLED OF CONSIDERATION? UH, CITY MANAGER? I DID.

OH, I DID TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT ONE.

UM, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? ALRIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON.

[3. Presentation on transitioning to a Municipal Court of Record.]

UH, NEXT ITEM ON THE, UH, BRIEFING AGENDA IS PRESENTATION ON TRANSITIONING TO A MUNICIPAL COURT OF RECORD.

I SEE MARIE AND BOBBY COMING UP.

GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING.

GOOD EVENING.

HI.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR MASON AND CITY COUNCIL.

IT IS A PLEASURE FOR US TO ADDRESS YOU THIS EVENING.

I'M JOINED BY OUR FABULOUS COURT ADMINISTRATOR, BOBBY SPENCE, TO DISCUSS POSSIBLY TRANSITIONING TO A MUNICIPAL COURT OF RECORD.

SO THIS HAS BEEN A TOPIC THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED WITH OUR, UM, CURRENT AND PREVIOUS JUDGES, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, OUR CITY MANAGER, UH, WITH THE RETIREMENT OF JUDGE PETTY AFTER HIS MANY YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, THIS, UH, THIS OFFERED THE, UH, CORE TEAM AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT WAYS THAT WE CAN, UH, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE MORE PREMIER SERVICES, UH, TO OUR COMMUNITY, THE CEDAR HILL WAY.

UH, AND SO BOBBY IS GOING TO DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF, UH, TRANS THIS, UH, POSSIBLE TRANSITION TO A COURT OF RECORD.

AND SO, UH, THIS INITIATIVE, UH, SUPPORTS OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES, UH, OUR MISSION, VISION AND VALUES, UH, AS WELL AS OUR PREMIER STATEMENT OF CEDAR HILL IS SAFE, UH, AND OUR CITY COUNCIL'S BIG ROCK OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

SO TONIGHT WE'RE GOING, UH, WE'RE GOING TO START THIS PRESENTATION OFF WITH A REVIEW OF OUR CURRENT OPERATIONS, UH, OUR MUNICIPAL COURT'S GOALS, UH, UH, COMPARISON OF A COURT OF RECORD VERSUS NON RECORD, UH, THE OPERATIONAL IMPACT OF A POSSIBLE TRANSITION, AND ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS BY OUR CITY COUNCIL.

AND SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO BOBBY.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE THIS EVENING.

I'M EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT BECOMING A COURT OF RECORD AND HOW WE'RE CURRENTLY OPERATING.

SO CURRENTLY THE CEDAR HILL MUNICIPAL COURT OPERATES AS A NON COURT OF RECORD.

WE'RE NOT, WE'RE A NON RECORD COURT.

UM, OUR CITY CHARTER IN THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL REQUIRES THAT OUR PRESIDING JUDGE LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL.

BUT THERE'S NOT A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT FOR OUR ASSOCIATE JUDGES.

OUR COURT TEAM IS MADE UP OF A COURT ADMINISTRATOR.

WE HAVE FOUR COURT CLERKS AND THREE MARSHALS THAT SUPPORT OUR COURT OPERATIONS.

THE TYPES OF CASES THAT WE SEE IN OUR COURT ARE THOSE CLASS C MISDEMEANORS THAT ARE FILED BASICALLY THROUGH CITATION, TYPICALLY BY OUR CEDAR HILL POLICE DEPARTMENT, CODE OFFICERS, ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, AND SOME FROM THE CEDAR HILL STATE PARK.

WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROCEEDINGS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COURT TO HANDLE THOSE CASES.

WE HAVE SOME PRETRIAL DOCKETS, SOME SHOW CAUSE DOCKETS, JUVENILE DOCKETS.

UH, WE HAVE ABOUT SIX BENCH TRIAL DOCKETS EVERY YEAR, AND WE HAVE ABOUT TWO OR THREE JURY TRIAL DOCKET DATES A YEAR.

SO WE'RE, WE FEEL LIKE THAT MOVING TO A COURT OF RECORD WILL HELP TO ALIGN US WITH OUR SURROUNDING CITIES AND STATEWIDE BEST PRACTICES.

WE, IT WILL DEFINITELY ENHANCE THE MANAGEMENT AND EXPAND OUR SCOPE OF THE COURT'S ROLE TO BETTER SERVE OUR CITIZENS.

AND FORGIVE ME, I ALWAYS GET A LITTLE NERVOUS WHEN I SPEAK TO COUNSEL.

I DO NOT KNOW, KNOW WHY I DO THIS.

, I KNOW THIS STUFF, SO I'M GONNA JUST YOU.

BUT ANYWAY, IT WILL EXPAND OUR, OUR SCOPE OF THE COURT'S ROLE TO BETTER SERVE OUR CITIZENS.

UM, IT WILL EXPAND US FROM HAVING JUST CRIMINAL JURISDICTION TO ALSO HAVING SOME CIVIL JURISDICTION.

AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER IN OUR PRESENTATION.

UM, IT WILL REDUCE THE NUMBER OF APPEALS TO THE COUNTY, SPECIFICALLY, UM, TALKING ABOUT THOSE PRETRIAL APPEALS, THOSE LEAPFROG APPEALS.

UM, BUT GO TO THE COUNTY.

WE HANDLE ABOUT 200 OF THOSE IN OUR COURT EVERY YEAR.

UH, BASICALLY THE DEFENDANT PER STATUTE CAN ENTER A PLEA OF GUILTY AND FILE THE APPROPRIATE APPEAL BONDS.

AND WE MUST SEND THOSE CASES TO THE COUNTY.

THE COUNTY THEN WILL RETAIN JURISDICTION OF THOSE CASES.

THE DEFENDANT, IT'S LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED IN OUR COURT, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.

WHATEVER HAPPENS TO THE COUNTY, HAPPENS TO THE COUNTY.

IF THERE'S A TRIAL TO BE, UM, HELD, THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT THE OFFICER WHO WROTE THE TICKET, MAYBE FROM OUR CITY WOULD HAVE TO GO AND TESTIFY AT THE COUNTY.

WE NEVER GET THAT BACK.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER OURS.

WE FEEL THAT BY BECOMING A COURT OF RECORD, IT WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THOSE TYPES OF APPEALS.

UM, MOST MUNICIPAL COURTS OF RECORD DO NOT SEE THOSE TYPES OF APPEALS IN THEIR COURT.

UM, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO ASSESS SOME CIVIL PENALTIES AND REDUCE ENFORCEMENT, UM, BURDENS ON OUR COURT.

AND CURRENTLY THERE'S 184 COURTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT ARE ALREADY OPERATING AS A MUNICIPAL COURTS OF RECORD.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE, UH, MANY OF OUR SURROUNDING CITIES ARE ALREADY OPERATING

[00:15:01]

AS A COURT OF RECORD.

ON THIS SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE ALL THE LITTLE GREEN DOTS.

THIS IS A, A PICTURE OBVIOUSLY OF OUR METROPLEX, THE D F W AREA, AND ALL THE GREEN DOTS ARE COURTS OF RECORD, CITIES THAT ARE ALREADY COURTS OF RECORD.

THERE'S ABOUT 80 IN THE D F W AREA.

SO WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES, UM, BETWEEN A MUNICIPAL COURT OF NON RECORD AND A MUNICIPAL COURT OF RECORD? SO THERE'S JUST A FEW DIFFERENCES.

BASICALLY, A COURT OF NON RECORD IS CONTROLLED BASICALLY BY CHAPTER 29 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.

BUT A COURT OF RECORD IS CONTROLLED BY CHAPTER 29 AND 30 OF THE GOVERNMENT CODE BEING A COURT OF RECORD.

IF WE BECAME A COURT OF RECORD, WE WOULD, AGAIN, HAVE THAT ADDITIONAL CIVIL JURISDICTION, OR WE COULD HEAR SOME CIVIL CASES IN OUR COURT.

AND ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I'LL KINDA SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THOSE TYPES OF CASES THAT YOU, WE COULD PO POTENTIALLY SEE IN OUR COURT.

AS A COURT OF NON RECORD, THOUGH, WE'RE MOSTLY HANDLING JUST THE CRIMINAL CASES.

UM, THOSE SPEEDING TICKETS, OFFENSES, FOLLOWED BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN A COURT OF RECORD, IT, CHAPTER 30, DOES REQUIRE THAT WE RECORD, HAVE A RECORDED TRANSCRIPT OF ANY TRIAL THAT WE HAVE.

SO WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A RECORDING DEVICE OR A COURT REPORTER.

MOST MUNICIPAL COURTS JUST HAVE A RECORDING DEVICE TO HANDLE THAT.

AND WE THINK THAT WOULD WORK WELL FOR US.

BUT IN A COURT OF NON RECORD, THERE'S NO NO REQUIREMENT TO RECORD OR HAVE A TRANSCRIPT IN A COURT OF NON RECORD.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REQUIREMENT FOR THE JUDGE TO BE AN ATTORNEY IN CEDAR HILL.

THOUGH WE DO HAVE A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT FOR RESIDENCY.

IT'S UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL.

IT DOES REQUIRE THE JUDGE TO BE A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL.

NOT THE ASSOCIATE JUDGES, BUT JUST THE, THE PRESIDING JUDGE.

HOWEVER, IN A CHAPTER 30 FOR A COURT OF RECORD, CHAPTER 30 SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THE JUDGE MUST BE AN ATTORNEY.

HE MUST HAVE LIVED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND MUST BE PRACTICING LAW IN THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS.

SO IN THE NEXT, UM, CHAPTER AUTHORITY DOES, DOES NOT HAVE A RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT AS FAR AS LIVING WITHIN THE CITY, UH, FOR THE JUDGE.

BUT IT JUST SAYS THEY HAVE TO LIVE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AGAIN, THE CITY CHARTER DOES REQUIRE THAT.

HERE FOR OUR NON RECORD COURT, THE BIGGEST CHANGE I THINK WILL BE FOR OUR COURT STAFF WILL BE THE APPEALS AND HOW APPEALS ARE HANDLED AND WHAT WE WILL SEE.

SO EVERY DEFENDANT HAS THE RIGHT TO APPEAL THEIR CASE IF THEY'RE FOUND GUILTY AT TRIAL.

SO I TALKED A MOMENT AGO ABOUT THE LEAPFROG APPEALS.

THOSE APPEALS THAT HAPPEN BEFORE THEY EVER GET TO AN ACTUAL TRIAL, THEY JUST GET APPEALED OUT OF OUR CASE, OUT OF OUR COURT.

WELL, IN A COURT OF NON RECORD, IF A CASE IS APPEALED AFTER TRIAL, IT GOES TO THE COUNTY AND THEY GET AN ENTIRE NEW TRIAL.

LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED IN OUR COURT.

IT'S CALLED A TRIAL DE NOVO.

IT HAPPENS IN THE COUNTY COURT.

THE, THE, AGAIN, OUR OFFICER WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THE COUNTY TO TESTIFY.

AND ANY JUDGMENT OR ENFORCEMENT THAT HAPPENED WILL STAY WITH THE COUNTY.

IT WILL, WE WILL NEVER HEAR ANYMORE ABOUT THAT 'CAUSE IT'S NO LONGER OUR CASE.

HOWEVER, IN A COURT OF RECORD, THE APPEAL IS BASED BASICALLY ON ERRORS IN THE RECORD.

SO THE COURT IS REQUIRED TO RECORD, RECORD THE TRIAL.

THE DEFENDANT PLEADS NOT GUILTY, GOES TO TRIAL, IS FOUND GUILTY.

THEY WANT TO ENTER A PLEA, THEY WANT TO APPEAL THEIR GUILTY CONVICTION.

THEY HAVE AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO DO THAT, AND WE CERTAINLY WANT THEM TO DO THAT.

SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE, THERE'S CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THEY WOULD HAVE TO FILE, UM, A REQUEST FOR A NEW TRIAL, THE MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL.

AND THEY'D HAVE TO SPELL OUT WHAT THOSE ERRORS WERE IN THAT RECORD.

IF THE JUDGE DENIES THAT MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL, A TRANSCRIPT WOULD BE MADE OF THAT RECORDING.

THE WHOLE CASE WOULD BE SENT TO THE COUNTY.

THE COUNTY JUDGE WOULD THEN JUST REVIEW THE RECORD FOR ANY ERRORS THAT WERE MADE AT THE TRIAL.

IF THERE WERE NO ERRORS MADE AT THE TRIAL, THEY'LL REMAND THAT BACK TO OUR COURT.

THEY'LL TELL US WE UPHOLD THE ORIGINAL DECISION OF THE COURT AND THAT CASE STAYS WITH US.

AND ANY PUNISHMENT OR ENFORCEMENT WOULD STAY WITH OUR COURT.

IF THEY DID FIND AN ERROR IN THE RECORD, , THERE WAS AN ERROR IN THE TRIAL, THEY WOULD STILL SEND IT BACK TO OUR COURT.

AND WE WOULD HAVE A NEW TRIAL IN THE CEDAR HILL MUNICIPAL COURT.

SO WE'D BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT HERE WITH OURSELVES.

AND THAT'S, TO ME THE BIGGEST, THAT'LL BE THE BIGGEST CHANGE FOR US, IS OUR PROCESSES ABOUT THE ACTUAL APPEALS AND HOW THEY'RE HANDLED ON THIS SCREEN.

WE'LL SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE CIVIL CASES THAT WE MAY SEE SOME OF THOSE UNIQUE CASES THAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY START SEEING WITHIN OUR COURT IF WE DID BECOME A COURT OF RECORD.

UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, JUNK VEHICLES, DANGEROUS ANIMALS, DANGEROUS STRUCTURES, SOME ZONING COMPLIANCE, UM, ISSUE, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE SEARCH WARRANTS.

SO CURRENTLY OUR JUDGES IN A COURT OF NON RECORD, THEY DON'T HAVE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE SEARCH WARRANTS.

AND THERE'S ALSO SOME ADDITIONAL WARRANTS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS SIGNED FROM TIME TO TIME THAT OUR JUDGES CANNOT HANDLE IN OUR COURT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A COURT OF RECORD.

SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO TO ANOTHER CITY, ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES, TO A COURT OF RECORD AND FIND THE JUDGE TO GET THOSE SIGNATURES.

WE FEEL THAT IT WOULD BENEFIT OUR CITY AND BETTER SERVE OUR CITIZENS AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IF THEY COULD HANDLE ALL THAT HERE IN OUR COURT.

SO IF THE COUNSEL FEELS THAT THIS TIME IS RIGHT AND WE WANT TO MOVE TO A COURT OF RECORD, THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS THAT WE WOULD HAVE, SOME THINGS THAT WE'D HAVE TO DO.

SO THE JUDGE MUST BE, A LICENSED ATTORNEY MUST HAVE TWO OR MORE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

[00:20:01]

WE WOULD HAVE TO RECORD THOSE, UM, HEARINGS.

THOSE TRIALS, NOT HEARINGS.

LEMME BE REALLY CLEAR.

WE'RE NOT GONNA BE RECORDING EVERY SINGLE THING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR COURT.

WE'RE ONLY GOING TO RECORD TRIALS.

ONLY THE TRIALS ARE GONNA BE RECORDED.

BUT WE WOULD NEED A RECORDING DEVICE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

WE WOULD NEED TO CREATE A NEW COURT SEAL.

EVERY DOCUMENT THAT GOES OUT OF OUR COURT IS AUTHENTICATED BY A COURT SEAL.

IT CAN BE A RUBBER STAMP.

IT CAN ALSO BE EMBEDDED INTO THE DOCUMENTS.

BUT THERE'S SOME SPECIFIC WORDING, UM, FROM STATUTE, UH, FROM 30 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE THAT TELLS US THE WORDING THAT HAS TO BE ON THAT SEAL.

SO WE'D NEED TO DO THAT .

UM, ALSO WE WOULD NEED TO ESTABLISH AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING THE COURT OF RECORD.

SO THERE ARE GONNA BE SOME BENEFITS.

IF WE DO BECOME A COURT OF RECORD, WE FEEL THAT, UM, IT'S GONNA GIVE US THE ABILITY TO EXPAND OUR JURISDICTION TO NOT ONLY THOSE CIVIL, THOSE CRIMINAL, BUT ALSO SOME OF THOSE CIVIL CASES THAT MAYBE NOW ARE HEARD AT THE COUNTY OR AT A JB COURT.

WE COULD HAVE, WE COULD HANDLE THOSE HERE IN THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL.

IT'LL REDUCE THE NUMBER OF APPEALS TO THE COUNTY.

UH, THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO ADMINISTER THOSE, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE SEARCH WARRANTS TO ISSUE THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE SEARCH WARRANTS OR THOSE ADDITIONAL WARRANTS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MAY NEED TO BE SIGNED THAT CURRENTLY AREN'T ABLE TO BE HANDLED IN OUR COURT.

THERE ARE SOME REQUIREMENTS, THOUGH.

SOME THINGS THAT WE'LL NEED TO DO.

WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE, UM, SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR GENERAL PROCESSES.

SO THERE MAY BE SOME TRAINING WE HAVE TO DO WITH OUR COURT STAFF AND THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THIS CHANGE.

WE WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE THAT RECORDING DEVICE, GET SOME TRAINING ON THAT.

AND THEN WE'D NEED TO IMPLEMENT A, UM, RETENTION PERIOD, HAVE A POLICY BASICALLY IN, IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING THE STATE'S GUIDELINES ON HOW LONG WE HOLD THOSE RECORDINGS FOR THOSE TRIALS.

UM, CHAPTER 30 TELLS US THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THEM FOR 20 DAYS.

AND AT THE END OF THE 20 DAY PERIOD, THAT APPEAL TIMEFRAME HAS, HAS ENDED.

AND WE CAN NOW DESTROY THOSE RECORDINGS.

WE DON'T HAVE TO HOLD ONTO THOSE.

SO AS WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THIS, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE IMPACT ON OUR COURT STAFF, WE COULD HANDLE THIS, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA BE TOO MUCH FOR US.

AND WE FEEL THAT WITH OUR CURRENT STAFF, WE CAN CERTAINLY HANDLE THIS.

WE THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE THOSE, MAYBE SOME OF THOSE NEW CIVIL ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS IN OUR COURT.

BUT WE DEFINITELY KNOW THAT THOSE TRIALS ARE GONNA GO DOWN, ESPECIALLY THOSE LEAPFROG APPEALS.

THOSE, AND I'M SORRY, NOT TRIALS, THOSE LEAPFROG APPEALS ARE GONNA DECREASE.

SO THE NEXT STEPS, , IS TO RECEIVE SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOU GUYS.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR COUNCIL FEEDBACK AND HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS.

DO YOU THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR US? WE NEED TO REVIEW OUR EXISTING ORDINANCES, MAKE ANY POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES.

IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED OR CHANGED, UH, TO HANDLE THOSE NEW CIVIL ENFORCEMENTS.

IF THAT'S SOMETHING WE WANNA DO AS A CITY, WE WOULD NEED TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE AND SCHEDULE A TIME FOR, UM, DECLARING THE MUNICIPAL COURT AS A COURT OF RECORD AND SCHEDULE A TIME FOR THE COUNCIL TO ACTUALLY APPROVE THAT ORDINANCE.

IF YOU DO, PHIL, THAT THIS IS THE TIME TO, TO MOVE FORWARD AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DO FOR OUR COURT AND IT WOULD BENEFIT OUR CITY.

THERE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS.

SO CURRENTLY WE REAPPOINT OUR JUDGE, OUR MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGES, EVERY TWO YEARS.

WE WOULD NEED TO DETERMINE DO WE WANNA CONTINUE WITH THAT SCHEDULE OR DO WE WANNA EXTEND THAT FOR FOUR YEARS? WE WOULD NEED TO WORK WITH THE MAYOR TO CREATE A PROCESS FOR APPOINTING THE MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, THE PRESIDING JUDGE, AND THE ASSOCIATE JUDGE PER STATE GUIDELINES.

WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE A GOOD RECORDING DEVICE SO WE CAN RECORD OUR TRIALS.

I KNOW OUR IT DEPARTMENT, WE'VE ALREADY KINDA SPOKEN WITH THEM AND THEY'VE ASSURED ME THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND FOR US.

UM, WE WOULD NEED TO GET THAT NEW COURT SEAL CREATED.

WE HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT WHAT THAT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, BUT WE DEFINITELY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT FOLLOWS THE STATE GUIDELINES AND HAS THE CORRECT LANGUAGE ON THERE.

AND THEN OF COURSE, WE'RE GONNA TRAIN OUR COURT PERSONNEL AND ALL THE, UH, DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE IMPACTED.

'CAUSE WE WANNA CONTINUE TO OFFER THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE TO OUR CUSTOMERS.

AND WITH THAT, THAT COMPLETES MY PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU FOR BEARING WITH MY NERVES, , AND I'M OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.

OH, YOU, UH, YOU, YOU DID GREAT.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR THANK, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THIS IS ACTUALLY, UH, PRETTY EXCITING.

AND, UH, I FEEL LIKE WE'RE KIND OF EMBARKING, UH, TO A NEW LEVEL, UH, WITH OUR CITY.

UH, I SEE WE HAVE A QUESTION FROM COUNCIL MEMBER HAYDEN.

YEAH.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

WELCOME.

I KNOW WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOWARD THIS FOR A WHILE, SO YES SIR.

CONGRATULATIONS ON WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.

THANK YOU.

UM, WHAT IS THE TIMELINE, UH, IN THIS PROCESS? WHAT DO YOU EXPECT IF WE, THINGS FOLLOW IN, IN THE DIRECTION YOU EXPECT? WHEN WOULD WE, UH, BE A COURT OF RECORD? PERFECT QUESTION.

SO THE MUNICIPAL COURT STAFF WOULD LOVE IT IF, UM, WE COULD MAKE THIS EFFECTIVE BY JANUARY ONE, OR THE FIRST PART OF THE CALENDAR YEAR OF 2024.

UM, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GONNA NEED TO DRAFT AN ORDINANCE AND COME BACK BEFORE YOU FOR YOU TO APPROVE THAT AND ADOPT THAT.

BUT THAT WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD HOPE THAT WOULD GIVE US A COUPLE OF MONTHS TO GET THAT RECORDING IN OUR COURTROOM.

SO WE'RE PREPARED FOR THAT.

DO A LITTLE BIT OF TRAINING.

UM, THE COURTS I WORKED AT BEFORE I WAS, WERE A COURT OF RECORD.

I HAVE ABOUT 17 YEARS OF PRIOR EXPERIENCE BEFORE COMING TO THE CITY OF CEDAR HILL.

[00:25:01]

SO I'M WELL VERSED IN THE REQUIREMENTS AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

I'M READY TO TRAIN, READY TO PUT THIS IN PLACE.

AND WE'RE EXCITED.

THANK YOU MAYOR PRO.

TIM SIMS. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SO WE HAVE TWO ITEMS THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO RESOLVE AS I SEE IT.

ONE, WE GOT A CHARTER THAT SAYS THAT OUR PRESIDING JUDGE HAS TO BE A RESIDENT.

YES, SIR.

AND THEN THERE'S CHAPTER 30 THAT SAYS THAT THE PRESIDING JUDGE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE.

SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, WHEN WILL YOU BRING SOMETHING BACK TO US, A PART OF THIS PROCESS TO ADOPT CHAPTER 30? 'CAUSE IN THE ABSENCE OF ADOPTING CHAPTER 30, WE WE'RE, WE HAVE TO REVERT TO OUR CHARTER.

YES, SIR.

AND, AND SO WHEN DOES CHAPTER 30 ADOPTION COME TOWARD THE COUNCIL? I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO DO THAT AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

OKAY.

IF THAT'S SOMETHING Y'ALL ARE OPEN FOR, WE'D BE THRILLED.

WE'LL BE READY FOR THAT.

BE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

ALRIGHT.

UH, COUNCIL MEMBER AZI.

HI.

HI.

I HEAR YOU.

THANK YOU.

UM, I WANNA THANK YOU.

UM, I WANNA ASK, AND I MAY BE A LITTLE BEHIND 'CAUSE EVERYONE SEEMS VERY EXCITED AND IT'S VERY EXCITING TO ME TOO.

UM, BUT I ALWAYS GO BACK TO MY OPERATIONAL THINKING AND THAT IS, SO WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING, UM, MAYBE STAFF AND IT LOOKS LIKE MAYBE SOME RECORDING EQUIPMENT AND A FEW OTHER THINGS.

IS THE THOUGHT THAT, UM, THE FEED GENERATION IS GOING TO COVER THAT? OR IS IT ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF IN THE BUDGET? OR HAS THAT BEEN A CONSIDERATION? THAT'S A FABULOUS QUESTION.

SO I DON'T FEEL RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY THAT WE WOULD NEED TO ADD STAFF.

I THINK OUR CURRENT STAFF AS WE ARE, WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE ANY OF THE CHANGES.

UM, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THOSE LEAPFROG 27, 14 B PLEA OF FIELDS IS WHAT WE CALL THEM.

UM, WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.

WE HANDLE A VERY LARGE NUMBER, ABOUT 200.

AND I DID A LITTLE BIT OF A SURVEY ON THE OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION'S WEBSITE.

WE'RE REQUIRED TO, UM, REPORT THERE FOR MANY CITIES, INCLUDING THE CITY OF DALLAS OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS.

AND ALL OF THOSE 11 CITIES THAT I LOOKED AT ONLY HAD 25 TOTAL APPEALS.

POST-TRIAL APPEALS.

WE HANDLE OVER 200 IN OUR LITTLE BITTY COURT WITH OUR STAFF.

SO I FEEL LIKE, UM, AS WE SEE THOSE APPEALS GO DOWN, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO HANDLE ALL OF THE OTHER OPERATIONS.

AND THE RECORDING.

THE RECORDING.

SO THAT WAS A, THAT WAS A CONCERN OF MINE.

I'VE ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH OUR IT DEPARTMENT AND THEY'VE LET ME KNOW THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY ALREADY ABLE TO RECORD.

THEY HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND FOR US.

THE COST IS GONNA BE MINIMAL, IF ANYTHING YEAH.

IN OUR, IN OUR ROOM.

SO I'M SO SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN MCCURDY.

SO NOW MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UM, JUDGE PETTY, WHO WAS THE PRESIDING JUDGE RESIDED IN CEDAR HILL.

SO WE WERE IN COMPLIANCE WITH YES, SIR.

NOT BEING A COURT OF RECORD.

HOWEVER, WE CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE A PRESIDING JUDGE THAT RESIDES IN CEDAR HILL.

SO WE ARE CURRENTLY NOT IN COMPLIANCE, BUT THROUGH THIS CHANGE, WE WOULD BE BACK IN COMPLIANCE.

IS THAT CORRECT? SO WE ARE CURRENTLY STILL IN COMPLIANCE.

UH, BASICALLY THE STATUTES SAY THAT IF THE PRESIDING JUDGE IS UNAVAILABLE OR, OR LEAVES FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE CAN DEFER TO OUR ASSOCIATE JUDGE.

AND WE HAVE JUDGE SHALIN WHO HAS BEEN ACTUALLY SERVING OUR CITY FOR EIGHT YEARS THIS COMING UP YEAR, SEVEN YEARS.

OKAY.

HE'S BEEN SERVING US FOR SEVEN YEARS.

I KNOW I'VE BEEN HERE FOR FIVE AND A HALF, AND I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE PART OF THE REAPPOINTMENT FOR HIM OVER THE PAST FEW YEAR, FEW YEARS.

BUT HE'S BEEN SERVING OUR COURT ALL OF THESE YEARS ALREADY.

AND WE ARE STILL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT RIGHT NOW.

BUT HOPEFULLY THE, THE HOPE WOULD BE IF WE, UM, GO FORWARD AND WE CAN CORRECT THAT ISSUE IN CHAPTER 30.

IT MIGHT BE A POSSIBILITY THAT JUDGE SCHELLING COULD STEP IN IN VR PRESIDING JUDGE.

OKAY.

I, I THINK YOU, YOU, YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION.

OKAY.

, THANK YOU.

UH, I, I THINK THAT'S, UM, ALL THE QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL.

I, I, I THINK THE TAKEAWAY FROM THIS PRESENTATION IS, UM, THIS WOULD ALLOW, UM, OUR COURTS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT.

UH, ALSO GIVES, UM, SOME ACCESS FROM OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB MORE DILIGENTLY.

UM, I WOULD, UM, LOVE TO WORK WITH WITHOUT YOU COUNSEL, I'M, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A, A TWO YEAR, UM, UH, I GUESS TERM FOR A JUDGE, UH, COUNSEL, IF YOU'RE OKAY WITH THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, MOVE TO A FOUR YEAR APPOINTMENT.

UH, ARE THERE ANY OBJECTIONS, UM, TO, TO DOING THAT? MS. MIRANDA, YOU, YOU ASKED VERY GOOD QUESTIONS.

I KNOW WE, I KNOW WE KIND OF BEEN DOING THIS FOR A WHILE, A WHILE, BUT YEAH.

OKAY.

YEAH, JUST THE TWO YEAR APPOINTMENT JUST SEEMED LIKE IT'S A BLINK OF AN EYE.

YOU'RE BACK UP HERE AGAIN AND WE JUST PRETTY MUCH DOING A REAPPOINTMENT.

BUT IF IT'S A FOUR YEAR, YOU KNOW, CYCLE, I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY DO BETTER OF AN EVALUATION, YOU KNOW, IN THAT POSITION.

SO, UH, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS THINKING, COUNSEL.

UH, BUT I, I'M ALL FOR IT.

YOU SEE, UM, YOU KNOW,

[00:30:01]

YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF LATE IN THE GAME TO OUR NEIGHBORS WHO, WHO'S ABOUT OUR SIZE OR, OR, OR, OR EVEN SMALLER, UH, THAT'S ALREADY MOVED TO A COURT OF RECORD MM-HMM.

.

UH, BUT I THINK THIS WILL MAKE US EVOLVE INTO A MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS.

SO, UH, I THINK THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, GREAT FOR US TO, TO LEAN INTO WONDERFUL, EXCITING NEWS FOR US.

ALL RIGHT.

ALRIGHT.

COVER.

YOU'RE GOOD.

OKAY.

, THANK YOU FOR YOUR APPRECIATION.

THANK YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE THE TIME.

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU SHORTLY.

OH, UH, BOBBY, ONE MORE QUESTION.

YES.

UH, I GUESS WHENEVER YOU COME BACK TO US FOR CHAPTER, FOR THE, UH, FOR THE CHAPTER 30.

YES.

UM, IT, THAT, THAT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME TIME YOU'LL BRING THE ORDINANCE TO US.

WE HAVE TO ADOPT 31ST AND THEN THE ORDINANCE, OR, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND, UH, THINK THAT MY CITY MANAGER QUESTION.

NO, I BELIEVE THE ORDINANCE, IT DOES ADOPT CHAPTER 30 PART PROCESS.

PERFECT.

THAT WORKED.

THAT WORKED.

OKAY.

ALRIGHT.

ANYTHING ELSE? I THINK THAT'S IT.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

APPRECIATE IT.

ALRIGHT COUNSEL, THAT LEADS US TO THE FINAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS TO ADJOURN.

MOTION TO ADJOURN.

I DO HAVE A MOTION.

DO I HAVE SECOND? SECOND.

AS A NON DEBATABLE MOTION.

ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

ALL IN FAVOR MOVES UNANIMOUSLY.

UH, COUNSEL, IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'D LIKE TO ROLL RIGHT INTO THE COUNCIL MEETING.

THAT OKAY.

ALRIGHT.