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[CALL TO ORDER]
YOU READY? DENNIS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AGAIN, WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING.WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12TH, 2022, AND THE METROPOLITAN CHAMBERS.
ASHLEY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM? WE HAVE A QUORUM ITEM, NUMBER ONE,
[1. 21-01755]
APPOINTING A REPLACEMENT TO FILL THE VACANCY CREATED ON THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL AND DISTRICT FIVE SEAT BY THE ELECTION OF ERICA GREENS, A FAMILY COURT OF EAST BATON ROUGE BY COUNCILMAN DWIGHT, HUSSON COUNCILMAN BRANDON, NOAH AND COUNCIL WOMAN, LAURIE ADAMS. THE WAY THE PROCESS IS GOING TO WORK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE FOUR CANDIDATES WHO SUBMITTED THEIR NAMES FOR CONSIDERATION TO COME UP BY ALPHABETICAL ORDER.AND I'M GOING TO GIVE THEM THREE MINUTES TO SAY WHATEVER THEY CHOOSE TO SAY.
AND THEN FROM THERE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE ITEM, WHICH MEANS ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO IS WISHING TO SPEAK WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS, UH, WHAT THE PROCESS IS GOING TO BE WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FIRST FROM EDNA BUCHANAN.
THAT'S SO WITHOUT THAT, UH, THANK YOU FOR CONSIDERING ME FOR THE POSITION AND I PROMISE YOU, I WON'T DISAPPOINT YOU.
THEY COULD NOT HEAR YOU AT HOME AT HOME.
THEY COULDN'T HEAR YOU AT HOME IN THE, IN THE VIEWING AUDIENCE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WERE AWARE AND WE CAN SEND THEM A TRANSCRIPT.
THANK YOU, MR. MCKENNEY WORKING NOW.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE, I THINK EVERYONE HERE HURTS YOU.
NEXT, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM, UH, MARQUETTA CUNNINGHAM, COTTINGHAM COTTON.
WE NOW WE'LL HEAR FROM DOW HURST.
MAKE SURE THAT MIKE IS ON THE GREEN AND SHOWN AT THE BOTTOM, THE GREEN LIGHT AT THE BOTTOM.
UM, Y'ALL MIND IF I MOVE MY MASTER SPEAKER? GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DISTRICT, MY ENTIRE LIFE.
UM, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF, AT LEAST FOR US, THE BATON ROUGE, A NONPROFIT.
SO I AM IN THE COMMUNITY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, I OWN HD COMMUNICATIONS OF LOUISIANA, UH, THRIVING AT AND T BUSINESS FRANCHISE.
UM, I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL WIFE AND TWO KIDS, SO I'M A FAMILY MAN, AND I'M THE PARKING LOT DIRECTOR AT UNION CITY CHAPEL.
UM, NORTH BATON ROUGE IS WHERE I GREW UP, UH, PRE COVID WITH THE LEAD SPORTS OF BATON ROUGE.
WE'VE WORKED WITH OVER 1500 KIDS PER YEAR TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAD SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.
WE'LL USE SPORTS AS A TOOL TO TAKE KIDS.
AND THEN WE IMPART LIFE SKILLS, UM, COMMUNITY, UH, SERVICE WORK ETHIC, AND THEN WE PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES.
UM, THE REASON THAT I'M HERE TODAY IS BECAUSE WITHOUT ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, THERE WILL BE NO GROWTH.
I'M GOING TO SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME WITHOUT ECONOMIC GROWTH IN NORTH BATON ROUGE, THERE WILL BE NO GROWTH.
AND SO I'VE HAD THE FORTUNATE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH SEVERAL OF YOU AND EXPRESS MY THREE-PART PLAN TO ENSURE THAT NORTH BATON ROUGE WAS NOT JUST DISTRICT FIVE, HAS WHAT IT NEEDS BECAUSE WHEN NORTH BATON ROUGE GROWS, BATON ROUGE IS A BETTER PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY.
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I'VE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY.UM, YOU GUYS REALIZE THAT I HAVE FOUGHT TO HAVE THIS SEAT PREVIOUSLY AND WHILE UNSUCCESSFUL GAIN A TON OF SICK, UH, COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT I STILL, UH, THEY'RE STILL BEING LENDED TO ME TODAY.
AND, UM, I WILL LEAVE WITH THIS.
I WON'T TAKE UP ALL OF MY TIME, BUT, UM, WE CAN WANT UNITY.
UM, WE CAN WANT ECONOMIC GROWTH.
WE CAN WANT COMMUNITY SERVICE, BUT IF WE DON'T CONTINUE THE UNIFIED VOICE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE HAD OVER THIS PAST YEAR, I THINK IT'S, I'VE BEEN TO TONS OF COUNCIL MEETINGS.
AND I THINK WE'VE SEEN MORE PEACE IN THE LAST YEAR THAN I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST 20 YEARS.
AND SO WHAT WE NEED IS SOMEBODY WHO CAN WORK WITH BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
WE'RE NOT GONNA AGREE ON EVERYTHING.
RIGHT? WE COME FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, THE PARTS OF THE CITIES DIFFERENT NEEDS.
AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR THE SAME RESOURCES.
AND I HAVE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THAT, BUT I AM HERE TO BE PEACEFUL.
I'M HERE TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE THAT WANT ME TO BE IN THE SEAT, AND THAT WILL POTENTIALLY, UM, FIGHT TO ENSURE THAT I STAY IN THE SEAT AND, UH, BY DOING THAT, MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE REPRESENTED, BUT ALSO THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE EVERYBODY A COLLECTIVE VOICE TO MAKE BATTERIES BETTER.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
AND I ASKED FOR THE APPOINTMENT, THANK YOU, MR. HARRIS.
NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM DARREN SALINAS FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE, TO SPEAK ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TODAY, I CAN COME BEFORE YOU RIGHT NOW.
AND I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT ALL OF MY EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENTS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT 80% OF MY SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT IS INSIDE OF DISTRICT FIVE.
SO I CURRENTLY REPRESENT A MAJORITY OF THOSE CITIZENS TO THIS DAY.
I CAN TELL YOU BY VIRTUE OF THE JOB THAT I SERVE INSIDE OF THIS CITY, WE'RE ALREADY TALKING ABOUT HOW YOU TACKLE CRIME, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND ALL OF THOSE GREAT THINGS, BUT THAT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT MATTERS TODAY IS THAT THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT FIVE HAVE A TRUE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE FOR THE PERSON WHO THEY WANT TO SERVE THEM, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT DEMOCRACY IS.
AND THAT WAS THE, THAT IS WHAT OUR DEMOCRACY IS BUILT UPON.
THIS ELECTED BODY HAS A CHOICE TODAY.
YOU CAN SELECT SOMEONE THAT CAN RUN FOR THIS SEAT AND GIVE THEM AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE.
TODAY, I TAKE A BACK SEAT AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
I'M GOING TO TELL YOU TO DO THIS.
ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO RUN FOR DISTRICT FIVE SEAT, LET THEM MAKE SURE THAT THEY QUALIFY AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND ON MARCH 26, LET THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT FIVE DECIDE WHO THEY WANT FOR THE SEAT.
I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN, ANYONE THAT WANTS TO RUN FOR THIS SEAT, LET THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT FIVE DECIDE WHO THEY WANT TO BE IN THIS SEAT FOR FAR TOO LONG.
IT HAS THE LARGEST POPULATION OF BLACK VOTERS IN OUR ENTIRE CITY AND PARISH.
AND THEY NEED PROPER REPRESENTATION, NO ONE OR NOT.
SO ONE, WHO'S GOING TO COME IN AND TRY TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO BUILD AND PROP THEMSELVES UP.
I DIDN'T COME IN TODAY TO TALK ABOUT POLITICS.
I DIDN'T COME HERE TODAY TO TRY TO PITCH MY IDEA OF HOW I'M GOING TO CAMPAIGN.
WHAT I CAME HERE TO DATE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I SAY THAT PEOPLE AT DISTRICT FIVE DESERVES PROPER REPRESENTATION.
AND IF THAT MEANS THAT YOU ALL SELECT SOMEONE WHO HAS NO DEALING IN WANTING TO RUN FOR THE SEAT, THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
AND THAT'S WHAT I ASKED YOU TO DO.
GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT WHO THEY WANT.
CAUSE I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO QUALIFY, I WILL BE THERE AND I WILL HAVE MY NAME DOWN ON MARCH 26.
THAT'S MY PROMISE TO MY DISTRICT BECAUSE I LOOK TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY IN THOSE 10 WEEKS TO ENSURE THAT I EARNED EVERY SINGLE VOTE.
UH, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM? ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THE ITEM, BUT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE? MA'AM GOOD AFTERNOON.
I LIVE AT 2 6, 7, 7 AMARILLO STREET.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT FIVE AS A FORMER LEGISLATIVE AID AND ALSO A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE.
I HAVE A GREAT APPRECIATION FOR WHAT MY COMMUNITY NEEDS AND I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT BOTH GENTLEMEN, UH, AND THE, UH, BEAUTIFUL WOMAN HERE TODAY THAT HAVE RAISED THEIR HAND TO SAY THAT THEY WANT TO SERVE OUR DISTRICT.
UH, BUT I LIKE TO SPEAK MY SUPPORT FOR DARRELL HERS.
I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH HIM FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND I BELIEVE THAT HE'S THE KIND OF PERSON WHO IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO CONSTITUENTS.
HE'S ABSOLUTELY A LEADER, BUT NOT A PUSHY
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PERSON, UH, IN TERMS OF WANTING HIS WAY.HE'S VERY, WELL-RESEARCHED, HE'S THE KIND OF PERSON THAT, UH, HAS STRONG OPINIONS, BUT THEY'RE BACKED BY SOMETHING SUPER OPEN-MINDED.
AND THAT'S THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP THAT I BELIEVE OUR COMMUNITY DESERVES.
I PERSONALLY WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE THE SEAT UNFILLED BY SOMEONE WHO COULD REPRESENT OUR DISTRICT.
WELL, I THINK TODAY IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO APPOINT SOMEONE WHO CAN REPRESENT OUR DISTRICT.
AND I DEFINITELY BELIEVE THAT ON ELECTION DAY, WE CAN CONTINUE THE WORK WITH WHOEVER WINS THE ELECTION.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM BACK THERE? LISTEN MORE NOW.
GOOD AFTERNOON, REVEREND ALEXIS ANDERSON, UH, 2 48 STEEL BOULEVARD.
HE SPENDERS FAIRS, UH, AS I'VE MENTIONED, UH, PREVIOUSLY, WHILE I DO NOT LIVE IN THE DISTRICT AND I HAVE GREAT CONNECTIONS IN THAT DISTRICT AND A LOT OF WONDERFUL MEMORIES IN THAT DISTRICT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WHEN THIS SEAT FIRST BECAME AVAILABLE WAS THE SHEER FACT THAT WE KEEP REINVENTING THE WHEEL.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS SEAT DOESN'T JUST REPRESENT DISTRICT FIVE.
WE ARE AT A CRUCIAL AND IMPORTANT PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY FOR REDISTRICTING, FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS.
BUT THE TRUTH IS WE HAVE ANOTHER SEAT THAT IS POTENTIALLY GOING TO BECOME VACANT IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND I THINK THE FAIR THING, THE LEGITIMATE THING IS TO SELECT CANDIDATES WHO WILL COMMIT TO NOT RUNNING, TO SIT IN THESE INTERIM SEATS.
AND THE REASON I BELIEVE THAT SO FIRMLY IS BECAUSE THE CITIZENS OF EACH, THESE DISTRICTS HAVE A RIGHT TO PICK THEIR OWN, THEIR OWN LEGISLATORS.
AND THE REALITY IS IN ORDER TO BE PICKED FOR THIS SEAT, THERE IS HORSE TRADING THAT GOES ON AND AT ESSENTIALLY TAKES AWAY THE RIGHTS OF THOSE DISTRICT CANDIDATES AND THOSE DISTRICTS CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE AN HONEST APPEAL TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO AGAIN, I DO NOT PRETEND TO BE A MEMBER OF THAT COMMUNITY.
IT HAS GREAT MEMORIES TO ME AND RONNIE EDWARDS WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, BUT I ALSO BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY.
AND AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I THINK THE MOXY SAYS A CARETAKER SHOULD BE JUST THAT A CARETAKER.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM? I SEE SOMEONE ELSE COMING.
UM, MY NAME IS RAYMOND ALMOND, 1 2 5 1 7 IRELAND AVENUE, UH, 7 0 8 1 4.
I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT FOR 30 YEARS RAISED BOTH OF MY CHILDREN THERE.
I MET DERRIUS LAINEZ ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO.
HE WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE, MY DAD THAT LATE BISHOP RICHARD P ALMOND, SENIOR WHO PASTORS FULL GOSPEL THERE ON MICKENS, WHICH IS IN THE DISTRICT.
AND ONE OF THE MAJOR LAND OWNERS THERE WITH THE MACKEY CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, SAID, LOOK, UH, A YOUNG MAN CAME TO MY DOOR.
I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO MEET HIM.
I GAVE HIM A CONTRIBUTION AND TOLD HIM I WANTED HIM TO MEET MY SON.
AND SO I MET, UM, DAIRIES AT THAT TIME.
UM, IN 2018, HE DIDN'T, HE DIDN'T PREVAIL IN 2010.
AND SO THAT'S 12 YEARS AGO THAT HE WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE AS A YOUNG MAN.
UM, BUT THEN IN 2018, HE DECIDED TO RUN FOR SCHOOL BOARD AND BEAT AN INCUMBENT FOR THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.
THAT SHOWED ME THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THAT DISTRICT, UM, BELIEVED IN HIS VISION AND LEADERSHIP.
HE HAS SERVED WELL THE PAST FOUR YEARS ON THE SECOND LARGEST ENTITY OF GOVERNMENT, RIGHT IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH WITH SOME $700 MILLION BUDGET.
YOU GUYS ARE A LITTLE BIT ABOVE THAT.
UM, BUT HE'S WRITTEN POLICY, GOTTEN POLICY PASS WITH THE OTHER EIGHT MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
AND SO HE HAS EXPERIENCE DOING THIS IS NOT HYPOTHETICAL.
UM, HE GOT, HE HAS EXPERIENCE.
HE HAS FOUR DEGREES, INCLUDING A JURIS DOCTORATE.
SO HE HAS STUDIED AND HE HAS, UH, UH, EARNED DEGREES.
UM, AND THEN HE'S FOR THE PEOPLE NOT HIMSELF.
SO HE CAME UP HERE TODAY AND SAY, LOOK, YOU KNOW, DON'T EVEN APPOINT ME.
MY DAD WOULD ALWAYS TELL ME THE BEST PEOPLE TO SERVE ARE THE ONES THAT DON'T WANT IT.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE LIMELIGHT, THAT'S THE WRONG ONE.
UM, BUT HE IS FOR THE PEOPLE IS DEDICATED TO THIS COMMUNITY AS THE HEAD OF THE A HUNDRED BLACK MEN.
HE STARTED IN THE CLASSROOM IN GLEN
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OAKS, UH, AND BORN AND RAISED IN GLEN OAKS.AND SO, UM, I ASKED YOU TO CONSIDER DARIOUS.
HE'S A YOUNG MAN THAT IS SOMBER AND COMMITTED.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM ONE? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
BEFORE WE GO TO COUNCIL MEMBERS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS BEFORE WE GO TO ITEM ONE, LET'S TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS THING.
CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER, LIKE TO CALL THE MEETING BACK TO ORDER, UH, AT THIS TIME.
AND WE'LL RECOGNIZE, UH, CALENDER COLEMAN COUNCIL MEMBER COLEMAN.
I SAY GOOD AFTERNOON TO EVERYBODY THAT HAS ASSEMBLED HERE AND GRATEFUL FOR THE DESIRE OF ALL THE FOLK TO DO WHATSOEVER, WHATSOEVER AND SERVING IN THAT DISTRICT.
AND FIVE THERE, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION AT THIS TIME.
AND MY MOTION IS THAT WE SEEK A DOWEL HEARSE FOR THIS POSITION.
THAT'S BEEN A MOTION AND SECOND, ANYBODY ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK? ANYBODY ELSE? COULD YOU JUST SPEAK A SHADOW? YES.
UM, I'VE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE WHO HAS, UM, APPLIED FOR THIS SEAT.
UM, AS I STATED BEFORE, AND, UH, MUCH OF THE LEGISLATION THAT I'VE DONE REGARDING THIS PROCESS HAS BEEN BUILT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF FIRST OF ALL, IT'D BEING OPEN TO EVERYONE, NOT JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, BASED ON TRADITION WHERE THE PERSON THAT IS LEAVING THE SEAT, UM, HAS THE ADVANTAGE OF COURSE, OF, OF, UM, UH, OF THEIR SUCCESSOR.
AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I THINK THIS PROCESS HAS WORKED.
UM, HOWEVER, ONE OF THE THINGS AND, AND IT ELUDES TO WHAT UM, DAD HAS SAID IS IN DEMOCRACY, ONE OF THE REASONS AND THE, THAT WE WERE SO, UM, MUCH INTERESTED IN HAVING THIS C FOR THREE MONTHS, UH, VERSUS THROUGH NOVEMBER IS FIRST OF ALL, TO GIVE THE RESIDENTS OF DISTRICT FIVE AND ALL AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE THEIR OWN LEADER FOR THE LONG, FOR THE LONGEST TIME, I BELIEVE THAT DURING THE BRIEF TIME OF THREE MONTHS, ANYONE THAT WANTS THIS SEAT, THEY SHOULD BE ENGAGING THEIR DISTRICT.
THEY SHOULD HAVE 100% BEING ABLE TO CAMPAIGN, MEET THE CONSTITUENTS, LEARN THE NEEDS OF THIS.
THEY'RE VERY MUCH A DIVERSE DISTRICT.
THERE ARE A MONUMENTAL PROJECTS IN DISTRICT FIVE.
THEIR CRUCIAL PROBLEM WAS THE DISTRICT FIVE.
IT HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF HOMES THAT WERE IMPACTED BY THE FLOOD OF 2016.
IT HAS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF, UM, CRIME OF ALL OUR DISTRICTS.
IT ALSO HAS A HUGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN, UM, WITH THE PLANK ROAD PROJECT.
I DON'T THINK, AND ANYBODY THAT HAS SERVED IN THIS CAPACITY KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU WERE SETTING UP HERE AND YOU WERE FACING THE ELECTION, YOU BECOME DIFFERENT.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE SAME PERSON WHO WOULD BE SITTING HERE THREE MONTHS.
THEN YOU WOULD GET, WHEN THERE'S A CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T MAKE A MISTAKE.
WE DO THAT EVEN WHEN WE ARE RELAXING, THAT'S WHY IN THE LAST QUARTER, EVERYBODY GETS 90 DAYS, UH, TO DEFER THEIR, UM, THEIR PROPERTIES.
SO FOR THAT REASON, I WANT THE PEOPLE OF DISTRICT FIVE TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE EVERYBODY ON A FAIR AND A FAIR LEVEL WHERE THEY ARE ALL STARTING OUT AT THE JUMP.
I LIKE ANOTHER THING DANGEROUS SAID, I DON'T WANT NOBODY TO GIVE ME NOTHING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DEMOGRAPHICS REGARDING THIS DISTRICT, AND, UM, I HAD MY AID, UM, PUT IT UP AND HE DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE OF, THERE ARE ONLY FIVE OF THE SEVEN PERSONS ON HIS COUNCIL THAT ARE IN ANY WAY, CLOSE TO DISTRICT FIVE.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE ON THIS COUNCIL WHO CAN VOTE FOR, UH, WHO WOULD, WHO WOULD REJECT A CANDIDATE BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE CRITICAL BECAUSE THEY, UH, WHAT A ROMAN HAVE.
THEY HAVEN'T EVER EVEN MET HIM.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU CHOOSING A DISTRICT FIVE BASED ON BIASES.
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WITH THE MAJORITY OF REPUBLICAN WHITE DIM WHITE REPUBLICANS CHOOSING FOR THE MAJORITY, A MAJORITY BLACK DEMOCRATIC DIDN'T ASK NONE OF US, BUT WE, ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN ASKED BY FROM ONE OR AT LEAST TWO BLACK DEMOCRATS THAT HAVE DEMOGRAPHICS, THAT MIRROR DISTRICT FIVE THAT HAVE HAD TO SERVE IN A SARAH SER SURROGATE COUNCIL MEMBER CAPACITY TO VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE.NOW, IF YOU CAN'T AND THEY JUST STARTED HURT THEM, IT DOESN'T HURT THEM.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO HELP THE DISTRICT.
SO FOR ME, I BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE, I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANYONE.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU AREN'T RUNNING? NOT YET THAT YOU ARE WITHDRAWING YOUR NAME FROM, I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR.
NO PRESSURE COME TO THE MIC, HUH? YOU AIN'T GONNA TAKE MY TOWN WHILE HE ANSWERED I'LL GIVE YOU SOME TIMES.
SO NO, I'M NOT SAYING THAT I DON'T WANT THE APPOINTMENT.
WHAT I AM SAYING THOUGH, HOWEVER, IS TO KEEP THIS PROCESS CLEAR AND CLEAN FOR THIS COUNCIL AND FOR THE PEOPLE AT DISTRICT FIVE.
I THINK THAT ANYONE THAT IS RUNNING FOR THE SEAT, IF YOU TRULY CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE AT DISTRICT FIVE, GO OUT THERE AND EARN IT.
IF YOU TRULY DO CARE, GO OUT THERE AND EARN IT AND ALLOW THIS BODY, THIS ELECTED BODY TO SELECT SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY DESIRE, NOT THE DESIRES OF OUR OWN, BUT DESIRES OF THIS, OF THIS ELECTED BODY.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT'S CLASS THAT'S CLASS AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE EVERYBODY'S GOING TO BE, BUT I COULD TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, I'LL VOTE FOR YOU, JESSICA, AS A DAD.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT NOW THAT WITH BOTH OF YOU, JUST BECAUSE OF YOUR SELF SACRIFICE, INSANE.
IF THIS IS WHAT WOULD GET ALONG FOR THE PEOPLE, I DON'T MIND EARNING MINE.
THAT'S A MAN NOT TO SAY TO SOMEBODY ELSE.
PLEASE GIVE ME SHOWN OUT FIVE MINUTES.
I GAVE THEM 22 SECONDS BACK NOW ANOTHER FIVE MONTHS.
I LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPOINT DANGEROUS.
LANA'S TO THE DISTRICT FIVE VACANCY.
I SECOND THAT WITHOUT A VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST, IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK, ANYONE, HEAR WISHING TO SPEAK.
ANY OTHER PERSON WHO WISHES TO SPEAK, WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
WE'RE GONNA VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST.
CAN I JUST MOVE SO QUICK POINT OF WATER? I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WE, WE CAN ONLY VOTE ONCE EACH ROUND, RIGHT? YOU CAN ONLY VOTE FOR ONCE EACH ROUND.
SO ON THIS, UH, INITIAL SUBSTITUTE MOTION, YOU CAN VOTE.
UM, AND IF YOU THAT, BUT THEN IT STARTS A NEW MOTION TO APPOINT.
MR. HURST WOULD BE THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE MOTION, NOT ON LIKE A POINT LIKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A BOARD, CORRECT? I UNDERSTAND.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, EVERYONE, UH, FOR SUBMITTING YOUR NAME TO SERVE.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THIS BODY BECAUSE I DO RECOGNIZE THERE'S BEEN A TON OF CONVERSATION.
AND AS I'VE SAID, TIME AND TIME AGAIN, UH, WE CAN BE HARSH ON THE ISSUE.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO BE HARSH ON EACH OTHER.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I ALSO WANT TO SAY THERE ARE GOING TO BE TIMES WHEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WE SUPPORT.
I TOO AGREE, UH, WITH COUNCIL MEMBER BANKS, UH, THE, WE PERHAPS WOULD HAVE CHOSE OR SELECTED SOMEONE ELSE.
UH, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE PEOPLE WE CHOOSE OR SELECT, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE ONES CHOSEN.
AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO LIVE THERE.
SO WE'RE GOING TO LIVE WITH WHOEVER IS SELECTED TONIGHT.
I WOULD ASK THE COUNCIL, UH, TO LIVE WITH WHO IS EVER SELECTED FOR THE NEXT TWO TO THREE MONTHS.
AND THAT WE DO OUR VERY BEST TO WORK WITH THAT INDIVIDUAL.
AND THAT WE NOT TAKE THIS SELECTION PERSONAL.
WE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT PERSONAL, BUT WHAT WE DO NEED TO TAKE PERSONAL IS THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THIS COMMUNITY TO SERVE ALL OF THE 420,571 CONSTITUENTS WHO LIVE HERE.
AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE DO THAT.
SO WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, I KNOW YOU'RE WONDERING HOW I REMEMBER IT, BUT THAT'S THE EXACT NUMBER, UH, WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION FIRST, WHICH IS TO APPOINT DERRIUS LANDIS, UH, TO THE DISTRICT FIVE SEAT VACATED BY JUDGE.
UH, ERICA GREEN, UH, MACHINES ARE OPEN.
MACHINES ARE UP ON THE SUBSTITUTE
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MOTION TO APPOINT MR. LENA'S AND LET ME SAY THIS.IF YOU WILL NOT VOTING FOR THE PERSON, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO VOTE.
IF YOU'RE NOT VOTING FOR THE CANDIDATE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE, THEY HAVE TO VOTE MOTION FAILS.
NOW I'M GOING TO VOTE ON THE ORIGINAL MOTION, WHICH IS TO, UH, APPOINT DOW HERTZ TO THE DISTRICT FIVE SEAT VACATED BY JUDGE ERICA GREEN MACHINES, OR I'VE BEEN ON THE MOTION TO APPOINT MR. HURST.
WE'RE GOING TO, UH, WE CAN GET MS AROUND.
WE'RE GOING TO DO A, WE'RE GOING TO DO A COUPLE OF THINGS.
WE DON'T DO A COUPLE OF THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, WE ARE GOING TO, ARE YOU PLANNING TO SIT TONIGHT? MR. HARRIS COUNCIL MEMBERS, ARE YOU PLANNING TO SIT TONIGHT? SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE SWORN IN.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE FIVE MINUTES.
SO A COUNCIL MEMBER WANT ME TO CALL YOU A COUNCIL MEMBER AFTER YOU SWORN IN WE'RE GONNA, UM, A LOBBYIST HAS TO BE SWORN IN AND WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK AND PROCEED WITH OUR, UH, RECOGNITIONS.
YOU MENTIONED YOUR ATTORNEY'S MOTION TO ADJOURN.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MS. SAMUELSON A MOTION BY AMOROSA SECOND ABOVE US AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.