>>> GOOD AFTERNOON. WELCOME TO THE MAY 19th MEETING OF THE PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL. I WILL NOW CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. WILL THE CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. >> CLERK: COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI. >> HERE. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO? >> YES. >> COUNCILWOMAN GARR DARR DOUGH? >> HERE. >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN? >> HERE. >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR? COUNCILWOMAN STARK? >> HERE. >> COUNCILMAN WARING? >> HERE. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA? >> HERE. >> MAYOR GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: HERE. THANK YOU. MARIO IS HERE TO PROVIDE INTERPRETATION TODAY. WILL YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF? >> INTERPRETATION: YES, THANK YOU MAYOR. AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, MY NAME IS MARIO, AND TODAY TOGETHER WITH MY COLLEAGUE, WE'RE GOING TO BE SERVING AS TODAY'S SPANISH INTERPRETERS. WE WILL NOW TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES TO OUR SPANISH-SPEAKING AUDIENCE. [ SPEAKING SPANISH ] THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU SO MUCH YOUR SERVICES. >> THE RESOLUTION NUMBERS ON THE AGENDA WERE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THIS COUNCIL MEETING AND THEREFORE MAY BE READ BY TITLE OR AGENDA ITEM ONLY. 6849 THROUGH 6854, S-47541 THROUGH 47589 AND RESOLUTIONS 2924. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. WE'LL NEXT GO TO ITEMS 1 AND 2, WHICH ARE RELATED TO THE MEETING MINUTES. COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE LAST MEETING MINUTES? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES, I HAVE, AND I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >> SECOND. >> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN STARK. ANY COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SIGNAL AYE. >> ALL: AYE. >> ANY OPPOSED, NAY. PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. COUNCILMAN DICICCIO, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE MINUTES? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: I MOVE THEIR APPROVAL, MAYOR. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY COMMENTS? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNAL AYE. >> ALL: AYE. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ANY OPPOSED, NAY. PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE NEXT MOVE TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ITEMS 3 THROUGH 5. MYSELF HAVE AER GARCIA, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE -- DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES, MOTION TO APPROVE MAY 21 AND NOMINATIONS. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE DO HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON THESE ITEMS. ANDRE WILLIAMS AND ANDRE, WE WILL TAKE COMMENTS ON ITEMS 3 THROUGH 5 SO YOU CAN COMMENT ON TODAY'S BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS OR ANY OF THE OTHER ITEMS. IN OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS VALIDATIONS. ANDRE, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> MAYOR, IT DOES APPEAR THAT ANDRE IS NOT ON THE LINE. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WONDERFUL. WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR MAY 19th BOARD NOMINATIONS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. >> ALL: AYE. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ANY OPPOSED? NAY. PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM NUMBER 4, REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF A PORTION OF ITEM 3 FROM THE MAY 5th, 2021, CITY COUNCIL FORMAL MEETING. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> MAYOR, I MOVE TO RECONSIDER A PORTION OF ITEM 3 FROM THE MAY 5th, 2021, CITY COUNCIL FORMAL MEETING. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: NO. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: MAYOR, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THIS IS JUST FOR RECONSIDERATION, CORRECT? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR? STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING? I APOLOGIZE, COUNCILMAN. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH THANKS. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> PASSES 7-1. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ITEM 5 IS THE RECONSIDERATION OF ETHICS COMMISSIONS APPOINTMENTS. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> MAYOR, I MOVE TO APPROVE THE FIVE CANDIDATES FOR THE ETHICS COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? DICICCIO. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: NO. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: MAYOR, CAN I EXPLAIN MY VOTE? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: PLEASE DO. >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: I'LL MAKE MY COMMENTS SHORT AS THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH FROM THE LAST MEETING. I DON'T THINK THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS COMMISSION IS WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE. MOST OF US VOTING TODAY WERE NOT HERE FOR THE FIRST CONVERSATIONS DURING THE FORMATION OF THIS ORDINANCE. I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, BUT I THINK WE ARE SETTING THESE MEMBERS UP FOR FAILURE WITH MANY STRUCTURAL ISSUES. AMONG OTHER PROBLEMS I THINK ENSURING THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT PROCESS IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. I DON'T THINK THE CONFLICT SHOULD BE THE BODY HAVING THE FINAL SAY OVER ETHICS COMPLAINTS AGAINST ITS OWN MEMBERS. I ALSO THINK MR. ZUERCHER HAS GREAT IDEAS ON HOW WE ENSURE THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ARE SELECTED AND VETTED. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THESE APPOINTEES BEYOND THEIR RESUMES SO DO NOT WISH TO SPEAK ON THEM PERSONALLY, BUT AS A MATTER OF PROCESS, THE ORDINANCE DOESN'T LOOK FAR BEYOND POLITICALLY -- POLITICAL PARTY AND INVOLVEMENT WHEN VETTING CANDIDATES. I WILL BE VOTING NO TODAY, BUT I AM WILLING TO WORK WITH STAFF ON THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENSURE -- TO GET ASSURANCE IN HAVING AN INDEPENDENT PROCESS. SO I WILL BE VOTING NO. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR? STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: YES. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: VOTE? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: I, TOO, WOULD BE EXCITED TO RE-LOOK AT SOME OF THE COMMENTS OF COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO. I WASN'T AROUND WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO UNDERSTAND THE INTENTION. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HOLD ANYTHING AGAINST THESE FIVE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN VETTED. IT SEEMS LIKE THE VOTES AREN'T THERE TODAY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK IN THE FUTURE. BUT I'LL BE VOTING YES. >> GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> MAYOR, IT FAILS 6-2 BECAUSE IT REQUIRES 7 AFFIRMATIVE VOTES. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO THE DISTRICT SELECTION ADVISORY BOARD WHO WORKED HARD TO PRODUCE THESE NOMINATIONS AND TO OUR INTERVIEW COMMITTEE, AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO APPLIED AND PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROCESS. I STILL BELIEVE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BODY, BUT WE MOVE FORWARD. I WILL TURN NOW TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO INTRODUCE PUBLIC COMMENT AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVIL DISCOURSE AT PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY SPEAK FOR UP TO 2 MINUTES TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED. COMMENTS MUST BE RELATED TO THE AGENDA ITEM, AND THE ACTION BEING CONSIDERED BY THE COUNCIL. GENERAL COMMENTS THAT GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE AGENDA ITEM MUST BE MADE DURING THE CITIZEN COMMENTS SESSION AT THE END OF THE AGENDA. IN ADDITION, SPEAKERS MUST PRESENT THEIR COMMENTS IN A RESPECTFUL AND COURTEOUS MANNER. PROFANE LANGUAGE AND PERSONAL ATTACKS ON MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, COUNCIL MEMBERS, OR STAFF ARE NOT ALLOWED. A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THESE RULES WILL LOSE THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. WE NEXT MOVE TO LIQUOR LICENSE APPLICATIONS, THE CITY OF PHOENIX ADVISES THE STATE. VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 10 TO 90 -- THROUGH 90 EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING, ITEMS 26, 46, 52 -- >> I'M SORRY, THIS IS THE CITY CLERK. AT THIS TIME WE'RE ON LIQUOR LICENSE ITEMS 6 THROUGH 9. I APOLOGIZE. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: ALL RIGHT. SORRY. I GOT AHEAD OF MYSELF. MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 6 THROUGH 9. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. >> ALL: AYE. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ANY OPPOSED, PLEASE SIGNAL NAY. IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. CITY CLERK, ARE WE READY FOR ORDINANCES, NEW BUSINESS PLANNING AND VETTING? >> YES, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: VICE MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR: TRY IT AGAIN. I HAD TO MAKE A MISTAKE AT ONE POINT. SO MOVE TO APPROVE EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING, ITEMS 26, 46, 52, 61, 62, 65, 67, AND 70, ITEMS 63 AND 88 ARE REQUESTED TO BE CONTINUED TO THE JUNE 2nd, 2021, MEETING. ITEM 48 INCLUDES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND EXCLUDING THESE ITEMS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, 27, 45, AND 89. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL. >> MAYOR, JUST TO CLARIFY, DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE ITEM 90? EXCLUDING IT FROM THE -- FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: I BELIEVE YOU DID WANT TO EXCLUDE ITEM 90 OR? >> YES. >> YES, WE DO HAVE A SPEAKER FOR THAT ITEM. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: ITEM 90. IS THAT ENOUGH? >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? DICICCIO. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: YES. >> GUARDADO. >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN. >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR. STARK. >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING. WARING. >> COUNCILMAN WARING: DID YOU HEAR ME? >> I CAN BARELY HEAR YOU, COUNCILMAN, I'M SORRY. >> COUNCILMAN WARING: OH. YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? SORRY. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> PASSES 8-0. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. AND JUST FOR ANYONE WHO IS WATCHING, ITEM 88, WHICH IS THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF 3rd AVENUE AND COOLIDGE STREET, WAS CONTINUED TO JUNE 2nd, 2021. WE NEXT MOVE TO AN EXCITING ITEM, 26, THE REAPPOINTMENT OF MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE AND CHIEF PRESIDING JUDGE AND SALARY CONSIDERATION FOR THE CHIEF PRESIDING JUDGE. I WILL TURN TO OUR CITY MANAGER TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM. >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: THANK YOU MAYOR. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REAPPOINT AND THEN SET THE SALARY OF THE CHIEF PRESIDING JUDGE. THERE IS ONE CORRECTION IN THE AGENDA. THE NUMBER GIVEN FOR THE CHIEF PRESIDING JUDGE SALARY RECOMMENDED, WE HAVE TO CLARIFY -- CORRECT THAT SLIGHTLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEM. SO THE NUMBER SHOULD BE 211224. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE WILL TAKE THIS ITEM IN TWO DIFFERENT MOTIONS. VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO REAPPOINT OUR TWO JUDGES? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MOTION TO REAPPOINT THE TWO JUDGES. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND. APPRECIATE OUR MUNICIPAL COURT IN BEING PARTNERS IN BOTH TRYING TO ADMINISTER JUSTICE BUT ALSO BEING A PARTNER IN TRYING TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE WE SERVE. OUR CHIEF JUDGE HAS BEEN VERY INNOVATIVE AND WORKED ON PROGRAMS INCLUDING THE COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE PAY THEIR BILLS, SO I WANT TO APPLAUD BOTH OF OUR JUDGES AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF PHOENIX. I LOOK FORWARD TO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. ROLL CALL. ANSARI. >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: YES. >> DICICCIO. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: YES. >> GUARDADO. >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN. >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN. >> YES. >> STARK. >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING. >> YES. >> GARCIA. >> YES. >> GALLEGO. PASSES 8-0. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR PRESIDING JUDGE, DON TAYLOR, AS WELL AS JUDGE NAVIDAD WHO HAS BEEN SERVING OUR CITY WITH DISTINCTION AND HAS PUSHED FOR A BETTER CITY AS WELL. WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE YOU. VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON CONSIDERATION OF SALARY FOR THE JUDGE PRESIDING JUDGE. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES, MOTION, SALARY CONSIDERATION FOR CHIEF PRESIDING JUDGE. >> SECOND. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: MOTION AND A SECOND. AND FOR OUR CITY STAFF, DOES THAT MEET HR'S NEEDS AS A MOTION? >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: YES, MAYOR, THAT WOULD BE FOR THE ITEM AS CORRECT. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: PERFECT. ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: YES. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR. STARK. >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING. I APOLOGIZE, COUNCILMAN. IT CHOPS OUT YOUR ANSWER. >> COUNCILMAN WARING: I'VE GOT IT DOWN, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU. NO. >> THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMAN WARING: CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEP. >> YES, I CAN. GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. PASSES 7-1. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE NEXT MOVE TO ITEM 27 WHICH IS A PROPOSED ANNEXATION AT 51st AVENUE AND BASELINE ROAD IN COUNCIL DISTRICT 7. I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. WE'LL BEGIN WITH BOB FRANK FOLLOWED BY MARK RODRIGUEZ. MR. FRANK, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. >> ONE MOMENT, MAYOR. OKAY. BOB, YOU CAN PROCEED. >> ALL RIGHTY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: NOW WE CAN HEAR YOU. >> EXCELLENT. WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO SPEAK. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS PROPOSAL. WE'RE PLANNING TO DO A MULTIFAMILY PROJECT HERE RIGHT BEHIND THE HOSPITAL NEAR THE RETAIL CENTER. AND WE INTEND TO DO SOMETHING VERY POSITIVE FOR THIS PARTICULAR SITE AND FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND I DON'T HAVE REALLY MUCH TO ADD UNLESS SOMEBODY HAS A QUESTION FOR ME. >> MAYOR GALLEGA: I DO NOT SEE ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: DO WE HAVE MR. RODRIGUEZ ONLINE? >> MAYOR, HE IS NOT ON THE LINE. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ALL RIGHT. >> OH, I APOLOGIZE. >> I'M SO SORRY. >> HE IS. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: MARK. >> HELLO, MAYOR. HELLO, MAYOR GALLEGO AND EVERYBODY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? I'M AT THE FRY'S. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE CAN HEAR YOU MARK. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: LOUDLY AND CLEARLY. >> HELLO, MAYOR GALLEGO AND EVERYBODY, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS AGAIN. IT'S BECAUSE I USED TO LIVE ON 51st AVENUE AND BASELINE BECAUSE I ALWAYS LIKE LIVING OVER THERE WHEN I WAS -- WHEN I WAS 18 YEARS OLD, AND EVEN THOUGH I'M SHOPPING AT FRY'S BECAUSE -- BECAUSE I'M JUST NERVOUS TO TALK TO YOU GUYS AND ALL THAT. AND ALSO BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION FROM ALL OF YOU GUYS INCLUDING ALL OF YOU CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IS BECAUSE -- THAT IS BECAUSE I'M VERY SORRY THAT I'M NERVOUS AND ALL THAT, AND BECAUSE I'M JUST TALKING TO THE LADY STORE CLERK AT FRY'S AND JUST SHOPPING. AND I DIDN'T NEED TO -- (INAUDIBLE) BECAUSE I'M JUST SAYING SO SORRY. THAT'S ALL FOR ME. HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MARK. WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. THIS ITEM WILL BE ON A FUTURE AGENDA FOR A VOTE. WE NEXT MOVE TO ITEM 45, WHICH IS AQUATIC SEASON EXTENSION, WEEKENDS IN SEPTEMBER. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 45. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE DO HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL -- NO, WE HAVE TWO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. BRETT KLEINMAN FOLLOWED BY MARK RODRIGUEZ. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. I JUST -- I WANTED TO GET ON HERE IN CASE THERE WAS ANY OPPOSITION TO THIS IN ANY WAY TO TELL YOU HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO HAVE THE CANTEL PARK POOL OPEN A COUPLE EXTRA WEEKS AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER CITY POOL. I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ALL SHOULD CONSIDER AS A PERMANENT BASIS, NOT JUST A SINGLE YEAR THING. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE POOL CLOSES AS EARLY AS IT DOES WHILE THE HEAT CONTINUES AS LONG AS IT DOES PAST THE END OF OUR SUMMER, QUOTE/UNQUOTE. SO PLEASE CONSIDER EXTENDING POOL HOURS, OPENING EARLIER, STAYING OPEN LATER IN THE YEAR, AND ALLOWING US TO -- FOR THOSE OF US THAT DON'T HAVE POOLS IN OUR BACKYARD, TO GO SWIM AND ENJOY A POOL FOR MORE THAN JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS IN THE DEAD HEAT OF THE SUMMER. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, FRANK. >> MAYOR? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: MARK HAS LEFT THE MEETING, SO WE WILL TURN TO COUNCIL COMMENTS. COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO. >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: THANK YOU MAYOR. YEAH, THIS IS VERY, VERY EXCITING. I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LITTLE BIT. LAST YEAR WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC AND WEREN'T ABLE TO OPEN UP OUR POOLS. BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE THAT WORKS ON POOLS. I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT EASY. I KNOW THAT IT'S HOT SUMMERS BUT VERY THANKFUL FOR OUR LIFEGUARDS, FOR OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT EASY TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO STICK AROUND AN EXTRA MONTH TO CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR POOLS OPEN, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM. I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A HARD YEAR FOR OUR YOUTH THAT THEY'VE BEEN STUCK BEHIND A SCREEN FOR OVER A YEAR AND VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE CAN GIVE SOME BACK TO THEM WITH OPENING THE POOLS ON THE WEEKENDS. I KNOW THAT IN DISTRICT 5, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SECURE LIFEGUARDS AT STAR LIGHT POOL, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THE OTHER POOLS AS WELL, SO VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOPEFULLY I KNOW THAT ED AND EVERYONE ELSE IS COMMITTED TO FIGURING OUT HOW DO WE KEEP THIS AS A NEW NORMAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY. SO VERY EXCITED TO VOTE ON THIS AND ALSO JUST REMINDING EVERYONE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT POOLS, WE'LL BE DOING FREE SWIMMING LESSONS AS WELL THIS YEAR, SO EXCITED FOR THAT AS WELL. SO I AM VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS MOTION. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN. WE WILL GO TO VICE MAYOR AND THEN COUNCILMAN DICICCIO. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO FOR BRINGING THIS UP AND I FOUND OUT THAT OTHER CITIES FOLLOWED SUIT IN PROVIDING FREE SWIMMING LESSONS. SO YOUR IMPACTS ARE GOING BEYOND OUR CITY, COUNCILWOMAN. REALLY EXCITED THAT OUR YOUTH HAS GONE THROUGH A LOT IN THE LAST YEAR. I DID HAVE A QUESTION FOR PARKS STAFF. I DON'T KNOW IF CYNTHIA OR SOMEONE'S AROUND. >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: YES ARE, VICE MAYOR. PARKS DIRECTOR CYNTHIA AGUILAR IS HERE. CYNTHIA? DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR NAMEPLATE. YOU'RE FINE. CYNTHIA IS HERE. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU. FIRST OF ALL, CYNTHIA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THE PLAN AND MAKING SURE THAT THE POOLS ARE GOING TO BE OPEN, AND THAT THIS EXTENSION IS POSSIBLE. ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT I HAD AS I WAS TALKING TO COMMUNITY FOLKS OR QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD IS I KNOW WE'RE NOT OPENING ALL POOLS, BUT THERE ARE SOME POOLS THAT ARE NEAR EACH OTHER. AND SO I WAS ASKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SHUTTLES FROM ONE POOL TO ANOTHER. FOR EXAMPLE, IN CENTRAL CITY, THERE'S CERTAIN PARKS THAT ARE NEAR HARMAN PARK THAT MAYBE WE CAN SHUTTLE SOME YOUTH OVER. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO OR HAVE DONE IN THE PAST? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, VICE MAYOR, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. YES. IN THE PAST WE HAVE DONE SOME SHUTTLING EFFORTS, BUT THIS YEAR IS DEFINITELY UNIQUE. WE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXPLORE THAT. THE ONE CHALLENGE THAT WILL BE PRESENTED IS THAT CURRENTLY WE HAVE -- WHEN WE WERE AT THE CITY COUNCIL BACK IN MARCH HERE, WE PUT IN A RULE, IF YOU WILL, THAT YOU HAVE TO BE 16 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER IN THE POOL. SO IF THERE'S SOMEONE UNDER 16, THEY HAVE TO BE WITH SOMEONE WHO IS AT LEAST 16 YEARS OF AGE. AND SO THAT WAS THE DIRECTION THAT WE TOOK FROM THE CITY COUNCIL THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE. SO IN THIS SITUATION, WE WOULD JUST HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT AND COME UP WITH A SCHEDULE, IF YOU WILL, TO LOOK AT WHERE WE COULD PROVIDE THOSE SHUTTLE SERVICES, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO EVALUATE THAT. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU ALL COULD EVALUATE. OBVIOUSLY I DON'T WANT TO STOP THIS. I THINK THE EXTENSION IS GREAT AND I'M GLAD THE POOL WILL BE OPEN AND THE LESSONS WOULD BE FREE, BUT WOULD APPRECIATE TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF RIDES. >> WE ARE HAPPY TO DO THAT. THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ANY ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS? ROLL CALL. >> JUST ME, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: OH, I'M SORRY, COUNCILMAN DICICCIO. I'M LOOKING AT THE SCREEN. APPRECIATE THE REMINDER. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: THAT'S OKAY. I CAN EASILY BE FORGOTTEN. THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: NOT AT ALL. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: I JUST WANTED TO THANK -- IT'S OKAY -- I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO FOR WHAT SHE DID ON THIS. THE FREE SWIMMING LESSONS ARE CRITICAL. AS A KID I GREW UP USING A PUBLIC POOL OR I WOULD USE MY FRIENDS' POOLS, YOU KNOW. SO IT'S JUST WHERE YOU LEARN. AND YOU DO LEARN TO SWIM THERE. MY GUESS -- QUESTION TO YOU, BRENT KLEINMAN, I'M JUST GUESSING MA THAT SOME OF THE REASON IS WE DO USE A LOT OF KIDS AT THE POOLS AND ONCE SCHOOL STARTS, IT'S HARD TO BRING THEM IN THERE. BUT IT DOES BRING UP A GOOD POINT. ARIZONA, YOU'RE STILL AT 100 DEGREES IN SEPTEMBER. IF WE COULD STRIVE FOR KEEPING OUR POOLS OPEN AT LEAST A FEW MORE WEEKS, MAYBE EVEN INTO EARLY OCTOBER, I THINK IT WOULD SERVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS THAT DON'T HAVE THE MONEY, THE ABILITY TO HAVE A POOL IN THEIR BACKYARD. I THINK THAT BRINGS UP A REALLY GOOD POINT. I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY KIDS OUT THERE. OUR POOLS ARE PRETTY FULL. THEY HAVE NO WHERE ELSE TO GO. AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO A POOL IN THEIR BACKYARD. AND I APPLAUD HER EFFORTS ON THIS THING AND WHAT SHE DID ON THIS. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN. ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: YES. >> DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: YES. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> STARK? WARING? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: YES. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. PASSES 8-0. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE NEXT MOVE TO ITEM 46, WHICH IS THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY GLOBAL INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION INVENTORIES. I WILL TURN TO COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI. >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: THANK YOU MAYOR. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS ON THE AGENDA. I THINK WE ALL KNOW THAT AN ACCURATE COUNT OF THE CITY'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WILL HELP GUIDE STRATEGIC POLICY TO COMBAT THE DANGEROUS AIR POLLUTION IN OUR CITY. IT'S ESPECIALLY EXCITING TO SEE THAT THIS PARTNERSHIP IS WITH ASU'S GLOBAL INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABILITY, AND AS I UNDERSTAND, OUR DATA IS A LITTLE BEHIND. THE LAST TIME WE CONDUCTED A STUDY LIKE THIS, IT WAS BACK IN 2018. SO THAT WILL BE VERY, VERY HELPFUL AS WE BEGIN TO -- OR AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND PLAN TO ROLL THAT OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAT WE HAVE THIS ACCURATE DATA. SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THE CITY CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD AND BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF SUSTAINABILITY POLICY BASED ON REAL SCIENCE AND DATA. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 46. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI. I'M ALSO EXCITED. OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ASU HAS HELPED US BE RECOGNIZED IN THIS AREA AND THE BIANNUAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ARE ESSENTIAL IN TRACKING THE SUCCESS OF OUR MISSION REDUCTION EFFORTS. IN FEBRUARY THERE WAS SOME MEDIA STORIES ABOUT SOME INVENTORIES THAT WERE HAVING CHALLENGES WITH ACCURACY, AND OURS WAS RANKED AMONG THE MOST ACCURATE INVENTORY, SO A TRUE CREDIT TO THIS PARTNERSHIP AND TO ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY. EXCITED THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH US NOW FOR ALMOST A DECADE IN THIS AREA. WE WERE AMONG THE FIRST CITIES IN OUR STATE TO MOVE FORWARD, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD THIS YEAR. WE'RE ALSO GLAD TO BE EXPANDING OUR PARTNERSHIP TO LOOK AT A WIDE VARIETY OF AREAS INCLUDING SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING, BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT, HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, AND OTHERS. WE HAVE A GREAT RESOURCE IN ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, AND IT'S GREAT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: YES. >> DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN MY VOTE. I'LL BE VERY BRIEF. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: PLEASE. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: I'M GOING TO BE VOTING NO. THE REASON WHY IS BECAUSE A COUPLE YEARS BACK, MAYBE THREE YEARS BACK, I SHOULD SAY, THE CITY WAS GOING TO TAKE AN INVENTORY OF EVERYBODY'S ELECTRICAL USE. AND I JUST REALLY AM CONCERNED -- IT'S NOT WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO, BUT I GET VERY CONCERNED WHEN GOVERNMENT GETS GETTING INVOLVED INTO PEOPLE'S PRIVATE BUSINESS OR INTO BUSINESSES THEMSELVES, KEEPS AN INVENTORY OF WHAT THEY DO AND THEY DON'T DO, AND I THINK IT'S AN OVERREACH OF GOVERNMENT. OTHER THAN THAT, WE'D NORMALLY BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AS I HAVE BEEN ON OTHER ISSUES. BUT I GET VERY CONCERNED WHEN GOVERNMENT STARTS TAKING INVENTORIES OF INDIVIDUALS. TO ME IT'S EQUATED TO SPYING. AND I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THAT MAYOR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR? >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: YES. >> STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING? WARING? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: NO. NO. >> NO. THANK YOU. GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> PASSES 7-2. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WONDERFUL. AND I WOULD CLARIFY ASU HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH US ON COMMUNITYWIDE INVENTORY, THE INVENTORY OF CITY OPERATIONS, SO I WOULD CHARACTERIZE IT DIFFERENTLY THAN A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES. WE NEXT MOVE TO ITEM 52, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH LEVINE BASELINE FOR PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT. VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 52. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. THIS IS AN EXCITING DEVELOPMENT IN THE 59th AVENUE AREA NEAR THE 202 FREEWAY. IT IS A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IN A VERY COMPLEX AREA FROM INFRASTRUCTURE PERSPECTIVE WHICH INCLUDES BASELINE AND SOME ROADS THAT ARE SOME MIGHT SAY MISALIGNED IN THE LEVINE CONVEYANCE CHANNEL. THIS DEVELOPMENT IS AN AMENITY-RICH DESTINATION THAT INCLUDES RETAIL THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN REALLY ASKING FOR RESTAURANTS ACCOMPANYING SHOPS AS WELL AS A THEATER AND ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX. AND I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS ITEM. ADDITIONAL MEMBER COMMENTS. ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: YES. >> DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: YES. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR? >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: YES. >> STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: YES. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> PASSES 9-0. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ITEMS 61, 62 AND 65 ARE RELATED TO THE LIGHT RAIL AND THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION. VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON 61, 62 AND 65? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES, MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 61, 62 AND 65. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY COMMENTS? ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: YES. >> DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: NO. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR? >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: YES. >> STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: NO. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> PASSES 7-2. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE NEXT MOVE TO ITEM 67, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE SOLID WASTE ORDINANCE. WILL THE CITY CLERK PLEASE READ THE TITLE. >> ITEM 67 IS FOR ORDINANCE 6749, AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO SOLID WASTE AMENDING CHAPTER 27 RESIDENTIAL COLLECTION, SECTION 27-21. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 67. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ANY DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL. OH, COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR. >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: SORRY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT SOLID WASTE COULD COLLECT ON COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNITS. AM I ON TARGET? THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY (INAUDIBLE) ASSUMING RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNITS, AND THEY'VE NOW MADE THEM COMMERCIAL. THAT'S THE PURPOSE. >> MAYOR? COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR, YOU ARE CORRECT. THIS IS TO ALLOW FOR COLLECTION AT BUILDINGS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY RESIDENCES BUT THAT HAVE, THROUGH ADAPTIVE REUSE, BECOME COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENTS. >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: OKAY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: YES. >> DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: MAYOR, JUST A QUICK EXPLANATION. I'LL BE VOTING NO. I JUST BELIEVE THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE A POLICY ACROSS THE BOARD AS TO WHAT WE DO. IT'S GOT TO BE UNIFORM. SO IF YOU ALLOW ONE, YOU SHOULD ALLOW ALL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR? >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: YES. AND CAN I ASK A QUESTION, MAYOR? ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES MENTIONED AN ITEM, AND I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE COMMERCIAL TRUCKS CAN'T FIT IN THOSE AREAS. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR, COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR, THAT IS CORRECT. THE COMMERCIAL TRUCKS HAVE DIFFICULTY SERVING BUSINESSES OF THIS TYPE BECAUSE IT'S JUST TOO TIGHT TO GET IN AND OUT. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: THANK YOU. YES. >> AND JUST TO CLARIFY, IT DOES APPLY TO ANY COMMERCIAL BUSINESS THAT IS SIMILARLY SITUATED. >> STARK. >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING. >> COUNCILMAN WARING: YES. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> PASSES 8-1. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. AND JUST WANTED TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES TRADITIONALLY ONCE WE HAVE BEGUN ROLL CALL, WE DO NOT DEBATE AN ITEM, BUT WE DO EXPLAIN OUR VOTES. WE NEXT MOVE TO ITEM 70, PARKING METER EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES RFP. VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 70. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: COUNCILMAN WARING. >> COUNCILMAN WARING: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I APPRECIATE IT. SO I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ISSUE BEFORE WITH THE PARKING METERS. OBVIOUSLY, MY EXPERIENCE WITH PARKING METERS IN THE LAST YEAR IS LIMITED BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED. BUT PRIOR TO THAT, IF YOU WERE DOWNTOWN AND YOU WERE ANYBODY TRYING TO USE OUR PARKING METERS, I WOULD DEFY PEOPLE TO TRY TO SEE ON THE SCREENS -- IT'S BEEN PRETTY MUCH EVERY METER I'VE USED, BUT I'M SURE THERE'S PROBABLY DIFFERENT FACINGS AND SO FORTH. IN THE BRIGHT SUN, YOU SIMPLY CAN'T READ, LIKE, HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE, HOW MUCH YOU PAID AND SO FORTH. YOU'RE PUTTING IN A CREDIT CARD. NOW, THERE ARE LIMITS, BUT THAT'S STILL -- YOU KIND OF WANT TO KNOW. AND YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR 2 HOURS IF YOU ONLY NEED AN HOUR, ET CETERA. I'VE HAD THAT FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE QUITE A FEW TIMES. AND IT'S JUST -- IT'S PROBABLY AN ANNOYING WAY FOR A LOT OF OUR EITHER WINTER VISITORS OR REGULAR DOWNTOWN FOLKS TRYING TO GO TO A RESTAURANT OR SOMETHING TO START THEIR TRIP DOWNTOWN. SO I WOULD LIKE SOME ASSURANCE THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE THE CASE. I'VE ALSO HAD METERS THAT DIDN'T FUNCTION. I'VE TRIED, LIKE I SAID, NOW IN THE DISTANT PAST, MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, YOU KNOW, CALLED THOSE IN WHEN I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY. BUT IT'S BEEN SO PREVALENT IN THE TIMES THAT I'VE HAD TO USE THE METERS THAT IT'S BEEN CONCERNING TO ME. SO CAN I HAVE SOME ASSURANCE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE NO MATTER WHO IS HANDLING OUR METERS? >> MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN WARING AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, YES. WE AGREE WITH YOU 100% THAT THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR THOSE METERS THAT HAVE BEEN IN THAT CONDITION. AND THE STREET TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT LED BY KNUDSEN IS WORKING TOWARD GETTING THOSE FIXED, WORKING WITH THE CURRENT VENDOR TO MAKE SURE THOSE ARE REPAIRED. AND I'LL HAND IT OFF TO THEM TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED. >> THANK YOU. MAYOR AND COUNCILMAN WARING, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, WE HAVE ABOUT 1700 SMART METERS THAT ARE CAPABLE OF TAKING CREDIT CARD PAYMENT. AND OF THOSE 1700, WE HAVE COMPLETED REFURBISHMENT OR GETTING NEW SCREENS FOR 76 -- I'M SORRY, 670 OF THOSE. WE HAVE 220 MORE METERS THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING REFURBISHED. WE TOOK RECEIPT OF THOSE LAST FRIDAY. WE'RE CHECKING THOSE OUT BEFORE WE DEPLOY THOSE. WITH ALL THOSE TOLD, WE'LL HAVE OVER HALF OF OUR SMART PARKING METERS WILL HAVE BEEN REFURBISHED SINCE OCTOBER. SO WE ARE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY. WE KNOW IT'S AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY. ALSO AN IMPORTANT ASPECT TO OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AND VISITORS WHO ARE COMING INTO THE DOWNDOWN -- DOWNTOWN TEAR. WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT MAINTENANCE AND DURABILITY OF THE SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE, WHETHER WE CONTINUE WITH THE EXISTING PARKING METERS OR IF WE GET NEW PARKING METERS THROUGH THAT SYSTEM, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE QUALITY OF THE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR VISITORS AND PEOPLE COMING IN OUT OF TOWN IS NOT, AS YOU EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST YEAR. >> COUNCILMAN WARING: MAYOR, I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I DID MENTION THAT, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN THAT WAS EXACTLY, BUT IT'S BEEN PROBABLY AT LEAST A YEAR SINCE THE LAST TIME I TALKED ABOUT THIS. AND I THINK OTHER MEMBERS COULD ALSO, ONCE I STARTED TALKING, HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. HOW LONG DO THOSE SCREENS LAST? BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THAT THEY'RE NICE THE DAY AFTER THEY'RE REPLACED. YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT TO BE DURABLE BECAUSE THEY GET SCRATCHED UP. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE OBVIOUSLY OUT THERE BAKING IN THE SUN ALL DAY. HOW LONG CAN WE EXPECT THAT TO LAST AND BE FUNCTIONAL? >> SO, MAYOR, COUNCILMAN WARING, MEMBERS, I THINK THE LAST TIME THIS WAS BROUGHT UP BACK IN DECEMBER, THE FORMAL MEETING. AS MENTIONED, WE ACTUALLY HAD A REPORT TO OUR TRANSPORTATION SUBCOMMITTEE EARLIER THIS YEAR. WITH REGARDS TO THE METERS, WITH HE DO HAVE A WARRANTY FOR THEM. WE FIRST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WARRANTY ISSUES WHERE WE CAN PROCEED IT THROUGH A WARRANTY. WE ALSO HAVE WORKED OUT A DEAL WITH THE MANUFACTURER WHERE COMMITTEE CAN GET THE REFURBISHMENT DONE AT A LOWER COST AT A SAVINGS OF ABOUT $300 PER METER. BUT THE DURABILITY -- OR THE TIME THOSE LAST, IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE WEAR, BUT WE'VE ALSO INCREASED SOME STAFFING TO BE ABLE TO BE OUT THERE TO CHECK THE STATUS TO WE MAKE SURE WE'RE ON TOP OF QUALITY AND PER FORMANCE ISSUES QUICKER THAN WE HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST. >> COUNCILMAN WARING: I DO APPRECIATE THAT, AND I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST, CAN WE GET SOME PEOPLE ON IT. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ALREADY DID THAT. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE THE BEST, AND I APPRECIATE IT. JUST, YOU KNOW, MY LIMITED SPOT CHECKS SHOWED 100% OF THEM WERE DEFECTIVE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'VE KIND OF CONFIRMED THAT AND JUST REPLACING, IF NOT ALL OF THEM, ALMOST ALL OF THEM. SO I HOPE THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER PRODUCT FOR THE CONTRACTS GOING FORWARD. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU LOOKING INTO IT. THANK YOU. >> YOU'RE WELCOME. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN WARING. WHEN YOU BROUGHT THIS UP, I APPRECIATED IT. I, TOO, HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MANY OF THE METERS THAT ARE DOWNTOWN. ANY ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS? ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: YES. >> DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: YES. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: YES. >> PASTOR? >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: YES. >> STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: YES. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO? PASSES 9-0. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. WE NEXT MOVE TO ITEM 89, ADOPTION OF THE ORDINANCE ADDING NEW CHAPTER 20 TO PHOENIX CODE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. WILL THE CITY CLERK PLEASE READ THE TITLE. >> ITEM 89 IS FOR ORDINANCE G6851, ESTABLISHING THE GOVERNING LANGUAGE FOR OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY BY HAVING A NEW CHAPTER 20, 20-1 THROUGH 20-26 OF THE PHOENIX CITY CODE AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PROVIDE COMMENT TO THE CITY ON THIS ITEM. SO I WILL TURN TO OUR CITY STAFF TO CALL THOSE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS GAIL KNIGHT. GAIL, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES, I AM. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY ADMINISTRATION. AFTER 20 YEARS OF ADVOCACY AND PARTICIPATING ON VARIOUS CITY OF PHOENIX POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS SUBCOMMITTEES, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT THE FORMAL APPROVAL OF THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ORDINANCE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A GROUNDBREAKING STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO ENSURE CITIZEN PROTECTION, IMPROVED POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND TRUST. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MY SUPPORT IS NOT OUT OF CASE OF POLICE AS I'VE HAD MANY RELATIVES BOTH MALE AND FEMALE THAT ARE VETERANS OF CURRENT PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS IN CITIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. THIS ORDINANCE WILL ENSURE THAT ALL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE USE OF FORCE AND CUSTODY DEATHS AND OTHER MATTERS OF PUBLIC INTEREST ARE FAIRLY AND OBJECTIVELY RESOLVED THROUGH AN INDEPENDENT, PROFESSIONAL, AND TRANSPARENT REVIEW PROCESS. I ALSO APPRECIATE THE TIME, RESEARCH, AND MANY PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED BETWEEN POLICE, CITY -- I'M SORRY, BETWEEN PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION AND RESIDENTS. THANK YOU FOR HANGING IN THERE DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES TO REACH THIS GOAL. GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DR. WARREN STEWART. DR. WARREN, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I'M ON THE LINE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> OKAY. MAYOR GALLEGO AND PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF ITEM 89. AFTER A DECADES-LONG ADVOCACY, IN FEBRUARY OF 2020, THE PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHRISTIAN COALITION CELEBRATED THIS LONG-SOUGHT VICTORY FOR THE ENTIRE CITY OF PHOENIX. PLEASE KNOW THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN CLERGY HAVE HAD A RESPECTFUL, PRODUCTIVE, AND AMICABLE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR THE 44 YEARS I HAVE SERVED AS SENIOR PASTOR OF THE FIRST INSTITUTIONAL BAPTIST CHURCH. WE HAVE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH EVERY PHOENIX POLICE CHIEF. THEREFORE, WE ENVISION THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AS A SIGNIFICANT AND STRATEGIC STEP TOWARD ENHANCING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHOENIX POLICE AND ALL COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THE CITY OF PHOENIX, ESPECIALLY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I STRONGLY URGE YOU, MAYOR GALLEGO, AND PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF ITEM 89. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATIE BEZA. KATIE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES, I'M HERE. I'M SORRY, I THINK I JUST LOST YOU. >> WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. KATIE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I AM. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. >> I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT I LOST YOU. I KEEP HEARING A BEEPING IN MY EAR. OKAY. SORRY. MY STORY IS ONLY ONE EXAMPLE OF WHY YOU SHOULD APPROVE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS ITEM. YOU MAY RECALL THE CITY PAID OUT $3 MILLION IN THE WRONGFUL DEATH OF MY BROTHER, RYAN WHITAKER, BY THE HANDS OF PHOENIX POLICE OFFICER JEFF COOK. 363 DAYS LATER, THERE HAS BEEN ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT OFFICER AS WELL AS HIS PARTNER WHO DEMONSTRATED A SEVERE LACK OF VALUE FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE THAT NIGHT AS HE IGNORED MY BROTHER'S STRUGGLES TO CLING TO LIFE. WE WERE LIED TO FROM DAY ONE AND IGNORED AS THEY EDITED THEIR BODY CAM VIDEOS AND REDACTED THEIR REPORTS UNTIL THEY WERE FINALLY RELEASED TO US MONTHS LATER. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION DONE BY THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT, MY FAMILY WAS NEVER GIVEN ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THAT INVESTIGATION. WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMUNICATION NOR A REPORT OF ANY KIND. I WOULD STILL LIKE TO KNOW WERE BOTH OFFICERS INVESTIGATED? WAS THE DETECTIVE WHO LIED TO MY MOTHER THE MORNING HE TOLD HER MY BROTHER WAS KILLED INVESTIGATED? I HAVE NO IDEA BECAUSE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NOT BEEN TRANSPARENT. THE COUNTY ATTORNEY FAILED AND DID NOT PRESS CHARGES ON THE OFFICER THAT KILLED MY BROTHER. HOWEVER DID RELEASE THE REPORTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. ALTHOUGH I FEEL THE INVESTIGATION WAS NOT THOROUGH ENOUGH AND VERY BIASED, AT LEAST WE RECEIVED A REPORT. AND HER STATEMENT RYAN WAS CLEARED OF ANY WRONGDOING AND STATES ALTHOUGH IN HINDSIGHT THE OFFICER'S ACTIONS WERE PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT ONES, THEY WEREN'T UNLAWFUL. HOW DOES A QUOTE/UNQUOTE MISTAKE GET LET GO WITHOUT REPURR CUSHIONS? NOT EVEN AN APOLOGY. . I WOULD SAY THEIR INVESTIGATIONS ARE AS BIASED OR EVEN MORE BIASED FROM THE ONE FROM THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THIS IS WHY WE NEED INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS AND OVERSIGHT OF THE INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS. WE NEED COMMUNICATION WITH FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY. I DO NOT THINK IT IS UNDERSTOOD HOW THE BETRAYAL OF A DEPARTMENT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT AND SERVE ASSESS AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND GENERATION. WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY AND INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION SO THE POLICE ARE NO LONGER POLICING THEMSELVES AS ONE POSITIVE STEP TOWARDS CHANGE AND TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR, MAY I ASK A QUESTION OF KATIE? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: PLEASE DO, VICE MAYOR. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU. KATIE, THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE NOT ONLY FOR YOUR FAMILY BUT I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING WITH OTHER FAMILIES. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE WAS LIKE DURING THE INVESTIGATION? DID YOU HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT, OR HOW WAS THAT -- OR HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION WHEN IT HAPPENED? OR HOW WAS YOUR FAMILY IMPACTED BY IT? >> I WOULD SAY WHEN WE WERE -- WHAT WE WERE TOLD AT THE VERY BEGINNING WAS NOT WHAT WE WITNESSED ON BODY CAM NOR THE PUBLIC WITNESS ON BODY CAM, SO I FELT -- WE FELT LIED TO FROM DAY ONE, AS I SAID IN WHAT I WAS SAYING EARLIER. BUT AS FAR AS THE INVESTIGATION GOES, WE WERE NOT KEPT UP TO DATE. WE WERE NOT GIVEN ANY INFORMATION. WE WOULD EMAIL AND CALL AND GET NOTHING. I HAVE AN EMAIL RIGHT HERE FROM TWO -- CHIEF WILLIAMS AND THE DETECTIVE ON THE CASE, DETECTIVE LORD FROM MY FATHER ON JUNE 6th STILL PLEADING FOR INFORMATION. AND ALL HE GOT WAS AN EMAIL BACK SAYING THAT SOMEONE WOULD CONTACT US, WHICH NO ONE EVER DID. SO IT WAS -- WE GOT A PHONE CALL -- WE GOT AN EMAIL STATING THE INVESTIGATION WAS COMPLETE AND HAS BEEN TURNED OVER TO THE MARICOPA COUNTY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND OIS VIDEO WILL BE RELEASED IN 20 MINUTES. HAVE A NICE DAY. THAT'S AS MUCH COMMUNICATION AS WE GOT. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU. FINAL QUESTION, AND DON'T FEEL PRESSURED TO ANSWER, BUT ARE THERE THINGS YOU WISH WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO DIFFERENT THROUGH THE PROCESS, OR ARE THERE SUGGESTIONS OR THOUGHTS YOU MAY HAVE OF US AS WE MOVE -- HOPEFULLY MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS OFFICE? >> HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE? HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I DO MEET WITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, AND WE ALL HAVE THE SAME STORY. IT'S JUST A CONTINUATION EVERY TIME OF THE SAME STORY, IT SEEMS. AND HONESTY, COMMUNICATION, LETTING US KNOW, EVEN IF IT'S -- EVEN IF IT'S NOT MUCH INFORMATION OR IT SEEMS IRRELEVANT, WE'RE A FAMILY THAT IS GRIEVING AND SHOCKED TO OUR CORE AND JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. COMMUNICATION JUST GOES A VERY LONG WAY. IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO GET MY BROTHER'S BODY RELEASED. HE WAS KILLED ON A THURSDAY NIGHT. MY PARENTS DIDN'T GET TO SEE HIM UNTIL THE FOLLOWING TUESDAY. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE. SO, YOU KNOW, JUST -- YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW UNTIL YOU KNOW IT, OBVIOUSLY. AND WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO ASK, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO GO TO, ANYTHING. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT I HOPE FOR IN THE FUTURE IS SOME SORT OF ADVOCATE THAT REACHES OUT TO THE FAMILIES AND CAN COMMUNICATE AND BE THAT IN-BETWEEN THAT HELPS FAMILIES KNOW WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO, BECAUSE IT'S AN AWFUL, AWFUL PROCESS RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE TREATED AS -- WE'RE NOT TREATED AS A VICTIM OR THE VICTIM'S FAMILY BECAUSE OUR LOVED ONES ARE NEVER LISTED AS THE VICTIM. SO THAT'S -- THERE'S -- I COULD -- IT'S JUST -- I DON'T KNOW. WHAT ELSE TO SAY? I LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING ME QUESTIONS AND LETTING ME SPEAK. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT AND I THINK HOPEFULLY IN THE FUTURE WE'RE ABLE TO ENGAGE FAMILIES LIKE YOURSELF TO MAKE SURE WE DO BETTER, BUT THANK YOU FOR TESTIFYING TODAY. >> THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MURPHY BANNERMAN. MURPHY, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK TODAY. I AM SPEAKING TODAY JUST AS A PHOENIX RESIDENT AND ABSOLUTELY URGE THAT THE COUNCIL PASSES THE O.A.T. IT HAS BEEN A LONG PROCESS AND IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE SOME KIND OF OVERSIGHT OF OUR POLICE AND THE CITY OF PHOENIX. IT'S REALLY ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE ANOTHER SHOOTING OCCURS BEFORE ANOTHER FAMILY'S LIFE IS DISRUPTED BY, YOU KNOW, VIOLENCE, BY THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THIS, TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO HOLD THOSE INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. ALSO, I WILL SAY IT IS A BIT DISAPPOINTING THAT THE O.A.T. WILL NOT ALLOW FOR INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS. THAT IS REALLY GOING TO LIMIT THE ABILITY FOR THIS PROGRAM TO BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE. HOWEVER, THIS IS STILL A STEP THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME SEMBLANCE OF JUSTICE FOR THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN HURT AND THE FAMILIES HAVE HONESTLY WILL BE HURT IN THE FUTURE BY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO THANK YOU, AND I HOPE THE COUNCIL PASSES IT. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAT BLUE. CAT, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I AM. IN OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPAIN IS VERY MUCH NEEDED AND MUST HAVE THE POWER TO CONDUCT INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH STILL TO STOP THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY PHOENIX POLICE. THIS MEASURE CAN BE PUT IN PLACE AS YOU BEGIN DIVESTING FROM POLICE AND INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO FIGHT THESE ONGOING PROTESTS WILL NEVER MAKE YOUR POLICE FUNCTION FOR THE GOOD OF THE COMMUNITY. THEIR FUNCTION IS TO VIOLENTLY AND DISCRIMINATORILIEN ENFORCE THE LAW, TO KEEP WEALTHY WHITE ELITES IN POWER. SO FURTHER FUNDING SERVES ONLY TO FURTHER THIS FUNCTION. THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS AN ATTACK TO BLACK, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. A DISCIPLINARY MEASURE PUNISHING US FOR PROTESTING THE WAR ON BLACK AND BROWN, TO FACILITATE AN EGALITARIAN SOCIETY. IT'S IN OUR DIRECT RESPONSE TO OUR CALL TO TRANSFER FUNDINGS FROM POLICE TO COMMUNITIES. O.A.T., C.A.P. AND OTHER PROGRAMS MUST WORK SEPARATELY FROM AND INSTEAD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE MUST REPLACE YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. WE CALL ON YOU TO FULLY FUND AND CREATE BOTH AN O.A.T. AND CRISIS RESPONSE SYSTEM NOW. MOVE FUNDS FROM THE POLICE BUDGET TO ENTITIES TO REPLACE AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IS A SMALL PIECE OF THE SOLUTION AND MUST HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER AND INDEPENDENCE AND FUNDING TO PERFORMANCE ROLE. USE THE PEOPLE'S BUDGET AS AN EXAMPLE, FUND THE COMMUNITY AND NOT THE POLICE. HEAR US NOW. KEEP YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THE COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE YOU SERVE. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORT ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST THE WISHES OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. FIRE PHOENIX P.D. OR PHOENIX WILL FIRE YOU. PLEASE ORDER THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF ALL RECORDS AND BODY CAM FOOTAGE FROM ALL OFFICERS PRESENT AT THE TAPING OF BABY LUNA AND HER FATHER WHO WAS COMPLIANT AND IN NEED OF HELP. PLEASE ASSIST US EXPEDITIOUSLY AND WHOLEHEARTEDLY, SEEKING JUSTICE BY MAKING THIS A FIRM CASE TO BE INVESTIGATED BY THE O.A.T. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SANDRA CASTRO SOLIS. SANDRA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR GALLEGO, AND ALSO THE COUNCIL, STAFF. MY TIME IS SANDRA CASTRO SOLIS AND I AM REPRESENTING (INAUDIBLE) MOVEMENT. WE'VE BEEN AROUND IN THE COMMUNITY SINCE 2007. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE START THERE BECAUSE SINCE 2007, WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING POLICING AND THE USE OF FORCE AND VIOLENT AGGRESSION OF POLICE TOWARDS BLACK, BROWN AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES. WE AS AN ORGANIZATION ARE FULL IN SUPPORT OF O.A.T. LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE ALSO FEEL IT'S A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT THE END ALL, BE ALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND JUSTICE OF COMMUNITIES TO THE VICTIMS AND THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES DUE TO POLICE VIOLENCE. OUR WORK SPECIFICALLY -- I'M HERE TO TALK SPECIFICALLY AROUND POLICE CONDUCT WITH REGARDS TO RACIAL PROFILING. AFTER SB DID 1070, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MYSELF AND A LOT OF THE COLLEAGUES AND A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE TODAY, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK TO KEEP PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE ON THE RACIAL PROFILING AFTER THE PASSAGE OF SB DID 1070. AND TO THIS DAY, WE STILL HAVE HIGH, DRASTIC NUMBERS OF 95% OF PEOPLE BEING RACIALLY PROFILED BY POLICE IF WE DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM CONTINUING. WE HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS PROFILED AND KILLED BY PHOENIX POLICE, MAKING PHOENIX POLICE ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT POLICE AGENCIES. AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT, WE HAVE POLICY ERRORS WHERE POLICE ARE UNABLE TO FOLLOW THEIR OWN POLICY, WHICH LEADS US TIME AND TIME AGAIN TO THESE MEETINGS. AND SO WE'RE HERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS, YOU KNOW. WE NEED AN OFFICE THAT'S GOING TO HOLD OUR COMMUNITY -- WHO'S GOING TO GIVE A VOICE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND HOLD POLICE OFFICERS ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY ARE WRONG. AND WE HAVE RECORDS TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE WRONG OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND WE NEED OUR OFFICE TO HELP US IN SUPPORT AND HEAR THE STORIES AND INVESTIGATE TO BRING JUSTICE TO THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATIE GIBSON McLEAN. KATIE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES. HI. MY NAME IS KATIE GIBSON McLEAN, I'M A DISTRICT 8 RESIDENT. I WAS ON THE CITY'S AD HOC REVIEW AND IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE. I ALSO SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE COALITION OF FOLKS WHO HELPED DEVELOP THE PROPOSAL FOR THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. I'M ALSO A PUBLIC DEFENDER FOR MARICOPA COUNTY, AND I SEE ABUSES OF POWER, USE OF EXCESSIVE FORCE, AND ALL KINDS OF VIOLATIONS OF OPERATIONS ORDERS ON A DAILY BASIS. WHEN I READ REPORTS AND WATCH BODY CAM FOOTAGE. AS AN ATTORNEY THAT WAS ASSIGNED RECENTLY TO THE PROTEST CASE WHERE MY CLIENT MR. RYDER COLUMNS WAS WRONGFULLY ACCUSED AND HAS SINCE HAD HIS RECORDS EXPUNGED, THERE ARE 14 OFFICERS WHO HAVE BEEN PUT ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE RESULTING IN THEIR MISCONDUCT OR AS A RESULT OF SOME OTHER ISSUE REGARDING THAT CASE OR OTHER ACTIONS AROUND THAT CASE. I THINK THAT PLUS THE STORY THAT JUST CAME OUT EVEN LAST NIGHT FROM DADE BISCOBING REGARDING LYING AND FALSIFYING IN POLICE REPORTS AND TESTIMONY ABOUT ACCUSATIONS THAT WERE PUTTING SOMEONE -- TRYING TO KEEP SOMEONE IN CUSTODY IS ALL THE EVIDENCE YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT EVEN WHEN SOMEONE'S NOT DYING AT THE HANDS OF POLICE, THERE'S PLENTY THAT'S GOING ON THAT NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE AN OUTLET FOR THAT. SUING THE CITY OR SAYING QUALIFIED IMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE ABOLISHED IS ONE THING. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT GOES TO, LIKE, FINANCIAL CONCERNS, NOT ACTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACTUAL CHANGE. NONE OF THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE DON'T HAVE AN O.A.T. AND IF WE DON'T HAVE AN O.A.T. THAT HAS TEETH. I'M JUST GETTING TIRED OF HAVING CLIENTS WHO ARE MISTREATED AND SEEING THE ABUSES OF POWER BY PHOENIX POLICE AND KNOWING THAT NEARS NO OUTLET FOR THAT TO BE RECKONED WITH. I WOULD URGE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE YES. THERE'S NOTHING BAD THAT CAN COME OF THIS. WE ARE THE LARGEST CITY IN THE U.S. WITHOUT THIS TYPE OF OFFICE. THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEREMY HEALTHCOT. JEREMY, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. JEREMY HEALTHCOT, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 1, AND PROUD TO SERVE ON THE CITY'S HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION AND PREVIOUSLY THE COMMUNITY POLICE TRUST INITIATIVE TASK FORCE. I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO FINALLY IMPLEMENT THIS ACTION TODAY AND STAND UP THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AS THOSE BODIES AND OTHERS IN THE CITY HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR MORE THAN A DECADE. I'VE SPENT THE PAST SEVEN YEARS IMMERSED IN TRYING TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY OF PHOENIX AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS ALSO PART OF OUR COMMUNITY. AND I REALLY WANT TO STRONGLY ECHO, AND NOT FOR THE FIRST TIME, WHAT PASTOR DR. STEWART SAID. THERE IS INTEREST IN WORKING WITH EVERYBODY HERE, BUT TRUST AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO BE EFFECTIVE HAVE TO BE MUTUAL. I'VE HAD FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, PARTICULARLY OFFICERS, SAY TO ME, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF SOMEBODY STEPPED IN AND PLACED PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW YOUR BUSINESS IN CHARGE OF THE WAY YOU DO YOUR BUSINESS? AND MY ANSWER IS SIMPLE. IF THE AUTHORITY, THE MONEY, THE EQUIPMENT, AND EVERYTHING I NEED OPERATIONALLY TO DO MY BUSINESS IS BEING PROVIDED BY THOSE PEOPLE, THEN I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF AN ARGUMENT AGAINST OVERSIGHT BY THOSE PEOPLE. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE HERE TODAY. THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED. WE ARE THE FIFTH LARGEST CITY IN THIS COUNTRY, AND WE ARE QUOTE/UNQUOTE LEADING FROM BEHIND ON THIS MATTER. IT'S TIME TO CREATE THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN CALLING FOR, AND IN SO DOING, FINALLY MOVE FORWARD ON INCREASING AND REBUILDING THE TRUST THAT WE NEED MUTUALLY AMONGST OURSELVES AND OUR POLICE OFFICERS. I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO VOTE YES TODAY. THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. AND IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE THEM. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNA HERNANDEZ. ANNA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME'S ANNA HERNANDEZ, RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 4, BORN AND RAISED CITY OF PHOENIX. AND I'M HERE SPEAKING BECAUSE, AGAIN, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE FOR MY FAMILY AND MYSELF, AS WE HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH LOSING A LOVED ONE AT THE HANDS OF POLICE VIOLENCE. I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS SUCH A FIGHT. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING GROUNDBREAKING. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. WE'RE ASKING FOR THERE TO BE AN INDEPENDENT BODY THAT REVIEWS WHEN ERRORS ARE MADE, BECAUSE THOSE ERRORS RESULT IN MURDER. AND THAT'S A FACT. MY BROTHER'S DEATH CERTIFICATE IS LISTED AS A HOMICIDE. WHY? BECAUSE HE WAS SHOT FIVE TIMES BY A PHOENIX POLICE OFFICER. HE WAS HANDCUFFED, AND HE WAS LET A K-9 GO UPON WITH HIM WITH NO HELP TO SAVE HIS LIFE. HE BLED OUT ON A DIRT GROUND. SO WHEN THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN, IT DOESN'T STOP THERE. IT CONTINUES WHEN US AS A FAMILY WANT TO KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENED, AND WE GET NO ANSWERS. EVERY WAY WE TURN, WE'RE HIT WITH A ROADBLOCK FROM TRYING TO OBTAIN REPORTS, FROM TRYING TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON WHAT HAPPENED, FROM TRYING TO OBTAIN THEIR BELONGINGS. IT CONTINUES AND IT CONTINUES WITH NO ANSWERS. YOU KNOW, I LOST MY BROTHER, MY LITTLE BROTHER, TO AN EPIDEMIC OF POLICE SHOOTINGS. LESS THAN TWO YEARS LATER I HAD TO BURY MY DAD AS A LOSS TO COVID, AND I WASN'T ABLE TO GET HIM ANSWERS BEFORE HE LEFT. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN NEVER FIX BECAUSE THERE IS NO BODY THAT WILL GIVE US THE ANSWERS THAT WE NEED. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE REVISED VERSION OF THIS WASN'T POSTED FOR US TO REVIEW ON THE AGENDA, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE IS A REVISED VERSION THAT IS CIRCULATING, AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO VOTE FOR. THANK YOU. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MAYOR, MAY I ASK SOME QUESTIONS? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: VICE MAYOR, PLEASE GO AHEAD. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ANNA. I KNOW IT'S HARD EVERY TIME YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND I'M SORRY FOR THE LOSS OF YOUR FATHER AS WELL. I REMEMBER WHEN YOUR PARENTS CAME IN. I THINK I WAS A MONTH INTO OFFICE, AND THEY JUST WANTED ANSWERS. AND LIKE I SAID, WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO GIVE IT TO THEM. CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO HOW LONG IT TOOK TO RECEIVE POLICE REPORTS, BODY CAM, MEDICAL EXAMS OR THE BELONGINGS OF YOUR BROTHER? >> YEAH. I CAN, ACTUALLY. SO IT WAS A FIGHT -- IT WAS A HARD BATTLE. IT TOOK US ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO OBTAIN A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FOR THE POLICE REPORT. AND THAT WAS ONLY AFTER I ADVOCATED. I PROTESTED. I SPOKE AT DIFFERENT EVENTS AT DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEETINGS. I HAD TO SPEAK TO THE MAYOR AND TO THE CHIEF IN ORDER TO TRY TO OBTAIN THAT. SO IT TOOK US ABOUT THREE MONTHS TO TRY TO ABOUT GET THE REPORT. TO THIS DAY, WHICH HAS BEEN OVER TWO YEARS, JUST OVER TWO YEARS, I DON'T HAVE A MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT. THE HOSPITAL RECORDS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO OBTAIN, WE ONLY OBTAINED THEM BECAUSE MY SISTER'S A NURSE AND WAS SMART ENOUGH TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND REQUEST THAT, SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE HOSPITAL RECORDS, AMBULANCE REPORT, THE PARAMEDICS' REPORT THROUGH THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE SHE WAS SMART ENOUGH TO THINK OF THAT. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: HOW ABOUT YOUR BROTHER'S BELONGINGS? WERE YOU ABLE TO GET THOSE? I KNOW LAST TIME WE SPOKE, YOU STILL WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THEM. >> NO. NO, TO THIS DAY -- AND THAT'S ANOTHER PART, RIGHT, THAT IS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM THE ASSIGNED DETECTIVE, WE'VE -- I'VE HAD COMMUNICATION WITH HER A COUPLE OF TIMES, MAYBE THREE TIMES IN TOTAL IN THREE YEARS. I'M ACTUALLY TRYING TO WORK ON GETTING HIS BELONGINGS NOW. AND I GO UNACKNOWLEDGED. I SEND EMAILS WITH NO RESPONSES. I HAVE TO ADD THE CITY MANAGER TO EMAILS, THE CHIEF OF POLICE TO EMAILS TO TRY TO EVEN -- TO EVEN GET AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT. SO TWO YEARS LATER AND I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGHT TO GET MY BROTHER'S BELONGINGS. SO THIS IS WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING. THIS IS WHAT THESE FAMILIES, INCLUDING MINE, ARE REALLY EXPERIENCING THAT NOBODY TAKES INTO ACCOUNT. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: DURING THE INVESTIGATION, WERE YOU ABLE TO GET -- DID YOU GET UPDATES? HOW WERE YOU NOTIFIED? DID YOU KNOW WHEN THE INVESTIGATION ENDED? HOW WAS THAT PROCESS FOR YOU? >> IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE WITH -- THE DAY THE INCIDENT HAPPENED, THERE WAS TWO POLICE OFFICERS STATIONED AT MY PARENTS' HOUSE SO THAT WE DIDN'T LEAVE TO THE SCENE, BECAUSE I HAD ALREADY BEEN AT THE SCENE. AND WE ACTUALLY FOUND OUT THAT HE DIED THROUGH MEDIA BECAUSE SOMEBODY IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT LEAKED IT TO THE MEDIA THAT HE DIED. SO INSTEAD OF HEARING IT BEING INFORMED AS PROBABLY THEIR PROCEDURE IS BY AN OFFICER OR DETECTIVE, WE HAD TO LEARN OF IT BY AN ALERT ON MY SISTER'S PHONE THAT OUR LITTLE BROTHER HAD DIED. OTHER THAN THAT, THERE WAS NO COMMUNICATION. A COUPLE OF DETECTIVES SPOKE TO US THE DAY OF. THEY SAID THEY WOULD REACH OUT AGAIN IN THREE DAYS, AND NOW IT'S TWO YEARS LATER, AND NOBODY HAS REACHED OUT. SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING, RIGHT? I DIDN'T KNOW WHEN THE INVESTIGATION WAS HANDED OVER TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. THROUGH RESOURCES OF OUR OWN, OF US FAMILIES THAT HAVE TRIED TO DO THE WORK TO FIND OUT ANSWERS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LINK TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S WEBSITE WHERE IT SHOWS THAT MY BROTHER'S CASE WAS CLEARED, BUT NOBODY EVER, TO THIS DAY, HAS COMMUNICATED THAT TO US. SO EVERYTHING I KNOW TO THIS DAY IS BECAUSE I HAVE FOUGHT TO TRY TO GET ANSWERS INSTEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO HELP WITH THAT TREATS US LIKE WE DON'T MATTER. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE TO ASK A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS, AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW, THAT'S OKAY. BUT I REMEMBER A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUNERAL SERVICE AND SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT YOU ALL FACED WHEN IT ALL HAPPENED. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND, LIKE, YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THAT? >> WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN HAVE THE WORDS TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT IT'S LIKE TO PLAN THE FUNERAL SERVICES OF THE YOUNGEST CHILD IN OUR FAMILY AS THAT KIND OF FELL ON MY SHOULDERS. BUT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT, RIGHT? IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE AS YOU'RE TRYING TO PLAN FUNERAL SERVICES, YOU'RE TRYING TO OBTAIN ANSWERS. FOR US, BECAUSE WE REACTED IN THE MOMENT, WE WERE ABLE TO KNOW WHERE HE WAS, WHAT HOSPITAL HE WAS TAKEN TO, BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO SEE HIM UNTIL THE FUNERAL HOME HAD HIM, BECAUSE NOBODY COMMUNICATED WITH US THAT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER HAD TO PICK HIM UP BECAUSE IT WAS AN OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO GET EVERYTHING DONE. BUT THEN YOU HAVE FAMILIES LIKE JANE GARCIA'S FAMILY THAT HAVE HIM LISTED AS JOHN DOE, AND THE FAMILY COULDN'T GET ANSWERS WHERE HE WAS, WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, AND EVEN NOW THAT WE'RE TRYING TO OBTAIN BELONGINGS, YOU HAVE PEOPLE LIKE JAMES THAT ARE LISTED AS JOHN DOES, AND THAT JUST KEEPS THESE ROADBLOCKS IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, FOR US THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND SOME HEALING AND FIND SOME CLOSURE, SOME ANSWERS, AND IT JUST CONTINUES. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: LAST TWO QUESTIONS. HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU WERE TREATED BY THE DEPARTMENT, AND DO YOU FEEL YOUR EXPERIENCE, NOW THAT YOU'VE CONNECTED WITH OTHER FAMILIES, DOES IT FEEL LIKE YOU'VE ALL HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE? >> YEAH. IN SPEAKING TO SOME OTHER FAMILIES THAT I TALK TO ALL THE TIME, THE EXPERIENCES ARE VERY SIMILAR. THE TREATMENT HAS BEEN PRETTY SIMILAR ACROSS THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING SOME OF US HAVE THE SAME DETECTIVE ASSIGNED TO OUR CASES. I FEEL LIKE WE WERE TREATED VERY WRONG, YOU KNOW, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, THEY RAN WITH A CERTAIN NARRATIVE TO TRY TO PUT PROTECTION IN PLACE FOR THEIR OFFICERS. THEY SPOKE TO US HOURS -- I MEAN, WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO FROM KILLING MY BROTHER, RIGHT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S LISTED ON HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE IS A HOMICIDE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY MURDERED HIM. WITHIN MINUTES, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE HOURS AFTER THAT, YOU'RE TALKING TO A FAMILY, BUT YOU'RE NOT REALLY GIVING US -- THEY WERE ASKING QUESTIONS THAT WERE VERY LEADING. AND THEN PUTTING STUFF IN THE REPORT THAT WASN'T ACCURATE. AND THEN WE'RE LEFT WITH NO OUTLET TO DEBATE WHAT'S IN THE REPORT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT KEPT IN THE LOOP DURING THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS. SO HOW IS THIS -- HOW DOES THIS MAKE SENSE THAT IF AN OFFICER CAN GET INFORMATION FROM THE INVESTIGATION AND THEY CAN CHANGE THE STORY OR CLEAR UP COMMENTS OR STATEMENTS THEY MADE, HOW IS IT THAT THE FAMILY OF SOMEBODY THAT THEY JUST KILLED ISN'T EXTENDED THE SAME COURTESY, WHEN THERE'S THINGS IN OUR REPORT THAT ARE A LIE, LIKE, BLATANTLY ARE A LIE. AND SO THAT TREATMENT IS JUST VERY DISHEARTENING. IT MADE US FEEL AND CONTINUE TO MAKE OUR FAMILY FEEL LIKE OUR BROTHER'S LIFE DIDN'T MATTER AND THAT HE'S JUST ANOTHER STATISTIC TO THE CITY. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: LAST THING. I ASKED KATIE THE SAME THING, AND I KNOW -- YOU KNOW, YOU'VE MENTIONED SOME OF THIS EARLIER. I'M NOT EXPECTING TO TAKE TOO MUCH MORE OF YOUR TIME AND EVERYBODY ELSE WATCHING, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AND I THINK THE REASON THIS MAKES SENSE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHER FAMILIES DON'T GO THROUGH WHAT YOU ALL HAVE GONE THROUGH. ARE THERE SOME OTHER THINGS YOU THINK WE SHOULD ADD TO THIS PROCESS OR WAYS YOU WISH IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? >> I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY WAYS THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT THAT I DON'T THINK THIS IS -- I DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT, LIKE KATIE SAID, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE? BUT ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES TO MAKE OUR PEOPLE HEALTHIER AND GIVE THEM A CHANCE OF SURVIVAL. BUT IN SPECIFICS TO THIS PROCESS, WHAT I READ IN THE AGENDA IS NOT WHAT WE NEED. WHAT WE NEED IS A REVISED PROPOSAL THAT DOES INCLUDE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION. LIKE, THAT HAS TO BE A NON-NEGOTIABLE BECAUSE ANYTHING ELSE IS BASICALLY THE SAME THING WE HAVE UPHELD IN PLACE NOW, WHICH IS PUTTING A JOB IN FRONT OF -- THAT A JOB IS WORTH MORE THAN THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE, RIGHT? OR ANY INCIDENT THAT HAPPENS, ANY EXPERIENCE FROM A HUMAN BEING AND FROM A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY. SO I THINK WITHOUT THAT -- THE THING THAT I WISH WAS DIFFERENT IS THAT HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEEN IN PLACE WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO US, WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE MORE ANSWERS, AND MAYBE WHEN I BURIED MY DAD, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT WITH HIM KNOWING WHY THIS HAPPENED AND IF IT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL KELLY. MICHAEL, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I AM. AND THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR GALLEGO, AND PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS MICHAEL KELLY, I'M A DISTRICT 8 RESIDENT. AS THE RECIPIENT OF A CITY OF PHOENIX EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR COMMUNITY-BASED POLICING, A GRADUATE OF THE FBI CITIZEN AS CADMY, AND TWO-TIME PARTICIPANT IN THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CITIZEN POLICE ACADEMY, I HAVE FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHALLENGES CITIZENS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FACE ON A REGULAR BASIS. OVER MANY YEARS I'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO READ THE REPORTS FROM THE DISCIPLINARY REVIEW BOARD AND DEPARTMENT'S USE OF FORCE BOARD. BUT WITH MANY RESIDENTS PARTICIPATED LIKE ANN HART AND KURT MANHAM, JUST TO NAME A FEW, SOME HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED BUT THERE'S STILL MUCH MORE WORK TO BE DONE. IN AUGUST OF 2019, THANK YOU, MAYOR GALLEGO, FOR PUTTING TOGETHER AN AD HOC COMMITTEE, TO IMPLEMENT LONG-STALLED POLICE REFORMS. NOW, I ATTENDED THESE MEETINGS WHERE COMMITTEE MEMBERS REVIEWED BEST PRACTICES FROM OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND VOCIFEROUSLY DEBATED A PLETHORA OF IMPORTANT ISSUES. IN 2020 THE PHOENIX CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO CREATE AND FUND THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. AND YESTERDAY WE TOOK PROGRESSIVE STEPS AND POLICE REFORM TO RECOMMEND ADDING RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OR C.A.P. PROGRAM AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SPECIAL THANKS TO VICE MAYOR GARCIA AND OTHER SUPPORTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP REGARDING THIS ACTION. AND THESE AND OTHER REASONS ARE WHY I SUPPORT COUNCIL ACTION TO ADOPT THE GOVERNING LANGUAGE FOR THE O.A.T. BY CREATING A NEW CHAPTER 20 OF THE PHOENIX CITY CODE AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL OCHOA. MICHAEL, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES. ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHERS. MY NAME IS MICHAEL ANGEL OCHOA. I AM A UNITED STATES ARMY VETERAN. AND I COMPLETELY, TO A DEGREE, I'M IN SUPPORT OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT STEP. AS SMALL AS IT IS, IT IS THE RIGHT STEP TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR POLICE ARE PROPERLY TRAINED AND EDUCATED BEFORE THEY HIT THE STREETS. A POLICE OFFICER SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BREAK A PERSON'S LEG WITHOUT ANY PROVOCATION OR NEED OF ESCALATION AND FACE NO CONSEQUENCE. THE POLICE OFFICER SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KIDNAP A PERSON IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX TO DRUG AND STICK IN A MENTAL FACILITY FOR CONVENIENCE WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES. A POLICE OFFICER SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ARREST INDIVIDUALS WITH LACK OF EVIDENCE AND LACK OF WITNESSES. PROTESTING MUST BE PROTECTED, NOT PERSECUTED. THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS IN DIRE NEED OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. THE CORRUPTION IS RAMPANT AND THE OFFICIALS ARE DORMANT. PRESENT COMPANY INCLUDED. SQUARE YOURSELVES AWAY, CITY OF PHOENIX. PLEASE DO RIGHT BY YOUR PEOPLE, BY YOUR POCKETS. PLEASE PRAY FOR ME AND I'LL PRAY FOR YOU. AND I RECENTLY GOT ARRESTED BY CITY OF PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR FALSE CHARGES. THEY'VE LIED ON THE POLICE REPORT. THE PUBLIC DEFENDANT'S OFFICE HAS BEEN -- HAS BEEN ANYTHING BUT HELPFUL. AND THIS SEEMS TO BE JUST THE GROWING TREND IN THE CITY THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. PLEASE TAKE THE VOICE OF YOUR CITIZENS AS FUEL TO CONTINUE ON THE RIGHT PATH. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. NICE. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MUKTAR SHEIKH. ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> HI. CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY? >> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> HI. MY NAME'S MUKTAR SHEIKH AND I'M A COMMUNITY ADVOCATE THAT WORKS WITH REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT IN THE COMMUNITY. I'M CALLING TO SUPPORT THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. WE NEED THIS OFFICE TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITY POLICING. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS HEARD MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMPLAIN ABOUT HARMFUL POLICING AND POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS COMPLAINTS AND CONCERNS. WE NEED THIS OFFICE SO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE AN INDEPENDENT, SEPARATE OFFICE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE ARE NOT AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS. WE JUST NEED BETTER POLICING, BETTER COMMUNICATION FROM POLICE, AND HOLD POLICE OFFICERS THAT HAVE HARMED OUR COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABLE. WE NEED OVERSIGHT, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER TO ESTABLISH THIS OFFICE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A HUNDRED YEARS TO HAVE A POLICE OFFICE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY, NOT AGAINST THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRISTINE STIKT. CHRISTINE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? CHRISTINE IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JENNIFER UNDERWOOD. JENNIFER, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? JENNIFER IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WHITNEY WALKER. WHITNEY, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES, I AM HERE. >> THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> YES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR GALLEGO, AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I AM WHITNEY WALKER, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY AND ORGANIZING WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF ARIZONA AND ALSO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OUR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ARM OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD ADVOCATES OF ARIZONA. I COME TO YOU TODAY AS YOU ALL MAY BE AWARE THAT PLANNED PARENTHOOD ARIZONA SERVES COUNTLESS NUMBER OF PHOENIX RESIDENTS EACH YEAR. PPAZ CARES FOR THE PATIENTS EXTENDS BEYOND THE DOORS OF ITS CLINICS. THE HARMFUL IMPACT OF OVERCRIMINALIZATION AND POLICING OF COMMUNITIES IMPEDES ON AN INDIVIDUAL'S ABILITY TO SEEK THE CARE THEY NEED AT PLANNED PARENTHOOD CLINICS. AS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE PPAZ SEEK TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO ENSURE EVERYONE HAS THE ABILITY TO CREATE THE FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY THEY DESIRE TO THRIVE IN, WE CALL ON OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DO THE SAME. WHILE WE APPRECIATE THE CITY OF PHOENIX PASSING THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY POLICY LAST YEAR, IT IS BEYOND TIME TO ENACT THE POLICIES OF A CITY ORDINANCE. THERE HAS BEEN ONE SHOOTING AFTER ANOTHER AFTER ANOTHER WITH LITTLE TO NO JUSTICE FOR FAMILIES OR THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY TRY TO THRIVE IN EVERY SINGLE DAY. SYSTEMIC RACISM EXISTS IN EVERY PART OF OUR SOCIETY, UNFORTUNATELY. AND WE KNOW THAT IT IS MOST EVIDENT IN POLICING. FOR DECADES IT HAS BEEN REPORTED THAT BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE SHOT AT HIGHER RATES THAN OUR WHITE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, SPECIFICALLY REPORTED IN THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC LAST YEAR OF SAYING PHOENIX OFFICERS MOST OFTEN USE FORCE IN PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. NO SURPRISE TO THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THANK YOU TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ARE TAKING TIME TO ADDRESS THE TRAUMA IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX AND TAKING ACTION TO LOOK FOR ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ANY MISCONDUCT. THIS IS ONLY A FOUNDATIONAL STEP IN THE LARGER COLLECTIVE GOAL OF -- >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS REGINALD WALTON. REGINALD, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I AM. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. I'VE BEEN A PHOENIX RESIDENT SINCE AUGUST 22nd OF 2012. I DROVE MY U-HAUL VAN INTO THE CITY AND BECAME THE SENIOR PASTOR OF THE PHILLIPS MEMORIAL CME CHURCH. I HAVE LOST COUNT OF THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THAT I HAVE COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO SPEAK ON POLICING ISSUES. I HAVE LOST COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WE HAVE GONE AND PRAYED WITH OVER POLICE BRUTALITY AND POLICE VIOLENCE. I HAVE LOST COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE'VE HELD TOWN HALLS AND MARCHES CALLING ON TRANSPARENCY IN THIS CITY. IT IS HIGH TIME FOR THE CITY OF PHOENIX, THE CITY THAT IS NAMED AFTER THE BIBLICAL PREACHER THAT RISES FROM THE ASHES, THIS CITY THAT IS THE FIFTH LARGEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IT IS TIME TO LEAD. I'M THANKFUL TO THE MAYOR, TO THE VICE MAYOR, AND TO THOSE WHO ARE COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO VOTE FOR THE PEOPLE. AND LASTLY, UNDERSTAND THIS. THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK ON POLICING. THIS IS A TOOL TO ALLOW POLICE AND COMMUNITY TO BUILD TRUST. THIS IS A TOOL THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE TO ARTICULATE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE SOMEPLACE WHERE THEIR VOICES CAN BE HEARD, WHERE THEY WILL NOT BE DERIDED, WHERE THEY WILL NOT BE BELITTLED. LASTLY, LAW ENFORCEMENT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT AND SERVE. AND WHEN YOU PROTECT, YOU DO NO HARM. WHEN YOU SERVE, YOU SERVE ALL OF THE PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF RACE, CREED, OR COLOR. AND LASTLY, YOU DO NOT LIE AND MAKE UP TRUMPED-UP CHARGES AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTERS. AND SO I URGE YOU -- I BEG YOU TO PLEASE VOTE YES. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GENERAL NELL WOOD. ARE YOU ON THE LINE? SHE IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRETT ALDIRI. BRETT, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES, I AM. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCILMEN. THANKS FOR THE ABILITY TO SPEAK. I'VE LIVED IN ARIZONA FOR 34 YEARS, ALMOST ALL THAT TIME IN PHOENIX. MY VIEW IS THAT THE PHOENIX PD IS ONE OF THE BETTER POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN OUR COUNTRY. I'VE MET WITH AND HIGHLY RESPECT THE LEADERSHIP THAT CHIEF WILLIAMS HAS BROUGHT AND HER COMMAND TEAM. I CAN TELL YOU THAT OUR COMMUNITY ALWAYS TURNS OUT VERY BIG TO SUPPORT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR EFFORTS AND WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY. I STAND TODAY TO VOICE OPPOSITION TO THE O.A.T. CONCEPT. WHILE I'LL DEFINITELY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PHOENIX PD'S NOT PERFECT, I DON'T KNOW OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS. IT PAYS A LOT OF ATTENTION TO OUR COMMUNITIES AND ISSUES. AND I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN CHIEF WILLIAMS AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS DOES A GOOD JOB. I BELIEVE THAT SPENDING $3 MILLION OF TAXPAYER FUNDS ON AN O.A.T. CONCEPT IS A BIT OF A WASTE OF MONEY. I THINK THESE FUNDS COULD BE BETTER SPENT TO PUT MORE POLICE OFFICERS ON THE STREET WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED AND TO PROVIDE MORE ENHANCED POLICE TRAINING SO THAT WE HAVE BETTER TRAINED POLICE OFFICERS. WATCHING WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FACT I THINK IS JUST A MISPLACE. I WOULD SAY LET'S BE SMARTER IN HOW WE SPEND PRECIOUS TAXPAYER FUNDS. AND THEN LAST I WOULD SAY OUR POLICEMEN AND WOMEN STAND UP FOR US EVERY SINGLE DAY. I THINK TODAY IT'S TIME FOR US TO STAND UP FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SANDRA KAVASI. SANDRA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? SANDRA IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARSHA FLORIAN. MARSHA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES, I AM. >> THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> YES. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL -- I HAD SURGERY, A LITTLE SCRATCHY VOICE -- I AM A NATIVE OF PHOENIX AND LIFETIME SUPPORTER OF THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT. I LIVE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE A SAFE COMMUNITY. WE HAVE HAD A WELL-GOVERNED COMMUNITY AND CITY. IN THE PAST WE'VE HAD ONE OF THE BEST-RUN CITIES IN THE WORLD. AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE A CITIZEN IN THAT TYPE OF A CITY. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, I'VE SEEN THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT DIMINISH. IT CAUSES ME A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN. I BELIEVE THAT HAVING DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THEIR INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS WORKS (INAUDIBLE) THE NUMBERS OF THINGS THAT THEY HAVE DONE TO BE INNOVATIVE AND INCLUSIVE OF THE CITIZENS OF PHOENIX IN THEIR ACTIVITIES EXCEEDS MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I ALSO KNOW THAT THOSE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE LARGER THAN THE CITY OF PHOENIX WHO HAVE ENACTED EXTERNAL PROGRAMS TO INVESTIGATE OR RECEIVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MAKING ANY EFFECTIVE CHANGE. I AGREE WITH THE LAST SPEAKER WHO SAID THIS IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS GOING TO DO LITTLE, IF NOTHING, FOR THE CITIZENS OF PHOENIX. AND I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO YOUR CITIZENS AND THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH YOU STACK A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THIS, I WENT THROUGH EVERY COMMENT ON THE COMMENTS SECTION THAT WERE PEOPLE WRITING ABOUT THIS PROPOSAL, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMENTS WERE IN OPPOSITION OF THE O.A.T., THE OFFICE OF TRANSPARENCY. SO I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS PROPOSITION. I URGE THAT YOU DO NOT CREATE A NEW OFFICE, YOU DO NOT CREATE ANY MORE LEGISLATION. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DIANE GALOTTI. DIANE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? DIANE IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BARBARA JENNINGS. BARBARA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> ALL RIGHT. I ALSO OPPOSE THIS PROPOSITION. I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME AND ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK WE NEED TO STOP RIDICULING AND PERSECUTING THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT RISK THEIR LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS FOR OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY. THE FALSE IDEOLOGY THAT HAS SPREAD ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT THE POLICE AND OUR COUNTRY FOR THAT MATTER IS SYSTEMATICALLY RACIST IS DIVISIVE, HARMFUL AND UNDERMINING OUR STATES AND NATION'S SAFETY AND SECURITY. OUR BORDER IS UNDER SIEGE, AND IT'S BEING CONTROLLED BY THE CARTELS WHO ARE GREATLY PROFITING FROM THE DRUG AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING OPERATIONS. I WAS LISTENING TO CONGRESS TODAY, AND THERE WAS MORE FENTANYL BROUGHT INTO OUR COUNTRY THIS MONTH THAN ALL OF 2020. IF ANYTHING, OUR CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE SPENDING THIS MONEY TO HIRE MORE POLICEMEN, ESPECIALLY IN OUR POORER COMMUNITIES. THOSE OF YOU WHO REPRESENT THOSE COMMUNITIES ARE NOT CONSIDERING THE SAFETY OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS. WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW GREAT THE CHALLENGES WILL BE TO OUR STATE SECURITY AND PROFITABILITY AS PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO FREELY ENTER UNCHECKED. WE DON'T NEED A GROUP OF PEOPLE LOOKING OVER OUR POLICEMEN'S SHOULDERS ANALYZING THEIR EVERY MOVE. WE ALREADY HAVE CAMERAS THAT MONITOR THEIR ACTIONS. WE NEED TO UTILIZE THAT MONEY TO SUPPORT OUR POLICE. IN ARIZONA OUR VIOLENT CRIME RATE IS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. IN FACT, IN PHOENIX, YOUR CHANCE OF BECOMING A VICTIM OF A VIOLENT CRIME IS 1 IN 142. IT IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF DEFINING OF POLICE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOOK AT PORTLAND, SEATTLE, NEW YORK CITY, CHICAGO, AND MANY MORE BLUE CITIES WHERE CRIME IS SKYROCKETING. OUR STATE RELIES ON TOURISM, PEOPLE IN BUSINESSES WILL NOT WANT TO VISIT OR LOCATE HERE IF OUR STATE ISN'T SAFE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS EVEN BEING CONSIDERED. WE ALREADY KNOW THE OUTCOME WILL BE DETRIMENTAL, VERY SCARY AS OUR POLICIES CHASE AWAY GOOD OFFICERS AND MAKE BECOMING A POLICE OFFICER AN UNDESIRABLE OCCUPATION IN ARIZONA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KRISTA LEONE. KRISTA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I AM. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I SYMPATHIZE WITH THOSE WHO HAVE HAD BAD EXPERIENCES WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ARE LOOKING FOR JUSTICE AND TRANSPARENCY. I AM A LONGTIME RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF PHOENIX. I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS. I MOVED. I WAS DRAWN TO THE CITY. BUT IN THIS CASE, I MUST ASK HOW WILL WE BE SURE THAT AN ALTERNATIVE OFFICE WILL BE IMPARTIAL AND FAIR TO BOTH THE CITIZENS AS WELL AS TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND PROVIDE THEM DUE PROCESS? HOW WILL WE BE SURE THAT THE FOLKS THAT WILL BE HIRED IN THIS OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY WILL BE LOOKING OUT FOR THE BEST FOR OUR CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR OFFICERS HAVE DUE PROCESS AND ARE PROTECTED? I AGREE WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE SPOKEN AND SAID THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE BEING MALIGNED, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE BAD APPLES IN EVERY BUNCH, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT TRUE ACROSS THE BOARD. AND I RESPECT THOSE OFFICERS WHO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE FOR US. I MEAN, I'M TRYING TO RAISE A FAMILY IN THE CITY, AND I REALIZE THAT IT'S BECOMING MORE DANGEROUS. WE'VE HAD INCIDENTS A MILE AWAY FROM MY HOME. I LIVE IN A SAFE COMMUNITY. AND I NEED OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE AROUND TO PROTECT US. SO I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL LOOK TO OTHER CITIES WHO HAVE NOT SUPPORTED THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HAVE MOVED TO DEFUND THE POLICE OR CAUSE THEM INJUSTICE AND SEE WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING, VIOLENT CRIME MURDERS SHOOTINGS BURGLARIES HAVE SKYROCKETED. NOBODY WANTS TO VISIT THOSE CITIES. THE PREVIOUS PERSON WHO SAID PHOENIX IS A TOURIST CITY, IF IT IS NOT SAFE TO COME HERE, NO ONE WILL COME HERE. NO ONE WILL WANT TO LIVE HERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JUSTIN McKAY. JUSTIN, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES, I AM. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> SO I OPPOSE THIS MEASURE. THE IDEA FOR THIS OVERSIGHT OFFICE IS -- IT'S TOO UNDERDEVELOPED AND IT LACKS STANDARDS REGARDING OFFICE. THE MAIN STANDARD IS THAT ONE CAN'T BE LAW ENFORCEMENT OR HAVE FAMILY THAT WAS LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHY SHOULD THAT BE THE ONLY STANDARD? WHY NOT ALSO HAVE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS OR EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS? SURE, YOU WANT TO EXCLUDE PEOPLE CONNECTED TO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO AVOID PRO-POLICE BIAS. I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT WOULDN'T IT BE JUST AS IMPORTANT TO EXCLUDE PEOPLE AFFILIATED WITH EXPLICIT ANTI-POLICE GROUPS TO AVOID ANTI-POLICE BIAS? YES, OF COURSE, IT WOULD. THERE ARE ALSO NO STANDARDS TO JUDGE WHETHER THE OFFICE IS SUCCESSFUL OR NOT. SO WITHOUT MORE STANDARDS, IT'S JUST DESTINED TO BECOME A MENACE TO THE POLICE AND BY EXTENSION A MENACE TO THE PUBLIC. SO FOR THAT REASON, THE COUNCIL SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DISCONTINUE THIS PROGRAM UNTIL IT'S FURTHER DEVELOPED. THANKS. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHY NULTE. KATHY, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? KATHY IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LINDA PERKY. LINDA, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? LINDA IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBERT RITTER. ROBERT, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? ROBERT IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JANINE RODRIGUEZ. JANINE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I AM ON THE LINE. >> THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M JANINE RODRIGUEZ, AND A 24-YEAR RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 8. CAN YOU IMAGINE IN 2021 AN AGENDA ITEM IN FRONT OF THIS COUNCIL THAT HAS LANGUAGE THAT DISCRIMINATES AGAINST YOU BASED ON WHO YOU LOVE OR WHO IS IN YOUR FAMILY? IT'S SHOCKING. 20 SUBSECTION D DISALLOWED FAMILY MEMBERS OR CURRENT OR FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FROM HOLDING A POSITION -- (INAUDIBLE). IF THIS COUNCIL ALLOWS FOR THIS TYPE OF DISCRIMINATION IN A CITY ORDINANCE, WHAT IS NEXT? THIS IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE AND THE DEFINITION OF PREJUDICE. IT IS CONCERNING THAT SUCH LANGUAGE HAS BEEN WRITTEN INTO THIS ORDINANCE. IT SEEMS THE DRAFTERS DON'T WANT MEMBERS IN THE -- WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCES. RATHER THEY WANT TO EXCLUDE SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BASED ON THEIR FAMILY, SOMETHING THEY HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. I MYSELF HOLD A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE FROM ARIZONA STATE. THIS DEGREE FOCUSED ON INITIAL POLICE CONTACT THROUGH ADJUDICATION IN THE COURTS. IT REQUIRED OVER 100 HOURS OF POLICE RIDE-ALONGS, ONE WEEK AT THE ACADEMY AND A NINE-MONTH INTERNSHIP AT THE COURTS. I HAVE ALSO OVER A DECADE IN CRIMINAL DEFENSE. YET THIS ORDINANCE SAYS I NEED NOT APPLY TO THE O.A.T. BECAUSE I HAVE AN IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHAT OR BETTER YET WHO DOES IT SERVE TO DISALLOW SOMEONE LIKE ME IN THE COMMUNITY FROM APPLYING FOR A POSITION IN O.A.T.? WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE? WHY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST SOMEONE BASED ON THEIR FAMILY? WHO IS NEXT? WHAT ORDINANCE WILL BE NEXT? NO ITALIANS IN THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT? ONLY PEOPLE WITH PURPLE HAIR AT THE PARKS ON WEDNESDAYS? FOR THIS -- FOR AN ORDINANCE THAT IS BEING BOASTED AS CREATING TRANSPARENCY, IT SURE SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE STARTING OFF WITH SOMETHING TO HIDE. THIS AGENDA ITEM DISCRIMINATES AGAINST ME AND COUNTLESS OTHERS IN OUR CITY WHO WOULD BE QUALIFIED TO APPLY. VOTE NO ON AGENDA ITEM 89. THE CITY OF PHOENIX DOES NOT SUPPORT DISCRIMINATION AND SHOULD NOT PASS AN ORDINANCE THAT HAS IT WRITTEN IN IT. THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL SCHULTZ. MICHAEL, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? MICHAEL IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JANE SEEBOLD. JANE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I'M ON THE LINE. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. LET ME BE STRAIGHT UP FRONT ON 89. THE REASON I'M NO ON 89 IS BECAUSE IT UNDERMINES THE POLICE WHO ENFORCE THE CONSTITUTION WHICH EVERY ONE OF YOU TOOK THE OATH TO PROTECT AND DEFEND. GRANTED, THE POLICE AREN'T PERFECT, BUT AND TRANSPARENT AS WE WOULD ALL LIKE THEM TO BE, BUT NEITHER ARE THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AS WE'RE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO DO AN OVERSIGHT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ACROSS THE BOARD. WHAT I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS NOT ONLY THAT THEY ARE THE ENFORCERS OF THE CONSTITUTION, BUT THE ABILITY FOR ANTI-POLICE ADVOCATES WHO ARE TARGETING THEM AND ALSO IT'S A DISCRIMINATION NOT ONLY AGAINST THE POLICE AND MEMBERS OF THE POLICE FAMILIES, BUT IT'S ALSO GETTING RACIAL. AND SO WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS IN THE COURSE OF THIS, MAYOR GALLEGO'S QUOTE, THAT IT'S A RACIAL BIAS THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS. WELL, LET'S HEAR ABOUT SOME SOLUTIONS. THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION. THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A TARGETING. AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR YOU LEADERS TO LEAD, TO ACTUALLY FIND SOLUTIONS THAT WILL BENEFIT EVERYONE TO BRING US TOGETHER IN UNITY AND NOT CONTINUE TO SEPARATE US OR CONTINUE TO STIR THE POT. POLICE FOR THE MOST PART ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES YOU CALL IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR HOME ROBBERY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT THEY DO AS GOOD, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO HEARING JUST ALL THE BAD. YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY'S BAD. BUT I DO EXPECT THAT YOU CONSIDER IT. ONCE PORTLAND STOPS FUNDING THE POLICE, 2,000% INCREASE IN HOMICIDES. SO GOING BACK TO IT, IF YOU VOTE YES, YOU'RE UNDERMINING THE CONSTITUTION. THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEANELLE WOOD. JEANELLE, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> I AM ON THE LINE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >> YES, WE CAN. THANK YOU. PLEASE PROCEED. >> ALL RIGHT. YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS JEANELLE WOOD, AND I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE BLACK MOTHERS FORUM AND I WANTED TO SHARE MY SUPPORT FOR ITEM NUMBER 89 FOR THE ORDINANCE, CHAPTER 20, FOR THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. I HAVE LISTENED TO MANY OF THE OPPOSING COMMENTS, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE DON'T EXPERIENCE THE TYPE OF TRAUMAS THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS EXPERIENCED AT THE HANDS OF SOME OF THE OFFICERS, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT ALL THE OFFICERS ARE -- HAVE A PROBLEM. BUT THOSE PARTICULAR OFFICERS THAT HAVE BEHAVED IN A WAY THAT HAS TRAUMATIZED OR EVEN KILLED OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REVIEWING THEIR RECORDS, WE ARE INVESTIGATING THIS MISCONDUCT, AND WE HAVE A MECHANISM TO DO THAT. AND THIS DEPARTMENT WILL DO THAT FOR US, AND THAT WILL CREATE GREATER TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY. SO I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS, AND I AM ENCOURAGING AND URGING EVERY LAST ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THIS AND VOTE YES ON THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARCUS TORK. MARCUS, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? MARCUS IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOHN YODER. JOHN, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? JOHN IS NOT ON THE LINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIRIDIANNA. ARE YOU ON THE LINE? >> YES. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY. SOME OF THESE COMMENTS ARE REALLY RIDICULOUS. THIS DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT AND RACIST DEPARTMENTS, AND THIS OFFICE WILL NOT STOP THAT. THIS OFFICE WILL NOT STOP THE KILLING OF PEOPLE -- THE STORIES -- YOU KNOW, WE HEARD TWO STORIES NOW AND THE QUESTIONS ASKED, THIS IS TWO EXAMPLES OF THE COUNTLESS EXAMPLES OF WHAT FAMILIES HAVE TO GO THROUGH. EVERYTHING THAT IS CURRENTLY SET UP IS TO PROTECT THIS DEPARTMENT. PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT BEING IMPARTIAL. THERE'S NOTHING IMPARTIAL ABOUT THE CURRENT PROCESS. THERE'S NOTHING JUST ABOUT THE CURRENT PROCESS. IT IS DISGUSTING TO HEAR SOME OF THESE COMMENTS WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUDDENLY TALKING ABOUT HOW DO WE PROVE SUCCESS, RIGHT? THIS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN OVERFUNDED FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS WHILE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY HAS BEEN DEFUNDED. WHEN YOUTH PROGRAMS HAD A BUDGET OF OVER 4 MILLION ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO AND RIGHT NOW STILL HAS A BUDGET THAT IS JUST AT $2 MILLION. BUT TRANSPORTATION IS INACCESSIBLE, YOU NAME IT, WHATEVER IT IS. AND YET CRIMES HAVE GONE UP. PEOPLE DO NOT FEEL SAFE. AND THIS DEPARTMENT IS GETTING ALMOST $800 MILLION, AND THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR GENERAL FUND. AND IT IS GROSS TO THINK THAT YESTERDAY, MAYOR GALLEGO, YOU VOTED TO CONTINUE TO FUND AND HAVE 191 VACANT POSITIONS THAT ARE THERE. SO PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY'S AT? IT'S RIGHT THERE. IT IS 191 VACANT POSITIONS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN FILLED SINCE 2018. THAT IS WHERE FUNDING IS. MOVE THAT FUNDING INTO OUR COMMUNITY. SO HERE TALKING ABOUT O.A.T., IT NEEDS TO PASS IF IT IS INVESTIGATED AND IF IT INCLUDES THE FAMILIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. >> MAYOR, THAT WAS OUR FINAL REQUEST TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. I WILL TURN TO OUR VICE MAYOR. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT TO SPEAK TODAY. MAYOR, I WANT TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE IT PER THE REVISION THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO YOUR OFFICE AND ALL OFFICES AND STAFF ON MONDAY, MAY 17th. >> SECOND. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. COUNCIL MEMBER COMMENTS. GUARDADO. >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. YES, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION. I ALSO WANT TO DIRECT THE CITY MANAGER TO ENSURE THAT A FAMILY ADVOCATE IS PROMPTLY HIRED AFTER THE O.A.T. DIRECTOR IS IN PLACE. OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS AND USE OF FORCE INCIDENTS CAN BE TRAUMATIC FOR FAMILIES AND FOR THE COMMUNITY. ESPECIALLY WHEN CHILDREN ARE INVOLVED. THE FAMILY ADVOCATES SHOULD TAKE A CASE WORKER APPROACH BY SUPPORTING FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE AFTERMATH OF A CRITICAL INCIDENT. THE FAMILY ADVOCATE SHOULD HAVE COUNSELING EXPERIENCE AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHER RESOURCES TO IMPACTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THEY SHOULD ALSO ACT AS THE MAIN POINT OF CONTACT AND FACILITATE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT AND FAMILIES INVOLVED IN CRITICAL INCIDENTS. AND THIS ONE IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, ON JULY 4th OF LAST YEAR, ONE OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS LOST HER SON AT THE HANDS OF POLICE, AND I KNOW THAT SHE AND I WENT BACK AND FORTH. SHE HAD NO IDEA WHERE TO GO, WHAT TO DO, WHO TO TALK TO GET INFORMATION. AND SHE WAS HEARTBROKEN OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER, BETWEEN THE TWO OF US, WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET INFORMATION, HOW SHE COULD GET HIS BELONGINGS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK AS A CITY WE CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER ABOUT THIS AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI. >> COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI: THANK YOU MAYOR. FIRSTLY, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE CALLED IN TODAY. MANY OF YOU DISCUSS HOW YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR DECADES, PROBABLY LONGER THAN I'VE BEEN ALIVE. THANK YOU TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN LEADING THIS EFFORT FOR THE PAST YEAR. COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA AND HIS ENTIRE TEAM WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING SO, SO HARD TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. I FEEL PROUD THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST VOTES I'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE. I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE REASONS WHY I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. WE ARE ONE OF THE ONLY MAJOR CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT ANY SORT OF CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK TODAY BY VOTING FOR THIS, WE'RE SHOWING THAT WE BELIEVE IN TRANSPARENCY. WE BELIEVE IN ACCOUNTABILITY. AND WE'RE ALSO SHOWING THAT WE BELIEVE IN DATA. I'VE LOOKED INTO DATA FROM OTHER CITIES GOING BACK MANY YEARS. CITIES THAT HAVE SIMILAR OFFICES. AND THEY'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL. THEY HAVE HELPED IN MANY CASES TO THEN DEVELOP POLICIES THAT HAVE REDUCED OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS OR INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE IN THE LONG RUN. AND THAT'S WHY ANOTHER REASON WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. IT'S ABOUT THE DATA. IT'S ABOUT LEARNING FROM INSTANCES THAT HAPPEN, AND IT'S ABOUT TRANSPARENCY. ON TOP OF THE PANDEMIC LAST YEAR, 2020 EXPOSED A LOT OF SYSTEMS THAT HAVE PRIMARILY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. SO I'M REALLY GLAD THAT PHOENIX IS CHOOSING TO RESPOND WITH THOUGHTFUL POLICY THAT TELLS OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE LISTENING. WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN OUR CITY FEELS SAFE. WE KNOW THAT SYSTEMATIC CHANGES ARE NOT GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, AND THIS IS TRULY JUST A VERY SMALL STEP, AN IMPORTANT STEP, IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BETWEEN THIS INVESTMENT AND THE $15 MILLION INVESTMENT IN THE CRISIS ASSISTANT PROGRAM, I THINK WE'RE MAKING GOOD STRIDES. I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE TWO INDIVIDUALS WHO SPOKE TODAY FROM IMPACTED FAMILIES. I THINK WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE QUESTION AND ANSWER IN THOSE PARTS OF TODAY'S DISCUSSION, FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE GAPS IN THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTABILITY, AND THEY SHOULD BE PART OF THE PROCESS AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS NEW OFFICE. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER IF WE CAN -- WHEN WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A STEERING COMMITTEE, THAT IT INCLUDES DIRECTLY IMPACTED PEOPLE TO OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND INVOLVE THEM IN THIS PROCESS. WE'RE IN A TIME THAT DEEPLY DEMANDS THIS. THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY HISTORIC VOTE FOR PHOENIX, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO VOTING FOR IT TODAY AND WORKING TOWARDS GREATER JUSTICE IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN ANSARI. VICE MAYOR. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN, FOR BOTH OF YOU FOR THOSE ADDITIONS. I THINK THEY'RE REALLY IMPORTANT. IT'S BEEN A COUPLE YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, AND BEFORE I GOT ON COUNCIL, I GOT TO WORK WITH SOME OF THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE SUFFERED THROUGH THIS. AND ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS IS TO HAVE BETTER SYSTEMS. THESE -- THIS OFFICE MAY NOT STOP FUTURE FAMILIES FROM GOING THROUGH WHAT SOME OF THE FAMILIES THAT WE TALKED TO TODAY. BUT AT THE VERY MINIMUM, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THEM AND HELP THEM FIGURE OUT -- GET SOME CLOSURE, TO HEAR THAT A FATHER IN REAL LIFE THAT HE PASSED FROM COVID. AND I LITERALLY REMEMBER -- IT WAS ONE OF MY FIRST MEETINGS ON COUNCIL -- BUT TO HEAR THAT HE NEVER GOT THOSE ANSWERS JUST BRINGS EVEN MORE PAIN. AS MENTIONED, PACO AND LORD BEFORE AND THAT SITUATION AND I GOT TO ACCOMPANY THAT FAMILY THROUGH A LOT OF WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH. WE'RE MAKING GREAT STRIDES WITH C.A.P., WITH O.A.T., WITH A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. THE ANSWERS ARE IN PEOPLE LIKE KATIE AND ANNA AND THOSE FOLKS THAT CALLED TODAY. AND SOME OF THE FOLKS LIKE PASTOR STEWART, GAIL KNIGHT, REVEREND WALTON, JEANELLE WOOD ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT BUT PARTICULARLY THOSE FAMILIES THAT I BELIEVE WE FAILED AND HOPEFULLY NO OTHER FAMILIES EITHER HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SUFFERING THAT THEY WENT THROUGH BUT ALSO THE ADDITIONAL SUFFERING AND TRAUMA CAUSED BY OUR INADEQUATE SYSTEMS. AND SO I'M EXCITED AND HOPEFUL TODAY AND READY THIS GET THIS OFF AND GOING AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO ALSO BE ABLE TO LOOK INTO A CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD. THE MOTION THAT I DID MAKE AND I'M ALSO HAPPY TO SAY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SHIFTS FROM THE LAST TIME WE VOTED ON THIS, AND IT I KNOW THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND IT. IT WILL HAVE AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION, AND HOPEFULLY, AGAIN, WOULD BE THE KEY TO CREATE TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU. AND I'LL BE VOTING YES ON THIS. >> MAYOR? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: COUNCILMAN DICICCIO. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: THANK YOU MAYOR. SO THIS IS A QUESTION OF STAFF. THIS ONE DEALS WITH THE RED LINE CHANGES THAT WERE PROVIDED ON MONDAY CORRECT? ED? >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: YES, COUNCILMAN, THAT'S CORRECT. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: OKAY. COULD WE READ INTO THE RECORD WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE? BECAUSE I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW THAT. >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: OKAY. THEY ARE RATHER EXTENSIVE. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: THAT'S OKAY. IT'S IMPORTANT. THESE ARE PRETTY HUGE CHANGES HERE THAT MAKE THIS PROPOSAL PRETTY RADICAL. >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: I GUESS I WOULD SEEK DIRECTION FROM THE CHAIR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: VICE MAYOR GARCIA, DID YOU PUT OUT A PRESS RELEASE THAT SHARED THESE CHANGES WITH THE PUBLIC? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES, MAYOR. WE'VE SHARED IT WITH ALL THE OFFICES AND WITH THE MEDIA AND, AGAIN, TO COUNCILMAN DICICCIO, WE SENT THIS TO YOUR OFFICE ON MONDAY. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: I APPRECIATE THAT, CARLOS. I REALLY DO, QUITE FRANKLY. I THINK THAT WAS VERY HONORABLE ON YOUR END. BUT I STILL THINK IN A PUBLIC MEETING, IF THERE'S NOTHING TO HIDE, I THINK STAFF NEEDS TO READ THOSE CHANGES INTO THE RECORD SO THAT IT'S THERE. I MEAN, A PRESS RELEASE IS ONE THING, BUT THIS IS A PUBLIC MEETING WITH PUBLIC RECORD ON IT. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: AND THE CHANGES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, SO AS CHAIR, I AM NOT GOING TO REQUEST THAT THOSE BE READ. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILWOMAN STARK UNLESS YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: MAYOR, HOLD ON. I DO, ACTUALLY. YOU'RE STARTING TO CUT ME OFF BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE WHERE I'M GOING. THAT'S KIND OF -- I THOUGHT WE GOT PAST ALL THIS. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: COUNCILMAN, WE UNDERSTAND YOU WILL NOT -- >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: THE RECORD -- YEAH. WELL, DID I SAY THAT RIGHT NOW? OR ARE YOU JUST ASSUMING? EXACTLY. SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS I'M TRYING TO GET THIS ON THE RECORD BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE READ INTO THE RECORD RATHER THAN THIS BECAUSE THESE ARE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. THE INVESTIGATORY PART OF THIS IS PRETTY IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE CITIZENS BEING ABLE TO CONDUCT SUBPOENAS. THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED ANYWHERE. YOU HURT THE DUE PROCESS RIGHTS OF POLICE OFFICERS THAT ARE WRITTEN INTO THE CONSTITUTION OF ARIZONA. YOU ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM IN THAT THIS IS CONTRARY TO STATE LAW. SO NOT EVEN HAVING POLICE OFFICERS ALLOWED TO BE ON THE COMMITTEE IS JUST FAR-REACHING ON ITS OWN. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE ONE BECAUSE QUITE A FEW -- THERE'S QUITE A FEW CHANGES IN THERE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN READ INTO THE RECORD. BUT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE NOT READING THEM IN THERE KIND OF LOOKS LIKE THE CITY OF PHOENIX IS HIDING IT. AND THAT'S JUST INAPPROPRIATE. I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT HAPPEN BEFORE WHERE THE STAFF COULD NOT READ INTO THE RECORD. SO THIS IS JUST PART OF THE DEFUND MOVEMENT THAT WE SAW YESTERDAY AT THE CITY COUNCIL. CLEARLY, THEN THAT FAILED AT A 5-4 VOTE. ONE VOTE AWAY FROM DEFUNDING THE POLICE OF 35 POLICE OFFICERS. THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN YESTERDAY. AND THIS IS JUST AN EXTENSION. THESE ARE RADICAL CHANGES THAT ARE CRITICAL. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN DICICCIO. AND BEFORE I GO TO COUNCILMAN STARK, WE'LL HAVE SOME QUESTIONS RELATED TO COUNCILMAN DICICCIO'S STATEMENT. HAVE ATTORNEYS REVIEWED THE CHANGES THAT ARE IN THE MOTION? >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: MAYOR AND COUNCIL, WE HAVE WITH THE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY JULIE CREE AND OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL MARY O'GRADY, AND I'LL ASK JULIE AND MARY IF THEY CAN DISCUSS THEIR REVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE. >> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS IS MARY O'GRADY, AND I HAVE REVIEWED THE PROPOSAL THAT IS BEING DISCUSSED TODAY. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. AND CITY MANAGER, WILL THIS BE PUBLISHED? >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: MAYOR, YES, IT WILL BE PUBLISHED. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. COUNCILWOMAN STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: THANK YOU MAYOR. AS I READ THIS ABOUT THE INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY, I THOUGHT THE NEW BILL THAT WAS PASSED AND SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE GOVERNOR SAYS IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF INVESTIGATION INVOLVED IN THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD, THAT TWO-THIRDS MUST BE COMPRISE -- THE BOARD MUST BE COMPRISED OF TWO-THIRDS POLICE OFFICERS. IS THAT -- I GUESS I'M QUESTIONING, IS THAT WHAT YOU REALLY ARE LOOKING FOR? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: MAYOR -- >> VICE MAYOR? THANK YOU. >> CITY MANAGER ZUERCHER: MAYOR AND COUNCILWOMAN STARK, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THIS IS ABOUT THE STAFF FUNCTION OF THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. I THINK WHAT MIGHT BE CONFUSED WITH IT IS THE PROPOSAL THAT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE, I GUESS, WHICH IS THE CIVILIAN REVIEW BOARD, WHICH WILL BE APPOINTED. THIS WILL BE ACTUAL EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY. >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN. >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: THANK YOU MAYOR. IF I COULD ASK A QUESTION OF STAFF REGARDING ONE OF THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT NOT RECEIVING THE COPIES OF REPORTS OF INVESTIGATION. AND SO I'D LIKE CLARIFICATION ON WHETHER IT IS AN INVESTIGATION BY O.A.T. OR PBS. WOULD WE PROVIDE COPIES OF INVESTIGATIONS OF EMPLOYEES TO OTHER PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF OUR -- THE CITY OF PHOENIX? >> MAYOR AND COUNCIL, SO THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BUREAU, WHEN THEY DO COMPLETE INVESTIGATIONS, THOSE CAN BE AVAILABLE. AT TIMES WE DO NOT SUPPLY THOSE IF WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INVESTIGATION OR IF THERE'S A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION UNTIL THOSE ARE COMPLETE. >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: AND SO WOULD AN INVESTIGATION DONE BY THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, ONCE COMPLETED, BE AVAILABLE TO SOMEONE WHO FILED A COMPLAINT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. ONCE THE ENTIRE CASE IS COMPLETED, THEN THOSE REPORTS SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE. >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: OKAY. SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SHARE WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, MY OFFICE HAS RECEIVED OVER 100 PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS FROM DISTRICT 1 RESIDENTS WHO ARE OPPOSED TO HAVING AN OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. AND CERTAINLY OPPOSED TO THE ORDINANCE THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING. AND ACTUALLY, I SHOULD SAY OPPOSED TO THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN CITY MATERIALS BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT HAVE, UNLESS THEY SAW THROUGH A MEDIA RELEASE, THE RED-LINE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE. THEY FEEL IT MEANS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS' SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY FEEL IT IS PART OF THE DEFUND THE POLICE NARRATIVE. DISTRICT 1 CONSTITUENTS SUPPORT OUR POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY DURING THESE TIMES AND UNCERTAINTY AND UNREST. THE PRACTICAL SIDE SUPPORTS PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE PHOENIX IS ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING CITIES IN THE NATION. THE NUMBER OF PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL IN OUR DEPARTMENTS MUST REFLECT THE GROWING NEEDS OF OUR CITY. PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE IN TRANSPARENCY AND HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE, NOT JUST POLICE AND OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL, BUT ANYONE NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS INCLUDING THE CITY COUNCIL. IF IT'S A MEANS TO BUILD TRUST, THEN MY HOPE IS THAT THE O.A.T. WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT. THE WAY THAT IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO ME, THE O.A.T. IS TO SERVE AS A CHECKS AND BALANCES MECHANISM. HOWEVER, THE WAY THE ORDINANCE IS WRITTEN CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO BALANCE. FOR ONE IN THE ORDINANCE, OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPAIN IS BEING MANDATED TO EMPLOY A FUTURE DIRECTOR AND STAFF MEMBERS WITHOUT ANY BACKGROUND IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OR WHO HAVE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS WHO PREVIOUSLY SERVED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE CREATING AN OFFICE TO WORK IN TANDEM WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, YET NOT HAVE ANY BACKGROUND OR EXPERIENCE IN HOW THESE TYPES OF INVESTIGATIONS WORK OR ARE CARRIED OUT. HOW CAN A DEPARTMENT DESIGN TO PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY BY WORKING WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT FUNCTION WITHOUT ANY INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE? IN ADDITION, I DO WANT TO SPECIFICALLY POINT OUT SOMETHING THAT WAS RED-LINED FROM THE ORDINANCE THAT WAS PRESENTED IN OUR BOOK LAST WEEK. AND THAT IS THAT THE O.A.T. STAFF MUST STRIVE TO AVOID ALL POTENTIAL CONFLICTS AND THE APPEARANCE OF IMPOPRIETY. THEREFORE THE CITY WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION EVIDENCE OF BIAS FOR OR AGAINST THE DEPARTMENT AND OTHER EXPERIENCE IN THE HIRING PROCESS. THAT WAS RED-LINED. SECONDLY, THE CITY IS CREATING AN ADDITIONAL DEPARTMENT AND GROWING GOVERNMENT TO PERFORM A PROCESS WHERE ONE IS ALREADY IN PLACE. CREATING MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS AND POSITIONS PERFORMING THE SAME TASK IS CERTAINLY A WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS. CURRENTLY THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A USE OF FORCE PROCESS. THE MOMENT THERE'S AN APPLICATION OF FORCE BY AN OFFICER, THE INCIDENT IS EITHER INVESTIGATED BY THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BOARD AND BY THE VIOLENT CRIMES BUREAU. FROM THERE THE INCIDENT IS EITHER SENT TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY OR FORWARDED TO THE USE OF FORCE BOARD. THEN TO A DISCIPLINARY REVIEW BOARD. BEFORE ULTIMATELY GOING TO A CIVIL SERVICE BOARD. THERE'S ESSENTIALLY FIVE SEPARATE BOARDS PLUS POTENTIALLY BEING REVIEWED BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY. WE ARE CREATING ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT TO PERFORM WHAT IS ALREADY A DETAILED INVESTIGATION PROCESS. AND WHAT I HEARD TODAY IS THAT WE NEED A FAMILY ADVOCATE, AS COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO TALKED ABOUT, AND VICE MAYOR GARCIA, TO ASSIST OUR CITIZENS WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE SUCH A TRAGEDY AND NEED HELP TO WORK THROUGH THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE IN THE PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY OF PHOENIX. AGAIN, I WANT TO REITERATE THAT I AM IN SUPPORT OF INCREASING ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. BUT BY GIVING THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY FULL INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY, WE ARE CREATING A SYSTEM OF CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT HAS A WHOLE LOT OF CHECKS AND NOT ENOUGH BALANCES. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR. >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: THANK YOU MAYOR. I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY -- WELL (INAUDIBLE) AND PROBABLY THE OLD -- AND THE MAYOR -- AT THE BEGINNING OF WHAT SOME OF THE ORIGINAL OF WHEN THIS ALL STARTED AND HOW -- AND NOT NECESSARILY OF O.A.T. BUT SEVERAL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE STARTED AND INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND HOW CONVERSATION STARTED TO GET HERE. BUT ACTUALLY, THE VOTE TODAY REALLY FINALLY MOVED A WORK OF THE COMMUNITY AND WORK THAT WAS DONE -- HAVE BEEN DONE FOR DECADES. AND WE ARE MOVING THE WORK OF DECADES DISCUSSION TO ACTUALLY INTO ACTION. AND I THINK THAT'S RELEVANT, ESPECIALLY WITH MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN PUSHING THIS FOR MANY, MANY -- SO MUCH. BUT WHEN I ENTERED, WHAT HAPPENED IS IN 2016, THE COMMUNITY AND POLICE TRUST INITIATIVE, CPTI, MADE MANY RECOMMENDATIONS. AND SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS WE MOVED FORWARD, BUT THERE WERE TWO OR THREE THAT WERE LINGERING THAT HAVE NOW BEEN COMPLETED. BUT THE MAIN ONE, THE ONE THAT WAS NOT COMPLETED, WAS THE FAMILIAL OVERSIGHT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND REALLY HAD BEEN -- IT'S BEEN -- I COMMEND THE COLLEAGUES TODAY THAT ARE REALLY HEARING THE VOICE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT CPTI WAS CREATED BY THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY AND FOR US TO CONSIDER AND MOVE FORWARD. SO THERE WAS MANY VOICES AT THAT TABLE. AND EVEN I BELIEVE INCLUDED LAW ENFORCEMENT VOICE. AND SO I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY IS NOT ANTI-POLICE. AND IT IS NOT DEFUNDING. SO I WANT TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT THAT'S ABOUT. AND WHAT THIS OFFICE CAN BE IS AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE CITY AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. BECAUSE THE GOAL IS THAT THE OFFICE PROTECTS CIVIL RIGHTS AND SUPPORT EFFECTIVE POLICING TO ULTIMATELY INCREASE CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE. SO I'M HOPEFUL FOR TODAY'S VOTE BECAUSE IT'S OUR FIRST STEP IN MOVING FORWARD. AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING THE WORK FOR MANY, MANY YEARS TO GET HERE. SO I THANK THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN -- I COMMEND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN DOING IT, AND WE WERE ABLE TO PICK UP AND MOVE THIS FORWARD. SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR. I, TOO, WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR DECADES TO GET US TO TODAY'S VOTE. I AM ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE MOTION. FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THIS AND WOULD LIKE TO READ THE UPDATED DRAFT, YOU CAN GO TO THE PHOENIX NEWSROOM, DISTRICT 8 TAB AND THERE IS A LINK TO VIEW THE CURRENT DRAFT ON WHICH WE ARE VOTING. IT HAS MANY IMPORTANT ITEMS. I WANT TO NOTE THAT IT INCLUDES PROGRAMS THAT SHOULD IMPROVE OUR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR OFFICERS AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING A SIGNIFICANT YOUTH OUTREACH PROGRAM. I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT WILL HELP OUR OFFICERS AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS AND SEE EACH OTHER IN LESS STRESSFUL SITUATIONS THAN SOME OF THE CONTACT THAT MIGHT BEGIN WITH A 911 CALL. THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY ALSO HAS A MEDIATION COMPONENT. FOR SOME TYPES OF CALLS WHEN AN OFFICER SITS DOWN WITH SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY, PERHAPS IF EACH PERSON TELLS THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY, THERE WILL BE BETTER UNDERSTANDING. WE HEARD A GREAT STORY FROM ANOTHER COMMUNITY ABOUT AN OFFICER WHO MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT AGGRESSIVE BUT WAS ABLE TO SHARE WITH SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT HIS WIFE HAD JUST BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER, AND HE WAS DISTRACTED. IT TURNED OUT THE PERSON WHO HAD THE EXPERIENCE HAD ALSO HAD CANCER IN THE FAMILY, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE THEY TALKED WITH EACH OTHER. WE ALSO HEARD A STORY FROM OUR NEIGHBORING CITY OF TUCSON WHICH HAS CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT. THEIR ADMINISTRATOR SAW A PATTERN OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT CHOKE HOLDS. SHE STUDIED IT AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS SEQUENTIAL BADGE NUMBERS, BUT THE OFFICERS WHO WERE HAVING THE COMPLAINTS HAD BEEN TRAINED TOGETHER. SHE FOUND OUT THAT THEY WERE NOT TRAINED IN A TUCSON-SPECIFIC TRAINING AND HAD, IN FACT, RECEIVED INACCURATE TRAINING ABOUT THE CHOKEHOLD POLICY IN TUCSON BECAUSE THEIR TRAINING WAS NOT SPECIFIC FOR THE CITY. THOSE OFFICERS WERE AT RISK OF GETTING DISCIPLINE EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE DOING WHAT THEY HAD BEEN TRAINED TO DO. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE EXPERIENCING CHOKEHOLDS THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BECAUSE OF CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT NOTICING THE CHALLENGE, THE OFFICERS WERE ABLE TO GET ACCURATE TRAINING, WHICH IS A BETTER OUTCOME FOR THE OFFICERS AND FOR THE COMMUNITY. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL FIND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. THE INVESTIGATIONS WILL ALSO BE IMPORTANT. OUR RESIDENTS WILL HAVE A NON-POLICE LOCATION TO GO IF THEY HAVE A COMPLAINT AND THEY DO NOT FEEL CONFIDENT BRINGING IT TO OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. FOR THOSE WHO WOULD RATHER GO TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEY WILL STILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS A BIG WEEK FOR THE CITY OF PHOENIX IN TERMS OF PUBLIC SAFETY. YESTERDAY WE VOTED ON A BUDGET THAT INCLUDED A SIGNIFICANT RAISE FOR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES INCLUDING OUR POLICE OFFICERS. WE ALSO VOTED TO COMMIT $15 MILLION TO HAVE CLINICIANS RESPOND TO 911 CALLS THAT TODAY MIGHT GO TO POLICE OFFICERS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES. THANK YOU ALL WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF THIS PROCESS. IT'S AN IMPORTANT TIME IN THE CITY OF PHOENIX. WE WANT TO HAVE THE BEST POSSIBLE CITY AND THE BEST POSSIBLE PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE. TODAY WILL ALLOW US TO HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND A STRONGER, SAFER CITY. ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: NO. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN O'BRIEN: NO. >> PASTOR? >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: YES. >> STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: NO. >> I APOLOGIZE, STARK. NO? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: CORRECT. NO. >> THANK YOU. WARING? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN MY VOTE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. I DON'T THINK THIS WILL ACCOMPLISH WHAT THE ADVOCATES THINK IT'S GOING TO ACCOMPLISH. SO THAT WILL JUST BREED MORE FRUSTRATION. AT THE SAME TIME, I'M HAPPY IT'S NOT ACCOMPLISHING WHAT THEY THINK OR WANT IT TO ACCOMPLISH. BUT I WILL SAY THIS. IT'S THREE MORE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE'RE NOT SPENDING RECRUITING OFFICERS. OUR OFFICERS ARE DEFINITELY, IT APPEARS, PROCESSING THAT PERHAPS THEY FEEL CITY LEADERSHIP IS TRYING TO MAKE THEIR JOBS MORE DIFFICULT. THERE ARE PLENTY OF OUTLETS TO ADJUDICATE THESE CASES OR TO JUDGE THE OFFICERS IN A BUREAUCRATIC SETTING. THERE ARE CIVILIANS INVOLVED IN THOSE PROCESSES INCLUDING JURORS. SO I WOULD ARGUE THIS IS $3 MILLION THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER DEPLOYED FILLING THE GAPS IN THE RANKS OF OFFICERS BECAUSE WHILE WE MAY HAVE BUDGETED 3100 AND CHANGE OFFICERS, WE REALLY ONLY HAVE ABOUT 2800 BECAUSE THEY'RE QUITTING FASTER THAN WE CAN RECRUIT THEM. I THINK THAT'S A TERRIBLE MISTAKE. I GUESS THE BOTTOM LINE IS, I THINK WHEN WE'RE DOWN TO 2500 OFFICERS OR A NUMBER LIKE THAT, YOU WILL MISS THOSE THAT ARE GONE. SO I APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO SPEAK. AND I VOTE NO. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> PASSES 5-4. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. THANKS TO ALL WHO WORKED ON THIS. THE CITY OF PHOENIX WAS THE LARGEST CITY IN THE COUNTRY WITHOUT CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT. TODAY THAT HAS CHANGED. WE NEXT MOVE TO OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS AN UPDATE OF THE CITY OF PHOENIX POLICY FOR MASKING TO PROTECT AGAINST COVID-19. VICE MAYOR? OH, VICE MAYOR, DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 89. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: 90. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: 90-SORRY. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: 89 WAS SPECIFIC. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE DO HAVE ONE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. MR. KLEINMAN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, MS. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THIS WILL PRECIPITATE A RETURN TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS ALONG WITH THE CHANGES IN THE MASK WEARING. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT THEY ARE NOT GETTING THEIR FAIR AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR VIEWPOINTS WHEN EVERYTHING IS STILL VIRTUAL. SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL PRECIPITATE A FURTHER MOTION THAT WILL BRING CITY FUNCTIONS BACK TO IN PERSON. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THIS MOTION. FROM THE VERY START OF THE COVID-19 CRISIS, THE CITY OF PHOENIX HAS TRIED TO BE INFORMED BY DATA AND SCIENCE. WE ARE FOLLOWING THE ADVICE OF HEALTH EXPERTS. THIS VOTE WILL UPDATE OUR CITY MASK ORDINANCE TO FOLLOW CDC GUIDELINES. FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, THAT MEANS YOU CAN GO WITHOUT A MASK IN OUR CITY. AND IN MOST OUTDOOR PLACES. BUT YOU WILL STILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK IN THE HIGHEST RISK PLACES INCLUDING AIR TRAVEL, ON CITY BUSES, AND IN LIGHT RAIL PER CDC GUIDELINES. GETTING VACCINATED MAKES A DIFFERENCE. I JOIN EVERYONE WHO'S LOOKING FORWARD TO LESS MASK WEARING AND AM GLAD TO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO STILL NEED TO GET VACCINATED, THE CITY OF PHOENIX LOOKS FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH YOU AND HELPING MORE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY GET VACCINATED. COUNCIL COMMENTS. COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO. >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: THANK YOU MAYOR. >> GO AHEAD. >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: NO, YES, I'M JUST EXCITED TO SEE THAT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. I JUST CANNOT EXPRESS ENOUGH THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING VACCINATED. I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST YEAR. IT'S BEEN -- IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT YEAR, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BUSINESSES. DO PEOPLE WEAR MASKS? DO THEY NOT WEAR A MASK? AND I KNOW THERE'S STILL A LOT OF BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WORKFORCE IS A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS ABOUT WHO'S WEARING A MASK AND WHO ISN'T. AND I GUESS I JUST WOULD WANT TO ENCOURAGE, YOU KNOW, THAT EVERYONE GOES OUT AND GETS THEIR VACCINE. AND I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES ARE STILL FREE TO ASK CUSTOMERS TO PUT ON A MASK. I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE NERVOUS FOR THEIR WORKERS, KNOWING THAT NOT A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ARE VACCINATED. SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITH THIS LIST THAT WE'RE DOING TODAY, MORE PEOPLE WILL FEEL MOTIVATED TO WANT TO GO OUT AND GET THEIR VACCINE AND THAT WE BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO SOME NORMALCY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. WE'LL GO TO THE VICE MAYOR AND THEN COUNCILMAN DICICCIO. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. FROM THE BEGINNING, I THINK IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO MAKE DECISIONS AS A CITY INFORMED BY PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS LIKE THE CDC. THE PANDEMIC, I THINK, IS FAR FROM OVER, BUT COVID-19, YOU KNOW, IS HERE TO STAY WITH US. I DO THINK THE VACCINATION EVENTS ARE HUGE. WE'RE STILL NOT AT THE FINISH LINE. WE NEED EVERYONE WHO CAN AND IS WILLING TO GET THEIR VACCINATION. FOR THOSE OF YOU IN DISTRICT 8, YOU'RE INVITED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT OR WALK IN AT NONPARK HEALTH CENTER, 303 EAST BASELINE ROAD. THEY'RE OPEN FROM 8 TO 5 P.M., AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S VACCINATION EVENTS CONTINUING. THANKS TO ARIZONA, ATLANTA, AND A BUNCH OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING OUR FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT WHO ARE HELPING OUT WITH VACCINATIONS. WE HAVE AN EVENT THIS SATURDAY AT THE SOUTHLAWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE. SO EXCITED TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER. ALSO EXCITED THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS ITEM. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR. COUNCILMAN DICICCIO. >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: THANK YOU MAYOR. AND ALL I CAN SAY IS FINALLY WE'RE GOING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL. I THINK THIS IS GOOD -- IT'S A GOOD SIGNAL TO THE PUBLIC, A GOOD SIGNAL TO EVERYBODY ELSE THAT WE HAVE COMMON RULES NOW AMONGST ALL CITIES -- WELL, MOST OF CITIES, AT LEAST -- AND THE STATE OF ARIZONA SO THAT BUSINESSES CAN GET BACK. BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT -- AND I'VE SAID THIS SO MANY TIMES BEFORE -- THIS ENTIRE THING, THIS COVID-19, WILL PROVE TO BE THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE TO THE CHILDREN AND THE YOUNG ADULTS. THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH SCHOOLS OR THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR IS ONLY GOING TO GROW. THE RICH SCHOOLS STAYED OPEN DURING THIS CRISIS WHILE THE POOR SCHOOLS STAYED SHUT. IT'S GOING TO BE THE MOST HARMFUL THING THAT ADULTS EVER DID TO THEIR CHILDREN. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? VICE MAYOR. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YEAH, SORRY. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WITH CHRIS, HER STAFF, THAT BUSINESSES STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR MASKS IN THEIR BUSINESSES, AND FOR THOSE WATCHING, I HOPE WE RESPECT THAT, BUT JUST, CHRIS, THAT'S THE CASE, RIGHT? FOR BUSINESSES IN THE CITY STILL REQUEST SOMEONE TO WEAR A MASK FOR THEM TO PROVIDE SERVICE, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO DO SO, RIGHT? >> MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCIA, YES. THERE'S A SPECIFIC PROVISION IN THE ORDER THAT GIVES BUSINESSES THE RIGHT TO SET THE POLICIES FOR THEIR BUSINESS. CONTINUE TO DO THAT. >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: THANK YOU, CHRIS. AND I HOPE EVERYONE WATCHING THAT WE CAN RESPECT EACH OTHER. SOME FOLKS MIGHT BE READY TO COME BACK AND NOT WEAR A MASK, AND SOME MIGHT STILL WANT TO BE WEARING MASKS AND ASK YOU TO DO THAT IN THEIR PLACE OF BUSINESS, AND I HOPE WE ALL CAN CONTINUE TO RESPECT EACH OTHER AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER TO GET THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC. THANK YOU. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT. WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE NOT VACCINATED. WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE VACCINATED BUT WHO HAVE HEALTH CHALLENGES OR WHO LIVE WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE HEALTH CHALLENGES. MASKS CAN STILL BE AN IMPORTANT TOOL. THE MARICOPA COUNTY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS INCLUDING PHOENIX GOT RECOGNITION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR OUR MASK POLICIES, WHICH THEY SAID HELPED REDUCE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19, PARTICULARLY DURING THE SUMMER PEAKS. THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT POLICY AND CONTINUES TO BE A TOOL TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY FIGHT COVID. THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER YET, AND WE STILL NEED TO BE CAREFUL TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND TO PROTECT ALL OF OUR FAMILIES. ROLL CALL. >> ANSARI? DICICCIO? >> COUNCILMAN DICICCIO: YES. >> GUARDADO? >> COUNCILWOMAN GUARDADO: YES. >> O'BRIEN? >> COUNCILWOMAN -- >> PASTOR? >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: CAN I EXPLAIN MY VOTE? >> MAYOR GALLEGO: PLEASE DO. >> COUNCILWOMAN PASTOR: I WILL BE VOTING YES. I APPRECIATE WE ARE FOLLOWING THE CDC GUIDELINES. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT AND BEING RESPECTFUL TO THOSE THAT WANT TO CONTINUE TO WEAR THEIR MASKS TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE ON THE FRONT LINE, ESSENTIAL WORKERS THAT HAD TO GO TO WORK AND DIDN'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF BEING AT HOME -- OR NOT LUXURY -- BUT BEING ABLE TO STAY AT HOME AND OPERATE AT HOME, AND WHEN THEY WERE THE FRONT-LINE WORKERS IN OUR HOSPITAL, OUR NURSES, OUR DOCTORS, BUT ALSO IN OUR CITY AND IN OTHER AREAS IN HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM. AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HONOR THOSE THAT NEEDED TO GO TO WORK AND KEPT OUR COUNTRY GOING AND MOVING AND ALSO THOSE STUDENTS THAT THEN HAD TO STEP UP AND HELP WITH THE FAMILY AND TOOK ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT TASKS OR JOBS WITHIN THE FAMILY WHILE THE FAMILY WAS AT WORK. SO I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM AS THEY WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS. SO THANK YOU. >> STARK? >> COUNCILWOMAN STARK: YES. >> WARING? >> COUNCILMAN WARING: YES. >> GARCIA? >> VICE MAYOR GARCIA: YES. >> GALLEGO. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: YES. >> PASSES 9-0. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE, THE CITY OF PHOENIX HAS UPDATED OUR MASK GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW THE CDC UPDATED GUIDELINES. THAT IS OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM FOR TODAY. WE WILL NEXT MOVE TO THE CITIZEN COMMENT PORTION OF OUR AGENDA, AND I WILL TURN TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO INTRODUCE CITIZEN COMMENTS. >> THANK YOU, MAYOR. DURING CITIZEN COMMENT, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL FOR UP TO THREE MINUTES ON ISSUES OF INTEREST OR CONCERN TO THEM. THE ARIZONA OPEN MEETING LAW PERMITS THE CITY COUNCIL TO LISTEN TO THE COMMENTS BUT PROHIBITS COUNCIL MEMBERS FROM DISCUSSING OR ACTING ON THE MATTERS PRESENTED. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. TODAY WE WILL HAVE TWO CITIZEN COMMENTS, JAMES DIBLER FOLLOWED BY SHERRY SLOCUM. >> HI. HI. I AM JAMES DIBLER. I LIVE IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA, IN THE PHOENIX DISTRICT 5. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS SOME CONCERNS THAT HAVE CAME TO MY ATTENTION. LAST WEEK I WAS HAVING TROUBLE FINDING VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FRIENDS OF JIM DIBLER ADOPT A STREET PROGRAM. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS TO SIGN UP FOR THE EVENT. THIS WEEK I HAVE GOOD NEWS. THE VOLUNTEER NUMBERS ARE UP DUE TO MORE PEOPLE SHOWING UP AT THE STREET CLEANING EVENT. AND (INAUDIBLE). IS JOINING IN THE EFFORT TO CLEAN UP THE STREETS OF PHOENIX. EVERYTHING IS GETTING BETTER FOR THE FORMER METRO CENTER MALL BECAUSE OF THE STREET CLEANUP. ST. JEROME'S CATHOLIC CHURCH PRIEST, FATHER GRAY, SAYS THIS IS A COMMANDING IDEA TO ADOPT A STREET. AS YOU SAY, SO MANY ARE FILLED WITH GARBAGE AND NEED SOMEONE OR A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. FRIENDS OF JAMES DIBLER ADOPT A STREET CLEANUP IS LOCATED AT ST. JEROME'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL AT 35th AVENUE AND PEORIA. THE EVENT STARTS THIS START AT 8:00 IN THE MORNING. AND ENDS AT 11:00 A.M. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. OUR FINAL COMMENT IS FROM SHERRY. >> I WANT TO SAY THAT WE THE PEOPLE STARTED OUR GOVERNMENT TO ESTABLISH JUSTICE AND SHOW DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY AND PROVIDE FOR COMMON DEFENSE. FOR MULTIGENERAL WELFARE AND SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF OUR LIBERTY TO OURSELVES AND OUR PROSPERITY. THAT MEANS ALL THE GENERATIONS TO COME. OUR ARIZONA CONSTITUTION BACKS THIS FULLY. WE THE PEOPLE OF ARIZONA ARE GRATEFUL TO ALMIGHTY GOD FOR OUR LIBERTIES. AND ARTICLE 2, SECTION 2, IT SAYS TO PROTECT AND MAINTAIN OUR RIGHT. IN SECTION 33, YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO WRITE LAWS THAT CAN TAKE AWAY OUR RIGHTS. MANDATES ARE NOT EVEN LAWS, BUT THEY ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL. YOU CAN MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT YOU CANNOT MANDATE AWAY MY RIGHT. FOR THIS REASON, IT MUST BE BANNED, NOT JUST REMOVED TEMPORARILY THAT YOU CAN PUT IT BACK IN PLACE. THEY HAVE TO BE BANNED. DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY AND COMMON DEFENSE DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT A FULLY FUNDED AND SUPPORTED POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH OFFICERS FOR OUR POPULATION WHICH IS CONTINUING TO GROW. I DO NOT CONSENT TO ONE INDIVIDUAL BEING ABLE TO RED-LINE AN AGENDA ITEM WHICH WE DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE. YOU HAVE A COUNCIL FOR A REASON. EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER TO REPRESENT ALL OF PHOENIX. I ASK MR. GARCIA TO PROVE HIS CLAIM THAT MOST WANT TO DEFUND THE POLICE. I DON'T FIND THAT TO BE ACCURATE EVEN WITH A QUICK POLL. AT MOST YOU CAN FIND ABOUT 15% TO BACK HIS STANCE. I ASK THAT THE RED-LINE AGENDA ITEM ACTUALLY BE STRICKEN. I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S CONSTITUTIONAL. AND THE LEFT HAS -- SORRY -- TO BE STRICKEN AND UNLESS THE FULL COUNCIL TO AGREE UPON IT AND THAT THE POWER BE REMOVED FROM MR. GARCIA. HE REPRESENTS DISTRICT 8. YOU CAN'T FIND THE SUPPORT HE'S CLAIMING. WE HAVE TO HAVE LAW AND ORDER. WHAT IS THE REPLACEMENT MR. GARCIA WANTS? WHY ISN'T THIS PART OF OUR DISCUSSION? HOW MANY LIVING IN PHOENIX WANT THE WILD WEST? FULLY FUND THE POLICE. THE O.A.T. MONEY SHOULD GO TO INCREASING THE MANPOWER OF OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE USE OF FORCE OCCURS WHEN PEOPLE RESIST ARREST. THEY DON'T JUST GO OUT AND START KNOCKING PEOPLE OVER THE HEAD. IT HAPPENS FOR REASONS. AND WHEN THERE ARE BAD APPLES, THEY ARE ADDRESSED AND SHOULD BE. AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW THAT IS POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO. SO DON'T JUST DROP THE MASK MANDATES, BAN THEM, AND OBSERVE OUR RIGHTS. AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW AT THE LAST SECOND HE CAN RED-LINE AND TOTALLY OBLITERATE HALF OF WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE SAID YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR DECADES AND EVERYBODY JUST VOTES, OKAY, LET'S DO THAT. SO YOU BASICALLY RED-LINED OUT -- >> MAYOR GALLEGO: THANK YOU. THAT IS OUR FINAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TODAY'S MEETING. WE ARE ADJOURNED.