* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. THIS [00:00:01] IS THE LONGEST MINUTE. [*A portion of this video is without audio*] ALRIGHT, IT'S [CALL TO ORDER] 7:00 PM AND WE'RE GONNA CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. UM, MAYOR PETA IS HERE, HOWEVER SHE IS SICK, SO I'M GONNA DO ALL THE TALKING TONIGHT. UM, I DO WANNA LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT SHE HAS WISHED EVERYBODY A HAPPY EASTER AND A BLESSED DAY AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF, RIGHT? OKAY, . SO, UM, ON BEHALF OF CITY COUNCIL, I'D LIKE TO STAND A WARM AND WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. YOUR PRESENT REFLEX, A STRONG COMMITMENT TO THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. AND WE TRULY ENVAL VALUE YOUR INTEREST IN THE WORK AND PROGRESS OF OUR CITY. AT THIS TIME, PASTOR HARRIS IS NOT HERE TO PROVIDE THE INVOCATION. UM, WOULD ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE LIKE TO PROVIDE? OKAY, MS. BIGGIE, UH, MS. GRACIOUS, SAY THANK WE PRAY THAT YOU WOULD BLESS OUR CITY LEADERS, GIVE THEM GUIDANCE, GIVE OUR CITIZENS GUIDANCE, AND HELP OUR CITY TO GROW AND PROSPER IN THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD. WE ASK THAT YOU REMIND US UPCOMING WEEKEND OF GATHERING TOGETHER AND WE APPRECIATE WITH ALL OF THE GRATITUDE OF ALL OF OUR SOULS WE LIVE AND THANK YOU. AND PLEASE GUIDE US THESE STEPFATHERS. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE, ALLEGIANCE, FLAG TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, NATION, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. FOR ALL. [1. Public apology from Michael Halla, City Attorney, issued to Steve Norwood, City Administrator, and Kristin Downs, City Secretary, regarding how citizen comments are received during City Council meetings.] OKAY, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR PRESENTATIONS. ITEM NUMBER ONE, PUBLIC APOLOGY FROM MICHAEL HALL, A CITY ATTORNEY ISSUED TO STEVE NORWOOD, CITY ADMINISTRATOR AND KRISTEN DOWN CITY SECRETARY REGARDING HOW CITIZEN COMMENTS ARE RECEIVED DURING CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. SO, HEY MAYOR, REAL FAST BEFORE WE GET STARTED, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'VE GOT SOME PEOPLE FOR THIS ITEM ON ITEM THE EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE'VE GOT AN ISSUE. IT IS, UH, NOT COMPLIANT WITH, UH, TOMA THE ACT. SO WE WOULD, IT WOULD BE A VIOLATION OF TOMA MEAT ON THAT ITEM. THERE'S REALLY NOTHING THERE. UH, I GOT EMAILS FROM CHRISTIE ABOUT THIS AND I NEEDED MORE INFORMATION AND SHE INCLUDED STEVE AND I DIDN'T HEAR FROM EITHER ONE OF THEM ABOUT THE ITEM. SO THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FOR ME TO DO. AND I DIDN'T SEE THIS AGENDA BILL YESTERDAY. SO WE'VE GOT THE TWO ISSUES WITH IT. ONE, IT'S IMPROPER UNDER THE OPENING MEETINGS ACT, AND TWO, THERE'S NO ACTION. IT JUST SAYS RECONVENE EXECUTIVE SESSION AND EXECUTIVE SESSION. THERE IS NO ANY ACTION AS A EXECUTIVE SESSION YI ON THAT. UM, WE NOT Y'ALL CAN DO THAT 'CAUSE I THINK HE'S EXACT OPINION AND I GIVE THAT COUNSEL AND SO ON, ONTO THIS ITEM. IF YOU, UH, I RECALL, I GUESS IT WAS ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, WE HAD A SNAFU WITH CITIZEN COMMENTS AND WHETHER YOU CAN DISCUSS ITEMS ON CITIZEN COMMENT. UM, I I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY COMMON KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE CAN'T BE ANY DISCUSSION WITH CITIZEN. WELL, I WAS INCORRECT ON THAT PROBLEM. UH, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE TIME THEN, UH, I GUESS ABOUT A WEEK LATER MEETING WITH, UH, STEVE AND KRISTEN AND IT WAS ABOUT OTHER THINGS, BUT I BROUGHT THIS TOPIC UP AND I THOUGHT I EXPLAINED TO THEM PRETTY WELL, BUT CITIZEN TOOK SOME TIME. I, I BROKE IT DOWN AS MUCH AS I COULD OR I THOUGHT, AND I, I THOUGHT THEY WERE PRETTY REASONABLE, UH, PRETTY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE, YOU KNOW, TREATING 'EM LIKE KIDS. SO I THOUGHT I EXPLAINED IT TO 'EM WELL, CLEARLY THAT DID NOT TAKE, IT DID NOT WORK. 'CAUSE ON THE NEXT AGENDA, AS Y'ALL RECALL, UH, I APOLOGIZED TO STEVE, THEN I SAID, HEY STEVE. UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING. IT'S MY JOB TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO Y'ALL, UH, FOR WHATEVER REASON, UH, THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING. THAT'S MY FAULT. I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REMEMBER THAT, BUT THAT WAS AT THE MEETING. SO WE COULDN'T HAVE DISCUSSION DURING SID. THE COMMENT, UM, KRISTEN TALKED TO ME AFTER THE MEETING, OR I WENT AND ASKED HER, SHE SAID, THAT'S HOW SHE UNDERST. WELL, SO I SAID, OKAY, WELL, , I WAS TRYING TO MAKE THE RELATIONSHIP BETTER WITH, WITH KRISTEN AND STEVE, SO I GOTTA DO A BETTER JOB OF EXPLAINING IT IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND IT. CLEARLY, THE LAST COUPLE TIMES THE WAY I EXPLAINED IT TO 'EM, THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. SO I SENT HIM AN EMAIL, UM, AND I'VE GOT AN EMAIL COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT AFTER THE MEETING. I'VE JUST GIVEN TO YOU ON MARCH 19TH. AND I APOLOGIZED, [00:05:01] SAID, HEY, I APOLOGIZE TO YOU STEVE. AND KRISTEN AND I WENT THROUGH, BASICALLY GOT, AS I COULD MAKE IT, I BROKE IT DOWN AS DETAIL 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 CITIZEN COMMENTS, HOW THEY WERE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I SAID, LOOK, I'M HAPPY YOU APOLOGIZE AT THE MEETING THAT, UM, IF, IF YOU WANT ME TO DO THAT. I NEVER GOT A RESPONSE BACK FROM THIS EMAIL FROM EITHER KRISTEN OR STEVE. NEITHER KRISTEN NOR STEVE BOTHERED TO TELL ME THAT THIS ITEM WAS ON THE AGENDA. AT NO POINT IN THE EMAIL DID I SAY, YEAH, PUT IT AS AN AGENDA ITEM ON THE MEETING, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED, I SAID, I WOULD DO IT. AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT. SO I APOLOGIZED TO NOT EXPLAINING CITIZEN COMMENTS TO STEVE AND KRISTEN IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND IT. IT'S MY ROLE, IT'S MY JOB TO DO THAT. UM, AND I DO APPRECIATE, I GOT A CALL FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM CITIZENS. I'M NOT GONNA NAME ANY NAMES, BUT I APPRECIATE Y'ALL THAT I WOULD NOT EVEN KNOWN ABOUT THIS AGENDA ITEM UNTIL THEY CALLED ME LAST NIGHT. SO THIS AN ITEM, IT'S NOT REALLY UP FOR DISCUSSION, SO WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT. IT'S LISTED AS A PRESENTATION. SO I MADE MY APOLOGY, YOU KNOW, THE BACKGROUND, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM. NUMBER TWO, [2. Public recognition of the Public Works Department.] PUBLIC RECOGNITION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. MR. NORWOOD, ABOUT ABOUT A WEEK, 10 DAYS AGO, WE HAD THE, UH, TCUQ IN TOWN, WHICH REGULATES WATERS THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL, ALL SORTS OF ISSUES. AND IT WAS KIND OF A SURPRISE IN, AND, UH, AND I'LL SAY ONE THING WE PASSED WITH FLYING, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY, UH, PLEASED. THAT'S AND A HUGE, UH, SHOUT OUT TO TO LUPE AND HIS DAD LU HAD IT ORGANIZED. I MEAN THE, THE INSPECTOR WAS I THINK TAUGHT TO PUT, UH, AT HOW ORGANIZED, HOW WELL THOUGHT OUT, ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS, UH, WAS THERE. UH, AND EVEN LEFT SAYING, LOOK, YOU GUYS OBVIOUSLY HAVE A ROLE. IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES, I FIND I'M JUST GOING TO EAT. I DON'T NEED TO COME. AND ALONG WITH THAT, WE JUST FOUND THAT JUAN CIA, I PROBABLY BUTCHERED THAT LAST NAME, BUT, UH, BUT JUAN, UH, GOT HIS CLASS C WATER LOSSES. BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAN THAT IS HE IS THE YOUNGEST PERSON IN STATE OF TEXAS. AND THIS IS COMING FROM TCQ, IT'S NOT COMING FROM ME OR LUPE, YOUNGEST PERSON IN THE STATE OF TEXAS THAT IS A SYSTEM WATER OPERATOR YOUNGEST IN THE STATE. AND UH, AND I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU HOW OLD HE IS, BUT HE'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 22 AND 24 . SO, UH, SO HE IS JUST A FANTASTIC EMPLOYEE. LUPE IS DOING A GREAT JOB. THAT ENTIRE DEPARTMENT IS KNOCKING IT OUT OF THE PARK. AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO WALKING, THAT IS NEAR AND DEAR. AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT IS CLOSELY. AND, UH, SO A BIG THANK YOU TO PUBLIC WORKS ALL THEIR WORK, AND ESPECIALLY JUAN, WHO IS ALSO FIVE YEARS. SO DOING US A GREAT JOB DOING THE CITY. GREAT JOB. SO I THINK IT TAKE NICE ANSWER. AND IF I MAY, UH, I'VE GOT A TCQ, I'VE BEEN A, A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR A WHILE WHILE, AND, UH, IT TAKES, UM, THESE PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE, THE RESIDUAL OF WATER GOING THROUGH OUR CITY AND WE NEED PROFESSIONALS, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE CARE OF TCEQ, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY PASS OUR INSPECTIONS. AND, AND, AND THANK YOU JUAN. AND IF I CAN PIGGYBACK ON YOUR COMMENTS, THAT HAS NOT BEEN OUR PAST WITH YOU. NO, IT HASN'T. SO THAT MAY BE WHY THEY WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED, BUT SO GOOD JOB. AND, AND IF I MAY, AND ANOTHER, UH, THING THAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT, I WANT PROFESSIONALS IN, IN EVERY DEPARTMENTS TO, TO ACTUALLY GET HIRED FOR, FOR, FOR OUR CITY. SO OUR CITY CAN MOVE FORWARD, BUILDING OFFICIALS, STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT WE NEED. AND THANK YOU LUPE, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. AND THAT'S ALL I ASK. I THINK ALL OF OUR LEADERS SHOULD BE ASKING THAT OR QUESTIONING THAT. THOSE DEPARTMENTS ARE REALLY, REALLY CRITICAL FOR, FOR OUR, FOR OUR CITY TO MOVE FORWARD. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU [00:10:01] FOR DOING YOUR JOB AND ALL OF Y'ALL, YOU TWO CITY SECRETARY AND WHOEVER, UH, RUNS OUR, UH, HELP US RUNS OUR CITY, YOU KNOW, AND OUR ATTORNEY TOO. EVERYBODY'S GOT A LITTLE PART TO DO TO MOVE OUR, OUR CITY FORWARD THE RIGHT WAY AND GOOD DECISIONS FOR OUR CITY. THANK YOU. AND THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE COUNCIL SUPPORT. NEXT [CITIZENS' COMMENTS] CITIZENS' COMMENT, WE HAVE MR. GEORGE LEVERETT. FOUND IT. GEORGE LEVERT 24 MEADOW LANE AIR PRO. TIM COUNCIL STAFF JAY AS WELL. UH, I WANT ONCE AGAIN ADDRESS SOME OF THE DATA CENTERS THAT THOSE ARE NOTES THAT ARE, THERE'S A LOT OF CLICKBAIT OUT THERE THAT'S GOT A LOT OF OLD THAT KNOW IT'S NOT A BOT. WILER THE ONE THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED HERE. WILER, QUICKLY REHASH LAST WEEK, THE WATER USAGE ADDIT BUILD 2050 AND 75,000 GALLONS OF WATER. IT'S ALL TRUCKED IN AT THE DATA CENTER TO TAP INTO THE CITY WATER AT ALL. HERE, THEY MIGHT LOSE ABOUT 15 GALLONS DUE TO TESTING IN MAIN. IT'S MINIMUM HOUSE USES FAR MORE THAN THAT WELL SHELF LIFE OF THE WATER THAT'S USED THE WAY IT'S TREATED, UH, IS 15 TO 20 YEARS FOR IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SUBSTATIONS DATA CENTERS HAVE PAID FOR THE SUBSTATIONS, DIRECT HIGH-END ELECTRICAL RESOURCES OF ARE THE CITIZENS HERE AT WILMAR TRACK DIRECTLY WITH QUARE PAID TO HAVE OUR SUBSTATION REBUILT SO THAT IT'S NOW MODERN AND MORE EFFICIENT, MORE DURABLE, AND IT EXPANDS THE AVAILABILITY OF THE POWER TO THE SO CORRECTLY REDUCES THE POSSIBILITY AND THE PROBABILITY OF OUTAGES HERE IN THE CITY. AND THE DATA CENTERS HAVE PAID FOR THAT. UH, THE GENERATORS, WHEN THERE'S AN EMERGENCY OR TESTING, THE GENERATORS ARE FAR QUIETER THAN ONE 18 WHEEL POLLUTANTS THAT ARE PUT OUT ARE FAR LESS THAN WHAT'S PUT OUT BY AN 18 WHEELER DOWN, UH, GETS MONITORED. WHEN THEY'RE TESTED, THEY'RE MONITORED BY THE EPA, THE TESTED THE RESULTS GO DIRECTLY TO THE EPA ONCE A YEAR. THEY WILL DO A TEST FULL LOAD ON THE GENERATORS, WHICH TYPICALLY LAST ONE HOUR DONE ONCE A YEAR AND MONITORED BY THE EPA LIGHT POLLUTION. THERE IS NO LIGHT POLLUTION. THE LIGHTS ARE DIRECTED DOWN, NOT OUT. A DATA CENTER THAT WE VISITED IN GARLAND, UH, APARTMENTS ALL OVER AND AROUND THOSE, UH, THOSE DATA CENTERS. NOT ONE COMPLAINT FROM THEM ABOUT THE POLLUTANTS IN THE AIR. NOT ONE COMPLAINT ABOUT, UH, THE NOISE. NOT ONE COMPLAINT, UH, ABOUT THE LIGHT COLLUSION INTO THOSE APARTMENTS. THERE IS NO CONSTANT HUM BEING HEARD AROUND THE DATA CENTERS. SO THERE IS NO NOISE POLLUTANT WITH THE DATA CENTERS WITH NOT HUNG I DOWN SUNRISE THERE. STOP YOUR CAR, SHUT OFF YOUR ENGINE. ROLL DOWN YOUR WINDOWS, YOU'LL KNOCK, HEAR A HOME. THAT'S THREE MINUTES. AND LISTEN, CONSENT AGENDA [CONSENT AGENDA] ITEM ONE, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE MARCH 19TH, 2026 CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING COUNCIL. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? AND A SECOND MADAM MAYOR, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS GRANTED. MAY I SECOND? CAN I GET A VOTE, PLEASE? YES, YES, YES AND YES. OKAY, PUBLIC [2. Consider and discuss Resolution R2026-0402A to adopt a written policy authorizing the City to accept applications for primary depository services from eligible financial institutions not doing business within the City. ] HEARING SLASH ACTION ITEMS TWO, CONSIDER AND DISCUSS RESOLUTION R 2 0 2 6 [00:15:01] DASH 0 4 0 2 A TO ADOPT A WRITTEN POLICY AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FOR PRIMARY DEPOSITORY SERVICES FOR ELIGIBLE FINANCIAL INSTITUTES NOT DOING BUSINESS WITHIN THE CITY. MR. NORWOOD, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE. WE HAVE AN A, A DEPOSITORY AGREEMENT. ALL OF OUR CASH OR PAYROLL THING, WE HAVE MONIES THERE. WE'VE HAD A COMMERCIAL AND, UH, A STATEMENT IN OUR RFP THAT WE SEND OUT DOING BUSINESS WILNER. WELL, THAT DOESN'T PRESENT A VERY GOOD PLAIN, SO ALL WE'RE DOING, WE'RE NOT PRECLUDING COMMERCIAL SUBMITTING. ALL WE'RE DOING IS ALLOWING A CERTAIN, ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE TO PASS RESOLUTION STATING EXACTLY THAT FORMALITY THAT WE HAVE TO DO PER THE CODE TO OPEN IT. IT'S READY TO GO. WE JUST, ONCE THIS GETS APPROVED, THEN WE'LL SEND OUT THAT FEE NEXT WEEK. COUNSEL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WHAT WAS THE RADIUS IN THE CITY? I THINK IT WAS LIKE SIX TO 10 MILES. SO IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A 50 MILE. WE WANT SOMETHING YOU NEED TO, THAT'S ON THE LIST AS, AND AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE THE LOCAL AGAIN, THERE'S DO THAT BECAUSE WHERE DID IT, ANY MORE QUESTIONS? CAN I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND PLEASE FOR MAY I HAVE A SECOND. CAN I HAVE A VOTE AND YES. MOTION PASSES. ALL RIGHT. UM, [EXECUTIVE SESSION] EXECUTIVE SESSION, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL, UH, CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 5, 1 0.087 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE TO DISCUSS COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM A BUSINESS PROSPECT SEEKING TO LOCATE, REMAIN, OR EXPAND WITHIN THE CITY, AND TO DELIBERATE THE OFFER OF FINANCIAL OR OTHER INCENTIVES TO SUCH BUSINESS PROJECT PROSPECTS. WE'RE NOT GOING IN. WE'RE NOT GOING IN. AND I, IF I MAY, I, I, I, UH, I, IT DON'T HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS, BUT I FORGOT ONE NAME, UH, TO APPRECIATE, UH, ANGELICA GARCIA TOO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT SEVEN 18. THANK Y'ALL GUYS. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.