Jan 04, 2022 City Council

[00:00:05]

>> SPEAKER: WE WILL CALL TO ORDER TONIGHT OPERATIVE COUNCIL MEETING FOR JANUARY 4, 2022. WILL CALL, LINDSAY.

(ROLL CALL) >> SPEAKER: WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THEN REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

>> SPEAKER: I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

(SILENCE) >> SPEAKER: PLEASE BE SEATED.

[4. MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS.]

(VIDEO PLAYING). >> SPEAKER: PROUD TONIGHT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR JANUARY 2022 CITY OF AUBURN EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH AS WELL AS RECOGNIZE A NUMBER OF OTHER OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES. (MUSIC PLAYING) WE ARE PROUD TODAY TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR JANUARY EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH. I HAVE A MEMORANDUM HERE FROM DAVID DORTON OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND IT WAS SENT TO MEGAN MCGOWEN CROUCH THE OPPORTUNITY MANAGER.

ALLISON BLANKENSHIP BECAME THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIALIST JUST AS COVID WAS GETTING STARTED.

SHE TOOK A JOB THAT WAS ALL ABOUT INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE JUST AS WE BEGAN TO SOCIAL DISTANCE.

SHE BEGAN TO PLAN FOR KEY INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO HELP RESIDENTS AND CITY STAFF ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER AS HE PUT ON OUR MASKS AND SHELTERED AT HOME. ALLISON COMPLETELY PLANNED THE LAUNCH OF BOTH OF THE CITIZENS ACADEMY AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONFERENCE FOR 2021. BOTH INITIATIVES WERE DELAYED DUE TO COVID. UNDETERRED, ALLISON HAS MADE THE NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIALIST HER OWN JOB.

SHE HAS WORKED TO BUILD NETWORKS BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY TO HELP CHANNEL THE RIGHT INFORMATION TO THE RIGHT TO STAKEHOLDERS. SHE IS PERSONALLY VISITED NEIGHBORHOOD TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE SITUATIONS OR NEEDS THAT RESIDENTS WERE COMMUNICATING TO THE CITY.

AND SHE HAS PLANS TO BE READY TO LAUNCH THE FIRST CITIZENS ACADEMY AS SOON AS CONDITIONS ALLOW.

ALLISON HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE TEAM OF THE OFFICE OF CITY MANAGER AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND IS ALWAYS READY, WILLING AND ABLE TO DO ANY OF THE WORK THAT ENTAILS.

ALLISON HAS WORK ETHIC THAT SHOULD GIVE RESIDENTS CONFIDENCE IN PUBLIC SERVANTS. SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE AND GETTING THEM THE INFORMATION THEY NEED. SHE HAD TAKEN AN IDEA AND MADE IT A CRUCIAL FUNCTION OF THE CITY OF AUBURN.

FOR THESE REASONS AND MORE I RECOMMEND PUBLIC AFFAIRS NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIALIST ALLISON BLANKENSHIP BE CONSIDERED AS THE CITY OF AUBURN'S EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY 2022.

THANK YOU, ALLISON. (MUSIC PLAYING) (APPLAUSE) (MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC PLAYING) >> SPEAKER: WE ARE PROUD THIS AFTERNOON TO RECOGNIZE FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR THE STATE CHAMPION GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FROM AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL.

LADIES, WE ARE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU AND I'M PROUD AGAIN TO BE WITH YOU TO READ ANOTHER RESOLUTION ACCLAIMING YOUR GREAT EFFORTS AT THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

CONGRATULATIONS. WHEREAS THE AUBURN CITY COUNCIL IS PLEASED TO HONOR AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS AND HIS FACULTY AND STAFF AND STUDENTS FOR ALL OF THE EXCELLENT ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.

AND WHEREAS THE 2021 AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM DEFENDED ITS 2020 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BY BECOMING THE

[00:05:03]

WHEREAS THE TEAM WON WITH A TOTAL SCORE OF 68 POINTS, WHICH WAS 12 POINTS BETTER THAN WHO FINISHED SECOND WITH 80 POINTS.

AND WHEREAS THE TEAM HAD TEN INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENTS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TOP FIVE PLACEMENTS, RILEY TEXACO WHO FINISHED FIFTH, OLIVIA TOLD WHO FINISHED SIXTH, EVA MCCAMMON WHO FINISHED 11TH, MARY ELIZABETH HADLEY FINISHED 12TH, AND LINNEA COX WHO FINISHED 29TH. WHERE IS THE AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS VARSITY CROSS-COUNTRY TEAM CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS. LINNEA COX, VIRGINIA DENT, AUDREY ERATH, LESLIE GRAY, MARY ELIZABETH HADLEY, EVA MCGOWAN, THE MURDER, JIN MILFORD, RILEY TEXACO, MILEY REAGAN, STELLA STEWART AND OLIVIA TOLD. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AUBURN NOW A THAT THE COUNCIL HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND FORMALLY CONGRATULATES THE COACHES, THE PLAYERS FROM THE 2021 AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM FOR ITS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS IN EXEMPLARY EFFORTS IN REPRESENTING AUBURN CITY SCHOOLS IN THE CITY OF AUBURN. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE SPREAD UPON THE MINUTES OF THIS MEETING AND PRESENTED TO THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MR. DAN NORTON AND HEAD COACH OLIVIA STEPHANI AND THE TEAM, ADOPTED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CITY OF AUBURN ON THIS FOURTH DAY OF JANUARY 2022. CONGRATULATIONS, LADIES.

(APPLAUSE). (MUSIC PLAYING)

>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR OUTSTANDING EMPLOYEES, MANY OF THEM ARE HERE WITH US TONIGHT'S.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO TO MAKE AUBURN A VERY SPECIAL AND UNIQUE PLACE AND CERTAINLY ANOTHER CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM AND AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL.

THEY ARE A DOMINANT PROGRAM. YOU COULD CALL THEM A DYNASTY FOR WINNING FIVE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THEM. MAYORS ANNOUNCEMENTS I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE AT THE END OF THIS MONTH ON SATURDAY THE 29TH IS THE ANNUAL POLAR PLUNGE WHICH IS A CRAZY ACTIVITY THAT RAISES MONEY FOR A GREAT CAUSE. THERE ARE PEOPLE UP HERE THAT HAVE JUMPED IN THAT COLD WATER IN YEARS PAST.

I CHALLENGE ALL OF THEM TO RECONSIDER DOING THAT'S AGAIN THIS YEAR BUT IT IS A LOT OF FUN AND IT RAISES MONEY FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS. IT IS AT 9 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING ON SATURDAY THE 29TH OF JANUARY.

WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO COME AND IF YOU ARE FEELING REALLY EXCITABLE THAT MORNING THEN GO AHEAD AND JUMP ON IN THE WATER WITH THE REST OF THEM. RAISE SOME MONEY ON YOUR WAY OVER THERE TO DO THAT. SPEAKING OF AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL THIS WEEK IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT LOCAL YOUNG MAN WHO GREW UP HERE IN THIS TOWN AND PLAYED FOOTBALL AND AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL AS A FINALIST FOR THE NFL HALL OF FAME AND THAT IS THE MARCUS WEHR WHO PLAYED HIS COLLEGE FOOTBALL AT TROY UNIVERSITY AND PLAY FOR THE COWBOYS AND THE BRONCOS. I BELIEVE HE IS ONE OF 15 PLAYERS THAT ARE FINALISTS THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON SUPER BOWL WEEKEND. WE ARE VERY EXCITED.

NO ONE FROM THE CITY OF AUBURN HAS EVER BEEN PUT IN THE NFL HALL OF FAME. IRONICALLY ENOUGH THERE IS ALSO A AUBURN UNIVERSITY PLAYER WILLIE ANDERSON THAT IS IN THE FINALISTS AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

TONIGHT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM LEADERSHIP LEE COUNTY THAT PART OF THEIR TRIPS THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR COUNTY IS COMING TO AN AUBURN CITY COUNCIL MEETING AND IF ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE WITH LEADERSHIP RAISE YOUR HAND.

WE WON'T MAKE YOU STAND UP. WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE YOU HERE TONIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING INTERESTED IN ALL THE GOES ON IN THE COUNTY AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU ARE SACRIFICING TO DO THE LEADERSHIP AND THE LEE COUNTY PROGRAM THAT WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR INTEREST IN YOUR COMMUNITY. TONIGHT I WILL MAKE A STATEMENT PUBLICLY THAT WILL BE SENT OUT TO THE MEDIA TOMORROW AS A PRESS RELEASE. OFFICIALLY TONIGHT WE ARE DELAYING AUBURN 2040. WE TRIED TWICE TO GET AUBURN 2040 STARTED AND BECAUSE OF THE COVID WORLD THAT WE LIVE AND WE HAVE HAD TO STOP AND EACH TIME. IT WAS MY INTENT TO TRY TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN HERE IN 2022 AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. 2040, THE PROCESS OF 2040, MUCH LIKE 2020, MUCH LIKE 2000, WERE NEVER POLITICAL EFFORTS.

THEIR EFFORTS BY THE COMMUNITY THAT CAME TOGETHER AS A HOLE TO PLAN FUTURE OF THIS WONDERFUL CITY THAT WE CALL HOME.

WITH THE NEXT CITY ELECTION NEXT SUMMER IN AUGUST, AND WITH THE EFFORT AND TIME IT WILL TAKE TO COMPLETE 2040, IT WOULD BE MY CONCERN THAT 2040 WOULD BECOME A POLITICAL HOT BUTTON ISSUE NEXT SUMMER AND IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY.

IT SHOULD BE AN ISSUE THAT IS ABSOLVED FROM POLITICS.

AND SO IT WILL BE MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE NEXT PEOPLE THAT SERVE UP HERE THAT WILL BE SWORN IN AND ELECTED IN AUGUST OF NEXT YEAR AND SWORN IN THE IN NOVEMBER OF NEXT YEAR THAT SOON AFTER THAT THEY MAKE THEIR OWN PLANS TO CONDUCT AUBURN 2040 IN THE YEAR OF 2023. THERE WILL BE AN OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE THAT WILL COME OUT TOMORROW, BUT I AM NOTIFYING THE

[00:10:04]

I WILL COMMUNICATE TO EVERYBODY THAT IS HERE TONIGHT, I KNOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THIS CONVERSATION RECENTLY, THAT I BELIEVE IT WILL BE THE COUNCIL'S INTENT TO POSTPONE THE VOTE ON REDISTRICTING TONIGHT.

ALSO AT THAT TIME I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL WILL MAKE A DECISION WHETHER THEY WILL ALSO POSTPONE TONIGHT A PUBLIC HEARING.

IT WOULD BE MY ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT ABOUT REDISTRICTING THAT YOU DO THAT IN A FEW MINUTES WHEN THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

CERTAINLY AT THE END OF THE NIGHT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO.

THE DIFFERENCE IS OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK TO US HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND THREE MINUTES AT THE END. BUT I JUST WANTED TO LAY THAT OUT THERE SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE COUNCIL HAS OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO FORMALLY ADOPT THOSE MEASURES LATER ON IN THE AGENDA. DOES ANYBODY ON THE COUNCIL HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE?

[5. AUBURN UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS.]

>> SPEAKER: CLASSES FOR THE SPRING SEMESTER WILL START NEXT WEDNESDAY JANUARY 12 AND WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY WILL BE ONLINE YET FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS.

THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT.

FACE COVERINGS WILL BE REQUIRED IN ALL CLASSROOM BUILDINGS, UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS AND CAMPUS TRANSPORT.

SO WE CAN COMBAT THE SPREAD OF THE VARIANT.

AND SJ ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP NEXT MONTH AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW IS AS IT PROGRESSES AND WE GET NEW LEADERS AT A PRESIDENT AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. LASTLY WE ARE GOING TO START SHOOTING A TEN MARKETING MATERIALS AS THEY COME IN SO THAT WE CAN GET ALL OF THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES MORE CONNECTED. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

[6. CITIZENS’ COMMUNICATIONS ON AGENDA ITEMS.]

RECORD. >> SPEAKER: COUNCILPERSON TAYLOR IS SAYING DID YOU GIVE A REPORT ON THE COMMITTEE OF THE

WHOLE? >> SPEAKER: I DIDN'T.

THANK YOU. DURING THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WE NOMINATED TWO NEW MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF ZONING AND ADJUSTMENT, MARTY HEFFERNAN WHO WAS NOMINATED TO THE FULL BOARD -- FULL BODY AND MARY BOYD WAS NOMINATED AS THE SUPERNUMERARY. THANK YOU ALL FOR CORRECTING THE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL BUT ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND YOU WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL.

>> SPEAKER: I CAN SPEAK ON REDISTRICTING RIGHT?

>> SPEAKER: YOU CAN. >> SPEAKER: I WOULD RATHER BE ANYWHERE THAN HERE TONIGHT. SORRY.

>> SPEAKER: NAME AND ADDRESS? >> SPEAKER: 1654 PIEDMONT DRIVE. I HAVE A STATEMENT TO MAKE AND IT IS HOPEFULLY INFORMING Y'ALL ON THIS ISSUE OF SOME CONCERNS THAT I AS WELL AS A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE MOVING FORWARD SO THAT WE ARE MADE AWARE OF IT NOW AND IF IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN DEAL WITH NOW THAT WOULD BE GOOD BEFORE IT GETS DUMPED ON YOU LATER. WHEN IT COMES TO THE ISSUE OF REDISTRICTING, THERE IS VERY LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF IT BY VOTERS. THERE IS EVEN LESS UNDERSTANDING OF PARTISAN EFFORTS THAT COME ABOUT AS A RESULT AND THOSE EFFORTS DEPEND ON THAT IGNORANCE OF THE PROCESS.

I'M I ASSURE Y'ALL EVERYTHING I WILL TALK ABOUT IT HAS A POINT AND I HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC ASK AT THE END.

AS A WORKING CLASS FOLKS GO ABOUT THEIR DAY TRIED TO MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO BE THE KID TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON THERE ARE POLITICAL CREATURES THAT WORK ON PARTISAN REDISTRICTING EFFORTS NONSTOP. A MAN NOW KNOWN AS THE MODERN-DAY GERRYMANDERING EXPERT THOMAS HOSSLER WANT TO FIND REDISTRICTING AS THE ONLY LEGALIZED FORM OF VOTE STEALING LEFT IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY. THE U.S. CONSTITUTION REQUIRES STATES TO DRAW A NEW ELECTORAL DISTRICTS EVERY TEN YEARS AND IT IS AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PROCESS.

HOWEVER THERE ARE FEW OTHER HARD FAST RULES.

I HAVE FOLLOWED THE STATE GOVERNMENTS REDISTRICTING PROCESS CLOSELY THIS YEAR. I HAVE BEEN APPALLED AT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND BRAZEN PARTISANSHIP.

ONE COMMITTEE MEMBER SAID THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS POSSIBLE TO HAVE A NONPARTISAN REDISTRICTING EFFORT AND NOT HAVE POLITICS BE A PART OF IT. THAT COMMITTEE MEMBER WAS ATTORNEY NORMAN WALKER. HE PRESIDED OVER MANY MEETINGS WHERE ANY REAL QUESTIONS WERE NOT ALLOWED BY HIM IN SOME CASES. THAT IS HARDLY THE BEHAVIOR OF PROFESSIONAL WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE VOTERS OF ALABAMA. HE IS ALSO THE PERSON HIRED BY THE CITY OF AUBURN TO NOT NOW ASSIST IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS. LET ME BE CLEAR.

I WANT Y'ALL TO NOTE I DO NOT WANT TO CAST ASPERSIONS ON THE EFFORT IN AUBURN UP TO THIS POINT.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF GOOD AND DECENT FOLKS WORKING ON CITY

[00:15:01]

I AM HOPEFUL THE DECISION TO BRING MR. WALKER IN WAS DUE TO RECOMMENDATION. BUT I QUOTED THOMAS HOSSLER EARLIER FOR A REASON. TEN YEARS AGO HE HAD A HAND IN PLANNING THE DISTRICT IN EFFORTS ALONG WITH PRODUCING MAPS IN MANY STATES THEY WERE EVENTUALLY DECLARED RACIALLY GERRYMANDERED.

THE FORMER INCLUDING ALABAMA. WHEN HE DIED IN 2019 HIS DAUGHTER LEAKED FILE TO THE PRESS AND BECAUSE OF THOSE FILES WHICH INCLUDED E-MAILS TO STATE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ALONG WITH COUNTLESS DOCUMENTS OF BROKEN COMMUNITIES ON RACIAL BOUNDARIES, WE NOW KNOW HIS EFFORTS HAD ONE ULTIMATE GOAL.

TO TAKE VOTING POWER AWAY FROM BLACK VOTERS AND INCREASE THE VOTING POWER OF NON-HISPANIC WHITE VOTERS.

AND THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN DORMAN WALKER IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA NEEDED ASSISTANCE IN PUTTING TOGETHER THE REDISTRICTING EFFORT LAST CYCLE, WHO DO THEY REACH OUT TO? THOMAS HOSSLER. E-MAIL EXCHANGES SHOWED WERE CONFIDENTIAL REDISTRICTING PLAN A FEW FILES WERE SHARED AND EDITED BETWEEN NORMAN WALKER AND THOMAS HOSSLER INCLUDING ONE WHERE MR. WALKER THANK YOU MR. HOSSLER FOR HIS INPUT.

AND THAT IS NOT A CONSPIRACY THEORY STUFF THAT IS A DIRECT CONNECTION. THERE IS NO SPIN TO THAT.

MR. HOSSLER ONCE FAMOUSLY SAID NORMALLY VOTERS PICK THE POLITICIANS BUT REDISTRICTING IS THE ONLY PROCESS WHERE POLITICIANS PICK THE VOTERS. HE IS WHO ALABAMA CHOSE TO WORK WITH AT THE VERY LEAST IN PRODUCING FUNDAMENTAL GUIDELINES OF THE PROCESS LAST CYCLE. NOW THIS YEAR THE MAPS WERE PRESENTED AT THE LAST POSSIBLE MOMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL BY THE COMMITTEE AND WHEN ASKED IF THERE WAS A RACIAL POLARIZATION STUDY DONE TO ENSURE THE LEGALITY OF THE MAPS, THE ANSWER WAS YES AND I QUOTE SOME GUY IN GEORGIA.

THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO ANYONE WITH SCRUPLES WHO IS PAYING ATTENTION.

AND WHEN ALABAMA WAS SUED LAST TIME AND THE MAPS WERE EVENTUALLY DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN 12 DISTRICTS, DORMAN WALKER DEFENDED THOSE MAPS IN A COURT OF LAW. BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY IN AUBURN. I AM FOR THE CITY TO SEEK OUT NONPARTISAN EXPERTISE. IT IS POSSIBLE.

I ASKED THE COUNCIL TO DO THE HONORABLE AND ETHICAL THING AND ASKED THE CITY TO BRING SOMEONE ELSE IN.

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A NONPARTISAN EFFORT BUT I TRUST THAT YOU WILL GET IT RIGHT. THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER: ANYONE ELSE? CITY MANAGERS COMMUNICATIONS --

>> SPEAKER: EXCUSE MY CLOSE. IT'S SO COLD.

LET ME GET THIS DOWN. MY NAME IS CAROLYN CARR AND I LIVE AT 342 PAYNE ST. I AM THE CHIEF INSPECTOR AT THE DEAN ROAD POLLING PLACE WHICH IS BEAT SIX BOX THREE OR WARDS FIVE AND SIX, WHICHEVER. I THINK I'M PROBABLY THE LONGEST SERVING CHIEF INSPECTOR IN AUBURN AREA.

I AM REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROPOSED REDISTRICTING BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY WE HAVE A BACKGROUND OF A PROBLEM.

TEN YEARS AGO THE CITY REDISTRICTED OUR REWARDS WITHOUT WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO SHIM UP THE LINES BETWEEN THE BEATS AND THE BOXES AND THE ACTUAL WARD BOUNDARIES SO THAT THEY NO LONGER MATCHED. THIS LED TO SOME REAL PROBLEMS. I MEAN, IT WAS A CONSIDERABLE MESS, LET ME PUT IT THAT WAY.

IF YOU ARE A POLL WORKER. THE FIRST ELECTION AFTER THAT REDISTRICTING, WE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COMING IN CONFUSED ABOUT WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE VOTING.

I HAVE A POSTCARD IT TELLS ME TO VOTE HERE.

NO, YOU VOTE IN THIS PLACE FOR CITY ELECTION BUT IN THIS PLACE FOR THE COUNTY, THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL.

PEOPLE WERE COMING TO US AND GOING, WHAT IS THIS? I'VE NEVER LIVED IN A PLACE WHERE WE HAD TO VOTE IN ONE PLACE FOR WON ELECTION IN ONE PLACE FOR ANOTHER ELECTION.

THIS JUST ISN'T RIGHT. AND AFTER A FEW MORE ELECTIONS AND WE WERE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS, PEOPLE WERE SAYING, OKAY, THE CITY MADE A MESS WITH THIS, WHY DOESN'T IT CLEAN IT UP? WHY DON'T WE SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? SOME OF US SPOKE TO CITY OFFICIALS ABOUT IT.

NOTHING EVER HAPPENED SO WE HAD TEN YEARS OF THIS CONTINUING PROBLEM AND EVERY ELECTION I CAN ASSURE YOU AT EVERY ELECTION THERE WERE PEOPLE COMING IN CONFUSED ABOUT WHERE THEY SHOULD VOTE. WITHOUT FAIL, RIGHT UP INCLUDING THE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. NOW, FOLKS, WE DON'T NEED TO BE DOING THIS. THIS JUST ISN'T NECESSARY AND WE CAN DO BETTER. NOW, RECENTLY, ONE OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVISTS WHERE I LIVE IN PAYNE ST. CONTACTED THE CITY ABOUT SOME CONCERNS ABOUT BOUNDARIES AND HE ASKED ME TO GO. I SAID I DON'T HAVE TIME, I HAVE ANOTHER MEETING. I COULD COME RIGHT AT THE VERY BEGINNING. I DID GO AND I SAID, MY REAL CONCERN IS NOT ACTUAL BOUNDARIES , BUT MY CONCERN IS WITH THE PROCESS. AND THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY NEED TO BE WORKING TOGETHER SO WE ARE NOT CONFUSING THE VOTERS.

ABOUT THIS. AND I WAS TOLD AT THAT TIME, OH, WELL, WE CONTACTED THE COUNTY AND A JUDGE SAID THAT WE SHOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM LATER WHEN WE ARE KIND OF FURTHER ALONG IN THE PROCESS. AND FRANKLY, I WAS VERY

[00:20:03]

SO I KNOW NOTHING. YOU PROBABLY OUGHT TO TALK TO THE JUDGE. SO I CALLED THE JUDGES I SAID, I AM A LITTLE ASTONISHED THAT YOU WERE NOT WILLING TO WORK -- WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT, I CANNOT QUOTE WHAT HE SAID TO ME BECAUSE I DO NOT USE THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE. I WILL PUT IT THAT WAY.

BUT HE WAS VERY, VERY, VERY IRATE.

AND HE SAID, I CONTACTED THE CITY IN THE SUMMER AND SAID WE NEEDED TO WORK TOGETHER FROM THE BEGINNING AS SOON AS WE GOT THE CENSUS INFORMATION TO START TALKING TO EACH OTHER.

HE SAID, I DON'T CONSIDER IT COOPERATION WHEN PEOPLE CALL WHEN THEY ARE PARTWAY THROUGH THE PROCESS.

AND THEN SAY THEY WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

NOW, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO WHO SHOT CHARLIE HERE OR HE SAID SHE SAID AND ALL, BUT I'M JUST REPORTING TO YOU WHAT WAS SAID TO ME. AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I REALLY HAVE A FEELING THAT WE HAVE LIVED THROUGH A STUPID DECISION TEN YEARS AGO AND WE MAY BE HEADING INTO ANOTHER SIMILAR DECISION HAVING THESE VARIOUS POLLING PLACES.

WE HAVE GOT A PROBLEM. ONE, IT IS TOTALLY CONFUSED VOTERS OVER THE YEARS. AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW OFTEN I GET PHONE CALLS BEFORE ELECTIONS ABOUT, NOW CAROLYN, CONCERNED.

IS IN THE CITY THE COUNTY, WHERE MY SUPPOSED TO BE GOING TO VOTE? PEOPLE ARE STILL CONFUSED ABOUT THIS CRAZINESS.

IT IS VERY CONFUSING AND TIME-CONSUMING FOR THE POLL WORKER TO TRY TO WORK THIS OUT. PEOPLE ARE STANDING IN LINE WAITING TO GET THEIR BALLOTS AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING, MAYBE THEY MISSPELLED MY NAME THIS WAY OR MAYBE IT WAS MY MAIDEN NAME THAT PUT IT UNDER. WHEN THEY FINALLY FIGURE IT OUT, NO, THEY ARE NOT AT THAT POLLING PLACE AND THEY ARE SENT TO ME AND I TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY SHOULD BE VOTING.

WE DON'T NEED TO BE DOING THIS. FINALLY, TRUTHFULLY, MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT LATELY WITH ALL OF THIS RHETORIC ABOUT VOTER FRAUD AND STOLEN ELECTIONS IN THIS TYPE OF THING, PEOPLE HAVE BECOME VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HOW -- WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON WITH THIS. I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE YOU THAT IN OVER 20 YEARS AS A CHIEF INSPECTOR I HAVE SEEN ONE CASE OF VOTER FRAUD AND I'VE TALKED TO THE JUDGE AND HE HAS SEEN ONE IN LOACHAPOKA. THAT'S IT.

WE DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM. AND YET WE HAVE.

>> SPEAKER: PLEASE FINISH UP. >> SPEAKER: AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU, IF I HAD A BETTER HIP I WOULD GET DOWN ON MY KNEES AND BEG PLEASE, DO NOT DO THIS FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS.

WORK WITH THE COUNTY'S. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU EXPECT COME UP WITH MATCHING LINES SO WE DON'T DO THIS FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS. THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER: WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> SPEAKER: GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. MY NAME IS BILL LEE.

I LIVE AT 1652 ST. ANDREWS LANE IN AUBURN.

PART OF WARD SEVEN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL ARE AS APPALLED AS I AM OVER THE COMMENTS MR. TIDWELL MADE JUST A MOMENT AGO ABOUT HIRING THIS PARTICULAR CONSULTANT.

IT IS JUST TERRIBLY DISTURBING TO ME.

I LOOKED ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE CITY TODAY AND I COULD NOT FIND THE LISTING OF THE CITY ATTORNEY I DON'T KNOW IF THE COUNCIL HIRES THE CITY ATTORNEY. I DON'T KNOW IF THE STAFF HIRES THE CITY ATTORNEY. I DON'T KNOW WHO HAS THE POWER TO REPLACE THE CITY ATTORNEY. I DON'T KNOW WHO MADE THE DECISION TO BRING IN THIS CONSULTANT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL AS A COUNCIL APPROVED THIS PARTICULAR HIGHER. I DON'T SEE A COPY OF HIS CONTRACT ONLINE AS TO WHAT HIS JOB IS.

I WOULD CERTAINLY IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER REPLACING THIS PERSON, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT A LOOK THAT LOOKS GOOD FOR THE CITY OF AUBURN. I DO NOT THINK WE AS CITIZENS OF AUBURN WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TYPE OF APPROACH TO

[00:25:06]

THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: ANYONE ELSE?

[7. CITY MANAGER’S COMMUNICATIONS]

CITY MANAGER'S COMMUNICATIONS. >> SPEAKER: MAYOR, CITY MANAGER'S COMMUNICATIONS THIS EVENING WE HAVE A QUICK REPORT ON THE REBUILD ALABAMA ACT. IT REQUIRES THAT THE CITY ENGINEER PROVIDE A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNING BODY DETAILING EXPENDITURES MADE UTILIZING THE GAS TAX FUND ENABLED BY THIS ACT.

THIS REPORT NEEDS TO BE ENTERED INTO THE MINUTES AND POSTED FOR THE PUBLIC. THEREFORE HERE IS A BRIEF REPORT. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2021 THE CITY RECEIVED $391,409.45 IN REBUILD ALABAMA ACT REVENUES AND HAD OVER $2.335 MILLION IN ELIGIBLE EXPENDITURES FROM THE RENEWAL UP LIKE A ROAD PHASE FOUR NORTH COLLEGE EACH UNIVERSITY DRIVE AND SHUG JORDAN INTERSECTION AND THE OLD TREE REPLACEMENT

[8. CONSIDERATION OF CONSENT AGENDA.]

IF THERE AREN'T ANY QUESTIONS WE WILL MOVE TO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA.

IS ANY COUNCIL MEMBER WAS TO REMOVE AN ITEM FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND DEAL WITH THAT ITEM INDIVIDUALLY?

>> SPEAKER: ITEM 8C. >> SPEAKER: ITEM 8C.

>> SPEAKER: ANY OTHERS? ITEM 8C CHANGE THE TIME OF THE FEBRUARY 1, 2022, CITY COUNCIL MEETING FROM 7 PM TO 5 PM.

>> SPEAKER: MOVE FOR APPROVAL. >> SPEAKER: SECOND THAT MOTION AND SECOND. COMMENTS, QUESTIONS?

>> SPEAKER: IT'S ONLY THE CONSENT AGENDA I WANTED TO CLARIFY TO THE PUBLIC AS TO WHY WE CHANGING THE MEETING FROM

FIVE. >> SPEAKER: A FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD QUESTIONS DUE TO SEVERAL ITEMS THAT WERE POSTPONED AT THE REQUEST OF APPLICANTS AT THE DECEMBER 21 MEETING WHICH WOULD BE THE HAMILTON PLACE PLANT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT AND CONDITIONAL USES, AS WELL AS A VERY, VERY LARGE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT WITH OVER 1500 HOMES PLANNED CALLED ALL SANFORD. SO IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS AN INTEREST IN MOVING THE COUNCIL MEETING TIME UP BECAUSE THE AGENDA IS EXPECTED TO BE LENGTHY AND TWO LARGE -- TO GIVE TIME FOR ACCOUNTS TO DELIBERATED HERE FROM THE PUBLIC

'S FACT THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: MOTION AND SECOND ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. ANY POST? THAT MOTION CARRIES. MOTION TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF

THE CONSENT AGENDA? >> SPEAKER: SO MOVED.

>> SPEAKER: ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OLD POST? CONSENT AGENDA IS APPROVED.

>> SPEAKER: LET ME GET REORGANIZED HERE.

[9. ORDINANCES]

UNANIMOUS CONSENT IS NECESSARY AND WHILE YOUR PACKETS OF SAY IT

A HEARING IS REQUIRED. >> SPEAKER: I WOULD INTRODUCE THE ORDINANCE AND ASK FOR CONSENT.

>> SPEAKER: SECOND. >> SPEAKER: ANYONE HAVE A PROBLEM MOVING FORWARD WITH THE VOTE THIS THIS EVENING? SEEING OR HEARING NONE WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.

SEEING NO ONE WHO WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL? ROLL CALL VOTE, LINDSAY? (ROLL CALL VOTE)

>> SPEAKER: ITEM 9B2020 -- 2021 CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS FOLLOWING FEDERAL DECENNIAL CENSUS. AS REQUIRED BY ALABAMA STATE STATUTE 11438 DASH 33. THIS ITEM WAS POSTPONED AND THE PUBLIC HEARING CONTINUED FROM THE DECEMBER 21, 2021, MEETING.

>> SPEAKER: MOVE TO POSTPONE TO A DATE CERTAIN OF JANUARY 18

ALONG WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING. >> SPEAKER: SECOND.

>> SPEAKER: MOTION AND SECOND. AND ONE ON THE COUNCIL HAVE A PROBLEM MOVING FORWARD WITH THE VOTE ON THIS? SEEING OR HEARING NONE TAKE A ROLL CALL ON THAT.

>> SPEAKER: DISCUSSION. >> SPEAKER: ANY DISCUSSION?

>> SPEAKER: YOU ARE FINE WITH THAT VOICE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT

TAKING OFFICIAL ACTION. >> SPEAKER: CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT WILL HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN?

>> SPEAKER: AS INDICATED AT THE DECEMBER 21 MEETING, NEW MAPS -- NEW ALTERNATIVE MAP ARRIVED LATE THAT AFTERNOON AND WE NEEDED TIME FOR ANALYSIS. THERE HAVE BEEN THREE CITY

[00:30:01]

YOUR AGENDAS WENT OUT LAST THURSDAY AND WHILE WE ARE STILL WORKING AND ANALYZING TO GIVE AMPLE TIME FOR US TO COMPLETE THAT ANALYSIS AND INFORM YOU ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED, WE NEEDED MORE TIME. THAT IS WHY I RECOMMENDED YOU IN A MEMO LAST THURSDAY TO POSTPONE SO WE WOULD BE PREPARED.

I HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT WE WILL BE FULLY PREPARED

TO DISCUSS THIS ON JANUARY 18. >> SPEAKER: WITH REGARD TO THE ANALYST OR THE REVIEWER DORMAN WALKER, WHAT PROCEDURE WOULD BE EXPECTED OF COUNCIL OR ANYBODY ELSE WERE WE TO DECIDE AS A COUNCIL BODY THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL IS NOT SUITABLE FOR THE TASK THAT WE HAVE TASKED HIM WITH?

>> SPEAKER: I NEED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT ONE THING AND CRYSTAL CLEAR. THAT CONSULTANT WAS RETAINED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY AS A REDISTRICTING EXPERT.

MR. DORMAN DID NOT DRAW OUR DISTRICTS.

THE STAFF DREW THE DISTRICTS BASED ON DATA.

AND DATA ONLY IN THE FEDERAL LAW THAT I HAVE REPEATEDLY INFORMED THE COUNCIL THAT WE HAVE FOLLOWED.

SO THE ONLY ROLE OF MR. WALKER HAS PLAYED IS BEING ON RETAINER WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, WHICH WE RETAINED CONSULTANTS EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK TO DO CITY BUSINESS. HIS ROLE HAS BEEN TO TELL US WHETHER THE DISTRICTS MEET THE LAW AND THAT IS WHY I MOVE FORWARD AND PROPOSED THE DISTRICT PER STATE LAW.

THIS ISN'T THE CITY MANAGERS PLAN FOR REDISTRICTING, IT IS THE CITY OF AUBURN'S PLAN BY STATE LAW THAT IS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND THIS BODY ONLY.

THE PLAN TO BE CHANGED MOVING FORWARD WILL RESIDE SOLELY WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND THAT DECISION OR ANY CHANGES THEREOF WOULD COME FROM THE DAIS. THE RETENTION OF MR. WALKER IS ONLY THROUGH THE CITY ATTORNEY AND IT IS NOT -- I DID NOT SEARCH THE INTERNET AND SEEK OUT REDISTRICTING CONSULTANTS.

THIS IS BASED ON A DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENED OVER THE SUMMER ABOUT GETTING IT RIGHT, AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE GOTTEN IT RIGHT AND WE PROPOSED AN ABSOLUTE VERY SOLID REDISTRICTING PLAN MEETING THE LAW. ANY CHANGES TO HIS RETENTION, THE COUNCIL HAS NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY HIRING OF MR. DORMAN WALKER. WHATSOEVER.

AND SO AT THIS STAGE HE HAS CONSULTED US TO THIS POINT.

I DON'T HAVE A PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW BECAUSE HE WAS NOT HIRED

BY THE COUNCIL. >> SPEAKER: TO CLARIFY, THIS COUNCIL RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT HIRING AND FIRING CONSULTANTS.

THE ONLY EMPLOYEE THAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

>> SPEAKER: THAT'S CORRECT. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER: MEGAN, CAN YOU SPEAK ON THE VOTING LOCATIONS THAT MS. CARR BROUGHT UP? I RECALL THAT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH PEOPLE GETTING CONFUSED ABOUT THE LOCATIONS.

WITH THIS FIX THAT WITH THE REDISTRICTING?

>> SPEAKER: I NEED TO CLARIFY. MS. CARR DID COME TO ME AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A MISUNDERSTANDING IN THE MEETING.

JUDGE ENGLISH ABSOLUTELY DID REACH OUT BEFORE WE STARTED THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS AND HE REACHED OUT TO MARY ENDERS.

MARY ENDERS AND WAS MENTIONED TO ME THE CHALLENGES AS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE LAW MANY TIMES IS REDISTRICTING.

WE CAN'T DRAW A CITY WARDS BASED ON THE COUNTY.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU, LEE COUNTY ADAPTED THEIR REGIFTING MAPS BEFORE THE CITY DID. THEY ADOPTED THEM TWO MONTHS AGO, THREE MONTHS AGO NOW. AND SO WE HAVE TO FINISH OUR PROCESS AND THEN OUR GOAL WAS, AND WE DID REACH OUT, AND WHAT THE JUDGE SAID AND I UNDERSTAND WHY, WAS, HEY, SINCE WE DIDN'T COLLABORATE BEFORE, WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE DONE.

WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.

ONE OF THE THINGS IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE FEDERAL REDISTRICTING, ALL OF THE STATE, COUNTY, WE ARE GROWING RAPIDLY.

THINGS IN AUBURN ARE CHANGING. PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE AND THEY THINK SOMEBODY REPRESENTS THEM AND MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE.

TO GET ALL OF THAT ALIGNED AND THINK A LOOK AT THOSE LOCATIONS WE WILL HAVE TO FINISH OUR PROCESS AND THEN WE WILL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. WE ALSO ARE VERY COMMITTED AND MS. CARR WAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, TRYING TO INFORM THE PUBLIC AS BEST WE CAN. WE WILL DO MULTIPLE POSTCARD MAILINGS. WE WILL DO WHAT WE CAN TO REMIND PEOPLE. BUT I CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT POLLING LOCATIONS ARE GOING TO ALIGN.

WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH AUBURN UNIVERSITY ABOUT IT POLLING LOCATION ON CAMPUS. WHILE THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT BECAUSE YOU WORK ON CAMPUS OR ATTEND CLASSES THAT WOULD BE YOUR POLLING LOCATION, BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE GEOGRAPHY IN MIND.

THEY MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE A LARGER POLLING LOCATION THERE AND COMBINE MULTIPLE AWARDS, WHICH MAY THEN COINCIDE, SOMETHING LIKE THE COLISEUM MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE.

THAT MAY HELP ALIGN IT. WE ARE VERY COMMITTED TO DOING THAT. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE WHERE ALL THAT LANDS ONCE WE ARE DONE WITH OUR PROCESS.

>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: ANYTHING ELSE?

ANY QUESTIONS? >> SPEAKER: SHOULD WE ANTICIPATE SEEING SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN IN TERMS OF THE MAP BASED ON YOUR CONTINUED ANALYSIS

[00:35:04]

>> SPEAKER: TO DATE THE MAP THAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU IS THE MAP THE STAFF HAS PRESENTING. AT THE END OF THE DAY I DO NOT HAVE A FULL ANALYSIS YET OF THE ALTERNATIVE MAP TO TELL YOU IF ANYBODY WOULD ADVISE A CHANGE. SO THAT INFORMATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AS OF YET. MUCH HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THAT THIS IS THE CITY MANAGERS MAP, AND I ASSURE YOU WHILE STATE LAW 11 -- SAYS OF THE CITY MANAGERS, IT'S VERY MUCH THE CITY STAFF MAP THAT I RELIED ON EXCELLENT STAFF MEMBERS TO POUR OVER THE DATA FOR A LONG TIME TO BE SURE THAT WE WERE TRACKING CORRECTLY.

WHAT I CAN'T TELL YOU YET IS WE ARE JUST NOT FINISHED WITH THE ANALYSIS WHERE I CAN SPEAK -- I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT OUR ATTORNEYS ARE CONSULTANTS WILL LIKELY BE AROUND ON JANUARY 18 AND WILL BE AVAILABLE AND BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE COUNCIL TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, INCLUDING WHAT THEIR DEALINGS ARE OR ARE NOT WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO ARE NO LONGER ON THIS EARTH.

SO IF WE WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT, WE WILL BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THAT AT THE TIME. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, ANY ATTEMPT IN HIRING SOMEBODY WITH THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYBODY DRAWING OUR MAPS BUT OURSELVES AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH MAKING SURE WE GOT THIS RIGHT BY FOLLOWING THE LAW.

>> SPEAKER: WITH MOTION AND SECOND.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? ALL IN FAVORITE TO POSTPONING THIS TO A DATE CERTAIN WHICH IS JANUARY 18 THAT INCLUDES PUBLIC HEARING, PLEASE SAY I. ANY OF POSTS?

THAT MOTION CARRIES. >> SPEAKER: MAYOR, WE HAVE NO

[12. CITIZENS’ OPEN FORUM]

BUSINESS WE HAVE FOR YOU. >> SPEAKER: THIS TIME WILL OPEN THE CITIZENS OPEN FORM. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL PLEASE COME FORWARD AND GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO

ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL. >> SPEAKER: MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S AND I HAD A MARVELOUS ONE SO I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.

I THINK THE YEAR OF 2022 WILL BE THE YEAR OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL. I WANTED TO SPEND LITTLE BIT OF TIME TELLING YOU SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO MY HOUSE AS AN AIRBNB AND THEIR RESPONSE. I WILL READ THOSE THINGS.

SCOTT FROM AUBURN SAID I NEED A PLACE TO STAY THE NIGHT BEFORE MEETING WITH THE GROOMSMEN THEY'RE OUT OF TOWN.

I COULDN'T -- HE MADE A COMMENT I COULDN'T HAVE POSSIBLY FOUND A BETTER PLACE. IT WAS HOMELY, WELCOME, WELL-STOCKED AND VERY CLEAN. VERY INFORMATIVE AND A GREAT HOST. AND FIVE STARS SEEMS LIKE TOO FEW. THE EVENT -- WILL BE VISITING OUR NIECE WAITING ARE GRANDDAUGHTER.

CHARMING HOUSE WITH PLENTY OF ROOM FOR LARGE FAMILY.

ROBERT ENJOYED EVERYTHING WE NEEDED FOR OUR STAY PICK OUT CHILDREN ENJOY THE HOUSE BECAUSE IT WAS COMFORTABLE AND FELT LIKE STAYING WITH FAMILY. I LOVE TO THE CONVENIENCE OF THE TOWN, THE UNIVERSITY AND ALL OF THE TOWELS.

CINDY, WE HAVE TWO CHILDREN AT A YOU.

MY OLDEST IS GRADUATING AND COMING DOWN THE FAMILY FOR THIS WONDERFUL CELEBRATION. THIS IS ONE HOME AND THEY LIVE NEAR. IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING LIKE A HOTEL THIS IS NOT FOR YOU.

THIS IS LIKE GOING TO GRANDMA'S, SUPER SIMPLE BUT COZY AND COMFORTABLE. SO CLOSE TO EVERYONE IN AUBURN AND YOU CAN'T BEAT THE PRICE. SHERI LYNN, A TEAM OF FOUR PEOPLE WILL BE SHOOTING AN EDUCATIONAL VIDEO FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS USED FOR THEIR ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROJECT, I NEEDED A LOCATION WITH FOUR BEDROOMS AND TWO BATHS.

MY CONVENIENT LOCATION AND THE LOVELY NEIGHBORHOOD.

HOMELY AND COMFORTABLE SURROUNDINGS WITH WARM, FRIENDLY HOST. OUR STAY WAS COMFORTABLE AND FELT LIKE BEING AT HOME. ADELE, I'M TRAVELING FROM NORTH CAROLINA BACK TO NEW ORLEANS THIS WEEKEND.

WHAT A SWEET COUPLE ROBERT AND JOY WERE ACTUALLY FABULOUS HOSTS. BOOKS THEIR HOME TO HAVE A PLACE TO SLEEP TO BREAK UP A ROAD TRIP , ARRIVING MY 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER SHE FELT LIKE IT WAS A HOME.

THE HOME WAS SO SURE WORDS ARE NEVER SPOKEN.

WE ARE SUPER HOSTS WITH AIRBNB ALSO.

TYLER, GOING TO A CONFERENCE IN THE AREA, WE WERE ABSOLUTELY LOVED OUR TIME WITH YOUR HOUSE. IT WAS A TRADITIONAL B&B EXPERIENCE THAT IS ENJOYED AND MISSED TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR THE HARD WORK AND BLESSINGS.

OUR MIDDLE SON WILL BE GRADUATING FROM AUBURN AND WE LOVE TRAVELING WITH AIRBNB. OUR OLDEST SON WILL BE WITH US AND THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN TWO HOTEL ROOMS.

[00:40:04]

>> SPEAKER: WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> SPEAKER: GOOD EVENING.

I AM ELIZABETH HILL, 274 BRAGG AVENUE.

I'M ACTUALLY PART OF THE NAACP'S COMMITTEE THAT IS PROPOSED THE ALTERNATIVE MAP. I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS I DIDN'T SPEAK EARLIER BECAUSE I WAS KIND OF WAITING TO SEE HOW THE CONVERSATION WENT. THE FIRST IS, I AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND AND HOPEFULLY CAN GET AN ANSWER TO WHEN THE ANALYSIS OF OUR MAP WILL BE DONE AND WHETHER OR NOT WE WILL BE GIVEN ANY OF THAT INFORMATION BEFORE THE JANUARY 18 MEETING OR IF THAT WILL OCCUR AT THE MEETING. I THINK IT IS BENEFICIAL TO ALL OF YOU IF WE GET SOME INFORMATION BEFOREHAND SO IF THERE IS ANY QUESTIONS WE NEED TO ADDRESS OR ANY EXPERTS WE NEED TO HAVE ON HAND FOR THE 18TH THAT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU. OTHERWISE YOU WILL PROBABLY ASK YOU TO DELAY IT AGAIN TO THE FEBRUARY 1 MEETING WHICH IS ALREADY REALLY LONG AND YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.

THE SECOND QUESTION IS, I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND -- MAYBE OUR PARLIAMENTARIAN CAN TELL US -- HOW AN ALTERNATIVE MAP ACTUALLY GETS TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN GET VOTED ON IF THE CITY IS NOT GOING TO PROPOSE OR CHANGE OR ADJUST THEIR MAP.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT A SECOND MAP, I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT HAPPENS. THAT'S MY TWO QUESTIONS.

THANKS. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU,

MS. HILL. >> SPEAKER: A COUNCIL MEMBER AT ANY TIME CAN AMEND ANYTHING IN FRONT OF THEM OR MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND AND THEN IT REQUIRES A SECOND AND THE MAJORITY.

SO IT IS MY OPINION THAT IS HOW ANY CHANGES TO WHAT IS IN FRONT

OF US WOULD BE MADE. >> SPEAKER: ANYONE ELSE?

>> SPEAKER: LET ME ASK THE QUESTION.

WHAT ELIZABETH'S QUESTION. ARE YOU GOING TO BE ANSWER THAT

FIRST QUESTION? >> SPEAKER: I HAVE ANSWERED THESE QUESTIONS IN E-MAILS TO THE NAACP.

THE ANSWER IS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT FORMAT ARE WHEN WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE COUNCIL BECAUSE THE EVALUATION IS NOT COMPLETE. I KNOW IT WILL BE BEFORE THE 18TH. WE WILL KNOW BEFORE MOVING FORWARD. AND COUNCIL MEMBER WITTEN IS RIGHT. I ALSO SAID THIS IN AN E-MAIL.

ANY DECISIONS ABOUT CHANGES TO THAT WILL COME -- UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL FROM HERE FORWARD. I DO NOT KNOW BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION. IT'S NOT A QUESTION I CAN ANSWER. AN ALTERNATIVE MAP, THOUGH, IS DROPPED UPON US ON DECEMBER 21ST AND WE ARE STILL WORKING ON IT.

WHETHER OR NOT THOSE WHO IS GOING TO BE INFORMED AND WHEN WHAT I DO KNOW IS I WORK FOR A NINE-MEMBER BODY THAT IS SITTING HERE AND YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO BE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT IS

GOING ON AND GO FROM THERE. >> SPEAKER: MAKE IT, IF WERE TO MAKE A CHANGE TO THE MAP, HOW WOULD THAT WORK LEGALLY? IF ONE OF US DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO THE PROPOSED MAP THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED US?

>> SPEAKER: IT COULD HAVE A HUGE IMPACT, DEPENDING ON WHAT IT IS. IT CAN THROW ALL OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC YOU HAVE HEARD ALL OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA DEPENDING ON WHAT THE REQUEST CHANGES ARE AND WEATHER HAS BEEN ANALYZED. WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADVISE YOU ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD OR WOULDN'T DO ON THE FLY. SO WITHOUT KNOWING AHEAD OF TIME I WOULD ASK -- I'VE HAD ONE COUNCILMEMBER JUST SUGGEST SOMETHING MINOR AND THAT WAS DONE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOVEMBER.

I AM AWARE OF THAT PIC BUT IF YOU ARE THINKING OF CHANGES AND IT'S SOMETHING MY STAFF NEED TO ANALYZE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU REACH OUT TO ME ANOTHER TIME AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT THAT AND THAT I CAN THEN HAVE A CHANCE TO ANALYZE IT.

>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: YES, MA'AM?

>> SPEAKER: GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.

I'M KATHY MOLNAR AND I RESIDE AT INTERSTATE DRIVING AUBURN.

I AM IN WARD EIGHT. I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE CITY MAP AND DEMOGRAPHICS, AND I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THE MAP DEVELOPED BY THE NAACP AND THE DEMOGRAPHICS.

I AM HERE TO SAY THAT AFTER 45 YEARS OF LIVING AND WORKING AND RAISING MY CHILDREN IN AUBURN, THAT I HAVE SEEN SO MANY POSITIVE EFFORTS AND SO MANY POSITIVE COMMITMENTS ON YOUR BEHALF, ON THE BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE EYE HOPE THAT THIS WILL CONTINUE. I HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST AND UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE BEST PUBLIC EDUCATION EDUCATIONS IN THE STATE.

THAT ALLOWS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYBODY WHO IS MADE THAT COMMITMENT. YOU HAVE BROUGHT ALMOST 800 JOBS IN TO THE NEW SECTOR OF OUR WORK ECONOMY WHICH HAS OFFERED JOBS TO MORE PEOPLE AND HAS INCLUSIVITY TO EVERYBODY.

WE HAVE DEVELOPED OUR PARKS, WE HAVE DEVELOPED MICRO LIBRARIES.

YOU HAVE DONE SO MANY THINGS AND IN EVERY ONE AND THEY ARE

[00:45:04]

YOU WILL HAVE MAPS TO LOOK AT THAT WILL REPRESENT THE NEW DIVERSE POPULATIONS, MINORITY POPULATIONS, IN OUR CITY THAT AFTER THE LAST -- LAST SENTENCE -- ONE THIRD OF EVERY CITIZEN THAT YOU REPRESENT THAT ALL YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND THEY WILL BE REPRESENTED VERY DIFFERENTLY UNDER THESE TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS. I ASK THAT YOU SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE NAACP MAP AND THE ABILITY FOR EVERY CITIZEN TO HAVE THEIR NEEDS, TO HAVE THEIR CONCERNS, TO HAVE THEIR IDEAS UNDERSTOOD, HEARD AND ADDRESSED SO THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE ON WITH THE WHOLE COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE HAD FOR ALLOWING EVERYBODY WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY. EVEN WITH COVID BY PROVIDING THESE PARKS, EXPANDING PARKS, BY WORKING TOGETHER WITH EA AND SEE, EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS OF YOUR TERM HAVE SHOWN YOUR COMMITMENT TO LETTING EVERYBODY HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO THINGS THAT ALL OF US SHOULD TAKE FOR GRANTED. -- I DON'T WANT TO TAKE FOR GRANTED, BUT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO HAPPEN SINCE YOU ARE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND WE ARE YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

PLEASE SERIOUSLY LOOK AT THIS MAP, PLEASE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE DIFFERENCES AND REPRESENTATION AND THE ABILITY TO HEAR EVERYONE'S VOICES AND TO BRING IN THE STRENGTHS AND ALL OF THE QUALITIES OF THE NEW DIVERSE PEOPLE THAT ARE CREATING A MUCH DIFFERENT AND I THINK POSITIVE AUBURN.

SO THAT WE CAN ALL WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE TO SAY THAT THIS IS OUR AUBURN AND OUR HOME.

THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU.

(APPLAUSE). >> SPEAKER: WHO WILL BE NEXT?

>> SPEAKER: MAYOR ANDERS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HERBERT MARKERS, APARTMENT 111, THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO REDISTRICTING PLAN. I AM LOOKING AGAIN AT THE COPY OF THE MEMORANDUM SENT BY THE CITY MANAGER TO YOU ALL DATED NOVEMBER 9. IT STATES THAT ABOUT REDISTRICTING SET FORTH IN THE STATE CODE AND IT ALSO MAKES REFERENCE TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT AS A PUBLIC POLICY SO-CALLED EXPERT. I CERTAINLY WOULD NOT URGE YOU TO BYPASS THE STATE LAW OR CIRCUMVENT THE STATE LAW.

I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU WOULD ALSO CONSIDER THE FEDERAL LAW, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, EVEN AS IT STANDS NOW, AND EVEN WITH THE LOBBYING EFFORTS LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING THE THIRD TWO AT A CERTAIN SECTION OR BRING BACK A CERTAIN SECTION TO THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, AS IS FOR SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU ALL WOULD CONSIDER THAT. AND ALSO ON A FIRST LEVEL AS I SEE BEFORE AND I WILL SAY AGAIN I PRESENTLY LIVE IN THE WARD REPRESENTED BY MESSERSMITH. ON ONE SIDE OF THAT OPELIKA RD., THE SAME SIDE WHERE BYRON'S IS AND ACROSS OPELIKA RD. IS ANOTHER WARD THAT THE MAYOR PRO TEM BROWN PRESENTS.

AND IN THE MAP THAT IS BEFORE YOU ALL NOW, THAT IS A CONCEPT IN THE WARD THAT MR. GRISWOLD REPRESENTS.

I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST ANY OF YOU ALL, BUT I ALSO NOTICE THAT WHEN WE GET OUT THE VOTE IN A NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCE LIKE IN THE 2018 ELECTIONS, WE ALL VOTED IN THE SAME PRECINCT.

WE VOTED AT FRANK BROWNE RECREATION CENTER.

AND I HAD NOTHING AGAINST THAT EITHER.

BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS RAISED BY DR. CAR AND HER REMARKS. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU WOULD ALSO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: YES OR.

YES, SIR. WHO WILL BE NEXT?

>> SPEAKER: WELL FOLKS, I AM BACK.

AGAIN MY NAME IS BILL LEE, 1652 ST. ANDREWS LANE, AUBURN.

I WANT TO COMMENT ON CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS, WHICH SEEMS TO ME THAT MY COMMENTS WERE TAKEN AS A CRITICISM OF THE CITY AND THE MAP THAT WAS DRAWN BY THE CITY.

THAT IS NOT TRUE. THE MAP THAT IS DRAWN AS

[00:50:04]

AND I DO NOT IMPLY THAT THIS CONSULTANT HAD ANY COMMENTS OR DIRECTION FOR DRAWING THE MAP. SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.

WHAT I DO WANT TO MAKE CLEAR IS, WE AT AUBURN OH IT TO THE CITIZENS TO HAVE PEOPLE ON OUR STAFF AND CONSULTANTS INCLUDED THAT REPRESENT FAIRNESS. AND JUSTICE.

AND I DON'T THINK THIS PARTICULAR CONSULTANT DOES THAT.

THE SECOND THING I WANT TO SAY IS, THE NAACP PROPOSAL AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BY A COUPLE OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME UP, IS THAT IT IS WHAT WE CONSIDER A BETTER SOLUTION THAN THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS PROPOSED.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DRAW THESE MAPS, AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE MONTHS AND MONTHS.

THE THING IS, I BELIEVE THAT MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE A LOT MORE CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT. JUST TODAY I SENT AN E-MAIL SOME TO SOME OF THE COUNCIL REPS TODAY THAT INDICATE THAT PEOPLE LIKE HUNTSVILLE HAVE ENCOURAGED THEIR CITIZENS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE GET-GO IN THE PROCESS AND TO HELP DRAW MAPS.

WHERE IS THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE HERE IN AUBURN.

SO IT IS NOT -- IT IS NOT THAT IT NEEDS TO BE AN ADVERSARIAL NATURE TO THE CITIES MAP OR THE ALTERNATIVE MAP BEING PROPOSED.

IT MEANS THAT A BUSINESS DECISION AND A WEIGHTED DECISION HAS TO BE MADE AS TO WHICH MAP HAS THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY OF ALL THE GOING FORWARD. AND WHAT KIND OF LOOKED DO WE WANT TO? ONE OF INCLUSIVITY OR ONE OF EXCLUSIVITY? THANK YOU.

>> SPEAKER: WHO WILL BE NEXT? >> SPEAKER: GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS LEAH BILIRUBIN 112 NORTH 11TH STREET APARTMENT FIVE. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE'S WORK THAT HAS ALREADY GONE INTO THIS PROCESS.

I KNOW IT IS A LOT AND THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE HOLDING YOU TO A REALLY HIGH STANDARD AS A COMMUNITY.

WE ARE ASKING A LOT OF YOU. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND APPRECIATE THAT EVERYONE HERE HAS BEEN ACTING IN GOOD FAITH AND WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY AT HEART, AND I ASK THAT Y'ALL CONSIDERED -- CONTINUED TO DO THAT AND THANK

YOU FOR YOUR WORK. >> SPEAKER: ANYONE ELSE?

>> SPEAKER: I AM LINDA LEE AND I RESIDE AT 1652 ST. ANDREWS LANE IN AUBURN. I AM HERE AT THE LAST MINUTE FOR A REASON. THIS IS A LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATING. I I'M A LITTLE OVERWHELMED.

LISTENING TO ALL THIS STUFF ABOUT DATA AND REDISTRICTING AND LEGALITIES AND LAWYERS AND -- I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT. MY HUSBAND HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS.

I TRIED TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT. TOO MUCH.

TO TECHNICAL. I TRIED TO DO THE TRAINING.

IT WAS JUST TOO TECHNICAL. I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.

I'M A PSYCHOLOGIST. I DO PEOPLE.

I DON'T DO COMPUTERS. LET'S DON'T FORGET THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. WE SAY WORDS LIKE DATA AND DATA POINTS -- THESE ARE PEOPLE. THESE ARE OUR CITIZENS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT. AND I AM CONCERNED.

I HAVE HEARD -- I HAVE TALKED WITH SOME OF THE COUNCIL FOLKS AND I HAVE HEARD COMMENTS LIKE, I REPRESENT EVERYBODY IN MY DISTRICT. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT COLOR THEY ARE. I BELIEVE THAT.

[00:55:05]

THAT IS NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN. IT IS OUR HUMAN NATURE TO DO THAT. SOME OF THESE FOLKS -- MANY OF THESE FOLKS DO HAVE COMMON ISSUES.

THERE ARE COMMON ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WERE NOT -- WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING. ONE OF THEM IS AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT THAT. SO LET'S JUST REMEMBER THESE COMMON ISSUES. LET'S REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE. LET'S REMEMBER HOW INTIMIDATING OR JUST THINK FOR A MINUTE WITH SOME EMPATHY ABOUT HOW INTIMIDATING IT MIGHT BE TO SPEAK WITH A COUNCILPERSON THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE YOU. WE JUST NEED TO THINK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND I ASKED YOU TO DO THAT.

AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE.

THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: ANYONE ELSE?

>> SPEAKER: I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT.

IS THIS THE TIME? >> SPEAKER: DO YOU WANT CLOSE A

[Additional Item 1]

CITIZENS COMMUNICATIONS? >> SPEAKER: WILL CLOSE THIS PART OF THE MEETING. YES, MA'AM, MS. TAYLOR?

>> SPEAKER: THERE ARE TWO THINGS.

I WANT TO COMMENT ON SOMETHING -- I CAN'T REMEMBER YOUR NAME THE LAST PERSON THAT GOT UP HERE AND TALK.

MS. LEE. YOU ARE SO CORRECT.

EVEN IN THE OTHER WARDS, FROM WARD ONE TO WARD EIGHT, AND MOST OF THE TIME MINORITY PEOPLE REGARDLESS TO WHAT WARD THEY LIVE IN, THEY DO CONTACT ME, AND MOST OF THE TIME I REFER TO THAT PERSON TO THEIR WARD LEADER. AS YOU STATED, FOR SOME PEOPLE IT IS HARD TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE OUTSIDE TO MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR REAL NEEDS ARE.

SO I AM GLAD -- I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE I HAVE ALSO HAVE SOME CONCERNS BEING THE ONLY MINORITY ON THIS COUNCIL.

SOMETIMES IT IS INTIMIDATING TO ME FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE BROUGHT TO ME FROM OTHER PEOPLE IN OTHER WARDS.

I JUST -- I JUST HOPE EVERYBODY THAT SITS TO MY LEFT UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO BE -- TO HAVE MORE DIVERSITY ON THIS COUNCIL. I'M NOT SAYING THAT -- NOBODY ON HERE DOES A BAD JOB WITH THEIR WARD AND EVERYTHING, BUT PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT THEY CAN RELATE TO IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE. AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE THAT ONE PERSON THAT PEOPLE FEEL LIKE , WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO CALL MS. TAYLOR. I LIVE IN WARD SIX OR I LIVE IN WARD THREE OR I LIVE IN WARD FOUR AND I'M GOING TO CALL HER BECAUSE SHE UNDERSTANDS WHAT IT IS THAT'S NEEDED.

FOR MY PARTICULAR WARD. FOR THEIR PARTICULAR WARD.

I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM WITH THAT AND THAT'S TOUCHING TO ME. AND THE OTHER THING IS, I WANTED TO ALSO ASK THE QUESTION. NOW, I HEARD THE CITY MANAGER SAY THAT WE HAVE HAVE THIS ANALYSIS.

THE CITY COUNCIL WOULD BE THE FIRST TO SEE THE ANALYSIS AND BE THE FIRST TO ASK QUESTIONS. NOW, WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THAT, THOSE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK, ARE THEY GOING TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC OR ARE WE DOING -- HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? IF I HAVE A QUESTION, WHEN YOU DO YOUR ANALYSIS, AND I SEND A QUESTION, DOES EVERYBODY SEE MY QUESTION?

[01:00:02]

CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT TO ME. >> SPEAKER: DEFINITELY YOUR NEXT MEETING ON THE 18TH, THIS WILL BE A POINT OF DISCUSSION AND WILL BE VERY PUBLIC. FROM THERE, THE COUNCIL DOESN'T DELIBERATE AS A BODY OUTSIDE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS.

THERE ARE TIMES THAT I CORRESPOND, I DO WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE INFORMATION OR I WILL SAY, COUNCILPERSON SO-AND-SO HAD THIS QUESTION AND I THINK ALL OF YOU WOULD BENEFIT FROM HEARING THE ANSWER BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO ALL OF YOU. BUT I THINK FOR EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM TO UNDERSTAND, COUNCIL MEMBERS AREN'T ALLOWED TO ALL GET ON E-MAIL TOGETHER AND HAVE DIALOGUE BACK AND FORTH.

I CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION TO YOU AND PEOPLE CAN ASK QUESTIONS, BUT YOU GUYS THEN DON'T DELIBERATE ON E-MAIL.

THAT WILL HAPPEN, IT COULD HAPPEN IN THE FORM OF A MEMBER, A PRESENTATION OR OTHERWISE. WITHOUT HAVING THE RESULTS OF WHAT OUR ANALYSIS IS AND KNOWING WHAT I NEED TO ADVISE YOU ON AS WELL AS HAVING OUR CONSULTANTS WAY IN, I'M NOT SURE AT THIS STAGE UNTIL I GET THE INFORMATION.

I DON'T HAVE ANY PULMONARY AND FROM -- REPORT TO MY POSITION.

I HAVE NOT EVEN HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS.

WE ARE WORKING THROUGH DATA. STAFF TOLD ME THEY HAVE ANALYZED THINGS AND WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL OF INFORMATION.

AS YOU KNOW, THERE IS MUCH TO THIS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS VERY LEGAL IN NATURE.

MY ROLE IS TO ADVISE YOU ABOUT WHAT THE LAW SAYS.

YOU ARE THE DECISION-MAKERS, YOU ARE THE NINE ELECTED OFFICIALS BY THE CITIZENS OF ALL BIRD. BUT WHAT FORMAT THIS COMES AND WHEN AND HOW WE COMMUNICATE IT I'M NOT SURE UNTIL I KNOW.

I HAVE A FEELING IT IS GOING TO BE A DEEP ANALYSIS SO IT MAY BE BOTH A MEMO AND A PRESENTATION. I DON'T KNOW.

THAT WE HAVE GOT TO ADVISE YOU ON WHAT THE LAW SAYS AND THAT IS WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT BASED ON WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED.

>> SPEAKER: I GUESS I WASN'T ASKING A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE DIALOGUE AMONGST THE COUNCIL, I'M JUST SAYING THAT ONCE WE SUBMIT THOSE QUESTIONS, HOW IS THE PUBLIC GOING TO KNOW THAT WE ASKED A PARTICULAR QUESTION? I GUESS THAT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK.

I MAY HAVE A QUESTION, AND I SEND THAT QUESTION TO YOU.

IS THAT GOING TO COME UP ON THE AGENDA -- ON THE JANUARY 18 TO

SOME OF THE QUESTIONS? >> SPEAKER: THAT'S NOT OUR NORMAL COURSE OF OPERATION. THAT'S UP TO YOU IF YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE WHAT QUESTIONS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE ASKED AND WE ASK THEM AT THE MEETING. I HAVE DIALOGUE WITH A LOT OF YOU MOST DAYS OF THE WEEK ABOUT SOMETHING AND SO THOSE NORMALLY GO OUT -- IT'S UP TO YOU HOW YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE THAT.

THE CITY FROM WHAT WE HAVE IN FROM THE WUI DISTRICT AND COMMENTS WE HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERY, WE HAVE RECEIVED IN OUR RESPONSES. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT SINCE JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS. I DON'T NORMALLY PUBLISH A SEPARATE THING OF COUNCIL MEMBERS.

IT'S HOWEVER YOU WANT TO DO IT. >> SPEAKER: YEAH.

WELL, I GUESS I AM LOOKING AT THE FACT THAT THIS REDISTRICTING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE MEETING WE WERE GOING TO HAVE ON FEBRUARY 15 O'CLOCK. I'M QUITE SURE THAT QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED OF PEOPLE WILL ABLE TO SAY OR WHATEVER.

I'M JUST -- I JUST WANT IT TO BE JUST AS SERIOUS AS THAT FEBRUARY THE 1ST MEETING. IF WE HAD TO POSTPONE IT BECAUSE MAYBE SOMETHING WAS MISSED OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THAT I AM UP TO DOING IT. I'M ONLY ONE COUNCILMEMBER BUT I WANT TO HEAR EVERYTHING ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

>> SPEAKER: I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE CLEAR ON WHAT WE HAVE REVIEWED AND HOW WE HAVE REVIEWED IT AND WHAT THAT SAYS.

THAT IS WHERE I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE YOU BETTER DIRECTION TONIGHT IF I HAD HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND SET IT MYSELF BUT I DON'T HAVE IT YET. I DO HAVE A FEELING SOMEONE IS GOING TO COME IN WRITING AND OTHERS WILL COME IN A PRESENTATION AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THIS, WE WILL HAVE PEOPLE PRESENT ON THE 18TH TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS.

COMING FROM THE DAIS. EVERY QUESTION THE COUNCIL AS WE WILL BE ANSWER. IF WE START ASKING QUESTIONS I WILL TURN THOSE AROUND AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THAT'S FINE. WE DO WANT TO TAKE THE TIME COMING UP TO GET YOU ADEQUATE INFORMATION SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE DECISIONS MOVING FORWARD. 'S BACK AND ULTIMATELY COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO DECIDE WHEN THEY ARE READY TO VOTE ON.

>> SPEAKER: THAT'S CORRECT. >> SPEAKER: A MAP OR TO AMEND THE MAP. THAT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL.

>> SPEAKER: THAT'S TRUE. THE TEAM ASSEMBLED WOULD ADVISE YOU ACCORDINGLY. THAT'S WHAT THE STAFF IS HERE

FOR IS TO ADVISE YOU. >> SPEAKER: THAT CAN BE ON THE

18TH OR COULD BE AFTERWARDS. >> SPEAKER: ABSOLUTELY.

>> SPEAKER: ANY OF THE QUESTIONS?

ARE YOU THROUGH, CONNIE? >> SPEAKER: I AM.

[01:05:02]

>> SPEAKER: I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S PASSION AND INTEREST IN THIS. THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT A COMMON PRACTICE FOR OUR COUNCIL TO HAVE TO REDISTRICT A COMMUNITY THAT HAS GROWN BY 40 PERCENT AND IT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE EASY TO BEGIN WITH. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS. THE ONLY REASON WE ARE DOING THIS IS TO TRY TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF AUBURN IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE. THE COMMENT WAS MADE THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE, NOT PIECES OF DATA AND I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.

I WOULD THINK THAT IF THERE IS ANY CITY THAT IS EVER EXHIBITED A CONCERN FOR ITS PEOPLE, THAT THE RECORD OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT AUBURN HAS DONE HAS EXHIBITED THAT.

THAT IS MY INTENT THAT I BELIEVE THAT IS THE INTENT OF THESE OTHER EIGHT PEOPLE UP HERE IS TO PROVIDE AUBURN THE BEST MECHANISM POSSIBLE TO ELECT THE BEST PEOPLE TO REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS THE HEART OF THE MATTER.

THAT IS WHAT WE ARE WANTING TO DO.

THERE IS PASSION INVOLVED IN THIS AND UNFORTUNATELY NOW WE HAVE MOVED INTO CHARACTER ASSASSINATION OF SOME OF THESE PEOPLE QUESTIONING THE BONA FIDES OF SOME OF THESE PEOPLE.

ALL ANYBODY HAD DONE AT THIS COUNCIL LEVEL IS WE HAVE HIRED THE BEST CITY MANAGER WE FEEL LIKE WE CAN DO AND SHE HAS EXECUTED THE BEST PLAN TO GIVE US A MAP TO CONSIDER TO REDISTRICT THIS COMMUNITY THAT HAS GROWN FASTER THAN ABOUT ANY COMMUNITY IN ALABAMA. I REALLY HOPE WE CAN GO BACK TO FOCUSING ON THE MECHANICS AND WHAT THE DYNAMICS ARE OF THESE MAPS AND NOT TRYING TO TEAR DOWN THE PEOPLE THAT MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT HAVE INFLUENCE. THIS IS THE STAFF.

THE STAFF DID THIS. I WASN'T INVOLVED IN A SINGLE MEETING BUT I KNOW ALL THE TIME I WAS IN SINGLE -- SHE WAS IN A MEETING WITH THESE OTHER PEOPLE TRYING TO CREATE THIS MAP.

TONS AND TONS OF WORK IS GONE INTO THIS.

I DO AGAIN AS I SAID BEFORE I APPRECIATE THE TIME OF THE EFFORT THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS.

IT IS MY INTENT TO LEAVE THIS COUNCIL TO MAKE A DECISION THAT IS THE VERY BEST INTEREST OF OUR COMMUNITY AND THAT IS WE MIGHT DO ON THE 18TH BUT WE HAVE TO GET DONE HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.