[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
[2. MINUTES]
CITY COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR SEPTEMBER THE 2ND COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE.ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS THOSE MINUTES? IF NOT, IS THERE MOVED TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. MOTION IS SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? ALL RIGHT. IN THE MINUTES ARE CARRIED FORTH.
MR. GRISWOLD ASKED FOR A MOMENT TO SPEAK BEFORE WE GET INTO THESE APPOINTMENTS, MR. GRISWOLD. MR. MAYOR I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE TO THE COUNCIL THAT WE POSTPONE ITEM THREE, THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD, FOR THE 7TH OF OCTOBER. UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE HAVE A FULL COUNCIL.
BUT I KNOW HE HAS SOME SOME INTEREST IN INPUT INTO THIS PARTICULAR APPOINTMENT.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS WOULD BE TO ALLOW MR. PARSONS TO BE HERE.
IT'S A SINGLE PURPOSE OF THAT. OKAY. IS THAT JUST A MOTION? MAYOR, BEFORE YOU GET FURTHER, WAS THERE A SECOND? I WAS JUST ALLOWING MR. GRISWOLD TO SPEAK. NO, YOU'RE TOTALLY FINE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T MISS.
YEAH, YEAH. WE HAVE. I CAN MAKE A MOTION. FORMAL MOTION.
IF IF THAT'S. WHY DON'T WE HAVE SOME DISCUSSION FIRST? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. THANK YOU. DISCUSSION FIRST, MISS CROUCH, YOU HELPED ME.
IF I'M WRONG ABOUT THIS. I, I DON'T REMEMBER A TIME IN MY 15 YEARS OF BEING UP HERE.
THAT WE HAVE DELAYED AN APPOINTMENT TO A BOARD OR COMMISSION.
WE HAVE CERTAINLY POSTPONED AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE.
IS THERE ANY TYPE OF PROCEDURE FOR THIS, OR IS IT THAT THE COUNCIL'S WISHES, WITH THE COUNCIL'S RULES THAT PROCEDURALLY BE UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL? BOARD MEMBERS OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SERVE UNTIL THEIR SOMEBODY IS APPOINTED IN THEIR PLACE.
SO SOMETIMES WE RUN PAST DEADLINES FOR CERTAIN REASONS OR WHATEVER.
SO PROCEDURALLY THAT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
I DON'T RECALL EITHER MAYOR, BUT UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
BUT YOU DO YOUR NOMINATIONS DURING THIS TIME.
GOTCHA. OKAY, GOOD. I MEAN, FRANKLY, THIS IS THIS IS LATE.
I HAVEN'T REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS. I HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS CHANGES ANYTHING.
I CERTAINLY RESPECT BOB, AND HE ALWAYS HAS A LOT TO SAY, AND AND I RESPECT HIS POINT OF VIEW, BUT HOLDING THE PROCESS UP JUST FOR ONE PERSON TO SPEAK THEIR THEIR POINT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT CHANGES ANYBODY'S MIND AROUND HERE OR NOT, SO I DON'T.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANYTHING ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO ADD TO THIS? EVENTUALLY, I'M GOING TO NEED A HAND.
I MEAN, A VOTE FROM THE COUNCIL AS TO WHETHER THEY WANT TO DELAY THIS OR NOT.
SO ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO SAY? WELL, WHILE I RESPECT THAT MR. PARSONS WANTS TO BE PRESENT AND I HAVE EMPATHY AS TO WHY HE'S NOT HERE.
THIS ITEM IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS EVERY OTHER ITEM ON THIS AGENDA.
SO ARE WE POSTPONING? IS THERE A MOTION TO POSTPONE THE WHOLE AGENDA? BECAUSE EVERY ITEM HAS ITS WEIGHT. THAT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THIS APPOINTMENT.
LET'S HAVE A THOUGHT OR COMMENT IF YOU'D LIKE TO POSTPONE ITEM FOUR AS WELL.
THAT'S FINE WITH ME. ARE THERE TIMELINES THAT WE'RE RUNNING UP AGAINST ON EITHER ONE OF THOSE? I JUST LOOKED THAT UP THE INDUSTRIAL BOARD. TECHNICALLY, YOU DO HAVE A MEETING.
YOU ALREADY DO HAVE A VACANCY BECAUSE LAURA COOPER HAD RESIGNED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
AND AGAIN, PEOPLE SERVE UNTIL THEY ARE REPLACED UNLESS THEY RESIGN.
I DON'T SEE ANY REASON TO CONSIDER ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
THERE'S ONE THERE'S ONE APPLICANT. THAT APPLICANT HAS SERVED ONE FULL TERM.
SO THERE'S NO SENSE IN DELAY IN THAT. AND THAT'S WHY I DIDN'T INCLUDE IT.
YEAH. SO ALL RIGHT WHY DON'T YOU YOU WANT TO FORMALLY MAKE A MOTION THEN, MR. GRISWOLD, IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANYTHING TO SAY. WELL, OKAY.
THANK YOU. ON THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE I MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE ITEM 3 TO 7, OCTOBER 2ND.
[00:05:04]
WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR OF MOVING ITEM THREE TO THE NEXT MEETING, OCTOBER THE 7TH.PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? OKAY.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD THEN. MISS WHITTON. YES, SIR.
[3. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD]
WE HAVE INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD, APPLICANT.VACANCIES. TWO VACANCIES. TERM BEGINS OCTOBER 10TH, 2025.
AND IN OCTOBER 9TH, 2031. WE HAVE INCUMBENTS.
BILL HAMM, WHO SERVED ONE FULL TERM FOR THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE BILL HAMM FOR A SECOND FULL TERM.
SECOND MOTION. A SECOND TO REAPPOINT BILL HAMM TO A SECOND FULL TERM.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ANY OPPOSED? AND THAT MOTION CARRIES. AND THEN FOR OUR SECOND VACANCY THAT WAS HELD BY LAURA COOPER, WHO SERVED TWO FULL TERMS. I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE KRISTEN HERRING.
SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION. SECOND, FOR KRISTEN HERRING.
ANY COMMENTS? I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOMINATE MR. WALT BUIE, PLEASE.
HOW DO WE PROCEDURALLY DO THAT? I THINK WE'RE OUT OF PROCEDURE RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT. WE SHOULD HANDLE DOCTOR HERRING'S NOMINATION FIRST.
AND IF IT FAILS, WE GO TO THE NEXT NOMINATION.
I THINK YOU'RE FINE TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE TWO NOMINATIONS. YOU GUYS SOMETIMES GO BACK AND FORTH ON HOW YOU LIKE TO DO THIS. I THINK THE SENSITIVE THING HERE IS COUNCILMAN DAWSON ALWAYS POINTS OUT, IS NOT VOTING AGAINST ANYBODY.
IS THAT IS THAT CORRECT? COUNCILMAN DAWSON. AND SO I THINK YOU CAN TAKE ONE AT A TIME, BUT THE FIRST PERSON THAT GETS TO A MAJORITY VOTE, THERE ARE EIGHT MEMBERS PRESENT. YOU KNOW, IF YOU END UP WITH FOUR, THEN YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT MOVING FORWARD.
BUT IF IF SOMEBODY GETS FIVE, THEN YOU WON'T GO TO THE NEXT PERSON THAT'S NOMINATED.
BUT IT'S OKAY TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE TWO OUT THERE AND WAS THERE.
DO YOU USUALLY DO SECONDS FOR NOMINATION? IS THAT CORRECT? AND THAT WAS SECOND IN FOR MR. BOWIE. DID YOU SECOND, MR. BOWIE, MR. MOORMAN? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
AND I WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS BOTH BEFORE WE VOTE.
OKAY. EVERYBODY HAS A. THAT'D BE FINE. THAT'LL BE FINE.
GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, MR. GRISWOLD. THANK YOU.
MR. BOWIE IS IS IS MY RECOMMENDED NOMINEE FOR THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
AND AS YOU JUST STATED, IN NO WAY IS THIS RECOMMENDATION A STATEMENT AGAINST DOCTOR HERRING.
SHE'S CERTAINLY QUALIFIED. AND BUT I BELIEVE WE SHOULD WIDEN OUR BASE WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THESE KEY, KEY POSITIONS ON BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. YOU KNOW, WALT IS NOT ONE OF THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN IN TOWN FOR FOREVER AND EVER.
NOT ONE OF THE USUAL SUSPECTS, SO TO SPEAK. HE'S NOT HASN'T BEEN A POWERBROKER, BUT HE HAS REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIAL CAPABILITIES AND EXPANSION OF BUSINESSES TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS.
I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST TO THE CREATION AND EXPANSION OF INDUSTRIAL CAPABILITIES IN THE HUNTSVILLE, MERIDIANVILLE AND REDSTONE ARSENAL AREA. HE IS RETIRED.
AUBURN HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER THE CITY AND MUCH TO OFFER FOR OUR FUTURE.
HE'S BEEN A PRESIDENT OF HIGH TECH FIRMS IN THE REDSTONE ARSENAL COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, HE BROUGHT A WHOLE DIVISION EXPANSION TO MERIDIANVILLE AIRPORT BY BUILDING FACILITIES, IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES, HAVING GOING THROUGH THE PURCHASE OF THEM AND WHATNOT IN ORDER TO EXPAND AVIATION SUPPORT ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF THE ARMY.
SO I STRONGLY RECOMMEND WALT BOWIE. HE DID APPLY LAST TIME AROUND, AND I GUESS BECAUSE HE WASN'T A FORMER CITY MANAGER, HE WASN'T FAVORABLY CONSIDERED. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT FORMER MAYOR, FORMER CITY MANAGER, AND NOW THE OTHER NOMINEE IS ANOTHER PROMINENT PERSON WITH EDUCATION CONNECTIONS.
AND IF WE'RE GOING TO JUST LIMIT OUR CHOICES TO THE PROMINENT APPOINTMENT APPOINTEES THAT HAVE PARTICULAR JOB EXPERIENCE, THEN WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST PUT THAT AS PART OF THE CRITERIA AND AND NOT EVEN BOTHER TO VOTE.
THANK YOU. YEP. ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD FOR EITHER FOR EITHER ONE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS? YES, SIR. MAYOR. I DON'T KNOW, MR. HIT ON ME DOWN THERE.
NO, NO. GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. TOMMY. I DON'T KNOW, MR. BOWIE, BUT I'M SURE HE'S A GREAT GUY. COLONEL GRISWOLD IS FOR HIM, SO I'M CERTAINLY SURE IT WOULDN'T BE NOTHING AGAINST HIM, BUT I'VE KNOWN MISS HERRING FOR A LONG TIME AND WORKED WITH HER ON SOME THINGS.
[00:10:01]
AND I KNOW WHAT TYPE OF PERSON HER WORK ETHIC AND AND I THINK PHILIP HAS MENTIONED GOING TO START SOME WORKING WITH HIGH SCHOOLERS, WORK WITH PROGRAM, GET SOME TRAINING WHILE THEY'RE IN SCHOOL OR SOMETHING.I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT AT SOME POINT, SOME KIND OF THING, AND I THINK THAT WOULD REALLY BE GREAT FOR THIS COMMUNITY, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY'S MEANT TO GO TO COLLEGE.
SOME PEOPLE MAY WANT TO GO INTO THE WORKFORCE, AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN IDEAL THING.
I HAVE A SPECIAL PLACE FOR FOLKS THAT WANT TO DO A TRADE AND GET A SKILL.
SO THAT'S MY REASON FOR WANTING HER OUT. I KNOW, I KNOW WHAT I'M GETTING WITH HER.
I DON'T I DON'T KNOW, MR. BOWIE, BUT I TAKE MR. COLONEL GRISWOLD'S WORD. I KNOW HE'S GOT TO BE A GOOD PERSON. COLONEL IS FOR HIM. BUT IT'S NOTHING AGAINST HIM. BUT I THINK MISS KRISTEN WILL BE A GREAT ASSET TO THE BOARD.
OKAY, MISS SURE. WELL, THE REASON I RECOMMENDED NOMINATING DOCTOR HERRING WAS BECAUSE OF HER INVALUABLE TENURE IN THIS COMMUNITY, HER ABILITY TO RUN A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT IS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AND ONE OF THE PRIMARY KEY RECRUITMENT FACTORS WHEN OUR INDUSTRY COMES TO OUR COMMUNITY IS THE FIRST.
ONE OF THE FIRST QUESTIONS ASKED IS, HOW ARE HOW ARE OUR SCHOOLS? SO THERE'S THAT CONNECTION. ALSO, AS CHIEF DAWSON MENTIONED, THE FACT THAT THERE'S A CONNECTION TO THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT THAT IS A KEY ASPECT TO OUR INDUSTRY IS THEIR ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND MAINTAIN A SKILLED WORKFORCE, WHICH STARTS VERY YOUNG IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
OF WHICH THE LENS OF DOCTOR HERRING WOULD BE INVALUABLE FOR THAT.
I RESPECT THAT. MR. BOWIE IS VERY CAPABLE AND VERY VERSED IN HIS RESUME, AND THAT'S EXCITING.
AND I APPRECIATE HIS WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. BUT I THINK FOR THIS SPECIFIC POSITION, THAT DOCTOR HERRING IS THE REASON WHY I MADE THE NOMINATION FOR HER ABILITIES AND HER CONNECTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE TIES FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO THE IDB AND INDUSTRY.
I WANT TO ASK A QUESTION ON THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
SO HOW MANY MEMBERS ARE ALREADY ON THAT BOARD? I MEAN, IT'S A NINE MEMBER BOARD. THE NINE MEMBER.
AND SO DOCTOR HERRING, SHE'S SHE SERVING ON ANY OTHER BOARDS OTHER THAN THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS? YEAH. GO AHEAD.
MAYOR. IS SHE STILL ON THE EAST ALABAMA MENTAL HEALTH BOARD? I BELIEVE THAT SHE IS. SO? SO WE STILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVING ON THIS INDUSTRIAL BOARD THAT HAS EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AND EVEN. AND I LIKE DOCTOR HERREN, DON'T GET ME WRONG, BUT I'M SORT OF IN AGREEMENT WITH KELLY ON THIS ONE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE THAT MAY COME INTO THIS CITY AND WANT TO BE ON SOME OF THESE BOARDS AND STUFF AND GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY.
WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE SERVING ON OTHER BOARDS, AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD DOCTOR HERREN I THINK IF THEY NEED HER INPUT OR ANYTHING ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR EVEN ABOUT THE WORKFORCE AND STUFF, I'M QUITE SURE THAT BOARD CAN STILL REACH OUT TO HER AND GIVE HER PROBABLY WHAT SHE NEEDS OR THE TOOLS SHE NEEDS TO WORK WITH IN THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
SO I'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW. JUST SAY THAT I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, TRY JUST GIVE SOMEBODY ELSE A TRY TO BE ADDED TO THE BOARD. ANYONE ELSE? I WILL SAY THE OBVIOUS, ONLY IN AUBURN, ALABAMA CAN WE HAVE THREE SUCH EMINENTLY QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO FILL VACANCIES ON THESE BOARDS? THEY'RE ALL EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE, AND I WOULD BE HAPPY WITH ANY AND ALL OF THEM.
BUT I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF KNOWING MR. BOWIE FOR THREE YEARS NOW, AND HE.
HE IS ONE OF THE SMARTEST PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET.
AND HE HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS UP IN HUNTSVILLE AREA.
I ALSO KNOW DOCTOR HERRING VERY WELL FOR ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.
SO IS A TOUGH, TOUGH CALL. AND WE'RE HONORED THAT THEY'VE ALL THREE WANTED TO BE A PART OF THIS.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FACED WITH. AND IT'S A GOOD, GOOD DILEMMA.
WE HAVE FOR ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS, WE HAVE AMAZINGLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
[00:15:01]
WE LOOK AT THESE BOARDS THAT A LOT OF TIMES WE WANT TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND WE WANT TO PUT SOMEONE ON THESE ON A BOARD LIKE IDB THAT THAT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST SOMETIMES.AND I ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE MISS HARRY OR DOCTOR HERRING FILLS THAT ROLE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'VE HAD A SUPERINTENDENT THAT HAS, HAS, HAS SERVED ON, ON IDB BEFORE.
I THINK IT SENDS A VERY POSITIVE MESSAGE TO PEOPLE SEEING THE SUPERINTENDENT ON, ON THE IDB.
I THINK IT, IT SPEAKS TO WHERE WE PLACE AND WHERE WE VALUE EDUCATION IN, IN THE CITY OF AUBURN.
THANK YOU. TODD. NEXT. DID YOU? YEAH. I CONCUR WITH TYLER.
A LOT OF WHAT HE JUST SAID. I THINK MR. BOWIE IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY STRONG CANDIDATE.
AND IT'S NOTHING THAT AGAINST HIM AND HIS QUALIFICATIONS.
I JUST THINK IT SENDS A VERY STRONG MESSAGE TO THE INDUSTRIES THAT WE ARE RECRUITING HERE.
TO HAVE A FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY.
I THINK THAT'S SENDS A VERY STRONG STATEMENT.
SO I SUPPORT MISS HERRING. DOCTOR HERRING FOR THAT REASON.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL START WITH DOCTOR HERRING.
SHE WAS NOMINATED FIRST. SO ALL IN FAVOR OF DOCTOR HERRING, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AYE. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GET A HAND COUNT ON THAT.
ALL IN FAVOR, DOCTOR HERRING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. OKAY.
AND THAT'S FIVE. ALL RIGHT, SO, DOCTOR HERRING, SECOND NOMINATION.
ALL RIGHT, LEE COUNTY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT. YES, SIR.
[4. LEE COUNTY YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER]
WE HAVE ONE VACANCY. TERM BEGINS OCTOBER 1ST, 2025, AND ENDS SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2029.INCUMBENT DOLLY MARSHALL HAS SERVED ONE FULL TERM.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE DOLLY MARSHALL FOR A SECOND FULL TERM.
SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND FOR DOLLY MARSHALL.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THOUGHTS? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? AND. DOLLY. MOTION. DOLLY. MARSHALL WILL BE REAPPOINTED LATER ON IN THE AGENDA.
QUESTIONS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA FOR THE CITY MANAGER. ANY QUESTIONS?
[5. QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA]
ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING FOR US? JUST HAVE A REPLACEMENT RESOLUTION FOR ITEM TEN, A FIVE, THE CENTER COMM.CONDITIONAL USE. THERE WAS A MISTAKE IN THE RESOLUTION, AND IT HAS BEEN CORRECTED.
SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT. WE'VE ADJOURNED FOR THE COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE. IT IS 612,
SO WE'LL MOVE RIGHT IN.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.