>> THANK YOU. NEEDED MY MIC ON.
[00:00:02]
WE WILL CALL THIS MEETING OF THE DECATUR CITY COUNCIL TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM ON THE DOT.[CALL TO ORDER ]
IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'D LIKE YOU TO STAND AND JOIN US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.[1. HEAR PRESENTATION FROM POLICE CHIEF DELVON CAMPBELL REGARDING A CASE STUDY WITH THE WISE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. ]
FIRST ITEM UP FOR YOU GUYS TONIGHT IS WE'VE GOT A HISTORY ON A RECENT CASE THAT WE HAD THAT WAS A RATHER UNIQUE CASE, AND IT TIES TOGETHER A LOT OF THE THINGS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, PARTICULARLY WITH THE DECATUR PD THAT WE'RE WORKING ON ALONG WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY WITH OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY JAMES STATON IS HERE TONIGHT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT CASE AND SOME OF THE DETAILS THAT WENT WITH THAT CASE. THAT'S YOU, SIR?
>> I PROBABLY WON'T NEED THE MICROPHONE, ANYBODY THAT KNOWS ME, BUT I'LL USE IT.
I WANT TO THANK CHIEF CAMPBELL FOR HAVING ME.
I REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR ON THIS.
WE HAD A CASE THAT IT'S NOT ONE YOU GET VERY OFTEN.
YOU DON'T OFTEN GET A CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING CASE. IT'S A BIG THING.
IT'S BEEN ON THE GOVERNOR'S LIST AT THE LAST LEDGE.
IT'S BEEN ON THE LIST BEFORE THAT.
IT'S A TYPE OF CASE THAT MANY RANK AND FILE OFFICERS DON'T GET A LOT OF ACCESS TO.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU SEE FORTUNATELY ON A REGULAR BASIS.
BUT WE HAD ONE HERE, AND WE HAD ONE HERE RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO BRING IT, THE REASON WHY I REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR AND THE CHIEF WAS, IT WAS SOMEPLACE WHERE EACH OFFICER IN THE CHAIN DID SOMETHING SMALL AND PAID ATTENTION TO IT AND ALLOWED US TO PUT THIS GUY IN PRISON FOR A LONG TIME.
HAD I NOT REACHED OUT, NOBODY WOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT IT.
WE PLED THE GUY, WE MOVED ON, WE'VE GOT HUNDREDS OF OTHER CASES, WE MOVED ON.
BUT WHEN I STARTED LOOKING AT THIS AND I SAW THIS, I SAW MULTIPLE PEOPLE IN THE CHAIN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING TO REACH OUT AND PROTECT THE CHILD.
I FEEL LIKE THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T GET RECOGNIZED AS OFTEN AS IT SHOULD, AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ THE WHOLE FILE.
YOU'RE PROBABLY WORRIED. I BROUGHT THIS BIG FILE UP HERE.
YOU THINK I'M GOING TO READ OUT OF IT. I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
BUT I DID WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS OF IT TO SHOW YOU HOW IT WAS PIECED TOGETHER.
THE WAY THIS BEGAN IS WE HAD A PHONE CALL THAT CAME INTO THE PD FROM ONE OF OUR LOCAL HOTELS, AND THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL LIVING THERE WAS REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN A ROOM WITH A YOUNG CHILD, A YOUNG GIRL, A TEENAGER, 14, 15, REALLY DIDN'T KNOW THE AGE.
THEY GOT ANOTHER CALL, A VERY ANGRY CALL THAT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT LETTING A PEDOPHILE LIVE AT YOUR HOTEL.
WE SEND OVER TWO DECATUR PD OFFICERS.
SERGEANT CORNELSEN, AND I BELIEVE OFFICER YOUNG WENT OVER THERE, IS THAT RIGHT, CHIEF, AND INTERVIEWED AND FOUND A MAN FROM THE UK IN A ROOM WITH A TEENAGE GIRL.
THAT SEEMS STRANGE. I FEEL LIKE WE WOULD ALL THINK THAT'S VERY ODD.
WAS IN A ROOM WITH A GIRL, AND THEN WAS WONDERING SERGEANT CORNELSEN REALLY GOT INVOLVED WITH IT AND WAS LIKE, WHERE'S YOUR PARENTS? DO YOU HAVE A GUARDIAN? WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? STARTED ASKING THESE QUESTIONS.
WELL, COME TO FIND OUT THE PARENTS WERE IN ANOTHER HOTEL, AND THEY, THE DEFENDANT, AND THIS CHILD WERE STAYING IN A DIFFERENT HOTEL.
THE PARENTS, WE FIND OUT LATER ON, THE OFFICER, SERGEANT CORNELSEN, SEPARATES THE CHILD, MAKES THE CHILD GO BACK WITH HER PARENTS, WHICH IS FORTUNATE, GOT THE CHILD IMMEDIATELY OUT OF THAT SITUATION.
THAT'S THE FIRST STEP IN THIS, IS THAT WE HAD AN OFFICER WHO KNEW SOMETHING WAS WEIRD, SOMETHING WAS WRONG, SOMETHING DIDN'T FIT.
INSTEAD OF JUST SEPARATING THE PARTIES, THE OFFICER TOOK ONE EXTRA STEP, ACTUALLY TWO.
THE FIRST STEP WAS TO CALL IN A CPS REPORT, THAT'S THE FIRST THING.
THE SECOND THING IS, OFFICER REACHED OUT TO THE DETECTIVE, JORDAN WHITE, WHO'S SITTING BACK HERE, WHO DOESN'T LIKE TO TALK A LOT.
BUT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO TURN AND STARE AT HER AND WAVE.
[00:05:01]
>> I'LL GET AN EMAIL OR A TEXT. I'M SURE.
BUT THE POINT BEING IS WE HAD THE OFFICER ON SCENE SEPARATED THE PARTIES, TALKED TO THE PARENTS, AND THE PARENTS WERE LET'S JUST SAY LESS THAN PROTECTIVE.
THE PARENTS REFERRED TO THEM AS BOYFRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND AND THINGS IN WORDS THAT DIDN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE FOR A 45-YEAR-OLD GUY FROM THE UK AND A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL.
VERY WEIRD. THE SERGEANT AND OFFICER YOUNG BOTH TAKE THE TIME, THEY SEPARATE THEM, THEY MOVE ALL THE GIRL STUFF OUT OF THE GUY'S HOTEL ROOM, GIVE IT ALL BACK TO MOM, GET AHOLD OF JORDAN, AND THAT'S WHERE THE NEXT STEP TAKES PLACE.
WE HAVE A CPS REPORT, WE HAVE INITIAL OFFICER INTERACTION THAT TAKES THE CHILD OUT OF THAT SITUATION.
JORDAN GETS IT AND SHE STARTS INVESTIGATING AND READING THROUGH IT AND FIGURES OUT THERE'S LIKELY A CRIME HAS OCCURRED.
THE GIRL ADMITTED THAT THIS GUY HAD TOUCHED HER INAPPROPRIATELY.
SHE KNEW SOMETHING WAS GOING ON, AND THE NEXT CALL SHE MADE TO ME.
THE PHONE CALL I GOT, SOMETHING ALONG THIS LINE, HEY, I HAVE SOMETHING WEIRD. THAT'S THE CHAIN.
FORTUNATELY, SHE COMES OVER LITERALLY, I THINK IT WAS THE NEXT DAY, WASN'T IT? I BELIEVE WAS THE NEXT DAY.
COMES OVER THE NEXT DAY, AND WE ROUND TABLE THIS.
MYSELF, ONE OF MY INVESTIGATORS AND JORDAN, AND WE'RE LIKE, YOU'RE RIGHT.
THIS IS WEIRD. YOU'RE ONTO SOMETHING HERE.
WE FIND OUT THE GUY'S COME OVER FROM THE UK, HE'S FROM STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, OR I DON'T KNOW, SOMEPLACE IN THE UK.
UPON INTERVIEWING AND THINGS, WE FIND OUT THAT HE'S BEEN PURCHASING THINGS FOR THIS FAMILY, PURCHASING THINGS FOR THE GIRL.
THESE ARE ALL THE HALLMARKS OF CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING.
HE KEEPS DOING THAT. HE'S DOING THAT.
HE'S BOUGHT SOME THINGS FOR THE LITTLE SISTER.
THEY GO TO MOVIES, THEY GO TO DINNER.
THERE ARE ALL THESE GROOMING BEHAVIORS GOING ON.
JORDAN GETS IT. SHE GETS AHOLD OF ME, AND SHE'S ALREADY ON IT.
SHE HAS ALREADY GOTTEN A WARRANT FOR THE GUY FOR INDECENCY WITH THE CHILD.
NOW, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT? IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE NEED TO KEEP THIS GUY IN THE COUNTRY.
HE NEEDS TO FACE AMERICAN JUSTICE, NOT UK JUSTICE.
NOT SAYING ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THE UK BECAUSE I FIGURED WE'RE PROBABLY LIVE ON FACEBOOK OR WHEREVER WE ARE HERE, BUT I LIKE TO THINK WISE COUNTY JUSTICE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU MIGHT GET ANYWHERE ELSE.
POINT B IS SHE GETS A WARRANT FOR HIM.
AT THE SAME TIME ALL OF THIS IS GOING ON, ONE OF MY INVESTIGATORS IS ON A FEDERAL TASK FORCE, HE HAS ACCESS TO CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL.
WE GET ACCESS TO HIS PASSPORT, WHEN HE'S BEEN IN THE COUNTRY.
HE'S BEEN HERE IN MAY. THIS IS DECEMBER.
WE FOUND OUT HE'S BEEN HERE MAY OF '22 AS WELL.
HE'S ALREADY BEEN HERE ONCE. WE ALSO FIND OUT HE'S BEEN OTHER PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND WE BELIEVE THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN DOING THIS OTHER PLACES.
>> WHERE DOES THAT TAKE US? WELL, IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT ONE OF OUR OTHER DECATUR OFFICERS, DANIEL SANDTE, HAPPENS TO WORK AS PART OF THE D AT DFW, IT'S A DEA TASK FORCE AT THE AIRPORT.
WE GET OURSELVES A LITTLE WARRANT AND GUESS WHAT WE FIND MR. PARR.
MR. PARR, THE DEFENDANT IS IN THE TERMINAL WITH A TICKET IN HIS HAND.
WELL, HE DOESN'T GET TO GO BACK TO THE UK.
HE COMES RIGHT BACK HERE TO GO TO OLD WISE COUNTY AND HANGS OUT IN OUR JAIL.
YOU CAN SEE HOW LITTLE TINY PIECES, LITTLE SMALL PIECES, AND LITTLE PIECES WHERE OFFICERS DIDN'T JUST DO THE MINIMUM.
THEY DID ONE EXTRA STEP TO GO FROM THERE.
WHEN THE SERGEANT SEPARATED THE PARTIES AND CALLED TPS, THAT PUT JORDAN ON NOTICE.
WHEN JORDAN CALLED ME, WE STARTED GOING FROM THERE, SHE WENT AND GOT A WARRANT ALL THESE LITTLE PIECES TO GO TOGETHER.
WHAT'S THE END RESULT OF THIS? HOW DOES THIS ALL COME ABOUT? AS TO THE CHILD, THERE WAS SOME DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THE CHILD REMOVED FROM THIS SITUATION.
THE PARENTS WERE ABSOLUTELY NOT PROTECTIVE AT ALL.
THEY WERE REFERRING TO HIM AS BOYFRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND.
THEY INDICATED THAT, WELL, HE LOVED HER, SO IT'S OKAY.
THESE ARE GROWN PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING THIS WITH A 15-YEAR-OLD CHILD.
COMPLETELY NOT PROTECTIVE SO THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A STRUGGLE GETTING THE CHILD REMOVED OUT OF THAT SITUATION.
FORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF THE INVESTIGATION THAT WAS DONE, UNFORTUNATELY, THE FACTS THAT I HAD, I INTERACTED WITH CPS AND WE GOT A REMOVAL VERY QUICKLY.
NOW WE'VE CONTINUED TO PROTECT THE CHILD FROM DAY ONE.
NOW WE HAVE THE CHILD OUT OF THE BAD SITUATION, AND NOW WE HAVE THE CHILD OUT OF THE HOME THAT WAS NOT PROTECTIVE.
THEN ONCE THAT HAPPENED, THE CPS GOT INVOLVED IN THE BEGINNING, AND OUR LOCAL CPS INVESTIGATOR THAT WORKS THIS COUNTY, LIKE I SAID, WAS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL, INTERVIEWING THE DEFENDANT, GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION.
THERE'S A LOT OF GORY DETAILS THAT I WON'T ITERATE HERE BECAUSE YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW, I ASSURE YOU.
WHEN I TELL YOU THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW WHERE I'M COMING FROM.
[00:10:02]
THIS IS OUR GUY, I'LL SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF HIM. THAT'S OUR GUY.I CAN DO THAT IT'S PUBLIC RECORD I CAN SHOW ANYBODY I WANT, 45-YEAR-OLD GUY FROM ENGLAND HAD BEEN OVER HERE TRYING TO TRAFFIC A CHILD.
WHERE DOES THIS END UP? HOW DOES THIS GO? WELL, BECAUSE OF THE INVESTIGATION THAT WAS DONE AND THE LEVEL OF STUFF THAT HAPPENED, WE ALSO GOT HIS PHONE, BECAUSE HOW DO THESE GUYS COMMUNICATE? THEY ALWAYS COMMUNICATE BY THEIR PHONE, WE TELL YOU ALL THE TIMES THEIR PHONE, GUESS WHAT? IT WAS CHOKED FULL OF TEXT MESSAGES, ALL THINGS WITH THIS GIRL, EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE FROM SEX TO CONTACT TO EVERYTHING WITH THIS GIRL.
BECAUSE OF ALL THAT TOGETHER, IT PUT US IN MY OFFICE AND MY ADA IN A VERY STRONG POSITION TO PUT SOME SERIOUS LEVERAGE AND HEAT ON THIS GUY.
IN THE END, BECAUSE OF ALL THIS, BECAUSE OF WHAT THE OFFICERS DID IN THE VERY VERY BEGINNING, THIS GUY IS NOW SITTING ON A 45 YEAR SENTENCE IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM.
PEOPLE WOULD SAY, WELL, WHY WOULD A GUY PLEA TO 45 YEARS? WELL, THE WAY THE LAW IS SET UP IN TEXAS IS IF YOU GET A JURY VERDICT ON A CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING CASE, WHATEVER THE VERDICT IS, IT DAY FOR DAY WITH NO PAROLE.
BUT IF YOU TAKE A BIG FAT PLEA, YOU GET HALF TIME.
HE'S GOING TO DO PROBABLY 15, 20 YEARS IN PRISON BEFORE HE GETS OUT.
GIVEN HIS AGE, HE AIN'T GOING TO LIVE TO GET OUT OF THAT.
HE'S GOING TO DO A WHOLE LOT OF TIME IN PRISON AND THAT'S ALL BECAUSE OF THAT.
THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO BRING THAT.
THAT'S WHY I REACHED OUT TO THE MAYOR BECAUSE I FELT LIKE WE DON'T GET THESE CASES VERY OFTEN AND IT'S A CREDIT TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY HAVE EDUCATED THEIR OFFICERS ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO PICK IT OUT WHEN SOMETHING'S WEIRD.
THAT'S ALL WE ASK IS THAT YOU IDENTIFY AND BE ABLE TO PICK IT OUT AND GO, HEY, THIS AIN'T RIGHT BE ABLE TO ACT ON IT.
IT COULD HAVE DIED RIGHT THEN, SEPARATING THEM FROM THE FAMILY.
SERGEANT CONSON COULD HAVE GONE RIGHT BACK ON SHIFT AND NOBODY WOULD HAVE BEEN THE WISER.
HE GONE BACK ON SHIFT, DONE THE WORK THAT HE DOES AND GONE AND WHATEVER.
NOBODY WOULD HAVE KNOWN, HE WOULD HAVE FIGURED HE SEPARATED THEM, BUT HE DIDN'T DO THAT. HE DIDN'T DO THE MINIMUM.
THAT'S THE STUFF THAT WE'RE FACING IN THIS COUNTY WITH THE PD.
WE'RE GETTING MORE OF THESE TYPE OF CRIMES THAT ARE BIGGER THAT WE LIKE TO SAY BIG CITY CRIME.
HAVING THE TRAINING THAT WE HAVE AND HAVING THE ABILITY, I THINK ALSO TO DO TRAINING, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH A NEW FACILITY THAT'S GOING TO BE GEARED DIRECTLY FOR TRAINING THAT YOU GUYS ARE PROVIDING HAPPILY, I'M SURE.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP DOING THAT.
I DON'T ALWAYS DO THIS, THIS WAS JUST A CASE THAT I FELT LIKE THAT THE PEOPLE IN LINE AND THE CHIEF DESERVED A LITTLE MORE CREDIT THAN JUST ME SENDING A NOTE THAT SAID, HEY, YOU DID A GOOD JOB.
I LIKE TO THINK THEY DO A GOOD JOB.
DELVIN AND I STARTED THIS JOB ON THE SAME DAY.
I BELIEVE WE DID, DIDN'T WE? SUMMER OF 21?
> SUMMER OF 21. WE STARTED LITERALLY I WALKED OUT OF LAW SCHOOL IN 2001 SORRY NOT 21. WE'RE WAY OLDER THAN THAT.
BUT IN 2001, WE STARTED TOGETHER.
I STARTED HERE AS A YOUNG LAWYER, FULL OF MYSELF, AND DELVIN STARTED HERE WITH A PD, SO WE'VE GROWN UP TOGETHER.
WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING, HAVEN'T WE? ANYWAY, JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU'VE GOT A PD YOU CAN BE PROUD OF, AND YOU'VE GOT OFFICERS THAT ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THEY'RE BEING TRAINED CORRECTLY AND IDENTIFYING THINGS SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.
I APPRECIATE YOU HAVING ME VERY MUCH.
>> EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JAMES.
WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU AS A DISTRICT ATTORNEY DO.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE LEADERS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WORK WITH OUR AGENCIES AND MUCH APPRECIATE THAT.
>> I'VE KNOWN HIM WE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON THINGS, BUT WE DO BUSINESS.
>> WELL, THAT'S THE THING ABOUT ALL OF US.
MY HAT IS ALWAYS OFF TO EVERY CITIZEN IN WISE COUNTY, AND THAT I FEEL LIKE WE DO COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE, AND AT THE END, WE COME UP WITH SOME GREAT DECISIONS.
>> ATTORNEY JAMES, THAT YOUNG GIRL'S FAMILY, WAS SHE FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM AS WELL OR WAS SHE.
>> NO, SHE'S RIGHT HERE, LOCAL.
THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH MORE DETAILS ABOUT HOW THEY GOT CONNECTED AND THINGS.
IT WASN'T QUITE RELEVANT, AT LEAST FOR TODAY, I DIDN'T THINK AND I COULD TALK ON THIS CASE FOR 2.5 HOURS.
THERE'S SO MANY DETAILS AND OTHER THINGS THAT GO WITH IT.
YOU CAN SEE THE SIZE OF THE FILE.
THIS FILE HAS ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MORE BINDERS SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES INTO IT. BUT NO, SHE WAS LOCAL.
YOU WOULDN'T THINK THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN HERE.
I GREW UP IN WISE COUNTY, I GREW UP IN BOYD AND YOU JUST WOULDN'T THINK THAT'S HERE.
BUT MY KIDS GO TO SCHOOL HERE, I'VE GOT A 15-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, AND THEY HAVE ACCESS TO PHONES AND THE COMPUTER AND THINGS.
>> WAS THERE EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS DOING IT AT OTHER CITIES.
WE NEVER GOT THAT, WE TURN THAT OVER TO THE FEDS.
[00:15:03]
WE KNOW THAT FROM CUSTOMS BORDER PATROL, THAT HE'D BEEN IN THE COUNTRY AND HE'D BEEN OTHER PLACES.BUT HE FLEW IN TO DFW SO YOU COULD GO WHEREVER YOU WANT ONCE YOU'RE HERE IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH CUSTOMS. BUT HE WAS PRIMARILY HERE.
THIS WAS HIS PRIMARY DESTINATION.
BUT WE KNOW HE'D BEEN HERE IN MAY AND WE KNOW HE'D BEEN HERE SOME TIME BEFORE THAT.
WE BELIEVE HE WAS CONNECTED TO OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT WE TURN THAT PHONE AND OTHER STUFF OVER TO THE FEDS AND THEY'LL GO FROM THERE.
THEY MAY FURTHER CHARGE HIM FROM THERE.
THEY'VE GOT A BIG FEDERAL CHILD TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE THAT THEY WORK OUT OF DFW AND SO WE TURNED IT OVER TO THEM.
WE'VE A PRETTY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL PROSECUTORS, SO WE TURNED OVER THEM.
BECAUSE HE CAN GET PROSECUTED FOR BOTH, AND NOTHING WOULD MAKE ME HAPPIER THAN SEE THIS GUY DIE IN PRISON.
>> ATTORNEY JAMES, ONE OTHER QUESTION.
THESE HOTEL OPERATORS AND OWNERS, IS THERE A COMMUNICATION? OBVIOUSLY, IT'S ACTIVE IF YOU SEE SOMETHING AND SAY SOMETHING.
>> YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD, AND I THINK IT GOES BACK TO THE PD.
WE HAVE SUCH A TRANSITIONAL POPULATION THAT LIVES IN VARIOUS HOTELS AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS IN THIS COUNTY.
WE'RE UNIQUE IN THAT RESPECT. IT'S GOOD AND BAD.
WE HAVE MAJOR THOROUGHFARES THAT COME THROUGH HERE, WE HAVE A LOT OF TRAVELERS THAT COME THROUGH GOING DIFFERENT PLACES.
BUT I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS WE GET, WE GET PEOPLE THAT INDULGE A LITTLE TOO MUCH THE PD HAS TO GO OUT THERE AND DEAL WITH THAT.
SOME PEOPLE, I LIKE TO SAY ARE STUDENTS OF MODERN CHEMISTRY.
THEY LIKE TO INDULGE A LITTLE MUCH. WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THEM.
WE GET THE DOMESTICS, PEOPLE THAT ARE DOWN ON THEIR AND STRESSED OUT AND TAKE IT OUT ON THEIR SPOUSE OR THAT THING.
BUT THE HOTELS ARE ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD.
WHEN THEY SEE THEY LIKE THE PD BEING OUT THERE, THEY LIKE THE PRESENCE BECAUSE IT KEEPS ORDER BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THEIR BUSINESS DISRUPTED.
THEY DON'T WANT TO GET UP AT THREE IN THE MORNING ANYMORE THAN HELVIN DOES.
BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY VERY GOOD.
ALL THE HOTELS, THEY REALLY ENJOY THE PD BECAUSE IT HELPS THEIR BUSINESS.
IF THEY HAVE A PLACE THAT'S A WAR ZONE, NOBODY'S GOING TO WANT TO BE THERE UNTIL THE PD HELPS THAT OUT.
THAT'S ALSO HOW THIS HAPPENED AS WELL.
WE INTERVIEWED THE HOTEL PEOPLE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WAS A GIRL THERE AND WHAT ROOM THEY WERE IN.
THEY WERE VERY OPEN ABOUT THAT. PRETTY GOOD SYSTEM.
>> WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN, SIR.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME. YOU GUYS TAKE CARE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME SIR.
>> JUST TO FINISH THAT JUST A LITTLE BIT.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE, THIS WILL PUSH US INTO ITEM NUMBER 2 AS WELL.
BUT WHEN WE COME TO YOU A LOT OF TIMES TO DEVELOP THESE PARTNERSHIPS, THIS IS THE REASON WHY, IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW HAD WE NOT HAD DANIEL AT THE AIRPORT AND THE CONNECTIONS THAT HE HAD WITH DFW AIRPORT POLICE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACT AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD TO BE ABLE TO FIND BECAUSE THE GUY THEY LITERALLY GOT HIM AS HE WAS SITTING THERE WAITING TO GET ON A PLANE.
WE COULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER 30, 40 MINUTES AND HE COULD HAVE LITERALLY GOT ON HIS PLANE AND BEEN GONE.
HAVING THOSE CONNECTIONS, HAVING THE STAFF THAT, I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH, I DIDN'T DO NOTHING.
DON'T LET JAMES KID YOU, I DID NOTHING ON THIS, IT'S ALL MY PEOPLE.
IT'S FROM OUR OFFICERS, IT'S FROM SUPERVISORS, THE DETECTIVES.
IT'S ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO DID EVERY BIT OF THIS CASE.
BUT HAVING THOSE PARTNERSHIPS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT SO AS WE TALK PARTNERSHIPS, YOUR NEXT ITEM UP IS TO FURTHER A PARTNERSHIP FOR TRAINING WITH OUR CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER, SO MAYOR I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO READ THE ITEM OR.
>> I WILL NEED TO GO TO THAT, BUT GO AHEAD. COMMENT.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HUMBLE.
BUT WHAT GOOD LEADERSHIP DOES, IT ALLOWS YOUR PEOPLE TO DO THEIR JOB AND NOT BE SCARED TO DO THEIR JOB.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE CITY OF DECATUR IS CULTIVATING RIGHT NOW FROM THE TOP DOWN SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HUMBLE.
BUT WHEN YOU LET THE PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY'RE TRAINED TO DO, THAT MEANS YOU TRUST THEM THAT'S A GOOD LEADER.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO GIVE THAT AWAY.
>> THAT WAS A COMMENT I WAS GOING TO MAKE.
IS REALLY THE LEADERSHIP THAT YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED WITH YOUR OTHER LEADERSHIP TEAM.
IT IS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS, JUST LIKE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, ETC.
I FEEL ALL OF THAT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS FROM TOP, BUT DOWN, DOWN, UP, SO ALL DIRECTION.
AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE HUMBLENESS ABOUT THAT, TOO, BUT DON'T DISCOUNT WHAT YOUR ROLE AND EVERYONE ELSE'S ROLE IN OUR COMMUNITY HAS WITH THAT.
[00:20:03]
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON ITEM I? YES, SIR. YOU DON'T HAVE A QUESTION ON ANYTHING ELSE ON ITEM I?>> THANK YOU. YES, WE'LL GO TO ITEM II NOW.
[2. CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION ON A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER OF NORTH TEXAS (CACNT). ]
ITEM II, CONSIDER, TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION FOR A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER.>> ONE OF THE THINGS, GUYS, IF YOU'LL RECALL THIS PAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR TCO TRAINING PROVIDER THROUGH TCO.
BASICALLY, THAT ALLOWS US TO DO IN HOUSE TRAINING, AND ACTUALLY REPORT THOSE HOURS DIRECTLY TO TCO FOR OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO GET BASICALLY THOSE HOURS AND HAVE IT AWARDED TO THEM FOR THEIR TRAINING, AND DOCUMENTED IN THAT WAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THROUGH THAT, IS NOW WE'RE LOOKING TO DEVELOP A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER IN NORTH TEXAS.
THEY HAVE BEEN PHENOMENAL IN ALL THE CASES THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH AS IT RELATES TO CHILDREN, AND THEY'RE JUST A PHENOMENAL GROUP AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ERIC, WHICH IS OVER THERE TRAINING FOR THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER, THEY'VE BEEN DOING SOME TRAINING HERE, BUT THIS AGREEMENT WOULD HAVE BASICALLY ALLOW US TO DO SOME REPORTING OF THOSE HOURS AND THOSE TRAINING FOR THEM, AND KEEP THAT HERE AND JUST CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER.
I KNOW KRISTEN HALL IS HERE WITH THEM AS WELL AND ERIC, AND NICOLE AS WELL.
YOU'RE TALKING TO CONSERVATIVE. [LAUGHTER]
>> MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, IT'S SO NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU. I'M KRISTEN HALL.
I'M THE CEO OF THE CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER FOR NORTH TEXAS.
WE SERVE DENTON, WISE AND JACK COUNTIES.
I'M HERE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, ERIC COBRELY, WHO'S THE DIRECTOR OF OUR TRAINING INSTITUTE, AND NICOLE ROSENBAUM, WHO IS OUR ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARTNER RELATIONS OVER WISE COUNTY OFFICE.
BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS MOU IS REGARDING THE TRAINING INSTITUTE, I WANTED TO DO A VERY BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE ADVOCACY CENTER IS, JUST TO MAKE SURE Y'ALL ARE EQUIPPED WITH ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE RESPOND AS A COMMUNITY TO CHILD CRIMES.
THE ADVOCACY CENTER IS A LOCAL NONPROFIT THAT SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES THAT ARE CHARGED WITH RESPONDING TO CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN.
THOSE TYPES OF CRIMES ARE TYPICALLY SEXUAL ABUSE.
THAT'S THE PRIMARY CRIME THAT WE SERVE, THAT INCLUDES CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING CASES, BUT IT ALSO INCLUDES YOUR SEVERE PHYSICAL ABUSE CASES, AND YOUR WITNESS TO VIOLENCE, LIKE IF A PARENT KILLS ANOTHER PARENT IN FRONT OF A CHILD, THAT CHILD WOULD NEED A PLACE TO GO.
THOSE ARE VERY TERRIBLE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN COMMUNITIES, AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY IMMEDIATELY STRESS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
EVERYONE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT BY THOSE FAMILIES.
OUR CENTER IS THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE SERVED IN THOSE CRUCIAL MOMENTS.
WE'RE THE HANDS AND FEET OF THE COMMUNITY, WHO WANTS TO DO RIGHT WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED TO A CHILD.
WE TECHNICALLY DO SOMETHING BIGGER THOUGH THAN JUST PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES TO KIDS, WHICH WE FEEL IS CRUCIAL.
THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE GET US CONFUSED, THOUGH, BECAUSE THEY THINK AS A SERVICE PROVIDER, WE'RE LIKE A TYPICAL NONPROFIT COMMUNITY AGENCY, BUT ACTUALLY, OUR RESPONSE IS DEEPLY TIED IN TO THE PARTNER AGENCIES, SO OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, CPS OFFICE.
ALL OF US TOGETHER ARE GETTING INFORMATION AT THE EXACT SAME TIME, AND SHARING IT AMONG EACH OTHER IN THE BEST INTEREST OF A CHILD.
WHAT WE CALL IN THIS WORLD, IS THAT, COORDINATING THE INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF THOSE SEVERE CASES.
THAT PARTNERSHIP IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER NONPROFIT RESPONSE.
THE LAW ACTUALLY SAYS THAT WHEN A CRIME HAS HAPPENED TO A CHILD, THAT THEY HAVE TO GO TO AN ADVOCACY CENTER.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE CREATED HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, TO CREATE THAT SPECIAL, SAFE, CHILD-FRIENDLY PLACE FOR A KID TO GO, AND FOR ALL THE GROWN UPS TO DO ALL THEIR COORDINATING BEHIND THE SCENE, SO THAT WE DON'T MISS A BEAT FOR THAT CHILD.
IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT RESPONSE.
I'M DELIGHTED TO TELL Y'ALL, THAT IN THIS COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A ROBUST RESPONSE TO CHILD CRIMES.
WHEN THE WORST THINGS HAPPEN TO A CHILD, THIS COMMUNITY STEPS UP, AND I THINK IT'S REALLY REMARKABLE.
I GET TO SEE THE WORK THAT MY TEAM DOES EVERY DAY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHO RESPONDS, AS YOU'VE READ THE PAPER, YOU KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENS IN SMALL FAMILY ORIENTED COMMUNITIES TOO.
WHEN IT DOES, FAMILIES FEEL STUCK, THEY FEEL BROKEN, THEY'RE SCARED,
[00:25:01]
THEY'RE WORRIED, AND THEY NEED GREAT RESPONSES.THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE RESPOND TO ON THE FAMILY SIDE, WE PROVIDE THE FORENSIC INTERVIEW FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THAT ENSURES THAT A CHILD DOESN'T FEEL INTERROGATED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT IF THEY HAD A WORRY ABOUT THAT.
IT ENSURES THAT THE CASE MOVES FORWARD WITH INTEGRITY, THAT WE GET ALL THE RIGHT INFORMATION, BUT WE DO IT IN A CHILD-FRIENDLY WAY.
OUR FORENSIC INTERVIEWERS ACTUALLY CONDUCT THOSE SPECIALIZED INTERVIEWS, WHILE LAW ENFORCEMENT WATCHES IT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
IT'S A CRUCIAL PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP.
YOU COULD NOT RESPOND TO CHILD CRIMES WITHOUT THAT PIECE OF IT, BUT THEN WE DO MORE BY PROVIDING ADVOCACY SERVICES AND LONG TERM MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO THE FAMILIES.
AGAIN, THERE'S A PART THOUGH THAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES.
BEHIND THE SCENES, WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT IS EQUIPPED WITH HOW TO RESPOND IN A STATE OF THE ART WAY, TO THESE CRIMES.
TRUST ME WHEN I TELL YOU THAT OUR CRIMINALS WHO ARE HURTING OUR KIDS, THEY ARE WORKING AT THIS FAST AND FURIOUSLY.
THEY ARE DISCOVERING NEW WAYS EVERY DAY TO GAIN ACCESS TO OUR KIDS, AND TO HURT THEM IN WAYS THAT YOU AND I COULD NOT DREAM OF.
THE APPS THAT THEY CAN HAVE ACCESS TO OUR KIDS ON IT IS A DANGER ZONE.
BY HAVING SPECIALIZED TRAINING AT ALL TIMES, WE'RE EQUIPPING YOUR LOCAL TEAMS WITH THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THIS.
THE GOOD SIDE ABOUT THE ONLINE PIECES, THERE'S A DIGITAL FOOTPRINT THAT'S HAPPENING, THAT'S CAPTURING SOME OF THIS GROOMING AND EXPLOITATION THAT HAPPENS TO OUR KIDS ONLINE, BUT YOUR TEAMS HAVE TO BE EQUIPPED WITH HOW TO DO THAT.
AND SO WE'RE HAVING AN ENORMOUS PRESSURE TO PUT OUR SPECIALIZED INVESTIGATORS IN THESE REALLY CRUCIAL CASES WHERE THE STAKES ARE SO HIGH.
YOU WANT PEOPLE TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
OUR TEAM IS DESIGNED TO DO THAT AS WELL.
NICOLE LEADS THE EFFORT TO COORDINATE THE CASE, SO THAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ALL THE WAY.
WE'RE NOT WAITING UNTIL WE GET TO PROSECUTION TWO YEARS LATER, AND JAMES AND HIS TEAM ARE STUCK WITH A TEAM THAT DIDN'T EVER TALK ALONG THE WAY.
BOTTOM LINE, THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT RESPONSE.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN A TYPICAL SOCIAL SERVICE RESPONSE, BECAUSE IT HAS THIS ADDED BENEFIT OF THE PARTNERSHIP.
TODAY, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT A REALLY EXCITING THING THAT WILL SOLIDIFY THAT TRAINING PART, AND THAT IS TO CREATE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND US ON OUR TRAINING INSTITUTE.
I DIDN'T KNOW, ERIC, YOU'RE GOING TO DO A BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THAT COMPONENT.
DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ADVOCACY CENTER IN GENERAL AND THAT RESPONSE?
>> THANK YOU. I'M DELIGHTED TO BE HERE AND TO GET TO SEE ALL YOUR FACES.
>> I'M GOING TO TRY TO KEEP THIS VERY BRIEF.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S UNDERSTANDING AND WORKING WITH US.
THIS MOU IS GOING TO REALLY EXPAND OUR PARTNERSHIP OVER HERE.
IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND ALLOW US TO REPORT THOSE TRAINING HOURS TO TCO, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IN THE PAST, WE HAVEN'T PRIOR TO EARLY LAST YEAR, WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT ABILITY.
THIS HELPS US ENHANCE THOSE TRAINING.
WE STARTED THE TRAINING INSTITUTE LAST YEAR.
IF THERE'S A BINDER THAT EACH OF YOU ALL WILL HAVE, IF YOU'LL LOOK IN THERE, THERE'S A LITTLE PAMPHLET ABOUT THE TRAINING INSTITUTE.
WE STARTED THIS LAST YEAR IN MARCH.
SINCE MARCH, AS YOU'LL SEE IN THERE, WE HAVE HAD A TREMENDOUS RESPONSE.
THERE'S A BIG THING AROUND OUR PLACE THAT IF YOU BUILD THAT THEY WILL COME AND COUNTY HAS SHOWN UP.
ALL OF NORTH TEXAS ARE REALLY SHOWN UP.
IF YOU'LL LOOK AT THAT PAMPHLET, THERE ARE LAST YEAR NUMBERS.
WE HAD A TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF 993, WHICH IS GREAT.
993 PEOPLE ATTENDED TRAININGS.
WE DEVELOPED TRAINING, WE BROUGHT IN A LOT OF NATIONAL EXPERTS, AND SO WE'VE HAD A REALLY GOOD RESPONSE WITH THAT.
HOWEVER, THIS YEAR, WE'RE ONLY IN JUNE AND WE'VE ALMOST HIT THAT SAME MARK.
WE'RE I THINK 874, IF I REMEMBER THE NUMBERS RIGHT.
WE ARE GOING TO EXCEED WHERE WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO BE.
AS YOU SEE, THIS HAS BECOME A BIGGER DEAL.
WE'RE INCREASING OUR TRAINING FOR PATROL.
I'VE ACTUALLY ALREADY BEHIND THE SCENES BEEN WORKING A LITTLE BIT WITH THE PD.
WE'RE SCHEDULING TRAININGS FOR 2025 ALREADY WITHIN THIS AREA.
WE'RE BRINGING IN SOME OF THE NATIONAL TRAINING LIKE THE INTERDICTION FOR PROTECTION OF CHILDREN CLASS WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'RE CREATING OUR OWN COURSES, INCLUDING INVESTIGATION OF CHILD ABUSE SERIES, WE'RE BRINGING IN A LOT OF EXPERTS IN THE FIELD.
THIS IS A VERY EXCITING THING THAT YOU ARE AUTHORIZING US
[00:30:04]
OR WE HOPE YOU'RE AUTHORIZING US TONIGHT AND THAT WE CAN GET STARTED WITH THIS PARTNERSHIP.DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TRAINING ITSELF? THANK YOU.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT HELPS TO SAY THIS IS A NO COST PARTNERSHIP, THIS PARTICULAR PART.
IT INCENTIVIZES YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ATTEND TRAININGS BECAUSE THEY GET CREDIT FOR IT. IT'S A GOOD THING.
IT MAKES IT AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND IT'S REALLY ESTABLISHED TRAINERS THAT WE'RE BRINGING TO ALL, AND YOU'RE PROVIDING THE STAMP OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO HAVE IT BE QUALIFIED TRAINING.
IT'S A GOOD THING FOR YOUR TEAMS HERE.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PD SIDE?
>> NOT AT ALL. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SO MUCH, APPRECIATE THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE YOU HERE TODAY, BUT ALSO NICE TO HAVE YOUR ACTUAL PRESENCE IN WIS COUNTY.
WE APPRECIATE THAT. IT'S A GREAT ADD TO OUR COMMUNITY AND A NEEDED ADD.
THIS LOOKS LIKE AN ITEM FOR MOTION.
IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION, WE'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION.
>> MR. MAYOR, A MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER OF NORTH TEXAS.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> OPPOSE, SAME SIGN. THAT PASSES.
[3. CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO APPROVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND THE CITY OF BOYD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR THE CITIES OF BOYD AND DECATUR. ]
CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO APPROVE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND THE CITY OF BOYD FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR THE CITIES OF BOYD AND DECATUR. CHIEF.>> UP HERE. THIS IS MY LAST ONE, I PROMISE.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY THIS IS IT, MED.
>> TONIGHT WE'RE COMING TO YOU ON THIS INTER LOCAL AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF BOYD.
YOU GUYS MAY HAVE FOLLOWED SOME RECENT OVER THE PAST YEAR, SOME NEWS THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THE BOYD AND THE WIS COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENTS BARS WITH COMMUNICATIONS AND THE FACT THAT IN THE FUTURE, THE WIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WILL START CHARGING COMMUNICATION CENTERS.
BOYD HAS REACHED OUT TO US AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM DILIGENTLY TO COME UP WITH A BETTER DISPATCHING SERVICE THAN WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY GETTING.
BASICALLY WHAT THIS AGREEMENT WILL DO WILL JUST PUT US DISPATCHING FOR THEM.
ONE OF THE THINGS WITH THIS AS WELL THAT I MADE SURE THAT WE PUT IN HERE IS YOU GUYS KNOW THAT I'M AN ASSESSOR FOR THE TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION AND THE RECOGNITION PROGRAM.
ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS FOR BOYD PD IS WITHIN TWO YEARS OF THIS COMING IN ACT, THAT THEY WILL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ACCREDITED AGENCY THROUGH THE TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION AS WELL.
THAT'S JUST A BIG DEAL TO HAVE THOSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES IN PLACE FOR THEIR DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT IN HERE WAS FOR THEM TO BECOME A CREDIT AGENCY AS THEY MOVE FORWARD AND JUST IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT AS A DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
THEY'RE ALSO CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE SAME CAD RMS PROVIDER THAT WE ARE ON TO WORK OUT AN AGREEMENT FOR THEM TO UTILIZE THAT EXACT SAME SOFTWARE, SO THAT A WAY WE CAN SEND THE SAME INFORMATION TO THEM AS WHAT OUR OFFICERS GET ON THE STREETS AS WELL.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM THE BEST WAY WE CAN AND THEN COMMUNICATE BACK AND FORTH WITH US AS WELL.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE HIGHLIGHTS.
THE OTHER PART OF IT IS IS THAT BASICALLY AT THIS POINT, BOYD AGREES TO MAKE AN ANNUAL PAYMENT OF $45,000 TO GO TOWARDS THE SALARY FOR A COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.
THEN BASICALLY AS BOYD IS STILL WORKING OUT THOSE CIS DETAILS, THEY'LL BE PRESENTING TO THEIR COUNSEL WITHIN THE NEXT MONTH TO GET IT FINALIZED ON THEIR END.
TECHNICALLY, IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE PLACE UNTIL OCTOBER 1 SO IT WOULD BE THE NEXT BUDGET.
>> DO WE HAVE ENOUGH STAFFING, OR WE'LL NEED TO HIRE MORE, AND WILL THAT HELP US OUT?
>> BASICALLY, THE 45,000 WILL GO TOWARDS SPLITTING THE COST
[00:35:03]
OF ANOTHER COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER. I'LL THROW IT OUT THERE.I'M LIABLE TO COME BACK TO YOU WITH ANOTHER AGENCY IN THE FUTURE AS WELL THAT WOULD SPLIT THE OTHER HALF.
WE'RE STILL IN TALKS WITH THEM TO BE ABLE TO ADD ANOTHER DISPATCHER.
BUT ON TOP OF THAT, YOU WILL SEE ME ASKING, AGAIN, PROBABLY FRIDAY FOR MORE DISPATCHERS, AND WE'LL GO OVER THAT IN GREAT LENGTH FRIDAY.
BUT THIS WOULD BASICALLY COVER THE COST HALF OF A CURRENT NEW STAFF MEMBER.
>> I GUESS THAT MAY BE THE QUESTION THAT EVERYONE HAS IS JUST WE'RE LOOKING AT ZERO COST FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.
>> RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT, BUT WHEN THE OTHER AGENCY COMES ON, THEY WOULD.
>> [OVERLAPPING] OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE ALSO ANTICIPATING GROWTH HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT OUR EXPANSION PROCESS HAS ADDITIONAL EXPANSION FOR.
>> CORRECT. ONE OF THE THINGS, THERE'S SEVERAL PARTS OF THIS.
ONE, OBVIOUSLY WITH OUR NEW FACILITY COMING ON BOARD THIS NEXT JULY, THEN BASICALLY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A ROOM TO GROW IN OUR COMMUNICATION CENTER GREATLY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS PAST YEAR TOO, PROBABLY IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS IS WE'VE REALLY WORK TOWARDS TRYING TO HAVE TWO DISPATCHERS ON AT ALL TIMES.
JUST ON OUR END ALONE, JUST FROM WHAT OUR GUYS DO, IT'S GETTING REALLY DIFFICULT TO HAVE JUST ONE DISPATCHER IN THERE.
THIS WOULD HELP ADD TOWARDS THAT THOSE STAFFING NEEDS THAT WE ARE DESPERATELY IN NEED OF AS WE GROW AND AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KEEP A PACE AND STAY AHEAD OF THAT GROWTH.
>> IS THIS A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT?
THEN EACH YEAR, WE'LL COMMUNICATE AS WE GO THROUGH, SAY, HEY, IF THESE NEEDS CHANGE, THEN BOYD HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT GRACIOUS, AND THEY'VE BEEN REALLY GOOD TO WORK WITH SO FAR ON THIS.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT TO CHANGE ANY.
>> BUT IF WE END UP SAYING WE NEED TWO DEDICATED TO DECATUR BECAUSE OUR CALL VOLUME GOES UP AND THEN THEY NEED MORE THERE CLAUSES IN HERE WHERE WE CAN MAKE THEM PAY MORE?
>> YEAH. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S JUST A TWO-YEAR PART AND THEN FOR US TO RE EVALUATE EVERY SINGLE YEAR, BASICALLY WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
BUT IT ALSO GIVES US EVERY YEAR AN OPTION TO COME OUT OF THE AGREEMENT.
>> IS THERE A REASON THAT WE NEED TO ACT ON THIS TONIGHT BEFORE WE DO OUR BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS AND SEE WHAT YOU'RE COMING WITH AND WHAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE COMING WITH?
>> IT'S JUST REALLY AS WE'RE COMING WITH IT, ACTUALLY, BOYD WAS SET TO HAVE IT ON THEIR AGENDA, THEIR LAST COUNCIL, BUT THEY HADN'T FINALIZED THAT CIS PIECE.
OUR DEAL IS IS WE JUST DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BECAUSE IT COULD BE THE END OF JULY, AUGUST, BEFORE WE HAVE A LOT OF THOSE NUMBERS AND THINGS.
EVEN IF I KNOW NOW THAT HEY, LOOK YOU GUYS ARE APPROVING US TO GO INTO THIS AGREEMENT.
I KNOW AT LEAST I HAVE $45,000 TO GO TOWARDS A DISPATCHER.
THEN ALL I NEED IS TO MAKE UP THAT ADDITIONAL.
IT'S ACTUALLY ADVANTAGEOUS FOR ME AND FOR YOU, EVEN ON THE BUDGET SIDE TO KNOW AHEAD OF TIME THAT, HEY, THIS SET AMOUNT IS HERE.
BUT IF THE OTHER AGENCY DOESN'T COME ON, THEN THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO HAVE. WE KNOW THAT.
>> BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M ASKING YOU CHIEF, IS, IF WE LOOK AT EVERYBODY AND EVERYBODY'S NEEDS AND WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR AND THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FOR US TO FUND THE OTHER HALF, WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
>> WELL, I THINK WE CAN FIND A WAY TO COME UP WITH THE OTHER $20,000 THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO FUND A DISPATCH POSITION.
>> CURRENTLY, IT'S MORE THAN HALF, YES.
>> ON AN AVERAGE DAY, HOW MANY CALLS DO WE HAVE CURRENTLY?
>> YEAH, NOT COUNTING. WHERE'S CHIEF AT?
>> WE PROBABLY HAVE CLOSE TO 200 CALLS FOR SERVICE OVER THAT A DAY.
>> WHAT DOES BOYD [INAUDIBLE].
>> WHEN WE TALKED TO BOYD ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS WAS MY BIG DEAL WAS TO TAKING THEM ON, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAID WHEN I ASKED, IS SAID WELL, HOW MANY CALLS DO YOU GUYS GET A DAY? THEY SAID, WELL, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT NUMBER BECAUSE OF JUST THE RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW, BUT THEY SAID, LOOK, WE PROBABLY DO 25 OR 30, AND I SAID, IS THAT A SHIFT OR IS THAT OFFICER? THEY SAID, NO, THAT'S A DAY.
>> JUST GLANCING THROUGH HERE.
IT SHOWED THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE THEM THAT INFORMATION,
[00:40:03]
BUT I'M ASSUMING WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PULL OUT WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THEM AND THE OTHER COMMUNITY THAT MAY COME ONBOARD.>> THAT'S THE BIG PART ABOUT GETTING THEM ON BOARD WITH OUR SAME RMS SYSTEM, IS BECAUSE WITH OUR RMS SYSTEM, BASICALLY, ONE OF THE NEAT THINGS ABOUT IT IS IT'S THE SAME THING WE DO FOR FIRE.
THE SAME THING WE DO FOR EMS IS WHEN WE DISPATCH A CALL, WE LABEL IT WITH WHO IT GOES TO.
FOR THEM, IT WOULD BE LABELED BOYD.
THEN WHEN WE GO BACK TO PULL RECORDS OR IF THEY'RE ON THE SAME SYSTEM, THEN THEY PULL THOSE RECORDS THEMSELVES, AND THEY HAVE ACCESS TO KNOW, ON A SUMMARY SIDE, EXACTLY HOW MANY CALLS THEY HAVE.
>> WE'RE JUST GOING FORWARD WITH THEIR DEPARTMENT.
I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO WORK ON IS TRAINING THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE RIGHT PHONE NUMBERS TO CALL HOW TO HANDLE THINGS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I GUESS THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK AT? BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE PAST WAS THERE WERE 911 PHONE CALLS BECAUSE THERE WERE SOLICITORS WITHOUT A PERMIT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> THE SECOND PART OF THIS IS, AND I'VE ALREADY COMMUNICATED WITH COG AS FAR AS THE 911 SIDE, BASICALLY ON THE 911 SIDE, THERE'S SOME PAPERWORK, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE CAN'T REALLY WAIT BECAUSE THEN COG HAS SOME PAPERWORK ON THEIR END THAT THEY HAVE TO DO TOO.
WHEN I TALKED TO LEANA DOWN THERE AT COG, HER DEAL WAS, DON'T WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO WHERE WE HAVE TO MAKE THE SWITCH, BUT BASICALLY, THEY WILL GO IN.
WITH 911 NOW, IT'S A LOT OF BASICALLY GO FENCES.
THEY'RE ABLE TO TAKE THE BOYD AREA, THE 911 PART OF THAT ON THEIR GO FENCE SIDE, AND THEN THEY JUST FLIP A SWITCH TO OUR 911 CENTER.
THAT 911 PART WOULD JUST ROLL RIGHT OVER TO US SEAMLESSLY.
>> WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEM GOING WITHOUT COVERAGE FOR A DAY OR TWO.
>> NO. THEIR STAFFING NEEDS ARE STARTING TO IMPROVE TO WHERE THEY HAVE OFFICERS ON 24 HOURS A DAY NOW.
IT'S NOT LIKE WHAT THEY WERE A YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO YEARS AGO, WHERE THERE WERE PARTICULAR TIMES OF THE NIGHT OR DAY WHERE THEY DIDN'T HAVE AN OFFICER.
WE DO NOT TAKE ANY CALLS FOR THEM.
WE DON'T GO DOWN THERE AND BACK THEM UP.
THIS IS STRICTLY A DISPATCHING AND A COMMUNICATION SIDE FOR THAT.
>> WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS OUR POLICE STATION, DO OUR DISPATCHERS ANSWER THAT, OR DO OUR DISPATCHERS ONLY ANSWER 911 CALLS?
>> NO. THEY'LL ANSWER REGULAR PHONE LINES.
>> BUT FOR THIS BOYD CONTRACT, OUR DISPATCHERS WILL ONLY ANSWER THEIR 911 CALLS.
>> WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR AFTER-HOURS NUMBER ROLL OVER TOO TO WHERE WE CAN MAKE CONTACT WITH.
IF THEY HAVE A WATER LEAK OR SOMETHING, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THEY GET SOMEBODY OUT THERE TO, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR CONTACT LIST AND BE ABLE TO GET A HOLD OF SOMEBODY FOR THEM.
AGAIN, AS WE'VE LOOKED THROUGH IT, THE BIGGEST THING IS WE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE SOMETHING ON THAT WAS GOING TO CREATE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WORK FOR US.
RIGHT NOW CURRENTLY, BOYD DOES NOT HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WORK.
THE OTHER PART OF IT TOO THAT I DIDN'T MENTION IS THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS TO GET PUT IN.
BOYD IS ACTUALLY PAYING TO HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE PUT IN AS WELL, BUT IN LONG-TERM, THAT HELPS NOT ONLY US, BUT OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WITH THE CITY OF DECATUR, WE HAVE REPEATERS THAT BASICALLY OPERATES OUR COMMUNICATIONS.
THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN THEIR VERY OWN SET OF REPEATERS IN BOYD OR A NEIGHBORING CITY AS THEY'RE WORKING THAT OUT, BUT BOYD IS PAYING TO HAVE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE PUT IN ON THEIR END.
BASICALLY, WHAT WILL BE ABLE TO HAPPEN IS AS OUR COMMUNICATIONS CONTINUE TO GROW, AND IN THE FUTURE, WHEN WE MOVE TO A TRUNKING SYSTEM, A 700, 800 SYSTEM, AS OURS CONTINUES TO GROW, THEN WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO PIGGYBACK OFF THEIR SYSTEM AS WELL.
IT ENHANCES OUR COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL BECAUSE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN.
I GUESS THE LITTLE SNIPPET I SAW IN THE MESSENGER.
I GUESS THEY HAD A SITUATION OR THEY DISENGAGED THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH ROME.
IS THAT WHAT THAT WAS? WHO REACHED OUT TO WHO?
>> WE DON'T WANT TO BE DOUBLE TAXED?
>> BOYD REACHED OUT TO US AND STARTED THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
>> ARE THERE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL?
>> I BELIEVE BOTH THOSE COMMUNITIES FELT THEY WERE BEING TAXED TWICE FOR THE SAME SERVICE THEY HAD ALREADY PAID FOR ONCE.
IS THE REASON THEY REACHED OUT?
[00:45:02]
>> MAYOR, AND COUNCIL, NOT A QUESTION, JUST A POINT OF CLARITY.
CHIEF IS CORRECT IN THAT THE $45,000 PAYMENT IS MORE THAN HALF OF THE SALARY PIECE, BUT AS YOU FOLKS THAT SERVE ON THE BUDGET COMMITTEE REALIZE, THERE'S A WHOLE OTHER SIDE TO HIRE AN EMPLOYEE IN THE FORM OF TMRS, WHICH IS A RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND THERE ARE INSURANCE COSTS.
DEPENDING ON WHERE THE POTENTIAL NEW EMPLOYEE LANDS ON THEIR STARTING SALARY, DEPENDING ON THEIR EXPERIENCE, IT IS IN A SPIRIT OF SPLITTING THE COST FOR THE EMPLOYEE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR FOR ALL AND THEN ANYBODY THAT MAY BE LISTENING.
>> HOW DID YOU COME TO THE 45,000?
>> BASICALLY, WHEN WE JUST LOOKED AT IT ON A BRIEF DEAL, SO IF WE START OUR DISPATCHERS AT 49,000, WHICH IS WHAT WE START AT RIGHT NOW, BY THE TIME YOU ADD IN THOSE EXTRA BENEFITS AND THOSE OTHER THINGS, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THAT AMOUNT COVERED, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER AGENCY TO COME ON TO WHERE BOTH THEY WOULD SPLIT NOT ONLY THE INITIAL SALARY, BUT ALSO, THE COST OF THOSE FRINGE BENEFITS.
>> DEVIL'S ADVOCATE. SECOND CITY COMES ON?
>> THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THE SAME?
>> THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD WITH THEM IS TO HAVE THAT SAME.
AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A GOOD AGREEMENT FOR THEM BOTH TO SPLIT THAT, WHICH WAS DIFFERENT.
ACTUALLY, BOYD IS TAKING UP MORE THAN WHAT THEY WERE INITIALLY GOING TO BE CHARGED FOR WITH WISE COUNTY.
BOYD INITIALLY WASN'T GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THAT MUCH, BUT BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THE SERVICE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET IS BETTER, THEY WERE WILLING TO BUMP THAT UP AND TOTALLY SPLIT THAT TO HELP NOT ONLY THEM, BUT THE OTHER NEIGHBORING AGENCY, WHICH I'M NOT AT LIBERTY TO NAME ON MY END.
>> IF THE SECOND CITY COMES ON AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE PAYING THE OTHER HALF OF THAT SALARY, WOULDN'T IT BE PRUDENT TO ACTUALLY HAVE THE TRUE AMOUNT OF WHAT YOU BRING A DISPATCHER ON? BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO STILL BE SHORT?
>> IF YOU'RE PUTTING 45 AND YOU BRING SOMEBODY IN AT 49, WHERE'S THE DIFFERENTIAL GOING TO COME FROM? BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE DISPATCHERS.
>> IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE AT 45, IS THE SECOND CITY GOING TO PAY 45?
>> IF YOU CAN HAVE TWO CITIES PAY 45, THAT IS BASICALLY A DISPATCHER AND A QUARTER OR DISPATCHER IN A THIRD, 90,000 VERSUS 49 WOULD IT NOT BE BENEFICIAL TO BRING THEM INTO A FULL 49,000 SO YOU HAVE A TRUE DOUBLE, AND THEN THAT WOULD GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT TO AT LEAST HAVE A PART TIME PERSON COME IN?
>> WE LOOKED AT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT AS WELL.
THE PROBLEM REALLY THE FIRST YEAR, AND THIS IS WHY WE WROTE TO HAVE THIS AGREEMENT THIS NEXT YEAR IS RIGHT NOW, IF WE'RE ABLE TO GET THIS POSITION AND THEN WE FILL IT, THERE'S A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE ROOM FOR UNTIL WE GET INTO OUR NEW PD.
ONCE WE GET INTO THEN WE CAN SPREAD OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH OUR STAFFING BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE TWO CONSOLES, AND THAT'S ALL WE HAVE.
WE GET TO A POINT TO WHERE THIS NEXT YEAR ONCE WE GET MOVED IN AND WE START GETTING THESE POSITIONS THAT WE DESPERATELY NEED, AND WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE TRAINED, THEN WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE'LL COME BACK AND WE'LL VISIT WITH THEM AGAIN AND SAY, LOOK, WE NEED TO ADJUST SOME OF THESE.
AGAIN, I THINK IT WAS JUST A GOOD STARTING POINT FOR US WITH BOTH CITIES.
WHEN YOU COME AT THEM AND YOU SAY, HEY, WE WANT THE FULL SALARY AMOUNT OF 49, I THINK IT SOUNDS A LITTLE HARDER ON THEM AS COMPARED TO SAYING, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO SPLIT THE FIRST ONE THIS YEAR AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CONSTANTLY BE REVIEWING THIS.
>> TODAY, YOU ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED ON DISPATCHERS?
>> YOU'RE FULLY STAFFED. NO MATTER IF YOU HAVE VACATION TIME, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH FUND?
>> ARE YOU FULLY STAFFED ON DISPATCHERS TO BE ABLE TO COVER 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, NO MATTER WHAT?
>> BUT IF WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT TAKE OFF AND WE HAVE
[00:50:03]
MORE THAN TWO THAT ARE OFF THAN NO, WE RUN INTO ISSUES.THAT'S WHERE WE CALL IN FOR OFFICERS OR WHATEVER.
>> THIS IS GOING TO PUT STRESS ON YOUR STAFF TO HAVE ADDITIONAL COVERAGE 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
WE HAVE MORE HOUSES COMING IN.
WE HAVE AN EXPECTATION THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT COVERAGE.
IS THIS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR US TO PROVIDE THE COVERAGE AT THAT SALARY AMOUNT WITH BOYD AS WELL AS THE OTHER CITY, VERSUS BRINGING THAT SALARY UP TO ENSURE YOU HAVE AT ENOUGH TO COVER TWO POSITIONS AND A POSSIBLE PART TIME POSITION?
>> FOR ME RIGHT NOW WITH THEM AND THOSE TWO AGENCIES, IT MAKES SENSE RIGHT NOW.
BUT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WHEN WE COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AGAIN, THEN IT MAY NOT BE.
>> IS THIS A ONE YEAR AGREEMENT OR A TWO-YEAR AGREEMENT?
>> WE HAVE IT AS A TWO YEAR AGREEMENT BUT IN HERE, WE HAVE IT TO WHERE EACH YEAR THROUGH BUDGETING, THEN WE SIT DOWN AND WE COMMUNICATE THOSE NEEDS.
AGAIN, LIKE NEXT YEAR IF I COME TO THEM AT THIS TIME AND SAY, LOOK, WE NEED ANOTHER $4,000.
BUT THAT'S STILL NOT GOING TO COVER EVEN IF WE DID A 49 AND A 49 THAT DOESN'T COVER TWO FULL SALARIES BECAUSE OF THE BENEFITS AND EVERYTHING ELSE WITH IT.
DOING IT THIS WAY, WE ENSURED THAT WE AT LEAST COVERED ONE FULL SALARY BY DOING IT AT THE 45.
>> I BELIEVE CITY, ATTORNEY HAS A COMMENT.
>> I'M JUST GOING TO CLARIFY THAT IT'S 2, 1 YEAR TERMS TO BEGIN WITH, WHICH ALLOWS THE ROOM TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK.
>> I WASN'T FOLLOWING HOW WE COULD RENEGOTIATE A TWO-YEAR DEAL.
>> THE 49,000, IS THAT OFF THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET?
>> THAT'S STILL OFF OF OUR STARTING.
BECAUSE IF WE HAVE A STEP PLAN, OUR STARTING DISPATCH IS AT 49,000 UNLESS THERE'S SOME EXPERIENCE.
NOW, IF WE HAVE EXPERIENCE, AGAIN, THIS IS WHERE THE 45 PART COMES INTO PLAY BECAUSE THAT GIVES US THAT LITTLE WIGGLE ROOM.
IF WE HIRE SOMEBODY WITH EXPERIENCE, THAT THE TWO AGENCIES WOULD COVER A FULL SALARY EVEN IF WE HIRED SOMEBODY WITH EXPERIENCE.
>> THIS IS NOT GOING TO TAX YOUR STAFF?
>> WELL, RIGHT NOW, EVERYTHING TAXES OUR STAFF.
BUT THE THING IS BY GETTING THE EXTRA PEOPLE IN THERE, THAT GIVES US THE FLEXIBILITY TO WHERE AS COMPARED TO NOW, SO WE HAVE SIX DISPATCHERS AND ONE SUPERVISOR.
WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO WORK A SCHEDULE AND WE NEED TWO DISPATCHERS IN THERE AT ALL TIMES, THIS ONE WILL GIVE US THAT FLEXIBILITY TO AT LEAST TRY TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE TWO IN THERE AT ALL TIMES.
FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE END OF THIS MONTH, WE HAVE TWO DISPATCHERS THAT ARE GOING TO TRAINING.
IT'S MANDATORY TRAINING, WE HAVE TO GET THEM TO IT.
OUR DISPATCH SUPERVISOR FILLS ONE OF THOSE SLOTS AND WE'LL DISPATCH WHILE THEY'RE THERE.
THEN WHAT WE WILL DO IS THEN WE HAVE OFFICERS WHO ALSO ARE CERTIFIED DISPATCHERS THAT WE WILL PAY OVERTIME FOR THEM TO COME IN AND FILL THAT OTHER BOARD.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS IF WE HAD THAT ONE PERSON, THEN WE KNOCK OUT THAT OFFICER WITH TWO PEOPLE BEING GONE.
>> WELL, THE INTERESTING THING IS WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA REALLY FROM THE COUNTY THAT SHOWS THE UTILIZATION BY MICRO AREA, BUT DO WE KNOW HOW MANY DISPATCHERS THE COUNTY HAS ON FORCE?
>> COUNTY OPERATES USUALLY, I THINK, WITH FOUR OR SO AT A TIME FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
>> I KNOW THE SERVICE AREA OF THE COUNTY BUT APPARENTLY, IF THE CITY OF BOYD IS BEING COVERED BY THAT DISPATCH?
>> WHEREAS DECATUR'S HAS ITS INDEPENDENT DISPATCH.
WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE LIKE BOYD IN THAT.
>> I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS COUNTY CURRENTLY FOR THE CITIES.
COUNTY DISPATCHES FOR ROME, BOYD, RUNAWAY BAY.
THOSE ARE THE THREE CITIES, ALOYD, WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT THEY HAVE THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER DEPARTMENT.
THEN THEY ALSO DISPATCH FOR ALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS MINUS ARES AND BRIDGEPORT.
[00:55:03]
>> ALL I WANTED TO GET TO, AND I DON'T THINK THE MATH IS SUPER POSSIBLE, BUT IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE IS, HOW MANY FTES DOES IT REALLY REQUIRE? IS IT REALLY A FULL FTE THAT BOYD HAS A NEED FOR?
>> THAT'S THE THING WITH THIS, IN MY OPINION, THAT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW THOSE TRUE DATA FROM WHAT BOYD HAS.
BASICALLY, IF WE GOES INTO PLAY OCTOBER 1, THAT GIVES US ABOUT A SIX-MONTH WINDOW TO PULL DATA AND IT GIVES US SOMETHING TO SHOOT FOR NEXT YEAR.
IF WE COME BACK TO THEM AND WE'RE FINDING THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOWHERE NEAR WHAT BOYD IS TELLING US, THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING WAY MORE.
IT COULD BE TOO HONESTLY, THAT THEY PICK UP A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A BETTER SERVICE TO THEM.
WE'LL HAVE DATA TO BE ABLE TO COME TO THEM.
THAT'S WHY, TO ME, IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE GEARED IT THIS WAY TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT, LOOK, THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, WE WILL RE EVALUATE AGAIN WHAT WE'RE DOING.
>> WE HAVE THIS NEW POSITION THAT WE BRING IN.
WE HAVE OUR DISPATCHER AND OUR DISPATCHER IS BUSY AND THIS PERSON IS NOT.
>> NO, ALL EMPLOYEES ARE DECATUR PD.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO BE CALLING FOR BOTH FOR EVERYBODY?
>> YEAH, WE'LL BE THE CONTRACTOR.
>> YES. BASICALLY HOW THE PLAN IS THAT WE HAVE A SET UP, AGAIN, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE TWO CONSOLES IN OUR DISPATCH.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO UTILIZE ONE CONSOLE STRICTLY FOR DECATUR PD AND THEN WE WILL UTILIZE THE OTHER CONSOLE TO HAVE SOMEBODY LISTENING FOR BOYD, AND THEN ALSO DISPATCHING FOR OUR FIRE.
IT'LL HELP LEVEL THOSE OUT A LITTLE BIT.
>> WHEN WE BRING IN A SECOND CITY, WHAT ABOUT THAT?
>> WHO'S GOING TO DISPATCH FOR THAT OTHER CITY IF THIS ONE'S DOING BOYD AND FIRE?
>> WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR CALL VOLUME ON A BUSY DAY FOR LIKE DECATUR FIRE, IF WE DISPATCH THEM OUT 15 TIMES, 20 TIMES, THEY'RE TALKING TO DECATUR FIRE 15 OR 20 TIMES A DAY.
AS COMPARED ON A PD SIDE, WE'RE DOING 200 TIMES, THEY'RE TALKING BACK AND FORTH.
ON AVERAGE, DECATUR PD IS THE BUSIEST.
AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MONITOR WITH DATA BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE DATA RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S THE PROBLEM, IS TO BE ABLE TO GIVE US A GOOD EVALUATION OF EVEN HOW TO BREAK OFF OUR DISPATCH BECAUSE IF WE GET TO A POINT WHERE WE'RE HAVING A LOT MORE CALLS FROM BOYD IN ROME, THEN WE REEVALUATE THAT ON OUR END OF HOW WE HAD JUST THAT.
BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE TWO CONSOLES, WE CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH.
I CAN'T ADD ANOTHER CONSOLE, I CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT UNTIL WE HAVE A NEW BUILDING WHEN WE HAVE SIX CONSOLES THAT ARE SET UP FOR COMPLETE GROWTH.
>> LET'S SEE IF I'M GETTING WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GIVE US IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BRING ON A SEVENTH EMPLOYEE AT NO COST TO US, IF THEY BOTH COME ON?
THERE'S AN IF UNTIL THINGS ARE SIGNED, BUT IF BOTH OF THEM COME ON, WE GET A FREE EMPLOYEE.
>> IT GIVES US A SEVEN, SO IT GIVES YOU MORE FLEXIBILITY, AND AS WE MOVE INTO THAT OTHER SIDE AND EVEN BEFORE, IT ALLOWS THAT TWO CONSOLES TO BE FILLED AT ALL TIMES, AND ONE PERSON TO FOCUS ON YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE OTHER FOCUS ON FIRE AND THE OTHER CITIES.
>> THAT WAY, YOU CAN GIVE ALL EVERY PARTY BETTER SERVICE?
>> NOTHING'S EVER GOING TO BE PERFECT, BUT THIS IS A WAY FOR US TO EXPAND WITHOUT AFFECTING YOUR BUDGET?
>> CORRECT. TO ME, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE AGREEMENT WE HAD WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH THE SROS.
THEY PAY FULL SALARY FOR SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS, SO IT GIVES US THAT EXTRA BODY AT CERTAIN TIMES.
AGAIN, WE'RE GROWING, WE'RE BUSY IN THERE.
RIGHT NOW, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US TWO DISPATCHERS IN DISPATCH ALL THE TIME.
[01:00:02]
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE THAT ALL THE TIME AND EITHER WE HAVE TO CALL PEOPLE IN.IF WE GET SOMEBODY SICK AND SCHOOL, AND VACATION, THEN WE ARE RUNNING IN TROUBLE.
THE ONE ADDITIONAL STAFF HELPS.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE EXPERIENCING THINGS.
YOU GUYS CAN DRIVE AROUND YOU COULD LOOK, DRIVE UP AND DOWN 51 OR 287 DURING THE DAY, JUST LOOK AT THE SHEER NUMBER OF TRAFFIC.
ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE CUSTOMERS OF OURS IN SOME FORM OR FASHION OR HAVE A POTENTIAL TO, SO ALL OF THAT PUTS AN ADDED STRAIN.
JUST RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STRUGGLING WHEN WE HAVE TWO OFFICERS WORKING THE STREET, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNSAFE ANYMORE.
WE CAN'T KEEP GOING DOWN THAT ROAD.
IT'S JUST NOT SAFE FOR OUR GUYS.
IT'S THE SAME WAY IN DISPATCH.
IF I HAVE THREE GUYS WORKING, BUT I ONLY HAVE ONE DISPATCHER AND THEY'RE ANSWERING ALL THESE CALLS, I'M DOING THE EXACT SAME THING TO THEM.
I'M PUTTING A BURDEN EVEN ON OUR PATROL GUYS.
TO ME, IT'S A SIMPLE QUICK SOLUTION TO ADD ONE PERSON FROM OCTOBER TILL WE REEVALUATE AGAIN.
IF WE NEED TO REEVALUATE OF WHAT SOME OF THAT COST SHARING LOOKS LIKE, IT MAY BE THAT NEXT YEAR WE COME BACK AND SAY, "LOOK, GUYS, YOU GAVE US 45 THIS TIME, COULD YOU GIVE US 55, OR COULD YOU GIVE US 50?" AGAIN, FOR THEM BEING SMALLER AGENCIES, I THINK HONESTLY, IT HELPS THEM ABSORB A LITTLE BIT TOO BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY DON'T HAVE DATA EITHER TO BE ABLE TO EVALUATE WHERE THEY'RE AT.
BUT ANOTHER BIG THING IS BOYD PUTTING IN THAT INFRASTRUCTURE THAT BASICALLY ALLOWS US TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE.
WE CAN NOW COMMUNICATE, ONCE THEY GET THAT IN, WITH OUR DISPATCH ALL THE WAY FROM DECATUR, ALL THE WAY TO THE SOUTH COUNTY LINE, AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE BACK TO OUR DISPATCH WITH NO PROBLEMS.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS LISTENING TO IT AND I ASSURE YOU THAT DELVON AND I SPEAK WEEKLY, IF NOT NUMEROUS TIMES WEEKLY.
ONE OF THE COMMON THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE LAST YEAR IS THE CREATIVITY THAT HE AND I HAVE TO COME TOGETHER TO MAKE OUR DEPARTMENTS GROW BECAUSE I THINK IF WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGETS, THE BUDGET IS NOT GOING TO CONTINUE TO HOLD THE GROWTH THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC WORKS NEED TO KEEP GOING, SO OUR CREATIVITY TALKS COMES WITH THAT.
I'LL ECHO, AND IF DELVON WANTS TO EXPAND ON, WILL, BUT I'VE ALREADY BEEN APPROACHED BY ANOTHER FIRE AGENCY IN THE COUNTY THAT IS INTERESTED IN DISPATCH SERVICES ALSO, SO IT'S ANOTHER PIECE OF PAYMENT TO BRING MORE DISPATCHERS.
I WOULD SAY THAT IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTS US TO PAY US TO HELP US EXPAND OUR DEPARTMENTS, THEN I THINK WE ARE TO TAKE THEIR MONEY. THAT'S MY OPINION.
>> IT IS INTERESTING. I THINK EVERY ORGANIZATION HAS A STRUGGLE, WHETHER IF IT'S NOT A WHOLE FDE, BUT BOTTOM LINE, IF A SERVICE IS NEEDED TO BE PROVIDED, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PERSON TO DO THAT.
THIS MAY BE A WAY FOR THAT TO POTENTIALLY BE DONE FOR A WIN-WIN SCENARIO FOR THOSE CITIES AND OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL FOR CONSIDERATION.
I'M MAKING THE ASSUMPTION, BUT I'LL LOOK FOR YOU TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT IS, YOU WOULDN'T BRING THIS BEFORE US IF YOU DIDN'T THINK IT WAS A BENEFIT FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT.
>> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HONESTLY, I'VE SAT DOWN.
WE'VE HAD MEETINGS MYSELF, ASSISTANT CHIEF DOBYNS, CAPTAIN HILTON, CAPTAIN GASTINEAU, AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS SUPERVISOR, CINDY SKIDMORE.
WE'VE ALL HAD COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT THIS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO OVERBURDEN OURSELVES WITH TAKING THEM ON.
THAT WAS, BY FAR, THE BIGGEST THING RIGHT OFF THE BAT IS BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO PUT MORE OF A STRAIN ON MY PEOPLE.
I'D LIKE TO SAY THERE'S A REASON PEOPLE LIKE WORKING FOR US AND IT'S BECAUSE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
WE HAVE EXPECTATIONS FOR THEM AND WE EXPECT THEM TO MAINTAIN THAT, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY KNOW THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING OUT FOR THEIR BEST BENEFIT.
HONESTLY, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, AND I'M A DATA TYPE PERSON AND I GOT TO SEE THOSE THINGS, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TRUE DATA LOOKS LIKE THROUGH THEM.
THAT'S WHY IT WAS REALLY IMPERATIVE, IN MY OPINION, THAT WE GOT IT TO WHERE WE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY COME THIS TIME NEXT YEAR AFTER SEEING WHAT SIX MONTHS GIVES US SO WE'RE ABLE TO PLAY WITH IT AND ADJUST IT, I THINK, A LITTLE BIT, BY THE WAY WE HAVE IT WROTE.
[01:05:02]
>> VERY GOOD. YOU SAID THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT IS A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT, BUT A ONE-YEAR REVIEW, AND THEN THE TERMINATION CLAUSE WITHIN THE CONTRACT?
>> IT HAS AUTOMATIC TWO-YEAR RENEWALS.
>> THERE IS A CLAUSE IN THERE THAT WE CAN TERMINATE.
I DON'T REMEMBER THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
MAYOR, WHAT I WANTED TO SAY WAS FIRST OF ALL, AND FOR THE RECORD, YOU'RE WORKING OFF OF THE HANDOUT, NOT WHAT'S IN THE PACKET.
THEN I WAS GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION FOR ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE AFTER HEARING THIS CONVERSATION IN SECTION 4A, IT'S ON PAGE 4 IN THE THIRD LINE, IS $45,000 PER YEAR AND IS ROUGHLY BASED ON PROJECTED FUNDING.
MY RECOMMENDATION, IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE AGREEMENT, WOULD BE TO ADD THOSE TWO PIECES OF VERBIAGE.
IF ONE OF YOU WERE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR APPROVAL, I WOULD ASK YOU TO MAKE IT TO INCLUDE CHANGES RECOMMENDED BY LEGAL COUNSEL.
>> STILL NOT HAPPY WITH THIS AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHY.
>> YOU MADE A COMMENT THAT JUST MADE MY SPIDEY SENSE UNHAPPY.
IF THIS DOES NOT FULFILL YOUR NEED BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO DO 24/7 TO COVER THEM, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO USE OFFICERS FOR BACKUP AND PAY THEM OVERTIME.
WHAT DOES YOUR OVERTIME BUDGET LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW?
>> IT'S MORE THAN WHAT IT SHOULD BE.
BUT THAT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THAT.
>> I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT YOU GOT TO COME UP WITH MONEY SOMEWHERE? CORRECT.
>> IF THIS IS NOT GOING TO FUND 24/7, IF THE SECOND CITY COMES ON, HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS? HOW DO YOU NOT STRESS YOUR PEOPLE OUT? BECAUSE ULTIMATELY BOYD WON'T BE STRESSED OUT, NOR WILL THE OTHER CITY. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S THE ISSUE WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SIX THAT DOES NOT GIVE US THAT FLEXIBILITY.
THE ONE EXTRA GIVES US THAT FLEXIBILITY. [OVERLAPPING]
BUT FROM THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE, THE ONE GIVES US THAT FLEXIBILITY A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S NOT IDEAL FOR CINDY, WHICH IS OUR DISPATCH SUPERVISOR TO BE DISPATCHING ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE THERE ARE SUPERVISORY THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT'S HAVING TO HAPPEN IS WE HAVE AN EMPLOYEE, A DISPATCHER WHO'S OUT BECAUSE OF SICKNESS.
WE'RE HAVING TO FILL THAT VOID.
CINDY STEPS IN AND FILLS THAT.
THAT STILL GIVES US THOSE TWO DISPATCHERS DURING THE DAYTIME.
>> I GET IT. I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY I DON'T LIKE THE IDEA BECAUSE I DO IT.
I UNDERSTAND THE CITIES ARE STRUGGLING WITH THIS AS WELL.
BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, AND YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY THIS BEFORE, YOUR PEOPLE ARE YOUR BIGGEST ASSET.
>> WITHOUT YOUR PEOPLE, YOU HAVE NOTHING.
YOUR PEOPLE GET TIRED, THEY'RE GOING TO WALK OFF THE JOB, WHETHER IT'S YOUR OFFICERS, WHETHER IT'S YOUR DISPATCH.
IF WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ON ANOTHER CITY 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, YOU'RE BASICALLY GIVING ANOTHER CITY A DISPATCHER SEVEN DAYS A WEEK COVERAGE ON ONE PERSON ONE SALARY.
IS ANYBODY GIVING YOU THAT? IS ANYBODY GIVING YOU A FULL SALARY FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE GETTING COVERED FOR?
>> NO. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS TOO, AS WE ENVISION AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, I THINK WHAT EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO SEE, AND THIS IS JUST MY SPECULATION IS IS THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS THE RESOURCES TO OPERATE EVENTUALLY A REGIONAL COMMUNICATION CENTER.
BUT AS WE START MOVING TOWARDS THAT, AND THEN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HAPPEN IS IS THEN YOU HAVE MORE OF AN EQUAL COST SHARING THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
THIS TO ME IS A FIRST STEP GOING TOWARDS THAT.
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
AGAIN, MY BIGGEST THING IS I DON'T WANT TO OVERTAX MY PEOPLE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE BEING OVERTAXED, ESPECIALLY IN DISPATCH.
HAVING ONE ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBER WOULD HELP
[01:10:04]
WITH WHAT NUMBERS WE WERE TOLD THAT THEY DO, AND THAT'S ALL I CAN GO OFF OF IS WHAT THEY'RE TELLING ME AS JUST A GUESS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A CLEAR DATA-SET FROM THEM. I DON'T KNOW.WHAT IF THEIR NUMBERS ARE NOWHERE CLOSE? WHAT IF THEIR NUMBERS ARE SO LOW COMPARED TO WHAT YOU REALLY GET, ARE YOU PREPARED TO HANDLE THAT?
>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN IF THEY'RE SO LOW?
>> WHAT IF WHAT THEY'RE PROVIDING YOU SO LOW? [OVERLAPPING]
>> ACTUALLY, THEIR NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY HIGHER.
>> WELL, THEN AGAIN, TO ME, THAT'S WHERE FROM OCTOBER 1 TO WHEN WE RENEGOTIATE THIS AGAIN, ABOUT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR BEFORE BUDGET, THAT GIVES US THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE EVEN THEN, IF IT GETS TO WHERE IT'S WAY OUT OF HAND, AT THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, THEN WE PULL THE PLUG AT 180 DAYS.
WE GIVE THEM THAT NOTICE AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, GUYS, YOU'RE ACTUALLY OPERATING THREE, 400 CALLS, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
WE CAN'T DO THAT WITH WHAT YOU'RE GIVING US.
EITHER YOU GOT TO GIVE US MORE OR WE CAN'T DO IT?
>> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A FULL YEAR THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE NUMBERS? [OVERLAPPING] I DON'T DISAGREE.
>> SIX MONTHS PLUS THE 180, YOU'RE GOING TO BE STUCK FOR A FULL YEAR.
>> FOR ONE FULL YEAR, YOU HAVE TO ABSORB EVERY BIT OF THIS EXTRA COST.
>> ULTIMATELY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE'S SOME TIMES AS THE BOSS, THERE'S TOUGH DECISIONS THAT YOU HAVE TO MAKE AND YOU HAVE TO BASE THOSE UPON THINGS THAT YOU KNOW.
>> WELL, PAM, YOU SAID THAT WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS CONTRACT IN 180 DAYS FROM DAY 1?
>> YES. I CONFIRMED THAT. YES.
>> WE SIGN IT TOMORROW, WE CAN GIVE THEM 180-DAY NOTICE AND BE OUT.
IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE YOU A SEVENTH DISPATCHER REGARDLESS IN BUDGET.
IF THIS TAKES THE PLACE, IF THEY'RE PAYING FOR OUR SEVENTH DISPATCHER, AND I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THESE NUMBERS COULD BE CRAZY, BUT IF THEY ARE CRAZY, WE GOT 180 DAYS AND THEY'RE GONE, AND WE GIVE IT BACK TO THE COUNTY.
>> WE STILL HAVE THAT SEVENTH DISPATCHER, WE JUST HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
REGARDLESS, WE COULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A SEVENTH DISPATCHER, BUT WE NEED THAT.
>> WELL, ULTIMATELY, WE NEED MORE THAN THAT TOO.
>> FRIDAY, YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ME ASK FOR THAT BECAUSE WE NEED THAT.
BUT EITHER WAY, IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO AND I CAN GET ONE FROM ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE, THAT'S STILL LESS OF A BURDEN THAT WE'RE PLACING ON US.
AGAIN, IT'S THAT UNKNOWN THAT I DON'T KNOW.
NONE OF MY PEOPLE SO FAR HAVE SAID NO.
>> THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WON'T GIVE US THOSE? HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO THEM?
>> THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE NUMBERS?
>> I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO NEED TO UNDERSTAND, BOYD IS VERY MUCH LIKE DECATUR.
DECATUR HAS 78,000 PEOPLE IN IT.
THERE'S 25,000 THAT CLAIM A DECATUR 911 ADDRESS.
BOYD PROBABLY IS THE EXACT SAME WAY, IF NOT EVEN MORE SO.
WE'RE GOING TO ONLY BE TAKING CARE OF BOYD PROPER, THE CITY LIMITS OF BOYD.
>> ALL THOSE OTHER 2/3, 75% OF THEIR CITIZENS THAT HAVE A BOYD ADDRESS, WE ARE NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH.
>> CORRECT. IT IS JUST THE CITY LIMITS OF BOYD.
>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVEN WITH THEIR EXPANSION, A VERY SMALL ENTITY.
AS I LOOK, AND WE TALK ABOUT THE GROWTH OF OUR COMMUNITY, I BELIEVE IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE CITY OF DECATUR TO TAKE SOME OF THESE BURDENS ON AS WE GROW, AND WE SLOWLY TAKE THEM AWAY FROM THE COUNTY, AND THAT WE ARE WHAT THE OTHER CITIES LOOK TO FOR HELP AND A WAY TO DO THINGS CORRECTLY.
I SEE THIS AS THE BEGINNING WAY TO START BUILDING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
BECAUSE AS WE GET LARGER OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, OUR BUDGET WILL OUTGROW THE COUNTY'S BUDGET, AND WE WILL BE THE ONE THAT PEOPLE LOOK TO, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DO IT AND WE DO IT CORRECTLY, AND WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT WE'RE NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE OTHER CITIZENS THAT COME SPEND THEIR TAX DOLLARS IN OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.
BECAUSE I CAN GUARANTEE YOU, WE, THE PEOPLE IN CITY OF DECATUR DO NOT CREATE $78 MILLION WORTH THE SALES TAX REVENUE.
WISE COUNTY CREATES THAT $78,000,000, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING.
IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN WORK WITH, IT'S SOMETHING THEY CAN WORK WITH,
[01:15:01]
AND IN MY EYES, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH IS ALL OF WISE COUNTY.ON THE AFTER HOURS STUFF, RIGHT NOW IF THEY HAVE A NON EMERGENCY CALL, WHO DO THEY CALL RIGHT NOW?
>> BASICALLY THEIR PHONE SYSTEM, IF IT'S AN AFTER HOURS DEAL, IT'LL GO TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WELL.
>> BUT THEY HAVE A RECORDING SYSTEM ON THEIR PHONES THAT, HEY, YOU CAN CALL.
>> IF THIS IS AN EMERGENCY CALL 911?
>> I THINK WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THAT PART, LIKE AFTER HOURS, SO OUR DISPATCHERS AREN'T GETTING TAG, HOW MANY CALLS, WE'LL KNOW THAT IN THE DATA.
>> AGAIN, THAT'S MY BIG UNKNOWN TOO IS I DON'T KNOW THAT AND THEY CAN'T GET THAT EXACT NUMBERS EITHER.
THE OTHER PART IS TO, THOUGH, IS, I TRULY FEEL THAT THEY'RE PUTTING A BIG INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE.
THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND PROBABLY 130, $140,000 ON INFRASTRUCTURE JUST TO PUT THAT REPEATER AND THAT PART OF THE COMMUNICATION STUFF UP DOWN THERE.
IT'S A REALLY BIG DEAL TO THEM TOO TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WORKS.
>> CHIEF, ARE THEY JUST USING ANTIQUATED EQUIPMENT OR WHY ARE THEY NOT UP TO SNUFF COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE USING?
>> CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE NOTHING OF THEIR OWN.
THEY RUN EVERYTHING THROUGH THE COUNTY.
THEY OPERATE OFF THE COUNTY REPEATERS AND THE COUNTY'S COMMUNICATION SYSTEM.
BUT AGAIN, BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO PUT THAT IN ON THEIR SIDE, AND THE SPEAKING WITH THEM, THEIR HOPES IS IS THAT LONG TERM DOWN THE ROAD, IF THERE'S NOT SOME TYPE OF A REGIONAL COMMUNICATION CENTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THEN THEY CAN BUILD ON THEIR OWN SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN NOW, AND MAYBE HOPEFULLY START THEIR OWN DISPATCH CENTER.
BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE AFTER MY TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE CITY?
>> NO. IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, PLEASE INCLUDE APPROVE THE AGREEMENT WITH REVISIONS AS INDICATED BY LEGAL COUNSEL.
>> ALRIGHT. HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL, WE'LL LOOK FOR THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM.
>> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNICATION SERVICES WITH THE CITY OF FLOYD AND DECATUR WITH REVISIONS.
>> AS INDICATED BY LEGAL COUNSEL.
>> AS INDICATED BY LEGAL COUNSEL.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY OTHER FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE?
>> THAT MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[4. CONSIDER AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SIGN ORDINANCE TO INCREASE THE ALLOWABLE SIZE OF ATHLETIC SCOREBOARDS, TO ADD A DEFINITION OF WAYFINDING SIGNS, AND TO ADD CITY MANAGER APPROVAL AUTHORITY. ORDINANCE 2024-06-14 ]
APPROPRIATE ACTION REGARDING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SIGN ORDINANCE, TO INCREASE THE ALLOWABLE SIZE OF ATHLETIC SCOREBOARDS, TO ADD A DEFINITION OF WAY FINDING SIGNS AND TO ADD CITY MANAGER APPROVAL OF AUTHORITY.>> DO YOU DO HAVE A HANDOUT NOT WHAT'S IN YOUR PACKET GO FROM WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU?
>> I WAS GOING TO LET DELVIN PRESENT THIS ONE ALSO.
>> I REALLY THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
>> I'M ONLY TEASING. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THIS IS YOUR SECOND TIME TO SEE THIS ITEM.
SECOND READING, SO YOU CAN TAKE ACTION ON THIS TONIGHT.
THE SPIRIT OF THIS ORDINANCE CHANGE IS SIMILAR TO SOME LANGUAGE WE WROTE INTO OUR SUBDIVISION ORDINANCE, ALLOWING FOR THERE TO BE CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX, IF YOU WILL, FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO HAVE SOME BARRIERS FOR AUTHORITY ON GRANTING A FEW THINGS THROUGH THE PROCESS.
THIS ONE SPECIFICALLY IS ABOUT DEFINING WAY FINDING SIGNS, REMOVING A OVERALL SIZE RESTRICTION TO ATHLETIC SCOREBOARDS, AND THEN ADDRESSING THE APPEALS PROCESS TO ADD CERTAIN AUTHORITIES TO THE CITY MANAGER.
IF YOU DO LOOK ON THE HANDOUT THAT WE PROVIDED, THIS IS ITEM 4, GO TO THE SECOND PAGE.
I DO WANT TO POINT OUT ONE CHANGE FROM THE TIME THAT YOU SAW THIS TWO WEEKS AGO, SECTION 15-66 APPEALS NOW HAS ITEM D, THAT SPEAKS TO GROUNDS FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE APPEALS PROCESS.
[01:20:01]
SHOULD THAT BE HANDLED IN MY OFFICE, OR OTHERWISE, IT DOES GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF DEFINING TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS WITH.AGAIN, THIS IS A SECOND READING.
YOU CAN TAKE ACTION ON THIS ITEM TONIGHT AND IT WOULD AMEND THE SIGN ORDINANCE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OR DEFER TO STAFF.
>> WILL THIS HELP WITH THE ISSUE WE HAD THE OTHER DAY WITH THE HOSPITAL?
>> YES. IT SPECIFICALLY WOULD HELP WITH THAT IN GIVING US THE DEFINITION OF A WAY FINDING SIGN.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL?
>> I MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 2024-06-14.
>> A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
WE WILL GO INTO A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 5,
[Items 5 & 6 ]
STARTING AT 7:21 P.M.THIS IS REGARDING APPLICATION 2024-02.
>> MAYOR, WE ACTUALLY HAVE ITEMS 5 AND 6.
THE PRESENTATION WILL BE COMBINED.
YOU WILL HAVE TO TAKE ACTION SEPARATELY.
>> AGENDA ITEMS 5 AND 6 IS ZC2024-02 AND ZC2024-03.
THE PROPERTY IS 203 SOUTH STATE STREET AND 205 STATE STREET.
THIS IS A ZONING CHANGE FROM SINGLE FAMILY-2 TO C-1A, WHICH IS THE DECATUR SQUARE BUSINESS ZONING DISTRICT.
HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING, HEAR COMMENTS, AND CONSIDER FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE REGARDING AN AMENDMENT TO APPENDIX B, ZONING OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
THIS IS ROSALEE HAYES ON BEHALF OF JKRK INVESTMENTS TO AMEND THE ZONING MAP FROM SF-2, SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL ZONING DISTRICT TO C-1A, THE DECATUR SQUARE BUSINESS ZONING DISTRICT.
AGAIN, THE ADDRESS IS 203 SOUTH STATE AND 205 SOUTH STATE.
ZC2024-02 IS APPROXIMATELY 0.13 ACRES OF LAND AND ZC2024-03 IS APPROXIMATELY 0.111 ACRES OF LAND.
THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING ON BOTH PROPERTIES, THIS ZONING CHANGE.
THE DECATUR 2050 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, LAND-USE MAP IS DOWNTOWN.
THE REZONING WOULD BE IN CONFORMANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN TERMS OF THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AS YOU RECALL, OUR DOWNTOWN AREA IS OUR TRADITIONAL CORE FOR COMMUNITY AND CENTERS OF ECONOMIC ENTERTAINMENT AND CIVIC ACTIVITY.
THIS AREA SERVES AS AN EMPLOYMENT AND SHOPPING DESTINATION FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND SO THIS ZONING CHANGE WOULD HELP TO ENHANCE THAT OBJECTIVE.
THE PRIMARY LAND-USE IS RETAIL, COMMERCIAL, SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL TOWN HOMES, CONDOMINIUMS, URBAN STYLE APARTMENTS, OFFICES, AND SERVICE AND OFFICE USES.
THE DEVELOPER HAS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO OFFICE AND LIVING QUARTERS OR SOME TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT IN THAT FASHION, THEY WOULD LIKE TO JUST SEE WHAT THE NEED IS AND WHAT THE DESIRE IS OF THE COMMUNITY BEFORE MOVING FORWARD.
BEFORE ANY DEVELOPMENT CAN OCCUR, THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE TO REPLAT THE PROPERTIES AND SUBMIT BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS.
THIS IS YOUR MAPS, EXISTING ZONING, EXISTING LAND-USE, AND THEN THE PROPOSED ZONING.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE ZONING DOES FIT.
WE DID NOTIFY FOR ZC24-02 23 PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RESPONSES BACK.
FOR ZC24-03, WE NOTIFIED 24 PROPERTY OWNERS AND DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RESPONSES BACK.
STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF BOTH APPLICATIONS.
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL FIVE TO ZERO WITH COMMISSIONER BERUBE ABSENT FOR BOTH APPLICATIONS.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? THIS IS A FIRST READING.
DO WE HAVE ANYBODY IN PUBLIC SIGNED UP FOR THIS?
[01:25:01]
WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 5 AT 7:25, AND WE WILL OPEN ITEM 6 FOR PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:25.AS YOU JUST WENT OVER THAT INFORMATION, ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL REGARDING THAT? DID WE HAVE ANYONE SIGN UP FOR INPUT ON THIS ONE? HEARING NONE, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE ITEM 6 AT 7:26.
[7. V2024-03 HEAR STAFF REPORT, CONSIDER AND TAKE ACTION ON A VARIANCE FROM THE CITY OF DECATUR SIGN ORDINANCE, SECTION 15-36 MULTI-TENANT SIGNS. SPECIFICALLY, THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING A MULTI-TENANT POLE SIGN AREA THAT EXCEEDS THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE AREA AND THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF POLE SIGNS ALLOWED. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS LOCATED AT 3400 S. US HIGHWAY 81-287, DECATUR, TEXAS. (VARIANCE APPLICATION 2024-03—JOHN KANOWSKY, ON BEHALF OF TA TRAVEL CENTER DECATUR) ]
CONSIDERING TO TAKE ACTION ON A VARIANCE FROM THE CITY OF DECATUR SIGNED ORDINANCE.>> THIS IS MR. JOHN KANOWSKY'S REQUEST ON BEHALF OF THE TA TRAVEL CENTER, INDICATOR FOR A MULTI-TENANT POLE SIGN VARIANCE.
THE VARIANCE IS FOR THREE SEPARATE ITEMS. THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE HEIGHT, WHICH IS 200 SQUARE FEET PER THE SIGN ORDINANCE.
THEY'RE PROPOSING 1,345 SQUARE FEET.
FOR THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE HEIGHT, WHICH IS 30 FEET, THEY'RE PROPOSING 75 FEET, AND THEN THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF POLE SIGNS ALLOWED IS ONE, AND THEY'RE PROPOSING TWO.
THE LOCATION IS 3400 SOUTH US HIGHWAY 81-287. NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS THE SIGN THAT HAS THE HEIGHT AND THE AREA MAXIMUM THAT EXCEEDS THOSE MAXIMUMS. THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND SIGN.
THE FIRST POLE SIGN WAS APPROVED, BUT THIS ONE NEEDS SOME VARIANCES. THAT'S IT.
>> I'M ASSUMING THE REASON IT NEEDS TO BE SO TALL IS BECAUSE THEY'RE IN THE BOTTOM DOWN THERE.
THE HIGHWAY ACTUALLY IS ABOVE IT.
BECAUSE YOU'D BE LOOKING AT IT EYE TO EYE, IF NOT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, OR COMMENTS? WE'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE VARIANCE APPLICATION 2024-03.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THAT MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
>> OPPOSE SAME SIGN. THAT PASSES.
ITEM 8 IS THE CONSENT AGENDA STANDARD.
[8. CONSENT AGENDA ]
WE'LL LOOK FOR A MOTION OR REP AN ITEM.>> I'M A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS WRITTEN.
>> I HEARD YOUR [INAUDIBLE] FIRST, BUT I MIGHT HAVE HEARD HER SECOND FIRST.
>> SINCE YOU POINTED THIS WAY, MS. JACKSON SECOND.
I GUESS IS THAT WHAT YOU GOT, SUZIE?
>> WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
>> OPPOSE SAME SIGN. AN AYE, BY THE WAY, FOR ME.
THAT MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU.
ITEM 9 IS PUBLIC INPUT, ANY OTHER PUBLIC INPUT TONIGHT? THEN ITEM 10 IS TO REQUEST FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, AND THAT WILL GET US TO 729 FOR ADJOURNMENT.
[APPLAUSE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.