Aug 18, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:11]

OF MCKINNEY'S REGULAR SCHEDULED CITY COUNCIL MEETING. IT'S TUESDAY, AUGUST THE 18TH, 2026.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT IN MCKINNEY, TEXAS. WITH THAT, WE WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER, AND OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS WILL BE OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 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. OKAY, NEXT ITEM WILL BE THE OPPORTUNITY

[PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS (for Non-Public Hearing Items)]

NEXT SPEAKER, LESLIE CUNNINGHAM. AND THEN SOME ODD SIDE. WE'LL DO IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY TONIGHT. WE HAVE A ROOM HERE, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER ROOM WITH MORE PEOPLE. SO IF THE SPEAKER IS NOT HERE WHEN I CALL THEIR NAME, THEY'LL BE QUEUED UP TO COME OVER. SO, MISS ROBERTS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU I APPRECIATE ALL YOU DO. LAST COUNCIL WAS TOUGH, AND I HONOR Y'ALL FOR STAYING HERE WITH YOUR RESPECT AND ALL. ALL RIGHT, SO NOW DOWN TO BUSINESS. I'M ON THE WARMING STATION COMMITTEE, AND PLANO DOES IT WHERE THEY HAVE TWO POLICE AND ONE PARAMEDIC WHILE THEY'RE OPEN. AND I DON'T WANT TO BE GREEDY. SO I'M HOPING IN THE BUDGET WE CAN GET ONE POLICE TO SERVE. WE ARE THERE ROUGHLY 28 NIGHTS DURING THE SEASON, BUT IF WE COULD, IF Y'ALL WOULD THINK ABOUT LETTING ME HAVE A POLICEMAN THERE FOR WHEN WE'RE THERE SERVING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS ROBERTS. NEXT SPEAKER, LESLIE CUNNINGHAM, THEN SAMAD, AND THEN RICHARD JERNIGAN. GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. I'M LESLIE CUNNINGHAM, 7101 VIRGINIA PARKWAY. AND I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I OPPOSE THE RECALL PETITION THAT'S DIRECTED AT FOUR OF YOU. IT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE UNANIMOUS VOTE THAT YOU MADE TWO WEEKS AGO. THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY ROUTINE TO APPROVE THE SITE PLAN FOR A RELIGIOUS ASSEMBLY. OPPOSITION TO THIS ASSEMBLY IS FUELED BY MISINFORMATION, RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY, AND THE FRANKLY DISGRACEFUL BEHAVIOR OF MY CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THREE CONGRESSPERSON. THE RECALL BACKERS HAVE BROUGHT UP OTHER CONCERNS. ALSO, I MYSELF DON'T LIKE EVERY ONE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE, BUT SOME OF YOU WEREN'T EVEN ON THE COUNCIL OR MAY HAVE VOTED NO WHEN SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS WERE MADE. I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL CLEAR THAT THOSE CONCERNS, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS, ARE NOT THE REASON FOR THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THIS CAMPAIGN IS BASED ON BIGOTRY, MAYBE ON FEAR, AND A DISREGARD FOR THE US CONSTITUTION. AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU, COUNCIL MEMBERS, HAVE TO BE SUBJECTED TO IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER SAMAD SAYED SAMAD. NEXT WILL BE RICHARD JERNIGAN. MR. MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL. I LIVED IN MCKINNEY FOR YEARS, BUILT BUSINESSES HERE, AND I'M RAISING MY FAMILY HERE. I CAME TO SAY, HERE, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE. TWO WEEKS AGO, YOU DID YOUR JOB. THE THE SITE PLAN MET THE ZONING CODE. NO VARIANCE, NO EXCEPTIONS. YOU VOTED SEVEN ZERO. YOU YOU TREATED EVERY MCKINNEY RESIDENT EQUALLY UNDER THE LAW. YOU WERE TOLD AT THIS PODIUM BY A CONGRESSMAN TO HONOR YOUR OATH. AND YOU DID THAT. YOU EXACTLY DID THAT. THE MUSLIM FAMILIES OF MCKINNEY ARE NOT STRANGERS. 30 YEARS WE HAVE PRAYED HERE AND WE ASKED ONLY FOR EQUAL TREATMENT. AND YOU GAVE IT. HAVE YOU NOTICED LATELY HOW OUR POLITICIANS RESPOND WHEN YOU

[00:05:05]

IT TURNS INTO AN ATTACK ON OUR NEIGHBORS. THIS SOUNDS LIKE THIS SOUNDS NOTHING BUT A DISTRACTION AND FAILURE. ONE WEEK AFTER YOUR VOTE CAME A RECALL CITING LOSS OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE. AND IF YOU READ IT, IT NEVER MENTIONS A MOSQUE. NOT ONCE, BECAUSE THE COUNCIL ABSOLUTELY FOLLOWED THE CONSTITUTION. AND THEY CANNOT WRITE THAT IN THAT IN THAT AS A REASON. IF UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION COST YOU THE CONFIDENCE OF LOUD MINORITY, LET IT BE. LET ME BE CLEAR. THE CONSTITUTION IS NOT UP FOR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. IT IS THE CONFIDENCE OF THIS COUNTRY. YOU, ANSWERED MCKINNEY, WITH THE LAW. THIS IS THE ONLY ANSWER MCKINNEY EVER NEEDED. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, RICHARD JERNIGAN. GOOD EVENING.

I'M RICHARD JERNIGAN, A PRECINCT CHAIR IN THE COLLIN COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY. I'M ON THE INTERFAITH COUNCIL OF THANKS-GIVING SQUARE IN DALLAS AND A MEMBER OF FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HERE IN MCKINNEY. FIRST OF ALL, I DO NOT SUPPORT RECALLING THE VOTE ON THE FOUR CHAMBER MEMBERS. ALL OF YOU MADE A DECISION TO. BASED ON FOLLOWING CITY CODE WITH FAIRNESS FOR ALL CITIZENS. THIS RECALL IS BASED ON NOTHING MORE OR LESS THAN PREJUDICE.

PREJUDICE AGAINST ADHERENTS TO A SPECIFIC RELIGION. AND IF THIS PREJUDICE IS COMING FROM CHRISTIANS AGAINST MUSLIMS, I URGE YOU TO LOOK CLOSELY AT JESUS'S PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN. THIS STORY IS CORE TO JESUS'S TEACHING, AND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ACCOUNT, JESUS'S PARABLE COMPELS A JEWISH PHARISEE SCHOLAR TO ADMIT THAT A SAMARITAN COULD ACTUALLY BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. THE SAMARITANS, YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE THAT HAD OCCUPIED JEWISH LAND SEVERAL CENTURIES EARLIER WHEN THE JEWS GOT FORCED INTO EXILE IN BABYLON. SO ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS THESE ASSAULTS ON ISLAM NOT ONLY GO AGAINST OUR U.S. CONSTITUTION, THEY ALSO GO AGAINST YOUR RELIGION. IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, A RELIGION I SHARE WITH YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS AHMAD ALGERIE AHMAD. YES. GOOD EVENING GENTLEMEN. LADY, IT IS A PLEASURE FOR ME TODAY TO BE HERE TO GIVE MY SINCERE THANKS TO EACH ONE OF YOU AND FOR THE HONEST AND THE GREAT JOB THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND YOU ARE DOING SINCE YOU TOOK OFFICE. ABOVE ALL, YOU ARE STUDYING FAST AND OBEYING AND FOLLOWING THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL THAT LIVES IN OUR UNIQUE CITY. AND ABOVE ALL, YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE CONSTITUTION FOR ALL DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE TO BETTER THIS CITY AND IN DIFFERENT OPINIONS, DIFFERENT PEOPLES. WE ARE NOT PERFECT, BUT WE ARE SUBJECT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE LIVE IN HARMONY AND WE RESPECT ONE ANOTHER'S RIGHTS. AND YOU'VE DONE THAT. AND OF COURSE, I LIVED IN MULTIPLE CITY OF NORTH TEXAS AND WEST TEXAS, BUT I CHOOSE MCKINNEY TO RAISE MY FAMILY AND TO MAKE MY LIVING. AND THANK GOD AND THANK ALL THE RESIDENTS OF MCKINNEY FOR THE WELCOMING AND FOR THE HOSPITALITY THAT THEY GIVE ME SINCE 1979. AND I STARTED MY HOME HERE, AND WE ARE ALL PROUD TO HAVE YOU AS A MEMBER OF OUR CITY COUNCIL, KEEPING OUR CITY UNIQUE BY NATURE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND PROTECT YOU AND THE CITY FROM ALL HARM COMING TO US.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER AJ MICHIELETTO. THEN WE'LL HAVE EVAN HUNT, KEN HOLLIDAY, KENDALL SCUDDER. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL. I'VE HAD THE HONOR TO SERVE THIS CITY, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, A PLACE WHERE I HAVE HAD THE FORTUNATE TO CALL HOME FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. I'VE RAISED MY CHILDREN HERE. I'VE SERVED ON MULTIPLE BOARDS HERE,

[00:10:04]

MCKINNEY IS MY HOME. I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE IT, SUPPORT IT, AND GIVE BACK IN EVERY WAY I CAN. AND I APPRECIATE EACH ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS EVAN HUNT. MR. HUNT, THEN KENDALL SCUDDER, MUHAMMAD TAN. I'M SORRY, KEN HOLLIDAY, MR. HUNT, I APOLOGIZE. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS EVAN HUNT AND I'M A PROUD MCKINNEY RESIDENT. I'M NOT GOING TO WASTE TIME REHASHING THE LEGALITY OF THE MOSQUE APPROVAL, THE PROVEN CHARACTER OF OUR MUSLIM COMMUNITY, OR THIS COUNCIL'S CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO FOLLOW THE LAW, WHICH IT RIGHTLY DID.

LET'S GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER AND CALL THIS SHAMEFUL RECALL PETITION WHAT IT IS A WAVE OF HATE IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT ISN'T DISCERNMENT, IT ISN'T INQUIRY, IT ISN'T CAUTION. IT'S HATE. HATE FUELED BY ANXIETY OVER RAPID GROWTH, CONGESTION, COMPETITION AND ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY. HATE AMPLIFIED BY INFLUENCERS AND ALGORITHMS DESPERATE FOR CLICKS AND ATTENTION, HATE JUSTIFIED BY FAKE KEYBOARD EXPERTS WHO DON'T BOTHER TO GET OUT AND TALK TO THEIR OWN NEIGHBORS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY. AND, WORST OF ALL, HATE GIVEN LICENSE BY POLITICIANS LIKE KEITH SELF WHO HAVE BETRAYED THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES IN FAVOR OF EXTREMISTS, SPECIAL INTERESTS AND BIG DOLLAR DONORS, THIS HATE CLOAKS ITSELF IN FALSE RELIGION, PRETENDING THAT THE COMMANDMENT TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOR COMES WITH CAVEATS. IT WRAPS ITSELF IN FALSE PATRIOTISM, PUSHING THE LIE THAT AMERICA BELONGS TO ONE RELIGION, WHICH IT DOES NOT. IT'S AN OLD AND FAMILIAR HATE. CATHOLICS, BLACKS, JAPANESE IMMIGRANTS, JEWS, GAYS. I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT HATE, BIGOTRY AND PREJUDICE ARE NOT CHRISTIAN.

THEY ARE NOT AMERICAN AND THEY DO NOT REPRESENT MCKINNEY. THAT'S WHY BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS HAVE COME TOGETHER TODAY TO SHOW UP FOR OUR NEIGHBORS AND STAND IN DEFENSE OF THIS CITY COUNCIL. WE HOLD FAST TO THE DREAM OF AN AMERICA WHERE PEOPLE OF EVERY COLOR AND CREED UNDER THE LAW ARE EQUAL UNDER THE LAW, AND WHERE WE JUDGE PEOPLE BY WHAT THEY DO, NOT HOW THEY DRESS OR HOW THEY WORSHIP. IT'S TIME TO END THIS CULTURE WAR NONSENSE AND FOCUS ON THE REAL PROBLEMS TEXANS FACE EVERY DAY, OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY. IF I'VE LEARNED ANYTHING AS A HUSBAND, A FATHER, AND A 20 YEAR COMBAT VETERAN, IT'S THIS AMERICAN GREATNESS HAS NEVER COME FROM PUSHING PEOPLE DOWN. IT HAS ALWAYS COME FROM LIFTING PEOPLE UP. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS KEN HOLLIDAY, KEN HOLLIDAY, AND THEN KENDALL SCUDDER, MUHAMMAD TAN, NAJEEB KAZI, MR. HOLLIDAY, EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE RESPECT AND SUPPORT OF MY FAMILY AND EASILY THE MAJORITY OF THE RESIDENTS OF OUR GREAT CITY. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALSO TO OUR CITY SECRETARY AND SUPPORT STAFF.

YOU GUYS DO NOT GET NEARLY ENOUGH RECOGNITION AND THANKS. AND SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS KEN HOLLIDAY, LIVE AT 807 NORTH CHURCH STREET HERE IN MCKINNEY. WHEN OUR ELECTED MAYORS AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WHEN, WHEN WHEN THEY'RE ELECTED, THEY SWEAR AN OATH OF OFFICE.

AN OATH IS MORE THAN JUST A PROMISE. AN OATH IS A SOLEMN COMMITMENT, OFTEN INVOKING GOD OR A SACRED AUTHORITY. EACH MEMBER OF OUR COUNCIL DAIS HERE BEFORE US RIGHT NOW HAVE SWORN SOLEMN OATH TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE US CONSTITUTION, TEXAS STATE LAW, AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ALL MCKINNEY RESIDENTS, AND OUR AUGUST 4TH COUNCIL MEETING. AN ANGRY CROWD DEMANDED THE CITY COUNCIL UNETHICALLY VIOLATE THEIR OATH OF OFFICE BY DENYING PRIVATE PROPERTY RIGHTS. PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS THEIR CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTED RIGHT TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN PRIVATE PROPERTY WITHIN THE LAW. I DON'T HAVE WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW ABSURD IT IS TO DEMAND THAT OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT THEMSELVES AS

[00:15:05]

MY NAME IS KENDALL SCUDDER. I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY. WHEN I HEARD WHAT THIS COMMUNITY WAS GOING THROUGH, I WANTED TO MAKE THE TRIP TO COME HERE TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DID TWO WEEKS AGO. I KNOW THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD.

YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF NEIGHBORS. IT'S HARD TO DO THAT WHEN THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO CHOOSE TO ACT UNNEIGHBORLY. BUT WHAT YOU DID TWO WEEKS AGO, AND WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO STAND FOR, IS FUNDAMENTALLY WHO WE ARE AS AMERICANS. IT STANDS FOR INDIVIDUALS, CIVIL RIGHTS AND INDIVIDUAL RELIGIOUS LIBERTIES. AND I JUST WANTED TO COME AND THANK YOU AND TELL YOU I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR THAT. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF US, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU HAVE A CONGRESSIONAL CHAMBER WITH 435 PEOPLE IN IT, YOU OCCASIONALLY RUN ACROSS A DUD. AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF US, THAT DUD IS HERE IN TEXAS. IT'S EMBARRASSING TO ALL OF US WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS COMMUNITY. BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT EVEN OUTSIDE OF THIS COMMUNITY, WE'RE WATCHING YOUR BRAVERY. WE'RE WATCHING YOUR STRENGTH. WE RESPECT WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE AND ARE GREATLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD, WHERE EVERYONE IS WELCOME. AND THAT'S THE TYPE OF TEXAS THAT WE ALL WANT TO BUILD TOGETHER. AND SO FROM MYSELF, FROM THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY TO YOU, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND APPRECIATE YOUR WORK STANDING UP FOR WHAT IT FUNDAMENTALLY MEANS TO BE AN AMERICAN. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER MUHAMMAD KHAN, MUHAMMAD KHAN, NEXT SPEAKER, MAJID KAZI, I APOLOGIZE IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME NEXT SPEAKER MUHAMMAD KHAN. NO. NEXT SPEAKER GEORGE FULLER. YES. OKAY. FALSE ALARM.

COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME FOR US, PLEASE? MUJIB KAZI, YOU YOU DID NOT BUTCHER IT TOO MUCH. I WAS REALLY CLOSE, WASN'T I KNOW YOU DIDN'T. WELL, I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU ALL ARE SMILING BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE ONE OF THE GREATEST MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED YOURSELF TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY SOMETIME IT'S NOT AN EASY TASK TO STICKING YOUR NECK OUT FOR A JOB THAT OFTENTIMES IS A THANKLESS JOB. I APPLAUD YOU, I THANK YOU, AND I MUST APPRECIATE YOU FOR DOING THE RIGHT THING THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN THE OATH FOR. WE HAVE SEEN RELIGIOUS EXPLOITATION OF AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO DIVIDE PEOPLE. WE HAVE SEEN REPEATED MISINFORMATION AND FEAR BASED NARRATIVE, CREATING A POLITICAL BOOGEYMAN AROUND THE WORD SHARIA, USING ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS SO-CALLED SHARIA FREE CAUCUS TO SPEW FEAR, FEAR, FEAR AND HATE FOR POLITICAL MILEAGE. BUT GOOD LEADERSHIP SUCH AS YOURSELF DOES NOT SURRENDER TO FEAR. GOOD LEADERSHIP RISES ABOVE THE POLITICAL NOISE AND PROTECT CONSTITUTION, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF RELIGION, EQUAL PROTECTION AND RIGHTS OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. CITY COUNCIL DEMONSTRATED COURAGE BY REFUSING TO BE BULLIED OR INTIMIDATED. YOU CHOSE CONSTITUTIONAL PRINCIPLES OVER POLITICAL PRESSURE, AND THAT DESERVES OUR RESPECT AND GRATITUDE. WE ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE HYPOCRISY WHEN ELECTED. OFFICIAL CAMPAIGNS IN SUPPORT AND MONEY FROM VERY COMMUNITIES THAT LATER TARGETS POLITICAL GAINS. YOU CANNOT ASK COMMUNITY FOR ITS VOTE, SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTION, THEN TURN AROUND AND USE THE SAME COMMUNITY AS POLITICAL PUNCHING BAG. OUR MESSAGE IS SIMPLE WE WILL NOT BE DIVIDED BY FEAR. RELIGION WILL NOT BE EXPLOITED FOR POLITICAL GAINS, AND NO COMMUNITY SHOULD BE TARGETED SIMPLY BECAUSE OF ITS DIFFERENT. THIS IS NOT ABOUT AMERICA VERSUS. THIS IS NOT ABOUT MUSLIM VERSUS CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT VERSUS REPUBLICANS OR

[00:20:01]

THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IS GEORGE FULLER. AFTER MR. FULLER IS ASIF EFFENDI. AND THEN SWALA SAFARIS, MR. FULLER. ALL RIGHT. THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, MANY, MANY OF THE PEOPLE HERE WERE NOT MCKINNEY RESIDENTS. YET THE SPECTACLE CREATED REACHED EVERY CORNER OF THIS COUNTRY. AND WHEN THE CAMERAS LEAVE AND THE AND THE AGITATORS MOVE TO THE NEXT CITY, THE NEXT SOCIAL MEDIA OUTRAGE FINDS ITS NEXT TARGET. THEY WILL NOT BE HERE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. WE WILL. MCKINNEY RESIDENTS WILL BE LEFT TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO OUR REPUTATION. BUSINESSES CONSIDERING. MCKINNEY WILL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK. EMPLOYERS AND CORPORATIONS CONSIDERING RELOCATION WILL ASK HARDER QUESTIONS. FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT PROJECTS, RESTAURANTS, RETAILERS, FAMILIES LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME WILL VIEW OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH A DIFFERENT, MORE CRITICAL LENS. THAT IS THE REAL COST OF TURNING OUR CITY INTO A NATIONAL POLITICAL BATTLEGROUND. AND NOW FIVE PETITIONERS HAVE INITIATED AN EFFORT TO RECALL DULY ELECTED MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. WHAT'S EXTRAORDINARY IS THAT THESE PETITIONERS DID NOT VOTE IN THE ELECTIONS THAT PUT THESE COUNCIL MEMBERS IN OFFICE. ASHLEY LOUDON, A WANNABE INFLUENCER WHO'S BECOME A RECKLESS, LOUD VOICE IN THIS EFFORT, NEVER VOTED IN ANY OF THE ELECTIONS FOR ANY OF YOU UP HERE. THEY CHOSE NOT TO PARTICIPATE. WHEN MCKINNEY VOTERS WENT TO THE POLLS, THEY DID NOT ENGAGE IN THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL ACT OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. YET NOW THEY SEEK TO SHORT CIRCUIT AND PROCESS AND PROCESS AND REMOVE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO WERE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY VOTED. BUT THIS MOMENT WILL PASS. THE CROWDS WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE, THE CAMERAS WILL DISAPPEAR, AGITATORS WILL RETURN TO THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES, AND WE STILL WILL BE HERE.

NEIGHBORS, MANY NEIGHBORS THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM, BUSINESS OWNERS, TEACHERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. OUR WORK THEN BEGINS. WE WILL BUILD, REBUILD WHAT HAS BEEN DAMAGED. WE WILL REMIND THIS COUNTRY WHO MCKINNEY REALLY IS, AND WE WILL RETURN OUR FOCUS TO WHAT MADE THIS COMMUNITY ONE THAT EARNED RECOGNITION AS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN AMERICA. MCKINNEY BELONGS TO ALL OF US, AND WHEN THE DUST SETTLES, IT WILL BE ALL OF US TOGETHER WHO MOVE IT FORWARD. AND I DO HAVE A MESSAGE FOR CONGRESSMAN KEITH'S SELF, WHO PERFORMED SOME OF THE MOST COWARDLY POLITICAL THEATER IN THE LAST MEETING. I URGE HIM TO GO BACK AND WATCH THE VIDEO OF HIMSELF, WHERE HE SAT IN A ROOM FULL OF MUSLIMS AND TOLD THEM THAT HE SUPPORTED THEM, THAT THE CONSTITUTION SUPPORTS THEM. HE CONTRASTED OUR CONSTITUTION WITH RUSSIA'S. HE NEEDS TO GO BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SPEAKER, I SEE. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, AND THE COUNCIL. MY NAME IS ASIF EFFENDI AND MAYOR, YOU PRONOUNCE MY NAME VERY WELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WANT I'M I'M STANDING HERE TO REALLY THANK YOU FOR YOUR STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, YOUR DEDICATION TO SERVING ALL

[00:25:02]

OUR COUNTRY HAS ONE SUPREME LAW AND THAT IS CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW FEAR AND MISINFORMATION TO TURN NEIGHBOR AGAINST NEIGHBOR. UNFORTUNATELY, A CERTAIN CONGRESSMAN IS USING THE FALSE NARRATIVE TO CREATE FEAR AND DIVISION FOR POLITICAL GAINS AND RHETORIC LIKE THIS THAT DEMONIZES THE WHOLE COMMUNITY CAN FUEL ANTISEMITISM, ANTI-BLACK RACISM, ANTI-MUSLIM BIGOTRY, HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE, AND OTHER FORMS OF HATRED. WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT. AMERICA CAN DO BETTER. BETTER THAN THAT. THERE IS NO CONTRADICTION. BEING A FAITHFUL MUSLIM AND A FAITHFUL AMERICAN, MUSLIM AMERICANS HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR THIS COUNTRY, AND OUR HISTORY REMINDS US THAT MOROCCO WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY WHO FORMALLY RECOGNIZED THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES IN 1777, IS WRITTEN IN HISTORY. OUR FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS RELIGIOUS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR ALL CHRISTIANS, JEWS, MUSLIMS OF MUSLIMS, PEOPLE OF EVERY FAITH, AND PEOPLE OF NO FAITH. DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT FAITHS. ONE AMERICA, ONE PEOPLE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER,

[00:30:05]

RESOLVE TO MAKE SOME OF THESE DECISIONS. YOU CAN'T MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON EMOTIONS AND FEELINGS. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THEM ON THE FACTS, THE LAWS AND THE CONSTITUTION IN EACH ONE OF YOU.

CONTINUE TO DO THAT EVERY DAY, AND I AM HONORED TO BE PART OF YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE CITY OF MCKINNEY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. VICTOR. LUBNA KHAN, KHAN, THEN JOANNA STARK, HAROON, SID, CHRIS TREVINO, MARCUS. LLOYD. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MR. WILCOX, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AND THE STAFF. MY NAME IS LUBNA KHAN AND I'M A RESIDENT OF MCKINNEY. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO STAND UP FOR THE PRINCIPLES THAT DEFINE WHO WE ARE AS A CITY AND AS A NATION. I'M HERE BECAUSE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY IS FACING A CRITICAL CHOICE ABOUT THE KIND OF DISCOURSE WE ALLOW TO SHAPE OUR FUTURE. WHILE THERE MAY NOT BE A SPECIFIC LEGISLATIVE ITEM ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT, THERE IS A PERMANENT AGENDA THAT REQUIRES OUR CONSTANT VIGILANCE. THE DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. THE FIRST AMENDMENT DOES NOT JUST TOLERATE DIVERSITY, IT PROTECTS IT AS A CORE STRENGTH. WHEN CANDIDATES USE FALSE SLOGANS TO TARGET NEIGHBORS FOR POLITICAL POINTS, IT DOESN'T JUST HARM A SINGLE GROUP. IT FRAYS THE FOUNDATIONAL TRUST OF OUR ENTIRE CITY. MCKINNEY HAS ALWAYS PRIDED ITSELF ON BEING A PLACE OF RESILIENCE, DIVERSITY, AND MUTUAL RESPECT. WE CANNOT ALLOW FEAR TO BE SOLD AS POLICY WHEN WE PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF OUR MUSLIM NEIGHBORS, OUR CHRISTIAN NEIGHBORS, OUR JEWISH NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS, WE PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF EVERYONE. IT IS THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROMISE THAT EVERY PERSON IS TREATED FAIRLY, JUDGED BY THEIR ACTIONS AND THE LAW, NOT BY RUMOR, STEREOTYPES OR FEAR MONGERING. DUE PROCESS ENSURES THAT JUSTICE REMAINS BLIND TO PREJUDICE AND OPEN TO TRUTH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER. NEXT SPEAKER.

JOANNA STARK AND HAROON, SID, CHRIS TREVINO, MARCUS. LLOYD. HELLO, MISTER MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JOANNA STARK. I'VE BEEN A MCKINNEY RESIDENT FOR WELL OVER A DECADE AND A DECADE, AND I'M ALSO A NATIVE TEXAN AND A MEMBER OF THE MCKINNEY ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION. I HAVE AMERICAN BLOOD RUNNING THROUGH ME AS FAR BACK AS THE ORIGINAL COLONIST,

[00:35:03]

WE ARE PART OF THE FABRIC THAT MAKES UP THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF MCKINNEY. WE ARE TAUGHT BY OUR BY OUR MOM, JABALI, TO BE STRONG IN OUR FAITH, GREAT IN OUR CHARACTER, AND TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE STRIVE TO DO AND WHAT WE DO. WHEN YOU ALL APPROVED OUR MOSQUE, YOU DID MORE THAN APPROVE A BUILDING. YOU AFFIRMED A FUNDAMENTAL, A FUNDAMENTAL AMERICAN PRINCIPLE THAT MUSLIMS HAVE EQUAL AND. AND THAT MUSLIMS HAVE AN EQUAL AND PERMANENT PLACE IN THIS CITY AND NATION. YOU HAVE HELD THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION AND THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM THAT BELONGS TO EVERY AMERICAN, WITH NO EXCEPTIONS. THANK YOU FOR UPHOLDING THE VERY FREEDOMS THAT MY FAMILY AND SO MANY OTHER AMERICAN FAMILIES, FAMILIES HAVE FOUGHT FOR, SACRIFICED FOR, AND DIED FOR. MAY YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THE DECISION THAT YOU MADE MATTERED NOT JUST FOR OUR MOSQUE, BUT FOR THE ENDURING PRINCIPLE THAT OUR COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED ON MA SALAAM AND GO IN PEACE. AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND NEXT SPEAKER HAROON SID, THEN CHRISTOPHER, MARCUS LLOYD AND AZHAR AZIZ, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NEIGHBORS AND FELLOW AMERICANS, AND OUR MAYOR BILL AND THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU FOR UPHOLDING THE LAW. MY NAME IS HAROON. YOU MAY PRONOUNCE IT WITH THE H OR A OR H, WHATEVER COMES NATURAL TO YOU, BILL, ESPECIALLY. AND THAT IS PART OF OUR BEAUTY. THAT IS THE COUNTRY THAT HAS CREATED THE COEXISTENCE. COEXISTENCE WITH THE IRISH ACCENT, BRITISH ACCENT, HISPANIC ACCENT, SOUTHERN ACCENT AND ARABIC ACCENTS AND THE INDIAN ACCENT.

HOW WE PRONOUNCE ONE ANOTHER'S NAME IS NOT IMPORTANT. BILL. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES THIS PLAN WITH A SEVEN AND ZERO. NOT BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE NAMES, NOT BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE COLOR, NOT BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE RELIGION, NOT BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE DRESS. JUST BECAUSE IT WAS THE LAW. BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THE PEOPLE GATHER HERE TODAY STANDS WITH THOSE WHO STAND WITH THE LAW. BUT REMEMBER ONE THING AND WHICH IS VERY EQUALLY TO UNDERSTAND FOR ALL OF US, THAT THE SAME LAW THAT PROTECTS THE RIGHT TO ESTABLISH AND PEACEFULLY USE A PLACE FOR WORSHIP, AND ALSO PROTECTS THE RIGHT FOR THE NEIGHBORING AND THE CITIZENS AND THE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS AROUND AND EVERYWHERE ELSE. BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHEN WE BECOME DIVIDED AND CONFUSED, SOMETIMES WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE CORE, GO BACK TO THE CORE, THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED. AND THOSE PRINCIPLES ARE THE LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PUREST OF THE HAPPINESS. AND THAT ALSO COMES WITH OUR INDEPENDENCE AND THE DECLARATION AND OUR CONSTITUTION THAT GIVES US THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, THAT GIVES US THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, RELIGION, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I DO NOT HAVE TO REPEAT ALL THOSE THINGS THAT ARE MENTIONED FOR THE NEIGHBORS. THE FAITH IS NOT DEMONSTRATED MERELY BY WORDS HANGING ON THE WALL. AS WE ARE HANGING ALL THOSE TEN COMMANDMENTS ON OUR WALLS. IF WE HAVE FORGOTTEN HOW WE NEED TO PRACTICE THOSE COMMANDMENTS, HOW DO WE NEED TO PRACTICE EACH OTHER? WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LEARN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, CHRIS TREVINO, THEN MARCUS LLOYD, AZHAR AZIZ AND KELLY ROBERTS.

MR. TREVINO. MY NAME IS CHRIS TREVINO. I LIVE AT 903 NORTH CHURCH STREET, AND I AM NOT A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF MCKINNEY FOR THE LAST 52 YEARS, AND MY FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE 1950S. AND THERE'S A COUPLE OTHERS HERE, ALSO BORN AND RAISED IN MCKINNEY, INCLUDING OUR MAYOR. I JUST WANT Y'ALL TO I JUST WANT TO REMIND Y'ALL OUTSIDERS, WE WELCOME Y'ALL INTO OUR CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, AND MAYOR. I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I WANT YOU TO KNOW I SUPPORT YOU. AND THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY WHO SUPPORT YOU AND APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU CONTINUE TO DO. FOR MCKINNEY, WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GOING TO AGREE, BUT THIS IS WHAT THESE MEETINGS ARE FOR. WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE MCKINNEY OR NEW MCKINNEY CALLING THEMSELVES INFLUENCERS, COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY AND TELLING US WHAT IS SUPPOSEDLY HAPPENING IN OUR CITY. THEY WON'T BE THE ONES LIVING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES. WHEN THIS ALL IS OVER WITH, WE WILL. SO MAYOR AND COUNCIL, KEEP DOING THE WORK. KEEP LISTENING TO THE RESIDENTS. KEEP ANSWERING TO THE HARD QUESTIONS. DON'T.

DON'T LET THE LOUDEST VOICES, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM OUTSIDE MCKINNEY, CONVINCE YOU THEY SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR ME. AND TO THOSE WHO MAY NOT, WHO MAY HAVE

[00:40:04]

CHRISTIANS. WE MUST BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE IF WE FEAR THAT ONE DAY A RELIGIOUS GROUP MIGHT USE POLITICAL POWER TO DENY US OUR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, WE CANNOT USE OUR POLITICAL POWER TODAY TO DENY THEM THEIRS. WE CANNOT BECOME THE VERY THING WE SAY WE ARE AFRAID OF. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MENTIONED. IT HAS ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED THAT JESUS ONCE WAS ASKED, WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? AND HE ANSWERED BY TELLING A STORY. AND IN THAT STORY, JESUS. HE MADE THE HERO OF THE STORY, THE VERY NEIGHBOR HIS AUDIENCE LEARNED TO FEAR. MAYBE JESUS WAS TEACHING US THAT LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR BECOMES MOST CHRISTIAN. WHEN NEIGHBOR INCLUDES THE PERSON WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO FEAR. AND OUR MUSLIM NEIGHBORS ARE OUR NEIGHBORS. NOW. COUNCIL, I'LL SPEAK TO YOU. I HAVE SAID ACROSS TABLES FROM YOU. I'VE SHARED MEALS WITH YOU. I HAVE LAUGHED WITH YOU. I HAVE WORKED WITH YOU. AND LORD KNOWS I HAVE DISAGREED WITH SEVERAL OF YOU. BUT I HAVE NEVER DOUBTED YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY. I'VE NEVER DOUBTED THE SACRIFICE YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES HAVE MADE TO HAVE YOU SERVED THE WAY YOU DO. I LOVE YOU AND I BELIEVE IN YOU, AND I THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING MY MUSLIM NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS AND PROVIDING THEM THE SAME RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. I WOULD ASK YOU TO PROTECT ME. AND TO MY CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS, DOCTOR KING REMINDS US THAT HATE CANNOT DRIVE OUT HATE. ONLY LOVE CAN DO THAT. AND THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US SOMETHING EVEN DEEPER. PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT ALL FEAR. SO MCKINNEY HAS A CHOICE. WE CAN ALLOW FEAR TO MAKE ENEMIES OF OUR NEIGHBORS, OR WE CAN ALLOW LOVE TO MAKE NEIGHBORS OF THOSE WHO ONCE WE CONSIDERED ENEMIES. BECAUSE HISTORY WILL REMIND US WHETHER WE PROTECTED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

BUT HEAVEN WILL ASK US AN EVEN HARDER QUESTION WHEN THE PEOPLE YOU FEARED BECAME YOUR NEIGHBORS, DID YOU LOVE THEM AS JESUS DID? THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER AZAH AZIZ. NEXT UP WILL BE KELLY ROBERTS AND THEN JUNE JENKINS. GREETINGS OF PEACE AND GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISTER MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE CITY OF MCKINNEY. YOUR DECISION AND CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE REMEMBERED AND APPLAUDED BY ALL OF US FOR YEARS TO COME. YOU HAVE DONE THE RIGHT THING AND STOOD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. BY SUPPORTING THIS MOSQUE PROJECT. THROUGH YOUR SUPPORT TO THIS PROJECT, YOU HAVE UPHELD THE GREAT AMERICAN TRADITION, IDEALS, VALUES, AND PRINCIPLES OF OUR BELOVED NATION. THE US CONSTITUTION GIVES STRONG PROTECTION TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, PRIMARILY THROUGH THE FIRST AMENDMENT. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM STATES UNDER FREE EXERCISE CLAUSE. IT SAYS, AND I QUOTE, THE GOVERNMENT GENERALLY CANNOT PROHIBIT PEOPLE FROM PRACTICING THEIR RELIGION. OTHER IMPORTANT CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION IS GIVEN UNDER ARTICLE SIX. THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT PROTECTION FOR RELIGIOUS PRACTICES, INCLUDING MUSLIM RELIGIOUS PRACTICES, AND THE SUPREME COURT HAS DEVELOPED SUBSTANTIAL CASE LAW AROUND THIS BALANCE. REVEREND JESSE JACKSON ONCE SAID, AMERICA IS NOT LIKE A BLANKET, ONE PIECE OF UNBROKEN CLOTH. AMERICA IS MORE LIKE A QUILT. MANY PATCHES, MANY PIECES, MANY COLORS, MANY SIZES, ALL WOVEN TOGETHER TOGETHER BY A COMMON THREAD.

THE WORD FEAR, F, E, AR STANDS FOR FORGET EVERYTHING AND RUN OR FACE EVERYTHING AND RISE.

YOU HAVE DISPLAYED THIS ACTION THROUGH YOUR DECISION SO WELL. SO I PRAY TO GOD ALMIGHTY TO BLESS EACH ONE OF YOU. AND I VERY STRONGLY OPPOSE AND DO NOT SUPPORT THIS ATTEMPT TO RECALL OUR ESTEEMED COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS RECALL PETITION IS UNJUST AND SHAMEFUL. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY OF MCKINNEY AND BLESS OUR BELOVED NATION, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, SPEAKER KELLY ROBERTS AND MEDICAL FOR MISS ROBERTS. HI. THANKS FOR GETTING MY NAME RIGHT. I'M KELLY ROBERTS. I'M A 29 YEAR RESIDENT

[00:45:03]

MOST PEOPLE NEVER HAVE TO SUMMON IN THEIR OWN JOBS. I'M RAISING MY KIDS IN THIS CITY, AND I WANT THEM TO GROW UP WATCHING LEADERS HOLD THAT LINE UNDER PRESSURE, NOT FOLD WHEN IT GETS LOUD. THAT'S THE MCKINNEY WORTH PROTECTING. SO TONIGHT, SIMPLY, WE SEE WHAT THIS IS COSTING YOU. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR IT. AND WE STAND BEHIND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO CHOOSE THE CONSTITUTION AND THE RULE OF LAW OVER THE SIZE OF THE CROWD, ASKING THEM NOT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, JUNE JENKINS.

JUNE. NEXT WILL BE TAKEN. SORRY, BETH BENTLEY. WOULD YOU CALL? GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM JUNE JENKINS, PRESIDENT OF THE COLLIN COUNTY NAACP. I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF THE SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO HONORED THEIR OATH THAT THEY TOOK TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION AND LAW. LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT WAS BEFORE THIS COUNCIL A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT IGNITED THIS. RECALL A DECISION ON WHETHER A SITE PLAN MET THE APPLICABLE ZONING REQUIREMENTS PERIOD. IT WAS NOT A VOTE ON ISLAM. IT WAS NOT A VOTE ON WHETHER THE MOSQUE WAS WELCOMED IN MCKINNEY. THE COUNCIL HAD AN OBLIGATION TO APPLY THE LAW FAIRLY AND EQUALLY TO DENY AN APPLICATION BECAUSE OF SOMEONE'S RELIGION WOULD RAISE SERIOUS QUESTIONS OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. 50 TO 60 YEARS AGO. MANY OF THE SAME FEAR, TACTICS AND HATE WE HEAR BEING USED AGAINST MUSLIMS TODAY WERE USED AGAINST THE BLACK COMMUNITY. WE WERE TOLD WHERE WE COULD LIVE, GO TO SCHOOL, WORSHIP, GATHER AND WHETHER WE WERE WELCOME. MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME IF YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR HISTORY, YOU WILL ALLOW IT TO REPEAT ITSELF. IF GOVERNMENT CAN TAKE AWAY SOMEONE'S RIGHTS TODAY, WHAT PREVENTS IT FROM TAKING MINE AWAY TOMORROW? NOW THERE IS AN EFFORT TO REMOVE FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY QUESTION IS REPLACE THEM WITH WHO? OTHERS WHO WILL UPHOLD THE LAW BASED ON

[00:50:04]

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TWO REPRESENTATIVES, KEITH SELF AND CARISSA RICHARDSON, WHO HAVE BEEN INFECTED BY THIS DISEASE, AND THEY'RE SPREADING IT TO THEIR FOLLOWERS. THEY COMMENT ABOUT ISLAM AND SHARIA AS IF THEY UNDERSTAND THEIR RELIGION BETTER THAN PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY PRACTICE IT, PRACTICE IT. THAT'S JUST PLAIN IGNORANCE. SHARIA IS NOT A SECRET POLITICAL CONSPIRACY, AND IT'S NOT GOING TO REPLACE THE CONSTITUTION. MUSLIMS ARE AMERICANS. THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE SAME CONSTITUTION AND LAWS AS EVERYONE ELSE. WHAT CONCERNS ME IS WHEN POLITICAL AND POLITICIANS TAKE COMPLICATED RELIGIOUS ISSUES, STRIP AWAY ALL CONTEXT AND TURN THEM INTO POLITICAL TALKING POINTS, AND DESIGNED TO THREATEN FEAR. THIS ISN'T LEADERSHIP, THIS IS PANDERING. AND THIS IS WHAT WE WITNESSED TWO WEEKS AGO. LET'S BE HONEST, POLITICIANS LIKE KEITH SELF AND CARISSA RICHARDSON ARE WILLING TO SEEK OUT MINORITY VOTERS AND ATTEND MINORITY EVENTS TO SEEK SUPPORT TO TO ACCEPT THEIR POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS. IN FACT, KEITH CARISSA RICHARDSON WAS ENDORSED BY CAIR, A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION WHICH IS DECLARED BY BY STATE OF TEXAS. WHEN POLITICAL WINDS CHANGE, THEY SUDDENLY DISCOVER THAT ATTACKING MUSLIMS AND TALKING ABOUT SHARIA IS A CONVENIENT WAY TO ENERGIZE THEIR POLITICAL BASE. LUCKY FOR THEM, THERE IS A CURE, WHICH IS FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION. I WANT TO TAKE THIS MOMENT TO THANK YOU, BECAUSE YOU ARE DEFENDING THE PRINCIPLES THAT MAKE AMERICA WHAT IT IS. WE DON'T NEED POLITICIANS TELLING US WHAT TO FEAR. THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR THE CONSTITUTION, FOR TREATING YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS AMERICANS FIRST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, SPEAKER BETH BENTLEY, THEN AARON ZUBAYDAH, BENTLEY. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL. MR. CITY MANAGER. TONIGHT WE SIT IN A CITY HALL THAT WAS ONCE IN THE HEART OF THE REDLINING AREA OF MCKINNEY. THIS IS THE AREA

[00:55:01]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK JANE, THEN ELMER CORBIN AND MUHAMMAD AYACHI AND ASHAN. CITY COUNCIL. MAYOR, LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE CITY OF MCKINNEY IS SAFE BECAUSE OF YOU GUYS. SO I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS DO. MY NAME IS ZAIN CHITO. I'M A U.S. ARMY VETERAN AND I LIVE IN THE MCKINNEY AREA. INFLUENCERS HAVE A FASCINATING INTERPRETATION OF THE CONSTITUTION. FREEDOM OF RELIGION EXISTS WHEN AN ENTIRE CITY GETS TOGETHER FOR A ZONING ORDINANCE MEETING TO APPROVE OF A RELIGIOUS CENTER. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I LOVE JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH. HE'S ACTUALLY MENTIONED IN THE QURAN 100% MORE TIMES THAN THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD HIMSELF. PEACE BE UPON THEM BOTH. THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER IN JERUSALEM, PALESTINE, ONE OF CHRISTIANS MOST HOLY SITES, HAS BEEN GUARDED BY TWO MUSLIM FAMILIES FOR CENTURIES. EVERY CHRISTIAN PILGRIM IS WELCOMED BY PALESTINIAN MUSLIMS WITH LOVE

[01:00:02]

NEXT SPEAKER, ELMER CORBIN. THEN MUHAMMAD, H.E SALVI, ASHAN INJERA, MR. CORBIN. MAYOR COX, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND FELLOW RESIDENTS, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS ELMER CORBIN. MY FAMILY AND I ARE LONGTIME RESIDENTS OF THIS GREAT CITY OF MCKINNEY. AND I BROUGHT JUST A SMALL SAMPLING OF MY FRATERNITY BROTHERS, AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DIVINE NINE SORORITIES AND FRATERNITIES WITH ME TONIGHT, BECAUSE WE'VE WITNESSED A VIOLENT GROUP ATTEMPT TO BULLY THIS COUNCIL INTO ABANDONING THE RULE OF LAW IN FAVOR OF THEIR OWN RADICAL EXTREMIST IDEOLOGY. THEIR BEHAVIOR DOES NOT REPRESENT MCKINNEY. IT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY, AND IT CERTAINLY DOES NOT REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OF VOTERS WHO PARTICIPATED IN A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION. THE PEOPLE OF MCKINNEY ELECTED YOU. THEY DID NOT ELECT THEM. THEY ELECTED YOU BECAUSE THEY HAVE SHOWN THAT GOVERNANCE THAT YOU GOVERNED BY THE CONSTITUTION ON DUE PROCESS AND EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW. YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT LEADERSHIP IS NOT ECHOING THE LOUDEST VOICES, BUT ABOUT STANDING FIRM IN PRINCIPLE, EVEN WHEN PRESSURE IS INTENSE.

AS STATED EARLIER, MY LATE FRATERNITY BROTHER, DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR, WARNED US THAT INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS A THREAT TO JUSTICE EVERYWHERE. THAT WASN'T POETRY. IT WAS A WARNING. WHEN ANY GROUP TRIES TO INTIMIDATE ELECTED OFFICIALS INTO ABANDONING CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNANCE, THEY THREATEN THE VERY STABILITY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO TONIGHT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE, THE COURAGE TO GOVERN FOR ALL RESIDENTS, EVERY RACE, EVERY FAITH, EVERY IDENTITY, NOT JUST FOR THOSE WHO DEMAND POWER THROUGH FEAR, HATE, INTIMIDATION, AND DIVISION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESOLVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SPEAKER MUHAMMAD. SALVARSAN INJERA. WHO DOES. GOOD AFTERNOON COUNCIL. MY NAME IS MOHAMMED AYASHI, AND WHILE I COMMEND YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING, I DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE SOURCE OF THIS MAIN ISSUE THAT WE COME TO SPEAK ABOUT TODAY. IN THE LATE 1600S, A MAN NAMED REVEREND SAMUEL PARRIS WAS A FAILING POLITICIAN THAT NEEDED A LEG UP. SO HE LAUNCHED A CAMPAIGN AGAINST WHAT HE CLAIMED WAS THE BIGGEST THREAT TO THE PEOPLE AT THE TIME WITCHCRAFT. 20 PEOPLE WERE KILLED FOR IT. AND THE REVEREND, OF COURSE, GOT POWER. AND THIS BECAME LATER KNOWN AS THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS. AND OF COURSE, ALSO ONE OF THE MANY EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE TRYING TO LEVERAGE FEAR TO GET POLITICAL ADVANTAGE.

WE'VE SEEN THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN THE 1790S, THE FRENCH AND IRISH WERE DEMONIZED TO JUSTIFY A VERY UNPOPULAR WAR AGAINST THE FRENCH, WHICH, OF COURSE, THAT SOUNDS QUITE FAMILIAR TODAY. WE ALSO HAVE THE 1850S WHERE THE CATHOLICS WERE TARGETED TO HELP GET PROTESTANTS IN OFFICE. WE'VE SEEN THE 1920S WHERE BLACK AMERICANS AMONGST JEWS, IMMIGRANTS AND OTHERS WERE TARGETED SO HARSHLY. IT LED TO THE RISE OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE KKK, AND THIS BARELY SCRATCHES THE SURFACE. EVEN SLAVERY ENDING WAS DELAYED AS FEAR MONGERING PROPAGANDA WAS PUSHED FORWARD, SAYING THAT IF SLAVES ARE FREE, THEY WILL COME AND HARM YOUR FAMILIES. AND I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER, WHAT WOULD GREG ABBOTT, KEITH SELF AND THE LIKES HAVE STOOD FOR AT THAT POINT IN TIME? NOW THIS TACTIC IS USED ONLY BY FAILED

[01:05:01]

AND WE THANK YOU FOR STANDING WITH US AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. GREETINGS OF PEACE TO THE COUNCIL AND TO EVERY NEIGHBOR IN THIS ROOM. WHATEVER YOU BELIEVE AND DON'T BELIEVE, EVERY FAITH IN THIS CITY TEACHES THE SAME THING. BE GOOD TO YOUR NEIGHBOR, AND YOU DON'T NEED A FAITH AT ALL TO KNOW IT'S TRUE. THE QUESTION IN FRONT OF MCKINNEY IS WHETHER WE ACTUALLY MEAN IT OR NOT. THANK YOU FOR STANDING BY THE LAW WHEN IT WAS POPULAR AND FOR STANDING BY IT WHEN IT WASN'T. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS SALVIA SAN, AND I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THIS COUNTRY, AND I'VE MADE A LIFE HERE IN MCKINNEY AS A SINGLE MOTHER AND A CARETAKER FOR MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER. FOR SEVERAL YEARS I SERVED AS THE YOUTH DIRECTOR AT THE BOTH MCKINNEY ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION AND THE ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION OF ALLEN. TODAY I'M A HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN. I SIT WITH PATIENTS AND FAMILIES OF EVERY FAITH AND NONE USUALLY ON THE HARDEST DAYS OF THEIR LIVES. THE SITE PLAN WAS APPROVED. THAT QUESTION IS SETTLED.

WHAT'S IN FRONT OF THE CITY IS NOW A RECALL AGAINST MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL FOR VOTING THE WAY THE LAW REQUIRED. SO LET ME SAY WHY THAT MATTERS TO ME. OUR YOUTH RAN FOOD BANK SHIFTS, PICKED UP LITTER ON SATURDAY MORNINGS. I SPENT NIGHTS OUT WITH TEEN GIRLS OVER BOBA AND RAMEN, LISTENING TO THEM WORK THROUGH THE SAME THINGS EVERY TEENAGER WORKS THROUGH. AND WHEN OUR MOSQUE SIGNED THAT VERY MOSQUE SITE SITE THAT WE THAT IS IN DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW WAS VANDALIZED LAST YEAR. OUR TEENAGERS DIDN'T RETALIATE. THEY CHANGED THE SIGN TO SAY THAT MUSLIMS LOVE JESUS TOO. THAT WAS THEIR INSTINCT WHEN SOMEONE CAME AFTER THEM. THOSE ARE THE KIDS AT THE CENTER OF THIS. THEY'RE GROWN NOW, SOME OF THEM BECOMING PHYSICIANS AND TEACHERS. AND ENGINEERING'S DOING THE QUIET WORK THAT HOLDS ANY COMMUNITY TOGETHER. NOBODY.

NOBODY ASSIGNED THEM EITHER ONE THEY CHOSE, LIKE YOU DO NOW TO THE COUNCIL. THERE WAS NO ZONING CHANGE, NO VARIANCE, NO SPECIAL EXCEPTION. THE ONLY QUESTION WAS WHETHER A SITE PLAN MET THE CITY STANDARDS AND THE STAFF SAID IT DID. YOU HAD NO LAWFUL ROOM TO SAY OTHERWISE, SO YOU KEPT YOUR OATH, NOT BECAUSE THE OUTCOME WAS POPULAR, BUT BECAUSE IT WAS REQUIRED.

THAT TAKES SOMETHING PLENTY OF PEOPLE IN PUBLIC OFFICE WOULD HAVE FOUND A WAY TO STALL OR HEDGE OR LET IT DIE QUIETLY, OR BLAME THE PROCESS. YOU KNOW WHAT THE VOTE WOULD COST YOU? DISAGREEMENT IS AMERICAN. NOBODY SHOULD PRETEND OTHERWISE. BUT A RECALL OVER FOLLOWING THE LAW IS A DIFFERENT ENTIRELY. THAT PRECEDENT WILL OUTLAST THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER IN JARRAH PINJARRA. SHE'S. YEAH. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU SAW HER. NEXT WE'LL HAVE HUDA JARRAH AND THEN MOUSSA ABU DHABI'S ANGELA CAMPBELL AND JACOB KENNEDY.

ASSALAMUALAIKUM WARAHMATULLAHI WABARAKATUH. PEACE BE WITH YOU AND GOD'S MERCY AND GOD'S BLESSINGS HAVE BEEN HERE IN MCKINNEY SINCE 1978 WITH MY HUSBAND, WHO WAS THE FIRST CARDIOLOGIST IN MCKINNEY. I'VE WITNESSED THE BEAUTIFUL GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION IN MCKINNEY, AND I FEEL LUCKY THAT WE WERE IN THIS PART OF THE GREAT UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I AM HEARTBROKEN AND I AM REALLY SURPRISED AT WHAT I AM WITNESSING THESE DAYS, AND I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK YOU AND SALUTE YOU FOR YOUR INTEGRITY, FOR YOUR GRACIOUSNESS. SITTING LAST TIME, LAST COUNCIL MEETING FOR MORE THAN TILL AFTER MIDNIGHT, LISTENING TO SOME NONSENSE. SOME PEOPLE REALLY AND TRULY LOVE TO WASTE TIME AND LOVE TO WASTE YOUR PRECIOUS TIME INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON WHAT'S IMPORTANT ON THE BILLS THAT WE ARE PAYING WHEN WE ARE BUYING OUR GROCERIES, ON OUR HEALTH CARE, ON OUR EDUCATION, ON OUR GAS BILLS, THEY'RE WASTING TIME ABOUT AN EXPANSION OF A HOUSE OF WORSHIP WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO COME FOR? TO SPREAD DRUGS, TO BECOME DRUNK, TO BECOME DISRUPTORS OF THE ORDER OF THE CITY WHERE THEY LIVE IN.

THEY'RE COMING TO WORSHIP, AND THEY'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 30 YEARS. I WANT TO THANK YOU

[01:10:06]

THANK YOU FOR APPLYING YOUR FAITH. I HOPE THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING. THANK YOU. THANK SPEAKER. HUDA. GERARD. HUDA. NEXT WILL HAVE MOUSSA ABU DHABI, ENIOLA CAMPBELL, JACOB KENNEDY, JEREMY PSUTKA. WELL, IT'S NOT FAIR. I HAVE TO FOLLOW MOM, BUT I CAN'T SAY IT BETTER THAN HER.

I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT SINCE 1979 AND I REMEMBER PLAYING AT IRWIN PARK AND GOING TO BLOCKBUSTER, AND IT'S WHEN THE FIRST MOVIE THEATER CAME AND MY HUSBAND AND I WERE EXCITED TO RAISE OUR YOUNG DAUGHTER HERE. AND THE OTHER DAY, SHE SORT OF SHOCKED ME BECAUSE SHE SAID, MOM, DON'T YOU HAVE TO BE CHRISTIAN TO BE AMERICAN? I SAID, NO. WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT? AND SHE SAID, OH, WELL, IT'S JUST SOMETHING I HEARD. SO IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY. IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION. IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE BILL OF RIGHTS. IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY. AND I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO HER ABOUT EQUAL TREATMENT UNDER THE LAW AND TALK TO HER ABOUT LADY JUSTICE, WHO HAS A BLINDFOLD AND THE SCALES OF JUSTICE, BECAUSE THE LAW IS SUPPOSED TO BE APPLIED IMPARTIALLY AND FAIRLY, REGARDLESS OF IS IT A MOSQUE, IS IT NOT A MOSQUE? AND IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO TELL HER TO TREAT EVERYBODY THE WAY SHE WANTED TO BE TREATED, TO GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE AND GET TO KNOW THEM FOR WHO THEY ARE. NOT SOME STEREOTYPE ABOUT GEOPOLITICS, NOT THROUGH THE LENS OF WAR AND HATRED AND PREJUDICE. AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I HOPE SHE TAKES TO HEART. YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION. IT'S NOT POPULAR. IT'S IT COMES WITH A PRICE. BUT AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, YOU ARE LIKE ALL OF THE AMERICAN HEROES THAT I STUDIED IN MY HISTORY CLASSES, WHETHER IT'S THE ABOLITIONISTS OR THE SUFFRAGETTES OR THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, IT'S ALIVE HERE TODAY. AND I HOPE THAT THAT COURAGE STAYS WITH YOU ALL. WE'LL ALL BE FIGHTING FOR YOU AND SUPPORTING YOU LAWFULLY AGAINST THIS RECALL, BECAUSE YOU STOOD UP FOR JUSTICE. YOU STOOD UP FOR OUR CHILDREN. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, STAFF, EVERYONE IS HERE. MY NAME IS MOUSSA ABU DHABI. I'M A RESIDENT OF MCKINNEY FOR FOUR DECADES. I CAME TO MCKINNEY IN 1986. I RAISED A FAMILY OF TEN, AND I HAVE 22 GRANDKIDS THAT LIVE IN MCKINNEY. AND WE ARE PROUD TO CALL MCKINNEY HOME.

BUT BEFORE WE CAME TO MCKINNEY, I CAME TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1978. I BECAME A U.S. CITIZEN IN 1987, AND I WAS INTERVIEWED BY DALLAS TIMES HERALD NEWSPAPER. WHEN I TOOK THE OATH FOR MY CITIZENSHIP, AND I WAS ASKED THE QUESTION, WHY DID I CHOOSE TO BE A U.S. CITIZEN? AND MY ANSWER WAS, AND STILL IS, BECAUSE AMERICA IS THE LAND OF THE FREE. THIS IS THE COUNTRY THAT I CAN SPEAK MY MIND, AND I WILL NOT BE AFRAID TO GO TO JAIL. THIS IS THE COUNTRY THAT HAS THE OPPORTUNITIES. AND LATER ON, WHEN I MOVED TO MCKINNEY, I CHOSE MCKINNEY OVER THE OTHER CITIES IN THE DFW BECAUSE MCKINNEY HAS WAS A SMALL TOWN. IT WAS PEACEFUL, SECURE, NICE AND I STARTED MY BUSINESS HERE IN 1989, AND I'VE DONE SEVERAL BUSINESSES IN TOWN, SERVED THE TOWN, SERVED THE PEOPLE OF MCKINNEY IN AN HONEST AND PRESERVED WAY, AND I'M THANKFUL TO THE MCKINNEY. I'M THANKFUL TO BEING HERE AND I SERVED WHEN I HAD SOLD MY BUSINESS A FEW YEARS BACK, AND I HAVE. SOME TIMES I SERVED MCKINNEY BACK. I BECAME A VOLUNTEER WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE CHIEF HERE CAN VERIFY THAT. AND I'M GLAD TO GIVE BACK TO MCKINNEY BECAUSE I LOVE MCKINNEY AND I LOVE BEING HERE. AND I WANT TO RAISE MY MY FAMILY, ALL MY FAMILY HERE AND CALL MCKINNEY HOME. AND I HOPE YOU GUYS WILL

[01:15:06]

NEXT SPEAKER, JACOB KENNEDY. THEN JEREMY PSUTKA, ATIQUR RAHMAN, OBAID SIDDIQI, MR. KENNEDY, HELLO. ABOUT A MONTH AGO, DOWN IN PLANO, THE LOCAL MOSQUE HELD AN OPEN MOSQUE NIGHT WHERE NON-MUSLIMS WERE INVITED TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAD ABOUT ISLAM. BUT THERE WERE SOME SELF-DESCRIBED CHRISTIANS WHO INSTEAD CHOSE TO STAND OUTSIDE THE MOSQUE AND HURL INSULTS AT THE MUSLIMS THROUGH A MEGAPHONE. NOW, I COME FROM A CHRISTIAN BACKGROUND, SO THIS DIDN'T REALLY SIT RIGHT WITH ME. SO I WENT OVER AND I SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF THING REPELS PEOPLE FROM CHRIST, RIGHT? AND THEY SAID, THEY DON'T CARE.

THEIR GOAL IS NOT TO BRING PEOPLE TO CHRIST. AND SO I ASKED, OKAY, WELL, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF THERE WERE SOME MUSLIMS YELLING AT YOU OUTSIDE OF YOUR CHURCH? AND THEY TOLD ME, NOT ONLY DOES JESUS NOT TEACH US TO BE APATHETIC, BUT THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE YOURSELF IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SHOES. NOW, I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WERE ACTING CHRIST LIKE, TO SAY THE LEAST. AND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. ALL ACROSS NORTH TEXAS THERE HAVE BEEN MEGAPHONED PEOPLE GOING MOSQUE TO MOSQUE, SHOUTING AT THE MUSLIMS DURING THEIR WORSHIP. AND AS YOU KNOW, LAST COUNCIL MEETING, REPRESENTATIVE KEITH SELF STOOD HERE SAYING THAT ISLAM IS A THREAT TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. BUT FROM EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SEEN, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ARE THESE PROTESTERS AND POLITICIANS WHO WANT TO USE CHRISTIANITY THE SAME WAY THEY ACCUSE OTHERS OF USING ISLAM. I WANT TO LIVE IN A NATION WHERE I AM FREE TO BELIEVE WHATEVER FAITH I CHOOSE, AND I'M SCARED THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE AWAY OUR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

BUT I AM ALSO THANKFUL THAT THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNMENT, LIKE YOURSELF, WHO ARE STILL WILLING TO DEFEND OUR CONSTITUTION AND OUR FREEDOMS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU JEREMY. I TAKE RAHMAN, OBAID SIDDIQI, SAMAR, MR. SUKKAR, GOOD EVENING. I SPOKE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO HERE AT CITY COUNCIL, AND I LOOKED AROUND THE ROOM AND I SAID HOW ASHAMED I WAS. THIS IS MUCH DIFFERENT. THIS IS THE GREAT MCKINNEY MELTING POT, THE DIVERSITY THAT MAKES UP THIS TOWN AND MAKES THIS TOWN GREAT. THIS IS WHAT THE MAJORITY OF MCKINNEY IS ALL ABOUT, NOT THE FEW. THIS VERY SMALL MINORITY OF PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP LAST TIME TO MAKE THEMSELVES LOUDLY HEARD, EVEN THOUGH THEY WEREN'T PART OF THE MAJORITY. THIS RECALL WAS STARTED BY. AS MAYOR, FULLER SAID, A SMALL MINORITY OF PEOPLE, FIVE OF THEM. WE DON'T EVEN THINK THEY VOTED IN THE LAST CITY ELECTION, BUT NOW THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO AND RECALL YOU.

THIS COUNCIL IS DULY ELECTED. THEY DID THEIR JOB. THEY REPRESENTED THE FULL DIVERSITY OF THE CITY UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. WHAT THEY'RE DOING, THOUGH, ONE THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT THEY ARE WASTING TAXPAYER MONEY. THEY'RE WASTING TAXPAYER TIME TO GO THROUGH THIS RECALL PROCESS, WILL TAKE RESOURCES AND FUNDS

[01:20:03]

MAYOR, MAYOR WILCOX, HONORABLE MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. EVERY SPEAKER WHO CAME BEFORE ME HAS MADE MY JOB EASY. I ACTUALLY CAME HERE TO THANK ALL OF YOU ALSO FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING. I WAS HERE TWO WEEKS AGO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THIS PETITION WAS APPROVED, YOU KNOW, AND I. AND BELIEVE ME, IN THE LAST 50 YEARS I'VE BEEN LIVING HERE OVER 50 YEARS. I'VE NEVER SEEN A THING LIKE THAT. WHAT HAPPENED? BUT NOW I UNDERSTAND BECAUSE MR. GEORGE FULLER HAS JUST CLEARED IT, THAT THOSE WERE THE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE, NOT FROM THE CITY OF MCKINNEY. MCKINNEY ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN HERE FOR OVER 30 YEARS. WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS. WE COOPERATE WITH EVERYONE. WE COOPERATED WITH CITY ALSO, AND WE WELCOME EVERYONE. AND WE BELIEVE IN PEACE, HARMONY AND THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU, FOR UPHOLDING THE LAW AND UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. PLEASE KEEP ON DOING IT.

WE WILL NEED YOUR SUPPORT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AGAIN AND AGAIN. AND THE CITY SHOULD DO ALL THE THINGS WHICH ARE PERMISSIBLE IN THE LAW. I REQUEST PEOPLE OF THE CITY TO COME AND VISIT US SOMETIME. YOU KNOW, OUR DOORS ARE OPEN EVERY DAY. THE JOMAS, YOU KNOW, FRIDAY SERMON IS GIVEN IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE. ANYBODY CAN IS WELCOME TO COME AND SIT WITH US. LISTEN TO US.

WE DON'T CHANGE ANYBODY'S RELIGION. WE ALSO PREACH THE GOODNESS FOR HUMAN BEING AND GOODNESS OF MANKIND. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. FORGET ABOUT THIS RECALL PETITION. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN, BELIEVE ME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AZAD SIDDIQUI.

SIDDIQUI. OKAY. SAMAR. THEN. BRITTANY. BLACK. MATT. ROSTAMI. BETTY. ISAAC. KATHY. BLANK.

MISS. RAHMAN AND RAHIM. ASSALAMU ALAIKUM. MCKINNEY. MAY PEACE BE UPON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. I AM SUMMER VACA, A MUSLIM MCKINNEY RESIDENT. I BELIEVE OUR WORDS TELL PEOPLE SOMETHING ABOUT US. LIKE HOW WE SPEAK, HOW WE DISAGREE, HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE WHOSE BELIEFS ARE DIFFERENT FROM OUR OWN. WHEN WE CLAIM TO BE GUIDED BY A FAITH, OUR CONDUCT BECOMES A REFLECTION OF THE MORAL STANDARD WE SAY OUR FAITH TEACHES US. SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ALL MCKINNEY RESIDENTS AND THOSE WHO SHOWED UP IN THE LAST MEETING. WHEN WE INSULT ANOTHER PERSON'S FAITH IN THE NAME OF DEFENDING OUR OWN, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE DEFENDING? WHEN OUR WORDS DEMEAN OR TELL OUR NEIGHBORS THEY DO NOT BELONG? WHAT TESTIMONY ARE WE GIVING TO THE FAITH WE SAY WE REPRESENT? I AM A MUSLIM, AND IF I HAVE TO DIMINISH ANOTHER FAITH TO MAKE ISLAM LOOK GREATER, I HAVE FAILED MY OWN FAITH. IF I HAVE TO INSULT MY JEWISH, CHRISTIAN, HINDU OR ATHEIST NEIGHBOR TO DEFEND A MUSLIM, I HAVE FAILED MY OWN VALUES AND THAT PRINCIPLE WORKS IN EVERY DIRECTION. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS, I HAVE READ WORDS DIRECTED AT MUSLIMS THAT HAVE BEEN DEEPLY PAINFUL, BUT I'VE ALSO WITNESSED SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. I HAVE SEEN SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS DEFEND OUR MOSQUE.

THEY MAY NEVER ENTER. AND TO THOSE NEIGHBORS, YOU CHOSE TO LOVE THY NEIGHBOR. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND TO THIS COUNCIL, ESPECIALLY THOSE NOW FACING A RECALL, YOU WERE ASKED TO APPLY THE LAW. AND DESPITE TREMENDOUS PRESSURE, YOU DID YOUR JOB, HONORED YOUR OATH, AND UPHELD THE LAW. YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT AND I WILL SUPPORT YOU FIERCELY. MY HOPE FOR ALL OF US IS SIMPLE. MCKINNEY. LET OUR CONVICTIONS MAKE US MORE PRINCIPLED, NOT MORE CRUEL. LET OUR FAITH MAKE US BETTER NEIGHBORS, NOT LOUDER ENEMIES. AND IF WE ARE GOING TO INVOKE GOD IN THIS COUNTRY, THEN LET THE WAY WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER BE WORTHY OF THE GOD WE INVOKE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SPEAKER BRITTANY BLACK, THEN MATT ROSTAMI, BETTY PETKOVSEK, KATHY BLANK. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND STAFF. MY NAME IS BRITTANY

[01:25:02]

I'M A MUSLIM. AND YOU KNOW, I JUST NOTICED THAT EVERY TIME WE GOT A NEW IMMIGRANT GROUP IN AMERICA, THEY ALWAYS HAVE TO GET ATTACKED FIRST BEFORE THEY GET ACCEPTED. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A RITE OF PASSAGE. CAN'T EVEN GET TOO UPSET ABOUT IT. AND YOU'VE SEEN THIS WITH ITALIANS, WITH IRISH FOLKS 100 YEARS AGO, A FRIEND OF MINE, HE'S ITALIAN DESCENT. REMEMBER HIM TELLING ME HIS GRANDMA WOULD TELL HIM STORIES LIKE AN ITALIAN MOTHER WOULD BRING PIZZA HOME, AND THE OTHER WHITE KIDS WOULD BE LIKE, YO, PIZZA! AND THE SAME GRANDMA WOULD TELL MY FRIEND, LIKE, YEP, LOOK AT HIM NOW. NOT JUST EATING UP THAT PIZZA. SAME THING WITH THE CATHOLICS. ALL THE NONSENSE THEY SPREAD ABOUT THEM. OH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOYAL TO THE POPE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE LOYAL TO AMERICA. THEY'RE IDOL WORSHIPERS AND ALL THIS OTHER NONSENSE. AND THEN YOU HAD JIM CROW. YOU GOT THE HATERS. THEY WERE SAYING, OH, SEGREGATION, WE WE NEED IT. YOU CAN'T HAVE THESE BLACKS ON OUR BUSSES AND OUR SCHOOLS AND ALL THIS STUFF. AND. IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE LIKE NOW EVERYONE'S LIKE, BACK THEN I WOULD HAVE STOOD UP AGAINST THE HATE. I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD HAVE DONE NOTHING. AND THE HATERS, THEY'RE THE WORST. AND THE HATERS, BY THE WAY, THEY STILL HATE BLACKS. THEY STILL HATE ITALIANS. THEY STILL HATE CATHOLICS. THEY STILL HATE ALL THE PEOPLE. THEY JUST CAN'T SAY IT NOW BECAUSE ALL THOSE GROUPS ARE NOW VERY FAMILIAR TO US. THEY'RE JUST LIKE US. THEY LOVE THEIR FRIENDS AND THEIR FAMILIES. SO I'LL REMIND THE HATERS THIS, THOUGH IN 30 YEARS I'LL HAVE KIDS. MY KIDS WILL HAVE KIDS. THEY'LL LOVE AMERICA. THEY'LL LOVE THE CONSTITUTION.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE AN ACCENT LIKE ME, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY KNOW MUSLIMS ARE AN EASY TARGET. WE LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT, AND SOME OF US HAVE ACCENTS. BUT TO THE HATERS, I'LL SAY THIS IN 30 YEARS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE KIDS TOO. AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE KIDS AS WELL. AND IT'S ALL BEING RECORDED NOW. SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TELL THEM AND EXPLAIN ALL YOUR HATRED TO THE HATERS. WE WISH YOU A LONG LIFE AND TO YOU IN 30 YEARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SPEAKER BENNY PETKOVSEK. THEN KATHY BLANK, KHALID ISHAQ. MAYOR COX, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? CAN YOU HEAR ME? NO. MAYOR COX, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY STAFF. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY SINCERE MY SINCERE GRATITUDE TO EACH OF YOU AND AT THE SAME TIME, BEING A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF MCKINNEY, I HAVE BEEN SO DISAPPOINTED AND SAD TO EXPERIENCE WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS. AND TONIGHT

[01:30:07]

IT'S TEMPTING TO LEAN INTO FEAR OR MISINFORMATION, BUT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE STRONGEST WHEN WE CHOOSE. WHEN WE CHOOSE TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER INSTEAD OF JUDGING ONE ANOTHER. THE

[01:35:04]

CHILDREN LEARN GOOD MANNERS AND CHARACTER. NEIGHBORS VOLUNTEER. PEOPLE COME TOGETHER TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. THEY COME TOGETHER TO RESPECT ONE ANOTHER, TO NOT JUST FOR CIVIC VALUES, BUT BUT, BUT ALSO TO HELP ONE ANOTHER. I WAS SADDENED TO HEAR THE RHETORIC FROM SOME PUBLIC OFFICIALS, INCLUDING CONGRESSMAN KEITH SELF, THAT I BELIEVE DEEPENED DIVISIONS RATHER THAN UNDERSTANDING. I RESPECTFULLY ASK ALL OF OUR ELECTED LEADERS TO USE THEIR PLATFORMS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. LEADERSHIP CARRIES A TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE, AND OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE VOICES THAT BUILD TRUST AND NOT HATE. AS AMERICANS, WE HAVE TO BE OUR NATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER I SEE THEN COLLIN PACKER, CHARISSA THOMPSON.

THOMAS. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS ASIF PATTON, AND I HAVE PROUDLY CALLED MCKINNEY MY HOME FOR MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS. I WANTED TO THANK THIS COUNCIL FOR UPHOLDING THE CONSTITUTION, FOLLOWING THE LAW, PROTECTING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY, AND REFUSING TO TREAT MUSLIM COMMUNITY DIFFERENTLY FROM ANYONE ELSE. I ESPECIALLY THANK FORMER MAYOR MR. GEORGE FULLER FOR STANDING AGAINST HATE WHEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER TO REMAIN SILENT. I FIRMLY STAND BEHIND STAND WITH MCKINNEY CITY MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL IN UPHOLDING THIS CONSTITUTION AND ENSURING THAT MCKINNEY REMAINS A CITY WHERE EVERYONE FEELS WELCOMED AND WHERE EVERY RESIDENT IS TREATED EQUALLY UNDER THE LAW. MAY GOD ALMIGHTY BLESS AMERICA AND GUIDE THE HEARTS HEARTS OF THOSE WHO HARBOR HATRED TOWARD PEACE, JUSTICE, COMPASSION AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, A TRUE UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER COLIN PACKER. CHARISSA THOMAS WILL BE NEXT. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS COLIN PACKER. I LIVE AS A NEIGHBOR IN ALLEN, BUT I SHARE A NAMESAKE WITH YOU, MCKINNEY, TEXAS. AND MY NAME COLIN COMES FROM COLLIN MCKINNEY. I'M A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF HIS. AND AS HE PLANTED CHURCHES IN THE EARLY 1800S, HERE I SEE A DECEASED CHRISTIANITY ON DISPLAY LAST WEEK THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT AS A PASTOR IN THIS SAME COUNTY.

I SERVE AS A FAITH LEADER. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT, TO RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, AND TO YOUR REPRESENTATION OF ALL PEOPLE IN MCKINNEY. AS A CHRISTIAN, I MADE A COMMITMENT TO LOVE GOD WITH EVERYTHING I HAVE AND TO LOVE MY NEIGHBOR AS MYSELF, ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS. AND TWO WEEKS AGO, I WATCHED AS SOME OF MY FELLOW CHRISTIANS SAY HATEFUL THINGS. AS I WATCHED, I. I JUST COULDN'T REMAIN SILENT ON MY COUCH. I KNEW I HAD TO SHOW UP AND ENSURE THAT THERE WASN'T SILENCE THIS WEEK AMONG CHRISTIAN LEADERS IN THE CITY TO NOT CALL OUT THAT NONSENSE THAT DOES NOT REPRESENT THE FAITH WE WANT TO LIVE INTO. IT WAS DOCTOR KING WHO SAID, IT'S NOT THE WORDS OF OUR ENEMIES, BUT THE SILENCE OF OUR FRIENDS THAT WE REMEMBER MOST. LAST WEEK WE SAW THE DISEASED FRUIT OF WHITE CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM ON DISPLAY. IT'S AFRAID OF MANY, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, AND IT TRIES TO USE COERCION TO LIVE IN PARTICULAR WAYS. AND OF COURSE, YOU AS LEADERS, TO DO THINGS THAT ARE AGAINST YOUR DUTY TO SERVE. AND OUR CALL FOR YOU IS TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU'VE DONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR BOLDNESS. THANK YOU FOR FULFILLING YOUR COMMITMENT AS ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES. KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. I WANT TO SAY TO OUR MUSLIM NEIGHBORS THAT WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT YOU'RE OUR NEIGHBORS HERE IN COLLIN COUNTY, AND I'LL DO ALL I CAN AS A CHRISTIAN TO TRY TO LIVE INTO THAT AS FELLOW NEIGHBORS, TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER IN THESE DAYS AHEAD. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. CARISSA, THOMAS, THOMAS, JACOB LEWIS, TOM PENCE, PATRICIA COUGHLIN, MISS THOMAS. WANT TO LOOK AT YOU ALL. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. I WANT TO START WITH COMING FROM A PLACE OF GRATITUDE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE AND YOUR SHOW OF COURAGE BY DOING YOUR JOB. ALTHOUGH IT BE DIFFICULT, I CAME TONIGHT BECAUSE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN MCKINNEY IS BIGGER THAN A MOSQUE. IT'S BIGGER THAN A RECALL PETITION. MY NAME IS THERESA THOMAS, AND I HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE COLLIN COUNTY NAACP FIRST VICE PRESIDENT AND POLITICAL ACTION CHAIR. THIS MOMENT IS

[01:40:06]

OUR CONSTITUTION DOES NOT SAY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BELONGS ONLY TO CHRISTIANS OR TO THE MAJORITY. THE FIRST AMENDMENT, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASSERTED TODAY, PROTECTS US FROM FREE, PROTECTS THE FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION. AND THIS. THIS MOMENT SMELLS LIKE OPPRESSION. IT SOUNDS LIKE SUPPRESSION, AND IT FEELS LIKE REGRESSION. AND THE. AND IT FEELS LIKE DIVISION, BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE WHO DELIGHT IN KEEPING US DIVIDED. I DON'T NEED MY GOVERNMENT TO PRACTICE MY RELIGION. I DON'T NEED MY GOVERNMENT TO SHOW PREFERENCE TO MY RELIGION. I NEED MY GOVERNMENT TO APPLY THE LAW EQUALLY. IF A SITE PLAN MEETS THE CITY'S REQUIREMENTS, APPLY THOSE REQUIREMENTS EQUALLY TO A MOSQUE, A CHURCH, A SYNAGOGUE, A TEMPLE OR ANY OTHER HOUSE OF WORSHIP. AND THOSE WARNING US ABOUT SHARIA LAW SHOULD CONSIDER THE CONTRADICTION. YOU FEAR SOMEONE ELSE'S RELIGION. YOUR FEAR OF SOMEONE ELSE'S RELIGION MIGHT ONE DAY BE USED TO CONTROL YOU. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO WEAPONIZE OUR OWN POLITICAL PROCESS TODAY, TO SUPPRESS SOMEONE ELSE'S WHOSE RELIGION IS DIFFERENT FROM YOURS. THAT IS UN-AMERICAN AND IS UNPATRIOTIC. AND NO PARTY HAS A MONOPOLY ON PATRIOTISM. RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION BY GOVERNMENT. THANK YOU. YUSUF YUSUF. SHEIKH. YUSUF. NEXT UP WILL BE TOM PENCE, PATRICIA COUGHLIN. OH, YEAH. JACOB LEWIS. I APOLOGIZE, YOU NEED TO BE READY. ALMOST.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. I JUST WANTED TO COME HERE. I'M A NEIGHBOR FROM PLANO. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF EVERY AMERICAN TO FREELY PRACTICE THEIR OWN RELIGION.

THANK YOU FOR PROVING WHAT I'VE LEARNED EVERY YEAR IN TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR 12 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN GOING TO THEM, WHICH IS THAT AS AMERICANS, WE ALL HAVE RIGHTS, ESPECIALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES WHICH ARE OUTLINED IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT, INCLUDING FREEDOM OF RELIGION.

SO THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR THOSE RIGHTS, EVEN IN THE FACE OF THE BACKLASH. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. JACOB LEWIS, JACOB LEWIS, THEN TOM PENCE, PATRICIA COUGHLIN, SHAQUILLE SHAQ, MR. LEWIS. MAYOR. COX, MAYOR. PRO, FRANKLIN COUNCIL MEMBERS. BELLA, CLAUDIA FELTUS LYNCH AND JONES.

GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS JACOB COLUCCI. MY FAMILY HAS LIVED HONORABLY, WORKED INTENSELY, AND INVESTED HEAVILY INTO MCKINNEY FOR DECADES. MY GRANDFATHERS WERE SUCCESSFUL MILITARY MEN IN THE US ARMY, US AIR FORCE AND THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. BORN AND RAISED IN MCKINNEY MORE THAN 37 YEARS AGO, I LEARNED AT A YOUNG AGE THE VALUES OF CIVILITY, RESPECT, AND THE RULE OF LAW FROM THE PEOPLE OF COLLIN COUNTY, FROM MY PARENTS AND FROM MY FAMILY. MY FATHER IN PARTICULAR TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF DISCIPLINE, WHICH FORMED THE FOUNDATION OF MY DEEP COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMUNITY. I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, TRUE LEADERSHIP IS TESTED IN MOMENTS OF CRISIS. MCKINNEY IS A GOD LOVING, FAITH BASED COMMUNITY GROUNDED IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND OUR SACRED VALUES DERIVED FROM OUR FATHER ABRAHAM. OUR DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE PROCLAIMS THE SELF-EVIDENT TRUTH THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. UNDER OUR CONSTITUTION, EVERY INDIVIDUAL POSSESSES THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP GOD IN THEIR OWN WAY, FREE FROM GOVERNMENT INTRUSION, SO LONG AS THEY DO NOT INFRINGE UPON THE RIGHTS OR PEACE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS. AT THE SAME TIME, I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY CONSERVATIVE VOTERS HERE IN COLLIN COUNTY, TEXAS, ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED. WE WATCH THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY OPENLY EMBRACE SOCIALIST AND COMMUNIST DOCTRINES WHILE ALIGNING WITH RADICAL IDEOLOGIES SIMPLY TO SCORE VOTES AND POLITICAL POINTS. WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, SEE THIS

[01:45:02]

LISTEN CAREFULLY TO MY THOUGHTS, PROVIDING QUALITY FEEDBACK AND CARRYING THROUGH ON ACTIONS DISCUSSED. YOU'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE AND HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH ON ALL OF THOSE ISSUES.

YOU'VE SUPPORTED MY SERVICE ON THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ADVISORY BOARD AND GLADLY LENT YOUR TIME AND EXPERIENCE WHEN ISSUES AROSE. WHETHER OUR DISCUSSIONS CENTERED AROUND PARKING OR CITY DEVELOPMENT, PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS, OR OTHER ISSUES OF SIGNIFICANT SIGNIFICANCE RELATING TO THE CITY, I'VE ALWAYS FELT WELL SUPPORTED AND THAT MY THOUGHTS WERE VALUED, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT. I PERSONALLY AM DISAPPOINTED BY THE ACTIONS BEING UNDERTAKEN TO ATTEMPT TO RECALL ANY OF YOU. IT'S UNWARRANTED. IT'S FOOLISH.

IT'S ABSURD. I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT I STRONGLY SUPPORT YOU AND APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP. I EXPECT INTEGRITY OUT OF THE LEADERSHIP OF MCKINNEY, AND I'VE BEEN WELL REWARDED BY THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE CITY. THANK YOU.

PATRICIA COUGHLIN. HI, I'M PATRICK COUGHLIN. OKAY. I'VE BEEN THERE A LOT OF FUN LISTENING TO THAT A FEW TIMES. SO I'M STANDING HERE TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THIS COUNCIL AND FOR ALL OF MY NEIGHBORS, NO MATTER HOW THEY WORSHIP. HATE DOES NOT MAKE AMERICA GREAT. THIS RECALL EFFORT WAS DRIVEN BY INDIVIDUALS WHO REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY. THEY ARE TRYING TO DIVIDE US SO THAT WE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE REAL HARM BEING DONE TO AMERICA. AND ALSO TO DISTRACT US FROM THE REAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR FAMILIES AND COUNTRY. I DEEPLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE THAT CAME TODAY TO STAND UP IN SOLIDARITY WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS. AMERICA WAS BUILT ON THE FUNDAMENTAL VALUES OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND IMMIGRATION. IMMIGRATION BUILT THIS NATION JUST LIKE MY NEIGHBORS. MY FAMILY CAME TO THIS COUNTRY TO HELP BUILD IT. I'M PROUD TO RAISE MY VOICE, TO SUPPORT OUR CONSTITUTION AND TO STAND UP FOR THE COMMUNITY. TODAY, I HAVE ONE THING, ONE THING THAT I WANT TO ASK. DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING RIGHT. GET OUT AND VOTE IN NOVEMBER. USE YOUR VOICE AT THE AT THE BALLOT BOX TO HELP REPAIR THE DAMAGE AND PROTECT THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND AMERICA. AND THAT'S FOR YOU ALL, PATRICK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SPEAKER. SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE. OKAY, WE'LL MOVE ON. ANDREA HOLMES, ANDREW HOLMES. THEN WE'LL HAVE. SKYLAR BIXLER. YES, SIR.

CHAUDHRY DASH, YOU'LL BE NEXT. NOT RIGHT NOW. DASH. YOU'LL BE LATER. MORNING AGAIN. EASY, BUD.

EASY. HI, I'M ANDREA HOLMES, I'M A MURAL ARTIST AND RESIDENT OF MCKINNEY. I'M HERE TO SUPPORT OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR MAYOR. AS YOU HAVE SUPPORTED OUR RESIDENTS, DOING WHAT IS RIGHT IS RARELY EASY. AND I WANT YOU TO THANK. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT IS RIGHT. I HAVE A FIERCE LOVE FOR THIS CITY AND THE PEOPLE IN IT, AND IT IS CLEAR WE WILL NOT STAND FOR HATE. MCKINNEY IS A CITY WHERE ALL PEOPLE BELONG. DIVERSITY IS BEAUTIFUL. YOU ARE

[01:50:07]

OKAY, DASH DASH HOSS. YOU'RE UP. NEXT UP WOULD BE MOHAMED TAHIR AND THEN OBAID SIDDIQUI. HEY, GUYS, DASH HERE. BASICALLY, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO MCKINNEY, I NOTICED A LOT OF THINGS THAT I DID NOT LIKE, SUCH AS MUSICIANS GETTING KICKED OFF OF THE SQUARE AS A RESULT OF GETTING IN A FIGHT WITH VERY, VERY ANGRY JESUS. PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOMEHOW FOUND A WAY TO BE ANGRY ABOUT JESUS. WE NOW HAVE AMPLIFICATION RIGHTS FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERY EVERY MUSICIAN.

THAT'S JUST NOT BEING AN AND TURNING IT ALL THE WAY UP TO LIKE 12 OR WHATEVER. LIKE KEEP IT AT LIKE A THREE AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO. SO YOU CAN PLAY THAT ELECTRIC VIOLIN AND LISTEN TO VIVALDI. WE DID IT, GUYS. SO COME OUT AND PLAY NUMBER TWO. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF WATER RESOURCES IN TOWN, SO I. AND JUST BECAUSE EVERYBODY THOUGHT I WAS A LIAR, WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW I RAN A CHARITY TOY DRIVE FROM MY SANTA'S SLEIGH. THIS IS A RECEIPT FOR $100 WORTH OF WATER, WHICH I HAVE GIVEN TO LOCAL CHURCHES, AS WELL AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. IT'S LIKE REAL. SO YOU CAN'T CALL ME A LIAR. IT'S LIKE IT'S REAL. SO LIKE, IF ANYBODY WANTS TO JUST GIVE OUT FREE WATER OR PARTICIPATE IN THEIR COMMUNITY OR WHATEVER.

ALSO, WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID A LOT OF VERY NEGATIVE THINGS ABOUT ME.

THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CAN DO, I'M SPEAKING TO THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW. THE ONLY THING THAT YOU CAN DO WHEN PEOPLE SPEAK BADLY ABOUT YOU IS DEMONSTRATE CHARACTER, YOU KNOW?

[01:55:02]

THAT IS THE LAST CARD WE HAVE. IF YOU SIGNED A CARD AND CHOSE NOT TO SPEAK, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOUR COMMENTS ARE TAKEN INTO THE CITY COUNCIL'S RECORD. SO WE DO HAVE A RECORD OF YOUR NAME AND YOUR COMMENTS THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED FOR ANY PARTICULAR ITEM. MR. MAYOR, DO YOU MIND IF I HAVE A FEW WORDS, PLEASE? YES. THANK YOU. SO TONIGHT I WANT TO SPEAK NOT JUST TO THOSE WHO AGREE WITH ME, BUT TO ALL OF MCKINNEY. I WANT TO SPEAK FIRST TO THE RESIDENTS WHO OPPOSE THE MOSQUE DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE YOU HAD SINCERE CONCERNS ABOUT TRAFFIC, PARKING, NOISE AND THE IMPACT THE DEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE ON YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU ARE NOT HATEFUL BECAUSE YOU DISAGREED. REASONABLE PEOPLE CAN DISAGREE ABOUT DEVELOPMENT IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO EXPECT YOUR CITY GOVERNMENT TO LISTEN TO YOU, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, AND TO TAKE YOUR CONCERNS SERIOUSLY. I BELIEVE THIS COUNCIL DID OUR BEST TO DO THAT. I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK TO THOSE WHO CAME INTO THIS CONVERSATION ANGRY OR AFRAID, BUT YOU WERE WILLING TO LISTEN. SOME OF YOU READ THE DOCUMENTS. YOU ASKED QUESTIONS.

YOU LEARNED WHAT WAS ACTUALLY COMING BEFORE COUNCIL AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, WHAT WAS NOT COMING BEFORE COUNCIL. EVEN IF YOU DID NOT ULTIMATELY LIKE THE OUTCOME, YOU CAME TO UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS COUNCIL. THAT TAKES SOMETHING INCREASINGLY RARE IN OUR COUNTRY TODAY. THE COURAGE TO ALLOW FACTS TO CHALLENGE WHAT WE THOUGHT WE KNEW. AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP. THERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME INTO MCKINNEY, NOT BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT TRAFFIC ON VIRGINIA PARKWAY, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT DRAINAGE OR PARKING OR LAND USE. THEY GO FROM CITY TO CITY LOOKING FOR THE NEXT COMMUNITY IN WHICH THEY CAN SHOW. SO FEAR, DIVISION AND HATRED. ONE OF THEM SHOWED UP TODAY, PEEKED HER HEAD IN, AND RAN OUT TO JUMP IN FRONT OF YET ANOTHER CAMERA WHEN SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTENING. OUT OF RESPECT TO THE VOICES OF THE TRUE CITIZENS OF MCKINNEY. SO TO YOU, I WANT YOU TO KNOW MCKINNEY WILL NOT BECOME A BATTLEGROUND FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S CAMPAIGN OF HATE. OUR MUSLIM NEIGHBORS ARE NOT STRANGERS WHO SUDDENLY APPEARED IN OUR COMMUNITY. YOU ARE. THEY ARE OUR DOCTORS AND OUR TEACHERS. THEY ARE OUR BUSINESS OWNERS AND OUR PARENTS.

THEY ARE VOLUNTEERS. THEY ARE TAXPAYERS. THEIR CHILDREN SIT BESIDE OUR CHILDREN IN SCHOOL.

THEY SERVE THEIR NEIGHBORS AND THEY CALL MCKINNEY HOME. AND THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THE SAME CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS THAT PROTECTS EVERY ONE OF US. LASTLY, I WANT TO ADDRESS THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE HAD THE SUPPORT OF THIS COUNCIL ON MANY ISSUES AND WHO ACTUALLY

[02:00:01]

TO MY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN FRIENDS WHO ARE UNDER A LOT OF FIRE RIGHT NOW.

BUT YOU BELIEVE IN THE INSTITUTION AND YOU'RE DEFENDING IT. THANK YOU TO THE DEMOCRATS WHO REFUSE TO REMAIN SILENT ON THIS ISSUE AND WHO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOMS OF ALL. THANK YOU TO THE D9, THE ALPHAS OF MCKINNEY, TO THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE ALONGSIDE US ON BOARDS AND COMMISSION. AND YOU CAME TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT TONIGHT.

THANK YOU TO THE CITY STAFF WHO HAD TO ENDURE MUCH MORE THAN WE PAY THEM TO ENDURE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS. THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SERVE WITH THE UTMOST PROFESSIONALISM AND GRACE. AND FINALLY, TO MY CO-COUNSEL MEN WHO SACRIFICED SO MUCH TO DO THE HARD WORK, TO TAKE THE HITS, TO STILL PUSH THROUGH THE CRITICISM AND THE PRESSURE THROUGH THE FATIGUE.

AND YOU DO IT EVERY DAY STANDING ON TRUTH AND INTEGRITY. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE NAMED AMONGST YOU. THANK YOU. MR. MAYOR. DO YOU MIND IF I SAY A FEW WORDS? I WANT TO ECHO DOCTOR FELTZ. THANK YOU. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY UPLIFTING NIGHT AND WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND BUT I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA. I HATE SOCIAL MEDIA. I FOUND OUT THIS WEEK THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT I VOTED ON THAT I DIDN'T VOTE ON. GEORGE CAN ATTEST TO THAT. I FOUGHT GEORGE TOOTH AND NAIL ON AN AIRPORT AND AN AMPHITHEATER, BUT I VOTED FOR THOSE THINGS. ACCORDING TO SOCIAL MEDIA. I FOUND OUT THIS WEEK THAT YOU INSTITUTED A POLICY EARLIER IN WORK SESSION THAT YOU TOLD ME NO ONE FOR FIVE YEARS. BUT WE DID. WE DID IT TODAY. AND I'M, I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE THAT THAT BRINGS FOR US IN MCKINNEY. BUT ONLINE, THAT'S GEORGE'S FAULT. AND THAT'S WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS. THE INCENTIVES THAT LAYS OUT FOR US. AND THE PATH THAT TAKES US DOWN ARE DANGEROUS. I CONSTANTLY HEAR HOW WE WANT THIS COMMUNITY TO BE TIGHT KNIT, AND THE MCKINNEY COMMUNITY DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF THIS. IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT DRAWS PEOPLE HERE. IT FEELS LIKE A SMALL TOWN. IT REMINDS US OF THE NOSTALGIA OF OUR YOUTH. WE WANT TO KNOW AND BE KNOWN. THAT'S ALSO PART OF

[02:05:07]

BUT TO SEE BILL COX IN THIS SEAT, CARRYING ON THE TRADITIONS OF GENERATIONS WHO BUILT THIS COMMUNITY TO BE WELCOMING TO ME, AND IT'S MY JOB TO BE WELCOMING TO OTHERS.

AND FOR SO MANY OF US, THAT'S THE GOAL. I HATE SOCIAL MEDIA. I STAY ON IT BECAUSE IT MAY BE THE ONLY WAY YOU HEAR FROM ME. I DON'T LIKE TO TALK. I HOPE YOU SEE THAT I DON'T SENSATIONALIZE THINGS TO GET ATTENTION. I DON'T LIE TO YOU TO GET YOU ON MY SIDE, AND I'VE PUT IN THE WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY SINCE I GOT HERE. I DO THOSE THINGS BECAUSE IT'S WHAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO ME.

I'M EXCITED. MY KIDS WILL GET TO SEE IT TOO. ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I HAVE A DAUGHTER RIGHT HERE. SHE GETS TO SEE IT TONIGHT. I'LL CONTINUE TO WORK FOR THOSE CHARACTERISTICS TO BE A BIG PART OF THE IDENTITY OF THIS COMMUNITY. I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN ME IN THAT. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR TO OTHERS. KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS. SLOW DOWN ON OUR ROADWAYS.

SERVE YOUR COMMUNITY. BE GENTLE TO EACH OTHER. WE CAN ONLY MAKE THIS PLACE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE BY TREATING OTHERS THE WAY WE WANT TO BE TREATED. AND LASTLY, I WOULD LIKE TO ECHO WHAT DOCTOR FELTER SAID ABOUT PAUL AND OUR STAFF. PAUL, YOU GOT YOU GOT DRAWN INTO THIS FOR SENDING WHAT I THINK WAS THE BEST EMPLOYER TO EMPLOYEE EMAIL THAT I'VE SEEN. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP AND. OUR STAFF HAS PERFORMED EXCELLENTLY FOR THE 2 TO 4

[02:10:15]

AND YOU GUYS THAT CAME OUT TONIGHT, YOU'RE JUST LIKE US TONIGHT. YOU KNOW, MY MY KIDS HAD PRACTICE TONIGHT. YOU KNOW, I WOULD RATHER BE THERE SEEING THEM PRACTICE. MY KIDS HAVE,

[02:15:03]

THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? I'LL SAY MINE NOW BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S DOING IT. I'LL BE QUICK. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES LIFE JUST COMES AT YOU, RIGHT? SOMETIMES LIFE JUST COMES. A STEAMROLLER JUST HITS YOU. AND I SAW A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WAS COMING LAST TIME, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ALL THAT. I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, ONCE I UNDERSTAND IT'S A SITE PLAN AND IT'S RATHER MINISTERIAL THAT IT'LL BE ACCEPTED. BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST WASN'T THE CASE. AND SO YOU WIND UP QUESTIONING A LOT OF THINGS AND YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DO THESE THINGS AND OUR LIVES.

I THINK I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US UP HERE, BUT I'LL CERTAINLY SPEAK FOR ME. OUR LIVES ARE KIND OF WE'RE ON A TRAIN, RIGHT? I'VE GOT A BUSINESS. I'VE GOT NOW SIX GRANDKIDS. I'VE GOT MY WIFE, I'VE GOT MY KIDS, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE GOT THIS. AND IT KEEPS US PRETTY BUSY. AND YOU JUST GO AND YOU DO, AND YOU DUCK DOWN. AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR OVER FOUR YEARS. SO. BUT I STARTED QUESTIONING THINGS AND THINKING, YOU KNOW, MAN, IS THIS WORTH IT? AND THEN I HAD TO GO BACK AND FIND A FACEBOOK POST THAT I MADE, AND I SEARCHED ON A SITE BY MY LAST NAME AND IT CAME UP WITH ALL MY COUNCIL POSTS I POST EVERY FRIDAY BEFORE THE TUESDAY MEETING AND I POST PICTURES. AND YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME AT THAT POINT? AND I'VE TRIED TO HOLD ON TO IT SINCE AS GRATITUDE, THE GRATITUDE FOR ALL THE MOMENTS I'VE HAD, THE GRATITUDE FOR THE DOZENS AND DOZENS AND DOZENS OF GOOD FRIENDS THAT I'VE MADE THROUGH THIS, DESPITE HAVING LIVED HERE OVER 20 YEARS BEFORE I SERVED ON THIS COUNCIL. AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE IT MADE ME SO GRATEFUL FOR IS THE SOFTENING IN ME. WE CAN'T ENCOUNTER STRANGERS AND LISTEN AND EMPATHIZE WITHOUT BEING SOFTENED A LITTLE BIT. AND I'VE BEEN SOFTENED BY THIS JOB. AND MY FINAL THOUGHT IS THIS IS THAT IF IT ENDS TOMORROW FOR ME, MAN, I'M GLAD I DID IT. AND I WOULD SAY, IF IT'S BURNING INSIDE OF YOU AT ALL, TO STEP UP AND SERVE THIS COMMUNITY, RUN FOR OFFICE, SERVE ON A BOARD, DO IT. NURTURE IT IN YOUR KIDS. IT HAS BEEN THE MOST PROFOUNDLY REWARDING THING IN MY LIFE, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF REWARDS IN MY LIFE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU PATRICK. ANYONE ELSE? WELL, I'LL PUT MY $0.02 IN. IT'S HARD TO. GO AFTER MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS. THEY'RE SO WELL SPOKEN AND THEY MEAN WHAT THEY SAY. IT'S VERY HEARTFELT. AND I'VE BEEN HERE IN MCKINNEY FOR 63 YEARS. I'VE GROWN UP WITH A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CITY, I'VE CARED FOR THIS CITY, AND I LOVE THIS CITY. AFTER LAST TWO WEEKS AGO, AND WE HEARD FROM ALL THESE PEOPLE AND ALL THE HATEFUL COMMENTS AND ALL THE NAMES THAT WERE THROWN AROUND AND ALL THIS. AND I STARTED LOOKING AT THEM. AND I DON'T KNOW THESE PEOPLE. I HAVE NO CONNECTION WITH THESE PEOPLE. AND I HAD TO RATIONALIZE IT, AND I HAD TO GO THROUGH MY BRAIN BECAUSE YOU WANT TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY, BUT YOU CAN'T. LIKE YOU SAID, THEY'RE FROM OUT OF THEY'RE FROM OUT OF MCKINNEY OR THEY HAVEN'T VOTED IN THE LAST ELECTION OR YOU DON'T SEE THEM UP HERE. THAT'S WHY WHEN MICHAEL SAID, IT'S GOOD TO SEE FACES, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO SEE FACES AND FRIENDLY FACES. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT IT MEANS TO ME BECAUSE I NOT ONLY TOOK IT PERSONALLY, I TOOK IT PERSONALLY FOR MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ENDURE THIS. I'M AT THE END OF MY TERM. THESE PEOPLE FOUGHT TO GET ON THE COUNCIL.

THEY WENT THROUGH A LOT TO GET ON THE COUNCIL. AND WHEN YOU RUN, THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF THROWN AROUND AND YOU GET CALLED NAMES AND THINGS YOU DIDN'T DO AND AND THINGS YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE IN THAT THEY, THEY, THEY GIVE YOU. AND IT'S DIFFICULT. AND THEY DID. THEY WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AND TO HAVE THEM COME AND SAY, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT AWAY FROM YOU BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T BREAK THE LAW. THAT'S UNFAIR. THAT'S UNFAIR TO EVERYBODY UP HERE.

IT'S UNFAIR TO THE CITIZENS OF MCKINNEY. AND IT'S JUST WRONG. AND SO THANK YOU FOR COMING

[02:20:08]

WE KNEW WE HAD SACRIFICES AT HOME. AND IN YOUR OTHER LIFE, YOUR YOUR WORK LIFE, IF YOU STILL WORK. AND WE KNEW THAT, SO TO SAY, YOU DIDN'T EXPECT THAT IS UNREALISTIC. IT IS A SACRIFICE. AND IF YOU HAVE THAT PLACE IN YOUR HEART TO GIVE BACK TO THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY, TAKE THAT CHANCE. WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO BE IS THAT PERSON THAT SAID, WHAT IF? WHAT IF? I WOULD HAVE ONLY TRIED, I WOULD HAVE ONLY STEPPED OUT THERE AND TAKEN THAT CHANCE. GO TAKE THAT CHANCE. IF SOMEWHERE IN YOUR HEART THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT TO GIVE AND DO AND SERVE AND GIVE SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO SOMEONE ELSE, YOUR TIME, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO DO THAT. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO FIND THAT SPOT IN YOUR HEART, FIND THAT PLACE, AND GO MAKE MCKINNEY EVEN BETTER THAN IT IS TODAY. SO THANK YOU. WITH THAT, WHAT? NO CLAP, NO NOTHING. NOW. BETTER. THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE A FULL AGENDA THAT WE STILL HAVE TO GET TO. SO I ONLY HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA. COME ON. IF YOU'RE IF YOU YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO LEAVE. YOU DO NOT GET EXTRA CREDIT FOR STAYING. WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR CONSENT AGENDA. AND THEN TWO MORE ITEMS, THREE MORE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMING TO ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR EVENING. YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OKAY, LET'S LET'S KEEP GOING. OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GOING AND KEEP DOING

[CONSENT AGENDA]

[26-0789 Citizen Input on the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget]

MARK HOLLOWAY CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER I'M WAITING FOR THE PRESENTATION TO POP UP. THERE IT IS. TONIGHT THE AGENDA IS A CITIZEN INPUT MEETING ON THE FY 27 BUDGET. I'D LIKE TO THANK

[02:25:08]

THE FIRST 200,000 OF THAT CAME FROM JUST LINE ITEMS WITHIN THE, THE THE BUDGET ITSELF. AND THEN WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT REDUCING THE, THE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND TRANSFER BY ABOUT $500,000. THAT FUND SOME YEARS IT RUNS IN THE BLACK. SOME YEARS IT RUNS IN THE RED BECAUSE WE DO EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENTS AND FACILITY UPGRADES FROM IT. SO THIS YEAR WE DECIDED TO JUST GO AHEAD AND REDUCE THAT TRANSFER ABOUT $500,000. THE OTHER THING WE DID WAS REDUCE ABOUT FOUR SUPPLEMENTALS THAT WERE WERE ASKED FOR AT THE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, WE TOOK THOSE. WE TOOK THOSE FOUR CUTS, AND WE GOT TO A TOTAL OF $2.2 MILLION.

BUT TO DO THAT, WE ALSO NEED TO REQUEST A TRANSFER FROM THE CDC, WHICH WAS TALKED ABOUT AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP OF ABOUT $1 MILLION. AND WE'LL HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE CDC GOING FORWARD. BUT THAT WILL BE OUR PLAN TO DO THAT. THAT WOULD BE FOR PARKS AND RECREATION OPERATIONS OR POSSIBLY SOME SOME OTHER ITEMS. THIS WOULD RESULT IN A BALANCED GENERAL FUND BUDGET OF ABOUT $246.5 MILLION. ONCE YOU TAKE THE 1.2 MILLION IN REDUCTION AND THE ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION OF REVENUE. SO THIS WAS AT COUNCIL DIRECTION, AND THIS IS THE DIRECTION. THIS IS THE SOLUTION THAT WE CAME UP WITH. YOU GO BACK THE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT FUND. ARE WE TALKING I MEAN, ARE WE TALKING LAWN MOWERS? ARE WE TALKING POLICE CARS? WELL, WE'RE. SO THIS FUND ACTUALLY REPLACES ANYTHING FROM LAWN MOWERS TO POLICE CARS. BUT YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY LOSING ANYTHING FROM IT. WE WOULD JUST ACTUALLY TAKE SOME OF THE FUND BALANCE THAT WE'VE BUILT OVER TIME, AND PAY THAT DOWN IN THE FUND WOULD RUN IN THE RED A LITTLE BIT THIS YEAR, WOULD STILL MAINTAIN A FUND BALANCE. SO IT WAS JUST JUST A DIFFERENT WAY TO LOOK AT IT. JUST BUYING SOME CAPITAL FROM, FROM SOME RESERVES TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE OPERATIONALLY ABLE TO MEET THE BUDGET WITHIN THE 0.412 TAX RATE. THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION. ABSOLUTELY. SO AFTER THAT, THE 27 FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS REMAIN FAIRLY THE SAME. OUR SALES TAX FOR THE YEAR, ONCE AGAIN, LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE AT THE BUDGET WORKSHOP ON THE SEVENTH, IS STRONG THIS FISCAL YEAR, STRONGER THAN WE WE ANTICIPATED. AND WE ARE ALSO LOOKING AT ABOUT A 3.5% INCREASE FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR IN THAT IN THE 27 BUDGET, WE WERE PROVIDING STEP INCREASES FOR ALL NON-SWORN PERSONNEL, PLUS A 1% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT. AND THEN ALSO THE PLANNED STEP INCREASES AND MARKET ADJUSTMENTS FOR OUR SWORN PERSONNEL, EXPANDING FUNDING OF OUR STREET MAINTENANCE PLAN THROUGH OUR CAPITAL BUDGET AND ALSO THROUGH A NEW POTHOLE PROGRAM, AND THEN ALSO SOME ADDITIONAL STAFFING FOR WHAT THE PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE REST OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS THERE. THIS IS JUST A LITTLE BIT LARGER BREAKDOWN. YOU CAN SEE IT'S 29 NEW POSITIONS, 13 IN PUBLIC SAFETY, THREE POLICE, TEN FIRE AND TWO IN PARKS. ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THE FOUR CERTIFIED POLICE OFFICERS AND SERGEANT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT AT YOUR FIRST TWO MEETING. THIS THESE WILL BE FUNDED FROM TERSE TWO AND HOUSED IN THE GENERAL FUND. SO THIS THIS THIS IS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE. YOU CAN SEE NOW THAT THE UPDATE UPDATED PROPOSED BUDGET IS THE SAME TAX RATE AS WE HAVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.412. AND

[02:30:05]

ANYONE ELSE? YES. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING AGAIN, COUNCIL AND MAYOR, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE PROPERTY TAX DECREASE. AS A PERSON THAT INHERITED A PROPERTY IN MCKINNEY, IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO KEEP UP WITH THOSE TAXES. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY ANYTHING THAT YOU ALL CAN DO TO CONSIDER THOSE THAT ARE IN SITUATIONS LIKE THAT. THE AGING POPULATION, ALL ALL OF THE CONSIDERATIONS. THANK YOU. AND JUST ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO DO SO. THANK YOU. COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME AND WE KNOW YOU, BUT JUST NAME IS BETH BENTLEY. THANK YOU. OKAY. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT THEN WE DO NEED TO MARK ANY ACTION OR JUST CITIZEN INPUT. AND THEN WHAT? YEAH. THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT. NO ACTION WILL TAKE ACTION ON PROBABLY FOUR ITEMS ON ON SEPTEMBER THE 1ST TWO ONE BUDGET, TWO ON THE TAX RATE AND THEN UPDATED FEES FOR OUR OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES THAT NIGHT AS WELL. MARK, THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR THE HARD WORK ON

[26-0790 Consider/Discuss/Act on a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Construction Contract and All Necessary Change Orders with A&C Construction, Inc. of Irving, Texas for Construction of Towne Lake Phase 1C, which includes the Bob & Barbara Tomes Dog Park and Play Zone (PK 4393)]

AMY KINCAID, THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND REC. I WANTED TO PRESENT THIS ITEM BECAUSE IT IS A LARGE PROJECT THAT WE ARE STARTING. SOME OF THE STUFF IS A REPEAT FROM WORK SESSION, SO I'M GOING TO MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY. SO JUST AN OVERVIEW. WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE HISTORY PROJECT OVERVIEW AND THE SPECIFIC AREAS OF THE DOG PARK AND THE PLAY ZONE AREA. SO THE TOWN LAKE PROJECTS WERE BOTH IN THE MASTER PARKS PLAN AS WELL AS THE MASTER TRAILS PLAN THAT WERE BOTH ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN THE LAST TEN YEARS. SO THIS IS A REPEAT SLIDE, BUT JUST SHOWING WE'RE DOING PHASE 1 IN 3 DIFFERENT SECTIONS ONE A B IN THE LIGHT WALK AT TOWN LAKE THAT WAS COMPLETED IN DECEMBER 2025. PHASE ONE B IS GRADY LITTLEJOHN, WHICH IS THE SPORT COMPLEX BETWEEN THE PROPOSED DOG PARK AREA AND PLAY ZONE AND THE LIGHT WALK, THE CONSTRUCTION ON THIS HAS BEGUN. AND THEN ONE C SPECIFICALLY, WHAT WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT WAS THE BOB AND BARBARA THOMAS TOWN LAKE DOG PARK AND PLAY ZONE. BOTH OF THESE TOTAL JUST SHY OF $7.6 MILLION. THE PLAY ZONE BROKEN DOWN AS 5.5 MILLION. THE DOG PARK IS 2.1. AND JUST TO TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO WHAT THESE AREAS CONSIST OF, THE PLAY ZONE AREA INCLUDES THE EVENT AREA FOR SUCH THINGS AS FOOD TRUCKS, THE STAGE SEATING AND IT ALSO INCLUDES A RESTROOM BUILDING, SAND VOLLEYBALL COURTS. THERE'LL BE TWO OVER THERE, A HORSESHOE PIT, SOME TRAIL AND PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES AND COVERED SEATING AREA. AND HERE'S THE LAYOUT OF THAT MAP AREA. SO A BREAKDOWN OF THE COST JUST SO YOU CAN SEE LINE BY LINE. THE HIGHEST COST IS THE HARDSCAPE WHICH IS THE CONCRETE. ALSO YOU'LL SEE TWO EXTRA FEATURES DOWN THERE. IT DIDN'T REALLY FIT IN EITHER, BUT IT'S THE SENIOR RECREATION CENTER STRUCTURE AND THE OLD SETTLERS CEMETERY. WITH THE TEXAS HISTORIC COMMISSION, WE

[02:35:05]

IF YOU'VE BEEN TO MCKINNEY GREENS, YOU'LL SEE THEM IN THE NEW PARK THERE WITH A NICE LIGHTING FEATURE. THE PICNIC TABLES. THE TOP IS AGAIN STANDARD WITH THE WOOD AND BLACK. AND THESE ARE JUST DIFFERENT SAMPLES THAT WILL BE IN THAT AREA. AND HERE IS THE RENDERING OF THE OLD SETTLERS CEMETERY FENCE TOTALING 75,000. AND THEN THE SENIOR REC CENTER SHADE STRUCTURE THAT WILL TOTAL 100 000. THE DOG PARK ZONE INCLUDES A DOG SPLASH PAD, AGILITY COURSE, AND THERE'S SOME RENDERINGS AND SOME JUST PHOTOS OF WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE INSIDE THE AREA. AGAIN, TRAILS TO CONNECT TO THE SENIOR REC CENTER AND PAVILION. THIS IS BEEN A HIGH PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT HAVE THAT CONNECTION TO THE SENIOR REC CENTER FROM TOWN LAKE, AND THEN A SHADE IN THE LAWN AREA. AGAIN, THE TOTAL COST IS 2.1 MILLION. THE MOST EXPENSIVE ON HERE IS THE HARDSCAPE, THE FENCING AND SITE AMENITIES. A LOT OF THAT COST IS THE CONCRETE. AND WITH THAT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING SUPPORT OF THIS, ALONG WITH THE PARK BOARD, AND THE AMOUNT OF $7,512,590. THANK YOU. AMY. ANY QUESTIONS? MICHAEL? NO, AMY. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU WAITING AND MAKING YOUR PRESENTATION VERY MUCH. LOOKS LIKE AN EXCITING AREA AND ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR MCKINNEY CITIZENS AND PUPPIES. YES. CORRECT. ARE TO ENJOY. YEAH, YEAH. THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC HEARING, NOR IS THERE ANY INPUT, BUT IT IS AN ITEM THAT WE NEED. MOTIONS, ACTION.

I'LL MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS ITEM AS PRESENTED BY AMY. I'LL SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION. SECOND BY COUNCILWOMAN FELTUS. ANY DISCUSSION, PLEASE CAST YOUR VOTE. THAT MOTION CARRIES BY VOTE OF SEVEN IN FAVOR AND ZERO

[26-0791 Consider/Discuss/Act on a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract with Alliance Geotechnical Group, Inc. for Materials Testing Services for the Construction of Towne Lake Phase 1C and Authorizing Any Necessary Supplemental Agreements (PK2608)]

[COUNCIL AND MANAGER COMMENTS]

[02:40:05]

MCKINNEY PARKS.ORG/ACTIVITIES. CHECK OUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE THIS FALL AND REGISTER TODAY.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS COMING UP ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6TH. CIRCLE YOUR CALENDARS. JOIN THE MCKINNEY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY FOR AN EVENING FOCUSED ON BUILDING COMMUNITY, STRENGTHENING POLICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, AND KEEPING MCKINNEY SAFE. NEIGHBORHOODS PLANNING A BLOCK PARTY CAN REGISTER THROUGH OCTOBER AT MCKINNEY UNTIL OCTOBER, I SHOULD SAY. AND MCKINNEY, TEXAS.ORG/NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

AND THAT IS ALL I HAVE, SIR. ANYONE ELSE? ANY OTHER COMMENTS? NO. PAUL. THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. AND THANK YOU TO YOUR STAFF AS WELL. THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS THROUGH AND THROUGH AND WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. WITH THAT, WE DO NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN. SO MOVED. A MOTION BY MAYOR PRO STILL STUCK IN. I LOVE YOU SITTING RIGHT HERE. WE DO THAT.

COUNCILWOMAN FELTUS SECOND BY MAYOR PRO TEM FRANKLIN TO ADJOURN THE MEETING. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. WE ARE A

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.