[00:00:01]
GOOD.[CALL TO ORDER]
3:03 PM WELCOME TO THE CITY OF MCKINNEY CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AT, UM, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2026.[PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS]
OUR FIRST ITEM WILL BE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNCIL ON A WORK SESSION ITEM.I THOUGHT MAYBE YOU'D LET ALL THE POLICE LEAVE BEFORE I GOT UP HERE, BUT, UH, MY NAME IS SHANNON WHITE.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GRACE TO CHANGE, AND I JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR LOOKING OVER THE VAPE STORE SITUATION.
FOR US, IT'S MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST VAPOR CIGARETTES.
PEOPLE ASSUME IT'S VAPOR CIGARETTES.
OUR VAPE STORES BASICALLY NOW ARE THE NEW DRUG DEALERS FOR OUR KIDS.
SO I BROUGHT A COUPLE OF PROPS THAT WE BOUGHT LEGALLY.
UM, THIS IS A 12 OUNCE CAN THAT HAS THC IN IT.
THIS 12 OUNCE CAN HAS 20 SERVINGS IN IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW ANY KID THAT'S GONNA SHARE 20 SERVINGS OUT OF THIS CAN.
UM, THIS IS THE 7 0 8 CRATE THAT WE'VE GOT RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS A TWO SERVING CONTAINER.
IF IT WAS LABELED AS ONE SERVING, IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL TO SELL, SO THEY CAN SELL THIS.
UM, THIS ULTRA IS SOLD IN FOUR 60 MILLIGRAM PACKS.
THE DOSAGE IS ONE QUARTER OF ONE OF THE PILLS.
AND SO OUR CLIENTS ARE TAKING THESE AND TAKING ALL FOUR AT ONE TIME.
SO CRETO IS NOW, WHICH IS IN THE 7 0 8, AND ALL OF THESE THAT'S, WE'RE HAVING TO MEDICALLY DETOX PEOPLE FROM THOSE THINGS NOW.
SO IT'S NOT JUST RECREATIONAL.
IT IS BECOME, IT'S MORE ADDICTIVE THAN HEROIN AND MORPHINE, AND KIDS CAN JUST WALK IN AND GET THESE THINGS.
THIS WAS A PACK OF MUSHROOMS, NOT ONE BIT OF IT IS MUSHROOM.
SO WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE WHAT WE CAN GET.
AND BECAUSE THE POLICE ARE HEAR THERE, I'LL RAT OURSELVES OUT.
WHEN KIM AND I WENT TO BUY ALL THESE THINGS, WE WERE NERVOUS WRECKS.
AND WHEN WE LEFT, THE GUY SAID, HERE ARE TWO JOINTS, AND HANDED US TWO GREEN JOINTS THAT WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED MCKINNEY PD AND SAID, WE NEED YOU TO COME AND GET THESE.
SO THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THIS.
IT'S MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST VAPES, AND I TRULY APPRECIATE IT.
ANYONE ELSE? EMPRESS? JUST ONE.
[26-0874 Police Department Recognition Program]
ALL RIGHT, WE WILL MOVE ON.POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOGNITION, CHIEF ELLENBERG.
UM, I'M BACK TO PRESENT A CHIEF'S CHALLENGE COIN THIS TIME TO SERGEANT ERIC JOHNSON.
UH, AS I READ WHAT HE HAS DONE, UH, JUST KNOW IT'S A GROUP TEAM EFFORT.
UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, SERGEANT ERIC JOHNSON IS BEING RECOGNIZED FOR HIS LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONALISM DURING THE CARMELO ANTHONY TRIAL VERDICT AND SENTENCING AT THE COLLIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE THAT RAN FOR TWO WEEKS, BEGINNING ON JUNE 9TH OF THIS YEAR AS THE PUBLIC ORDER PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM, SERGEANT JOHNSON WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING PERSONNEL DURING A HIGHLY PUBLICIZED EVENT THAT DREW NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION AND SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC INTEREST.
THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, EMOTIONS REMAINED HIGH AND THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT WAS EVER PRESENT.
SERGEANT JOHNSON DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP BY MAINTAINING A CALM AND PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE, WHILE EFFECTIVELY COORDINATING WITH THE COLLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE PERSONNEL, STATE PARTNERS, AND MEMBERS OF HIS OWN TEAM, THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS HE HAD ESTABLISHED WITH THE INDIVIDUALS AT THE COURTHOUSE, THE TRAINING HE IMPLEMENTED FOR HIS PERSONNEL AND HIS ABILITY TO ADAPT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.
SERGEANT JOHNSON SUCCESSFULLY DEESCALATED MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS BY AGITATORS TO PROVOKE TENSIONS WITHIN THE CROWD.
HIS EFFORTS HELPED TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS EXERCISING THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIOTS WERE ABLE TO DO SO SAFELY WHILE MAINTAINING PUBLIC ORDER AND SCRUTINY AND SECURITY.
NUMEROUS LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL FROM PARTNER AGENCIES COMMENTED ON SERGEANT JOHNSON'S PROFESSIONALISM, LEADERSHIP, AND EFFECTIVENESS THROUGHOUT THE OPERATION.
HIS ACTIONS REFLECTED POSITIVELY ON THE MCKINNEY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF A CHALLENGING AND EMOTIONALLY CHARGED EVENT.
HIS PERFORMANCE REFLECT GREAT CREDIT UPON HIMSELF, THE MCKINNEY POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE CITY OF MCKINNEY.
SO WITH THAT, I PRESENT YOU WITH THIS CHALLENGE.
[00:06:09]
ALL, I'VE HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.[26-0875 Proclamation for National Information Technology Professionals Day]
WE HAVE ONE PROCLAMATION TODAY.SO IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE HERE FOR RECOGNITION OF IT, PROFESSIONALS DAY, ANYONE, YOU'LL GET TO COME, COME JOIN ME.
WE JUST TOOK ONE TO STAND UP AND THEN EVERYONE FOLLOWS.
RIGHT? THE RIGHT OF WAY AND EVERYTHING.
TECHNICALLY, THIS IS STILL THE RIGHT OF WAY, APPARENTLY.
IT'S, BUT IT'S, IT'S T AND IT'S ARTISTIC.
IT'S NOT, OH, GOD CAME UP WITH THAT.
NATIONAL IT PROFESSIONALS DAY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2015 TO RECOGNIZE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS WHOSE WORK OFTEN PERFORMED BEHIND THE SCENES, KEEPS ORGANIZATIONS CONNECTED, SECURE, PRODUCTIVE, AND OPERATIONAL.
THE CITY'S IT STAFF PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN MAINTAINING THE CITY'S TECHNOLOGY, INFRASTRUCTURE, SYSTEMS, NETWORKS, AND DATA, WHILE PROVIDING THE EXPERTISE AND SUPPORT NECESSARY FOR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.
THEY ADDRESS COMPLEX TECHNICAL CHALLENGES, IMPLEMENT INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, PROTECT CRITICAL INFORMATION, RESPOND TO CYBERSECURITY THREATS, AND ENSURE CITY EMPLOYEES HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO CONDUCT THE BUSINESS.
NOW AS MAYOR MCKINNEY TEXAS, I DO HEAR MY RECOGNIZE SEPTEMBER 15 IS I PROFESSIONALS DAY AND ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND CITY EMPLOYEES TO JOIN ME IN RECOGNIZING THE CITY OF MCKINNEY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TEAM FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AND SERVICE TO OUR ORGANIZATION.
I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE THESE GUYS MOST.
LIKE YOU MENTIONED, MOST OF THE STUFF THAT HAPPENS IS BEHIND THE SCENE, BUT THEY ARE A DEDICATED GROUP THAT WORKS VERY HARD AT KEEPING OUR PUBLIC SAFE, MAKING SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC SERVICES ARE ONLINE AND SUPPORTING EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY, UH, DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
UH, THEY RARELY SAY NO, THEY'RE, THEY'RE READY TO GO.
AND SO THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS.
SO WE'LL TAKE, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE.
IT'S GONNA BE THE PANORAMIC STUFF.
[00:11:00]
WE NEED.NEXT ITEM WILL BE, UH, AGENDA DISCUSSION.
DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY ITEMS ON OUR REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA THAT, UM, WE WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS? NO.
[26-0876 Consider/Discuss Vape Shop Regulations]
VERY GOOD.WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR WORK SESSION ITEM FIRST ITEM IS TWO SIX DASH 0 8 7 6.
CONSIDERING DISCUSS VAPE SHOP REGULATIONS.
GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, MAYOR COUNSEL, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK.
THIS IS A FOLLOW UP PRESENTATION TO ONE, UH, THAT WE GAVE JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO.
SO I'LL JUST KIND OF TALK THROUGH THE AGENDA THAT I HAVE HERE, WHICH IS TO RECAP OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSION AROUND VAPE SHOP REGULATIONS.
UM, TALK ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED, AND THEN WE'LL GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO COME UP AND TALK THROUGH SOME OF THE ANGLES THAT THEY HAD.
UM, AND THEN TALK THROUGH SOME NEXT STEPS AS WE CONTINUE TO DIVE INTO THIS TOPIC.
FOR THE CITY OF MCKINNEY, AT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, IT WAS THE JUNE 18TH THAT WE, UH, PRESENTED SOME LAND USE REGULATION OPTIONS RELATED TO VAPE SHOPS, TO, UH, YOU ALL.
WE TALKED THROUGH, UH, THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE A DEFINITION.
IF YOU'LL REMEMBER RIGHT NOW, VAPE SHOPS DID NOT HAVE THEIR OWN SEPARATE DEFINITION IN THE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE.
THEY'RE CONSIDERED RETAIL SALES, SO THEY'RE ALLOWED ANYWHERE THAT RETAIL SALES ARE ALLOWED.
THEY DON'T REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL NOTICING, DISTANCING, ANY OF THOSE THINGS.
WE TALKED THROUGH SOME OF OUR SISTER CITIES AND THE ORDINANCES THAT THEY'VE PASSED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WHICH INCLUDES SOME DI DISTANCE CRITERIA OR, UH, THE REQUIREMENT OF A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT AND OR THE RESTRICTION TO CERTAIN ZONES.
TALK THROUGH HOW YOU COULD DO ONE OR MULTIPLE OF THOSE.
AND THEN WE DID HEAR A LOT OF QUESTIONS, UH, NOT JUST ABOUT LAND USE REGULATION, BUT ABOUT, UH, THE EFFECT OF THAT REGULATION AND, UM, ILLEGAL ACTIVITY AND ENFORCEMENT, WHICH KIND OF IS A, IS A DIFFERENT ANGLE THAN THE LAND USE REGULATION SIDE.
AND SO, COMING BACK TODAY, UH, I'M GONNA HAND OFF THIS PRESENTATION TO CHIEF ELLENBERG WHO'S GONNA TALK THROUGH THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE, MAYOR COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER.
I JUST KIND OF WANT TO GO THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORY, UH, OF WHERE, WHAT GOT US TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
SO IN 2018, UH, THE FARM BILL WAS IMPLEMENTED, WHICH, UH, LEGALIZED THE SALE OF HEMP AND CBD, UH, IT ALLOWED ALSO, AND THIS IS THE PIVOTAL PART, UP TO 0.3% DELTA NINE THC, TO BE CONTAINED IN THOSE PRODUCTS.
UP UNTIL THIS POINT, DELTA NINE, THC WAS STRICTLY ILLEGAL IN TEXAS.
IN 2019, THE LEGISLATOR AUTHORIZED THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF HEMP AND CBD, UH, AND WHAT THEY TOLD US WAS IT WAS TO, UH, STAND UP OR SUPPORT THE TEXAS FARMER.
SOMETHING TO NOTE IS IN 2024, OUTTA 125 MILLION FARMABLE ACRES IN TEXAS, ONLY 182 ACRES WERE DEDICATED TO THIS TYPE OF, UH, UH, CROP.
UH, WE ALSO BELIEVE, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT IT HERE IN A MINUTE, THAT MOST ALL THE, UH, THC PRODUCTS THAT ARE SOLD IN THE VAPE STORES COME FROM ANOTHER STATE WHERE THC IS LEGAL, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU THAT MANY OF 'EM SELL PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN WAY MORE THAN 0.3%.
UH, THE CONSEQUENCES IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT.
IT'S A UNREGULATED INDUSTRY NOW SELLING HIGH POTENCY FORMS OF THC.
UH, JUST REAL QUICK, AND I WON'T READ ALL THIS TO YOU, UH, THC IS THE CANNABINOID FOUND IN CANNABIS PLANTS.
THIS IS WHAT PRODUCES THE HIGH, UH, THE OTHER CATEGORIES ARE HEMP, CBD,
[00:15:01]
UH, PRIOR TO 2018, THESE WERE NOT A CONCERN.A LOT OF PEOPLE TOOK THESE FOR MEDICINAL REASONS OR USED HEMP IN MANUFACTURING, CLOTHING AND JEWELRY AND, UH, VARIOUS OTHER THINGS.
AND THEN WHAT DIDN'T USE TO EXIST WHEN WE WERE KIDS IS THE WAX AND OIL CONCENTRATE OF THE T-H-P-T-H-C, UH, WHICH IS A VERY LONG, UH, NAME THAT I CAN'T PRONOUNCE.
BUT, UM, I'M GONNA MOVE FORWARD TWO SLIDES TO KIND OF LET YOU KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE.
UH, I TOOK PART LAST YEAR IN A CHANNEL 11 NEWS CONFERENCE WITH ALL THE MAJOR CHIEFS IN COLLIN COUNTY, AS WELL AS OUR SHERIFF TO DISCUSS WHAT WE WERE FACING.
UH, MY PART WAS SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED TO PARENTS WHO ALREADY HAVE A DIFFICULT JOB, BUT NOW, UH, THERE'S A BRICK AND MORTAR STORE WHERE THEIR CHILD CAN GO AND LEGALLY PURCHASE SOMETHING THAT COULD HAVE THEM CHARGED WITH A FELONY.
UH, THE TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, WHICH I'M A MEMBER OF, IS EXACTLY WHAT IT STANDS FOR.
WE HAVE MET WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVES AND OUR SENATORS THROUGHOUT THIS LAST LEG LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO CORRECTLY CONVEY TO THEM THE CHALLENGE THAT THIS WAS CAUSING FOR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN ANOTHER JUST LEGISLATIVE CONCERN IS JUST LIKE SOME OF THE PRODUCTS THAT WERE SHOWN TO YOU DURING COMMENTS, IS LEGISLATION IS ALWAYS TWO YEARS AT BEST BEHIND, UH, THE CHEMISTS WHO ARE PRODUCING THESE DRUGS.
SO, TO GO BACK A SCREEN, OUR EFFORTS PAID OFF, AND THE FULL LEGALIZATION OF THC WAS PROPOSED BY TPCA, AND IT WAS PASSED IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND WAS VETOED BY OUR GOVERNOR.
UH, WHAT WE DID GET OUT OF OUR EFFORTS WAS A PROHIBITION ON PACKAGING THAT IT ENTICED CHILDREN.
UM, AND THEN THE HIGHLIGHTED PARTS THERE IS, IT PROHIBITS THE SALE TO MINORS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE, BUT IT'S PUNISHABLE BY A TICKET OR A CLASS C MISDEMEANOR.
THE OTHER THING IT DID WAS DELEGATE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS TO THE TEXAS OR THE TABC AND DPS, WHICH I'M JUST GONNA BE HONEST WITH YOU, I KNOW THE LEADERS OF THOSE TWO ORGANIZATIONS, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO, UH, TO PRIORITIZE THIS.
AND THEN IT ALSO, UH, ESTABLISHED THAT DPS WOULD COORDINATE WITH ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT ALL IN LAWFUL SALES AND, UH, ADDRESS AND ADDRESS VIOLATIONS, CONS WERE ENFORCED CONSISTENTLY ACROSS THE STATE.
AGAIN, LAST WEEK I WAS WITH, UH, CHIEF SHEARD OF DPS, AND HE SAID, WE HAVE LITTLE TO NO TIME TO DEDICATE TO THIS.
SO THE CHALLENGES IS THE LOOPHOLES IN THE CURRENT LAW ALLOW THC COMP COMPOUNDS TO BE SOLD AS LEGAL.
CBD MISLABELING LEADS TO ACCIDENTAL INTOXICATIONS OVERDOSES AND ADDICTION.
RETAILERS AND CONSUMERS ARE AWARE OF THE MISLABELING PACK MISLABELED PACKAGES, UH, BUT STILL CLAIM TO, UH, IGNORANCE FOR A DEFENSE.
SO WHAT'S THIS MEAN? THIS MEANS THAT I WALK INTO A CBD STORE.
WE'VE DONE IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND SAY, HEY, I'VE SMOKED WEED FOR 20 YEARS.
I'M NOT GETTING THE SAME HIGH USED TO.
I WANT THE REALLY STRONG STUFF THAT'LL GIVE ME A HIGH, THEY'LL SELL IT TO US.
IT'S IN A PACKAGE THAT SAYS IT CONTAINS LESS THAN 0.3% OF THC, BUT SOMETIMES WE'RE FINDING CONCENTRATES IN THE SIXTIES, SEVENTIES, AND 80 PERCENTILE RANGE.
SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY'RE MISSING IT BY A COUPLE OF DECIMAL POINTS.
THEY'RE MISSING IT BY TENS AND TWENTIES.
UH, IT'S MANUFACTURED AND IMPORTED FROM OUTTA STATE, LIKE I HAD SAID EARLIER.
AND HERE'S, HERE'S SOME MORE CHALLENGES WITH ENFORCEMENT.
THC INTOXICATION LEVELS ARE VERY DIFFICULT TO DETECT.
OUR CANINES CANNOT DETERMINE BETWEEN WHAT HAS OVER 0.3% AND LESS THAN 0.3%.
UH, I'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED, UH, INADEQUATE RESOURCES BY DPS AND THE RISK OF UNLAWFUL ARREST ON O VIEW OFFENSES.
SO HERE'S, HERE'S THE CRUX OF IT.
IT WHAT WE USED TO COULD ARREST ON SITE FOR, BECAUSE WE FIELD TESTED THE PRODUCT, IT PROVED TO BE ILLEGAL, AND WE MADE AN ARREST.
NOW, WE CANNOT DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S PACKAGED LEGALLY.
IT'S ALLOWED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE CAN'T SEND IT TO THE DPS LAB BECAUSE THEY DON'T TEST CONCENTRATION LEVELS OF THC UNTIL RECENTLY.
THEY CAN NOW TEST ABOVE OR BELOW 1%, BUT THAT'S TAKING MONTH OR TWO MONTHS TO GET THE RE RETURN BACK SO THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THESE CASES AT LARGE, RETROACTIVELY TWO MONTHS AFTER THE FACT.
AND THEN YOU CAN SEE WHAT WE'VE BEEN SPENDING ON PRIVATE LAB TESTING, UH, WHICH WE, WE TRY TO PICK AND CHOOSE ONLY THOSE THAT HAVE THE GREATEST EFFECT ON QUALITY OF LIFE.
THIS IS SOME OF THE PACKAGING THAT HAS BEEN OUTLAWED.
[00:20:01]
IT RULED OUT CARTOON CHARACTERS, UH, CANDY LIKE IMAGERY, UH, CELEBRITY LIKENESS OR BRANDING MIMICKING, UH, CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS.HOWEVER, WE ALL KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE THINGS THAN JUST THAT THAT CAN BE ENTICING TO OUR JUVENILE POPULATION.
UH, MCKINNEY POLICE INVESTIGATIONS.
RIGHT NOW, WE BELIEVE WE HAVE 37 PRIMARY VAPE SHOPS WITHIN THE CITY OF MCKINNEY.
UH, LAST YEAR, I THOUGHT Y'ALL WOULD FIND THIS INTERESTING.
UH, WE ARRESTED 108 SCHOOL STUDENTS, UH, FOR BEING IN POSSESSION OF, UH, THC VAPES.
THE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS ALL HAVE VAPE DETECTORS.
SO IF YOU WALK INTO A BATHROOM AND, AND USE YOUR VAPE, IT ALERTS THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.
AND WE EXPECT THESE NUMBERS TO CONTINUE TO RISE AS THEY PUT VAPE DETECTORS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
AND HERE'S THE KICKER, POSSESSION OF A THC CONCENTRATE, WHICH WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE LIQUIDS OR WAXES.
LIQUIDS WOULD BE WHAT WOULD BE FOUND IN A VAPE IS A STATE JAIL FELONY.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE CAUGHT IN POSSESSION ON POSSESSION OF IT IN A SCHOOL, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A DRUG FREE ZONE, IT'S A THIRD DEGREE FELONY.
SO THIS WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE PRESS CONFERENCES, PARENTING'S HARD ENOUGH, BUT NOW OUR KIDS CAN GO INTO A BRICK AND MORTAR, LEGALLY PURCHASE SOMETHING FOR $40, TAKE IT TO SCHOOL, AND BE CHARGED WITH A THIRD DEGREE FELONY.
I WON'T BEAT THAT UP, BUT, UH, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR LOCAL INVESTIGATION.
UH, BACK IN 2022, THE END OF 22, WE STARTED AN OPERATION CALLED VAPOR LOCK THAT HAD MULTIPLE UNDERCOVER BUYS FROM LOCAL VAPE SHOPS.
IT WAS A JOINT INVESTIGATION WITH THE RS, THE POSTAL INSPECTORS AND THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
AND ON NOVEMBER 7TH, 2024, WE EXECUTED A SEARCH WARRANT ON NINE LOCAL VAPE SHOPS AND SIX COLLIN COUNTY RESIDENTS.
WE SEIZED OVER $8 MILLION IN ASSETS AND CURRENCY.
SO THAT MEANS THAT WE LITERALLY TOOK EVERY PRODUCT OFF OF EVERY SHELF OUT OF EVERY STORE AND CONFISCATED IT.
THE IRONIC PART WAS, IS WITHIN 30 DAYS, THEY WERE RESUPPLIED IN DOING BUSINESS BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THIS IS SUCH A LUCRATIVE BUSINESS.
IT'S WORTH THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS TO HAVE A WARRANT RAN ON YOU EVER SO OFTEN.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL STAND FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, THAT'S DEPRESSING AS HELL.
UH, CHIEF, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
I, I SEE THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT I'LL, I'LL CALL YOUNG PEOPLE CAUGHT IN THEIR TWENTIES OR SOMETHING, GET ARRESTED FOR DUI.
IS THAT, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE PERHAPS THC RELATED OR, OR LET ME CALL IT NON-ALCOHOL RELATED VERSUS ALCOHOL? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.
I WOULD CON I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE LESS THAN 10 TO 20%.
UH, PARTLY BECAUSE, UH, LIKE I SAID, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO DETECT INTOXICATION ON
ALL OF OUR TRAINING IS GEARED TOWARDS NYSTAGMUS AND SOBRIETY TESTS THAT ARE PROVEN TO BE, UH, SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO BE SIGNS OF INTOXICATION THROUGH DPS.
UH, SOME OF THOSE SIGNS WILL SHOW UP WITH THC, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM.
SO THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONFIRM THIS, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF THC INTOXICATED DRIVERS OUT THERE THAT AREN'T BEING PROCESSED, PERHAPS.
UM, SECOND THING IS THAT A A, A MCKINNEY RESIDENT BROUGHT THIS UP.
UH, AND, AND THIS ISN'T REALLY YOUR LANE.
IT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT FOR CHIEF DOW, BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE TO COMMENT ON IT.
I KNOW HE MAY NOT BE READY, BUT MAYBE SOMETHING FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT THE, THE LITHIUM ION BATTERIES IN THESE SHOPS HAVE EVIDENTLY PROPOSED, UH, UH, CAUSED SOME LEVELS OF FIRES IN SOME CITIES.
UM, THE ONE THAT I'M MOST AWARE OF WAS ACTUALLY IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IN GLASGOW.
UH, BUT I, I, I WONDER IF WE HAVE ADEQUATE FIRE PROTECTION IN THESE SHOPS.
UH, ESPECIALLY ONES THAT ARE, AND FROM MY EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS ALL ANECDOTAL AND VISUAL WHEN I'M COGNIZANT OF IT, IS VISUAL IN STRIP CENTERS THAT SHARE A WALL WITH OTHERS.
UM, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY FIRES THAT WE'VE HAD IN VAPE SHOPS? OKAY.
UH, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THEY MET THE CODE REQUIREMENT FOR BEING IN A STRIP.
I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED ON AIRPLANES FOR THAT EXACT REASON.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TO THE EXTENT IT IS A, A, A PROBLEM THAT WE CAN PROVE.
I ALSO WONDER, THANK YOU CHIEF DOW.
I WONDER IF, UM, UH, THERE'S SOME EXTRA LEVEL OF SCRUTINY THAT WE COULD PUT ON THESE THINGS, UH, IF IT IS A PROBLEM.
BUT CHIEF DW, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
MAYOR COUNCIL, UH, THE ONLY THING I WOULD ADD IS THAT, LIKE YOU SAID, MOST OF THOSE, UH, SMOKE SHOPS ARE IN STRIP MALLS.
AND THOSE STRIP MALLS DO HAVE, MOST OF THOSE
[00:25:01]
DO ACTUALLY HAVE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS IN THERE AS WELL.THE HAZARD THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS TYPICALLY FROM CHARGING OF THE, I SEE.
IT'S NOT, WHEN IT'S STANDALONE, IT'S, IT'S ACTUALLY SAFER LIKELY THAN YOUR CELL PHONE.
UM, IT'S THE CHARGING OF THAT.
AND THEN THE OVERCHARGING OF THAT LITHIUM IRON BATTERY, IT GOES TO WHAT'S CALLED THERMAL RUNAWAY.
WHERE IT JUST STARTS HEATING UP SO FAST AND THEN YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY PUT IT OUT FAST ENOUGH, BUT, OKAY.
BECAUSE I'VE ALSO HEARD ANECDOTALLY ABOUT, UM, THE, THE CHARGING STATIONS THAT ARE IN SOME HOMES, PERHAPS FOR THEIR, UH, FOR THEIR ELECTRIC VEHICLES CAN CAUSE A FIRE RISK.
ARE YOU AWARE OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT? I KNOW I'M GOING OFF THE RESERVATION A LITTLE BIT HERE.
THAT IS A, A HAZARD THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH.
THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THOSE WHERE THE TECHNOLOGY, UH, IS AHEAD OF WHERE THE FIRE CODE ACTUALLY IS.
SO WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF FACILITIES, RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL, WHERE WE HAVE A LITHIUM ION BATTERY HAZARD.
AND WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH NOT JUST COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES, UH, BUT INDUSTRY EXPERTS THEMSELVES ON, ON HOW TO HANDLE THAT.
CHIEF IS THERE, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, TO DO? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY UP HERE, UM, WE WERE ALL CONCERNED ABOUT OUR KIDS.
AND UNTIL, I MEAN, IT PAINS ME TO SAY THIS AFTER SPENDING 12 YEARS IN THE NARCOTICS UNIT, UH, BUT MY EXPERT IS HERE, SERGEANT RUSS GATZ, UH, FAIR TO SAY 90% SOME OF THE HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS.
SO WHAT WE, WHAT WE SPOKE TO OUR LEGISLATORS ABOUT WAS WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, A RE UH, A MARIJUANA CIGARETTE CONTAINED ONE TO 2% THC.
AND I REMEMBER THERE BEING TALK BACK THEN IN MY HEALTH CLASS OF WHETHER OR NOT IT SHOULD BE A DEPRESSANT OR AN HALLUC HALLUCINOGENIC.
WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT CONCENTRATIONS OF OVER 50%, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NARCOTIC.
UH, SHERIFF, SHERIFF SKINNER HAS A GREAT, UH, PRESENTATION ON JUST THE WITHDRAWALS OF THC.
AND YOU WOULD THINK YOU WERE LOOKING AT PEOPLE WITHDRAWING FROM HEROIN.
SO THIS IS NOT THE DRUG THAT UNFORTUNATELY, SOME PEOPLE THINK IT WAS FROM 30 YEARS AGO.
AS FAR AS MY RECOMMENDATION, I THINK THE STATE TOOK A SMALL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION THIS YEAR BY BEING ABLE TO DO A QUANTITATIVE TEST ON WHETHER IT'S GREATER OR LESS THAN 1%.
BUT I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, I MEAN, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO ILLEGALIZE ALL THC MM-HMM
THE SECOND BEST OPTION WOULD BE JUST LEGALIZE IT.
BUT WHEN YOU REGULATE IT, IT REALLY MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO APPROPRIATELY RESPOND AND ENFORCE THE INFRACTIONS.
SO ARE YOU, ARE, ARE YOU SAYING THAT THERE'S NOTHING AT OUR LEVEL RIGHT NOW THAT WE COULD DO? IT'S REALLY UP TO LEGISLATURE TO, UH, IN MY OPINION, YES.
WE TARGET QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES.
SO IF WE GET ENOUGH COMPLAINTS FROM A PARTICULAR STORE, THEN WE GO IN AND IT'S NOT HARD.
WE, IT'S EASY TO MAKE THE CASES.
IT'S EASY TO PROVE THAT THE STUFF'S ILLEGAL, AND TWO MONTHS LATER WE'LL SHUT 'EM DOWN.
UH, BUT WE ALSO KIND OF HAVE TO USE THE JUICE VERSUS THE SQUEEZE METHODOLOGY.
'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA BE BACK OPEN IN 30 DAYS.
UH, BECAUSE THE, IT'S JUST, I MEAN, WE HAVE DISCOVERED DURING THIS INVESTIGATION, THERE WERE BUSINESSES MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, AND THEY'RE NOT EVEN TOUCHING THE THC.
THEY'RE JUST MAKING THE PACKAGING THAT THEY'RE GONNA SELL TO THE THC STORES THAT MEET THE STATE REGULATION AND REQUIREMENTS TO SAY IT'S LESS THAN 0.3%.
IT, IT'S, THE CRAZIEST THING I'VE SEEN IN THIS INDUSTRY IS THAT IT'S BEING LEGALLY SOLD, THE SELLER AND THE BUYER KNOWS THAT IT'S ABOVE 0.3%, BUT IT'S, IT'S LIKE A GAME WE'RE PLAYING.
SO I, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING A, A MORE READY SOLUTION, BUT, UH, WE REALLY NEEDED THAT BILL TO PASS THROUGH, UH, THE LEGISLATOR.
IS THERE GONNA BE SOME LOBBYING DOWN THERE FOR THIS SESSION COMING UP? YES.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, TPCA TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION HAS MADE THEIR VOICE KNOWN AFTER THE VETO, UH, EVEN LOUDER THAN BEFORE THE, UH, VOTE.
MEANING THAT TPCA HAS LET THE LEGISLATORS KNOW THAT THIS WAS A VERY ANTI LAW ENFORCEMENT BILL.
UH, AND I BELIEVE OUR SPOKESMAN VERY CLEARLY SAID THAT THAT WAS THE PRIORITY.
NUMBER TWO, THEN JUST LEGALIZE IT.
BUT THIS MIDDLE GROUND THAT WE'RE PLAYING, IT ISN'T SERVING OUR PUBLIC WELL AT ALL.
I HAD MENTIONED BEFORE MAYBE TREATING IT LIKE UNDER OUR FOOD ORDINANCE, YOU KNOW, TO WHERE YOU COULD RANDOMLY SEARCH 'EM, LIKE JUST SEARCH THESE FACILITIES.
BUT DO WE EVEN HAVE THE CAPABILITY AS FAR AS
[00:30:02]
A, A QUICK CHEMISTRY TEST TO EVEN TEST IT ON SITE TO SEE IF IT'S, IF IT'S MORE THAN 3% OR IS THERE ANYTHING LIKE THAT OUT THERE THAT YOU COULD EVEN DO THAT? NO, SIR.IT TELLS YOU IF THC IS PRESENT, BUT BECAUSE IT'S REGULATED AND IT'S OKAY, IT'S REGULATED BY THE FARM BILL.
SO IT'S THE SAME REGULATIONS AS, UH, LIKE A FARMER'S MARKET WOULD BE REGULATED UNDER.
SO THERE'S VERY LITTLE ENFORCEMENT, YOU KNOW, WALK IN CHECK FOR TAX STAMPS OR, OR THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ALLOWED WITH ALCOHOL CHIEF, WHAT'S THE PENALTY FOR A VAPE SHOP THAT SELLS A PRODUCT WITH TOO HIGH AMOUNT OF THC? YOU WALK IN AND YOU SAY THIS IS ILLEGAL AND YOU'RE SELLING IT.
WHAT'S THE PENALTY FOR THAT BUSINESS? IT WOULD BE A MANUFACTURER DELIVERY OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE, DEPENDING ON THE WEIGHT WOULD DETERMINE THE, UH, LEVEL OF OFFENSE.
IS THAT CORRECT? RU SO IT'S A SERIOUS CRIME, RIGHT? UH, BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE PROBABLY CHARGING THE EMPLOYEE WHO'S GONNA BE ABLE TO USE AS A DEFENSE TO PROSECUTION THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS LEGAL.
THE PACKAGING SAID IT WAS LEGAL, AND THEN THE OWNER'S GONNA GO, WELL, I ORDERED THIS AS LEGAL PRODUCT.
UH, AND THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY HAVE TO GET 'EM ON TAPE ON THE UNDERCOVER SIDE SAYING, I KNOW THIS IS STRONGER THAN 0.3% IN CHIEF.
WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL PENALTY FOR A VIOLATION LIKE THAT? WELL, UH, I'M ASSUMING WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO KEEP EVERYTHING THAT WE SEIZED FROM 'EM LAST TIME.
UH, A FELONY CAN BE PUNISHABLE UP TO A $10,000 FINE.
UH, I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED THAT KNOWINGLY SELLING A VAPE TO A MINOR IS ONLY A CLASS C TICKET.
SO NONE OF THE PENALTIES ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE ARE GONNA BE A DETERRENT.
I WOULD THINK THAT THE, THE, THE CONFISCATION OF THEIR PRODUCT IS PROBABLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE, A LITTLE OVER $8 MILLION WORTH.
UH, BUT THAT DOESN'T DETERMINE, IF YOU'VE EVER WATCHED THE DOCUMENTARY ON PABLO ESCOBAR, HE ALWAYS LET 20 KILOS GET CAUGHT AT THE BORDER SO THAT HE COULD GET HIS 80 KILOS ACROSS.
SO IT'S KIND OF A, A BUSINESS DECISION CHIEF.
IF A, IF A VAPE SHOP GETS SHUT DOWN FOR THESE VIOLATIONS AND THEN IS REOPEN IN 30 DAYS, IS THERE A, A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT THAT CAN HAPPEN? OR IS THAT GROUNDHOG DAY THAT IT CAN KEEP GOING ON AND ON AND ON WITH THAT PARTICULAR VAPE SHOP? OR CAN THEY EVENTUALLY HAVE BE JUST MADE TO GO AWAY EITHER BY US OR BY THE STATE? DO YOU KNOW? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS IT'S, IT'S KIND OF A GROUNDHOG DAY SCENARIO.
THERE ARE NUISANCE ABATEMENT LAWS, BUT THEY DO NOT PROVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
EXPERTS AGREEING WITH YOU BACK THERE? I THINK SO, YEAH.
THIS, THIS IS, AS A PARENT, YOU HAVE TO BE TERRIFIED THAT YOUR TEENAGER GETS INTO THE WRONG SHOP WITH THE WRONG PRODUCT, GETS CAUGHT AT SCHOOL, AND THAT'S A THIRD DEGREE FELONY.
SO THAT'S NOT ONE THAT GOES AWAY WITH, UM, THAT ONE DOESN'T GO AWAY.
AND MY NARCOTICS DETECTIVES DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE IS A RIGHT SHOP.
UH, THEY TELL ME IT IS A VERY LOW PERCENTAGE OF TIME THAT WE SEND THIS.
WE PAY TO HAVE ANY PRODUCT SENT TO THE LAB THAT COMES BACK LEGAL.
WELL, MR. BARRY, I KNOW THERE WAS SOME OPTIONS THAT WE HAD BASED ON WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING.
UM, WITHOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT REMEMBERING THEM.
I'M GONNA SELECT D ALL THE ABOVE.
BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT WE CAN DO TO, UM, MITIGATE THE NUMBER OF THESE THINGS, MITIGATE THE, OR MAXIMIZE THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM.
WHATEVER WE CAN DO POSSIBLY TO, UH, MAKE THE HURDLES AS HIGH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN TO OWN AND OPERATE A VAPE SHOP IN MCKINNEY.
LUCAS, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? THANK YOU, CHIEF, JUST IN CASE YOU HAD ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT.
I THINK IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UH, ALL OF THE PROPOSED REGULATIONS WOULDN'T AFFECT OUR EXISTING, UH, STORES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT WOULDN'T AFFECT ANY OF THE GROCERY OR GAS STATION SITES.
UM, THIS WOULD BE VAPE SHOP SPECIFIC ONLY.
NOT TO SAY, UH, THAT IT'S NOT A WORTHWHILE VENTURE, BUT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE GO IN EYES WIDE OPEN THAT YES, WE CAN, WE CAN PASS SOME LAND USE REGULATIONS THAT MIGHT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT OR, UH, PROVIDE PUBLIC NOTICE FOR ANY FUTURE VAPE SHOP TO COME IN, HAVE THE DISTANCING.
UH, BUT IT WOULD NOT CHANGE OUR CURRENT STATE.
I, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST THINK THAT WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE CAN DO AND THAT INCLUDES THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF RESTRICTIONS WE CAN DO, AND THEN THE WORKING WITH OUR FRIENDS IN THE STATE TO MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR US.
[00:35:01]
LUCAS, THE CHIEF HAD ON THIS SLIDE SHOW 37 STANDALONE VAPE SHOPS, BUT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME, THESE ARE SOLD IN GAS STATIONS AND WE COULDN'T MAKE A REQUIREMENT THAT IF A GAS STATION CHOOSES TO DO THAT, THAT THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME, UM, HOOPS TO, TO, TO GET THAT ALLOWANCE ON A SITE.UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITY DO WHEN WE DID OUR INTERNAL RESEARCH.
UH, EVERY CITY THAT HAS A SPECIFIC LAND USE USES THE PRIMARY USE OF THAT SHOP AS BASICALLY THE INDICATOR OF WHAT YOU ARE.
AND SO FOR A CONVENIENCE STORE, WE, WE WOULD CALL THAT A CONVENIENCE STORE.
THEIR SALES ARE MOSTLY GONNA BE GAS, SNACKS, FOOD, BUT, BUT THEY HAVE THIS COMPONENT.
SO IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE COULD, UM, DISCUSS AND, AND BRING AN OPTION FORWARD.
BUT I THINK IT'S A LOT HARDER BECAUSE WE DON'T ASK SOMEBODY WHO'S COMING IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IN YOUR, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA PUT ON YOUR SHELVES? THEY MIGHT NOT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT ON THEIR SHELVES.
SO I THINK JUST THE LOGISTICS OF ENFORCING, UH, FOR ANY BUSINESS THAT SELLS, I THINK WOULD BE A LOT MORE DIFFICULT.
I MEAN, WALMART, I THINK PROBABLY SELLS VAPE PRODUCTS.
UM, AND SO I JUST THINK IT'S HARDER TO, I I LIVE AROUND A LOT OF DEFUNCT GAS STATIONS SURE.
THAT HAVE TRANSITIONED INTO VAPE SHOPS AND OTHER THINGS BECAUSE IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX THE GAS PUMPS FOR THE PRICE THAT THEY'RE GETTING FOR GAS, AND THEY'D RATHER SELL GAMES OR SOMETHING ELSE.
SO AGAIN, NOT TO SAY WE CAN'T, UM, BUT IT WASN'T ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE INITIALLY SAID, HOW DO WE DEFINE THE PROBLEM TO, UM, THE STORES THAT THAT'S THEIR PRIMARY BUSINESS MODEL.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN OUR SISTER CITIES DO.
UM, AND MORE BROADLY WHAT WE SEE WITH THAT TYPE OF REGULATION.
BUT AGAIN, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT WE CAN COME BACK, UM, WITH THAT MENU AND SO THAT WE HAVE SOME CLARITY BECAUSE, UM, I'M HEARING ALL THE ABOVE.
I'M HEARING SOME SUPPORTS AND, AND HEAD SHAKING.
BUT I THINK TALKING THROUGH SPECIFICALLY WHAT MEASURES WE COULD TAKE, UM, WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS WOULD BE, WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE, WE CAN BRING THAT BACK IF THAT'S AMENABLE TO YOU ALL.
TYPICALLY, I WOULD JUST ADD, JUST TYPICALLY THE WAY STAFF WORKS IS WE'LL GIVE YOU A SPECTRUM OF OPTIONS, SORT OF A MENU FROM SORT OF FAIRLY MILD TO, UM, MORE HEAVY HANDED OR HEAVY PLAY.
UM, AND THAT'S WHAT LUCAS AND OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS CAN BRING BACK TO YOU FOR CONSIDERATION IS, WHICH, WHICH WAY DO YOU WANT TO GO? IT MAY ALSO HELP, UM, IN ADVISING OR LETTING OUR LEGISLATORS KNOW THAT IT'S A PROBLEM.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLEAR ON THIS POINT.
EVERY LEGISLATOR AND EVEN OUR SENATOR THAT I TALKED TO BACKED US 100% ON THIS.
SO THAT'S WHY IT PASSED BOTH HOUSES.
THIS WAS, UH, A GOVERNOR'S VETO AND IT'S KIND OF CONFUSING TO ME, BUT I DON'T UNDER, I MEAN, I FELT LIKE WE HAD THE SUPPORT OF OUR, UH, REPRESENTATIVES AND YOU FEEL LIKE THAT WAS A, FORGIVE ME IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, BUT THE SUPPORT WAS HEAVY IN BOTH CHAMBERS.
IT WASN'T A CLOSE VOTE IN THE CHAMBERS.
LIKE THE NORTH TEXAS PEOPLE WERE FOR IT, BUT THOSE FOLKS DOWN IN TRAVIS COUNTY DIDN'T LIKE IT OR SOMETHING.
I MEAN, YOU, I CAN FIND THAT ANSWER OUT FOR YOU.
I, I, I'D LIKE TO KNOW, BUT, UH, I, I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.
THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING ELSE.
WAS THE GOVERNOR, DID THE GOVERNOR GIVE A REASON FOR WHY HE VETOED? UH, IT WAS COMMUNICATED TO US THROUGH THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THAT HE, HE'S TAKING A PRO FARMER STANCE.
UH, BUT THAT IS EXACTLY WHEN THEY STARTED DISSECTING.
HOW MANY FARM FARMABLE ACRES WERE DEDICATED TO THIS? AND AGAIN, IF I WANNA MAKE MONEY, I'M NOT GOING TO SELL THE PRODUCT THAT WAS FARMED IN TEXAS THAT HAS A 0.3% THRESHOLD.
I'M GONNA BUY THE STUFF FROM COLORADO OR CALIFORNIA SO THAT I CAN MAKE A PROFIT.
NO, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME AT ALL, NOR DOES IT ANY OF MY COUNTERPARTS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
[COUNCIL LIAISON UPDATES regarding City Boards & Commissions]
BE COUNCIL LIAISON UPDATES.ANYONE? I, I'VE GOT ONE MR. MAYOR.
UM, THE MAIN STREET BOARD INDICATED THAT THE BOTH THE HALL LIBRARY AND THE UH, IMPACT SHOULD BE OPEN RIGHT AROUND THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, IF NOT MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BEFORE.
AND THE, UH, LAWN AT THE IMPACT, EXCEPT ON THE EAST SIDE, IS GOING TO BE OPEN, UH, FOR NOVEMBER 11TH, UM, WHICH IS WHEN OUR TREE COMES.
[00:40:01]
THINK THERE IS SOME OPTIMISM THAT, UH, THE WATER TOWER LIGHTS WILL BE WORKING UH, BY UM, UH, OCTOBER FEST.IT MIGHT BE OPTIMISTIC BASED ON GARY GRAHAM'S EYEBROWS GOING TO THE TOP OF HIS HEAD.
[EXECUTIVE SESSION]
UH, THAT BEING THE CASE, WE DO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0.071 SUBPARAGRAPH TWO CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY REGARDING ANY WORK SESSION, SPECIAL SESSION OR REGULAR SESSION.AGENDA ITEM SECTION 5 5 1 0 7 1 PARAGRAPH A CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION, UH, 5 5 1 0 7 2 REAL PROPERTY 5 5 1 0 8 7.
WE WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MY COUNCILMAN CLAUDIER TO ADJOURN THE WORK SESSION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
IT IS 4 38 AND WE ARE ADJOURNED.