City Council - Special Meeting

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for being here tonight. I see you're all sitting down, so we're going to get started right now. I call this special session of the New Braunfels City Council to order. Today's date is August the 3rd, and the time is 530. We request all cell phones and other devices please be on silent, except for emergency on-call personnel. Madam Secretary Gale, can you please call roll?

Yes, sir. Council Member Carter? Here. Mayor Pro Tem Capizzi has recused himself and is not present. Council Member Edwards?

Here.

Council Member Spradley?

Here.

Council Member Lebowski? Here. Council Member Shaw? Here. And Mayor French?

I'm here, we have a quorum and we're gonna proceed. Please join me for the invocation presented to you by Councilwoman Carter and then followed by the Pledges of Allegiance, thank you.

Heavenly Father, we come before you with humble hearts asking for your wisdom, discernment and peace as we begin this meeting. Guide this council to seek the truth without prejudice, to lead with integrity, and to faithfully uphold our responsibility to the people of New Braunfels. Show our city staff grace and peace as they have challenging jobs serving the entirety of their community. We thank you for the dedicated men and women of our police and fire departments who serve the honor serve with honor each day. Bless them, protect them, and watch over all who call New Braunfels home. May everything we do tonight bring honor through honesty, accountability, and service to others. Amen.

Okay, so right now we're gonna go into executive session. In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551.071, the City Council may convene in a closed session to discuss any of the items listed on the agenda. Any final action or vote on any executive session item will be taken into open session, and we're gonna discuss the new Braunfels Police Headquarters. The time is 5.33.

And just for the public, we are gonna reconvene into open session. So item three is an open session. I know there was some confusion on that. And I did just wanna mention with council member Capizzi, he's recused himself. I did advise him and he's given me permission to divulge this. I did advise him just not to be present. Although it's not legally required to be absent from the meeting, There are other legal concerns and reasons why we always recommend that people, if they are recusing themselves, just go ahead and forego being in the chambers.

Hello, ladies and gentlemen. The City Council reconvenes an open session. Time is 6.35. And the City Council, I'm introducing, well, someone's going to introduce a motion for action based on what we discussed in the session.

I'd like to make a motion to retain the law offices of Ryan Henry to conduct an independent investigation into the police department headquarters. Second. Second.

So we have a motion by City Councilwoman Shaw, seconded by Councilman Edwards. And all those in favor, raise your hand. It's unanimous and the motion is passed. So the individual items of item A, discussion and possible direction action regarding an investigation by city council pursuant to Article 3, Section 3.12 of the New Braunfels City Charter involving the architectural design, engineering, construction, and administration of the construction of the New Braunfels Police Department headquarters. There is nothing that we're going to discuss out here. The unanimous decision to investigate was just voted on. And so right now we are Go ahead. Nathan, you got something?

Okay, so Council Member Carter, this was your item. Are you consenting to this? Are you to this being pulled since you guys just approved? Yes. Okay.

So right now, this item in particular is being withdrawn because we are doing this investigation. And so there being no further business to discuss, before New Buffalo City Council, this meeting is now adjourned. Thank you.