Remarks by Brooke D'Sousa
50 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 2
- Play at 1:48:27
“bring it back here I'm seeing a nod okay mr. Sousa okay okay so I'm kind of gonna kind of wrap up my thoughts I was absent from the last meeting when you know this was presented again and discussed and so trying to catch up on on what was presented then versus what's being presented now and the conversations that occurred and my own thoughts on that so I thought a lot about where to start, and I don't really know where to start. I'm going to say that I'm probably going to be a little bit more direct and frank just for the sake of ease of getting through this conversation. I have concerns for…”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:07:21
“I will say that I recognize that the police department has space needs but i also believe that you know like the the arbor building was purchased to help address some of those space needs and departments have been approved to move into that building yet nobody has and so the police can't get any relief until you know some of those dominoes fall and so i'm at a place where i think the dust needs to settle on some of the decisions that we've already made to really understand the right decisions moving forward for the police department. So for that, I am not supportive of this proposal at this…”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:19:56
“If it's in this $30 million scenario, what are we saying we're going to do with that money? I mean, obviously 17 is to purchase it, but what is the other amount? How are we communicating that? Because that matters in what I'll say.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:21:27
“Okay. So, so I have another question and maybe this is, I don't know where this goes, but this is something that I feel is incredibly important to communicate. And that is to ensure that, that people in some way know that there are operations and maintenance costs that are not included in this bond language. And so I don't know if that's in the voter pamphlet or what, but that would be a condition for me is ensuring that We communicate that the yes on this does not get us all of the money.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:22:27
“Well, but that wouldn't be O&M, and we couldn't use the bond for that, right? And so I don't know. Would it be in the voter pamphlet then?”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:23:19
“Okay. Okay. So where am I on this? I... do feel some concern, similar to what Council Member Sharkey shared with what has been publicly shared and asked about. Ultimately, the council has the decision slash authority to issue the bond, to approve an amount for bond issuance. And I can be supportive of asking the question. make my decisions ultimately should there be an opportunity to come back for bond issuance. So I could be OK going up to the $30 million.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:29:21
“Please. So at first I thought that there was a problem. I don't necessarily know that I think it's a problem right now, because literally it's just a number. All of the other stuff will be the same. And it gives a week to maybe come to consensus. Yep. That's kind of what I'm saying. It'll be next week's problem.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:30:29
“Please. So here's another part of the problem. We're having this conversation publicly. It's all public. There's still potential negotiations with the school district. We talk about how that impacts it. This kind of, in my opinion, impacts it. And what I'm going to say is not going to be helpful to anybody. But if it's not $30 million, the $21 million plan, the way that it was proposed doesn't make any sense to me. It was never presented to the public. And so I'm either $17 million, we buy the property, and we use the field, sell the rest, because we literally don't have any more money to do…”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:56:45
“All right, Ms. D'Souza, please. All right, thank you. So I just want to try to understand the, because I'm looking at both, but the red line, what's different from last time you brought it forward?”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:57:07
“So is the red line all the differences, basically? Yes, that's it. OK, so then I do have a couple of questions. Let me just make sure I can find the other one really quick. OK, so my first question is, It was important to me to have a written notice to the appointed candidate that their position is not final until consented to by the council. Yes. I don't see that in there. Is it in there?”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:58:16
“Well, I was going to say, and I guess the reason why I'm confused by that is in conversation with a few of the candidates up for appointment, they have said that they were not aware and they had quit their jobs and they were very concerned and confused by the process that we were undergoing. And so that was what I was working to...”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:59:04
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:59:33
“I'm glad your memory is better than mine, Lynn. Okay, which one, where was that?”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 2:59:50
“You know, I just, again, I just wanted to make sure because it was in conversation and it had happened more than once, you know, and it puts a lot of people in bad positions. So, um, okay. Then my other question has to do with, um, the interim process. And so interim appointments, it would be D the D section where it's talking about, you know, no interim appointment or combination of interim appointments can extend beyond four months unless, and then it's unless an extension of time is requested in writing by the mayor and the request shall be accompanied by a written report to the council…”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:01:37
“I'm fine with that. I thought that was the intent. And as I was reading it, I felt like that language wasn't explicit enough. So that was my question. And I could support this with that added language. Okay, and then I just had another question. So before it said that the administration would provide this information to the council, you know, the package, and then it would be put on an agenda. But it looks like now it's just as long as we have it for publishing the agenda. Am I reading that right?”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:02:18
“I think it's under vacancies and then D. Oh, let me go up.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:02:59
“OK, well, and so I guess that's where I thought it was earlier before. I thought that the language talked about it being provided to the council at the time that it was requested to be put on the calendar. And the reason why that matters to me is we've had situations where, you know, If the administration knows that they are planning to put this person up for advice and consent, then they're given phone numbers and they reach out. But we don't yet have any information. And if we're waiting all the way until the agenda is published, then that's not necessarily providing us with the information…”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:05:01
“I know. I'm just saying that from a practical standpoint in trying to improve the process for council members, it would be better if the council members had some of that information. I can't imagine that you're going to offer a job or a potential job to somebody that you don't have a clear background check on yet. I mean, maybe you do conditionally, but that's more the least of it, really. But you'd have a resume. You'd understand the process that you undertook to hire the individual and some of that information. I don't feel like it's an improvement of the process if we're waiting until the…”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:06:22
“Well, and those are just my thoughts. I don't know if anybody else actually cares about it, but I, you know.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:06:39
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:11:40
“Yes. Sorry. Please. Okay. So one of the situations that I think this brings up for me is the treasurer position. We didn't... Well, I guess we were notified that Corey, OK, maybe that's different. Anyway, is there a reason that we need to put a time frame? Or is it assumed that when a vacancy occurs, we will be notified when it occurs?”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:14:58
“I don't see it yet, but it's been highlighted on the screen.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:19:27
“I will say that there was some, like even in the survey approval team, there was language that, is equivalent to best efforts on the mayor's part. So this isn't uncommon. And it really is best efforts preserving the expectation that there may be something that has come up from the council standpoint that pushes that out. So I'm comfortable with the language as is.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:21:38
“Just discussion on the motion. OK, I don't want to be a stick in the mud, but I almost think it would be better to come back and consent. That way we can see it in writing before it gets approved, and it can be pulled out if necessary. Just because there's lots of technical moving parts on this, that would just be my thoughts.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026
- Play at 3:22:05
“I know, but I'm just saying that that's my thoughts on discussion on the motion.”
City Council · Aug 4, 2026