Remarks by Douglas Lawson
171 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 7 of 7
- Play at 10:58
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands,”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 19:39
“MR. CHAIR, THESE ARE JUST FOR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD BEFORE WE GO INTO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. I THINK THEY JUST PUT IT ON HERE, NOT BUDGET PRESENTATION, JUST COMMENTS ABOUT THE BUDGETS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE ACTUAL CAPITAL. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE THAT ACTUAL BUDGET FOR MONDAY BECAUSE IT'S PART OF THE DEPARTMENT.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 42:22
“seven years out from closing that full water plant it falls right in line at that's the water plant location currently mr bailey correct yes so what i probably want us to do is one of the things is alternative options uh in the event we don't secure the tri-rail station what other uh option can we use that facility or that ground for in the next five to ten years and just give us some ideas and vision because if we're not awarded tri-rail worst case scenario what is an alternative for that for that site because that's still about a seven to 10 year phasing period. But at the same time, we…”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 48:41
“Mayor. With these densities and the number of units proposed, the 1,300-plus units, community conversations, charrettes, I like how you put the buffers in next to the single families, but I want to make sure that we address and have a clear plan for these community conversations, charrettes, and discussion with the residents first. THE DENSITIES AND THE FINANCING OF THESE PROJECTS. I'M SURE WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER, BUT I KNOW THAT WE HAVE BONDED SOME OF THE PARKS, RECS, THE FIELDS PIECE OF CITY HALL, BUT THEN WHAT'S THE DENSITY, I'M SORRY, WHAT'S THE FINANCING COMPONENT AND HOW WE CAN…”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 53:16
“Public meetings. Chair, we can we can only discuss during a corner silence during public meetings, so they can't send those via email. So only during public meetings can we have this information.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 55:45
“Correct. Blue Heron and H heading west. Got it.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 57:21
“Yes, Mayor. So twofold. I know we want to work with the community, but because this is a cone of silence, I don't think that we can actually have these charrettes during this until we've executed some form of a contract. That's the first thing. So this will be the only opportunity. Once we've executed a contract, will those densities and heights of these buildings be set in stone once the contract has been executed? yes and we've actually are working on a draft of that contract now just to give to you to look at okay so so just to clarify then because i think there was some misinformation…”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:04:13
“If you could go back. The phasing. I see that you have phasing of 22, 26 months. THOSE AREN'T ONE AFTER ANOTHER. ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THEM ARE PHASED FROM DAY ONE? SO WITHIN 32 MONTHS WE'LL HAVE CITY HALL, LIBRARY. 22 MONTHS IF WE APPROVE TONIGHT, WE'LL HAVE EVERYTHING. I'M SORRY, NOT APPROVED TONIGHT. DOES THAT INCLUDE DESIGN AS WELL? YES.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:07:01
“Yes. And how many? So the update was that we can't actually start until we get a notice to proceed with the community charrettes. But then we can have, as Vice Chair Sparrow said, some elasticity in the agreement to allow for the charrettes to have discussion in regards to the densities and heights. But we can't do that until we actually execute a notice to proceed.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:17:12
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:18:34
“So today overarching, you just want a direction if we're in the right path, go to the next step. Correct. Because there's a lot more questions that we have right now. So in understanding the construction, making sure the local participation as you guys did a phenomenal job with our fire stations. I see my dear friend Anne McNeil here. Thank you for coming tonight. and making sure that our residents benefit from this billion-dollar project, because this is a legacy project. So right now, tonight is just pretty pictures, as Millie Anderson said. We're looking at a nice car, but we want to make…”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:19:26
“Yeah, they just brought up the concept. And then are we going to discuss the phasing for the residential as well? Is that a part of tonight's discussion?”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:19:57
“So I think direction for tonight, I'm not sure how much more presentation we have, Right now, the discussion on the residential is going to be key because that's going to determine what does our cost look like on the city side, municipal projects, because I'm sure some of those dollars are going to generate revenue. And then also the direction and the possibility of having profit shares with whatever construction is built. I know the city is not planning on selling any land, so I don't want to sell land. We want to just be partners with this land so that we can retain some of the ownership.…”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:21:28
“So we're still a little far out from that financing, but thank you for that update. But I think just to remind the board that when we originally put this ITN out, the land on 22nd Street and the land south of Blue Heron, The current well site was supposed to draw down the cost of City Hall and the parks and recs. So that land was originally used to buy back the other, to buy down the cost that was going to our residents. So we want to make sure that we have that clear discussion. We can't just talk about the municipal side without making sure we're clear with the residential side. How are we…”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:30:37
“Thank you. Mr. Chair? Yes. I DO HAVE A SERIOUS QUESTION FOR MS. ANN. 46, 47% PLUS PERCENT ON THE FIRST PROJECT, FIRE STATION 87. 53% FIRE STATION 88. THAT'S AN EXPECTATION. THAT'S A GOAL. AND I KNOW WE CAN'T MAKE IT A REQUIREMENT. But based upon those numbers that you guys far exceeded, the 15% that was announced previously, I want to make sure that on this billion dollar project, to your point, we can meet similar numbers. And to your point, not just the people that worked on that fire station, this entire community can become multimillionaires. based on building city facilities in this…”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:36:42
“and the game and some things could change slightly but right now for me again um mayor lawson uh being that it's a budget workshop um just consensus is one thing but i think we may want to take a motion at the next council meeting just to discuss taking it to the next level um we can give you consensus we can have conversation but i i don't think that we should be voting on a workshop um but i think tonight is just they like it they want to continue But there's a lot that needs to be done, and possibly if you need anything in documentation writing or any clear MOUs, we can do that at the next…”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 1:38:57
“Okay, we've got to move forward. Just a quick comment and also make sure that we have a clear depiction of the residential and the financial impact and the partnerships of what we're going to be doing with that. Thank you. Okay.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:06:00
“to the marina, the marina phase expansion. I see we're doing about 24 million total project for the expansion. What's our annual total revenue that we're receiving from that marina and what will it go up to with this expansion?”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:06:52
“So $8 million annually with a $24 million cost over the next five years. Okay. Thank you, sir.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:16:33
“There are no kind of thank you. David for near.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026
- Play at 2:16:56
“I just want to invite everybody out Tuesday to our staff real quick, if y'all can listen up. Tuesday at 9.30, the city is being honored by the county with a proclamation by Commissioner Bobby Powell and the commissioners for the county to recognize the city as an all-American city. So if we can't have all the staff, Colleagues, if you're available, it is 930. I know it's a workday, but if you can't go there, 930 a.m. at the county meeting. Thank you, Chair.”
City Council · Aug 20, 2026