Remarks by Sylvia Ortiz
66 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 3
Well, since it's a living document, every year I come and talk about the boarded up houses and we just don't get any traction anywhere. Can you throw something in there?
It's in there. That was a trick question. Okay.
I agree with everything that's been said. I just want to say that I think two weeks is rushing it. I'm glad to see it go on the ballot so that we can put this to rest because residents in Oakland and East Topeka, Southeast Topeka, we pay for a tax. We pay for some service that we don't even get. And I'm talking about the existing. when it comes to the streets. We can't get anything like that. We have to have our streets put back the same way that they were tore up. And that's really a shame because I feel like, and a lot of my constituents feel like, we pay for something that we don't get. I…
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It's late. It's time to go home. But before we do, I just want to say October is National Fire Prevention Month. And City Manager, I hope that my good police chief or fire chief would come up and give us a little tit for tat. He's not here tonight. He can do it tomorrow or next meeting.
He can prepare himself and do it for next meeting. at the next council meeting. But I will remind everybody to get your smoke alarms. I will be bringing applications to the next meeting to pass out, and we really need to push these to help. As you've heard, we need two fire stations. We need to really help our guys, especially in different parts of the neighborhood. But, you know, I'm going to throw District 9 in there because they don't have a fire station in their area. So if we could do that Get those passed out and get some fire alarms up. That would help them. They always have a little…
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Several years ago, we, to get caught up on some of our streets, we passed the absent sales tax on the streets. And we went for hours to figure out the wording. And there's one wording in there that changes the whole dynamics of everything. And that's existing. And I'll never forget that word. And I'll tell you why. Because where I live, I have ditches. I don't have any curbs. I don't have any gutters. And so to use that money, and you'll hear me ask time and time again, Is this that sales tax? If they come and fix my street, they have to put it back exactly how they…
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
91%. And we say, well, what are we going to cut? What are we going to cut? You know, we've done it for 20 years, 20 years. Just like every other, there's a lot of contracts being looked at, and I will agree with the mayor. We're going to have to make some tough decisions, some tough decisions. So, again, you know, I've had a lot of parents contact me that they don't understand the whole ordeal. Marcus, when I was in junior high, we didn't have SROs. You either got your butt whipped or you didn't. And you came on out of there. And guess what? I didn't take too many butt whippings. But that's…
Karen, the middle schools have hired a lot of social workers, and a lot of them come from DCF. And a lot of them, because they're my buddies, and a lot of them are trained in what to look for when these kids, troubled kids, come in, come to school and all that. So the officer doesn't even get involved with any of that until the social worker asks them to come and remove them or to get involved. That's all social work. which I've heard they're getting ready to cut some of their social workers, which, you know, I agree with Christina. Take that money and do something because there's a lot of…
I don't know what they're doing because they knocked her down when she started saying, gave them some suggestions, which were some good suggestions.
If I may, Mr. Mayor, that meeting that we had with them was an eye-opener. There's a lot of things that are not being communicated. And you know why? Because our SROs say they answer to this person and not this person. And Avery was right on the money to say we've got to get on one accord because we're talking public safety. Here and when we got we got that scattered I think Cochran could build his army I think he could he knows what to do he I I think the training that him and the chief that they could do that and they have a little under a year if it was me I'd be I'd be hiring them to come…
But you were working at the grade school, right? In Meadows.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm going to make a motion that we let both contracts collapse. That's my motion. So that would stay right the way it is, right?
Oh, it's already happened. Oh, okay. So I don't need to make that.
Well, I was just trying to... No, that's already happened.
How long you been here? I just want to make sure. I've been here too damn long.
Can we hear from the attorney? I mean, he's not going to be here much longer. I'd like to know what he thinks.
I have a question for Josh. I'm not going to let him get out of here. As nice as he looks, I want him on screen. They did take my advice and dressed up for the last meeting here. I know, HR's here, they're listening. Josh, you know, I think me and you talked about this before, like, Wade came in and changed and, you know, now they get so much money for food and stuff like that. What is the total amount on that for all departments if we were to cut that out?
Just $48,000? Okay. All right. Can you tell me in the fire department, is our safety guy in for this year or was he taken out for 2028? safety guy.
See, this is what happens when you start throwing a lot at me. I'm just a one-year girl.
Okay, so Josh, we're holding the position, just not putting no money there. Is that what we're doing? Because I know it was explained to me and you talked about that. Okay. Josh, do you see anywhere else we could cut?
Josh did remind me it's about the badge. Wait a minute. Let me get it right. It's about the badge, the shield.
He put it to me like that. Can you do that again? Josh, it was the shovel, hose, and the badge. Yeah. All right. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'm going to support this budget. And I want to personally thank Josh. Josh, you're going to be missed by me and my questions. And I appreciate how you have taken the time. You were patient. And you know this like the back of your hand. I will need your cell number for next year to remind me what happened this year. But you're going to be missed. And you're a valuable employee. And thank you for all the hard work that you've done. Thank you for helping me understand it. And thank you for helping even the community with their questions.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. First, Brenda, do we have a meeting on the 26th or the 29th? Because you said there's no meeting next week. That's the 22nd.