* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:07] GO AHEAD AND CALL THIS SPECIAL MEETING TO ORDER. ROLL CALL PLEASE. HERE, VICE MAYOR JOINER. HERE. COUNCILLOR HARRIS. HERE. COUNCILLOR ELLIS. HERE. COUNCILOR DAY HERE. COUNCILLOR STOKES. COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY. HERE. YOU HAVE A FORUM. ALRIGHT, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TO TONIGHT'S SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR [SPECIAL BUSINESS] SPECIAL BUSINESS WITH, UH, SB ONE. UH, MR. MAYOR, BEFORE WE GET STARTED MM-HMM . GOT A COMMENT? YES. I WELL, WE HAVE TO GET, WE HAVE TO START WITH SB ONE FIRST. DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE A MOTION COUNCIL HARRIS? I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. WELL, HOLD ON. COUNCILLOR HARRIS HAS THE PHONE OR THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW. YEAH, I WANT, I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. OKAY. YOU READY? YES. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE RULES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING IN ORDER TO ALLOW BEFORE ANY ACTION BY COUNSEL ON ITEMS SB ONE, SB TWO, AND SB THREE WOULD BE COMPLETED TO HEAR ALL COMMUNICATIONS REGARDING THESE ITEMS FROM OUR CITIZENS. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? YES. OKAY. MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR HARRIS AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH. SEEING NO LIGHTS. OKAY. THERE IS SOME DISCUSSION. YES. OKAY. COUNCIL? YEP. UH, I, I, I, I MADE THIS MOTION BECAUSE, UH, WITH SUCH A DELICATE, UH, AGENDA THAT WE HAVE, I, I FELT IT NOT IN ORDER NOT ALLOWED OUR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO THIS BECAUSE THAT IS NOT PART OF OUR SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA. AND, UH, I DEFINITELY DID NOT WANT US THAT'S COMING OUT HERE NOT TO BE ABLE TO SAY A THING IN A SPECIAL MEETING. THAT'S THE REASON WHY I MADE THIS MOTION. I THINK IT'S ALL FAIRNESS TO THE CITIZENS OF OUR CITY. OKAY. OKAY. UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY, I MADE A PLEADING IN THE BACK THAT I, UH, PUT BEFORE THE CITY CONSTITUENTS AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL BODY TODAY. I WAS IN A, A PLACE OF CONSIDERING, UH, LEAVING CITY COUNCIL AND I WAS IN THAT PLACE WHEN I STARTED OFF, AS I HAD TOLD THEM IN THE BACK BEFORE THE MEETING HAD STARTED IN CLOSED SESSION. I WAS IN A PLACE IN 2022 WHEN RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL. I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO RUN FOR A CITY OFFICE OR ANY GOVERNMENT OFFICE AT THAT TIME. BUT AS I WAS WALKING OUT THE DOOR OF MY HOME ONE DAY, THE LORD SAID, IT IS TIME TO RUN. AND I REMEMBER WHEN I GOT OUT AND I ANSWERED THE CALL AND I WENT FORTH AND I SAW WHO IS NOW OUR MAYOR STANDING IN THE PARKING LOT, UH, BEFORE I GOT ON CITY COUNCIL. HE WASN'T MAYOR AT THAT TIME. AND I HAD TOLD HIM THAT THE LORD HAD SAID TO ME THAT YOU WOULD BE THE MAYOR. AND HE KIND OF CHUCKLED AT ME A LITTLE BIT AND SAID, I DO NOT SEE HOW, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, AND I THINK THIS WILL BE MY LAST TIME RUNNING. I SAID, I QUESTION A LOT OF THINGS, UH, MR. PARTON, BUT FOR CERTAIN I DO NOT QUESTION WHAT THE LORD SPEAKS TO ME. AND I CAN REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL BE THE CITY'S MAYOR. AND TODAY HE HAS NOT ONLY BEEN THE MAYOR THAT FIRST TERM, BUT ANOTHER ROUND OF TERM AS WELL. I LOOKED OVER TODAY, MY, ON MY FLYER, UM, THAT I HAD PUT OUT WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL. AND THAT FLYER HAD SAID ON IT, IT TALKED ABOUT BEING UNITY AND TRANSPARENCY AND BASICALLY MAKING A, A BETTER HOPE HOPEWELL AND LOOKING OUT FOR OUR YOUTH AND BRINGING US TO A PLACE WHERE WE WOULD ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE HOPEWELL, UM, THE BEST THAT IT COULD BE. AND SOMEWHERE ON THE ROAD, I HAD LOST MY WEIGHT, NOT JUST TO THE PAST OF JUDGMENTS OF OTHERS, BUT TO THE ORIGINAL PLIGHT AS TO WHY I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND AGAIN, IT WAS NOT BECAUSE I WANTED TO, IT WAS BECAUSE THE LORD HAD CALLED ME TO, BUT I HAD LOST MY WAY BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY VOICES IN MY EAR, SOME FROM THE LEFT PSALM FROM THE RIGHT. AND THOSE VOICES WOULD BEGIN TO BICKER ABOUT HATRED ONE TOWARDS ANOTHER, WHETHER IT WAS WHITE OR BLACK, RICH OR POOR. AND THOSE THINGS, [00:05:01] WITH USING MY LOGIC, I MADE DECISIONS BASED UPON THEM. POINTED FINGERS THAT THE MAYOR POINTED FINGERS, VICE MAYOR POINTED FINGERS AT DIFFERENT PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH. AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT. THAT'S THE SPACE WE ARE TONIGHT. FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS, THE PERSON THAT YOU HAD KNOWN THAT I HAD BECOME IS A VERY MUCH DIFFERENT PERSON. NOW TO THE PLACE WHERE, IN MY CONSIDERING QUITTING COUNSEL, BECAUSE THE LORD HAD HIS RECKONING WITH ME, I ALMOST GAVE UP. BUT LET ME TELL YOU BEFORE HIM TONIGHT, EVERYBODY WILL HAVE THEIR RECKONING. WHETHER WE ARE WHITE OR BLACK, RICH OR POOR, WE WILL HAVE TO GIVE A SELF-ACCOUNTABILITY INDIVIDUALLY TO THE PERSON WHO PLACED US IN THIS SEAT. AND THEN IT IS MY HOPE, AND IT'S MY PRAYER THAT IF YOU HAVE NOT PRAYED ON THE MATTERS TONIGHT, AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERY CITY COUNCIL PERSON IN HERE CLAIMS TO BE A BELIEVER AND A FOLLOWER OF GOD. COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY, YOUR THREE MINUTES IS UP. I THINK WE DON'T HAVE, UH, THREE MINUTES ON THE DISCUSSION OF THE VOTE. DO WE? UH, YES, WE DO. YES, WE DO. RULE TO BREAK COUNSELORS, RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY. ALRIGHT. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I ASKED FOR THE SECOND ROUND THAT I HAVE. OKAY. AND SO TONIGHT IT IS MY PRAYER THAT WE WOULD STAND IN THE PLACE OF STARTING OVER, STARTING OVER BEFORE GOD. NOT JUST THESE PEOPLES AND THE CITIZENS THAT WE SERVE. NOT JUST FOR OWN PERSONAL AGENDAS, TO PUT OTHER PERSONS INSTEAD, OR MOVE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST US. AND I KNOW THE MOST DIFFICULT THING TO DO IS TO CALL FOR A RESTART WHEN THERE'S NO TRUST, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE HAD PERSONAL AGENDAS. AND IF NOBODY ELSE WANTS TO ACCLAIM TO THE FACT OF HAVING PERSONAL AGENDAS, I'LL BE THE FIRST TO CONFESS THAT SIN TONIGHT. I'LL BE THE FIRST TO SAY, NOT THAT I TRIED TO HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL AGENDA, BUT EVEN ECHOING THE AGENDAS OF OTHERS WHO NOT JUST WANTED JUSTICE, BUT THEY WANTED REVENGE. YES, WE ALL WANT TO BE RECOMPENSED, BUT WE SHOULD NOT BE MOTIVATED BY SELF OR PERSONAL REVENGE OR PERSONAL AGENDAS. AND I PRAY THAT TONIGHT, THAT YOU WOULD BE ADHERED TO THE CALL OF GOD TONIGHT BECAUSE FOR SURE I CAN PROMISE EVERY PERSON IN THIS AUDIENCE AND THE COUNCIL THAT I SIT BESIDE TONIGHT THAT THE LORD HAD SPOKEN THIS. AND IF YOU ARE NOT SURE IF HE HAS SPOKEN IT, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY CONSIDER TALKING TO HIM BEFORE MOVES ARE MADE, BECAUSE YOU WON'T BECOME AN ENEMY TO THE MESSENGER OR ONLY A ENEMY TO GOD. IT IS TONIGHT THAT IN FAIRNESS, I AGREE AND SECONDED MOTION, THE COUNCILORS REQUEST TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE. LET US PLEASE ALL KEEP IN MIND. I KNOW SOME HAVE COME TO TALK ABOUT PREJUDICE OR RACISM TONIGHT, AND I'M QUITE ASSURED THAT IT IS PRESENT. BUT LET ME SAY SOMETHING, GOD'S CHILDREN, HE NEVER SAID TO THEM THAT YOU'LL LOSE A BATTLE BECAUSE OF HOW LARGE YOUR OPPRESSORS MAY BE. HE ONLY SAID YOU'LL LOSE A BATTLE IF YOU'RE NOT OBEDIENT TO ME. AND SO TONIGHT, I PRAY THAT WITH ALL YOUR MIND MIGHT POWER AND STRENGTH THAT YOU WOULD ADHERE TO THIS CALL OF UNITY, THAT WE CAN GO FORWARD AND FIGHT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CITY. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE, HAVE BEEN CORRUPT OVER THE YEARS. IS CORRUPT HEARTS CORRUPT BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE CORRUPT. I INCLUDED, YOU INCLUDED. AND THOUGH IT'S MY SKELETONS OUT OF THE CLOSET TODAY, IT COULD BE YOURS TOMORROW NAME. AMEN. AND SO I PRAY WITH ALL DUE DILIGENCE THAT WE WOULD ADHE THIS CALL OF THE LORD TONIGHT AND MAKE THIS PLACE STRONGER AND COME TOGETHER IS MY PRAYER IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN. UH, COUNCILLOR STOKES. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I'LL SUPPORT THE MOTION PUT FORTH BY, UH, COUNCILOR HO, COUNCILOR HARRIS. SECOND BY HOLLOW ON THE PREMISE THAT THIS IS THE, THIS IS A DEMOCRACY. AND WHEN WE HAVE A PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS SOMETHING, IN MY OPINION, AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT IS BEFORE US TONIGHT, [00:10:01] UM, THAT MY FELLOW COUNSELORS WOULD ADHERE TO THE FACT THAT THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO SPEAK, NOT ONLY TO US INDIVIDUALLY AS, UH, ELECTED OFFICIALS, BUT ALSO TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND SPEAK IF THEY WANT TO ON THE ISSUES, UM, THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT OR ANY OTHER NIGHT THAT WE COME TOGETHER AS A BODY. SO HAVING SAID THAT, I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY WOULD ALLOW, UM, THE CITIZENS THE OPPORTUNITY, THOSE WHO CHOOSE AND HAVE SOME OPINION ON WHAT'S HAPPENING TONIGHT. UM, THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND THAT WE DO IT BECAUSE OF TRANSPARENCY. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALRIGHT, SEEING LIGHTS, UH, NO LIGHTS. ROLL CALL PLEASE. VICE MAYOR JOINER. NO. COUNCILOR HARRIS? YES. MAYOR PARTON? NO. COUNCILOR ELLIS? NO. COUNCILOR DAY? NO. COUNCILOR STOKES? YES. COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY? YES. OKAY. MOTION FAILS. ALRIGHT. UH, MR. ELLIS, MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO RECONSIDER THE QUESTION OF DR. CONTA. MAKER'S EMPLOYMENT FIRST CONSIDERED AT THE SPECIAL MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND? NO SECOND. ALRIGHT. MOTION'S BEEN MADE MADE BY COUNSELOR ELLIS, SECONDED BY COUNSELOR DAY DISCUSSION. COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY? YES. UH, UH, IN THE PARTICULARS OF, UH, THE MOTION THAT WAS MADE BY COUNSELOR, UH, ELLIS TONIGHT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE ATTORNEY, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE MATTER OF CONFLICT, UH, SPECIFICALLY TO THE FACT THAT THE, UH, COUNSELOR ELLIS IS AN EMPLOYEE AND NOT JUST A BOSS TO THE CITY MANAGER. UH, WITH THE THOUGHT IN MIND THAT I'M FULLY AWARE THAT THE COUNSELOR IS ABLE TO VOTE ON THINGS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE BEST INTEREST OF, UM, THE CITY. BUT IT IS TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT HER EMPLOYMENT, UH, BEING DISCUSSED TONIGHT IS ONE OF, UH, BEING RELEASED FOR NO CALLS AND SEEING THAT THERE IS NO CAUSE. UM, THEN THE COUNSELOR WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO FORTH, UH, TALKING ABOUT BEST INTEREST BECAUSE THEN IF THERE BE NO CALLS, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE PERSONAL CALLS FOR THE VOTE. IS THERE THEN STANDING A CONFLICT? IS THERE STILL STANDING A CONFLICT? THEN SEEING THAT HE WOULD NOT BE REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE'S BEST INTEREST, SEEING THAT THE PEOPLE'S BEST INTEREST WOULD BE TO HAVE A CITY MANAGER IN PLACE TO RUN THE OFFICES AND DIRECTIONS OF THE DIRECTORS IN THE CITY. UH, MR. ATTORNEY COUNCILOR HOLLY, AS I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION, YOUR QUESTION IS, DOES, UH, DOES COUNSELOR ELLIS HAVE A, UM, CONFLICT WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT? THAT IS TO SAY, DOES HE HAVE A PERSONAL INTEREST IN THIS TRANSACTION? UNFORTUNATELY, UM, MY, MY ANSWER HERE IS GOING TO BE UNSATISFYING IN THAT DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER A COUNSELOR HAS A PERSONAL INTEREST IN A CONTRACT OR A PERSONAL INTEREST IN A TRANSACTION UNDER KOYA ARE PERSONAL MATTERS FOR EACH COUNSELOR TO DECIDE ON THEIR OWN. AND I AM WITHOUT AUTHORITY TO, TO RULE ON THEM. AND SO WELL SPOKEN AS I, UH, ALREADY WAS EXPECTING THAT THAT WOULD BE THEN I WOULD CALL TO PLIGHT ON RECORD TONIGHT THAT ACCORDING TO THE FLYERS POSTED IN MR. ELLIS'S RUNNING TO MAKE HOPEWELL GREAT AGAIN, ET CETERA, AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT NATURE, IS THIS BEING, BEING ACCORDING TO RECORDED STATEMENTS IN THE BACK ROOM, ENC CLOSED SESSION. WOULD THIS THEN BE YOUR THOUGHTS AT THAT TIME TO NOT VOTE ON THESE MATTERS BECAUSE YOU DID NOT WANT TO BE [00:15:01] INVOLVED IN THE CONFLICT BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT SATISFY IN YOUR THOUGHTS IT NOT BEING PAST PERSONAL INTEREST. AND AGAIN, IF IT IS NOT IN PERSONAL INTEREST AND IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY, WOULD IT NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY TO GO FORWARD IN EMPLOYMENT OF THE CITY MANAGER? IF THERE IS INDEED, IN FACT NO CALLS FOR HER FIRING, MR. ELLIS, WOULD YOU STATE THAT ON RECORD TODAY? ALRIGHT THEN IF THERE'S NO CALL FOR ANSWER, THEN I WOULD ASSUME THAT ACCORDING TO OUR RULES, HIS ANSWER WOULD BE YES, THAT THERE IS PERSONAL INTEREST IN THIS MATTER, AND I WOULD ASK THAT HE NOT BE ABLE TO BE, UH, ABLE TO VOTE, OR IT WOULD BE IN MY BEST THOUGHTS THAT WE SHOULD PROCEED IN COURT MATTERS OUTSIDE OF THE JURISDICTION OF HOPEWELL TO BRING THIS BEFORE THE COURT TO REALLY INDEED, IN FACT AND APPEAR JURORS TO ASK IF IT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THAT IS ALL. OKAY. UH, COUNCIL HARRIS, I WANT TO RESPOND TO THE MOTION THAT WE HAVE TO RECONSIDER THIS DECISION BECAUSE WE RAN INTO THIS PARTICULAR MOTION, UH, BEFORE IN FEBRUARY. HOWEVER, BEFORE, BEFORE THE MEETING, WE HAD A CLOSED SESSION. WE HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION, VERY LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. THIS TIME WE DIDN'T HAVE NO DISCUSSION AT ALL MM-HMM . AND ALSO, AND I SEE YOU GUYS ARE HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE INTERESTED IN WHAT'S GOING ON. AND WHAT IT IS THAT I SOUGHT TO DO IS HAVE SOME TYPE OF UNDERSTANDING FROM OUR CITIZENS HOW YOU FELT ABOUT IT. AND YOU'RE NOT BEING ALLOWED TO DO THAT BY OUR COUNCIL. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR TO THE FOLKS OUT HERE. OKAY. UH, COUNSELOR STOKES. WAIT, YOU CONFUSED ME. I ASKED NO, I WAS ABOUT TO SAY ASK FOR IT MY SECOND TIME, BUT GO AHEAD. I DON'T KNOW. YOU WERE SPEAKING. YES. THIS IS A QUESTION FOR POINT OF ORDER FOR, UH, MR. BASSETT. UM, IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT WE RECEIVED, AND I DON'T STOP ME IF THIS IS PROTECTED, THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY HAS MADE AND SENT A LETTER STATING IN OPPOSITION, LITERALLY TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE PULLED OUT ON A PERSONAL NOTICE, HE STATED THAT HE WOULD, HE THOUGHT THAT THERE MAY BE A CONFLICT. IS THERE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST OR NOT? AGAIN, UM, THE, SO THE, AS FAR AS THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY, UM, COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY TO COUNSEL INCLUDING OR OR TO ME ARE, ARE NOT PROTECTED. UM, WE DON'T, THE CITY AND THE COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY DON'T ENJOY AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP. UH, SO THAT'S NOT PROTECTED. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. BUT AGAIN, UM, I, I AM NOT, I AM NOT LEGALLY COMPETENT TO, TO OPINE ON WHETHER A COUNSELOR HAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST UNDER THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST ACT. OKAY. THANK YOU. BUT CAN, BUT CAN YOU, CAN YOU CONFIRM WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS INDEED IN FACT STATED FROM OUR COMMONWEALTH ATTORNEY THAT HE DO DOES BELIEVE IN HIS HIGHEST, UH, PROFESSIONAL OPINION THAT THIS IS INDEED A CONFLICT OF INTEREST? IF YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT THE SAME EMAIL THAT I SAW, I, AS I RECALL, IT WAS A, [00:20:01] HE SAID THAT HE WANTED TO ENSURE THAT NOBODY VIOLATES THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST. ACT INDEED. OKAY. INDEED. AND IN FACT, CITIZENS, I WOULD HOPE THAT YOU LOOK AT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US, AS YOU HAD DONE MANY TIMES BEFORE, AND SEE TONIGHT THAT THIS IS THE MAKEUP OF OUR COUNCIL. I PLEADED WITH COUNCIL BEFORE CALLS THAT WE WOULD COME TOGETHER IN UNITY. AND TONIGHT THOSE IN REPRESENTATION HAVE CHOSEN THE SPACE TO NOT REPRESENT YOU. RIGHT. AMEN. CERTAINLY, AS I DO NOT FEAR FOR THE FOUR OF YOU ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL AGENDAS IN HIATUS, HAVING MULTIPLE MEETINGS, BRINGING FORTH THE FIRING OF THE CITY MANAGER IN PRIOR MEETING, UTILIZING LEGALLY WITHOUT INDEED, IN FACT, THE FULL COUNSEL KNOWING, USING OUTSIDE ATTORNEYS TO GO AND LOOK FOR, HIRE A, UM, A REPLACEMENT FOR, FOR THE CITY MANAGER ON THE LAST MEETING. INDEED. IN FACT, I WILL BE AND YOU CAN COME WITH EVERY WEAPON, EVERY WEAPON FORMED, BUT I TELL YOU, I'M ON THE LORD'S SIDE. I CAN, I CAN SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT I WAS OFTEN ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK BECAUSE OF PERSONAL INTEREST IN VENDETTAS, NOT BY THE CITY, BUT THE CHARGES I EVEN FACED WERE PARTICULARLY, AND IMPORTANTLY FROM THE MAYOR INDIVIDUALLY HIMSELF, AFTER HE AND I MET IN THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE BEFORE HER FULL HIRE, SHE WAS BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE ROLE OF FULL-TIME CITY MANAGER AND THE MAYOR. I ASKED THE MAYOR, HEY, IF WE SHOULDN'T HIRE HER, IS THERE ANY REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T HIRE HER? AND THE MAYOR INDEED, IN FACT LOOKED IN MY FACE AND SAID, HOLLOWAY, YOU DON'T RUN NOTHING. THIS IS WHAT HE SAID TO ME, AND I'LL MAKE SURE I GET YOU OUT OF HERE. AND I RECORDED IT. AND THEN ONCE HE SAID THAT TO ME, HE RALLIED PEOPLE TO HAVE PETITIONS AND PEOPLE STOOD OUTSIDE OF THE WAWA AND HOPE WELL AND SIGNED PETITIONS FOR ME TO BE REMOVED FROM MY SEAT. AND THEN THEY PUSHED FORWARD TO GO TO THE COURT WHEREIN THE COURTS TOLD THEM THAT I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A FELONY. AND THEN AFTER A MONTH OR SO AFTER THEY CHARGED ME WITH A FELONY TO TRY TO GIVE MR. WHERE YOUR TIME IS UP, MOVED OUT OF MY SEAT. THANK YOU. I CALLED FOR MY SECOND ROUND. ALL THAT IS YOUR SECOND TIME. NO, THIS NOT ON THIS MATTER. I CALLED FOR THE VOTE ALL, SEE NO OBJECTION. ROLL CALL PLEASE. OBJECTION. I'M SORRY, BUT TIME HAS PASSED FOR THE OBJECTION. THERE'S NO PARTICULAR TIME IS IT, MR. NO PROBLEM. ALRIGHT. THIS MOTION ON THAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE FLOOR IS WHETHER TO END DISCUSSION OR NOT ROLL. PAUL, PLEASE. THERE'S NO SECOND TO THAT MOTION. IT WAS, IT WAS SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY. IT WAS, SHE SAID SHE, EXCUSE ME, THE PEOPLE, IT WAS SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY ROLL PAUL, US ABSOLUTELY. MADAM CLERK, TELL ROLL CALL PLEASE. WITHOUT ANY AUTHORITY. I AM MAD. NO, EXCUSE ME, INDIVIDUAL. TO BEGIN, YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER. AND THAT IS VERY, YOU ARE OUT OF ORDER. THAT IS VERY FACTUAL. MADAM CLERK ROLL CALL. THAT IS VERY FAST. VICE MAYOR, JOIN MADAM, MADAM CITY CLERK, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO VOTE. MADAM CITY CLERK. UH, MADAM PIN ROLL CALL PLEASE. THE MADAM CITY CLERK THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING TO TERMINATE TONIGHT. YOU'RE ASKING HER AND GIVING HER DIRECTION. VICE MAYOR, JOIN. YES. COUNCIL HARRIS, EXCUSE ME. WE CANNOT HEAR. I'LL CALL THE ADJOURNMENT ON THIS MEETING. CONTINUE THE VOTE PLEASE. I'D LIKE TO CALL THE, UH, ADJOURNMENT COUNCILOR HARRIS. MOTION TO ADJOURN. WHAT IS THIS? THIS IS TO END DISCUSSION. NO, NO, NO, NO. THIS IS IS TO END DISCUSSION. THIS IS TO END DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM. AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM, IF THIS PASSES, THEN GOES TO THE ACTUAL VOTE ON THIS ITEM. BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A SECOND ON THE DISCUSSION. NO, WE DID. IT WAS DONE. SECOND TO THE FACT, TO THE END DISCUSSION. NO, I'M SITTING RIGHT HERE. MS. ALLEN, CONTINUE WITH ROLL CALL, PLEASE. NO, WE HAVE YOU SAY THE MOTION, PLEASE. AGAIN, NO MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO END DISCUSSION. THAT WAS THE MOTION. BUT IT [00:25:01] DIDN'T GET A SECOND. IT DID. IT WAS, WAS SECONDED BY, SHE SECONDED. COUNSELING YOUR FIRST MOTION WAS RIGHT. THAT'S HOW YOU, HOW YOU DID IT. HE HAD A FIRST MOTION TO CONTINUE. I DID. I CALL FOR THE VOTE. SHE SECONDED IT. RIGHT, BUT IT WASN'T ON DISCUSSION. AND THEN THERE'S AN OBJECTION. IT WAS NOT ON DISCUSSION. IT DOESN'T GET OBJECTION. IT DOES NOT GET DISCUSSION FOR THAT. A CALL FOR THE VOTE'S. A CALL FOR THE VOTE. WE END DISCUSSIONS. WE DISCUSS MS. ALLEN FOR THE LAST TIME DISCUSSION. WOW. ROLL CALL. ROLL CALL. COUNCILLOR HARRIS. NO. MAYOR. PARDON? YES. COUNCILLOR ELLIS. YES. CALL COUNCILOR DAY. YES. COUNCILLOR STOKES. NO. COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY? YES. WHAT MOTION PASSES? FOUR TO THREE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO NOW THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO RECONSIDER C CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION AT THE SPECIAL MEETING HELD ON FEBRUARY 12TH, 2025 REGARDING THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT ROLL CALL. ROLL CALL. THERE IS NO DISCUSSION, THERE'S NO DISCUSSION INFORMATION, THERE'S NO DISCUSSION. IF A POINT OF ORDER AT AN END DISCUSSION HAS GONE FORWARD AND IT'S BEEN APPROVED IS DISCUSSION OF WITH, AND THEN THE VOTE STARTS NEXT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU CREATED A NEW MOTION. THIS IS A, SORRY. I'M SORRY, COUNSELORS. I, I APOLOGIZE FOR CUTTING IN. YOU COUNSEL'S ON BOARD. YOU WANNA APPLY THE CITY MANAGER ONCE? COME ON, MA'AM. BECAUSE THE, THE TO END DISCUSSION HAS CARRIED. IT IS NOW TIME FOR THE ACTUAL ROLL CALL ON THE VOTE. RIGHT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. WELL CALL VICE MAYOR. JOIN. YES. COUNCILOR HARRIS? NO. MAYOR PARTON? YES. COUNCILOR ELLIS? YES. COUNCILOR DAY? YES. OH MY GOD. COUNSELOR, Y'ALL GOING, COUNCILOR, YOU'RE GOING DOWN. SHE CALL COUNCILOR. NO. WHAT'D YOU SAY, SUSAN? WE HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SUE SUSAN. EXCUSE ME. COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY, YOU DO NOT VOICE. COUNCIL HOLLOW ALL AT THIS TIME. THE MOTION PASSES AND WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH S SP NUMBER TWO. I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, Y'ALL ARE THE EXCUSE DISGUSTING INDIVIDUALS IN THIS. EXCUSE ME. HAVE A MOTION. MOTION. PLEASE REMOVE ED HAUSER PLEASE. HOLD ON. HE HAS NO AUTHORITY. EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. THIS MEETING WILL COME TO ORDER NO AUTHORITY. WE ARE MOVING ON TO SB NUMBER TWO. HE HAS NO AUTHORITY. SB NUMBER TWO, WHETHER TO TERMINATE THE CITY MANAGER'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT. SAME MOVE MR. ELLIS. HE HAS NO AUTHORITY TO I MOVE TO TERMINATE THE EMPLOYMENT OF DR. ETT BANKER WITHOUT CAUSE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND PAY HER SEVERANCE PLUS CERTAIN BENEFITS PURSUANT TO HER EMPLOYMENT. AGREE. MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR ELLIS AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YES. UH, COUNCILOR HARRIS. COUNCILOR STOKES, AND THEN COUNCILLOR HOLLOWAY. THE MOTION IS TO TERMINATE THE CONTRACT. EXCUSE ME. COUNCILOR HARRIS HAS THE FLOOR. IIII WANT TO MAKE THE PUBLIC NOT KNOWING OF THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE IN REGARDS TO THE CITY MANAGER IN REGARDS TO HOW IT'S FORMULATED. AND I GUESS YOU GUYS CAN SEE RIGHT NOW HOW THE FLOW IS GOING RIGHT NOW. I I I JUST, I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IN REGARDS TO THIS ACTION, I, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WASN'T A PART OF IT. YOU KNOW, I WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS. I WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT IT. OF COURSE, THEY NOTIFIED ME ABOUT IT, BUT I WAS NOT A PART OF THE DISCUSSION. I'VE NEVER MET THE INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY'RE BRINGING IN HERE TO REPLACE HER. I DON'T, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY ELSE TOLD ME HIS NAME. SO WHAT IT IS THAT WE HAVE IS WHAT YOU SEE. I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T NEED TO EXPLAIN YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU CAN SEE WHAT YOU HAVE HERE. SO JUST IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT. I, I THINK IT'S UNFAIR. I'M DISAPPOINTED, BUT WE STILL HAVE A JOB TO DO HERE IN THIS CITY. AND RIGHT NOW I'M WONDERING HOW WE GOING TO DO IT. OKAY. [00:30:06] UH, COUNCILOR STOKES, DONE LET HIM TALK AGAIN. UM, THINK THIS IS ONE THAT'S RIGHT. I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS IN THE CITY OF HOPEWELL THAT I HAVE SEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN BORN. AND I'M BORN AND RAISED HERE IN HOPEWELL AND I'M 63 YEARS OLD. WE HAVE JUST STEPPED BACK. YES. WE HAVE JUST STEPPED BACK AT LEAST 40 YEARS. AND WHEN THIS GETS OUT, PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA COME BACK. WELL, I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING AND I, AS I STATED IN JANUARY, I'M LEARNING, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S SOLID, IS THAT WHEN WE DID, UH, REVERSED THE DECISION LAST TIME, THEY ONLY HAD TWO WEEKS FROM THE DATE OF THAT REVERSAL TO HAVE BROUGHT THAT BACK AND TO SEE PEOPLE VIOLATE A PERSON'S MS WELL, DR. MANKA IS A DOUBLE PROTECTED CLASS. AND TO FIRE HER WITHOUT COST IS, IN MY OPINION, PER PROFESSIONAL OPINION, A VIOLATION OF HER CIVIL RIGHTS. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. AND THEN TO NOT CONSULT WITH THE SEVEN OF US. THAT'S RIGHT. THE MOUNTAIN DOWN, DOWN DISCRIMINATE DOWN RACIAL LINES. I CONSIDERED THAT TO BE AN EXTENDED PART OF DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE YOU'RE LEFT THE BLACK MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL OUT OF THE ENTIRE DECISION. BUT I DIDN'T, BUT I DIDN'T JUST MAKE THIS COMMENT. WHEN WE CAME DOWN, UM, WITH DR. MARK MANKA, AS WE BEGAN TO METICULATE AS A COUNCIL, I SAW THE SEPARATION. THE SEPARATION ON THE HIRING OF THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ALREADY DONE BEFORE MOST OF US HAVE EVEN HAD A CHANCE, A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON THE DECISION. AND THEN YOU COME TONIGHT AND ASK US TO VOTE ON SOMETHING YOU HAVE ALREADY VOTED ON. THAT'S RIGHT. RIGHT. EXTENDED DISCRIMINATION SHOOT AND WALL CLOSED. YEAH. TO ASK US TO GO AND CLOSE SESSIONS TO DISCUSS SOMETHING YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE TO ME. MS. STOKES, YOUR TIME IS UP. THAT'S JUST OKAY. CAN I HAVE MY SECOND GO AFTER THE NEXT ONE? UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY, GOD IS SITTING HIGH LOOKING LOW AND DEI IS IN FACT INDEED. INDEED. IN FACT, UH, ONE THING I I NEED TO CALL FOR IS A POINT OF ORDER BECAUSE SAYING THAT WE HAD, UH, VOTED ON THIS MATTER ALREADY, ISN'T IT? THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY FOR THIS, THIS VOTE. UH, MR CAN YOU SPEAK UP PLEASE? DIDN'T HEAR YOU. UH, I, I WAS ASKING THE QUESTION FOR A POINT OF ORDER. I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT, UH, THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY TO BRING THE SAME VOTE THAT HAD ALREADY FAILED PRIOR. I THOUGHT THIS TIME WE HAD TO HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY. COULD YOU GIVE CLARIFICATION ON THAT? UH, COUNCIL COUNCILOR HOLLY? NO. WHAT WHAT IS REQUIRED, EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. WHAT IS REQUIRED IS THAT SOMEBODY WHO DID NOT JOIN THE ORIGINAL MOTION HAS TO MAKE THIS MOTION. WHO WAS IT? SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A SUPER MAJORITY. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. UM, THE OTHER THING, INDEED, I'LL FINISH MY COMMENTS FROM EARLIER TO, TO, UH, SPEAK FORTH TO THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN. UM, THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION THAT I WAS HOPING THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE TO PUSH FORWARD IN THE COMING DAYS, BUT I GUESS WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO GO THERE. AND AGAIN, I'LL MAKE IT CLEAR. CAN YOU SPEAK UP AGAIN, PLEASE? I WILL MAKE IT CLEAR IN FACT, AT THE TARGETED PEOPLE THAT WERE, THAT WERE TARGETED, INCLUDING THE PRIOR, UH, CHIEF OF POLICE, UH, MR. STARK'S, UM, RECORDED INFORMATION AND CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE DIRECTLY FROM POLICE [00:35:01] OFFICERS AND, UH, PEOPLE ON CITY COUNCIL, WHICH I'LL BE RELEASING, UM, AFTER THE STEAD. UM, VERY MUCH SO. I MEAN, WITH A VENGEANCE AND THE LORD'S VENGEANCE, AND NOT MY PERSONAL, I CALLED FOR UNITY, BUT THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME THAT DIRECTION AND I'VE WEIGHTED IN PACE, IN PEACE, UH, ALSO TOWARDS THE, UH, LET, LET ME, LET ME GIVE CLEAR CLARITY. THESE, SOME OF THESE EMPLOYEES THAT THEY ARE COMING AFTER AND ATTACKING BEFORE THEY DID IT. SOME, I HAD ALREADY SPOKE TO SEVERAL MEMBERS IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE LORD WAS SHOWING ME THESE THINGS QUITE BEFORE THEY HAPPEN IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE HAPPENING. AND I CAN PROMISE YOU THEY WILL, UH, ATTEST TO THAT. UM, THEY WENT AFTER THE CHIEF OF POLICE, THE PRIOR, THE PRIOR CHIEF OF POLICE. THEY'RE GOING AFTER THIS CHIEF OF POLICE TRYING TO REPLACE THEM. AND I HAVE RECORDED CONVERSATIONS FROM OTHER OFFICERS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER OFFICIALS TO INDEED IN FACT MAKE THE, UH, UH, MAJOR REED THE NEXT CHIEF OF POLICE. UM, ALSO GOING IN IT. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I USED TO BE AFRAID TO TALK, BUT IT'S TIME TO RELEASE. ALSO, THERE WAS THE, UH, INFORMATION AND FICTITIOUS CHARGES MADE UP AGAINST, UH, SHANNON FOSKEY, THE, UH, THE TREASURER OF THE CITY OF HOPEWELL. AND I WILL BE RELEASING THOSE INFORMATIONS IN RECORDINGS. COUNCIL TIME IS UP. I'LL ASK FOR MY SECOND ROUND. HOW LONG AGO? FIRST? UH, IT'S MS. STOKES. MS. STOKES, DO YOU YIELD THE FLOOR TO ME UNTIL, UH, I FINISH THIS STATEMENT? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST AND I CAN COME BACK? I WILL GIVE THE FLOOR TO YOU SO YOU CAN, I'LL CALL FOR THE VOTE. UH, I HAVE MY SECOND. SECOND. UH, YES, BUT I'M CALLING FOR THE VOTE. IF, IF IF THEY DON'T HEAR IT NOW, THEY'LL HEAR IT ON THE NEWS. I'LL DO AN INTERVIEW. ALRIGHT. ROLL CALL. PLEASE HONOR. CAN YOU CANNOT ROLL CALL PLEASE? YOU, YOU CANNOT. YOU HAVE NO, YOU HAVE NO AUTHORITY. UM, SO, SO, SO, MS. ALLEN, SO IN FACT THE I WAS, SHE'S NOT DOING IT RIGHT NOW. SHE'S NOT DOING IT. AND, UH, MS. MS. WILLIAMS, CORRECT? MS I ASKED FOR A CALL FOR THE VOTE AND THERE IS AN OBJECTION. NOW WE'VE GOT A VOTE ON ENDING DISCUSSION. YOU CAN HOLD PLEASE TO THE MATTER. I'LL CONTINUE MY STEAD ROLL CALL PLEASE. AND THAT'S VERY FINE. I MADE THE MOTION FOR THE CALL FOR THE MAYOR. CAN'T MAKE A MOTION. THE WHAT? NOW? YOU CAN'T MAKE A MOTION, MAYOR MAKE A MOTION. AND SO THEN INDEED, IN FACT, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER AND STATEMENT. THE, THE MAYOR HAD MADE, UH, MOTIONS TO PRIOR THINGS. UH, POINT OF ORDER. EXCUSE ME. THE ATTORNEY HAS SOMETHING TO SAY. POINT OF ORDER. I, I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING. UM, JUST RULE RULE 2 0 3. JUST IF, IF, IF COUNSEL WISHES TO WAIVE IT, IT IS FINE. BUT RULE 2 0 3 CALLS FOR TWO TIMES SPEAKING ON A MATTER FOR A TOTAL OF THREE MINUTES. CORRECT? OKAY. SO I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN MY THREE MINUTES. SO YOU EXHAUSTED YOUR THREE MINUTES. NO, I DIDN'T, I I DIDN'T CALL, I DIDN'T GET MY SECOND TIME. YOU CALLED THE ROLL ON MY SECOND TWO TIMES OR THREE MINUTES CUMULATIVE. THAT'S WHAT THE ATTORNEY JUST SAID. YOU ARE YOU SAYING TWO TIMES CUMULATIVE OR TWO TIMES? IT DOESN'T SAY CUMULATIVE TIMES, TWO TIMES MR. BE RULE, UH, WITH A, WITH APOLOGIES COUNSEL, MR. BESET, ATTORNEY RULE 2 0 3 CALLS FOR A COUNSELOR TO SPEAK FOR NO MORE THAN TWO TIMES FOR NO LONGER. PLEASE BE QUIET LONGER, PLEASE BE QUIET. SO THAT WAY THE, EVERYONE CAN HEAR THE ATTORNEY, UH, NO MORE THAN TWO TIMES AND FOR NO LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES TOTAL ON ANY ITEM. OKAY? ALRIGHT. SO POINT OF INFORMATION. IT DOES NOT SAY CUMULATIVE DOES IT, RIGHT? IT SAYS NO LONGER, NO MORE THAN TWO TIMES, AND FOR NO LONGER THAN THREE MINUTES TOTAL ON ANY ITEM. IT'S THREE MINUTES TOTAL. OKAY? AND SO, POINT OF INFORMATION, POINT OF INFORMATION. I BELIEVE WE HAD A FAILING OF A COUPLE OF VOTES BECAUSE THE, UH, MAYOR HAD CALLED FOR MADE MOTIONS, I THINK ON A COUPLE ITEMS. MM-HMM . SO IT WOULD HAVE TO GO ON ROAD TO GO BACK AND CORRECT THOSE MATTERS THAT HE MADE THOSE MOTIONS ON. NO, UH, COUNCILOR HOLLY, I I APOLOGIZE FOR, UH, FOR, UH, CONTRADICTING YOU, BUT THE MAYOR IS, THE MAYOR IS, UH, UH, IS ABLE TO MAKE A, UH, MAKE AN MOTION. IT'S SIMPLY, UH, E EMOTION OR MOTION. SORRY, ONE MORE TIME. YOU SAID A EMOTION. NO, NO, I UNDERSTAND EMOTIONS. THERE'S A LOT OF THAT GOING ON TONIGHT. BUT MOTION, I WILL ASK THAT YOU REFER TO THE RULES BECAUSE IT WAS CLEAR AND FACT OUR UNDERSTANDING, LOOKING OVER THE RULES PRIOR MANY TIMES THAT THE MAYOR COULD NOT MAKE A MOTION. IF THAT ISN'T CORRECT, WE HAVE BEEN LAID THE WRONG WAY, INCLUDING BY THE MAYOR THAT HE COULD NOT, [00:40:01] COULD NOT MAKE A MOTION. COUNCILOR HOLLY, THE CUSTOM OF THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN FOR THE MAYOR TO READ MOTIONS, BUT FOR OTHERS TO MAKE THEM. HOWEVER, THE MAYOR IS COMPETENT TO MAKE MOTIONS HIMSELF. SO, ALRIGHT, SO AS I SAID BEFORE, ROLL CALL PLEASE. THAT, THAT'S, ARE YOU READING THAT FROM THE RUSE CALL, PLEASE? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. MAKING ROLL CALL POLICE. THE, WHAT ARE WE VOTING ON? WE'RE VOTING TO END DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM. ON WHICH ITEM? ON SB TWO. OKAY. MR. MR. MAYOR WITH, WITH, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS THE NECESSITY TO END DISCUSSION. I BELIEVE EVERYBODY WHO'S ASKED TO SPEAK HAS SPOKEN. THREE MINUTES. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO NOW WE ARE JUST VOTING ON THE MOTION ITSELF TO TERMINATE THE CITY MANAGER'S CONTRACT AS STATED BY COUNCILLOR ELLIS. WHY? ALRIGHT, ROLL CALL PLEASE, VICE MAYOR. HONOR, EXCUSE ME, BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON IT SAYS FOR CALL, ROLL CALL PLEASE. WE'RE DOING ROLL CALL. I CALLED YOUR NAME EXCEPT FOR THE LINES VICE MANAGER, UNFORTUNATELY OF COLOR. EXCUSE ME. PLEASE DO NOT SPEAK DURING THE ROLL CALL VOTE. COUNCILLOR HARRIS. I THINK I GOT A FREEDOM OF SPEECH, RIGHT? HARRIS? NO WANTS I MAYOR? PARDON? YES. COUNCILOR ELLIS? YES. COUNCILOR DAY? YES. COUNCILOR STOKES? NO. COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY? NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT. MOTION PASSES. FOUR TO THREE. OKAY. STILL DISCUSSION. Y'ALL CONFUS ME. ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO SB THREE, UH, COUNSELOR ELLIS. MR. MAYOR, I MOVE TO TERMINATE THE EMPLOYMENT OF BRITTANY WILLIAMS WITHOUT CAUSE AFFECT HIM IMMEDIATELY AND TO PAY HER SEVERANCE PLUS CERTAIN BENEFITS PURSUANT TO HER EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. A DISCUSSION MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR ELLIS AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY. I SAW MR. HARRIS'S LIGHT FIRST AND THEN MR. HOLLOWAY, UH, ONE MOMENT ASK, MAKE A COMMENT. I HEAR, I HEAR THE GROUP ASKING WHY? YES. I TELL YOU WHY. WE DON'T WANNA HEAR FROM, LEMME SAY THIS TO YOU. LET THEM TALK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GONNA TELL YOU WHY. SO LET US TELL YOU WHY. LEMME TELL YOU WHY. OKAY? THEY DON'T HAVE NO REASON OTHER THAN WHAT YOU SEE AS A MAJORITY, RIGHT? THEY DON'T HAVE NO REASON. THEY DIDN'T HAVE A REASON BACK IN FEBRUARY, AND THEY DON'T HAVE A REASON NOW THAT THEY HAVE STATED NOT EVEN TO ALL OF THE COUNCIL IN REGARDS TO WHY THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY'RE DOING. SO IT'S NOT REAL CLEAR. WHAT IT IS THAT I DO KNOW IS THAT I WAS KINDA DISAPPOINTED WHEN I SAW SOMETHING THAT I HADN'T SEEN SOMEBODY PUT IN FRONT OF ME JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. THEY WANT TO TAKE THEIR CITY BACK. THEY WANT TO TAKE THEIR CITY BACK. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS EITHER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. NOW WHAT IT IS THAT I'M SAYING TO YOU, EXCUSE ME, PLEASE LET COUNCIL HOWARD SPEAK WHAT I'M SAYING. YOU THIS WHAT I'M SAYING. I I HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN EXPLANATION. I'M ON THIS COUNCIL. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN EXPLANATION AND I'M GONNA NEED ONE IF I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COUNCIL, I'VE SEEN THIS, I'VE SEEN THIS AND IT'S NOT EXPLAINED TO ME IN REGARDS TO WHAT THAT MEANS. WHAT I KNOW IS THAT I GO BACK IN THIS TOWN BEFORE WE HAD A A, A, A WARD SYSTEM, RIGHT? AND I REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS. OKAY? MY FATHER WORKED TO GET ON THIS COUNCIL AND LOST SEVEN TIMES. THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S THE HISTORY. THAT'S WHY THIS WAS CREATED. THIS WAS CREATED FOR A SENSE OF FAIRNESS. MM-HMM . OKAY? AND WHAT IT IS THAT I'M LOOKING FOR TO GET IS FAIRNESS. THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING FOR IS FAIRNESS. SO WHAT WE ARE NOT GETTING THESE EXPLANATIONS, BECAUSE LIKE I SAID BEFORE, I HAVE, I WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A LOT OF THE DIALOGUE THAT CREATED WHAT WE HAVE HERE TONIGHT. BUT WHAT WE HAVE IS SOMETHING THAT I NEED TO GET EXPLANATION BECAUSE WE GOT TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS CITY WORK. AND I HAVEN'T SEEN AN ANGLE THAT IS GOING TO ACTUALLY DO THAT AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I HEAR YOU. BECAUSE IF THAT ALLOWED YOU TO SPEAK RIGHT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE OUTTA ORDER. COUNCIL HARRISON, I'M, I'M DONE. [00:45:01] OKAY. UH, COUNSELOR HOLLOWAY MINUTES. BRITTANY, ARE THEY TRYING TO FIRE YOU TWO? YEAH, SHE DID. THAT'S WHAT THEY ASKED FOR. THAT'S THE MOTION. ALRIGHT, YOU READY? ALL I'LL START MY TIME NOW HAVING THE FLOOR. I'D LIKE TO, UH, REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT YOU ARE FIRING BOTH OF THESE, UH, INDIVIDUALS RIGHT NOW. AND NOTE THAT THEY ARE NOT ONLY COMING AFTER THESE INDIVIDUALS, BUT THE CHIEF OF POLICE'S POSITION ALONG WITH HEALTHY FAMILIES, ALONG WITH STILL TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING I HAVE FOUGHT. LISTEN TO ME FOR A SECOND WHILE I GOT A COUPLE MINUTES. THEY HAVE GONE AFTER THESE PEOPLE. AND LIKE I SAID, I TRIED TO CALL US FROM THE SPACE OF A RACIAL DIVIDE. BUT WHAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DO IS STAND AGAINST THE HAND OF THE LORD AND WHAT HE HAS SHOWN ME SO FAR, UH, BOTH CONTRACTS HOLD ON. BOTH CONTRACTS FOR THE CITY CLERK AND THE CITY MANAGER REQUIRE THIS CITY. SO BY TOMORROW MORNING, THERE WILL BE LAWSUIT PAPERS ON THE DESK OF HOPEWELL. IT REQUIRES, IT REQUIRES FOR US, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE. IT REQUIRES FOR US IN BOTH CONTRACTS TO GIVE THEM EVALUATIONS, WHICH THOSE FOUR WHO HAVE VOTED TONIGHT DECIDED NOT TO GIVE THEM. WE ALSO VOTED ON FAIRNESS. WE ALSO REQUESTED AND VOTED ON FAIRNESS OF THE, UH, CLERK'S CONTRACT, UH, TO GIVE HER THE SIX MONTHS, WHICH THE PREVIOUS COUNSEL HAD, UH, SAID THAT WE WOULD DO. THEY DID NOT DO THAT. AND INDEED, IN FACT, WITH THE CLERK COMING BACK TO THEM SEVERAL TIMES AND OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, THIS WOULD BE ACCORDING TO OUR GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL AND STATE RULES, A DISCRIMINATORY ACT OF RETALIATION TO FIRE THE CITY CLERK AFTER JUST SIMPLY ASKING FOR WHAT WAS DUE TO HER. AS YOU CAN SEE TONIGHT, WITHOUT ANY RESPONSE, THERE IS INDEED, IN FACT NO CALLS OR NO REASON FOR FIRING. AND EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE CONTRACTS ALLOT THAT IT ALSO REQUIRES US AS THE CITY COUNCIL TO PUT FORTH EVALUATIONS, WHICH TIME AND TIME AGAIN THEY HAD ACTUALLY REFUSED TO DO BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY INDEED, IN FACT BEEN DOING THE JOB THAT THEY WERE HIRED TO DO. BUT THE PETTINESS OF RACISM HAS STUNG THE COURTS OF HOPEWELL, OUR PARTICULAR MAYORS AND THOSE ALIKE BECAUSE THEY HAD JOINED TOGETHER AS THE PREVIOUS CITY COUNCILOR, UH, EXCUSE ME, AS THE OTHER CITY COUNCILORS HAD STATED. THEY TOOK AND BROUGHT NO INFORMATION ON TO US AT ALL. THEY MET TOGETHER ILLEGALLY, ACCORDING TO OUR LAWS, MET TOGETHER, CONFORMED A, UH, AND FORMED A COOP TO PARTICULARLY DO THESE THINGS AND NEVER BROUGHT THE INFORMATION TO US. WE DID NOT EVEN KNOW, EXCEPT IT HAD BEEN BY WORD OF MOUTH OUTSIDE OF OUR CITY COUNCILS. AND BY OUR RULES, AGAIN, WE WILL TAKE SUIT BY OUR RULES. IT OBLIGATES THEM TO BRING THOSE THINGS TO THE REST OF COUNCIL, BUT THEY DID NOT DO SO. SO I PRAYED AND I HOPE THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO BAND TOGETHER FOR A SUIT AGAINST YOU ALL. BUT IT IS MY REQUEST, MY ACTION TO TAKE THE WHOLE CITY OF HOPEWELL IN LEADING TO HAVE YOU ALL REMOVED. MAY GOD, MAY GOD INDEED BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. COUNCIL HALL, THE CITY OF HOLD COUNCIL, EVERY AND GODS FEE. BE WITH COUNCIL STOKES BECAUSE YOU ARE AGAINST THE HAND OF THE LORD STOKES. YOU FOUR NEED TO STEP DOWN. COUNSELOR STOKES, DON'T EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME, MA'AM, I'M SORRY. WE DO NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS. I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY, MA'AM. MA'AM, I'M SORRY. WE ARE, WE CANNOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS. MA'AM, PLEASE SIT DOWN. PLEASE SIT DOWN. COUNSEL. COUNSELOR STOKES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. Y'ALL DO A GOOD JOB, AIN'T YOU? YOU PROUD OF YOURSELF? COUNCILOR STOKES. THEY DON'T CARE. HAVE AGENDA. EXCUSE ME. COUNSELOR STOKES HAS THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW. EXCUSE ME. HELLO? HELLO. IT'S OKAY. LET LET HER SPEAK. I WANNA, TODAY IS COMING. I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE, UH, CITY OF HOPEWELL [00:50:01] CAN'T HEAR YOU. THEY CAN'T HEAR ME. GO AHEAD. IT'S ON. SHE SHE TURN IT UP. UM, LOOK AT IT THIS WAY. DON'T VIEW THE FOUR AS THE MAJORITY. AMEN. THE MAJORITY IS THE VOTERS. YOU GUYS REPRESENT THE MAJORITY. THAT'S RIGHT. AND AS THE MAJORITY, YOU DO HAVE THE RIGHT OKAY TO CHANGE. WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET WHAT YOU WANTED TONIGHT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CONTINUE. UM, IF YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS NOT THE REPRESENTATION YOU WANT FOR THE CITY OF HOPEWELL, UM, ON THE TERMINATION OF THE CITY CLERK, AGAIN, I'M A PERSON THAT I, I NEED DOCUMENTATION. I NEED TO KNOW WHERE THE FAILURE IS AND WHERE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CURE LIES. AND WITHOUT THAT, YOU'LL NOT GET A POSITIVE VOTE FROM ME. I FOUGHT TOO MUCH WITH REVEREND HARRIS AND WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS COMMITTEES ON MAKING SURE THAT PROTECTED CLASSES AND ANYBODY HERE IN THIS CITY LOOKING AT ME KNOW THAT I HAVE FOUGHT AND WILL GO TO COURT AND HAVE THE ABILITIES TO GO TO COURT, UM, ON ISSUES REGARDING VIOLATIONS OF LAW. BUT AT THIS POINT, UM, THIS IS WHAT YOU VIEW AS YOUR MAJORITY. AND RIGHT NOW THE MAJORITY IS IN CONTROL. BUT AS THE, AS THE REAL MAJORITY, YOU CAN TAKE CONTROL BACK. THANK YOU. NOPE. ANYTHING, UH, MADAM CLERK, UM, I'LL SAY WHAT MY MOM WAS TRYING TO SAY SINCE YOU SILENCED HER. I DID EIGHT YEARS IN THE ARMY SO THAT PEOPLE CAN MAKE VOTES LIKE THIS. I SERVED MY COUNTRY SWEETHEART FOR Y'ALL. YEAH. YES. YOU'VE GIVEN ME EMAILS, VICE MAYOR JOYNER THAT TOLD ME AND MY MY ASSISTANT HOW GREAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A SINGLE EVALUATION THAT SAYS OTHERWISE. I'VE DONE JOB CHANGES. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL HAVE ASKED ME TO DO. COUNSELOR S COUNSELOR DAY, AND COUNSELOR STOKES JUST GOT HERE IN JANUARY. Y'ALL DON'T EVEN KNOW ME TO EVEN VOTE AGAINST ME. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT Y'ALL HAVE ASKED ME TO DO. I'VE NEVER GONE AGAINST Y'ALL. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING. I DON'T WORRY VICE MAYOR. I GOT THE TIME RIGHT HERE. I GOT THE TIME. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING. RI DID EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL WANTED ME TO DO, INCLUDING CLERK WORKS. HOW DO YOU COMPLIMENT ME ON HOW GREAT THE OFFICE HAS BEEN SINCE ME BEING HIRED? HOW DO YOU ASK ME TO DO MINUTES FROM 2019 WHEN I WAS HIRED IN 2023? YES. WHEN I'VE DONE ALL OF THEM. SO I GOT THIS OFFICE IN SHAPE SO THAT Y'ALL CAN BRING SOMEBODY ELSE IN. I GOT EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL NEEDED ME TO DO TO GET THIS OFFICE IN AUDIT. IT'S JUST RACISM SO THAT Y'ALL WILL PASS AN AUDIT. 'CAUSE BEFORE I GOT HERE, YOU WOULD'VE FAILED EVERY AUDIT. WHEN I WAS HIRED, I HAD SEVEN YESES. SEVEN COUNSELOR DAY. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY YOU'RE VOTING AGAINST ME BECAUSE YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME. YOU HAD ONE CONVERSATION SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. TELL HER ONE CONVERSATION, HAVE NO REASON. EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. COUNSELOR ALICE, YOU HAVEN'T HAD A SINGLE CONVERSATION WHERE YOU DON'T EVEN SPEAK TO ME WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE CHAMBERS. NO, YOU DON'T. NO YOU DON'T. AND COUNSELOR STOKES IS THE ONLY ONE WE SEE IT, WE RECORDING AND MAKE SURE WE TAKE IT EVEN FROM RESPECT. THIS IS A SAD DAY FOR HOPEWELL. I PRAY FOR EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL, REGARDLESS OF WHAT Y'ALL VOTE ON TONIGHT. I'M GONNA PRAY THAT GOD REMOVE THE SPIRIT FROM Y'ALL BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE EVIL. ALRIGHT, TO WELL CALL PLEASE. Y'ALL WOMAN HAS A HOME. EVERYTHING. AND Y'ALL JUST, EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VOTE. ROLL CALL. PLEASE, PLEASE BEGIN THE ROLL CALL FROM THE BEGINNING. SHE IS HAVING A MOMENT OF DISTRESS. HOW DARE YOU ASK HER. YOU HAVE, EXCUSE ME, NO EMPATHY, SYMPATHY, [00:55:01] SYMPATHY OR ANYTHING. EXCUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE THE FLOOR COUNCIL HOLLOW. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I HAVE THE FLOOR. SIR, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE FLOORS. THIS WOMAN IS BREAKING DOWN CRYING BECAUSE OF THE DISTRESS THAT YOU ALL ARE CALLING HER. Y'ALL SHOULD BE ASHAMED THAT YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A REASON TO GET RID OF. YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED. YES. I I'LL LISTEN. HEY, WITH, WITH APOLOGIES THAT I'LL GET IT OUTTA ALL ORDER. I WILL, I'LL TAKE THE ROLE. UH, COUNSELOR HARRIS. NO. HOLD ON. NO COUNSELOR BASSETT. UH, EXCUSE ME. UH, MR. BASSETT, JUST HOLD ON ONE SECOND. OF COURSE. JOHNNY PARK WHEN HOLLOW, DO YOU KNOW WHO THAT STEP DOWN? WE DON'T LIKE. ALRIGHT. MR. BESSETTE, ROLL CALL PLEASE. COUNSELOR ELLIS. YES. DOUGLAS VICE MAYOR JOINER ABOUT THIS. IT IT'S OKAY. THEY'LL HAVE THEIR DATE. RIGHT. SORRY. VICE MAYOR JOINER. I DID NOT HEAR YOUR ANSWER. MAYOR PARTON. YES. COUNSELOR J YEAH. COUNSELOR STOKES. COUNSELOR HOLLOWAY. ABSOLUTELY. DID YOU, DID YOU HEAR ME? EXCUSE ME. THE MOTION PASSES. EXCUSE ME. WE ARE TRYING TO COMPLETE THE ROLL CALL VOTE. WE, WE'VE ALREADY FINISHED THE ROLL CALL. VOTE HAS BEEN, EXCUSE ME. THE ROLL CALL VOTE HAS BEEN FINISHED. THE MOTION PASSES. FOUR THREE. OKAY. AT THIS TIME [CLOSED MEETING] IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED MEETING PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE SECTION 2.2 DASH 3 7 11 A1 TO DISCUSS AND CONSIDER PERSONNEL MATTERS, INCLUDING THE PER ASSIGNMENT AND PERFORMANCE OF SPECIFIC APPOINTEES AND EMPLOYEES OF CITY COUNCIL, INTERIM, CITY MANAGER AND INTERIM CITY CLERK. WHAT MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR ELLIS AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR DAY? UH, COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY? UH, I GOT ABOUT THREE. I GOT ABOUT THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AGAIN. LET, LET ME GIVE MY THREE MINUTES. LISTEN, WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO MOVE IN A SPACE OF, UH, TALKING TONIGHT, BUT WE WILL MOVE IN ACTION. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WITH THE LORD'S HOUSE, LISTEN, UH, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A LONG ROAD AHEAD. IT IS GONNA BE A QUICK ROAD AHEAD BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY EVEN PUT INTO SOME RULES. THEY TRY TO COME UP WITH THE RESOLUTION TO STOP EVERYTHING THAT I HAD TO PROVE AND INCLUDING CREATING, UM, IF YOU WOULD, NEW RULES THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND ALL THE COUNSELORS FOR DOING THINGS THAT ACTUALLY, UM, WOULD PUT THEM ON BLACKS. UH, I HAD CONTACTED THE STATE, THEY WERE VERY MAD AT THE SIMPLE FACT THAT I RECORDED CLOSED SESSION MEETINGS BECAUSE INDEED, IN FACT, THINGS WOULD HAPPEN IN CLOSED SESSION SUCH AS THE MR. MAYOR BRINGING TO US AT LAST MINUTE FULFILLMENTS OF SEATS AFTER HE HAD ALREADY, UH, LIKE, UH, BOARD, UH, PEOPLE THAT HE WANTED TO PLACE ON SPECIFIC BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THE, UH, BOARD OF, UH, WHAT IS IT? UH, E NOT E EQUALIZATION. UH, THE MR. MAYOR HAD BOUGHT TWO PERSONS FROM OUT OF HIS WARD TO JOIN THAT BOARD WHEN THERE'S ONLY THREE PERSONS TOTAL ON THE BOARD OF EQUALIZATION. AND I WOULD REMIND YOU THAT ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE MAYOR LIVES IN THE THIRD WARD, WHICH WOULD BE CONSIDERED THE RICHEST WARD IN THIS CITY. AND SO HOW CAN YOU THEN BRING A BOARD OF EQUALIZATION WITH TWO PEOPLE ON THAT BOARD OUT OF THREE THAT WOULD NOT REPRESENT THE ENTIRE CITY AS A WHOLE? HE HAS ALSO BROUGHT FORTH OTHER CONSTITUENTS, EXCUSE ME, HOLLOW, YOUR COMMENTS ARE NOT PERTAINING TO THE MOTION. OH, IT'S PERTAINING TO THE MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION MOTION. UH, MY MOTIONS HAVE VERY MUCH CERTAIN TO DO. JUST LIKE I WOULD BRING IN, UH, ANY TYPE OF CHARACTER WITNESSES OR ANY TYPE OF THING LIKE THAT FOR THE POINT OF MAKING MY POINT. AND UNTIL I HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION OF MY POINT, MR. MAYOR, THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. IT'S ABOUT CLOSED SESSION AND THIS IS ABOUT WHY YOU'RE GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION AND THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT YOU DO WHILE YOU'RE IN CLOSED SESSION. SO AGAIN, I'LL CONTINUE MY SPEAKING WITH THE ADDED 15 SECONDS THAT YOU HAVE INTERRUPTED ME. SO ABOUT 35 SECONDS [01:00:01] ON THE CLOCK. UH, THESE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT ARE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. AND AGAIN, I RECORDED THOSE THINGS. SO THEY TRY TO CREATE RESOLUTIONS TO BE ABLE TO STOP ME FROM MY RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO RECORD. I DID NOT VIOLATE ANYTHING AND I CONTINUED TO DO AS I HAD GOTTEN FROM FEDERAL ATTORNEYS. BUT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN CLOSED SESSION. WHY YOU DO NOT KNOW. AND THEN REASONS WHY I FIGHT FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE AND THEY BRING IN ATTORNEYS TO FIGHT AGAINST ME. AND THEN WHEN THEY CAN'T WIN BECAUSE THEY GET TO A PLACE THAT THEY STUCK, THEY THEN GO TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OR THEY GO TO, UM, THEIR FRIENDS, UM, UM, AT THE STATE TO TRY TO COME HOUND DOWN ON US. THESE THINGS. JUST NOT TO LISTEN TO THE CONSTITUENTS OR HAVE YOUR BEST INTEREST, BUT YOU HAVE THEIR OWN BEST INTERESTS IN PLACE. BUT AGAIN, AGAIN, YOU ALL WILL HAVE YOUR DAY. WHAT IS THIS? TODAY'S HUSBAND ON HERE. ALRIGHT. COUNSELOR STOKES, YOU MEAN ALL THOSE, EXCUSE ME. COUNSELOR STOKES. UM, IN GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS, I THINK HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED. AND SO I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR CLOSED SESSION. UM, AND INDEED, IN FACT WE WON'T GO THERE. SO IT'LL BE TRULY THE RACIAL OF DIVIDE. EXCUSE TONIGHT. YOU CAN KEEP SAYING IF YOU WANT. I GOT A RIGHT TO SPEAK. COUNSEL STOKES HAS THE FLOOR. ARE YOU GONNA COME OVER HERE AND PUT YOUR MOUTH ON MY, YOUR HANDS ON MY MOUTH TO MUZZLE IT? SIR, PLEASE BE CIVIL. MR. HOLLOWAY. I AM BEING VERY CIVIL COUNSEL. I HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK COUNSEL, PLEASE CONTINUE WITH YOUR COMMENTS. I THINK HE'S HARASSING YOU. IT'S, OH MY GOD. BECAUSE THEY, THEY DON'T DO THAT TO EACH OTHER. THEY ONLY DO IT TO US. THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T DO IT TO EACH OTHER. THEY ONLY DO IT TO US. HOLLOWAY, ALLOW MS. STOKES TO FINISH. CAN YOU FINISH, CAN YOU TELL THE PEOPLE WHETHER OR NOT YOU SAID, PLEASE, PLEASE GIMME THE OPPORTUNITY. DID YOU SAY WHAT? DID YOU SAY WHAT I SAID TO THAT? YOU SAID TO ME IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER. DID YOU SAY THAT, MR. MAYOR? DID YOU SAY IT? COUNCILS STEPS. PLEASE CONTINUE. OKAY, I GOT Y'ALL. UM, SO AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD NOT BE INTERESTED IN GOING INTO CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED AMONG, UH, APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED. WE'LL SEE, APPEARS TO HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED OR TO BE PRESENTED WITH ONLY ONE, WHATEVER TO VOTE ON. UM, BUT IN MY OPINION AND WHAT, SINCE I'VE SAT HERE SINCE JANUARY, IT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE. SO, UM, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT CLOSED SESSION AT THIS TIME. UH, AL PLEASE. NO, I DID YOU CHECK YOUR LIGHT OFF? EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY. I DID NOT SEE MR. HARRIS'S LIGHT ON MR. HARRIS. YEAH, I, I WANT TO RESPOND. I, I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE TO GO IN THE CLOSED SESSION EITHER. UH, THERE'S NO NEED BECAUSE WHAT IT IS THAT WE, WE, WE, WE'VE HAD, WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THIS IS GOING, HOW IT'S GOING. SO, UM, I'VE HAD ABOUT ALL I CAN STAND OF THE NIGHT AND, UH, WHAT IT IS THAT I AM GOING TO DO IS I WANT MY CLOTHES AS GONNA BE OUT IN THE PARKING LOT. I, I THANK, YOU KNOW THE COUNCIL, WE GOT, HEY, WE GOT TO MOVE THIS CITY SOME KIND OF WAY. WE GOT TO FIGURE IT OUT. SO RIGHT NOW WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT. SO I'M DONE FOR THE NIGHT. THANK YOU GUYS. MIDNIGHT COUNCIL. ALRIGHT. ROLL CALL PLEASE. YES, NO PART. YES. COUNSELOR? YES. MADAM CITY CLERK COMMITTEE NOTE, MAN AS A NOTE, PLEASE. COUNCILOR DAY? YES, COUNCILOR STOKES, NO. MOTION. MOTION SESSION. [RECONVENEOPEN MEETING] SECOND AT THAT. MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILLOR DAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR JOYNER. UH, ROLL CALL PLEASE. VICE MAYOR JOYNER. YES. COUNCILLOR [01:05:01] HARRIS. MAYOR PARTON. YES. COUNCILOR ELLIS. YES. COUNCILLOR DAY? YES. COUNCILLOR STOKES. COUNCILOR HOLLOWAY. MOTION PASSES FOUR TO ZERO. OKAY. UH, CERTIFICATION PLEASE. CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO VIRGINIA CODE 2.2 DASH THREE SEVEN 2D WERE ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS. ONE. LAWFULLY EXEMPT FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS AND TWO IDENTIFIED IN THE CLOSED MEETING. MOTION DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING. VICE MAYOR JOINER. YES. COUNCILOR HARRIS. MAYOR. PARDON? YES. COUNCILOR ELLIS. YES. COUNCILLOR DANG. YES. MOTION PASSES. FOUR TO ZERO. OKAY. [SPECIAL BUSINESS] UH, WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING INTO OUR SECOND PART OF THE MEETING. UH, SB FOUR. UH, MR. BESSETTE, WILL YOU PLEASE READ OUT THE MOTION? YES. I MOVE TO APPOINT MICHAEL ROGERS AS INTERIM CITY MANAGER UNDER CHAPTER FIVE, SECTION FIVE OF THE CITY CHARTER AT THE TERMS PRESENTED TO COUNCIL, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND TO DIRECT THE MAYOR TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT TO THAT EFFECT. OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION? SECOND. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. MOTION'S BEEN MADE BY COUNCILOR DAY AND SECONDED BY COUNCILOR ELLIS. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION SEEING NO LIGHTS ROLL CALL PLEASE. VICE MAYOR JOINER? YES. MAYOR PARTON. YES. COUNCILLOR ELLIS? YES. COUNCILLOR DAY? YES. MOTION PASSES. FOUR TO ZERO. OKAY. MOVING ON TO SB FIVE. UM, AT THIS TIME, UM, MS. SADE, UH, ALLEN, UH, WILL REMAIN AS THE DEPUTY CLERK, UH, FOR THE OFFICE AND SHE WILL CONTINUE TO, UH, RUN THE OFFICE. ALRIGHT. WITH THAT, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN SO I MOVE? SECOND. ALRIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE. MEETING'S BEEN ADJOURNED. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.