Statements by Brian E. Lewis
596 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
Machine transcript. Statements are matched to this official by machine and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
How many categories are there?
Play from 1:48:12Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Is there a is there a category called reconstruct?
Play from 1:48:19Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay.
Play from 1:48:32Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Well, I noticed that you have, uh, Bicentennial Boulevard in your package.
Play from 1:48:40Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And I was just what does it have to why does that have to be rehabilitated? It's almost in pristine condition.
Play from 1:48:45Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Well, I noticed that you Freedom Drive is uh is in a reconstruct category?
Play from 1:49:22Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Isn't that a higher priority than rehabilitate?
Play from 1:49:31Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
No, I I I I just don't understand when you have a Freedom, Liberty, and Freedom Court haven't been looked at in 25 years. You have seams that are inches wide. You have divots in there that the the blacktop is so thin, you can actually see the dirt underneath it.
Play from 1:49:42Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And and then I see you want to fix a road that doesn't need fixing. I I'm confused. How how does your your system...
Play from 1:50:23Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
No, I'm saying Freedom, Liberty, and Freedom Court haven't been done in 25 year. The last time it was redone was 25 years ago.
Play from 1:50:35Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And it's it's deplorable condition, and it's going to get worse. Now, you you have it in a reconstruct, which makes sense, but I don't understand why reconstruct doesn't take a higher priority over rehabilitate.
Play from 1:50:43Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
That
Play from 1:51:23Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
It's just
Play from 1:51:24Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
So in other words, you're going to be hurt?
Play from 2:29:03Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, Chief. I yield.
Play from 2:29:38Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Well, that's because he don't recognize me.
Play from 2:34:42Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank Thank you, uh thank you, uh Mr. Sudler.
Play from 2:34:45Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Um, my question is um to the Chief. Uh, I have concerns with this. And and by the way, uh, to my colleague Ms. Arndt, I I wholeheartedly uh agree with your comments. Um, but I I I look at this as this could become a potential morale issue with staff. I mean, how do you feel, Chief, about um giving a $30,000 increase to one person when we have other positions in the city that are hard to fill and need increases?
Play from 2:34:48Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
That's fair.
Play from 2:36:32Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Not really, but I'm going to move on. I got a question for Mr. Simmons. Uh Mr. Simmons, uh the IT person that works for you, does he not cover the whole city?
Play from 2:43:08Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Why not? The city police department's part of the city.
Play from 2:43:28Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Wouldn't it behoove you to get your man trained so if in fact in the future, um, something goes down in the police department, he could fill in on the emergency basis?
Play from 2:44:16Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. I just have one more question, but it's going to be for our HR director, if she don't mind coming up.
Play from 2:45:13Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Good evening, Miss Poole.
Play from 2:45:22Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Um, I just have a couple questions for you. Uh, I like your viewpoint on this matter. Um, I don't know if you'd be able to answer from a fiscal point of view, but uh if you don't mind providing that on this particular uh subject matter?
Play from 2:45:24Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Correct.
Play from 2:45:58Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay. So, um, what's listed here is probably not accurate, because it's going to increase.
Play from 2:46:21Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Gotcha. Thank you very much. Um, in your opinion, uh uh and I understand, um, the chief has the right to post in-house first, uh but uh could he have or can he still uh put it out there, um, publicly? And I know you would work with him on that.
Play from 2:46:26Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
also, um, it it could be suggested that maybe some the retirees would be interested in that position. So, uh, from it being posted in-house and, let's say, nobody applies for it, then it would move on to being posted publicly, correct?
Play from 2:47:06Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay.
Play from 2:47:20Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Ex- exactly. I was going to say, and I wrote it down in my notes here, that, um, you know, maybe it should have been posted outside, um, and by doing that you would, uh, possibly get more of an array of candidates, uh, that would meet the qualifications, but then you would be able to weed through them.
Play from 2:47:42Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
And I wholly- heartily agree with you on that because, you know, uh, these computer positions, um, they're they're out there. I mean, that's an up-and-coming field, and and I talk to people everyday that are going into that field. So, uh, I don't believe that those jobs are hard to fill.
Play from 2:49:33Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I I agree. Uh, and then when you posted that, um, for the position, uh, that, um, Joe Simmons requested, uh, our IT director, there was an array of candidates that applied. You said roughly about 11 plus?
Play from 2:49:46Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Okay.
Play from 2:49:56Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Uh Understood. Um and I have one more question, and if you feel uncomfortable answering it, then you can let me know, and uh I would have no problem with that. Um do you feel that um by giving one person a $30,000 increase uh when we have other positions in the city that are hard to fill or need increases could possibly cause some morale issues? And I'm asking you that because you're our HR director.
Play from 2:50:31Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you, Ms. Poole, and with that, I have no further questions.
Play from 2:52:50Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Second.
Play from 3:13:32Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I appreciate your answer. Is there contingency just in case?
Play from 3:16:36Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I didn't mean to put you on the spot, but I appreciate your candor. I yield, uh, Mr. President.
Play from 3:18:26Nov 25, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Point Point of order, I still have a question pending.
Play from 3:33:11