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October 5, 2020 Strategy Session Minutes Book 150, Page 870

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October 5, 2020 Strategy Session Minutes Book 150, Page 870 October 5, 2020 Strategy Session Minutes Book 150, Page 870 The City Council of the City of Charlotte, North Carolina convened for a Strategy Session on Monday, October 5, 2020 at 8:39 a.m. in Room 267 of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center with Mayor Vi Lyles presiding. Councilmembers present were Dimple Ajmera, Tariq Bokhari, Ed Driggs, Larken Egleston, Julie Eiselt, Malcolm Graham, Renee Johnson, James Mitchell, Matt Newton, and Victoria Watlington. ABSENT: Councilmember Braxton Winston * * * * * * * EXTENDED STRATEGY SESSION ITEM NO. 1: WELCOME AND OPENING THOUGHTS Mayor Lyles [inaudible] things that we wanted to do and they are moving forward so I want to say thanks for that, but we’ve also had some lows, I count the COVID (mild to severe respiratory infection caused by the coronavirus) and the pandemic as one of our lows that really show that even when things are not going well, we can get some things done if we think about the residents of this City. I think that we’ve done that and done a really good job on that. Today, I think what we are trying to do is think about, we are ten months in, we’ve got another six months until the next budget and the new year. Well, eight-months before the new budget comes up. What are we really going to focus on and how do we prepare, not just for what we know we have to do, but for the things that are going to come about because I don’t think this pandemic is going to be over anytime soon? I think we all wish that, but we all know that there is going to be an issue about it for at least the next couple of months. I also worry about the election; I have to say that I’ve never seen a country so divided and it is really a very difficult thing to watch. I hope that we are going to be in a place that we have our City be one that looks past the divisiveness and we have an election and we move forward with whomever is elected as President and that we as a City, knowing the requirements we have for the federal government, continue to build the relationships that are necessary in the House and the Senate because that is where the real work gets done. If we can get our delegation at both the state and federal levels to support the efforts that we put forth before them I think that is a true accomplishment and one of the things that we need to think about. But, talking about the pandemic I just wanted to note that Mr. Winston is not here today. I spoke to him last night because I wanted to talk to him about one of our special guests that are going to come in. We have allotted about 10-minutes for a guest to come in and talk about something very exciting. I did not know he was not coming today so I believe that Denada said that he would like to live-stream. I think this is a Council decision. This is one of those things that, not knowing, I had assumed that he would be here. So, the question is how do we handle the request? The staff did not set up a WebEx because I did not know, and we had actually had the public health officials come in and design the room for us as well as the mandate for a mask on every part of the day. Mr. Driggs is eating so that is okay, after you eat please continuously wear your mask. I just want to make sure everybody is aware of that, so I don’t know, what do you want to do about setting up a WebEx? Councilmember Eiselt said do you need a motion? Mayor Lyles said no, I don’t need a motion, I just need someone to say yes, no, maybe. A couple of Councilmembers said yes. Ms. Eiselt said no, we all made the commitment to come in this morning and if that was going to be discussed beforehand it should have been discussed. If you are somebody that is going to other activities, you are going to protest then I don’t think it is fair that at the last minute you can decide you want to stay home and do it from home. Councilmember Driggs said Mayor, I agree with that and I appreciate Mr. Winston’s concern about health issues, but we have to make tough choices in order to get on with mpl October 5, 2020 Strategy Session Minutes Book 150, Page 871 our lives while this is going on and what you see here is how that can be made to work. I would hope that all of us on Council would support an effort to set an example for the community about how you can get on with your life and be safe from COVID, and I think this is a good example of that, and therefore I think he should be here. Councilmember Newton said I don’t profess to know what is good for someone else. I’m fine today to be here, but I think it is an individual decision. Having said that, our President just came down with this, it still exists here, it exists across the country, it exists in our community. We are all taking a risk, once again, it is a decision that we’ve made and to say that we are going to make it for someone else I think it is unfair. So, anyhow it is a decision I make, right? It is up to me as an individual to make that decision. Mayor Lyles said no, not on the mask, the mask is mandated. Mr. Newton said the point that I’m making, I don’t force it upon someone else. That is why I think, and even if it is some sort of an inconvenience for us if it last second. Things have changed in the last past three of four days and we know this still exists. Councilmember Graham said the President got it because he was extremely careless in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, and September. That being said I think there is a commitment to frontline workers. Every day our Police Officers are out there, our Firefighters are out there, our Sanitation workers are out there working on behalf of the people. I think we have a fiduciary responsibility to do that in a manner that is safe, that is medically sound, that is data-driven, and while it is an individual decision this is a Council of 11 individuals and I think it is fair to say that how we have performed over the last couple of months has not been good simply because we haven’t had the ability to collectively be in the same room to talk about issues that affect our community. I’m a frontline worker, I go to work every day, not here. I just think we’ve got to find a way to do our job that is safe that is data-driven and most of the provisions that we have here today were based on Mr. Winston’s recommendations. Councilmember Egleston said one of the things we have a set of rules for today that Braxton has pointed out and is absolutely correct about is most of this Council takes their mask when they speak, which is exactly when you shouldn’t take your mask off. So, that is something we all agreed to and it just happened right there. That is something we all agreed to that as part of our safety protocols when we are speaking, we have microphones, you don’t take your mask off when you are about to talk. That is when you are projecting the most breath anyway. That said I think out of respect for staff requests to make different accommodations for people should also be made in advance, not on the fly. Councilmember Watlington said I think we’ve spent enough time on this. It is a question of do we think he should be able to come with the WebEx or not and that is a yes or no. I know Councilmember Johnson asked if a motion needs to be made or what have you. I don’t think it is necessary to have a long drawn out debate or discussion about this, especially given the fact that Mr. Winston is not even here. This feels like an opportunity to go and [inaudible] poetic about some things that otherwise may not have been discussed. I would like to get to the agenda, so if a motion is required, I’ll make it right now. Motion was made by Councilmember Watlington, seconded by Councilmember Johnson to allow Braxton Winston to attend via WebEx. Mayor Lyles said so we do have some choices. This is being live-streamed and it is being live-streamed on Facebook, Government TV, and whatever, and you can comment through that method or we would have to set up a WebEx and I don’t know how long that would take, but my assumption would be that we would do that. If we did that, we would have to have some time to do that. mpl October 5, 2020 Strategy Session Minutes Book 150, Page 872 Councilmember Ajmera said I understand the concerns that were raised by some of my colleagues, but we never know what situation someone might be in at the last minute so I’m for us having that option offered if someone wants to dial in by WebEx that is fine.
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