[1. Open Meeting.]
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, 2026 AND THE TIME IS NOW 6:30 P.M. AND THIS IS A SPECIAL CALLED
[2. Roll Call.]
MEETING OF THE LEANDER CITY COUNCIL. CITY SECRETARY CRABTREE, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL? COUNCILMEMBER STEVEN CHANG, PRESENT COUNCIL MEMBER MICHAEL HERRERA HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER TOMMY BLAIR, PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER ANNETTE SPONSELLER. COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW NORDEEN HERE. MAYOR PRO TEM BECKY ROSS HERE. MAYOR CHRIS NICOLE THOMPSON. SORRY.THAT IS ME AND I AM HERE. WELL, WE'LL MOVE TO ITEM THREE ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT. AND I WANT TO
[3. Welcome Special Guests and Visitors.]
WELCOME OUR SPECIAL GUESTS AND VISITORS. WE ADDED THIS TO OUR AGENDA. I FORGET, MAYBE BACK IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER. AND I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND A SPECIAL, HEARTFELT WELCOME AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR ACTIVE AND RETIRED MILITARY EDUCATORS, CURRENT AND FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND PUBLIC SAFETY PROFESSIONALS IN THE AUDIENCE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO AND YOUR SERVICE TO LEANDER AND TO OUR COMMUNITY. WE DON'T SAY IT ENOUGH, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SAY IT AT ALL OF OUR MEETINGS. SO THANK YOU. WELL, ITEM FOUR ON OUR AGENDA, WHICH IS WHY I BELIEVE MOST OF YOU ARE HERE TONIGHT, IS OUR CEREMONIAL OATH FOR OFFICE FOR THE NEWLY ELECTED MAYOR, WHICH IS ME AND. AND SO WE ARE GOING TO DO OUR CEREMONIAL OATH AND[4. Ceremonial Oath of Office for newly elected Mayor.]
THEN WE WILL HAVE COMMENTS BY COUNCIL. I'LL HAVE A STATEMENT THAT I'D LIKE TO READ TO Y'ALL AND THEN WE WILL BE FREE TO GO. SO I'M I'M HAPPY THAT Y'ALL ARE HERE. WOW. Y'ALL REALLY SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT TONIGHT. AND Y'ALL LOOK BEAUTIFUL AND LOOK BEAUTIFUL. SO WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR OATH. AND AS WE DO IT, I DID TAKE A A POINT OF AUTHORITY AND ASKED MY FATHER TO SAY A PRAYER BEFORE WE START. SO IT'S HE'S HERE TO DO THAT AND I'LL COME DOWN SO WE CAN DO THE OATH.YES. AWESOME. AND FORGIVE ME WITH ALL THE EXCITEMENT. COMMISSIONER TREVILLIAN WILL BE DOING MY OATH FOR ME TONIGHT. I APPRECIATE HIS LEADERSHIP AND HIS MENTORSHIP, AND I ASKED HIM TO BE HERE. AND I KNOW HE HAS A LOT OF THINGS ON HIS PLATE THAT HE HAS TO DO. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING.
IF YOU WOULD STAND, PLEASE. THERE YOU GO. LET US HAVE A WORD OF PRAYER. OUR FATHER, WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, THE FATHER OF OUR LORD AND RISEN SAVIOR, JESUS THE CHRIST. DEAR GOD OUR FATHER, WE COME RIGHT NOW WITH OUR EYES CLOSED, WITH OUR HEADS BOWED, THANKING YOU FOR ALL YOUR MANY BLESSINGS. THANKING YOU, DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE. WE COME THANKING YOU, DEAR GOD, BECAUSE WE ARE GRATEFUL. WE COME THANKING YOU BECAUSE WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT YOU HAVE BESTOWED UPON US. LORD GOD OUR FATHER, WE COME THANKING YOU FOR INSTALLING NICOLE MCDONALD THOMPSON AS MAYOR. THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMAN HERE IN LEANDER. YES, LORD GOD, OUR FATHER, WE THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HER VISION AND ALL THAT SHE HAS DONE THUS FAR. WE THANK YOU THAT EVEN AS SHE WAS IN PLACE FOR SHE STARTED THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR MARCH, SHE STARTED ALSO THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION THAT TAKES PLACE HERE IN LEANDER. AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY THING THAT SHE'S DONE.
THAT'S JUST TO NAME A COUPLE. SHE'S DONE SO MANY THINGS, DEAR GOD, FATHER, AND WE'RE SO
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GRATEFUL. WE THANK YOU FOR HER. CONTINUE TO BLESS HER. DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, DEAR GOD OUR FATHER, WE PRAY NOW THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS THIS COUNCIL IN A MIGHTY GOOD, STRONG AND A POWERFUL WAY. HELP THEM, DEAR GOD, AS THEY SEE THE VISION FOR SUCCESS FOR LEANDER, THAT YOU WOULD BLESS THEM TO DO ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO YOUR WILL. LORD GOD, WE ARE. I CAN'T SAY IT ENOUGH. WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE. AND LORD GOD OUR FATHER, WE WANT TO THANK YOU RIGHT NOW FOR OUR LEANDER POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE THANK YOU, DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, THAT THEY ARE HERE READY TO PROTECT AND SERVE. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT THEY DO. DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, WE LOOK AROUND AND SEE NEW BUSINESSES AND NEW PEOPLE, NEW FAMILIES COMING INTO LEANDER. AND HERE THEY ARE JUST READY TO SERVE. AND THEN, DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP CRIME AT A VERY LOW RATE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CHECK THE NUMBERS. WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR FIREMEN. WE THANK YOU FOR OUR EMS WORKERS. WE THANK YOU FOR OUR DOCTORS, OUR NURSES AND ALL OF THOSE THAT WORK IN THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM. CONTINUE TO BLESS THEM LIKE ONLY YOU CAN. AND LORD, WE KNOW THAT THEY STAND READY WAITING ON THE NEXT CALL TO COME IN SO THEY CAN BE ABOUT DOING WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE IN LEANDER. CONTINUE TO BLESS IS WHAT WE'RE ASKING. DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, LORD GOD OUR FATHER, WE ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE LEANDER INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. ALL OF THOSE TEACHERS, SUPERINTENDENTS, PRINCIPALS, ALL OF THE FACULTY THAT WORK IN LEANDER SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HELP OUR CHILDREN GET A GREAT EDUCATION. AND DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, WE REALIZE THAT THE EDUCATION IS AT THE TOP OF THE CHART FOR LEANDER, AND WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND LORD, LET ME NOT FORGET OUR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, THOSE THAT PICK UP OUR KIDS AND TAKE THEM TO AND FROM SCHOOL, MAKE SURE THEY GET THERE SAFE AND SOUND. LORD GOD, WE'RE SO GRATEFUL TO YOU. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR ALL OUR PASTORS IN THIS AREA, THOSE THAT OPEN THEIR DOORS ON SUNDAY MORNING AND WELCOME THE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND WORSHIP YOU IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. AND THEY CAN HAVE JOY IN THEIR HEART AS THEY WORSHIP YOU. DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, CONTINUE TO BLESS THEM, TO PREACH AND TEACH YOUR UNCOMPROMISING GOSPEL. WE ARE SO THANKFUL. DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE HELPED MISS NICOLE THOMPSON GET TO WHERE SHE IS RIGHT NOW. SO MANY PEOPLE WORKING HARD. DEAR GOD.SOME DID A LITTLE WORK, SOME DID A LOT OF WORK. BUT I THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT DID SOMETHING THAT YOU CANNOT DO IT ALL BY YOURSELF. AND SHE'S BEEN SUCH A BLESSING. AND THE VOLUNTEERS, THANK YOU ALL FOR VOLUNTEERING AND DOING THE WORK, SUBMITTING YOUR TIME, YOUR MONEY, YOUR EFFORTS, EVERYTHING THAT YOU SUBMITTED TO NICOLE BECOMING MAYOR. CONTINUE TO BLESS HER AND LORD GOD OUR FATHER. EVEN BEFORE I CLOSE THIS PRAYER, LET ME NOT FORGET HER FAMILY. CONTINUE TO BLESS HER ROCK. THE ONE THAT STANDS RIGHT BESIDE HER CURLY KERWIN, MARLENE THOMPSON, DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER AND SOMETIME HE'S WORKING IN THE BACK, BUT HE'S ALSO ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE SURE SHE GETS EVERYTHING SHE NEEDS AND HE SUPPORTS HER. THANK YOU FOR HER FAMILY. MISS ASHLEY, NICOLE THOMPSON, MR. JALEN, CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON, MR. JORDAN, ALEXANDER THOMPSON THANK YOU. DEAR GOD FOR THEM STANDING BESIDE HER, STANDING BEHIND HER. AND SOMETIME THEY EVEN STAND IN FRONT OF HER TO PROTECT HER WHEN IT'S NEEDED.
CONTINUE TO BLESS THEM, DEAR GOD AND BLESS ALL. A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT HERE, BUT HER COUSIN, HER NIECES AND NEPHEW, HER TWO SISTERS. DEAR GOD, BLESS THEM IN A MIGHTY GOOD, STRONG AND A POWERFUL WAY. AND DEAR GOD, OUR FATHER, I PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS, YOUR SISTER DORIS MACDONALD WAS HERE. SHE WOULD ALWAYS TELL NICOLE, REMEMBER JEREMIAH 32, 17 AND 27.
SHE SAID, THAT WORD SAYS, JEREMIAH TELLS US THAT IT ASKS US THE QUESTION. AND THE SAME QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED BACK THEN IS ASK RIGHT NOW. IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? AND THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS BEEN, NO, LORD, THERE'S NOT ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR YOU. SO CEDAR PARK CITY COUNCIL MAYOR THOMPSON, CONTINUE TO TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL THY WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, AND YOU KNOW WHAT? HE WILL
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DIRECT YOUR PATH. THANK YOU, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. GOD BLESS YOU. IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN.SO. THAT'S OKAY. NOW. SO OKAY. OKAY. SO. SO SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A SACRED MOMENT. YES. SO WE ALL UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WE'RE HERE WITH OUR FAMILY BIBLE, WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT WE COME FROM A PRAYING FAMILY. WE UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY. AND WE HAVE A PROUD PAPA WHO JUST LET THE LORD KNOW HE WAS PROUD. AND I JUST WANT NICOLE TO KNOW THAT I'M SO HONORED TO SWEAR HER IN, AND THAT I COULD NOT BE MORE PROUD OF YOU IF YOU WERE MY OWN DAUGHTER. AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT. AND AND WHAT THIS TELLS ME IS THAT THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF TRUST AND LOVE AND THOUGHT HERE, AND WE ONLY GET THE COMMUNITY WE DESERVE WHEN WE BUILD IT TOGETHER. AND THIS IS A GROUP THAT WILL HELP BUILD IT TOGETHER WITH YOU. YEAH. SO. THAT'S ALL RIGHT Y'ALL OUT. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. NOW IF YOU PLACE YOUR RIGHT HAND ON THE BIBLE. AND THAT WAS FOR SHELLY. I STATE YOUR NAME. I, NICOLE THOMPSON, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR. DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM OR AFFIRM THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY, THAT I WILL FAITHFULLY EXECUTE THE DUTIES. EXECUTE THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF OF MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LEANDER. OF THE OFFICE OF MAYOR OF THE CITY OF LEANDER, OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WILL, TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AND WILL TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, PRESERVE, PRESERVE, PROTECT, PROTECT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES, AND OF THIS STATE AND OF THIS STATE. SO HELP ME GOD. SO HELP ME GOD.
THANK YOU. SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD. SO HAPPY. YOU'RE SAD. YOU KEEP SAYING. I PRESENT TO YOU THE NEWLY MINTED MAN. AMEN.
ALRIGHT, WELL, NOW THAT THAT'S DONE, I DO HAVE SOME WORDS THAT I WROTE AND PREPARED SO THAT I WOULDN'T FORGET WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. SO IF Y'ALL BEAR WITH ME WHILE I PULL IT UP, I WROTE IT DOWN. BUT IT'S PROBABLY A LITTLE EASIER ON MY PHONE TO DO THIS. AND THEN WE'LL GIVE COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHATEVER THEY WOULD LIKE. AND THEN WILL EVERYBODY GO HOME, BECAUSE I KNOW THEY GOT STUFF THEY WANT TO DO ON FRIDAY NIGHT. WELL GOOD EVENING. AND BEFORE I GO FURTHER, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THOSE WHO HAVE STOOD BESIDE ME TO MY DEAR HUSBAND, MY CHILDREN, MY FAMILY. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE, FOR YOUR PATIENCE, FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND FOR YOUR LOVE. TO MY CAMPAIGN TEAM AND MY
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SUPPORTERS IN THIS ROOM AND THOSE WATCHING ONLINE. THANK YOU. YOU GAVE YOUR TIME, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR TALENTS AND YOUR BELIEF IN THIS EFFORT, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY TO OUR CITY STAFF AND OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUOUS WORK ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY, ON BEHALF OF OUR VOTERS, AND ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE DON'T OFTEN RECOGNIZE ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS.ALTHOUGH THEY ARE APPRECIATED, I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU IN SERVICE TO OUR GREAT CITY. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY STEPS HAVE BEEN ORDERED. I BELIEVE GOD HAS ORCHESTRATED MY JOURNEY, HAS SHAPED MY PREPARATION, AND HAS OPENED DOORS THAT NO PERSON COULD HAVE OPENED ALONE. YES, I GIVE HIM ALL THE GLORY AND ALL THE PRAISE FOR THIS MOMENT TODAY. SO TONIGHT I SIT BEFORE YOU, DEEPLY HONORED, PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL AND FULLY AWARE OF THE WEIGHT OF THIS MOMENT. THE PEOPLE OF LEANDER HAVE SPOKEN, AND WITH THEIR VOTE THEY MADE HISTORY. I AM HUMBLED TO SERVE AS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN EVER ELECTED. EVER ELECTED MAYOR IN LEANDER, LEADERSHIP MATTERS. HISTORY MATTERS. REPRESENTATION MATTERS. FOR YOU SEE, ACROSS TEXAS, WOMEN HOLD LESS THAN 25% OF THE MAYORAL OFFICES. FOR BLACK TEXAS MAYORS, THAT NUMBER DROPS DRAMATICALLY TO 4%. AND FOR BLACK WOMEN BEING MAYORS, THAT NUMBER IS EVEN SMALLER.
THAT IS PRECISELY WHY THIS MAKES THIS MOMENT SO SPECIAL AND SO PIVOTAL. PIVOTAL THIS YEAR ALSO MARKS THE 100TH YEAR OF BLACK HISTORY OBSERVANCE IN OUR NATION. 100 YEARS OF FORMALLY RECOGNIZING CONTRIBUTIONS THAT WERE OFTEN OVERLOOKED OR EXCLUDED ON PURPOSE FROM THE RECORD. SO TO STAND HERE IN THIS ROLE DURING THIS MILESTONE YEAR CARRIES ENORMOUS MEANING FOR ME. PROGRESS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE. IT HAPPENS STEP BY STEP, GENERATION BY GENERATION, AND VOTE BY VOTE. AND I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF WOMEN AND MEN WHO LED LONG BEFORE I DID, AND THEY WERE NOT RECOGNIZED. THOSE WHO ORGANIZED, THOSE WHO ADVOCATED, THOSE WHO INSISTED THAT PARTICIPATION IN DEMOCRACY SHOULD EXTEND TO EVERYONE. I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF LEADERS LIKE BARBARA JORDAN, WHO DEMONSTRATED COURAGE, CLARITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL CONVICTION WHEN OUR NATION NEEDED IT MOST. I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF BLACK WOMEN, LIKE MY SORROWS OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED, WHO MARCHED IN 1913 FOR WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE AND SET A STANDARD FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT THAT CONTINUES TODAY. I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF MY FATHER, WHO ATTENDED THE HISTORICALLY BLACK L.C.
ANDERSON HIGH SCHOOL IN AUSTIN BEFORE IT WAS CLOSED. HE WAS LATER BUSSED TO INTEGRATE ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL AFTER THE DISTRICT FORCED LC ANDERSON TO CLOSE ITS DOORS. HE LIVED THROUGH A TIME WHEN ACCESS WAS RESTRICTED BY LAW AND OPPORTUNITY WAS RATIONED BY RACE. I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF MY MOTHER, WHO ENDURED THE INDIGNITY OF BEING LABELED COLORED. SHE DRANK FROM SEPARATE WATER FOUNTAINS. SHE WORKED IN A RESTAURANT AS A TEEN WHERE SHE WAS PERMITTED TO SERVE, BUT SHE WAS NOT PERMITTED TO SIT OR TO EAT.
THEIR LIVES WERE SHAPED BY BARRIERS, BUT THEIR PERSEVERANCE EXPANDED.
OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL BECAUSE OF THEM. I STAND HERE TODAY. BEING THE FIRST CARRIES ENORMOUS RESPONSIBILITY. BEING FIRST REQUIRES LEADING WITH EXCELLENCE. IT REQUIRES LEADING WITH STEADINESS AND LEADING IN A WAY THAT EXPANDS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO COME NEXT. I DO NOT TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. LEADERSHIP IS NOT ONLY ABOUT A TITLE, IT'S ABOUT TRUST.
AND YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED ME WITH THE FUTURE OF OUR GROWING CITY, WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, WITH FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, WITH INFRASTRUCTURE, WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WITH PRESERVING THE CHARACTER OF OUR COMMUNITY WHILE PLANNING WISELY FOR ITS GROWTH. I ACCEPT THAT
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RESPONSIBILITY WITH CLARITY AND WITH COMMITMENT. AND TO EVERY RESIDENT, WHETHER YOU VOTED FOR ME OR NOT, I AM YOUR MAYOR. THANK. I'M NOT THE MAYOR OF ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M NOT THE MAYOR OF ONE SIDE OF TOWN. I AM YOUR MAYOR. AND TO ALL THE YOUNG GIRLS WATCHING TONIGHT WHO HAVE HAD BARRIERS PLACED AROUND THEM, IN FRONT OF THEM, ABOVE AND BENEATH THEM, I HOPE YOU ALL SEE THAT SOMEONE ELSE'S BOUNDARIES DO NOT NEED TO BE YOURS. SOMEONE ELSE'S CEILING DOES NOT HAVE TO BE WHERE YOU STOP. I HOPE YOU SEE THROUGH ME WHAT IS POSSIBLE. THERE IS NO OFFICE BEYOND YOUR REACH, AND THERE IS NO TABLE WHERE YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE A SEAT. IN CLOSING, THIS VICTORY IS JUST A CONTINUATION OF THE SERVICE THAT WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO OUR CITY. AND THIS VICTORY BELONGS TO ALL OF US. SO AGAIN, I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.I THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTE OF CONFIDENCE, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR MEASURE OF TRUST. SO LET'S GET TO WORK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WELL, WE ARE FASTLY APPROACHING 7 P.M. AND SO WE
[5. Councilmember Closing Remarks.]
ARE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR COUNCIL TO MAKE THEIR COMMENTS. AND THEN WE WILL CLOSE OUT THIS LOVELY EVENING PLACE ONE NICOLE. WE FIRST MET ABOUT TWO YEARS BACK WHEN I WAS APPLYING TO BE ON A CITY BOARD, AND I WAS JUST IMPRESSED BY YOUR CANDOR AND YOUR YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE. AND HAVING JOINED YOU ON CITY COUNCIL OVER THE LAST TEN MONTHS, IT'S JUST BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE TO GET TO LEARN FROM YOU, TO GET TO HEAR YOUR EXPERIENCES, AND TO GET TO WITNESS YOUR PASSION UP FRONT AND CENTER. AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT YOU SAID, WHICH IS I'M PROUD OF THIS CITY. I'M PROUD TO SEE ALL THESE FOLKS OUT HERE WHO CAME OUT FOR YOU, AND YOU WERE SUCCESSFULLY AS OUR SUCCESS. SO I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST AND CONGRATULATE YOU AGAIN. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, I APPRECIATE YOU. I ALWAYS TALK RIGHT SO AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE WITH ME IN PRIVATE AND IN PUBLIC.THAT'S OKAY. AND AND THINGS AND AND ALSO NOT TO MAKE LIGHT OF THE SITUATION. BUT YOU KNOW, I CAN JUST IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS FROM NOW THERE'LL BE SOMEBODY SITTING IN ANDREW'S SPOT AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY. THANK YOU. YES. AND THANKS. BUT THIS IS HISTORIC, LIKE YOU SAID. AND AND LEANDER IS AT A PIVOTAL SPOT AND THINGS. AND WE NEED STRONG LEADERSHIP. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR OVER THE REST OF THIS TERM. AND AND WHERE WE GO AS A CITY. I MEAN, WE ARE AT A SPOT WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF DECISIONS, THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGE GOING ON. AND SO IT'S AN EXCITING TIME BECAUSE WE GET TO WE GET TO CREATE SOMETHING. AND I'M, I'M, I'M PRIVILEGED TO SERVE WITH YOU AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU. PLACE THREE. MAYOR THOMPSON, WE'RE VERY HONORED TO WORK WITH YOU AND BE ON THE DAIS WITH YOU. I WANT TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS THAT WE FEEL IN THIS ROOM BY QUOTING A SCRIPTURE FROM HEBREWS 12 AND ONE. THEREFORE, SINCE WE ARE SURROUNDED BY SO GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US ALSO LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT AND SIN WHICH CLINGS SO CLOSELY, AND LET US RUN WITH ENDURANCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US. AND SO I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO RUN THIS RACE WITH YOU, TO LEAD THIS CITY WITH YOU. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOU COMPLETING THIS RACE BY NOT ONLY MARKING HISTORY, BUT TAKING US WITH YOU AS WE LEAD THIS, THIS CITY INTO THE PROGRESS THAT IT NEEDS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. PLEASE.
FIVE SO COUNCILMAN HERRERA TOOK THE PLACE OF COUNCILMAN CHANG IN STEALING SOME OF MY THUNDER WITH THE DAY IN HISTORY. BUT IT IS NOTABLE THAT THIS IS A HISTORIC DAY. AND ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY 2026. CONGRATULATIONS, MAYOR NICOLE THOMPSON, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR OUTSTANDING VICTORY IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION. IT REFLECTS THE CONFIDENCE AND THE TRUST THE RESIDENTS HAVE PUT IN YOUR HANDS, IN YOUR LEADERSHIP, VISION AND COMMITMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY. I HAVE ENJOYED OUR CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, FRANKLY, AND
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I'M LOOKING VERY, VERY MUCH FORWARD TO SERVING ALONGSIDE WITH YOU TO FURTHER DEMONSTRATE THE PASSION THAT WE, I BELIEVE, AS A COUNCIL, HAVE IN LEADING AND REFLECTING THE WISHES OF OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE. I'M EXCITED TO SEE YOUR THOUGHTFUL LEADERSHIP. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR MEETING ON MONDAY. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR LUNCH PLANS ON MY ACCOUNT, BUT IT'S. BUT IT'S COOL BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD, RIGHT? ALRIGHT, Y'ALL ARE GREAT. I APPRECIATE Y'ALL COMING OUT. I THINK THIS IS A TREMENDOUS REFLECTION OF WHERE THE COMMUNITY IS TODAY, WHERE THE COMMUNITY WILL BE TOMORROW. AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE CHOICE THAT YOU DID. YES. THANK YOU. AND PLAY SIX MISS MISS ROSS, A FEW WORDS, JUST A FEW. NICOLE.IT'S AN IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE SERVED WITH YOU. THE LAST FIVE YEARS HAVE BEEN FANTASTIC, EVEN WITH SOME PRETTY CRAZY UPS AND DOWNS. YOU. I KNEW YOU WOULD BE THE NEXT MAYOR. YOU JUST DID IT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN WE ANTICIPATED. BUT NOW I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING A LOT OF GREAT THINGS FOR THIS CITY. BUT ABOVE ALL, AND MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I LOVE YOUR SERVANT'S HEART AND I'M VERY PROUD TO CALL YOU A FRIEND. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WELL, WITH THAT I WOULD JUST SAY THANK YOU. UNLESS THERE ANYBODY ELSE. OKAY, THAT'S ANYTHING TO SAY, BUT I AM DEEPLY HONORED THAT ALL OF YOU CHOSE TO SPEND YOUR FRIDAY EVENING COMING HERE TO WITNESS THIS HISTORIC EVENT. I'M APPRECIATIVE. I KNOW THAT IT TAKES A LOT TO SERVE. I KNOW ALL THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYBODY UP HERE PUTS IN, ALL OF THE MANY HOURS, THE UNPAID VOLUNTEER HOURS, MIGHT I ADD, THAT GET PUT IN TO MAKE THIS WORK? AND WE HAVE LOTS OF ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE AUDIENCE. THEY KNOW AS WELL HOW MUCH HOW HOW MUCH WORK WE JUST PUT IN, BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY AND WE WANT TO SEE IT BE THE BEST THAT IT CAN BE, WHICH IS THE REASON WHY I RAN. IT'S THE REASON WHY I CONTINUE TO SERVE. AND SO I THANK YOU ALL FOR ENTRUSTING ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT. I DO WANT TO SAY, BEFORE WE WRAP UP THAT TO END BLACK HISTORY MONTH, WE DID GET A PROCLAMATION FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH ISSUED. AND SO WE HAVE THAT HERE. AND THEN I HAVE, OF COURSE, MY OATH AS MAYOR IS HERE ALSO. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW THERE ARE SOME OTHER EVENTS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW AND I HOPE TO SEE Y'ALL THERE, BUT THANK YOU. AND LET'S SEE IT IS
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.