DESOTO – Former City Councilmember Kay Brown Patrick opened citizen comments with her thoughts about council discourse: “After the election, I really felt that the lack of unity and un-organization is the reason we have racism, fascism and authoritarianism that is going to be walking around the White House and to watch my own council continuously perpetuate that own discord. Then I saw conveniently there is an item on the [upcoming] agenda about council internal conflicts and dynamics. I have worked closely with council and local governments, and I have never seen the need for an agenda item to discuss internal conflict and dynamics among council members.”
Brown Patrick read her notes: “I say all this to say that it is no secret there are members of this council who actually thrive in conflict in the discourse and who welcome the drama because it benefits them in their own political positioning. We see this every time there is a bit of discourse. It is as if some of you are more invested in the appearance of fighting and being petty than actually solving the solutions or solving the problems.”
She also added that the residents stand to lose the most from these distractions. She said when a council member does stand up to raise a question, that member is dismissed. Brown-Patrick expressly referred to councilmember Place 3 Nicole Raphiel’s budget questions, which Brown-Patrick said were great questions “[Councilmember Place 6 Crystal] Chism accused her [Raphiel] of grandstanding,” Brown Patrick added, “I am not sure why that was grandstanding because I elected her to ask the questions, we should all be asking. So, if asking tough questions and holding the body accountable is grandstanding, perhaps you should all be grandstanding.”
She then went on to say, “The next seven times you will see me, I will have three minutes for each of you.” She added that it is important that the residents hear specifically why each councilmember deserves or does not deserve to be in their city council seat.
Jerry Ravenel spoke next, thanking the city council for the Civic Academy Program they put together recently to help residents understand what city leaders and staff do. He thanked the staff and directors and said he could tell they took pride in making sure “the residents of this city were engaged; they had interactive discussions and were able to ask questions they felt needed to be asked.” Ravenel finished by saying that he was not aware of “the things this city has going for it, and it made me even prouder to be a resident.”
All Consent Agenda items passed unanimously, including the Regular City Council meeting minutes from August 20 and the Special City Council meeting minutes from August 19, August 26, 27, and 30, 2024.
Five proclamations were heard, including one honoring Global Entrepreneurship Week, another honoring National Apprenticeship Week, another honoring National Hunger and Homelessness Week, another honoring Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, and another honoring Small Business Saturday. The confirmation of Yulonda Davis’s appointment to the Domestic Violence Advisory Committee—Clergy was also made.
Also part of the consent agenda items that passed were amendments to the Investment Policy for the City of DeSoto, DeSoto Housing Finance Corporation, DeSoto Industrial Development Corporation, DeSoto Health Facilities Corporation, and DeSoto Development Corporation effective November 1, 2024; an Ordinance amending the City of DeSoto’s Code of Ordinances for Health Depart