Statements by Donyale M. Hall
184 statements from meeting recordings, newest meeting first.
Machine transcript. Statements are matched to this official by machine and can be wrong. Check the recording.
Feb 25, 2026, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you so much. And I'm going to take the advice of our esteemed solicitor and give my $0.02 on why my vote is the way that it is. Months ago, I made some very similar observations that I thought that we might perhaps be able to find better use of moneys to address this issue. And secondly, I also made mention that the outcry behind this ordinance would surely draw a legal challenge, and we recently had a conversation regarding how much we had allocated for legal recourse and that we were probably somewhere in the neighborhood of about 50% of what we had already budgeted right after quarter one of this fiscal year. And so, I don't feel that it is wise and in the best interest of the taxpayer dollars to welcome more legal challenge that will ultimately put us in a deficit for having to defend this, especially in light of the fact that the state is trying to find a pathway forward to deal with this issue. And so, I am not in support of this ordinance, and I vote yes to deny the ordinance.
Play from 2:27:48Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
I have the question. Can you hear me?
Play from 2:08:13Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
Okay. Um it's more it's more a statement than a question. Um just a cautionary uh measure for integrating AI. I'd like to um just uh point your attention to uh using closed-source AI as opposed to open-source, just um so that we can maintain some security measures um in that environment. That was just my comment. Thanks so much.
Play from 2:08:15Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
And there's implications with that as well, right? When you hire someone who doesn't pass the background, and making sure that—
Play from 2:51:55Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
another need or another source, and there are simple things that need to be updated and taken care of, that's just one example. There's other examples, and maybe the term DOGE is not popular out in the world, per se, but that's the kind of deep dive I think that we need to be able to see where truly the expenses are being paid out. Where's the fluff, and cut out the fluff, so that we truly have what we need to run and operate the city efficiently.
Play from 3:46:05Jan 30, 2026, Council Workshop
I don't believe there is. Um we can go back and review it again. Definitely something we can do, but I did review, if memory serves me correctly, thank you for reminding
Play from 3:48:47Jan 15, 2026, Code Board of Appeals Meeting
I mean, I have a question on the motion. Um...
Play from 04:03Jan 15, 2026, Code Board of Appeals Meeting
Yes.
Play from 04:07Jan 15, 2026, Code Board of Appeals Meeting
Um, on Well, as I was reading the the packet, I noticed the last time of communication um with the picture setup and the date timed on the pictures, after being um the the case being reopened again, she did comply by putting the vehicle on a uh a driveway, which, in uh I I don't have the uh packet with me, but um in one of our ordinances, it says that in order to accommodate, it would have to be a city-approved driveway or parking area or parking lot. And in the last group of pictures, I believe it was in either March or April, I'm not sure exactly, um she did comply with putting it, like I said, on the driveway behind her house, which on that street specifically, there is parking on the street, there's parking everywhere else. But she did come into compliance after so many violations and and code enforcement that she actually covered the vehicle. And what I did notice...
Play from 04:09Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I'll second the agenda, the modified agenda.
Play from 1:32:10Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes.
Play from 2:04:50Jan 13, 2026, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes.
Play from 2:15:34Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you for recognizing me. I attended many of the same events, um, and I had uh quite the flurry of uh constituent uh issues that um definitely I needed to return some calls and refer some things to. We managed to get a pothole fixed and, um, I'm grateful for being able to serve my constituents. I yield.
Play from 02:26Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I have one question. With regards to the trees, um just to consider not placing them underneath of power lines if there are any power lines on or adjacent to the site, um and making sure it's either the the right tree for the the right spot or just not putting trees under the power lines. Um as I mentioned before, just seeing how the trees are being trimmed under the electric lines, if we could avoid that in the future, that'd be great.
Play from 21:53Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you for recognizing me. Um, Jason, as a part of your study, will that identify um could it possibly identify where there are areas where the road could be widened, as is the right-of-way built in such a way to where there could be some accommodations? Because I know I've seen in my district um we've had like some regrading, and they're currently um actually on my corner of Post and uh uh uh Webbs Lane, they're actually widening the sidewalk there. And so I'm I'm just curious, um because that area is so narrow, is there an opportunity to um redo some of the civil engineering along that that roadway to um make some more accommodations that would allow for something like sidewalks or a wider girth where if people are parking, um I know that that, you know, I'm I'm just not sure what the right-of-way is on that street. I'm I'm just talking out loud, I'm not um I'm asking for, you know, you to possibly put in
Play from 1:11:38Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
um, some research to come back to us to say, you know, this is what it would cost, this is who would be the person who would absorb that cost, and yes, it is or no, it isn't possible. Thank you. I yield.
Play from 1:12:05Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you so much. I just want to give the constituents some options. And if they're amenable to having some of those things done and it's possible, at least, um, fielding the questions in in my mind is just reasonable. Thank you so much. I yield.
Play from 1:13:00Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Hall seconds.
Play from 1:25:21Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
My second remains.
Play from 1:28:24Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I move that we accept the agenda for this evening.
Play from 1:29:07Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you for recognizing me. Jason, you know we've had some um contractors, Bobby Wilson in particular, that's come forward and um made an ask that um especially for federal projects that there be um some subtrac- subcontractor opportunities. Um is this one of those uh moments where um there's some allowance for participation from subcontractors?
Play from 1:31:51Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Thank you. I just wanted to make that ask, because I know the question was coming.
Play from 1:32:13Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I appreciate that. I yield.
Play from 1:32:49Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I move that we accept accept staff recommendation um afford for the proposed um cost for uh this project.
Play from 1:32:56Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
Yes.
Play from 1:34:01Dec 9, 2025, Council Committee of the Whole Meeting
I recommend that we uh accept staff recommendation, forward the proposal for Ordinance 2025-25 to City Council for approval.
Play from 1:37:57Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Yes.
Play from 1:15:00Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you for recognizing me, Council President. Um,
Play from 1:34:27Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
To the City Solicitor, you and I had a conversation regarding the possibility of exploring signage, and my direct question to you stemmed from the fact that reading the statute and the Department of Transportation's rules and guidelines specifically outlines where it is and is not permissible to stand. And for the purpose of this meeting, I wanted to put forward a motion that we would identify where those places are permissible to stand and not stand according to the provisions under the state statute. Could you elaborate a little bit on what you told me regarding that? Thank you.
Play from 1:34:30Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
I waive.
Play from 1:35:23Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
The city.
Play from 1:36:18Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
I move that we, uh, waive, uh...
Play from 1:36:55Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Could you um explain to Council where it is permissible to uh post a sign, um and if so, um I believe uh what I'm looking for specifically would be areas where it is permissible for people to exercise their right to ask for charity and where it is not permiss-
Play from 1:38:24Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
There's a motion on the floor.
Play from 1:39:49Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
visible to uh be able to do that, um uh would there be signage and language that could state um those things under Title 21 where it is and is not permissible to stand by law?
Play from 1:39:51Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
I withdraw my motion to the waiver of...
Play from 1:39:53Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
And so my understanding also further states that um there's a specific type of sign and I looked up the ordinance and it says the the sign's primary message must clearly state the prohibited activities and the relevant law to ensure enforceability. A simple, direct message is most effective for quick comprehension by drivers and it could identify therefore Title 21 as a part of that language. Is that correct?
Play from 1:40:48Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you. That that concludes my my question.
Play from 1:42:08Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
Thank you for recognizing me. Um, to my fell- fellow Councilman Rocha, I just wanted to say that a lot of the people that I've spoken to don't even realize that standing in the median is even a prohibited activity. And because there is no signage that tells specifically that you cannot, um, conduct yourself in this manner, they feel comfortable doing that. And that was why I brought up the fact that it it would be a very easy fix for us to now take this opportunity to identify that it is not permissible to have your your wheelchair, and I'm I'm looking at at the the color picture that's on all of our desks right now. If there was a sign right there, that man could not have his wheelchair there. Could not. And so that's a very easy fix is to identify you cannot have your wheelchair here on this spot. However, across the street on the corner, it is permissible. That's something that the the highway department can absorb the cost. I've looked at the fact that those signs are indeed permissible in that manner, in that fashion, in those
Play from 1:54:48Dec 8, 2025, Regular Council Meeting
locations, and that there's a particular sign design. And it would just be up to us to determine what that language said and put it in place, and then we could move on from this moment knowing that it is an enforceable action that if someone rides up to that intersection and discovers that there's someone who's violating that ordinance, so or not the ordinance, but the state law, state statute, they could then make a phone call to the police department and say, you know, there's a person that I'm concerned about sitting here, and then an officer could respond. And at that time, at their discretion, they could give that warning and also give an opportunity, you know, that we could actually do some things here to provide resources, maybe even for you know, that officer that's encountering that person to say, here here's here's where you can go to find this resource. And that gives us a compassionate solution, and it also gives us a mechanism to be able to operate in enforcing what's already on the books. Public will know. Thank you.
Play from 1:55:54