Mesa City Council Study Session TODAY Thu 25 April 2019

Surprise!
More "Face-Time" for MARK FREEMAN, the new District 1 Councilmember is right there sitting in the mayor's seat  this morning @ 07:30 in the Lower Chambers. What's up with that? Let's get down to business; this could be a long session for 4 Proposed City Department Budgets for next fiscal year. 
It's the usual council procedure to have the Vice-Mayor, David Luna, preside over these public hearings when the mayor is absent. He is responding "telegenically", according to what Freeman states at the start. This meeting has a duration of 2:01:07 and can be viewed in its entirety farther down in a streaming video uploaded to YouTube today.
There was a post here on this blog yesterday with inserts of links to the Meeting Details, as well as some excerpts and comments.
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Blogger Note: The Final Meeting Agenda was just published yesterday - one day in advance of this "Study Session".
There are 4 City Department Budgets up for presentation.
Budgets are complex and complicated.
Is one day really enough time for the public - or any six members of the Mesa City Council or the mayor - to find out about the four city department budgets on the agenda for this public meeting ahead of time: a 24-Hour Notice??? .
Readers of this blog might like to pay attention and see, absent the mayor except for participation "telegenically" - how the presentations are made and what comments and/or questions councilmembers have to say - or ask - in the discussions.
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We can see the presentation for four department budgets.

• Code Compliance
• Transportation
• Transit Services
• Parks, Recreation & Community Facilities [PRCF] 

They all look different and are prepared by each of the city departments. These are ongoing annual budget reviews that will continue until the end of May. . . so get used to them, or at least pay attention.
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What is A BUDGET HEARING?

A meeting that is usually open to the general public to discuss a business or government budget. People can ask questions and get answers from elected or salaried city employees.

You have the right-to-know - and judge for yourselves if the City of Mesa Government - the people you elected as your representatives on the City Council - are doing their job to represent your interests. If you don't communicate with your district member, they can always listen to "special-interest" groups that might not be the same as  the public interest . Your government has the duty and responsibility to be open, transparent and accountable.

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Looks like most people are heavy into suits-and-ties this morning.