Feb 19, 2024 Economic Development Corporation

[1. Call to Order ]

[00:00:06]

IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE AT SIX O'CLOCK ON THE DOT.

LET'S CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER FOR THE SHORE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH, 2024 AT 6:00 PM.

UH, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM PRESENT.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE MISSING, UH, MR. O'BRIEN, BUT EVERYONE ELSE IS HERE.

ITEM NUMBER TWO ARE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

DID WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO.

OKAY.

[3. Introduction and presentation by Managing Director of Fulshear Fast Track, Mat Yelvington. ]

ITEM THREE, INTRODUCTION AND PRESENTATION BY MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FULCHER TRACK.

MATT YELVINGTON.

GOOD EVENING BOARD.

UH, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU, UH, TO MATT YELVINGTON, OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR.

HE HAS BEEN WORKING OUT OF CITY HALL ON MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS SINCE ABOUT MID-JANUARY.

JUST DILIGENTLY, UH, SCHEDULING MEETINGS.

AND, UM, I'LL LET HIM UPDATE, GIVE AN UPDATE ON JUST EVERYTHING THAT HE'S BEEN UP TO AND WITH US TONIGHT.

WE ALSO HAVE JOHN LAMBERT, THE CEO OF THE CANNON.

GOOD EVENING.

UM, MY NAME IS MATT YELVINGTON.

AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING EACH OF YOU GUYS INDIVIDUALLY AS TIME ALLOWS MOVING FORWARD.

AND JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A QUICK KIND OF UPDATE OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN SINCE, UH, I'VE COME ON SITE, UM, IN JANUARY.

UM, JUST A REMINDER ABOUT KIND OF WHAT THE CANON PARTNERSHIP IN, IN THIS EDC IS ABOUT.

WE'RE WANTING TO BUILD AN ECONOMIC, UH, BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC HUB HERE IN SHORE.

AND SO WE'RE GONNA DO THAT THROUGH FOUR WAYS.

FOUR WAYS WE'RE GONNA ACCOMPLISH THIS IS BY, FIRST OF ALL, ESTABLISHING A DIGITAL COMMUNITY WHERE BUSINESS OWNERS AND ENTREPRENEURS CAN CONNECT, LEARN, DEVELOP THEIR BUSINESSES, UM, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE.

SO THE WHOLE IDEA WHERE THERE IS, WE'RE GONNA CREATE A DIGITAL, THIS DIGITAL COMMUNITY WHERE IF YOU HAVE AN IDEA, WE CAN HELP, BUT IF YOU'RE ALSO A BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO EXPAND OR GROW, WE CAN ALSO HELP WITH THAT.

UM, APPLYING, SUPPLYING FUNDAMENTAL TOOLS FOR BUSINESS GROWTH, UH, THROUGH OUR COACHING AND ADVISORS, HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES AS WELL AS ENTREPRENEURS CONNECT WITH COACHES AND ADVISOR TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED TO DO NEXT.

UM, ESTABLISHING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN BUSINESS AND FUNDING SOURCES LIKE ANGEL INVESTING, CROWDFUNDING, PRIVATE EQUITY, UM, HELPING, BASICALLY HELPING THESE FOLKS GET, UH, OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO, TO FUND THEIR BUSINESS OR THEIR IDEAS, UM, AND, AND ALLOWING THEM TO BE IN FRONT OF, UH, INVESTORS AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE MONEY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

AND THEN FINALLY, UM, WE WANT TO ENGAGE LOCAL CORPORATIONS, UM, AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS TO ACTIVELY COMP, UH, TO ACTIVATE A COMPREHENSIVE INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM, TO FOSTER COMMUNITY GROWTH IN THE AREA, RIGHT? SO HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE CONNECT WITH THE HIGH SCHOOLS? UM, HOW DO WE CONNECT WITH THE CORPORATIONS OUT HERE TO, TO CREATE THIS ECOSYSTEM? SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF WHAT THE CANON PARTNERSHIP LOOKS LIKE, AND, AND WHERE THE CANON PARTNERSHIP IN THE SHORE FAST TRACK KIND OF COME TOGETHER.

UH, THE CURRENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, WHAT I'M PARTICULARLY WORKING ON SPECIFICALLY, UH, IS, IS CONTINUING TO ENGAGE, UH, COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH PERSONAL VISITS, HAVE HAD MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE LUNCHES AND, AND COFFEES, UH, WITH, WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY, JUST KIND OF GETTING AN IDEA, KIND OF WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, WHAT THEIR FEEL OF, OF, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND, AND, AND SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP HERE IN THE, IN THE, THE AREA.

AND ALSO KIND OF CASTING THE VISION OF WHAT'S TO COME, WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON, AND HOW THEY CAN BE INVOLVED.

UM, VERY SOON NOW THAT WE'VE, UH, WHICH I'M GONNA SHOW YOU HERE IN A SECOND, WE'VE GOT SOME OUR BRANDING COMPLETED.

AND SO MY NEXT PHASE IS TO GO DOOR TO DOOR TO EVERY SINGLE SMALL BUSINESS AND INTRODUCE MYSELF AND WHAT THE SHORE FAST TRACK IS AND HOW THEY CAN CONNECT, UH, TO, TO US AND BE A PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

AND THEN FINALLY, UH, NUMBER THREE, WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON ORGANIZING THIS LAUNCH ON APRIL 2ND.

UH, WE'LL HAVE THE LAUNCH HERE, DOWN HERE AT THE PERFECT ROUNDS, UM, WHERE WE'RE GONNA INTRO INVITE ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY FROM THE CITY, UM, AND IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND, AND ENTREPRENEURS TO COME TO THAT AND, AND BE A PART OF OUR LAUNCH.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE'LL LAUNCH OUR ACTUAL ONLINE CONNECTION AND COMMUNITY AT, AT THAT EVENT.

UM, SOME IMPORTANT DATES THAT ARE COMING UP, UM, ALL OF YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN INFORMATION ABOUT THE FEBRUARY 26TH VISIT TO THE CANNON.

UH, WE WANT TO TAKE YOU GUYS DOWN TO THE CANNON WEST HOUSTON, UH, SO YOU CAN EXPERIENCE WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT THAT FEEL IS, AND THAT VIBE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT SOMEDAY IN SHORE, THAT WILL BE, UM, AN EXPRESSION OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL GO DOWN THERE, TAKE A TOUR, AND THEN HAVE LUNCH IF YOU CAN.

AFTERWARDS.

MARCH 23RD IS THE BICENTENNIAL.

WE'LL BE, WE'LL BE JUST PRESENT THERE, KIND OF GIVING PEOPLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE UPCOMING LAUNCH.

AND THEN ON APRIL 2ND, UH, WE'LL LAUNCH THE SHORE FAST TRACK WITH A ROPE CUTTING, UM, AND AN EVENT TO JUST LAUNCH, LAUNCH IT, UH, WAYS THAT WE NEED YOUR HELP.

UH, SO FIRST IS, FIRST AND

[00:05:01]

SO, UH, THE MORE AND MORE I HOPE TO CAN COMMUNICATE TO YOU GUYS ABOUT WHAT SHORE FASTTRACK IS DOING AND WHAT IT'S ABOUT, UM, THAT YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGH KNOWLEDGE AND, AND UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU CAN START PROMOTING IT AND TALKING ABOUT IT WITH YOUR, YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, UH, YOUR, YOUR NETWORKS, UH, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO KIND OF GET THE NAME OUT THERE SO PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THEY HEAR RE FASTTRACK, WHAT THEY KNOW, WHAT THAT MEANS.

UM, ASSISTING IN FINDING SPONSORS FOR THE FULL SHORE FAST TRACK INITIATIVE.

THIS IS WHERE WE CAN HAVE COMMUNITY, UH, PARTNERS, UH, PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITY OR, OR BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN SORT OF BEING A NAME ON THE SHORE, FAST TRACK BEING A PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, MAKE INTRODUCTION TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

EVERY MEETING I HAVE, I ASK EVERYONE TO GIVE ME TWO NAMES, UM, THAT THEY CAN, THEY CAN INTRODUCE ME TO.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GUYS HAVE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, YOU NEED TO MEET THIS PERSON, OR YOU NEED ME TO THAT PERSON, HEY, LET ME KNOW THAT.

AND SO I CAN START SETTING UP COFFEES AND LUNCHES WITH THEM JUST TO GET TO KNOW THEM BETTER.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE'D LOVE FOR YOU GUYS TO ATTEND THE, UM, UH, AND MAKE PERSONAL INVITATIONS TO THE LAUNCH ON APRIL 2ND.

SO, UH, THE, I THINK THE KEY IS IF MAN, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE THERE, BRING FIVE PEOPLE, RIGHT? JUST DON'T BRING YOURSELF, UM, BRING FIVE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, BE IT POTENTIAL PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAVE AN IDEA, RIGHT, OF A, OF A SMALL BUSINESS THEY'VE BEEN KICKING AROUND, OR BUSINESS OWNERS OR, UH, KEY STAKEHOLDERS.

UM, THOSE ARE THE FOUR WAYS THAT WE COULD REALLY JUST GOTTA USE.

YOU GOT, USE YOUR HELP, UM, IN ALL THIS.

AND THEN BEFORE WE GO TO FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS, I DO WANT TO SHOW YOU, THIS JUST CAME OUT TODAY.

UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A WHILE AND REALLY, REALLY SUPER EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE CAME UP WITH.

AND SO, UH, THIS IS OUR BRANDING, UH, GUIDE.

UM, AND SO THIS IS OUR, UM, OUR WORKING MISSION STATEMENT.

WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS.

UM, FEEL LIKE IT'S A GOOD DESCRIPTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME.

CAN Y'ALL READ THAT? UM, I'LL READ IT OUT LOUD.

UH, THE RE FACT TRACK BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEUR HUB IS A DYNAMIC INITIATIVE BY THE RE EDC DESIGNED TO SUPPORT AND GROW SHORE TEXAS SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

OUR MISSION IS TO FURNISH ENTREPRENEURS, STARTUPS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES WITH VITAL RESOURCES SUPPORTING THEIR GROWTH FROM IDEATION TO EXPANSION.

THE HUB CREATES A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT CONNECTING VISIONARIES WITH INVESTORS, ADVISORS, CORPORATE PARTNERS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS A SPACE TO ACCESS MENTORSHIP, EXPLORE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND BUILD STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.

JOIN US IN CULTIVATING A VIBRANT BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEUR COMMUNITY WHERE INNOVATION THRIVES BUSINESS SCALE AND SUCCESS IS A SHARED ACHIEVEMENT.

SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT OUR WORKING KIND OF MISSION STATEMENT AND FOCUS IS.

UM, THIS IS OUR LOGO THAT WE ARE, UH, ADOPTED TODAY.

UM, THERE IS A LOT OF, UH, HIDDEN, UH, SORT OF MEANING IN THE LOGO.

AND SO IF YOU SEE THE STRIPES ON THE TOP, CAN I POINT TO THIS? THE STRIPES UP HERE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE RE 300, UM, UH, OLD 300.

UM, WE HAVE THE OVERALL TOP OF THE TRAIN.

ALSO, THERE'S THE TRACK.

THIS IS AN OVAL TO KIND OF HELP REPRESENT THE TRACK THAT THE RACETRACK THAT ONCE WAS, WAS PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

THIS SORT OF VINTAGE, UH, TRAIN LOOK, UM, FOR, TO, TO KIND OF ADOPT OUR, THE OLD AND ALSO THE NEW, AND THEN ARCH OVER THE TOP AS LOGO REPRESENTS, UH, A TRAIN LEAVING A TUNNEL, MIRRORING THE ENTREPRENEUR JOURNEY TO BRING THE, UH, IDEA OUT INTO THE WORLD.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS ACTUAL LOGO IS, UM, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE CITY? PITSVILLE.

PITTSVILLE, RIGHT? SO, UM, SO FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY IS, IS PITTSVILLE, UM, WAS, WAS BROUGHT TO, UM, THE, THE OFFER TO, TO BUILD A, A RAILROAD TRACK, RIGHT? BUILD, BRING A TRAIN THROUGH THE CITY.

AND THE CITY SAID, NAH, WE'RE GOOD.

WE DON'T WANNA DO THAT.

AND THEN MR. FULCHER IS LIKE, HEY, COME OVER HERE.

YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND BUILD THAT THROUGH MY LAND.

IT'S NOT A PROBLEM.

AND, UM, HE HAD A VISION FOR, FOR, FOR INNOVATION.

HE HAD A VISION FOR WHAT WAS GONNA COME.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT VISION AND THAT IN INNOVATION, UM, FULCHER EXISTS TODAY, UM, WHILE PITTSVILLE DOES NOT, IT'S JUST A PLAQUE SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE THAT, THAT TREND THAT MR. FULCHER STARTED, UM, AND CONTINUE THAT, THAT THAT LEVEL OF INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY, UH, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AS A CITY.

UM, HERE'S JUST SOME DIFFERENT IDEAS AND LOOKS OF WHAT THAT, THE DIFFERENT KIND OF LOGOS AND ICONS AND, AND ALL THAT KINDA STUFF THAT, UH, THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO US.

UM, AND THEN JUST OUR COLOR SCHEME AND FONTS AND ALL THAT KINDA STUFF.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT A BUSINESS CARD LOOKS LIKE.

UM, ANELLE REALLY WANTS ONE OF THESE, UH, SO, 'CAUSE SHE THOUGHT IT WAS, LOOKS REALLY COOL.

AND SO WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA GET HER AND HAYDEN ONE AS WELL.

UM, AND SO, YEAH, THERE'S, AND THIS IS WHAT EVENTUALLY, UH, THE WEBSITE WILL LOOK LIKE AS WELL AS ON THE FAR RIGHT, UM, OVER HERE IS WHAT THE BACKEND, THE, THE CONNECT, THE RE CONNECT.

THIS IS WHERE ANYBODY WHO JOINS THIS IS THE BACKEND OF, OF WHAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND, AND BE A PART OF.

SO WITH THAT SAID,

[00:10:01]

YEAH.

FIRST, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY THANKS FOR, UH, HITTING THE GROUND, RUNNING WITH THE EXCITEMENT AND ENTHUSIASM.

I KNOW WE MET, AND I SEE SAW YOUR ENTHUSIASM EXPERIENCED THAT FIRSTHAND.

UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE MOST I'VE HEARD FULCHER TALKED ABOUT AND QUITE A WHILE, AND I'M REALLY, REALLY PROUD OF THIS.

SO WHENEVER WE DO CONTACT PEOPLE AND HAVE THEM, UH, CONNECT TOGETHER WITH US, WILL WE GIVE THEM JUST LIKE A, A WEBSITE AND THEY'LL GO TO THIS LOCATION TO SIGN UP BASICALLY? CORRECT.

OR, OR HOW WILL THAT HAPPEN? YEAH.

SO, UH, I'M WORKING ON, UH, MARKETING PIECES RIGHT NOW, UH, THAT, UH, HAVE QR CODES AND WHEN, UM, WITH THOSE QR CODES, THEY CAN SCAN 'EM AND IT'LL GIVE THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN, UM, THE, THE, THE, THE CANON VERSION OF THE SHORE SHORE FAST TRACK, RIGHT? SO THAT CAN WHAT THEY CALL CANON CONNECT OR THE ONLINE COMMUNITY TO GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN AND BE A PART OF THAT.

THE OTHER, JUST ANOTHER COMMENT IS A LOT OF TIMES I THINK WHEN WE'RE DOING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK, THE TENDENCY I BELIEVE IS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO FEEL LIKE WE'RE WE'RE ENCROACHING ON THEIR TURF, MAYBE, OR TRYING TO BRING IN TOO MANY COMPETITORS.

BUT I LIKE THAT THE, IN THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, YOU REALLY HAVE ONE OF THESE ITEMS FOCUSES ON EXISTING BUSINESSES AND HOW TO HELP THEM GROW AND EXPAND AND PROSPER MORE THAN THEY ARE TODAY.

SO I APPRECIATE THAT AS BEING ONE OF OUR TENANTS.

YEP.

MAY I JUMP IN SURE.

AND ASK A QUESTION RIGHT THERE? SURE.

UH, SO IN, WHAT HAS YOUR FEEDBACK SO FAR IN ASKING OR MEETING THE BUSINESSES? UH, ANYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU CAN, YEAH, SO, SO A LOT OF, UH, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AROUND THE IDEA OF, OF CREATING AN OP OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, TO GROW BUSINESSES, TO CONNECT WITH OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE AREA AND GET I IDEAS AND ID AND IDEATION.

UM, IN FACT, I WAS AT A, AT A A, UH, LUNCH, UH, WITH GARRETT, WHO IS THE OWNER OF UM, HUM GROUNDS.

YEP.

AND, UH, AS WE WERE TALKING, A GUY, ANOTHER BUSINESS OWNER CAME UP AND SAID, HEY, WE SHOULD DO THESE SATURDAY BUSINESS SMALL BUSINESS DEALS WITH, YOU KNOW, GET LAWYERS OUT THERE AND GET INSURANCE PEOPLE OUT THERE AND, AND BANKERS AND, AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

AND I, I JUST KINDA LOOKED OVER AND SAID, WE NEED TO TALK, BECAUSE THAT'S THE KIND OF EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THAT WE WANT TO, UH, GIVE AND OFFER TO BUSINESSES.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S AN IDEA AND EXCITEMENT AROUND, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE SUPPORT EACH OTHER? HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT, HOW DO WE GET TO GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE OF THINGS WE DON'T KNOW? AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S THE GENERAL IDEA OF LIKE, WE WANT TO GROW AND EXPAND, BUT WHAT, WHAT IS IT THAT WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE CAN, WE CAN OFFER TO PEOPLE? AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO STEP IN, UM, AND HELP ALL, YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN THE TIDE RISE, ALL BOATS SHOULD RISE WITH IT, RIGHT? SO THAT'S OUR GOAL, AND OUR OPPORTUNITY IS HERE, IS TO LET ALL BOATS RISE AND, AND, AND NO MATTER WHAT WE PRESENT AND PUT ON, UM, WE, WE CAN, WE CAN CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NOT ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN IDEA THAT LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BUT ALSO THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNER THAT IS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY GET, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT FOOT TRAFFIC, RIGHT? HOW DO WE GET MORE FOOT TRAFFIC IN OUR, OUR STORES? WELL, THE GREATEST EXPERTS OF FOOT TRAFFIC ARE OTHER SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.

AND SO LET'S CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GET AROUND AND TALK ABOUT THAT AND IDEATE SOME IDEAS TO, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND HOW, AND, AND, AND REALLY HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE RELATE, RELATE BETTER TO THE CITY? HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE CONNECT TO THE CITY AND HAVE A, UH, A BETTER, NOT A, A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ALL IN THE SAME DIRECTION? THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF FEEDBACK WE'VE BEEN GETTING.

YEAH.

I, BECAUSE I HAD ANOTHER QUESTION WHERE, YEAH.

HAD I, I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.

UM, BUT AS FAR AS, UH, MAYBE DELIVERABLES OR REPORTING TO US, I YEP.

MAY BE A QUESTION FOR AN ANELLE ON LATER DATE, BUT HOW DO YOU, HOW DO YOU, IS YOU GONNA, ARE YOU GONNA PUT TOGETHER SOME KIND OF ROADMAP OR, UH, QUARTERLY REPORTING, OR HOW, HOW DO YOU YEAH, SO WE'LL, HOW DO YOU PROCEED IT? WE'LL, QUARTERLY, QUARTERLY REPORT, BUT ALSO, WE'LL, WE'RE WORKING ON A MONTHLY, UH, REPORT OUT THAT I'LL GIVE TO ANELLE THAT SHE CAN GET TO YOU GUYS.

YEP.

YEP.

WHAT ABOUT LIKE GO LIVE DATE FOR THE CONNECT SERVICE, YOU KNOW, UH, DOCUMENTING FULL FAST TRACK ON THE CANON.

YEP.

UM, SO, UH, OUR HOPE IS THAT WE'LL HAVE OUR WEBSITE UP WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO.

THAT'S OUR HOPE.

UM, WE'VE GOT ALL THE CONTENT APPROVED.

WE'VE GOT NOW THAT WE'VE, WE'VE KIND OF KNOCKED OUT THE, UM, THE, THE LOGO AND THE BRANDING.

THAT'S GONNA BE REAL QUICK TO BE ABLE TO DO.

AND WE WILL LAUNCH ON APRIL 2ND, THE ACTUAL, NOW YOU CAN JOIN SHORE FAST TRACK, RIGHT? SO WE'RE GONNA USE THE, THE WEBSITE TO PROMOTE THE IDEA AND TELL PEOPLE WHAT'S COMING.

BUT THEN

[00:15:01]

AND SO WE DON'T HAVE A PHYSICAL BUILDING OR A PHYSICAL SPACE.

WE HAVE, WE'RE BRICK AND MORTAR.

WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY LAUNCHING AND BREAKING GROUND ON IS THAT, THAT VIRTUAL SPACE.

AND THAT WILL HAPPEN ON APRIL 2ND.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? OKAY.

AND YOU'RE HERE MONDAY AND TUESDAY? MONDAY AND TUESDAY.

AND THEN VIRTUALLY, VIRTUALLY THE, THE REST OF THE TIME.

SO, YEP.

AND I, YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING COMES UP, I'M ACTUALLY MEETING THE GUY I MET AT THE COFFEE SHOP ON FRIDAY, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST KIND OF, WE'RE FITTING IT IN WHERE WE CAN PUT IT IN.

YEP.

AND THEN IF, IF YOU HAVEN'T SIGNED UP TO GO TO THE TOUR ON THE 26TH OF FEBRUARY, I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO TOUR IT WITH JOHN AND ONE OF OUR LOCAL DEVELOPERS A WHILE BACK.

AND, UH, I THINK IT'LL HELP EDUCATE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ON WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

AND SO, SEEING, TO ME, SEEING IT WAS, UH, PUT IT IN A BETTER PERSPECTIVE FOR ME.

YEP.

LET HAYDEN KNOW HE'S MAKING A RUNNING LIST.

AND SO, UM, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, LET HIM KNOW.

PLEASE DO THAT.

THAT'D BE REALLY HELPFUL.

ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR TIME.

APPRECIATE IT.

ALRIGHT,

[4. Discussion and possible action for the sponsorship of the Texas Heritage Festival presented by the Fulshear Katy Area Chamber of Commerce. ]

THANK YOU, TOMMY.

UM, SO YOU SEE HERE, UH, IN YOUR PACKET, KIND OF A FLYER OF THE UPCOMING EVENT ON MARCH 2ND.

UM, THIS IS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SHORE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.

WE MET WITH DON ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, JUST TO GET AN UPDATE ON ALL THINGS CHAMBER AND EVENTS COMING UP AND HOW WE COULD PARTICIPATE.

UM, HE SHARED THIS WITH US AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE JUST A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF, LIKE WE HAD TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY, REDEFINE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER.

UM, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY WE HAD ENTERED INTO THAT YEAR LONG AGREEMENT AND CONTRIBUTED $75,000 TOWARDS COMMUNITY EVENTS.

UM, WE HAVE SINCE, UH, STOPPED DOING IT THAT WAY.

AND THIS JUST SEEMS LIKE, UM, KIND OF A STEP INTO CONTINUING THAT COLLABORATION.

AND THE TIMING OF IT IS JUST KIND OF PERFECT TO SHARE AND, UM, INFORM THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE UPCOMING BICENTENNIAL EVENTS.

UM, THIS, WHEN WE FIRST CONSIDERED, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SPLIT BETWEEN BOTH BOARDS, UH, PROMOTIONAL FUNDS, SO IT WOULD'VE BEEN A $750 ASK, BUT JUST DUE TO MEETINGS THAT WERE SCHEDULED AND HAVING TO CANCEL OUR A BOARD, WE'RE COMING TO YOU TONIGHT AND REQUESTING THE FULL AMOUNT OF THIS SPONSORSHIP, WHICH IS THE THOUSAND 500 INSTEAD.

UM, AND THIS IS ONLY BECAUSE OUR, OUR NEXT A BOARD MEETING WOULD BE AFTER THE, THE EVENT IS JUST COMING UP REALLY CLOSE.

UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S ALL I REALLY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.

AND ARE THESE FUNDS COMING OUTTA THE MARKETING BUDGET? HOW IS THIS? UH, PROMOTIONS.

PROMOTIONS, THANK YOU.

YES.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR RIGHT NOW? SO I HAVE, UH, QUESTIONS.

SO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY SORT OF AGREEMENT WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CURRENTLY.

AND SO LOOKING AT THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, ARTICLE THREE, SECTION 52, ARTICLE SIX, SECTION THREE, UH, BASICALLY PROHIBITS DONATING PUBLIC FUNDS TO A PRIVATE ENTITY, INCLUDING A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

UH, THIS GOES ON, THERE'S BASICALLY THREE PRONGS OF TESTS, UH, THAT THEY, THAT YOU WOULD LOOK AT.

AND I THINK BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO SATISFY ALL THREE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS.

JOEL, I DID, UH, DISCUSS THIS WITH OUR, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL, SO I'LL LET HIM ELABORATE ON KIND OF HIS RESPONSE TO US.

YEAH.

SO, UM, THE THREE PART TEST THAT, THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO THAT IS, COMES FROM THE SUPREME COURT, AND IT DOES CITE TO THE CONSTITUTION, AND IT'S, IT, WHAT IT SAYS IS IT'S A PROHIBITION OF, UH, CONTRIBUTING PUBLIC FUNDS FOR A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE OR PRIVATE PURPOSE THAT APPLIES TO GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES, WHICH YOU ARE NOT.

SO, UH, CHAPTER 5 0 5 EXPLICITLY AUTHORIZES YOU TO USE YOUR FUNDS AND YOUR PROMOTIONAL FUNDS FOR MARKETING PURPOSES AS A NONPROFIT CORPORATION.

UM, I AGREE COMPLETELY.

IF THIS WERE THE CITY DOING THIS, CITIES ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO EVEN BE MEMBERS OF CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.

THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO CONTRIBUTE FUNDS.

BUT, UH, EDCS ARE ACTUALLY NOT ONLY SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED TO, TO USE THEIR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES IN THAT MANNER,

[00:20:01]

UM, AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ARE, ARE OFTEN, UH, OFTEN THOSE PARTIES TO CARRY OUT, YOU KNOW, PURPOSES OF THE CORPORATION.

DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO, UH, AND IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THIS IS AN ACTUAL, UH, MARKETING OPPORTUNITY THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

BUT, UM, I I, I DO DISAGREE THAT IT WOULD VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION JUST BECAUSE YOUR FUNDING AND THE SOURCES OF YOUR FUNDING AND HOW YOU CAN USE YOUR FUNDS ARE SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY STATUTES IN WAYS THAT CITIES CANNOT USE THEIR FUNDS.

OKAY.

SO A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FOR YOU THEN IS BECAUSE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT PROVIDING, UH, FUNDING FOR THE, UM, THE, UH, FARMER'S MARKET SATURDAY, OH, , THE, THE, THE, THE FARMER'S MARKET, RIGHT.

WE WERE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT WITH THEM.

THAT'S BEFORE WE GAVE THEM MONEY.

SO WE DON'T HAVE A PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE CHAMBERS.

SO WE'RE BASICALLY GOING TO GIVE $1,500 OF OUR CITIZENS TAX DOLLARS TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN SPONSORSHIP OF SOME FESTIVAL THAT WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO MEASURE A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT.

SO I DON'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO.

SURE.

WELL, LET ME, LET ME ELABORATE A LITTLE BIT ON THAT.

AND, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IT'S CERTAINLY UP TO THE BOARD.

SO WITH THE FARMER'S MARKET, THEY WERE ASKING, THEY WERE ASKING FOR FUNDING, NOT ONLY TO HAVE LIVE MUSIC, BUT THEY ALSO HAD SEVERAL THINGS, IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY WANTED TO MAKE TO THE VENUE, TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE VENUE.

UH, SO IT WASN'T JUST, SO LET ME, LET ME, LET ME BACK UP A SECOND.

IF THEY HAD COME AND SAID, WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO, UH, GIVE US MONEY TO MARKET THIS, THIS EVENT, THIS ONGOING SERIES THAT WOULD'VE BEEN MORE SIMILAR TO THIS, UM, VERSUS WANTING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE, AGAIN, WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S A GOOD USE OF MARKETING DOLLARS, THAT'S, THAT IS A POLICY DECISION FOR THE BOARD.

IN THIS INSTANCE, THIS IS MORE LIKE IF YOU WERE TO, UH, THIS IS LIKE BUYING ADVERTISING IS ALL THIS IS, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR NAME ON AN EVENT THAT'S A COMMUNITY EVENT.

UM, LOTS OF EDCS DO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

MANY DON'T.

MANY USE THEIR MARKETING FUNDS TO ACTUALLY MARKET TO BRING BUSINESSES AND BRING INDUSTRY INTO THE AREAS.

IT'S HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO USE YOUR MARKETING PHONES.

UM, BUT TYPICALLY THERE'S NOT A PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT WHEN IT'S AN EVENT BASED SITUATION.

YOU'RE, YOU ARE, YOU'RE LITERALLY BUYING ADVERTISING.

THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST EVENT AT THE LIBRARY? WOULD THAT BE CORRECT? UH, IT WOULD BE THE FIRST EVENT OF THIS SCALE.

SO THEY HAVE THEIR REGULAR INDOOR PROGRAMMING SO FAR, WHICH THEY'RE PUTTING ON SOME GREAT, GREAT PROGRAMS. UM, BUT THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST OUTDOOR LIVE MUSIC VENDORS.

AND I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE V ULTRA COST TRACK WITH OUR BUSINESSES.

MM-HMM.

AND OUR UPCOMING BICENTENNIAL AS WELL.

UM, SO OUTSIDE OF THE SIGNAGE AND THE MENTIONS BY THE BAND, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT COMES WITH THE 1500? WE WILL BE ABLE TO SET UP A 10 BY 10 TENT LIKE WE HAVE, UM, AT PREVIOUS CHAMBER EVENTS AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THEM.

ALRIGHT, GREAT.

UM, AND THEN, UM, ARE WE, CAN WE ASK A BOARD FOR PARTIAL REIMBURSEMENT? WOULD THEY BE OPEN TO THAT OR? I THINK OUR IDEA WAS THERE WILL BE MORE CHAMBER EVENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND WE WOULD JUST APPROACH THEM FOR A WHOLE ONE, UH, JUST LIKE WE'RE DOING WITH YOU GUYS.

I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.

AND THEN I WAS, I HAD MADE A COMMENT WHEN WE WERE REVIEWING THE AGENDA THAT IF WE GET INTO THAT SITUATION, HOPEFULLY THEY WOULD BE IN AGREEMENT.

THE, A BOARD WOULD BE IN AGREEMENT THAT WE JUST PRESENTED AS THE EDC SPONSORING SOMETHING SO THAT IF WE DO ONE AND THEY DO ANOTHER, WE KIND OF BOTH OR APPEAR TO GET THE CREDIT ACROSS BOTH.

WE CAN DO THAT.

I MEAN, I KNOW OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, SIX MONTHS OR A YEAR, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER WAS KIND OF STRAINED WITH SOME OF THE BIG EVENTS WE WERE WORKING ON.

AND, UM, I MEAN, I THINK GENERALLY THE CITY BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE CHAMBER IN SOME FASHION IS, IS, IS A GOOD THING FOR THE BOTH OF US.

MM-HMM.

.

UM, SO I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, EXPLORING THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US.

SURE.

AND RELEVANT UPDATE.

UM, ALSO WITH JUST RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER, WE DID REACH OUT AGAIN AND INVITE THEM TO PARTICIPATE ON OUR BICENTENNIAL AND THEY WILL BE JOINING US THE DAY OF WHAT IS THE BENEFIT

[00:25:01]

SO THE OTHERS, THE $250, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE THE $500 ONE IS SPECIFIC TO JUST COVER THE PENNING ZOO AREA.

UM, AND THEN THE EVENT SPONSORED FOR TWO 50 IS SOCIAL MEDIA AND A LIVE MENTION OF THE EVENT OUTSIDE OF THE SIGNAGE.

I'M NOT SURE THAT THE OTHER TWO WOULD INCLUDE THE BEING ABLE TO SET UP AS WELL.

I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG DIFFERENCES.

I'M SORRY.

NO, I, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T CATCH THAT.

WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE BIG DIFFERENCE? UH, THE SMALLER SPONSORSHIPS WOULD PROBABLY NOT INCLUDE BEING ABLE TO SET UP AT THE EVENT AND LIKE INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC.

UH, I JUST, UH, MY, MY ONLY COMMENT IS, YOU KNOW, I'VE, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER JUST FROM BEING IN A BANK, WORKING IN A BANK, UH, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I DON'T TYPICALLY THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT JUST GIVEN THE, THE, THE EVENT.

SO THAT'S JUST GENERALLY MY THOUGHTS ON THE MATTER WHERE, YOU KNOW, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REQUEST FUNDS PUTS ON A, UM, EVENT.

UM, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE GET THE ADVERTISING PROMOTION.

UM, SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I ALWAYS THINK, UH, SORRY.

THINK SO.

UM, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OR CONCERNS TO THAT? I JUST WANTED TO VOICE, I PREVIOUSLY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING A CHAMBER INVOLVED IN MORE IN OUR EVENTS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE CLEAR EXAMPLES OF WE'RE LITERALLY FREEING THEM UP TO DO OTHER THINGS TO FURTHER PROMOTE PIECES OF SHORE THAT MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN ATTENTION.

SO I THINK THAT'S, UM, GREAT.

YEAH.

'CAUSE I'VE HEARD OF SOME IDEAS OF EVENTS THAT ARE LIKE PRE, YOU KNOW, SEPARATED FROM SHORE.

SO THIS IS STILL, I CONSIDER THIS IN THE HEART OF THE RE AREA.

UM, I'D LIKE TO MOTION TO VOTE ON, UH, SPENDING OR YEAH, SPENDING ALLOCATING $1,500 TO THE, UH, LONGHORN SPONSOR FOR THE, UM, TEXAS HERITAGE FESTIVAL PUT ON BY THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.

MOTION'S BEEN MADE AND SECONDED, UH, TO PROVIDE A $1,500 SPONSORSHIP.

NOW DO ONE OF US GET TO RIDE ON THE LONGHORN OR WHAT? , I'LL ASK.

I'VE HEARD THERE IS GOING TO BE A MECHANICAL BULL, SO I I WILL, I WILL NOMINATE TOMMY FOR THAT.

.

WELL, YOU KNOW, MY HISTORY, I HAVE, I HAVE RIDDEN BAREBACK A COUPLE OF TIMES AT A RODEO.

IT WASN'T PRETTY, UH, I IT WASN'T PRETTY.

I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

IT WASN'T PRETTY.

SO ANY FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? RIGHT.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY, AYE.

AYE.

ALL OPPOSED? THE MOTION CARRIES.

ITEM

[5. Discussion on 2023 Christmas Decorations and plans for 2024. ]

SO WE DID HAVE A MEETING, UH, JANUARY ON THIS, UM, WHICH IS VERY EARLY, BUT WE WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE MAJOR CONCERNS AND PAIN POINTS THAT WE EXPERIENCED THIS PAST HOLIDAY SEASON WITH, UH, THE BRIGHT LIGHTS COMPANY.

SO I'LL UM, JUST SHARE WITH YOU KIND OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT WERE MADE THAT THE, THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON.

UH, THE SUGGESTIONS ARE DETAILED, UM, BUT THE TWO MAIN THINGS WE TOLD THEM IS WE WOULD LIKE TO STAY WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WAS AGREED.

UM, AT THE TIME, WHAT, 2021, THE FIRST YEAR OF THE AGREEMENT.

UM, BUT WE WOULD LIKE THESE ISSUES ADDRESSED.

WE GOT A PUBLIC COMMENT SENT TO US ABOUT THE MEDIAN AREA ON 3 59 AND 10 93.

UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF JUST THE PROPORTION OF THE DEER TO THE CHRISTMAS TREE PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE.

UM, SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE IT SOUNDS SO SILLY, BUT YOU GET THESE EMAILS , UM, AND I THINK WE HAVE A DUTY TO RESPOND.

UM, WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT THAT BE REPLACED WITH SIGNAGE THAT SAYS HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE CITY OF SHORE IN THE MEDIAN BETWEEN THE TWO DEER.

BECAUSE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE COMPLAINT WAS THAT THE DEER WERE TOO SMALL.

SO THEN THE DEER GOT REALLY BIG, UH, AND CHRISTMAS TREE STAYED THE SAME AND NOW IT LOOKS TINY.

SO WE'RE JUST GONNA REPLACE THAT WITH SIGNAGE.

[00:30:01]

BUT ACTUALLY SEEING IT OUT THERE, I MEAN THE LIGHTS ARE PRETTY, THE DECORATIONS ARE PRETTY, BUT NOTHING MATCHES.

IT'S LIKE THEY JUST THREW OUT CHRISTMAS STUFF ON THE LAWN.

SO THEY PUT TOGETHER A MUCH BETTER LAYOUT THAT INVOLVES KIND OF A HORSESHOE TUNNEL LIGHT AROUND THE GAZEBO AREA.

UM, JUST THE POPULARITY PHOTO OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND JUST OVERALL LOOK OF THAT ON THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY, CONSIDERING THE GAZEBO WOULD LOOK SO MUCH BETTER.

AND THEN IT WOULD ALSO HAVE THE BANNERS ON THE ENTRY SIDE AND THE EXIT SIDE THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.

UM, THERE WERE SOME OTHER SUGGESTIONS, UM, AS FAR AS CITY HALL GOES, BUT THAT'S MOSTLY HANDLED, UM, BETWEEN OUR FACILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.

UM, AND THAT'S THE PORTION OF THE AGREEMENT THAT THE CITY PAYS FOR.

SO THEY HAVE, THEY GET TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

UM, BUT WE DID TALK TO THEM, I KNOW A FEW OF YOU HAD SENT EMAILS, UM, THAT THE LIGHTS WERE OUT DURING RAINY SEASON.

SO THEY, THEY ARE PREPARED TO ADDRESS ALL OF THAT.

I KNOW THAT, UM, WHAT THEY TOLD US AT THAT MEETING WAS IF ALL THESE CHANGES CAN HAPPEN BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A LITTLE MORE OF AN INVESTMENT ON THEIR PART TO GET THESE NEW LIGHTS THAT THEY WOULD NEED, UM, IT MEANS WE WOULD HAVE TO RENEW THAT AGREEMENT FOR A MINIMUM OF, OR EXTEND THE AGREEMENT FOR TWO MORE YEARS.

SO WHEN THEY FINALIZE THAT AND PRESENT IT TO US, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO YOU ALL.

DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK THAT YOU GOT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT LIKE US TO KEEP IN MIND? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO OUT FOR BID WITH THE NEW COMPANY BY CHANCE OR JUST MY INITIAL THOUGHT TO THAT IS NO .

OKAY.

UM, JUST BECAUSE THIS COMPANY NOW KNOWS OUR NEEDS AND HA JUST KIND OF WHOLE PROCESS, YOU GOT FAMILIARITY WITH MM-HMM.

, YES.

I WOULD HATE TO START OVER AND THEN HAVE MORE PROBLEMS. I, YEAH, I, I ASK ONLY BECAUSE IT SOUNDED LIKE MAYBE THERE WERE SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE COMPANY, BUT IF YOU'RE FINE WITH IT, I THINK THE, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ANELLE, BUT THERE WAS, WE HAD A GROUP THAT LOOKED EXTENSIVELY INTO VARIOUS COMPANIES AND THESE FOLKS REALLY PUT OUT CHRISTMAS LIGHT, BUT SOME VERY PRESTIGIOUS LOCATIONS AND I THINK THEY CAN DO QUALITY WORK.

I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WERE JUST ORGANIZED ON WHAT WE REALLY NEEDED.

AND NOW THAT WE'VE HAD IT OUT THERE, WE'RE ABLE TO TRANSITION THAT EXPERIENCE TO SOMETHING THAT'S MORE MEANINGFUL TO THE PUBLIC.

YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

THIS COMPANY DOES THE, THE HOUSTON ZOO LIGHTS AND JUST A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER REALLY QUALITY PROJECTS.

I THINK IT, INITIALLY THE PROJECT WAS REALLY RUSHED.

THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

AND IT DID BRING A LOT TO THE HOLIDAY SEASON, BUT NOW WE REALLY GET TO PERFECT IT.

NOW, I KNOW IN YEARS PAST, WE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH GETTING POWER AT NEXT TO WALLACE BANK, AND I BELIEVE WE, THEY, THEY LET US USE AN OUTLET ON ONE OF THEIR LIGHT POLES.

IS THERE ANY CONCERNS WITH LIKE, MORE LIGHTS OVER THERE AND, AND THEIR INTEREST IN THAT OR, YEAH.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF ALWAYS MUCH POWER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? UH, YES.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THE COMPANY COVERED, THAT THE MU DESIGN WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE, UH, LESS POWER THAN WHAT WAS NEEDED FOR WHAT WAS THERE.

SO IT, IT WORKS WELL.

AND THE BANK IS STILL GOOD WITH BEING A PARTNER IN THAT.

UM, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO THEM RECENTLY, BUT I TALKED TO THEM IN LIKE OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR AND THEY WERE HAPPY TO CONTINUE HELPING US.

SO WE'LL MAKE SURE TO MAINTAIN, UM, COMMUNICATION WITH THEM AND KEEP THEM POSTED ON EVERYTHING AS WE CONTINUE TO REVISE JUST THE LAYOUT AND ALL THAT.

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, UH, THE LIGHTS LAST YEAR, TWO YEARS AGO, UM, MINE ON MY BUILDING WERE, IT WASN'T ON A TIMER, SO I WAS UNPLUGGING AND RE UNPLUGGING AND THEN EVENTUALLY I JUST LET IT GO.

IT WASN'T THAT BIG A DEAL.

UM, BUT THIS PAST YEAR I DID NOTICE THAT THERE WAS A TIMER.

SO FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH, THAT WAS REALLY NICE .

YEAH, THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I HAVE IS PROBABLY TWO YEARS IS PROBABLY THE, I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE THE MAX I WOULD THINK ABOUT.

'CAUSE JUST WITH THE CHANGES OF THE CITY, RIGHT, THE NEW, OUR NEW DOWNTOWN, I MEAN, THERE'S SOME THINGS HAPPENING THAT WE'RE GONNA WANNA MAKE SOME CHANGES IN ANYTHING MORE THAN TWO YEARS FOR SURE.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD TIMEFRAME, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, TO GET US WHAT WE WANT.

BUT, UH, PROBABLY THE MAX AS WELL.

CAN WE, CAN WE REVISIT, CAN WE, CAN WE TOUCH ON THAT A LITTLE BIT LONGER? 'CAUSE WE'RE LIKELY GONNA BE DUE FOR SOME CONSTRUCTION DOWNTOWN.

SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? ARE WE GONNA BE PAYING FOR THE SAME SERVICES IN

[00:35:01]

SO CURRENTLY THE AGREEMENT COVERS SET UPS AT CITY HALL, IRENE STERN, THEN DOWNTOWN, AND THAT THE MEDIAN.

SO WE COULD JUST DISCUSS UTILIZING THE SAME SETUPS, BUT JUST MAYBE PLACING IT IN A DIFFERENT PLACE AROUND TOWN.

OKAY.

COOL.

ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S EARLY TO DISCUSS CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS, BUT IT ALL, IF YOU'RE IN A PANIC TO GET THIS THIS DONE LATER IN THE YEAR, IT JUST DOESN'T WORK.

.

SO THANK YOU FOR, UH, LOOKING AHEAD FOR US.

ITEM

[6. Economic Development Report ]

I'LL START WITH THE RETAIL COACH UPDATE.

SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, UH, AARON FARMER AND HIS TEAM DID REPRESENT THE CITY OF SHORE, UH, IN DALLAS FOR THE ICSC CONFERENCE.

HE LET US KNOW THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING UP ON OVER 20 CONVERSATIONS OF INTEREST SHOWN IN FULCHER.

SO WE HOPE TO HAVE MORE UPDATES FOR YOU ON THAT FRONT.

UH, NEXT MONTH HE DIDN'T LET US KNOW THAT WE ARE GETTING A SWEAT HOUSE, UH, HERE AND IT'S BASICALLY AN INFRARED AND COLD PLUNGE TYPE OF PLACE.

UM, SO YOU CAN GO DE-STRESS AND DETOX, I GUESS THAT KINDA LIKE PHYSICAL FITNESS, UH, HEALTH.

YEAH, LIKE WELLNESS.

WELLNESS.

OKAY.

THERE YOU GO.

PERFECT WORD, .

YEP.

UH, THE WEBSITE IS PRETTY COOL.

IT HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT I THINK WOULD, WOULD, UM, BE WELCOMED BY THE CITIZENS HERE.

IN RE UH, AARON ALSO DID LET US KNOW THAT HE, UM, IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON A DEAL, WELL, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM, UH, WITH A BIG BOX RETAILER AND WE'RE CLOSE TO FINALIZING THAT.

SO WE'LL SHARE MORE, MORE DETAILS WITH YOU ALL WHEN THAT'S AVAILABLE.

UH, NUMBER TWO, NEW BUSINESSES.

WE DO HAVE BASKIN ROBBINS THAT OPENED UP NEXT DOOR.

UM, SO THAT'S NICE TO HAVE, UH, MORE FOOD HEADING THIS WAY TOWARDS 3 59 INSTEAD OF JUST LONG 1463.

UM, NUMBER THREE, GATEWAY SIGNS UPDATE.

WE WILL, WE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK, UM, FROM THE THP BOARD, SO WE HOPE TO HAVE, UM, SOMETHING MORE CONCRETE FOR YOU AT NEXT MONTH'S MEETING AS WELL.

UH, NUMBER FOUR, THE PARKING STRUCTURE DESIGN.

SO I KNOW THIS IS, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAD ALL REQUESTED.

WE KEEP AT THE TOP OF OUR PRIORITY LIST.

JUST KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE'LL HAVE THAT NEED IN DOWNTOWN ONCE HARRIS STREET IS FINISHED.

SO ONE OF THE OPTIONS WE DID EXPLORE WAS, UM, GOING VERTICAL ON THE LOT BEHIND, UM, THE NEW JP COURT, THE OLD LIBRARY DOWNTOWN.

UM, BEFORE WE TOOK ANY STEPS IN ACTUALLY COMMISSIONING A DESIGN, WE, UH, THE CITY MANAGER, MYSELF AND OUR, UH, PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECTOR MET WITH THE COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE IDEAS THAT WE DID HAVE WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER TO BEGIN WITH, MAKING SURE THAT WE WOULDN'T INHIBIT THE USE OF THEIR PROPERTY FOR THEIR NEEDS, UM, AND MAKING SURE WE UNDERSTOOD THAT CLEARLY.

UM, SO AFTER THAT CONVERSATION WE DID GO AHEAD AND, UM, COMMISSION THAT DESIGN.

SO WE'RE WAITING TO GET BACK, UM, THE, THE DETAILS TO THEN SEND TO THE COUNTY TO SEE IF THEY'LL SHARE, BUT, OR IF THEY'LL AGREE TO IT.

UM, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY JUST TAKING UP THAT PARKING, YOU KNOW, THREE STORIES HIGH AND KIND OF WRAPPING UP, UM, THAT LIBRARY BUILDING, UM, WITH SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT THE WHOLE AREA.

AND HOW MANY SPACES ARE YOU AIMING FOR? OH GOSH, I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

A LITTLE OVER 200.

A LITTLE OVER 200.

THANKS.

WHAT DID THE, WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THAT LIBRARY? SO, UM, RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY SAID THAT THEY HAVE TO OPERATE OUTTA THAT LOCATION FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, MAYBE THE NEXT 10, BUT AT THE FIVE YEAR MARK THEY WOULD REVISIT.

UM, WE DISCUSSED, YOU KNOW, ALL THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF, UM, YOU FOUND OUT LAND SOMEWHERE ELSE? WHAT IF, WHAT IF, UM, THEY SAID THEY WERE OPEN TO WORKING WITH US IN ANY WAY, UM, THAT THEY COULD, BUT REALISTICALLY NOTHING COULD CHANGE WITH THE CURRENT SETUP UNTIL THAT FIVE YEAR MARK.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT A LIBRARY, IT WOULDN'T BE A LIBRARY, IT'D BE THIS IS WHERE THE PRECINCT OFFICES ARE, OR, OH, YES, THIS WILL BE THE NEW JP COURT.

YEAH.

OKAY.

.

I, I WAS WAITING ON TOMMY TO TRANSITION, BUT THAT'S ME .

UM,

[00:40:01]

I LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT BRIAN, UH, OUR, A BOARD PRESIDENT HAD REQUESTED TO MEET WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO KIND OF GET AN IDEA OF ALL THE UPCOMING PROJECTS.

SO WE DID HAVE THAT MEETING, UM, WITH SHARON AND TIFFANY, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AND VARIOUS PROJECTS WERE DISCUSSED.

UM, PRIORITIES ON BOTH SIDES WERE REITERATED.

I THINK THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW UP CONVERSATION WITH MORE DETAILS ON CERTAIN PROJECTS.

UM, BUT BRIAN JUST, YOU KNOW, CONTINUED TO SHARE THAT THE PRIORITY FOR A BOARD WAS INFRASTRUCTURE DOWNTOWN AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT THE PARCELS THAT ARE THERE ARE AS READY AS THEY CAN BE, UM, FOR RETAILERS TO MOVE IN.

UM, WE DISCUSSED DRAINAGE A LOT, UM, PARKING SITUATION, ALL OF THAT.

UM, AND THE, THE PUBLIC WORKS STAFF HAS REQUESTED THAT WE DO ALSO HAVE A MEETING, UM, WITH TOMMY TO REPRESENT THE B BOARD.

SO, UM, IF THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH THE CITY ON, UM, IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURE OR ANYTHING HAPPENING DOWNTOWN, PLEASE LET TOMMY KNOW SO THAT HE CAN BE PREPARED, UM, FOR THAT MEETING.

OKAY.

AS FAR AS, UH, HARRIS STREET GOES, OUR CITY ENGINEER IS REVIEWING THE PLANS SUBMITTED BY KO AND HE SHOULD RETURN, UM, COMMENTS FOR THEM TO ADDRESS.

AND FROM THEN ON, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH SET, UM, TO BREAK GROUND HOPEFULLY IN THE, THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

SO WE WILL, UH, KEEP YOU POSTED ON THAT IF WE, UM, HEAR ANY, UH, UPDATES BEFORE OUR NEXT MEETING.

LASTLY, OUR EDC WEBSITE, UH, WE HAD THE INITIAL MEETING WITH OUR NEW, UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO CALL THEM.

YEAH, WEBSITE HOST WITH HOUSTON.

UM, AND WE JUST OUTLINED ALL OF THE CHANGES THAT WE WANTED TO SEE, UM, AND THEY'RE WORKING ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE ON THEIR END.

SO IT'S JUST A WORK IN PROGRESS TO MAKE SURE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE MADE TO THE WEBSITE.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.

I HAVE A QUESTION.

GO AHEAD.

UM, THE, I KNOW THERE'S, YOU CAN'T REALLY DISCUSS TOO FAR WITH THE BIG BOX RETAILER, BUT WHAT, HOW FAR ALONG IN THE PROCESS ARE Y'ALL WITH THAT? LIKE WHEN WOULD WE, WHEN WE, WHEN WILL WE BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHEN DUE TO THE NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT? I CAN'T MAKE ANY MORE COMMENTS.