[00:00:02]
[Call to Order]
IS 6:00 PM BY MY IPAD HERE.SO LET'S CALL THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE RE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UH, TO ORDER AT 6:00 PM MONDAY, AUGUST THE 18TH, 2025.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THE BOARD FOR BEING HERE.
FOR THE RECORD, WE ARE MISSING, UH, ANDREW BENCIA, WHO'S OUR EX-OFFICIO, AND I BELIEVE OUR CITY COUNCIL LIAISON IS IN ANOTHER MEETING THE CITY COUNCIL HAS AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, WE'RE ALL HERE.
ITEM TWO ARE CITIZENS COMMENTS? ANYONE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK? NO, NOBODY.
ITEM THREE IS BUSINESS THREE A IS
[Business - A]
A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE GENERAL TYPE OF PROJECTS BEING PROPOSED BY THE CORPORATION FOR FISCAL YEAR OF 20 25, 20 26, MEANING LAND, BUILDINGS, EQUIPMENT, FACILITIES, EXPENDITURES, TARGETED INFRASTRUCTURE AND IMPROVEMENTS FOUND BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO PROMOTE NEW OR EXPANDED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.THE AMOUNT OF WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY $766,667, AND THE SPECIFIC PROJECT BEING EXPENDITURES FOUND BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO PROMOTE NEW OR EXPANDED BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE KATY FULCHER LIFT STATION EXPANSION, $600,000.
TEXAS HERITAGE PARKWAY, INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, $91,667.
COMMUNITY EVENTS, $50,000, AND THE SHORE BUSINESS ENTREPRENEURSHIP HUB $25,000.
SO WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR OUR PROJECT AT 6:01 PM AND I'LL JUST, IN THE ESSENCE OF SIGN, I'D LIKE TO READ THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
THE PUBLIC HEARING IS REQUIRED BY STATUTE FOR PROJECTS TO PROVIDE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE BOARD'S PROPOSED PROJECTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 26.
AND AS A FOLLOW UP TO RESOLUTION FDC 2025 DASH OH FIVE, HAVING BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOARDS IN THEIR JULY MEETING.
PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE PROJECTS IN THIS PUBLIC HEARING WAS PUBLISHED ON JULY 24TH, 2025 IN THE CITY'S PAPER OR RECORD THE FORTMAN HERALD.
AND THIS BEGAN OUR 60 DAY WAIT PERIOD.
THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION ITEM FOR THE BOARD.
THAT'S A FORMAL MEANS BY WHICH TO RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC RELATED TO THE PROPOSED EXPENDITURES.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO SEE IF WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
BEING NONE, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 6:02 PM ITEM THREE V
[Business - B]
IS CONSIDERATION AND ACTION ON THE MINUTES OF THE CORPORATION FOR JULY 21ST, 2025 MEETING.THAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR PACKETS.
WILL YOU HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE? WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO BE MADE? ALRIGHT.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? YEAH, I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES OF MEETING.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
MOTIONS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ALL OPPOSED, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
[Business - C]
CONSIDERATION AND ACTION ON THE FINANCIALS AND PAYABLES OF THE CORPORATION FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JUNE 31ST, 2025.I THINK WE WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO HAYDEN.
WE'RE NOT HAVING A MICROPHONE.
I KNOW OUR, UH, OUR, UH, SALES TAX REVENUES RECEIVED IN AUGUST, UH, 2025, UH, WHICH WERE JUNE, WE'RE UP 7.3%, 7.39% FROM THE SAME PERIOD THE PREVIOUS YEAR, TOTALING $215,337 AND 36 CENTS.
UH, EACH CORPORATION SALES TAX REVENUES ARE NOW AT 1.669463 MILLION, OR 82% OF THE 5% OF THE YEAR.
[00:05:02]
BUT WE'RE STILL TRENDING IN THE POSITIVE DIRECTION, SO THAT'S VERY GOOD.ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS ON THE, ANY OF THE EXPENSES OR REVENUES? THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO PEPPER HAYDEN WITH HARD QUESTIONS.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVED THE PAYABLES OF $10,971 AND 82 CENTS, UH, FOR THE KO DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR THE PERIOD ENDING IN JODY FIRST 2020 SECOND.
MOTIONS ARE MADE AND SECONDED TO APPROVE OUR EXPENDITURES.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[Business - D]
DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON CONTRACT FOR THE TEXAS HERITAGE PARKWAY MONUMENT IMPROVEMENTS, KGA DIVORCE, HAYDEN.ALRIGHT, UM, THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A WHILE, THIS IS GOING ON LIKE THREE YEAR PROCESS AT THIS POINT.
UM, KJA HAS FINALIZED, UM, LOCATIONS WITH THE TEXAS HERITAGE PARKWAY AND ALL THE SURROUNDING ENTITIES WHERE OUR SIGN, UM, AND THEY PRESENTED US WITH THE CONTRACTS.
THIS IS FOR THE BUILDING FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCT, A MONUMENT SILENCE.
SO THIS, THEY WOULD HANDLE ALL THE BIDDING PROCESS, THE ENGINEERING WORK, UM, ALL THE BACKENDS.
UM, THE CONTRACT TOTAL IS JUST UNDER $15,000.
THE A BOARD VOTED IN FAVOR, UH, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT, UM, FOR THIS, UH, CONTRACT AT THE AMOUNT PLUS $2,000 FOR CONTINGENCY ON THE OFF CHANCE.
NOT EVERYTHING WAS ITEMIZED IN THE HOURLY BILLING AS WELL.
UM, THIS IS REALLY JUST TO OPEN UP TO MAKE SURE THIS IS STILL A PROJECT THE BOARD WANTS TO CONSIDER AND MOVE FORWARD WITH.
UM, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE ESTIMATING THAT THE SIGN ITSELF WILL BE IN AROUND $110,000.
UM, THAT'LL BE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.
WE'LL COME BACK FOR AUTHORIZATION FOR THAT AND THAT WILL GO BEFORE.
UH, BUT THIS JUST KIND OF GETS US INTO THAT.
YEAH, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FOR QUITE A WHILE.
BUT, UH, I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF HAVING OUR IDENTITY AS FAR NORTH OR AS FAR EAST, WEST AND SOUTH AS WE CAN GET IT.
AND THIS WOULD BE PRETTY FAR UP ON THE TEXAS HERITAGE PARKWAY.
SO, AND IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A, A VERY QUALIFIED FIRM DO OUR DESIGN FOR US.
THEY REFERENCED THE CITY'S BRANDING AND EVERYTHING, ALL OTHER STUDIES THAT THEY CONDUCTED.
AND, UH, I BELIEVE IT MEETS ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS AS WELL.
UM, AND, AND IF YOU'LL NOTICE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DRIVE OUT TO THE EAGLE LANDING PARK.
THE SIGN LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT.
UM, AND THE CITY ITSELF IS ALSO GOING FOR NEW MONUMENT SIGNS THAT DON'T LOOK IDENTICAL TO THIS, BUT PLAY OFF THE OVERALL THING.
SO IT WOULD, IT WOULD KIND OF UNIFY THE CITY FROM MULTIPLE ANGLES.
BUT ARE THOSE GA IS THAT AVIAN SITUATION AT THE BOTTOM? OR IS THAT JUST, I THINK IT WAS JUST ROCK.
WHAT THE PER HOUR RATES OF THE PRINCIPAL PROJECT MANAGE, THAT'S NOT IN THE COST RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WHY THEY, TO SAY I'M GONNA QUIT MY JOB GAVE CONTINGENCY.
UM, I'LL SAY THAT THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, I THINK WAS ORIGINALLY BILLED THAT OR SET OUT FOR $5,600.
AND OVER THE COURSE OF THE THREE YEARS, I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE PRETTY CONSCIOUS ABOUT SPENDING WHERE THEY NEED TO GO.
AT THE END OF THE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S LUMP SUM PROJECT.
[00:10:01]
WE WILL BE THE CAUSE OF THE OVERRUNS.IT'S RUN AND IT SAYS AT OUR REQUEST.
LIKE IF WE REQUEST DOWNSIDE MULTIPLE.
SO YOU JUST NEED TO SIT ON YOUR HOMES.
I MEAN, WHEN I READ THEIR PROPOSAL, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS IN HERE THAT COULD LOSE TO SOME ADDITIONAL CAUSE LIKE GETTING THE POWER, POWER COORDINATED OUT HERE.
WATER, THOSE TAKE, YOU NEVER KNOW HOW LONG, HOW LONG FOR UTILITY COMPANIES.
BUT THIS WILL GET US THE PLANS, GET US ALL THE BIDDING DOCUMENTS, AND THEN IT WOULD OVERSEE THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND IF WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'VE GOTTEN BIDS AND, AND SEE THE PROJECT AND IT'S SOMETHING INSANE AND THE BOARD FEELS THAT IT'S NOT A WISE USE TO DEPEND ON AT THAT POINT.
WE CAN, WE CAN, WE'RE NOT LOCKING IN THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING CRAZY
I THINK THEY'RE PRETTY SPOT ON WITH THEIR, UM, PROJECTIONS.
I THINK THE CITY'S SIGN WAS AROUND THE SAME REALM.
LIKE ONE AND THEIRS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE, OR NO, I FEEL IT'S PRETTY CLOSE.
AND THEN THEY HELPED US GO AFTER BID TOO.
I JUST NOTE THAT THOUGH, THAT THE 15,000 DOESN'T, THERE'S ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE ARCHITECT THAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE 15,000.
I THINK IT, IT WOULD INCLUDE ALL OF THE NECESSARY PLANS.
I WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD BE FREQUENT.
IT'S NOT LARGE AMOUNT, BUT IT'S NOT COVERED.
OH, FOR, UH, FOR ONSITE MEETINGS OR TRIPS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE GONNA USE THE CONTINGENCY.
I THINK THEY'RE LOCATED IN LOST TERRA, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
WELL, ACTUALLY THAT'S, OR NO, IT SAYS KATY FREEWAY.
OH NO, THEY'RE, YEAH, THEY'RE, IT USED TO BE LIKE RIGHT OFF OF, UH, THE SINK RANCH BOULEVARD.
QUESTION ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? I MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE, UH, TO THE AMOUNT OF $7,625 PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 2000 CONTINGENCY FOR THE TEXAS HERITAGE PARKWAY.
MONEY WENT IMPROVEMENTS TO KJ TO FORCE SECOND MOTIONS HAVE MADE AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
YEAH, I'LL STARTED TALKING ABOUT THAT EVEN BEFORE I OH YEAH.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE BACK ACROSS.
IT WAS A GOOD EMAIL TO GET FOR SURE.
I MEAN, JUST THINGS THAT SEEMS SMALL.
LIKE IT SAYS EXIT 3 59, IT USED TO SAY JUST BROOKSHIRE NOW IT SAYS BROOKSHIRE SHORE.
AND TEXT ADDED THAT ONCE WE TALK TO THEM.
I MEAN, THOSE SEEM LIKE SMALL THINGS, BUT THEY'RE GOOD FOR OUR IDENTITY.
[Business - E]
ON FUTURE PROGRAMMING OF THE SHORE BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP HUB, THE SRE FAST TRACK.UM, THIS ITEM WAS REALLY BROUGHT IN HERE JUST TO KIND OF STIR UP CONVERSATION AMONGST YOU.
UM, FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS ON PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE SEEN US DO OVER THE PAST COUPLE YEARS THAT YOU'VE REALLY LIKED AND YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE US CONTINUE ON FORWARD? UM, I THINK FROM A STAFFS PERSPECTIVE, THE WEEKEND BOOT CAMPS WILL CONTINUE FOR SURE.
THEY'RE A VERY LOW COST AND VERY EFFECTIVE OPTION.
UM, THAT'S NOT REALLY LEANING ON STAFF, IT'S AN OUTSIDE PARTY THAT WE CAN COME IN AND RUN THOSE A COUPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
[00:15:01]
I THINK A COUPLE PROGRAMMING LIKE LECTURE SERIES PROGRAMMING, WHETHER IT'S ON AI, WHICH WE HAVE HERE TOMORROW, OR, YOU KNOW, SOME SORT OF BUSINESS PLAN, UH, THROUGH THE SDA OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER ENTITY THAT CAN COME IN AND DO A LITTLE LECTURE, UM, TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.I THINK THAT'S ALSO ON OUR RADAR, BUT ANY OTHER PROGRAMMING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE US TO PURSUE OR HAVE ENJOYED IN THE PAST? WHETHER IT'S THE NETWORKING ASPECTS OR, UM, THE MORE LECTURE FOCUSED, WE'RE WE'RE ALL EARS.
THIS IS REALLY JUST TO, UH, HAVE A CONVERSATION.
SO, SO I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO SAY VERY EARLY ON, UM, YOU KNOW, I MEAN I WAS, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH FULL SHIFT FAST TRACK SINCE THE BEGINNING AND ONE OF THE BIG, BIG SUCCESSES THAT THE GUYS HAD WAS THAT IN INITIAL NETWORKING AND CONTACT, SO SUCCESS STORIES, UM, PEOPLE THAT WOULD COME IN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DID THE, UH, EVENT THAT THE, UH, IRENE STERN, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, I THINK IT WAS THREE DIFFERENT SUCCESS STORIES.
THE THE COOKIE LADY WAS THERE, THE, THE COFFEE SHOP AND THERE WAS THE DO AND DOGE WAS THERE.
WHAT WE, WHAT PEOPLE GOT OUT OF THAT.
WHAT THERE WERE PEOPLE WERE SPEAKING ABOUT FOR A LONG, YOU KNOW, FOR A LONG TIME.
I THINK PUTTING AN EVENT ON, LIKE, THAT'S VERY EASY.
YOU KNOW, THE CITY OWNS, THEY'VE GOT ACCESS TO IRON STERN.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE REPLICATED.
UM, BUT THE CHALLENGE WITH THAT IS STAFF MAKING AND STARVING AND CONTINUING THAT NETWORK.
THAT'S WHERE THE CHALLENGES IS.
YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE AND EARLY ON, YOU KNOW, TO, TO HAVE THOSE, YOU KNOW, TO PULL IN THE SUCCESS STORIES.
YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE SAME SUCCESS STORY ALL GET OLD.
BUT ALSO HAVING THOSE PEOPLE THAT WILL COME IN, THE BANKERS, THE LOAN, THERE COULD BE ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO, UM, I MEAN THE LAST EVENT WE HAD WITH THE FO FAST TRACK, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TWO GUYS COME UP, BOTH OF THEM ASKING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 'CAUSE THEY WANT TO INVEST IN CERTAIN SMALL BUSINESSES.
AND, AND, AND THEN ONCE YOU'VE GOT THAT NETWORK COMING UP WITH A PLAN AND ASKING PEOPLE TO COMBINE IT AND, AND THEN PUTTING ON EVENTS, I THINK THOSE EVENTS POTENTIALLY TWICE A YEAR OR SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES, YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T BE SOMETHING THAT IS DONE ALL THE TIME.
AND THEN JUST SIMPLE THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, AN OPEN COFFEE, COFFEE SHOP KIND OF WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND, AND NETWORK AND TALK ABOUT SUCCESS STORIES BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU'VE GOT THOSE SMALL IDEAS AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE SHARING THEM WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED BUSINESS MEMBERS, A LOT OF PEOPLE HELP EACH OTHER.
YOU KNOW, HOW DID WE, HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THIS? HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THAT? UH, AND THAT, AND THAT JUST PROMPTED THAT CONVERSATION AND, AND, YOU KNOW, TEAMWORK.
NOW IS THAT GONNA FIX ALL THE PROBLEMS? NO, BUT IT'S GONNA GO HELP A LONG WAY, YOU KNOW, GETTING THINGS MOVING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SAID LAST TIME TOO, I, I NOTICED IT WAS IN THE MINUTES TOO, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS TO DO A SURVEY OR SOMEHOW FIND OUT FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE INVOLVED RIGHT NOW, WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY WANT.
WHAT WILL BENEFIT THEM, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE CUSTOMER.
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I'LL SAY WE, WE DID MEET WITH THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO, AND THERE IS A DESIRE TO HAVE THAT CONTINUE ON NO MATTER WHAT SHAPE V FAST.
CARRIES ON TO HAVE THAT SORT OF LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER INSIGHT AS TO THE PROGRAMMING, UH, AS WELL MM-HMM
SO, SO THEY'LL CONTINUE MEETING ONCE A MONTH AND FIGURING OUT FROM THAT SIDE WHAT THE PROGRAMMING LOOKS LIKE.
AND WE'LL GET FEEDBACK FROM, UH, THOSE YEAH.
WHETHER IT'S THROUGH, I DIDN'T NECESSARILY IT NEEDED TO BE A SURVEY.
I THINK A SURVEY IS, IS DEFINITELY BENEFICIAL.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA FROM OUR PAST SURVEYS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT KIND OF SHOW WHAT EVENTS ARE THE MOST ATTENDED AND, AND MM-HMM
WHAT HAVE PEOPLE KIND OF CARRIED TOWARDS, WHAT DO THEY NEED? YEAH, EXACTLY.
SO I, I THINK WE, WE CAN DEFINITELY PLAY ALL OF THAT.
UM, BUT NO, THIS IS, UH, GOOD INFORMATION AND MY VIEWPOINT, I'D RATHER, I'D RATHER MAYBE HAVE A FEW LESS EVENTS AND DO A GREAT JOB AT THOSE THAN TRY TO DO ALL OF 'EM AND, YOU KNOW, JUST DO A SO-SO JOB.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT TIME IS VALUABLE.
IT'S, IT'S A VERY LIMITED WITH ALL YOUR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES YOU HAVE.
[00:20:01]
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE BALANCE THAT BETWEEN WHAT WE CAN DO AND DO EFFECTIVELY.OR YOU KNOW, WHAT WE JUST WANT ABSOLUTELY.
BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, IN THAT REGARD AS WELL, YOU KNOW, HAVING THOSE POTENTIAL NETWORKING THAT'S NOT JUST HAPPENS NATURALLY.
WHAT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE FOR STAFF, LIKE I SAID, IS NOT, YOU KNOW, THE, IT'S THE, THE PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, YOU BRING THOSE PROFESSIONALS IN FOR, FOR THAT LEVEL OF FEEDBACK.
YOU KNOW, THAT THAT TAKES TIME AND EFFORT TO, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, GROW THAT NETWORK.
UM, MARK HAS OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, CONTACTS, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S, THAT'S I THINK WHERE YOU'RE GONNA STRUGGLE.
IF HE WALKS AWAY, HE WALKS, YOU KNOW, HIS NET, HE'S HIS, I WOULDN'T SAY HIS NETWORK GOES WITH, BUT HE'S DONE IT ALL TIME AND IT'S GROWING ACTUALLY.
WELL, THERE'S A, THERE'S A NETWORK OF PEOPLE THAT HELPED US START THIS IN, IN OUR FULL SURE.
AND SO A NETWORK STARTS WITH A CONTACT LIST.
SO A CONTACT LIST OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HELPED US AT THE BEGINNING THAT Y'ALL HAVE THAT, THAT Y'ALL CAN CONTINUE WITH AND ASSIST WITH, I THINK IS A, IS A GOOD KIND OF, WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MONTHS HERE TO KIND OF MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THAT TAKEN CARE OF.
THE NETWORK EVENTS, DEFINITELY THE, UH, I, I MEAN I, I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE OF HOME BUSINESS MM-HMM
I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE GONNA GO, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE NEXT STEP ONCE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESS IN GENERAL, GO INTO NICHE TYPE BUSINESSES.
UM, BUT THEN THE, UH, THE SECOND THING WE HAVE TO CONSIDER HERE IS THERE, IS THERE OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US, NON-GOVERNMENTAL RESOURCES.
UM, WE, WE HAD CONTRACTED THAT, IS THERE SOMEPLACE ELSE TO GO? THERE'S AN OBVIOUS ONE IN THE CHAMBER MM-HMM
AND, UM, BUT SOME BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, ASSOCIATION IN THE CITY OF RE THAT'S WILLING TO PARTNER WITH US TO TAKE THIS MANTLE, UM, THAT MAY NOT HAVE AN EXPENDITURE PORTION, BUT UH, HAVE, HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN THE CITY OF SHORE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND IN PROVIDING THESE SORTS OF SERVICES THAT WE WERE, WE WERE ON OUR WAY, BUT CAN TAKE THE MANTLE TO KEEP GOING WITH THAT.
SO I DON'T THINK WE, I THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY REACH OUT TO SOME OF THOSE BUSINESS, UM, ASSOCIATIONS IN OUR, IN OUR AREA AND SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO PARTNER WITH US TO TAKE THE MANTLE OF THIS.
UM, WE HAVE A CONTACT LIST, WE HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US, WE HAVE WEBSITES, WE HAVE BRANDING THAT, THAT COULD BE UTILIZED.
AND REALLY IN THE END, IT'S ALL JUST ABOUT PROVIDING THE SERVICE TO PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WHICHEVER BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ASSOCIATION WOULD LIKE TO PARTNER WITH US, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, WE SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK INTO THAT.
I WAS TALKING WITH PEYTON EARLIER TODAY AND NOW THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT IT JOGGED MY MEMORY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN A TOP LEVEL SPONSOR OF THE CHAMBER FOR YEARS, SINCE ITS INCEPTION, AND I DON'T THINK IT'S BEYOND US BEING REASONABLE ASKING IF THEY COULD HOST A, YOU KNOW, SOME AMOUNT OF
KIND OF AS AN ASIDE TO WHAT YOU SAID A FEW MINUTES AGO WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOME-BASED BUSINESSES, WOULD THE INTENT JUST AS A KIND OF A CRITICAL THINKING CONVERSATION, WOULD THE INTENT BE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO A HOME-BASED BUSINESS TO TRY TO MOVE THEM INTO A BRICKS AND MORTAR BUSINESS? OR NO.
IT'S REALLY JUST, I, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT THEY, I MEAN, I, I, I SEE IT AS A PLACE, IT'S MORE LIKE A NETWORKING, BUT LIKE, PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO START A HOMEBASED BUSINESS AND HOW TO DRUM UP BUSINESS, BUT THEY'RE STARTING THESE BUSINESSES, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THEY, SO REGARDLESS OF THE DIRECTION THAT THEY'RE GOING HOME BASED BUSINESS OR MOVING TO BRICKS AND MORTAR, I THINK IT'S, THAT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
IT'S, IT'S POTENTIALLY SCALABLE, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU START OFF, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
WITH NETWORKING, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, YOU BREAK DOWN A BUSINESS, OKAY, WELL THERE'S THIS FINANCE SIDE SIDE OF IT, THERE'S THE LEGAL CENTER SIDE OF IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT KEY COMPONENTS OF THE BUSINESS DO YOU NEED? AND THEN ONCE YOU BREAK IT DOWN INTO THOSE KEY COMPONENTS, THEN YOU GET YOUR PEOPLE TO SPEAK TO EACH OF THOSE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS.
AND THEN THAT'S WHAT GETS SIGNED.
YOU, THAT'S WHERE YOU GROW YOUR, YOUR NETWORK.
AND THEN WHEN THE EVENT COMES, GOT ALL THESE PEOPLE, THEY'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, SIGNS OUT, HEY, YOU WANT SOME LEGAL ADVICE? GO SPEAK TO THIS GUY.
YOU KNOW, YOU WANT SOME FINANCE, GO SPEAKER.
THIS GUY THAT THEN START THE BUSINESS GETS IT OFF THE GROUND.
THEY SCALES UP TO BRICKS AND MORTAR.
[00:25:01]
'CAUSE IT MEANS THE CEMENT AND, BUT THAT'S NOT THE INTENT THAT WE'RE STARTING.WE'RE GROWING BUSINESS INTERNALLY WITHIN FULL.
YOU HAVE HOME BASED BUSINESSES THAT CREATE THINGS AND YOU HAVE RETAILERS THAT SELL THEM AND DISTRIBUTE RIGHT.
GETTING THOSE PEOPLE TOGETHER.
WE HAVE FINANCING TO START YOUR BUSINESS, UH, ACCOUNTANTS TO TELL YOU HOW TO PROPERLY WRITE OFF YOUR, UH, SQUARE FOOTAGE OF YOUR HOME OFFICE MM-HMM
ALL THOSE SMALL THINGS THAT HELP BUSINESS OWNERS SAVE MONEY AND YEAH.
AND START THEIR BUSINESS PROPERLY WITH ALL THE PROPER BENEFITS TO THE BUSINESS OWNER AS WELL AS SOME NETWORKING TO GET THEM INVOLVED WITH THE, UH, PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA DISTRIBUTE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST AMAZON, RIGHT? IT'S, IT'S ALL THE RETAILERS OUT THERE.
UM,
'CAUSE I'VE GONE TO BOTH OF THEM AND IT WAS A REALLY GOOD EVENT FOR, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU WERE HOME BASED OR YOU HAD A, TO, TO, TO SHOWCASE YOUR WARES.
AND I THINK IT IS A, UM, AN EVENT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE GOING TO IN THE FUTURE.
WE WE'RE NOT GOING TO THIS ONE THIS UPCOMING MONTH JUST WITH THE CURRENT STATE OF THE PROGRAM AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE RIGHT.
BUT I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY A PARTNERSHIP WITH CROSS CREEK THAT WE WANT TO, UH, CONTINUE TO DO THE BEST IN.
SO, UM, IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR, I MEAN, IT'S THE LARGEST NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY, SO IT, IT, IT MAKES SENSE THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF HOME-BASED BUSINESSES AND, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TO SHOWCASE.
WELL, IT'S, AND IT IS A REALLY NICE EVENT.
AND IT'S ALSO, UH, A GREAT, I THINK IT WOULD BE MEANINGFUL FOR THE COMMUNITY TO SEE THE PARTNERSHIP SURE.
BETWEEN THE CITY AND, AND CROSS CREEK ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE MEANING TOO.
I'M ALSO CURIOUS ABOUT, UM, UH, HAS LOCAL VOICES BEEN, UM, IT HAS BEEN GREAT ACTUALLY.
IT'S, I'VE REALLY ENJOYED, UH, SEEING SOMEBODY SUBMIT ONE.
BUT, UM,
WE'VE, WE'VE HAD GREAT FEEDBACK.
UM, ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE, UM, REALLY THANKED US FOR KIND OF, BECAUSE THEY'VE, THEIR YEAH.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE GOTTEN, UM, RESPONSES TO IT.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT PROGRAM.
SO I, YEAH, TYING THAT IN AS WELL IS, IS FANTASTIC.
WE'VE ACTUALLY FEATURED, I THINK NOW THREE BUSINESSES THAT EITHER ACCELERATED IN FAST TRACK OR STARTED IN FAST TRACK.
SO THEY WE'RE BLASTING THOSE OUT TOO.
UM, THEY'RE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS, AS ALL OUR, UH, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE CAN DO TOO, IS THAT, AND I'VE DONE IT WHEN WE GO INTO A BUSINESS AND THE OWNER HAPPENS TO BE RUNNING THE CASH REGISTER OR WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, SAY, HAVE YOU HEARD OF LOCAL VOICES? SURE.
BUT I'M GLAD THAT IT'S SUCCESSFUL 'CAUSE IT'S A REALLY NICE, UH, NICE PROGRAM.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, I, I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF NEGATIVITY IN THE PROGRAM, BUT I THINK THE END GOAL OF THE FAST TRACK PROGRAM, NOT NEGATIVITY OF NO VOICES.
JUST TO CLARIFY THE, THE POINT THAT WE'RE AT NOW, IT WAS ALWAYS THE GOAL, UM, WAS TO HAVE IT BE SELF-SUFFICIENT AND RUN FROM THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA PLAY SOME CATCH UP THIS NEXT YEAR TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE MOVING FORWARD.
BUT I THINK ULTIMATELY IT IS WHERE THE PROGRAM WAS GOING TO BE.
UM, JUST MAYBE NOT AS MATURE AS WE WOULD'VE LIKED IT TO BE AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVES STILL IN THE FAST TRACK PROGRAM, AND I THINK WORKING WITH OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN REALLY ESTABLISH IT AND KEEP IT THRIVING, UM, FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO COME.
BUT THE, BUT THE MORE WE CAN DO TO TURN Y'ALL'S TIME INTO MARKETING.
STILL A PRODUCT THAT IS BEING DEVELOPED.
UM, POTENTIALLY OUTSIDE OF THE USE OF ALL Y'ALL'S TIME, UM, WOULD BE, UH, BENEFICIAL.
THE OTHER THING AS WELL IS, YOU KNOW, ONE OF, ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS YES, OKAY, THIS PARTICULAR TIME WE'RE LOOKING AT 25,000 MM-HMM
THROUGH ALL OF THE NETWORKING EVENTS AND CONVERSATIONS AND, YOU KNOW, THE TWO, POSSIBLY TWO EVENTS, WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING, IF THAT ENDS UP BEING, YOU KNOW, NOT ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, THAT NEEDS TO BE KNOWN.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'D RATHER PUT IT UP FOR VOTE THAT WE GET THAT BALANCE, YOU KNOW? YES.
WE TAKE IT IN, WE FIND OUT WHAT NEEDS, WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE TO MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL AND BE VOCAL ABOUT THAT AND FIGHT FOR THAT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP GOING WITH IT.
AND IT DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, DIAL OFF BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S TOO MUCH EFFORT PUT IN THE PROGRAM.
[00:30:01]
A REASON BUDGET MECHANISMS EXIST AND IT'S, IT'S FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THAT, UM, IF WE SEE IT'S SUCCESSFUL, WE, WE NEED TO BE VOCAL AND, AND, AND, AND ADDRESS THAT WITH CITY COUNCIL, WITH THE BOARDS.SO, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE, THE TWO EVENTS, THE UM, AND THE NETWORKING EVENT, YOU KNOW, THE NETWORKING EVENT.
THERE'S PLACES IN TOWN THAT WILL OFFER UP THEIR SPACE FOR A POTENTIAL NETWORKING EVENT.
COFFEE SHOPS FOR THE BEST ONE.
YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT BRINGS IN LOCAL BUSINESS FOR THEM.
'CAUSE EVERYONE'S GONNA GO BUY A CUP OF COFFEE, YOU KNOW, AND IT ENDS UP BEING ESSENTIALLY FREE.
YOU KNOW, SAME WITH THE, UM, IRON STERN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOT A GREAT DEAL OF EXPENSE THERE OTHER THAN POTENTIALLY SOME REFRESHMENTS OF WHICH, HEY, YOU MAY GET SOME SPONSORSHIPS AND YOU KNOW, I DONATED BY AND PULL UP SOME PLACARDS OR WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT CAN BE DONE VERY, VERY COST CONSCIOUS AND BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO WHAT WOULD BE THE MINIMUM THAT WE WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE FORWARD? LIKE IF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THERE'S A NUMBER, THERE'S A CERTAIN NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT WE'D LIKE TO, I MEAN, IS QUARTERLY, IS IT, IS IT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOTTA HAVE A FIRST STEP HERE.
I WAS THINKING MAYBE YOU WOULD, YOU GOT THE A BOARD'S INPUT, YOU GET OUR INPUT, MAYBE YOU GO BACK TO SOME OF THE SURVEYS SURE.
MAYBE BRING US A PROPOSAL RIGHT.
ON WHAT YOU SEE AS SOMETHING THAT'S MANAGEABLE.
THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND, WE CAN AS WELL ADD TO THAT OR TAKE AWAY.
I, I, I JUST THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US TO START FIGURING OUT AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE CAN MANAGE AND WHAT'S, WHAT'S OUR, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE CAN REALLY MANAGE WITH THE, WITH THE STAFF DOING.
A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THIS NOW.
SO I'M GLAD WE STILL HAVE EXCITEMENT ON THE PROJECT, SO YEAH.
[Business - F]
F IS REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF THE EDC STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE PROPOSAL.UM, THIS WAS BROUGHT, UM, I GUESS THE, THE REVISION OF THE PROPOSALS BROUGHT BACK TO THE BOARD PROBABLY ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MONTHS AGO NOW AT THIS POINT.
AND WE, WE HAD HEARD FROM SEVERAL MEMBERS ON BOTH BOARDS THAT MAYBE IT'S TIME TO REVISIT, UM, HAVING THAT, UH, PROPOSAL UPDATED.
UM, SO WE REACHED OUT TO TIP STRATEGIES, GOT THEM TO DRAFT A NEW PROPOSAL AND REALLY HAD THEM FOCUS ON THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE BOARDS AND COUNCIL WHEN DEVELOPING A PROPOSAL.
UM, SO THIS IS FOR A REFRESH OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
UM, IT INCLUDES SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH CITY COUNCIL, BOTH THE BOARDS, UM, AND WOULD TAKE AROUND, UH, IT'S A FOUR MONTH TURNAROUND, SO WE'RE BRINGING THIS TO SEE IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD WANTS TO CONSIDER.
IT WOULD END UP BEING $25,000 PER BOARD.
UM, YOU GUYS BOTH BUDGETED $75,000 IN YOUR STUDIES LINE FOR FY 26.
UM, AND THIS WOULD BE AN FY 26 PROJECT.
UM, IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT UPDATING THEIR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN FY 27.
SO HAVING THIS COMPLETED WOULD KIND OF FIT IN PRETTY NICELY WITH THE CITY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS WELL.
UM, SO THIS IS HERE FOR DISCUSSION.
IF YOU GUYS, UH, REVIEWED IT AND HAD ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT OR SAW SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED ADDED, UH, INTO IT, WHETHER IT'S MORE MEETINGS WITH CITY COUNCIL OR MORE SITE VISITS, UM, AND RE I THINK THERE, THEY'LL BE PRETTY FLEXIBLE WITH US.
UM, ANY CHANGES THAT WE HAD OFFERED, UM, THEN THEY, THEY IMPLEMENTED IN HERE AND IT HASN'T RESULTED IN ANY COST CHANGES.
UM, SO WE'D BE HAPPY TO KIND OF TAKE YOUR FEEDBACK, TAKE A BOARD'S FEEDBACK, AND THEN, UH, SEND IT BACK TO T AS WELL.
SO THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MY MIND IS THE, UM, OBVIOUSLY BASED ON THE TIMING OF THE LAST STRATEGIC PLAN AND THIS CURRENT POTENTIAL REFRESH, THE CITY'S POPULATION HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T SEE REFERENCE TO ANY POTENTIAL DEMOGRAPHIC STUDIES WITHIN THIS, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE FOUNDATION FOR A LOT OF THIS ANALYSIS.
SO WE CAN GO GET CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
I'M PRETTY SURE IT IT DOES, IT MIGHT NOT JUST BE LISTED.
I MEAN, THERE'S QUITE A LOT OF WORK RIGHT.
SO, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CLARIFY WITH THEM.
I THINK WHEN WE HAD TALKED TO THEM, THEY'RE THE REASON FOR THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE FULL BUILD OUT OF STRATEGIC PLAN AND THEN THIS REFRESH WAS ONE, THE TIME COMMITMENT, THE FULL BUILD OUT WAS A SIX TO EIGHT MONTH PROCESS INSTEAD OF FOUR MONTH.
AND THEN THERE WAS A LOT MORE, UM, STAKEHOLDER VISITS WITH THE, WITH THE FULL PLAN.
SO THERE'S NOT AS MANY IN THIS, I THINK IT'S LISTED AT, UM, TWO IN-PERSON VISITS TO THE AREA.
[00:35:01]
INCLUDE THINGS LIKE ZOOM CALLS AND, AND PHONE CALLS AND EVERYTHING WITH OUR, UM, STAKEHOLDERS IN THE AREA.BUT THAT'S REALLY THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN THE TWO.
BUT WE CAN GET CLARIFICATION ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS UPDATES.
I, I THINK IT WOULD BE HARD TO EVEN DO AN UPDATE WITHOUT HAVING THOSE UPDATED.
I THINK ALSO PROBABLY RETAIL STRATEGIES IS LIKELY HAS ALL OF THAT DATA AS WELL.
WE DO, WE HAVE, UM, SO IT PROBABLY MATTER PLUGGING IT INTO THIS ALSO.
ALSO, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE CONSISTENT IF WE DO USE THEM.
AND, AND I WILL SAY ALSO, ONE, ONE THING THAT'S WORTH NOTING IS WHILE OUR POPULATION HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, THE ACTUAL MAKEUP OF FULL SHIRT IS, IS PRETTY SIMILAR.
THERE'S, THERE'S A COUPLE CHANGES TO PERCENTAGES OF, UM, DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES AND STUFF, UM, WITHIN THE CITY.
BUT, BUT, BUT THE AGE RANGE AND THE GENERAL MAKEUP OF THE CITY IS PRETTY CLOSE TO 2019.
IT'S JUST EXPANDED DRASTICALLY.
THE ONLY THING I NOTICED WAS, UM, MEDIAN INCOME, RIGHT.
CHANGED A LITTLE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, SURPRISINGLY, THE DEMOGRAPHIC HAS NOT CHANGED THAT MUCH.
UM, THE AGE, I THINK THE MEDIAN AGE WENT DOWN LIKE TWO YEARS.
UM, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN PER HOUSEHOLD IS, IS STILL THE SAME.
UM, I WANNA SAY IT'S 68% OF VULTURE IS STILL FAMILIES.
UM, I THINK IT WAS 64% BEFORE.
THE DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE JUST BARELY, IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE AS WELL IF THERE'S ANY FORWARD PLANNING AS WELL.
I MEAN, WE KNOW WHERE THE, THERE'S ALL THIS BUILDING UP 3 59 WHERE THE APARTMENTS GOING IN MM-HMM
AND YOU KNOW, AND THEN OF COURSE I KNOW IT'S NOT WITHIN ANY DJ, BUT ACROSS FROM SHIP THAT'S, SORRY, ACROSS FROM CROSS CREEK WHERE THE 7,000 HOMES CALL IN.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY IS THAT RICHMOND WAS ANNEX, IT WAS ANNEXED OUT IN THE CITY AND IT WAS APPROVED THROUGH THE COUNTY.
IT'S DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM CROSSROAD.
LIKE IT WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE OUR ETJ, WOULDN'T IT? NO, NO, NO.
IT IS ANNEXED OUT, BUT SUBJECT, IT, IT IS, BUT THE END OF THE DAY IT UNINCORPORATED NUMBERS WISE, OKAY.
THEY'RE NOT WITHIN THERE, BUT IT HAS AN IMPACT.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? 7,000 HOMES, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE YEAH.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PLANS, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IT FROM A REGIONAL BASIS.
SO YEAH, THOSE ARE ABSOLUTELY, UM, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION AND I'M SURE THEY WILL, BUT WE CAN CLARIFY.
BUT I MEAN, THAT'S GONNA TAKE IT, THAT'S GONNA TAKE THE POPULATION OF FULL SHARE 60, 65 PLUS, WHICH, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT COMPARED THAN WHAT IT WAS USED TO BE.
BUT I THINK WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT ECONOMICS, THOSE BOUNDARIES ON A MAP DON'T MATTER AS MUCH AS DRIVE, DRIVE TIMES AND CONVENIENT TO OUR SHOPPING CENTERS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO YOU WERE INVOLVED WITH 2019, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IN 2019.
I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY BEFORE ALMOST EVERYBODY HERE.
BUT I WAS THERE THE PROCESS THAT Y'ALL WENT THROUGH ON 2019 FOR THE STRATEGIC PLAN WAS THERE, WAS THERE A GROUP AND, AND A CENTRAL STAKEHOLDER MEETING FOR, IT WAS THREE, TWO, MAYBE THREE WORKSHOPS THAT I AND START.
I THINK THEY TALKED WITH MOST GROUPS, YOU KNOW, WITH US COUNCIL.
I MEAN THEY PUT, THEY PUT THE INDIRECTIVE MAPS, SO THEY WENT THROUGH THE KEY POINTS AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS QUITE A, I LEARNED A LOT FROM ATTENDING.
I MEAN, I I, IF WE JUST LEAVE IT UP TO TIP STRATEGIES, YOU KNOW, NO, WE CAN'T DO THAT.
THIS THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS HAS TO BE AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS.
EVEN IF IT'S AN ACCELERATED PROCESS, IT HAS TO BE AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS.
SO I MEAN, I'M, I'M ALL FOR ENOUGH UPDATE, BUT UH, IF WE HAVE TO DO OUR PART, I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.
WHAT WE PUT INTO THIS IS WHAT WE'LL GET OUT OF IT.
BECAUSE I MEAN, SEVERAL OF US ARE PROBABLY CONSULTANTS, RIGHT.
AND SO I CAN'T BE THE OWNER PERSONALLY.
THEY STILL HAVE TO HAVE THAT STAKE IN WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING.
SO THE ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY LEGALLY THOUGH IS AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA COME AND THEY'RE GONNA COME CHAIR MEETINGS, RIGHT? SURE.
FROM THE LEGAL STANDPOINT, WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE IN A WORKSHOP IF IT'S A POSTED MEETING AGAIN.
THAT'S WHY I THINK, I THINK WHEN WE DID THIS IN 2019, IT WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT SCENARIO AND TIME IN THE CITY'S.
IT WAS ALMOST LIKE, SO I WOULDN'T JUDGE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE FROM HERE.
TWO OR THREE PEOPLE FROM YOU WOULD NEVER HAD A CALL EM OUT OF THE BOARD ATTEND IN ATTENDANCE WITH THE ACTUAL WORKSHOP.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS MEANING I THINK WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF LEADERS AT THE CITY NOW
[00:40:01]
FROM MAYOR, COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND ALSO EDC STAFF.I THINK, I THINK IT MAY NOT WORK EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT DID BACK THEN, NO MATTER HOW THE MAKEUP LOOKS.
ALL I'M SAYING IS, IS JUST, JUST CLARITY ON WHO CAN, RIGHT.
WHO CAN ATTEND IT AND FROM EACH, WHETHER IT BE COUNCIL, WHETHER IT BE THE AIR BOARD PEOPLE OR WHOEVER WANTS TO ATTEND, MAKING SURE WE'RE STILL COMPLIANT.
WELL, IF IT'S A POSTED MEETING, I MM-HMM
YOU CAN HAVE A QUORUM THERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S FINE.
IF IT'S NOT, IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA POST IT AND JUST HAVE A MEETING, THEN YOU CAN'T HAVE A FORUM.
YOU SHOULD BE TALKING BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE POSTED.
I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT WE WOULD BRING THE GROUPS TOGETHER WITHOUT IT HAVING A POSTED MEETING THOUGH.
EITHER WAY OR THERE COULD, AND AGAIN, WE DON'T THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST TIME.
I KNOW WHAT, LIKE SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN STUDIES, THEY HAD AN OFFICIAL LIKE STAKEHOLDER GROUP, RIGHT.
THEIR NAMED PEOPLE, THERE WAS A LIST OF THEM, RATHER THAN JUST HAVING MEETING A, B AND C AND D, THEY STAY ENGAGED WITH THE SAME PEOPLE, LIKE THROUGH TWO OR THREE MEETINGS TO COME TO THE FINAL PRODUCT.
AND IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING, BECAUSE TIP DID OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
THEY HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THOSE STAKEHOLDER GROUPS THAT THEY INTERVIEWED FOR THE ORIGINAL PLAN SO THEY CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE THINGS STAND TODAY, ADDING NEW, NEW PLAYERS INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO A, A LOT OF THE REALLY HEAVY DUTY WORK WAS DONE IN 2019.
NOW IT, IT TRULY IS REALIGNING WHERE OUR FOCUS IS AS THE BOARD, AS CITY COUNCIL, UM, AS A BOARD AS WELL AND JUST KIND OF CLEANING THINGS UP.
UM, IT'LL ALSO BE WAY SHORTER THAN THE PLAN THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY.
THAT'S LIKE A HUNDRED PAGES PLAN ONCE WE'LL BE CONDENSED, I THINK THEY SAID DOWN TO 36 PAGES.
SO IT WON'T HAVE ALL THAT JUST MESS IN THE BACK THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SIT AND READ THROUGH.
AND ISN'T THAT USEFUL IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS? YEAH.
IF I'M READING WHAT I HEARD, CITY COUNCIL AND THE MAYORS TALK ABOUT SOME OF THEIR PREVIOUS MEETINGS, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE NOT AS ADAMANT TO LIKE GET RID OF THE A BOARD.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN THAT I THINK IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITY IS TO KEEP THE A BOARD, THEN WE NEED TO GET THAT OUT OF THERE AND ADJUST THAT.
I, I, I, I LIKE THE IDEA OF AN ACCELERATED REFRESH AND, UH, WITH THE PROPER STAKEHOLDERS AND US BEING INVOLVED AND THEN FROM, FROM US FOR NEXT STEPS.
SO WE ALREADY, WE DISCUSSED THIS WITH ABOARD, KIND OF GOT THEIR FEEDBACK, UM, TALK WITH YOU GUYS TONIGHT.
SO WE'LL KIND OF PRESENT THESE IDEAS TO TIP AND THEN GET COUNCIL FEEDBACK, UM, TO SEE WHERE THEY WANT, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT'S NOT MENTIONED, UM, IN THIS PROPOSAL.
AND THEN, UM, HOPEFULLY OCTOBER ONE, UM, WITH THE TURN OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WE WILL BRING IT FOR CONSIDERATION FOR APPROVAL.
AND THEN, UM, I WOULD THINK THEY WOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE HOLIDAYS TO KICK OFF THE STUDY.
UM, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE VERY EAGER OR WANT TO GIVE EM RIGHT INTO IT.
SO, SO YOU'LL BRING US A PROPOSAL BACK EXACTLY.
SO YEAH, NO, NO ACTION TONIGHT.
UM, SO WE CAN KIND OF FEED THOSE, UH, QUESTIONS BACK.
I FELT LIKE WE SHOULD START MOVING REALLY FAST.
MAYBE WE BE TALKING ABOUT THAT ITEM
[Business - G]
IS DISCUSSION ON THE FTC SPA BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM.AND, UH, BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I KNOW THAT DEBORAH AND JEN REALLY HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THIS, AND SO I WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT.
SO SORRY, DID WE, DID WE GET ANY ACTION ON THAT? NO, NO.
SO SHAME, UH, MR. CHER IS NOT HERE WITH US, UH, ANYMORE ON THE BOARD.
UH, THIS WAS KIND OF RIGHT, KIND OF HIS, HIS BABY.
I THINK HE PUSHED FORWARD EVERY YEAR.
UM, BUT, UH, PRESENTED TONIGHT IS, AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT FOR, UM, FOR ANY ACTION TONIGHT.
THIS IS KIND OF GET Y'ALL'S FEEDBACK ON THIS.
THIS IS JUST SPECIFICALLY FOR THE B BOARD.
UM, SO THIS IS A SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY TARGETED ADD OR SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, IN RE UM, IT'S PRIMARILY GONNA BE FOR FACADE IMPROVEMENTS, KIND OF BEAUTIFICATION AND, UM, KIND OF THOSE LIFESTYLE CHANGES FOR, FOR THE, UH, UH, SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UM, SO THIS IS PRESENTED TO YOU GUYS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WHEN, UH, ON YOUR REVIEW, ANY SUGGESTIONS? I'M HERE.
I KNOW, UH, JEN AND DEBORAH ALSO, UH, WORKED THROUGH THIS.
UM, SO IF YOU NEED ANY CLARIFICATION OR, UM, WANNA REQUEST ANY
[00:45:01]
CHANGES, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.ONE THING THAT I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UM, BRING UP ON THIS, I MEAN, UH, HAYDEN DID A WHOLE LOT OF THE WORK.
UH, ALSO WE WORKED TOGETHER REALLY NICELY ON IT.
BUT, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND IN MY CAREER WORKING WITH SMALL BUSINESSES IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES WAS THAT EVEN $2,000 TO GET A NEW SIGN FOR YOUR BUSINESS, OR SOMETIMES $500 FOR SOMETHING CAN MAKE SO MUCH.
WE DON'T THINK NECESSARILY IN TERMS LIKE $500 IS GONNA MAKE THAT MUCH DIFFERENCE, BUT I'VE SEEN IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT JUST EVEN SMALL, UM, OPPORTUNITIES TO GET A NEW SIGN OR TO, UM, DO DO LANDSCAPING IN FRONT OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE DOING, JUST SMALL AMOUNTS OF MONEY CAN REALLY MAKE A LOT OF DIFFERENCE IN, IN HOW THE BUSINESS FEELS ABOUT, UM, THE PLACE IT'S AT.
AND, UM, AND ALSO THE, UM, THE, THE WAY IT'S GONNA MESH WITH FALSE OR FAST TRACK AS FALSE OR FAST TRACK MOVES ON.
THAT'S KIND OF WHAT EXCITED ME MORE THAN I, I THINK ALL OF IT WAS THAT IT'S JUST SO NATURAL, UM, FOR THOSE TO BE FUNCTIONING TOGETHER.
YEAH, I JUST HAD A CONVERSATION THE OTHER DAY THAT I THINK MANY TIMES WE FORGET OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES AND THIS IS A WAY THAT WE CAN EXACTLY TURN SOME OF OUR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY BACK TO OUR EXISTING BUSINESSES.
SOMETIMES WE'RE LOOKING FOR ALL THE NEW THINGS AND WE FORGET WHAT GOT US TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY.
SO I, I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM TO STRIVE FOR AND I LIKE THE POINT YOU'VE KIND OF, I MEAN, WE CAN'T SAY NO FRANCHISES, BUT YOU KIND OF HAVE SOME RESTRICTIONS IN THERE THAT TRUST TO WEED OUT, YOU KNOW, THE HUMONGOUS NATIONAL FIRMS THAT, I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING WELL ON THEIR OWN, THEY HAVE THEIR EXACT THINGS THEY HAVE TO DO BY THEIR BRANDING, BUT THIS IS ALLOWS OUR MORE LOCAL MOM AND POP BUSINESSES TO EXCEL AND DRIVE.
BUT THEN THERE'S SOME ALSO SOME OF THOSE SMALLER MOM AND POP SO TO SPEAK, THAT HAVE LIKE, THEY HAVE ONE PLACE HERE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE ONE IN THE WOODLANDS.
UM, AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY BY DEFINITION OF FRANCHISE, BUT IT'S NOT REALLY NOT SOMETHING WE DON'T WANNA SUPPORT.
WELL, LIKE P 36 IS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT.
I MEAN, THEY HAVE TWO LOCATIONS.
THEY'RE STILL LOCAL, BUT RIGHT.
TECHNICALLY THEY'RE CONSIDERED A CHAIN, BUT THEY ONLY HAVE TWO LOCATIONS AND THEY'RE BOTH LOCAL.
THEY'RE DEFINITELY BOTH IN THE COUNTY MM-HMM
AND SO WE DEFINITELY WANNA TAKE CARE OF THAT.
IT'S A GOOD WAY JUST TO SAY THANK YOU TO EXISTING BUSINESSES.
AND ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE TARGETING SO MUCH OF OUR, OUR FUNDING, UM, TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN, THIS IS A WAY TO DO IT TO THE EXISTING BUSINESSES THAT HAVE KEPT DOWNTOWN ALIVE AND THRIVING, UM, BEFORE WE, YOU KNOW, DUMP MONEY DOWN STREETS AND, AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING.
THIS KIND OF GIVES THEM, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF THE REWARDS THAT THEY HAVE, UM, OVER THE PAST DECADES FOR SOME.
UM, SO IT'S, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY A NEEDED, UM, NEEDED PROGRAM, UM, LETS US MOVE AWAY TARGETS FROM, FROM THE BIG GUYS, UM, AND, AND KIND OF FOCUS ON OUR LOCAL LIFE.
THE OTHER THING I THINK WITH SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS AND SIMILAR PROGRAMS, THEY GO SO OVERBOARD ON THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
IT'S, THIS APPLICATION LOOKS PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
YOU COULD FILL IT OUT IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
IT'S NOT LIKE, OKAY, I'M GONNA HAVE TO HIRE A CONSULTANT TO FILL OUT THIS FORM.
THIS APPLICATION FOR A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WELL, WHILE WE, WE, SO I THINK BALANCING THAT IS IMPORTANT.
WHILE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT RE FAST TRACK, I MADE A NOTE, AND I DON'T REMEMBER THIS COMING UP IN OUR MEETINGS, BUT LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT ADDING TO THE APPLICATION.
IF YOU UTILIZED ANY OF THE FULL FAST TRACK WORKSHOPS AND STUFF, WOULD THAT, OH YEAH, WE DIDNT TALK ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S TO ADD TO THE APPLICATION TO SAY, HEY, RE FAST TRACK HELPED ME GET ON MY FEET.
AND LIKE, THAT, THAT WOULD BE KIND OF A, A NEAT WAY TO, TO BRING IT FULL CIRCLE.
UM, AND NOT RESPOND LIKE THAT NEVER CAME UP IN OUR MEETINGS.
BUT I JUST NEED THAT NOTE THAT WE DON'T WANNA ADD THAT TO THE APPLICATION.
ALSO TOO, I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAD A CHANCE TO READ THROUGH IT OR NOT, BUT IT'S, IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM, RIGHT? SO IT'S NOT, WE'RE NOT PASSING OUT MONEY
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HIT ME TOO, YOU KNOW, I, I OPENED IN 2020, SO ALL OF THE, UH, ALL THE, UH, REIMBURSEMENTS AND THE HANDOUTS AND ALL THAT, YOU KNOW, OH, WE'RE SO SORRY THIS HAPPENED TO YOUR BUSINESS, DIDN'T APPLY TO ME BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE A YEAR'S WORTH OF BUSINESS UNDER MY BILL.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT, I'M NOT SITTING USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, GOD FORBID, THAT SHOULD EVER HAPPEN AGAIN.
[00:50:02]
YOU KNOW, THEY NEED BENCHES IN FRONT OF THEIR STORE.YOU KNOW, SOMETHING AT THE HOLIDAYS THAT WOULD REALLY MAKE THEIR, THEIR BUSINESS STAND OUT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT WAS, THIS WAS, UM, SO I'M, I'M ASSUMING SINCE I WASN'T AROUND WHEN FULL STREET FAST TRACK STARTED, WE DO OWN THAT NAME, RIGHT? WE DO.