[I. Call to Order]
[00:00:05]
OKAY, IT IS SIX O'CLOCK MONDAY, MARCH 9TH, 2026.
I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE REGULAR CITY OF RE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION AT THIS TIME.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, CITIZEN COMMENTS.
UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS COUNSEL COMMENT.
AND IF MS. MR. UCAR SHOWS UP, WE WILL TAKE A BREAK TO HEAR HIS THOUGHTS.
[Business - A]
FOUR, BUSINESS, UH, ITEM A PRESENTATION BY EVANGELINE KURBO OF THE FUL ARTS ALLIANCE.BEFORE I START, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE SHORE ARTS ALLIANCE.
SO, MY NAME IS EVANGELINE KURBO.
I'M AN ART TEACHER HERE IN SRE AT MORGAN ELEMENTARY.
UM, I HAVE MY MASTER'S DEGREE IN ARTS LEADERSHIP FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.
MY HUSBAND JASON, AND I HAVE LIVED HERE FOR, UH, GOING ON NINE YEARS WITH OUR TWO DAUGHTERS, EMMALINE AND JUNIPER.
MY PARENTS MOVED TO THE AREA BACK IN THE YEAR 2000.
SO I'VE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH RE AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY FOR MORE THAN 25 YEARS.
UH, DURING THIS TIME, I HAD THE CHANCE TO WATCH THIS AREA EVOLVE FROM A QUIET SMALL TOWN COMMUNITY TO ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING, UH, PARTS OF THE REGION.
OBVIOUSLY, AS Y'ALL KNOW, UM, LIKE MANY FAMILIES WHO CHOOSE TO LIVE HERE, WE WERE DRAWN TO SHORE BECAUSE IT FELT DIFFERENT.
IT FELT LIKE A QUAINT LITTLE TOWN WITH CHARACTER AND ROOM TO GROW.
THERE WAS A UNIQUE SENSE OF COMMUNITY HERE THAT MADE IT STAND OUT FROM THE OTHER SURROUNDING SUBURBAN AREAS.
AS DEVELOPMENT HAS ACCELERATED IN RECENT YEARS, WE'VE ALSO THOUGHT MORE AND MORE, OR I HAVE THOUGHT MORE AND MORE ABOUT HOW QUICKLY TOWNS CAN LOSE THEIR SENSE OF IDENTITY IF GROWTH HAPPENS WITHOUT INTENTION.
UM, IN THE HOUSTON AREA ALONE, THERE ARE SO MANY COMMUNITIES THAT ONCE HAD A UNIQUE CHARACTER, BUT GRADUALLY BECAME INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE AREAS AROUND THEM.
YOU BEGIN TO SEE THE SAME COMMERCIAL CENTERS, THE SAME DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS, AND EVENTUALLY IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO TELL WHERE ONE TOWN ENDS AND ANOTHER BEGINS.
THAT REALIZATION IS REALLY WHAT LED ME TO START SHORE ARTS ALLIANCE.
MY MOTIVATION WAS NOT TO SIMPLY START ANOTHER ARTS ORGANIZATION, BUT IT CAME FROM THE DESIRE TO HELP ENSURE THAT SHORE CONTINUES TO GROW, OR AS SHORE CONTINUES TO GROW, IT GROWS IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL AND SETS IT APART FROM THE SURROUNDING URBAN LANDSCAPE.
I DIDN'T WANT RE TO BECOME ANOTHER STRETCH OF CONCRETE COOKIE CUTTER, STRIP CENTERS AND INDISTINGUISHED INDISTINGUISHABLE DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF PLACE I WANNA RAISE MY KIDS, AND I FEEL FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT'S NOT, THAT'S THE SAME.
ALSO, UM, I WON'T FEEL SURE TO REMAIN A PLACE THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE AND REMEMBER, NOT A PLACE THAT BLENDS INTO SURROUNDING SUBURBAN SPRAWL.
I WANT TO FEEL INTENTIONAL, DISTINCTIVE, AND GROUNDED IN ITS OWN IDENTITY.
ONE OF THE WAYS COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAINED THAT KIND OF IDENTITY DURING PERIODS OF GROWTH IS THROUGH THOUGHTFUL PLACEMAKING AND PUBLIC ART.
WHEN I TALK ABOUT PUBLIC ART, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING THAT SOMETIMES CAN BE MISUNDERSTOOD.
THERE IS A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DECORATION AND INTENTIONALLY COMMISSIONED ART.
DECORATION IS OFTEN TEMPORARY OR SEASONAL.
IT CAN CERTAINLY ADD CHARM OR VISUAL INTEREST, BUT IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY SHAPE THE LONG TERM IDENTITY OF A PLACE COMMISSIONED PUBLIC ART IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
IT IS SITE SPECIFIC, IT'S INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED.
IT IS CREATED BY PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS, BUILT WITH DURABLE MATERIALS AND INTEGRATED INTO THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT OF A COMMUNITY.
OVER TIME, THESE WORKS CAN BECOME RECOGNIZABLE LANDMARKS.
THEY ARE THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE PHOTOGRAPH, SHARE, AND ASSOCIATE WITH A PLACE OR TOWN.
THAT KIND OF WORK HELPS CREATE VISUAL IDENTITY FOR A CITY IN WAYS THAT DECORATE DECORATIONS SIMPLY CANNOT.
FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, THIS KIND OF PLACEMAKING ALSO MATTERS MORE THAN PEOPLE SOMETIMES REALIZE.
COMMUNITIES WITH A STRONG SENSE OF IDENTITY TEND TO ATTRACT STRONGER INVESTMENTS, HIGHER QUALITY BUSINESSES, AND INCREASE TOURISM.
WHEN PLACES FEEL DISTINCTIVE AND THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED, PEOPLE WANT TO SPEND TIME THERE.
THEY WANT TO VISIT, GATHER, AND RETURN.
THAT SENSE OF PLACE BECOMES PART OF THE COMMUNITY'S LONG TERM VALUE.
IF WE WANT SRE TO ATTRACT QUALITY DEVELOPMENT AND REMAIN COMPETITIVE AS IT GROWS, WE HAVE TO THINK NOT ONLY ABOUT BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT ALSO ABOUT CHARACTER, EXPERIENCE AND IDENTITY.
THE PURPOSE OF THE FULCHER ARTS ALLIANCE IS TO HELP FACILITATE THAT KIND OF THOUGHTFUL, INTENTIONAL WORK.
SO WE EXIST TO PROMOTE ADVOCATE FOR AND SUPPORT PUBLIC ART AND CULTURAL INITIATIVES THAT STRENGTHEN
[00:05:01]
RE'S IDENTITY AND CONTRIBUTE TO ITS LONG-TERM VITALITY.MY VISION FOR F-A-A-F-A-A THAT'S NEW
I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO CALL IT FAA, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
BUT MY VISION FOR FAA IS TO BE, IS TO SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE COMMUNITY.
NOT A BURDEN, NOT A HOBBY GROUP, BUT A THOUGHTFUL PARTNER THAT CAN HELP BRING IDEAS, ORGANIZATION, AND EVENTUALLY OUTSIDE FUNDING THE PROJECTS THAT ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN SHORE.
THE ORGANIZATION IS CURRENTLY BEING RELAUNCHED AS A NONPROFIT, UM, WITH THE GOAL OF BUILDING A STRONG AND SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURE.
SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS PROCESS OF FORMING A BOARD.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS AND CREATING CLEAR GOALS.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF PURSUING GRANTS AND SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT COULD HELP SUPPORT PROJECTS WITHOUT PLACING THE FULL FINANCIAL BURDEN ON THE CITY.
THE GOAL IS NOT TO CREATE RANDOM ART PROJECTS OR SCATTERED INSTALLATIONS.
THE GOAL IS TO SUPPORT A LONG-TERM VISION WHERE ART AND DESIGN ARE INTEGRATED THOUGHTFULLY INTO THE GROWTH OF THE COMMUNITY.
ONE SMALL EXAMPLE THAT MANY RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH IS OUR PAINTED UTILITY BOX PROJECT.
UM, THAT PROJECT THAT WE STARTED SIX YEARS AGO, UM, SHOWED SOMETHING SHOWED HOW SOMETHING SIMPLE CAN INTRODUCE CREATIVITY INTO EVERYDAY INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, AND EVERYDAY I SEE THEM, IT'S, IT'S, UH, THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY.
I THINK THAT'S THE SAME FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, BUT PEOPLE HAVE RESPONDED VERY POSITIVELY TO THOSE INSTALLATIONS.
THEY'VE BROUGHT COLOR, CHARACTER, AND A SENSE OF CARE INTO OUR BUILT ENVIRONMENT SO THAT THIS KIND OF RESPONSE SHOWS THAT THERE'S ALREADY AN APPETITE FOR THE THOUGHTFUL PLACEMAKING HERE IN SHORE.
LOOKING AHEAD, I SEE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAA TO HELP ENCOURAGE PROJECTS THAT ARE STILL PRACTICAL, VISIBLE, AND MEANINGFUL.
THAT COULD INCLUDE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF THE UTILITY BOX, ART, FUTURE, UM, SIGNATURE SCULPTURE INSTALLATIONS, OR OTHER SITE SPECIFIC COMMISSIONED PIECES THAT CREATE MEMORABLE VISUAL, VISUAL ANCHORS INTO THE CITY.
I ALSO THINK OUR PARKS PRESENT AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY.
OUR PARKS ARE ALREADY A VALUABLE ASSET.
UM, THEY'RE PLACED, THEY WILL BE AND ARE PLACES WHERE FAMILIES GATHER WHERE CHILDREN CAN PLAY AND WHERE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS CAN SPEND TIME OUTDOORS.
INTEGRATING ART INTO PARKS COULD CREATE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES WITHOUT REPLACING THE AMENITIES THAT ALREADY EXIST.
THAT COULD INCLUDE SCULPTURAL SEATING, ARTISTIC SHADE STRUCTURES, OR SUBTLE SITE SITE SPECIFIC INSTALLATIONS ALONG WALKING PATHS THAT REFLECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF THIS AREA.
THESE WOULD NOT BE DECORATIONS ADDED FOR THE SAKE OF EMBELLISHMENT.
THEY WOULD BE INTEGRATED DESIGN ELEMENTS THAT MAKE A PARK FEEL MORE MEMORABLE, MORE DISTINCTIVE, AND MORE CONNECTED TO A PLACE WHEN PARKS BECOME EXPERIENCES, NOT JUST AMENITIES, THEY STRENGTHEN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY ECOSYSTEM.
PUBLIC ART CAN ALSO PLAY A ROLE IN COMMERCIAL AREAS.
A WELL-DESIGNED INSTALLATION PLACED THOUGHTFULLY NEAR A BUSINESS CORRIDOR COULD BECOME A VISUAL LANDMARK OR GATHERING POINT.
THESE KINDS OF FEATURES ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SPEND MORE TIME IN THOSE AREAS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE PERCEPTION THAT COMMUNITY IS INTENTIONAL ABOUT ITS DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT.
THAT IS PART OF WHAT I HOPE FUL ARTS ALLIANCE CAN HELP SUPPORT OVER TIME.
A VISION FOR RE THAT IS NOT GENERIC, BUT RECOGNIZABLE A CITY THAT PEOPLE REMEMBER.
NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT IS GROWING, BUT BECAUSE IT HAS CHOSEN TO GROW IN A WAY THAT FEELS DISTINCTIVE AND ROOTED.
MY INTENTION TODAY IS NOT TO PRESENT A FORMAL PROPOSAL OR ASK FOR FUNDING.
I SIMPLY NEED TO INTRODUCE THE ORGANIZATION, UM, EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS CREATED, AND BEGIN A CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT MY GOALS AND PURPOSE ARE.
WITH THE SHORE ARTS ALLIANCE AT ITS CORE, SHORE ARTS SCIENCE WAS CREATED BECAUSE I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SHORE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY RIGHT NOW TO SET IT APART.
GROWTH IS INEVITABLE, BUT CHARACTER IS INTENTIONAL.
IF WE DON'T SHAPE OUR IDENTITY NOW, THE MARKET WILL SHAPE IT FOR US.
MY HOPE IS THAT THROUGH THOUGHTFUL PLANNING, COLLABORATION, AND A COMMITMENT TO QUALITY SHORE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW ECONOMICALLY WHILE ALSO MAINTAINING THE CHARACTER AND SENSE OF PLACE THAT DREW SO MANY OF US HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
CHER SHORE DOES NOT HAVE TO BLEND IN WITH ITS SURROUNDING AREAS.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SET OURSELVES APART, AND I BELIEVE THOUGHTFUL PUBLIC ART AND PLACE MAKING CAN BE PART OF HOW WE DO THAT.
UM, I JUST, I HAVE A SPECIFIC IDEA THAT I WANTED TO PRESENT TO Y'ALL.
[00:10:01]
LIKE MANY TOWNS AROUND US, THEY DO LIKE WIMBERLEY DOES THE, UM, I THE BOOT INSTALLATION, UM, KEA DOES THE PELICANS, HOUSTON DID THE COWS.SO I WAS THINKING, UM, ABOUT DOING ALLIGATORS.
AND SO I HAVE, AND I'M SORRY, THAT'S FRONT AND BACK, AND THAT PAPER IS WEIRD.
I HAD A VISION AND IT DIDN'T WORK OUT.
BUT, UM, THERE IS A MODEL, LIKE A MOCKUP OF WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND ARTISTS WOULD BE COMMISSIONED TO PAINT, UM, SITE SPECIFIC ALLIGATORS THAT WOULD BE COMMISSIONED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO WOULD PAY FOR THE SCULPTURES, HOPEFULLY.
AND, UM, I HAVE A WHOLE LITTLE PLAN LINED OUT WITH COST AND OTHER NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR YOU TO LOOK AT.
SO FOR ANYBODY THAT'S WATCHING OR ACCESSING OUR PACKET ONLINE, UM, THIS WAS NOT IN THE PACKET.
CAN YOU SHARE, UM, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE IF SOMEONE CAN REACH OUT TO YOU, MAYBE VIA EMAIL OR OF COURSE YOU HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE AS WELL.
SO WHAT'S THE NAME OF THE PAGE? IT'S SHORE ARTS ALLIANCE.
SO IF ANYONE CAN FOLLOW THAT PAGE, MAYBE SEND A MESSAGE.
THEY CAN RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION AS WELL.
AND MY, CAN I SHARE MY EMAIL ADDRESS? SURE, GO AHEAD.
IT'S EVANGELINE KURBO@SHOREARTSALLIANCE.ORG ORG.
IS THAT IT? DID YOU HAVE, I'LL GIVE YOU FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS ON, ON WHAT YOU JUST TOLD US.
I THINK PLACEMAKING IS SO IMPORTANT TO A, A TOWN, UH, AND I, I, I BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SAID IN YOUR COMMENTS, AND I WISH YOU 10 TONS OF SUCCESS WITH THIS
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED AMONGST THE EDC, THIS, THIS BOARD AND THE OTHER BOARD.
WE, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA, UH, BE WELL ON OUR WAY TO HAVING A MURAL INSTALLED.
AND, UM, THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRIC LINES OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT, UH, THAT, THAT WHOLE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND PLACEMAKING AND HAVING SOMETHING UNIQUE WHERE YOU'RE NOT THE SAME AS EVERY OTHER SUBURB OUT THERE MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
SO, UH, I, I JUST WISH YOU 10 TONS OF SUCCESS WITH THIS.
AND I, FOR THE KIDS, I WANT THEM MY, I WANTED MY KIDS TO FEEL LIKE THEY GREW UP SOMEWHERE SPECIAL.
AND I THINK, I THINK WE'RE ON OUR WAY.
UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, UH, I'M GLAD EVANGELINE, EVANGELINE EVANGELINE, I SAY EVANGELINE.
UH, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I I WAS HAPPY THAT SHE CAME IS OFTENTIMES WE SEEM TO BE BEHIND IN OUR CONVERSATIONS.
WE WANT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, AND THEN WE REALIZE, OH, WE NEED TO TALK TO AN EXPERT.
UH, NOW I JUST, I WANTED, I KNEW SHE WAS AN EXPERT.
UM, I WILL, I WILL PROBABLY SAY THAT THE ONLY TIME I'VE FOUND SOCIAL MEDIA TO BE USEFUL TO ME IN THE PAST YEAR WAS FINDING YOU.
UM, UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE OPENED THE DOOR TO THE CONVERSATION.
SHE MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT SHE WAS WORKING ON SEVERAL THINGS, BUT YOU ALREADY HAVE A LIST OF OVER 50 ARTISTS.
UH, SO, I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE STARTING FROM SCRATCH.
BUT THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED, UM, WANTED US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONSIDERED WAS A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED AS A BOARD, UH, FALLS ONTO THE LAPS OF ANELLE AND HAYDEN.
UH, AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, WELL NOW THE TWO OF Y'ALL, UM, WHO ALREADY HAVE FULL-TIME JOBS DOING OTHER THINGS, NOW WE HAVE THIS OTHER THING THAT WE WANT TO ADD TO YOUR PLATE.
AND SO NOW IF WE, WE HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO, UH, YOU KNOW, AN ARTS EXPERT, WE HAVE SOMEONE, UM, WHO, THAT WE CAN LEAN ON, UH, FOR THAT TYPE OF GUIDANCE AS WELL.
SO EVEN, YOU KNOW, I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS, UH, THIS IS PHENOMENAL
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE THINK ABOUT MOVING FORWARD ON A VARIETY OF PROJECTS AND BRINGING IN ART, WHICH IS NOT, I'M GOING, I'M NOT THE PERSON WHO'S GONNA DO THAT.
I'M GOING TO LEAN ON OTHERS, UM, TO, BUT WE DO HAVE A, A PERSON, A POINT OF CONTACT THAT IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S ALREADY GOING TO HELP US.
SO I DON'T USUALLY SAY MUCH
SO TAYLOR JACKSON, THE CEO OF HOUSTON ART ALLIANCE MM-HMM
[00:15:01]
GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.AND, UH, I'M A FILMMAKER AND THEY DO A LOT OF GRANTS FOR FILMMAKERS, BUT I DON'T QUALIFY 'CAUSE I LIVE IN FULL STREET.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING YOU GUYS WILL EVENTUALLY, UH, GROW TO BE ABLE TO HELP FUND LOCAL FILMMAKERS? THE GOAL IS TO HELP FUND AND SUPPORT ARTISTS OF ALL KINDS IN THE SHORE AREA.
UM, WHEN I STARTED, I HAD BIG IDEAS AND BIG PLANS, AND I, UM, RECRUITED THE THEATER TEACHER FROM JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL, UM, WHO'S NO LONGER THERE, BUT SHE, I BROUGHT HER ON TO HELP, UM, START KIND OF A, A THEATER COMPANY FOR, BUT WE, UM, THE PROBLEM WAS, BACK IN 2000 I STARTED THIS, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE KIND OF TOOK A BREAK.
I TOOK A STEP BACK AND I WENT TO GRADUATE SCHOOL SO I COULD LEARN HOW TO DO THIS.
AND, UM, SO, BUT YES, UM, HOUSTON ARTS SCIENCE IS AN AMAZING ORGANIZATION AND I WOULD LOVE TO, UM, SUPPORT ARTISTS AS MUCH AS THEY DO, UM, IN THE FUTURE.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY GET FUNDING, BUT THEY HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF, THEY SURE DO.
I'LL TELL YOU WHERE THEY GET IT FROM.
THAT'S ONE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST MM-HMM
UH, BUT ARE, ARE THEY THE ONES THAT SPONSOR THE BAYOU CITY ART FESTIVAL EVERY YEAR? YES.
THEY GET A LOT OF MONEY THERE TOO.
THEY, THEY GET A LOT OF MONEY.
UM, ONE, ONE THING THAT I THINK WE DEFINITELY, AS, AS A COMMUNITY LIKE THIS SHOULD TAKE NOTE, IS A LOT OF FILMMAKING, TAX BREAKS ARE GONNA BE IN THIS NEXT LEGISLATION.
AND A LOT OF FILMMAKERS WOULD LOVE TO SHOOT IN AN AREA LIKE THIS.
THAT ATTRACTS A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF TOURISM.
I MEAN, AS WE'VE SEEN WITH WACO, WITH THE, UH, HOME RESTORATION RIGHT.
COUPLE, LIKE, IT IS LITERALLY MADE, I WAS LIVING IN NEW YORK WHEN THAT BECAME POPULAR, AND I MET PEOPLE IN NEW YORK COMING TO TEXAS JUST TO GO TO WACO.
AND I WAS LIKE,
AND EVERY, ALL MY FRIENDS WERE LIKE, OOH, LET'S GO TO WACO.
I THINK PEOPLE, AND THEY GO, OH, WE GOING TO TEXAS AT WACO? AND I WAS LIKE, WHY
UH, BUT, AND NOW THEY'RE MOVING TO LAUREL, MISSISSIPPI TOO.
I'VE EVEN, I TOLD MY HUSBAND, I WAS LIKE, LET'S GO TO LAUREL.
AND HE'S LIKE, NO, HE'S FROM TENNESSEE.
HE'S LIKE, YOU DON'T WANNA GO THERE,
BUT I, I JUST THINK FHI HAS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.
I MEAN, IT'S A GREAT HISTORY HERE.
UH, AND IT'S STILL BEAUTIFUL BEFORE THEY POUR ALL THE CONCRETE MM-HMM
WELL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR YOU WERE ON MY SIDE,
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, UM, THAT SHE'S JUST BEEN A GREAT RESOURCE FOR US.
WE HAD A MEETING, UH, MAYBE ABOUT A MONTH AGO, A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, AND JUST KIND OF STARTED THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, LIKE MS. KAY MENTIONED, WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO START OUR FIRST MURAL MM-HMM
UM, AND IT'S JUST LIKE BRIAN SAID, IT TAKES TIME.
IT'S AGREEMENTS AND EASEMENTS AND FINDING THE PROPER LOCATION AND GETTING THE BUY-IN FROM THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO I THINK, UM, A BOARD, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT VERY TYPICAL THAT WE PARTNER, BUT I THINK THAT WE AS LEADERS, WE NEED TO HAVE A COHESIVE VISION FOR THE CITY.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE AND TO PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT, UM, WHETHER EVENTUALLY IN THE FUTURE WE FIND IT'S ALLOWABLE WITH OUR PROMOTIONS BUDGET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, OR WE TALKED ABOUT CERTAIN EVENTS EVENTUALLY BRINGING ARTISTS, UM, AND KIND OF THE VISION FOR THAT.
AND SO I THINK THERE WILL BE REALLY WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIPS IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND I DID WANNA MENTION THAT HAYDEN HAS BEEN WORKING THE PAST FEW MONTHS TO RECEIVE A DESIGNATION FOR FUL TO BE A FILM FRIENDLY CITY BY THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
AND SO THAT, AND KEEPING THAT A SECRET
UM, ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, BEING MINDFUL PEOPLE SAY, WELL, WHO WANTS TO COME FILM IN SRE? BUT YOU'LL BE VERY SURPRISED HOW CERTAIN LITTLE POCKETS HAVE THE RIGHT CHARACTERISTICS OR JUST THE RIGHT VIBE, IF YOU WILL, FOR WHAT THAT PERSON IS LOOKING FOR IN THAT FILM.
AND IT, IT UNLOCKS RESOURCES FROM THE STATE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CAN'T ACCESS RIGHT NOW.
AND SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO PURSUE.
UH, ON THE OTHER HAND, WE HAVE THE BREW CITY THAT HE ALSO WORKED ON, UM, AND WE RECEIVED THAT DESIGNATION.
SO WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PARTNER AND ACCESS ALL THESE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, UM, I GUESS DIFFERENT POTS OF MM-HMM.
OF MONEY TO, TO BE ABLE TO BRING WHAT SHORE DESERVES.
AND LIKE IT WAS MENTIONED, I THINK THERE'S A REALLY BEAUTIFUL, RICH HISTORY HERE THAT WE CAN HONOR THROUGH PLACEMAKING IN DIFFERENT, UM, DIFFERENT MODES OF ART.
AND SO I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM,
THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING TONIGHT.
AND WE ARE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO JUST CONTINUALLY WORKING WITH YOU AND COLLABORATING, UH, IN THE FUTURE.
I'M FROM A SMALL TOWN IN EAST TEXAS.
UH, JACKSONVILLE, TEXAS, MUCH LIKE A
[00:20:01]
CHER MM-HMMAND THEY, UH, THEIR PROMOTION WAS TOMATOES, JACKSONVILLE AT ONE TIME WAS THE TOMATO CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
AND EVERY YEAR THEY HAVE THE TOMATO FEST AND LIKE 50 TO 75,000 PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER COMING TO THAT SMALL TOWN.
AND I THINK THEY RECEIVE A LOT OF FUNDING THAT WAY.
I THINK WE NEED TO MARK IT ON THESE ALLIGATORS.
I THINK THE ALLIGATOR IS AN AMAZING IDEA.
[Business - B]
ITEM B, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION MINUTES OF THE CORPORATION FOR THE FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026 MEETING.I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FOR THE FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026 MEETING.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
[Business - C]
CONSIDERATION ACTION ON FINANCIALS AND PAYABLES FOR THE CORPORATION FOR THE PERIOD ENDING JANUARY 31ST, 2026, HAYDEN.ALRIGHT, UM, THE, SO WE HAVE THE FEBRUARY SALES TAX NUMBERS IS THE DECEMBER, UH, 2025 REMITTANCES.
UM, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY DOWN 8.77% FROM THE SAME PERIOD THE PREVIOUS YEAR, TOTALING $252,539 AND 19 CENTS.
EACH CORPORATION'S REVENUES TOTAL $613,716 AND 97 CENTS, OR 26.12% OF THE BUDGET FOR 25% OF THE YEAR.
UM, AND WHILE BEING DOWN 8.77% MAY RAISE ALARM BELLS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT LAST YEAR, THE SAME, UM, TIME PERIOD, WE WERE UP 31%.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY JUST A RETURN TO NORMALCY, UM, FOR OUR, OUR GROWTH PROJECTIONS.
AND WE'RE VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO WE, WE'LL MONITOR IT, BUT IT'S NOTHING, UH, THAT'S RAISING ALARM BELLS FOR US RIGHT NOW.
ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS? I, I APPRECIATE ALL THE, UH, GRAPHS AND CHARTS Y'ALL HAD.
WELL, I THOUGHT IT WAS IN THIS SECTION.
IS THIS THE SECTION WITH ALL THE GRAPHS AND IT IS ACTUALLY IN THE BUDGET AND THAT, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
WE DO HAVE SALES TAX GRAPHS AND CHARTS AND THEY WILL BE IN THE, THE BUDGET ITEM.
I WAS THINKING IT WAS IN THIS SECTION.
UM, I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE PAYABLE OF $18,682 AND 34 CENTS A SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
[Business - D]
D UPDATE ON EDC FUNDED CIP PROJECTS.HARRIS STREET, EAST SIDE OR DOWNTOWN EAST SIDE DRAINAGE.
SO WE ARE NOW IN THE BIDDING PROCESS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CONSTRUCTION FOR HARRIS STREET.
UH, THAT WENT OUT, WENT OUT LAST WEEK WITH A 30 DAY SOLICITATION PERIOD.
UH, SO WE'LL BE OPENING BIDS ON THE 31ST AND LOOKING TO AWARD THE NEXT CONTRACT AT THE MAY, UH, REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING.
YOU'RE GONNA GET BIDS ON MARCH 31ST AND IT'S GONNA BE MAY BEFORE YOU TAKE IT TO COUNCIL INSTEAD OF APRIL.
YEAH, JUST 'CAUSE OF THE SCHEDULING, HAVING TO HAVE IT IN, UH, RECEIVING BIDS, UH, QUESTION PERIOD.
AND THEN I WASN'T THINKING OF THAT.
AND THEN, SO FOR THE LANDSCAPING PORTION FOR PHASE ONE, UH, SO WE HAD TO CON CONDUCT AN INFORMAL SOLICITATION.
UH, SO THAT'S GOING ON RIGHT NOW AS WELL.
AND THEN WE ARE FOR THE MATERIAL PORTION FOR THE LANDSCAPING IS, UH, BEING PROCESSED THROUGH, UH, OUR CO-OP VENDOR SITE ONE LANDSCAPING.
SO, UM, AND THAT'S EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN A MONTH.
SO WE ARE CURRENTLY PROCESSING THE FINAL PAY APP FOR DG MEDINA, UH, WHICH WE'LL CLOSE OUT, UH, ALL PAYMENT, ALL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS FOR, FOR THEM.
[00:25:01]
DOOR AND MOVE ON TO THIS NEXT CONTRACTOR.SO LAST PAYOUT DOES THE LANDSCAPING DOLLARS, THAT DOES NOT COME FROM THE EDC BUDGET, THAT COMES FROM A CITY BUDGET LINE SOMEWHERE? YES.
THAT IT'S NOT FROM EDC DOLLARS.
IT'S SOME, IT'S THAT, THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH JUST TO KNOW IT'S NOT US, IT'S THE CITY.
IT'S ACTUALLY, UH, PART OF THE PROJECT FUNDS BEING ALLOCATED OKAY.
SO, SO WHEN IT, WE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WORK OUT VERY WELL WITH, UH, DG MEDINA.
UM, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN? I WOULD SAY EVALUATING QUALIFICATIONS, UH, MORE THOROUGHLY.
UH, IS THAT WHAT WE MISSED? I REFERENCES? YEAH.
YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH THESE CONTRACTORS TOO? YES.
SO WE'VE, UH, WE'VE, UH, SENT OUT THE, UH, BID PURCHASING PACKET TO A COUPLE CONTRACTORS THAT ARE WORKING IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW THAT WE KNOW, UH, PERFORM GOOD WORK.
WE'RE SEEING THEM PERFORM GOOD WORK ON OTHER CITY PROJECTS.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS YEAH.
UM, IS THERE, ARE WE GETTING ANY BACK FROM ANYTHING BACK FROM DG MEDINA? I MEAN, DID THEY LOSE ANYTHING IN THIS OR DID THEY JUST, I MEAN, OR DID WE JUST OPEN OURSELVES UP TO PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN COME IN, DO LOW QUALITY WORK, BE LATE, BE JUST TERRIBLE.
UM, BUT WE WILL, WE HAVE, WE WILL PAY YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WORK YOU DO GET DONE, EVEN WHEN IT'S SLOW AND COSTS US ANOTHER SIX MONTHS TO FIND SOMEONE TO GET THE REST OF THE PROJECT DONE.
I, I WOULD SAY THAT THEIR PERFORMANCE LED TO BOTH THEM BEING TERMINATED AS WELL AS THE CITY, UH, RETAINING SOME OF THAT RETAINAGE THAT WOULD'VE BEEN PAID OUT TO THEM.
WHICH IS ALLOWING US TO PAY FOR THE LANDSCAPING, THE, UH, THE APRON, THE INLET THAT WAS ADJUSTED, SOME OF THOSE ITEMS, SO, OKAY.
SO, SO THE 10% RETAINAGE, UH, ON EACH OF THE PAY APPS, UH, WE'RE KEEPING ALL OF THAT A PRETTY BIG CHUNK OF IT.
BUT WE ARE, THE, THE AMOUNT OF RETAINAGE WE'RE PAYING THEM IS, UH, I'LL HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT IT'S PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY LOW.
JUST FROM THOSE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF RECAP THOSE FUNDS FROM.
UH, I MEAN, MY, MY, MY REAL CONCERN IS CITY COUNCIL COMING BACK AND COMING BACK AND SAYING, HEY, EDC FUNDED THIS PROJECT.
Y'ALL ARE THE ONES WHO HIRED THIS CONTRACTOR WHO BASICALLY TOOK YOUR MONEY AND DIDN'T GIVE US WHAT ANYTHING.
SO WHAT GOOD ARE YOU EDC? WELL, IT WAS COUNCIL WHO AWARDS THE CONTRACT.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO CHOOSE THE CONTRACT.
WELL, CITY COUNCIL WHO APPROVES EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IN A BUDGET, INCLUDING MM-HMM
BUT IT WAS ALSO, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T THINK THAT THAT CONNECTION WOULD BE, IF ANYTHING, IT WOULD, I WOULD ALSO SAY THOUGH THAT IT'S CITY STAFF THAT HAD THE BUT OVERSIGHT ON THE WHOLE, THAT'S MY, THAT'S MY QUESTION IS YEAH.
WHERE DOES THAT OVER, I MEAN, HOW MUCH OVERSIGHT, BECAUSE I WILL ADMIT, I WILL, I WILL ADMIT THAT I DID NOT THINK IT WOULD BE IN OUR PURVIEW TO OVERSEE CITY STAFF IN THEIR AWARD OR AN ELECTION OF A, UH, OF A CONTRACTOR.
I, I DID NOT THINK THAT WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
IS IT SOMEONE'S RESPONSIBILITY, EITHER CITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY OR SOMEONE ELSE IN CITY, CITY STAFF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO, YOU KNOW, LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE? UM, 'CAUSE I MEAN, NOW WE'RE HEARING, OKAY, NOW WE'RE GONNA DEFINITELY WORK WITH ONE OF THESE MORE REPUTABLE COMPANIES.
YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD ONLY WORK WITH MORE REPUTABLE COMPANIES.
I, WELL, I DID WANNA MENTION, UM, AS YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE VERY VALID QUESTIONS AND WE DEFINITELY DO NOT WANNA BE IN THIS SITUATION AGAIN, BEING PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
UM, SO I WILL SAY ULTIMATELY IT'S THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR, UM, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT TRANSITION AS WELL.
UH, BUT IT IS, IT'S REALLY A TEAM EFFORT.
UH, I WILL SAY PUBLIC WORKS WORKS
[00:30:01]
VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND, UM, OUR PURCHASING MANAGER, UH, TO GO, OR PROCUREMENT MANAGER, I'M NOT SURE EXACT TITLE HERE.UM, BUT CASSIE, WHO'S WALKED THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND THEY CHECKED EVERY BOX THAT IS, THAT IS PART OF THE PROCESS WITH DJ MEDINA.
IT TRULY, THEY PROVIDED THE REFERENCES.
THEY PROVIDED THE WORK FOR PAST PROJECTS.
UM, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT MORE DUE DILIGENCE I THINK COULD HAVE PREVENTED BECAUSE THEY WENT THROUGH EVERY SINGLE STEP OF THE PROCESS.
I HAVE HEARD THE PUBLIC WORKS HAVE SAY, THIS IS THE WORST PROJECT IN MY 20 SOMETHING YEAR CAREER.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT, SOMETIMES THOSE THINGS JUST HAPPEN.
UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK AT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WHERE THE WORK WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE, THAT WAS MADE KNOWN, THAT WAS DOCUMENTED, THEY TOOK EVERY STEP TO REMEDY THAT.
UM, AND I MEAN, DOWN TO HAVING OUR STAFF OUT THERE COUNTING THE MATERIALS THAT WERE ORDERED, MAKING SURE WE HAD EVERYTHING THAT WASN'T USED, THAT THEY DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING.
UM, SO I THINK IT WAS HANDLED AS BEST AS, AS WE COULD DO IT AS A TEAM.
UM, AND THIS IS THE BEST OPTION WE HAVE MOVING FORWARD.
A LOT OF LESSONS WERE DEFINITELY LEARNED, AND MAYBE WE NEEDED TO INCREASE THAT BAR, INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF REFERENCES, DOUBLE, TRIPLE CHECK.
NOBODY WANTS TO BE IN THIS SITUATION.
I THINK FOR ALL OF US, WE WANT TO SEE THIS PROJECT COMPLETED.
AND WE DON'T WANNA SEE THIS HAPPEN TO ANY OTHER CIP PROJECT ON, ON THE LIST.
THAT, UH, DG MEDINA DID HAVE REFERENCES CHECKOUT MM-HMM
THAT OUR PURCHASING DEPARTMENT PERFORMED.
BUT WE FEEL CONFIDENT MOVING FORWARD.
WHAT DO WE ALREADY KNOW AN, AN ANTICIPATED COMPLETION DATE? I MEAN, 'CAUSE I KNOW DG MEDINA WANTED ANOTHER YEAR.
UM, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL FAIRLY CONFIDENT FOR COMPLETION BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO MOVING ON TO FOURTH STREET.
SO CONRAD CONSTRUCTION HAS MOBILIZED NOW.
WE, UH, THEY'VE BROUGHT MACHINES ON SITE, SO THEY'VE BEGAN CLEARING AND GRUBBING DOING SOME SITE WORK.
SO, UH, WE'VE SPOKEN WITH THE LANDOWNER AT THAT, THE LAST, THE, THE LAST HOMEOWNER ON THE CORNER OF FOURTH AND HOUSTON TO KIND OF STAY IN CONTACT WITH THEM AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO, UH, THINGS ARE, THINGS SHOULD GET ROLLING ON FOURTH STREET.
WILL, WILL FOURTH STREET BE ALL, UH, TORN UP? AND SO YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE, UM, LIKE SIM STREET THROUGH FROM 10 93 TO FIFTH STREET.
I MEAN, THERE, THERE'LL BE A TRAFFIC CONTROL PLAN.
IT SHOULD BE ONE LANE AT A TIME.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD SHARE WITH YOU GUYS.
THERE'S A TRAFFIC CONTROL PLAN WE CAN SHARE.
ONLY, SO MY PLACE OF BUSINESS IS ON FIFTH STREET.
AND I OFTEN MAKE RUNS OVER TO ACE HARDWARE, WHICH IS ON THIRD STREET.
I NEED REALLY NEED TO MAKE IT OVER.
SO THAT IS JUST A, UH, SELFISH QUESTION ON MY BOARD.
AND ALL THAT WILL BE PROVIDED TO ALL THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN THAT AREA, UM, WHEN THOSE TRIPS ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN, AND THEY'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION.
SO THAT I CAN PASS IT ALONG TO MY CUSTOMERS.
WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
'CAUSE I ALSO TAKE THOSE ANYTHING TO NOT HAVE TO GET ON 3 59.
AND WE'LL, WE'LL BE DOING DOOR HANGERS ON THE, THE RESIDENCE.
ALL THE RESIDENCE ALONG FOURTH STREET TOO, SO.
IS THAT IT? THAT'S IT FOR FOURTH STREET.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
[Business - E]
E DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE AUTHORIZATION OF A DENSITY STUDY BY ZIEGLER COOPER TO EVALUATE THE VIABILITY AND DESIGN OF A DOWNTOWN PARKING STRUCTURE.SO WE'VE RECEIVED A REQUEST TO FUND A DENSITY STUDY FOR A PROPOSED MIXED USED PARKING STRUCTURE, UH, DOWNTOWN.
AND THIS REQUEST WAS, UM, KIND OF BORN OUTTA
[00:35:01]
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THE, UH, METHODIST CHURCH DOWNTOWN AND, UM, SOME OTHER PROPERTY OWNERS IN THAT AREA OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS POSSIBLE, WHAT IS AVAILABLE.UM, I THINK ALL PARTIES RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO IS TO WORK TOGETHER, UM, TO MAKE THESE PROJECTS, UM, MOVE FORWARD AND EACH ENTITY CARRY THE LEAST AMOUNT OF BURDEN.
SO, UH, THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU IS FOR $12,000 FOR THIS, UH, DENSITY STUDY.
IT WOULD, UH, BE SPLIT IF YOU CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT HALF, UH, OF THE COST FOR YOU AND HALF OF THE COST FOR B BOARD, UH, WHEN THEY SEE THIS, UH, NEXT WEEK'S MEETING.
WHAT DID, WHEN IT SAYS DENSITY STUDY, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF A DENSITY STUDY BEFORE.
I MEAN THIS, WHEN I READ THE ATTACHMENT, IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS JUST, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA SCOPE OUT A DESIGN FOR YOU.
I, IT IS AN ODD WAY TO PUT IT, BUT IT'S, I THINK IT'S REFERRING TO THE PARKING DENSITY THAT CAN BE HELD ON THAT PARCEL.
I'M NOT SURE WHY IT'S REFERRED TO AS A DENSITY STUDY, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE BEST THAT WE COULD, UH, GATHER.
AND, AND, UM, ZIEGLER COOPER HAS PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH THE CHURCH AS THEY EXPLORE WHAT THEIR OPTIONS ARE.
UM, THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES OF OPINION IN WHAT THE PROPER DESIGN OR AMOUNT OF PARKING SPOTS WOULD BE, UM, FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW AS CITY STAFF, UM, AND WHAT THE CHURCH NEEDS.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK BOTH ENTITIES RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S ROOM FOR COLLABORATION AND WE'RE LOOKING ON HOW BEST TO EXPLORE THAT IN AN EDUCATED WAY.
SO IS THE CHURCH ALSO HELPING TO FUND THIS OR NO? UH, AT THIS TIME THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT.
IF, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS IS A CITY ASK IN TERMS OF TAXPAYER FUNDS ARE GOING TOWARD THE STUDY, AND THEN ANY DESIGN THAT WE DECIDE WITH THE PARKING GARAGE, UM, WOULD BE THE FINAL DECISION WOULD BE MADE WITH THE CITY.
IS THAT, UH, A, I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND YOU SAY COLLABORATION MM-HMM
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT MEANS GETTING INPUT FROM OTHER ENTITIES, WHICH WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE DOING.
UM, WHERE DOES THE FINAL DECISION, UH, WHERE DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT LANDING? I THINK, UH, FOR SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS STUDY, IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE THE CLIENT.
WE WOULD BE GIVING THEM OUR PREFERENCES FOR WHAT THE PARKING STRUCTURE WOULD LOOK LIKE, AND THEN THEY WOULD REPORT ON THE FEASIBILITY OF, OF THAT.
UH, ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THAT GETS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED DOWN THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, IF WE PROVIDE THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY, UM, TO WHATEVER ENTITY IT IS, PROPERTY OWNER, AND WE'RE SAYING, WELL, WE'RE JUST, JUST HYPOTHETICALS, RIGHT? WE'RE FUNDING THE PARKING STRUCTURE.
SO CAN WE DO THAT ON LAND THAT THE THIRD PARTY OWNS? THEN MAYBE THEY'LL SAY, YES, BUT THESE ARE THE CHANGES WE'RE REQUESTING.
SO WHERE IT COULD BECOME MORE OF A DISCUSSION.
SO, UH, WOULD THIS PARKING STRUCTURE ENTAIL TEARING DOWN ANYTHING CURRENTLY IN EXISTENCE? NOT, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHERE THE 2.28 ACRES IS.
NOT FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, UM, THERE IS THE FLAT LOT THAT ALREADY EXISTS ACROSS FROM THE CHURCH THAT THEY CURRENTLY UTILIZE.
UM, I THINK THERE, THERE MIGHT BE A SMALL BUILDING THAT IS USED BY THE CHURCH THAT WILL HAVE TO BE, UH, REMOVED.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'LL RELOCATING IT OR JUST DEMOLISHING.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY GONNA FRONT ON 3 59? UH, THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WAS CONFUSED WITH.
SO THIS SAYS YOU WANT AUTHORIZATION AND THE ATTACHMENT SAID THEY'RE ALREADY PROCEEDING AS REQUESTED BY OWNER.
AND I'M LIKE, WHO'S THE OWNER? AND I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE TIMING AND WHO DID WHAT AND SURE.
I THINK THAT'S JUST LANGUAGE THEY TYPICALLY USE IN THEIR PROPOSALS, UM, WHEN THEY'RE SUBMITTING, AND IT MUST JUST STAY THERE AS A TEMPLATE.
UM, BUT OF COURSE WE, WE WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH ANYTHING WITHOUT YOUR APPROVAL.
SO THEY'RE, SO THEY'RE NOT PROCEEDING JUST YET.
IS IT A, IS THIS GONNA BE A PAID PARKING, UH, GARAGE OR NO? NO, SIR.
I THINK, YEAH, THERE, THERE'S A, A COUPLE DIFFERENT IDEAS.
[00:40:01]
PAID ON STREET, AND THEN YOU INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO PARK IN THE PARKING STRUCTURES.SO YOU PAY FOR THE ACCESSIBILITY THAT ON STREET PARKING HAS.
BUT I THINK WE ARE, UH, WELL, AW,
SO AS OF NOW, THERE'S, THERE'S NO BEEN ANY TALKS ABOUT FUNDING OR, UH, PAID PARKING.
AND THAT WILL BE PART OF THE FUTURE DISCUSSION WHEN WE FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH IT COSTS AND HOW WE WANNA PAY FOR IT.
BUT IT WOULD BE MIXED USE, NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR CHURCH, I MEAN, CORRECT, YES.
BUT THE CHURCH COULD USE IT, OTHER DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES COULD USE IT.
UM, YES, DEFINITELY A REGIONAL USE MM-HMM
SO YEAH, JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON THE SITUATION WITH DOWNTOWN, WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH PARKING AND WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH DRAINAGE.
THIS IS WHY NOTHING IS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN, AND NOTHING WILL HAPPEN DOWNTOWN UNTIL DRAINAGE GETS SOLVED, WHICH IS THE WEST SIDE DRAINAGE PROJECT IN, IN WALLACE STREET.
AND, UM, NOTHING CAN GET BUILT UNTIL THAT'S DONE.
THEN WE'LL STILL HAVE A PARKING ISSUE.
AND SO WE'LL BE LIMITED ON THE SIZE OF, OF PEOPLE.
WE WILL BE LIMITED ON THE SIZE OF BUILDINGS THAT THEY COULD CONSTRUCT.
AND UNLESS WE COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT PLAN, WHETHER IT'S STREET PARKING, WHICH IS LIKE WHAT HARRIS STREET IS BRINGING, OR A PARKING GARAGE.
SO THIS IS JUST LIKE WE FUNDED OTHER STUDIES BEFORE.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO FUND A STUDY FOR THEM TO COME BACK AND SAY, HERE'S WHAT A PARKING STRUCTURE'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
I MEAN, WE KNOW THAT THEY COST ANYWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND $50 MILLION.
SO LET'S NARROW THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
GIVEN THE LAND THAT WE HAVE, WHAT WOULD FIT, WHAT WOULDN'T FIT? WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? IS IT MIXED USE? ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND IT IS, UH, WORTH NOTING, WE DID CONFIRM, UM, IT, IT WOULD BE OUR INTENTION IF, IF THE BOARDS WERE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS STUDY, THAT WHATEVER IS DESIGNED IS DESIGNED WITH, UM, WALLACE'S COMPLETION, UH, WITH WALLACE'S COMPLETION IN MIND.
SO NO INTERIM DETENTION WHERE IT'S GONNA BUMP OUR COST, OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE UNDERGROUND STORAGE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE WOULD LIKE IT TO PLUG DIRECTLY INTO THE, UH, WEST SIDE DRAINAGE PROJECT.
UM, SO AROUND 2028 IS, UM, WHERE WE'RE KIND OF ANTICIPATING WALLACE TO BE COMPLETED.
UM, AND HAVING THIS KIND OF FRONT LOADED, HAVING A PLAN READY, UM, KINDA GIVES US THAT FIRST STEP, UM, TO ADDRESSING THAT PARKING ISSUE DOWNTOWN.
AND WE WANNA TRY TO MAKE THE GARAGE LOOK PRETTY AND PART OF, IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN GET SOME PLACE MAKING APPEAL INTO IT, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL.
A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE TYING TOGETHER ON PURPOSE.
UM, AND IT IS ALSO WORTH NOTING, UM, OUTSIDE OF THE, THE PARKING STRUCTURE, UM, AS BRIAN MENTIONED, HARRIS STREET WILL HAVE ON STREET PARKING AS WILL, ONCE THE WEST SIDE STREET ARE COMPLETED.
THEY WILL ALSO ALL HAVE ON STREET PARKING AS WELL.
UM, JUST NOT A WHOLE LOT OF SPACE, JUST NOT A WHOLE LOT OF SPACES ON THE STREET.
AND NOTHING, NOTHING VERY CONDENSED.
UM, I THINK IN TOTAL, THE WEST SIDE WILL HAVE A LITTLE OVER A HUNDRED ADDITIONAL SPOTS WILL BE MADE.
SO IT, IT'S A GREAT ADDITION, UM, TO WHERE THERE IS NO PARKING RIGHT NOW.
BUT HAVING THAT STRUCTURE PAIRED WITH THAT, UM, FOR DOWNTOWN WOULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE AS, AS WE SEE IT BUILD OUT.
SO WHEN THEY GET, WHEN AT THE CULMINATION OF THIS STUDY, THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE US A BALLPARK FIGURE FOR THE COST OF THE GARAGE.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS, IS THAT LIKE PLUS OR MINUS 20% PLUS OR MINUS 50%? DO THEY, DO THEY GIVE YOU ANY KIND OF A FEEL FOR, UH, WHAT THE, HOW, HOW BIG THE BALLPARK IS THAT THAT ESTIMATE WILL BE? THEY DID NOT.
SO WE CAN, WE CAN ALWAYS ASK AND FOLLOW UP.
YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GOOD TO HAVE IN THERE.
I, I'D LIKE TO, BRIAN MADE A VERY, VERY GOOD POINT.
IF WE CAN NARROW IT DOWN FROM 10 TO 50 TO, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING SMALLER THAN THAT RANGE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
AND IN THE SERVICES DESCRIPTION, ITEM SEVEN IS, UM, COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT COST ESTIMATE.
SO WE SHOULD HAVE A BETTER IDEA WITHIN THAT RANGE OF WHAT, WHAT IT WOULD COST WITH A TWO YEAR OUT PROJECTION.
THAT WAS MENTIONED IN THE CALL WHEN WE WERE KIND OF DISCUSSING WHERE WE ARE, THAT THEY WOULD ALSO INCLUDE THOSE PROJECTIONS.
WELL, I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF, I MEAN, WE, WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP WITH PARKING AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A PARKING GARAGE OFF AND ON FOR, I DON'T KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE, SIX YEARS
[00:45:01]
NOW.UH, THIS EDC BOARD AND THE OTHER EDC BOARD.
SO I THINK IT'S WORTH IT TO SPEND THIS MONEY AND, UH, FIND OUT A BETTER NUMBER OF WHAT WE'RE GRAPPLING WITH HERE AND WHAT'S POSSIBLE TO GET DONE.
CAN WE GO AHEAD AND SPEND $12,000? WELL, MIKE, THAT WAS GONNA BE MY QUESTION.
NOT THAT WE DON'T NEED THIS, BUT DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATES ON WHAT FUNDING WE MIGHT HAVE OR AVAILABLE? SO THAT'S, UH, DO WE PUSH IT OUT A COUPLE MONTHS? AND THEN SO CITY COUNCIL, UH, VOTED THAT THEY WOULD SEND, UH, THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE.
THAT VOTE IS GONNA HAPPEN IN MAY.
UM, SO WE WON'T KNOW ANYTHING UNTIL MAY AT THE, AT THIS POINT, I MEAN, WE'VE ONLY GOT A COUPLE OF MORE MONTHS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED MORE OR LESS AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UH, HAVING SAID THAT, WE, WE HAVE THAT ON FOR THE NEXT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION.
SO WE CAN GET INTO MORE OF THOSE DETAILS.
FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ITEM, THERE'S A BUDGETED, UH, AMOUNT OF $75,000 FOR STUDIES CURRENTLY IN YOUR BUDGET.
THE TOTAL COST OF THIS STUDY IS $12,000, BUT WE'RE JUST REQUESTING $6,000, UNLESS YOU JUST TONIGHT WANT TO DECIDE THAT ABOARD WANTS TO FULLY FUND IT, YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THAT AS WELL.
AND THAT'S BELOW THE THRESHOLD THAT OUR BYLAWS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE RULES SAY THAT WE NEED TO ALSO GO TO COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL.
SO THERE IS, YEAH, THERE IS A MINOR, UH, THERE IS A BUDGET LINE ITEM IN OUR BUDGET FOR MINOR STUDIES WHERE IT DOESN'T NEED COUNCIL APPROVAL.
THE BUDGET ITEM IS WHAT CURRENTLY HAS, UH, AN APPROVED $75,000 FOR STUDIES.
SO IF YOU WERE TO MOVE FORWARD TONIGHT WITH PARTIAL OR FULL FUNDING REQUESTED, THEN WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND BE ABLE TO GET THAT SIGNATURE AND GO AHEAD AND SEND THAT BACK.
I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE SPEND $6,000 AND ASK EDCB TO SPEND THE OTHER $6,000 TO FUND THAT STUDY, THE DENSITY STUDY.
I SECOND IT AND WE HAVE A SECOND.
DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THE ONLY FURTHER DISCUSSION I WILL SAY IS I'M NOT GONNA ARGUE WITH KAY ON THIS
I WILL, I PREFER, UH, ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS THAT IS FULLY FITS WITHIN A BOARD'S, UH, REMIT THAT TO, FOR US TO PAY FOR IT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
BUT MS. KA HAS, UH, UH, DISAGREED WITH ME EVERY TIME I'VE BROUGHT THAT UP.
YOU CAN, YOU CAN, UM, YOU CAN AMEND THE MOTION IF YOU LIKE.
I'M NOT GONNA, WE, UH, I'LL GET VOTED DOWN.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
UH, NOW THE, THE, I WILL SAY THAT THE IMPACT NOW IS THAT THE B BOARD NOW HAS TO AGREE TO PAY THE OTHER 6,000.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM, BUT, UH, THAT WE'LL, WE'LL WAIT.
B BOARD ALSO HAS $75,000 BUDGETED, SO SURE.
IT, IT IS WITHIN THE WHEELHOUSE.
[Business - F]
UH, ITEM F, PRELIMINARY FISCAL YEAR 27.BONNIE WASN'T ABLE TO JOIN US TONIGHT, UM, BECAUSE SHE HAD REQUESTED A FEW OF THE ITEMS WE'LL COVER HERE TONIGHT, BUT I'M SURE SHE'S THE QUEEN OF STUDYING AND FOLLOWING UP.
SO I THINK SHE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, READ THE MINUTES OR LOOK THROUGH OUR PRESENTATION AND KNOW SHE'LL HAVE HER QUESTIONS.
BUT AT OUR FEBRUARY 9TH BOARD MEETING, YOU REQUESTED THAT STAFF BEGIN, UH, PREPARING FOR OUR UPCOMING BUDGET CYCLE, UM, BY JUST EVALUATING KIND OF OUR PRIORITIES AND ESTABLISHING, YOU KNOW, WHAT THOSE WOULD BE SO THEY COULD BE CLEARLY REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST BROUGHT IT UP A LITTLE EARLIER ABOUT, UM, THERE ARE SOME UNCERTAINTIES HERE.
SO WE JUST WANTED TO HAVE VERY, A VERY HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION ON HOW WE DECIDE WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW OUR WORK MOVES FORWARD, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE, AND THEN YOU CAN CHANGE THAT, HOW YOU SEE FIT, UM, FOR THE WORK AHEAD OF US.
AND THEN KIND OF GIVE YOU A PROJECTION, WHICH I WILL SAY IS MAKING VERY MANY ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE'VE LAID OUT IN YOUR PACKET, UM, SO THAT WE COULD, TO THE BEST OF ALL OUR ABILITY PREDICT WHAT WILL HAPPEN OR WHAT CAN HAPPEN, UM, IF THAT BALLOT PROPOSITION IS VOTED.
AND THEN HOW DO WE CONTINUE OUR WORK? WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO I'M GONNA DO THE FIRST HALF OF THIS PRESENTATION, IF YOU WILL, AND HAYDEN WILL COVER THE SECOND HALF.
[00:50:01]
PAGE 29, YOU HAVE THE FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS.WE DID HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK, AND SO THESE WERE THE SLIDES THAT WE PRESENTED.
WHAT IS THIS? ON PAGE 29, YOU HAVE, UM, OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THE 2019 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN SETS OUT FOUR GOALS FOR THE EDC TEAM.
UH, GOAL ONE IS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT.
GOAL TWO IS STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS.
GOAL THREE IS TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS.
AND THEN FOUR IS ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT.
MANY OF THESE, UM, INITIATIVES, PROJECTS, PROGRAMS AND AND SUCH OVERLAP MULTIPLE OF THOSE GOALS.
UM, SO SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO KIND OF NEST, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY'RE NESTED.
UM, BUT IN A NUTSHELL, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IS GONNA BE YOUR BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND RETENTION, UM, AS WELL AS OUR GRANT PROGRAM.
AND THEN THIS CONSISTS OF, YOU KNOW, IN-PERSON BUSINESS VISITS, UH, VIRTUAL MEETINGS, AND THEN OF COURSE, THE CONFERENCES THAT WE ATTEND.
THIS IS YOUR IC C, RED RIVER, ICSC, LAS VEGAS, ALL OF THOSE RETAIL CONFERENCES WHERE YOU MEET WITH BROKERS, DEVELOPERS, REALTORS, COMMERCIAL, UM, REPRESENTATIVES, COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVES, UM, RESTAURANTS, THE WHOLE SHIPPING, UM, STRATEGIC INVESTMENT.
SO HERE IS WHERE WE GET INTO KIND OF OUR INCENTIVE POLICY THAT WE DEVELOPED AND, AND THAT COUNCIL APPROVED.
UM, THAT HAS STREAMLINED SO MUCH OF THE WORK THAT HAYDEN AND I USED TO DO WHEN SOMEONE WOULD REACH OUT TO US AND SAY, WELL, HERE'S MY CONCEPT.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? WE DIDN'T HAVE A FORMAL METHOD OF TELLING THEM, HERE'S THE FORMULA THAT YOU CAN EXPECT.
HERE'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
UM, WE WOULD TELL THEM, BUT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST HAVE THIS DREAM AND THEY WANNA KEEP PUSHING IT FORWARD.
UM, AND WHEN THERE'S NOTHING FORMAL THAT THIS CITY HAS ADOPTED, UM, AS A WHOLE, IT'S REALLY HARD TO, UM, GIVE THEM SOMETHING CONCRETE TO LOOK AT.
SO NOW THAT WE HAVE THAT, WHEN PEOPLE REACH OUT, WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND FOUR SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, ONE TO TWO HOUR MEETINGS RE-EXPLAINING WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, TRYING TO CALCULATE WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S IN A DOCUMENT, IT IS SENT TO THEM.
IT IS CLEAR, IT IS OFFICIAL
AND THEN EXPLORING PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.
I MENTIONED THIS IN THE PREVIOUS ITEM.
WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING WITH OTHER ENTITIES TO TRY AND SEE, UM, HOW WE CAN MAXIMIZE OUR INVESTMENTS.
SO, UM, IN THE PARKING STRUCTURE SITUATION, THAT LOOKS LIKE COLLABORATING WITH THE METHODIST CHURCH AS WELL AS SURROUNDING PROPERTY OWNERS.
UM, IN THE PAST IT'S LOOKED LIKE DISCUSSING WITH THE COUNTY, WHAT WILL THEY DO WITH THE PROPERTY THEY OWN DOWNTOWN, THAT THE OLD LIBRARY SITS ON NOW, THE ANNEX.
UM, AND TRYING TO SEE, OKAY, DOES THEIR TIMELINE OF MOVING THOSE SERVICES OUT OF THAT BUILDING WORK WITH OUR TIMELINE OF BRINGING A PARKING STRUCTURE TO DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND WE HAD A, UM, CONCEPT COMMISSIONED FOR THAT AS WELL THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS EXPLORING MULTIPLE OPTIONS AT THE SAME TIME BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO SO THAT WE CAN BE READY WHEN IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION TO MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S JUST GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF KIND OF HOW WE EXPLORE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS.
UM, HERE, UH, ANY MAJOR CATALYTIC DEVELOPMENTS.
THIS IS GONNA BE LIKE THE CURRENT CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE ONGOING WITH TRADEMARK FOR, UM, A DEVELOPMENT, YOU KNOW, ALONG 10 93.
THIS IS FULL CENTRAL THAT YOU ENTERED INTO AN INCENTIVE AGREEMENT WITH, UM, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS, DOWNTOWN CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT, HARRIS STREET, AND EVERYTHING THAT THAT ENTAILS, ENSURING THAT THERE'S DRAINAGE.
UM, AGAIN, PARKING GARAGE IS MENTIONED HERE.
AND THEN PLACEMAKING TRANSFORMATIVE TO, UM, FOR US, WE THINK OF IT AS BUILDING ON THE INVESTMENT.
WE'VE ALREADY SPENT OVER $3 MILLION ON MAKING HARRIS STREET, BUT SOME PAVEMENT THAT YOU CAN DRIVE ON IS NOT GONNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO COME THERE.
SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? INCLUDING ART, UH, MAKING SURE THERE'S ACCESSIBLE PARKING AND ENCOURAGING THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS TO BUILD, WHETHER THAT'S A RESTAURANT OR A RETAIL, WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEN, UH, OF COURSE, ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S JUST INTERNAL, INTERNAL COORDINATION WITH ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.
UM, STILL FINDING WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VISION AND COUNCIL'S VISION IS ALIGNED AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
AND THEN THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING, THE LOCAL VOICES CAMPAIGN AND OUR RECENT FACEBOOK PAGE RELAUNCH IS OUT FOR THE PUBLIC TO, TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO ALL THINGS THAT, ALL PLATES THAT ARE SPINNING AT THE SAME TIME, UM, THAT ALL KIND OF, UH, INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER, BUT THAT'S KIND OF NOTHING YOU DON'T KNOW.
BUT I THINK JUST ORGANIZING IT IN THAT WAY, UM, SO THAT WE CAN SAY, WHY DO YOU DO THE THINGS YOU DO AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING THEM FOR IS WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
[00:55:01]
OVER TO PAGE 30, WE HAVE OUR FULL SHARE, FAST TRACK, AND THEN SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT.SO WE'VE CONTINUED THE BUSINESS DEPOT LUNCHEON AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, MONTHLY LUNCHEONS ADVISORY SESSIONS, AND THEN I'LL TALK MORE OF THE DIRECTOR'S REPORT ON WORKSHOPS.
THESE ARE GONNA BE ONE DAY INTENSIVE WORKSHOPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS FOCUSING ON JUST THOSE, LIKE, WHAT DO YOU CALL THEM, PAIN POINTS, PRESSURE POINTS THAT, THAT, UM, THEY COME AND TELL US ABOUT, WHETHER IT'S MARKETING OR, YOU KNOW, THE, ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO BE AN EXPERT IN WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING A BUSINESS.
BRIAN WOULD KNOW ALL OF THE HATS YOU HAVE TO WEAR.
UM, SO JUST MAKING THAT AVAILABLE TO OUR RESIDENTS, UM, AT A VERY MINIMAL COST JUST TO ENSURE THAT THEY'LL SHOW UP ON THE DAY OF, OF THE WORKSHOP.
WE HEAR THIS CONSTANTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE THOSE ANNUAL EVENTS THAT THEY CAN GATHER.
SO WE'VE BROUGHT BACK FUL FO THIS PAST YEAR, WHICH IS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
WE'RE PLANNING TO HOST IT AGAIN, UM, THIS OCTOBER, OCTOBER 10TH, SECOND SATURDAY IN OCTOBER.
UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE CONTINUOUSLY PURSUED AT THE DIRECTION OF THE BOARD, PARTNERING WITH OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, UM, AND JUST HIGHLIGHTING WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER AND COMING ALONGSIDE OF THEM, UM, WITH A VERY MINIMAL SPONSORSHIP, 300 TO $500 TO ENHANCE THAT EVENT, HELP THEM MARKET THAT EVENT.
UM, AND NOW THAT WE HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE, I THINK WE CAN BEGIN THAT WORK SO MUCH SOONER, UM, WITH CREATING THAT CALENDAR.
THE VISION FOR THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN, YOU KNOW, DURING THE HOLIDAYS PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO DO.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SANTA PHOTOS OR LOOKING FOR PRODUCTS TO PURCHASE EXPERIENCES FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
SO WE WANT TO CREATE A CENTRAL HUB ON OUR EDC WEBSITE WHERE SOMEONE CAN PULL UP THE NOVEMBER, DECEMBER CALENDAR AND LOOK AT ALL THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY CAN DO HERE IN TOWN.
ALL OF THE BUSINESSES THEY CAN VISIT HERE IN TOWN.
BUSINESSES INVEST SO MUCH IN DECORATION AND INEXPERIENCES TO, TO DRAW, UM, CUSTOMERS IN.
SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE DO OUR BEST TO AMPLIFY THAT AND HIGHLIGHT IT.
UM, AND THEN INDUSTRY SPECIFIC, THAT'S JUST, THAT WAS JUST OUR WAY OF WORDING.
UM, KIND OF THE, THE GOAL OF HAVING ANOTHER BUSINESS ACCELERATOR TYPE OF EVENT THAT WE HOSTED, UM, WITH FUL STREET FAST TRACK PREVIOUSLY.
AND THEN OF COURSE WE JUST ADDED, UM, THE POTENTIAL SALE OF THE CITY HALL PROPERTY, UM, SINCE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSING AND CONSIDERING, UM, SOME DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT OPTIONS THERE.
SO JUST KIND OF WITH THAT FRAMEWORK THEN MOVE INTO WHAT OUR BUDGET COULD LOOK LIKE.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW, HAYDEN, IF YOU WANNA BEGIN WITH THE ASSUMPTIONS WE ARE MAKING IN THE GRAPH ON PAGE 32.
SO ON PAGE 31, YOU'LL SEE, UM, A GRAPH, TWO, TWO LINES.
UM, BUT THE ASSUMPTIONS FOR THAT ARE ON PAGE 32.
UM, SO THIS IS LOOKING AT IF THE VOTERS DO APPROVE A REALLOCATION OF SALES TAX TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WE'RE SITTING AT A 0.25% OF SALES TAX REVENUES.
THIS IS LOOKING AT POSSIBLE SCENARIOS IN THAT CASE.
UM, SO THIS IS BEGINNING IN FY 27, SO OUR, OUR SALES TAX REVENUE WE'RE ESTIMATING WILL BE AROUND $1,265,000, UM, AT 0.25%.
UM, THIS WILL GO AT A 10% INCREASE, UM, STARTING FROM THEN.
AND THEN EVERY FIVE YEARS IT'LL DROP BY 2%.
JUST KIND OF GETTING TO FLATTENING OUT OUR, OUR, OUR GROWTH IN THE CITY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY THIS INCLUDES OUR, UH, OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES, SO OUR, UM, WHAT YOU GUYS PAY IN FOR THE ASAS, UM, AND THEN OUR LIKE GENERAL OFFICE, UH, NEEDS AND THAT SORT OF THING, AS WELL AS THE PROMOTION ITEM, WHICH INCLUDES OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS, UM, AND THE TEXAS HERITAGE PARKWAY ILA THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PAY INTO.
UM, BOTH MODELS HAVE THE SAME OPEX PROMOTIONS AND T-H-P-I-L-A EXCEPT FOR, UH, OTHER THAN CIP OR MAJOR PROJECT EXPENDITURES.
UM, SO IN THE TOP MODEL, UM, YOU'LL SEE IT'S JUST REFLECTING WHAT OUR AVERAGE CIP UM, EXPENDITURE HAS BEEN, UH, OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS.
UM, SO AT 1,000,150, $1,500, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SPENT, UH, ON AVERAGE ANNUALLY FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS.
UM, THE OTHER LINE, THE, THE LIGHT BLUE OR GRAY LINE, I GUESS, UM, ALSO FOLLOWS IN THAT, BUT ALSO ACCOUNTS FOR IN YEAR ONE WE SPEND $3 MILLION ON A MAJOR PROJECT AND SEEING HOW THAT AFFECTS OUR, UM, OUR FUND BALANCE, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF TIME.
UM, WAS THERE SOMETHING YOU HAD SPECIFIC IN MIND THAT THAT'S ESTIMATED TO COST APPROXIMATELY
[01:00:01]
3 MILLION? YEAH, WELL, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL GET A PRESENTATION ON CIP NEXT MONTH, BUT WE WERE JUST LOOKING, UM, JUST GENERALLY ONE OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS IS THE, UH, WEST SIDE STREET RECONSTRUCTION.I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S OKAY.
A PROJECT THAT'S IN THE TIMELINE, BUT JUST TO KIND OF PROVE UP THE POINT OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, ONE BIG SPEND OKAY.
AND SEEING HOW THE, UM, THE FUND BALANCE CAN KIND OF KICK BACK.
UM, AND IN THESE MODELS, UM, FOR THE, UM, UH, THE MODEL THAT HAS THE BIG EXPENDITURE UP FRONT, THE LOWEST OUR FUND BALANCE DIPS DOWN TO WITH THESE ASSUMPTIONS IS AROUND $2.8 MILLION.
UM, RIGHT NOW, UH, WE'RE SITTING AT A LITTLE OVER 6 MILLION, UM, IN BOTH OUR PROJECT AND OUR, UH, OPERATIONS FUND BALANCE FOR TYPE A.
UM, SO THIS WAS DONE JUST TO KIND OF REEMPHASIZE THOUGH IT'S NOT A, A PREFERABLE SCENARIO, UH, NECESSARILY.
UM, IF WE'RE WANTING TO HAVE BIG PROJECT EXPENDITURES, IT IS STILL SUSTAINABLE, UM, AT OR EVEN ABOVE, UM, THE SPEND RATE THAT WE'VE HAD FOR, FOR MAJOR PROJECTS, UM, AS WELL AS ACCOUNTING FOR OUR NORMAL OPEX AND, UM, EVEN GROWTH IN THAT, UM, YEAR TO YEAR.
UM, SO LIKE, LIKE ANELLE MENTIONED, THIS IS VERY RUDIMENTARY
DOES THIS, DOES THIS, UM, INCLUDE THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE A SA GOES DOWN A LITTLE BIT OR NOT? THIS ACTUALLY IS THE, UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE A SA, WELL, NOT SPECIFICALLY THE A SA, UM, BUT OPEX, WHICH INCLUDES OUR A SA, UM, STATE EXHIBIT, WELL, NO.
SO IT INCREASES AT AN ADDITIONAL $50,000 EVERY YEAR.
SO THAT INCLUDES, THAT INCLUDES GROWTH FOR BOTH OPEX AND THEN THE T-H-P-I-L-A INCREASES BY ABOUT $6,000 EVERY YEAR.
UM, SO IT, IT, IT'S TRYING TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT AS BEST AS WE CAN.
IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY WITH NEW POSITIONS THAT ARE ADDED, OR POSITIONS THAT ARE VACATED OR, UM, YOU KNOW, OFFICE EXPENDITURES, UH, RENT AND THAT SORT OF THING.
UM, BUT IT GIVES NO DECREASE IN SOME STARTING POINT ANYWAYS.
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE SHOWING HERE AND ASSUMING THAT OUR EXPENDITURES STAY ROUGHLY THE SAME AS THEY ARE NOW.
UM, BUT IF WE SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT THE WEST PARK TOLLWAY TO GO UNDERGROUND AND THAT COSTS $10 MILLION SURE.
IS HOW WOULD WE FUND THAT? IF WE JUST USE THAT PROJECT AS AN EXAMPLE? WE, WE, WE'VE ALL DECIDED THAT WE WANT TO PAY $10 MILLION.
MY HOPE WAS THAT WE WOULD WRITE A CHECK FOR $10 MILLION, BECAUSE THEN WHEN YOU DO THAT, YOU PAY $10 MILLION FOR A $10 MILLION PROJECT.
JUST THE, THE TOTAL PROJECT WAS IS 50.
GOING UNDERGROUND IS AN ADDITIONAL 10.
UH, SO THAT PROJECT IN PARTICULAR IS A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT BEING THAT IT'S KIND OF A, A THIRD PARTY PROJECT.
BUT LET, LET'S SAY WE WERE DOING SOMETHING LIKE THE PARKING STRUCTURE.
ALSO A, A BIG EXPENDITURE IN A PRO MILLION IN A PROJECT LIKE THAT, WE CAN FINANCE AS A BOARD OR AS A CORPORATION.
UM, WE, WE DON'T HAVE TO CUT A CHECK FOR $10 MILLION UP FRONT, UM, LIKELY FOR WEST PARK.
UM, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OFFSETTING THAT COST, WE WILL HAVE SOME CREATIVE WAY TO, TO TRY AND SOLVE THE PAY FOR IT.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, WE WILL BE MORE LIMITED THAN WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
UM, IF, IF OUR FUNDING IS DROPPED TO 0.25%, UM, PEOPLE SPEND, YEAH.
PEOPLE WILL SPEND 25 TO 35 CENTS TO AVOID FIVE MINUTES WAITING IN LINE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT.
SO IT COULD BE, I MEAN, YOU, YOU COULD DO CREATIVE THINGS POTENTIALLY WITH THE TOLLS THAT ARE ASSESSED.
UM, IF IT WERE ME, I'D BE GOING DOWN TALKING TO HGAC ABOUT THE POT OF MONEY THEY GET FOR MOBILITY PROJECTS.
UM, AND I, I ASSUME THAT, UM, PART OF THE FUNDING WOULD COME FROM, UM, THE FORT BEND COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY, ALBEIT THEY'LL FINANCE IT AND GET IT BACK IN TOLLS.
BUT I MEAN, I, I THINK THERE'S SEVERAL THINGS TO LOOK AT FOR THAT.
[01:05:02]
YEAH, I THINK THOSE ARE ALL GREAT POINTS, AND I'M REALLY, REALLY GLAD WE DID THE STUDY TO FIND OUT WHAT THAT ADDITIONAL COST WAS.I THINK THAT WAS VERY TIMELY AND VERY GOOD INFORMATION FOR THE CITY TO HAVE.
SO AGAIN, WE JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GIVE YOU A VISION OF THIS IS WHERE OUR FOCUS IS AT.
THIS IS WHERE WE COULD BE, SHOULD THIS HAPPEN.
UM, AND THEN NOW THAT WE KIND OF HAVE THOSE THINGS IN MIND WHEN WE GO GO INTO THE BUDGET, UM, CYCLE PLANNING, UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THOSE ITEMS, WE CAN KIND OF HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING, OKAY, WHAT IS THIS AFFECTING? WHICH OF THE GOALS IS THIS AFFECTING? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND EVERY DAY FOR US, UM, I THINK NEXT MONTH YOU'LL HEAR FROM OUR PUBLIC WORK STAFF, YOU'LL GET THE MENU OF CIP PROJECTS, THE TIMELINE THAT THEY'RE ON, AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE ARE WE, YOU KNOW, DO YOU WANNA PLAY IT SAFE AND CONTRIBUTE THE AVERAGE 1.5? DO WE WANNA TAKE THE RISK AND CONTRIBUTE A LITTLE MORE TO GET THE PROJECT TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE AND KIND OF WEIGH THOSE PROS AND CONS COMPARED TO WHAT'S PROJECTED AND IS HOW, HOW INFORMED IS CITY COUNCIL GOING TO BE OF THAT PROJECT LIST? THEY HAVE ALREADY SEEN IT AT OUR BUDGET WORKSHOP LAST WEEK.
UM, SO THEY HAVE IT, IT'S THE LIST THAT I, I THINK WE'VE PROVIDED WHERE DID WE, WHERE DID I PUT IT? UM, I INCLUDED IT IN SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL.
I THINK IN THE, IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE PRESENTATION FOR AS AN ATTACHMENT FOR COUNCIL.
WHEN WE PRESENTED THE PURPOSE OF A BOARD AND THE POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF THAT DECISION.
SO THEY'VE SEEN IT, YOU HAVE IT.
UM, WE CAN RESEND IT IF YOU JUST WANNA CONTINUE TO GET FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT THEY'LL BREAK IT DOWN IN, IN DETAIL FOR YOU ALL, AND THEY'LL BE HERE AS A TEAM TO ANSWER ALL YOUR QUESTIONS.
SO I THINK NEXT MONTH WE'LL GET A LOT OF CLARITY ON WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE.
AND WE DO THAT PURPOSEFULLY, UM, EARLIER, SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION AT THAT MEETING.
YOU CAN KIND OF WRAP YOUR MIND AROUND IT, GET ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
IF YOU HAVE MORE FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, SEND THOSE IN AND THEN WE'LL BRING IT BACK, BACK TO YOU SO YOU HAVE SOME TIME THERE.
AND IT, AND IT IS A CHARTER REQUIREMENT THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HAS TO POST IT ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE NO LATER THAN MAY 31ST EVERY YEAR.
SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND FIND, YOU KNOW, AND THEY HAVE IT, THEY HAVE IT LAID OUT PROJECT BY PROJECT BY PROJECT AND WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY THINK THE FUNDING SOURCES COULD BE AND WHAT YEAR THEY THINK THEY'LL SPEND THE MONEY, THAT TYPE OF STUFF.
SO HOPEFULLY IT SHOULD BE IN THERE.
AND, AND, UH, I GUESS A QUESTION TO ASK IS, IS THE CITY WEST SIDE DRAINAGE GONNA BE PART, YOU KNOW, OF THAT? WHAT EXACTLY IS WALLACE STREET GOING TO INCLUDE AND IS THERE ANOTHER LINE ITEM FOR THE CITY, FOR WEST SIDE DRAINAGE AS PART OF THAT CIP? 'CAUSE I KNOW IT'S BEEN IN THERE IN PAST YEARS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I SAW IT IN THE CIP THAT WAS ON THE WEBSITE THAT THEY POSTED LAST MAY.
THEY HAD, THEY DEFINITELY HAD WALLACE STREET, BUT I DID NOT SEE A SEPARATE WEST SIDE LINE ITEM.
WE CAN DEFINITELY, BUT I THINK WE WANNA SEE WHAT THAT NUMBER IS.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THEY COME WITH PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT.
[Business - G]
G EXECUTIVE SESSION PURSUANT TO SECTION 5 51 0.07, TWO OF THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY EDC OWNED PROPERTY AT 3 0 6 0 3 FM 10 93 AND 3 0 6 1 9 FM 10 93 RE, TEXAS 7 7 4 4 1.I MOVE, WE GO INTO ADJOURN AND GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
I SECOND AND WE HAVE A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
WE ARE NOW, UH, WE ARE NOW IN EXECUTIVE SESSION WHERE WE'VE CLOSED THIS SESSION.
IT IS 7 27 ON MARCH 9TH, 2026.
AND I CALL, I OPEN THE MEETING.
I NEVER KNOW HOW THAT, THE REGULAR MEETING, UH, I REOPEN THE REGULAR MEETING.
UH, SO ITEM H WE HAD NO ACTION COMING OUT OF OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS. MOVING ON
[Recurring Items - A]
[01:10:01]
TO ITEM FIVE, RECURRING ITEMS, UH, ITEM A, THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REPORTS.I'LL START US OFF WITH ITEM ONE.
UH, ICSC, RED RIVER, SO HI AND MYSELF ATTENDED, UM, FEBRUARY 16TH THROUGH THE 18TH IN SAN ANTONIO.
AND IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE, UH, FEW DAYS FULL OF MEETINGS.
UM, THERE WAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT, UH, PROBLEM SOLVED, DIFFERENT CONNECTIONS MADE, UM, THAT I THINK W WILL BE GREAT GOING FORWARD.
WE WILL HAVE A OFFICIAL REPORT TO YOU, UM, PUT TOGETHER, UH, IN COLLABORATION WITH RETAIL STRATEGIES, WHO WAS ALSO THERE.
UM, WE DID SPEAK WITH THEM AGAIN THIS MORNING.
UM, JUST KIND OF RECAPPING OUR CONVERSATIONS IN THEIR CONVERSATIONS AT ICSC, UH, WHERE WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP.
UM, IT WAS INTERESTING TO HEAR THE, JUST THE DIFFERENT INFORMATION THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE MORE OPEN IN SHARING INFORMATION WITH THEM.
SOME PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE MORE OPEN AND COMFORTABLE SHARING, UM, INFORMATION WITH US.
AND SO IT WORKS REALLY WELL TO HAVE BOTH OF US.
UM, OUTSIDE OF THAT, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO BE EVERYWHERE AT ONCE.
UM, AND SO THEY TOOK ON SOME MEETINGS WHERE OUR CALENDAR WAS FULL A CERTAIN MORNING.
UM, I MEAN, WE WERE GOING EVERY 30 MINUTES FROM MEETING TO MEETING, UM, FOR, FOR THOSE DAYS THERE.
UM, WE DID DISCUSS THE FRANCHISEE OPPORTUNITIES.
UH, WE'LL BE SHARING THAT, UM, PUBLICLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND THEN WE ALSO WILL BE EXPLORING DOING SOME KIND OF WORKSHOP FOR ANY RESIDENTS OR, YOU KNOW, ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN, UM, ANY OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
SO WE'RE TRYING NOT JUST TO SHARE WHAT THOSE ARE, BUT ALSO EQUIP THOSE WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED, WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST, OR SOMEONE THAT DOES AND JUST WANTS THE EXTRA, UM, EDUCATION AND INFORMATION ON IT.
SO WE'LL BE SHARING MORE OF THAT.
UM, BUT KIND OF ALL THOSE IDEAS AND THINGS CAME OUT OF ATTENDING RED RIVER.
WE DID TALK TO THEM ABOUT MEETING IN THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF AGAIN TO SET OUR GAME PLAN FOR LAS VEGAS BECAUSE IT'S ICSC, RED RIVER TIMES LIKE 50
THERE'S NO WAY, UM, I, I WENT BY MYSELF LAST YEAR AND IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TO BE EVERYWHERE YOU NEEDED TO BE.
SO I THINK JUST, UM, LEARNING HOW WE'RE GONNA KIND OF DIVIDE AND CONQUER THROUGH THAT, UM, AS WE PREPARE WILL BE GREAT.
UM, SO AS SOON AS WE HAVE THAT OFFICIAL WRITTEN REPORT THAT PROVIDES SOME MORE DETAIL FOR YOU WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO, WE'LL SHARE, SHARE THAT WITH YOU AND PROBABLY SHARE IT ONLINE.
AND WE'LL ALSO BE GETTING A REDACTED VERSION THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SHARE OUT MORE BROADLY.
UM, SO NO, NO CONFIDENTIALITY WILL BE LEAKED, BUT AT LEAST CAN GIVE, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND CITY COUNCIL, UM, AN IDEA OF THE, THE TYPES OF RETAILERS THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING WITH.
ANY QUESTIONS THERE? I'LL MOVE OVER TO ITEM TWO, THE BEDC COURSE.
UH, HAYDEN ATTENDED THIS COURSE, UM, FOR A FULL WEEK, FEBRUARY 9TH THROUGH THE 13TH.
UM, AND THIS IS JUST PART OF THE TEXAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL'S TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FIELD.
IT'S VERY HELPFUL, UM, NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN IN THE DISCIPLINE, I THINK JUST, YOU KNOW, HEARING FROM OTHER PEOPLE IN THE FIELD, UM, HOW TO USE THE DATA THAT WE'RE REQUESTING.
UM, BUDGET, FINANCES, EVERYTHING, LEGISLATIVE UPDATES, ALL OF THAT.
I THINK DEN NAVARRO USUALLY PRESENTS, UM, LEGAL, UH, ALL OF THAT.
BUT YOU ATTENDED ANYTHING? YES.
NO, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A, UH, VERY INTENSIVE, UH, WEEK OF COURSES.
UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING FROM FINANCE TO PLACEMAKING, UM, RETAIL RECRUITMENT.
UM, IT COVERS THE WHOLE GA BUT I WILL SAY I HAD THE FLU THE ENTIRE TIME I WAS THERE, SO IT WAS A, IT WAS A ROUGH WEEK, BUT WE, WE DID POWER THROUGH.
UM, BUT, UH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR GIVING US THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO GO AND, AND FURTHER OUR, UM, OUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS, UM, WITH BDC AND, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, I THINK WE, I THINK WE HAD ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, 60 PEOPLE, UH, IN THE COURSE.
UM, AND I WOULD SAY ABOUT 80% OF THE PEOPLE THERE WERE SIX MONTHS OR LESS ON THE JOB.
UM, SO PEOPLE, PEOPLE STRAIGHT INTO, UM, INTO THE CAREER FIELD.
UM, AND THEN THE OTHERS WERE, HAD BEEN IN FOR 10, 15 YEARS.
SO I, I WAS KIND OF IN, KIND OF IN THE MIDDLE GROUNDS.
UM, SO IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE, UM, BOTH FROM THE, UH, EXPERIENCED, UH, PROFESSIONALS THAT WERE THERE, BUT ALSO KIND OF GETTING IN, UH, UM, SOME, SOME INPUT FROM, FROM GUYS AND, AND GIRLS THAT ARE JUST NOW, UH, KIND OF STEPPING INTO THOSE ROLES OR TRANSITIONING FROM OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS OR PRIVATE SECTOR OR, UM, OR, OR THAT SORT OF THING.
[01:15:01]
GREAT EXPERIENCE MINUS THE FLUAND ADDITIONALLY, I THINK IT WAS WHEN I ATTENDED THE BDC COURSE MYSELF A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THAT I CONNECTED WITH SALINA, UM, STAFF FROM SALINA, TEXAS AND ANNA TEXAS, BOTH EXPERIENCING THE SAME RAPID GROWTH.
SO NOT ONLY ARE YOU RECEIVING EDUCATIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES THERE, BUT ALSO BEING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE FACING THE SAME CHALLENGES THAT YOU ARE IN TERMS OF KEEPING UP WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL OF OF, UM, THE CHALLENGES THAT, YOU KNOW, FAST GROWTH BRINGS WITH IT.
I THINK SO MANY TIMES WE'VE REACHED OUT TO THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, AGREEMENTS.
THEY'VE, COMMUNITIES HAVE REACHED OUT TO US TO SET UP A TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS GRANT BECAUSE THEY'RE WANTING TO LAUNCH ONE, AND WE HAVE ONE THAT'S RECENTLY BEEN ADOPTED.
SO ALL OF THAT IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
UM, I'LL MOVE TO ITEM THREE, THE TEDC SALES TAX COURSE.
SO AN EMAIL WAS SENT OUT, UM, BY TEDC, AND WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNEW THIS WAS AVAILABLE, UM, AS TRAINING FOR YOURSELF.
IT'S, UM, THE TRAINING IS IN HOUSTON.
IT'S JUST THE SALES TAX COURSE THAT, UM, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES.
UM, SO MR. CARLOS, BONNIE AND, UM, MS. MICHELLE, YOU ARE ALL NOT UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT THIS TERM.
UM, AND SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO REGISTER YOU, UM, FOR NOVEMBER, JUST SEND US AN EMAIL OR LET US KNOW.
WE'LL BE HAPPY TO REGISTER YOU, UH, BRIAN AND KAY, YOU ARE UP FOR REAPPOINTMENT,
UM, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY THAT COUNSEL DOES NOT REAPPOINT.
UM, BUT EITHER WAY IT CAN WORK.
I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO KIND OF MAKE NOTE OF THAT.
UH, WE DO HAVE A BUDGET IF YOU CHOOSE, YOU KNOW, TO TRAVEL THERE AND STAY THERE, THAT WOULD COVER SOME OF THOSE EXPENSES.
AND, AND IT'S, IT'S CALLED SALES TAX TRAINING, BUT IT'S REALLY A, A REALLY GOOD CONDENSED LOOK AT HOW, UM, EDCS OPERATE IN TEXAS.
UM, SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK SOME, SOME ON THE BOARD HAVE ATTENDED THE T-M-L-E-D-C COURSE IN BASTROP.
THAT'S A, WHAT, TWO DAY'S REALLY? TWO OR THREE DAY COURSE.
THIS IS, THIS IS THAT JUST KIND OF SHRUNKEN DOWN INTO A MORE BITE-SIZED, UM, EASILY DIGESTABLE, UM, UH, GROUP OF TRAINING.
AND, AND IT JUST LIKE THE BEDC COURSE, IT COVERS FINANCES, UM, EED, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS, UM, THINGS YOU CAN DO, THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T DO, UM, RECRUITMENT, PLACEMAKING, ALL, ALL OF THAT.
UM, AND IT'S A REALLY GREAT COURSE.
UM, AND I KNOW ANELLE POINTED OUT THE ONE THAT'S IN, IN HOUSTON IN NOVEMBER, TYPICALLY THEY ALSO OFFER ONE THAT'S ONLINE.
UM, IF FOR SOME REASON YOU CAN'T GET AWAY, UM, IT'S KIND OF GO AT YOUR OWN PACE.
AND THEN THEY, THEY CALL EVERYBODY IN FOR A, A WEBINAR AT THE END, UH, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT COURSE.
I WOULD, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.
AND IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO, I THINK WE HAVE ALL OF THE MATERIALS FROM THE PAST FIVE YEARS PROBABLY STACKED UP SOMEWHERE.
AND I'LL, I'LL PUT IN A PLUG LIKE I ALWAYS DO FOR THE EDC CONFERENCE AT BASTROP THAT I WANNA SAY IT'S A DAY AND A HALF, RIGHT? THURSDAY AND THEN FRIDAY UNTIL NOON.
THAT'S, THAT'S ALSO WELL WORTH THE TIME TO ATTEND.
YOU DON'T KNOW THE DATE ON THIS.
THE DATE FOR THE SALES TAX COURSE IS NOVEMBER THE SIXTH, AND IT'S JUST A ONE DAY.
AND WE'LL BE SURE TO SEND OUT THE T-M-L-E-D-C INFORMATION AS SOON AS IT COMES AVAILABLE FOR THAT ONE.
WE'LL PROBABLY BE CALLING YOU THREE TIMES IN A ROW ASKING IF YOU WANT TO GO, BECAUSE THE SPOTS FILL OUT SO QUICKLY.
I THINK ONE YEAR WE MANAGED TO GET PEOPLE REGISTERED, BUT WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THEM THEIR HOTEL ROOMS, SO WE GOT THEIR HOTEL AND COULDN'T GET 'EM REGISTERED.
WAS THAT THE OTHER ONE?
SO WE TRIED TO SET ALARMS ON OUR CALENDAR AND BE READY TO REGISTER EVERYONE.
UM, SO AS SOON AS WE KNOW A DATE, WE WILL, WE WILL, UM, TAKE THAT FULL AND HAVE THAT READY.
UM, ITEM FOUR, THE GREATER FORT BEND PARTNERSHIP.
SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF AN FYI, UM, THE ORGANIZATION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY, THE FORT BEND CHAMBER HAS FORMALLY REBRANDED TO THE FORT BEND REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP.
UM, AND SO THEY'VE, THEY GREATER FORT BEND PARTNERSHIP, IS IT GREATER, GREATER THE GREATER FORT BEND PARTNERSHIP? IT'S NEW
UM, THIS IS JUST A DIRECT RESULT OF THE HIGH POPULATION GROWTH THAT THEY'RE SEEING ALL ACROSS FORT BEND COUNTY.
WE ARE, UM, THE EIGHTH'S LARGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS, AND WE'RE PROJECTED TO REACH 2 MILLION RESIDENTS,
[01:20:01]
UM, BY 2050.AND SO THEY, UM, KIND OF HAVE, YOU KNOW, VERY, UH, VERY, UH, SPECIFIC INITIATIVES THAT THEY REACH OUT FOR LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY FOR.
UM, THEY KIND OF DIVIDE THEIR OUTREACH TO BUSINESSES BY SECTORS.
UH, AND SO THEY, THEY'RE JUST A, A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION, AND I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO MAKE THAT KNOWN TO YOU.
UM, THEY'RE REALLY INCLUDING ALL OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE CITIES WITHIN FORT BEND AND TAKING THAT REGIONAL APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND IN A SENSE THAT WE'RE ALL COMMUNICATING WITH ONE ANOTHER.
THEY OFTEN REFER TO IT AS COOPERATION
SO COOPERATION WITH COMPETITION, UM, RECOGNIZING THAT EVERY CITY'S NEEDS, WHILE SOME MAY OVERLAP, UM, USUALLY ARE VERY SPECIFIC.
AND SO WE CAN ACHIEVE SO MUCH MORE FOR THE GREATER FORT BEND AREA IF WE COLLABORATE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND HAND OFF PROJECTS THAT MAKE MORE SENSE FOR THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT TO WORK WITH BOTH THEIR PRESIDENT AND CEO KERRY.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, WITH THE ECONOMICS, UH, AND IS IT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND OPPORTUNITY DIRECTOR OF THE COUNTY.
SO IT'S ALL THE DIRECTORS OF THE CITIES AND THE COUNTY AS WELL COMING TO THE TABLE TOGETHER TO KIND OF DEFINE WHAT, WHAT THAT STRATEGY LOOKS LIKE.
UM, SO WE'LL, WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THEM AND JUST KIND OF GETTING A REFRESHER FOR OURSELVES.
UM, THEY HOST A LOT OF EVENTS.
WE USUALLY JOIN AND SPEAK FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PANELS, UM, AND ALL OF THAT.
AND YOU'LL SEE, UM, OCCASIONALLY INVITATIONS COME ACROSS THROUGH YOUR EMAIL OF OTHER EVENTS THEY HOLD, FOR EXAMPLE, STATE OF TRANSPORTATION, FORT BEND COUNTY, THE STATE OF EDUCATION, FORT BEND COUNTY, STATE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
AND, UM, IT'S JUST GOOD TO GET FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND ALL AROUND US.
THEY ALSO, UM, HOLD THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE, WHICH IS ALSO A REALLY GOOD MM-HMM
WE'VE SPONSORED THE DZ HAVE SPONSORED, UM, A, A TABLE FOR THE INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE.
UM, SO ANYTHING LIKE THAT THAT YOU SEE COME ACROSS, AGAIN, THERE IS A BUDGET FOR YOU TO ATTEND.
UM, SO WE'RE HAPPY, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
AND WE WILL BE SENDING IT OUT TO YOU.
SO THAT IS OUR CITIZENS ACADEMY THAT OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM KIND OF, UM, OVERSEES.
AND IT ALLOWS FOR EVERY DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT KIND OF WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT TO CITIZENS.
UM, AND WE PRESENTED, I THINK IT WAS LIKE SECOND OR THIRD DAY IN FEBRUARY, UM, JUST ON KIND OF WHAT YOU SAW EARLIER.
UM, JUST A LITTLE MORE IN DEPTH.
WE GET A FULL HOUR TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING GREAT THAT THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM DOES, UM, BECAUSE SOME OF THOSE GRADUATES THAT HAVE ATTENDED THEN APPLY TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK IT IS NOW A QUESTION ON THE APPLICATION.
HAVE YOU GONE THROUGH FACTS? UM, AND SO THESE CITIZENS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH THE ACADEMY, HEARING IN DEPTH, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING EVERY DEPARTMENT DOES ARE NOW, YOU KNOW, BETTER, A LITTLE BIT BETTER PREPARED WHEN THEY STEP INTO THOSE ROLES.
UM, SO WE THINK IT'S, IT'S GREAT FOR WHETHER THEY'RE APPLYING TO BE ON A BOARD OF COMMISSION OR RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I, I ACTUALLY THINK BONNIE WENT THROUGH IT.
SHE, UM, YEAH, BONNIE WENT THROUGH FAX, THE VERY FIRST YEAR OF FAX.
UM, SO JUST GREAT INFORMATION THERE AND A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM.
AND THEN ITEM SIX, UM, FULL SURE FAST TRACK.
SO WE DO, UM, HAVE A FULL DAY INTENSIVE WORKSHOP MARKETING CAMPAIGN WE'RE ABOUT TO LAUNCH.
AND SO THAT'LL BE HOSTING, UM, THAT FULL DAY APRIL 18TH, AUGUST 29TH, AND OCTOBER 17TH IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FOUNDERS INSTITUTE.
THOSE WILL BE 10:00 AM TO 5:00 PM AT IRENE STERN.
SO ONCE WE HAVE ALL THE MARKETING MATERIALS, ALL THE DETAIL, WE'LL PUT TOGETHER A PRESS RELEASE, SHARE IT WITH YOU ALL, AND START GETTING PEOPLE TO REGISTER.
UM, AS MUCH AS WE WOULD LOVE TO PROVIDE THAT AT NO COST TO THE COMMUNITY, WE, WE'VE FOUND THAT WHEN WE DO THAT, OFTENTIMES THEY DON'T SHOW UP.
AND SO WE ARE, UM, CHARGING $50 TO HOLD A SEAT IN THE CLASS, HOPING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PUT A LITTLE SOMETHING, YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO SHOW UP.
UM, SO REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
IS THAT GONNA BE LIMITED TO A SPECIFIC NUMBER OF ATTENDEES? IT DEPENDS ON THE INTEREST.
IRENE HA GIVES US THE ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, SO IT, I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE KIND OF AIMING FOR ABOUT 30, BUT I THINK IF THE INTEREST IS THERE AND PEOPLE ARE SIGNING UP, I THINK WE COULD ACCOMMODATE 50 60 PROBABLY, UM, VERY WELL AT IRENE STERN.
[01:25:01]
WHERE, I MEAN, TO ME, A LOT OF THIS, IT'S MARKETING.HOW DO YOU GET THE WORD OUT? IS THIS MM-HMM
GONNA BE MOSTLY A SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN, OR ARE YOU GONNA PUT THE REMINDERS IN THE, UM, UTILITY BILLS OR, YES.
SO IT IT'LL BE KIND OF, YEAH, MULTIFACETED HERE.
WE'LL DO SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING, WE'LL DO A PRESS RELEASE.
WE WILL PLACE THE INSERTS IN THE UTILITY BILLS.
WE'VE MISSED IT FOR THE FIRST ONE FOR APRIL.
BUT, UM, FOR AUGUST AND OCTOBER, WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE THOSE AS THERE.
AND WE HAD TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT, UM, INCLU SENDING THEM OUT TO ALL OF THE HOA LIKE EVENTS CHAIRS AND HAVING THEM INCLUDED IN THE NEWSLETTER FOR THE HOAS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, SO KIND OF HAVING IT THERE.
IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT, THAT'D BE HELPFUL.
I THINK, UH, IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE FACEBOOK PAGE, ANY INTERACTION, UM, OR SHARING OF THOSE POSTS ARE REALLY HELPFUL.
AND, AND NOW, UH, THE CITY GAVE Y'ALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITS OWN FACEBOOK PAGE.
THAT STARTED A COUPLE MONTHS AGO OR SOMETHING.
JUST I WOULD SAY THREE WEEKS, THREE WEEKS, THREE WEEKS AGO.
I THINK THAT'S, I THINK, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW THAT IF THEY'RE SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN THAT AND DON'T CARE ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT COME UP.
I THINK, UM, EVENTUALLY WE'LL GET TO A POINT WHERE WE DON'T WANNA JUST OVERRUN THE CITY PAGE.
THERE'S A LOT OF VERY NICHE SPECIFIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
UM, SO IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THE APPROPRIATE, UM, THING.
I WILL SAY WE'RE VERY CLOSELY COLLABORATING STILL WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS THEME TO MAKE SURE THE MESSAGES ARE COHESIVE.
AND, UM, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT THEY'RE STARTING TO SHARE ON THEIR PAGE THAT WILL RESHARE ON OURS, AND THEN VICE VERSA, WHATEVER MAKES SENSE.
BUT, UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK ON THAT CONTENT, SOMETHING YOU DON'T WANNA SEE OR DO WANNA SEE ON THERE, PLEASE SEND THAT OVER TO US.
IT'S REALLY MYSELF AND HAYDEN CREATING THAT CONTENT CALENDAR AND THEN WORKING WITH COMMUNICATIONS FOR THINGS LIKE FILMING AND STUFF.
UM, WELL, I DEF DEFINITELY, I LIKE THE HIGHLIGHTS ON THE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES.
AND Y'ALL STILL HAVE A LIST, I GUESS WE DO, OF A BUNCH OF BUSINESSES THAT YOU CAN, UM, SPOTLIGHT FOR THAT? YES.
AND THE REVAMP FOR THAT LAUNCH, WE ARE CALLING IT LOCAL VOICES 2.0.
WE'RE SCHEDULED FOR THE FIRST BUSINESS TO UNDERGO KIND OF THAT PROCESS.
WHICH WAS, WILL INCLUDE MORE, UM, VIDEO FOOTAGE AND KIND OF MORE PERSONAL AT THEIR BUSINESS.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE THAT BEFORE THE END OF THIS MONTH, THAT FIRST WILL GO LIVE, BUT THIS IS, UM, FREE FOR ANY BUSINESS, UH, THAT WANTS TO APPLY WITHIN FULL SURE.
THEY CAN FILL OUT THE APPLICATION.
UM, WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, AND THEN WE FOLLOW UP WITH THEM INSTEAD OF TIME TO GO VISIT THEM AT THEIR BUSINESS AND KIND OF SHARE THEIR STORY.
SO WHERE ARE THE APPLICATION FROM? WHAT'S THAT? YOU CAN, UH, GO FULL SHARE EDC.COM.
AND ON THE LEFT PANEL, THERE'S A LOCAL VOICES TAB BEHIND IT'S LOCAL VOICES BEHIND THE BUSINESS.
YOU, IF YOU SEARCH LOCAL VOICES IN THE BAR AT ON THE SHORE TEXAS.GOV WEBSITE, IT'LL ALSO TAKE YOU THERE.
AND IT'S BASICALLY, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN OPEN? WHAT'S YOUR BUSINESS, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? CONTACT? SO IT'S, IT'S VERY, VERY LOW EFFORT.
I THINK WE FOUND IN THE INITIAL, UM, PUSH FOR LOCAL VOICES, WE WERE PUTTING A LOT OF THE EMPHASIS ON, ON THE BUSINESS OWNER TO PROVIDE US WITH A NARRATIVE AND PROVIDE US WITH PICTURES MM-HMM
AND SO WHAT WE'RE FINDING A LOT OF TIMES WERE
SO I THINK THIS, THIS METHOD AND GETTING IN FRONT OF THEM AND LETTING THEM KIND OF SHARE, UM, AND THEN TAILORING IT MORE TO, UH, KIND OF FIT A, A TEMPLATE ACROSS, UM, SHOULD BE A, A LITTLE BIT EASIER
SO WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.
UM, AND WE HOPE TO SEE IT ACROSS YOUR SCREEN PRETTY SOON.
UH, AND THEN LASTLY, UH, FULL FOLEY.
SO WE HOSTED A, UM, EVENTS IDEA WORKSHOP
UM, IN TERMS OF FULL ALIES BEING THAT WE WANT THAT TO
[01:30:01]
BE THE ANNUAL EVENT THAT EVENTUALLY GROWS TO BE, YOU KNOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT LIKE THE TOMATO CAPITAL, RIGHT? THEY HAVE THEIR TOMATO EVENT.WE WANT ALIES TO BE THE SHORE EVENT.
UM, MAYBE ONE DAY IT'LL BECOME MULTI, MULTI-DAY WHEN WE HAVE OUR HOTELS AND SUCH.
BUT, UM, I THINK THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THINKING AND, UM, CREATIVITY.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE LEFT NO ONE, UM, OUT OF THE PROCESS.
AND THEY BROUGHT SOME WONDERFUL IDEAS.
IT WAS JUST, I THINK, WHAT SEVEN PAGES, ONCE I TYPED EVERYTHING OUT.
UM, WE KIND OF JUST HAD, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, LOGISTICS AND SAFETY AND ENTERTAINMENT, FAMILY ORIENTED ACTIVITIES, UM, ALL OF THAT.
SO WE'VE HAD FOLLOW UP MEETINGS, JUST KIND OF REFINING WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT.
I WILL SAY ALLIGATORS WERE PART OF IT.
SO THAT WAS NICE THAT EVANGELINE, UM, EVANGELINE BROUGHT THAT UP.
AND, AND ALSO, UM, WHILE WE HAD GREAT INPUT FROM ALL THE CITY STAFF, WE ALSO MADE SURE TO BRING IN SOME, NOT HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS, BUT
SO WE WANNA TRY TO INCORPORATE THOSE AS BEST WE CAN.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOME THAT, UM, PROBABLY WE CANNOT DO TODAY, ESPECIALLY AS A CITY SPONSORED EVENT.
BUT, UM, THERE'S SOME, SOME GREAT IDEAS THAT WE CAN DRAW FROM THE PAST AS WELL AS, UM, OUR CITY STAFF AND, AND COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
SO IF ANYBODY, UM, HERE OR OUT IN THE, IN THE WORLD WHO'S WATCHING THIS HAS IDEAS THAT THEY WANNA SHARE ABOUT FOLLY, UM, PLEASE SEND 'EM OUR WAY.
UM, WE WOULD LOVE TO, TO GET AS MUCH BRAINSTORMING AS WE CAN.
SO RIGHT NOW, THAT EVENT, UM, WILL TAKE PLACE OCTOBER 10TH, SECOND SATURDAY IN OCTOBER.
YOU'LL DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY WANNA BE THERE.
IT'LL BE HERE AT CITY HALL, UM, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.
AND OF COURSE, OUR DREAM IS TO MOVE IT OUT CLOSER TO DOWNTOWN, MAYBE ON HARRIS STREET, MAYBE AT OUR PARK.
UM, SO JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH ALL THAT IN MIND, KIND OF BUILDING IT UP AS WE GO.
[Recurring Items - B]
FIVE B, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR THE FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE? NO, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AN ITEM.UM, I KNOW WE HEAR ABOUT COMMERCIAL PROJECT PROJECTS THAT MAY BE GOING FORWARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OF, I WOULD ACTUALLY, I WOULD LIKE A LIST AND I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, IF WE NEED TO DO THAT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION OR HOW THAT NEEDS TO WORK OF PROJECTS THAT DID NOT GO FORWARD WITH, UH, AN EXPLANATION AS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT STOPPED THEM.
HEARING NOTHING ELSE, ITEM FIVE
[Recurring Items - C]
C, ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? DO WE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS TO ADD? I THINK THE ONLY ANNOUNCEMENT THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO PEOPLE'S ATTENTION, UM, THE NEXT ELECTION IS COMING UP PRETTY QUICKLY.UM, AND IF YOU WANNA VOTE IN THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION ON SATURDAY MAY 2ND, I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE REGISTERED BY APRIL 2ND.
I THINK THAT'S 30 DAYS AHEAD OF THE MUNICIPAL ELECTION, ALTHOUGH I GUESS THERE'S ALSO POTENTIALLY RUNOFFS FROM THE PRIMARY.
BUT, UM, WE HA AND, AND WE DO HAVE, IS IT TWO OR THREE CONT? I THINK WE HAVE THREE CONTESTED RACES IN THE MAY 2ND ELECTION, PLUS THE, UH, BALLOT PROPOSITION.
UM, SO RESIDENTS IN FULL SURE START DOING YOUR HOMEWORK AND START CHECKING OUT THESE CANDIDATES AND BE READY TO VOTE WHEN THAT COMES AROUND.
UM, I DID WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL.
OUR TYPE A, EDC DID RECEIVE THE ECONOMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD, UM, BY TEBC.
SO YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN, UM, THE POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT THAT IS DIRECTLY A MEASURE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY CALCULATE WHO WILL RECEIVE THE AWARD, THE CATEGORIES, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THE CATEGORIES ARE BASED ON YOUR LEVEL OF COMMITMENT.
SO YOUR YEARS ON THE BOARD, THE AMOUNT OF TRAININGS THAT YOU ATTEND.
SO IT'S A DIRECT REFLECTION OF YOUR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATING YOURSELF, TO SHOWING UP HOW MANY
[01:35:01]
MEETINGS DO YOU ATTEND IN A YEAR.SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR DEDICATION.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, FOR SIGNING UP
I KNOW THEY REACH OUT TO YOU AND I KNOW THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF TIME ON YOUR PART TO GET FAMILIAR WITH THE PROJECT, TO SHOW UP EVERY NIGHT, UM, EVERY MEETING ON A MONTHLY BASIS, AND THEN TO SIT THERE AND LISTEN TO CITIZENS AND RESPOND AND ENGAGE WITH THEM.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU DO WE GET A TROPHY OR ANYTHING?
AND WE GET TONS OF SUPPORT FROM BOTH OF YOU GUYS.
ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? NOPE.
WELL, ITEM SIX IS ADJOURNMENT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
I CALL, UH, I ADJOURN THIS MEETING AT 7:54 PM I.