[ Call to Order] [00:00:03] ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OFFICIALLY [ 1. Executive Session] RECOGNIZE A QUORUM AND ASK OUR ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY TO READ US IN TO EXEC. PURSUANT TO THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, A CLOSED SESSION OF THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL WAS ANNOUNCED ON MAY 26, 2026 AT 1.01 P.M. UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITY. SECTION 551072 DISCUSS THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, SALE, OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF SUCH. WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY'S BARGAINING POSITIONS. SECTION 551087, DISCUSS COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT WITH WHICH THE CITY IS NEGOTIATING FOR THE LOCATION OR RETENTION OF A FACILITY OR FOR OTHER INCENTIVES THE CITY IS WILLING TO EXTEND OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE SAME. WELCOME HERE ON THE 26TH OF MAY ON A TUESDAY AFTERNOON THAT PROMISES SOME RAIN OUT THERE. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME ALL OF OUR CITIZENS HERE TO THEIR MEETING. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RECONVENE BACK IN THE OPEN CHAMBERS HERE AND RECOGNIZE A QUORUM. [2. Ceremonial Items] WE WILL START WITH OUR CEREMONIAL ITEMS. I BELIEVE I HAVE MARY NELL HUNT HERE TO PRAY FOR US. IF YOU GUYS WOULD STAND WHILE SHE GIVES THE INVOCATION AND REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGES. PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS AND PRAY WITH ME. PSALM 95, FOR GREAT IS THE LORD AND MOST WORTHY OF PRAISE. HE IS TO BE FEARED ABOVE ALL GODS. AND IT'S WITH THIS SPIRIT OF REVERENCE THAT WE GO INTO A TIME OF ASKING FOR YOUR FAVOR AND BLESSING UPON THIS MEETING. LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR ALL OUR LEADERS IN OUR CITY. WE ESPECIALLY THANK YOU FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS AND ALL THE HARD WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING LATELY. AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR THE RAIN TODAY. GOD, WE PRAY FOR A SPIRIT OF HUMILITY, UNITY, LOVE, AND PEACE TO FALL UPON OUR CITY, THAT YOU WOULD END THE SHOOTINGS, THAT YOU WOULD BRING UNITY, AND THAT YOU WOULD BLESS OUR CITY WITH YOUR PEACE. I WOULD LIKE TO END WITH ROMANS 15, 5, AND 6. MAY THE GOD WHO GIVES ENDURANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT GIVE US THE SAME ATTITUDE AND MIND TOWARD EACH OTHER THAT CHRIST JESUS HAD, SO THAT WITH ONE MIND AND ONE VOICE, WE WILL GLORIFY YOU, GOD. FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, AMEN. APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR THE POWERFUL PRAYER. WE'VE GOT ONE PROCLAMATION HERE, SO I WILL ASK COUNCILMAN PRESCOTT IF HE WILL PRESENT THIS AND READ THIS. GENTLEMEN, IF YOU'LL JOIN ME DOWNSTAIRS, CAN WE GET, I BELIEVE IT'S CAROL OR BROOKE SCHNEIDER WITH POST TRAUMATIC STRESS AWARENESS MONTH TO COME UP. WHEREAS JUNE IS RECOGNIZED ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AS POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS, PTS, AWARENESS MONTH, BRINGING NEEDED ATTENTION TO THE INVISIBLE WOUNDS CARRIED BY MANY VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND CIVILIANS. AND WHEREAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000 VETERANS LIVE IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. MANY OF WHOM CONTINUE TO BEAR THE UNFORESEEN IMPACTS [00:05:01] OF TRAUMA WITH PTS, AFFECTING COUNTLESS RESIDENTS IN THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY. AND WHEREAS INCREASED AWARENESS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS HELPS REDUCE STIGMA, ENCOURAGES OPEN AND HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH, AND CONNECTS THOSE AFFECTED WITH SUPPORT, TREATMENT, AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. AND WHEREAS HOPE LIVES HERE, FOUNDED IN 2015 AND BASED IN AMARILLO, SERVES DISABLED VETERANS BY TRAINING SERVICE DOGS FOR THOSE EXPERIENCING PTS, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, AND CHRONIC PAIN DISORDERS, LIVING OUT ITS MISSION OF HEALING HEROES TWO AT A TIME. AND WHEREAS, THROUGH ITS WORK, HOPE LIVES HERE HAS SEEN THE LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT THAT AWARENESS, UNDERSTANDING, AND ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE RESOURCES CAN HAVE ON INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND HAS EXPRESSED ITS DESIRE TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY IN RAISING AWARENESS DURING THE MONTH OF JUNE. NOW THEREFORE, WE, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY 2026 AS POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS AWARENESS MONTH IN AMARILLO, AND ALL CITIZENS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUPPORT EFFORTS THAT INCREASE UNDERSTANDING, REDUCE STIGMA, AND PROVIDE HELP AND HOPE TO THOSE AFFECTED BY POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING US DO THAT AND REALLY APPRECIATE MRS. ORR FOR BEING HERE TODAY. OKAY, WE HAVE A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS HERE. MAYOR, BEFORE WE GET STARTED ON ANNOUNCEMENTS, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION THAT I WANTED TO ASK THAT PERTAINS TO THE AGENDA TODAY. SURE. AND I JUST WONDER, BECAUSE I SAW PUBLIC COMMENT WAS IN A DIFFERENT POSITION THAN IT USUALLY IS. DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE RATIONALE [00:10:01] WAS. SURE. MOVING PUBLIC COMMENT TO AFTER THE DISCUSSION ITEMS. OKAY. REALLY GOOD, COUNCILMAN. I TELL YOU WHAT, LET ME HANDLE THAT RIGHT AFTER THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS. I DO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND DIRECT THE MEETING FORWARD WITH A FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE GOT, AND THEN I'LL BE GLAD TO ADDRESS THAT BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. PERFECT. THANK YOU. AND IF WE WANT TO TAKE SOMETHING OUT OF ORDER, WE ALWAYS CAN HERE TODAY. BUT, NO, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. [3. Announcements] MR. MANAGER, I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO YOU RIGHT NOW AND ASK YOU TO WALK US INTO THIS NEXT ONE. MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU IN THIS ROOM ARE PEOPLE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT, HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE RECENT FIRES IN OUR REGION. FAMILIES HAVE LOST THEIR HOMES. THAT WEIGHS ON ME EVERY DAY, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOUR PAIN IS NOT LOST IN MY OFFICE. WE TAKE WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE UTMOST SERIOUSNESS. I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO UPDATE THE PUBLIC ON WHERE THINGS STAND WITH RESPECT TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO LANDFILL, THE TCQ NOTICE OF VIOLATION, AND THE STEPS I HAVE TAKEN SINCE LEARNING OF THAT. ON MAY 21ST, THIS LAST THURSDAY, I LEARNED THAT THE TCQ HAD ISSUED A NOTICE OF VIOLATION RELATED TO THE CONDITIONS OF THE LANDFILL, STEMMING FROM A SITE INSPECTION THAT WAS CONDUCTED ON APRIL 30TH. THIS WAS THE FIRST I HAD BEEN MADE AWARE OF ANY COMPLIANCE CONCERNS OF THIS KIND AT OUR LANDFILL. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN BY REVIEWING THE MATERIALS AND CONSULTING WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM. SINCE THAT TIME, I'VE TAKEN THE FOLLOWING STEPS. FIRST, AFTER REVIEWING THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND SUPPORTING MATERIALS, I MADE THE DECISION THAT THE CITY AND THE LANDFILL SUPERINTENDENT NEEDED TO PART WAYS. THAT ACTION WAS TAKEN ON MAY 22, AND A PUBLIC STATEMENT WAS ISSUED THAT SAME DAY. THIS DOES NOT END MY INQUIRY AS FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS WILL BE DONE. SECOND, I DIRECTED THAT EXPOSED TRASH AT THE LANDFILL BE COVERED IMMEDIATELY. CELL 4 HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND CELL 10 IS SUBSTANTIALLY UNDERWAY. WE ENGAGED THE SAME CONTRACTOR WHO FOUGHT THE LANDFILL FIRE TO DO THIS WORK IN ORDER TO... IN ORDER TO GET IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THIRD, WE ARE DIRECTING THAT A GENERAL CLEANUP OF THE LANDFILL TAKE PLACE. FOURTH, WE ARE PREPARING PLANS TO INSTALL REAL-TIME SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY SO THAT THE CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM CAN OBSERVE THE LANDFILL CONDITIONS REMOTELY. FIFTH, WE ARE EXPLORING DRILLING A NEW ON-SITE WATER WELL TO IMPROVE OUR FIRE SUPPRESSION CAPABILITIES AT THE FACILITY. SIXTH, I HAVE ISSUED A DIRECTIVE REQUIRING THAT ANY REGULATORY INSPECTION OF ANY CITY FACILITY BE REPORTED DIRECTLY TO MY OFFICE SO THAT I AM PROMPTLY AWARE OF ANY COMPLIANCE CONCERNS GOING FORWARD. I HAVE ALSO INITIATED A COMPREHENSIVE INTERNAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LED TO THE SITUATION. THE INVESTIGATION WILL BE THOROUGH, RESTRUCTURED, AND FACT-DRIVEN, COVERING THE CONDITIONS OF THE LANDFILL, THE RELEVANT COMMUNICATIONS, AND DECISIONS MADE AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND ALL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. WHEN IT IS COMPLETE, A FULL REPORT WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNING BODY. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THIS, I WILL FOLLOW THE FACTS. EVERY DECISION I WILL MAKE WILL BE GROUNDED IN THE EVIDENCE DEVELOPED THROUGH THIS INVESTIGATION, AND I WILL BE DELIBERATE AND THOROUGH IN REACHING THOSE CONCLUSIONS. I'D LIKE TO STATE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT LITIGATION COULD BE FILED AS A RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT AGAINST THE CITY, AS IT IS OFTEN THE SITUATION IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. OUT OF FAIRNESS TO THE TAXPAYERS OF AMARILLO, WHOSE MONEY IS ULTIMATELY AT STAKE. I NEED TO BE MEASURED IN WHAT I SAY PUBLICLY WHILE THAT PROCESS COULD PLAY OUT. THIS IS NOT EVASIVENESS. IT IS RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF THE PUBLIC DOLLAR. I WILL SHARE AS MUCH AS I REASONABLY CAN AS SOON AS I CAN. WHAT I CAN PROMISE YOU IS THIS. WE ARE WORKING. WE ARE COMMITTED TO GETTING THIS RIGHT FOR THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN HURT, FOR THE PEOPLE OF AMARILLO, AND FOR THE INTEGRITY OF THIS ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PATH. WE APPRECIATE YOU CONTINUING TO SPEAK TO THIS. THERE'S NEVER NECESSARILY AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO DO THAT AND TO MAKE THAT AS AN ANNOUNCEMENT, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO SEE THAT ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE. AND THEN AS I LOOK ACROSS THE ROOM TO EACH PERSON HERE THAT I KNOW IS NOT NECESSARILY A FAMILIAR FACE, IT MAY BE THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU'RE HERE AT A COUNCIL MEETING, I WANT YOU TO HEAR ME SAY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL. I TRULY COULDN'T PUT MYSELF IN YOUR SHOES UNTIL IT, YOU KNOW, COULD HAPPEN TO ME. I DO, THOUGH, UNDERSTAND THAT HOW YOU FEEL HERE TODAY IS RIGHT. AND SO WITH, YOU KNOW, AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF EMOTIONS AND WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE GONE THROUGH, PLEASE HEAR ME SAY I'M EXTREMELY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS AND FOR WHAT YOU'RE FACING AND WHAT YOU'RE HAVING TO GO THROUGH. AND WE WILL HEAR YOUR COMMENTS. WE WILL HEAR YOU SPEAK. WE THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO RESPECT THE MEN AND WOMEN. THAT FOUGHT THESE FIRES. AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO BLAME ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THOSE HEROES THAT PUSHED THAT FIRE BACK AND FOUGHT IT AND AT TIMES WON TO SAVE PROPERTY, BUT AT ALL [00:15:02] TIMES WON AND SAVED LIVES. I'M VERY THANKFUL WE DO NOT HAVE A LOSS OF LIFE, BUT I'M VERY REGRETFUL THAT WE DO HAVE ANIMALS THAT WERE LOST AND PROPERTY THAT WAS LOST. AND SO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT THOSE ARE HEROES THAT DO NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT JUMPING IN THAT TRUCK AND HEADING TO YOUR HOUSE AND DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES, BUT... IF YOU HAVE YOUR CRITICISM HERE FOR POLICY AND FOR HOW WE CAN IMPROVE AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO BETTER, WE APPRECIATE THAT, WE UNDERSTAND THAT, AND THAT IS WHERE THAT NEEDS TO STAY DIRECTED. AND SO I'D ASK YOU GUYS TO CONTINUE IN THAT MANNER, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPECT THAT YOU SHOW. I DO GET THE PRIVILEGE OF BRINGING UP ONE MORE ITEM. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I KNOW WE WERE GIVEN HIGH FIVES. YOU KNOW, A WEEK AND A HALF AGO DOWN SOUTH, AND I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE PROUD OF THE COLLABORATIVE MULTI-AGENCY RESPONSE THAT TOOK PLACE TO OUR FRIENDS SOUTH IN CANYON. I KNOW THAT MY MAYOR DOWN THERE, MR. PRICE, ARE HERE TODAY, AND THEY BELIEVE AT THIS TIME, MAYOR HENDERS, IF I COULD JUST HAVE YOU GUYS COME UP TO THE PODIUM. YOU AS WELL, MR. PRICE. THANK YOU. MAYOR, COUNCILMAN, I DO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY AND REALLY SPEAK JUST TO OFFER OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO, OUR RELATIONSHIP, BUT PARTICULARLY WHAT YOU ALL DID. AND CHIEF MAYS, JUST TREMENDOUS WHAT YOUR FOLKS DID. A SCENARIO IN CANYON, AND I THINK THE WILDFIRES STARTED ACTUALLY DOWN IN RANDALL COUNTY AND SOUTH OF CANYON. THE SCENARIO WAS THAT THERE WERE SEVEN DRY LIGHTNING STRIKES AT ONE TIME IN RANDALL COUNTY AND WITH THAT WE HAD FIRES MOVING FROM THE SOUTHWEST WITH A 40 MILE AN HOUR WIND DIRECTLY AT THE CITY OF CANYON. I WAS NOT HERE, I WAS ACTUALLY UP IN DENVER. VISITING HIS SON. SO I'M GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM JOE PRICE, OUR CITY MANAGER, WHO'S IN THE MIDDLE OF IT WITH RANDALL COUNTY JUDGE DYER IN A COMMAND CENTER. BUT I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S PANIC, BUT WHEN YOU GET THAT KIND OF INFORMATION WITH THAT KIND OF WIND AND THE FIRES MOVING TOWARDS YOUR CITY, WHAT REALLY LOVED TO HEAR WAS CITY OF AMARILLO HAS SENT MULTIPLE UNITS. AND SO, CHIEF MAYS, REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ALL DID. I KNOW WE HAD MUTUAL AID FROM ACROSS THE PANHANDLE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, BUT WHEN WE REALLY NEEDED ON THE FRONT END TO STOP THAT FIRE, WHICH BURNT RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE OF CANYON. OUR POLICE CHIEF TOLD ME THERE WAS ONE MOBILE HOME CATCHING FIRE, AND THAT WHOLE SET HE REALLY FELT LIKE WOULD HAVE TAKEN OFF. AND SO, WITH THAT... I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN SAY ENOUGH MY APPRECIATION AND I KNOW I SPOKE TO MAYOR STANLEY DURING THAT TIME PERIOD EVEN WHILE I WAS UP IN DENVER AND MAYOR STANLEY SAID WHATEVER YOU GUYS NEED WE'RE HERE FOR YOU ALL SO REALLY REALLY APPRECIATE THE RELATIONSHIP WE WILL ALSO DO THE SAME I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME OPPORTUNITIES SMALLER SCALE OVER TIME AND ALL TOO BUT THANK YOU WE APPRECIATE YOU AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE RELATIONSHIP. WE HAVE BETWEEN OUR CITY GOVERNMENTS, BETWEEN OUR COMMUNITIES, BETWEEN OUR FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENTS. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO COME SPEAK TODAY. AS GARY MENTIONED, WE HAD AN ISOLATED STORM THAT STARTED OVER CANYON, HAD SEVEN TO NINE LIGHTNING STRIKES BEFORE WE KNEW WHAT HAPPENED, AND NOT A SINGLE DROP OF RAIN. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE WIND WAS SPORADIC. WE ALL KNOW WHAT AN ISOLATED STORM DOES. THE WIND WAS VERY SPORADIC. IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAD ANOTHER ISOLATED STORM THAT WAS FURTHER SOUTH THAT PUSHED THAT 40 MILE PER HOUR WIND. AND SO IT WASN'T A TRADITIONAL WILDFIRE, AS WE WOULD SAY. BUT TO SAY THE LEAST, THE QUICK RESPONSE FROM AMARILLO FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS VERY ADMIRABLE. AND AS YOUR NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH, IT DESERVES THE RECOGNITION THAT WE RECEIVED. THAT THURSDAY, MAY 14TH, WE HADN'T EVEN LEFT THE OFFICE YET, AND EVERYBODY WAS OUT THE STATION, EVERYBODY WAS MOVING. AND OUR FRIENDS HERE TO THE NORTH CAME TO OUR AID. I WANT TO ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZE FIRE CHIEF JASON MAYS, HIS COMMAND STAFF, HIS FIREFIGHTING TEAM, AND THE ENTIRE AMARILLO FIRE DEPARTMENT TEAM. THEIR RESPONSE, PROFESSIONALISM, EXPERTISE, AND WILLINGNESS TO SUPPORT OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES IN [00:20:01] THESE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AS THEY WERE DEMONSTRATED JUST HOW GREAT A TEAM THAT YOU HAVE HERE AT AMARILLO FIRE. THEY HELPED US THROUGH SOME VERY CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE POLICE CHIEF HOVER AND HIS COMMAND STAFF, AS WE ALREADY HAD EVERY OFFICER OUT. APD WAS OUT THERE WITH SHUTTING DOWN HIGHWAYS. THE GAME WARDENS WERE OUT THERE. DPS WAS OUT THERE. BUT AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT CAME DOWN TO HELP. THANK YOU, CHIEF, AND ALL THE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU PROVIDED, THE OPERATIONAL SUPPORT. AND WE HAD EVEN THE DRONE FROM AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT CAME DOWN. WHAT IMPRESSED ME MOST THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE AS A CITY MANAGER WAS A SERVANT HEART ATTITUDE SHOWN BY EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED. PEOPLE SHOWED UP WHEN IT MATTERED MOST. THEY STAYED ENGAGED, CONSTANTLY COMMUNICATING, SHARING RESOURCES, AND PROTECTING LIVES IN THE COMMUNITY. THESE WILDFIRE RESPONSES REMIND US ALL THAT PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE ARE NEVER ACCOMPLISHED ALONE IN A SILO. THEY REQUIRE TRUST, RELATIONSHIPS, AND COMMITMENT TO WORKING TOGETHER. THE CITY OF CANYON IS DEEPLY GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE WITH THE CITY OF CANYON. CITY OF AMARILLO AND WE DON'T TAKE THAT RELATIONSHIP FOR GRANTED. OUR TEAMWORK TOGETHER DEMONSTRATED THAT DURING THESE EVENTS WE WERE ABLE TO PREPARE TOGETHER. SO SIMPLY TODAY YOU GUYS THANK YOU CITY OF AMARILLO TEAM, THANK YOU AMARILLO FIRE DEPARTMENT, THANK YOU AMARILLO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, THANK YOU AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED. WE GENUINELY APPRECIATE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. THANK YOU. YES SIR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE EXCEEDINGLY GRATEFUL. THANK YOU MAYOR, THANK YOU JOE. WE'RE EXCEEDINGLY GRATEFUL FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT CONTINUE TO PUT PUBLIC SAFETY BEFORE THEIR OWN. AND WE DON'T TAKE IT LIGHTLY, AND ESPECIALLY IN, I WOULD SAY, SOMEWHAT OF A SOLEMN SETTING LIKE WE'RE HERE TODAY, RIGHT? SO WITH EVERYTHING WE'RE FACING AS A COMMUNITY, I LOVE THE FACT THAT WE GET TO STAND BEHIND THOSE GUYS AND THAT WE GET TO SHARE RESOURCES. AND WE LIVE IN A VERY STRONG PANHANDLE COMMUNITY, AND YOU GUYS EXEMPLIFY THE BEST OF US. SO THANKS AGAIN. THANK YOU ALL. LET ME GO BACK BEFORE I TAKE UP DISCUSSION ITEMS TO COUNCILMAN SIMPSON'S REQUEST FOR SEVERAL OF YOU GUYS THAT DO NOT REGULARLY ATTEND MEETINGS, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT THIS IS A DIFFERENT ORDER. SO AS THE PRESIDING CHAIR OVER THE MEETINGS, IT'S AT MY DISCRETION AND HOW WE PUT THINGS IN ORDER AND MAYBE WHAT GOES ON THE AGENDA AND WHEN. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BENEFICIAL, I THINK, AT DIFFERENT TIMES. NOW THERE ARE SOME LAWS THAT PERTAIN TO THAT, WE SHOULD NEVER AND CANNOT TAKE ANY KIND OF A VOTING ACTION OR AN ITEM UP FOR CONSIDERATION WITHOUT HEARING YOU FIRST. AND SO WHERE WE GET TO HEAR AND LISTEN TO OUR PUBLIC IS PUBLIC COMMENT. IT IS NOT PUBLIC DEBATE OR PUBLIC ARGUMENT. IT'S ALSO NOT OUR OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOU MORE ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW OR TO COME AND TRY TO CORRECT ANY PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU MAY HAVE. IT'S OUR OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO YOU, AND THAT'S PUBLIC COMMENT. AND SO. WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING IS LISTENING TO MANY PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE START THE MEETINGS AT 3, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE RUN UNTIL 7.30, 8 O'CLOCK, SOMETIMES 9.30 OR 10. TO KEEP US FROM GETTING OUT OF HERE AT 12 MIDNIGHT, 3 O'CLOCK IS KIND OF THE BEST COMPROMISE THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE. SOME PEOPLE CANNOT MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT BY THEN. THIS ORDER PUTS DISCUSSION ITEMS, THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS WITH STAFF, WE WANT TO HEAR WHAT THEY'RE DOING, IN FRONT OF PUBLIC COMMENT. THE REASON THAT I'M DOING THAT IS TWOFOLD. ONE, IT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK FOR ANYBODY TO EDUCATE THE GENERAL POPULATION OF HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKS AND ALL THE MANY THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING. SO WE HAVE TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO FEED YOU INFORMATION AND EDUCATION ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. IF PUBLIC COMMENT COMES AFTER DISCUSSION, EVERYBODY WHO'S TAKEN TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO BE HERE CAN HEAR WHAT THE STAFF IS DOING, WHAT COUNCIL IS ASKING FOR. YOU GET TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE DISCUSSION. THAT'S A HUGE BENEFIT. SECONDLY, IT ALLOWS YOU TO HEAR WHAT WE'RE SAYING AND WHAT WE'RE THINKING AND MAYBE WHAT ACTIONS WE'RE ASKING FOR BEFORE YOU GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT. FAR TOO OFTEN I HAVE PEOPLE THAT COME UP AND SAY, WELL, I WISH I'D KNOWN THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS WERE TALKING ABOUT. I WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THAT AT MY PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT GET UP AND SOMETIMES ARE LIKE, WELL, I DIDN'T PLAN ON SPEAKING. I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY, BUT I WANTED TO COME UP ANYWAY, RIGHT? AND SO IT BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO VOICE ANY CONCERN. WELL, THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE BEST USAGE OF OUR TIME. IF WE CAN VOICE OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE ITEMS THAT MATTER MOST AND ARE HITTING THESE AGENDAS, THEN IT ALLOWS US TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE WITH YOUR TIME. THOSE ARE THE PROS. THE CON IN THE DEAL OR THE DRAWBACK WOULD BE THAT PERHAPS IF WE HAVE TWO OR THREE DISCUSSION ITEMS AND THEY LAST AN HOUR, YOU HAVE TO SIT IN THAT CHAIR FOR AN HOUR LONGER THAN YOU WOULD HAVE. BUT VERY RARELY DO I SEE PEOPLE THAT COME IN, GIVE PUBLIC [00:25:02] COMMENT, AND IMMEDIATELY LEAVE. MOST OF THEM STAY FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE MEETING. SO WITH WEIGHING ALL THAT, ESPECIALLY ON A DAY LIKE TODAY, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYBODY TO HEAR THE DISCUSSION ITEMS. BUT I AM GOING TO GO BACK TO COUNCILMAN SIMPSON AND JUST HEAR FROM COUNCIL, SEE IF THEY SEE SOME OTHER CONS IN THIS, AND THEN WE CAN DO WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO. THIS IS A MEETING OF THE PUBLIC, AND SO IF WE WANT TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT UP FIRST RATHER THAN NEXT, WE CAN. IF WE WOULD LIKE TO SPLIT IT, MAYBE IF WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO LEAVE, WE COULD TAKE THOSE AND ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK FIRST. THEN WE COULD GO THROUGH OUR DISCUSSION, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS ALLOWED TO DO, AND I COULD SEE GREAT BENEFIT IN IT. COUNCILMAN SIMPSON, WHAT SPECIFICALLY WAS YOUR CONCERN? WELL, IS THIS TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT? WELL, I WOULD TELL YOU EVERYTHING'S TEMPORARY IN THE WAY THAT THESE MEETINGS CONTINUE TO CHANGE AND MORPH, AND WE HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS, AND SO DOES THIS HAVE TO BE THE WAY THAT WE DO IT FOREVER? NO, SIR. OKAY. WELL, I MEAN, BUT IT'S THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE IT FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN ON COUNCIL, AND I GUESS GOING BACK THERE, I GUESS MY CONCERN IS, I MEAN... AND I APPRECIATE THE INTENTIONS, AND I UNDERSTAND THIS, BUT A, IS THIS INADVERTENTLY BUILDING A BARRIER TO PUBLIC COMMENT? BECAUSE WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG THE DISCUSSIONS WILL LAST. IF WE GET THROUGH THIS AGENDA IN AN HOUR, IT WILL BE A WORLD RECORD. I MEAN, WE HAVE SOME MEATY THINGS COMING UP IN DISCUSSION. I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF WE GO SEVERAL HOURS IN THESE DISCUSSION ITEMS. I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN... THIS IS THE FIRST THING OTHER THAN ON THE AGENDA. I MEAN, WE HAVEN'T ANNOUNCED THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THESE CHANGES. PEOPLE MAY HAVE PLANNED HERE TO BE AT THE BEGINNING. I DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT MOVING THE PUBLIC COMMENT HOURS DEEP INTO A MEETING. MOST CITIZENS HAVE JOBS, CHILDREN, OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES THAT DON'T ALLOW THEM TO BE ABLE TO WAIT. AND SO, YOU KNOW, IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS? I THINK I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE WOULD SAY. BUT REALLY, SINCE THIS. YOU KNOW, WE JUST BROUGHT IT UP TODAY. I'D LIKE TO CONSIDER MOVING THE COMMENT PERIOD BACK TO THE NORMAL PERIOD TO ACCOMMODATE PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT WE WERE GOING TO CHANGE THE TIME AND NOT REALLY REQUIRING CITIZENS WHILE, YOU KNOW, THERE COULD BE A BENEFIT OF REQUIRING TO STAY HERE FOR HOURS WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, PART OF BEING PART OF GOOD LEADERSHIP IS BEING FLEXIBLE. AND UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU KNOW THINGS ARE FLUID AT TIMES AND SO I KNOW WHEN WE PUT THIS AGENDA TOGETHER WE HADN'T RECEIVED A NOTICE WE DIDN'T KNOW THE TOTALITY OF THE FIRES DID NOT EXPECT I WOULD SAY THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT WE THINK WE HAVE HERE TODAY I KNOW I HAD 15 SIGNED UP WE ALL TAKE EVERYBODY WHO SIGNS UP AND THEN WE ALLOW PEOPLE MAYBE YOU CAME AND YOU WEREN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING BUT YOU WANT TO WE STILL ALLOW YOU TO SPEAK AND RAISE YOUR HAND AND SO YOU KNOW I'M GLAD TO OUT A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME. MAYBE A LESSER PERIOD. IT WORKS BETTER TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. MAYBE TODAY WITH THE PRESENCE THAT WE HAVE, WE CAN EASILY TAKE ANYTHING OUT OF ORDER. AND SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF BEING A GOOD LEADER AND BEING FLEXIBLE. SO I'M HEARING COUNCILMAN SIMPSON HERE. JUST AS A SHOW OF HANDS, DO I HAVE ANYBODY HERE WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE WHO NEEDS TO LEAVE? SAY WITHIN THE NEXT 30, 45 MINUTES OR HOUR. SO WE DO HAVE ONE, MAYBE TWO. SO PERFECT. I WOULD SAY JUST IN OUT OF RESPECT FOR YOUR EFFICIENCY WITH THE MEETING, WE DON'T WANT ANYBODY SITTING AND WAITING. BUT COUNCIL, I'M GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR REMARKS. OTHERWISE... GLAD TO DO THE PUBLIC COMMENT NOW WITH THE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE, AND WE'LL JUMP INTO DISCUSSION. I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO TRY AND SIT AND WAIT THROUGH THAT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN STAY. OKAY? SO, COUNCILMAN SIMPSON, I'M JUST GOING TO RELY ON THE WHEREWITHAL OF COUNCIL HERE AND BEING GOOD TEAMMATES, AND SO I THINK IT'S GOOD FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE UP PUBLIC COMMENT NOW. WE'LL PROBABLY RECESS AFTER THAT, AND THEN WE'LL GET TO THOSE DISCUSSION ITEMS, TAKE OUR TIME THROUGH. I DO APPRECIATE THAT. AND I WOULD NOT MIND IF WE WANT TO HAVE A COMMENT. PROBABLY WE MAY BE AT A TIME WHERE THERE ARE SOME ISSUES ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT. THAT'S CERTAINLY A THING, BUT I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT TODAY IN RESPECT TO THE PEOPLE WHO SHOWED UP. THANK YOU. BEN, YOU KNOW, THE GOOD THING ABOUT BEING THE CHAIR AND PRESIDING OVER THE MEETING IS TO REMEMBER I'M JUST A FACILITATOR. YOU KNOW, I'M JUST HERE TO FACILITATE [00:30:01] FOR YOU GUYS THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE AND ADVOCATE THE CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO SEE IN CITY AND CONTINUE WITH THOSE SERVICES. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE UP THE DISCUSSION ITEMS LATER. [5. Public Comment ] WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PULL ITEM NUMBER FIVE OUT OF ORDER AND WE'LL TAKE UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. HERE'S WHAT I WOULD ASK. THREE MINUTES GOES BY REALLY QUICK WHEN YOU'RE UP THERE AT THE MICROPHONE. WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SPEAK. IT'S CONSIDERED RESPECTFUL AND CONSIDERATE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S TIME. IF YOU GUYS CAN LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE THREE MINUTES AS BEST YOU CAN. WE DON'T WANT TO CUT YOU OFF. WE HATE TO TELL YOU YOU HAVE TO STOP TALKING BECAUSE WE NEED TO LISTEN TO YOU. BUT I WOULD OFFER MY PERSONAL EMAIL, AND I WOULD OFFER ANY STAFF MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING HERE, WE CAN CONNECT YOU TO THEM AS SOON AS YOU'RE DONE SPEAKING. SO IF YOUR TIME RUNS SHORT AND WE NEED TO TAKE IT UP FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, I'M GLAD TO DO THAT WITH YOU AFTER. MS. CITY SECRETARY, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO READ US INTO IT. OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL MEETING. WE VALUE YOUR INPUT AND APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS. EACH SPEAKER TODAY WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS COUNCIL DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. AT TWO AND A HALF MINUTES A SINGLE BEEP WILL SIGNAL 30 SECONDS REMAINING. WHEN TIME IS UP THE TIMER WILL BEEP CONTINUOUSLY. PLEASE STAY WITHIN YOUR ALLOTTED TIME. WE WILL BE USING BOTH PODIUMS TODAY. WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE OPEN PODIUM. WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN STATE YOUR NAME AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIVE WITHIN AMARILLO CITY LIMITS BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR COMMENTS. FOR TOPICS NOT ON TODAY'S AGENDA, THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT LIMITS HOW COUNCIL MAY RESPOND. COUNCIL MAY PROVIDE FACTUAL STATEMENTS, ASK FOR THE ISSUE TO BE ADDED TO A FUTURE AGENDA, OR REFER YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER SO STAFF CAN VISIT WITH YOU ABOUT YOUR CONCERN. IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK BUT HAVE NOT SIGNED UP YET, PLEASE COME SEE ME NOW AT THIS FRONT TABLE TO FILL OUT A FORM SO WE CAN ADD YOU TO THE LIST. OUR FIRST... SPEAKER TODAY WILL BE GARY FINDLEY AND AS GARY MAKES HIS WAY UP ON DECK WILL BE CHARLES LITTLE SO CHARLES YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE EMPTY PODIUM AND GARY YOU MAY BEGIN MR. MAYOR COUNCILMAN THANK YOU CITY MANAGER PAT DEPUTY RICH THANK YOU I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE WATER ISSUE I AM A FOURTH GENERATION AMARILLO ONE. TOOK A 40-YEAR BREAK TO DO OIL AND GAS AROUND THE WORLD, EXXON, RETIRED, CAME BACK HOME. AND I ALWAYS TOLD MY FOLKS AT WORK FOR ME THAT IF YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM OR A COMPLAINT, YOU BETTER COME WITH A SOLUTION. AND DON'T JUST BE MOUTHING OFF. THE COLOSSAL SPIKE THAT A LOT OF FOLKS HAD, AND I'VE GOT MY OWN PERSONAL STORY ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT MY NEIGHBORS. OLD, THEY DON'T COME OUT. AND I KNOW IF THEY'RE, WE LIVE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD. I WANTED TO HEAR WHAT MR. PATH HAD TO SAY IN HIS FINDINGS. HE MAY AND RICH MAY HAVE ALREADY COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. I'M HOPING THAT IN THIS SOLUTION, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOOK AT TREMENDOUS SPIKES AND MAYBE YOU'LL HANDLE THEM WITHOUT BEING REQUESTED BY THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REQUEST YOU. THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, THEY'RE SHUT IN. THAT'S MY CONCERN HERE. MOVING FORWARD WITH THE SOLUTION, YEAH, IT BLEW UP. AND BEING WITH EXXON, I WENT THROUGH, I WAS OVER 32,168 WELLHEADS, LIVING 3 BILLION CUBIC FEET A DAY. AND SO I DO UNDERSTAND TELEMETRY AND MEASURING AND METERING AD NAUSEUM. IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING, AND WHEN IT BLOWS UP, IT BLOWS UP REAL GOOD. SOLUTION HERE IS IF YOU'RE NEEDING STAFF, THERE ARE FOLKS IN THE INDUSTRY THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THAT WOULD COME IN AND REALLY COMB THROUGH IT AND TEAR INTO IT BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH IT QUITE A BIT. I KNOW I HAVE. SO I'M JUST SAYING WHATEVER THE PROBLEMS ARE IN YOUR REPORT, MR. PATHANIER, JUST A LITTLE BIT, BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING THAT. WHAT ALL DID YOU FIND, AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? ESPECIALLY THE FOLKS THAT, AND I'M THINKING THEY'RE OLD, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO PROTECT THEM? THAT'S MY CONCERN. ME, YEAH, I'VE GOT A SOB STORY, BUT WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE-ON-ONE. I KNOW IT'S NOT A ME. I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THE ROTORS WORK JUST FINE. I BELIEVE IT'S A SOFTWARE. COULD BE, AND I'VE BEEN THERE. BELIEVE ME, IT AIN'T FUN. YOU CAN WHIP AND SPUR ON THEM, BUT IT'S A SOFTWARE ISSUE. I'LL LEAVE MY CARD WITH RICH OR SOMEBODY, BUT IF WE NEED SOME HELP, WE CAN GET SOME FOLKS IN THAT HAVE RETIRED LIKE ME, THEY'RE OLD PEOPLE, AND COME IN AND HELP. [00:35:01] THEY MAY NOT NEED IT, BUT MY CONCERN HERE THAT I JUST WANTED TO BRING FORWARD, FOLKS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT SAVVY. MR. FINLEY, WE APPRECIATE THE WILLINGNESS TO HELP, THE SOLUTIONS YOU'RE PRESENTING. RICH, GAGNON'S RIGHT OVER HERE. IF YOU'LL GRAB HIM AND YOU ALL SWAP CONTACT, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. I WILL, MR. MAYOR. THANK YOU. OKAY, WE WOULD INVITE KATIE CROWLEY UP TO THE EMPTY PODIUM, AND CHARLES, YOU MAY BEGIN. OKAY, FIRST I'D LIKE TO START OFF BY SAYING... MAYBE MR. SIMPSON WAS WRONG. MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE GONE INTO SOME OF THESE DISCUSSION ITEMS BECAUSE THE WATER BILL UPDATE, THAT CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE HELPED RIGHT AWAY. WE WOULD KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE ON THAT. INSTEAD OF HERE WE ARE, I'M IN THE SAME POSITION. I USE MORE WATER THAN I'D EVER USED SINCE I MOVED HERE IN DECEMBER OF 22. SO. THEY CAME OUT, REMOVED MY METER, CHECKED IT. THEY TOLD ME, OH, THE METER IS FINE. THEY CHECKED IT ONCE. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO CALL ME. THEY DIDN'T. THEY CALLED ME AFTERWARDS. I WENT DOWN THERE. WE RECHECKED IT. I TALKED TO HIM TODAY, TRYING TO FIND OUT WHEN MY BILL METER IS GOING TO BE READ, WHERE IF WE WOULD HAVE WENT THROUGH SOME OF THESE DISCUSSION ITEMS FIRST BEFORE PUBLIC COMMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS ONGOING ISSUE. WITH NOT ONLY THE WATER BUT THE FIRES AND ALL THAT STUFF, MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE HAD BETTER COMMENT FROM THE PUBLIC ON HOW THEY'RE FEELING AND WHAT THEY THINK IS YOU'RE DOING WRONG OR RIGHT OR WHATEVER. SO I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THAT, AND I'LL PROBABLY SEE YOU NEXT MONTH OR SO TO COMMENT ON WHAT YOU DISCUSSED TODAY. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. AFTERNOON, MA'AM. NEXT WE WOULD INVITE RHONDA SAVANT UP TO THE OPEN MIC AND KATIE YOU MAY BEGIN. MY NAME IS KATIE CROWLEY. I LIVE LIKE JUST RIGHT OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS TO THE NORTH AND I'VE EMAILED I THINK EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PASSENGER RAIL IN AMARILLO AS BROUGHT UP BY THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION IN THEIR LONG-DISTANCE NATIONWIDE STUDY WHERE THEY HIGHLIGHTED AMARILLO AS A STOP ON TWO OF THEIR 15 ROUTES FOR NATIONWIDE EXPANSION. THE ONE THAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON RIGHT NOW IS THE DENVER TO HOUSTON ROUTE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE SEVERAL STEPS FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. ONE WOULD BE TO FORM A REGIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF STAKEHOLDERS HERE IN AMARILLO, AS WELL AS OTHER POTENTIAL RAIL PARTNERSHIPS ALONG THE CORRIDOR, AS WELL AS TO BEGIN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDIES OF WHAT PASSENGER RAIL WOULD DO FOR AMARILLO, AS I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT FINANCIAL BOON. I ALSO ASK THAT YOU ALL PURSUE CRISI AND OTHER RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE GRANTS TO HELP BRING MONEY INTO AMARILLO TO HELP UPDATE THE RAIL STRUCTURES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AND GET US READY TO BE IN A POSITION TO BE UTILIZED. AND FOURTH, I WOULD... I'D LIKE TO ASK Y'ALL TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE MORE RAIL DEVELOPMENT IN TEXAS AS A WHOLE THROUGH OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH TXDOT, THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, AND OUR OTHER REPRESENTATIVES IN THE AREA. I DID BRING A LITTLE PACKET THAT Y'ALL CAN GO ABOUT THAT'S GOT A SUMMARY OF THE FRA STUDY, IN CASE Y'ALL HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT, BECAUSE IT IS LIKE 130 PAGES. BUT I'VE GOT THAT AS WELL AS A SUMMARY OF THE ADVOCACY WORK THAT I'VE DONE, INCLUDING A SUMMARY OF THE PETITION THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE GOING ON THAT'S GOT ABOUT 175 SIGNATURES. I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO REACH OUT AS IT DEVELOPS. THANK YOU. MS. KATIE, RIGHT? YES. MS. KATIE, LET ME GET YOU CONNECTED WITH... GRAYSON PATH, OUR CITY MANAGER. WE HAVE AN ENTIRE ORGANIZATION UP HERE THAT'S NOT JUST WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. IT'S CALLED THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, AND IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT OUR NEIGHBORS TO THE SOUTH AND THE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. IT ALSO HAS GRANT WRITING OPPORTUNITIES AND COULD HELP IN THAT. THAT WOULD BE THE PLACE WHERE YOU WOULD FIND THAT EXPERTISE. IF I CAN GET YOU CONNECTED WITH OUR CITY MANAGER, HE COULD CONNECT YOU WITH OUR DIRECTOR OVER THERE, TRAVIS MUNOZ. WE'D BE GLAD TO GET YOU BACK AT ONE OF THOSE MEETINGS TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES. THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THAT SUPPORT. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. OKAY, NEXT WE WOULD INVITE TOM SHERLIN UP TO THE EMPTY PODIUM, AND RHONDA, YOU MAY BEGIN. OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY CASTLEMAN AND MAYOR. I JUST WANT TO FIRST TELL YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, [00:40:01] I WANT TO SAY HOW DEEPLY SORRY WE ARE FOR OUR NEIGHBORS WHO LOST EVERYTHING IN THIS FIRE. OUR FAMILY WAS BLESSED. OUR HOME IS STILL STANDING. THOUGH THE DAMAGE IS DAMAGED BY SMOKE, MANY OTHERS LOST FAR MORE, AND OUR PRAYERS REMAIN WITH THEM. ON MONDAY, WHEN I WAS MADE THE EVACUATION ORDER CAME, I HAD ONLY EIGHT MINUTES TO ACT. I WAS TRYING TO GET OUR DOGS TO SAFETY. WHEN I WAS FORCED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY, I LEFT WITH ONLY THE CLOTHES ON MY BACK, THREE DOGS, AND A CAT. SEVEN DOGS WERE LEFT BEHIND. BY GOD'S GRACE, MY SON GOT IN LATER. AND THROUGH THE IMPOSSIBLE SMOKE CONDITIONS AND RESCUED FIVE OF THEM. TWO WERE STILL LEFT BEHIND OVERNIGHT, BUT THANKS TO THE NACOGDOCHES FIREFIGHTERS AND THE KINDNESS OF MY NEIGHBOR, THEY SURVIVED. WE ALL CALLED IT A MIRACLE OVER AND OVER BECAUSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS. SINCE THEN, OUR FAMILY HAS FACED SMOKE DAMAGE, LOSS OF WATER, DAMAGE TO OUR WELL, TANK, AND THE HEARTBREAKING LOSS OF ONE OF OUR BELOVED DOGS, BENTLEY. LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, WE ARE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT INSURANCE WILL AND WON'T COVER AND HOW WE WILL REBUILD. I WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING VERY CLEAR. FAMILIES LIKE OURS WHOSE HOMES ARE STILL STANDING ARE THANKFUL BEYOND MEASURE, BUT STANDING DOES NOT MEAN WE'RE WHOLE. WE STILL NEED HELP TO MAKE OUR HOMES SAFE AND FUNCTIONAL AGAIN. MOST OF US ARE HARDWORKING, MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES. WE DO NOT HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS SITTING ASIDE TO REPAIR WELLS, SEPTIC, SMOKE, AND OUTBUILDINGS. WE ARE GRATEFUL, BUT WE STILL NEED SUPPORT. I ALSO ASK THAT GOING FORWARD, COMMUNICATION, COORDINATION, IMPROVE. CLEAR INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES SEEKING HELP. COMPASSION DURING EVACUATIONS. AND FASTER DISASTER RESPONSE ACROSS THE AFFECTED ZIP CODES. AND FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE FIREFIGHTERS THAT ALL CAME AROUND TO HELP US. FIRST RESPONDERS, MY NEIGHBOR, CHURCHES, LOCAL BUSINESSES, TEXAS A&M, AG LIFE, AMARILLO AREA FOUNDATION, CULLIGAN, FRIENDS AND FAMILIES WHO STEPPED UP WHEN WE NEED THEM THE MOST. MOST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK GOD WHO CARRIED US THROUGH THIS VERY MOMENT OF FEAR, GRIEF, AND UNCERTAINTY. TEAM. WE STAND ON HIS PROMISE THAT HE WILL NEVER LEAVE OR FORSAKE US. WE ARE THANKFUL, WE ARE GRIEVING, AND WE ARE GOING TO REBUILD. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR, WE WANT EVERYONE TO CONSIDER. ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE, I ONLY HAD THREE MINUTES, SO ON MY FACEBOOK, I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT I THINK WAS NEGATIVE IN THIS WHOLE THING. I'LL PUT IT ON MY FACEBOOK. I WON'T TAKE Y'ALL'S TIME. ON MY FACEBOOK, I WILL ALSO GIVE YOU MY EARTHLY ANGELS THAT HELP. GET ME TO WHERE I COULD EVEN FUNCTION WITHOUT ANYTHING. AND LASTLY, PLEASE, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO, DO NOT LET THE FIRECRACKER STANDS COME IN AND SELL FIREWORKS THIS YEAR. THAT WOULD BE SO DISRESPECTFUL FOR EVERYBODY THAT HAS SUFFERED AND ARE STILL SUFFERING TO LET THAT HAPPEN. SO WHATEVER YOU ALL CAN DO, PLEASE DO IT. THAT'S MY THOUGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM. MS. CITY SECRETARY, WOULD YOU MIND GETTING HER CONTACT INFORMATION AND EMAILING IT TO COUNCIL? THANK YOU. MR. SHERLAND. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON. OH, I'M SORRY. MR. SHERLAND, HANG ON A SECOND. WHO ARE YOU BRINGING UP NEXT? ON DECK IS ANA BARRAZA-DURDA, IF YOU'LL MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE PODIUM. AND, TOM, YOU MAY BEGIN. GOOD AFTERNOON. I HAVEN'T BEEN UP ON THIS TO TALK TO THE DAIS IN OVER A YEAR SINCE I LEFT. THE COUNCIL. BUT I FELT LIKE IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT THAT I COME UP TODAY TO MAKE A FEW STATEMENTS. THE TWO THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT ARE RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. TWO WORDS VERY SIMILAR BUT YET VERY DIFFERENT. WE HIRE PEOPLE TO BE RESPONSIBLE, TO DO THEIR JOB, TO DO WHAT THEY'RE TOLD TO DO AND TOLD WHAT NOT TO DO. BUT THERE COMES A TIME THAT THEY'RE NOT DOING THEIR JOB. AND THAT BECOMES THE ACCOUNTABILITY PART. AND AS I LOOK AT THE CITY FLOW CHART, I SEE THE CITIZENS ARE AT THE TOP. COUNCIL, NEXT. CITY STAFF, OKAY. THE CITIZENS COME TO YOU. THEY TELL YOU PROBLEMS. THEY EXPLAIN WHAT THEIR PROBLEM IS. IT IS THEN YOUR RESPONSIBILITY OR YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY TO GO TO STAFF AND SEE THAT STAFF IS DOING THEIR JOB. I HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS FAILURE AFTER FAILURE AFTER FAILURE. LOOK AT YOUR CITY PARKS. [00:45:03] LOOK AT YOUR WATER BILLING PROBLEM. LOOK AT THIS FIRE. IT'S NOT JUST ONE INCIDENT, THERE ARE MANY INCIDENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE, WHICH TELLS ME WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY. WE NEED YOU GUYS TO STEP UP, TELL STAFF WHAT YOU WANT, AND THEN FOLLOW THROUGH WITH IT, MAKE SURE STAFF'S DOING WHAT YOU WANT. IT'S NOT UP TO STAFF TO COME TO YOU AND TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT. IT'S YOUR JOB, EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, YOUR JOB TO TELL... NOW I'M NOT SAYING STAFF IS GUILTY, BUT I WILL SAY THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO QUESTION HERE. AND I THINK IT'S TIME WE GET THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. IT'S TIME THAT SOMEBODY STEPS UP AND IS RESPONSIBLE AND TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY. I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TODAY TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU TOOK THE LEAD ON THAT. WE DO NOT NEED MORE OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN THIS CITY FOR THE LAST TWO MONTHS. I KNOW FOR ONE THING, I'M TIRED OF IT. AND I AM ONE OF THESE. I WILL FIGHT FOR THESE CITIZENS UNTIL THE DAY ENDS. AND ONE MORE THING. I SENT PICTURES OUT SATURDAY OF ALL THE TRASH AROUND THE LANDFILL. I EXPECT THE CITY TO GET OUT THERE AND CLEAN UP THOSE NEIGHBORS' PROPERTY. THEY CAN'T EVEN RUN CATTLE BECAUSE OF ALL THE TRASH IN THEIR PROPERTY BLOWN OUT OF THE LANDFILL. THANK YOU. BYE. WE WOULD INVITE UP TRENT JONES TO THE EMPTY. CITY SECRETARY, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A STATEMENT OF FACT. JUST TO BE CLEAR, AND WE MADE THIS WHEN WE DID OUR PRESS CONFERENCE, WE AS COUNCIL DO NOT HOLD STAFF ACCOUNTABLE. THAT'S NOT OUR JOB. IT'S NOT THE WAY THE CHARTER IS WRITTEN. WHO WE HOLD ACCOUNTABLE IS THE CITY MANAGER. THE CITY MANAGER, STAFF REPORTS TO CITY MANAGER. IT'S OUR JOB TO HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE. JUST TO BE CLEAR, BECAUSE I THINK SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT'S DIFFERENT, WE DON'T DICTATE TO STAFF WHAT TO DO. WE DON'T HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. WE HOLD THIS MAN ACCOUNTABLE. SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS CLEAR. OKAY, AND ANA, YOU MAY BEGIN. THANK YOU. OKAY, IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT TO SUCH A LOVELY CITY COUNCIL AND TO OUR RESIDENTS HERE. I WANT TO START WITH SCRIPTURE, MATTHEW 25, 40. THE KING WILL REPLY, TRULY I TELL YOU, WHATEVER YOU DID FOR THE LEAST OF THESE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF MINE, YOU DID FOR ME. AND I'M HERE FOR A MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS, AND I APPLAUD PROVIDERS. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION, AND I WANT TO SEE... DO YOU THINK ANYBODY IS IMMUNE OF MENTAL ILLNESS OR HOMELESSNESS? MA'AM, IF I COULD, I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL WATCHING LIVE STREAM, AND SO EVERY TIME YOU TURN YOUR HEAD AWAY FROM THE MIC, THEY LOSE IT. SO THEY'RE NOT GETTING WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. SO IF YOU DON'T MIND JUST TO STAY DIRECTED THIS WAY, IT WILL HELP THEM KEEP UP. OKAY. I WANT TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL. MEMBERS AND OUR RESIDENTS HERE, IS ANYBODY IMMUNE OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND OR HOMELESSNESS? I WANT TO SEE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO THINK ANYONE IS IMMUNE OF MENTAL ILLNESS OR HOMELESSNESS. MY NAME IS ANNA BARAZADURDA. AND I HAVE MANY TITLES. I AM A MOTHER. I AM A NANT. I AM A SISTER, A NANT. I AM EMPLOYED. I HAVE MY MASTER'S IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE, OOPS, SORRY. I HAVE MY MASTER'S IN SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY. I DO VOLUNTEER WORK WITH WITH TRANSFORMATION PARK, AND I ALSO DO VOLUNTEER WORK WITH ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH. AND THE REASON I TELL YOU THIS IS BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS A STORY. OUR HEROES, THE FIRE VICTIMS, I WANT TO APPLAUD EVERYBODY [00:50:01] FOR BEING BRAVE. IT'S SO HARD, THIS WORLD IS SO HARD TO LIVE IN SOMETIMES, AND JESUS WARNED US ABOUT THAT. IN SCRIPTURE, PEOPLE MET TRAUMA. NOBODY IS IMMUNE OF TRAUMA. THAT CAN HAPPEN TO ANY OF US. OUR HEROES, OUR FIRE VICTIMS, SUICIDE. MS. NANCY, THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING. SO NOBODY'S YOU KNOW, IN MY PHILOSOPHY IS NOBODY'S IMMUNE TO A MENTAL ILLNESS OR HOMELESSNESS. MS. ANNA? YES. SO IF WE COULD TURN THE TIMER OFF, PLEASE. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOU HAVE SOME IMPORTANT WORDS, AND I WANT TO HEAR THEM. AND SO I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO ADEQUATELY ADDRESS WHAT YOU WANT. COULD I CONNECT WITH YOU AFTER THIS MEETING? IF YOU'LL GIVE HER AN EMAIL ADDRESS, AND IF YOU COULD REACH OUT TO ME WITH AN EMAIL, I'D BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU THE TIME YOU DESERVE TO SPEAK ON THIS. OH. OKAY. I KNOW THREE MINUTES IS SHORT, MA'AM. AND I TRIED, BUT IT JUST DIDN'T WORK. YOU DID GREAT. BUT LET US INVEST IN THIS WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE. OKAY. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF REALLY GOOD STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THE COMMUNITY, TPC, MANY, MANY OTHERS THAT ARE DOING THE GOOD WORK. YES, LOTS OF THEM. YES, THEY ARE. LET ME SEE IF I CAN PUT YOU ON THE RIGHT TEAM. OKAY, AWESOME. THANK YOU, MS. ANNA. THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. AND IF WE COULD INVITE CAITLIN GIBSON UP TO THE EMPTY PODIUM, AND TRENT, YOU MAY BEGIN. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. MY NAME IS TRENT JONES. I'VE BEEN A PART OF THE AMARILLO COMMUNITY FOR 54 YEARS, BORN AND RAISED. I'M VERY PROUD TO BE FROM AMARILLO. AND FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY MAYOR STANLEY, COUNCILMAN TIPS, I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT Y'ALL DID ON FRIDAY. YOU SHOWED TRANSPARENCY AND LEADERSHIP, AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IN THIS COMMUNITY, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DO NOT LIVE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. I DO, HOWEVER, SHARE A PROPERTY LINE ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE LANDFILL WITH THE CITY OF AMARILLO. AND I HOPE I'M A GOOD NEIGHBOR. I WANT TO TAKE Y'ALL BACK TO 2011 WHEN I FIRST MOVED OUT THERE. THERE WAS A CITY SUPERVISOR FROM THE LANDFILL THAT LIVED ON THAT PROPERTY RIGHT NEXT TO ME, IN A HOUSE RIGHT NEXT TO ME ON THAT PROPERTY. AND THE FIRST DAY I MOVED IN, HE DROVE UP TO ME, HANDED ME HIS BUSINESS CARD, AND SAID, IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY TRASH ON YOUR PROPERTY, CALL ME IMMEDIATELY, AND I'LL HAVE IT REMOVED. THE THING ABOUT IT IS, I NEVER HAD TO CALL HIM, BECAUSE WITHIN TWO DAYS, IT WAS GONE. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THAT? I CAN'T EVEN TURN MY HORSES OUT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THERE'S BAGS LITTERED ALL OVER MY BARBED WIRE FENCE. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO A LIVESTOCK ANIMAL WHEN IT GETS A BAG INSIDE OF ITS INTESTINES? IT'LL KILL THEM. I HAVE VERY VALUABLE HORSES, AND THAT'S A CONCERN WITH ME. SO I'M ASKING THIS FORUM, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN GOING FORWARD WITH PICKING UP OUR TRASH? BECAUSE THERE'S MORE HOUSES COMING CLOSER TO THE LANDFILL. AND THIS IS ALSO INTENSIFIED WHENEVER CELL 10 OPENED UP. SO I'M GOING TO ASK THIS FORUM, WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT CELL 10? ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DUMP IN IT, OR ARE WE GOING TO FILL IT BACK UP? I HOPE IT'S THE LATTER. AT THIS POINT, AS WELL AS MY NEIGHBORS, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE GROUNDWATER, AND WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR QUALITY THAT'S COMING OUT OF THAT LANDFILL. I GUESS I DIDN'T NEED THREE MINUTES. I APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP HERE. I REALIZE WE'RE IN CHALLENGING TIMES. WE'VE CALLED THE LANDFILL SEVERAL TIMES AND I'VE ALSO SENT EMAILS TO THE LANDFILL EMAIL THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE. AND PRETTY MUCH THE REPLY WE'VE GOTTEN IS NOBODY WANTS TO WORK ANYMORE. WE'VE BEEN BRANDING THAT TERM SINCE COVID. IT'S TIME TO COME TOGETHER ON THAT. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WANT TO WORK. IF Y'ALL NEED HELP WITH THAT, I CAN HELP YOU FIND PEOPLE TO WORK AT THE CITY LANDFILL TAKING CARE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THE TRASH. EVERY ONE OF THESE SEATS IN 10 OR 20 YEARS ARE GOING TO BE FILLED UP WITH SOMEBODY NEW. WHAT ARE Y'ALL DOING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO SET UP THE LANDFILL FOR SUCCESS AS IT RELATES TO THIS COMMUNITY? THANK YOU. MR. JONES, WE APPRECIATE YOU. TRENT, WE APPRECIATE YOU. [00:55:12] I'M CARRIE HOMER, AND I WAS NOT DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE FIRES, BUT I'M DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE LANDFILL. SO I GUESS I NEED TO TALK TO THE CITY MANAGER. I HAVE CALLED 500 OR MORE TIMES TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE TRASH. IT'S A WAR ZONE. MY HUSBAND AND I RUN CATTLE ON THE SOUTH PART OF THE LANDFILL. ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, YOU WOULD SEE MAYBE 25, 30, 50 BAGS A DAY. WE DIDN'T MIND PICKING THOSE UP TO PROTECT OUR CATTLE. THE LAST SIX MONTHS, IT'S A WAR ZONE EVERY SINGLE DAY. THOUSANDS, THOUSANDS OF BAGS AND TRASH, NOT TO MENTION THE STENCH, HAS CONTINUOUSLY GOTTEN WORSE OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS. YOUR EYES BURN WHEN YOU GO OUTSIDE. THE SMELL AND THE ODOR JUST TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. YOU KNOW, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE WATER, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SOIL CONTAMINATION, BUT MOSTLY THE QUALITY OF THE LAND. IT IS AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE. I HAVE CALLED VICTORIA OVER 500 TIMES WITH NOT ONE RETURN PHONE CALL. I GOT HER CELL PHONE NUMBER FROM A LADY THAT WAS OUT THERE PICKING UP TRASH, BUT SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO CROSS THE FENCE LINE. WITHOUT PERMISSION AND I GAVE HER CLEAR PERMISSION AND SHE SAID NO YOU NEED TO CALL VICTORIA. HERE'S HER CELL PHONE NUMBER. I HAVE CALLED FOR MONTHS AND NOT ONE RETURN PHONE CALL AND SO I JUST PUT IT ON REDIAL AND STILL NOT ONE RETURN PHONE CALL. IT'S THE FIRES HERE ARE DEVASTATING. YES WILDFIRES ARE NOT PREVENTABLE BUT THIS WILDFIRE WAS TOTALLY PREVENTABLE AND WE WATCHED IT UM SUNDAY MORNING AND WITH NOBODY OUT THERE IN SIGHT ONE BAG COULD HAVE TAKEN IT AND WIPED OUT THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD NOT JUST WHAT DID GET TAKEN AWAY YOU KNOW WHAT ABOUT OUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE WE PAYING FOR TRASH ARE WE GOING TO GET SOME KIND OF REFUND OR BREAK ON THOSE. PLEASE COME OUT. I WELCOME YOU. I WILL TAKE YOU OUT. I HAVE VIDEOS FROM THE LAST SIX MONTHS BECAUSE IT HAS CONTINUOUSLY GOTTEN WORSE. I CHECK MY CATTLE KNOWING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO EAT A BAG AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE BAG, IT'S THOUSANDS AND EVEN LAST NIGHT WAS WORSE. WE DROVE THROUGH THE PASTURE LAST NIGHT. AND IT WAS WORSE THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE FIRE, AND WE NEED IT FIXED. THANK YOU. WE WOULD INVITE ALAN FEINGOLD TO THE EMPTY PODIUM, AND MIKE, YOU MAY BEGIN. MY NAME IS MIKE FISHER. I LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO. OVER THE PAST WEEK, THIS CITY AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS SUFFERED. ONE OF THE WORST DISASTERS IN RECENT MEMORY. AND NOW WE HAVE GROWING QUESTIONS SURROUNDING THE LANDFILL AND WHAT'S KNOWN STATEWIDE AS THE STINKY FIRE. MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE RESPONSE FROM CITY LEADERSHIP SAYING WE DIDN'T KNOW. I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD RESPONSE. I MEAN, SOMEBODY THAT'S MAKING OVER $200,000 A YEAR, THAT'S NOT AN OPTION. IT'S NOT, HE SHOULD KNOW. YOU SHOULD KNOW THE CRITICAL, WE WENT UP 7% ON SOLID WASTE THIS YEAR, WHERE'D THAT MONEY GO? THE CITY MANAGER NOW SAYS HE'S UNAWARE OF TCEQ LANDFILL VIOLATIONS. THE CITY MANAGER, ACCORDING TO THE CHARTER, THE CITY MANAGER IS NOT A PASSIVE FIGUREHEAD. SECTION 20 OF THE CHARTER SAYS THE CITY MANAGER IS THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEAD OF THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT. AND SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EFFICIENT ADMINISTRATION OF ALL DEPARTMENTS. SECTION 21 GOES FURTHER. THE CITY MANAGER SHALL, THAT MEANS MUST, SEE THAT THE LAWS AND ORDINANCES OF THE CITY ARE ENFORCED, EXERCISE CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OVER ALL DEPARTMENTS AND OFFICES. [01:00:01] THE CHARTER DOES NOT SAY UNLESS NOBODY TOLD HIM SO. THE CHARTER PLACES RESPONSIBILITY DIRECTLY ON CITY MANAGEMENT, AND NOW WE SEE T.C.Q. VIOLATIONS, OPERATIONAL ISSUES. WE WONDER WHETHER SMOLDERING FIRES, HAVE THEY BEEN GOING FOR SOME TIME? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING. IN REGARD TO WHAT YOU SAID, MR. TIPS, THE COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY. YOU'RE SAYING IT'S LIMITED TO MANAGING THE CITY MANAGER. WELL, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE. SECTION 19 OF THE AMARILLO CHARTER EXPLICITLY GIVES THE COUNCIL THE AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE. YOU CAN SUBPOENA. YOU CAN MAKE PEOPLE COME IN HERE AND TESTIFY. THAT'S WHAT YOU GUYS HAVE. LET'S MAKE THAT HAPPEN. BECAUSE THESE GUYS JUST TELLING YOU THAT EVERYTHING'S OKAY, IT'S NOT WORKING. I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO INVESTIGATE THE RESPONSIBILITY. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO SEEK ANSWERS AND YOU HAVE THE DUTY TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT COME WHAT MAY. THANK YOU. WE WOULD INVITE BARBARA TO THE EMPTY PODIUM AND ALAN MAY BEGIN. I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN ABOUT THE WATER RATES AND WASTE WATER RATES. BUT BECAUSE OF RECENT EVENTS AND SOME OF THE COMMENTS HERE TODAY, I FEEL OBLIGED TO TALK ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED, AND I WILL POSTPONE MY DISCUSSION OF UTILITY RATES UNTIL THE NEXT TIME. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT THE THREE-MINUTE RULE WAS ADOPTED WHEN THIS COMMISSION OR THIS COUNCIL WAS MEETING EVERY WEEK. SO IF YOU WERE TO GIVE EQUAL TIME... TO THE INDIVIDUALS AS THEY HAVE IT BEFORE THE COUNCIL STARTED MEETING EVERY OTHER WEEK, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GIVE EVERYONE SIX MINUTES. NOW, I DON'T THINK THAT'S FEASIBLE TO DO, BUT I DO THINK IT'S FEASIBLE FOR THIS COUNCIL TO HAVE SPECIAL MEETINGS REGARDING SPECIAL ISSUES THAT WILL BE LONG-TERM AND GREATLY AFFECT THE CITIZENS OF THIS CITY. SO THAT YOU CAN CONDUCT A BUSINESS MEETING AS YOU REGULARLY DO, BUT YOU CAN HOLD SPECIAL MEETINGS TO ADDRESS ISSUES LIKE FIRE PREVENTION, WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THE CITY LANDFILL, WATER RATES AND UTILITY RATES, AND OF COURSE, YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH WILL HAVE AN ENORMOUS EFFECT ON THE FUTURE OF THE CITY. AND WILL REQUIRE AN ENORMOUS EXPENDITURE OF MONEY IF YOU GO AHEAD WITH IT. I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS TO TRY TO COVER THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES IN A BUSINESS MEETING WHERE EVERYONE GETS THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. THAT IS A PRESUMPTION ON YOUR PART THAT THE CITY KNOWS EVERYTHING THAT REALLY HAS TO BE KNOWN, AND THE CITIZENS GET A CHANCE TO VENT THEIR OPINIONS TO THE CITY COMMISSION. BUT THEY COULDN'T ACTUALLY KNOW ANYTHING THAT WAS CRITICAL FOR THE CITY TO CONSIDER. I WILL GIVE YOU SOME IDEA OF WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT THE SITUATION WITH THE LANDFILL AT PRESENT. NUMBER ONE, GET A BIG FENCE AROUND IT. IF YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE, PUT UP A 12-FOOT FENCE AROUND IT SO ALL THOSE BAGS THAT GO FLYING AROUND WILL HIT THE FENCE AND THEY WON'T GO OUT TO PEOPLE'S PROPERTY. NUMBER TWO, YOU NEED A SERIOUS RECYCLING PROGRAM, ONE THAT CAN SEPARATE FLAMMABLE MATERIALS, ESPECIALLY FLAMMABLE CHEMICALS, FROM THE REST OF WHAT GOES INTO THE LANDFILL. IT'S A MATTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY, NOT JUST A FAVOR THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS. I HOPE YOU WILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER HAVING A SEPARATE FACILITY FOR FLAMMABLE CHEMICALS AND CERTAINLY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND... MR. MAYS CAN GIVE YOU A GOOD DEAL OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. WE INVITE PODIUM. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS NATASHA SCARBOROUGH. I LIVE IN AMARILLO. I'M HERE BECAUSE MY WATER BILL SUDDENLY INCREASED FAR BEYOND WHAT MY HOUSEHOLD HAS HISTORICALLY USED. AND I STILL DO NOT BELIEVE I'VE BEEN GIVEN A CLEAR EXPLANATION. [01:05:04] FOR YEARS, OUR USAGE WAS RELATIVELY NORMAL. IN FEBRUARY, MY BILL WAS NORMAL. THEN AFTER THE CITY TRANSITIONED TO NEW METERING AND BILLING SYSTEM, MY USAGE SUDDENLY JUMPED DRAMATICALLY IN MARCH AND APRIL. MY APRIL BILL SHOWED THAT I USED 28,000 GALLONS OVER A 37-DAY PERIOD. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS CONTINUOUS FLOW AT MY METER AND THAT THIS LIKELY EXPLAINS THE INCREASE. BUT AFTER REVIEWING THE HOURLY DATA, THE READINGS DO NOT CONSISTENTLY LOOK LIKE NON-STOP LEAK. THERE ARE HOURS SHOWING EXTREMELY LOW USAGE, NEAR ZERO USAGE, AND EVEN ESTIMATED READINGS MIXED THROUGHOUT THE REPORT. I HAVE CHECKED MY HOME. THERE ARE NO KNOWN LEAKS. MY SPRINKLER SYSTEM WATERS ONLY A SMALL FRONT YARD. AND LAST YEAR, I WATERED MORE OFTEN THAN I DO NOW WITHOUT ANYTHING CLOSE TO THIS LEVEL OF CONSUMPTION. WHAT CONCERNS ME MOST IS THAT MANY AMARILLO RESIDENTS... ARE REPORTING THE EXACT SAME EXPERIENCE AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. MANY OF US ARE BEING TOLD THE SAME EXPLANATION DESPITE VERY DIFFERENT HOUSEHOLDS AND USAGE PATTERNS. I AM NOT HERE DEMANDING BLAME TODAY. I AM ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE BILLING AND METERING CONNECTED TO THIS SYSTEM TRANSITION. RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BECOME DATA ANALYSTS JUST TO UNDERSTAND THEIR UTILITY BILLS. I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO INVESTIGATE THE ACCURACY OF THE NEW METERING AND BILLING SYSTEM, REVIEW HOW ESTIMATED READINGS AND CONTINUOUS FLOW DETERMINATIONS ARE BEING MADE, AND PROVIDE MEANINGFUL OVERSIGHT BEFORE RESIDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO EXPECTED TO PAY CHARGES THAT CANNOT REASONABLY FAIR BE VERIFIED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME MA'AM MA'AM THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING IF I COULD CONNECT YOU WITH RICH UP HERE ON THE FAR LEFT, HE CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT WATER BILL FOR YOU. I DO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THE DISCUSSION WILL COVER THE EXTERNAL INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY AUDIT THAT YOU ARE EXACTLY IN LINE TO ASK FOR. I DID SPEAK WITH RICH TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN I CAME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING. OKAY. AND I WAS GIVEN THE DEFINITION THROUGH EMAIL AND ON THE PHONE. THAT I HAVE A CONTINUOUS FLOW PROBLEM. OKAY. LET US TAKE THAT BY THE HORNS HERE. THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK. I APOLOGIZE. OKAY. WE INVITE STEPHEN CRAIG THOMAS, EMPTY PODIUM, AND NEIL. CITY MANAGER, MY NAME IS NEIL MOORE. DISABLED VETERAN AND I USED TO LIVE AT 2201 BLUE PLALE. AFTER WE HAD OUR FIRST AS THE FIREMEN APPROACHED AND ASKED US TO LEAVE OUR HOME WE GOT OUR CARS AND WE LEFT AND AS I WAS COMING BACK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD US THAT WE ARE WE NO WRONG WE WERE NO PEOPLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE, SO THAT MADE US FEEL GOOD TO SLEEP THE NIGHT. THE FOLLOWING DAY, WORKING IN, LET ME TELL YOU, WE HAVE, I HAVE, THERE ARE SOME TERRIFIC NEIGHBORS OUT THERE THAT LET US KNOW WHEN ANYTHING HAPPENS. AND WE WERE STARTING TO GET, WE NEEDED TO LEAVE. WE LEFT, SAW MIKE ON FIRE 28 YEARS AGO, REDUCED TO NOTHING BUT DUST. AND IT WAS VERY HARD, LIKE SAY 81, IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY A COUPLE YEARS TO BUILD IT BACK. WILL I BE ABLE TO SEE THAT HOUSE, THE REBUILT HOUSE, OR SHALL I GO OUT AND BUY IT? QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING ASKED ALL THE TIME AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT. [01:10:03] I'M NOT 60 ANYMORE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, YOU KNOW, ALL THE VETERANS THAT ARE AROUND HERE, ANY VETERANS OUT THERE THAT NEED BEING INVOLVED WITH THE HOPING THAT SAME SITUATION THAT I AM. I DIDN'T HAVE TO WEAR A WHITE SHIRT TONIGHT. I OWN A WHITE NOW. A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE HOPE THAT PERHAPS THAT YOU'LL LOOK AT THIS AND HELP US AND HELP OUR VETERANS AND HELP OUR NEIGHBORS TO GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE INVITE CRAIG GAULTIER TO THE EMPTY PODIUM AND STEPHEN YOU MAY BEGIN. YEAH, FIRST LES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JOIN WHAT WE DO ON THE... IN APRIL, SOMEWHERE I HAD A LEAKY TOILET. 25,000 GALLONS A MONTH. I HAVE 15,000 GALLONS. AND 2,200 OR SO. 25 YEARS COMPUTER. THE ONE WE PUT, THEY DIDN'T PUT ANY OF THE BACK HISTORY. THEY JUST PUT... WE INVITE UP AMANDA CESARES TO THE EMPTY PODIUM AND CRAIG YOU MAY BEGIN. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN FOR ALLOWING US TO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THIS BUT BY LAW YOU DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO ALLOW US TO HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD. I WANT TO GIVE YOU QUICK LITTLE HISTORICAL FACTS ABOUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I WAS A HUGE C-SPAN NUT IN MY COLLEGE DAYS SO I USED TO ALWAYS WATCH THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS AND SO FORTH, BUT HOW MR. SIMPSON BRINGS UP A GOOD QUESTION, WHICH I ACTUALLY DISAGREE WITH HIM ABOUT HAVING THIS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD NOW INSTEAD OF LATER. WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT RICH KAHN IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE UTILITY BILLING. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MR. KASHUB IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE PARKS. YOU KNOW, IF I WANT TO HAVE A, YOU KNOW, BACK AND FORTH WITH MY CITY COUNCIL, WHO I ELECT. I SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO GET TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEIR PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE. HOW CAN I DEBATE SOMETHING OR AGREE WITH THEM, HEAVEN FORBID IF WE AGREE WITH YOU GUYS, OR DISAGREE WITH YOU IF WE CAN'T HEAR THEIR PRESENTATION FIRST? MR. SIMPSON, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH ALLOWING THE CITIZENS TO HAVE A COMMENT ON WHAT WE USED TO HAVE HISTORICALLY IN THE CITY COUNCIL BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY MOVED TO AMARILLO, HOW WHEN OUR MAYOR WAS TRENT SIZEMORE AND BEFOREHAND. WE ACTUALLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA. AND THEN AT THE END OF THE AGENDA, THE CITY COUNCIL TOOK A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WHERE YOU COULD SPEAK ABOUT THINGS THAT WERE NOT ON THE AGENDA. THAT WAS A NOVEL APPROACH. ALL THIS CHANGED HOW WE'RE DOING PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD WHEN GINGER NELSON CAME INTO PLAY. AND THEN WHEN MAYOR STANLEY CAME INTO PLAY IS WHEN WE... ALMOST JUST DID THE SAME THING THAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE WITH GINGER NELSON. BUT PRIOR TO, EVEN UNDER HARPO, YOU COULD SPEAK ON IF IT WAS AN AIRPORT ISSUE OR A PARK ISSUE WHEN THE ITEM CAME UP ON THE AGENDA. THIS IS YOUR MEETING, MR. STANLEY. YOU'RE ALLOWED TO RUN IT HOWEVER YOU WANT. I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU DO ALLOW US TO COME UP HERE AND SPEAK. I REALLY WISH WE WOULD STOP WORRYING ABOUT... TRYING TO APPEASE TO ONE PERSON [01:15:02] ALL THE TIME INSTEAD OF LET'S APPEASE TO THE ALL. YOUR STAFF GETS TO FILIBUSTER. THEY GET TO TALK ALL THEY WANT. WE GET THREE MINUTES. MR. FEINGOLD WAS VERY CORRECT. YOU KNOW, WE USED TO HAVE THREE MINUTES, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERY WEEK. NOW WE ONLY GET A MINUTE AND A HALF, ACTUALLY. YOU KNOW, SO, AGAIN, I THINK WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT. MAYBE POSSIBLY CHANGING THE I REALLY I DIDN'T COME UP HERE TO SPEAK ON PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ABOUT THIS I ACTUALLY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT PARKS I HOPE THAT I'LL BE INVITED TO TO SPEAK BECAUSE I HAVE SOME PROFESSIONAL OR I THINK DUMB TAXPAYER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON AT THE PARKS WHEN THAT DISCUSSION COMES UP I THINK HAVING ALL THESE BIG MEATY DISCUSSION ITEMS ON HERE DOES NOT GIVE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS THANK YOU AMANDA, YOU MAY BEGIN. HI, THE FIRES WERE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I HOPE Y'ALL ACTUALLY LIKE CARE WHAT TO SAY. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. BUT IF IT IS A CITY PROBLEM THAT WHY THE FIRE GOT THE WAY THAT IT DID, THAT'S A BIG ISSUE. AND I'VE BEEN REALLY MAD AND UPSET. MY HOUSE IS OKAY AND I HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY OUT THERE AND IN AND OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S REALLY UPSETTING. WE HAD TO EVACUATE AND WE GOT OUR DOGS OUT, BUT I HAD MY CAT THERE AND JUST THE STRESS OF WORRYING ABOUT HIM. SORRY, I HAVE TERRIBLE ANXIETIES. IT'S EVEN HARD FOR ME TO DO IN THE FIRST PLACE. I'M GOING TO DO IT BECAUSE I'VE BEEN REALLY FIRED UP THIS WEEK ABOUT EVERYTHING. JUST, LIKE I SAID, DRIVING IN AND OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. DAY ON MONDAY WHEN WE WAIT AND BREAKING DOWN AND A PANIC ATTACK. I JUST I HOPE SOMETHING HAPPENS IF IT'S THE CITY'S FAULT THAT SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN IF YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THAT'S I THINK. I'M GOOD LIVE OUT THERE AND YOU DRIVE OUT EVERY DAY VERY LUCKY MY FAMILY THAT LIVES OUT THERE THAT OKAY BUT IT WAS REALLY BAD I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. I JUST HOPE YOU ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY AND WHAT WE FEEL. THAT CONCLUDES EVERYONE THAT SIGNED TODAY. THANK YOU ALL FOR SIGNING UP. I KNOW I'VE GOT A FEW OTHERS HERE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. WE ARE GOING TO ASK YOU, IF YOU DON'T MIND, ESPECIALLY FOR ME, TO BE ABLE TO CONTACT YOU AFTER THE MEETING. WHEN YOU SPEAK, IF YOU'LL GIVE YOUR NAME, PHONE NUMBER, EMAIL ADDRESS TO CITY SECRETARY, IT WOULD BE VERY GOOD FOR US. MR. FORD, I SAW YOU RAISE YOUR HAND. WE'LL START WITH YOU FIRST. AND THEN I'LL TAKE ANYBODY ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT AFTER MR. FORD. MR. MAYOR, BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION YESTERDAY, I'M JUST GOING TO ASSUME YOU [01:20:01] HAVE MY PHONE NUMBER. MIKE FORD, EMERALD, PANHANDLE TAXPAYERS FOR TRANSPARENCY, 05,000 MEMBERS. I HAD A VERY COMMENT HERE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE IT. BASED ON WHAT THE COMMENTS HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY, THIS IS REALLY ABOUT WHERE DOES THE EXAMPLE START? AND FOR ME, IT STARTS AT THE TOP. AND MR. SIMPSON, YOU RIGHTLY BROUGHT UP THE ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE ANYTHING STARTED. AND MR. MAYOR, YOU AND I HAVE A DISAGREEMENT ON THIS. BEFORE ANYTHING STARTED, AND THE PUBLIC IS EXPECTING PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE DISCUSSION. AND THIS IS FAIR. BUT I WAS ACTUALLY, BASED ON OUR CONVERSATION, WAITING UNTIL AFTER. SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. BUT YOU'LL FIND THAT THE LAW, THE LAW IS VERY CLEAR. IT IS NOT DISCRETIONARY. AND SO IT SAYS THE PUBLIC SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT. IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. I PUT IT IN BIG LETTERS. PUBLIC SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO ADDRESS THEIR GOVERNMENT ON ANY MATTER ON THE AGENDA. IT'S NOT AN ACTION ITEM. IT'S NOT ANYTHING ELSE. ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA BEFORE OR DURING. MY BROTHER CRAIG OVER HERE, YOU'RE RIGHT. WE CAN TALK BEFORE OR DURING. IT'S COMPLETELY UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE CITY COUNCIL. SO YOU CAN ALLOW IT AS YOU HAVE BEFORE, OR YOU CAN PASS THE LAW. AND SO WHAT I SAY IS WHEN THE EXAMPLE STARTS, IT STARTS AT THE TOP. THE RESPECT FOR THE LAW STARTS AT THE TOP. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE HAD, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT, IF WE ACTUALLY HAD THE LAW WRITTEN UP THERE INSTEAD OF NOT THE LAW WRITTEN UP THERE. OKAY, IT'S NOT A DISCRETION, IT'S NOT A THING THAT'S CASUALLY THROWN ABOUT. IT'S THE SAME THING AS THE LANDFILL, THE EARTHEN CAP ON THE LANDFILL. THAT'S NOT DISCRETIONARY. THAT'S WHY THERE'S A NOTICE OF VIOLATION. THAT'S WHY THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO SKIP THAT BECAUSE IT CAUSES FIRES. SO THE EXAMPLE THAT WE START AT THE VERY TOP. CARRIES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CITY. AND THE EXAMPLE YOU SET IN HERE, AND YOUR RESPECT FOR THE LAW AS IT IS WRITTEN, CARRIES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CITY. AND I WANT TO ASK YOU GENTLEMEN TO START TO OBSERVE THAT, PLEASE, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE COUNTING ON YOU. AND IT'S NOT JUST ONE PERSON OR A COUPLE OF PEOPLE. IT'S EVERYBODY. THEY WANT TO SEE THAT EXAMPLE. AND BY THE SAME TOKEN, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU PLEASE INVOKE INVESTIGATION BY COUNSEL WITHIN YOUR CHARTER. UNDERTAKE THAT, THE POWER YOU HAVE WITHIN THE CHARTER TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER. AND I'M AT THE END OF MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE WANT TO COMMENT IF YOU'D RAISE YOUR HAND? GLENN, I SEE YOUR HAND IN THE BACK, SIR. MR. LOVETT, IF YOU'D COME FORWARD. AND THIS OTHER GENTLEMAN THAT'S COMING FORWARD, IF YOU WANT TO SPEAK NEXT. HE'S WITH YOU. WE'LL HAVE BOTH OF YOU, OR YOU GUYS CAN TAKE SEPARATE MICS. IT'S UP TO YOU. OKAY. YES SIR, I DO. MY NAME IS BURNS. THIS IS BURNS FROM THE GROUND. LANDFILL. NOT ANY ELSE. A LANDFILL. LET A FIRE GET AWAY. I WAS A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN BACK IN THE 70S. WE WENT IN AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. WE DIDN'T LEAVE UNTIL IT WAS OUT. DON'T CARE WHAT IT WAS, WHAT TIME IT WAS. DON'T LET IT GET AWAY. YOU COULD HAVE HAD A PLANE COME IN AND DROP RETARDED AROUND THE LANDFILL. IT WOULD HAVE NEVER LEFT THAT FIELD. BUT Y'ALL DIDN'T DO NOTHING EXCEPT STAND BACK AND LIKE, WELL, WE'LL CALL IN ANOTHER SPECIALIST THAT CAN FIGHT THE FIRE. WELL, WHILE THEY'RE WAITING TO COME FOR THAT, Y'ALL ARE STANDING AROUND STILL WAITING. IT GETS INTO THE TRASH. THE GENTLEMAN HAD TALKED ABOUT THE TRASH AND THE FENCE. WELL, THEY'VE GOT TO CATCH FENCE. IT'S 20-SOMETHING FEET HIGH. BUT WHEN THE TRASH GETS BUILT UP ENOUGH, THE WIND GETS IT AND STARTS BLOWING IT. IT'S THROUGH EVERYBODY'S PROPERTY. NOW WHAT IS IT GOING TO DO WHEN IT CATCHES ON FIRE? IT SETS EVERYBODY'S PROPERTY ON FIRE. WE'VE GOT 52 HOUSES DOWN ON THE GROUND FLAT. YOU GET TO GO HOME AFTER 8 HOURS, 10 HOURS. WE GET TO DO THAT NOW. [01:25:12] STILL FLAT. 52 OTHER ONES. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS? AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE LANDFILL? I WAS TOLD TO LEAVE. YOU GOT FIRE FEEDER, FIRE PEOPLE, FIRE, FIRE PEOPLE DOING, BUT THEY CAN'T STOP IT BECAUSE IT GETS AWAY FROM THEM. NOW I'M SUPPOSED TO LEAVE MY HOUSE AND GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY THAT CAN'T STOP THE FIRE? IT'S LIKE GIVING ME GUNS, BUT DON'T GIVE ME ANY AMMUNITION. I CAN'T SHOOT NOBODY WITH IT. YOU GUYS JUST GOT TO AMMUNITION. AND XL, FIRST RATTLED OUT OF THE BOX, GETS UP, WHOO THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGHT IT WITH A RUBBER. DO YOU THINK YOU PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT? NO, BECAUSE YOU GO HOME. NEED WATER? THEM DATA CENTERS, THEY DON'T GIVE THAT WATER AWAY. BACK IT OUT OF THE GROUND, THIS TOWN'S GONNA- YOU GUYS HAVE GOTTA COME UP KRISTEN, WILL YOU TURN THE, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THE TIME THAT IT TAKES HERE TODAY. YOU AIN'T GOT ENOUGH TIME. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU WHAT I CAN, AND I CAN TELL YOU IF YOU TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT THOSE PEOPLE BEHIND YOU, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT OWN THE LANDFILL, SIR. ALL THESE PEOPLE OWN IT. YES, SIR, AMARILLO OWNS THE LANDFILL. NO. THE TAXPAYER. THESE PEOPLE PAY TAXES. NO, NO, SIR. THESE PEOPLE PAY THE TRASH BILL TO GO DUMP THERE. SOMEBODY UP HERE HAS GOT THEIR NAME ON A MR. CITY LANDFILL IS OWNED BY THE CITIZENS AND WE'RE THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS. I'M GLAD TO ENGAGE WITH YOU AGAIN. TOMORROW I'LL BE BACK OUT AT YOUR PROPERTY WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS AGAIN. AND SO CAN I FIX WHAT'S GONE WRONG HERE? ABSOLUTELY NOT, SIR. I CAN CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO YOU. AND I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH, BUT I WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE. ALL RIGHT. SIR, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GIVING US... YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT THAT PEOPLE DID TO STOP THE FIRE. IT SHOULD NEVER STOP. TEXT LINE ORDER. I SEE NEW MEXICO TAGS ON MY CLEANING UP. I HAVE INSURANCE IN PLACES. THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE NOW. STATE AREA, CITY OF. [01:30:05] YES, MA'AM, IF YOU'LL COME FORWARD. IF YOU DON'T MIND, TO GIVE YOUR LAST NAME TO OUR CITY SECRETARY. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO FIRST THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TO OUR HOME. I'M ZEMINA LOVETT, GLENN'S WIFE. YOU DID GET OUT THERE, YOU DID GET US ELECTRICITY, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME WATER OUT THERE, AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THAT. MY REAL QUESTION IS, ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE THANKING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND YES, A LOT OF HOMES WERE SAVED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. I HAD A FIRE TRUCK PULL UP TO HIDE ME WHILE I WAS ON THE ROAD IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. THERE WAS FIRE IN THE DITCH. AND HE TURNED AROUND AND HE DIDN'T TRY TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THAT COULD HAVE SAVED MY HOME. IT COULD HAVE. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD HAVE, BUT IT WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY HELPED IF HE WOULD HAVE PUT SOME WATER ON THAT FIRE. I HAVE PICTURES OF MY SON AND MY HUSBAND BOTH OUT THERE WITH A SHOVEL TRYING TO SAVE OTHER PEOPLE'S HOMES THAT WERE OUT THERE. AND HE WAS ABLE TO HELP ONE GUY SAVE HIS HOME. IT'S STILL STANDING BETWEEN THE TWO HOUSES THAT WERE LOST ON MY STREET. MINE AND MY GOOD FRIEND JANE IRWIN. SHE'S AN ELDERLY WOMAN THAT WE HELPED GET OUT OF THE FIRE. BUT MY QUESTION IS, WHY DID THAT FIRE TRUCK PULL UP RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, LOOK AT A FIRE, AND TURN AROUND AND DRIVE OFF? AND IT WAS POTTER COUNTY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY TO YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. MR. BENSON. FIRST THING, THANKS FOR GETTING IN THERE. I'D LIKE... I'D LIKE TO CHALLENGE EVERYBODY UP HERE TO THOSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE, WE NEED TO BE THANKFUL FOR THAT, BUT WE NEED, THOSE PEOPLE NEED HELP. WHATEVER WE GOT OFF OUR ASS IS JUST DEVASTATING WHEN IT'S HORRIBLE. IT LOOKS LIKE A WAR ZONE. SO YOU KNOW... IT'S JUST, IT'S HORRIBLE. WE NEED TO STEP UP AS A COMMUNITY AND HELP THESE PEOPLE. SERIOUSLY GUYS, LET'S GET OFF OUR ASS AND DO SOMETHING. I'M NOT GOING TO GO AWAY UNTIL SOMETHING'S DONE WITH THIS. AND I CAN PROMISE YOU, YOU GUYS, IT'S COMING. AND YOU KNOW IT, IT'S COMING. THE LAWYERS ARE GOING TO START PACKING UP. SO I'M JUST TELLING YOU GUYS, WE NEED TO DO A TRY. PEOPLE GET BACK TO THEIR NORMAL LIVES, WHATEVER THEY CAN GET. THIS GUY HAS... ALL THIS BELONGS. WE CAN SIT HERE AND BLAME WHO, BLAME WHO WE GET. WE HAVE TO DO, LET'S DO IT. LET'S DO, YOU KNOW, FUNDRAISERS. WE GOT A STADIUM OVER HERE. LET'S DO SOMETHING. SO I'M BEGGING YOU GUYS. PLEASE HELP THESE PEOPLE. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. YES, SIR. MRS. JONES, ARE YOU NEXT? YES. MY HUSBAND GOT UP AND KIND OF GAVE A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE LIVE RIGHT THERE ON THE FOOT DOWN. THE LITIGATION THAT GOES FORWARD IS THAT ON FEBRUARY 17TH FROM OUR HOME WE NOTICED A FIRE BURNING IN THE SAME CELL BACK BEHIND OUR HOUSE. WE CALLED 911, RESPONDED QUICKLY AND PUT IT OUT. BUT FROM THE VIDEOS THAT I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SEND TO YOU, I FEEL LIKE I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING HOW SOMEBODY COULDN'T. HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING WAS GOING ON BEFORE THEN. THIS WAS, THIS HAPPENED ON FEBRUARY 17TH. THE SAME FIRES WERE SMOLDERING [01:35:02] IN THAT EXACT SAME SPOT. IT LOOKS LIKE IT, YOU CAN TELL FROM MY VIDEO FROM WHERE WE'RE STANDING, AND I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP BEFORE. SO THAT WOULD BE MY NEXT THING. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S PUT ON ANY INVESTIGATION THAT THIS WAS GOING ON A LONG TIME BEFORE. THE TRASH HAS BEEN AN ISSUE. LIKE MY HUSBAND TOLD YOU, IT WAS GOOD FOR A LONG TIME UNTIL IT WASN'T. AND WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHICH I BELIEVE IS WHENEVER THEY OPENED UP CELL 10, IS WHEN IT GOT BAD. AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO, LIKE HE REITERATED, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT. IS THAT CELL GOING TO BE CLOSED UP? ARE WE GOING TO DO THE GROUND COVER LIKE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO? WHAT'S THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE GOING FORWARD? I APPRECIATE YOU, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THAT YOU ALL HAVE DONE. Y'ALL HAVE BEEN SO WILLING TO TAKE OUR QUESTIONS. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT Y'ALL HAVE TO DO, SIT HERE AND TAKE THE BRUNT OF IT. BUT THANK YOU FOR DOING IT. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT, AND JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MA'AM. MA'AM, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND GIVING US YOUR NAME. MY NAME'S CONNIE, AND I LIVE IN AMARILLO. MS. STANNER. AND I WROTE THIS, BUT I WAS GOING TO TALK IT, BUT I CAN'T DO THAT, SO I'LL JUST READ IT. BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL, VOLUNTEERS, CHURCHES, NEIGHBORS, CITY WORKERS, AND ORDINARY CITIZENS WHO'VE STEPPED FORWARD DURING THIS TRAGEDY. IN MOMENTS LIKE THIS, WE SEE THE BEST PARTS OF AMARILLO. WE SEE PEOPLE OPENING THEIR HOMES, FEEDING STRANGERS, COMFORTING FAMILIES, PRAYING TOGETHER. AND CARING ONE ANOTHER THROUGH FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU GUYS ARE TRULY TRYING. I BELIEVE PEOPLE ARE WORKING HOURS BEHIND THE SCENES, AND YOU CARE DEEPLY. PEOPLE SEE THAT. I SEE THAT, AND IT MATTERS. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE CARRYING PAINFUL FEELINGS. PEOPLE ARE HURTING BECAUSE THEY'VE LOST HOMES, POSSESSIONS, PETS, KEEPSAKES, MEDICATIONS, TOOLS, THEIR WORK, THEIR WHOLE LIFE, THEIR LIFETIME. THEY'RE HURTING BECAUSE THEY FEEL WE'RE HEARING EXPLANATIONS. AND WE'RE NOT HEARING OWNERSHIPS. NOBODY, AND PEOPLE ARE GRIEVING WHAT THEY LOST, STRUGGLING WITH FEAR ABOUT WHETHER SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN AGAIN. MAYBE IT WILL. WE THINK IT WILL. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU SAY WE OWN THE LANDFILL, BUT NO ONE RUNS THEIR HOME THE WAY THE LAND... NONE OF YOU RUN YOUR HOME. IF ANY OF MY KIDS WHO LIVED OUT THERE WHO LOST THEIR HOME COULD RUN IT THE WAY THEY RUN THEIR HOME, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BURNT ANYTHING DOWN BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN PROACTIVE AND FIXED IT. PEOPLE ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR A DEEPER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAN WHEN THIS CATASTROPHIC HAPPENS. LEADERSHIP, OVERSIGHT, PREPARATION, AND SYSTEMS CARRY RESPONSIBILITY. MOST CITIZENS, HOPEFULLY, ARE NOT LOOKING FOR A VILLAIN. WE DON'T CARE IF SOMEONE GOT FIRED. IT WASN'T HIS JOB. IT WAS HIS JOB, THE LANDFILL MANAGER. WAS HE ALSO THE FIRE MANAGER? WAS HE THE FIRE WATCH? WHO WAS THE FIRE WATCH? I WANT TO SAY CLEARLY TODAY, WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR VILLAINS, I DON'T THINK. WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR... POLITICAL THEATER EITHER OR THE RIGHT ANSWER. WE'RE NOT EXPECTING PERFECTION. ASKING FOR INDEPENDENT, THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL TERM, INDEPENDENT, NOT INNER INVESTIGATION, TRANSPARENT, AND THAT'S ALSO A VERY HOT WORD, BUT IT'S HONESTY. YOU CANNOT DEDICATE A MEETING TO GOD AND THEN LIE. WELL, YOU CAN, OBVIOUSLY, BUT YOU'LL PAY THAT PRICE. GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF IT. AND I'M NOT ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE HUMAN REALITY THAT'S STILL UNFOLDING LIKE HE JUST SAID. PEOPLE, WE LOST THINGS. IT DOESN'T MATTER. THIS PERSON, HE SAID HE'S 81. HE DOESN'T KNOW IF HE HAS TIME TO HAVE A HOME ANYMORE. THESE ARE NOT HEADLINES. THESE ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND THESE ARE CITIZENS WHO PAY TAXES. AND THESE SAME INVESTIGATORS... INVESTIGATIONS THEY'RE GONNA FIND OUT ABOUT THE FIRE ARE THEY GONNA FIND OUT THAT SHE ACTUALLY FOR A LEAK THAT ISN'T THERE THE SAME COMPUTER PROGRAMS ARE GONNA FIND THAT IT REALLY IS BECAUSE THEY THREW AWAY A LITHIUM BATTERY WHEN THEY WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO PLEASE TURN THE OTHER I'M SORRY. I'M GOING TOO LONG, BUT NO I'M GONNA FINISH THIS LETTER SORRY MANY PEOPLE WORKING TO SOLVE THIS CRISIS WILL EVENTUALLY GO HOME, JUST LIKE THEY SAID, AT NIGHT [01:40:02] TO STABILITY, ROUTINE, AND CERTAINTY. BUT THESE AFFECTED FAMILIES CANNOT, CANNOT. AND HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET THEIR HOUSES, TO HAVE A HOUSE? AND AIRBNBS ARE AWESOME, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU ARE DOING FOR THEM, AND THE CHURCHES AND ALL THAT. BUT IT TAKES A LONG TIME TO HAVE A HOME. THESE PEOPLE WORKED THEIR WHOLE LIVES FOR THESE HOMES. AND IT'S NOT JUST SOMETHING A COMPUTER OR AI OR WHATEVER IS GOING TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED AND THEN SAY, THE LEAK. IT'S THE LEAK. I'M NOT SAYING THIS TO CREATE DIVISION, BUT I ASK THAT EVERY DECISION MOVING FORWARD BE MADE WITH DEEP COMPASSION FOR THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE STILL LIVING INSIDE THIS TRAGEDY EVERY SINGLE DAY. THEY STILL HAVE TO GO TO WORK. THEY DON'T HAVE A WHITE SHIRT TO PUT ON. THEY BARELY HAVE ANY PANTS. AND IT'S NOT A JOKE. PLEASE CONSIDER PURSUING EVERY AVAILABLE AVENUE, JUST LIKE THE OTHER PERSON SAID. HOUSING ASSISTANCE, THE LAST GUY, EMERGENCY RELIEF, CHARITABLE COORDINATOR. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GIVE. LET THEM. COMMUNICATE IT AHEAD OF TIME SO WE CAN BE HERE AT THE RIGHT TIME SO NORMAL PEOPLE CAN ATTEND. WE WANT TO WORK WITH YOU TO REBUILD TRUST. REBUILD HOMES, REBUILD CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND OF AMARILLO STRONG. BUT THE STRENGTH IS NOT SHOWN BY PROTECTING APPEARANCES OR SHIFTING RESPONSIBILITY. TRUE STRENGTH IS SHOWN WHEN LEADERS ARE WILLING TO FACE DIFFICULTIES AND CARRY RESPONSIBILITIES LEAKING. DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED, PEOPLE STILL LOVE THIS COMMUNITY DEEPLY ENOUGH TO FIGHT FOR ITS FUTURE, AND WE ARE ASKING FOR HONESTY. YOU GUYS TALK ABOUT WHATEVER YOU WANT IN WHATEVER MEETINGS YOU HEAR, AND MAYBE THIS MEANS NOTHING FOR US TO JUST TALK AND SAY HOW DUMB WE ARE AND DISORGANIZED AND ALL THIS STUFF, BUT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO BE HUMAN AND HONEST AND A PERSON AND NOT JUST SOMEONE IN CONTROL. WEATHER MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE SPREAD OF THE FIRE, BUT WEATHER DID NOT CREATE THE UNDERLYING DANGER. AND SOMEONE ELSE SAID... GET SOMEONE OUT THERE TO WATCH THE FIRE 24-7, NOT ONE PERSON, A TEAM THAT IS THE FIREWORK. FREAKING OBVIOUS. WE WOULD DO THAT AT... WHEN I REPLACE, I DON'T GO OUT... AND WHILE PERSONAL CHANGES MAY BE PART OF ADDRESSING PROBLEMS, MANY PEOPLE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT FIRING ONE INDIVIDUAL ALONE EXPLAINS OR RESOLVES THIS TRAGEDY. IT DOESN'T. SURE, MAYBE HE WAS PART OF IT, BUT THAT IS NOT THE BIGGEST PART. PEOPLE WANT REASSURANCE THAT THIS IS BEING EXAMINED HONESTLY, SYSTEMICALLY, INDEPENDENTLY, AND NOT POLITICALLY. BECAUSE WHAT THE PUBLIC IS LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW IS NOT POLISHED MESSAGING. PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR SINCERITY. THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU GUYS, WHOEVER THE LEADERS ARE, BECAUSE THEY SAY IT'S HIM AND HE SAYS IT'S THEM, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SINCERITY. SINCERITY. THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ARE WILLING TO STAND IN TRUTH WITH THEM, EVEN IF PART OF THAT IS DIFFICULT FOR YOU AND MAYBE US. WE HAVE WATCHED COMMUNITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY FROM CALIFORNIA IN THE PALISADES, HAWAIIAN MOUNTAINS, OTHER DEVASTATING FIRES STRUGGLE. THEY STRUGGLE WITH THE LOSS, BUT ALSO THE PAIN THAT COMES WHEN PEOPLE FEEL THAT DIFFICULT QUESTIONS ARE AVOIDED, MINIMIZE OR POLITICIZE WE DO NOT WANT AMARILLO TO BECOME ANOTHER COMMUNITY DIVIDED BY DISTRUST. WE WANT AMARILLO TO BECOME AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HONEST LEADERSHIP, HONEST LEADERSHIP, COMPASSIONATE REBUILDING, AND REAL ACCOUNTABILITY LOOK LIKE. WANTING ACCOUNTABILITY IS NOT AN ATTACK ON AMARILLO. WANTING HONEST ANSWERS IS NOT DISLOYALTY. IN FACT, ACCOUNTABILITY IS HOW TRUST IS REBUILT AND EVERY PERSON WHO SPOKE TODAY IS HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH TRUST AND HOW COMMUNITIES GROW STRONGER TOGETHER. AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THIS RESPECTFULLY BUT CLEARLY, THE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY THIS WILL NOT SIMPLY STOP ASKING THESE QUESTIONS BECAUSE INSURANCE CLAIMS ARE PROCESSED OR BECAUSE NEIGHBORS HELP NEIGHBORS REBUILD. FINANCIAL RECOVERY MATTERS. YES, YES, YES. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR EVERY EFFORT BEING MADE TO HELP FAMILIES RECOVER. [01:45:02] BUT THERE ARE STILL LARGER QUESTIONS THAT MATTER PROFOUNDLY TO THE PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES HAVE CHANGED FOREVER DUE TO THIS. AND THE COWS AND THE HORSES. I MEAN, LIKE THEY'RE OUT THERE EATING GARBAGE BAGS. MANY FAMILIES DO NOT WANT TO LEAVE THEIR LAND. I DOUBT YOU GUYS WANT TO LEAVE YOUR LAND. NOBODY WANTS TO. WE WANT TO. THEY DON'T WANT TO ABANDON THEIR HOMES, EVEN IF THEIR HOME IS CRAP RIGHT NOW, EVEN IF IT'S ASHES, THEY DON'T WANT TO ABANDON IT. THEY DON'T WANT TO ABANDON THEIR MEMORIES OR THEIR COMMUNITY. PEOPLE WANT TO REBUILD HERE, THEY WANT TO STAY HERE, BUT PEOPLE ALSO NEED TO KNOW THAT WHAT HAPPENED IS BEING FACED HONESTLY SO THEY CAN REBUILD AGAIN WITH TRUST, SECURITY, AND PEACE OF MIND INSTEAD OF WONDERING, OH, IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN IN TWO OR THREE MORE YEARS? THIS IS WHAT MANY OF US ARE HOPING TODAY. YOU SAID WE OWN THE LANDFILL. WE DON'T OWN THE LANDFILL. WE OWN THE LANDFILL. ANYWAY. THE INVESTIGATION OBVIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE INDEPENDENT AND HAPPEN. BUT BEAR IN MIND, THE INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE WATER IS BS. NOBODY'S THOUSANDS WHEN THERE ISN'T EVEN A LEAK. SO FIGURE IT OUT. WE AREN'T INTO YOU FOR HELP BECAUSE WHAT CAN WE DO? AND UNLESS YOU SAY, GO AHEAD AND... CLEAN UP THE LAND. I WOULD GO OUT THERE TOMORROW WITH GARBAGE BAGS AND PICK UP. THAT'S WHAT NORMAL PEOPLE DO. THEY CLEAN UP. WE GO OUT AND OUR THINGS ARE LEAKING BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR THE WATER. WE OBVIOUSLY DO THAT. NOBODY'S LEAVING. I'VE LEFT THE HOSE ON OVERNIGHT, BUT NOT OFTEN. BUT ANYWAY. DON'T, YOU KNOW, USE YOUR BRAINS, PLEASE. WE HAVE BRAINS. WE HAVE LOTS OF BRAINS OUT HERE, LOTS OF PEOPLE, AND THEY CAN HELP, AND THEY WANT TO, AND WE WANT TO TRUST YOU GUYS. THAT'S WHY YOU'RE ELECTED, BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRUST YOU, BUT IT'S LOOKING BLEAK, SO HELP US TRUST YOU. WE'RE NOT THE ENEMY. YES, MA'AM. THANKS. MR. DANNER. I LIVED IN AMARILLO SINCE ABOUT 2000. MY WIFE AND I AND OUR KIDS MOVED OUT TO BISHOP ESTATES ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO. AND SO LAST MONDAY, EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SPENT THE LAST LITERAL SIX YEARS WORKING TO AFFORD, PAY FOR, HAUL OUT THERE, BUILD, GROW, RAISE, LOVE, EVERYTHING, IS NOW JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BUNCH OF PILES OF ANKLE-DEEP ASHES AND TWISTED METAL. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE LOOKING AROUND FOR INFORMATION WHEN IT STARTED SUNDAY BECAUSE WE ARE VERY AWARE OF WHAT GOES ON AROUND US BECAUSE AS RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE, WE DON'T REALLY LOOK TO OTHER PEOPLE TO TELL US WHAT TO DO EVER. THAT'S JUST A GOOD WAY TO, YOU KNOW, SLIDE TO YOUR DOOM REAL QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. BUT SATURDAY, SORRY, SUNDAY, THERE WAS NOTHING. OUR ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS FILLED UP WITH PLASTIC SMOKE FROM THE LANDFILL THAT WE WERE TOLD WAS NOT TOXIC BECAUSE THE LANDFILL DOESN'T ALLOW HAZMAT IN. AND THEN THE NEXT DAY, WE HEARD SOME AI VIDEO ABOUT HOW, OH, WELL, WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT THE PEOPLE THROW AWAY. WELL, BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE TRUE, AND TO USE THE TRUTH TO EVADE RESPONSIBILITY IS COMPLETELY COWARDLY. AND THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD ANY TYPE OF ACTION OR ANY TYPE OF REAL... RESULT HAS BEEN ACTUALLY COLE STANLEY WILLING TO TAKE IT IN THE FACE FROM EVERYBODY AND NOT THE GUYS WHO ARE LITERALLY, I DON'T KNOW, MAN, BUILDING A CAREER OUT OF EVADING RESPONSIBILITY IS WHAT IT SEEMS TO ME, TO BE VERY HONEST WITH YOU. AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOT SAY THAT AT ALL, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT TRULY SEEMS. AND I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILDING THOSE CAREERS BASED ON EVADING RESPONSIBILITY, I THINK YOU GUYS KNOW EXACTLY WHO YOU ARE. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE DON'T OWN THE LANDFILL, THAT'S SEMANTICS. THE GUY WAS ASKING WHO RUNS THE LANDFILL, WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY ARE NOT THE SAME THING, AND I THINK ALL YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND THAT. LIKE, YEAH, THE TAXPAYERS OWN THE LANDFILL, SURE, BUT THE GUY WHO'S RUNNING IT, WHO NOW IS... THAT'S WHAT THE QUESTION IS. SO, I DON'T REALLY APPRECIATE [01:50:01] YOU GIVING HIM A HARD TIME BASED ON THE SEMANTICS OF HIS QUESTION. AND I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHAT HE MEANT. THE OTHER THING IS, ALL DAY SUNDAY I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME TYPE OF INFORMATION ON THE SMOKE THAT WAS ALL OVER MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I LEFT NOT BECAUSE OF THE FIRE DANGER, I LEFT BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT MY TWISTED METAL AND ASHES TO BREATHE IN PLASTIC SMOKE THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. ANYTHING. I WAS BEGGING FOR INFORMATION FROM SOMEBODY, AND IT REALLY TRULY WAS THE FEELING OF, LIKE, DOES ANYBODY ACTUALLY WORK HERE? I MEAN, THAT'S THE FEELING THAT YOU GET WHEN YOU TRY TO FIND SOME KIND OF AN ANSWER IS, LIKE, DOES ANYBODY WORK HERE? AND I HAVE MULTIPLE SAFETY COMPLAINTS AT THE LANDFILL WITH THE WAY THE GRADERS OPERATE AND WITH THE WAY THAT THEY DON'T KEEP A CLEAR JOHNNY, PLEASE TURN THAT OFF. KEEP GOING. THEY DON'T KEEP A CLEAR SPACE. I BELIEVE IT'S EITHER FIVE YARDS OR 15 FEET IS WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD. I'VE HAD THOSE GUYS COME RIGHT UP TO MY TRAILER AND DANG NEAR, YOU KNOW, CUT ME WITH METAL THAT I HAD, YOU KNOW, OFF THE TRAILER THAT WAS GOING TO GO BACK ONTO THE METAL YARD. OF COURSE, I DON'T THROW METAL OUT THERE, BUT I MEAN, TO ME, IT'S LIKE IT'S A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WHEN THE LOWEST LEVEL GUYS ARE NOT. YOU KNOW, I'VE MADE COMPLAINTS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED WHATSOEVER. I'VE BEEN YELLED AT BY GREATER OPERATORS FOR FILMING THEM DOING SOME REAL BS OUT THERE. AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEN NOW THE LANDFILL BURNS MY HOUSE DOWN DUE TO, I'M NOT GOING TO, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY COWARDLY APPROACH TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WHEN THERE'S NOTHING BEING SAID FOR 24 PLUS HOURS WHEN THIS STUFF IS GOING ON. AND THEN WHAT YOU SAY IS THAT IT'S NOT DANGEROUS WHEN I SMELL BURNING PLASTIC? AND THEN YOU SAY YOU CAN'T CONTROL WHAT PEOPLE THROW IN THE LANDFILL. BOTH OF THOSE THINGS ARE THE TRUTH, AND BOTH OF THOSE THINGS WERE USED TO EVADE ANY TYPE OF RESPONSIBILITY. SO THAT'S DISGUSTING TO ME. THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS, BIG TIME. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY OF AMARILLO. IT FEELS LIKE A FAMILY. THE PEOPLE FEEL LIKE A FAMILY. THIS FEELS RIDICULOUS. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE AND RESPECT MAYOR STANLEY BECAUSE HE'S HONESTLY THE ONLY PERSON, AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF IT'S HIS JOB OR NOT, HE'S THE PERSON ANSWERING FOR ALL OF THIS, YOU KNOW, A SCREW-UP THE WHOLE WAY DOWN. I AM, I LOST EVERYTHING, I LOST MY OFFICE, MY SHOP, I'M IN CONSTRUCTION, MY HOME, MY STORAGE BUILDINGS, MY... EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL THAT I'VE OUT THERE, BEES, I LOST HONEY HARVESTS, WE LOST OUR GARDEN, I LOST OLD GROWTH LUMBER, I LOST IRREPLACEABLE THINGS OUT THERE, AND I, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOTHING COMPARED TO MY FAMILY, BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT, LIKE, IS THAT THIS WAS TOTALLY PREVENTABLE. IT WOULD BE EASY TO ACCEPT IF IT WAS A LIGHTNING STRIKE THAT THEN BLEW IN OFF THE PRAIRIE. I MEAN, IT WOULD BE EASY FOR ME TO ACCEPT THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I ACCEPTED WHEN I BOUGHT THAT PLACE. IT'S REALLY HARD TO ACCEPT A FIRE THAT WAS... I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW. WE KNOW WHAT FIRES DO OUT HERE. IT'S NO MYSTERY. WE ALSO KNEW THAT THE WIND WAS COMING, AND THAT WASN'T A MYSTERY EITHER. AND TO BE TOLD THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TOLD IS JUST REALLY... I MEAN, I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING RESPONSIBILITY, AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING. BUT I DON'T APPRECIATE THIS. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY IT'S COWARDLY LEADERSHIP. IF I WAS RUNNING A PROJECT LIKE THIS, I WOULD DESERVE TO HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WAS COMING TO ME FOR IT. AND ALSO, I WILL SAY THIS, IS I'M MISSING TONS OF WORK, AND I DON'T GET PAID IF I DON'T PRODUCE, PERIOD. AND SO, WHAT ABOUT YOU GUYS? YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. MR. DANNER, WE APPRECIATE YOU SPEAKING. IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE TWO MORE LADIES COMING UP. WHILE THEY COME UP, I'M GOING TO READ A PUBLIC COMMENT FROM A GUY THAT I GREATLY ESTEEM AND RESPECT. HIS NAME IS JOSH KRAFT. HE WAS A COUNCILMAN HERE. HE'S ONE OF YOUR LOCAL HEROES THAT FOUGHT SOME OF THOSE FIRES, NOT THESE TO THE NORTH BUT TO THE SOUTH. HE SAYS, I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. AND I WANTED TO LEAVE YOU WITH A QUOTE THAT A LEADER I RESPECT AND LEARNED FROM TOLD ME ONE TIME THAT LIVES RENT-FREE IN MY HEAD. THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE APOLOGY IS A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR. HE SAYS KEEP WORKING HARD AND KEEP THAT IN MIND. IT MAY BE SOME WISDOM YOU CAN SHARE WITH YOUR CITY MANAGER. SO I WOULD JUST SAY THIS, MR. DANNER. I THINK THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE [01:55:02] APOLOGY HERE IS GOING TO BE A CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR. AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE GONNA WALK OUT HERE. BUT THE UNFORTUNATE THING IS, IS I DON'T GET TO CHANGE THAT HERE TODAY FOR US. AND THAT WILL TAKE TIME AND THAT WILL BE THE TEST. AND SO I KNOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. MRS. DANNER, I KNOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. AND SO GLAD TO GO SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH YOU AND DO WHAT I CAN DO. IT'S GONNA TAKE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR LISTENING. THANK YOU, MR. KRAFT, FOR YOUR WORDS OF WISDOM. WHICH ONE OF YOU LADIES WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST? I'LL GO FIRST. KAREN THOMPSON. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING THIS FIRST BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT I APPRECIATE YOU ALLOWING. I DON'T KNOW REALLY WHAT I WANT TO SAY. I PROBABLY, MY MOTHER WAS A VICTIM OF THIS 588. 42 YEARS OLD THAT MY DAD BUILT FOR HER 42 YEARS AGO. IT BURNED ON HIS BIRTHDAY. SHE HAS NOWHERE ELSE TO GO BECAUSE SHE'S TOO OLD TO REBUILD. SHE IS GLENN'S NEIGHBOR. I'M UP HERE JUST TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE NEIGHBORS BECAUSE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE FIREMEN WOULDN'T GO HELP HER, WOULDN'T GO TOUCH HER HOUSE. SO I'M NOT HERE TO PLACE BLAME. I AM NOT HERE TO, I DON'T KNOW THE RULES. I DON'T KNOW REGULATIONS. HE BEGGED MANY TIMES AND THEY WOULDN'T GO SAVE IT. SO I'M HERE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE NEIGHBORS. I'M HERE TO SAY THANK YOU TO GLENN AND ZEMINA AND THE REST OF THEM THAT STOOD ON THAT HILL TO TRY TO SAVE HER HOME. I'M HERE TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ONES THAT TRIED TO SAVE THEIR OWN HOMES. I AM GRATEFUL FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS BECAUSE I AM SOUTH OF CANYON. MY HOME WAS THREATENED FOR THREE DAYS. PRIOR TO THAT, MY HOME WAS SAVED. SO I AM GRATEFUL FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. I TOOK MY MOTHER OUT THERE ON SUNDAY TO SAY BYE TO THE LAND. SHE WON'T REBUILD. SO THE ONLY THING I NEED TO, I THINK I WANT TO SAY IS THAT MY PRAYER IS THAT AS THIS GOES FORWARD, THAT THE NEXT YOUNG FAMILY THAT BUILDS THEIR HOME THERE, THAT THEY CAN BE, FEEL SAFE, AND THAT THEIR HOME WILL LAST MORE THAN 40 YEARS. AND THAT WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY, AND WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL NEIGHBORS, AND THAT I JUST WANT TO SAY HOW GRATEFUL I AM TO ALL THE ONES THAT TRIED TO PROTECT MY MOM, GOT HER TO SAFETY. LIKE I SAID, SHE'S 88. SHE JUST STARTED DRIVING. IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO FIND HER, BUT I FINALLY FOUND HER. BUT, YEAH, JUST THANK YOU TO THE NEIGHBORS. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. MY NAME IS DAVISA MONTOYA. I LIVE OUT AT BISHOP ESTATES. BUT MY REQUEST IS REGARDING THE INVESTIGATION, THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR ANSWERS FOR. DUE TO THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE, MY REQUEST IS HOW TO GIVE US INFORMATION ON THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS FOR OUR HEALTH. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S STILL ON THE WALL. THE DEBRIS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW IS JUST TO GIVE US A LITTLE INFORMATION. ARE WE SAFE OUT THERE? I KNOW THAT THE SMOKE IS NOT A GOOD THING TO BE BREATHING IN, BUT WHAT ELSE ARE WE BREATHING IN? AND THEN ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO GO BACK OUT THERE OR YOU KNOW PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO MOVE BACK INTO THEIR HOMES, REBUILD, ARE THERE ANY LONG-TERM LASTING EFFECTS FOR OUR HEALTH? SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE ALL WAITING FOR A LOT OF THINGS, BUT I FEEL LIKE THAT'S SOMEWHAT OF AN URGENT REQUEST. BUT THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. DO I HAVE ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TODAY? OKAY, WE WILL CLOSE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION. THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO'S HERE. WE WILL TAKE A 15-MINUTE RECESS. WE'LL RECONVENE HERE AT 515, START OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS. THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND AND APPRECIATE EVERYBODY FINDING THEIR WAY BACK [02:00:01] TO THEIR CHAIR. [4.1. Utility Billing Update ] WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK INTO THIS SESSION AND TO ORDER. 4.1 IS A UTILITY BILLING UPDATE. MR. RICH, IT'S UP TO YOU FOR A MINUTE. YES, SIR. SO IT'S BEEN A SHORT, STEEP RAMP PICKING UP UTILITY BILLING, BUT WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS. IN IDENTIFYING SOME ISSUES AND THEN ALSO BUILDING AN ANALYTICS PLATFORM TO HELP US HERE AND IN OTHER PLACES IDENTIFY ISSUES, HAVE BETTER DATA MOVING FORWARD. THE FIRST THING I WANTED TO ANSWER IS WHY WE CHANGED VENDORS BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS I GET. WE DON'T TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. I HATE CHANGING SOFTWARE PACKAGES. IT'S ALWAYS PAINFUL. WE CHANGED PACKAGES BECAUSE WE TRIED FOR 36 MONTHS STRAIGHT TO IMPROVE THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT WE WERE GETTING. WE WERE NOT ONLY GETTING POOR SERVICE, THEY WERE PUTTING OUT PATCHES AND UPDATES WITHOUT LETTING US KNOW AND OFTEN BREAKING THINGS. WE HAD SEVERAL TIMES WHEN WE COULDN'T EVEN PROCESS BILLING AND THEN THEIR FIXES WOULD BREAK OTHER THINGS. AND WE REACHED A POINT WHERE EVEN THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL WAS NO LONGER RESPONDING. SO IT PUT THE BUSINESS IN A PLACE WHERE WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO LOOK FOR ANOTHER OPTION. SO WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR, WE'VE STARTED END-TO-END ANALYSIS. THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID WAS MAP THE SYSTEMS END-TO-END AND FIGURE OUT WHAT DATA THAT WE COULD GET A HOLD OF, EVERYTHING FROM THE PUMP DATA, SO WHAT WATER DISTRIBUTION IS PUMPING INTO THE SYSTEM, THE INFORMATION OFF THE METERS THEMSELVES, THE INFORMATION FROM THE RADIO SYSTEM THAT READS THOSE METERS, THE DATABASE WHERE ALL THAT DATA GETS STORED, THE BILLING SOFTWARE ITSELF SO THAT WE COULD SEE IT END-TO-END AND BE ABLE TO RUN BILLS AND USAGE END-TO-END THROUGH THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. WE ALSO PULLED SIX YEARS OF SOURCE DATA, SO WE DID GET ALL OF THE OLD USAGE HISTORY OUT OF MUNIS, WHICH WAS OUR OLD BUILDING SYSTEM, THE USAGE OUT OF THE NEW SYSTEM, THE CONSUMPTION, METER INSTALL DATES, RAINFALL DATA, EVERY PIECE OF DATA THAT WE COULD GET OUR HANDS ON SO THAT WE COULD DO REAL ANALYTICS ON IT. WE STARTED TESTING THE MATH ON REAL BILLS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH BUILDING THE MATH PIECE WAS WORKING CORRECTLY. THAT IT WAS CHARGING ACCORDING TO THE TIERS AND ACCORDING TO THE RATE TIERS. AND THEN WE MOVED ON TO DOING ANALYSIS ON EVERY ACCOUNT'S USAGE IN COMPARISON TO AN EXPECTED BASELINE. SO WE BUILT A HISTORY OF USAGE FOR EVERY SINGLE ACCOUNT IN THE SYSTEM SO I COULD LOOK AT MY HOUSE AND KNOW ABOUT WHAT I SHOULD EXPECT TO USE ON A DRY APRIL. OVER FOUR YEARS. SO WE SET A BASELINE SO WE KNOW WHAT EXPECTED USAGE WOULD LOOK LIKE AND THEN WE COULD RUN ANALYTICS TO FIGURE OUT WHO'S WAY ABOVE THEIR USAGE. AND THEN FINALLY WE ANALYZED THE BILLED WATER VERSUS THE PUMPED WATER BECAUSE WHAT I WAS AFRAID I WOULD SEE IS I WOULD SEE MORE WATER, MORE WATER BILLED FOR THAT WE ACTUALLY PUMPED INTO THE SYSTEM. SO I WANTED TO SEE WHAT DO WE PUMP INTO THE SYSTEM, WHAT GOT DELIVERED, AND THEN WHAT DID WE BILL AGAINST. NOW JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE JUST FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, WE ACTUALLY BILL BY GEOGRAPHIC REGION. YOU HEAR DISTRICT, ALL THAT IS A GEOGRAPHIC REGION. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE NUMBERED THIS WAY. THIS IS DECADES BEFORE MY TIME, BUT THERE'S ONLY 12 OF THEM, AND WE START WITH DISTRICT 14. AND THEY BILL SEQUENTIALLY. WE DON'T BILL THEM ALL AT THE SAME TIME. SO ONE BILLS AND THEN THE NEXT BILLS A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. AND THEY DO THAT, THAT STARTED YEARS AGO, I THINK, PRIMARILY FOR MAILING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD GET THEM ALL MAILED OUT FROM WHEN WE SENT THE BILLS FROM HERE. AND IT'S STILL DONE THAT WAY. THAT BECOMES IMPORTANT LATER BECAUSE THERE IS NO TIME DURING THE MONTH THAT YOU CAN SWITCH OVER A SYSTEM WITHOUT DISRUPTING BILLING. SOMETHING TO NOTE IS THIS WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO CUT OVER IN DECEMBER, BUT THEY HAD SOME ISSUES TRANSFERRING FROM THE OLD SYSTEM TO THE NEW. YOU HAVE TO TEST THAT REPEATEDLY. YOU HAVE TO... DO A CONVERSION ON THE DATA THAT GETS TESTED BY THE IT TEAM, THEN BY THE VENDOR, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HIRED A THIRD PARTY TO VERIFY THAT THAT TEST WAS CLEAN BEFORE YOU CAN BILL ON BOTH SYSTEMS. THE LAST THING YOU DO IS YOU RUN BILLING CYCLES ON THE OLD SYSTEM AND THE NEW, AND IF THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY EQUAL, YOU CAN'T CUT OVER. THAT WASN'T COMING CLEAN. WE DELAYED TWO MONTHS, WHICH PUT US IN SPRING. I REALLY WANTED US TO CUT OVER IN DECEMBER BECAUSE THEN ANY ISSUE WOULD BE SMALL BECAUSE YOUR USAGE IS SO MUCH SMALLER. BUT THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. THE SHORT VERSION, AND I'M GOING TO DIG INTO EACH ONE OF THESE OF WHAT WE'VE FOUND SO FAR, AND PLEASE LET ME SAY WE'RE NOT DONE. WE'VE GOT OUR ANALYTICS TOGETHER. HERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE FOUND ALREADY. ONE, THERE WERE THREE THINGS THAT KIND OF CONTRIBUTED TO APRIL THAT ARE OBVIOUS. WE HAD LONGER FIRST BILLING CYCLES. THAT BECOMES IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF YOUR CYCLE IS 40 DAYS LONG, THEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY MOVE UP IN TIER BECAUSE YOUR USAGE GOES UP. HERE START PAYING MORE FOR WATER AND I'LL DIG INTO THAT. BUT WE ALSO FOUND 1,243 [02:05:02] ACCOUNTS IN APRIL THAT WERE CLEARLY ABOVE THEIR BASELINE AND I'LL DIG INTO THAT AS WELL. AND THEN WE ALSO THIRDLY HAD A VERY DRY APRIL AND I DON'T MEAN LIKE IT WAS A DRY APRIL. I MEAN IN 132 YEARS THIS IS THE THIRD DRIEST APRIL WE'VE HAD IN RECORDED HISTORY IN POTTER COUNTY AND THE FOURTH IN RANDALL COUNTY. SO WE DID SEE USAGE GO UP AS WELL. SO AS FAR AS LONGER CYCLES, THIS IMPACTED, THIS HAD THE BROADEST IMPACT. 55,400 CUSTOMERS GOT A LONGER THAN NORMAL BILL. THE MEDIAN WAS ABOUT SIX DAYS, BUT WE SEE THEM ANYTHING FROM THREE TO 40 DAYS LONG. SO THAT CONSOLIDATED BILLS THAT WOULD HAVE GONE ACROSS TWO MONTHS INTO ONE BILLING CYCLE. THAT HAD A MATERIAL IMPACT ON SEVERAL OF OUR CUSTOMERS. BECAUSE THEY BUILD FOR LONGER CYCLES, IF THEY USED... OVER 3,000 GALLONS, THEN THEY WERE GETTING CHARGED $3.63 ADDITIONAL PER GALLON THAT THEY USED. AT $20,000, THAT BECOMES $4. AT ABOVE $20,000, THAT BECOMES $7 AND UP. ABOUT 16,700 CUSTOMERS CROSSED ONE TIER. ABOUT 2,500 CROSSED TWO TIERS. ABOUT 300 CROSSED THREE TIERS. ABOUT ONLY 65 CROSSED FOUR. BUT THE REAL IMPACT OF THE BILL AT ONE TIER IS IT AVERAGED $81 EXTRA ON THEIR BILL. AT TWO TIERS, THAT'S $235 EXTRA, AND AT THREE TIERS, THAT'S $660 AND UP. SO MOVING UP TIERS HAD A MATERIAL IMPACT ON MANY OF OUR CUSTOMERS. WE ALSO HAD ANOMALOUS HIGH USAGE. AS I SAID, WE BUILT A BASELINE OF EXPECTED USAGE IN THE MONTH OF APRIL WITH SIMILAR RAINFALL. AND BEAR IN MIND, THE MONTHS I WAS ABLE TO USE STILL HAD 16 TIMES MORE RAIN THAN THIS APRIL. BUT IN THAT COMPARISON, WE FOUND 309 ACCOUNTS THAT WERE MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT WE EXPECTED, ABOUT 159 THAT WERE 76 TO 100 PERCENT OF THE EXPECTED USAGE, 258 THAT WERE 51 TO 75, AND 25 TO 50, AND SORRY, 517 THAT WERE 25 TO 50, FOR A TOTAL OF 1,243. WE'RE INVESTIGATING THOSE RIGHT NOW. SO WE'VE TAKEN THE CREWS THAT WOULD TYPICALLY DO DISCONNECTS. AND WE'RE GOING TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE ACCOUNTS AND FIGURING OUT WHY. WHY ARE WE SEEING THAT ANOMALOUS HIGH USAGE? THERE'S A REASON, AND THERE'S PROBABLY MORE THAN ONE REASON, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO DOCUMENT NOW WHY IS THAT. AND I CAN TELL YOU THERE IN THE BEGINNING I'VE SEEN ONE METER THAT WAS READING HIGH. I'VE SEEN A LEAK AT THE METER THAT WAS ON OUR SIDE. I'VE SEEN LEAKS AT THE CUSTOMER. I'VE EVEN SEEN A MANUAL READ THAT WAS MISREAD. THEY MISREAD THE FIRST FEW DIGITS. AND THEN THEY JUST KEPT UPDATING THE LAST OF THE READ DIGITS OVER 24 MONTHS, AND THEN WE PUT IN A DIGITAL METER WHO ACTUALLY READ IT ACCURATELY, AND IT TRIED TO CHARGE THE DIFFERENCE. SO WE'LL GET THROUGH ALL OF THOSE. WE'RE PROBABLY THREE TO FOUR WEEKS. IT'LL TAKE US TO GET THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THOSE ACCOUNTS. THAT ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT $202,000 OF ADDITIONAL CHARGE. THE LAST THING THAT WE DID SEE IS ACTUALLY INCREASED USAGE. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE, THE TOP LINE IS WATER THAT WAS PUMPED INTO THE SYSTEM. SO THAT'S READING GALLONS RIGHT OFF THE PUMPS THAT PUMP WATER OUT OF OUR WELLS AND SURFACE WATER INTO OUR SYSTEM. THE RED LINE BELOW THAT IS WHAT WE BILLED FOR. SO HOW MANY GALLONS DID WE ACTUALLY BILL ACROSS APRIL? FROM LEFT TO RIGHT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE FIRST POINT IS 2024, THE MIDDLE POINT IS 2025, AND THE LAST POINT IS 2026. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WANT YOU TO SEE. ONE, FROM 25 TO 26, THERE IS A 31% INCREASE. SO WE DID USE SYSTEM-WIDE 31% MORE WATER THIS YEAR THAN WE USED LAST YEAR. THE OTHER THING THAT'S INTERESTING IS YOU'LL SEE THE GAP BETWEEN THEM. THAT FIRST POINT IN 2024, WE HAD DEPLOYED 18.1% OF OUR METERS TO THE NEW DIGITAL METERS. OUR GAP BETWEEN WHAT WE PUMPED INTO THE SYSTEM AND WHAT WE BUILT FOR WAS ABOUT 31.1%. IN 2025, THAT GAP SHRINKS DOWN TO ABOUT 21%. WE HAD DEPLOYED 70.3% OF THE METERS. AND THEN THIS APRIL, WE'RE ALL BUT, I THINK, 5,000 METERS DEPLOYED. SO NOT QUITE 100%, BUT CLOSE. AND THAT GAP SHRUNK DOWN TO 1.5%. SO WE WERE BUILDING REALLY THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE WERE PUMPING INTO THE SYSTEM. SO WHAT DOES THAT... I MEAN FROM A MONETARY STANDPOINT, I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT FIRST 1.2 MILLION IS NOT ADDITIONAL REVENUE. THAT'S HOW MUCH REVENUE WOULD HAVE BEEN SPREAD INTO OTHER BILLING CYCLES. THAT GOT PULLED IN TOGETHER BECAUSE OF THE LONGER, INSTEAD OF HAVING A 30-DAY, THAT'S THE EXTRA SIX TO 40 DAYS THAT GOT PULLED INTO ONE BILLING CYCLE INSTEAD OF SPREAD ACROSS TWO. SO IT DID HAVE A MATERIAL IMPACT ON THE BILLS THAT WENT OUT TO PEOPLE. THE TIERING IMPACTED OUR RESIDENTS TO THE TUNE OF [02:10:03] ABOUT $250,000 OF OVERCHARGE, AND THE 1,243 HIGH-CONFIDENCE ACCOUNTS, WE KNOW SOMETHING'S GOING ON, IS ABOUT $202,000. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING ALREADY, THE LONG BILLING CYCLES WILL BALANCE OUT ACROSS APRIL AND MAY. JUNE WILL HAVE A NORMAL CYCLE. FOR THE TIER OVERCHARGES, WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED ALL THOSE ACCOUNTS AND WHAT WAS OVERCHARGED. JENNIFER'S TEAM IS ALREADY WORKING ON THE CREDIT, SO THOSE CREDITS WILL BE ADDED TO THEIR BILL AND WE'LL CREDIT BACK WHAT WAS OVERCHARGED. AND THEN WE'RE ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING THE 1,243 ACCOUNTS THAT WE KNOW ARE HIGH USAGE. OUR NEXT STEP IS IMMEDIATELY TO GO TO INDEPENDENT VALIDATION. SO I WORKED WITH INTERNAL AUDIT AS WE PUT THIS TOGETHER. EVERYTHING THAT WE DID, I RAN THROUGH INTERNAL AUDIT. THEY HELPED ME WITH A DOCUMENTATION METHODOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ALL THE DATA WE PULLED TOGETHER IN THE PROCESS AND HAND THAT OUT TO AN EXTERNAL AUDITOR TO MAKE SURE TO VERIFY THAT THE BILLING IS HAPPENING CORRECT AND THAT WE DID IT CORRECTLY. AND THEN THE SECOND THING I REQUESTED, WE'RE WORKING WITH A TECHNICAL SYSTEM AUDITOR. THAT DOES THESE KIND OF SYSTEMS TO COME IN AND GIVE US A THIRD PARTY VALIDATION END TO END OF THE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED. AND THEN I WILL SAY THE REPORT THAT WE'RE RUNNING ON ANOMALOUS, I DON'T KNOW WHY I CAN'T SAY THAT WORD TODAY, I SAY IT ALL THE TIME, HIGH USAGE IS NOT A ONE TIME THING. WE'RE ALREADY RUNNING IT ON MAY AND A LOT OF THESE TOOLS THAT WE'VE BUILT WE'RE NOW GOING TO BUILD INTO AUTOMATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS SO THAT WE'D REALLY LIKE FOR THE UTILITY BILLING TEAM TO BECOME VERY PROACTIVE ABOUT THAT SO WHEN WE SEE, HEY, SOMEONE'S GOT HIGH USAGE, THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CALL US. WE SHOULD BE GOING TO THEM. SO YOU'LL START TO SEE THOSE PRACTICES CHANGE. WILL THIS HAPPEN AGAIN? THE ANSWER IS MOSTLY NO. AS FAR AS WATER USAGE, THREE-QUARTER OF THAT IS REALLY FROM THE LONGER CYCLE EFFECT. ABOUT A QUARTER OF IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S FROM JUST EXTRA USE. WE WILL SEE, AS YOU CAN SEE, BECAUSE WE HAVE LONGER CYCLES IN APRIL FOR ALL BUT DISTRICT 14, THAT WILL BE A SHORTER BILLING CYCLE. THE DISTRICT 14 WILL ACTUALLY BE ABOUT 34 DAYS, NOT AS BIG AN IMPACT AS WE HAD IN APRIL. THAT'S ABOUT 7,167 USERS, AND THE AVERAGE TIME IS GOING TO BE ABOUT 34 DAYS. FOR YOUR REMINDER, HERE'S WHERE DISTRICT 14 IS. IT'S ON THE WEST SIDE BY THE LOOP. I THINK THAT COMES DOWN INTO SLEEPY HOLLOW. THE IMPACT WILL BE A LOT SMALLER. WE HAVE HAD ABOUT 1,304 THAT CROSSED ONE TIER WITH AN AVERAGE IMPACT OF $35 ON THEIR BILL, BUT ALSO GOT THAT LIST OF UTILITY BILLING SO WE CAN PROACTIVELY CREDIT THAT BACK, AND THEN THAT SHOULD GO AWAY IN JUNE. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE SO FAR. AS I SAID, WE'RE NOT DONE, BUT WE HAVE THE DATA GATHERED, AND WE'RE READY TO GET THAT OUT TO EXTERNAL AUDIT, AND WE'LL KEEP CRUNCHING AS WE ROLL INTO MAY. QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? GREAT WORK. I MEAN, I KNOW IT TOOK A LOT. JUST HAVE A QUESTION. I'VE HAD A CITIZEN ASK ME. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA. IF WE COULD PUT THOSE, YOU KNOW, THE WATER TIERS, I THINK, WERE SOMETHING THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNEW WERE OUT THERE. YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY WAY TO PUT THOSE ON THE WATER BILL? I MEAN, JUST FOR AN EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE, JUST THAT WAY THEY CAN SEE IT MIGHT IMPROVE CONSERVATION. THEY MIGHT KNOW THEY'RE BUMPING, YOU KNOW, BASED ON USAGE THAT MAYBE THEY WATER A LITTLE BIT LESS. THEY WATER THEIR... YARDS A LITTLE BIT LESS. SO MAYBE IT'S TWO-FOLD. THEY'RE EDUCATED. THEY CAN SEE THAT, BUT THEN ALSO IT COULD MAYBE HELP WITH CONSERVATION. YEAH, I'LL WORK WITH JENNIFER ON THAT. AT VERY LEAST, WE COULD DO AN INSERT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE OF IT. AND I WOULD SAY IN THE PROJECT, THIS WAS THE MISS. WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED IT FOR DECEMBER, NO, I DON'T THINK THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT, OKAY, IF WE HAVE EXTRA DAYS, IT'S GOING TO HAVE THIS IMPACT, BUT WE DIDN'T GO IN DECEMBER. OBSERVATIONS FROM THE THE SO AS WE LOOK AT THAT THEY HAVE THE, SO A TYPICAL MECHANICAL METER IS ACCURATE TO A GALLON ON DAY ONE WHEN YOU MECHANICAL. IT ACTUALLY TAKES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FLOW TO GET THAT LITTLE PIECE, THAT MECHANICAL PIECE MOVING. AND THE OLDER THEY GET, THE MORE FORCE IT TAKES TO MOVE IT. THEY'RE WAY LESS ACCURATE ON LOW FLOW. SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN I GET UP. GET UP AT 4 IN THE MORNING AND GO FROM MY MORNING WATER [02:15:03] TO A TENTH OF A GALLON IN THE EVENING. AN ACCURATE STATEMENT OR ASSUMPTION THAT FOR AT LEAST WITH THIS GRAPH OVER A COUPLE OF YEARS, THERE'S A LOT OF WATER THAT'S 20 AND 30 PERCENT. BASED ON WHAT BREAKS WE HAD, HONESTLY, YOU CAN SEE IT FLUCTUATE, BUT IT'S PRETTY CONSISTENT OVER 10 YEARS, AND THEN THE GAP CLOSES. AND YOU'LL NOTICE THE CLOSURE BETWEEN 25 AND 26. I DON'T KNOW IF I SAID THIS ALREADY, BUT WE PUT OUT A LOT OF REDUCTION, AND WHAT WE'LL DO NOW IS WE'LL SEVERAL MONTHS AND REPORT ON THIS DATA SO WE CAN MAKE SURE. AND JUST ONE MORE THING, ON THE EXTERNAL, THE LAST STATEMENT THERE, IT SAYS THAT IN AN INDEPENDENT OPINION, THE CITY CAN SHARE PUBLICLY. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WILL SHARE. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WHAT. A COUPLE QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU TALKED REALLY FAST. SO LET ME JUST MAKE SURE THAT I... 78% OF OUR CUSTOMERS IN THE MONTH OF APRIL, THEIR BILL WENT UP BECAUSE THE LONGER BILLING CYCLE AND THEIR WATER USAGE PUT THEM IN AN UPPER TIER LEVEL. 78% OF THEM, 55, 400, GOT A BILL LONGER THAN 30 DAYS. SO IT WAS LONGER, WHICH THEY USED THAT WATER. BUT GENERALLY, AND I'LL COME TO MAY IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR BILLING SYSTEM, THAT AUTOMATICALLY PUTS THEM UP INTO A HIGHER. NOT AUTOMATICALLY. IF THEY USE THAT AMOUNT OF WATER. EXACTLY. BUT THEY'VE GOT TO GO UP TO THE TIER. EXACTLY. WHERE IS THE FIRST BREAK? DO YOU KNOW RIGHT OFF THE BAT? I'LL JUST PUT THE SLIDE UP. SO OF THAT 55,400. ABOUT 16,700 WENT UP ONE TIER. THAT'S THE TIER? THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M ASKING. OKAY. HOW MANY GALLONS DO I USE AND THEN JUMP TO ANOTHER TIER? IT'S ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE. SO THE FIRST THREE GALLONS ARE 1950, THEN WHEN I GO 3,001 TO 07,000, I GO UP 7,000 TO 20. CORRECT. AND SO THAT AFFECTS THE MAJORITY OF OUR CUSTOMERS SAW A HIGHER BILL BECAUSE THE BILLING CYCLE WAS LONGER. WAS LONGER, EXACTLY. AND THEN CURRENTLY, AS PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR NEXT BILL, THOSE $55,000 SHOULD SEE A CREDIT COME ON THEIR NEXT BILL. OF THOSE $55,000, YEAH, IF THEY WENT UP A TIER. SO JUST BECAUSE YOU HAD THREE DAYS EXTRA BILLING, YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE GONE UP A TIER IF YOU DIDN'T USE ENOUGH WATER TO GO UP. OKAY. SO WE KNOW THAT $55,400 GOT A BILL LONGER THAN 30 DAYS. OF THAT 55,000, WE KNOW THAT 16,700 OF THEM USED ENOUGH TO MOVE UP ONE TIER. OKAY. 02,500 OF THEM USED ENOUGH TO MOVE UP TWO TIERS. 300 CROSSED THREE TIERS, AND 65 CROSSED FOUR. SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS ABSOLUTELY PAID FOR TIER USAGE THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE PAID FOR. SO THAT'S ABOUT 19,000 OR 20,000 PEOPLE. EXACTLY, HALF OF THEM. SO THOSE 19,000 OR 20,000 PEOPLE SHOULD GET A CREDIT ON THEIR NEXT BILL. EXACTLY. IN FACT, HAS THAT ALREADY BEEN ENTERED? IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED, SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S IN THIS, BUT IT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH IN JUNE. OKAY, GOT IT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THE BILLING CYCLE FOR MAY FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR USERS WILL BE SHORTER. WILL BE SHORTER, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DISTRICT 14. OKAY. AND THEN ASSUMING THE SAME USAGE, AGAIN, THE BILLING IS SHORTER, BUT YOUR USAGE IS WHERE THE BILL COULD VARY. BUT IN THE PERFECT WORLD, IF YOU'RE USING THE SAME EVERY DAY IN THE SHORTER BILLING CYCLE, THAT SHOULD COST LESS THAN IT WOULD IN YOUR NORMAL MONTH. EXACTLY. OR WHATEVER THAT IS. EXACTLY. AND THEN ALL THE SAME ANALOG. [02:20:08] 01,204. THAT'S THE ANOMALIES, THE THINGS WHERE THERE'S AN ABNORMAL. HOW MANY OF THOSE HAVE? NOT THAT MANY. WE JUST KICKED OFF. LET'S GET THIS THROUGH INTERNAL AUDIT TO MAKE SURE THE MATH WAS RIGHT. I CAN'T EVEN SAY THIS IS WRONG OR THE CITIZENS AND SAY THIS IS WRONG. SO IT'S COME OUT OF INTERNAL. AND WE'RE RECORDING, JENNIFER'S TEAM HAS A PROCESS, THEY'RE RECORDING EVERYTHING WE FIND, SO I'LL BE ABLE TO PULL THAT DATA. LET THOSE 1,243, THOSE THAT WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, DO THEY KNOW? TO SOME BY EMAIL. BUT FOR THOSE THAT HAVE. IT'S ON THE CHART. NOW PEOPLE ARE GETTING A CHART TO SHOW THEIR 12. IT SAYS 38,219 AND SOMEONE ASKED, WELL, WHY IS IT ROUNDED? TELL ME ABOUT THE ROUNDING ON THE... YOU'RE ON, RICH. I'M ON. I THINK IT'S ROUNDED DOWN, BUT I'LL VERIFY THAT AGAIN. I DO KNOW AN ISSUE WITH JUST THE FACT WHERE THE MAY NUMBERS, IF YOU USED 14,000 GALLONS, THE PIECE ITSELF WAS READING THAT SECTION TWICE, AND IT WAS SHOWING 28, EVEN THOUGH YOU ONLY GOT BILLED FOR 14, AND THAT'S ALREADY BEEN CORRECTED. AND WE CHECKED EVERY ONE OF THOSE. THE OTHER THING PEOPLE QUESTION IS THE PEOPLE THAT STILL RELY ON THE MAIL BILL. IT SEEMS TO BE PRETTY COMMON THAT PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE BILL ON THE DUE DATE OR RIGHT BEFORE THE DUE DATE. I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. SO, YES, WE DID HAVE THAT WITH THE FIRST RUN. ONE OF THE OTHER CHANGES THEY MADE WHEN THEY MOVED TO THE NEW SOFTWARE WAS A NEW BILLING PROVIDER, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST MAILING FROM THEM. THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. BUT ALSO BEAR IN MIND, JUST WANT TO REITERATE FOR EVERYONE, WHILE WE WORK THROUGH THIS, WE'RE NOT CHARGING LATE FEES OR DOING THIS. WELL, I JUST WONDER, I MEAN, I GUESS THE OTHER THING IS FOR PEOPLE, I MEAN, IF YOU CAN PUSH YOURSELF FORWARD IN THE TECHNOLOGY, YOU COULD GET A BIT SOONER. IT WILL PICK UP REAL-TIME USAGE. SO THOSE METERS, THEY REPORT ONCE AN HOUR, SO IT READS EVERY HOUR. AND THEN IF IT CAN'T READ IT FOR WHATEVER REASON, IF SOMEONE PILES LEAVES ON IT OR YOU PARK SOMETHING OVER IT, THEN WE'LL ESTIMATE, AND THEN ABOUT EVERY FOUR HOURS, THAT'S ALL CONSOLIDATED AND SENT TO ME. BUT IT WILL SING IF YOU'RE SEEING 24 HOUR USAGE, THEN YOU NEED TO CALL US BECAUSE THAT IS IT'S LIKELY THAT IT'S EITHER A METER MALFUNCTION, A LEAK ON OUR SIDE, OR THAT MEANS WATER IS RUNNING SOMEWHERE. BUT THE SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO REAL TIME. IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO REAL TIME. IT'S READING ON AN HOURLY BASIS. SO IF THEY'RE SEEING ABNORMAL READING IN AN HOUR, THEN THEY SHOULD JUST SAY THAT WE CAN CHECK. I WANT TO BRING ONE OTHER THING UP BECAUSE I THINK THIS WAS A FRUSTRATION FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AND PROBABLY HAS BEEN A FRUSTRATION OVER A LOT OF PEOPLE. I THINK WHAT HAPPENED OUT OF THIS AND... THINGS LIKE THIS THAT GOOD THINGS CAN COME OUT OF IT. I THINK PEOPLE WERE GETTING SO FRUSTRATED BECAUSE, AND THIS HAS HAPPENED A LONG TIME, THAT WHEN THEY CALL IN, THE FIRST THING THEY WERE TOLD IS CHECK FOR A LEAK. AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT THIS IS PEOPLE KNOW, THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO HEAR THAT. THEY PROBABLY CHECKED FOR THE LEAK BEFORE THEY CALLED US. AND I THINK THE FRUSTRATION WAS [02:25:01] FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHEN THEY TOLD THAT WAS WHAT WAS DOING IT. I KNOW I DON'T HAVE A LEAK. PEOPLE KEEP UP WITH THEIR WATER USAGE A LOT MORE THAN YOU WOULD THINK BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT BILL. JUST FOR FUN, I SAID, LET ME CALL A COUPLE OF PLUMBERS IN TOWN. AND I SAID, OKAY, AND THESE ARE GUYS THAT DO A LOT OF PLUMBING. I SAID, WELL, HOW MUCH, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY CALLS AND THEY SAY THIS IS THE CITY, HOW OFTEN IS IT A WATER LEAK? ABOUT 2% OF THE TIME. SO I THINK THE FRUSTRATION A LITTLE BIT WAS WE WERE KIND OF LEADING WITH WHAT IS ONLY RESPONSIBLE 2% OF THE TIME AND MAKING SURE, YOU KNOW, IN THESE THINGS WE FIND. WE FIND ERRORS ON THE THINGS GOING ON THE CUSTOMER SIDE, THINGS GOING ON ON OUR SIDE. SO THERE'S A, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE CHANGED THAT LANGUAGE, BUT I THINK, AND I THINK JUST, I THINK IT'S, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT MISTAKES HAPPEN, BUT I THINK IT WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, AS THEY WERE INTERACTING, AND I KNOW WE CHANGED THIS KIND OF MID-COURSE OF, YOU KNOW, AND I'M GLAD WE'VE CHANGED THIS, THAT WE'RE NOT LEADING WITH THAT BECAUSE METRICS WOULD SHOW, AND I THINK THAT JUST ADDED TO THE LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION, THIS WHOLE SITUATION, BY THINKING IT WAS A WATER LEAK WHEN GENERALLY. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE THAT. IT COULD BE, BUT THE STATISTICS SHOW, AT LEAST THE ONES I'VE GOT, THAT THAT'S NOT GOING TO GENERALLY BE. I TOTALLY AGREE. WE CHANGED THAT SCRIPT, AND PLEASE, IF ANYONE'S GETTING THAT ANSWER FROM THE TEAM, PLEASE ESCALATE TO ME. BECAUSE THAT MAKES THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S YOUR FAULT AND NOT OURS. AND WE DON'T TROUBLESHOOT MAKING ANY ASSUMPTIONS. ANY MORE THAN COMING INTO THIS, I MADE ANY ASSUMPTIONS. WE'RE SEEING 24-HOUR USAGE PARTICULARLY NOW. WE NEED TO COME OUT AND CHECK IT AND WORK WITH OUR RESIDENTS. WELL, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LOT TO UNDERTAKE FOR THE UTILITY STAFF AND JENNIFER AND HER STAFF. ANY PEOPLE THAT REACHED OUT TO ME THE FIRST TIME, I'VE NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN, WHICH MEANS THEY ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. A FEW PEOPLE MAY COME BACK. TO ME, ANECDOTALLY, IT WORKS FOR THE BEST OF EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. RICH. GO AHEAD, COUNCILMAN. JUST AS I'VE BEEN SITTING HERE, NATASHA, WILL YOU MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INFORMATION... WHATEVER YOUR SITUATION IS, LET'S TRY TO GET THAT RECORD. RICH, WHAT I WANT TO WORK ON IS YOU'VE GOT THE EXAMPLE OF 2 A.M. SPIKE. YOU CAN READ IT HOURLY, AND YOU CAN SEE, SAY, 2,000 GALLONS RAN THROUGH THE METER. HAVE YOU SEEN THAT ANECDOTALLY? NOT TO THAT LEVEL. WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN AT 2 A.M.? OH, GOSH, WE'VE SEEN... SO I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, BEAR IN MIND I'VE HAD UTILITY BUILDING FOR NOW 11 DAYS. SO I HAD A STEEP HILL TO CLIMB. SO I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN THE SYSTEM AND WITH THE FOLKS DOWNSTAIRS. AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IS THINGS LIKE, I HAVE SEEN LEAK, IN FACT ONE OF THE GUYS THAT WORKS DOWN THERE FIGURED OUT THAT HIS DAUGHTER HAS A LEAKY TOILET IN HER HOUSE. BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE IT LIKE EVERY 15 TO 20 MINUTES IT WOULD BE A GALLON OR A GALLON AND A HALF. YOU KNOW AND THAT ADDS UP OVER TIME. I'VE SEEN ONE THAT WE PULLED THE METER AND IT WAS READING AT 107% OF WHAT IT SHOULD READ. SO IT WAS READING TOO MUCH WATER. SO I CAN'T SAY WE CAN'T HAVE A BAD METER. WE CAN. WE FOUND ONE. WE'VE SEEN EVERYTHING FROM LEAKS ON WHEN THE METER GOT PUT IN. WE'VE SEEN LEAKS ON THE RESIDENCE SIDE. WE'VE SEEN MISREAD MANUAL METERS. THAT'S WHY I SAID WE'RE REALLY CAPTURING. AS WE GO THROUGH THESE EVERY SINGLE CAUSE, BECAUSE THEN HOPEFULLY WE'LL START TO SEE SOME TRENDS THAT WE CAN TRACK AND GET AHEAD OF. SO I APPRECIATE THE TRENDS AND THE COMMON SENSE AND THE LOGIC. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW, THE CUSTOMER SERVICE LEG IS RUNNING OVER TIME. AND SO IF I'M YOUR CUSTOMER AND I COME TO YOU AND I SAY, LOOK, YOU CAN SEE I'M WATERING MY YARD, OBVIOUSLY, FROM 10 A.M. TO 12. YOU CAN SEE THAT IT GOES UP AND, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL HUNDRED GALLONS WAS USED. BUT THEN IF I CAN SHOW YOU WITH THAT DATA THAT AT 2 A.M. WE DID NOT. WE DIDN'T FILL UP A 02,000-GALLON BATHTUB PUTTING WATER. SO, LIKE, WITH THAT COMMON SENSE, WHAT I HAVE TO KNOW IS THAT THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF SIMPLY BY SENDING THAT TO YOU AND YOU GUYS EXTRAPOLATING THAT OUT, LOOKING AT THE DATA AND SAYING, YEP, WE WILL WATCH THIS FOR AN ANOMALY NEXT MONTH, BUT HERE'S YOUR CREDIT. WE BELIEVE YOU, MR. CUSTOMER. [02:30:02] YOU'RE RIGHT. WE'RE TAKING OFF THOSE GALLONS. FOR THOSE TIME FRAMES. THAT'S BEEN OUR APPROACH. AND I'LL ALSO SAY FOR THOSE, BECAUSE I HAVE A DAUGHTER WITH THREE KIDS. THAT'S A SINGLE MOM. WE'RE NOT JUST DOING CREDITS. IF THIS IS SOMEONE THAT WE'VE AUTO-DRAFTED AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE THEM GO WITHOUT GROCERIES, WE'RE REFUNDING WHERE WE NEED TO. SO THAT MONEY IS BEING REFUNDED ON THE AUTO AS BEST WE CAN WHEN WE'RE GETTING IN THERE CREDITS GIVEN OR... YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE, LOOK, I JUST PAID IT, BUT I WANT TO WATCH IT. SO YOU'RE CAPTURING THOSE. DO WE SEE ON THIS TREND, IN A SYSTEM AS AGED AS OURS, SHOULD WE ANTICIPATE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF LEAKS WITHIN THE SYSTEM? YEAH, TYPICALLY. ON OLDER SYSTEMS, OLD METERS, THAT RAN BETWEEN, IT RAN AROUND 15%, AND WE WERE RUNNING DOUBLE THAT. AND THAT SIMPLY WAS JUST AGE OF INFRASTRUCTURE. I TALKED TO SEVERAL CITIES, LIKE I SAID, STEPPING INTO UTILITY BUILDING AND I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SHOULD THE EXPECTATION BE ON A NEWER METER SYSTEM AND THEY'RE ALL SHOOTING FOR 1% OR LESS. AND THAT'S GOING TO VARY GREATLY. LIKE WE HAVE ONE MAIN LEAK OR ONE MAIN BREAK AND THAT CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON WHAT THE DELTA IS. BUT MY HOPE IS GOING FORWARD, ONCE WE KIND OF ESTABLISH THAT BASELINE, BECAUSE BEAR IN MIND, NONE OF THIS DATA WAS AVAILABLE 11 DAYS AGO. STARTING TO PULL THAT DATA TOGETHER, I SHOULD EVEN BE ABLE TO START TO SHOW YOU THE COST OF OUR MAIN BREAKS. SO WHAT IS IT COSTING US OVER TIME FOR OLD INFRASTRUCTURE? YOU CAN TRACK THOSE MAIN BREAKS BEFORE THEY GET TO THE METERS? BECAUSE I THOUGHT WE WEREN'T. NO, BUT I CAN SEE THE LOSS. I CAN SEE THE GAP. SO ONCE WE SET KIND OF THE BASELINE ON AVERAGE, IF OUR AVERAGE IS 1.5% GAP BETWEEN WHAT WE PUT IN AND WHAT WE... AND WHAT WE BILL FOR, THEN IF I SEE THE ALERTS FOR MAIN BREAKS, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO START TO IDENTIFY. YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE AT 20, THEN YOU CAN CALCULATE GALLONS AND START TO GET DOWN TO AT LEAST SOME GOOD ESTIMATES. SO LAST QUESTION FOR ME, JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO TRACK THIS AS YOU'RE WALKING US FORWARD OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. LET'S SAY RAW WATER VERSUS TREATED WATER. BOTH ARE METERED AT SOME POINT BEFORE THEY COME INTO THE SYSTEM? OKAY. I DIDN'T PULL RAW WATER. SO WE ARE SEEING ACCURATE DATA NOW THAT WE CAN TRACK ON TOTAL PUMPAGE, AND THEN WE CAN SEE TOTAL BILLING. YEAH, I CAN PULL ALL THE DATA FROM EVERY PUMP THAT'S PUMPING WATER. WOULD THAT ALLEVIATE THIS COMPUTER GLITCH ISSUE OF IF WE DO WATCH THAT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND WE CAN TRACK THAT AND WE KNOW AND WE CAN TRACK A MAIN BREAK SOMEWHERE, 50,000 GALLONS, THEN... I THINK WHAT WE'RE THEN ABLE TO DO IS ISOLATE IN ON OUR, AND WE MAY BE BILLING MORE, WHICH WOULD HELP US UNDERSTAND REVENUES. YEAH, IN PART, I STILL THINK WE NEED TO TRACK THE ANOMALIES THAT ARE CLEARLY WELL ABOVE THEIR HISTORY OR WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT AND GO ISOLATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE CAUSES FOR THOSE. BECAUSE I SUSPECT WE'LL FIND MORE THAN ONE ISSUE THERE. OKAY. GENTLEMEN, ANYTHING FURTHER? THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT IT'S IN YOUR HANDS FOR THESE LAST 11 DAYS, BUT WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE DID FOR YOU AS WELL. NO, THIS IS ON ME TO FIX, SO IT'LL GET FIXED. OKAY. WELL, WE APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU FOR FIXING IT. MAYOR, REAL QUICK, IF I MAY, A POSITIVE THING THAT CAME FROM THIS AND THE WORK THAT RICH AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE IS WE HAVE SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH NUGENT CONSULTING. THEY ARE DOING OUR RATE ANALYSIS. THEY'VE ACTUALLY REQUESTED THAT WE PAUSE OUR ANALYSIS BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN USING OLDER DATA, GOING BACK TO THE PUMPAGE VERSUS THE METER THAT WAS BEING BUILT. THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY NEED TO GO BACK AND REVISIT THEIR NUMBERS, WHICH COULD BE A POSITIVE THING WHEN IT COMES TO OUR RATE ANALYSIS FOR OUR WASTE TREATMENT PLANT. AND SO HAVING MORE ACCURATE METERS SHOWS MORE REVENUE COMING IN, SO WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ADJUST OUR RATE ANALYSIS FOR BETTER ADJUSTMENTS ON THE RATE INCREASES, WHICH COULD BE... AGAIN, I CAN'T PROMISE ANYTHING, BUT IT COULD GIVE US A BETTER FORECAST FOR WHAT WE NEED TO DO. SO THEY'RE GOING TO COME BACK IN ABOUT SIX MONTHS. THEY WANT TO SEE THIS NEW DATA FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS AND THEN COME BACK TO US WITH A NEW ANALYSIS FROM THAT. SO THAT COULD BE A VERY POSITIVE THING FOR OUR RATE PAYERS. JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY'S HEARING IT SPECIFICALLY, WHEN DID YOU EXPECT, RICH, THE EXTERNAL AUDIT TO BE PERFORMED AND BACK IN YOUR HANDS? I DON'T HAVE THAT YET. WE'VE SENT OUT FOR QUOTES, SO I KNOW THAT IT'S WORKING WITH THEIR AUDITOR. SO I'LL CIRCLE BACK WITH YOU, NEIL, AND GET AN UPDATE ON THAT. TAKE A LOOK AT THE SYSTEM SIDE OF IT. [4.2. Parks and Recreation Update ] SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE YOU HAVE THE AUDIT BACK? YEAH, IT WILL. [02:35:01] OKAY, THANK YOU. NOTHING FURTHER ON ON ITEM 4.1, WE'LL MOVE INTO ITEM 4.2. MR. KESHUVAH, YOU'RE UP IF YOU DON'T MIND TO WALK US THROUGH A PARKS AND REC UPDATE. ALL RIGHT, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, MICHAEL KOSHUBA, DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION. I APPRECIATE THE, THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP HERE AND GIVE KIND OF A, AN OVERVIEW OF THE DEPARTMENT, KIND OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN THE LAST 5 YEARS, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON AND OBVIOUSLY AREAS THAT WE STILL NEEDED TO IMPROVE ON. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I'M GOING TO FLIP THROUGH SOME OF THESE SLIDES. THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS GOING TO FOCUS ON A FEW OF THESE AREAS. IT'S NOT GOING TO TOUCH ON OBVIOUSLY EVERY SINGLE DIVISION IN PARKS. SOME OF THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WE CAN TOUCH ON DURING THE BUDGET CONVERSATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WHETHER IT'S GOLF, TENNIS, AQUATICS. THE REAL FOCUS TODAY IS ON PARK MAINTENANCE, KIND OF RECREATION BEAUTIFICATION. THE DEPARTMENT'S MADE UP IT WAS MADE UP OF 11 DIFFERENT DIVISIONS THAT MAKE UP PARKS AND REC. AS OF FAIRLY RECENT, OBVIOUSLY THE ZOO WAS LEASED OUT TO EMERALD ZOO AND SANCTUARY, SO THAT DROPS THE NUMBER OF DIVISIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT DOWN TO 10. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO, TO JUST TOUCH ON BRIEFLY WERE SOME OF THE, THE THINGS THAT WE'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT HERE, WHETHER IT'S FROM THE PUBLIC, WHETHER IT'S THINGS THAT WE ARE OBSERVING WITH STAFF, OR WHETHER IT'S THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. SOME OF THOSE THINGS INCLUDE OBVIOUSLY THE ZOO. WE'VE GOT JOHN WARD PARK, PARK RESTROOMS, SWIMMING POOLS, AND NEW PARKING LOTS. SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO, TO TOUCH ON. SO STARTING WITH THE AMARILLO ZOO, THIS IS ONE THAT WE'VE HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE ZOO, THE, THE CONDITIONS OF THE ZOO WHEN IT WAS TRANSITIONED OVER. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE, THIS IS A PICTURE OF STAFF ACTUALLY DOWN THERE CLEANING IT. THIS WAS JULY OF 2025. STAFF HAD MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS OUT THERE. THEY'D PUT IN AN AQUATIC FILTER. THERE WAS CHALLENGES WITH IT FROM TIME TO TIME WITH IT CLOGGING. STAFF ALSO WENT IN AND PUT IN SOME AQUATIC PLANTS AND ALSO SOME GOLDFISH AND OTHER FISH IN THAT AREA. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OBVIOUSLY THERE IS YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF LEAF DROP THAT GOES IN THERE, YOU'VE GOT SEDIMENT BUILDUP, AND SO IT DOES ACCUMULATE OVER TIME. THAT'S NOT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF CARE THAT THE STAFF PROVIDED. WHEN WE START LOOKING AT THE ZOO. A LOT OF THE ZOO ANIMALS THAT HAVE PASSED IN RECENT YEARS WERE THE OLDEST ANIMALS IN THE COUNTRY. AN EXAMPLE IS SOLOMON. HE WAS HE DIED AT 20. HE WAS EXPECTED TO LIVE 10 TO 12 IN THE WILD. SAME THING GOES FOR SOME OF OUR TIGERS, WHERE AGAIN, THEY THE LIFE EXPECTANCY IN THE WILD WAS HALF OF THE LIFE THAT THEY SAW AT THE ZOO. SO WHY DID IT LOOK THE WAY IT DID WHEN WE TRANSITIONED OVER? I THINK THERE WAS A COUPLE THINGS. NUMBER ONE, STAFFING, AND NUMBER TWO, FUNDING. WHEN WE WERE KIND OF LOOKING AT IT, WE WENT BACK AND PULLED COMPARISONS FROM BOTH ABILENE ZOO AND THE CLOVIS ZOO, AND WHAT WE SAW WAS A SIGNIFICANT VARIATION IN TERMS OF STAFFING LEVELS. SO YOU CAN SEE WITH THE ABILENE ZOO, THEY HAVE 63 FULL-TIME STAFF, 17 PART-TIME, AND THEN 35 TEMPORARY. SO TOTAL OF 115, AND YOU CAN KIND OF GO DOWN FROM THERE. OF THE 8 FULL-TIME, 6 OF THEM WERE ACTUAL ANIMAL ATTENDANTS TAKING CARE OF THE ANIMALS. 2 ARE FULL-TIME EDUCATION STAFF. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT DO THE PROGRAMS WITH THE COMMUNITY, THAT GO OUT TO DIFFERENT AREAS AND DO EDUCATION. THE OTHER CHALLENGE THAT WE SAW WAS FUNDING. SO WHEN WE START COMPARING NOT ONLY THE PROPOSED EXPENSES AND REVENUES, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT SUBSIDY OF THOSE DIFFERENT FACILITIES. THE ABILENE ZOO WAS SUBSIDIZED TO THE TUNE ANNUALLY OF ABOUT $3.2 MILLION. THE CLOVIS ZOO, YOU CAN SEE THEY HAD SOME REVENUES COME IN, SO THEIR EXPENSES WERE $1.6 MILLION, BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY TOOK ALL $300,000 AND PUT THAT INTO A ZOO IMPROVEMENT FUND. SO THEY JUST KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE A $1.6 MILLION BATH EVERY YEAR, BUT THAT $300,000 WENT TO MAKE ZOO IMPROVEMENTS. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM THERE THE FUNDING FOR THE ZOO. WE HAD $630,000 IN [02:40:01] EXPENSES AND WE GENERALLY BROUGHT IN ABOUT $350,000 IN REVENUE, WHICH LEFT THE, THE AMARILLO ZOO SUBSIDIZED TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $280,000. OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH AMARILLO ZOO AND SANCTUARY. THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TO, TO HAVE FOR YEARS AND HOW WE LEASE THAT ZOO OR HOW WE FOUND A NONPROFIT. BUT WE THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY SUCCESSFUL MODEL MOVING FORWARD. WE THINK OBVIOUSLY IT'LL ALSO REDUCE THE BURDEN ON THE TAXPAYER. SO THAT'S JUST A QUICK LOOK AT THE ZOO. CAN I PAUSE YOU REAL QUICK? YEAH, I'M SORRY, QUESTION. SO I MEAN, WHAT I HEAR YOU SAY IS WITH THE ZOO, STAFFING AND FUNDING WERE CLEARLY I MEAN, WHEN WE'RE COMPARING TO THE OTHER TWO ZOOS, CLEARLY WE'RE WAY UNDER, RIGHT? I MEAN, SO, I MEAN, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WITH THE STAFFING THAT WE HAD AND THE FUNDING THAT WE HAD, IS IT THE BEST IT COULD BE? I WOULD SAY YES. I, I, AND WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE LAST 6 MONTHS, WE HAD MAYBE 3 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES OUT THERE TRYING TO HOLD IT DOWN. OUR GOAL WAS TO TRANSITION THIS WITH THE FISCAL YEAR IN OCTOBER I THINK WE ULTIMATELY TRANSITIONED IT IN MARCH. WE WERE WONDERING IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO BE OUT THERE TO ACTUALLY MANAGE THE FACILITIES AND TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMALS DURING THAT LAST 6 MONTHS. SO YES, STAFF, STAFF WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND. THEY WORKED A LOT OF OVERTIME. THEY WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO OBVIOUSLY GIVE THE ANIMALS CARE, BUT THEN ALSO TAKE CARE OF THE FACILITIES. BUT, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME, THOSE FACILITIES DECLINE AND WE SEE THOSE, THOSE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS. THEY DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. THEY'RE SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF A SLOW CREEP. AND THE FACILITY I MEAN, WE KNEW THERE WAS ISSUES IN TERMS OF FACILITIES THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THERE JUST WASN'T FUNDING THERE TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS. OKAY, THANK YOU. I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WOULD HAVE HAD TO BE INVESTED TO GET THAT FACILITY BACK UP TO THE CONDITION IT NEEDED TO BE. ALL RIGHT, SO JOHN WARD PARK AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE WE'VE WE'VE BEEN A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. WE AGREE WITH MR. GAULTIER. THIS SHOULD BE A FLAGSTAFF PARK. THIS SHOULD BE ONE OF OUR BEST PARKS IN THE COMMUNITY. AND WE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH KIND OF A FEW OF THE REASONS AND CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE RUN INTO. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'D ACTUALLY LOOKED AT WAS A BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT OUT THERE. SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT KIND OF A RENDERING OF WHAT WE HAD HOPED IT WOULD LOOK LIKE. ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE A PLAN VIEW OF WHAT WE HAD ENVISIONED OUT THERE. THE GOAL WAS THAT THE HILLS, THE AREAS THAT WERE HARD TO MOW, BECAME WILDFLOWERS, A PLACE FOR PARENTS AND KIDS TO GO TAKE PICTURES. YOU GO DOWN FURTHER DOWNSTATE AND YOU SEE PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES IN THE BLUEBONNETS. AND THAT WAS THE INTENTION HERE, WAS TO, TO GO IN THERE AND REALLY BEAUTIFY THOSE SLOPES WITH SOME WILDFLOWERS. WE ACTUALLY TILLED THOSE HILLS AND ACTUALLY APPLIED DOUBLE THE RATE OF THE WILDFLOWER MIX, HOPING TO GET A REALLY GOOD PUSH. OBVIOUSLY, THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. WE HAD VERY LIMITED PRECIPITATION IN THAT TIME, AND THOSE WILDFLOWERS DID NOT GERMINATE THE WAY THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. AND SO THOSE HILLS ARE PRETTY BARE. AND WE AGREE. AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT STAFF, AS WE GO BY, WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MOVE THAT AND MAKE IT BETTER MOVING FORWARD. MICHAEL, JUST ONE QUESTION. YES. IS THERE A IRRIGATION SYSTEM ON THOSE HILLS? YES, THERE IS. THERE IS. SO, AND I, I TAKE IT THAT THAT'S SOMETHING BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S THE NEXT SLIDE ADDRESSING THOSE ISSUES. YEP. OKAY. YEP, ABSOLUTELY. SO OBVIOUSLY THE BEAUTIFICATION, I THINK THE TILLING OF THE HILLS REALLY MADE IT A LOT MORE VISIBLE. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THROUGH THIS PROCESS IS WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS THAT WE CAN WE CAN REALLY MONITOR NOT ONLY THE CONTRACTOR BETTER, BUT ALSO STAFF BETTER. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SOME ISSUES THAT OUT ON SITE WITH THOSE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO TRY TO GET THOSE RESOLVED. SO YES, THERE WERE SOME IRRIGATION ISSUES. IN FACT, THE NORTH LAKE, 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO, WAS ACTUALLY COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE CITY, FROM THE SYSTEM. SO IT DIDN'T HAVE IRRIGATION 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO. SO IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, STAFF HAS GONE BACK IN THERE, RECONNECTED THAT SYSTEM. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN IN SOME OF OUR PARKS WHEN WE RAN INTO IRRIGATION ISSUES. THOSE LINES WERE JUST CAPPED AND BASICALLY ABANDONED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, WHICH IS, I THINK, PART OF THE REASON WE'RE ADDRESSING SOME OF THESE LEGACY ISSUES IN TERMS OF IRRIGATION, NOT ONLY AT JOHN WARD BUT AT OTHER PARKS AS WELL. SO STAFF'S TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP ON SOME OF THOSE, ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. SO THE WILDFLOWERS, WE TILLED UP THE HILLS, WE PLANTED THE WILDFLOWERS, WE HAD I GUESS SOMEBODY DID THE RENDERINGS OF WHAT WE WANTED IT TO LOOK LIKE. WE DIDN'T WATER IT. YEAH, STEPH, THE HILLS WERE THEY WERE WATERING. I JUST DON'T THINK THEY WATERED AS FREQUENTLY AS THEY NEEDED TO. AND OBVIOUSLY WITH LIMITED PRECIPITATION, THE COMBINATION OF THOSE TWO, I THINK THE UNDERWATERING AND THE LACK OF PRECIPITATION KIND [02:45:02] OF LED TO SOME OF THOSE ISSUES. SO THAT, THAT WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN JUST THE LACK OF OVERSIGHT THERE? I MEAN, BECAUSE I THINK IF WE SPENT THE MONEY TO DO THAT STUFF AND THEN WE JUST DIDN'T WATER ENOUGH, AND WE KNOW IF IT'S RAINING OR NOT RAINING AND WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT ADJUSTING THE WATERING SCHEDULE, WOULD THAT BE THE CONTRACTOR? YEAH, WE'RE AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE BOTH CONTRACTOR MAINTENANCE AND STAFF MAINTENANCE INTERNALLY, JUST SOME BETTER CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE SOME OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ALSO GOING TO MORE OF CENTRALIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEM DOWN THE ROAD WHERE WE CAN ACTUALLY MONITOR OUR IRRIGATION CONTROLS FROM OUR OFFICE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SEND SOMEBODY OUT TO ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO SEE IF THE, THE, THE CONTROLLER'S ON, IF IT'S RUNNING THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF TIME. I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE BIGGER PARKS AND YOU'VE GOT I THINK JOHN STIFF PROBABLY HAS 10 DIFFERENT CONTROLLERS JUST FOR THAT PARK. AND SO GOING AROUND AND CHECKING ALL OF THOSE OBVIOUSLY IS TIME-CONSUMING, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO GET A CENTRAL CONTROL WHERE WE CAN GET A BETTER PICTURE OF IRRIGATION ACROSS THE BOARD, SEE ISSUES WHERE MAYBE CONTROLLERS HAVE BEEN TURNED OFF, AREAS WHERE MAYBE THE RUNTIME ISN'T AS LONG AS IT NEEDS TO BE, AND WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE AND ADJUST THOSE FROM THE OFFICE. SO AGAIN, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH THIS, AND I THINK OBVIOUSLY WE'RE PUTTING INTO PLACE MOVING FORWARD ON HOW WE CAN DO THAT BETTER. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN AT SOME OF THE OTHER PARKS IS WITH THOSE LIGHTING PROJECTS, THEY'VE BEEN BORING A LOT OF THE LINES IN IN THE ELECTRICAL LINES. AND WE'VE ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED MULTIPLE PLACES WHERE THEY'VE DRILLED THROUGH OUR ACTUAL IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. SO WE'RE GOING BACK AND WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE RESOLVED IN A MORE TIMELY MANNER. SO WE'RE AGAIN, WE'RE WORKING WITH STAFF ON HOW WE MANAGE THOSE PROJECTS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. ON A POSITIVE, THERE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON AT JOHN WARD. OBVIOUSLY, THE PLAYGROUND OUT AT THE PARK OR THE PLAYGROUND. THAT PLAYGROUND GETS A LOT OF USE. I THINK THAT'S THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THAT SURFACING IN 10 YEARS. THAT'S NOT NORMAL. THAT'S EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF USE, WHICH WE'RE GLAD. WE'RE EXCITED THAT OUR COMMUNITY LOVES THAT AMENITY. BUT WE HAD TO GO IN AND REPLACE THAT SURFACING. YOU'VE GOT THE ADA FISHING DOCK. THAT WAS A GRANT THAT CAME IN FROM TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE. OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE GOT SOME PARK LIGHTING AROUND THE TRAILS TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND USABLE IN THE LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS. WE'VE MADE SOME CONCRETE REPAIRS THROUGHOUT THE PARK. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE GOT THE FITNESS COURT WHERE THE, THE PAD'S BEING POURED, AND THEN THE INSTALLATION OF THAT COURT WILL HAPPEN THIS SUMMER. SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT ALL OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE COMING. ALL RIGHT. YES, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE EASIER IF WE CAN ASK QUESTIONS AS WE HIT EACH OF THESE THINGS RATHER THAN WAIT TILL THE END. SO IN OUR PARKS, DO WE METER THE WATER SO WE KNOW HOW MUCH WATER WE'RE USING AS A CITY? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE DO? THEY ARE METERED, BUT WE'RE NOT BILLED FOR IT. WE'RE NOT BILLED FOR IT. OKAY. AND THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION. SO THEN FOLLOWING THAT, AND I AGREE WITH YOU, THE PLAYGROUND UP THERE GETS USED AN AWFUL LOT AND THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ADDED. AS WE LOOK AT THESE ASSESSMENTS OF EACH OF THE PARKS AND WE ADD NEW THINGS TO THEM, THAT ADDS ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE FOR EACH OF THOSE PARKS. SO A QUESTION THAT I WOULD HAVE IS, IS IT IS IT TO OUR BENEFIT ADDING THOSE THINGS TO PARKS IF WE CAN'T MAINTAIN WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE? YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S THE THING THAT AS A STAFF WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO COMMUNICATE FOR A FEW YEARS THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN IS BETWEEN THE ASSET MANAGEMENT AND THE PARKS MASTER PLAN, I THINK WE HAVE TOO MANY ASSETS. YOU KNOW, THE PARKS MASTER PLAN WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT HERE IN A FEW MINUTES THE PARKS MASTER PLAN REALLY TALKS ABOUT SCALING BACK SOME OF THE SMALLER PARKS. THE IDEA THAT WE'VE GOT TOO MANY ASSETS, THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY THINGS TO MAINTAIN, AND THAT THE FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THE BIGGER REGIONAL PARKS AND THE COMMUNITY PARKS. SO THAT IS SOMETHING, AND I'LL TOUCH ON IT WHEN WE GET TO THE PARKS MASTER PLAN, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY CLEARLY OUTLINED IN THERE IS WE'VE GOT TOO MANY ASSETS AND TOO MANY THINGS TO MAINTAIN. ONE THING I FORGOT TO MENTION, WE HAVE A COUPLE PARK BOARD CHAIRS. BOB ALTMAN IS HERE, HE'S OUR CURRENT CHAIR. JOHN INGERSON IS A PAST CHAIR. HE WAS ON THE BOARD WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE MASTER PLAN AND ACTUALLY KIND KIND OF HAD TO TAP THE BRAKES AND KIND OF REDO THAT. SO WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT AS WE GET TO THAT POINT. BUT IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON JOHN WARD, I'LL, I'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT ONE. MICHAEL, ONE QUESTION. SO SO ON THESE BARREN SPOTS, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IN SOME OF OUR LARGER PARKS WE HAVE SOME BARREN SPOTS THAT NOT WATERED ENOUGH, THE DROUGHT, OR A COMBINATION TO THEREOF, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO THIS TODAY, BUT DO WE HAVE A REHAB PLAN? DO WE HAVE MONEY FOR A REHAB PLAN? OR, OR DO DO WE NEED TO HAVE MONEY FOR A REHAB PLAN ON THOSE AREAS? YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING INTO. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALSO SAW AS WE IMPROVED THE [02:50:01] LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CARE THROUGHOUT THE PARKS. OUR CONTRACTORS ARE STARTING TO PUT DOWN MORE PRE-EMERGENT, POST-EMERGENT. AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS AFTER COVID SO DURING COVID STAFFING WAS SCALED BACK. THE MOWINGS WERE MAYBE ONCE EVERY 4 WEEKS. AND WHAT WE SAW WAS REALLY A SIGNIFICANT GROWTH OF WEEDS. TO THE POINT WHERE SOMETIMES YOU WERE GETTING 3-FOOT WEEDS. WHAT WE'VE SEEN SINCE THEN IS WHEN YOU START DOING WEED CONTROL, NOW OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOT BARE SPOTS WHERE THOSE WEEDS WERE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS HOW DO WE START TO GO IN, RESEED AREAS WHERE THOSE WEEDS WERE THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED BACK THROUGH CHEMICAL METHODS. AND SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MOVING FORWARD IS HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND RESTORE THOSE AREAS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, PARK RESTROOMS. AND THIS, AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ONES THAT WE REALLY WENT BACK TO THE, THE PARKS MASTER PLAN ON. THE PARKS MASTER PLAN I'VE GOT A FEW OF THE BULLET POINTS UP HERE THAT TALK ABOUT KIND OF SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT. BUT BASICALLY, DUE TO REPAIR AND COST, THE RECOMMENDATION WAS THAT IN THOSE SMALLER PARKS, BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND THE SCHOOL PARKS, THAT WE DECOMMISSION RESTROOMS. AND THAT'S KIND OF THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARKS MASTER PLAN. YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM IT TALKS ABOUT SCALED-DOWN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, SCALING BACK THE MAINTENANCE ON SOME OF THOSE JUST BECAUSE OF THE, THE SIGNIFICANT COST. YOU COULD TALK ABOUT THE LEVELS OF SERVICE. AND AGAIN, THESE ARE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THE PARKS MASTER PLAN REDUCING THE LEVEL OF SERVICE, DECOMMISSIONING RESTROOMS. YOU CAN SEE IT RIGHT THERE. AND THEN ALSO THINGS LIKE DRINKING FOUNTAINS. SPLASH PADS IS ANOTHER ONE, JUST PROBABLY NOT THE RIGHT PLACES IN, IN NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. THAT'S MORE OF A COMMUNITY PARK, REGIONAL PARK SCENARIO. SO BASED ON THE, THE '23-'24 BUDGET DISCUSSION, STAFF DID PRESENT A RECOMMENDATION TO KEEP THE REGIONAL AND THE COMMUNITY PARK RESTROOMS OPEN IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE MASTER PLAN WHILE PERMANENTLY CLOSING THE RESTROOMS IN BOTH NEIGHBORHOOD AND SCHOOL PARKS. DURING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME, THE COUNCIL SUGGESTED THAT REOPENING ALL THE RESTROOMS THAT THE CITY OWNS, OR IN THE PARKS THAT THE CITY OWNS, SO THAT WOULD BE YOUR REGIONAL COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, BUT LEAVING THEM CLOSED IN SCHOOL PARKS. AND THAT'S THE CURRENT PRACTICE THAT WE HAVE. THERE ARE ONLY 2 RESTROOMS CURRENTLY OF THAT LIST OF REGIONAL COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE NOT OPEN. BOTH OF THOSE WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE. SO ONE OF THEM IS JOHN STIFF NUMBER 10 AND EAST PARK. BOTH OF THOSE HAD SEWER LINE COLLAPSES, AND FROM STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE, IF WE'RE GOING TO GO FIX THE SEWER LINE AND THAT STRUCTURE IS IN A POOR CONDITION, IT MAKES SENSE TO DO IT ALL AT ONCE. SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING, AND WE'LL BE BRINGING FORWARD, BOTH EAST PARK, JOHN STIFF NUMBER 10, AND A RECOMMENDATION FOR JOHN STIFF NORTH, THAT SOCCER FOOTBALL MULTIPURPOSE AREA. WE'RE SEEING A LARGE SURGE IN ATTENDANCE AND USAGE THERE. AND SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THE ADDITION OF A RESTROOM THERE. AND THEN YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THE MASTER PLAN IS WHO SHOULD FUND THOSE. AND THE RECOMMENDATION SPECIFICALLY ON SCHOOL PARKS AND AMENITIES WAS THAT IT SHOULD BE MORE ON THE SCHOOL SIDE TO FUND THOSE TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS AND AMENITIES. SO THE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY OPERATING UNDER THE DIRECTION PROVIDED BY COUNCIL, WHICH WAS TO OPEN ALL THE RESTROOMS EXCEPT THOSE LOCATED IN SCHOOL PARKS. SO AGAIN, THE REGIONAL, COMMUNITY, NEIGHBORHOOD ARE OPEN. WHAT'S CLOSED ARE THE SCHOOL, AND THEN I TALKED ABOUT THOSE TWO, BOTH JOHN STIFF 10 AND EAST. JOHN STIFF 10 IS OVER ON KIND OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK OF THE EVENT SPACE, IT'S KIND OF THAT WHITE BUILDING DOWN TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THAT. IT'S IN VERY, VERY POOR CONDITION, AND SO THAT'S WHY STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND REPLACING THOSE. HEY, MICHAEL, WHO WHO JUST TO BE CLEAR OUT HERE, WHO OWNS THE SCHOOL PARKS? I MEAN, THE SCHOOL THE SCHOOL RESTROOMS? IT'S A MIXED BAG. SO SOME OF THOSE ARE ON CITY PROPERTY, SOME OF THEM ARE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY. IN SOME CASES, THOSE THOSE PARK PROPERTIES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DEDICATED OVER TO THE CITY AND THEY NEVER WERE. AND SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH. EVERYONE'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. OKAY. SO WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT. WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT. OKAY, THANK YOU. I MEAN, MICHAEL, LET ME ASK YOU A LITTLE BIT. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT REGIONAL PARKS, COMMUNITY PARKS, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, CAN YOU GIVE ME A BREAKDOWN, LIKE HOW MANY REGIONAL PARKS WE HAVE, HOW MANY NEIGHBOR COMMUNITY, AND HOW MANY NEIGHBORS? I'LL TOUCH ON IT IN JUST A SECOND. I'VE ACTUALLY GOT A SLIDE THAT BREAKS DOWN ALL OF THE RESTROOMS BUT WHAT I WANTED TO, TO SHOW IS WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT RESTROOMS, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE HAVE TO CONSIDER, OBVIOUSLY HEAVY PUBLIC USE. WE SEE A LOT OF USE IN THOSE FACILITIES. VANDAL RESISTANCE. I'M GOING TO SHOW SOME PICTURES. WEATHER EXPOSURE, YOU KNOW, FREEZING TEMPERATURES, HIGH HEAT, LIMITED MAINTENANCE ACCESS. THESE ARE BASED ON OUR STAFFING LEVELS. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN GO OUT AND MAINTAIN AND CLEAN EVERY DAY. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY PUBLIC [02:55:01] HEALTH AND COST EFFICIENCY. SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE AS STAFF SEE IN THE PARK RESTROOMS. AND AGAIN, THIS IS THIS RESTROOM SPECIFICALLY WAS PROBABLY 100 FEET FROM A REST A PLAYGROUND AND A HEAVILY USED SPLASH PAD. AGAIN, THIS IS I THINK THIS ONE WAS FROM A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK. AGAIN, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT STAFF WALK INTO ON A FAIRLY FREQUENT BASIS THIS ISN'T AN UNCOMMON THING. IN FACT, THE, THE RESTROOMS AT JOHN WARD IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, SOMEBODY CONTINUES TO TRY TO FLUSH CLOTHING AND OTHER THINGS AND IT CONTINUES TO BACK UP AND CLOG. SO AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THE REASONS WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THESE RESTROOMS IS THEY HAVE TO WITHSTAND A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES. WE ACTUALLY HAD WE'VE HAD SOMEWHERE WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD PEOPLE LIVING IN THEM. WE'VE HAD TO WORK WITH BOTH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND APD. WE'VE HAD CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE STAFF HAS BEEN ATTACKED BY INDIVIDUALS COMING OUT OF THOSE RESTROOMS THAT HAVE BARRICADED THEMSELVES. SO IT'S NOT A FUN SITUATION FOR STAFF TO BE IN. IN TERMS OF VANDALISM AND GRAFFITI, GRAFFITI, WE HAVE ONE PARK MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEE THAT THAT'S ALL SHE DOES IS GRAFFITI. THESE ARE JUST SOME EXAMPLES OF KIND OF WHAT YOU'LL SEE FAIRLY FREQUENTLY. AT SOME OF THESE FACILITIES. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE BASED ON THESE PICTURES THAT THEY'D PAINTED OVER IT AND IT GETS GRAFFITIED BASICALLY RIGHT AWAY. SO AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE GOT IS, WELL, HOW CAN YOU CLOSE THEM IN SOME OF THESE SCHOOL PARKS WHEN YOU'VE GOT GROUPS THAT ARE OUT THERE USING THOSE FACILITIES? WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOL PARKS AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, STAFF DOESN'T PROGRAM THOSE. WE DON'T DO RESERVATION RESERVATIONS ON THOSE. THOSE ARE JUST BASICALLY FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. SO KIDS INC., WE TALKED WITH THEM A LITTLE WHILE BACK AND THEY WERE DOING A SURVEY AND WE ASKED, DO YOU MIND ASKING THE QUESTION OF WHICH PARKS DO YOU USE WHEN IT COMES TO PRACTICES? AND THIS WAS THE RESPONSE THAT CAME BACK FROM KIDS INC. SO THESE ARE COACHES THAT HAD RESPONDED TO THE SURVEY AND PROVIDED THIS INFORMATION. SO WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT IT, A LOT OF IT I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S A HANDFUL THAT ARE CITY PARKS CITY VIEW, EAST PARK, GLENWOOD, WEST HILLS. YOU SEE SOME THAT ARE SCHOOL PARKS WHERE IT'S BOTH COMBINATION OF THESE ARE SOME THAT WE JOINTLY OWN WHERE WE OWN A PART OF IT, THEY OWN A PART OF IT. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT SOME THAT ARE FULLY OWNED BY THE SCHOOL. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN WITH A LOT OF YOUTH SPORTS IS A LOT OF THEM ARE MOVING MORE TO THE ARTIFICIAL TURF WHEN AND WHERE THEY CAN, GOING TO MORE OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS, THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THOSE TURF FIELDS. BUT IN TERMS OF THOSE PRACTICE LOCATIONS, THIS IS WHAT CAME BACK FROM KIDS INC. SO THE ONES THAT ARE NOT HIGHLIGHTED, THEY DON'T HAVE BATHROOMS? IS THAT WHAT THIS IS? NO, THE ONES THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED ARE NOT CITY PARKS. SO THOSE ARE EITHER OR THEY'RE NOT IN AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY. SO FOR EXAMPLE, PALO DURO HIGH SCHOOL, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY MAINTAINS. THE SCHOOL PARKS ARE ONLY AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. WE DON'T DO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, WE DON'T DO HIGH SCHOOL. SO THOSE OTHER PROPERTIES WERE ONES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE SURVEY THAT JUST WEREN'T MANAGED OR MAINTAINED BY THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. AND THEN AS WE START TALKING ABOUT RESTROOMS, WE PUT TOGETHER JUST SOME HIGH-LEVEL NUMBERS. SO THIS IS JUST THE RESTROOMS IN REGIONAL PARKS. SO WE'VE GOT ABOUT 9, 17, I THINK, THAT ARE CURRENTLY OPEN. AGAIN, WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT REPLACEMENT, YOU'VE GOT 3 DIFFERENT CATEGORIES. WE HAD STAFF EVALUATE IT. SO THE LEFT ONE IS YOU NEED TO REPLACE THEM. YOU'VE GOT THE MIDDLE COLUMN, WHICH IS MAJOR REPAIR, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT MINOR REPAIR. SO WHEN YOU START PUTTING PRICE TAGS ON IT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $2 MILLION IF YOU WERE TO GO IN AND REPLACE THINGS BASED OFF OF THIS. SO THAT'S REPLACING THOSE 5, IT'S MAKING THE MAJOR REPAIRS AT THOSE 3, AND THEN ADDRESSING THOSE OTHER MINOR REPAIRS. EACH BATHROOM FOR THAT REPLACEMENT IS $350,000. YEP. SO, AND WE'LL WE CAN TOUCH ON IT NOW. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE ACTUALLY BECAUSE WHEN YOU START THINKING ABOUT THE COST OF A RESTROOM, YOU DON'T THINK $250,000, $300,000. WE ACTUALLY HAD A LOCAL CONTRACTOR GIVE US PRICING, AND IT WAS IN LINE WITH THAT. SO WE ACTUALLY WENT TO A GENERAL CONTRACTOR, SAID, YOU KNOW, WE THINK THAT THESE PRICES SEEM REALLY HIGH, WHAT DO YOU THINK? AND THE ESTIMATE THAT CAME BACK WAS RIGHT IN LINE WITH THIS. AGAIN, PART OF THAT IS WHEN YOU START TALKING AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE GOT IT ON THIS, BUT I CAN SEND IT TO TO YOU. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THINGS LIKE THE STAINLESS STEEL TOILETS, SO PEOPLE AREN'T BREAKING THE PORCELAIN. AND I'LL SHOW YOU A PICTURE OF THAT HERE IN A MINUTE. STAINLESS STEEL FIXTURES, A LOT OF THAT TYPE OF STUFF. THE DOORS RIGHT NOW ARE ANYWHERE FROM $5,000 TO $10,000 FOR METAL DOORS. SO WHEN YOU START ADDING ALL OF THAT UP, IT GETS VERY EXPENSIVE VERY QUICKLY. AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU SOME OF THE ESTIMATES THAT WE'VE GOT AND WHERE WHERE THAT INFORMATION FILLS IN. MR. KESHUVAH, LET ME OFFER THIS. [03:00:02] SO, BECAUSE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE CRITICAL OVER LIKE HOW WE'RE STEWARDING THESE MONIES TO HEAR THIS. SO I DON'T AGREE WITH ANY OF THOSE ASSESSMENTS. SO IF WE'RE TALKING CINDER BLOCK WALLS, EXISTING CONCRETE SLAB, EXISTING PLUMBING, DOORS, METAL DOORS, AND A ROOF, MY COMPANY WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEND YOU A COST THAT WE WOULD GO TO WORK FOR ALL DAY, EVERY DAY, THAT WOULD BE FAR, FAR MUCH LOWER THAN THAT. NOW, WE CANNOT DO THAT BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE A CONFLICT BUT I DO KNOW THE PRICING, AND I DO KNOW THAT I AM ONE OF THE HIGHER-PRICED CONTRACTORS IN MY NICHE. NOW, THERE'S A WHOLE LEVEL OF CONTRACTORS OUT THERE THAT ARE WAY BETTER THAN US, BUT THEY BUILD HOSPITALS, AND SO WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS RESTROOMS, AND SO HOW MANY SQUARE FEET ONE OF THESE RESTAURANTS? I COULDN'T GIVE THAT TO YOU OFF THE TOP. 10 BY 10? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT I THINK 10 BY 20 BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT THE, THE 2 RESTROOMS AND YOU'VE GOT GENERALLY A CHASE ROOM THAT'S SEPARATE FROM IT. SO PROBABLY 10 BY 20. YEAH, SOME OF THEM A LITTLE BIT BIGGER THAN THAT. SO LET'S JUST PUT THAT IN, IN PERSPECTIVE. 10 BY 20, 200 SQUARE FEET $100 A SQUARE FOOT, YOU KNOW, FOR CINDER BLOCK, ROOF, WHATNOT, HARD COSTS. EVEN IF YOU'RE PAYING $150 A FOOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING $30 GRAND, YOU KNOW. SO LIKE, I GET THAT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF BONDING AND THAT THERE'S PROCUREMENT AND EVERYTHING ELSE. I ALSO GET THAT WE'VE GOT TO STEWARD THESE DOLLARS WELL. SO IF WE ARE GOING TO TAKE ON A PARK RESTROOM PROJECT AND I'M NOT EVEN SAYING WE'RE TO THAT POINT BUT LIKE RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE TAKING ON IS A PUBLIC MESSAGING PROJECT. AND SO I CAN'T GO ALONG WITH PUBLIC MESSAGING IN THE INDUSTRY THAT I'M AN EXPERT IN AT $350,000 FOR THOSE PARK RESTROOMS. SO IF YOU'LL SEND ME THOSE BREAKDOWNS, I'VE, I'VE BEEN MR. DANFORTH'S BEEN GOOD WITH ME IN THE PAST. I MEAN, I WAS ARGUING WITH HIM ABOUT HEATING AND AIR COSTS, AND, YOU KNOW, SURE ENOUGH, SOMEBODY DESIGNED EVERY BELL AND WHISTLE ON A CADILLAC THAT YOU COULD EVER BUY, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY GAVE HIM, AND IT WAS TOO LATE. BUT IF WE CAN HAVE SOME LEVEL OF DESIGN CONTROL AND WE WANT TO STRETCH A DOLLAR, I CAN SURE HELP US DO THAT. WELL, WE APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, WE'D REACHED OUT TO A COUPLE GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND THE NUMBERS THEY GAVE US WERE PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH THIS. BUT IF THERE'S OTHER OPTIONS, WE'RE HAPPY TO EXPLORE THOSE. GLAD TO HOOK YOU UP WITH SOME REALLY GOOD CONTRACTORS IF WE CAN WORK WITH THEM, IF COUNCIL CHOOSES TO DO THAT. MAYBE WE JUST SIDELINE THIS JUST FOR PARKS PROJECT OUTDOOR, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE ALL SORTS OTHER, YOU KNOW, SERVICES WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO MENTOR AN APPRENTICE AND, AND WORK HAND IN HAND WITH A LOT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PIECES. THIS WOULD BE PERFECT FOR SOME OF OUR AMTEC FOLKS IF WE NEED TO TAKE ON A PROJECT ONCE A YEAR. YEAH, I AGREE. THANK YOU, MR. KESHUVAH. LET ME JUST ASK, SO RIGHT NOW THE, THE RESTROOMS THAT WE HAVE OPEN AND ARE MAINTAINING TO KEEP THEM OPEN ARE LOCATED AT OUR REGIONAL PARKS SO THAT WOULD BE STIFF, RICK KLEIN. SO THIS IS A BREAKDOWN OF THE REGIONAL. SO YOU'D HAVE JOHN STIFF, MARTIN LAKE MEDICAL CENTER, SO THAT'S JOHN WARD, RICK KLEIN, THE COMPLEX, SOUTHEAST PARK, AND THOMPSON. THOMPSON BY ITSELF HAS 9 RESTROOMS. AND THEN WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT COMMUNITY PARKS, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EL ALAMO, ELWOOD, HINES, MEMORIAL, AND SAM HOUSTON. AND THEN AGAIN, WHEN WE GO DOWN THE NEXT HERE, THESE ARE THE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. SO YOU WOULD SEE BENT AND BONES, AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THE LIST. SO AGAIN, THIS IS THE FULL BREAKDOWN OF THE RESTROOMS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THE ONES OBVIOUSLY THAT ARE IN THE SCHOOL PARKS. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THE RESTROOMS AT THESE PARKS THAT HAVE THE GREEN ON THEM ARE OPEN. CORRECT. AND THIS PAGE WITH THE SCHOOL PARKS WITH THE PURPLE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT OPEN, NEED OF REPAIR, THAT TYPE OF THING. CORRECT. THESE WERE CLOSED BASED OFF OF COUNCIL DIRECTION, SO THEY'VE STAYED CLOSED SINCE THAT, THAT CONVERSATION. I THINK IT WAS '23-'24. YEAH, AND I KNOW WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THAT, BUT I GUESS THE THING I GUESS THE THING THAT THE PARK STUDY LOOKED AT AND THE PARK BOARD HAS LOOKED AT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IN LARGER COMMUNITIES I MEAN, I CONSIDER A 200,000, YOU I MEAN, WE'VE GOT HOW MANY I'M LOOKING HERE 20, 21 SCHOOL PARKS. I GUESS IT USED TO BE A HABIT THAT EVERY TIME WE BUILT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE BUILT A PARK. AND THEN, AND THEN THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, WHAT TAKES OVER THAT. SO I MEAN, WE, WE SEEM TO HAVE FAR MORE OF THOSE SMALLER PARKS THAN MOST COMMUNITIES HAVE, WHICH IS GREAT. BUT I GUESS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO FULLY FUND THEM, WHERE WE'RE BALANCING WHETHER WE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BETTER FOR COMMUNITY TO HAVE BETTER, LARGER PARKS WHERE YOU HAVE MORE AMENITIES THAT ATTRACT MORE PEOPLE, OR SHOULD WE FOCUS ON SMALLER PARKS WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE AS MANY AMENITIES AS YOU WOULD HAVE, BUT, BUT YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THERE? [03:05:02] AND I GUESS WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING, THERE'S MORE OF A DEMAND FOR THE LARGER PARKS IN MOST PLACES BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE MORE AMENITIES. CORRECT. AND I THINK THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SCHOOL PARKS INTENTION IS FOR YOU TO WALK OVER THERE, THROW FOOTBALL, PLAY CATCH, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU COULDN'T DO IN YOUR YARD, BUT OBVIOUSLY ISN'T AS INTENSIVE AS MAYBE A LARGER PLAYGROUND, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I THINK THE INTENTION BEHIND NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS AND SCHOOL PARKS IS FOR THERE TO BE A PLAYGROUND, A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO WALK, A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GO THROW A FRISBEE, FOOTBALL, WALK THEIR DOG, THOSE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES. BUT THE MORE INTENSIVE THE ACTIVITY, THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU START TALKING ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY PARKS AND YOUR REGIONAL PARKS. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY THAT WE SEE THAT BREAKDOWN IS, AGAIN, IF YOU CAN WALK TO IT, THEN IT'S PROBABLY JUST WALKING YOUR DOG, YOU KNOW, THROWING A FRISBEE, THROWING A BALL, THINGS LIKE THAT. IF YOU'RE DRIVING TO IT, THEN THAT'S WHERE YOU WANT THOSE BIGGER, BETTER AMENITIES WHERE IF I'M DRIVING TO A PARK AND I NEED TO USE THE RESTROOM, I WANT TO HAVE A GOOD RESTROOM FACILITY AND I WANT TO HAVE A BETTER PLAYGROUND AND I WANT TO HAVE A BETTER SPLASH PAD. SO AGAIN, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT KIND KIND OF THE PARKS MASTER PLAN TOUCHED ON. DID WE GET A DEMO COST? I MEAN, IF WE TALKED ABOUT TEARING THOSE DOWN, WE DID. AND I THINK JAMES CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT WAS A IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN THIS. I THINK IT WAS UNDER 10 GRAND PER RESTROOM. I THINK IT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $5,000 TO $6,000 PER FACILITY TO KNOCK DOWN. OKAY, THANK YOU. SO KIND OF THE NEXT STEPS IS OBVIOUSLY WE'RE CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ABOUT THOSE SCHOOL PARK RESTROOMS AND THOSE AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE PARK BOARD HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO PRIORITIZE THE FUNDING IN THOSE BIGGER PARKS. SO IF THERE'S NOT ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE RESTROOMS, I'LL JUMP TO THE NEXT ONE. LET ME JUST ASK YOU THOUGH, I MEAN, THE SO IF WE DID BUILD MORE PARKS, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS I MEAN, IS THIS WIDESPREAD ABUSE OF THE GRAFFITI, THE PEOPLE LIVING IN I MEAN, IS IT JUST IS IT A CONSTANT IN ALL THE BATHROOMS OR IS IT CERTAIN BATHROOMS OR? GENERALLY, WE SEE ACTIVITY, I WON'T SAY IN EVERY RESTROOM, BUT WE SEE THEM IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS OF TOWN. IT'S NOT ISOLATED TO ONE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S NOT ISOLATED TO ONE GEOGRAPHIC AREA. IT'S KIND OF SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. I'VE GOT SOME OTHER PICTURES OF VANDALISM HERE. I'LL SHOW YOU KIND OF IN A FEW MINUTES. BUT AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A CHALLENGE THAT WE DEAL WITH AS STAFF. SO POOLS, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED THROUGH THIS AT LENGTH. I JUST WANTED TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A QUICK UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS. SO WE PUT OUT AN RFQ FOR THE AQUATIC MARKET VIABILITY STUDY. THAT WAS THE ONE THAT WE HAD BROUGHT TO COUNCIL BACK IN AUGUST. COUNCIL DIRECTED STAFF TO GO BACK AND EVALUATE SOUTHEASTERN SOUTHWEST. WE PRESENTED THOSE. WE FOLLOWED IT UP WITH THE SECOND RFQ. WE DID RECEIVE ONE SUBMISSION FOR THAT, AND, AND THE SCOPE OF THAT WORK IS TO LOOK AT ALL OUTDOOR OR AQUATIC FACILITIES. SO THAT'S LOOKING AT NOT ONLY THE POOLS BUT ALSO THE SPLASH PADS. WE HAVE 15 SPLASH PADS. AND AGAIN, AS WE START TALKING ABOUT THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, A LOT OF THEM ARE IN THOSE SMALLER NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS. SO TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RIGHT SIZE IS, AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO EVALUATE IT ALL. WE DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK AT POOLS AND THEN COME BACK TO COUNCIL A YEAR LATER AND SAY, WELL, NOW WE NEED TO LOOK AT SPLASH PADS. I THINK THE GOAL IS LET'S LOOK AT IT ALL AT ONE BIG TIME AND THEN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BEST STRATEGY IS MOVING FORWARD. WE JUST RECEIVED A PROPOSAL LAST WEEK, AND SO WE'RE KIND OF VETTING THAT TO LOOK AT THAT. WE WOULD WORK WITH THE PARK BOARD ON THE SCOPE OF WORK AND WOULD MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL, BUT THAT WILL BE COMING TO COUNCIL FAIRLY SOON FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THE PROPOSAL FOR THAT AQUATIC FEASIBILITY. ALL RIGHT, NEW PARKING LOTS. THE PARKING LOTS THAT WE PUT IN JOHN STIFF PARK NORTH AND SOUTH AND ALSO RICK KLEIN, THEY WERE INTENDED FOR SPECIAL USE ACTIVITY. WHAT WE WERE SEEING AND THE REASON THEY WERE ACTUALLY CONSTRUCTED WAS WE WERE SEEING A LOT OF VEHICLES THAT WERE BEING TOWED. WE SAW A LOT OF VEHICLES THAT WERE BEING TICKETED. WE SAW A LOT OF ACCESS ISSUES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH ADA CHALLENGES. AND SO THOSE PLAYGROUND OR THOSE PARKING LOTS WERE PUT IN TO PROVIDE EXTRA PARKING FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES. STAFF HAD RECEIVED COMMENTS AND CONVERSATION WITH AISD ABOUT AN ACTIVITY THAT THEY WERE DOING, AND WE WENT AHEAD AND OPENED IT. THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T OPEN IT FOR, FOR ONE EVENT. WE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT I THINK IF WE'D KNOWN ABOUT IT, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO GO OPEN THOSE GATES FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE QUESTION IS WHY? WHY ARE WE NOT JUST LEAVING THOSE, THOSE PARKING LOTS OPEN ALL THE TIME? WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SEE IS LARGE GATHERINGS AFTER HOURS. WE SEE A LOT OF DONUTS, BURNOUTS, DRAGGING WE ACTUALLY SEE DRAGGING OF DUMPSTERS, GRAFFITI. AND WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME NEIGHBORS REQUEST, BECAUSE THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO THAT PARKING LOT, THAT IT STAY CLOSED WHEN IT WAS NOT IN USE. SO AGAIN, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT THE PARKING WHEN WE NEED IT. WE'RE HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP [03:10:01] FOR USER GROUPS FOR DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES. WE JUST, WE JUST NEED SOME COMMUNICATION, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO GO OPEN IT UP FOR THEM. SO WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, MADE OURSELVES AVAILABLE, SAID, HEY, IF YOU EVER HAVE AN ACTIVITY, JUST LET US KNOW, WE'RE HAPPY TO OPEN IT. ALL RIGHT, VANDALISM AND DAMAGE. I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON THIS BRIEFLY. THIS IS WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS, SO SOUTHEAST POOL HAS NOW BEEN BROKEN INTO TWICE. THIS WAS THE DAMAGE FROM THE FIRST ONE. THEY CAME BACK A SECOND TIME. THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT LEFT TO DESTROY, BUT THEY, THEY TRIED TO BREAK WHAT WAS LEFT. SO, AND OBVIOUSLY THAT FACILITY IS CLOSED. THAT WAS THE, THE TEMPORARY CLOSURE WHILE WE DID THE AQUATIC MARKET STUDY AND VIABILITY STUDY. BUT THAT'S SOME VERY RECENT VANDALISM. THOMPSON PARK, WE ACTUALLY GOT A CALL FROM THE THE AMARILLO ZOO AND SANCTUARY THIS WEEKEND SAID, HEY, WE HAD TO STOP AN INDIVIDUAL THAT WAS OVER THERE CUTTING UP YOUR BLEACHERS FOR SCRAP METAL. SO WE ACTUALLY HAD TO SEND STAFF OUT THERE TO TRY TO STOP THEM. YOU CAN SEE THE INDIVIDUAL'S ACTUALLY CUTTING IT UP AND GETTING READY TO HAUL IT OFF FOR SCRAP. THIS ONE, THIS I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A WAY TO PLAY THIS VIDEO. SO THIS WAS AT JOHN STIFF THIS WEEKEND. WE'VE GOT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE DOING DONUTS, HANGING OUT THE SIDE OF A VEHICLE, AND THEY'LL SHOW A PICTURE HERE IN A SECOND, VERY CLOSE TO A PLAYGROUND. SO AGAIN, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF THINGS THAT I WOULD HATE TO SAY WE SEE FREQUENTLY, BUT WE SEE QUITE FREQUENTLY. SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO TRY TO MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT OUR STAFF HAS TO DEAL WITH ON A FAIRLY FREQUENT BASIS. OKAY, HISTORY. SO NOW I'M GOING TO TOUCH ON KIND OF SOME OF THE, THE HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT, KIND OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GOES BACK WE FOUND SOME OLD NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS FROM THE '60S WHERE IT WAS BUDGET CUTS FOR THE RECREATION WE ALSO SAW THIS WAS FROM ONE OF THE DIRECTORS AT THE TIME THAT BASICALLY SAID, IT'S HARD TO MOVE FORWARD WHEN THERE'S NOT FUNDING. AND SO THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GOES BACK TO THE '60S, IF NOT BEFORE THEN. SO WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE IN THE '60S? THESE WERE SOME PICTURES THAT ACTUALLY CAME FROM 1964 THAT WE FOUND IN OUR PHOTO BOOKS. THE TOP RIGHT ONE IS OBVIOUSLY SAM HOUSTON. THAT STRUCTURE IS STILL THERE, STILL IN USE. YOU CAN SEE THIS IS THE ONE OF THE COMPLEXES. AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE SAME FACILITIES. BUT YOU CAN SEE OBVIOUSLY THE TIMES HAVE CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY. A LOT OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WAS PUT IN AT THAT TIME, I MEAN, WE'VE GOT AT THOMPSON PARK, WE'VE STILL GOT TRANSITE PIPE, WHICH IS, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, IS ASBESTOS-BASED PIPE. BELLWOOD, WE JUST TRANSITIONED FROM HYDRAULIC IRRIGATION ABOUT A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF AGO. WE'VE SEEN GALVANIZED PIPE FOR IRRIGATION. WE'VE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING. AGAIN, A LOT OF THAT WAS PUT IN DURING THIS TIME FRAME, AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THESE WERE PROBABLY THE CREWS THAT PUT THAT INFORMATION AND THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IN. THE CHALLENGE WITH SOME OF THAT, OR THAT INFRASTRUCTURE SPECIFICALLY ON THE IRRIGATION, IS OLD IRRIGATION DESIGN WAS JUST COVERAGE, JUST TRY TO GET COVERAGE. NOW THERE'S MORE IRRIGATION DESIGN WHERE IT'S HEAD-TO-HEAD COVERAGE, WHERE IT ALLOWS FOR GREATER OVERLAP, WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE SOME OF THOSE HOT SPOTS. IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF OUR OLDER PARKS, YOU CAN SEE WHERE THAT COVERAGE JUST ISN'T ADEQUATE. AND AGAIN, THAT WAS BASED OFF OF THE OLD IRRIGATION DESIGNS. SOME OF THE, THE OTHER CHALLENGES IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BONDS, VOTES, PROPOSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN FORWARD THAT HAVE FAILED. SO THE LAST PARK BOND THAT WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED WAS 1972. THE DEBT ISSUED WAS IN 1974, AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF UNFAVORABLE MARKETS IN '72. BUT SINCE THEN, THERE'S BEEN BONDS IN 1999, 2013, 2016, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR A TAX RATE INCREASE IN 2021. THAT ALSO FAILED. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN, WE ACTUALLY WENT BACK AND PULLED THE BUDGETS FROM 2010-11 TO LAST YEAR'S BUDGET OR THE CURRENT BUDGET. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE LINE ITEMS THAT THE DEPARTMENT CONTROLS, THAT'S NOT THINGS LIKE SALARY. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS PUT IN FOR US. BUT IN TERMS OF THE, THE, THE EQUIPMENT, THE MATERIALS THAT WE NEED, OUR LINE ITEMS FOR THOSE THOSE BUDGET CONTROL DEPARTMENT CONTROLLED BUDGET ITEMS HAVE GONE UP 8.8% AT THE SAME TIME THAT THAT CPI HAS INCREASED 51%, AND THAT WAS BASED OFF THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. SO AS A RESULT, THE DEPARTMENT'S PURCHASING POWER HAS DECLINED BY ABOUT 17%. SO IN THEORY, $82.60 IS WHAT WE [03:15:03] ARE ABLE TO SPEND NOW INSTEAD OF $100. CAPITAL FUNDING. SO WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT IS THE OVERALL CAPITAL FUNDING. SO IN, IN 2011-2012, THERE WAS $1.5 MILLION, AND YOU CAN SEE KIND OF A STEADY DECLINE TO WHERE IN 19-20, THERE WAS ACTUALLY ZERO CAPITAL DOLLARS THAT WERE EXPENDED FOR THE DEPARTMENT. I THINK THAT 18-19 WAS $100,000, WHICH IS HALF THE PRICE OF A PLAYGROUND. YOU CAN ALSO SEE SOME OF THE, THE COMPARABLES, AND THOSE WERE THINGS THAT WERE IN THE, THE PARKS MASTER PLAN IN TERMS OF WHAT THE BUDGETS FROM COMPARABLE CITIES COMPARABLE CITIES. MR. KESHUVAH, REAL QUICK, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT? DO YOU HAVE THE CHART COMING UP THAT'LL SHOW '21 TO '25? I'LL SHOW YOU KIND OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. YES, SIR. I'VE GOT A TOTAL. I DON'T HAVE IT BY YEAR BY YEAR. WE HAVE A TOTAL FOR THE 5-YEAR TOTAL. YES, SIR. DO YOU KNOW WHAT CURRENT BUDGET IS FOR THAT? FOR WELL, CAPITAL FUNDING CURRENTLY FOR PARKS AND REC. WELL, WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A SECOND. OKAY, I'VE GOT THAT AS WELL. SO THE CURRENT STATE SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE WE WANTED TO SEE WAS WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE PARKS. THERE WAS FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR A PARKS MASTER PLAN. I SAID I THINK WHAT'S PROBABLY MORE PRUDENT IS FOR US TO DO AN ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN, FIGURE OUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY OWN, WHAT THE CONDITION IS, AND HOW WE MOVE FORWARD. SO THE ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN LOOKED AT WHAT DO WE HAVE, WHERE DO WE HAVE IT, WHAT'S THE CONDITION, WHAT'S THE COST TO REPLACE IT. AGAIN, THIS IS 2019. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE AT THAT TIME, THE HIGH-RISK ITEMS IN THE TOP RIGHT, THERE WAS $48 MILLION OF HIGH-RISK ASSETS. THE MEDIUM RISK AT THAT TIME WAS ABOUT $42 MILLION. BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED WITH ONE OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCILS IS THE DECAY CURVE ON ASSETS STAYS PRETTY LEVEL FOR A WHILE, BUT THE DECAY CURVE AND HOW QUICKLY AN ASSET AGES AFTER THAT FALLS OFF PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY. SO A LOT OF THOSE MEDIUM-RISK ASSETS HAVE STARTED TO SHIFT OVER MORE INTO THE HIGH-RISK AREAS. AND SO YOU CAN SEE OBVIOUSLY THE LOW RISK WAS, WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS. THE TOTAL THAT THE DEPARTMENT OWNED WAS JUST OVER $100 MILLION, AND SO YOU CAN SEE BETWEEN THOSE TOP TWO, THAT'S ALMOST $90 MILLION OF MEDIUM AND HIGH-RISK ASSETS. AFTER WE DID THAT ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE PUT RED X'S OUT TO TRY TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY. THIS WAS PART OF OUR PARKS MASTER PLAN. I'M SURE PEOPLE SAW THOSE EVERYWHERE, WHETHER IT WAS AT GOLF COURSES, THE ZOO, NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS. THOSE RED X'S WERE PUT UP EVERYWHERE. PART OF IT WAS TO DRAW AWARENESS TO THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FUNDING WE NEEDED. BUT IT WAS ALSO TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ON HOW WE AS A DEPARTMENT SHOULD PROCEED. AND WE HAD, I WOULD SAY, EXTREMELY GOOD RESULTS. WE HAD OVER 10,000 PEOPLE WEIGH IN ON THE MASTER PLAN. SO YOU'VE GOT THE SURVEY THAT WAS ABOUT 02,300, 2,400. THE PRIORITIZATION CHALLENGE WAS ALMOST 7,000. AND THEN WE HAD THAT COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS WORKSHOP OVER AT THE CIVIC CENTER AND ABOUT 270 PEOPLE SHOWED UP. SO I WOULD SAY THIS, THIS MASTER PLAN IS NOT SOMETHING THAT JUST HAD A FEW PEOPLE WEIGH IN. THERE WAS, THERE WAS 10,000 INDIVIDUALS THAT FILLED OUT SURVEYS OR PARTICIPATED IN THE MASTER PLAN. THIS IS JUST A GRAPHIC THAT WE HAD FROM THE MASTER PLAN. 69% OF RESIDENTS SAID THAT THEY WOULD ACTUALLY SUPPORT AN INCREASED LEVEL OF INVESTMENT, WHICH IS WHY WE TOOK THAT TAX VOTE OUT TO THE PUBLIC IN 2021, WHICH ULTIMATELY FAILED. SO AS WE TALK ABOUT THE PARKS MASTER PLAN WHAT ARE SOME OF THE GOALS? SO THESE WERE SOME OF THE GOALS THAT WERE ACTUALLY OUTLINED IN IT. SO STRATEGICALLY MAINTAINING AND MANAGING ASSETS I THINK THAT GOES TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT YOU GOT. OBVIOUSLY MAKING SURE THAT THE PARKS REFLECT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND YOU CAN KIND OF GO DOWN FROM THERE. THIS IS NOT IN PRIORITY ORDER, THIS IS JUST THE DIFFERENT GOALS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT. SOME OF THE KEY MOVES AND OBVIOUSLY THIS AGAIN, WHEN WE DID THE MASTER PLAN, WE WERE MOVING FORWARD. THE GOAL WAS FAIRLY ASPIRATIONAL WHAT DO WE WANT TO BE IN THE FUTURE? AND I THINK AT THE TIME THE PARK BOARD RECOGNIZED WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES AND SITUATION OF WHERE WE ARE. AND, AND WE ACTUALLY HIT THE BRAKES ON THE MASTER PLAN AND WENT BACK AND SAID, IF WE NEVER GET ANOTHER DOLLAR, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? AND WHAT DOES THIS DOES THIS MASTER PLAN NEED TO REFLECT? AND THAT'S WHAT THIS MASTER PLAN REFLECTED. SO SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT MOVES THAT IT RECOMMENDED WERE INCREASING FEES AND REVENUES. OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE WITH GOLF, AND WE'RE WORKING ON TENNIS AND AQUATICS. REDUCING LEVEL OF SERVICE AGAIN, SOME OF THAT IS SCALING BACK SOME OF THOSE ASSETS THAT MAY BE IN THOSE SMALLER PARKS. REDUCING SUBSIDIES, ELIMINATING HIGH-RISK VENTURES. SO BASICALLY KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE GETTING INTO. DIVERSIFYING FUNDING, AND THAT'S WHERE THE JOHN STIFF DEVELOPMENT STUDY CAME FROM. AND THEN MAINTAINING [03:20:02] FOCUS. I THINK THIS GOES TO COUNCILMAN REID'S POINT ABOUT JUST ADDING STUFF FOR THE SAKE OF ADDING STUFF DOESN'T KEEP US LASER FOCUSED ON WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO GET. SOME OF THE PRIORITIZATIONS AND SEQUENCING SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS PLAYGROUND REPLACEMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A BUNCH OF THOSE HERE IN A MINUTE. THAT WAS THE FIRST THING WE STARTED TO ADDRESS. THE SCALED-BACK NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS, AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE RESTROOM CONVERSATION. SPORTS FIELD LIGHTING, WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN THAT AREA. AND THEN YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THOSE OTHER THE ANNUAL ALLOWANCE FOR ASSET MANAGEMENT, THAT IS THERE. THAT'S THE PARKS E&I, AND I'LL TOUCH ON THAT HERE IN A MINUTE. SO NEXT STEPS, OBVIOUSLY THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME. AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE POTENTIALLY UPDATING THAT MASTER PLAN TO REFLECT CURRENTLY WHERE WE'RE AT. APPROXIMATE COST FOR THAT IS ABOUT $150,000. AND THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ALIGN WITH THE COUNCIL ON CURRENT PRIORITIES, COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND OPERATING CONDITIONS. SO AGAIN, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING IN TUNE WITH WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS FOR THEIR PARKS FACILITIES. ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT PORTION? OKAY, I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE A SIP. WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT PARK MAINTENANCE NEXT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED DURING COVID WAS PARK MAINTENANCE POSITIONS WERE FROZEN AT ABOUT 50%. THAT WAS WHEN WE STARTED SEEING THE WEEDS AND GRASS GET TO ABOUT 3 FEET TALL, MOWING IT ABOUT EVERY 4 WEEKS. AFTER WE CAME OUT OF COVID WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET OUR EMPLOYEES BACK. SO WE STARTED LOOKING AT TRYING TO HIRE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. WE LOOKED AT PART-TIME EMPLOYEES. WE'D WORKED ON TRYING TO GET TEMPORARY WORKERS THROUGH AGENCIES. AND ULTIMATELY, WE DECIDED THAT BECAUSE WE COULDN'T FILL IT WITH THOSE OTHER ONES, THAT WE NEEDED TO START LOOKING AT CONTRACTORS. SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE ACTUALLY SIGNIFICANTLY SCALED BACK PARK MAINTENANCE. SO THE TOP LINE IS THE FULL-TIME POSITIONS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE PART-TIME POSITIONS. SO WE WENT FROM 72 FULL-TIME POSITIONS DOWN TO 44 FULL-TIME POSITIONS, FROM 36 PART-TIME DOWN TO ESSENTIALLY TODAY, 4. AND THE QUESTION ALWAYS COMES, SO YOU CONTRACT EVERYTHING OUT, WHAT DOES PARK MAINTENANCE ACTUALLY DO? WE RUN LITTER OUT. WE'VE GOT TO GET TO EVERY ONE OF THOSE PARKS. SOME OF THE, THE LITTER ROUTE ACTUALLY HAS TO STAY AT FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE GOT ONE EMPLOYEE THAT BASICALLY STAYS AT THOMPSON 24/7 BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TRASH DURING EASTER. IT'S NOT UNCOMMON. I THINK THE NUMBER 2 YEARS AGO WAS 400 BAGS OF TRASH JUST AT EASTER, JUST IN THOMPSON. WE HAVE IRRIGATION PROJECTS, AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE REROUTING IRRIGATION LINES FOR THE ZOO. WE HAD TO PUT A NEW LOOP MAIN AROUND THERE. STAFF DID THAT. I MENTIONED THAT WE'VE GOT ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT JUST DOES GRAFFITI REMOVAL. WE DO PLAYGROUND INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS, OBVIOUSLY VANDALISM, SO THINGS BROKEN TOILETS, THINGS LIKE THAT RESTROOM CLEANING, PLUMBING REPAIRS, POOL AND SPLASH PAD MAINTENANCE. THE DEPARTMENT ALSO SUPPORTS OR THE PARK MAINTENANCE ACTUALLY SUPPORTS A LOT OF THE OTHER DIVISIONS, SO WARFORD, AQUATICS, SPECIAL EVENTS, THE AMERILUNA NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER, AQUATICS. SO THEY ARE KIND OF THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE. THEY GO HELP EVERYBODY. THEY ALSO DO A LOT OF UTILITY LOCATES. SO A LOT OF THAT IS WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAYS THAT ULTIMATELY IMPACTS OUR PARKS, CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, SITE WORK. AND THEN OUR ATHLETIC STAFF, WE CONTRACTED OUT ALL OF THE MOWING EXCEPT FOR ATHLETICS. THAT IS STILL STILL DONE IN-HOUSE. WE'VE GOT STAFF THAT DOES ALL THE TURNKEY LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE FOR ATHLETICS. YEAH. DOES PARK MAINTENANCE DO THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE RECONNAISSANCE? I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE IF THEY'RE PICKING UP TRASH, THEY'RE DOING THESE KINDS OF THINGS, THEY'RE AT THE PARKS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE NOT GETTING A GOOD PULSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE PARKS WHEN WE HAVE A CITIZEN THAT HAS TO SHOW US THAT THE PARKS LOOK TERRIBLE. YEAH, THAT'S A CONVERSATION WE'VE HAD WITH STAFF AND WE'VE PUT SOME NEW REPORTING METHODS IN PLACE TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE STAFF ARE STILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PARKS AND THAT IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT BACK WHAT THEY SEE. SO NOW IT WAS NOT A PART OF IT WAS, BUT WE'VE, WE'VE GONE IN AND PUT SOME NEW POLICIES IN PLACE. SO IT WASN'T IT WAS THE POLICY? YES. THEY WEREN'T DOING IT. NOW WE'RE JUST ENFORCING THE POLICY, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT. OKAY, SO IN TERMS OF SCOPE AND AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS. SO THE TOP ONE IS THE NUMBER OF FULL-TIME PARK MAINTENANCE EMPLOYEES. SO EACH ONE HAS 1.16 PARKS. AND KEEP IN MIND, THAT INCLUDES OF THOSE 45 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, YOU'VE GOT THE SUPERINTENDENT, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, AND TWO ADMIN THAT ARE GENERALLY I DON'T WANT TO SAY PRIMARILY IN THE OFFICE, BUT THEY'RE RUNNING THE OPERATIONS FROM THE OFFICE. SO THIS REFLECTS ALL OF OUR FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. IT DOESN'T SUBTRACT THOSE OUT. IF YOU ACTUALLY ADD THOSE NUMBERS OF SCHOOL PARK ACRES, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NUMBER GOES FROM 1.16 TO 1.56 PER THAT EACH EMPLOYEE IS RESPONSIBLE [03:25:03] FOR. THE NUMBER OF ACRES THAT EACH FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IS 53.4 ACRES, WHICH IS 40 FULL-SIZE NFL FIELDS. AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS, IF YOU INCLUDE THE SCHOOL ACREAGE WHICH ARE UNDER THOSE AGREEMENTS, IT'S 58 ACRES OR 43 FULL-SIZE FOOTBALL FIELDS PER EMPLOYEE. AND THEN RESTROOMS, OBVIOUSLY IT'S 0.87, AND IF YOU INCLUDE THE SCHOOL ONES, THEN THAT'S 1.35. THE NUMBER OF FIELDS THAT OUR EACH ATHLETIC FIELD STAFF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IS 3.2, AND THAT'S BASICALLY TURNKEY. THAT'S ATHLETIC FIELD MOWING, WEED EATING, STRIPING, DRAGGING, MARKING, FERTILIZER, CHEMICAL APPLICATION, TURF MANAGEMENT, TRASH PICKUP, AND OTHER THINGS RELATED TO ORGANIZING TOURNAMENTS, PUTTING UP FENCES, TAKING THEM DOWN. AND THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THOSE ATHLETIC FIELDS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE ALSO SEEN OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IS IN ORDER TO HIRE STAFF, WE'VE HAD TO SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THE STANDARDS. SO THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS BACK IN 2016 AND THESE WERE ALL REQUIRED WAS 5 YEARS EXPERIENCE, A PESTICIDE APPLICATOR LICENSE, A CERTIFIED POOL OPERATOR, LICENSED IRRIGATION TECH, CERTIFIED PLAYGROUND SAFETY INSPECTOR, AND AN ARBORIST IS REQUIRED. OBVIOUSLY, THE EXPERIENCE WITH A SMALL ENGINE WAS PREFERRED. RIGHT NOW, WE'VE NARROWED IT DOWN TO 3 YEARS EXPERIENCE AND POTENTIALLY A PESTICIDE LICENSE WITHIN 6 MONTHS. SO THE STANDARD AND ANECDOTALLY, THE PARK SUPERINTENDENT SAID THAT WHEN HE FIRST APPLIED, HE HAD TO DO A TEST AND WAS IN A ROOM WITH 28 PEOPLE HAVING TO DO A TEST TO COMPETE FOR JOBS. AND NOW WE'LL BASICALLY TAKE ANYBODY AT THIS POINT. SO IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE TO TRY TO FIND QUALIFIED STAFF TO BE ABLE TO GO OUT AND DO THOSE MORE SPECIFIC THINGS, THE WELDING, THE IRRIGATION, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THAT WE NEED. OUR CURRENT STAFFING AND OUR CURRENT PAY, SO THE, THE OPENING PARK POSITION IS $13.50, WHICH COMES OUT TO $28. THE PARK MAINTENANCE AVERAGE THAT INCLUDES SUPERINTENDENT, SUPERVISORS IS $18.25. THE DEPARTMENT AVERAGE IS $21, AND THE CITY AVERAGE IS ALMOST $30. A COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE ACTUALLY HAD TO PUT THIS INCENTIVE MENU TOGETHER TO TRY TO BE ABLE TO GET MORE QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. SO IF AN INDIVIDUAL COMES IN WITH, SAY, THEY'RE A BACKFLOW INSPECTOR, WE WOULD ADD A DOLLAR AN HOUR THAT BASE SALARY, AND THEN ALSO THEIR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAD TO PUT IN PLACE TO TRY TO OVERCOME SOME OF THESE CHALLENGES IN TERMS OF HIRING QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD THE CERTIFICATIONS. SO IN TERMS OF CONTRACTORS, WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT MULTIPLE. SO THE, THE FIRST ONE IS WE'VE GOT TWO LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS. ONE OF THEM IS NEIGHBORHOOD LINEAR TRAFFIC ISLANDS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, AND MISCELLANEOUS. THOSE ARE JUST SOME LOTS THAT THE CITY OWNS. THE SECOND ONE IS REGIONAL, COMMUNITY, SCHOOL, AND UNDEVELOPED. WE ALSO HAVE A FORESTRY CONTRACTOR, ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR, AND A CONCRETE CONTRACTOR. SO THOSE ARE ALL AS NEEDED. SO IF WE'VE GOT AN ISSUE WITH CONCRETE THAT WE NEED TO REPAIR SIDEWALK, WE CALL THEM UP, THEY GO OUT THERE, AND THEY MAKE THE REPAIRS. FORESTRY THE SAME WAY. SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE FROM OUR CONTRACTOR OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE. SO YOU CAN SEE THEY'VE DONE 430 REMOVALS, 416 STUMP GRINDS, PRUNED ALMOST 1,000 TREES, SPECIAL PROJECTS 55. SO YOU CAN SEE THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING. CONCRETE THESE ARE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST REALLY 2, 3 YEARS, WHETHER IT'S EAST PARK SIDEWALK OR COMANCHE TRAILS GOLF CARTS PATH. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE AS A DEPARTMENT ARE TRYING TO DO IS BECOME MORE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE. AND SO AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID INITIALLY WAS LOOK AT THE ASSET MANAGEMENT PLAN. WE FOLLOWED IT UP WITH THE PARKS MASTER PLAN. ONE OF THE OTHER PLANS THAT WE LOOKED AT AND AGAIN, THIS GOES BACK TO THE PARKS MASTER PLAN AND DIVERSIFYING FUNDING. ONE OF THE IDEAS THAT CAME OUT OF THERE WAS LOOKING AT THE JOHN STIFF DEVELOPMENT STUDY OF ANOTHER WAY TO GENERATE SOME POTENTIAL REVENUE FOR THE CITY, BUT MONEY THAT COULD BE USED FOR PARK MAINTENANCE. SO AGAIN, THIS STEMS BACK TO KIND OF THAT PARKS MASTER PLAN. WE'VE ALSO DONE SOME OF THESE OTHER STUDIES AND WE'RE WORKING ON SOME. SO THEY OBVIOUSLY THE AQUATIC FEASIBILITY VIABILITY STUDY, PARK LIGHTING ESTIMATES, WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE LIGHTING CONSULTANTS TO GET IDEAS OF WHAT THOSE PROJECT COSTS ARE. I THINK WE'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE LIGHT QUALITY. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN BY JOHN STIFF THOMPSON THIS THE PARKING LOT LIGHTS ARE UP AND IT'S ALREADY MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. THE CONTRACTOR IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE STREET LIGHTS AND TRAIL LIGHTS, BUT IT'S MAKING IT A MUCH MORE VISIBLE AND, I WOULD SAY, SAFE ENVIRONMENT. WE'VE PUT [03:30:01] TOGETHER SOME ARTIFICIAL TURF NUMBERS JUST IN TERMS OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE IN TERMS OF COST RECOVERY. WE'VE DONE AN ATHLETIC SPORTS COMPLEX STUDY TO AGAIN IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE AGING FACILITIES. WE'VE DONE A PARAMOUNT PARK PLAN THAT WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUTDOOR AMARILLO. WE'VE DONE A STRUCTURAL ASSESSMENT FOR MEMORIAL PARK GAZEBO, AND WE'D ALSO ARE FINALIZING A MASTER PLAN FOR THAT PROPERTY THAT THE CITY BOUGHT THAT WAS OLD HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROPERTY ON THE EAST SIDE OF EASTRIDGE. SOME OF THE AGREEMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, OBVIOUSLY THE ZOO LEASE, WE'RE EXTREMELY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE HOPE THE COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AT THE ZOO. THE WONDERLAND PARK LEASE AGREEMENT, OBVIOUSLY COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED THAT. VISITED WITH THEM THE OTHER DAY AND THEY'RE DOING EXTREMELY WELL AS WELL. RICK KLEIN LEASE, THAT WAS INITIALLY WITH WEST TEXAS PANHANDLE YOUTH SPORTS FOUNDATION. RECENTLY IT CAME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH KIDS INC. AND THEN WE, WITHIN THE LAST YEAR, ENTERED INTO A NEW INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AGREEMENT WITH THE FOR THE TENNIS CENTER. SOME OF THE, THE KEY PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE: OUTDOOR AMARILLO, OBVIOUSLY WILD WEST REHAB CENTER. THEY'VE HELPED US WITH OTHER THINGS BESIDES THE ZOO, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT PARTNERSHIP. TREES FOR TEXAS, AND WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE TREE DONATIONS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED. PHILLIPS 66 ALSO HELPED WITH THOSE TREE DONATIONS. THE ALEX O'BRIEN FOUNDATION HAS BEEN INTEGRAL WITH WHETHER IT'S THE PADDLE COURTS, WHETHER IT'S COURT RESURFACING OR OTHER IMPROVEMENTS AT THE TENNIS CENTER. BOOM ADVENTURES AND TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE HELP US WITH SOME OF OUR PROGRAMMING. HERE'S SOME OF THE SPONSORS THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. AS IT COMES TO PARKS E&I, ONE OF THE THINGS AND THIS, SO THE LIGHT BLUE IS THE PARK MAINTENANCE BUDGET. BACK IN 2020-21, YOU CAN SEE A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR PARK MAINTENANCE. THE, THE ORANGE LINE AT THE TOP IS JUST THE, THE AVERAGE COMPOUNDING RATE FROM 2013 TO 2019, WHICH WAS ABOUT 3%, SO WE JUST PROJECTED THAT OUT. IN 2020, 2021, '22, WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN THE PARK MAINTENANCE OPERATING BUDGET. BUT WHAT ULTIMATELY ENDED UP HAPPENING WAS $1.9 MILLION OF PARK E&I WAS TRANSFERRED IN TO OFFSET THAT DIFFERENCE. SO YOU CAN SEE AT THE TOP RIGHT, OR ON THE RIGHT, THIS YEAR IT'S $1.9 MILLION IS PARKS E&I, AND THEN THE $6.3 MILLION, WHICH IS THE, THE GENERAL OPERATING. SO WHAT THAT'S WHAT OUR PARKS E&I LOOK LIKE. SO INITIALLY IT WAS $3.4 MILLION. WITH THAT TRANSFER TO OPERATIONAL BUDGET, IT MOVED OUR PARKS E&I DOWN TO $1.5 MILLION, AND THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS FOR '22 AND '23, '23 AND '24. IN '24-'25, WE DID SOME OF THOSE DEBT-FUNDED PROJECTS WHICH CAME OUT OF THAT, WHICH DROPPED US DOWN TO THAT $920,000. BECAUSE WE ALSO COUNCIL ALSO APPROVED AT THAT TIME HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH HELPED WITH THOSE DEBT-FUNDED PROJECTS. SO CURRENTLY OUR PARKS E&I ANNUALLY IS $922,000. INITIALLY IT WAS THAT $3.4 MILLION, BUT AGAIN, SOME WAS TRANSFERRED TO OPERATIONAL, SOME OF IT WAS ISSUED AS DEBT. NOW I GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS. SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY SEEN AROUND TOWN. LOOKING BACK, THE OLD THOMPSON POOL THIS WAS A CHALLENGE AND OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY CONCERN. THIS WAS THE VIDEO THAT WE SHOWED BACK BEFORE ITS CLOSURE. YOU CAN SEE THE CONCRETE DECK WAS FALLING, THE REBAR WAS RUSTING. THERE WAS A LOT OF SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WITH THAT OLD STRUCTURE. THROUGH COS, THE CITY WAS ABLE TO CONSTRUCT A NEW POOL OF THE NEW THOMPSON POOL FOR $7.1 MILLION. THAT'S BEEN WILDLY SUCCESSFUL. I THINK THE FIRST SESSION OR THE SECOND SESSION ON SUNDAY WAS ABOUT 500 PEOPLE SHOWED UP, WHICH IS PRETTY CLOSE TO CAPACITY. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE REALLY FOCUSED ON, AND AGAIN, THIS CAME FROM THE MASTER PLAN, WAS REPAIRING AND REPLACING PLAYGROUNDS. SO THESE ARE SOME EXAMPLES. THIS ONE WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THEY HAD SOME COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT OF MONEY THAT WAS AVAILABLE. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO PUT IN AN INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND. SO THAT'S KIDS OF ALL ABILITIES ARE ABLE TO USE THAT PLAYGROUND. THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT, IT'S HARD TO SEE AT THE BOTTOM, BUT A CHILD IN A WHEELCHAIR CAN ACTUALLY GET OUT AND CLIMB ALL THE WAY UP AND USE THAT SLIDE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER ABLE-BODIED CHILD. SO AGAIN, WE THINK THAT IS IT'S BEEN WILDLY SUCCESSFUL. IF YOU GO BY THERE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK, THERE ARE TONS OF KIDS, ESPECIALLY AT THE END [03:35:01] OF SCHOOL WHEN WE WERE HAVING ALL THE BUSES SHOW UP FOR END-OF-YEAR PARTIES. THIS, THIS PLAYGROUND GOT A LOT OF USE. I TOUCHED ON IT BRIEFLY BEFORE, JOHN WARD THE RESURFACING. SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT SOME OF THE DAMAGE AND WHAT IT WAS LOOKING LIKE. BEFORE IT WAS REPLACED ON THE RIGHT. AND THEN WE'LL TOUCH ON SOME OF THE ACTUAL REPLACEMENTS. SO SAM HOUSTON, THIS WAS ONE THAT WAS FUNDED THROUGH CDBG. GLENWOOD, THIS WAS FUNDED THROUGH ARPA. SANDBURN, THIS AGAIN WAS FUNDED THROUGH ARPA. BENTON, ARPA. AND, AND MOST OF THE PROJECTS WE HAD SET A BUDGET AT ABOUT $150,000. THAT'S WHY YOU'LL KIND OF SEE THEM FLUCTUATE A LITTLE BIT BELOW AND A LITTLE BIT ABOVE. MARY HAZELRIGG, THIS ONE WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED THROUGH PARKS E&I. STEPHEN F. AUSTIN, THIS ONE WAS FUNDED THROUGH PARKS E&I FOR $195,000. WE HAD ACTUALLY PUT IN A STRUCTURE AND THEN THE COMMUNITY ASKED FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE, SO WE WENT AND ACTUALLY EXPANDED THE EQUIPMENT THAT WAS IN THAT SPACE. SOUTHEAST PARK, AGAIN, THIS ONE WAS FUNDED THROUGH PARKS E&I. THIS IS ACTUALLY A WOOD STRUCTURE. HINES MEMORIAL, AGAIN, THIS ONE WAS FUNDED THROUGH ARPA. PLEASANT VALLEY. NOW WE'VE, WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THIS ONE TWICE. SO THE FIRST ONE WAS REPLACED TO THE COST OF ABOUT $136,000. IT WAS ACTUALLY VANDALIZED AND DAMAGED TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE. SO WE ACTUALLY HAD TO GO BACK AND SPEND $100,000 TO REPLACE THAT ENTIRE STRUCTURE. SO WE ULTIMATELY SPENT ABOUT $250,000 ON PLAYGROUNDS THERE. WILL ROGERS PARK THAT ONE WAS FUNDED THROUGH PARKS E&I. EAST PARK, AGAIN, THAT ONE WAS THROUGH E&I. WEST HILLS, PARKS E&I AGAIN, ABOUT $149,000. EL ALAMO, JOHN STIFF 10. SO THIS IS THAT PLAYGROUND THAT'S NEAR THE RESTROOM THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. SO THE RESTROOM IS JUST OFF THE SCREEN ON THIS PICTURE. THOMPSON #4, THIS IS THE ONE DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE NEW INCLUSIVE PLAYGROUND. THEN WE, WE START LOOKING AT SOME OF THE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS. SO AGAIN ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS RECOMMENDED OUT OF THE MASTER PLAN WAS ATHLETIC FIELD LIGHTING. SO THE AMARILLO NATIONAL TENNIS CENTER WE GOT NEW LIGHTS THERE FOR NOT ONLY THE TENNIS COURTS BUT ALSO PICKLEBALL. THAT COST WAS ABOUT $600,000. IT WAS FUNDED THROUGH COS AND ARPA. MARTIN ROAD AGAIN, THIS WAS AGAIN THAT SAME BOND ISSUE, THE DEBT ISSUANCE OF COS. IT WAS ARPA, AND THAT WAS ABOUT $900,000. RICK KLINE MULTIPURPOSE SO THIS ACTUALLY REPLACED THE LIGHTS THAT WERE AT SOUTHEAST PARK. WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT THE LIGHTS BACK IN AT SOUTHEAST PARK BECAUSE IT WAS IN A PLAYA AND IT WOULD FLOOD FROM TIME TO TIME. SO WE MADE THE, THE DECISION TO MOVE THE ATHLETIC LIGHTS FROM SOUTHEAST PARK OVER TO RICK KLINE, THE SOUTH SIDE. AND THAT WAS AT ABOUT $1.3 MILLION. RICK KLINE BASEBALL THIS ONE, THE LIGHTING THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE MODERNIZED, SO WE JUST HAD TO GO IN AND CHANGE THE TOPS OF THE LIGHTS. WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY HAVE TO REPLACE THE POLES. A LOT OF THE POLES IN THE OTHER PARKS WERE WOODEN POLES AND WERE BECOMING A HAZARD AS THEY WOULD SOMETIMES FALL DOWN IN, IN HIGH WIND EVENTS. EL ALAMO, AGAIN, CO'S ARPA, ABOUT $245,000. THOMPSON, WE PUT THE LIGHTS OUT THERE AT THE SOFTBALL FIELDS. RIVER ROAD, AGAIN, $600,000. SOUTHEAST SOFTBALL COMPLEX, AGAIN, THIS WAS A COMBINATION, ABOUT $900,000. SOUTHWEST, SO THIS IS JOHN STIFF, THAT WAS $1.1 MILLION. AND THE REASON THAT ONE WAS HIGHER IS BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY HAS A 5TH FIELD. THE OTHER COMPLEXES HAVE 4. JOHN STIFF NORTH. SO THIS IS THAT AREA THAT WE START TO SEE A LOT MORE USE WITH MULTI-PURPOSE. WE'VE GOT SOCCER GROUPS, WE'VE GOT FOOTBALL GROUPS, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT USER GROUPS THAT ARE NOW USING THAT SPACE. SO THAT'S $780,000. AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS IS OBVIOUSLY WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER PARKS, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT TRYING TO IMPROVE THE SAFETY IN THOSE SPACES. SO SOME OF THE PARKS THAT HAVE RECEIVED LIGHTING JOHN WARD PARK, AGAIN, THIS WAS PARKS E&I AND ARPA. THAT WAS ALMOST $750,000. SAN JACINTO, THAT WAS FUNDED THROUGH PARKS E&I AND ARPA. THAT WAS ALMOST $200,000. SAM HOUSTON THIS WAS $271,000. THIS ONE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LARGE CENTER POLE IN THE MIDDLE, AND THE REASON WE DID THAT IS SO THAT WHEN WE DO STARLIGHT THEATER, WE CAN ACTUALLY TURN OFF THAT MAIN AREA AND KEEP THE MIDDLE PART DARK AND KEEP THE TRAIL LIGHTS ON AROUND THE OUTSIDE. HAZELRIGG PARK $123,000. JOHN STIFF PARK LIGHTING. SO THIS WAS FUNDED THROUGH PARKS E&I BUT ISSUED AS DEBT IN THE AMOUNT OF $2.5 MILLION, JUST UNDER $2.5 MILLION. SO THAT LIT THE ENTIRE PARK, THE DOG PARK, THE SAND VOLLEYBALL COURTS, THE TRAILS, THE PARKING LOT LIGHTS. THOMPSON PARK, $4 MILLION, AND AGAIN, THAT WAS ISSUED [03:40:01] THROUGH THE 2025 BOND PROCEEDS. THAT'S PARKING LOT LIGHTS, THAT'S TRAIL LIGHTS, THAT'S STREET LIGHTS. THE NEXT PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE COMING OUT OF THAT IS MEMORIAL PARK. IT WAS ALSO APPROVED AS SOON AS THEY GET DONE WITH THOMPSON, WHICH SHOULD BE THIS SUMMER. IF YOU'VE BEEN BY THOMPSON, THEY'VE LIT COMING IN OFF OF 24TH UP TO WONDERLAND. THEY'VE DONE THE LIGHTS IN FRONT OF THE ZOO, AND NOW THEY'RE WORKING THEIR WAY COUNTERCLOCKWISE THROUGH THOMPSON PARK. ONCE THEY FINISH THOMPSON THIS SUMMER, THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE TO MEMORIAL. WE'VE MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS AT WARFORD, AND THIS WAS ACTUALLY DONE THROUGH DEPARTMENT SALARY SAVINGS AND SOME PRIVATE DONATIONS. WE ACTUALLY HAD SOME GROUP A GROUP THAT CAME IN AND ACTUALLY HELPED LAY THE FLOORING AND DID SOME OF THE PAINTING, AND STAFF ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THAT. WE'VE MADE SOME OTHER IMPROVEMENTS. THE POOL GETS VERY HUMID. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WATER AEROBICS, AND THEY WANT THAT TEMPERATURE REALLY HIGH, BUT WHAT IT CREATES IS A LOT OF RUST AND MILDEW ISSUES. SO WE HAD TO GO IN AND PUT A DEHUMIDIFIER IN. WE'VE MADE SOME ROOF REPAIRS, GYM RESURFACING. WE'VE REPLACED THE POOL BOILER AND WE'VE MADE SOME RENOVATIONS TO THE WEIGHT ROOM. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE PICTURE ON THE LEFT ISN'T SHOWING UP, BUT THE PICKLEBALL COURT CONVERSION, THIS WAS ACTUALLY DONE PRIVATELY BY THE AMARILLO PICKLEBALL ASSOCIATION. THEY, THEY TURNED 3 UNDERUSED COURTS INTO 9 PICKLEBALL SO WE'RE EXTREMELY THANKFUL ABOUT THAT, THAT PARTNERSHIP. THOSE COURTS GET A LOT OF USE. OH, THERE IT IS. THERE'S THE PICTURE. SO THAT'S ULTIMATELY WHAT WAS BUILT ON SITE. THE PADDLE. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WAS DONE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALEX O'BRIEN FOUNDATION. THEY, THEY WENT 50/50 ON THE COST. AND SO THAT $120,000, HALF OF IT WAS ACTUALLY FUNDED BY THEIR ORGANIZATION. COURT RESURFACING. SO AT MEMORIAL, THIS WAS AGAIN FUNDED THROUGH PARKS AND REC, ALEX O'BRIEN TENNIS, AND GRANTS FROM USDA. ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THE CONDITION OF THE, THE COURTS BEFORE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE CONDITION OF THE COURTS AFTER. THAT WAS DONE TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $36,000. WE ALSO RESURFACED ALL OF THE COURTS AT THE TENNIS CENTER, AND AGAIN, IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN USDA, ALEX O'BRIEN, AND PARKS AND REC. SO THAT AMOUNT WAS ABOUT $100,000. WE'VE ALSO MADE SOME COSMETIC IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FACILITY, SO FLOORING, PAINTING. WE ALSO PUT SOME FANS IN THAT LARGE INDOOR COURTS JUST TO HELP WITH AIRFLOW MOVEMENT IN THAT SPACE. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE SEEN, WE'VE PUT UP FENCING AROUND OUR, A LOT OF OUR MULTI-PURPOSE FIELDS, AND A PART OF THAT GOES BACK TO THE, THE VANDALISM CONCERNS. WE SHOWED EARLIER PEOPLE DOING DONUTS IN THE PARK, AND IT WASN'T UNCOMMON FOR THEM TO GO DO THOSE ON ATHLETIC FIELDS. BY FENCING THEM OFF, IT ALLOWS US TO GO AND PROVIDE A HIGHER LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE, MAINTAIN THEM AT A HIGHER LEVEL, AND ALSO ALLOWS US TO CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF TIME PEOPLE ARE ON THERE SO THAT WE CAN REST THOSE FIELDS AND OVERSEED THEM APPROPRIATELY. SO RICK KLEIN RIGHT NOW IS IN BETWEEN SEASONS, AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY OVERSEEDING AS WE SPEAK. AGAIN, JOHN STIFF NORTH, AND YOU CAN SEE I TOUCHED ON IT BRIEFLY, THE, THE COVERAGE ISSUES. SO THAT'S YOU CAN SEE THE SYSTEM IS RUNNING REALLY WELL BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF GREEN, BUT THAT'S JUST SOME OF THOSE COVERS WHERE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HEAD TO HEAD AND YOU GET THOSE LITTLE HOT SPOTS FROM TIME TO TIME. ON THE LEFT YOU CAN SEE THE CONDITION BEFORE IN '19, AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE CONDITIONS HAVE IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY. AGAIN, WE PUT THE FENCING AROUND THE SOUTH SIDE AGAIN, THAT IS TO HELP CONTROL AND MAINTAIN THOSE FACILITIES. ONE OF THE COMMENTS I HEARD WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE WAS WE CAN'T PLAY SOCCER ON THOSE FIELDS. IF THE PEOPLE FROM CANYON WERE SAYING, IF WE'RE GOING TO COME PLAY IN AMARILLO, WE GO PRACTICE IN A COW PASTURE BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE BOUNCES ARE GOING TO BE ON THOSE ATHLETIC FIELDS. SO WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN THE, THE QUALITY OF THOSE ATHLETIC FIELDS. THESE ARE THE PARKING LOTS, AND AGAIN, THIS IS THE, THE NORTH ONE. UP BY THE SPECIAL EVENT AREA WHERE THE UNDEVELOPED WHERE WE DO A LOT OF THOSE PARKING FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. AND THAT ALSO HELPS FACILITATE FOR THOSE USER GROUPS ON THE NORTH SIDE. THIS IS THE PARKING LOT ON THE SOUTH NEXT TO THE 5 FIELDS. AGAIN, THAT'S ABOUT $775,000. THIS WAS AN ADA IMPROVEMENT THAT WE DID UP BY THE NORTH FIELDS WHERE WE ACTUALLY USED PARKS E&I TO GO IN AND IMPROVE THAT, ADDING SOME 8 MUCH-NEEDED ADA. THE ONLY SPOTS THERE WERE ON THE ROAD AND DID NOT PROVIDE ADA ACCESS, SO WE WENT AHEAD AND DID THIS PROJECT TO ADDRESS THAT. RICK KLINE MULTIPURPOSE. SO ONE OF THE ISSUES WE, WE HAVE OUT AT RICK KLINE IS WHEN YOU'VE GOT SOCCER GOING, YOU'VE GOT BASEBALL GOING, AND YOU'VE GOT TRACK GOING, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH PARKING. WE HAD PEOPLE BACKING UP ON THE ROAD ALL THE WAY UP TO THE INTERSECTION. SO THIS, THIS WILL HELP TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE, THE PRESSURE ON THAT FACILITY, AND IT'LL ALSO ALLOW SOCCER TO GO TO THE SOUTH SIDE AND BASEBALL TO GO MORE TO THE NORTH SIDE. [03:45:02] AND THAT WAS TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $1.8 MILLION. JSM PARK ROAD SO THIS WAS FUNDED THROUGH PARKS E&I. THAT WAS ABOUT $650,000. AGAIN, THE GOAL WAS TO RELIEVE SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON THE PARK FOR PEOPLE ENTERING AND EXITING, ESPECIALLY DURING LARGER EVENTS. WE ALSO ADDED SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING IN THAT AREA. THIS WAS A PROJECT THE COUNCIL APPROVED, WAS THE GOLF PUMP STATIONS. AGAIN, IF WE DON'T HAVE WATER ON THOSE GOLF COURSES, THEY DRY UP AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES. AND SO THAT WAS ABOUT $1.2 MILLION. WE ALSO PUT SOME MONEY INTO THE PUMP HOUSE REPLACEMENTS. SOME OF THAT WAS TO GET THOSE PUMP HOUSES UP TO CODE, AND WE ALSO A FEW YEARS AGO ENTERED INTO A LEASE FOR THOSE GOLF REEL GRINDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THE REEL GRINDERS THE REELS ARE MAINTAINED WELL. SOME OF THE OTHER PROJECTS: JOHN STIFF DOG PARK, THE JOHN WARD FISHING DOCK, THE JOHN WARD FITNESS COURT, THE SOUTHEAST PARK FISHING PIER. SO WE ACTUALLY WENT IN THERE AND REMOVED ALL OF THE, THE POSTS AND REDID THAT. THAT'S THAT PICTURE IN THE BOTTOM LEFT. AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A GRANT FROM TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE TO IMPROVE THE 9TH AVENUE TRAIL. THAT'S THAT BOTTOM RIGHT PICTURE IN THE TO THE TUNE OF JUST OVER 300,000. SO OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS, WE'VE INVESTED OVER $36 MILLION THROUGH ARPA, THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, THROUGH PARKS E&I. BUT AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND THAT WHERE WE WERE STARTING FROM WITH $90 MILLION IN RISK, HIGH RISK AND MEDIUM RISK, WE'VE MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES. WE KNOW WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE STILL NEED TO DO. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE SIGNIFICANTLY SHIFTED IS OUR REC PROGRAM. SO OUR REC PROGRAM USED TO BE SUMMER ONLY. IT WAS A COME-AND-GO MODEL. WE PROVIDED SUMMER LUNCH AND DROP-IN RECREATION. IT WAS FOCUSED IN SELECT NEIGHBORHOODS, AND IT WAS A REALLY A LARGE SEASONAL STAFFING MODEL. ON THE SPECIAL EVENTS, IT WAS REALLY SMALL-SCALE RECREATION POOL NIGHTS, MASCOT EVENTS, STARLIGHT THEATER. AND THEN SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'VE RUN INTO IS OVER TIME, OBVIOUSLY, MAKING SURE SAFETY AND SUPERVISION IS THE HIGHEST STANDARD, MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE GOT GOOD STANDARDS OF CARE. SCHOOL DISTRICT OVERLAP. MR. KESHUVAH, CAN I JUMP IN HERE FOR A MINUTE? YEAH. I DON'T WANT TO WATER DOWN SOME OF THE, THE REAL IMPORTANT THINGS BY JUST SO MUCH DATA. SO CAN YOU GO BACK A COUPLE SLIDES? YOU PUT $36 MILLION IN THE LAST 5 YEARS INTO THE PARKS, AND YOUR CURRENT BUDGET IS ROUGHLY $8.8 MILLION FOR PARK MAINTENANCE PER YEAR. PARK MAINTENANCE, E&I, AND CAP. YEAH, SO IF WE GO BACK LET ME GO BACK TO THAT ONE. HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE LEFT ON YOUR PRESENTATION? I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOU SHORT IF WE ONLY NEED A FEW SLIDES, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE PRETTY GOOD. RECREATION AND BEAUTIFICATION STILL TO GO. LET'S SEE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT DONE IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. WE'RE JUST TRYING TO CAPTURE ALL OF IT. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATIONS OFFSET, MAN. SO, SO THIS IS THIS GOES BACK TO THE E&I QUESTION. SO WE HAVE THE $3.4, AND, AND AGAIN, THE, THE PARK MAINTENANCE BUDGET YOU SEE YOU'VE GOT THE $6.8 PLUS THE $1.9, AND THEN WHAT'S LEFT IN THE E&I ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IS $926. SO FLIP BACK ONE REAL QUICK. AND SORRY, COUNCIL, TO, TO GO THROUGH THIS, I GOT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR NUMBERS STRAIGHT. $6.8 MILLION IS YOUR CURRENT BUDGET FOR OPERATIONS. AND MAINTENANCE? WELL, IF YOU ADD BOTH OF THOSE, BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY MOVED SOME OF THAT E&I IN TO SUPPLEMENT THE PARK OPERATIONS. SO WHEN BACK IN 2020, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE FUNDING WENT DOWN TO $6 MILLION, AND REALLY WE NEED THAT $8 MILLION TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THE CONTRACTS AND EVERYTHING THAT GOES EASY FOR ME TO, TO DIGEST THAT. BUT THE $1.9 MILLION, HOW MUCH OF THAT IS DEBT SERVICE? NONE OF IT. THAT'S GOING TO BE THINGS LIKE YOUR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT, FORESTRY CONTRACT, THOSE SO THAT $8.8 MILLION IS THE CURRENT TOTAL BUDGET FOR, FOR PARK MAINTENANCE. YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET $36 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS DONE IN GRANT FUNDING, ARPA MONIES, PLUS E&I PROJECTS, CORRECT? AND ARE YOU BORROWED WITHIN THAT $8.8, OR IS THAT DEBT FUNDING SOMEWHERE ELSE? SO THAT DEBT FUNDING COMES OUT OF THIS ONE. SO AGAIN, THAT $3.4 IS WHERE WE STARTED IN '22-'23. YOU CAN SEE, SO SOME OF THAT TRANSFERRED TO OPERATIONAL. IN '24-'25 IS WHEN WE ISSUED THE DEBT, AND WE ALSO GOT THAT ADDITIONAL $500,000 FROM COUNCIL. SO THAT'S WHEN WE DID THE DEBT FUNDING PROJECTS. THAT ADDITIONAL $500,000 IS ANNUALIZED EVERY YEAR, RECURRING? CORRECT. OKAY. AND THAT WAS ISSUED AS, AS PART OF THOSE DEBT PROJECTS, THAT FUNDED PROJECTS. AND ARE YOU RUNNING THAT WITH A $920,000 SAVINGS EVERY YEAR THAT YOU'RE RESEARCHING 920 IS WHAT WE HAVE FOR ALL OF THE OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS THAT WE NEED TO DO THROUGH THE COURSE OF THE YEAR. REPLACE A PLAYGROUND, YOU KNOW, GO REPLACE A RESTROOM, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. SO 920 IS WHAT WE HAVE, WHAT YOU'VE GOT LEFT AT THIS PACE, WHICH YOU ARE GAINING A LOT [03:50:01] OF GROUND. SO I DON'T WANT TO LIKE I SAID, I DON'T MEAN WATER DOWN BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT IMPORTANT SLIDES. I'M SAYING I THINK OVERALL WE UNDERSTAND YOU'VE MADE TREMENDOUS GAINS SINCE 2020. YOU'VE PUT A LOT OUT THERE. I THINK YOU'VE RECOGNIZED THAT WE HAD A $90 MILLION HURDLE TO GET TO. AND SO I THINK YOU'RE SEEING SOME OF THE CRITICISM IS STILL ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T MAINTAIN. OK, SO I DON'T MEAN TO SPEED YOU UP, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE COUNCIL GETS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIG IN WITH YOU. KEEP GOING. I DON'T WANT TO BE RUDE. BUT THESE NEXT PRESENTATIONS, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE ALL SEEN WHAT YOU'VE DONE WELL. AND I THINK THESE NEXT ONES, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SCROLLING THROUGH HERE, THE BEAUTIFICATION, I MEAN, THE THINGS, IT'S GREAT. I MEAN, YOU'VE DONE WELL. LIKE, YOUR DEPARTMENT'S DONE WELL. AND LIKE MAYOR SAID, I MEAN, BASED ON THE BUDGET AND ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, I THINK YOU'VE DONE WELL. I DON'T KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT WE ANTICIPATED. IN THIS PRESENTATION. I THINK IT WAS MORE ABOUT SOME ISSUES THAT, YOU KNOW, HAD COME UP, NOT SO MUCH ABOUT A POSTURE OF LOOK AT ALL WE'VE DONE. I MEAN, I THINK AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT ALL OF US UP HERE RECOGNIZE WHAT YOU GUYS DO WELL. I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, NO DIFFERENT THAN THE PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT. YOU KNOW, I HEARD I TOLD YOU, YOU GREAT JOB, NINA. LIKE, I HEARD IT WAS GREAT. THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. SO I MEAN, LIKE I SAID, GREAT JOB IN PREPARING THIS PRESENTATION. HOY! IT'S REALLY THOROUGH. IT'S GOOD. BUT IT'S LONG. I MEAN, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I'M OUT OF LINE. I MEAN, WITH THE REST OF COUNCIL, THEY CAN CERTAINLY WELL, LET'S FIND THE MIDDLE GROUND. PICK A FEW OF THE NEXT ONES. AND LET'S HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THEM. AND THEN LET'S GET TO Q&A WITH YOU. OKAY, LET'S FLY THROUGH THESE. SO AGAIN, BASICALLY ON THE REC SIDE, WE'VE SHIFTED FROM A SEASONAL MODEL TO MORE OF A YEAR-ROUND MODEL. WE'VE PUT MORE OF AN EMPHASIS ON SOME OF OUR BIGGER SPECIAL EVENTS. YOU'RE GOING TO START TO SEE THAT HERE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. WE'RE ACTUALLY REBRANDING INDEPENDENCE DAY PLUS ONE TO RED, WHITE, AND BOOM BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING IT ON THE 5TH ANYMORE. WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IT ON THE 4TH. AGAIN, ANOTHER BIG EVENT, PIRATES OF THE PARK. AGAIN, 13,000 PEOPLE FOR A FIRST-TIME EVENT. I THINK THAT'S GREAT. JUST A LOT OF REALLY GOOD PROGRAMS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN ENJOY. WHEN WE GET DOWN TO BEAUTIFICATION, AGAIN, THESE I'LL JUST FLIP THROUGH THESE, AGAIN, PART OF WHAT WE WANTED TO SHOW IS THAT THE CITY IS GETTING A GOOD RETURN ON INVESTMENT. FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE'RE SPENDING, WE'RE GENERALLY GETTING $2 OR MORE BACK IN INVESTMENT. SO AGAIN, $5,000 IS WHAT THE CITY GRANT IS. WE'RE GETTING $10,000 IN VALUE. SO I'M JUST GOING TO FLIP THROUGH THESE. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THE MURALS THAT HAVE GONE UP AGAIN OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. I THINK WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL HAD THE INFORMATION. I THINK WE WERE ASKED TO PROVIDE THE LAST 5 YEARS. THIS IS THE STUFF WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. YES, SIR. AND I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE REQUESTED THE PAST 5 YEARS WORTH OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS. SO I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT YOU TOOK THAT TO THE POINT THAT YOU DID HERE. WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO DIMINISH THE GRATEFULNESS AND THE THANKFULNESS THAT WE HAVE FOR ALL THE HARD WORK, ESPECIALLY FOR HOW SPRAWLING IT IS. I THINK FOR THIS CONVERSATION, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I DIDN'T WATER DOWN SOME OF THE IMPORTANCE IMPORTANT PARTS ABOUT HOW, HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE SPENDING AND HOW MUCH MONEY WE STILL NEED TO SPEND IN ORDER TO GET WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS COMMUNITY WOULD LIKE US TO MAINTAIN. SO IF I CAN JUST TOUCH ON THIS ONE JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, THE TREE GIVEAWAY, THIS WAS AGAIN A PARTNERSHIP WITH PHILLIPS 66 AND TREES FOR TEXAS. WE ACTUALLY HOSTED IT AT THOMPSON. IT WOUND THROUGH THE ENTIRE PARK OUT ONTO THE DUMAS HIGHWAY, THE ACCESS ROAD. TREE GIVEAWAYS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY POPULAR AND WE HAVE PEOPLE LINING UP SOMETIMES 3 HOURS BEFORE. AGAIN, WE DO A LOT OF BEAUTIFICATION. HERE'S SOME CLEANUP REPORTS, AND YOU'VE GOT THAT IN YOUR PACKET. YOU CAN LOOK AT THAT. ADOPT-A-PARKS, THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE CONTINUING TO TRY TO BUILD JUST TO HAVE SOME COMMUNITY PRIDE AND IT'S A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP IN SOME OF THOSE PARKS. THAT ALL. THANK YOU, MR. QUESTIONS, COUNCIL. WELL, I'LL GO FIRST. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I'M, I'M THE ONE THAT OPENED MY BIG MOUTH AND GOT THIS STARTED. AND REALLY, YOU, YOU WENT BEYOND MY EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. I THINK YOU GAVE A GOOD PICTURE TO NOT ONLY TO THE COUNCIL BUT TO THE PUBLIC OF THE ISSUES THAT ARE AT HAND FOR THE PARKS AND REC. AND I APPRECIATE THAT EFFORT THAT YOU DID TO THAT. I THINK, I THINK IT SHOWS EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE. AND THAT'S WHAT I WANTED IT TO DO. I THINK WE ALL KNEW ALONG THE LINE THAT WE HAD A STAFFING AND FUNDING PROBLEM. [03:55:03] AND SO I THINK THE YOU ANSWERED IT IN SOME WAY, A STRATEGIC PLAN GOING FORWARD OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS AND THEN 10 YEARS, HOW WE ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. AND WE KNOW ONE IS FUNDING, BUT THE OTHER IS HOW WE MANAGE THOSE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, WHETHER IT'S CONTRACTORS OR OUR OWN PERSONNEL. I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER WITH WHAT YOU DID. I KNOW IT WAS A LITTLE LENGTHY, AND I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS YOU AND YOUR STAFF, 'CAUSE I KNOW THE STAFF HELPED YOU WITH THAT. IF THEY DIDN'T, SHAME ON THEM, PUTTING THAT ALL ON YOU. BUT HOPEFULLY, IT, IT DID WHAT WE, WE NEED TO DO. THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW THIS. I THINK IT SHOWS THE TRANSPARENCY IN THE DEPARTMENT AND THERE WERE ADMISSIONS AT THE BEGINNING OF WHAT WE DIDN'T DO AND I THINK WE CAN JUST IMPROVE FROM THERE. SO THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I'LL THANK YOU. A GREAT JOB. I THINK EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT PARKS AND REC DOES, WHICH I DON'T THINK THEY HAD IDEA THE, THE BREADTH OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO. IT'S NOT JUST PARKS, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE FOCUS ON WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS. I GET I WOULD SAY, LET ME ASK YOU THESE TWO QUESTIONS. I ASKED YOU THIS EARLIER, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE THINGS GOING IN PARKS AND REC? I MEAN, HOW ARE THEY GOING? WE'RE DOING OKAY. I MEAN, WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF TO ACCOMPLISH. OBVIOUSLY, I THINK THE BIGGEST CRITICS OUR, OUR STAFF AND US. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE WANT THE PARKS TO LOOK GOOD. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO CLOSE FACILITIES. I MEAN, WE WANT THIS TO BE A SIGNATURE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THE CHALLENGE IS TRYING TO DO THAT WITH LIMITED FUNDING AND LIMITED STAFF. AND SO, YOU KNOW, STAFF'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK AND TRY TO MAKE THOSE STRATEGIC IMPROVEMENTS WHERE WE CAN, BUT IT'S A LOT. IT'S A LOT TO CARRY. OKAY, SO YOU ANSWERED MY SECOND QUESTION ON COULD THEY BE DONE BETTER WITH CURRENT RESOURCES? I MEAN, I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT REEVALUATING WHAT WE COULD DO WELL. I THINK OBVIOUSLY IF THERE ARE EXPECTATIONS FROM COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGEMENT OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON, THEN OBVIOUSLY WE WILL TAKE THOSE DIRECTIVES AND WORK WITH STAFF ON PRIORITIZING THOSE. I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE, THE BREADTH OF WHAT OUR STAFF CURRENTLY HAS TO DEAL WITH, IT'S A LOT. AND SO WE CAN, WE CAN MOVE. I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT MAJOR ISSUES OBVIOUSLY WE WERE WORKING THROUGH IT. JOHN WARD, THOMPSON, AND JOHN STIFF. WE'VE GOT 4 ACTUAL IRRIGATORS AND A COUPLE FOREMEN SUPERVISORS. THAT'S 2 AT EACH PARK TRYING TO ADDRESS 10-INCH WATER LINES. IT'S JUST, IT'S A CHALLENGE. SO WE'RE SPREAD OUT AS FAR AS WE CAN AND THERE'S THE IRRIGATION ALWAYS BREAKS. I MEAN, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE IRRIGATION. YEAH, AND I KNOW, I THINK PRIVATELY WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, AND WE'VE HAD SOME I WAS A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED IN THAT I DIDN'T HEAR TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEMS AT THE PARK. AND MAYBE YOU SAID IT, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR IT THAT I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS LACK OF OVERSIGHT OF THE CONTRACTORS. IT WASN'T NECESSARILY OUR STAFF, BUT THE LACK OF OVERSIGHT THAT WE PROVIDED, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY THE PARKS SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN THE CONDITION THAT THEY ARE. I MEAN, NO DIFFERENT THAN WE TALKED ABOUT THE RECONNAISSANCE. I MEAN, IF WE'VE GOT BOOTS ON ON THE GROUND, BUT YET WE'RE NOT REALLY REPORTING BACK. THAT'S A PROBLEM. APPARENTLY IT WAS POLICY, BUT IT JUST WASN'T ENFORCED. AND, YOU KNOW, SO IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE ENFORCED NOW. SO, I MEAN, THAT'S GOOD. BUT, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY ELSE NEEDS TO HEAR THAT. I MEAN, THAT YOU DID, THAT YOU RECOGNIZE IT, AND MAYBE I MISSED IT, BUT THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THAT WE DROPPED I MEAN, AGAIN, ALL THESE GREAT THINGS, PHENOMENAL, BUT A BALL WAS DROPPED. AND I MEAN, TO ME, THE PARKS NEED TO BE AGAIN, ONE OF 1,000 THINGS YOU GUYS ARE DOING. BUT THE PARKS NEED TO BE A PLACE THAT OUR CITIZENS CAN GO, LIKE IN A DROUGHT PERIOD LIKE THIS. YOU KNOW, COUNCILMAN REID JUST BROUGHT UP THAT WE DON'T GET CHARGED FOR OUR WATER. WE WANT TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF IT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT WOULD BE NICE TO COME TO A GREAT GREEN LUSH PARK THAT'S COOL AND NICE, ESPECIALLY JOHN WARD, THAT WE GOT THE WATER FEATURE. AND THOSE SHOULD BE NICE. BUT JOHN STATE IF IT'S NOT GOING TO BE GREEN, I MEAN, WE'RE JUST GOING TO BE GRATEFUL THAT WE'RE KEEPING GRASS ALIVE TO PLAY SOCCER ON BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE SHADE. BUT TO STRATEGICALLY USE THE PARKS THAT WE HAVE, THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE WHAT WE HAVE, WATER THEM IN A DROUGHT PERIOD. AND LIKE YOU SAID, THAT'S MAYBE OUR BIGGEST ISSUE IS THE IRRIGATION. BUT SOUNDS LIKE THAT WE'RE ON IT, BUT THAT MOVING FORWARD, MOVING FORWARD, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT AREN'T REALLY GOING TO I'M NOT SAYING THE IRRIGATION IS GOING TO COST. I GET THE REPAIR OF IT, BUT THE WATERING AND THOSE TYPE THINGS, IT'S NOT COST IT COSTS US ZERO ACTUALLY TO WATER. SO THE FACT THAT WE SPEND MONEY ON THE WILDFLOWERS AND THAT KIND OF THING AND WE JUST DON'T WATER, I JUST THINK THAT IS JUST SO GROSSLY INEPT. I MEAN, BY SOMEBODY, I DON'T KNOW WHO IT IS, BUT WHERE [04:00:02] BUT JUST HAVING THE ABILITY TO DO THESE THINGS AND NOT DOING IT, NOT TAKING AWAY FROM ALL OF THIS PHENOMENAL JOB. I MEAN, GREAT JOB. BUT WHAT I WOULD ALSO ASK IS THAT WHEN IT COMES BUDGET TIME, AND AGAIN, MAN, I MEAN, I THINK, YOU KNOW, CITY MANAGER BROUGHT THIS UP, YOU KNOW, IN OUR LITTLE BUDGET WORKSHOP WE HAD OR THE MEETING WE HAD. I THINK THE ASKS NEED TO COME FORWARD. WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT DO YOU NEED? TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. I DON'T NEED I DON'T IN MY OPINION, I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO SPEND $150,000 ON A MASTER PLAN. I THINK YOUR PARKS AND REC BOARD PROBABLY KNOWS IT PRETTY GOOD. I THINK YOU KNOW PRETTY WELL WHAT WE NEED AND WHAT WE DON'T NEED AND WHAT WE CAN HAVE AND WHAT WE CAN'T HAVE BASED ON BUDGETARY RESTRAINTS. I THINK THAT YOU'RE VERY WELL AWARE. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO PAY SOMEONE $150,000 TO TELL US THAT VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN. AND AGAIN, IF WE'RE JUST IF WE'RE JUST STRAINED BY BUDGET, THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WE, WE ARE JUST NOT GOING TO HAVE. I MEAN, THERE'S JUST THERE JUST ISN'T. SO THAT'S MY TAKE ON THIS. SO I APPRECIATE YOU PUTTING THE PRESENTATION EXTREMELY THOROUGH. I DIDN'T WANT TO BE RUDE. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, Y'ALL HAVE DONE GREAT THINGS. YOU KNOW I'M A BIG FAN OF PARKS AND REC AND US DOING GOOD THINGS. BUT WHEN WE DROP THE BALL ON SOME EASY THINGS, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO OWN OUR STUFF. OFF AND JUST SAY IT WAS OUR BAD AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO RECTIFY IT. I MEAN, THAT'S YEAH, AND I AGREE, THERE WERE SOME BALLS THAT WERE DROPPED. I THINK THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE CAN DO DIFFERENTLY WITH THOSE CONTRACTS. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT WHEN THOSE CONTRACTS RENEW, WHAT'S IN THOSE CONTRACTS. I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THE, THE IRRIGATION IS TOO VALUABLE TO MAYBE LEAVE TO A CONTRACTOR. SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT POSSIBLY BRINGING IRRIGATION BACK IN-HOUSE. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE WERE BALLS THAT WERE DROPPED. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD. AND I'M JUST GOING TO DO A FOLLOW-UP TO THAT. IN THE, IN THE PROCESSES OF MANAGING THE, THE CONTRACTORS, WHAT, WHAT IS GOING TO CHANGE? I MEAN, WHAT YOU SEE? YEAH, SO WE'VE, WE'VE GOT WORK ORDERS THAT ARE GOING IN FOR EVERY TIME THEY GO OUT AND DO AN INSPECTION. WE'RE, WE'RE MANDATING AND HOLDING THEM TO THE CONTRACT WHERE THEY'VE GOT TO GO DO A MONTHLY INSPECTION. AFTER THOSE INSPECTIONS, WE'RE PUTTING IN ADDITIONAL WORK ORDERS FOR EVERY SINGLE ZONE THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH STAFF. SO ONCE THOSE WORK ORDERS ARE COMPLETED, THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO A STAFF MEMBER. THOSE STAFF MEMBERS GO CHECK IT. THAT WAY WE CAN VERIFY THAT WE'RE PAYING FOR A SERVICE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RECEIVING. SO IF WE'RE NOT GETTING THE SERVICE, WE'RE NOT PAYING THOSE, THOSE DOLLARS. SO WE'VE GOT THE, THE WORK ORDERS IN THERE. WE'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO BUILD SOME DASHBOARDS THAT WE CAN HAVE KIND OF A HIGHER LEVEL OF WHAT IS CONTRACTOR'S PERFORMANCE. YOU KNOW, ARE THEY COMPLETING A CERTAIN TASK AT 90% AND OTHER TASKS AT 50%? SO AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO I THINK THAT'LL COME BACK WHEN WE DO THE CONTRACT, IS PROBABLY SETTING SOME METRICS IN THERE THAT IF THEY DON'T MEET THOSE METRICS, THEN WE MAY NEED TO REEVALUATE THOSE CONTRACTS. SO, OKAY, THANK YOU. AND I'M GOING TO BRAG ON RICH AGAIN. HE HADN'T REALLY BROUGHT THIS OUT YET, BUT WE BROUGHT IT UP IN OUR PRESS CONFERENCE AS WELL. AS HE'S BUILDING THIS DASHBOARD WITH THE KPIS FOR EACH DEPARTMENT. I THINK THAT THIS SOLVES SO MANY PROBLEMS ACROSS SO MANY DEPARTMENTS AND THEN IT WILL BE FRONT-FACING THAT YOU CAN BUILD, YOU, YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS. ARE THEY BEING MET? HOW DO WE IMPROVE? THAT KIND OF THING. AND I THINK THAT THIS, THIS, I HONESTLY, I THINK WILL CHANGE OUR ORGANIZATION. SO I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, BUT I THINK THIS WAS A HISTORIC NIGHT FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN I NEVER ENVISIONED A RANDALL COUNTY MUGSHOT VIDEO WOULD BE SHOWN IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. SO I THINK IT'S A HISTORIC SHOUT OUT TO RANDALL COUNTY MUGSHOTS FOR HELPING ON YOUR PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. YEAH, WELL, I HADN'T SEEN THE TAG YET, SO WE DON'T KNOW. OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. KESHUVAH? OKAY, THANK YOU, SIR. CAN I I'M GOING TO MAKE A REQUEST IF IT'S OKAY, MAYOR, SINCE WE HAVE EXTRA TIME. AND NOBODY'S GOT ANYWHERE TO GO. THOUGHT WE'D JUST DO A LITTLE EXTRA. YOU KNOW, A CITIZEN BROUGHT A LOT OF THIS UP FOR THE PARKS. SOMETIMES WE AGREE WITH HIM, SOMETIMES WE DO NOT. BUT THIS IS KIND OF WHERE ALL THIS STEMMED FROM. AND IF IT'S OKAY, I WOULD ASK HIM TO COME UP, TALK, AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING. HUH? MR. GAULTIER, LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE UP. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, COUNCILMAN, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO START OFF WITH THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AS US DUMB TAXPAYERS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY CONVERSE AND TELL YOU REAL WORLD OF WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING OUT THERE. I DIDN'T PREPARE A 90-MINUTE PRESENTATION LIKE YOU JUST HEARD. THANK YOU. I WON'T BORE YOU WITH IT. 3 AREAS THAT I BROUGHT, THAT I BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION. NUMBER 1, SCHOOL PARK RESTROOMS. THAT'S BEEN THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT STARTED THAT'S NONE OF Y'ALL'S DOING. THAT WAS UNDER JARED MILLER'S REIGN AND [04:05:01] GINGER NELSON'S REIGN WHEN THOSE WERE CLOSED DOWN. NUMBER 02, SCHOOL OUR OUR 2 CITY POOLS THAT WERE CLOSED. AND NUMBER 03, WHICH IS THE RECENTLY, IS THE STATE OF OUR PARKS, THAT WHAT I CALL OUR CROWN JEWEL PARKS. PARKS LIKE JOHN STIFF PARK, JOHN WARD PARK, AND SO FORTH, THOMPSON AND SO FORTH. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO GIVE MAJOR KUDOS TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON DOING A COMPLETE NEW LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE ZOO. I MEAN, WHAT THEY'RE DOING DOWN THERE IS INCREDIBLE WORK, AND IT GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT PUBLIC CAN DO IT OR CAN'T DO IT AS WELL AS PRIVATE. THEY'RE SHOWING YOU THAT, THAT AND I PROMISE YOU, THEY'RE DOING IT WITH PROBABLY ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF STAFF MEMBERS AND THEY'RE, AND THEY'RE THEY'RE ALSO GETTING A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS, AS YOU KNOW THAT ARE OUT THERE SUPPORTING THAT FACILITY. BUT ANYWAY I WANT TO FIRST BRING UP THE, THE PARKS. IT WASN'T UNTIL I SENT OUT I WENT AND TOOK I LITERALLY DRIVE BY JOHN WARD PARK PROBABLY ANYWHERE FROM 4 TO 8 TIMES A DAY. SO YOU HAVE TO KNOW, AND I KNOW MR. KESHUVAH DOES, AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT KNOWS, YOU HAVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT USE THAT PARK EVERY DAY. IN THE WINTERTIME, WHEN THERE'S WHEN IT'S COLD OUT THERE, PEOPLE ARE WALKING THE PARK. IT IS PROBABLY YOUR MOST UTILIZED PARK. IT IS ACTUALLY AND I WHEN PEOPLE COME INTO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE, MOST OF THEM ARE GOING TO THE MEDICAL CENTER. THIS IS THE FOCAL POINT OF AMARILLO, IN MY OPINION. THAT OR THOMPSON PARK. THOSE ARE THE TWO FOCAL POINTS. AND I WAS UTTERLY THIS PARK, THE PICTURES THAT I SENT ALL Y'ALL, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. THIS WASN'T A DROUGHT. THIS IS YEARS OF NOT TAKING CARE OF. WE DIDN'T HAVE EROSION IN THAT NORTH SIDE OF THE PARK, MR. SIMPSON, AS YOU POINTED OUT. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THE LAST YEAR, AND WILDFLOWERS AREN'T GOING TO STOP THAT. YOU KNOW MY POINT HERE IS I ALSO SENT PICTURES OF THINGS LIKE SIGNS, YOU KNOW, SIGNS THAT ARE PARK PICNIC NUMBER 6 THAT HAVE BEEN SO FADED AND GONE, IT'S LIKE PROBABLY 2 DECADES SINCE THEY'VE BEEN REPLACED. I SENT PICTURES OF DUMPSTERS THAT WERE JUST TRASHED OUT. LIKE, CAN WE NOT JUST REPLACE IT? CAN WE RUN A POWER WASHER OUT THERE? I MEAN, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT DUMB CITIZENS LIKE ME SAW. AND THAT WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE TO GET A TEXT OR A PHONE CALL FROM AN IDIOT CITIZEN AND TELL YOU TO MAKE PHONE CALLS? THE I WENT I'VE BEEN GOING TO THESE PARK BOARD MEETINGS AND BEEN BASICALLY SHUNNED AWAY EVERY SINGLE TIME WHEN I'VE GIVEN MY CONCERNS WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOL PARK RESTROOMS. I WAS PROMISED BY THE CHAIR, MR. ALTMAN, THAT HE WOULD PUT IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT SOUTHWEST OR JOHN STIFF PARK AND JOHN WARD PARK. AND DIDN'T GET PUT ON THERE. LITERALLY PROMISED ME I WENT, I TOOK TIME OUT OF MY BUSY SCHEDULE TO GO TO THEIR COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO MEET WITH THE CHAIR AND THE VICE CHAIR WAS PROMISED THAT WE WOULD TALK ABOUT IT, NOT WITH YOU GUYS, BUT WITH YOUR BOARD. AND HE REFUSED TO PUT IT ON THE AGENDA AFTER HE PROMISED ME FACE TO FACE THAT HE WOULD DO IT. I SAY ALL THIS THAT IT WASN'T UNTIL I MADE THOSE PHONE CALLS AND I PUT IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA OF THOSE PICTURES THAT WERE SENT OUT THAT ANYTHING ACTUALLY GOT DONE. I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS FOR MONTHS UNTIL I KNOW UNTIL THE RESPONSE I GOT, MR. REID, YOU WERE IN THAT MEETING. YOU WERE IN THAT MEETING WHEN I SAID, WHY, WHY IS OUR WHY ARE THE MEDIANS BROWN AND UGLY? AND MR. KOSHUBA'S RESPONSE TO ME WAS, WE'RE WORKING WITH THE CONTRACTORS ON THAT. WELL, IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE WITHIN 24 HOURS OF A PHONE CALL MADE BY A COUPLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND WITHIN 5 DAYS, YOUR MEDIANS ARE GREENED UP AGAIN. WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE RUB? AND THEN THERE'S TRASH CANS, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF TRASH IN THE MIDDLE OF OF JOHN STIFF OR JOHN WARD PARK. I KEEP I WANT TO CALL IT MEDI PARK BUT WE HAD WE IT WASN'T UNTIL A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER HAD TO PICK UP THAT PHONE. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I, I MAY NOT REPRESENT A LOT OF I DON'T I'M NOT LIKE YOU, I'M NOT ELECTED OFFICIAL, BUT I HAVE A FEW PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW ME [04:10:02] AND A FEW PEOPLE WHO, WHO I DON'T EVEN KNOW COME UP COME UP TO ME AT AIRPORTS, COME UP TO ME IN THE RESTAURANTS AND THANK ME FOR WHAT I DO AND WHAT I BRING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE CITY. AND MY WHOLE POINT HERE IS, IS NOT TO JUST RAKE SOMEBODY OVER THE COALS, BUT I THINK IT'S GROSSLY UNFAIR TO YOU GUYS TO TAKE THE ARROWS UP HERE ALL THE DAMN TIME FROM THE PUBLIC FOR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. SO, CRAIG, LET ME ASK YOU, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME IN HERE AND COMPLAIN WITHOUT A SOLUTION. WHAT'S THE SOLUTION THAT YOU'VE SEEN THAT WE'RE NOT IMPLEMENTING? WELL, IT'S TO ME, I THINK IT ALL IT'S NOT FUNDING, MAYOR. I MEAN, YOU FEEL LIKE WE'VE ADEQUATELY BUDGETED THESE PROJECTS? I THINK YOU HAVE. I THINK THIS IS I, I'VE RUN A BUSINESS, YOU RUN A BUSINESS. I MEAN, ALL YOU DO. I THINK IT'S MANAGEMENT. I THINK IT'S MANAGEMENT OF YOUR PEOPLE AND MANAGEMENT OF YOUR TIME. FOR INSTANCE, IN REGARDS TO THE IRRIGATION ISSUE THAT MR. KOSHUBA JUST BROUGHT UP. I PROMISE YOU THAT MEDIPARK DEAL IS A VERY COMPLICATED DEAL. IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME. I WILL PROMISE YOU, PROBABLY I DON'T KNOW THIS TO BE A FACT BUT YOU PROBABLY HAVE A COUPLE EMPLOYEES WHO KNOW THAT SYSTEM IN AND OUT. THEY COULD GO AND FIX IT IF THEY WERE SET LOOSE ON IT BECAUSE THEY KNOW, THEY, THEY KNOW THE ANATOMY OF IT. AND THEN TO SEND A CONTRACTOR OUT THERE JUST BLINDLY. HE'S GOT TO GO AND REINVENT THE WHEEL. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. SO MY SOLUTION IS, IS JUST LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO THE SWIMMING POOLS, YOU KNOW, OR THE IRRIGATION, THERE'S LITERALLY YOU CAN GO RIGHT BY WHERE THE OLD SWIMMING POOL WHERE THE SWIMMING POOL IS THAT YOU CLOSED DOWN THERE AT SOUTHWEST PARK AND BY THE TENNIS CENTER. THERE'S PORTIONS OF YOUR PARK OVER THERE THAT THEY FIRED UP THE, THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM. THERE'S AREAS AROUND THE PARK THAT ARE DEAD. THEY'RE DYING. THAT YOU CLEARLY HAVE A SPRINKLER HEAD THAT'S NOT BEEN FIXED. YOU HAVE YOUR MAINTENANCE BARN OVER THERE. WHY DOES IT TAKE ME TO POINT THAT OUT? HIS MAINTENANCE PEOPLE DRIVE BY THAT EVERY DAY. I COULD SEE IT BEING ACROSS TOWN IF IT'S MARTIN LAWRENCE LAKE OR MARTIN ROAD LAKE OR EVEN MEDIPARK. BUT THERE'S CLEARLY YOU HAVE SOME DEFICIENCIES IN COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR EMPLOYEES AND MANAGEMENT. TO ME, I MEAN, TO ME, I DON'T KNOW THIS TO BE FACT, BUT MY SOLUTION IS AND THIS IS JUST NOT MEDIPARK, YOU DRIVE AROUND TO A LOT OF THE PARKS, THE WATER HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. SIMPLE AS THAT. SO DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT THESE ISSUES WERE ADDRESSED TODAY? I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE BROUGHT UP WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TODAY WITH WITH KESHUVAH. IS THERE ANY ISSUE THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED? YEAH, I REALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, THE SCHOOL PARK RESTROOMS. NO, I MEAN, IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME I WAS PROMISED BY MR. HOOPER PROBABLY ABOUT 7 OR 8 MONTHS AGO THAT HE WOULD KEEP IN CONTACT WITH ME ON HIS NEGOTIATIONS OR TALKING WITH THE AISD SCHOOL DISTRICT. NOW LET ME REMIND YOU, MR. TIPS THAT YOU, MR. STANLEY, AND MR. SIMPSON DIRECTED MR. FREEMAN AND MR. YOUR CITY ATTORNEY PARDON ME, I HAVE A BLANK TO GO THERE AND FIX THOSE ISSUES IN REGARDS TO WHO OWNS WHAT. YOU GUYS MADE THAT ORDER 3 YEARS AGO, AND NOW WE GET THE REPORT THAT YOU'RE THEY'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THOSE THINGS. I MEAN, ONCE YOU GUYS GAVE THEM A DIRECTIVE TO DO IT AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD DO IT, AND THEY APPARENTLY WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN ANYWHERE WITH THAT. WHO OWNS WHAT? WHO'S, WHO'S NOT? NOW MIND YOU, ALL THE SCHOOL PARK RESTROOMS, WORKING OR NOT, THOSE ASSETS WERE, WERE PAID FOR BY CITY BY THE CITY OF AMARILLO. NOW IF THEY'RE ON SCHOOL PROPERTY OR NOT, WE STILL PAID FOR THEM. THEY'RE OUR ASSETS. AND THEN THEY WANT TO DEMOLISH YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, DEMOLISH THEM. AND SO THAT ISSUE HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED, YOU KNOW. I THINK IN REGARDS TO THE THE ISSUE WITH OUR OUR POOLS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY WERE CLOSE TO FAILING FIRST OF ALL, I CAME UP HERE AND ASKED YOU GUYS TO SEND OUT AN RFP OR AN RFQ TO JUST BASICALLY DO ASSESSMENT OF WHAT'S WRONG WITH THOSE POOLS AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO FIX THEM. NOW WE'RE FINDING OUT IT'S GOING TO BE ALL SORTS OF AQUATIC ASSESSMENT OF ALL OF OUR SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, OUR SPLASH PADS AND SO FORTH. INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING OUT AN RFP AND RFQ TO HAVE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTORS COME OUT AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT THE REAL PROBLEMS ARE, YOU GUYS WERE DOING A COMPLETE WERE GIVEN A COMPLETE DISSERVICE IN THIS LAST BUDGET. NO ONE EVER IN ALL THE BUDGET HEARINGS I HEARD SAID THAT YOU GUYS WERE GOING TO BE FACED WITH SOME MAJOR CHANGES TO THE POOLS. AND IF YOU DON'T FUND THEM NOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLOSE THEM IN THE SPRING. YEAH, THAT WAS [04:15:02] NEVER BROUGHT UP. COUNCILMAN, WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED? I DON'T KNOW. YOU'RE TAKING THIS ONE. I DON'T, CRAIG. I DON'T I MEAN, THERE'S SOME AXES TO GRIND. AND I MEAN, I DON'T WANT YOU TO STAND UP THERE. I THINK WE'VE ADDRESSED THESE THE ISSUES THAT YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT, THAT YOU'VE HAD SOME GOOD IDEAS. WE'VE DONE THAT WITH THE POOLS. WE DO NEED TO ANALYZE THE SPLASH PADS BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ARE THESE FEASIBLE. SO NOT A BAD THING TO THROW SOMEBODY IN THERE THAT UNDERSTANDS BOTH OF THOSE THINGS. BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED I MEAN, I'VE ADDRESSED THOSE. AND THEN TO YOUR POINT, YOU'VE HAD SOME GOOD YOU, YOU, YOU'VE HAD SOME GOOD IDEAS. YOU BROUGHT SOME THINGS TO LIGHT THAT WE'VE WE'VE ADDRESSED. ALL I'D ASK IS IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN MADE SOME PROMISES, I GUESS, FROM SOME PEOPLE ON SOME BOARDS THAT THEY HAVEN'T FULFILLED. WE CAN CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ON THAT. I MEAN, I JUST, I GUESS IT JUST BOILS DOWN TO CITIZENS SHOULD NEVER, AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE JUST GIVE UP BECAUSE I MEAN, IT JUST FALLS ON DEAF EARS. THE ONLY REASON THAT THE, THAT JOHNSTON OR JOHN WARD PARK IS BACK UP. I MEAN, IT'S GREENING UP. NOW, THERE'S CLEARLY SOME SPACES AROUND THERE THAT WE HAVE ISSUES, BUT IMMEDIATELY WHENEVER Y'ALL GOT ON THE PHONE AND GOT ON THE HORN, THERE WERE CITY STAFF DOWN THERE WORKING. THERE WAS OTHER I COULD TELL THERE WAS A CONTRACTOR, TWO GUYS WORKING OUT THERE ON THE IRRIGATION DEAL. SINCE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS OR SO, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYBODY ELSE OUT THERE WORKING, AND I DRIVE BY THERE PERIODICALLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SO IT IS GREENING UP AND WE ARE MAKING SOME STRIDES AND SO FORTH. TRUST ME THAT WE'RE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE ON THESE ISSUES. WE'RE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE. THAT'S, THAT'S EVIDENT. I MEAN, IN OUR, IN OUR MEETINGS, WE'RE HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE. AND IF YOU WANT STATUS, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN LOOK, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S GREENING UP, BUT WE'RE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I THINK WE I MET WITH THE FIRES. SO THAT'S AN ISSUE EVERYWHERE. LET ME I JUST WANTED LET ME FINISH HERE, MAN. I KNOW YOU ARE TRYING TO GET ME OFF. I DON'T HAVE 90 MINUTES THAT THE THAT YOUR CITY STAFF GETS. I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR AT LEAST GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AND TO SAY OUR SAY. I KNOW I'M A LOT AND I KNOW I'M NOT EVERYBODY'S CUP OF TEA, AND I DON'T DO THE PRETTY PRESENTATION AND PAT EVERYBODY ON THE BACK AND TELL THEM HOW SPECIAL THEY ARE. BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT IF I SAY SOMETHING, THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON. THERE'S A PROBLEM. AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. I DON'T NECESSARILY APPRECIATE WHAT DOES OR DOESN'T HAPPEN. BUT AGAIN, I'M JUST KIND OF BLUBBERING NOW. SO THANK YOU FOR MR. GALTIER, WE'RE TRYING AND WE'RE TRYING TO LISTEN. AND SO WE GOT $36 MILLION WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS PUT IN. THAT'S A THIRD OF THE WAY TO THAT $90 MILLION OF WHAT WE IDENTIFIED. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT COST IS TODAY, BUT LET ME THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING. AND THEN LET ME ASK MR. ALTMAN, YOU'RE THE CHAIR. OH, I'M SORRY. I'M JUST I'M JUST WANTING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU NEED TO GIVE A REMARK TO ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO DO THAT, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THAT YOU WOULD DO ANYTHING YOU DON'T WANT TO. AND SO JUST BECAUSE WE DID HAVE YOU AS A CITIZEN COME IN AND GIVE SOME CRITIQUES, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS FITTING TO ALLOW YOU KNOW, A BOARD CHAIR TO ADDRESS A FEW OF THOSE. ALMOST STARTS LET ME JUST ADD ONE LITTLE THING IN REGARDS TO FUNDING. IF, IF THE WHEN Y'ALL DID ALL THE COS TO DO ALL THESE GREAT AND THEY ARE GREAT IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE TO ALL THESE PARKS WHEN IT COMES TO LIGHTING AND SO FORTH. MY ARGUMENT WOULD BE IS YOU'RE YOU DID THEM WITH COS. WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE IN IT. YOU DID IT ANYWAY. BUT WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IS, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT A SOLUTION, IS YOU SHOULD HAVE ADDED MR. KESHUVAH SHOULD HAVE ADDED IN IRRIGATION ISSUES INTO THOSE COS TO FIX SOME OF OUR PARKS. IF THERE ARE TRULY IRRIGATION ISSUES THOUGH, THAT MONEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN THAT CEO. CRAIG, WE APPRECIATE THE SUGGESTION ON THAT. MR. ALTMAN, YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? APPRECIATE, CRAIG. I JUST WANT TO SAY THE SCHOOL PARKS ISSUE, THAT WAS DECIDED BY THIS BY THE COUNCIL WAY BEFORE. THAT'S A DEAD ISSUE. THE SCHOOL PARK BATHROOMS, WE DECIDED NOT TO PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA. IT'S NOT OUR DECISION, IT'S YOUR DECISION. SO THAT I NEVER PROMISED THAT. OKAY. AND I, I KIND OF RESENT THAT HE SAID THAT, BUT WELL, I APPRECIATE YOU AT LEAST GIVING US THE OTHER SIDE OF IT. AND THEN I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU SAID YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LISTENING TO I APPRECIATE CRAIG, AND I WE HAVE A GOOD, GOOD RELATIONSHIP. I DON'T LIKE TO BE ACCUSED OF SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T DO, BUT RIGHT. WELL, ONE I WANT TO SAY ONE OTHER THING. I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR 7 YEARS. WE HAVE A LOT OF ASSETS, PROBABLY TOO MANY ASSETS, [04:20:01] AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM THE WAY WE WANT TO, THE WAY THAT ALL OF US WANT. WELL, LET'S MOVE THIS CONVERSATION FORWARD THEN. WE THANK YOU, SIR. APPRECIATE IT. HOLD ON A SECOND. I'VE JUST GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. BOB, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND COMING BACK UP FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A LOT SAID TONIGHT AND YOU'VE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS AS A CITIZEN, NOT AN EMPLOYEE. SO, OR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL OR AN ELECTED OFFICIAL. SO, BUT I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PRETTY PASSIONATELY. AND I THINK OF THE BOARDS THAT WE'VE GOT AND THE MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION BOARD, OF ALL THE BOARDS THAT WE HAVE, I MEAN, IT'S A PRETTY PASSIONATE GROUP THAT FEELS PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY DO. BUT I MEAN, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN THERE 7 YEARS? YOU KIND OF MIRRORED MICHAEL'S CAREER. I MEAN, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN IN THE TIME THAT YOU'VE BEEN INCREDIBLE CHANGE BECAUSE WE FINALLY GOT OUT SOME MONEY. WE'VE HAD CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION TO DO LIGHTING. HOW MANY, HOW MANY PLAYGROUNDS HAVE WE BUILT? I THINK 14 OR 15. THE ATHLETIC FIELDS HAVE BEEN GREATLY UPGRADED. ALL THE FENCING AROUND, LIKE, THE SOCCER FIELDS AT JOHN STIFF THE VANDALISM HAS BEEN HORRENDOUS. I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL REALIZE YOU WE PAY A PERSON JUST TO CLEAN UP THE GRAFFITI EVERY DAY IN THIS CITY. IT'S AWFUL. BUT MICHAEL AND THE STAFF ARE DOING A LOT WITH A LITTLE, OKAY? THEY'RE VERY UNDERSTAFFED. THAT'S PART OF IT. WE'VE MADE TREMENDOUS STRIDES. IS THERE A LOT TO DO? ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE LEARNED OVER THE 7 YEARS, OUR CITIZENS REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR PARKS. AND THEY SHOULD BE A GREEN OASIS PLACE. THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. IT'S A QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE. I MEAN, IT'S NOT FIRE. IT'S NOT SAFETY. IT'S NOT SEWER. IT'S NOT THAT. BUT OUR OUTDOOR SPACES MATTER. AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO ASK ME, DO THEY MATTER, GO ASK THE CITIZENS. GO ASK CRAIG. THEY DO MATTER. AND WE ALL WANT THEM TO LOOK NICE. I DON'T KNOW. WE'VE MADE A LOT OF STRIDES. SO YOU'VE BEEN ON THERE FOR 7 YEARS. SO WHEN THE CITIZENS WHEN YOU HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS ON OUR PARKS AND WHAT WE HAVE OR WHAT WE DON'T HAVE, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING THAT OUR CITIZENS SAY? WELL, THEY WANT SWIMMING. I MEAN, THEY WANT SWIMMING POOLS, BUT THEY WANT A SAFE SWIMMING POOL, FOR EXAMPLE. I DON'T HEAR MUCH ABOUT THE SCHOOL RESTROOMS. I DON'T. THEY WANT NICE PLACES FOR THEIR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS TO BE ABLE TO PLAY. THEY WANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECREATION LIKE THE FOURTH OF JULY. LOOK AT WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE LAST 2 YEARS. WHAT DID WE HAVE LAST YEAR? 27,000 PEOPLE. OUR CITY IS HUNGRY FOR THAT, FOR THOSE KIND OF THINGS. THE BALLOONS IN THE PARK, THEY HAD 15,000 PEOPLE. THE MODELS OF CHANGING THE SUMMER PROGRAMMING HAVE BEEN TREMENDOUS. THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT THEY'VE GOT, BEEN ABLE TO GET, LIKE TEXAS PARK AND WILDLIFE OR FISHING, ALL KINDS OF THINGS. THE PARTNERSHIPS WEREN'T THERE 7 YEARS AGO. I DON'T KNOW. WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF. WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE WORKING. WE HAVE A VERY PASSIONATE BOARD. AND I APPRECIATE COUNCILMAN REID BEING ON THAT BOARD. YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING OVER THERE. IS IT PERFECT? NO. IS IT AN IMPORTANT BOARD TO ME? YES. THAT'S WHY I VOLUNTEERED TO GET ON IT. DID I THINK I'D BE HERE 7 YEARS? NO. BUT I, YOU KNOW, YOU ALL ASK, AM I A CITIZEN OF AMARILLO? YEAH, I'VE LIVED HERE ALL MY LIFE, 73 YEARS. THIS IS A GREAT CITY. AND, AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT ME ON ONE MORE THING AND I'LL LEAVE. I HEAR A LOT OF POKING THE BEAR. I'VE TOLD SIMPSON, PRESCOTT, MY FRIENDS, WE ALL NEED A PAT ON THE BACK SOMETIMES. I DON'T HEAR VERY MANY PATS ON THE BACK FOR THIS CITY, FOR YOUR WORKERS, FOR YOUR MANAGER. YES, WE HAVE BIG PROBLEMS FOR DONNIE, BUT YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP POKING THE BEAR ALL THE TIME. YOU GOT TO HAVE SOLUTIONS. YOU CAN'T HIDE YOUR FACE IN THE SAND. I'M NOT SAYING THAT. I'M NOT AN OSTRICH. NOT ROSE-COLORED GLASSES. I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT. BUT YOU'VE GOT TO BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE TOO. WE LIVE IN A GREAT CITY. WE HAVE 56 PARKS, WAY MORE THAN MOST CITIES OUR SIZE HAVE. WAY MORE AWARD-WINNING GOLF COURSES, A BEAUTIFUL TENNIS CENTER, THE WARFORD IS CLASS ACT. BUT I'M GOING TO BE A I'M GOING TO LOOK FOR THE POSITIVE. DO I SEE THE NEGATIVE? ABSOLUTELY. BUT THIS CITY, WE WHEN WE PUT OUR MIND [04:25:01] TO SOMETHING, WE CAN MAKE THINGS WORK IN THIS CITY, AND WE DO. SO THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME. THANK YOU. RAMBLINGS OF AN OLD MAN. THANK YOU, BOB. YEAH. OKAY, COUNCIL, WE, WE ARE LATE INTO THE EVENING. IT'S ALREADY 7:45. MAYOR, IF I MAY REAL QUICK, JUST ONE LAST PIECE TO ADD IN THERE. YES, SIR. I KNOW THE PRE-BUDGET WORKSHOP, IT GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SEE ACROSS THE BOARD OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AND WHAT THEY DO FOR THE MANAGEMENT AND HOW THEY DO SPEND THEIR FUNDS. AND I'LL SAY, MR. KESHUVAH AND HIS TEAM ARE ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES I'VE SEEN IN MANY YEARS OF SOMEONE WHO'S TRYING TO DO MORE WITH LESS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND SO THEY WORK VERY HARD, AND GIVEN THE SPAN OF CONTROL THEY'RE ASKED TO DO THEY DO A LOT WITH AS LITTLE THEY HAVE. AND SO, AND THEY'RE TRYING TO BE AS RESOURCEFUL AS THEY CAN, GOOD EFFICIENT STEWARDS OF THE DOLLAR. SO I'M VERY PROUD OF THE WORK I'M SEEING THEM DO, TRYING TO COVER A LOT OF GROUND IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE A 10-MINUTE RECESS, THEN WE'LL COME BACK IN HERE AND WRAP THIS MEETING UP. OURSELVES BACK INTO SESSION AND CALL IT TO ORDER. I AM RUNNING THE NEXT TWO ITEMS HERE [4.3. Budget Amendments and Financial Policy ] ON THE DISCUSSION, AND SO I DO NEED STAFF TO CONTRIBUTE. SO I CAN KIND OF WALK US INTO THIS WHILE GRAYSON'S HEADING BACK THIS WAY. I DON'T THINK HE'LL MISS TOO MUCH, BUT WHAT WE HAVE ON THE, THE AGENDA HERE IS ITEM 4.3 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND FINANCIAL POLICY. AND SO THIS IS TECHNICALLY A CONVERSATION WITH MY COUNSEL RIGHT NOW. I DO WANT FEEDBACK FROM STAFF, AND IF THERE IF ANYBODY HAS A GOOD REASON TO NOT DO WHAT, WHAT I'M WANTING TO DO, OR TO SHOW CAUSE FOR ANY REASON THAT THIS ISN'T GOOD BUSINESS AND GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE, LIKE, I GLADLY ACCEPT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR ADVISEMENT. BUT I'M GOING TO START BY READING OUR FINANCIAL POLICY. SO WE HAVE A CURRENT FINANCIAL POLICY THAT WE'VE UPDATED. WE WILL ALWAYS OPERATE UNDERNEATH THE CURRENT POLICIES REGARDLESS OF, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A FISCAL YEAR '24-'25 OR IF IT'S '25-'26. SO I WANT TO READ THIS. SO UNDER THE BUDGET PROCESS, THIS IS LIKE PAGE 29 IF ANY OF YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO FIND IT ON THAT, THAT OLD POLICY. BUT NUMBER 1 SAYS, UNDER THE CITY CHARTER, THE CITY MANAGER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PREPARING AND RECOMMENDING A BUDGET FOR THE CITY COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION, RIGHT? SO THIS IS UNDER THE CITY CHARTER THAT EVERYTHING I'M GOING TO READ NEXT FALLS UNDER. ACCORDING TO THAT A BUDGET FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR IS LEGALLY ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL THROUGH PASSAGE OF AN ORDINANCE PRIOR TO OCTOBER 1ST. SO IT'S A LEGALLY ENACTED BUDGET. ANNUAL BUDGETS ARE LEGALLY ADOPTED FOR ALL GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS. SO ANNUAL BUDGETS ARE LEGALLY ADOPTED. THEY'RE NOT RECOMMENDATIONS, THEY'RE NOT JUST GUIDELINES, THEY'RE APPROPRIATIONS. EXPENDITURES MAY NOT LEGALLY EXCEED APPROPRIATIONS. SO THESE AREN'T GUIDELINES. THESE AREN'T AMOUNTS. THEY'RE NOT JUST NUMBERS WE THREW ON A PAGE. THEY'RE NOT BEST GUESSES. THESE ARE APPROPRIATIONS ONCE A YEAR. I'LL READ IT AGAIN. NUMBER 4, EXPENDITURES MAY NOT LEGALLY EXCEED APPROPRIATIONS AT THE USED TO SAY FUND LEVEL. NOW WHAT IT SAYS IS AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL FOR EACH LEGALLY ADOPTED ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. NOW THE CITY MANAGER MAY TRANSFER APPROPRIATION BALANCES FROM ONE EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT TO ANOTHER WITHIN A USED TO SAY FUND, NOW IT SAYS DEPARTMENT. CITY MANAGER MAY ALSO INCREASE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE BUDGETS BY A CORRESPONDING AMOUNT WHEN UNANTICIPATED PAID AT OUTSIDE FUNDING COMES IN OR IS RECEIVED. YOU GET A GRANT, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT CAN GO TO THE GRANT USAGE. THIS ADJUSTMENT MUST HAVE NO NET EFFECT ON THE FUND'S BUDGET. NOW HERE'S THE IMPORTANT PART: THE CITY COUNCIL MUST APPROVE REVISIONS THAT ALTER TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF A FUND. OKAY, SO THAT'S YOUR FINANCIAL POLICY. I WANT TO NOW TAKE YOU TO THE BUDGET AMENDMENT THAT WE PERFORMED ALREADY. SO MISS KATRINA BROUGHT FORWARD A BUDGET AMENDMENT BACK IN MARCH, AND IN THAT PRESENTATION, GENERAL FUND REVENUES AS A FUND EXCEEDED BUDGET BY $14.3 MILLION. SO GENERAL FUND REVENUES WERE UP BY $14.3 MILLION. GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES AS A FUND WERE UNDER BUDGET BY $4.5 MILLION. SO WE TOOK THOSE TWO TOGETHER, 14.3, 4.5, THAT'S ROUGHLY [04:30:03] $18.9 MILLION NET. SO WHEN YOU TAKE THE ENTIRE FUND, YOU HAVE NET REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES. THEN WHAT WE DID WAS WE PRODUCED EXHIBIT A RIGHT HERE TO COMPLY WITH OUR FINANCIAL POLICY AND OUR, AND OUR LEGAL OBLIGATION PER THE CHARTER AND THE WAY THAT WE OPERATE WITH THE APPROPRIATIONS, AND, AND WE PUT FORWARD ALL OF THE AMOUNTS INCLUDING THE GENERAL FUND FIRE, AN ADDITION OF $3.715 MILLION. SO WE ENDED UP NETTING OUT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THIS TO WALK AWAY WITH WHAT IS LEFT, ROUGHLY $13, $13.5 MILLION IN THAT ANNUALIZED RECURRING FUND BALANCE. SO LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. INSIDE OF THAT ANNUALIZED RECURRING FUND BALANCE. SO THESE ARE PROPERTY TAXES THAT WE'RE COLLECTING IN EXCESS OF WHAT WE PROJECTED. THESE ARE SALES TAXES THAT WE'RE COLLECTING IN EXCESS OF WHAT WE PROJECTED. THERE ARE OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS THAT ARE COMING IN. NOW, WE DID NOT LOWER ANY RATES AND WE DID NOT REDUCE TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES. SO THIS MONEY IS NOT ONLY TO BE REAPPROPRIATED BUT IT IS TO BE RECALCULATED IN THIS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. SO IN THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET, WE, I BELIEVE, ARE HOPEFULLY RUNNING ON BUDGET. NOBODY HAS ADVISED ME THAT WE'RE OVER BUDGET. BUT IN THIS TRUE-UP, WHICH IS LEGALLY REQUIRED FOR THE '24-'25, WHICH WE DID, WE AMENDED IT. WHAT WE NOW HAVE IS WE HAVE AN AUDIT THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK THAT WE'VE WORKED ON DILIGENTLY. AND SO THE APD BUDGET IS $5+ MILLION OVER THE EXPENDITURES. AND SO I AM ASKING COUNCIL FOR YOU GUYS TO RECOGNIZE THAT, AND I NEED TO AMEND THE AMENDMENT, THE AMENDMENT. SO THIS EXHIBIT A SHOWS A COST OVERRUN FOR GENERAL FUND POLICE OF $241,000. THERE IS A, THERE'S A MORE ACCURATE NUMBER THERE NOW THAT WE HAVE THE ACTUALS BACK FOR THE APD BUDGET. SO THE APD BUDGET WAS ROUGHLY $66 MILLION, THE APD ACTUALS WERE ROUGHLY $71 MILLION. THAT IS NOT A PROBLEM IN POLICING THE CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THE FUNDS TO COVER THAT. STAFF KNOWS THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO SPEND WITHIN THAT, BUT THEY THEY ALSO KNOW THAT IT HAS TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL, MUST BE APPROVED. SO IN THE AUDIT THAT IS COMING ONE DAY, RIGHT, I HATE TO SAY NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, BUT I WOULD HOPE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING COUNCIL, WHAT I NEED TO KNOW IS, IS ARE YOU GUYS COMFORTABLE UNDER CURRENT FINANCIAL POLICIES THAT WE JUST AMENDED AND UPDATED? AND IF SO, AM I READING THOSE CORRECTLY? BECAUSE WE DID GO AHEAD AND DO A TRUE-UP ON OUR AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET, AND THEN WE ARE GOING TO GET ACTUALS BACK THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH THAT BUDGET. NOW, I BELIEVE THAT THOSE ACTUALS MUST ALIGN WITH THAT BUDGET. YOU HAVE TO APPROPRIATE THOSE AMOUNTS OF MONEY, AND THEN THE REMAINING AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WILL COME HERE, WHICH WOULD BE ROUGHLY 5 OR I'M SORRY, $8 MILLION, WE STILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON IT. WE JUST LISTED A WHOLE PLETHORA OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON. WHY ARE WE SITTING ON THOSE AMOUNTS OF MONEY AND LETTING THE STAFF COME IN HERE AND TAKE CRITICISM FROM CITIZENS THAT WANT ADDITIONAL SERVICES WHEN WE HAVE MONIES THAT ARE SITTING THERE IN THE FUND BALANCE CURRENTLY? THERE AND IF THESE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE AND EVERYTHING'S COMING BACK, THE ACFER SHOWS THAT THIS MUST BE AMENDED AND THAT WE COULD, COUNCIL, AT ANY TIME THIS FINANCIAL POLICY. WE CAN BRING IT IN. IF WE NEED TO PUT ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS IN PARKS, WHY DO WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL '26, '27? WHY DON'T WE PUT THE MILLION DOLLARS IN PARKS? WE AT LEAST NEED TO BE AWARE THAT WE HAVE THOSE MONIES THAT WE CAN GO SOLVE PROBLEMS WITH. IF WE'VE GOT A FENCE ISSUE, YOU KNOW, SOLID WASTE, AND THAT FALLS WITHIN A GENERAL FUND OR A RATE INCREASE OR SOMETHING THERE THAT, THAT WE CAN LEGALLY PUSH THOSE MONIES THERE. SEWER AND WATER IS ANOTHER ONE. NOW IT'S A DIFFERENT FUND. IT'S AN ENTERPRISE. SO I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT SPEAKS TO THIS PAPER, EXHIBIT A. IT DOES NOT. BUT AS A PRACTICE COUNCIL, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO RECOGNIZE THE SEWER AND WATER I'M GOING TO SAY PROFIT BECAUSE IT'S AN ENTERPRISE FOR THIS, THIS YEAR'S ACFRA THAT'S COMING BACK. SO IT RAN $100 MILLION IN REVENUES. WE HAVE EXPENDITURES OF ROUGHLY $81 MILLION, AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME OTHER COSTS OF BUSINESS THERE. SO ROUGHLY $18 MILLION, ACCORDING TO THE AUDITOR, OF NET POSITIVE CASH IN THE NET POSITION, THE CASH POSITION ON THAT ENTERPRISE. THOSE ITEMS [04:35:01] NEED TO HIT YOUR DESK. AND WE'VE GOT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY HITTING US IN THE FACE RIGHT NOW THAN I'VE EVER FELT. I'VE NEVER SAT THROUGH A MEETING WITH AS MANY CITIZENS TELLING ME THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHO THE BOSS IS. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS ME, OR THEN THEY THOUGHT IT WAS THE LEADERSHIP. NOW THEY'RE BEING TOLD IT'S THE MANAGEMENT. IF WE TALK ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY, AND OUR ROLE IS OVERSIGHT, OUR NUMBER ONE TOOL IN ACCOUNTABILITY IS GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICES AND POLICIES. WHAT YOU ARE IS THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, AND WHAT THESE POLICIES DO IS IT HOLDS EVERYBODY'S FEET TO THE FIRE. WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING, WHAT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS AND CITY MANAGERS SHOULD BE DOING, DIRECTORS ALL THE WAY DOWN. IF WE WANT TO RUN THE CITY AND IF WE WANT TO OVERSEE THE RUNNING OF THE CITY WITH THIS SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE, WHICH IS A COUNCIL-CITY MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNANCE, WE HAVE GOT TO UNDERSTAND YOU ONLY GET ONE OPPORTUNITY TO GOVERN IN THE WAY OF APPROPRIATIONS. IF YOU WANT TO HAND THE CHECKBOOK TO THE, TO THE MANAGEMENT AND JUST SAY, SPEND WHAT YOU NEED, BRING IT BACK WHEN YOU GOT IT, ACTUALS DON'T MATTER, WE'RE NOT REAL CONCERNED, LONG AS ALL THE BUSINESS GETS TAKEN CARE OF. YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER BEATING AND ANOTHER BEATING AND ANOTHER BEATING, BUT I PROMISE YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO GO THAT DIRECTION. AND I'M NOT GOING TO SIT UP HERE AND ARGUE. I'M JUST GIVING YOU MY POSITION. I AM VERY FIRM ON ON THIS BEING MY RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A DUTY. AND SO I WILL LEAD FROM UP HERE WITH THESE ACTIVITIES IN LINE THAT I HAVE WORKED HARD ON, MAKING SURE THE POLICIES ARE CORRECT AND IN LINE. BUT I CANNOT HAVE STAFF NOT GIVING THE ACTUALS AND NOT AGREEING TO AMENDING THE BUDGETS AND BRINGING THEM BACK AND FOLLOWING THE POLICY GUIDANCE. AND I'M WORKING FAR TOO HARD TO HAVE TO GO AND DIG FOR ALL OF THOSE. THE NEXT ONE IS THE CIP SHORTFALL. DO WE HAVE A UTILITY CIP SHORTFALL, RIGHT? IF SO, WHERE? ALL OF THE CIP PROJECTS, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT COMES OUT THROUGH ALL OF THAT, ALL OF THE EXISTING MONIES IN THE PORTFOLIO, THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO NONE OF THIS IS GOING AWAY. I'M ONLY GIVING YOU THE MOST UPFRONT AND TRANSPARENT FORWARD-FACING POSTURE THAT I CAN. IF I NEED TO APPROVE THE AUDIT ALONG WITH THE COUNCIL, AND WE ARE GOING TO APPROVE IT, AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON THE SHELF, AND WE'RE GOING TO TELL THOSE CITIZENS WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN FOR THEM, IT HAS GOT TO BE IN LINE WITH THE FINANCIAL POLICIES, THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS, AND WE HAVE GOT TO HAVE ACTUALS, AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE REPORTING ON JOBS. AND IF WE CAN'T GET THOSE, THEN WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE TRUTH, WHICH IS WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THE MONEY WENT. NOW, IF THAT'S THE CASE, WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF ISSUES. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING RIGHT NOW IS THIS IS THE WAY THAT THIS COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT HAS TO WORK. SO I AM ONLY ASKING BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN TOLD, MAYOR, THAT'S NOT HOW THIS WORKS. BUDGETS ARE JUST KIND OF BUDGETS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE, AND CITY MANAGERS HAVE ALWAYS JUST SPENT WHAT THEY NEEDED. AND NOW WE'VE GOT IT BY DEPARTMENT, NOT BY A FUND. AND WE DON'T LEGALLY HAVE TO GO AND AMEND THESE, RIGHT? WELL, I'M NOT A LAWYER. I'M NOT UP HERE TELLING YOU WHAT YOU LEGALLY DO OR DON'T HAVE TO DO. I'M TELLING YOU WHAT YOUR POLICY SAYS IS LEGAL. AND I'M TELLING YOU WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. AND I ONLY NEED 2 OF MY GOOD COUNCIL TEAMMATES TO DO IT WITH ME. BUT I HOPE I HAVE ALL 5 OF THEM. ALL OF US TOGETHER. SO, COUNCIL, CONCERNS ON THIS VERY BRIEF, POINTED PRESENTATION THAT I'VE JUST MADE? SO, LOLA, YOU'RE STILL HERE? YES. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? SO I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE OVER BUDGET BASED ON THE LAST ACFR DRAFT. AND THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS INCLUDE FIRE PROTECTION, OVER BUDGET BY $2.2 MILLION, LIBRARIES, $49,715, PARTICIPANT RECREATION, $214,786, POLICE PROTECTION WAS OVER BUDGET BY $6.6 MILLION, AND WE ALSO HAVE STREETS AND TRAFFIC ENGINEERING OVER BUDGET BY $4.4 MILLION AND TRANSIT OVER BUDGET BY $762,625. I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THESE EXPENDITURES INCLUDE NON-CASH ITEMS SUCH AS DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION. SO THESE ARE NON-CASH COSTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURES, AND THEY ARE REQUIRED BY THE GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS BOARD, THE GASB [04:40:01] PRONOUNCEMENTS. SO IF DIRECTED, WE'LL BACK OUT THE NON-CASH ITEMS CHARGED TO THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO REFLECT ONLY ACTUAL DEPARTMENTAL COSTS IF WE ARE DIRECTED TO PREPARE A BUDGET AMENDMENT. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT, THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT AREN'T ACTUAL DEPARTMENTAL COSTS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE EXPENDITURE TOTALS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT. MISS, SO REAL QUICK NON-CASH ITEMS. GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF DEPRECIATION, SAY, FOR THE SEWER AND WATER. IT WAS AROUND HOW MANY MILLION THAT THERE WAS DEPRECIATION OUT OF THERE? AND THAT WOULD JUST BE A NON-CASH ITEM. DO YOU HAVE THAT ONE HANDY? OR ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET ME NOT CONFUSE THE WAY THEY'RE COMPARTMENTALIZED. WHAT IS THE NON-CASH ITEM THAT IS BEING DEDUCTED AS DEPRECIATION OUT OF THE APD BUDGET? SO WE HAVE ABOUT $1.8 MILLION. I CAN BRING THAT UP NOW. AND WHAT WAS THE TOTAL? YOU SAID $6.8 MILLION THAT YOU'RE OVER? YES. SO REALLY, WE'RE NOT OVER $6.8 MILLION. WE'RE OVER $5 MILLION IN WHAT IT COSTS TO PROVIDE THAT, THAT DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THEN BECAUSE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING PRACTICES, GAAP AND GASB, ALLOW FOR DEPRECIATION, WE GO IN AND WE PULL A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT WE PLUG IN AS A DEPRECIATING ITEM. YES, DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION. AMORTIZATION WILL INCLUDE OUR SOFTWARE EXPENDITURES THAT ARE AMORTIZED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, INCLUDING DEPRECIATION OF ASSETS, FIXED ASSETS. BUILDINGS, ETC. SO WHEN THE AUDITOR IS TELLING ME THAT THE ACTUALS CAME BACK ON THE POLICE BUDGET AROUND $71.3 MILLION, AND I GO IN AND I LOOK THAT MY EXISTING BUDGET IS $66.3 MILLION OR $2 I'M SAYING WE'RE OVER $5 MILLION, BUT YOU MAY HAVE US OVER $6.8 MILLION. EITHER WAY, WE WOULD BOTH AGREE WE ARE OVER MORE THAN $241,000, CORRECT? THAT CORRECT. SO WE AMENDED OUR BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE A $241,000 COST OVERRUN. MY QUESTION WOULD BE WHY? WHY DID WE DO THAT? WE PREVIOUSLY DID THAT BASED ON THAT $5 MILLION NUMBER, AND KATRINA BACKED OUT THE NON-CASH TO GET TO THAT $241,000. BUT NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE HIGHER THAN THE $5 MILLION WITH THE LATEST VERSION OF THE ACFER. WELL, I DON'T FOLLOW THAT. SO LIKE WE BACKED OUT HOW MUCH AGAIN, MRS. O? ON THE DEPRECIATION AND WHATNOT, $1.8 MILLION? RIGHT. SO THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT WE'RE OVER RIGHT NOW IS $4.7 MILLION, AND THAT EXCLUDES DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION. OKAY. SO THAT'S A BETTER NUMBER THAN WHAT I WAS PREPARED FOR. I THOUGHT IT WAS $5 MILLION. BUT YOU GUYS SEE THIS, RIGHT? YOU SEE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS WHEN WE ARE MONTHS AFTER WHEN THE THE AUDIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE. AND I'M RECEIVING ACTUALS FROM THE AUDITOR THAT HAVE TO TRUE UP, THEY HAVE TO TIE BACK. AND THEN WE'RE TAKING ACTION FOR $241,000 HERE. SO I'M NOT EVEN POINTING FINGERS AND SAYING, WELL, I WANT TO KNOW WHO, WHOSE FAULT THIS IS, WHO, WHO FAT-FINGERED THAT, THAT NUMBER. I'M NOT SAYING THAT AT ALL. I'M SIMPLY SAYING LET'S AMEND IT. WHAT I'M STILL GETTING PUSHBACK ON IS, WELL, COUNCIL CAN DO WHAT IT LIKE, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE REALLY NEED TO AMEND THE BUDGET. I, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT AT ALL, NOT IN THE ACCOUNTABILITY PIECE OF WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER HERE. I HAVE A FINANCIAL POLICY THAT I'M READING. I, I AGREE THAT IT'S RIGID, BUT WHERE AM I OFF ON US AMENDING THE BUDGET 241, HAVING A CONVERSATION IN HERE 4.7? MAYOR, I GOT TO TELL YOU, I'M NOT FOLLOWING. I MEAN, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE ENTERING HOUR 6 OF THIS MEETING. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS, BUT I MEAN, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS, BUT I'M JUST NOT AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN CATCH UP TONIGHT TO EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE, KIND OF GET A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THAT, BECAUSE AGAIN, I'M JUST WELL, LET ME SUMMARIZE IT AND I'LL SIMPLIFY IT REAL EASY. SO THE AUDITS COMING BACK HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK. YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET TO REVIEW IT. I'VE REVIEWED IT. THE AUDITOR IS TELLING ME WHAT I WANT TO RELY ON AS THE EXPERTISE, RIGHT? THOSE ARE FINAL NUMBERS. THEY'RE, THEY'RE PUT DOWN. EVERYBODY'S VERIFIED THOSE. AND THEN HE ALSO AUDITS THE BUDGET. AND SO IN THIS, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE ACCEPTING OR SIGNING AN AUDIT THAT COMES INTO THE CITY KNOWING THAT $4.7, $4.8 MILLION OVER BUDGET FOR A DEPARTMENT THAT I'M ONLY ASKING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE AMENDMENT. SO BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO MAKE SENSE OF ALL THIS. I'M NOT SPEAKING IN A WAY THAT WE DON'T [04:45:01] UNDERSTAND AS BUSINESSMEN. WE HAVE REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE A SURPLUS OF MONIES. I HAVE MANY MORE THINGS THAT I HAVE FINANCIAL CONCERNS FOR, BUT I'M SIMPLY LOOKING FOR ONE AMENDMENT TO THE EXHIBIT HERE SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT WHEN THE AUDIT COMES IN, SO THAT WE CAN RECEIVE THE AUDIT SAYING THAT IT'S IN LINE WITH THE AUDITOR. SO THAT WOULD MEAN THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA IN THE NEXT SESSION, AND IF THE AUDIT COMES IN, HE'S GOING TO REFLECT OUR AMENDMENT, WHICH WE WOULD NEED TO PASS FOR THE FIRST AND FINAL READING PRIOR TO ACCEPTING THE AUDIT. AND THEN SEWER AND WATER HAS THE SAME DIFFICULTY, BUT THAT COULD BE TOO MUCH FOR THIS EVENING. I JUST WANT TO SIMPLIFY IT DOWN TO THE APD ISSUE RIGHT HERE. CAN I MAKE A SMALL POINT OF CLARIFICATION? YOU CAN'T DO A FIRST AND FINAL READING ON A BUDGET AMENDMENT. THAT'S THROUGH AN ORDINANCE, SINCE YOUR BUDGET IS APPROVED THROUGH AN ORDINANCE. NOW THE FIRST AND FINAL READING ON THE I'D SAY THE AUDIT, THAT'S NOT REQUIRED, RIGHT? YOU ONLY HAVE TO ACCEPT THE AUDIT ONE TIME, CORRECT? OKAY, BECAUSE YOUR BUDGET IS ADOPTED THROUGH AN ORDINANCE, THE ONLY WAY TO AMEND THAT BUDGET IS THROUGH ANOTHER ORDINANCE, AND YOUR CHARTER REQUIRES TWO READINGS ON ORDINANCES. SO THIS AMENDMENT RIGHT HERE WAS, WAS READ TWICE AND VOTED ON TWICE? ARE YOU ARE YOU CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT? I CAN CONFIRM THAT COUNCIL APPROVED IT ON FIRST READING ON MARCH 24TH AND ON SECOND READING ON, I BELIEVE IT WAS APRIL 12TH. IT WAS THE FIRST MEETING IN APRIL. SO THAT'S A GREAT POINT OF CLARIFICATION. SO NOW WE HAVE MORE OF AN URGENCY TO, TO GET THIS. SO DO WE NEED TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING PRIOR TO THE, THE AUDIT GETTING HERE? AND COUNCIL, THIS IS FOR YOU GUYS. I'M REALLY LOOKING FOR YOU. I KNOW WHERE I STAND ON IT. I NEED TO KNOW WHERE YOU GUYS STAND AS IT RELATES TO BUDGET POLICY AND BEING OVER BUDGET. IS ANYBODY HERE COMFORTABLE BEING OVER BUDGET IN AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT AND NOT RECONCILING YOUR AMENDMENT AND PUTTING THAT AS A RECORDED DOCUMENT? WELL, I DON'T KNOW THAT TO BE BE THE CASE. I HAVEN'T DONE THE DUE DILIGENCE, SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK AT. GRAYSON, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT HE WANTS TO, BUT HELP ME HERE. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. YEAH, YES, WE'D BE HAPPY WITH, WITH THE ACT, WITH THE NUMBERS THAT LOLA'S DONE. IF I'D BE HAPPY TO BRING BACK AN AMENDMENT TO THE NEXT MEETING AND WORK FROM THERE. OKAY, WELL, OKAY, SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE'RE OVER BUDGET IN APD FOR OVERTIME, RIGHT? YES, I THINK MULTIPLE REASONS, BUT YES. I MEAN, THAT'S SO THAT'S OUR BIGGEST TYPICALLY. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS WE NEED TO JUST USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE, PROPOSE AN ORDINANCE, I GUESS, OR AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET. SO LET ME ASK BRIAN, IF YOU AMEND AN AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET, RIGHT? SO LIKE WE HAVE AN AMENDMENT THAT'S FILED RIGHT HERE. I WANT TO AMEND THE AMENDMENT. WOULD THAT REQUIRE 2 READINGS? IT'S AN ORDINANCE. IT REQUIRES DUE READING. OKAY, SO THEN THE CLARIFICATION ON THAT THANK YOU, MR. CITY SECRETARY. I, I AM WANTING TO AMEND THE AMENDMENT TO BE IN LINE WITH THE ACTUALS THAT WE ARE NOW GOING TO RECEIVE FROM THE AUDITOR TO TRUE UP. TO TRUE UP. YES, BECAUSE SPECIFICALLY HE AUDITS THE THE BUDGET, AND THE BUDGET IS THE APPROPRIATIONS. AND WE APPROPRIATED $66 MILLION AND WE SPENT $71, LET'S SAY, RIGHT? SO WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION PER THE FINANCIAL POLICY TO GO BACK AND TO AMEND THAT, TO APPROPRIATE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY OVER THERE. THAT ALSO LETS US DO GOOD BOOKKEEPING AS WE'RE TRACKING THIS SO THAT WE DON'T THINK WE HAVE MORE MONIES COMING INTO THIS NEXT YEAR THAN WHAT WE HAVE. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AMEND PRIOR TO SEEING THOSE FIGURES? YOU'VE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO SEE THEM. WE HAVEN'T. SO WHAT WOULD BE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO SEE THEM. YOU'VE HAD THEM IN THE DRAFT. AM I CORRECT? IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'VE CHANGED SINCE THE DRAFT BASED ON WHAT LOLA WAS READING. SO THE NUMBERS HAVE CHANGED. AND THEN SO TIMING TO ME IS LESS IMPORTANT THAN ACCURACY. AND SO IF COUNCIL SAYS, LOOK, I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE FINAL AUDIT, HAVE A WEEK TO LOOK THROUGH IT, MAKE SURE THAT OUR AMENDMENT'S IN LINE AND THAT WE ARE TRUING EVERYTHING UP, TAKE THE STEP THAT WE NEED ON FIRST READING, AND THEN WE DON'T, WE DON'T APPROVE THE ACTUAL AUDIT OR ACCEPT THE ACTUAL AUDIT LATER. THAT IS IN LINE WITH THE WAY THAT I READ THE DOCUMENTS. YES. WHAT IS THE URGENCY IN SO CRITICAL RIGHT NOW? WHY THE URGENCY? THE URGENCY IS THAT I AM BEING ASKED, OR, OR, [04:50:03] YOU KNOW, WE ARE BEING ADVISED THAT THE AUDIT IS COMING AND THAT WHEN IT GETS HERE, WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION ON IT. AND WHO'S ADVISING US THAT? MY STAFF. SO GRAYSON, TELL THEM A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT IT'S HOLDING UP. GOING ON. TELL THEM A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT IT'S HOLDING UP. HOW WHAT ARE THE OTHER POTENTIAL ACTIONS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE FINANCIALLY? YES. AND SO, AS YOU AS COUNCIL IS AWARE, WE'RE WAITING FOR THE AUDIT TO BE COMPLETED. IT'S GOING THROUGH SECOND REVIEW. AND SO UNTIL THE AUDIT IS COMPLETED, WE ARE NOT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PURSUE SOME OF THE LOW-INTEREST LOANS AND OTHER ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT GRANT. AND SO WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING OUR AUDITOR TO COMPLETE THE AUDIT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. IT IS PAST 180-DAY DEADLINE, SO I KNOW THEY'RE BEING VERY THOROUGH, THEY'RE GOING THROUGH VERY CAREFULLY. WE DO HAVE REGULAR CONVERSATION WITH THEM, AND SO WE HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE AUDITOR AT LENGTH. AND SO I THINK THE PLAN, MAYOR, I THOUGHT THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT I THOUGHT, MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU WAS WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THINGS TONIGHT THAT I WASN'T PREPARED FOR. AND SO I THINK THE PLAN WAS WE WERE GOING TO BRING THE AUDIT BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING WITH AN AMENDMENT USING THE NUMBERS THAT LOLA AND KATRINA HAVE IDENTIFIED. AND WE CAN THEN THE AUDITOR WOULD HAVE THOSE NUMBERS AHEAD OF TIME, AND THEN THE AUDIT WOULD, WOULD THEN MATCH THE AMENDMENT, ASSUMING THE COUNCIL APPROVES THE ORDINANCE, WHICH WE RECOMMENDED TO DO THAT. SO AND SO THIS POINT HERE, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT, THAT WE YOU WOULD ALLOW STAFF TO WORK WITH THE AUDITOR TO TO DEVELOP THAT AMENDMENT WITH THE NUMBERS THAT, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE WOULD THEN HAVE THE AUDITOR, AUDITOR USE THOSE NUMBERS IN THE AUDIT, AND THEN AT THE NEXT MEETING WE'LL PRESENT THE AMENDMENT AND THE AUDIT SIMULTANEOUSLY. SO THE ONE CLARIFICATION THERE WOULD BE I ASKED YOU TO DO THAT AND YOU TOLD ME YOU NEEDED DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, CORRECT? AND SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE URGENCY IS, IS THAT I'M OUT HERE TRYING TO GET DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT, ONE, I'M NOT, I'M NOT LEADING US IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. I'M, I'M READING THE DOCUMENTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, WE'RE TAKING THE ADVISEMENT. BUT IF, IF YOU HAD BEEN WILLING TO PUT IT ON FOR AN ACTION ITEM, WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT. BUT WHAT YOU TOLD ME WAS YOU NEEDED DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, AND SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IN MY VOICE HERE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW I HAVE A FINANCIAL POLICY THAT SPEAKS TO IT, AN AUDITOR THAT'S AUDITED IT, MRS. O IS IN POSSESSION OF THE ACTUALS, BUT WE COULDN'T PUT IT ON HERE TODAY TO TAKE ACTION ON IT. WE NEEDED A DISCUSSION ITEM. SO THAT'S ALL I'M HERE TO DO IS DISCUSS IT. THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK IN ALL THAT. I'M SORRY, I'M NOT PREPARED TO DO THAT TONIGHT. TO BE FRANK. AND SO, BUT WITH THIS, WHAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT, WHAT I TOLD YOU WAS I AM NOT OPPOSED TO DOING AN AMENDMENT TO THE, TO THE BUDGET. THAT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT IN LAW TO AMEND THE BUDGET. IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR YOUR POLICY. AND SO WE CAN DO THAT IF THE COUNCIL WISHES TO DO THAT. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO DOING THAT. WHAT I WAS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE YOU, WHAT TO SAY, WAS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY TAKEN ACTION ON AMENDMENT. I WAS NOT GOING TO UNILATERALLY DO THAT BY YOUR DIRECTION WITHOUT COUNCIL DIRECTION. AGAIN, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO DOING IT. WE NEED THIS DISCUSSION TO DO THIS. AND AGAIN, THAT'S NOT ME TRYING TO PUSH BACK ON YOU. IT'S JUST THAT I'M TRYING TO RESPECT THE COUNCIL HAS GIVEN ME AN AMENDMENT, BE IT ORDINANCE. THAT'S WHAT THE AUDITOR IS WORKING ON. THE AUDITOR TOLD ME HE DIDN'T NEED THAT TO DO THE AUDIT. AND SO, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE SAID, IF YOU SAID HE SAID, IF YOU'RE GOING TO AMEND IT, THEN I NEED THAT DONE SO THAT I CAN GIVE YOU THE FINAL AUDIT THAT SHOWS THE AMENDED NUMBER. SO AGAIN, AGAIN, I, AS I, AS I TOLD YOU, I AM PERFECTLY GOOD TO AMEND IT. I JUST NEED TO GO THROUGH THE STEPS OF HAVING THE COUNCIL DO THAT BEFORE I UNILATERALLY, BY YOUR DIRECTION, DO THAT OUTSIDE OF THE COUNCIL DIRECTION. SO, SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. I'M READY TO DO THIS. WE JUST NEED THIS CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THE COUNCIL IS NOT OPPOSING THAT, WHICH I DIDN'T THINK THEY WOULD, AND I TOLD YOU THAT THE COUNCIL WOULDN'T OPPOSE THIS. WE WOULD THEN DRAFT THE NUMBERS, LOW-LYING TREE, AND HAVE THOSE NUMBERS. THE PLAN WAS TOMORROW GET THAT TO THE AUDITOR RIGHT AWAY. THAT WAY THE AUDITOR CAN BRING BACK THE AUDIT WITH THE AMENDED NUMBERS. WE WOULD THEN APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE BUDGET AND THEN PROVE AN AUDIT THAT REFLECTS THAT. I APOLOGIZE, I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS IS CONFRONTATIONAL. THAT WASN'T MY PLAN BUT I THOUGHT WE WERE MOVING IN STEPS TOWARD THAT GOAL. DO YOU GRAYSON, DO YOU DISAGREE WITH THE FINANCIAL POLICY? I'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL THIS AND REVIEW IT. I'VE BEEN TO BE HONEST, I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH A FIRE AND THE BILLING ISSUE BEFORE THIS, I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW THIS FOR TONIGHT. SO I COULD POINT OUT A COUPLE OF THE SENTENCES THAT DON'T QUITE MAKE SENSE TO STAFF. THE FIRST SENTENCE SAYS EXPENDITURES MAY NOT LEGALLY EXCEED APPROPRIATIONS AT THE FUND LEVEL FOR EACH LEGALLY ADOPTED ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. IT DOES NOT SAY DEPARTMENT LEVEL. THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AN OVERSIGHT WHEN Y'ALL ORIGINALLY ORIGINALLY RECOMMENDED CHANGE, BUT THAT SHOULD REALLY SAY [04:55:01] AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL. AND THEN THE NEXT LAST SENTENCE, THE CITY COUNCIL MUST APPROVE REVISIONS THAT ALTER THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF A FUND, NOT A DEPARTMENT. YEAH, SO IF YOU CAN READ THAT AS THAT WE DIDN'T CHANGE THE FUND THIS IS NOT THE CURRENT POLICY THEN? THAT'S THE ONE WE HAVE. NO, NO, NO, EXHIBIT A HERE WOULD TELL YOU DIFFERENT. THERE'S NO REASON TO GO THROUGH EXHIBIT A HERE. WE DIDN'T NO, I AGREE, I DON'T THINK WE NEEDED TO DO IT. WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? AND, AND HOW DID WE HAVE AN ARGUMENT UP HERE? I REMEMBER LIKE, NO, I WANT IT AT THE DEPARTMENT LEVEL. WE CHANGED THE SECOND SENTENCE, WE DIDN'T CHANGE THE FIRST SENTENCE OR THE NEXT. SO WE HAVE A DISCREPANCY WITHIN OUR FINANCIAL POLICY. ONE SAYS DEPARTMENT, THE OTHER SAYS FUND. YES, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO UPDATE THOSE TWO. WELL, THEN WE DEFINITELY WOULD NEED COUNSEL TO CLARIFY THAT. IF YOU GUYS BELIEVE THAT YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE DIRECTION WHETHER YOU CAN TRANSFER MONIES WITHIN DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT, OR WHETHER IT HAS TO STAY WITHIN THAT DEPARTMENT. THAT WE HAVE CLEAR DIRECTION. WE HAVEN'T TRANSFERRED ANYTHING TO APD'S BUDGET. THEY JUST OVERSPENT THEIR BUDGET. OKAY. AND, AND I THINK THE POLICY THOUGH, YOU DO AGREE THAT IT SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU EXCEED IF EXPENDITURES EXCEED APPROPRIATIONS AT THAT DEPARTMENT LEVEL, THEN THE CITY MANAGER BRINGS THAT BACK TO THE COUNCIL. IT SAYS INFORM THE COUNCIL. THE CITY THE CITY COUNCIL MUST APPROVE THE REVISIONS THAT ALTER TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF A FUND. YES. SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE SAYING LIKE IT SHOULD SAY DEPARTMENT. OKAY. YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY CLARIFICATION I THINK THAT WOULD HELP CLARIFY THE SITUATION. YEAH. AND THE CONFRONTATIONAL PIECES IS JUST A SEVERE LIKE LACK OF OF BEING ABLE TO GAIN ANY GROUND ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE BEEN OUT HERE SAYING WE HAVE MONIES THAT ARE REMAINING HERE THAT WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED. WE HAVE A SEWER AND WATER ISSUE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DEDUCTED THE BUDGET WHEN WE SHOULDN'T HAVE. WE NOW SHOW IT, AND WE'VE HAD GOOD CONVERSATIONS. YOU SAID WAIT FOR THE AUDIT, AND NOW I'M WAITING FOR THE AUDIT, BUT THEN THERE'S OTHER PAPERS THAT NEED TO GO IN LINE WITH THIS AUDIT. I'M NOT TRYING TO BE CONFRONTATIONAL AS MUCH AS I WANT TO BE VERY RIGID IN THE WAY IN WHICH I'M SPEAKING SO THAT NOBODY THINKS THAT IF WE GET HERE 2 WEEKS LATER, I'M NOT WANTING TO ADDRESS THE SEWER AND WATER BUDGET AS WELL. I AM. AND I WANT TO DO ALL OF THE FINANCES. AND THAT IS THE ROLE OF THIS COUNCIL GREATLY. AND SO I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. BUT COUNCIL IF, IF WE HAVE A POLICY ISSUE THAT NOW WE'RE READING AND WE'VE GOT A FUND, WHICH I DO, I DO HAVE MINE SCRATCHED OUT WHERE I DON'T HAVE A FUND ON MINE AT ALL. SO THERE'S, THERE'S 3 FUNDS IN THIS. SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S AN OLDER VERSION, AND YOU'RE SAYING THAT'S AN UPDATED VERSION? I'M SAYING THAT'S A VERSION CITY SECRETARY HAS FILED. I THINK, I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD DO, I THINK WE SHOULD GO BACK AND PULL THE VIDEO, AND I THINK WE SHOULD CLIP THAT FOR, FOR STAFF TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT COUNCIL DIRECTED AND THEN COMPARE THAT TO THIS DOCUMENT. AND IF THIS DOCUMENT IS SHORT, THEN LET'S GET IT UPDATED. THIS WAS THE ONE WE HAD A PRESENTATION ONE MEETING AND THEN IT CHANGED TO A CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED VERSION THE SECOND MEETING. SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS, MAYBE THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS GOING AT ONE TIME. WE I THINK THE INTENT WAS DEPARTMENT, CORRECT? BECAUSE THAT WAS THE BIG DEAL OF MOVE MOVING MONEY FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT. WE WERE LIKE, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHICH WE HAVE NOT DONE. CORRECT. NO, NO, NO, I'M NOT SAYING YOU HAVE, BUT I'M SAYING I THINK THAT THAT WAS THE THAT WAS THE RUB OF LIKE, WHOA, YEAH, CITY MANAGER NEEDS TO COME TO US BEFORE HE SAYS, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, PARKS AND REC DIDN'T SPEND THIS LIKE WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND WE CAN MOVE IT OVER HERE AND SHORE UP THIS ONE WHO IS OVER BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO SAY. WE DON'T WANT THAT. HE'S GOT TO COME TO US BEFORE THAT. THEN WE SET THE LIMIT. WE SAID, YOU KNOW, BY THIS MONTH. SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THE DOCUMENT DOES NOT SAY DEPARTMENT, IT SAYS FUND, BUT THE INTENT FROM I THINK THE ORIGINAL INTENT WAS DEPARTMENT. HUH? I THINK THE ORIGINAL INTENT WAS DEPARTMENT. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. SO THAT MUDDIES IT UP A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT DEFINITELY BRINGS CLARIFICATION TO WHAT COUNCIL'S DIRECTION WAS BACK IN MARCH. AND SO LEGALLY, WE NEED TO GET THIS DOCUMENT BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL FOR A VOTE WITH THESE CHANGES. AND WE SHOULD PROBABLY PUT SOMETHING ABOUT OVERSPENDING BECAUSE WE DID NOT TRANSFER INTO APD TO OFFSET THOSE DOLLAR AMOUNTS. THEY JUST OVERSPENT. SO ARE WE SAYING WE DON'T WANT DEPARTMENTS TO OVERSPEND WITHOUT COMING TO COUNCIL FIRST? BUT THAT JUST HAPPENS. I MEAN, THAT'S JUST GOING TO I MEAN, PAYROLL HAS TO HAPPEN. I MEAN, IF IT'S APD, IT'S LIKE, WELL, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT WAS THE INTENT OF THE CITY MANAGER WILL INFORM COUNCIL OF THE REASON, NOT WITHIN THE PLAN, BUT THE PLAN WITH CONSENT OF COUNCIL. BUT HE'S GOT TO INFORM US SO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHERE THIS BUDGET'S GOING SO THAT WE'RE NOT SURPRISED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. RIGHT. I MEAN, THAT'S, IT'S KIND [05:00:01] OF WHAT IT WAS IS WE JUST WANTED TO BE INFORMED ABOUT IT. NOT SAYING THAT IT CAN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF COUNCIL, BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. THE ORGANIZATION CAN'T OPERATE. I THINK PART OF THE CHALLENGE WAS THIS, BUT THIS POLICY WAS ADOPTED 2 MONTHS AFTER A BUDGET THAT WAS ALREADY COMPLETED, THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE THE FORESIGHT TO COME IN AND MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WERE BEING REQUESTED. SO NOW WE'RE TRYING TO FIX IT ON THE BACK END. BUT I'M NOT CONFUSED AT ALL. I THINK THE WAY THAT THIS DOES WORK LOGISTICALLY IS THE DEPARTMENTS CONTINUE TO RUN AS THEY'RE KEEPING THEIR ACTUALS. IF CITY MANAGER KNOWS THEY'RE GOING TO GO OVER BUDGET. HE DOES WILL INFORM THE CITY COUNCIL IF ANY DEPARTMENT IN THE GENERAL FUND ENTERPRISE, WHATEVER, GOES OVER THEIR ADOPTED BUDGET. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BRING THAT BACK AT ANY TIME AS LONG AS WE AMEND IT AND APPROPRIATE THE MONIES. NOW, WHERE THAT MONEY COMES FROM COULD BE IN A SURPLUS OF REVENUES LIKE WE'RE SEEING HERE, COULD ALSO COME OUT OF RESERVES OR SAVINGS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS, OR SAVINGS FROM OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO YES, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M NEEDING TO BE IN LINE WITH. SO RIGHT NOW, WHAT BUT THE PRESSING ISSUE IS WE HAVE WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING AN AMENDMENT TO, I GUESS, OUR AMENDMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NUMBERS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE AUDIT MATCH UP WITH WHATEVER WE NEED TO HAVE A FINANCIAL AMENDMENT FOR. OKAY, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. LET'S MOVE FORWARD. I MEAN, I WAS JUST HEARING I MEAN, I WAS HEARING THAT I WAS SOMEHOW ADVOCATING MY RESPONSIBILITIES. I'M NOT LOOKING AFTER THE MONEY AND I'M LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE. BUT RIGHT HERE IN THIS SITUATION, I'M FINE WITH SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD TONIGHT TO DOING THE AMENDMENT SO THAT WE DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION. SAME THING. IT WAS VERY CRYPTIC AT THE START. I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. YEAH. SO I MEAN, IF IT'S AN AMENDMENT THAT WE NEED TO AN AMENDMENT. OKAY. THAT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE. YEAH. NO. SO LET ME SAY IT THIS WAY AS A GUY WHO TRIES TO COMMUNICATE WELL. IT'S BEEN A LONG COUPLE WEEKS FOR STAFF AND FOR ME AS WELL. I THINK I'VE HAD A LONGER DAY HERE IN THE EMOTIONAL LEVEL OF FEELING THE, THE HURT AND PAIN FROM SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY AROUND US. SO IF I CAN ASK FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF MY COUNCIL AND MY CITIZENS HERE AND STAFF, IF I'M A LITTLE TOO EMOTIONALLY PASSIONATE TOWARDS THIS ISSUE THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR MONTHS NOW AND STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN SATISFIED WITH, AND I JUMPED INTO AN ARGUMENTATIVE MODE. WELL, I APOLOGIZE. SO YOU GUYS ARE, ARE NOT IN THAT REALM, AND SO ON ME, I COULD HAVE COMMUNICATED THAT BETTER. BUT RIGHT NOW I'VE IDENTIFIED THAT OUR FINANCIAL POLICY IS NOT THE WAY THAT WE DIRECTED IT TO BE, AND THAT COUNCIL, I BELIEVE, IS IN FAVOR OF AMENDING BUDGET, INCLUDING THE SEWER AND WATER BUDGET, LIKE ALL THE BUDGET. AM I, AM I CORRECT? SO TO BE CLEAR, WE AMEND THE BUDGET TO GET IT TO ACTUALS. THAT'S CORRECT. SO WE'RE JUST, WE'RE JUST SAYING THAT, HEY, THIS IS THE BUDGET NOW BECAUSE WE'RE AMENDING IT. SO THERE WAS A SHORTFALL IN WHATEVER DEPARTMENTS OR, OR EXCESS REVENUE, WE'RE GOING TO AMEND TO GET IT BACK TO WHERE IT IS. SO THAT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'RE ON BUDGET. EVERYTHING'S ON BUDGET BECAUSE WE AMENDED IT TO MAKE IT BE THAT. SO THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY, I WOULD BELIEVE THAT IT'S ALL BEEN APPROPRIATED. SO IT'S BEEN APPROPRIATED CORRECTLY. SO IF YOU THOUGHT YOU'RE GONNA SPEND 66 AND YOU SPENT 71, YOU AMEND THE BUDGET AND YOU HAVE TO APPROPRIATE THAT $5 MILLION SO THAT HE COULD HAVE SPENT IT. NOW, THE QUESTION FROM STAFF IS WELL, THEN WHAT DO WE DO IF WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER BUDGET? WILL YOU ADVISE US OF THAT? WE LOOK AT REVENUES, AND THEN WE CAN TAKE ACTION ON THE AMENDMENT AFTER THE FACT ONCE WE GET THE ACTUALS. AND THAT IS WHAT WOULD BE IN LINE WITH THE POLICY INTENT. YEAH, SO, MAN, I APPRECIATE THE THE UNDERSTANDING IF I AM NOT [4.4. Large Scale Data and AI Center Moratorium ] COMMUNICATING AS WELL AS I'D LIKE ON THIS ISSUE. BEEN A COUPLE LONG WEEKS. MR. CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED? I HOPE SO. OH, ME TOO. OKAY, LET ME TAKE US INTO ITEM 4.4. I CAN DO THIS ONE QUICKLY AS WELL. THIS IS MY ITEM. I PUT THIS ON HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO A COUPLE THINGS THAT DID HAPPEN AND DID NOT HAPPEN, AND THEN TALK ABOUT NOT, NOT CRYPTICALLY, HOPEFULLY, BUT, BUT PAINT A PICTURE OF VERY WELL LIKE WHAT WE DO AS A CITY. SO WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS A COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN AND IT ALLOWS FOR COMPATIBILITY. YOU NOW HAVE A NEW THING THAT WE'RE ALL LEARNING ABOUT CALLED A LARGE-SCALE AI DATA CENTER WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS IS OUR PURVIEW. I AM PROPOSING THROUGH THIS DISCUSSION A REQUEST TO PUT A MORATORIUM, WHICH WOULD BE LIKE A LENGTHY PAUSE [05:05:01] WITH NO INTENTIONS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A LARGE-SCALE DATA CENTER WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE PLANNING THAT, THAT CONTEMPLATED THAT OR CONSIDERED IT. WE DON'T HAVE COMPATIBILITY, AND WE ALSO SEE A LARGE PUSH FROM THE COMMUNITY NOT HERE IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES ELSEWHERE, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS ABOUT AI DATA CENTERS, LARGE SCALE. SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE SMALL PART OF THE PICTURE I WANT TO PAINT. AT THE SAME TIME, TALKING OUT OF THE SAME SIDE OF MY MOUTH, NOT, NOT GIVING ANYBODY ANY DOUBLESPEAK, WE AS COUNCIL TOOK ACTION WITH THE MATADOR PROJECT WHICH WAS AND STILL IS A POWER PLANT GENERATION COMPANY, AND THEY CREATE POWER IN TWO MAIN FORMS: NUCLEAR AND GAS TURBINE. WE TOOK ACTION TO SELL AN AMOUNT OF WATER, AND WE ISSUED A WATER CONTRACT, AND I WAS HOPING TO RESTRICT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF WATER THAT THEY COULD BUY FROM THE CITY, WHICH WE DID. WE RESTRICTED IT TO 2.5 MGDS. AND SO BECAUSE WE'VE TAKEN ACTION ON A WATER CONTRACT, I THINK A LARGE PART OF THE POPULATION, NOT JUST LOCAL BUT AROUND THE STATE AND THE NATION, BELIEVE THAT WE SOMEHOW HAVE VOTED FOR AN AI DATA CENTER WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. AND, AND SO I'M JUST BRINGING A POINT OF CLARITY OF WHAT WE VOTED FOR. WE VOTED FOR A WATER CONTRACT. THIS COUNCIL HAS NEVER VOTED FOR AN AI DATA CENTER NOR HAVE WE EVER HAD ONE PRESENTED TO THIS COUNCIL. BUT THE ACTION I'M REQUESTING WOULD BE A PREVENTATIVE MEASURE IN PUTTING A MORATORIUM I WOULD SAY 24 MONTHS, BUT COUNCIL, YOU GUYS COULD, COULD LOOK AT THAT AND BRIAN COULD WEIGH IN ON LIKE WHAT IS THE, THE TYPICAL IS IT 12 MONTHS, 24 MONTHS, WHAT WOULD WE DO? BUT THE REASON FOR ME STATING THAT WOULD BE THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWNS AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A LOT OF MASTER PLANNING FOR THAT KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEED WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AND THE COMPATIBILITY WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. AND SO I BELIEVE OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT HAS GOT A GOOD COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN AND IT DOESN'T CONTEMPLATE A CENTER LIKE THAT. SO COUNCIL WOULD ASK WHAT YOUR PERCEPTION IS ON THAT STATEMENT. I WOULD, I WOULD JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE DEFINITION OF LARGE IS. YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND, AND IT'S WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? BECAUSE I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE SOME, SOME DATA CENTERS THAT ARE HERE. WE HAVE SOME PODS, WE HAVE SOME DIFFERENT THINGS. SO IS THAT A GIGAWATT? IS IT AN ENERGY? I MEAN, WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF A LARGE? BECAUSE I THINK WE ALREADY HAVE SOME HERE NOT LARGE SCALE, BUT THERE ARE DATA CENTERS HERE, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PRECLUDING THOSE INVESTMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE IN OUR CITY. I THINK THAT'S A THERE'S A LOT OF WISDOM IN THAT. SO LIKE WHEN WE ARE SAYING LARGE-SCALE DATA AI CENTER, WE NEED TO DEFINE THAT. AND SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE COULD ASK STAFF TO SAY, IS THERE TWO METRICS THAT WOULD BE GOOD THERE? A KILOWATT USAGE, RIGHT? HOW MUCH POWER DOES IT NEED AND PULL? AND PERHAPS A SQUARE FOOT USAGE, RIGHT? LIKE, ARE WE TALKING SOMETHING OVER 5 ACRES OR SOMETHING UNDER 5 ACRES. SO IF WHAT WE HAVE IS A 10,000-SQUARE-FOOT BUILDING THAT HAS COMPUTERS IN IT THAT QUOTE UNQUOTE COULD BE CALLED A DATA CENTER, BUT IT IS NOTHING LIKE WHAT WE'RE SEEING, THEN WE DON'T WANT TO BE BUSINESS UNFRIENDLY TOWARDS THOSE. BUT THEN IF WHAT WE'RE BEING ASKED IS TO PUT A MILLION-SQUARE-FOOT AI DATA CENTER, WHICH WE ARE NOT RIGHT NOW, WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS SOMEWHERE, CAN WE HAVE A MORATORIUM ON THAT BECAUSE IT WOULD EXCEED THE SQUARE FOOT AND PERHAPS THE KILOWATT? SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT TO ADD TO IT. COULD WE NOT POTENTIALLY HAMSTRING OURSELVES? I MEAN, WE DON'T KNOW TECHNOLOGY. I MEAN, BECAUSE WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS BEFORE, OUR GRID CAN'T HANDLE THIS. LIKE, WE CAN'T PLUG INTO THE GRID. THE POWER IT'S WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THE MATADOR PROJECT IS THERE ARE POWER POWER GENERATION COMPANY, NOT AI DATA CENTER. BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING, SAY, IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS WITH AI. WHAT IF THERE'S A, A DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENERGY SOURCE THAT DOES NOT PULL FROM THE GRID, THAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING, BUT YET WE HOLD A MORATORIUM FOR 24 MONTHS AND WE MISS OUT ON AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT DETRIMENTAL? YEAH, SO I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE MAYBE IN, IN FINALIZING AN ORDINANCE OR ALLOWING A MORATORIUM. THE MORATORIUM WOULD GIVE YOU A PERIOD OF TIME THAT YOU WOULDN'T CONSIDER. SO MAYBE 24 MONTHS IS NOT WHAT YOU GUYS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH, MAYBE IT'S 12, AND THEN THE MORATORIUM COULD BE RENEWED BASED ON ADVANCES, RIGHT, AND FURTHER UNDERSTANDING IF A FUTURE COUNCIL THOUGHT THAT. AND I HAVE TO AGREE WITH DAVID [05:10:03] ON WHAT HOW WE DEFINE SIZE. YOU KNOW, I RAN WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED A LARGE-SCALE DATA CENTER FOR THE FBI UP AT CGIS. WOULD WE YOU'RE THE EXPERT WOULD YOU CONSIDER THAT A LARGE-SCALE DATA CENTER? THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY SUBJECTIVE. YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU COMPARING IT TO? BUT I THINK YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK BY DEFINING IT BY POWER CONSUMPTION AND MAYBE EVEN HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH EXCEL, WHAT DO THEY CONSIDER LARGE SCALE? BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE CONCERN IS THE GRID ITSELF AND THEN MAYBE SQUARE FOOT OR EVEN, YOU KNOW, WATER USAGE BASED ON THE TECHNOLOGY. SO I THINK THERE'S SOME CRITERIA THAT WE COULD PUT TOGETHER AND GET BACK IN FRONT OF COUNCIL. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING HERE OTHER THAN WHAT I'M TRYING TO GAIN IS DIRECTION AND THEN SOME EXPERTISE. I DO KNOW WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT PLANNING DEPARTMENT THAT I THINK IF IF WE COULD PUT THEM ON THEIR TOES RATHER THAN ON THEIR HEELS, THEY COULD GO AHEAD AND PROACTIVELY LOOK FOR THIS AND MAYBE BRING A RECOMMENDATION BACK OF, WELL, HERE WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT TO BE THE DEFINITION. RICH, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING FURTHER? OKAY, COUNCILMAN. SO, LET ME MAKE SURE TO RUN ABOUT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST ON HOW THINGS LOOK, I MEAN, DEPENDING ON HOW WE GO, IT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS FOR ENERGY, BUT IT WAS ENERGY TO POWER A DATA CENTER. SO I'M JUST KIND OF GETTING HOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE REASON FOR WE'RE SWITCHING FROM, I MEAN, SUPPORTING THAT TYPE OF COMPANY TO WHAT, WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF WHAT'S THE BENEFIT OF A MORATORIUM AT THIS POINT? SO THE, THE MAIN BENEFIT OF THIS WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE SPACE INSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS VERSUS NOT. AND SO LIKE, I, I'D BE VERY COMFORTABLE IN SAYING LIKE, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT'S AN APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATE USAGE OR COMPATIBILITY FOR OUR CURRENT MASTER PLAN. AND I THINK THAT AS WE LEARN MORE, WE'LL KNOW MORE. BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S A LOT WE DON'T KNOW, AND IT'S, IT'S AN ACTION TAKEN IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE ENTITIES FROM LOOKING AT THAT INSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. SO THEY WOULD THEN KNOW THERE'S A MORATORIUM THERE, WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK ELSEWHERE, WHICH THEY ALREADY ARE. SO WE'D WANT TO SAY WE'RE NOT OPEN FOR BUSINESS IN AI DATA CENTERS FOR 2 YEARS. IF WE SAID LARGE SCALE AND WE DEFINED IT, YES, SIR, THAT'S WHAT THAT WOULD SAY. LET ME ASK THIS. I MEAN, IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO BUILD A LARGE-SCALE DATA CENTER IN AMARILLO, I MEAN, I KNOW WE'VE GOT TO DEFINE IT. CAN THEY DO IT WITHOUT COMING FOR APPROVAL? I MEAN, AND I'VE NEVER MADE A A DATA CENTER THAT DIDN'T WANT AN INCENTIVE. BUT I MEAN WOULD SOMEBODY BE ABLE TO COME IN AND BUILD A DATA CENTER RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES WITHOUT IT HAVING TO GO THROUGH AN APPROVAL PROCESS? NOT OF SOMETHING THAT LARGE OF SCALE. WE'RE EVEN WORKING WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, CODY AND HIS TEAM, TO FURTHER DEFINE THEM BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A 1960S CODE AND THEY DIDN'T REALLY DEFINE AN AI DATA CENTER USE. SO ABOUT A MONTH AGO, THEY STARTED WORKING ON SMALL VERSUS LARGE AND SOME OF THOSE DEFINITIONS, BECAUSE TECHNICALLY I THINK WE NEED TO GO AHEAD AND UPDATE OUR ZONING CODE TO EVEN DEFINE THEM IN THE, IN THE FIRST PLACE. I MEAN, I GUESS, I MEAN, THERE WOULD BE, I THINK, STOPGAPS. I MEAN, IF THEY CAN'T COME IN AND BUILD IT RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, I GUESS IF WE JUST WANT TO SEND OUT THE MESSAGE THAT NO WAY, NO HOW, WE DON'T WANT TO CONSIDER THESE FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS, AND IF THAT'S THE MESSAGE WE WANT TO SEND, I THINK, BUT I'M NOT AGAINST CONSIDERING IT. I'M JUST TRYING TO HELP LEARN SURE, THE PROS AND CONS OF POTENTIALLY DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS. YEAH. AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE DEPARTMENT AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE TALK LARGE SCALE, BECAUSE NORMALLY IF IT'S A DATA CENTER THAT'S GOING TO BE BUILT IN TOWN, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE BEHIND THE GRID, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ON THE GRID. SO IT'S GOING TO BE ATTACHED TO OUR ELECTRIC COMPONENT, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE GOT DEAL WITH AT THAT POINT. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING IN TOWN AND THE OUT OF TOWN FOR A LOT OF THEM. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY UP HERE SO IT STILL COMES DOWN TO DEFINITION. YEAH, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY I, I, I'M NOT A FAN OF PUTTING A GIANT ONE IN, YOU KNOW, A GIGAWATT OR MORE, BUT IF YOU NEEDED A 5 OR A 10 OR A 20 MEGAWATT DEAL AND XCEL COULD SUPPLY IT, ARE WE GOING TO TELL PANTEX DOWNTOWN THEY CAN'T PUT IN, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THAT'S THE STUFF WE'VE GOT TO CLEARLY DEFINE. IF A&B NEEDS SOMETHING OR ANY OF THE BANKING OR GOLDEN SPREAD OR ANYBODY, EXCEL NEEDS ONE FOR DATA PROCESSING, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO KNOW WHAT THAT LEVEL IS. DO YOU REMEMBER THE SIZE THAT REGION 16 PUT IN THEIR DATA CENTER THERE? I MEAN, THAT POD? IT'S A POD. OH, IT'S A POD. OKAY. YEAH, IT'S A POD. IT'S THE SIZE OF A MOBILE HOME, MAYBE. YEAH. BUT IT WOULD NOT BE A 5-MEGAWATT NO OR 10-MEGAWATT. NO WAY. BRIAN, WHAT CAN YOU LEND TO US? LET ME SUGGEST IT [05:15:02] SOUNDS LIKE THE GROUNDWORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED FOR AN ORDINANCE. MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE VERY RESTRICTIVE. IN OTHER WORDS, THE STATUTE WAS ACTUALLY REWRITTEN LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION. IT'S HYPER-TECHNICAL, AND IT'S VERY LIMITED IN ITS ABILITY TO IN FACT, 24 MONTHS YOU COULDN'T DO. YOU CAN DO 180 MONTHS. YOU CAN GET TO THAT POINT, BUT THAT'S ONLY AFTER AN EXTENSION. YOU PROBABLY GOT 90 DAYS AT THE BEGINNING. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO FURTHER WITH IT. IT'S ACTUALLY 180 DAYS. DAYS. I'M SORRY, I SAID MONTHS. THAT'S HOW RESTRICTIVE IT IS. IT JUST DOESN'T DO YOU ANY GOOD, IN MY OPINION. YOU'RE BETTER TO LOOK AT YOUR ORDINANCE. NOW, WITH YOUR ORDINANCE, YOU COULD DO INDUSTRIAL OVERLAY ZONES, YOU COULD CHANGE DEFINITIONS, YOU COULD HAVE SETBACKS, YOU COULD WORRY ABOUT THE SIZE. ALL OF THOSE THINGS YOU COULD, YOU COULD FIGURE OUT BASED UPON BASED UPON YOUR ABILITY TO DELIVER WATER, WASTEWATER NEEDS THAT THEY WILL HAVE, AND THE ELECTRICITY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE. ALL OF THAT COULD BE GENERATED BASED UPON CERTAIN THINGS THAT SOUNDS LIKE RICH IS ALREADY WORKING ON ALONG WITH CODY'S GROUP. SO ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT'S REALLY YOUR BETTER AVENUE IN MY OPINION BECAUSE THE MORATORIUM STATUTE JUST DOESN'T GIVE YOU A WHOLE LOT OF TIME. AND AFTER THAT 180 DAYS RUNS, YOU CAN'T DO IT AGAIN FOR 2 YEARS. OH REALLY? YEAH. OKAY. THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE RESTRICTED IT JUST LIKE IN THIS LAST SESSION TO REALLY KEEP MORATORIUMS FROM HAPPENING, IN MY OPINION. AND OF COURSE YOU'RE ALWAYS THEY'RE ALWAYS OPEN TO CHALLENGE. AND SO BECAUSE IT'S HYPER-TECHNICAL ANY MISTAKE MADE IN A NOTICE OR IN A PROVISION RELATED TO ONE READING VERSUS THE NEXT YOU GOT TO WAIT SO MANY DAYS, THEN YOU GOT TO PUT THE ORDINANCE IN PLACE, AND YOU GOT TO WAIT SO MANY DAYS THAT WOULD OPEN YOU UP TO CHALLENGES WITH A MORATORIUM. SO IF, IF, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE THINK ABOUT, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST DOING IS DO AN ORDINANCE RELATED TO GET THIS, GET THIS LAND USE DEFINED IN YOUR CODE AND RESTRICT IT BASED UPON ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT PARAMETERS THAT I KIND OF DESCRIBED THERE, BASED UPON WHAT OTHER MAJOR CITIES ARE DOING. OTHER MAJOR CITIES ARE DOING THIS THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY, LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. THERE ARE PLACES WE COULD LOOK AT TO GET AN IDEA OF HOW THEIR ORDINANCE IS BUILT OKAY, THINKING ABOUT WHAT A BIG-TIME DATA PROJECT OR A DATA CENTER WOULD LOOK LIKE WITHIN THE SCOPES OF THE CITY LIMITS AND THE ETJ. THAT'S WHAT MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE. I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION. WE APPRECIATE THE EXPERTISE ON IT. AND THEN, SO THE DISCUSSION BEING HAD WOULD JUST BE FOR DIRECTION, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE STAFF IS ALREADY WORKING ON YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE CONSIDER AND DEFINE THESE AND SO I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE SOMETHING IN THAT, THAT ZONING COMPATIBILITY AND WITH SOME FORWARD THINKING. SO THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR. AND I THINK THAT IS IF COUNCIL WILL SUPPORT THAT, I THINK THAT WOULD BE GREAT. WE WOULD JUST HAVE MR. BALSON BRING THAT BACK WITH AN ORDINANCE UPDATE. SO MORATORIUM, NOT THE WAY TO GO, BUT DISCUSSION TO LEAD US BACK TO THE RIGHT PATH. I'D AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD, GOOD PATH. GOOD. WELL, I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT ON IT, MR. BALSON. THANKS FOR BEING [6. Consent Agenda] ON TOP OF IT. OKAY I KNOW WE'RE PUSHING LATE HERE AND STILL GOT A FEW OTHER THINGS, SO REQUEST FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS? NO, NONE. OKAY, WE WILL MOVE FORWARD. CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCIL, DO I HAVE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? MAYOR, I WOULD REQUEST IF WE COULD TAKE 6.8 OFF JUST FOR TODAY AND BRING IT BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING. I'VE JUST GOT A COUPLE OTHER QUESTIONS AND A COUPLE FOLLOW-UPS THAT I WANT. NOT ANY PROBLEMS, BUT THERE'S JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS I'D LIKE TO GET ANSWERED ON THIS AND THEN PLAN ON BRINGING IT BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING, IF THAT MEETS THE PARAMETERS. IS THAT GOING TO CAUSE A PROBLEM? NO, NOT AT ALL. WE'VE GOT UNTIL NEXT TO GET THAT ONE CONSIDERED. OKAY. YES, SIR. SO I HAVE A REQUEST TO TABLE 6.8 OR TAKE NO ACTION ON THAT. DO I HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO COME OFF? WOULD ENTERTAIN A [7.1. Consideration of Resolution No. 05-26-26-1. ] MOTION AS STATED THERE. SO MOVED. SECOND. SO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA LESS ITEM 6.8. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. NON-CONSENT AGENDA. [05:20:02] FIRST THING, 7.1, IS WE ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE HAVE PUT OUT THE MAYOR PRO TEM SCHEDULE. SO ONE OF OUR CITY COUNCILMEN HAS A FEW CONFLICTS IN THE SCHEDULE, AND SO HE HAS WORKED WITH THE OTHER CITY COUNCILMEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD TRADE ON THEIR DUTIES. SO COUNCILMAN TIPS WOULDN'T BE SERVING AFTER TODAY. HE WOULD HAND THAT OVER TO COUNCILMAN REED, WOULD SERVE 6 MONTHS, AND THEN WHEN REED FINISHES HIS TERM AS MAYOR PRO TEM, THEN COUNCILMAN TIPPS WOULD BE THE LAST ONE IN THIS TERM. QUESTIONS ON 7.1, GENTLEMEN? ANYTHING I NEED TO ADD TO TO THAT FROM STAFF FOR ANY REASON? OKAY, WOULD [7.2. Consider Approval – Guaranteed Maximum Price for Lawrence Lake Pump Station and Force Main under Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) Contract.] WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION ON 7.1. I MOVE TO ADOPT RESOLUTION NUMBER 052626-1. SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. ITEM NUMBER 7.2. MR. DANFORTH, DO YOU GET THIS ONE, SIR? CMAR CONTRACT. MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I'LL TRY TO MAKE THIS QUICK. I'LL CUT ABOUT 30 SLIDES OFF IF YOU'RE ALL RIGHT WITH THAT. NO, THIS IS AN INTERESTING, THE REASON WE WANTED THIS ON NON-CONSENT, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THE COUNCIL'S HAD TO SEE A CMAR IN PROCESS PROCESS AND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. SO THIS IS ON THE BOND FUND FOR THAT YOU PROVIDED FOR FLOOD MITIGATION. THIS IS GOING TO ADDRESS PLAYA 6 WITH THE CMAR CONTRACT. WHAT WE DO IS WE BRING BACK AMENDMENTS ON THE CONTRACT FOR YOUR APPROVAL AS WE MOVE FORWARD. THAT WAY WE CAN START ON THE CONSTRUCTION. ACTUALLY, THIS DESIGN IS NOT EVEN COMPLETE ON PLAYA WHICH IS LAWRENCE LAKE IN ITS ENTIRETY. IF WE WERE TO HAVE WAITED, WE COULD HAVE BEEN IN JEOPARDY OF BEING ABLE TO COMPLETE THE BOND IN TIME FOR THE BOND'S EXPIRATION. SO I WANTED TO SHOW YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT AND LOOKING TO APPROVE THE LAWRENCE LAKE PUMP STATION AND THE FORCE MAIN. SO YOU CAN SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED IS THE NEW PUMP STATION WHERE IT WILL BE LOCATED THE RED LINE INDICATES WHERE THE 30-INCH FORCE MAIN WILL GO. IT'S A COMBINATION OF BORING AND OPEN CUT. SO YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT INTERRUPTIONS IN TRAFFIC THERE, BUT SOME OF THAT WILL BE BORING, WHICH WILL MITIGATE SOME OF THAT, AND SOME OF THAT WILL BE OPEN CUT JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHERE WE'RE AT IN THIS, IN THIS SCENARIO. THIS IS THE TYPE OF WORK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT ON THIS. THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO. SEEK AND PILE CONSTRUCTION WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IS DEEP FOUNDATION WALLS. THIS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY SEE IN THE HOUSTON MARKET OR SOMEPLACE WHERE YOUR WATER TABLE IS EXTREMELY SHALLOW TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. THIS IS DONE IN BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION AS WELL. EACH OF THOSE PYLONS ARE DRILLED AND POURED INTERLOCKING WITH EACH OTHER. SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE THERE NEXT TO DISCOUNT TIRE, IN ESSENCE, IS THIS RIG SET UP STARTING TO DRILL ALL OF THOSE HOLES FOR THIS. WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR THIS WET WELL THIS IS THE WET WELL ITSELF, NOT THE BUILDING THE WET WELL AND THE FORCE MAIN THAT YOU'LL BE APPROVING TODAY. THE EQUIVALENT THAT WE WILL HAVE IN THAT WET WELL IS THE EQUIVALENT OF A 5-STORY BUILDING GOING IN THE GROUND, NOT ABOVE GROUND. SO YOU CAN SEE THE CHALLENGES TO BEING ABLE TO DO THIS KIND OF CONSTRUCTION THAT NORMALLY DOESN'T TAKE PLACE HERE IN THE PANHANDLE. THIS IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT. THIS IS A PICTURE OF A FINISHED PROJECT THAT OR NOT A FINISHED PROJECT, BUT A PROJECT THAT HAS JUST STARTED. AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE SECANT PYLONS HAVE BEEN DRILLED IN. OUR PYLONS WILL BE DRILLED IN AT BETWEEN 85 AND 90-FOOT DEPTH. AS THEY GET THAT POURED, THEN THEY BRING AN EXCAVATOR IN AND START ACTUALLY DIGGING THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME. EVENTUALLY, THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN THAT'S COMPLETED. WHAT YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT WELL IS ACTUALLY THE OUTFLOW LINE THAT WILL REACH OUT TO LAWRENCE LAKE ITSELF. THAT'S WHERE WE'LL GET OUR INTAKE INTO THAT WET WELL. AS THEY DIG DOWN, THEY ACTUALLY DO THE PLASTER, AND WHEN THEY GET TO THE BOTTOM, FINALLY DO THE FLOORING. I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS PROJECT. HOW DOES IT GO FROM THE WET WELL INTO THE LAKE? IT'S ACTUALLY BORED. IT'S THE SAME COMPANY THAT'S DOING THE SECA PILES WILL ALSO BE DOING THE BORING THAT BRINGS IN THAT INFLOW PIPE INTO THE LAKE AND WILL DRAIN IT ALL THE [05:25:01] WAY DOWN. IT WILL MEET THE CURRENT WELL, I HAVEN'T SEEN THE RAINFALLS TODAY, BUT IT WILL MEET THE CURRENT LEVEL. WE, WE DO WANT TO STAY OFF THE BOTTOM SO WE DON'T SUCK SILT INTO THE WET WELLS. WHAT DO WE COVER THAT THING WITH? WHAT DO WE COVER IT WITH? WHAT'S GOING TO COVER IT WITH? ACTUALLY, THERE'S A BUILDING THAT WILL GO ON THAT WHEN WE ARE ALL DONE. THIS SYSTEM WILL PUMP 15 MILLION GALLONS A DAY OUT OF THAT LAWRENCE LAKE, WHEREAS CURRENTLY YOU'RE PUMPING ABOUT 3 TO 4 MILLION A DAY. WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE CONSTRUCTION BEGINNING AND HOW LONG TO COMPLETION? COMPLETION, WE'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT A YEAR TO DO THAT FORCE MAIN. THAT'S A 30-INCH LINE THAT GOES BASICALLY FROM THERE AT LAWRENCE LAKE ALL THE WAY TO BELL STREET. SO WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF COORDINATION THAT HAS TO TAKE PLACE. SO THAT FORCE MAIN IS GOING TO TAKE EVERY BIT OF A YEAR TO GET ACROSS THERE. THE WET WELL WILL TAKE ABOUT 6 TO 8 MONTHS TO DO. AND THEN AS SOON AS THOSE TWO ITEMS ARE COMPLETED, WE'LL PUT A BUILDING ACTUALLY OVER THE TOP OF THE WET WELL. WILL THOSE BE DOING THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY, OR DOES ONE HAVE TO BE DONE BEFORE THE OTHER? SIMULTANEOUSLY. THAT WAS THE GOAL WITH THE CMAR CONTRACT, THAT WE COULD EXECUTE COMPONENTS OF THIS AT A MORE RAPID RATE TO STILL STAY WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THE BOND. AND WHEN DID YOU WHEN DID YOU SAY ANTICIPATE? YOU SAID IT'D TAKE ABOUT A YEAR, IT LOOKS LIKE. BUT WHEN'S THE ANTICIPATED START OF THE PROJECT? AFTER APPROVAL TODAY, WE WILL GIVE THE CONTRACTOR NOTICE TO PROCEED, AND THEY WILL START MOBILIZING WITHIN THE NEXT 30 TO 40 DAYS. IF I MAKE ONE SUGGESTION, MAYBE, BECAUSE I'M SURE PEOPLE WILL SEE A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, BUT THIS PARTICULAR A PROJECT, BUT MAYBE IF WE COULD PUT SOME SIGNAGE IN A PARTICULAR PLACE TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THEIR HARD-EARNED TAX DOLLARS AT WORK, BUT THAT WE ARE, WE ARE HANDLING A PROJECT THAT, YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN DECADES IN THE NEED AND WE'RE FINALLY GETTING IT TO DO THAT. SO IF WE COULD PUT SOME KIND OF SIGNAGE UP SO PEOPLE CAN SEE, WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, THAT, THAT WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING TO PROHIBIT WHAT HAPPENED 3 YEARS AGO FROM EVER HAPPENING AGAIN. OUR CONTRACTOR IS ACTUALLY REQUIRED TO DO THAT ON THE SECURITY FENCE AROUND THE PERIMETER. THERE WILL BE SIGNS THAT IDENTIFY WHAT THE PROJECT IS AND THE BOND THAT WAS APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL TO MOVE FORWARD. OKAY, SO IT WILL BE IN PLACE, AND I'M SURE THAT WE'LL GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS AS WE START ENFORCEMENT. WELL, IF THERE'S ANY WAY WE CAN MAKE SURE THE SIGN'S VISIBLE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT I MEAN, IF IT'S ADJACENT RIGHT TO I-40 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AGAIN, I JUST THINK, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I THINK WE'RE DOING THESE PROJECTS, AND IT'D BE WORTH JUST REMINDING PEOPLE THAT WE ARE DOING THEM AND MAKE SURE IT'S VERY VISIBLE. IF WE HAVE TO PUT OUR OWN SIGN UP, WOULDN'T MATTER TO ME, BUT ABSOLUTELY, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND SO KEEP IN MIND ON THE PROCESS ON THIS AS WELL, COUNCILORS. AS I GET THE GMP PRICE ON THE STRUCTURE AND THE REMAINING ELECTRICAL GEAR, I WILL BE COMING BACK FOR YET ANOTHER AMENDMENT TO THE CMAR CONTRACT, AND WE'LL USE THE SAME PROCESS ON APPLY A 7 AS WELL FOR THAT FORCE MAIN AND THAT WET WELL ON THAT LOCATION. QUESTION? NO? OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. DANFORTH. ITEM 7.2 IS BEFORE YOU, GENTLEMEN. I MOVE TO AWARD A CONTRACT [7.3. Consider Award - FY 25/26 Street Maintenance Cape Seal and Microsurfacing Construction Contract] FOR THE CMAR CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $14,255,589 TO WESTERN BUILDERS AS PRESENTED. SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES. MR. DANFORTH, YOU GOT ONE MORE IN YOU? SURE DO. WE GOT IT. OKAY, THIS IS THE STREET MAINTENANCE PROJECT. THIS WAS THE DISCUSSION BACK IN MARCH WHEN WE BROUGHT THE BOND TO YOU. WE'RE EXECUTING THIS MOVING AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. SO THIS IS PHASE 1 OF THAT BOND PROJECT, WHICH IS THE CAPE SEAL. YOU CAN SEE WE WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU A DEFINITION OF WHAT A CAPE SEAL IS. IT'S AN ASPHALT BINDER WITH AGGREGATE CHIPS IN IT, MICROSURFACING ON TOP. HERE'S THE ADVANTAGES: IT'S MORE DURABLE THAN A CHIP SEAL ALONE, SMOOTHER FINISH. IF YOU THINK ABOUT WE DID THIS ON WESTERN ON LAST YEAR'S BOND PROJECT, AND THE RESPONSES FROM THE PUBLIC WERE OUTSTANDING. IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY WELL RECEIVED. WE DID WANT TO SHOW YOU WHERE THIS WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. OBVIOUSLY, SOME OF THIS IS GOING TO BE HERE DOWNTOWN. YOU CAN SEE THE LOCATIONS. THIS WAS PART OF THE PRESENTATION THAT WE SHOWED YOU BACK IN MARCH, BUT WE DID WANT TO DIVIDE THIS OUT SO THAT YOU COULD SEE WHERE THE CAPE SEAL IS ACTUALLY TAKING PLACE. CAPE SEAL ON THIS LOCATION AS WELL ON 6TH AVENUE. WE'RE LOOKING AT IT ALSO ON FULTON DRIVE, AND THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT ON [05:30:06] SOUTHEAST 10TH AT T ANCHOR. YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT ON EASTERN STREET, AND THEN THE OTHER PART OF THIS IS FOR THE MICROSURFACING TO TAKE PLACE. TYPICAL THICKNESS IS YOU CAN SEE IS, IS REVEALED HERE. THE PURPOSE IS TO SEAL THE PAVEMENT SURFACE, CORRECT ANY MINOR RUTTING THAT IS OCCURRING IN THOSE AREAS, IMPROVE SKID RESISTANCE AND RIDE QUALITY, AND PREVENTS WATER INTRUSION AND OXIDATION WITHIN OUR SYSTEM. REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS EXTENDING THE LIFE OF EXISTING ROADS THAT AREN'T TO THE POINT THAT THEY'VE GOT TO BE TOTALLY REMOVED AND REPLACED. ADVANTAGES YOU CAN SEE THAT IT EXTENDS THE LIFE OF THE PAVEMENT IN THOSE AREAS, MUCH CHEAPER THAN TRYING TO GO IN THERE AND MILL AN OVERLAY. THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEEING THAT. THAT'S IN SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED FOR OVER 20 YEARS. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE ARE BEING CAUGHT UP, AND YOU CAN SEE THESE AREAS ARE BEING CAUGHT UP, AND THESE AREAS WILL BE CAUGHT UP. ONCE AGAIN, YOU'RE SEEING AN ADDITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT'S GETTING ADDRESSED. INTERMOUNTAIN SLURRY WAS THE LOWEST BIDDER. THEY'RE THE ONES THAT PERFORMED THE WORK LAST YEAR. ACTUALLY, THEIR BID CAME IN ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPETITIVE THAN LAST YEAR'S BID, WHICH WE'RE EXTREMELY HAPPY ABOUT. WE GOT THE BIDS BEFORE THE FUEL PRICES WENT UP, SO WE'RE HOLDING THEM TO THESE BIDS AND THEY'RE MOVING QUICKLY. THEY DID A GREAT JOB FOR US. FROM THE MULTIPLE BIDS THAT WE RECEIVED, WE'RE EXTREMELY SATISFIED WITH THE PREVIOUS PERFORMANCE. BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS, GENTLEMEN? YOU WANT TO GET TO SOME STREETS? YEP. I MOVE TO AWARD THE FISCAL YEAR '25-'26 STREET MAINTENANCE CAPE SEAL AND MICROSURFACING CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $7,488,727.66 TO INTERMOUNTAIN SLURRY. SECOND MOTION AND A SECOND FROM PLACE 4. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. DANFORTH? ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE. AYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES WITH A 5-0 VOTE. I SAY WE BE ADJOURNED HERE FOR TODAY. ANYBODY OPPOSED? I WOULD MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN. YOU'RE 595:59:12:17 ADJOURNED. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.