Dec 08, 2020 City Council Regular Meeting

[00:00:03]

GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

[INVOCATION]

PASTOR DIAZ. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE SEEK YOUR GUIDANCE HERE TODAY, COME AND LET YOUR WISDOM FALL UPON US AS WE GATHER HERE FOR THIS MEETING, GIVE US CLARITY SO THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY TACKLE EACH PART OF TODAY'S AGENDA FATHER.

LORD, REVEAL PROBLEM AREAS AND SHOW US THE BEST SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE APPLIED FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM. FATHER, IF WE DO DISAGREE ON SOMETHING, LET IT BE OUR CONTENT AND NEVER A PERSONALITY CONFLICT OR POINT YOUR EYES AND OUR EYES TO A POSITIVE OUTCOME.

SINCE THE LAST CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND LET THOSE FAVORABLE RESULTS AND DEVELOPMENTS ENCOURAGE EVERY HEART IN THIS ROOM TODAY.

FATHER, GOD HELP US APPLY YOUR WISDOM AS THE COUNCIL MEMBERS DECIDE ON CERTAIN MATTERS AND MAKE PLANS TO IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE BETTER.

PLEASE GIVE US WISDOM AND DISCERNMENT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THESE PLANS INTO TANGIBLE ACTIONS. ALSO, FATHER, PLEASE PROVIDE A HEDGE OF PROTECTION ON EVERYONE HERE TODAY AND THEIR FAMILY IN JESUS' HOLY NAME WE PRAY.

AMEN. AMEN. THOSE ARE WONDERFUL WORDS OF BLESSING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PASTOR, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY IN SUCH A THOUGHTFUL, THOUGHTFUL PRAYER.

I KNOW THAT GOD HEARS THAT AND WILL ANSWER.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

THE NEXT PORTION OF OUR MEETING IS A PROCLAMATION FOR THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE

[PROCLAMATION]

AND SO I WILL PASS THE MICROPHONE TO COUNCILMAN SMITH TO READ OUR PROCLAMATION AND INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR, BEFORE I READ THE PROCLAMATION LET ME MAKE A FEW COMMENTS.

THIS IS THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.

[LAUGHTER] I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE 100 YEARS AGO.

I DO KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE 40 YEARS AGO.

I'VE BEEN AN ACTIVE REALTOR FOR 40 YEARS, REAL ACTIVE IN THE ASSOCIATION, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE ASSOCIATION BECAUSE THEY HAVE GONE ALONG AND SUPPORT.

THEY ARE FOR GROWTH, THEY WANT TO HAVE HOUSES BUILT, AND SO ANYTHING THE CITY DOES, IT WILL HELP THE CITY GROW THEY'VE BEEN FOR THAT ALL ALONG.

SO I APPRECIATE THEM SUPPORTING CAUSES THE CITY COMES UP WITH AND OTHERS.

AND SO. LET ME READ THIS PROCLAMATION, WHEREAS.

THIS YEAR MARKS THE ONE HUNDREDTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS AND WHEREAS THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS HAS OVER 1000 MEMBERS REPRESENTING POTTER, RANDALL AND HUTCHINSON COUNTY.

THERE WERE OVER FORTY THREE HUNDRED REAL ESTATE SALES THROUGH THE MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE MLS IN 2019, WHEREAS THIS ORGANIZATION ENCOURAGES THEIR MEMBERS TO TAKE AN ACTIVE PART IN CIVIC AFFAIRS.

AND THEY HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT IN SUPPORTING COMMUNITY PROJECTS SUCH AS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, MAVERICK BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE, [INAUDIBLE] HIGH SCHOOL AND MANY MORE. AND WHEREAS THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS SERVES THE COMMUNITY WELL AS A THRIVING PART OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AN THE WORK HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE CONTINUED VITALITY OF OUR CITY.

NOW THEREFORE WE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO [INAUDIBLE] DO HEREBY PROCLAIM DECEMBER 8, 2020 AS THE ONE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS DAY.

AND AMARILLO URGE OUR COMMUNITY RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SERVICES OF THE AMARILLO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.

GIVEN UNDER OUR HANDS AND SEAL OF OFFICE THIS EIGHTH DAY OF DECEMBER 2020 SIGNED BY GINGER NELSON MAYOR, ELAINE HAYS, FREDA POWELL, EDDY SAUER, AND MYSELF AS COUNCIL MEMBER.

I'M NOT SURE WHO'S HERE.

I RECOGNIZE DENISE PRICE EARLIER, I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO DENISE PRICE IF SHE COULD AND SAY WHO'S HERE FROM THE ASSOCIATION.

HEY HOWARD THIS IS MISTY WADE.

OK, GOOD. WE HAVE CINDY [INAUDIBLE] HELLO AND YOU ARE THE LEADERS, THE ELECTED LEADERS RIGHT NOW OF THE ASSOCIATION.

[00:05:13]

IT'S REALLY HARD TO TALK TO A CAMERA.

WE UNDERSTAND.

BUT WE THANK THE CITY FOR RECOGNIZING US AND THAT WERE HERE FOR 100 HUNDRED YEARS AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE, IS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AND GROW AND OUR CITY.

THANK YOU, GUYS. [INAUDIBLE], GOOD JOB.

SO HERE'S THE PROCLAMATION.

YOU CAN RECEIVE IT OVER THE ZOOM.

[LAUGHTER] WE'LL GET YOU A HARD COPY LATER.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE. WE DO APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ON BEHALF OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION, BEING WITH US HERE TODAY.

AND I JUST ECHO WHAT HOWARD SAID ABOUT THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE IN THIS CITY, BOTH AT THE CITY COUNCIL LEVEL WITH PROJECTS THAT ARE SOMETIMES IMPORTANT FOR BRINGING PROGRESS AND MOVING THE CITY FORWARD.

THE REALTORS ASSOCIATION IS ALWAYS WILLING TO LISTEN AND WE GET GOOD FEEDBACK, NOT ALWAYS AGREEMENT, BUT WE GET GREAT FEEDBACK FROM GUYS THAT USUALLY WE CAN TAKE AND MAKE ANYTHING THAT WE'RE PUTTING OUR HAND TOWARD BETTER.

SO WE JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU ALL DO.

AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILMAN SMITH, FOR HELPING US TO GET THIS PROCLAMATION ON THE AGENDA. IT'S A GOOD ONE.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT ONE. ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? OK, WELL, I'M GOING TO HAND IT TO THE CITY MANAGER, JUST TO JARED, WOULD YOU VISIT THE

[3.C. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7897]

ITEM THREE C IS A REQUEST FOR A REZONE.

IT'S A FIRST READING AN PUBLIC HEARING ON A REZONING REQUEST IT'S AN 8.95 ACRE TRACT, WHERE THE APPLICANT IS SEEKING TO REZONE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT ONE AND AGRICULTURAL TO MODERATE DENSITY DISTRICT.

AND THAT'S IN THE VICINITY OF SCOTTY DRIVE AND CORONADO TRAIL.

IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK FROM NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS AND OUT OF A DESIRE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE. THEY HAVE REQUESTED THAT THIS ITEM BE WITHDRAWN AND THEY WILL WORK ON A PLAN DEVELOPMENT EXPRESSED INTENT TO WORK ON A PLAN DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD FOCUS ON THE TOWN HOME AND OTHER SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT.

AND THAT PLAN DEVELOPMENT WOULD SPECIFY WHAT TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION CAN HAPPEN.

BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S IN RESPONSE TO FEEDBACK FROM NEIGHBORING PROPERTY OWNERS.

SO THAT ITEM HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN.

MR. CITY MANAGER, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION AND FOR THOSE THAT ARE LISTENING, I BELIEVE THAT'S ITEM THREE C ON THE NON CONSENT AGENDA.

YES MA'AM. ITEM THREE C ON THE NON CONSENT AGENDA.

SO IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE WHILE TO GET THERE AND DIDN'T WANT ANYBODY IF YOU WERE WAITING FOR THAT PUBLIC HEARING, WHICH NOW WON'T TAKE PLACE, DIDN'T WANT YOU TO WAIT FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT THAT. OKAY, THANK YOU, SO I WILL HAND IT OVER TO OUR MODERATOR AT THIS TIME,

[PUBLIC ADDRESS]

GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR SIGNING UP TO ADDRESS CITY COUNCIL TODAY.

WE HAVE ONE PERSON WISHING TO ADDRESS COUNCIL, SO BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO HIM, I WANT TO COVER A FEW GROUND RULES.

WHEN YOU SPEAK, YOU MAY SPEAK ON FOR OR AGAINST ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

CITY COUNCIL WELCOMES YOUR COMMENTS, BUT PLEASE REFRAIN FROM USING [INAUDIBLE] LANGUAGE, MAKING DISPARAGING COMMENTS OR PERSONAL ATTACKS.

DOING SO MAY CAUSE YOU TO LOSE [INAUDIBLE] TIME AND WE ALLOW THREE MINUTES FOR YOU TO MAKE YOUR COMMENTS TO COUNCIL.

SO, COUNCIL, WE HAVE CHRIS DAVIS WHO SIGNED UP.

DAVIS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO UNMUTE YOURSELF NOW AND SHARE YOUR COMMENTS WITH COUNCIL.

HELLO. YOU KIND OF PUT ME ON THE SPOT THERE I WAS JOINING IN FOR THE AGENDA THAT JUST GOT POSTPONED OR CANCELED FOR THREE CHARLIE, SO I WILL HOLD MY COMMENTS FOR A LATER DATE ONCE THEY PROPOSE AGAIN OR WHATNOT.

SO I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS.

AND [INAUDIBLE] PUBLIC ADDRESS IS CONCLUDED.

THANK YOU, MR. DAVIS, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME YOU SPENT JOINING ON THE CALL AND BEING PREPARED TO MAKE A PUBLIC ADDRESS. SO WE'LL MOVE ON.

WE HAVE A LONG AGENDA TODAY AND WE WANT TO GET TO WORK ON IT.

ITEM 1A IS JUST AN OPEN ITEM FOR THE COUNCIL TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FRONT END OF THE

[00:10:01]

YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? NO, I DO NOT.

OK, NOT SEEING ANYBODY ELSE RAISING THEIR HANDS, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 1B, WHICH IS A

[1.B. Coronavirus Update]

WE, AS WE'VE ALL SEEN, CORONAVIRUSES IS A FAST MOVING TOPIC RIGHT NOW, WE ARE RECEIVING A LOT OF ASSETS AND RESOURCES.

SO TO WALK US THROUGH THE CORONAVIRUS SITUATION, WE'VE GOT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH CASIE STOUGHTON. CASIE WOULD YOU ALSO, AS YOU WALK THROUGH OUR CURRENT SITUATION, WOULD YOU ALSO TOUCH ON THE PROCESS AND THE PURPOSE FOR A DOCTOR'S OFFICE OR A BUSINESS OF ANY KIND TO APPLY OR REGISTER TO BE A VACCINE LOCATION? YES, SIR. IF I IF I GET TO THE END OF MY STATEMENT AND I HAVE NOT DONE THAT, IF YOU WILL REMIND ME, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

SO AS OF TODAY, THERE ARE A TOTAL OF TWENTY SIX THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN TOTAL CASES OF COVID-19 REPORTED AT YEAR IN POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES.

THIRTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND SEVENTY EIGHT CASES IN POTTER COUNTY AND THIRTEEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE CASES IN RANDALL COUNTY.

WE HAVE A TOTAL OF EIGHTEEN THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE RECOVERIES AND WE ARE REALLY GLAD ABOUT EACH AND EVERY RECOVERY.

WE DO HAVE TO REPORT THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ONE DEATHS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE'RE HEARTBROKEN AT EACH AND EVERY DEATH.

THAT LEAVES US WITH SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX ACTIVE CASES THAT ARE CURRENTLY ACTIVE.

EACH OF THE CASES DO REPRESENT A UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE BECAUSE WE DO TAKE OUT DUPLICATES.

AND SO EACH OF THE CASES REPRESENTS EACH OF THOSE NUMBERS REPRESENT ONE PERSON.

THE TOTAL ROLLING SEVEN DAY POSITIVITY AVERAGE FOR POTTER AND RANDALL COUNTIES, IS IT 17 PERCENT AND THE POSITIVITY RATE AT THE DRIVE THRU TESTING SITE IS AT FORTY SEVEN PERCENT.

THE FIVE DAY POSITIVE CASE AVERAGE IS AT FOUR HUNDRED AND SEVENTY ONE NEW CASES PER DAY.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH DRIVE THROUGH DOES REMAIN OPERATIONAL AND INDIVIDUALS CAN CONTINUE TO CALL 378-6300 TO BE SCREENED AND DIRECTED TO THE TEST SITE.

OUR COMMUNITY DOES REMAIN AS STATUS LEVEL RED AND ALL THE CONDITIONS REMAIN CONSISTENT WITH THE INDICATORS THERE FOR STATUS LEVEL RED.

GA32'S HOSPITALIZATION RATE FOR THE TWENTY FIVE COUNTY PANHANDLE RAC REGION HAS BEEN OVER THE 15 PERCENT THRESHOLD FOR OVER A MONTH, AND YESTERDAY'S RAC HOSPITALIZATION PERCENTAGE WAS AT THIRTY SIX POINT FOUR PERCENT.

THAT MEANS THAT JUST OVER THIRTY SIX PERCENT OF ALL HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS HAVE COVID-19.

LOCALLY, WE HAVE TWO HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE PATIENTS WHO HAVE WHO ARE HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID-19.

ADULT BED UTILIZATION IS AT NINETY FIVE PERCENT.

VENTILATOR USE IS AT SIXTY POINT FIVE PERCENT.

AND ICU UTILIZATION IS AT NINETY ONE PERCENT.

WE DO HAVE TWO VACCINE MANUFACTURERS, MODERNA AND PFIZER, WHO HAVE SUBMITTED EUAS TO THE FDA, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR THE ALPHABET SOUP, BUT EUA IS EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION AND THOSE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE FDA.

DECEMBER 10TH THROUGH THE 14TH.

THERE'S TWO ADDITIONAL MEETINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR THE VACCINE MANUFACTURERS, AGAIN, WITH THE ALPHABET SOUP [INAUDIBLE] AND ACIP WILL MEET DECEMBER 10TH THROUGH THE 14TH.

ONCE THEIR APPROVAL AND RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.

WE ANTICIPATE VACCINE TO BE SHIPPED LATER THIS MONTH AFTER THOSE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE.

THE EXPERT VACCINE ALLOCATION PANEL IS WORKING WITH THE STATE TO PRIORITIZE THE ALLOCATION OF THE DISTRIBUTION PLAN WITH THE ALLOCATION OF THOSE PRIORITIZED POPULATIONS . THAT WE FOR THOSE FIRST PHASES OF DISTRIBUTION.

WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE FIRST STAFF THAT THE FIRST GROUPS OF PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED WILL BE STAFF AT THE HOSPITALS WHO ARE CARING FOR THE SICKEST OF PATIENTS.

CITY STAFF, ALONG WITH NORTHWEST TEXAS HOSPITAL, BSA AND TEXAS TECH, WILL BE STANDING UP AN OUTPATIENT INFUSION CENTER BETWEEN THE TWO HOSPITALS.

WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE RAC TO REQUEST THE NEEDED RESOURCES FOR THIS PROJECT.

AND SO IT'S TRULY A COLLABORATION BETWEEN ALL OF OUR RESOURCES HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THE OUTPATIENT FUSION CENTERS SHOULD BE OPERATIONAL NEXT WEEK AND WE WILL COMMUNICATE WITH PHYSICIANS AS WE GET CLOSER TO OPENING AS PATIENTS WILL BE SEEN ON A REFERRAL ONLY

[00:15:04]

THEN WHENEVER THAT IT IS AVAILABLE TO PATIENTS WHO QUALIFY.

SO THEY HAVE TO MEET A CERTAIN CRITERIA IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THAT MEDICATION.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'LL BE REQUIRING A PHYSICIAN REFERRAL TO BE SEEN AT THE OUTPATIENT INFUSION CENTER. I WANT TO TOUCH BASE ON THE.

ON THE VACCINATION, SO.

WE SENT OUT A HEALTH ADVISORY LAST WEEK IN ORDER FOR PROVIDERS TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE VACCINE, THEY NEED TO ENROLL IN A STATE, THE DSHS OR THE STATE'S PROVIDER PORTAL.

AND SO WE SENT OUT COMMUNICATION TO ALL OF THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE ON OUR HEALTH ADVISORY LIST. WE ALSO HAVE A PRESS RELEASE THAT HAS BEEN SENT OUT TO COMMUNICATING THAT INFORMATION. DSHS SENT OUT INFORMATION TO ALL OF THE PHYSICIANS AND PROVIDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.

WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE LEFT NO STONE UNTURNED WITH REGARDING THE COMMUNICATION. AND SO IF THERE'S A PHYSICIAN WHO NEEDS OR A PROVIDER'S OFFICE WHO NEEDS THAT INFORMATION, PLEASE LET US KNOW.

BECAUSE IN ORDER TO RECEIVE VACCINE OR TO BE ON THE LIST TO RECEIVE VACCINE, YOU HAVE TO SIGN UP THROUGH DSHS'S PORTAL, AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE VACCINE SO THAT WE CAN VACCINATE YOU CAN VACCINATE YOUR PATIENTS, YOU CAN VACCINATE THOSE IN YOUR CIRCLES. AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS THAT INFORMATION.

AND THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL DOES ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION FOR CASIE? YES, MA'AM. CASIE, CAN YOU FOLLOW UP? I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EARLY OUTPATIENT INFUSION TREATMENT.

WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT DOCTORS WOULD REQUIRE A REFERRAL OR THEY, WHO WILL THEY BE REFERRING TO? IS THAT REFERRING TO THE CITY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT, TO THE HOSPITAL? AND THEN MY SECOND PART OF THE QUESTION ABOUT THAT TREATMENT IS THE CRITERIA.

AND IF YOU WOULD JUST AND I KNOW THAT MAY BE EVOLVING JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT JUST DETAIL SPECIFICALLY SO OUR COMMUNITY KNOWS KIND OF THE BIG PICTURE, ONE OF THE BIG VETTING AREAS WITH THAT PARTICULAR TREATMENT.

SURE. SO WE'LL BE STANDING UP.

PART OF OUR CALL CENTER WILL BE READY TO RECEIVE THOSE REFERRALS.

AND AGAIN, WE'LL SEND OUT COMMUNICATION TO OUR MEDICAL PROVIDERS SO THAT WHEN THE OUTPATIENT FUSION CENTER IS READY TO RECEIVE PATIENTS, THEN THEY WILL BE ABLE TO SEND THOSE REFERRALS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH CALL CENTER, WE'LL HAVE A SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE KIND OF PULLED OUT OF OUR CALL CENTER SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS FOR THIS CENTER TO REGISTER AND TO COMMUNICATE WITH PATIENTS AND PHYSICIANS.

WITH REGARD TO THE CRITERIA.

IT'S. IT'S BASED ON THE PATIENT, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED PHYSICIANS TO MAKE REFERRALS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR PATIENTS AND SO IT'S BASED ON CHRONIC CONDITIONS, AGE AND DIFFERENT AND DIFFERENT HEALTH CARE CONDITIONS.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED PHYSICIANS TO EVALUATE THEIR PATIENTS AND THEN THEY NEED TO SEND THOSE REFERRALS IN.

THERE'S ALSO A TIME FRAME.

AND SO YOU NEED TO BE WITHIN 72 HOURS OF DIAGNOSIS.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR CASIE COUNCIL? OK, CASIE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REPORT ON THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU ALL.

MR. CITY MANAGER. ANYTHING ELSE ON CORONAVIRUS UPDATE? NO, MA'AM. OK, LET'S MOVE TO ITEM 1C, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON THE TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

[1.C. Update on Texas Tech University Vet School]

WELL, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON HERE TODAY, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH PROBABLY THE FOREMOST OF WHICH IS DR.

GUY LONERAGAN, WHO IS OVER THE ENTIRE OPERATION.

DOCTOR, I'M GOING TO APOLOGIZE.

I DON'T RECALL YOUR ACTUAL TITLE, BUT DR.

[00:20:01]

HE'S THE DEAN OF THE TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY VET SCHOOL.

THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE, ANYWAY.

WE WANTED TO GIVE TEXAS TECH AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON HOW CONSTRUCTION IS GOING, HOW IT'S PROGRESSING.

AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT HAVING STUDENTS, ALL THE DIFFERENT LOGISTICAL THINGS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND LET US KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP. SO TO DO THAT, YOU'VE GOT DR.

LONERAGAN AND MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM THAT HE'LL INTRODUCE.

WE'VE ALSO GOT LAURA STORRS, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND ALSO SOME OTHER STAFF THAT CAN HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS OR PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION.

DR. LONERAGAN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I APPRECIATE IT.

I'M ALSO THRILLED AND HONORED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.

SO FOR THAT MAYOR NELSON AND THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND IF I COULD LEAVE YOU WITH ONE HIGH LEVEL UPDATE, IT WOULD BE ON THE NEXT SLIDE IN THAT WE ARE ON TRACK, ON TIME, ON BUDGET.

AND DEFINITELY WE ARE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND WE ARE THRILLED.

I'LL GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE CONSTRUCTION, ON THE TEAM THAT WE'RE BRINGING ON, AS WELL AS THE ACCREDITATION AND THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR WANT TO BE VETERINARIANS, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY WHY WE'RE HERE.

SO THIS REALLY BEGAN AGAIN LAST SEPTEMBER WHEN WE HAD OUR GROUNDBREAKING.

WE HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITY AFTER THE LEGISLATURE PASSED THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL THAT PROVIDED THE STARTUP MONEY WE NEED.

WE CERTAINLY REALIZED WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS DONE FOR US IN GETTING BEHIND, RAISING THE MONEY AND SUPPORTING THE PROGRAM.

AND THE PICTURES ON THE LEFT ARE OF THE GROUNDBREAKING LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS A WONDERFUL EVENT. WAY OVER ON THE LEFT OF THE TOP PICTURE, WE HAVE THREE FORMER CHANCELLORS, OVER ON THE RIGHT, UNFORTUNATELY, CROPPED OFF IS SENATOR KEL SELIGER, BUT WE HAD A LOT OF REPRESENTATION THERE, BUT ALSO THE COMMUNITY.

THERE WERE FIVE OR SIX HUNDRED PEOPLE THERE.

IT WAS FANTASTIC EVENT.

BUT SOON THEREAFTER, A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY.

WE RECEIVED APPROVAL FROM THE TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD IN DECEMBER, WHICH WAS ANOTHER MAJOR HURDLE.

AND THEN THE BIGGEST ACADEMIC HURDLE A NEW PROGRAM HAS TO CLEAR IS GETTING THE FIRST NOD OF APPROVAL FROM THE ACCREDITORS.

AND SO IN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER, SEPTEMBER 16TH, WE RECEIVED WHAT'S CALLED A LETTER OF REASONABLE ASSURANCE FROM THE AVMA OR THE AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

AND THAT BASICALLY SAYS THAT IF WE FOLLOW THE PLAN THAT WE PRESENTED TO THEM, THEY HAVE REASONABLE ASSURANCE WE WILL INDEED MEET THE STANDARDS.

SO THIS WAS CLEARING THE BIGGEST HURDLE WE HAD TO CLEAR AND ALLOWED US TO OPEN THE DOOR TO THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS.

SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I CAN REPORT THAT STUDENTS BEGAN SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS ON THE 30TH OF SEPTEMBER.

APPLICATIONS WILL STAY OPEN UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER.

SO FAR, WE HAVE HAD ALMOST SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY STUDENTS START AN APPLICATION.

ALMOST 500 HAVE COMPLETED SO FAR.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE STUDENTS OR APPLICANTS ARE QUALIFIED AND TEXAS RESIDENTS OR SO FORTH. AND SO WE HAVE A FANTASTIC POOL TO INTERVIEW AND THEN OFFER POSITIONS.

BUT WE ONLY HAVE 60 POSITIONS IN OUR FIRST YEAR.

SO WE JUST FANTASTICALLY THRILLED, A LITTLE OVERWHELMED BY THE STUDENT RESPONSE.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME TO OUR PROGRAM HERE IN AMARILLO.

BUT WE'LL HAVE SOME FANTASTIC STUDENTS TO WELCOME TO AMARILLO NEXT AUGUST WHEN WE BEGIN TEACHING CLASSES ON THE 21ST OF SEPTEMBER.

SO THIS IS A FANTASTIC RESPONSE.

IT SPEAKS TO THE NEED OF A PROGRAM, BUT IT SPEAKS TO THE EXCITEMENT OF THIS PROGRAM HERE IN AMARILLO TOO.

JUST TO GO TO THE CONSTRUCTION.

NOW, THIS IS A RENDERING.

IF WE LOOK FROM THE NORTH, THIS WILL BE WHAT THE BUILDING LOOKS LIKE AS WE LOOK BACK TO THE SOUTH.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE A PHOTO OF FROM AROUND THANKSGIVING WEEKEND.

SO THE BUILDING HAS COME ALONG TREMENDOUSLY WELL.

IT IS WHAT THEY CALL DRIED IN, WHICH MEANS THAT THE BUILDING IS ESSENTIALLY SEALED AND ALL OF THE WORK A MAJORITY OF THE WORK GOES INSIDE AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY AFFECTED BY WEATHER ANYMORE.

SO WE'RE SO LUCKY TO WORK WITH A LOCAL COMPANY AS THE CONTRACTOR WESTERN BUILDERS, THEY HAVE BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB AND THEY'RE CERTAINLY KEEPING US ON TRACK OR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, EVEN A LITTLE BIT, IF WE'RE LUCKY.

IF I CAN JUST REMIND EVERYONE THAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TWO WINGS.

[00:25:05]

THE LEFT WING IS ON THE GROUND FLOOR ALL OF OUR CLASSROOMS, STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES.

THE SECOND FLOOR IS ALL OUR FACULTY OFFICES.

ON THE RIGHT WING.

WE HAVE ALL OF THE LABORATORIES TEACHING LABORATORIES ON THE GROUND FLOOR.

IF YOU THINK ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY, ALL OF THOSE -OLOGIES.

AND THEN THE SECOND FLOOR IS ALL OUR RESEARCH LABORATORIES THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE PROGRAM. AND IN THE CENTER WE HAVE A LARGE LOBBY AREA.

AND TO GET A SENSE OF THE SCALE, YOU CAN SEE A PERSON WALKING ON THE GROUND IN FRONT OF THE LOBBY AND THEN THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE ROOF.

SO THIS REALLY IS A MONUMENTAL PROJECT, AND IT IS COMING ALONG FANTASTICALLY WELL.

THE TEXAS TECH SCHOOL OF MEDICINE BUILDING, SCHOOL OF PHARMACY BUILDING [INAUDIBLE] A POINT OF REFERENCE. IF WE SWING AROUND TO THE SOUTH, BUT WE CAN ACTUALLY GO INSIDE.

SO WHAT WHERE THEY ARE.

THEY HAVE FRAMED OUT THE ENTIRETY OF THE BUILDING.

SO THE INTERNAL IS FRAMED THAT THEY ARE NOW PUTTING ON ALL THE DRY WALL, THEY'RE PUTTING ON THE TEXTURE ON THE WALLS.

IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, THEY'LL BE ADDING PAINT AND FINISHES.

THEY'VE GOT DOOR FRAMES IN.

SO THEY'RE MOVING ALONG VERY WELL.

AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING INTO THIS FACILITY IN THE SUMMER WHEN IT IS READY.

BUT AGAIN, WE ARE ON TRACK, ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND VERY MUCH WE'RE EXCITED TO MOVE INTO THIS FACILITY.

IT IS COMING ALONG VERY WELL AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE AN OPEN INVITATION TO THE COUNCIL TO COME AND VISIT AT ANY TIME.

LOOKING BACK TO THE NORTH FROM THE SOUTH, WE HAVE THE TWO WINGS AGAIN THAT ARE PRETTY OBVIOUS THERE. THE RIGHT WING OF THE CLASSROOMS AND OFFICES, THE LEFT WING OF ALL THE LABORATORIES. ON THE NEXT SLIDE, WE HAVE A PHOTO OF THE CURRENT STATE AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THAT IS COMING ALONG VERY, VERY WELL.

ON THE ROOF AREA.

ALL THE TILES HAVE ARRIVED AND THEY SHOULD BE PUTTING THE TILES ON THE ROOF, THE LOBBY AREA VERY SHORTLY.

BUT THIS IS MOVING ALONG REALLY WELL AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED WITH THE PROGRESS.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE. WE HAVE A VIEW FROM A WEBCAM, IF YOU WILL, AND THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE ENTIRETY OF THE BUILDING COMPLEX.

AGAIN, THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE ON THE ROOF OF THE CENTER LOBBY AREA.

JUST TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE SCALE OF THE BUILDING.

AND IF YOU LOOK TO THE NORTH, YOU HAVE 9TH STREET JUST TO THE NORTH AND TO THE TOP OF THE PICTURE IN THE MIDDLE, YOU CAN SORT OF SEE A BLUE, PURPLE LOOKING BUILDING.

AND THAT IS THE SECOND SET OF FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE'LL GET TO KEEP THE LARGE ANIMALS, THE COWS AND HORSES AND FARM ANIMALS.

YEP, THAT'S EXACTLY IT.

AND SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I HAVE A RENDERING OF WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.

WHEN IT'S COMPLETED, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS THERE TO SUPPORT ALL OF OUR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS FOR COWS AND HORSES AND TO HOUSE THEM AND LOOK AFTER THEM APPROPRIATELY. AND IN TERMS OF AN AERIAL WEBCAM OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AS OF LAST WEEK, THAT IS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE BUILDINGS ARE COMING ALONG WELL TOO, THESE ARE ON TRACK AS WELL. THESE ARE MUCH SIMPLER BUILDINGS AND MORE TEACHING AREAS OR ARENAS OR OPEN AREAS.

SO WE WILL BE MOVING INTO THESE NEXT SUMMER AS WELL.

SO THINGS ARE DOING VERY WELL IN TERMS OF THE CONSTRUCTION.

AND AGAIN, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED WE ARE TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL COMPANY LIKE WESTERN BUILDERS. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE SOME OF OUR FACULTY, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE ALL OF THEM IN PERSON TO YOU, BUT WE DON'T QUITE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TODAY, SO I'LL DO SOME BRIEF INTRODUCTIONS AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO ONE OF THEM.

AND IF I CAN, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WE ARE WAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ON HIRING OF OUR FACULTY. WE'VE GOT SOME ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL FACULTY THAT ARE BEGINNING THEIR CAREERS WITH US OR HAVE LEFT VERY COMFORTABLE, VERY STABLE, VERY LUCRATIVE JOBS TO BECOME TO COME TO AMARILLO AND BE PART OF A NEW PROGRAM.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP ROW, THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE.

THE ONE ON THE LEFT IS ANNELISE NGUYEN.

THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS KLEMENTINA FON TRACER.

THEY BOTH WORK IN AREAS OF COMPARATIVE ONCOLOGY, FOR EXAMPLE.

DOGS OFTEN HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF BONE CANCER THAT PEOPLE DO, AND THERE'S LOTS OF EXAMPLES. SO THOSE TWO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO WORK ON COMPARATIVE ONCOLOGY AND THE ONE ON THE LEFT. HER ROLE IN THAT IS TO DISCOVER NEW THERAPIES THAT CAN BENEFIT BOTH ANIMALS AND PEOPLE. SO SHE'S WORKING WITH OTHER RESEARCHERS FROM THE HEALTH OF WITH THE HEALTH

[00:30:01]

HE IS FROM EL PASO.

HE ACTUALLY HAS A DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY FROM YALE UNIVERSITY, BUT THEN GOT HIS VET DEGREE AT CORNELL AND HAS COME BACK HOME TO TEXAS TO WORK WITH US.

HE'S A FANTASTIC SCIENTIST AND A GREAT CLINICIAN, AND HE IS DIALED IN.

IF WE LOOK OVER TO THE LOWER RIGHT ON THE SECOND FROM THE RIGHT, EBENEZER TUMBAN.

HE DOES A LOT OF VACCINE WORK AND WE JUST HAD A DISCUSSION ABOUT VACCINES.

SO HE HAS A LOT OF INTERESTING NEW TECHNOLOGIES AS WELL.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF PEOPLE VERY QUICKLY.

THE TOP LEFT ONE IS MARCELO SCHMIDT.

MARCELO WAS BORN IN CALIFORNIA BUT RAISED IN ARGENTINA.

HIS DEGREE IS IN EDUCATION, A PH.D.

IN EDUCATION. SO HE'S GOING TO REALLY HELP US AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN HOW WE EVALUATE OUR NEW CURRICULUM AND HOW WE IMPROVE IT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH THAT'S VERY TRADITIONAL TYPE OF RESEARCH THAT WE THINK OF, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH THAT WE DO AS WELL.

AND THE TWO ON THE UPPER RIGHT, SHIREEN HAFEZ AND JOSH ROWE, AND THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN HOW TO BETTER TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION OF VETERINARIANS.

THEY BOTH ANATOMISTS.

THEY WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP OUR ANATOMY PROGRAM, BUT THEY'RE BOTH FASCINATED IN THE SCIENCE OF LEARNING AND HOW TO BUILD NEW TOOLS AND NEW ASSESSMENTS AND NEW PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN BETTER TRAIN OUR STUDENTS.

AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOSH, NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT JUST IN A LITTLE MOMENT SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY MEET HIM IN PERSON TODAY.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE. WE'VE ALSO ADDED QUITE A LOT OF STAFF.

WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADD MORE STAFF, SOME OF THEM YOU WILL RECOGNIZE ON THE LOWER RIGHT IS [INAUDIBLE]. SHE'S CERTAINLY BEEN A LONG TIME AMARILLO RESIDENT WITH THE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER, BUT SHE'S ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO US.

AND IF I COULD JUST SUMMARIZE THAT AGAIN, WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

WE HAVE SIX MORE FACULTY STARTING IN JANUARY, MORE IN THE SPRING, LOTS OF STAFF TO START IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2021, BUT ALL OF US TO A TEE.

AND JUST SO EXCITED TO BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY.

WE REALIZE WE'RE HERE BECAUSE OF WHAT THE COMMUNITY HAS DONE AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO REALLY PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON MANY SHARED GOALS.

AND SO ONE OF THOSE GOALS COULD BE, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW WE WORK WITH THE SHELTER.

AND IN LOOKING AT THAT AND THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THIS SPAY AND NEUTER NEEDS, THEIR PREVENTATIVE HEALTH NEEDS, YOU CAN GO BACK ONE SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE PREVENTATIVE HEALTH NEEDS, AS WELL AS HOW WE HELP REDUCE ANIMAL INTAKES INTO THE SHELTER AND HELP INCREASE ADOPTION.

AND SO IF WE PARTNER WITH THE CITY ON THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, OBVIOUSLY THAT BENEFITS THE CITY, ITS PROGRAMS. ALL OF OUR ANIMALS BENEFIT AND THE SHELTER BENEFITS.

BUT IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OUTSTANDING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS AS WE IMPLEMENT OUR PROGRAM TO TRY AND REALLY COMPETENT AND CONFIDENT VETERINARIANS.

WHO WHEN THEY GRADUATE, THEY GO OUT AND HELP IMPROVE ANIMAL CARE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AS WELL. AND AS I SAID, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOSH.

JOSH IS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WE ARE JUST THRILLED THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY DECIDED TO LEAVE THEIR JOB IN TENNESSEE AND COME MAKE OUR COMMUNITY HOME.

JOSH IS WORKING WITH US.

HE'S AN ANATOMIST.

AND I'LL JUST LET JOSH INTRODUCE HIMSELF.

SURE, SO I'M JOSH ROWE.

AS I SAID, I'M BOTH A VETERINARIAN AND ANATOMIST AND WE CAME TO AMARILLO, I GUESS, BACK IN THE SUMMER, RIGHT AROUND JUNE.

SO IT WAS QUITE THE EXPERIENCE TO QUIT A JOB, START A JOB, SELL A HOUSE, BUY A HOUSE AND MOVE TWELVE HUNDRED MILES WEST DURING A PANDEMIC.

BUT WE'RE HERE AND IT'S BEEN GREAT THUS FAR.

SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I'M MOSTLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT KIND OF A BIG PART OF OUR MISSION IS PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THIS REGION AND TRAINING COMPETENT VETERINARIANS WHO WILL ULTIMATELY RETURN TO THIS REGION TO PRACTICE.

SO AS A AS A VETERINARIAN AND AN ANATOMIST, MY PASSION IS IN PARTICULAR TEACHING ANATOMY TO EXACTLY THESE TYPE OF STUDENTS.

I'M NOT FROM RURAL AND REGIONAL TEXAS, BUT I AM FROM RURAL TENNESSEE.

AND THERE ARE A LOT MORE SIMILARITIES THAN THERE ARE DIFFERENCES.

ANATOMY I'M PARTICULARLY PASSIONATE ABOUT.

IT'S SO FOUNDATIONAL TO ESSENTIALLY EVERYTHING ELSE WE DO AS VETERINARIANS.

[00:35:06]

AND JUST LIKE TRAINING HUMAN MEDICAL STUDENTS, A BIG PART OF THAT IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE USE OF CADAVERS.

IT REMAINS A VITAL PART OF TEACHING ANATOMY.

ACCORDINGLY, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ETHICAL SOURCING FOR OUR CADAVERS. AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THESE TEACHING MATERIALS THEMSELVES ARE ETHICALLY SOURCED BY FEDERALLY LICENSED ENTITIES TO INCLUDE ONLY THOSE ANIMALS WHOSE REMAINS ARE ONLY THOSE ANIMAL REMAINS THAT WERE HUMANELY EUTHANIZED BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T BE ADOPTED, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR REASONS OF SAFETY.

SO I CAN'T STRESS ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT THESE MATERIALS ARE TO VETERINARY EDUCATION SO THAT WE CAN TRAIN THE BEST POSSIBLE VETERINARIANS TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE CITY ENGAGING THESE ETHICAL COMPANIES FOR THIS EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE. THE NEED FOR CADAVERS IS DECREASING BECAUSE OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH.

FOR INSTANCE, PART OF MY RESEARCH INCLUDES DEVELOPING RESOURCES TO SUPPORT CLAY MODELING TO HELP TEACH ANATOMY.

AND I JUST WANT TO STRESS AGAIN THAT WE ARE ALL AND I KNOW THAT I AM SO COMMITTED TO BEING A GOOD PARTNER FOR AMARILLO AND I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PART OF A TEAM THAT WORKS ON MANY SHARED PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT THE CITY, ITS CITIZENS, ITS ANIMALS AND THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS.

I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT OUR SHARED WORK WILL PRODUCE COUNTLESS GENERATIONS OF VETERINARIANS TO HELP PLACE AMARILLO AT THE CENTER OF REALLY BOTH VETERINARY EDUCATION AND VETERINARY CARE.

SO I'LL STOP THERE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, JOSH.

AND AGAIN, I AM SO THRILLED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE.

IT FEELS LIKE A LONG WHILE SINCE WE PROVIDED AN UPDATE TO YOU AND A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN. OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE ALL BEEN VERY BUSY.

BUT TO MAYOR NELSON, THE WHOLE COUNCIL AND JARED, WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO WELCOME US.

AND WE CERTAINLY LOOK FORWARD TO REPAYING THAT FAVOR.

THANK YOU, DEAN AND DR.

ROWE, WE APPRECIATE YOU BOTH BEING HERE.

COUNCIL DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE TECH VET SCHOOL TEAM THAT'S HERE? IT'S EXCITING TO SEE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.

JUST WE WORKED SO HARD ON IT FOR SO LONG.

IT WAS JUST AN IDEA AND NOW IT IS A REALITY.

WELL, Y'ALL MUST HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB ON YOUR PRESENTATION, BECAUSE I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE COVERED ALL THE QUESTIONS, BUT IT WAS A GOOD PRESENTATION.

WE APPRECIATE THAT YOUR TIME IS VALUABLE AND YOU CHOSE TO SHARE SOME OF IT WITH US TODAY.

AND ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, DR.

ROWE, I WANT TO WELCOME YOU AND YOUR FAMILY TO AMARILLO.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[INAUDIBLE] SO, COUNCILWOMAN HAYS, I SAW YOU UNMUTED YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, DR. ROWE, IF YOU COULD JUST DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT, I'M SURE WE WILL GET SOME QUESTIONS FROM OUR CITIZENS AND JUST THIS TYPE OF PARTNERSHIP IN PROVIDING CADAVERS FOR TRAINING, JUST ADDRESSING THAT THERE ARE NO QUOTAS.

YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A PARTICULAR SOURCING, AND THAT IT'S THAT WE JUST WANT TO DISCUSS THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE CHANGING OUR EFFORTS AS A CITY AND NUMBER ONE FOCUSING ON TRYING TO ADOPT AND REPLACE.

AND SO IF YOU MIGHT JUST ADDRESS THAT AND MR. CITY MANAGER, YOU MAY ADDRESS JUST THAT.

IT WOULD NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES IN OUR CURRENT RELEASE RATE GOALS AND TARGETS.

AND SO, DR.

IF YOU COULD JUST.

SURE. SO JUST KIND OF INITIALLY HERE.

IT. THERE SHOULD BE NO INCENTIVE, AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND I'M SURE THAT AS AGREEMENTS ARE WORKED OUT, THERE WILL BE ABSOLUTELY NO INCENTIVE TO DRIVE ANYTHING TOWARD VETERINARY EDUCATION VERSUS ADOPTION.

OUR ABSOLUTE GOAL, LIKE I SAID, I'M A VETERINARIAN MYSELF.

AND AS A VETERINARIAN, MY GOAL IS TO DRIVE DOWN AND ULTIMATELY, HOPEFULLY ONE DAY ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR ANY SORT OF EUTHANASIA IN SHELTERS AND TO INCREASE ADOPTION RATES.

THE WAY TO DO THAT IS BY TRAINING MORE VETERINARIANS THAT ARE GOING TO BOTH KIND OF DIRECTLY IN THEIR TRAINING, HELP OUT AT THE SHELTER DOING SPAYS AND NEUTERS AND PROVIDING WELLNESS CARE TO INCREASE THE ADAPTABILITY, PROBABLY ADOPTING SOME ANIMALS THEMSELVES IF PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE ENDS UP BEING AN INDICATOR, BUT ALSO GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES AND MAKING SURE THAT ANIMALS ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND AGAIN, SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAMS AND

[00:40:03]

AND CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THE COMPANIES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN SOURCING CADAVER MATERIALS, THEY FOLLOW STRICT GUIDELINES.

THEY'RE FEDERALLY LICENSED AND INSPECTED.

THERE'S NO MONEY CHANGING HANDS TO INCENTIVIZE ANYTHING GOING TOWARD THEM.

THESE WOULD ONLY BE THE REMAINS OF ANIMALS THAT HAD TO BE EUTHANIZED FOR ANOTHER REASON, YOU KNOW, SAFETY REASONS, HEALTH REASONS, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

BUT CERTAINLY NO ONE IS ADVOCATING FOR PURPOSEFULLY EUTHANIZING ANY ANIMAL FOR THIS FOR THIS REASON. COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, I WOULD ALSO ADD WE HAVE WE RECEIVED THE REQUEST FROM TEXAS TECH TO ENGAGE WITH ONE OF THESE NATIONAL COMPANIES AND WE HAVE NOT WRITTEN ANY AGREEMENT WITH ANY COMPANY YET, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT AGREEMENT CLEARLY STATES THAT THERE'S NO QUOTAS, ANY CADAVER THAT WOULD BE USED FOR THIS, THAT THEY WOULD PREPARE AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE VETERINARY SCHOOLS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

IT IS IS ONLY AN ANIMAL THAT HAD NO OTHER OPTION.

AND I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE.

AND ONE THING THAT WE'VE AS HAS BEEN SAID OVER AND OVER AND OVER AS WE WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET THE VETERINARY SCHOOL APPROVED, HAVING A VETERINARY SCHOOL HERE IN AMARILLO, IT WAS GOING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VETERINARIANS IN THE PANHANDLE.

IT'LL ALSO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PANHANDLE NATIVES WHO ARE GOING THROUGH VETERINARY TRAINING BECAUSE THEY'RE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO STAY AND YOU KNOW AND TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES, BOTH LARGE ANIMAL AND SMALL ANIMAL.

SO WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE IS VERY CLEAR IN ANY AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE. OUR GOAL IS TO DRIVE DOWN EUTHANASIA RATES.

SO THE PRESENCE OF MORE VETERINARIANS IN THE PANHANDLE, AS DR.

ROWE SAID, IS GOING TO ULTIMATELY HAVE THE LONG TERM EFFECT AND EVEN SHORT AND MEDIUM TERM EFFECT OF REDUCING OUR EUTHANASIA RATES BECAUSE ANIMALS ARE GOING TO BE SPAYED AND NEUTERED MORE FREQUENTLY. THERE SHOULD BE MORE TRAINED VETERINARIANS TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, BUT ALSO TO CARE FOR THE HEALTH OF THE ANIMALS, BOTH AT OUR FACILITY BUT ALSO AT PEOPLE'S HOMES. SO IT'S GOING TO HAVE A VERY QUICK, POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE HEALTH COMMUNITY. AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT SUBJECT TO ANY QUOTAS THAT WE'RE NOT SUBJECT TO ANYTHING THAT WILL IMPACT, NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR MISSION OF DRIVING DOWN EUTHANASIA RATES IN THE PANHANDLE AND IN AMARILLO SPECIFICALLY.

I THINK THOSE TWO POINTS ARE REALLY CRUCIAL.

THE FACT THERE'S NO QUOTAS, THERE'S NO COMPENSATION, SO THERE IS NO INCENTIVE TO BE INCREASING EUTHANASIA RATES.

AND SO I THINK THAT THOSE ARE TWO IMPORTANT FACTS THAT WE NEED TO GET OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THAT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, DR.

ROWE.

SO ON THIS WHOLE SITUATION OF THE EUTHANASIA AND THESE ANIMALS BEING USED FOR CADAVERS TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND.

ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS I REALIZED THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY AFTER GOING THROUGH DENTAL SCHOOL AND ACTUALLY WE HAD A FULL BODY DISSECTION IN OUR FRESHMAN YEAR, THAT IT'S KIND OF A SACRED THING. AND YOU ARE I THINK WHAT THE PUBLIC ALSO NEEDS TO KNOW IS HOW GRATEFUL YOU ARE AS A STUDENT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY.

AND FOR ME, WHENEVER I'M CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT WE HAVE DOGS THAT HAVE TO OR ANIMALS THAT HAVE TO BE EUTHANIZED FOR THE END RESULT OF THAT EUTHANASIA TO BE THIS EXPERIENCE OF A TEACHING OPPORTUNITY, I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU, I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS ARE HERE AND THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE THERE'S HONESTLY THERE'S NOTHING LIKE ACTUALLY DOING THOSE KIND OF EXPERIENCES BEFORE YOU ACTUALLY START SEEING REAL PATIENTS OR THEY START TREATING OTHER ANIMALS.

AND SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT YOU GUYS, BEFORE YOU EVEN OPEN UP THE SCHOOL, ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE HOW DO WE TURN SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY NOT A GREAT THING INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN BE VERY EDUCATIONAL AND VERY BENEFICIAL FOR THE UNIVERSITY, FOR THE CITY, FOR EVERYTHING.

AND SO I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE WAY THAT YOU ALL ARE DOING THIS AND HANDLING THIS AND ADDRESSING IT. AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE WAY THAT YOU ARE APPROACHING IT. LET ME RETURN MY APPRECIATION.

[00:45:03]

SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU, DR.

SAUER, I KNOW COUNCILMAN SMITH, I THINK, HAD A QUESTION.

WELL, THIS IS MORE OF A STATEMENT, AS I SAID, WHEN I STARTED THIS MEETING.

I'VE BEEN A REALTOR FOR 40 YEARS AND I'M KIND OF ALL OVER THE CITY.

ANY TIME I WORK ANYWHERE CLOSE TO WHERE THIS CONSTRUCTION IS TAKING PLACE, I WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. SO I'VE SEEN IT VERY OFTEN.

AND DR. LONERAGAN, I WANT TO TAKE YOU UP ON YOUR OFFER TO.

FOR ME TO HAVE A TOUR, I'LL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU AT SOME POINT, BUT I'D LOVE TO GO INSIDE AND SEE IT.

PLEASE DO. I WILL.

THE CITY, NOT ONLY THIS CITY, BUT THE REALTOR ORGANIZATION THAT WE RECOGNIZED EARLIER, THEY WERE BEHIND THIS EFFORT AND OTHER TOWNS WERE BEHIND THIS EFFORT.

OUR MAYOR SPENT A LOT OF TIME, I THINK, IN AUSTIN WORKING ON THIS.

AND SO WE'RE VERY PROUD THAT.

THIS BEING DONE IN AMARILLO.

THANK YOU. WELL, THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT COMMENT, THERE'S A LOT OF SHARED OWNERSHIP OF THIS PROGRAM AND AMARILLO AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES OWN THAT TOO.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILWOMAN POWELL, ANYTHING JUST DON'T WANT TO LEAVE YOU OUT.

NO, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I JUST ECHO THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID, SO JUST GRATEFUL FOR TEXAS TECH BEING HERE AND ALL THE GREAT THINGS TO COME AND WHAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE. JUST LOVE THE PROGRAM.

JUST GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE IN OUR CITY.

SO THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] DEAN, I WOULD JUST SAY THE SAME THAT WE, YOU TEASED US WITH THESE OPPORTUNITIES, AGAIN, THINGS THAT WERE CONCEPTUALIZED AND NOW WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THEM GROW NOT JUST IN THE BUILDING OF THE BUILDING AND THE HIRING OF THE FACULTY AND THE APPLICATIONS OF THE STUDENTS, ALL OF THAT EXCELLENT AND BEYOND WHAT WE HOPED FOR.

BUT JUST HEARING THE EXPERTISE, THE RESEARCH, THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DREAMED ABOUT, PARTNERING, YOU KNOW MEDICAL PRACTICE WITH VETERINARY PRACTICE, MEDICAL RESEARCH OR VETERINARY RESEARCH, ALL OF THAT IS IT'S HAPPENING.

YOU GUYS ARE MAKING THAT HAPPEN WITH YOUR TEAM.

SO JUST KUDOS TO YOU, TO YOUR LEADERSHIP.

AND I WANT TO SAY ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE CITY COUNCIL, WE VALUE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS TECH AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH THE LEADERS IN THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM AND ESPECIALLY OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU AT THE VET SCHOOL.

WE HIGHLY VALUE IT.

SO PLEASE KEEP US POSTED ON WHAT WE CAN DO TO HELP AND TO WELCOME THESE STUDENTS AND THE REST OF YOUR FACULTY TO OUR GREAT CITY OF AMARILLO.

ANYTIME. AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I'LL BE BACK ANY TIME YOU ASK.

WONDERFUL. THANK YOU, GUYS.

MR. CITY MANAGER, ANYTHING FINAL ON THAT ITEM? NO, MA'AM. THAT'S IT. OK, MOVING TO ITEM 1D, AN UPDATE FROM THE ILLEGAL DUMPING TASK

[1.D. Update from Illegal Dumping Task Force]

ONE, WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THOSE ALLEYS CLEANED UP AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WE'VE MADE HEADWAY, GOT A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING DURING CORONAVIRUS AS WE WERE FREEZING POSITIONS.

BUT WE'VE BEGUN THE PROCESS OF FILLING THOSE POSITIONS.

WE'RE MAKING HEADWAY INTO THE ILLEGAL DUMPING REPORTS AND REPORTED ILLEGAL DUMPING LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE.

BUT WE WANTED TO TRY AND GET INTO ILLEGAL DUMPING ENFORCEMENT TO TRY AND STOP IT FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T THINK ANY CITY HAS A CURE FOR YET, BUT FINDING AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO REDUCE THE OCCURRENCES OF ILLEGAL DUMPING IS WHAT WE'RE AFTER. IF WE COULD ELIMINATE IT, WE ABSOLUTELY GO FOR THAT.

BUT EDUCATING AND ENFORCING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING ANY ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTING SOMEONE'S ABILITY TO USE THEIR ALLEYS OR DUMPSTERS IS REALLY THE GOAL HERE. IT'S A MULTI DEPARTMENTAL EFFORT AND A LITTLE BIT [INAUDIBLE] BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT [INAUDIBLE].

BUT THIS IS SOLID WASTE.

IT'S PUBLIC WORKS. IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, BUILDING SAFETY, ITS MUNICIPAL COURT, ITS LEGAL. IT'S OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND PERSONNEL THAT ARE FOCUSING ALL THE RESOURCES AND COMMUNICATING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN.

AND I THINK THAT'S A LEVEL OF COORDINATION THAT MAYBE HASN'T HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY HERE.

AND IT'S BECAUSE OF COUNCIL GUIDANCE THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT WAYS TO DO THIS.

[00:50:03]

OK. GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

JARED GAVE A GREAT INTRODUCTION AND TO WHILE WE HAVE FORMULATED THIS TASK FORCE, BUT TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE DONE OR WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING, WE HAVE CREATED AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN FOR THE PROPER WAY FOR CITIZENS DISPOSAL OF BIG AND BULKY ITEMS. AND I THINK EVERYONE IS AWARE OF THAT CAMPAIGN AND HAVE SEEN EITHER THE VIDEOS, THE DUMPSTERS, THE POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALSO OUR DOOR TAGS.

WE HAVE ALSO CREATED A 24 HOUR CALL AND RESPONSE PROGRAM FOR OUR BIG AND BULKY ITEMS, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN THAT PROGRAM.

WE HAVE ALSO PILOTED A PROACTIVE CLEANING UP ALLEYS PROGRAM IN OUR NORTHERN SECTOR OF THE CITY. WE ALSO DO PROVIDE A REQUEST DRIVEN SOLID WASTE ALLEY CLEANUP SERVICES AS WELL.

WE HAVE DONE PARTNERSHIPS WITH NONPROFITS AND CITIZENS FOR CLEANUP EVENTS AS WELL.

AND I KNOW A LOT OF COUNCIL HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED AS PART OF JOIN IN ON THOSE INITIATIVES AS WELL. WITH ALL OF THESE INITIATIVES, THOUGH, AS JARED BRIEFLY SPOKE ABOUT, WE STILL NEED TO LOOK AT OTHER AVENUES TO ENHANCE OUR PROGRAM AS IT PERTAINS TO ILLEGAL DUMPING.

AND WITH DOING THAT, WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER ON THE NEXT SLIDE WHERE I WILL GO TO THAT TO ILLEGAL DUMPING TASK FORCE WE HAVE WITH THESE DEPARTMENTS TOGETHER FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, PUBLIC WORKS, POLICE, BUILDING SAFETY, LEGAL, MUNICIPAL COURT AND COMMUNICATIONS.

AND THIS IS A WEEKLY MEETING THAT WE MEET FOR OUR INTERNAL STAFF TO DISCUSS INITIATIVES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE GOING ON AND LOOK AT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON HOW WE CAN ADDRESS ILLEGAL DUMPING.

AND ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING AND IMPLEMENTING AND THE SUCCESSES THEY'RE SEEING THROUGHOUT THEIR COMMUNITY AS IT PERTAINS TO ADDRESSING THE ILLEGAL DUMPING ISSUE.

TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE ARE THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY EVALUATING. WE ARE REVIEWING AND UPDATING CURRENT ORDINANCES ON ILLEGAL DUMPING.

WE'RE LOOKING AT CIVIL AND CRIMINAL OFFENSES AS IT PERTAINS TO PENALIZING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CAUGHT ILLEGAL DUMPING.

WE ARE PROACTIVELY TRAINING AND EQUIPPING POLICE AND BUILDING SAFETY OFFICERS TO ENFORCE ILLEGAL DUMPING LAWS.

WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED ILLEGAL DUMPING CAMERA PROGRAM, WHICH WE WILL TRY TO EXPAND AS MUCH AS WE CAN DURING THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR AS WELL.

WE HAVE EVALUATE APPROACHES TO EXPEDITE THE CLEANING OF EXISTING ILLEGAL DUMPING SITES.

AND THAT HAS COME ABOUT WITH US ADDING AND REALLOCATING STAFF WITHIN OUR SOLID WASTE OPERATIONS TO BE MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY APPROACHING THE CLEANING OF OUR ALLEYS.

WE HAVE DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A COMMUNICATION PLAN REGARDING ANY CHANGES THAT ARE MADE TO THE LEGAL DUMPING ORDINANCES.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING NOT JUST INTERNALLY BUT EXTERNALLY TO THE CITIZENS OF AMARILLO ON WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO DISPOSE OF THEIR ITEMS AND WHAT ARE THE PENALTIES IF SOMEONE IS ILLEGAL DUMPING AND WHO SHOULD YOU CALL AS WELL WHEN YOU HAVE SEEN SOMEONE ILLEGAL DUMPING EITHER BEHIND YOUR PROPERTY OR SOMEWHERE IN THE CITY? TAKING A LOOK AT THE NEXT STEPS THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR TASK FORCE, WE WANT TO UPDATE THE ILLEGAL DUMPING ORDINANCE TO REFLECT MANAGEMENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

WE WANT TO ORDER AND INSTALL NEW CAMERAS.

WE WANT TO ASSIGN AND TRAIN STAFF TO RESPOND TO ILLEGAL DUMPING.

WE WANT TO EVALUATE HIRING ADDITIONAL STAFF TO ADDRESS CURRENT ILLEGAL DUMPING SITES AS WELL, COMMUNICATE WITH STAFF AND CITIZENS REGARDING ILLEGAL DUMPING LAWS.

AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENFORCE ILLEGAL DUMPING THROUGHOUT THROUGH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND BUILDING SAFETY.

AND THIS LAST SLIDE THAT WE HAVE ON HERE SHOWS YOU THIS IS NOT JUST ONE SECTION, ONE PART OF THE CITY ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN A CITY WIDE ISSUE.

AND WE HAVE COME TOGETHER STRATEGICALLY TO COME UP WITH APPROACHES THAT COULD RESOLVE THESE ISSUES. LIKE JARED SPOKE EARLIER.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE FEEL THAT WE CAN TOTALLY ELIMINATE, BUT WE DO FEEL WE CAN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF ILLEGAL DUMPING THAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.

AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL MAY HAVE.

COUNCIL QUESTIONS FOR RAYMOND? SO, RAYMOND, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS MAP RIGHT HERE AND FROM THE WAY WHAT I KIND OF FEEL LIKE I'M HEARING THERE, THERE IS DUMPING ALL OVER TOWN, BUT THERE'S REALLY SOME HOT SPOTS IN TOWN. OTHERWISE YOU WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING UP CAMERAS AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO THERE ARE PLACES THAT ARE MORE PREVALENT.

YOU END UP SEEING THE ILLEGAL DUMPING THAN JUST EVERYDAY ORDINARY ALLEY, EVEN THOUGH THAT

[00:55:05]

AND THESE HOTSPOTS ARE EITHER DESIGNATED BY CITIZEN'S REQUEST OR WHAT OUR DRIVERS HAVE SENT IN AS WELL REGARDING AREAS THAT THEY'RE SEEING ILLEGAL DUMPING IN ALLEYWAYS.

SO WHAT HAPPENS? I KNOW THAT IT WAS LIKE YOU WOULD MAKE A PHONE CALL TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF AN ALLEY AND IT WOULD TAKE MONTHS FOR A RESPONSE.

SO HAS THAT HOW HAS THAT TIME SHORTENED AND HOW ACTUALLY HOW HAVE YOU GONE ABOUT ADDRESSING THAT SO THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THIS UNDER CONTROL TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY? YES.

AS JARED PREVIOUSLY SPOKE ABOUT PRE COVID, WE WERE RESPONDING VERY QUICKLY TO THESE CALLS. IF YOU HAD AN EMERGENCY CALL, WE WERE GETTING IN WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS.

IF IT WAS BLOCKING THE ALLEY OR IT WAS A HAZARDOUS TO SOME.

RECENTLY, I AFTER COVID THAT LIST STARTED TO GROW TO A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

IT TOOK US TO RESPOND DUE TO WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE STAFFING AT THAT TIME TO RESPOND IN THAT MANNER. AFTER OUR INITIAL COVID RESPONSE AND THE HIRING FREEZE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET STAFF IN, WE ALSO HAVE HIRED TEMPORARY STAFF AND ASSIGN THEM TO ALLEYS AS WELL.

AND WE HAVE REALLOCATED OTHER STAFF WITH INSIDE OF WASTE TO KNOCK THE LIST DOWN TO A REASONABLE LEVEL WHERE WE WITH THE CURRENT RESOURCES WE HAVE WITHOUT USING TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE. THIS IS THE INITIATIVE WE WILL KIND OF REVIEW AND MANAGE MONTHLY TO TAKE A LOOK AT TO SEE HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING.

I CAN INITIALLY TELL YOU WE HAD OVER TWELVE HUNDRED ALLEY REQUEST CALLS AT ONE POINT, BUT NOW WE'RE IN THE SEVEN HUNDREDS NOW.

SO WE ARE SEEING PROGRESS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF WHAT WAS ON OUR EXISTING LIST AND TAKING CARE OF WHAT'S COMING IN FRESH AND NEW TO OUR DEPARTMENT OF SOLID WASTE.

SO CONSIDERING THAT 700 NUMBER OF CALLS.

HOW MANY SITES CAN YOUR SOLID WASTE DEPARTMENT ADDRESS IN A GIVEN DAY? JUST TO KIND OF GIVE SOME UNDERSTANDING FOR THAT.

AND THEN I'LL TALK IN KIND OF A WEEKLY FASHION.

WE [INAUDIBLE] BETWEEN EIGHTY TO ONE HUNDRED ALLEYS THAT WE CLEAN A WEEK.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WE WANT TO GET THAT NUMBER DOWN EVEN FURTHER WITH ADDITIONAL STAFF THAT WE HAVE.

NOW, THIS RECENT ICE STORM THAT WE HAD HAS KIND OF GONE [INAUDIBLE] PER SAY INTO THAT OPERATION, BECAUSE WE HAD TO DEDICATE STAFF TO TAKE CARE OF THE LIMBS THAT WERE BROKEN THAT CITIZENS PLACED ON THE CURBSIDE FOR THE CURBSIDE PROGRAM.

BUT WE'RE GETTING BACK ON TRACK WITH GETTING THOSE EMPLOYEES BACK TO THE ALLEYWAYS AS WELL. SO YOU'VE GOT ALMOST TWO MONTHS WORTH OF WORK JUST FROM PHONE CALLS.

EXACTLY. AND I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE KIND OF NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THERE'S TWO MONTHS WORTH OF WORK JUST FROM THE PHONE CALLS COMING IN, MUCH LESS FROM YOUR GUYS BEING OUT IN THE FIELD AND SEEING SOMETHING ELSE THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CALLED IN.

SO THERE'S STILL A LOT, BUT IT'S DOWN FROM IF IT WAS TWELVE HUNDRED, THEN THAT'S.

TWELVE WEEKS, THAT'S THREE MONTHS WORTH OF IT, SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.

SO WHAT IS THE PHONE NUMBER THAT PEOPLE CALL? [INAUDIBLE] IF YOU WANT TO CALL FOR BIG AND BULKY PROGRAM OR IF YOU WANT TO REPORT SOMETHING IN THE ALLEYWAY, YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL 378-6813.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THAT IS 378-6813.

OK, THANK YOU, RAYMOND.

SO, RAYMOND, HOW MANY REQUESTS DID YOU RECEIVE ON A YEARLY BASIS AND THEN HOW MANY DIFFERENT CAMERA LOCATIONS DO YOU HAVE TO BE THE CITY OF AMARILLO? OK. CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO LOCATIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AT. AND WHAT WE HAVE FOUND OUT REGARDING THE SURVEILLANCE FROM THE SURVEILLANCE STANDPOINT OF, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE SEE THE CAMERAS.

WHEN PEOPLE SEE THE CAMERAS, THEY DON'T ILLEGAL DUMP.

AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY WE WANT TO ENHANCE THE CAMERA SPOTS, OUR LOCATIONS OF THE CAMERAS AND SOME OF THOSE HOT SPOTS THAT YOU SEE ON THAT MAP.

NOW, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE RECEIVE THUS FAR.

YEAR TO DATE, WE RECEIVED, I THINK, ROUGHLY AROUND FOURTEEN THOUSAND CALLS SINCE OCTOBER, THE BEGINNING OF FISCAL YEAR.

FOURTEEN HUNDRED CALLS, I'M SORRY.

FOURTEEN HUNDRED CALLS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

AND SOME OF THAT LIST THAT WE HAD FROM THE EXISTING IS STUFF THAT WAS IN LAST YEAR ROLLING OVER.

AND COUNCILOR POWELL, ONE THING TO SAY ON THE CAMERAS AND THE NUMBER OF CAMERAS AND THE LOCATIONS AND ALL THAT.

BEFORE WE HEAVILY INVEST IN CAMERAS, WE WANTED TO DO A PILOT PROGRAM WITH THEM TO SEE HOW

[01:00:05]

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND MUNICIPAL COURT IS PART OF THIS PROCESS. HOW CAN WE USE THAT FOOTAGE? HOW CAN THAT CHANGE PEOPLE'S BEHAVIORS? PAIRING THAT WITH COMMUNICATIONS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED THEM, YOU KNOW, HOW WE NEED THEM TO PUT OUT THEIR WASTE.

LARGE, BULKY ITEMS DON'T GO IN THE ALLEY.

IF THEY CAN'T FIT IN THE DUMPSTER, THEY NEED TO MAKE THAT CALL.

SO WE'VE DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE IS A POSITIVE EFFECT TO [INAUDIBLE] INVEST IN SOME MORE AS WE [INAUDIBLE] AND PROBABLY AS WE GO ON, YOU KNOW, GOING FORWARD, THIS WILL BE A PART OF THE INVENTORY FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND SOLID WASTE.

BUT THERE'S COST ASSOCIATED WITH EACH ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS.

SO EACH ONE OF THESE CAMERAS CAN BE MOVED TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.

BUT THERE HAS TO BE SOME POWER AVAILABLE.

SO WE ARE GOING TO IT'S A IT'S A MULTITIERED DEAL.

EDUCATE, CHANGE BEHAVIOR, BUT ALSO ENFORCE.

EXACTLY. AND TO CAVEAT, JUST TO ELABORATE ON WHAT JARED JUST SPOKE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, WE HAVE REALLY ADDRESSED TWO ASPECTS.

I MEAN, WE CONTINUE TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS.

BUT WE IN THE PAST, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION AND CLEANING.

THIS ILLEGAL ACTIONS AND ENFORCEMENT IS THE THIRD PIECE OF IT THAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO TRY TO GROW THAT PROGRAM.

THEY'RE VARIED, WE'RE GETTING QUOTES NOW SO WE CAN GET AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW MUCH THEY ACTUALLY COST FOR THE QUALITY THAT WE NEED, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

THE RANGE THAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IS ANYWHERE FROM LIKE SEVEN TO EIGHT, ALL THE WAY UP TO LIKE 16000, DEPENDING ON DO WE HAVE TO RUN POWER, DO WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH THE CAMERA TO MAKE IT WORK.

THE HARDWARE ITSELF IS MOST OF THAT PRICE THOUGH.

SO THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR.

YES. YEAH, AND WE'RE LOOKING ONCE WE GET THOSE CAMERAS, WE CAN DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF HOW WE WANT TO MONITOR THOSE CAMERAS AS WELL.

SO WILL THEY BE KIND OF LIKE, WILL YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO MOVE THEM FROM SIDE TO SIDE IF YOU NEED TO? YES, AND THAT'S FOLLOWED IN COURSE WITH BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING WITH THEIR CAMERAS.

NO ONE IS BUYING ONE HUNDRED CAMERAS.

THEY'RE BUYING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CAMERAS AND THEY'RE JUST MOVING THEM TO THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE HAVING ISSUES AT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? THIS IS REALLY THE CULMINATION OF SEVERAL YEARS OF WORK, SO WHILE THE TASK FORCE ITSELF IS COMING TOGETHER WITH A NEW FOCUS AND THERE'S BEEN YEARS, I KNOW AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF WORK IN LAUNCHING THE BIG AND BULKY PROGRAM AND LAUNCHING [INAUDIBLE] SITES AND GETTING THE CARTS ROLLED OUT TO ADDRESS SOME SAFETY ISSUES ACROSS THE CITY.

ALL OF THAT WORK HAD TO BE DONE BEFORE YOU COULD BE AT THIS PLACE READY TO CAST THIS VISION FOR BEING SPECIFICALLY WORKING ON TARGETING ENFORCEMENT AGAINST HOTSPOTS THAT ILLEGAL DUMPING IS HAPPENING.

SO I AM PLEASED WITH THIS REPORT AND VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL IT HAS TO MAKE OUR CITY A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.

THANK YOU. YEAH, ANYTHING FURTHER COUNCIL ON THAT ITEM BEFORE WE MOVE ON? OK, LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM 1E, AN UPDATE FROM PORTS-TO-PLAINS AND KEVIN CARTER'S HERE TO GIVE THAT UPDATE.

BEFORE WE TAKE THAT UPDATE.

JUST LOOKING AT THE SIZE OF OUR AGENDA TODAY, COUNCIL, I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT I AM PLANNING IN A BATHROOM BREAK AT THE END OF OUR WORK SESSION AGENDA.

SO BEFORE WE DO THE CONSENT AGENDA.

BUT IF IN THE MEANTIME, FUNNY FREDA, THAT'S VERY FUNNY.

IF YOU NEED TO TAKE A BREAK, OF COURSE, GET UP AND GO HANDLE THAT.

BUT I'M PLANNING FOR A BREAK AFTER ITEM 1J.

OK, KEVIN CARTER, HAND THE MICROPHONE TO YOU.

[1.E. Update on Ports-to-Plains – Kevin Carter]

MAYOR AND COUNCIL. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT PORTS-TO-PLAINS.

PORTS-TO-PLAINS WAS FOUNDED IN THE MID 1990S BY SEVERAL CITIES IN WEST TEXAS TO STUDY THE POSSIBILITY OF EXTENDING I27 FURTHER.

AND SO IT HAS BECOME NOW A TWENTY THREE HUNDRED MILE CORRIDOR FROM LAREDO, TEXAS TO ALBERTA, CANADA, AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT GETTING GOODS AND SERVICES OVER THAT CORRIDOR.

[01:05:07]

AND I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW THIS, REALLY THE DISTANCE WAS THERE IS NOT A NORTH SOUTH INTERSTATE CORRIDOR BETWEEN I25 AND I35.

I DIDN'T, I KNEW THAT, BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT 600 MILES IN WIDTH THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A NORTH SOUTH INTERSTATE CORRIDOR GOING UP FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH IN THE UNITED STATES. THAT'S A HUGE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE BEEN TO DALLAS AND YOU'VE BEEN ON I35 FROM DALLAS TO, YOU KNOW, THROUGH WACO AND DOWN TO AUSTIN, IT'S JUST A MESS.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A WAY TO GET SOME OF THAT, ESPECIALLY THAT TRUCK AND CONGESTION OFF OF I35 AND OVER INTO THE PORTS-TO-PLAINS CORRIDOR.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR ACTUALLY IN THE LAST YEAR, GOVERNOR ABBOTT SIGNED HOUSE BILL 1079 AND THAT WAS AN IMPORTANT BILL.

AND WHAT THAT DID WAS IT HAD IT MADE TXDOT DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY.

I REALLY WANT TO COMMEND REPRESENTATIVE FOUR PRICE AND SENATOR CHARLES PERRY FROM LUBBOCK. THEY WERE THE COAUTHORS OF THIS BILL IN THOSE RESPECTIVE HOUSES AND REALLY GOT THE BALL ROLLING AND GOT TXDOT INVOLVED.

AND SO HOUSE BILL 1079 WAS THE BIG STUDY THAT WAS DONE THIS PAST YEAR.

IT WAS REALLY KIND OF SPLIT INTO TWO DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, THERE'S AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THAT COMMITTEE MET SIX TIMES.

IT WAS MADE UP OF IT WAS ACTUALLY IN THE HOUSE, IN THE HOUSE BILL.

WHAT MEMBERS NEEDED TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE.

AND SO THE MAYOR OR HER DESIGNEE WAS ON THAT COMMITTEE AND JARED MILLER WAS PART OF THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THAT COMMITTEE WAS CHAIRED BY MAYOR DAN POPE OUT OF LUBBOCK.

AND HE DID A TREMENDOUS JOB OF CHAIRING THAT COMMITTEE.

AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER SET OF COMMITTEES AND THOSE WERE THREE SEGMENT COMMITTEES.

AND THE SEGMENTS WERE DIVIDED UP FROM PLAINVIEW NORTH ALL THE WAY TO THE OKLAHOMA BORDER AND THEN FROM SOUTH OF PLAINVIEW, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO SONORA WAS A SEGMENT COMMITTEE AND THEN FROM SONORA DOWN TO LAREDO.

AND SO WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING JARED MILLER CHAIR THE SEGMENT ONE COMMITTEE.

AND SO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAD JARED CHAIRING THAT COMMITTEE.

WE MET SEVERAL TIMES.

I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE A PART OF THAT SEGMENT COMMITTEE, AND WE MET SEVERAL TIMES ON WHAT WE THOUGHT OUR PRIORITIES WERE FOR THE SEGMENT THAT REALLY HAD AMARILLO IN THAT SEGMENT. AND SO THOSE REPORTS WERE DUE TO THE BIG ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

THOSE WERE DUE ON JUNE 30TH AND THOSE WERE TURNED IN AND THEN THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TOOK THOSE AND FORMULATED THAT.

AND THOSE WERE PUT IN ON OCTOBER 20TH AND REALLY SOME GOOD THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT.

THE WHOLE FEASIBILITY PROCESS AND LET ME GO OVER THE EIGHT THINGS THAT THEY WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR.

SAFETY AND MOBILITY, FREIGHT MOVEMENT, THE ECONOMIC IMPACT, INTERSTATE DESIGNATION AREAS, TRAFFIC CONGESTION RELIEF, MOVING ENERGY PRODUCTS TO MARKET, INTERSTATE UPGRADE COST, AND THE POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES FOR THOSE UPGRADES.

AND SO JUST SORT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT CAME OUT OF THOSE FINDINGS, THEY'RE PRETTY TREMENDOUS, ESPECIALLY I WANT TO TOUCH ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND THIS IS OVER THE FIRST 20 YEARS AFTER YOU GET THE INTERSTATE BUILT.

FIFTY FIVE POINT SIX BILLION GAINED IN TEXAS GDP.

THAT'S A HUGE NUMBER.

THE BENEFIT TO COST RATIO, IF YOU GET A ONE TO ONE BENEFIT COST RATIO, YOU'RE DOING GOOD.

THE BENEFIT COST RATIO RATIO ON THIS I27 EXTENSION IS TWO POINT FOUR.

SO YOU'RE DOUBLING WHAT IS GOOD.

SO TWO POINT FOUR, WE'D HAVE A TWENTY ONE PERCENT DECREASE OR THEY'RE PROJECTING A TWENTY ONE PERCENT DECREASE IN THE CRASH RATE.

THAT EQUATES TO FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS IN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.

SEVENTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED JOBS THAT WOULD BE CREATED BECAUSE OF THE CORRIDOR, WHETHER THAT'S IN WAREHOUSING AND LOGISTICS, TRUCK DRIVING.

I MEAN, THERE'S JUST YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE JUST ENDLESS.

[01:10:01]

THAT'S IMMEDIATE. IF THEY WHEN THEY START THE CONSTRUCTION, THAT'S HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION.

AND THAT'S JUST IN TEXAS.

I DIDN'T SAY THAT AT FIRST.

THAT JUST COVERS THE NINE HUNDRED AND THIRTY ONE MILES OF THE CORRIDOR IN TEXAS, IT DOES NOT INCLUDE OTHER PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

THAT THE TXDOT FEASIBILITY STUDY JUST COVERED TEXAS.

SO A PRETTY TREMENDOUS IMPACT OF WHAT THE DESIGNATION AND WHAT THE CREATION OF I27 FROM LAREDO ALL THE WAY TO THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE AND OVER TO SORT OF WHERE DALHART GOES INTO THAT COLORADO SEGMENT THAT WOULD SPLIT OFF AND ACTUALLY BE TWO ROUTES.

SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS OUT OF THE HOUSE LEGISLATION.

THE PASS, THIS PASS CONGRESS, H.R.2 PASSED THAT INCLUDED FUTURE INTERSTATE DESIGNATION FOR TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO.

SENATOR CRUZ AND SENATOR CORNYN ARE NOW ON BOARD FOR INTRODUCING A SENATE BILL AS CO-SPONSORS THAT WOULD DESIGNATE TEXAS, NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA AND COLORADO AS FUTURE I27 DESIGNATION. THAT'S HUGE JUST TO GET THE DESIGNATION BECAUSE THEN IT GIVES SOME MERIT TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

AND SO IN THIS NEXT CONGRESS, THEY WILL REINTRODUCE H.R.2.

I WILL TELL YOU THAT CONGRESSMAN ARRINGTON FROM LUBBOCK IS LEADING THE CHARGE ON THE HOUSE BILL, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVE [INAUDIBLE] DOWN IN THE VALLEY.

AND SO VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THESE TWO ON THE SIDE OF THE PORTS-TO-PLAINS CORRIDOR.

I KNOW I KIND OF WENT OVER THAT FAST, BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ANY COMMENTS, OBVIOUSLY VERY THANKFUL THAT JARED WAS ON PART OF THE COMMITTEE. HE WAS PART OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THEN HE CHAIRED THE SEGMENT COMMITTEE. SO JARED MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO ADD MAYOR.

AS FAR AS THE SECOND COMMITTEE WHERE IT GOES WORKING ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS A GREAT PROCESS. REALLY CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP OF MAYOR POPE FROM LUBBOCK, AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT MADE THIS POSSIBLE AND REALLY ARTICULATED AND LAID A VISION FOR HOW WE CAN HAVE THIS QUARTER THAT WE'VE THAT'S BEEN PLANNED FOR DECADES.

BUT IT'S NEVER RECEIVED THE ATTENTION FROM CERTAINLY THE STATE, BUT ALSO THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION.

SO THIS LAYS OUT A PLAN.

IT LAYS OUT A SCHEDULE FOR CONSTRUCTION.

IF WE EVER DO GET THE FUNDING, WE NEED TO BUILD IT AND REALLY LAYS OUT THE VISION IN A WAY THAT'S NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE.

SO THAT'S THE REAL BENEFIT OF 1079.

SO WE'RE REAL EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

GREAT. COUNCIL QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS.

SO KEVIN REMIND ME AGAIN SO.

SO WHO'S GOING TO PAY FOR THIS? IS IT FEDERAL DOLLARS, STATE DOLLARS, LOCAL DOLLARS? HOW IS THAT ALLOCATION GOING TO BE DELEGATED? I THINK IT'LL BE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER HIGHWAY SYSTEM, IT'LL BE IT'LL BE FEDERALLY FUNDED THROUGH STATE ALLOCATION, YOU KNOW, THE STATE GETS FEDERALLY FEDERAL FUNDS TO PAY FOR ROADS. AND THAT'S HOW OR AT LEAST THAT'S THE ENVISION THAT I GOT LAST YEAR.

JARED GOT SOMETHING DIFFERENT. BUT THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT.

AND THEY'RE MAYBE LOOKING AT SOME TYPE OF OTHER FUNDING.

BUT MY GUESS IS IT WOULD HAVE TO BE IN THE BUDGET SOMEWHERE.

SO WOULD IT BE HAVE TO BE EARMARKED? IT'S LIKE, SO WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING THOSE DOLLARS COME TO THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT THEN TEXAS LEGISLATURES, LEGISLATORS DESIGNATE THOSE DOLLARS.

WHAT PROJECTS ARE GOING TO SO.

[INAUDIBLE] TXDOT ACTUALLY GETS THE BUDGET FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT. AND THEN TXDOT ALLOCATES THOSE DOLLARS TO WHAT PROJECTS THAT THEY SEE THE NEED FOR. AND THEY'RE CATEGORIZED THE DOLLARS COME IN CERTAIN CATEGORIES AND CERTAIN LEVELS OF COMMUNITIES QUALIFY FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BASED ON POPULATION.

AND SO ALL OF THAT IS PART OF WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN OUR, EDDY, THE COMMITTEE NAMES FLYING OUT OF MY HEAD.

MPO.

THE MPO. ALL I COULD THINK OF WAS THE RAC, AND THE MPO THAT EDDY AND I SERVE ON INTERFACES WITH TXDOT AND THE FUNDING THAT WE GET EVERY YEAR. AND SOME OF THAT IS DISCRETIONARY.

AND SO WE HAVE HOSTED MEETINGS HERE LOCALLY WITH TXDOT COMMISSION MEMBERS.

[01:15:03]

THERE'S A LOT TO HOW HIGHWAY FUNDS WORK, HOW THEY'RE DISTRIBUTED.

AND OF COURSE, ALL OF THE PROJECTS HAVE A LOT OF ZEROS ON THEM.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF A LOT OF DOLLARS INVOLVED.

AND IN THE FUNDING RECOGNITION RECOMMENDATIONS, DON'T ACTUALLY SAY HERE'S WHICH DOLLARS WE'RE GOING TO USE. IT IDENTIFIES POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES AND THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE BOTH WITH TXDOT AND AUSTIN BUT ALSO I SAY LOCALLY, BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE] TXDOT OFFICES AND REPRESENTATIVES WHO WORK IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WHO ALSO WORK WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS OUT THERE IN D.C.

BECAUSE IT IS A FEDERAL ISSUE, IT'S A MULTI STATE INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR AND TAKES MULTIPLE PATHS OUT OF TEXAS.

SO WE'VE EXPLORED ALL OF THAT GOING BOTH THROUGH NEW MEXICO AND THROUGH OKLAHOMA.

THE BUT THERE'S A LARGE FUNDING MIX THAT TXDOT GETS TO USE TO DECIDE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO ALL THE PROJECTS THEY HAVE FOR ANY GIVEN TIME.

IN SOME CASES, LIKE WHAT YOU SEE IN THE METROPLEX OR POSSIBLY IN THE AUSTIN AND HOUSTON AREA IS THEY PUT IN TOLL ROADS.

SOMETIMES IT'S A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OF SORTS.

[INAUDIBLE] MUCH TO THOSE BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC VOLUMES, THE DIFFERENCES IN TRAFFIC VOLUMES AND GROWTH RATES. BUT THE AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC IMPACT AND KEVIN ALLUDED TO IT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT WE HAVE ON THE STATE THAT WE HAVE ON THE NATION WITH REGARD TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AGRICULTURAL TRANSPORTATION, TEXTILES, AND THEN THE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES, AS YOU GO FARTHER SOUTH DOWN [INAUDIBLE] CHANGE, YOU KNOW, AS YOU GET DOWN INTO SEGMENT TWO, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OIL AND GAS.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST DRIVERS IN THE NATION WITH REGARD TO OIL, GAS, WIND, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THIS ROADWAY. AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING WHERE THEY'RE ALLOCATING AWAY FROM THE I35 CORRIDOR TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH ALL OF THE WORK THAT'S CURRENTLY GOING ON AT THE I35 CORRIDOR.

SO IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE.

WELL IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THAT CORRECTLY.

THEN IT SOUNDS LIKE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE DECISION MAKER IS TXDOT, BUT HAVING A WELL DEFINED PLAN, RAISING AWARENESS, SHOWING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT BENEFIT CAN HELP SUPPORT MOVING THIS PROJECT OF HIGHER ON THE PRIORITY LIST OF THOSE PROJECTS IN FRONT OF TXDOT.

THAT'S CORRECT. AND ALSO, COUNCILWOMAN HAYS, IS HAVING THAT FEDERAL DESIGNATION THAT REALLY HELPS HAVING THE FOLKS IN WASHINGTON INVOLVED IN THIS, THAT REALLY HELPS.

AND THEN THEY CAN ALLOCATE THOSE DOLLARS DOWN TOO, THEY CAN.

HELPS GET US ON THE [INAUDIBLE].

IT'S STILL GOING TO BE RUN THROUGH THE TXDOT, BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN KIND OF PUSH THOSE DOLLARS WHERE THEY WANT THOSE IF THEY'RE ADDITIONAL DOLLARS.

THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION.

SO, KEVIN, I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU, KIND OF A BASED ON THE MPO SITUATION THAT THAT I SIT ON WITH THE MAYOR.

IS SO WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY, THOSE OF US THAT ARE ON THAT COMMITTEE OF HELPING TO KIND OF INFLUENCE MAYBE WHERE THE DOLLARS ARE SPENT OR WHAT ORDER THAT THEY'RE SPENT IN AND THAT KIND OF THING. SO IF YOU MOVE OUT OF THAT MPO AREA OR WHATEVER, THE NEXT AREA UP IS THAT WHAT, TRANSPORTATION, THE TSO OR SOMETHING LIKE TPO.

SO WHO INFLUENCES THE ORDER THAT THINGS ARE DONE WHENEVER WE GET INTO, LET'S SAY, THE RURAL AREAS? SO LET'S SAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STRETCH FROM AMARILLO TO DUMAS.

WHO AND WHAT PARTS OF IT GET DONE AT WHAT PERIOD OF TIME, BECAUSE THAT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO DO THIS IS MIND BOGGLING, WHENEVER I JUST CONSIDER HOW MUCH THE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR ON THE MPO, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE THIS QUARTER GOING FROM LAREDO ALL THE WAY UP INTO COLORADO.

I MEAN, THAT'S A GAZILLION DOLLARS PROBABLY.

SO WHO [INAUDIBLE] WHO INFLUENCES THAT? I THINK THAT'S WHERE HAVING A WHICH WE DO HAVING A STRONG TXDOT DISTRICT OFFICE, THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE FOR US.

AND THEY ARE PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF SAY IN THOSE RURAL AREAS AND OUR AMARILLO DISTRICT OFFICE DOES HANDLE, I THINK, EVERYTHING FROM HERE NORTH AND FROM HERE PROBABLY

[01:20:03]

AND SO AS FAR AS HAVING THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE DO WITH THOSE DISTRICT OFFICES IS SUPER IMPORTANT. AND AS FAR AS THE OVERARCHING PORTS-TO-PLAIN CORRIDOR PROJECT, WHERE WE DID THE FEASIBILITY STUDY ASSOCIATED WITH HB 1079, ONE OF THE PRODUCTS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT WAS A FAZING PLAN FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ROAD SEGMENTS, BYPASS, LOOPS, A LOT OF LOOP PROJECTS IN THERE BECAUSE LIKE AS YOU SEE WITH I27 GOING RIGHT THROUGH DOWNTOWN WITH AT LEAST 13 TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN A VERY SHORT ORDER, YOU HAVE THE SAME THING IN OTHER CITIES ON OUR CORRIDOR WHERE YOU'VE GOT STOP SIGNS OR TRAFFIC LIGHTS ARE VERY UNSAFE SITUATIONS WITH HUGE AMOUNTS OF TRUCK TRAFFIC AND VEHICULAR TRAFFIC.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE PRIMARY GOALS, IS TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHWAYS THAT HAVE SO MANY STOPS AND VEHICLE INTERACTION POINTS, CROSS INTERSECTIONS, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT ACCESS CONTROL, WE'RE LOOKING AT MORE OF A TRADITIONAL INTERSTATE GOING THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE CORRIDOR.

SOME AREAS. IT'S NOT QUITE GOING TO BE LIKE THAT JUST BECAUSE THERE'S [INAUDIBLE], BUT WE PUT TOGETHER A FAZING PLAN AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.

SO I GUESS THAT ALSO MEANS THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, STATE HIGHWAY LOOP 335 DESIGNATION WOULD CHANGE TO INTERSTATE 27.

DOWNTOWN, WHERE YOU HAVE THOSE ENORMOUS PEDESTRIAN INTERACTIONS WITH ALL OF THOSE VEHICLES THROUGH FOUR DIFFERENT LARGE THREE LANE SECTIONS, WE RECOMMENDED USING THE WESTERN PART OF LOOP 335 AS A I27 BYPASS AROUND AMARILLO SO THAT THROUGH TRAFFIC DOESN'T HAVE TO GO RIGHT THROUGH DOWNTOWN, BUT CAN INSTEAD KEEP MOVING NONSTOP RIGHT ON THROUGH.

IF YOU'VE BEEN TO BIG SPRING, IT WILL BE SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY'VE DONE IN BIG SPRING.

AND AN INTERESTING THING IS HOW FAR ARE WE AWAY FROM THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENING? WE'RE STILL ANOTHER, WHAT, 10 YEARS AWAY, AT LEAST.

YEAH. A LONG WAY, LONG WAY WE BUT BUT IT ALSO WOULD HELP IF IT WOULD PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY. IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE TO GET FUNDING FOR 335.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONSTRUCTION YOU SEE OUT ON HELIUM RIGHT NOW, THE NEWLY DESIGNATED 335 IS ONLY ON THE SERVICE ROADS [INAUDIBLE] THAT ROAD ROADWAY.

SO THE MAIN LANES HAVE NOT YET BEEN FUNDED.

THEY'VE BEEN DESIGNED AND PROGRAMED, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN FUNDED.

SO WE CAN'T START BUILD THEM TILL WE GET THAT FUNDING.

AND FINDING THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE.

SO USING IT AS AN I27 BYPASS MEANS THAT IF WE DO GET FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS ADEQUATE TO BUILD I27 OR BUILD THE PLAINS CORRIDOR.

THAT WOULD ALSO ACCELERATE THE COMPLETION OF THE LOOP 335 PROJECT BECAUSE IT IS INCORPORATED INTO CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE PORTS-TO-PLAINS PROJECT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COUNCIL OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE, KEVIN.

NEVER THERE'S SO MANY MOVING PARTS TO THAT, I JUST NEVER FELT LIKE I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHEN THAT COMES UP. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU SERVING ON THAT BOARD AND BRINGING BACK THAT THAT INFORMATION.

REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.

WELL, THANK YOU. AND LIKE I SAID, WE'RE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE JARED SERVE ON THAT COMMITTEE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER SERVING ON THE MPO, THAT CERTAINLY IS HUGE.

I THINK WE STRUGGLE BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A BIG PROJECT AND IT'S BEEN AT LEAST 20 YEARS, MORE THAN 20 YEARS THAT PORTS-TO-PLAINS HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT AND EDC IS INVOLVED LOCALLY FOR US IN AMARILLO BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT.

SO JUST YOU'RE RIGHT, ELAINE.

IT IS ONE OF THOSE THE BREADTH OF THE PROJECT IS REALLY HARD TO GET YOUR ARMS AROUND.

AND IT'S MOVING IS SO BIG, IT'S MOVING, BUT IT'S MORE LIKE A GLACIER.

AND SO WHEN IS THERE A CHANCE TO UPDATE? BECAUSE WHEN HAS SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPENED OTHER THAN IT'S CRAWLING FORWARD AT ITS 40 YEAR PACE, SO ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS.

JOHN OSBORN, WHO HEADS THE PORTS-TO-PLAINS ORGANIZATION IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HAS DONE SOME PHENOMENAL WORK ON ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHING SOME LAND, SOME LANDMARKS, PASSING SOME THINGS THAT MADE AN UPDATE LIKE THIS POSSIBLE.

[01:25:01]

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MOVING SORT OF, I HATE TO SAY A SNAIL'S PACE, BUT I27, THE HUNDRED AND THE FIRST HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOUR MILES, WHICH IS WHAT IS NOW IS EXISTING WAS AUTHORIZED IN NINETEEN SIXTY EIGHT AND COMPLETED IN NINETEEN NINETY TWO.

SO TWENTY FOUR YEARS AFTER IT WAS [INAUDIBLE] WAS AUTHORIZED, IT TOOK TWENTY FOUR YEARS TO FINISH. SO IT'S, IT'S NOT A FAST PACE PROJECT, BUT THERE'S THAT HOPE OF IT COMING AND YOU JUST HOPE YOU GET TO SEE IT.

THANKS, KEVIN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK AND I WOULD GIVE JARED A PAT ON THE BACK, TOO.

HE HAS SPENT A LOT OF HOURS IN THE LAST YEAR IN THOSE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND WORKING WITH THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

WE APPRECIATE THAT JARED. OK, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM 1F, WHICH IS TO REVIEW A DRAFT

[1.F. Review draft Ordinance Boards and Commissions Eligibility]

MR. CITY MANAGER? RIGHT MAYOR, I'M GOING TO SEE STEPHANIE, DO YOU HAVE THIS WHERE YOU CAN PUT IT UP ON THE SCREEN? I AM WORKING TO SHARE IT RIGHT NOW. SO AT THE COUNCIL MEETING WHERE WE DISCUSSED BOARD APPOINTMENTS, COUNCIL ASKED STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER A CHANGE TO OUR ORDINANCES OR ORDINANCE THAT USED TO STIPULATE THAT WHERE IT CURRENTLY STIPULATES THAT ANYBODY SERVING ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION FOR THE CITY OF AMARILLO IS GOING TO BE A DISTRICT VOTER AND STATE REGISTERED VOTER DURING THE TERMS OF THEIR SERVICE. BECAUSE COUNCIL RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S SOMETIMES THERE'S PEOPLE WHO DON'T AREN'T REGISTERED TO VOTE INSIDE THE CITY WHO HAVE UNIQUE SKILLS AND ABILITIES AND TALENTS THAT WILL BENEFIT OUR BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND OUR RESIDENTS BY THE THROUGH THEIR SERVICE. SO THEY ASKED US TO BRING A DRAFT TO PUT TOGETHER A DRAFT THAT WOULD ENABLE COUNCIL TO USE SOMEONE WHO'S NOT A REGISTERED VOTER ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION IF THEY FELT IT WAS JUSTIFIED, IF THEY FELT THERE WAS A UNIQUE BENEFIT THAT WARRANTED THAT, THAT NOT REGISTERED VOTERS, THAT NON REGISTERED VOTER TO SERVE ON A BOARD OF COMMISSION.

SO AS YOU'LL SEE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY TOP PART, WE'VE STRUCK THROUGH THAT PART OF THE ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRED SOMEONE TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER AND STAY REGISTERED VOTER DURING THE ENTIRE SERVICE ON THE BORDER COMMISSION.

WE STRUCK THROUGH THAT. AND THEN AT THE VERY END OF THAT PARAGRAPH, WE ADDED A SENTENCE THAT JUST SAYS WHILE REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE CITY WILL BE PREFERRED, THE COUNCIL MAY APPOINT ANY PERSON NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE IN THE CITY WHO BRINGS EXCEPTIONAL SUBJECT MATTER KNOWLEDGE OR EXPERTISE ON A [INAUDIBLE].

BRIAN, DO WE NEED TO SAY ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION? WE CERTAINLY CAN. BUT IT NEVER REALLY SAID COMMISSIONS BEFORE.

NO IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T, BUT.

GIVES COUNCIL THE OPPORTUNITY, IT REMOVES THE REQUIREMENT, MAKES IT AN EXPECTATION, BUT ALSO PROVIDES THE CAVEAT THAT COUNCIL CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT IF THEY FEEL IT'S GOING TO OR USE SOMEONE WHO'S NOT A REGISTERED VOTER, IF THEY FEEL IT'S GOING TO BRING A UNIQUE BENEFIT TO THE CITY THROUGH THEIR SERVICE.

COUNCIL, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS OR RESPONSE TO THE CITY MANAGER ON THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE? MAYOR, I LIKE THE DRAFT, I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.

SO DOES THE INDIVIDUAL THAT LIVES OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.

DO THEY HAVE TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER IN THE CITY THAT THEY RESIDE? THIS WOULD NOT REQUIRE THAT.

NO. OTHER THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS? [INAUDIBLE] SURE LET'S GO WITH COUNCILMAN SMITH AND THEN WE'LL GO TO YOU, COUNCILMAN HAYS.

AND YOU SAID, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE WHAT'S BEEN WRITTEN.

SO WE HAVE THE LATITUDE OF APPOINTING SOMEONE WE THINK IS IMPORTANT.

COUNCILMAN HAYS. YOU KNOW, WE WERE ORIGINALLY KIND OF TALKING ABOUT THIS AND THINKING OF IT WITH THE APPOINTMENTS, I REALLY WAS THINKING IN THE LINES OF NOT REQUIRING SOMEBODY TO HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS, RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE A REGIONAL HUB, WE DO IMPACT A LOT OF WHAT HAPPENS IN THE REGION, NOT JUST WHAT HAPPENS IN OUR CITY.

AND SO I WAS VERY INTERESTED IN KIND OF LOOKING AT WAYS WE CAN BROADEN THAT PARTICIPATION IN SOME OF THESE. BUT REALLY, WHEN WE READ THE PAST, IT WASN'T EVEN SAYING THAT IT WASN'T ABOUT LIVING WITHIN OUR CITY LIMITS.

IT WAS THAT YOU HAD TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER OF A CITY.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE IT WAS A DOUBLE LAYER OF ACCOUNTABILITY.

YOU LIVED HERE, BUT YOU ALSO YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS

[01:30:08]

AND SO IF WE REMOVE THAT, I THINK WE TAKE OUT SOMETHING THAT WAS A PART OF MAYBE WHY IT WAS IN THERE BEFORE.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT WHEN YOU'RE ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN THEY FILL OUT THEIR APPLICATION, IT'S ARE YOU A REGISTERED VOTER? IT'S NOT. DO YOU LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO? AND SO I THINK IT DOES WATER DOWN A LITTLE BIT, A REQUIREMENT TO TO AT LEAST BE ACCOUNTABLE TO PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS.

THAT QUESTION WILL BE ON THERE.

ON THE APPLICATION BECAUSE WE STATE THERE'S A REFERENCE FOR A REGISTERED VOTER, WE DO NEED TO KNOW SO THAT WE CAN ARTICULATE TO COUNCIL.

ARE THEY REGISTERED VOTER OR NOT? AND THEN IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO THEM AND POSSIBLY THROUGH INTERACTION WITH COUNCIL STAFF, WITH THEM ARTICULATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT UNIQUE SKILLS OR STRENGTHS THEY'RE GOING BE ABLE TO BRING TO A BOARD OR COMMISSION.

ELAINE, SO THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN NOW, BEFORE THERE WAS AN ASSUMPTION YOUR, YOU LIVE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS, BUT THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO QUALIFY YOU TO APPLY FOR A BOARD.

THERE WAS JUST AN EXTRA LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY TO THEN NOT ONLY LIVE HERE, BUT YOU'RE YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE.

SO IF WE ADOPT THIS CHANGE, IT'S NOT JUST EMBRACING PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE OUR CITY LIMITS.

WE'RE JUST IT'S TWO PROMPT.

WE'RE EXPANDING THE BOUNDARY OF WHO COULD PARTICIPATE, BUT THEN WE'RE LOWERING THE STANDARDS OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND PARTICIPATING IN GOVERNMENT TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER BECAUSE NOBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER, BECAUSE IN THE CITY OF AMARILLO, IF WE IF WE REMOVE THE BOUNDARY OF THE CITY LIMIT.

NOW. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC LANGUAGE THAT YOU WANT TO STAY IN ELAINE OR TO ADD IN TO BETTER? HOW DO YOU WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER? I WOULD PROBABLY NOT CHANGE IT.

IT WOULD BE THAT IF WE IF WE, ANOTHER AREA TO THAT WE DIDN'T BRING UP, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, WHY IS THAT EVEN REQUIRED? TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER IS AN ACCOUNTABILITY ISSUE TO ME.

TO BE IN THE CITY LIMITS IS THAT YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE FINANCES HERE.

YOU'RE NOT NECESSARILY A PROPERTY OWNER.

YOU MAY BE A TENANT.

AND SO IT'S NOT THAT YOU ARE.

PROPERTY TAX, MORE THAN LIKELY, YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE SALES TAX HERE, WHICH CAN BE SAID FOR OUR REGION AS WELL.

BUT AND SO AFTER REVIEWING IT, I WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE IN FAVOR OF LEAVING IT THE WAY IT IS. BUT I WOULD ALSO OPEN THE DOOR TO JUST ANOTHER QUESTION OF BEST PRACTICES OF OTHER CITIES. IS THIS SOMETHING THAT WAS UNUSUAL TO AMARILLO, TO HAVE A STANDARD, A REQUIREMENT TO LIVE WITHIN YOUR CITY LIMITS AND BE A REGISTERED VOTER? OR IS IT BEST PRACTICES AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OR UNIQUE TO AMARILLO? I BELIEVE THAT MOST CITIES THAT I'VE SERVED IN AND I HAVE NOT DONE A SURVEY AND EXHAUSTIVE SURVEY AT ALL, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT ALL OF THE CITIES THAT I'VE SERVED IN REQUIRED EITHER A RESIDENCY OR A REGISTERED VOTER FOR MOST BOARDS OR COMMISSIONS.

IN CERTAIN CASES, CERTAIN THINGS LIKE CBBS AND CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, WHICH ARE NOT TYPICALLY APPOINTED BY CITIES EXCEPTS FROM THE CBB SIDE.

THEY DO HAVE A MORE RELAXED CRITERIA BECAUSE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES, NOT WHERE PEOPLE LIVE. IN THIS CASE, IF WE WANT TO, YOU COULD ALSO MEMBERS OF CITY BOARDS.

WHO LIVE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS OF THE CITY OF AMARILLO SHALL BE AND CONTINUE TO BE REGISTERED VOTERS, SO WE COULD PUT THAT SENTENCE BACK IN AND THEN AT THE VERY END, MODIFY THAT SENTENCE A LITTLE BIT TO SAY WHILE REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE CITY WILL BE PREFERRED, THE COUNCIL MAY ALSO APPOINT ANY PERSON NOT REGISTERED WHO DOES NOT LIVE INSIDE THE CITY.

IF THEY BRING UNIQUE SKILLS AND I WOULD NEED TO PHRASE THAT DIFFERENTLY AND PROBABLY BRIAN WOULD NEED TO MASSAGE THAT FOR ME, BUT WE CAN SAY IF YOU DO LIVE INSIDE THE CITY AND YOU'RE ON A BOARD OR COMMISSION, YOU SHALL BE A REGISTERED VOTER.

SO WE'RE NOT WATERING. I UNDERSTAND WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS IS TALKING ABOUT.

WE'VE TAKEN IT OUT FOR EVERYBODY, NOT JUST THE ONES THAT DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO FOR THE ONES THAT DO. AND IT IS A MULTILAYERED DEAL WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE INSIDE AMARILLO THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE HERE, DON'T PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS. SO HAVING A MINIMUM LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT IS WHAT THAT SPEAKING TO.

[01:35:01]

DID I READ THAT RIGHT BRIAN? SO THIS IS JUST EXPANDING OUR ABILITY TO MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR AGAIN SOMEBODY WHO HAS SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE OR SO THE PREFERENCE THAT'S STATED IN THE NEW LANGUAGE WOULD BE TO CONTINUE EXPECTING IT TO BE RESIDENTS WHO ARE REGISTERED VOTERS.

IT JUST GIVES US THAT UNIQUE FLEXIBILITY IN THE CASE AS A COUNCIL THAT WE AGREE.

TO APPOINT THE OCCASIONAL PERSON, WHO DIDN'T MEET THAT CRITERIA.

AM I READING THAT RIGHT, BRIAN? THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE INTENT IS.

YES, MA'AM. NOW, STATING A PREFERENCE ISN'T REALLY A BOUNDARY, AND I REALLY HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE US HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND THE THE BACKGROUND ON IT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT I HAD NOT CONSIDERED IS THE FACT THAT SEVERAL OF THOSE BOARDS ARE AUTHORIZED TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

NOT ALL OF THEM ARE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF BOARDS THAT DO NOT.

AND I THINK THOSE SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE SEATED.

AND NOT JUST THAT, WE WOULD SAY WE HAVE A PREFERENCE, WE'LL PROBABLY THE MAJORITY TIME DO IT. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A REQUIREMENT.

AND SO I WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF US HAVING THIS CONVERSATION, BUT I WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF. REMOVING OUR CURRENT LANGUAGE AND REPLACING IT WITH THIS AND CERTAINLY HEARING FROM THE CITY MANAGER THAT.

JUST THE BEST PRACTICES OF OTHER CITIES AND THERE IS A REASON KIND OF A STANDARD HAS BEEN IN PLACE, DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT CAN'T BE EVALUATED AND DISCUSS.

I JUST UPON DIGGING INTO IT AND THINKING THROUGH IT, I THINK IT IS BEST LEFT AS IT IS.

OK, THANK YOU.

COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER, YOU WANT TO GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK AND THEN OR ANYBODY ELSE HAVE OTHER FEEDBACK? HMM, THAT ONE IS KIND OF A TRICKY THING, I DO SEE WHERE ELAINE'S COMING FROM.

I DO THINK WE NEED TO HAVE SOME WAY THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT IF YOU'RE IN THE, MATTER OF FACT, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT I WOULD HAVE WANTED THIS TO BE WORDED.

I JUST ASSUMED I MADE THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WAS A WAY TO FOR THOSE SPECIAL SITUATIONS, LIKE WE RAN INTO BRINGING SOMEBODY FROM OUT OF TOWN.

BUT I DO THINK THERE PROBABLY SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF A BOUNDARY THAT SAYS, YEAH, I'M ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS.

SO I VOTE. OK, SO WHAT DO WE WANT OUR INSTRUCTIONS TO? I'M HEARING TWO PEOPLE SAY, DON'T MOVE FORWARD ON BRINGING THIS BACK TO COUNCIL.

WELL, I'M NOT [INAUDIBLE] YOU'LL BRING IT BACK TO COUNCIL, IT'S JUST I THINK WE STILL HAVE TO LEAVE THE PART IN THERE ABOUT THAT.

THEY NEED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER.

I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW WE MAKE HOW WE DO IT SO THAT WE THEN INCLUDE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE FROM NOT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS THAT WE WOULD WANT THEM TO BE ON A BOARD.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I THINK THAT WHAT WE CAN DO, WE CAN DRAFT.

ANOTHER VERSION OF THIS THAT MAKES IT THAT A RESIDENT OF THE CITY WHO IS APPOINTED TO A BOARD OR COMMISSION, THAT THEY WILL BE A REGISTERED VOTER IN THE CITY.

IN THE INSTANCE, IN THE RARE INSTANCE, OR IN THE SHOULD COUNCIL CHOOSE TO OR WANT DESIRE, I WILL PHRASE IT TO APPOINT SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OR A REGISTERED VOTER. THEY CAN. BUT FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES LIVE WITHIN THE CITY, THEY WILL BE A REGISTERED VOTER. THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER ARE THE ONES THAT COUNCIL APPOINTS FROM OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT CUMBERSOME, BUT WE CAN MAKE VERY CLEAR WHAT COUNCIL'S INTENTION IS WITH REGARD TO THE STANDARDS THAT ARE EXPECTED FOR A CITY RESIDENT TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ON A BOARD AND COMMISSION AND GIVE YOU THAT LITTLE CAVEAT, FOR IN THE INSTANCE THAT YOU WANT TO APPOINT SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T LIVE INSIDE THE CITY, THEY WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER. SO CORRECT IN THE REASON THAT WE WOULD BE DOING THAT, APPOINTING SOMEONE FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY WOULD BE BASED ON THEIR AREA OF LEVEL, THEIR AREA, AREA OF EXPERTISE AND LEVEL OF EXPERTISE, DEPENDING ON WHAT BOARD OR TOPIC IS THAT WE'RE

[01:40:02]

YES MA'AM AND I THINK THAT.

I MEAN, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR COUNCIL TO KNOW AND Y'ALL DO KNOW.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE WATCHING TO KNOW WE HAVE VERY FEW PEOPLE AND THIS REALLY ONLY CAME UP BECAUSE ONE OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE BOARDS AND COMMISSION WAS THINKING ABOUT MOVING AND ASKED US, DO I NEED TO STEP OFF OF THIS BOARD OR COMMISSION? IT DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.

SO [INAUDIBLE] I DON'T SEE THAT THIS IS.

YOU KNOW, LIKE 10 TO 20 TIMES, [INAUDIBLE] . I DIDN'T HEAR A LOT OF THAT [INAUDIBLE].

I KNOW. WE WERE GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK FREDA.

BUT I THINK WHAT YOU WERE SAYING WAS IT DOESN'T HAPPEN VERY OFTEN.

IT'S BEEN A VERY RARE OCCURRENCE.

AND I ALSO THINK THAT THE POINT ELAINE MENTIONED THAT KIND OF STARTED THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION IS THAT WE'RE SUCH A REGIONAL CITY.

WE REPRESENT LOTS OF REGIONS, EVEN THOUGH THOSE PEOPLE THAT RESIDE OUTSIDE OUR CITY LIMITS DON'T VOTE IN OUR CITY ELECTIONS.

THEY ARE TAXPAYERS.

I MEAN, I THINK ABOUT MY PARENTS AND HOW MUCH SALES TAX THEY PAY INSIDE OUR CITY AND THOSE THAT CARRIES 30 PERCENT OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGET A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO I THINK IT'S GOOD TO BE THINKING AND TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

AND I ABSOLUTELY WANT TO SEE PEOPLE ENCOURAGED TO BE ENGAGED AND PART OF THE PROCESS.

I JUST THINK WE'RE UNIQUE AS A CITY.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US AIR ON THE SIDE OF FLEXIBILITY AND GIVING THE COUNCIL THE OPTION TO HAVE EXPERTISE ON OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

SO THAT'S MY PIECE.

GONNA SAY WE ARE GETTING SOME FEEDBACK.

IF EVERYONE CAN MUTE THEIR DEVICE AND THEN WHEN THEY'RE READY TO SPEAK, EITHER HIT THE SPACE BAR OR JUST UNMUTE FOR THAT ON YOUR TABLET OR PHONE, IF YOU'RE ON ONE OF THOSE.

IF YOU'RE ON A COMPUTER, YOU CAN HIT THE SPACE BAR.

AND ANY OTHER FEEDBACK FOR CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER ON THAT ORDINANCE? WELL, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, EDDY, TO BE SAYING TO REMOVE REQUIRING TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER JUST BECAUSE THEY LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY AND YOU MAY WANT TO WEIGH BACK IN THAT.

BUT IT'S LIKE I DON'T THINK THAT WE WOULD WANT TO HAVE THAT REQUIREMENT HERE.

WHY WOULDN'T WE ALSO BE SAYING THEY'RE REQUIRED TO BE VOTING WHERE THEY ARE AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT I MEAN, A LOT OF ELECTIONS ARE IT'S FEDERAL AND STATE IS NOT JUST LOCAL ELECTIONS. IT'S PART OF BEING PART OF THE PROCESS, NOT JUST LOCAL VOTING.

MY OTHER CONCERNS ARE MORE BEING IN THE CITY ARE RELATED TO BEING ON BOARDS THAT ARE SPENDING LOCAL TAXPAYER DOLLARS WHEN YOU DON'T LIVE HERE.

EDDY, DO YOU MIND JUST KIND OF STATING YOUR WHAT YOU WOULD GIVE AS GUIDANCE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER ONE MORE TIME FOR US.

WELL, I GUESS I THINK I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE ANOTHER WAY TO GO ABOUT MAKING IT AVAILABLE SO THAT WE CAN APPOINT PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS WITHOUT USING THE VOTER REGISTRATION PART OF IT.

I'D LIKE TO SEE THE VOTER REGISTRATION PART.

JUST YOU'VE GOT TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER TO SERVE, PERIOD.

AND THAT HOWEVER ELSE WE THAT IT GETS WORDED SO THAT.

SO THAT WE MAY FROM TIME TO TIME FROM SOMEBODY SPECIAL EXPERTISE WE CAN APPOINT THEM TO A COMMITTEE AND THEY DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT I WOULD DO IT AROUND VOTER REGISTRATION.

I THAT ONE ACTUALLY, I THINK SHOULD BE KIND OF WRITTEN IN STONE.

THAT'S A.

THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE INVOLVED.

THAT MEANS THAT WE'RE.

HELPING MAKE THE DECISIONS FOR OUR COUNTRY AND OUR STATE AND OUR LOCAL, SO I JUST REALLY WOULD PREFER FOR IT HOWEVER WE DO THIS IT NOT TO BE CENTERED AROUND VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTER REGISTRATION BE LEFT IN THERE.

THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE CARDINAL SIGNS OF BEING ABLE TO BE APART.

DOES THAT MAKES SENSE? YOUR MUTED MAYOR.

THANK YOU, CAN YOU SHARE YOUR THINKING? DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WHO SERVE ON THE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS SHOULD BE AMARILLO RESIDENTS, OR ARE YOU GIVING GUIDANCE TO REDRAFT THE STATUTE TO INCLUDE VOTER REGISTRATION BUT STILL

[01:45:02]

I THINK I DON'T WANT TO SEE 99 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE ON THESE BOARDS BE FROM BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE IN OUR IN OUR CITY LIMITS.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRETTY WELL ALMOST ALWAYS BE ABLE TO POPULATE OUR BOARDS WITH FULLY QUALIFIED PEOPLE. BUT FROM TIME TO TIME, THERE WILL BE SOMEONE THAT WE CAN USE THEIR EXPERTISE THAT IS NOT IN THE CITY LIMITS OF AMARILLO.

AND SO IT WOULD GIVE US THAT OPPORTUNITY.

DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? BRIAN, DO YOU DO YOU HAVE GUIDANCE AND FREDA AND HOWARD MAY WANT TO WEIGH IN TOO, BUT DO YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO MOVE FORWARD OR DO YOU NEED MORE GUIDANCE FROM US? WELL. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS, THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE, I GUESS, IN A WAY IN WHICH THE FRAMERS DRAFTED IT.

IT'S A QUALIFICATION ORDINANCE.

THUS, IF YOU DON'T MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS, YOU'RE DISQUALIFIED.

IT WAS WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY SO THAT IT COULD BE VERIFIED.

REGISTERED VOTERS.

THAT'S EASY TO VERIFY.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHY IT WAS DRAFTED THE WAY IT WAS.

NOW, CERTAINLY, COUNCIL CAN TAKE ANY ANGLE THEY WANT.

THE PARTICULAR DRAFT THAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY WAS ALLOWED WHAT WAS A CHANGE THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED A PREFERENCE FROM REGISTERED VOTERS OF THE CITY.

BUT DID NOT TIE YOUR HANDS, THUS IT WAS NOT AN AUTOMATIC DISQUALIFIER.

SO YOU WOULD STILL GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT YOU WOULD WEIGH IT TO SEE IF THEY WERE A VOTER OR NOT OR A RESIDENT OR NOT, WE COULD CHANGE IT TO THAT.

ANY OF THOSE THINGS COULD STILL BE WEIGHED AND THEN MAKE A DECISION.

WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO REMOVE THE REGISTERED VOTERS.

REGISTERED VOTERS, ANY REGISTERED VOTER COULD COME OR I HAVE HEARD THAT A RESIDENT CITY RESIDENT IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE WE WANT TO HAVE THAT IS A QUALIFICATION.

I CAN WRITE IT AS PREFERENCES, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR WAY, THIS WAS DRAFTED, IT'S EITHER YOU'RE IN OR YOU'RE NOT. AND SO IF WE WANT TO MAKE IT PREFERENCE, I CAN DO THAT.

BUT I REALLY I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT COUNCIL WANTS IN REGARDING TO A QUALIFICATION.

LET ME THROW OUT A PROPOSAL.

I THINK I CAN CAPTURE WHAT EVERYONE'S SAYING.

THEY'RE NOT EXACTLY SAYING THE SAME THING.

SO THIS IS A BIT OF A COMPROMISE.

SO ANYBODY WHO FEELS OVER COMPROMISED, LET ME KNOW.

BUT LEAVE A REQUIREMENT FOR SOMEONE TO BE A REGISTERED VOTER IN WHATEVER JURISDICTION WHICH THEY LIVE. PREFERENCE FOR A RESIDENT.

AND BUT COUNCIL HAS THE ABILITY TO USE A NONRESIDENT WHO'S REGISTERED TO VOTE WHEREVER IT IS THEY DO LIVE IN UNINCORPORATED RANDALL COUNTY OR POTTER COUNTY OR SOMEWHERE ELSE.

IF THEY FEEL THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, BENEFITS THE CITY IN A UNIQUE WAY.

SO ALL REGISTERED VOTERS.

JUST MIGHT NOT BE REGISTERED VOTE IN AMARILLO.

I CAN DO THAT.

COUNCILWOMAN HAYS, WHAT GUIDANCE WOULD YOU GIVE ON THAT? THAT'S MEETS WHAT I WAS SAYING AND WHAT I WAS HEARING, EDDY SAYING, AND THEN MY ONLY OTHER CONCERN IS PEOPLE WHO DON'T, IT WOULD BE THOSE CERTAIN BOARDS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO SPEND TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

MOST OF OUR BOARDS ARE JUST ADVISORY.

IT'S IDEAS, IT'S PROBLEM SOLVING, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO SPEND TAX LOCAL TAX DOLLARS. AND SO I STILL HAVE A CONCERN ON THAT.

I HAVEN'T HEARD ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER EXPRESS A CONCERN ON THAT.

SO I MAY BE THE ONLY ONE.

BUT AS FAR AS A REGISTERED VOTER, THE WAY JARED SAID THAT, I THINK COVERS ALL THAT IS ADDRESSED. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A THOUGHT THEY WANT TO ADD? I'LL SPEAK VERY BRIEFLY, I MADE A COMMENT THAT I LIKED WHAT WAS PROPOSED HERE, THAT WAS BEFORE ELAINE TALKED.

ELAINE BROUGHT UP SOME EXCELLENT POINTS.

AND SO IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE, BUT I WOULD SUGGEST OR PROPOSE THAT WE LET THE CITY

[01:50:07]

WHAT WE'VE SAID. THOSE ARE GOOD THOUGHTS.

I LIKE JARED'S THOUGHTS. OK, FREDA? NO, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS, SO I WOULD BE GOOD, WHATEVER.

BRIAN AND JARED DRAFT FOR US.

OK, GOOD, GOOD DISCUSSION.

HAVE WHAT I NEED. I THINK. OK, GREAT.

WELL, I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S THOUGHTS ON IT AND THE DISCUSSION AROUND IT.

SO LET'S MOVE ON THEN TO ITEM 1G, WHICH IS DISCUSS THE DRAFT MEETING CALENDAR.

[1.G. Discuss Draft Meeting Calendar]

WORKING ON IT. YEAH.

MY PLEASURE. ALL RIGHT, JARED? ALL RIGHT. I THINK MAYOR, WE HAVE IT IN LIGHT OF PROPOSITION C PASSING ON THIS MOST RECENT NOVEMBER ELECTION.

WHAT THAT DEALT WITH WAS THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF MEETINGS THAT CITY COUNCIL WOULD HAVE DURING THE YEAR. SO WE'VE GONE AHEAD AND PREPARED A CALENDAR THAT SHOWS WHEN ALL OF THE SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE.

AND THESE ARE JUST THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL MEETINGS, NOT THE [INAUDIBLE] OF OTHER MEETINGS THAT COUNCIL HAS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF A YEAR FOR BUDGET, STRATEGIC PLANNING, VISIONING, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER DIFFERENT REASONS THAT COUNCIL MEETS.

SO THIS JUST LAYS OUT THE.

EVEN NUMBERED WEEKS.

IN EACH MONTH AND THE DATE OF THE COUNCIL MEETING THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE FROM NEXT WEEK ON THROUGH THE REST OF THE CALENDAR IN 2021 SO.

WE HAVE SCHEDULED, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE MEETING ON THE 8TH.

WE NEED TO MEET ON THE 15TH TO CONSIDER A COUPLE OF ITEMS OTHERWISE THAT IT'S KIND OF A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER.

BUT THEN ONCE YOU GET INTO JANUARY, YOU SEE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SECOND AND FOURTH TUESDAY OF ALMOST EVERY MONTH, WITH A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS DOWN AT THE END.

SO TWO MEETINGS IN JANUARY, TWO MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY, TWO MEETINGS MARCH, APRIL, MAY, BUT IT ALSO NOTES WHEN HOLIDAYS ARE GOING TO TAKE PLACE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU EITHER MOVE OR CANCEL A MEETING BECAUSE OF A HOLIDAY WHEN WE'RE IN THIS FORMAT.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN MY ENTIRE CAREER, THIS IS THE ONLY PLACE I'VE EVER WORKED WHERE I DIDN'T MEET TWICE A MONTH.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S VERY EASY AND STRAIGHTFORWARD FOR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE AND FOR US TO GO TO WORK WITH APPLICANTS WHO NEED TO DO RE-ZONINGS OR GET SOMETHING APPROVED FROM COUNCIL.

WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE THAT TO THEM UP FRONT GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.

TWO MEETINGS IN JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER, WE HAVE WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AT LEAST ONE PERIOD WHERE WE HAVE TWO MEETINGS IN CONSECUTIVE WEEKS.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF TIME YOU HAVE TO HAVE BETWEEN DIFFERENT READINGS OF THE BUDGET SO THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT.

THAT'S ESTIMATED AT ABOUT WHEN THAT'S GOING TO BE TAKING PLACE, IT'LL EITHER BE IT IN EARLY SEPTEMBER OR LATE AUGUST.

AND THEN SO THAT WOULD MAKE THREE MEETINGS IN SEPTEMBER IF WE DO OUR BUDGET HEARING AND APPROVING THE BUDGET IN EARLY SEPTEMBER AND THEN OBVIOUSLY TWO IN OCTOBER AND THEN ONE IN NOVEMBER, ONE IN DECEMBER.

ONE THING THAT'S VERY COMMON, BECAUSE THANKSGIVING FALLS ON THE FOURTH WEEK OF NOVEMBER AND BECAUSE CHRISTMAS FALLS IN THE FOURTH WEEK OF DECEMBER IS TO CANCEL.

SORRY GUYS, USING BOTH HANDS AND NOT HAVE IT BE MADE UP EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER.

SO JUST WANTED TO THROW THIS OUT THERE SO THAT WE COULD Y'ALL COULD MAKE SOME PLANS SO THAT WE CAN WORK OUT INVITING CITIZENS TO DO THE INVOCATION FOR DIFFERENT MEETINGS AND SO WE CAN HAVE IT OUT THERE AND KNOWN AND ALSO TAKE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL IF YOU HAVE THEM. COUNCIL DO WE HAVE ANY COMMENTS FOR CITY MANAGER ABOUT THAT PROPOSED CALENDAR? AND YOU'RE NOT BOUNDED OR LIMITED BY THIS CALENDAR, WE CAN IF WE NEED TO ADD MEETINGS, WE CAN ALSO CANCEL ONE OF THESE MEETINGS.

IF IT FALLS ON A DAY WHERE THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A FUNERAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT THE COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO ATTEND, WE CAN WE CAN CHANGE DATES.

WE CAN CANCEL MEETINGS. WE CAN ADD MEETINGS.

ANY FEEDBACK THERE? I LIKE IT. NOPE, I LIKE THE DRAFT AND I'M GOOD, THANK YOU.

SO, JARED, ALL THE RED DATES ARE JUST THE CITY HOLIDAYS THAT ARE DESIGNATED FOR THIS NEXT

[01:55:02]

THERE ARE NO CONFLICTS ON THOSE DATES FOR REQUIRED MEETINGS? THOSE ARE JUST YOU JUST ADDED THE HOLIDAY INFORMATION AS WELL.

THEY WEREN'T PROBLEM DATES WITH OUR SCHEDULE.

SO YOU KNOW HOW WHERE IT IS IN PROXIMITY TO WHATEVER HOLIDAY WHERE THE CITY IS TYPICALLY OFF. HOWARD, ANY COMMENT? YES, WE'VE GOT A NEW LAW THAT SAYS WE HAVE AT LEAST THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR.

DOES THIS COME UP TO THAT? YES SIR, WE WILL MEET AT LEAST TWENTY FOUR TIMES A YEAR, THIS DOESN'T CAPTURE SOME MEETING IN THE COURSE OF ANY YEAR. WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF CALLED MEETINGS FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES. ALL OF THOSE COUNT TOWARDS OUR PREVIOUS ORDINANCE THAT REQUIRED US TO MEET WEEKLY. THEY ALSO COUNTED TOWARD WILL COUNT TOWARDS THIS AS WELL.

IS THAT TWENTY FOUR TIMES IN ANY YEAR, THE CALENDAR YEAR, THE FISCAL YEAR OR ALL OF THE ABOVE? I'M GOING TO LET BRIAN TAKE THAT.

AND I BELIEVE IT'S TALKING ABOUT YOUR FISCAL YEARS, BUT BRIAN? JUST IN THE YEAR TIME, I THINK IT WAS I THINK IT WAS A YEAR FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE.

SO EFFECTIVELY IT'LL BE JANUARY TO JANUARY OR JANUARY TO DECEMBER.

THANK YOU. I'M OK WITH IT.

OK, THE WAY IT PLAYS OUT, THERE ARE TWO MEETINGS EVERY MONTH EXCEPT NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, THAT THOSE THE HOLIDAY MONTHS END UP WITH ONE MEETING PER MONTH.

AND THEN BUT THAT STILL MEETS ALL OF OUR REQUIREMENTS.

AND AS YOU'VE DONE FOR THIS MONTH, YOU ACTUALLY ADDED AN EXTRA TO HANDLE SPECIFIC NEEDS THAT WHERE COUNCIL NEEDED TO GET BACK TOGETHER AND FINISH SOME BUSINESS AND TAKE SOME VOTES, BUT WHICH CAN BE ADDED AT ANY TIME.

BUT THIS IS AT A MINIMUM NUMBER OF MEETINGS.

CORRECT, AND IT'S VERY TYPICAL FOR ANY COUNCIL TO HAVE ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO 15 CALL MEETINGS A YEAR FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES.

WE'VE BUILT IN THREE OF THOSE CALLED MEETINGS INTO THIS SCHEDULE.

WE HAVE THIS SHOWS TWENTY FIVE MEETINGS BETWEEN JANUARY TO DECEMBER.

BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT TYPICALLY WE WILL HAVE A CALLED MEETING EVERY NOW AND THEN.

SO I'M VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL AND WE'LL ALWAYS KEEP IT.

PRESENT IN OUR MINDS THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER THAT WE HAVE TO HIT, WE'LL NEVER GO BELOW THAT.

I THINK THIS SCHEDULE HAS TWENTY FIVE MEETINGS.

YES, MA'AM. OK.

AND DOESN'T SHOW OUR BUDGET, WHICH WE NORMALLY DO, TWO OR THREE DAYS OF BUDGET IN AUGUST.

IT ONLY SHOWS THE BUDGET APPROVAL, BUT IT DOES NOT SHOW THE BUDGET HEARINGS.

OK, ANYTHING ELSE COUNCIL? WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL WORKING THAT UP FOR US TO.

NOW WE CAN WORK SCHEDULES AROUND IT.

[1.H. Eastridge Neighborhood Plan Update]

SHE'S OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION MANAGER.

SHE'S GOING TO GIVE THE UPDATE ON THE EASTRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS COUNCIL HAS. A BRIEF UPDATE AND SHE'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS YOU GOT.

EMILY? GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

HAVE A VERY BRIEF UPDATE ABOUT THE EASTRIDGE PLAN, MOSTLY WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE SET TO BEGIN.

THIS IS THE FOURTH AND FINAL OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN, AREAS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING INITIATIVE IN OUR LOCAL AGREEMENT.

AND WE WERE SET TO BEGIN THIS PAST SPRING AND POSTPONED IT INDEFINITELY DUE TO COVID.

AND AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN ALL VIRTUAL PROCESS AND PLAN TO KICK OFF IN JANUARY.

SO WE'VE GOT INFORMATION LIVE RIGHT NOW ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, AMARILLO.GOV/EASTRIDGEPLAN AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE UTILIZING A SPECIAL ONLINE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL LAUNCH IN JANUARY AS PART OF THE KICKOFF.

WE ARE CONVERTING THE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC MEETINGS TO ONLINE ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE MORE EASILY TRANSLATED.

AND WE'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

THIS IS KIND OF A NEW CHALLENGE FOR US, BUT WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT DOING IT VIRTUALLY WILL ACTUALLY RESULT IN INCREASED ENGAGEMENT JUST BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF CONVENING PEOPLE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND THEIR WORK SCHEDULES AND THINGS.

SO WE'RE ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

[02:00:03]

SO THOSE APPLICATIONS ARE POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS OR ANY NAMES OF ANYONE THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN HELPING US IN THIS WAY.

AND THEN I HAVE A BOUNDARY MAP IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT THE BOUNDARY LOOKS LIKE. SO NE TWENTY FOURTH IS THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY NORTH GRAND STREET ON THE WEST.

IT STRETCHES A LITTLE BIT SOUTH OF AMARILLO BOULEVARD TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS.

THAT'S MOSTLY BECAUSE THAT'S A CENSUS TRACK BOUNDARY.

SO IT HELPS US WITH DATA COLLECTION.

AND THEN WHITAKER ROAD ON THE EAST.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

MOSTLY IS JUST TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'RE READY TO GO.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.

QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? COUNCILOR HAYS? I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT EMILY AND HER TEAM FOR COMING UP WITH AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN TO TRY AND GET EASTRIDGE MOVING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAD COMMITTED TO.

THIS NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN IS WELL, AND IT'S JUST WITH COVID AND SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT IT JUST HAS BEEN ON HOLD.

AND JUST THAT ONLINE ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM THAT THEY HAVE LOCATED IS REALLY FANTASTIC.

I THINK THAT IN PERSON WOULD BE BETTER.

BUT THIS IS A GREAT ALTERNATIVE.

AND SO I'M EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS TO SEE WHEN IT GETS IMPLEMENTED.

MAYBE EMILY CAN COME BACK AND GIVE US SOME DEMONSTRATION.

BUT IT WAS IT'S IMPRESSIVE.

GREAT, GREAT COMMENTS, ANYBODY ELSE? OK, EMILY, WE APPRECIATE YOU.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON NOW COUNCIL TO ITEM 1I, WHICH IS REPORTING AND UPDATES FROM CITY

[1.I. Report and updates from City Councilmembers serving on outside Boards]

AND WE'LL START WITH THE UNIFICATION OF PUBLIC ARTS ADVISORY BOARD.

DR. SAUER. YES, MA'AM.

SO ACTUALLY, WE MET AT 11:45 TODAY.

SO FRESH, HOT OFF THE PRESS.

YEAH, IT IS. NOW, LET'S SEE IF I CAN REMEMBER EVERYTHING.

AFTER EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE ALREADY GONE THROUGH.

SO TODAY WHAT WE REALLY TALKED ABOUT WAS THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 IN THE MURAL GRANT PROJECT.

THE MURAL GRANT PROJECT.

IT IS OPEN ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE AND THERE WILL BE ANOTHER REMINDER THAT WILL BE SENT OUT. AROUND CHRISTMAS TIME AND APPLICATIONS WILL BE OPEN THROUGH JANUARY THE 27TH, I BELIEVE IS THE FINAL DATE FOR THAT.

ALSO, THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SOME PROBLEMS TRYING TO SET UP OR FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW YOU CAN DO A PRETTY BIG CONFERENCE AND BE ABLE ON ZOOM SINCE THERE'S NO MEETINGS GOING ON SO THAT THEY CAN SEE THE SITE, SO THAT YOU CAN TALK TO ALL THE SPECIFIC PEOPLE THAT NEED TO BE INVOLVED ON BEFORE.

SO THEY'VE GOT TO GET THAT ALL FIGURED OUT.

BUT THEY PLAN ON OPENING OR RELEASING THE RFQ FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. ALSO, WHAT WAS TALKED ABOUT WAS IT WAS BROUGHT UP TO THE BEAUTIFICATION BOARD THAT THEY'RE THE NATIONAL FITNESS COUNCIL IS AWARDING THESE FITNESS COURTS THAT ARE KEITH HARING BRANDED FITNESS CORP.

SO KEITH HARING AS A IS AN ARTIST.

HE DOES A LOT OF OUTDOOR ART KINDS OF THINGS.

AND SO THEY THE NATIONAL FITNESS COUNCIL IS GOING TO AWARD 10 OF HIS SITES TO 10 SITES IN THE COUNTRY. THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THAT, THOUGH, IS YOU HAVE TO PRESENT AN APPLICATION AND THEN YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE MEANS TO PAY FOR IT, WHICH IS ABOUT TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO THAT.

AND SO. THEY ACTUALLY CAME AND THEY DID A PROVIDED A SITE ANALYSIS FOR AMARILLO, WHICH WAS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT THEY LOOK AT ALL THE SITES AND THERE WAS A NUMBER OF THEM THAT WERE ON THE SOUTH WEST SIDE OF TOWN AND.

LOOKING THROUGH ALL THAT, WE REALLY KIND OF FELT LIKE IT NEED TO BE MORE CENTRALIZED OR WHERE MORE PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT, AND THEY HAD TWO DIFFERENT SITES.

MEDI PARK WHICH HAS BEEN THE SITE OF A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS, AND POSSIBLY EVEN THOMPSON

[02:05:04]

IT'S A IT HAS A FIVE YEAR LICENSE ON MR. HARING'S ART THAT HE PUTS UP ASSOCIATED WITH THE AND IT'S A WRAP TYPE OF THE DEAL THAT PUTS UP WITH THIS FITNESS COURT.

AND YOU HAVE A FIVE YEAR LICENSE FOR IT.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS WE HAVE TO RAISE TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND SO THE THREE THINGS THAT KIND OF COME OUT OF THAT IS, NUMBER ONE, AN ADVISORY BOARD CANNOT FUNDRAISE IN BEHALF OF THE CITY.

WE'VE ALREADY KNOW THAT PART OF IT.

AND THE CITY TRULY, REALLY DOES NOT HAVE FUNDRAISING CAPACITY.

AND SO WHAT IT WOULD COME DOWN TO IS YOU WOULD REALLY NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT'S ON THIS ADVISORY BOARD.

WORK WITH A NONPROFIT OR USE A NONPROFIT AS AN UMBRELLA TO TRY AND RAISE THOSE KIND OF FUNDS, SO IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE A GOOD EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE [INAUDIBLE] THAT'S IN MEDI PARK.

THAT'S BETWEEN THE DISCOVERY CENTER AND THE ARBORETUM.

SO BASICALLY, THEY RAISE THE MONEY THEY HAD THAT BUILT AND THEN THEY GAVE THAT TO THE CITY. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN.

SO WE HAD A TIME LINE THAT WAS PRETTY MUCH WE NEEDED TO MAKE AN APPLICATION FOR ONE OF THESE 10 POSSIBLE SITES BY DECEMBER THE 15TH.

AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND TALK AND TALK TO THE NATIONAL FITNESS COUNCIL AND GET A LITTLE BIT OF A BETTER OF AN EXPLANATION ON IF WE STARTED THIS PROCESS.

AND WE MADE THE APPLICATION WITH THE APPLICATION BE TRANSFERABLE TO A NONPROFIT OF SOME SORT OF SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN.

AND SO THERE'S STILL SOME STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND THAT 200000 DOLLARS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE DIFFICULT TO COME UP WITH OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME TO SEE THIS DONE.

SO I'M JUST KIND OF GIVING YOU A LITTLE UPDATE OF WHERE THINGS ARE KIND OF GOING.

I THINK IT KIND OF COMES BACK TO THE FACT OF THIS MAY END UP BECAUSE OF THE WAY SOME OF THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED AS FAR AS BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS AND THE ART PROJECTS LIKE THE MURAL PROJECTS IS WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER.

AND SO IT'S GOING TO COME BACK UP AGAIN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT A FUNDRAISING ARM, LIKE WITH THE LIBRARY, FRIENDS AT THE LIBRARY, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

AND SO IT MAY BE THAT THIS WILL BE THE SAME TYPE OF A COMMITTEE THAT NEEDS THAT NONPROFIT KIND OF LIKE, WELL, THE ONE THAT WAS AROUND EARLIER, THE KEEP AMERICA, KEEP AMARILLO BEAUTIFUL ONE, YOU KNOW, A NONPROFIT THAT CAN HELP DO SOME OF THE FUNDRAISING THAT IS NOT AN ARM OF THE CITY THAT IS, BUT THAT SUPPORTS THE ARTS AND BEAUTIFICATION ADVISORY BOARD.

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THINGS ARE SITTING AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

AND SO IT JUST IN CASE I DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING RIGHT, I THINK SHERMAN BASS ON HERE SOMEWHERE AND WHATEVER I'VE MISSED OR MISREPRESENTED, MAYBE HE CAN CLEAN UP FOR ME.

YES, SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER GOT ALL OF THAT UPDATE CORRECT.

ALTHOUGH I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTOOD ON THE ZOOM CALL, THE DEADLINE FOR THE MURAL GRANT APPLICATION IS JANUARY 2ND, NOT 27TH.

THE SECOND. OK.

I WAS WRITING DOWN FAST, BUT I GUESS I WROTE TOO FAST.

SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE AND ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? NO, IT'S EXCITING STILL TO SEE THE WORK [INAUDIBLE] IS DOING.

IT IS. A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS OLD NOW AND THE MURALS ARE POPULAR.

AND SO DESPITE COVID BEING A ROADBLOCK FOR EVERYBODY GETTING WORK DONE IN 2020, THERE'S A PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD. AND I LIKE HEARING THAT.

THERE IS.

GREAT. THANK YOU EDDY.

THE NEXT TWO REPORTS WILL COME FROM COUNCILMAN SMITH.

SO I'LL GIVE THE MICROPHONE TO YOU, HOWARD, TO TALK ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL TASK FORCE AND PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

FIRST, TALK ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL TASK FORCE.

THE MEMBERS MAY HAVE BEEN INFORMED BEFORE THE LAST MEETING, BUT AT LEAST THEY WERE AT THE MEETING HERE A WEEK OR TWO AGO THAT THE COMMITTEE WAS ABOUT TO SUNSET AND THIS BOARD

[02:10:07]

TWO THINGS THAT THEY WORKED ON.

ONE IS WATER CONSERVATION INCENTIVES.

THERE IS A RAIN SENSOR INCENTIVE THAT EXISTS NOW, BUT NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT, NOT MANY PEOPLE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO START AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT THERE IS AN INCENTIVE THAT HELPS TO PAY FOR THAT RAIN SENSOR AND DEVICE LIST THAT CAN ACCOMPLISH THAT CAN BE UPDATED PRIOR TO STARTING [INAUDIBLE].

AND SO THAT'S A GOOD A GOOD THING.

THAT'S A DEVICE THAT ATTACHES TO A SPRINKLER SYSTEM WHEN IT RAINS.

SO SPRINKLER SYSTEM WON'T COME ON.

SO THAT'LL SAVE SOME WATER.

THE NEXT THING IS A VERY GOOD DISCUSSION AMONG THE COMMITTEE, AND THAT'S WATER CONSERVATION REQUIREMENTS.

ONE THING WE NEED A DEFINITION OF WHAT WATER WASTE.

THAT'S A COMPLICATED THING TO DEFINE.

SOMEBODY LETS THEIR SPRINKLER RUN INTO THE GUTTER.

HOW MUCH AND HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT? SO THEY DISCUSS THAT AND COME UP WITH AN ANSWER.

THEN DISCUSSED PROPOSED FINES AND WATERING RESTRICTIONS, WE GOT TO DEFINE WHAT IS WATER WASTE FIRST. AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ABOUT ASSIGNED WATERING DAYS AND TIMES, I'M JUST READING A LIST OF THINGS TALKED ABOUT, NOT NOTHING WAS DECIDED.

ONE PERSON WANTED TO START FINING AND OTHERS SAID, WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT YET, WE GOT TO DEFINE A LOT MORE THINGS.

WE GOT THESE. THE SMART WATER METERS ARE COMING IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, AND THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE WATER USAGE PROBABLY QUITE A BIT IN THE CITY.

THE GOAL IS TO PROACTIVELY ELIMINATE WATER WASTE.

SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND NOTHING'S BEEN DECIDED.

THEY CAN'T COME TO ANY CONSENSUS YET.

BUT THAT REALLY CONCLUDES THE REPORT FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL TASK FORCE.

ANYBODY GOT ANY COMMENTS? DON'T LET YOUR SPRINKLE RUN IN THE GUTTER.

OK, THE NEXT REPORT IS BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY COMMITTEE.

THEY MEET REGULARLY, HAVE GOOD DISCUSSION, GOOD ATTENDANCE.

THE RAILS TO TRAILS STOPS AT 7TH AND CROCKET.

AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION ON GETTING A BIKE ROUTE.

FROM 7TH AND CROCKET DOWNTOWN TO HODGETOWN AND BACK TO THE RAILS TO TRAILS AND SO THAT'S . THE STRIPING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE SPRING AND SHOULD BE IN PLACE BY NEXT BASEBALL SEASON. HOPEFULLY WE'LL START IN APRIL.

THIS WILL CONNECT DOWNTOWN WITH RAILS TO TRAILS AT CROCKET STREET AND OTHER BIKES STRIPING PROJECT IS ON 15TH.

ALL THE STRIPING IS DOWN NOW FOR THOSE BIKE LANES THAT CONNECT JULIAN TO 15TH AND CONTINUES TO JOHNSON.

NEXT SPRING, THERE WILL BE CONNECTED DOWN JOHNSON TO THE BACK OF HODGETOWN AND THE CIVIC CENTER AREA. SO PROGRESS IS BEING MADE.

THE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE, WHICH IS A SEPARATE COMMITTEE THAN THE PEDESTRIAN BICYCLE COMMITTEE.

THE PARKS COMMITTEE JUST CONCENTRATES ON THE PARKS.

THIS COMMITTEE IS CONCENTRATING ON MAYBE CONNECTING PARKS.

WHICH I THINK WOULD BE GOOD.

NOT THAT THEY CAN ALL BE CONNECTED, BUT SOME EFFORT HAD BEEN MADE.

SO THERE'S A DISCUSSION WITH THE PARKS PLAN TO GET.

GET THAT WORK DONE.

[02:15:02]

THERE'S QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION, AND I THINK IT'S GOOD.

WE'VE GOTTEN POLICE REPORTS FROM WHERE ACCIDENTS TAKE PLACE AND [INAUDIBLE].

RAILS TO TRAILS ACROSS FROM THE HOSPITALS, AND SO THOSE ARE GOING TO HELP THE SAFETY ISSUE. THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MAYOR.

GOOD REPORT, HOWARD.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL ON THOSE REPORTS? I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THOSE RAIN SENSORS.

MOST OF THOSE, I THINK, ALSO COME WITH A TEMPERATURE SENSOR, WHICH IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

THE RAIN SENSOR SHUTS YOUR SYSTEM OFF IF IT'S RAINING, SO YOU DON'T GET DUPLICATE WATERING THAT YOU DON'T NEED. BUT THERE'S ALSO A SENSOR THAT IF IT'S BELOW FREEZING, IT WON'T COME ON. AND I MEAN, THAT IS SCARY WHEN IT IS FREEZING OUTSIDE AND YOU SEE PEOPLE'S WATER SPRINKLERS GOING.

AND SO I THINK WHENEVER Y'ALL START THE MESSAGING ON THAT, HOWARD, I THINK THAT'S A GOOD SECONDARY POINT ON THAT.

THAT IT DOESN'T JUST SAVE WATER USAGE THAT SAVES BROKEN LEGS AND ANKLES AND ARMS AS WELL.

THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

THANK YOU. YEAH, THANK YOU.

ANYBODY ELSE? OK, WE'RE CLOSE TO A BATHROOM BREAK, I THINK.

ANYTHING WE'LL FINISH UP THE WORK AGENDA ON ITEM 1J, JUST ANY REQUESTS FOR A FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS OR REPORTS FROM THE CITY MANAGER? NO? NOT SEEING ANYTHING, THEN WE WILL TAKE A BATHROOM BREAK AND LET'S JUST SEE HERE, IT'S 3:18. LET'S ALL BE BACK, IF WE CAN, BY 3:30.

OK, THANKS. OK, I THINK WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY BACK, LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE CONSENT AGENDA, ANYTHING THERE

[2. CONSENT ITEMS]

SECOND.

BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED TO APPROVE THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. FIVE HANDS THAT PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE.

MOVING ON TO SECTION THREE OF OUR AGENDA, NON CONSENT ITEMS, ITEM 3A IS A PUBLIC HEARING

[3.A. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7895]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

MAYOR WE HAVE A STRING OF PUBLIC HEARINGS AND ZONING BOARD.

FREEMAN, OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IS GOING TO PRESENT.

ANDREW GO AHEAD AND TAKE IT AWAY. WELL, 7895 IS [INAUDIBLE].

YES, SIR. AS MR. MILLER STATED, THIS ONE IS A FOUR POINT TWO ACRE TRACT ALONG SONCY ROAD AND PILGRIM DRIVE REQUESTING TO BE REZONED FROM AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT.

NUMBER 394.

THE APPLICANT IS STACY HAGGERSON FOR THE ESTATE OF EMELINE BUSH O'BRIEN AND THE MARSH TRUST. THEY'RE USING THIS REQUEST FOR A PROPOSED CAR DEALERSHIP, NEW AND USED AUTO SALES.

THE ADJACENT LAND USE AND ZONING IS A CAR DEALERSHIP EXISTING TO THE NORTH, VACANT LAND TO THE EAST, SOUTH AND WEST.

AS FAR AS THE LAND USES, THE ZONING IS PLANNED DEVELOPMENT TO THE NORTH, GENERAL RETAIL TO THE EAST AND AGRICULTURAL TO THE SOUTH AND WEST.

JUST AS A GENERAL MATTER TO THE COUNCIL.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, AGRICULTURAL IS MORE OF A PLACEHOLDER ZONING UNTIL FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS OCCUR. THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION HEARD THIS REQUEST DURING THEIR NOVEMBER 9TH MEETING AND DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH A FIVE ZERO VOTE.

HERE ON THIS NEXT SLIDE IS AN OUTLINE OF THE AREA AND THE SURROUNDING ZONING DISTRICTS, AS YOU CAN SEE, [INAUDIBLE] ACADEMY WOULD BE TO THE WEST.

YOU CAN SEE THE AERIAL ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, [INAUDIBLE] VOLKSWAGEN TO THE NORTH. THEY WERE PLANNING TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTH OF [INAUDIBLE] VOLKSWAGEN.

REVIEWING THIS REQUEST.

WHEN INITIALLY CAME IN, THEY WERE PROPOSING LIGHT COMMERCIAL, WHICH IS THE FIRST ZONING DISTRICT THAT ALLOWS THIS TYPE OF PRODUCT OUTRIGHT PERMIT OUTRIGHT.

BUT THE WAY SONCY HAS BEEN DEVELOPED, PLANNING AND ZONING WAS MORE INTERESTED IN KEEPING

[02:20:02]

ALLOWS FOR AN AUTO DEALERSHIP THAT IS BASED ON GENERAL RETAIL STANDARDS.

SO IT ONLY ALLOWS AUTO FROM LIGHT COMMERCIAL, WHICH WOULD LIMIT MORE INTENSE USES BEING ALLOWED IF THE AUTO DEALERSHIPS WERE TO GO AWAY IN THE FUTURE.

SO WITH THAT SAID, THEY MADE A RECOMMENDATION AT PNZ TO CONSIDER PLAN DEVELOPMENT.

THE APPLICANTS AGREED AS WELL TO THAT REQUEST.

AS FAR AS THE LOCATION, TYPICALLY WE'VE ALSO DISCUSSED IN THE PAST SONCY IS UNIQUE IN THE WAY THAT IT'S BEEN OUT, BEEN BUILT OUT AND DEVELOPED.

TYPICALLY, YOU WOULD FIND THESE MORE INTENSIVE USES BUILT AWAY FROM THE MAJOR INTERSECTIONS. BUT THE WAY SONCY IS DEVELOPED THIS IS THE TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT PATTERN THAT WE SEE. SO PLANNING AND ZONING DID NOT HAVE ANY CONCERNS WITH THAT LOCATION AS WELL.

AND AS I SAID, DO RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING AND FIRST READING ON THIS ITEM.

QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW, COUNCIL? OH, AND HERE'S A SAMPLING.

MY APOLOGIES. SINCE THIS IS A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT.

WE ALREADY HAVE A SITE PLAN IN PLACE.

SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IS ACCESSING A LITTLE UNIQUE COMPARED TO THE OTHERS.

IT'S ACCESSING OFF A [INAUDIBLE] SQUARE TO THE SOUTH VERSUS ACCESS FROM SONCY TO [INAUDIBLE]. BASED ON NOT BE ABLE TO GET ACCESS WITH TXDOT OFF OF SONCY.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN OUR POCKET, RIGHT, ANDREW? I'M NOT SEEING IT. NO, MA'AM.

NO, MA'AM. OK, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW? WELL, LET ME JUST COMMENT ABOUT TXDOT.

SO IS THAT ARE WE GOING TO BE SEEING THAT WITH OTHER DEVELOPMENT ON SONCY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE SAME RESTRICTIONS? CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN AND EXPAND UPON WHY TXDOT WON'T ALLOW THEM ENTRY THE WAY EVERYTHING ELSE IS LAID OUT RIGHT NOW? TYPICALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF I'VE GOT SOMEONE FROM ENGINEERING ON FOR THE SPECIFICS, BUT THERE ARE DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS BETWEEN THE ACCESS POINTS.

SO WHAT WE'LL PROBABLY SEE MORE IN THE FUTURE.

IS MORE COORDINATION OF THE DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTS THAT SHARED ACCESS POINTS, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE PREFER AS WELL, THAT THEY DON'T ALL HAVE INDIVIDUAL DRIVES WHICH UPSETS THE TRAFFIC FLOW AND MIGHT CAUSE MORE ACCIDENTS.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE REST OF THE WAY BUILD THAT.

IF WE HAVE A RETAIL STRIP CENTER OR OTHER USES, THEY'LL PROBABLY HAVE MORE JOINT SHARED ACCESS DRIVES VERSUS INDIVIDUAL DRIVEWAYS.

SO DOES THIS ALSO END UP GOING TO BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WHENEVER THIS IS NO LONGER DESIGNATED AS STATE LOOP 335 AND IT JUST BECOMES SONCY AND.

NEXT FIVE TO 10 YEARS? IT'LL STILL HAVE A SIMILAR DRIVEWAY WIDTH STANDARDS MADE BY TXDOT AND WILL STILL BE STATE OWNED, SO THEY'LL STILL HAVE TO [INAUDIBLE] WITH TXDOT ON THOSE.

OH SO, THIS WILL STILL BE A, THIS WILL STILL BE A STATE HIGHWAY.

YES, SIR. YOU GOT A DIFFERENT DESIGNATION OF WHAT IT IS.

BUT IT'S NOT THE THIRTY FIVE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN CHANGED, CORRECT? CORRECT. [INAUDIBLE] THE CURB SPACING REQUIREMENTS, AND THAT'S FOR SAFETY REASONS.

A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE, LIKE IN THIS PICTURE RIGHT HERE.

IN THE PAST, A BUSINESS A CURB CUT, AN ENTRY LANE ON THE NORTH, AND THEN ANOTHER ONE [INAUDIBLE]. WHAT THAT DOES HAMSTRINGS THE PROPERTIES TO THE NORTH AND SOUTH BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT YOUR CURB CUT RIGHT THERE.

THEY ALSO DON'T HAVE SHARED USE OF THAT ACCESS AND IT PUSHES THEIR NEXT OPPORTUNITY FOR A CURB CUT TO GET ONTO THEIR PROPERTY WAY DOWN THE ROAD.

SO THIS IS SMART IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

IT PUTS THE AXIS IN THE MIDDLE SINCE IT'S NOT A SHARED ONE.

IF IT WAS GOING TO BE A SHARED ACCESS POINT THAT SOMEONE ELSE COULD USE, YOU'D PUT IT ON THE NORTH OR SOUTH EDGE OF THE PROPERTY.

BUT IT PRESERVES THE ABILITY FOR NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES TO BE ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW, COUNCIL? OK, WE WILL MOVE IN TO THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION OF THIS ITEM.

ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO SPEAK FOR, ON OR AGAINST ITEM 3A, WHICH IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 7895, WOULD NOW WOULD BE THE RIGHT TIME TO INDICATE TO THE CALL MODERATOR, STEPHANIE WOULD GIVE OUR INSTRUCTIONS FOR ANYBODY THAT'S ON THE LINE.

YES, IF YOU WERE HERE TO SPEAK FOR THIS ITEM, PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE OR CLICK THE RAISE HAND BUTTON IN YOUR [INAUDIBLE].

MAYOR, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY THAT'S WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.

[02:25:02]

YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER 7895 IN THE VICINITY OF SONCY ROAD IN PILGRIM DRIVE. SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7895.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL ON THE MOTION? SEEING NONE, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I SEE FIVE SO THAT ORDINANCE THAT MOTION PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE.

MOVING ON TO 3B, WHICH IS A HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NUMBER 7896, MR.

[3.B. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7896]

THIS IS, AGAIN, A REZONING [INAUDIBLE] WHICH WILL HAVE THE FIRST READING, ANDREW TAKE IT AWAY. YES, SIR, THIS IS FOR THE ESTANCIA DEVELOPMENT OUT ON [INAUDIBLE] ROAD IN THE VICINITY OF RAVENWOOD DRIVE AND RM 1061.

THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH, WITH PREVIOUS REZONING REQUEST.

THIS ONE IS TO TAKE SEGMENTS OF THEIR MASTER PLAN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE ONE R3 AND RESIDENTIAL THREE TO GENERAL RETAIL TO DEVELOP A TRACT WITH RETAIL RELATED USES.

THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL ZONED PROPERTY FOR RETAIL GENERAL RETAIL JUST FURTHER NORTH.

BUT BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THEY'VE RECEIVED, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THEIR DEVELOPMENT.

THEY UNDERSTAND THERE'S A THERE'S A REQUEST FOR MORE RETAIL ORIENTED LEASES TO SERVE THE SURROUNDING RESIDENTIAL IN THE AREA.

THE APPLICANT AGAIN CHE SHADLE FOR ESTANCIA DEVELOPMENT LLC, THE ADJACENT LAND USES AS VACANT LAND TO THE NORTH, SOUTH AND WEST, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TO THE EAST, THE SURROUNDING ZONING IS OFFICE ONE TO THE NORTH, PLAN DEVELOPMENT TO THE EAST, SMALL AREA THAT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS TO THE SOUTH AND THE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT THREE TO THE WEST AND OF COURSE THE NORTH, EAST OR NORTH, WEST AND SOUTH ARE ADJACENT AREAS ARE PART OF THIS PLAN DEVELOPMENT.

OTHER THAN THE SMALL SEGMENT THAT'S OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS.

THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION IS GENERAL COMMERCIAL, WHICH DOES CALL FOR THESE TYPES OF USES. SO IT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION AS BEING PROPOSED.

AND THEN THE PLANNING ZONING COMMISSION DID APPROVE THIS WITH A FOUR ZERO VOTE AND ONE ABSTENTION DURING THEIR NOVEMBER 9TH PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING.

HERE IS THE OUTLINE OF THE AREA BEING REZONED.

AND JUST POINT OUT ONCE THIS IS DEVELOPED, IT WOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE RESIDENTIAL AREA AND THEN THERE WOULD ALSO BE SCREENING REQUIREMENTS AND DIFFERENT MEASURES IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

AND THEN TO YOUR RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THE UNDEVELOPED AERIAL OF THAT AREA.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE ON THIS REQUEST.

QUESTIONS COUNCIL? LET ME ASK A QUESTION, LOOKING AT THAT MAP, WHAT'S THAT AREA TO THE WEST, THAT SKINNY AREA? TO THE WEST HERE. WELL, OVER ON THIS OTHER MAP.

ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AERIAL? NO [INAUDIBLE].

THE YELLOW AREA.

OH, THAT'S JUST PART OF THEIR LAND THAT'S BEING CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE TRACT FOR THE REZONING. WHY IS THAT? I MAY HAVE TO ASK CHRIS THAT QUESTION, I THINK HE'S ON THE ON THE LINE HERE.

YES, MR. SMITH, THAT'S IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO EXISTING UTILITIES ON RAVENWOOD THERE, AND SO BASICALLY THAT'S WHY THAT IS PARCELED OUT IN THAT MANNER RIGHT THERE.

THAT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 20 FOOT OR SO FOR UTILITIES? CORRECT. [INAUDIBLE] THE [INAUDIBLE] STILL HAVE A SCREENING FENCE OR WHATEVER WAY IT'S GOING TO BE DONE AROUND.

THAT IS CORRECT, YES, SIR.

OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, ANDREW. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A PUBLIC HEARING ON ITEM 3B, WHICH IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 7896.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK FOR, ON OR AGAINST THIS MATTER CAN NOW DO SO.

SO I'LL HAND IT TO THE CALL MODERATOR, STEPHANIE.

IF YOU ARE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC, PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE ON YOUR PHONE OR THE RAISE HAND BUTTON ON YOUR APP.

MAYOR, WE DO NOT HAVE ANYBODY WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.

[02:30:03]

MAYOR I MOVE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE NUMBER 7896 IN THE VICINITY OF RAVENSWOOD DRIVE AN RM 1061. SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7896.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE.

ITEM 3C, JARED [INAUDIBLE] PASS ON ITEM 3C? YES, MA'AM. OK, SO WE'RE PASSING ON THAT.

THAT APPLICANT IS GOING A DIFFERENT DIRECTION.

[3.D. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7898]

YES, SIR. SO THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO REZONE THIS TRACT FROM AGRICULTURAL TO LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT TO DEVELOP THE TRACT WITH A LARGE RETAIL COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSE. [INAUDIBLE] OF THE NORTHEAST 24TH AVENUE AND LOOP 335, BASICALLY DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET TO THE WEST OF THE CENTER PORT BUSINESS PARK, WHERE THERE ARE SIMILAR USES. THE APPLICANT IS STEVE BACKMAN FOR HAPPY HORIZONS PROPERTIES L.P.

THE ADJACENT LAND USE INCLUDES VACANT LAND TO THE NORTH, SOUTH AND WEST, AND THEN THE CENTER PORT BUSINESS PARK AND INDUSTRIAL USES TO THE EAST.

THE ZONING CATEGORIES IN THE AREA AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO THE NORTH, SOUTH AND WEST, AGAIN AS A AS A PLACEHOLDER DISTRICT AND THEN PLAN DEVELOPMENT TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER PORT BUSINESS PARK. THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION IS ALSO RURAL IN NATURE, ALSO A PLACEHOLDER ZONING FOR THIS OR FUTURE LAND USE FOR THIS AREA.

AND THEN THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID HEAR THIS ITEM ON THEIR NOVEMBER 9TH AGENDA AND DID APPROVE IT WITH A FOUR TO ZERO VOTE.

ON THE SCREEN, YOU CAN SEE AN OUTLINE OF THE 110 ACRES IN THE HATCHED YELLOW AREA.

THERE IT IS TO THE NORTHEAST CORNER OR SOUTH SOUTHWEST CORNER WITH THE INTERSECTION TO THE NORTH EAST DIRECTLY ADJACENT TO THE CENTER PORT BUSINESS PARK.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE THE AERIAL OF THE LAND JUST SHOWING THAT'S NOT DEVELOPED.

SURROUNDING USES ARE VERY COMPATIBLE TO WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE WITH LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.

WE DO HAVE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO THE SOUTH OF [INAUDIBLE] DRIVE AND OF COURSE THE ALSO COMPATIBLE USES TO THE EAST WITH [INAUDIBLE], THE MICRO-TECHNOLOGIES AND THE CENTER PORT BUSINESS PARK.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS, COUNCIL? THANK YOU, ANDREW. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN A HEARING ON ITEM 3D, WHICH IS ORDINANCE NUMBER 7898.

ANY CITIZEN WISHING TO SPEAK FOR, ON OR AGAINST THIS MATTER CAN NOW DO SO.

STEPHANIE. PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE ON YOUR PHONE OR PRESS THE RAISE HAND BUTTON IN YOUR APP IF YOU'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

WE DO HAVE ONE COMMENTER, IT LOOKS LIKE.

I AM PRESSING A LOT OF TALK YOU'LL NEED TO UNMUTE YOURSELF AND THEN WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS. GOOD AFTERNOON.

MAYOR NELSO, COUNCIL MEMBERS, STEVE BACKMAN I'M WITH [INAUDIBLE] I'M THE APPLICANT FOR THE PROJECT, LISTED AS HAPPY HORIZON'S L.P.

WHO IS THE LAND SELLER.

MY COMPANY IS CURRENTLY IN UNDER CONTRACT TO PURCHASE THE LAND FROM HAPPY HORIZONS.

AND I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TODAY TO CONSIDER THIS REZONING.

AND I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M HERE AND AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I CAN ANSWER.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BACKMAN, WE APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE.

AND WE HAVE NO OTHER CALLERS AT THIS TIME MAYOR.

OK, THANK YOU. AT THIS TIME.

WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS MATTER AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7898 IN THE VICINITY OF NORTHEAST 24TH AVENUE AND LOOP 335.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SAUER.

TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER 7898.

COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? OK, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

OK, THAT'S FIVE VOTES FOR, SO THAT ITEM PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE.

[02:35:02]

[3.E. PUBLIC HEARING AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7899]

ALRIGHT MAYOR. THIS IS ANOTHER.

REZONING THIS ONE IS FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT TO MANUFACTURED HOME DISTRICT, ANDREW TAKE IT AWAY. YES, SIR.

SO THE APPLICANT IS REQUESTING TO REZONE THIS TRACT FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ONE TO MANUFACTURED HOME DISTRICTS WITH THE INTENT OF DEVELOPING A COMBINATION OF MANUFACTURED HOMES AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THE AREA.

IT IS IN THE VICINITY OF NORTH FOREST STREET AND NORTHWEST 12TH AVENUE, JUST EAST OF WESTERN. THE APPLICANT'S NAME IS JOSH LANGHAM FOR LLANO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, LLC.

SOME OF THE ADJACENT LAND USES INCLUDE VACANT LAND TO THE NORTH AND EAST.

WE HAD THE AMARILLO AREA CENTER FOR ADVANCED LEARNING TO THE SOUTH AND WE HAVE COMMERCIAL AND VACANT LAND TO THE WEST, THE ADJACENT ZONING IN THE AREA.

WE HAVE AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO THE NORTH AND EAST, LIGHT INDUSTRIAL TO THE SOUTH, PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT TO THE WEST.

THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION IS INDUSTRIAL.

WHEN REVIEWING THIS AS FAR AS IT COMPARES TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE INDUSTRIAL CATEGORY. THIS CATEGORY CONSISTS OF A VARIETY OF DEVELOPMENT TYPES RANGING FROM HEAVY AND LIGHT NATURAL USES TO HEAVY COMMERCIAL USE OF VARYING INTENSITIES.

SO TYPICALLY THEY MANUFACTURED HOMES AND RESIDENTIAL DON'T FULLY COMPLY WITH THAT CATEGORY. BUT WHAT'S UNIQUE WITH [INAUDIBLE] PLAN, AT LEAST THE CURRENT ZONING, IS THAT MANUFACTURED HOMES ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED IN LIGHT INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT.

WHAT THE APPLICANT IS PROPOSING IS TO GO AHEAD AND REZONE TO MANUFACTURED HOME BECAUSE THEY ARE IN THE PLANNING STAGES APPLYING FOR A MANUFACTURED HOME PARK PERMIT, WHICH IS CURRENTLY ALLOWED BY [INAUDIBLE].

BUT THEY ARE STILL FINALIZING THE PLAN FOR OFFICIAL SUBMITTAL, BASICALLY WANT TO PROTECT THEIR PROJECT FROM BECOMING A NON-CONFORMING USE AS THEY WORK THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. SO THE INTENT, AGAIN, IS TO REMOVE THIS LANGUAGE FROM THE ZONING DISTRICT OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. INTERMIX WITH INDUSTRIAL USE, IT IS NOT A GOOD PLANNING PRACTICE.

THAT'S WHY DURING THE CODE REWRITE WE'RE PROPOSING TO TAKE OUT THOSE HOME RESIDENTIAL USES FROM LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AND OTHER COMMERCIAL CATEGORIES.

SO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION DID HEAR THIS CASE DURING THEIR NOVEMBER 9TH MEETING AS WELL, AND DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL WITH A FOUR ZERO VOTE.

AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SCREEN OUTLINED IN THE HATCHED YELLOW AREA IS THE AREA BEING CONSIDERED TODAY SURROUNDED BY THE PURPLE LIGHT INDUSTRIAL AREA AND TO THE SOUTH, WEST AND NORTH. AND ON THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE A LITTLE BETTER VIEW OF THE CURRENT SURROUNDINGS AND CURRENT USES. YOU DO HAVE A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD TO THE SOUTH EAST.

SO WITH THIS PROPOSAL CHANGING THIS TO THE RESIDENTIAL USE ADD A DIFFERENT HOUSING PRODUCT, IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE MORE OF A BUFFER.

IF RESIDENTIAL CAN CONTINUE BEING DEVELOPED TO THE EAST DIRECTION VERSUS THESE HEAVY INDUSTRIAL USERS BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND CLOSER TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, TO THE SOUTH EAST. AT THE TIME OF SENDING OUT NOTICES, WE DID RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM LAND OWNERS IN THE AREA. WE HAVE ONE THAT STATED NO OPPOSITION AND A COUPLE EXPRESSED CONCERNS WITH THE PROPOSED USE BEING A MANUFACTURED HOME PARK BUT PLANNING AND ZONING DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

OK, ANDREW, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER PLACES IN TOWN THAT ALLOWS MANUFACTURED HOUSING? YES, SO MANUFACTURED HOME MANUFACTURED HOME DISTRICT IS A SPECIFIC ZONING CATEGORY THAT ALLOWS EITHER TO BE PLACED ON A ONE PLAT LOT OR TO BE ONE LARGE LOT AND BASICALLY KIND OF RENT SPACES FOR THE MANUFACTURED HOMES TO SIT ON, WHICH IS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE, BUT MANUFACTURED HOMES IN GENERAL.

THE NEWER ONES ARE ALLOWED BASICALLY IN EVERY RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT AND IS ONLY THE OLDER ONES THAT ARE ALLOWED IN LESS AREAS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A SPECIFIC USE PERMIT TO BE PLACED THERE. BUT WHAT YOU JUST SAID IS THIS IS KIND OF LIKE.

YOU CAN PULL THESE MANUFACTURED HOMES IN AND OUT.

CORRECT. YES, SO THEY CAN BE PLACED ON THE SITE AND THEN LATER ON IT MIGHT CHANGE, OR THE LAND OWNER COULD PUT ALL THE MANUFACTURED HOMES IN AND RENT THEM OUT, SAY, LIKE APARTMENT COMPLEX OR DIFFERENT UNITS, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR MARKET CALLS FOR, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT. THAT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT, THOUGH, ISN'T IT? TO THE WEST, THE TRAILS OF TASCOSA DEVELOPMENT IS TO THE WEST OF WESTERN, SO

[02:40:05]

SO, ANDREW, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IF WE WERE NOT DOING AN UPGRADE TO OUR PLANNING AND ZONING ORDINANCES, THIS WOULD BE A NON-ISSUE, CORRECT? ARE CURRENTLY STRUCTURED, WOULD ALLOW FOR MANUFACTURED HOUSING AND THIS OWNER IS JUST ANTICIPATING CHANGES AND OFFICIALLY GETTING GRANDFATHERED IN.

YES, GRANDFATHERED.

AND THEN SO IF THEY CAME IN TOMORROW, THEY'D BE GRANDFATHERED, BUT THIS PROTECTS THEM IN THE FUTURE FROM BECOMING A NON CONFORMING USE THAT WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT IF THEY EVER WERE TO CHANGE OR IF THEY HAD ANY ISSUES WHERE THERE WAS A LAPSE OR WHATEVER THE TIME PERIOD THAT WOULD BE IN THAT NONCONFORMING USE.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANDREW? YOU SAID SOME PEOPLE OPPOSE THIS.

YOU DIDN'T SAY HOW MANY.

WE HAD TWO. I BELIEVE ONE WAS IN THE INDUSTRIAL AREA AND ONE WAS FROM ACROSS [INAUDIBLE].

OK, THANK YOU.

OK, I THINK WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM.

ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK FOR, ON, OR AGAINST ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY EIGHT NINETY NINE, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 3E, NOW IS THE TIME TO DO THAT.

SO, STEPHANIE, I'LL HAND IT TO YOU AS THE CALL MODERATOR.

PLEASE PRESS STAR NINE ON YOUR PHONE AT THIS TIME OR PRESS THE RAISE HAND BUTTON IN YOUR ZOOM APP IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

MAYOR, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.

OK, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ENTERTAIN A MOTION ON ITEM 3E.

MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY EIGHT NINETY NINE IN THE VICINITY OF NORTH FOREST STREET AND NORTHWEST 12TH AVENUE.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY EIGHT NINETY NINE.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE MOTION COUNCIL? I'LL JUST MAKE THIS COMMENT AND I'M NOT GOING TO BE IN FAVOR OF A MANUFACTURED HOUSING D ESIGNATION. WITH WHAT'S ACROSS WESTERN FROM IT AND.

AND THE FACT THAT YOU CAN MOVE THEM IN AND MOVE THEM OUT, AND I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF POTENTIAL FOR BEING A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE.

AND SO I'LL JUST TELL YOU RIGHT UP FRONT, I'M NOT GOING TO BE FOR THAT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? THANK YOU, DR. SAUER.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, EDDY, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND YOUR CONCERNS AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S FROM WHEN THE ORIGINAL ZONING WAS IN PLACE.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF UPSCALE DEVELOPMENT JUST TO THE WEST OF THE LOCATION.

THIS IS PRETTY INDUSTRIAL TO THE EAST.

SO NOT THAT OUT OF CHARACTER FOR THAT AREA.

BUT MY CONCERN IS IF WE WERE STARTING FROM SCRATCH, I WOULD NOT BE SELECTING THAT USAGE FOR THIS PROPERTY. BUT I JUST THINK IN FAIRNESS TO PROPERTY OWNERS, WHEN THEY PURCHASE A PIECE OF PROPERTY AND CITY GOVERNMENT HAS CURRENT RULES IN PLACE THAT THEY ARE COUNTING ON FOR MAKING PLANS.

AND AS THEY MAKE INVESTMENTS, THAT I JUST THINK IT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO THE OWNER FOR US TO CHANGE THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE USE OF THAT PROPERTY AFTER THEY HAD PURCHASED IT.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER HAYS, ANY THE OTHER COMMENTS.

APPRECIATE YOU GUYS SHARING YOUR THINKING.

OK, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

[02:45:07]

GOT ONE. SO THAT ITEM WILL PASS BEFORE A FOUR ZERO VOTE.

I'M SORRY FOUR ONE VOTE.

SORRY I MISSPOKE ON THAT. MOVING ON TO AGENDA ITEM THREE F AN

[3.F. DISCUSS AND CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7900]

HI MAYOR, I'M GOING TO HAND IT TO BRIAN, BUT THIS IS A PROCEDURAL ORDINANCE MODIFICATION TO REFLECT THE CHANGES THAT HAPPENING TO THE MEETING FREQUENCY REQUIREMENTS IN OUR CHARTER AS A RESULT OF THE NOVEMBER CHARTER ELECTION ITEM C.

BRIAN? YES, SIR, ALL THIS ORDINANCE DOES IS IT CONFIRMS AND CODIFIES THE VOTER APPROVED AMENDMENT TO THE CITY CHARTER. IT'S JUST THE OFFICIAL ACTION THAT THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO CODIFY THAT. COUNCIL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR BRIAN ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE? OK, THANK YOU, BRIAN.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION FOR ITEM THREE F? YES, MAYOR, I MOVE TO ADOPT ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY NINE HUNDRED TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE CITY OF AMARILLO HOME RULE CHARTER, ARTICLE V, SECTION 12 A, WHICH AUTHORIZES THE CODIFIED VERSION OF THE CHARTER IN THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF ORDINANCES TO BE AMENDED TO CONFORM TO AND ENACT THE ELECTION RESULT.

SECOND.

IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE ORDINANCE NUMBER SEVENTY NINE HUNDRED.

ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? I THINK IT WAS SECONDED BY EDDY SAUER.

DID I SAY THE WRONG THING? THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME.

FRANCES WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT RIGHT ANYWAY, BUT I APPRECIATE.

OK, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OR ANY QUESTIONS, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

THAT PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE AND WE MOVE TO ITEM THREE G, WHICH IS PRESENTATION ON

[3.G. CONSIDER APPROVAL – CITY OF AMARILLO 2020 INVESTMENT POLICY]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

MY DIRECTOR OF FINANCE DEBBIE REID IS GOING TO BE MAKING HER INAUGURAL [INAUDIBLE]TO THE C OUNCIL I BELIEVE. SO WE'RE REAL EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

DEBBIE, TAKE IT AWAY. WELCOME DEBBIE.

OH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

GOOD AFTERNOON MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

ON THE AGENDA ITEM IS JUST YOUR ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE INVESTMENT POLICY, THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND THEN THE APPROVAL OF THE POLICY FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.

OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, THE CITY HANDLES QUITE A BIT OF PUBLIC FUNDS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE MUST COMPLY WITH THE TEXAS PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT.

AND YOU KNOW TEXAS IS GREAT IN THAT IT HOLDS GOVERNMENT ENTITIES TO A HIGHER STANDARD WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH PUBLIC FUNDS, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR CITIZENS.

THERE REALLY ARE VERY MINOR CHANGES TO THE POLICY THIS YEAR.

THERE WERE NO LIKE, THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

SO THEREFORE, THERE REALLY AREN'T ANY CHANGES TO THE POLICIES.

[INAUDIBLE] THIS POLICY WAS ALSO IN YOUR POCKET.

CHANGES ONE AND TWO JUST REALLY HAS MINOR WORDING CHANGES.

ON PAGE FIVE, WE ADDED SOMETHING UNDER THE MONITORING SECTION WE ADDED OR DESIGNEE TO MONITORING OF CREDIT RATING OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE PULLED.

THAT WAY WE HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAT CAN ADDRESS THAT WE DO.

AND THEN ON PAGE SEVEN OF THE POLICY, WE'VE ADDED A [INAUDIBLE] COUPLE OF SENTENCES AN AMENDMENT. THIS WAS JUST ADDING WORDING REGARDING UPDATES RELATED TO LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.

THERE'S A CHECKLIST THAT THE STATE COMPTROLLER'S SITE PUTS OUT THERE FOR INVESTMENT POLICIES TO BE CHECKED AGAINST.

AND THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING ADDED TO THE POLICY TO GIVE US MORE VERBIAGE IN RELATION TO LEGISLATIVE CHANGES.

SO THIS POLICY AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT.

AND THEREFORE, WE'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF THE POLICY FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND WITH THAT I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

ANYONE HAVE QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, DEBBIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL GETTING A CHANCE TO MEET YOU IN PERSON.

I KNOW I HAVE. AND MAYBE YOU'VE MET EVERYBODY, BUT IT'S A STRANGE TIME TO LAND IN A NEW CITY AND START A NEW POSITION.

BUT WE'RE REALLY GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

[02:50:01]

COUNCIL, DO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE APPROVAL OF OUR FINANCE POLICY? YES, MA'AM, WE DO.

I MOVE TO APPROVE THE CITY OF AMARILLO'S 2020 INVESTMENT POLICY.

SECOND. IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER POWELL, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SMITH TO APPROVE THE 2020 INVESTMENT POLICY, ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MOTION? OK, ALL OF THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

I SEE FIVE, SO THAT'S WHAT PASSES WITH THE FIVE ZERO VOTE AND BRINGS US TO THE END OF OUR AGENDA TODAY FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND COUNCIL.

[4. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

THANK YOU. BUT WAIT, BRIAN, YOU HAVE TO READ OUR LANGUAGE.

SORRY, NO PROBLEM, NO PROBLEM.

THE AMARILLO CITY COUNCIL'S ANNOUNCED ON DECEMBER THE 8TH, 2020 AT 4:03 P.M.

UNDER THE FOLLOWING AUTHORITIES, SECTION FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO SEVEN TWO DISCUSS THE PURCHASE EXCHANGE, LEASE SALE OR VALUE REAL PROPERTY, PUBLIC DISCUSSION.

SUCH WOULD NOT BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF [INAUDIBLE] BARGAINING POSITION.

SECTION FIVE FIVE ONE POINT ZERO EIGHT SEVEN DISCUSSED COMMERCIAL OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM AN EXISTING BUSINESS OR BUSINESS PROSPECT, WHICH THE CITY IS NEGOTIATING FOR THE LOCATION, RETENTION OF A FACILITY OR FOREIGN [INAUDIBLE].

THE CITY IS WILLING TO EXTEND OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION SUBMITTED BY THE STATE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OK, WE'RE ADJOURNED. INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION, THANKS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.